that in these last dayes men should be vnthankfull 2. Tim. 3. 2. We see the truth therof People haue tongues to aske hands to receiue but remember not to glorifie God when they haue receiued what they aske In time of famine sicknes or any aduersity they vsually pray vnto the Lord for helpe but when he deliuereth them out of their distresse doe they then as the Psalmist exhorteth Psalm 107. 6. 8. praise him for his goodnesse or may it not rather bee saide of them as it was of Hezekiah that they render not againe according to the benefite done vnto them I know there are certain words of course as God bee praised I thanke God c. in most mens mouthes Many there are that giue thanks and glorifie God formally coldly and superficially but few that doe it feruently zealously as this Samaritane did who with a loud voice which was argumentū zeli a token of his zeale glorified God Few cal vpon their souls to performe this duty as Dauid did Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy name Psa 103. 1. But let vs be exhorted alwayes in all things to giue thankes vnto God As we pray for them so let vs praise his Name for them let vs glorifie him for what hee graciously giueth vs It is a good thing to giue thanks vnto the Lord and to sing praises vnto thy Name O most High Psal 92. 1. Thankesgiuing saith one was an exercise in Paradise and it shall be an exercise in heauen It shall continue when others shall cease In the next life wee shall not neede the Word nor Prayer nor Sacraments but the praising of God shall not cease beeing a peculiar exercise of the Angels and Saints in heauen Now if wee would euer praise him in heauen we must first praise him on earth we must glorifie him here if we desire to bee glorified and to glorifie him hereafter I say then as the Apostle to the Hebrewes Let vs offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giuing thankes to his Name and alwayes remember that in thanksgiuing as wee glorifie God so wee benefite our selues The Lord will willingly giue vs what wee doe aske him when hee seeth vs thankefull for that hee hath giuen vs thankes for former blessings is the way to gaine and procure future blessings When he saw c. hee Text. turned c. Againe wee may obserue from Obser hence That as thankesgiuing is required so it is speedily to bee rendered as it is not to bee omitted so it is not to be deferred When Sisera was ouerthrowne Deborah and Barak euen on that day sang saying Praise ye the Lord for the auenging of Israel Iudg. 5. 1. 2. And as soone as this Samaritane sawe that he was cleansed he turned backe viz. from the Priests glorified God and gaue thankes Vse 1 Remember then to doe this presently after the receipt of any blessing As we must be swift to heare the word of God so must we bee swift to returne thankes to God Indeede we must as S. Iames saith bee slow to speake to wit against the truth that is deliuered but not Gods praises for blessings receiued we must bee as quicke in thanksgiuing as God is in giuing as ready to glorifie him as hee to gratifie vs to giue him thanks as hee to giue vs blessings Vse 2 Secondly as thanksgiuing is not to bee put off so neither is any other Christian and religious duty This Samaritane deferred not his glorifying of God so we must not deferre our seruing of God Dauid made hast and delayed not to keepe Gods commandements No sooner did Ionah cry in the streetes of Nineueh Yet forty dayes and Nineueh shall be ouerthrowne but they cryed mightily vnto God repented and turned from their euill way Our Sauiour hauing called Simon and Andrew they straightway followed him Mark 1. 18. And Zacheus made haste to receiue him Luke 19. 6. Alasse people in these times who make quicke dispatch of their worldly affaires are exceeding slow in the most important busines of their soules Good courses for the present are onely allowed not followed Conuersion and amendment the most purpose but yet deferre them young men till they bee old old men till they be a dying But as for young men they must remember their creator feare him serue him now in the dayes of their youth and not put off all this till their vncertaine old old age and Audite senes Heare ye old men it is sufficient for you that yee haue spent the time past of your life in the base seruice of the world sin and Sathan now while it is called to day turne from your sins to serue the liuing God And let all both young men and maidens olde men and children take heede of this delay and procrastination set themselues about religious courses Christian duties with all speede and expedition That thou doest doe quickly said our Sauiour to Iudas Ioh. 13. 27. As hee made haste to saue our soules so must wee make hast to amend our liues As Rebeccas friends could by no requests hinder Abrahams seruant from speedy returne vnto his master so let nothing hinder vs srom present conuersion to God our Master Make no tarrying saith the Sonne of Syrach to turne to the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth and in thy security thou shalt bee destroyed and perish in the day of vengeance Eccles 5. 7. Were there not tenne Text. cleansed Here we may note that kindnesse is shewed by God vnto the wicked These nine vnthankfull lepers were cleansed aswell as the tenth the thankfull one Thus wee see that true which we reade Luk. 6. 35. That God is kinde vnto the vnthankfull and to the euill And as our Sauiour cleansed the bodies of these vngratefull lepers so filled he the bellies of his carnall and fleshly followers Iohn 6. according as the Psalmist speaking of men of the world which haue their portion in this life saith that their bellies the Lord filleth with his hid treasure Psal 17. 14. As he filleth their bellies so he filleth their barnes also Yea and so loadeth them sometimes with this worlds good that their barnes are not large enough to receiue their fruits and to hold their goods as appeareth by the parable of the rich man Luk. 12. 16. Thus corporal and temporall benefits Impijs impertitur Dominus the Lord imparteth to vngodly men And this he doth First that they might bee the more inexcusable and haue nothing to alleadge for themselues at the day of their account Secondly that if they haue or seeme to haue any good things in thē they might not bee altogether vnrewarded Thus Ahabs temporary humiliation was recompenced with the remoouall of a temporall iudgement and these lepers temporary faith with the remoouall of
THE CLEANSING OF THE TEN LEPERS OR Briefe notes on Luke 17. vers 14 15 16 17 18. By MATHEVV CAYLIE Minister of Gods Word at Maidford in Northamptonsh LONDON Printed by I L. for William Sheffard and are to be sold at his shop at the entring in of Popes head Allie out of Lumbard-streete 1623. To the VVorshipfull Master Richard Trist of Maidford in Northamptonsh WOrthy Sir Not to prefixe a tedious Epistle before so small a Treatise hauing a resolution for the publication hereof for reasons knowne to my selfe and perhaps not vnknowne to some that know mee I make bold I hope not too bold to present the same vnto you to testifie my respect of you Your Acceptance Perusall Patronage are the onely things I desire though I cannot say as the Iewes concerning the Centurion in the Gospel that either it or my selfe is worthy for whom you should doe this The God of heauen the giuer of all good blessings blesse you yours prosper and preserue you blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ A Petitioner for you vnto the throne of grace MATH CAYLIE THE CLEANSING OF THE TEN LEPERS OR Briefe notes on Luk. 17. vers 14 15 16 17 18. And when he saw them hee said vnto them Goe shew your selues vnto the Priests And it came to passe that as they went they were cleansed And one of them when he saw that he was healed turned backe c. IN the three former verses where this Historie of Christs cleansing the ten Lepers beginneth the Euangelist setteth downe First the time and that was when he went to Hierusalem which going is to be referred to his last iourney thither Hee went thither though he knew as hee foretelleth his Disciples in the next chapter that he should bee mocked spitefully entreated spitted on scourged and put to death that by his going thither so freely hee might shew that he suffered there willingly Secondly the place hard by a certaine village the Lepers being prohibited to enter into any village Thirdly the persons themselues that were cleansed and they are described first by their number ten secondly by their disease which was a leprosie thirdly by the place where they stood and that was a farre off fourthly the occasion 1. their meeting our Sauiour 2. their petition they lifted vp their voices and said Iesus Master Haue mercy on vs. Now concerning these verses In the 14. verse there may be obserued foure particulars 1. Our Sauiours compassion when he saw them 2. his commandement He said vnto them Goe shew your selues vnto the Priests 3. the Lepers obedience they went 4. their cleansing It came to passe that as they went they were cleansed And in the verses following there is set downe what followed vpon their cleansing 1. that one of them who was a Samaritane returned and glorified God and gaue thankes 2. The ingratitude of the other nine which how our Sauiour detested hee shewed 1. by his interrogation Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine 2. by his collaudation of the other being a stranger There are not found that returned to giue glory to God saue this stranger Whom therefore he dismisseth with this encomium Arise goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole ver 19. Now to such obseruations as the words will afford And when he saw them Obser Wee may here behold our Sauiours easinesse to be entreated his readinesse to looke vpon and helpe distressed petitioners These poore men cryed he heard them He neither like scornefull persons amongst vs who will not vouchsafe to looke vpon a poore bodie withdrew his eyes from their persons for he saw them neither like our deafe worldlings who will not heare the cries of the needy turned he his eares from their prayers for hee heard them Neither like our churlish Nabals who refuse to releeue the distressed denied he their requests for he cleansed them Thus the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous his eares are open vnto their cry and he deliuereth them out of their distresse The Lord who dwelleth on high and hath respect vnto the lowly heard Ionah though he was in the sea in a lowe place euen in the fishes belly when he cryed Hee heard the pensiue Publicane though knowing his owne filthinesse by reason of sin the spirituall leprosie as these lepers by reason of their corporall leprosie he stoode afarre off when hee prayed Surely The Lord is nigh vnto all them that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him hee will heare their cry and saue them Psal 145. 18 19. When the Lord called Samuel Samuel Samuel answered Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth When a godly man in his minde calleth Lord Lord the Lord will graciously answer Speake seruant for thy Lord heareth Salomon said to Bathsheba desiring as shee said one small petition of him I will not say thee nay but yet he denyed her request but the Lord who hath said Aske and it shall be giuen you he will not refuse to giue to them that doe aske Indeede the woman of Canaan cryed but our Sauiour at first answered her not a word shee eryed againe and said Lord helpe me yet he helped her not but hereby he sheweth not that he is vnwilling to heare and helpe but how willing hee is to haue vs holde out in praying Hee denyeth vs present audience to make vs cry with the more instance and they that with that woman cry instantly and doe holde out perseuerantly shall at length as shee did finde that the Lord though he be not alwayes presently entreated yet is easie to be entreated and ready to heare and grant such requests as are made according to his will as S. Iohn saith Vse 1 Here then may they iustly be checked who as if the Lord was inexorable will rather runne to any other then vnto him in the day of trouble This is the reason why so many liue in want because they will not betake themselues to the meanes for supply they haue not because they aske not In this it is true Spare to speake and spare to speede First aske and then not before it shall be giuen vnto you Mat. 7. 7. 2. Heere is comfort for poore Christians worldlings are vnmercifull the times are hard and the prices of victuals high but yet the Lord is bountifull and open-handed As his plenty is not abated so his goodnesse is not diminished and he is now as heretofore easie to be entreated In the siege of Samaria when the famine was so great as mothers made their children their meate one of them cryed vnto the king of Israel saying Helpe my Lord O King And he said If the Lord doe not helpe thee whence shall I helpe thee But whosoeuer cryeth vnto the king of heauen and saith Helpe my Lord O King he will say If no man succoureth thee yet
before them Let vngodly men gallop for their pleasure or profit or preferment in by-pathes and wry-waies wee must with Dauid runne and that directly in the way of Gods cōmandements and turne aside neither to the right hand nor to the left We must still be ayming at the marke of the high price of our calling and haue it alwaies in our eye as it were and as Paul went with a straight course vnto Coos so must wee striue to keepe an euen and direct course vnto it Vse 3 Lastly These Lepers went and went on still till they came to the Priests So Christians hauing once entred the way that leadeth vnto life must not then sit downe but be still going onwards Saint Paul reached forth and pressed still toward the marke Phil. 3. 13. And as he did thus himselfe so exhorted hee others saying So runne that yee may obtaine 1. Cor. 9. 24. Now they that would obtaine must not giue ouer running till they come to the goale Though now and then we slip and fall and so are staied yet we must not lye still but vp againe and make more hast in our way then before And to be short we must go from knowledge to knowledg from strength to strength from vertue to vertue from grace to grace till we become perfect men in Christ Iesus Thus much of the obedience of these Lepers Now in the next place let vs goe on to what happened vnto them in the way as they went And it came to passe that as they went they were cleansed As they went they Text. Obser were cleansed From hence we may obserue that As we walke according to Gods commandements it shall goe well with vs. If Naaman the Syrian had not at last washed in Iordan as Elisha badde him hee might well haue beene a leper vnto the day of his death but going down and dipping himselfe seuen times according to the saying of the man of God his flesh came again like vnto the flesh of a little childe and he was cleane And if these lepers had not went as our Sauiour bad them they might as well haue continued still as they were vncleane but as they went according to his commandement they were cleansed As also the blind man going and washing in the poole of Siloam whither Christ sent him came backe againe seeing and his eyes were opened More generally As Iosiah did iudgement and iustice as he iudged the cause of the poore and needie it was well with him and it was as well with Vzziah as long as he reigned well as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper What the Prophet Ieremy said vnto Zedekiah is worthy the remembring Obey I beseech thee the voice of the Lord so shall it be well vnto thee Ierem. 38. 20. And to the same purpose is that exhortation of Moses to the Israelites You shall walke in all the waies which the Lord your God hath commanded you that yee may liue and that it may be well with you Deut. 5. 33. Vse 1 It is not then in vaine to serue God as the wicked imagine It was not in vaine that these lepers went according to Christs commandement neither will it be in vaine for vs to walke according to Gods cōmandement As they went they were cleansed and as we walke we shal be blessed Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his waies Happy shalt thou be that doest thus and it shall be well with thee as the Psalmist saith Psal 128. 1 2. Vse 2 Secondly they take but an ill course to thriue and prosper that wander in the by-waies of disobedience and they are farre wide that imagine that it shall bee well with them as they liue ill It will bee euill with such and that first in regard of their bodies Our Sauiour cleansed these Lepers that were obedient but the Lord will smite such as are disobedient with the pestilence with a consumption and a feuer an inflammation with the botch and the itch As Gehazi was smitten with the Leprosie for his falshood 2. King 5. 27. and Vzziah for his pride 2. Chron. 26. 20. And 2. in regard of their estates for the treasures of wickednesse will profite nothing Prou. 10. 2. They may indeede prosper in the world but alas their very prosperity shall destroy them Prou. 1. 32. Hence it is that as the Lord would haue it pronounced to the righteous that it shall bee well with them for they shall eate the fruite of their doings So hee would haue it denounced against the vnrighteous Woe vnto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be giuen him Esa 3. 10 11. 3. Lastly here is encouragement for the godly to proceede in the wayes of godlines and as the Lord said to Iosuah if they would haue good successe to obserue what hee commandeth Indeede as the most godly faile in their obedience so are they many times corrected for the same but yet so farre as they are religious so farre they are sure to bee prosperous as farre as they are godly they are sure to be happy Surely I know saith Solomon that it shall be well with them that feare God but it shall not bee well with the wicked because they feare not before God Eccles 8. 12 13. And one of them when Text. he saw that hee was healed turned backe and with c. From the practise Obser of this Samaritane we may learn our duty which is this To glorifie God and giue him thanks for fauours and benefits receiued from him This is the expresse Commaundement of God Call vpon mee in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Where as prayer so praise for deliuerance is required euen as the Apostle also would haue thanksgiuing ioyned with prayer and supplication Phil. 4. 6. So that there is a necessary coherence betweene prayer and thanksgiuing as prayer is the sending out for those things wee neede so thanksgiuing is for the receiuing of them hauing receiued the things by prayer desired of God we must giue him thankes for the same The first thing which wee aske in the Lords prayer is to haue grace to glorifie Gods name and the last thing we are to performe in the same prayer is to ascribe all glory to the said sacred Name Moses composed a song for the Israelites deliuerance from the Egyptians Exod. 15. 1. and so did Hannah for her sonne both in thankfulnesse vnto God Dauid calling to minde Gods benefits and bethinking with himselfe what hee should returne for them What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me resolues on this duty I wil offer vnto him the sacrifice of thanksgiuing Psal 116. 12. 17. And thus this Samaritane perceiuing that hee was cleansed renders this sacrifice for the same he glorified God and gaue thankes Vse 1 The Apostle foretold