Bernard who seek straws to put out their eyes withall If we break not off our sins by repentance that there may be a lengthening of our tranquillity a removall of our Candleslick may be as certainly fore-seen and fore-told as if visions and letters were sent us from heaven as once to the Church of Ephesus God may well say to us as to them of old Have I been a wildernesse unto Israel a land of darknesse Or as Themistocles to his Athenians Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits by one man Bona à tergo formosissima Our sins have long since sollicited an utter dissolution and desolation of all and that we should be made a heap and a hissing a waste and a wildernesse Quod Deus aveâ—tat Verse 2. And saying Repent ye Change your mindes now at the preaching of the Gospel as they changed their garments at the promulgation of the Law Rent your hearts and not your garments plough up the fallows of your hearts grieve for your sins even to a transmentation as those Corinthians did and as Simon Peter counselled Simon Magus that snake that had cast his coat but kept his poison For although he caâ—ried the matter so cleanly and cunningly that Philip took him for a true convert and baptized him yet Peter soon saw that he was in the gall or venome of bitternesse for the word used Deut. 29. 18. whereunto the Apostle alludes signifieth both and therefore prescribes him an Antidote the very same that John doth here this generation of vipers Repent if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee His wicked thought is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly change of minde that the Apostle perswadeth him unto is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that by some mischance hath drunk poison must cast it up again as soon as he can ere it get to the vitals Repentance is the souls vomit which is the hardest kinde of physick but the wholsomest Happy is he that by the dung-port of his mouth in a sorrowfull confession can disburden himself of the sinne that both clogs and hazards his soul to death eternall We râ—n from God by sin to death and have no other way to return but by death to sin For the kingdom of heaven is at hand q. d. Ye have a price put into your hands a fair opportunity of making your selves for ever Will ye like the vine and olive in â—othams parable not leave your sweetnesse and fatnesse your dilecta delicta beloved sins although it be to raign yea and that in Gods kingdome Knowest thou not that the goodnesse of God should lead thee to repentance Is there not mercy with God therefore that he may be feared should not men rent their hearts because God is gracious and turn to the Lord because he will multiply pardon To argue from mercy to liberty is the devils logick and makes God repent him of his favours to such as David did of his kindenesse to Nabal Rather we should argue from mercy to duty as Joseph did to his master in a temptation from deliverance to obedience with David Psal. 116 8 9. And therefore return to our fathers house with the Prodigall because there is bread enough therefore repent because his Kingdome is at hand and would be laid hold on As John Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into our hearts Verse 3. For this is he which was spoken of Whether these be the words of the Baptist or of the Evangelist it appears not skils not The most say of the Evangelist concerning the Baptist. By the Prophet Isaias Thus one Testament infolds another as those wheels in Ezekiel And the Law preacheth faith in Christ as well as the Gospel Rom. 10. 6. 7. The voice of one crying Loudly and lustily lifting up his voice as a trumpet or as the sound of many waters Semblably S. Paul was ordained to be a crier 1 Tim. 1. â—1 and so is every faithfull Preacher 2 Tim. 4. 2. He must cry and be instant stand to the work and stand over it Sta cum diligentia saith the Syriack there clangite clamate Jer. 4. 5. Ye have to doe with deaf men dead men living carcases walking sepulchres of themselves Now therefore as our Saviour lifted up his voice when he said Lazarus come forth So must Christs Ministers when they speak to such as lie rotting and stinking in the graves of their corruptions cry aloud Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead that Christ may give thee light Ecclesia the Church is a word in use among the Athenians and signifies an Assembly of Citizens called out of the multitude as it were by name or in their ranks by the voice of the publike Crier to hear some speech or sentence of the Senate The Church in like sort is a company called out of the kingdome of Satan by the voice of Gods Ministers as it were criers to hear the doctrine of the Gospel revealed from heaven There are that observe that John Baptist entered upon his calling in the year of Jubilee which used to be proclaimed by a Crier with the sound of a trumpet and that in allusion thereunto he is called The voice of a crier Prepare ye the way of the Lord. 〈◊〉 the terrours of the Lord to seize upon your souls take not up bucklers against the stroaks of Gods Law bring not your buckets to quench the motions of his Spirit knocking at your hearts by the hammer of his Word Make much of the least beginnings of grace even those they call repressing since they prepare the heart for conversion Open the everlasting doors that the King of glory may come in that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith As Esther leaned upon 〈◊〉 two maids when she came before the King So let the soul 〈◊〉 upon attrition of the Law and contrition of the Gospel so 〈◊〉 the King of glory stretch out the golden Scepter of his grace and we shall live As Iohn Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into our hearts for he that repenteth not the Kingdom of God is far from him he cannot see it for his lusts that hang in his light Make his paths straight Walk exactly precisely accurately 〈◊〉 line and by rule walk as in a frame make straight steps to your feet or else there is no passing the strait gate so strait that as few can walk in it so none can halt in it but must needs goe upright Plain things will joyn in every point one with another not so 〈◊〉 and rugged things In like sort plain spirits close with Gods truths not those that are swoln c. The old heart will never hold out the hardship of holines Verse 4. And the same Iohn had his raiment
constitution and conversation from worse to better Recover your lost wits with the Prodigall who repenting is said to come to himself and become 〈◊〉 after your folly Pull down the very frame of the old man unmake your selves as St 〈◊〉 hath it 1 Pet. 2. 24. Undoe what you had done before and be ye 〈◊〉 and metamorphosed by the renewing of your 〈◊〉 For Except a man be born again not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 from above but a 〈◊〉 time as Nicodemus understood our Saviour except he goe over all again that is past rejecting it as unprofitable and begin anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God where old things are past all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. a whole new creation For the kingdom of heaven is at hand See what is said to this whole verse Chap. 3 2. For this was the summe and substance of the Baptists our Saviours and his Apostles Sermons and had need to be daily pressed and preached sith it is our pensum diurnum the first and continuall work of Gods Spirit in the faithfull who because they cannot wash their hands in innocency wash them in tears and by renewing their repentance work and wear out all brackish and sinfull dispositions as sweet water will doe the salt sea coming into it as wine or honey casteth out the 〈◊〉 as fast as it ariseth Christ biddeth us as oft to pray Forgive us our trespasses as we pray Give us this day our daily bread He not only waits for repentance from the wicked but would also have his dearest children daily meet him condemning themselves Luk. 13. 5. If ye repent not also more and more when ye see the examples of Gods wrath upon others ye shall likewise perish Besides some sins are past in time that are not past in deed if we dwell not in the undoing and reversing of them Ezra 10. 11 12. and 9. 15. They were to begin anew their repentance because they had not considered their marrying of strange wives Verse 18. 〈◊〉 Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee Not for recreation sake or to deceive the time for he had a great multitude attending upon him to 〈◊〉 the Word of God as St Luke noteth 〈◊〉 as laying hold on the opportunity of calling Peter and Andrew and after that 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to the Apostleship Our Saviour knew that a well chosen season is the greatest advantage of any action which as it is seldom found in haste so is it too often lost in delay The men of Issachar were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to doe and when to doe it So are they in great account with the sonne of David who regard and improve as he did here the season of well-doing which they that lose are the greatest losers and the wastfullest prodigals For of 〈◊〉 other 〈◊〉 two may be had together but two moments of time how much lesse two opportunities of time cannot be 〈◊〉 together Some are semper victuri as Seneca saith ever about to doe better they stand futuring and whiling out the time so long till they have trifled and fooled away their own salvation Let us sit ready in the door of our hearts as Abraham did in the door of his 〈◊〉 to apprehend occasions of doing good as he to entertain passengers to set a word or work upon it's wheels that it may be as apples of gold and pictures of silver pleasant and profitable for every thing is beautifull in it's season and how forcible are right words As the Bee so soon as ever the Sunne breaks forth flies abroad to gather honey and wax So be thou ready to every good work waiting the occasions thereof Tit. 3. 1. Now now saith David and after him Paul because for ought we know it is Now or Never to day or not at all Opportunities are headlong and once past irrecoverable Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas God hath hanged the heaviest weights upon the weakest wires Be quick therefore and abrupt in thine obedience Thou knowest not what a great-bellied day may bring forth Yea thou maist the very next hour be cut off from all further time of repentance acceptation and grace for ever He saw two brethren He knew them and admitted them into his friendship well nigh a year before 〈◊〉 1 39. but now calleth them from being fishers to be fishers of 〈◊〉 Peter is famous for his first draught Act. 2. whereby he caught and brought to the Church three thousand souls Casting their net into the sea God calleth men when they are busie Satan when they are idle For idlenesse is the hour of 〈◊〉 and an idle person the devils Tennis-ball which he tosseth at pleasure and sets awork as he liketh and listeth God hath ordained that in the sweat of his brow man should eat his bread The Hebrew hath it In the sweat of his nose for he must labour till the sweat runne down his nose Which if 〈◊〉 doe God hath promised that manus molitans the diligent nimble handed man shall not stay long in a low place He shall stand 〈◊〉 Princes as these painfull fisher-men were to stand before the Prince of Peace and to be of his constant retinue As till then their busie attendance on their calling was no lesse pleasing to Christ then an 〈◊〉 diate devotion Happy is that 〈◊〉 whom his Lord when he comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serving 〈◊〉 and man with his fat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in Iothams Parable For they were fishers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one sed 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dona dedit ministeria Christ sends forth none to preach but whom he gifteth where the comfort is that a small 〈◊〉 may threed a needle and a little 〈◊〉 doe better in a small river then a great 〈◊〉 Verse 19. He saith unto them Follow me And together with his Word 〈◊〉 went forth a power inclining them to follow whereby it appears that they were not only of the many that are called but of those few that are chosen The Lord knoweth who are his saith St Paul But this knowing of his is carried secret as a river under ground till by 〈◊〉 calling he 〈◊〉 them from the rest 〈◊〉 they can call upon the Name of the Lord and depart from evil This when they are once 〈◊〉 of Christ they must be acting when he hath tuned and touched us we must make musick and 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 embreaths us we must turn about as the Mill and follow the Lambe wheresoever he 〈◊〉 as these 〈◊〉 did And I will make you fishers of men Of live men as 〈◊〉 desire to catch fish alive because they are more vendible An apt metaphor wherein 1. The world is compared to the sea for it's unsetlednesse 〈◊〉 the oppression that is in it
fire a punishment fore prophecied and well befitting so foul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 26. Then are the children free q. d. And much more I who am the naturall the only begotten 〈◊〉 of that King everlasting the heir of all am priviledged from paiments Yet because few knew what Peter did that he was the Christ the sonne of the living God the sonne also of David according to the flesh lest by his example he should occasion and encourage either the Jews to deny paiment or the Romans to defie the Gospel as contrary to Monarchy he would not make use of his 〈◊〉 but sent to sea for money to make paiment Verse 27. Lest we should offend them Better it is that a man part with his right then give just 〈◊〉 to any This was S. Pauls great 〈◊〉 1 Cor 9. and his constant counsell to others Rom. 14. 13 14 15. Let no man put a stumbling block much l sse a scandall in his brothers way that is neither a lighter nor greater offence but rather abridge himself of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is to expresse Christ to the world to be made like unto him Go thou to the Sea Here Hierom cries out Quid primum 〈◊〉 in hoc loco nescio I knew not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to wonder at whether Christs prescience or greatnesse His prescience that 〈◊〉 knew that the fish had money in 〈◊〉 mouth and that that fish should come first to 〈◊〉 His greatnes and power that could create such a piece of mony by his bare word and cause it so to be by commanding it so to be Who would not fear this Lord of hosts Who would not trust him for necessaries who can and wil cause all 〈◊〉 to scatter for his But what a wonderful work of God was it and a 〈◊〉 warning to us 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 daies of war had we 〈◊〉 so wise as to have made good use of it that God should send 〈◊〉 Friths Preparation to the Crosse in the fish-belly to the 〈◊〉 of Cambridge a little before the Commencement 〈◊〉 few years since That such a book 〈◊〉 the reverend man that relateth it should be brought 〈◊〉 such a manner and to such a place and at such a time when by reason of peoples 〈◊〉 cut of all parts notice might be given to all places of the Land in my apprehension 〈◊〉 can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for no lesse then a divine 〈◊〉 and to have this voice with it England prepare for the crosse Give it unto them for me and thee Upon this place Papists would foolishly found their Popes primacy and Clergies priviledge of immunity from paiments to civil Princes and Magistrates because Christ and Peter are set together But in what trow In paying of homage not in receiving of honour Christ paid tribute to free us from the servitude of Satan that rigid tax-master Peter paid because he had here an house and family Chap. 8. 5. and further to let his successours know that they paid 〈◊〉 in Peter and should learn in all due humility to submit to Magistracy and not to with-draw from publike impositions and taxations further then of favour they shall be exempted and priviledged CHAP. XVIII Verse 1. At the same time VVHen he by paying tribute had been teaching them humility and modesty they most unseasonably discover their folly and ambition so another time after he had been washing their feet and giving them the Sacrament Luk. 22. See in them the pravity the canker of our natures and what cause God had to complain Hos. 7. 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered as if it had been on purpose to spite me and spet venom in my face Came the Disciples Peter also with the rest vers 21. though 〈◊〉 will needs have it otherwise as if he were now at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall bear no part of the blame take heed of that that 〈◊〉 sin Hos 12. 8. Who is the greatest Quarunt non quaerenda saith Aretius they should rather have enquired how to get into heaven then who should be highest in heaven Ridiculum illud est initia ignorare ultima rimari But they 〈◊〉 of a distribution of honours and offices as once in the daies of David and Solomon a worldly 〈◊〉 like the Kingdoms of the earth as afterwards the Church was and still is transformed by Antichrist into the image of the beast that is of the Roman Empire yet they call it the kingdom of heaven because they had heard Christ many times call it so In the Kingdom of heaven i. e. In the state and condition of the Church Christian. So to this day among the Jews the Kingdom of the Messiah is called Malcuth hashamajim the Kingdom of heaven and rightly so for 1. 〈◊〉 King is heavenly 2. He hath heaven for his throne whence he puts forth his power 3. His Subjects are heavenly minded and trade for heavenly commodities 4. Their countrey is heaven though their commoration be a while upon earth where they are pilgrims and strangers 5. The government of this Kingdom is wholly heavenly and 〈◊〉 Verse 2. And Jesus called a little childe Nicephorus saith this was Ignatius who was afterwards Bishop of Antioch but I am not bound to 〈◊〉 him It is well known that he is full of fictions Christ calling for a little childe who neither 〈◊〉 great things of himself nor 〈◊〉 great things for himself rightly and really confutes their 〈◊〉 ambition and 〈◊〉 of primacy and gives 〈◊〉 such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tarquin did 〈◊〉 son when walking in the garden he struck off the heads of the Poppies in the sight of the messenger and as Periander the 〈◊〉 did Thrasybulus the 〈◊〉 of Athens when pulling of the upper ears he made all the standing corn equall intimating thereby what a tyrant must doe that would live 〈◊〉 and quiet Verse 3. Except ye be converted i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn over a new leaf and cast away these fond conceits and crotchets these golden dreams of an earthly Kingdom and your high 〈◊〉 therein which like bullets of lead fastened to the eye-lids of your mindes make you that you cannot look upwards And become as little children In simplicity humility innocency ignoscency c. not in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open 〈◊〉 c. How 〈◊〉 was that Anabaptist Aurifaber who understanding this text Nicodemically as one saith stirred up people where ever he came 〈◊〉 carry themselves 〈◊〉 if ever they would have heaven Upon whose perswasion you might have seen ridiculous 〈◊〉 of boyes and girls women especially skipping up and down clapping their hands together sitting naked on the ground ticking toying apishly imitating one while Christ another while Antichrist c. pretending this text for their authority So did Massaeus the Franciscan who is famous amongst his fellow-friers for that at the command of his superiour St Francis he wallowed on the ground as a little one and shew'd all in obedience to this
is the blemish will never be wiped off from some of the Ancients who to establish their own Idol of I know not what virginity have written most wickedly and most basely of marriage which both Christ honoured with his first miracle and the holy Ghost by over shadowing the 〈◊〉 virgin As for the Papists that disgrace it they appear herein more like devils then Divines If the same God had not been the authour of virginity and marriage he had never countenanced virginity by marriage as he did in the Virgin Mary CHAP. II. Verse 1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem THe house of bread that bread of life that came down from Heaven and dwelt amongst us in this City of David otherwise called Ephrata that is fruit-bearing and situate they say in the very navell and center of the earth because in him all Nations should be blessed Here was Jesus born by meer accident in regard of his parents who were brought hither by a tyrannicall edict of the Emperour forcing all even great-bellied women to repair to their own City to be taxed though it were in the deep of winter but by a sweet providence of God to fulfill the Scripture and to settle our faith In the daies of Herod the King When the Scepter was departed from Judah and the times were grown deplored and desperately wicked Josoph found his brethren in Dothan 1. in defection so did Christ when he came Scarce were there four or fewer found that waited for the consolation of Israel Then also when among the poor Gentiles a plentifull harvest a very great number of elect were ready ripe Mat. 9. 37. Luk. 10. 2. Joh. 4. 35. Then when cuncta 〈◊〉 continua totius generis humani aut pax fuit 〈◊〉 pactio then came the Prince of peace into the world when all was at peace thorowout the world Behold there came wise-men Neither Kings nor cunning men but sages of the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contemplative persons Philosophers interpreters of the Laws of God and men The tale of the three Kings of 〈◊〉 is long since exploded To Jerusalem So misreckoning of a point they mist the haven and had like to have run upon the rocks Had they met with the Shepherds of Bethlehem they had received better intelligence then they could from the learned Scribes of Jerusalem God hath 〈◊〉 the weak of the world to confound the wise Surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrin is noctris 〈◊〉 in Gehennam None are so far from Christ many times as knowing men Some of the Scribes and Pharisees were very Atheists for they knew neither the Father nor the Son Uspian the chief Lawyer Galen the chief Physician Porphyry the chief Aristotelean Plotinus the chief Platonist Libanius and Lucian the chief Oratours of that age were all profest enemies to Christ. No Church was founded at Athens Acts 17. which yet Demosthenes calls the soul sun and eye of Greece Euripides the Greece of Greece Thucydides and Diodorus the common school of all men the Mart of good learning c. The greatest Clerks are not alwaies the wisest men in the affairs of God Howbeit learned Nathanael Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus masters in Israel were Disciples to our Saviour lest if he had called simple men only it might have been thought quòd fuissent ex simplicitate decepti that they were deceived out of 〈◊〉 simplicity saith one Verse 2. Saying Where is he that is born King of the Iews As presupposing a common notice But the Kingdom of God cometh not by observation neither is it of this world Christ is somewhat an obscure King here as Melchisedech was and his Kingdom consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the stranger worldling meddles not with The Cock on the dunghill esteems not this Jewel For we have seen his starre in the East Some rumour of the 〈◊〉 of Iacob they had heard and received 〈◊〉 either from 〈◊〉 prophecy Numb 24. 17. who was an East Countrey-man Or from the Chaldean Sibyl or from the Iews in the B. by lonish captivity and now they make their use of it But the Scripture giveth more grace Ium 4 6. Onely take heed that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6. 1. And are come to worship him With a religious worship to kisse at his mouth as the word signifieth and as Pharaoh said to Ioseph they shall all kisse at thy mouth Wo worth to us if we kisse not the Son with a kisse of faith and love sith he is now so clearly revealed unto us not by the sight of one star only as to these but by a whole Heaven bespangled with stars though not in every part yet in every zone and quarter of it as one saith of our Church We have a word of Prophecy how much more is this true of the holy Gospel more sure 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that came from Heaven in the holy mount saith St Peter whereunto we shall do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a darke place Besides the works of God those Regij professores as one calleth them those Catholike Preachers Psal. 19. 2 3. those reall Postilles of the Divinity Christ is purposely compared to sensible objects as to the Sun Stars Rose Rock c. that through the creatures as so many Optick glasses we might see him that is invisible having the eyes of our minde turned toward Christ as the face of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy-seat Verse 3. When Herod the King heard these things he was troubled At that wherein the Sages and Shepherds rejoiced It is fair weather with the Saints when foulest with the wicked Abraham stands upon the hill and seeth the smoke of the Cities ascend like a furnace Behold my servants shall 〈◊〉 but ye shall be ashamed my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart c. and ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen AElian compareth tyrants to swine which if a man but touch they begin to cry as dreaming of nothing but death forasmuch as they have neither fleece nor milke nor any thing else but their flesh only to forfeit But si praesepe vagientis 〈◊〉 tantùm terruit quid tribunal judicantis saith one If Christ in the earth were so terrible what will he be on the tribunall And all Ierusalem with him Perhaps to comply and 〈◊〉 with the tyrant as the Arabians if their King be sick or lame they all feign themselves so Or as homines ad servitutem 〈◊〉 so Tiberius called the Romanes who gave publike thankes for all even the wicked acts of their Emperours or as fearing some new stirs in the state as the burnt childe dreads the fire Verse 4. And when he had gathered all the chief Priests The true picture of Popish
horn hath been in them are no longer poisonable but healthfull Into the holy City Things are called holy either by nature as God who is truly alway and only of himself holy or by separation or being set apart to a holy use or end which Origen calleth sancta sanctificata by accession of externall holinesse from without So Jerusalem is here called holy because the City of God where he was daily worshipped And for the same cause was the ground whereon Moses and Ioshua trod called 〈◊〉 ground and Tabor the holy Mount And when we stand in our Churches saith Chrysostome we stand in a place of Angels and 〈◊〉 angels in the Kingdom of God and heaven it self which they that profane may justly fear to be whipt like dogs out of 〈◊〉 haavenly temple and City too And surely it were to be wished that such profane Esaus now-adaies as dare prate or sleep or laugh and play the parts of jesters or doe any thing else unbeseeming the service of God would keep themselves from Gods sanctuary or that we had such Porters to keepe them 〈◊〉 as they had under the Law 2 Chronicles 23. 19. And setteth him upon a pinacle of the Temple Height of place giveth opportunity of temptation The longest robe contracts the greatest soil neither are any in so great danger as those that walk on the tops of pinacles Even heigth it self makes mens brains to swim As in Diocletian who not content to be Emperour would needs be adored as a god and Caligula of whom it was said That there was never any better servant then he nor worse Lord. Vespasian is reported to have been the only man that ever became better by the Empire conferred upon him It is both hard and happy not to be made worse by advancement 〈◊〉 signifies both honour and 〈◊〉 Chabadh 〈◊〉 and honour Honoro and onero shew that honour goeth not without a 〈◊〉 Fructus 〈◊〉 oneris fructus honoris onus Pope Pius Quintus said thus of himself Cumessem religiosus sperabam bene ae salute animae meae Cardinalis factus extimui Pontifex creatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When I was first in orders without any further ecclesiasticall dignity I had some good hopes of my salvation When I became a Cardinall I had 〈◊〉 since I was made Pope least of all The same thoughts of himself had Clement the 8th his immediate successour saith the same Authour Non insulsè Autor 〈◊〉 moral cap. 12. Praepositioni quot accidunt Unum Quid Casus tantùm Quot casus Duo Qui Accusativus abiativus Haec enim Praelatum oportet timere accusari a crimine aufirri 〈◊〉 sic ignominiosè cadere Verse 6. And he saith unto him The devil usually tempteth by speech inward or outward Senarclaeus telleth of a plain Countrey-man at Friburg in Germany that lying on his death-bed the devil came to him in the shape of a tall terrible man and 〈◊〉 his soul 〈◊〉 Thou hast been a notorious sinner and I am come to set down all thy sins And therewith he drew out 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and sate down at a Table that stood by and began to write The sick man answered My soul is Gods and all my sins are nailed to the crosse of Christ. But if thou desire to set down my sins write thus All our righteousnesses are as a filthy rag c. The devil set down that and bad him say on He did But thou Lord hast promised for thine own sake to blot out our iniquities and to make our searlet sins white as snow The devil passed by those words and was earnest with him to goe on in his former argument The sick man said with great 〈◊〉 The sonne of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil With that the devil vanished and the sick man departed If thou be the Son of God cast thy self c. This is the devils Logick to argue from 〈◊〉 to liberty to doe wickedly with both hands earnestly Wheras the Heathen could say In maxima libertate minima licentia And the Father Ideò deteriores sumus quia meliores esse debemus Therefore are we worse because we ought to be better Remember but this that 〈◊〉 art sonne to a King said one to Antigonus and that will 〈◊〉 thee from base courses Take thou those spoils to thy self said Themistocles to his friend that followed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thou art not Themistocles as I am they are poor things farre below me Shall such a man as I flee Shall I doe any thing to the dishonour of my heavenly father and therefore sin because grace hath abounded That is not the guise of any of Gods children They walk honestly bravely gallantly worthy of God who hath done so great things for them The more 〈◊〉 the more engagements Scipio when a harlot was offered unto him said Vellem si non essem Imperator It was an aggravation of 〈◊〉 fall of Solomon that God had appeared unto him twice and of Saul That he fell as if he had not been anointed So it is of any of Gods Saints to sin as if they had not been adopted Cast thy self down Here our Saviour is tempted to self-murder by an old man-slater And when Moses Elias Jonas and others of the best sort of Saints were in a fit of discontent and grew weary of their lives wishing for death Divines doubt not but Satan gave a push at them with his ten horns to dispatch and ease 〈◊〉 of the present trouble by cutting off their own daies A dangerous and hideous temptation yet such as may be all the best and few scape it that live out their time But in all the book of God we read not of any of the generation of the just that ever did it That God who kept them will if we look up to him doe as much for us Only we must set against this bloudy temptation with Gods 〈◊〉 me and with Gods armour The word and prayer are the 〈◊〉 and power of God and by his might doe 〈◊〉 all the fiery darts of the devil Oppose the commination to the temptation Herein Eve faultred in her lest ye die though she held the precept and so fell For it is written A vile abuse of sacred Scripture to 〈◊〉 thereby to 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 for it yet what more ordinary with men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the saith Quicaedem 〈◊〉 saciunt ad materiam suam as Tertullian speaketh who 〈◊〉 the Scriptures to serve their own purposes But of this more elsewhere He shall give his Angels charge over thee Hitherto the old liar speaketh truth But Satan etsi semel videatur verax millies est mendax semper fallax saith one Satan though he may sometimes seem a true-speaker yet he is a thousand times for it a liar and alwaies a deceiver Because our Saviour had alledged
diffused But be ye blamelesse and harmlesse the sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation as the Baptist was among whom ye shine as lights in the world as those great lights the Sun and Moon so the word signifieth so that they that speak evil of you may be judged as 〈◊〉 as those Atlantes that curse the rising Sun because it scorcheth them Be as thestarres at least which are said to affect these inferiour bodies by their influence motion and light So good Ministers as fixed starres in the Churches firmament by the influence of their lips feed by the regular motion of their lives confirm and by the light of both inlighten many And with such orient starres this Church of ours blessed be God like a bright skie in a clear evening sparkleth and is bespangled though not in every part yet in every zone and quarter of it A City that is set on a hill cannot be hid As that City that 's mounted on seven hills Roma Radix Omnium Malorum and cannot be hid but is apparently discerned and discried to be that great City Babylon So Augustine and other writers call it so Bellarmine and Ribera the Jesuites yeeld it Joannes de 〈◊〉 in his Mare historiarum telleth us that 〈◊〉 the Emperour was once in a minde to make Rome the seat of his Empire as of old it had been And having built a stately Palace there where formerly had stood the Palace of Julian the Apostate the Romanes being much against it he gave over the worke The 〈◊〉 Zonaras and 〈◊〉 report the like of Constans nephew to Heraclius 340 years before Otho Now that these and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took not 〈◊〉 Genebrard saith it was a speciall pruvidence of God to the end that the kingdom of the Church foretold by Daniel might have Rome for its seat If he had said the kingdom of Antichrist foretold by St Paul and likewise by John the Divine he had divined aright But to return from whence we are digressed A Minister whiles he 〈◊〉 a private person stood in the croud as it were but no sooner entred into his office then he is 〈◊〉 upon the stage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are upon him as they were upon Saul who was higher by head and shoulders then the rest of the people Now therefore as the tree of 〈◊〉 was sweet to the taste and fair to the eye and as in Absolom there was no 〈◊〉 from head to foot so should it be with Gods Ministers Singular holinesse is 〈◊〉 of such 〈◊〉 those that quarter armes with the Lord Christ whom they serve 〈◊〉 the Gospel The Priests of the Law were to be neither 〈◊〉 nor defective And the Ministers of the 〈◊〉 for the word Priest is never used for such by the Apostles no nor by the 〈◊〉 ancient Fathers as Bellarmine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stamps and paterns to the beleevers in word and conversation every thing in them is eminent and exemplary The world though unjustly looks for Angelicall perfection in them and as the 〈◊〉 deviation in a starre is soon noted so is it in such 〈◊〉 happy he that with Samuel Daniel Paul and others can be acquitted and approved by himself in private in publike by others in both 〈◊〉 God That can by his spotlesse conversation slaughter 〈◊〉 stop 〈◊〉 open mouth and draw 〈◊〉 if not from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Mr Bradford the Martyr was had in so great 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 with all good men that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knew him but by fame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his death yea 〈◊〉 number also of Papists themselves wished heartily his life And of Mr Bucer it is reported that he brought all men into such admiration of him that neither his friends could sufficiently praise him nor his enemies in any point finde fault with his singular life and sincere doctrine Bishop Hoopers life was so good that no kinde of slander although divers went about to reprove it could fasten any fault upon him And the mans life saith Erasmus concerning Luther whom he greatly loved not is approved of all men neither is this any small prejudice to his enemies that they can tax him for nothing Verse 15. Neither do men light a candle to put it under a 〈◊〉 c. Nor doth God set up a Minister and so light a lynk or torch as the word here signifieth amongst a people but for the diffusing of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The heavenly bodies illighten not their own 〈◊〉 only but send forth their beams far and near The grace of God that is the doctrine of grace that bringeth salvation hath appeared or shone-forth as a candle on a candlestick or as a beacon on a hill Teaching us to deny ungodlinesse c. The Priests lips must not only preserve knowledge but also present it to the people who shall seek it at his mouth And 〈◊〉 Baptist that burning and shining light was to give the knowledge of salvation not by way of infusion for so God only but by way of instruction The same word in the holy tongue that signifieth to understand signifieth also to instruct and to 〈◊〉 They that teach others what they know themselves as Abraham did those of his 〈◊〉 and family shall know more of Gods minde yea they shall be as Abraham was both of his Court and Council But the Lord likes not such empty vines as with Ephraim bear fruit to themselves such idle servants as thrust their hands into their bosoms dig their talents into the earth hide their candles under a bed or bushel living and lording it as if their lips were their own barrelling and hoarding up their gifts as rich cormorants do their corn refusing to give down their milk as curst kine or resolving to speak no more then what may breed applause and admiration of their worth and wisedom as proud self-seekers The 〈◊〉 of the spirit was given to profit withall And the Philippians were all partakers or compartners of St Pauls grace which he elsewhere calleth the gift bestowed on us for many that we may serve one another in love yea make our selves servants to all that we may 〈◊〉 some Certainly the gifts of such shall not perish in the use or be the worse for wearing but the better and brighter as the torch by tapping they shall grow in their hands as the 〈◊〉 in our Saviours as the widows oyl as that great mountain of salt in Spain de quo quaentum demas tantum 〈◊〉 which the more you take from it the more it increaseth Or lastly as the fountains or wells which by much drawing are made better and sweeter as St Basil observeth and common experience confirmeth And it giveth light to
as he knows it 2. An uniformity without prejudice or partiality I 〈◊〉 5. 21. without 〈◊〉 the balance of one side Inequality of the leggs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an unequall pulse argues bodily 〈◊〉 so doth an unsuitable carriage an unsound soul. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same at home as abroad in the closet as in the 〈◊〉 and mindes secret as well as open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same in his masters house in the 〈◊〉 and at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 not like the planet 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with good and bad with bad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ndissembled 〈◊〉 3. 17. his repentance a renting of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 12. his 〈◊〉 an afflicting of the soul. with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till 〈◊〉 heart be as sore within him as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third day aster circumcision Lev. 16. 31. 23. 37. He truly 〈◊〉 at pleasing God and not at by-respects This is truth in the inwards Psal. 51. 6. this is that 〈◊〉 and truth 1 Cor. 5. 8 that simplicity and godly sincerity 2 〈◊〉 1. 12. A dainty word It is a Metaphor saith one from such things as are tried by being held up against the beams of the Sun as chap-men doe in the choice of their wares to see what faults or flaws are in them It is properly used saith B. Andrews of 〈◊〉 wares such as we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring forth and shew them in the Sun And as a godly man is sincere without wax or grosse matter as he is unmingled and true of heart so he doeth truth Joh. 3. 21. he will not lye Isa. 63. 9. that great reall lye especially Hypocrites in doing good they doe lyes by their delusion as grosse hypocrites by their collusion as close hypocrites Thus Ephraim compassed God with lyes His knowledge was but a form his godlinesse a figure his zeal a flash all he did a semblance as these Pharisees only appeared to fast and doe 〈◊〉 duties But every fowl that hath a seemly feather hath not the sweetest flesh nor doth every tree that beareth a goodly leaf bring good fruit Glasse giveth a clearer sound then silver and many things glister besides gold A true Christian cares as well to approve his inside to God as his outside to the world And it is a just question whether the desire of being or dislike of seeming sincere be greater in him He 〈◊〉 his worst to men and best to God as Moses did when going to the mount he pulled off his veil and shents himself oft before God for 〈◊〉 which the world applauds in him God he knows seeth in secret there 's no tempting him with Ananias and Saphira to try whether he tryeth the hearts or not His sharp nose easily discerneth and is offended with the stinking breath of rotten lungs though the words or outward actions be never so sented and persumed with shews of holinesse Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly He is the rewarder of all that diligently seek him in this soul fatting 〈◊〉 which as it was seen and allowed by the Lord Christ Luk. 5. 33. so it was never rightly used without effect It is called the day of Reconciliation or Attonement and hath most rich and precious promises Ioel 2. 13. to the 21. It s sure God will pardon our sins and that carries meat in the mouth of it Psal. 42 1 2. It s probable that 〈◊〉 leave a blessing 〈◊〉 him and the rather that we may therewith chearfully serve him even a meat-offering and a drink-offering to the Lord our God according to that of the 〈◊〉 There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared i. e. served Fullnesse of bread was Sodoms sin and in those sacrificing Sodomites Isa. 1. 10. it was noted for an inexpiable evil Isa. 22. 14. They that fast not on earth when God calls to it shall be 〈◊〉 with gall and 〈◊〉 in hell they that 〈◊〉 not among men shall howle among devils whereas those that sow in 〈◊〉 shall reap in joy they that mourn in time of sinning shall be 〈◊〉 in time of punishing and as they have sought the Lord 〈◊〉 fasting so shall he yet again be sought and found of such with 〈◊〉 feasting as he hath 〈◊〉 and performed to his people in all 〈◊〉 of the Church not an instance can be alledged to the contrary 〈◊〉 three great fasters met gloriously upon mount Tabor The Israelites fasting and not till then were 〈◊〉 Iudg. 20. 〈◊〉 was delivered Esther and her people reprived Daniel 〈◊〉 visions from heaven Ezra help from heaven And surely if with fasting and prayer we can wrestle with God as Iacob we need not fear Duke Esau with his 600 cut-throats comming against us Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos Numa being told that his enemies were coming upon him as he was offering sacrifices thought it sufficient for his safety that he could say At ego rem divinam facio but I am about the service of my God When 〈◊〉 had once established a preaching Ministery in all the Cities of Iudah then and not till then the fear of the Lord fell upon the neighbour Nations and they made no warre albeit he had before that placed forces in all the fenced Cities Leotine Prince of Wales when he was moved by some about him to make warre 〈◊〉 our Henry the third replied thus I am much more afraid of his alms then of his Armies Frederike the Electour of Saxony intending warre against the Archbishop of Magdeburg sent a spy to search out his preparations and to hearken out his designes But understanding that the Archbishop did nothing more then commit his cause to God and give himself to fasting and prayer Alius inquit insaniat c. Let him fight said he that hath a minde to it I am not so mad as to fight against him that trusts to have God his defender and deliverer It is reported that at the siege of 〈◊〉 the people of God using daily humiliation as their service would permit did sing a Psalm after and immediatly before their 〈◊〉 forth with which practice the enemy coming acquainted ever upon the singing of the Psalme after which they expected a sally they would so quake and tremble crying They come they come 〈◊〉 though the wrath of God had been breaking out upon them The souldiers that went against the 〈◊〉 where God was sincerely serv'd amidst a whole Kingdom of Papists told their Captains they were so astonished they could not strike Some others said that the Ministers with their 〈◊〉 and praier conjured and 〈◊〉 them that they could not fight It was the custome of this poor people so soon as they saw the enemy to approach to cry all together for aid and
the day and the last scene that commends the enterlude Verse 23. Flee ye into another That is make all the haste that may be as Cant. 8. 14. Fuge fuge Brenti citò citius citissimè so friendly did a Senatour of Hala advise Brentius He did so and thereby saved his life There was one Laremouth Chaplain to Lady Aane of Cleve a Scotch man to whom in prison it was said as he thought Arise and go thy wayes Whereto when he gave no great heed at first the second time it was so said Upon this as he 〈◊〉 to his prayers it was said the third time likewise to him which was half an hour after So he arising upon the same immediatly a peece of the prison wall fell down and as the Officers came in at the outer gate of the prison he leaping over the ditch escaped And in the way meeting a certain beggar changed his coat with him and coming to the sea-shore where he found a vessel ready to go over was taken in and escaped the search which was straitly laid for him all the countrey over Tertullian was too rigid in condemning all kinde of flight in time of persecution Ye shall not have gon over the cities of Israel This is another comfort to the Apostles and their successors that though forced to 〈◊〉 from city to city yet they shall still finde harbour and places of employment They shall not have finished that is taught and converted all the cities of Gods Israel both according to the flesh and according to the faith till the Sonne of man be come to judgement see Matth. 24. 30. Luk. 21. 27. Verse 24. The Disciple is not above his Master Sweeten we the tartnesse of all our sufferings with this sentence as with so much sugar Blandina the Martyr being grievously racked and tortured cryed out ever and anon Christiana sum I am a Christian and with that consideration was so relieved and refreshed that all her torments seemed but a pastime to her Verse 25. It is sufficient for the Disciple c. And a fair 〈◊〉 too Joh. 21. 18. Peter thinks much that himself should be destined to die a Martyr and not John What shall he do saith Peter Follow thou me saith our Saviour I shall shew thee the way to an ignominious suffering what ever bocomes of John though he shall suffer his part too For if the head be crowned with thornes should not the members feel the pain of it If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub That is Master-fly such as Pliny calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The men of Elis sacrificed to Iupiter Muscarius He is otherwise called Iupiter stercorar us this Beelzebub as the Scripture cals all the vanities of the Heathen Gelulim excrements dunghill-Deityes A name too good for them David would not do them so much honour 〈◊〉 once to name them And Absit saith Hierom ut de ore Christiano sonet Iupiter omnipotens Meherculè Mecastor catera magis portenta quam numina Beelzehub was the god of Ekron that is the devil of hell for of Ekron comes Acheron How prodigiously blasphemous then were these Miscreants that called Christ 〈◊〉 Wonder it was that at the hearing thereof the heaven sweat not the earth shook not the sea swelled not above all her book How much more shall they call c. So they called 〈◊〉 Sathanasius Cyprian Coprian Calvin Cain 〈◊〉 devil When he came first to Geneva and began the Reformation there he was haled 〈◊〉 the Bishop and set upon in this sort Quid 〈◊〉 diabole 〈◊〉 quissime ad hanc civitatem perturb 〈◊〉 accessisti What a devil meanst thou to meddle with the Scriptures and Steven Winchester to Marbeck seeing thou art so stuborne and wilfull thou 〈◊〉 go to the 〈◊〉 for me Verse 26. Fear them not therefore Be not reviled out of your Religion but say If this be to be vile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more vile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morsum non est remedium saith Seneca Didicit ille maledicere ego contemnere said he in Tacitus If I cannot be master of another mans tongue yet I can be of mine own eares Dion writes of Severus that he was carefull of what he should do but carelesse of what he should hear Do well and hear ill is written upon heaven gates said that Martyr Ill mens mouthes are as open sepulchres saith David wherein good mens names are often buried but the comfort is there shall be a resurrection aswell of names as of bodies at the last day For there is nothing hid that shall not be known q. d. Deal not unfaithfully in the ministry conceal not the truth in unrighteousnes betray not the cause of God by a cowardly silence For whatsoever you may plausibly plead and pretend for your false-play all shall out at length and well it shall appear to the world that you served not the Lord Christ but your own turnes upon Christ and so your selves might sleep in a whole skin let what would become of his cause and kingdome Fearfull men are the first in that black bill Reve. 21. 8. And God equally hateth the timorous as the treacherous Verse 27. What I tell you in darkenesse c. q. d. See that ye be valiant and violent for the truth declare unto the world all the counsel of God which you have therefore learned in private that ye may teach in publike not fearing any colours much lesse stealing from your colours Heb. 10. 38 Quas non oportet mortes praeligere quod non supplicium potiùs ferre immo in quam profundam inferni abyssum non intrare quám contra conscientiam attestari 〈◊〉 Zuinglius A man had better endure any misery then an enraged conscience Verse 28. And fear not them which kill the body That cruelly kill it as the word signifies that wittily tortute it as those Primitive Persecutors with all the most exquisite torments that the wit of malice could devise that kill men so that they may feel themselves to be killed as Tiberius bad Odull Gemmet suffered a strange and cruel death in France for Religion For when they had bound him they took a kinde of 〈◊〉 which live in horse-dung called in French Escarbots and put them unto his navell covering them with a dish the which within short space 〈◊〉 into his belly and killed him The tragicall story of their 〈◊〉 handling of William Gardner Martyr in Portugall may be read in Mr Foxes Martyrologie fol. 1242. At th elosse of Heydelberg Monsieur Millius an ancient Minister and man of God was taken by the bloudy Spaniards who having first abused his daughter before him tied a small cord about his head which with 〈◊〉 they wreathed about till they squeezed out his brains So they 〈◊〉 roasted then burnt many of our Martyrs as B. Ridley and others
will endeavour to 〈◊〉 above the air as well as the greatest So the least degree of grace will be aspiring to more Now those very pantings inquietations and unsatisfiablenesse cannot but spring from truth of grace which Christ makes high account of Till he bring forth Gr. Thrust forth with violence the devil and the world in vain opposing the work of grace called here judgement which shall surely be perfected He that is Authour the same will be finisher of our faith he doth not use to do his work to the halves Non est jusdem 〈◊〉 perficere we say But that rule holds not here Verse 21. Shall the Gentiles trust This trust is here put for the whole service of God it being the least and yet the best we can render to him And the more we know of his name the more we shall trust in him Psal. 〈◊〉 9. 10. Verse 22. One 〈◊〉 with a devil blinde and dumb A heavy case and yet that that may be any mans case Cuivis potest contingere quod cuiquam potest Every one that seeth another stricken and himself spared is to keep a Passeover for himself and to say Thou hast punished me 〈◊〉 then my sins have merited Ezra 9. 13. The devil had shut up from this man all passages to faith saith Theophylact by bereaving him of the 〈◊〉 of his eyes ears and tongue See a mercy in the use of our serses c. Multò plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae saith Gerson Verse 23. And all the people were amazed Admiration bred Philosophy saith the Heathen it bred superstition faith 〈◊〉 Scripture when the world went wondering after the beast We may say too that it bred piety in this people and still 〈◊〉 see the Word never works kindely till men hear and admire it Let others censure with the Pharisees let us wonder with the multitude Verse 24. This fellow doth not cast out devils c. The devil that was east out of the demoniacks body seems to have got into these 〈◊〉 hearts But he was not his 〈◊〉 master for what a 〈◊〉 slander hear we He should have 〈◊〉 it a little better to have been believed 〈◊〉 mendacium 〈◊〉 saith Tacitus This was such 〈◊〉 lie as might be easily looked thorow But envy never regards 〈◊〉 true but how 〈◊〉 Witnesse the Popish Pharisees who tell the poor 〈◊〉 and muzzled people in their Sermons that the Protestants are blasphemers of 〈◊〉 and all his Saints that the English are grown barbarous and eat young children that ever since the Pope excommunicated us we are as black as devils that the Powder-treason was plotted and should have been acted by the 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of Black-friers in London likewise was wrought by the Puritans who had loosned the rafters c. That these are the opinions we hold and teach 1. To worship no God 2. To frame our religion to the times 3. To account gain godlinesse 4. To pretend publike liberty to our private lusts 5. To break our oaths when it makes for our advantage 6. To cover hatred with flattery 7. To confirm tyranny with bloud-shed c. These and the like that Cacodamon Joannes the black-mouth'd 〈◊〉 tels the world in print are our tenets and practices Now the 〈◊〉 thee Satan But what reward shall be given to thee thou false tongue Even sharp arrows with hot burning coals yea those very coals of hell from whence thou wert enkindled Verse 25. And Jesus knew 〈◊〉 thoughts That they blasphemed in this sort out of the devillish venom of their hearts fully possest by Satan who drew them 〈◊〉 this unpardonable sin which himself every day nay every moment committeth As one that had fallen into that sin wished that his wife and children and all the world might be damned together with him So doth the devil out of his deep and desperate malice to mankinde draw some into this sin that he may drown them in the same destruction with himself And said unto them He could as he did oft no doubt have answered them with silence or punished them with contempt committing his cause to him that judgeth righteously He could have turned them off as one did his 〈◊〉 adversary with 〈◊〉 linguae 〈◊〉 aurium Dominus But inasmuch as Gods glory was highly concerned and his cause might have suffered if this 〈◊〉 calumny had not been confuted Our Saviour makes a most grave apology in the behalf of his doctrine and miracles which he maintains and makes good by many demonstrative arguments Every Kingdom divided against itself Divide impera saith Machiavel Make division and get dominion Every subdivision saith another is a strong weapon in the hand of the adverse party Where strife is saith the Scripture there is confusion as 〈◊〉 and Pollux if they appear not together it presageth a storm Sicollidimur frangimur If we clash we cleave said the two earthen pots in the fable that were swimming down the stream together The daughter of division is 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 This the Jesuites know and therefore doe what they can to keep up the contentions 〈◊〉 the Lutherans and the Calvinists This the Turks know and therefore pray to God to keep the Christians at variance Discord was the destruction of our Ancestours as Tacitus testifieth who was here in this Island with his father-in-law Agricola and saw it And the Lord Rich in his speech to the Justices of England in Edward the sixths raign could say Never forraign power could yet hurt or in any part prevail in this realm but by disobedience and disorder in themselves That is the way wherewith God will plague us if he minde to punish us And so long as we doe agree among our selves and be obedient to our Prince and to his godly orders we may be sure that God is with us and that forraign power shall not prevail against us nor hurt us Verse 26. He is devided against himself But so he is not There is a marvellous accordance even betwixt evil spirits Squamae Leviathan it a cohaerent ut earum opere textili densato quasi loricatus incedat Satan cataphractus as Luther elegantly and truly phraseth it The devils in the possessed person were many yet they say My name not Our name is Legion Though many they speak and act as one in the pofsession That kingdom we see 〈◊〉 not divided Verse 27. By whom doe your children c. That is your Countreyman Not the Disciples as Augustin and other Ancients would have it but the Jewish exorcists of whom see Mark 9. 38. Act. 199. As if our Saviour should have said Unlesse that be a blemish in me that you hold to be a beauty in others why should you condemn me for a conjurer Why doth your malice thus wilfully crosse your consciences Certain it is saith Erasmus that the self-same things are condemned as hereticall in
only The ministery sent to a place is an 〈◊〉 of some elect there 2 Thes. 1. 5. Verse 35. They sent out into all that countrey See their charity The Philistims were not so ambitious of sending the plague together with the 〈◊〉 one to another as these were of helping their neighbours to health to heaven We are born for the benefit of many as 〈◊〉 Physitians told him Non sibise sed multorum 〈◊〉 esse natum Publike persons especially must have publike spirits Kings have in Greek their names from healing And 〈◊〉 are called Healirs or binders up of wounds Isa 3. 7. Verse 36. And as many as touched c. Oh the matchlesse might and 〈◊〉 of Christ our Saviour He 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 infirmity and heals them promiscuously not once questioning their 〈◊〉 He giveth to all men liberally and hitteth no man in the teeth with his former failings or present 〈◊〉 Be we also by his example ready to distribute willing to communicate This was the Philosophicall friendship of the Pythagoreans the legall of the 〈◊〉 a sect among the Jews that had their names of healing and should be most of all the Evangelicall friendship of us 〈◊〉 Thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach the restorer c. Isa. 58. 12. A gallant tittle better then a thousand 〈◊〉 CHAP. XV. Verse 1. Then came to Jesus THen when the men of Genne sareth favoured and observed him Satan stomacketh the prosperity of Gods Kingdom in any place and stirreth up his to oppose it Esau began with Iacob in the womb that no time might be lost As soon as ever the Churches childe was borne the devil sought to drown him Rev. 12. Scribes and Pharisees Learned and lewd these are Christs greatest enemies hypocrites especially those night-birds that cannot bear the light of true religion but as bats beat against it Which were of Ierusalem That faithfull City was now become an harlot her silver was degenerate into drosse her wine mixt with water The sweetest wine turns into the sowrest vineger the whitest ivory burnt into the 〈◊〉 coal So about the year 1414 Theodoricus 〈◊〉 in Germany an Augustine Frier complained not without cause Ecclesiam Romanam ex aureâ factam argenteam ex argenteâ 〈◊〉 ex ferreâ terream superesse 〈◊〉 in stercus 〈◊〉 Machiavil observed that there was no where 〈◊〉 piety then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome Verse 2. Transgresse the tradition of the Elders They cryed up aloud Traditions and the authority of Antiquity Similem hodie dicam Papistae nobis scribunt For as the Philosophers fled and hid themselves in the haereticks as one saith so did the Scribes and Pharisees in the Popish Doctours Non tam ovum ovo simile One egge or apple is not so like another as Pharisees and Papists The Pharisees deemed it as great a sin to eat with unwashen hands as to commit fornication Semblably the Papists count it worse to deface an Idol then to kill a man to eat flesh or eggs on a fasting day then to commit incest and for a Priest to have one wife then ten harlots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say some is the number of the beast 666. Verse 3. He answered and said unto them He shapes them an answer by way of Recrimination which is a singular means of conviction to the adversary but hard to be done by us without some mixture of 〈◊〉 such as was that in David to Michal 2 Sam. 6. 21. Transgresse the Commandment of God by your tradition Gods commands should be kept as the apple of the eye Prov. 7. 2. They are broken by omissions commissions and failings in the manner like as a man may miss the mark by shooting short or beyond or wide These Pharisees as those Athenians of old whereas they had most excellent Laws but most 〈◊〉 natures chose rather to live by their lusts then by their laws They had many traditions and unwritten verities pretended to be invented and prescribed them by their 〈◊〉 that by the 〈◊〉 thereof they might be the better 〈◊〉 to keep Gods Commandments These traditions they stiled Mashlamnathoth Completions or Perfections because thereby they conceited that the written law was made more complete and perfect And say not the Papists as much of their traditions Verse 4. For God commanded saying This is called the first Commandment with promise viz. the first affirmative Commandment or the first in the second Table or the first of all the tea with promise For that in the second Commandment is rather a 〈◊〉 of Gods justice and mercy and that to the observers of the whole Law but here is a particular promife made to them that keep this particular commandment Honour thy father and mother Among other good offices nourish and cherish them as Joseph did Jacob and his family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a man nourisheth his little-ones lovingly and tenderly Be unto them as Obed was to Naomi A restorer of her 〈◊〉 and a nourisher of her old age This the Apostle commends to us as a 〈◊〉 not only good before men 〈◊〉 acceptable before God This the Stork and the Mouse teach us by their singular love to their aged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the staff of his fathers age and thereby merited the honourable name of Scipio among the Romans Epaminondas rejoyced in nothing more then that he had lived to chear up the hearts of his aged parents by the reports of his 〈◊〉 Our parents are our houshold gods said Hierocles AEneas is sirnamed Pius for his love to his father whom he bore upon his 〈◊〉 out of the fire of Troy And Aristotle tels how that when from the hill AEtna there ran down a 〈◊〉 of fire that consumed all the houses thereabouts in the midst of those fearfull flames Gods speciall care of the godly shined most brightly For the river of fire parted it self and made a kinde of lane for those who ventured to rescue their aged parents and pluck them out of the 〈◊〉 of death He that curseth father or mother That giveth them an ill word or but an ill look for Vultu saepe laeditur pietas The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Now they are cursed with a witnesse whom the holy Ghost thus curseth in such emphaticall manner in such exquisite terms Verse 5. But ye say whosoever c. The intollerable covetousnesse of the 〈◊〉 bred this abominable corruption of this Commandment as it did many other like See my Notes on John 2. 14 15. By the same arts at this day the Lady of Loretto as they call her hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories as they are fain to hang their cloisters and Church-yards with them The 〈◊〉 of grace in this Kingdom had a man within
then they so that the floods of 〈◊〉 and oppositions cannot come so much as at their feet or if they reach to the heel yet they come not at the head or if they should dash higher upon them yet they break themselves Shall not prevail against it No though the devil should discharge at the Church his 〈◊〉 ordinance say they were as big as those two cast by Alphonsus Duke of Ferrara the one whereof he called the earthquake and the other Grandiabolo or the great devil Whether may the Catholike Church erre in fundamentals It is answered that 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Church of Christ taken for his mysticall to 〈◊〉 upon earth and complete number of h select cannot erre in matters fundamentall yet the externall visible part of the Church may erre because the truth of God may be locked up within the hearts of such a company as in competition of suffrages cannot make a greater part in a generall Councel so that the sentence decreed therein may be a fundamentall errour Verse 19. And I will give unto thee the keyes i. e. I will make thee and all my Ministers stewards in my hous 1 Cor. 4. 1. such as Obadiah was in Ahabs house as Eliakim in Hezekiahs upon whose shoulder God laid the key of the house of David so that he opened and none shut and shut and none opened Isa. 22. 22. Now let a man so think of us Ministers how mean soever and we shall not want for respect Verse 20. That they should tell no man viz. Till the due time Every thing is beautifull in its season saith Solomon Taciturnity in some cases is a vertue as here The Disciples might preach that Christ the Son of David was come to save the world though they might not particularly point himout as the Son of the living God which when Pilate himself heard he was afraid saith the text and sought to deliver him Verse 21. How that he must go to Jerusalem He must necessitate non simplici sed ex supposito It being supposed that God had decreed this way and no other to glorifie himself in mans salvation by the death of his dear Son wherein the naked bowels of his 〈◊〉 were laid open to us as in an anatomy it was necessary that Christ should be killed and raised again at the third day Voluntu Dei necessitas rei And be killed and raised again That we might live and raign with him for ever who else had been killed with death as the 〈◊〉 is Rev. 2. 23. that is had come under the 〈◊〉 of the second death David wished he might have died for Absolom such was his love to him Arsinoe interposed her self between the 〈◊〉 weapons sent by 〈◊〉 her brother to kill her children The 〈◊〉 not only feeds her young with her own bloud but with invincible constancy abides the flames of fire for their preservation Christ is that good shepherd who gave his life for his 〈◊〉 He is that true Pellican who saw the wrath of God burning about his young ones and cast himself into the midst thereof that he might quench it He was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification which began in his death but was perfected by his resurrection Verse 22. Then Peter took him Took him by the hand led him apart as we do those we are most 〈◊〉 with in great courtesy and secrecy to impart to them things of greatest importance Peter was strongly possest with a fond conceit of an earthly kingdom and as Joseph dreamt of his preferment but not at all of his imprisonment so neither could Peter think or hear of Christs being killed whom he had even now confessed to be the Christ the son of the living God See here how easily we slide by the deceitfulnesse of our hearts from the mean to the extream Peter having made a notable profession of his faith and being therefore much commended by Christ presently takes occasion to fall from the true holinesse of faith to the 〈◊〉 of presumption in advising his Master to decline the crosse And began to rebuke him saying No he did not rebuke him saith Maldonat the Jesuite but friendly counselled him only as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were not to chide and charge as masters do their servants even with threatnings and menaces But these patrons of Peter as they pretend will not abide that he should be blamed for any thing Baronius blusheth not to say and so to put the lie upon the holy Ghost himself that Paul was out in reproving Peter Gal. 2. 14. and that it had been better manners for him to have held his tongue Others of them have blasphemously censured S. Paul in their Sermons as a hot-headed person of whose assertions no great 〈◊〉 was to be made by the sober 〈◊〉 and that he was not secure of his preaching 〈◊〉 by conference with S. Peter neither durst he publish his Epistles till S. Peter had allowed them Verse 23. Get thee behinde me Satan Come behinde as a 〈◊〉 ciple go not before me as a teacher understand thy distance and hold thee to thy duty by moving in thine own sphear that 〈◊〉 be not thus 〈◊〉 eccentrick another Satan who sets thee a work thus to tempt me as he once did Eve to seduce Adam here Maldonat is hard put to 't to save 〈◊〉 blamelesse and saith that Get thee behinde me is an Hebrew phrase and imports no more then Follow me But when he comes to consider that Christ calls him Satan and that it would not be 〈◊〉 that Christ should bid Satan follow him he is 〈◊〉 to confesse that it is the speech of one that bids another be packing out of his presence with indignation like that of Christ to the tempter Mat. 4. Get thee hence Satan Prosit 〈◊〉 sternutatio 〈◊〉 Maldonate 〈◊〉 art an offence unto me Thou doest thy good will to 〈◊〉 me in the course of my calling as Mediatour wherein say some he sinned more grievously then afterwards he did in denying his Master and was therefore so sharply rebuked So when 〈◊〉 was sollicited by Criton to break prison and save his life by flight Friend Criton said he thine earnestnesse herein were much worth if it were consistent with uprightnesse but being not so the greater it is the more trouble 〈◊〉 I know not said that 〈◊〉 Martyr by what reason they so called them my friends which so greatly laboured to convert pervert me Neither will I more esteem them then the Midianites which 〈◊〉 times past called the children of Israel to do sacrifice to their Idols But the things that be of men Erewhile it was of Satan now of 〈◊〉 How 〈◊〉 is it to descry a devil in our best friends sometimes as 〈◊〉 the French Martyr did in his parents Satan suborns such as may do much with us and works in them effectually for our hurt as a Smith doth in his forge Ephes. 2.
〈◊〉 of old and the 〈◊〉 Clergy now But live single that they may serve God with more freedom fighting against fleshly lusts that fight against the soul with 〈◊〉 spirituall weapons Meditation Prayer Abstinence c. which are 〈◊〉 through God to the pulling down of Satans strong holds set up in the heart Hence the Hebrew Syriack Chaldee and Arabick render this text Qui castr ârunt animam suam which have gelded their 〈◊〉 And the truth is there they must begin that will doe any thing in this kinde to purpose Incesta est fine stupro 〈◊〉 stuprum cupit 〈◊〉 Seneca And S. Pauls virgin must be holy both in body and in spirit 1 Cor. 7. 34. Verse 13. Then 〈◊〉 there brought unto him little ones By their parents carefull of their 〈◊〉 good We must also 〈◊〉 ours as we can to Christ. And 1. By praying for them before at and after their birth 2. By timely bringing them to the ordinance of baptisme with faith and much joy in such a priviledge 3. By training them up in Gods holy fear 〈◊〉 God to perswade their hearts as Noah did for his son Iapheth We may speak perswasively but God only 〈◊〉 as Rebekah might cook the 〈◊〉 but it was Isaac only 〈◊〉 gave the 〈◊〉 And the Disciples rebuked them They held it a 〈◊〉 below their-Lord to look upon little ones But it is not with our God as with their Idol that had no leisure to attend smaller matters Christian Children are the Churches nursery the devil seeks to destroy them as he did the babes of Bethlehem but Christ hath a gracious respect unto them and sets them on a rock that is higher then they Verse 14. For of such is the Kingdom That is all the blessings of heaven and earth comprized in the covenant belong both to these and such as these Matth. 18. 3. Let them therefore have free recourse to me who will both own them and crown them with life eternall Verse 15. And he laid his hands on them So putting upon them his fathers blessing as Iacob did upon Iosephs sons whom by this symbol he adopted for his own And albeit our Saviour baptized not these infants as neither did he those that were bigger yet for asmuch as they were confessedly capable of Christs gifts they were doubtlesse capable of the signes and seals of those gifts if capable of imposition of Christs hands of his benediction and kingdom then capable also of baptisme which saveth us 〈◊〉 St Peter in the time present because the use thereof is permanent though the act transient so long as one liveth Whensoever a sinner repents and beleeves on the promises Baptisme the seal thereof is as powerfull and effectuall as if it were then presently administred The 〈◊〉 and book of sentences say that Confirmation is of more value then Baptisme and gives the holy Ghost more plentifully and 〈◊〉 And the Papists generally 〈◊〉 this text to establish their Sacrament of Confirmation or 〈◊〉 of children But 1. These were little infants not led but brought in their mothers arms 2. 〈◊〉 as they use it was never commanded to Christs Ministers nor 〈◊〉 by his 〈◊〉 Verse 16. And be hold one came One of good rank a Ruler Luk. 18. 18. of good estate for he was rich and had great revenue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Matthew he had a good title to that he had and he lived not beside it He was also a young man in the prime and pride of his age and had been well bred both for point and civility he came congeeing to our Saviour Mark 10. 17. And for matter of piety he was no Sadducee for he 〈◊〉 after eternall life which they denied And although but young he hearkens after heaven and though he were rich he comes running to Christ thorow desire of information whereas great men 〈◊〉 not to run but to walk leisurely so to maintain their authority Lastly he knew much of Gods Law and had done much so that he seemed to himself to want work to be aforehand with God Christ also looked upon him and loved him as he was a tame creature a morall man and fit to live in a common-wealth What good thing shall I doe A most needfull and difficult question rarely moved by rich men especially whose hearts are 〈◊〉 upon their half-peny as they say whose mouthes utter no 〈◊〉 language but the horse leeches Give give Who will shew us any good c a good purchase a good peny-worth c Howbeit by the manner of his expressing himself this Gallant seems to have been a Pharisee and of that sort of Pharisees for there were seven sorts of them saith the Talmud which was named Quid 〈◊〉 facere faciam illud Tell me what I should doe and I will doe it They that know not Christ would go to heaven by their good meanings and good doings this is a piece of naturall Popery that must be utterly abandoned ere eternall life can be obtained That I may have eternall life He had a good minde to heaven and cheapens it but was not willing to go to the price of it that thorow-sale of all Good desires may be found in hell-mouth as in Balaam some short-winded wishes at least The Spyes praised the land as pleasant and plenteous but they held the 〈◊〉 impossible and thereby discouraged the people Many like well of Abrahams bosom but not so well of Dives his door They seek to Christ but when he saith Take up the Crosse and follow me they stumble at the crosse and felt backward Their desires 〈◊〉 heaven are lazy and sluggish like the door that turnes upon the hinges but yet hangs still on them so these Wishers and Woulders for all their faint and weake desires after heaven still hang fast on the hinges of their sinnes they will not be wrought off from the things of this world they will not part with their fitnesse and sweetnesse though it be to raigne for ever Iudg. 9. 11. Theatinus in St Ambrose would rather loose his sight then his sinne of intemperance so many their soules Verse 17. Why callest thou me good And if I be not good much lesse art thou what good conceits soever thou hast of thy self Here then our Saviour learns this yonker 〈◊〉 and self-annihilation There is none good but one that is God He both is good originall others are good by participation only and doth good abundantly freely constantly for thou Lord art good and ready to for give saith David Psal. 86. 5. And let the power of my Lord be great saith Moses in pardoning this rebellious people In the Originall there is a letter greater then ordinary in the word jigdal be great to shew say the Hebrew-doctours that though 〈◊〉 people should have tempted God or murmured against him ten times more then they did yet their perversnesse should not
hatred And hence now-adaies those Popish questions to the Professours of the truth By what authority do 〈◊〉 these things where had you your calling your ordination Where was your Religion before Luther Where unto it was well answered by one once in the Bible where yours never was Verse 24. I also will ask you one thing Our Saviour could have answered them roundly that what he did he did by the will and appointment of his heavenly father But 〈◊〉 he had avouched that so oft and they beleeved him not 〈◊〉 he took another course We must be ready to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on of 〈◊〉 faith but then it must be when we see it will be to 〈◊〉 good purpose as if otherwise forbear or untie one knot with another as Christ here 〈◊〉 Verse 25. The baptisme of John whence was it That is the whole ministry of John As if our Saviour should have 〈◊〉 know ye not by what authority I do these things have ye not heard Iohns testimony for me And can ye deny that he had his authority for what he spake from God How is it then that ye ask me any 〈◊〉 idle question as this do ye not go 〈◊〉 to your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 26. We fear the people Lest they should be stoned and the 〈◊〉 feared them lest they should be excommunicated Thus they were mutuall executioners one to another for all fear 〈◊〉 torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. Verse 27. We cannot tell Lie and all they could tell and would 〈◊〉 Their reasonings within themselves vers 25. testifie that they knew the truth but would not acknowledge it they 〈◊〉 their ignorance rather And such dealing we have from many learned Papists Thus Bellarmine 〈◊〉 that he never read in all the Bible a promise of pardon made to 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 their sinns to Almighty God Baronius cannot see that Peter was in fault at Antioch but Paul a great deal more for taking him up for halting Gal. 2. The wit of hereticks will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them to 〈◊〉 a thousand shifts to delude the truth then their pride will suffer them once to yeeld and subscribe to it Verse 28. But what think you Christ reporteth himself to 〈◊〉 own consciences whiles he proveth Iohn Baptists ministry to be from heaven by the happy 〈◊〉 he had in converting the vilest sinners see Ier. 23. 22. 1 Cor. 9. 2. The peoples fruitfulnesse is the Ministers testimoniall 2 Cor. 3. 2. If but one of a city or two of a family be gained to God it is a signe that the Pastours are according to Gods own heart Ier. 3. 14 〈◊〉 Verse 29. I will not This is the language of most mens hearts when prest to duty and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discover an headstrong 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 that is uncouncellable As Pharaoh 〈◊〉 not down under the miracle but 〈◊〉 for Magicians so do these 〈◊〉 the word comes 〈◊〉 to their 〈◊〉 send for carnall arguments And though the word doth eat up all they can say as Moses rod did yet they harden their 〈◊〉 with Pharaoh they 〈◊〉 their brows with him in the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 I will not 〈◊〉 said the Israelites but we will have a King And as for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not harken unto thee said those Ier 44. 16. But afterward he 〈◊〉 So do but few Men will be as big as their words though they 〈◊〉 for it lest they should be accounted inconstant These are niggardly of their reputation but prodigall of their souls Verse 30. I go Sir I but when Sir Stultus semper incipit 〈◊〉 Hypocrites purpose oft and promise fair to do better but drive off and fail in the performance their morning cloud is soon disperst their earthly dew is quickly dried up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to nothing 〈◊〉 modò 〈◊〉 habent 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 liked not such as are semper victuri alwaies about to live better but never begin Verse 31. Go into the Kingdom of heaven before you And it were an arrant 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 behinde by such as that 's a very 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 that will not follow though she will not lead the way But 〈◊〉 proud Pharisees hated to be in the same heaven with penitent Publicans And as Quintilian said of some in his time that they might have proved excellent scholars had they not been so perswaded of their own scholarship already In like 〈◊〉 these over-weeners of themselves might have had place in heaven had they not taken up their 〈◊〉 in heaven afore-hand Verse 32. John came unto you in a way of right Which he both 〈◊〉 and lived Nos non eloquimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivimus Johns practice was a transcript of what he preached he burned within himself he shone forth to others Joh. 5. 35. Ye repented not afterwards No not after his death though ye saw me 〈◊〉 to him and preaching and pressing the same things upon 〈◊〉 that John did An hypocrite comes 〈◊〉 to heaven then a 〈◊〉 sinner and 〈◊〉 far more obstacles As he that must be stripped is not 〈◊〉 soon clothed as one that is naked and as he climbs not a tree so soon that must first come down from the top of another tree where he is perked So is it here Verse 33. Planted a vineyard and hedged it Of all possessions saith Cato Nulla majorem operam requirit None requires more pains then that of a vineyard 〈◊〉 comes up and 〈◊〉 alone Mark 4. 28. Injussa 〈◊〉 gramina saith the Poet but 〈◊〉 must be dressed supported 〈◊〉 sheltered every day almost 〈◊〉 15. 2. 〈◊〉 Church is Gods continuall care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Isa 27. 3. and he looks for an answerable return offruits Act. 12. 48. Regnum Angliae regnum Dei said Polydor Virgil long since The Kingdom of England is the Kingdom of God It may weil be said so since the Reformation 〈◊〉 neither is there any thing more threatneth us then our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cypresse tree the more it is watered the lesse fruitfull so many of us the more taught the more untoward And went into a farre countrey As the impious husband-men imagined who put far away the evil day But God shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded Psal. 64. 7. As a bird is with the bolt whiles he 〈◊〉 at the bow Morae dispendium foener is 〈◊〉 pensatur God 〈◊〉 men at length for the new and the old Verse 34. He sent his servants seil His Prophets and Ministers whom the Lord sendeth to his people continually not to teach them only but to take account of their 〈◊〉 to urge and exact of them growth in grace according to the means 〈◊〉 they receive not the grace of God in vain Verse 35. Beat one and killed another This is the worlds wages this is the measure Gods Ministers meet with from the sons of men never have any out of hell suffered more
title as if you were the only ones and others not worthy to be named in the same day with you Swelling in the body is an ill symptom but worse in the soul. For one is your master Your guide to godlinesse and happinesse your Doctour and dictatour your Oracle your Ipse dixit whose bare word you are to take without further proof or pawn And all 〈◊〉 are brethren Not as the Pope calls his Cardinalls brethren when in creating them he useth this form 〈◊〉 fratres nostri Principes 〈◊〉 Odi fastum illius Ecclesiae saith Basil which caused the lamentable seperation of the Eastern or Greek Church from communion with the Latine the other four Patriachs dividing themselves from the Bishop of Rome for his encroaching upon them Verse 9. Call no man your father i.e. Give no man absolute power over you be not the servants of men or slaves to their opinions or mandates as Friers are to their superiours to argue or debate on whose commands is held high presumption to search their reasons proud curiosity to detract or disobey them breach of vow equall to sacriledge Verse 10. One is your master Where then are Magistri nostri Parisienses our Doctores resolutissimi our Masters of opinions whose word must stand for a law whose tenets must passe for Oracles By the Canon-law Omnes sanctiones Apostolicae sedis irrefragabilitèr 〈◊〉 observandae The Pope may not be disobeyed Verse 11. Shall be your servant The word signifies one that is ready prest to raise dust to do his utmost endeavour with all possible expedition in any businesse that he is set about Verse 12. And whosoever shall exalt himself c. Loe here a great miracle saith Augustin God is on high and yet the higher thou liftest up thy self the farther thou art from him the lower thou humblest thy self the nearer he draweth to thee Low things he looketh close upon that he may raise them proud things he knows afarre off that he may depresse them The proud Pharisee pressed as 〈◊〉 God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood aloof off yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican Verse 13. 〈◊〉 unto you Scribes c. By these eight dreadfull woes as by so many links of an adamantine chain our Saviour draws these hypocrites down to hell their place and there leaves them to be reserved unto judgement St Hierom was called Fulmen 〈◊〉 the Churches thunderbolt How much more might this be attributed to Christ How terribly doth he here thunderstrike these stupid Pharisees though he saw well with Father Latimer that whosoever will be busie with 〈◊〉 vobis shall shortly after come coram nobis Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven By hiding heavenly truths teaching damnable errours excommunicating the well affected or corrupting them by evil counsell and example and all this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor à m in os before men and to their faces making fools of them even whiles they look on casting a mist before their eyes as those Egyptian juglers did Exod. 7. and keeping from them that collyrium that should cure and clear up their eye-sight Revel 3. 18. Thus did Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury who bound up the word of God that it might not be preached in his time as the Historians words are and was therefore according to this woe here denounced so smitten in his tongue that he could neither swallow nor speak for certain daies afore he died Steven Gardiner was plagued in like manner for like reason And generally the Popish Clergy are vexed with that grievous and noisome sore of develish spite against the Reformation Revel 16. 2. which they therefore oppose with might and main till wrath come upon them to the 〈◊〉 And albeit many of them escape the visible vengeance of God yet this terrible Woe as a moth doth secretly 〈◊〉 them up like a garment and as a worm eateth them up like wood Isa 51. 8. as it did these Pharisees on whose outside nothing could be discerned all was as before but their soules were blasted seared and sealed up to destruction He that hath drunk poison falles not down dead presently in the place but he hath his death about him as we say Saul lived and reigned long after he was cast off by God and the very devils are respited in regard of their full torment but the more is behinde Verse 14. Ye devoure widdows houses Though they pretended to be great fasters Luk. 18. 12. yet their 〈◊〉 prepared deceit as Eliphaz hath it Job 15. 35. and their throats those open sepulchres swallowed up whole houses such was their covetousnesse and that of widows such was their cruelty and that under a pretence of long prayers which was their hypocrisie for while their lips seemed to pray they were but chewing that morsell that murthering 〈◊〉 that made them receive the greater damnation Multi in terris 〈◊〉 quod apud inferos digerunt saith Augustin Many 〈◊〉 that on earth that they must digest in hell where the never-dying worm will feed greedily upon all such covetous caitiffs as have the greedy worm under their tongues and their ill-gotten goods gotten already into their bowels 〈◊〉 these Pharisees had which therefore God shall fetch thence again with a 〈◊〉 Make long 〈◊〉 God takes not mens praiers by tale but by weight He respecteth not the Arithmetike of our praiers how many they are nor the Rhetorike of our praiers how eloquent they are nor the Geometry of our praiers how long they are nor the Musick of our praiers the sweetnesse of our voice nor the Logick of our praiers or the method of them but the divinity of our praiers is that which he so much esteemeth He 〈◊〉 not for any James with horny knees through 〈◊〉 in praier nor for any 〈◊〉 with a century of praiers for the morning and as many for the evening but S. Paul his frequency of praying with fervency of spirit without all 〈◊〉 prolixities and vain bablings this is it that God maketh most account of It is not a servants going to and fro but the dispatch of his businesse that pleaseth his master It is not the loudnesse of a preachers voice but the holinesse of the matter and the spirit of the preacher that moveth a wise and intelligent hearer So herenot gifts but graces in praier move the Lord. But these long 〈◊〉 of the Pharisees were so much the worse because thereby they sought to entitle God to their sin yea they meerly mocked him fleering in his face Verse 15. Ye compasse sea and land They walked the round as the devil doth to gain proselytes they spared for no pains to pervert men as now the Jesuites those Circulatores 〈◊〉 should not we be as diligent and indefatigable to convert them to God Shall we not be as 〈◊〉 in building stair-cases for heaven as seducers are
here the venernous nature of infidelity that transfuseth as it were a dead palsie into the hands of omnipotency disabling Christ in a sort to do such a man good Christ by his absolute power can do all things by his actuall power he can do no more then he will do Verse 6. And he marvelled Unbeleife must needs be a monstrous sin that puts Christ to the marvell Verse 8. Save a stasse Such a one as may ease and releive you not such as may curb and hinder you Matth. 10. 10. So that seeming contradiction is assoyled No money in your purses Gr. No brasse in your girdles The most usuall materiall of money among the Roman Princes was seldome gold or silver most times brasse sometimes leather Corium 〈◊〉 publicâ 〈◊〉 as Seneca hath it The like is said to have been used here in England in the times of the Barons Wars And why not sith Opinion sets the price upon these outward good things and Anno 1574. the Hollanders then being in their extremities made mony of past-board Verse 12. That they should repent This must be done or men are utterly undone Aut poenitendum aut pereudum Hence Repentance is so pressed and preached in both Testaments Exod. 23. 20. with 33. 2. 3 4. Immediately after God had given the Law by the rules and threats whereof God the Father was to proceed saith One and after they had transgressed it he could not go along with them for he should destroy them but his Angel that is Christ he would send with them who also would destroy them if they turned not and repented according to the rules of his Law the Gospel Verse 13. And anointed with oyl many c. By the misunderstanding of this text and that Jam. 5. 14. Pro pastoribus habuit Ecclesia unguentarios et pigmentarios qui hoc 〈◊〉 miser as oviculas non tantum ungerent sed etiam emungerent This oyl in the text was used not as a medicine but as a sign and symbol of that power of miraculous 〈◊〉 Verse 14. For his name was spred By miracles as by wings the Gospel quickly spred far and neer Eusebius saith that the Gospel spred at first through the world like a Sun 〈◊〉 When 〈◊〉 first stirred it was carried through the Christian world as on Angels wings This was that miracle which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these last times are to look for Verse 16. See the Notes on Matt. 14. 2 3 c. Verse 19. Herodias had a quarrell against him Gr. Hung over him as highly displeased at him and waiting an occasion to be even with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that follow truth close at heeles may have their 〈◊〉 struck out though she be a good mistrisse Tange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As wild beasts cannot endure fire so neither can carnall hearts fervency and plain-dealing Verse 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holinesse is majesticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because holy He honoureth his Saints in the 〈◊〉 of their greatest enemies He did many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some copies have it He doubted in many things he was often set at a stand and knew not how to ward off the dry-blows of the word 〈◊〉 which way to look it came so close to him Verse 21 Made a supper The ancients took a light dinner usually and therefore called it Prandium quasi perendium at supper they feasted more freely and therefore called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because then their daies-work was done Verse 22. Came in and danced With immodest gesticulations and trippings on the toe wherewith the old fornicator was so inflamed that he swore she should have any thing of him Verse 23. To the halfe of my Kingdom What was his whole kingdom to the life of that precious man of whom the world was not worthy Shortly after he was turned out of his kingdom and it s to be feared out of Gods too Verse 24. And she went forth The men and women dined not together In Barbary t is death for any man to see one of the Zeriffes concubines Verse 26. And for their sakes that sate with him Sic plerique malum iter ingressi post cum se errare resciscant non desciscunt 〈◊〉 ne leves videantur sui dicti domini ut dicunt esse volunt Some rather then be worse then their words will violate their consciences Verse 31. Rest a while God would not have the strength of his people to be exhausted in his service but that respect be had to the health of their bodies as to the welfare of their 〈◊〉 Therefore the Priests of the Law took their turns of serving in the order of their course as Zacharias 〈◊〉 1. 8. And the Ministers of the Gospel are allowed to drink a little Wine for their healths sake as Timothy Those that neglect their bodies must reckon for it Coloss. 2. 23. Verse 33. Ran afoot thither That is they came thither by land not by sea whither on foot or a 〈◊〉 for many of them were not able to foot it as being weak lame maymed c. Verse 34. They were as Sheep c They were all slaves to the Romans and many of them lame and diseased but nothing troubled Christ so much as this that they wanted Pastours and Teachers They that are without a teaching Preist are said to be without God in the world 2 Chron. 15. 3. Vcrse 35. And when the day was now farre spent Beza renders it Cum jam multus dies esset Our forefathers had a saying The Summers day is never so long But at length ' twill ring to even-song Verse 37. Shall we go and buy c. q. d. Yes a likely 〈◊〉 surely Where 's your mony have we two-hundred pence to cater for such a company It is Interrogatio cum admiratione atque adeo cum ironia quadam conjuncta saith Beza A question not without a jear Verse 40. 〈◊〉 downe in rankes Gr. rankes rankes that is 〈◊〉 by rank as rowes or borders of beds in a garden Ordinatim 〈◊〉 in Ecclesia faciendae Church-work is to be done decently and in order Verse 48. Would have passed by them Either the more to try them or rather to spare them because he foresaw they would be further frighted else Verse 50. It is I I with an Emphasis q. d. It is I not a Spirit A concise kind of speech importing his haste to comfort them He comes leaping over the mountaines of Bether all 〈◊〉 and impedements CHAP. VII Verse 2. They found fault THey mumped at it as we say they dispraised accused complained Vituperant homines quam collaudant promptius saith one Another being demanded what was the easiest thing in the world answered To find fault with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a Third It is easier to find a fault then to mend it Verse 3. Except they wash their hands oft Or up to the Elbow or with utmost diligence The Pharisees deemed
unlesse Christ himself should forbid him which here he refuseth to do and shewes reason for it Verse 41. 〈◊〉 whosoever shall give c. Much more he that shall cast out devils in my name and out of love to me He shall not lose his reward For his cup of cold water he shall have a torrent of pleasure If therefore ye will be wise Merchants happy Usurers part with that which ye cannot keep that ye may gain that which ye cannot lose Verse 43. It is better for thee to enter The Trojanes after long debate concluded it better to part with Helen though a Lady of incomparable beauty then by retaining her longer to venture their utter wreck and ruine 'A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they Did we but forethink what sinne will cost us we durst not but be innocent Verse 44. Where their worme As out of the corruption of our bodies wormes breed which consume the flesh so out of the corruption of our soules this never-dying worme This worme say Divines is only a continuall remorse and furious reflection of the soule upon its own wilfull folly and now wofull misery Oh consider this before thy friends be scrambling for thy goods worms for thy body devils for thy soule Goe not dancing to hell in thy bolts rejoyce not in thy bondage as many doe to whom the preaching of hell is but as the painting of a toad which men can look on and handle without affrightment Never dyeth and the fire is not quenched O quam diuturna immensa est 〈◊〉 as said the devill once A child with a spoon may sooner empty the sea then the damned accomplish their misery A 〈◊〉 of brimstone is not consumed by burning Verse 49. For every one shall be salted with fire The Spirit as salt must dry up those bad humours in us that breed the never-dying worm and as fire must waste our corruptions which else will carry us on to the unquenchable fire Verse 50. Salt is good Nature 〈◊〉 prudently mingled salt with all things that they may not easily putrifie Greges enim pecorum urinam salsissimam effundere videmus in omnes stirpes salem infusum Have salt in your selves Habete in vobis sal A 〈◊〉 admonemur tribus literis ut curiosè observat quidam Sapere Agere Loqui The conjuring of salt among the Papists is intolerably blasphemous It is thus I conjure thee O salt by the living God c. that thou maist be made a conjured salt to the salvation of them that beleeve And that unto all such as receive thee thou mayest be health of soul and body and 〈◊〉 from out of the place wherein thou shalt be sprinkled may fly away and depart all phantasie wickednesse or craftinesse of the devils subtilty and every foule Spirit c. And 〈◊〉 peace one with another By mortification season tame and purge your own hearts of those lusts that warre in your members Jam. 4. 1. and prove offensive to others Mar. 9. 43. so shall you be at peace one with another Stomack-worms are killed with salt CHAP. X. Verse 1. And as he was wont he taught PRaedicationis officium 〈◊〉 quisquis ad Sacerdotium accedit It was death for the High-Priest to enter the Holy-place or to come abroad without his bells and pomegranates Saint Mark is much in setting forth Christs forwardnesse to teach Verse 4. Moses suffered to write Not commanded There is difference between a permission and a precept properly so called See the Note on Matth. 19. 7. Non statim probat Deus quod permittit God approves not presently whatsoever hee permits Verse 11. Whosoever shall put away his wife Annon columnae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lutherus 〈◊〉 errarunt 〈◊〉 se dederunt cum illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dederunt 〈◊〉 illi 〈◊〉 Principi Philippo Lantgravio ut 〈◊〉 adhue priore legitima 〈◊〉 uxore 〈◊〉 alteram 〈◊〉 est adulteram saith Zanchy Luthor and his fellow-Divines were shamefully out in licensing the Lantgrave to put away his lawfull wife and marry another Verse 12. And if a woman have put away No such thing was permitted by Moses but usurped by the women of those licentious times Among Turkes the women may sue a divorce but only then when her husband would abuse her against nature Verse 14. For of 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 kingdome of God As oft therefore as we see an infant 〈◊〉 us think that a teacher is given us of God Psal. 131. 1 2. Verse 19. Defraud not Doe no man injury either by force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This seems to be an abstract of all the other fore-mentioned commandements Verse 21. Loved him As a 〈◊〉 man and fit to live in a civill society Or hee loved him that is hee pitied him as a self-deceiver like as we pity moderate Papists Verse 22. Went away grieved Which hee would not have done if he had loved God and his neighbour as he professed to doe Verse 24. For them that trust in riches As most rich men doe thinking themselves simply the better and the safer for them This blab is soon blown up Verse 27. With God all things are possible This place is much pleaded by the Papists for their fiction of Transubstantiation I tell thee said Bonner to Philpot that God by his omnipotency may make himself to be this Carpet if he will Verse 30. Brethren and sisters and mothers Mothers he cannot receive in kind when once dead but God will be to his better then ten mothers Communion with him shall yeeld more comfort then all outward comforts can He can also make Jonathan more loving to David then any wife and the Kings of Moab and Ammon to be his foster-parents This made Hermannus Archbishop of Cullen to reform his Church using therein the aid and advice of Martin Bucer Wherefore he was deposed by the Emperor which he patiently suffered Zech. 10. 6. They shall be as if I had not cast them off and I will heare them God will one way or other make up his peoples losses they shall have it again either in money or moneys-worth Ne excrucier ob 〈◊〉 argentum 〈◊〉 enim es mihi omnia said Paulinus Nolanus when the Town was taken by the Barbarians Let not my losses trouble me Lord for thou art mine exceeding great reward Verse 32. Jesus went before them As most willing of his way though he went now to suffer Shew we like forwardnesse and say I am in prison till I am in prison Verse 35. Whatsoever we shall desire One said he could have what he would of God And why but because he would ask nothing but what was agreeable to the will of God Fiat voluntas mea said Luther in a certain prayer but then falls off sweetly Mea voluntas Domine quia tua One saith of Luther Vir iste potuit quod voluit apud Deum That man can doe what he will with God Verse 39. Ye
with inflammation of their bodyes A spectacle worthy to be noted of all such bloudy burning persecutors Verse 25. Sonne remember c. Sonne he calls him with respect either ad procreationem carnis aut adaetatem saith Piscator But as it was but cold comfort to Dives in flames that Abraham called him sonne so those that have no more to shrowd themselves under then a generall profession shall find that an empty title yeelds but an empty comfort at last Receivedst thy good things Wicked men then have not only a 〈◊〉 title but a right before God to earthly things It is their portion Psal. 17. 14. And what Ananias had was his owne Act. 5. whiles he had it God gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar for his paines at Tyre It is hard to say they are usurpers They shall not saith One be called to an account at last day for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession As when the King gives a Traytour his life he gives him meat and drink that may maintaine his life So here God deales not as that cr uell D' 〈◊〉 did who starved some prisoners after he had given them quarter saying Though I promised you your lives I promised not to find you meat Verse 26. There is a great gulfe fixed viz. by the unmoveable and immutable decree of God called mountaines of brasse Zech. 6. 1. from betweene which all effects and actions come forth as so many charets Verse 28. Lest they also come into this place This he wisheth not for their good but for his owne For he knew that if they were damned he should be double damned because they were brought thither partly by his lewd and loose example Verse 29. Let them 〈◊〉 them Hell is to be escaped by hearing the word read and preached Joh. 5. 25. Esay 55. 3. Verse 31. Though one rose from the dead As Lazarus did and yet they listened as little to him as to Christ. Joh. 12. but sought to kill him also CHAP. XVII Verse 5. Lord encrease our faith A Most necessary request in this case For the more any man beleeveth that God for Christs sake hath pardoned him the readier he will be to pardon others Verse 8. Gird thy self and serve me It implies 1 readinesse 2 nimblenesse handinesse and handsomenesse A loose 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 mind is unfit to serve God The Deacons cried of old in the Church-meetings Oremus 〈◊〉 Let us pray let us attend to prayer c. Verse 10. We have done that was our duty Or our debt and it is no matter of merit to pay debts This made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founder of New-Colledge c. professe he trusted in Jesus Christ alone for Salvation Charles the Fifth did the like when he came to die And in times of Popery the ordinary instruction appointed to be given to men upon their death beds was that they should look to come to glory not by their own merits but by the vertue and merit of Christs passion that they should place their whole confidence in his death only and in no other thing and that they should interpose his death betwixt God and their sins betwixt them and Gods anger Verse 13. And they lifted up their voices These sought themselves only in their prayers as do hypocrites and nought esteemed the love of Christ. So did those that fasted to themselves 〈◊〉 7. more to get off their chains then their sins Ephrain is an empty vine he 〈◊〉 fruit to himself The Church keeps her fruit for her beloved Verse 14. Go shew your selves unto the Priests As if yee were already cleansed They did so though they saw no sense for it and before they came to the Priest they were cleansed indeed Make your requests known to God with thanksgiving Philip. 4. 6. As who should say make account to speed and be ready with your thanks as if you had what you ask of God Verse 15. And one of them It s ten to one if any return to give thanks Men make prayer their refuge but not their recompence 〈◊〉 returned not according to his receipts And with a loud 〈◊〉 He was as earnest in praises as he had been in prayers Our thanks should be larger and louder then our requests because God prevents us with many mercies and denies nothing we have it either in mony or monies worth Verse 16. Giving him thanks A thankfull man is worth his weight in gold Sed perrarò grati homines reperiuntur saith the Oratour Plerique ut accipiant importuni donec acceperint inquieti ubi acceperint ingrati saith the Father Most pray but pay not they make prayer their refuge but not their recompence Verse 17. Were there not ten cleansed Christ keeps count how many favours men receive from him and will call them to a particular account thereof He is an austere man this way Verse 18. There are not found The Syriack and some others 〈◊〉 these words question-wise and so it is more emphaticall Are there not found that returned c. q. d. That 's admirable that 's abhominable Verse 20. When the kingdom of God c. This they asked in 〈◊〉 q. d. You tell us oft of the kingdom of God and that it is at hand but when comes it once All things continue as they did c. Cometh not with observation That is with outward pomp or superstitious seeking after Verse 21. The kingdom of God is within you It is spiritual Rom. 14. 17. Or it is among you but that you cannot see wood for trees You seek me as absent whom you reject present Verse 22. And he said unto his Disciples q. d. This doctrine concerns you also as well as the perverse Pharisees You shall be ere long at a great losse for me look to it therefore and bestirre you Verse 24. For as the lightning q. d. From mine Ascention and so forwards you are not to look for me again till I come to judgement and then I come on a sudden Many devices there are in the minds of some to think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and reign here upon earth a Thousand years But they are saith a good Divine but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgements powred out upon Gods enemies in making a way to the Jewes conversion by the pattern of the last judgement Verse 27. They did eate they drank An elegant Asyndeton For the reason whereof see the Note on Matt. 24. 38. Verse 28 They did eate they drank It is not said here as vers 27. they married wives they affected rather those odious 〈◊〉 qui non utrinque resolvunt The Turkish Bashaes have their 〈◊〉 which are their serious loves for their wives are used but to dresse their meat to laundresse and for reputation saith one that had been amongst them Sodomy saith he in the Levant is not held a vice Verse 29. But the same day A fair
Gr. Fishers that with net and bait catch the silly fish and feed on them such were these Emissaries these catch-poles Verse 35. Nor are given in marriage Hence some collect that the difference of sexes 〈◊〉 continue after the resurrection wherefore else should our Saviour say that they shall then neither marry nor be given in marriage Sed hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 38. For all live to him Even in their bodies also which he now by 〈◊〉 refineth and shall as certainly raise as if they were already raised sith all things are present with him CHAP. XXI Verse 2. Casting in their two mites THat is two eight parts of an half-penny saith the Syriack See the Notes on Mark 12. 41 42 c. Verse 13. And it shall turn to you c. Whilest the valour of the Martyrs and the savagenesse of the Persecutors strove together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and 〈◊〉 in beholders and hearers Verse 19. In your patience possesse That is Enjoy yourselves however the world goes with you He that cannot have patience had need make up his pack and get out of the world for here 's no being for him Burleigh Lord Treasurer was wont to say that he overcame envy more by patience then 〈◊〉 Verse 20. Jerusalem compassed with armies By Cestius 〈◊〉 a little before that fatall siege by 〈◊〉 So God gave his people this sign to take best course for their own safety Verse 24. Untill the times of the Gentiles The Gentiles then shall not alwayes tread down Jerusalem Those Kings of the East the Jewes may likely 〈◊〉 their way prepared to it through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. 12. and Jerusalem be again inhabited by them even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this will be not long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day 〈◊〉 25. Verse 26. Mens hearts failing them What marvell though 〈◊〉 men be dispirited and even ring their bels backwards when they shall see all on a light fire Moses himself may tremble at the terrour of the mount and Abraham shew some trepidation in such a fright Verse 34. Take heed that 〈◊〉 hearts The Disciples 〈◊〉 had in them the common poyson of nature and so were obnoxious even to the most reproachfull evils That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if watered with the temptation of Satan what sinne may it not produce in the best unlesse God prevent Verse 36. That ye may be accounted worthy Great is the Emphasis of this word saith learned Beza for it gives us to understand that we owe all to the free election of God who loved us first and so accepted us for worthy Rev. 3. 4. CHAP. XXII Verse 1. Now the feast of unleavened c. IT is good to bring Bibles to Church Socrates relates of one Sabbatius a Novation Bishop that reading this text added such things of his own as carried away many simple people from the faith Verse 2. How they might kill him Not put him to death as Judges but kill him as cut-throates So Act. 2. 23. Verse 3. Then entered Satan He stood but at the door till now that the businesse was concluded on Verse 4. And communed with the chief Preists Suopte ingenio 〈◊〉 reprobi Angeli saith an Interpreter Verse 6. And he promised By mutuall stipulation saith Beza wherein the one asketh Dost thou promise to do such a thing the other answereth I do promise Like as of old it was Credis Credo Abrenuncias Abrenuncia Beleevest thou I do beleeve Forsakest thou I do forsake Verse 7. The day of unleavened bread when c. It must be our care to cast out all filthinesse of flesh and spirit that old leaven before we communicate 1 Cor. 5. 7. First throw the baggage into the brook Kidron the town-ditch and then kill the Passeover 2 Chron. 30. 14. Verse 15. With desire have I desired How much more should we come with strong affections and lusty appetites to this holy Supper It is a vertue here to be an holy glutton and to drink hearty draughts that we may go from the Table as Christ from Jordan full of the holy Ghost For this end consider what is before thee as Prov. 23. 1. not to restraine appetite but to provoke it And the rather because Christ thus earnestly thirsted after our salvation though he knew it should cost him so dear See Luke 12. 50. Verse 16. Untill it be fulfilled Untill the old Passeover be abolished and the New brought in place by my death and resurrection Verse 17. And he took the cup The cup of the common supper John 13. 2 3. Verse 23. And they began to enquire Therefore the Lord had not perfectly pointed out the traytour to them or if he did they either heardnot or heeded not Verse 24. There was also a strife This was so much the worse in them because immediatly after the Sacrament and before the Passion which our Saviour had told them should fall out within two dayes after Neither was this the first time that they had thus faulted and were reproved for it Verse 25. The Kings of the Gentiles c. In striving for precedency the Disciples shew'd themselves but Gentiles who stand upon their birth and priviledges Exercise Lordship over them As he did with a witnesse of whom Melancthon writeth that wrung mony from his miserable subjects by knocking out their teeth one by one till he had what he would Verse 28 Yee are they which have continued c. Agrippa having suffered imprisonment for wishing Caius Emperour the first thing Caius did after he came to the Empire was to preferre Agrippa to a Kingdome He gave him also a chaine of gold as heavie as the chaine of iron that was upon him in prison And shall not Christ richly reward all those his suffering servants Verse 29. And I appoint Gr. I bequeath as by my last Will and Testament See Heb. 9. 17. Verse 30. That yee may eate and drinke c. As Mephibosheth and Chinham at Davids table which was an high favour Verse 31. Simon Simon q. d. Mi charissime Simon Piscat Satan hath desired c. As a challenger desireth to have one of the other-side to combat with as Goliah did He cannot harm us without leave So he desired to have Job and had him That he may sift you Cribratione Satanae non perditur sed purgatur frumentum saith Zanchy See the Note on Matthew 3. 12. Verse 32. But I have prayed So the plaister is ready made before the wound be given for else the patient might perish as those do that are stung with scorpions if not presently anointed with 〈◊〉 of scorpions That thy faith fail not It is our faith that Satan chiefly assaulteth He knowes that nihil retinet qui fidem perdidit Strengthen thy brethren So he doth notably in both his Epistles dooming Apostates most severely 2. Pet. 2. Verse 41. And he was with-drawn For privacy sake to pray though 〈◊〉 to leave their