they came to Jerusalem Some think 12 or 13 days after they saw the star at first hence the Feast of Epiphany or Manifestation but it 's like the next day after they saw his star they came forward though it 's probable that it was near upon a year before Herod put the infants of Bethlem to death that while being spent in acquainting Caesar with the designe and in the plotting and projecting of the business V. 2. Saying Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him Here is the question the Wise men propound 1 See the greatness of their faith they ask not whether he be but where he is presupposing he was born They acknowledge his natures his manhood in that he was born his Godhead in that they call the star his he the owner of it they also acknowledge his Kingly office so freely that it came to Herods ear they were neither afraid of Herod nor ashamed of Christ a politick bosome faith becomes not them that enquire after Christ The question was full of danger and amazement as casting down Herod from his throne and to set up a new King which was no less then capital 2 The ground of their faith For faith must have both a ground and an evidence Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which differences a believer and a credulous person who believs every thing Prov. 14.15 The ground of it was for we have seen his star in the East For this star it was not an ordinary star for it moved as they went and shone on the day time placed lower then the fixed stars perhaps like a blazing star Chrysostom thinks it was some invisible power or Angel figured in the shape of a star And the Lord cals them by a star rather then by an Angel as condescending to their weakness because they were much imployd about the stars Now if you ask how they came to know what this star did portend Though some think they living in the East might know it from Balaam's prophesie Numb 24.17 I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab yet I suppose they came to know this star by Divine revelation onely but whether soever they came to know it But whereas some from hence would conclude the lawfulness of Judicial Astrology it 's groundless onely this I must confess 1 That the stars have an influence here below Judges 5.20 The stars in their paths or courses fought against Sisera But I say it 's groundless 1 Because Astrologers proceed by way of observation as in such a year and such a concourse of Planets wars and rebellions to have been therefore this year the same will happen in the like concourse but here no experience or observation went before for never had a Virgin brought forth before Some have thought stars to be the causes of things But Christ was not therefore born because the star appeared but therefore the star appeared because Christ was born Others in this Age are apt to think them signes of our actions as if heaven were the book wherein God writes all future actions and events the stars are for signes oft-times as dayes and years but it seems to me in no wise signes of those things which depend upon the will of man the future motions whereof are onely known to God That Astrologers alledge experience it nothing moves me for all the predictions of Astrology are mere particulars but although they had any certainty yet it were better to be always in the fear of God then to be tormented with fear of events Luth. in Gen. cap. 1. We are not to heed Astrologers Jer. 10.2 Be not dismayed at the signes of heaven for the Heathen are dismayed at them If they fore-tell us prosperous things and they lye we shall be wretched by hoping in vain if they fore-tell to us adversity and lye they make us miserable by fearing in vain if they fore-tell unhappy things to us and speak truth to what purpose is it to fore-know those things we cannot prevent and if they should truly fore-tell prosperity expectation would weary us out Lapide in Jer. 10. King Muleasses fore-told in the year 1544 that he should lose his kingdome and his life be in danger to shun it he went out of Africa and in his departure brought upon his own neck that which he would have shunn'd To conclude these Astrologers and Star-gazers and Monthly Prognosticators cannot save us from the things that shall come upon us no more then they could Babylon Jer. 47.13 They enrich your ears with words that they may enrich their own purses with money In the East By this is meant not so properly the region of heaven as the land from whence they came q.d. we living in the East saw there a star shining in the East which accompanied us these Wise men as the pillar of fire and cloud did Israel This star or such an one like it was seen in the West towards the end of Augustus reign and Pliny saith it was held to be a happy star but the Western men for want of light did misapply it And are come to worship him Here was the end of their coming viz. to worship him yet do they not finde him in a worshipful case but in a stable in a manger yet by faith they over-look all this and worship him worship is a great matter in that heaven and earth stars and prophets lead us to it for this end the Eunuch came out of Aethiopia and the Wise men from the East The world was made for this end that he that created it might be worshipped the Scripture was made for this end that he that inspired it might be worshipped The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the gesture of the body lying down to give honour Zanch. in 4. Praecept of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dog to fall down as dogs do at their masters feet The Wise men being perswaded that a Kingdome was appointed for this childe after the manner of the Eastern nations who are generally known to have worshipped their Kings they fall down to worship yet did they not onely apprehend him to be a King and so worshipped him with a civil worship but also they apprehended him to be the King of heaven and so worshipped him with a Religious worship V. 3 When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him We have here the effects of the inquiry of the Wise men which is 1 Herod was troubled Fearing as if this King would drive him out of his Kingdome and because he was a tyrant and distrusted the faithfulness of his subjects Besides Herod living long among them knew their
my self before others unless that a heavier burthen of government lies on me and therefore a greater account of my Office is to be given Luth. in 41. cap. Gen. Here was one effect of his faith that whereas souldiers are naturally so lifted up he was so humble so we finde sundry of the Saints the more gracious the more humble Abraham Gen. 18.27 Jacob Gen. 32.10 Agur Prov. 30.2 Isaiah c. 6.5 John Baptist Matth. 3.11 Peter Luk. 5.8 Hence the Centurion saith neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee Luke 7.7 It 's like partly because his conscience told him he had been a worshipper of false Gods partly because the Jews refused communion and company with him but especially because he saw the vileness of his own corrupt nature and the exceeding glorious holiness in Christ hence he saith I am not worthy Where there is most grace commonly there is most sense of unworthiness and true humility the show of that this man had in truth more deceives the world then any thing else But speak the word onely The Centurion having heard of the fame of Christ Matth. 4.23 when he healed many and also of the cleansing of the Leper who published abroad the cure he saith speak the word onely My word is the word of a man thy word is the Word of the Son of God my word hath power over men under me thy Word hath power over all sorts of diseases yea such as are incurable yea over death I am under the power of another thou art subject to no power being thou art God therefore speak the word onely As his wisdome was seen in that he saw the Godhead lying under the veil of flesh his humility that he judg'd himself unworthy that Christ should come under his roof so here is his faith that he saith speak the word onely learn that our faith go upon a word of God Psal 119.49 Heb. 13.5 6. thou being absent canst cure him by a word of thy mouth therefore there is no need of thy bodily presence but speak the word onely and my servant shall be whole God speaks impossible things lying things foolish things weak things things to be abominated and devillish if thou consult with reason meaning carnal reason but faith sacrifices reason and kills that beast which the whole world and every creature cannot kill Luth. Tom. 4.74.758 Now the Word upon which faith looks is either the Word of command Gen. 1. Let there be light Psal 105.31 148.8 Isaiah 55.11 The word that goeth out of my mouth shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that whereto I send it Look as in the governments of Commonwealths Armies and Families many things are done by a word of command much more canst thou bring about the healing my servant by the word of thy command Examples fetch'd from nature are usefull for illustration when they agree with what the rule speaks so similitudes are taken from the compassions of mothers Esai 49.15 and fathers Psal 103.13 to set forth Gods pity so from a servant Rom. 6.18 from a mans testament Gal. 3.15 2 Faith goes upon the word of promise Rom. 4.18 John 2.22 I say to this man Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh and to my Servant Do this and he doth it See the duty both of Souldiers to their superiour Officers unless they know their Commander shall put them upon some things directly contrary to Gods command also the duty of Servants to do what their Masters and Mistresses bid them Ephes 6.5 Col. 3.22 Obey in all things your Masters V. 10. When Jesus heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed Verily I say unto you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Here we have the commendation of the Centurions faith He marvelled Christ did not marvel as God for no new unexpected thing can befall him but it may befall Christ in his humane nature having like affections with us There were some things the humane nature of Christ was ignorant of as of the Day of Judgment the time of Figs c. Marvel is when our expectation is exceeded Christ marvelled at all his graces as his Humility Devotion in building a Synagogue his Faith Christ doth not admire the buildings of the Temple Matth. 24.1 nor the Princes of the World but the graces of the Spirit in one that had so little means Though some think Christ being the Authour of these graces did seem to admire them not as being ignorant of them but to teach us to admire them I have not found so great faith no not in Israel The greatness of his faith is seen 1 That he believed so easily upon so small means 2 That he believed Christs Word 1 His Word of Command 2 His Word of Promise 3 That he believed without a Miracle John 4.48 Miracles have been sometimes done to give testimony to the Word Acts 4.29 30 31. 4 In a man of that calling and a stranger from Israel 5 In that we reade of no doubtings with his faith in this particular Jairus doth not say Speak the word but Come quickly ere my Childe die John 4.49 Nicodemus he reasons How can these things be Martha saith Hadst thou been here my Brother had not died as doubting whether the power of Christ could reach every where but the Centurion saith Speak the word onely 6 In the difficulty of the things to be believed for to believe that a man near to death could be recovered by a word of Christs mouth I mean not by syllables and pronunciation but that Christ will be present to his own Ministry 7 Comparatively with the common Jews and particularly those which were ordinary Hearers to Christ Now when he saith I have not found so great faith in Israel he means not all Israel for Abraham Moses David had greater faith but he means it from the time of his beginning to preach V. 11. And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven V. 12. But the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter Darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth From the occasion of the Centurions coming in to believe who was a Gentile Christ foretells the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews Many shall come Not all Aug. in loc From the East and West That is whereas the Jews thought the Lord was onely bound to the Kindred of Abraham Christ saith They shall come from East and West which is put for all remote places without the bounds of the Kingdom of Judah not onely near adjoyning Heathen as Syrians Egyptians c. but remote Gentiles Isai 43.5 6. I will bring thy Sons from the East and gather them from the West I will say to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends
of the Earth Luke 13.28 29. They shall come from East West North and South as this Centurion came from far You are of this people O then come in Shall come That is to me and to the faith of this Centurion being called by the Word of Christ and drawn by the Spirit of Christ even all that are given to Christ shall come and he that comes shall not be rejected John 6.37 compared with 44. And shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Metaphor from a Banquet wherewith we shall be satisfied when Christ shall appear Psalm 16.11 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures Luke 14.15 Blessed are they that shall eat Bread in the Kingdom of God See Luke 22.29 30. Revel 19.9 This was signified by the Parable of the Mariage Matth. 22.2 Luke 14.16 The things of grace and glory were like a well furnished Feast or Banquet set before Jews and Gentiles but the Jews cavilled at it and railed against it and persecuted it but the Gentiles that had but a Crum they embraced it so that this Banquet is the glorious things of the Gospel and the Inheritance of Heaven With Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven He names these three 1 Because he styles himself their God Exod. 3.6 2 Because the promise of Canaan a Type of Heaven was made to them 3 For their faith and holy examples these shall as it were sit at the upper end of the Table and the Gentiles shall come to sit down by them for there is one Communion of all Saints There being a common Inheritance it supposes a common Faith So that the sense is as this Centurion and stranger being perswaded of divine power in me hath obtained health for an afflicted body so very many of the Gentiles flying unto me by like perswasion shall obtain grace here and eternal salvation hereafter Besides whereas the Jews think themselves so holy that they will not eat with a stranger many strangers shall eat Bread with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Jews Ancestours whose names they brag of the Jews being shut out But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness The children of the kingdom are they to whom by priviledge of covenant the kingdom was appointed before others unless themselves withstood it 2 Because the word of the kingdom the doctrine of salvation was sent unto them Act. 13.26 Children of the stock of Abraham to you is the word of this salvation sent 3 Though they were not the kingdom to whom the inheritance was promised Matth. 25.34 Yet because they possessed a place in the visible Church they are called the children of the kingdom The Jews could have borne it that the Gentiles should have been planted in with the Jews to be one body but that the Jews should be cast out and the Gentiles taken into an empty place they could not bear this Shall be cast into outer darkness Here 's a commination and punishment against the ungrateful Jews If a King should make a sumptuous feast for his courtiers and they should not onely despise it but rail upon the King and persecute him for it would not the King not onely keep them from his Table but cast them into a most filthy prison so these Jews refusing Christ his banquet they have blindness hardness and extream outward calamities here and hell hereafter Into outer darkness Its called outer to understand this know that formerly people were wont to eat very sparingly in the morning and then to satisfie and chear themselves at supper giving themselves to their business on the day time hence they used to have their feasts at supper Mark 6.21 John 12.2 1 Cor. 11.20 See Clem. Alex. 2. Paedag. 2. Athenaeus de Caenis sapientium See for this 1 Thess 5.7 Matth. 22.2 Luk. 14.16 Rev. 19 9. Now when they had supt they had plenty of light in the house where the feast was but without it was darkness so these that partake not of this glorious supper whereof Christ had before spoken they shall be cast into outer darkness such as believe not on the Son of God shall not partake of this supper with the blessed but be cast out into outer darkness thus he that wanted the wedding garment was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness Matth. 22.13 Such persons when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom themselves shall be cast out Luk. 13.28 the door shall be shut against them Luk. 13.25 The contrary is promised to believers and conquerors Rev. 3.12 Rev. 22.15 Without are dogs wicked men are still said to be without 1 Cor. 5.12 Col. 4.5 These damned souls shall not onely have inner darkness whereby their minds shall be deprived not onely of the light of mysteries vvhich Saints shall have the Tabernacle of heaven being open to them and of the beatifical sight and light of Gods countenance and all inward comfort but also they shall be punished with outward sensible darkness which excludes sensible light 1 Concerning curious questions as 1 Whether in hell there be fire without or whether the fire of hell shine so far that the damned can behold their own and others torments I leave it undetermined 2 Where the place of hell is whether in the centre of the earth which is judged to be from the superficies three thousand five hundred miles if so the so great darkness in the earth must needs cause great darkness in hell Some think its without this visible world and the region of the blessed to which Iâ—ncline So that the damned in hell shall not onely be punished with an obstinate blindness to hate God and holiness and all good because God torments them in hell and to love all evil out of their rage against God and despair of their own salvation but also with sensible darkness Jude 6. They are reserved in everlasting chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day And marke who the persons are who are thus punished they are the children of the kingdom fruitless and carnal professors Let such as have a forme of godliness without the power tremble at this that they shall have the sorest place in hell even outer darkness which is the furthest removed from light whereas they that have a great faith as the Centurion had shall have chief place in heaven and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob. Where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Metaphor from prisoners who partly from the hunger cold and nastiness they endure and partly from the fear of the stroke of death ready to surprise them weep and wail and gnash their teeth or as men in great torments weep and gnash their teeth so shall the damned they shall have the worm of conscience eternally gnawing of them Isa 66.24 Mark 9.44 Moreover men gnash their teeth