in all Italy meet with Bellarmines works or any of the like nature to be sold Verse 20. Thou hast a devil This he passeth by as a frontlesse slander not worth refuting but proceeds to maintain the lawfulnesse of that he had done on the Sabbath-day Sincerity throwes off slanders as Paul did the Viper yea in an holy scorn it laughs at them as the wilde asse doth at the horse and his rider Wicelius and Cochleus say that we betraied the Rhodes saith Melancthon and some other such foul businesses they lay to our charge Dicant ipsi talia quoad velint These are such grosse lyes that we need not disprove them let them tell as many such lyes of us as they will c. our names are oyled they will not stick Verse 22. Ye on the Sabbath-day circumcise q. d. If you may wound a man on the Sabbath-day may not I heal one If you may heal on the Sabbath one member of the circumcised may not I make a man whole every whit If you may be at pains to cure such a one with your hand may not I without pains cure a man with my word only What if circumcision be a Sacrament Arbitror nonnal os opinaturos me sensisse quod non sensi a â—t non sensisse quod sensi Aug. de Trin lib. 1. cap. 3. so was this that I have done a speciall means of bringing much glory to God Verse 24. Indge not according to the appearance Nothing is more ordinary with many then to precipitate a censure to exercise their criticks and to reprehend that which they do not comprehend I suppose saith Augustine that divers in reading some places in my books will think that I thought Annal tom 6. ad An. 450. n. 17. that which never came into my minde to think and the contrary This was his fear and this befell him as Baronius witnesseth Erasm epist ad Cardinal Moguntin Compertum est saith Erasmus It is well known that many points are condemned as hereticall in Luthers books which in Austins and Bernards books are read and received for good and orthodox Hill in his quartem of reasons saith The Catholikes follow the Bible but the Protestants force the Bible to follow them Reas 8. pag. 41. And the Authour of the Gagge for the new Gospel assures his Catholikes that our condemnation is so expresly set down in our own Bibles Pref. to the Cathol Reader and is so cleer to all the world that nothing more needs hereto then that they know to read and to have their eyes in their heads at the opening of our Bible Qui totam li. em Dâ—â—â—nicam vacat ten ulentiae scor t is alcae an dit bellus ho. mo c. Erns Schol. in Epist ad Episc Basil de delectu ciborum Isal 119. This is their judgment of us But what among themselves He that tastes an egge saith Erasmus at an undue time is cast in prison and made to answer for his heresie but he that spends all the Lords-day in drinking drabbing dicing is called a good fellow and passeth unpunished Verse 27. No man knoweth whence he is This errour might arise out of some Texts of Scripture misunderstood as Isa 53.8 Psal 110.4 We should whenever we open the Bible pray Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Verse 28. Ye both know me Either this is an Ironie or else a heavy aggravation of their sin a proofe that they sinned that sin unto death 1 Ioh. 5.16 for which there remains no more sacrifice Heb. 10.26 Two sorts of men in our times are in danger of this sin 1. Hypocriticall professours 2. Those they call the Wits of the world your most knowing men Verse 33. Yet a little while am I with you Christ is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace There is a prime of mans life yea a prime of every mans ministery Christ stands not sits at the door and knocks Now while one is standing he is going Verse 34. Ye shall seek me c. Because ye shall dye in your sins which is worse then to dye in a ditch Verse 35. Teach the Gentiles Which the Jews could not endure to think on They professe at this day that rather then the Heathen-bastards should have benefit by their Messias they would crucifie him over and over Goi Mamzer Luk. 4.25 The rusticks of Nazareth understood our Saviour of preaching to the Gentiles which put them into an anger and him into a danger Verse 36. What manner of saying is this He would not tell the Jews what he meant by this dark saying His Disciples he told afterwards Psal 25. chap. 13. and 16. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him when the wicked shall be neither of his Court nor Councell Verse 37 38. In the last day In this eighth day which the Jews called Hosanna Rabbah they read the last section of the Law Tremel ex Talmud and likewise began the first lest they might otherwise seem more joyfull in ending their sections then willing to begin them Upon this day also by the institution say they of Haggai and Zechary but more likely by their own superstition they did with great solemnity and joy Godw. Antiq. Heb. bring great store of water from the River Shiloah to the Temple where it being delivered unto the Priests it was poured upon the Altar together with wine and all the people sang that of the Prophet Isa 12.3 with joy shall ye draw water out of the Wels of salvation Hereunto our Saviour is thought to allude Vers 38. Out of his belly shall flow Rivers of water provided that he beleeve in me so as the Scripture saith he should For so after Chrysostome Heinsius De-dieu and others expound it Verse 41. Shall Christ come out of Galilee Satan that subtle Sophister though he confessed Christ to be the Holy One of God Mark 1.24 Yet he calleth him Jesus of Nazareth to nourish the errour of the multitude that thought he was born there and so not the Messias Neither did his cunning deceive him as here appeareth Satan etsi semel videatur verax millies est mendax Bucholcerus semper fallax saith one Diabolus capite blanditur ventre oblectat Rupertus caudâ ligat saith another Verse 46. Never man spake like this man It is good to come to the Word though with ill intent they that come to see fashions only as Moses came to the Bush may be called as he was They that come but to sleep may be taken napping as Father Latimer saith They that come to catch may be caught as these in the Text. The serpent that comes forth to sting may be charmed ere he go back When Henry Zutphen was preacher at Breme the holy Catholikes could not be idle but sent their Chaplains to every Sermon to trap him in his words But God whose
from his Father not Aliud Another person not another thing As in the person of Christ there is aliud aliud against Eutyches not Alius Alius against Nestorius In this Text the Divinity of Christ is plainly distinguished from his humanity how else should He and the Father be two witnesses to himself Verse 19. If ye had known me c. For milk is not so like milk as Christ is like his Father Verse 21. Ye shall dye is your sins A heavy doome the very door to damnation It is a sad thing to dye in prison to dye in a ditch but far worse to dye in your sins This is to be slain with death according to that Revel 2.21 I will kill her children with death All men dye but wicked men only are killed with death As a godly man said that he did aegrotare vitaliter so do all the righteous mori vitaliter because they have hope in their death which to them is as the valley of Achor a door of hope to give entrance into Paradise Whereas to the wicked it is as a trap-door to let them into hell so that it is a just wonder that foreseeing their danger they go not roaring and raving out of the world Nothing should be done we say to trouble a dying person no shreiking or crying out Oh take heed and prevent the shreikings of conscience at that hour c. Take heed ye dye not in your sin in that your sin of unbeleefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In hoc peccato as Beza here rendereth it for unbeleef shuts a man up close prisoner in the Laws dark dungeon till death come with a Writ of Habeas corpus and hell with a Writ of Habeas animam c. Verse 23. Ye are from beneath Vos infernales estis Ego Supernas Rev. 12.12 Gal. 4 26. Beza So the wicked are called the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea in opposition to the Church which is said to be in heaven and called Jerusalem which is above Verse 24. For if ye beleeve not c. And yet Venator the Arminian saith Nego hanc propositionem Nemo potest salvus fieri qui Christo per veram fidem non est insitus Is not this to contradict Christ to his face what an os durum is this Verse 25. Even the same that I said c. To wit The way the truth and the life Some render it thus Prorsus id quod loquor vobiscum I am the very same Word that I speak with you Verse 28. When ye have lift up the Son c. 1. Upon the Crosse as the brazen Serpent was upon a pole And 2. by the crosse to the Crown though they intended no such thing If there be any way to Heaven on horse-back said that Martyr it is by the Crosse Bradsâ—rd Verse 31. If ye continue in my Word Non quaeruntur in Christianis initia sed finis saith Hierome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baâ—â—l And that which is but almost done is not done saith Basil It is the evening that crowns the day and the last act that commends the whole scene Temporaries flashings are but like Conduits running with wine at the Coronation that will not hold or like a Land-flood 〈◊〉 seems to be a great sea but comes to nothing Verse 32. The truth shall make you free From the tyranny of sin and terrour of hell Pauls freedome saved him from whipping Acts 22.29 this from perishing Verse 33. Were never in bondage When yet they were scarce ever out of bondage to one enemy or another At this time they were vassals to the Romans But brag 's a good dog Pride will bud Ezek. 7.10 Spaniards are said to be impudent braggers Heyl. Geog. pog 30. Alâ—led Chronol 43â— Servitâ— gravessima est sibi ipsi servire S n. Victrix Gent um captiva vitiorum Aug. and extremely proud in the lowest ebbe of for tune There is not a more vainglorious people this day under Heaven then the Jews saith Alsted Antiquum obtinent they are no changelings they sill up the measure of their fathers sinnes Verse 34. Is the servant of sinne Hath as many Lords as lusts That as Argustine said of Rome in her pride She conquered countries but was vanquished of vices And as the Persian Kings commanded the whole world but were commanded by their wives and concubines Captivarum suarum captivi â—lutâ—ich so is it with sinnes slaves This slavery they may easily shake off saith Seneca wherein the wise man was utterly out heavenly-wide as Sr Philip Sidney englisheth Toto errat caelâ— Verse 40. A man that hath told you the truth Yea but you tell them not toothlesse truth Hist lib. 1. cap. 1. but such as breeds hatred He that prizeth preacheth truth shall never prosper by the possession or profession thereof saith Sr Walter Rawleigh And Truth is a good mistrisse saith another but he that followeth her too close at heels may hap have his teeth struck out The hearing of truth galles as they write of some creatures that they have fel in qure Praedicare nihil aliud est quà m derivare inse furorem mundi said Luther who had the experience of it Verse 41. We have one Father even God Yet God is not in their heads Psal 10 4. nor hearts Psal 14.1 nor words Psal 12.4 nor wayes Tit. 1.16 In such a posture of distance nay defiance stand wicked men And yet none so forward to call God Father Jer. 3.4 5. Verse 43 Why do ye not understand my speech Any more then if I spake to you in a strange language So many of our hearers Verse 44. Ye are of your father the Devil Who hath set his limbes in you so that ye are as like him as if spit out of his mouth Satan is called the God of this world because as God at first did but speake the 〈◊〉 and it was done so if the devil do but hold up his finger give the least hint they obey him The lusts of your father ye will do If the fruits of the flesh sard that Martyr grow out of the trees of your hearts Bradford Serm. of Rep. p. 70. surely surely the devil is at Inne with you You are his birds whom when he hath well fed he will broach you and eate you chaw you and champ you world without end in eternall wo and misery c. And abode not in the truth Buâ—â—olc Si satan in conspectu Dei tantas res ausus est quid apud nos non audebit When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own And so when we do evil we worke de nostro secundum hominem 1 Cor. 3.3 It is as impossible for us naturally to do good as for a road to spet cordials For he is a liar and the father of it The devil did only equivocate to our first parents and yet is here called a lyar and 2 Cor. 11.3 a cozener A
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
alwaies to give an answer to those that ask as a reason of our hope so they doe it to learn of us and not to insnare us Thus I kept the banddogs at staves end said Nicolas Shetterden Act. and Mon. sot 1575. 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 so it be the will of God yet we shall see them gape and leap for it Mr Hawks Martyr asked a Parson that examined him what kin he was to the weather-cock of Pauls Ibid 1445. And told one Miles Huggard a Hosier in Pudding-lane who began to question him that he could better skill to eat a pudding and make an hose then in Scripture either to answer or oppose Verse 22. One of the Officers Because our Saviour gave not the high Priest his usuall titles but dealt freely with him this officer to curry favour Veluti pontificy honoris vindex beats our Saviour with his hand or stick and is the better thought of Like Master like man Disploso sclopeto a Vicarij samuto sed frustraimpetitur Scultet So the Bishop of Geneva's servant discharged his Pistoll at Farellus that faithfull man of God when he was convented before his Lord but by Gods good providence missed him Great mens vices goe as seldome unattended as their persons they shall be sure of such about them Ne leonum laudibus murem obruas as will lick up their spettle and load the Mouse with the Lions praises Verse 23. If I have spoken evil Christ bears with the officers insolency but forbears not to clear his own innocency We must when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon by keeping our motion to wade out of the shadow and recover our former splendour Verse 24. bound to Caiaphas the high-Priest Who should have done our Saviour better justice then to have suffred him bound and uncondemned to be injuriously beaten before his face But the times were then law lesse and licentious for the sans of the people Tales sunt principum mores quales subditorum humores ut malo nodo non desit malus cuneus Verse 25. He denied it and said I am not Take heed by this example Patres nos instruunt tum docentes tum labantes saith Augustin Seest thou such as Peter to make shipwrack Look well to thy tackling They that will not professe Christ unlesse they repent with Peter which Stephen Gardener said at his death Act. and Mon. fol. 190â— that he could not shall be sorted with such in participation of plagues as through excesse of pain and defect of patience gnaw their own tongues Revel 16.10 Verse 26. Whose ear Peter cut off A great mercy it was that Peter had not been then hewed in a hundred peeces by the ruffianly souldiers But God had designed him to a further service My times are in thy hand saith David They were deceived that swore to kill Paul by such an hour Act. 23.12 Verse 27. Peter then denied again He that is fallen down one round of hels ladder knowes not where he shall stoppe or stay till he come to the bottome Sin is of an encroaching nature modest and maidenly at first but yeeld to it once and there 's no hoe with it The Cockcrew And withall Christ looked back upon him as a peece of his sufferings with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what thou my friend Peter Scipio had rather Annibal should eat his heart with salt then Laelius give him a crosse word Verse 28. Lest they should be defiled Putid hypocrisie they stand upon legall defilements and care not to defile their consciences with innocent blond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is this but to strain at a gnat and swallow a Camel So Saul seemed to make a hainous matter of eating the flesh with the bloud 1 Sam. 14.33 when it was nothing with him to spill the bloud of innocent Jonathan Nay he was so scrupulous that he would not so much as name a guilty man or sinner but in casting of lots in stead of saying shew the nocent on guilty he said shew the innocent or upright person as Tremellius reads it yet at the same time as is well observed he made no conscience of bloody baths So Doeg was detained before the Lord either because it was the Sabbath or his vow was not finished c. But when he went thence he became deaths-man to the Lords Priests Verse 29. Pilate then went ant unto them It was much he would gratifie them so farre in their stand further off for I am holier then thou Breerw Enq. p. â—8 that he would yeeld to their superstition which he could not but contemn But the very Turk so the Christians pay him his yearly tribute which is one fourth part of their encrease and a Sultan for every poll permitteth them the liberty of their religion Verse 30. If he were not a malefactour Why What evil had he done them Might he not have said to them as Themistocles to his Athenians Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits by one man Verse 31. It is not lawfull for us That is upon this or any such like day upon an holy-day or holy-day-Eeve For otherwise they had power or at least took it at their pleasure as when they stoned Stephen Act. 7. and would have killed Paul Act. 24. But note that they would seem to do all according to Law by any means so would their successours the Catholikes Which if it be so saith M. Fox how did they then to Anne Askew Act. and Mon. fol. 1392. whom they first condemned to death and then set her on the tack By what law did they call up Mr Hooper and prison him for the Queens debt when the Queen in very deed did owe him fourscore pound and kept him a year and half in prison and gave him never a peny By what Law did Bishop Bonner condemn and burn Richard Mekins a lad of fifteen years when the first Jury had quit him and at the stake he revoked all heresie and praised the said Bonner to be a good man and also having him in prison would not suffer his father and mother to come to him to comfort their own childe What Law had they to put Mr Rogers our Protomartyr in prison when he did neither preach nor read lecture after the time of the Queens inhibition And when they had kept him in his own house half a year being not deprived of any living yet would not let him have one half-peny of his owne means to relieve him his wife and eleven children By what Law was Thomas Tomkins hand burned and after his body consumed to ashes What good Law or honesty was there to burn the three poor women at Garnesâ—e with the Infant-childe falling out of the mothers womb when as they all before recanted their words and opinions and were never abjured before So what right or order of
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