have I done said Aristides when one told him he had every mans good word Male de me loquuntur sed mali saith Seneca Malis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est When Doeg blasted David he thinks the better of himself Psal. 52. 8. Latymer sayes he was glad when any objected indiscretion against him in his Sermons for by that he knew the matter was good else they would soon have condemned that Verse 29. That smiteth thee on the one cheek Socrates when one gave him a box on the ear in the market-place said Quam molestum est nescire homines quando prodire debeant cum galea What an odde thing it is to go abroad without a head-peice Verse 30. Give to every man c. Generall Norrice never thought he had that that he gave not away It is not lack but love of mony that maketh men churles Ask them not again Or if thou take the benefit of the Law to recover them do it without hate or heat as Tilters break their spears on each others breasts yet without wrath or intention of hurt Verse 31. And as ye would that men c. The most part of the Turks Civill Justice is grounded upon this Rule as is above noted Verse 35. Lend hoping for nothing No not the principall in case thy brother be not able to repay it Thomas Tomkins Martyr a Weaver dwelling in Shore-ditch whensoever any had come to borrow mony of him would shew them such mony as he had in his purse and bid them take it And when they came to repay it again so far was he from Usury that he would bid them keep it longer till they were better able To the unthankfull and to the evill An unthankfull man is a naughty man nay he is an ugly man Psal. 147. 1. Verse 38. Into your bosome The Jewes ware large and loose garments so that they could bare away much in their bosomes Hence this expression CHAP. VII Verse 2. 〈◊〉 a certain Conturions servant PIscator thinks that this History is not the same with that Matthew 8. 5. His reasons may be read in his Scholia on that place Videsis Verse 4. That he was worthy So they held him but he held himself unworthy vers 6. God in like manner saith that Jerusalem had received double for her sinnes Isaiah 40. 2. But Jerusalem her self saith Our God hath punished us lesse then our sins Ezra 9. 13. Too much saith God Too little saith she and yet how sweetly and beautifully doth this kind of contradiction become both Verse 5. Built us a Synagogue Antiochus had burnt up the Synagogues in sundry places This man now converted is content to be at cost for God and his people So the Israelites received to favour again after their foul fall in setting up the golden calf brought enough and to spare toward the work of the Tabernacle Verse 6. For I am not worthy So saith Jacob of himself Gen. 32. 10. so Paul 1 Cor. 15. so the Baptist. Matt. 3. so Augustine Non sum dignus quem tu diligas Domine I am not worthy of thy love Lord. Verse 9. He marvelled See the Note on Matt. 8. 10. Verse 12. There was a dead man Though a young man Our decrepit age both expects death and sollicits it but vigorous youth lookes strangly upon that grim sergeant of God Senibus mors in jannis adolescentibus in insidiis Bern. Death seizeth on old men and layes wait for the youngest Verse 13. He had compassion on her Of his own free accord and unrequested he raised him Christ had a most tender heart How shall he not pity and provide for his praying people Verse 19. Art thou he that should come The soul resteth not till it pitch upon Christ. See the Notes on Matt. 11. 2. c. Verse 23. And blessed is he This is check to them for their preposterous zeal for John their Master Therefore also our Saviour commends not John till they were departed Verse 28. But he that is least This is no small comfort to the Ministers of the Gospel against the contempts cast upon them by the world They are some-bodies in heaven what ever men make of them Verse 29. Justified God i. e. They glorified his word Act. 13. 48. and acknowledged his righteousnesse repenting of their sins and beleeving Johns and Christs testimony which the Pharisees so pertinaciously rejected Verse 30. Rejected the counsell of God Being ingrati gratiae Dei as Ambrose speaketh and so much the further off for that they saw the people so forward Verse 33. Neither eating bread But Locusts and wild Hony Verse 35. Of all her children That is her disciples Psal. 34. 11. Verse 36. Sat down to meat It was fit he should feast sometimes that fared so hard mostly Verse 38. To wash his feet They that make their eyes a fountain to wash Christs feet in shall have his side for a fountain to wash their souls in Kissed his feet But how many now refuse those kisses of his mouth Cant. c. 1. by despising the word preached that sweet pledge of his love Verse 39. This man if he were a Prophet See the picture of an hypocrite slighting and censuring his betters What manner of woman this is Syr. What an ill name she hath for a light huswife Verse 40. I have somewhat to say to thee He that receives a curtesie we say sells his liberty But so did not Christ at Simons at Martha's c. table His mouth was not stopped with good chear He entertains the Pharisees with as many menaces as they do him with messes of meat Verse 44. Washed my feet with tears We read not that the Virgin Mary ever did as this greater sinner did Repentance is the fair child of that foul mother sin as the Romane said of Pompey And it is question whether more glorifies God Innocence or Penitence Verse 47. For she loved much Nam notificativum est non impulsivum Her love was an Argument not a cause that her sins were forgiven her Verse 48. Thy sinnes are forgiven thee Melanchthon makes mention of a godly woman who having upon her death-bed been much conflicted and afterwards much comforted brake out into these words Now and not till now I understand the meaning of those words Thy sins are forgiven It is storied of another that courting a curtezan and understanding that her name was Mary he remembred Mary Magdelen and forbearing to commit that act of filthinesse that he intended became a sound convert CHAP. VIII Verse 2. Which had been healed EXodus 31. After sicknesse they were to offer to God the ransome of their lives Hezekiah testified his thankfulnesse for recovery by a song these good women by following Christ when they might have staied at home with more ease to themselves and more thank of their friends Nay very Heathens after a fit of sicknesse would consecrate something to their gods Verse 3. Joanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward Or Treasurer as
history One thing in the narration of his acts is very remarkable He placed forces in all the fenced cities yet is it not said thereupon that the fear of the Lord fell on the neighbour Nations But when he had established a preaching ministry in all the Cities then his enemies feared and made no warre Solidissima regiae politiae basis saith Paradinus est verum Dei cultum ubivis stabilire Alias quî potest aut Deus Reges beare a quibus negligitur aut populus fideliter colere qui de obsequio suo non recte instituitur The ordinances of God are the beauty and bulwark of a place and people And Jehosaphat begat Joram That lived undesired and died unlamented While he lived there was no use of him and when he died no misse of him no more then of the paring of the nails or sweeping of the house He lived wickedly and died wishedly as it is said of King Edwin And Joram begat Ozias Here Ahaziah Joash and Amaziah are written in the earth not once set down in the roll perhaps it was because they were imped in the wicked family of Ahab This Uzzias though a King yet he loved husbandry 2 Chron. 26. Thrift is the fuell of magnificence He was at length a leper yet still remained a King Infirmities may deform us they cannot dethrone us The English laws saith Camden pronounce that the crown once worne quite taketh away all defects whatsoever Sure it is that when God once crowns a man with his grace and favour that man is out of harms-way for ever Verse 9. And Ozias begat Joatham A pious Prince but not very prosperous Grace is not given to any as a target against outward affliction And Joatham begat Ahaz A sturdy stigmatick a branded rebell The more he was distressed the more he trespassed This is that Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. How many now adaies are humbled yet not humble Low but not lowly Qui nec fractis cervicibus inclinantur as Hieron complaineth quos multo facilius fregeris quam flexeris as another hath it These are like the 〈◊〉 called Monoceros who may be kild but not caught Plectimur a Deo saith Salvian nec flectimur tamen corripimur sed non corrigimur But if men harden their hearts against correction God will harden his hand and hasten their destruction Ahaz begat Hezekiah Who stands betwixt his father Ahaz and his sonne Manasseh as a lily between two thornes or as a Fuller between two 〈◊〉 or as that wretched Cardinall of Toledo in his preface before the Bible printed at Complutum in Spain said that he set the Vulgar Latine betwixt the Hebrew and Greek as Christ was set betwixt two theeves Here observe by the way that Judah had some enterchange of good Princes Israel none and that under religious Princes the people were ever religious as under wicked Princes wicked Most people will be of the Kings religion be it what it will be as the Melchites were of old and the Papists still if M. Rogers our Protomartyr in Q. Maries daies may be beleeved The Papists saith he apply themselves to the present state yea if the state should change ten times in the year they would ever be ready at hand to change with it and so follow the cry and rather utterly forsake God and be of no Religion then that they would forgoe lust or living for God or Religion Verse 10. And Ezechias begat Manasses Who degenerates into his grandfather Ahaz as the kernell of a well-fruited plant doth sometimes into that crab or willow which gave the originall to his stock This man was till converted as very a Nonsuch in Judah as Ahab was in Israel Yet no King of either Iudah or Israel reigned so long as he It was well for him that he lived so long to grow better As it had been better for Asa to have died sooner when he was in his prime But they are met in heaven I doubt not whither whether we come sooner or later happy are we And Manasses begat Amon Who followed his father in sin but not in repentance And thou his son ô Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou 〈◊〉 all this But hast lifted up thy self against the Lord c. It is a just presage and desert of ruine not to be warned This was a bloody Prince therefore lived not out half his daies Q. Maries raign was the shortest of any since the Conquest Richard the third onely excepted Yet she was non natur â sed 〈◊〉 arte ferox say some And Amon begat Iosias Of whom that is true that S. 〈◊〉 writes of another In brevi vitae 〈◊〉 virtutum multa replevit Or as M. Hooker speaketh of K. Edward 6. He departed soon but lived long for life consists in action In all these is the life of my spirit saith Hezekiah Isa. 38. 15 16. but the wanton widow is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5 6. That good King lived apace and died betime being 〈◊〉 Orbis as Titus was called and Mirabilia mundi as Otho having at his death as it is said of Titus one thing onely to repent of and that was his rash engaging himself in a needlesse quarrell to the losse of his life and the ruine of that state 〈◊〉 Epaminondas was once slain his countreymen were no longer famous for their valour and victories but for their cowardise and calamities When Augustine departed this world we feared saith one the worlds ruine and were ready to wish that either he had never been borne or never died When God took away Theodosius he took away with him almost all the peace of that Church and State So he did of this with Josiah that heavenly spark that plant of renown that precious Prince Qui Regum decus invenum flos spesque bonorum Deliciae saecli gloria gentis 〈◊〉 as Cardanus sang of our English Iofiah K. Edward the sixth Verse 11. And Iosias begat Iechonias Rob. Stephanus restoreth and rectifieth the text thus Iosias begat Iakin and his brethren and Iakin begat Iechanias For otherwise the middle fourteenth whereby S. Matthow reckoneth would want a man Iehoahaz younger brother to Iakin had after his fathers death stept into the Throne but was soon ejected 〈◊〉 prospers not Abimelechs head had stollen the crown and by a blow on his head he is 〈◊〉 at Shechem What got most of the Caesars by their hasty advancement nisi ut citius inter ficerentur As one hath it Notandum saith the Chronologer quod nullus Pontificum egregij aliquid a tempore Bonifacij tertij pro sedis Romanae tyrannide constituens diu supervixerit Quod huic Bonifacio accidit It is remarkable that no Pope of any note for activity in his office was long of life Verse 12. And after they were brought to Babyton This the Evangelist 〈◊〉 and rings often in the
he might make sure work but God 〈◊〉 him I kept the ban-dogs at staves-end saith Nicol. Shetterden Martyr not as thinking to escape them but that I would see the foxes leap above ground for my bloud if they can reach it c. Verse 17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken Fulfilling of Prophecies is a-convincing argument of the divinity of the Scriptures Mises had fore-told that God should dwell between Benjamins shoulders This was fulfilled 440 years after when the Temple was set up in the Tribe of Benjamin so the prophecies of the coming of Christ and of Antichrist and others in the Revelation which we see daily accomplished Verse 18. Lamentation weeping and great mourning How impatient was Iacob in the losse of Ioseph David of 〈◊〉 c Grief for sin then which 〈◊〉 more deep and soaking is set forth by this unparalleld lamentation Zech. 12. 10. 〈◊〉 5. 4. 〈◊〉 are they that mourn as men do at the death of their dearest children But let such say to God as St 〈◊〉 adviseth a friend of his in like case Tulisti liberos 〈◊〉 ipse 〈◊〉 non contristor quod recepisti ago 〈◊〉 quod 〈◊〉 Thou hast taken away whom thou hadst given me I grieve not that thou hast taken them but praise thee Lord that was pleased to give them Rachel weeping That is 〈◊〉 in the way whereto Rachel died in child-birth and was buried Give me children or 〈◊〉 I die Give her children and yet she dies For her children Those dear pledges and pieces of our selves called Chari by the Latins and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greeks darlings in whom is all our delight Ezek 〈◊〉 24. 25. yet are they certain cares but uncertain comforts And would not be comforted This confutes him in Plautus that said Mulier nulla 〈◊〉 cordicitus ex animo These mourned beyound measure utterly refusing to be comforted by any fair words of the murtherers excusing the matter likely to the miserable mothers and promising amends from the King by some other means or by any other way But immoderate sorrow for losses past hope of recovery is more sullen then usefull our stomack may be bewrayed by it not our wisedom and although something we may yeeld to nature in these cases yet nothing to 〈◊〉 Because they were not A just judgement of God upon them for their unnaturallnesse to the Son of God whom they shut our into a stable The dullnesse and 〈◊〉 of these 〈◊〉 required thus to be raised and rowsed up as by the sound of a Trumpet or report of a Musket Happy for them if they had hearts to hear the rod and who had appointed it But we many times mistake the cause of our misery groping in the darke as the Sodomites crying out upon the instrument seldom reflecting our mindes being as ill set as our eyes we turn neither of them inwards Verse 19. But when 〈◊〉 was dead Not long after this butchery at Bethlehem he fell into a foul and 〈◊〉 disease whereof he died so did Sylla that bloudy man before him so did Maximinus and others after him Iohn de 〈◊〉 a cruell 〈◊〉 and Inquisitioner who used to fill 〈◊〉 boots with boyling grease and so putting them upon the leggs of those whom he examined to tie them backward to a form with their leggs 〈◊〉 down over a small fire c. was smitten by God with an incurable disease so loathsome that none could come nigh him so swarming with vermine and so rotten that the slesh fell away from the bones by peece-meal c. Twiford who was executioner of Frith Bayfeild Bainham Lambert and other good men died rotting above ground that none could abide him So did Alexander the cruell 〈◊〉 of New-gate and Iohn Peter his son in law who commonly when he would affirm any thing used to say If it be not true I pray God I rot ere I die Stephen Gardner rejoycing upon the news of the Bishops burnt at Oxford was suddenly ceized by the terrible hand of God as he sate at meat continuing for the space of 15 daies in such intolerable torment that he could not void by ordure or otherwise any thing that he received whereby his body being miserably inflamed who had inflamed so many good Martyrs before was brought to a wretched end his tongue hanging out all black and 〈◊〉 as Archbishop 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 him But to return to Herod when he saw he should die indeed that there might not be no mourning at his funerall he commanded the 〈◊〉 Nobility whom he had 〈◊〉 for that purpose in the Castle of 〈◊〉 to be all 〈◊〉 as soon as ever he was dead And being at point of death he 〈◊〉 his son Antipater to be executed in the prison whom but a 〈◊〉 afore he had declared heir of the Kingdom In November 1572. appeared a new Star in Cassiopeia and continued 16 〈◊〉 Theodor Beza 〈◊〉 applied it 〈◊〉 Mr 〈◊〉 to that Star at Christs birth and to the infanticide there and warned Charles 〈◊〉 9th to beware in this verse Tu verò Herodes sanguinolente time The fifth moneth after the vanishing of this Star the said Charles after long and grievous pains died of exceeding bleeding Constans fama 〈◊〉 illum dum è varijs corporis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emanaret in lecto saepè volutatum inter horribilium 〈◊〉 diras tantam sangninis vim projecisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post hor as mortuus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they say of the Devil go out with a 〈◊〉 Arius saith one voiding out his guts sent his soul as a harbinger to hell to provide room for his body He was brought to confusion by the prayers of Alexander the good Bishop of Constantinople and his death was precationis opus non morbi So likely was 〈◊〉 Behold an Angel Glad of an office to serve the Saints Heb. 1. 14. They rejoice more in their names of office then of honour to be called Angels Watchmen c. then Principalities powers c. It was long 〈◊〉 Ioseph heard from 〈◊〉 but Gods time he knew was the best And allthough he leave his people to their thinking yet he forsakes them not Not 〈◊〉 he doth 〈◊〉 saith the Author to the Heb. Verse 20. For they are 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 the young 〈◊〉 life God hid him as it were for a litle moment untill the indignation was 〈◊〉 So he did 〈◊〉 Baruch 〈◊〉 Luther in his Pathmos as he used to call the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 where when the Pope 〈◊〉 excommunicated him and the Emperour proscribed him the Lord put into the heart of the 〈◊〉 of Saxony to hide him for 〈◊〉 moneths In which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 dyed the Emperour had his hands full of the French wars and the Church thereby obtained an happy Halcyon At which 〈◊〉 a pretty spectacle it was to behold Christ striving with Antichrist for 〈◊〉 For whatsoever the Pope and
sake though under pretexts of fear of sedition because of the great multitudes that followed and admired him as Iosephus hath it This hath ever been an ordinary 〈◊〉 cast upon the most 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 of sedition and 〈◊〉 of the State 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 held and called a Traitour Elijah a troubler of Israel Paul a pest Luther tuba rebellionis the Trumpet of rebellion c. Iuvenies apud Tacitum quentatas accusationes Majestatis unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant saith Lipsius There was some colour of right yea of piety laid upon the French massacre and by edicts a fair cloak sought to cover the impious fraud as if there had been some wicked conspiracy plotted by the Protestants against the King the Queen-mother the Kings brethren the King of Navarre and the Princes of the bloud For there was coyn stamped in memory of the matter in the fore-part whereof together with the Kings picture was this inscription Virtus in rebelle◠And on the other side Pietas excitavit justitiam Not many years before this Francis King of France when he would excuse to the Princes of Germany whose friendship he then sought after that cruelty he had exercised against the Protestants he gave out that he punished Anabaptists only that bragged of Enthusiasmes and cried down Magistracy stirring up the people to sedition as they had done not long before in Germany This foul aspersion cast upon true Religion gave occasion to Calvin then a young man of 25. years of age to set forth that incomparable work called his institutions of Christian Religion Concerning which Paulus Melissus long since sang Praeter Apostolicas post Christi tempora chartas Huic peperere libro saecula nulla parem Since Christs and the Apostles time no such book hath been written He departed into Galilee Succenturiatus prodit Ioanni saith a learned Interpreter He therefore went into Galilee which was under Herods government to be as it were a supply and successour to Iohn whom Herod had imprisoned How well might the tyrant say of the Church as those Persians did of the Athenians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We overturn them and yet they fall not we wound them and yet they fear not St Basil bad the persecuted Christians tell the tyrants with a bold and brave spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye prevail again yet surely ye shall be overcome again For there is neither power nor policy against the Lord. Charles the fifth then whom all Christendome had not a more prudent Prince nor the Church of Christ almost a sorer enemy when he had in his hand Luther dead and Melancthon and Pomera◠and certain other Preachers of the Gospel alive he not only determined not any thing extreamly against them or violated their graves but also entreating them gently sent them away not so much as once forbidding them to publish openly the doctrine that they professed For it is the nature of Christs Church the more that persecutours spurn against it the more it flourisheth and encreaseth as the Palme-tree spreadeth and springeth the more it is oppressed as the bottle or bladder that may be dipt not drowned as the Oak that taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given it and sprouts the thicker as Fenugreek which the worse it is handled saith Pliny the better it proves This made Arrius Antoninus a cruell persecutour in Asia cry out to the Christians who came by troops to his tribunall and proclaimed themselves Christians so offering themselves to death O miseri si libet perire num vobis rupes aut restes desunt O Wretched men of ye be so desirous to die have you neither rocks nor halters wherewith to dispatch your selves Diocletian after he had in vain done his utmost to blot out Christs Name from under heaven and could not effect it such was the constancy of the Primitive Christians that no sufferings could affright or discourage them but that they grew upon him daily doe what he could to the contrary laid down the Empire in great discontent and betook himself as Charles the fifth also did to a private course of life As Lambs breed in winter and Quails came with the winde So good Preachers and people spring most in hard times No fowl is more prey'd upon by hawks kites c. then the Pigeon yet are there more doves then hawks or kites for all that saith Optatus So the sheep and so the sheep of Christ A little little flock he calleth it but such as all the Wolves on earth and devils in hell cannot possibly devour The Christians of Calabria suffered great persecution Anno 1560. for being all thrust up in one house together as in a sheep-fold the Executioner cometh in and amongst them taketh one and blindfoldeth him with a muffler about his eyes and so leadeth him forth into a larger place where he commandeth him to kneel down Which being done he cutteth his throat and so leaving him half dead and taking his butchers knife and muffler all of gore bloud cometh again to the rest and so leading them one after another he dispatcheth them all to the number of 88. All the elder went to death more cheerfully the younger were more timorous I tremble and shake saith a Roman-Catholike out of whose letter to his Lord this is transcribed even to remember how the executioner held his bloudy knife between his teeth with the bloudy muffler in his hand and his arms all in gore-bloud up to the elbows going to the fold and taking every of them one after another by the hand and so dispatching them all no otherwise then doth a butcher kill his calves and sheep Notwithstanding all which barbarous cruelty the Waldenses or Protestants were so spread not in France only their chief 〈◊〉 but in Germany also many years before this that they could travell from Collen to Millain in Italy and every night lodge with hosts of their own profession It is not yet a dozen years since Pope Urban the eighth that now sitteth upon the surrender of Rochel into the French Kings hands sent his Breve to the King exasperating him against the Protestants in France and eagerly urging yea enforcing the destruction of all the heretikes stabling in the French vineyard as his Inurbanity is pleased to expresse it But what shall be given unto thee Or what shall be done unto thee thou foul tongue Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of Juniper Psal. 120. 4 5. which burn vehemently and smell sweetly God shall shortly put into the hearts of the Kings of the earth and this King among the rest of the ten to hate the whore to eat her flesh and to burn her with fire Revel 17. 16. There are not many ages past since one of his predecessours broke open the gates of Rome 〈◊〉 the wals dispersed the Citizens and condemned the
Pope to a dark dungeon lading him with bitter scoffs and curses There are not many years past since the Realm of France was ready upon the Popes refusall to reblesse K. Henry 4. upon conversion to them to with-draw utterly from the obedience of his Sea and to erect a new Patriarch over all the French Church The then Arch-bishop of Burges was ready to accept it and but that the Pope in fear thereof did hasten his benediction it had been effected to his utter 〈◊〉 and decay Before he would doe it he lashed the King in the person of his Embassadour after the singing of every verse of miserere untill the whole Psalm was sung out Sed 〈◊〉 Evangelij jubare sagaciores ut spero principes adnutum hujus Orbilij non solvent subligacula saith a great Divine of ours King Henry the eighth and the French King some half a year before their deaths were at a point to have changed the Masse in both their Realms into a Communion Also to have utterly extirped the Bishop of Rome c. Yea they were so thorowly resolved in that behalf that they meant also to exhort the Emperour to doe the like or to break off from him The same Emperour to be revenged upon Pope Clement his enemy abolished the Popes authority thorowout all Spain his native Kingdome declaring thereby the Spaniards themselves for example that ecclesiasticall discipline may be conserved without the Papall authority The Eastern Churches have long since separated the other four Patriarchs dividing themselves from the Bishop of Rome and at their parting using these or the like words Thy greatnesse we know thy covetousnes we cannot satisfie thy encroaching we can no longer abide live to thy self Neither are the Western much behinde especially since all was changed in that Church manners doctrine and the very rule of faith in the Trent 〈◊〉 Then according to some Expositours did the second Angel pour out his vial upon the sea upon that conflux of all sorts at Trent and it became as the 〈◊〉 of a dead man those deadly decrees are written with the bloud of heretikes and every living soul died in that sea as once the fish of AEgypt For none that worship the beast have their names written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world Revel 13. 8. Slain I say as in his fathers decree and promise as in the Sacrifices of the Law and faith of his people so in his members and Martyrs beheaded as John Baptist or otherwise butchered for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of God But the bloud of the Martyrs was the seeding of the Church God was never left without witnesses as is seen in our Catalogues but although John was cast in prison yea beheaded in the prison as if God had known nothing of him quoth that Martyr yet there never wanted a Jesus to goe into Galilee And that guilty Edomite Herod was sensible of it Matth. 14. 2. when he said to his servants This is John Baptist he is risen from the dead In like sort the Romish Edomite after he had done to death Christs two ancienter witnesses that Baptist-like came in the spirit and power of Elias to confute and confound their Baal-worships yet to his great grief and regret he hath seen them revive and stand upon their 〈◊〉 again in that heroicall Wicliff who is said to have written more then 200. volumes against him in that Goose of 〈◊〉 that Swan of Saxony those three 〈◊〉 Angels That flew in the midst of heaven 〈◊〉 the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth together with those other noble Reformers in all Christian Churches By whom ever since the Pope was declared to be 〈◊〉 his authority saith Bellarmine hath not only not 〈◊〉 but daily more and more decreased The fourth 〈◊〉 hath lost a head as Cusanus the Cardinall had prophesied Anno Domini 1464. and after him Trithemius the Abbot Anno 1508. A sect of Religion saith he shall arise once within this 〈◊〉 years to the great destruction of the old Religions It is to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the fourth beast will lose one of her heads This he 〈◊〉 in his book concerning Angels and Spirits What kinde of spirit it was black or white that dictated unto him this prophecy which fell out accordingly and was fulfilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther I cannot tell But the godly learned 〈◊〉 it was from that evil spirit who is said to have sung before 〈◊〉 tibi subitò motibus ibit amor As the Emperour Frederick is reported also to have fore-told in this distich Roma 〈◊〉 titubans variis erroribus acta Corruet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 Verse 13. And leaving 〈◊〉 Where he had had his conception and education and did 〈◊〉 in a speciall manner affect them and 〈◊〉 their good but they would not For when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim broke our as the leprosie in their fore-heads Hos 7. 1. they refused to be reformed they hated to be healed Some few sick folk he healed there and that was all he could doe for them more then marvell at their unbelief He could doe there no mighty work saith St Mark and therefore left them saith St Matthew then the which he could hardly have done them a greater 〈◊〉 For woe be unto you if I depart from you Hos. 9. 12. In the 9 10 〈◊〉 11. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 God makes divers removes And 〈◊〉 as he goes out some judgement 〈◊〉 in till at length he was 〈◊〉 gone out of the City Chap. 11. 23. And then followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calamity in the ruine 〈◊〉 O pray that the Sunne of that dismall day may 〈◊〉 arise wherein it shall be said That our 〈◊〉 stick is removed that our Sunne is eclipsed that the 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 from our English Israel that Christ hath turned his back upon this our Nazareth 〈◊〉 preces lacrymas cordis logatos saith Cyprian Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia saith Chrysologus Wish we for our Church as 〈◊〉 did for the Romish Synagogue that we had some Moses to take away the evils and abuses therein Nam non unum 〈◊〉 vitulum sed multos habemus And then sing as another did Ah ne diem illum posteri Vivant mei qiso pristinum Vertantur in lutum aurea Quae nos beârunt saecula He came and 〈◊〉 in Capernaum Happy town in so sweet and precious an Inhabitant and is therefore said to be lifted up to Heaven Matth. 11. 23. as Revel 7. among those that were sealed of the severall Tribes Judah is first reckon'd of all Leahs children because our Lord sprang out of Judah and Nepthali of all those of Rachels side because at Capernaum in that Tribe he dwelt Ut utrobique superemineat Christi praerogativa saith an
the people And then shall they fast Note here 1. That fasting is not 〈◊〉 with the Ceremoniall Law but still to be used as a duty of the Gospel 2. That times of heavines are times of humiliation 3. That our 〈◊〉 here are but as marriage-feasts for continuance they last not long never look for it Verse 16. No man putteth a piece c. Austerities of religion are not to be 〈◊〉 upon new-beginners God would not carry the people to Canaan thorow the Philistims countrey though it were the nearest way for discouraging them at first 〈◊〉 out Our Saviour spake as the Disciples could hear Discretion is to be used and Christs lambs handled with all tendernesse Verse 17. Neither do men put new Wine In the year of grace 340. arose 〈◊〉 hereticks called Ascitae or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they bare a bottle on their backs 〈◊〉 that they were no true Christians that did not so and alledging this text for themselves as if they were the only new bottles filled with new wine So those districtissimi Monachi 〈◊〉 as one engli heth it who made themselves wooden crosses and carried them on 〈◊〉 backs continually pleaded Mat. 16. 24. to make for them This was as M. Tindall saith in another 〈◊〉 to think to quench their thirst by sucking the Ale-powl Verse 18. Behold there came a certain Ruler Jairus the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such came to Christ but this man was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of doors by the crosse as the wolf is out of the wood by hard hunger It was his only daughter of a 〈◊〉 year 〈◊〉 that was now at point of death This makes him 〈◊〉 out to Christ the best Physitian Men must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ere they finde mercy Hos. 14. 3. and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people ere they will be brought to trust in the name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. The Haemorroisse came not to Christ 〈◊〉 she had a half-peny to 〈◊〉 her self But come and lay thine hands upon her He thought Christ could not otherwise cure her this was 〈◊〉 of faith far short of that of the Centurion who yet was a Roman souldier whereas Jairus was a learned Jew Knowledge therefore is one thing faith 〈◊〉 and the greatest scholars are not alwaies the holiest men Neither have all Gods people a like measure of true faith This should humble and 〈◊〉 the weak but not discourage them in their 〈◊〉 since the tallest Oak was once an 〈◊〉 and the deepest Doctour was once in his horn-book Verse 19. And Jesus arose and followed him As tendering the Rulers infirmity and not taking advantages or turning him off for 〈◊〉 to prescribe Be we also ready to every good office not 〈◊〉 quarrels or pleading excuses Verse 20. And behold a woman c. This history and occurrence comes in here by a Parenthesis and by a sweet providence for the exercise and encrease of Jairusses faith and patience Iairus could have wisht her far enough at that time because she hindered our Saviour from making haste to his dying daughter But she shall be dead out 〈◊〉 the woman cured and he thereby confirmed ere his desire shall be accomplished that God in all may be glorified Which was diseased c. And had lavished money out of the bag for help but had none Nay she had suffered many things of the Physitians who had well nigh officiously killed her and had 〈◊〉 exhausted her This made Chaucer take for his Motto Farewell physick and the Emperour Adrian cry out upon his death-bed Many Physitians have killed the King Came behinde him Either as abasht of her blushfull 〈◊〉 or because 〈◊〉 could not come before him for the croud c. Verse 21. If I may but touch his garment This was a 〈◊〉 saith of hers and not much inferiour to 〈◊〉 of the Centurion 〈◊〉 us in like sort when we feel the bloudy flux of naturall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at our eyes mouths hands and other parts repair to 〈◊〉 and touch him by faith so shall we feel that there goes a 〈◊〉 out from him to heal the seul As fishes when they are hurt heal themselves again by touching the Tench finding the slime of his body to be a soveraign salve so must we when wounded with sin have recourse to Christ and our faith will make us whole every whit Verse 〈◊〉 But Iesus turned him about To take notice of it himself and to notifie it to others for these reasons saith Chrysostome 1. To free the woman from fear lest her conscience should call her Recreant as one that had stole a cure 2. To make up in her what was wanting to her faith if she should have any such thought to do so 3. To manifest her faith for other mens imitation 4. To make known his omnisciency and so his Divinity 5. To confirm the Rulers faith and so fit him for further mercy 6. To teach her and us that not his garment but himself did the cure This makes against that Popish foppery in worshipping reliques as the Syndon wherein Christs body was enwrapped of the vertue whereof Paleottus Archbishop of Bonony set 〈◊〉 a great book An. Dom. 1617. And the woman was made whole c. That fable recorded by Eusebius is scarce worth relating that this woman should set up at her door in Cesarea Philippi a statue of brasse in honour of our Saviour near whereto grew a certain herb good for all diseases Irenaeus far ancienter then Eusebius reproveth the hereticks called Gnostici for that they carried about them the Image of Christ made in Pilates time after his own proportion using also for 〈◊〉 of their affection towards it to set Garlands upon the head of it And in Epiphanius his time who lived soon after Eusebius images and statues of Christ or the Saints were abhorred by 〈◊〉 The Turks will not endure any image no not upon their coyn 〈◊〉 of the second Commandment and the Papists for their imagery they call Idolaters Verse 23. He saw the minstrels c. An Heathenish custom crept in among the 〈◊〉 as many the like are now amongst the Papists who are therefore called Heathens Revel 11. 2. The maid is not dead but sleepeth Death is but a sleep to the Saints and as the 〈◊〉 of the labouring man is sweet unto him so is death most welcome to such as have most suffered See my Notes on Ioh. 11. 11. Verse 24. And they have laught him to scorn This is daily done by the mad world quite besides it self in point of salvation They hear and 〈◊〉 God will laugh at their destruction Verse 25. He took her by the hand As it were to awaken her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deep sleep He 〈◊〉 have raised her without either 〈◊〉 down or 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 But as Jairus 〈◊〉 him so he did for him Who now shall 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the day 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 things Verse 26. And the fame hereof went abroad Though
though fearfull stir not at the great noise of the sea whereunto they are accustomed and as birds that build in a belfree startle not at the tolling of the bell Shake off the dust of your feet In token that you sought not theirs but them and that you will not carry away so much as any of their accursed dust that you will not have any communion at all with them wait no longer upon them that the dust of those feet that should have been beautifull shall be fatall and ferall to them that God shall hence-forward beat them here as small as dust with his heavy judgements as with an iron-mace and that hereafter he shall shake them off as dust when they come to him for salvation at the last judgement Verse 15. It shall be more tolerable God can better bear any thing then the abuse of his free grace in the offers of mercy Profligate professours and Profane Gospellers shall one day wish Oh that I had been a Sedomite that I had neuer heard a Sermon or oh that I might hear but one Sermon more c. Should Solemon forsake that God that had appeared unto him twice Good turns aggrauate unkindnesses and nothing more torments those in hell then to think that they might have been happy had they been worthy their years as they say Verse 16. Bebold I send you forth c. This might seem incredible to the Disciples sith they were sent among the lost sheep of Israel But strange though it seem 't is not so strange as true Look for it therefore Behold Christ was in no such danger from Herod that fox as from those wolves the Pharisees As sheep in the midst of wolves Who would make it their work to worry the flock and suck their bloud as did Saul that wolfe of the Tribe of Benjamin and the Primitive Persecutours Under Dioclesian seventeen thousand Christians are said to have been slain in one moneth amongst whom also was Serena the Empresse Those ten Persecutions were so cruel that St Hierom writes in one of his Epistles that for every day in the year were murdered 5000. excepting only the first day of January St Paul fell into the hands of that Lion Nero qui orientem fidem primus Romae cruentavit as Tertullian hath it who therefore also calleth him Dedicatorem damnationis Christianorum All the rest of the Apostles are reported to have died by the hands of tyrants save only St Iohn who in contempt of Christianity and of Christ that is by interpretation Gods Anointed was cast by Domitian into a vessel of scalding oyl but came forth fresh and unhurt by a miracle After this the Arrian hereticks raged extreamly and made great havock of the innocent Lambs of Christ. Giezerichus an Arrian King of Vandals is said to have exceeded all that went afore him in cruelty towards the Orthodox side of both sexes In that Laniena Parifiensis 30000. Protestants were basely butchered in one moneth 300000. in one year Stokesly Bishop of London boasted upon his death-bed that he had been the death of fifty hereticks in his time His successour Bonner was called the common cut-throat and flaughter-slave generall to all the Bishops of England And therefore said a good woman that told him so in a Letter it is wisdome for me and all other simple sheep of the Lord to keep us out of your butcherly stall as long as we can Especially seeing you have such store already that you are not able to drink all their bloud lest you should break your belly and 〈◊〉 let them lye still and die for hunger Thus she But that above all is most horrid and hatefull that is related of the Christians in Calabria Anno 1560. For being all thrust up in oue house together saith M. Fox as in a sheepfold the Executioner comes in and among them takes one and blindfolds him with a muffler about his eyes and so leadeth him forth to 〈◊〉 larger place where he commandeth him to kneel down Which being so done he cutteth his throat and so 〈◊〉 him half dead Then taking his butchers knife and muffler all of gore bloud he cometh again to the rest and so leadeth them one after another and dispatcheth them all to the number of 88. All the aged went to death more chearfully the younger were more timerous I tremble and shake saith a Romanist out of whose Letter to his Lord all this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remember how the 〈◊〉 held his bloudy knife between his teeth with the bloudy mufler in his hand and his arms all in gore bloud up to the elbows going to the fold and taking every one of them one after another by the hand and so dispatching them all no otherwise then doth a butcher kill his calves and sheep Be ye therefore wise as serpents c. Let 〈◊〉 be mixt with warinesse saith 〈◊〉 that it 〈◊〉 be the meeknesse of wisdome Jam. 3 13. We must be neither foxes nor yet asses Meeknesse many times brings on injuries a crow will stand upou a sheeps back pulling off wool from her side Now therefore as we must labour for columbine simplicity and be no horned beasts to pelt or gore others as the word here signifies so for serpentine subtilty too that we cast not our selves upon needlesse dangers The Roman rule was nec fugere nec sequi Christianity callethus not to a weak simplicity but allowes us as much of the serpent as of the dove The dove without the serpent is easily caught the serpent without the dove stings deadly Religion without policy is too simple to be safe Policy without Religion is too subtle to be good Their match makes themselves secure and many happy A serpents eye is a singular ornament in a doves head Harmlesse as doves That neither provoke the hawke not project revenge but when pursued they save themselves if they can by flight not by fight Sometimes they sit in their dove-cotes and see their nests destroyed their young ones taken away and killed before their eyes neither ever do they offer to rescue or revenge which all other fouls doe seem in some sort to doe Verse 17. But beware of men Absurd and wicked men saith Paul bruitish men skilfull to destroy saith the Prophet Men-eaters saith the Psalmist Cannibals that make no more conscience to mischief Gods people then to eat a meals meat when they are hungry These be those Lycanthropi those wolves mentioned in the former verse These are those mankinde men that St Paul met with at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 32. He fought wiih beasts after the manner of men that is as some interpret it men fought with him after the manner of beasts Such a man was that monster of Millain in Bodin de Repub. Such were the Primitive Persecutours and such are the Pseudo-Catholicks of these times A Dutch-woman they buried alive for religion with thorns under her Another they shamefully defiled
2. They were 〈◊〉 and thereby tormented saith the Apostle of those 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 37. Satan speaks to us sometimes by our friends as thorow trunks and canes Verse 24. If any man will come after me Not step before me 〈◊〉 to me as Peter attempted to do whose fault herein is purposely recorded that be might not be as by the Papists for 〈◊〉 respects he is over-much magnified 〈◊〉 as is above observed and made collaterall a very copesmate to Christ himself Let him deny himself Abdicet seipsum Let him abrenounce himself flatly peremptorily again and again as the word importeth with a stout and stiff deniall to so unreasonable a request as self will be sure to make to a man his whole 〈◊〉 throughout Every one hath many a self within himself to say nay to though never so dear to him Levi said unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his 〈◊〉 nor knew 〈◊〉 own children that he might observe Gods Word and keep his 〈◊〉 Deut. 33 9. This was much But he that will be Christs Disciple must do more then this He must deny himself his own reason will affections appetite aims ends acts 〈◊〉 c. He must utterly renounce himself as much as if he had nothing at all to do with himself Yea he must condemn and cast away himself as God doth those reprobates whom he denieth disowneth and disavoweth for ever Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus saith Bernard Ita cave tibi ut caveas 〈◊〉 saith another So take heed to your 〈◊〉 that you take heed of your self Oh misery saith a third we could not suffer a Lord and yet we sustain to serve our fellow-servant self 〈◊〉 the Emperour dying affirmed that he was proud of one of his victories only viz. That he had overcome his own flesh that worst of enemies Of all slaveries none so grievous to a good heart as to be slave to himself And this yoke of slavery it is an easie matter to shake off saith Seneca but he is fouly deceived For a man will sooner say nay to all the world then to himself This made Robert Smith the Martyr write thus to his wife Be alwaies an enemy to the devil and the world but specially to your own flesh There are some diseases that will not be cured till we be let bloud ad deliquium animae till the patient 〈◊〉 and such is sin it is corruptio totius substantiae the sinner must be unmade taken all asunder ere the new creature can be made up in him he must be stark dead to sin 〈◊〉 he can live to 〈◊〉 as S. Peter hath it and the word he 〈◊〉 there implieth that the old frame must be utterly 〈◊〉 and the whole man done to death and 〈◊〉 for a whole burnt-offering Instead of a 〈◊〉 saith Origen we must kill our 〈◊〉 passions in stead of a Goat our unclean affections in stead of slying fowls our idle thoughts and evil imaginations Loe this is that evangelicall sacrifice that rationall service so much commended and called for Rom. 12. 1. Do this and thou shale live leave it 〈◊〉 and thou art undone for ever Pray therefore with him Domine libera me à malo homine meipso Lord free 〈◊〉 from an ill man my self And take up his crosse Where 〈◊〉 is renounced the crosse is 〈◊〉 born It is self saith one 〈◊〉 the crosse pinch Things puft up with winde break when they come to the fire so 〈◊〉 that are puffed up and filled with self will 〈◊〉 nothing Privation is one of the principles of naturall generation so is self-deniall of holy 〈◊〉 Pain would this flesh make strange of that which the Spirit doth embrace said M. 〈◊〉 Martyr in a letter written to his wife out of the prison O Lord how loth is this loitering 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 forth in Gods 〈◊〉 It fancieth forsooth much fear of fray-bugs c. Take up the crosse and follow me thorow thick and thin thorow fire and water Oh this is an hard saying saith another Martyr But if there be any way on horse-back to heaven surely this is the way Only we must take up our crosse be active in it and not stay till it be laid upon us whether we will or no. And then bear it patiently not grin under the burden of it as antick pictures 〈◊〉 to do under the weight of the house-side 〈◊〉 they are fastened Drink 〈◊〉 Gods cup willingly and at the first saith M. Bradford and when it is full lest peradventure if we linger we drink at length of the dregs with the wicked if at the beginning we drink not with his children We must take up our crosses saith another and when God bids us yoke he is the 〈◊〉 man that yeelds his neck most willingly And follow me Without sciscitation let him go blinde-fold whether I lead him as Abraham did Neither may he leap over the hedge of the command for avoiding the foul way of affliction Sed 〈◊〉 quocunque Christus vocârit 〈◊〉 in ea loca migrandum 〈◊〉 Pigris ubi nulla campis Arbor 〈◊〉 â recreatur aurâ Quod 〈◊〉 mundi nebulae malusque Jupiter urget God hath 〈◊〉 us to be conformed to 〈◊〉 image of his Sonne in sufferings also Rom. 8. 29. Crux pendentis Cathedra docentis Plato was crook-backt and his scholars counted it an ornament to go crooked like him Aristotle 〈◊〉 and his scholars thought it honour to lisp Shall not we hold our 〈◊〉 honoured that may suffer with Christ and then be 〈◊〉 fied also with him Verse 25. For whosoever will save his life That is 〈◊〉 of it when Christ cals him 〈◊〉 be prodigall of 〈◊〉 Man is naturally a life loving creature What man is he that desireth life I doe and I and I as Augustine brings men in making 〈◊〉 answer Life is sweet we say and every creature makes much of it from the highest Angel to the lowest worm as that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But life in Gods displeasure is worse then death as d ath in 〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 is true life said Bradford to Gardiner for such a death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life as S. Paul hath it 〈◊〉 Tim. 6. 19. or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read it upon life indeed For aeterna vita vera vita saith Augustine None to that as David said of Goliahs 〈◊〉 None but Christ none but Christ as that 〈◊〉 cried in the flames This love of Christ made them sacrifice their dearest lives to his name yea professe as John Ardely did to Bonner That if every hair of his head were a man he would suffer death in them all for his sweet Christs sake My wife and my children are so dearly beloved unto me that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of 〈◊〉 But for the love of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them said
title as if you were the only ones and others not worthy to be named in the same day with you Swelling in the body is an ill symptom but worse in the soul. For one is your master Your guide to godlinesse and happinesse your Doctour and dictatour your Oracle your Ipse dixit whose bare word you are to take without further proof or pawn And all 〈◊〉 are brethren Not as the Pope calls his Cardinalls brethren when in creating them he useth this form 〈◊〉 fratres nostri Principes 〈◊〉 Odi fastum illius Ecclesiae saith Basil which caused the lamentable seperation of the Eastern or Greek Church from communion with the Latine the other four Patriachs dividing themselves from the Bishop of Rome for his encroaching upon them Verse 9. Call no man your father i.e. Give no man absolute power over you be not the servants of men or slaves to their opinions or mandates as Friers are to their superiours to argue or debate on whose commands is held high presumption to search their reasons proud curiosity to detract or disobey them breach of vow equall to sacriledge Verse 10. One is your master Where then are Magistri nostri Parisienses our Doctores resolutissimi our Masters of opinions whose word must stand for a law whose tenets must passe for Oracles By the Canon-law Omnes sanctiones Apostolicae sedis irrefragabilitèr 〈◊〉 observandae The Pope may not be disobeyed Verse 11. Shall be your servant The word signifies one that is ready prest to raise dust to do his utmost endeavour with all possible expedition in any businesse that he is set about Verse 12. And whosoever shall exalt himself c. Loe here a great miracle saith Augustin God is on high and yet the higher thou liftest up thy self the farther thou art from him the lower thou humblest thy self the nearer he draweth to thee Low things he looketh close upon that he may raise them proud things he knows afarre off that he may depresse them The proud Pharisee pressed as 〈◊〉 God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood aloof off yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican Verse 13. 〈◊〉 unto you Scribes c. By these eight dreadfull woes as by so many links of an adamantine chain our Saviour draws these hypocrites down to hell their place and there leaves them to be reserved unto judgement St Hierom was called Fulmen 〈◊〉 the Churches thunderbolt How much more might this be attributed to Christ How terribly doth he here thunderstrike these stupid Pharisees though he saw well with Father Latimer that whosoever will be busie with 〈◊〉 vobis shall shortly after come coram nobis Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven By hiding heavenly truths teaching damnable errours excommunicating the well affected or corrupting them by evil counsell and example and all this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor à m in os before men and to their faces making fools of them even whiles they look on casting a mist before their eyes as those Egyptian juglers did Exod. 7. and keeping from them that collyrium that should cure and clear up their eye-sight Revel 3. 18. Thus did Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury who bound up the word of God that it might not be preached in his time as the Historians words are and was therefore according to this woe here denounced so smitten in his tongue that he could neither swallow nor speak for certain daies afore he died Steven Gardiner was plagued in like manner for like reason And generally the Popish Clergy are vexed with that grievous and noisome sore of develish spite against the Reformation Revel 16. 2. which they therefore oppose with might and main till wrath come upon them to the 〈◊〉 And albeit many of them escape the visible vengeance of God yet this terrible Woe as a moth doth secretly 〈◊〉 them up like a garment and as a worm eateth them up like wood Isa 51. 8. as it did these Pharisees on whose outside nothing could be discerned all was as before but their soules were blasted seared and sealed up to destruction He that hath drunk poison falles not down dead presently in the place but he hath his death about him as we say Saul lived and reigned long after he was cast off by God and the very devils are respited in regard of their full torment but the more is behinde Verse 14. Ye devoure widdows houses Though they pretended to be great fasters Luk. 18. 12. yet their 〈◊〉 prepared deceit as Eliphaz hath it Job 15. 35. and their throats those open sepulchres swallowed up whole houses such was their covetousnesse and that of widows such was their cruelty and that under a pretence of long prayers which was their hypocrisie for while their lips seemed to pray they were but chewing that morsell that murthering 〈◊〉 that made them receive the greater damnation Multi in terris 〈◊〉 quod apud inferos digerunt saith Augustin Many 〈◊〉 that on earth that they must digest in hell where the never-dying worm will feed greedily upon all such covetous caitiffs as have the greedy worm under their tongues and their ill-gotten goods gotten already into their bowels 〈◊〉 these Pharisees had which therefore God shall fetch thence again with a 〈◊〉 Make long 〈◊〉 God takes not mens praiers by tale but by weight He respecteth not the Arithmetike of our praiers how many they are nor the Rhetorike of our praiers how eloquent they are nor the Geometry of our praiers how long they are nor the Musick of our praiers the sweetnesse of our voice nor the Logick of our praiers or the method of them but the divinity of our praiers is that which he so much esteemeth He 〈◊〉 not for any James with horny knees through 〈◊〉 in praier nor for any 〈◊〉 with a century of praiers for the morning and as many for the evening but S. Paul his frequency of praying with fervency of spirit without all 〈◊〉 prolixities and vain bablings this is it that God maketh most account of It is not a servants going to and fro but the dispatch of his businesse that pleaseth his master It is not the loudnesse of a preachers voice but the holinesse of the matter and the spirit of the preacher that moveth a wise and intelligent hearer So herenot gifts but graces in praier move the Lord. But these long 〈◊〉 of the Pharisees were so much the worse because thereby they sought to entitle God to their sin yea they meerly mocked him fleering in his face Verse 15. Ye compasse sea and land They walked the round as the devil doth to gain proselytes they spared for no pains to pervert men as now the Jesuites those Circulatores 〈◊〉 should not we be as diligent and indefatigable to convert them to God Shall we not be as 〈◊〉 in building stair-cases for heaven as seducers are
signifies sweetnesse to Cashmonah which signifies swiftnesse Numb 33. 29. To teach us saith a Divine that no sooner have the Saints tasted Christs sweetnes but presently they are carried after him with swiftnes they cannot rest till they are joyned unto him whom their soul loveth Verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those daies After that the mystery of iniquity hath wrought effectually and is come to an upshot after that Antichrist hath had his full forth as they say and hath compleated his sin Christ shall suddenly come as it were out of an Engine Shall the Sun be darkned c. Stupendious eclipses shall precede the Lords coming and other strange events both in heaven earth and sea as Luke hath it The frame of this whole universe shall shake as houses give great cracks when ready to fall See 2 Pet. 3. 10. and seek no further Verse 30. The sign of the sonne of man That is either Christ himself by an Hebraisme or the dreadfull dissolution of the worlds fabrick or that cloud of heaven that was of old the sign of the son of man in the wildernesse Exod. 13. 21. or the scars of his wounds or his crosse or something else that we cannot describe and need not search into Look how a King when he would gather his forces into one sets up his standard or appoints his rendezvous so such shall be the brightnesse of Christs coming that all his shall be gathered unto him by that token not to fight but to triumph with him and divide the spoil as it were being more then conquerours and what is that but triumphers The expectation of this day 〈◊〉 as that did with Davids souldiers at Ziklag digest all our sorrows And then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn This to prevent we must judge our selves 1 Cor. 11. 31. and take unto us words against our sins if we would not have Christ take unto him words against our souls Hos. 14. 3. Good men have been exceedingly affected at the hearing of Gods judgements against 〈◊〉 as Hab. 3. 16. Verse 31. And he shall send his Angels As his apparitours and executioners David went otherwise attended when he went against Nabal then when against Goliah So Christ shall come when he shall come again with his troops and trumpets c. With a great sound of a Trumpet Christ shall put forth his own mighty voice Joh. 5. 28. 1 Thess. 4. 16. ministred 〈◊〉 his Angels as in the text and set forth by the sound of a trumpet in allusion belike to Numb 10. where the people 〈◊〉 congregated and called together by the sound of a 〈◊〉 to the door of the Tabernacle The Lion of the Tribe of Judah shall roar from above and thrust out his voice from his holy habitation when he entreth into judgement with all flesh Jeremy 25. 30 31. As the Lion roareth over his whelps brought forth dead at first and raiseth them from death 〈◊〉 life as Pliny reporteth And they shall gather together his elect How shall they know them from reprobates By Gods saving mark set fairly in their fore-heads Ezek. 9. And by their blith and merry countenances cleared and cheared in the apprehension and approach of their full redemption now drawing nigh Besides as servants know their masters harvest from ano hers and can easily discern the corn from the cockle so can the good angels soon single out the elect about whom they have been familiarly conversant here on earth as ministring 〈◊〉 sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation ready prest to any good office about them Verse 32. Ye know that Summer is nigh Which is so much the sweeter because brought in and led out by winter so will eternall life be to the Saints here tossed and turmoiled with variety of sufferings Many sharp showers they must here passe thorow Light is sown for the righteous c. sown only and seed-time we know is usually wet and showry Howbeit it is fair weather oft-times with Gods children when it is foulest with the wicked as the Sun rose upon Zoar when the fire fell upon Sodom But if they should have never a good day in this world yet heaven will make amends for all And what is it for one to have a rainy day who is going to take possession of a Kingdom Verse 33. Know that it is near c. Some space then there shall be it seems between the fore-going signs and the coming of Christ. But though space be granted yet grace is uncertain Make sure work therefore betimes lest ye come late and be left without doors for your lingering Verse 34. This generation shall not passe viz. That generation that immediately precedes the end of the world That this is the sense appears by the Antithesis vers 36. But of that day and 〈◊〉 knoweth no man q. d. The generation and age wherein Christ shall come ye may know by the signs that foreshew it but the day and hour ye must not look to know be you never so intelligent Verse 35. Heaven and earth shall passe c. What God hath written he hath written His word is stablished in heaven saith David It endures for ever saith Peter It remaineth firm as Mount Sion and shall stand inviolable when heaven shall passe away with a great noise and the earth with its works shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. to the terrour and confusion of those profane scoffers who deridingly demand Where is the promise of his coming c vers 4. that say Let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it c. Woe to you that thus desire the day of the Lord To what end is it for you The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light The great day of the Lord is near it is near and hasteth greatly It is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknes to them that are setled on their 〈◊〉 and that say in their heart 〈◊〉 Lord will not do good neither will he do evil Verse 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man That the Lord will come it is certo certius not more sure then what time he will come is to us most uncertain Sundry 〈◊〉 have been given at it by both ancient and modern Writers most of which time hath already refuted In the year of grace 1533. there was one that foolishly fore-told That the day of judgement should fall out in October next ensuing And this he gathered out of these words Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum Likewise out of these Videbunt in quem transfixerunt the numerals of the 〈◊〉 point to the year 1532. of the later to 1533. Others there are that place the end of the world upon the year 1657. And for proof they make use of this Chronogram MVnDI
c. See the Note on Job 19. 25. 〈◊〉 afarre off Either out of womanly modesty or 〈◊〉 of faith which when it is in heart is able by its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pull the very heart as it were out of hell and with 〈◊〉 and conquest to look even death and the devil in the 〈◊〉 as we see in Anne Askew Alice Driver and other brave women that suffered stoutly for Christ. Verse 56. Among which was Mary Magdalen Love is 〈◊〉 as death good blood will never bely it self Mary also 〈◊〉 mother of Jesus was there sitting with the sword thorow her 〈◊〉 that old Sime on had forehight her See 〈◊〉 19. 26 27. with the Note upon that text Verse 57. A rich man of Arimathaea Not many such ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are any Ioseph was a counsellour a Senatour one of the 〈◊〉 or seventy Seniours Christ findes friends in the 〈◊〉 tempestuous times and unlikely places as in 〈◊〉 and Neroes court Some good Obadiah or One 〈◊〉 to seek out Paul the prisoner and refresh his bowels Serena the 〈◊〉 wife to Diocletian that bloody persecutour was a Christian and a great friend to the true Religion So was the Lady Anne wife to our King Richard the second a disciple of Wickliffe whose books also she conveyed over into Bohemia her countrey whereby a good foundation was laid for the ensuing Reformation 〈◊〉 of Gaunt shewed himself a great favourer of Wickliffe The like did the Electour of Saxony for Luther George Marquesse of Brandenburg in a meeting of the Emperour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ausborough zealously professed that he would rather kneel down presently in the presence of them all and yeeld his head to be 〈◊〉 off by the executioner then deny Christ and his Gospel Verse 58. He went to Pilate It was time for him now or never to shew himself and to wax bold Mark 15. 43. The Spaniards they say abhorre dangers never aduenturing upon hard enterprizes but aiming to proceed securely Christs Disciples must speak and do boldly in the Lord 〈◊〉 14. 3. whatever come of it Audendo Graeci pèrvenêre Trojam Alexander never 〈◊〉 any thing but he conceived it might be done and he did it Historians 〈◊〉 most of his successe to his courage and tell us that having a souldier of his own name in his army whom he knew to be a coward he commanded him either to change his name or shew his valour So saith Christ to all 〈◊〉 Iosephs and Nicodemusses either play the men or pretend 〈◊〉 to me Verse 59. He wrapped it in a clean linnen cloth Which 〈◊〉 had bought new for the purpose saith St Mark to his no 〈◊〉 cost for linnen in those daies was precious so that a handkerchief among even the Roman riotours was a rich token as appears out of the Poet. Neither did this rich man loose his cost for he is and shall be famous for it to the worlds 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 body be not at leasure to do as Paleottus Archbishop of Binony did who wrot a great book of the shadow of Christs body 〈◊〉 Iosephs new syndon which was also commented upon by 〈◊〉 Professour of Divinity there Verse 60. And laid it in his own new tomb His own 〈◊〉 was now well warmed sweetned and sanctified by our 〈◊〉 body against himself should be laid there as afterwards he 〈◊〉 and probably was too A new tomb it was and fit it should 〈◊〉 for that virgin-body or maiden-corps as one calls it 〈◊〉 and untainted Besides else it might have been suspected 〈◊〉 not Christ but another arose or if he yet not by his own but by anothers vertue like him who revived at the touching of the bones of dead Elisha 2 King 13. Buried our Saviour was 1. 〈◊〉 none might doubt of his death 2. That our sinns might be buried with him 3. That our graves might be prepared and perfumed for us as so many beds of roses or delicious dormitories Isa. 57. 2. He was buried in Calvary to note that he died for the condemned and in a garden to expiate that first sinne committed in the garden and in another mans sepulchre to note that he died for other mens sins as some will have it Helena mother of Constantine the great bestowed great cost in repairing this 〈◊〉 of our Saviour which the Heathens out of hatred to Christ had thrown down and built a temple to Venus on the same ground And Ierusalem that poor ruinous city being governed by one of the Turks Sanzacks is for nothing now more famous then for the sepulchre of our Saviour again repaired and much visited by the superstitious sort of Christians and not unreverenced by the Turks themselves And he rolled a great stone Either for an inscription to the sepulcher or for more safety to the body or that the glory of the resurrection might be the greater or all these together Verse 61. And there 〈◊〉 Mary Magdalen Carefully watching where they laid the Lords body that they might not leave off their kindenesse to him living or dead as she said of 〈◊〉 Ruth 2. 20. Heavy they were as heart could hold yet not hindred thereby from doing their duty to Christ. So Daniel though sick yet did the Kings businesse Even sorrow for sin if it so exceed as to disable us for duty is a sinfull sorrow and must be sorrowed for Verse 62. Now the next day that followed That is on that high-day that double Sabbath they that had so oft quarreld Christ for curing on the Sabbath request a servile work to be done of securing and sealing up the sepulcher It is a common proverb Mortui non mordent Dead men bite not But here Christ though dead and buried bites and beats hard upon these evil mens consciences They could not rest the whole night afore for fear he should get out of the grave some way and so create them 〈◊〉 trouble Scipio appointed his sepulcher to be so placed as his image standing upon it might look directly toward Africa that being dead he might still be a terrour to the Carthaginians And 〈◊〉 an ancient King of this Iland commanded his dead body to be embalmed and put into a brazen image and so set upon a brazen horse over Ludgate for a terrour to 〈◊〉 Saxons It is well known that Zisca that brave Bohemian charged his Taborites to flea his corps and head a drum with his skin the sound whereof as oft as the enemies heard they should be appaled and put to flight And our Edward the first adjured his son and Nobles that if he died in his journey into Scotland they should carry his corps about with them and not suffer it to be interred till they had vanquished the Usurper and subdued the countrey Something like to this the Prophet Isaiah foretelleth of our Saviour and we see it here accomplished when he saith In that day the root of Jesse shall stand up for an 〈◊〉 to the people and even
his rest or as some read it his sepulcher shall be glorius Verse 63. Sir we remember c. They that had forgotten so many sweet and savoury sayings of our blessed Saviour and written them all in the sand could remember but for no good purpose that which his Disciples could not so readily call to minde for their good and comfort no nor 〈◊〉 it when plainly told them Mark 9. 32. The soul should be as an holy Ark the memory as the pot of Mannan preserving holy truths for holy uses But most men have memories like nets that 〈◊〉 goe the 〈◊〉 water catch nothing but sticks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or like sieves that retain the chafte let go the good corn like the creature Cervarius that if he but look back forgets the meat he was eating though never so hungry and seeks for new Or 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 who never in all his life could get by heart those three names of Homer Ulisses and Achilles Old songs old wrongs c. they can retain sufficiently but in matters of God their memories serve them not This deceiver said Men 〈◊〉 as they use Quis tulerit 〈◊〉 who can endure to hear the devil taxing God of envy as he did to our first 〈◊〉 or these deceitfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faithfull and true witnesse a deceiver a cheater one who doth 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 of cosening men to their faces for so the Greek word signifieth We must look to hear all that naught is either whiles alive or when dead 〈◊〉 mor tuits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in deum cruci affigitur saith Zanchy and all because he pleased not in all points the 〈◊〉 Lutherans Verse 64. Command therefore How fain would the devil by his 〈◊〉 have kept Christ still in the grave when there they had him But all in vain for his resurrection was to be the demonstration of his deity Rom. 1. 4. and the ground work of our safety 1 Cor. 15 14. He turned therefore their counsell into foolishnesse and in the fight of so many armed witnesses rose the third day in despite of them breaking the bonds of death as easily as Sampson did the 〈◊〉 wit hs Least his Disciples come by night A most vain and yet a most vexing fear such as was that of Herod after he had beheaded John Baptist he thought he heard that holy head ever shouting and crying out against him for his cruelty This is John Baptist said he when he heard the fame of Jesus whom I have beheaded Exod. 23. 28. I will send the hornet saith God before thee What was that hornet but the misgiving fear of the Canaanites self condemning consciences that haunted them perpetually So here Verse 65. Pilate said unto them He was willing to please both sides and therefore condescends both to Joseph of Arimathea for his buriall and to the Priests for securing the sepulcher 〈◊〉 erat utpote qui ab omnibus gratiam inire cupie 〈◊〉 quales quidam per jocum placentas dixit But if I yet please men saith Paul as once I did when I was 〈◊〉 Pharisee I am no more the servant of Christ He scorns that such 〈◊〉 counter 〈◊〉 should be found in his followers Mordecai will not crouch or curry 〈◊〉 to dye for it Micaiah will not budge though sure to kisse the stocks for his stiffnesse Ye have a watch Appointed for the use and service of the Temple a band of garison-souldiers who had their captaine Act. 4. 1. and are here set to watch that true Temple wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily i. e. personally Verse 66. So they went and made the sepulcher sure And now they seemed to dance upon Christs grave as thinking themselves cock-sure of him So did those bloody tyrants of the Primitive times who proudly engraved upon pillars of marble Nomine Christianorum deleto qui Remp. evertebant make no other reckoning but to raze out the name of Christ from under heaven Therefore also they did not only constitute laws and proclamations against Christians but did engrave the same laws in tables of brasse meaning to make all things firm for ever and a day But he that sat in heaven and said Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion laughed at them Jehovah had them in derision Look how Daniel was innocently condemned cast into the lions den had the door sealed upon him and to see to no hope or means of life was left him and yet by Gods good providence he came forth untouched and was made a greater man then ever So our blessed Saviour was innocently condemned cast into the grave sealed up among the dead and to common judgement left as out of minde yet early in the morning at the time appointed by the power of his deity he raised himself from death and gloriously triumphed over it and hell Now thanks be unto God which also causeth us to triumph in Christ having as prisoners of hope brought us out of the pit by the blood of the covenant Zech. 9. 11 12. CHAP. XXVIII Verse 1. The first day of the week GReek of the Sabbaths One day of seven is due to God of necessity This the Scripture calls by an excellency the Sabbath day without a difference as if it were the eldest brother to all 〈◊〉 daies of the week which is called here and elsewhere Sabbath in the plurall Psal. 24. title A Psalm of David To this the Greek addeth Of the first day of the week which now is the Christian Sabbath called the Lords day in honour of Christ and in a thankfull remembrance of his resurrection See the Note on Joh. 20. 1. To see the sepulcher To see what the Pharisees had done with the Lords body the day before for they knew they had been tampering and feared the worst as love is suspitious and to bring the spices which by an easie errour they had prepared Luke 24. 1. They knew not belike that Joseph and Nicodemus had been at that cost and pains before them neither did any of them consider that what they did herein was superfluous for that it was impossible for Gods holy one to see corruption But he is pleased to passe by our well-meant weaknesses where the heart is upright Verse 2. And 〈◊〉 c. The holy Ghost here calls for as great attention as if we had been present and seen it Remember saith St Paul that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel All the four Evangelists have therefore punctually recorded it that we may remember and ruminate it as a main remarkable There was a great earth-quake Pythagoras said the reason of earthquakes was the meeting of the dead An odde conceit But the true reason of this earthquake was our Saviours rising from the dead in despite of infernall spirits who therefore quaked as much as the earth did as Hilary hath it The earth shook both at Christs passion and