upon them Faith fears no famine and although it be but small in substance and in shew as the Manna was yet is it great in vertue and operation The Rabbins say that Manna had all manner of good tastes in it So hath faith It drinke to a man in a cup of Nepenthes and bids him be of good chear God will provide for him The Bishop of Norwich kept Robert Samuel Martyr without meat and drink whereby he was unmercifully vext saving that he had every day allowed him two or three morsels of bread and three spoonfuls of water to the end he might be reserved to further torment How oft would he have drunk his own water But his body was so dried up with long 〈◊〉 that he was not able to make 〈◊〉 drop of water After he had been famished with hunger two or three 〈◊〉 together he 〈◊〉 into a sleep as it were one half in a 〈◊〉 At which time one cloathed in white seemed to stand before him which ministred comfort unto him by these words Samuel Samuel be of good chear and take a good heart unto thee 〈◊〉 after this day thou shalt never be either hungry or thirsty For speedily 〈◊〉 this he was burned and from that time till he should suffer he felt neither hunger nor thirst And this declared he to the end as he said that all men might behold the wonderfull work of God He likes not to be tied to the second ordinary causes nor that in defect of the means we should doubt of his providence It 's true he commonly worketh by them when he could doe without that we may not neglect the means as being ordained of him David shall have victory but by an ambush 2 Sam. 5. 19 24. Men shall be nourished but by their labour Psal. 128. 2 But yet so as that he doth all in all by 〈◊〉 means he made grasse corn and trees before he made the Sunne Moon and starres by the influence whereof they are and grow Yea to shew himself chief he can and doth work other whiles without means 2 Chron. 14. 11. and against means suspending the power and operation of the naturall causes as when the fire burnt not the water drowned not the Sunne went back ten degrees the rock gave water the iron swam c. And then when he works by means he can make them produce an effect diverse from their nature and disposition or can hinder change or mitigate their proper effect as when at the prayer of Elias it rained not for three years and a half And he praied again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruits A man would have thought that after so long drought the roots of trees and herbs should have been utterly dried up and the land past recovery But God heard the heavens petitioning to him that they might exercise their influence for the fructifying of the earth and the Heavens heard the earth and the earth heard the corn the wine and the oil and they heard Jezreel Let all this keep us as it did our Saviour here from diffidence in Gods providence and make us possesse our souls in patience Luk. 21. Hang upon the promise and account it as good as present pay though we see not how it can be effected God loves to goe away by himself He knows how to deliver his saith S. Peter 2 Epist. 2. 9. and he might speak it by experience Act. 12. 9. if ever any man might The King shall rejoyce in God saith David of himself when he was a poor 〈◊〉 in the wildernesse of Judah Psal. 63. 11. But he had Gods word for the Kingdome and therefore he was confident seemed the thing never so improbable or impossible We trust a skilfull work-man to go his own way to work shall we not God In 〈◊〉 6. year of the reign of Darius Nothus was the temple fully finished That sacred work which the husband and sonne of an Esther 〈◊〉 shall be happily accomplished by a bastard The 〈◊〉 thought that Moses should presently have delivered them and he himself thought as much and therefore began 〈◊〉 his time to doe 〈◊〉 upon the AEgyptian whom he slew and hid in the sand But we see God went another way to work He sent Moses into a farre countrey and the bondage was for 〈◊〉 years 〈◊〉 exceedingly encreased upon them yet all this to humble and try them and to doe them good in their later end He crosseth many times our likeliest projects and gives a blessing 〈◊〉 those times and means whereof we despair He breaks in pieces the ship that we think should bring us to shore but casts us upon such boards as we did not expect 〈◊〉 we then any particular means saith one it is but the scattering of a 〈◊〉 the breaking of a bucket when the Sunne and the fountain is the 〈◊〉 But we 〈◊〉 the most part 〈◊〉 as Hagar did when the bottle was spent she fals a crying she was undone she and her childe should die till the Lord opened her eyes to see the fountain It was neer her but she saw it not when she saw it she was well enough If thou hadst been here said Martha my brother Lazarus had not died As if Christ could not have kept him alive unlesse he had been present So if Christ will come and lay his hands on Iairus his daughter and Elisha stroke his hand over Naamans leprosie they shall be cured So the Disciples believed that Christ could feed so many thousands in the wildernesse but then he must have two hundred peny worth of bread But our Saviour gave them soon 〈◊〉 an ocular demonstration of this truth That man liveth not by bread alone c. Dan. 11. 34 They shall be holpen with a little help Why a little that through weaker means we may see Gods greater strength 〈◊〉 5. Then the devil taketh him Not in vision only or imagination but really and indeed as he was afterwards apprehended bound and crucified by that cursed crue Spirituall assaults may be beaten back by the shield of faith Bodily admit of no such repulse A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham may be bound by Satan A Mary Magdalen possest a Job 〈◊〉 a Paul boxed c. As for the souls of the Saints they are set safe out of Satans scrape Shake his chain at them he may muster his forces Revel 12. 7. which may band themselves and bend their strength against 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Angels Christ and his members but they are bounded by God who hath set his on a rock that is higher then they So that the flouds of temptation that the serpent casts out of his mouth after them cannot come so much as to their feet Or if it touch their heel yet it can come no higher There is no 〈◊〉 against Jacob because God was a Vnicorn to take away the venom saith Balaam the sorcerer as waters when the Unicorns
the lesser fish being devoured of the greater the sway that Leviathan the devil bears there Psal. 104. 26. 2. The Church is compared to a boat because it is continually tossed with the waves of 〈◊〉 as Noah Ionah the Disciples Paul and those 〈◊〉 men Psal. 107. 27. That stagger like a drunken man and all their cunning is gone 3. The fish to be caught out of this sea and to be brought into this ship are men Nature hath as it were spawned us forth into this worldly sea where we drink iniquity like water wandering confusedly up and down till caught and cast into the fish-pool for the masters use and service Unwittingly we are caught and unwillingly we are kept as 〈◊〉 labour to get out of the net and would fain leap back out of the boat into the water 4. Ministers are fishers A 〈◊〉 profession a toilsome calling no idle mans occupation as the vulgar conceits it nor needlesse trade taken up alate to pick a living out of Let Gods fisher men busie themselves as they must sometimes in preparing sometimes in mending sometimes in casting abroad sometimes in drawing in the net That they may separate the precious from the vile c. And no man shall have just cause to twit them with idlenesse or to say they have an easie life and that it is neither sin nor pity to defraud them Verse 20. And they straight way left their 〈◊〉 As the woman of Samaria did her 〈◊〉 Matthew his 〈◊〉 and blinde Bartimeus his cloak when Christ called for him Look we likewise to this Authour and 〈◊〉 of our faith and for love of him cast away every clog and the sinne that doth so easily beset or surround us Divorce the 〈◊〉 from the world and there is no great danger Admire not over-much rest not in dote not on cleave not to the things of this life those nets and snares of Satan whereby he entangleth and encumbreth us that we may attend upon the Lord or 〈◊〉 close to him without being haled away or distracted by these lusts of life The deeplier any man is drowned in the world the more desperately is he divorced from God deadned to holy things and disobedient to the heavenly call as the recusant guests in the Gospel And followed him Immediately and without sciscitation When Christ cals we must not reason but runne as Paul Gal. 1. 16. not dispute but dispatch with David Psal. 119. 60. Goe we know not whither with Abraham doe we know not what with Gideon If ye will enquire enquire saith Isaiah return come A quick passage and full of quickning Like that of 〈◊〉 Oratour Si dormis expergiscere si stas ingredere si ingrederis curre si curris advola Courts have their citò citò quick quick and 〈◊〉 use to observe and improve their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tempora So must Christians God is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace He comes leaping on the mountains and skipping on the hils and being come he stands at the 〈◊〉 and knocks by the sound of his Word and motions of his spirit He sits not but stands while a man is standing we say he is going And woe be unto us if he depart from us God hath his season his harvest for judgement Matth. 13. 30. And is now more quick and peremptory in 〈◊〉 men then of old For 〈◊〉 shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation as is now preached Our Saviour would not suffer 〈◊〉 man that said he would follow him to let so much time as to bury his father Excuses he takes for refusals 〈◊〉 for denials As Saul lest his Kingdom so doth many a man his soul by not 〈◊〉 his time And troops of them that forget God goe down to hell Psal. 9. 17. Quare 〈◊〉 mores moras nostras Let us up and be doing 〈◊〉 the Lord may be with us Verse 21. He saw other two brethren Iames c. Three pair of brethren at least our Saviour called to the Apostleship to shew what brotherly love should be found amongst Ministers what agreement in judgement and affection There the Lord commands the blessing and life for ever more As where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3. 16. Hence the devil laboureth all he can to set Ministers at variance and to 〈◊〉 dissension amongst them as betwixt Paul and 〈◊〉 that the work may be hindered Divide impera Make division and so get dominion was a maxime of Machiavil which he learnt of the devil What woefull tragedies hath he 〈◊〉 alate betwixt the Lutherans and Zuinglians What 〈◊〉 have the Papists composed out of the Churches tragedies To foster the faction they joyned themselves to the Lutherans in that sacramentary quarrell they commended them made much of them and almost pardoned them all that losse they had sustained by them This that holy man of God Oecolampadius bitterly bewaileth in a letter to the Lutherans of Suevia The 〈◊〉 saith he may be pardoned through faith in Christ but the discord we cannot expiate with the dearest and warmest bloud in our hearts They on the other side in their syngrame or answer handled that most innocent man so coursely Ut non objurgatione sed execratione dignum sit saith Zuinglius that they deserved not to be confuted but to be abhorred of all men This was as good sport to the Papists as the 〈◊〉 betwixt Abraham and Lot were to the Amorites But that one consideration that we are 〈◊〉 should conjure down all disagreements as betwixt them and make us unite against a common advesary The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English Anno 1587. stamped money with two earthern pots swimming in the sea according to the old fable and wittily inscribed Si collidimur frangimur If we clash we are broken The Thracians had they been all of one minde they had been invincible saith 〈◊〉 And Cornelius Tacitus who had been here in 〈◊〉 with his father-in-law Agricola reporteth of our fore-fathers that they fell into the hands of the Romans by nothing so much as by their dissensions amongst themselves Pliny telleth of the stone Thyrroeus that though never so big while it is whole it floteth upon the waters but being broken it sinketh And who hath not read of Silurus his bundle of arrows To break unity is to cut asunder the very veins and sinews of 〈◊〉 mysticall body of Christ as the Apostle intimateth 1 Cor. 1. 10. to hinder all true growth in godlinesse Eph. 4. 16. and inward 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 1. to drive away God who appeared not to Abraham till the difference was made up Gen. 13. 14 c. and to undoe our selves As the dragon sucketh out the bloud of the 〈◊〉 and the weight of the falling elephant 〈◊〉 the dragon and so both perish together To prevent all which and to
himself was to obtain his very bread by humble petition how much more his salvation He that shall go to God as the Predigall did with Give me the portion that pertaineth to me shall receive the 〈◊〉 of sinne which is eternall death God giveth meat in 〈◊〉 saith Elihu That thou givest they gather saith David And 〈◊〉 Thou givest them their meat in due season Now what more 〈◊〉 then gift Beggers also pay no debts but acknowledge their insufficiency and speak supplications in a low language as broken men so must we Oh lie daily begging at the beautifull gate of heaven look intently upon God as he did Act. 3. upon Peter and John expecting to receive something And because beggers must be no chusers ask as our Saviour here directs 1. 〈◊〉 quality bread only not manchet or junkets but down-right houshold bread as the word imports the bread of carefulnesse or sorrows Psal. 127. 2. which the singing Psalms interpret 〈◊〉 bread Our Saviour gave thanks for barley-bread and his Disciples were glad to make a Sabbath-dayes-dinner of a few ears of corn rubbed between their fingers A very Philosopher could say He that can feed upon green herbs need not please Dionysius need not flatter any man And Epicurus himself would not doubt to content himself as well as he that hath most might he but have a morsel of course meat and a draught of cold water The Israelites had soon enough of their quails they had quails with a vengeance because Manna would not content them They died with the meat in their mouthes and by a hasty testament 〈◊〉 a new name to the place of their buriall Kibroth 〈◊〉 the graves of lust Cibus potus sunt divitiae Christianorum saith Hierom Meat and drink are the Christian mans riches Bread and cheese saith another with the Gospel is good chear 〈◊〉 is content with a 〈◊〉 grace with 〈◊〉 saith a third A godly man as he asketh but for bread so 2 for the quantity 〈◊〉 for daily bread the bread of the day for the day enough to 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 with Jacob 〈◊〉 much only as will bear his 〈◊〉 till he 〈◊〉 again to his fathers house He passeth thorow the 〈◊〉 as Israel thorow the 〈◊〉 content with his Omer 〈◊〉 the day with his 〈◊〉 measure with his fathers 〈◊〉 As he journeyeth to the promised land he bespeaks the world as Israel did Edom thorow whose Countrey they would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let me passe thorow thy land We will not turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fields nor vineyards neither will we drinke of the water of thy Wells we will goe by the Kings-high way until we be past thy 〈◊〉 And as a traveller when he cometh to his Inne if he can get a better room or lodging he will as if not he is content for he considereth it 's but for a night So the Christian pilgrim If God 〈◊〉 him in a plentifull estate he gladly makes 〈◊〉 of it 〈◊〉 if otherwise he can live with a little and if his means be not 〈◊〉 his minde he can bring his minde to his means and live upon 〈◊〉 Give him but 〈◊〉 he stands not upon 〈◊〉 Give him but daily bread that is bread for necessity 〈◊〉 the Syriack so much as will hold life and soul together saith Brentius Sufficient to uphold and sustain nature saith Beza with the Greek Scholiast that where with our nature and 〈◊〉 may be content and he is 〈◊〉 apaid and 〈◊〉 he cries out with Jacob I have enough and with David The lines are fallen unto me in afair place A little of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn to carry him thorow his pilgrimage in his 〈◊〉 house he knows is bread enough Luke 16. And on the 〈◊〉 of that he goes on as merrily and feeds as sweetly as 〈◊〉 did of his honey-comb or Hunniades when he 〈◊〉 with his shepherds This day Or as S. Luke hath it by the day for who is 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 May not his 〈◊〉 this night be taken from him We 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Diogenes was wont to say of 〈◊〉 and should as 〈◊〉 speaketh of the birds and 〈◊〉 in diem 〈◊〉 taking no further thought then for the present 〈◊〉 The Turks never build any thing 〈◊〉 for their own private 〈◊〉 but contenting themselves with 〈◊〉 simple cottages how mean 〈◊〉 commonly say that they be good enough for the time of their short 〈◊〉 Turk hist. f. 342. Verse 12. And forgive us our debts c. Loose us saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let us goe free for 〈◊〉 sinners are in the bond of 〈◊〉 as Simon 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 is called a 〈◊〉 Rom. 3 25. The guilt of 〈◊〉 is an 〈◊〉 binding 〈◊〉 over to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath against us Matth. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our hand-writing which is contrary to us Coloss. 2. 14. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against himself Psal. 32. 5. and upon 〈◊〉 praier obtained pardon He only acknowledged the debt and God 〈◊〉 the book God crossed the black lines of his 〈◊〉 with the red lines of his Sonnes bloud Thou forgavest me saith David the iniquity of my sinne the maliguity of it the 〈◊〉 thing that was in it For this shall every one that is godly pray 〈◊〉 thee by mine example and obtain like favour For our God is 〈◊〉 sin-pardoning God Nehem. 9. 31. none like him Mica 7. 18. He forgiveth sinne naturally Exod. 34. 6. abundantly Isa 55. 7 constantly Joh. 1. 27. He doth take away the sinnes of the world 〈◊〉 a perpetuall act of his as the Sunne doth shine as the spring doth runne Zech. 13. 1. The 〈◊〉 is not weary of seeing nor the ear of 〈◊〉 No more is God of shewing mercy All sins yea and 〈◊〉 shall be forgiven to the sons of men saith our Saviour as the sea covers not only small sands but huge rocks Christ 〈◊〉 the propitiation or covering for our sins are they how many and how great soever as was sweetly shadowed of old by the 〈◊〉 covering the Law the mercy-seat covering the Ark and the Cherubims over them both covering one another In allusion whereunto Blessed saith David is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne A metaphor from merchants who when they will forgive a debt doe not put it into the reckoning and so doe not impute it Sinne casteth men deep into debt and arrearages with God It is called a debt of ten thousand talents It casts a man into a 〈◊〉 condition makes him hide his face for shame as Adam causeth a continuall sound of fear in his ears so that he thinks every bush a bailiff every shrub 〈◊〉 sergeant c. An evil conscience hunts him follows him up and down so close like a bloud-hound hot-foot that he sometimes serves himself as that Jesuite in Lancashire followed by
an Arheist a Papist a perjurer a 〈◊〉 of Gods Sabbath an iron boweld wretch a murtherer an adulterer a thief a false witnesse or whatsoever 〈◊〉 the devil will And can this man ever serve God acceptably can he possibly please two so contrary masters No he may sooner reconcile fire and water look with the one eye upward and with the other eye downward bring heaven and earth together and gripe them both in a fist 〈◊〉 be habitually covetous and truly religious These two are as inconcurrent as two 〈◊〉 lines and as incompatible as light and darknesse They who bowed down on their knees to drink of the waters were accounted unfit souldiers for Gideon so are 〈◊〉 for Christ that stoop to the base love of the things of this life 〈◊〉 discredit it both his work and his wages 〈◊〉 Abraham would not that ancient and valiant souldier and servant of the most 〈◊〉 God For when Melchisedech from God had made him heir of all things and brought him bread and wine that is an earnest 〈◊〉 little for the whole c. he refused the riches that the King of Sodom offered him because God was his shield and his exceeding great reward His shield against any such enemies as 〈◊〉 omer and his complices had been unto him and his exceeding great reward for all his labour of love in that or any other service though he received not of any man from a thread to a 〈◊〉 Verse 25. Therefore I say unto you Take no carefull 〈◊〉 c. This life is called in Isaiah the life of our hands because it is maintained by the labour of our hands Neverthelesse let a 〈◊〉 labour never so hard and lay up never so much his life 〈◊〉 not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth saith our 〈◊〉 and therefore bids take heed and beware of covetousnesse There is in every mothers-childe of us a false presumption of self-sufficiency in our own courses as if we by our own diligence could build the house The devils word is proved too true He said we should be like Gods which as it is false in respect of divine qualities resembling God so is it true in regard of our sinfull 〈◊〉 for we carry the matter for most part as if we were petty gods within our selves not needing any higher power This self-confidence the daughter of unbelief and mother of carking care and carnall thought-fullnesse our Saviour 〈◊〉 by many arguments 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Take no thoughtfull 〈◊〉 for your life what ye shall eat c. The word here used in the originall signifieth sometimes a commendable and Christian care as 1 Cor. 7. 33 34. He that is married careth how to please his wife Likewise she careth how to please her husband It implieth a dividing of the minde into divers thoughts casting this way and that way and every way how to give best content And 〈◊〉 should be all the strife that should be betwixt married couples This is the care of the head the care of diligence called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there is another sort of 〈◊〉 here spoken against as unwarrantable and damnable the care of the heart the care of 〈◊〉 a doubtfull and carking care joyned with a fear of future events a sinfull sollicitude a distracting and distempering care properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it tortures and tears asunder the minde with anxious impiety and fretting impatiency This maketh a man when he hath done his utmost indeavour in the use of lawfull means for his own provision or preservation to sit down and with a perplexed heart sigh out Sure it will never be sure I shall die a beggaer be utterly 〈◊〉 c. Surely I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul were it not better for me to shift for my self and to 〈◊〉 speedily into the land of the Philistims 1 Sam. 27 1 A sinnefull consultation for had not God promised him both life and Kingdom after Saul but he said very wisely in his hasty fear All men are liars Prophets and all And again I said in my sudden haste I am cut off What ye shall eat or what ye shall drinke c. I would have you without carefulnes about these things saith the Apostle that ye may sit close to the Lord without distraction And again In nothing be carefull How then Why make your requests known to God in prayer as children make their needs known to their parents whom if they can please they know they shall be provided for Little thought do they take where to have the next meal or the next new 〈◊〉 neither need they 〈◊〉 but we have praid and yet are to seek Add to your prayer supplication saith the Apostle there strong cryes out of a deep sense of our pressing necessities and then see what will come of it I have done so to my poore power and yet it 〈◊〉 To thy supplication add thanksgiving for mercies already 〈◊〉 saith he Thanksgiving is an artificiall begging See 〈◊〉 in thy most carefull condition wherefore to be thankfull Praise God for what you have had have and hope to have What will follow upon this What The peace of God 〈◊〉 passeth all understanding shall keep as 〈◊〉 a guard or 〈◊〉 your hearts from cares and mindes from feares in Christ Jesus This shall be the restfull successe 〈◊〉 your praiers and praises And is it not good that the heart be 〈◊〉 with grace rather then the body forced with meats 〈◊〉 brave letters and how full of life were written by Luther to 〈◊〉 afflicting himself with continuall cares what would be 〈◊〉 issue of the Imperiall Diet held by Charles the fifth and 〈◊〉 States of Germany at Ansborough about the cause of 〈◊〉 Gospel Ego certè oro pro te saith he doleo te 〈◊〉 simam curarum hirudinem meas preces sic irritas facere I 〈◊〉 for thee and am troubled at it that thou by troubling thy self 〈◊〉 unnecessary cares makest my prayers of none effect for thee 〈◊〉 after many sweet consolations mixt with reprehensions he 〈◊〉 cludes But I write these things in vain because 〈◊〉 thinkest to rule these things by reason and killest thy self 〈◊〉 immoderate cares about them not considering that the 〈◊〉 Christs who as he needs not thy counsels so he will bring about 〈◊〉 own ends without thy carefullnesse thy vexing thoughts 〈◊〉 heart-eating fears whereby thou disquietest 〈◊〉 self 〈◊〉 measure Is not the life more then meat c And shall he that hath given us that which is greater and better deny unto us that which is lesse aud worse Shall we beleeve Gods promises in the 〈◊〉 but not Gods providence in the means as the Disciples 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 forgotten to buy bread and as Abraham in the case 〈◊〉 promise of issue of his body Excellent is that of the Apostle He
nights one full day and two peeces of daies Verse 41. They repented at the preaching of Jonas At one single Sermon of a meer stranger who sang so dolefull a dity to them as the destruction of their Town And yet they repented What will become of us Vae torpori nostro If M. Bradford so complained of his own unprofitablenesse under means in those dimme dayes what cause have we now much more Here in London saith he be such godly goodly and learned Sermons which these uncircumcised ears of mine doe hear at the least thrice a week which were able to burst any mans heart to relent to repent to beleeve to love and fear that omnipotent gracious Lord. But mine adamantine obstinate most unkinde unthankfull heart hearing my Lord so sweetly calling and crying unto me now by his Law now by his Gospel now by all his creatures to come to come even to himself I hide me with Adam I play not only Samuel running to Eli but I play Ionas running to the sea and there I sleep upon the hatches untill he please to raise up a tempest to turn and look upon me as he did upon Peter c. Verse 42. The Queen of the South c. The Ethiopian Chronicles call her Mackeda and further tell us that she had a sonne by Solomon whom she named David 〈◊〉 it is that she came from a far countrey to hear Solomon and was so taken with his wisdom that she could have been content to have changed her Throne for his footstool Now our Saviour took it ill and well he might that men came not as far and set not as high a price upon him and his doctrine as she did upon Solomon and his wisdom how much more that these hard-hearted Jews esteemed it not though brought home to their doors Verse 43. When the unclean spirit Unclean the devil is callen 1. Affectione saith Iacobus de Voragine because he loveth uncleannesse 2. Persuasione because he perswades men to it 3. Habitatione because he inhabits unclean hearts he findes them soul he makes them worse Wheresoever the great Turk sets his foot once no grasse grows they say ever after Sure it is no grace grows where the devil dwells Pura Deus mens est saith one And Religion loves to lye clean saith another The holy Spirit will be content to dwell in a poor but it must be a pure house The devil on the contrary delights in spirituall sluttishnesse Harpy-like he defileth all he toucheth and Camell-like drinks not of that water that he hath not first fouled with his feet Is gone out of a man In regard of inward illumination and outward reformation such as was 〈◊〉 in B. Bonner that breathing-devil who at first seemed to be a good man a favourer of Luthers doctrincs a hater of Popery and was therefore advanced by the Lord Cromwell to whom he thus wrote in a certain letter Steven Gardiner for malice and disdain may be compared to the devil in hell not giving place to him in pride at all I mislike in him that there is so great familiarity and acquaintance yea and such mutuall confidence between him an M. as naughty a fellow and as very a Papist as any that I know where he dare expresse it Who can deny but that the devil was gone out of this man for a time at least He walketh thorow dry places Here the Proverb holds true Anima sicca sapientissima Sensuall hearts are the fennish grounds that breed filthy venemous creatures Iob 40. 21. Bohemia lieth in the fennes This Gulielmus Parisiensis applieth to the devil in sensuall hearts Contrariwise the spirits of Gods Saints which burn with faith hope and charity and have all evil humours dried up in them by that spirit of judgement and of burning these the devil likes not The tempter findeth nothing in them though he seek it diligently He striketh fire but this tinder takes not Cupid complained he could never fasten upon the Muses because he could never finde them idle So here Verse 44. He findeth it empty That is idle and secure swept of grace garnished with vice the devils fairest furniture Verse 45. And taketh seven other spirits As the Jaylour 〈◊〉 more load of irons on him that had escaped his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is now recovered And they enter in and dwell there So they never doe in a heart once truly 〈◊〉 Lust was but a stranger to David no home-dweller as Peter Martyr observes out of that passage in Nathans 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 12. 4. And there came a 〈◊〉 to the rich man c. Faith leaves never a sluts-corner Acts 15 9. And the last state of that man is worse 〈◊〉 Apostate cannot 〈◊〉 unto himself a worse condition It is with such as in that case Lev. 13 18 19 20. If a man had a bile healed and it afterwards brake out it proved the plague of leprosie These are called forsakers of the Covenant Dan. 11. 30. and wicked doers against the Covenant ver 32. Renegate Christians prove the most 〈◊〉 Devoto's to the devil We see by experience that none are worse then those that have been good and are naught or those that might be good and will be naught Such as were these Jews in the Text to whom therefore our Saviour applies the Parable in these words Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation Their sins were not common sins but as those of Korah and his complices therefore they died not common deaths As they 〈◊〉 not God but were contrary to all men so wrath came upon them to the uttermost 1 Thess. 2. 16. as Iosephus witnesseth And Mr. Fox relates of Bonner that wicked Apostate that as he wretchedly died in his blinde Popery after he had been long time prisoner in the raign of Q. Elizabeth so as stinkingly and blindely at midnight was he brought out and buried in the out-side of all the City among theeves and murtherers A place saith he right convenient with confusion and derision both of men and children who trampling upon his grave well declared how he was hated both of God and man Verse 46. Desiring to speak with him Either out of curiosity or ambition as Ambrose thinks certain it is at a most unseasonable time Now as fish and flesh so every thing else is naught out of season Verse 47. Behold thy mother and thy brethren This was 〈◊〉 weaknesse in his mother though otherwise full of grace yet 〈◊〉 without originall sin as the Sorbonists contend but had need of a Saviour as well as others Luk. 1. 47. Scipio permits not a 〈◊〉 man so to doe amisse once in his whole life as to say non putaram How much better Crates the Philosopher who said that in every Pomgranate there is at least one rotten kernell to be found intimating thereby that the best have their blemishes their faults and follies Verse 48. Who is my mother and who c.
the leaven of Egypt And was transfigured before them This was whiles he was praying as St Luke noteth Prayer rightly performed is a parling with God 1 Tim. 2. 1. a standing upon Intergatories with him 1 Pet. 3. 21. a powring out of the heart unto him Psal. 62 8. a familiar conference with him wherein the soul is so carried 〈◊〉 it self other whiles 〈◊〉 ut caro est penè nescia carnis as St 〈◊〉 speaks of certain holy women in his time that they seemed in place only remote but in affection to joyn with that holy company of heaven So Dr Preston on his death-bed said he should change his place but not his company Peter praying fell into a trance 〈◊〉 praying saw heavenly visions Mr Bradford a little before he went out of the Counter praid with such plenty of tears and abundant spirit of prayer that it ravished the mindes of the hearers Also when he shifted himself in a clean shirt made for his burning he made such a prayer of the wedding garment that the eies of those present were as truly occupied in looking on him as their ears gave place to here his prayer Giles of Brussels 〈◊〉 was so ardent in his prayers kneeling by himself in some secret place of the prison that he seemed to forget himself Being called many times to meat 〈◊〉 neither heard nor saw them that stood by him till he was lift up by the armes and then gently he would speak unto them as one awaked out of a deep sleep Amor Dei est ecstaticus sui nec se sinit esse juris Verse 3. Moses and Elias appeared Those 〈◊〉 is Candidati as the 〈◊〉 called them God had buried Moses but brought him forth afterwards glorious the same body which was hid in the vallie of 〈◊〉 appeareth here in the hill of Tabor Christ by rotting refines our bodies also and we know that when he who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory 〈◊〉 3 4. As in the mean space be not we conformed to this world but rather transformed by the renewing of our mindes and in whatsoever transfiguration or ravishment we cannot finde Moses and Elias and Christ to meet as here they did in this sacred Synod that is if what we finde in us be not agreeable to the Scriptures we may well suspect it as an illusion Verse 4. Lord it is good 〈◊〉 us to be here 〈◊〉 plura absurda quam verba But he knew not what he should say he was so amused or rather amazed at that blessefull-sight So Paul whether in the body or out of the body when rapt into the third heaven he cannot tell God knoweth and again he cannot tell God knoweth 2 Cor. 12 2. 3. Only this he can tell that he heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wordlesse Words such things as words are too weak to utter and at the thought whereof Claudicat ingenium delir at linguaque mensque It is as impossible to comprehend heavens joyes as to compasse the heaven with a span or contain the Ocean in a 〈◊〉 No wonder then though Peter cry out it is good being here Or it is better being here then at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St Chrysostom senleth it whither our Saviour had said he must go and suffer many things of the Elders and be killed c. That St Peter liked not but would build here rather All men would have heaven but not the rough way that leads to it they would enter into Paradise but not through that narrow portall of afflictions they would sit in the seat of honour with Zebedees children but not drink of Christs cup much lesle be baptized with his baptisme that is be dowzed over head and eares in the waters of miseries They would feed on manchet tread on roses and come to heaven as 〈◊〉 at sea do many times to the haven whiles they are sleeping or before they are a ware But this is no lesse a folly then a delicacy thus to think to divide between Christ and his crosse to pull a rose without pricks to have heaven without hardship One for thee one for Moses one for Elias He never thought of one for himself he was so transported but he had provided 〈◊〉 for himself and us if Christ had taken his 〈◊〉 for so he should have declined death whereby life and immortality was brought to light to the Saints And this unadvised advie was so much the worse in Peter because but six daies before he had been sharply shent by our Saviour and called Satan for such carnall counsell and besides that even then he heard Moses and Elias 〈◊〉 with Christ about his departure confirming him against it It 's hard to say how oft we shall fall into the same fault though foul if left to our selves Verse 5. Whiles he yet spake But had no answer because he deserved it not to so foolish a proposition Only the Father answereth for the Sonne by the oracle out of the cloud according to that I bear not witnesse to my self but the Father that sent me he it is that beareth witnesse of me A bright cloud over shadowed them As a eurtain drawn betwixt them and the heavenly glory to the contemplation whereof they were not yet sufficient Hereby also their senses were drawn off from beholding Christs glory to hear the voice from Heaven which by the cloud as by a charet was carried into their ears with greater sound and solemnity Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine was a saying of Pythagoras God may not be mentioned without a light This is my beloved Son in Whom Here God maketh use of three diverse passages and places of his own book Psal. 2. 7. Isa. 42. 1. 〈◊〉 18. 18. to teach us when we speak to speak as the Oracles of God to inure our selves to Scripture language The voice also which Christ heard from heaven at his baptisme in his first inauguration is here repeated totidem verbis in his transfiguration which was no small confirmation to him doubtlesse as it was also to Peter and the rest that this voice was the same in esfect with his and their confession of Christ in the former Chapter ver 16. Thou art Christ the Sonne of the Living God In Whom I am Well pleased In whom I doe 〈◊〉 and have perfect and full complacency singular contentment And as in him so in us thorow him Zeph. 3. 17. he rests in his love 〈◊〉 his he will seek no further effecit nos sibi dilectos in 〈◊〉 Dilecto he hath made us accepted in that beloved one Here we have Gods acquittance for our better security Hear ye him As the Archprophet of the Church Deut. 18. 15. that Palmoni hammedabber as Daniel calleth him that excellent speaker that master of speech that came out of the 〈◊〉 of his father and hath his whole minde at his fingers ends as we say Hear ye him
looked upon with an envious eye Envy is a quick-sighted and sharp-fanged malignity Prov. 27. 4. and doth de aliena mente tam promptè quam pravè conjicere as one saith nimbly and naughtily guesse at another mans meaning Verse 16. So the last shall be first c. This is the purport of the preceding parable Application is the life of preaching Few are chosen It 's a strange speech of Chrysostom in his fourth sermon to the people of Antioch where he was much beloved and did much good How many think you shall be saved in this City It will be an hard speech to you but I will speak it Though there be so many thousands of you yet there cannot be found an hundred that shall be saved and I doubt of them too For what villany is there in youth What sloth in old men and so he goes on See the notes on Mat. 7. 14. Verse 17. Took the twelve Disciples To rouse them and raise them out of their carnall fears and dejections Jerusalem was the 〈◊〉 slaughter house Luk. 13. 33. as Rome is now which therefore is spiritually called Jerusalem Egypt Sodom c Hither our Saviour bent his course hereupon they were amazed and afraid Mark 10. 32. and gave him counsell to goe back rather into Galilee for his own and their safety Joh. 11 8. He takes them therefore apart and tells them as followeth what they must trust to and that though he be brought to the dust of death he will rise again gloriously to their great comfort Verse 18. Behold we goe up to Jerusalem Behold as it requires attention and this was no more then need for St Luke tells us that they understood none of these things c. so it sets forth our Saviours forwardnesse to goe this dangerous voyage Verse 19. To mock and to scourge and to crucifie him What are all our sufferings to his and yet we think our selves undone if but toucht and in setting forth our calamities we adde we multiply we rise in our discourse like him in the Poet. I am thrice miserable nay ten twenty an hundred a thousand times unhappie And yet all our sufferings are but as the 〈◊〉 and chips of that crosse upon which Christ nay many Christians have suffered In the time of Adrian the Emperour ten thousand Martyrs are said to have been crucified in the mount of Ararath crowned with thorns and thrust into the sides with sharp darts after the example of the Lords passion The chief of whom were Achaicus Heliades Theodorus Carcerius c. Verse 20. Then came to him c. Then most unseasonably when Christ had by the parable been teaching them humility and now was discoursing of his death and passion then came these sonnes of Zebedee to beg a principality in Christs imaginary earthly Monarchy And this is not the first time of their so foul mistake so unseasonable a suit to him or strife among themselves The leprosy was cured at once in Naaman so is not 〈◊〉 in the Saints but by degrees and at times The mother of Zebedees children Set on by her two sonnes who were ashamed to make the motion themselves but as good they might for Christ knew all and therefore directs his answer to them Mark 10. 35. and she also was not well assured of the 〈◊〉 of her request and therefore came curtesying and craving a certain thing not telling him what at first as going somewhat against her conscience And surely her request had been impudent but that she presumed upon her neer alliance to Christ For she is thought to have been sister to Ioseph who was Pater Christi politicus and thence her boldnesse by reason of her right of kindred by the Fathers side And this is some kinde of carnall excuse Yet not for her and her sons foliy and vanity in dreaming of an earthly kingdom and therein a distribution of honours and offices as in Davids and Solomons daies Verse 21. What wilt thou We may not over-hastily ingage our selves by promise of this or that to our best friends but hold off and deliberate Alioqui saliens antequam videat cafurus est 〈◊〉 debeat The one on thy right hand Quid voveat dulci nutricula 〈◊〉 alumno Our Saviour had promised in the former chapter that the twelve should sit upon twelve thrones c. These mens suit was for the first and second seat Self-love makes men ambitious and 〈◊〉 them to turn the glasse to see themselves bigger others lesser then they are Paul on the contrary was least of Saints 〈◊〉 of Apostles Verse 22. Ye know not what ye ask Ye ask and misse because ye ask 〈◊〉 A prayer for things not lawfull begs nothing but a deniall as Moses did in praying to enter into the land Deut. 3. 25. as Job did in that peevish request of his that God would let loose his hand and cut him off as the Disciples did in that over-curious enquiry Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Our Saviour answers that that 's not fit for them to know But a better thing he could tell them that they should shortly after be clothed which the holy Ghost God sometimes in much mercy crosseth the prayers of his poople as he did Davids for the childes life who if he had lived would have been but a standing monument of Davids shame Was it not better for him to have a Solomon The Saints have their praiers out either in money or moneys-worth provided they bring lawfull petitions and honest hearts Are ye able to drink of the cup c. Afflictions are frequently set forth by this metaphor of a cup taken say some from an ancient custom that the father of the family should give to each under his charge a cup fit for his use according to his bignesse Or as others think from the manner of feasts whereat the Symposiarch or ruler of the feast as he is called Ioh. 2. prescribed what and how much every man should drink And to be baptized with the baptisme Or plunged over head and ears in the deep waters of affliction Of these we may 〈◊〉 as one doth of the Spa waters that they are more wholesome then pleasant Ever since Christ cast his crosse into them as Moses did that tree Exod. 15. 25. the property of them is altered the waters healed They say unto him we are able In your own conceit at least not else For these two Disciples as they knew not what they asked so they knew not what they answered And yet Maldonat hath the face to defend them in it as if they here 〈◊〉 their alacrity rather then betrayed their precipitancy Sed exitus 〈◊〉 probavit they shewed their valour at Christs apprehension Verse 23. Ye shall drink indeed of my cup Illud solum quod 〈◊〉 est limpidius The Saints sip of the top of Gods cup as for the dregs the wicked
shall wring them out and drink them up And be baptized c. Or ducked washed not drowned as St Paul was in the shipwrack or as the baptized child which shakes off the water or is dryed after baptisme Afflictions saith one are called baptisme because they set Gods mark upon us as baptisme doth that we belong to God This for outward afflictions And for desertion it is called Christs cup because we are sure to pledge him in that too and be conformed unto him as was Iob David Heman Psal. 88 c. Grace is no target against affliction but the best shall have terrours within and troubles without as sure as the coat is on their back or the heart in their belly Is not mine to give i.e. It is no part of my present office Or I have no such commission from my father to give precedencies to all that affect them Christ hereby seeks to raise up the low groveling spirits of his Apostles to things supernaturall supernall Verse 24. They were moved They were angry at that ambition in their fellows that themselves were deeply guilty of So Diogines trampled Platoes pride but with greater pride So Crassus earnestly inveighed against covetousnesse in others when there was not a more covetous caitiffe then he upon the earth So Gregory the great stomaked the title of universall Bishop to the Patriarch of Constantinople which yet himself affected and his successour Boniface arrogated and usurped Verse 25. Iesus called them to him and said We must by Christs example advance cherish concord all we can amongst ministers especially by casting out those make-bates emulation and ambition Pareus was wont to say that the onely cause of all Church-dissensions was Ministers reaching after rule and preheminence as did Diotrephes And that if this evil humour could possibly be purged 〈◊〉 there would be a sweet symmetrie an happy 〈◊〉 of all hearts And they that are great The Grandees of the earth There is saith one a greatnesse Belluine and Genuine In that a beast may and doth exceed us In this we exceed ourselves and others Great men are not alwaies wise saith Elihu Iob 32. 9. And 〈◊〉 me major nisi qui justior said Agesilaus when the King of Persia 〈◊〉 himself the great King Calamitas nostra magnus est said Mimus concerning Pompey the people applauding so 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 Privilegium unius conceditur in 〈◊〉 alterius saith a learned Doctour si vis esse verè 〈◊〉 ne sis instar utris 〈◊〉 tumidi sed instar uteri prole gravidi 〈◊〉 attollas inane supercilium sed exhibeas utile ministerium Goodnesse is the only greatnesse Verse 26. But it shall not be so amongst you How expresse is that against Papal primacy and Lordly prelacy When the Duke shall be damned what will become of the Bishop said the clown to the bishop of Cullen Mr Whithead refused a Bishoprick because he liked not to be Lorded And Mr Coverdale being deprived of his Bishoprick in Q. Maries daies would not for the same cause be reinvested in Q. Elizabeths but taught a school Verse 27. Let him be your servant This is the ready way to rise Neither may any think himself too good to serve the Saints to wash their feet to minister to their necessities Christ came out of the bosome of his Father to fetch them to heaven The holy Ghost disdains not to dwell in their hearts Angels are desirous to do them any good office Prophets think not much to minister to them 1 Pet. 1. 12. Paul and Apollo and Cephas are theirs publike servants to the Church accounting it a far greater matter prodesse quà m praeesse to seek mens salvation then to exercise dominion Verse 28. And to give his life a ransome A redemptory a valuable rate for it was the blood of God wherewith the Church was purchased Acts 20. 28. silver and gold could not do it 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. nor any thing else but that counter-price given by Christ 1 Tim. 2. 6. Verse 29. And as they departed from Iericho Christ cured one blinde man as he went into Iericho Luk. 18. and two as he went out for all the haste he had to go to Ierusalem Hence such multitudes followed him to make up his ensuing triumph Verse 30. When they heard that Iesus passed by Happy it was for them that though blind yet they were not d eaf For as death came in by the ear so doth life Hear and your souls shall live Isa 55. 3. a heavy ear is a singular judgement Isa. 6. 10. a 〈◊〉 ear a speciall favour Prov. 20. 12. when God strook Zaechary 〈◊〉 1. he made him dumb but not deaf When God strook Saul he made him blind but not deaf When God strook Mephibosheth he made him lame but not deaf There is a deaf devil and a deaf adder and deaf man that yet want for no ears Isa. 43 8. But he that heareth instruction is in the way of life saith Solomon These two blind beggers had heard of Christ by the hearing of the ear but that satisfied them not unlesse their eyes also might see him Iob 42. 5. They way-lay therefore the Lord of light who gives them upon their suit both sight and light irradiates both organ and object cures them of their both outward and inward 〈◊〉 at once Thou son of David They knew and acknowledged Christ to be the true Messias Few such knowing blind beggers now 〈◊〉 They are commonly more blinde in minde then body loose and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are neither of any Church nor common-wealth but as the baser sort of people in Swethland who do alwaies break the Sabbath saying that 't is only for gentlemen to sanctifie it Or rather as the poor Brasilians who are said to be sine rege lege fide without any government law or Religion Verse 31. And the multitude rebuked them In prayer we must look to meet with many rubs and 〈◊〉 but Gods spirit is heroike and gets over them all The 〈◊〉 will interrupt us as the 〈◊〉 did Paul Act. 16. 16. as the birds did 〈◊〉 Gen. 15. 11. as those Samaritans did the Jews in building the Temple Nehem. 6. Hence we are bid Strive in prayer Colos. 4. 2. and watch in prayer for Satan will be at our right hand as at Iehoshuahs Zach. 3. 1. watching his time to cast in if not a 〈◊〉 yet an impertinent thought thereby to bereave us of the benefit of our prayers besides our own naturall indevotion through hardnesse of heart heavinesse of body multiplicity of worldly distractions and 〈◊〉 All which we must break through and cry the more earnestly as Bartimaeus here did though checkt by the multitude Have mercy on us o Lord c. Daniel would not be kept from his God for any danger of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 nor the French Protestants restrain prayer though King Henry 3. made a law to forbid them to pray with their families The sun
prayer made by a penitent malefactour executed at Evesham in Worcestershier many years since But our Lord Christ was forsaken of all these creature-comforts and which was worse then all of his Fathers favour to his present apprehension left forelorne and destitute for a time that we might be received for ever Howbeit perplexed though he were yet not in despair persecuted yet not forsaken cast down yet not destroyed He could say My God in the midst of all by the force of his faith which individuateth God as a Father saith and appropriateth him to a mans self And Hilary hath a good note which here comes in not out of place Habes conquerentem relictum se esse quia homo est habes eundem profitentem Latroni in paradiso regnaturum quia Deus est As man he cryes out My God my God c when as God he promiseth paradise to the penitent theef Verse 47. This man calleth for Elias A malicious mistake a devilish sarcasme Whiles darknesse was upon them they were over-awed and husht their mouths were haltered as horses must be saith the Psalmist as the sea was by our Saviour and held in with bit and bridle lest they come near unto thee But no sooner was it light again but they are at their old trade again deriding our Saviour and depraving his words as if forsaken of his hope in God he had fled to Elias for help So when Cranmer standing at the stake cryed out often Lord Jesu receive my spirit a Spanish Monk that heard him ran to a Noble-man there present and tells him that those were the words of one that dyed in great despair Verse 48. And filled it with vineger Sorrow is dry we say This man of sorrows more to fulfill the Scriptures then for his own satisfaction though extream dry no doubt for now was the Paschall lamb a roasting in the fire of his Fathers wrath he saith I thirst and had vineger to drink that we might drink of the water of life and be sweetly inebriated in that torrent of pleasure that runs at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16. 11. See the Note on Joh. 19. 29. Verse 49. Let us see whether Elias c. This mocking is the murther of the tongue which therefore our Saviour suffered ut nos illusori Satanae insultaremus saith one It is reported of Aretine that by a longer custome of libellous and contumelious speaking against men he had got such a habit that at last he came to diminish and disesteem God himself May not the same be made good of these malicious miscreants Verse 50. Yeelded up the Ghost Or let go his spirit viz. to God that gave it to whom also he recommended it Luk. 23. 46. teaching us what to do in like case Our care herein may make even a Centurion a gracelesse person to glorifie God saying Certainly this was a righteous man vers 47. When so great a clark as Erasmus dying with no better words in his mouth then Domine fac finem fac finem is but hardly thought of How much more that English Hubertus a covetous oppressour who dying made this wretched will-paroll I yeeld my goods to the King my body to the grave my soul to the devil Verse 51. The vail of the Temple was rent To shew than there was an end of the Leviticall liturgy and that now there was free and open accesse for all Saints to the throne of Gods grace for the vail was a figure of the spirituall covering which was before the eyes of the Church till Christs coming And the earth did quake To work a heart-quake in the obstinate Jews as in some it did others of them had contracted such an habituall hardnesse such a hoof upon their hearts as neither ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy could possibly mollifie And the rocks rent So they do wherever Christ makes forcible entrance into any heart I will shake all nations and then the desire of all nations shall come Hag. 2. 7. A man will never truly desire Christ till soundly shaken Gods shaking ends in setling he rents us not to ruine but to refine us Verse 52. And the graves were opened To shew that death was now swallowed up in victory by life essentiall like as the fire swallows up the fuell and as Moses his serpent swallowed up the enchanted serpents And many bodies of the Saints To shew that the 〈◊〉 strings of death which before bound them in their 〈◊〉 were now broken and they enlarged to attend our Saviours resurrection Verse 53. And appeared unto many Not to converse again as heretofore with men but to accompany Christ that raised them into heaven and to be as so many ocular 〈◊〉 of Christs quickning power whereby he shall also raise our vile bodies and conform them to his glorious body the standard Phil. 3. ult Verse 54. Truly this was the Sonne of God i.e. A divine man a de my-god as these Heathens reputed those in whom they beheld and admired any thing above the ordinary nature of 〈◊〉 and their expectation Naturall conscience cannot but stoop and do homage to the image of God stamped upon his people as being afraid of that name of God whereby they are called Deut. 28. 10. There are that think that these souldiers our Saviours executioners were truly converted by the miracles they 〈◊〉 seen according to what Christ had prayd for them Luk. 23. 34. And it may very well be like as Paul was converted upon 〈◊〉 Stevens prayer as Justine Martyr and others were by behold ing the piety and patience of the Primitive Christians and as James Silvester 〈◊〉 at the Martyrdome of Simon Lalot at 〈◊〉 He seeing the great faith and constancy of that heavenly Martyr was so compuncted with repentance saith Mr Fox and fell into such despair of himself that they had much ado to fasten any comfort on him wich all the promises of the Gospell till at length he recovered repented and with all his family removed to the Church of Genova Christians have shewed as glorious power and have as good successe in the faith of Martyrdome as in the faith of miracles working wonders thereby upon those that have sought and suckt their blood Verse 55. And many women were there More hardy then the Disciples who all save John were fled and hid Oh stand saith a Divine and behold a little with those devout women the body of thy Saviour hanging upon the crosse See him afflicted from top to 〈◊〉 See him wounded in the head to heal our vain 〈◊〉 See him wounded in the hands to heal our evil actions See him wounded in the heart to cure our 〈◊〉 thoughts See his eyes shut up that did enlighten the world See them shut that thine might be turned from seeing of vanity See that countenance so goodly to behold spetted upon and 〈◊〉 that thy face 〈◊〉 shine glorious as the Angels in heaven
shall indeed drink of the cup But not of that bitter cup of his Fathers wrath which he drank off in his passion Only the Saints fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ Colos. 1. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee shall be baptized And come out of the waters of affliction with as little hurt as a babe doth out of the water in baptisme by the help of divine grace Verse 42. They which are accounted to rule All earthly ruledomes are but shewes and shadowes to that of God Qui videntur imperare They doe but seem to rule Verse 46. Blind Bartimaeus Named and celebrated in the Gospel when many mighty Monarchs are utterly forgotten or else lie shrouded in the sheet of shame Verse 48. The more a great deale True faith works its way through many obstacles as the clouded sun doth Verse 50. And he casting away his garment Though a beggar he stood not upon the losse of his coat but for joy of his calling 〈◊〉 it from him So Joh. 4. 28. Heb. 12. 1. CHAP. XI Verse 2. Whereon never man sate AS if it had been done on set purpose Here was a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. the better to convince the stubborn Jewes of his Kingly office Verse 3. Say ye that the Lord hath need of him See here six severall arguments of our Saviours Deity 1. That he knew there was such an asse-colt 2. That he sent for it 3. Fore-saw that the masters of the colt would question them that fet it 4. That he professeth himself the Lord of all 5. That he could tell they would send the colt 6. That accordingly they did so Verse 12. He was hungry This and that he knew not but that there were figs on the tree declare him to be true Man Verse 13. The time of figs was not yet viz. Of ripe figs but if he could have found but green figs only he would at that time have been glad of them Hee looked for somewhat from that great shew of leaves But the old Proverb became true Great bruit little fruit Verse 17. My house shall be called c. He inveighs against the same fault with the same arguments as before Joh. 2. Verse 21. And Peter calling to remembrance So the fig-tree bare farre better fruit now that it was dryed then when it was green and flourishing 〈◊〉 nos Patres tum docentes tum labentes The Saints teach us as by their instructions so by their infirmities Verse 25. And when ye stand praying Severall gestures in prayer are described not prescribed in Gods Book The word here rendred stand importeth a presenting ones self before the Lord whether he stand sit or kneel c. Verse 30. From heaven or of men answer me So when the enemies of Reformation demand what we mean by so doing ask them what they think of that we doe Is it from heaven or of men If from heaven why doe not they approve it If of men why doe not they disprove it by the Scriptures Bucer and Melancthon framed a form of Reformation according to the truth of the Gospel with the approbation of the Peers and States of Cullen but the Clergy though not able to contradict it by good reason yet rejected it with slander and said that they had rather chuse to live under the Turkish Government then under a Magistrate that embraced that Reformation CHAP. XII Verse 1. A certain man planted c. SEe the Notes on Matth. 21. 33. Verse 3. And beat him Properly they hilded him but by a Metonymie they beat him Sie 〈◊〉 vulpem 〈◊〉 pellis 〈◊〉 AEtrahatur So men beat a Fox that they may the better hilde him Verse 4. Wounded him in the head Caput 〈◊〉 they brake his head Theophylact interpreteth it They completed their villany and spent all their spite upon him Verse 6. They will reverence my 〈◊〉 They will surely be 〈◊〉 to look him in the 〈◊〉 This is the proper signification of the word But sin had 〈◊〉 an impudency in their faces that they could blush no more then a Sack-but Verse 13. To catch him in his words As Hunters catch the beast in a toyl as Fowlers catch the bird in a snare as Saint Matthewes word here signifies Fistula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dum decipit auceps Verse 14. To give tribute This tribute the Jewes then paid to the Romanes as now they doe to the Turks for the very heads they wear And yet they had the face to say to our Saviour Joh. 8. 33. We never were in bondage to any man But perhaps these Jewes were of the Sect of Judas Gaulonites who would not be drawn by any torments to acknowledge any Lord upon earth beleeving that God only was to be held their Lord and King Verse 24. Not knowing the Scriptures And yet they alledged and argued out of Scripture but upon a false ground viz. that the state of men should continue in the other world such as it is here as to eat drink marry generate c. Verse 26. I am the God of Abraham Therefore thy God also if thou walk in the foot-steps of faithfull Abraham Rom. 4. 23 24. Verse 28. Asked him which is the first All Christs Disciples must be 〈◊〉 Questionists and doe the same to learn that this Scribe here doth for a worse purpose Verse 29. Is one Lord This the wiser Heathens as Pythagoras Socrates Plato and Aristotle with his Ens Entium miserere mei if that were his acknowledged Exod. 34. 14. Thou shalt worship 〈◊〉 other god Where the word Acher rendred Other hath R greater then ordinary to shew the greatnesse of the sinne of serving others gods and to set forth a difference between Acher Other and Echad One God One in Three and Three in One. Verse 34. Answered discreetly That he was better then the Pharisees used to be He was Egregiè cordatus homo and began to lift up his head out of the mud toward heaven Verse 35. How say the Scribes They were great Genealogists how was it then that they were no better versed in the Genealogie of Christ that they could give no better an account of his two-fold nature Of other things one may be ignorant and yet be saved Not so here Verse 36. Said by the Holy Ghost The Psalmes then are a part of holy Writ by Christs own testimony who also Luk. 24. 44. divideth the Old Testament into the Law of Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes Yea Psalmorum liber 〈◊〉 utilia sunt ex omnibus continet saith Augustine after Basil The Psalmes are a treasury of all holy truths Verse 38. Love to goe in long clothing Down to the heels as Senators or Counsellors A garment that Christ himself ware as being a Citizen or free Denison of Capernaum But he loved not to go in it as these Pharisees these glorious Masters of