Arminians become professed Papists which differ no more saith a learned man then the Stoicks of old did from the Cynicks by the wearing of their cloaks onely If the Lutherans admit of universall grace the Huberians will thereupon bring in universall election the Puccians naturall faith the Naturalists as that Cestercian monster lately 〈◊〉 at London did will explode Christ and the Scriptures Apestilent sect there was not long since in Arragon whose founders were a hypocriticall crew of their Priests who affecting in themselves and their followers a certain Angelicall purity fell suddenly to the very counterpoint of justifying bestiality These called themselves Illuminati as if they onely had bin in the light and all the world besides in 〈◊〉 So besides the Gnosticks who held themselves to be the onely knowing men the Manichees derived their name of Manica because that whatsoever they taught was to be taken as food from heaven Irenaeus tells of some that counted their own writings to be gospels And the family of love set out their Evangelium regni Anabaptists brag much of their Enthusiasmes and the Jesuites vaunt that the Church is the soul of the world the Clergy of the Church and they of the Clergy and yet for their wickednesse though a man saith One should declaim against them t ll all the sand of the Sea had runne thorow his houre-glasse he could not possibly want matter Can there any grapes be gathered of these thorns any figs of these thistles Our Saviour makes use of these common proverbs to prove that this is so plain a truth that none can be ignorant of it if he have but his eies in his head or doe not wink wilfully as those Qui ut liberius peccent 〈◊〉 ignorant who are willingly ignorant that they may sin without controul Verse 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit i e. All 〈◊〉 doctrine tends to good life and rotten opinions to wretched practises As besides the old haereticks we see in the Papists their Priests especially of whom the L. Audely Chancellour of England in K. Henry the eights time said to 13. Callice men prisoners for Religion whom he discharged For Gods sake 〈◊〉 beware how you deal with Popish Priests for I assure you some of them be knaves all After the one thousand year of Christ there was no where lesse piety then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome as Machiavell himself observed who yet was himself none of the best as is well known for he professeth Caesar 〈◊〉 not withstanding all his villanies as the onely example for a Prince to imitate The Romish Pharisees like the devils are then thought to doe well when they cease to doe hurt saith Joannes Sarisburiensis In Popes saith Papirius Massonius a popish writer speaking of those Popes that lived in the time of the 〈◊〉 councell no man now-adaies requireth holinesse They are thought to be very good if not exstream evil or any thing better then the worst use to be The Sea of Rome saith Another hath not merited alate to be ruled by any better then reprobates Divers Popes have been 〈◊〉 Atheists Epicures Monsters as Bennio Cardinalis describes Hildebrand and Luitprandus reports of John the twelfth that he Ordained Priests in a stable among his horses that he went into his fathers Concubines that he drank a health to the devil c. Benedict the twelfth had this Epitaph set over him Hic situs est 〈◊〉 Laicis 〈◊〉 vipera 〈◊〉 Devius a vero turba repleta mero I am not ignorant what is the common put-off of Papists when urged with these and the like histories viz. Luitprandi illud non est sed 〈◊〉 cujusdam 〈◊〉 hoc historiae ipsius appenderit Luitprandus never wrote any such thing but some other namelesse Authour that hath 〈◊〉 it to his history saith Bellarmine and Baronius But who this namelesse Authour was or when he lived or how it may appear that it was 〈◊〉 indeed they say not a word So if we cite Bemio Cardinalis Imò potius Lutheranus saith Bellarmine and Florimund How disdainfully they reject the Fathers when they make against them I need not here recite I would sooner believe one Pope then a thousand Augustines saith a Jesuite And yet when they cannot be heard they are ready 〈◊〉 to cry out as that haeretike Dioscorus did in the Councell of Chalcedon I am cast out with the Fathers I defend the doctrine of the Fathers I transgresse them not in any point If we produce their own Doctours and Schoolmen as witnesses of the truth these men say they are Catholike Authours but they stand not recti in curia they must be purged So witty are 〈◊〉 rather to devise a thousand shifts to delude the 〈◊〉 then once to yeeld and acknowledge it They will not 〈◊〉 the love of the truth as the intemperate patient will not be ruled by the Physician And for this cause God delivers them up to strong delusions vile affections base and beastly practises as committing and defending of Sodomy and such like abhorred filth not once to be named amongst Christians But some having put away a good conscience as concerning faith have made shipwrack saith the Apostle A good conscience is as it were a chest wherein the doctrine of faith is to be kept safe which will quickly be lost if the chest be once broken And they that turne from the truth will prove abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Verse 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil 〈◊〉 c. Heretikes then and heterodoxes are not good honest men as the vulgar 〈◊〉 them For their pretended holinesse and counterfeit humility Col. 2. 18. Were they humble men indeed they would soon yeeld to the truth discovered unto them and relinquish their erroneous opinions 〈◊〉 could not be a good man as Bucholcerus judged him so long as he held fast his heresies though he were much in the commendation of a new life and detestation of an evil though himself praid much and lived soberly He bewitched many with those magnificent words and stately tearms that he had much in his mouth of Illumination Revelation Deification the inward and spirituall man c. but in the mean while he denied the humane nature of Christ to be a creature and called those that thought otherwise Creaturists He affirmed the Scripture to be but a dead letter which they that held not he called them Scripturists Faith he said was nothing else but God dwelling in us as Osiander after him In a word he was a leper in his head and is therefore pronounced utterly 〈◊〉 An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit That popish inquisitour was quite out that said the Waldensian Haereticks may be discerned by their manners and words for they are modest true grave and full of brotherly love one towards
of Camels hair Sutable to Elias in whose spirit and power he came who was thus habited So those worthies of whom the world was not worthy wandered about in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Goat 〈◊〉 but they were like the Ark without covered with Goats-hair within all of pure gold God cloathed our first parents in leather when there was means of better cloathing to humble them 〈◊〉 and to shame all such as are proud of their cloathes which are the ensigns of our shame and came in with sin as it's 〈◊〉 And a leathern girdle about his 〈◊〉 So had Elias and God takes notice of it and records it when the pomp and pride of many Monarchs lie hid in obscurity buried in oblivion Such love beareth the Lord to his people that every thing in them is remarked and registred He thinks the better of the very ground they goe upon Psal. 87. 2 3 4 5 6. their walls are ever in his sight and he loveth to look upon the houses where they dwell Isa. 40. 16. And his meat was locusts These creatures have their name in Greek from the top of the ears of 〈◊〉 which as they fled they sed upon That they were mans meat in those Eastern Countries appears Levit. 11. 22. and Pliny testifieth as much Course meat they were but nature is content with little grace with lesse Cibus potus sunt divitiae Christianorum saith that Father 〈◊〉 and water with the Gospel are good chear saith another 〈◊〉 Saviour hath taught us to pray for bread not for manchet 〈◊〉 junkets but down right houshold bread and himself gave thanks for barley-bread and broiled fishes A little of the creature will serve turn to carry thee thorow thy pilgrimage One told a Philosopher If you will be content to please Dionysius you need not feed upon green herbs He replied And if you can feed upon green herbs you need not please Dionysius you need not flatter comply be base c. The Ancients held green herbs to be good chear and accounted it wealth enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be 〈◊〉 nor cold saith 〈◊〉 But what 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 Jews that for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locusts read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet-meats as Epiphanius noteth against the Ebionites The best we see are liable to be belied And wilde honey Such as naturally distilled out of trees as did that which Jonathan tasted with the tip of his rod called honey of the wood 1 Sam 14. 27. God made 〈◊〉 suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock Deut. 32. 13. Hence Iudea was called Sumen totius orbis And Strabo that spitefully affirmeth it to be a dry barren countrey had not so much ingenuity as that railing Rabshakeh 2 King 18. 32. 〈◊〉 5. Then went out to him Ierusalem Hitherto the prosopography of 〈◊〉 Baptist Follows now the resort that was made unto him for by his divine doctrine and austere life he had merited among many to be taken for the Messiah Joh. 1. And all Iudea That is very many as the word All is many times elswhere taken in the new Testament And all the 〈◊〉 round about Iordan Stirred up by the noise of that new preacher So sundry amongst us will be content 〈◊〉 hear if there goe a great report of the man or if he deliver some new Doctrine or deal in deep points as Herod Lu. 23. 8. But these soon grow weary and fall off as those Jews did from Iohn for the which they were justly taxed by our 〈◊〉 Verse 6. And were baptized of him in Iordan Baptizing of 〈◊〉 was in use among the Jews before the daies of Iohn Baptist. From this custome saith Broughton though without commandment and of small authority Christ authoriseth a seal of entring into his rest using the Jews weaknesse as an allurement thither As from bread and wine used with the Paschall Lamb being without all commandment of Moses but resting upon the common reason given by the Creatour he authoriseth a seal of his flesh and bloud In Iordan At Bethabara Joh. 1. 28. that is at that very place where the people of Israel passed over Jordan and 〈◊〉 the Land Baptisme then was there first administred where it had been of old fore-shadowed Here also we see that the acts of 〈◊〉 and Iesus took their happy beginning at one and the same place And like as the people after they had passed over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumcised before they received the Land by lot of inheritance So after we have been baptized and thereby enrolled among the Citizens of the new Ierusalem the 〈◊〉 of sinne and super fluity of 〈◊〉 must be daily pared off by the practice of mortification ere we can come to the Kingdome of Heaven Confessing 〈◊〉 sins In token of their true repentance For as only the man that is wakened out of his dream can tell his dream so only he that is wakened out of his 〈◊〉 can clearly 〈◊〉 them And this confession of sin joyned with confusion of sin without the which confession is but winde the drops of contrition water is that which in baptisme we restipulate Not the putting away of the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 but the 〈◊〉 answer of a good conscience toward God 1 〈◊〉 3. 21. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscience a heart 〈◊〉 from wickednesse in this 〈◊〉 of regeneration the baptisme of repentance the washing of the new birth the being baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire this saveth saith S. Peter Not as the efficient cause of salvation for that is Christ alone nor yet as a 〈◊〉 instrument for that 's faith alone but only as a 〈◊〉 of the saved and a pledge of their salvation As on the other side God will not own a viperous brood though baptized that bring not forth fruits meet for repentance To such baptisme is not the mark of Gods childe but the brand of a fool that maketh a vow and then breaketh it Eccles. 5. 3. For the font is Beersheba The well of an Oath and there we swear as David did to keep Gods righteous judgements Now if Zedekiah and 〈◊〉 paid so dear for their 〈◊〉 for their fast and loose with men how will God revenge the quarrell of his Covenant The Spanish converts in Mexico remember not any thing of the promise and profession they made in baptisme save only their name which many times also they forget In the Kingdom of Congo in Africk the Portugals 〈◊〉 their first arrivall finding the people to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God did enduce them to a profession of Christ and to be baptized in great abundance allowing 〈◊〉 the principles of religion till such time as the Priests prest them to lead their lives according to their profession which the most part of them in no case enduring returned again to their Gentilisme Such renegadoes we
by the fire of the Word would burn which made 〈◊〉 Nehemiah to pray for pardon of his reformations yet upon your true repentance for the evil that cleaves to your best works your 〈◊〉 may be saved from the wrath to come yea they are such as accompany salvation and comprehend it as the 〈◊〉 Scholiast expounds that text Labour ther fore to 〈◊〉 a heart full of goodnesse as those Romans Chap. 15. 14. and a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9. 33. such as may beseem amendment of life Verse 9. And thinke not to say within your selves Hypocrites are never without their starting-holes out of 〈◊〉 they must be ferretted There are infinite turnings and windings in the heart of man studious of deceiving it self by some paralogisme Therefore the Apostle so oft premiseth Be not deceived when he reckons up reprobates 1 Cor 6 9. Eph. 5. 6 c. We have Abraham to our father What of that so had Ishmael an 〈◊〉 Esau a castaway c. Externall priviledges profit not where nothing better can be pleaded 〈◊〉 the fool was of the line of faithfull Caleb Qui 〈◊〉 post me Followed me fully 〈◊〉 God Numb 14. 24. Vertue is not as lands inheritable Why should these men brag they had Abraham to their father when they might have observed that God had raised up of this stone a son to Caleb God is able His power is 1. Absolute whereby he can doe more then he doth 2. Actuall whereby he doth that only that he willeth Some things he can doe but will not as here and 〈◊〉 26. 53. Rom. 9. 18. Some things he neither will nor can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie to die to deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 1. 3. Heb. 6. 17. for these things contradict his 〈◊〉 and imply impotency But whatsoever he 〈◊〉 without impediment he 〈◊〉 Isa. 46. o Psal. 115. 3. Of these stones to raise up children to Abraham This he could doe though he will not And yet he doth as much as this when he takes the stone out of the heart when of carnall he makes us a people created again Psal. 102. 18. when cut of a hollow person one as empty and void of heart as the hollow of a tree is of 〈◊〉 is fetcht out heart of oak and of a wilde asse-colt-born is made a man See both these similitudes Job 11. 12. It was a strange change that Satan mention'd and motion'd to our Saviour of turning stones into bread But nothing so strange as turning stony hearts into hearts of flesh This is a work of Gods Almighty power the same that he put forth in raising Christ from the dead Ephes. 1. 19. where the Apostle the better to set forth the matter 〈◊〉 a six-fold gradation in the Originall and in creating the world 〈◊〉 51. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. The Prophet Isaiah tels us That he plants the heavens and laies the foundation of the earth that he may say to Zion Thou art my people And although mans heart be an emptinesse as in the Creation as herbs in Winter or as a breathlesse clod of earth yet that hinders not 〈◊〉 the Prophet Verse 10. And now also is the axe laid to the root of the tree q. d. God is now taking aim where to hit and how to fell you as a man laieth his axe at that very place that he intends to to smite at he seeth well enough that all his patience and pains in digging in dunging and in dressing you is to no purpose He comes seeking fruit from time to time but findeth none Luk. 13. 7. Now therefore he hath laid down his basket and taken up his axe as resolved to ruine you unlesse present course be taken Neglect not the present Now lest ye be cut off for ever God will not alway serve you for a 〈◊〉 stock Since ye have a Preacher repent or perish Let this spring distinguish between dead and living trees Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit So God is graciously pleased to stile our poor 〈◊〉 in every of which there is something of his as well as something of our own That which is his he accepts that which is ours he pardons But good it must be quoad fontem the Spirit of God and quoad finem the glory of God Negative 〈◊〉 serves no mans tur to save him from the axe It is said of 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of the Priscillian heresie was all the vertue that he had The evil servant did not riot cut his talent those reprobates Mat. 25. robbed not the Saints but relieved them not Moab and Ammon were bastardized and banished the sanctuary to the tenth generation for a meer omission because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernes And Edom is sore threatned for not harbouring them when scattered by the 〈◊〉 Take we heed that live in the last age of the world lest God hasten the calling of the Jews and cast us off for our unfruitfulnesse Rom. 11. Verse 11. I indeed baptize you with water to repentance There is a two fold baptisme Heb. 6. 2. the doctrine of baptismes viz 〈◊〉 flaminis externall and internall the putting away of the pollution of the flesh and the answer of a good conscience purged from dead works to God-ward When these two meet when men are baptized with water to repentance then baptisme saveth 1 Pet. 3. 21. that is it effectually assureth salvation whensoever by the Spirit and faith the baptized comes to be united to Christ and to feel the love of God shed abroad in his soul whereby is wrought in him a spirit of 〈◊〉 a grief 〈◊〉 sinne as it is an offence against God And hereupon S. Peter saith Baptisme saveth in the present tense implying that it is of permanent and perpetuall use effectuall to save and seal up the promises whensoever we repent From which happy time baptisme once received remains a fountain alwaies open for sinne and 〈◊〉 uncleannesse to those that mourn over him that bled over them a laver of regeneration a washing of the spirit who 〈◊〉 clean water upon them ridding and 〈◊〉 them from all their sins past present and future Provided that they stand to the Covenant and order of baptisme in a continuall renovation of faith and repentance as occasion shall be offered This doctrine of baptismes now cleared by Divines divers of the ancient Doctours understood not which disheartned Piscator from spending much time upon them He that commeth after me Whose Harbinger and Herald 〈◊〉 am whose Prodromus and Paranymph friend and 〈◊〉 I am as the morning-starre 〈◊〉 runs the Sunne with whose light it shineth 〈◊〉 mightier then I And will easily out 〈◊〉 me He must encrease but I must decrease and this is the complement of my joy Ioh. 3. 29 30. To rejoyce in the good parts of others though it eclipseth
for mint signifies also a book of histories because in that one poor herb large stories of Gods wisdom might and love are described unto us In tithing this and other pot-herbs the Pharisees were over and above sollicitous and even superstitious and all for a name So in the year of grace 1435. Capistranus the Minorite being sent into Germany and other countreys by Pope Nicolas to preach obedience to the Sea of Rome gat a great deal of credit and respect to his Doctrine by putting down dicing carding dancing feasting masking enterludes c. although he taught not one syllable of sound doctrine touching Christ and his merits 〈◊〉 of faith patience of hope c. There are both Magnalia 〈◊〉 legis the great and the lesser things of the law both must be looked to Hypocrites are nice in the one but negligent of the other Judgement mercy and faith So of old to those bodily exercises and externall rites so stood upon by the hypocrites in their 〈◊〉 Isaiah opposeth judgement and justice Chap. 1. Hosea opposeth mercy and kindenesse Chap. 4. Zachary opposeth truth and fidelity Chap. 8. as more to be looked after and 〈◊〉 for Verse 24. Which strain at a gnat c. A proverbiall speech warranting the lawfull use of such expressions for illustration of a truth The Greeks have a like proverb to gargle down an image statue or colosse that is to make no bones of a foul fault when matters of lesse moment are much scrupled Saul kept a great stir about eating the flesh with the bloud when he made nothing of shedding innocent bloud Doeg was deteined before the Lord by some voluntary vow belike But better he had been further off for any good he did there The Priests made 〈◊〉 of putting the price of bloud into the treasury Matth. 27 6. who yet made no conscience of imbruing their hands in the innocent bloud of the Lamb of God The Begardi and Beginnae a certain kinde of heretikes Anno 1322. held this mad opinion that a man might here attain to perfection and that having attained to it he might do whatsoever his nature led him to That 〈◊〉 was no sin but to 〈◊〉 a woman was a mortall wickednesse c. Verse 25. Ye make clean the out-side True Ephraimites or rather Canaanites so they are called Hos. 12. 7 8. that is meer naturall men Ezek. 16. 4. the balances of deceit were in their hands they loved to oppresse yet so long as thereby they grew rich they flattered themselves and said In all my labours they shall 〈◊〉 none iniquity in me that were sinne Hypocrites if they can but make fair to the worldward it is enough But as the fish Sepia is bewraied by the black colour which she casteth out to cover her so the hypocrite is convinced by the very shew of godlinesse under which he hoped to have lurked God so discovers his deceitfull courses as that his wickednes is shew'd before the whole Congregation Pro. 26. 26. Verse 26. Cleanse first that which is within God loveth truth in the inwards Psal. 51. 6. O Jerusalem wash thy heart Jer. 4. 14. not thy hands only as Pilate did this breeds constancy and evennesse in all our outward behaviours Iam. 4. 8. Grace and nature both begin at the heart at the center and from thence goes to the circumference Art and hypocrisie begin with the face and outward lineaments Verse 27. Ye are like unto whited Sepulchres The Jews had their vaults or caves for buriall These the wealthier sort would paint garnish beautifie at the mouth or entrance of them And hereunto our Saviour alludeth Intùs Nero foris Cato 〈◊〉 hic ut Piso vivit ut Gallomus c. It was said of the Sarmatians that all their vertue was outward And of Sejanus that he had only a semblance of honesty Intùs summa adipiscendi libido within he was full of extortion and 〈◊〉 Hypocrites seem as gloworms to have both light and heat but touch them and they have neither The AEgyptian temples were beautifull on the out-side when within ye should finde nothing but some serpent or crocodile Apothecaries boxes oft have goodly titles when yet they hold not one dram of any good drug A certain stranger coming on 〈◊〉 unto the Senatours of Rome and colouring his hoary hair and pale cheeks with vermilion hiew a grave Senatour espying the deceit stood up and said What sincerity are we to expect at this mans hands whose locks and looks and lips do lie Think the same of all painted hypocrites Verse 28. But within ye are full c. Fair professours they were but foul sinners not close but grosse hypocrites such as knew themselves to be so like as Ieroboams wife knew her self to be disguised when she went to the Prophet and as the whore that offered sacrifice to cover her whoredom Prov. 7. 14. This hypocrisie goes worthily coupled 〈◊〉 with iniquity It ariseth from secret Atheisme as in Ananias and Saphira that noble pair of hypocrites and paveth a way to the unpardonable sin as in these Pharisees Verse 29. 〈◊〉 build the Tombs c. And lost their cost because they received not their doctrine So do the Papists at this day in their pretended honouring the ancient Saints and Martyrs whose religion and practices they persecute in the true professours How much better Rabus Crispin the French Chronicler 〈◊〉 Fox and others who have raised the Martyrs as so many Phaenices out of their ashes again by recording their holy lives and Christian deaths And how shall Cope and Kemp stink for ever in the nostrils of all good people The former 〈◊〉 fouling so much fair paper in railing at and casting reproach upon the holy Martyrs of the Protestant religion in his sixth dialogue especially The later for disgracing them some few years since excusing the powder traitours at same time in a Sermon at S. Maries in Cambridge Verse 30. If we had been in the daies Either these men grosly dissembled or their hearts greatly deceived them For certainly an Herod and Herodias to Iohn Baptist would have 〈◊〉 an Ahab and Iezabel to Elias But as it was said of Demosthenes that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so at imitating of them In like sort may we say of the 〈◊〉 they could well declaim against their fore-fathers 〈◊〉 but not so well disclaim them They were adversus sua ipsorum 〈◊〉 facundi 〈◊〉 as one speaketh in a like case Shrill accusers of themselves Verse 31. Wherefore ye be witnesses c. Here our Saviour casts all their cost in their teeth as if thereby 〈◊〉 had meant to commend 〈◊〉 fathers curelty in killing the Prophets sith they 〈◊〉 it by persecuting him and his to the death 〈◊〉 is commonly hereditary and runs in the bloud and as we use to say of 〈◊〉 The older it is the stronger as in the
he had poured forth his sorrowfull complaint there he rose up triumphing as Psal. 6. c. So shall it be with such They 〈◊〉 forth and weep bearing precious seed but shall surely return with rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them Gripes of gladnesse said that Martyr when Abraham the good housholder shall fill his bosome with them in the Kingdome of heaven Then as one hour changed Iosephs fetters into a chain of gold 〈◊〉 rags into robes his stocks into a charriot his prison into a palace his brown bread and water into manchet and wine So shall God turn all his 〈◊〉 sadnesse into gladnesse all their sighing into singing all their musing into musick all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into triumphs Luctus in laetitiam convertetur lachrymae in risum saccus in sericum cineres in corollas unguentum jejunium in epulum 〈◊〉 retortio in applausum He that will rejoyce with this joy unspeakable must stirre up sighes that are unutterable Verse 5. Blessed are the meek Meeknesse is the fruit 〈◊〉 mourning for sinne and is therefore fitly 〈◊〉 next after it He that can kindely melt in Gods presence will be made thereby as meek as a lamb and if God will forgive him his ten thousand 〈◊〉 he will not think much to forgive his brother a few farthings Hence the wisdome from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated c. Jam. 3. 17. And love is said to proceed out of a pure heart a good conscience and 〈◊〉 unfeigned And when our Saviour told his Disciples 〈◊〉 must forgive till seventy times seven times Lord encrease 〈◊〉 faith said they Give us such a measure of godly mourning as that we may be bold to believe that thou hast freely forgiven us and we shall soon forgive our enemies David was never 〈◊〉 rigid as when he had sinned by adultery and murther and not yet mourned in good earnest for his sinne He put the 〈◊〉 under saws and harrows of iron and caused them to passe thorow the brick-kilne c. which was a strange execution and fell out whiles he lay yet in his sinne Afterward we finde him in a better frame and more meekned and mollified in his dealings with 〈◊〉 and others when he had soundly soaked himself in godly sorrow True it is that he was then under the rod and that 's a main means to make men meek The Hebrew words that signifie 〈◊〉 and meek grow both upon the same root and are of so great 〈◊〉 that they are sometimes by the 〈◊〉 rendered the one for the other as Psal. 36. 11. Adversa enim hominem mansuetum 〈◊〉 saith Chemnitius And how ever it goe with the outward man The meek shall finde rest to their souls Mat. 11. 29. Yea the meek in the Lord shall 〈◊〉 their joy Isa. 29. 19. And for outward respects Meek Moses complains not of Miriams murmurings but God strikes in for him the more And he that said I seek not mine own glory addes But there is one that seeketh it and judgeth God takes his part ever that fights not for himself and is champion to him that strives not but for peace sake parteth with his own right otherwhiles For they shall inherit the earth One would think that meek men that bear and forbear that put up and forgive committing their cause to him that judgeth righteously as Christ did should be soon baffled and out-sworn out of their patrimony with honest Naboth But there 's nothing lost by meeknesse and yeeldance Abraham yeelds over his right of choice Lot taketh it And behold Lot is crossed in that which he chose Abraham blessed in that which was left him God never suffers any man to leese by an humble remission of right in a desire of peace The heavens even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men Yet with this proviso that as heaven is taken by violence so is earth by meeknesse And God the true proprietary loves no tenants better nor 〈◊〉 longer leases to any then to the meek They shall inherit that is peaceably enjoy what they have and transferre it to posterity they shall give inheritance to their childrens children As on the other side frowardnesse forfeits all into the Lords hands and he many times taketh the forfeiture and outs such persons 〈◊〉 upon them with a 〈◊〉 ejectione as upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Plato The Lord Treasurer Burleigh was wont to say That he over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will more by patience then pertinacy His private estate he managed with that integrity that he never 〈◊〉 any man no man ever sued him He was in the number of those few saith M. 〈◊〉 that lived and died with glory For as 〈◊〉 of heart 〈◊〉 make you high with God even so meeknesse of spirit and of speech shall make you 〈◊〉 into the hearts of men 〈◊〉 M. Tindall in a letter of his to Iohn Frith afterwards his fellow-Martyr Verse 6. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is in Christ for us being wrought by his value and merit and is called the righteousnesse of justification This is in us from Christ being wrought by his vertue and spirit and is called the righteousnesse of sanctification Both these the blessed man must hunger and thirst after that is earnestly and 〈◊〉 desire as Rachel did for children she must prevail or perish as David did after the water of the well of Bethlehem to the jeopardy of the lives of his three mightiest as the hunted Hart or as the 〈◊〉 readeth it Hinde braieth after the water brooks The Philosophers observe of the Hart or Hinde that being a beast thirsty by nature when she is pursued by dogs by reason of heat and losse of breath her thirst is encreased And in females the passions are stronger then in males so that she breaths and braies after the brooks with utmost desire so panteth the good soul after Christ it panteth and fainteth it breatheth and breaketh for the longing that it hath unto his righteousnesse at all times She fainteth with Ionathan swooneth and is sick with the Spouse yea almost dead with that poor affamished Amalekite And this 〈◊〉 appetite and affection ariseth from a deep and due sense and feeling of our want of Christ whole Christ and that there is an absolute necessity of every drop of his bloud There must be a sad and serious consideration of mans misery and Gods mercy Whence will arise as in hunger and thirst 1. A sense of pain in the stomack 2. A want and emptinesse 3. An eager desire of supply from Christ who is the true bread of life and heavenly Manna the Rock flowing with honey and fountain of living water that reviveth the fainting spirits of
there is no peace among the workers of iniquity that are trotting apace towards hell by their contentions Rom. 2. 8. But what pity is it that Abraham and 〈◊〉 should fall out that two Israelites should be at strife amid the Egyptians that Johns disciples should join with Pharisees against 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 for their contentions should hear carnall and walke as men that Lutherans and Calvinists should be at such deadly fewd Still Satan is thus busie and Christians are thus malicious that as if they wanted enemies they flee in one anothers faces There was no noise heard in setting up the Temple In Lebanon there was but not in Sion whatever tumults there are 〈◊〉 't is fit there should be all quietnesse and concord in the Church Now therefore although it be for the most part a thankelesse office with men to interpose and seek to take up strife to peece again those that are gone aside and asunder and to sound an Irenicum yet do it for Gods sake and that ye may as ye shall be after a while called and counted not medlers and busie-bodies but the sons of God Tell them that jarre and jangle upon mistakes for most part or matters of no great moment that it is the glory of a man to passe by an infirmity and that in these ignoble quarrels every man should be a law to himself as the Thracians were and not brother go to law with brother because he treads upon his grasse or some such poor businesse ubi vincere inglorium est alteri sordidum Now therefore there is utterly a fault amongst you because ye go to law one with another saith the Apostle Not but that the course is lawfull where the occasion is weighty and the minde not vindictive But the Apostle disgraceth in that text revenge of injuries by a word that signifieth disgrace or losse of victory And a little before I speak to your shame saith he Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren and compromise the quarrell Servius Sulpitius that heathen Lawyer shall rise up in judgement against us quippe qui ad facilitatem aequitatemque omnia contulit neque constituere litium actiones quam controversias tollere maluit as Tully testifieth Concedamus de jure saith one ut careamus lite And ut habeas quietum tempus perde aliquid Lose something for a quiet life was a common proverb as now amongst us so of old 〈◊〉 the Carthaginians as St Austin sheweth It were happy surely if now as of old the multitude of 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one heart and of one soul. And as in one very ancient Greek copy it is added that there was not one controversie or contention found amongst them For they shall be called the children of God They shall both be and be said to be both counted and called have both the name and the note the comfort and the credit of the children of God And if any Atheist shall object What so great honour is that Behold saith St John what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God It was something to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter to be son in law to the King with David to be heir to the Crown with Solomon but farre more that God should say of him I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and I will establish his Kingdom 2 Sam 7. 14. This is the happy effect of faith for to them that beleeve on his name gave he power and priviledge to become the sonnes of God Now faith ever works by love and love covereth a multitude of sins not by any merit or expiation with God but by seeking and setling peace among men And this is as sure and as sweet a signe of a son of the God of peace as the party-coloured coats were anciently of the Kings children Verse 10. Blessed are they that are persecuted To be persecuted as simply considered is no blessed thing for then it were to be desired and praid for But let a man love a quiet life and labout to see good daies said those two great champions David and Peter who themselves had indured a world of persecution and paid for their learning The like counsell gives St Paul and the Authour to the Hebrews For they felt by experience how unable they were to bear crosses when they fall upon them It was this Peter that denied his master upon the sight of a silly wench that questioned him And this David that changed his behaviour before Abimelech and thereupon gave this advice to all that should come after him For righteousnesse sake This is it that makes the Martyr a good cause and a good conscience Martyrem facit causa non supplicium saith one Father Not the suffering but the cause makes a Martyr And Multum interest qualia quis qualis quisque patiatur saith another It greatly skilleth both what it is a man suffereth and what a one he is that suffereth If he suffer as an evil-doer he hath his mends in his own hands but if for righteousnesse sake as here and if men say and do all manner of evil against you falsly and lyingly for my sake as in the next verse and for the Gospels sake as Marke hath it this is no bar to blessednesse Nay it is an high preferment on earth Phil. 1. 29. and hath a crown abiding it in Heaven beyond the which mortall mens wishes cannot extend But let all that will have share in these comforts see that they be able to say with the Church Psal. 144. 21 22. Thou knowest Lord the secrets of the hearts that for thy sake we are 〈◊〉 continually Upon which words excellently St Austin Quid est inquit novit occulta quae 〈◊〉 c. What secrets of the heart saith he are those that God is here said to know Surely these that for thy sake we are slain c. slain thou maist see a man but wherefore or for whose sake he is slain thou knowest not God only knoweth Sunt qui causâ humanae gloriae paterentur as that Father goeth on There want not those that would suffer death and seemingly for righteousnesse sake only for applause of the world and vain glory As Lucian telleth of Peregrinus the Philosopher that meerly for the glory of it he would have been made a Martyr The Circumcelliones a most pernicious branch of the haeresie of the Donatists were so 〈◊〉 to obtain by suffering the praise of Martyrdom that they would seem to throw themselves down headlong from high places or cast themselves into fire or water Al xander the 〈◊〉 was near martyrdom Acts 19. 33. who yet afterward made shipwrack of the faith and
that make it because there is a third person ingaged in the businesse and that is God to whom the bond is made and if afterward they break he will take the forfeiture This David understood and therefore upon his adultery cried out Against thee thee only that is chiefly have I 〈◊〉 and done this evil in thy sight Psal. 51. 4. A sin it is against the father whose Covenant is broken against the son 〈◊〉 members are made the members of an harlot and against the holy Ghost whose temple is defiled 1 Cor. 5. Verse 33. Thou shalt not for swear thy self An oath is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hedge which a man may not break It must not be 〈◊〉 without necessity Hence the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nishbang is a passive and 〈◊〉 to be sworn rather then to swear For if the doubt or 〈◊〉 may be asloiled or ended by Verily or Truly or such naked 〈◊〉 we are by the example of our Saviour to forbear an oath But having sworn though to his 〈◊〉 a man must not change Psal 15. 4. upon pain of a curse yea a book full of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 3 4. It is not for men to play with oaths as children doe with nuts to slip them at pleasure as monkies doe their collars to snap them asunder as Samson did his cords It was an impious and blasphemous speech of him that 〈◊〉 My tongue hath 〈◊〉 but my minde is unsworn And who can but detest that abominable doctrine of the 〈◊〉 of old and their heirs the Jesuites alate Jura perjura secretum prodere noli God will be a swift witnesse against perjured persons Mal. 3. as those that villainously abuse his Majesty making him an acceslary yea a partner in their sin thinking him like themselves and therefore calling him to justifie their untruths Had Shimei peace that brake 〈◊〉 oath to Solomon Or 〈◊〉 that kept not touch with the King of Babylon Or Ananias and Saphira that but uttered an untruth swore it not God punisheth perjury with destruction men with disgrace saith a fragment of the twelve Tables in Rome The AEgyptians and 〈◊〉 punished it with death So did Philip Earl of Flanders and others But where men have not done it God hath hanged up such with his own hands as it were as our Earl Godwin Rodolphus Duke of Suevia that rebelled against his master Henry Emperour of Germany to whom he had sworn allegiance Ladeslaus King of 〈◊〉 at the great battell of Varna where the raging Turk provoked by his perjury appealed to Christ Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who for his perjury and other his foul and faithlesse dealings lieth obscurely shrowded in the sheet 〈◊〉 defame saith the History Richard Long souldier at Calice deposing falsly against William Smith Curate of Calice shortly after upon a displeasure of his wife desperately drowned himself And within the memory of man Feb. 11. 1575. Anne 〈◊〉 forswore her self at a shop in Woodstreet London and praying God she might sinke where she stood if she had not paid for the wares she took fell down speechlesse and with an horrible stinke died soon after Thus God hangeth up evil-doers in gibbets as it were that others may hear and fear and doe no more so But shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths As David I have 〈◊〉 and I will perform c. Psal. 119. 106. And yet David was not alwaies as good as his oath as in the case of 〈◊〉 c. Nor did 〈◊〉 of a long time perform his vow 〈◊〉 28 21 though once at least admonished Gen. 31. 13. till he was 〈◊〉 arrouse by the 〈◊〉 of the Shechemites and 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 danger to go up to Bethel and doe as he had promised The font in baptisme is Beersheba the well of an oath there we 〈◊〉 swear our selves to God which S. Peter calleth the stipulation of a good conscience This oath we renew when we come to the other Sacrament and often besides when the Lord 〈◊〉 siege to us by some disease or other distresse what promises and protestations make we as Pharaoh and those votaries Psal. 78 But sciapato il morbo fraudato il Dio as the Italian Proverb hath it the disease or danger once over God is defrauded of his due See it in those Jer. 34. who forfeited their fidelity though they had cut the calf in twain and passed thorow the parts thereof a most solemn way of sealing up Covenants and are sorely threatned for it that God would in like sort cut them in twain and destroy them which was the import of that Ceremony Verse 34. Swear not at all Not at all by the creatures which the Pharisees held no fault nor yet by the name of God in common talk lightly rashly and 〈◊〉 for such vain oaths the land mourneth Oaths alas are now become very interjections of speech to the Vulgar and phrases of gallantry to the braver He that cannot swear with a grace wanteth his tropes and his figures befitting a Gentleman Not to speak of those civilified complements of Faith and Troth which are counted light matters Who hears not how ordinarily and openly ruffianly oaths and abhorred blasphemies are darted up with hellish mouths against God and our Saviour whom they can swear all over and seldome name but in an oath 〈◊〉 can these pray Hallowed be that Name that they so daily dishallow Some cannot utter a sentence without an oath yea a fearfull one an oath of sound if enraged especially O the tragedies the blusters the terrible thunder-cracks ot fierce and furious language interlaced with oaths enough to make the very stones crack under them Yea to such an height and habituall practice hereof are some grown that they swear and foame out a great deal of filth and perceive it not Had these men such distemper of body as that their excrements came from them when they knew not of it it would trouble them So it would I dare say did they believe the holy Scriptures threatning so many woes to them yea telling them of a large roll ten yards long and five yards broad full of curses against the swearer yea resting upon 〈◊〉 house where he thinkes 〈◊〉 most secure Brimstone is scattered 〈◊〉 the house of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Iob as ready to take fire if God but lighten upon it They walk as it 〈◊〉 upon a 〈◊〉 of gunpowder and it may be just in God they 〈◊〉 be blown up when their hearts are full of hell and their mouths 〈◊〉 big with hellish blasphemies Surely 〈◊〉 damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath vowed he will not 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 enter into his rest And for 〈◊〉 those that 〈◊〉 but any ingenuity abhor and shun their company The very Turks have the Christians blaspheming of Christ in 〈◊〉 and will punish then prisoners sorely when as through impatience or
not know what thy right-hand doth there 's no losse in that Some talents are best improved by being laid up A treasure that is hid is safer from theeves Steal we therefore benefits upon men as Joseph did the money into the sacks And as he made a gain of the 〈◊〉 and bought AEgypt so may we of the poor we relieve and buy heaven Luke 46. 9. Rom. 2. 10. Verse 4. Thy father that seeth in secret And best accepteth of secret service Cant. 2. 14. O thou that art in the clefts of the rocks let me see thy face let me hear thy voice c. He is all 〈◊〉 he searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins those most abstruse and remotest parts of the body seats of lust And as he is himself a Spirit so he loveth to be served like himself in Spirit and in truth He sets his eyes upon such as the word here signifieth he looketh wishtly fixedly steddily he seeth thorow and thorow our secret services not to finde faults in them for so he may soon do not a few but those he winks at where the heart is upright but to reward them as a liberall pay-master rich to all that 〈◊〉 upon him or do him any other businesse Who is there even 〈◊〉 you that shuts the door for nought that kindleth fire upon mine altar 〈◊〉 nought Mal. 1. 10. that gives a cup of cold water and hath not his reward David would not serve God on free cost but was he not paid for his pains and had his cost in again with 〈◊〉 ere the Sunne went down Let him but resolve to 〈◊〉 his sins and God or ere he can do it forgiveth him the iniquity of his sinne that in it that did most gall and grieve him 〈◊〉 him but purpose to build God a house God promiseth thereupon for his good intentions to build David an house for ever So little is there lost by any thing that is done or suffered for God He sends a way his servants that do his work many times and the world never the 〈◊〉 as Boaz did Ruth with their bosome full of blessings as David did 〈◊〉 with a royall 〈◊〉 as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba with all the desire of her heart as Caleb did his daughter Achsah with upper and nether springs or as once he did Moses from the Mount with 〈◊〉 face shining He shone bright but knew not of it yea he 〈◊〉 his glorified face with a vail and had more glory by his 〈◊〉 then by his face How farre are those spirits from this which care only to be seen And sleighting Gods secret approbation 〈◊〉 only to 〈◊〉 others eyes with admiration not caring for unknown riches Our Saviour besides the vail of his humanity saies See you tell no man It s enough for him that he can 〈◊〉 to his father I have 〈◊〉 thee on earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do His work he accounts 〈◊〉 gift 〈◊〉 wages he looks for in another world vers 5. He was content his treasures of wisdome should be hid Colos. 2. 3. And shall we fret our selves when our pittances of piety and charity are not admired 〈◊〉 it not enough for us that we shall appear with him in glory and then be rewarded openly Shall reward thee openly I but when at the resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. at that great assize and generall Assembly he will make honourable mention in the hearing of Angels and men of all the good deeds of his children How they have fed the hungry clothed the naked c. that which they had utterly forgotten not so much as once mentioning their misdoings Matth. 25. Yea he shall take them to heaven with him where the poor mens hands have built him a house afore hand and they shall receive him into everlasting habitations But what shall he do in the me an while Feed on faith as some read that text Psal. 37. 3. 〈◊〉 upon reversions 〈◊〉 but while the grasse grows the 〈◊〉 starves But so cannot a mercifull man for he shall have 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 7. Such a mercy as rejoyceth against judgement Yea he that can tender mercy to God may challenge 〈◊〉 from God by vertue of his promise as David doth Preserve 〈◊〉 ô God for I am mercifull Psal. 86. 2. 〈◊〉 he shall obtain 1. In his soul which shall be like a watered garden fresh and flourishing For the liberall soul 〈◊〉 be made fat Prov. 〈◊〉 25. and he that watereth shall be watered himself The spirits of wealth distilled in good works comfort the conscience 2. So they do the body too when sick and languishing Psal. 41. 2 3. Mercy is the best cordiall a pillow of repose a 〈◊〉 remedy For if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry thy health shall spring forth speedily Isa. 58. 3. For his name the liberall are renowned in the earth as Abraham that free-hearted house-keeper or peny-father and Obadiah that hid and fed the Prophets by fifty in a cave Zacheus and Cornelius Gaius and Onesiphorus how precious are their names How sweet their remembrance Who honours not the memoriall of Mary for her Spikenard and of Dorcas for her coats and garments Whereas the vile person shall no more be called liberall in Christs Kingdom nor Nabal Nadib the churl bountifull 4. For his estate The most gainfull art is 〈◊〉 giving saith Chrysostome The poor mans bosom and the Orphans mouth are the surest chest saith another Whatsoever we scatter to the poor we gather for our selves saith a third What we give to the poor we lend to the Lord who accounts himself both 〈◊〉 and ingaged thereby Prov. 19. 17. Neither will he fail to blesse the liberall mans stock and store Deut. 15. 10. so that his righteousnesse and his riches together shall endure for ever Psal. 〈◊〉 2. 3. 5 Lastly His seed shall be mighty upon earth vers 21. The son of such a tenant that paid his rent duly shall not be 〈◊〉 out of his farm Psal 37. 26. And that Proverb is proved false by common experience Happy is that sonne whose father goeth to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 il-gotten goods usually come to nothing the third heir seldome enjoyeth them unlesse it be here and there one that by repentance breaketh off and healeth his fathers sinne by mercifulnesse to the poor that the property may be altered and so his 〈◊〉 lengthned Oh therefore that rich men would be rich in good 〈◊〉 ready to distribute willing to 〈◊〉 which was a peece of praise used to be ascribed to the ancient Kings of AEgypt This this were the way To lay up for themselves a sure 〈◊〉 yea to lay fast hold on eternall life when those that with-hold their very crums 〈◊〉 not obtain a drop with Dives whom to vex and upbraid Lazarus was laid in the bosome of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 5. And when thou praiest A duty of
laid hold of him Now I would we were all Lutherans in this saith One c. Verse 20. But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven That which you may draw out a thousand year hence For in a treasure there are three things a laying up a lying hid and a drawing out for present use Riches reach not to eternity Therefore whiles others lay 〈◊〉 upon riches Lay thou hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 12. and that by following after righteousnesse god inesse faith love patience 〈◊〉 This this is the true treasure this is to be rich as our Saviour speaketh toward God and is opposed to laying up treasure for himself Luk 12. 21. as 〈◊〉 laying up treasure in heaven is to that of laying up treasure in earth 〈◊〉 cannot be done because the heart cannot be in two so different places at once The Saints have their commoration on earth but their conversation is in heaven Here are their bodies but their hearts are 〈◊〉 Christ their head is Sancti ibi sunt ubi 〈◊〉 sunt non sunt ubi sunt saith Chrysostome The Saints are there in their affections whether as yet they are not come in their 〈◊〉 All their plowing sailing building planting tends to that life that is 〈◊〉 supernaturall they run 〈◊〉 the high prize they strive for the crown of righteousnesse they breath after the 〈◊〉 vision with Oh when shall I come and appear before God! And as the Athenians when they were besiged by Sylla had 〈◊〉 hearts with him without the walls though their bodies were held within by force So the Saints though detained here for a while in a farre countrey yet their hearts are at home They go thorow the world as a man whose minde is in a deep study or as one that hath speciall haste of some weighty businesse they wonder much how men can a while to pick up sticks and straws with so much delight and diligence The time is short or trussed up into a narrow 〈◊〉 the task is long of keeping faith and 〈◊〉 good conscience hence they use the world as if they used it not as having little leisure to trifle There 's water little enough to runne in the right chanel therefore they let none runne beside but carefully improve every opportunity as wise merchants and care not to sell all to purchase the pearl of price In a witty 〈◊〉 saith Broughton out os Rabbi Bochai Kain and Abel contain in their names advertisements for matter of true continuance and corruption Kain betokeneth possession in this world and 〈◊〉 betokeneth one humbled in minde and holding such possession vain Such was his 〈◊〉 sheep-kinde the 〈◊〉 of all living beasts and therefore the favour of God followed him And the offering of Kain was of the fruit of the earth as he loved the possession of this world and the service of the body which yet can have no continuance and followed after bodily lusts Therefore the blessed 〈◊〉 favoured him not Kains chief care was to build Cities that he might call his Land after his own Name Psal. 49. 11. and make his sonne Lord Enoch of Enoch Not so the better sort Abel Henoch Noah Abraham they were content to dwell in tents as looking for a City which hath foundations whose maker and founder is God Abraham bought a piece of ground but for buriall only Ishmael shall beget twelve Princes but with Isaac will I establish my Covenant and although he grow not so great as his brother that man of Gods hand that had his portion here yet he shall make reckoning that the lines are fallen unto him in a fair place that he hath a goodly heritage Esau had his Dukes and grows a great Magnifico but Jacob gets first the birth-right for a messe of red red which the hungry hunter required to be 〈◊〉 with as Camels are fed by casting gobbets into their mouthes so the word signifies And after this he gets the blessing by his mothers means And when 〈◊〉 threatened him and had bolted out some suspitious words she seeks not to reconcile the two brethren by making the younger yeeld again what he had got from the Elder but prefers the blessing before Iacobs life and sends him away This was to lay up treasure in heaven for her sonne who took herein after the mother too For if Esau will but 〈◊〉 him to settle in the Land of promise a type of heaven he will spare for no cost to make his peace Silver and gold he hath none but cattel good store 550. head of them sends he for a present to make room for him as Solomon hath it Let heaven be a mans object and earth will soon be his abject David counts one good cast of Gods countenance 〈◊〉 better then all the corn and oil in the countrey Solomon craves wisdom and not wealth Paul counts all but drosse dung and dogs-meat so he may win Christ and get home to him Here we have but a glimpse of those gleams of 〈◊〉 we see but as in a glasse obscurely our life is hid with Christ in God as the pearl lies 〈◊〉 till the shell be broken Compare the estate of Prince Charles in his Queen-mothers womb with his condition at full age in all the glory of his fathers Court there is not so broad a difference as betwixt our present enjoyments albeit our joyes here are unspeakable glorious with those we shall have hereafter Sursum 〈◊〉 cursum nostrum dirigamus Let therefore our affections and actions our counsels and courses be bent and bound for heaven our earthly 〈◊〉 dispatch with heavenly mindes and in serving men let us serve the Lord Christ. The Angels are sent about Gods message to this earth yet never out of their heaven never without the vision of their maker These earthly things distract not if we make them not our treasure if we shoot not our hearts over-farre into them The end of a Christians life is not as 〈◊〉 dreamed of the 〈◊〉 of man to 〈◊〉 the heavens but to live in heaven This he begins to do here by the life of faith by walking with God as Enoch and Elias those Candidates of immortality so the Ancients called them by walking before God as Abraham and David by walking after God as the Israelites were bidden to do With God a man walks by an humble friendship and familiarity before him by uprightnesse and integrity after him by obedience and conformity by doing his will on earth as it is in heaven And this is to lay up treasure in heaven this is as the Apostle expresseth and interpreteth it to lay up in store for our selves a good foundation against the 〈◊〉 to come that we 〈◊〉 lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 19. There shall be 〈◊〉 of thy times strength salvation wisdome and knowledge for the fear of the Lord shall be his treasure Isai. 33. 6.
beatificall vision and fruition of God and this is the very hell of hell c. Verse 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of 〈◊〉 c. Here we have the conclusion of this if not first yet certainly fullest of our Saviours Sermons for matter most heavenly and for order more then methodicall Most men think if they sit out a Sermon it is sufficient when the preacher hath 〈◊〉 done they have done to Away they go and for any practice they leave the word where they found it or depart sorrowfull as he in the Gospel that Christ requireth such things as they are not willing to perform Our Saviour had four sorts of hearers and but one good that brought forth fruit with patience When St Paul preached at Athens some mocked others doubted a few believed but no Church was sounded there as at other places because Christ crucified was preached unto the Jews a stumbling 〈◊〉 and to those Greeks foolishnes whiles the Jews required a signe and the Greeks sought after wisedome But what saith the Prophet Behold they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them He is a wise builder a 〈◊〉 servant a wise virgine a wise merchant if our Saviour may be judge that heareth these sayings of his and doth them And behold saith Moses I have taught you statutes and judgements Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisedome c. A good understanding have all they that do thereafter David hereby became wiser then his teachers ancients enemies and Paul counted it his chief policy to keep a good conscience void of offence toward God and men which cannot be untill it may be said of a man as Shaphan said of Josiahs work-men All that was given in charge to thy servants they doe it For not the hearers of the Law but the doers shall be justified saith Paul shall be blessed saith our Saviour often shall be made thereby the friends of Christ Ioh. 15. 14. the kindred of Christ Matth. 12. 50. The glory of Christ a royall diadem in the hand of 〈◊〉 yea such as have the honour to set the crown royall upon Christs head in the day of his espousals Be ye therefore doers of the Word saith S. Iames and not hearers only deceiving or putting paralogismes tricks and fallacies sophister like upon your own souls They that place religion in hearing and go no further will prove egregious fools in the end Which to prevent look intently and accurately saith that Apostle stoop down and pry heedfully into the perfect law of 〈◊〉 as the Cherubims did into the Propitiatory as the Angels do into the mystery of Christ as the Disciples did into the sepulchre of Christ and continue therein till ye be transformed thereinto Not being forgetfull hearers but doers of the work so shall ye be blessed in the deed It is not enough to hear but take heed how you hear 〈◊〉 with you the loan of your former hearing For to him that hath shall be given and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you As ye measure to God in preparation and practice he will measure to you in successe and blessing and every time that you hear God will come to you in the fulnesse of the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel of peace See that ye shift not off him that speaketh 〈◊〉 12. 25. Veniat veniat verbum Domini submittemus illi sexcentasi nobis essent colla said a notable Dutch Divine Let God speak and we will yeeld though it were to the losse of a thousand lives The Macedonians delivered themselves up to God and the Romans to the form of doctrine that was delivered 〈◊〉 them they took impression from it as the metall 〈◊〉 from the mould or as the wax doth from the seal David 〈◊〉 up his hands to Gods Commandments Psal. 119. 48. he did all the wils of God who had set him both his time and his task He sets all his servants a work and requireth their pains Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim was an heifer used to dance and delight in the soft straw and could not abide to plow but the Lord will make him both bear and draw Religion is not a name saith one goodnesse a word it is active like fire communicative like light As the life of things stands in goodnes so the life of goodnesse in action The chiefest goods are most active the best good a meer act And the more good we do the more God-like and excellent we be and the better provided against a rainy 〈◊〉 Which built his house upon a rock This rock is Christ and conscionable 〈◊〉 are living stones built upon him The Conies are a people weak and wise saith Solomon and their wisdome herein appears they work themselves holes and burrows in the bosome of the earth in the roots of the rocks Learn we to do the like and be sure to dig deep enough as S. Luke hath it which while the stony-ground-hearers did not their blade was scorcht up and came to nothing Some flashing joy they had upon the hearing of the Word and many meltings according to the nature of the Doctrine delivered but these sudden affections being not well bottomed nor having principles to maintain them they were but like Conduits running with wine at the Coronation or like a land-floud that seems to be a great sea but is soon gone again Verse 25. And the rain descended and the flouds came c. Many are the troubles of the righteous they come commonly thick and three-fold one in the neck of another as Jobs messengers The clouds return after the rain 〈◊〉 12. 2. there is a continuall succession of miseries and molestations from the devil the world and the flesh to them that hear and do the words of 〈◊〉 like the weather in winter when a showr or two do not clear the air but though it rain much yet the sky is still over 〈◊〉 with clouds which are 〈◊〉 upon the Saints sometimes in 〈◊〉 and lighter 〈◊〉 as the smaller rain sometimes in pressing and piercing calamities like storm and hail The rain fals 〈◊〉 flouds rise the winde blows and many a sharp showr beats upon the Christians building but like Noahs Ark it is pitcht within and without like Mount Sion it abides for ever immoveable 〈◊〉 founded upon the Rock of ages Si nos ruemus ruet Christus 〈◊〉 I lle 〈◊〉 mundi said that noble Luther If we 〈◊〉 Christ shall fall too that Ruler of the world and 〈◊〉 him fall I had rather 〈◊〉 with Christ then stand with Caesar. The devil stirs up a 〈◊〉 against Gods children saith Ambrose Sedipse naufragium 〈◊〉 but himself maketh ship wrack The Church according to that 〈◊〉 Motto Nec fluctu nec 〈◊〉 movetur and yet Venice hath but one street they say that is not
resist and repudiate the price of repentance Act. 5. 31. and the matter of remission 1 Joh. 1. 7. viz. the precious blood of Jesus Christ whereby if they might have mercy yet they would not but continue raving and raging against both physick and Physitian to their unavoidable ruth and ruine How bold therefore is Bellarmine who interpreteth this text of the difficulty and rarity only of remission and not of an utter impossibility Verse 33. Either make the tree good c. q. d. Your blasphemy is therefore irremissible because it is the fruit of so base a root of bitternes as the desperate malice of your hearts wilfully crossing your consciences a wretched despising and despiting of God and the work of his spirit out of revenge Heb. 10. 29. Draw not therefore a fair glove over so foul a hand but 〈◊〉 your selves in your own colours Verse 24. How can ye being evil c. The stream riseth not above the fountain the bell is known of what mettall by the clapper what is in the well will be in the bucket what in the ware-house will be in the shop so what is in the heart will be in the mouth AEra puto noscitinnitu pectora verbis Sic est namque id sunt utraque quale sonant Verse 35. Out of the good treasure c. Out of his habit of heavenly mindednes out of that law of grace in his heart his mouth speaketh wisdom and his tongue talks of judgement Psal. 〈◊〉 30. 31. Works not done from a principle of life within are dead works saith the Authour to the Hebrews be they for the matter never so good and praise worthy This moved Luther to say that good works make not men good but good we must be first ere good can be done by us This moved Austin to say that Omnis vita infidelium peceatum est the whole life of an unbeleever is sin though Spira the Popish Postiller censure that saying for a cruell sentence An evil man out of the evil treasure c. Carnall hearts are stews of unclean thoughts shambles of cruell and bloudy thoughts exchanges and shops of vain thoughts a very forge and mint of false politick undermining thoughts yea oft a little hell of confused and black imaginations as one well describeth them Verse 36. That every idle word c. Idle and waste words are to be accounted for what then evil and wicked Therefore let thine own words grieve thee as David somewhere hath it thy frivolous and fruitlesse speeches for among a thousand talents of common communication saith Cassiodore a man can scarce finde an hundred pence of spirituall speeches imò nec decem quidem obolos nay not ten halfpence truly It may be observed saith another that when men get into idle company which perhaps they like not the very complement of discoursing extracteth idle if not evil speaking to fill up the time Plato and Xenophon thought it fit and profitable that mens speeches at meals and such like meetings should be written And if Christians should so doe what kinde of books would they be Verse 37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified Our Saviour 〈◊〉 upon this subject because by words they had sinned against the holy Ghost A mans most and worst sins be his words St Paul making the anatomy of a naturall man stands more on the organ of speech then all the other members Rom. 3. St James saith that the 〈◊〉 is not a city or countrey but a world of iniquity Jam. 3. 6. It can 〈◊〉 all the world over and bite at every body when the devil fires it especially Peraldus reckons up four and twenty severall sins of the tongue he might have made them more God hath set a double hedge afore it of teeth and lips to keep it up he hath also placed it between the head and heart that it might take counsel of both Children he will not suffer to speak till they have understanding and wit and those that are deaf are also dumb because they cannot hear instruction nor learn wisdom that they may speak advisedly Verse 38. Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees 〈◊〉 not these as one said of Nero Os ferreum cor plumbeum an iron face a leaden heart that could call for a signe after so many signes But it is a signe from heaven they would have as Moses called for Manna from thence Samuel for rain Elias for fire c. and much the near they would have been should our Saviour have gratified them But he never meant it They were now so clearly convinced of their blasphemy that they had nothing to say for themselves but fawningly to call him Master whom before they had called Beelzebub and to pretend themselves to be willing to learn if they might see a signe They could not see wood for trees as they say And who so blinde as he that will not see Sic fit ubi homines majorem vitae partem in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 solem quafi supervacuum fastidiant saith Seneca Men that have lived long in the dark may think the Sun 〈◊〉 Verse 39. An evil and adulterous generation c. Spuria soboles a bastardly brood So he calleth them because utterly degenerate from their fore-fathers faith and holinesse Seeketh after a signe Seeketh with utmost earnestnesse as if it were such a businesse as must be done or they were undone It is the guise of hypocrites to be hot in a cold matter to shew great zeal in nifles neglecting the main mean while But the signe of the Prophet Ionas Nor that neither but for a further mischief to them as their fathers had quails to choak them a King to vex them c. and as Ahaz had a 〈◊〉 whether he would or no to render him the more inexcusable Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius God gives his enemies some 〈◊〉 gifts as Saul gave Michol to David to be a snare to him or as Christ gave Iudas the bag to discover the rottennesse of his heart Verse 40. For as Ion as was three daies c. In the history of Ionas Christ found the mystery of his death buriall and resurrection teaching us thereby to search the Scriptures to search them to the bottom as those that dig for gold content not themselves with the first or second oar that offers it self but search on till they have all This we should the rather doe because we need neither climbe up to heaven with these Pharisees nor descend into the deep with Ionas sith the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart c. Rom. 10. 7. 8. So shall the Sonne of man be three dayes c. Taking a part for the whole So Esther fasted three daies and three nights chap. 4. 16. And yet on the third day she went to the King chap. 5. 1. So then the fast lasted not three whole daies and nights but two
scorn their own 〈◊〉 because at hand though never so excellent and usefull to admire forrein things though nothing comparable Our corrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing we enjoy as the eye seeth nothing that lyes on it Copy of the best things breeds satiety God therefore usually teacheth us the worth of them by the want Bona a tergo ferè formosissima Good things are most beautifull on the backside Verse 58. He did not many mighty works Mark saith he could not doe much for them Christ that could doe all things by his absolute power could hardly doe any thing by his actuall power could not because he would not for unbeleevers Note here that this journey of his to Nazareth must be distinguished from that set down Luk 4. though the same things are said of both his countrymen we see were no changelings but continued as bad as before not a jot the better for that former visit 〈◊〉 of their unbelief A sin of that venomous nature that it 〈◊〉 as it were a dead palsie into the hands of 〈◊〉 This infectious sorceresse can make things exceeding good to prove exceeding evil CHAP. XIV Verse 1. At that time c VVHen he was cast out by his countrymen he was heard of at the 〈◊〉 The Gospel as the 〈◊〉 what it 〈◊〉 in one place it getteth in another But what had not Herod heard of Christ till now It is the misery of many good Kings that they seldom hear the truth of things 〈◊〉 King of Arragon bewailed it And of M. Aurelius one of the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is said that he was even bought and sold by his 〈◊〉 As for Herod he may seem to have been of 〈◊〉 religion even a meer irreligon He lay 〈◊〉 in filthy 〈◊〉 and minded not the things above Whoredom wine and new wine had taken away his 〈◊〉 S. Luke adds that he 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Christ but yet never stirred out of doors to go to him Good mo ions make but a thorow 〈◊〉 of wicked mens hearts they passe away as a flash of lightning that dazleth the eyes only and 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 behind it Verse 2. And said unto his servants So seeking a diversion of his inward terrours and torments Perplexed he was and could finde no way out as S. Lukes word importeth Conscience will hamper a guilty person and fill him 〈◊〉 with unquestionable conviction and horrour As those that were condemned to be crucified 〈◊〉 their crosse that should soon after 〈◊〉 them So God hath laid upon evil-doers the 〈◊〉 of their own consciences that thereon they may suffer afore they suffer and their greatest enemier need not wish them a greater mischief For assuredly a body is not so torn with stripes as a minde with the remembrance of wicked actions And here 〈◊〉 runs to building of Cities Saul to the delight of musick 〈◊〉 to quaffing and carrousing Herod to his minions and Catamites so to put by if possible their melancholly dumps and heart-qualmes as they count and call 〈◊〉 terrours But conscience will not be pacified by these sorry Anodynes of the devil Wicked men may skip and leap up and down for a while as the wounded dear doth sed haeret lateri lethalis arundo the deadly dart sticks fast in their sides and will doe without true repentance till it hath brought them as it did Herod to desparation and destruction so that he 〈◊〉 violent hands upon himself at Lions in France whether he and his curtizan 〈◊〉 banished by Augustus This is 〈◊〉 the Baptist Herod had thought to have 〈◊〉 his Herodias without 〈◊〉 when once the 〈◊〉 was beheaded but it proved somewhat otherwise Indeed so long as he plaid alone he was sure to win all But now conscience 〈◊〉 in to play her part Herod is in a worse case then ever for he imagined 〈◊〉 that he saw and heard that holy head 〈◊〉 and crying out against him staring him also in the face at every turne as that Tyrant thought he saw the head of Symmachus whom he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the mouth of the fish that was set before him on the table And as Judge Morgan who gave the sentence of condemnation against the Lady Iane Gray shortly after he had condemned her fell mad and in his raving cryed out continually to have the Lady Iane taken away from him and 〈◊〉 ended his life Verse 3. For Herod had laid hold 〈◊〉 Iohn If Iohn touch Herads white fin And who will stand still to have his eyes pickt out Iohn must to prison without bail or mainprise and there not only be confined but bound 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 as a stirrer up of sedition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lipsius noteth upon Tacitus Neither bound only but beheaded without any law right or reason as though God had known nothing at all of him as that Martyr expresseth it All this befell the good Baptist for telling the truth Veritas odium parit If conscience might but judge how many of our hearers would be found to have an Herods heart towards their faithfull Ministers Were there but a sword of authority in their hand as he said to his Asse they would surely slay them They would deal by them no better then Saul did by David 1 Sam. 18. 10. whiles he was playing upon his harp to ease Sauls distracted minde he cast a 〈◊〉 at him The most savoury salt if they can doe withall must be cast out and trodden under foot as Calvin and other faithfull Ministers were driven out of Geneva at the first whereupon he uttered these gracious words Truly if I had served men I had been ill rewarded but it is well for me that I have served him who never 〈◊〉 his but will approve himself a liberall pay-master a 〈◊〉 rewarder And put him in prison Having first laid hold upon all the principles in his own head that might any way disturb 〈◊〉 course in 〈◊〉 and locked them up in restraint according to that Rom. 1. 18. wicked men 〈◊〉 the truth that is the light of their own consciences which is as another Iohn Baptist a Prophet from God this they imprison in unrighteousnesse and become fugitives from their own hearts as Austin hath it For Herodias sake his brother c. Quam vulpinando 〈◊〉 at as one phraseth it And he had her not only for his wife but for his 〈◊〉 for she ruled him at her pleasure as Iezabel did Ahab of which wretched couple it is said that Reginaerat Rex Rex vero 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 never goes well when the 〈◊〉 crowes How many have we known whose heads have been broken with their own rib Satan hath found this bait to take so 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 never changed it since he crept into Paradise And it is remarkeable that in that first sentence against man this cause is expressed Because thou obeyedst the voice of thy wife Verse 4. For Iohn had said unto him It is not
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
ready to fall asleep at it Verse 44. And he left them and 〈◊〉 away again A most memorable and imitable pattern of patience toward those that condole not or that keep not touch with us we must neither startle 〈◊〉 storm but passe it by as a frailty And praid the third time A number of perfection And Si 〈◊〉 pulsanti c. Paul praid thrice and gave over 2 Cor. 12. because he saw it 〈◊〉 Gods will it 〈◊〉 be otherwis pardoning grace he had but not prevailing vers 9. So our Saviour here had an Angel sent from heaven to strengthen him that he might the better drink that cup which he had so 〈◊〉 deprecated Hence the Apostle doubts not to 〈◊〉 That he was heard in that he feared he was and he was not there 's no praying against that which Gods providence hath disposed of by an infallible order And when we see how God will have it we must sit down and be satisfied That which he will have done we may be sure is best to be done Saying the same words And they were no whit the worse for being the same Let 〈◊〉 comfort those that complain they cannot vary in prayer though that be a desirable ability The 〈◊〉 were enriched by God in all utterance and knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. But the businesse of praier is more dispatcht by inward groanings then outward 〈◊〉 Verse 45. Sleep on now and take your rest q. d. Doe so if you can at least But now the hour is come wherein you shall have small either leasure or list to sleep though never so drousie spirited for The Sonne of man is 〈◊〉 c. Luther readeth the words 〈◊〉 and by way of 〈◊〉 thus Ah Do ye 〈◊〉 sleep and take your rest Will ye with Solomons drunkard sleep upon a mast-pole Take a nap upon a Weather-cock Thus this heavenly Eagle though he love his young ones dearly yet he pricketh and beateth them out of the nest The best as Bees are killed with the honey of flattery but quickned with the 〈◊〉 of reproof Verse 46. Rise Let us be going To meet that death which till he had praied he greatly feared So it was with Esther chap. 4. 16. and with David Psal. 116. 3 4. See the power of faithfull praier to disarme death and to alter the countenance of greatest danger Quoties me oratio quem paenè desperantem susceperat reddidit exsultantem c How oft hath praier recruted me Behold He is at hand Behold for the miracle of the matter yet now no miracle 〈◊〉 frequensque via est per amicifallere nomen Tnta frequenque licet sit via crimen habet Verse 47. Lo Iudas one of the twelve Lo for the reason next afore-mentioned The truth hath no such pestilent persecutours as Apostates Corruptio optimi pessima sweetest wine maketh sowrest vineger With swords and staves What need all this ado But that the bornet haunted them an ill conscience abused them When he put forth but one 〈◊〉 of his Deity these armed men fell all to the ground nor could they rise again till he had done indenting with them Verse 48. Whomsoever I shall kisse Ah lewd losell Betraiest thou the Son of man with a kisse Givest thou thy Lord such rank poison in such a golden cup Consignest thou thy treachery with so sweet a symboll of peace and love But this is still usuall with those of his Tribe Caveatur osculum Iscarioticum Jesuites at this day kisse and kill familiarly 〈◊〉 occidunt as one saith of false Physitians When those Rhemish Incendiaries Giffard Hodgeson and others had set Savage awork to kill Queen Elizabeth they first set forth a book to perswade the English Catholikes to attempt nothing against her So when they had sent Squire out of Spain to poison the Queen they taught him to anoint the pummel of her saddle with poison covertly and then to pray with a loud voice God save the Queen Lopez another of their agents affirmed at Tiburn That he had loved the Queen as he had loved Jesus Christ Which from a Jew was heard not without laughter So Parsons when he had hatched that namelesse villany the powder-plot set forth his book of resolution as if he had been wholly made up of devotion Esocietate Iesu fuit qui Iesum tradidit Verse 49. Hail Master and kissed him But love is not alwaies in a kisse saith Philo the Jew nor in crying Rabbi Rabbi as the traitour here did Mark 14. 45. out of a seeming pitty of his Masters misery There are that think that he would have carried this his treachery so cunningly as if he had 〈◊〉 no hand in it and therefore kissed him as a friend and so would still have been taken Verse 50. Friend Sith thou wilt needs be so esteemed though most unfriendly Wherefore art thou come As a friend or as a foe If as a friend What mean these swords If as a foe What means this kisse Christ knew well enough wherefore he came but thinks good to sting 〈◊〉 conscience by this cutting question Laid hands on Iesus and took him By his own consent and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Irenaeus hath it while the Deity rested and refused to put forth it self Verse 51. One of them which were with Iesus This was Peter who asked 〈◊〉 to strike but staid 〈◊〉 till he had it out of a preposterous zeal to his Master and because he would be a man of his word A wonderfull work of God it was surely that hereupon he was not 〈◊〉 in an hundred pieces by the barbarous souldiers Well might the 〈◊〉 say He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death Psal. 68. 20. My times are in thine hands Psal. 31. 15. But this stout 〈◊〉 could not be found when his Master was after this apprehended and arraigned Plato hath observed That the most skilfull 〈◊〉 are the most cowardly 〈◊〉 Verse 52. Put up again thy sword See the Notes on Iohn 18. 11. For all they that take the sword Without a just calling 〈◊〉 those sworn sword-men of the devil the Jesuites whose faction as one saith of them is a most agile sharp sword the blade whereof is sheathed at pleasure in the bowels of every Common-wealth but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spaine Their design is to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves Verse 53. Thinkest thou that I cannot pray q. d. Need I be beholden to thee for help 〈◊〉 very boldly told his 〈◊〉 and Protectour the Electour of Saxony That he by his 〈◊〉 gained him more help and safegard then he received from him and that this cause of Christ needeth not the 〈◊〉 of man to carry it on but the power of God set a work by the prayer of faith And this way saith 〈◊〉 I will undertake to secure your Highnesses soul
as the day peeped Luke 22. 66. So sedulous are the Devils servants Esau began to bustle with Jacob even in the very womb that no time might be lost Verse 2. And when they had bound him Bound he had been before this to loose the cords of our iniquities but belike they had loosed him again to try if by fair means they could make him belye himself So those Martyrs were tempted Heb. 11. 37. And this was Iulians way of persecuting the Primitive Christians as Nazianzen testifieth persecutioni suae miscuit persuasionem ideoque fuit superioribus nocentior perniciosior So Bonner after he had allowed William Hunter Martyr an half-peny a day in bread and drink in prison perswaded with him saying If thou wilt recant I will make thee a freeman in the city and give thee fourty pounds in good mony to set up thine occupation withall or I will make thee steward of mine house and set thee in office So to reduce D. Taylor Martyr they promised him not only his pardon but a bishoprick Verse 3. Then Iudas which had betrayed him Might not Iedu have sang care away now that he had both the bag and the price of blood but he must come and betray himself Whiles he playd alone he wonne all but soon after his own wickednesse corrected him and his backslidings reproved him Sin will surely prove evill and bitter when the bottom of the bag is once turned upward A man may have the stone who feels no fit of it Conscience will work once though for the time one may feel no fit of accusation Laban shewed himself at parting Knowest thou not that there will be bitternesse in the latter end But 〈◊〉 devil deals with men as the Panther doth with the beasts he 〈◊〉 his deformed head till his sweet sent have drawn them into his danger Till we have sinned Satan is a parasite when we have sinned he is a tyrant But it is good to consider that of Bernard At the day of judgement a pure conscience shall better bestead one then a full purse When he saw that he was condemned He hoped belike that Christ would as at other times he did have delivered 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 miracle Let no man flatter himself as if there were no such hurt in sinne for like dirty dogs it doth but defile us in fawning and like a treacherous Host though it welcome us into the 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 countenance yet it will cut our throats in our beds He repented That is he changed his minde from thinking well of his former actions So those miscreants in Malachi are said to return and discern c. 〈◊〉 3. 18. So 〈◊〉 Duke of Suevia when at the Popes instigation taking up arms against Henry the Emperour he had lost his right hand in the battel he sent for his Bishops and other his confederates and said unto them Loe this is that hand wherewith I swore that allegiance to my Soveraign which by your means and motion I have 〈◊〉 Videte an rectà viâ me duxeritis c Consider whether you have 〈◊〉 me on in a right way or not And brought again the thirty peeces So did Iames Abbes bring to the Bishop of Norwich his forty 〈◊〉 fastened upon him by the Bishop which when he had 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 Fox and was gon from the Bishop who had prevailed with him to recant his conscience began to throb and inwardly to accuse this fact how he had displeased the Lord by 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illusions In which combat with himself being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went to the Bishop again and there threw him his mony and said It repented him that he ever consented to their wicked perswasions in taking of his mony Hereupon the Bishop with his Chaplains laboured afresh to winne him again But he was better resolved and crying out to God for 〈◊〉 of his sinne which Iudas did not he obtained mercy and suffered 〈◊〉 Verse 4 I have sinned c. Here was 〈◊〉 Confession Restitution most men go not so far that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hopes of heaven there was wanting that 〈◊〉 Conversion Obedience of faith that should have completed his repentance He died in the birth as that foolish childe Ephraim He confessed to men and not to God and by his confession he sought no more then to ease his heart as drunkards by vomiting rid their stomacks So Latomus of Lovain confessed inter horrendos 〈◊〉 se contra conscientiam adver satum esse veritati roaring and crying out that against his 〈◊〉 he had persecuted the truth of God In trouble of minde all will out Conscience like Samsons wife conceals not the riddle like Fulvia a whorish woman who declared all the secrets of her foolish lover Cneius a noble Roman What is that to us See thou to that Miserable comforters Physitians of no value To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend but he for saketh the fear of the Almighty The devil and his imps love to bring men into the briers and there leave them as familiar devils forsake their witches when they have brought them once into fetters Thus the old Bethelite that had been at pains to fetch back the Prophet would not go back with him Thus the Papists burnt Cranmer recanting and the present Prelates cast off their great Antisabbatarian White when they had served their turns on him David when he was hunted from Samuel the Prophet he fled to Ahimelech the Priest as one that knew that justice and compassion should dwell in those brests that are consecrated to God But Judas met with no such matter in the Priests of his time Those mischievous men left him when they had led him to his bane Verse 5. And he cast down the pieces of silver That wages of wickednesse burnt in his purse in his conscience neither could it secure him in the day of wrath See Zeph. 1. 18. Ezek. 7. 19. Obad. 〈◊〉 Jam. 4. 1 2. Omnia fui nihil mihi profuit said Severus the Emperour when he lay a dying Most of the Emperours 〈◊〉 nothing by their advancement to the Empire whereof they were so ambitious but this Vt citiùs interficerentur that they were slain the sooner All or most of them till Constantine died unnaturall deaths Achans wedge of gold served but to cleave asunder his soul from his body and the Babylonish garment but for a shroud And went and hang'd himself If you confesse your felf to a Priest and not to God said that Martyr you shall have the reward that Judas had For he confessed himself to a Priest and yet went and 〈◊〉 himself by and by So did Pavier Town-Clark of London in Henry the eights time who had before sworn a great 〈◊〉 That if the Kings 〈◊〉 would set forth the Scripture in English and let it be read of the people by his 〈◊〉 rather then he would so long live he
sight as well as light we are still to seek Verse 51. 〈◊〉 was subject unto them Labouring with his 〈◊〉 c Mark 6. 5. Verse 52. Increased in wisdome Being 〈◊〉 as Macarius was called whilest a child for his extraordinary grace and gravity CHAP. III. Verse 1. Pontius Pilate being governour TAcitus calleth him Procurator only of Judea But Saint Luke here makes little difference betwixt his office and the Imperiall honour of his Master Tiberius for he useth the same word to expresse both The Earle of Flanders counts it a great prerogative that he writes himself Comes Dei gratiâ Others only Dei clementiâ The Duke of Millain that he is the prime Duke of Europe The Deputy of Ireland that there commeth no Vicegerent in Europe more neer the Majesty and prerogative of a King then he c. Verse 2. Annas and Caiaphas being high Priests By turnes Joh. 11. 44. Act. 4. 6. contrary to the old order Throughout the whole Turkish Territories there is but one Mufta or High-Priest and he is the supream Judge and rectifier of all actions as well Civil as Ecclesiastical Verse 3. Preaching the Baptisme of Repentance Johns note was still Repentance Christ comes not where this Herald hath not been before him Yet now it is come to that passe that many men scorn to hear a Sermon of Repentance It s a sign say some that the Minister hath been idle that week or that his stock is spent when he comes to preach of such a common theame as Repentance If God be not mercifull we shall quickly dispute away all our Repentance as a famous preacher justly complaineth Verse 4. In the book of the words of Esaias Called a great roule Esay 8. 1. because it treates of great things Maxima in minimo and said to be written with the Pen of a man that is cleerly that the simplest of men may understand it Deuteronomie 30. 11. Verse 5. Every vally shall be filled Every hole or hollow Fainting of heart unfits the way for Christ as well as the swelling hills of pride Plain things will joyn in every point one with another not so rough and hollow things so plain spirits close with Gods Truths not so those that are swolne and uneven Verse 6. All flesh shall see Viz. All that order their conversation aright Psal. 50. 23. which is the life of thankfulnesse ib. Verse 7 8 9. See the Notes on Matthew 3. 7 8 9 10. Verse 10. What shall we doe q. d. What are those fruits worthy of Repentance that we in our places must bring forth Verse 11. He that hath two coates Thus Tyrus evidenced her repentance Isa. 23. 18. by feeding and cloathing Gods Saints with her merchandize Thus Zacheus Dorcas c. This is all the lesson that for the present he sets them being but young scholars in the schoole of Christ. Verse 13. Exact no more Make no more of your places then ye may with a good conscience Shun that mystery of iniquity that is crept into most callings A great part of the Turks Civil Justice at this day is grounded upon Christs words Thou shalt not do what thou wouldst not have done to thee Verse 14. Do violence to no man Shake no man by the shoulders tosse no man to and fro to put him into a fright smite no man with the fist of wickednesse Tamerlaine took such order with his Souldiers that none were injuried by them If any souldier of his had but taken an apple or the like from any man he died for it One of his souldiers having taken a little milk from a country woman and she thereof complaining he caused the said souldier to be presently killed and his stomack to be ript where the milk that he had of late drunk being found he contented the woman and so sent her away who had otherwise undoubtedly dyed for her false accusation had it not so appeared Neither accuse any falsely Get nothing by sycophancie Oppresse no man either by force or fraud and forged cavilation as it is rendred Luke 19. 8. Verse 15. Whether he were the Christ Yet John did no miracle but he was a burning and a shining light he thundered in his doctrine and lightened in his life Hence was he so much admired Verse 16. The latchet of whose shooes c. By this expression the Baptist acknowledgeth Christs Godhead as did also Mary by washing his feet But what doth the Pope that holds forth his feet to be kissed Is not this he that sits as God in the Temple of God Is not this Dominus Deus noster Papa Learned he not this abominable insolency of Dioclesian that bloudy Persecutor who as he was the first Roman Emperour that would be worshipped as God so he was the first that wore shooes embellished with precious stones and held forth his feet to be kissed of his prostrate suitors Verse 17. Whose fanne Viz. The preaching of the Gospel Verse 19. For Herodias his brother Philips wife Whom it was not lawfull for Herod to have though Philip were dead as Josephus saith he was This was the case so much controverted here and beyond Seas in Henry the eighths time touching his marriage with his brother Arthurs widow by Papall dispensation The King had first a scruple cast into his mind about it by the Bishop of Baion the French Embassadour who came to him to consult of a Marriage between the Lady Mary and the Duke of Orleans whether Mary were legitimate c. This gave occasion to the casting the Popes authority out of England Mary was forced for fear of death to renounce the Bishop of Rome and to acknowledge her Mothers marriage to have bin incestuous and unjust c. Though afterwards she set up the Pope here again and it was her policy so to get and keep the Crown upon 〈◊〉 head And for all the evills which Herod c. John reproved him with the same liberty that Herod committed them So did John Chrysostome the great ones of his time Ità quidem ut etiam Ducum Eutropii Gainae imò ipsius Imperatoris errata reprehenderet He spared not Dukes Princes nay not the Emperour himself Verse 20. Added yet this There is no stint in sin but as one wedge makes way for another so here As after Jonathan and 〈◊〉 Armour-bearer came the whole host So. Verse 21. And praying the heaven was opened Prayer is the key of Gods Kingdom And must be used as at other times so especially when we or ours receive the Sacraments though the most if urged hereto must say if they say truely as 1 Sam. 17. 39. I cannot go with these accoutrements for I am not accustomed to them Verse 23. Being as was supposed But falsly for Joseph was no more then his Pater politicus as Postellus calleth him his foster-father reputed father Which was the sonne of Heli That is his son in law For Heli was Maries