Bernard who seek straws to put out their eyes withall If we break not off our sins by repentance that there may be a lengthening of our tranquillity a removall of our Candleslick may be as certainly fore-seen and fore-told as if visions and letters were sent us from heaven as once to the Church of Ephesus God may well say to us as to them of old Have I been a wildernesse unto Israel a land of darknesse Or as Themistocles to his Athenians Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits by one man Bona à tergo formosissima Our sins have long since sollicited an utter dissolution and desolation of all and that we should be made a heap and a hissing a waste and a wildernesse Quod Deus aveâ—tat Verse 2. And saying Repent ye Change your mindes now at the preaching of the Gospel as they changed their garments at the promulgation of the Law Rent your hearts and not your garments plough up the fallows of your hearts grieve for your sins even to a transmentation as those Corinthians did and as Simon Peter counselled Simon Magus that snake that had cast his coat but kept his poison For although he caâ—ried the matter so cleanly and cunningly that Philip took him for a true convert and baptized him yet Peter soon saw that he was in the gall or venome of bitternesse for the word used Deut. 29. 18. whereunto the Apostle alludes signifieth both and therefore prescribes him an Antidote the very same that John doth here this generation of vipers Repent if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee His wicked thought is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly change of minde that the Apostle perswadeth him unto is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that by some mischance hath drunk poison must cast it up again as soon as he can ere it get to the vitals Repentance is the souls vomit which is the hardest kinde of physick but the wholsomest Happy is he that by the dung-port of his mouth in a sorrowfull confession can disburden himself of the sinne that both clogs and hazards his soul to death eternall We râ—n from God by sin to death and have no other way to return but by death to sin For the kingdom of heaven is at hand q. d. Ye have a price put into your hands a fair opportunity of making your selves for ever Will ye like the vine and olive in â—othams parable not leave your sweetnesse and fatnesse your dilecta delicta beloved sins although it be to raign yea and that in Gods kingdome Knowest thou not that the goodnesse of God should lead thee to repentance Is there not mercy with God therefore that he may be feared should not men rent their hearts because God is gracious and turn to the Lord because he will multiply pardon To argue from mercy to liberty is the devils logick and makes God repent him of his favours to such as David did of his kindenesse to Nabal Rather we should argue from mercy to duty as Joseph did to his master in a temptation from deliverance to obedience with David Psal. 116 8 9. And therefore return to our fathers house with the Prodigall because there is bread enough therefore repent because his Kingdome is at hand and would be laid hold on As John Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into our hearts Verse 3. For this is he which was spoken of Whether these be the words of the Baptist or of the Evangelist it appears not skils not The most say of the Evangelist concerning the Baptist. By the Prophet Isaias Thus one Testament infolds another as those wheels in Ezekiel And the Law preacheth faith in Christ as well as the Gospel Rom. 10. 6. 7. The voice of one crying Loudly and lustily lifting up his voice as a trumpet or as the sound of many waters Semblably S. Paul was ordained to be a crier 1 Tim. 1. â—1 and so is every faithfull Preacher 2 Tim. 4. 2. He must cry and be instant stand to the work and stand over it Sta cum diligentia saith the Syriack there clangite clamate Jer. 4. 5. Ye have to doe with deaf men dead men living carcases walking sepulchres of themselves Now therefore as our Saviour lifted up his voice when he said Lazarus come forth So must Christs Ministers when they speak to such as lie rotting and stinking in the graves of their corruptions cry aloud Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead that Christ may give thee light Ecclesia the Church is a word in use among the Athenians and signifies an Assembly of Citizens called out of the multitude as it were by name or in their ranks by the voice of the publike Crier to hear some speech or sentence of the Senate The Church in like sort is a company called out of the kingdome of Satan by the voice of Gods Ministers as it were criers to hear the doctrine of the Gospel revealed from heaven There are that observe that John Baptist entered upon his calling in the year of Jubilee which used to be proclaimed by a Crier with the sound of a trumpet and that in allusion thereunto he is called The voice of a crier Prepare ye the way of the Lord. 〈◊〉 the terrours of the Lord to seize upon your souls take not up bucklers against the stroaks of Gods Law bring not your buckets to quench the motions of his Spirit knocking at your hearts by the hammer of his Word Make much of the least beginnings of grace even those they call repressing since they prepare the heart for conversion Open the everlasting doors that the King of glory may come in that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith As Esther leaned upon 〈◊〉 two maids when she came before the King So let the soul 〈◊〉 upon attrition of the Law and contrition of the Gospel so 〈◊〉 the King of glory stretch out the golden Scepter of his grace and we shall live As Iohn Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into our hearts for he that repenteth not the Kingdom of God is far from him he cannot see it for his lusts that hang in his light Make his paths straight Walk exactly precisely accurately 〈◊〉 line and by rule walk as in a frame make straight steps to your feet or else there is no passing the strait gate so strait that as few can walk in it so none can halt in it but must needs goe upright Plain things will joyn in every point one with another not so 〈◊〉 and rugged things In like sort plain spirits close with Gods truths not those that are swoln c. The old heart will never hold out the hardship of holines Verse 4. And the same Iohn had his raiment
〈◊〉 Psal. 〈◊〉 24. And it shall be given you It is not said what shall be given because the gift is above all name saith Austin Like as Amos 4. 12. Thus will I doe unto thee Thus how Non nominat mala ut omnia timeant saith 〈◊〉 out of Hierom No evil is named that they may fear all Verse 8. For every one that asketh receiveth c. And he is worthily miserable that will not be happy for asking Praier saith Lambert the Martyr is in Scripture much commended and many great and unmeasurable benefits are shewed to 〈◊〉 thereupon that men should the more lustily give themselves thereunto Thus Jacob wrestling with God both by might and 〈◊〉 as the word signifieth both by the strength of his body and force of his faith he grounded his praier upon Gods gracious 〈◊〉 which he rolls as sugar in his 〈◊〉 and repeats it again and again See the same course taken 2 Sam. 7. 25. 1 King 8. 25. c. Dan. 9. 2 3 Psal. 12. 5 6 7. Act. 4. 25 c. Cast 〈◊〉 of hope in the darkest desertion wait for day and pray as those in the shipwrack Act. 27. pleading that precious 〈◊〉 Isa. 50. 10. This help if we use not we shall either pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fire or as the Pharisee proudly or as the Thessalonians as men without hope which is to deny our own praiers He cannot possibly be poor that can pray in faith because God is rich to all such Rom. 10. 12. and giveth 〈◊〉 to such as so ask Jam. 1. 5. Never did the hand of faith knock in vain at Gods gate The AEdiles or Chamberlains amongst the Romans had ever their doors standing open for all that had occasion of request or complaint to have free accesse to 〈◊〉 Gods mercy-doors are wide open to the praiers of his 〈◊〉 people The Persian Kings held it a 〈◊〉 of their silly glory to deny an easy accesse to their greatest Subjects It was death to sollicite them uncalled 〈◊〉 her self was afraid But the King of heaven manifesteth himself to his people Joh. 14. 21. calls to his spouse with Let me see thy face let me hear thy voice c. and assigneth her negligence herein as the cause of her 〈◊〉 The door of the Tabernacle was not of any hard or debarring matter but a veil which is easily 〈◊〉 And whereas in the Temple none came neer to worship but onely the high-Priest others stood without in the outer-Court Gods 〈◊〉 are now a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and are 〈◊〉 to worship in the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the Alter Rev. 11. 1. Let us therefore draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Verse 9 10. Or what man is there of you whom if his sonne ask 〈◊〉 c. By an argument from the lesse to the greater Our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he had said that we may ask in faith nothing wavering or being at an uncertainty or at variance with himself doubting whether he should believe or not This is no lesse unpleasing to God then vnprofitable to us God is the Father of all mercies and loveth his farre more then any naturall father doth his own childe then Abraham did Isaack or David Absolom And according to his affections such are his expressions for as he knoweth their needs so he gives them all things richly to enjoy He giveth them not as he doth the wicked panem 〈◊〉 a stone for bread he feeds them not as we say with a bit and a knock He puts not into their hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek proverb hath it whereunto 〈◊〉 Saviour here alludeth for a fish a scorpion No he feedeth them with the finest wheat Psal. 81. 16. and filleth them with fat things 〈◊〉 of marrow Isa. 25. 6. He nourisheth them with the best as Joseph did his fathers houshold in Egypt according to the mouth of the little ones or as so many little ones saith the Originall tenderly and lovingly without their care or labour And whereas some naturall parents have monstrously proved unnaturall as Saul to Ionathan and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 31. Not so God as himself is an everlasting father Isa. 9. 6. So is his 〈◊〉 Isa. 49. 14. Ioh. 13. 1. Men may hate their children whom they loved but he rests in his love Zeph. 3. 17. they may cast out 〈◊〉 babes but he gathers them Father Abraham may forget us and Israel disown us Isa. 63. 16. But thou O Lord art our never-failing Father our Redeemer c. The fathers and governours of the Church may out of an over-flow of their misguided zeal cast us 〈◊〉 and for a pretence say Let the Lord be glorified But then shall he appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Isa. 66. 5. The fathers of our flesh 〈◊〉 their children after their own 〈◊〉 but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse He feeds his people sometimes with the bread of adversity and the water of affliction or gives them as it were a thump on the back with a stone to drive them downwards and makes them eat ashes for bread as David their bread with quaking as 〈◊〉 did holds them to hard meat some of the Martyrs were fed with bread made most part of saw-dust and 〈◊〉 with bread prepared with cow 〈◊〉 He chasteneth them also other-whiles not only with the rods of men but with the severe discipline of scorpions and this seemeth not for the present to be joyous but grievous Neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised They shall sit down with Abrahram yea in Abrahams bosome as they used to lean at feasts in the Kingdom of heaven and shall have not a Benjamins 〈◊〉 only but a royall diet as Ieconiah had every day a portion Then shall the Lord stand forth and say to those men of his hand who had their portion here and whose bellies he filled with his hid treasure The Inne-keeper gives the best bits to his guests but reserves the patrimony for his children Behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry c. Isa. 65. 13. Verse 11. If ye then being evil Even ye my Disciples also For by nature there is never a better of us But as the historian 〈◊〉 that there were many Marij in one Caesar so there are many Cains and Judasses in the 〈◊〉 of us all Homo est inversus decalogus saith one whole evil is in man and whole man in evil 〈◊〉 in the devil whose works even in the best of his Saints Christ came to destroy to dissolve the old frame and to drive out the Prince of darknesse who hath there entrencht himself And
words Synechdochically Calvin Metonymically after Tertullian and Augustine This is my body for this is a signe or figure of my body a seal also to every faithfull receiver that Christ is his with all his benefits Verse 27. And he took the cup Anciently of glasse afterwards of wood and lastly of silver or gold Whence that saying of a Father Once there were wooden cups golden preists now there are golden cups but wooden preists Drink ye all of it This is expresse against that Antichristian sacriledge of robbing the people of the cup. Eckius saith the people ought to content themselves with the bread onely because Equi donati non sunt inspiciendi dentes A gift-horse is not to be looked in the mouth He thought belike that Lay-men could not 〈◊〉 any right to the bread neither Bellarmine a little wiser grants they have right to the bread but adds that in eating the bread transubstantiated by the Priest into the body of Christ they drink his blood also But Lombard his master denies this saying that the bread is not turned but into Christs flesh 〈◊〉 the wine but into his blood And thus these Babel-builders are confounded in their language and hard it is to know what the Church of Rome holdeth The counsell of Constance speaketh out and saith that albeit Christ instituted and accordingly administred this Sacrament in both kindes tamen hoc non-obstante All this notwithstanding the authority of the holy Canons and the approved custom of the Church hath and doth deny the cup to the Laity And Nicolas Shetterden Martyr in his answer compelled the commissary to grant that Christs testament was broken and his institution changed from that he left it But he said they had power so to do Christs redemption is both precious and plentious He makes his people a full feast Bread and wine comprehend entire food for humidum siccum moist and dry are all that is required unto food Isa. 25. 6. Therefore as he gave them in the wildernesse the bread of Angels so he set the Rock abroach for them and so fed them with Sacraments They did all eat the same spirituall bread and they did all drink the same spirituall drink that the ancient Church might give no warrant of a dry Communion The Russians 〈◊〉 kinde of mongrell-Christians communicate in both kindes but mingling both together in a chalice they distribute it both together in a spoon Verse 28. For this is my blood This cup is my blood viz. in a Sacramentall sense as before the bread is said to be Christs body If the words of Christ when he said This is my body did change the substance then belike when Christ said This cup is my blood the substance of the cup was likewise changed into his blood said Shetterden the Martyr to Archdeacon Harpfield And you can no more enforce of necessity said another Martyr from the words of Christ the changing of the bread and wine into his body and blood then the wives flesh to be the naturall and reall flesh of her husband because it is written They are not two but one flesh Besides whereas it is forbidden that any should eat or drink blood The Apostles notwithstanding took and drank of the cup c. And when the Sacrament was administred none of them all crouched down and took it for his God Quandoquidem Christiani manducant Deum quem adorant said Averroes the Arabian sit anima mea cum Philosophis Sith Christians eat their God I 'll have none Which is shed That is shall shortly be shed But all is delivered and set down in the present tense here and elsewhere in this businesse Because to faith which at this Sacrament we should chiefly actuate and exercise all things are made present whether they be things to come as to these Disciples or things past as now to us A communicant must call up his faith and bespeak it as Deborah did her self Judg. 5. 12. Awake awake Deborah utter a song Ascend up to heaven in the act of receiving and fetch down Christ lean by faith upon his blessed bosome cleave to his crosse suck hony out of this rock and oyle out of the flinty rock Deut. 32. 13. intra ipsa redemptoris vulnera figite linguam as Cyprian expresseth it Let faith have her perfect work sith she is both the hand mouth and stomack of the soul. For remission of sinnes This includes all the benefits of the new covenant all the purchase of Christs passion sweetly sealed up to every faithfull receiver Christ instituted his holy supper tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soveraign preservative or purgative saith Ignatius And by this Sacrament we are fenced and and strengthned against the devil and all his assaults saith 〈◊〉 so that he shunneth us as if we were so many lions spetting fire at him Verse 29. I will not drink hence forth So he takes his farewell of his Disciples alluding likely to that custom among them of drinking no more till the next day after they had drunk each his part of the parting-cup Drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom Understand it either of the kingdom of grace Peter saith that he and others did eat and drink with Christ after he rose from the dead Act. 10. 41. we also feast with him dayly by faith at his table especially where he is both feast-maker and feast-master Or of his kingdom of glory frequently and fitly set forth by the similitude of a sumptuous supper Matth. 8. Luk. 14. c. such as to which all other feasts are but hunger Verse 30. And when they had sung an hymne The Jews at the Passeover sang the great Hallelujah that is the hundred and thirteenth Psalme with the five following Psalmes This they began to sing after that dimissory cup aformentioned At all times we should sing Hallelujah's with grace in our hearts to the Lord but at the Sacrament the great Hallelujah the Hosanna Rabbah We should credit the feast by our spirituall jollity shouting as a giant after his wine singing and making melody to the Lord in our hearts Chrysostom maketh mention of an hymne of thanksgiving wont to be used by the Monks of his time after they had supped and he calleth them Angels for their holy and heavenly life and conversation We should come from the Lords table as Moses did from the mount with our faces shining as the good women did from the sepulcher with fear and great joy as the people went to their tents from Solomons feast joyfull and glad of heart 1 King 8. 66. If those in the wildernesse were so cheared and cherished by their idolatrous feast afore the golden calfe that they did eat and drink and rise up to play how much more should we by this blessed banquet To whet our stomacks let faith feed upon some promise before the Sacrament A moderate break-fast gets a man
pleasure to do men in misery any office of curtesie And led him out of the town Either that the miracle he wrought might be the lesse noticed or as holding the inhabitants unworthy to behold it All Israel might see 〈◊〉 go towards the Rock of Rephidim none but the Elders might see him strike it Their unbeleif made them unworthy this priviledge so might their unthankfulnesse the men of Bethsaida Wo to thee 〈◊〉 It is no small favour of God to make us witnesses of his great works Verse 25. He saw every man clearly Procul dilucidè longè 〈◊〉 When we come to heaven we shall see as we are seen who now see but as in a glasse obscurely as old men do thorough Spectacles 1 Cor. 13. Verse 26. Neither go into the town Christ would not vouchsafe such an ungratefull people the benefit of one more Preacher though never so mean This was a greater judgement upon them then if he had turned some other way that arme of the sea that brought so much wealth into their town Verse 27 28. See the Note on Matth. 16. 13. Verse 29. Thou art the Christ This was much in few Here is not Thou art Peter and upon this Rock c. Which if either Saint Mark or Saint Peter had esteemed as Papists now do the foundation of the Christian Church it had not been here omitted as Beza well observeth sith it goes for currant among the Ancients that Saint Mark wrote this Gospel at Saint Peters mouth Verse 31. And after three dayes That is within three dayes or on the third day Verse 34. Whosoever will come after me See the Notes on Mat. 10. 38. and Mat. 16. 24. Take up his Crosse It is but a delicacy that men dream of to divide Christ and his Crosse. Every Christian must be a Crucian said Luther and do somewhat more then those Monks that made themselves woodden Crosses and carried them on their backs continually making all the world laugh at them Verse 35. For whosoever will save his life As that revolting 〈◊〉 Host to Philbert 〈◊〉 Martyr slaine by his enemy upon a private quarrell As those Angrognians that yeelded to the Papists that came against them and were more cruelly handled by them then their neighbours that continued constant in the truth As Denton the Smith of Welle in Cambridgshire that could not burn for Christ and was afterwards burned in his own house As West that was Chaplaine to Bishop Ridly who refusing to dye in Christs cause with his Master said Masse against his conscience and soone after pined away for sorrow If I shrink from Gods truth said Doctor Taylor Martyr I am sure of another manner of death then had Judge Hales who being drawn for fear of death to do things against his conscience did afterwards drowne himselfe Verse 36. For what shall it profit a man And yet many do as Shimei that to seek his servants lost himself And as Jonas that was content to be cast into the Sea that the Ship with her lading might come safe to shore Verse 38. In this adulterous sinfull c. The worse the times are the better we should be Stars are most needed in a dark night We may as well saith Zuinglius Adaram Jovis aut Veneris adorare ac sub Antichristo fidem occultare Antichrists limbs have their mark in their hand which they may shew or hide at pleasure but Christs members have their mark in their foreheads only Davids parents and brethren came down to him to the cave of Adullam though to their great danger 1 Sam. 22. 1. Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Pauls chain at Rome 2 Tit. 1. When he commeth in the glory David going against Goliah took only his sling and a few stones but when against Nabal he marched better appointed So Christ came at first in a mean condition but when he comes again to judgement he shall march furiously attended with troops of Saints and Angels CHAP. IX Verse 1. Shall not taste of death SAints only taste of death sinners are swallowed up of it they are killed with death Revelation 2. 23. Whereas the righteous do mori vitaliter death is to them neither totall nor perpetuall Rom. 8. 10 11. Verse 3. Became shining Gr. Glistring and sparkling as stars which twinckle and beckon to us as it were to remember their and our Creatour Verse 10. And they kept that saying With much adoe they kept it as the word imports for the rest of the Disciples were very inquisitive likely what was said and done in the Mount A friend that can both keep counsell and give counsell is worth his weight in gold Verse 12. Set at nought Vilified and nullified as an 〈◊〉 or one that had nothing in him Vermis sum et non 〈◊〉 I am a worm and no man saith the Psalmist in the person of Christ. Verse 15. Were greatly amazed To see him come in so opportunly in the very nick which is his usuall time See the Note on Matt. 17. 14. Verse 20. The spirit tare him Thus things oft goe backward ere they come forward as the corn grows downward before it comes upward Duplicantur lateres venit Moses This child had never such a sore fit as now that he was to be cured See verse 26. Verse 22. It hath cast him into the fire c. So doth blind zeal deal by them in whom it is But if thou canst doe any thing This wofull father had no further patience to parley but through weaknesse of faith and strength of affection to his distressed child breaks off his tale and begs present help Hee that beleeveth maketh no haste Esay 28. 16. Verse 24. I beleeve This act of his in putting forth his faith to beleeve as hee could was the way to beleeve as hee would Help thou mine unbeleefe That is my weak faith which hee counteth no better then unbeleef howbeit God counts the preparation of the heart to beleeve faith as in those Samaritanes Joh. 4. Doctor Cruuger cryed out on his death-bed Credo languidà fide sed tamen fide Much faith will yeeld unto us here our heaven and any faith if true will yeeld us heaven hereafter Verse 29. But by prayer and fasting The cause why they could not cure the child was unbeleef the cure of unbeleef is sought and wrought by fasting and prayer Verse 34. Who should be the greatest viz. In Christs earthly Kingdom in the which they vainly dreamt of a distribution of honours and offices as once in the dayes of David and Solomon Verse 37. Receiveth not me Non removet sed corrigit saith Erasmus He receiveth not me only but him that sent me Verse 38. And John answered him John was soon sated with that sad discourse of our Saviour and begins a relation of another businesse little to the purpose Verse 39. Forbid him not It is probable that this man would not forbear
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON The four Evangelists AND The ACTS of the APOSTLES Wherein the Text is explained some Controversies are discussed divers common places are handled and many remarkable matters hinted that had by former Interpreters been pretermitted Besides divers other Texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened and the whole so intermixed with pertinent histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judicious Reader By John Trapp M. A. Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Glocestershire Phil 1. 21. Only let your conversations be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Thomas Linaker Anglus Athenienses cùm haberent aequissima jura sed iniquissima ingenia moribus suis quà m legibus uti mallent Valer. Maximus LONDON Printed by A. M. for John Bellamie at the Sign of the three golden-Lions near the Royall-Exchange M.DC.XLVII TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL His much honoured Friend Colonell JOHN BRIDGES Governour of Warwick-Castle Justice of Peace for the County of Warwick and one of the Honourable Committee for the Safety of that County Worthy Sir THis book of mine doth at once both crave and claim Your Patronage for I cannot bethink me of any one that all things considered hath better right to it 〈◊〉 me then Yourself I must never 〈◊〉 how that being carried prisoner by the enemies You soon set me off by exchange and after that being by them driven from house and home You received me to harbour yea being driven out of one Pulpit where they thought to have surprized me You presently put me into another where I had a comfortable imploiment and a competent encouragement What hours I could then well spare from that pensum diurnum of praying and preaching I gladly spent in these Notes upon the New Testament as hating with the Athenians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fruttlesse feriation and holding with Cato that account must be given not of our labour only but of our leisure also For that two-years-space well-nigh that I lived in Your Garison I think I may truly say with Seneca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per otium exiit dies partem etiam noctium studys vendicavi that I laboured night and day amidst many fears and tears for the labouring Church and bleeding State Vt ad vitam communem aliquem saltem fructum ferre possem that I might be some way serviceable to the Publike and to You. And albeit I was even sick at heart sometimes of the affliction of Joseph and even ready thorow faintnesse to let fall my pen as it befell Hierom when writing upon Ezekiel he heard of the sacking of the City of Rome by the Goths yet as God who comforteth those that are cast down gave us any lucida intervalla this last triumphant year especially I took heart afresh to set closer to the work which now by Gods grace is brought to some period And because I have ever held ingratitude a monster in nature a solecisme in manners a paradox in Divinity an ugly sinne yea if there be any sinne against the holy Ghost it is this said Queen Elizabeth in a Letter of hers to the King of France therefore I could doe no lesse then dedicate this piece of my pains unto You to whom I owe so very much it being penned most of it within Your walls and under Your wing where I so long sat and sang O Melihaee Deus nobis haec otia fecit The Stork is said to leave one of her young ones where she hatcheth them The Elephant to turn up the first sprig toward heaven when he comes to feed both out of some instinct of gratitude The AEgyptians are renowned in Histories for a thankfull people And the Israelites were charged not to abhorre an Egyptian because they were once strangers in his land and had tasted of his courtesies The unthankfull and the evil are fitly set together by our Saviour And Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris said the Ancients All that I can do by way of retribution for Your many free favours is to make this publike acknowledgement thereof under mine hand that if any shall reap benefit by what I have written they may see to whom in part they are beholden Now the good Lord that hath promised a Prophets reward to him that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet He that ministreth seed to the sower and hath said That who so watereth shall be watered also himself He that is able to make all grace to abound toward You that You may abound to every good work The same God All-sufficient multiply Your seed and encrease the fruits of Your righteousnesse being enriched in every thing to all bountifulnesse which causeth through us thanksgiving to God This is and shall be Sr the daily desire of Your Worships affectionately observant John Trapp The Preface to the Reader THe manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall saith S. Paul And as any man hath received the 〈◊〉 so let him minister the same to others saith S. Peter We therefore learn that we may teach is a Proverb among the Hebrews And I do therefore lay in and lay up saith the Heathen that I may draw forth again and lay out for the good of many Synesius speaks of some who having a treasure of rare abilities in them would assoon part with their hearts as their conceptions the canker of whose great skill shall be a swift witnesse against them How much better Augustus and Augustin Of the former Suetonius tels us that in reading all 〈◊〉 of good Authours he skilfully pickt out the prime precepts and paterns of valour and vertue sending the same to such of his servants and under-officers for tokens as he thought they might do most good unto And for the later he accounted nothing his own that he did not communicate and somewhere professeth himself in the number of those Qui scribunt proficiendo scribendo proficiunt That write what they have learned and learn yet more by writing His last works are observed to be his best And the reason is given by Melancthon Quia docendo didicit because by much trading his talent he had much improved it Of Melancthon himself one of his Countrey-men gives this testimony It appears saith he that Melancthon was on this wise busied abroad the world that seeing and hearing all he could he made profit of every thing and stored his heart as the Bee doth her hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit 〈◊〉 labour like Bees but with this difference Quod illae faciant cibos hae condant That the Bees make their meat the Pismires gather it both have their proper praise and profit If I may be esteemed by thee Courteous Reader either the one or the other it is enough And
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
58. 10 11. Or if he be sick the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing he will make all his bed in his sicknes As he did for that faithfull and 〈◊〉 Preacher of Gods Word while he lived M. 〈◊〉 Whately Pastour of Banbury whom for honours sake I here name the most 〈◊〉 Minister to the poor I thinke saith a learned Gentleman that knew him thorowly in England of his means He abounded in works of mercy saith another grave Divine that wrote his life he set apart and expended for the space of many years for good uses the tenth part of his yearly commings in both out of his temporall and 〈◊〉 means of maintenance A rare example And God was not behinde hand with him for in his sicknesse he could comfort himself with that precious promise Psal. 41. 1 3. Blessed is he that considereth the poor Qui praeoccupat vocem petituri saith Austin that prevents the poor mans cry as he did for he devised liberall things seeking out to finde objects of his mercy and not staying many times till they were offered Therefore by liberall things 〈◊〉 stood as God had promised his estate as himself often testified prospered the better after he took that course above-mentioned For in the next place not getting but giving is the way to wealth as the 〈◊〉 found it whose barrell had no bottome and as Solomon 〈◊〉 it Eccles. 11. 1. The mercy of God crowneth our beneficence with the blessing of store 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be exalted with honour and thou 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 Say not then How shall our own doe hereafter Is not mercy as sure a grain as vanity Is God like to break Is not your Creatour your Creditour Hath not he undertaken for you and yours How sped Mephibosheth and Chimham for the kindenesse their fathers shewed to distressed David Were they not plentifully provided for And did not the Kenites that were born many ages after 〈◊〉 's death receive life from his dust and favour from his hospitality 1 Sam. 15. 6. Verse 8. Blessed are the pure in heart That wash their 〈◊〉 from wickednesse that they may be saved Jer. 4. 14. Not their hands only with Pilate but their inwards as there How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee These however the world censure them for every fool hath a bolt to shoot at that purity which yet they 〈◊〉 and pray for are the Lords darlings that purifie themselves in some truth of resemblance as God is pure Pura Deus mens est purâ vult mente vocari Et puras jussit pondus habere preces He will take up in a poor but it must be a pure heart in a 〈◊〉 but it must be a cleanly house in a low but not in a 〈◊〉 lodging Gods Spirit loves to lie clean Now the heart of man is the most unclean and loathsome thing in the world a den of dragons a dungeon of darknesse a stie and stable of all foul lusts cage of unclean and ravenous birds The Embassadours of the Councel of Constance being sent to Pope Benedict the 〈◊〉 when he laying his hand upon his heart said Hic est Arca 〈◊〉 Here is Noahs Ark they tartly and truly replied In Noahs Ark were few men but many beasts intimating that there were seven abominations in that heart wherein he would have them to believe were lodg'd all the laws of right and religion This is true of every mothers childe of us The naturall heart is 〈◊〉 throne he filleth it from corner to corner Act 5. 3. he sits abrood upon it and hatcheth all noisome and loathsome lusts Ephes. 2. 2. There as in the sea is that Leviathan and there are creeping things innumerable crawling bugs and baggage vermine Now as many as shall see God to their comfort must cleanse 〈◊〉 from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and perfect 〈◊〉 sse in the fear of God This is the mighty work of the holy Spirit which therefore we 〈◊〉 pray and strive for beseeching God to break the heavens and come down yea to break open the prison doors of our hearts by his Spirit and to cleanse this 〈◊〉 stable He comes as a mighty rushing winde and blows away those litters of lusts as once the East-winde of God did all the locusts of AEgypt into the red Sea And this done he blows upon Gods garden the heart and causeth the spices thereof so to flow forth that Christ saith I am come into my garden my sister my spouse I have gathered my myrrhe with my spice Cant. 5. 1. For they shall see God Here in a measure and as they are able hereafter in all fullnesse and perfection they shall see as they are seen Here as in a glasse 〈◊〉 or as an old man thorow spectacles but there face to face Happier herein then Solomons servants for a greater then Solomon is here A good man is like a good Angel ever beholding the face of God He looketh upon them with singular complacency and they upon him to their infinite 〈◊〉 He seeth no iniquity in them they no indignation in him He looketh upon them in the face of Christ And although no man hath seen God at any time yet God who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined in our hearts saith the Apostle to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Pure glasse or crystall hath light comming thorow not so stone iron or other grosser bodies In like sort the pure in heart see God he shines thorow them And as the pearl by the beams of the Sun becomes bright and radiant as the Sun it self so we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord 〈◊〉 transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. Verse 9. Blessed are the peace-makers There are that like Salamanders live alwaies in the fire and like Trouts love to swim against the stream that with Phocion thinke it a goodly thing to dissent from others and like Sampsons foxes or Solomons fool carry about and cast abroad fire-brands as if the world were made of nothing but discords as Democritus imagined But as St John speaketh in another case these are not of the Father but of the world He maketh great reckoning of a meek and quiet 〈◊〉 because it is like to his own minde which is never stirred nor moved but remaineth still the same to all eternity He loves those that keep the staffe of binders unbroken Zech. 11. 7 14. that hold the unity of the spirit and advance the bond of peace among others as much as may be The wicked are apt as dogs to enter tear and woorry one another and although there be not a disagreement in hell being but the place of retribution and not of action yet on earth
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
〈◊〉 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
and hardly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who but a bankrupt will lay the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his house to 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are not ours to pledge for 〈◊〉 have plighted 〈◊〉 already to God Lastly He that pawneth them so oft will easily forfeit them at length as the pitcher 〈◊〉 not so often to the well but at last it comes broken home A man 〈◊〉 soon swear away his faith and troth and it is marvell if he that oft sweareth doth not too oft forswear and so forfeit all Swear not therefore at all in this sort These petty oaths as they count them are great faults and to be refused in our talk as poison in our meat The dishonour of them redounds to God though he be not named in them But of 〈◊〉 see more Verse 35. Verse 37. But let your communication be Yea Yea Nay Nay That is as St Basil interpreteth it Yea in speech and Yea in 〈◊〉 Nay in speech and Nay in heart Or thus let your common communication be plain true and sincere that your bare word may be taken without any further asseveration Not but that asseverations may be lawfully used as Verily Truly Indeed c Sed parciùs ista tamen not frequently or slightly but advisedly and seriously as our Saviour If thou be a creditable person and 〈◊〉 made faith of thy fidelity with Quod dixi dixi thy word will be taken Or if it will not that credit is dear bought that is got by sin Christ must be obeyed though no man will beleeve us But a good mans oath is needlesse a bad mans bootlesse for he that feareth not an oath neither will he scruple a lye but credit will follow honesty Whiles therefore the communication is ours as Christ here 〈◊〉 that is in our own power and of our own accord let 〈◊〉 yea be yea and nay nay and let it appear that ordinarily and in common conversation our word is as 〈◊〉 to be taken as our oath But when for the glory of God and cleering of the truth an oath is required of us then it is not our communication but anothers And in this case for the manifestation or confirmation of a needfull but doubtfull truth an oath may be safely and boldly taken for an end of controversies and satisfaction of neighbours Heb. 6. 16. yea we may lay it up among our best services and expect a blessing upon it if rightly taken according to Jer. 4. 2. as well as upon hearing or reading because it is an ordinance of God Deut. 10. 20 Isa 65. 16 c. Some of the Ancients I 〈◊〉 as Hierom Theophylact 〈◊〉 were in the errour that the Lord did only permit swearing in the old Testament as he did divorcement that he approved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in this text our Saviour did quite take it away But Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Gods holy 〈◊〉 is still to be 〈◊〉 by taking a 〈◊〉 oath upon just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 the Magistrate imposeth it or when some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 truth without an oath and we cannot 〈◊〉 demonstrate it Thus Iacob sware to Laban Boaz to 〈◊〉 Ionathan to David And if it be lawfull in private betwixt two or more to admit God as a Judge why may he not as well be called as a witnesse provided ever that this be done 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 using it not as food but as physick to help 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Our 〈◊〉 Henry 6. was never heard to swear an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatest 〈◊〉 being Forsooth Forsooth Verily Verily I my self have used saith Latimer in mine earnest matters to say 〈◊〉 by St Mary which indeed is naught For whatsoever is more commeth of evil This is of the devil That which St Matthew calleth the wicked one chap. 13. 38. the self-same word with that in this text St Marke calleth Satan and St Luke the 〈◊〉 Now can any good come out of such a Nazareth Swearing is the devils drivel and swearers the devils drudges acted and agitated by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though they be not 〈◊〉 drunk 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 yet are they not their own men For 〈◊〉 ye not saith that great Apostle that his servants ye are to whom ye obey His work 〈◊〉 do as those Jews did in the Gospel and his wages they shall receive for they fall hereby into hypocrisie as some copies have it Iam. 5. 12. whiles they daily pray But deliver us from that evil one and yet entertain him by this sin Or rather as other copies and our Translation have it they fall into condemnation And at the last day when the master of the harvest shall gather out of his kingdom all such botches and scandals he will say to the reapers Gather ye first the tares and binde them in bundles swearers with swearers drunkards with drunkards c. sinners of a kinde with their fellow-sinners and cast them into the fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Good therefore is the counsel of S. Iames. Above all things my brethren swear not Whatever ye do look to that 't is a 〈◊〉 sinne and that which maketh the tongue to become not a City not a Countrey but a world of iniquity Iam. 36 It is the devils hook without a bait as having neither profit nor pleasure many times to draw to it and that 's no small aggravation The 〈◊〉 fell without a tempter and are therefore left without a Saviour Other sinners usually kill not till provoked steal not till 〈◊〉 whore not till entised But what hath God done to these monsti 〈◊〉 men that they should thus fly in his face chop as much as they may his heart in 〈◊〉 and upon 〈◊〉 small occasion shoot such chain-shot as if they would make the windows of 〈◊〉 to shake and totter 〈◊〉 Naboth was said to have blasphemed Iezabel proclaimed a fast When our Saviour was accused of that sinne the High-Priest rent his garments When Rabshakeh had 〈◊〉 it indeed Hezekiah fell to his prayers and humbled himself before God Did these doe thus for others and wilt not thou doe as much for thy self God hath against thee and is comming out armed with plagues and power Oh meet him upon the way with entreaties of peace as Abigail did David as Iacob did Esau quench his flames with flouds of tears Learn of Shimei when he 〈◊〉 reproached David and knew himself obnoxious to be with God with the first as he was with the King 2 Sam. 19. 18 19 20. and as Iosephs brethren supplicated him for grace whom they had 〈◊〉 and misused Gen. 50. 17. do you the like This doe or you are undone for ever This doe and doe it seriously and God must either forswear himself or forgive thee thy swearing if thou forgoe it Verse 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye c. This law of like for like which also was in use
this is the wisedom from beneath and is earthly sensuall devillish whereas that from above is first pure and then peaceable well assured of pardon of sinne and peace 〈◊〉 God and thence gentle or equable to men and easily perswaded full of mercy to an offending brother and good fruits friendly expressions without wrangling or lawing and without hypocrisie such as can be heartily reconciled and love again without dissimulation not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth Not covering a pot-sheard with silver drosse a wicked heart with burning lips Seven abominations are in such a heart and his wickednesse shall be shewed before the whole Congregation as Absoloms usage of Amnon A godly man carries neither cruell hatred a desire to hurt whom he hates as Esau nor simple hatred where there is no desire to hurt but a disdain to help he forgives not only but forgets as Joseph Gen. 50. 20. For injuries remembred are hardly remitted And although he loves not his enemies sinnes yet he doth their persons striving to seal up his love by all loving usage both in word and deed And herein he doth more then others that which is singular and in the worlds account seraphicall that which in truth is extraordinary and above vulgar possibility it is an high point of Christian perfection and let as many as are perfect be thus minded Benaiah was honourable among thirty but he attained not to the first three A naturall man may be renowned for his patience and benificence but the childe of God must herein go before all the wicked men in the world and strive to be conformed to the first three the blessed Trinity Verse 〈◊〉 Be ye therefore perfect even as your father c. The childe saith one is the father multiplied the father of a second edition Of Constantines sonnes Eusebius reporteth that they put on their fathers fashions and did exactly resemble him And of Irenaeus the same 〈◊〉 telleth us that he expressed to the life the learning and vertues of his master Polycarp It were happy for us and we must labour it if we could passe into the likenesse of the 〈◊〉 patern Our 〈◊〉 bonum consists in communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and conformity to him in keeping inward peace with God that he abhor us not because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters 〈◊〉 33. 19. and in seeking and keeping as much as may be peace with all men and holinesse purifying our 〈◊〉 as he is 〈◊〉 in quality though we cannot in an equality 〈◊〉 the love of every 〈◊〉 the ground of all our wranglings I am 4. 1. but especially from the passions and perturbations of the heart possessing our selves in patience For if patience have her 〈◊〉 worke we shall be perfect and 〈◊〉 wanting nothing For 〈◊〉 St Luke hath it Be mercifull c. Cap. 6. 37. CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Take heed that ye doe not your almes YOur justice saith the Syriack For first We doe the poor but right when we releeve them for they have an interest in our goods by vertue of the communion of Saints whereupon 〈◊〉 Withhold not saith he good from the owners thereof i. e. thy poor brethren 〈◊〉 the great Authour and owner of all hath 〈◊〉 the rich as his stewards as his Almoners with the wealth of this world He hath entrusted them I say not lent it them to speak properly for that which is lent is our own at least for a time but put it into their hands only for this end that their abundance may be a supply for others wants 2 Cor. 8 9. that their full cups may over-flow into others lesser 〈◊〉 c. which if it be not done they can bring in no good bills of account It is 〈◊〉 justice then that we doe the poor and it is rapine or robbery saith S. Chrysostom not to relieve them Secondly Almes is called Justice to teach that almes should be given of things well gotten In the reign of K. Henry 8. there was one accused but very unjustly of heresie for 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 should not be given untill it did sweat in a mans hand The Jews called their Almes-box Kupha shel 〈◊〉 the chest of Justice and upon it they wrote this abbreviate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A gift in secret 〈◊〉 wrath Selymus the great Turk as he lay languishing his incurable disease still increasing leaning his 〈◊〉 in the lap of Pyrrhus the 〈◊〉 whom of all others he most loved I see said he O Pyrrhus I must shortly 〈◊〉 without remedy Whereupon the great 〈◊〉 took occasion to discourse with him of many matters and amongst 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give order for the well-bestowing of the great 〈◊〉 taken from the Persian Merchants in divers places of his Empire perswading him to bestow the same upon some notable Hospitall for relief of the poor To whom Selymus replied Wouldst thou Pyrrhus that I should bestow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them upon works of charity and devotion for mine own vain-glory and praise Assuredly I will never doe it Nay rather see they be again restored to the right owners which was forthwith done accordingly to the great shame of many Christians who minding nothing lesse then restitution but making ex 〈◊〉 locaustum doe out of a world of evil-gotten goods cull out some 〈◊〉 fragments to build some poor hospitals or mend some blinde way A slender 〈◊〉 of their hot charity Before men to be seen of them As those are that act their part on a stage and would please the spectatours that they may be applauded He that giveth 〈◊〉 S. Paul Let him doe it with 〈◊〉 with ingenuity accounting it enough that he hath God the witnesse of his heart Not but that men may see our good works and their praise be sought modo tibi non quaeras sed Christo saith one so that you seek not your selves therein but set up Christ Let your end be that the light may be seen not your selves seen Matth. 5. 16. A fool hath no delight in understanding saith Solomon but that his heart may discover it self i. e. that he may have the credit of it But he takes a wrong course For honour as a shadow followeth them that seek it not as the Hittites told Abraham he was a Prince of God amongst them when himself had said a little before I am a stranger and a 〈◊〉 with you c. Gen 23. 4 5. Otherwise ye have no reward of your father c. Ye take up your wages all afore-hand Fruit by the way-side seldome resteth 〈◊〉 it be ripe The cackling hen loseth her eggs so doth the vain-glorious hypocrite his reward Verse 2. Therefore when thou doest thine 〈◊〉 Unlesse thou set light by thy reward as Esau did by his birth-right unlesse thou holdest 〈◊〉 hardly worth having and art of that carnall Cardinals minde
but he was praying presently Acts 9. 11. The spirit of grace is a spirit of supplication and teacheth to cry Abba father or Father Father And this very naming of the Name of God in prayer though it be no more so it be done in faith entitles a man to heaven 2 Tim. 2. 19. if withall he depart from iniquity When such as have the gift of Prophecy and of doing miracles shall miscarry and be turned off at last day because workers of iniquity Matth. 7. And albeit Gods weaker children cannot utter their minde unto him in wel couched words and variety of expressions yet 〈◊〉 their broken 〈◊〉 come from a broken heart it avails more then affectation of Rhetorike without affection of prayer Men are better pleased with the stammering and lisping of their own little ones then with all the 〈◊〉 speech of all the children in the Town besides Yea because the soul is sick the service is twice welcome As if a sick childe reach us up a thing we count it more then to send another of a 〈◊〉 errand I will spare them saith he as a man spares his 〈◊〉 sonne that serveth him The businesse of prayer is more dispatched by sighs then speeches by desires and groans of the heart 〈◊〉 our father which is in secret whether we can expresse them 〈◊〉 words or no. The Spirit also helpeth our 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 with us and before us as the word signifies and maketh 〈◊〉 in us and for us with groans unutterable And be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the spirit As 〈◊〉 heareth us without ears so he understandeth us without our words If we can but groan out Ah father it is an effectuall prayer The voice is not simply required Joh. 4. 24. There is great dispute 〈◊〉 one among the school-men about the speech of Angels 〈◊〉 this they agree in that one Angel speaketh thus to another 〈◊〉 any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing with a will 〈◊〉 another should understand it and that God should understand 〈◊〉 that 's enough for the expression of it So is it with the spirit of man in speaking to God for the spirit agreeth to the Angels Yet we must pray for fit words also Hos. 14. 2. and strive to be 〈◊〉 in all utterance and in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. get 〈◊〉 habit of heavenly-mindednesse let the heart meditate a good matter and then the tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. first prepare the heart and then stretch out the hands Job 11. 13. The heart should be praying a good while before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the seven 〈◊〉 were sounded at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seal there was halfe an hours silence in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if there be an honest heart and a good 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 of prayer usually is in us though we know it not as a man may have money about him and not know so much till 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him willing to search and glad to finde it Remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promise of the Spirits assistance and Gods acceptance and know that as in singing so in praying the pleasing melody is in the heart The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet 〈◊〉 that which comes from the depth of the brest As the deeper or hollower the belly of the lute or violl is the pleasanter is the sound the fleeter the more grating and harsh in our ears And thy father which seeth in secret And heareth too as he did Moses when he cried to God but said nothing and 〈◊〉 when she moved her lips but uttered not her self in an audible voice and Nehemiah when he lift up his heart to God as he spake to the King and as he doth still his praying people His ears 〈◊〉 into their prayers saith S. Peter after David that though their prayers are so weak they cannot ascend to him he will 〈◊〉 to them He hearkned and heard those good souls in 〈◊〉 chap. 3 16. as loth to lose any part of their precious language Thus the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous when they are praying especially and his ears are open to their prayers He seeth his Church when she is in the clefts of the rocks when she is gotten into a corner and praying he looks upon her with singular delight and with speciall intimations of his love as Ahashuerosh dealt with Esther and saith unto her as he what 〈◊〉 thy petition and it shall be given thee And oh that every faithfull soul whiles it is sitting and feasting with God by secret prayer and other holy duties would bethinke it self what speciall boon it hath to beg what Haman to hang up what corruption to be subdued what grace to be encreased c. How should they be gratified and their request granted even to the whole of Gods kingdom The truth is they might have any thing and that which 〈◊〉 said to his Courtiers flatteringly God performeth to his people really The King is not he that can doe any thing against you Luther was wont to say that prayer was after a sort omnipotent for whatsoever God can doe that prayer can doe Of Luther himself for his wrestling with God and prevailing as he was mighty and happy that way it was said That man can have any thing at Gods hands Will reward you openly Here in part hereafter in all perfection He never said to the house of Israel Seek 〈◊〉 me in vain This poor man for instance praid saith David pointing to himself and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his distresses God is known by hearing of prayers 't is one of his Titles Psal. 65 3. 't is his praise above all Heathen gods Isa. 45. 19 20. By this Manasses knew him to be God 2 Chron. 33. 15. and all Israel 1 King 18. 37 39. when it came to a matter of competition Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 father in my name he will give it you If we can finde a praying heart he will finde a pitying if we open our mouthes God will fill them and he is worthily 〈◊〉 that will not make himself happy by asking Of some Heathen Princes it is said 〈◊〉 they never 〈◊〉 away their suitors sad or discontented this is most true of God let a man bring right petitions 〈◊〉 clear conscience faith in the promises and hope to wait the accomplishment and 〈◊〉 shall not fail of the thing he asketh or a better As when God 〈◊〉 David the life of the childe but assured him of his 〈◊〉 I shall go to him c. So he denied his Mother her particular 〈◊〉 for that time and when his Disciples asked him curious question Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Israel c That 's not for you to know saith he but a better thing
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
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
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
although sinne in the Saints hath received its deaths-wound yet are there still in the best 〈◊〉 stirrings and spruntings thereof as in dying creatures it useth to be which without Gods greater grace and the countermotion of the holy Spirit within them would certainly produce most shamefull evils This put S. Paul to that pittifull outcry Rom. 7. 24. and made him exhort 〈◊〉 though he were a young man rarely mortified to exhort the younger women with all 〈◊〉 or chastity intimating that thorough the corruption of his nature even whilst he was exhorting them to chastity some unchast motions might steal upon him unawares A tree may have withered branches by reason of some deadly blow given to the root and yet there may remain some sap within which will bud and blossome forth again Or as if some wilde fig-tree saith a Father that grows in the walls of a goodly building and hides the beauty of it the boughs and branches may 〈◊〉 cut or broken of but the root which is wrapped into the stones of the building cannot be taken away till the walls be thrown down and the stones cast one from another So sinne that dwelleth in us hath its roots so inwrapped and intertwined in our natures that it can never be utterly 〈◊〉 but pride will bud and the fruits of the flesh will be manifest though we be daily lopping off the branches and labouring also at the root Sinne is an inmate that will not out doe what we can till the house fall upon the head of it an hereditary disease and that which is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh a pestilent Hydra somewhat akin to those beasts in Daniel that had their dominion taken away yet were their lives prolonged for a time and a season 〈◊〉 7. 12. How much more will your father which is in Heaven give good things Give the holy Spirit saith S. Luke for Nihil bonum sine summo bono saith S. Austin when God gives his Spirit he gives all good things and that which is more then all besides For it is a Spirit of judgement and of burning of grace and of deprecation of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord of strength and of might enabling both to resist evil of sinne and to endure evil of sorrow And for good things temporall to trample on them spirituall to reach after them It is a free spirit setting a man at liberty from the tyranny of sin and terrour of wrath and oyling his joints that he may be active and abundant in the Lords worke This holy spirit is signified by those two golden pipes Zech. 4. through which the two Olive-branches the 〈◊〉 empty out of 〈◊〉 the golden oyles of all precious graces into the candle-stick the Church And how great a favour it is to have the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 inhabitant See Joel 2. where after God had promised the former and latter rain floores full of wheat and 〈◊〉 full of wine and oyl a confluence of all outward comforts and contentments he adds this as more then all the rest I will also 〈◊〉 out my spirit upon all 〈◊〉 He will pour out not drop down only sparingly and pinchingly as some penny-father but pour 〈◊〉 like a liberall housholder as it were by pailes or bucket-fulls And what my spirit that noble spirit as David calleth it that comforter counsellour conduit into the land of the living And upon whom upon all 〈◊〉 spirit upon flesh so brave a thing upon so base a subject Next to the love of Christ in dwelling in our nature we may well wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will dwell in our defiled souls that this spirit of glory and of God will dain to rest upon us 〈◊〉 the cloud did upon the Tabernacle How glad was Lot of the Angels Micha of the Levite Elizabeth of the mother of her Lord Lydia of Paul Zacheus of Christ Obed-Edom of the Ark And shall not we be as joyfull and thankfull for the holy Spirit whereby we are sealed as merchants set their seals upon their wares unto the day of redemption If David for outward benefits brake out into What is man that thou art mindefull of him and Iob for fatherly chastisements What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c how should this best gift of his holy Spirit affect and ravish us sith thereby all mercies are seasoned and all crosses sanctified neither can any man say experimentally and savingly that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Give good things to them that aske him sc. If they aske in faith bring honest hearts and lawfull petitions and can weight Gods leisure Let none say here as the Prophet in another case I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought I have prayed and sped not the more I pray the worse it s with me The manner of our usage here in prison doth change saith B. Ridley in a 〈◊〉 to Bradford as sowr ale doth in summer and yet who doubts but they praid earn and earnestly when they were in Bocardo that Colledge of Quondams when those Bishops were there prisoners God is neither unmindfull nor unfaithfull but waits the fittest time to 〈◊〉 mercy and will surely avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he bear 〈◊〉 with them The seed must have a time to grow downward before it grows upward And as that seed which is longest covered riseth the first with most increase so those prayers which seem lost are laid up in heaven and will prove the surest grain the more we sowe of them into Gods bosom the more fruit and comfort we shall reap and receive in our greatest need Verse 12. Therefore all things what soever ye would c. q. d. To winde up all in a word for it would be too tedious to set down each particular 〈◊〉 let this serve for a generall rule of direction in common conversation and mutuall interdealings one with another whatsoever ye would that men should doe to you 〈◊〉 ye 〈◊〉 so to them This is the royall Law the standard of all 〈◊〉 in this kinde a 〈◊〉 weight and rule according to which we must converse with all men Severus the Emperour had this sentence of our Saviour often in his mouth and commanded it to be proclaimed by the Cryer whensoever he punished such of his souldiers as had 〈◊〉 injury to others For there is no doubt saith Mr Calvin upon this text but that perfect right should rule amongst us were we but as faithfull disciples of active charity if we may so speak as we are acute Doctours of passive did we but love our neighbour as our self Charity t is true begins at home in regard of order but not in regard of time for so soon as thou 〈◊〉 to love thy self thou must love thy neighbour as thy self neither may any
recovered Phil. 2. 27. For their own mutuall help and comfort was it therefore that they were sent out by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet speaks of his Ulysses and Diomedes sent to fetch in the Palladium Secondly for the sake of others that the bad might be the sooner set down and covinced the better confirmed and setled in the truth sith in the mouth of two or three witnesses c. For this it was that God set forth those noble pairs Moses and Aaron 〈◊〉 and Jehoshuah Paul and Barnabas the two faithfull witnesses Revel 11. 3. Luther and Melancthon Zuinglius and Oeco lampadius c. Verse 3. Bartholomew This say some was that Nathaniel Joh. 1. He is by Dionysius quoted to have said of Divinity Et Magnam esse minimam that it was large in a little room Matthew the Publican See here as in a mirrour Christs free grace in such a choice 〈◊〉 Matthews true grace in not dissembling his old trade but shaming himfelf that God might be glorified and thankfully crying out with Iphicrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how sinfull and 〈◊〉 to how high and honourable a calling and course of life am I advanced Verse 4. Simon the Canaanite 〈◊〉 a man of Cana in Galilee as Judas Escariot that is a man of Kerioth See Josh. 15. 25. Simon the Zelot St Luke calls him Christ when he called him to the Apostleship either found him or made him 〈◊〉 Tardis mentibus virtus non facile committitur 〈◊〉 osse Poetis Non Dij non homines non concessêre columnae Verse 5. 〈◊〉 twelve Jesus sent forth Out of deep commiseration of those poor scattered sheep that lay panting for life and well nigh gasping their last Saul that ravening wolf of Benjamin and his fellow-Pharisees not onely breathed out threatnings but worried Christs sheep that bore golden 〈◊〉 Now because he could not goe to them all himself in person he sends out the twelve There by also to teach them and us that no Minister is so thorowly 〈◊〉 to all good works but that he may need the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of his fellow-labourers And this I conceive was at 〈◊〉 the end of erecting Colledges and Cathedrals Verse 6. To the lost sheep This is the common condition of us 〈◊〉 All 〈◊〉 like sheep have gone astray The Prophet saith not like dogs 〈◊〉 these though 〈◊〉 will finde their way home again Nor 〈◊〉 swine for these also when lugd or against a storm will 〈◊〉 to their home But like sheep that silly creature then the which as none is more apt to wander so neither any more unable to return Verse 7. The kingdom of heaven is at hand Repent therefore Men will doe much for a kingdom And nothing 〈◊〉 then a Kingdom and that of Heaven can buy men out of their sweet 〈◊〉 How many 〈◊〉 we daily making answer to the motion of this 〈◊〉 kingdom 〈◊〉 them by God as the Olive and vine did in Jothams parable Shall I leave my fat and sweet sins to 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 God And yet every man must be either a King or a caytiffe raign in heaven or roar for ever in hell And this the 〈◊〉 were bid where ever they came to preach not to sing masse which is the chief office of Priests among the Papists And for the people they are taught to believe that the 〈◊〉 only is a 〈◊〉 of duty but the going to Sermons a matter 〈◊〉 conveniency and such as 〈◊〉 left free to mens leisures and opportunities without imputation of sin Verse 8. Heal the sick God glorifies 〈◊〉 by the fruits of our sin and the 〈◊〉 of his own wrath This great Alchimist 〈◊〉 how to extract good out of evil He can make golden 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1 7. medicinall 〈◊〉 fetch his own honour out of the depths of our 〈◊〉 as wine draws a 〈◊〉 vertue from the 〈◊〉 of vipers and as scarlet pulls out the vipers 〈◊〉 Freely ye have received And so have we in some sort and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sith no pains we take no cost we are at can possibly 〈◊〉 so great a 〈◊〉 as is 〈◊〉 unto us Verse 9. Provide neither gold c. To wit for this present 〈◊〉 for at other times our Saviour had money and he put it 〈◊〉 in a 〈◊〉 pouch but in a bag so big as that it needed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 them by experience of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in feeding and securing them to trust him for ever Verse 10. Neither two coats That may be a burden to you Neither shooes But sandals a lighter kinde of wearing Nor yet staves Either for offence or defence a dog shall not wag his tongue at you Or not a staff that may cumber you But take a staff as St Marke hath it sc. that may ease and relieve you in your hard toil and travel The workman is worthy of his meat Of his wages saith St Marke of both as labourers in Gods 〈◊〉 of double honour saith St Paul both countenance and maintenance Verse 11. Enquire who in it is worthy That is faithfull as Lydia was Acts 16. 15. and Philip the Evangelist Acts 21. 8. and Mary the mother of Mark Acts 12. 12. Lo here whither Ministers should resort and where should be their Rendevouz Psal. 26.4 Psal. 16. 3. In the excellent ones of the earth should be their delight I forget Lords and Ladies said good M. Fox to remember Gods poor Saints Verse 12. And when ye come into an house Into the Synagogues and other places of publike meeting our Saviour sends them not as yet because they were but young beginners and wanted 〈◊〉 and other abilities but bids them teach privately catechize from house to house and not stretch the wing beyond the nest till better fledged and fitted for flight Verse 13. If that house be worthy The Saints are the only Worthies of whom the world is not worthy These shall walk with Christ for they are worthy But the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10. 20. Let your peace come upon it Christian salutations are effectuall benedictions We 〈◊〉 you in the Name of the Lord. Let your peace return unto you Something will come of your good wishes if not to others to your selves you shall be paid for your pains as the Physitian is though the patient dies as the Lawyer hath his fee though his clients cause miscarry God will reward his Ministers though Israel be not gathered secundum 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 proventum as Bernard hath it Verse 14. And whosoever shall not receive you Two sure signes of reprobate goats 1. Not to receive Christs Ministers to house and harbour accounting themselves happy in such an entertainment 2. Not to hear their words The most good is done by Gods Ministers commonly at first coming Then some receive the word with admiration others are daily more and more hardned as fish
nights one full day and two peeces of daies Verse 41. They repented at the preaching of Jonas At one single Sermon of a meer stranger who sang so dolefull a dity to them as the destruction of their Town And yet they repented What will become of us Vae torpori nostro If M. Bradford so complained of his own unprofitablenesse under means in those dimme dayes what cause have we now much more Here in London saith he be such godly goodly and learned Sermons which these uncircumcised ears of mine doe hear at the least thrice a week which were able to burst any mans heart to relent to repent to beleeve to love and fear that omnipotent gracious Lord. But mine adamantine obstinate most unkinde unthankfull heart hearing my Lord so sweetly calling and crying unto me now by his Law now by his Gospel now by all his creatures to come to come even to himself I hide me with Adam I play not only Samuel running to Eli but I play Ionas running to the sea and there I sleep upon the hatches untill he please to raise up a tempest to turn and look upon me as he did upon Peter c. Verse 42. The Queen of the South c. The Ethiopian Chronicles call her Mackeda and further tell us that she had a sonne by Solomon whom she named David 〈◊〉 it is that she came from a far countrey to hear Solomon and was so taken with his wisdom that she could have been content to have changed her Throne for his footstool Now our Saviour took it ill and well he might that men came not as far and set not as high a price upon him and his doctrine as she did upon Solomon and his wisdom how much more that these hard-hearted Jews esteemed it not though brought home to their doors Verse 43. When the unclean spirit Unclean the devil is callen 1. Affectione saith Iacobus de Voragine because he loveth uncleannesse 2. Persuasione because he perswades men to it 3. Habitatione because he inhabits unclean hearts he findes them soul he makes them worse Wheresoever the great Turk sets his foot once no grasse grows they say ever after Sure it is no grace grows where the devil dwells Pura Deus mens est saith one And Religion loves to lye clean saith another The holy Spirit will be content to dwell in a poor but it must be a pure house The devil on the contrary delights in spirituall sluttishnesse Harpy-like he defileth all he toucheth and Camell-like drinks not of that water that he hath not first fouled with his feet Is gone out of a man In regard of inward illumination and outward reformation such as was 〈◊〉 in B. Bonner that breathing-devil who at first seemed to be a good man a favourer of Luthers doctrincs a hater of Popery and was therefore advanced by the Lord Cromwell to whom he thus wrote in a certain letter Steven Gardiner for malice and disdain may be compared to the devil in hell not giving place to him in pride at all I mislike in him that there is so great familiarity and acquaintance yea and such mutuall confidence between him an M. as naughty a fellow and as very a Papist as any that I know where he dare expresse it Who can deny but that the devil was gone out of this man for a time at least He walketh thorow dry places Here the Proverb holds true Anima sicca sapientissima Sensuall hearts are the fennish grounds that breed filthy venemous creatures Iob 40. 21. Bohemia lieth in the fennes This Gulielmus Parisiensis applieth to the devil in sensuall hearts Contrariwise the spirits of Gods Saints which burn with faith hope and charity and have all evil humours dried up in them by that spirit of judgement and of burning these the devil likes not The tempter findeth nothing in them though he seek it diligently He striketh fire but this tinder takes not Cupid complained he could never fasten upon the Muses because he could never finde them idle So here Verse 44. He findeth it empty That is idle and secure swept of grace garnished with vice the devils fairest furniture Verse 45. And taketh seven other spirits As the Jaylour 〈◊〉 more load of irons on him that had escaped his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is now recovered And they enter in and dwell there So they never doe in a heart once truly 〈◊〉 Lust was but a stranger to David no home-dweller as Peter Martyr observes out of that passage in Nathans 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 12. 4. And there came a 〈◊〉 to the rich man c. Faith leaves never a sluts-corner Acts 15 9. And the last state of that man is worse 〈◊〉 Apostate cannot 〈◊〉 unto himself a worse condition It is with such as in that case Lev. 13 18 19 20. If a man had a bile healed and it afterwards brake out it proved the plague of leprosie These are called forsakers of the Covenant Dan. 11. 30. and wicked doers against the Covenant ver 32. Renegate Christians prove the most 〈◊〉 Devoto's to the devil We see by experience that none are worse then those that have been good and are naught or those that might be good and will be naught Such as were these Jews in the Text to whom therefore our Saviour applies the Parable in these words Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation Their sins were not common sins but as those of Korah and his complices therefore they died not common deaths As they 〈◊〉 not God but were contrary to all men so wrath came upon them to the uttermost 1 Thess. 2. 16. as Iosephus witnesseth And Mr. Fox relates of Bonner that wicked Apostate that as he wretchedly died in his blinde Popery after he had been long time prisoner in the raign of Q. Elizabeth so as stinkingly and blindely at midnight was he brought out and buried in the out-side of all the City among theeves and murtherers A place saith he right convenient with confusion and derision both of men and children who trampling upon his grave well declared how he was hated both of God and man Verse 46. Desiring to speak with him Either out of curiosity or ambition as Ambrose thinks certain it is at a most unseasonable time Now as fish and flesh so every thing else is naught out of season Verse 47. Behold thy mother and thy brethren This was 〈◊〉 weaknesse in his mother though otherwise full of grace yet 〈◊〉 without originall sin as the Sorbonists contend but had need of a Saviour as well as others Luk. 1. 47. Scipio permits not a 〈◊〉 man so to doe amisse once in his whole life as to say non putaram How much better Crates the Philosopher who said that in every Pomgranate there is at least one rotten kernell to be found intimating thereby that the best have their blemishes their faults and follies Verse 48. Who is my mother and who c.
of heaven so let us to the wearing of our tongues to the stump as that Martyr expressed it preach and pray never so much men will on in their sins unlesse God give the blessing Paul may plant c. 4. As good seed if not cast into good ground yeelds no harvest so the word preached if not received into good and honest hearts proves 〈◊〉 The Pharisees were not a but on the better for all those heart piercing Sermons of our Saviour nay much the worse 5. As the harvest is potentially in the seed so is eternall life in the word preached Rom. 1. 16. As the rain from heaven hath a fatnesse with it and a 〈◊〉 influence more then other standing waters so there is not the like life in other ordinances as in Preaching None to that as David said of Goliahs sword Verse 5 6 7 8. Some fell upon stony places c. Our Saviour his own best interpreter explains all this to his Disciples vers 18. 19. The intent of these severall parables seems to have been to confirm that which he had said in the former chapter vers 50. that they that do the will of his heavenly Father shall be owned and crowned by him as his dearest relations and alliences As also to teach the people not to rest in hearing sith three parts of four hear and perish Which losse is yet sweetly repaired by the fruitfullnesse of the good hearers some whereof bring forth an hundred fold some sixty some thirty the fertilty of one grain making amends for the barrennesse of many so that the sower repents not of his pains It 's well worth while if but one soul 〈◊〉 to God by a whole lifes-labour Verse 9. Who hath ears to hear c q. d. Some have ears to hear some not So he divideth his hearers into Auritos surdos All men have not faith saith St Paul Mens ears must be boared as Davids their hearts opened as Lydias ere the word can enter Pray we that Christ would say Epphata unto us and that when he opens our ears and by them our hearts that he would make the bore big enough sith with what measure we meat it shall be measured to us and unto us that hear shall more be given 〈◊〉 4 24. The greater diligence we use in hearing the more apparent shall be our profiting Verse 10. And his Disciples came and said unto him They came to him for satisfaction Note this against those captious and capricious hearers that maliciously relate to others that which to them seems not so well or wisely said by the Preacher and come not to the Preacher himself who can best unfold his own minde all cannot be said in an hour and make his own apologie Some sit behind the pillar as Eli dealt by Hannah to watch and catch what they may carp and cavil at They content themselves to have exercised their criticismes upon the Preacher and that 's all they make of a Sermon 〈◊〉 never so savoury and seasonable These are 〈◊〉 hearers Verse 11. Because it is given to you Plutarch thinks that life is given to men meerly for the getting of knowledge And the Greeks call man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the inbred desire of light and knowledge that is naturally in all But desire we never so much none can attain to sound and saving knowledge but those only to whom it is given from above into whose hearts Christ lets in a 〈◊〉 of heavenly light Hence Prov. 30. 3. 4. to know heavenly things is to ascend into heaven And Luk. 12. 48. to know the Masters will is the great talent of all other there is a Much set upon it But to them it is not given By a secret but most just judgement of God who hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth The reason of many things now hid from us we shall see at the last day Have patience and be content in the mean while with a learned ignorance Verse 12. For whosoever hath to him shall be given sc. If he have it for practise not else Zach. 11. 17. Men to the hearing of the word must bring with them the loan and advantage of former doctrine communicated to them if they mean to do any good of it And then as Manoah beleeved before the Angell vanished in the sacrifice and sought no such signe to confirm him yet had it so God will heap favours upon them and every former shall be a pledge of a future God gives grace for grace that is say 〈◊〉 where he findes one grace he gives another From him shall be taken away even that he hath That he seems to have saith St Luke for indeed all he hath is but a seeming a semblance he walketh in a vain shew he hath only the varnish of vertue which God shall wash of with rivers of brimstone Albeit hypocrites are commonly detected even in this life how else should their names rot as every wicked mans must Verse 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables Because their willfull blindenesse aad stubbornesse deserves I should do it They are sinuers against their own soules let them rue it therefore And hearing they hear not Audientes corporis sensu non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Augustine Verse 14. In 〈◊〉 is fulfilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is again fulfilled q. d. It is 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 now as it was with those then The same fable is acted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only changed Mens hearts are as hard as ever they were 〈◊〉 grace of the Gospel hath not mended them a whit nor ever will do till God strike the stroke And shall not understand Deus ijs in lingua sua 〈◊〉 qui in Christo suis Atticus their wit serves them not in spiritualls Seeing ye shall see and not perceive As Hagar saw not the fountain that was afore her till her eies were opened Verse 15. For this peoples heart c. A fat heart is a fearfull plague Their heart is fat as grease but I delight in thy law Psal. 119 70. None can delight in Gods law that are fat hearted Feeding cattel we know are most brutish and blockish And Phyfiognomers observe that a full and fat heart betokens a dull and doltish disposition Eglons fat paunch would not part with the ponyard and Pliny tells of bears so fat that they felt not the tharpest prickles Their ears are dull of hearing So were the believing Hebrews for the which they are much taxed and 〈◊〉 by the Apostle Surdaster erat M Crassus sed illud pejus quid malè audiebat saith Tully These here hear very ill for their no better hearing Their eies they have closed Or they wink hard with their eies they shut the windowes lest the light should come in 〈◊〉 liberiùs peccent libentèr ignorant they do not what they might toward the work Lest at any time they should see See we may here in that which they should have
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
Left ye smart for it when God 〈◊〉 send out summons for sleepers This is an exhortation answerable to that chap. 24. 42. and the upshot of that this and the 〈◊〉 parable See the Notes there Verse 14. And delivered unto them his goods There is scarce any man but hath some one thing or other in him that is excellent and extraordinary some speciall talent to trade with some hony to bring to the common hive have he but an heart to it Suacuique dos est Let every man according to his severall ability improve what he hath to the common benefit Freely he hath received freely let him give ability he hath none but from God who yet for our encouragement is pleased to call that ours that is his own work in us Verse 15. According to his severall ability Usurers use not to lend to those that cannot give pledge or security Howbeit we have nothing of our own but according to the measure of our gifts and faith Ephes. 4. the measure of the rule distributed to 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10. 13. the measure of grace concredited Rom. 12. Verse 16. Went and traded Grace grows by exercise and decaies by disuse as that side of the teeth which is least used in chewing is apt to have more rheum to settle upon it Though both arms grow yet that which a man useth is the stronger and bigger so is it in both gifts and graces In birds their wings which have been used most are sweetest Among trees that which is planted and plashed against a wall the more it is spread and laid forth in the branches even to the least twigge the more warmth and vigour it gets from the Sun-beams and the more 〈◊〉 it beareth So here Verse 17. He also gained other two The Lord as he hath a fatherly 〈◊〉 to our weaknesse so as not to overlay us so he takes well a worth what we are able and exacts no more then he gives Despise not therefore the day of small things sith God doth not Zech. 4. 10. Neither cast away your confidence because not good to such a degree but be faithfull in weaknesse though weak in faith A palsey-hand may receive an alms he that had but half an eye might look upon the brasen serpent and be healed Verse 18. Digged it in the earth Through sloth and pride as many now-adaies will do no more service to God then may breed admiration amongst men Some preachers saith one to win applause set forth at first with such a strife to seem eloquent and learned that they quickly spend their store and then rather then they would be observed to want they will give over preaching or else preach once a quarter to air their learning and keep it from moulding Verse 19. And reckoneth with them This is that we must also come to Christ will one day say Redde rationem 〈◊〉 an account of thy Stewardship Cicero could say Let us so frame our course as that we reckon upon our last reckoning make account we must all come to an account And because often-reckonings keep long-friends Villicus rationem cum Domino crebrò putet saith Cato Let us be oft dealing with our selves and setting things to rights betwixt God and our own souls so shall we have the lesse to do at last cast Sparing a little pains at first doubleth it in the end as he who will not cast up his books his books will cast up him at length Verse 20. He that had received five He was first called â—o an account and if four or but one of his five talents had â—â—in dead and unoccupied he had been doomed for his ill-husbandry See that ye receive not any grace of God in vain neither envy those that have much a proportion is expected Non tantùm otiosi sed cunctatores plectentur Thou idle and therefore evil servant vers 26. Verse 21. Thou hast been faithfull over a few things So the Lord calleth the greatest measure of grace here attainable in comparison of heavens holinesse and happinesse Ne donis vel bonis nostris effer amur What 's a spark to the Sunne a drop to the Ocean Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord A joy too big to enter into us we must enter into it A joy more meet for the Lord then the servant Yet such a Lord do we serve as will honour his servants with such a joy Amongst men it is otherwise Luk 17. 7. Gen. 15. 2 3. 1 King 11. 28 40. Verse 22. Lord thou deliveredst unto me two talents It is with Christians as with planets The Moon goes her course in a moneth the Sun in a year the rest not but in many years yet at length they finish Let us be doing as we can and our reward is sure with God Covet rather graces then gifts as to pray more fervently though lesse notionally or elequently Stammering Moses must pray rather then well-spoken Aaron The Corinthians came behinde in no gift 1 Cor. 1. 7. yet were babes and carnall Chap. 3. 2 3. Verse 23. Well done good and faithfull servant Though this second had the same good acceptance as the former yet it follows not that they were both alike rewarded but had a different degree as of grace so of glory Verse 24. Lord I know that thou wert c. Invalidum omnâ— naturâ querulum A sorry senslesse excuse it is that this man makes for himself and such as is both false and frivolous It shews 〈◊〉 utter emptinesse of the oil of Gods grace when mens lips like doors on rusty hinges move not without murmuring and male-contentednesse Verse 25. I was afraid and went and hid c. So God must bear the blame of his unfaithfulnesse The foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and then to mend the matter his heart freâ—terâ— against the Lord or at least he digests his choler as horses do by champing on the bridle-bit Verse 26. Thou wicked and slothfull servant God puts no difference between betwixt Nequaquum nequum an idle and an evil servant Had idlenesse been a calling this servant had been both a good husband and a good fellow too But what saith the Heathen Nae illi falsi sunt qui diversissimas res expectant ignaviae voluptatem praemia virtutis Verse 27. Received the same with usury Our Saviour doth no more patronize Usury here then he doth injustice Luk. 16. 1. Theâ—â— 1 Thess. 5. 2. Dancing Matth. 11. 17. Olympick games 1 Cor. 9. 24. Verse 28. Take therefore the talent from him God will take his own and be gone from an unworthy people or person The Idol-shepherds arm shall be clean dried up and his right eye utterly darkned Zech. 11. 17. It is no hard matter to observe a wain and decay of Gods gifts in them that use them not till at last Zedekiah like they may say When did the Spirit depart from me And as many of Ishbosheths friends shrank together
I will but c. Here Christ doth not correct his former request for then there should have been some kinde of fault in it but explicateth only on what condition he desired deliverance and becometh obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Philip. 2. 8. crying out Not as I will but as thou wilt which shews that he had a distinct humane will from the will of his Father and so was very man as well as God And here Aristotle that great Philosopher is clearly confuted For he denies that a magnanimious man can be exceeding sorrowfull for any thing that befalls him Our Saviour his Churches stoutest Champion was exceeding sorrowfull even to the death and yet of so great a spirit that he yeelds up himself wholly to God Magnus est animus qui so-Deo tradidit pufillus degener qui obluctatur saith Seneca He is a brave man that trusts God with all Verse 40. And he cometh unto the Disciples They were his care in the midst of his agony so was Peter upon whom he found time to look back when he stood to answer for his life So was the penitent thief whose prayer Christ answered even when he hung upon the tree and was paying dear for his redemption Our high-priest bears the names of all his people on his shoulders and on his breast so that he cannot be unmindfull of them Behold he hath graven them upon 〈◊〉 palms of his hands their walles are continually 〈◊〉 him Isa. 49. 16. he loveth to look upon the houses where they dwell And findeth them asleep When he should have found them at prayer for him Prayer is 〈◊〉 creature of the holy Ghost and unlesse he hold up mens eyes there while even Peter James and John will fall asleep in prayer and put up yawning petitions to God And saith unto Peter Who had promised so much forwardnesse and stood in so great danger above the rest Luk. 22. 31. For Satan earnestly desired to deal with him he challenged Peter forth as Goliah called for one to combate with And was it for them to sleep then or with Agrippa's dormouse not to awake till boyled in lead What could you not watch with me c. How then will ye do to dye with me as erst ye promised me If the footmen have wearied you how will ye contend with horses Jer. 12. 5. If you cannot endure words how will you endure wounds If ye cannot strive against sin how will you resist unto bloud Heb. 12. 4 If ye cannot burn your finger with Bilney your right-hand with Cranmer how will you bear the burning of your whole body Alice Coberly being pitiously burnt in the hand by the Keepers wife with a hot key which she cunningly sent her to fetch revoked Verse 41. Watch and pray Yea watch whiles ye are praying against corruption within temptations 〈◊〉 Satan will be interrupting as the Pythonisse did Paul praying Act. 16. 16. as the fowls did Abraham sacrificing Gen. 15. 11. as the enemies did 〈◊〉 with his Jews building who therefore praid and watcht watcht and praid Amongst all actions Satan is ever busiest in the best and most in the best part of the best as in the end of praier when the heart should close up it self with most comfort Watch therefore unto praier Set all aside for it and wait on it as the word imports Coloss. 4. 2. while praier stands still the trade of godlinesse stands still Let this therefore be done whatever is left undone Take heed the devil take you not out of your trenches as he did David likely 2 Sam. 11. 2. Out of your strong-hold as Joshua did the men of Ai. 〈◊〉 children saith Saint John abide in God keep home keep close to your Father if you mean to be safe if that evil one shall not touch you 1 Joh. 5. 18. nor thrust his deadly sting into you c. The spirit indeed is willing q. d. Though the spirit purpose otherwise yet the flesh will falter and ye will be foiled else Or our Saviour speaks this by way of excuse of their infirmity q. d. I see you are willing so farre as you are spirituall and regenerate but the flesh is treacherous and tyrannicall It rebels ever and anon and would gladly raign It hangs off when called to suffer and makes shy of the businesse So Peter was carried whether he would not Joh. 21. 18. So Hilarion chides out his soul which plaid loth to depart with Egredere ô anima c. So M. Saunders Martyr in a letter to his wife a little afore his death Fain would this flesh said he make strange of that which the spirit doth embrace O Lord how loth is this loitering sluggard to passe forth in Gods path c So M. Bradford going to his death Now I am climing up the hill said he It will cause me to puff and blow before I come to the 〈◊〉 The hill 〈◊〉 steep and high my breath is short and my strength is feeble Pray therefore to the Lord for me pray for me pray for me for Gods sake pray for me See more in the Notes on 〈◊〉 21. 18. Verse 42. The second time and praid Praier is that arrow of deliverance that would be multiplied God holds off on purpose that he may hear oft of us that we may ply the throne of grace and give him no rest The Church Psal. 80. commenceth thrice the same sute but riseth every time in her earnestnesse 〈◊〉 3 7 19. If thy petition be not lawfull never preferre it as if it 〈◊〉 never give it over God suspends thee to 〈◊〉 thee If this cup may not passe except I drink It passeth then even while we are drinking of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold our faith and 〈◊〉 It is but a storm and will soon be over It is but a death and that 's but the day-break of eternall brightnesse It is but winking as that Martyr said and thou shalt be in heaven presently Verse 43. He came and found them asleep again After so sweet 〈◊〉 admonition so soveraign a reproof Who knows how oft an 〈◊〉 may recurre even after 〈◊〉 See it in 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 in these Apostles for their 〈◊〉 Who should 〈◊〉 greatest c. For their eyes were heavy For sorrow saith S. Luke which exhausting the spirits renders a man more sluggish and hindering concoction sends up vapours to the brain and so causeth sleep This was somewhat but not sufficient to excuse them Christ took them with him into the garden for their society and 〈◊〉 But they not only not help him but wound him by their dulnesse unto duty and instead of wiping off his bloudy sweat they draw more out of him Judas had somewhat else to do now then to sleep when Peter was fast and could not hold up 〈◊〉 the Prophet lay under such a like drowsie distemper chap. 4. 1. for though awaked and set to work he was even
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
record He is jealous for Ierusalem with a great jealousie Zac. 1. 14. and jealousie is very wakeful hardly shall the sly paramour avoid the husbands eye if he see any indignity offered to his beloved spouse he will arise and play Phineas his part as that Martyr said The virgin daughter of Sion though she be but a virgin hath a champion that will not see nor 〈◊〉 her to be abused Isa. 37. 22. See how he revileth her 〈◊〉 Isa. 57. 3 4. But draw neer hither ye sons of the 〈◊〉 the seed of the adulierer and the whore Against whom do ye sport your selves Against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue Are ye not children of transgression a seed of falshood Yea he giveth encouragement to his Spouse in an holy scorn to despise and deride her deriders shaking her head at them 〈◊〉 they do at her and saying Whom hast thou 〈◊〉 hed and blasphemed c. q d. Dost thou know what thou hast done c. Verse 40. And saying Thou that c. Dogs will be barking at the Moon as these dead dogs do here at the 〈◊〉 of righteousnes At peragit cursus 〈◊〉 Diana suos 〈◊〉 goes on with the work nothing retarded by their jears and buffoneries Didicit ille maledicere ego contemnere said he in Tacitus Non tantum habemus etij P C. said Augustus to the Senate when they informed him of what such and such had said against him we are not at leasure to listen to every slight slander raised of us And of Severus the Emperour it is recorded that his care was what was to be done by him not what was said or censured of him Do well and hear ill is written upon heaven gates said that Martyr Railers are to be reckoned kill-Christs words may more afflict then blows Psal. 42. 3 10. As with a murthering weapon in my bones c. Verse 41. Likewise also the chief Priests Sick of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devils disease they petulantly insult over our dying Saviour with their Satanicall sarcasmes which he answereth with silence and by a brave composednesse sets himself above the slight of the injurious claw Facile est in me dicere cum non sim responsurus saith one It is as impossible to avoid as necessary to contemn the lash of leud tongues bitter tongues and scurrilous invectives Those ears that were wont to hear nothing but Angelicall hymnes are here filled with them and he replyes not Princes use not to chide when Embassadours offer them undecencies but deny them audience Verse 42. We will beleeve him They would not but rather have said he had done it by the devils help or have searched the deyils skull to finde out some other trick to elude the truth Verse 43. He trusted in God These were cruell mockings as those were called Heb. 11. 36. Nothing troubled David more then to be hit in the teeth with his God to have his Religion laid in his dish Psal. 42. 43. And it went to Jobs heart to hear his friend Eliphaz a godly man otherwise scoffe him for his Religion Job 4. 6. Is not thy fear or thy Religion become thy folly Zeackiah feared more to be mocked of the Jews then the Caldees Jer. 38. 9. Let him deliver him now But what if he do not deliver him now is he therefore no sonne So they would seem to argue and so Satan would fain perswade the Saints when 〈◊〉 a while under the crosse But the Apostle assures us otherwise Heb. 12. 6 7 8. See my Love-tokens Verse 44. The theeves also Both of them railed at first till one of them was converted by a miracle for it was one of those seven miracles wherewith Christ would honour the ignominy of his crosse Till then either they both reviled our Saviour or the better of them seemed at least by his silence for a season to consent to the other In whose example we see that every fool hath a bolt to shoot at afflicted godlinesse Every curre is ready to fall upon the dog that he seeth worried and every passenger to pull a branch from a tree that is felled But there is no small cruelty in composing comedies out of the tragedyes of the Church and so to draw blood from that back which is yet blue from the hand of the Almighty God threatneth Edom for but looking upon Jacobs affliction in the day of their calamity Verse 45. Darknesse over all the land The Sun hid his head in a mantle of black as ashamed to behold those base indignities done to the Sonne of righteousnesse by the sons of men This darknesse some think was universall not only over all the land of Jury but over the whole earth and so the text may be rendered Tiberius say they was sensible of it at Rome Dionysius writes to Polycarpus that they had it in Egypt And another great Astronomer Ptolomy if I mistake not was so amazed at it that he pronounced either nature now determineth or the God of nature suffereth Unto the ninth hour In this three-houres darknesse he was set upon by all the powers of darknesse with utmost might and malice But he foyled and spoiled them all and made an open shew of them as the Romane Conquerours used to do triumphing over them on his crosse as on his chariot of state Colos. 2. 15 attended by his vanquished enemies with their hands bound behinde them Eph. 48. Verse 46. Jesus 〈◊〉 with a loud voice Therefore he laid down his life at his own pleasure for by his loud outcry it appears that he could have lived longer if he had listed for any decay of nature under those exquisite torments that he suffered in his body but much greater in his soul. That which for the present seems to have expressed from him this dolefull complaint was the sense of his Fathers wrath in the darkning of the body of the Sunne over him which though God causeth to shine upon the just and unjust for their comfort yet was not suffered to shine upon him for those three sorrowfull hours together When Theedorus the Martyr was racked and tortured by the command of Iulian the Apostate an Angell in the forme of a young man stood by him and comforted him wiping off his sweat with a fine linen cloth and powring cold water on his vexed limmes When Mr Saunders Martyr was examined before Steven Winchester he felt a most pleasant refreshing issuing from every part of his body to his heart and from thence ebbing and flowing to each part again William Hunten Martyr cryed out at the stake Sonne of God shine upon me and immediately the Sun shone out of a darke cloud so full in his face that he was constrained to look another way whereat the people mused because it was so dark a little before And I my self was an eye-witnesse of a like answer returned from heaven to a like
The ground of a certain rich man Gr. The country for he had laid field to field till he was the only land-holder thereabouts and had a country of corn Esay 58. Verse 17. And he thought within himself He was up with the more and down with the lesse he cast up his reckonings as covetous mens manner is and after long debate to and fro concluded what to do He talked to himself c. A marvelous proper word for the purpose Verse 19. 〈◊〉 and drink and be merry A right Epicure one that had made his gut his God another Sardanapalus that did eate that in earth that he disgested in hell as Augustine hath it Verse 20. Thou foole this night c. This rich foole when like a Jay he was pruning himself in the boughs came tumbling down with the arrow in his side his glasse was run when he thought it to be but new turned He chopt into the earth before he was aware like as one that walking in a field cover'd with snow falleth into a pit suddenly He was shot as a bird with a bolt whilst he gazed at the bow And this may be any mans case Which made Austin say he would not for the gain of a world be an Atheist for one half hour because he knew not but God might in that time call him Then whose shall those things be c. As thy friends are scrambling for thy goods worms for thy body so devils for thy soul. We read of Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinall Bishop of Winchester and Chancellour of England in the reign of King Henry the Sixth that perceiving he must needs die he murmur'd that his riches could not repreive him Fie quoth he will not Death be hired will mony do nothing No its righteousnesse only that delivereth from death Verse 26. For the rest For superfluities when ye cannot provide your selves of necessaries Verse 29. Neither be ye of doubtfull mind Hang not in suspence as meteors doe in the ayre not certaine whether to hang or fall to the ground Meteoradicta volunt quod animos hominum suspensos dubios et quasi fluctuantes faciant Aristotle himselfe confesseth that of some meteors he knew not what to say though of some other he could say somewhat One Interpreter renders this word Make not discourses in the ayre as the covetous man doth when his head is tossed with the cares of getting or feares of losing commodity Or it may note his endlesse framing of projects for the compassing of his desires The Syriack rendreth it Let not your thoughts be distracted about these things Surely as a clock can never stand still so long as the plummets hang thereat so neither can a worldlings heart for cares and anxieties These suffer him not to rest night or day being herein like unto the flyes of Egypt or those tyrants Esay 16. Verse 32. Feare not little flock Gr Little little flock There is in the originall a double diminutive If we divide the known parts of the world into three equall Parts the Christians part is but as five the Mahometans as sixe and the Idolaters as nineteene Among the best Churches the most are the worst as Philip 3. 18. Chrysostome could not find an hundred in Antioch that he could be well perswaded of that they should be saved Verse 33. A treasure in the heavens As a merchant being to travell into a farre countrey doth deliver his money here upon the 〈◊〉 that so he may be sure to receive it againe at his arrivall in that Countrey so let us that are passing into another Country lay up something that may stand us in stead in that day Verse 34. There will your heart be your inwardest affection your 〈◊〉 joy and trust Verse 35. Let your loynes be girded It implyes 1. Readinesse 2. Nimblenesse handinesse and handsomenesse A loose discinct and diffluent mind is unfit to serve God Here it is ungirt unblest Verse 37. Blessed are those servants So verse 38. and 43. They are three times said to be blessed that watch Terque quaterque beati Faelices ter et 〈◊〉 Verse 47. Which knew his Lords will None are so filled with Gods wrath as knowing men Sapientes sapienter descendunt in 〈◊〉 saith Bernard The Devill is too hard for them Verse 48. Much is given To know our masters will is the great talent of all o her There is a Much in that There is a speciall depositum as the word here used importeth Verse 49. To send fire on the earth That is that persecution that is Evangelii genius as Calvin wrote to the French King and dogges at the heeles the preaching of the truth Verse 50. And how am I straitened This painfull preconceit of his passion was a part of our Saviours passion This made him spend many a night in prayer bewayling our sins and imploring Gods grace and he was heard in that which he requested Heb. 5. Verse 57. yea and why 〈◊〉 of yourselves By consulting with your owne consciences which would if rightly dealt with tell you that I am that Messias you have so long look't for Verse 58. Give diligence Purus putus 〈◊〉 saith Drusius Da operam Id est festina labora omnesque 〈◊〉 cogita quomodo ab eo libereris as Theophylact expounds it Be at utmost paines to get freed from him Verse 59. till thou hast paid the very last 〈◊〉 It is good to compound quickly with the Lord and to take up the suite before it come to execution and judgement lest we be forced to pay not onely the main debt but the arrearages too that is the time of Gods long-suffering and patience here and 〈◊〉 CHAP. XIII Verse 1. Told him of the Galileans SO called from Judas Gaulonites or Galilaeus their Captaine to whose faction also belonged those foure thousand murderers Act. 21. 38. For Pilate had not authority over the Galileans properly so called See Ioseph lib. 18. cap. 2. Verse 2. because they suffered such things None out of hell ever suffered more then those worthyes Heb. 11. Shall any therefore condemne that generation of 〈◊〉 children Psal. 73. 15 See 〈◊〉 4. 6. Dan. 9. 12. Verse 3. Except 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut pereundum Men must either turne from sinne or burne in hell Verse 5. 〈◊〉 except 〈◊〉 repent Except the best of you all repent more and more when yee see the examples of Gods wrath c. God would not have the wounds of godly sorrow so healed up in his owne children but that they should bleed afresh upon every good occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plagis 〈◊〉 medicamenta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make best use of others miseries Verse 7. Cut it 〈◊〉 Trees that are not for fruit are for the fire God will lay downe his basket and take up his axe He will not alwayes serve men for a sinning-stock Verse 8. Lord let it 〈◊〉 this yeare Happy that people that have praying
hung as so many bullets at their eye lids that they could not perceive so plain a truth CHAP. XIX Verse 5. Zacheus make haste CHrist is that good Shepheard that knoweth all his sheep and calleth them by name Make haste and come downe Heaven is a matter of greatest 〈◊〉 We must not adjourne as he did once In 〈◊〉 seria more weighty 〈◊〉 till to morrow To day I must abide at thy house Christ not only invites but even obtrudes himself as it 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 It s happy having 〈◊〉 guests He doth the same to us when he sends unto us his poor servants to presse upon our charity Unworthy we are surely to give an almes to poor Christ c. Verse 8. The half of my goods See the like in Tyrus converted 〈◊〉 23. 17 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I restore him four fold Which was the law for things stollen Fraud is no better then theft Restitution 〈◊〉 necessary to 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 God hates 〈◊〉 ex rapina as Sultan 〈◊〉 could tell his Councellour Pyrrhus who perswaded him to bestow 〈◊〉 great wealth he 〈◊〉 taken from the Persian Merchants upon some notable Hospitall for releif of the poor The dying Turk commanded it rather to be restored to the right owners which was done accordingly to the great shame of many Christians who mind nothing 〈◊〉 then restitution c. When Henry the Third of England had sent the Frier Minors a load of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 them they returned the same with this message 〈◊〉 he ought not to give almes of what he had rent from the poor neither would they accept of that abhominable gift Master 〈◊〉 saith If ye make no 〈◊〉 of goods 〈◊〉 ye shall cough in 〈◊〉 Verse 9. He also is a son of Abraham That is freely elected Romans 9. 1. a. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 faith Rom. 4. 12. and a doer of his works Job 8. 39. Who then can say but he is his son and shall rest in his bosome Verse 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sending a lamb to this 〈◊〉 of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 of their lips 〈◊〉 14. 3. Such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where such dust-heapes are found in every corner Verse 15. And whon he was returned He went at his Ascention and returns at the generall Resurrection At what time he will first reckon with his servants and then with his enemies Judgement shall then also begin at Gods own house Verse 16. Thy pound hath gained Not my paines but thy pound hath done it By the grace of God I am that I am saith Paul that constantissimus gratiae Praedicator as Austin calleth him Verse 23. Into the bank Gr. Unto the table or according to some coppies unto the Usurers whom Beza here rightly calleth humani certè gener is perniciosissimas pestes the most pernicious pests of mankind Verse 27. Slay them before me Howbeit the Beast and the false Prophet that is the Pope and his Janizaries shal not have the favour to be flain as the common sort of Christs enemies are but shall be cast alive into the burning lake tormented more exquisitly Revelations 19. 20 21. Verse 28. He went before To meet death in the face this was true magnanimity Herein he shewed himself the captain of our salvation though perfected by sufferings Verse 29. Bethphage and Bethany Bethphage was one mile out of Jerusalem Bethany two Verse 30. Go ye into the village Into Bethphage that was in their veiw as they went from Bethany Verse 41. He beheld the City That common slaughter-house of the Prophets Our Lord is said to have been slain at Rome Revelations 11. 8. because crucified at Jerusalem by the Roman authority And wept over it Shall not we weep over the ruines of so many fair and flourishing Churches that now lie in the dirt Christ wept in this day of his solemne Inauguration It shall be in our last triumph only that all teares shall be wiped from our eyes till then our passions must be mixed according to the occasions Verse 42. Oh if thou hadst known They had cognitionem historicam non mysticam speculativam non affectivam apprehensionis non approbationis discursivam non experimentalem At least in this thy day The time of grace is fitly called a Day in regard of 1 Revelation 2 Adornation 3 Consolation 4 Distinction 5 Speedy preterition Amend before the draw-bridge be taken up No man can say he shall have 12 hours to his day But now they are hid from thine eyes Yet they lived under the Ministry long after and no outward change to be discerned As Plutarch writes of Hannibal that when he could have taken Rome he would not when he would he could not so the Procrastinators Verse 43. For the dayes shall come God hath his dayes for vengeance as man hath his day for repentance There is a Prime of every mans life and of every mans Ministry The Levite lingered so long that he lost his Concubine she came short home so doth many a mans soul for like reason Shall cast a trench about thee Because like the wild-asse thou wouldst not otherwise be tamed and kept within compasse of Gods Commandements Verse 48. Were very attentive to heare him Gr. Hanged on him as the Bee doth on the flower the babe on the breast or the little bird on the bill of her Damme Christ drew the people after him as it were by the golden chain of his heavenly eloquence CHAP. X X. Verse 1. The cheif Preists and Scribes came GRaece Came suddenly upon him As an expected storme the Devill drove them Verse 4. The baptisme of John c. q. d. If John were sent by God to testifie as he did there is no colour of cause why ye should question mine authority Verse 8. Neither tell I you c Gods servants should be ready with their answer upon sudden assaults and not to seek of such arguments as may stop the mouth of an adversary When a 〈◊〉 Jesuite asked Where was your religion before Luther Answer was presently returned In the Bible where your religion never was Verse 16. God forbid Viz. That they should ever kill the Sonne of God sent unto them We cannot get men to beleive that their hearts are half so bad or their wayes so dangerous as the preacher makes of them Verse 17. What is this then that is written c. q. d. If it be not so as I say that you shall kill the Messiah how is it that the Scripture saith as much presse men with Scripture-testimonies that 's the readiest way of sound conviction It was a good speech of Augustine to 〈◊〉 contesting with him for audience 〈◊〉 me hear me said the Heretique Nay saith Augustine 〈◊〉 ego 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu me sed ambo 〈◊〉 Apostoium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non cognovi c. It is not I say or what thou saiest but what the Scripture saith that we 〈◊〉 stand to Verse 20. They sent forth 〈◊〉
This 〈◊〉 lambe was stirred with a holy indignation at so absurd an interruption and sharpes him up that delivers the message Great is the honour that is due to a mother Solomon set Bathsheba at his right hand and promised her any thing with reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unicam matris 〈◊〉 omnes istius 〈◊〉 posse delere Knows not Antipater that one tear of my mothers can 〈◊〉 blot out all his accusations against her said Alexander the Great Brethren also or neer-allyes as these were to our Saviour are dearly to be respected and greatly gratified as were Josephs brethren by him in his greatnesse But when these relations or their requests come in competition with Gods work or glory they must be neglected nay rejected and abominated For is there any friend to God or any foe like him Men be they pleased or displeased he must be obeyed and his businesse dispatched be the 〈◊〉 occasions never so urgent in shew the pretences 〈◊〉 so specious and plausible Verse 49. Behold my mother and my brethren Sanctior est 〈◊〉 cordis quam corporis Spirituall kindred is better then eternall There is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother Prov. 18. 24. Christ is endeared to his in all manner of nearest relations and engagements Oh then the dignity and safety of a Saint And oh the danger and disaster of such as either by hand or tongue maligne or molest them What will they wrong Christs mother to his face Will they force the Queen also in the house c. If Iacobs sons were so avenged for the indignity done to their sister Dinah 〈◊〉 Absolom for Tamar what will Christ doe or rather what will 〈◊〉 not doe 〈◊〉 his dearest relations How will this greater then Solomon arise off his throne at the last day to meet his mother half-way and to doe her all the honour that may be in that great Amphitheatre How sweetly will he accost his brethren that have been long absent from him in the flesh though present ever in spirit with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come ye blessed c. q. d. where have you been all this while They also shall be bold to say to him as Ruth die to Boaz Spread thy skirt over us for thou art our near kinsman or one that hath good right to redeem Verse 50. For whosoever shall doe the will Loe here 's the right way of becoming akin to Christ and can we better prefer our selves It was an honour to Mark that he was 〈◊〉 his sisters son David durst not in modesty think of being son in law to a King Elymas the 〈◊〉 affected to be held allyed to Christ and therefore stiled himself Barjesus as Darius in his proud 〈◊〉 to Alexander called himself King of Kings and 〈◊〉 of the Gods But the right way to be ennobled indeed and inrighted to Christ and his Kingdom is to beleeve in his Name and 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 This this is to become Christs brother and sister and mother Sister is named to shew that no sex is excluded And mother last mentioned that the prerogative of the flesh may be set aside and disacknowledged CHAP. XIII Verse 1. The same day WHerein Christ had had a sharp bout and bickering with the Scribes and Pharisees in the forenoon he sat and taught the people as it may seem in the afternoon A 〈◊〉 of preaching twice a day Chrysostoms practise was to Preach in the afternoon and by candle-light as appears by his Note on 1 Thes. 5. 17. where he fetcheth a similitude from the lamp he was preaching by Luther likewise preached twice 〈◊〉 day which because one Nicolas White commended in him he was accused of heresie in the raigne of Hen. 8. And this commendable course began to be disgraced and cryed down in our daies as Puritanicall and superfluous A learned Bishop was highly extolled in print for saying that when he was a Lecturer in London he preached in the morning but prated only in the after-noon A fair commendation for him He sat by the sea-side As waiting an oppertunity of doing good to mens souls which was no sooner offered but he readily laid hold on So St Paul took a text of one of the Altars in Athens and discourseth on it to the superstitious people A minister must stand ever upon his watch-tower prompt and present ready and speedy to every good work as the bee so soon as ever the sun breaks forth flyes abroad to gather hony and wax accounting employment a preferment as 〈◊〉 Saviour did Iohn 17. 4. Verse 2. He went into a ship and sat Thinking perhaps there to repose himself after his hard conflict with the 〈◊〉 But the sight of a new audience incites him to a new pains of preaching to them And as he held no time unseasonable so no place unfit for such a purpose We finde him 〈◊〉 teaching not in the Temple only and synagogues on the Sabbath day as he did constantly but in the mountains in cities in private houses by the sea-side by the way side by the wells side any where every where no place came 〈◊〉 to him no pulpet displeased him Verse 3. And he spake many things to them in parables A parable saith Suidas is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a setting forth of the matter by way of similitude from something else that differs in kinde and yet in some sort resembleth and illustrateth it Christ the Prince of preachers varieth his kinde of teaching according to the nature and necessity of his audience speaking as they could hear as they could bear saith St Mark Ministers in like sort must turne themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of spirit and speech to win people to God Behold a sower went forth Our Saviour stirrs them up to 〈◊〉 by a Behold Which though it might seem not so needfull to be said to such as came far and now looked throw him as it were for a Sermon yet he well knowing how dull men are to conceave heavenly mysteries how weak to remember hard to believe and slow to practise calls for their utmost attention to his divine doctrine and gives them a just reason thereof in his ensuing discourse It fares with the best whiles they hear as with little ones when they are saying their lesson if but a bird flie by they must needs look after it besides the devils malice striving to distract stupifie or steal away the good seed that it may come to nothing Verse 4. And when he sowed some seed c. The word is a seed of immortallity For 1. As seeds are small things yet produce great substances as an acorn an oak c. so by the foolishnes of preaching souls are saved like as by the blowing of rams-horns the wals of Iericho were subverted 2. As the seed must be harrowed into the earth so must the word be hid in the heart ere it 〈◊〉 3. As the seedsman cannot make an harvest without the influence