fallen by the hand of this vile strumpet the world who by laying forth her two fair brests of profit and pleasure hath cast down many wounded as Solomons harlot Prov. 7. 26. And by the glistering of her pomp and 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the going fire leads men into hedges and ditches 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which when she cannot over take the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth with her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that they have no power to 〈◊〉 away till she have 〈◊〉 them to death Verse 9. And he saith unto him All these things will I give thee A great catch sure even just nothing for he shewed out Saviour only shews and shadows apparitions and resemblances of things The word also used in the former verse for glory 〈◊〉 an opinion or imagination So St Luke stiles all Agrippa's 〈◊〉 but a fantasie David tels us that man walketh in a vain shadow Now a shadow is something in appearance nothing in 〈◊〉 So the Apostle calleth all these things that the devil 〈◊〉 our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accidentall mathematicall figure without solidity or substance And further tels us that this figure 〈◊〉 away is ever in transitu like the streams of a river that 〈◊〉 by the sides of a City no man can stop or if we could retain the things of this life yet not the world only passeth away saith the Apostle but the lusts thereof So that a man 〈◊〉 make his heart delight in the same thing still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fastidio sunt We loath after a while what we lusted 〈◊〉 as Amnon did Tamar and quickly finde a satiety yea an unsatisfy ingnesse in the creature For he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor though he could heap up his hoards to the stars and ingrosse a monopoly of all the wealth in the world Non 〈◊〉 satiatur cor 〈◊〉 quà m corpus aurâ You may assoon 〈◊〉 a bag with wisdome a chest with 〈◊〉 or a circle with a triangle as the heart of man with any thing here below All that earth can afford is fumus 〈◊〉 saith one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith another Vanity and vexation saith Solomon the wise To whose impartiall verdict grounded upon so good 〈◊〉 we shall doe well to subscribe without believing the 〈◊〉 crakes or trying any further conclusions The Centurists 〈◊〉 All these things will I give thee thus I will make thee Pope And indeed many Popes were advanced to that Sea 〈◊〉 by the devil as Histories relate Who had they but 〈◊〉 what is usually done at their inthronization would never have been so hasty For before the Pope is set in his Chair and puts on his tripple Crown a peece of row or wad of straw is set on fire 〈◊〉 him and one appointed to say Sic transit 〈◊〉 The glory of this world is but a 〈◊〉 This is only 〈◊〉 of form and Ceremony As is also that that one day in the year the 〈◊〉 Almoner rideth before him casting abroad to the 〈◊〉 certain peeces of brasse and lead saying Silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give you Whereas that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holds a golden cup in her hand and her merchants that trade with her are the Grandees of the earth Revel 18. and are 〈◊〉 rich by her vers 15. The Cardinall of Toledo hath a hundred thousand pound a year comming in The Arch-bishops of Germany are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many of them and have revenues accordingly Petrarch reporteth that in the treasury of Pope John the 22. were found after his death 250. tuns of gold And of Boniface the eighth it is storied that when he was taken by Philip the fair King of France and his palace rifled there was more treasure found then all the Kings of the earth were able to shew again Otto one of the Popes Mice-catchers as the story 〈◊〉 them sent hither by Gregory 9. after three years raking 〈◊〉 of money by most 〈◊〉 arts at last departing 〈◊〉 he left not so much money in the whole Kingdom as he either 〈◊〉 with him or sent before him Judge by this what they did thorowout all Christendom The Pope saith one could never want money so long as he could hold a pen in his hand Thus it was then but how now Bellarmine complains that since by us the Pope was cried down for Antichrist his Kingdom 〈◊〉 not only not encreased but every day more and more decreased And Cotton the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the authority of the Pope of Rome is incomparably lesse then it was And that now the Christian Church is but a diminutive Hereupon also the Cardinals who 〈◊〉 wont to meet oftener meet but once a week because the 〈◊〉 of the Court of Rome grow 〈◊〉 And albeit the 〈◊〉 good and 〈◊〉 bloud his honours and manners rose together yet abates he as little of his former pomp and pride as the 〈◊〉 doth since his fall in taking upon him here to dispose of all the Kingdoms of the earth as his and requiring our Saviour the true Lord of all to 〈◊〉 down and worship him The Cardinals he still createth with these words Estote fratres nostri principes mundi And as another 〈◊〉 who was the first that 〈◊〉 that honour he holdeth forth his feet to be kissed having the sign of the 〈◊〉 shining with pearls and 〈◊〉 stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crucem Christi derideat saith mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In 〈◊〉 word with his pomp and primacy gain and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and riches fat Bishopricks and Cardinalships as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther and gain him to his side so he gets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that rotten religion Pauper Lutherus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Erasmus it being then the ready way to 〈◊〉 to write and rail against Luther as Eccius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others found it But Christ will one day whip such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their customers out of his house as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel chase them out of his presence as Nehemiah did 〈◊〉 son in Law Curse them with a curse that runne 〈◊〉 after the errour of 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Let the Romish 〈◊〉 offer as large as the devil doth here every one that hath any thing of Christ in him will answer with that noble Italian 〈◊〉 Galeacius Caracciolus Marquesse of Vico in 〈◊〉 who being tempted by a Jesuite to revolt for money 〈◊〉 out Let their money perish with them who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies society with 〈◊〉 Christ and his holy Spirit And cursed be that Religion for ever c. If thou wilt fall down and worship me Luke saith Worship before me So that to worship before an Idol is to worship the Idol whatever the Romanist pretend and plead to the contrary And not only so but to fall down as the devil would have had our Saviour here though it
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
thy light and that from the heart this is indeed to be able to do more then others this is to excell others in any excellency whatsoever if this be wanting Whose shoes I am not 〈◊〉 to bear Christ thought 〈◊〉 worthy to lay his hand on his holy head in baptisme who thinks not himself worthy to lay his hand under Christs feet The more fit any man is for whatsoever vocation the 〈◊〉 he thinks himself Who am I said Moses when he was to be sent to Egypt whereas none in all the world was comparably fit for that embassage Not only in innumerable other things am I utterly unskilfull faith S. Augustine but even in the holy Scriptures themselves my proper profession the greatest part of my knowledge is the least part of mine ignorance I in my little cell saith Hierom with the rest of the Monks my fellow-sinners dare not determine of great matters This is all I know that I know nothing said Socrates and Anaxarchus went further and said that he knew not that neither that it was nothing that he knew This is the utmost of my wisdom said David Chytraeus that I see my self to be without all wisdome And if I would at any time delight my self in a fool saith Seneca I need not seek farre I have my self to turn to Thus the heaviest ears of corn stoop most toward the ground Boughes the more laden they 〈◊〉 the more low they hang and the more direct the Sunne is over us the less is our shadow So the more true worth is in any man the lesse self conceitednesse and the lower a man is in his own eyes the higher he is in Gods Surely 〈◊〉 Baptist lost nothing by his humility and modesty here for our Saviour extols him to the multitude Math. 11. and there are that doubt not to affirm where they have it I know not that for his 〈◊〉 on earth he is dignified with that place in heaven from whence Lucifer fell Sure it is That he that humbleth himself shall be exalted If men 〈◊〉 us as we set selves God values us according to our abasements The Church was black in her own eyes fair in 〈◊〉 Cant. 1. 5 15. With the holy Ghost and with fire That is with that fiery holy Ghost that spirit of judgement and of burning wherewith the filth of the daughters of Zion 〈◊〉 washed away Isa. 4. 4. that they may escape that 〈◊〉 fire mentioned in the verse next following This fire of the spirit must be 〈◊〉 from heaven Lumen de lumine from the father of lights who giveth his spirit to them that ask it It must be a coal from his altar which when you have once gotten your heart must be the hearth to uphold it your hands the tongs to build it Gods ordinances the fuell to 〈◊〉 it the Priests lips the bellows to blow it up into a flame So shall we finde it according to the nature of fire 1. To illighten us as the least sparkes of fire lightens it selfe at least and may be seen in the greatest darknesse 2. To enliven and revive us for whatsoever is of the spirit is spirit that is nimble and active full of life and motion A bladder is a dull lumpish thing so is a bullet but put winde into the one and fire to the other in a Gun and they will flee farre Fire is the most active of all other elements as having much form little matter and therefore the Latines call a dull dronish man a firelesse man which God cannot away with What thou doest doe quickly said our Saviour to 〈◊〉 So odious to him is dulnesse in any businesse Baruch full of the spirit repaired the wall of Ierusalem earnestly Nehem 3. 20. Se accendit he burst out into heat and so finish'd his part in shorter time I presse toward the mark saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I persecute it Phil. 3. 14. Never was he so mad in persecuting the Saints Act. 26. 11. as after his conversion he was judg'd to be the other way 2 Cor. 5. 13. Paulus in omnia 〈◊〉 Nilactum credens cum quid superesset agendum 3. To assimulate As fire turns fuell into the same property with 〈◊〉 so doth the spirit inform the minde conform the will reform the life transform the whole man more and more into the likenesse of the heavenly patern it spiritualizeth and 〈◊〉 us as it were into the same image from glory to glory as the Sunne that fire of the world by often beating with its beams upon the pearl makes it radiant and orient bright and beautifull like it self 4. To elevate and carry the heart heaven-ward as fire naturally aspireth and the spark fleeth upwards to kindle our Sacrifices and make us heavenly-minded to break out at length though for a while it lie under the weight of sin that doth so easily beset us as fire may lie puffing and blowing under green wood as almost smoothered 5. To purifie us as fire doth metals from our drosse and to take away all our sinne 〈◊〉 1. 25. 1 Cor. 9. 11. For he is like a refiners fire and like fullers sope Mal. 3. 2. whereby we are purified by obeying the truth unto unfeigned love of the 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 22. 6 And that 's the least property of the holy Ghost and of fire that I now insist upon Congregat 〈◊〉 segregat heterogenea it unites them to 〈◊〉 and separates them from sinners for what communion hath light with darknesse It maketh division from those of a mans house if not of his heart and yet causeth union with Gentile Barbarian Scythian if truly Christian Coloss. 3. 11. Oh'get this fire from heaven So shall you glorifie God Matth. 5. 16. and be able to dwell with devouring fire which hypocrites cannot doe Isa. 33. 14. get warmth of life and comfort to your selves give light and heat to others walk surely as Israel did by the conduct of the pillar of fire and safely as walled with a defence of fire And if any man shall hurt such fire shall proceed out of their 〈◊〉 to devour them So that a man were better anger all the witches in the world then one of those that are baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire c. especially if they be much mortified Christians such as in whom this fiery spirit hath done with the body of sin as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Am. 2. 1. burnt its bones into lime Verse 12. Whose fanne is in his hand Though the devil and wicked men mightily strive to wring it out of his hand for what say they need this shedding and this 〈◊〉 This distinguishing and differencing of men into Saints and sinners Are not all the Lords people holy Is there any man lives and sinneth not but yet there is as wide a difference between sinner and sinner as is betwixt the bosome of
it it is a poor plea to say I have gotten a custom of swearing and must 〈◊〉 be born with For who is it but the devil 〈◊〉 saith to such as the Iews to Pilate Doe as thou hast ever done The Cretians when they wished worst to any one they wished that he might take delight in an evil 〈◊〉 Break off 〈◊〉 this ili use by repentance and though you cannot suddenly turn the stream yet 〈◊〉 against it bite in thine oathes and with bitternesse 〈◊〉 them swear to God as David did thou wilt swear no more and by degrees out-grow this ill custom For it is his footstool And should be ours For he hath put all things under our feet Psal. 8 6. He saith not under our hands but under our feet that we might trample upon them in a holy contempt as the Church is said to tread upon the Moon and the way of the righteous is said to be on high to depart from hell below It is a wonder surely that treading upon these minerals gold silver precious stones c. which are but the guts and garbage of the earth we should so admire them God hath hid them in the bowels of the earth and in those parts that are farthest off from the Church Where they grow little else grows that is ought no more doth grace in an earthly 〈◊〉 But to return from whence we are 〈◊〉 Earth is Gods footstool How ought we then to walke 〈◊〉 that we provoke not the eyes of his glory There is an honour due even to the footstools of Princes when they are in the throne especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou in the fear of the Lord all day long saith 〈◊〉 walke in the sense of his presence and light of his countenance He is not very farre from any one of us saith the Apostle not so farre as the barke from the tree or the slesh from the bones This one God and father of all is not only above all and from his throne beholdeth all that 's done here below but also through all and in you all Ephes. 4. 6. Therefore no corner can secret us no cranny of the heart can escape his eye Al things are for the outside naked and for the inside open dissected quartered and as it were cleft thorow the back-bone as the word signifieth before the eyes of him with whom we deal Neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King The place of his rest the seat of his Empire and they the people of his praise and of his purchase Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God There was the adoption and the glory the 〈◊〉 and the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises c. Constantinople was acknowledged by Tamerlane to be for her situation an Imperiall City and such as was made to command the world Strasborough in Germany is called by some compendium Orbis an abridgment of the world But Ierusalem by a better Authour is stiled Princesse of Provinces the joy of the whole earth the pleasant land c. It must needs be pleasant where God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how is the faithfull City become a harlot It was full of judgement righteousnesse 〈◊〉 in it but now murderers Her silver is become drosse her wine mixt with 〈◊〉 Bethel is become Bethaven and Ierusalem turned into Ierushkaker It fell again into the power of the Turks and Infidels Anns 1234. after that the most warlike souldiers of Europe had there as it were one common sepulchre but an eternall monument of 〈◊〉 misguided valour and so remaineth still a poor ruinous City governed by one of the Turks Sanzacks and for nothing now more famous then for the sepulchre of our Saviour again repaired and much visited by the Christians and not unreverenced by the Turks themselves There are not to be found there at this time 100. housholds of Jews and yet there are ten or more Churches of Christians there Of the great King The Jews much admired the greatnesse of Herod and especially of the Romanes whose tributaries they were at this time Our Saviour mindeth them of a greater then these One that is great greater greatest greatnesse it self Nebuchadnezzar stileth himself the great King and brags of his Babel The rich miser thinks himself no small thing because of his counerey of Corn. Ahashuerosh taketh state upon him because he reigned from India to Ethiopia Darius his flatterers held it meet that no man should ask a petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of him Diocletian would needs be worshipped as a God and was the first that held forth his feet to be kissed after 〈◊〉 Amurath the third Emperour of the Turks stiled himself God of the earth Governour of the whole world the Messenger of God and faithfull servant of the great Prophet And the great Cham of Tartary is called by the simple vulgar The shadow of spirits and sonne of the immortall God And by himself he is reputed to be the Monarch of the whole world For which cause every day if all be true that is reported of him as soon as he hath 〈◊〉 he caused his 〈◊〉 to be sounded by that signe giving 〈◊〉 to other 〈◊〉 and Princes to go to dinner These be the 〈◊〉 of the earth and think no mean things of themselves But compare them with the Great King here mentioned and what 〈◊〉 of all their supposed greatnesse All Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are but as the dust of the balance or drop of a bucket 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tuistius guttae particula saith a Father If all Nations are to God but as the drop of a bucket oh what a small pittance must thou needs be how great soever of that little drop And as he is great so he looketh to be praised and served according to his excellent greatn sse We should if it were possible fill up that vast distance and disproportion that is betwixt him and us by the greatnesse of our praises and sincerity at least of our services in presenting him with the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great King saith God and he stands upon his seniority Offer it now to thy Prince will he accept thy refuse braid-stuffe c. It is verily a most sweet meditation of St Bernard whensoever we come before God in any duty we should conceive our selves to be entring into the court of Heaven wherein the King of Kings sitteth in a stately throne 〈◊〉 with an host of glorious Angels and crowned Saints With how great humility therefore reverence and godly fear ought a poor worm crawling out of his hole a vile frog creepng out of his mud draw nigh to such a Majesty The Seraphims clap their wings on their faces when they stand before God Isa. 6. as men are wont to do their hands when the lightning
before we aske as he did David Psal. 32. He prevents us with many mercies we never sought him for that our praises may exceed our prayers I am found of them that sought me not saith God but yet in the same place it is said I am sought of them that asked not for me Importing that we never seek to him for grace till effectually called by his grace Howbeit no sooner is any truly called but he presently prayeth Say not then if God know our needs what need we open them to him The truth is we doe it not to inform him of that he knows not or to stir up mercy in him who is all bowels and perfectly pitieth us but 1. Hereby we acknowledge him as a childe doth his father when he runs to him for food 2. We run that course of getting good things that he hath prescribed us Jer. 29. 11 12. Which Moses and Elias knew and therefore the former turned Gods predictions the later his promises into prayers 3. Hereby we prepare our selves holily to enjoy the things we crave for prayer both sanctifieth the creature and encreaseth our love and thankfullnesse Psal. 116 1. 4. Prayer prepareth us either to go without that we beg if God see fit as David when he prayed for the childes life and was fitted thereby to bear the losse of it or else to part with that we have got by prayer for the glory of God the giver of it Those that make their requests known to God with thanksgiving shall have at least the peace of God that passeth all understanding to guard their hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus They shall have strength in their souls the joy of the Lord shall be their strength the glory of the Lord shall be their rereward In their marching in the wildernesse at the fourth Alarm arose the standard of Dan Asher and Nepthali these were the rereward of the Lords host and to these were committed the care of gathering together the lame feeble and sick and to look that nothing was left behinde Unto this the Prophet Isaiah seems in that text to allude and so doth David Psal. 27. 10. When my father and mother forsake me the Lord will gather me And this comfortable assurance was the fruit of his prayer Verse 9. After this manner therefore pray ye Forms of wholesome words are profitable A set form of prayer is held fittest for the publike and for such weak Christians as are not yet able to expresse their own desires in their own words The utterance of wisdom is given to some Christians only 1 Cor. 12. 8. yet are all to strive unto it that the testimony of Christ may be confirmed in them 1 Cor. 1. 5 6. God will take that at first that afterwards will not be accepted If words be wanting pray that God that commands thee to take words and come before him to vouchsafe thee those words wherewith thou mayest come before him Speak as the poor man doth supplications so did the prodigall Forecast also with him what thou wilt say Praemeditate of the matter disposing it in due order as one would doe that is to speak to a Prince God is a great King Mal. 1. 23. Some thinke we must never pray but upon the sudden and extraordinary instinct and motion of the spirit This is a fancy and those that practise it cannot but fall into idle repetitions and be confused going forward and backward like hounds at a losse saith a good Divine and having unadvisedly begun to speak they know not how wisely to make an end This to prevent premeditate and propound to thy self fit heads of prayer gather catalogues of thy sinnes and duties by the decalogue observe the daily straits of mortall condition consider Gods mercies your own infirmities troubles from Satan pressures from the world crosses on all hands c. And as you cannot want matter so neither words of prayer The Spirit will assist and God will accept if there be but an honest heart and lawfull petitions And albeit we cannot vary them as some can our Saviour in his agony used the self-same words thrice together in prayer and so may we when there is the same matter and occasion He also had a set form of giving thanks at meat which the two Disciples at Emaus hearing knew him by it A form then may be used we see when it is gathered out of the holy Scriptures and agreeable thereunto Neither is the spirit limited hereby for the largenesse of the heart stands not so much in the multitude and variety of expressions as in the extent of the affection Besides if forms were unlawfull then neither might we sing Psalms nor join in prayer with others nor use the forms prescribed by God Our Father which art in Heaven Tertullian calls this prayer a breviary of the Gospel and compend of saving doctrin It is framed in form of the decalogue the three former Petitions respecting God the three later our selves and others Every word therein hath its weight Our there 's our charity Father there 's our faith In heaven there 's our hope Father is taken sometimes personally as in that of our Saviour My father is greater then I sometimes essentially for the Whole Deity so here Now that God is in Heaven is a notion that heathens also have by nature and do therefore in distresse lift up eyes and hands thither-ward And lest man should not look upward God hath given to his eyes peculiar nerves to pull them up towards his habitation that he might direct his prayer unto him and look up Psal. 5. 3. that he might feelingly say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee Unto thee lift I up mine eyes ô thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their Masters c. Psal 123 1 2. It is reported of 〈◊〉 that he preached so powerfully that he seemed to thunder and prayed so earnestly that he seemed to carry his hearers with him up into heaven Hallowed be thy Name 1. Honoured be thy Majesty According to thy Name O God so is thy praise Psal. 48. 10. Now Gods Name is holy and reverend Psal. 111. 9. Great and terrible Psal. 99. 3. Wonderfull and worthy Psal. 8. 1. Jam. 2. 7. High and honourable Isa. 12. 4. Dreadfull among the Heathen Mal. 1. 14. and exalted above all praise 〈◊〉 9. 5. His glory is as himself eternally infinite and so abideth not capable of our addition or detraction The Sun would shine though all the world were blinde or did wilfully shut their eyes Howbeit to try how we prize his glory and how industrious we will be to promote it God lets us know that he accounts himself as it were to receive a new being by those inward conceptions of his glory and by those outward honours we do him when we lift up his Name
thorow the woof when a double-minded man that hath not cleansed his heart nor washt his hands of worldly lusts is unstable and 〈◊〉 in all his waies Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy minde Luk. 10. 27. And with my minde I serve the Law of God saith Paul which he acknowledged to be spirituall though he were carnall in part sold under sin The old man is still corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts which sometimes so 〈◊〉 and beguile the judgement that a man shall think there is some sense in sinning and that he hath reason to be mad but be ye renewed in the spirit of your mindes in the bosom and bottom of the soul in the most inward and subtile parts of the soul and as it were the 〈◊〉 of it Reserve these upper rooms for Christ and be not ye conformed to the world who minde earthly things and have damnation for their end but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mindes that ye may see and prove by good experience not by a Nationall knowledge only what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is Concerning the East-gate of that Temple in Ezekiel Thus saith the Lord This gate shall be shut and shall not be opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israel hath 〈◊〉 by it Here through signifying saith a Divine that although the heart of a Christian which is the temple of the holy Ghost may let many things enter into it at other gates yet must it keep the East-gate the most illuminate and highest power and part of it continually shut against all men yea against all the world and opened only to one thing I mean to God who hath already entered into it and 〈◊〉 it with his Spirit That as at the windows of 〈◊〉 Ark there entred in no mist nor water nothing else but one thing only which is light so at this East-gate no mist of humane errours no water of worldly cares may enter in but only the light of heaven and a sanctified desire to be fast knit and perfectly united by faith and love to God Verse 23. But if thine eye be evil c. If the light that is in thee be darknesse c. An evil eye is here opposed to a single eye that looks on God singly abstracted from all other things and affects the heart with pure love to him for himself more then for his love-tokens These we may lawfully have but they may not have us If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in 〈◊〉 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life that is pleasure profit and preferment these three like those three troops of the Caldeans Job 1. 17. fall upon the faculties of the soul and carry them away from 〈◊〉 the right owner The minde is filled with greater darknesse then can be expressed How great is that darknesse The Prince that 〈◊〉 understanding is a great oppressour but he that hateth covetousnesse that hath not his eyes bleared and blinded with the dust of earthly-mindednesse shall prolong his daies Prov. 28. 16. So Isa 56. 10 11. His watchmen are blinde And why They are greedy dogs which can never have enough and they are shepherds which cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his quarter Isa. 56. 10 11. Of this sort were those covetous Pharisees that devoúred widows houses therefore blinde because covetous Luke 16. 14. the property of which sin is to besot and infatuate as it did Judas who though he wanted for nothing in our Saviours 〈◊〉 but was sufficiently provided for yet for filthy lucre basely sold his Master and 〈◊〉 for thirty silverlings the known and pitcht price of the 〈◊〉 slave and had the face after all to ask Master is it I when he knew Christ to be the true God and to know all things 〈◊〉 Comets though but Comets as long as they keep 〈◊〉 shine bright but when they decline from their pitch they fall to the earth So when men forsake the Lord and minde earthly things they lose that light they had and are dissipated destroy'd and come to nothing Good therefore is the counsel of 〈◊〉 Labour not to be rich Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Or as Mercerus otherwise reads that text Wilt thou darken 〈◊〉 eyes upon them As those that walk long in the snow or that 〈◊〉 in a smoaky corner can see little at length Whoredome and 〈◊〉 take away the heart saith Hosea cap. 4. 11. as they did 〈◊〉 they drew out his spirits and dissolved his reason so doth covetousnesse It makes a man that he cannot see the net that is 〈◊〉 before him which every bird can do Prov. 1. 17. but whiles 〈◊〉 coveteth the bait loseth his life as Shimei did by looking his servants as Lot who had like to have run the same hazard by 〈◊〉 the plain of Jordan as Jonas that suffered himself to be cast into the sea that the ship with her lading might come safe to shore How many carnall mindes like 〈◊〉 raven fly out of the Ark of Gods Church and imbrace this present world and like the Mariners when they found out Jonas yet fain they would have saved him So many will rather venture their own casting away then cast their worldly lusts over-board How much better Joseph who let go his garment to save himself as Elias did his mantle to go to heaven and Bartimeus his cloak to come to Christ How much better Moses who by faith seeing him that is invisible and having an eye to the reward when he was come to years as the text noteth and therefore well knew what he did for he was no baby refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter and the worlds darling and chusing rather the afflictions of Gods poor people then the pleasures of sin for a season he esteemed the reproach of Christ the worst part of him greater riches then the treasures of Egypt And why all this For 〈◊〉 had respect to the recompence of reward He set his foot as it were upon the battlements of heaven and there-hence looked upon these earthly happinesses as base and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and slender waterish and worthlesse The great Cities of Campania seem but small cottages to them that stand on the top of the Alps the Moon covereth her self with a pale vail and shines not at all in the presence of the Sun No more doth the beauty and bravery of the world wherewith carnall mindes are so bedazelled and 〈◊〉 to a man that hath been in paradise with Paul that hath already laid hold on eternall life The moles of the earth that are blinde and cannot see farre off that have animam triticiam a wheaten soul with that fool in
man at any time hide his eyes from his own flesh that is from his neighbour of the same stock with himself For this is the law and the Prophets i. e. This is as much as either of them have said touching love to our neighbour Yea this is the summe of all that Christ and the Apostles have spoken of it For love that seeketh not her own things is both the complement of the Law and the supplement of the Gospel Rom. 13. 8 10. Gal. 5. 14. Ioh. 15. 12. v. 14. Christ maketh love to our brethren the same with keeping the Commandments So Acts 15. 20. St 〈◊〉 in that sacred Synod gives this suffrage to lay upon the 〈◊〉 Gentiles no greater burden then these necessary things that they abstain from pollutions of Idols and from fornication from things strangled and from bloud And in certain ancient 〈◊〉 as also by Irenaeus and Cyprian it is added and what thing soever ye would not that others should doe to you that ye doe not the same to them Timothy naturally cared for the Philippians which was rare Phillip 2. 20. 22. So should all Christians 〈◊〉 for another Gal. 5. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 24. Rom. 15. 1 2. Self-lovers begin the black bed-role 2 Tim. 3 2. Verse 13. Enter ye in at the straight gate Our Saviour having hitherto pointed out the right way of well-doing and shew'd how to steere a straight course to the haven of happinesse now gives warning of certain dangerous rocks against the which divers have dashed to their utter destruction and are therefore carefully to be declined Of these the first he nameth is the following of a multitude to do evil the joyning hand in hand with the rude rable that are running apace toward the pit of perdition which is but a little before them the doing as most men do which is to be 〈◊〉 undone for ever The wicked though never so many of 〈◊〉 goe 〈◊〉 to hell and whole nations that forget God Hence the gate thereto is grown so wide and the way so well-beaten But none that goe that way returne again neither take they hold of the paths of life Enter therefore in at the streight gate saith our Saviour Vive ut pauci c. Live as those few live that enter into life eternall saith Cassianus for if you will needs imitate the multitude saith Austin ye shall not be numbred among the living in Jerusalem Isa. 4 3 4. Save your selves from this untoward generation saith St Peter shine amidst them as lamps saith St Paul as Abrahams lamp that shone out in the smoaky furnace as the wise-mens star that shewed it self in the midst of darknesse like the moon that holds on her course though the dogs bark at her never so long never so loud like the Sun that rejoyceth as a bride-groom to run his race though the Alantes a certain people curse him at his rising because scorched with his heat Or rather like God himself who then doth his best works when men are at worst overcoming our evill with his good and not suffering mens perversnes to interrupt the course of his 〈◊〉 Swim not down the stream of the times as dead fishes doe neither be carried along by the swinge and sway of the place you dwell in Let not your lips be polluted by living among a people of polluted lips with Esay swear not with Ioseph curse not with Peter comply not with the common sort learn not the manners of the mad multitude The worse they are the better be you the more outragious they the more couragious you violent for heaven and valiant for the truth therefore walking exactly and therefore 〈◊〉 the time because the daies are evil and most men walk at all adventures To walk with God saith Bishop Babington is a pretious praise though none do it but my selfe and to walk with man with the world with a town or parish in wicked wayes is a deadly sin though millions do it besides And it matters not said Nicolas Bishop of Rome how small the number be if godly nor how great if ungodly Noah condemned a world of wicked people by his contrary courses and became heir of the 〈◊〉 which is by faith Heb. 1 1 7. whilest he continued righteous even in his generation and kept himself unspotted in so foul a season The Apostle telleth us that to live according to the common course of the world is no better then to be acted and agitated by the devill But God hath promised to take this unclean spirit out of the land Zech. 13. 2. Fiat Fiat And when Christ bids us Enter in at the straight gate we must know that his words are operative to cause us to enter as when he said Lazarus come forth and in the creation Let there be 〈◊〉 His word and Spirit go together He works all our works for us Isaiah 26. Verse 14. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way c. In Lollards tower passing through six or seven doors I came to my lodging saith Philpot Martyr through many straits where I called to remembrance that strait is the way to heaven The old copies read Oh how strait is the gate by way of admiration q. d. It is wondrous strait Not of it selfe for Christs yoke is easy and his burden light but we make it so hard and heavy to our selves by our singular peevishnesse and perversnesse Besides the Prince of darknesse and his black guard favour this way that is called holy as little as the Philistim-Princes did David yea they persecute it to the death as Saul did Act 9. Hence the way to heaven is an afflicted way a perplexed persecuted way crusht close together with crosses as the word importeth as was the Israelites way in the wildernesse or that of Ionathan and his armour-bearer that had a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other And whilst they crept upon all four flinty stones were under them briers and thornes on either hand of them mountaines crags and promontories over them sic petitur caelum so heaven is caught by pains by patience by violence affliction being our unseparable companion The crosse-way is the high 〈◊〉 to heaven said that Martyr And another If there be any way to heaven on horse-back it is by the crosse Q. Elizabeth is said to have swum to the crown through a sea of sorrows They that will to heaven must sail by hell gates They that will have Knight-hood must kneel for it and they that will get in at the strait gate must croud for it Strive to enter in at the streight gate saith our Saviour Strive and strain even to an agony as the word signifieth Heaven is compared to a hill Hell to a hole To hell a man may go without a staff as we say the way thereto is
easy steep strawed with roses 'T is but a yeelding to Sathan a passing from sinne to sinne from evill purposes to evil practises from practise to custom c. Sed revocare gradum but to turne short again and make straight steps to our feet that we may force through this strait gate so strait that as few can walk in it so none can halt in it but must needs go upright 〈◊〉 labor hoc opus est opus non pulvinaris sed pulveris this is a work of great pains a duty of no small difficulty Many I say unto you shall seek to enter but seeking serves not turn men must strive and strive lawfully run and run lustily tug and take pairs till they sweat and faint to get through this strait gate this perplext way as unpleasant to nature as the way to Niniveh was to Ionas as rough and rugged as that was to the Church Hos. 2 6. as little traced and trod as the high 〈◊〉 to Sion-hill which were over-grown with grasse because few or none came to the solemn feasts And few there be that finde it So hard is it to hit and as dangerous to 〈◊〉 Many by-waies there are these are so many high-wayes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false-guides and back-biasses not a few to divert us The devil with his false directions leading men hood-winkt to hell as Elisha did the Syrians to Samaria The world with it's allurements and affrightments Oh how hardly scape we through the corruptions that are in the world through lust Our own hearts how heavy are they to be drawn this way a bear comes not so 〈◊〉 to the stake It goes hard with a man when he must peremptorily deny himself when he must deny all ungodlinesse and werldly lusts as dear unto him as himself and be 〈◊〉 to live holily righteously and soberly in this present world making conscience of those duties which the most mens hearts rise at as to be hot in religion servent in spirit precise in his whole course conscientious and cautelous of the least sin c. Heaven is a stately pallace with a narrow portall hence so few enter it The proud man with his high looks cannot stoope to it The ambitious with his aspiring thoughts cannot bend to it The malicious is swollen too big for it The covetous with his load of 〈◊〉 clay cannot get through it The drunkard with his rotten lungs the adulterer with his wasted loines can have no admittance into it There can in no wise enter any thing filthy or loathsome abhominable or detestable which a man would abhorre for the ill savour as the word signifieth Reve. 21. 27. such as for the basenesse thereof cannot be 〈◊〉 named it is so noysome to the 〈◊〉 Assoon may 〈◊〉 men finde 〈◊〉 swimming in a wood 〈◊〉 trees growing in the sea heaven in hell as enter into the 〈◊〉 gate not living strictly Which 〈◊〉 few can frame to but 〈◊〉 those that do counting and calling them as the Spaniards are said to do the Partugalls pocosy locos few and foolish therefore few are saved Our Saviour calleth his flock a little little 〈◊〉 two diminutives Luk 12. 42. standing as that small army 〈◊〉 Israel in Ahahs time like two little flocks of kids when the wicked as those Syrians then 〈◊〉 the countrey Was it not 〈◊〉 when Hierome complained that the whole world was turned Arrian and Basil cryed out An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit 〈◊〉 Hath God utterly forsaken his Church c. The love of many shall wax cold but he that endureth to the end c. It is but a He in the singular that endureth to the end the Many fall away from their former stedfastnes Verse 15. Beware of false Prophets which come to you c. This is another dangerous rock that the lesse carefull may easily split against Take heed rherefore lest whiles ye shun a shelf ye fall not into a whirle-poole By corrupt teachers Satan catcheth men as a cunning fisher by one fish catcheth another that he may feed upon both He circuiteth the world seeketh whom to devour and 〈◊〉 beginneth with violence and cruelty If this take not then he puts off the frock of a wolfe and makes his next encounter in sheeps-clothing Now what havock he hath made by this means of silly soules laden with lusts who knows not The old Church was pestred with false Prophets Deut. 1. 3. 1. 2 Pet. 2 1. There were false Prophets among the people and there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring 〈◊〉 haeresies and many shall follow their pernicious waies This was Peters prophecy and Paul saith the same Act. 20. 30. Grievous wolves shall enter in amongst you in sheeps-clothing you must think speaking perverse things whiles they pervert the scriptures to the defence of their own devices to draw away disciples after them The word signifieth to pull them limmeal as wolves use to do the sheep they seize upon A like expression there is Deut. 13. 13. where these 〈◊〉 men are said to thrust or drive away folk from the true God as Jeroboam is said to have driven Israel from following the Lord. This they do not so much by 〈◊〉 as by craft by force as by fraud deceitfull workers St Paul calles them transforming 〈◊〉 into the Apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousnesse and by good words and fair speeches 〈◊〉 the hearts of the simple and 〈◊〉 This they have learned of the devil that grand jugler who can soon transform himself into an Angel of light St John in his first 〈◊〉 tells us of many petty Antichrists even then gon out who professing Christs name did yet oppose his truth And in his 〈◊〉 that the beast which is the great Antichrist hath two 〈◊〉 like the lambs but speaks like the Dragon The locusts also which are his limbs and agents have faces like women insinuative and flattering Tertullian tells us that the 〈◊〉 haereticks had a trick to perswade before they taught whereas the Truth 〈◊〉 by teaching doth not teach by perswading And how much hurt Julian the Apostate did by this art in the Church of God is better known then that I need here to relate it It was not therefore without good ground of reason that Placilla the 〈◊〉 when Theodosius senior desired to conferre with 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 disswaded her husband very earnestly lest being perverted by his speeches he might fall into heresie 〈◊〉 knew their cunning and as it were cogging of a dye Ephe. 4. 14. where the Apostle compareth seducers to cheaters and false gamesters who have a device by cogging of a dye to deceive the unskilfull and further telleth us that they are wittily wicked by methods and crafty conveyances winding up and down and turning every way to get the greatest advantage Neither was that good Empresse ignorant how catching we are this way and inclinable to
Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charged the contrary Mark 5. 43. lest being known too 〈◊〉 he should stand in the way of his own designe Howbeit when he drew nigh to his end he raised the young man of Naim and his friend Lazarus in the open view of the 〈◊〉 Verse 27. 〈◊〉 blinde men followed him Misery makes unity 〈◊〉 two could the better agree to goe together because their 〈◊〉 were alike Hooper and Ridly left 〈◊〉 when they both were in 〈◊〉 Thou 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Thou that 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 Man as we are and 〈◊〉 to say unto 〈◊〉 as David did to the men of Iudah 〈◊〉 are my 〈◊〉 my bone and my flesh c. Have mercy on us So the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 by the Assyrian 〈◊〉 out The stretching out of his wings 〈◊〉 fill thy land O 〈◊〉 q. à . O 〈◊〉 that art also a man and hast the heart of a man in thee see to 〈◊〉 safety Necessity makes men beg many times of meer strangers vea of deadly enemies as the Israelites did of the Egyptians as 〈◊〉 did of Ahab and as the poor 〈◊〉 of the Assyrians Lam. 5. 6. How much more boldly should we beg of Christ our neer 〈◊〉 c Verse 28. And when he was come into the house For till then he 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 them that they might the more earnestly 〈◊〉 him He knows how to commend his benefit to us 〈◊〉 data citò 〈◊〉 Things lightly come by are lightly 〈◊〉 by Verse 29. According to your faith 〈◊〉 saith a famous Divine Justifying faith is not 〈◊〉 Miraculous in the sphear of its own activity and where it hath warrant of Gods Word Verse 30. 〈◊〉 charged them saying see that no man c. He 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 as the word 〈◊〉 used importeth 〈◊〉 they but 〈◊〉 their mouths to make it known to any man Some 〈◊〉 all for a name Christ besides the vail of his humanity saies nay thunders See you tell no man How far are those spirite from this which care onely to be seen and wish onely to dazle others eies with admiration not caring for unknown 〈◊〉 Verse 31. Spread abroad his fame Wherein they sinned no doubt though of never so good an intention Gods Commandements must be kept as the apple of our eie for else we charge him with folly Verse 32. A dumb man possest with a devil Satan still gagges many to this day that they cannot pray to God 〈◊〉 his name utter themselves to the good of others The spirit of faith is no in dweller but sits in the door of the lips I believed therefore have I spoken The Carthusian Monks speak together but once a week It is a shame to Christians that they speak not 〈◊〉 one to another Mal. 3. 16. that they come together not for the better but for the worse Inveniar sanè superbus c. modò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non arguar dum Dominus 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 Better I 〈◊〉 counted 〈◊〉 then be sinfully silent Verse 33. The 〈◊〉 marvelled c. 〈◊〉 censured a third sort tempted a fourth applauded What can we doe to undergoe but one opinion To avoid variety of constructions Verse 34. Through 〈◊〉 Prince of devils There is a principall Devil then Prince of this world And there are Princes and principall spirits in Countreys and Nations under him Dan. 10. 13. We read of the Prince of Persia hindering the matters of the Church See more of 〈◊〉 chap. 12. ver 24. Verse 35. And Iesus went about c. He was not by any affronts or hard usages of the enemy dishartened from well-doing but as the Moon continues her course though dogs bark and leap at her En peragit cursus surda Diana suos so did he and so must we For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that endured such contradiction of sinners against 〈◊〉 lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Heb. 12. 3. Convitia spreta exolescunt Verse 36. He was moved with compassion His 〈◊〉 so affected his heart 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards those silly souls Ingemuit miserans graviter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As sheep without a shepheard Their Pastours were Impostours as Bernard complained of those in his time their Episcopi Aposcopi as Espencaeus hath it their overseers by-seers That judgement was now befallen them that Moses of old deprecated Numb 27. 17. And this troubled our Saviour more then their bodily bondage to the Romans which yet was very 〈◊〉 Verse 37. But the labourers few Such as will labour to lassitude in preaching Christ crucified few such Verse 38. Labourers into his harvest Harvest-men of all other have the hardest labour a sore sweating labour So have 〈◊〉 Ministers The housholder hath somewhat to doe said 〈◊〉 the Magistrate more but the Minister most of all He labours more in a day many times then the husbandman doth in a moneth the sweat of the brow is nothing to that of the brain the former furthers health the later impairs it wearying and waring out the body wasting the vitals and hastening old age and untimely death CHAP. X. Verse 1. And when he had called the twelve HE had set them to pray and now he sets them to work Ora labora is an old proverb And 〈◊〉 â manu invocanda est Minerva said the heathens To pray to pray is to mock God and lose ones labour Solomon saith we must as well dig as beg 〈◊〉 knowledge Prov. 2. 3 4. Else to beg is bootlesse The talk 〈◊〉 the lips onely brings want Prov. 14. 23. Christ seemed here to say to his praying Disciples as once he did to Moses Why cryest thou unto me speak unto the children of Israel that they goe forward Verse 2. Now the names of the twelve c. Their names are registred and had in honour when the Grandees of the earth those men of renown in their generation 〈◊〉 either buried in oblivion or wrapt up in the sheet of shame their memory haply is preserved but stinks in the keeping as that rich glutton Luk. 16. who is not so 〈◊〉 as named as poor Lazarus 〈◊〉 Peter and Andrew his brother c. I hey goe coupled two and two together And this first for their own sakes Two are better then one 〈◊〉 Solomon For first if they fall the one will lift up his fellow as that which is stronger shoreth up that which is weaker 2. If two lie together then they have heat When Silas came Paul burnt in spirit whiles Iehojada lived Ioash was free and forward for God he was the first that complained of the negligence of his best officers in 〈◊〉 the Temple Whiles Bradford was alive he kept up Ridley and so did Latimer Cranmer from thinking upon revolt 3. If one prevail two shall withstand him The enemy is readiest to assault where none is by to assist and much of our strength is lost in the losse of a faithfull friend Whence Paul so rejoiced that Epaphroditus
give It is not powring out but want of powring out that dryes up the streams of grace as of that oile 2 King 46. The liberall soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Prov. 11. 25. Verse 36. Declare unto us the parable Private conference hath incredible profit The Minister cannot possibly say all in an hour seek settlement from his lips who both must preserve and present knowledge to the people Junius was converted by conference with a country-man of his not far from Florence Galeacius Caracciolus by a similitude of Peter Martyrs in his publike lectures on 1 Corinth seconded and set on by private discourse David was more affected by Nathans Thou art the man then by all the lectures of the law for a twelvemoneth before Verse 37. Is the Sonne of man i.e. Signifies the Sonne of man as Circumcision is the covenant that is the signe of the covenant And as Christ 〈◊〉 of the Sacramentall bread This is my body which Luther interprets synecdochically for in or under this is my body Calvin after Tertullian and Augustine interprets it metonimically for this is the signe or the figure of my body Hence the Jesuites presently cry out The spirit of God disagreeth not with it self But these interpretations 〈◊〉 disagree Therefore they are not of the spirit But let them first agree among themselves before they quarrel our disagreements for their own Doctors are exceedingly divided even about this very point of the Eucharist and know not what their holy Mother holdeth Bellarmine teacheth that the substance of the bread is not turned into the substance of Christs body Productivè as one thing is made of another but that the bread goes away and Christs body comes into the room of it Adductivè as one thing succeeds into the place of another the first being voyded And this saith he is the opinion of the Church of Rome himself being Reader of Controversies at Rome But Suarez Reader at 〈◊〉 in Spain consutes Bellarmines opinion tearming it Translocation not Transubstantiation and saith it is not the Churches opinion Verse 38. The field is the world The Christian world the Church not the Roman-Catholike Church only the Popes territories as he would have it The Roatian Hereticks would needs have made the world believe that they were the only Catholicks The Anabaptists have the same conceit of themselves Muncer their Chieftain in his booke written against Luther and dedicated to Christ the most Illustrious Prince as he stileth him inviegheth bitterly at him as one that was meerly carnall and utterly void of the spirit of Revelation And Parcus upon this text tells us that in a conference at Frankendal the Anabaptists thus argued The field is the world therefore not the Church that by the same reason they might deny that 〈◊〉 breed in the Church But tares are and will be in the visible Church as our Saviour purposely teacheth by this parable The tares are the children of that wicked one So called partly in respect of their serpentine nature those corrupt qualities whereby they resemble the devil And partly because they creep into the Church by Satans subtilety being his agents and 〈◊〉 ries Agnosco te primogenitum diaboli said St Iohn of that Heretike Cerinthus And Hypocrites are his sonnes and heires the very free-holders of hell and other sinners but their tenants which have their part or lot with hypocrites Verse 39. The enemy that sowed them c. As Esther said the adversary and enemy is that wicked Haman so Satan Why then have men so much to do with him The Jews as often as they hear mention of Haman in their synagogues they do with their fists and hammers beat upon the benches and 〈◊〉 as if they did knock upon Hamans head We have those also that can bid defiance to the devil spet at his name curse him haply but in the mean space listen to his illusions entertain him into their hearts by obeying his lusts These are singularly foolish For it is as if one should be afraid of the name of fire and yet not fear to be burnt with the flame thereof Verse 40. So shall it be in the end of this world As till then there can be no perfect purgation of the Church Neverthelesse Magistrates and all good people must do their utmost within their bounds to further a 〈◊〉 a little otherwise then the Cardinals and Prelates of Rome whom Luther fitly compared to foxes that came to sweep a dusty house with their tailes and instead of sweeping the dust 〈◊〉 sweep it all about the house so making a great smoke for the time but when they were gon the dust falls all down again Verse 41. All things that offend Gr. All scandals pests botches blocks to others in the way to heaven Scandalum est reinon bonae sed malae exemplum aed 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 saith Tertullian Such were those proud contentious covetous Prelates in the Primitive Church that Ammianus Marcellinus stumbled and stormed at Such were those loose and ungirt Christians of whom Lactantius complaineth in his time that they dishonoured their profession to the scandall of the weak and the scorn of the wicked Such was Pope Clement the fifth who so ill governed the Church that Fridericke King of Sicily began to call the truth of Christian Religion into question and had fallen utterly off from it had he not been settled and satisfied by Arnoldus de Villa nova a learned man of those times Forasmuch as Christians the Papists he meant do eate the God whom they adore Sit anima 〈◊〉 cum Philosophis said Averoes the Mahometan let my soul be with the Philosophers rather Nothing more stumbleth that poor people the Iews and hindreth their conversion then the Idolatry of Papists and blasphemies of Protestants Oh that God would once cut off the names of those idols and cause the unclean spirit to passe out of the land according to his promise Zach. 13. 2 Fiat Fiat Verse 42. And shall cast 〈◊〉 into a furnace of fire Loe the good Angels are executioners of Gods judgements 〈◊〉 cannot be a better and more noble act then to do justice upon 〈◊〉 malefactors Howbeit at Rome they would not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common executioner to dwell within the City nay not so much as 〈◊〉 to be seen in it or draw breath in the aire of it 〈◊〉 was very strict in them and that was very just in God that 〈◊〉 which was executioner of 〈◊〉 Bayfield Bainham 〈◊〉 Lambert and other good men died rotting above ground 〈◊〉 that none could abide to come near him Verse 43. Then shall the righteous shine Those that have here lain among the pots smucht and sullied shall then outshine the Sunne in his strength Shine they shall in their bodies which shall be clarified and conformed to Christs most glorious body the standard Philip. 3. In their soules those spirits of just
Following of Sermons will make men beggars forget that 〈◊〉 take away the Gospel from Jerusalem 〈◊〉 to leave their houses as well as Gods house 〈◊〉 Verse 39. Till ye shall say Blessed c. That is Ye shall never see me or not till the generall Judgement whenas you that would not obey that sweet voice of mine Come unto me ye that are weary c. 〈◊〉 have no other command of mine to obey but that dreadfull Discedite Go ye cursed into everlasting fire c. CHAP. XXIV Verse 1. Departed from the Temple NEver to return more to it In the ninth tenth and eleventh Chapters of 〈◊〉 God makes divers removes and still as he goes out some judgement comes in and when he was quite gone then followed the fatall calamity in the utter ruine of the City and Temple So it was then and so it was now according to that Hos. 9. 12. Woe also to them when I depart from them So Ier. 6. 8. Be instructed ô Ierusalem lest my soul be dis-joynted 〈◊〉 thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited Whatever therefore we do let us retain Christ with us lay hold on him as Magdalen did Take him by the feet as the Shunamite did the Prophet as the Shulamite held her Spouse constrain him to stay with us as the two Disciples going to Emaus cry Vesper a jam venit nobiscum Christe maneto Extingui lucem ne 〈◊〉 tuam To shew him the buildings of the Temple As thinking by that goodly sight haply he might be moved to moderate the severity of that former sentence of leaving their house desolate unto them chap. 23. 38. True it is that Herod to get the peoples good will which yet he could never do had been at a wonderfull charge in building and beautifying the Temple Josephus the Jew tells us that for eight whole years together he kept ten thousand men aworke about it and that for magnificence and statelinesse it exceeded Solomons Temple if his words exceed not the truth of the matter This the Disciples fondly thought would work upon our Saviour to reverse his former sentence as above-said but his 〈◊〉 were not as their thoughts Animo magno nihil magnum saith Seneca The bramble reckoned it a great matter to reign over the trees not so the Vine and Olive Verse 2. There shall not be left here c. This was afterwards fulfilled when the Temple was set on fire by Titus his souldiers that it could not be quencht by the industry of man Titus it is said would have preserved the Temple as one of the worlds wonders from being burnt but could not such was the fury of the souldiers set awork by God doubtlesse And when upon the taking of the city and Temple the army saluted him Emperour and many others by way of congratulation sent him crowns and garlands he by a memorable example of modesty refused them saying that he had done nothing more then lent his hands and help to God who declared his 〈◊〉 wrath against that sinfull people And when Julian the Apostate to spite the Christians permitted and encouraged the Jews to reedifie their Temple at his charge and they attempted it accordingly they were hindred from heaven by a mighty earthquake together with balls of fire issuing out of the ground works and consuming the builders There are that say that at the same time the Temple at Delphi was utterly overthrown by earthquakes and thunder-bolts and could never since be repaired When Phocas the 〈◊〉 sought to secure himself by building high walles he heard a voice from heaven telling him that though he built his bulworks never so high yet sinne within would soon undermine all We may say the same to the Jesuites telling us so oft in their writings de magnitudine Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 that be they never so high-set God for their abominations will abase them It is observed of Rome that since it became the Popes seat it was never 〈◊〉 by any but it was sackt and ransackt See its destiny elegantly and emphatically set forth Rev. 18. 21. Verse 3. Came unto him privatly saying Because it was dangerous to speak publiquely of the destruction of the Temple as the examples of Jeremy and Steven shew Howbeit Micah the Morashite prophecied in the daies of 〈◊〉 saying Zion shall be plowed c. and the mountain of this house shall be as the high-places of a forrest And God stirred up many faithfull 〈◊〉 to cry out against Rome in her ruffe and to foretell her ruine In the year 1159. lived Joannes Sarisburiensis who reproved the Pope to his face and wrot his Polycraticon wherein he freely taxeth all the Romish hierarchy Bernard also told the Bishops of his time that they were not teachers but seducers not Pastours but Impostures not Prelates but Pilates c. And a certain Painter blamed by a Cardinall for colouring the visages of Peter and Paul too red tartly but fitly replyed that he painted them so as blushing at the lives of their successours The signe of thy coming viz. To destroy the temple And of the end of the world Which they thought could not possibly out-last the Temple As they were wont to say in the Primitive Church Absque stationibus non staret mundus The world could not stand if Gods people did not stand before him in prayer Semen sanctum statumen terrae as Tremellius reads Isa. 6. 13. Verse 4. Take heed that no man deceive you Try the spirits and turn from false doctrines as you would do from a serpent in your way or from 〈◊〉 in your meats Deceivers are fly and subtile and that old serpent more subtile then them all catcheth the deceived by the deceiver as the fisher doth one fish by another that he may make a prey of them both These as Harpies have virgins faces vultures tallons they are ravening wolves in sheeps-clothing c. Shun them therefore for they will increase to more ungodlinesse and their word will eat as doth a gangrene 2 Tim. 2. 16 17. Theodosius tore the writings of the Arrians that were presented to him And when he desired to conferre with Eunomius his Empresse Placilla disswaded him very earnestly lest being perverted by his speeches he might fall into heresie Verse 5. Shall come in my name Or under my name saying I am Christ as 〈◊〉 the Egyptian 〈◊〉 the Galilean Act. 5. 36. 37. Barchocab and others of old who were miserably slain by the Romans So one Moore in K. Edward the sixths time took upon him to be Christ So did Hacket in Q. Elizabeths time David George likewise and others in Germany that I say nothing here of Papists who desperately deny the Lord that bought them and wickedly set up Antichrist in his stead as were easie to prove who opposeth him not so much in his nature or person as in his unction and function and
till the people had read them And then they were taken down by the Preists and laid up for the use of posterity Verse 16 17 18 19 20. See the Notes on Matth. 4. 18. c. Verse 21. He entred into the Synagogue and taught This is noted as remarkable in Saint Mark that he often inculcateth that our Saviour taught Verse 22. And they were astonished If it could be said of Dr. Whitaker that no man ever saw him without reverence or heard him without wonder How much more of Christ sith grace was poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. As one that had authority Seest thou a Preacher deliver the Word with singular authority as Paul we beleeve therefore we speak esteem him very highly for the works sake The Corinthians are checkt for that they were unruly and would raign without Paul 1 Cor. 4. And not as the Scribes Frigidly and jejunly Didst thou beleeve thy self thou wouldst never plead thy clients cause so coldly and carelesly said Cicero to his adversary Verse 23. With an unclean spirit Gr. In an unclean spirit An unregenerate man is in maligno positus as St. John saith of the world He is inversus decalogus whole evill is in man and whole man in evill till at last without grace he be satanized and transformed into a breathing Devill By reason of the inhabitation of unclean spirits our spirits have in them Trenches Cages Forts and strong-holds of Satan 2 Cor. 10. 4. Verse 24. What have we to do with thee Not to do with Christ and yet vex a servant of Christ Could the Devill so mistake him whom he confessed It is an idle misprision to sever the sense of an injury done to any of the members from the head Thou Jesus of Nazareth Though the Devils confessed Christ to be the Holy one of God yet they call him Jesus of Nazareth to nourish the errour of the multitude that thought he was born there and so not the Messias Neither did the Devils cunnning fail him herein as appears John 7. 44. Art thou come to destroy us Before the time such is the infinite goodnesse of God that he respits even wicked men and spirits the utmost of their torments I know thee who thou art This he spake not to honour Christ but to deingrate him as commended by so lying a spirit Laudari ab illaudato non est laus saith Seneca The holy one of God Some rest in praysing the Sermon and speaking fair to the Preacher The Devill here did as much to Christ to be rid of him So did Herod Mark 6. 20. Verse 25. Hold thy peace Capistrator be thou haltered up or muzzled Christ would not hear good words from an evill mouth High words become not a fool saith Salomon The Lepers lips should be covered according to the Law Verse 26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him So he will serve all that he is now at inne with as Braford hath it You are the Devils birds saith he to all wicked ones whom when he hath well fed he will broach you and eat you chaw you and champ you world without end in eternall woe and misery And cried with a loud voyce But said nothing according to verse 25. He came out of him With as ill a will goes the worldlings soul out of his body God tears it out as Job somewhere hath it death makes forcible entry Verse 27. For with authority As he taught so he wrought with authority The same word is used verse 22. Verse 30. Sick of a fever Which the Greeks denominate of the heat that is in it the Germans of the cold See the Note on Matth. 8. 14. Verse 32. When the Sun did set And the Sabbath was ended for till then many held it not lawfull Verse 34. Suffered not the Devils to speak For what calling had they to preach the Gospel Verse 35. And in the morning c. The fittest time for prayer or any ferious businesse Therefore not only David Psalme 5. verse 3. and other Saints but also heathens chose the morning cheifely for Sacrifice as Nestor in Homer the Argonauts in Apollonius The Persian Magi sang Hymnes to their gods at break of day and worshipped the rising Sunne The Pinarii and Politii sacrificed every morning and evening to Hercules upon the great Altar at Rome c. Verse 38. Let us go into the next Townes The neighbouring Burroughs such as were between a City and a town Though secret prayer were sweet to our Saviour yet he left it to preach and profit many Verse 40. Beseeching him c. Morbi 〈◊〉 officina saith Ambrose We are best when we are worst saith another Therefore King Aluored prayed God to send him alwayes some 〈◊〉 Verse 41. Touched him Impensae gratiae bonitat is signum 〈◊〉 saith Calvin And so it is of his infinite goodnesse that he will touch our menstruous 〈◊〉 take at our hands our polluted performances Verse 45. Could no more openly enter For presse of people 〈◊〉 was so frequented that he was forced to withdraw CHAP. II. Verse 1. And it was noysed THe Sun of rightcousnesse could as little lie hid as the Sun in Heaven Verse 2. Many were gathered together Erasmus observeth that Origen in his Sermons to the people chideth them for nothing more then for their thin assemblies to hear the Word and for their carelesse hearing of that which they ought to attend to with utmost diligence recte judicans saith he hinc osse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profectum aut defectum Verse 3. Which was borne of foure apprehensis quatuor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivo cadaveri 〈◊〉 Wicked men are living ghosts walking Sepulchers of themselves Bring them to Christ that they may be cured Verse 5. When he saw their faith By their works as the goodnesse of the promised Land was known by the grapes and fruits brought back by the Spyes In all our good works Christs eye is upon our faith without which it 's impossible to please God Verse 6. But there were certain of the Scribes Little do 〈◊〉 know when they preach what hearers sit before them 〈◊〉 fel est quod 〈◊〉 Some of our hearers carry fel in aure as it s said of some creatures they carry their gall in their ears Verse 7. Who 〈◊〉 forgive sinnes c Man may remit the 〈◊〉 God only the transgression Verse 8. Perceived in his spirit That is by his Deity as 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 9. 14. Or by his own spirit as 1 Pet. 3. 8. not by inspiration as 2 Pet 1. 21. Verse 10. Hath power on earth Christus 〈◊〉 divino omnia 〈◊〉 non injustâ aliqua virtute ac tyrannicâ Christ did 〈◊〉 in his Fathers right and not perforce Verse 11. I say unto thee arise See here our Saviours letters testimoniall whereby he approves his authority and power to be authentick Ye are our Epistle saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 2. Verse 13.
be not come to worshipping is a grievous sinne St John had not yet worshipped the Angel but only fallen down as desirous to worship and is taken up by the Angel for that idolatrous gesture Woe then to those Rimmonites that plead for an upright soul in a protrate body and alleadge for their warrant that of Apocryphall Baruc Chap. 6. Wherefore when ye see the multitude of people worshipping them behinde and before say ye in your hearts O Lord it is thou that 〈◊〉 test only to be worshipped Serve we God with our bodies also and say with David and Christ Lord a body hast thou 〈◊〉 Loe I come to doe thy will therewith But what a 〈◊〉 and detestable boldnesse was it in the devil to move speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin as this to our Saviour Christ It was extreme sawcinesse in Satan to adjure our Saviour whom he there cals The Sonne of the most high God not to torment him it was horrible impudency But nothing comparable to this in the Text to worship the devil in person then which what can be imagined more odious We see then to what execrable sins the best may be tempted A man is to expect saith one if he live out his daies to be urged to all sinnes to the breach of every branch of the ten Commandments and to be put to it in respect of every Article of our Creed Have you not been tempted saith another in this or that kinde It is because God in mercy would not lead you into temptation Yea this is in some sort more to be acknowledged 〈◊〉 victory when ye were tempted For not to be tempted is more immediately from God and 〈◊〉 in mans power then to prevail against temptation For nothing doth overcome us without our will but without our will doth God lead us into triall for he knoweth we would taste little of these if we might be our own carvers Simon Simon saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to have you to winnow you that is 〈◊〉 trouble and hurt you saith a Father as a challenger desireth to have one of the other side to combat with as Goliah called for a man to match him Now either God denies him or delivers us so that that evil one toucheth us not viz. Tactu qualitativo with a mortall touch as Cajetan glosseth that Text I have praid for thee saith our Saviour that thy faith fail not He praid for all but especially for Peter because more violently tempted As because more shamefully foiled therefore Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am risen and that thereby he is justified I have praid so that the remedy was ready made before the disease the salve before the sore or else it might have come too late As those that are stung by a scorpion if they be not presently anointed with oil of scorpions die for it and as those that have drunk poison if they take not an antidote immediately ere it get to the vitals perish infallibly God in Christ hath all plaisters and pardons ready made and sealed Else we might die in our sins whiles the pardon is providing Verse 10. Get thee hence Satan Avaunt avoid be packing This was an indignity not to be endured as great every way as if the 〈◊〉 scoundrell upon earth should assault the chastity of the greatest Empresse Our Saviour therefore will endure him no longer but commands him out of his presence with utmost indignation And surely madnesse in case 〈◊〉 Gods dishonour is farre better then meeknesse Here if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides our selves it is to God as Paul said to the Corinthians and as he did when 〈◊〉 dealt with Elymas that first-born of the devil when he saw him 〈◊〉 the deputy He set his eyes upon him saith the Text as if he would have run thorow him After which lightning follows that terrible thunder-crack Full of all 〈◊〉 and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So the Angel of Ephesus could not abide those 〈◊〉 Revel 2. 2. Nor could David brook the workers of iniquity he casteth down the gauntler of defiance against them as his utter enemies He hateth them with a perfect hatred Hezekiah pulled down the brazen Serpent when the people idolized it and called it a peece of brasse And Josiah would not let stand the horses of the Sunne and other monuments of Idolatry upon any intreaty King Edward the 6th being laboured by some of his best friends to permit the Lady Mary his sister to have Masse in her house answered He would rather spend his life and all he had then to agree and grant to that he knew certainly to be against the truth And another time in his message to the Rebels of 〈◊〉 Assure you most surely said he that we of no earthly thing under heaven make such reputation as of this one to have our law obeyed and this cause of God which we have taken in hand to be thorowly maintained From the which we will never remove an hairs bredth or give place to any creature living much lesse to any Subject wherein we will spend our own royall Person our Crown Treasure Realm and all our State whereof we assure you of our high honour Now Gods blessing be on that blessed heart that 〈◊〉 such a stomack against Gods dishonour and 〈◊〉 entertain all wicked attempts and assaults with this Apage of our Saviour And woe to them that cry Euge to such Whether we may say to the Tempter as our Saviour did Get thee hence and not rather as the Angel The Lord rebuke thee is questioned by some because it is his only to command the devil But that we may and must say to him no man doubts as our Saviour did to the Pharisees Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites as Naboth did to Ahab God forbid me any such wickednesse As Solomon to his mother Ask the Kingdom also As the witch of Endor to Saul Why seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die Thus Resist saith Peter Stand fast saith Paul Resist and Satan will flee he is but a coward Stand and then Satan will fall Not to yeeld is to conquer if he cast us not down we are then accepted as if we did cast him down We doe ever-overcome saith that great Apostle because in our head Christ we overcome before we fight and are sure of victory Revel 12. 1. Quare apage sis Diabole tela tua in hoc semen mulier is converte hunc si viceris me quoque viceris said one Devil doe thy worst to Christ conquer him and take all For it is written This two-edged sword our Saviour had found to be metall of proof and therefore holds him to it Only the Scriptures scare the devil as only faithfull praier can charm him Athanasius writeth that evil spirits may be put to flight by that 68. Psalm Let the
Lord arise and his enemies be 〈◊〉 But this is true of the whole word of God which is armour of proof against the devil Thous shalt worship the Lord thy God Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God saith Moses So Matth. 15. 9. with Isa. 29. 13. See Psal. 2. 11. Josh. 24 11. Heb. 12. 27. Solemon sets the 〈◊〉 of God as the basis and beginning of Gods work and worship in the beginning of his works And again in the end of them makes it the end and upshot of all For they that fear the Lord will keep his Covenant Psal. 103. 13 18. Yea they will work hard at it as afraid to be taken with their tasks undone Act. 10. 35. They will give him both the shell of outward adoration and the kernell of inward devotion truly without halting and totally without halfing truly both for matter and manner totally both for subject and object as David who did all the wils of God and with all his heart all the daies of his life The Gentiles could say that God must be worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either to our utmost or not at all And Plutarch compares our duty to a certain fish which eaten sparingly hurteth but being eaten up all is medicinable And him only shalt thou serve With inward worship as before with outward And so God only is to be served for it supposeth omniscience omnipresence and omnipotence which are in none else but God Sunt qui colendi verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum volunt eò quòd plerunque Dei hominumque cultus cum adulatione hypocrisi est conjunctus Sic à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gallicum nostrate flatter Sic adorare quidam dictum volunt ab ore tamet si mente magis quam ore vera fiat adoratio Quinetiam adorare antiquis idem fuit quod agere Verse 11. Then the devil left him If Christ command him away there 's no abiding for him Here he was foiled and quelled and as it were cast down and killed by Christ our Champion He came into the field like another Goliah cracking and calling craven but ere he went thence was made to hop headlesse as he First a terrour afterward a scorn as it was anciently said of those Chariots armed with sithes and hooks Henceforth therefore though we are ever to expect temptations till such time as we have gotten that great gulf between the devil 〈◊〉 us Luk. 16. 26. Yet fear none of those things that ye shall suffer Behold the devil shall by his imps and instruments cast 〈◊〉 of you not all into prison not into hell that ye may be tried not destroied and ye shall have tribulation ten daies so 〈◊〉 and no longer Be thou faithfull unto the death and I will 〈◊〉 thee a crown of life Satan can look for no Crown he is in perdition already His aim and endeavour is to draw us into the same condemnation This we escape if we resist stedfast in the faith for then he perceives Christ the chief Captain of our salvation to be there and therefore flees his presence ever since he felt his prowesse Chrysostom saith That by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are so armed against Satans temptations that he 〈◊〉 from us no otherwise then if we were so many leones ignem expuentes lions that spet fire It is not silly peoples defying the devil and spetting at his name that avails any thing for 〈◊〉 spet not low enough they spet him not out of their hearts yea they admit him thereinto by yeelding to his suggestions and are miserably foolish as if men should startle at the name of fire and yet not fear to be scorched with the flame thereof Our 〈◊〉 way is to run to Ithiel and Ucal as Agur did to Christ the Authour and finisher of our faith who here gave the devil such an inglorious 〈◊〉 trampled him in the mire triumphed over him and hath promised to tread him under our feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. And loe the Angels came and ministred unto him Perhaps food to 〈◊〉 body as once to Elias but certainly comfort to 〈◊〉 soul as to Jacob Hagar Daniel Zecharias Joseph Cornel us Paul c. Socrates and Theodoret tell us of one Theadorus a 〈◊〉 put to extream torments by Julian the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him when he saw him unconquerable 〈◊〉 tels us that he met with this Martyr a long time after this triall and asked him Whether the pain he felt were not 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 That at first it was somewhat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a while there seemed to stand by him a young man in 〈◊〉 who with a soft and comfortable handkerchief wiped off the sweat of his body which through extream pain and anguish was little 〈◊〉 then bloud and bad him Be of good chear Insomuch as that it was rather a punishment then a pleasure to him to be taken off the rack sith when the tormentours had done the Angel was gone And how many unspeakable comforts ministred the good Angels to the modern Martyrs in their prisons at the stake and in the fire Christ indeed was not comforted by them till the temptation was over but to us they minister many times in the hour of temptation They have power over the devils to restrain them and though invisibly and insensibly are as ready to help and comfort us as the evil Angels to tempt and trouble us else were not our protection equall to our danger and we could neither stand nor rise An Angel stood at Zecharies right hand Luk. 1. 11. as the devil did at Jehoshuahs Zech. 3. 1. to shew how ready and handy they are to defend and support the Saints It was as he was burning incense The Angels are busiest about us when we are in Gods work which to set forth the hangings of the Tabernacle of old were full of 〈◊〉 within and without He said unto him Fear not Zechary The blessed spirits though they doe not often vocally expresse it doe pity our humane frailties and secretly suggest comfort to us when we perceive it not Alway they stand looking on the face of God to receive commandments for the accomplishment of all designs for our good which they have no sooner received then they readily dispatch even with wearinesse of flight as Dan. 9. 〈◊〉 with so much swiftnesse as if they had wearied themselves with fleeing I read of a Frier that undertook to shew to the people a feather of the wing of the Angel Gabriel A plume of whose feathers it might better have become the Pope to send to 〈◊〉 the Irish Rebell then that plume of Phoenix-feathers he sent to honour and encourage him had his holinesse such command over Angels as they say he hath or did he not rather collude in one thing as that Frier did in another Verse 12. Now when Iesus heard that Iohn was cast into prison For Herodias his