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
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON The four Evangelists AND The ACTS of the APOSTLES Wherein the Text is explained some Controversies are discussed divers common places are handled and many remarkable matters hinted that had by former Interpreters been pretermitted Besides divers other Texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened and the whole so intermixed with pertinent histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judicious Reader By John Trapp M. A. Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Glocestershire Phil 1. 21. Only let your conversations be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Thomas Linaker Anglus Athenienses cùm haberent aequissima jura sed iniquissima ingenia moribus suis quà m legibus uti mallent Valer. Maximus LONDON Printed by A. M. for John Bellamie at the Sign of the three golden-Lions near the Royall-Exchange M.DC.XLVII TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL His much honoured Friend Colonell JOHN BRIDGES Governour of Warwick-Castle Justice of Peace for the County of Warwick and one of the Honourable Committee for the Safety of that County Worthy Sir THis book of mine doth at once both crave and claim Your Patronage for I cannot bethink me of any one that all things considered hath better right to it 〈◊〉 me then Yourself I must never 〈◊〉 how that being carried prisoner by the enemies You soon set me off by exchange and after that being by them driven from house and home You received me to harbour yea being driven out of one Pulpit where they thought to have surprized me You presently put me into another where I had a comfortable imploiment and a competent encouragement What hours I could then well spare from that pensum diurnum of praying and preaching I gladly spent in these Notes upon the New Testament as hating with the Athenians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fruttlesse feriation and holding with Cato that account must be given not of our labour only but of our leisure also For that two-years-space well-nigh that I lived in Your Garison I think I may truly say with Seneca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per otium exiit dies partem etiam noctium studys vendicavi that I laboured night and day amidst many fears and tears for the labouring Church and bleeding State Vt ad vitam communem aliquem saltem fructum ferre possem that I might be some way serviceable to the Publike and to You. And albeit I was even sick at heart sometimes of the affliction of Joseph and even ready thorow faintnesse to let fall my pen as it befell Hierom when writing upon Ezekiel he heard of the sacking of the City of Rome by the Goths yet as God who comforteth those that are cast down gave us any lucida intervalla this last triumphant year especially I took heart afresh to set closer to the work which now by Gods grace is brought to some period And because I have ever held ingratitude a monster in nature a solecisme in manners a paradox in Divinity an ugly sinne yea if there be any sinne against the holy Ghost it is this said Queen Elizabeth in a Letter of hers to the King of France therefore I could doe no lesse then dedicate this piece of my pains unto You to whom I owe so very much it being penned most of it within Your walls and under Your wing where I so long sat and sang O Melihaee Deus nobis haec otia fecit The Stork is said to leave one of her young ones where she hatcheth them The Elephant to turn up the first sprig toward heaven when he comes to feed both out of some instinct of gratitude The AEgyptians are renowned in Histories for a thankfull people And the Israelites were charged not to abhorre an Egyptian because they were once strangers in his land and had tasted of his courtesies The unthankfull and the evil are fitly set together by our Saviour And Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris said the Ancients All that I can do by way of retribution for Your many free favours is to make this publike acknowledgement thereof under mine hand that if any shall reap benefit by what I have written they may see to whom in part they are beholden Now the good Lord that hath promised a Prophets reward to him that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet He that ministreth seed to the sower and hath said That who so watereth shall be watered also himself He that is able to make all grace to abound toward You that You may abound to every good work The same God All-sufficient multiply Your seed and encrease the fruits of Your righteousnesse being enriched in every thing to all bountifulnesse which causeth through us thanksgiving to God This is and shall be Sr the daily desire of Your Worships affectionately observant John Trapp The Preface to the Reader THe manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall saith S. Paul And as any man hath received the 〈◊〉 so let him minister the same to others saith S. Peter We therefore learn that we may teach is a Proverb among the Hebrews And I do therefore lay in and lay up saith the Heathen that I may draw forth again and lay out for the good of many Synesius speaks of some who having a treasure of rare abilities in them would assoon part with their hearts as their conceptions the canker of whose great skill shall be a swift witnesse against them How much better Augustus and Augustin Of the former Suetonius tels us that in reading all 〈◊〉 of good Authours he skilfully pickt out the prime precepts and paterns of valour and vertue sending the same to such of his servants and under-officers for tokens as he thought they might do most good unto And for the later he accounted nothing his own that he did not communicate and somewhere professeth himself in the number of those Qui scribunt proficiendo scribendo proficiunt That write what they have learned and learn yet more by writing His last works are observed to be his best And the reason is given by Melancthon Quia docendo didicit because by much trading his talent he had much improved it Of Melancthon himself one of his Countrey-men gives this testimony It appears saith he that Melancthon was on this wise busied abroad the world that seeing and hearing all he could he made profit of every thing and stored his heart as the Bee doth her hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit 〈◊〉 labour like Bees but with this difference Quod illae faciant cibos hae condant That the Bees make their meat the Pismires gather it both have their proper praise and profit If I may be esteemed by thee Courteous Reader either the one or the other it is enough And
resist and repudiate the price of repentance Act. 5. 31. and the matter of remission 1 Joh. 1. 7. viz. the precious blood of Jesus Christ whereby if they might have mercy yet they would not but continue raving and raging against both physick and Physitian to their unavoidable ruth and ruine How bold therefore is Bellarmine who interpreteth this text of the difficulty and rarity only of remission and not of an utter impossibility Verse 33. Either make the tree good c. q. d. Your blasphemy is therefore irremissible because it is the fruit of so base a root of bitternes as the desperate malice of your hearts wilfully crossing your consciences a wretched despising and despiting of God and the work of his spirit out of revenge Heb. 10. 29. Draw not therefore a fair glove over so foul a hand but 〈◊〉 your selves in your own colours Verse 24. How can ye being evil c. The stream riseth not above the fountain the bell is known of what mettall by the clapper what is in the well will be in the bucket what in the ware-house will be in the shop so what is in the heart will be in the mouth AEra puto noscitinnitu pectora verbis Sic est namque id sunt utraque quale sonant Verse 35. Out of the good treasure c. Out of his habit of heavenly mindednes out of that law of grace in his heart his mouth speaketh wisdom and his tongue talks of judgement Psal. 〈◊〉 30. 31. Works not done from a principle of life within are dead works saith the Authour to the Hebrews be they for the matter never so good and praise worthy This moved Luther to say that good works make not men good but good we must be first ere good can be done by us This moved Austin to say that Omnis vita infidelium peceatum est the whole life of an unbeleever is sin though Spira the Popish Postiller censure that saying for a cruell sentence An evil man out of the evil treasure c. Carnall hearts are stews of unclean thoughts shambles of cruell and bloudy thoughts exchanges and shops of vain thoughts a very forge and mint of false politick undermining thoughts yea oft a little hell of confused and black imaginations as one well describeth them Verse 36. That every idle word c. Idle and waste words are to be accounted for what then evil and wicked Therefore let thine own words grieve thee as David somewhere hath it thy frivolous and fruitlesse speeches for among a thousand talents of common communication saith Cassiodore a man can scarce finde an hundred pence of spirituall speeches imò nec decem quidem obolos nay not ten halfpence truly It may be observed saith another that when men get into idle company which perhaps they like not the very complement of discoursing extracteth idle if not evil speaking to fill up the time Plato and Xenophon thought it fit and profitable that mens speeches at meals and such like meetings should be written And if Christians should so doe what kinde of books would they be Verse 37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified Our Saviour 〈◊〉 upon this subject because by words they had sinned against the holy Ghost A mans most and worst sins be his words St Paul making the anatomy of a naturall man stands more on the organ of speech then all the other members Rom. 3. St James saith that the 〈◊〉 is not a city or countrey but a world of iniquity Jam. 3. 6. It can 〈◊〉 all the world over and bite at every body when the devil fires it especially Peraldus reckons up four and twenty severall sins of the tongue he might have made them more God hath set a double hedge afore it of teeth and lips to keep it up he hath also placed it between the head and heart that it might take counsel of both Children he will not suffer to speak till they have understanding and wit and those that are deaf are also dumb because they cannot hear instruction nor learn wisdom that they may speak advisedly Verse 38. Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees 〈◊〉 not these as one said of Nero Os ferreum cor plumbeum an iron face a leaden heart that could call for a signe after so many signes But it is a signe from heaven they would have as Moses called for Manna from thence Samuel for rain Elias for fire c. and much the near they would have been should our Saviour have gratified them But he never meant it They were now so clearly convinced of their blasphemy that they had nothing to say for themselves but fawningly to call him Master whom before they had called Beelzebub and to pretend themselves to be willing to learn if they might see a signe They could not see wood for trees as they say And who so blinde as he that will not see Sic fit ubi homines majorem vitae partem in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 solem quafi supervacuum fastidiant saith Seneca Men that have lived long in the dark may think the Sun 〈◊〉 Verse 39. An evil and adulterous generation c. Spuria soboles a bastardly brood So he calleth them because utterly degenerate from their fore-fathers faith and holinesse Seeketh after a signe Seeketh with utmost earnestnesse as if it were such a businesse as must be done or they were undone It is the guise of hypocrites to be hot in a cold matter to shew great zeal in nifles neglecting the main mean while But the signe of the Prophet Ionas Nor that neither but for a further mischief to them as their fathers had quails to choak them a King to vex them c. and as Ahaz had a 〈◊〉 whether he would or no to render him the more inexcusable Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius God gives his enemies some 〈◊〉 gifts as Saul gave Michol to David to be a snare to him or as Christ gave Iudas the bag to discover the rottennesse of his heart Verse 40. For as Ion as was three daies c. In the history of Ionas Christ found the mystery of his death buriall and resurrection teaching us thereby to search the Scriptures to search them to the bottom as those that dig for gold content not themselves with the first or second oar that offers it self but search on till they have all This we should the rather doe because we need neither climbe up to heaven with these Pharisees nor descend into the deep with Ionas sith the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart c. Rom. 10. 7. 8. So shall the Sonne of man be three dayes c. Taking a part for the whole So Esther fasted three daies and three nights chap. 4. 16. And yet on the third day she went to the King chap. 5. 1. So then the fast lasted not three whole daies and nights but two
whether for meat perishing or induring Verse 3. Others standing idle For any good they did or could doe till sent into the vineyard and set a work by God Till then we are mere excrements of humane society Nos numerus sumus c. Verse 4. Goe 〈◊〉 also into the Vineyard God hath his times to call men in Only let them stand in Gods way wait at the posts of wisdoms gates at the pool of 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est adgratiam vocatio Ephes. 1. 11. The separation of the Saints is wonderfull Exod. 33. 16. Verse 5. About the sixth and ninth houre God hath his servants of all sexes and sizes calling when and whom he pleaseth And they have the comfort and credit of it that are first called so they walk worthy of their time and that vocation wherewith they are called Ephes. 3. 1. Thus it was an honour to Mnason that he was an old Disciple and to 〈◊〉 and Junia that Paul should say of them Who also were in Christ before 〈◊〉 Verse 6. And about the eleventh houre About five a clock in the afternoon When it was well-nigh time to leave work 〈◊〉 serò si seriò Howbeit delaies are dangerous 〈◊〉 are abrupt and headlong and if once past irrecoverable If 〈◊〉 ye will enquire enquire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 21. 12. 〈◊〉 that say men may repent hereafter say truly but not safely They that alledge these here that came in at the eleventh houre 〈◊〉 consider that these were never called till then But now God 〈◊〉 yea commandeth all men every where to repent Act. 17. 30. And now he is more peremptory 〈◊〉 then ever heretofore See Heb. 2. 3. How many are daily taken away in their offers and eslayes before they have prepared their hearts to cleave to God Verse 7. Goe ye also 〈◊〉 the Vineyard At this houre the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was sent in and he 〈◊〉 him for he justifies Christ condemns himself chides his fellow for railing praies for a part in Paradise c. he lived much in a little time Howbeit 〈◊〉 is a singular example one of the miracles wherewith Christ would honour the ignominy of his crosse Neither is it often seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that old men are converted They are usually so set in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are hardly removed such an hoof they have over their hearts that scarce any thing will affect them Abraham in the old Testament and Nicodemus in the New were called in their 〈◊〉 age Name a third he that can Verse 8. Saith unto his steward That is to his Son Christ whom he hath made judge of all to give unto every man according to his works This he will doe with demonstration of his 〈◊〉 both justice so that none shall receive lesse then was promised him and mercy so that all shall receive more then they 〈◊〉 For although their peny be here called their hire 〈◊〉 elsewhere 〈◊〉 reward yea their wages yet all is of 〈◊〉 Verse 9. And when they came These last 〈◊〉 were first 〈◊〉 because they trusted not to the worth of their own works 〈◊〉 to Gods free grace and goodnes when the other are turned off in displeasure with Tolle quod tuum est vade Take thy peny and be packing Verse 10. They supposed that they c. Good works are 〈◊〉 Regni caelestis saith Bellarmine But God is no such merchant Caelum gratis non accipiam I will not have heaven for nothing saith Vega. Thou shalt never have it therefore 〈◊〉 give thee that gift Verse 11. They murmured c. They had that they agreed for some temporall blessings which is all that carnall men commonly care for Or if they seek after spirituall things it is not for any beauty he seeth or taste he findeth in them but only as a bridge to bring them to heaven as Spira confessed of himself It is not good therefore to indent and bargain with God how much he shall give us either of temporals or spirituals for so you may have your peny and yet be discontented that it is 〈◊〉 a peny and no more Profits pleasures honours appear to be but empty things when men are to goe into another world Verse 12. Thou hast made them equall Loe this is the guise of 〈◊〉 hypocrites to be quarrelling and contending with God and man as unworthily 〈◊〉 withall Thus those Jewish 〈◊〉 Isa. 58. 3. hit God in the teeth with their good services and small thanks So the proud 〈◊〉 sets forth not his wants but his worth 〈◊〉 Jacob cries out in a low language Domine non sum dignus Gen. 30. 10. So doth Paul 1 Cor. 15. 9. the Centurion Matth. 8. 6. the Baptist Mat. 3. 11. St August 〈◊〉 Non sum dignus quem tu 〈◊〉 Domine Lord I am 〈◊〉 worthy of thy love Verse 13. Friend I doe thee no wrong Friend he is called not 〈◊〉 though he were a 〈◊〉 a merit-monger In arguing the case with others use hard arguments but in a soft language This will soonest work for man is a crosle crabbed creature and if roughly dealt with will sooner slight you for your passion then regard your reason though never so convincing because not well managed There are a generation whose words are swords whose tongues are rapiers to run men thorow with upon every small occasion and their throats as a gaping grave to bury them in Verse 14. Take that thine is and 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 sentence David blesseth himself from those men of Gods hand which have their portion here and that 's all they are to look for Valdè protest at us sum said Luther when great 〈◊〉 were offered him me nolle sic a Deo satiari A gracious spirit 〈◊〉 rest satisfied with low things The Turkish Empire as big as it is saith the same Luther is nothing else but a crust of bread which the good man of the house casteth to his dogs Verse 15. It is not lawfull for me c. This is Gods speech who is the great proprietary of all it may not be ours who have nothing of our own but all in trust So that when we present any thing to God we must say as David did 1 Chron. 29. 14. and afterwards Justinian the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of thine own we give thee for all that is in the heaven and the earth is thine St Bernard reports of Pope Eugenius that meeting with a poor but honest Bishop he secretly gave him 〈◊〉 jewels where with he might present him If God did not first furnish us we should have nothing wherewith to honour him or doe good to others Is thine eye evil because I am good It 's commonly observed that witches and those that are in league with the devil to doe mischief are never given over so to doe till they come to have an evileye Hence that nescio quis teneros c. and those that are bewitched are said to be overseen that is to be
with Abner so do mens abilities fail amain when once they begin to fail till at last God laies them aside as so many broken vessels and cause them to be forgotten as dead men out of minde Psal. 31. 21. Verse 29. But from him that hath not shall be c. See the Notes on Chap. 13. 12. Where the like is spoken but with this difference There our Saviour speaketh of proud men such as arrogate to themselves that they have not Here of idle and evil persons such as improve and imploy not that they have the rust of whose worth shall rise up against them Jam. 5. 3. Verse 30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant That had his soul for salt only to keep his body from putrifying that worthlesse saplesse uselesse man that is no more missed when gone then the parings of ones nails that never did good among his people Ezek. 18. 18. but lived wickedly and therefore died wishedly A way with such a fellow saith Christ from off the earth which he hath burdened c. Verse 31. And all the holy Angels with him He shall not leave one behinde him in heaven 〈◊〉 what a brave bright day must that needs be when so many glorious Sunnes shall shine in the firmament and among and above them all the Sun of righteousnesse in whom our nature is advanced above the brightest Cherub Upon the throne of his glory Perhaps upon his Angels who are called Thrones Col. 1. 16. and possibly may bear him aloft by their naturall strength as on their shoulders Verse 32. And before him shall be gathered all Then shall Adam see all his Nephews at once none shall be excused for absence at this generall Assizes none shall appear by a proxy all shall be compelled to come in and hear their sentence which may be as some conceive a long while a doing It may be made evident saith one from Scripture and reason That this day of Christs kingly office in judging all men shall last haply longer then his private administration now wherein he is lesse glorious in governing the world Things shall not be suddenly shuffled up at last day as some imagine And he shall separate them Before he hears their causes which is an argument of singular skill in the Judge it being the course of other Judges to proceed Secundum allegata probata But he shall set mens sins in order before their eyes Psal. 50 21. with 〈◊〉 of the particulars Verse 33. The sheep on the right hand c. A place of dignity and safety Our Saviour seems here to allude to that of Moses his dividing the Tribes on Gerizzim and Ebal Those six Tribes that came of the free-women are set to blesse the people as the other five that came of the bond-women whereunto is adjoyned Reuben for his incest are set to say Amen to the curses Deut. 27. 11 12 13. Verse 34. Come ye blessed of my Father Pateruè alloquitur As who should say Where have ye been my darlings all this while of my long absence Come Come now into my bosom which is now wide open to receive you as the welcomest guesse that ever accoasted me c. And surely if Jacobs and Josephs meeting were so unspeakably comfortable If Mary and Elizabeth did so greet and congratulate O what shall be the joy of that 〈◊〉 day Inherit the Kingdom prepared Here as in the Turks Court every man is aut Caesar aut nullus as he said either a King or a 〈◊〉 as the Sultans children if they raign not they die without mercy either by the sword or halter From the foundation of the world Their heads were destinated long since to the diadem as Tertullian hath it K. James was crowned in his cradle Sapores King of Persia before he was born for his father dying the Nobles set the crown on his mothers belly but the Saints were crowned in Gods eternall counsell before the world was founded Verse 35. For I was an hungred For in this place denoteth not the cause but the evidence It is all one as if I should say This man liveth for behold he moveth Where it will easily be yeelded That motion is not the cause of life but the evidence and effect of it So here Merit is a meer fiction sith 〈◊〉 can be no proportion betwixt the worke and the 〈◊〉 Verse 36. Naked and 〈◊〉 clothed me Darius before he came to the Kingdom received a garment for a gift of one Syloson And when he became King he rewarded him with the command of his countrey Samus Who now will say that Syloson merited such a boon for so small a curtesie A Gardiner offering a rape-root being the best present the poor man had to the Duke of 〈◊〉 was bountifully rewarded by the Duke Which his Steward observing thought to make use of his bounty presenting him with a very fair horse The Duke ut perspicaci erat ingenio saith mine authour being a very wise man perceived the project received the horse and gave him nothing for it Right so will God deal with our merit-mongers that by building monasteries c. think to purchase heaven I was in prison and ye came to me Many Papists have hence concluded that there are only six works of mercy Visito poto cibo c. whereas indeed there are many more But it is remarkable out of this text that the last definitive sentence shall passe upon men according to their forwardnesse and freenesse in shewing mercy to the family of faith And that the sentence of absoution shall contain a manifestation of all their good works and that with such fervency of affection in Christ that he will see and remember nothing in them but the good they have done See my Common-place of Alms. Verse 37 38 39. Then shall the righteous c. Not that there shall be then any such dialogisme say Divines at the last day but Christ would hereby give us to understand That the Saints rising again and returning to themselves can never sufficiently set forth such a bounty in Christ whereby he taketh all they do to their poor necessitous brethren in as good part as done to his sacred self Verse 40. One of the least of these my 〈◊〉 What a comfort is this that our own brother shall judge us who is much more compassionate then any Joseph What an honour that Christ calls us his brethren What an obligation is such a dignity to all possible duty that we stain not our kindred 〈◊〉 being invited to a place where a notable harlot was to be present asked counsell of 〈◊〉 what he should do He bad him only remember that he was a Kings sonne Remember we that we that we are Christ the Kings brethren and it may prove a singular preservative Vellem si non essem Imperator said 〈◊〉 when an harlot was 〈◊〉 unto him I would if I were hot Generall Take thou the pillage of the field said
by the fire of the Word would burn which made 〈◊〉 Nehemiah to pray for pardon of his reformations yet upon your true repentance for the evil that cleaves to your best works your 〈◊〉 may be saved from the wrath to come yea they are such as accompany salvation and comprehend it as the 〈◊〉 Scholiast expounds that text Labour ther fore to 〈◊〉 a heart full of goodnesse as those Romans Chap. 15. 14. and a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9. 33. such as may beseem amendment of life Verse 9. And thinke not to say within your selves Hypocrites are never without their starting-holes out of 〈◊〉 they must be ferretted There are infinite turnings and windings in the heart of man studious of deceiving it self by some paralogisme Therefore the Apostle so oft premiseth Be not deceived when he reckons up reprobates 1 Cor 6 9. Eph. 5. 6 c. We have Abraham to our father What of that so had Ishmael an 〈◊〉 Esau a castaway c. Externall priviledges profit not where nothing better can be pleaded 〈◊〉 the fool was of the line of faithfull Caleb Qui 〈◊〉 post me Followed me fully 〈◊〉 God Numb 14. 24. Vertue is not as lands inheritable Why should these men brag they had Abraham to their father when they might have observed that God had raised up of this stone a son to Caleb God is able His power is 1. Absolute whereby he can doe more then he doth 2. Actuall whereby he doth that only that he willeth Some things he can doe but will not as here and 〈◊〉 26. 53. Rom. 9. 18. Some things he neither will nor can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie to die to deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 1. 3. Heb. 6. 17. for these things contradict his 〈◊〉 and imply impotency But whatsoever he 〈◊〉 without impediment he 〈◊〉 Isa. 46. o Psal. 115. 3. Of these stones to raise up children to Abraham This he could doe though he will not And yet he doth as much as this when he takes the stone out of the heart when of carnall he makes us a people created again Psal. 102. 18. when cut of a hollow person one as empty and void of heart as the hollow of a tree is of 〈◊〉 is fetcht out heart of oak and of a wilde asse-colt-born is made a man See both these similitudes Job 11. 12. It was a strange change that Satan mention'd and motion'd to our Saviour of turning stones into bread But nothing so strange as turning stony hearts into hearts of flesh This is a work of Gods Almighty power the same that he put forth in raising Christ from the dead Ephes. 1. 19. where the Apostle the better to set forth the matter 〈◊〉 a six-fold gradation in the Originall and in creating the world 〈◊〉 51. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. The Prophet Isaiah tels us That he plants the heavens and laies the foundation of the earth that he may say to Zion Thou art my people And although mans heart be an emptinesse as in the Creation as herbs in Winter or as a breathlesse clod of earth yet that hinders not 〈◊〉 the Prophet Verse 10. And now also is the axe laid to the root of the tree q. d. God is now taking aim where to hit and how to fell you as a man laieth his axe at that very place that he intends to to smite at he seeth well enough that all his patience and pains in digging in dunging and in dressing you is to no purpose He comes seeking fruit from time to time but findeth none Luk. 13. 7. Now therefore he hath laid down his basket and taken up his axe as resolved to ruine you unlesse present course be taken Neglect not the present Now lest ye be cut off for ever God will not alway serve you for a 〈◊〉 stock Since ye have a Preacher repent or perish Let this spring distinguish between dead and living trees Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit So God is graciously pleased to stile our poor 〈◊〉 in every of which there is something of his as well as something of our own That which is his he accepts that which is ours he pardons But good it must be quoad fontem the Spirit of God and quoad finem the glory of God Negative 〈◊〉 serves no mans tur to save him from the axe It is said of 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of the Priscillian heresie was all the vertue that he had The evil servant did not riot cut his talent those reprobates Mat. 25. robbed not the Saints but relieved them not Moab and Ammon were bastardized and banished the sanctuary to the tenth generation for a meer omission because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernes And Edom is sore threatned for not harbouring them when scattered by the 〈◊〉 Take we heed that live in the last age of the world lest God hasten the calling of the Jews and cast us off for our unfruitfulnesse Rom. 11. Verse 11. I indeed baptize you with water to repentance There is a two fold baptisme Heb. 6. 2. the doctrine of baptismes viz 〈◊〉 flaminis externall and internall the putting away of the pollution of the flesh and the answer of a good conscience purged from dead works to God-ward When these two meet when men are baptized with water to repentance then baptisme saveth 1 Pet. 3. 21. that is it effectually assureth salvation whensoever by the Spirit and faith the baptized comes to be united to Christ and to feel the love of God shed abroad in his soul whereby is wrought in him a spirit of 〈◊〉 a grief 〈◊〉 sinne as it is an offence against God And hereupon S. Peter saith Baptisme saveth in the present tense implying that it is of permanent and perpetuall use effectuall to save and seal up the promises whensoever we repent From which happy time baptisme once received remains a fountain alwaies open for sinne and 〈◊〉 uncleannesse to those that mourn over him that bled over them a laver of regeneration a washing of the spirit who 〈◊〉 clean water upon them ridding and 〈◊〉 them from all their sins past present and future Provided that they stand to the Covenant and order of baptisme in a continuall renovation of faith and repentance as occasion shall be offered This doctrine of baptismes now cleared by Divines divers of the ancient Doctours understood not which disheartned Piscator from spending much time upon them He that commeth after me Whose Harbinger and Herald 〈◊〉 am whose Prodromus and Paranymph friend and 〈◊〉 I am as the morning-starre 〈◊〉 runs the Sunne with whose light it shineth 〈◊〉 mightier then I And will easily out 〈◊〉 me He must encrease but I must decrease and this is the complement of my joy Ioh. 3. 29 30. To rejoyce in the good parts of others though it eclipseth
constitution and conversation from worse to better Recover your lost wits with the Prodigall who repenting is said to come to himself and become 〈◊〉 after your folly Pull down the very frame of the old man unmake your selves as St 〈◊〉 hath it 1 Pet. 2. 24. Undoe what you had done before and be ye 〈◊〉 and metamorphosed by the renewing of your 〈◊〉 For Except a man be born again not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 from above but a 〈◊〉 time as Nicodemus understood our Saviour except he goe over all again that is past rejecting it as unprofitable and begin anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God where old things are past all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. a whole new creation For the kingdom of heaven is at hand See what is said to this whole verse Chap. 3 2. For this was the summe and substance of the Baptists our Saviours and his Apostles Sermons and had need to be daily pressed and preached sith it is our pensum diurnum the first and continuall work of Gods Spirit in the faithfull who because they cannot wash their hands in innocency wash them in tears and by renewing their repentance work and wear out all brackish and sinfull dispositions as sweet water will doe the salt sea coming into it as wine or honey casteth out the 〈◊〉 as fast as it ariseth Christ biddeth us as oft to pray Forgive us our trespasses as we pray Give us this day our daily bread He not only waits for repentance from the wicked but would also have his dearest children daily meet him condemning themselves Luk. 13. 5. If ye repent not also more and more when ye see the examples of Gods wrath upon others ye shall likewise perish Besides some sins are past in time that are not past in deed if we dwell not in the undoing and reversing of them Ezra 10. 11 12. and 9. 15. They were to begin anew their repentance because they had not considered their marrying of strange wives Verse 18. 〈◊〉 Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee Not for recreation sake or to deceive the time for he had a great multitude attending upon him to 〈◊〉 the Word of God as St Luke noteth 〈◊〉 as laying hold on the opportunity of calling Peter and Andrew and after that 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to the Apostleship Our Saviour knew that a well chosen season is the greatest advantage of any action which as it is seldom found in haste so is it too often lost in delay The men of Issachar were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to doe and when to doe it So are they in great account with the sonne of David who regard and improve as he did here the season of well-doing which they that lose are the greatest losers and the wastfullest prodigals For of 〈◊〉 other 〈◊〉 two may be had together but two moments of time how much lesse two opportunities of time cannot be 〈◊〉 together Some are semper victuri as Seneca saith ever about to doe better they stand futuring and whiling out the time so long till they have trifled and fooled away their own salvation Let us sit ready in the door of our hearts as Abraham did in the door of his 〈◊〉 to apprehend occasions of doing good as he to entertain passengers to set a word or work upon it's wheels that it may be as apples of gold and pictures of silver pleasant and profitable for every thing is beautifull in it's season and how forcible are right words As the Bee so soon as ever the Sunne breaks forth flies abroad to gather honey and wax So be thou ready to every good work waiting the occasions thereof Tit. 3. 1. Now now saith David and after him Paul because for ought we know it is Now or Never to day or not at all Opportunities are headlong and once past irrecoverable Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas God hath hanged the heaviest weights upon the weakest wires Be quick therefore and abrupt in thine obedience Thou knowest not what a great-bellied day may bring forth Yea thou maist the very next hour be cut off from all further time of repentance acceptation and grace for ever He saw two brethren He knew them and admitted them into his friendship well nigh a year before 〈◊〉 1 39. but now calleth them from being fishers to be fishers of 〈◊〉 Peter is famous for his first draught Act. 2. whereby he caught and brought to the Church three thousand souls Casting their net into the sea God calleth men when they are busie Satan when they are idle For idlenesse is the hour of 〈◊〉 and an idle person the devils Tennis-ball which he tosseth at pleasure and sets awork as he liketh and listeth God hath ordained that in the sweat of his brow man should eat his bread The Hebrew hath it In the sweat of his nose for he must labour till the sweat runne down his nose Which if 〈◊〉 doe God hath promised that manus molitans the diligent nimble handed man shall not stay long in a low place He shall stand 〈◊〉 Princes as these painfull fisher-men were to stand before the Prince of Peace and to be of his constant retinue As till then their busie attendance on their calling was no lesse pleasing to Christ then an 〈◊〉 diate devotion Happy is that 〈◊〉 whom his Lord when he comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serving 〈◊〉 and man with his fat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in Iothams Parable For they were fishers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one sed 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dona dedit ministeria Christ sends forth none to preach but whom he gifteth where the comfort is that a small 〈◊〉 may threed a needle and a little 〈◊〉 doe better in a small river then a great 〈◊〉 Verse 19. He saith unto them Follow me And together with his Word 〈◊〉 went forth a power inclining them to follow whereby it appears that they were not only of the many that are called but of those few that are chosen The Lord knoweth who are his saith St Paul But this knowing of his is carried secret as a river under ground till by 〈◊〉 calling he 〈◊〉 them from the rest 〈◊〉 they can call upon the Name of the Lord and depart from evil This when they are once 〈◊〉 of Christ they must be acting when he hath tuned and touched us we must make musick and 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 embreaths us we must turn about as the Mill and follow the Lambe wheresoever he 〈◊〉 as these 〈◊〉 did And I will make you fishers of men Of live men as 〈◊〉 desire to catch fish alive because they are more vendible An apt metaphor wherein 1. The world is compared to the sea for it's unsetlednesse 〈◊〉 the oppression that is in it
themselves get their living by begging and subsist merrily upon alms Such beggars God hath alwaies about him Matth. 26. 11. And this the Poets hammered at when they feigned that Litae or praiers were the daughters of Jupiter and stood alwaies in his presence Lord I am hell but thou art heaven said Hooper I am a most hypocriticall wretch not worthy that the earth should bear me said Bradford I am the unmeetest man for this high office of suffering for Christ that ever was appointed to it said sincere Saunders Oh that my life and a thousand such wretches lives more saith John Carelesse Martyr in a letter to M. 〈◊〉 might go for yours Oh! Why doth God suffer me and such other Cater-pillars to live that can doe nothing but consume the alms of the Church and take away you so worthy a work-man and labourer in the Lords vineyard But woe be to our sins and great unthankfulnesse c. These were excellent paterns of this spirituall poverty which our Saviour here maketh the first and is indeed the first second and third of Christianity as that which teacheth men to finde out the best in God and the worst in themselves For their's is the kingdome of heaven Heaven is that true Macaria or the blessed Kingdom So the Island of Cyprus was anciently called for the abundance of commodities that it sendeth forth to other Countries of whom it craveth no help again Marcellinus to shew the fertility thereof saith That Cyprus aboundeth with such plenty of all things that without the help of any other forraign countrey it is of it self able to build a tall ship from the keel to the top-sail and so put it to sea furnisht of all things needfull And Sextus Rufus writing thereof saith Cyprus famosa divitijs paupertatem populi Rom ut occuparetur sollicitavit Cyprus famous for riches tempted the poor people of Rome to ceize upon it What marvell then if this Kingdome of heaven sollicite these poor in spirit to offer violence to it and to take it by force sith it is all made of gold Revel 21. yea search is made there thorow all the bowels of the earth to finde out all the precious treasure that could be had gold pearls and precious stones of all 〈◊〉 And what can these serve to only to shidow out the glory of the wals of the new Jerusalem and the gates and to pave the streets of that City Verse 4. Blessed are they that mourn For sinne with a funerall sorrow as the word signifieth such as is expressed by crying and weeping Luk. 6. 25. such as was that at Megiddo for the losse of good Josiah or as when a man mourns for his only sonne Zech. 12. 10. This is the work of the spirit of grace and of supplication for till the windes doe blow these waters cannot flow Psal. 147. 18. He convinceth the heart of sinne and makes it to become a very Hadadrimmon for deep-soaking sorrow upon the sight of him whom they have pierced When a man shall look upon his sinnes as the weapons and himself as the traitour that put to death the Lord of life this causeth that sorrow according to God that worketh repentance never to be repented of For they shall be comforted Besides the comfort they finde in their very sorrow for it is a sweet sign of a sanctified soul and seals a man up to the day of redemption Ezek. 9. 4. they lay up 〈◊〉 themselves thereby in store a good foundation of comfort against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life as the Apostle speaketh in another case 1 Tim. 6. 19. These April showres bring on May flowers they that here so we in tears shall reap in joy they that finde Christs feet a fountain to wash in may expect his side a fountain to bath in Oh how sweet a thing is it to stand weeping at the wounded feet of Jesus as that good woman did to water them with tears to dry them with sighes and to 〈◊〉 them with our mouths None but those that have felt it can tell the comfort of it The stranger meddleth not with this joy When our merry Greeks that laugh themselves fat and light a candle at the devil for lightsomenesse of heart hunting after it to hell and haunting for it ale-houses conventicles of good fellowship sinfull and unseasonable sports vain and waterish fooleries c. when these mirth-mongers I say that take pleasure in pleasure and jeer when they should fear with Lots sonnes-in-law shall be at a foul stand and not have whither to turn them Isa. 33. 14. Gods mourners shall be able to dwell with devouring fire with everlasting burnings to stand before the sonne of man at his second comming Yea as the lower the ebbe the higher the tide so the lower any hath descended in humiliation the higher shall he ascend then in his exaltation Those that have helped to fill Christs bottle with tears Christ shall then fill their bottle as once he did Hagars with the water of life He looked back upon the weeping women comforted them that would not vouchsafe a loving look or a word to Pilate or the Priests Not long before that he told his Disciples Ye shall indeed be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy And further addeth A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow c. comparing sorrow for sinne to that of a travelling woman 1. For bitternesse and sharpnesse for the time throws of the new birth 2. For utility and benefit it tendeth to the bringing a man-childe forth into the world 3. For the hope and expectation that is in it not only of an end but also of fruit this makes joy in the midst of sorrows 4. There is a certain time set for both and a sure succession as of day after night and of fair weather after foul Mourning lasteth but till morning Though I fall I shall arise though I sit in darknesse the Lord shall give me light saith the Church Jabes was more honourable then his brethren saith the Text for his mother bare him with sorrow and called his name Jabes that is sorrowfull But when he called upon the God of Israel and said Oh that thou wouldst blesse me indeed and enlarge my coast c. God granted him that which he requested And so he will all such Israelites indeed as ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward going and weeping as they goe to seek the Lord their God he shall wipe all tears from their eyes as nurses 〈◊〉 from their babes that cry after them and enlarge not their coasts as Jabes but their hearts which is better yea he shall grant them their requests as him So that as Hannah when she had praid and Eli for her she looked no more sad yea as David when he came before God in a woe-case many times yet when
all that are in the house He that alloweth his servant a great candle or two or three lesser lights looks for more worke God sets up his Ministers as candles on the candlestick of his Church to waste themselves wax and week for the lighting of men into life eteruall Let them therefore see to it that they worke hard while the light lasteth lest their candl stick be removed lest the night surprize them on the sudden when none can worke lest they pay dear for those precious graces of his Spirit in his faithfull Ministers spent or rather spilt upon them 〈◊〉 God cause the sun to go down at noon and darken the earth in the clear day A mos 8. 9. Verse 16. Let your light so shine before men We use to 〈◊〉 the picture of a dear friend in a conspicuous place that it may appear we rejoyce in it as an ornament to us so should we the image of Christ and his graces And as pearls though formed and found in the water are like the heavens in clearnesse so should all but especially Ministers Their faces should shine as Moses when he came from the mount their feet should be beautifull Rom. 10. 15. their mouths as heaven in the Revelation should never open but some great matter should follow their lives should be as one speaketh of Iosephs life caelum quoddam lucidissimis virtutum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very heaven sparkling with variety of vertues as with so many bright starres The High-Priest of the Law came forth to the people in habit more like a God then a man And Alexander the great took him for no lesse but fell at his feet meeting him upon his way to Ierusalem There are that hold that by his linens he was taught purity by his girdle discretion by his embroidered coat heavenly conversation by his golden bells sound doctrine by his pomegranates fruitfullnesse in good works by his shoulder-peeces patience in bearing other mens infirmities by his brest-plate continuall care of the Church by his mitre a right intention and by the golden plate upon it a bold and wise profession of Holinesse to the Lord. The Apostle also is exact in forming a minister of the Gospel For he must be 1. Blamelesse such as against whom no just exception can be laid 2. Vigilant pale and wan again with watching aud working 3. Sober or temperate one that can contain his passions master his own heart and keep a mean 4. Modest neat and comely in his bodily attire neither curious nor carelesse thereof but venerable in all his behaviour and one that keepeth a fit decorum in all things 5. Hospitall and harberous Quicquid habent Clerici pauperum est saith Hierome 6. Able and apt to teach as Bishop 〈◊〉 Dr Taylour and Mr Bradford who preached every sunday and holyday ordinarily and as 〈◊〉 Origen and some others who preached every day in the week 7. Not given to wine no Ale-stake as those drunken Priests the two sonnes of Aaron who died by the fire of God for coming before him with strange fire 8. No striker neither with hand nor tongue to the just grief or disgrace of any 9. Not greedy of filthy lucre so as to get gain by evil arts but honest plain-dealing and as it follows in the text patient or aequanimous easily parting 〈◊〉 his right for peace sake and ever preferring equity before extremity of Law 10. Not a brawler or common barretter a wrangler as Ismael 11. Not covetous not doating on his wealth or trusting to his wedge Not without money but without the love of money The Apostle here distinguisheth greedy of filthy lucre which is in getting from 〈◊〉 which consists in pinching and saving 12. 〈◊〉 that ruleth well in his own house c. For the childrens faults 〈◊〉 upon the parents and the servants sinne is the masters shame Besides every man is that in religion that he is relatively and so much true goodnesse he hath as he sheweth at home 13. Not a novice a young scholar rude and ungrounded or a tender-young plant in Christianity as the word signifieth that may be bent any way but a well-grown oak stable and steddy 14. Lastly he must have a good report of them which are without which he cannot but have if qualified as above-said The same God which did at first put an awe of man in the fiercest creatures hath stampt in the 〈◊〉 hearts an awfull respect to his faithfull Ministers so as even they that hate them cannot 〈◊〉 but honour them as Saul did Samuel Darius Daniel Nebuchadnezzar the three Worthies Naturall conscience cannot but stoop and do homage to Gods image fairly stampt upon the natures and works of his people So that when men see in such that which is above the ordinary strain and their own expectation their hearts ake within them many times and they stand much amazed at the height of their spirits and the majesty that shines in their faces Either they are convinced as Nebuchadnezzar Darius and Diocletian who laid down the Empire out of a 〈◊〉 discontent and dispair of ever conquering the constancy of Christians by any bloudy persecution or which is better they are converted and seeing such good works they glorifie God our heavenly father as Justine Martyr who confesseth of himself that by beholding the Christians piety in life and patience in death he gathered their doctrine to be the truth and glorified God in the day of his visitation For there is no Christian saith Athanagoras in his Apology to the Heathens that is not good unlesse 〈◊〉 be an hypocrite and a pretender only to religion Verè magnus est Deus Christianorum said one Calocerius a Heathen beholding the sufferings of the Primitive Martyrs And it is reported of one Cecilia a Virgin that by her constancy and exhorations before and at her martyrdom four hundred were converted Chrysostom calls good works unanswerable syllogisines invincible demonstrations to confute and convert Pagans Julian the Apostate could not but confesse quòd Christiana religio propter Christianorum erga omnes beneficentiam 〈◊〉 est Christian religion spread by the holinesse of those that professed it Verse 17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law As the Pharisees slandered him only to bring him into hatred with the people And as to this day they maliciously traduce him in their writings Rabbi Maimonides in his Misnah hath a whole chapter concerning the punishment of the false-Prophet that teacheth that he came to destroy the Law Calumniare audactèr aliquid saltem adhaerebit said Machiavel A depraver saith Plato is 〈◊〉 nominis a devil saith Paul It is the property of defamitions to leave a kinde of lower estimation many times even where they are not beleeved I am not come to 〈◊〉 Gr. To loose dissolve or unty the Law as those Rebels Psal. 2.
to do any thing for them or theirs The whole Law is say the Schoolmen but one copulative Any condition not observed 〈◊〉 the whole lease and any Commandment not obeyed subjects a man to the curse And as some one good action hath 〈◊〉 ascribed and assured to it as peace-making Matth. 5. 9. so he that shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all When some of the Israelites had broken the fourth Commandment God challengeth them for all Exod. 16. 28. Where then will they appear that plead for this Zoar for that Rimmon a merry lye a petty oath an idle errand on the Lords day c. Sick bodies love to be gratified with some little bit that favoureth the disease But meddle not with the murthering morsels of sin there will be bitternesse in the end Jonathan had no sooner tasted of the honey with the tip of his rod only but his head was forfeited There is a 〈◊〉 fullnesse in sin a lye in these vanities give them an inch they 'l take an ell Let the serpent but get in his head he will shortly winde in his whole body He playes no small game but meaneth us much hurt how modest soever he seemeth to be It is no 〈◊〉 then the Kingdom that he seeketh by his maidenly 〈◊〉 as Adoniah As therefore we must submit to 〈◊〉 so we must resist the devil without expostulation 1 Pet. 5. 7. throw water on the fire of temptation though but to some smaller sin and stamp on it too Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth saith St James A little poison in a cup a little leak in a ship or breach in a wall may ruin all A little wound at the heart and a little sin in the soul may hide Gods face from us as a cloud Therefore as the Prophet when a cloud as big as a mans hand only appeared knew that the whole heaven would be overcovered and 〈◊〉 the King to betake himself to his charret so let us to 〈◊〉 shelter for a company comes as she said when she bore her 〈◊〉 Gad After Jonathan and his Armour-bearer came the whole host and when Dalilah had prevai'ed came the Lords of the Philistims He that is fallen from the top of a ladder cannot stop at the second round Every sin hardneth the heart and gradually disposeth it to greater offences as lesser wedges make way for bigger After Ahaz had made his wicked Altar and offered on it he brought it into the Temple first setting it on the brazen Altar afterwards bringing it into the house and then lastly setting it on the Northside of Gods Altar Withstand fin therefore at first and live by Solomons rule Give not water passage no not a little Silence sin as our Saviour did the 〈◊〉 and suffer it not to sollicite thee If it be importunate answer it not a word as 〈◊〉 would not Rabshakeh or give it a short and sharp answer yea the blew eye that St Paul did This shall be no grief unto thee hereafter nor offence of heart as she told David the contrary way It repented St Austin of his very excuses made to his parents being a childe and to his schoolmaster being a boy He retracts his ironyes because they had the appearance of a lye because they looked ill-favouredly B. Ridley repents of his playing at Chesse as wasting too much time Bradford bewaileth his dullnesse and unthankfullnesse Davids heart smote him for cutting the lap of 〈◊〉 coat only and that for none other intent then to clear his own innocency that in which Saul commended him for his moderation There are some that would shrink up sin into a narrow scantling and bring it to this if they could that none do evil but they that are in goales But David approves his sincerity by his respect to all Gods Commandments and hath this commendation that he did all the wills of God Solomon also bidds count nothing little that God commandeth but keep Gods precepts as the sight of the eye Those venturous spirits that dare live in any known sin aspire not to immortality Phil. 2. 12. they shall be least that is nothing at all in the Kingdom of heaven And teacheth men so As the Pharisees did and all the old and modern heresiarches In the year 1559. it was maintained by one David George that Arch heretike that good works were pernicious and destructory to the soul. The Anabaptists and Socinians have broached many doctrines of devils not fit to be once named amongst Christians The Pneumatomachi of old set forth a base book of the Trinity under St Cyprians name and sold it at a very cheap rate that the poorest might be able to reach it and reade it as 〈◊〉 complaineth In those Primitive times those capitall haeresies concerning the Trinity and Christs Incarnation were so generally held that it was a witty thing then to be a right beleever as Erasmus phraseth it All the world in a manner was turned Arian as St Hierome hath it 〈◊〉 telleth us that the 〈◊〉 being desirous to be instructed in the Christian religion requested of 〈◊〉 the Emperour to send them some to preach the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He being himself an 〈◊〉 sent them Arian Doctours who set up that heresie amongst them By the just judgement of God therefore the same Valens being overthrown in battle by the 〈◊〉 was also burnt by them in a poor cottage whether 〈◊〉 had fled for shelter Heretikes have an art of pythanology whereby they cunningly insinuate into mens affections and many times 〈◊〉 wade before they teach as it is said of the 〈◊〉 It was therefore well and wisely done of Placilla the Empresse when her husband Theodosius senior desired to conser with Eunomius she earnestly disl 〈◊〉 him lest being perverted by his speeches he might fall into his haeresie Shall be least in the Kingdom of heaven That is nothing at all there as Matth 20. 16. Either of these two sins here 〈◊〉 exclude out of heaven how much more both If single sinners that break Gods Commandments and no more shall be damned those that teach men so shall be double damned If God will be avenged on the former seven-fold 〈◊〉 he will on the later seventy-fold seven-fold When the beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies shall be gathered together toward the end of the world to make war against Christ the multitud shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the sword the poor seduced people that were carried along many of them as those two-hundred that followed Absolom out of Jerusalem in the simplicity of their hearts and understood not the matter shall have an easier judgement But the beast was taken and the false Prophet and were both cast 〈◊〉 not slain with the sword and so cast to the infernall vultures to be
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
this is the wisedom from beneath and is earthly sensuall devillish whereas that from above is first pure and then peaceable well assured of pardon of sinne and peace 〈◊〉 God and thence gentle or equable to men and easily perswaded full of mercy to an offending brother and good fruits friendly expressions without wrangling or lawing and without hypocrisie such as can be heartily reconciled and love again without dissimulation not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth Not covering a pot-sheard with silver drosse a wicked heart with burning lips Seven abominations are in such a heart and his wickednesse shall be shewed before the whole Congregation as Absoloms usage of Amnon A godly man carries neither cruell hatred a desire to hurt whom he hates as Esau nor simple hatred where there is no desire to hurt but a disdain to help he forgives not only but forgets as Joseph Gen. 50. 20. For injuries remembred are hardly remitted And although he loves not his enemies sinnes yet he doth their persons striving to seal up his love by all loving usage both in word and deed And herein he doth more then others that which is singular and in the worlds account seraphicall that which in truth is extraordinary and above vulgar possibility it is an high point of Christian perfection and let as many as are perfect be thus minded Benaiah was honourable among thirty but he attained not to the first three A naturall man may be renowned for his patience and benificence but the childe of God must herein go before all the wicked men in the world and strive to be conformed to the first three the blessed Trinity Verse 〈◊〉 Be ye therefore perfect even as your father c. The childe saith one is the father multiplied the father of a second edition Of Constantines sonnes Eusebius reporteth that they put on their fathers fashions and did exactly resemble him And of Irenaeus the same 〈◊〉 telleth us that he expressed to the life the learning and vertues of his master Polycarp It were happy for us and we must labour it if we could passe into the likenesse of the 〈◊〉 patern Our 〈◊〉 bonum consists in communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and conformity to him in keeping inward peace with God that he abhor us not because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters 〈◊〉 33. 19. and in seeking and keeping as much as may be peace with all men and holinesse purifying our 〈◊〉 as he is 〈◊〉 in quality though we cannot in an equality 〈◊〉 the love of every 〈◊〉 the ground of all our wranglings I am 4. 1. but especially from the passions and perturbations of the heart possessing our selves in patience For if patience have her 〈◊〉 worke we shall be perfect and 〈◊〉 wanting nothing For 〈◊〉 St Luke hath it Be mercifull c. Cap. 6. 37. CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Take heed that ye doe not your almes YOur justice saith the Syriack For first We doe the poor but right when we releeve them for they have an interest in our goods by vertue of the communion of Saints whereupon 〈◊〉 Withhold not saith he good from the owners thereof i. e. thy poor brethren 〈◊〉 the great Authour and owner of all hath 〈◊〉 the rich as his stewards as his Almoners with the wealth of this world He hath entrusted them I say not lent it them to speak properly for that which is lent is our own at least for a time but put it into their hands only for this end that their abundance may be a supply for others wants 2 Cor. 8 9. that their full cups may over-flow into others lesser 〈◊〉 c. which if it be not done they can bring in no good bills of account It is 〈◊〉 justice then that we doe the poor and it is rapine or robbery saith S. Chrysostom not to relieve them Secondly Almes is called Justice to teach that almes should be given of things well gotten In the reign of K. Henry 8. there was one accused but very unjustly of heresie for 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 should not be given untill it did sweat in a mans hand The Jews called their Almes-box Kupha shel 〈◊〉 the chest of Justice and upon it they wrote this abbreviate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A gift in secret 〈◊〉 wrath Selymus the great Turk as he lay languishing his incurable disease still increasing leaning his 〈◊〉 in the lap of Pyrrhus the 〈◊〉 whom of all others he most loved I see said he O Pyrrhus I must shortly 〈◊〉 without remedy Whereupon the great 〈◊〉 took occasion to discourse with him of many matters and amongst 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give order for the well-bestowing of the great 〈◊〉 taken from the Persian Merchants in divers places of his Empire perswading him to bestow the same upon some notable Hospitall for relief of the poor To whom Selymus replied Wouldst thou Pyrrhus that I should bestow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them upon works of charity and devotion for mine own vain-glory and praise Assuredly I will never doe it Nay rather see they be again restored to the right owners which was forthwith done accordingly to the great shame of many Christians who minding nothing lesse then restitution but making ex 〈◊〉 locaustum doe out of a world of evil-gotten goods cull out some 〈◊〉 fragments to build some poor hospitals or mend some blinde way A slender 〈◊〉 of their hot charity Before men to be seen of them As those are that act their part on a stage and would please the spectatours that they may be applauded He that giveth 〈◊〉 S. Paul Let him doe it with 〈◊〉 with ingenuity accounting it enough that he hath God the witnesse of his heart Not but that men may see our good works and their praise be sought modo tibi non quaeras sed Christo saith one so that you seek not your selves therein but set up Christ Let your end be that the light may be seen not your selves seen Matth. 5. 16. A fool hath no delight in understanding saith Solomon but that his heart may discover it self i. e. that he may have the credit of it But he takes a wrong course For honour as a shadow followeth them that seek it not as the Hittites told Abraham he was a Prince of God amongst them when himself had said a little before I am a stranger and a 〈◊〉 with you c. Gen 23. 4 5. Otherwise ye have no reward of your father c. Ye take up your wages all afore-hand Fruit by the way-side seldome resteth 〈◊〉 it be ripe The cackling hen loseth her eggs so doth the vain-glorious hypocrite his reward Verse 2. Therefore when thou doest thine 〈◊〉 Unlesse thou set light by thy reward as Esau did by his birth-right unlesse thou holdest 〈◊〉 hardly worth having and art of that carnall Cardinals minde
not know what thy right-hand doth there 's no losse in that Some talents are best improved by being laid up A treasure that is hid is safer from theeves Steal we therefore benefits upon men as Joseph did the money into the sacks And as he made a gain of the 〈◊〉 and bought AEgypt so may we of the poor we relieve and buy heaven Luke 46. 9. Rom. 2. 10. Verse 4. Thy father that seeth in secret And best accepteth of secret service Cant. 2. 14. O thou that art in the clefts of the rocks let me see thy face let me hear thy voice c. He is all 〈◊〉 he searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins those most abstruse and remotest parts of the body seats of lust And as he is himself a Spirit so he loveth to be served like himself in Spirit and in truth He sets his eyes upon such as the word here signifieth he looketh wishtly fixedly steddily he seeth thorow and thorow our secret services not to finde faults in them for so he may soon do not a few but those he winks at where the heart is upright but to reward them as a liberall pay-master rich to all that 〈◊〉 upon him or do him any other businesse Who is there even 〈◊〉 you that shuts the door for nought that kindleth fire upon mine altar 〈◊〉 nought Mal. 1. 10. that gives a cup of cold water and hath not his reward David would not serve God on free cost but was he not paid for his pains and had his cost in again with 〈◊〉 ere the Sunne went down Let him but resolve to 〈◊〉 his sins and God or ere he can do it forgiveth him the iniquity of his sinne that in it that did most gall and grieve him 〈◊〉 him but purpose to build God a house God promiseth thereupon for his good intentions to build David an house for ever So little is there lost by any thing that is done or suffered for God He sends a way his servants that do his work many times and the world never the 〈◊〉 as Boaz did Ruth with their bosome full of blessings as David did 〈◊〉 with a royall 〈◊〉 as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba with all the desire of her heart as Caleb did his daughter Achsah with upper and nether springs or as once he did Moses from the Mount with 〈◊〉 face shining He shone bright but knew not of it yea he 〈◊〉 his glorified face with a vail and had more glory by his 〈◊〉 then by his face How farre are those spirits from this which care only to be seen And sleighting Gods secret approbation 〈◊〉 only to 〈◊〉 others eyes with admiration not caring for unknown riches Our Saviour besides the vail of his humanity saies See you tell no man It s enough for him that he can 〈◊〉 to his father I have 〈◊〉 thee on earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do His work he accounts 〈◊〉 gift 〈◊〉 wages he looks for in another world vers 5. He was content his treasures of wisdome should be hid Colos. 2. 3. And shall we fret our selves when our pittances of piety and charity are not admired 〈◊〉 it not enough for us that we shall appear with him in glory and then be rewarded openly Shall reward thee openly I but when at the resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. at that great assize and generall Assembly he will make honourable mention in the hearing of Angels and men of all the good deeds of his children How they have fed the hungry clothed the naked c. that which they had utterly forgotten not so much as once mentioning their misdoings Matth. 25. Yea he shall take them to heaven with him where the poor mens hands have built him a house afore hand and they shall receive him into everlasting habitations But what shall he do in the me an while Feed on faith as some read that text Psal. 37. 3. 〈◊〉 upon reversions 〈◊〉 but while the grasse grows the 〈◊〉 starves But so cannot a mercifull man for he shall have 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 7. Such a mercy as rejoyceth against judgement Yea he that can tender mercy to God may challenge 〈◊〉 from God by vertue of his promise as David doth Preserve 〈◊〉 ô God for I am mercifull Psal. 86. 2. 〈◊〉 he shall obtain 1. In his soul which shall be like a watered garden fresh and flourishing For the liberall soul 〈◊〉 be made fat Prov. 〈◊〉 25. and he that watereth shall be watered himself The spirits of wealth distilled in good works comfort the conscience 2. So they do the body too when sick and languishing Psal. 41. 2 3. Mercy is the best cordiall a pillow of repose a 〈◊〉 remedy For if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry thy health shall spring forth speedily Isa. 58. 3. For his name the liberall are renowned in the earth as Abraham that free-hearted house-keeper or peny-father and Obadiah that hid and fed the Prophets by fifty in a cave Zacheus and Cornelius Gaius and Onesiphorus how precious are their names How sweet their remembrance Who honours not the memoriall of Mary for her Spikenard and of Dorcas for her coats and garments Whereas the vile person shall no more be called liberall in Christs Kingdom nor Nabal Nadib the churl bountifull 4. For his estate The most gainfull art is 〈◊〉 giving saith Chrysostome The poor mans bosom and the Orphans mouth are the surest chest saith another Whatsoever we scatter to the poor we gather for our selves saith a third What we give to the poor we lend to the Lord who accounts himself both 〈◊〉 and ingaged thereby Prov. 19. 17. Neither will he fail to blesse the liberall mans stock and store Deut. 15. 10. so that his righteousnesse and his riches together shall endure for ever Psal. 〈◊〉 2. 3. 5 Lastly His seed shall be mighty upon earth vers 21. The son of such a tenant that paid his rent duly shall not be 〈◊〉 out of his farm Psal 37. 26. And that Proverb is proved false by common experience Happy is that sonne whose father goeth to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 il-gotten goods usually come to nothing the third heir seldome enjoyeth them unlesse it be here and there one that by repentance breaketh off and healeth his fathers sinne by mercifulnesse to the poor that the property may be altered and so his 〈◊〉 lengthned Oh therefore that rich men would be rich in good 〈◊〉 ready to distribute willing to 〈◊〉 which was a peece of praise used to be ascribed to the ancient Kings of AEgypt This this were the way To lay up for themselves a sure 〈◊〉 yea to lay fast hold on eternall life when those that with-hold their very crums 〈◊〉 not obtain a drop with Dives whom to vex and upbraid Lazarus was laid in the bosome of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 5. And when thou praiest A duty of
the worse side as the Israelites soon forgot their God and called for a Calf as the ten tribes were easily prevailed with 〈◊〉 go after the two golden calves and as the whole world wondred and wandred after the beast This to prevent as much as may be God in delivering the law is most large in the second and fourth Commandments which we are most apt to transgresse that 〈◊〉 superstition this by profanenesse Verse 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits That is chiefly by their doctrines which tend either to the infecting of the judgement with errour or tainting of the life with uncleanness or both and commonly both as those ancient Heretikes whose 〈◊〉 or as other Copies reade lascivious waies many followed by reason of whom the way of truth was evil spoken of St Austin observeth that in the loose and lascivious Heretikes many foul-mouthed men met with matter of blaspheming the Name of Christ because they also would needs be held Christians And Epiphanius adds that for their sakes many Heathens would not so much as have any conversation with Christians or hear them speak Who hath not heard what a stumbling-block and back-bias to the conversion of the Jews is the Idolatry of the Papists and the blasphemies of other Christians By their fruits they know such persons not to be of God as their Predecessours 〈◊〉 of our Saviour This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day The proposition here was sound had they not mistook themselves in the assumption he that keepeth not the Sabbath is not of God We may also safely reason in like sort Such and such deny or question principles as the Antitinitarians 〈◊〉 Eutychians and others not a few in the Primitive Church so pester'd with arch-he 〈◊〉 that it was then as Erasmus hath it an ingenious thing to be a Christian. Had these been of God they would have hearkened to his Word 〈◊〉 8. 47. which is plain in principles and commandeth to hate false heterodox opinions Psal. 119. 104. and those that broach them buzzing doubts in mens heads Rom. 16. 17. Joh. 10 5. That heretike confuted by Junius took an ungain course for his own satisfaction who confest that he had spent two and twenty years in trying religions He had been with Jews Arians Mahometans and 〈◊〉 sects that at length he might finde truth among them which is as he saith Viam per avia quaerere to seek truth by wandering thorow all sorts of errours But truth 1. is divine grounded upon the Scriptures wherein we have a most sure word is Peter hath it and self-sufficient saith Paul for instruction in 〈◊〉 to make the man of God perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works So that it is impossible Gods elect should be finally deceived though for a time they may be fearfully miscarried as the young Prophet was by the old Bethelite and Barnabas by Peter because they are all taught of God they have an unction within them the holy Ghost that illighteneth both the Organ and the object and so teacheth them all things that they understand the Scriptures and grow to a certainty Psal. 19. 7. Prov. 1. 4. All Christs sheep are rationall and will not follow a stranger Iob. 〈◊〉 5. though they are simple to evil yet they are wise to that which is good If they be of any standing and worth their years as we say they have a full assurance of understanding Coloss. 2 2. and vers 7. they are rooted and stablished in the faith and in the present truth 2 Pet. 1. 12. so that though man or Angel should object against it yet they would not yeeld to him Gal. 1. 8 9. For he that is spirituall discerneth all things as having the 〈◊〉 of Christ a spirit of discerning and senses exercised to difference good from evil being able to give a reason of that he believeth 1 Pet. 3. 15. to perform a reasonable service even the obedience of faith whence floweth and followeth rest to his soul 〈◊〉 6. 16. and 〈◊〉 consolation Coloss. 2. 2. Say he cannot answer all the cavils of an adversary yet he can hold the conclusion and though he cannot dispute yet he can die as that Martyr said in defence of the truth whereof he is fully perswaded in his own minde bottomed upon the Scriptures and ballasted therewith as S. Ambrose saith the Bee is with a little stone that she be not blown away with the winde 2. Secondly Truth is single one and the same at agreement with it 〈◊〉 But errour is manifold dissonant and contradictory to it self How often doth Bellarmine deny that in one place that he had affirmed in another That the Scripture is the very word of God saith he it can by no means be assured out of Scripture But in another discourse forgetting what he had said he affirmeth that among other arguments of the Divinity of the Scriptures there is sufficient proof to be had out of the Scriptures themselves So he cannot bethink himself if you 'l believe him where in all holy Writ there is any promise made of pardon of sins to such as confesse 〈◊〉 to God Again he teacheth that the substance of the bread in the Sacrament 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 cometh into the room of it adductivè as one thing succeeds into the place of another the first being voided And this saith he is the opinion of the Church of Rome himself being Reader of controversies at Rome But 〈◊〉 Reader at Salamanca in Spain confutes Bellarmines opinion terming it Translocation not Transubstantiation and saith it is not the Churches opinion So the greatest Popish Clerks cannot determine how the Saints know our hearts and praiers whether by hearting or seeing or presence every where or by Gods relating or revealing mens praiers and needs unto them All which waics some of them hold as possible or probable and others deny them and confute them as untrue Thus these great master-builders are confounded in their language and thus 〈◊〉 it is to know what the Church Malignant holdeth Her own dearest and learnedest sonnes know not God having delivered them up to the efficacy of errour which frets as a gangrene and spreds as leaven sowring the whole lump Look how the heathens were at a meer uncertainty in their opinions and 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 in Jonah prai'd to their 〈◊〉 Gods and bad him doe likewise Others of them usually closed up their praiers with Dijque Diaeque omnes Lest haply they might mistake in any one so are 〈◊〉 Having once stept over the pale of truth they know not where or when they shall stop or stay but run on from bad to worse 〈◊〉 and being deceived Bertius and Barret of
Arminians become professed Papists which differ no more saith a learned man then the Stoicks of old did from the Cynicks by the wearing of their cloaks onely If the Lutherans admit of universall grace the Huberians will thereupon bring in universall election the Puccians naturall faith the Naturalists as that Cestercian monster lately 〈◊〉 at London did will explode Christ and the Scriptures Apestilent sect there was not long since in Arragon whose founders were a hypocriticall crew of their Priests who affecting in themselves and their followers a certain Angelicall purity fell suddenly to the very counterpoint of justifying bestiality These called themselves Illuminati as if they onely had bin in the light and all the world besides in 〈◊〉 So besides the Gnosticks who held themselves to be the onely knowing men the Manichees derived their name of Manica because that whatsoever they taught was to be taken as food from heaven Irenaeus tells of some that counted their own writings to be gospels And the family of love set out their Evangelium regni Anabaptists brag much of their Enthusiasmes and the Jesuites vaunt that the Church is the soul of the world the Clergy of the Church and they of the Clergy and yet for their wickednesse though a man saith One should declaim against them t ll all the sand of the Sea had runne thorow his houre-glasse he could not possibly want matter Can there any grapes be gathered of these thorns any figs of these thistles Our Saviour makes use of these common proverbs to prove that this is so plain a truth that none can be ignorant of it if he have but his eies in his head or doe not wink wilfully as those Qui ut liberius peccent 〈◊〉 ignorant who are willingly ignorant that they may sin without controul Verse 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit i e. All 〈◊〉 doctrine tends to good life and rotten opinions to wretched practises As besides the old haereticks we see in the Papists their Priests especially of whom the L. Audely Chancellour of England in K. Henry the eights time said to 13. Callice men prisoners for Religion whom he discharged For Gods sake 〈◊〉 beware how you deal with Popish Priests for I assure you some of them be knaves all After the one thousand year of Christ there was no where lesse piety then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome as Machiavell himself observed who yet was himself none of the best as is well known for he professeth Caesar 〈◊〉 not withstanding all his villanies as the onely example for a Prince to imitate The Romish Pharisees like the devils are then thought to doe well when they cease to doe hurt saith Joannes Sarisburiensis In Popes saith Papirius Massonius a popish writer speaking of those Popes that lived in the time of the 〈◊〉 councell no man now-adaies requireth holinesse They are thought to be very good if not exstream evil or any thing better then the worst use to be The Sea of Rome saith Another hath not merited alate to be ruled by any better then reprobates Divers Popes have been 〈◊〉 Atheists Epicures Monsters as Bennio Cardinalis describes Hildebrand and Luitprandus reports of John the twelfth that he Ordained Priests in a stable among his horses that he went into his fathers Concubines that he drank a health to the devil c. Benedict the twelfth had this Epitaph set over him Hic situs est 〈◊〉 Laicis 〈◊〉 vipera 〈◊〉 Devius a vero turba repleta mero I am not ignorant what is the common put-off of Papists when urged with these and the like histories viz. Luitprandi illud non est sed 〈◊〉 cujusdam 〈◊〉 hoc historiae ipsius appenderit Luitprandus never wrote any such thing but some other namelesse Authour that hath 〈◊〉 it to his history saith Bellarmine and Baronius But who this namelesse Authour was or when he lived or how it may appear that it was 〈◊〉 indeed they say not a word So if we cite Bemio Cardinalis Imò potius Lutheranus saith Bellarmine and Florimund How disdainfully they reject the Fathers when they make against them I need not here recite I would sooner believe one Pope then a thousand Augustines saith a Jesuite And yet when they cannot be heard they are ready 〈◊〉 to cry out as that haeretike Dioscorus did in the Councell of Chalcedon I am cast out with the Fathers I defend the doctrine of the Fathers I transgresse them not in any point If we produce their own Doctours and Schoolmen as witnesses of the truth these men say they are Catholike Authours but they stand not recti in curia they must be purged So witty are 〈◊〉 rather to devise a thousand shifts to delude the 〈◊〉 then once to yeeld and acknowledge it They will not 〈◊〉 the love of the truth as the intemperate patient will not be ruled by the Physician And for this cause God delivers them up to strong delusions vile affections base and beastly practises as committing and defending of Sodomy and such like abhorred filth not once to be named amongst Christians But some having put away a good conscience as concerning faith have made shipwrack saith the Apostle A good conscience is as it were a chest wherein the doctrine of faith is to be kept safe which will quickly be lost if the chest be once broken And they that turne from the truth will prove abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Verse 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil 〈◊〉 c. Heretikes then and heterodoxes are not good honest men as the vulgar 〈◊〉 them For their pretended holinesse and counterfeit humility Col. 2. 18. Were they humble men indeed they would soon yeeld to the truth discovered unto them and relinquish their erroneous opinions 〈◊〉 could not be a good man as Bucholcerus judged him so long as he held fast his heresies though he were much in the commendation of a new life and detestation of an evil though himself praid much and lived soberly He bewitched many with those magnificent words and stately tearms that he had much in his mouth of Illumination Revelation Deification the inward and spirituall man c. but in the mean while he denied the humane nature of Christ to be a creature and called those that thought otherwise Creaturists He affirmed the Scripture to be but a dead letter which they that held not he called them Scripturists Faith he said was nothing else but God dwelling in us as Osiander after him In a word he was a leper in his head and is therefore pronounced utterly 〈◊〉 An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit That popish inquisitour was quite out that said the Waldensian Haereticks may be discerned by their manners and words for they are modest true grave and full of brotherly love one towards
daily over-flowed by the sea And it fell not Saving grace is unleesable though it may be impaired in the degrees and may recoyl to the root as sap doth in winter Christ lives in the hearts of all his Saints Gal. 2. 20. and can die no more Rom. 6. 10. Die he may as well at the right hand of his father as in the heart of a Christian. Object A weak brother for whom Christ died may perish 1 Cor. 8. 11. Sol. No thank to us if he do not who by scandalous courses offend and wound his conscience but Christ will not lose him so Object There are that deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. Sol. Bought they were by Christ in their own conceit and in the esteem of others but it proved otherwise Or they were bought that is delivered in a generall sense so the word here used often signifieth from their superstition to the knowledge of salvation I say not to saving knowledge whereby they might preach to others themselves being cast-awaies God hath charged Christ as Mediatour to see to the keeping of the bodies and souls of all true believers Joh. 6. 39. 40. And he faithfully performed it Those thou gavest me I have kept saith he and none of them is lost Joh. 17. 12. Christ makes exception of one that was lost Ibid. That shews he was never of his body for can he be a Saviour of a son of perdition Why is he then excepted 1. Because he seemed to be one of Christs by reason of his office 2. He speaketh there in particular of the twelve and to be an Apostle was in it self but an outward calling Christians may lose the things that they have wrought Joh. 2. 8. 1. Temporaries may and doe and of them it may be understood verse 9. 2. True Christians may 1. In respect of the praise of men All their former honour may be laid in the dust 2. In regard of the inward sense and comfort as David Psal. 32. 51. 3. In respect of the fulnesse of the reward in heaven their glory may be much lessened by their fals A righteous man may turn from his righteousnesse and die Ezek. 18. 24. From his righteousnesse imparted or that of sanctification he may turn in part and for a time and die a temporall death for his offence as Josiah Not so from his righteousnesse imputed or that of justification so as to die eternally Or the holy Ghost may so speak as of a thing impossible as if an Angel from heaven should preach any other Doctrine c. which cannot possibly be So that this text concludes not categorically The Comforter shall abide with us for ever Joh. 14. 16. It is called an earnest not a pawn A pawn is to be returned again but an earnest is part and pledge of the whole sum What need then so many exhortations to perseverance 1. True grace in it self is leesable in respect of us who should fall from it as Adam but we are kept by the power and promise of God to salvation and we need Christs left-hand to be under us and his right-hand over us to clasp and hold us up He keepeth the feet of the Saints and preserves us from all such evil as may frustrate our perseverance 2 Thess. 3. 3. 1 Joh. 5. 18. 2. By these exhortations as means Gods grace is promoted and preserved in us 3. We are but in part renued and are apt to backflide if we row not hard winde and tide will carry us back again Heed therefore must be taken that we look not back with Lots wife that our Jacobs-ladder may reach to heaven that our oyl fail not till the bride-groom come that our coat reach down to our heels as Josephs and the high-Priests did that we sacrifie the beast with the tail that we keep in this fire of the Sanctuary or if it slackt that we rake it out of the ashes and blow it up again into a flame that we turn not again as we walk with those living creatures Ezek 1 12. nor be like Nebuchadnezzars image that began in gold and ended in clay that we begin not in the spirit and end in the flesh that we go not backward as Hezekiahs Sun nor stand at a stay as Joshuah's but rejoyce to runne our race as Davids and goe on to the perfect day as Ioshuah's c. Verse 26. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not c. Which is the greater number of hearers For most men hear to hear and not to practise Some hear meerly of form or for fashion sake or to save the penalty of the Statute or to finde some Recipe to procure a sleep or to still the clamours of their consciences or to make amends and purchase dispensation for some beloved lust as Herod Or expecting from the preacher some choice novelty as 〈◊〉 3. 8. some deep point 〈◊〉 12. 37. or dainty expressions as Ezek. 33. 32. Or they 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Act. 17. 32. Hear and carp as Doeg hear and resist the holy Ghost Act. 7. Or at least are no whit wrought upon whether we pipe or lament to them Or if they hear and admire as those Matth. 22. 22. yet they amend nothing or but for a season as the stony-ground they are hearers of forgetfulnesse Jam. 〈◊〉 25. like hour-glasses they are no sooner full but 〈◊〉 out again like nets or sives they retain only the chaff or weeds let go the pure water and good corn The Word runs 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 water thorow a riven 〈◊〉 that 's the Apostles metaphor Heb. 2. 1. or as that which is written upon moist paper as others will have it A generall cause of our not practising what we hear is that we put this spirituall treasure into broken bags this 〈◊〉 liquour into leaking 〈◊〉 Whereas our souls should be as the Ark and our memories as the pot of Mannah to retain what we have received that we may have it ready for 〈◊〉 as Saul had his cruse and spear at his head and David his scrip and stones ready by his side A heavy ear is a 〈◊〉 judgement Isa. 6. 10. but a slow heart and a heavy hand to conceive and do what we hear paves a way to remedilesse misery besides the fool to boot which the Judge here putteth upon him Shall be likened unto a foolish man And he is a fool indeed whom Christ calleth fool Conscionable hearers are counted good men God wot but simple silly and of no parts But wisdome is justified of her children To walk precisely is to walk wisely 〈◊〉 5. 15. And he that 〈◊〉 and guideth his feet in the way is wife Prov 23. 19. And Who is a wise man amongst you and endued with knowledge Let him shew out of a good conversation his works c. Ja. 3. 13. All others
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
recovered Phil. 2. 27. For their own mutuall help and comfort was it therefore that they were sent out by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet speaks of his Ulysses and Diomedes sent to fetch in the Palladium Secondly for the sake of others that the bad might be the sooner set down and covinced the better confirmed and setled in the truth sith in the mouth of two or three witnesses c. For this it was that God set forth those noble pairs Moses and Aaron 〈◊〉 and Jehoshuah Paul and Barnabas the two faithfull witnesses Revel 11. 3. Luther and Melancthon Zuinglius and Oeco lampadius c. Verse 3. Bartholomew This say some was that Nathaniel Joh. 1. He is by Dionysius quoted to have said of Divinity Et Magnam esse minimam that it was large in a little room Matthew the Publican See here as in a mirrour Christs free grace in such a choice 〈◊〉 Matthews true grace in not dissembling his old trade but shaming himfelf that God might be glorified and thankfully crying out with Iphicrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how sinfull and 〈◊〉 to how high and honourable a calling and course of life am I advanced Verse 4. Simon the Canaanite 〈◊〉 a man of Cana in Galilee as Judas Escariot that is a man of Kerioth See Josh. 15. 25. Simon the Zelot St Luke calls him Christ when he called him to the Apostleship either found him or made him 〈◊〉 Tardis mentibus virtus non facile committitur 〈◊〉 osse Poetis Non Dij non homines non concessêre columnae Verse 5. 〈◊〉 twelve Jesus sent forth Out of deep commiseration of those poor scattered sheep that lay panting for life and well nigh gasping their last Saul that ravening wolf of Benjamin and his fellow-Pharisees not onely breathed out threatnings but worried Christs sheep that bore golden 〈◊〉 Now because he could not goe to them all himself in person he sends out the twelve There by also to teach them and us that no Minister is so thorowly 〈◊〉 to all good works but that he may need the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of his fellow-labourers And this I conceive was at 〈◊〉 the end of erecting Colledges and Cathedrals Verse 6. To the lost sheep This is the common condition of us 〈◊〉 All 〈◊〉 like sheep have gone astray The Prophet saith not like dogs 〈◊〉 these though 〈◊〉 will finde their way home again Nor 〈◊〉 swine for these also when lugd or against a storm will 〈◊〉 to their home But like sheep that silly creature then the which as none is more apt to wander so neither any more unable to return Verse 7. The kingdom of heaven is at hand Repent therefore Men will doe much for a kingdom And nothing 〈◊〉 then a Kingdom and that of Heaven can buy men out of their sweet 〈◊〉 How many 〈◊〉 we daily making answer to the motion of this 〈◊〉 kingdom 〈◊〉 them by God as the Olive and vine did in Jothams parable Shall I leave my fat and sweet sins to 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 God And yet every man must be either a King or a caytiffe raign in heaven or roar for ever in hell And this the 〈◊〉 were bid where ever they came to preach not to sing masse which is the chief office of Priests among the Papists And for the people they are taught to believe that the 〈◊〉 only is a 〈◊〉 of duty but the going to Sermons a matter 〈◊〉 conveniency and such as 〈◊〉 left free to mens leisures and opportunities without imputation of sin Verse 8. Heal the sick God glorifies 〈◊〉 by the fruits of our sin and the 〈◊〉 of his own wrath This great Alchimist 〈◊〉 how to extract good out of evil He can make golden 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1 7. medicinall 〈◊〉 fetch his own honour out of the depths of our 〈◊〉 as wine draws a 〈◊〉 vertue from the 〈◊〉 of vipers and as scarlet pulls out the vipers 〈◊〉 Freely ye have received And so have we in some sort and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sith no pains we take no cost we are at can possibly 〈◊〉 so great a 〈◊〉 as is 〈◊〉 unto us Verse 9. Provide neither gold c. To wit for this present 〈◊〉 for at other times our Saviour had money and he put it 〈◊〉 in a 〈◊〉 pouch but in a bag so big as that it needed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 them by experience of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in feeding and securing them to trust him for ever Verse 10. Neither two coats That may be a burden to you Neither shooes But sandals a lighter kinde of wearing Nor yet staves Either for offence or defence a dog shall not wag his tongue at you Or not a staff that may cumber you But take a staff as St Marke hath it sc. that may ease and relieve you in your hard toil and travel The workman is worthy of his meat Of his wages saith St Marke of both as labourers in Gods 〈◊〉 of double honour saith St Paul both countenance and maintenance Verse 11. Enquire who in it is worthy That is faithfull as Lydia was Acts 16. 15. and Philip the Evangelist Acts 21. 8. and Mary the mother of Mark Acts 12. 12. Lo here whither Ministers should resort and where should be their Rendevouz Psal. 26.4 Psal. 16. 3. In the excellent ones of the earth should be their delight I forget Lords and Ladies said good M. Fox to remember Gods poor Saints Verse 12. And when ye come into an house Into the Synagogues and other places of publike meeting our Saviour sends them not as yet because they were but young beginners and wanted 〈◊〉 and other abilities but bids them teach privately catechize from house to house and not stretch the wing beyond the nest till better fledged and fitted for flight Verse 13. If that house be worthy The Saints are the only Worthies of whom the world is not worthy These shall walk with Christ for they are worthy But the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10. 20. Let your peace come upon it Christian salutations are effectuall benedictions We 〈◊〉 you in the Name of the Lord. Let your peace return unto you Something will come of your good wishes if not to others to your selves you shall be paid for your pains as the Physitian is though the patient dies as the Lawyer hath his fee though his clients cause miscarry God will reward his Ministers though Israel be not gathered secundum 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 proventum as Bernard hath it Verse 14. And whosoever shall not receive you Two sure signes of reprobate goats 1. Not to receive Christs Ministers to house and harbour accounting themselves happy in such an entertainment 2. Not to hear their words The most good is done by Gods Ministers commonly at first coming Then some receive the word with admiration others are daily more and more hardned as fish
Paul did of Onesimus If he owe thee ought put that in mine account I will repay it And he I can tell you is a liberall pay-master Saul and his servant had but five-pence in their purse to give the Prophet The Prophet after much good chear gives him the Kingdom Such is Gods dealing with us Seek out therefore some of his receivers some Mephibosheth to whom we may shew 〈◊〉 He that receiveth a righteous man Though not a Minister if for that he is righteous and for the truths sake that dwelleth in him 2 Ioh. 2. The Kenites in Sauls time that were born many ages after Iethro's death receive life from his 〈◊〉 and favour from his hospitality Nay the AEgyptians for harbouring and at first deallng kindely with the Israelites though without any respect to their righteousnesse were preserved by Ioseph in that sore famine and kindely dealt with ever after by Gods speciall command Verse 42. Unto one of these little ones So the Saints are called either because but a little flock or little in their own eyes or little set by in the world or dearly respected of God as little ones are by their loving parents A cup of cold water As having not fuell to heat it saith Hierom nor better to bestow then Adams ale a cup of water yet desirous some way to seal up his love to poor Christ. Salvian saith That Christ is mendicorum maximus the greatest beggar in the world as one that shareth in all his Saints necessities Relieve him therefore in them so shall you lay up in store for your selves a good foundation against the time to come yea you shall lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 19. Of Midas it is fabled that whatever he touched he turned into gold Sure it is that whatsoever the hand of charity toucheth be it but a cup of cold water it turns the same not into gold but into heaven it self He is a niggard then to himself that is niggardly to Christs poor If heaven may be had for a cup of cold water what a bodkin at the churles heart will this be one day Surely the devil will keep holy-day as it were in hell in respect of such Verely I say unto you he shall in no wise c. By this deep asseveration out Saviour tacitely 〈◊〉 the worlds unbelief whiles they deal by him as by some patching companion or base bankrupt trust him not at all withoute ther ready money or a sufficient pawn But what saith a grave Divine Is not mercy as sure a grain as vanity Is God like to break or forget Is there not a book of remembrance written before him which he oftner 〈◊〉 then Ahasuerus did the Chronicles The Butler may forget Joseph and Ioseph his fathers house but God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed toward his name in that you have ministred to the Saints and doe minister Heb. 6. 10. CHAP. XI Verse 1. He departed thence to teach c. NEver out of action the end of one good work was with our Saviour the beginning of another So must it be with Ministers let them 〈◊〉 look to rest till they come to heaven but as S. Paul that Insatiabilis Deicultor as Chrysostom called him teach Gods people publikely and from house to house 〈◊〉 warning every one night and day with tears Dr 〈◊〉 Martyr preached not only every Sabbath-day and holy-day but whensoever else he could get the people together So did Bishop Ridley Bishop Jewell c. So did not their successours once a year was fair with many of them like the high-Priest 〈◊〉 the Law as if they had concurred in opinion with that Popish Bishop that said It was too much for any man to preach every Sunday and that Bishops were not ordained to preach but to sing 〈◊〉 sometimes leaving all other offices to their 〈◊〉 It is as rare a thing at Rome said Doctour Bassinet to hear a Bishop preach as to see an Asse flee Oh what will these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 riseth up and when he visiteth how will they answer him See my true Treasure pag. 2 4. To preach in their Cities That is in the Cities of his twelve Disciples in the causes of Galilee while they were doing the same in Iury. Maldonat the Jesuite will not have this to be the sense of this text and only because it is the sense that the 〈◊〉 as he calls the Protestants set on it A goodly thing he holds it to dissent from them though in a manifest truth So George Duke of Saxony was heard to say Though I am not ignorant that heresies and abuses are crept into the Church Yet I will never obey the Gospel that Luther preacheth For hatred to the man he would not hearken to the truth he taught This is to have the faith of Christ in respect of persons J am 2. 1. Verse 2. Now when Iohn had heard in the prison Put this fellow in prison said Ahab of Micaiah Who is thought to have been he that told him so barely of letting goe Benhadad So Ierenny that Concionator admirabilis as Keckerman calleth him was for forty years pains and patience cast into a deep and dirty dungeon The Apostles were often imprisoned so were the ancient Bishops under the ten first perseeutions From the detectable orchyard of the Leomine prison So Algerius the Italian Martyr dates his letter Within a few daies of Q. Maries raign almost all the prisons in England were become right Christian Schools and Churches Bocardo in Oxford was called a Colledge of 〈◊〉 Cranmer Ridly Latimer and others being there kept captive This is merces mundi look for no better dealing Verse 3. Art thou he that should come c. This question the Baptist moved not for his own sake for he was well assured and had sufficiently testified Joh. 3. but for his Disciples better settlement and satisfaction This whiles Tertullian observed not he hath done the Baptist palpable 〈◊〉 in three severall places as if himself had doubted of the person of Christ. Let not us be troubled to be in like manner mistaken and misjudged Verse 4. Jesus answered and said c. Our Saviour rated them not chased them not away from his presence though zealously affecting their master but not well Joh. 3. and envying for his sake The man of God must not strive but be gentle apt to teach patient In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves c. Frier Alphonsus a Spaniard reasoning with Bradford the Martyr was in a wonderfull rage and spake so high that the whole house rang again chasing with om cho c. So that if Bradford had been any thing hot one house could not have held them Go and shew John what things c. He gives them a reall testimony an ocular demonstration This was the ready way to win
will endeavour to 〈◊〉 above the air as well as the greatest So the least degree of grace will be aspiring to more Now those very pantings inquietations and unsatisfiablenesse cannot but spring from truth of grace which Christ makes high account of Till he bring forth Gr. Thrust forth with violence the devil and the world in vain opposing the work of grace called here judgement which shall surely be perfected He that is Authour the same will be finisher of our faith he doth not use to do his work to the halves Non est jusdem 〈◊〉 perficere we say But that rule holds not here Verse 21. Shall the Gentiles trust This trust is here put for the whole service of God it being the least and yet the best we can render to him And the more we know of his name the more we shall trust in him Psal. 〈◊〉 9. 10. Verse 22. One 〈◊〉 with a devil blinde and dumb A heavy case and yet that that may be any mans case Cuivis potest contingere quod cuiquam potest Every one that seeth another stricken and himself spared is to keep a Passeover for himself and to say Thou hast punished me 〈◊〉 then my sins have merited Ezra 9. 13. The devil had shut up from this man all passages to faith saith Theophylact by bereaving him of the 〈◊〉 of his eyes ears and tongue See a mercy in the use of our serses c. Multò plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae saith Gerson Verse 23. And all the people were amazed Admiration bred Philosophy saith the Heathen it bred superstition faith 〈◊〉 Scripture when the world went wondering after the beast We may say too that it bred piety in this people and still 〈◊〉 see the Word never works kindely till men hear and admire it Let others censure with the Pharisees let us wonder with the multitude Verse 24. This fellow doth not cast out devils c. The devil that was east out of the demoniacks body seems to have got into these 〈◊〉 hearts But he was not his 〈◊〉 master for what a 〈◊〉 slander hear we He should have 〈◊〉 it a little better to have been believed 〈◊〉 mendacium 〈◊〉 saith Tacitus This was such 〈◊〉 lie as might be easily looked thorow But envy never regards 〈◊〉 true but how 〈◊〉 Witnesse the Popish Pharisees who tell the poor 〈◊〉 and muzzled people in their Sermons that the Protestants are blasphemers of 〈◊〉 and all his Saints that the English are grown barbarous and eat young children that ever since the Pope excommunicated us we are as black as devils that the Powder-treason was plotted and should have been acted by the 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of Black-friers in London likewise was wrought by the Puritans who had loosned the rafters c. That these are the opinions we hold and teach 1. To worship no God 2. To frame our religion to the times 3. To account gain godlinesse 4. To pretend publike liberty to our private lusts 5. To break our oaths when it makes for our advantage 6. To cover hatred with flattery 7. To confirm tyranny with bloud-shed c. These and the like that Cacodamon Joannes the black-mouth'd 〈◊〉 tels the world in print are our tenets and practices Now the 〈◊〉 thee Satan But what reward shall be given to thee thou false tongue Even sharp arrows with hot burning coals yea those very coals of hell from whence thou wert enkindled Verse 25. And Jesus knew 〈◊〉 thoughts That they blasphemed in this sort out of the devillish venom of their hearts fully possest by Satan who drew them 〈◊〉 this unpardonable sin which himself every day nay every moment committeth As one that had fallen into that sin wished that his wife and children and all the world might be damned together with him So doth the devil out of his deep and desperate malice to mankinde draw some into this sin that he may drown them in the same destruction with himself And said unto them He could as he did oft no doubt have answered them with silence or punished them with contempt committing his cause to him that judgeth righteously He could have turned them off as one did his 〈◊〉 adversary with 〈◊〉 linguae 〈◊〉 aurium Dominus But inasmuch as Gods glory was highly concerned and his cause might have suffered if this 〈◊〉 calumny had not been confuted Our Saviour makes a most grave apology in the behalf of his doctrine and miracles which he maintains and makes good by many demonstrative arguments Every Kingdom divided against itself Divide impera saith Machiavel Make division and get dominion Every subdivision saith another is a strong weapon in the hand of the adverse party Where strife is saith the Scripture there is confusion as 〈◊〉 and Pollux if they appear not together it presageth a storm Sicollidimur frangimur If we clash we cleave said the two earthen pots in the fable that were swimming down the stream together The daughter of division is 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 This the Jesuites know and therefore doe what they can to keep up the contentions 〈◊〉 the Lutherans and the Calvinists This the Turks know and therefore pray to God to keep the Christians at variance Discord was the destruction of our Ancestours as Tacitus testifieth who was here in this Island with his father-in-law Agricola and saw it And the Lord Rich in his speech to the Justices of England in Edward the sixths raign could say Never forraign power could yet hurt or in any part prevail in this realm but by disobedience and disorder in themselves That is the way wherewith God will plague us if he minde to punish us And so long as we doe agree among our selves and be obedient to our Prince and to his godly orders we may be sure that God is with us and that forraign power shall not prevail against us nor hurt us Verse 26. He is devided against himself But so he is not There is a marvellous accordance even betwixt evil spirits Squamae Leviathan it a cohaerent ut earum opere textili densato quasi loricatus incedat Satan cataphractus as Luther elegantly and truly phraseth it The devils in the possessed person were many yet they say My name not Our name is Legion Though many they speak and act as one in the pofsession That kingdom we see 〈◊〉 not divided Verse 27. By whom doe your children c. That is your Countreyman Not the Disciples as Augustin and other Ancients would have it but the Jewish exorcists of whom see Mark 9. 38. Act. 199. As if our Saviour should have said Unlesse that be a blemish in me that you hold to be a beauty in others why should you condemn me for a conjurer Why doth your malice thus wilfully crosse your consciences Certain it is saith Erasmus that the self-same things are condemned as hereticall in
This 〈◊〉 lambe was stirred with a holy indignation at so absurd an interruption and sharpes him up that delivers the message Great is the honour that is due to a mother Solomon set Bathsheba at his right hand and promised her any thing with reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unicam matris 〈◊〉 omnes istius 〈◊〉 posse delere Knows not Antipater that one tear of my mothers can 〈◊〉 blot out all his accusations against her said Alexander the Great Brethren also or neer-allyes as these were to our Saviour are dearly to be respected and greatly gratified as were Josephs brethren by him in his greatnesse But when these relations or their requests come in competition with Gods work or glory they must be neglected nay rejected and abominated For is there any friend to God or any foe like him Men be they pleased or displeased he must be obeyed and his businesse dispatched be the 〈◊〉 occasions never so urgent in shew the pretences 〈◊〉 so specious and plausible Verse 49. Behold my mother and my brethren Sanctior est 〈◊〉 cordis quam corporis Spirituall kindred is better then eternall There is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother Prov. 18. 24. Christ is endeared to his in all manner of nearest relations and engagements Oh then the dignity and safety of a Saint And oh the danger and disaster of such as either by hand or tongue maligne or molest them What will they wrong Christs mother to his face Will they force the Queen also in the house c. If Iacobs sons were so avenged for the indignity done to their sister Dinah 〈◊〉 Absolom for Tamar what will Christ doe or rather what will 〈◊〉 not doe 〈◊〉 his dearest relations How will this greater then Solomon arise off his throne at the last day to meet his mother half-way and to doe her all the honour that may be in that great Amphitheatre How sweetly will he accost his brethren that have been long absent from him in the flesh though present ever in spirit with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come ye blessed c. q. d. where have you been all this while They also shall be bold to say to him as Ruth die to Boaz Spread thy skirt over us for thou art our near kinsman or one that hath good right to redeem Verse 50. For whosoever shall doe the will Loe here 's the right way of becoming akin to Christ and can we better prefer our selves It was an honour to Mark that he was 〈◊〉 his sisters son David durst not in modesty think of being son in law to a King Elymas the 〈◊〉 affected to be held allyed to Christ and therefore stiled himself Barjesus as Darius in his proud 〈◊〉 to Alexander called himself King of Kings and 〈◊〉 of the Gods But the right way to be ennobled indeed and inrighted to Christ and his Kingdom is to beleeve in his Name and 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 This this is to become Christs brother and sister and mother Sister is named to shew that no sex is excluded And mother last mentioned that the prerogative of the flesh may be set aside and disacknowledged CHAP. XIII Verse 1. The same day WHerein Christ had had a sharp bout and bickering with the Scribes and Pharisees in the forenoon he sat and taught the people as it may seem in the afternoon A 〈◊〉 of preaching twice a day Chrysostoms practise was to Preach in the afternoon and by candle-light as appears by his Note on 1 Thes. 5. 17. where he fetcheth a similitude from the lamp he was preaching by Luther likewise preached twice 〈◊〉 day which because one Nicolas White commended in him he was accused of heresie in the raigne of Hen. 8. And this commendable course began to be disgraced and cryed down in our daies as Puritanicall and superfluous A learned Bishop was highly extolled in print for saying that when he was a Lecturer in London he preached in the morning but prated only in the after-noon A fair commendation for him He sat by the sea-side As waiting an oppertunity of doing good to mens souls which was no sooner offered but he readily laid hold on So St Paul took a text of one of the Altars in Athens and discourseth on it to the superstitious people A minister must stand ever upon his watch-tower prompt and present ready and speedy to every good work as the bee so soon as ever the sun breaks forth flyes abroad to gather hony and wax accounting employment a preferment as 〈◊〉 Saviour did Iohn 17. 4. Verse 2. He went into a ship and sat Thinking perhaps there to repose himself after his hard conflict with the 〈◊〉 But the sight of a new audience incites him to a new pains of preaching to them And as he held no time unseasonable so no place unfit for such a purpose We finde him 〈◊〉 teaching not in the Temple only and synagogues on the Sabbath day as he did constantly but in the mountains in cities in private houses by the sea-side by the way side by the wells side any where every where no place came 〈◊〉 to him no pulpet displeased him Verse 3. And he spake many things to them in parables A parable saith Suidas is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a setting forth of the matter by way of similitude from something else that differs in kinde and yet in some sort resembleth and illustrateth it Christ the Prince of preachers varieth his kinde of teaching according to the nature and necessity of his audience speaking as they could hear as they could bear saith St Mark Ministers in like sort must turne themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of spirit and speech to win people to God Behold a sower went forth Our Saviour stirrs them up to 〈◊〉 by a Behold Which though it might seem not so needfull to be said to such as came far and now looked throw him as it were for a Sermon yet he well knowing how dull men are to conceave heavenly mysteries how weak to remember hard to believe and slow to practise calls for their utmost attention to his divine doctrine and gives them a just reason thereof in his ensuing discourse It fares with the best whiles they hear as with little ones when they are saying their lesson if but a bird flie by they must needs look after it besides the devils malice striving to distract stupifie or steal away the good seed that it may come to nothing Verse 4. And when he sowed some seed c. The word is a seed of immortallity For 1. As seeds are small things yet produce great substances as an acorn an oak c. so by the foolishnes of preaching souls are saved like as by the blowing of rams-horns the wals of Iericho were subverted 2. As the seed must be harrowed into the earth so must the word be hid in the heart ere it 〈◊〉 3. As the seedsman cannot make an harvest without the influence
scorn their own 〈◊〉 because at hand though never so excellent and usefull to admire forrein things though nothing comparable Our corrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing we enjoy as the eye seeth nothing that lyes on it Copy of the best things breeds satiety God therefore usually teacheth us the worth of them by the want Bona a tergo ferè formosissima Good things are most beautifull on the backside Verse 58. He did not many mighty works Mark saith he could not doe much for them Christ that could doe all things by his absolute power could hardly doe any thing by his actuall power could not because he would not for unbeleevers Note here that this journey of his to Nazareth must be distinguished from that set down Luk 4. though the same things are said of both his countrymen we see were no changelings but continued as bad as before not a jot the better for that former visit 〈◊〉 of their unbelief A sin of that venomous nature that it 〈◊〉 as it were a dead palsie into the hands of 〈◊〉 This infectious sorceresse can make things exceeding good to prove exceeding evil CHAP. XIV Verse 1. At that time c VVHen he was cast out by his countrymen he was heard of at the 〈◊〉 The Gospel as the 〈◊〉 what it 〈◊〉 in one place it getteth in another But what had not Herod heard of Christ till now It is the misery of many good Kings that they seldom hear the truth of things 〈◊〉 King of Arragon bewailed it And of M. Aurelius one of the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is said that he was even bought and sold by his 〈◊〉 As for Herod he may seem to have been of 〈◊〉 religion even a meer irreligon He lay 〈◊〉 in filthy 〈◊〉 and minded not the things above Whoredom wine and new wine had taken away his 〈◊〉 S. Luke adds that he 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Christ but yet never stirred out of doors to go to him Good mo ions make but a thorow 〈◊〉 of wicked mens hearts they passe away as a flash of lightning that dazleth the eyes only and 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 behind it Verse 2. And said unto his servants So seeking a diversion of his inward terrours and torments Perplexed he was and could finde no way out as S. Lukes word importeth Conscience will hamper a guilty person and fill him 〈◊〉 with unquestionable conviction and horrour As those that were condemned to be crucified 〈◊〉 their crosse that should soon after 〈◊〉 them So God hath laid upon evil-doers the 〈◊〉 of their own consciences that thereon they may suffer afore they suffer and their greatest enemier need not wish them a greater mischief For assuredly a body is not so torn with stripes as a minde with the remembrance of wicked actions And here 〈◊〉 runs to building of Cities Saul to the delight of musick 〈◊〉 to quaffing and carrousing Herod to his minions and Catamites so to put by if possible their melancholly dumps and heart-qualmes as they count and call 〈◊〉 terrours But conscience will not be pacified by these sorry Anodynes of the devil Wicked men may skip and leap up and down for a while as the wounded dear doth sed haeret lateri lethalis arundo the deadly dart sticks fast in their sides and will doe without true repentance till it hath brought them as it did Herod to desparation and destruction so that he 〈◊〉 violent hands upon himself at Lions in France whether he and his curtizan 〈◊〉 banished by Augustus This is 〈◊〉 the Baptist Herod had thought to have 〈◊〉 his Herodias without 〈◊〉 when once the 〈◊〉 was beheaded but it proved somewhat otherwise Indeed so long as he plaid alone he was sure to win all But now conscience 〈◊〉 in to play her part Herod is in a worse case then ever for he imagined 〈◊〉 that he saw and heard that holy head 〈◊〉 and crying out against him staring him also in the face at every turne as that Tyrant thought he saw the head of Symmachus whom he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the mouth of the fish that was set before him on the table And as Judge Morgan who gave the sentence of condemnation against the Lady Iane Gray shortly after he had condemned her fell mad and in his raving cryed out continually to have the Lady Iane taken away from him and 〈◊〉 ended his life Verse 3. For Herod had laid hold 〈◊〉 Iohn If Iohn touch Herads white fin And who will stand still to have his eyes pickt out Iohn must to prison without bail or mainprise and there not only be confined but bound 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 as a stirrer up of sedition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lipsius noteth upon Tacitus Neither bound only but beheaded without any law right or reason as though God had known nothing at all of him as that Martyr expresseth it All this befell the good Baptist for telling the truth Veritas odium parit If conscience might but judge how many of our hearers would be found to have an Herods heart towards their faithfull Ministers Were there but a sword of authority in their hand as he said to his Asse they would surely slay them They would deal by them no better then Saul did by David 1 Sam. 18. 10. whiles he was playing upon his harp to ease Sauls distracted minde he cast a 〈◊〉 at him The most savoury salt if they can doe withall must be cast out and trodden under foot as Calvin and other faithfull Ministers were driven out of Geneva at the first whereupon he uttered these gracious words Truly if I had served men I had been ill rewarded but it is well for me that I have served him who never 〈◊〉 his but will approve himself a liberall pay-master a 〈◊〉 rewarder And put him in prison Having first laid hold upon all the principles in his own head that might any way disturb 〈◊〉 course in 〈◊〉 and locked them up in restraint according to that Rom. 1. 18. wicked men 〈◊〉 the truth that is the light of their own consciences which is as another Iohn Baptist a Prophet from God this they imprison in unrighteousnesse and become fugitives from their own hearts as Austin hath it For Herodias sake his brother c. Quam vulpinando 〈◊〉 at as one phraseth it And he had her not only for his wife but for his 〈◊〉 for she ruled him at her pleasure as Iezabel did Ahab of which wretched couple it is said that Reginaerat Rex Rex vero 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 never goes well when the 〈◊〉 crowes How many have we known whose heads have been broken with their own rib Satan hath found this bait to take so 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 never changed it since he crept into Paradise And it is remarkeable that in that first sentence against man this cause is expressed Because thou obeyedst the voice of thy wife Verse 4. For Iohn had said unto him It is not
call me being a lost childe For by your good admonitions and wholsome reproofs whereas I was before both an adulterer and 〈◊〉 God hath brought me to forfake and 〈◊〉 the same Verse 16. Then take with thee one or two more Such as are faithfull and able both to keep counsell and to give counsell that so if we cannot lead him by the hand to Christ we may bear him in his bed as they did the palsie-man and so bring him to Christ by the help of friends That in the mouth of two or three To blame then are they that proceed upon every idle supposition suspition report or 〈◊〉 Three manner of persons said Father Latimer 〈◊〉 make no credible information 1. Adversaries for evil will never speak well 2. Ignorant men and those without judgement 3. Whisperers and blowers in mens ears which will 〈◊〉 out in hugger 〈◊〉 more then they dare avow openly To all such we must turn the deaf ear the tale-bearer and tale-hearer are both of them 〈◊〉 and shut ou of heaven Psal. 15. 3. Verse 17. Tell it unto the Church That is unto the Church-Governours the Church representative as some think Not the Pope whom Papists make the Church 〈◊〉 and who like a wasp is no sooner angry but out comes a sting which being out is like a fools dagger 〈◊〉 and snapping withoutan edge Hence in the year 833. when Pope Gregory the fourth offered to excommunicate Ludivicus Pius the Emperour with his followers the Bishops that stood for the Emperour affirmed that they would by no means yeeld to the Pops pleasure therein sed 〈◊〉 communicaturus venirit excommunic atus abiret cum alitèr se habeat antiquorum 〈◊〉 authorit as And in the year 1260. Leonard an English Doctor answered the Popes Legat who pleaded that all Churches were the Popes that they were his indeed so it went then for currant but tuitione non fruitione 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 If he should cast out Jonas and keep Cham in the Ark they would decline and disclaim his censures Let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a publican i.e. Neither meddle nor make with him have thou neither sacred nor civil society with him The Jews hated the presence the fire the fashion the books of an Heathen As now a Papist may not joyn with a Protestant in any holy action no not in saying over the Lords prayer or saying Grace at table Howbeit of old a Jew might eat at the same table with an Heathen Levit. 8 and come to the same Temple with Publicans so they were Proselytes Luk 〈◊〉 But they might do neither of these to an obstinate excommunicate no more may we Rebellion is as witchcraft and obstinacy as bad as idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. Verse 18. Whatsoever ye shall bind Let no man despise your 〈◊〉 for I will 〈◊〉 it Whatever you-binde i.e. forbid prohibit c. As whatever ye loose that is command permit shall be seconded and settled by me in heaven so that your word shall surely stand Further to binde saith Cameron is to pronounce a thing prophane to loose is to pronounce it lawfull as when the Jews say that David and Ezekiel bound nothing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound in the Law Verse 19. If two of you shall agree How much more then a whole Church full of you Great is the power of joynt prayer Act. 12. 12. Dan. 2. 18. Those in the Revelation whose prayers went up as a pillar of incense and came before the Lord as the sound of many waters the thundring legion the 〈◊〉 in Tertullians time that came an army of them not more to beseech then to besiege God by their prayers This made Henry the third King of France forbid the Protestant-housholders in his dominions to pray with their families And a great Queen said that she 〈◊〉 more the prayers of John 〈◊〉 and his complices then an 〈◊〉 of thirty thou and men Act. 4. the house shook where the Disciples were praying The devil was forced to throw in the obligation to Luther and some others that were praying for a young man that had yeelded himself body and soul to the devil for mony and had written the bond with his own blood The Popish souldiers that went against the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 said that the ministers of that town with their prayers conjured and bewitched them that they could not fight Whiles Moses Aaron and Hur lift up their hands and mindes together in the mount 〈◊〉 beats 〈◊〉 in the valley They prevailed precando more then he did praeliando Now for the fruit of prayer said those brave spirits et Edge-hill-battel where there was never 〈◊〉 seen of man and more of God as the Noble Generall thankfully acknowledged Verse 20. There am I in the midst As to eie their behaviour so to hear their suits All that he requireth is that they bring lawfull petitions and honest hearts and then they shall be sure to receive whatsoever heart can wish or need require A courtier that is a favourite gets more of his Prince by one suit many times 〈◊〉 a tradesman or husbandman happly doth with twenty-years-labour So doth a praying Christian get much good at Gods 〈◊〉 as having the royalty of his ear and the command of whatsoever God can do for him Isa. 45. 11. Concerning the work of my hands command ye me Hence that 〈◊〉 rapture of 〈◊〉 in a certain prayer of his Fiat voluntas mea Domine 〈◊〉 hence that request of St Bernard to a certain friend of his to whom he had given diverse directions for strictnesse and purity Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 mei when thou art become such 〈◊〉 one think on me in thy prayers Verse 21. And I forgive him till seven times How 〈◊〉 good people even at this day think if they forgive an 〈◊〉 brother some few times that they have supererogated and delerved to be Chronicled yea canonized It was a fault in Peter to presume to prescribe to Christ how oft he should enjoyn him to forgive Peter is still the same ever too forwardly and forth-putting Verse 22. Vntill seventy times seven i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quotiès God multiplieth pardons Isa. 55 7. so should we Love covereth all sinnes Prov. 10. 12. so large is the skirt of loves mantle Betwixt God and us the distance is infinite and if it were possible our love to him and to our friends in him our foes for him should fill up that 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 it self to 〈◊〉 We may without 〈◊〉 be sensible of injuries a sheep is as sensible of a bite as a swine but it must be with the silence of a sheep or at utmost the mourning of a dove not the roaring of a bear or bellowing of a bull when baited All desire of revenge must be carefully cast out and if the wrong-doer say I repent you must say I remit and that from the 〈◊〉 being herein like that King of England of
Conf 〈◊〉 and further alledge thot the generall deluge fell out in the year of the worlds creation 1657. The end of the world saith another will be in the year of Christ 1688 three jubilees and an half or thereabouts after the Reformation of Religion by Luther c. Joachimus Abbas had long since set the year 1258. Arnoldus de villa nova the year 1345. Michael Stiphelius Saint Lukes day in the year 1533. 〈◊〉 Leonitius the year 1583. Ioannes Regiomontanus the year 1588. Adelbertus 〈◊〉 the year 1599. April 3. Nicolaus Cusanus the year 1700. Cardanus 1800. Picus Mirandula 1905. c. So great hath been the folly and sinne of many learned men who have thus childishly set their wits to play in so serious a businesse as one well censureth it But my Father only Ordine 〈◊〉 seiendi à se non ab 〈◊〉 The son knoweth it not but from his Father like as he neither subsisteth nor worketh but from the Father The set time of the generall judgement God hath hid from us 1. For his own glory Prov. 25. 2. Rom. 11. 36. 2. For our good that we may watch alwaies and not wax secure as we would do with the evil servant vers 48. till the very day and hour if we knew it The harlot in the Proverbs grew bold upon this that her husband was gone forth for such a time Verse 37. So shall the coming of the Son of man be Sudden and unexpected Luther observeth that it was in the Spring that the floud came when every thing was in it's prime and pride and nothing lesse looked for then a floud men sinned securely as if they had lived out of the reach of Gods rod but he found them out Security 〈◊〉 the certain usher of destruction as at 〈◊〉 Ziklag Before an earthquake the air will be most quiet and when the winde lies the great rain fals Frequentissimum initium calamitatis securitas saith the Historian Verse 38. They were eating and drinking Wine likely because our Saviour hereupon bids his Apostles take heed to themselves lest their hearts at any time should be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse c Luk. 21. 34. Like as some do not improbably conjecture that Nadab and 〈◊〉 were in their drink when they offered strange fire because after they were devoured by fire from the Lord. Aaron and the Priests are charged to drink no wine nor strong drink when they go into the 〈◊〉 of the Congregation lest they dye Levit. 10. 12 8 9. St Luke delivers the matter more roundly by an elegant Asyndeton They ate they drank they married c. q. d. they passed without intermission from eating to drinking from drinking to marrying c. they followed it close as if it had been their work and they born for no other end Of Ninias second King of Assyrians Nephew haply to these Antedihunian belly-Gods it is said that he was old excellent at eating and drinking And of Sardanapulus one of the same line Tully tells us that his gut was his god Summum bonum in ventre aut sub ventre posuit and 〈◊〉 that he hired men to devise new pleasures for him See my Common-place of Abstinence Untill the day They were set upon 't and would loose no time Their destruction was foretold them to a day they were nothing bettered by it no more would wicked men should they foreknow the very instant of Christs coming to judgement Joseph had foretold the famine of Egypt and the time when it 〈◊〉 come but fullnesse bred forgetfullnesse saturity security None observed or provided for it Verse 39. And knew not i.e. They took no kuowledge of 〈◊〉 predictions or their own peril Their wits they had buried in their guts their brains in their bellies As of the Asse-fish it is said that contrary to all other living creatures he hath his heart in his belly whoredom wine and new wine take away the heart Hos. 4 11. Carnall sins disable nature and so set men in a greater distance from grace which is seated in the powers of nature I read of some desperate wretches that drinking together when one of them had drunk himself stark dead the other no whit warned by that fearfull example of Gods wrath powred his part of drink into the dead mans belly And took them 〈◊〉 away Men are never lesse 〈◊〉 then when they are most secure Babylon bore it self bold upon the twenty years provision laid up aforehand to stand out a siege When it was neverthelesse taken by Cyrus some part of the city would not know or beleeve of three daies after that there was any such matter Verse 40. The one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other left The 〈◊〉 took all away in a manner but at Christs coming there shall be found a considerable company of such as shall be saved He shall separate his Saints with a wonderfull separation and make himself to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thess. 1. 10. How 〈◊〉 then should we work out our salvation and ensure to our selves our election by good works Verse 41. Two women shall be grinding at the 〈◊〉 A poor trade a hard task 〈◊〉 would have every man in his honest occupation to humble himself by just labour and so to accept of the punishment of their iniquity Levit. 26. 41. But one of these two poor grinders at the mill is left by Christ for her pride and profanesse Many are humbled but not humble low but not lowly To these Christ will say Perdidist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miserrimi facti estis pessimi 〈◊〉 Misery hath no whit mended you woe be to you Verse 42. Watch therefore c. 〈◊〉 simus non securi c. Whilst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his bed at noon 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 took away his head Hold fast that thou hast that no man take 〈◊〉 crown from thee Whilst the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Indian rat gets into him and 〈◊〉 his entrails Satan works strongest on the fancy when the soul is drousie The 〈◊〉 therefore promiseth to get up early 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 to shake 〈◊〉 security and not to 〈◊〉 found henceforth supine and 〈◊〉 but to stand upon her watch as of Scanderbed it is said that from his first coming to 〈◊〉 he never slept above two hours in a night but with restlesse labour prosecured his affairs Aristotle and some others would not sleep but with brasen balls in their hands which falling on 〈◊〉 purposely set on their beds sides the noise did difswade immoderate sleep Our Saviour pronounceth them three times happy that watch Luke 12. 37 38. 43. The blessed Angels are called Watchers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 4. 10. For ye know not what hour your Lord c. He may haply come upon you as Epaminondus did upon 〈◊〉 sentinell whom finding asleep he thrust through with his sword and being chid for
Themistocles to his friend for thou art not Themistocles Ye have done it unto me Christ saith Salvian is 〈◊〉 maximus as one that shareth in all the Saints necessities and who would but relieve 〈◊〉 Christ Look out some 〈◊〉 in whom we may seal up love to deceased 〈◊〉 My goodnesse extendeth not to thee saith David but to the Saints Christs receivers M. Fox never denied beggar that asked in Iesus name And being once asked Whether he knew a certain poor man who had received 〈◊〉 from him in time of trouble he answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Verse 41. Then shall he say also c. Then Judgement as it begins here at Gods 〈◊〉 so shall it at the last day The elect shall be crowned and then the reprobates doomed and damned Depart from 〈◊〉 ye cursed c. A sentence that breaths out nothing but fire and brimstone stings and horrours woe and alas 〈◊〉 without end and past imagination Mercy Lord saith the 〈◊〉 miser No saith Christ 〈◊〉 be packing Yet blesse me before I go Depart ye cursed To some good place then To hell-fire not materiall fire but worse in many respects But let me then come out again It is everlasting fire eternity of extremity This is the hell of hell this puts the damned to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as if they should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not ever Lord torment us thus But they have a will to sin ever and being worthlesse they cannot satisfie Gods justice in any time therefore is their 〈◊〉 everlasting But let me have some good company in my 〈◊〉 The devil and his Angels But who appointed me this hard condition It was prepared of old The all-powerfull wisdom did as it 〈◊〉 set down and devise most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that most formidable fire And here it is hard to say whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depart from me ye cursed or that which followeth Into 〈◊〉 fire Pain of losse or pain of sense Sure it is that the 〈◊〉 of hell are not sufficient to be wail the losse of heaven the 〈◊〉 of grief gna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 painfull as the 〈◊〉 burns If those good souls Act. 20. wept because they should see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more how deplorable is the eternall deprivation of the beatificall vision Verse 42. For I was an hungred c. Ill works are the just causes of damnation as being perfectly evil But good works can be no such causes of salvation because due debts to God and at the 〈◊〉 imperfect Verse 43. I was a stranger c. These fools of the people 〈◊〉 a price in their hands to get 〈◊〉 as Joseph by his 〈◊〉 bought the Land of AEgypt but they had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 son to Henry the third of England was elected King of 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 therein before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spaniard pretended and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been first elected But being it seems a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing lines when he should have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 and so came prevented of his hopes And is not this many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fault and folly Verse 44. Lord When saw 〈◊〉 c. They were 〈◊〉 and could not see Christ in poor Christians whom they should have looked upon as the only earthly Angels the dearly beloved of Christs soul Jer. 12. 7. The house of his glory Isa. 60. 7. An ornament of God Ezek. 7. 20. A royall diadem in the hand of Jehovah Isa. 62. 3. Verse 45. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one c. Omissions then are damnable 〈◊〉 Ammonites and Moabites were bastardized and banished the beauty of holinesse the Tabernacle of God to the tenth generation because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Not to do justice is injustice not to shew mercy is cruelty Where then will oppressours appear that grinde the faces of the poor that quaff their tears and make musick of their shreeks Go to now ye rich men weep and howl c. Iam. 5. 1 2 3. If not relieving of the poor damns men What shall robbing do but double damn Verse 46. And these shall go away c. The sentence began with the godly the execution with the wicked 〈◊〉 that the godly may see their desire upon their enemies Psal. 58. 10. and 79. 10. And also that in the others misery they may behold by the difference their own felicity and thereby be moved to lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull 〈◊〉 to God CHAP. XXVI Verse 1. And it came to passe when c. THis is our Evangelists transition from the Ministery of Christs Doctrine to the Mystery of his passion He had hitherto taught salvation and now is declared how he wrought it He had done the office of a Doctour now of a Redeemer of a Prophet now of a Priest Verse 2. Is the feast of the passeover At which feast Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5. 7. and we were purchased by his bloud as Israel was typically out of the world by the bloud of the paschall lamb our hearts being sprinkled therewith by the 〈◊〉 bunch of faith from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10. 22. Verse 3. Then assembled together c. Here was met a whole Councel of 〈◊〉 to crucifie Christ. Generall Councels may 〈◊〉 then in necessary and fundamentall points as the Councel of 〈◊〉 and Seleucia held in two Cities because no one was able to contain them for multitude yet 〈◊〉 for Arrius against the deity of Christ. The truth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be locked up within the hearts of such a company as in competition of 〈◊〉 ages cannot make a greater part in a generall Councell Verse 4. Take Iesus by 〈◊〉 and kill him Craft and cruelty go commonly coupled in the Churches 〈◊〉 Neither of them wants their mate as the Scripture speaks of those birds of prey and desolation Isa. 34. 16. These 〈◊〉 and Elders were so bitterly bent against Christ 〈◊〉 nothing would satisfie them but his bloud All plants and other 〈◊〉 have their growth and encrease to a period and 〈◊〉 their declination and decay 〈◊〉 only the 〈◊〉 who grows bigger and bigger even till death So 〈◊〉 all passions and perturbations in mans minde their intentions and remissions except only malicious revenge This dies not many times but with the man if that as nothing 〈◊〉 quench the combustible slime in Samosaris nor the 〈◊〉 flame of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but only earth Saint 〈◊〉 tells us That our Saviour being reviled did not only commit his cause to God but Himselfe to God as expecting the encrease of his enemies opposition till they had put him to death Verse 5. Not on the feast-day lest c. But God would have it on that feast-day and no other Act. 4. 27. And
read Sicut estis asini The wiser sort of Prebendaries there present said among themselves Cum a sapientioribus nolumus hujusmodi audire a pueris audire cogimur Children and fools usually tell the truth Verse 20. To observe all things Our obedience must be entire as for subject the whole man so for object the whole law That perfect law of liberty The Gospel requireth that in our judgements we approve and in our practises prove what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is Those be good Catholikes saith Austin qui fidem integram 〈◊〉 bonos more 's But let carnall gospellers either adde practise or leave their profession renounce the devil and all his works or else renounce their baptisme As Alexander the great bad one Alexander a coward in his army change his name or be a 〈◊〉 I am with you alway viz. To preserve you from your enemies prosper you in your enterprizes and to do for you whatsoever heart can wish or need require When Christ saith I will be with you you may adde what you will to protect you to direct you to comfort you to carry on the work of grace in you and in the end to crown you with immortality and glory All this and more is included in this precious promise Laus Deo A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Upon the Gospel according to Saint MARKE CHAP. I. Verse 1. The beginning of the Gospel c. THe History of our Saviours life and death Saint Mark is recorded to have written at the request of the Romans In the Latin tongue say some who pretend to have seen the Originall Copie at Venice but its more likely in Greek a tongue then very well known to the Romans also He begins with Johns Ministry passing over Christs birth and private life for brevity sake as it may seem though Papists feign many idle relations thereof and so expose us to the jears of Jewish and Turkish miscreants There are that make Mark an Epitomator of Matthew But forasmuch as he neither begings like Matthew nor keeps the same order but relateth some things that 〈◊〉 hath not and other things much larger then Matthew hath them judicious Calvin thinks that he had not seen Saint Matthews Gospel when he wrote his as neither had Saint Luke seen either of them but that being acted by the same spirit they agree so harmoniously and happily an undoubted argument of the Divinity of the Scripture which therefore a Greek Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every way sutable to its self Verse 2. As it is written in the Prophets Esay and Malachi so that there was no cause why that dead Dog Porphyry should here bark and blaspheme as if this testimony should be falsely fathered on all the Prophets when Esay only was the Author of it Behold I send my Messenger before thy face Malachi saith Before my face in the person of Christ to show that He and the Father are One. Verse 3. The voyce of one crying Here Mark begins the Gospel at the preaching of the Baptist which the Authour to the Hebrewes begins at the preaching of Christ. Heb. 2. 3. But that is onely to prove that so great was our Saviours glory in his Miracles that it matcheth yea surpasseth that of the Angels those Ministers of the Law Verse 4. John did ` Baptise in the Wildernesse Like as at the promulgation of the Law the people were commanded to wash their garments and sanctifie themselves so at the first publication of the Gospel to wash their hands and cleanse their hearts and in testimony of profession thereof to beleeve and be baptised for remission of sins Verse 5. All the Land of Judaea That is a great sort of them but John quickly grew stale to them John 5. 35. Principium fervet medium tepet exitus alget Weak-Christians easily fall off Verse 6. And John was clothed c. Elias also was a rough hairy man Those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy wandered about in Sheeps skins and Goats skins Heb. 11. but they were like the Ark Goats hair without but pure Gold within or like Brutus his staffe Cujus intus 〈◊〉 aurum corneo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cared for a better out-side then a rugge-gown girt close about him yet his inside was most rich He did eat Locnsts Good meat to those there at least though course and easily come by Tartarians eat the carrion-carcasles of Horses Camels Asses Cats Dogs yea when they stink and are full of Magots and hold them as dainty as we do Venison Verse 7. I am not worthy So Jacob cryed out of old So the Centurion Matth. 8. So the Prodigall Luke 15. So Peter Luke 5. 8. So Augustin Domine 〈◊〉 dignus quem tu diligas I am not worthy of thy love Lord. Verse 9. In those dayes When the people flocked so fast to John that they might not mistake him for the Messias and that his Baptisme might be the more famous Verse 10. He saw the Heavens opened The visible Heavens so that the Baptist saw something above the Stars So did Stephen so could Christ when he was upon the earth It is a just wonder that we can look up to so admirable an height of the starry-sky and that the eye is not tyred in the way Some say it is five hundred years journey to it Other Mathematicians tell us that if a stone should fall from the eighth Sphere and should passe every day an hundred miles it would be 65 years or more before it would come to ground Verse 11. In whom I am well pleased And in him with us whom he hath made gracious or Favourites in him the beloved One Ephes. 1. 5. Verse 12. The spirit driveth him That is suddenly carrieth him who was most 〈◊〉 to go as that legall scape-Goat Num. 16. into the Wildernesse and there permitted him to be tempted but supported him under the temptation that he came safe off again Sancti 〈◊〉 nequaquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed toti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imperio The Saints are as gods Beck Check Verse 13. And was with the wild beasts Unhurt by them as Adam was in the state of integrity These fell creatures saw in Christ the perfectimage of God and therefore 〈◊〉 him as their Lord as they did Adam before his fall See Job 5. 21 22. Verse 14. Jesus came into Galilee To decline Herods rage And whereas it may seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviour herein 〈◊〉 a wrong course 〈◊〉 Herod was Governour of 〈◊〉 we must know that the Pharisees were the men that delivered up John to Herod Mat. 17. 11 12. And that but for them there was no great 〈◊〉 of Herod Verse 15. And 〈◊〉 The time is fulfilled These were foure of our Saviours Sermon-heads The Prophets of old were wont to set down some short notes of their larger discourses to the people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them to the doores of 〈◊〉 Temple
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.
Beza And lead us not c. One argument that we shall persevere is the prayers of the whole Church offering up this daily sacrifice Lead us not c. Verse 8. Because of his importunity Gr. His impudency A metaphor from beggars that will not be said but are impudently importunate Verse 9. Ask and it shal be given Ask seek knock It is not a simple repetition of the same thing but an emphaticall gradation and shewes instantissimam necessitatem saith Augustine Nec dicitur quid dabitur saith he to shew that the gift is a thing supra 〈◊〉 nomen above all name Verse 11. For every one c. Sozomen saith of Apollonius that he never asked any thing of God that he obtained not Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit said one concerning Luther He could have what he would of God Verse 14. And it was dumb So it was a double miracle Gods favours seldome come single there is a series a concatenation of them and every former drawes on a future Verse 21. When a strong man armed Qui se dedebant arma tradebant Caesar de bell Gall. lib. 3. They that yeilded threw down their arms Verse 24. Seeking rest His only rest is to molest and mischeif men Verse 26. Seven other spirits As the Jaylour layes load of iron on him that had escaped None are worse then those that have been good and are naught and might be good but will be naught Verse 28. Yea rather blessed His disciples were more blessed in hearing Christ then his mother in bearing him Verse 29. Were gathered thick together All on a heape either to see a signe or to heare what hee would say to the motion Verse 33. No man when he hath lighted c. Our Saviour here warneth those that had given some good hope of their Repentance that they cherish their light and walke by it Verse 34. When thine eye is single A single eye is that that looks on God singly abstracted from all other things Verse 37. Sate down to meat And yet at their own tables he sets the Pharisees forth in their colours and entertaineth them with as many menaces as they do him with messes of meat Verse 38. That he had not washed This the Pharisees deemed as great a sin as to commit fornication Verse 41. But rather give almes So Daniel counsels 〈◊〉 Chap. 4. 27. Of such things as ye have Gr. As are within either within the platter send morsels to the hungry or within your hearts for riches get within their owners many times and do more possesse them then are possessed by them difficile est opibus non tradere mentem Verse 42. But woe unto you Notwithstanding your tything of pot-herbs wherein you think you take course that all things may be clean to you vers 41. Or woe unto you for that through covetousnesse you exact the utmost of your tithes c. So some sense this text Verse 44. For ye are as graves As the deep grave keeps the stinking carkasse from offending any ones smell so doth the dissembling hypocrite so cleanly carry the matter that hardly the sharpest nose c. Verse 45. Thou reproachest us also Who meddled with them but that their own consciences accused them It is a rule of Jerome Ubi generalis de vitiis disputatio est ibi nullius personae est injuria neque carbone notatur quisquam quasi malus sit sed omnes admonentur ne sint mali Where the discourse is of all there 's no personall intimation of any Verse 48. And ye build their Sepulchers And so ye set up the trophies of your fathers cruelty Verse 49. Therefore also said the wisdome of God That is Christ himself the essentiall wisdome of his Father Matthew 23. 34. Verse 52. Woe unto you Lawyers I see well said Father Latimer that whosoever will be busy with Vaevobis he shall shortly after come coram nobis as Christ did For ye have taken away the key of knowledge By taking away the Scriptures and all good meanes of knowledge as do also the Jesuites at this day At Dole an University in Burgundy they have not only debarred the people of the Protestant books but especially also forbid them to talk of God either in good sort or bad In Italy they not only prohibit the books of the Reformed writers but also hide their own Treatises in which the Tenet of the Protestants is recited only to be confuted so that you shall seldome there meet with Bellarmines works or any of the like nature to be sold. Verse 53. To urge him vehemently Out of deep displeasure to bear an aking tooth towards him as Herodias did toward the Baptist Mark 6. 19. waiting him a shrewd turn And to provoke him to speake Not to stop his mouth about many things as the Rhemists falsly render it They asked him captious questions to make him an offendour for a word Isaiah 29. 21. CHAP. XII Verse 1. Beware of the leaven WHich our eyes cannot discern from dough by the colour but only our palate by the taste Such is hypocrisie which also as leaven is 1 spreading 2 swelling 3 sowring the meal 4 impuring aud defiling the house where it is though it be but as much as a mans fist Verse II. Take ye no thought See the Note on Matt. 10. 19. and on Mark 〈◊〉 11. Alice Driver Martyr at her examination put all the Doctors to silence so that they had not a word to say but one looked upon another Then she said Have ye no more to say God be honoured you be not able to resist the Spirit of God in me a poor woman I was an honest poor mans daughter never brought up in the University as you have been But I have driven the Plough many a time before my father I thank God yet notwithstanding in the defence of Gods Truth and in the cause of my Master Christ by his grace I will set my foot against the foot of any of you all in the maintenance and defence of the same And if I had a thousand lives it should go for payment thereof So the Chancellour condemned her and she returned to the 〈◊〉 as joyfull as the bird of day Verse 15. Take heed and beware of covetousnesse This our 〈◊〉 addes after who made me a Judge to teach us not to go to Law with a covetous mind but as Charles the French King made War with our Henry the Seventh more desiring peace then victory For a 〈◊〉 life consisteth not c. He can neither live upon them nor lengthen his life by them Queen Elizabeth once wished her self a milk-maid Bajazet envied the happinesse of a poor shepheard that sate on a hill-side merrily reposing himself with his homely pipe Therein shewing saith the historian that worldly blisse consisteth not so much in possessing of much subject to danger as in joying in a little contentment void of fear Verse 16.
〈◊〉 who professe to eat Christ corporally 〈◊〉 censure so bitterly Verse 8. The sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath q. d. Say they were not innocent yet have you no cause to condemn them for Sabbath-breach sith I am Lord of the Sabbath and may 〈◊〉 with mine own as me seems 〈◊〉 True it is that Christ hates sinne by nature not by precept only and therefore cannot dispense with the breach of his own laws those that be morall in themselves such as are all the ten but the fourth The fourth Commandment is morall not by nature but by precept saith one and so the Lord of the Sabbath may dispense with the literall breach of the Sabbath Verse 9. He went into their Synagogue These were Chappels of ease to the Temple of ancient use Act. 15. 21. and divine authority Psal. 74. 8. This here is called the Pharisees Synagogue because they did Dominari in concionibus Rom. 2. 19 20. and are for their skill called Princes 1 Cor. 2. 8. Verse 10. Which had his hand withered So have all covetous 〈◊〉 who may well be said amidst all their 〈◊〉 to have 〈◊〉 currant coyn no quick-silver They sit abrood upon what they have got as Euclio in the 〈◊〉 and when by laying 〈◊〉 their money they might lay hold on eternall life they will not 〈◊〉 drawn to it But as Alphonsus King of Spain when he stood to be King of the Romans was prevented of his hopes because he being a great Mathematician was drawing lines saith the Chronicler when he should have drawn out his 〈◊〉 So here Verse 11. What man shall there be c. If a 〈◊〉 slipt into a slowe must be relieved how much more Christs reasonable sheep all which bear golden fleeces and every thing about whom is good either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ad usum Verse 12. Is it lawfull to do 〈◊〉 Nay it is needfull sith not to do well is to do ill and not to save a life or a soul is to destroy it Mar. 3. 4 Not to do justice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to shew 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then cruelty Verse 13. And he stretched it forth So would our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out their hands to the poor would they but 〈◊〉 to Christ and hear his voice as this man did But till then they will as easily part with their bloud as with their good All their strife is who like the 〈◊〉 shall fall asleep with most earth in his paws As when they die nothing grieves them more then that they must leave that which they have so dearly 〈◊〉 whiles alive I reade of one wretch who being at point of death clapt 〈◊〉 piece of gold in his own 〈◊〉 and said Some wiser then some I mean to have this with me howsoever Verse 14. How 〈◊〉 might destroy him All envy is bloudy Men wish him out of the world whom they cannot abide and would rather the Sun should be 〈◊〉 then their candle 〈◊〉 David durst never trust Sauls protestations because he knew him to be an envious person Nero put Thraseas to death for no other cause but for that it was not expedient for Nero that 〈◊〉 worthy a man as he should live by him Verse 15. Great multitudes followed him Maugre the malice of earth and hell They lose their labour that seek to quell Christ and subvert his Kingdom Yet have I set my King upon mine holy hill of Sion Psal. 2. 6. The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence 〈◊〉 11. 12. Or as Melanctbon rendereth that text Vierumpit procedit enititur vi scilicet 〈◊〉 ut sol enititur per nubes ergo irriti 〈◊〉 conatus it bursts thorow all Verse 16. That they should not make him known This his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who sought to get credit and glory among men by his 〈◊〉 works upbraid him with Joh. 7. 4. If thou 〈◊〉 these things shew thy self to the world say they and so proclaim that they believed not in him Joh. 7. 5. with Joh. 5. 44. Joh. 12. 43. Verse 17. That it might be fulfilled The old Testament is the new fore-told the new Testament is the old 〈◊〉 Ezekiel saw a wheel within a wheel This is saith 〈◊〉 the one Testament in the other Verse 18. Behold my servant My servant the Messias as the Chaldee 〈◊〉 renders and expounds it The Septuagint somewhat obscure the text by adding to it Behold my servant Jacob and mine elect Israel They are said to have 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 wils no 〈◊〉 then they deal not so faithfully Sure it is that they have perverted sundry 〈◊〉 Prophecies 〈◊〉 Christ as 〈◊〉 for instance which therefore our Evangelist and the rest of the Apostles alledge not out of their translation but out of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 The Latins drink of the puddles the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 but the Hebrews of the 〈◊〉 said Iohan. Reuchlin Whom I have chosen my beloved c Ecce electum dilectum The Latines have a proverb Deligas quem 〈◊〉 Chuse for thy love and then love for thy choice God hath also chosen 〈◊〉 in the beloved Ephes. 1. 6. that we should be the beloved of his soul or as the Septuagint there emphatically render it his belived soul. And he shall shew judgement That is the doctrine of the Gospel whereby is convey'd into the heart that spirit of judgement and of burning Isa. 4. 4. or the sweet effect of it true grace which is called judgement a little below vers 20. Verse 19. He shall not strive To bear away the bell 〈◊〉 others Nor cry Nor lift up his voice saith the Prophet as loth to lie hid and 〈◊〉 making an O yes as desirous of vain-glory and popular applause Laudes nec curat nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He despiseth it as a little stinking breath or the slavering of mens lips which he disdains to suck in Verse 20. A bruised reed shall he not break A reed shaken with the winde is taken for a thing very contemptible at the best how much more when bruised The wick of a candle is little worth and yet lesse when it 〈◊〉 as yeelding neither light nor heat but only stench and annoiance This men bear not with but tread out So doth not Christ who yet hath a sharp nose a singular sagacity and soon resents our provocations He 〈◊〉 also feet like burning brasse to tread down all them that wickedly depart from his statutes Psal. 119. 118. But so do not any of his and therefore he receiveth and cherisheth with much 〈◊〉 not the strong oaks only of his people but the bruised reeds too nor the bright torches only but the smoaking wick He despiseth not the day of small things Smoak is of the same 〈◊〉 with flame for what else is flame but smoak set on fire So a little grace may be true grace as the filings of gold are as good gold though nothing so much of it as the whole wedge The least spark of fire if cherished
in the same estate wherein they were before These that follow this latter sense read the text thus by an alteration of points Ye which have followed me shall in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in his glory fit upon twelve thrones c. Ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones As so many Kings Kings they are here but somewhat obscure ones as Melchisedech was but shall then appear with Christ in glory far outshining the Sunne in his strength higher then all the Kings of the earth When Daniel had 〈◊〉 the greatnesse and glory of all the four Monarchies of the world at last he comes to speak of a Kingdome which is the greatest and mightiest under the whole heaven and that is the Kingdom of the Saints of the most high So glorious is their estate even here what 〈◊〉 it be then at that great day And if the Saints every of them shall judge the Angells What shall the Apostles do surely as they 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 men in this world so shall it fare with them at the generall Judgement Verse 29. Shall receive an hundred sold In reference to Isaacks hundred-fold increase of his seed Gen. 26. 12. or that best of grounds Mat. 13 Those that do pillage us they do but husband us sow for us when they make long forrowes on our backs Psal. 126. and ride over our heads Psal. 66 12 Gordius the Mattyr said It is to my losse if you bate me any thing in my suffrings Crudelitas vestra nostra gloria said they in Tertullian your cruelty is our glory and the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven Nay on earth too the Saints shall have their losses for Christ recompensed either in mony or monies-worth either in the same or a better thing Iob had all doubled to him Valentinian for his tribuneship the Empire cast upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostate who had put him out of office for his religion Q. Elizabeth whose life 〈◊〉 a long while had been like a ship in the midst of an Irish sea after long restraint was exalted from misery to 〈◊〉 from a prisoner to a 〈◊〉 Optanda nimirum est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is 〈◊〉 a lovely losse that is made up with so great gain 〈◊〉 Q. Elizabeth forknown whiles she was in prison what a glorious raign she should have had for 44 years she would never have wished her self a milk maid So did but the Saints understand what great things abide them both here and hereafter they would bear any thing chearfully An hundred 〈◊〉 here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life hereafter On who would not then turn spirituall purchaser Well might St Paul say godlines is profitable to all things Well might the Psalmist say In doing in suffering thy will there is great reward Not for doing it only but in doing it for Righteousnes is its own reward St Mark hath it thus He that leaveth house brethren sisters father c. shall receive the same in kinde house brethren 〈◊〉 father c. That is 1. He shall have communion with God and his consolations which are better then them all as 〈◊〉 that Italian Marquesse that left all for Christ avowed them and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his City was taken by the Barbarians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us to God Lord let me not be troubled at the losse of my gold and silver for thou art all in all unto me 2. He many times gives his suffering servants here such supplies of their outward losses in raising them up other friends and means as 〈◊〉 abundantly countervail what they have parted with Thus though David was driven from his wife and she was given to another God gave him a friend Jonathan whose love was beyond the love of women So though Naomi lost her husband and children Boaz 〈◊〉 and Obed became to her instead of all The Apostles left their houses and houshold-stuffe to follow Christ but then they had the houses of all godly people open to them and free for them and happy was that Lydia that could entertain them so that having nothing they yet possessed all things They left a few friends but they found 〈◊〉 more where ever they came Wherefore it was a 〈◊〉 sarcasme of Iulian the Apostate when reading this text he jearingly demanded whether they should have an hundred wives also for that one they had parted with 3. God commonly exalts his people to the contrary good to that evil they suffer for him as Ioseph of a slave became a ruler as Christ that was judged by men is Judge of all men The first thing that Caius did after he came to the Empire was to 〈◊〉 Agrippa who had been imprisoned for wishing him Emperour Constantine embraced Paphnutius and kissed his lost eye The King of Poland sent 〈◊〉 his enerall who had lost his hand in his warres a golden hand instead thereof God is far more liberall to those that serve him suffer for him Can any son of Iesse doe for us as he can Verse 30. But many that are first c Because Peter and the rest had called for their pay almost afore they had been at any pains for Chtist he therefore quickeneth them in these words bidding them bestir themselves better left others that are now hindermost should get beyond them and carry the crown Lay hold on eternall life saith Paul intimating that it is hanged on high as a garland so that we must reach after it strain to it So run that ye may obtain Look you to your work God will take care of your wages you need never trouble your selves about that matter CHAP. XX. Verse 1. For the Kingdom of heaven c. THat last sentence Christ further illustrateth and enforceth by this following parable Peter and the rest were in danger to be puffed up with the preconceit of their abundant reward 〈◊〉 chap. 19 28 29. This to prevent and that they might not stand upon their tearms and tiptoes they are again and again given to know that 〈◊〉 that are first shall be last and last first Which 〈◊〉 out early in the morning God is found of them that seek him not Isa 65. 1. Yea the Father seeketh such to worship him Ioh. 4. 23. he solliciteth suitours and servants A wonderfull condescension it is that he looketh out of himself upon the Saints and Angels in heaven Psal. 113. 6. How much more upon us poor earth-worms Labourers into his Vineyard Not loiterers Iacob saw the Angels some ascending others descending none standing still God hath made 〈◊〉 to play in the waters not so men they must be doing that will keep in with God Verse 2. For a penny a day Not for eternall life for this those murmuring merit-mongers never had who yet had their peny but something what ever it were that gave the labourers good content that it was for which each of them followed Christ
first and Luther is bold to say Primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur In the first Commandment is commanded the keeping of all the rest We rightly love our very selves no further then we love God And for others we are bound to love our friends in him our foes for him Verse 39. And the second is like unto it For it hath 1. The same author God spake all these words 2. The same tye 3. The same sanction and punishment of the violation 4. It requires the same kinde of love and service for the love of our neighbour is the service of God Love thy neighbour as thy self Now thou lovest thy self truly really fervently freely constantly hiding thine own defects and deformities as much as may be Thou wouldst have others rejoyce with thee and condole with thee as occasion serves Go thou now and do likewise to others Howbeit our Saviour strains us up a peg higher Ioh. 13. 34. His new commandment of the Gospel is that we love one another not only as we love our selves but as he loved us This forme hath something in it that is more expresse in which respect partly it is called a new commandment and for the incomparable sufficiency of the president is matchlesse and more full of incitation to fire affection Verse 40. Hang all the Law and Prophets Yea and the Gospel too for love is both the complement of the Law and the supplement of the Gospel Rom. 13. 10. Ioh. 13. 34. It is the filling up of the Law as the word signifieth for that it clotheth the duties of the Law with the glory of a due manner and seateth them upon their due subjects with unwearied labours of constant well-doing The Prophets also hang upon the same nail of love with the Law so some frame the Metaphor here used As some others rather think that our Saviour in this expression alludeth to the Jewish Phylacteries Heb. Totaphoth which were scroules of parchment having the Commandments written in them which the Pharisees ware about their heads and arms to minde them of obedience to the Law Verse 41. While the Pharisees were gathered i.e. Before the former meeting was dissolved We should watch for and catch at all opportunities of working upon the worst Dr Taylour preached every time he could get his people together holy-day or else Verse 42. What think ye of Christ Christus utramque paginam impleret All our 〈◊〉 should be with those wise-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Bethlehem who is wrapped up as it were in the swathing-bands of both the 〈◊〉 Whose son is he They were curious in genealogies A shame therefore it was for them to be ignorant of Christs 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 They say unto him the son of David Herein they said 〈◊〉 but not all for they conceived no 〈◊〉 of Christ then as of a 〈◊〉 man Our Saviour therefore takes a text out of Psal. 110. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be well versed in 〈◊〉 mystery of Christ and neglect nothing 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 by us Verse 43. How then doth David in spirit The spirit 〈◊〉 Davia 〈◊〉 a sort and by his mouth 〈◊〉 what he would publish to the Church concerning the Godhead of Christ. Holy 〈◊〉 spake of old as they 〈◊〉 acted by the holy Ghost as they were forcibly moved or born away and as it were carried out of themselves by the holy Ghost Verse 44. The Lord said unto my Lord God the Father to God the Sonne these two differ no otherwise then that the one is the Father and not the Sonne the other is the Son and not the Father Sit thou on my right hand As my fellow and coaequal Zach. 13. 7. Philip. 2. 6. And as Christ is at the right hand of his Father so is the Church at the right hand of Christ Psalm 45. 9. which is a place both of greatest dignity and safety Verse 45. Lord how is he his Sonne This is that great mystery of Godlinesse which Angels intently look into as the 〈◊〉 did of old into the Mercy-seat That Christ should be Davids Lord and Davids son God and man in one person this 〈◊〉 that wonder of wonders well might his name be 〈◊〉 Isa. 9 6. Verse 46. And no man was able to answer Though they were subtile sophisters and mighty in the Scriptures yet they had nothing to oppose Magna est veritas valebit Great is the truth and shall prevail Neither durst any man c. How easily can God button up the mouths of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and plead for us in their consciences as he did for Mr Bradford and many more of the Martyrs whom as they could not outreason so neither could they but conceive well of the Martyrs innocency triumphing in their persecutours consciences CHAP. XXIII Verse 1. Then spake Iesus to the multitude c. CHrist having confuted and confounded the Scribes and Pharisees turns him to the people and to his Disciples and that he might do nothing to the detriment of the truth he here 〈◊〉 that they despise not the doctrine of the Pharisees so far 〈◊〉 it was sound and sincere without leaven but try all things 〈◊〉 fast that which was good Be advised and remember to search into the truth of what you hear was the counsell of Epicharmus Verse 2. Sit in Moses chair i. e. Have the ordinary office of teaching the people but quo iure he questioneth not The Preists and Levites should have done it but the Scribes and Pharisees had for present taken it upon them stept into the chair and there set 〈◊〉 R m. 2. 20. So Hildebrand and his successours have invaded Peters chair as they call the sea of Rome but what said an Ancient Non habent Petri haereditatem qui 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 They have no right to Peters chaire that have not Peters faith The Index 〈◊〉 commands sublestâ fide instead of Fidem Petri to print it Sedem Petri. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Calvus to Vatinius digniorem 〈◊〉 dic qui Praetor 〈◊〉 Catonem Put on a good face and say that thou art 〈◊〉 for the office then Cato himself But what a bold face had 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 who meeting the devil required his chair of him as one that better deserved it He had his desire I doubt not But if 〈◊〉 and Pharisees sat in 〈◊〉 chair it 's no news 〈◊〉 for bad men to succeed better as Timotheus Herulus did Proterius the good Bishop of Alexandria and as Arminius did Junius in the 〈◊〉 place at Leyden Verse 3. All therefore whatsoever Not their traditions superstitions and corrupt glosses upon the Law but whatsoever they teach that is agreable to truth so long as they sit close to Moses chair and keep it warm as it were hearken to them Gods good gifts are to be acknowledged and improved even in the worst as David made Sauls epitaph 2 Sam. 1. though the devil preached his funerall 1 Sam.
28. 19. But do not ye after 〈◊〉 works If Ministers do well saith Chrysostom it is 〈◊〉 own gain if they say 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 Take thou what thine own is and let alone what is another mans Sylla and K. Richard the third commanded others under great penalties to be vertuous and modest when themselves walked the 〈◊〉 contrary way A deformed painter may draw a goodly picture a stinking breath sound a mighty blast and he that hath but a bad voice shew cunning in descant A blinde man may bear a torch in a dark night and a harp make musick to others which it self is not sensible of Posts set for direction of 〈◊〉 by the highway-side do point out the way which themselves go not And signe-posts 〈◊〉 the travellour there is wholesome diet or warm lodging within when themselves remain in the storms without Leud preachers are like spirie-steeples or high 〈◊〉 which point up to heaven but presse down to the center For they say and do not They had tongues which spake by the talent but their hands scarce wrought by the ounce like that ridiculous actour at Smyrna who pronouncing ô caelum ô heaven pointed with his finger toward the ground so these Pharisees had the heaven commonly at their tongues end but the earth continually at their fingers-end In a certain battel against the Turks there was a Bishop that thus encouraged the army Play the men fellow-souldiers to day and I dare promise you that if ye dye fighting ye shall sup to night with God in heaven Now after the battel was begun the Bishop withdrew himself And when some of the souldiers enquired among themselves what was become of the Bishop and why he would not take a supper with them that night in heaven others answered Hodie sibi jejunium indixit ideoque non vult nobiscum in caelo caenare This is fasting-day with him and therefore he will eat no supper no not in heaven Epictetus was wont to say that there were many Philosophers we may say Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as far as a few words would go But is religion now become a word goodnesse a name as Brutus once cryed out Should it be said of holinesse as it was once in another place Audivimus famam we have heard the fame thereof with our ears and that 's all The foolish Virgins were found with their sic dicentes but the good servants shall be found with their sic facientes Christ was full of grace as well as truth John Baptist was both a burning and shining light Origens teaching and living were said to be both one That 's the best Sermon 〈◊〉 that 's digg'd out of a mans own brest when he practiseth what he preacheth non 〈◊〉 solum praedicans sed exemplis as Eusebius testifieth of Origen and Mr Gataker of Mr Stock As the want hereof 〈◊〉 Campian to write Ministris corum nibil vilius their 〈◊〉 are most base Verse 4. For they binde heavy burdens c. Their humane 〈◊〉 so do the Popish Doctours heires herein to the 〈◊〉 of whom this Sermon is not more historicall then of the other it is propheticall The inferiour Clergy they make preach every day in Lent without intermission throughout all Italy in the greater cities so as six daies in the week they preach on the Gospel of the daies and on the Saturday in honour and praise of our Lady Whereas the Pope and Bishops preach not at all So for the Laity they must fast with bread and water when the Priests have their suckets and other sweet meats three or four times on their mock-fast-daies What should we speak of their pilgrimages to Peru Ierusalem c. penances satisfactions c. And no man must question but obey without sciscitation Walter Mapes sometimes Archdeacon of Oxford relating the Popes 〈◊〉 simony concludes Sit tamen Domina materque 〈◊〉 Roma baculus in aquâ fractus absit credere quae vidimus In things that make against our Lady-Mother Rome we may not beleeve our own eyes Verse 5. To be seen of men Theatrically thrasonically and for ostentation as stage-players or painted-faces See notes on chap. 6. verse 2. 5. Saints more seek to be good then seem to be so They make broad their Phylacteries That is Conservatories so called 1. Because of the use of them the law was kept in remembrance 2. Because the superstitious Pharisees conceited that by the wearing of them about their necks themselves might be kept from danger as by so many spels what they were see the Notes above on Matth. 22. 40. Enlarge the borders of their garments God had charged the 〈◊〉 to binde the law to their hand and before their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 8. wherein as Hierom and Theophylact well interpret it he meant the meditation and practice of his law They saith a learned Author like unto the foolish patient which when the Physitian bids him take the prescript eats up the paper if they could but get a list of parchment upon their left arme next their heart and another scroll to tye upon their forehead and four corners of fringe or if these be denied a red threed in their hand thought they might say Blessed be thou of the Lord I have done the commandment of the Lord. What was this but as Mr Tindall said in another case to think to quench their thirst by sucking the Ale-powl Verse 6. And love the uppermost rooms Which is a singular vanity and yet hath bred greatest contestation in the Church as between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople the Archbishops of Canterbury and York justling in Parliament for precedency even unto blows and bloodshed what dolefull effects followed upon the contention between the Lord Protectour and his brother in K. Edward the sixths daies raised by their 〈◊〉 wives who could not agree about place The Apostles rule is in honour to pre 〈◊〉 one another Rom. 12. 10. And true humility is like true balm that still in water sinks to the bottome like the violet the sweetest but lowest of flowers which hangs the head downwards and hides it self with its own leaves Verse 7. And to be called of men Rabbi They were tickled with high titles and thought it a goodly thing to be held and stiled Magnifico's to be flie-blown with flatteries There is not a more vainglorious people under heaven then the Jews Hence that rabble of titles amongst them in this order 〈◊〉 in a little before the nativity of our Saviour Rabbi Rabban Rab Rabbi Gaon Moreh Morenn and Moreh tsedek So the Friers proceed in their vain-glorious titles from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo then Archangelo Cherubino and lastly Cerephino which is the top of perfection Are not these those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle inveighs against those great swelling titles of vanity Verse 8. Be not ye called Rabbi Do not ambitiously affect such a