him a King rode upon an Asse-colt washt his Disciples feet sought not his own but his Fathers glory humbled himself to the death of the crosse emptied himself of all his excellencies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.7 suffered the contradiction of sinners who took him for a demoniack and a mad man whereas in him were hid all the treasures of wisdome In him they were but hid they were shall we fret when we are obscured Is it not enough that we shall one day appear with him in glory Moses hides his glorified face and saith Who am I when God was sending him to Pharaoh Many a man saies Who am I not and rather seems to be good then seeks to be so All his care is to be seen with Ichu and to dazle mens eyes with admiration Tantùm â—â— vanam samaâ—â— caplet Mercer not caring for unknown riches A fool both no delight in underanding but only for this that his heart may discover it self Prov. 18.2 that he may have the name and the note of a wise man But such an one passeth commonly for a proud fool For When pride cometh then cometh shame Occulti modesti sumunissi qui pre vericundâ—a sese abdunt quos pudeâ— quicquam perarrogamer facere Abon Eâ—â—a luò qui vet in pub iâ—o apparâ—re verecundan ur Mercer but with the shame fac'd is wisdome Prov. 11.2 The originall word there signifies such as hide themselves through modesty who blush at mens praises saith Aben Ezra and are ashamed to arrogate or own any commendation though never so well deserved When Charls the fift was royally entertained by the French King at Paris one of the Councellours made an elegant speech to him rehearsing all his brave acts he briâ—sly and modestly replied ldcò sibi gratum effe ' orationem quodeum 〈◊〉 quod talis esse deberet Ioh Maul loc com 595. Ibid. p. 175. Our King Henry the fifth after his victory at Agincourt gave straight order that no balled or song should be made or sung more then of thanksgiving to the Lord c. Trussels continuation of â—antels history of England fol. 101. That be accepted of the ration because it admonished him not so much what be had been as what be ought to be And when to Citizens of Antwerp presented him with a rich Arras wherein was curiously set forth his victory over the King of France together with the names of that King and the other Princes that were overthrown by him in the batâ—e he refused to receive it But when they that presented it had taken out those names he received it and took great content in it The stars are not seen by day the Sun it self is not seen by night As it is no small art to hide art so no small glory to conceal glory Not I but the grace of God that is in me saith Paul Not I but thy talent hath gained other talents saith the good servant The more direct the Sun is over us and in us the lesse is our shadow of pride and self-love Boughes the more laden with fruit the more lowly but in a fan the chaffe is above the corn not because it is better but because it is lighter Hebreoâ—um provethium est Stater in lagena sonitum sonitum edet Kâ—mâ—â—â— R. Salomon Prov 14.33 Holoâ—â—antes diâ—itur qui omnâ—ao lendat Corn. Nepos Act. and Mon. fol. 1620. Empty casks sound loudest say we Empty purses gingle most say the Hebrews That which is in the midst of fools is soon made known saith Solomon they are lavish of that little wisdome they have and will laugh on purpose with Egnatius to shew their white teeth They set the best side â—utward with Alcibiades and have a trick as Stephen Gardner had with boldnesse and stoutnesse to make their gifts to appear much greater as butchers use to blow up their flesh to make it better liked of But what saith our Saviour Let your light shine not your lightnesse and let your end be that the light may be seen not that your selves may be seen Eò praesulgebant quod non vischanâ—ur 〈◊〉 Ham. it us stuâ—â—niae Sotades The wise Historian observed that the statues of Brutus and Cassius did therefore shine because they were not seen and were the more glorious and illustrious because they were not brought forth with other images in a solemn procession at the funerall of Germanicus The engine that doth all in great works is oft inward hidden not taken notice of so they that best deserve do least desire to be noticed or applauded They have low conceits of themselves and love not the loud praises of others Moses shone and knew not of it David flies from honour and it follows him Saul follows it and it flies from him Thinke of this and it will prick the bladder of pride make it fall slat and shrivell to nothing it will cure us of arrogancy which is nothing else saith one but the neighing of folly Lastly Pray to God to pull down thine heart as he did Nebuchadnezzars but especially Pauls to hide pride from thee The key of mans heart he keeps under his own girdle and orders it at his pleasure Ply the throne of grace therefore with uncessant suites to subdue thy stout heart to cripple thine it on sinews to make and keep thee supple and soluble tender and tractable pliant and obedient that so the Nilus of his grace may overflow the low valley of thy minde and fill thee with all orient and fragrant flowers of knowledge and vertue This was the course S. Paul took when the devil that King of all the children of pride as Leviathan is called Job 41.34 sought to puff him up with the abundance of his revelations In danger he was to have been carried higher in conceitednesse then he was before in his extasie But he complained betimes as soon as ever the devil assaied to blow up such a blab in his soul he ran to God 2 Cor. 12. and praid thrice and prevaild that Gods grace was sufficient for him How easie is it for the best man to dote upon himself and to be lifted up so high as to lose the sight both of the ground whence he rises and of the hand that advanced him How hard was it for Vzziah that had invented strange engines for the battering of his enemies to finde out any means to beat down his own proud thoughts I Praier would have done it Pray therefore and God shall humble thy heart pray I say to the Lord. He hath promised a heart of flesh and to pray is to put in suit the promises c. Arts. DANIEL 1.17 As for these four children God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdome and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams THe perfection even of humane arts both liberall and mechanick is to be found in the Church For Isa 28.10 Exodus 313. Inventus est artisex
those postures unmanly Severall countreys have their severall customs Basiliades Duke of Muscovia shewed himself a tyrant in nailing an Embassadours hat to his head for not uncovering it before him Verse 5. Praying or prophecying That is joyning with the man that praieth or prophecieth and going along with him in her heart Thus the King and all Israel with him offered Sacrifice before the Lord 1 Kin. 8 62. And thus the unlearned sey Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 See the Note on Rom. 16.1 Verse 6. For a woman to be shore Our Hic-muliers hold it now no shame If Henry the sixth had seen such creatures he would have cried out as once he did at the sight of naked brests Daniels hist p. 198. Fie fie Ladies insooth you are too blame c. Verse 7. He is the image and glory of God Even as an image in the glasse doth look toward us from whom it is reflected So saith one doth Gods image in us make the eyes of our minds view him the authour of it in us Bayns letters And as the eye becometh one with that which it seeth and is after a sort in that light it beholdeth so are we by the vision of God which is begun in us one with him and in him The woman is the glory of the man Either because he may glory in her if she be good or because she is to honour him and give glory to him Verse 8. But the woman of the man Of a bone she was made and but one bone Nâ— esset ossea saith a Divine A bone of the side it was Vitia Palatina not of the head she is not to be his mistresse nor of the foot she is not to be his handmaid but of the side to shew that she is a companion to her husband A bone from under the arm to minde the man of protection and defence to the woman A bone not farre from his heart to minde him of dilection and love to the woman A bone from the left side to put the woman in minde that by reason of her frailty and infirmity she stands in need of both the one and the other from her husband Verse 9. For the woman sc To serve her unlesse it be some women As Artemisia Zenobla blandena Anna Atestina Guisiorum Memorous parens Thuan. biâ—t l. 124. Numb 5.18 specially called to and qualified for government Amongst whom Queen Elizabeth that female-glory is famous Of whom a great French Dutchesse said That she was Gloriosissima omnium quae unquam sceptrum gesserunt foelicissima faemina Besides her Sex there was nothing in her woman-like or weak Verse 10. To have power That is a veil called in Hebrew Radid of Radad to beat rule And indeed what was this subjection to the husband but a kinde of power and protection derived to the wife in respect of her fromer estate Because of the Angels Present in the Assemblies of the Saints This was set forth of old by the hangings of the Tabernacle wrought with Cherubims within and without Others understand this Text of Ministers frequently called Angels Hag. 1.12 13. Revel 2. and 3. Judg. 2.1 that Angel is thought to be Phintas Eccles 5.6 Neither say thou before the Angel i. e. before the Lords Priest it was an errour Verse 11. Neverthelesse neither is This is added for the womans comfort There must be all mutuall respects and melting-heartednesse betwixt married couples which being preserved fresh and fruitfull will â—fiâ—tely sweeten and beautifie the marriage-estate Love is a quom that must be exchanged betwixt them and returned in kinde Husbands love your wives Colos 3.16 He saith not Rule over your wives as he had said Wives submit your selves to your husbands but Love your wives yea let all your things be done in love for neither is the man without the woman he is not compleat without her he wants a piece of himself neither is the woman without the man she cannot subsist without him as the Vine cannot without a supporter The rib can challenge no more of her then the earth can of him c. Verse 12. But all things of God God consulted not with man to make him happy saith one As he was ignorant while himself was made so did he not know while a second self was made out of him Both that the comfort might be the greater then was expected as also that he might not upbraid his wife with any great dependance or obligation he neither willing the work nor suffering any pain to have it done Verse 13. Judge in your selves All Christs sheep are rationall able to discern of things that differ having their senses thereunto exercised Heb. 5.14 But some sins are condemned by common sense as here and religion is founded upon so good reason that though God had not commanded it yet it had been our wisest way to have chosen it But lust doth oft so bleer the understanding that a man shall thinke he hath reason to be mad and that there is great sense in sinning Verse 14. That if a man have long hair Bushes of vanity which they will never part with said Marbury untill the devil put a caudle into the bush But our Gallants object That the Apostle here intendeth such hair as is as long as womens hair Whereunto we answer That Homer calleth the Greeks hair-nourishing men who yet did not wear their hair long as women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homeâ— How Cromwell handled the shag-haired ruffian See Acts and Monuments of the Church folio 1083. How God hath punished this unnaturall sin by that loathsome and horrible disease in the hair called Plica Polonica See Hercules de Saxonia And out of him Mr Bolion in his four last things pag 40. It begun first saith he not many years ago in Poland It is now entered into many parts of Germany And methinks our monstrous fashionists both male and female the one for nourishing their horrid bushes of vanity the other for their most unnaturall and cursed cutting their hair should every hour fear and tremble lest they should bring it upon their own heads and amongst us in this kingdom Daniels Hist 67. Our henry 1. repressed the wearing of long hair which though it were a gaiety of no charge yet for the undecency thereof he reformed it and all other dissolutenesse See Mr Prins Vnlovelinesse of love-locks Verse 15. Her hair is given her Now it is a vile thing to go against nature Cyprian and Austin say That garish apparell is worse then whoredom because whoredom only corrupts chastity but this corrupts nature Verse 16. Seem to be contentious Adectore gloriâ—sâ— Pastore contentioso inutilibus quaestionibus liberet Ecclesiam suam Dominus said Luther From a vain-glorious Doctour from a contentious Pastour and from endlesse and needlesse controversies the good Lord deliver his Church We have no such custome viz. To strive about trifles but to submit to our teachers Bifield
clothing to some he gave his shoes some he helped with houshold-stuff to other-some he ministred wholsome exhortation of good doctrine Ibid 8 11. One poor woman there was brought to bed and had no bed to lie in to whom he brought his own bed himself content to lie in the straw Being taken and put in prison he ministred to all his fellow-prisoners at table being contented himself with a few scraps that they left c. Dr Tailour Martyr made it his custome once in a fornight at least to call upon Sr Henry Doyle and other of the rich Cloth-makers in his Parish to go with him to the Almeshouse and there to see how the poor lived what they lacked in meat drink clothing bedding or any other necessaries Ibid. 1388. The like did he also to other poor men that had many children or were sick Then would he exhort and comfort them and where he found cause rebuke the unruly this was spirituall alms and what they lacked that gave he after his power and what he was not able he caused the rich to minister unto them M Ward of Ipâ—wich his Christ is all in all Davids desire by Rob. Abbot Mr Fox that reports all the former never denied any one that asked him ought for Jesus sake And being once asked Whether he knew a certain poor man that had received succour from him in time of trouble he answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Twice I was saith the same Mr Fox in Bishop Hoopers house at Worcester where in his Common-hall I saw a table spred with good store of meat and beset full of beggars and poor folk And I asking his servants what this meant they told me that every day their Lord and masters manner was to have customably to dinner a certain number of poor folk of the said City by course who were served by four at amesse with wholsome meats And when they were served Ibid. 1369 being before examined by him or his deputies of the Lords-praier the Articles of the faith and ten Commandments then he himself sat down to dinner and not before being as it is else where storied of him Spare of diet sparer of words sparest of time Amadeus Duke of Savoy afterwards made Pope of Rome anno 1440. Ibid. being asked by certain Embassadours whether he had any hunting-dogs to shew them told them they should see them the next day And getting together a great sort of poor folk he set them with him at his own Table on the morrow and said to the Embassadours These be the dogs that I keep daily and wherewith I use to hunt after heaven Hi sunt canes â—â—ei quos aâ—o quoâ—idâ—è c. Fâ—râ— Chroâ—ol Hist hobem Specul belli sacri p 252. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph Dio in vita M. Aâ—tonini Philosoâ—hi Act. and Mon. fol 958. A like course was taken by Charles the great and by Iâ—go King of Draves and Vâ—neds as Aeneas Sylvius reporteth Of a certain Bishop of Lincolne it is said That he never thought he had that thing that he did not give The same is reported of our Generall Norrice and before them both of Cyrus the King and of Antonius the Emperour Queen Anne Bullen carried ever about her a little purse for the poor thinking no day well spent wherein some man had not fared the better by some benefit at her hand She kept her maids and such as were about her so imploied in sowing and working garments for the poor that neither was there seen any idlenesse then among them nor any leisure to follow foolish pastimes So did Dorcas before her and so before them both Bathsheba or the good houswife that she commends to her son Solomon She laieth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe Prov. 31 19 But why this And what need she be so work-brittle being a Queen It followeth in the next words vers â—0 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor yea she reacheth forth her hands to the needy She was of his minde belike that said and suffered for so saying in King Henry the 8. daies That alms should not be given untill it sweat in a mans hand Mr Bradford Martyr counted that hour lost Ibid 765. wherein he did not some good with his tongue pen or purse Ibid. 1457. The young Lord Harrington gave the tenth of his allowance which was a thousand pounds a year during his minority to the poor and other good uses as appeared by his accounts after his death besides what he gave in the way as he walked and travelled The testimony annexed to his funerall sermoÌ„ by M. Stock p. 92 In his life prefixed to his Prototypes by M. Henry Sâ—uddâ—r which he did often and much c. M. Whately also that late painfull and powerfull Preacher of Gods Word at Banbury as he was much in pressing this duty of liberality so himself abounded in works of mercy He set apart and expended for the space of many years for good uses the tenth part of his yearly comings in both out of his temporall and Ecclesiasticall means of maintenance Neither may I here forget that late reverend man of God M. John Ballam Pastour of the Church at Evesham my spirituall father and bountifull benefactour nor yet M. Simon Trappe late Minister of Gods Word at Stratford upon Avon my dear and near kinsman both in the flesh and in the faith Both which out of that little they had for God saw fit to hold them here to strait allowance 1 Cor. 16 2. Mâ—r. 12.41 Proponamus â—â— nobis uâ— Archiâ—â—â—sâ—opun sic Arcbâ—dâ—aâ—enil c. 〈◊〉 bâ—st Christ Plerisque munus â—ulum pâ—â—â—cè offâ—renâ—â—â—uâ— c. Beza in loc Docet Aâ—ido teles liberalitatem metiendam esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Liheraâ—â—tas non cumuâ—o patri no 〈◊〉 sed largitatatis affectu desiâ—iâ—ur Ambr. Reas 1 who deserved a larger proportion but a rich stone is of no lesse worth when locked up in a wicker casket then when set in a Bishops mitre they laid up by them weekly in store somewhat for the poor of that their little and they were no losers by it The poor mans box is Christs treasury saith a Father And he sits by as an Arch-deacon to see what every man casts into this treasury and with what affection The people Mark 12.41 last in money brasse money saith the Originall somewhat they must doe for none might appear empty-handed before the Lord but they would do as little as might be they cast in saith the Text not silver or gold but brasse-money into the treasury And many that where rich cast in much But the poor widdow cast in more then all the rest saith our Saviour lesse in Arithmeticall proportion but more in Geometricall because all she had And women are noted for more hard and tenacious then men whence in is
God is not in all his thoughts He sacrificeth to himself as Sejanus did and Polyphemus-like sets up himself for the sole doer Whereas God as he is the first authour and owner of all so to him as to the utmost end of all they ought all to return Quasi circulo quodam confecto and as the rivers doe to the sea whence they had their beginning See Rom. 11.36 Sith of him and through him and to him are all things to him alone be glory for ever His glory he will not give to any other Isa 42.8 what ever he part with none shall share with him in that It is his jewell his darling his own eye his wife with reverence to his Majesty be it spoken And as Abner might not see Davids face unlesse he brought him his wife Michal so neither may any stand before God that bereave him of his glory He comes down from heaven as it were and fights hand to hand with a proud person in single combate the whole world beholding 1 Pet. 5.5 Surely God resisteth the proud saith Peter He sets himself in battle-array against them as the originall hath it as he did against Pharaoh Herod and this Nebuchadnezzar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose minde was hardened in pride that hate of heaven and gate to hell as the Prophet tels his son Dan. 5.20 therefore besides the brutish change of his minde his body was much changed in seeding and living among wilde beasts It was not only a phrensie as Ericus King of Swethland being expeld his Kingdom for grief Willet on Dan. Turk hâ—st fell mad or as Bajazet taken by Tamberlane and Boniface the 8th by Charles of Burbon bit and tare themselves for grief and vexation but he was banished from the society of men by the just judgement of God And so lying in the wet and cold among beasts his garments rotted his hair grew hard his nails long c. his mans shape remaining his humane soul was changed to be brutish his body also mis-shapen and deformed not transformed as Dr Willet hath it in his Hexapha upon Daniel Willet on Daniel fol. 137. where you may read of divers like examples Surely the Lord of hosts hath purposed it to stain the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Isa 23.8 Isa 2.11 1â— Eras Apophtâ— Herod affecting to be a lousie god was eaten up of worms Pemble Don Mendoza printed a lying poem in France of a triumph before the victory Camd Elizab. fol. â—71 The Spaniards in the pride of their Monarchy are grown also now to swear by the life of their King Sands Relat. 18 Breerw Enqui p 50. Heyl Geog p. 30 Iren. l. 1. c. 24. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day So saith Isaiah nay so saith Esop who being asked what God did in heaven He pulleth down the proud said he and lifteth up the lowly this is his work and businesse He bears an aking tooth a speciall spleen as I may say so to this sin of Arrogancy His heart hates it Prov. 6.16 17. His mouth curseth it Psal 119.21 and his hand plagueth it as he did Herod among others The people had fly-blown him with their flatteries This swels him and for his pride God turns those worms upon him to devour him as he did the lice upon that proud King of Spain that set forth the invincible Armado as they vainly called it against England The Spaniards are generally noted for an insolent people and their ambition hath been to settle their Catholike Monarchy over all Christendome but God hath hitherto crossed it and we trust will doe Their language they call Romance as if it were pure latine and themselves the right Hidalgoes as if they were the only Gentlemen So the Turks will needs be thought the only Musulmans or true believers as Papists the only Catholiks the Donatists affected the same title Gnosticks the only knowing men Anabaptists the only spirituall persons Jesuites the only scholars Imperium literarum est penes Iesuitas Casau ex Apologista Relat. of West Relig. Polititians and Oratours of the world They vaunt that the Church is the soul of the world the Clergy of the Church and they of the Clergy that a Jesuite cannot possibly be an heretike but that as the devil set up Luther that Arch-heretike so God sent forth them to oppose him The Chineses would perswade us That they only see with two eyes all other Nations but with one These proud Jesuites would have us believe the like of them Heyl Geog 662 And as it is reported of the great Cham of Tartary that he reputes himself the Monarch of the whole world and that therefore every day as soon as he hath dined he causeth his trumpets to be sounded by that sign giving leave to other Princes of the earth to go to dinner So would these Jesuites be held the only Worthies their main endeavour being to subject all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves Code of the Church p. 114. Their faction saith one is a most agile sharp sword whose blade is sheathed at pleasure in the bowels of every Common-wealth but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spain So that the very life death and fortunes of all Kings and Common-wealths hang upon the horoscopes of the Jesuites pleasure If the Jesuites be as lucky stars in the ascendent and culminant they may live continue and flourish if malevolent they perish but that Deus dominabitur astris Now may it not well be said to these croaking frogs and encroaching locusts of Rome Ye take too much upon you ye sons of Levi They teach That the state ecclesiasticall is so far more excellent then the civil as the Sun then the Moon even in temporall pomp and power and that therefore the chief of their Clergy is as far above the mightiest Emperour as the Sun above the Moon And as the Sun borrows her light of the Moon so doth the Emperour his State and power from the Pope Is not this that Man of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that exalts himself above all that is called Augustus or above all Kings and Emperours trampling upon their necks 2 Thess 2.4 forcing them to hold his stirrop to dance attendance at his gate c. kicking off their crowns and crowning them again with his feet Act. and Mon. as Pandulphus the Popes Legat did King John of England As for King Henry the second of this land he was forced by the Pope to kneel and pray to Beckets shrine whom he had disgraced in his person and having had him above his will saith the Chronicler whiles he lived hath him now over his faith being dead Going
he had read some of the Fathers gave over for this reason because scarce any of them did rightly understand the use and efficacy of baptisme Verse 16. The cup of blessing Not the Chalice but the common cup. Diest de ratione studâ— Theol. pag. 116. Colvin chose rather to leave Geneva then to use unleavened bread or water-cakes at the Lords Supper We may not symbolize with Idolaters Is it not the communion Doth it not signifie and set forth yea as an instrument effect and exhibite this communion Verse 17. And one body By the force of faith and love Can. 6.9 My dove is but one the daughters saw her and blessed her No such onenesse entirenesse any where as among the Saints Other societies are but as the clay in the toes of Nebuchadnezzars image they may cleave together but not incorporate one into another Verse 18. Are not they which eat c. See Levit. 7.15 Hence he infers that these Corinthians also eating of the Idols-sacrifices were defiled with idolatry a pari Verse 19. What say I then He prevents a mistake See cha 8.4 Ministers must in their discourses meet with all objections as much as may be Verse 20. They sacrifice to devils A good intention then excuseth not The Gentiles thought they had sacrificed to God So do the Papists who yet worship devils whiles they worship idols of gold and silver and brasse and stone Revel 9.20 The devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Synesius an Idol-lover In epist Verse 21. partakers of the Lords table Name and thing The Popish opinion of Masse was that it might not be celebrated but upon an altar or at least upon a superaltare Act. and Mon. fol. 1111. Ibid. 1326. which must have it's prints and carects or else the thing was not thought to be lawfully done Our Communion Table they called an oyster-board And the table of devils Redwald King of East-Saxons had in the same Church one alter for Christian Religion Camden and another for sacrifice to devils Verse 22. Do we provoke the Lord As Caligula that dared his Jove to a duell As the raging Turk at the last assault of Scodra most horribly blaspheming God Tork bist fol. 423. Psal 90.11 But who knoweth the power of his anger It is such as none can avert or avoid avoid or abide Verse 23. Bern. All things are not expedient An liceat an deceat an expediat are three most needfull questions Things lawfull in themselves may be unseemly for our state and calling unbehovefull also to the benefit of others Think unlawfull for thee whatsoever implies either inexpediency or indecency Verse 24. Let no man seek his own Self miscarries us all and makes us eccentrick in our motions nothing more Verse 25. Whatsoever is sold c. A portion of the consecrated flesh was usually sold by 〈◊〉 Prâ—ests who made their markets of it as Augâ—stine upon the Romans testifieth Verse 26. For the earth is the Lords God of his bounty spreads a Table for all Make no scruple therefore eat freely Verse 27. And ye be disposed to go Our Saviour when he saw that Johns austerity was censured took his liberty in the use of creatures and convenient company-keeping Luk. 7.33 34. I do not finde where ever he was bidden to any table and refused Not for the pleasure of the dishes but for the benefit of so winning a conversation Verse 28. The earth is the Lords Therefore in case of scandall abstain Why shouldst thou use this creature as if there were no more but this Suspend thy liberty Hast not thou all the world afore thee Verse 29. Why is my liberty judged As a profane licence We should be shie of the very shâ—ws and shadows of sin Quiequid fuerit malè color atum as Bernard hath it if a thing look but ill favoured abstain from it Verse 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if I by grace Or By thanksgiving The same Greek word signifies both to teach us that a gratefull man is a gracious man The unthankfull and the evil are set together as the same Luk. 6.33 God is kinde to the unthankfull and to the evil Verse 31. Whether therefore ye eat c. Of a reverend Scotch Divine it is said That He did even eat and drink and sleep eternall life These common actions also are steps in our Christian walking despise them not therefore but refer them to that supreme scope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Drus Apophil Socrates even in his recreations profited his companions no lesse then if he had been reading Lectures to them Plato and Xenophon thought it fit and profitable that mens speeches at meals should be written Quicquid agas propter Deum agas saith one Propter te Domine propter te said another Verse 32. Give none offence This is another end we should aim at the edification of others Finibus non officys a vitys discernuntur virtutes Augustin Two things make a good Christian good actions and good aims Verse 33. Not seeking mine own profit This saith Chrysostome is the most perfect Canon of Christianity the top-gallant of true religion CHAP. XI Verse 1. Be ye followers of me THis verse properly belongs to the former Chapter The distinguishing of the books of Scripture into Chapters is not very ancient But that of verses was devised and done by Robert Stephens Pio quidem at tumultuario studio as one saith well with a good intent Soultâ—t but with no great skill as appears here and in divers other places The Apostle chap. 10.33 had shewed his own practice here he cals upon them to do accordingly As the Oxe follows the herd Sicut bos armenta sic ego bonos viros c. Cic ad Attic. so will I follow good men Etiamsi ruant saith Cicero although they do amisse This was more then St Paul desires Be ye followers of me saith he but only so far as I am of Christ not an inch further Verse 2. And keep the ordinances Gr. the traditions or doctrines by word of mouth These are 1. Dogmaticall concerning faith and practice 2 Thess 2.15 2. Rituall Selater in loe and these again are 1. Perpetuall as that of the manner of administring the two Sacraments 2. Temporary as that of abstaining from certain meats Act. 15.28 29. And those other pertaining to the observing of externall order and decency in Church-assemblies And of these the Apostle here speaketh Verse 3. The head of the woman is man Were it not an ill sight to see the shoulders above the head the woman usurp authority over the man A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1 1â— as did Livia Verse 4. Dishonoureth his head As they accounted it then and there In other places it is otherwise The French preach covered Bâ—unts voiage p. 88. The Turks neither kneel nor uncover the head at publike praiers as holding
Maries daies at one stake a lame man and a blinde man The lame man after he was chained casting away his crutch bad the blinde man be of good comfort for death would heal them both Act. and Mon. fol. 1733. And so they patiently suffered Verse 44. A spirituall body Luther saith the body shall move up and down like a thought Augustin saith they shall move to any place they will assoon as they will As birds saith Zanchius being hatched do flie lightly up into the skies De operib Dei which being eggs were a heavy and slimy matter So man being hatched by the resurrection is made pure and nimble and able to mount up into the heavens Verse 45. A quickning spirit Christ is called a spirit from his Deity as Heb. 9.14 and a quickning spirit because he is the principle of life to all believers Verse 46. And afterward that is spirituall Nature Art Grace proceed from lesse perfect to more perfect Let us advance forward and ripen apace that we may be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead Luk. 20.35 Verse 47. Of the earth earthy Gr. Dusty slimy ex terra friabili Let this pull down proud flesh The Lord from heaven Not for the matter of his body for he was made of a woman but for the originall and dignity of his person whereof see a lively and lofty description Heb. 1.2 3. Verse 48. They that are earthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgus fictilis Man is but an earthen pot Isa 64.8 Verse 49. The image of the heavenly See Phil. 3.21 Our bodies shall be fashioned like to Christs glorious body in beauty brightnesse incorruption immortality grace favour agility strength and other unspeakable qualities and excellencies Whether they shall have that power as to tosse the greatest mountains like a ball yea to shake the whole earth at theâ—r pleasure as Anselme and Luther thinke I have not to say Verse 50. Flesh and bloud The body as it is corruptible cannot enter heaven but must be changed we shall appear with him in glory The vile body of Moses that was hid in the valley of Moab was brought forth glorious in the hill of Tabor Math. 17. Verse 51. I shew you a mystery Not known till now to any man living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This likely was one of those wordlesse words that Paul heard in his rapture 2 Cor. 12.4 Verse 52. The trumpet shall sound As at the giving of the law it did Exod 19 16. If the law were thus given saith a Divine how shall it be required If such were the proclamation of Gods statutes what shall the sessions be I see and tremble at the resemblance The trumpet of the Angel called to the one the trumpet of the Arch-angel shall summon us to the other In the one the Mount only was on a flame all the world shall be so in the other To the one Moses saies God came with ten thousands of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Verse 53. For this corruptible Pointing to his body he that speaketh as Psal 34 6. This poor man cried the Lord heard him So the old believers when they rehearsed the Creed and came to that Article I believe the Resurrection of the flesh they were wont to adde Etiam huâ—â—s carnts even of this self-same flesh So Job 19.27 Verse 55. Death is swallowed up As the fuell is swallowed up by the fire as the Sorcerers serpents were swallowed up by Moses his serpent Verse 56. Death where 's thy sting This is the sharpest and the shrillest note the boldest and the bravest challenge that ever man rang in the ears of death Sarcasmo constat hostili derisione quâ mors ridenda propinatur saith one Death is here out-braved called craven to his face and bidden Do his worst So Simeon sings out his soul Tollitur mors non ne sit sed ne obsit Aug. Hilarion chides it out Ambrose is bold to say I am neither ashamed to live nor afraid to die Anne Askew the Martyr Act. and Mon. fol. 1131. thus subscribeth her own confession Written by me Anne Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound towards heaven Ibid. Mr Bradford being told he should be burned the next day put off his cap and lifting up his eyes praised God for it Verse 56. The sting of death is sinne Christ having unstinged death and as it were disarmed it we may safely now put it into our bosoms as we may a snake whose sting is pull'd out If it shoot forth now a sting at us it is but an enchanted sting as was that of the Sorcerers serpents Buzze it may about our ears as a drone Bee but sting us it cannot Christ as he hath taken away not sinne it self but the guilt of sinne so not death it self but the sting of death Verse 57. But thanks be to God c. Here S. Paul Christs chief Herauld proclaims his victory with a world of solemnity and triumph Verse 58. Alwaies abounding c. This will strengthen faith as the oft knocking upon a stake fastens it When faith bears fruit upward it will take root downward CHAP. XVI Verse 1. Collection for the Saints THe poor believers at Jerusalem Rom. 15.26 who had suffered hard things of their own Countrey-men 1 Thess 2.14 and taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 Gal. 2.10 Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were therefore relieved by the Churches of the Gentiles at Pauls motion The word here used for Saints signifieth such as are taken off from the earth The Saints though their commoration be upon earth their conversation's in heaven Verse 2. Vpon the first day The Christian Sabbath the Lords-day as the Greek Scholiast well renders it which to sanctifie was in the Primitive times a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servasti dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords-day The answer was returned Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I can do no lesse then keep the Lords-day D King on Jonas Lect. 7. But the world is now grown perfectly profane saith one and can play on the Lords-day without book The Sabbath of the Lord the sanctified day of his rest is shamelesly troubled and disquieted Lay by him in store Gr. As a treasure 1 Tim. 6.18 Manus pauperum gazophylacium Christi The poor mans box is Christs treasury As God hath prospered him Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Given him a good arrivall at the end of his voiage and enabled him for we may not stretch beyond the staple and so spoil all Verse 3. Your liberality Gr. Your grace That which having received of Gods free grace you do as freely part with to his poor
five away Isa 35.10 Verse 9. This is a faithfull saying And yet who hath believed our report The promises are good free-hold and yet little looked after Godlines hath but cold entertainment because she lives much upon reversions Verse 10. For therefore Because godlinesse hath so much happinesse laid up in the promises vers 8. and there is so much certainty of the performance of those promises therefore we both do and suffer 1 Cor. 15 58. Finis edulcat mediae Who is the Saviour of all men Not of eternall preservation but of temporall reservation For every man should die the same day he is born the wages of death should be paid him presently but Christ begs wicked mens lives for a season saith one Sin hath hurled confusion over the world brought a vanity on the creature And had not Christ undertaken the shattered condition of the world to uphold it it had fallen about Adams ears saith another Divine Specially of those that believe Who therefore are in a special manner bound to observe and obey him Among the Romans they that were saved were wont to crown him that saved them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Polybâ— 6. and to honour him as a father all their daies We must also set the crown upon Christs head Cant. 3.11 and obey this everlasting father Isa 9 6. Verse 11. These things command and teach Teach the tractable command the obstinate lay Gods charge upon all Verse 12. Let no man despise c. But how should I help it Might he say The Apostle answereth Be thou an example to the beleevers a patern of piety For holinesse hath honour wisdome maketh the face to shine naturall conscience cannot but stoop to the Image of God where ever and in whomsoever it discerneth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat epist ad Magnes saith Ignatius Youth seasoned with the fear of God is not easily despised But be thou an example Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a thing as maketh the stamp upon the coyn Exemplis sciolâ bacâ—atate magis aedificant ministri quam concionibus Verse 13. Give attendance to reading First to reading and then to exhortation bringing as a good Scribe out of a good treasure new and old Father Latimer notwithstanding both his years and constant pains in preaching was at his book most diligently about two of the clock every morning A rare example Verse 14. Neglect not the gift Gods gifts grone under our disuse or misuse and God hearing gives them the wings of an Engle so that such may say as once Zedekiah did 1 King 22. â—4 When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee God dries up the arm and darkens the eye of idle and Idol shepherds Zech. 11.17 With the laying on of the hands A custome that came from the Church of the old Testament Gen. 8.14 Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 is laudably used to this day in the Ordination of Ministers but foolishly and sinfully abused by the upstart-Sectaries Verse 13. Meditate upon these things And so digest them turn them in succum sanguinem Let your heart fry a good matter that your pen may be as the tongue of a ready writer Ps 45.1 and not present crude and rude stuff When it was objected to Demosthenes that he was no sudden speaker but came ever to the Court after premeditation he answered Se si fieri posset dicturum non tantum scripta sed otiam sculpta Give thy self wholly to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Be thou in them totus in hoc sis It was Mr Perkins his Motto Verbi Minister es hoc age Thou art a Minister of the Word make it thy whole businesse Verse 16. Thou shalt beth save What an high honour is this to faithfull Ministers that they should be stiled Saviours in a sense So Job 33.24 Obad. 21. Jam. 5.21 CHAP. V. Verse 1. Rebuke not an Elder LAsh him not with the scourge of the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne plagam in â—ixeris as a puny-boy Jerk him not as the Pope did Henry 4. of France in the person of his Embassadour or as the Bishops and their shavelings did Henry the 2. of England till the bloud followed This is not civill usage for an Elder Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With all purity Not with some only but with as purity for fear of the worst and least any impure motion therewhile creep into the heart unawares Verse 3. Honour widows indead That is such as are widows not by divorce but by the death of their husbands and losse of their children such as was Naomi Honour them that is take them into the Colledge of widows to be maintained at the Churches charge Verse 4. Let them learn first to shew Such any one is in truth as he is at home Ps 101.2 The hypocrites vertues as that of the Sarmatians run all outward Something he seems abroad but follow him home and you shall soon see what he it â— follow stage-plaiers into their thing-house where they disrobe themselves and then it will appear they are vile varlets Like unto this Apostolicall procept was thee of Chilâ— one of the wise men of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to govern honestly a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to requite their parents See the Note on Matthew 15.4 Verse 5. Trusteth in God Whereas while she had an husband and children she trusted over-much in them The Hemorroisse sought not to our Saviour till all her money was gone Zâ—ph 3.12 They are an afflicted poor people therefore they trust in the name of the Lord. Verse 6. Is dead while she liveth Cùm careat purâ mente cadaver agit Pamphilus in Terence saith the like of a light huswife Sanè hercle homo voluptati obsequens fuit dum vixit Saint Pauls Greek cannot well be rendered but by Terences latine and Terences latine cannot be well put into other Greek Verse 7. And these things give in charge Often inculcate and set on with a great deal of vehemency that religion suffer not Verse 8. But if any provide not That they may have Gaiusses prosperity Mentem sanam in corpore sano Though the Apostles meaning here is chiefly as touching bodily nourishment and outward accommodations Specially for those of his own house Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Infidel took care of the welfare of his family and allies as Libanius testifieth Bishop Ridley was very kinde and naturall to his kinsfolk And the Lord Cromwell before the time of his apprehension Act. and Dson fol. 1559. Ibid. 1086. took such order for his servants that many of them especially the younger brethren which had little else to trust unto had honestly lest for them in their friends hands to relieve them whatsoever should befall him Verse 9. The wife of one man As Anna Luke 1.36 Such are held to be more modest to whom the thoughts of death hath been
Greeks to signifie then wicked and devilish oracles But Pasâ—r is utterly against it Is nothing pure Their own table is a Inâ—re to them yea Gods table The Saints are kept at hard commons but have their keeping of free-cost the wicked have larger cates but pay sweetly Conscience is dâ—siled To wit with sins and so can no more judge of it then a man can discern of colours in a foul and soiled gâ—â—sle Verse 16. They prosesse that they know Aliud in titulo aliud in pyxiâ—e Out-fide Christians who perform as Ephraim dow-bâ—ked duties are almost perswaded as Agrippa come near Gods kingdome with that young Pharisee faint chapmen that go without the bargain as he did that came kneeling to our Saviour and saying What shall Iâ—d to inherit eternall life These do virâ—ut is stragâ—lam pudesacere put honesty to an open shame as Diogenes said to Antipater who being vicious wore a white cloak the ens go of innocency Being abominable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Such as stink above ground and are of an offensive savour To every good work reprobate Or injudicious such as cannot make a right judgement of any good works so as to approve and relish them to see a beauty in them as good c. CHAP. II. Verse 1. But speak thou c. QVasidicat The worse others are the better thou must bet keeping a constant countermotion to the corrupt courses that are in the world thorow lust A pearl in a puddle retains its preciousnes and fish in the salt waters retain their freshnesse Verse 2. That the old men be sober c. Not as it is said of the Flemings Erâ—sm in Morâ—â— cncom that quo magis senescunt cò magis stultescunt the elder the foolisher Solomon and Asa were so And the Heathen Sages wisely warn us That old age is to be feared as that which comes not alone but brings with it many diseases both of body and minde Sapè fit us Sâ—tan quâ—m juvenem capere non potuit annesum fallat capiat suth Bucholcerus Many that have held out well in youth have failed and been shamefully foiled in old-age Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In behaviour Or In habit apparrell gate gesture Teachers of good things As was Bathsheba Prov. 31.1.2 Lois 2. Lim. 1.5 Monica c. Verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be sober Or wise teaching them as Schoolmasters do their dâ—câ—ples so the word signifiâ—s He was a foolish man that said Eâ—â—ip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I love not to have a woman wile A prude â— wise is of the Lord. Such an one was Abigail and Aspasia Mil sia the wise of Cyrus who was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fair and wise withall Aelian laâ—â— 1. Verse 5. To be discrect chast c. Conjugiâ—m humanae divina Academia viâ—â— Mach good may be learned by wedlock Keepers at home Carrying her house on her back as the snâ—â— doth Sarah was found in the tent so was Jael the wise of Heber The Aegyptian women ware no shoes that they might the better keep home Verse 6. Young men likewise exhort See the Note on 2 Tim. 2.22 Verse 7. A patern of good Gr. A stamp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Digging thy Sermons out of thine own brest â—â—d living them when thou hast done Verse 8. May be ash â—ned having c. O t is a brive thing to stop an open mouth to thratâ—le envy to cuâ— off all occasion of evâ—lspeaking Verse 9. Not answering again Not chatting or thwarting Verse 10. Not purloining Interverting Aulent cuâ— talia ures Virgâ—l embâ—zâ—ling their masters estates ordinary among the Romans which made them call servants and thâ—eves by one name ordinary among the Hebrews whence that saying of R. Gamaliâ—l Marbe gn badim marbe gezil He that mulâ—ipliâ—th servants multiplieth theeves Pirke-aboth chip 1. ordinary also amongst us whence that Proverb He that will be rich must ask his servants leave Verse 11. For the grace of God c. This is rendered as a reason why servants should be faithfull because to them also belongeth the promise of salvation yea the reward oâ— inheritance as if they were sons and to them the Gospâ—l is preached as well as to others Hath appeared As the Sun in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as a beacon on an hill Verse 12. Dexying ungodlinesse Every Gospel truth strikes at some sin and thereby may be discerned Soberly righteously aâ—d godly This is the Christian mans motto his symâ—ol and the summe of his whole duty Haec tria perp tuò meditare adverbia Pauli Haec tria sint vitae regula sancta tuâ— The Egyptians when they praised their deceased friends Diod Sicul. were wont to commend them for these three things their godlines righteousnes and temperance Verse 13. Looking for As with necksstretcht out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8 19. Julg. 5.28 or head put forth as Siseras â—nother looked out of her lattice for her sons happy return Verse 14. That he might redeem us God will have the price of Christs bloud out he will thorowly purge us A peculiar people Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A people that comprehend all that God sets any score by 1 Pet. 2.9 that contain all his gettings called elswhere the people of acquisition Zealous of good Works Give God thine affections else thine actions are still born and have no life in them Verse 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neâ—â— 10 plus sapere ausit Let no man despise thee Or have occasion to think himself wiser then thee CHAP. III. Verse 1. To be ready to every AS the Bee so soon as ever the Sun breaks forth slies abroad to gather honey and wax A ready heart makes riddance of religious duties Verse 2. To speak evil of no man Unlesse it be in an ordinance for the reformation of the unruly pleasing all in that which is good to edifie Verse 3. For we our selves also I Paul and thou Titus were as bad as others let us therefore shew all mercy and meeknes to others Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possumus esse quod bic est Serving divers â—sts Captivarum suarum captivi Pluâ—â—ren Râ—â—a villrix gentian captivi vâ—iorun Oren 〈…〉 Draâ—â—â—â—â—e re nonâ— nâ—inu conservo ser vimu 〈…〉 epist l. 12 As the Persian Kings Were Lords of the world but slaves to their Concubines The Assyrian led away the Egyptians naked and bare soot Isa 29.2 So doth Satan sinners Hence though never so great they are called vile persons as Antiochus Dan. 11.21 Because they have as many Lords as lusts Felix at that very time that he trembled before Paul could not but covet and expect a bribe from him Hatefull Gr. Horrible as hell it self or justly odious to others Verse 4. Kindenes and love His native goodnes and his communicated goodnes to us not yet existing nay resisting Verse
a mortall man and a Canaanite but yet a most righteous man and a Priest of the most high God by speciall dispensation And that Kedarlaomer and the other Kings that over ran the countrey and spoiled it forbare out of reverence to the man and his office to meedle with Melchisedcehs territories Verse 2. Gave a tenth part of all So to set forth his thankfulnesse to God for the victory The Lord is the man of warre Exod. 1.3 The Lord and Victour of warres as the Chaldee there expresseth it Conquerours should send to him as Joah to David to take the honour of the day 2 Sam 12.28 The very Heathens after a victory would consecrate something to their gods Verse 3. Without father viz. That we finde mentioned in the holy Scripture Hence the Melchisedechian heretikes held That he was the holy Ghost or at least some created Angel Like unto the Son of God As having neither fellow not successour Verse 4. How great this man Was It is goodnesse that renders a man great and the grace of God that ennobleth Isa 43.4 Heb. 11.2 Keep close to God and then ye shall be some of Gods Rabbins as Daniel cals them Chap 9.27 See Job 32.9 Great men indeed not with a a belluine but with a genuine greatnes The tenth of the spoils Gr. The top of the heap Verse 5. To take tithes of the people If tithes be Jewish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M Harm saith on and yet Ministers must have a maintenance how will men satisfie their consciences in the particular quantity they must bestow upon them The Scripture speaks only of the tenth part Can any shew us where the old apportion is reversed and which is that quota pars now that conscience must rest in Verse 6. Received tithes of Abraham Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tithed or tenthed Abraham by the same Divine Right whereby he blessed him Melchisedech did not take only that which Abraham was pleased to give him but he tithed him saith the text he took the tenths as his due Verse 7. The lesse is blessed c. The Pastour therefore blessing his people according to his office is greater then his people in that respect Verse 8. That be liveth Tithes then are due to the Ministers of Christ that liveth because due to Melchisedech to whom Abraham paid them as a Priest and tith-taker and type of Christ Who therefore should receive them for him but those that are in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 Verse 9. Levi also paied tithes If any shall object So did Christ also sith he was in the loines of Abraham too It may be answered That though Christ was of Abraham yet he was not by Abraham But Levi was both Verse 10. In the loins of his father So we were all in the loins of Adam when he sell as all the county is in a Parliament-man and sell with him Verse 11. If therefore perfection i. e. Justification sanctification salvation Verse 12. A change also of the Law For we are not under the law but under grace The Gospel is post naufragium tabula a plank after shipwrack and hath its remuneration Heb. 11.6 viz. of grace and mercy by Law here some understood only the law of Priesthood Verse 13 Pertaineth to another tribe That of Judab v. 14. which therefore is first reckoned Revel 7. among those that were sealed as of those that came by Rachel Nephthali hath the first place because in that tribe Christ dwelt viz. at Capernaum Vt utrobique superemineat Christi praerogativa Verse 14. Nothing concerning Priesthood For when Reuben by defiling Bilhah lost his birth-right the birth-right was given to Iosebh the kingdome to Iudah and the Priesthood to Levi. But God translated the Priesthood and settled it upon his Son Christ who sprang out of Iudah in a time when it was commonly bought and sold to the vilest of men and all was out of order Verse 15. After the similitude of Melchisedech i. e. After an order distinct and different from that of Aaron Verse 16. Of a carnall command i. e. External and ceremonial But after the power Both of God the Father who made him a Priest and of God the Son who is the Father ' of eternity Isa 9.6 and a Priest for ever which word for ever the Apostle expoundeth and improveth in the last clause of this verse The power of an endlesse life Verse 17. For he testifieth Hieron Thus the Authour still argueth out of Scripture as knowing that Quicquid non habet autheritaum ex Scripturis eadem facilitate contemnitur qua approbatur Whatsoever is not grounded upon Scripture authority is as easily rejected as received Verse 18. For there is verily a disannulling Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An outing cassating expunging Of the commandment See the Note on Ver. 12. 16. For the Weaknesse and unprofitablenesse sc To justifie sanctifie save Rom. 8.2 though as a schoolmaster to Christ and a rule of life it is of singular use still Verse 19. But the bringing in The Law is a superintroduction to Christ our hope who is the end of the law to every believer Rom. 10. 4. We draw nigh to God Ephes 3.12 Having boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of Christ our high Priest who lead us by the hand and presents us to his heavenly father as Joseph did his two sons to Jacob that the might blesse them Verse 20. Not without an oath A singular confirmation what a monstrous sin then is unbelief Verse 21. And will not repent Will not change his minde upon pretence that second thoughts are better Those that can play with oaths and can slip them as easily as monkies do their collars have nothing of God in them Verse 22. Jesus was made a surety As he was our surety to God for the discharge of our debt the surety and debtour in law are reputed as one person so he is Gods surety to us for the performance of his promises Verse 23. By reason of death Neither their holinesse nor learning could priviledge them from deaths impartiall stroke Non te tua plurima Pentheu labentem texit pictas All our learning also is soon refuted with one black Theta which understanding us not snappeth us unrespectively without distinction and putteth at once a period to our reading and to our being Verse 24. He continueth ever What need then is there of a Vicar as the Pope will needs be stiled An unchangeable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Impassable He needeth no successour Verse 25. To the uttermost Perpetually and perfectly so as none shall need to come after him to finish what he hath begun He is a thorow-Saviour a Saviour in solidum and doth not his work to the halves Verse 26. Who is holy As the high-Priest of old Lev. 21.18 Exod. 28. Harmlesse Without any birth-blot Vndesiled Free from a stuall pollution without originall blemish or actuall blot 1 Pet. 1.19 Higher then the
heavens That is then the Angels those heavenly Courtiers Dan. 10.13 Verse 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who needeth not daily Or On a certain day of the year sc at the feast of the expâ—ations Levit. 16.29 See Heb. 1.1 First for brown sins Else how could he stand before God for others The Priests therefore had their laver wherein to wash before they offered any mans sacrifice The brazen Altar stood without the incense-altar of gold within the Sanctuary to signifie that our own lusts must be sacrificed ere we take upon us to pray for our selves or others David observeth this method Psal 25. Psal 51. He first gets pardon for himself and then makes request for Sion Verse 28. For the law maketh As if the Apostle should say Shall I summe up and shut up all in a word The law maketh men high Perists which have infiâ—mity c. Dull scholars must have it over and over Seneca Nunquam satis dicitur quod nunquam sat is discitur CHAP. VIII Verse 1. Who is set on the right-hand ANd is therefore a King as well as a Priest as was Melchisedech Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Minister of the sanctuary Or A publike officer an Agent for the Saints about holy things Which the Lord pitched Christs body was conceived in the Virgins womb not by humane generation but by divine operation See Chap. 9.11 Joh. 1.14 He was the stone cut out of the mountains without hands Dan. 2. Cant. 2.1 The rose of Sharon that grows without mans care Verse 3. Somewhat also to offâ—r To wit His own body An offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5.2 By Mount Olivet stood the garden of Gethsemane where Christ was taken and led into the City through the Sheep-gate to be offered up like an innocent sheep on the altar of his crosse for the sins of his people Verse 4. He should not be a Priest Because not of the tribe of Levi whose Priesthood lasted to long as Christ lived on earth and was done away by his death Verse 5. Of heavenly things So he calleth the mystery of Christ shewed hereby to Moses in the Mount and shadowed out to the people by the services of the Tabernacle Verse 6. Of a better Covenant Or rather Tâ—stament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven being conveied to the elect by legacy It is part of Gods testament to write his laws in our hearts c. All that he requires of us is to take hold of this Covenant to receive his gift go righteousnesse to take all Christ c. and this also he hath promised to cause us to do ver 10. Isa 56. Rom 5. Verse 7. had been faultlesse Such as had not been weak and unprofitable Chap 7.18 See the Note there If the people could have performed it and have been perfected by it Verse 8. For finding fault with them Or Finding fault with it that is with the Covenant he saith to them Behold the daies c. So Junius readeth and senseth it Verse 9. The Covenant that I made He meaneth not here the Covenant of grace made with Abraham but circumcsion the legall ceremonies and services that burden which neither they not their fathers could bear When I took them by the hand Teaching them to go taking them by the arms Hos 11.3 keeping their feet â— Sam. 29. and leading them thorow the deep as a horse in the wildernes than they should not stumble Isa 63.13 And I regarded them not Heb. Although I was an husband unto them q.d. Yet neverthelesse they forsook the guide of their youth and forgat the Covenant of their God Jer. 31.32 Pro. 2.17 Verse 10. I Will put my laws c. Gods Covenant is to write his laws and promises in his people mindes so that they shall have the knowledge of them And in their hearts So that they shall have the comfort feeling and fruition of them Verse 11. And they shall not teach The full performance of this promise is reserved to the life to come when we shall need no ordinances but shall be all taught of God Verse 12. I will be mercifull I will be propitious thorow Christ the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.2 Will I remember no more Daniel comin by Trussell Nihil oblivisci solet praeter injurias said Cicero of Caesar He was wont to forget nothing but shrewd turns And of our Henry the sixth it is storied that he was of that happy memory that he never forgat any thing but injury Let us but remember our sins with grief and God will forget them Let us see them to confession and we shall never see them to our confusion He is a forgiving God Nehem. 9.31 None like him for that Micah 7.18 He doth it naturally Exod. 34.6 Abundantly Isa 55.7 Constantly Psal 130.4 Job 1.27 Mal. 3.6 Verse 13. He hath made the first old He hath antiquated and abolished it This the Apostle often inculcates because the Jews went about to establish their own righteousnesse and it is a piece of popery naturall to us all to think to go to heaven by our good meanings and good doings Is ready to vanish away So is the old man in Gods people that 's their comfort CHAP. IX Verse 1. Then verily the first Covenant HEre the Apostle proveth what he had propounded Chap. 8. vers 5. that his assertion might be sound such as cannot be condemned Tit. 2.8 Ordinances Gr. Justifications viz. Ceremoniall rituall typicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A worldly Sanctuary i.c. Terrene and shadowy opposed to true and heavenly Verse 2. The first wherein was c. He speaks nothing of he outer court as not pertinent to his present purpose But there was both in the Tabernacle and Temple the Holy of Holies the Sanctuary and the Court of the people Answerable whereunto are in man The spirit soul and body 1 Thess 3.23 And as the cloud 1 King 8.10 11 filled first the most holy place and then the holy and then the outer Court so doth the holy Ghost renue the spirit of our miâ—des and then our wills and affections and then the our ward man Verse 3. And after the second veyl This was not of any hard debarâ—ing matter but easily penetrable then and now also rent by Christ to shew our easie accesse to God with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 3.11 Verse 4. The golden Censer Or the Altar of incense which though it belonged to the most holy place yet was placed without the veil Exod. 30 6 c. that it might be of daily use the sweet incense offered thereon easily piercing thorow the veil and filling the most holy with it's savour Wherein was the golden pot c In or near to the Ark of the Covenant was this golden pot of Manna and Aarons rod and the Tables of the Testament and the propitiatory or covering and a
here reckoned as the heaviest part of Christs crosse And if we can bear reproach for him it is an argument we mean to stick to him as the servant in the law that was content to be boared in the ear would stick to his master Then the treasures in Aegypt Aegype for it's power and pride is called Rahab Psal 87. famous it was for it's learning 1 King 4.30 Act. 7.22 and is still for it's fruitfulnesse so that where Nilus overfloweth they do but throw in the seed and have four rich harvests in lesse then four moneths Thence Solomon had his chief horses 2 Chron. 9. and the harlot her fine linnen Prov. 7.16 and yet Moses upon mature deliberation esteemed the reproach of Christ c. So did Origen chuse rather to be a poor Catechist in Alexandria then denying the faith to be with his fellow-pupill Plotinus in great authority and favour For he had respect c. We may safely make any of Gods arguments our encouragements look thorow the crosse and see the crown beyond it and take heart Quis non patiatur ut potiatur Verse 27. As seeing him who is invisible An elegant kinde of contradiction Let us study Moses his Opticks get a Patriarchs eye see God and set him at our right hand Psal 16. This will support our courage as it did Micaiahs who having seen God feared not to see two great Kings in their Majesty Verse 28. Through faith he kept the Passe over It is the work of faith rightly to celebrate a Sacrament Speak therefore to thy faith at the Lords Supper as Deborah did to her self Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a Song Verse 29. They passed thorow the red sea Which threatened to swallow them but yet preserved them Faith will eat it's way thorow the Alpes of seemingly-insuperable difficulties and finde unexpected out-gates As by dry land Israel saw no way to escape here unlesse they could have gone up to heaven which because they could not saith one heaven comes down to them and paves them a way thorow the red sea Assaying to do were drowned Here that holy Proverb was exemplified The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead Prov. 11.8 See Isa 43.3 God usually infatuateth those whom he intendeth to destroy as these Verse 30. By faith the walls of Jericho So do daily the strong-holds of hell 2 Cor. 10.4 See the Note there Wherein albeit the Lord require our continuall endeavours for the subduing of our corruptions during the six daies of this life yet we shall never finde it perfectly effected till the very evening of our last day Verse 31. With them that beleeved not To wit that gave not credit to those common reports of God and his great works but despised them as light news and refused to be at the pains of further enquiry When she had received the spies Whom to secure she told a lie which was ill done The Apostle commends her faith in God but not her deceipt toward her neighbour as Hugo well observeth Verse 32. Of Gideon of Barac c. Here the names only of sundry Worthies of old time per praeteritionem conglobantur are artificially wound up together for brevity sake All these were not alike eminent and some of them such as but that we finde them here enrolled we should scarce have taken them for honest men yet by faith c. Christ carries all his of what size or sort so ever to the haven of heaven upon his own bottome as a ship doth all the passengers that are therein to the desired shore Verse 33. Wrought righteousnesse Civil and military spiritualized by faith and heightned to its full worth Obtained promises Faith winds it self into the promises and makes benefit thereof A Bee can suck honey out of a â—lower so cannot a Flie doe Faith will extract abundance of comfort in most desperate distresses out of the precious promises and gather one contrary out of another honey out of the rock c. Deut. 32.36 Verse 34. Escaped the edge of the sword As David by the force of his faith escaped Sauls sword Eliah Ahabs Elisha the Syrians 2 King 6. c. and divers of Gods hidden ones at this day have escaped by a strange providence when studiously sought after as sheep to the slaughter See the prefatory epistle to Mr Shawâ— Sermon Verse 35. Women received As the Sarepton Shunamite widdow of Naim c. No such midwife as faith It hath delivered even graves of their dead Others were tortured Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were tympanized distended stretched upon the rack as a sheeps-pelt is upon a drum-head Others render it They were bastonadoed or beatâ—â— with bats or cudgels to death as if it were with drummesticks Not accepting deliverance On base tearms they scorned to flie a way for the enjoyment of any rest except it were with the wings of a Dove covered with silver innocency As willing were many of the Martyrs to die as to dine That they might obtain a better resurrection The resurrection they knew would recruit and rectifie them This held life and soul together So Dan. 12.3 These miserable Caitiffs saith Lucian the Atheist of the Christians of this time have vainly perswaded themselves of a glorious resurrection and hence their fool-hardy frowardnesse to die Verse 36. Of cruell mockings As Jeremy Amos Elisha Goe up baldpate Go up sc To heaven as they say but who will believe it that your Master Elias did So they mowed at David mocked at Isaiah Chap. 28.10 the sound of the words as they are in the originall carries a taunt jeared our Saviour Luk. 16.14 Set these Hebrews upon the stage as mocking stocks Chap. 10.33 Verse 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Were tempted Or as others read the words They were burned One saith That it was almost as great a miracle that Ioseph did not burn when his mistresse tempted him as it was for the three children not to burn in the Babylonish fire Luther was oft tempted to be quiet with great sums of money and highest preferments Iulian by this means drew many from the faith In sheepskins and goatskins That might have rustled in silks and velvets if they would have yeelded Saepe sub attrite latiâ—at sapientia veste Afflicted tormented None out of hell were ever more afflicted then the Saints to the wonder and astonishment of the beholders Verse 38. Of whom the world They were fitter to be set as stars in heaven Verse 39. Received not the promise viz. Of Christs incarnation Verse 40. Some better thing i. e. Christ that great mystery as 1 Tim. 3.16 that chief of ten thousand c. that gift Iob. 4.10 that benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 CHAP. XII Verse 1. With so great a cloud OR cluster of witnesses whose depositions we should hearken to and rest in Iustin Martyr confesseth of himself that seeing the pious lives and patient sufferings of the Saints he concluded
to hell Verse 27. But the anointing See vers 20. It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul 2 Samuel 1.21 as though he had not been anointed so for the Saints to fall their own stedfastnesse Verse 28. Little children abide in him q d. Your enemies are many and crafty therefore keep home keep home this shall be no grief unto you nor offence of heart as she said 1 Sam. 25.31 Verse 29. Is born of him And exactly resembles him as a childe doth his father See 1 Pet. 1 17. and the Note on Match 5.9 CHAP. III. Verse 1. Behold What manner QValem quantum as 2 Pet. 3.11 See the Note on Joh. 1.12 If Jacob was at such pains and patience to become son in law to Laban if David hold it so great a matter to be son in law to the king What is it then to be sons and daughters to the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 The World knoweth us not Princes unknown are unrespected Unkent unkiss as the Northern Proverb hath it After the sentence was pronounced upon Mr Bainham the Martyr Act. and Mon. sol 939. he was counselled by M. Nicolas Wilson to conform himself to the Church To whom he answered I trust I am the very childe of god which ye blinde asses said he doe not perceive Verse 2. What we shall be Great things we have in hand but greater in hope much in possession but more in reversion Let this comfort us against the contempts cast up on us by the world blinde and besides it self in point of salvation For we shall see him as he is Now we see as in a glasse obscurely 1 Cor 13 1â— as an old man through spectacles as a weak eye looks upon the Sun but in heaven we shall see him as he is so far as a creature is capable of that blissefull vision Verse 3. Purifieth himself That 's true hope that runs out into holinesse Faith and hope purge and work a sutablenesse in the soul to the things believed and hoped for Even as be is pure In quality though not in an equality Verse 4. Sin is the transgression As there is the same roundnesse in a little ball as in a bigger so the same disobedience in a small sin as a great Concil Trident. Papists tell us that concupiscence is not truly and properly a sin but S. Paul saith otherwise Rom. 7. There are amongst us that say That originall sin is not forbidden by the Law but sure we are it is cursed and condemned by the law as that which hath in it a tacite consent to all sin Verse 5. To take away our sins Shall sin live that killed Christ Shall I drink the bloud of these men said David of those that but ventured their lives for him Oâ— that each Christian would turn Jew to himself and kill the red cow c. Verse 6. Sinneth not Sin may rebell it cannot raign in a Saint Verse 7. Let no man deceive you As if you might passe è caene in coelum she to heaven with dragons wings dance with the devil all day and sup with Christ at night live ail your lives long in Dalilah's lap and then go to Abrahams bosome when you die These are the devils dire-dawbers that teach such doctrine his upholtsers that sow such pillows Ezek. 13.18 Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that committeth sinne That makes a trade of it and can art it as the word properly signifieth not act it only Is of the devil Bears his image wears his livery is as like him as if spet out of his mouth That be might destroy the Works The devil then hath his works in the very hearts of the elect for whose cause Christ came into the world Verse 9. For his seed The new nature which causeth that sin cannot carry it away without some counter-buffs He cannot sine i.e. Sinningly so as to be transformed into sins image cannot doe wickedly with both hands earnestly Mic. 7. Verse 10. In this the children of God As Davids daughters were known by their garments of divers colours 2 Sam. 13.18 So are Gods children by their piety and charity Verse 11. That We should love c. this beloved disciple was all for love See the Note on Chap. 2.9 Verse 12. Who Was of that Wicked one Tertullian calleth Cain the devils Patriarch Cain is dead faith another but I could wish that he did not still live in his heirs and executours Bucbol Qui clavam ejus sanguine Abelis rubentem uâ— rem sacram circumfâ—runt adorant venerantur who bear about and make use of Cains club to knock on the head Gods righteous Abels And slew his brother Gr. Cut his throat Acerbissima sunt odia ut ita nominem saith one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Divinity hatreds are most deadly Because his own Works c. The old enmity Gen. 3.15 So Numb 22.3 4. Moab Was irked because of Israel or did fret and vex at them as Exod 1.12 yet hey were allied and passed by them in peace and by the slaughter of the Amorites freed them from evil neighbours which had taken away part of their Land and might do more as one bath well observed Verse 13. Marvel not my brethren Sith it was so from the beginning and the very first man that died died for religion so early came martyrodome into the world Verse 14. We know that we have passed Not we thinke we hope c. fortunam rudentibus opâ—â— If we would not have with the Merchant an estate hanging upon ropes and depending upon uncertain windes let us make sure work for our souls This is a jewell that the Cock on the dunghill meddles not with Sensum electionis ad gloriam in hac vita nullum agnosco saith Greevinchovius the Arminian I know no such thing as assurance of heaven in this life Papists allow us nothing beyond a conjecturall confidence unlesse by speciall revelation Miserable comforters Verse 15. Whosoever hateth his brother Not to love then is to hate as not to save a man is to kill him Mark 3.4 Is a murtherer Because he wisheth him out of the world as Caracalla did his brother Geta of whom he said Divus sit modâ— non sit vivus I would he were in heaven or any where so that I were rid of him By like reason we may say that sin is God-murther forasmuch as sinners are God-haters Rom. 1.30 and could wish there were no God that they might never come to judgement The godly man on the contrary cries out with David Vivat Deus Let the Lord live and blessed be the God of my salvation c. Ps 18 46. Verse 16. Because he laid down See the Note on Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8 We ought also to lay down our lives If Pylades can offer to die for Orestes meerly for a name or out of carnall affection at the best Should not Christians lay down their own necks one for
seven golden pipes thorow which the two olive branches do empty out of themselves the golden oils of all precious graces into the golden candle-stick the Church Zach. 4.2 3. So some interpret those seven eyes upon one stone Zach 3.9 concerning the Spirit in his severall operations upon Christ according to Isa 1.2 Verse 5. And from Jesus Christ Who is here set last of the three persons because more is to be said of him both as touching his three-fold office and a three-fold benefit there-hence redounding unto us That hath loved us See Ezek. 16.6 8 9. Christ that heavenly Pellican Pierij bâ—eroglâ—ph revived his dead young-ones with his own heart-bloud He saw the wrath of God burning about them and cast himself into the midst thereof that he might quench it Judah offered to be bound that Benjamin might go free Jonathan perilled his life and quitted his kingdome for love of David Arsinoe interposed her own body betwixt the murtherers weapons and her children But what was all this to this incomparable love of the Lord Jesus When the Jews saw him weeping for Lazarus Behold say they how he loved him When we see him weeping bleeding dying for us Shall not we much more say so Verse 6. And hath made us Kings To rule in righteousnesse to lord it over our lusts to triumph over and trample on all our spirituall adversaries being more then conquerours thorow him that loved us and laid down his life for us that we might raign in life by one Jesus Christ Rom. 5.17 And surely if as Peter Martyr once wrote to Q. Elizabeth Kings are doubly bound to serve God both as men and as Kings What are we for this spirituall kingdome Judg 5.28 And Priests uâ—to God To offer up to him the personall saer fice of our selves Rom. 12.1 the verball of praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and reall of alms Heb. 1.15 16. See the Note on 1 Pet. 29. Verse 7. Bel old he cometh He is already upon the way and will be with us shortly Let us hasten his coming and say â—s Sisera's mother Why are his chariots his clouds so long in coming Why tarry the wheels of his chariots Shall nail Gr. Shall smite their brests or thighes the elect as repenting the reprobate as despairing Iisdem quibus videmus oculis flemus so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall look and lament Verse 8. Which is and which was The Father is called He that it Exod 3.13 The Son He that was Joh. 1.1 The holy Ghost He that cometh Joh. 16 8 13. as Aretas observeth Verse 9. In the kingdom and patience Christ hath a two-fold kingdom 1. Of power 2. Of patience Nec nisi per aâ—gusta ad augusta c. I have no stronger argument against the Popes kingdome saith Luther quà m quod sine cruce regnat Luth. T 2. then this that he raigns without the crosse The glory of Christs Church said George Marsh Martyr stands not in out ward shews Act. and Mon. fol. 1423. in the harmenious found of bels and organs nor yet in the glistering of mitâ—es and copes c. but in continuall labours and daily afflictions for his Namâ—s sake Was in the Isle Patmos He tels us not how he came thither he boasteth not of his banishment Virtus proprio contenta theatro Vertue is no braggard Verse 10. I was in the Spirit Acted by him and carried out of himself as the demoniack is said to be in the unclean spirit as being acted and agitated by him Sec the Note on 2 Pet. 1.21 On the Lords day The first day of the week the Christian Sabbath Mat. 24.20 called the Lords-day from Christ the authour of it as is likewise the Lords Supper and the Lords Church Kirk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word here used To sanctisie this Sabbath was in the Primitive times a badge of a Christian For when the question was asked Servasti Dominicum Keepest thou the Sabbath The answer was returned Christianus sum interâ—â—ittere non possum I am a Christian I must keep the Lords-day And heard behinde me Not before me implying that the Spirit calleth upon us being secure passing by and not regarding those things it cals for As of a trumpet To teach us that the things here delivered to the Church must be ever sounding in out ears and hearts indwelling richly in us Col. 3.16 Verse 11. Greg. Mag. Send it to the seven As all holy Scripture so this piece especially may well be called The Epistle of Almighty God to his creature Verse 12. And being turned I saw It is well observed here by a learned Interpreter M. Brightman That every godly endeavour doth receive some fruit greater then a man can hope for John turned himself to behold the man and behold over and besides seven Candlesticks which he had not the least suspition of Verse 13. And in the midst Christ is in the holy assemblies in the beauties of holinesâ—c he walketh in his garden Cant. 6.1 he comes in to see his guests Mat. 22.11 The face of God is seen in Sion Psal 84.7 Agarment down to the fiâ—t As a Councellour Isa 9.6 And girt It implies readinesse nimblenesse handinesse and handsomenesâ—e We also must gird our selves and serve the Lord Christ Luk 17.8 About the paps This implies his entire love seated in the heart Verse 14. White like wooll Noting his antiquity or rather his eternity and unspeakable purity Thales one of the Heathen Sages called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most ancieâ—t of Beings Diâ—g Laeâ—â— As a flame of fire Sharp and terrible such as pierce into the inward parts Heb. 4.13 See the Note there Verse 15. And his fâ—et He stood firm then when he was cast into the fire of his Fathers wrath He trod the wine-presse alone and set his feet on the necks of all his and our enemies He lost no ground when he grappled with the devil on his own dung-hill Matth. 4. He will also bruise Saâ—â—â— under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 As the sound of many waters Audible Som. Scip. terrible forcible Some Catadupes are deafâ—ed by the fall of this Nilus But the Spouse cries out O thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions hearken to thy voice cause â—e to hear it Cant. 8 13. Verse 16. And he had in his right-hand See heere the dignity and safety of a faithfull Minister Whiles a childe hath his father by the hand though he walk in the dark he fears nothing A sharp two-edged sword The word like a sacrificing sword slits open and as it were unridgeth the conscience Verse 17. I fill at his feet as dead The nearer any one comes to Christ the more rottennes entreth into his bones And be laid his right-hand The same right-hand wherein he held the seven starres verse 16. Christus sic omnibus attentus ut â—â—lli dotentus sic curat universos quasi singulos sic singulos quasi
hypoerites punishment must needs be heavy Verse 17. 1 Cor. 3.2 Because thou saiest Sidixisti satis est periisti saith Augustine He that thinks he knows any thing knows nothing yet as he ought to know And knowest not What ever thou deemest and dreamest of thy self as setting up thy counter for a thousand pound and working thy self into the fools paradise of a sublime dotage Verse 18. I counsell thee Having first convinced thee vers 17. who before wert uncounsellable The Gibeonites sent not for Joshua till besieged The Gileadites sought not after Jephthah till distressed nor will men hearken after Christ till driven out of themselves To buy of me Buy the truth and sell it not Make a thorow sale of sin and all with the wise Merchant to purchase Christ the pearl of price for whom S. Paul that great trader both by sea and land 2 Cor. 11.23 25 26 counted all but dung and dogs-meat Phil. 3.7 8. Diogenes taxed the folly of the men of his times may not we the men of ours Quòdres pretiosas minimo emerent venderentque vilissimas plurimo that they undervalued the best things but overvalued the worst Gold tried in the fire Precious faith 1 Pet. 1.7 White raiment The righteousnesses of the Saints that of justification and the other of sanctification Eye-salve That unction 1 Joh. 2.20 Light and sight the saving knowledge of heavenly mysteries Verse 19. As many as I love q.d. Think not that I hate you because I thus chide you He that escapes reprehension may suspect his adoption God had one Son without corruption but none without correction We must look thorow the anger of his correction to the sweetnesse of his loving countenance as by a rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud See more in my Treatise upon this verse the second Edition And repent So they did in likelihood for Eusebius commends this Church as greatly flourishing in his time Verse 20. Behold I stand Christ stands he doth not sit now whiles a man is standing he is going Christ is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace he will not alwaies wait their leâ—sure The Church sought him when once gone with many a heavy heart Cant. 3. And knock By the hammer of my Word and hand of my Spirit And he with me Christ is no niggardly or beggarly guest His reward is with him he brings better commodities then Abrahams servant did or the Queen of Sheba gold raiment eye-salve c. Verse 21. Even as I also That is Because I also overcame by vertue of my victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the like John 17.2 Luke 4.36 It is by Christ that we do over-overcome Rom. 8.37 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. A door was opened in heaven THat is Preparation was made for the manifestation of more heavenly mysteries Was as it were of a trumpet To rouse and raise up his attention For it might fare with him as with a drousie person who though awaked and set to work is ready to sleep at it Compare Zach. 4.1 Come up hither Not by locall motion but by mentall illumination I will shew thee That thou maist shew the Church that they have a most glorious and almighty deliverer Verse 2. I was in the spirit See Chap. 1.10 And behold a throne So Isaiah was prepared for his prophecy by such a sight Chap 6.1 And Ezekiel besides that stupendious vision chap. 1. heard behinde him a voice of great â—â—â—hing saying Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place Chap. 2.12 Sat on the throne As Judge of heaven and earth Gen. 18 25. Verse 3. Like a Jasper and a Sardine God is here resembled saith one by three precious stones holding forth the three persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white circle round about it representing the eternity of the Father A Sardine-stone of a fleshy colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him Cottons 7 viall p. 5. out of Brighâ—m An Emrald being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of them that look upon it representing the Spirit who is as the rain-bow a token of fair weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he cometh Verse 4. And round about The Saints are round about God Psal 76.11 a people near unto him Psal 148.14 Four and twenty Elders A full Senate a stately Amphitheatre of the first-born whose names are written in heaven cloathed as Priests crowned as Kings and Conquerours Verse 5. Iob 31.3 Iob 9.4 Lightnings and thunderings Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to persecutours Who ever hardened himself against Gods Church and prospered Have these workers of inâ—quity no knowledge who â—at up Gods people as they eat bread Psal 144 Surâ—ly if they had but so much wit for themselves as Pilates wife had in a dream they would take heed of having any thing to do with just men If any man will hurt Gods Witnessâ—s fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies Revel 11.5 It was therefore no ill counsel that a Martyr gave his persecutour If thou wilt not spare us yet spare thy self It is a fearfull thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God The seven spirits See Chap. 1. verse 4. Verse 6. A sâ—n of glasse The Word say some the World others Four beasts Oâ— living wights Not Angels but Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those earthly Angels who are set forth 1. Full of eyes for their perspicacity and vigilancy 2. Furnished with six wings apiece for their pernicity and promptitude to scoure about for the peoples benefit 3. Qualified with all necessary endowments for the discharge of their duties being bold as lions painfull as oxen prudent as men delighted in high flying as Eagles Verse 8. Full of eyes within To look to themselves also as well as to the flock Act. 20.28 lest whiles they preach to others c. 1 Cor. 9.27 They rest not Gr. They have no rest and yet they have no unrest neither the sweet content they take in their continuall emploiment is fitter to be believed then possible to be discoursed Holy holy This they double treble and warble upon In quibusdam exemplaribus nine times over Verse 9. And when those beasts When the Preachers are performing their office as Heralds of Gods praises Verse 10. The four and twenty Elders The people yeeld their assent and say Amen the want whereof S. Paul accounts no small losse 1 Cor. 14.16 And cast their crowns Canutus King of England set his crown upon the crucifix and proclaimed saying Hen. Huntingâ—â— Let all the inhabitants of the world know that there is no mortall man worthy the name of a King but he to whose beck heaven earth and sea by his laws eternall are obedient When the great Turk cometh into his Temple he laies by all
sed semper magis ac magis decrevit Since you first began to call the Pope Antichrist he hath lost a great part of his command and commodity Verse 6. Shall men seek dâ—ath Being brought thorow anguish of conscience and fear of wrath to that pitifull plight that Roger Bishop of Salisbury was in King Stephens time through long and strait imprisonment He was so hardly bestead saith the Historian Vt vivere noluerit mori nescierit that live he would not die he could not Popish pardons pilgrimages dirges c. would not quiet or cure distempered consciences or shake out the envenomed arrows of the Almighty Haeret laterâ— lethalis arundo that stuck fast in them A broken leg is not eased by a silken stocking Nescio quomodò imbecillior est medicina quà m morbus said Tully of his philosophicall consolations so may these well say of their Popish paltry applications The medicine is too weak for the malady The Papists say That the reformed Religion is a doctrine of desperation This we are sure is true of theirs Act. and Mon. 1904 1907. as were easie to instance in Stephen Gardiner Dr Pendleton Francis Spira Guarlacus Bomelius Latomus Crescentius c. Verse 7. Like unto horses Fed and fierce to run and rush into the battle as being driven by the devil Bern. Si videris persecutorem tuum nimis saevientem scito quia ab ascensore suo daemone perurgetur Were as it were crowns Triple crowns miters head-tiares shaven crowns which last is a ceremony so bald that some Priests in France are now ashamed of the mark and few of them have it Spec. Europ that can handsomely avoid it As the faces of men But beware of men Mat. 10.17 See the Note there Verse 8. As the hair of women Insinuative and inductive to sinne As the teeth of lions Joel 1.6 Catching and carrying to their dens all they can come by as Tecelius did out of Germany as Otto sent by Gregory 9. did out of England where he left not so much money as he either carried with him or sent to Rome before him Verse 9. And they had brest-plates Their pretended donations priviledges and exemptions from the secular power shaking their tippets at Kings whom they have trampled on and forced to go bare-foot on the hard stones till they bled again Thus dealt they by our Henry the second yea they lashed him with rods upon the bare 〈◊〉 Reviâ—s de 〈◊〉 poâ—â—is pag. 149. and said Domine noli minari nos enim nullas minas timemus qui de talicuria sumus quae consuevit imperare regibus imperatoribus Sir never threaten us for we care not for your threats as being of that Court that commands Kings and Emperours And the sound of their wings They are loud and bold-spoken make a great noise raise a great dust and thereby think to carry it Herein they are like the heretike Nestorius who is said to have been 〈◊〉 Misâ—â—l epist delic Homo indoctus superbus contemptor Patrum sed audax magnae loqâ—entiae a proud Asse but bold above measure and of a loud language whereby he so far prevailed for a time that he seduced good Theodosius and procured a writ for the banishment of Cyril that godly Orthodox Divine Verse 10. And they had tails This may be well meant of their Surrogates Officials Chancellours Registers Apparitours the fag end of their execrable train See Isa 9.15 Verse 11. And they had a King over them Being herein wiser then those other locusts Proe 30 27. The Angel of the bottomlesse pit That apostate star ver 1. the devils lieutenant Generall the Western Antichrist the Pope not excluding the Turk that Antichrist of the East that comes next to be spoken of And indeed they may well go together for they both set up another law then that of Christ they kill the contrary part they give liberty to the flesh they will not have their religions to be disputed c. Is Abaddon A destroier Annot. ad loc I know not saith learned Junius whether the holy Ghost in this name hath not some respect to the etymology or notation of Hildebrand which signifies Fidei incendium the fire-brand of the faith Verse 12. Two woes more hereafter In respect of order for in respect of time the woes of the fift and sixt trumpet are together and do run parallel Verse 13. From the four horns To shew saith one Christ his sufficiency of power to raise up instruments of his justice according as by the sins of men he is provoked Verse 14. Loose the four Angels That is those four potent peoples the Arabidns the Saracens the Tartars and the Turks that they may march out against Christendome to murther and massacre the third part of men These are called Angels because sent of God to revenge the quarrell of his Covenant Verse 15. And the four Angels were loosed As fierce and fell creatures out of a cave now set upon spoil and rapine They have a Proverb in the Eastern parts Where the great Turk once setteth his foot there never grows grasse again He blasts and desolates all For an hour and a day At any time whensoever God shall command them out and bid them fall on they are at an hours warning in arms at an instant Mr Brightman gathereth from this text that the Turkish Empire shall determine about the year 1696. The third part of men Mahomet the first was in his time the death of 800000 men Selymus the second Turk Hist fol. 434. Ibid. 885. in revenge of his losse received at the battle of Lepanto would have put to death all the Christians in his dominions who were in number infinite c. Verse 16. Two hundred thousand thousand Not so many at any one time but in severall ages and battles Howbeit the Turk goes usually into the field 200000 strong many times he hath more as in that famous battle fought by Bajazet against Tamer-lane where he had well-nigh a thousand thousand Of his common souldiers called Asapi which for the most part are miserable Christians he makes no great reckoning or other use Tunk hist 317. then to blunt the swords of his enemies or to abate their first fury thereby to give the easier victory to his Janizaries and better souldiers which are all horse for most part Verse 17. Brest-plates of fire c. Muskets harquebuzes pistols and other spet-fires but especially those great-guns Châ—lcondylas Peaâ—â—â—â—s valley of vanity and murdering-pieces so much used by the Turks those mighty Ordnance they brought before Constantinople the Rhodes and other places nothing inferiour to those two that were cast by Alphonsus Duke of Ferrara the one whereof he called the Earthquake the other Grandiabolo or the great devil Verse 18. The third part of men killed Not only of Christians but also of their own Turk hist 1153 most of their poor being forced with victuals and
in the Church of Rome anno 1378. when there sat three Popes at once Lib 3 de Papa Rom. cap. 11. for fourty years together or by the falling away of Protestants from the Popedome from the daies of Wicliffe John Husse the Waldenses Luther to this present Bellarmine bewails the businesse that ever since we began to count and call the Pope Antichrist his kingdome hath greatly decreased And Cotton the Jesuite confesses that the authority of the Pope is incomparably lesse then it was and that now the Christian Church is but a diminitive And his deadly wound was healed By that false Prophet ver 11. that is by the Sorbonists Jesuites Trent-fathers and other Popish Chyrurgeons The Jesuites give out That the devil sent out Luther and God raised up them to resist him but great is the truth and will prevail when all falshood shall fall to the ground It is but a palliate cure we here reade of And all the world sc Of Roman-Catholikes Wondered Or had wondered till the beast was wounded Verse 4. And they worshipped Admiration bred adoration Idolatrous Papists are worshippers of the devil whom though in word they defie yet in deed they deifie Who is like unto the beast Papa potest omnia quâ— Christus potest saith Hostiensis The Pope can do whatsoever Christ can doe yea and more too it should seem by these wise wonderers Cap. quarto for who is like unto the beast say they Papa est plus quam Deus saith Francis Zabarell The Pope is more then a God De Pap. Rom. lib. 4. And why for of wrong he can make right of vice vertue of nothing something saith Bellarmine Mosconius cannot be content to derive Papa from Papae the Interjection of admiring De mojestat militant eccles l. 1 c. 1. because he is stupor mundi the worlds wonderment that ye may know him to be the beast here mentioned but he must stile him King of Kings and Lord of Lords having ruledome over all rationall creatures Duliâ ador andus c. Verse 5. And there was given unto him As once was to Antiochus that little Antichrist Dan. 7.25 What cracks the Pope makes of his illimited power and prerogatives who knows not What blasphemies he belcheth out of the fable of Christ of eating his pork Al despito di Dio in despite of God of suffering himsels to be stiled the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world as Pope Martin the fourth did of drinking an health to the devil as another of them did who hath not heard Baronius at the year 964 reckoning up certain of the Popes calleth them monsters an abomination of desolation in Gods Temple c. Cardinall Benno saith of Pope Hildebrand That he was a blasphemer a murderer a whoremaster a necromancer an heretike and all that 's nought The Church of Rome saith another of their own Writers hath deserved now for a long time no better of God then to be ruled by reprobates Marcellius the second Pope of Rome Jac. Revius p 175. said That he could not see how any Pope could be saved Fourty and two moneths Here Mr Brightman calculates and pitches the ruine of Antichrist upon the year 1686. or thereabouts Verse 6. In blasphemy against God As when Pope Leo the first and after him Nicolas the third affirmed that Peter their predecessour was taken into fellowship with the blessed Trinity as one with them See vers 5. And his tabernacle Christs humanity Joh. 1.14 and 2.19 this he blasphemeth by transubstantiating a crust into Christ Or the Church of Christ which he counteth and calleth the Synagogue of Satan And them that dwelt in heaven The glorified Saints whom either he despiteth with obtruded honours such as they acknowledge not or else barks and rails at uncessantly as Arch-devils detestable heretikes common pests c. as Luther Melancthon Calvin Vbicunque inve nitur nomen Calvini delea tur Ind. expuâ— whose very name he hath commanded to be razed out of all books wheresoever any man meets with it Verse 7. To make warre with the Saints As he did with the Albigenses publishing his Croysades against them as if they had been Saracens and destroying ten hundred thousand of them in France only if Perionius may be believed Not to speak of the many thousands since slain in battle by the Popes Champions in Germany France Ireland and now also in England besides those many more that have died for Religion by the bloudy inquisition by the hands of the hang man 3600 in the Low-countreys by the command of the Duke of Alva 800 here in Qu. Maries daies c. The Beast hath even made himself drunk with the bloud of the Saints And to overcome them So it seemed but so it was not See Revel 12.11 The Saints never more prevail and triumph then when it seems otherwise Of them the enemies may say as the Persians did once of the Athenians at the field of Marathon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stoâ—aeus We fell them yet they fall not thrust them through They feel no mischief but are well enough Over all kindreds and tongues Here the holy Ghost points to the Popish Catholicisme The Jesuites will still needly have the Roman Church to be the Catholike Church though so many kindreds tongues and Nations have utterly disclaimed it Herein they are like that mad fellow Thrasilaus in Horace who laid claim to all the ships that came into the harbour at Athens though he had no right to the least boat there Verse 8. Whose names are not written He then that lives and dies a Papist cannot be saved Slain from the foundation sc 1 In Gods purpose 2. In his promise 3. In the faith of his people 4. In the sacrifices 5. In the Martyrs the first that ever died died for Religion Verse 9. If any man have an ear q. d. Let all that have souls to save beware of this beast for is it nothing to loose an immortall soul To purchase an ever-living death Purus putus Papista non potest servari Confer Revel 19.21 It s confessed of all that a learned English apostate Papist cannot be saved Verse 10. He that leadeth into captivity q. d. Be of good chear Antichrist shall one day meet with his match drink as he brewed be paid in his own coin filled with his own waies have bloud again to drink for he is worthy See Isa 33.1 and 2 Thess 1.6 Here is the patience q. d Here is matter for the triall exercise and encrease of the Saints graces Hard weather tries what health The walnut tree is most fruitfull when most beaten Or here is support for the Saints and that which may well make them to hold out faith and patience Verse 11. And I beheld another beast Another in shape but the same in substance with the former For here Christ appears not as an Emperour but as an Impostour That these two are both one see Rev.
in London he ever heard of in nine years And that ye receive not of her plagues Musculi ruinis imminentibus praemigrant aranei cum telis primi cadunt saith Pliny Plin l 8 c. 28. Mice will haste out of an house that is ready to drop on their heads and spiders with their webs will fall before the house falleth Cerinthus the heretike coming into the Bath where S. Iohn was washing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 4. c 14. the Apostle sprang or leapt out of the bath saith Eusebius as fearing lest being found in his company he should partake of his plagues It is dangerous conversing with wicked men 1. For infection of sin 2. For infliction of punishment Ambrose closing up the story of Ahab and Iezabels fearfull end fitly saith thus Fuge ergò dives bujusmodi exitum sed sugies hujusmodi exitum si fugeris hujusmodi flagitium Fly therefore O rich man A mb de Nab. Jezrael c. 11. such an end as Ahab had by shunning such evils as Ahab did Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For her sins have reached Gr. Have followed thick or been thwacked one upon another thick and threefold as they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there hath been a concatenation or a continued series of them Others reade Her sins are glewed and souldered together or they cleave and are glewed to heaven Matthew Paris speaking of the Court of Rome saith Hujus faetor usque ad nubes fumum teterrimum exhalabat Her filthinesse hath sent up a most noisome stench to the very clouds of heaven as Sodoms did therefore shall Babel the glory of kingdoms be as the destruction of God in Sodim and Gomorrah Isa 13.19 Verse 6. Double unto her double This is spoken to the good Kings that shall sack Rome that they do the Lords work thorowly not sparing Agag as Saul did to the losse of his kingdom not dismissing Benhadad as Ahab did to the losse of his own life Verse 7. She hath glorified her self As mother of Churches Queen of Nations Steuchus one of her Parasites saith That Kings have but the use and administration of their Kingdoms the right and property belongs to her Pope Boniface wrote thus to Philip the Fair King of France Volumus te scire te in temporali spirituali nobis subjacere c. Contra sentientes pro insanis habemus We would ye should know that ye are to be subject unto us both in temporals and spirituals and that none that are in their right mindes can be otherwise minded The King thus answered him again Sciat tua maxima fatuitas c. Alsted Chron. 359.395 I would your singular Foolishnesse should know that I acknowledge no such subjection c. It was tartly and trimly replied by one Leonard to Rustandus the Popes Legat claiming all the Churches here in England to be the Popes Omnes Ecclesias Papae esse tuitione non fruitione deâ—â—â—sione non dissipationâ— That if the Pope had such right to all Churches it was to defend them Jac Rev. de vit Pontif p 178. not to devour them Verse 8. Therefore shall her plagues Security ushereth in destruction God shall shoot at such with an arrow suddenly and fetch them off as he did the rich fool Luk. 12. Come in one day To confute their fond conceit of an eternall Empire See the like Isa 48.9 When the warres began in Germany anno 1619. it was reported that a great brasse Image of the Apostle Peter that had Tu es Petrus c. Thou are Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church engraven about it standing in Saint Peters Church at Rome there was a great and massie stone fell down upon it and so shattered it to pieces that not a letter of that sentence was left legible save these words Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam I will build my Church This was ominous to that tottering title of Rome and might have taught the Popelings That God is about to build his Church upon the ruines of their worm-eaten title The Lord thereby see med to say the same unto them Ezek. 7.6 that once he did to Israel by Ezekiel An end is come the end is come it watcheth for this behold it is come Sed surdis fabulam This hath been long and loud rung in their ears but they will not be warned Death That is Warre that deadly evil called an evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 45.7 I make peace and create evil that is Warre a wofull evil that hews its way thorow a wood of men in a minute of time from the mouth of a murdering-piece and causeth thousands to exhale their breath without so much as Lord have mercy upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And mourning For the losse of dead friends And famine The usuall concomitant of war in sieges especially See the Note on Rev. 6.5 For strong is the Lord Full able to effect it seem it to Babels brats never so improbable or impossible Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall bewail her and lament As with the voice of Doves tabring upon their brests Naâ—um 2.7 The chief of these mourners shall be the Spaniard likely who yet hath no such great cause In respon Apol. 〈◊〉 Card Colum. if he look well about him for he is yearly excommunicated by the Pope for detaining from him the Kingdome of Sicily as Baronius witnesseth It were to be wished that he would intimate his Predecessour Charles the fifth who upon a displeasure conceived against Pope Clement the eighth Scultet Annal. Dâ—â—adâ—â— l. p. 2. abolished the Popes authority thorowout all Spain Exemplo ab Hispanis ipsis posteritati relicto posse Ecclesâ—asticam disciplinam â—itra nominis Pontifiâ—ij authoritatem conservari saith mine authour i. e. The Spaniards themselves setting forth to the world That the Church may be governed without the Popes authority Verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atnâ—â—aeâ—â— l. 13 Standing afarre off As fearing their own safety they will not venture themselves for an old withered harlot that is now Lais-like ready to be extinct in the last act of her uncleannesse For in one hour God will make short work of it when once he begins Rom. 9.28 This should be an 〈◊〉 to Christian Princes and States to set upon the service The Pirats war was Incredibili celeritate temporis brevitate confectum saith Austin soon dispatcht Aug. de civ Dei so shall this Verse 11. And the merchants of the earth The Popes Indulgencers and other officers of his Exchequer John Manl. loc com p. 49 â— What huge sums of money did Tecelius and his companions rake together out of Germany The Pope had yearly out of England above nine tuâ—s of gold Polydor Virgil was his Collectour of the Peter-pence here Otto one of the Popes Muscipulatores Mice-catchers as the story cals him departing hence left not so much money in the whole Kingdom
other carnall securities Jer. 22.15 16. Shalt thou raign because thou closest thy self in Cedar saith God to Coniah Did not thy father eat and drinke and doe judgement and then it was well with him He judged the cause of the poor and needy then it was well with him He that gives to the poor lends to the Lord Prov. 19.17 becomes creditour to his Creatour and he will repay it Philem. 18 1â— Christ speaks to such from heaven as once Paul did to Philemon If my poor have received any thing from thee or oweth thee ought I the Lord Christ have written it with mine own hand I will repay it And can we lay up our wealth in a safer hand Can we have a better debter then Christ a better bond then the Bible Reas 5 Fifthly This shall be a good argument and approof unto us that we trust in the living God which is the character of a true Christian and is therefore pinde as a badge upon the sleeve of every godly person that we receive his charge â—y hold on his Covenant believe his promises that we have first given our selves to God with those mercifull Macedonians 2 Cor. 8 5. and then our goods to the Saints that are in the earth those excellent ones in whom was all Davids delight Psal 16 3. Thus Obadiah Thy servant feareth God said he to the Prophet 1 King 18 12 1â— but how shall that appear Obadiah Why when Jâ—zabel persecuted the Lords Prophets I hid them and fed them by fifty in a cave not without the hazard of my head if ever it should have been noticed So Isa 23 18. The City of Tyrus turning to God leaves heaping and hoarding her wealth and findes another manner of imploâ—ment for it viz. to feed and cloath Gods poor people Luk. 18. Act 10.1 2. So Zacheus converted gives half he had to the poor and Cornelius shews his devotion the Corinthians their professed subjection to the Gospel 2 Cor. 9.13 by giving much alms to many people The wisdome from above is full of mercy and good fruits saith S. James And Jam. â— 17 Jam. 1.27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherlâ—sse and widdows c. to do all offices of mercy to those that are poor and in misery Reas 6 Sixthly We should therefore be rich in good works Basâ—â—â—â— ' Dem est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 6.10 because God 1. Lives when we are dead to recompense our labour of love in our heirs and executours He gives us life also that whiles we have time we may do good to all to the houshold of faith especially and not defer the doing thereof till we are dead Many miserly muck-worms are like the muck-hill that never does good till carried out like the fat hog that is good for nothing till he comes to the knife like the poor mans box that yeelds no money till broken up like trees that let fâ—ll none of their fruits till violently shaken We are charged to carry lights in our hands funerall beneficence â—arries them behinde our backs so that Luk 12.35 they light them that come after us our selves have little benefit 2. Because God gives us all things richly to enjoy Every word enwraps a reason 1. He gives not paies us as earned or merited Freely we receive freely therefore we must give especially since it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive and besides for this we have received that we may give sith we are not owners of what we have but Almoners Stewards purse-bearers to the King of heaven 2. Hinc divitiae diâ—untur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lu 1â— 1â— alienae tanquaä adnos fâ—lios â—ei bic exularies minus pertinentes Rev. 12.12 Psal 17.14 1 Cor 4.11 Hâ—b 11 37. Diffiâ—iâ—e est ut praesertibus banis quis fruatur futuriâ—â—ut de deliciâ—s ad delicias transeat c. Hieron He giveth us who have little reason to look for it sith we look for heaven and may therefore well live upon reversions This made Abraham content to dwell in tents because he looked for a City Whose maker and founder is God The wicked are called the Inhabitants of the earth and have their portion in this world by their good wils the godly should have nothing And truly if they should here both hunger and thirst and be naked and buffeted and have no certain dwelling but wander about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented their betters have met with as bad measure and were glad of it too because through manifold tribulations they entered into heaven But to step out of one heaven into another to have here all things richly to enjoy and afterwards to enjoy that endlesse joy this is hard and happy Why should such think much to part with a little pelf at Gods appointment 3. He giveth us all things What so great matter is it then that we give him back something especially since we give him but of his own as David gladly acknowledgeth Is it not meet that we should give him one day in seven sith the day is his the night also is his Psal 74.16 as the Psalmist hath it So also here 4. He giveth us all things richly not sparingly pinchingly not for bare necessity only but for delight and satiety neither for competence and convenience only but honest affluence as he did them at Cana in Galilee Prov. 13.25 Psal 23.4 In Agapiâ— nostrit inopes quosque refrigerio juvamus Ediâ—ur quantum esurientes â—upiunt bibitur quantum pudiâ—is est utile c. Tertul. advers gentes c. 39. and the five hundred he fed with a few loaves and fishes so that we eat to the satisfaction of our souls Prov. 13.25 and our cups run over with Davids And why run over but that they may run into other mens emptier vessels that the poor may partake of our redundancies For is it fit that some should be hungry in Gods house and others drunken as once at Corinth And not rather that our abundance should be a supply for others wants that there may be an equality 2 Cor. 8.14 5. He giveth us all things richly and this to enjoy not to hoard much lesse to waste but to blesse God in the abundance of all things and to blesse men with our superfluities at least that their backs bellies bowels which we have refreshed may blesse us that whiles they enjoy our bounty we may enjoy their praiers as Onesiphorus did S. Pauls 2 tim 1.18 and God may have their praises whiles they cry out as S. Paul brings them in 2 Cor. 9.15 Thanks be to God for his unspeakâ—ble gift That like good stomacks we may deal something to the remâ—â—est members that they may the better do their office and that sitting at the upper end of the Table and having cut well to our selves we may set down some to them that sit below
he first put oft his rochet in his chamber among his friends suddenly gave a skip in the floor for joy feeling his shoulders so light and being discharged as he said of such an heavy burden Fructus honos oneris fructus honoris onus The Hebrew word for Honour signifieth weight or pressure In allusion whereunto S. Paul cals the glory of heaven a weight of glory But from aspiring to that heavenly glory earthly greatnesse is oft times no small impediment The Bustard or Ostrich can hardly get upon his wings whereas the Lark mounts with ease Nay as those that walk on the top of pinacles are in danger of a precipice so are great men of greatest ruine Even heigth it self makes mens brains to swim and he pourtia ed the ambitious man rightly that pictured him snatching at a Crown and falling with this Motto Sic mea fata sequor The poisonfull Aconite so much desired of the Panther is purposely hung up by the hunters in vessels above their reach whereof they are so greedy that they never leave leaping and straining thereat till they burst and kill themselves and so are taken So do men that aim at honour too high for their reach and too great for their merit their heads are lifted up but it is as Pharaohs Bakers was And it befals unto them Hic alicua appetendo prepria amisit Judg v. 15. Job â—â—2 Quemomnes made ut potioië se comitali fuis sent in Senaium eum pau ò post in carcevem tra bebaâ—t ut al jectum resariun Duse Sejano Sparitan as to that Duke of Moscoviah whom when the Tartarian had taken in battle he made a cup of his skull with this inscription All covet all lose Let not therefore the bramble be King let not earthly things bear rule in thine affections Fire will rise out of them that will consume the Cedars Exorientur sedexurentur as Jobs flower Jonas gourd Davids bay-tree or Xerxes his Steersman whom he crowned in the morning and beheaded in the evening of the same day The like befell Haman Sejanus and many others Severus the Emperour finding the emptinesse and insufficiency of honours and earthly happinesses sweeter farre in the ambition then fruition cries out at last Omnia fui nihil expedit I have tried all things and finde no solid content in any thing That was Solomons verdict of them long before And those in the Parable Mat. 20.13 when the end of the day came when they were to goe into another world they saw that which before they would not believe that preferment riches Non melior un quam fuit servm nec deterior Domino Galv Chro 478 Vespasianus unus accepto im perio melior factus lb 405. Cornel. a Lapid in Num. 11.11 Gen 14 21 Sic Tigraâ—es quam cum â—empeius vide ret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. misericordia commotus accessi c. ' Dio. credit were but a peny were but empty things such as wherewith they were in no wise content In the very pursuit of them is much anguish many grievances fears jealousies disgraces interruptions c. Say a man obtain them they neither make him better in prosperity but the worse as Caligula then whom there never was a better servant nor a worse Lord. Vespasian is said to be the only man that ever became better by being made Emperour Pius Quintus acknowledged that he was farre the worse man after he came to be Pope Nor can they bear up the heart in the day of adversity How crest-fallen was the King of Sodom when overcome by the four Kings How basely behaves he himself before Abraham a stranger an exile that was before so haughty and refractory So Manasseh that faced the heavens in his prosperity in trouble basely hides his head among the bushes and is therehence drawn bound and carried captive 2 Cbron. 33.12 But after the unsanctified enjoyment of them follows the sting of conscience that will inexpressibly vex and torment the soul thorowout all eternity For if one drop of an evil unquiet conscience will extremely dissweeten a full cup of outward comforts in this life present as it will and make a man weary of the world Vna guttula malae conscientiae conturbat totum mare gaudiorum bumanorü Bucho Cor. Gallus tantum animi dolorem concepit ut sibiipsi mortem consciverit Ioh. Manl. loc com p. 136. Camd Elizab. fol. 406. as Abitophel Judas c. What shall we think of hell where the worm bred in the froth of these worldly lusts dies not where the fire of Gods wrath goes not out If the wrath of a King be as the roaring of a Lion and if honours darlings cannot bear their Princes frowns but die by them as it befell Cornelius Gallus under Augustus and St Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour under Queen Elizabeth The Queen having once cast him down with a word could not raise him up again though she visited and comforted him but that he died of a slux of his urine and grief of minde How will they bear the wrath of God when David with whom God was but in jest as it were though mounted on his mountain could not bear his discountenance Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 Angels HEB. 1.7 He maketh his Angels spirits his Ministers a flame of fire CHrist the Angel of the Covenant is here preferred before all created Angels â— Pet. 3.21 and worthily as Lord and heir of all Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him saith saith S. Peter The Papists not out of Peter but out of one Dionysius discourse largely of the heavenly Hierarchy and tell us of nine ranks and subordinations of Angels But the authour is suspected Satius est ignorare sine crimine quam serutaricum discrimine and the Scripture herein is silent Now where the Scripture hath no tongue we need not have ears but must content our selves with a learned ignorance lest we fall into the sin of those Angel-worshippers Col. 2.18 intruding into those those things which they had not seen vainly puft up by their fleshly mindes The Friars so puft up have names given them by their Governours each according to his merits and as they encrease in their pretended holinesse so they proceed in their aery titles from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo then Archangelo Cherubino and lastly Sands his relation of West Religion p. 20. Cerephino which is the top of perfection The Seraphims those flames of fire whom the Papists place in the highest order as nearest to God and set them as rulers over the inferiour Angels Titen Syntag. pag. 199. they also are called here Gods Ministers yea they are his messengers too whatever the Papists say to the contrary Isa 6.6 sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 And
he ever consented to their Wicked perswasions In Thomas Whittle Martyr who could never be quiet till he had gone to the Bishops Office Ibid. 1632. and torne the bill of his recantation for the which Bonner first buffeted him soundly and then burnt him In Thomas Benbridge who feeling the intolerable heat of the fire cried out I recant and subscribed to certain Popish Articles at the stake upon a mans back and so was led back to prison But soon after he retracted what he had subscribed and the same-day-seven night he was burnt indeed or rather broiled by the vile tormentours Ibid. 1857. The like befell Richard Sharp a Weaver of Bristow who likewise suffered for that truth which he had recanted saying Ibid. 1861. I am sorry that ever I denied my Lord God c. But besides all these that recovered of their relapses What shall we thinke of Pendleton who resolved that as he came not frying into the world so he would not goe out frying Ibid. 1504. but roared upon his death-bed and full fore repented if it were not too late that ever he had yeelded to Papistry and been so sparing of his fat and flesh whereof he had vowed to Saunders he would see the uttermost drop molten Ibid 1363. and gobbet consumed to ashes before he would forsake God and his truth What shall we thinke of Steven Gardner who cried ouâ— upon his death bed That he had denied his Master with Peter but never repented with Peter and so both stinkingly and unrepentantly died Of Mt West Chaplain to Bishop Ridley Ibid. 1904. who refusing to die in Christs cause with his Master said Masse against his conscience and was so vexed by his conscience that soon after he pined a way with sorrow What shift Shaxton and Harding made to die I know not Ibid. 1558. 1570. A couple of apostates I know they were a Thess 2. and fair warning they had but that God had given them up to the efficacy of errour to believe a lie because they would not receive he love of the truth whereof they could not but be convinced Harding a little before King Edward died was heard openly in his Sermons in London to exhort the people with great vehemency That if troubles came they should never shrink from the true doctrine of the Gospel that they had received which yet he himself soon after did The Lady Jane whiles she was prisoner wrote an excellent letter to him wishing him to remember the horrible History of Julian of old and the lamentable case of Spira of late Ibid. 1292. Return to Christ saith she who now stretcheth out his arms to receive you ready to fall upon your neck and kisse you and cast off all to feast you with the dainties and delicates of his own precious bloud which undoubtedly if it might stand with his determinate purpose he would not let to shed again rather then you should be lost Thus sought that sweet Lady to charm and reclaim this adder but he turned the deaf ear to her and died an obstinate Papist a Prebend of Gaunt Shaxton was somewhat more toughly handled but with no better successe for evil men and seducers wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived This Shaxton in King Henry the eights daies being Bishop of Salisbury at the coming in of the six Articles resigned up his Bishoprick Ibid. 1578. together with Latimer rather then to forgoe the peace of their consciences and so remained a great space unbishoped till King Edwards time who restored them But when Queen Mary came in and changed religion Latimer suffered but Shaxton turned not only a Papist but a persecutour and perswader to Popery When William Wolsey Martyr and some others were brought before him Ibid. 1558. Good brethren said he remember your selves and become new men For I my self was in this fond opinion that your are now in but I am now become a new man Ah said Wolsey are you become a new man Woe be to thee thou wicked new man for God shall justly judge thee And so he did I doubt not it being his usuall course to hang up such notorious apostates in gibbets as it were for example to others He that betraied the Rhodes was well served For his promised wife and portion were presented But the Turk told him that he would not have a Christian to be his son-in-law but he must be a Musulman that is a believing Turk both within and without And therefore he caused his baptized skin as he called it to be taken off Speculum belli sacri p. 157. and him to be cast in a bed strawed with salt that he might get a new skin and so he should be his son in-law But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and sorrow Theoderick an Arrian King did exceedingly affect a certain Deacon although an orthodox This Deacon thinking to ingratiate and get preferment became an Arrian which when the King understood he changed his love into hatred and caused the head to be struck from him affirming That if he kept not his faith to God what duty could one expect from such a person King John of England being overlaid in his Barons wars sent Embassadours to the Monarch of Morocco for aid offering to hold his Kingdom of him Heyl Geo p. 714 and to receive the law of Mahomet The Moor marvellously offended with this offer grew into such dislike of our King that ever after he abhorred the mention of him Solyman the great Turk seeing a company of many thousand Christians fall down before him and hold up the sore-finger as their manner of conversion to Turcisme is he asked them Voiâ—ge into the Levant p 111. What moved them to turn They replied It was to be eased of their heavy taxations He disdaining that basenesse rejected their conversion and doubled their taxations The form they use when they turn Turks is this I confesse that there is but one God only Melch Adam in vit Gerlaâ—hij and Mahomet his servant I confesse also that I am come from the false to the true religion and I utterly renounce my former faith together with all the adherent Articles After this they are circumcised and doe put on a new turbant as a badge of a Musulman or right believer We reade of two Dutch-men the one a Divine the other a Baker that became Mahometans not many years since upon what discontent or other motive I know not Ibid p. 816. The Ministers name was Adam Neusserus once a Pastour of Heidelberg who fell off first to Arrianisme and then to Tureisme He died miserably at Constantinople Octob. 12. Anno 1576 much in the same manner as Arminius did at Leyden who was grievously tormented with a cough gout ague and incessant pain in his belly Hist of Low-countrey with a great binding and stopping under the heart which caused much difficulty of breathing
to Canterbury to visit the sepulchre of his own Martyr Dan hist fol. 99 10â— he went three miles on his bare feet which with hard stones were forced to yeeld bloudy tokens of his devotion on the way And which was most shamefull of all though he protested to the very last That he neither commanded nor willed nor by any sleight sought the death of Becket yet by the Legat he was compelled to undergo the discipline of rods upon his bare flesh and to receive of every Priest there present and there were not a few three or four lashes upon the bare one of the Embassadours saying the while Domine noli minari Sir you may spare your threats Revius de vitis Pontif. Rom p 140. Gabriel Powell of the unlawfulnesse of Toleration p 92. for we fear them not as being of such a Court as is wont to bear rule over Kings and Emperours In like sort the Pope within the memory of many yet alive lashed Henry the fourth of France in the person of his Embassadour at Rome after the singing of every verse of Miserere the 51. Psalme untill the whole Psalm was sung out Clemens the fifth would not absolve the Venetians of their Excommunication till Francis Dandalus their Embassadour had lain Revius p. 198. like a dog at his feet under his table with a chain of iron about his neck Neither would Pope Martin the fourth absolve the Sicilians till they came prostrated themselves before him with these words of the Letany Ibid. 187. O lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us thy peace The Pope answereth My peace I give you my peace I leave unto you Prodigious blasphemy Sed exorto Evangelij jubare sagaciores ut spero principes ad nutum vestri Orbilij non solvent subligacula saith a reverend Divine of our Church They tell us D. Pri leaux contra Eudaem Ioh. p. 75. That not their Popes only but their whole Clergy is a state so distinct and absolute as not any way subject to the temporall Magistrate though their crimes be never so many or monstrous These be the Locusts that have no King Prov. 30.27 they will have none but that Angel of the bottomlesse pit Abaddon the Pope Revel 9.11 Pareus in Apoc 13.3 In concillo Lateranenâ—i ultimo 15â—6 uno anno antequam Lutherus eâ—ersit plenaria potestas in totam Ecclesiam Papae concessa est que in nullo priùs concilio fuit confirmata Par hist eccles p. â—81 who stiles himself A servant of servants yet stamps on his coyn That Nation and countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out The Lateran Councel blasphemously ascribed that to the Pope All power is given to thee both in heaven and in earth thou art all and over all And now was the Pope in the heighth of his pride and ruff of his jollity when suddenly the same or the next year after God who resisteth the proud raised up Luther to cut his comb and to call him Antichrist Ever since which there hath been a sensible decay of the Papacy thorowout the Christian world as Bellarmine with grief acknowledgeth Ab eo tempore quo per vos Papa Antichristus esse coepit non modo non crevit ejus imperium sed magis ac magis decrevit l. 3. de Papa cap 21. â— Thess â— Iac. R. v p â—9 It was but time God should take him down that exalted himself not only above Angels whom saith John the 23. in extravag he hath power to excommunicate but also above all that is called God Our Lord God the Pope saith one of his Parasites Tu meritò in terris diceris esse Deus saith another Nicolas the first said That he was not to be called to an account by any one because Constantine had called the Pope by the name of God For the which grosse fiction the very Glosse there derideth him And who can hold laughing at that ridiculous glosse of a Popish Postiller upon that text Exod. 30.31 Where because it is said of the holy oil Vpon mans flesh it shall not be poured Risum teneatis amici Horat. Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sonnes c. therehence He infers in an hyperbolicall sense That Priests are Angels not having humane flesh It is not for nothing I trow that they send for the most part all their Clergy immediately to heaven without let Rom. 2.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—teroâ— homines pro insantibus â—aâ—ebat Bâ—â—on Anna â—oâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppellare 〈◊〉 tus eâ—b Epist 10. ep 1. Whereas all the temporalty except Martyrs must passe by purgatory These they look aloof on as the proud Pharisee did on the Publican as Caiaphas did on the Councel Ye know nothing at all saith he Joh. 11.49 Ye are all but babies to me c. or as those Bragadochio's in Isaiah looked on their betters with Stand by thy self for I am holier then thou Odi fastum illius ecclesiae I hate the pride of that Church of Rome saith Basil that Western brow as he was wont to call it and whereof he maketh great complain to his friend Evagrius The other four Patriaches and with them the whole Eastern Church separated themselves from the Bishop of Rome for his intolerable insolency and at their parting used these or the like words D. Field of the Church Gerson Carleton c. Thy haughtinesse we know thy covetousnesse we cannot satisfie thy encroaching we can no longer abide live to thy self c. This proud Bishop had stretcht himself beyond his line prized himself above the market set up his counter for a thousand pound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat Aemulum seu vicarium Christiâ— Significat etiam Christo contrarium Iac. Revius de vitis â—â—ntif p 186. affecting not a primacy only as successour to Peter but a supremacy as Vicar to Christ indeed an Antichrist or counter-Christ pretending to be in stead of Christ but fighting against Christ denying and opposing him in all his offices Pope Leo the first blasphemously boasted and Nicolas the third feared not to affirm the same That Peter was taken into fellowship with the blessed Trinity therefore Peters successour must be Vniversall Bishop This the Patriarch of Constantinople stomacked and could as little bear a superiour as the Pope an equall And therefore the former strives to bring all the East under him the later East and West too His claw-back Canonists tell him and he believes it that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords that he hath the power of both swords thorowout the whole world and rule over all reasonable creatures that he can doe whatsoever Christ can doe c. Now Moscon de majest militant Eccles l. â— c. 1. Hostiens cap. 4. Fran. Zabar as every little winde raiseth a bubble so doth the Pope value himself so much the more as he sees himself higher in the
landlord and so to forfeit all as they did Hos 2.9 And as that proud King of Aegypt did Ezek. 29 3 9. Isa 19.5 6. Because Pharaoh saith The river Nilus is mine own therefore saith God I will dry up the river and so starve Aegypt Secondly Get thine heart well seasoned with the fear of God For the fear of the Lord is to hate evil as pride arrogancy c. Prov. 8.13 Joseph truly feared God and therefore hated not only grosse evils as that of adultery but close evils as this of arrogancy It is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer Gen 41.16 As he insinuates himself by this dutifull comprecation so he extenuates his gifts that he may give the glory to God And he lost nothing by it For he that said Without me God shall answer Pharaoh heard from Pharaoh without thee shall no man lift up his hand in the land of Aegypt ver 44. So Iohn Baptist was full of the sear of God and thereby of humility for these two go coupled Prov. 22.4 and so close that there is no copulative in the original thus it runs By humility the fear of the Lord the one is as it were predicated of the other are riches and honour and life What riches Iohn Baptist had I know not but for honour that hand of his that he thought not worthy to unloose Christs latchet of his shoe Christ thought worthy to be laid upon his head in baptisme Iohn modestly withstood the motion at first be forbad him yea he earnestly forbad him as the Greek word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obnixe probâ—buit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in compos intendit significationâ—as for I have need saith he to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me But when he heard better reason he soon submitted an humble man will never be an heretike never be opinionate at least obstinate Then be suffered him Mat. 3.14 15. There are that say That for his humility here on earth he is dignified with that place in heaven from which Lucifer fell Who told them that I know not but this I know that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Thirdly Learn and labour to know more of God and his will of thy self and thy duty The more any one seeth of God the lesse he seeth by himself As he that hath looked a while upon the body of the Sun when he looks down again seeth nothing Gen 18.27 Ephar vegnaphar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disce hominis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 disam 〈◊〉 Rol. in â—â—â—um All nations are but as a drop of a bu◠〈◊〉 before God Quantilâ—â—igitur es tu 〈…〉 particula Vnde superbit home 〈◊〉 conceptio culpa nasci poera labor vita necesse mort Revel 3.17 Pharisaeus non vulnâ—ra sed munera osâ—eâ—tat but is dazelled Abraham when he stood before God and considered the infinite distance and disproportion confesseth himself to be dust and ashes Iob abborres himself in dust and ashes who till then thought himself some-body Isaiah cries out Wâ—e is me for I am undone Isa 6.5 Yea that proud Nebuchadnezzar when once tamed and taken down and had seen but some small portion of Gods might and majesty acknowledgeth That all the inhabitants of the earth are nothing c. Dan. 4 35. See thy self next what thou art by nature what by practice See this in the clear crystall of Gods pure law that perfect law of liberty as St Iames cals it because it freely and fully shews a man the blemishes of his soul the errours of his life The sight whereof if any thing will say a man low in his own eyes and make him as much abased and abashed before God as Mephibosheth would have been before David if he had been as fully guilty of treason as Ziba falsly accused him But therefore did Laodicea so admire her self because she knew not that she was wretched and miserable c. This if she had seen she would soon have laid down her plumes And so would that blinde Pharisee that bragg'd as fast of his righteousnesse as once Zenxis the Painter did of Atalanta's picture which when he had finished he wrote under it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sooner may painters envy then imitate this work yea he so pleased himself with the conceit of what he had done that he died with laughing at it Fourthly Consider seriously the many woes God hath denounced against proud persons all which will be as surely executed upon thee if thou repent not as the coat is on thy back or the heart in thy body Nebuchadnezzar for instance and after him Belshazzar Dan 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod Disette justitiam moniti c. â—irg because he would not to be warned as before him Senacherib whose statue is yet to be seen saith Herodotus in Vulcans Temple with this inscription Look upon me and learn to fear God No sin so directly offends God as pride and his judgements are most direct against it above all sins When a wall swels it is nearer breaking when the heart is puft up it is nearer destruction Fifthly Look upon the best that ever breathed and you shall finde them most modestly conceited of themselves Iacob is lesse then the least of Gods loving kindenesses David a worme and no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 5.8 Agur more brutish then any man Great Paul the least of Saints the greatest of sinners Peter a man a sinner a very mixture of dirt and sinne Bradford in his own judgement A very painted hypocrite Mr Bartlet Green Martyr was of such a modest nature so humbly thinking of himself as in sew is to be found saith Mr Fox ever dejecting himself under that was in him and ever seeming to be lesse then he was as well declareth not only his letter to Mr Philpot wherein he doth earnestly expostulate with him for slandering him with praise of his wit and learning and other excellent vertues but also by his own speech and answers in his examination c. When he was beaten and scourged with rods by Bonner which scarce any man would believe nor I neither saith the same Mr Fox but that I heard it of him and he greatly rejoyced in the same yet his shame-fac'd modesty was such that neither he would expresse any mention thereof lest he should seem to glory too much in himself save that only he opened the same to one Mr Cotton of the Temple a friend of his Act and Mon. fol. 1684. a little before his death A gracious heart is not a blab of his tongue but rests and rejoyceth silently in the conscience of a secret goodnesse Christian modesty teacheth a wise man not to expose himself to the fairest shew and to live at the utmost pitch of his strength Christ beside the vail of his humanity sates See you tell no man hid himself that they might not make
that 2 Atheisme in practice so rife in all places for of such dust-heaps that confesse god with their lips but deny him in their lives ye may finde in every corner All places is full of them and so is hell too 1. some think basely of God as if he were altogether such an one as themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 13. because he keeps silence and bears with their evil manners Psal 50.21 Averroes the Philosopher hence draws an argument against Gods presence and providence here on earth thinks he meddleth with nothing below the Moon because of his slownesse to anger 2. There are again that grant a God but made all of mercy and thereupon lay the reins in the neck to doe wickedly with both hands earnestly as presuming of an easie and speedy pardon Nahum tels us Nahum 1.2 10 That God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious c. And that such as these are but as stubble laid but in the Sun a drying that it may barn the better and like grapes let to hang in the sun-shine till they be ripe for the wine-presse of Gods wrath Rev. 1.16 3. Iudas in betraying Christ waâ—â— occasion of his death as man in despâ—iring he 〈◊〉 what in him lay to take away 〈◊〉 life as God D. Stlbs. Eccles 10.12 Serviut to ceant jumenta toquentur Others look upon God as a just Judge and sharp revenger of sinne and disobedience and hereupon could wish for their own case that there were no God This is Deicidium God-slaughter The good soul wisheth with David Vivat Deus let God live and blessed be the God of my salvation But the wicked is a hater of God Rom. 1 30. and to a murtherer of him according to that 1 Job 3.15 He that hateth any is a murtherer This is a high and hatefull degree of Atheisme If a man curse the King in his heart and wish him out of the world the sinne is so hainous that the souls of heaven shall disclose it How horrible then is this same sin against the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 4. Some again have bald conceits of God as if he were an old man sitting in heaven with a crown on his head a scepter in his hand and had the parts and proportions of a man as the Papists picture him God made man after his image and men to requite him will needs make God after their image cast him anew in their base mould and make an idoll of him In they year of Christ 403 this foolish and atheisticall question An Deus corporeus sit Func in Com. Chron. Quia nibil ani mal anima'i superius câ—gitare potest Whether the divine essence be a true body having hands feet c. as men have stirred up great strife among the Monks of Aegypt For the ruder and more ignorant sort of them held that it was so Xenophanes was wont to say That if beasts were able to paint they would pourtray God like to themselves because they could not naturally conceive any â—urther So do these naturall bruit beasts as Peter calleth them made to be taken and destroied speak and think evil of God whom they know not and so utterly perish in their own destruction a Pet. 2 12. 5. Other practicall Atheists there are not a few that deny not God indeed but dethrone him which is as bad whiles they are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God make their belly their God their gold their god yea the god of this world their god coming to them especially with offers of honours and promotions Ierem. Dike Mal. 3.8 All this will I give thee In too many families saith one Venus hath her altars in the chambers and Bacchus his sacrifices in the butteries which two having made their divident and shared their devotoes alas what a poor third will be left for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dij stercorarij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. â—upâ—ter stercorariâ— Rom. 12.1 Thus he Will a man rob his God The blinde Heathens would not deal so ill by their dung-hill Deities Yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord of hosts Not in tithes and offerings only but in offering up your selves your souls and bodies to be a holy lively and acceptable sacrifice unto me yea in loving the Lord your God with all your soul minde and might and your neighbour as your selves which is better then all burnt sacrifices as that Scribe understandingly answered Not but that there may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and â—â—e sacrificing Sodomites as Isa 1.10 Archatheists arrant hypocrites that bring thousands or rams and rivers of oil that offer largely and would give any good for a dispensation even the sons of their body for the sins of their souls Mic. 6.6 71 But they doe worse then lose their labour they commit sinne For Prov 21.27 The sacrisice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with an evil heart saith Solomon as thinking to cozen God with a carcase as Prometheus would have done his Jupiter with an outside a forme of godlinesse a shadow of religion Surely God may say to these Atheists as once Isaac did to his father Behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb Or as Jacob did to his sons that brought him Josephs bloudy coat Luth in decal Here 's the coat but where 's the childe Cainisâ—aa suat saith Luther offerentes non personam sed opus personae These are of Cains kindred that offer to God the work done but themselves they doe not offer they draw night to God with their liâ—s but their hearts are farre from him God also will be as farre from them when they have most need of him as he was from Saul 1 Sam. 28 15. that hypocriticall Atheist God hath for saken me saith he and the Phllistims are upon me so sicknesse death hell is upon me and God hath forsaken me neither is it my Lord Lord that can bring him back to my help and deliverance The Swan in the law was white in feathers yet reputed unclean and unmeet for sacrifice because the skinne under them was black Wash therefore your hands ye sinners but withall cleanse your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4 8. God is not mocked Gal. 6. not an hypocricicall service accepted dissembled sanctity is double iniquity To end this Discourse and so this first Decad David gives us these sure signs of an Atheist Psal 14. Mâ—rks of an A â—â—ist First A disordered life No sooner doth the fool conceit there is no God but presently follows Corrupt are they and doe abominable vers 1. Yea they prevaricate till they stinke again v. 3 as the old world did that was grown sofoul that God was fain to waâ—h it with a floud All sinne is both 1. from Atheisme for did men believe a God that saw all and would punish all
or halter up button up their mouths as we say See the Note on Mat. 22.34 Verse 16 As free See the Note on Gal. 5.13 Verse 17. Honour all men As made in the image of God as capable of heaven and as having some speciall talent to trade with Honour the King i.e. The Roman Emperour who disclaimed the name of a King to avoid the hatred of the people and yet sought the full right of Kings and so to destroy the liberty of the people But Kings that will be honoured must be just Ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam â—3 3. Tortuosis curvis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 18. To the froward Crosse crooked frample foolish The Greek word comes of an Hebrew word that signifies a fool Verse 19. This is thank-worthy God accounts himself hereby gratified as it were and even beholding to such sufferers this being the lowest subjection and the highest honour men can yeeld unto their maker Verse 20. For What glory is it In peace-offerings there might be oil mixt not so in sin-offerings In our sufferings for Christ there is joy not so when we suffer for our faults Verse 21. Leaving us an example Gr. A copy or patern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs actions were either morall or mediatory In both we must imitate him In the former by doing as he did In the later by similitude translating that to our spirituall life which he did as Mediatour as to die to sin to rise to righteousnesse c. and this not only by example as Petrus Abesardus held of old and the Socinians at this day but by vertue of Christs death and resurrection working effectually in all his people Anton. Tract 17 cap 1 paragr 5. not as an exemplary cause only or as a moral cause by way of meditation but as having force obtained by it and issuing out of it even the Spirit that kils sin and quickens the soul to all holy practice In vita ejus aâ—uâ— Suâ—â—um There is a story of an Earl called Eleazar a passionate Prince that was cured of that disordered affection by studying of Christ and his patience Crux pendentis cathedra docentis Christ upon the crosse is a Doctour in his Chair where he reads unto us all a lecture of patience The Eunuch Act 8.32 was converted by this praise in Christ It is said of Hierome that having read the godly life and Christian death of Hilarion he folded up the book and said Well Hilarion shall be the Champion whom I will follow Should we not much more say so of Christ Verse 22. Who did no sinne S. Paul saith He knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5.21 to wit with a practicall knowledge we know no more then we practise with an intellectuall he did for else he could not have reproved it Neither was guile found in his mouth Which imports that they sought it The wicked seek occasion against that godly Verse 23. But committed himself Or The Whole matter We also shall do our selves no disservice by making God our Chancellour when no law else will relieve us And indeed the lesse a man strives for himself the more is God his Champion He that said I seek not mine own glory adds but there is one that seeketh it and judgeth God takes his part ever that fights not for himself Verse 24. Who his own self Without any to help or uphold him Isa 63.5 he had not so much as the benefit of the Sun-light when in that three hours darknesse he was set upon by all the powers of darknesse Bar our sins Gr. Bare them aloft viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he climbed up his Crosse and nailed them thereunto Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows Isa 53 4 He taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 That We being dead to sinne Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separated from sinne or unmade to it cut off from it the old frame being utterly dissolved By Whose stripes Or Wales This he mentioneth to comfort poor servants whipt and abused by their froward Masters Sanguis medici fà ctus est medicina phrenctici The Physicians bloud became the sick mans salve We can hardly believe the power of sword salve But here is a mystery that only Christian religion can assure us of that the wounding of one should be the cure of another Verse 25. As sheep Then the which no creature is more apt to stray lesse apt and able to return The Oxe knoweth his owner c. CHAP. III. Verse 1. Be in subjection to your husbands YEt with a limitation Subject the wife must be to her husbands lawfull commands and restraints It is too much that Plutarch laies as a law of wedlock on the wife to acknowledge and worship the same gods and none else but those whom her husband doth Be Wonne by the conversation i. e. Be prepared for conversion as Austins father and himself were by the piety of his mother Monica Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whiles they behold Curiously pry into Carnall men watch the carriages of professours and spend many thoughts about them Your chaste conversation When Livia the Empresse was asked how she had got such a power over her husband that she could doe any thing with him She answered Multâ modestiâ by my much modesty A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying Dâ—o in August Verse 3. Whose adorning Mundus muliebris See Isa 3.18 where the Prophet as punctually inveighs against this noble vanity as if he had viewed the Ladies wardrobes in Jerusalem Let it not be that outward Vestium curiositas deformitatis mentium morum indicium est saith Bernard Excessive neatnesse is a sign of inward nastinesse It was a true saying of wise Cato Cultus magna cura magna est virtutis incuria They are never good that strive to be so over-fine Superfluous apparel saith Cyprian is worse then whoredome Verse 4. But let it be the hidden Vestite vos serico pietatis byssino sanctitatis purpur â pudicitia Talitèr pigmentata Deum habebitis amatorem It is Tertullians counsel to young women Lib. de cult soeâ—â— Cloth your selves saith he with the silk of piety with the sattin of sanctity with the purple of modesty So shall you have God himself to be your sutor In that Which is not corruptible Or In the incoruption of a meek a quiet spirit c. a garment that will never be the worse for wearing but the better Of great price God makes great reckoning of a quiet minde because it is like himself He promiseth earth to the meek and heaven to the incorrupt or sincere and pure in heart Verse 5. Who trusted in God And therefore would not by unlawfull means seek to get or keep their husbands love and favour but trusted God for that So Hezekiah trusted in God and pulled down the brazen serpent 2 King 18.4 5. opposing his presence to all peril Verse 6.
Calling him Lord See here how in a great heap of sin God can finde out his own and accept of it There was no good word in all the whole sentence but this that she called her husband Lord. God is pleased to single out this and let it as a precious diamond in a gold ring to Sarah's eternall commendation And are not afraid c. Fear they must vers 2. and yet they must not Fear God but not their husbands undeserved checks or threats for obeying God One fear must expell another as one fire drives out another Verse 7. Likewise ye Officium ascendit amor descendit According to knowledge Where should wâ—â—dome be but in the head This must be shewed Vxoris vitium out tollendo aut tolerando said Varro either by curing or at least covering his wives weaknesses As unto the Weaker vessel Glasses are to be tenderly handled a small knack soon breaks them So here Viperavirus ob venerationem unptiarum evomit saith Basil The Viper for the honour of coupling with his mate Et tu duritiom animi su ferila tem tu câ—â—leâ—â—tatem ab untouls revereatiam non depo â—s casts up his poison and wilt not thou for the honour of marriage cast away thy harshnesse roughnesse cruelty to a consort As being heirs Souls have no sexes Gal. 3.28 That your praiers be not hindered Isaac praied in the presence of his wife This course of praying together apart from others being taken up by married couples will much encrease and spiritualize their affection one to another But jarring will make them leave praying or praying leave jarring Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be courteous Gr. Friendly-minded ready to any good office Verse 9. Or railing for railing Convitium convitio regerere quid aliud est quam lutum luto purgare saith one To render railing for railing is to thinke to wash off dirt with dirt That ye should inherit a blessing Blessings by words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly They that will speak good words to men shall hear good words from God they shall have his good word for them in all places and in the hearts of their greatest enemies as Jacob and Job had Verse 10. Love life Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a creature that loves life saith Aristotle Who is the man that willeth life saith David Psal 34 12. And hereunto every man will be ready to answer Ego I doe as Austin observeth But when the condition shall be added Cohibe linguam c. Refrain thy tongue c. then saith he scarce any will appear or accept the motion And see good daies That is Prosperous and peaceable daies for all the daies of the afflicted are evil Prov. 15.15 a joylesse life is no life Rebecca was weary of her life and so was Eliah when he sat under the Juniper Multi etiam magni viri sab Elia Juniperâ— sedent It is many a good mans case Verse 11. Seek peace and ensue it A contentious man never wants woe Vt habeas quietum tempus perde aliquid was a Proverb at Carthage as Austin relates it Et concedamus de jure ut careamus lite For a quiet life let a man part with his right sometimes Verse 12. His ears are open unto c. Gr. His ears are unto their praiers qâ—d though their praiers are so faint that they cannot come up to God God will come down to them He can feel breath when no voice can be heard Lam. 3.56 Fletu sapè agitur non affatu Verse 13. And who is he that will c. Naturall conscience cannot but doe homage to the image of God stamped upon the natures and works of the godly as we see in the carriage of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius toward Daniel M. Bolton I have known some saith a grave Divine the first occasion of whose conversion was the observation of their stoutnesse under wronge and oppressions whom they have purposely persecuted with extreamest hate and malice Verse 14. But and if ye suffer q. d. Say you meet with such unreasonable men made up of meer incongruities and absurdities 2 Thess 3.3 that will harm you for well-doing yet you shall be no loosers Verse 15. Sanct fie the Lord God Consider and conceive of him as he stands described in the Scriptures and as related to his people resting upon his power and love for safety here and salvation hereafter Ready alwaies to give an answer Gr. To make apology a bold and wise profession of the truth with due observation of just circumstances To dissemble is ever a fault but not to professe is then only a fault when a man is silent Intempestivè loco minimè idoneo at an unfit time and place Let me be counted and called proud or any thing Modò impij silentij non arguar said Luther so I be not guilty of a sinfull silence A reason of the hope Not every trifling question or malicious cavil Christ answered the Governour not a word to some things and yet he Witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate 1 Tim. 6.13 With meeknesse and fear Lest you should dishonour a good cause by an ill carriage Verse 16. Having a good conscience Which you cannot have if you deny or but dissemble the truth George Marsh the Martyr being examined before the Earl of Darby kept himself close in the point of the Sacrament But after his departure thus he writes I departed much more troubled in my spirit then before because I had not with more boldnesse confessed Christ Act. and Mon fol. 1419. but in such sort as mine adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against me whereat I was much grieved for hitherto I went 〈◊〉 as much as in me lay to rid my self out of their hands if by 〈…〉 without open denying of Christ and his Word that coâ—â—â—â—ed â—e c. 〈◊〉 doers Malefactours not Martyrs â—heâ— may be ashamed that falsly accuse This is an excellent 〈◊〉 stopping an open mouth Oh these reall apologies are very â—owerfull Thus did the Primitive Christians plead for themselves Non aliundè noscibiles quam de emendationâ— vitiorum pristinorum saith Tertullian known from all others by their reformed lives Thus did those old Protestants the Waldenses In moribiâ— sunt compositi modesti c. said that Popish Inquisitour their professed adversary Their doctrine said he is naught but their lives are unblameable The mans life saith Erasmus concerning Luther is approved of all men his veriest adversaries cannot accuse him for any thing in point of practice Lewis King of France Nechoâ—es reperiaâ—â— quod calumnienâ—uâ— having received certain complaints against the Protestants of Merindoll and Chabriers sent certain to enquire into the businesse Anno Dom. 1513. and hearing what they related to him he swore a great oath that they were better men then either himself was or any other of his subjects Verse 17. That ye suffer for well-doing The cause and not