by his members There is but the same Pageant acted over again as of old In moribus compositi modesti sunt was the worst the persecutours could say of the Waldenses B. Vshâ—r those ancient Protestants They are good in their lives true in their speeches hearty in their affections c. Sed fides eorum est incorrigibilis pessima Hist of Coua Trent 7 8. Tanta est morii integritas ut nee bostes reperiant quo lealumnic tur Erasm de Luâ—h said the Dominican Inquisitour concerning the Hussites So the Bishop of Aliff in the Trent-councel said That as the faith of the Catholikes was better so the Heretikes exceeded them in good life Hominis vim magno omnium consensu probatur said Erasmus of Luther And yet a Fryer of Antwerp wished that Luther were there that he might bite out his throat with his teeth as the same Erasmus testifieth Verse 26. Whom I will send you from c. Christ hath satisfied the Wrath of the Father and now the Father and Christ both as reconciled send the Spirit as the fruit of both their loves and as an earnest which is part of the whole summe Verse 27. And ye also shall bear witnesse Thus word and spirie go together according to the promise Isa 59.21 The Manna of the Spirit comes down from Heaven in the dews of the Ministery of the Gospel Numb 11.9 1 Pet. 1.22 CHAP. XVI Verse 1. That ye should not be offended AS with a thing unexpected and intolerable Darts foreseen are dintlesse Crosses comming on the sudden finde weake mindes secure make them miserable leave them desperate Verse 2. Whosoever killeth you c. Christiano um sanguinem Dijs gratissimam es se victivam Tâ—rtul Maximinian the persecutour thought that the bloud of Christians would be a well-pleasing sacrifice to his gods Budaeus thinks that the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.13 alludes to those Heathenish expiations wherein certain condemned persons were brought forth yearly with garlands upon their heads and offered up as sacrifices to their gods in time of any contagious infection especially and these they termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Budaeut in Pandect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At Colen certain Divines preached that the death of certain heretikes as they called them should pacific the wrath of God which then plagued Germany grievously with a strange kinde of sweating sicknesse Act. and Men. fol. 808. Heyl. Geog. p. 33. In the sixth Councel of Toled it was enacted that the King of Spain should suffer none to live in his Dominions that professed not the Roman Catholike Religion King Philip accordingly having hardly escaped shipwrack as he returned from the Low-countries said Hist of Coun. of Trent 4.7 He was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranisme which he presently began to do professing that he had rather have no Subjects then such Siquam sui corporis partem i. sta contagione c. Sleid. Comment l 9. Another Catholike King said That if he thought his shirt were infected with that heresie he would tear it from his own back and rather goe woolward nay if any member of his body had caught the contagion he would cut it off that it might creep no farther Verse 3. Because they have not known Through blinde zeal The dark corners of the earth are full of cruelty saith the Psalmist Psal 74.10 Isa 11.9 And they shall not destroy in all mine holy mountain For knowledge shall cover the earth as the waters do the sea See the Notes on Chap. 15.21 Verse 4. Ye may remember c. And act what I have foretold and taught you The difference between Divinity and other Sciences is that it is not enough to know but you must doe it Non est haec umbratilis philosophia sed quae ad ujum praxin aptan da. Calv. as lesions of musick must be practised and a copy not read only but written after Verse 5. None of you asketh me c. This they had asked him but not as well apaid of his going this he would have of them and of us when we part with friends that die in the Lord say as he Hieron ad Julian Tulisti liberos quos ipse dederas non contristor quod recepisti ago gratias quod dedisti Verse 6. Sorrow hath filled your hearts So that you are for the time not more uncomfortable then uncounsellable Thus also it fared with those Israelites in Aegypt Exod. 6.9 Their ears were so full of gall that meek Moses even lost his sweet words upon them Passions are headstrong and can hear no counsell Fertur equis auriga nec audit currus habenas Verse 7. I will send him unto you This our Saviour oft repeats Joel 2.28 that they might once take notice of it as an inestimable favour that God should pour forth his Spirit upon all flesh What so precious as spirit What so vile as flesh It is received among the Turks that when Christ said That though he departed he would send them a Comforter it was added in the Text And that shall be Mahomet but that the Christians in malice toward them have razed out those words Is not this the efficacie of errour Verse 8. And when he is come c. This Text had been easie had not Commentatours made it so knotty He will reprove Or undeceive the world by refuting those odd conceits and erroneous opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita ut nibil habeat quod praetexat that men had before drunk in and were possest of He shall clearly convince them of the hatefulnesse of sin of the necessity of getting righteousnesse both imputed and imparted both that of justification inherent in Christ imputed to us and that of sanctification also imparted by Christ inherent in us This later is here called judgement as it is likewise Mat. 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 12.20 Com vi quadaÌ„ frustra obsistente Satana c. Till he bring forth judgement to victory that is weak grace called before a broken reed smoaking weeck to perfect conquest over corruption Compare with this Text that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you Scilicet mundus immundus but ye are in generall washed from your sins of the hatefulnesse whereof ye are now clearly convinced And in particular ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God and ye are justified in the Name that is by the merit of the Lord Jesus the Righteous who is the propitiation for our sinnes Verse 9. Of sinne because they believe not on me Our Saviour instanceth in the greatest of sins unbelief which was the first sin and is still the root of all the rest Heb. 3.12 It is a sin against the Gospel and rejects the remedy that both of Christs bloud to the which even the Princes of Sodome are invited Isa 1.10 It gives God the lie and subjects a man to
the fulnesse of the fire is such that light a thousand torches at it it is not diminished And grace for grace That is say some the grace of the new Pestament for the grace of the old And so in the next verse Grace shall answer to the morall Law Truth to the Ceremoniall Or Beza D. Preston as others Grace for grace that is a latitude answerable to all the Commandements a perfection answerable to Christs owne perfection As the father gives his childe limme for limme part for part c. so doth this Father of Eternity Isa 9 6. There are that render it Gratiam novâ gratiâ cumulataâ— Pasor Grace against grace as in a glasse as face against face See 2 Cor. 3.18 Or Grace upon grace that is one grace after another a daily increase of graces Verse 17. For the Law c. Lex jubet gratia juvat Petamus ut det quod ut habeamus jubes saith Augustin Aug in Exod. quest 55. We have his promise ever going along with his precept The Covenant of grace turns precepts into promises and the spirit of grace turns both into prayers Verse 18. The only begotten Son In the year of Grace 1520. Alsted Chron. Michael Servetus a Spaniard taught that there is no reall generation or distinction in God and was therefore worthily burnt at Geneva in the year 1555. He would not recant Bellarm. lib 1. de Christo c. 1. Calvin Opusc and yet feeling the fire could not with patience endure it but kept an hideous roaring till his life was exhausted crying out to the beholders to dispatch him with a sword He hath declared him In a divine and extraordinary manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lege Bez. Annot. major as the word here used imports Verse 19. Jewes sent Priests Whose proper office it was to enquire into new Doctrines and by preserving Bonos illos quidem viros sed certè non pereruditos Cic. 20 de Finib Vives in Aug. de Civ Dei 4. c. 1. to present knowledge to the people who were to seeke the Law at the Priests mouth Mal 2.7 Cicero complains of his Roman Priests that they were good honest men but not very skilfull And Vâ—â—â—o upbraids them with their ignorance of much about their own gods and religions Verse 20. He confessed and denied not but confessed Sincerely and studiously he put away that honour with both hands earnestly as knowing the danger of wronging the jealous God in his glory that is as his wife All the fat was to be sacrificed to God Verse 21. Art thou Elias And he saith I am not scil That Elias that you imagine Elias the Thesbite by a transanimation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythagorica As neither was he an Angel as some in Chrysostomes time would gather out of Malch 3.1 They that wrest the Scriptures are blinded as Papists and other brainsick hereticks Verse 23. I am the voice of one crying Christ spake not a word to Herod faith one because Herod had taken away this voice of his in beheading the Baptist In the Wildernesse Not in the Temple To shew that the legall shadowes were now to vanish Chrysologus cals John Baptist fibulam legis et gratiae Verse 25. Why baptizest thou then Why dost thou innovate any thing in the rites of Religion A change they looked for under the Messiah and had learned it out of Jer. 31. But this testimony brought by John Baptist out of Isaiah to prove his own calling either they did not or would not understand nor yet do they seek to be better informed by him Verse 27. I am not Worthy Yet Christ held him worthy to lay his hand upon his head in Baptisme And there is one that tels us but who told him that for his humility on earth he is preferred to that place in heaven from which proud Lucifer fell Verse 28. In Bethabara That is by interpretation the place of passage or Traiectum where Israel passed over Jordan So the acts of Joshua and Jesus begin both at a place Baptisme also is first administred where it was of old fore-shadowed Christ is the true Bethabara Ephes 2.18 we saile to Heaven on his bottome Verse 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taketh away Or that is taking away by a perpetuall act Isa 55 7. as the Sun doth shine as the Spring doth run Zech. 13.1 This should be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts As we multiply sins he multiplieth pardons Verse 31. And I knew him not By face not at all left the people should think that this was done and said by consent or compact afore-hand betwixt them Nor did John ever know Christ so fully till now his former knowledge was but ignorance in comparison none are too good to learn The very Angels know not so much of Christ 1 Pet. 1.12 but they would know more Ephes 3.10 and therefore looke intently into the mysterie of Christ as the Cherubims did into the Arke But that he should be manifested Ministers must hold up the tapestry as it were and shew men Christ They are the mouth of the holy Ghost whose office it is to take of Christs excellencies and hold them out to the world John 16.14 Verse 37. And they followed Jesus So powerfull is a word or two many times touching Christ and his crosse to change the heart Phil. 1.13 Acts Mon. fol. 920. Paul sheweth that the very report of his bonds did a great deal of good in Caesars Court. Bilâ—eyes confession converted Latimer Galeacius Caracciolus that Italian Marquesse was wrought upon by a similitude used by Peter Martyr reading on the 1. Epist to the Corinthians So were Earle Martinengus and Hieronymus Zanchius both of them Canonici Lateranenses by some seasonable truth Eaâ—ch Miscel Epist ad Lanteran p. 3 4. falling from the same mouth Luther having heard Staupirius say that that is kinde repentance which begins from the love of God ever after that time the practice of repentance was sweeter to him Also this speech of his tooke well with Luther The doctrine of Predestination Melch. Adam in vita Luth. begins at the wounds of Christ Verse 41. He first findeth Yet afterwards Peter out-stript Andrew in faith and forwardnesse for Christ as likewise Luther did Staupicius c. So the first become last and the last first But that charity is no churle Andrew calleth Simon and Philip Nathaneel c. as a Load-stone drawes to it selfe one iron ring and that another and that a third So c We have found the Messias Little it was that he could say of Christs person office value vertue c. but brings him to Christ So let us do ours to the publike ordinances Do the office of the sermon-bell at least we know not what God may there do for them Bring them as they did the palsie-man upon his bed and lay them before the Lord for healing Verse 43. Follow me
the incomparable sufficiency of the president is matchlesse and more full of incitation to fire affection there being farre more incentives and motives to love since Christ came and gave himself for us And this is appointed here for the Disciples and our solace in the want of Christs bodily presence as loving fellow-members to strive by all means to delight in the loving society one of another Verse 35. By this shall all men know Other mens disciples are known by their titles habits ceremonies c. as the Popes shavelings which yet is grown so bald a businesse that now they begin to be ashamed of it but love is Christs cognizance acknowledged by very Heathens who could say that no people in the world did love one another so as Christians did As the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned by loops so are true Christians by love Philadelphia is blamed for nothing Rev. 3.18 Verse 36. Whither goest thou That deep conceit he had drunke in of an earthly Kingdom so nung in his light that he could not see whither Christ was ascending A little sawcer held close to the eyes hinders the sight of a huge hill But thou shalt follow me Perhaps in the same kinde of death but to heaven most certainly Verse 37. I will lay down c. Peter was meliùs semper animatus quam armatus better affected then appointed Petrus se Christo opposuit se caeteris praeposuit sibt totùâ—n imposuit Chrysost His heart deceived him as did Davids Psal 39.1 2. He said he would look to his wayes bridle his tongue c. but soon after he brake his word My heart was hot c. Verse 48. The cock shall not crow Christ mentioneth the cock quià tam strenuum pugnatorem decebat tale praeconium So Rev. 6.13 Pastours revolt as green figgs fall off with no adoe In the Palatinate they fell to Popery as fast as leaves fall in Autumne CHAP. XIV Verse 1. Let not your heart c. OUr Saviour sweetly proceeds in his swan-like song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Host var. lib. 1. Mortis articulo instante sanguine vale affeâ—â—o vaâ—de horridè mugiunt Sirenes Aelian tells us that he once heard a dying swan sing most heavenly and harmoniouslly The Poet shews the manner of it when he saith longa canoros Dat per colla modos Of the Sirens on the contrary it is reported that how sweetly soever they sang before yet at death they make a horrid noise and unpleasant roaring Semblably good men utter their best usually at last the wine of the spirit being the strongest and liveliest in them Whereas wicked men are then usually at worst and go out with a stench as the devil is said to do And as Melancthon said of Eccius his last wicked work written of Priests marriage 10. Manl. loc com Melch. Adam in vita Calvini M. Boltons Assizâ— Serâ—â— â— 7. Non fuit cygnea cantio sed ultimus crepitus sicut felis fugiens pedit sie ille moriens hunc crepitum cecinit So of Baldwine the apostate one saith that vivere simul maledicere desiit he died cursing as that wretch did swearing who desperately also desired the standers by to help him with oaths and to swear for him Verse 2. I would have told you And not have sed you with false hopes of an Utopian happinesse as the devil deals by his whom he brings into a fools paradise as Mahomet by his Bâ—unts voyage pag 6â— to whom he promises in Paradise delicious fare pleasant gardens and other sensuall delights eternally to be enjoyed c. Christ is no such Impostour Verse 3. I will come again c. O look up and long for this consolation of Israel say as Sisera's mother Why are his charets those clouds so long in coming Heu pietas ubi prisca profana ô tempora Mundi Faex Vesper prope Nox ô mora Christe veni There may ye be also Christ counts not himself full till he have all his members about him hence the Church is called the fullnesse of him that filleth all things Eph. 1.23 Verse 4. And whither I go ye know Some little knowledge they had such as Thomas in the next verse denies to be any at all yet Christ acknowledgeth it The tenour of the new covenant requires no set measures of grace The first springings in the womb of grace are precious before God Eph. 2 1. he blesseth our buds Isa 61.11 and in our dunghill of ignorance can finde out his own part of knowledge as here Verse 5. Lord we know not whether thou goest c. No Thomas what are ye also ignorant They knew but knew not that they knew their knowledge was yet but confused and indistinct they saw men but as it were walking like trees till their eyes were better anointed with the eye-salve of the Spirit A man saith one may have grace M. Gatak Just mans Jay p. â—1 and yet not know it as the Embryo hath life and yet knoweth it not yea he may think he hath it not as we seek for keyes that are in our pocket or think we have lost a jewel that we have looked up in our chest yea as the butcher looketh for the candie that sticketh in his hat by the light of that he seeketh Verse 6. I am the way and the Truth c. As if he should say Thou hast no whither to go but to me nor which way to go but by me that thou mayest attain eternall life Which made Bernard say Melâ—h Adam in vites exter pag. 235. Sequemur Domine te per te ad te Te qui a Veritas per te quia Via ad te quia Vita And this was one of those sweet sayings that old Beza had much in his mouth a little afore his death No man commeth unto the Father but by me Christ hath paved us a new and living way to God with his own meritorious blood and his flesh stands as a skreen betwixt us and those everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Let Papists say of their Saints Per hune itur ad Deum sed magis per hune Let us say of all their hee and shee Saints as that Heathen Contemno minutos istos Deos modò Jovem Jâ—sum propitium habeam Verse 7. And from hence firth ye know him Or else the more shame for you having had me his expresse image so long amongst you Christians have a priviledge above he Church of the old Testament The sea about the Altar was brazen 1 King 7.23 and what eyes could pierce thorow it Now our sea about the Throne is glassie Revel 4.6 like the Crystall clearely conveying the light and sight of God in Christ to our eyes Verse 8. Lord shew us the Father They would have seen the Father face to face with their bodily eyes as they saw the Son But that no man can doe and live Exod. 33. We cannot see the Sun in rota as the Schools
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
Prov. 29.6 Wo be to mirth mongers that flear when they should fear Luk. 6.25 But your sorrow shall be turned into joy God shall soon give you beauty for ashes the oyl of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse c. he shall turne all your sighing into singing all your laments into laughter your sackloth into silkes your ashes into oyntments your fasts into feasts your wringing of hands into applauses c. Verse 21. A woman when she is in travell c. The sorrow of a Saint is oft compared to that of a travelling woman Isa 26.17 Jer. 6.24 c. 1. In bitternesse and sharpnesse which made Medea say that she had rather a thousand times be slain in battle Millies in bello perire mallem quam semel parere Keckerman then once bring forth childe 2. In utility it tends to a birth 3. In hope and expectation not only of an end but also of fruit 4. In that there is a certain set time for both And Finis edulcat media Verse 22. And ye now therefore have sorrow No sorrow like to that when we see not Christ in his favour He hides his love oft as Joseph did out of increasement of love and then we cannot see him for crying as Mary Magdalen could not she was so bleared But when he seemeth farthest from us his heart is with us and he must needs look thorow the chinkers as in the Canticles to see how we do as that Martyr expresseth it Saunders in a Letter to his wife and friends There is a presence of Christ that is secret when he seems to draw us one way and to drive us another Cant. 5 6. Verse 23. And in that day ye shall c. q.d. Ye shall be so exact and so expert that you shall not need to aske such childish questions as hitherto ye have done This is like that of the Prophet They shall not each man teach his neighbour saying Jer. 31.34 Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest They shall be all taught of God Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet saith Augustine And Quando Christus docet quà m citò discitur quod docetur So St Ambrose Ne scit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia When the Spirit undertakes to teach a man 1 Ioh. â— he shall not be long a learning Now all Gods people have the Vnction that teacheth them all things And as in pipes though of different sounds yet there is the same breath in them so is there the same spirit in Christians of all sizes Verse 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing To what ye should have asked 1 King 13.19 and might have obtained Prayer as those arrows of deliverance should be multiplied the oftner we come to God the better welcome neither can we anger him worse then to be soon said or sated Melistius erat ei nibil peti quam dare It was more troublesome to Severus the Emperour to be asked nothing then to give much When any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him he would call him and say Quid est cur nihil petis c. what meanest thou to aske me nothing So Christ here Aske that your joy may be full Pray that ye may joy Draw water with joy out of this well of salvation David was excellent at this His heart was oft more out of tune then his harpe He prayes and then cryes Returne to thy rest ô my soul c. In many of his Psalms the beginnings are full of trouble but by that time he hath prayed a while As Psal 6. 22 51. Mouli de â—amout devin the ends are full of joy and assurance So that one would imagine saith Peter Moulin that those Psalms had been composed by two men of a contrary humour Hudson the Martyr deserted at the stake went from under the chain and having prayed earnestly was comforted immediatly and suffered valiantly Verse 25. These things have I spoken c. He spake plain enough Legum obscuâ—â—â—ates non assigneâ—us culp e scrihentium sed inscitiae non assâ—quentiâ— Sex Cecil apui Gell. Isa 28.10 11 22. Ac si blesis esseâ— lab js but they were so slow of heart and dull of hearing that they thought he spake to them in riddles and parables So though the Prophet dealt with the people as with little ones newly weaned mineing and masticating their meat for them laying before them precept upon precept line upon line c. yet was he to them through their singular stupidity as one that lisped halfe words or spake in a strange tongue Verse 26. At that day ye shall aske c. Christ had promised them further light but yet expects they should pray for it Prayer is a putting the promises in suit we must pray them over ere we get the performance Ezek. 36.37 Christ himself was to aske of his Father the world for his inheritance c. Psal 2. Verse 27. For the Father himself loveth you We say Non be nè conveniunt nec in una fede morantur Majestas amor Sporte etiam roa roganie me Vt apud Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes epist 9. Am. Marcell lib. 25. Majesty and love cannot dwell together because love is the abasing of the soul to all services But it is otherwise in God Majesty and love meet in his heart so that of his own free accord he will give us any thing we aske and as it were prevent a Mediatour crowning his own graces in us Verse 28. Again I leave the world c. So Plotinus the Philosopher when he died said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay Julian the Apostate if Marcellinus may be credited went out of the world with these words in his mouth Vitam reposcenti naturae tanquam debitor bonae fidei rediturus exulto Verse 29. His disciples said unto him How apt are we to over-ween our little-nothing of knowledge or holinesse to swell with big conceits of our own sufficiency and when we see never so little to say presently with her in the Poet Arachae ap O vid. 1 Cor. 13.2 Consilij satis est in me mihi to thinke we understand as St Paul hath it all mysteries and all knowledge How truly may it now be said of many as Quintilian saith of some in his time that they might have proved excellent scholars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they had not been so perswaded of themselves already Conceitednesle cuts off all hope of proficiency Verse 30. Now we are sure c. What not till now Nicodemus was afore you then Joh. 3.2 But better late then never Nunquam serò si seriò Verse 29. Do ye now beleeve Ey now ere trouble comes you are jolly fellows But it is easie to swim in a warme bath and every bird can sing in a sun-shine day We shall see shortly what you can do if ye faint in