have amongst us not a few that give themselves up to Christ Quoad Sacramenti perceptionem by externall profession but when it comes once ad 〈◊〉 sanctificationem to 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 there they leave him in the open field forsaking their colours renouncing their baptisme and running away to the enemy Now for such there is but one law and it is Martiall law Heb. 10. 39. If any with draw or 〈◊〉 from his Captain as the military 〈◊〉 there used importeth he doth it to perdition he is even a son of perdition as 〈◊〉 who was 〈◊〉 indeed as well as Peter but better he had not As it had been better for him never to have been born so being born never to have been circumcised and thereby bound to the Law Unregenerate Israel is as 〈◊〉 Amos 9. 7. And it had been happy that font water had never been spilt on that face that is afterwards hatcht with impudent 〈◊〉 Ier. 3. 3 4. 5. Verse 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces Two leading sects among the Jews but notable hypocrites yet pressing to the ordinances A Doeg may set his foot as far within the Sanctuary as a David and let him He may be caught as those catch-poles sent to apprehend our Saviour as Sauls messengers coming to Naioth were turned from 〈◊〉 to Prophets Come saith Latymer to the holy Assemblies though thou comest to 〈◊〉 for God perhaps may take thee napping He said unto them O generation of vipers Or adders which are outwardly specious inwardly poisonous so are all hypocrites a meer out-side but God will wash off their paint with rivers of brimstone Of the viper it is said that when he hath 〈◊〉 a man he makes haste to the water and drinks or dies for it So did these Pharisees to baptisme hoping by the 〈◊〉 done to avoid the wrath to come But a man 〈◊〉 goe to hell 〈◊〉 font-water on his face unlesse with the water of baptisme he have grace to quench the fiery darts of the devil as that holy virgin whereof Luther reports that she beat back Satans temptations with this only argument I am a Christian. The enemy quickly understood saith he the 〈◊〉 of baptisme and the value of that vow and fled from her There are that boast and bear themselves bold on their Christendome but hath not many a ship that hath been named Safe-guard and Good-speed miscarried at sea or fallen into the hands of pirates This generation of vipers conceited themselves to be Abrahams seed so doe many of the Serpents seed now adaies because of their baptisme but all in vain unlesse they walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham The old Serpent hath slung them neither is there any antidote for such but the flesh not of the biting viper but of the slain Messiah fore-shadowed by the brazen Serpent See Isa. 27. 1. God hath promised to break for us the Serpents head who hath so deeply set his lims in us yea with his sore and great and strong sword to punish Leviathan that piercing Serpent and to 〈◊〉 the dragon that is in the sea Who hath fore-warned you Who hath privily and under-hand as it were shewed you and set you in a course of avoiding the danger that hangs over your heads as by a twined threed The wrath of God is revealed from heaven and hell hath enlarged her self and even gapes for you who gave you an inkling thereof and sent you hither for help c From the wrath to come Called the damnation of hell Chap. 23. 23. which hath torments without end and past imagination For Who knoweth the power of thine anger saith David Even according to thy fear so is thy wrath That is as I conceive it Let a man fear thy wrath never so much he is sure to feel a fair deal more thereof then ever he could have feared When but a drop of Gods displeasure lights upon a poor soul in this present world What intolerable pain is it put to The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmity saith Solomon q. d. some sorry shift a man may make to rub thorow an outward affliction and to bear it off by head and shoulders But a wounded spirit who can bear q. d. the stoutest cannot possibly stand under it there 's no proportion between the back and the burden 〈◊〉 able to crush and crack the mightiest amongst us Iudas chose an halter rather then to endure it and well he might when as Iob with whom God was but in jest in comparison preferred strangling and any death before such a life But all this alas is but present wrath and nothing at all to the wrath to come A phrase of speech that involves and carries in it stings and horrours woe and alas flames of wrath and the worm that never dieth trembling and gnashing of teeth seas of vengeance rivers of brimstone unutterable and unsufferable tortures and torments We read of racking roasting hanging stoning putting men under harrows of iron and saws of iron scratching off their flesh with thorns of the wildernesse pulling their skins over their ears and other exquisite and unheard of miseries that men have here been put unto But what 's all this to the wrath to come not so much as a flea-biting as a prick with a pin or fillip with a finger no though a man should go thorow a thousand cruell deaths every hour his whole life thorowout Oh blesse and kisse that blessed Son of God that bore for us the brunt of this unsupportable wrath even Iesus that delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1. 10. And shun sin that draws hell at the heels of it Is it nothing to lose an immortall soul to purchase an ever-living death Verse 8. Bring forth therefore fruits q. d. You cannot wash your hands in innocency wash them therefore in tears there 's no way to quench hell flames but by the tears of true repentance to prevent the wrath to come but by bearing those fruits of righteousnesse that are by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God Phil. 1. 11. Optima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est nova vita saith Luther Which saying though condemned by Pope Leo is certainly an excellent 〈◊〉 Meet for repentance That weigh 〈◊〉 as much as repentance that may parallel and 〈◊〉 it to be right 〈◊〉 and evidence it to be a repentance never to be repented of There is no grace but hath a 〈◊〉 See therefore that your graces be of the right stamp an effectuall faith 〈◊〉 love patient hope c. as the Apostle hath it See that your performances and whole course be such as becomes repentance and may justifie it as may bear weight in the balance of the sanctuary and amount to as much as repentance comes to And 〈◊〉 your righteousnesses be but as a 〈◊〉 clout and your works at best if tried
one the Levites father in law make any means for reconciliation but when remission came to his doors no man entertaineth it more thankfully The nature of many men is forward to accept and negligent to sue for they can spend secret wishes upon that which shall cost them no endeavour But why should men be so backward to a 〈◊〉 of this nature Almighty God beseecheth sinners to be reconciled unto him And as when a man goes from the Sun yet the Sun-beams follow him shine on him warm him so doth the mercy of God follow us all the daies of our lives Our Saviour first sent to Peter that had denied him and went to the rest that had forsaken him Aristippus though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heathen went of his own accord to AEschines his enemy 〈◊〉 said Shall we not be reconciled till we become a table-talke to 〈◊〉 the countrey And when AEschines answered he would most gladly be at peace with him Remember therefore said 〈◊〉 that although I were the elder and better man yet I 〈◊〉 first unto thee Thou art indeed said AEschines a far better 〈◊〉 then I for I began the quarrell but thou the reconcilement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 clamorous and implacable and none so 〈◊〉 to reconciliation as they that are most injurious as he that 〈◊〉 ed his brother thrust away Moses saying Who made thee a Ruler c. 〈◊〉 thou kill 〈◊〉 c. Acts 7. 27 28. Verse 25. Agree with thine adversary quickly Habent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suum Citò Citò Gods work also must be done with expedition 〈◊〉 are headlong delayes dangerous Let not 〈◊〉 the Sun go down upon your wrath lest it grow inveterate as 〈◊〉 proves in many who not only let the Sun go down once or 〈◊〉 but run his whole race ere they can finde hearts and means to 〈◊〉 reconciled Cursed be their wrath for it is deadly O my soul 〈◊〉 not thou into their secret It were much to be wished that as 〈◊〉 vy hath it Amicitiae immortales inimicitiae mortales essent 〈◊〉 ties were mortall amongst us amities immortall Lest thine adversary deliver thee to the Iudge By his 〈◊〉 and moans to God who is gracious though thou art stiffe and 〈◊〉 pay 〈◊〉 for thy pertinacy Exod. 22. 26. and him for his 〈◊〉 tience with extremity of law Compound therefore and take 〈◊〉 the suit before it come to execution and judgement Suffer it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 husbands do to run on and charges to grow from term to term lest we pay not only the main debt but the arrerages too the 〈◊〉 of Gods patience c. Thou be cast into 〈◊〉 Into hell worse then any prison Of Roger Bishop of Salisbury the second man from King Stephen it is storied that he was so tortured in prison with hunger and other calamities accompanying such men 〈◊〉 vivere noluerit mori nescierit live he would not die he could not This and much worse is the case of 〈◊〉 that are cast into hell they seek death but finde it not they 〈◊〉 it but it fleeth from them Rev. 96. Verse 26. Thou shalt by no means come out thence till c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come out Let our merit-mongers first go to hell for their sins and stay all 〈◊〉 there then afterward if God will create another eternity they may have liberty to relate their good works and call for their wages But the curse of the law will first be served of such as 〈◊〉 to be saved by the works of the law are fallen from Christ these shall never come out till they have paid the utmost 〈◊〉 And when will that be We reade of a miserable malefactour John Chambone by name who had lain in the dungeon at 〈◊〉 the space of seven or 〈◊〉 moneths This thief for pain and torment cried out of God and curst his parents that begat him being almost eaten up with lice and ready to eat his own flesh for 〈◊〉 being fed with such bread as doggs and horses had 〈◊〉 to eat So it pleased the goodnesse of Almighty God that 〈◊〉 Bergerius a French Martyr was cast into the fame dungeon through whose preaching and prayers he was brought to 〈◊〉 learning much comfort and patience by the word of the Gospel preached unto him Touching his conversion he wrote a 〈◊〉 sweet Letter out of his bonds declaring therein that the next day after that he had taken hold of the Gospel and 〈◊〉 himself to patience according to the same his lice which he could pluck out before by twenty at once 〈◊〉 his fingers now were so gone from him that he had not one Furthermore so the almes of good people were extended towards him that he was fed with white bread and that which was very good His imprisonment at 〈◊〉 lasted but while life death as a goaler knockt off his shackles and set him into the glorious liberty of the Saints above So the penitent thief in the Gospel and so that Rob. Samuel Martyr above mentioned But not so those that are 〈◊〉 up in the dark dungeon of hell Their misery is as endlesse as 〈◊〉 A river of brimstone is not consumed by burning the smoke of that pit ascendeth for ever A childe with a spoon may sooner empty the 〈◊〉 then the damned in hell accomplish their 〈◊〉 Verse 27. You have heard that it was said to them of old Thou shalt not commit adultery This they corruptly restrained to the grosse act and made nothing of contemplative filthinesse hearts full of harlortry hot as an oven with scalding lusts very stews and brothelhouses cages of unclean birds besides eyes full of adultery hands defiled with dalliance tongues taught to talke obscaenities and ribaldries c. But 〈◊〉 could say Incesta est sine 〈◊〉 quoe stuprum cupat she is a whore that would be so had she but 〈◊〉 And the Romanes put to death a 〈◊〉 Virgin for singing this verse only Foelices nuptoe moriar ni nubere dulce est St Pauls Virgin is holy not in body only but in spirit also I Cor. 7. 〈◊〉 non licuit non facit illa facit 〈◊〉 for the avoiding of fornications in the plurall number inward burnings as well as outward pollutions let every man have his own wife c. Verse 28. But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her Lusting is oft the fruit of looking as in Josephs mistresse who set her eyes upon Joseph and David who law Bathsheba bathing lust is quicksighted How much better Job who would not look lest he should thinke upon a maid And Nazianzen who had learned and he glories in it to keep in his eyes from roving to wonton prospects And the like is reported of that heavenly spark the young L. Harrington whereas those that have eyes full of adultery cannot cease to sin saith St Peter And facti crimina lumen habet saith another Sampsons eyes were the first
beetle for writing a book against the marriage with the Duke of Anion entituled The gulf wherein England will be swallowed by the French match c. he put off his hat with his left-hand and said with a loud voice God save the Queen So when God strikes a parting blow between us and our dilecta delicta our right-hand sinnes let us see a mercy in it and be thankfull let us say to these Idols Get thee hence What have I to doe any more with Idols that God may say as there I have heard him and observed him I am like a green fir-tree from me is thy fruit found when he shall see thee pollute those Idols that thou wast wont to perfume Isa. 30. 22. And not that thy whole body be cast into hell Our Saviour is much in speaking of hell And it were much to be wished saith S. Chrysostom that mens thoughts and tongues would run much upon this subject there being no likelier way of escaping hell then by taking ever and anon a turn or two in hell by our meditations A certain Hermite is said to have learned three leaves a black red and white one that is he daily meditated upon the horrour of hell the passion of Christ the happines of heaven Verse 31. It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his wife c. This Moses permitted as a Law-maker not as a Prophet as a civil Magistrate not as a man of God meerly for the hardnesse of the mens hearts and for the relief of the women who else might have been misused mischiefed by their unmannerly and unnatural husbands Mal. 2. 13. Those hard-hearted Jews caused their wives when they should have been chearfull in Gods service to cover the altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with crying out So that he regarded not the offering any more A number of such Nabals there are now-adaies that tyrannize over and trample upon their wives as if they were not their fellows but their foot-stools not their companions and copesmates but their slaves and vassals Husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them Col. 3. 16. He saith not as it might seem he should with respect to the former verse Rule over them and shew your authority over those that are bound to submit unto you But love them that their subjection may be free and ingenuous Live not as Lamech like lions in your houses Quarrelsome austere discourteous violent with high words and hard blows such are fitter to live in Bedlam then in a civil society The Apostle requires That all bitternesse be put away all and in all persons how much more in married couples The Heathens when they sacrificed at their marriage feasts used to cast the gall of the beast sacrificed out of doors Vipera virus ob veneratioâ—em nuptiarum evomit Et tu duritiem animi tu feritatem tu crudelitatem ob unionis revâ—rentiam non dâ—ponis saith Basil. I confesse it were better be married to a quartan ague then to a bad wife so saith Simonides for there be two good daies for one bad with the one not one with the other But that should have been looked to afore-hand A hard adventure it is to yoke ones self with any untamed heifer that beareth not the yoke of Christ. And as grace so good nature a courteous disposition is a thing to be especially looked at in a wife which Eleazar Abrahams servant understood and therefore singled out as a token of a meet mate for his sonne Let her offer me drink and my Camels also saith he But what if it prove otherwise and men by leaping unadvisedly into the marriage estate have drawn much misery upon themselves Quid si pro conjugio conjurgium contraxerint Varro answereth Uxoris vitium aut tollendum aut tolerandum est A wives faults must be either cured or covered mended if we can made the best of if we cannot If the first she is made better if the second we Conjugium humanae divina Academia vitae est And hence it cometh to passe that Quae modo pugnârant jungant sua rostra columbae Quarum blanditias verbaque murmur habet As on the other side where this meeknesse of wisdome is not made use of by married folk they are together in the house no otherwise then as two poisons in the stomack as live Eels in the pot as two spanniels in a chain their houses are more like kennels of hounds then families of Christians or as so many fencingschools wherein the two sexes seem to have met together for nothing but to play their prizes and to try masteries Job was not more weary of his boils then they are of their bed-fellows cursing their wedding-day as much as he did his birth-day and thirsting after a divorce as he did after death Which because it cannot be had their lives prove like the sojourning of Israel in Marah where almost nothing could be heard but murmuring and mourning conjuring and complaining Verse 32. Saving for the caeuse of fornication Taken in the largest sense for adultery also Adulterium est quasi ad alterum aut alterius locum This sinne strikes at the very sinew heart and life of the marriage-knot and 〈◊〉 it Further it directly fights against humane society which the Law mainly respects and was therefore to be punished with death as a most notorious theft Master lay they this woman was taken in adulery in the very act In the very theft saith the originall to intimate belike the great 〈◊〉 that is in adultery whiles the childe of a stranger carries away the goods or lands of the family 〈◊〉 may any 〈◊〉 from our Saviours words to that woman ver 11. N 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 is not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then he may that inheritances are not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who was no 〈◊〉 would not divide them Luk 12. 14. The marriage-bed is honourable and should be kept inviolable 〈◊〉 and the purity of posterity cannot otherwise 〈◊〉 amongst men which is well 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 to be the reason why adultery is named in the Commandment under it all 〈◊〉 being forbidden when yet other 〈◊〉 are more 〈◊〉 as Sodomy and bestiality Causeth her to commit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is God that both maketh and 〈◊〉 the bonds or wedlock which is therefore called The Covenant of God Prov. 2. 17 〈◊〉 are either 1. 〈◊〉 as when a man tieth himself by vow to God to 〈◊〉 such a sinne or doe such a duty 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man and man as in our common contracts bargains and 〈◊〉 Or 3. Mixt that are made partly with God and partly with man And of this sort is the Marriage-Covenant the parties 〈◊〉 tie themselves first to God and then to one another Hence it is that the knot is indissoluble and cannot be undone or recalled at the pleasure of the parties
Bernard who seek straws to put out their eyes withall If we break not off our sins by repentance that there may be a lengthening of our tranquillity a removall of our Candleslick may be as certainly fore-seen and fore-told as if visions and letters were sent us from heaven as once to the Church of Ephesus God may well say to us as to them of old Have I been a wildernesse unto Israel a land of darknesse Or as Themistocles to his Athenians Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits by one man Bona à tergo formosissima Our sins have long since sollicited an utter dissolution and desolation of all and that we should be made a heap and a hissing a waste and a wildernesse Quod Deus aveâ—tat Verse 2. And saying Repent ye Change your mindes now at the preaching of the Gospel as they changed their garments at the promulgation of the Law Rent your hearts and not your garments plough up the fallows of your hearts grieve for your sins even to a transmentation as those Corinthians did and as Simon Peter counselled Simon Magus that snake that had cast his coat but kept his poison For although he caâ—ried the matter so cleanly and cunningly that Philip took him for a true convert and baptized him yet Peter soon saw that he was in the gall or venome of bitternesse for the word used Deut. 29. 18. whereunto the Apostle alludes signifieth both and therefore prescribes him an Antidote the very same that John doth here this generation of vipers Repent if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee His wicked thought is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly change of minde that the Apostle perswadeth him unto is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that by some mischance hath drunk poison must cast it up again as soon as he can ere it get to the vitals Repentance is the souls vomit which is the hardest kinde of physick but the wholsomest Happy is he that by the dung-port of his mouth in a sorrowfull confession can disburden himself of the sinne that both clogs and hazards his soul to death eternall We râ—n from God by sin to death and have no other way to return but by death to sin For the kingdom of heaven is at hand q. d. Ye have a price put into your hands a fair opportunity of making your selves for ever Will ye like the vine and olive in â—othams parable not leave your sweetnesse and fatnesse your dilecta delicta beloved sins although it be to raign yea and that in Gods kingdome Knowest thou not that the goodnesse of God should lead thee to repentance Is there not mercy with God therefore that he may be feared should not men rent their hearts because God is gracious and turn to the Lord because he will multiply pardon To argue from mercy to liberty is the devils logick and makes God repent him of his favours to such as David did of his kindenesse to Nabal Rather we should argue from mercy to duty as Joseph did to his master in a temptation from deliverance to obedience with David Psal. 116 8 9. And therefore return to our fathers house with the Prodigall because there is bread enough therefore repent because his Kingdome is at hand and would be laid hold on As John Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into our hearts Verse 3. For this is he which was spoken of Whether these be the words of the Baptist or of the Evangelist it appears not skils not The most say of the Evangelist concerning the Baptist. By the Prophet Isaias Thus one Testament infolds another as those wheels in Ezekiel And the Law preacheth faith in Christ as well as the Gospel Rom. 10. 6. 7. The voice of one crying Loudly and lustily lifting up his voice as a trumpet or as the sound of many waters Semblably S. Paul was ordained to be a crier 1 Tim. 1. â—1 and so is every faithfull Preacher 2 Tim. 4. 2. He must cry and be instant stand to the work and stand over it Sta cum diligentia saith the Syriack there clangite clamate Jer. 4. 5. Ye have to doe with deaf men dead men living carcases walking sepulchres of themselves Now therefore as our Saviour lifted up his voice when he said Lazarus come forth So must Christs Ministers when they speak to such as lie rotting and stinking in the graves of their corruptions cry aloud Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead that Christ may give thee light Ecclesia the Church is a word in use among the Athenians and signifies an Assembly of Citizens called out of the multitude as it were by name or in their ranks by the voice of the publike Crier to hear some speech or sentence of the Senate The Church in like sort is a company called out of the kingdome of Satan by the voice of Gods Ministers as it were criers to hear the doctrine of the Gospel revealed from heaven There are that observe that John Baptist entered upon his calling in the year of Jubilee which used to be proclaimed by a Crier with the sound of a trumpet and that in allusion thereunto he is called The voice of a crier Prepare ye the way of the Lord. 〈◊〉 the terrours of the Lord to seize upon your souls take not up bucklers against the stroaks of Gods Law bring not your buckets to quench the motions of his Spirit knocking at your hearts by the hammer of his Word Make much of the least beginnings of grace even those they call repressing since they prepare the heart for conversion Open the everlasting doors that the King of glory may come in that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith As Esther leaned upon 〈◊〉 two maids when she came before the King So let the soul 〈◊〉 upon attrition of the Law and contrition of the Gospel so 〈◊〉 the King of glory stretch out the golden Scepter of his grace and we shall live As Iohn Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into our hearts for he that repenteth not the Kingdom of God is far from him he cannot see it for his lusts that hang in his light Make his paths straight Walk exactly precisely accurately 〈◊〉 line and by rule walk as in a frame make straight steps to your feet or else there is no passing the strait gate so strait that as few can walk in it so none can halt in it but must needs goe upright Plain things will joyn in every point one with another not so 〈◊〉 and rugged things In like sort plain spirits close with Gods truths not those that are swoln c. The old heart will never hold out the hardship of holines Verse 4. And the same Iohn had his raiment
yea the very Scriptures the Gospel of truth the rich offers of grace and our golden opportunities Is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ned by many into a 〈◊〉 formality and policie our ancient fervour and forwardnesse into a generall 〈◊〉 and unzealousnesse And besides the love of many waxen cold doth not iniquity abound in every quarter and corner of the land which therefore even groaneth under 〈◊〉 burden and longeth for a vomit to spue us 〈◊〉 as the most unthankfull and unworthy people that ever Gods Sun shone upon and Gods rain fell upon the Sun of Christs Gospel especially and the rain of his grace so fair and so long together If there be any 〈◊〉 sin in the world it is ingratitude said that 〈◊〉 Q. Elizabeth in a 〈◊〉 to Henry 4. King of France The very Heathens judged it to be the epitome of a levil Call me unthankfull saith one you call me all that naught is Lycurgus would make no law against it because he thought no man would fall so far below reason as not thankfully to acknowledge a benefit Thus nature it self abhorres ingratitude which therefore carrieth so much the more detestation as it is more odious even to them that have blotted out the image of God Some vices are such as nature smileth upon though frowned at by divine Justice Not so this Where fore have ye rewarded evil for good Gen. 44. 4. Verse 46. For if ye love them that love you what reward have you The Greek and Latine word say the Rhemists signifieth very wages or hire due for worke and so presupposeth a meritorious deed But what will they say to S. Luke who calleth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or grace which S. Matthew here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reward It is a reward but of meer grace see Rom. 4 that God will give to them that love their enemies If thine enemy be hungry feed him c. For thou shalt heap coales of fire upon his head and the Lord shall reward thee saith Solomon Prov. 25. 21 22. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all little enough 1. Thou shalt heap coals on 〈◊〉 head those coales are as Austin interprets it urentes 〈◊〉 gemitus the scorching sighs of true repentance q. d. Thou shalt melt these hardest metals as many of the Martyrs did their persecutours thou shalt meeken their rancour overcome their 〈◊〉 cause them to turn short again upon themselves and upon sight of their sin shame themselves and justifie thee as Saul did David 2. The Lord shall reward thee And all his 〈◊〉 are more then bountifull yet not of merit for what proportion betwixt the work and wages but first of mercy Reward and mercy are joyned together in the second Commandment and Psal. 62. 12. Secondly of promise for our encouragement 〈◊〉 our labour is not in vain in the Lord. Briefly it is called a reward not properly but by similitude because it is given after the worke done Next it is a reward not legall but evangelicall promised in mercy and in like mercy performed Whence it is also called the reward of inheritance Now an inheritance is not merited but freely descendeth on sonnes because they are sonnes Let no sonne say with profane Esau What is this birth-right to me or with the prodigall in the Gospel Give me here the portion that belongeth unto me such are those that love their friends only here they have love for love and that 's all they are to look for but look up to the recompence of reward with Moses and answer as Naboth God forbid that I should so farre gratifie the devil and mine own evil heart as to part with my patrimony my hope of reward for a little revenge or whatsoever coyn bearing Satans superscription Verse 47. What doe ye more then others Singular things are expected and required of such as have received singular grace and mercy As to be eminent in good works to get above others to 〈◊〉 our feet where other mens heads are The way of the righteous 〈◊〉 on high saith Solomon he goes an higher way to worke then ordinary and walkes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurately exactly he gets even to the very top of godlinesse as the word importeth He knows that more then the common stint is required of him and that he must doe that that the world will never doe as to be hot in religion Rev. 3. 16 The carnal Gospeller saith Religiosum oportet esse non religentem It is fit to be Religious but not so consciencious So to be zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. but with discretion saith the 〈◊〉 The King of Navarre told Beza he would launch no further into the sea then he might be sure to return safe to the haven Though he shewed some countenance to religion yet he would be sure to save himself So to abound in Gods work to have a heart full of goodnesse as those Romanes Chap. 15. 14. a life full of good works as Tabitha Acts 9. 33. But this is to be wise overmuch saith the flesh Philosophandum sed paucis What need this waste said Judas It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem to worship said 〈◊〉 to the people take a shorter cut rather to the golden calves They are idle they are idle said Pharaoh of Gods busiest servants So God would have his to walke precisely This the mad world mocks at To pluck out their right eyes this is a hard saying saith the sensualist To offer violence to Gods Kingdom Fair and softly goes farre and its good keeping on the warm side of the hedge saith the Polititian to 〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉 as the apple of thine eyes 〈◊〉 how few are 〈◊〉 that will not break the hedge of any Commandment so they may 〈◊〉 a peece of foul way Lastly To love an enemy doe good to them that hate us c. But this seems to the most 〈◊〉 and impossible What love those that 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 daily rage and rail at them with such 〈◊〉 as if they 〈◊〉 been as far as hell for every word that 〈◊〉 cut of their mouthes against them c Love this man Nay 〈◊〉 love the 〈◊〉 himself They will rather die a thousand deaths then endure such a one If they could love him yet they would not They are prime Christians in these mens opinions that 〈◊〉 to Sauls measure I will doe thee no hurt my son David If they passe him by when he is in their power as the Priest and the 〈◊〉 did the wounded man if they fall not 〈◊〉 upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and retaliate injuries they have gone farre and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such a measure of charity they hold little 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here attainable This is the voice and guise of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 The spirit that is in us lusteth to envy and prompteth us to 〈◊〉 taunt with taunt suit with suit blow with blow and holds them fools that doe not But
ministerially as Nathan did God only 〈◊〉 and by his own power If the Son set us free we are free indeed Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods pardoned ones It is God that justifieth Or as S. Austin readeth the words interrogatively shall God that justifieth No verily that were to dot and undoe he keepeth no back-reckonings Fear not therefore though the Devil or his imps or our own misgiving 〈◊〉 condemn us as the prisoner careth not though tha goaler or his fellow-prisoners condemn him so long as the Judge acquitteth him Verse 16. Moreover when ye fast Fast then they must 〈◊〉 even after the Lords ascension when Gods grace and Spirit was poured upon them in all abundance Luk. 5 35. This exercise hath still the warrant and weight of a duty as well from precepts as examples of both Testaments And he that blamed the Pharisees here for fasting amisse will much more blame those that fast not at all The Israelites besides other occasionall had their annuall fast appointed them by God Lev. 23. 27. It was called a day of Expiations or Attonements in the plurall because of their many and sundry sinnes they were then to bewail and get pardon for God had appointed them sundry sacrifices for severall sinnes But for 〈◊〉 as it might not be safe to confesse some sinnes to the Priest as those that might bring them by the Law in danger of death of his grace he vouchsafed them this yearly fast for expiation of their secret sinnes and making their peace with their Maker by a generall humiliation Now albeit the circumstance of time be abolished the equity of the duty abideth and tieth us no 〈◊〉 if not more then it did the Jews Heathen 〈◊〉 practised it so did in their superstitious way the AEgyptian Priests the Persian Magi Indian Wizzards Priamus in Homer c. The Turks at this day have their solemn fasts as before the fatall assault of Constantinople wherein they will not so much as taste a cup of water or wash their mouthes with water all the day long before the starres appear in the skie which maketh their fasts especially in the summer when the daies be long and hot to be unto them very tedious In the year of grace 1030. there arose a 〈◊〉 of Fasters that affirmed that to fast on Saturdaies with bread and water as they called it would suffice to the remission of all sinnes so that men bound themselves to it by oath And many French Bishops voted with them But Gerardus Episcopus Cameracensis withstood and abandoned them So great ignorance was there even then of the merits of Christ among the governours of the Church The Papists slander us that we count fasting no duty but only a morall temperance a fasting from sinne a matter of meer policie And out-brave us as much as the Pharisees did the Disciples with their often fasting But as we cannot but finde fault with their fasts in that First They set and appoint certain fasting-daies howsoever to be observed upon pain of damnation be the times clear or cloudy c. Secondly They fast from certain meats only not all which is a meer mock-fast and a doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4. 3. Thirdly They make it a service of God yet consecrate it to the Saints Fourthly They make shamefull sale of it Fifthly They ascribe as those older Hereticks merit unto it even to the meer outward abstinence as these Pharisees did and those hypocrites in Isaiah chap. 58. 3. Now as we cannot but condemn their superstition so neither is our forlorn oscitancy and dullnesse to this duty to be excused God hath given us alate especially many gracious opportunities of publike Humiliations more I think then ever before since the Reformation But 〈◊〉 how doe many fast at such times for fashion fear of Law or of meer form so that they had need to send as the Prophet speaketh for mourning women that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn Ier. 19. 17 And for private fasting whether domesticall with a mans family Zech. 12. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Acts 10. 30. or personall by himself as here Matth. 6. 17. We may 〈◊〉 to have dealt with it as the Romanes with the Tarquines they banished all of that name for Superbus his sake And as the Nicopolites are said to have hated the braying of an 〈◊〉 that for that cause they would not endure the sound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So many are departed so farre from Popish fasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fast not at all and so open the mouthes of the adversaries But acquaint thy self with this duty thou that wouldest be 〈◊〉 with God It is a fore-tast of eternall life 〈◊〉 in holy practises we tast the sweetnesse of that heavenly Manna this Angels food those soul-fatting viands that makes us for a time to forbear our appointed food It is a help to the understanding of heavenly mysteries as Daniel found it It fits us for conversion Ioel 2. 12. and furthers it Acts 9. 9. Hence it is called a 〈◊〉 of Humiliation or of humbling the soul Lev. 16. because God usually by that Ordinance gives an humble heart to the which he hath promised both grace 1 Pet. 5. 5 and glory Prov. 15. 33. It 〈◊〉 out corruption and is to the soul as washing to a room which is more then sweeping or as scouring to the vessel which is more then ordinary washing It subdues rebell-flesh which with fullnesse of bread will wax wanton as Sodom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It testifies true repentance by this holy revenge 2 Cor. 7. 11. whiles we thus amerce and punish our selves by a voluntary forgoing of the 〈◊〉 and commodities of life as altogether unworthy Psal. 35. 13. What shall I say more Hereby we are daily drawn to more obedience and love to God faith in him and communion with him a more holy frame of soul and habit of heavenly-mindednesse Whence our Saviour after this direction for fasting immediatly subjoins that of laying up for our selves treasure in heaven ver 19 20. And lastly our prayers shall be hereby edged winged and made to soar aloft which before flagged sainted and as it were groveled on the ground Therefore our Saviour here next after matter of prayer adds this of fasting which is a necessary adjunct of prayer that which is extraordinary especially as that which very much fits the heart for prayer and the severe practise of repentance Hence it is that else where these two fasting and prayer go coupled for most part as Luk. 〈◊〉 37. Matth. 17. 21. 1 Cor. 7. 5 c. A full belly neither studies nor prayes willingly Fasting enflames prayer and prayer 〈◊〉 fasting especially when we fast and weep Joel 2. 13. fast and watch watch and pray and take heed to both Mark 13. 33. Be not as the hypocrites For they fast not to God Zech. 7. 5 11 12. but to themselves they pine
Verse 〈◊〉 For where your treasure is c. i. e. Where your chief happinesse is there your affections will be setled Where the carcase is there will the Eagles be also Beetles delight 〈◊〉 muck-hils but Christs Eagles are never in their pride till farthest off from the earth they are said even here to be set 〈◊〉 with Christ in heavenly places The Church in the Canticles hath this given her for an high commendation That she had a nose like the tower of Lebanon Siverborum faciem spectemus saith an Interpreter 〈◊〉 poter it mag is dici ridiculum The words at first sight seem somewhat strange for what so great a praise is it to have 〈◊〉 nose like a tower But by this 〈◊〉 is notably set forth that spirituall sagacity and sharpnesse of 〈◊〉 whereby the Saints resent and savour the things above being carried after Christ the true carcase with unspeakable desire and delight The earthly-minded that have their bellies filled with Gods hid treasure the 〈◊〉 of this world and take it for their portion these have their heads so stuft and their eyes so stopt with the dust of 〈◊〉 that they neither see nor savour heavenly things As they are of the earth so they speak of the earth and the earth hear's them As the Grashopper is bred liveth and dieth in the same ground so 〈◊〉 terrigenae fratres these muck-minded men are wholly earth in their whole 〈◊〉 And as the Grashopper hath wings but flieth not sometimes she hoppeth upwards a little but falleth to the ground again so these have some light and short motions to 〈◊〉 when they hear a piercing Sermon or feel a pressing affliction or see others snatcht away by sudden death before them but this is not of any long continuance they return to their former worldlinesse The devil hath got full possession of them as once of Judas by this sin and could a man 〈◊〉 up their hearts he might finde there fair-written The God of this present world He holds his black hand before their eyes lest the light of the 〈◊〉 Gospel should shine upon them We cry O earth earth earth Hear the Word of the Lord but the devil hath made a path way 〈◊〉 their hearts so that the seed cannot enter Earth 〈◊〉 cold and 〈◊〉 so are earthly-minded men to any holy duty Earth is heavy and bears downward so do earthly affections Earth doth often keep down the hot exhalations that naturally would ascend so do those holy motions and meditations Earth stands still and hath the whole circumference carried about it so are Gods mercies and judgements about earthly-minded men and they are no whit moved thereat Grace on the other side as fire is active and aspiring And as Moses would not be put off with an Angel to go before the people he would have God himself or none so the true Christian must have Christ or nothing will give him content Christ is his treasure and hath his heart all his cry is None but Christ none but Christ. As the Sun draws up 〈◊〉 so doth the Sun of righteousnesse the affections of his people And as the hop in it's growing windeth it self about the pole alwaies following the course of the Sun from East to West and can by no means be drawn to the contrary chusing rather to break then yeeld so the Saints as well militant as triumphant do follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth and being risen with Christ and spiritualized by him they seek the things that are above their thoughts feed upon the fairest objects such as are those set down by the Apostle Phil. 4. 8. and run with much content upon that firmament and those starrs in Daniel That inheritance undefiled and unfadable in Peter those palms and white robes in the Revelation They take ever and anon a turn or two on Tabor and are there transfigured with Christ or on Mount Olivet where he was taken up and have thence continuall ascensions in their hearts And as our Saviour in the Interim between his Resurrection and Ascension whiles he walked here on the earth spake of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and waited for his exaltation into heaven So the faithfull Christian that hath his part in the first resurrection walks in his measure 〈◊〉 Christ walked talks as he talked he speaks of the things concerning the King and therein his tongue is as the pen of a ready Writer Of Origen it is said that he was ever earnest but never more then when he treats of Christ. And of S. Paul it is well observed that when he speaketh of heaven he useth a 〈◊〉 lofty kinde of language his speech riseth higher and higher as 2 Cor. 4. 17. a degree above the superlative so Phil 1. 23. to be with Christ is far far the better so 1 Thess. 2. 19. See how the Apostles mouth is opened his heart enlarged he cannot satisfie himself nor utter his conceptions This a Christian can do he can sigh out a cupio dissolvi I desire to be with Christ whom as he more or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in the same measure he is merry like as 〈◊〉 never sing so sweetly as when they are 〈◊〉 in the air or on 〈◊〉 top of trees As when Christ with-draws his gracious 〈◊〉 and influence he is all amort you may take him up for a 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 cries after Christ as idolatrous Micah did after his lost gods And as King Edward the third having the King of 〈◊〉 prisoner here in England and feasting him one time most 〈◊〉 pressed him to be merry the French King answered 〈◊〉 can we sing songs in a strange land So the good soul is in great 〈◊〉 while Christ absents himself and never heartily 〈◊〉 till she get home to him till she lay hold on him whom her 〈◊〉 loveth Verse 22. The light of the body is the eye c. Here our 〈◊〉 Saviour illustrateth what he had said before of laying up not 〈◊〉 earth but in heaven by a fit similitude Like as the eye is the light of the whole body so is the minde of the whole man If therefore thine eye be single that is if thy minde be sincere If 〈◊〉 have that one eye of the Spouse in the Canticles that one heart promised in the new Covenant set upon God alone and not divided and as it were cloven asunder which is to have a heart 〈◊〉 a heart but minding the one thing necessary as the main and be not double-minded or corrupted from the simplicity of Christ then shall thy whole body that is thy whole both constitution and 〈◊〉 be lightsom diaphanous transparent as a 〈◊〉 that hath a candle in it or as a crystall glasse with a light in the midst which appeareth through every part thereof There will be an uniformity aequability ubiquity and constancy of holinesse running thorow thy whole course as the warp doth
miscarry 1 Cor. 13. 2. And here such as work wonders may deceive themselves in the main point of their own salvation how much more may they deceive others in this or that particular point of doctrine The coming of Antichrist is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceavablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish Lying wonders they are called in regard not onely of the end which is to deceave but of the substance For the devil cannot do a true miracle which is ever beside and against nature and second causes 〈◊〉 as whereof there can be no naturall reason possibly rendred no though it be hid from us The devil I say cannot do a 〈◊〉 He may juggle and cast a mist. St Hierom writes that a certain damosell was brought to Macarius by her father who complained that his daughter was by witch-craft turned into a mare Macarius answered that he could see no such thing in her nothing but humane shape and that their eies that thought and said so were blinded by Satan wherefore turning himself to prayer he obtained that the mist might be removed from the parents eies and 〈◊〉 they saw their mistake The like is reported of Mr Tindall the Martyr that being at Antwerp among a company of merchants he hindred by his presence and prayers a certain jugler that he could not play his feats so that he was compelled openly to confesse that there was some man there at supper that disturbed and 〈◊〉 all his doings So that a man even in the Martyrs of these daies saith Mr Fox cannot lack the miracles of true faith if they were to be desired Oye Papists said Bainham in the midst of the flame 〈◊〉 you look for miracles here now you may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain then if I were in a bed of 〈◊〉 it is to me as a bed of roses But the devil is ashamed saith Gretser the Jesuite to confirm Luthers doctrine with miracles We could tell him and his fellows of 〈◊〉 recovered out of a desperate disease by Luthers prayers which Myconius acknowledged for a miracle to his dying day And of another young man of Wittenberg that had sold himself to the devil body and soul for mony and sealed the obligation with his own blood But was delivered by Luthers prayers out of the danger of the 〈◊〉 who was compelled saith Mr Fox at last to throw in the 〈◊〉 at the window and bad the young man take it unto him again But he that now requireth miracles for the confirmation of his faith is himself a great miracle saith Austin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they came into Canaan as if it would 〈◊〉 ye need no miracles now you have means The wonderfull 〈◊〉 of Luther that man of God amidst so many 〈◊〉 enemies the publishing and carrying of his doctrine in the space of a moneth throughout all Germany and some forraine 〈◊〉 as it were upon Angels wings the establishing of the Reformation to be done by so weak and simple means yea by casuall and crosse means against the force of so puissant and publike an 〈◊〉 this is that miracle which we are in these times to look for Verse 23. And then will I professe unto them I never knew you No not when you professed most love to me and did me to see to greatest service I knew you well enough for black sheep or rather for reprobate goats I knew you for hirelings and hypocrites but I never knew you with a speciall knowledge of love delight and complacency I never acknowledged approved and accepted of your persons and performances see Psal. 1. 6. Rom. 11. 2. Gods sharp nose doth easily discern and is offended with the stinking breath of the hypocrites rotten lungs though his words be never so sented and perfumed though his deeds be never so mantled and masked with shews of holinesse God utterly disowns and disavows all such for if any man have not the spirit of God saith Paul the same is none of his be he whose he wil be And whereas he naturally delights in mercy yet he will by no means clear the guilty yea he will 〈◊〉 at their destruction and laugh when their fear cometh He will spue them out of his mouth Ah he will ease him of his adversaries and be as well apaid thereof as a man is that hath rid his stomack of the surfet or sick matter that clogg'd it Depart from me Oh direfull and dreadfull 〈◊〉 such as shall make their very heartstrings crack not their earest ngle onely and their hearts fall asunder in their bosomes like drops of water Surely if the gentle voice of God in the coole of 〈◊〉 day were so terrible to our first parents And if his sweet voice in the preaching of the Gospel of grace be so formidable to the wicked that Felix trembled and the stoutest are quailed the edge of their fury is rebated their hearts often ake and quake within them what will they do when the Lion of the tribe of Judah shall roar out upon them this fearfull Discedite that breaths out nothing but fire and brimstone stings and horrors woe and alas seas of vengeance and the worm that never dieth torments without end and past imagination The desperate souldiers that would not have dreaded to dare the devil to a duell fell before him to the ground when in the state of his humility he said but I am He how will the wicked stand before him in his Majesty If Gideons torches and trumpets so daunted the proud 〈◊〉 how shall these abide the terrour of the last day Ye workers of iniquity Ye that make it your trade and taske that do wickedly with both hands earnestly that are wittily wicked and can art out iniquity that dig in the devils mines row in his gallies grinde in his mill and are not wearied that live by your sinnes as the labourer doth by his trade and esteem it as the means of an happy life Ye that although ye cannot be charged with any crying crime but have Lord Lord in your mouthes and a shew of holinesse in your lives yet regard iniquity in your hearts and when you 〈◊〉 most of all high-flowen have a leering eie upon some beloved sinne as the Eagle hath upon her prey below when she soreth highest Your very preaching in Christs Name if not for his name is with God a work of iniquity and shall have the wages of sinne which is death when Christ comes to judgement Then they that would not obey those sweet commands Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand seek ye the Lord while he may be found Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved thou and all thy houshold c. shall have no other commandment left them to obey but this horrible Depart ye which imports an utter separation from the
So shewing us what they were wont to doe in case of cure But now-adaies sciopato il morbo fraudato il Santo as the Italian proverb hath it Sick men recovered deal as ship-wrackt men escaped they promise God as he in Erasmus his Naufragium did the Virgin a picture of wax as big as S. Christopher but when he came to shore would not give a tallow-candle This is a cursed kinde of cousenage Mal. 1. 14. Verse 5. There came unto him a Centurion Rarior est virtus veniens e corpore raro Souldiers are commonly fierce and godlesse creatures But this noble Centurion might well have made a Commander in that Thundering Legion and might well have had his hand in that Victoria Haleluiatica as it was called obtained by the Orthodox Brittans against the Pelagian Picts and Saxons here Victoriâ fide obtentâ non viribus as the story tells us a victory got by faith and not by force Verse 6. Lord my servant lyeth at home c. Not thrown out of doors not cast sick into a corner to sink or swim for any care his master would take of him No 〈◊〉 left to be cured at his own charges The good Centurion was not a better man then a master So was that renowned 〈◊〉 Thomas Lucy late of Charlecott in Warwick shire to whose singular commendation it was in mine hearing preached at his Funerall and is now since published by my much honoured friend Mr Robert Harris that among many others that would dearly misse him a housefull of servants had lost not a Master but a Physitian who made their sicknesse his and his cost and physick theirs Or as mine Alter Ego mine intire beloved kinsman 〈◊〉 Thomas Dugard expresseth it in his eligant Epitaph His servants sicknesse was his sympathy and their recovery his cost Verse 7. I will come and heal him Stupenda dignation A wonderfull condescending that the Lord of Lords should vouchsafe to visit a poor 〈◊〉 and restore him to health It was a great favour that Q. Elizabeth did Sir Christopher Hatton L. Chancellour who died neverthelesse of grief of minde that when she had broken his heart with a harsh word she was pleased to visit and comfort him though it were all too late What was it then for the Lord Christ in the shape of a servant to come down to the sick servants pallet Hunniades when he felt himself in danger of death desired to receive the 〈◊〉 before his departure And would in any case sick as he was be carried to the Church to receive the same saying that it was not fit that the Lord should come to the house of his servant but the servant rather to goe to the house of his Lord and master Verse 8. Lord I am not worthy c. Fidei mendica manus 〈◊〉 is an 〈◊〉 grace and makes a man cry out with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non sum dignus nihilominus tamen sum indigens By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 him that is invisible Now the more a man 〈◊〉 of God the lesse he seeth by himself the neerer he 〈◊〉 to God the more rottennesse he feeleth in his bones Lord I am hell but thou art heaven said Mr Hooper Martyr at his death I am swill and a sink of sin but thou art a gracious God c. But speak the word onely c. The Centurions humility was not more low then his faith lofty That reacheth up unto heaven and in the face of humane weaknesse descries omnipotency Verse 9. For I am a man But thou Lord art more then a man for the Centurion here makes comparison with our Saviour both in respect of his person and of his power as of the lesse with the greater For his person he saith not For I also 〈◊〉 a man such as thou art as the vulgar here corruptly renders it But I am a man a meer man Thou art God also very God And for his power though subject to another have souldiers at my beck and check how much more hast thou who art over all an 〈◊〉 power over sicknes and death The palsy or as some say the Epilepsy was anciently called Morbus sacer or the holy disease For the Priests to enrich themselves perswaded the superstitious people that this disease as being suddain hidden and for most part incurable was an immediate hand of God and could be cured by none but Priests The medidicines they gave were much like that of the French Mountebank who was wont to give in writing to his patients for curing all diseases these following verses Si vis curari de morbo nescio quali Accipias herbam sed qualem nescio nec quam Ponas nescio quo curabere nescio quando They are thus Englished by one Your pain I know not what doe not fore slow To cure with herbs which 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 not know Place them well 〈◊〉 I know not where and then You shall be perfect whole I know not when And I say to this man 〈◊〉 and he goeth c. King Ferdinands 〈◊〉 being conducted into the camp of the Turks wondered at the perpetuall and dumb silence of so great a multitude the Souldiers being so ready and attentive that they were no otherwise commanded then by the beckning of the hand or nod of their Commanders Tamerlan that warlike Scythian had his men at so great command that no danger was to them more dreadfull then his displeasure And to my servant doe this and he doeth it Such a servant is every Saint to his God at least in his desire and endeavour Such a Centurion also is he over his own heart which he hath at his right hand as Salomon saith that is ready prest to obey God in all parts and points of duty There were seven sorts of Pharisees And one was Pharisaeus Quid 〈◊〉 facere faciam illud So they would needs be called But the true Christian onely is such 〈◊〉 one in good earnest as the Pharisee pretends to be Verse 10. He marvelled and said c. What can be so great a marvell as that Christ marvelleth So he wondered at his own work in Nathaniel Ioh. 1. 47. and at his own love to miserable man-kinde when he calls himself Wonderfull Counsellour c. Isa. 9. 6. He wondered not as the 〈◊〉 did at the magnificence of the Temple he was not a whit taken with all the beauty and bravery of the world set before him by the devil as it were in a land-skip but at the Centurions faith he much marvelled it being a work of his own almighty power which he puts not 〈◊〉 but for great purposes Ephes. 1. 19. Where is easy to observe in the Originall a sixfold gradation Verse 11. Many shall come from the East They shall fly as a cloud saith Isay speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles and so flock to the Church as if a whole flight of doves driven
it 〈◊〉 with an hundred wiers to make the image goggle with the eyes nod with the head hang the lip move and shake his jaws according as the value was of the gift that was offered If it were a small 〈◊〉 of silver he would hang a frowning lip if a piece of gold then should his jaws go merrily The like was done by the bloud of Hales brought afterwards by the Lord Cromwell to Pauls crosse and there proved to be the bloud of a duck It is a gift by whatsoever c. Some read it thus by Chorban 〈◊〉 by this gift if thou receive any profit by me understand then let God do thus and much more to me q. d. by Chorban thou shalt receive no profit by me Others thus Chorban Anathema sit Be it a devoted thing whatsoever I may profit thee by q. d. Being consccrated to God it shall be beneficiall to us both and not here only in this life but hereafter in that to come wheras cost bestowed upon parents soon vanisheth and reacheth no further then the life presents Verse 6. And honour not his father and his mother Supple insons erit Our Saviour contents himself to relate 〈◊〉 words only of the tradition as Lawyers use to do the first words of the Statute or Canon they 〈◊〉 te or argue upon Thus have you made the Commandment of none effect Ye have sought to shoulder God out of his throne to devest and spoil him of his rule and authority to ungod him as it were by making his Commandment void and invalid And do not Papists as much as all this whiles they teach that a Monk 〈◊〉 not leave his cloister to relieve his father but must rather see and suffer him to die for hunger in the streets Lyra hath these very words Filius 〈◊〉 professionem factam in religione excusatur à subveniendo parenlibus This Lyra was a famous English Jew but an arrant Papist as for most part all were then for he flourished Anno 1320. Verse 7. Well did I saias propheey of you Of such as you and so of you too The Prophets and Apostles then spake not of them only with whom they lived and to whom they wrote as the Jesuites blaspheme but their oracles and doctrines do extend still to men of the same stamp and making In the volume of thy book it is written of me saith David he found his own name in Gods book And where he spake with Jacob at Bethel there he spake with us saith Hosea Chap. 12. 4. And Whatsoever was written was written for our learning saith Paul Rom. 14. 4. Verse 8. This people draweth 〈◊〉 unto me c. And they are no changelings For at this day although they know better and can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the walls of their Synagogues this sentence Tephillah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheguph belo neshamah that is Praier without the intention of the minde is but as a body without a soul yet shall not a man any where see lesse intention then in their orisons The reverence they shew saith Sr Edwin Sands who 〈◊〉 it is in standing up at times and the gesture of adoration in the bowing forward of their bodies For kneeling they use none no more do the Grecians neither stir they their bonnets in their Synagogues to any man but remain still covered They come to it with washen hands and in it they burn lamps to the honour of God but for any shew of devotion or elevation of spirit that yet in Jews could I never discern but they are as reverend in their Synagogues as Grammer-boyes are at school when their master is absent In summe their holinesse is the very outward work it self being a brainlesse head and soullesse body Thus he And honoureth me with their lips But prayer is not the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart the power of a petition is not in the roof of the mouth but root of the heart To give way to wilfull distractions is to commit spirituall whoredom in Gods presence Is it fit to present the King with an empty cask or to tell him a tale with our backs towards him Behold I am a great King saith God and they that stand before him must look to their feet saith Solomon that they stand upright and that they offer not an heartlesse sacrifice for that is the sacrifice of fools and ever held ominous But their heart is farre from me And so all they do is puted hypocrisie God loves truth in the inward parts Psal. 41. 6. and calls for the heart in all services as Joseph did for Benjamin as David did for Michal Thou shalt not see my face unlesse thou bring it In all spirituall Sacrifices we must bring him the fat and the inwards The deeper and hollower the belly of the lute or viol is the pleasanter is the sound the fleeter the more grating and harsh in our ears The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which cometh from the depth of the brest Eph. 6. 5. Do the will of God from the heart But woe be to all carelesse 〈◊〉 to all loose and ungirt Christians the Lord will make all the Churches to know that he searcheth the hearts and reyns and that he will kill with death all such as had rather seem to be good then seek to be so Verse 9. But in vain doe they worship me For they loose their labour and which is worse they commit sinne Displeasing service is double dishonour as dissembled sanctity is double iniquity Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men So do Papists The Pope can do all things that Christ can do saith Hostiensis He can of 〈◊〉 make righteousnesse saith Bellarmine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of nothing something His determinations are ipsissimum 〈◊〉 verbum the very word of God saith Hosius Murders treasons thefts c. ther 's no command of the morall Law but they can dispence with it but none of their ceremoniall Law Let God say they look to the breach of his own Law we will look to ours Heathen Socrates and Cicero shall rise up against these Pseudochristians and condemn them God said Socrates will be worshipped with that kinde of worship only which himself hath commanded He will not be worshipped said Cicero with superstition but with piety Verse 10. And he called the multitude The Pharisees those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would not be charmed Christ will lose no more sweet words upon them but turns them up as desperate with this inscription on their fore heads Noluerunt 〈◊〉 I would have healed these hypocrites but they would not be healed Yea When I would have healed Ephraim then to crosse me their iniquity was discovered as the leprosie in their fore-heads And from such uncouncellable and 〈◊〉 hearers if a Minister depart he doth but his duty the desertion is on their 〈◊〉 and not on his The manifestation of
need no refutation These hypocrites were not worthy of an answer from our Saviour who knew also that now was the time not of apologizing but of suffering therefore as a sheep before her shearer is dumb so he opened not his mouth Besides he saw that his enemies were 〈◊〉 to have his blood and therefore held it more glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil hath it to choak their spite with silence injuriam tacendo fugere potiùs quam respondendo superare as another saith to set them down by saying nothing Verse 63. I adjure thee by the living God So had the devil done once before horrendo impudentiae exemplo Mark 3. 7. Sed os Caiaphae culeus Satanaein 〈◊〉 sunt praedicamento It is nothing with the devil and his to pollute and dissallow that nomen majestativum as Tertullian stileth it that glorius and fearfull name of God as Moses calleth it and to call him in at 〈◊〉 turns as an author or abettour at least of their abominable plot and practises How much better that holy man that said My heart head and tongue trembleth as oft as I speak of God Yea the very Heathen Sages had the same thoughts that men ought to be better advised then to tosse Gods reverend name upon their tongues as a tennis-ball or to wear his image for an ornament c. And surely as St Mark relateth this history one would think Caiaphas a very conscientious person For he brings him in saying to our Saviour Art thou the son of that Blessed one Mark 14 61. So he calls God by a periphrasis as if he were afraid once to name God when as yet presently after he profanely adjureth our blessed Saviour by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ c. And this he doth not out of any desire to know the truth but as seeking an occasion from his bold and free confession of the truth to put him to death so going about to entitle God himself to his villanous enterprizes See here the hatefull nature of damned hypocrisie and abandon it Verse 64. Thou hast said That is as St Mark expresseth the Hebraisme in plainer tearms I am q. d. Thou hast said it and I must second it I am indeed the promised Messias and the only-begotten sonne of God This was the naked truth without Equivocation a device that the Jesuites have lately fet from hell for the consolation of afflicted Catholikes and for the instruction of all the godly as Blackwell and Garnet blush not to professe in print Let us learn here of our Saviour to make a bold and wise confession of the truth when called thereunto although we create our selves thereby never so much danger from the enemy who shall so be either converted or at least convinced and left inexcusable Hereafter shall ye see c. q. d. Now I am in a state of abasement God having hid his sonne under the Carpenters son whom ye have now bound and shall shortly crucifie But not long hence ye shall see me in a state of advancement sitting on the right hand of power powring out my spirit upon all flesh Acts 2 33. and after that coming in the clouds of heaven as in a charet of state to judge you that are now my Judges c. Verse 65. Then the high-priest rent his clothes Which the high-priest ought not by the law to have done howsoever Levit. 10. 6. 21. 10. and here had no colour of cause at all to do no not so much as Joab had when for company and at his Lords command he rent his clothes at Abners funerall whom he had basely murthered 1 Sam. 3. 31. Verse 66. He is guilty of death Servile souls they durst do no otherwise then concur with 〈◊〉 So in popish councels and conclaves the Bishops and others those Aiones Negones 〈◊〉 have no more to do but simply inclinato capite to say Placet to that which in the Popes name is proposed unto them The Legats in the Councell of Trent were blamed for suffering the article of Priests marriage to be disputed And in Colloquio 〈◊〉 after that Beza had spoken much of the Eucharist before the young King of France the Queen-mother and the Princes of the blood a Spanish Jesuite having reproached the Protestants did reprehend the Queen-mother for medling in matters that belongd not to her but to the Pope Cardinalls and Bishops Verse 67. Then did they spit in his 〈◊〉 Condemned prisoners are sacred things and by the law of Nations should not be misused and trampled on but rather pitied and prepared for death But these barbarous miscreants not without the good liking of their Lords the Priests and Elders spare for no kinde of cruelty toward Christ who was content to be spit upon to cleanse our faces from the filth of sinne to be buffeted with fists and beaten with staves to free us from that mighty hand of God 1 Peter 5. 6. and from those scourges and scorpions of infernall fiends Verse 68. Saying prophesie unto us thou Christ This is dayly done to Christ by the children of darknesse which sin securely and say who seeth us they put it to the triall as Ananias and Sapphria did whether they shall be detected Verse 69. And a damsell came unto him A silly wench daunteth and dispiriteth this stout champion Sic Elias ille 〈◊〉 ad mulierculae 〈◊〉 minas trepidat factus seipso imbecillior What poor things the best of us are when left a little to our selves when our faith is in the wain Thou also wast with Jesus She was just of her masters minde and making We had need take heed where we set our children to service for like water on a table they will be led any way with a wet finger and as any liquid matter they will conform to the vessell whereinto they are powred Be sure to teach them Gods fear and to pray and then where ever they come to 〈◊〉 they shall do good and finde favour as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the court of Babylon 〈◊〉 1. and as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 family that great Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maids coal so 〈◊〉 a thing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works of God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 70. I know 〈◊〉 what thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not either her words or her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 dissembling was a true denying St 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 now the cock crew chap. 14. 68. A fair warning to so soul a sinner but he took no notice of it till Christ looked back upon him to teach us that without the helpe of divine grace no means can convert a sinner from the errour of his way God himself preached a Sermon of repentance to Cain but it prevailed not Whereas Christ no sooner looked back upon this falne Apostle but he went out and wept bitterly Christ cured him with lesse ado then he did Malchus
his ear that was healed by a touch this by a look only Verse 71. And when he was gon out c. The orifice of his wound was not yet close and therefore bled afresh so soon again Thus Lot committed incest two nights together c. See the Note on vers 43. Verse 72. And again he denied with an oath This was fearfull and the worse because his master whom ne forswore was now even as Peters faith was upon his triall and might say with wounded Cesar What thou my sonne Brutus Is this thy 〈◊〉 to thy friend Scipio had rather that Hannibal should eat his heart with salt then that Lelius do him the least discourtesie Verse 73. For thy 〈◊〉 bewrayeth 〈◊〉 Jacob must name himself Jacob with the voice of Jacob. The Ephraimite must 〈◊〉 out his Sibboleth in despight of his heart or habit Each countryman is known by his idiome or dialect The fool saith to every one that he is a fool Eccles. 10. 3. when the wise mans tongue talketh of 〈◊〉 Psal. 37. 30. Verse 74. Then began he to curse and swear This he had 〈◊〉 belike of the ruffianly souldiers with whom usually 〈◊〉 are but expletives and horrible oathes interjections of speech But though Israèl play the 〈◊〉 yet why should Judah offend come not ye to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goe ye up to Bethaven nor swear The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once such an oath and it was enough of that once 1 Sam. 25 22. But Peter swears and forswears again and again and that after warning as Aaron went down aud did that in the valley which 〈◊〉 forbidden in the mount and then excuseth it by his fear of the 〈◊〉 That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the mother of many sinnes 〈◊〉 lying especially Zeph. 3. 13. and 〈◊〉 too to save the life But 〈◊〉 dye then lye and better bear then swear We may not break the 〈◊〉 of any commandment to avoid any peece of foul way but go in a right line to God Quas non oportet mortes praeligere quod non supplicium potiùs ferre imò in quam profundam in ferni 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 quà m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attestari saith holy Zuinglius in his third epistle What should not a man 〈◊〉 rather then sinne And immediately the cock crew Gallicinium complevit Christi vaticinium The cock proved a preacher to Peter Despise not the Minister though never so mean it is the foolishnesse of preaching that must bring men to heaven Cocks call men out of their beds and therehence have their name in the Greek tongue They constantly keep the law of crowing at set times that nature hath enjoyned them they cry loud and thick against a storm So do faithfull Ministers when gotten upon their battlements they clap their own sides first and then constantly call up others 〈◊〉 cry aloud and spare not but lift up their voice like a trumpet to tell Judah of their sinnes c. The roaring lion of hell trembleth at their note and the worlds Sybantes cannot bear their disturbances and therefore wish them banished 〈◊〉 wisedome is justified of her children and though fierce before and untameable yet now a little childe shall lead them Isa 11. 6. Verse 75. And Peter remembred the words of Jesus Here began his repentance If we remember not what is preached unto us ali's lost saith the Apostle 1 Cor 15. 2. If we leak and let slip saith another how shall we escape 〈◊〉 2. 1 3. The Spirit shall be the Saints remembrancer and as the 〈◊〉 casts up her dead so shall that come seasonably to minde that was long before delivered when Gods good time is come to work upon the dead heart God will be found of his that seek him not Surely 〈◊〉 and truth shall follow them all the daies of their 〈◊〉 as the Sun-beams follow the traveller that turns his back on them He will bring back his banished he will reduce his runagates he will not suffer any of his to be utterly drowned though haply they have been drenched in the waves of sinne lain some while in them yea and have also sunk twice or thrice as Peter to the verry bottome Now then how can any either presume of not sinning or despair for sinne when they read of Peter thus fallen and now thus remembring thus rising again by repentance and and received to mercy The like instances we have not a few of Origen and other primitive Christians who recanting for a season through fear of death were therefore utterly excluded by Novatus from all hope of mercy but not so by Christ. Be not thou a terrour unto me ô Lord saith Jeremy and then I care not though all the world condemn and cast me out 〈◊〉 Bainham Benbridge Abbes Whittle Charp and many other Martyrs having denied their Lord God as they called it for fear of the fagot could have no rest till they had repented and publikely revoked their much bewailed recantations Steven Gardiner indeed like another Ecebolius cryed out that he had denied with Peter but never repented with Peter and so both stinkingly and unrepentantly dyed saith Mr Fox It was a saying of the same Mr Fox that his graces did him most hurt and his sinnes most good A paradox but by our temptations we know his meaning As pain easeth a Christian death revives him dissolution unites him so corruption clarifies him I dare be bold to say saith Augustine that it is good for proud persons to fall into some foule sinne unde sibi displiceant qui jam sibi placendo ceciderunt Salubrius enim Petrus sibi displicuit quando 〈◊〉 quam sibi placuit quando praesumpsit that they may be humbled as Peter was and so saved He wept bitterly That one sweet look from Christ melted him as Gods kindnesse did the heardhearted Israelites at the meet of Mizpeh In this troubled pool Peter washed himself in this red Sea the army of his iniquities was drowned As once his faith was so great that he leapt into a sea of waters to come to Christ so now his repentance was so great that he leapt as it were into a sea of tears for that he had gone from Christ. There are that say and it may very well be that henceforth he was ever and anon weeping and that his face was even furrowed with continuall tears He began soon after his sinne Mark 14. 〈◊〉 cùm se proripuisset when he had thrown himself out as Beza renders it He had no sooner took in poyson but he vomited it up again ere it got to the vitals He had no sooner handled his serpent but he turned it into a rod to scourge his soul with remorse Peccatum tristitiam peperit tristitia peccatum contrivit ut 〈◊〉 in ligno natus sed ipsum comminuit CHAP. XXVII Verse 1. When the morning was come THey had broken their sleep the night afore and yet were up and at it early the next morning so soon
c. See the Note on Job 19. 25. 〈◊〉 afarre off Either out of womanly modesty or 〈◊〉 of faith which when it is in heart is able by its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pull the very heart as it were out of hell and with 〈◊〉 and conquest to look even death and the devil in the 〈◊〉 as we see in Anne Askew Alice Driver and other brave women that suffered stoutly for Christ. Verse 56. Among which was Mary Magdalen Love is 〈◊〉 as death good blood will never bely it self Mary also 〈◊〉 mother of Jesus was there sitting with the sword thorow her 〈◊〉 that old Sime on had forehight her See 〈◊〉 19. 26 27. with the Note upon that text Verse 57. A rich man of Arimathaea Not many such ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are any Ioseph was a counsellour a Senatour one of the 〈◊〉 or seventy Seniours Christ findes friends in the 〈◊〉 tempestuous times and unlikely places as in 〈◊〉 and Neroes court Some good Obadiah or One 〈◊〉 to seek out Paul the prisoner and refresh his bowels Serena the 〈◊〉 wife to Diocletian that bloody persecutour was a Christian and a great friend to the true Religion So was the Lady Anne wife to our King Richard the second a disciple of Wickliffe whose books also she conveyed over into Bohemia her countrey whereby a good foundation was laid for the ensuing Reformation 〈◊〉 of Gaunt shewed himself a great favourer of Wickliffe The like did the Electour of Saxony for Luther George Marquesse of Brandenburg in a meeting of the Emperour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ausborough zealously professed that he would rather kneel down presently in the presence of them all and yeeld his head to be 〈◊〉 off by the executioner then deny Christ and his Gospel Verse 58. He went to Pilate It was time for him now or never to shew himself and to wax bold Mark 15. 43. The Spaniards they say abhorre dangers never aduenturing upon hard enterprizes but aiming to proceed securely Christs Disciples must speak and do boldly in the Lord 〈◊〉 14. 3. whatever come of it Audendo Graeci pèrvenêre Trojam Alexander never 〈◊〉 any thing but he conceived it might be done and he did it Historians 〈◊〉 most of his successe to his courage and tell us that having a souldier of his own name in his army whom he knew to be a coward he commanded him either to change his name or shew his valour So saith Christ to all 〈◊〉 Iosephs and Nicodemusses either play the men or pretend 〈◊〉 to me Verse 59. He wrapped it in a clean linnen cloth Which 〈◊〉 had bought new for the purpose saith St Mark to his no 〈◊〉 cost for linnen in those daies was precious so that a handkerchief among even the Roman riotours was a rich token as appears out of the Poet. Neither did this rich man loose his cost for he is and shall be famous for it to the worlds 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 body be not at leasure to do as Paleottus Archbishop of Binony did who wrot a great book of the shadow of Christs body 〈◊〉 Iosephs new syndon which was also commented upon by 〈◊〉 Professour of Divinity there Verse 60. And laid it in his own new tomb His own 〈◊〉 was now well warmed sweetned and sanctified by our 〈◊〉 body against himself should be laid there as afterwards he 〈◊〉 and probably was too A new tomb it was and fit it should 〈◊〉 for that virgin-body or maiden-corps as one calls it 〈◊〉 and untainted Besides else it might have been suspected 〈◊〉 not Christ but another arose or if he yet not by his own but by anothers vertue like him who revived at the touching of the bones of dead Elisha 2 King 13. Buried our Saviour was 1. 〈◊〉 none might doubt of his death 2. That our sinns might be buried with him 3. That our graves might be prepared and perfumed for us as so many beds of roses or delicious dormitories Isa. 57. 2. He was buried in Calvary to note that he died for the condemned and in a garden to expiate that first sinne committed in the garden and in another mans sepulchre to note that he died for other mens sins as some will have it Helena mother of Constantine the great bestowed great cost in repairing this 〈◊〉 of our Saviour which the Heathens out of hatred to Christ had thrown down and built a temple to Venus on the same ground And Ierusalem that poor ruinous city being governed by one of the Turks Sanzacks is for nothing now more famous then for the sepulchre of our Saviour again repaired and much visited by the superstitious sort of Christians and not unreverenced by the Turks themselves And he rolled a great stone Either for an inscription to the sepulcher or for more safety to the body or that the glory of the resurrection might be the greater or all these together Verse 61. And there 〈◊〉 Mary Magdalen Carefully watching where they laid the Lords body that they might not leave off their kindenesse to him living or dead as she said of 〈◊〉 Ruth 2. 20. Heavy they were as heart could hold yet not hindred thereby from doing their duty to Christ. So Daniel though sick yet did the Kings businesse Even sorrow for sin if it so exceed as to disable us for duty is a sinfull sorrow and must be sorrowed for Verse 62. Now the next day that followed That is on that high-day that double Sabbath they that had so oft quarreld Christ for curing on the Sabbath request a servile work to be done of securing and sealing up the sepulcher It is a common proverb Mortui non mordent Dead men bite not But here Christ though dead and buried bites and beats hard upon these evil mens consciences They could not rest the whole night afore for fear he should get out of the grave some way and so create them 〈◊〉 trouble Scipio appointed his sepulcher to be so placed as his image standing upon it might look directly toward Africa that being dead he might still be a terrour to the Carthaginians And 〈◊〉 an ancient King of this Iland commanded his dead body to be embalmed and put into a brazen image and so set upon a brazen horse over Ludgate for a terrour to 〈◊〉 Saxons It is well known that Zisca that brave Bohemian charged his Taborites to flea his corps and head a drum with his skin the sound whereof as oft as the enemies heard they should be appaled and put to flight And our Edward the first adjured his son and Nobles that if he died in his journey into Scotland they should carry his corps about with them and not suffer it to be interred till they had vanquished the Usurper and subdued the countrey Something like to this the Prophet Isaiah foretelleth of our Saviour and we see it here accomplished when he saith In that day the root of Jesse shall stand up for an 〈◊〉 to the people and even
will not such men say or do for mony Pecunia 〈◊〉 fecit forma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jamilla promissio temerarios saith Aretius Verse 13. Stole him away while we slept If it were so 1. Ye kept a good watch the while and wanted some 〈◊〉 to slay you for sleeping 2. If all asleep who told you his 〈◊〉 stole him did you sleep waking as lions do or did they make 〈◊〉 little noise that you never heard them about it as 〈◊〉 Francis Drake at Taur apasa in the West-Indies found a Spaniard sleeping securely upon the shore and by him thirteen wedges of silver which he commanded to be carried away not so much as once waking the man Surely here it was neither so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the devil who began at first his kingdom by lying and by lying still upholds it set these fellows awork to say as they were taught any thing for mony though never so absurd and false But mony got on this manner will prove aurum Tolosanum burn in thy purse and bring Gods curse upon all thy substance Verse 14. We will perswade him and secure you Hypocrites have enough if they can collogue with men and escape the lash of the law God is not in all their thoughts or they think they can perswade him and secure themselves Hence that overflow of sinne through hope of impunity and abundance of Atheisme Verse 15. So they took the mony So sequacious are such men to sinne where any thing is to be got by it Balaam will venture hard for the wages of wickednesse Set but a wedge of gold in sight and 〈◊〉 that could stop the Sun in his course cannot stay Achan from fingering it And this saying is commonly reported They were given up to beleeve this lye because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thess. 2. 10. There are that sense it otherwise This saying is commonly reported that is this 〈◊〉 imposture of the Priests and souldiers wretchedly conspiring to cosen the world with such a base lye is sufficiently known for a peece of knavery and is so resented to this day Think the same of the Trent-conventicle carried by the Pope and his agents with so much finenesse c. but so as now all 's come out to their eternall infamy Verse 16. Went away into Galilee They had seen him twice or thrice before at Ierusalem yet took a long journey here into Galilee to see him again Whom having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1. 8. Austins wish was to see Christum in carne But if we had known Christ after the flesh yet saith St Paul henceforth should we know him so no more 2 Cor. 5. 16. sith the comfortable presence of his spirit is better then his corporall presence and more to our benefit Ioh. 16. 7. By this it is that though now we see him not yet beleeving we rejoyce with unspeakable and glorious joy 1 Pet. 1. 8. and must not think much of a journey 〈◊〉 though it be not to a mountain in Galilee but to the heavenly hills from whence comes our help to see the King in his beauty Christum regem videre in decore suo which was Bedes wish Verse 17. They worshipped him but some doubted Even whiles they worshipped they doubted yet was not their worship rejected The Lord knoweth his still 2 Tim. 2. 19. But they know not him still as here in this text howbeit they are known of him Gal. 4. 9. and their whole way both known and approved Psal. 1. 6. Verse 18. All power is given to me Christ premiseth his power and promiseth his presence the better to perswade them to set upon his work his great work of subduing the world to the obedience of the faith Better may this King of Kings say then that King of Spain Sol mihi semper lucet for he is Catholike Monarch The kingdomes of this world and of the other too are become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and 〈◊〉 shall reign for ever and ever Revel 11. 15. As for the Saints how can they be but in an all-sufficiency sith all is theirs they being Christs and Christ being Gods what boldnesse may they take to go to Christ as Jacob did to Joseph when he understood that the sway of the whole land was in his hand c See the Note on Matth. 11. 27. Verse 19. Go yee therefore In this my strength as Gideon did against the Midianites and though but a barly cake course and contemptible yet shall ye overthrow the worlds tents yea the strong holds of Satan though you have but lamps and 〈◊〉 in your hands yet shall ye acheive great matters The Apostles were those white horses whereupon the Lord Christ 〈◊〉 went forth conquering and to conquer Britannorum 〈◊〉 Romanis loca Christo patuerunt saith 〈◊〉 The Burgundians much afflicted by the Hunnes sled to 〈◊〉 the God of the Christians whom after a long dispute they 〈◊〉 to be a great God and a great King above all Gods St Francis Drake tells us of twelve Martyrs burnt for Religion at Lima in Mexico not two moneths before his coming thither And he that set forth New-Englands first-fruits assures us of some of those Natives that being converted to the faith lived 〈◊〉 and died comfortably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all nations 〈◊〉 Disciple them make them Christians first and then teach them to observe c. vers 20. as in Baptisme they have promised for otherwise it was pity that font-water was ever spilt upon their faces In the kingdom of Congo in Afrike diverse of those Heathens by the 〈◊〉 of the Portugals arriving there were content to become Christians and to be baptized allowing of the principles of Religion and professing Christ till the Priests pressed them to lead their lives according to their profession which the most part of them in no case induring they returned back again to their Gentilisme As for the 〈◊〉 Converts in Mexico they so litle remember their covenant made with Christ in Baptisme that many times they forget 〈◊〉 very names soon after they have been baptized Baptizing them into the name of c. That is consecrating them unto the sincere service of the sacred 〈◊〉 and confirming them by this holy Sacrament in the faith of the forgivenesse of their sins and in the hope of life eternall This is the end use and efficacy of Baptisme which Piscator saith few of the Fathers rightly understood Those Popish Asles certainly did not who moved this foolish question An asinus bibens ex baptismo bibat aquam baptismi sic asinus dicendus sic baptisatus Pity but these questionites had been present when the young scollar reading publikely the fifth of the first of Corinthians for probation-sake at the Colledge of Bamberg when he came to that passage Expurgate vetus fermentum c. Sicut estis azymi He not understanding the word Azymi
with inflammation of their bodyes A spectacle worthy to be noted of all such bloudy burning persecutors Verse 25. Sonne remember c. Sonne he calls him with respect either ad procreationem carnis aut adaetatem saith Piscator But as it was but cold comfort to Dives in flames that Abraham called him sonne so those that have no more to shrowd themselves under then a generall profession shall find that an empty title yeelds but an empty comfort at last Receivedst thy good things Wicked men then have not only a 〈◊〉 title but a right before God to earthly things It is their portion Psal. 17. 14. And what Ananias had was his owne Act. 5. whiles he had it God gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar for his paines at Tyre It is hard to say they are usurpers They shall not saith One be called to an account at last day for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession As when the King gives a Traytour his life he gives him meat and drink that may maintaine his life So here God deales not as that cr uell D' 〈◊〉 did who starved some prisoners after he had given them quarter saying Though I promised you your lives I promised not to find you meat Verse 26. There is a great gulfe fixed viz. by the unmoveable and immutable decree of God called mountaines of brasse Zech. 6. 1. from betweene which all effects and actions come forth as so many charets Verse 28. Lest they also come into this place This he wisheth not for their good but for his owne For he knew that if they were damned he should be double damned because they were brought thither partly by his lewd and loose example Verse 29. Let them 〈◊〉 them Hell is to be escaped by hearing the word read and preached Joh. 5. 25. Esay 55. 3. Verse 31. Though one rose from the dead As Lazarus did and yet they listened as little to him as to Christ. Joh. 12. but sought to kill him also CHAP. XVII Verse 5. Lord encrease our faith A Most necessary request in this case For the more any man beleeveth that God for Christs sake hath pardoned him the readier he will be to pardon others Verse 8. Gird thy self and serve me It implies 1 readinesse 2 nimblenesse handinesse and handsomenesse A loose 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 mind is unfit to serve God The Deacons cried of old in the Church-meetings Oremus 〈◊〉 Let us pray let us attend to prayer c. Verse 10. We have done that was our duty Or our debt and it is no matter of merit to pay debts This made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founder of New-Colledge c. professe he trusted in Jesus Christ alone for Salvation Charles the Fifth did the like when he came to die And in times of Popery the ordinary instruction appointed to be given to men upon their death beds was that they should look to come to glory not by their own merits but by the vertue and merit of Christs passion that they should place their whole confidence in his death only and in no other thing and that they should interpose his death betwixt God and their sins betwixt them and Gods anger Verse 13. And they lifted up their voices These sought themselves only in their prayers as do hypocrites and nought esteemed the love of Christ. So did those that fasted to themselves 〈◊〉 7. more to get off their chains then their sins Ephrain is an empty vine he 〈◊〉 fruit to himself The Church keeps her fruit for her beloved Verse 14. Go shew your selves unto the Priests As if yee were already cleansed They did so though they saw no sense for it and before they came to the Priest they were cleansed indeed Make your requests known to God with thanksgiving Philip. 4. 6. As who should say make account to speed and be ready with your thanks as if you had what you ask of God Verse 15. And one of them It s ten to one if any return to give thanks Men make prayer their refuge but not their recompence 〈◊〉 returned not according to his receipts And with a loud 〈◊〉 He was as earnest in praises as he had been in prayers Our thanks should be larger and louder then our requests because God prevents us with many mercies and denies nothing we have it either in mony or monies worth Verse 16. Giving him thanks A thankfull man is worth his weight in gold Sed perrarò grati homines reperiuntur saith the Oratour Plerique ut accipiant importuni donec acceperint inquieti ubi acceperint ingrati saith the Father Most pray but pay not they make prayer their refuge but not their recompence Verse 17. Were there not ten cleansed Christ keeps count how many favours men receive from him and will call them to a particular account thereof He is an austere man this way Verse 18. There are not found The Syriack and some others 〈◊〉 these words question-wise and so it is more emphaticall Are there not found that returned c. q. d. That 's admirable that 's abhominable Verse 20. When the kingdom of God c. This they asked in 〈◊〉 q. d. You tell us oft of the kingdom of God and that it is at hand but when comes it once All things continue as they did c. Cometh not with observation That is with outward pomp or superstitious seeking after Verse 21. The kingdom of God is within you It is spiritual Rom. 14. 17. Or it is among you but that you cannot see wood for trees You seek me as absent whom you reject present Verse 22. And he said unto his Disciples q. d. This doctrine concerns you also as well as the perverse Pharisees You shall be ere long at a great losse for me look to it therefore and bestirre you Verse 24. For as the lightning q. d. From mine Ascention and so forwards you are not to look for me again till I come to judgement and then I come on a sudden Many devices there are in the minds of some to think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and reign here upon earth a Thousand years But they are saith a good Divine but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgements powred out upon Gods enemies in making a way to the Jewes conversion by the pattern of the last judgement Verse 27. They did eate they drank An elegant Asyndeton For the reason whereof see the Note on Matt. 24. 38. Verse 28 They did eate they drank It is not said here as vers 27. they married wives they affected rather those odious 〈◊〉 qui non utrinque resolvunt The Turkish Bashaes have their 〈◊〉 which are their serious loves for their wives are used but to dresse their meat to laundresse and for reputation saith one that had been amongst them Sodomy saith he in the Levant is not held a vice Verse 29. But the same day A fair