thee alone if he shall bear thee thou hast gained thy brother After disswading us from stumbling of others he teacheth us how to remedy scandals given unto us by others that the offender may be reclaimed and the church receive least damage therby and 1. He giveth direction about private scandals saying Moreover c. Doct. 1. When scandal is given we must not onely beware our selves to stumble though we cannot eschew but be grieved but also must study to reclaim the offender for this direction is given to us to remedy scandals given 2. The scandalous sin of a brother or professed believer especially must be cared for and cured by believers If thy brother offend thee 3. Private admonition especially in case the offence be private is a mean of reclaiming our brethren from their sinful courses Go tell him his fault alone 4. It is not necessary to divulge every fault which we alone know or to let others know of it for it is said Tell him between him and thee alone 5. The most discâ—eet easie and gentle wayes are first to be assayed in the case of private offences Therefore saith he Tell thou him alone 6. It is the gaining or saving of a brother to reclaim him from his sin and an obligation put upon the reclaimed sinner toward the Brother who admonished him for saith he Thou hast gained thy brother 7. We are bound to hear and obey private admonition even as we would be saved for if he bear thee saith he thou hast gained thy brother Ver. 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established Now he teacheth how to proceed if private admonition prevail not Doct. 1. If private admonition profit not and the party admonished will not amend we must not give over the cure of his scandalous course but must use further means and take the assistance of some others to help to reclaim him Therefore saith he Take with thee one or two more 2. The admonition of two or three serveth to convince the Offender of his fault the more clearly or to bear witnesse against him in case of his disobedience for In the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall be established Ver. 17. And if he shal neglect to hear them tell it unto the church but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as aâ— heathen man and a publican The former failing he teacheth what further must be done Doct. 1. When more private means avail not to remedy a scandall Christ hath appointed more and more publick Censure and Discipline in his Church for he saith Go tell the Church 2. Christ hath appointed a church of Governours or rulers over congregations and over all particular persons within the same which must attend the complaints of the Offended and remove scandals and who have power to call before them and to examine and censure the Offender for that end for so importeth Christs saying Tell it unto the Church 3. The Church hath means and power to remove publick scandall which being imployed by the church and obeyed by the Offender Excommunication is not to be used for Neglecting to heare the Church presupposeth the church Direction and Order to be given forth for amendment of the Offender and removing of the scandall 4. When the church hath given sentence upon the Offender and hath appointed the way to remove the scandall then the Offender should obey in the Lord for Christ declareth it a sensurable fault to Neglect to bear the Church 5. If the Offender disobey the churches direction for removing of the scandal then the church may and should excommunicate the obstinate that is declare him to be deprived of the honour of a Christian till he repent and to be holden in such dis-respect as the heathen and publicans were by the Jewish Church in those dayes for Let him be to thee such presupposeth he is found and declared by the church to be holden for such 6. When the church declareth an offender contumacious or excommunicateth him as unworthy of the fellowship of the Saints for his present abominable condition then every beleever must carry himself toward the excommunicate as toward a man disgraced and cast out of church-honour for Christ hath said Let him be unto thee as an heathen man that is as one without the church and a publican that is a despised sinner for so were Publicanâ— esteemed of among the Jews to the intent the Offender may be ashamed of his sin and repent Ver. 18. Verily I say unto you whosoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whosoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Here our Lord confirmeth the Authority given unto the church or Assembly of church-Governours Doct. 1. The church or Assembly of church-Governours hath authority from Christ in Christs name to pronounce guilty and lyable to judgment and to pronounce absolution and remission of sin as they finde cause for saith he Whosoever ye binde or ye loose 2. Christ will ratifie in heaven what the church assembled do in his Name in the exercise of the keyes of Doctrine and Discipline whether to the condemning of the guilty or absolving of the penitent for he saith It shall be bound in heaven loosed in heaven Ver. 19. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them To give assurance that the execution of his ordinances by the church shall be ratified in heaven he sheweth them that the consent of never so few of his Saints agreeing together upon a petition unto God shall have a blessed effect in heaven how much more shall the consent of the church-Rulers in execution of publick ordinances be ratified and have effect and this he further confirmeth by certifying us of his gracious presence where never so few two or three suppose there be no more Rulers in some small congregations are met in his name much more when a greater number do assemble and meet for his publick service Hence learn 1. That for mutuall edification one christian may take the help of another for prosecuting joyntly some particular petition before God for it is said If two of you shall agree upon a petition c. 2. God doth so love the communion of Saints that the consent of more of his children in one suplication hath the encouragement of this particular promise for What they ask shall be done 3. If the consent of some shall be blessed when they joyntly prosecute one petition much more may the church be confident that their publick consenting unto the execution of Christs ordinances shall be blessed for this the scope of
the murther should be of the vilest and most abominable sort then by the great Councell which sate at Jerusalem the guilty were to be adjudged without mercy or more ado to be executed most shamefully and burnt in the most abominable place in the valley of Hinnom or Gehenns whereby was represented Hell fire The first of the three ranks is mentioned vers 21. The rest are to be collected by CHRISTS alluding thereunto vers 22. Doct. 1. Naturall men are but slight interpreters of the Lords Law it is not killing in their sense if a man be not actually slain for Whosoever shall kill in the grossnesse of the letter he only is guilty in their judgment 2. Antiquity seemeth enough to carnall men for a reason in defence of whatsoever errour or corrupt custome for which they can pretend antiquity for Christ sheweth us that these Jewish Doctors did think it sufficient that It was said of old 3. Truth must never be prejudged by antiquity nor error strengthened thereby for unto their pretended antiquity It was said of old Christ doth oppose this But I say unto you c. Vers. 22. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say to his brother Racha shall be in danger of the councel but whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire While Christ doth expone the sixth command more exactly then the Pharisees did and doth shew the meaning of it by allusion unto the manner of their judgement of capitall crimes our Lords mind is not that those Judiciall courts with their different degrees of punishment should be the rule for censuring the breach of the sixth command but his mind is that albeit there be degrees of sin in breaking of the sixth command yet the command reacheth to the condemning of every degree of the sin forbidden so far that even rash anger is capitall and doth bring a man under the severe sentence of Gods judgment for Whosoever is angry saith he without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment that is he is culpable of death and if our neighbour be wronged by us in a disrespectfull speech the sin is yet more capitall and yet more deserveth the punishment of death and condemnation for Whosoever saith hee shall say to his brother Racha or any word of disdain shall be in danger of the councell that is shall be found guilty of a capitall or deadly transgression in a higher degree But if anger and disdain proceed so far as to reproach our Brother yet more despitefully and to call him Fool then we shall be in danger of hell fire that is of a yet higher degree of judgment in hell Doct. 1. The meanest and mainest outbreakings of our corruption in any sort are forbidden in one and the same command for our Lords exposition of Thou shalt not kill forbiddeth rash anger and every evill motion of the heart against our neighbours person no lesse then it forbiddeth murther 2. The wages of the least degree of sin is death for not onely murther but also rash anger and disdainfull speech are made capitall or deadly sins by our Lords interpretation worthy of death and hels fire So that no relief is to be looked for in Gods justice from the smalnesse of our sins but all standeth in the rich ransome of Christs Blood and largeness of his Grace unto which refuge the severe exaction of the Law and strict reckoning of Justice doth drive us Ver. 23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24. Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift After the exposition of this command Christ maketh application of the doctrine unto his Disciples and all his hearers for making use thereof wherein he sheweth a necessity of making conscience to keep this command by two reasons one is that if we shall not entertaine love to our neighbour but both do him wrong and also not care to be reconciled with him then God will take no service or worship at our hand nor will from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell This exhortation is set down as the use of the former doctrin wherein the words are not to be taken captiously as if one might hurt his own body under pretence to preveen sin for this is both forbidden in the sixth command and cannot be a solid cure or remedy of sin though it were permitted but the matter is proponed in allusion to a presupposed like case of the hazard of a mans life by a fester or gangrene in a mans eye or hand wherein as it were better that the Chirugion should pluck out the festered eye and cut off the festered hand then that the whole body should be lost so in the case of a darling sin or lust whereby a man is made to stumble and fall in sin it were better that he should be mortified and quat how necessary soever how dear soever though esteemed of as the right eye or the right hand rather then by sparing of that sinfull lust soul and body bothshould be cast in hell now there is no mortifying of the lusts of the flesh but by the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.13 And as for pardon of sin we are led unto Christ in the exposition of the sixth command so are we here driven to Christ for the morfication of sin in the exposition of the seventh command for he is the onely Chirurgion who can cut off those fretting lusts which fight against the soul. Ver. 31. It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his wife let him give her a bill of divorcement 32. But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery For clearing yet further of the seventh command Christ correcteth a third corrupt glosse about the abuse of marriage in divorcements which howsoever the civill Law left unpunished for civill Reasons yet it did not exeem him from sin nor wrath who was the giver of the Bill of Divorcement upon a light cause this abuse Christ doth correct teaching that if any persons married should thrust away their party except in the clear case of Adultery found in the party put away they should be guilty of the breach of the seventh command and of all the consequents thereof and they who approved the Divorcement should be guilty also each in their own degree in so high estimation hath our Lord the band of marriage that nothing can dissolve it except that which everteth the nature of the bands and bringeth perjury beside the breach of the command is double
shew himselfe to be God in the face of his adversaries And here he turneth out the inside of the Scribes mind shewing himself the searcher of hearts for it is said Iesus knowing their thoughts 2. Thoughts go not free before God Men shall give account of them for here the Scribes are challenged of thoughts Wherefore thinke ye evill 3. It is a sin and a fearfull one to think in our heart that Christ is not very God for which no man shall be able to answer when he shall be challenged more then these men were able to whom Christ saith Wherfore think ye evill in your hearts Ver. 5. For whether is it easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee Or to say arise and walk 6. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins then saith he to the sick of the Palsie Arise take up thy bed and go unto thine house 7. And he arose and departed to his house He demonstrateth himselfe yet more to be true God even his enemies being judges by discovering so much power in his works as they acknowledged him to be divine Hence learne 1. That our Lord his works are able to convince the adversaries of his God-head themselves being Judges for Whether saith he is it easier c. 2. Christs forgiving sins in his own name and authority and his setting a man sick of a palsie whole and strong upon his feet in a moment are both convincing evidences of Christs God-head The argument may be framed thus He who healeth the palsie sick in a moment by his own power giveth a convincing evidence of his God-head even the Scribes Christs adversaries being Judges But Christ doth heale the sick in a moment by his own power as he proveth sensibly in his healing the Palsie before their eyes Therefore Christ giveth a convincing evidence of his God-head the Scribes and adversaries being judges Another convincing argument may be thus He who hath power of himself to heal the palsie doth without blasphemy give out himselfe to be God in forgiving sins by his own authority even in the judgment of his adversaries who esteemed the healing of the palsie in his own name to be lesse easie then to pronounce forgiveness of sins in his own name But Christ hath power of himselfe to heal the palsie and sensibly â—â—weth the same in healing therof to the intent his adversaries may know that he in the time of his humiliation in the flesh had power on earth to forgive sins Therefore Christ without blasphemy giveth out himself to be God in forgiving sins by his own authority and so the adversaries of his God-head the Scribes were confounded Verse 8. But when the multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God which had given such power and men The Pharisees are put to shame and yet do not glorifie God but the multitude do acknowledge divine power manifested in this work Doct. 1. When the learned refuse to give to Christ glory God can make others to glorifie him as the multitude here do glorifie God for what they see in Christ when the scribes are dumb 2. The light of a miracle may convince a man and lift him up to see divine properties in Christ and yet not be sufficient to settle him in the faith that Christ is God and Man in one person for here the multitude do come short of a ful testimony that Christ is God they glorifie God who had given such power to Men not having yet the knowledg that The Man was God incarnate Verse 9. c. to 14. And as Iesus passed forth from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receit of custom and he saith unto him Follow me And be arose and followed him In Matthew his conversion and calling to the Apostleship Learn 1. That it is our duty when we may edify others to declare what proof we have of Gods mercy toward our selves albeit the glorifying of God by this mean be joyned with abasing of our own estimation for Matthew here gives us an example so to do in relating how himself when Christ called him was found in a base and odious office among the Jews to wit a Customer who had sold his own credit and all mens kindness for love of gain 2. The grace of effectuall calling is not prevented by any goodness in man for Matthew is sitting at the receit of custome without taking notice of Christ all the time he had been in Capernaum before this time yet Christ with a speciall eye of compassion and love doth now look on him convert and cal him to be an Apostle 3. The operation of grace is invincible for Matthew here without more ado breaketh through all Impediments ariseth leaveth the Custom-house and followeth Christ. Ver. 10. And it came to passe as Iesus sate at meal in the housâ—â— behold many Publicans and sinners came and sate down with him and his Disciples After this Matthew doth entertain Christ in his house upoâ— which occasion other Publicans also do come in unto Christ Hence learn 1. That a soul which hath rasted the grace and love of Christ cannot chuse but fall in love with him and his followers for Matthew now cannoâ— satisfie himself till he get Christ and his Disciples to eat with him at his house 2. Christ will not refuse to take and give signes of friendship and love where he knoweth he is loved for here he cometh and his Disciples with him to eat at the Publicans house 3. The observation of Christs kind respect to any one sinner may give encouragement to the rest to draw neeâ— unto him also for because Christ will come to a Publicans house to eat with him many Publicans and sinners came and sate down also with him and his Disciples Ver. 11. And when the Pharisees saw it they said unto 〈◊〉 Disciples Why eateth your Master with Publicans and sinners The Pharisees cannot endure this his familiar conversing with sinners Doct. 1. Such as are not humbled in the sense of ther own sins will take occasion of carâ—ing against God if he deal otherwise with his own children then they can allow if he shew signes of favour to others whom they judge more sinfull then themselves This is the ground of the Pharisees accusing Christ because He eateth with sinners 2. They who are least sensible of their own sins will be greatest enemies to such as in the sense of sin are seeking communion with Christ and no greater temptations have yong Christians to waken them then from old hypocrites The converted Publicans are disdained Christ and his Disciples are quarrelled for their kind carriage towards young converts only by the Pharisees Why eateth your Master with sinners saâ— they Verse 12. But when Iesus heard that he said unto them they that he whole need not a Physician but they than are sick Christ taketh the defence of his Disciples and cleareth himselfe and them also Doct. 1. Whosoever
seemed to have of common gifts means of salvation shall be taken from them so as they shall not reap eternall life thereby Ver. 13. Therefore speak I to them in Parables because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand From this ground that this multitude was reprobate our Lord giveth a reason of his speaking to them in parables Doct. 1. Some do see with their natural eyes Gods Works and wonders and do hear his Word also outwardly who do not by the spiritual eye of Faith perceive or take up the Lord's glory shining therin for Some in seeing see not in hearing hear not 2. Concerning such as God hath reprobate he will dispose so of the meanes of salvation toward them as they shall profit nothing by them unto salvation therefore saith he I speak to them in parables Ver. 14. And in them is fulfilled the prophesie of Esaias which saith By hearing ye shal hear and shal not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive Left they should have thought this an hard saying Christ sheweth that Isaias threatned the like against the wicked in his time and did prophesie of the righteous judgment of God in this sort to come upon the reprobate in Christ's time Hence learn 1. That the prime reason of the with-holding of saving grace from such as do perish is in Gods decree of reprobation for of the reprobate it may be said Though the Lords works be outwardly and in a common manner seen by them and his Word do sound among them and be outwardly or in a common manner heard by them yet this shall be without profit to them or use making of by them for Such hearing they hear and perceive not 2. When Gods judgment pronounced in Scripture hath taken hold of one fleece of wicked persons in one age it goeth on to be executed upon others after them of that same sort for the words of Isaiah spoken to the people in his own time are to be fulfilled even upon the wicked in Christs time some hundred years after Isaiah's prophesie and the same words are fulfilled in our time and shall take hold of the wicked in time to come Ver. 15. For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dul of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them The Lord sheweth the righteousness of God in execution of this decree of reprobation by this that there is in them a voluntary induration of heart going before the juridial induration inflicted upon them Hence learn 1. That beside the natural seneslesnesse of things spiritual and the natural ignorance and unbelief of the Gospel there is an affected voluntary blindnesse of mind and hardness of heart which men draw on by custome of sinning this is it he saith Their eyes have they closed 2. Where unto natural blindnesse and hardnesse of heart men superadde a wilfull blindnesse and hardnesse of heart it is justice with God to give them over to a judiciall blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart as the comparison of this place with that of Isaiah cha 6. giveth ground for here their voluntary blindness is set down They have closed their eyes there the judicial blindnesse and hardness is set down Shut their eyes make their heart fat 3. This plague is proper to the reprobat who God wil not save to whom God hath resolved to give no saving grace Lest he should heal them 4. whosoever get grace to turn fro their sins to repent to beleeve in Jesus Christ are not given over to a reprobate sense shal surely be saved For while he saith He wil not grant them grace to hear and understand that is to believe repent least they should be healed he importeth that if they did believe and repent they behoved undoubtedly to be healed the exercise of Faith and Repentance being infallibly marks of saving grace Ver. 16. Bâ—â— blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they hear 17 For verily I say unto you that many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them to hear those things which ye hear have not heard them By shewing the reprobation of this People Christ commendeth the estate of his Disciples Doct. 1. Such as have received grace to perceive salvation offered in Jesus Christ and to lay hold theron are truly blessed for Blessed are your eyes saith Christ for they see 2. The miserable condition of the reprobate and such as are given over to misbelief doth commend the blessed estate and condition of such as get grace to believe being compared therwith this is imported in But blessed are your eyes 3. The estate of the church after the manifestation of the Messiah in the flesh is more blessed than the condition of the church before Christ in respect of the grace of the Gospel now more cleerly proponed without shadows and figures and in this happiness the Apostles who conversed with Christ bodily justly have the first place Many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see and have not seen them 4. Such as get a saving sight of Christ do earnestly desire to see more of him for Prophets and righteous men who beleeved in Christ to come ardently desired to see him in the flesh Ver. 18. Hear ye therefore the Parable of the Sower In the exposition of the Parable learn The Lord will teach his own the meaning of his Word so as they may be edified therby and what they do not understand at one time he will cause them to understand at another for Hear ye saith he to his disciples the parable of the sower Ver. 19. When any one heareth the word of the Kingdome and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart this is be which received seed by the way side From the exposition of the seed sown by the way side learn 1. That the Gospel is the word of the kingdome of Heaven and other words in comparison are to smal effect but this word sheweth the way and giveth right unto the Kingdome giveth earnest and a beginning of the Kingdome of Heaven therefore it is called The word of the kingdome 2. Satan is busie waiting on where the word is preached to marr the hearing or understanding and believing of it for When one heareth that wicked one cometh 3. Where men understand not the Gospel preached and are not made sensible by the preaching of it of their own sinfulnesse and danger on the one hand and of the grace of God offered in Christ to relieve them on the other hand the word is lost unto them for The wicked one catcheth away that which was sown Ver. 20. But he that
Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Our Lord doth clear his Doctrine by his own example shewing them how he humbled himselfe for the publick good Doct. 1. The example of our Lords humiliation of himselfe serveth to curb all ambition in his Ministers and if it prevaile not shall bear witness against them for Even the Son of Man saith he came not to be ministred unto 2. Christ in his first coming came not to take up an earthly dominion or a stately preheminence as his Disciples imagined but came in the shape and state of a servant and behaved himself so as he was ready for the good of his Disciples to wash their feet for he came not to reign in a worldly manner but to serve in the externall Ministery of the Gospell He came saith he to minister 3. Ministers should not onely quit prelacy for the good of the Church but their life also if need bet for Christ out of the Love to mens Salvation not onely emptied himselfe of Stately Dominion but also emptied himselfe of Liberty and Life And gave himselfe a ransom for many Ver. 29. And as they departed from Iericho a great multitude followed him 30. And behold two blind men sitting by the way side when they heard that Iesus passed by cryed out saying have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David Among these that countenance Christ and follow him from Jericho two are marked Doct. 1. Of all the multitude of Christs followers these are the most remarkable persons who give unto Christ most imployment and draw most vertue by faith out of him therefore above all These two blind men are specially here noted 2. It is wisdom to seek of God the greatest things whatsoever else we need for these men are not so curious for Alms of Mony albeit they were Beggers as to have the benefit of the Mediators mercy Have mercy on us say they 3. Whosoever crave any benefit by Christ must be cleare in this point that Christ is the promised Messiah for Son of David is their great argument 4. We must beleeve his power and love as God incarnate able and willing to save us for so do they saying O Lord thou Son of David Ver. 31. And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace but they cryed the more saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David From the discouragement offâ—red unto them Learne 1. It is no new thing that such as in appearance are following Christ do hinder these who are following him in eaâ—â—est for The multitude rebuked these poor men and will have them to hold their peace 2. But it is wisdom for such as beleeve in Christ the more they are opposed the more to seek him and to take no answer from any but from himselfe for so doth these blind men who do not forsake their petition till it be granted Ver. 32. And Iesus stood stil and called them and said What wil ye that I shal do unto you 33. They say unto him Lord that our eyes may be opened 34. So Iesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him Christ heareth them and falleth in conference with them Doct. 1. Christ taketh notice of such suppliants as the multitude doth despise He standeth still to hear these blind mens suit 2. Where there is Faith and Sincerity the Lord will draw it forth to open view for his owne glory and the good of the Believer therfore He asketh what they would have that it might be known that they did not seek money but the fruit of his divine power 3. When misery is laid forth in faith before Christ he meeteth it with compassion as here in these blind men for he is a compassionate high priest 4. It is easie for Christ to do every greatest work as here to open the eyes of the blind and to give sight to them for He touched their eyes and they immediately received sight 5. It is reason that what gift we get of Christ we imploy it for his honour for Their eyes received sight and they followed him CHAP. XXI Christ rideth to Jerusalem to vers 12. Casteth out the buyers and sellers out of the temple to ve 18. Curseth the fig tree vers 22. Defendeth his own authority against the Pharisees challenge ver 28. And in two parables setteth down their sin and Gods judgement in rejecting of them Ver. 1. ANd when they drew nigh unto Ierusalem and were come to Bethpage unto the mount of Olives then sent Iesus two disciples 2. Saying unto them Go into the villages over against you and straightway ye shall find an asse tyed and a colt with her loose them and bring them unto me 3. And if any man say ought unto you ye shall say The Lord hath need of them and straightway he will send them IN this Christ's last voyage to Jerusalem Observe 1. That Christ being resolved to lay down his life the more near he draweth to his suffering the more doth he reveal himself to be the promised Messiah in whom the promises were accomplished Therfore he wil now go riding into Ierusalem 2. Again lest the nature of his kingdom should be mistaken he wil give evidence in his poverty that his kingdome is not of this world Therfore he will borrow an asse to ride on 3. He hath right to whatsoever he liketh to make use of as he sheweth in commanding the disciples To loose the asse and her colt and to bring them to him 4. His knowledge doth reach to the observation of the meanest things and doth take notice of Asses and their colts and their bindings and loosings 5. Whatsoever impediment can occur to any of his servants in their course of obedience unto him he doth foresee it and doth provide for the removing therof as here If any say ought unto you c. 6. He knoweth the master of the Asse will be within and what he wil say and foretelleth how he shall dispose of his will and move him without any more to let them go for the hearts of kings and country-men are in his hand and thus he letteth his disciples see a glimpse of his God head saying Straightway he send them 7. Albeit he be Lord of all yet will he make use of what his friends have with their own consent so that they may be reasonable servants with good will bestowing what he calleth for Therfore saith he Straightway he will send them 8. He is not ashamed to professe himselfe Lord and Master and yet to be so far emptied as to have need of the service of an Asse Say saith he the Lord hath need of them Ver. 4. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying 5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion Behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an