The Holy Limbeck(1), Commentary 32 – Commentary 41
Balaams Aſs.
The dumb Aſs ſpeaking with mans voyce, forbad the madneſs of the Prophet,
2 Pet. 2.16.
COvetouſneſs is ſufficiently deteſtable in ſuch as wait but on their private callings, far more odious in thoſe that on State-Affairs, but moſt abominable in thoſe that on the Altar: To diſhonor that God which made the earth, for the droſs of it, is the ignobleſt of ingratitudes; and for the menial ſervants of the high Lord of heaven and earth, to become the mercenary ſlaves of men, to diſcredit that Maſter whom they pretend to ſerve, is the inexemplarieſt preſident of the horridſt rebellion. Some have had a ſtrange dream of the Reſurrection of Beaſts, and thence moſt groſly held, that Creatures meerly Senſitive ſhall riſe again; truly I know no better Argument to back this beaſt with, then to interpret that opinion to be underſtood of this dumb Aſs, to riſe in judgement againſt the madneſs of many the ſuppoſed Prophets of our days; for though as the tree falls, ſo he ſhall lie, yet I cannot ſay, That he that lives and dyes a beaſt, ſhall riſe ſo. Time was (I ſpare the preſent tenſe) when many learned Prophets for a meſs of pottage ſold the truth, to Anathematize the pillars thereof; me-thinks they are ſomewhat excuſable, for they were mad; the ſillieſt of all Animals here wonderfully qualified, at once both to publiſh and reprove their Lunacy: Beware then, thou that art in the Lords Embaſſie, or oftner in thine own ſervice under that notion, make not a trade of that which may and ſhould be bought without money; neither ſet the gifts of God to ſale; be not tempted by the baits of men to tempt the Almighty, to counterdict his determinate purpoſes; neither let the rewards of the wicked enſnare thee, to the prejudice of the faithful ſervants of God, leſt they condemn thee of leſs underſtanding then the Horſe or Mule; for, The dumb Aſs ſpeaking with mans voyce, forbad the madneſs of the Prophet, 2 Pet. 2.16.
The Spirits Touchſtone.
Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no,
1 John 4.1.
LOok well to thy faith, there are many falſe Prophets riſen up amongſt us: Anchor it on firm ground, Religion blows too many ways: All Prophets are not Michaiahs; believe them not one Doctrine the ſooner, for circumciſing the Text, to come to the Cuſhion ere the matter, beating it down in ſtead of ſin, and preſſing it more then the Point they handle: All Prophets are not Micaiahs; believe them not one Corollary the ſooner, for Metaphiſicking the Temples into Schools, and learnedly confuting their own Objections, to ſalve their own Credits more then their Auditors ſouls: All Prophets are not Micaiahs; believe them not one Sycophantick lye the ſooner for their multitude, or the high qualifications of their Chaplainſhip; King Ahab had four hundred, and a lying Spirit in them all. Gods word is the Spirits Touchſtone, thereby thou mayeſt diſtinguiſh the Wolf from the Lamb, and the Serpent from the Dove: Commit not thy ſouls fraight to the faith of every wind, nor thy faith to the wind of every Doctrine, leſt thou make Ship-wrack of both: Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no, 1 John 4.1.
Simon the Croſs-bearer.
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, him they compelled to bear his croſs,
Mart. 27.32.
VVE read of no leſs then four Simons in the Goſpel, Simon Peter firnamed Bar-jona, Matth. 16.17. the Fiſherman-Apoſtle, Matth. 4.18. Simon Magus the Samarian Sorcerer, Acts 8.9. Simon Zelotes, Luke 6.15. the Canaanite, Matthew 10.4. and this Simon of Cyrene, Matth. 27.32. who bare that Croſs, which bare that Chriſt who bare our Sins, Iſa. 53.11. what a heavy weight was that? were there as many worlds as atomes in this, and each of them multiplyed by the higheſt of numbers, they were all too light to ballance the leaſt chip of this Croſs: To ſtile him the Goſpel-Atlas, is too diminutive an Epithite: What, did Simon bear Chriſts Croſs? a load that would have made the very Pillars of Heaven and Earth to crack agen? No, Chriſt bare his own Croſs; none but himſelf could bear that Croſs, and our Curſe; indeed Simon bare that wooden Croſs the ſtony Jews prepared out of Jeruſalem's Oaks; and Simons Apes, at this day, bear that Golden Croſs the leaden Prieſts, or Demetrian Romaniſts, prepare for the Worſhip of their Ave-Diana: If Simon had born Chriſts Croſs, he ſhould have been Simon the Martyr of Gyrene; Simon may be ſaid to bear the Croſs of Chriſt, but not Chriſts Croſs.
Thus many are erroneouſly ſuppoſed Chriſts Croſs-bearers, when oft-times they are no better then Chriſts Crucifiers: And thus if a covetous wretch, that is a Piety-pretender, be ſummoned to diſburſe for Chriſts State-ſervice, he will ſuffer in perſon by impriſonment, rather then in his bounty by enlargement; and ſubmit himſelf to be ſhut faſt, rather then his Coffers to be opened; yet plead Conſcience, as if it were that onelyonly which is ſo ſtraight-laced, whereas indeed his purſs-ſtrings are ſhrunk, yet then proclaim himſelf as one of Chriſts Croſs-bearers, when mean while, like Covetous Judas, he is but his own Budget-bearer: Monſters in nature there are; if there could be Monſters in Grace, the Hypocrite muſt be one of the uglieſt. All ſufferers are not Chriſts Croſs-bearers, nor all dyers for Religion, Martyrs; But if thou ſuffer, not in, but for a good cauſe, and for a good conſcience, then art thou one of Chriſts happy Croſs-bearers: if thou patiently bear reproach, contempt, and the ſcorn of men for the Goſpels ſake, then mayeſt thou more properly be ſaid to bear Chriſts Croſs, then the Man of Cyrene, Simon by name, whom they compelled to bear his Croſs, Mar. 27.32.
The Soldiers Miſtake.
They parted my garments among them, and upon my veſture did they caſt lots,
Mat. 27.35.
VVAs there ever a fairer diſtribution of ſuch ſacrilegious plunder? yet who but a Prophet could have thought, that thoſe Robes which apparelled the Son of God, ſhould ever have cloath'd ſuch impious varlets?
They parted his garments among them,] There may be Rents, Sects and Diviſions in the Church, among the viſible members thereof; but the ſeamleſs Veſture, Truth, the Churches pure and unblemiſhable Ornament, maugre the prophaneſt violence of the rudeſt Soldier, ſhall ever remain inviolably whole, perfect and intire. Naked wretches! what covert gave theſe Ornaments to your ſhameful infidelity? what beauty to your deformity? what luſtre to your uglineſs? you embrace a Shadow, and let the Subſtance vaniſh.
No wonder the members are left naked, when the body is deveſted: But are theſe ignorant Soldiers the onelyonly miſtaken creatures? are there not others who wear Chriſts Livery, yet crucifie their Savior? none who put him to death, that they may part his garments among them? none that wear the coſtly Ornaments of Ceremonial Worſhip, yet are naked in regard of the true Ornament of Faith, and the living object thereof? Are there none that reſt upon duties, yet murther their Chriſt in their daily practice? no hypocrites, that put on the outſide of Religion, yet line it with Martyr-Scarlet? none that garb themſelves according to the ſeaſon of the times, and temper of Promotions Clime, wearing that Religion which is moſt in faſhion, though never ſo unbeſeeming the quality of a true Chriſtian, or unfit for the ſoul that wears it, cutting the ſize of their Conſcience by the meaſure of their ambition, not their Religion by the rule of Gods Word? Are there none who ſeem to put on Chriſts Livery at every duty, at every Sermon, on every Sabbath, yea at every meal, yet deveſt themſelves of the garments of his Righteouſneſs? Thus all the world's miſtaken: The Soldier's was an ignorant miſtake, but ours a wilful; they left the ſubſtance for the ſhadow, we take the ſhadow for the ſubſtance: What's the difference? they crucified one Chriſt, we new make another; they out of the rude deportment incident to their profeſſion, part among them his garments whom they crucified; we, by the dirt of our hypocritical performances, beſpatter his garments whom we profeſs to hallow: All which is now come to paſs, that it might indeed be fulfilled what was ſpoken by the Prophet, They parted my garments among them, and on my veſture did they caſt lots, Pſal. 22.18.
The learned Babler.
Then certain Philoſophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountred him; and ſome ſaid, What will this Babler ſay?
Acts 17.18.
VVHat makes Paul at Athens? knew he not that the Inſcription of Antiquity on the one ſide, and the Teſte of the Learned ſtamp'd on the other, makes a currant Religion of the groſſeſt Superſtition? knew he not, that he was to buckle with a whole Academy of Idolaters, and that nothing obſtructed the propagation of the Goſpel, in the purity and ſimplicity thereof, ſo much as the unſanctified ſuperfluities of Humane wiſdom? Grant this, yet were there any Lectures of Jeſus in the Attick Schools? or had the body of Philoſophy any knowledge of a Reſurrection? or could it Syllogiſtically conclude a Trinity of Perſons from the premiſes of one moſt abſolute, pure, ſimple, undivided Divine Eſſence? This was a myſtery too Metaphyſical for the profoundeſt Sophies in Athens; thence ſay they, Let us hear what this babling fellow will ſay.
And are there no Engliſh Athenians, that hold the ſpirituality of Goſpel-diſcourſe to be meer babling? the preaching of Jeſus to be the ſetting forth of ſome ſtrange God, or ſome new Doctrine? little dream our Holy-day Formaliſts, that there is any Athenianiſm in their Devotions, whilſt they value the ſincere, plain, and uninticing words of the wiſdom of God, but as the preterfluous evacuations of overcharg'd clouds, and the demonſtrations of the Spirit, but as the Ignis Fatuus of a Superzealous Comet▪ Little dream our Eutychian Sermon-ſleepers, that they are guilty hereof, when they nod it as plainly and diſtinctly as ever any Athenian ſpake it: Little think our Philoſophical Longobards, our univerſal Scholaſticks, Learnings Standards, that their ſelf-elation contracts this guilt, when Idolizing their own endowments, Herod-like they ſacrilegiouſly rob God of that honor which is his, by caſting the Cob-web vail of their uſurped Hoſanna's over Natures more refined qualities, to detract from the Fountain of Wiſdom, from the wiſdom of the Higheſt; inſomuch, as were Paul himſelf to be ſent in a ſecond meſſage, they would boldly accoſt him with this Salutation, What will this Babler ſay? Acts 17.18.
The Athenian Inſcription.
As I paſſed by and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this Inſcription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD; whom ye ignorantly worſhip,
Acts 17.23.
THis nigh ſeems no leſs Atheiſtical then Superſtitious: To diſacknowledge the known God, may ſtand as a Maxime in Atheiſm; to acknowledge the unknown God, as a Paradox in Superſtition: To worſhip we know not what, is the center of all Idolatry: and as Atheiſm ſtands at the right hand of Prophaneneſs, ſo Superſtition on the blinde ſide of Ignorance: No wonder Ignorance is held the Mother of Devotion, when any thing becomes the Idol of Ignorance. Ask the meer nominal Chriſtian, the morally religious man, that to gain heaven will not have his Religion tread out of his Anceſtors ſteps, for fear of prophaning their Canoniz'd duſt; nor that heaven ſhould ſuffer the leaſt violence by him, leſt himſelf ſuffer the ſtigm of Sect or Schiſm in the Pot-opinions of his right-elbow friends; that will not omit morn or evening prayer, for fear he ſhould not with a quiet conſcience uſe his accuſtomed liberty in the intervals; ask this mans Prayer, whoſe Superſcription hath it? if the God were Known, I doubt we might read Duty on the Altar, and Infidelity in the Heart: Ask the Ignorant ſoul what Inſcription is on his Altar, whence ſo much ſtrange incenſe is vaniſh'd into ſmoak; he knows not whither, and you will finde this Inſcription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD, on the altar of his heart, or David was no Prophet, Pſal. 14.1. Who thought the fool ſuch a cordial Atheiſt? or Ignorance ſuch a zealous blinde devotiſt? it ſeems Superſtition and Atheiſm are very near allied: O that the Lord, when he paſſeth by and beholds our Devotions, may not finde Altars with this Inſcription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD, whom we ignorantly worſhip, Acts 17.23.
The Female-Preacher.
Likewiſe, ye wives, be in ſubjection to your own huſbands, that if any obey not the word, they may without the word be won by the converſation of the wives,
1 Pet. 3.1.
THe Female-preacher! what new prepoſterous Doctrine is that? doth not the Apoſtle writing to the Corinthians, ſilence that Sex in the Church, 1 Cor. 14.34. and thence iſſue a peremptory inhibition? ſaith he not in the following verſe, that It is a ſhame for women to ſpeak in the Church? how ſtands it then with the modeſty of their Sex? are there in theſe latter days ſuch effuſions of Spirit, as women may now wear a Pulpit, to make that their glory, which primitively was their ſhame? 'tis ſo without a paradox in the Oeconomicks of Divinity; a ſweet and gracious converſation, doth Preach moſt excellent Goſpel-Doctrine; a vertuous life, is a viſible word of truth, it takes God for the Text, Truth for the Doctrine, and Holineſs for the Uſe; it doth Preach in its practice, yea ſo powerfully, that oft-times faith cometh by ſeeing: The vertuous converſation of the wife, doth ſometimes prove a happy Sermon to the husband; modeſty in her, will Preach chaſtity to him; her ſaying little, reproves his rage; her wiſe home-keeping, is an uſe of conviction to his ſociable profuſeneſs; her charity condemns his Nabaliſm; her circumſpection, doth moſt powerfully preſs the point of Parental Providence, and oft prevents the husband from turning Infidel or worſe; her tenderneſs doth teach him kindeneſs; and when ſhe preaches love to him, ſhe takes the Text out of her own Obedience: The practice of her ſubjection to him, doth Preach the duty of his to Chriſt; and indeed he preacheth beſt, that beſt practiceth: To practice the Sermon we hear, is the beſt way of repeating it; but to repeat the Sermon we ſee, is the ready way to practice it: Such a viſible Sermon, is every graceful action proceeding from a vertuous and obedient wife; and if ever the devout Converſation of the wife prove the ſavour of life unto life for the husband; if ever the wife of his boſom procure him a place in Abrahams, all her piety to her God muſt be attended on with diſcreet loyalty to her husband, elſe in vain had the Apoſtle injoyned Wives to be in ſubjection to their own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they might without the word be won by the converſation of the wives, 1. Pet. 3.1.
Crums from the Table.
But he anſwered and ſaid, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and caſt it to dogs: And ſhe ſaid, Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their maſters table,
Matth. 15.26,27.
CHriſts Offals are a feaſt to the humble ſoul, where there is a hungry faith, whereas his rareſt dainties are but nauciated by the proud and full-fed Chriſtian: Faith without humility flies up the ſoul to the Pinacle of Preſumption, and humility without faith oft lights it in the Valley of Deſpair: The children and the dogs muſt not ſup at one Table; Chriſt is no Goſpel-pearl for Swine, Legion is more welcome to ſuch a Heard, then he to ſuch a Legion. To this latter Age of ours, indeed times dotage, to this old decrepid bow-back'd world is ſerved in Chriſts ſecond courſe, the choiceſt rarities of Goſpel-truths; but we have ſo apiſhly alamoded even our very pallates, and ſo adulterated the ſubſtantial food of wholeſome Doctrine, by the leaven and ſawcy Compounds of our own Traditions, that our poor ſouls do even ſtarve, whileſt our conſciences ſurfeit; ſuch is the ſcarcity of nutrifactive Truths under ſuch plentiful varieties of new-dreſs'd diſpenſations: When ſervants feaſt it, wo be to the childrens bread; when Stewards feaſt dogs with the childrens bread, who hungers for the maſters crums? where's now the Maſters Table? who keeps forth the Lords houſe? is there no proviſion made for the Lords Table? where are the Stewards? is there a dearth in Heaven? is not that ſheet which epitomized the Creation for Peters appetite, Acts 10.11,12. broad enough to cover the Lords Table for our faith? or are there no Gueſts at leiſure to ſup with the Lord? happily this man hath bought a piece of England, that man a yoke of Offices, the third happily hath married a wife of his own canonizing; but are there no poor ſouls in the highways, no maimed conſciences, that on their recovery would rejoyce at the crums which fall from this Table? its worth our tears to acquaint the Maſter, how thoſe ſharp-ſet dog-like appetites, which were not worthy the crums of his Table, have in revenge ſnarl'd his Table into crums; yet It is not meet to take the childrens bread and caſt it to ſuch dogs, though the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their maſters table, Matth. 15.26,27.
The Camel travelling through the needles eye.
It is eaſier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,
Matth. 19.24.
IS Heavens gate leſs then a needles eye? no wonder few there be that finde it, Matth. 7.14. or is it the rich mans greatneſs that obſtructs his paſſage and denyes him entrance? indeed our Savior entitles the Poor to a propriety in this Kingdom, Luke 6.20. and its the onelyonly inheritance that uſurping Ahabs could never yet plunder from our poor and innocent Jezreelites. But why ſo difficult a thing for rich men to enter heaven? becauſe ſo facile a thing for hell to enter them. Though it be even a Proverb with Solomon, Prov. 14.20. That the rich hath many friends, yet he may not expect to be Abrahams boſom-friend; there's not a drop of water for him in heaven, who hath not a crum of bread for Lazarus on earth. 'Tis poſſible that Creatures of a larger bulk then Camels, may by the dexterity of the Artiſt paſs through a needles eye in ſome exquiſite acupicture piece; ſo you may finde the Portraict of a rich man in the picture of a parable, but a great gulf-wide from heaven: It is the invelleity of the Creature, which oft times renders that impoſſible, which in it ſelf is feazible; and if Heaven were an earthly Paradice, or Eternity could be rated and purchaſable at twenty years value, the rich being here but Tenants at Will, at moſt for Term of Life, it ſhould coſt them an Hoſpital, but their ſouls ſhould have a reverſion in Heaven; were that tranſparent anonimity, 1 Cor. 2.9. and 2 Cor. 12.4. but penetrable by ſuch blunt and ſenſual droſs: Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl, &c. Jam. 5.1. Indeed without are dogs, Rev. 22.15. what ſad news is this? news more deſperate then a Bankrupts debt; Is there no poſſibility of entrance into heaven for the rich? hath that Saint, whom the Romaniſts idolize as the Clavis of Heaven, wept out all his Apoſtacy, yet no room but at the Italian Ephiſus for a little bribery? have the Mammoniſts on earth nothing to do with Heavens Exchequer? dare we ſay ſuch a man is not in Heaven becauſe he dyed rich? God forbid; our Savior never ſuperfluated any Truth; he ſaith, A rich man ſhall hardly enter into heaven, Matth. 19.23. but all difficulties imply a poſſibility; and if but a grain of faith can cauſe Mountains of earth to skip into the Sea, Matth. 17.20. & 21.21. can it not as eaſily convey a few earth-worms into heaven? onelyonly it is eaſier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, Matth. 19.24.
Rabbi, Rabbi.
Then ſpake Jeſus to the multitude, and to his Diſciples, ſaying, The Scribes and Phariſees ſit in Moſes ſeat, &c. and love the uppermoſt rooms at feaſts, and the chief ſeats in the ſynagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi,
Matth. 23.1,2,6,7.
AS there is not a vainer puff of pride, then hypocritical humility; ſo there is not a more ridiculous piece of folly, then a ſerious affected gravity, where ambition is worn with the wrong ſide outward: The Peoples Hoſanna bred Vermin in Herod, that he became even worms-meat above ground, Acts 12.23. and 'twas the Scribes impudence to have that Chair for their Pulpit, which coſt the ambitious Sons of Levi a Journey under ground, Numb. 16.32. Though it be not denyed but they were learned Expoſitors of the Law, yet we ſee not what niceties thereof they or their ſurviving hanging-ſleeves at this day, can plead in Bar to that Action of Damage, which the poor mans Advocate hath commenced againſt them in Mat. 23.4. The Jews Proverb was, The People of the Land are the footſtool of the Phariſees: ours may be, The footſtool of the People are the Phariſees of the Land. The Scribes were the Law-Criticks; The Phariſees Goſpel-mimicks; The Scribes being Lawyers, made no conſcience of waſhing their hands after a bribe, as the other before a feaſt, Mark 7.3. nor with much difficulty obtained the Hypocrites portion; but the Phariſees took more pains for eternal pains, and were more exact in going to Hell: It would nonplus a Synagogue of Rabbies, to riddle whether they were more ſwoln with Ambition, or over-ſcurfed with hypocriſie: It is not worth one dram of Super-rational Faith, to believe the lying Spirit in Ahab's Prophets, was no other then the Spirit of Naboth, whom he had formerly ſlain; yet the creating Vote of this Supercilious Generation, is ſufficient to Enact it in the Talmud for a tradition of faith to Poſterity: Thoſe whited-Sepulchres, would far better become a Charnel-houſe then Moſes Seat. They had an excellent faculty of paying Tithe to a grain, but, Wo to widows Houſes when they ſaid their Prayers; It was their charity to loud Muſick, that made them ambitious of it to the Poor: Their devotion was very zealous for the Chief Seats in the Synagogues, and the uppermoſt Room was their beſt Cheer at a Feaſt, where they had a very good ſtomack to feed on the Chair at the Tables end: If this generation of Vipers can anſwer our Savior, how they can eſcape the damnation of Hell, Matt. 23.33. then let thoſe blinde guides be greeted in our Markets (as too frequently they are) with the idolatrous ſalutations of Rabbi, Rabbi.