many of them perished eternally A man may go to hell with Font-water on his face and be haled from the table to the tormentour as he Matth. 22.13 Verse 50. This is the Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pointing to himself So David This poor man meaning himself cried and the Lord heard him c. Psal 34.6 So Hic sat lucis said Oecolampadius on his death bed laying his hand on his breast Verse 51. If any man eat c. Hic edere est credere saith Augustine Faith being the souls hand mouth stomack c. The Fathers commonly expounded this part of our Saviours Sermon as spoken of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and so fell into that errour that none but Communicants could be saved Wherefore also they gave the Sacrament to Infants and put it into the mouthes of dead men c. We are not to think that either our Saviour spake â—â—re properly and eex professo of the Sacramentall eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud or that this discourse pertains nothing at all thereunto The Papists have expunged a great part of Origens Commentary upon this Chapter as directly making against their monster of Transubstantiation Act. and Mon. fol. 772. And Cardinall Campeius affirmed against Luther that faith is not necessary to him that receiveth the Sacrament As for Bellarmine although we beleeve Bell. lib. 3. cap. a. de Eccles milit saith he that all vertues are found in the Church yet that any man may be absolutely said to be a member of the true Church we do not think that any inward vertue is required but only an externall profession of the faith and such communion of the Sacraments as is received by the outward man This mark very well agrees to the Church of Rome wherein if any be truly vertuous it is by meer accident as Cicero wittily said of the Epicures Si quando viri boni sint vinci bonitate naturae that if any one of them were good he was meerly overcome by the goodnesse of his nature for they taught a licencious loosenesse Verse 53. Except ye eat the flesh c. Fulbert Bishop of Charters who lived in the eleventh century speaking upon the Eucharist hath these words Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man c. Facinus vel flagitium videtur jubere Fol. 168. Figura ergo est praecipiens passioni Domini esfe communicandum tantum suaviter utiliten recondendum in memoria quod pro nobis caro ejus crucifixa vulnerataest Now in the year of Christ 1608. there was set out an edition of him in Paris where we have interserted after Figura exgo est these words Dicit Hareticus to make what Fulbert spoke assertivè from Augustine to speak recitativè of the Heretick as if the heretick should say This is a figure c. which if admitted then there 's no Transubstantiation De doct Christ lib. a. cap. 16. The words produced by Fulbert are indeed S. Augustines And the publisher of Eulbert being told hereof that the words were Augustines that he had branded with herefie he put afterwards his Dicit Haereticus amongst his Errata as ye may read in Bishop Vshers answer to the Jesuites challenge pag. 15. Verse 60. This is an hard saying The hardnesse was in themselves not in the word but that must bear the blame howsoever as she in Seneca that was stricken with sudden blindnesse and then cried out of the light An hypocrite is not discovered till upon some criticall point If it come to a matter of cost he cries What needs this waste if of pains This is an hard saying Verse 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth Had those carnall Capernaites but stayed out our Saviours Sermon they might have bin satisfied for the sense of his words that they so stumbled at and had not patience to hear him here expounding himself Quoniam Christiani Pontificii manducant Deum quem adorant sit anima mea cum Philosophis said Averroes who had he consulted with Divines might have known more Verse 69. We beleeve and have known In matters of Divinity we must first beleeve and then know not know and then beleeve In humane Sciences it is otherwise Men are brought to assent and beleeve by experience knowledge and sense as to beleeve that fire is hot c. But here beleeve and assent go before experiment all knowledge sense and use CHAP. VII Verse 2. The Feast of Tabernacles THe Jews at this feast dwelt without doors in boothes and bowers in remembrance of their wandring of old thorow the wiâ—dernesse This gave occasion to Plutarch and other prophane Heathens to devise and broach so many base lyes of the Jews as if they were worshippers of Bacchus Florus cals the Temple of Jerusalcm Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 5. impiae gentis arcanum Another tels us that the Jews were forced to rest every seventh day for an evil disease they had cleaving unto them Verse 5. For neither did his brethren beleeve This the Jewes at this day read with much wonderment and take occasion from this Text Blunts voyage into Lev. 115. to slander our Saviours miracles as nothing so manifest as we conceive them sith his own kinred beleeved not in him Verse 11. Where is he Not where is Jesus they could not finde in their hearts to call him by his name they were so full of malice against him So Josephs brethren called him not Ioseph but the Dreamer Saul asked not for David but the Son of Iesse Act. and Mon. fol. 810. After Stephen Brune the Martyr was put to death his adversaries commanded it to be cried That none should make any more mention of him under pain of heresic And ubicunque invenitur nomen Calvini Luk 6.22 delcatur saith the Index expargatorius But what saith our Saviour Blessed are ye when men shall hate you Tacit. Annal. and cast out your name as evil for the Son of mans sake The wise Historian observed that the Statues of Brutus and Cassius eo praefulgebant quodnon visebantur And Cato said he had rather men should question why he had no Statue or Monument erected to him then why he had Verse 13. For fear of the Jews Who had made an order it seems somewhat like that of the Jesuites edict at Dola in the Countrey of Burgundy that for prevention of heresie no man should speak of God either in good sort or bad This the Jewes did 1. Heylin Geo. pag. 125. To save themselves a labour of confuting our Saviours doctrine 2. To perswade the people that it was such horrible blasphemy as was not fit to be named So the Papists debar the people all sound of the Religion in prohibiting the books of the rformed Writers and hiding their own Treatises wherin the Tenet of the Protestants is recited only to be confuted Heyl. Geog. pag. 189. so that you shall seldome
Law did Stephen Gardener follow in troubling and imprisoning Judge Hales when he had done nothing neither against Gods Law nor mans proceeding in order of Law against certain presumptuous persons which both before the Law and against the Law then in force took upon them to say their Masse Verse 32. Signifying what death he should die This shews that the Jewes had power to put to death but by a providence he was brought to Pilate that according to the manner of the Romans he might be crucified a that kinde of death being not otherwise in use among the Jews Hence our Lord is said to have been crucified at Rome Rev. 11.8 Verse 33. Entred into the judgement-hall again For without among the people there was nothing but clamour and confusion much like to that regnum Cyclopum ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pilate therefore retires himselfe into the palace that he might more sedately set himself to sift the businesse Verse 34. Sayest thou this of thy self As who should say If thou doest this of thy self what reason is it that thou shouldst be both Judge and witnes If others have done it why are not mine accusers brought face to face If to be accused be enough to make a man guilty none shall be innocent Judges are to proceed secundum allegata probata Verse 35. Am I a Jew This he asketh in scorn of that Nation hatefull among the Heathens for their difference from them in Religion Caius the Emperour cast them out with their Oratour Philo Serab Geog. who came to make Apology for them against Appion of Alexandria their adversary and accuser Strabo of meer spite saith that Judea is a dry and barren countrey when the Scripture calleth it a land flowing with milk and honey plenty and dainty and Tacitus cannot but grant as much Heyl. Geng Au. deâ—iv Dei Florus calleth the Temple at Jerusalem impiae gentis arcanum a Sanctuary for rogues as the Papists fay of Geneva Seneca jeers them for casting away the seventh part of their time upon a weekly Sabbath Juvenal plaies upon their circumcision Lib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ap 5 Taâ— Annâ—t â— 21. Plutarch tels a long Story of their feast of Tabernacles which saith he they keep in honour of Batcbus Tacitus saith they were called Asinarij because they worshipped the golden head of an Asse c. No wonder though profane Pilate disdeign to be held a Jew when they were thus traduced Verse 36. My kingdome is not of this world Christ could not be received as a god into the Pantheon at Rome for that he wanted worshippers preached poverty and chose mean men for his Disciples Domitian the Emperour after he had banished John into â—â—thmos and Damicilla Flavia his own ssiters daughter with many more into Pontus and put divers to death for that they were Christians he commanded all such Jews as he could finde to be put to death that were of the stocke of David Amongst whom meeting with some Christians also that were allied to Christ and understanding that they were poor harmlesse people he dismissed them and by Proclamation forbad any more to be martyred Eusâ—b l. 7 c. 20. Verse 37. That I should bear witnesse of the truth Our Saviour speaketh religiously to a profane person So doth Jacob to Esau Each Countrey-man is knowne by his language Gen. 33.5 God will turne to all his people a pure lip Zephan 3.9 They are none of his that can shift their sailes to the sitting of every winde tune their fiddles to other mens base and as the Planet Mercury be good in conjunction with good and bad with bad Verse 38. What 's truth In a scornefull profane manner As indeed profane spirits cannot heare favoury words but they turne them off with a scorne What 's truth Fastidientis atque irridentis vox non interrogantis saith Beza Some thinke it is vox admirantis As if Pilate wondered at Christ that when his life was in question he should talke of truth q. d. Your life is in danger and talke you of truth Politicians thinke Religion nicenesse How ever it was or with what minde soever out hee goes and staies not an answer As Saul bad the Priest bring to him the Arke but ere that could be done drawes forth his Armie 1 Sam. 14. Verse 39. But ye have a custome An ungaine ungodly custome it was Prov. 17.15 What ever were the ground of it Some thinke it was in memory of Jonathan In ist a consuetudine turpe crassum suit vitium Calv. Goodw. Antiq. Heb p. 39. Prov. 28.97 rescued from his father by the people Others that the Feast might be celebrated with the greater joy and gladnesse Others more probably in remembrance of their deliverance from the Aegyptian bondage But why should any Barabbas scape by it A bloody man shall flee to the pit and no man may stay him Verse 40. Now Barabbas was a robber And a murtherer too Act. 3.14 yet preferred before Christ who was also crucified in the midst of two theeves as the worst of the three Thus he was peccatorum maximus both by imputation for he bore our sinnes which were all made to meet upon him Isa 53.6 And by reputation for he was numbred with the transgressours ver 12. and made his grave with the wicked vers 9. CHAP. XIX Verse 1. Took Jesus and scourged him SO God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 One son he had that was sine corruptione flagitio but none that was sine correptione flagello In him therefore that rule held not Flagitium flagelium sicut acus filum Punishment follows sin as the threed follows the needle Verse 2. And the souidiers piatted a crown of thorns Prickly and sharp as the point of a sword so the word signifieth And our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videtur oâ—tum à voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuspis acies mucro Pasor being of the finest constitution must needs be extreme sensible The souldiers did this it 's thought by the command of Pilate to give content to the Jews and to move them thereby if it might be either to contemn him or commiserate him But nothing would doe but his death these bloud-hounds would not other waies be satisfied Godfrey of Bullen first King of Hierusalem refused to be crowned with a crown of gold saying that it became not a Christian there to wear a crown of gold where Christ Turk hist fo 24 for our salvation had some time worne a crown of thorns Some report that he would not be otherwise crowned then with a crown of thorns as he kneeled at our Saviours sepulchre To testifie perhaps that he did dedicate his head and life to Christ crucified Traduâ—t coro aÌ„ sptream ei esse impefitam flenis genâ—bus ad sepuâ—chrum Domâ—â—tcum pro. cuâ—b nti c. Buâ—nolcer and despised not for his sake a crown of
empties a man of himself purgeth upon ambit on and is an act of the will else the seeking of praise with men could be no impediment to the act of beleeving Surely as Pharaoh said of the Israelites they are entangled in the Land the wildernesse hath shut them in so may we say of many They are entangled in the creature the world hath shut them in they cannot come to Christ They are shut up in the cave of the world Iosh 10.18 as those five Kings in a cave Josh 10. have hardnesse of heart as a great stone rolled to the mouth and honours riches and pleasures as so many keepers c. Verse 45. Do not think that I That is that I only Even Moses So your faithfull Ministers whom men pretend to love and reverence but obey not their doctrine these shall judge you Verse 46. For he wrote of me Both clearly and mystically in the many sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serm. â— de prinâ— Whence Theodoret calleth Moses the main Ocean of Divinity out of whom all the Prophets and Apostles have watered their severall gardens And Pareus closeth up his Commentary upon Genesis with these words Quicquid Scripturarum sacrarum dehinc sequitur hujus est Commentarius Verse 47. But if ye beleeve not his writings He that will not take Gods word in one place will take it in no place CHAP. VI. Verse 9. Five Barley loaves and two small Fishes VVAs not Tyrabosco hardly driven when from these five loaves and two fifhes he concluded seven Sacraments So in the second C uncell of Nice under Irene Via tuâ—a by Sir Hump. Linde p 164. Heyl. Geo. p. 533. John one of the Legates of the Eastern-Churches proved the making of Images lawfull because God had said Let us make man after our own Image A sound argument to overthrow one of Gods Commandements and yet it prevailed Verse 11. He distributed to the Disciples These fiveloaves by a strange kinde of Arithmetick were multiplied by division and augmented by substraction The Macedonians found that not getting but giving is the way to thrive 2 Cor. 9.8 Ex fame quaestum captabat Josephus benignitate sua emit Aegyptum nos etiam coelum So in spirituall alins and good offices Gods gifts grow in the hands of them that employ them to feed many Salienti aquarum fonti undas si tollas nec exhauritur nec extenuatur sed dulcescit D. Beddingâ— Scientia docendi officio dulcedinem sentiat non minutias Verse 14. This is of a truth that Prophet Yet anon they are at it what sign shewest thou Verse 30 that you may know them to be the Pharisees disciples Of whose soure leaven also that in the next verse savours where they would needs take him by force to make him a King They could not imagine a Messias that had not an earthly Kingdome Verse 15. Take him by force Superstition will needs obtrude upon Christ will-worship whether he will or no and despite him with seeming honours as the Lycaonians would needs have stollen a sacrifice upon Paul and Barnabas and the Salvages of Nova Albion upon Sir Francis Drake and his company at their parting with them They had set it on fire ere we were aware faith he we laboured by all means to with-hold or withdraw them but could not prevail till at length we fell to prayers and singing of Psalms The world encompasled by Sir Francis Drake p. 81. whereby they were allured immediately to forget their folly and leave their sacrifice unconsumed suffering the fire to go out and imitating us in all their actions they fell a lifting up their hands and eyes to heaven as they saw us to do Verse 16. His Disciples went down to sea By Christs own command Matth. 14.22 Mark 6.45 yet they met with a sore storm So may the best with trouble in their most lawfull employments Psal 34.18 But these make them look to their tackling patience to their anchor hope to their helm faith to their card the Word to their Captain Christ who is ever at hand Verse 17. Jesus was not come to them This was worse to them then the storm It was wofull with Saul 1 Sam. 28.15 when the Philistims were upon him and God would not come at him nor answer him So when danger or death is upon a man and God is far from him That doom Jere. 16.13 I will not shew you favour was worse then their captivity Verse 21. Immediately the ship was at land A dying Saint hath no sooner taken death into his bosome but he is immediately landed at the key of Canaan at the Kingdome of heaven Aug de civ Dei lib 9. â— 16. Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam ibi pater ibi omnia said Plotinus the Platonist Verse 26. Because ye did eat of the loaves More then for love Vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesum Aug. But as the mixt multitude came out of Egypt with Israel for a better fortune and as he Math. 20. As the harlot looks to the love-tokens more then to the Donour so was it here Verse 27. Labour not for the meat c. When Basil was tempted with money and preferment he answers Pecuniam da quae permaneat ac continuò duret gloriam quae semper floreat The fashion of this world passeth away as the water of a River that runs by a City or as a fair picture drawn upon the ice that melts away with it Men come to the worlds felicities as to a Lottery with heads full of hopes but return with hearts full of blanks Labour for the meat that endureth We may not dream of a delicacy in Gods wayes or think that good things will drop out of the clonds to us Plut in Sylla Revs Symb A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 13.14 as Towns were said to come into Timotheus his toyls whiles he slept We must be at pains for Heaven Laborandum was one of the Emperours motto and may be every Christians Strive they must even to an agony ere they can get into the strait gate together with our stooping there must be a certain stripping of our selves Verse 29. This is the work of God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is an easie matter to beleeve thinks the worldling but he that goes about it shall finde it as hard a work to beleeve the Gospel Rogers of Futh as to keep the Law For God must enable to both Non minns difficile est nobis velle credere saith Beza quam cadaveri volare Bez. consess pag. 22. We beleeve with much conflict saith another The combat was not so great betwixt Michael and Satan about Moses dead body as between Satan and the beleeyer Dine of the deceitâ— heart concerning Christs living body Faith is fain to tug wrestle for it till it sweat again Verse 49. Did eat Manna They fed upon Sacraments and yet
lye hath been alwayes held hatefull but equivocation is now set forth of a later impression The Jesuites have called back this pest from hell alate for the comfort of afflicted Catholicks as Arch-Priest Blackwell and Provinciall Garnet shamed not to professe Est autem satanae pectus semper faecundissimum mendacijs saith Luther He began his kingdom by a lye and by lyes he upholds it as were easie to instance See my Notes on Genesis chap. 3. ver 5. Verse 48. That thou art a Samaritan And why a Samaritun trow but that they thought the worst word in their bellies good enough for him Malice cares not what it faith so it may kill or gall and these dead dogs as he calleth Shimci will be barking 2 Sam. 16.9 The Primitive Persecutours used to put Christians into bears and doggs skins or other ugly creatures and then bait them so doth the wicked put the Saints into ugly conceits then speak against them Verse 54. It is my father that honoureth me 1 Sam. 2.30 According to that Them that honour me I will honour this is a bargain of Gods own making Fame follows vertue as the shadow the body or if not yet she is proprio contenta theatro content with her own applause Verse 55. Yet ye have not known him There is a two fold knowledge of God 1. Apprehensive 2. Affective or cognoscitiva standing in speculation and directiva vitae Verse 59. Then took they up stones This is merces mundi the worlds wages Let 's look up with Stephen and see Heaven as he did thorow a showre of stones c. CHAP. IX Verse 1. He saw a man which was blinde THis was enough to move Christ to mercy the sight of a fit object When God sets us up an Altar be we ready with our sacrifice Verse 2. Who did sinne this man Imbuti era â—r Iuâ—ai dogmate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza How could he sinne before he was borne But the Disciples dream't of a Pythagoricall transanimation hence this foolish question Verse 3. But that the works of God c. Hinc Alexander Ales Paena inquit duplicem habet ordinationem Vnam ad culpam quae praecedit alteram ad gloriam quam praecedit God sometimes afflicts for his own glory but sinne is never at the bottome And though God doth not alwayes afflict his for sinne as Job Job 11.6 yet Job shall do well to consider that God exacteth of him lesse then his iniquity deserveth as Zophar telleth him Verse 4. Whiles it is day As other men do Psal 104.22 None can say he shall have twelve houres to his day And night death is a time of receiving wages not of doing worke On this moment depends eternity on the weakest wier hangs the greatest waight Verse 6. Made clay As he did at first in making Man the Poets tell us some such thing of their Prometheus to shew that this cure was done by that Almighty power that he put forth in the Creation Verse 7. He went his way and washed He obeyed Christ blindling He looked not upon Siloam with Syrian eyes as Naaman did upon Jordan but passing by the unlikelihood of a cure by such a means he beleeveth and doeth as he was bidden without sciscitation Verse 16. This man is not of God True if he had indeed made no conscience of keeping the sabbath Sanctifying the Lords day in the primitive times was a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Christianuâ— suâ—â—intermittere non possum Servasti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Sabbath the answer was returned I am a Christian and may not do otherwise The enemies and hinderers of sanctifying the Sabbath are called unbeleevers vagabonds and wicked fellows Acts 17.2 5. B. White Act and Mon. Sometipsum detestatus est quòd Regi poitùs quam Deo studuisset placere Sâ—uitet Sueton Dio in Veâ—pas That late great Antisabbatarian Prelate so much cast off by the rest after he had served their turns might well have cryed out with Cardinal Wolsey Surely if I had been as carefull to serve God as I was to please men I had not been at this passe How can a man that is a sinner Yes that he may by divine permission or at least he may do something like a miracle as the false prophets and Antichrist Suetonius tells us that Vespasian cured a blinde man by spetting upon his eyes And Dio testifieth that he healed another that had a weak and withered hand by treading upon it And yet Vospasian lived and died a Pagan This therefore was no convincing argument that the Jews here used Verse 17. He is a Prophet The more the Pharisees opposed the truth the more it appeared Veritas abscondi erubescit saith Tertullian The Reformation was much furthered in Germany by the Papists opposition Among many others two Kings wrote against Luther viz. Henry 8th of England and Ludovicus of Hungary This Kingly title being entred into the controversie made men more curious And as it happeneth in combats that the lookers on are ready to favour the weaker and to extoll his actions though they be but mean so here it stirred up a generall inclination toward Luther saith the Authour of the hist of the Councell of Trent Luther also in an epistle to the Electour of Saxony Hist of Count. of Trent fol. 16. triumpheth and derideth the foolish wisedome of the Papists in causing him and the other Protestant Princes Scultet Annal. 274. to rehearse the confession of their faith in a publike Assembly of the states of Germany and in sending copies thereof to all the Courts of Christendome for advice whereby the Gospel was more propagated and the cause of Christ more advanced then if many preachers had been sent out and licensed Verse 21. He is of age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Felix ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Etymologists ut felix sit homo floridae vegetae aetatis Becman corpore animo valens Verse 22. Put out of the Synagogue This was that kinde of excommunication they called Niddui or separation and such were by the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were two other more heavy kinde of excommunications in use among the Jews Cherem and Samatha or Maranatha which they derive as low as from Henoch Jude 14. The Heathens also had their publike execrations not rashly to be used against any Est enim execratio res tristis mali ominis saith Plutarch who therefore highly commends that Athenian Priest that being commanded by the people to curse Alcibiades refused to do it That Archflamen of Rome the Pope is like a wasp Cum pontisex Rom. diras in â—u livic 12. Gall. Regem evomeret Atqui aâ—t rex Precandi ille non imprecandi causa pontisex constitutus est Firron lib. 2. de gest is Gallor no sooner angry but out comes a sting an excommunication which being once out
citissimè So friendly did a Senatour of Hala advise Brentius He embraced the advice and saved his life by it Verse 14. And know my sheep With a knowledge of approbation and delight Verba notitiae apud Hebraeos secum trahunt affectum Psal 1.6 Verse 15. Aesop Fab. I lay down my life Yet as man he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quis vitam non vult saith Augustin And Quis enim vult mori prorsus nemo saith another And Skin after skin Job 2.4 or skin upon skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life said that old deceiver truly Yet our Saviour held not his life dear for his sheeps safety Because he saw we should fall sore said that Angel John Bradford therefore he would suffer sore Yea if his once suffering had not been enough he would yet once more come again Bradf Serm. of Repent 63. God the Father I am sure saith he if the death of his Sonne incarnate would not serve would himself and the Holy Ghost also become incarnate and die for us Verse 16. And other sheep I have viz. The elect Gentiles whose conversion to Christ was among other types not obscurely fore-shadowed Levit. 19.23 24 25. as some Divines think The first three-years in Canaan the Israelites were to cast away the fruits of the trees as uncircumcised So our Saviour planted the Gospel in that land for the first three years of his publike ministery But the uncircumcisions are cast away that is to the uncircumciled Gentiles the doctrine of Christ is not declared by generall and publike preaching The fruit of the fourth year was conscerated to God That is Christ in the fourth year from his baptisme laid down his life for his sheep rose again ascended and sent his holy Spirit whereby his Apostles and others were consecrated as the first-fruits of the promised land But in the fifth year the fruit of the Gospel planted by Christ began to be common when the same doctrine was not shut up in the strait bounds of Judaea or walls of the Temple Rom. 16.26 but was made known and shall be more and more to all Nations for the obedience of faith There shall be one sild Of Jews and Gentiles The full and finall restauration of the Jews will fall out in the year 1650. as some have calculaetd out of Dan. 12.11 I wait and wish it Verse 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because This because is nota consecutionis non causae saith Beza I lay down my life I do it even now for he suffered many a little death all his life song and at length the cursed death of the crosse That I might take it again For Christ being life essentiall swallowed up death in victory as the fire swallows up the fuell as Moses his serpent swallowed up the sorcerers serpents c. Verse 18. I lay it down of selfe A necessity there was of our Saviours death but it was a necessity of immutability because God had decreed it Acts 2 23. not of coaction He did willingly Therefore when he gave up the ghost he cried with a loud voice which shews that his life was not then spent he might have retained it longer if he would and thereupon the Centution concludes him to be the Sonne of God Verse 19. There was a division therefore c. This our Saviour fore-saw and yet forbears not Gods truth must be spoken however it be taken Men be they pleased or displeased God must be obeyed and his whole will declared If men refuse to receive it we must turn them over to God with a Non convertentur and then let him alone with them Verse 20. He hath a devil and is mad It was wonder if the Heaven did not sweat the earth melt and hell gape at the hearing of these horrid blasphemies Tigers rage at the fragrancy of sweet spices so did these monsters at our Saviours sweet Sermons Verse 21. These are not the words c. Wisedom is ever justified of her children They fitly argue from his oracles and miracles both which this Evangelist doth more largely relate purposely to prove our Saviours Divinity and is therefore stiled John the Divine Verse 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inittalia five Renovatra The feast of the dedication viz. Of the Temple newly purged from the pollutions of Antiochus that little Anti-chirst So when the Christian Temple the Church was purged from the popish abominations called the tramplings of the Gentiles Rev. 11.2 by those two witnesses that is by Luther and other Heroicall Reformers there was great joy among Gods people And in the year 1617. as the Pope proclaimed a Jubilee for the peace of Italy and Austria Jacob. Renius de vit Pontis pag 306. c. so the Reformed Churches in Germany did the same for Gods mercy in restoring to them the Gosp I a just hundred years before for in the year 1517. Luther began to decry the Popes indulgences In like sort at same time when the Greeks were busie in their Olympick games Burbol Chron. pag. 541. the Prophet Isaiah saw that glorious vision of God in his Majesty Isa 6.1 2. as the Divine Chronologer observes it singing With Seraphims that sweetest Trisagion Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts The new Jerusalem which signifies the state of the Church in this world saith a Reverend Divine when it shall be refined to the utmost is all of fine gold and precious stones D. Siblcs on Cant. 5. p. 380. c. to shew the excellency of Reformation which golden times are yet to come and will prove very festivall Verse 23. And Jesus walked in the Temple Taking the opportunity of that publike meeting to do good as the Bee is abroad so soon as the Sun ariseth The Greeks were great walkers as the Stoicks in their porch Biddulph l 3. c. 5. c. But the Turkes wonder to see a man walke too and fro and usually aske him whether he be out of his way or out of his wits Pliny said to his Nephew when he saw him walke out some houres without studying Poteras has horas non perdere In Solomons porch So the Jews called that porch for honours sake which they built again after the captivity and which Partim ambitione ductus partim Iudâ—orumberetolentiamcaptans c. Beza Annot in Joh. 2.20 together with the whole Temple was beautified by Herod the Great to curry favour with the people which yet would not be for they hated him extremely Verse 24. How long dost thou make us to doubt They lay the blame upon him as if Heraclitus-like he were a darke Doctour when themselves were blinde and did shut the windows lest the light should come in unto them Gods Ministers must look for the like measure Howbeit God darkens their doctrine sometimes as he dealt by Ezekiel for the sins of the people Verse 26. Ye beleeve not because ye are not c. Reprobates
and agitated by the devil Si videris aliquandò persecutorem tuum nimis saevientem scito quia ab ascensore suo daemone perurgetur saith Bernard Mr Barr. his Moses choice pag. 34. These Pharisees had sinned that sin to death which made another in the same case wish that his wife and children and all the world might be damned together with him Hacket at the gallows cryed out O heavenly God shew some miracle out of the cloud to convert these Infidels and deliver me from mine enemies But if not Camdens Eli. sabeth 403. I will set the heaven on fire and with these hands pluck thee out of thy throne and other speeches he used more unspeakable Verse 11. Because that by reason of him This was it that imbittered the Pharisees as it doth now their successours the Papists Ab eo tempore quo per vos Papa Antichristus esse caepit non modo non crevit ejus imperium c. De Papa Rom. l. 3. c. 21. Bellarmine bewrayes his grief and tells us That ever since we proclaimed the Pope to be that Antichrist his Kingdom hath not only not increased but daily more and more decreased And Erasmus being asked by the Electour of Saxony why Luther was so hated by the Popish Clergy For two great faults that he hath committed said he For medling with the Popes triple Crown and the Monkes fat paunches Scultet Annal. pag. 25. Verse 12. On the next day much people The envious Pharisees feeding the while upon their own hearts Israel never increased so fast as when Pharaoh most oppressed them Plures efficimur quoties metimur saith Tertullian Verse 13. Took branches of palm-trees Plutarch writeth that the Babylonians make 360 benefits of the Palm-tree and therefore do highly honour it Pintus upon Daniel telleth us that the Palm-tree will not grow in a fat ground but in a light and sandy And if the soyl be strong and fertile they must cast salt and ashes at the root to qualifie the strength of the ground Sure it is that if prosperity be not seasoned with the salt of grace it will be unfruitfull and unprofitable Hosanna Blessed is the King c. This shews they were well seen in Davids Psalms which are saith Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry. Iost a rich store-house of all good doctrines And they are so penned saith Athanasius that every man may think they speak de se in re sua of himself and for his particular purpose which of other parts of Scripture cannot be affirmed Verse 24. When he had found a young asse To make religion dance attendance upon policie Spec. belli sacri p. 240. Sapientia mundi quae vult omnia redigere in ordinem c. Melch. Adam in Luch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc Heraclidae Sophistae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ptolom Sophista Wolph Mem. Lect. saith one is to set the asse upon Christ and not Christ upon the asse These three things said Luther will be the ruin of religion Unthankfullnesse Security and Carnall Policie Verse 15. Sitting upon an asse Not upon a stately palfrey as an earthly Potentate but upon a silly asse without pomp to comfort the poorest and to teach us humility tolerance patience An asse is a beast profitable whence he hath his name in the Originall but borne to bear burdens Oneramus asinum saith Bernard non curat quia asinus est But what notorious asses are those superstitious Papists that shew the asses tayl at Genua in Italy whereon our Saviour rode for a relique and give it divine worship Are not these given up to the very efficacie of errour Verse 16. These things understood not c. They only beheld it as a pretty Pageant They had read it often in the Prophet and now saw it acted yet were never the wiser for present Reader hear though thou understandest not God may drop in divine light when thou least lookest for it Verse 17. When he called Lazarus c. This notable miracle the Evangelist as he had punctually described it chap. 11. so he cannot but again and again recite it We should set forth Gods noble acts and not be sated David never linns talking of what God had done for his soul Those in heaven have no rest and yet no unrest neither crying Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy c. Verse 18. For this cause also the people met him To the Pharisees extreme grief and regret to shew that there is neither wisdome nor understanding nor counsell against the Lord Prov. 21.30 Verse 19. Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing Thus they stir up one another to more madnesse as if hitherto they had been overmilde Act. and Mon. fol. 1461. and used too much gentlenesse So Steven Gardiner being charged of cruelty by Bradford answered I for my part have been challenged for being too gentle oftentimes Which thing Bonner confirmed and so did almost all the audience that he had been ever too milde and moderate So Bonner in open Court to the Lord Major They report me said he to seek blood and call me bloody Bonner Ibid. 1537. whereas God knows I never sought any mans blood in all my life But a certain unknown good woman in a letter to Bonner told him his own in these words Indeed you are called the common cut-throat and generall slaughter-slave to all the Bishops of England And therefore it is wisedom for me and all other simple sheep of the Lord Act. and Mon. fol. 167◠to keep us out of your butcherly stall as long as we can especially since you have such store already that you are not able to drinke all their blood lest you should break your belly and therefore ye let them lye still and die for hunger c. Thus she to Bonner As for D. Story who was hang'd drawn and quartered for his treason in Q. Elizabeths raign I see said he in open Parliament nothing to be ashamed of though he had been a furious persecutour under Q Mary so lesse I see to be sorry for but rather because I have done no more Ibid. 1925. wherein he said there was no default in him but in them whom he oft and earnestly had exhorted to the same being not a little grieved therefore with them for that they laboured only about the young and little sprigs and twigs while they should have stricken at the root the Lady Elizabeth he meant and clean rooted it out The Lord Paget in a certain consultation said that King Philip should never have any quiet common-wealth in England Ibid. 1899. unlesse Lady Elizabeths head were stricken from her shoulders Whereunto the Spaniards answered God forbid that their King and Master should have such a minde to consent to such a mischief A Writ came down whiles she was in the Tower subscribed with certain hands of the Councell for her execution Engl Elisah pag. 109. Steven Gardiner being the engineer Mr
of our hands We are to earn ere we eat 2 Thess 3. And that night they caught nothing Labour we never so hard unlesse God blesse it and stop that hole in the bottom of the bag Hag. 1.1 those secret issues and drains of expence at which mens estates run out we shall be forced to say with Severus the Emperour Spartian Omnia fui nihil profuit Verse 4. Psul 30.5 But when the morning Mourning lasteth but till morning Flebile principium melior fortunaa sequetur said Q. Elizabeth Ovid. when she was to be sent to the Tower Verse 5. Children have ye any meat This he saith as seeming to be some hous-keeper who passing by fishermen cals to them as willing to buy their fish for the use of his family Galeacius Caracciolus His life by Croshaw Galeacius Caracciolus that noble Marques of Vico that left all for Christ preferring the blessing of God before the worlds warm Sun would goe into the market at Geneva and cater for his houshold grieving for nothing more then that he had not wherewithall to keep a better house for the relief of the poor And in that respect only he wished himself as great a man at Geneva as he was in Italy Verse 6. Cast the net on the right side c. This counsell he gives as a stranger who haply might see a confluence of fish there being on the shore which they in the ship faw not They obey him therefore as content to lose one labour more if it must be sor they knew not what another draught might produce It is good to be doing in Gods way sooner or later successe will ensue Binde not the Lord to a day wake not my beloved till he please he will pay us for all our pains and patience Consider but our 1. distance 2. dependance and we will wait Verse 7. Therefore that Disciple c. Now they see the cause why till then they caught nothing was that they might the better know him to be the Lord. God will one day let us see that he in very faith fulnesse afflicts us and that however it seem so for a season it is not in vain to have sought his face John knew not our Saviour by sight here but by the multitude of fishes that came to hand by his direction The Rochellers might easily see as much when they were miraculously relieved by that shoal of shel-fish cast upon their shore in a strait siege Act and Mon. whereby their City was miraculously preserved Verse 8. And the other Disciples came c. They came all to Christ but Peter sooner he cast away all care of his fish having the Lord to go to It is best to be first and forwardest in a good matter not only to make a shift to get into heaven but to have an abundant entrance thereinto to come bravely into the haven 2 Pet 1 â— 11. by adding one grace to another as Peter hath it It is a low and unworthy strain in some saith One to labour after no more grace then will keep life and soul together that is soul and hell asunder But that man for heaven and heaven for him that sets up for his mark The resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.11 that is by a Metonymie of the subject for the adjunct that perfection of holinesse that accompanieth the state of the resurrection Paul was Insatiabilis Dei cultor faith Chrysostome Verse 9. And fish laid thereon and bread A feast of Christs own providing to assure them that they should never want necessaries superfluities they may want without prejudice Nature is content with a little grace with lesse Luther dined oft with an herring Junius with an egg as knowing that they were not to live to eat but to eat to live Ill doth it become a servant of the highest to be a slave to his palate Epicurus dum palato quid sit optimum judicat coeli palatium non suspexit saith Ennius Verse 10. Which ye have now caught He saith not which I have caused you to catch God is pleased to say for our encouragement that we doe such and such good works when it is he that doth all our works in us and for us Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed ille facit ut faeciamus Aug. The bowles of the Candle-stick had no oyl but that which dropped from the olive-branches Verse 11. Yet was not the net broke When God will blesse a man all second causes shall cooperate and contribute their help Postquam Deo re onciltatus me ac mea regna prob dolor Rom. subjeci ecciesiae nulla mihi pro pera sed omnia contraria advenerunt Joh. Rex As when he will crosse us the strongest sinew in the arms of flesh shall crack our likeliest projects miscarry he will curse our blessings blast our proceedings as King John confessed Ever since I was assoyled and subjected to the sea of Rome I never prospered Oto one of the Popes Muscipulatores Mice-catchers as the Story cals them sent hither by Gregory 9. after three years raking together of money by most detestable arts at last departing hence he left not so much money in the Kingdom as he either carried with him or sent to Rome before him Such notable fishers are Peters pretended successours all is fish with them that comes to net Verse 12. None of the Disciples durst ask him They were ashamed to move further Question in that that was to them all so evident Neither yet may we imagine that they sate silent all dinner while in their Masters presence Turcae perpetuaÌ„ sitentium teneÌ„t ut muti â—usp de Caesario p. 475. as Monks and Turks use to do but that although they were abashed to ask him who he was yet they both asked and answered many other more profitable Questions Our Saviour never came to any mans table but he besprinkled the dishes with the salt of savoury discourse So should we but so alas we doe not Plato and Xenophon thought it fit and profitable that mens speeches at meals should be written And if christians should so doe what kinde of books would they be Verse 13. Taketh bread and giveth them As his manner was before his death and with his usuall form of Grace before meat Luk. 14.35 by the which those two that had his company to Emaus knew him Those that receive not the creatures with thankesgiving 1 Tim. 4.4 are worse then Heathens The Greek word for a dinner comes of another word that signifieth prayers which they usually premised to their repasts Hesiod gives this precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à precibus quas praemitae bant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 9.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eat not of a dish that hath not first been offered in sacrifice An elegant and a pious precept faith Melancthon drawn no doubt from the holy Patriarchs The people would not taste of