3. sought to do but with ill successe For it tyeth and hampereth men with an Aut 〈◊〉 aut patiendum either you must have the direction of the Law or the correction either do it or die for it Thus the Law is a schoolmaster and such a one as that that Livy and 〈◊〉 speak of in Italy that brought forth his scholars to 〈◊〉 who had he not been more mercifull then otherwise they had all perished The comfort is that it is a schoolmaster to Christ who became bond to the Law to redeem us that were under the Law from the rigour bondage irritation and condemnation thereof So that the use that now we have of it is only to be as Pauls sisters son to shew us our danger and to send us to the chief Captain of our salvation who came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it But to fulfill it To complete and accomplish it for he fulfilled all righteousnesse and finished the work that was given him to do A new commandement also gave he unto us that we love one another which love is the complement of the Law and the supplement of the Gospel Besides Christ is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth and commandeth us no more then he causeth us to do yea he doth all his works in us and for us saith the Church Isa 26. 12. Thus Christ still fulfills the Law in his people into whose hearts he putteth a disposition answerable to the outward Law in all things as in the wax is the same impression that was upon the seal This is called the law of the minde Rom. 7. and answereth the law of God without as lead answers the mould as tally answereth tally as Indenture Indenture Heb. 8. 8 9 10. with 2 Cor. 3. 2 3. Rom. 6. 17. Verse 18. For verily I say unto you This is his ordinary asseveration which he useth in matters of weight only For a vain protestation comes to as much for ought I know saith a Worthy Divine as a vain oath Till heaven and earth passe And passe they must The visible heavens being defiled with our sins that are even 〈◊〉 unto them as Babylons sins are said to be Rev. 18. 5. shall be purged with the fire of the last day as the vessels of the sanctuary were that held the sin-offering The earth also and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up And this the Heathens had heard of and hammerd at that the world should at length be 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 as Ovid hath it and Lucretius disputeth it according to the naturall causes But Ludolfus of the life of Christ doth better when he telleth us that of those two destructions of the 〈◊〉 the former was by water for the heat of their lust and the later shall be by 〈◊〉 for the coldnesse of their love One jot Which is the least letter in the Alphabet 〈◊〉 calleth it a half-letter and Luther rendreth this text Ne minima quidem litera not so much as the least letter Or one tittle Not a hair-stroke an accent on the top of an Hebrew letter the bending or bowing thereof as a little bit on the top of a horn The 〈◊〉 have summed up all the letters in the bible to shew that one hair of that sacred head is not perished Shall in no wise passe from the Law The ceremoniall Law 〈◊〉 a shadow of good things to come saith the Apostle this good 〈◊〉 was Christ. When the Sun is behinde the shadow is before when the Sun is before the shadow is 〈◊〉 So was it in Christ to them of old saith one This Sun was behinde and therefore 〈◊〉 Law or shadow was before To us under the Gospel the Sun 〈◊〉 before and so now the 〈◊〉 of the Law those shadows 〈◊〉 behinde yea vanished away Before the passion of Christ wherein they all determined the ceremonies of the Law were 〈◊〉 dead nor deadly saith Aquinas After the passion till such time 〈◊〉 the Gospel was preached up and down by the Apostles though dead yet for the time they were not deadly But since that they are not only dead but deadly to them that use them as the Jews to this day As for the 〈◊〉 Law it is eternall and abideth for 〈◊〉 in heaven saith David And albeit some speciall duties of certain Commandments shall cease when we come to heaven yet the substance of every one remaineth We live by the same Law in effect as the Saints above doe and doe Gods will on earth as they in Heaven God himself cannot dispenle with the 〈◊〉 of those laws that be morall in themselves because he hath sin by nature not by precept only such are all the ten Commandments but the fourth The fourth Commandment say Divines is morall by precept not by nature and so the Lord of the Sabbath may 〈◊〉 with the literall breach of the Sabbath Of all the morall Law it is the opinion of some of our best Divines that since the comming of Christ it bindeth us not out of any fore-going 〈◊〉 as delivered to Moses in the mount but as it is 〈◊〉 to the Law of nature which is common to Jews and Gentiles and as it was explained and confirmed by our Saviour Christ in the Gospel To conclude the ministerials of this Law shall passe away together with this life the substantials shall 〈◊〉 into our 〈◊〉 natures and shine therein as in a mirrour for ever Verse 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these 〈◊〉 Commandments So the Pharisees called and counted these weightier things of the Law in comparison of their tithings Matth. 23 23. and traditions Matth. 15. 3. But albeit some Commandments are greater then some as those of the first table in meet comparison then those of the second yet that Pharisaicall diminution of Commandments that idle distinction of sins into Gnats and Camels veniall and mortall motes and mountains is by no means to be admitted The least sin is contrary to Charity as the least drop of water is to fire The least missing of the marke is an errour as well as the greatest and both alike for kinde though not for degrees Hence lesser sins are reproached by the name of the greater malice is called murther lustfull looks adultery sitting at idolatrous feasts though without all intent of worsh p 〈◊〉 See 〈◊〉 31. 27 28. Disobedience in never so small a matter as eating a forbidden apple gathering a few sticks on the Sabbath-day looking into or touching the Ark hath been 〈◊〉 punished Though the matter seem small yet thy malice 〈◊〉 presumption is great that wilt in so small a thing incurre the 〈◊〉 so high displeasure What could be a 〈◊〉 Commandment 〈◊〉 to abstain from bloud yet is their obedience herein urged with many words and that with this reason as ever they will have God
laid hold of him Now I would we were all Lutherans in this saith One c. Verse 20. But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven That which you may draw out a thousand year hence For in a treasure there are three things a laying up a lying hid and a drawing out for present use Riches reach not to eternity Therefore whiles others lay 〈◊〉 upon riches Lay thou hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 12. and that by following after righteousnesse god inesse faith love patience 〈◊〉 This this is the true treasure this is to be rich as our Saviour speaketh toward God and is opposed to laying up treasure for himself Luk 12. 21. as 〈◊〉 laying up treasure in heaven is to that of laying up treasure in earth 〈◊〉 cannot be done because the heart cannot be in two so different places at once The Saints have their commoration on earth but their conversation is in heaven Here are their bodies but their hearts are 〈◊〉 Christ their head is Sancti ibi sunt ubi 〈◊〉 sunt non sunt ubi sunt saith Chrysostome The Saints are there in their affections whether as yet they are not come in their 〈◊〉 All their plowing sailing building planting tends to that life that is 〈◊〉 supernaturall they run 〈◊〉 the high prize they strive for the crown of righteousnesse they breath after the 〈◊〉 vision with Oh when shall I come and appear before God! And as the Athenians when they were besiged by Sylla had 〈◊〉 hearts with him without the walls though their bodies were held within by force So the Saints though detained here for a while in a farre countrey yet their hearts are at home They go thorow the world as a man whose minde is in a deep study or as one that hath speciall haste of some weighty businesse they wonder much how men can a while to pick up sticks and straws with so much delight and diligence The time is short or trussed up into a narrow 〈◊〉 the task is long of keeping faith and 〈◊〉 good conscience hence they use the world as if they used it not as having little leisure to trifle There 's water little enough to runne in the right chanel therefore they let none runne beside but carefully improve every opportunity as wise merchants and care not to sell all to purchase the pearl of price In a witty 〈◊〉 saith Broughton out os Rabbi Bochai Kain and Abel contain in their names advertisements for matter of true continuance and corruption Kain betokeneth possession in this world and 〈◊〉 betokeneth one humbled in minde and holding such possession vain Such was his 〈◊〉 sheep-kinde the 〈◊〉 of all living beasts and therefore the favour of God followed him And the offering of Kain was of the fruit of the earth as he loved the possession of this world and the service of the body which yet can have no continuance and followed after bodily lusts Therefore the blessed 〈◊〉 favoured him not Kains chief care was to build Cities that he might call his Land after his own Name Psal. 49. 11. and make his sonne Lord Enoch of Enoch Not so the better sort Abel Henoch Noah Abraham they were content to dwell in tents as looking for a City which hath foundations whose maker and founder is God Abraham bought a piece of ground but for buriall only Ishmael shall beget twelve Princes but with Isaac will I establish my Covenant and although he grow not so great as his brother that man of Gods hand that had his portion here yet he shall make reckoning that the lines are fallen unto him in a fair place that he hath a goodly heritage Esau had his Dukes and grows a great Magnifico but Jacob gets first the birth-right for a messe of red red which the hungry hunter required to be 〈◊〉 with as Camels are fed by casting gobbets into their mouthes so the word signifies And after this he gets the blessing by his mothers means And when 〈◊〉 threatened him and had bolted out some suspitious words she seeks not to reconcile the two brethren by making the younger yeeld again what he had got from the Elder but prefers the blessing before Iacobs life and sends him away This was to lay up treasure in heaven for her sonne who took herein after the mother too For if Esau will but 〈◊〉 him to settle in the Land of promise a type of heaven he will spare for no cost to make his peace Silver and gold he hath none but cattel good store 550. head of them sends he for a present to make room for him as Solomon hath it Let heaven be a mans object and earth will soon be his abject David counts one good cast of Gods countenance 〈◊〉 better then all the corn and oil in the countrey Solomon craves wisdom and not wealth Paul counts all but drosse dung and dogs-meat so he may win Christ and get home to him Here we have but a glimpse of those gleams of 〈◊〉 we see but as in a glasse obscurely our life is hid with Christ in God as the pearl lies 〈◊〉 till the shell be broken Compare the estate of Prince Charles in his Queen-mothers womb with his condition at full age in all the glory of his fathers Court there is not so broad a difference as betwixt our present enjoyments albeit our joyes here are unspeakable glorious with those we shall have hereafter Sursum 〈◊〉 cursum nostrum dirigamus Let therefore our affections and actions our counsels and courses be bent and bound for heaven our earthly 〈◊〉 dispatch with heavenly mindes and in serving men let us serve the Lord Christ. The Angels are sent about Gods message to this earth yet never out of their heaven never without the vision of their maker These earthly things distract not if we make them not our treasure if we shoot not our hearts over-farre into them The end of a Christians life is not as 〈◊〉 dreamed of the 〈◊〉 of man to 〈◊〉 the heavens but to live in heaven This he begins to do here by the life of faith by walking with God as Enoch and Elias those Candidates of immortality so the Ancients called them by walking before God as Abraham and David by walking after God as the Israelites were bidden to do With God a man walks by an humble friendship and familiarity before him by uprightnesse and integrity after him by obedience and conformity by doing his will on earth as it is in heaven And this is to lay up treasure in heaven this is as the Apostle expresseth and interpreteth it to lay up in store for our selves a good foundation against the 〈◊〉 to come that we 〈◊〉 lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 19. There shall be 〈◊〉 of thy times strength salvation wisdome and knowledge for the fear of the Lord shall be his treasure Isai. 33. 6.
without towards him they fly as a cloud and as a flock of doves they scoure into the columbary and 〈◊〉 into the windows Isa. 60. 8. And the violent c. The valiant Isay calleth them that break thorow all difficulties as did Davids Worthies and walk about the world as so many Conquerours yea more then Conquerours they are Rom. 8. 37. and what can that be but Triumphers 2 Cor. 2. 14. Take it by force Make a prey or a prize of it Diripiunt as Hilary rendreth it making it a metaphor from a tower or town sackt and ransackt by the enemy Cyprus is an Island so fruitfull and pleasant that it was anciently called Macaria that is blessed And of it Sextus Rufus writeth that being famous for riches it thereby sollicited the poverty of the people of Rome to seise upon it This may be more fitly said of heaven that habibitation of the happy ones so eagerly and earnestly sought for by the Saints that nothing else will satisfy them Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari said Luther when great 〈◊〉 were sent unto him and a Cardinalship offered him by the Pope God he said should not put him off with those petty things he breathed after better Heaven is had by the violent earth inherited by those that are meek Matth. 5. 6. Where though God would have his servants content with the least mercies as being 〈◊〉 then the very least yet not satisfied with 〈◊〉 greatest things in the world for their portion sith they are born to better If they be as most are slothfull in seeking to 〈◊〉 themselves of Heaven He chides them as Ioshuah did the seven tribes for their negligence Iosh. 18. 2. Verse 13. For all the Prophets and the Law c. i. e. The Ministery of the Prophets and the shadows of the Law determined in Iohns preaching As for the substance of the Law Christ came not to destroy but fulfill it Matth. 5. 17 18. See the notes thereon Verse 14. This is Elias Not the Thisbite but yet the same that Malachy foretold should come in the spirit and power of 〈◊〉 And surely if we observe it as here Christ 〈◊〉 to the Iews If ye will receive it there is a wonderfull agreement between the times of Elias and Iohn Baptist between Ahab and 〈◊〉 between Jezebel and Herodias c. The Iews also have a saying amongst them at this day when they are puzzled in any point Elias cum venerit solvet omnia Verse 15. He that hath ears to hear let him hear Let him 〈◊〉 listen not with that outward ear onely that gristle that grows upon his head but let him draw up his heart to his ears that one sound may pierce both at once Thus hear and your souls shall live Isa. 55. 3. A heavy ear is a singular judgement Isa. 6. The good Hebrews are taxed for their dull hearing Heb. 5. 11. Such cars are likely to be forced open by correction Iob 33. 16. and be made hear the rod 〈◊〉 6. 9. So that if they did but see their danger they would doe as the Prophet requires cut their hair and cast it away under the sense of the horrour of Gods heavy displeasure Ier. 7. 24. 29. Verse 16. But whereunto shall I liken this generation So great was the contumacy and obstinacy of this perverse people the Pharisees especially that the wisdom of God seems to be at a want for a fit word to utter to them for their better conviction And do not some such sit before us at this day as sencelesse every whit of what is said to them as the seats they sit on the pillars they lean to the dead bodies they tread upon We may speak to them alas till we spet out our lungs and all to as little purpose as Bede did when he preached to an heap of stones Verse 17. We have piped unto you c. It is probable that children in those daies were wont to solace themselves with songs in this sort And thence our Saviour seeks to represse the pride and set forth the sin of his untoward hearers Fit similies doe excellently illustrate And hee 's the best Preacher saith Luther that delivereth himself vulgarly plainly trivially not speaking in a Roman English or other lofty language that the hearers are nothing the wiser for nor yet puzzling them with scholasticall craggy disquisitions that breed winde and not nourishment But so attempering their discourses to the hearers capacities that their desires and endeavours may answer his as it was between S. Paul and the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20. 31 37. He tells them of his tears and they answer him with tears O happy compliance But most of our hearers are like these in the text which whether piped to or mourned to are nothing at all affected Verse 18. For John came neither eating c. So froward men are and frample that no preacher can please them If he preach plainly it will seem 〈◊〉 slubbering if elaborately curious affectation And for his life Austere John hath a devil sociable Christ is a winebibber And it was the worse because from Scribes and Pharisees whose word must carry such credit with it as alone to condemn Christ and whose life must be a rule to others Doe any of the Pharisees beleeve in him In this case duty must be done however it be construed Evil men when they learn to think well will learn to report well Let our lives and labours in the Lords work confute them and though they should by their reproaches bury our good names in their throats those open sepulchres yet at utmost when Christ comes to judgement there shall be a resurrection of names as well as of bodies Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord Iames 5. 7. And they say he hath a devil So Staphylus and Surius said that Luther learned his Divinity of the devil The Jesuites affirm that he was stirred up by the devil and they were sent out by God to resist him Himself knew all this and took it well a worth Prorsùs satan est Lutherus saith he in an Epistle to Spalatinus 〈◊〉 Christus vivit regnat Amen he adds his Amen to it Verse 19. The Sonne of man came eating and drinking Teaching us thereby in the use of things indifferent to doe what we can to preserve our good esteem with others that we may the sooner prevail with them This was St. Pauls All things to all men He turned himself into all shapes and fashions both of speech and spirit to win men to God St Austin spake broken barbarous latine ro the Roman Colonies in Afrike to the end that they might understand him When I come to Rome saith Ambrose to Monica I fast on the Saturday when I am at Millain I fast not So you to what Church soever you come ejus morem serva doe as others doe not giving offence carelesly nor taking offence 〈◊〉 Calvin was
in the same estate wherein they were before These that follow this latter sense read the text thus by an alteration of points Ye which have followed me shall in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in his glory fit upon twelve thrones c. Ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones As so many Kings Kings they are here but somewhat obscure ones as Melchisedech was but shall then appear with Christ in glory far outshining the Sunne in his strength higher then all the Kings of the earth When Daniel had 〈◊〉 the greatnesse and glory of all the four Monarchies of the world at last he comes to speak of a Kingdome which is the greatest and mightiest under the whole heaven and that is the Kingdom of the Saints of the most high So glorious is their estate even here what 〈◊〉 it be then at that great day And if the Saints every of them shall judge the Angells What shall the Apostles do surely as they 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 men in this world so shall it fare with them at the generall Judgement Verse 29. Shall receive an hundred sold In reference to Isaacks hundred-fold increase of his seed Gen. 26. 12. or that best of grounds Mat. 13 Those that do pillage us they do but husband us sow for us when they make long forrowes on our backs Psal. 126. and ride over our heads Psal. 66 12 Gordius the Mattyr said It is to my losse if you bate me any thing in my suffrings Crudelitas vestra nostra gloria said they in Tertullian your cruelty is our glory and the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven Nay on earth too the Saints shall have their losses for Christ recompensed either in mony or monies-worth either in the same or a better thing Iob had all doubled to him Valentinian for his tribuneship the Empire cast upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostate who had put him out of office for his religion Q. Elizabeth whose life 〈◊〉 a long while had been like a ship in the midst of an Irish sea after long restraint was exalted from misery to 〈◊〉 from a prisoner to a 〈◊〉 Optanda nimirum est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is 〈◊〉 a lovely losse that is made up with so great gain 〈◊〉 Q. Elizabeth forknown whiles she was in prison what a glorious raign she should have had for 44 years she would never have wished her self a milk maid So did but the Saints understand what great things abide them both here and hereafter they would bear any thing chearfully An hundred 〈◊〉 here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life hereafter On who would not then turn spirituall purchaser Well might St Paul say godlines is profitable to all things Well might the Psalmist say In doing in suffering thy will there is great reward Not for doing it only but in doing it for Righteousnes is its own reward St Mark hath it thus He that leaveth house brethren sisters father c. shall receive the same in kinde house brethren 〈◊〉 father c. That is 1. He shall have communion with God and his consolations which are better then them all as 〈◊〉 that Italian Marquesse that left all for Christ avowed them and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his City was taken by the Barbarians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us to God Lord let me not be troubled at the losse of my gold and silver for thou art all in all unto me 2. He many times gives his suffering servants here such supplies of their outward losses in raising them up other friends and means as 〈◊〉 abundantly countervail what they have parted with Thus though David was driven from his wife and she was given to another God gave him a friend Jonathan whose love was beyond the love of women So though Naomi lost her husband and children Boaz 〈◊〉 and Obed became to her instead of all The Apostles left their houses and houshold-stuffe to follow Christ but then they had the houses of all godly people open to them and free for them and happy was that Lydia that could entertain them so that having nothing they yet possessed all things They left a few friends but they found 〈◊〉 more where ever they came Wherefore it was a 〈◊〉 sarcasme of Iulian the Apostate when reading this text he jearingly demanded whether they should have an hundred wives also for that one they had parted with 3. God commonly exalts his people to the contrary good to that evil they suffer for him as Ioseph of a slave became a ruler as Christ that was judged by men is Judge of all men The first thing that Caius did after he came to the Empire was to 〈◊〉 Agrippa who had been imprisoned for wishing him Emperour Constantine embraced Paphnutius and kissed his lost eye The King of Poland sent 〈◊〉 his enerall who had lost his hand in his warres a golden hand instead thereof God is far more liberall to those that serve him suffer for him Can any son of Iesse doe for us as he can Verse 30. But many that are first c Because Peter and the rest had called for their pay almost afore they had been at any pains for Chtist he therefore quickeneth them in these words bidding them bestir themselves better left others that are now hindermost should get beyond them and carry the crown Lay hold on eternall life saith Paul intimating that it is hanged on high as a garland so that we must reach after it strain to it So run that ye may obtain Look you to your work God will take care of your wages you need never trouble your selves about that matter 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
Sauls conscience yet could he not be safe but carried his life in his hand continually as he complaineth in that hundred and nineteenth Psalm which was made as is thought in the midst of those troubles out of his own observations and experiments As for the Prophets that came after which of them have not your fathers slain saith our Saviour to the Pharisees whom hebids by an Irony to fill up the measure of their fathers and fore-telling that they shall deal so by the Apostles whom he there calleth according to the custome of that Countrey Prophets Wise-men and Scribes He demandeth of those serpents and brood of vipers how they can escape those 〈◊〉 and hoards of wrath they have been so long in 〈◊〉 They had a little before delivered up Iohn Baptist to Herod and did unto him whatsoever they would Matth. 17. 11 12. Thereupon our Saviour departed out of Iudea into Galilee as Iohn the Evangelist hath it lest he should suffer the same things from them For though Herod were Tetrarch of Galilee and therefore it might seem a 〈◊〉 way for our Saviour to keep from thence after Iohn was beheaded and to continue in Iudea yet forasmuch as he was but their slaughter-slave as 〈◊〉 was to the rest of the Bishops of those daies Christ knew that if he did decline their fury there was no such cause to fear Herod Therefore when some of the Pharisees pretending good will to him bad him pack thence for else Herod would kill him he replied Goe tell that fox that I know both my time and my task which he would be doing at to day and to morrow that is as long as he listed without his leave And the third day when his hour was once come he should be sacrificed but it must be in Ierusalem and by the Pharisees for it befell not a Prophet to perish out of Ierusalem There it was that Stephen was stoned Iames 〈◊〉 with the sword Peter imprisoned and destined to destruction Paul whipt and bound many of the Saints punished oft in every Synagogue and compelled by the high-Priests authority either to blaspheme or flee to strange Cities as appeareth in many places of the Acts or rather passions of the Apostles for none out of hell ever suffered harder and heavier things then they See what S. Paul 〈◊〉 of himself and think the like of the rest 2 Cor. 6. 5. Verse 13. Ye are the salt of the earth As salt keepeth flesh from putrifying so doe the Saints the world and are therefore sprinkled up and down here one and there one to keep the rest from rotting Suillo pecori anima pro sale data quae carnem servaret ne putresceret saith Varro Swine and swinish persons have their souls for salt only to keep their bodies from stinking above ground Christ and his people are somewhere called the soul of the world The Sunts are called all things the Church every creature Tabor and Hermon are put for East and 〈◊〉 for God accounts of the world by the Church and upholds the world for the Churches sake Look how he gave Zoar to Lot and all the souls in the ship to Paul so he doth the rest of man kinde to the righteous Were it not for such Jeho saphats I would not look toward thee nor see thee said Elisha to Jehoram saith God to the wicked The holy seed is statumen terrae saith one Prophet the earths substance or settlement The righteous are fundamentum mundi the worlds foundation saith another I bear up the pillars of it saith David And it became a common proverb in the primitive times Absque 〈◊〉 non staret 〈◊〉 But for the piety and praiers of Christians the world could not 〈◊〉 It is a good conclusion of Philo therefore 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in domo vir justus 〈◊〉 ad calamitatum remedium Let us pray that the righteous may remain with us for a preservative as a pillar in the house as the salt of the earth But as all good people so good Ministers especially are here said for their doctrine to be the salt of the earth and for their lives The light of the world Salt hath two things in it 〈◊〉 saporem sharpnesse and savourinesse Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men sharply that they may be sound in the faith and a sweet savour to God savoury meat as that of Rebecca a sweet meat 〈◊〉 meet for the masters tooth that he may eat and blesse them Cast they must their cruses full of this holy salt into the un wholsome waters and upon the barren grounds of mens 〈◊〉 as Elisha once of Iericho so shall God say the word that all be whole and it shall be done No thought can passe between the receit and the remedy But if the salt have lost his savour c. A loose or lazy Minister is the worst creature upon earth so fit 〈◊〉 no place as for hell As unsavoury salt is not fit for the dung-hill but makes the very ground barren whereupon it is cast Who are now devils but they which once were Angels of light Corruptio optimi pessima as the sweetest wine makes the sowrest 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 flesh is resolved into the vilest earth Woe to those 〈◊〉 cleri that with Elies sonnes cover foul sinnes under a 〈◊〉 ephod that neither spin nor labour with the lilies unlesse it be in their own vineyards little in Gods that want either art or heart will or skill to the worke being not able or not apt to teach and so give occasion to those black-mouthed Campians to cry out Ministris eorum nihil vilius Their Ministers are the vilest fellows upon earth God commonly casteth off such as incorrigible for where with all shall it be salted there is nothing in nature that can restore unsavoury salt to its former nature He will not only lay such by as broken vessels boring out their right eyes and drying up their right armes i. e. bereaving them of their former abilities but also he will cast dung upon their faces Mal. 2. 3. so that as dung men shall tread upon them which is a thing not only calamitous but extremely ignominious as they did upon the Popish Clergy and the 〈◊〉 shall thanke them when he hath them in hell for sending him so many souls as Matthew Paris 〈◊〉 us he did those in the daies of Hild brand As for themselves it grew into a proverb Pavimentum infernirasis 〈◊〉 verticibus magnatum galeis stratum esse that hell was paved with the shaven crowns of Priests and great mens head peeces God threatens to feed such with gall and wormwood Jer. 23. 15. Verse 14. Ye are the light of the world And must therefore lead convincing lives though ye incur never so much harred of those 〈◊〉 those Tenebriones of the world that are 〈◊〉 apaid so much light should be
they shall be hungry they shall fret themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their King and their God and look upward And they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the earth where they have laid up their 〈◊〉 but now 〈◊〉 their hopes and behold trouble and darknesse 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and they shall be driven into darknesse Isa. 8. 21 22. utter darknesse where their Never-enough shall be quitted with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a black fire without the least glimpse of light or 〈◊〉 Where moth and rust doth corrupt and where 〈◊〉 c. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly-mindednesse 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of riches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a double danger or waste 1. Of 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 2. Of violence from others rust or robbery 〈◊〉 undo us As the fairest flowers or fruit-trees breed a worm 〈◊〉 that eats out the heart of them As the Ivy killeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it so of the matter of an earthly treasure 〈◊〉 moth or rust that 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 ward things are of a 〈◊〉 nature they perish in the use they melt away betwixt our 〈◊〉 S. Gregory upon those words in Job Qui ingreditur in 〈◊〉 nivis Who hath entered into the treasures of the snow 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 treasures are treasures of snow We see 〈◊〉 children what pains they take to rake and scrape snow 〈◊〉 to make a snow-ball which after a while dissolves and 〈◊〉 to nothing Right so the treasures of this world the 〈◊〉 that wicked men have heaped when God entreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to nothing He that trusteth to his riches shall fall 〈◊〉 11. 28. as he shall that standeth on an hillock of ice or heap 〈◊〉 snow David when got upon his mountain thought 〈◊〉 cock-sure and began to crow that he should never be 〈◊〉 But God to 〈◊〉 him had no sooner hid his face but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 troubled What 's the air without light The AEgyptians had no joy of it no more can a Christian have of wealth without Gods favour Besides what hold is there of these earthly things more then there is of a 〈◊〉 of birds I cannot say they are mine because they sit in my yard Riches have wings saith Solomon great Eagles wings to flee from us saith a Father but to follow 〈◊〉 us Ne passerinas 〈◊〉 not so much as small sparrows wings Whereupon Solomon rightly argues Wilt thou set thine 〈◊〉 upon that which is not that hath no reall subsistence that is nothing and of no more price then meer opinion 〈◊〉 upon it The world cals wealth substance but God gives that name to wisdom only Heaven is said to have a foundation earth to be hanged upon nothing So things 〈◊〉 said to be 〈◊〉 heaven as in a mansion but on earth on the surface only as ready to be shaken off Hence the world is called a sea of glasse frail and fickle mingled with fire of temptations and tribulations The very firmament that 〈◊〉 name from its firmnesse shall melt with servent heat and the whole visible fabrick be 〈◊〉 by the fire of the last 〈◊〉 Solomon sets forth the world by a word that betokeneth 〈◊〉 for its mutability And S. Paul when 〈◊〉 telleth us That 〈◊〉 fashion of the world passeth away useth a word of art that signifieth a bare externall mathematicall figure Cui veri aut selidi nihil 〈◊〉 saith an Interpreter that hath no truth or solidity in it at all Gilliner King of Vandals being conquered and carried in 〈◊〉 by Bellisarius the Roman Generall when he stood in the 〈◊〉 field before the Emperour Justinian and beheld him sitting 〈◊〉 his throne of State remembring withall what an high pitch himself was fallen from he broke out into this speech Vanity of 〈◊〉 all is vanity That was Solomons verdict long since delivered up upon well-grounded experience But men love to 〈◊〉 conclusions and when they have done What profit saith 〈◊〉 hath a man of all his pains what 〈◊〉 and remaining fruit 〈◊〉 the word signifieth to abide with him When all the 〈◊〉 subducted his happinesse resolved into it's finall issue and 〈◊〉 there resteth nothing but ciphers A Spider 〈◊〉 himself and wasteth his own bowels to make a web to catch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doth the worldling for that which profiteth not but 〈◊〉 in the use Or say that it abide yet himself perisheth when to 〈◊〉 the things he hath gotten might seem a happines as the rich fool Alexander Tamberlain others Most of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gat nothing by their adoption or designation 〈◊〉 ut citius interficerentur that they might be the sooner slain All 〈◊〉 most of them till 〈◊〉 died unnaturall deaths and in the best of their time He that gettethriches and not by right 〈◊〉 leave them in the 〈◊〉 of his daies and at his end shall be a fool God will make a poor fool of him As he came forth of his 〈◊〉 womb naked shall he return to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labour which he may carry away in his hand Say his treasure escape both rust and robber death as a thief will break in and leave him not 〈◊〉 a groat Who would not then set light by this pelf and put on that Persian resolution Isa. 13. 17. Not to regard silver nor be desirous of gold Who would not tread in the steps of faithfull Abraham and answer the devil with his golder offers as he did the King of Sodome God forbid that I should take of thee so much as a shoe-latchet When great gifts were sent to Luther he refused them with this brave speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me 〈◊〉 fic satiari a Deo I deeply protested that 〈◊〉 should not put me off with such poor things as these The Heathenish Romans had for a difference in their Nobility a little 〈◊〉 in the form of a Moon to shew that all worldly honours were mutable and they did wear it upon their shooes to shew that they did tread it under their feet as base and bootlesse This is check to many Christians that have their hands elbow-deep in the world and dote as much upon these earthly vanities as Xerxes once did upon his Plane-tree or Jonas upon his 〈◊〉 There is a sort of men that say of the world as Solomons 〈◊〉 It is naught it is naught but when he is gone apart he boasteth and closeth with the world S. Paul was none of these for neither at any time 〈◊〉 he used we flattering words as ye know nor a cloak of covetousnesse God is my witnesse No he looked upon the world as a 〈◊〉 dung-hill and cared to glory in nothing save in the crosse of Jesus Christ whereby the world was crucified to him and he to the world So David My soul saith he is even 〈◊〉 a weaned childe that cares not to suck though never so fair and 〈◊〉 a brest So Luther confesseth of himself that though he were a 〈◊〉 man and subject to imperfections yet the infection of 〈◊〉 never
the Gospel and know no other happinesse 〈◊〉 to have and to hold these have their eyes blinded by the god of this world as Isaac had his wels stopped up with earth by the Philistines And as a small dish being held near the eyes hideth from our sight a great mountain and a little hill or cloud the great body of the Sun though it be farre bigger then the whole earth So these earthly trifles being placed near mens 〈◊〉 do so shadow and over-cloud those great and glorious excellencies that are above that they can neither truly behold them nor rightly judge of them When men travell so farre into the South that the sight of the North-pole is at length intercepted by the earth it is a signe they are farre from it so is it that men are farre from heaven when the love of the earth comes in betwixt their souls and the sight thereof Earth-damps quench the spirits lamp Much water of affliction cannot quench that love that yet a little earth may soon do Verse 24. No man can serve two Masters c. The Mammonists minde must needs be full of darknesse because utterly destituted of the Father of lights the Sun of the soul for ye cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon By Mammon is meant earthly treasure worldly wealth outward abundance especially when gotten by evil arts it commeth to be the gain of ungodlinesse the wages of wickednesse riches of unrighteousnesse filthy 〈◊〉 When Joseph was cast into the pit by his bloudy brethren What gain saith Judah will it be if we kill him The Chaldee there hath it What Mammon shall it be What can we make of it What profit shall we reap or receive thereby Now these two God and Mammon as they are incompatible Masters so the variance between them is irreconcileable Amity with the world is 〈◊〉 with the Lord Jam. 4. 4. Emnity I say in a sense both active and passive for it makes a man both to hate God and to be 〈◊〉 by God so there 's no love lost on either side If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him that 's flat But the 〈◊〉 any one is drowned in the world 〈◊〉 more desperately he is divorced from God who requireth to be served truly that there be no halting and totally that there be 〈◊〉 halving Cambden reports of Redwald the first King of the East Saxons that was 〈◊〉 that he had in the same Church one Altar for Christian religion and another for sacrifice to devils And Callenucius telleth us of a Noble-man of Naples that was 〈◊〉 profanely to say that he had two souls in his body one for God and another for whomsoever would have it The Ebionites 〈◊〉 Eusebius would keep the Sabbath with the Jews and the Lords-day with the Christians as if they were of both religions 〈◊〉 in truth they were of neither So Ezekiels hearers sate devoutly before the Lord at his publike Ordinances and with their 〈◊〉 shewed much love but their heart meanwhile was on their half-penny it went after their covetousnesse So the Pharisees heard Christs Sermon against the service of Mammon and derided him and while their lips seemed to pray they were but chewing of that murthering-morsell those widdows houses that their throats as an open sepulchre swallowed down soon after Thus filled they up the measure of their fathers those ancient Idolaters in the wildernesse who set up a golden calfe 〈◊〉 then caused it to be proclaimed To morrow is a feast to Jehovah And such is the dealing of every covetous Christian. S. Paul calleth him an idolater S. James an adulterer for he goeth a whoring after his gods of gold and silver And although he bow not the knee to his mammon yet with his heart he serveth it Now obedience is better then sacrifice and Know ye not saith the Apostle that his servants ye are to whom ye obey c Inwardly he loves it delights in it trusts on it secures himself by it from whatsoever calamites Outwardly he spends all his time upon this Idol in gathering keeping increasing or honouring of it Hence the jealous God hateth him and smites his hands at him Ezek. 22. 13. and hath a speciall quarrell against 〈◊〉 that blesse the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth As for his servants he strictly chargeth them to 〈◊〉 their conversation without covetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. yea their communication Ephes. 5. 3. yea their cogitation 2 Pet. 2. 14. branding them for 〈◊〉 children that have so much as their thoughts exercised that way He will not have his hasten to be rich or labour after superfluities 〈◊〉 nor anxiously after necessaries For worldlinesse 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 when men oppresse themselves with multiplying of 〈◊〉 or suffer their thoughts and affections to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken up with minding these things on earth as a main hinderance from heaven It fills the heart with cares and so unfits 〈◊〉 deads it to divine duties The thoughts as wings should carry 〈◊〉 in worship even to the mansions of God which being laden 〈◊〉 thick 〈◊〉 they so glue us to the earth that the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 word and ordinances cannot draw us one jot from it The 〈◊〉 is also hereby made like a mill where one cannot hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noise is such as takes away all intercourse If conscience call 〈◊〉 them to take heed of going out of Gods way they are at as little 〈◊〉 to listen as he that runs in a race who many times 〈◊〉 with so much violence that he cannot hear what is said unto him 〈◊〉 it never so good counsel And having thus set their hearts and 〈◊〉 their hopes upon earthly things if ever they 〈◊〉 them as it 〈◊〉 falleth out they are filled almost with unmedicinable sorrows 〈◊〉 as they will praise the dead above the living and wish they had 〈◊〉 been born Eccles. 4. 1 2 3. Lo this is the guise and guerdom of those Inhabitants of the earth those viri divitiarum as the 〈◊〉 stiles them those miserable muck-worms that prefer Mammon before Messias gold before God money before mercy earth before heaven as childish a weaknesse as that of Honorius the Emperour that preferred a Hen before the City of Rome 〈◊〉 saith one is a monster whose head is as subtill as the serpent whose mouth is wide as hell eyes sharp as a Lizard scent quick as the Vulture hands fast as Harpyes belly insatiable as a Wolfe feet swift to 〈◊〉 as a Lionesse robbed of her whelps Ahab will have Naboths vineyard or he will have his bloud Judas was both covetous and a murderer and therefore a murderer because covetous He is 〈◊〉 also a thief and why a thief but 〈◊〉 a Mammonist 〈◊〉 draws a man from all the Commandments Psal. 116. 36. And there want not those that have drawn the covetous person thorow all the Commandments and proved him
to himself if it can be had upon no other terms he is resolved to suffer nothing When it comes to that once he kicks up profession and may 〈◊〉 prove a spitefull adversary of the same ministry which he once admired as Herod and a proud contemner of the same remorse with which himself was sometime smitten as Saul Verse 22. He that received the seed among thorns So the love of money is called because it chokes the word pricks the conscience harbours vermine lusts Magna 〈◊〉 ut rei 〈◊〉 nominis 〈◊〉 vitiis Let rich men look to it saith Gregory that they handle their thorns without pricking their fingers that whiles they load themselves with earth they lose not heaven as Shimei seeking his servants lost himself Set not thy heart upon the Asses said Samuel to Saul sith to thee is the desire of all Israel Set not your hearts say I on this worlds trash sith 〈◊〉 things abide you Martha was troubled about many things but neglected that one thing necessary to sit as her 〈◊〉 did at Christs feet and hear his word This Christ checks her for And the deceitfulnesse of riches The world is a subtill sly enemy that doth easily insinuate and dangerously deceive We may safely say of it as he sometimes did of an Historian Both it's words and shews are full of fraud As the Panther hides his deformed head till the sweet sent have drawn other beasts into his danger so deals the world alluring men by the deceitfulnesse of riches and masking the monstrous and deformed head the end thereof under the gilded shew of good husbandry or disguised shape of sin In a word these outward things 〈◊〉 as hosts they welcome us into our Inne with smiling countenance yet unlesse we look better to them they will cut our 〈◊〉 in our beds And he becometh unfiu it full Because the 〈◊〉 over-top the corn whereas the good ground though it hath many thorns yet the corn ascends above them grace is superiour to corruption the fruit springs up and encreaseth as S. Mark hath it These thorny-ground-hearers though they stood out persecution and shranck not in the wetting as the stony-ground did yet because the plow had not gone so low as to break up the roots whereby their hearts were fastened to earthly contents they proved also unfruitfull See how far a man may go and yet be never the near after all The stony and thorny ground were nearer to the nature of the good ground then that of the high-way and yet fell short of heaven Verse 23. But he that received seed c. Which is but a fourth part if so much of those that have the word purely and powerfully preached unto them As at Ephesus so in our Church-assemblies the more part know not wherefore they are come together They will say to serve God and hear his Word but who this God is or how his Word is to be heard they neither know nor care If the belly may be filled the back fitted c. They have as much as they look after And of such dust-heaps as these 〈◊〉 corners are full Our Church is as much pestered and 〈◊〉 dark with these Epieures and Atheists who yet will not misse a Sermon as AEgypt was with the Grashoppers These are those last and loosest times wherein by reason of the over-flow of iniquity The love of many is waxen cold but he that endureth to the end shall be saved Where note that for many that lose their love to Gods word it is but a He in the singular number that holds out therein to the end Some an hundred fold As Isaac's seed did that he sowed in the land of Canaan This is not every mans happinesse yet we must propound to our selves the highest pitch And let as many as are 〈◊〉 be thus minded That man for heaven and heaven for him that sets up for his mark The resurrection of the dead Phil 3. 11. that is that perfection of holines that accompanieth the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Some sixty some thirty It befals not every man to excell but it behoves every man to exact of himself such a growth in grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profiting may appear to all and that he is neither barren 〈◊〉 unfruitfull in the knowledge of Iesus Christ. The vine is the weakest of plants yet bears abundantly Thyatira had but a little strength yet a great door opened The Colossians were but 〈◊〉 and not born yet preciously esteemed of God He accepteth according to that a man hath be it more or lesse he blesseth our buds Courage therefore though not so fruitfull as thou 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 earnest pantings inquietations and desires of better cannot but commend thee much to God Prima sequentem 〈◊〉 est in 〈◊〉 tertiisque consistere faith one And Summum 〈◊〉 affectantes satis honestè vel in secundo fastigio conspiciemur faith another Aspire to the highest pitch but be not discouraged though ye fall somewhat short of it Every man cannot excell Verse 24. The Kingdom of heaven viz. Here on earth For we have eternall life already 1. In pretio 2. Promisso 3. 〈◊〉 in the price promise first-fruits As God prepared Paradise for Adam so he hath heaven for his Howbeit he reserves not all for hereafter but gives a grape of Canaan in this wildernesse where by righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Gods people doe even eat and drink and sleep eternall life as it was once said of a reverend Divine of Scotland Which sowed good seed in his field Among the Romans it was 〈◊〉 censorium agrum malè colere a fault punishable by the Censors to be an ill seedsman And when they would highly commend any they would say He is an honest man and a good plow man Verse 25. But while men slept Christ the Lord of the husbandry neither slumbereth nor sleepeth but the under-labourers and land-holders to whom he lets out his vineyard are frequently 〈◊〉 to be supine and secure Zech. 4. 1. It fared with the good Prophet as with a drowsie person who though awake and set to work is ready to sleep at it And albeit we watch against greater yet lesser evils are ready to steal upon us at unawares as Austin hath it His enemy came This is the Ministers misery Other men finde their work as they left it but when Ministers have done their best 〈◊〉 one Sabbath-day the enemy comes ere the next and 〈◊〉 They sleep and are fearlesse he wakes for a mischief and is restlesse Learn for shame of the devil said father Latimer to carelesse Minister to watch over your flocks God will shortly send out summons for sleepers and the devil waketh and walketh seeking whom to devour His instruments also are wonderous active in evil O pray said a dying man in the beginning of the German Reformation that God would preserve
Christ may keep his heaven to himself hee 'l have none How many have we now 〈◊〉 that must be gainers by their religion which must be another Diana to the 〈◊〉 They are resolved howsoever to loose nothing suffer nothing but rather kick up all Jeroboamo gravior 〈◊〉 regionis quam religionis The King of Navarre told 〈◊〉 that in the cause of Religion he would launch no further into the sea then he might be sure to return safe to the haven A number of such Politick professours we have that come to Christ as this young man did hastily but depart heavily when once it comes to a whole-sale of all for Christ which yet is the first lesson the removens prohibens Verse 23. A rich man shall hardly enter With that burden of thick clay that camels-bunch on his back heaven is a stately pallace with a narrow portall there must be both stripping and 〈◊〉 ere one can get through this strait gate The greatest wealth is ordinarily tumoured up with the greatest swelth of rebellion against God Vermis divitiarum est superbia saith Augustine Pride breeds in wealth as the worm doth in the apple and he is a great rich man indeed and greater then his riches that doth not think himself great because he is rich Charge those that are rich that they be not high-minded for the devil will soon blow up such a blab in them if they watch not and that they trust not in uncertain riches so as to make their gold their God as all worldlings do and worse for could we but rip up such mens hearts we should finde written in them The God of this present world They that minde earthly things have destruction for their 〈◊〉 Philip. 3. Have them we may and use them too but minde them we may not nor love them 1 John 2. 15. that's spirituall 〈◊〉 such as Gods soul hateth and he smiteth his hands at 〈◊〉 22. 13. Verse 24 It is easier for a camell c. Or cable rope as some render it Either serves for it is a proverbiall speech setting forth the difficulty of the thing Difficile est saith St Hierom ut praesentibus bonis quis fruatur futuris ut 〈◊〉 ventrem 〈◊〉 mentem 〈◊〉 ut de 〈◊〉 ad delicias transeat ut in coelo in terrâ gloriosus appareat Pope Adrian the sixth said that nothing befell him more unhappy in all his life then that he had been head of the Church and Monarch of the Christian common-wealth When I first entered into orders said another Pope I had some good 〈◊〉 of my salvation when I became a Cardinall I doubted of it but since I came to be Pope I do even almost despair And well he might as long as he sate in that chair of pestilence being that man of sinne that sonne of perdition 2 Thes. 2. 3. Ad hunc statum venit Romana Ecclesia said Petrus Aliacus long since ut non esset dignareginisi per reprobos The Popes like the devils are then thought to do well when they cease to do hurt saith Johan Sarisburiensis They have had so much grace left we see some of them howsoever as to acknowledge that their good and their blood rose together that honours changed their manners and that they were the worse men for their great wealth and that as Shimei seeking his servants lost himself so they by reaching after riches and honours lost their souls Let rich men often 〈◊〉 this terrible text and take heed Let them untwist their cables that is their heart by humiliation James 5. 1. 1. 10. till it be made like small threeds as it must be before they can enter into the eye of a needle that is eternall life Verse 25. They were exceedingly amazed Because they knew that all men either are or would be rich and that of rich man scarce any but trusted in their riches Therefore though our Saviour told them Mark 10 24. that he meant it of those only that relied upon their riches yet they remained as much unsatisfied as before and held it an hard case that so many should misse of heaven We have much ado to make men beleeve that the way is half so hard as Ministers make it Verse 26. With men this is impossible Because rich mens 〈◊〉 are ordinarily so wedded and wedged to the world that they will not be loosned but by a powerfull touch from the hand of heaven Think not therefore as many do that there is no other hell but poverty no better heaven then abundance Of rich 〈◊〉 they say What should such a man ail The Irish ask what they mean to die c. The gold ring and gay clothing carried it in St James his time But he utterly 〈◊〉 ked 〈◊〉 partiality and 〈◊〉 us that God hath chosen the poor in this world rich in faith to be heirs of his kingdome In which respect he bids the brother 〈◊〉 low degree 〈◊〉 in that he is exalted in Christ. But with God all things are possible He can quickly root out confidence in the creature and rivet rich men to himself He can do more then he will but whatsoever he willeth that he doeth without stop or hinderance Men may want of their will for want of power Nature may be interrupted in her course as it was when the fire burnt not the three Worthies the water drowned not Peter walking upon it c. Satan may be crossed and chained up But who hath resisted the Almighty who ever waxed fierce against God and prospered Nature could say All things are 〈◊〉 to God and nothing impossible howbeit for a finite creature to beleeve the infinite Attributes of God he is not able to do it throughly without supernaturall grace Verse 27. Behold we have for saken all c. A great All sure a few broken boats nets houshold stuffe and Christ maintained them too and yet they ask what shall we have Neither is it without an emphasis that they begin with a Behold Behold we have forsaken all as if Christ were therefore greatly beholden to them and if the young man were promised treasure in heaven doing so and so then they might challenge it they might say with the Prodigall Give me the portion that pertains unto me Verse 28. Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration As if our Saviour should have said to forsake all is not enough 〈◊〉 ye be regenerate So some sense it Others by Regeneration understand the estate of the Gospel called elswhere a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. the world to come Heb. 2. 5. for God plants the heavens and laies the foundation of the earth that he may say to Zion thou art my people There are that understand by regeneration the generall resurrection of which 〈◊〉 some think Plato had heard and therefore held that in the revolution of so many years men should be just
dancing When the Lord turned again the captivity of his people they were like them that dream Psal. 126 1. And Peter enlarged could scarce beleeve his own eyes with such an extasie of admiration was he rapt upon that deliverance Oh then how should our hearts rejoice and our tongues be glad Act. 2. 26 and how should we be vext at the vile dullnesse and deadnesse of our naughty natures that can be no more affected with these indelible ravishments Iacob wept for joy at the good news that Ioseph was yet alive Ioannes Mollius whensoever he 〈◊〉 of the Name of Jesus his eyes dropt And another Reverend Divine amongst us being in a deep muse after some discourse that passed of Jesus and tears trickling abundantly from his eyes before he was aware being urged for the cause thereof confessed 〈◊〉 it was because he could not draw his dull heart to prize Christ aright Mr Fox never denied begger that asked in that Name And good Bucer never disregarded any though different in opinion from him in whom he could discern aliquid Christi None but Christ said that blessed Martyr at the stake And another in the flames when judg'd already dead suddenly as waked out of sleep moved his tongue and jaws and was heard to pronounce this word Jesus Here also we have an excellent argument of our Saviours divinity and omnipotency forasmuch as the Angel ascribeth unto him that which the Psalmist affirmeth of Jehovah that he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal. 130. 8. with Hos. 13. 4. Verse 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled An Angels testimony is not to be taken if it be beside or against the written word I am of them that keep the sayings of this book saith the Angel to the Apostle For ever O Lord thy word is setled in Heaven Psal. 119. 〈◊〉 Verse 23. Behold a Virgin c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that famous Virgin fore-told Isa. 7. 14. That he should be the seed of the woman was made known to Adam but not of what Nation till Abraham nor of what Tribe till Iacob nor of what sex till David nor whether born of a virgin till Esay Thus by degrees was that great mystery of godlinesse revealed to mankinde If any Jew object saith Chrysostom How could a Virgin bring forth Dic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peperit 〈◊〉 vetula Ask him How could Sarah when old and barren bear a childe The Bees have young yet know not marriage The Phaenix they say hath no parents This head-stone of the corner was cut out of the mountaine without hands this flower of the 〈◊〉 this rose of Sharon hath Heaven for his father and earth for his mother Was it not as easie to frame this second Adam in the wombe as that first Adam out of the mire Herein see a miracle of mercy that the incomprehensible God that circle whose center is every where whose circumference no where should be circled and coop'd up for 9 moneths together in the narrow womb of a pure Virgin And shall bring forth a Son Who in the birth opened the womb Luk. 2. and so put her to pain likely as other women He hid the glory of his eternall nativity under a mean and temporary birth to purchase for us an heavenly and eternall birth Whether the blessed Virgin were Deipara the Mother of God raised great storms in the 〈◊〉 of Ephesus and came to commotions in the secular part and excommunications among the Bishops insomuch as the Emperour declared both sides Hereticks But forasmuch as she brought forth a Son that was God we doubt not to stile her the Mother of God not Mall Gods maid as one hath lately slandered some of us in print At Rome it is said was seen at the same time about the Sun the likenesse of a woman carrying a childe in her armes And a voice heard Pan the great God is now about to be born c. And they shall call his name Immanuel c. By a wonderfull and unsearchable Union the manner 〈◊〉 is to be beleeved not 〈◊〉 admired not pried into personall it is yet not of persons of natures and yet not naturall As soul and body are one man so God and man are one person saith Athanasius And as every beleever that is born of God 〈◊〉 another remains the same intire person that he was before receiving neverthelesse into him a divine nature which before he had not So Emmanuel continuing the same perfect person which he had been from eternity assumeth neverthelesse a humane nature which before he had not to be born within his person for ever This is so much the more wonderfull because the very Angels which are far greater in glory then man are not able to abide the presence of God Isa. 6. 2. But this is our ladder of ascension to God Ioh. 3. 12. Faith first layes hold upon Christ as a man and thereby 〈◊〉 by a mean makes way to God and embraceth the Godhead which is of it self a consuming fire And whereas sin is a partition wall of our own making denying us 〈◊〉 God is now with us and in Christ we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him Christs humanity serves as a skreen to save us from those everlasting burnings and as a conduit to derive upon us from the Godhead all spirituall blessings in heavenly places If any 〈◊〉 invade us we may cry as they of old The stretching out of his wings doth fill thy Land O Immanuel and we shall have help Verse 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel c. As well assured that it was of God whom he was ready prest to obey without sciscitation Jussa sequi tam velle mihi quà m posse necesse est If some Princes will not endure that subjects should scan their laws but require absolute obedience If Generals excuse not in a souldier the neglect of their commands but severely punish even prosperous disorders If Jesuits exact blinde obedience of their wretched novices our Throgmorton durst not give up the ghost till he had obtained leave of his Superiour should not we much more 〈◊〉 God in his commands counsels promises prohibitions comminations all Verse 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth We thinke hardly of him that taketh to wife the widow and relict of another that is left great with childe before she hath laid down her burden how much more in this case Besides this might be part of the Angels charge to him that after she had brought forth her Son Jesus she continued still a virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is neither Article of our Creed nor principle of our Religion But that she vowed virginity is both false and absurd For how 〈◊〉 she promise virginity to God and marriage to Joseph sure it
is the blemish will never be wiped off from some of the Ancients who to establish their own Idol of I know not what virginity have written most wickedly and most basely of marriage which both Christ honoured with his first miracle and the holy Ghost by over shadowing the 〈◊〉 virgin As for the Papists that disgrace it they appear herein more like devils then Divines If the same God had not been the authour of virginity and marriage he had never countenanced virginity by marriage as he did in the Virgin Mary CHAP. II. Verse 1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem THe house of bread that bread of life that came down from Heaven and dwelt amongst us in this City of David otherwise called Ephrata that is fruit-bearing and situate they say in the very navell and center of the earth because in him all Nations should be blessed Here was Jesus born by meer accident in regard of his parents who were brought hither by a tyrannicall edict of the Emperour forcing all even great-bellied women to repair to their own City to be taxed though it were in the deep of winter but by a sweet providence of God to fulfill the Scripture and to settle our faith In the daies of Herod the King When the Scepter was departed from Judah and the times were grown deplored and desperately wicked Josoph found his brethren in Dothan 1. in defection so did Christ when he came Scarce were there four or fewer found that waited for the consolation of Israel Then also when among the poor Gentiles a plentifull harvest a very great number of elect were ready ripe Mat. 9. 37. Luk. 10. 2. Joh. 4. 35. Then when cuncta 〈◊〉 continua totius generis humani aut pax fuit 〈◊〉 pactio then came the Prince of peace into the world when all was at peace thorowout the world Behold there came wise-men Neither Kings nor cunning men but sages of the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contemplative persons Philosophers interpreters of the Laws of God and men The tale of the three Kings of 〈◊〉 is long since exploded To Jerusalem So misreckoning of a point they mist the haven and had like to have run upon the rocks Had they met with the Shepherds of Bethlehem they had received better intelligence then they could from the learned Scribes of Jerusalem God hath 〈◊〉 the weak of the world to confound the wise Surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrin is noctris 〈◊〉 in Gehennam None are so far from Christ many times as knowing men Some of the Scribes and Pharisees were very Atheists for they knew neither the Father nor the Son Uspian the chief Lawyer Galen the chief Physician Porphyry the chief Aristotelean Plotinus the chief Platonist Libanius and Lucian the chief Oratours of that age were all profest enemies to Christ. No Church was founded at Athens Acts 17. which yet Demosthenes calls the soul sun and eye of Greece Euripides the Greece of Greece Thucydides and Diodorus the common school of all men the Mart of good learning c. The greatest Clerks are not alwaies the wisest men in the affairs of God Howbeit learned Nathanael Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus masters in Israel were Disciples to our Saviour lest if he had called simple men only it might have been thought quòd fuissent ex simplicitate decepti that they were deceived out of 〈◊〉 simplicity saith one Verse 2. Saying Where is he that is born King of the Iews As presupposing a common notice But the Kingdom of God cometh not by observation neither is it of this world Christ is somewhat an obscure King here as Melchisedech was and his Kingdom consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the stranger worldling meddles not with The Cock on the dunghill esteems not this Jewel For we have seen his starre in the East Some rumour of the 〈◊〉 of Iacob they had heard and received 〈◊〉 either from 〈◊〉 prophecy Numb 24. 17. who was an East Countrey-man Or from the Chaldean Sibyl or from the Iews in the B. by lonish captivity and now they make their use of it But the Scripture giveth more grace Ium 4 6. Onely take heed that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6. 1. And are come to worship him With a religious worship to kisse at his mouth as the word signifieth and as Pharaoh said to Ioseph they shall all kisse at thy mouth Wo worth to us if we kisse not the Son with a kisse of faith and love sith he is now so clearly revealed unto us not by the sight of one star only as to these but by a whole Heaven bespangled with stars though not in every part yet in every zone and quarter of it as one saith of our Church We have a word of Prophecy how much more is this true of the holy Gospel more sure 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that came from Heaven in the holy mount saith St Peter whereunto we shall do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a darke place Besides the works of God those Regij professores as one calleth them those Catholike Preachers Psal. 19. 2 3. those reall Postilles of the Divinity Christ is purposely compared to sensible objects as to the Sun Stars Rose Rock c. that through the creatures as so many Optick glasses we might see him that is invisible having the eyes of our minde turned toward Christ as the face of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy-seat Verse 3. When Herod the King heard these things he was troubled At that wherein the Sages and Shepherds rejoiced It is fair weather with the Saints when foulest with the wicked Abraham stands upon the hill and seeth the smoke of the Cities ascend like a furnace Behold my servants shall 〈◊〉 but ye shall be ashamed my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart c. and ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen AElian compareth tyrants to swine which if a man but touch they begin to cry as dreaming of nothing but death forasmuch as they have neither fleece nor milke nor any thing else but their flesh only to forfeit But si praesepe vagientis 〈◊〉 tantùm terruit quid tribunal judicantis saith one If Christ in the earth were so terrible what will he be on the tribunall And all Ierusalem with him Perhaps to comply and 〈◊〉 with the tyrant as the Arabians if their King be sick or lame they all feign themselves so Or as homines ad servitutem 〈◊〉 so Tiberius called the Romanes who gave publike thankes for all even the wicked acts of their Emperours or as fearing some new stirs in the state as the burnt childe dreads the fire Verse 4. And when he had gathered all the chief Priests The true picture of Popish
by the fire of the Word would burn which made 〈◊〉 Nehemiah to pray for pardon of his reformations yet upon your true repentance for the evil that cleaves to your best works your 〈◊〉 may be saved from the wrath to come yea they are such as accompany salvation and comprehend it as the 〈◊〉 Scholiast expounds that text Labour ther fore to 〈◊〉 a heart full of goodnesse as those Romans Chap. 15. 14. and a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9. 33. such as may beseem amendment of life Verse 9. And thinke not to say within your selves Hypocrites are never without their starting-holes out of 〈◊〉 they must be ferretted There are infinite turnings and windings in the heart of man studious of deceiving it self by some paralogisme Therefore the Apostle so oft premiseth Be not deceived when he reckons up reprobates 1 Cor 6 9. Eph. 5. 6 c. We have Abraham to our father What of that so had Ishmael an 〈◊〉 Esau a castaway c. Externall priviledges profit not where nothing better can be pleaded 〈◊〉 the fool was of the line of faithfull Caleb Qui 〈◊〉 post me Followed me fully 〈◊〉 God Numb 14. 24. Vertue is not as lands inheritable Why should these men brag they had Abraham to their father when they might have observed that God had raised up of this stone a son to Caleb God is able His power is 1. Absolute whereby he can doe more then he doth 2. Actuall whereby he doth that only that he willeth Some things he can doe but will not as here and 〈◊〉 26. 53. Rom. 9. 18. Some things he neither will nor can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie to die to deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 1. 3. Heb. 6. 17. for these things contradict his 〈◊〉 and imply impotency But whatsoever he 〈◊〉 without impediment he 〈◊〉 Isa. 46. o Psal. 115. 3. Of these stones to raise up children to Abraham This he could doe though he will not And yet he doth as much as this when he takes the stone out of the heart when of carnall he makes us a people created again Psal. 102. 18. when cut of a hollow person one as empty and void of heart as the hollow of a tree is of 〈◊〉 is fetcht out heart of oak and of a wilde asse-colt-born is made a man See both these similitudes Job 11. 12. It was a strange change that Satan mention'd and motion'd to our Saviour of turning stones into bread But nothing so strange as turning stony hearts into hearts of flesh This is a work of Gods Almighty power the same that he put forth in raising Christ from the dead Ephes. 1. 19. where the Apostle the better to set forth the matter 〈◊〉 a six-fold gradation in the Originall and in creating the world 〈◊〉 51. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. The Prophet Isaiah tels us That he plants the heavens and laies the foundation of the earth that he may say to Zion Thou art my people And although mans heart be an emptinesse as in the Creation as herbs in Winter or as a breathlesse clod of earth yet that hinders not 〈◊〉 the Prophet Verse 10. And now also is the axe laid to the root of the tree q. d. God is now taking aim where to hit and how to fell you as a man laieth his axe at that very place that he intends to to smite at he seeth well enough that all his patience and pains in digging in dunging and in dressing you is to no purpose He comes seeking fruit from time to time but findeth none Luk. 13. 7. Now therefore he hath laid down his basket and taken up his axe as resolved to ruine you unlesse present course be taken Neglect not the present Now lest ye be cut off for ever God will not alway serve you for a 〈◊〉 stock Since ye have a Preacher repent or perish Let this spring distinguish between dead and living trees Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit So God is graciously pleased to stile our poor 〈◊〉 in every of which there is something of his as well as something of our own That which is his he accepts that which is ours he pardons But good it must be quoad fontem the Spirit of God and quoad finem the glory of God Negative 〈◊〉 serves no mans tur to save him from the axe It is said of 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of the Priscillian heresie was all the vertue that he had The evil servant did not riot cut his talent those reprobates Mat. 25. robbed not the Saints but relieved them not Moab and Ammon were bastardized and banished the sanctuary to the tenth generation for a meer omission because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernes And Edom is sore threatned for not harbouring them when scattered by the 〈◊〉 Take we heed that live in the last age of the world lest God hasten the calling of the Jews and cast us off for our unfruitfulnesse Rom. 11. Verse 11. I indeed baptize you with water to repentance There is a two fold baptisme Heb. 6. 2. the doctrine of baptismes viz 〈◊〉 flaminis externall and internall the putting away of the pollution of the flesh and the answer of a good conscience purged from dead works to God-ward When these two meet when men are baptized with water to repentance then baptisme saveth 1 Pet. 3. 21. that is it effectually assureth salvation whensoever by the Spirit and faith the baptized comes to be united to Christ and to feel the love of God shed abroad in his soul whereby is wrought in him a spirit of 〈◊〉 a grief 〈◊〉 sinne as it is an offence against God And hereupon S. Peter saith Baptisme saveth in the present tense implying that it is of permanent and perpetuall use effectuall to save and seal up the promises whensoever we repent From which happy time baptisme once received remains a fountain alwaies open for sinne and 〈◊〉 uncleannesse to those that mourn over him that bled over them a laver of regeneration a washing of the spirit who 〈◊〉 clean water upon them ridding and 〈◊〉 them from all their sins past present and future Provided that they stand to the Covenant and order of baptisme in a continuall renovation of faith and repentance as occasion shall be offered This doctrine of baptismes now cleared by Divines divers of the ancient Doctours understood not which disheartned Piscator from spending much time upon them He that commeth after me Whose Harbinger and Herald 〈◊〉 am whose Prodromus and Paranymph friend and 〈◊〉 I am as the morning-starre 〈◊〉 runs the Sunne with whose light it shineth 〈◊〉 mightier then I And will easily out 〈◊〉 me He must encrease but I must decrease and this is the complement of my joy Ioh. 3. 29 30. To rejoyce in the good parts of others though it eclipseth
upon them Faith fears no famine and although it be but small in substance and in shew as the Manna was yet is it great in vertue and operation The Rabbins say that Manna had all manner of good tastes in it So hath faith It drinke to a man in a cup of Nepenthes and bids him be of good chear God will provide for him The Bishop of Norwich kept Robert Samuel Martyr without meat and drink whereby he was unmercifully vext saving that he had every day allowed him two or three morsels of bread and three spoonfuls of water to the end he might be reserved to further torment How oft would he have drunk his own water But his body was so dried up with long 〈◊〉 that he was not able to make 〈◊〉 drop of water After he had been famished with hunger two or three 〈◊〉 together he 〈◊〉 into a sleep as it were one half in a 〈◊〉 At which time one cloathed in white seemed to stand before him which ministred comfort unto him by these words Samuel Samuel be of good chear and take a good heart unto thee 〈◊〉 after this day thou shalt never be either hungry or thirsty For speedily 〈◊〉 this he was burned and from that time till he should suffer he felt neither hunger nor thirst And this declared he to the end as he said that all men might behold the wonderfull work of God He likes not to be tied to the second ordinary causes nor that in defect of the means we should doubt of his providence It 's true he commonly worketh by them when he could doe without that we may not neglect the means as being ordained of him David shall have victory but by an ambush 2 Sam. 5. 19 24. Men shall be nourished but by their labour Psal. 128. 2 But yet so as that he doth all in all by 〈◊〉 means he made grasse corn and trees before he made the Sunne Moon and starres by the influence whereof they are and grow Yea to shew himself chief he can and doth work other whiles without means 2 Chron. 14. 11. and against means suspending the power and operation of the naturall causes as when the fire burnt not the water drowned not the Sunne went back ten degrees the rock gave water the iron swam c. And then when he works by means he can make them produce an effect diverse from their nature and disposition or can hinder change or mitigate their proper effect as when at the prayer of Elias it rained not for three years and a half And he praied again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruits A man would have thought that after so long drought the roots of trees and herbs should have been utterly dried up and the land past recovery But God heard the heavens petitioning to him that they might exercise their influence for the fructifying of the earth and the Heavens heard the earth and the earth heard the corn the wine and the oil and they heard Jezreel Let all this keep us as it did our Saviour here from diffidence in Gods providence and make us possesse our souls in patience Luk. 21. Hang upon the promise and account it as good as present pay though we see not how it can be effected God loves to goe away by himself He knows how to deliver his saith S. Peter 2 Epist. 2. 9. and he might speak it by experience Act. 12. 9. if ever any man might The King shall rejoyce in God saith David of himself when he was a poor 〈◊〉 in the wildernesse of Judah Psal. 63. 11. But he had Gods word for the Kingdome and therefore he was confident seemed the thing never so improbable or impossible We trust a skilfull work-man to go his own way to work shall we not God In 〈◊〉 6. year of the reign of Darius Nothus was the temple fully finished That sacred work which the husband and sonne of an Esther 〈◊〉 shall be happily accomplished by a bastard The 〈◊〉 thought that Moses should presently have delivered them and he himself thought as much and therefore began 〈◊〉 his time to doe 〈◊〉 upon the AEgyptian whom he slew and hid in the sand But we see God went another way to work He sent Moses into a farre countrey and the bondage was for 〈◊〉 years 〈◊〉 exceedingly encreased upon them yet all this to humble and try them and to doe them good in their later end He crosseth many times our likeliest projects and gives a blessing 〈◊〉 those times and means whereof we despair He breaks in pieces the ship that we think should bring us to shore but casts us upon such boards as we did not expect 〈◊〉 we then any particular means saith one it is but the scattering of a 〈◊〉 the breaking of a bucket when the Sunne and the fountain is the 〈◊〉 But we 〈◊〉 the most part 〈◊〉 as Hagar did when the bottle was spent she fals a crying she was undone she and her childe should die till the Lord opened her eyes to see the fountain It was neer her but she saw it not when she saw it she was well enough If thou hadst been here said Martha my brother Lazarus had not died As if Christ could not have kept him alive unlesse he had been present So if Christ will come and lay his hands on Iairus his daughter and Elisha stroke his hand over Naamans leprosie they shall be cured So the Disciples believed that Christ could feed so many thousands in the wildernesse but then he must have two hundred peny worth of bread But our Saviour gave them soon 〈◊〉 an ocular demonstration of this truth That man liveth not by bread alone c. Dan. 11. 34 They shall be holpen with a little help Why a little that through weaker means we may see Gods greater strength 〈◊〉 5. Then the devil taketh him Not in vision only or imagination but really and indeed as he was afterwards apprehended bound and crucified by that cursed crue Spirituall assaults may be beaten back by the shield of faith Bodily admit of no such repulse A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham may be bound by Satan A Mary Magdalen possest a Job 〈◊〉 a Paul boxed c. As for the souls of the Saints they are set safe out of Satans scrape Shake his chain at them he may muster his forces Revel 12. 7. which may band themselves and bend their strength against 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Angels Christ and his members but they are bounded by God who hath set his on a rock that is higher then they So that the flouds of temptation that the serpent casts out of his mouth after them cannot come so much as to their feet Or if it touch their heel yet it can come no higher There is no 〈◊〉 against Jacob because God was a Vnicorn to take away the venom saith Balaam the sorcerer as waters when the Unicorns
Pope to a dark dungeon lading him with bitter scoffs and curses There are not many years past since the Realm of France was ready upon the Popes refusall to reblesse K. Henry 4. upon conversion to them to with-draw utterly from the obedience of his Sea and to erect a new Patriarch over all the French Church The then Arch-bishop of Burges was ready to accept it and but that the Pope in fear thereof did hasten his benediction it had been effected to his utter 〈◊〉 and decay Before he would doe it he lashed the King in the person of his Embassadour after the singing of every verse of miserere untill the whole Psalm was sung out Sed 〈◊〉 Evangelij jubare sagaciores ut spero principes adnutum hujus Orbilij non solvent subligacula saith a great Divine of ours King Henry the eighth and the French King some half a year before their deaths were at a point to have changed the Masse in both their Realms into a Communion Also to have utterly extirped the Bishop of Rome c. Yea they were so thorowly resolved in that behalf that they meant also to exhort the Emperour to doe the like or to break off from him The same Emperour to be revenged upon Pope Clement his enemy abolished the Popes authority thorowout all Spain his native Kingdome declaring thereby the Spaniards themselves for example that ecclesiasticall discipline may be conserved without the Papall authority The Eastern Churches have long since separated the other four Patriarchs dividing themselves from the Bishop of Rome and at their parting using these or the like words Thy greatnesse we know thy covetousnes we cannot satisfie thy encroaching we can no longer abide live to thy self Neither are the Western much behinde especially since all was changed in that Church manners doctrine and the very rule of faith in the Trent 〈◊〉 Then according to some Expositours did the second Angel pour out his vial upon the sea upon that conflux of all sorts at Trent and it became as the 〈◊〉 of a dead man those deadly decrees are written with the bloud of heretikes and every living soul died in that sea as once the fish of AEgypt For none that worship the beast have their names written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world Revel 13. 8. Slain I say as in his fathers decree and promise as in the Sacrifices of the Law and faith of his people so in his members and Martyrs beheaded as John Baptist or otherwise butchered for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of God But the bloud of the Martyrs was the seeding of the Church God was never left without witnesses as is seen in our Catalogues but although John was cast in prison yea beheaded in the prison as if God had known nothing of him quoth that Martyr yet there never wanted a Jesus to goe into Galilee And that guilty Edomite Herod was sensible of it Matth. 14. 2. when he said to his servants This is John Baptist he is risen from the dead In like sort the Romish Edomite after he had done to death Christs two ancienter witnesses that Baptist-like came in the spirit and power of Elias to confute and confound their Baal-worships yet to his great grief and regret he hath seen them revive and stand upon their 〈◊〉 again in that heroicall Wicliff who is said to have written more then 200. volumes against him in that Goose of 〈◊〉 that Swan of Saxony those three 〈◊〉 Angels That flew in the midst of heaven 〈◊〉 the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth together with those other noble Reformers in all Christian Churches By whom ever since the Pope was declared to be 〈◊〉 his authority saith Bellarmine hath not only not 〈◊〉 but daily more and more decreased The fourth 〈◊〉 hath lost a head as Cusanus the Cardinall had prophesied Anno Domini 1464. and after him Trithemius the Abbot Anno 1508. A sect of Religion saith he shall arise once within this 〈◊〉 years to the great destruction of the old Religions It is to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the fourth beast will lose one of her heads This he 〈◊〉 in his book concerning Angels and Spirits What kinde of spirit it was black or white that dictated unto him this prophecy which fell out accordingly and was fulfilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther I cannot tell But the godly learned 〈◊〉 it was from that evil spirit who is said to have sung before 〈◊〉 tibi subitò motibus ibit amor As the Emperour Frederick is reported also to have fore-told in this distich Roma 〈◊〉 titubans variis erroribus acta Corruet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 Verse 13. And leaving 〈◊〉 Where he had had his conception and education and did 〈◊〉 in a speciall manner affect them and 〈◊〉 their good but they would not For when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim broke our as the leprosie in their fore-heads Hos 7. 1. they refused to be reformed they hated to be healed Some few sick folk he healed there and that was all he could doe for them more then marvell at their unbelief He could doe there no mighty work saith St Mark and therefore left them saith St Matthew then the which he could hardly have done them a greater 〈◊〉 For woe be unto you if I depart from you Hos. 9. 12. In the 9 10 〈◊〉 11. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 God makes divers removes And 〈◊〉 as he goes out some judgement 〈◊〉 in till at length he was 〈◊〉 gone out of the City Chap. 11. 23. And then followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calamity in the ruine 〈◊〉 O pray that the Sunne of that dismall day may 〈◊〉 arise wherein it shall be said That our 〈◊〉 stick is removed that our Sunne is eclipsed that the 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 from our English Israel that Christ hath turned his back upon this our Nazareth 〈◊〉 preces lacrymas cordis logatos saith Cyprian Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia saith Chrysologus Wish we for our Church as 〈◊〉 did for the Romish Synagogue that we had some Moses to take away the evils and abuses therein Nam non unum 〈◊〉 vitulum sed multos habemus And then sing as another did Ah ne diem illum posteri Vivant mei qiso pristinum Vertantur in lutum aurea Quae nos beârunt saecula He came and 〈◊〉 in Capernaum Happy town in so sweet and precious an Inhabitant and is therefore said to be lifted up to Heaven Matth. 11. 23. as Revel 7. among those that were sealed of the severall Tribes Judah is first reckon'd of all Leahs children because our Lord sprang out of Judah and Nepthali of all those of Rachels side because at Capernaum in that Tribe he dwelt Ut utrobique superemineat Christi praerogativa saith an
themselves get their living by begging and subsist merrily upon alms Such beggars God hath alwaies about him Matth. 26. 11. And this the Poets hammered at when they feigned that Litae or praiers were the daughters of Jupiter and stood alwaies in his presence Lord I am hell but thou art heaven said Hooper I am a most hypocriticall wretch not worthy that the earth should bear me said Bradford I am the unmeetest man for this high office of suffering for Christ that ever was appointed to it said sincere Saunders Oh that my life and a thousand such wretches lives more saith John Carelesse Martyr in a letter to M. 〈◊〉 might go for yours Oh! Why doth God suffer me and such other Cater-pillars to live that can doe nothing but consume the alms of the Church and take away you so worthy a work-man and labourer in the Lords vineyard But woe be to our sins and great unthankfulnesse c. These were excellent paterns of this spirituall poverty which our Saviour here maketh the first and is indeed the first second and third of Christianity as that which teacheth men to finde out the best in God and the worst in themselves For their's is the kingdome of heaven Heaven is that true Macaria or the blessed Kingdom So the Island of Cyprus was anciently called for the abundance of commodities that it sendeth forth to other Countries of whom it craveth no help again Marcellinus to shew the fertility thereof saith That Cyprus aboundeth with such plenty of all things that without the help of any other forraign countrey it is of it self able to build a tall ship from the keel to the top-sail and so put it to sea furnisht of all things needfull And Sextus Rufus writing thereof saith Cyprus famosa divitijs paupertatem populi Rom ut occuparetur sollicitavit Cyprus famous for riches tempted the poor people of Rome to ceize upon it What marvell then if this Kingdome of heaven sollicite these poor in spirit to offer violence to it and to take it by force sith it is all made of gold Revel 21. yea search is made there thorow all the bowels of the earth to finde out all the precious treasure that could be had gold pearls and precious stones of all 〈◊〉 And what can these serve to only to shidow out the glory of the wals of the new Jerusalem and the gates and to pave the streets of that City Verse 4. Blessed are they that mourn For sinne with a funerall sorrow as the word signifieth such as is expressed by crying and weeping Luk. 6. 25. such as was that at Megiddo for the losse of good Josiah or as when a man mourns for his only sonne Zech. 12. 10. This is the work of the spirit of grace and of supplication for till the windes doe blow these waters cannot flow Psal. 147. 18. He convinceth the heart of sinne and makes it to become a very Hadadrimmon for deep-soaking sorrow upon the sight of him whom they have pierced When a man shall look upon his sinnes as the weapons and himself as the traitour that put to death the Lord of life this causeth that sorrow according to God that worketh repentance never to be repented of For they shall be comforted Besides the comfort they finde in their very sorrow for it is a sweet sign of a sanctified soul and seals a man up to the day of redemption Ezek. 9. 4. they lay up 〈◊〉 themselves thereby in store a good foundation of comfort against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life as the Apostle speaketh in another case 1 Tim. 6. 19. These April showres bring on May flowers they that here so we in tears shall reap in joy they that finde Christs feet a fountain to wash in may expect his side a fountain to bath in Oh how sweet a thing is it to stand weeping at the wounded feet of Jesus as that good woman did to water them with tears to dry them with sighes and to 〈◊〉 them with our mouths None but those that have felt it can tell the comfort of it The stranger meddleth not with this joy When our merry Greeks that laugh themselves fat and light a candle at the devil for lightsomenesse of heart hunting after it to hell and haunting for it ale-houses conventicles of good fellowship sinfull and unseasonable sports vain and waterish fooleries c. when these mirth-mongers I say that take pleasure in pleasure and jeer when they should fear with Lots sonnes-in-law shall be at a foul stand and not have whither to turn them Isa. 33. 14. Gods mourners shall be able to dwell with devouring fire with everlasting burnings to stand before the sonne of man at his second comming Yea as the lower the ebbe the higher the tide so the lower any hath descended in humiliation the higher shall he ascend then in his exaltation Those that have helped to fill Christs bottle with tears Christ shall then fill their bottle as once he did Hagars with the water of life He looked back upon the weeping women comforted them that would not vouchsafe a loving look or a word to Pilate or the Priests Not long before that he told his Disciples Ye shall indeed be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy And further addeth A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow c. comparing sorrow for sinne to that of a travelling woman 1. For bitternesse and sharpnesse for the time throws of the new birth 2. For utility and benefit it tendeth to the bringing a man-childe forth into the world 3. For the hope and expectation that is in it not only of an end but also of fruit this makes joy in the midst of sorrows 4. There is a certain time set for both and a sure succession as of day after night and of fair weather after foul Mourning lasteth but till morning Though I fall I shall arise though I sit in darknesse the Lord shall give me light saith the Church Jabes was more honourable then his brethren saith the Text for his mother bare him with sorrow and called his name Jabes that is sorrowfull But when he called upon the God of Israel and said Oh that thou wouldst blesse me indeed and enlarge my coast c. God granted him that which he requested And so he will all such Israelites indeed as ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward going and weeping as they goe to seek the Lord their God he shall wipe all tears from their eyes as nurses 〈◊〉 from their babes that cry after them and enlarge not their coasts as Jabes but their hearts which is better yea he shall grant them their requests as him So that as Hannah when she had praid and Eli for her she looked no more sad yea as David when he came before God in a woe-case many times yet when
he had poured forth his sorrowfull complaint there he rose up triumphing as Psal. 6. c. So shall it be with such They 〈◊〉 forth and weep bearing precious seed but shall surely return with rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them Gripes of gladnesse said that Martyr when Abraham the good housholder shall fill his bosome with them in the Kingdome of heaven Then as one hour changed Iosephs fetters into a chain of gold 〈◊〉 rags into robes his stocks into a charriot his prison into a palace his brown bread and water into manchet and wine So shall God turn all his 〈◊〉 sadnesse into gladnesse all their sighing into singing all their musing into musick all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into triumphs Luctus in laetitiam convertetur lachrymae in risum saccus in sericum cineres in corollas unguentum jejunium in epulum 〈◊〉 retortio in applausum He that will rejoyce with this joy unspeakable must stirre up sighes that are unutterable Verse 5. Blessed are the meek Meeknesse is the fruit 〈◊〉 mourning for sinne and is therefore fitly 〈◊〉 next after it He that can kindely melt in Gods presence will be made thereby as meek as a lamb and if God will forgive him his ten thousand 〈◊〉 he will not think much to forgive his brother a few farthings Hence the wisdome from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated c. Jam. 3. 17. And love is said to proceed out of a pure heart a good conscience and 〈◊〉 unfeigned And when our Saviour told his Disciples 〈◊〉 must forgive till seventy times seven times Lord encrease 〈◊〉 faith said they Give us such a measure of godly mourning as that we may be bold to believe that thou hast freely forgiven us and we shall soon forgive our enemies David was never 〈◊〉 rigid as when he had sinned by adultery and murther and not yet mourned in good earnest for his sinne He put the 〈◊〉 under saws and harrows of iron and caused them to passe thorow the brick-kilne c. which was a strange execution and fell out whiles he lay yet in his sinne Afterward we finde him in a better frame and more meekned and mollified in his dealings with 〈◊〉 and others when he had soundly soaked himself in godly sorrow True it is that he was then under the rod and that 's a main means to make men meek The Hebrew words that signifie 〈◊〉 and meek grow both upon the same root and are of so great 〈◊〉 that they are sometimes by the 〈◊〉 rendered the one for the other as Psal. 36. 11. Adversa enim hominem mansuetum 〈◊〉 saith Chemnitius And how ever it goe with the outward man The meek shall finde rest to their souls Mat. 11. 29. Yea the meek in the Lord shall 〈◊〉 their joy Isa. 29. 19. And for outward respects Meek Moses complains not of Miriams murmurings but God strikes in for him the more And he that said I seek not mine own glory addes But there is one that seeketh it and judgeth God takes his part ever that fights not for himself and is champion to him that strives not but for peace sake parteth with his own right otherwhiles For they shall inherit the earth One would think that meek men that bear and forbear that put up and forgive committing their cause to him that judgeth righteously as Christ did should be soon baffled and out-sworn out of their patrimony with honest Naboth But there 's nothing lost by meeknesse and yeeldance Abraham yeelds over his right of choice Lot taketh it And behold Lot is crossed in that which he chose Abraham blessed in that which was left him God never suffers any man to leese by an humble remission of right in a desire of peace The heavens even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men Yet with this proviso that as heaven is taken by violence so is earth by meeknesse And God the true proprietary loves no tenants better nor 〈◊〉 longer leases to any then to the meek They shall inherit that is peaceably enjoy what they have and transferre it to posterity they shall give inheritance to their childrens children As on the other side frowardnesse forfeits all into the Lords hands and he many times taketh the forfeiture and outs such persons 〈◊〉 upon them with a 〈◊〉 ejectione as upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Plato The Lord Treasurer Burleigh was wont to say That he over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will more by patience then pertinacy His private estate he managed with that integrity that he never 〈◊〉 any man no man ever sued him He was in the number of those few saith M. 〈◊〉 that lived and died with glory For as 〈◊〉 of heart 〈◊〉 make you high with God even so meeknesse of spirit and of speech shall make you 〈◊〉 into the hearts of men 〈◊〉 M. Tindall in a letter of his to Iohn Frith afterwards his fellow-Martyr Verse 6. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is in Christ for us being wrought by his value and merit and is called the righteousnesse of justification This is in us from Christ being wrought by his vertue and spirit and is called the righteousnesse of sanctification Both these the blessed man must hunger and thirst after that is earnestly and 〈◊〉 desire as Rachel did for children she must prevail or perish as David did after the water of the well of Bethlehem to the jeopardy of the lives of his three mightiest as the hunted Hart or as the 〈◊〉 readeth it Hinde braieth after the water brooks The Philosophers observe of the Hart or Hinde that being a beast thirsty by nature when she is pursued by dogs by reason of heat and losse of breath her thirst is encreased And in females the passions are stronger then in males so that she breaths and braies after the brooks with utmost desire so panteth the good soul after Christ it panteth and fainteth it breatheth and breaketh for the longing that it hath unto his righteousnesse at all times She fainteth with Ionathan swooneth and is sick with the Spouse yea almost dead with that poor affamished Amalekite And this 〈◊〉 appetite and affection ariseth from a deep and due sense and feeling of our want of Christ whole Christ and that there is an absolute necessity of every drop of his bloud There must be a sad and serious consideration of mans misery and Gods mercy Whence will arise as in hunger and thirst 1. A sense of pain in the stomack 2. A want and emptinesse 3. An eager desire of supply from Christ who is the true bread of life and heavenly Manna the Rock flowing with honey and fountain of living water that reviveth the fainting spirits of
to do any thing for them or theirs The whole Law is say the Schoolmen but one copulative Any condition not observed 〈◊〉 the whole lease and any Commandment not obeyed subjects a man to the curse And as some one good action hath 〈◊〉 ascribed and assured to it as peace-making Matth. 5. 9. so he that shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all When some of the Israelites had broken the fourth Commandment God challengeth them for all Exod. 16. 28. Where then will they appear that plead for this Zoar for that Rimmon a merry lye a petty oath an idle errand on the Lords day c. Sick bodies love to be gratified with some little bit that favoureth the disease But meddle not with the murthering morsels of sin there will be bitternesse in the end Jonathan had no sooner tasted of the honey with the tip of his rod only but his head was forfeited There is a 〈◊〉 fullnesse in sin a lye in these vanities give them an inch they 'l take an ell Let the serpent but get in his head he will shortly winde in his whole body He playes no small game but meaneth us much hurt how modest soever he seemeth to be It is no 〈◊〉 then the Kingdom that he seeketh by his maidenly 〈◊〉 as Adoniah As therefore we must submit to 〈◊〉 so we must resist the devil without expostulation 1 Pet. 5. 7. throw water on the fire of temptation though but to some smaller sin and stamp on it too Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth saith St James A little poison in a cup a little leak in a ship or breach in a wall may ruin all A little wound at the heart and a little sin in the soul may hide Gods face from us as a cloud Therefore as the Prophet when a cloud as big as a mans hand only appeared knew that the whole heaven would be overcovered and 〈◊〉 the King to betake himself to his charret so let us to 〈◊〉 shelter for a company comes as she said when she bore her 〈◊〉 Gad After Jonathan and his Armour-bearer came the whole host and when Dalilah had prevai'ed came the Lords of the Philistims He that is fallen from the top of a ladder cannot stop at the second round Every sin hardneth the heart and gradually disposeth it to greater offences as lesser wedges make way for bigger After Ahaz had made his wicked Altar and offered on it he brought it into the Temple first setting it on the brazen Altar afterwards bringing it into the house and then lastly setting it on the Northside of Gods Altar Withstand fin therefore at first and live by Solomons rule Give not water passage no not a little Silence sin as our Saviour did the 〈◊〉 and suffer it not to sollicite thee If it be importunate answer it not a word as 〈◊〉 would not Rabshakeh or give it a short and sharp answer yea the blew eye that St Paul did This shall be no grief unto thee hereafter nor offence of heart as she told David the contrary way It repented St Austin of his very excuses made to his parents being a childe and to his schoolmaster being a boy He retracts his ironyes because they had the appearance of a lye because they looked ill-favouredly B. Ridley repents of his playing at Chesse as wasting too much time Bradford bewaileth his dullnesse and unthankfullnesse Davids heart smote him for cutting the lap of 〈◊〉 coat only and that for none other intent then to clear his own innocency that in which Saul commended him for his moderation There are some that would shrink up sin into a narrow scantling and bring it to this if they could that none do evil but they that are in goales But David approves his sincerity by his respect to all Gods Commandments and hath this commendation that he did all the wills of God Solomon also bidds count nothing little that God commandeth but keep Gods precepts as the sight of the eye Those venturous spirits that dare live in any known sin aspire not to immortality Phil. 2. 12. they shall be least that is nothing at all in the Kingdom of heaven And teacheth men so As the Pharisees did and all the old and modern heresiarches In the year 1559. it was maintained by one David George that Arch heretike that good works were pernicious and destructory to the soul. The Anabaptists and Socinians have broached many doctrines of devils not fit to be once named amongst Christians The Pneumatomachi of old set forth a base book of the Trinity under St Cyprians name and sold it at a very cheap rate that the poorest might be able to reach it and reade it as 〈◊〉 complaineth In those Primitive times those capitall haeresies concerning the Trinity and Christs Incarnation were so generally held that it was a witty thing then to be a right beleever as Erasmus phraseth it All the world in a manner was turned Arian as St Hierome hath it 〈◊〉 telleth us that the 〈◊〉 being desirous to be instructed in the Christian religion requested of 〈◊〉 the Emperour to send them some to preach the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He being himself an 〈◊〉 sent them Arian Doctours who set up that heresie amongst them By the just judgement of God therefore the same Valens being overthrown in battle by the 〈◊〉 was also burnt by them in a poor cottage whether 〈◊〉 had fled for shelter Heretikes have an art of pythanology whereby they cunningly insinuate into mens affections and many times 〈◊〉 wade before they teach as it is said of the 〈◊〉 It was therefore well and wisely done of Placilla the Empresse when her husband Theodosius senior desired to conser with Eunomius she earnestly disl 〈◊〉 him lest being perverted by his speeches he might fall into his haeresie Shall be least in the Kingdom of heaven That is nothing at all there as Matth 20. 16. Either of these two sins here 〈◊〉 exclude out of heaven how much more both If single sinners that break Gods Commandments and no more shall be damned those that teach men so shall be double damned If God will be avenged on the former seven-fold 〈◊〉 he will on the later seventy-fold seven-fold When the beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies shall be gathered together toward the end of the world to make war against Christ the multitud shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the sword the poor seduced people that were carried along many of them as those two-hundred that followed Absolom out of Jerusalem in the simplicity of their hearts and understood not the matter shall have an easier judgement But the beast was taken and the false Prophet and were both cast 〈◊〉 not slain with the sword and so cast to the infernall vultures to be
〈◊〉 they burst out into them Yea the 〈◊〉 as their conversion is much hindered by the 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 oftner then swear so in 〈◊〉 speculations of the causes of the strange 〈◊〉 of the affairs of the world they assign the reason of the Turks prevailing so against the Christians to be their oaths and blasphemies which wound the ears of the very heavens They can tell that swearing is one of those sins for the which God hath a controversie with a land And I can tell what a great Divine hath observed that the stones in the wall of Aphek shall sooner turn executioners then a blasphemous Aramite shall scape 〈◊〉 So much doth a jealous God hate to be rob'd of his glory or wronged in his Name even by ignorant Pagans how much more by 〈◊〉 Christians whose tongues might seem no slander Those that abuse earthly Princes in their name and titles are imprisoned banished or hanged as traitours And shall these goe altogether unpunished Hell gapes for such miscreants c. Neither by heaven As the Manichees and Pharisees did and held it no sinne But God only is the proper object of an oath Isa 65. 16. Ier. 12. 6. The name of the creature say some may be inferred the attestation referred to God alone But they say better that tell us that the form of an oath is not at all to be indirect or oblique in the name of the creature Albeit I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he that 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 sweareth by him that dwelleth in heaven c. And forasmuch as God clotheth himself with the creatures Psal. 104. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit for us to spit upon the 〈◊〉 royall robes especially when they are upon his back But forasmuch as we must shun 〈◊〉 be shy of the very shew and shadow of sinne they doe best and safest that abstain from all oaths of this nature They doe very ill that swear by this light bread hand fire which they absurdly call Gods Angel by S. Anne S. George by our Lady c. by the parts of Christ which they substitute in the room of God The barbarous souldiers would not break his bones but these miscreants with their carrion mouths rent and tear O cause of tears his heart hands head feet and all his members asunder Let all such consider that as light a matter as they make of it this swearing by the creature is a forsaking of God Jer. 5. 7. a provocation little lesse then unpardonable ib. an exposing Gods honour to the spoil of the creatures which was the Heathens sinne Rom. 1. 23. An abasing themselves below 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatures for men verily swear by the greater Heb. 6 16. And the viler the thing is they swear by the greater is the oath because they ascribe thereto omniscience power to punish justice c. Besides a heavy doom of unavoidable destruction denounced against such They that speak in favour of this sin alledge 1 Cor. 15. 31. But that is not an oath but an obtestation q. d. My sorrows and sufferings for Christ would testifie if they could speak that I die daily And that Cant. 3. 5. where Christ seemeth to swear by the roes and hindes of the field But that is not an oath neither but an adjuration For he chargeth them not to trouble his Church Or if they doe the roes and hindes shall testifie against them because they doe what those would not had they reason as they have In like sort Moses attesteth heaven and earth Deut. 32. 1. and so doth God himself Isa. 1. 2. And for those phrases As Pharaoh liveth As thy soul liveth c. they are rather earnest vouchings of things then oaths And yet that phrase of gallantry now so common As true as I live is judged to be no better then an oath by the creature Numb 14. 21. with Psal. 95. 11. And we may not swear in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in judgement Ier. 4. 2. For it is Gods throne We must not conceive that God is commensurable by a place as if he were partly here and partly there but he is every where all-present The heavens have a large place yet 〈◊〉 they one part here and another there but the Lord is totally present wheresoever present Heaven therefore is said to be his throne and he said to inhabit it Isa. 66 1. not as if he were confined to it as Aristotle and those Atheists in Iob conceited it but because there he is pleased to manifest the most glorious and 〈◊〉 signs of his presence and there in a speciall manner he is enjoyed and worshipped by the crowned 〈◊〉 and glorious Angels c. Here we see but as in a 〈◊〉 obscurely his toe traine back-parts foot-stool No man can 〈◊〉 more and live 〈◊〉 man need see more here that he may live for ever But there we shall see as we are seen know as we are known see him face to face Oh how should this fire up our dull hearts with all earnestnesse and intention of indeared affection to long lust pant faint after the beatificall vision How should we daily lift up our hearts and hands to God in the heavens that he would 〈◊〉 from heaven and save us send his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 deliverance 〈◊〉 of Sion yea that himself would 〈◊〉 the heavens and come down and fetch us home upon the clouds of 〈◊〉 as himself ascended that when we awake we may be full of his image and as we have born the image of the earthly so we may bear the image of the heavenly St Paul after he had once seen God in 〈◊〉 throne being rapt up into the third heaven like the bird of paradise he never left groaning out Cupio dissolvi I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is farre farre the better And Pareus a little afore his death uttered this Swan-like Song Discupio solvi tecumque ô Christe manere Portio fac regni sim quotacunque 〈◊〉 Oh that I Were in heaven Oh that I might Be ever With the Lord ô blisse full plight Thus must our broken spirits even spend and exhale themselves in continuall sallies as it were and egressions of thoughts wishings and longings after God affecting not only a union but a unity with him St Austin wished that he might have seen three things Romam in flore Paulum in ore Christum in corpore Rome flourishing Paul discoursing and Christ living upon the earth But I had rather wish with venerable Bede My soul desirēth to see Christ my King upon his throne and in his majesty Verse 35. Nor by the earth for it is his footstool A fault so common among this people that S. James 〈◊〉 cause to warn the beleeving Jews of it to whom he wrote They had taken up such a custom of swearing by the creatures that after conversion they could not easily leave
it it is a poor plea to say I have gotten a custom of swearing and must 〈◊〉 be born with For who is it but the devil 〈◊〉 saith to such as the Iews to Pilate Doe as thou hast ever done The Cretians when they wished worst to any one they wished that he might take delight in an evil 〈◊〉 Break off 〈◊〉 this ili use by repentance and though you cannot suddenly turn the stream yet 〈◊〉 against it bite in thine oathes and with bitternesse 〈◊〉 them swear to God as David did thou wilt swear no more and by degrees out-grow this ill custom For it is his footstool And should be ours For he hath put all things under our feet Psal. 8 6. He saith not under our hands but under our feet that we might trample upon them in a holy contempt as the Church is said to tread upon the Moon and the way of the righteous is said to be on high to depart from hell below It is a wonder surely that treading upon these minerals gold silver precious stones c. which are but the guts and garbage of the earth we should so admire them God hath hid them in the bowels of the earth and in those parts that are farthest off from the Church Where they grow little else grows that is ought no more doth grace in an earthly 〈◊〉 But to return from whence we are 〈◊〉 Earth is Gods footstool How ought we then to walke 〈◊〉 that we provoke not the eyes of his glory There is an honour due even to the footstools of Princes when they are in the throne especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou in the fear of the Lord all day long saith 〈◊〉 walke in the sense of his presence and light of his countenance He is not very farre from any one of us saith the Apostle not so farre as the barke from the tree or the slesh from the bones This one God and father of all is not only above all and from his throne beholdeth all that 's done here below but also through all and in you all Ephes. 4. 6. Therefore no corner can secret us no cranny of the heart can escape his eye Al things are for the outside naked and for the inside open dissected quartered and as it were cleft thorow the back-bone as the word signifieth before the eyes of him with whom we deal Neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King The place of his rest the seat of his Empire and they the people of his praise and of his purchase Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God There was the adoption and the glory the 〈◊〉 and the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises c. Constantinople was acknowledged by Tamerlane to be for her situation an Imperiall City and such as was made to command the world Strasborough in Germany is called by some compendium Orbis an abridgment of the world But Ierusalem by a better Authour is stiled Princesse of Provinces the joy of the whole earth the pleasant land c. It must needs be pleasant where God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how is the faithfull City become a harlot It was full of judgement righteousnesse 〈◊〉 in it but now murderers Her silver is become drosse her wine mixt with 〈◊〉 Bethel is become Bethaven and Ierusalem turned into Ierushkaker It fell again into the power of the Turks and Infidels Anns 1234. after that the most warlike souldiers of Europe had there as it were one common sepulchre but an eternall monument of 〈◊〉 misguided valour and so remaineth still a poor ruinous City governed by one of the Turks Sanzacks and for nothing now more famous then for the sepulchre of our Saviour again repaired and much visited by the Christians and not unreverenced by the Turks themselves There are not to be found there at this time 100. housholds of Jews and yet there are ten or more Churches of Christians there Of the great King The Jews much admired the greatnesse of Herod and especially of the Romanes whose tributaries they were at this time Our Saviour mindeth them of a greater then these One that is great greater greatest greatnesse it self Nebuchadnezzar stileth himself the great King and brags of his Babel The rich miser thinks himself no small thing because of his counerey of Corn. Ahashuerosh taketh state upon him because he reigned from India to Ethiopia Darius his flatterers held it meet that no man should ask a petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of him Diocletian would needs be worshipped as a God and was the first that held forth his feet to be kissed after 〈◊〉 Amurath the third Emperour of the Turks stiled himself God of the earth Governour of the whole world the Messenger of God and faithfull servant of the great Prophet And the great Cham of Tartary is called by the simple vulgar The shadow of spirits and sonne of the immortall God And by himself he is reputed to be the Monarch of the whole world For which cause every day if all be true that is reported of him as soon as he hath 〈◊〉 he caused his 〈◊〉 to be sounded by that signe giving 〈◊〉 to other 〈◊〉 and Princes to go to dinner These be the 〈◊〉 of the earth and think no mean things of themselves But compare them with the Great King here mentioned and what 〈◊〉 of all their supposed greatnesse All Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are but as the dust of the balance or drop of a bucket 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tuistius guttae particula saith a Father If all Nations are to God but as the drop of a bucket oh what a small pittance must thou needs be how great soever of that little drop And as he is great so he looketh to be praised and served according to his excellent greatn sse We should if it were possible fill up that vast distance and disproportion that is betwixt him and us by the greatnesse of our praises and sincerity at least of our services in presenting him with the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great King saith God and he stands upon his seniority Offer it now to thy Prince will he accept thy refuse braid-stuffe c. It is verily a most sweet meditation of St Bernard whensoever we come before God in any duty we should conceive our selves to be entring into the court of Heaven wherein the King of Kings sitteth in a stately throne 〈◊〉 with an host of glorious Angels and crowned Saints With how great humility therefore reverence and godly fear ought a poor worm crawling out of his hole a vile frog creepng out of his mud draw nigh to such a Majesty The Seraphims clap their wings on their faces when they stand before God Isa. 6. as men are wont to do their hands when the lightning
not know what thy right-hand doth there 's no losse in that Some talents are best improved by being laid up A treasure that is hid is safer from theeves Steal we therefore benefits upon men as Joseph did the money into the sacks And as he made a gain of the 〈◊〉 and bought AEgypt so may we of the poor we relieve and buy heaven Luke 46. 9. Rom. 2. 10. Verse 4. Thy father that seeth in secret And best accepteth of secret service Cant. 2. 14. O thou that art in the clefts of the rocks let me see thy face let me hear thy voice c. He is all 〈◊〉 he searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins those most abstruse and remotest parts of the body seats of lust And as he is himself a Spirit so he loveth to be served like himself in Spirit and in truth He sets his eyes upon such as the word here signifieth he looketh wishtly fixedly steddily he seeth thorow and thorow our secret services not to finde faults in them for so he may soon do not a few but those he winks at where the heart is upright but to reward them as a liberall pay-master rich to all that 〈◊〉 upon him or do him any other businesse Who is there even 〈◊〉 you that shuts the door for nought that kindleth fire upon mine altar 〈◊〉 nought Mal. 1. 10. that gives a cup of cold water and hath not his reward David would not serve God on free cost but was he not paid for his pains and had his cost in again with 〈◊〉 ere the Sunne went down Let him but resolve to 〈◊〉 his sins and God or ere he can do it forgiveth him the iniquity of his sinne that in it that did most gall and grieve him 〈◊〉 him but purpose to build God a house God promiseth thereupon for his good intentions to build David an house for ever So little is there lost by any thing that is done or suffered for God He sends a way his servants that do his work many times and the world never the 〈◊〉 as Boaz did Ruth with their bosome full of blessings as David did 〈◊〉 with a royall 〈◊〉 as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba with all the desire of her heart as Caleb did his daughter Achsah with upper and nether springs or as once he did Moses from the Mount with 〈◊〉 face shining He shone bright but knew not of it yea he 〈◊〉 his glorified face with a vail and had more glory by his 〈◊〉 then by his face How farre are those spirits from this which care only to be seen And sleighting Gods secret approbation 〈◊〉 only to 〈◊〉 others eyes with admiration not caring for unknown riches Our Saviour besides the vail of his humanity saies See you tell no man It s enough for him that he can 〈◊〉 to his father I have 〈◊〉 thee on earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do His work he accounts 〈◊〉 gift 〈◊〉 wages he looks for in another world vers 5. He was content his treasures of wisdome should be hid Colos. 2. 3. And shall we fret our selves when our pittances of piety and charity are not admired 〈◊〉 it not enough for us that we shall appear with him in glory and then be rewarded openly Shall reward thee openly I but when at the resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. at that great assize and generall Assembly he will make honourable mention in the hearing of Angels and men of all the good deeds of his children How they have fed the hungry clothed the naked c. that which they had utterly forgotten not so much as once mentioning their misdoings Matth. 25. Yea he shall take them to heaven with him where the poor mens hands have built him a house afore hand and they shall receive him into everlasting habitations But what shall he do in the me an while Feed on faith as some read that text Psal. 37. 3. 〈◊〉 upon reversions 〈◊〉 but while the grasse grows the 〈◊〉 starves But so cannot a mercifull man for he shall have 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 7. Such a mercy as rejoyceth against judgement Yea he that can tender mercy to God may challenge 〈◊〉 from God by vertue of his promise as David doth Preserve 〈◊〉 ô God for I am mercifull Psal. 86. 2. 〈◊〉 he shall obtain 1. In his soul which shall be like a watered garden fresh and flourishing For the liberall soul 〈◊〉 be made fat Prov. 〈◊〉 25. and he that watereth shall be watered himself The spirits of wealth distilled in good works comfort the conscience 2. So they do the body too when sick and languishing Psal. 41. 2 3. Mercy is the best cordiall a pillow of repose a 〈◊〉 remedy For if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry thy health shall spring forth speedily Isa. 58. 3. For his name the liberall are renowned in the earth as Abraham that free-hearted house-keeper or peny-father and Obadiah that hid and fed the Prophets by fifty in a cave Zacheus and Cornelius Gaius and Onesiphorus how precious are their names How sweet their remembrance Who honours not the memoriall of Mary for her Spikenard and of Dorcas for her coats and garments Whereas the vile person shall no more be called liberall in Christs Kingdom nor Nabal Nadib the churl bountifull 4. For his estate The most gainfull art is 〈◊〉 giving saith Chrysostome The poor mans bosom and the Orphans mouth are the surest chest saith another Whatsoever we scatter to the poor we gather for our selves saith a third What we give to the poor we lend to the Lord who accounts himself both 〈◊〉 and ingaged thereby Prov. 19. 17. Neither will he fail to blesse the liberall mans stock and store Deut. 15. 10. so that his righteousnesse and his riches together shall endure for ever Psal. 〈◊〉 2. 3. 5 Lastly His seed shall be mighty upon earth vers 21. The son of such a tenant that paid his rent duly shall not be 〈◊〉 out of his farm Psal 37. 26. And that Proverb is proved false by common experience Happy is that sonne whose father goeth to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 il-gotten goods usually come to nothing the third heir seldome enjoyeth them unlesse it be here and there one that by repentance breaketh off and healeth his fathers sinne by mercifulnesse to the poor that the property may be altered and so his 〈◊〉 lengthned Oh therefore that rich men would be rich in good 〈◊〉 ready to distribute willing to 〈◊〉 which was a peece of praise used to be ascribed to the ancient Kings of AEgypt This this were the way To lay up for themselves a sure 〈◊〉 yea to lay fast hold on eternall life when those that with-hold their very crums 〈◊〉 not obtain a drop with Dives whom to vex and upbraid Lazarus was laid in the bosome of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 5. And when thou praiest A duty of
I can tell you shall receive power after that the holy 〈◊〉 is come upon you But many times God is graciously pleased not only to grant a mans prayer but also to fullfill his counsell that is in that very way and by that very means that his thoughts 〈◊〉 on But say he doe neither of 〈◊〉 yet the very ability to pray 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Ghost is a sweet and sure signe of salvation Rom. 10. 13. And a very grave Divine writeth thus I cannot but prefer 〈◊〉 prayers for some temporall mercy far before that mercy for which I pray Yea I had rather God should give me the gift of prayer then without that gift the whole world besides As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are ita congregabiles saith another Divine of good note so very good-fellows that they cannot spare so much time out of company as to seek God apart and to serve him in secret they sufficiently shew themselves thereby to have little fellowship or 〈◊〉 with God whom they 〈◊〉 seldom come at Verse 7. But when ye 〈◊〉 use not vain repetitions Babble not bubble not saith the 〈◊〉 as water out of a narrow 〈◊〉 vessel Doe not iterate or inculcate the same things 〈◊〉 ad nauseam as Solomons fool who is full of words saith he and this 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his vain 〈◊〉 A man 〈◊〉 not tell what shall be and what shall be after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a one also was that Battus to whom the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath relation an egregious babbler In common 〈◊〉 a signe of 〈◊〉 to lay on more words upon a 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more in prayer Take we 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 not the sacrifice of fools God hath no need of 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 21. 15. with Psal. 5. 5. He is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Eccles. 5. 2. Prayers move God not as an Oratour moves his hearers but as a childe his father your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things ver 8. Now a childe is not to chat to his father but to deliver his minde humbly earnestly in few direct to the point S. Peter 〈◊〉 have men to be sober in prayer that is to pray with due respect to Gods dreadfull majesty without trifling or vain babling He that is 〈◊〉 in spirit prayes much though he speak little as the Publican Luk. 18. and Elias 1 King 20. 36. But as a body without a soul much wood without fire a bullet in a gun without powder so are words in prayer without spirit Now long prayers can hardly maintain their vigour as in tall bodies the spirits are diffused The strongest hand long extended will languish as Moses hand slacked against Amalec It s a praise proper to God to have his hand stretcht out still Our infirmity suffers not any long intention of body or minde Our devotion will soon lag and hang the wing others also that join with us may be tired out and made to sinne by 〈◊〉 and wandrings In secret indeed and in extraordinary prayer with solemn fasting or so when the heart is extraordinarily enlarged our prayers may and must be like wise Solomon prayed long at the dedication of the Temple so did those godly Levites Neh. 9. Our Saviour prayed all night sometimes and rising up a great while before day he went apart and prayed Mar. 1. 35. Of Luther it is reported that he spent constantly three houres a day in prayer and three of the 〈◊〉 houres and fittest for study It was the saying of a grave and godly Divine that he profited in the knowledge of the word more by prayer in a short space then by study in a longer That which our Saviour condemneth is needlesse and heartlesse repetitions unnecessary digressions 〈◊〉 prolixities proceeding not from heat of affection or strength of desire for so the repetition of the self-same petition is not only lawfull but usefull See Psal. 142. 1. and 130. 6. but either out of ostentation of devotion as Pharisees or opinion of being heard the sooner as Heathens when mens words exceed their matter or both words and matter exceed their attention and affection See that these be matches and then pray and spare not For they thinke they shall be heard for their much speaking As Orpheus in his hymnes and other Pagans calling as the Mariners in Jonah every man upon his God and lest they should not hit the right closing their petitions with that Dijque Deaeque omnes And as this was the folly and fault of Pagans so is it also still of the Papists whom the holy Ghost calleth Heathens with whom they 〈◊〉 as in many things else so in their Battologies or vain repetitions which are so grosse 〈◊〉 the devil himself had he any shame in him might well be a shamed of them In their Jesus 〈◊〉 as they call it there are fifteen of these prayers 〈◊〉 Iesu 〈◊〉 have mercy on me Iesu Iesu Iesu help me Iesu Iesu give me here my purgatory Every of which petitions are to be ten 〈◊〉 times at once said over for a task So on their Church and Colledge-doors the English fugitives have written in great golden letters Iesu Iesu converte Angliam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These be their weapons they say prayers and tears But the truth is the 〈◊〉 the Popes bloud-hounds trust more to the 〈◊〉 then to their prayers like vultures whose nests as Aristotle saith cannot be found yet they will leave all games to follow an Army because they delight to feed upon carrion Their faction is a most 〈◊〉 sharp sword whose blade is sheathed at pleasure in the bowels of every Common-wealth but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spain They strive under pretence of long prayers and 〈◊〉 sanctity 〈◊〉 is double iniquity to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves Satan they say sent Luther and God sent them to withstand him But that which 〈◊〉 said of chariots armed with sithes and hooks will be every day more and more applied to the Jesuits at first they were a terrour afterward a scorn Verse 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them God would not have his Israel conform to the Heathens customs nor so much as once name their Idols Exod. 23. 13. Psal. 16. 4. No more should Christians as some are of opinion That of Cardinall Bembus is somewhat grosse concerning their St Francis quòd in 〈◊〉 Deorum ab Ecclesia Romana sit relatus But this is like the rest For if we may beleeve Baronius we may see their lustrall water and sprinkling of 〈◊〉 in Iuvenals sixth Satyre lights in sepulchres in Suetonius his Octavius lampes lighted on Saturday in 〈◊〉 96. Epistle distribution of tapers among the people in Macrob. Saturnals c. For your heavenly father knoweth what things ye need c. And therefore answereth many times
as a Standard saying Jehovah Nissi The Lord is my 〈◊〉 Exod. 17. 15. When we bear it up aloft as the word used in the third Commandment whereunto this petition answers signifieth as servants do their Masters badges upon their shoulders Being confident with S. Paul of this very thing that in nothing we shall be ashamed whilest we hallow this holy God Isa. 5. 16. bue that with allboldnesse or freedom of speech as alwaies so now Christ shall be magnified in our bodies whether it be by life or by death Phil. 1. 20. Verse 10. Thy Kingdom come Thy kingdom of power and providence but especiaily enlarge thy Kingdom of grace and hasten thy Kingdom of glory The Jews pray almost in every praier Thy Kingdom come and that Bimheroch Bejamenu quickly even in our daies But it is for an earthly Kingdom that which the Apostles also so deeply dreamt of that our Saviour had very much adoe to dispossesse them For most absurdly and unseasonably many times they would ask him foolish questions that way when he had been discoursing to them of the necessity of his own death and of their bearing the crosse 〈◊〉 S. John very wisely interrupts him one time among the rest as weary of such sad matter and laying hold on something our Saviour had said by the by tels him a story of another 〈◊〉 They were besotted with an odde conceit of 〈◊〉 and offices to be distributed here among them as once in Davids and Solomons reign And what shall we think of their opinion that not content to affirm that 〈◊〉 the fall of Antichrist the Jews shall have a glorious conversion and the whole Church such a happy Halcyon as never before but also that the Martyrs shall then have their first 〈◊〉 and shall raign with Christ a thousand years 〈◊〉 tor holdeth they shall so raign in heaven Alstedius not only saith they shall raign here on earth but beginneth his millenary about the year of our Lord 1694. Let our hearts desire and prayer 〈◊〉 God for Israel oe that they may be saved Let us also 〈◊〉 and pray for such poor souls in Asia and America as worship the devil not inwardly only for so too many do amongst us but with an outward worship And this we should the rather do because Divines think that when all Israel shall be called and as it were raised from the dead Rom. 11. 15 26. when those two sticks 〈◊〉 be joined into one 〈◊〉 37. 16. then shall many of those deceived souls that never yet savingly heard of God have part and portion in the same resurrection Thy will be done Gods will must be done of thee ere his kingdom can come to thee If thou seek his kingdom seek first his righteousnesse If thou pray Thy Kingdom come pray also Thy will be done Pray i and do it for other wise Thou compassest God with lies as Ephraim did Now the will of God is two-fold Secret and Revealed whatever Siguardus blasphemeth to the contrary His revealed will again is four-fold 1. His determining will concerning us what shall become of us 〈◊〉 1. 5. 2. His prescribing will what he requires of us Ephes. 1. 9. 3. His approving will by the which he graciously accepts and 〈◊〉 regards those that come to him in faith and 〈◊〉 Matth. 18. 14. 4. His disposing will and this is the will of his providence 1 Cor 1. 1. Rom. 1. 10. Now we should resign our selves over to his determining will as the highest cause of all things rest in his approving will as our chiefest happinesse obey his prescribing will as the absolutest and perfectest form of holinesse and be subject to his disposing will being patient in all trials and troubles because he did it Psal. 39. 9. David hath this commendation that he did all the wills of God And it is reported saith M. Bradford that I shall be burned in Smith-field and that very shortly Fiat voluntas Domini Ecce ego Domine mitte me The will of the Lord be done said those good souls in the Acts when they saw that Paul was peremptory to go up This third Petition Thy will be done c. was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 text that ever M. Beza handled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 died and departed rather then 〈◊〉 to do Gods will more 〈◊〉 in heaven as he had done to his power on earth They that 〈◊〉 us do and 〈◊〉 the will of God are his 〈◊〉 Isa. 62. 4. And 〈◊〉 should be our constant care so to apply our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God 〈◊〉 take pleasure in us as in men after his own 〈◊〉 and say of us as he did of Cyrus He is the man of my will that executeth all my counsel This is to set the crown upon Christs head Cant. 3. 11. Yea this is to set the crown upon our own heads 2 Tim. 4 8. 9. In 〈◊〉 as it is in heaven By those heavenly Courtiers The crowned Saints 〈◊〉 no rest and yet no 〈◊〉 crying 〈◊〉 holy c. They 〈◊〉 the Lamb wheresoever he goeth with 〈◊〉 Domine How long Lord c. Revel 6. 10. Which words also were M. Calvins symbolum that he 〈◊〉 sighed out in the behalf of the 〈◊〉 Churches As for the glorious Angels though they excell in strength yet they doe Gods 〈◊〉 hearkning to the voice of his Word They rejoyce more in their names of 〈◊〉 then of honour and ever stand before the face of our heavenly father as waiting a command for our good and so willing of their way that Gabriel is said to have come to comfort Daniel with wearinesse of flight They do the will of God 1. Chearfully whence they are said to have wings six wings 〈◊〉 Isa. 6. 2. 2. Humbly therefore with two they cover their faces 3. Faithfully without partiality with two they covered or harnessed their feet 4. Speedily and 〈◊〉 with two they flee abroad the world upon Gods errand and for the good of them that shall be saved Heb. 1. 14. burning and being all on a light fire with infinite love to God and his Saints their fellow-servants Revel 22. 9. whence they are called Seraphims or burning-creatures 5. Constantly Jacob saw them ascending to contemplate and praise God and to minister unto him Dan. 7 10. He saw them also 〈◊〉 to dispence 〈◊〉 benefits and to 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 Revel 15. 6. This they do 1. Justly whence they are said 〈◊〉 to be clothed in pure white linen 2. Diligently and constantly therefore they have their brests girded 3. 〈◊〉 and with faith in 〈◊〉 Gods Commandments 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 said to have golden girdles Go ye now and do 〈◊〉 otherwise ye may be as 〈◊〉 for gifts and good parts and yet have your part with the 〈◊〉 and his black Angels Verse 11. Give us this day We have not a bit of bread of our own earning but must get our living by begging Peter
〈◊〉 to the Lord c. while the 〈◊〉 fought the rest of the 〈◊〉 with their Ministers made their hearty praier to God with sighes and tears and that from the morning to the evening when night was come they assembled again together They which had fought rehearsed Gods wonderfull aid and succour and so all together rendered thanks Alway he turned their 〈◊〉 into joy In the morning trouble and affliction appeared before them with great terrour on all sides but by the evening they were delivered and had great cause of 〈◊〉 and comfort Verse 19. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth This is the fourth common-place handled here by our Saviour of casting away the inordinate care of earthly things which he presseth upon all by nine severall arguments to the end of the Chapter By treasures here are meant worldly wealth in abundance precious things stored up as silver gold pearls c. All 〈◊〉 are but earth and it is but upon earth 〈◊〉 they are laid up What is silver and gold but white and yellow earth And what are pearls and precious stones but the guts and garbage of the earth Dan. 2. 45. The stone brake in pieces the iron the brasse the clay and silver c. The Prophet breaks the 〈◊〉 order of speech for clay iron brasse silver c. to intimate as some conceive that silver is clay by an elegant allusion in the Chaldee should we load our selves with thick clay Surcharge our hearts with cares of this life Luke 21. 34 Gen. 13. 2. It is said Abraham was 〈◊〉 rich in cattel in silver and in gold There is a Latine translation that hath it Abraham was very heavy And the originall indifferently beareth both to shew saith one that riches are a heavy burden and a hinderance many times to heaven and happinesse They that have this burden upon their backs can as hardly get in at the straight gate as a Camel or Cable into a needle and that because they trust in their riches as our Saviour 〈◊〉 expounds himself and here plainly intimates when he 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 up 〈◊〉 providing thereby for hereafter 〈◊〉 to morrow so 〈◊〉 word 〈◊〉 and thinking themselves 〈◊〉 the safer and the 〈◊〉 for their outward abundance 〈◊〉 the rich fool did The rich mans wealth is his strong City saith 〈◊〉 his wedge his confidence his gold his god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul calleth him an Idolater S. James an 〈◊〉 because he 〈◊〉 God of his flower his trust and goeth a whoring after 〈◊〉 vanities he soweth the winde and reapeth the whirlwinde 〈◊〉 treasureth up wealth but withall wrath Jam. 5 3. and by 〈◊〉 all sish that commeth to net he catcheth at length the 〈◊〉 and all Hence it is that S. James bids such and not 〈◊〉 cause Weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon them 〈◊〉 looks upon them as deplored persons and such as the 〈◊〉 could call and count incurable and desperate For the heart 〈◊〉 is first turned into earth and mud will afterwards freeze and 〈◊〉 into steel and adamant The Pharisees that were covetous 〈◊〉 Christ and perished irrecoverably And reprobates are 〈◊〉 by S. Peter to have their hearts exercised with covetous practices which they constantly follow as the Artificer his trade being 〈◊〉 apprentices to the devil 2 Cor. 2. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage against us or 〈◊〉 us as covetous wretches do 〈◊〉 novices These as they have served an ill Master so they shall receive the reward of unrighteousnesse and perish in their corruptions 2 Pet. 2. 12 13. Their happinesse hath been laid up in the earth nearer hell then heaven nearer the devil then God whom they have forsaken 〈◊〉 shall they be written in the earth that is in hell as it stands opposed to having their names written in heaven Those that are earthly minded have damnation for their end God to testifie his displeasure knocks his fists at them Ezek. 22. 13. as Balac did at Balaam And lest they should reply Tush these 〈◊〉 but big words devised on 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 silly people we shall do well enough with the Lord he addeth vers 14. Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the daies that I shall deal with thee I the Lord have spoken it and will doe it Oh that cur greedy muck-moles that lie rooting and poring 〈◊〉 the earth as if they meant to dig themselves thorow it a nearer way to hell would consider this before the cold grave holds their bodies and hot Tophet 〈◊〉 their souls 〈◊〉 the one is as sure as the other if timely course be not taken O 〈◊〉 nequam saith S. Bernard O most wretched and 〈◊〉 world how little are thy 〈◊〉 beholden to thee seeing thy love and friendship exposeth 〈◊〉 to the wrath and 〈◊〉 of God which burneth as low as 〈◊〉 nethermost hell How fitly may it be said of thee as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the river 〈◊〉 they that know it at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it they that have experience of it at last doe not 〈◊〉 cause condemn it Those that will be rich are resolved to get rem rem 〈◊〉 modo rem as he saith these 〈◊〉 necessarily 〈◊〉 many noisome lusts that drown men in 〈◊〉 desperately drown them in remedilesse misery as 〈◊〉 word signifieth Christ must be praid to be gone saith that 〈◊〉 lest all their pigs be drowned The devil shall have his dwelling 〈◊〉 gain in themselves rather then in their pigs Therefore to the 〈◊〉 shall they go and dwell with him c. They feed upon carrion 〈◊〉 Noahs raven upon dust as the Serpent upon the worlds 〈◊〉 as those in Job They swallow down riches and are 〈◊〉 as the Pharisees Luk. 11. 41. but they shall vomit them 〈◊〉 again God shall cast them out of their bellies Their mouths 〈◊〉 cried Give Give with the horse-leech shall be filled ere long with a shovell-full of mould and a cup of fire and brimstone 〈◊〉 down their wide gullets It shall be worse with them 〈◊〉 it was once with the covetous Chaliph of Babylon who being 〈◊〉 together with his City by Haalon brother to Mango the great Chan of T 〈◊〉 was sit by him 〈◊〉 the middest of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he and his predecessours had most 〈◊〉 heaped up together and bidden of that gold silver and 〈◊〉 stones take what it pleased him to eat saying by way of 〈◊〉 That so gainfull a guest should be fed with the best whereof he willed him to make no spare The covetons Caitiff kept for certain daies miserably died for hunger in the midst of those things whereof he thought he should never have had enough whereby he hoped to secure himself against whatsoever dearth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loveth to confute carnall men in their 〈◊〉 They shall passe on hardly bestead and hungery and it shall come to 〈◊〉 that when
an Arheist a Papist a perjurer a 〈◊〉 of Gods Sabbath an iron boweld wretch a murtherer an adulterer a thief a false witnesse or whatsoever 〈◊〉 the devil will And can this man ever serve God acceptably can he possibly please two so contrary masters No he may sooner reconcile fire and water look with the one eye upward and with the other eye downward bring heaven and earth together and gripe them both in a fist 〈◊〉 be habitually covetous and truly religious These two are as inconcurrent as two 〈◊〉 lines and as incompatible as light and darknesse They who bowed down on their knees to drink of the waters were accounted unfit souldiers for Gideon so are 〈◊〉 for Christ that stoop to the base love of the things of this life 〈◊〉 discredit it both his work and his wages 〈◊〉 Abraham would not that ancient and valiant souldier and servant of the most 〈◊〉 God For when Melchisedech from God had made him heir of all things and brought him bread and wine that is an earnest 〈◊〉 little for the whole c. he refused the riches that the King of Sodom offered him because God was his shield and his exceeding great reward His shield against any such enemies as 〈◊〉 omer and his complices had been unto him and his exceeding great reward for all his labour of love in that or any other service though he received not of any man from a thread to a 〈◊〉 Verse 25. Therefore I say unto you Take no carefull 〈◊〉 c. This life is called in Isaiah the life of our hands because it is maintained by the labour of our hands Neverthelesse let a 〈◊〉 labour never so hard and lay up never so much his life 〈◊〉 not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth saith our 〈◊〉 and therefore bids take heed and beware of covetousnesse There is in every mothers-childe of us a false presumption of self-sufficiency in our own courses as if we by our own diligence could build the house The devils word is proved too true He said we should be like Gods which as it is false in respect of divine qualities resembling God so is it true in regard of our sinfull 〈◊〉 for we carry the matter for most part as if we were petty gods within our selves not needing any higher power This self-confidence the daughter of unbelief and mother of carking care and carnall thought-fullnesse our Saviour 〈◊〉 by many arguments 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Take no thoughtfull 〈◊〉 for your life what ye shall eat c. The word here used in the originall signifieth sometimes a commendable and Christian care as 1 Cor. 7. 33 34. He that is married careth how to please his wife Likewise she careth how to please her husband It implieth a dividing of the minde into divers thoughts casting this way and that way and every way how to give best content And 〈◊〉 should be all the strife that should be betwixt married couples This is the care of the head the care of diligence called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there is another sort of 〈◊〉 here spoken against as unwarrantable and damnable the care of the heart the care of 〈◊〉 a doubtfull and carking care joyned with a fear of future events a sinfull sollicitude a distracting and distempering care properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it tortures and tears asunder the minde with anxious impiety and fretting impatiency This maketh a man when he hath done his utmost indeavour in the use of lawfull means for his own provision or preservation to sit down and with a perplexed heart sigh out Sure it will never be sure I shall die a beggaer be utterly 〈◊〉 c. Surely I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul were it not better for me to shift for my self and to 〈◊〉 speedily into the land of the Philistims 1 Sam. 27 1 A sinnefull consultation for had not God promised him both life and Kingdom after Saul but he said very wisely in his hasty fear All men are liars Prophets and all And again I said in my sudden haste I am cut off What ye shall eat or what ye shall drinke c. I would have you without carefulnes about these things saith the Apostle that ye may sit close to the Lord without distraction And again In nothing be carefull How then Why make your requests known to God in prayer as children make their needs known to their parents whom if they can please they know they shall be provided for Little thought do they take where to have the next meal or the next new 〈◊〉 neither need they 〈◊〉 but we have praid and yet are to seek Add to your prayer supplication saith the Apostle there strong cryes out of a deep sense of our pressing necessities and then see what will come of it I have done so to my poore power and yet it 〈◊〉 To thy supplication add thanksgiving for mercies already 〈◊〉 saith he Thanksgiving is an artificiall begging See 〈◊〉 in thy most carefull condition wherefore to be thankfull Praise God for what you have had have and hope to have What will follow upon this What The peace of God 〈◊〉 passeth all understanding shall keep as 〈◊〉 a guard or 〈◊〉 your hearts from cares and mindes from feares in Christ Jesus This shall be the restfull successe 〈◊〉 your praiers and praises And is it not good that the heart be 〈◊〉 with grace rather then the body forced with meats 〈◊〉 brave letters and how full of life were written by Luther to 〈◊〉 afflicting himself with continuall cares what would be 〈◊〉 issue of the Imperiall Diet held by Charles the fifth and 〈◊〉 States of Germany at Ansborough about the cause of 〈◊〉 Gospel Ego certè oro pro te saith he doleo te 〈◊〉 simam curarum hirudinem meas preces sic irritas facere I 〈◊〉 for thee and am troubled at it that thou by troubling thy self 〈◊〉 unnecessary cares makest my prayers of none effect for thee 〈◊〉 after many sweet consolations mixt with reprehensions he 〈◊〉 cludes But I write these things in vain because 〈◊〉 thinkest to rule these things by reason and killest thy self 〈◊〉 immoderate cares about them not considering that the 〈◊〉 Christs who as he needs not thy counsels so he will bring about 〈◊〉 own ends without thy carefullnesse thy vexing thoughts 〈◊〉 heart-eating fears whereby thou disquietest 〈◊〉 self 〈◊〉 measure Is not the life more then meat c And shall he that hath given us that which is greater and better deny unto us that which is lesse aud worse Shall we beleeve Gods promises in the 〈◊〉 but not Gods providence in the means as the Disciples 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 forgotten to buy bread and as Abraham in the case 〈◊〉 promise of issue of his body Excellent is that of the Apostle He
that spared not his own sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Whereupon St Bernard Qui misit unigenitum immisit spiritum 〈◊〉 vultum quid tandem tibi negatur us est And to like 〈◊〉 S. Hierome Never thinke saith he that God will deny thee any thing whom he inviteth so freely to feed upon the fatted calfe Verse 26. Behold or cast your eyes upon the fowls of the ayr Look upon them 〈◊〉 consider them wisely learn of them carefully to cast away carnall caresullnesse and to cast all your care upon God who careth for them how much more for you Ask now the fowls of the ayr and they shall tell thee saith Job that there is a reward for the righteous and a God that judgeth in the earth As he made them at 〈◊〉 for his own glory that we might admire his workmanship in their multitude 〈◊〉 variety of colours 〈◊〉 and taste 1 Cor. 15 39. and for our both use and 〈◊〉 so he knows them all Psal. 50. 11. and maintaineth them 〈◊〉 both for their use Ps. 147. 9. and delight Psal. 104. 12. 〈◊〉 us wisedom beyond them Job 37. 11. and yet setting us to 〈◊〉 to them to learn dependance upon God both for 〈◊〉 from evil Matth. 10. 29. and for provision of good as here 〈◊〉 Iob 39. 16. He taketh care of the Ostriches young ones and of 〈◊〉 young Ravens that cry unto him Psal. 147. 9. They are fed of God when forsaken of their dammes and left bare and destitute 〈◊〉 out of their dung and carrion brought before to the nest 〈◊〉 a worm which creepeth to their mouth and feedeth them They sow not neither do they reap c. They take no care nor 〈◊〉 any to care for them as Geese Hens and other tame pullen 〈◊〉 yet they are provided for we see And oh that we would see 〈◊〉 our Saviour here enjoyns us and behold not only the fowls of 〈◊〉 ayr but the clouds above them and other heavenly bodies 〈◊〉 one asked 〈◊〉 where he could be safe and at quiet 〈◊〉 coelo said he And to Pontanus the Chancellour of Saxony 〈◊〉 propunds to be viewed and weighed by him that most 〈◊〉 arch-work of heaven resting upon no posts nor pillars and yet 〈◊〉 fast for ever and ever meerly upheld by the mighty hand of God The clouds also as thin as the liqour contained in them 〈◊〉 saith he how they hang and move though weighty with their burden they salute us only or rather threaten us and vanish we know not whether These things would be thought on that God may be the better rested on 〈◊〉 not ye of doubtfull minde saith our Saviour live not in carefull suspense hang not as meteors in the ayr betwixt heaven and earth uncertain whether to keep your standing or sall to the ground to trust God or otherwise as you can to make sure for your selves Meteors are matters that few men can tell what to make of Aristotle himself 〈◊〉 that he knew little of many of them And as little can the distrustfull person 〈◊〉 what to make of those infinite projects and discourses in the ayr that he 〈◊〉 frames for the compassing of his desires When he needs but either to look up to the birds or down to the 〈◊〉 and learn that if God feed and cloath them without 〈◊〉 their care and pains surely he will much more provide for his people that rely upon him and with their reasonable pains and moderate care do 〈◊〉 his providence Shall the great house-keeper of the world water his 〈◊〉 prune his plants fodder his cattle and not feed and cloath his children Never think it God provided for the necessity and comfort of the unrèasonable 〈◊〉 ere he made them 〈◊〉 for the beasts and light for all 〈◊〉 and moving creatures and all for 〈◊〉 for the man in 〈◊〉 especially Compare P 〈◊〉 8. 45. with Heb. 2. 6 7 c. and it 〈◊〉 appear that whatsoever is spoken there of man is applied to Christ and so is proper to the Saints by 〈◊〉 of their union with Christ. In which respect saith one they are more 〈◊〉 then heaven Angels or any creature and shall these want food and raiment Verse 27. Which of you by taking thought can adde one cubite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stature And as little able are we though we take never so much care and pains to adde 〈◊〉 mite to that dimension of our 〈◊〉 which God by his wise and powerfull providence 〈◊〉 allotted unto us Every man shall have his statute-measure 〈◊〉 slint and proportion in his estate as well as in his stature to the which he shall come and not exceed All carking care therefore is bootlesse and unprofitable Men may eat up their hearts thereby and trouble their houses Prov. 15. 27. what with labour 〈◊〉 what with passion a covetous man and his houshold never live at 〈◊〉 all is continually on a tumult of haste and hurry 〈◊〉 cannot adde any thing to their 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 much I 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 spirituall growth which is hereby exceedingly hindered and hide-bound as we see in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 young Pharisee and those other that being called to be Christs disciples were so taken up with the care of their worldly 〈◊〉 that they could finde no present 〈◊〉 to follow Christ. Verse 28. 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Contemplate 〈◊〉 saith Luther Understand them well 〈◊〉 Erasmus Learn 〈◊〉 they grow saith Beza Hang upon these fair flowers with the 〈◊〉 Bee till 〈◊〉 have suckt some sweet meditation out of them God is to be seen and admired in all his wondrous works A skilfall Artificer takes it ill that he sets forth a curious piece and no man looks at it There is not a slower in the whole field the word here rendred Lillies signifieth all sorts of flowers but 〈◊〉 sorth God to us 〈◊〉 lively colours 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to incur the curse he hath 〈◊〉 against such 〈◊〉 regard not the work of the Lord that is the first making Neither consider the operation of his hands that is the wise disposing of his creatures for our 〈◊〉 and benefit A godly Ancient being asked by a 〈◊〉 Philosopher how he could contemplate high things sith he had no books Wisely answered That he had the whole world for his book ready open at all times and in all places and that therein he could read things divine and heavenly A Bee can suck honey out of a flower that a flie cannot do Our Saviour could have pointed us to our first parents clothed and Elias fed the Israelites both fed and clothed extraordinarily by God in the 〈◊〉 Never Prince was so served in his greatest pomp not Solomon in all his royalty as they But because all men have not faith to believe that miracles shall be
the heart to the very dividing and disturbing thereof causing a man inordinately and over-eagerly to pursue his desires and to perplex himself like wise with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 thoughts about successe Now our Lord Christ would have none of his servants to care inordinately about any thing but that when they have done what they can in obedience to him they should leave the whole matter of good or evil successe to his care To care about the issue of our lawfull endeavours is to usurp upon God to trench farre into his prerogative divine to take upon us that which is proper to him And it is no lesse a fault to invade Gods part then to neglect our own Adde hereunto that God out of his wise justice ceaseth caring for such an one and because he will not be beholden to God to bear his burthen he shall bear it alone to the 〈◊〉 of his back or it least till he is much bowed and 〈◊〉 under it If we 〈◊〉 such as will put no trust in us but love to stand upon their own ground we give them good leave as contrarily the more we see our selves trusted to 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is carefull for them that stay upon us Thus it is with 〈◊〉 heavenly Father Saying what 〈◊〉 we eat 〈◊〉 Our Saviour by these distrustful Questions graphically expresseth the condition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their endlesse projects and discourses in the air They are full of words and many questions what they 〈◊〉 doe and how they and theirs shall be provided for They haven ver done either 〈◊〉 themselves or consulting to no purpose in things that either cannot be done at all or not otherwise And so some understand that of our Saviour Luk. 12 29. Hang not in doubtfull suspences after he had brought in the rich fool vers 17. reasoning and saying What shall I doe c. And Solomon brings in such another fool full of words and he recites his words A 〈◊〉 cannot tell 〈◊〉 shall be and what shall be after him who can tell Eccles. 10. 14. And in the next Chapter ver 1. and so forward he makes answer to many of these mens 〈◊〉 queries and 〈◊〉 when moved to works of mercy Old men specially are 〈◊〉 of this weaknesse who are apt to cark because they 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they shall not have enough to keep them and bring them well home as they call it whence some conceive that covetousnesse is called The root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 10. because as there is life in the root when no sap in the branches so covetousnesse oft liveth when other vices die and decay It groweth as they say the Crocodile doth as long as he liveth Verse 32. For after all these things doe the Gentiles seek With whom if you should symbolize in sins or not exceed in vertue it were a shame to you They studiously seek these things they seek them with all their might as being without God in the world and therefore left by him to shift for themselves When we observe a young man toiling and moiling running and riding and not missing a market c. we easily guesse and gather that he is fatherlesse and friendlesse and hath none other to take care for him Surely this immoderate care is better beseeming infidels that know not God but rest wholly upon themselves and their own means then Christians who acknowledge God most wise and all-sufficient to be their loving father As we differ 〈◊〉 Heathens in profession so we should in practice and a grosse businesse it is that Jerusalem should justifie Sodom and it should be said unto her Neither hath Samaria committed half af thy sinnes but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more then they Ezek. 16. 51. Such as have hope in this life only what marvell if 〈◊〉 labour their 〈◊〉 to make their best of it Now many of the poor Pagans believed not the immortality of the soul and those few of them that dreamt of another life beyond this yet 〈◊〉 of it very 〈◊〉 and scarce believed themselves Socrates the wisest of Heathens spake thus to his friends at his death the time is now come that I must die and you survive but whether is the better of these two the gods only know and not any man living that 's mine opinion But we have not so learned Christ neither must we do as Heathens and alients from the Common-wealth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now in Christ 〈◊〉 we who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by his bloud and have an accesse through him by one spirit to the 〈◊〉 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all 〈◊〉 things Not with a bare barren notionall knowledge but with a fatherly tender care to provide for his own in all their necessities which who so doth not he judgeth him worse then an infidel We need not be carefull of our maintenance here in our 〈◊〉 and none-age nor yet for our eternall inheritance when we come to full age We are cared for in every thing that we need and that can be good for us Oh happy we did we but know our happiness How might we live in a very heaven upon earth could we but live by faith and walk before God with a perfect heart He made himself known to be our gracious and 〈◊〉 father before we were born And did we but seriously consider who kept and fed us in our mothers womb Psal. 22. 9 10. when neither we could shift for our selves nor our 〈◊〉 do ought for us how he filled us two bottles with milk against we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light bore us in his arms as a nursing-father Numb 11. 13. fed us clothed us kept us from fire and water charged his Angels with us 〈◊〉 all windes to blow good to us Cant. 4. 16. all creatures to serve us Hos 2. 21 22 23. and all occurrences to work together for our good how could 〈◊〉 but be confident Why art thou so sad from day to day and what is it thou 〈◊〉 or needest Art not thou the Kings sonne said Jonadab to Amnon say I to every godly Christian. Profane 〈◊〉 could go to his father for a childes portion so could the Prodigall 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 and had it Every childe of God shall 〈◊〉 a Benjamins portion here and at length power over all 〈◊〉 Revel 2. 26. and possession of that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. Either 〈◊〉 disclaim God for your Father or else rest confident of his fatherly provision Certa mihi spes est quod vitam qui dedit idem Et velit possit suppedit are cibum God that giveth mouths will not fail to give meat also Verse 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his 〈◊〉 That as the end 〈◊〉 as the means for grace is the way to glory 〈◊〉 to happinesse If men be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no heaven to be
had as if they be they shall have heaven and earth too for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise of both lives and godly men in Scripture Abraham Job David others were 〈◊〉 then any and so men might be now if they would be as godly The good God had furnished Constantine the great with so many outward blessings as scarce any man durst ever have desired saith S. Austin He sought Gods Kingdom first and therefore other things sought him and so they would do us did we 〈◊〉 run the 〈◊〉 method Riches and honours delights and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and length of daies seed and posterity are all entailed upon 〈◊〉 The wicked In the fulnesse of his sufficiency is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 20. 22. when the godly in the fulnesse of their straights are in all-sufficiency Oh who would not then turn spirituall purchaser and with all his gettings get godlinesse Seek ye first the Kingdom of God saith Divinity Seek ye first the good things of the minde saith Philosophy Caetera aut aderunt 〈◊〉 certè non oberunt But our 〈◊〉 over-valuing of earthly things and underprizing of 〈◊〉 is that that maketh us so 〈◊〉 carefull in the one and so wretchlesly affected in the other The lean kine eat up the fat and it is nothing seen by them The strength of the ground is so spent in nourishing weeds 〈◊〉 or corn of little worth that the good 〈◊〉 is pulled down choaked or 〈◊〉 Earthly 〈◊〉 sucketh the 〈◊〉 of grace from the heart as the Ivy doth from the Oak and 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 Correct therefore this ill humour this choak-weed cast away this clog this thick clay that makes us like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woman in the Gospel that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a spirit 〈◊〉 years could not look up to heaven And learn to covet 〈◊〉 things labour for the meat that perisheth not Lay hold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life what 〈◊〉 you let go 〈◊〉 things are Nec vera nec vestra 〈◊〉 and momentary mixt and infected with care in getting fear in keeping grief in losing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are insufficient and unsatisfactory and many times prove 〈◊〉 of vice and hinderances from heaven Spirituall things on the other side are solid and substantiall serving to a life that 〈◊〉 supernaturall and supernall They are also certain and durable 〈◊〉 prodi nec perdi nec eripi nec surripi possunt They are sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a continuall feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the least 〈◊〉 they serve to and satisfie the soul as being the gain of earth and 〈◊〉 and of him that filleth both Seek ye therefore first c. Our Saviour in his praier gives us but one petition for temporals five for spirituals to teach us this 〈◊〉 Scipio went first to the Capitoll and then to the Senate c. And all these things shall be addod unto you They shall be cast in as an over-plus or as those smal advantages to the main bargain as 〈◊〉 and pack-threed is given where we buy spice fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bargain These follow Gods Kingdom as the black guard do the Court or as all the revenue and 〈◊〉 doth some great Lady that one 〈◊〉 wedded The night of Popery shall shame such as think much of the time that is spent with and for God for in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were wont to say Masse and meat hinders no mans 〈◊〉 It would be a great 〈◊〉 of minde if the King should say to us for our selves 〈◊〉 same that David did to Mephibosheth Fear not for I will surely shew thee kindenesse and thou shalt surely eat bread at my table continually Or if he should say to us for our children 〈◊〉 David did to Barzillas the Gileadite concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall goe over with me and I will doe to him that which 〈◊〉 seem good unto thee and whatsoever thou shalt require of me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doe 〈◊〉 thee Hath not God said as much here as all this and shall we not trust and serve him cleave to him and rest on him without fear or distraction Verse 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow The Lord Christ well knowing which way our heart hangs and pulse 〈◊〉 beats much upon this string drives this nail home to the head When things are over and over again repeated and inculcated it imports 1. The difficulty 2. The necessity of the duty 3. Our utter 〈◊〉 or at least dulnesse to the doing of it How hardly we come off with God in this most necessary 〈◊〉 much neglected duty who knowes not feels not bewails 〈◊〉 The world is a most subtle sly enemy and by reason of her 〈◊〉 neighbourhood easily and insensibly insinuates into us and 〈◊〉 the best hearts Our Saviour saw cause to warne his Disciples of the cares of life and where was Thomas when 〈◊〉 appeared to the rest of the 〈◊〉 the doors being shut 〈◊〉 either lurking for fear of the Jews in probability or packing up and providing for one now that his Master was 〈◊〉 and taken from him What ever the cause was the effect was wofull Joh. 20. 24 25. And albeit in both Testaments as 〈◊〉 observeth the Saints of God have been noted to be subject to divers infirmities yet none tainted with this enormity of 〈◊〉 Yet St John saw cause to say to those that were Fathers also Love not the world nor the things that are in the world And David praies heartily Incline my heart to thy Testimonies and not to covetuousnesse Satan will be busy with the best this way as he was with our Saviour himself he knew it a most prevailing bait And when this would not work he fleeth from him as despairing of victory Be sober therefore in the pursuit and use of these earthly things and watch for your adversary the devil watcheth you a shrewd turne by them They are so neer and so naturall to us that through Satans pollicy and malice when we think upon them that we may the better learn to flee and slight them they stick to our fingers when we should throw them away they catch us when we should flee from them they come over us with fained words usually 2 Pet. 2. 3. To hide our faults from the view of others or subtle thoughts and evasions to blindefold the conscience with colour of Christ necessary care c. Whence it is called cloked and coloured covetuousnesse 1 Thes. 2. 5. A Christian-hath ever God for his chief end and will not deliberately forgoe him upon any tearms He erres in the way thinking he may minde earthly things and keep God too so being insnared with these worldly lime-twigs like the silly bird before he is aware the more he struggleth the more he is intangled and disabled All this and more then this our Saviour well 〈◊〉 and therefore reiterates his exhortation and sets it on with so many Arguments Care not for the morrow c. I will be carelesse according to my name said that Martyr John
better sort sometimes here nothing talke of nothing so willingly as they do of other mens faults Psal. 50. 20. thou sittest and speakest against thy brother c. There is no discourse that men will sit so long at and be so taken with as this The words of the tale-bearer are as 〈◊〉 and they go down to the bowels of the 〈◊〉 Many are never well longer then they are holding their fingers in other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplifying and aggravating their 〈◊〉 and failings not onely most 〈◊〉 but almost tragically not once mentioning their good parts and practises These are like crows that fasten onely upon carrion or the Horse-fly that if he happen into a field that is 〈◊〉 so full of sweet flowers yet if there be but a little filthy dung in it his eye and sent is onely to that and upon that onely will he light David compareth such as these to the Aspe that is quick of hearing but very ill sighted having his eyes not in his forehead but in his 〈◊〉 weak but full of poison Herein onely is the difference That poison that Aspes vent to the hurt of others they keep within them without hurt unto themselves But the malicious censurer is his own worst enemy for as he sets his mouth against heaven and his tongue walketh thorow the earth Psal 73. 9. so by misjudging out of an inward hatred of another all 〈◊〉 actions and intentions he pulls upon himself the hatred both of heaven and earth for his trampling upon Gods jewels because a little 〈◊〉 God doth unwillingly see the faults of his children Numb 6. 23 21. yea he passeth by their iniquity transgression and sinne Micah 7. 18. with one breath both these are reported The high-places were not removed yet neverthelesse Asaes heart was perfect c. So 1 Pet. 3. 6. compared with Gen. 18 12. Sarabs whole sentence was vile and profane not one good word in it but this that she called her husband Lord. God of his goodnesse takes notice of that word and records it by St Peter to her eternall commendation He spyeth out and severeth gold though but a dramme from a messe of drosse good grain though but a handfull from a heap of chaffe cuts out that which is perisht as men do out of a rotten apple and preserves the rest Be ye therefore followers herein of God as dear children And walke in love c. 〈◊〉 thinketh not evil but beleeveth all things hopeth all things strains to hold a good opinion where it hath least probability to induce it rashly rejects none in whom it seeth signes of grace according to that of our Saviour See that ye despise not one of these little ones neither for errour in judgement Rom. 14. 3. 10. nor for slips and infirmities in life and conversation and that because God despiseth them not but guards them by his 〈◊〉 vers 10. and saveth them by his Sonne whom he sent for the purpose vers 11. And 1 Thes. 1. 4. Knowing brethren beloved your 〈◊〉 of God viz. by your effectuall saith laborius love 〈◊〉 hope vers 3. although they were so compassed with infirmities as he doubted lest the Tempter had rempted them and his labour had been in vain he feared their utter Apostacy So Heb. 5. 10. he could not but be perswaded of them better 〈◊〉 and such as accompany salvation though he had justly and sharply reproved them for their dulnesse of hearing and slownesse of proceeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before their eyes that terrour of the Lord upon Apostles to quicken their pace and excite them to proficiency I am black 〈◊〉 the Church but comely as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon The Kedarites dwelt in tents and open fields where all was exposed to the parching Sunne in the 〈◊〉 but in Arabias 〈◊〉 and they were very rich and glorious see Ezek. 27. 21. Jer. 49. 28 29 Isa. 21. 13 16 17. full of precious jemms gold and pleasant odours Arabia lookt 〈◊〉 yet by searching it regularly there were to be found things of 〈◊〉 price So is it with many of Gods people especially 〈◊〉 the scorching heat of temptation desertion or outward affliction c. He that 〈◊〉 his own conjecture may condemne a deer child of God and approve a detestable heretick as Philip did Simon Magus If his eyes be too fast fixed either on the Saints infirmities or the hypocrites fair pretences they may bring forth as Jacobs sheep did spotted fruits But considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Most mens mindes are as ill set as their eyes they can turne neither of them inwards They tell us of a kinde of witches that stirring abroad would put on their eyes but returning home they boxed them up again The Philosophers call upon us to look to the hinder part of the wallet And St James saith Be not many 〈◊〉 or teachers and mark the reason which he prescribeth as a remedy For in many things we sinne all Now those that in the sense of their own sinfulnesse are poore in spirit will soon be meek and mercifull to their fellow sinners they that have proved their own works and found all to be not good and very good as God did his but naught and starke naught as the figgs in Jeremy will be content to bear one anothers burdens and restore such as are overtaken in a fault with the spirit of meeknesse considering themselves lest they also be tempted They will be as willing to lend mercy now as they may have need to borrow mercy another time And consciousnesse of their own corruptions will make them compassionate towards others in this kinde The 〈◊〉 word that signifieth to censure signifieth also and in the first place to be idle Whereunto agreeth that of St Paul speaking of 〈◊〉 widdows they learn to be idle wandring about from house to house and not onely idle but 〈◊〉 also and busy-bodies speaking of things that they ought not Those that travel not with their own hearts have both leasure and list to be medling with others Verse 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother c. How impudent are hypocriticall finde-faults that can say such things to others when themselves are most obnoxius whence is this but either from a secret desire of purchasing an opinion of freedome from the faults they so boldly censure in others or that they may thereby the sooner insiouate and ingratiate with them they deal with The Vulgar Translation reads here Frater sine c. Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye c. 〈◊〉 lips and a wicked heart are like a potsheard covered with silver drosse When he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abhominations in his heart but there lyes a great beam of hypocrisy between him and himself that he cannot discern them These are they that by good words
works of mercy truth and justice in self-deniall love of enemies life of faith in heavenly-mindednesse sweet communion with God comfortable longing for the comming of Christ c. These be those fruits and that doing of Gods will without the which our Saviour here averreth there 's no heaven to be had no though men professe largely preach frequently pray ardently eat and drink at his table dispossesse devils in his Name c. Judas did all this and was damned Shalt thou to heaven that doest no more no nor so much Woe to all carelesse professours and carnall Gospellers The Lord will make all the Churches know that he searcheth the 〈◊〉 and will not be beguiled with the fig-leaves of formality And for those that carry it more cleanly as they conceive and can walk undiscovered let them know that God that 〈◊〉 may make the name of the wicked to rot many times so detects their 〈◊〉 that their wickednesse is shewed to the whole Congregation Prov. 26. 26. Or if not so yet certainly he will doe it at that 〈◊〉 Judgement that great Assize as it follows in the next 〈◊〉 when it shall be required of men non quid legerint sed 〈◊〉 egerint non quid dixerint sed quomodo vixerint not how 〈◊〉 they have talked of heaven but how well they have walked 〈◊〉 the way to heaven not a proffering of words but an offering 〈◊〉 works as Agapetus hath it The foolish Virgins were found with their sic dicentes but the good servants with their sic 〈◊〉 Verse 22. Many will say to me in that day c. That day of judgement by an appellative proper called that day or at the day of death for every mans deaths-day is his 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. Then they shall come bouncing at heaven gates with Lord Lord 〈◊〉 unto us and make no other reckoning but to enrer with the 〈◊〉 Which shews that an hypocrite may live and die in 〈◊〉 and misse of heaven in the height of his hopes He hanged them upon nothing as God hath hang'd the earth they prove unto him therefore as the giving up of the ghost which is but cold comfort and serve him no better then Absoloms mule did her 〈◊〉 master in his greatest need What saith Iob. is the hope of the 〈◊〉 though he hath gained much when 〈◊〉 shall take away his soul will God hear his cry when trouble 〈◊〉 upon him Will his crying Lord Lord rescue him in the day of wrath No no God will pour upon him and not spare fire and brimstone storm and tempest this shall be the portion of his cup. The just execution of that terrible commination Rev. 3. 16. shall certainly crush his heart with everlasting horrour confusion and woe Oh that this truth were throughly thought on and believed but men are wondrous apt to deceive themselves in point of salvation Therefore doth the Apostle so oft premise Be not deceived when 〈◊〉 reckoneth up reprobates 1 Cor. 6 9. Ephes. 5. 6 c. Themselves they may deceive and others but God is not mocked 〈◊〉 seems by his words and wishes a friend to Israel yet is he so 〈◊〉 from inheriting with them that he is destroyed by them this will be the portion of hypocrites from the Lord. If their hearts be not upright with him he will never give them his hand no though they follow him as close as Iehonadab did Iehu Their hopes 〈◊〉 fail them when at highest as Esaus did returning with his venison Have we not prophecied in thy Name A man may preach profitably to others and yet himself be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9. vlt. 〈◊〉 confirmed Saunders and afterward turned tippet himself Harding a little afore King Edward 6. died was heard openly in his Sermons in London to exhort the people with great vehemency after this sort that if trouble came they should never shrink from the true Doctrine of the Gospel which they had received but take it rather for a triall sent of God to prove them whether they would abide by it or no. All which to be true saith Mr Fox they can 〈◊〉 that heard him and be yet alive who also fore-seeing the plague to come were then much confirmed by his words In Q. Maries daies he turned Apostate and so continued notwithstanding an excellent letter of the Lady Jane Dudley written to him while he was prisoner wherein she stirrs him up to remember the horrible history of Julian of old and the lamentable case of Spira a late and so to returne to Christ who now stretcheth out saith she his armes to receive you ready to fall upon your neck and kisse you and last of all to feast you with the dainties and delicacies of his own precious blood which undoubtedly if it might stand with his determinate purpose he would not let to shed again rather then you should be lost And so she goes on most sweetly sed surdo fabulam she lost her sweet words as likewise did William wolsey the Martyr upon 〈◊〉 the Smith of Wells in Cambridge-shire and some others upon Mr West Chaplain to Bishop Ridley who refusing to die in Christs cause with his Master said Masse against his conscience B. Latimer in a Sermon afore K. Edward tells of one who fell away from the known truth and became a scorner of it yet was afterward touched in conscience for the same Beware of this sinne saith he for I have known no more but this that 〈◊〉 Joannes Speiserus Doctor of Divinity and preacher at Ausborough in Germany Anno 1523. began to teach the truth of the Gospel and did it so effectually that diverse common harlots were converted and betook themselves to a better course of life But he afterward revolted again to the Papists and came to a miserable end The like is reported of Brisonettus Bishop of Melda a town of France ten miles from Paris And who doubts but Iudas the traytour was a great preacher a caster out of devils and doer of many great works in Christ Name as well as other of the disciples Nicodemus was nothing to him He saith one was a night-professour only but Iudas in the sight of all He was a slow 〈◊〉 Iudas a forward preacher Yet at last when Iudas betrayed Christ in the night Nicodemus faithfully profest him in the day Therefore will Christ confesse him before God Angels and men when Iudas shall hear avaunt thou worker of iniquity I know thee not Neronis Quantus artifex pereo quadrabit in te peritum et periturum 〈◊〉 in labris Suada sed et fibris Gratia quae sola verè flexanima Suada et medulla Suadae penetrantissima Summoperè cavendum divino praeconi ne dicta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erubescant Let not the preacher give 〈◊〉 the lie by a life unsutable to his Sermons And in thy name have done many wonderfull works By a faith of miracles whereby a man may remove mountains and yet
by some hawk or tempest should scoure into the columbary and rush into the windows The Tyrians had a hand in building the Temple The molten Sea stood upon twelve Oxen which looked towards East West North and South The new Ierusalem hath twelve gates to shew that there is every way accesse for all sorts to Christ Who is also fitly called the second Adam The Greek letters of which name as S. Cyprian observeth doe severally signify all the quarters of the Earth He was born in an Inne to shew that he receives all comers His garments were divided into four parts to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come if we be naked Christ hath robes to clothe us if we be harbourlesse Christ hath room to lodge us Iether an I smaelite may become an Israelite 1 Chron 7. 17. With 2 Sam. 17. 25. and Arannah the 〈◊〉 may be made an exemplary 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 24. 18 with Zech 9. 7. Vide Iunium in 〈◊〉 Verse 12. But the children of the kingdom Those that had made a covenant with God by sacrifice Psal. 50. 5. And therefore held their heads on high as already destinated to the diadem Loe these in the height of their hopes and exspectancies shall be excluded A foul and fearfull disappointment Surely the tears of hell cannot sufficiently bewail the losse of heaven 〈◊〉 of Valoys was Son Brother Uncle Father to a King yet himself never was a King So here Into outer darknesse Into a darknesse beyond a 〈◊〉 into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beneath the prison In tenebras ex tenebris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infaeliciùs excludendi saith Augustin God shall surely 〈◊〉 to these unhappy children of the Kingdom when he casts them into condemnation as Aulus Fulvius said to his traiterous sonne when he slew him with his own hands Non Catilinae te 〈◊〉 sed patriae I called you not but to glory and vertue neither to glory but by vertue 2 Pet. 1. 3. As you liked not the later so never look for the former Every man is either a King or a caytiffe and shall either raign with Christ or rue it for ever with the devil Aut Casar 〈◊〉 nullus as he said to his Mother And as those in tho Turks Court that are born of the blood royall but come not to the kingdom They must die either by the sword or halter so here Verse 13. And as thou hast believed c. Faith hath an happy hand and never but speeds in one kinde or other It hath what it would either in money or moneys-worth Apollonius saith Zozomen never asked any thing of God in all his life that he obtained not This man saith One concerning Luther could have of God whatsoever he listed Verse 14. He saw his wives mother laid c. A wife then Peter had and if a good wife she might be a singular help to him in his Ministry As Nazianzens mother was to her husband not a companion onely but in some respects a guide to godlinesse S. Ambrose saith that all the Apostles were married men save John and Paul And those Pope-holy hypocrites that will not hear of Priests marriage but hold it far better for them to have and keep at home many harlots then one wife as that carnall Cardinall 〈◊〉 defended they might hear the contrary out of their own Cannon-law where it is written Distin. 29. Si quis discernit Presbyterum conjugatum tanquam occasione 〈◊〉 offerre non debeat anathema esto And again Distinct. 31. Siquis vituperat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum viro suo fidelem religiosam detestatur aut culpabilem aestimat velut quae regnum Dei introire non possit anathemaesto They might 〈◊〉 to Paphnutius a famous Primitive Confessour who though himself an unmarried man mightily perswaded and prevailed with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should not decree any thing against Priests marriage alledging that marriage was honourable in all and that the bed undefiled was true chastity They might 〈◊〉 Ignatius scholar to S. Iohn the Evangelist pronouncing all such as call marriage a defilement to be inhabited by that old Dragon the devil But there is a politike reason that makes these men deaf to whatsoever can be said to them by whomsoever and you shall have it in the words of him that wrote the history of the Councell of Trent a Councell carried by the Pope with such infinite 〈◊〉 and craft that the Jesuites those 〈◊〉 Commeritricitegae will even smile in the triumps of their own wits when they hear it but mentioned as a master-stratagem The Legates in Trent-Councell saith 〈◊〉 were blamed for suffering the Article of Priests Marriage to be disputed as dangerous Because it is plain that married Priests will turn their affections and love to wife and children and by consequence to their 〈◊〉 and countrey to that the strict dependance which the Clergy hath upon the Apostolike-sea would cease and to grant Marriage to Priests would destroy the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy 〈◊〉 make the Pope Bishop of Rome only Verse 15. And he touched her hand A speedy and easie cure of the fever such as Hipocrates or Galen could never skill of They doe it not but by many evacuations long diet c. besides that much gold must be lavished out of the bag as it is 〈◊〉 46. 6. the poor patient crying oft out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence AEger as some think Christ by his word and touch only doth the deed in an instant As he can blow us to destruction Iob 4. 9. nod us to destruction Psal 80. 16. so when Heman thinks himself free from the dead free of that company and the 〈◊〉 begin to go about the streets he can speak life unto us and keep us that we go not down to the pit She arose and ministred unto them Thereby to evince the truth of the miracle and to evidence the truth of her thankfullnesse Verse 16. When the even was come In the morning he sowed his 〈◊〉 and in the evening he withheld not his hand It is good to be doing whiles it is day Mr Bradford Martyr held that hour not well spent wherein he did not some good either with his tongue pen or hand Verse 17. Himself took our infirmities The Prophet speaketh of spirituall infirmities the Evangelist applieth it to corporall And not unfitly for these are the proper effects of those we may thank our sins for our sicknesses Rev. 2 22. She had stretcht her self upon a bed of security she shall be cast another while upon a bed of sicknesse Asa had laid the Prophet by the heels and now God layes him by the heels diseasing him in his feet Sin is an universall sicknesse like those diseases which the Physitians say are 〈◊〉 totius substantiae And our lives are fuller of sins then the firmament of stars or the furnace of sparks Hence all our bodily
distempers which when we groan and labour under let us reflect and revenge upon fin as the mother of all misery And when we are made whole fin no more left a worse thing come upon us Verse 18. To depart unto the other side Either to retire and repose himself after much pains for Quod caret alterna requie c. the very birds when building their nests flee abroad sometimes from their work for recreations sake Or else the better to edge the peoples desires after him now withdrawn Luther gave this rule to Preachers for moderating their discourses When thou seest thine hearers most attentive then conclude for so they will come again more chearfully the next time Verse 19. Master I will follow thee c. As Sampson followed his parents till he met with an honey-comb or as a dog followes his master till he come by a carrion Vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum But as Isaac loved Esau for venison was his meat Gen. 25. 28. and as Iudah's Rulers loved with shame Give 〈◊〉 Hos. 4. 18. So do hypocrites they serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies they have his person in admiration only for advantage they can bear the crosse with Iudas so they may bear the bag and lick their own fingers Ephraim is a heifer that loved to tread out the corn because whiles it treads it feeds Hos. 10. 11. But such delicate self-seekers are rejected as here when those that have honest aimes and ends hear Come and see Ioh. 1. 46. Verse 20. The Foxes have holes c. q. d. Exigua mihi sunt subsidia aut praesidia Nudus opum sed cui coelum terraque paterent as Ennius said of Archimedes The great Architect of the world had not a house to put his head in but emptied himself of all and became poor to make us rich not in goods but in grace not in worldly wealth but in the 〈◊〉 treasure Say we with that Father Christi paupertas meum est patrimonium prefer the reproach of Christ before the treasures of Egypt and if besides and with Christ we have food and 〈◊〉 let us therewith rest content Say we have no house on earth we have one in heaven not made with hands Those good souls dwelt in dens and caves of the earth yea wandred about in sheepskins and goatskins that might have rustled in their silks and velvets that might 〈◊〉 like have vaunted themselves on their stately turrets and Palaces if they would have let goe Christ. But that they knew well had been to make a fooles bargain But the Sonne of 〈◊〉 c. So he stiles himself either to note the truth of his humanity or the depth of his abasement the Son of God became the son of man which was as one said in a like case to fall from the Court to the cart from a Pallace to a gallows Among all the Prophets Ezekiel is most frequently stiled son of man and that purposely to keep him low amidst his many rare raptures and revelations The Heathen when they would set forth a man miserable indeed they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice a man Verse 21. Lord suffer me first to go and bury Old mens fear is saith Plutarch and that makes them so gripple that they shall not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that will be carefull to nourish them whiles alive and to bury them decently when they are dead Verse 22. Follow me Let go things lesse necessary and minde the main thy task is long thy time is short opportunities are headlong and must be quickly caught as the Eccho catcheth the voice there 's no use of after-wit Praecipitat tempus mors atra impendet agenti Let the dead bury their dead The dead in sin their dead in nature Ungodly men are no better then breathing ghosts walking sepulchres of themselves Their bodies are but living coffins to 〈◊〉 a dead soul up and down in The Saints only are heirs of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. and all others are dead stark dead in sins and trespasses as the wanton widdow 1 Tim. 5. 6. as Terence saith the 〈◊〉 Sane herclè homo voluptati 〈◊〉 fuit dum vixit And of such dead corpses as once in Egypt Exod. 12. 30. there is no house wherein there is not one nay many Verse 23. And when he was entred c. Himself was first in the ship where they were to suffer Like a good shepheard he goes before his 〈◊〉 Ioh. 10. Like a good Captain he goes before his souldiers and as it was said of Hannibal that he first 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and last went out of the field so is it with Christ the Captain of our salvation Fear not saith he for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God Tua causa erit 〈◊〉 causa as that Emperour told Iulius Pflugius who had been much wronged by the 〈◊〉 of Saxony in the Emperours employment Verse 24. And behold there arose a great tempest Stirred up likely by the devil to drown Christ that male-childe of the Church Rev. 12. 5. and his Disciples as he brained Iobs children with the fall of the house This is still the indeavour of Satan and his instruments but to such we may as Pope Pius 2. wrote to the great Turk Niteris incassùm Christi submergere navem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illaratis And as the Poet said of Troy so may we of the Church Victa tamen vinces eversaque Troiare surges Obruit hostiles illa ruina domos Ambrose hath a remarkeable speech to this purpose The devil stirs up a tempest against the Saints but himself is sure to suffer shipwrack The Church as a bottle may be dipt not 〈◊〉 as the Diamond it may be cast into the fire not burnt by it as the Chrystall it may be fouled but not stained by the venome of a toad as the Palm-tree in the Embleme which though it have many weights at top and 〈◊〉 at the root yet it saith still Nec premor nec perimor Lastly as the North-Pole semper versatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St 〈◊〉 observeth Verse 25. Master save us we perish Troubles drive us to God as bugbears doe children into their mothers bosom who delight to help those that are forsaken of their hopes In prosperity 〈◊〉 we pray not at all Rarae fumant felicibus arae or but faintly yawningly c. 〈◊〉 fine malis est ut avis sine alis But in a stresse as here our prayers like strong streams in narrow straits run mightily upon God and will not away without that they came for Verse 26. And he saith unto them Christ first chides them and then chides the windes and waves Men are most malleable in time of misery Iob 33. 23. Strike whiles the iron is hot How forceable are right words Those that are melted in the furnace of affliction will easily receive
the day and the last scene that commends the enterlude Verse 23. Flee ye into another That is make all the haste that may be as Cant. 8. 14. Fuge fuge Brenti citò citius citissimè so friendly did a Senatour of Hala advise Brentius He did so and thereby saved his life There was one Laremouth Chaplain to Lady Aane of Cleve a Scotch man to whom in prison it was said as he thought Arise and go thy wayes Whereto when he gave no great heed at first the second time it was so said Upon this as he 〈◊〉 to his prayers it was said the third time likewise to him which was half an hour after So he arising upon the same immediatly a peece of the prison wall fell down and as the Officers came in at the outer gate of the prison he leaping over the ditch escaped And in the way meeting a certain beggar changed his coat with him and coming to the sea-shore where he found a vessel ready to go over was taken in and escaped the search which was straitly laid for him all the countrey over Tertullian was too rigid in condemning all kinde of flight in time of persecution Ye shall not have gon over the cities of Israel This is another comfort to the Apostles and their successors that though forced to 〈◊〉 from city to city yet they shall still finde harbour and places of employment They shall not have finished that is taught and converted all the cities of Gods Israel both according to the flesh and according to the faith till the Sonne of man be come to judgement see Matth. 24. 30. Luk. 21. 27. Verse 24. The Disciple is not above his Master Sweeten we the tartnesse of all our sufferings with this sentence as with so much sugar Blandina the Martyr being grievously racked and tortured cryed out ever and anon Christiana sum I am a Christian and with that consideration was so relieved and refreshed that all her torments seemed but a pastime to her Verse 25. It is sufficient for the Disciple c. And a fair 〈◊〉 too Joh. 21. 18. Peter thinks much that himself should be destined to die a Martyr and not John What shall he do saith Peter Follow thou me saith our Saviour I shall shew thee the way to an ignominious suffering what ever bocomes of John though he shall suffer his part too For if the head be crowned with thornes should not the members feel the pain of it If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub That is Master-fly such as Pliny calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The men of Elis sacrificed to Iupiter Muscarius He is otherwise called Iupiter stercorar us this Beelzebub as the Scripture cals all the vanities of the Heathen Gelulim excrements dunghill-Deityes A name too good for them David would not do them so much honour 〈◊〉 once to name them And Absit saith Hierom ut de ore Christiano sonet Iupiter omnipotens Meherculè Mecastor catera magis portenta quam numina Beelzehub was the god of Ekron that is the devil of hell for of Ekron comes Acheron How prodigiously blasphemous then were these Miscreants that called Christ 〈◊〉 Wonder it was that at the hearing thereof the heaven sweat not the earth shook not the sea swelled not above all her book How much more shall they call c. So they called 〈◊〉 Sathanasius Cyprian Coprian Calvin Cain 〈◊〉 devil When he came first to Geneva and began the Reformation there he was haled 〈◊〉 the Bishop and set upon in this sort Quid 〈◊〉 diabole 〈◊〉 quissime ad hanc civitatem perturb 〈◊〉 accessisti What a devil meanst thou to meddle with the Scriptures and Steven Winchester to Marbeck seeing thou art so stuborne and wilfull thou 〈◊〉 go to the 〈◊〉 for me Verse 26. Fear them not therefore Be not reviled out of your Religion but say If this be to be vile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more vile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morsum non est remedium saith Seneca Didicit ille maledicere ego contemnere said he in Tacitus If I cannot be master of another mans tongue yet I can be of mine own eares Dion writes of Severus that he was carefull of what he should do but carelesse of what he should hear Do well and hear ill is written upon heaven gates said that Martyr Ill mens mouthes are as open sepulchres saith David wherein good mens names are often buried but the comfort is there shall be a resurrection aswell of names as of bodies at the last day For there is nothing hid that shall not be known q. d. Deal not unfaithfully in the ministry conceal not the truth in unrighteousnes betray not the cause of God by a cowardly silence For whatsoever you may plausibly plead and pretend for your false-play all shall out at length and well it shall appear to the world that you served not the Lord Christ but your own turnes upon Christ and so your selves might sleep in a whole skin let what would become of his cause and kingdome Fearfull men are the first in that black bill Reve. 21. 8. And God equally hateth the timorous as the treacherous Verse 27. What I tell you in darkenesse c. q. d. See that ye be valiant and violent for the truth declare unto the world all the counsel of God which you have therefore learned in private that ye may teach in publike not fearing any colours much lesse stealing from your colours Heb. 10. 38 Quas non oportet mortes praeligere quod non supplicium potiùs ferre immo in quam profundam inferni abyssum non intrare quám contra conscientiam attestari 〈◊〉 Zuinglius A man had better endure any misery then an enraged conscience Verse 28. And fear not them which kill the body That cruelly kill it as the word signifies that wittily tortute it as those Primitive Persecutors with all the most exquisite torments that the wit of malice could devise that kill men so that they may feel themselves to be killed as Tiberius bad Odull Gemmet suffered a strange and cruel death in France for Religion For when they had bound him they took a kinde of 〈◊〉 which live in horse-dung called in French Escarbots and put them unto his navell covering them with a dish the which within short space 〈◊〉 into his belly and killed him The tragicall story of their 〈◊〉 handling of William Gardner Martyr in Portugall may be read in Mr Foxes Martyrologie fol. 1242. At th elosse of Heydelberg Monsieur Millius an ancient Minister and man of God was taken by the bloudy Spaniards who having first abused his daughter before him tied a small cord about his head which with 〈◊〉 they wreathed about till they squeezed out his brains So they 〈◊〉 roasted then burnt many of our Martyrs as B. Ridley and others
cast out of Geneva for refusing to administer the Lords Supper with wafer-cakes or unleavened bread De 〈◊〉 poste à restitutus nunquam contendendam 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 in his life of which being afterwards restored he thought best to make no more words but to yeeld though he let them know that he had rather it were otherwise Christ sets us to learn of the unjust steward by all lawfull though he did it by unlawfull means to maintain our reputation with men 〈◊〉 this defect 〈◊〉 noted in the best when he said The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light But wisdom is justified of her children Who all having a right estimate of her worth doe meanly esteem of other courses and discourses doe stand to her and stickle for her though never so much slighted by the world There are that read it thus But Wisdom is judged of her children viz. the perverse Jews who preposterously passe sentence upon their mother whom they should rather vail to and vote for Verse 20. Then began he to upbraid Haply because these Cities drawn by the authority of the Pharisees made lesse account of our Saviours doctrine or miracles by them maliciously depraved and disparaged The blinde led the blinde but both fell into the ditch though their leaders lay undermost Because they repented not There is a heart that cannot repent that hath lost all passive power of coming out of the snare of the devil that is become such through long trading in sin as neither ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can possibly mollifie Upon such you may write Lord have mercy upon them O said a reverend man If I must be put to my option I had rather be in hell with a sensible heart then live on earth with a reprobate minde Verse 21. Wo unto thee Chorazin These littorals or those that dwell by the sea-coast are noted to be duri horridi immanes 〈◊〉 denique pessimi rough harsh theevish peevish people and as bad as those that are worst But that which aggravated these mens sin and made it out of measure sinfull was the contempt of the Gospel which as it is post naufragium tabula so how shall they escape that neglect so great salvation See that ye shift not off him that speaketh from heaven c. Hierom tells us that Chorazin was in his time turned into a defert being two miles distant from Capernaum As for Beth saida our Saviour had therehence taken three of his Apostles at least to be lights of the world but the inhabitants of this Town loved darknesse rather then light the Apostles their countrymen could doe no good upon them Our Saviour therefore would not suffer so much as the blinde man whom he had cured to be their Preacher but led him to the Townes-end and there restoring him to sight sent him away They would have repented long ago Blinde heathens when my misery was upon them would to their fackcloth an̄d sorrows thinking thereby to pacifie God and so they rested In like sort there are amongst us that when they are afflicted especially in conscience set upon some duty so to lick themselves whole again 〈◊〉 58 5. They do as crows that when they are sick give themselves a vomit by swallowing down some stone and then they are well They rest in their repentance Hence Austin saith Repentance 〈◊〉 more then sin Verse 22. It shall be more tolerable Men are therefore the worse because they ought to be better and shall be deeper in hell because heaven was offered unto them but they would not Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia say the Centurists Good turns aggravate unkindnesses and mens offences are increased by their obligations If Turks and Tartars shall be damned debauched Christians shall be double-damned because though they defie not yet they deny the Lord that bought them whilest by their unchristian conversation they tell the world that either there is no such thing as Christ or if there be yet that he is but a weak Christ and that there is no such power in his death or efficacy in his resurrection to sanctifie those that belong unto him Verse 23. Which art exalted unto heaven viz. In the abundance of the means of grace many times called the Kingdom of heaven for as the harvest is potentially in the seed so is eternall life potentially in the ordinances God sends up and down the world to 〈◊〉 salvation Hence that phrase My salvation is gone forth Hence they that reject the word preached are said to judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life Acts 13. 46. Hence while Israel was without a teaching Priest they are said to have been without the true God 2 Chron. 15. 3. Hence the Psalmist makes the 〈◊〉 that come out of Sion to be better then any other that come out of heaven and earth Psal. 134 3. Shalt be brought down to hell With a violence with a vengeance As Ahashuerosh said of Haman that so much abused his favour Hang him on the gallows that is 50 cubits high so shall God say of such Plunge them into hell much deeper then others that whiles they were on earth set so light by my grace though it even kneeled unto them wooing acceptance 2 Cor. 5. 20. It would have remained untill this day But God rained down hell from heaven upon them and turned them into ashes saith Peter yea their fire burnt to hell saith Iude. Some footsteps of it are yet to be found in the place as Iosephus relateth and something also may be read of it in Tacitus and 〈◊〉 Both S. Peter and S. Iude say they were set forth for an example 〈◊〉 perditio tua fit cautio Let their destruction be our instruction 〈◊〉 heathen Herodotus 〈◊〉 up in judgement against us who said 〈◊〉 the coals and ashes of Troy burnt by the Greeks were 〈◊〉 set before the eyes of men for an example of this rule that Nationall and notorious sins bring down nationall and notorious plagues from a sin-revenging God Verse 24. It shall be more tolerable Infidelity then is in some respect a worse sin then Sodomy and a heavier doom abides it They that suffer least in hell suffer more then 〈◊〉 can either abide or avoid All they suffer here is but typicall of the wrath to come Here the leaves only fall upon them as it were but there the whole trees too Here they sip of the top of Gods cup there they must drink the dregs though it be eternity to the bottom Howbeit 〈◊〉 shall suffer lesse then 〈◊〉 mitiùs punietur Cicero quam Catilina saith an Ancient non quòd bonus sed quod minùs malus The beast and the false Prophet were cast alive into the burning lake which imports a most direfull and dreadfull degree of torment when the rest of the Antichristian rabble shall be first slain with the sword not cast in
the Gospel for the Pope of Rome and the Councel of Trent do bestirre themselves wonderfully May not we say as much and more now-adaies And sowed tares among the wheat 〈◊〉 it were rendered blasted corn that yeelds nothing better at harvest then 〈◊〉 and chast though it be in all things like the good corn and the contrary appeareth not till towards harvest when the dust is driven away by the winde the chaff cast into the fire Hereby are meant hypocrites and heretikes Qui 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 esse possunt in area non possunt who shall be sifted out one day And went his way As if he had done no such thing Satan hides his cloven 〈◊〉 as much as he can and would seem no other then an angel of light Or abijt idest latuit saith one he went away that is he lurked as his imps use to do under the fair penthouse of zeal and seeming devotion under the broad leaves of formall 〈◊〉 Verse 26. Then appeared the tares also Hypocrites are sure 〈◊〉 or later to be detected All will out at length Sacco solute apparuit argentum When God turns the bottom of the bag upwards their secret sins will appear They shall finde themselves in all evil in the middest of the Congregation and Assembly They that turn aside unto their crooked waies shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity Verse 27. So the servants of the housholder c. Godly Ministers are much vexed at hypocrites and 〈◊〉 hearers So was our Saviour at the Pharisees Mark 3. 5. he looked on them with anger being 〈◊〉 at the hardnesse of their hearts So was Paul at Elymas the sorcerer he set his eies upon him as if he would have looked 〈◊〉 him after which lightning 〈◊〉 that terrible thunder-clap O full of all subtilty c. So was Peter at Simon Magus and S. John at 〈◊〉 I would they were even cut off that trouble you Mihi certè Anxentius nunquam aliud quà m diabolus erit quia Arrianus saith Hilarius who also called Constantius Antichrist Verse 28. Wilt thou then that we go c. This was zeal indeed but rash and unseasonable and is therefore to be moderated by prudence and patience Those two sons of thunder had over quick and hot spirits 〈◊〉 9. 55. Luther confessed before the Emperour at Wormes that in his books against private and particular persons he had been more vehement then his religion and profession required And he that writes the history of the Trent-Councell tells us if we may beleeve him that in Colloquio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaker for the Protestants entring into the matter of the Eucharist spake with such heat that he gave but ill satisfaction to those of his own party so that he was commanded to conclude Zeal should eat us up but not eat up our discretion our moderation Verse 29. Lest whilst ye gather up the tares Those that are now tares hypocrites may become good corn good Christians Iether an Ish 〈◊〉 by nation may prove an Israelite by religion Simon Magus may perhaps have the thoughts of his heart forgiven him In the year 1553. a Priest at Canterbury said Masse on one day and the next day after he came into the Pulpit and desired all the people to forgive him for he said he had betrayed Christ yet not as Iudas did but as Peter and so made a long Sermon against the Masse Verse 20. Binde them in bundles c. This shall be the Angels office at the last day to bundle up swearers with swearers drunkards with drunkards c. that they may suffer together as they have sinned together and pledge one another in that cup of fire and brimstone that shall then be poured down their throats Psal. 11. 6. As in the mean brimstone is here scattered upon their habitation Job 18. 15. every moment ready to take fire if God but lighten upon it with the arrows of his indignation Psal. 18. 14 Verse 31. Is like to a grain of mustard-seed Which soon pierceth the nostrils and brain as Pliny noteth and hurteth the eyes as the very name in Greek importeth But that which our Saviour here observeth and applieth in it is the smallnesse of the seed the greatnesse of the stalk or tree that comes of it and the use of the branches for birds to build in This grain of mustard-seed sowed is the word preached which though it seem small and contemptible proves quick and powerfull Hitherto flee the birds of the ayr Gods elect for shade in prosperity for shelter in adversity Yea as the trees of America but especially of Brasile are so huge that severall families are reported to have lived in severall 〈◊〉 of one tree to such a number as are in some petty village or 〈◊〉 here So is the growth of the Gospel it runs and is glorified 2 Thess 3. 1. as the Jerusalem-Artichoke overruns the ground wheresoever it is planted It was a just wonder how it was carried as on Angels wings over all the world by the preaching of the Apostles at first and now again in the late Reformation by Luther and some few other men of mean rank but of rare successe These were those Angels that 〈◊〉 flying with the 〈◊〉 Gospel no new doctrin as the Adversaries slander it in the middest of heaven or betwixt heaven and earth because their doctrine at first was not so clearly confirmed to others 〈◊〉 so fully 〈◊〉 by themselves Melancthon confesseth Quod 〈◊〉 habemus sc. 〈◊〉 quos 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 And Cardinall 〈◊〉 saith the same Melancthon reading the Ansborough-Confession saith that our cause concerning the righteousnesse of faith was stronger in the confirmation then in the confutation of the contrary opinion Quod verum est as he there yeeldeth quia facilius 〈◊〉 in sophisticis quam destruere In Physicis contra But our John Wickliffe long before Luther wrote more then two hundred volumes against the the Pope The Lady Anne wife to K. Richard the second sister to Wence slaus K. of 〈◊〉 by living here was made acquainted with the Gospel Whence also many Bohemians coming hither conveyed 〈◊〉 book into Bohemia whereby a good foundation was laid for a 〈◊〉 Reformation After this were stirred up there by God John Husse and Hierom of Prague who so propagated the 〈◊〉 in that Kingdom that in the year of Christ 1451. the Church of God at Constantinople congratulated to the University of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happy 〈◊〉 and exhorted them to 〈◊〉 For before the Hussites by the mediation of 〈◊〉 Sophia who 〈◊〉 them had obtained of the King the 〈◊〉 exercise of their Religion 〈◊〉 Bohemia Howbeit soon after this they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persecution by the Popish party who yet could say no worse of them then this In their lives they are modest in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their 〈◊〉 one towards another servent but their 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 and stark naught saith 〈◊〉
Galileans no sooner laid then sick and lame friends at 〈◊〉 feet but he cured them 〈◊〉 any more a do He is a God of judgement and knowes how and when to deal forth his favours He laies heaviest 〈◊〉 on the strongest backs and proportions our afflictions to our 〈◊〉 holding us off for deliverance till 〈◊〉 finds us 〈◊〉 for it and giving us hearts to wait and want it till his time is come Verse 27. Truth Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is particula assentientis obsecrantis How strangely doth God enable and enlarge his weak people many times in prayer they are carried beyond themselves in a wonderfull manner and though otherwise rude in speech and 〈◊〉 yet then they have words at will far above naturall apprehension and such as they are not able to repeat again being for the time lost in the endlesse maze of spirituall ravishments and ascending with the Church in those pillars of incense out of this wildernesse of the World Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs Loe she picks an argument of speeding out of a repulse she gathereth one contrary out of another by the force of her faith See the like Deut. 32. 36. 2 King 14. 26. Going into captivitie was a signe of the Israelites returning out of captivitie Be it that I am a dog saith this brave woman yet some crumbs of comfort Lord. Dogs though they may not eat the childrens meat if they offer to do it they are shut out of doors yet if children full-fed crumble their meat and make wast of it as they will and as the Jews now do may not the Gentile-dogs lick up those leavings Thus she reasons it and thus she makes use of any thing she can lay hold of whereby she may hope the better to prevail Those that are hunger-starved are glad to feed upon hedge-fruit and will make hard shift rather then perish So faithfull hearers are not delicate but can suffer an exhortation bear a reproof yea suck hony with the bee out of bitter thime Verse 28. O woman great is thy faith Our Saviour had both reproached and repulsed her Now he both graceth and gratifieth her grants her request and more together with an high commendation of her heroicall 〈◊〉 which is here found 〈◊〉 to praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1. 7. Verse 29. And came nigh to the sea of Galilee Where though he had lately been tired out yet he 'l try again Ministers must have patience with a perverse people not resolving as Ieremy once in a pelt to speak no more to them in the name of the Lord but proving if at any time God will give them repentance to the acknowleging of the truth c. 2 Tim. 2. 25. I beseech you said Mr Bradford to one with whom he had taken great pains but to no great purpose I pray you I desire you I crave at your hands with all my very heart I ask of you with hand pen tongue and minde in Christ for Christ through Christ for his name blood mercy power and truths sake my most entirely beloved that you admit no doubting of Gods finall mercies toward you howsoever you feel your self c. Of this good Martyr it is said that in travelling with his own heart he would never give over till he had made somewhat of it as in confession till his heart melted in seeking pardon till quieted in begging grace till warmed and quickened so in dealing with others he practised that which St Austin perswadeth every preacher to do so long to beat upon and repeat the same point till by the countenance but especially by the conversation of his hearers he perceive that they resent and rellish it Knowing the terrour of the Lord saith Paul 〈◊〉 perswade men we give them not over till we have prevailed with them and subdued them though never so knotty and knorly And went up into a mountain Either to pray or to preach or to rest and repose himself but that would not be for great multitudes resorted to him The Sun set on high cannot be hid no more can Christ in the mount Verse 30. Having with them those that were lame blinde c. All these infirmities are fruits of sin which hath made the world an Occumeniall Hospitall and accidents of life for that which befalleth any man may befall every man The privative favours that God shews us here saith Gerson are more then the positive meaning by privative Gods preserving us from manifold mischiefs and miseries by his manutension They that are got to heaven are out of the gunshot for there 's no more sicknesse nor sorrow no crying nor pain for the former things are passed Revel 21. 4. All corruptions temptations afflictions which stand some above us some about us as the insulting Philistims about blinde Sampson shall end with the same blow fall with the same clap with our selves At Stratford bow were two Martyrs burned at one stake in the dayes of Q. Mary Hugh Laverock an old lame man and Iohn A Price a blinde man At their death Hugh after he was chained casting away his crutch and comforting the other he said to him Be of good comfort my brother for my Lord of 〈◊〉 is our good Physitian he will heal us shortly thee of thy 〈◊〉 and me of my lamenesse And so patiently they suffered Verse 31. They glorified the God of Israel They saw God in those miraculous cures and gave him his due praise He is content that we should have the comfort of his benefits so he may 〈◊〉 the glory of them that 's all the rent and return he looks for All the 〈◊〉 Christ required for his cures was Go and tell what God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thee Go shew thy self to the Priest and offer c. But we insteed of being temples of Gods praise become many times graves of his benefits This made good David so oft to put the thorn to his breast Psal. 103. 1,2,3 and King Alphonsus not so much to wonder at his Courtiers ingratitude to him as at his own to God Verse 32. I have compassion on the multitude My bowels yearn towards them Neither is he 〈◊〉 loving now that he is in heaven towards his poor pennilesse 〈◊〉 people on earth but when they are hardest put to 't and haply have not a crosse to blesse themselves with as the proverb is he so graciously provides that though the young lions or the strong ones as the Septuagint have it doe lack and suffer hunger yet they that seek the Lord want nothing that 's good for them Aaron though he might not bewail the death of his two sons Lev. 10. because he was High-priest yet his bowels of fatherly affection towards them could not be restrained Christ retaineth still compassion Heb. 45. though free from personall passion and though freed from feeling hath 〈◊〉 yet a fellow-feeling Manet compassio etiam cum impassibilitate saith
cure was not effected by them but by some other occasion the fathers 〈◊〉 the peoples perversenesse c. which what it was here they make enquiry How unwilling are we that our peny should be held other then good 〈◊〉 How ready to shift off him that 〈◊〉 from heaven and to mistake our selves in the 〈◊〉 of our miscarriages Verse 20. Because of your unbelief q. d. That 's the naked truth of it never deceive your selves there 's no 〈◊〉 will serve turn be content hard though it be to hear your own Veritas aspera est verùm amaritudo ejus utilior integris sensibus gratior quà m meretricantis 〈◊〉 distillans favus A smart truth takes better with an honest heart then a smooth supparasitation If ye have faith as a grain of c. The Disciples might object If no faith but that which is entire and perfect can do such cures as this then we may despair of ever doing any 〈◊〉 Saviour answers that the least measure of true faith fitly compared to mustard 〈◊〉 for it s acrimony and vivacity if exerted and exercised will work wonders Neither is justifying faith beneath miraculous in the sphear of its own 〈◊〉 and where it hath warrant of Gods Word to remove mountains of guilt and grief A weak faith is a joint 〈◊〉 though no faith can be a joint purchaser of sins remission And a man may have faith enough to bring him to heaven though he want this or that faith as to rely upon God without failing Luk 18. 1 8. without feeling Psal. 22. 1 c. as resolved that God neverthelesse will hear him in that very thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Verse 21. This kinde goeth not out Some devils then are not so 〈◊〉 politike vile villainous as others so neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men all alike wicked Some stigmaticall 〈◊〉 face the heavens burden the earth please not God and are contrary to all men Others are more tame and tractable as the young man on whom Christ looked and loved him Yet as when one commended the 〈◊〉 Legate at the Councel of Basil Sigismund the Emperour answered Tamen Romanus 〈◊〉 So though the devil or his slaves seem never so fair conditioned they are neither to be liked nor trusted he is a devil still and will do his kinde they are wicked still and 〈◊〉 proceedeth from the wicked as saith the Proverb of the Ancients I have read of one that would 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 theatres and whore-houses in London all day but he 〈◊〉 not go forth without private praier in the morning and then would say at his departure Now devil do thy worst and so used his praiers as charms and spels against the weak cowardly devil This was not that praier and fasting our Saviour here speaks of men must not go forth to this spirituall fight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with their break-fast as the Grecians in Homer but praying and fasting from sin especially for otherwise they do but light a candle afore the devil as the Proverb hath it Verse 22. The Sonne of man shall be betray'd This our Saviour often inculcates to drive them out of their golden dream of an earthly kingdom which pleased them so well that they could hardly foregoe it It is no easie matter to be disabused undeceived errour once admitted is not expelled without much adoe It sticks to our fingers like pitch take heed how we meddle Verse 23. And they were exceeding sorry Out of love to their Lord saith Hierom out of ignorance and stupidity saith Saint Mark and S. Luke so they grieve where no cause was as we do oft upon like grounds and causes How well might our Saviour have said to them as afterwards he did to the women Grieve not for me but grieve for your selves 〈◊〉 knew well that if Christ 〈◊〉 they should not scape scot free Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shrink in the shoulder when called to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and pretend this and that for excuse as Moses did the conscience of his own insufficiency Exod. 4. 10. when the very truth was he feared Pharaoh lest he would have revenged the AEgyptians quarrell against him whom he had slain and hid in the sand And as 〈◊〉 pretended his dear love to his Master Matth 16. 22. when it appears ver 26. he aimed indeed at the safegard of his own 〈◊〉 more then 〈◊〉 Masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 care be taken that what ever we make believe we be not self 〈◊〉 which begins that black-bedroll 2 Timothy 3. 2. and lovers of pleasures profits preferments more then lovers of God which ends it Verse 〈◊〉 They that received tribute money This 〈◊〉 or half-shekel was formerly paid by the Israelites every year after they were twenty year old toward the Temple Exod. 30. 13. Caesar by taking it from the Temple and turning it to a 〈◊〉 did indeed take away from God that which was Gods This very tribute was paid afterwards by the Jews toward the Roman Capitoll by vertue of a 〈◊〉 made by 〈◊〉 How just is it in God that the spoiler should be spoiled Isa. 30. 1. that the Roman Emperours that so robbed and wronged God should be robbed of their rights as they are by the Popes usurpations 〈◊〉 not your Master pay tribute Is he either born or bought free See Act. 22. 28. But if neither they might had they had any 〈◊〉 in them have spared him so publike so profitable a person that had so well deserved of the whole Nation so well merited an immunity an indemnity But all is lost that is laid out upon ungratefull persons or people Covetousnesse hath no respect to any thing but to its own profit and knows no other language then the horse-leeches Give Give Rem rem 〈◊〉 modo rem without any respect of persons how well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 25. He saith Yes Christ submitted himself to every 〈◊〉 of man for the Lords sake and hath bidden us Give unto 〈◊〉 those things that are Caesars tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome c. So doth not that great Heteroclite of 〈◊〉 he not only detains but demands Peter-pence and other 〈◊〉 paiments from Kings and States One Pope said that he 〈◊〉 never want money so long as he could hold a pen in his 〈◊〉 This Kingdom was of old called the ` Popes-Asse for bearing 〈◊〉 burdens and exactions Innocent the 4 t said that England was the Popes 〈◊〉 and a pit that could never be drawn dry What 〈◊〉 summes drained they hence in King Johns daies Otto one of the Popes Muscipulatores Mice catchers as the Story calleth them sent hether by Gregory 9. after three years raking together 〈◊〉 money left not so much in the whole Kingdom as he either carried with him or sent to Rome before him But I hope 〈◊〉 long the Kings of the earth awakened by their grosse abuses put upon them will 〈◊〉 that withered whore and burn her flesh with
fire a punishment fore prophecied and well befitting so foul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 26. Then are the children free q. d. And much more I who am the naturall the only begotten 〈◊〉 of that King everlasting the heir of all am priviledged from paiments Yet because few knew what Peter did that he was the Christ the sonne of the living God the sonne also of David according to the flesh lest by his example he should occasion and encourage either the Jews to deny paiment or the Romans to defie the Gospel as contrary to Monarchy he would not make use of his 〈◊〉 but sent to sea for money to make paiment Verse 27. Lest we should offend them Better it is that a man part with his right then give just 〈◊〉 to any This was S. Pauls great 〈◊〉 1 Cor 9. and his constant counsell to others Rom. 14. 13 14 15. Let no man put a stumbling block much l sse a scandall in his brothers way that is neither a lighter nor greater offence but rather abridge himself of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is to expresse Christ to the world to be made like unto him Go thou to the Sea Here Hierom cries out Quid primum 〈◊〉 in hoc loco nescio I knew not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to wonder at whether Christs prescience or greatnesse His prescience that 〈◊〉 knew that the fish had money in 〈◊〉 mouth and that that fish should come first to 〈◊〉 His greatnes and power that could create such a piece of mony by his bare word and cause it so to be by commanding it so to be Who would not fear this Lord of hosts Who would not trust him for necessaries who can and wil cause all 〈◊〉 to scatter for his But what a wonderful work of God was it and a 〈◊〉 warning to us 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 daies of war had we 〈◊〉 so wise as to have made good use of it that God should send 〈◊〉 Friths Preparation to the Crosse in the fish-belly to the 〈◊〉 of Cambridge a little before the Commencement 〈◊〉 few years since That such a book 〈◊〉 the reverend man that relateth it should be brought 〈◊〉 such a manner and to such a place and at such a time when by reason of peoples 〈◊〉 cut of all parts notice might be given to all places of the Land in my apprehension 〈◊〉 can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for no lesse then a divine 〈◊〉 and to have this voice with it England prepare for the crosse Give it unto them for me and thee Upon this place Papists would foolishly found their Popes primacy and Clergies priviledge of immunity from paiments to civil Princes and Magistrates because Christ and Peter are set together But in what trow In paying of homage not in receiving of honour Christ paid tribute to free us from the servitude of Satan that rigid tax-master Peter paid because he had here an house and family Chap. 8. 5. and further to let his successours know that they paid 〈◊〉 in Peter and should learn in all due humility to submit to Magistracy and not to with-draw from publike impositions and taxations further then of favour they shall be exempted and priviledged CHAP. XVIII Verse 1. At the same time VVHen he by paying tribute had been teaching them humility and modesty they most unseasonably discover their folly and ambition so another time after he had been washing their feet and giving them the Sacrament Luk. 22. See in them the pravity the canker of our natures and what cause God had to complain Hos. 7. 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered as if it had been on purpose to spite me and spet venom in my face Came the Disciples Peter also with the rest vers 21. though 〈◊〉 will needs have it otherwise as if he were now at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall bear no part of the blame take heed of that that 〈◊〉 sin Hos 12. 8. Who is the greatest Quarunt non quaerenda saith Aretius they should rather have enquired how to get into heaven then who should be highest in heaven Ridiculum illud est initia ignorare ultima rimari But they 〈◊〉 of a distribution of honours and offices as once in the daies of David and Solomon a worldly 〈◊〉 like the Kingdoms of the earth as afterwards the Church was and still is transformed by Antichrist into the image of the beast that is of the Roman Empire yet they call it the kingdom of heaven because they had heard Christ many times call it so In the Kingdom of heaven i. e. In the state and condition of the Church Christian. So to this day among the Jews the Kingdom of the Messiah is called Malcuth hashamajim the Kingdom of heaven and rightly so for 1. 〈◊〉 King is heavenly 2. He hath heaven for his throne whence he puts forth his power 3. His Subjects are heavenly minded and trade for heavenly commodities 4. Their countrey is heaven though their commoration be a while upon earth where they are pilgrims and strangers 5. The government of this Kingdom is wholly heavenly and 〈◊〉 Verse 2. And Jesus called a little childe Nicephorus saith this was Ignatius who was afterwards Bishop of Antioch but I am not bound to 〈◊〉 him It is well known that he is full of fictions Christ calling for a little childe who neither 〈◊〉 great things of himself nor 〈◊〉 great things for himself rightly and really confutes their 〈◊〉 ambition and 〈◊〉 of primacy and gives 〈◊〉 such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tarquin did 〈◊〉 son when walking in the garden he struck off the heads of the Poppies in the sight of the messenger and as Periander the 〈◊〉 did Thrasybulus the 〈◊〉 of Athens when pulling of the upper ears he made all the standing corn equall intimating thereby what a tyrant must doe that would live 〈◊〉 and quiet Verse 3. Except ye be converted i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn over a new leaf and cast away these fond conceits and crotchets these golden dreams of an earthly Kingdom and your high 〈◊〉 therein which like bullets of lead fastened to the eye-lids of your mindes make you that you cannot look upwards And become as little children In simplicity humility innocency ignoscency c. not in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open 〈◊〉 c. How 〈◊〉 was that Anabaptist Aurifaber who understanding this text Nicodemically as one saith stirred up people where ever he came 〈◊〉 carry themselves 〈◊〉 if ever they would have heaven Upon whose perswasion you might have seen ridiculous 〈◊〉 of boyes and girls women especially skipping up and down clapping their hands together sitting naked on the ground ticking toying apishly imitating one while Christ another while Antichrist c. pretending this text for their authority So did Massaeus the Franciscan who is famous amongst his fellow-friers for that at the command of his superiour St Francis he wallowed on the ground as a little one and shew'd all in obedience to this
as Samuel Verse 10. Take heed that ye despise not c. Gr. Look to it if you do a foul mischief is towards you Look to it as you tender your own safety here or salvation hereafter Cast not the least contempt upon Christs little ones As little as they are they have a great champion Isa. 37. 22 23. and so many Angels to right them and fight for them that a man had better anger all the witches in the world then one of these little ones I tell you some great ones have been fain to humble themselves and to lick the very dust of their feet sometimes that they might be reconciled to them Isa. 60. 14. If Cain do not lowre upon Abel God will arraign him for it Why is thy countenance cast down c Why dost look so doggedly If Miriam do but mutter against Moses God will spet in her face And if Aaron had not made the more hast to make his peace by repentance he also had tasted of the lame sawce Their Angels do allwaies behold the face Angels in the Syriack are named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the face because it is their office and honour to look alwaies on Gods face They are sent about Gods messages to this earth yet are never out of their heaven never 〈◊〉 of the vision of their maker No more are godly men when busied in their callings And howsoever slighted in the world yet Angels are sent forth for their safeguard and service Heb. 1. 14. yea for the accomplishment of all designes for the Saints good they stand alway looking God full in the face to receive commandments Verse 11. For the Sonne of man came c. Therefore Angels are so active and officious about them This the 〈◊〉 Angels could not bring their hearts to yeeld to and therefore fell 〈◊〉 envie from their first estate and whereas the society 〈◊〉 Angels was much maimed by their fall their room say some is supplied by the Saints whom therefore they take such care of and content in Verse 12. 〈◊〉 he not leave the ninety and nine I am not saith a Divine of their fond opinion that think the Angels are here meant by the ninety nine sheep as if they were 〈◊〉 infinite in number beyond the number of mankinde yet without question they are exceeding many and that number cannot be known of us in this world Dan. 7. 10. Psal. 68. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai c. that is those myriads of Angels make Sion as dreadfull to all her enemies as those Angels made Sinai at the delivery of the law But the application of this 〈◊〉 makes it plain that the hundred sheep are Gods elect 〈◊〉 ones all which are set 〈◊〉 by Christ upon the everlasting mountains and not one of them lost Joh. 10. Matth. 24. Verse 13. And if so be that he finde it As he will most surely for none can take them out of his hands nor can he discharge his 〈◊〉 should he suffer any one of them to wander and perish as they will do undoubtedly if left to themselves such is their sheepish simplicity Isa. 53. 6. God hath charged Christ to see to the safe-keeping of every true sheep Joh. 6. 39 40. and he performed it to the full Joh. 17. 12. As for that sonne of perdition there excepted he was never of Christs body yet is excepted because he seemed to be by reason of his office Verse 14. It is not the will of your father Happy for us that we are kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. for else it were possible for us to fall away and perish an intercision there might be nay an utter excision from Christ were not his left hand under us and his right hand over us and both his hands about us to clasp and hold us fast to himself But his right hand is our 〈◊〉 and his left hand our Boaz. Both which pillars in the porch of Solomons Temple did shew not only by the matter whereof they were made but also by the names whereby they were called what stedfastnesse the Elect stand in before God both for present and future For present they have strength in themselves for future God will so stablish them with his grace that they shall never wholly depart from him As for reprobates God saith of them 〈◊〉 that will die let it die they shall die in their sinnes as the Lord threatneth the Jews which is a thousand times worse then to die in a ditch or in a dungeon Verse 15. If thy brother shall trespasse As trespasse he will for it must needs be that offences come vers 7. such is humane 〈◊〉 Two flints may 〈◊〉 smite together and not fire come out as two or more men converse together and not trespasses in one kind or other fall out A Heathen could say Non amo 〈◊〉 nisi offendam for so I shall know whether he love me or no by his forbearing of me And Augustine saith Qui desinit 〈◊〉 desinit amare He that ceaseth to bear with me ceaseth to love me Here therefore our Saviour after he had deterred his from doing wrong instructeth them how to suffer wrong If it be not considerable it must be dissembled As if it be Go and tell him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get thee gon to him presently lest else the sore 〈◊〉 and thou hate him in thy heart 〈◊〉 not he should come to me c. but get thee to him with speed Lech lecha as God said to Abraham up and be packing 〈◊〉 not to strain courtesie with him when both have haste but seek peace and ensue it it is best to be first in a good matter Remember said Aristippus to 〈◊〉 with whom he was fallen out that though I were the elder mao yet I first sought to thee Verily said 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 not only an elder but a better man then I for I was first in the quarrell but thou art first in seeking reconciliation Tell him his fault Gods little ones are so to be loved as not to be let alone in their trespasses but freely and friendly admonished that they may see their sinne and amend their way as Denkius did when admonished by Oecolampadius He being a learned man held this heresie that no man or devil should be damned eternally but all saved at last c. But being withall an humble man he repented being converted by Oecolampadius in whose presence he died at Basil of the plague but piously 〈◊〉 Dom. 1528. Thou hast gained thy brother To God and thy self and if to God to thy self surely for ever as Philemon how much 〈◊〉 Onesimus to Paul to whom they therefore owed themselves also St Anthony Kingston thus spake to Mr Hooper a little before his Martyrdome I thank God that ever I knew you for God did appoint you to
〈◊〉 of old and the 〈◊〉 Clergy now But live single that they may serve God with more freedom fighting against fleshly lusts that fight against the soul with 〈◊〉 spirituall weapons Meditation Prayer Abstinence c. which are 〈◊〉 through God to the pulling down of Satans strong holds set up in the heart Hence the Hebrew Syriack Chaldee and Arabick render this text Qui castr ârunt animam suam which have gelded their 〈◊〉 And the truth is there they must begin that will doe any thing in this kinde to purpose Incesta est fine stupro 〈◊〉 stuprum cupit 〈◊〉 Seneca And S. Pauls virgin must be holy both in body and in spirit 1 Cor. 7. 34. Verse 13. Then 〈◊〉 there brought unto him little ones By their parents carefull of their 〈◊〉 good We must also 〈◊〉 ours as we can to Christ. And 1. By praying for them before at and after their birth 2. By timely bringing them to the ordinance of baptisme with faith and much joy in such a priviledge 3. By training them up in Gods holy fear 〈◊〉 God to perswade their hearts as Noah did for his son Iapheth We may speak perswasively but God only 〈◊〉 as Rebekah might cook the 〈◊〉 but it was Isaac only 〈◊〉 gave the 〈◊〉 And the Disciples rebuked them They held it a 〈◊〉 below their-Lord to look upon little ones But it is not with our God as with their Idol that had no leisure to attend smaller matters Christian Children are the Churches nursery the devil seeks to destroy them as he did the babes of Bethlehem but Christ hath a gracious respect unto them and sets them on a rock that is higher then they Verse 14. For of such is the Kingdom That is all the blessings of heaven and earth comprized in the covenant belong both to these and such as these Matth. 18. 3. Let them therefore have free recourse to me who will both own them and crown them with life eternall Verse 15. And he laid his hands on them So putting upon them his fathers blessing as Iacob did upon Iosephs sons whom by this symbol he adopted for his own And albeit our Saviour baptized not these infants as neither did he those that were bigger yet for asmuch as they were confessedly capable of Christs gifts they were doubtlesse capable of the signes and seals of those gifts if capable of imposition of Christs hands of his benediction and kingdom then capable also of baptisme which saveth us 〈◊〉 St Peter in the time present because the use thereof is permanent though the act transient so long as one liveth Whensoever a sinner repents and beleeves on the promises Baptisme the seal thereof is as powerfull and effectuall as if it were then presently administred The 〈◊〉 and book of sentences say that Confirmation is of more value then Baptisme and gives the holy Ghost more plentifully and 〈◊〉 And the Papists generally 〈◊〉 this text to establish their Sacrament of Confirmation or 〈◊〉 of children But 1. These were little infants not led but brought in their mothers arms 2. 〈◊〉 as they use it was never commanded to Christs Ministers nor 〈◊〉 by his 〈◊〉 Verse 16. And be hold one came One of good rank a Ruler Luk. 18. 18. of good estate for he was rich and had great revenue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Matthew he had a good title to that he had and he lived not beside it He was also a young man in the prime and pride of his age and had been well bred both for point and civility he came congeeing to our Saviour Mark 10. 17. And for matter of piety he was no Sadducee for he 〈◊〉 after eternall life which they denied And although but young he hearkens after heaven and though he were rich he comes running to Christ thorow desire of information whereas great men 〈◊〉 not to run but to walk leisurely so to maintain their authority Lastly he knew much of Gods Law and had done much so that he seemed to himself to want work to be aforehand with God Christ also looked upon him and loved him as he was a tame creature a morall man and fit to live in a common-wealth What good thing shall I doe A most needfull and difficult question rarely moved by rich men especially whose hearts are 〈◊〉 upon their half-peny as they say whose mouthes utter no 〈◊〉 language but the horse leeches Give give Who will shew us any good c a good purchase a good peny-worth c Howbeit by the manner of his expressing himself this Gallant seems to have been a Pharisee and of that sort of Pharisees for there were seven sorts of them saith the Talmud which was named Quid 〈◊〉 facere faciam illud Tell me what I should doe and I will doe it They that know not Christ would go to heaven by their good meanings and good doings this is a piece of naturall Popery that must be utterly abandoned ere eternall life can be obtained That I may have eternall life He had a good minde to heaven and cheapens it but was not willing to go to the price of it that thorow-sale of all Good desires may be found in hell-mouth as in Balaam some short-winded wishes at least The Spyes praised the land as pleasant and plenteous but they held the 〈◊〉 impossible and thereby discouraged the people Many like well of Abrahams bosom but not so well of Dives his door They seek to Christ but when he saith Take up the Crosse and follow me they stumble at the crosse and felt backward Their desires 〈◊〉 heaven are lazy and sluggish like the door that turnes upon the hinges but yet hangs still on them so these Wishers and Woulders for all their faint and weake desires after heaven still hang fast on the hinges of their sinnes they will not be wrought off from the things of this world they will not part with their fitnesse and sweetnesse though it be to raigne for ever Iudg. 9. 11. Theatinus in St Ambrose would rather loose his sight then his sinne of intemperance so many their soules Verse 17. Why callest thou me good And if I be not good much lesse art thou what good conceits soever thou hast of thy self Here then our Saviour learns this yonker 〈◊〉 and self-annihilation There is none good but one that is God He both is good originall others are good by participation only and doth good abundantly freely constantly for thou Lord art good and ready to for give saith David Psal. 86. 5. And let the power of my Lord be great saith Moses in pardoning this rebellious people In the Originall there is a letter greater then ordinary in the word jigdal be great to shew say the Hebrew-doctours that though 〈◊〉 people should have tempted God or murmured against him ten times more then they did yet their perversnesse should not
whether for meat perishing or induring 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 he was an old Disciple and to 〈◊〉 and Junia that Paul 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 words are swords whose tongues are rapiers to run men thorow with upon every small occasion and their throats as a gaping grave to bury them in Verse 14. Take that thine is and 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 sentence 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 are bewitched are said to be overseen that is to be
28. 19. But do not ye after 〈◊〉 works If Ministers do well saith Chrysostom it is 〈◊〉 own gain if they say 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 Take thou what thine own is and let alone what is another mans Sylla and K. Richard the third commanded others under great penalties to be vertuous and modest when themselves walked the 〈◊〉 contrary way A deformed painter may draw a goodly picture a stinking breath sound a mighty blast and he that hath but a bad voice shew cunning in descant A blinde man may bear a torch in a dark night and a harp make musick to others which it self is not sensible of Posts set for direction of 〈◊〉 by the highway-side do point out the way which themselves go not And signe-posts 〈◊〉 the travellour there is wholesome diet or warm lodging within when themselves remain in the storms without Leud preachers are like spirie-steeples or high 〈◊〉 which point up to heaven but presse down to the center For they say and do not They had tongues which spake by the talent but their hands scarce wrought by the ounce like that ridiculous actour at Smyrna who pronouncing ô caelum ô heaven pointed with his finger toward the ground so these Pharisees had the heaven commonly at their tongues end but the earth continually at their fingers-end In a certain battel against the Turks there was a Bishop that thus encouraged the army Play the men fellow-souldiers to day and I dare promise you that if ye dye fighting ye shall sup to night with God in heaven Now after the battel was begun the Bishop withdrew himself And when some of the souldiers enquired among themselves what was become of the Bishop and why he would not take a supper with them that night in heaven others answered Hodie sibi jejunium indixit ideoque non vult nobiscum in caelo caenare This is fasting-day with him and therefore he will eat no supper no not in heaven Epictetus was wont to say that there were many Philosophers we may say Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as far as a few words would go But is religion now become a word goodnesse a name as Brutus once cryed out Should it be said of holinesse as it was once in another place Audivimus famam we have heard the fame thereof with our ears and that 's all The foolish Virgins were found with their sic dicentes but the good servants shall be found with their sic facientes Christ was full of grace as well as truth John Baptist was both a burning and shining light Origens teaching and living were said to be both one That 's the best Sermon 〈◊〉 that 's digg'd out of a mans own brest when he practiseth what he preacheth non 〈◊〉 solum praedicans sed exemplis as Eusebius testifieth of Origen and Mr Gataker of Mr Stock As the want hereof 〈◊〉 Campian to write Ministris corum nibil vilius their 〈◊〉 are most base Verse 4. For they binde heavy burdens c. Their humane 〈◊〉 so do the Popish Doctours heires herein to the 〈◊〉 of whom this Sermon is not more historicall then of the other it is propheticall The inferiour Clergy they make preach every day in Lent without intermission throughout all Italy in the greater cities so as six daies in the week they preach on the Gospel of the daies and on the Saturday in honour and praise of our Lady Whereas the Pope and Bishops preach not at all So for the Laity they must fast with bread and water when the Priests have their suckets and other sweet meats three or four times on their mock-fast-daies What should we speak of their pilgrimages to Peru Ierusalem c. penances satisfactions c. And no man must question but obey without sciscitation Walter Mapes sometimes Archdeacon of Oxford relating the Popes 〈◊〉 simony concludes Sit tamen Domina materque 〈◊〉 Roma baculus in aquâ fractus absit credere quae vidimus In things that make against our Lady-Mother Rome we may not beleeve our own eyes Verse 5. To be seen of men Theatrically thrasonically and for ostentation as stage-players or painted-faces See notes on chap. 6. verse 2. 5. Saints more seek to be good then seem to be so They make broad their Phylacteries That is Conservatories so called 1. Because of the use of them the law was kept in remembrance 2. Because the superstitious Pharisees conceited that by the wearing of them about their necks themselves might be kept from danger as by so many spels what they were see the Notes above on Matth. 22. 40. Enlarge the borders of their garments God had charged the 〈◊〉 to binde the law to their hand and before their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 8. wherein as Hierom and Theophylact well interpret it he meant the meditation and practice of his law They saith a learned Author like unto the foolish patient which when the Physitian bids him take the prescript eats up the paper if they could but get a list of parchment upon their left arme next their heart and another scroll to tye upon their forehead and four corners of fringe or if these be denied a red threed in their hand thought they might say Blessed be thou of the Lord I have done the commandment of the Lord. What was this but as Mr Tindall said in another case to think to quench their thirst by sucking the Ale-powl Verse 6. And love the uppermost rooms Which is a singular vanity and yet hath bred greatest contestation in the Church as between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople the Archbishops of Canterbury and York justling in Parliament for precedency even unto blows and bloodshed what dolefull effects followed upon the contention between the Lord Protectour and his brother in K. Edward the sixths daies raised by their 〈◊〉 wives who could not agree about place The Apostles rule is in honour to pre 〈◊〉 one another Rom. 12. 10. And true humility is like true balm that still in water sinks to the bottome like the violet the sweetest but lowest of flowers which hangs the head downwards and hides it self with its own leaves Verse 7. And to be called of men Rabbi They were tickled with high titles and thought it a goodly thing to be held and stiled Magnifico's to be flie-blown with flatteries There is not a more vainglorious people under heaven then the Jews Hence that rabble of titles amongst them in this order 〈◊〉 in a little before the nativity of our Saviour Rabbi Rabban Rab Rabbi Gaon Moreh Morenn and Moreh tsedek So the Friers proceed in their vain-glorious titles from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo then Archangelo Cherubino and lastly Cerephino which is the top of perfection Are not these those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle inveighs against those great swelling titles of vanity Verse 8. Be not ye called Rabbi Do not ambitiously affect such a
in digging descents to hell If Saul seeking Asses found a Kingdom shall not we by seeking others finde heaven Ye make him two-fold more 〈◊〉 the childe of hell Either because they relapse to Gentilisme as finding you so vile and vitious in your lives Or because ye teach them only Ceremonies and superstitions Or because you keep them ignorant of Christ and plant in them an hatred of the truth as the Jesuites do in their proselytes So that of them we may say as Ambrose did of Polemo who of a drunkard by hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Philosopher Si 〈◊〉 a vino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamen 〈◊〉 sacrilegio Though he be now no drunkard yet he remains drunk 〈◊〉 with superstition Verse 16. Ye blinde guides which say His watchmen are blinde was an old complaint Isa. 56. 10. Which that it is a foul fault the Rabbines have there noted from one letter in the Originall of the word rendered Watchmen bigger then his fellows How many are there that thrust into the Ministery wanting both heart and art to teach the people These lead their flocks to the pits brink wherein if they perish themselves lie lowermost Whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple So by the gift on the altar vers 18. these they taught were tied the other 〈◊〉 for a summe of money be dispensed with that swore by the Temple or the altar Not so those that swore by the gold of the Temple that is decicated to the Temple or by the gift on the altar for these oaths brought these blinde guides in commodity which the swearer was forced presently to pay down The people also were hereby made more free and forward to offer gold for the Temple sacrifices for the altar because they were made believe that those presents were more precious then either Temple or altar Pretty devices these were to get money and are they 〈◊〉 still practised by Papists Philip Brasier was abjured in Henry the eighths time for saying That when any cure is done the Priests do noint the Images and make men believe the Images do sweat in labouring for them The rood of Grace and bloud 〈◊〉 Hails is not orious Our Lady of Loretto hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories that they are fain to hang their cloysters and Church-yards with them They teach the people that as they may sooner go to Christ by S. Dominick then by S. 〈◊〉 so to swear by holy reliques and in swearing to lay hand on them is a more binding oath then to swear by God laying hand on the Bible Verse 17. Whether is greater the gold c. The cause must needs be more noble then the 〈◊〉 But the dust of covetoulnes had put out the eyes of these buzzards and expectorated their 〈◊〉 It is a besotting sin and bereaves a man of right reason Avidus 〈◊〉 non videndo Papists our modern Pharisees are most corrupt in those things where their honour 〈◊〉 or profit is ingaged In the doctrine of the Trinity that 〈◊〉 not upon these they are sound enough Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gold Solomons Temple was stone without and gold within to shew saith one the resplendent glory of divine Majesty lurking within a humane and humbled body Quid est templi illius aurum sive aurea claritas nisi ad dextram 〈◊〉 sedentis immortalitas atque impassibilitas saith Rupertus What is the gold of the Temple but the glory of Christ at Gods right hand Verse 18. But whosoever sweareth by the gift c. Vbi utilitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epictetus where there is gain there is godlinesse And Deos quisque sibi utiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another All the worldlings plowing sailing building buying buts upon commodity 〈◊〉 knows no other deity These Pharisees strove to reduce all 〈◊〉 to their own purses and paunches though they rendred men thereby not only irreligious but unnaturall Mat. 15. 5 6. See the Notes there Verse 19. Ye fools and blinde The second time so For behold they have rejected the word of the Lord yea the Word the Lord Christ and what wisdom was in them Jer. 8. 9. True it is they were accounted the only 〈◊〉 men Where is the wise 〈◊〉 is the Scribe saith S. Paul As if wise and Scribe were terms convertible And for the Pharisees they did so carry away the hearts of the people that there was no holy man that was not termed a Pharisee as we finde in their 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 the most straitest sect of our religion I 〈◊〉 a Pharisee saith Paul Act. 26. 5. They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and did utterly out-shine and obscure those other sects of Sadduces and Essenes the later whereof are not so much as mentioned in the Gospel And yet we see what esteem Christ had of them and what titles 〈◊〉 here bestows upon them To teach us not to rest in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor to think it sufficient that others think well of 〈◊〉 But let every man prove his own work Galat. 6. 4. and know that not he that commends himself or is commended by others is approved but he whom the Lord 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10. 18. Verse 20. Whoso therefore shall 〈◊〉 It was not lawfull to swear by the altar or by any creature whatsoever Jer. 5. 7. much 〈◊〉 by idols Amos 8. 14. I my self saith Latimer have used in mine earnest matters to say Yea by S. Mary which indeed is naught But though these oaths be formally naught yet they are finally binding and being broken they are plain perjury because they are all reduced to God himself no otherwise then if they had been taken expressely by the name of God Hence it is that the oaths of Papists Turks Heathens though superstitious are obligatory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An oath is an hedge which a man may not break Verse 21. And by 〈◊〉 that dwelleth therein By his grace in his ordinances yea 〈◊〉 his glory which sometimes filled the temple This temple at Jerusalem together with that of Diana at Ephesus which was also built of Cedar in an apish imitation of Gods temple as Vitruvius 〈◊〉 others witnesse were destroy'd much about one and the same time Believe me saith Christ the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain not yet at Jerusalem worship the father Demosthenes saith That mans heart is Gods best temple where he dwels with delight so it be beautified with modesty piety justice c. And this is the end of our creation saith another that man should be the Temple of God and God the Altar of man Verse 22. By the throne of God Heaven is his throne and earth his footstool yet may we not conceive that God is commensurable by the place as if he were partly here and partly elsewhere but he is every where all present See more in the Notes on Mat. 5. 34. Verse 23. Ye pay tithe of mint The Chaldee word
in winter for the siege began about Easter and the City was taken in September Neither was it on the Sabbath-day as we have cause to believe for when Christ bids us pray for any thing it 's sure he means to bestow 〈◊〉 As when we bid our children ask us this or that it is because we mean to give it them Verse 21. Tribulation such as was not c. Those very daies shall be affliction so Mark hath it chap. 13. 19. As if the very time were nothing else but affliction it self He that can read the history of it without tears hath hardly the heart of a man in him Besides those many that perished within the wals Iosephus tels us of a thousand thousand of them slain by the Romans and 97000 carried captive Oh see the severity of God and tremble Rom. 11. 22. Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Scipio wept when he saw 〈◊〉 on fire And when Saguntum was taken the Romans were as much affected as if Hannibal fuisset ad portas the enemy had been beating upon the walls of the Capitoll Verse 22. There should no flesh be saved That is No Iew left alive the Roman souldiers had been so often beaten by them that they 〈◊〉 nothing more then to rid the world of them But God for his Covenant sake preserved a remnant of them as he ever softeneth the sword of his justice in the oil of his mercy as Nicephorus hath it 〈◊〉 attributeth it to Titus his clemency but our Saviour here better to Gods infinite mercy to his elect These are the salt of the earth that sprinkled here and there preserve it from putrifying and perishing God gave all the souls that were in the ship to Paul and all that were in Zoar to Lot If it were not for his elect in the world he would make a short work in the earth Rom. 9. 28. Verse 23. Then if any 〈◊〉 shall say Here again our Saviour returns to the description of the last times containing the rise raign and ruine of Antichrist whose chief engine shall be to perswade Christs corporall presence here and there in certain places and to tie his worship and service to such or such a City Countrey Temple c. where he may be seen touched eaten c. as they feign in the Eucharist Verse 24. If it were possible c. Fundamentally and finally the elect cannot possibly be deceived because both the deceived and the deceiver are with the Lord Job 12. 13 16. In the Primitive Church those capitall heresies concerning the Trinity and the incarnation of our Saviour did so prevail Ut ingeniosares fuerit esse Christianum saith Erasmus that it was a witty thing to be a true Christian. Arrianisme had so overspread the world that Athanasius seemed to be alone as did Elias before him and Luther after him But God in the worst times reserved a remnant and at all times will not see nor suffer any of his to miscarry but will reduce them from their out-straies as he did Latimer who was as himself confesseth as obstinate a Papist as any was in England till converted by 〈◊〉 and as he did Denckins a learned Dutchman but a pestilent heretike till converted by Oecolampadius and as he did Francis 〈◊〉 a desperate Atbeist till converted by conference with a countrey-man of his not far from Florence Verse 25. Behold I have told you before See therefore that ye stand alway upon your watch for for this end have I warned you prevision is the best means of prevention Leo cassibus irretitus ait si 〈◊〉 To sin after warning is to fall with open eyes which deserves no pity Not to be warned is both a just presage and desert of a downfall Verse 26. Behold He is in the desert In such an ermitage or blinde chappel built in a by-place to the honour of such a Saint as our Lady of Loretto Hall or Sichem Lipsius his last dotages Behold 〈◊〉 is in the secret chambers or conclaves scil of Cardinals c. or cupboards as the breaden-god born up and down in a box or on an altar and worshipped by the common people The rebels of Norfolk in Edw. 6. time brought with them into the battle the Pyx under his Canopy as the Israelites brought the Ark 1 Sam. 4. 3. and said it should save them But as then the Ark so now the consecrated God with all the trumpery about him was taken in a Cart which was then in stead of an altar and there lay all in the dust Believe them not therefore in any of these their fopperies and forgeries The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his goings He is a slave to good reason but not easily swaied by every new opinion Verse 27. So shall also the coming of the sonne of man be Clear and conspicuons as the lightning cannot be hid or hindered from being seen all the whole heaven over Then shall all secret sinnes be made 〈◊〉 as things written with the juice of Limmons are legible when held to the fire as visible shall they be and legible too as if written with the brightest lightning upon a wall of crystall Verse 28. For wheresoever the carcase is c. That is saith M. Lambert Martyr wheresoever is declared by the course of the Scriptures the benefits granted to us by Christs death thither will men seek and flie to know how they may enjoy the same The sacrificed body of Christ saith another hath a most fragrant smell inviting the Saints like birds of prey to flie from far with marvellous swiftnes to this dead but all quickning carcasse There will the Eagles be gathered The Vulturine Eagles especially whereof read Job 39. 29 30. they follow armies and feed on carcasses Eagles the Saints are called 1. For their delight in high flying 2. For their sharp sightednesse and stedfast looking into the Sun of righteousnesse 3. For their singular sagacity in smelling out Christ and resenting things above for the which they are said to have A nose like the tower of Lebanon 4. For their feeding upon the bloudy sacrifice of Christ the true carcasse Briefly this proverbiall speech may be well understood either of the conflux of the godly to the light and liberty of the Gospel or else of their indissoluble union with Christ to be perfectly enjoyed at the resurrection For the sense of it is that let the devil use what means so ever he can by his emissaries the false-prophets to divide betwixt Christ and his people by telling them There be is or here he is it will not be for they will flee to him as a cloud or as the Doves to their windows Isa. 60. 8. Nay as the Eagles to their carcasse with incredible swiftnesse so forcible is the tie that is betwixt them that they will not be kept asunder The Israelites removed their tents from Mithcah which
signifies sweetnesse to Cashmonah which signifies swiftnesse Numb 33. 29. To teach us saith a Divine that no sooner have the Saints tasted Christs sweetnes but presently they are carried after him with swiftnes they cannot rest till they are joyned unto him whom their soul loveth Verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those daies After that the mystery of iniquity hath wrought effectually and is come to an upshot after that Antichrist hath had his full forth as they say and hath compleated his sin Christ shall suddenly come as it were out of an Engine Shall the Sun be darkned c. Stupendious eclipses shall precede the Lords coming and other strange events both in heaven earth and sea as Luke hath it The frame of this whole universe shall shake as houses give great cracks when ready to fall See 2 Pet. 3. 10. and seek no further Verse 30. The sign of the sonne of man That is either Christ himself by an Hebraisme or the dreadfull dissolution of the worlds fabrick or that cloud of heaven that was of old the sign of the son of man in the wildernesse Exod. 13. 21. or the scars of his wounds or his crosse or something else that we cannot describe and need not search into Look how a King when he would gather his forces into one sets up his standard or appoints his rendezvous so such shall be the brightnesse of Christs coming that all his shall be gathered unto him by that token not to fight but to triumph with him and divide the spoil as it were being more then conquerours and what is that but triumphers The expectation of this day 〈◊〉 as that did with Davids souldiers at Ziklag digest all our sorrows And then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn This to prevent we must judge our selves 1 Cor. 11. 31. and take unto us words against our sins if we would not have Christ take unto him words against our souls Hos. 14. 3. Good men have been exceedingly affected at the hearing of Gods judgements against 〈◊〉 as Hab. 3. 16. Verse 31. And he shall send his Angels As his apparitours and executioners David went otherwise attended when he went against Nabal then when against Goliah So Christ shall come when he shall come again with his troops and trumpets c. With a great sound of a Trumpet Christ shall put forth his own mighty voice Joh. 5. 28. 1 Thess. 4. 16. ministred 〈◊〉 his Angels as in the text and set forth by the sound of a trumpet in allusion belike to Numb 10. where the people 〈◊〉 congregated and called together by the sound of a 〈◊〉 to the door of the Tabernacle The Lion of the Tribe of Judah shall roar from above and thrust out his voice from his holy habitation when he entreth into judgement with all flesh Jeremy 25. 30 31. As the Lion roareth over his whelps brought forth dead at first and raiseth them from death 〈◊〉 life as Pliny reporteth And they shall gather together his elect How shall they know them from reprobates By Gods saving mark set fairly in their fore-heads Ezek. 9. And by their blith and merry countenances cleared and cheared in the apprehension and approach of their full redemption now drawing nigh Besides as servants know their masters harvest from ano hers and can easily discern the corn from the cockle so can the good angels soon single out the elect about whom they have been familiarly conversant here on earth as ministring 〈◊〉 sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation ready prest to any good office about them Verse 32. Ye know that Summer is nigh Which is so much the sweeter because brought in and led out by winter so will eternall life be to the Saints here tossed and turmoiled with variety of sufferings Many sharp showers they must here passe thorow Light is sown for the righteous c. sown only and seed-time we know is usually wet and showry Howbeit it is fair weather oft-times with Gods children when it is foulest with the wicked as the Sun rose upon Zoar when the fire fell upon Sodom But if they should have never a good day in this world yet heaven will make amends for all And what is it for one to have a rainy day who is going to take possession of a Kingdom Verse 33. Know that it is near c. Some space then there shall be it seems between the fore-going signs and the coming of Christ. But though space be granted yet grace is uncertain Make sure work therefore betimes lest ye come late and be left without doors for your lingering Verse 34. This generation shall not passe viz. That generation that immediately precedes the end of the world That this is the sense appears by the Antithesis vers 36. But of that day and 〈◊〉 knoweth no man q. d. The generation and age wherein Christ shall come ye may know by the signs that foreshew it but the day and hour ye must not look to know be you never so intelligent Verse 35. Heaven and earth shall passe c. What God hath written he hath written His word is stablished in heaven saith David It endures for ever saith Peter It remaineth firm as Mount Sion and shall stand inviolable when heaven shall passe away with a great noise and the earth with its works shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. to the terrour and confusion of those profane scoffers who deridingly demand Where is the promise of his coming c vers 4. that say Let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it c. Woe to you that thus desire the day of the Lord To what end is it for you The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light The great day of the Lord is near it is near and hasteth greatly It is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknes to them that are setled on their 〈◊〉 and that say in their heart 〈◊〉 Lord will not do good neither will he do evil Verse 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man That the Lord will come it is certo certius not more sure then what time he will come is to us most uncertain Sundry 〈◊〉 have been given at it by both ancient and modern Writers most of which time hath already refuted In the year of grace 1533. there was one that foolishly fore-told That the day of judgement should fall out in October next ensuing And this he gathered out of these words Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum Likewise out of these Videbunt in quem transfixerunt the numerals of the 〈◊〉 point to the year 1532. of the later to 1533. Others there are that place the end of the world upon the year 1657. And for proof they make use of this Chronogram MVnDI
so severe a fact he replyed I left him but as I found him Verse 43. He would not have suffered his house c. And shall the children of this world be wiser for their houses then we for our souls what are these earthly tabernacles these chair cottages to our houses from heaven All things here are terrene and 〈◊〉 nec vera nec vestra subject to vanity and violence Heaven only hath a foundation Heb. 11. earth hath none Job 26. 7. And things are said to be in heaven but on earth as ready with the least shake to fall off There is nothing of any stability or 〈◊〉 consistency in the creature It is but a surface an outside all the felicity of it is but skin-deep Seek therefore first Gods kingdom c. Verse 44. Therefore be ye also ready 〈◊〉 tells us that it was a peece of Julius Caesars policy never to foreacquaint his souldiers of any set time of removeall or onset that he might ever have them in readinesse to draw forth whithersoever he would Christ in like manner who is called the Captain of our salvation Our enemy is alwaies ready to anoy us should we not therefore look to our stand and be vigilant Solomons wisedome Lots integrity and Noahs sobriety felt the smart of the serpents sting The first was seduced the second stumbled and the third fell while the eye of watchfullnesse was fallen asleep For in such an hour c. Christ will soonest ceize upon the secure 1 Thess. 5. 3. such shall sleep as Sisera who 〈◊〉 he awaked had his head fastened to the ground as if it had been now listening what was become of the soul. See the Notes on vers 42. Verse 45. Who then is a faithfull and wise servant So every man ought to be but Ministers especially who should so far surpasse others in these good qualities as Saul did the people then whom he was higher by head and shoulders They should be faithfull in all Gods house as servants as stewards and 〈◊〉 of the mysteries of God to give to every man his demense his due measure of meat and that which is fit for him not as he in the Emblem did straw to the dog and a bone to the asse c. but to every one his portion 1 Cor. 4. 1. Verse 46. Blessed is that servant It was Augustines wish that Christ when he came might finde him aut precantem aut praedicantem either praying or preaching It was Latimers wish and he had it that he might shed his heart-blood for Christ. It was Jewels wish that he might die preaching and he did so For presently after his last Sermon at Lacock in Wiltshire he was by reasen of sicknesse forced to his bed from whence he never came of till his translation to glory I have heard the like of Mr Lancaster a precious man of God sometimes Pastour of Bloxham in Oxfordshire a man very famous for his living by faith Cushamerus a Dutch Divine and one of the first Preachers of the Gospel at Erfurt in Germany had his pulpit poisoned by the malicious Papists there and so took his death in Gods worke What would you that the Lord when he comes should finde me idle said Calvin to his friends who wished him to forbear studying a while for his health sake And such a like answer made Doctour Reynolds to his Physitian upon the like occasion Eliah was going on and talking with Elisha about heavenly things no doubt when the charet of heaven came to fetch him There can be no better posture or state for the messenger of our dissolution to finde us in then in a diligent presecution of our generall or particular calling Verse 47. Verily I say unto you c. A deep asseveration for our better assurance and incouragement Christ is a liberall paymaster and his retributions are more then bountifull 〈◊〉 thought much that the steward of his house should be heir of his goods Genesis 15. 2. 3 Not so the Lord Christ. Verse 48. But and if that evil servant All places are full of such evil servants and so is hell too as future their repentance and so fool away their salvation Of such dust-heaps we may finde in 〈◊〉 corner This is a depth of the devil brim-full with the blood of many souls to perswade them that they have yet long to live and many fair summers to see that there is no such haste but that hereafter may be time enough In 〈◊〉 comes grace and a few good words at last will waft them to heaven c. Verse 49. To eat and drink with the drunken Though he neither be drunk himself nor make others drunk yet to be among wine-bibbers and 〈◊〉 mongers as Solomon hath it Prov. 23. 20. to company with such as a frequent an immoderate 〈◊〉 as Peters word importeth 1 Pet. 4. 3. to drink 〈◊〉 as Bullinger 〈◊〉 it though there follow not an utter alienation of minde this is here threatned Excessive drinking is drunkennesse Ephesians 〈◊〉 18. though men be strong to bear it Isa. 5. 22. Verse 50. In a day when he looketh not c. As he did to that rich fool Stultitiam patiuntur opes who made account he had much good laid up in store for many years but heard ere morning Stulte hac nocte Thou fool this night c. Then when like a Jay he was pruning himself in the boughes and thought least of death he came tumbling down with the arrow in his side his glasse was run when he hoped it had been but new turned Verse 51. And shall cut him afunder Gr. Shall cut him in twain that is tear his soul from his body by main force Job 27. 8. throw him out of the world as it were by a firmae ejectione and hurl him into hell there to undergo most exquisite torments such as they did here that were sawn asunder Heb. 11. hewen in 〈◊〉 as Agag torn limmeal as Dan. 3. 29. 2 Sam. 12. 31. And appoint him his portion with hypocrites Hypocrites then are the free-holders of hell other sinners are but as tenants and inmates to them CHAP. XXV Verse 1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven OUr Saviour here continueth his former discourse and sets it on by a second parable to the same 〈◊〉 not so much for the difficulty of the matter 〈◊〉 for our 〈◊〉 and backwardnesse to beleeve and improve it Moses would have men whet good things upon their childrens mindes and memories by going often over them as the knife doth over the whetstone Solomon saith good counsell should be fastened as 〈◊〉 driven home to the head Eccles. 12. 11. Paul holds it profitable to write the same things though not in the same words to his Philipians chap. 4. 1. Peter slacks not to rouse up those to whom he writes by remembring them of those points wherein they were ready and
his enemies did but spit in his face and we being his friends throw him into the draught which of us deserveth the greatest damnation And 〈◊〉 him on the head 〈◊〉 into the head drove the 〈◊〉 into his holy head with bats and blows as Basiliades the Duke of Russia nail'd an Embassadours hat to his head upon some displeasure conceived against him At the taking of Heydelberg the Spaniards took Monsieur Mylius an ancient Minister and man of God and having abused his daughter before his 〈◊〉 they tied a small cord about his head which with truncheons they wreathed about till they squeezed out his brains The Monks of 〈◊〉 roasted the Minister of S. Germain till his eyes dropt out And the Spaniards suppose they shew the innocent Indians great favour when they do not for their pleasure whip them with cords scratch them with thorns and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon So very a devil is one man to another Verse 31. Put his own raiment on him Gods hand was in this that all men seeing him to suffer in his own habit might acknowledge that it was very he and not another that suffered in his stead Mahomet in his Alchoran speaks very honourably of Christ except only in two things 1. He took up the Arrian heresie to deny his Deity 2. He denied that he was crucified but that some one was crucified for him But what saith S. Peter He his own self bare our sinnes in his own body on the tree c. 1 Pet. 2. 24. They led him away Quite out of the City Ut vera piaculavis victima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro nobis fieret Heb. 13. 12 13. This was a mystery hardly understood by any of the faithfull afore Christ neither could we well have told what to make of it but that the 〈◊〉 hath there opened it to us by the instinct of the holy Ghost Let us therefore as he adviseth goe forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach accounting it our crown as those Apostles did that rejoyced in their new dignity of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shame for Christs name It was their grace to be so disgraced Verse 32. They found a man of Cyrene A stranger coming out of the field towards Jerusalem meets with an unexpected 〈◊〉 and follows Christ which occasioned him to enquire into the cause and got him renown among the Saints In like sort the faithfull Christian a stranger upon earth comes out of the field of this world with his face set toward Sion and meets with many crosses by the way But all-while he follows Christ let him enquire into the cause and the issue shall be glorious Him they compelled to bear his crosse Not so much to ease Christ who fainted under the burden as to hasten the execution and to keep him alive till he came to it See the Note on Joh 19. 17. Verse 33. A place of a skull Here our thrice noble Conquerour would erect his trophies to encourage us to 〈◊〉 for him if God call us thereto in the most vile and loathsom places as also to assure us that his death is life to the dead Verse 34 They gave him vineger c. Cold comfort to a dying man but they did it in 〈◊〉 q. d. Thou art a King and must have generous wines Here 's for thee therefore See the Note on John 19. 29. It were happy if this vineger given our Saviour might melt our adamantine hearts into sorrow Verse 35. Parted his garments Let us likewise suffer with 〈◊〉 the spoiling of our goods c. Heb. 10. 34. yea the spoiling of our persons to have our clothes also taken and torn off 〈◊〉 backs Christ will say Bring forth the best robe ring c. If a Heathen could say when he saw a suddain shipwrack of all his wealth Well fortune I see thy intent thou wouldst have me be a Philosopher Should not a Christian conclude Surely Christ would have me look after heavenly that thus strips me of all earthly comforts Verse 36. They watched him there Lest haply he should get get away thence by a 〈◊〉 But his time of getting out of their hands was not yet come Here hung for a while that golden censer Christs body which through the holes that were made in it as thorow chinks or holes fumed forth a sweet savour in the nostrils of his heavenly Father Eph. 5. 2. such as draweth all men to him that have their senses exercised to discern good and evil Joh. 12. 32 Heb. 5. 14. Verse 37. This is Jesus the King of the Jews Pilate by a speciall providence of God intending nothing 〈◊〉 gives Christ a testimoniall and would not alter it though sollicited thereto He did it to be revenged on the Jews for their senslesse importunity to have him condemn an innocent and withall to put Christ to an open shame as a crucified King Like as that A theist Lucian blasphemously cals our Saviour The crucified cousener the modern Jews contemptuously call him in reference to his crosse The Woofe and the Warp And at the sack of Constantinople the Image of the Crucifix was set up by the insolent Turks and shot at with their arrows and afterwards in great 〈◊〉 carried about the Camp as it had been in procession those dead dogs railing and spitting at it and calling it The God of the Christians Ten thousand Martyrs were crucified in the Mount of Ararath under Adrian the 〈◊〉 crowned with thorns and thrust into the sides with sharp darts in contempt of Christ. Verse 38. Then were there two theeves So he was reckoned among the transgressours Isa. 53. 12. A sinner not by 〈◊〉 only for he bare the sinne of many ib. but by reputation also and therefore crucified in the midst as the worst of the three chief of sinners that we might have place in the midst of heavenly Angels in those walks of paradise Zach. 3. 7. The one of those two theeves went railing to hell his crucifixion being 〈◊〉 a typicall hell to him a trap-dore to eternall torment the other went repenting forth-right to heaven living long in a little time and by his praier making his crosse a Jacobs ladder whereby Angels descended to fetch up his soul. It is remarkable and to our purpose sutable that Rabus reporteth that when Leonard Caesar suffered Martyrdom at Rappa a little town in Bavaria a certain Priest that had by the law for some villainous act deserved death being led forth with him towards the place of execution cried out often Ego ne quidem dignus sum qui tibi in hac poena associer justo injustus I am not worthy to suffer with thee the just with the unjust Verse 39. Reviled him wagging their heads God took notice of Cains frowns Gen. 4. 6. Miriams mutterings Numb 12. 2. these mens noddings Rabshakeh's lofty looks Isa. 37. 23. 〈◊〉 lowrings Gen. 31. 2. and sets them upon
read Sicut estis asini The wiser sort of Prebendaries there present said among themselves Cum a sapientioribus nolumus hujusmodi audire a pueris audire cogimur Children and fools usually tell the truth Verse 20. To observe all things Our obedience must be entire as for subject the whole man so for object the whole law That perfect law of liberty The Gospel requireth that in our judgements we approve and in our practises prove what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is Those be good Catholikes saith Austin qui fidem integram 〈◊〉 bonos more 's But let carnall gospellers either adde practise or leave their profession renounce the devil and all his works or else renounce their baptisme As Alexander the great bad one Alexander a coward in his army change his name or be a 〈◊〉 I am with you alway viz. To preserve you from your enemies prosper you in your enterprizes and to do for you whatsoever heart can wish or need require When Christ saith I will be with you you may adde what you will to protect you to direct you to comfort you to carry on the work of grace in you and in the end to crown you with immortality and glory All this and more is included in this precious promise Laus Deo A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Upon the Gospel according to Saint MARKE CHAP. I. Verse 1. The beginning of the Gospel c. THe History of our Saviours life and death Saint Mark is recorded to have written at the request of the Romans In the Latin tongue say some who pretend to have seen the Originall Copie at Venice but its more likely in Greek a tongue then very well known to the Romans also He begins with Johns Ministry passing over Christs birth and private life for brevity sake as it may seem though Papists feign many idle relations thereof and so expose us to the jears of Jewish and Turkish miscreants There are that make Mark an Epitomator of Matthew But forasmuch as he neither begings like Matthew nor keeps the same order but relateth some things that 〈◊〉 hath not and other things much larger then Matthew hath them judicious Calvin thinks that he had not seen Saint Matthews Gospel when he wrote his as neither had Saint Luke seen either of them but that being acted by the same spirit they agree so harmoniously and happily an undoubted argument of the Divinity of the Scripture which therefore a Greek Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every way sutable to its self Verse 2. As it is written in the Prophets Esay and Malachi so that there was no cause why that dead Dog Porphyry should here bark and blaspheme as if this testimony should be falsely fathered on all the Prophets when Esay only was the Author of it Behold I send my Messenger before thy face Malachi saith Before my face in the person of Christ to show that He and the Father are One. Verse 3. The voyce of one crying Here Mark begins the Gospel at the preaching of the Baptist which the Authour to the Hebrewes begins at the preaching of Christ. Heb. 2. 3. But that is onely to prove that so great was our Saviours glory in his Miracles that it matcheth yea surpasseth that of the Angels those Ministers of the Law Verse 4. John did ` Baptise in the Wildernesse Like as at the promulgation of the Law the people were commanded to wash their garments and sanctifie themselves so at the first publication of the Gospel to wash their hands and cleanse their hearts and in testimony of profession thereof to beleeve and be baptised for remission of sins Verse 5. All the Land of Judaea That is a great sort of them but John quickly grew stale to them John 5. 35. Principium fervet medium tepet exitus alget Weak-Christians easily fall off Verse 6. And John was clothed c. Elias also was a rough hairy man Those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy wandered about in Sheeps skins and Goats skins Heb. 11. but they were like the Ark Goats hair without but pure Gold within or like Brutus his staffe Cujus intus 〈◊〉 aurum corneo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cared for a better out-side then a rugge-gown girt close about him yet his inside was most rich He did eat Locnsts Good meat to those there at least though course and easily come by Tartarians eat the carrion-carcasles of Horses Camels Asses Cats Dogs yea when they stink and are full of Magots and hold them as dainty as we do Venison Verse 7. I am not worthy So Jacob cryed out of old So the Centurion Matth. 8. So the Prodigall Luke 15. So Peter Luke 5. 8. So Augustin Domine 〈◊〉 dignus quem tu diligas I am not worthy of thy love Lord. Verse 9. In those dayes When the people flocked so fast to John that they might not mistake him for the Messias and that his Baptisme might be the more famous Verse 10. He saw the Heavens opened The visible Heavens so that the Baptist saw something above the Stars So did Stephen so could Christ when he was upon the earth It is a just wonder that we can look up to so admirable an height of the starry-sky and that the eye is not tyred in the way Some say it is five hundred years journey to it Other Mathematicians tell us that if a stone should fall from the eighth Sphere and should passe every day an hundred miles it would be 65 years or more before it would come to ground Verse 11. In whom I am well pleased And in him with us whom he hath made gracious or Favourites in him the beloved One Ephes. 1. 5. Verse 12. The spirit driveth him That is suddenly carrieth him who was most 〈◊〉 to go as that legall scape-Goat Num. 16. into the Wildernesse and there permitted him to be tempted but supported him under the temptation that he came safe off again Sancti 〈◊〉 nequaquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed toti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imperio The Saints are as gods Beck Check Verse 13. And was with the wild beasts Unhurt by them as Adam was in the state of integrity These fell creatures saw in Christ the perfectimage of God and therefore 〈◊〉 him as their Lord as they did Adam before his fall See Job 5. 21 22. Verse 14. Jesus came into Galilee To decline Herods rage And whereas it may seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviour herein 〈◊〉 a wrong course 〈◊〉 Herod was Governour of 〈◊〉 we must know that the Pharisees were the men that delivered up John to Herod Mat. 17. 11 12. And that but for them there was no great 〈◊〉 of Herod Verse 15. And 〈◊〉 The time is fulfilled These were foure of our Saviours Sermon-heads The Prophets of old were wont to set down some short notes of their larger discourses to the people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them to the doores of 〈◊〉 Temple
shall indeed drink of the cup But not of that bitter cup of his Fathers wrath which he drank off in his passion Only the Saints fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ Colos. 1. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee shall be baptized And come out of the waters of affliction with as little hurt as a babe doth out of the water in baptisme by the help of divine grace Verse 42. They which are accounted to rule All earthly ruledomes are but shewes and shadowes to that of God Qui videntur imperare They doe but seem to rule Verse 46. Blind Bartimaeus Named and celebrated in the Gospel when many mighty Monarchs are utterly forgotten or else lie shrouded in the sheet of shame Verse 48. The more a great deale True faith works its way through many obstacles as the clouded sun doth Verse 50. And he casting away his garment Though a beggar he stood not upon the losse of his coat but for joy of his calling 〈◊〉 it from him So Joh. 4. 28. Heb. 12. 1. CHAP. XI Verse 2. Whereon never man sate AS if it had been done on set purpose Here was a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. the better to convince the stubborn Jewes of his Kingly office Verse 3. Say ye that the Lord hath need of him See here six severall arguments of our Saviours Deity 1. That he knew there was such an asse-colt 2. That he sent for it 3. Fore-saw that the masters of the colt would question them that fet it 4. That he professeth himself the Lord of all 5. That he could tell they would send the colt 6. That accordingly they did so Verse 12. He was hungry This and that he knew not but that there were figs on the tree declare him to be true Man Verse 13. The time of figs was not yet viz. Of ripe figs but if he could have found but green figs only he would at that time have been glad of them Hee looked for somewhat from that great shew of leaves But the old Proverb became true Great bruit little fruit Verse 17. My house shall be called c. He inveighs against the same fault with the same arguments as before Joh. 2. Verse 21. And Peter calling to remembrance So the fig-tree bare farre better fruit now that it was dryed then when it was green and flourishing 〈◊〉 nos Patres tum docentes tum labentes The Saints teach us as by their instructions so by their infirmities Verse 25. And when ye stand praying Severall gestures in prayer are described not prescribed in Gods Book The word here rendred stand importeth a presenting ones self before the Lord whether he stand sit or kneel c. Verse 30. From heaven or of men answer me So when the enemies of Reformation demand what we mean by so doing ask them what they think of that we doe Is it from heaven or of men If from heaven why doe not they approve it If of men why doe not they disprove it by the Scriptures Bucer and Melancthon framed a form of Reformation according to the truth of the Gospel with the approbation of the Peers and States of Cullen but the Clergy though not able to contradict it by good reason yet rejected it with slander and said that they had rather chuse to live under the Turkish Government then under a Magistrate that embraced that Reformation CHAP. XII Verse 1. A certain man planted c. SEe the Notes on Matth. 21. 33. Verse 3. And beat him Properly they hilded him but by a Metonymie they beat him Sie 〈◊〉 vulpem 〈◊〉 pellis 〈◊〉 AEtrahatur So men beat a Fox that they may the better hilde him Verse 4. Wounded him in the head Caput 〈◊〉 they brake his head Theophylact interpreteth it They completed their villany and spent all their spite upon him Verse 6. They will reverence my 〈◊〉 They will surely be 〈◊〉 to look him in the 〈◊〉 This is the proper signification of the word But sin had 〈◊〉 an impudency in their faces that they could blush no more then a Sack-but Verse 13. To catch him in his words As Hunters catch the beast in a toyl as Fowlers catch the bird in a snare as Saint Matthewes word here signifies Fistula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dum decipit auceps Verse 14. To give tribute This tribute the Jewes then paid to the Romanes as now they doe to the Turks for the very heads they wear And yet they had the face to say to our Saviour Joh. 8. 33. We never were in bondage to any man But perhaps these Jewes were of the Sect of Judas Gaulonites who would not be drawn by any torments to acknowledge any Lord upon earth beleeving that God only was to be held their Lord and King Verse 24. Not knowing the Scriptures And yet they alledged and argued out of Scripture but upon a false ground viz. that the state of men should continue in the other world such as it is here as to eat drink marry generate c. Verse 26. I am the God of Abraham Therefore thy God also if thou walk in the foot-steps of faithfull Abraham Rom. 4. 23 24. Verse 28. Asked him which is the first All Christs Disciples must be 〈◊〉 Questionists and doe the same to learn that this Scribe here doth for a worse purpose Verse 29. Is one Lord This the wiser Heathens as Pythagoras Socrates Plato and Aristotle with his Ens Entium miserere mei if that were his acknowledged Exod. 34. 14. Thou shalt worship 〈◊〉 other god Where the word Acher rendred Other hath R greater then ordinary to shew the greatnesse of the sinne of serving others gods and to set forth a difference between Acher Other and Echad One God One in Three and Three in One. Verse 34. Answered discreetly That he was better then the Pharisees used to be He was Egregiè cordatus homo and began to lift up his head out of the mud toward heaven Verse 35. How say the Scribes They were great Genealogists how was it then that they were no better versed in the Genealogie of Christ that they could give no better an account of his two-fold nature Of other things one may be ignorant and yet be saved Not so here Verse 36. Said by the Holy Ghost The Psalmes then are a part of holy Writ by Christs own testimony who also Luk. 24. 44. divideth the Old Testament into the Law of Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes Yea Psalmorum liber 〈◊〉 utilia sunt ex omnibus continet saith Augustine after Basil The Psalmes are a treasury of all holy truths Verse 38. Love to goe in long clothing Down to the heels as Senators or Counsellors A garment that Christ himself ware as being a Citizen or free Denison of Capernaum But he loved not to go in it as these Pharisees these glorious Masters of
her selfe Obscurum qua id fecerit ex causa It s hard to say wherefore she did this saith a learned Interpreter but likely out of modesty and that she may make no shew till she were sure as also that the miracle might appear the greater Verse 25. Thus hath the Lord She saw that all her prayers that she had haply forgot were not lost but laid up with God who now sends in the blessing that she had despaired of The Lord oft doth things for his people that they look not for Isaith 64. and stayes so long that when he comes he finds not Faith Luke 18. 8. Verse 26. Unto a City of Galilee God and his Angels can find out his hidden ones Psal. 83. 3. in what corner of the country soever Verse 27. Espoused to a man 1 The better to free her from suspition of fornication 2 That she might have one to provide for her when she was with Child 3 That the mystery of God manifested in the flesh might come to light by little and little Verse 28. Haile thou that art highly favoured A salutation and not a prayer as Papists pervert and abuse it And when the Ave-Mary-Bell rings which is at Sun-rising Noon and Sun-setting all men in what place soever house field street or market do presently kneel down and send up their united devotions to heaven by an Ave-Maria Also where one fasteth on Friday which they count our Lords day many fast on Saturday which they count our Ladies day Verse 29. She was troubled at his saying Affect not the vain praises of men saith one The blessed Virgin was troubled when truly praised of an Angel They shall be praised of Angels in heaven who have eschewed the praises of men on earth What manner of salutation Cujus esset saith one Interpreter voluit enim probare spiritum Qualis quanta saith another Id est quam honorifica magnifica ac proinde supra sortem suam pofita What an honourable salutation it was and more then she could acknowledge Verse 30. Feare not Mary We are not fit to hear till quit of carnall affections and passions The eare which tastes words as the mouth doth meat when filled with choller or other ill humours can relish no comfort Verse 31. Shalt call his name Jesus See the Note on Matt. 1. 21. If it were such a mercy to Israel that God raised up of their Sonnes for Prophets and of their young men for Nazarites Amos 2. 11. What was it to Mary and in her to all mankind that she should be mother to the Arch-prophet to that famous Nazarite Verse 32. Sonne of the highest Answerable to the Hebrew Elion whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the sunne cujus antiquissima veneratio saith Beza whom the ancients deifie Verse 33. And of his Kingdom there shall be no end St. Paul saith indeed that he shall at the end of the world deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father not that his Kingdom shall then cease but that form of administration only that he now useth in the collecting and conserving of his Church Verse 34. How shall this be This is a speech not of unbeleif but of wonderment as desiring also to be better informed Verse 35. The power of the highest shall over-shadow thee As once he did the confused Chaos in the Creation This very expression was a great confirmation to the Virgins faith and may well serve for a caution to us not to be over-curious in searching into this secret Verse 36. Who was called barren It is observed that the barren women so called in both Testaments had the best Children as Sarah Rebecca Rachel Elizabeth c. because long held off and much humbled Some also have observed that the New Testament affords more store of good women then the Old Verse 37. For with God c. We never doubt of Gods will but we do in some measure doubt of his power See them both running paralell Job 42. 2. Verse 38. Behold the handmaid of the Lord Not Mall Gods maid as a black-mouthed Blatero hath blasphemed in print that the Puritans rudely call her Verse 39. Into the hill-country Of Juda southward of Jerusalem into the City of Hebron Josh. 21. 9. Verse 40. Saluted Elizabeth To whom she could not rest till she had imparted the good newes and both given and received some spirituall gift for mutuall confirmation and comfort Rom. 1. 11 12 Greif growes greater by concealing joy by expression Only the meeting of Saints in heaven can parallell the meeting of these two couzens Verse 41. The babe leapt in her womb Such comfort there is in the presence of Christ though but in the womb as it made John to spring What then shall it be in heaven think we Verse 42. Blessed art thou among women So is Jael the wife of Heber said to be Judg. 5. 24. who yet perhaps was hardly so good a woman as Deborah that called her so But it was no small confirmation to the blessed Virgin to hear the same words from Elizabeth that she heard before from the Angell And blessed is the fruit c. Or because blessed is the fruit of thy womb therefore blessed art thou c. Verse 43. That the mother of my Lord c. That the Lord himself should come amongst us as he did in the flesh and doth still by his Spirit Oh what a mercy Verse 44 Leaped in my womb More like a suckling at the the breast as the word signifieth then an Embryo in the womb The Spirit then worketh even in unborn babes that are elect some kind of saving knowledge of Christ answerable to faith in those that are grown up Verse 45. Blessed 〈◊〉 she Mary beleeved so did not 〈◊〉 though a man a Priest aged learned eminent and the message to him of more appearing possibility This Elizabeth here seems to have an eye to Beleeved that there shall be c. The same may be said of every beleiver It is true also in cases ordinary A perswasion that God will help and keep us will indeed help and keep us Marke 9. 23. Verse 46. And Mary said See the benefit of good 〈◊〉 and how one Christian kindleth another As Iron sharpneth iron so 〈◊〉 the face of a man his freind Doth magnifie the Lord Makes roome for him enlargeth her thoughts of him throwes wide open the everlasting doors that the King of glory may come in in State My spirit rejoyceth Tripudiat danceth a galliard which seemeth to come from the Greek word here used danceth Levaltoes in God or for God my Saviour as the matter and ground of my joy Verse 48. The low estate Vilitatem the 〈◊〉 and abject 〈◊〉 Cóntra Mariae 〈◊〉 quae 〈◊〉 Papicolae Here 's no mention of merit All generations shall call me blessed How much more should we with one mind and one mouth blesse God the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ This is an honour that he much standeth upon Rom. 15. 6. Verse 49. He that is mighty 〈◊〉 The mighty strong God Hath done great things for me No small things can fall from so great a hand He gives life himself And Holy is his 〈◊〉 God that is holy is to be sanctified in holinesse Isaiah 5. 16. when men see their children especially as here the work of Gods hands Isaiah 29. 23. Verse 50. From generation to generation Personall goodnesse is profitable to posterity Verse 51. He hath shewed strength c. It appears by the whole frame of this holy song that the blessed Virgin was well versed iu the Scripture which she here makes so much use of in sundry passages She was eruditionis pietatis modestiae 〈◊〉 as one speaketh of the Lady Jane Gray He hath scattered the proud He by his strong Arme hath so splitted them that they shiver into peeces or hath made them as darts which being among the enemies are lost or hath hurled them hither and thither as the wind doth the dust of the mountains Verse 52. He hath 〈◊〉 downe the mighty As he did 〈◊〉 the proud Turk and set up Tamberlaine a Stythian shepheard who said that he was sent from heaven to punish Bajazets rashnesse and to teach him that the proud are hated of God whose promise is to pluck down the mighty and raise up the lowly Verse 53. He hath filled the hungry See 〈◊〉 Note on Matth. 5. 6. Verse 54. He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant He hath put under his hand and raised him prostrate taken him up at his feet This he will not do for an evill doer he taketh not the ungodly by the hand Job 8. 20. Verse 55. As he spake to our fathers Who lived upon reversions and dyed upon the promises accounting them good free-hold God keeps promise with nights and dayes 〈◊〉 33. 20. 25. How much more will he with Abraham and his seed for ever Verse 56. And 〈◊〉 to her own house An honest heart is where its calling is Such a one when 〈◊〉 is abroad is like a fish in the aire whereinto if it leap for recreation or necessity yet it soon returns to its own element Verse 57. And she brought forth a sonne The voice of the Lord maketh the Hindes to calve Psal. 29. 9. though of all other bruit creatures they bring forth with great trouble bowing themselves bruising their 〈◊〉 and casting out their sorrows Job 39. 4. 6. How much 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 help his dear handmaids Verse 58. The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great 〈◊〉 And the greater 〈◊〉 in her old age Births with those that are ancienter are with greater danger so is the new birth in old sinners Verse 59. To Circumcise the child Infants are no innocents they are conceived in sin and the first sheet or blanket wherewith they are covered is woven of sin shame bloud and filth Ezek. 16. 4. 6. They were Circumcised to signifie that we had bettet be stayed and have our skin quite stript off then to haue it as a skin-bottle hanging in the smoak of filthy desires and blown full of 〈◊〉 motions with the breath of Satan Verse 60. He shall be called John Bucer here observeth that he that was high Preist when Salomon built the Temple was called John and that there was herein a sweet suitablenesse 〈◊〉 vero connenit saith he ut quo nomine sacerdos Salomonis typici hoc veri vocaretur that the Type and Truth might accord in the very name Verse 61. There is none of thy kindred There is an inbred desire in us all of immortality we would eternize our names and do therefore call our children cities lands c. after them Psal. 49. 11. But they do best that get assurance that their names are written in heaven They that depart from God shall be written in the earth Jeremiah 17. 13. as Cains son Lord Enoch of Enoch Genesis 4. And those men of renown Genesis 11. 4 were Verse 62. And they made signes to his father Who therefore seems to have been deaf as well as dumb because he had not hearkned to the Angels speech but gain-saied it Verse 63. And he asked for a writing-table Tabellam sc. 〈◊〉 in qua olim stylo 〈◊〉 saith Sa. He had an excellent faculty of whom Martiall reporteth Currant verba licet manus est veocior illis Et vix lingua suum dextra peregit opus Verse 64. And he spake and praised God And had he had as many tongues as he had hairs upon his head he could never have sufficiently praised God for his son but especially for his Saviour See 1 Timothy 1. 15 16 17. Zachary beleeveth and therefore speaks Psal. 116. 10. the tongue of the dumb sings Isaiah 35. 6. Verse 65. And feare came on all This was either the fear of admiration at the many strange accidents about the birth of the Baptist or the fear of punishment seeing so good a man as Zachary so long to have suffered for his unbeleef Verse 66. And the hand of the Lord That is his grace and blessing He had the honour to be Legis gratiae fibula as Chrysologus hath it the buckle and boundary of the Law and Gospel Verse 67. Was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophecyed This was a plentifull amends for the late losse of his speech See here the goodnesse of God to all his Quibus non solum ablata restituit `sed 〈◊〉 concedit saith Ambrose Ille dudum 〈◊〉 Prophetat God is better to his then their hopes Verse 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel This is 〈◊〉 Evangelicissimus say both Bucer and Pellican A most Evangelicall Canticle Redeemed his people From the wrath of God over them the guilt and power of sin within them from Satan and the punishment of sin without them Verse 69. An horne of salvation A Cornu-copia or a mighty Saviour qui instar bovis cornupetae inimicos populi Dei prosternat atque dejiciat that can bestir him much better then that Hee-goate Alexander the great who had a notable horn between his eyes wherewith he cast down the Ramme to the ground and stamped upon him c. Dan. 8. 7. Macedones tunc temporis AEgeades id est caprini dicti sunt Occasionem vide Justin. lib. 7. The Macedones were at that time called Goate-sprung Verse 70. By the mouth There were many Prophets yet had they all but one mouth so sweet is their harmony Verse 71. That we should be saved Gr. Salvation from our enemies This properly importeth the privative part of mans happinesse but includes the positive too Verse 72. To performe the mercy Gods love moves him to promise his truth binds him to performe See both these 2 Sam. 7. 18. 21. For thy words sake and according to thine owne heart that is ex mero motu haste thou done all these things Verse 73. The oath which he sware 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hedge 〈◊〉 a man may not break much lesse will God Verse 74. Might serve him Servati sumus ut serviamus Christ hath therefore broke the devils yoke from of our necks that we may take upon us this sweet yoke and not carry ourselves as sons of Belial Verse 75. Before him The sense of Gods presence makes men conscientiously obedient to both tables of the Law Cave 〈◊〉 Cato was a watch-word among the Romanes Noli 〈◊〉 Deus videt 〈◊〉 astant c. Take heed what thou doest God beholds thee Angels observe thee c. Verse 76. And thou child scil qui nunc tantillus es in virum magnum evades Though little thou shalt prove great Thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord Any relation to whom ennobleth and advanceth all worth Verse 77. To give knowledge Not by infusion Dan. 1. 17. but by instruction See the dignity and duty of Ministers Verse 78. Whereby the day-spring Or as Beza rendreth it The Branch from on high not from beneath as other plants or branches So the anchor of hope entreth not into the deep but into that within the vaile Heb. 6. 19. Verse 79. That sit in darknesse This imports 1. continuance 2. content To guide our feet The superstitious Pagans thought that their goddesse Vibilia kept them in their right way when they travelled But we have a better guide to God Verse 〈◊〉 And the child grew Though his meat was but course and not so nourishing The blessing of God is the staffe of bread bread would no more nourish without it then a piece of earth CHAP. II. Verse 1. A decree from Cesar Augustus BY a sweet providence of God that Christ might be born at Bethlehem according to the Scriptures Howbeit Augustus thought not so as it is said in another case of Nebuchadnezzar Esay 10. but ambitiously sought the setting forth of his own greatnesse and large command and carried it without punishment when as David smarted sore for a like offence But God will take that from others that he will not bear with in his own Amos 3. 2. That all the world That is the Romane world but such was their ambition that though they had but a part yet they stiled themselves Lords of all the World So the Pope the image of that Beast will needs be stiled Universall Bishop The Great Turk that Eastern Antichrist calls himselfe God on earth Sole Monarch of the 〈◊〉 Commander of all that can be commanded c. and by many other such like swelling titles Verse 2. When Cyrenius c. Quirinus the Latine Writers call him Now that the Scepter was departed Shiloh came Verse 3. And all went to be taxed To pay a certain small sum of money in token of fealty I was once at a Court-Sermon saith Melancthon on the Nativity-day and this was the Text but the Preacher instead of discoursing on Christs 〈◊〉 spent the whole hour in a very cold day in perswading the people to obey Magistrates and to give them as much money as they call for This is the guise of Court-Parasites Princes trencher-Flyes Verse 4. And Joseph also went up By a speciall providence of God as is above-noted verse 1. and not onely so but that the holy Virgin might still have with her the keeper and cover of her virginity that the devill might not have occasion to raise up false reports about her great belly Verse 5. Being great with child Yet could not be excused This was a cruelty in Augustus not to spare great-bellied women but a mercy of God to mankind for what the 〈◊〉 had it been for us if Joseph had gone to Bethlehem and not Mary also Verse 6. The dayes were accomplished Her delivery might well be hastened or at least facilitated by her long journey for it was no lesse then foure dayes journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem Some say she was gravida but not gravata great-bellied but not unweildy Lumen enim quod in se habebat pondus 〈◊〉 non poterat saith Augustine but I am not bound to beleeve him Verse 7. And she brought forth her first-born Whether shee were Deipara the Mother of God was a great controversie and raised a great storm in the Councell of Ephesus insomuch as the Emperour declared both sides hereticks But forasmuch as 〈◊〉 was the Mother of Christ Mat. 1. 23. and Christ is God in bringing forth Christ she was the Mother of God Whether she continued after this a Virgin piè credimus sed nihil affirmamus But that shee vowed Virginity as Papists 〈◊〉 we deny For how could she promise Virginity to God and Marriage to Joseph Wrapped him in swadling 〈◊〉 This paines she was at such was her love though newly delivered and much weakned thereby His swadling-clothes were poore and ragged as may be gathered out of the Greek word here used Laid him in a manger Non in aureo reclinatorio saith Ludolphus not in a stately room as the Porphyrogeniti in Constantinople not in the best but basest place of the Inne which is counted the meanest house of a City Oh humble Saviour whither wilt thou 〈◊〉 Verse 8. Keeping watch over their flock At the tower of 〈◊〉 say some between Jerusalem and Bethlehem where Jacob returning from Mesopotamia stayed with his flock after hee had buried Rachel Gen. 35. 21. Mic. 4. 8. By night Hence some gather that our Saviour was not born in the winter because in winter they housed their cattle and fed them not without doores Pro. 27. 25. Verse 9. And lo the Angel of the Lord Gabriel likely was sent not to Zachary or Simeon c. but to certain Shepherds God goes a way by himself Had the Sages of the East met with these Shepherds they had received better intelligence then they did from the learned Scribes And the glory of the Lord As when a Kings son is born 〈◊〉 are made c. Verse 10. I bring you good tidings The first Preacher of the Gospel was an Angel God hath now taken this honour from the Angels and put it upon the Ministers who are in Scripture called Angels Revel 2. 1. and Angels Ministers Heb. 1. 14. The old Church had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 tidings Verse 11. A Saviour The Greek word is so emphaticall as Tully witnesseth that other tongues can hardly find a fit word to expresse it The Grecians by Flaminius rang out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with such a courage that the birds astonished fell to the earth Verse 12. Wrapped in swadling-clothes In vilibus veteribus indumentis saith 〈◊〉 See the Note on verse 7. Verse 13. 〈◊〉 God Angels who have neither so much interest in Christ nor benefit by him as we sing him into the world And shall we be dumb They sang when the world was created Job 38. 7. So now that it was repaired by Christ. Verse 14. In earth
〈◊〉 but now mine eye seeth thee What shall it be to 〈◊〉 when we shall see God face to face c. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worship we God with reverence till we come to see him face to face Verse 31. Before the face of all people As a banner displaid as a beacon on a hill or as the Sun in heaven to be beheld of all as the brasen serpent was lifted up in the wildernesse c. Joh. 3. 15. 〈◊〉 2. 11. Verse 32. The glory of thy people Israel Oh! pity their 〈◊〉 and pray their conversion that the Jewes may call God Abba the Gentiles Father Dan. 12. 11. There is a Prophecy of the Jewes finall restauration saith one and the time is expressed which is 1290. years after the ceasing of the daily sacrifice and the setting up of the abomination of desolation which is conceived to be about Julians time who assayed to re-build the Temple of the Jewes but was hindered from heaven This was Anno Dom. 360. to which if you adde 1290. yeares it will pitch the calculation upon the year 1650. Verse 33. Marvelled at those things Saints the further they see into the mystery of Christ the more are they transported with admiration But most of al at the last day 2 Thes. 1. 10. Verse 34. And for a sign c. For a but-mark against whom his enemies shall shoot the shafts of their gain-sayings Like as at the sack of Constantinople the Image of the 〈◊〉 was taken 〈◊〉 by the Turks and a Turks cap put upon the head thereof and so set up and shot at with their arrowes calling it the God of the Christians Verse 35. Yea a sword shall peirce c. This confutes that of 〈◊〉 Mulier nulla cordicitus dolet ex animo The word here rendred sword properly signifies a long Thracian 〈◊〉 That the thoughts of many hearts As they are also now in these discriminating shedding times Affliction tryeth men who are Crocodiles Spunges Camelions c. Before these dayes came said Master Bradford Martyr how many thought of themselves that they had been in Gods bosome and so were taken and would be taken in the world But now we see whose they are for to whom we obey his servants we are c. In the Palatinate scarce one man in twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves in autumne Verse 36. From her virginity i. e. She was a pure virgin when married to her husband All are not virgins that passe for such some have their secret conveyances Prov. 30. 19. 20. They can eate stollen bread and afterwards so wipe their lips that not the least crum shall be 〈◊〉 Verse 37. A widdow of about 84. years She was now ripe and ready even of her own accord to fall into Gods hand as ripe fruites do into the hand of the gatherer And the thoughts of death had long since forbad the banes of a second marriage Cogita te qisotidiè mariturum de secundis 〈◊〉 nunquam cogitabis Think of death and the thoughts of marrying again will dye within thee Verse 38. Gave thanks likewise Succinuit Simeoni seconded Simeon and sang the same song This was somewhat extraordinary as being against that 1 Tim. 2. 12. and therefore fell out only in troublesome and confused times of the Church as likewise 〈◊〉 the Prophetesse Our Praedicantissae have here no patronage Verse 39. According to the Law of the Lord This is often recorded of them in this Chapter that they observe the Law exactly to their singular commendation The Law is to be kept as the apple of ones eye Prov. 7. 2. Count nothing little that God commands It is as much treason to coyne pence as twenty-shilling-peeces And they were commanded not to 〈◊〉 of the bloud as ever they looked for Gods blessing They returned into Galilee After they had first fled down into AEgypt Matt. 2. Verse 40. And the grace of God was upon him Without measure so that of his overflow we have all received grace for grace He had a fulnesse not repletive only but diffusive too not of plenty only but of bounty also not only of abundance but of redundancy Hee was Anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse not onely above but for his fellowes Verse 41. Now his parents went c. Every male was to appear thrice a year before the Lord. In the females it was a free-will offering and well accepted Verse 42. And when he was twelve yeares old What he did from his infancy hitherto the Scripture is silent Papists faine many idle relations and thereby expose us to the jeares of Jewish and Turkish miscreants Where the Scripture hath no tongue we must have no eares Verse 43. Joseph and his mother knew not One would wonder they should be so carelesse of so peerlesse a pearle They might well think there were enough at Jerusalem among the 〈◊〉 especially that would have been glad to have dispatcht 〈◊〉 that should take upon them to be Messias the prince as Daniel calleth him Chap 9. 25. Verse 44. Sought him among their kinsfolk They knew him to be of a disposition not strange and Stoicall but sweet and sociable Let not us tye up our selves in a stern austerity but run into the company of those now that must be our everlasting companions in heaven Verse 45. And when they found him not The best are sometimes at a losse and hard put too 't for three dayes or so 〈◊〉 this mostly for their security as the Church in the 〈◊〉 Verse 46. Sitting in the midst of the Doctors Christus prius sedet 〈◊〉 medio Doctorum ut rectè distin 36. Gratian. quam 〈◊〉 capit munus Mediatoris obire Hearing them and posing them In this very year the Temple was prophaned even at the Passeover For the Priests having 〈◊〉 the Temple doores by night as the manner was found a great company of dead-mens bones in the morning thrown here and there thorough the whole house This saith Josephus was thought to have been done by the Samaritans in spight to the Jewes But others think God had a speciall hand in it to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temple-services were shortly to dye and determine now 〈◊〉 the Lord of heaven and earth had taught therein with his own 〈◊〉 voice Verse 47. At his understanding Which was so large even as 〈◊〉 that some have affirmed it to be infinite and uncreated 〈◊〉 of this his manhood being a creature was uncapable Howbeit here 〈◊〉 Saviour put forth a beam of his Deity which yet he soon drew in again and lay long after obscured Verse 48. Have sought thee sorrowing Animo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflictissimo God often cures a Lethargy of security by a 〈◊〉 of perplexity Verse 49. Wist ye not Men be they pleased or displeased God must be obeyed Verse 50. They understood not Yet were well versed in the 〈◊〉 If God give us not
saith the Moralist Every man cannot be an Elias or a Phineas Numb 25. 8. To that height of heat ordinary mens tempers ate not raised Verse 58. And Jesus said unto him Christ had felt his pulse and found his temper that he looked after outward things only and therefore he lets him know what to trust unto Verse 62. No man having put his hand Christ here haply 〈◊〉 to that which Elisha did 1 King 19. 19. CHAP. X. Verse 1. Other seventy also AS his heralds to foreshew his comming to Jerusalem and to proclaime the true Jubilee Verse 3. Go your wayes Christ had no sooner bidden them pray but he answers their prayers When we bid our children ask us for this or that it is because we mean to give it them As Lambs among Wolves Sed sollicitudo pastoris boni efficit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in agnos audere nil possint saith Ambrose The care of the good shepheard is the safety of the flock Verse 4. Salute no man For that your task is long your time is little Verse 8. Such things as they set before you Not seeking after dainties It becomes not a servant of the Highest to be a slave to his palat Epicurci dum palato prospiciunt coeli 〈◊〉 non suspiciunt saith the heathen Verse 11. That the Kingdom of God There is in unbeleif an odious unthankfulnesse Such judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Act. 13. 44. they are condemned already Joh. 3. Verse 16. He that despiseth you Julius 〈◊〉 complaining to the Emperour of wrong done to him by the Duke of Saxony received this answer from him Tuacausa erit meacausa so saith Christ to all his servants Causa ut sit magna magnus est 〈◊〉 author ejus neque enim nostra est saith Luther to 〈◊〉 Verse 17. And the seventy returned again with joy We are all naturally ambitious and desirous of vain-glory A small wind blowes up a bubble Pray down this vanity Verse 18. Fall from heaven That is from mens hearts which he accounts is heaven but is cast out by the mighty Gospel Verse 19. To tread on serpents See the Note on Mark 16. 18. Good Ministers tread so hard on the old Serpents head that it s no wonder he turns again and nibbleth at their heeles Verse 20. That your names are written That you are 〈◊〉 Burgesses of the new Jerusalem Paul by his priviledge of being a Roman escaped whipping we by this escape 〈◊〉 The sinner ingrosseth his name in the book of 〈◊〉 Verse 21. I thank thee ô father c. With this prayer the Anabaptists of Germany usually began their Sermons thinking thereby to excuse their lack of learning And then protested that they would deliver nothing but what was revealed to them from above Verse 23. Blessed are the eyes c. How blessed then are they that hear this Arch-prophet in heaven Moses and Elias conversing with Christ in the Mount could much better discourse of his decease and other divine doctrines then ever they could whiles here upon earth An infant of one day there is much beyond the deepest Doctor here Verse 24. Many Prophets and Kings Many righteous saith Matthew Righteous persons are Kings Verse 27. With all thy heart and c. Serviendum Deo toto corde id est amore summo more vero ore fideli re omni Hoc non fit verbis Marce ut ameris 〈◊〉 Here some weak Christians are troubled as conceiting that they love their children friends c. better then God But it is answered 1. When two streames run in one channell as here nature and grace do they run stronger then one st eam doth When a man loves God and the things of God grace is alone nature yeelds nothing to that 2. We must not judge by an indeliberate passion The love of God is a constant stream not a torrent but a current that runs all our life time but runs still and without noyse as the waters of Shiloh and of Nilus nullas confessus murmure vires that runs smoothly With all thy strength That is saith a Divine in our particular places A Magistrate must execute Justice for Gods sake c. Verse 30. And Jesus answering Gr. Taking the tale out of his mouth being ready with his answer For he is that Palmoni Ham me dabbar in Daniel that prime Prolocutour Verse 31. And by chance Indeed by the providence of God over ruling the matter as it doth in things that to us are meerly casuall and contingent Verse 32. Passed by on the other side For fear of legall pollution But two duties never meet so as to crosse one another the one of them yeilds and the execution of the yeilding duty for the present hath reason of an offence This Levites legall strictnesse was here a vice he should rather have shewed mercy to his brother in misery So that the Rule Negatives alwayes bind intends not that they are of an indispensable nature but that every particular instant of time is to be observed for their obedience while and where they stand of force Verse 33. A certain Samaritan Turnebus 〈◊〉 putat Parabolanos quasi aemulos Samaritani Hoc autem nomine vocabantur qui curandis debilium corporibus deputabantur Those that looked to sick people were hence called Parabolanes or Samaritans Verse 34. Powring in Oyle and Wine Wine to search and Oyle to supple Wine signifies the sharpnesse of the Law saith Melanchthon Oyle the sweetneste of the Gospel Now so great is the naturall sympathy and harmony between the vine and the olive that the olive being grafted into the vine brings forth both grapes and olives Verse 39. Sate at Jesus feet As his disciples Act. 22. 3. So the children of the Prophets of old whence that expression 2 King 2. 3. Knowest thou not that the Lord will take away thy Master from thy head to day Verse 40. Martha was cumbred Diversly distracted In multitude of worldly businesse the soul is like a mill where one cannot hear another the noise is such as taketh away al entercourse We should look at the world but only out at the eyes end as it were Verse 41. Thou art carefull Christ prefers attention before attendance To hearken is better then the fat of rammes 1 Sam. 15. 22. Verse 42. But one thing is necessary That bonum hominis Mic. 6. 8. that totum hominis Eccles. 12. 13. the happinesse the whole of a man CHAP. XI Verse 3. Our daily bread OUr super-substantiall bread so Erasmus rendreth it and interpreteth it of Christ for he thought that in so heavenly a prayer there should have been no mention of earthly things wherein he was greatly deceived For temporals also must be pray'd for Verse 4. For we 〈◊〉 forgive So that our forgiving of others seemeth for Gods promise sake to be as it were the intervenient cause or the sine Qua non of Gods forgiving us saith learned
vine-dressers to intercede for them God will yeeld somewhat to prayer when he is bitterly bent against a people or person Till I shall dig c. Donec eam ablaqueavero stercot 〈◊〉 Ministers must try their utmost to fulfill their ministery that they have received of the Lord. Colos. 4. 17. Verse 15. Thou hypocrite The Syriaek rendreth it Assumens vultum Thou that 〈◊〉 a good face upon it thou that personatest a better man then thou art thou picture of piety c. Verse 23. Are there 〈◊〉 c. Few received Christ in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 12. 〈◊〉 wondred at one good 〈◊〉 They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that look 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most 〈◊〉 on that old popish rule to follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 24. strive to 〈◊〉 Strive even to an agony or as they did for the garland in the Olympick games to the which the word here used seemeth to allude All would come to heaven but all like not the way they would not per angusta ad augusta pervenire they like well of Abrahams bosome but not of Dives his doore But let none think to live in Dalilahs lap and then to rest in Abraham bosome to dance with the Devill all day and then to 〈◊〉 with Christ at night to fly to heaven with pleasant wings to passe a deliciis ad delicias e coeno ad coelum c. to goe to heaven in a feather-bed Verse 26. We have eat and drunk c. These pretenders to Christ perish by catching at their owne catch hanging on their owne fancy making a bridge of their owne shadow c. they verily beleeve that Christ is their sweet Saviour c. when it 's no such matter they trust to Christ as the Apricock tree that leanes against the wall but is fast rooted in the earth so are these in the world c. Verse 29. And shall sit down As at a sumptuous supper When therefore we are invited to a full feast think of heaven As Fulgentius beholding at Rome the Majesty of the Emperour the glory of the Senate the lustre of the Nobility cryed out How beautifull is Jerusalem the Caelestiall sith Rome the Terrestriall appeareth with such splendor So Master Esty when he sate and heard a sweet consort of Musick seemed upon this occasion carried up for the time before-hand to the place of his rest saying very passionately What Musick may we think there is in heaven Verse 32. To day and to morrow i. e. As long as I list without his leave Faith makes a man walk about the world as a conquerour I shall be perfected Or I shall be sacrificed as 〈◊〉 rendreth it CHAP. XIV Verse 1. They watched him GRaece They superstitiously and maliciously observed him Aristot 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. Bishop Hooper had his board of beggars who were dayly served by four at a messe with whole and wholesome meates before himself sate 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 tasted 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are happy that get to heaven they rest from their labours The Ancients dined frugally supped liberally Be of good 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 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 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 farm 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 God hath given you as love-tokens to admonish you of his love to 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 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 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 austere 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 vulgar 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 Our 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not caring to save any part 〈◊〉 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 great 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 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 that 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 CHAP. XVI Verse 1. A 〈◊〉 rich man which had a Steward MAster 's had need look well 1. To the chusing of their servants Salomon saw Jeroboam that he was industrious and therefore without any respect at all to his Religion he made him 〈◊〉 over all the charge of the house of Joseph but to his 〈◊〉 disadvantage 〈◊〉 King 11. 28. with chapt 12. 3. 2. To the using of them Most men make no other use of their servants then they doe of their beasts whiles they may have their bodyes to doe their service they care not if their soules serve the Devill Hence they so 〈◊〉 prove false and 〈◊〉 Verse 2. Give an account of thy stewardship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putet said Cato Stewards should often account with their masters Verse 3. I cannot dig c. They that will get wisedome must both dig and beg Prov. 2. 3. 4. Verse 6. Take thy bill The scope of this parable is ut 〈◊〉 charitate erga pauperes compensemus saith Beza that we expiate as it were our prodigality by shewing mercy to the poore Dan 4. 27. Verse 8. And the Lord commended Gr. that Lord viz. the Steward Lord not the Lord Christ who relateth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we understand it of Christ as the Syriack here doth yet He herein no more approveth of this Steward 's false-dealing then he doth of the Vsurers trade 〈◊〉 5. 27. or the theeves 1 Thess. 5. 2. Or the dancers Matth. 11. 17. or the Olympick games 1 Cor. 9. 24. Because he had done wisely The worldlings wisedome serves him as the Ostriches wings to make him out-run others upon earth and in earthly things but helps him never a whit toward heaven Are in their generation wiser A swine that wanders can make better shift to get home to the trough then a sheepe can to the fold We have not received the spirit of this world 1 Cor. 2. 12. we cannot shift and plot as they can but we have received a better thing The fox is wise in his generation the serpent subtile so is the Devill too When he was but young he out-witted our 〈◊〉 parents 2 Cor. 11. 3. Then the children of light As the Angels are called Angels of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Gods children are the onely earthly Angels have a Goshen in their bosomes can lay their hands on their hearts with dying Oecolampadius and say Hic sat lucis Verse 9. 〈◊〉 unto your selves friends quibus officia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 Testifie your faith by your workes that God of his free-grace may commend and 〈◊〉 you Of the Mammon of 〈◊〉 The next odious name to the Devill himselfe This Mammon of iniquity This wages of wickednesse is not gain but losse They may receive you That is that 〈◊〉 the Angels or 〈◊〉 riches or the poore may let you into heaven Verse 11. In the unrighteous 〈◊〉 or the uncertaine 〈◊〉 deceitfull wealth of this world which yet most rich men trust in as if simply the better or safer for their abundauce Hence 〈◊〉 derives Mammon from 〈◊〉 which signifieth to 〈◊〉 Verse 12. In that which is another 〈◊〉 Riches are not properly ours but Gods who hath entrusted us and who doth usually agssine them to the wicked those men of his hand for their portion Psal. 17. 14. for all the heaven that they are ever to look for Better things abide the Saints who are here but forreiners and must doe as they may Who shall give you that which is your owne Quod nec eripi nec 〈◊〉 potest Aristotle relateth a law like this made by 〈◊〉 That he that used not another mans horse well should 〈◊〉 owne Verse 14. And they derided him Gr. They blew their noses at him in scorne and derision They fleared and jeared when they should have feared and fled from the wrath to come Verse 15. For that which is highly esteemed c. A thing that I see in the night may shine and that shining proceed from nothing but rottennesse There may be malum 〈◊〉 in bona 〈◊〉 as in 〈◊〉 Zeale Two things make a good Christian good actions and good aymes And though a good ayme doth not make a bad action good as in Vzzah yet a bad ayme makes a good action bad as in 〈◊〉 whose justice was approved but his pollicy punished Verse 19. There was a certaine rich man Not once named as 〈◊〉 was though never so little esteemed of men God knew him by name as he did Moses when the rich mans name is written in the earth rottes above-ground is left for a reproach Which was clothed in purple c. Gr. was commonly so cloathed It was his every-dayes weare as the word implyeth Verse 20. A certaine beggar named Lazarus Or Eleazar as Tertullian and Prudentius call him who having beene Abrahams faithfull servant now resteth in his bosome Verse 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs Many poore folk have but prisoners pittances which will neither keepe them alive nor suffer them to dye The dogs came and licked his sores When Sabinus was put to death for whifpering against Seianus his dog lay down by his dead body brought to his mouth the bread that was cast to him And 〈◊〉 Sabinus was thrown into the river Tiber the dog 〈◊〉 after him to keepe him up that he might not sinke into the bottome Verse 22. Into Abrahams bosome A Metaphor from feasts say some from fathers say Others who imbosome and hug their children when wearied with long running-about or 〈◊〉 met with a knock and come crying unto them And was carried by the Angels Thorough the ayre the Devils region doe the Angels conduct the Saints at death who may therefore call death as Jacob did the place where he met the Angels Mahanaim Genes 32. 2. For like as the 〈◊〉 man was let down with his bed thorough the tiling before Jesus Luke 5. 18. so is every good soule taken up in an heavenly couch thorough the roofe of his house and carried into Christs presence by these heavenly Courtiers And was 〈◊〉 Possibly with as much noysome stench and hurry in the ayre as at Cardinall Wolseyes buriall A terrible example there is in the book of Martyrs of one Christopher 〈◊〉 an unmercifull Courtier who suffering a poore Lazar to dye in a 〈◊〉 by him did afterwards perish himselfe in a ditch Verse 23. Being in torments Having punishment without pity misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without compassion mischeife without measure torments without end and past imagination Verse 24. And coole my tongue In his tongue he was most tortured quia plus lingua peccaverat saith Cyprian So Nestorius the heretick had his tongue eaten up with worms So Thomas Arundell Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester two notorious persecutors dyed with their tongues thrust out big-swollen and black
with inflammation of their bodyes A spectacle worthy to be noted of all such bloudy burning persecutors Verse 25. Sonne remember c. Sonne he calls him with respect either ad procreationem carnis aut adaetatem saith Piscator But as it was but cold comfort to Dives in flames that Abraham called him sonne so those that have no more to shrowd themselves under then a generall profession shall find that an empty title yeelds but an empty comfort at last Receivedst thy good things Wicked men then have not only a 〈◊〉 title but a right before God to earthly things It is their portion Psal. 17. 14. And what Ananias had was his owne Act. 5. whiles he had it God gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar for his paines at Tyre It is hard to say they are usurpers They shall not saith One be called to an account at last day for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession As when the King gives a Traytour his life he gives him meat and drink that may maintaine his life So here God deales not as that cr uell D' 〈◊〉 did who starved some prisoners after he had given them quarter saying Though I promised you your lives I promised not to find you meat Verse 26. There is a great gulfe fixed viz. by the unmoveable and immutable decree of God called mountaines of brasse Zech. 6. 1. from betweene which all effects and actions come forth as so many charets Verse 28. Lest they also come into this place This he wisheth not for their good but for his owne For he knew that if they were damned he should be double damned because they were brought thither partly by his lewd and loose example Verse 29. Let them 〈◊〉 them Hell is to be escaped by hearing the word read and preached Joh. 5. 25. Esay 55. 3. Verse 31. Though one rose from the dead As Lazarus did and yet they listened as little to him as to Christ. Joh. 12. but sought to kill him also CHAP. XVII Verse 5. Lord encrease our faith A Most necessary request in this case For the more any man beleeveth that God for Christs sake hath pardoned him the readier he will be to pardon others Verse 8. Gird thy self and serve me It implies 1 readinesse 2 nimblenesse handinesse and handsomenesse A loose 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 mind is unfit to serve God The Deacons cried of old in the Church-meetings Oremus 〈◊〉 Let us pray let us attend to prayer c. Verse 10. We have done that was our duty Or our debt and it is no matter of merit to pay debts This made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founder of New-Colledge c. professe he trusted in Jesus Christ alone for Salvation Charles the Fifth did the like when he came to die And in times of Popery the ordinary instruction appointed to be given to men upon their death beds was that they should look to come to glory not by their own merits but by the vertue and merit of Christs passion that they should place their whole confidence in his death only and in no other thing and that they should interpose his death betwixt God and their sins betwixt them and Gods anger Verse 13. And they lifted up their voices These sought themselves only in their prayers as do hypocrites and nought esteemed the love of Christ. So did those that fasted to themselves 〈◊〉 7. more to get off their chains then their sins Ephrain is an empty vine he 〈◊〉 fruit to himself The Church keeps her fruit for her beloved Verse 14. Go shew your selves unto the Priests As if yee were already cleansed They did so though they saw no sense for it and before they came to the Priest they were cleansed indeed Make your requests known to God with thanksgiving Philip. 4. 6. As who should say make account to speed and be ready with your thanks as if you had what you ask of God Verse 15. And one of them It s ten to one if any return to give thanks Men make prayer their refuge but not their recompence 〈◊〉 returned not according to his receipts And with a loud 〈◊〉 He was as earnest in praises as he had been in prayers Our thanks should be larger and louder then our requests because God prevents us with many mercies and denies nothing we have it either in mony or monies worth Verse 16. Giving him thanks A thankfull man is worth his weight in gold Sed perrarò grati homines reperiuntur saith the Oratour Plerique ut accipiant importuni donec acceperint inquieti ubi acceperint ingrati saith the Father Most pray but pay not they make prayer their refuge but not their recompence Verse 17. Were there not ten cleansed Christ keeps count how many favours men receive from him and will call them to a particular account thereof He is an austere man this way Verse 18. There are not found The Syriack and some others 〈◊〉 these words question-wise and so it is more emphaticall Are there not found that returned c. q. d. That 's admirable that 's abhominable Verse 20. When the kingdom of God c. This they asked in 〈◊〉 q. d. You tell us oft of the kingdom of God and that it is at hand but when comes it once All things continue as they did c. Cometh not with observation That is with outward pomp or superstitious seeking after Verse 21. The kingdom of God is within you It is spiritual Rom. 14. 17. Or it is among you but that you cannot see wood for trees You seek me as absent whom you reject present Verse 22. And he said unto his Disciples q. d. This doctrine concerns you also as well as the perverse Pharisees You shall be ere long at a great losse for me look to it therefore and bestirre you Verse 24. For as the lightning q. d. From mine Ascention and so forwards you are not to look for me again till I come to judgement and then I come on a sudden Many devices there are in the minds of some to think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and reign here upon earth a Thousand years But they are saith a good Divine but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgements powred out upon Gods enemies in making a way to the Jewes conversion by the pattern of the last judgement Verse 27. They did eate they drank An elegant Asyndeton For the reason whereof see the Note on Matt. 24. 38. Verse 28 They did eate they drank It is not said here as vers 27. they married wives they affected rather those odious 〈◊〉 qui non utrinque resolvunt The Turkish Bashaes have their 〈◊〉 which are their serious loves for their wives are used but to dresse their meat to laundresse and for reputation saith one that had been amongst them Sodomy saith he in the Levant is not held a vice Verse 29. But the same day A fair
Sun-shine-morning had a foul dismall evening Neseis quid serus 〈◊〉 vehat Thou knowest not what a great-bellyed day may bring forth 〈◊〉 crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum Think every day the last day Verse 30. Even thus shall it be Security ushereth in destruction The Judge standeth before the door as is easie to foresee Watch therefore Verse 31. He which shall be on the house-top An hyperbolicall expression usuall among the Jewes to denote matter of haste Verse 32. Remember Lots Wife Who either out of curiosity or covetousnesse turnd her but and she was turned We are as hardly drawn off the world as a Dog from a fat morsell Those that set forth of Italy with Galeacius Marquesse of Vicum who left all for the liberty of conscience at Geneva many of them when they came to the borders of Italy and considering what they forsook first looked back afterward went back again and were taken by the Spanish Inquisition and made publikly to abjure the Christian religion Remember the horrible history of 〈◊〉 of old and the lamentable case of Spira alate said the Lady Jane Gray prisoner to Harding the Apostate Lege historiam saith one ne fias historia lege judicia ne fias exemplum 〈◊〉 Verse 37. Where Lord Or Whither Lord viz. shall they be taken of whom thou speakest To heaven saith he See the Note on Matt. 24. 28. Verse 38. There the Eagles Those vulturine Eagles that are said to fly two or three dayes before to the place where armies are to meet and carcases shall be CHAP. XVIII Verse 1. Alwaies to pray and not to faint GRaece Not shrink back as Sluggards in work or Cowards in Warre Prayer should be redoubled and reinforced as those Arrowes of deliverance 2. Kings 13. 19. The woman of Canaan prayes on when denyed And Jacob holds with his hands when his thigh is lamed He wrestled with slight and might he raised dust as the word signifies and would not away without a blessing James surnamed the Just Christs Kinsman had his knees made as hard as Camels knees with much praying as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father Latimer during his imprisonment was 〈◊〉 constant and instant in prayer that oftt 〈◊〉 he was not able to 〈◊〉 off his knees without help Yea Paulus Emilius being to fight with Perses King of Macedony would not give over 〈◊〉 to his God Hercules till he saw certain arguments of a victory As loathing of meat saith a Divine and painfulnesse of speaking are two symptomes of a sick body so irksomnesse of 〈◊〉 and carelesnesse of hearing of a sick soule Verse 2. Which feared not God nor regarded man These two 〈◊〉 of God and shame of the world God hath given to men as 〈◊〉 to restraine them from outrage But sinne hath oaded such 〈◊〉 impudency in some mens faces that they dare do any thing Verse 3. Avenge me of mine adversary A downright request without either Logick or Rhetorick to set it forth or inforce it to each us that though our prayers be but blunt or broken language if importunate they shall prevaile neverthelesse Verse 4. And he would not for a while There is a passive injustice Non 〈◊〉 nocens sed 〈◊〉 fuit saith Ausonius of Claudius Not to do justice is injustice Verse 5. She weary me Gr. She buffet me or club me down God must be pressed in prayer till we put him as you would say to the blush or leave a blot in his face unlesse we may be masters of our requests Verse 6. 7. Heare what the unjust Judge saith Hic paria non inter se conferuntur sed minus cum majore saith Beza Verse 7. Though he bare long with them When they are at the 〈◊〉 most under When their enemies are above feare and they below hope when there is not faith in Earth to beleeve then are there bowels in Heaven to releive and restore them Verse 8. Shall he finde faith upon earth God oft staies so long till the Saints have done looking for him when they have forgot their prayers c. he comes as it were out of an engine Verse 9. That they were righteous and despised others Pray to be preserved from this perillous pinacle of self exaltation Verse 10. The one a Pharisee A Doeg may set his foot as far and further within the Sanctuary as a David The Pharisee and Publican went both of them up to private prayer Verse 11. God I thank thee Non vulnera sed muner a 〈◊〉 he shewes not his want but his worth and stands not only upon his comparisons but upon his disparisons I am not as this Publican No for thou art worse yea for this because thou thinkest thee better But of Pharisees it might be said as Arnobius did of the Gentiles Apud vos optimi censentur quos 〈◊〉 pessimorum 〈◊〉 facit They are very good that are not very bad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pride wears a triple crown with this motio Tra. 〈◊〉 Non obedio 〈◊〉 This Pharisee held himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all others a 〈◊〉 only as Basil of 〈◊〉 hath it He takes his poor counter and sets it down for a Thousand pounds he prizeth himself above the market Verse 12. I fast twice a week Cardinall Bellarmine did more for he fasted thrice a week saith he that writes his life John Arch-Bishop of 〈◊〉 he who first affected the stile of Universall Bishop was sirnamed Nesteutes from his frequent fasting Munday and Thursday were the Pharisees fasting-dayes because Moses went up to the Mount on a Thursday and came down on a Munday saith 〈◊〉 Verse 13. 〈◊〉 upon his breast In token of indignation and that he would have smitten his sin so hard if he could have come at it God be mercifull c. Here was much in few The Publican 〈◊〉 much though he spake little As a body without a soul much wood without fire a bullet in a gun without powder so are words in prayer without spirit Oratio brevis penetrat caelum The hottest springs send forth their waters by ebullitions Verse 14. Justified rather then the other The Pharisee was not at all justified Neither is there More or Lesse in justification But our Saviour here useth a popular kind of expression Verse 18. And a certain Ruler Saint Mark saith that this Ruler came running which argues his earnestnesse and in a man of quality was 〈◊〉 for such walk softly for most part and in state Verse 22. Yet lackest thou one thing Yea all things But our Saviour speaketh thus by an holy irony Verse 25. It is 〈◊〉 for a 〈◊〉 Caveant ergi divites saith an Interpreter solicitè mane vesperi interdiù noctu secum de periculosa vitae suae atione commententur Let rich men therefore weigh their danger and beware Verse 34. And they understood none c. Prejudicate opinions of Christs earthly kingdom
thorow the woof when a double-minded man that hath not cleansed his heart nor washt his hands of worldly lusts is unstable and 〈◊〉 in all his waies Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy minde Luk. 10. 27. And with my minde I serve the Law of God saith Paul which he acknowledged to be spirituall though he were carnall in part sold under sin The old man is still corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts which sometimes so 〈◊〉 and beguile the judgement that a man shall think there is some sense in sinning and that he hath reason to be mad but be ye renewed in the spirit of your mindes in the bosom and bottom of the soul in the most inward and subtile parts of the soul and as it were the 〈◊〉 of it Reserve these upper rooms for Christ and be not ye conformed to the world who minde earthly things and have damnation for their end but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mindes that ye may see and prove by good experience not by a Nationall knowledge only what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is Concerning the East-gate of that Temple in Ezekiel Thus saith the Lord This gate shall be shut and shall not be opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israel hath 〈◊〉 by it Here through signifying saith a Divine that although the heart of a Christian which is the temple of the holy Ghost may let many things enter into it at other gates yet must it keep the East-gate the most illuminate and highest power and part of it continually shut against all men yea against all the world and opened only to one thing I mean to God who hath already entered into it and 〈◊〉 it with his Spirit That as at the windows of 〈◊〉 Ark there entred in no mist nor water nothing else but one thing only which is light so at this East-gate no mist of humane errours no water of worldly cares may enter in but only the light of heaven and a sanctified desire to be fast knit and perfectly united by faith and love to God Verse 23. But if thine eye be evil c. If the light that is in thee be darknesse c. An evil eye is here opposed to a single eye that looks on God singly abstracted from all other things and affects the heart with pure love to him for himself more then for his love-tokens These we may lawfully have but they may not have us If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in 〈◊〉 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life that is pleasure profit and preferment these three like those three troops of the Caldeans Job 1. 17. fall upon the faculties of the soul and carry them away from 〈◊〉 the right owner The minde is filled with greater darknesse then can be expressed How great is that darknesse The Prince that 〈◊〉 understanding is a great oppressour but he that hateth covetousnesse that hath not his eyes bleared and blinded with the dust of earthly-mindednesse shall prolong his daies Prov. 28. 16. So Isa 56. 10 11. His watchmen are blinde And why They are greedy dogs which can never have enough and they are shepherds which cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his quarter Isa. 56. 10 11. Of this sort were those covetous Pharisees that devoúred widows houses therefore blinde because covetous Luke 16. 14. the property of which sin is to besot and infatuate as it did Judas who though he wanted for nothing in our Saviours 〈◊〉 but was sufficiently provided for yet for filthy lucre basely sold his Master and 〈◊〉 for thirty silverlings the known and pitcht price of the 〈◊〉 slave and had the face after all to ask Master is it I when he knew Christ to be the true God and to know all things 〈◊〉 Comets though but Comets as long as they keep 〈◊〉 shine bright but when they decline from their pitch they fall to the earth So when men forsake the Lord and minde earthly things they lose that light they had and are dissipated destroy'd and come to nothing Good therefore is the counsel of 〈◊〉 Labour not to be rich Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Or as Mercerus otherwise reads that text Wilt thou darken 〈◊〉 eyes upon them As those that walk long in the snow or that 〈◊〉 in a smoaky corner can see little at length Whoredome and 〈◊〉 take away the heart saith Hosea cap. 4. 11. as they did 〈◊〉 they drew out his spirits and dissolved his reason so doth covetousnesse It makes a man that he cannot see the net that is 〈◊〉 before him which every bird can do Prov. 1. 17. but whiles 〈◊〉 coveteth the bait loseth his life as Shimei did by looking his servants as Lot who had like to have run the same hazard by 〈◊〉 the plain of Jordan as Jonas that suffered himself to be cast into the sea that the ship with her lading might come safe to shore How many carnall mindes like 〈◊〉 raven fly out of the Ark of Gods Church and imbrace this present world and like the Mariners when they found out Jonas yet fain they would have saved him So many will rather venture their own casting away then cast their worldly lusts over-board How much better Joseph who let go his garment to save himself as Elias did his mantle to go to heaven and Bartimeus his cloak to come to Christ How much better Moses who by faith seeing him that is invisible and having an eye to the reward when he was come to years as the text noteth and therefore well knew what he did for he was no baby refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter and the worlds darling and chusing rather the afflictions of Gods poor people then the pleasures of sin for a season he esteemed the reproach of Christ the worst part of him greater riches then the treasures of Egypt And why all this For 〈◊〉 had respect to the recompence of reward He set his foot as it were upon the battlements of heaven and there-hence looked upon these earthly happinesses as base and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and slender waterish and worthlesse The great Cities of Campania seem but small cottages to them that stand on the top of the Alps the Moon covereth her self with a pale vail and shines not at all in the presence of the Sun No more doth the beauty and bravery of the world wherewith carnall mindes are so bedazelled and 〈◊〉 to a man that hath been in paradise with Paul that hath already laid hold on eternall life The moles of the earth that are blinde and cannot see farre off that have animam triticiam a wheaten soul with that fool in