Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 4 – Chapter 5

Commentary on the Gospels and Acts · Commentary 1 · Chapter 4 – Chapter 5

p. 55CHAP. IIII.

Verse 1. Then was … led up]

LEst haply the people, hearing that testimony from Heaven should come and take him by force to make him a King, as Ioh. 6. 15. to try their loves also to him, who was thus overclouded, as the Sun in his first rising.

Led up of the Spirit]

The better to fit him thereby for the ministry.… in … est, valetudine …, & … non …, …: … accidere semper, cum … quippiam … dixit. Melchior Alam de Ger. Theol. pag. 154. Act. and Mon. fol. …. Luther observed of himself, that when God was about to set him upon any speciall service, he either laid some fit of sicknesse … him before-hand, or turned Satan loose upon him; who so … him (eft-soones) by his temptations, ut …, …, nec sensus, nec vox superesset, that neither heat, nor blood, … sense, nor voice remained: The very venome of the temptations drank up his spirit, and his body seemed dead, as … Ionas, that was by, and saw it, reported … him in his Epistle to Melanchton. Hence also it was that in his Sermons, God gave him such a grace (saith M. Fox) that when he …, they that heard him thought, … one, his own temptations to be severally touched and noted. Whereof when signification was given unto him by his friends, and he demanded how that could be? Mine own manifold temptation (saith he) and … are the cause …: For from his tender years he was much … and exercised with spirituall conflicts, as Melanchton in his life testifieth. … … Wellerus, scholar to the said, M. Luther recordeth, that … oftentimes heard Luther his Master report of himself, that he had been assaulted and vexed with all kinde of temptations (… onlyIt appeareth by S. …, that no men … in this …, but …. with that of covetousnesse,) and was thereby fitted for the work of the Lord, Whence also he was wont to say, that … things make a Preacher, …, Prayer and Temptation.

Into the wildernesse]

Likely the wildernesse of …, where Moses and Elias had … before. These three great fasters, met afterwards in mount …: God … to turn his peoplesMar. 1. 13. …Mark 1:13 p. 56… into feasting, Zech. 8. 19. The devil took advantage of … Mat. 17. 2.Matt 17:2… here, to … our Saviour in the desert, but was beaten on … own dunghill; that we might overcome through him that … us, Rom. 8. the …-being already foiled by Christ.

To be tempted of the devil]

No sooner was Christ out of … water of Baptisme, then in the fire of Temptation. So David, … his anointing, was hunted as a partridge upon the mountains. … is no sooner out of Egypt, then Pharaoh pursues them: … no sooner had kept that solemn …, then Sennacherib comes up against him. S^t Paul is assaulted with … temptations after the … of his revelations: And Christ teacheth us, after forgivenesse2 Cor. 12.2 Cor 12 of sins obtained, to look for temptations, and to pray againstMat. 6. 13.Matt 6:13 them. Whiles Iacob would be Labans drudge and packhorse, all was well; but when once he began to flee, he makes after him with all his might. All was jolly quiet at Ephesus beforeActs 19. 23.Acts 19:23 S. Paul came …, but then, there arose no small stir about …. All the while our Saviour lay in his fathers shop, and medled only with Carpenters chipps, the devil troubled him not. But now, that he is to enter more publikely upon his office of Mediatourship,foreign of foreign, … pierce thorow. the tempter pierceth his tender soul with many sorrows, by … to sin. And dealt he so with the green tree, what will … do with the dry? Temptations (besides those that come from God, which are only probationis, not perditionis, as the other) are … two sorts: for either they are of seducement, Iam. 1. 15. or of…, vel …. … and grievance, 2 Cor. 12. 7. either of allurement or affrightment. In the former we are pressed with some darling corruption, whereto our appetites by nature or most propense: In the later, we are dogged with foulest lusts of …, Idolatry, …, murther, &c. that Nature startles at: In these the … tempts alone, and that so grossely, that the very flesh is ashamed … it. But in the former, that came more immediatly from the flesh, the devil only interposeth himself, and speaks his good word for them: whence they are called … of Satan, 2 Cor. 12. and Eph. 4. 26. we are said in anger to give place to the devil: and in resisting of lusts, we resist the devil, Jam. 4. 7.

Verse 2. And when … had fasted …, &c.]

All … actions are for our instruction; not all for our imitation. We may not imitate the works miraculous of Christ, and proper to him as …. The ignorance of this caused some to counterfeit … Christs: as one Moor in K. Edward the …, and one p. 57Hacket in Q. Elizabeths time, David George and sundry others, according to Mat. 24 24. Neither need we seek to imitate him in his infirmities, which (though they were not …, but only naturall, and therefore unblameable) yet import a weaknesse (as that he was hungry, weary, sleepy, &c.) and so, though they be in us, yet we need not strive the attainment of them. But we must … the Lord Christ in all his imitable graces and actions: shewing forth the praises or vertues of him that … called us out of darknesse foreign.into his marvellous light. The word signifies to preach them ….abroad: for we should practise those … so …, that ourforeign. lives may be as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ. It is a dishonour to a dear friend, to hang his picture in a dark hole, and not in a conspicuous place, that it may appear we rejoice in it, as an ornament to us: Thinke the same of Christs image and graces, shew them forth we must, and expresse them to the world; walking in Christ, Col. 2. … yea, as Christ, 1 Joh. 2. 6. who therefore left us aforeign. copy that we might write after it, a sampler that we might worke… o …. by it, a patern that we should follow his steps, 1 Pet. 2. 21. And although we cannot follow him passibus aequis, yet we must shewforeign. our good-wills, stretching and … our utmost, as S^t Paul did:…. …. 13. striving what we can to resemble him, not as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments only, but as a son doth his father (for he is the father of eternity, Esa. 9. 6,) in nature and disposition: and as servants, labouring to do as our Lord, Ioh. 13. 15. Who therefore washed his Disciples …, to give us an example of humility; as he did likewise of meeknesse, Mat. 11. 29. patience, 1 Pet. 2. 21. obedience, Heb. 12. 2. diligence and fidelity in his function, Heb. 3. 1, 2. fewnesse of words, yet boldnesse of speech, going about and doing all possible good, beneficence … the poor Saints, … Cor. 8. 9. constancy in profession, 1 Tim. 6. 13. forgivenesse … others, and love to the brethren, Eph. 5. 2. … therefore followers herein of Christ as dear children, not … your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, …, which hath called …, is holy, so be ye … in all … of …. 1 …. 1. 14, 15.

He was … a ….]

Our Saviour was tempted allLuk. 4. 2.Luke 4:2 that fourty dayes space, saith S^t Luke: but these three worst assaults were reserved to the last. So deals the devil with the Church (which is Christ …:) He never … tempting, though1 Cor. …. never so …; and … called … as … p. 58will have it, the Lord of flyes, because the fly is noted for an impudentforeign. … apud Homerum pro valde impudente: quia … pervicaces sunt, &c. creature, that will soon return to the …, though beaten away but erewhile. Hence those many bickerings and buffetings we meet with all our life long: and hence those sharpest … and terrible conflicts many times at the hour of death. The Israelites met with many tryals and troubles in the wildernesse: Amalec and the Amorites, sore thirst, and fiery serpents, &c. Coel. lib. 9 …. 52.but were never so put too't, as when they came to take possession of the promised land, for then all the Kings of … combined to keep them out. So the devil, furious enough at all times, most of all bestirrs him at last cast, because he knows his time is butforeign. short, Apoc. 12. 12. For death sets a Saint out of his gun-shot. Satan may compasse the earth, but not enter the lists of heaven. He tempted Adam in the earthly Paradise, he cannot tempt in the heavenly. Hence his malice whiles he may. Morientium nempè … violentiores sunt morsus, (… ille olim de … Carthagine:) Beasts that have their deaths-wound bite cruelly, sprunt exceedingly.

Verse 3. Then came unto him the Tempter]

So called, becauseforeign. he politikely feels our pulses which way they beat, and accordingly … us a peny-worth. He setts a wedge of gold before covetous Achan, a courtezan Cozbi before a voluptuous Zimri, a fair preferment before an ambitious Absolom: and findes well that a fit … is half a victory. So dealt his agents with those ancient …, foreign, they were sawn asunder, they were Heb. 11. 37.Heb 11:37tempted, saith the Apostle; to wit, with the proffers of preferment, would they but have renounced their religion, and done … to an Idol. So the Pope tempted Luther with wealth and honour. But all in vain: he turned him to God, Et valde … sum, saith he, me nolle sic satiari abeo, he said flat, that God should not put him off with these low things. Here was a man fullMelch. …. of the Spirit … Christ. The tempter came to Christ, but found … in him; that matter was not malleable. In vain shall the … strike fire, if we finde not …: In … he knock at the door, if we look not out to him at the window. Let us but divorce the flesh from the world, and the devil can do us no …. Ita cave …, ut cave as …. From that naughty man my self, good Lord deliver me, said one.

If thou … the Son of God.]

As the … quarrel'd and … the Law given in Paradise, as nought, …: so … p. 59he here the voice from heaven, as a meer imposture. And this he did out of deep and desperate malice; for he could not be ignorant nor doubtfull. Neither is his dealing otherwise with us (many times) who are too ready (at his instigation) to doubt of our spirituall sonne-ship. We need not help the tempter, by holding it a duty to doubt: this is to light a candle before the devil, as we use to speak. Rather let … settle and secure this, that we are indeed the sons of God, and heirs of heaven, by passing thorow the narrow womb of repentance, that we may be born again, and by getting an effectuall faith; the property whereof is to adopt as well as to justifie, viz. … objecti, by means of Christ the object upon whom faith laieth hold, and into whom it engraffs the believer, after an unspeakable manner. Now ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, Gal. 3. 26. Ioh. 1. 12. who hath both laid down the price of this greatest priviledge, Heb. 9. 15. Gal. 4. 5. and … it up to us by his Spirit, crying Abba Father in our hearts, what ever Satan or our own misgiving hearts objects to the contrary, Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15. Ephes. 1, 13.

Command that these … be made bread.]

And so distrust the providence of God for … thy body in this hunger; help thy self by working a preposterous miracle. In this point … Gods providence for this present life. Satan troubled David and Jeremy, and so he doth many good souls at this day; who can sooner trust God with their souls then with their bodies, and for a crown then for … crust, as those Disciples, Matth. 16. 8.

Verse 4. But … answered and said, It is written]

With this … sore, and great and strong sword of the Spirit, doth the Lord here punish Leviathan that crooked … serpent, Isa. 27. 1. With these … out of Gods quiver, with these pibbles chosen out of the silver streams of the Scriptures, doth he prostrate the … of hell. The Word of God hath a … in it to quail and to quash Satans temptations, farre better … that woodden dagger, that leaden sword of the Papists, their holy water, crossings, grains, dirty reliques, &c. It is not … of the crosse, but the word of the crosse that overthrows Satan. He can no more abide by it, then an owl by the shining of the …. Set therefore the Word against the temptation, and the sinne is laid. Say. I must not … it, I may not, I dare not: for it is forbidden in such a place, duplicate page p. 56duplicate page p. 57duplicate page p. 58duplicate page p. 59p. 60again in such a place. And be sure to have places of Scripture ready … hand (as Saul had his spear and pitcher ready at his head, even while he slept) that ye … resist the devil, stedfast in the faith, grounded on the Word. Joseph … him by remembring the seventh Commandment: And David, by hiding this Word in … heart, Psal. 1 19. 11. Wicked therefore was that advice ofMotive 4 8 D. Bristow to his Agents, to labour still to get here: ikes out of their weak and false Castle of holy Scriptures, into the plain fields of … and Fathers. The Scriptures are our armoury (sarre beyond that of Solomon) whether we must resort and furnish ….… 4. …. One … sentence thereof shall doe us more service, then all the pretty, witty sayings and sentences of Fathers and …, or constitutions of Councels.

… liveth not by bread alone]

Though ordinarily, as having … property inherent in it, for such a purpose: yet so, … that the operation and successe is guided by Gods power and goodnesse; whereon (as on a staff) this staff of life leaneth. A ….wise woman builds her house, Prov. …. 1. As the Carpenter laies … of the house in his head first, and contrives it: so doth she …-cast, and further the well-doing of her fam ly: and …, except the Lord also build the house, they labour in vain that build it, Psalm. 127. 1. So, the diligent hand, and the blessing of God (meeting) make …, Prov. 104. and 22.

But by every word &c.]

That is, by any thing else besides bread, … soever God … think good, whatsoever he shall appoint and give power unto, to be nourishment. Therefore if bread …, feed on faith, Psal. 37. 3. So Junius reads that text. Jehosaphat …found it soveraign, when all other help failed him. And the1 Chron. 10. 6.1 Chr 10:6 captive Jews lived by faith, when they had little else to live upon, and … a good living of it, Habak. 2. 4. To this Text the Jews seem to allude in that fiction of theirs, that Habakkuk was carried by the hair of rhe head, by an Angel into Babylon, to carry a dinner… of … and the …, Jer. 33. Eliz …. … and … 1 King. 19. 8. …-Chro nicle.Jer 331 Kgs 19:8 to Daniel in the den. It was by faith that he stopped the mouths of Lions, and obtained promises, Heb. 11. 33. And by faith that she answered the pers cutours, If you take away my meat, I trust God … away my stomack. … made the ravens feed Elias that were more likely (in that famine) to have fed upon his dead car case: and, another time caused him to go fourty daies in the strength of one meal. Merlyn was nourished a fortnight together p. 61with one egg a day, laid by a hen that came constantly toCharissima … per … saut author quae preciosa …. … non, …. that hay-mow, where he lay hid, during the massacre of Paris. And who hath not read or heard, how by a miracle of his mercy, God relieved Rochel in a strait siege, by an innumerable company of fishes cast in upon them? Faith fears no famine: and although it be but small in substance and in shew (as the Manna was) yet is it great in vertue and operation. The Rabbins say, that Manna had all manner of good tastes in it: So hath faith. It drinke to a man in a cup of Nepenthes, and bids him be of good chear, God will provide for him. The Bishop of Norwich kept Robert Samuel, Martyr, without meat and drink; whereby he was unmercifully vext, saving that he had every day allowed him two or three morsels of bread, and three spoonfuls of water, to the end he might be reserved to further torment. How oft would he have drunk his own water? But his body was so dried up with long …, that he was not able to make … drop of water. After he had been famished with hunger two or three … together, he … into a sleep, as it were one half in a …. At which time one cloathed in white, seemed to stand before him, which ministred comfort unto him by these words, Samuel, Samuel, be of good chear, and take a good heart unto thee: … after Acts and Monsol 15 17.this day, thou shalt never be either hungry or thirsty: For speedily … this, he was burned: and from that time, till he should suffer, he felt neither hunger nor thirst. And this declared he, to the end, as he said, that all men might behold the wonderfull work of God. He likes not to be tied to the second ordinary causes, nor that (in defect of the means) we should doubt of his providence. It's true, he commonly worketh by them, when he could doe without: that we may not neglect the means, as being ordained of him. (David shall have victory, but by an ambush, 2 Sam. 5. 19 - 24. Men shall be nourished, but by their labour, Psal. 128. 2,) But yet so, as that he doth all in all by … means (he made grasse, corn and trees, before he made the Sunne, Moon and starres, by the influence whereof they are and grow.) Yea to shew himself chief, he can and doth work (other whiles) without means, 2 Chron. 14. 11. and against means, suspending the power and operation of the naturall causes; as when the fire burnt not, the water drowned not, the Sunne went back ten degrees, the rock gave water, the iron swam, &c. And then when he works by means, he can make them produce an effect diverse p. 62from their nature and disposition, or can hinder, change or mitigate… 5. 17. 18. their proper effect; as when at the prayer of Elias it rained not for three years and a half: And he praied again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruits. A man would have thought that after so long drought, the roots of trees and herbs should have been utterly dried up, and the land past recovery,… 2. 21. But God heard the heavens (petitioning to him, that they might exercise their influence for the fructifying of the earth) and the Heavens heard the earth, and the earth heard the corn, the wine and the oil, and they heard Jezreel. Let all this keep us, as it did our Saviour here, from diffidence in Gods providence; and make us possesse our souls in patience, Luk. 21. Hang upon the promise, and account it as good as present pay, though we see not how it can be effected. God loves to goe away by himself, He knows how to deliver his, saith S. Peter, 2 Epist. 2. 9. and he might speak it by experience, Act. 12. 9. if ever any man might. The King shall rejoyce in God, saith David of himself, when he was a poor … in the wildernesse of Judah, Psal. 63. 11. But he had Gods word for the Kingdome, and therefore he was confident, seemed the thing never so improbable or impossible. We trust a skilfull work-man to go his own way to work: shall we not God? In … 6. year of the reign of Darius Nothus was the temple fully finished. That sacred work which the husband and sonne of an Esther …, shall be happily accomplished by a bastard. The … thought that Moses should presently have delivered them, and he himself thought as much, and therefore began … his time, to doe … upon the AEgyptian, whom he slew and hid in the sand. But we see, God went another way to work: He sent Moses into a farre countrey, and the bondage was for … years … exceedingly encreased upon them; yet all…. 8. 2. this to humble and try them, and to doe them good in their later end. He crosseth many times our likeliest projects, and gives a blessing … those times and means, whereof we despair. He breaks in pieces the ship that we think should bring us to shore, but casts us upon such boards as we did not expect. … we then any particular means (saith one) it is but the scattering of a …, the breaking of a bucket, when the Sunne and the fountain is the …. But we … the most part … as Hagar did: when the bottle was spent, she fals a crying, she was undone, she and her childe should die: till the Lord opened her eyes to see the fountain. p. 63It was neer her, but she saw it not: when she saw it, sheD Preston was well enough. If thou hadst been here (said Martha) my brother Lazarus had not died. As if Christ could not have kept him alive, unlesse he had been present. So if Christ will come and lay his hands on Iairus his daughter, and Elisha stroke his hand overMar. 5 ….Mark 5 Naamans leprosie, they shall be cured. So the Disciples believed…. … 11. that Christ could feed so many thousands in the wildernesse, but…. …. 37. then he must have two hundred peny worth of bread. But our Saviour gave them, soon …, an ocular demonstration of this truth, That man liveth not by bread alone, &c. Dan. 11. 34 They shall be holpen with a little help. Why a little? that through weaker means we may see Gods greater strength.

… 5. Then the devil taketh him.]

Not in vision only, or imagination, but really and indeed: as he was afterwards apprehended, bound and crucified by that cursed crue. Spirituall assaults may be beaten back by the shield of faith: Bodily admit of no such repulse. A … Abraham Luk. …. 16.may be bound by Satan, A Mary Magdalen possest, a Job …, a Paul boxed, &c. As for the souls of the Saints,foreign. they are set safe out of Satans scrape. Shake his chain at… Cor. …. 7. them he may, muster his forces, Revel. 12. 7. which may band themselves, and bend their strength against … Psal. 61. 1.Ps 61:1and … Angels, Christ and his members: but they are boundedPsal 31. 6.Ps 31:6 by God, who hath set his on a rock that is higher then they: So that the flouds of temptation (that the serpent casts out of his mouth after them) cannot come so much as to their feet. Or, if it touch their heel, yet it can come noGen …. 15. higher. There is no … against Jacob, because God was a Numb. … 22, 23.Num 22:23Vnicorn, to take away the venom (saith Balaam the sorcerer) as waters, when the Unicorns horn hath been in them, are no longer poisonable, but healthfull.

Into the holy City.]

Things are called holy, either by nature, as God, who is truly, alway, and only of himself holy: or by separation, or being set apart to a holy use or end: which Origen calleth, sancta sanctificata, by accession of externall holinesseforeign. from without: So Jerusalem is here called, holy, because the City Ho …. ….of God, where he was daily worshipped. And for the same cause was the ground, whereon Moses and Ioshua trod, called … ground, and Tabor, the holy Mount. And when we stand in our2 …. …. …. Churches, saith Chrysostome, we stand in a place of Angels and p. 64… angels, in the Kingdom of God, and heaven it self; whichforeign. they that profane, may justly fear to be whipt, like dogs, out of… ad … 14. … haavenly temple, and City too. And surely it were to be wished, that such profane Esaus now-adaies, as dare prate or sleep, or laugh and play the parts of jesters, or doe any thing else, unbeseeming the service of God, would keep themselves from Gods sanctuary: or that we had such Porters to keepe them …, as they had under the Law, 2 Chronicles 23. 19.

And setteth him upon a pinacle of the Temple]

Height of place giveth opportunity of temptation. The longest robe contracts the greatest soil: neither are any in so great danger, as those that walk on the tops of pinacles. Even heigth it self makes mens brains to swim: As in Diocletian, who not content to be Emperour,…. would needs be adored as a god: and Caligula, of whom it was said, That there was never any better servant then he, nor … Chron.worse Lord. Vespasian is reported to have been the only man,Vesp … …. that ever became better by the Empire conferred upon him. It is both hard and happy, not to be made worse by advancement. … signifies both honour and …; Chabadh, …: and honour; Honoro and onero shew, that honour goeth not without a …. Fructus … oneris, fructus honoris, onus. Pope Pius …. a lapide in …. …. ….Quintus said thus of himself: Cumessem religiosus, sperabam bene ae salute animae meae: Cardinalis factus extimui: Pontifex creatus, …. When I was first in orders, without any further ecclesiasticall dignity, I had some good hopes of my salvation: When I became a Cardinall, I had …; since I was made Pope, least of all: The same thoughts of himself had Clement the 8^th his immediate successour, saith the same Authour. Non insulsè Autor …. moral. cap. 12. Praepositioni quot accidunt? Unum. Quid? Casus tantùm. Quot casus? Duo. Qui? Accusativus, & abiativus. Haec enim Praelatum oportet timere, accusari a crimine, & aufirri … in …. ad …. … … historiae …, de … …, a … … so ….…, & sic ignominiosè cadere.

Verse 6. And he saith unto him.]

The devil usually tempteth by speech, inward or outward. Senarclaeus telleth of a plain Countrey-man at Friburg in Germany, that lying on his deathbed, the devil came to him in the shape of a tall, terrible man, and … his soul, …, Thou hast been a notorious sinner, and I am come to set down all thy sins: And therewith he drew out … and …, and sate down at a Table that stood by, and began p. 65to write. The sick man answered, My soul is Gods, and all my sins are nailed to the crosse of Christ. But if thou desire to set down my sins, write thus, All our righteousnesses are as a filthy rag, &c. The devil set down that, and bad him say on: He did: But thou, Lord, hast promised, for thine own sake to blot out our iniquities, and to make our searlet sins white as snow. The devil passed by those words, and was earnest with him to goe on in his former argument. The sick man said with great …, The sonne of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. With that the devil vanished, and the sick man departed.

If thou be the Son of God, cast thy self, &c.]

This is the devils Logick,Mica. 7. 3. to argue from … to liberty, to doe wickedly with both hands earnestly. Wheras the Heathen could say; In maxima libertate Salvian.minima licentia. And the Father, Ideò deteriores sumus, quia meliores esse debemus: Therefore are we worse, because we ought to be better. Remember but this, that … art sonne to a King (said one to Antigonus) and that will … thee from base courses.foreign. Take thou those spoils to thy self (said Themistocles to his friendPlat. that followed him) foreign, for thou art not Themistocles, as I am: they are poor things, farre below me. Shall … 6 11.such a man as I flee? Shall I doe any thing to the dishonour of myRom. 6. 1.Rom 6:1 heavenly father? and therefore sin, because grace hath abounded? That is not the guise of any of Gods children. They walk honestly, foreign &c.bravely, gallantly, worthy of God, who hath done so great things for them. The more …, the more engagements. Scipio, when a harlot was offered unto him, said, Vellem, si non essem Imperator. It was an aggravation of … fall of Solomon, that1 King. 11. 9.1 Kgs 11:9 God had appeared unto him twice; and of Saul, That he fell, as if he 2 Sam. 1. 21.2 Sam 1:21had not been anointed: So it is of any of Gods Saints, to sin, as if they had not been adopted.

Cast thy self down.]

Here our Saviour is tempted to self-murder, by an old man-slater. And when Moses, Elias, Jonas, and others of the best sort of Saints were in a fit of discontent, and grew weary of their lives, wishing for death, Divines doubt not but Satan gave a push at them with his ten horns, to dispatch, and ease … of the present trouble, by cutting off their own daies. A dangerous and hideous temptation; yet such as may be all the best, and few scape it that live out their time. But in all the book of God, we read not of p. 66any of the generation of the just, that ever did it. That God who kept them, will (if we look up to him) doe as muchPsal 73.Ps 73 for us. Only we must set against this bloudy temptation with Gods … me, and with Gods armour. The word and prayer are the … and power of God, and (by his might) doe … all the fiery darts of the devil. Oppose the commination to the temptation. Herein Eve faultred (in her, lest ye die, though she held the precept) and so fell.

For it is written.]

A vile abuse of sacred Scripture, to … thereby to …, or … for it: yet what more ordinary2 Tim. …. 8. with men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the …. …. … my … of the divinity of the …, …, The true …saith, Quicaedem … saciunt ad materiam suam, as Tertullian speaketh: who … the Scriptures to serve their own purposes? But of this more elsewhere.

He shall give his Angels charge over thee.]

Hitherto the old liar speaketh truth. But, Satan etsi semel videatur verax, millies est mendax, & semper fallax, saith one. Satan… though he may sometimes seem a true-speaker, yet he is a thousand times for it a liar, and alwaies a deceiver. Because our Saviour had alledged Scripture, he also would doe the like, in a perverse, apish imitation, but marres the masculineIn …, non in … …. …, by clipping off that clause, They shall keep thee in all thy …; that is, in those courses that are appointed thee by God. But as the Israelites in the wildernesse, when they went out of Gods precincts, were out of his protection: So are all others. As a bird that wandereth from the nest; so Prov. 27. 8.Prov 27:8is a man that wandereth from his own place, saith Solomon. …. …. 6.God made a Law that none should molest a bird upon her nest. Doth God take eare of birds? A King undertaketh the safety of his Subjects, … they travell within due hours, and keep the Kings high-way, else not: so doth God. He hath given his Angels charge over us, whiles we hold his way, which is like Jacobs ladder, where the Angels were ascending and descending. Oh the dignity and safety of a Saint, in a guard so full of state and strength! Well might David (after he had said, The angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent Psal. …, 8.… about them that fear him) presently subjoyn. Taste and see how gracious the Lord is, in allowing his children so glorious an ….

p. 67And with their hands they shall lift thee up, lest, &c.]

As Parentsforeign, In …: duct a ab iu, significationis origine, qui … aliquod … in humeros. …. use to lift their little ones over rough and foul waies: Or, as … in an house love to get up into their arms their young master. In Christ and for Christ, they count it their greatest glory, to doe us any good office for soul or body: they save us from the foul fiends, that else would worry us. These walk about as Lions to … us, whiles alive, and to hinder our passage to heaven, when we die: the other, as guardians, to keep us here, and to convey and conduct us thorow the devils territories (who is Prince of the air) when we goe hence to heaven,Luk. 16. 22.Luke 16:22 in despite of the … that would intercept us, Dan. 10. 21.

Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone]

Oh the tender care of our heavenly …! He is so kinde, and (in the best sense) fond over his little ones, that he cannot abide the cold winde should How upon them (as we …) and hath therefore commanded, That the Sun shall not smite them by day, nor the Moon by night, yea,Psal. 121 6.Ps 121:6 which way soever the winde sit, it must blow good to his. Arise, …. 4. 16.O North, and blow, O South, upon my Beloved, that her spices may flow forth. What so contrary as North and South-winde, cold and hot, moist and dry, &c? Yet both must blow good to Gods beloved. Well might God … his love above that of naturall Parents, which yet is wonderous great, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 103. ….

Verse 7. Jesus answered and said, It is written again]

Christ rejects not the holy Scriptures (… alledged and … by Satan) but openeth them, by laying one place to another. So did those holy Levites in Nehemiah, and …. Paul in the Acts. Parallel texts (like gl …) … one against another cast…. 8. 7. Vide …. …. … a mutuall light. … as the … brightneth his hard diamond with the dust snaved from it self: So must we clearforeign. hard Scriptures, by others that are … plaine and perspicuous.… de ….

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.]

Trust him we …, tempt him we may …. Now God …, either when men are too much addicted to the means, as …: Or, when they reject them, as Ahaz; who refused a sign, and ran to unlawfull means, hiding all under this, I will not tempt God. Heathens…. …. …. could say, Admotâ manu … est Minerva; and they noted him for a foolish …, … his Cart … fast, p. 68cried to his god, and moved his lips, but not his hands to help himself. If thou callest for knowledge (saith Solomon) and criest for understanding: There's praier to God. If thou seekest her as …, and searchest for her as for hid treasures: There's mans … in the diligent use of the means. Then shalt thou understand …the … of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God: Ther's the happy …. Ora & labora was an Emperours …. S. … sets it down as a vanity of … youth, that he pray'd God to help him against some speciall sins, whereunto he was strongly …, but should have been full sorry, that God should have heard him, … he was loth to part with them. How much better was that praier of … Thomas Moor, Domine Deus, fac … in … consequendis operam collocare, pro quibus obtinendis soleo ad … are: Lord God, make me to bestow pains in getting those… things, for obtaining whereof I use to pray unto thee.

Verse 8. Again the devil taketh him.]

This Master-fly …, though beaten away once and again, yet returns to the same place. … how … he is in renuing his temptations after a flat repulse. He sollicits and sets upon our Saviour again (as … wife did upon Joseph, for all his many …) and is not… only importunate, but impudent. Stand we therefore still upon…. l … victus …. Ita …. our guard, and look for no ease here. The Roman Captains, when they had once triumphed, took their ease ever after. So did not Cato, and is therefore highly commended. So may not we, if ever we will be approved, as good souldiers of Jesus Christ. foreign … foreign.Our whole life is a continuall warfare, and we must look for the continuall hail-shot, hel-shot of Satanicall assaults and suggestions. When Xerxes fought against theGreeks, The sea was full of ships (saith the Oratour) the earth of souldiers, the air of arrows. So fares it with the Saints under Satans batteries: no truce, but continuall…. …. conflict. Ever since those two strong men fought, there is no… he … of his … to … who …, … …. … 7, 8 Christ … est foreign, … & … & … nostras. … … Genes. 32.Gen 32 more peace. S. Paul sounds the alarm, Arm, Arm, take the whole armour of God, and be ever in your harnesse. And S. Peter gives the reason, Because your adversary the devil, as a … lion, walketh, and watcheth, night and day, seeking whom … may devour. For our encouragement, as the devil is, Leo foreign, a roaring lion; so is Christ, Leo de tribu …, foreign, the lion of the Tribe of Iudah, that delivereth us, and maketh us more then Conquerours; holding the crown of glory over our heads (as we are sighting) with this inscription, Vincenti …, To … p. 69that …, will I give, &c. Fight therefore and faint not: your … is …, your armour is of proof. Get on both those … of … (as the girdle of truth, brest-plate of …, shoes of peace and patience, shield of faith, helmet of …) and those … of offence; as the sword of the Spirit, and … of …. And then resolve, with that aged Citizen of Exeter in … Edward the 6. time; who when the Town was besieged,… K Ed. 6 … S. …. …. p. 62. …, That he would feed on the one arm, and fight with the other, before he would consent to yeeld the City to the seditious. It is said of … … the siege of Byrrachium, that he so long resisted Pompeys Der … ylvam. Lucan.…, that he had 220. darts sticking in his shield, and lost one of his eyes, and yet gave not over, till Caesar came to his rescue: And of S^r Thomas Challoner (who died, anno 1566.) that he … in his younger time under Charles the 5. in the expedition…. of Algier; where being ship wreckt, after he had swum till his … and his arms failed him, at the length catching hold of a … with his teeth, he escaped, not without the losse of some of his teeth. The like (and somewhat more) is reported of Cynegiras Trogus. Herod.the Athenian in the Persian warres. These did thus for a corruptible crown, or temporary honour; what should not weRevel. 3.Rev 3 doe for an eternall? 1 Cor. 9. 25. Hold out, and hold fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown from thee. Be of QueenCamdens Eliz. …. 164. Elizabeths disposition, who provided for warre, even when she had most perfect peace with all men. Gods Spirit sets up a standard in the Saints, Isa. 59. 19. And stronger is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. That old serpent hath his head so bruised and crusht by Christ, that he cannot now so easily thrust in his mortall sting, though he … it never so often, unlesse we dally with him and lay our selves open, unles we tempt Satan to tempt us, by inconsideration, security, or venturing on the occasion. Vitanda est glacies. si nolis cadere. He that tastes of the broth, will have a mindeNumb. 6. 3.Num 6:3 to the meat. The Nazarites might not only not drink wine, but forbear to eat of the grape, whether moist or dried.

… an exceeding high mountain.]

Whether mountains werePsal. 90 2.Ps 90:2 made at first, or cast up by the flood, there are that dispute. I thinke, made at first. Yet is the earth round (as an apple is, notwithstanding some knots and bunches in it.) And, that, being …, and so, naturally apt for motion (as the heavens are) it stands firm and unmoveable, Eccles. 1. 3. this is admirable. God hath hang'd it upon nothing, saith Iob, in the midst of the heaven;… 26. 7. p. 70… Archimedes his …, … poized with it's own …. But why took he … Saviour into so high a mountain? That he might thence have the sairer prospect: And perhaps in … of God, taking up Mosos into the Mount. The … be Gods ape, that he may, by counterfeiting the like to God, … his holy Ordinances into disgrace. Thus the … their sacrisices, washings, tithes, oracles, &c. … and others tell us, that the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, and her … therein, were made of Cedar. So for Christ bruising the … head, Satan hath set up Hercules, killing the …. Which … who seeth not plainly to have been hatcht in …, and … to the Poets, in an … imitation of God, … to … his oracle? The like may be said of the fable of … his wife, … snatcht from him, for looking back … which was made out of the story of Lots wife: So their … with his ten labours, was the Scripture …. And … … King of AEgypt, and Priest of … (who was helped from heaven by his God against Senacherib King of … …. ….that invaded him) who could it be else, but Hezekiah King of …? … (operum Dei Momus) per AEgyptios hoc ….…, ut … in … editum vilesceret, … & …, & tanti operis gloria ad … rediret. Thus the devil attempted by his AEgyptians to transfer the glory of a … miracle upon himself.

And … him all the Kingdoms of the earth]

In their … …and bravery. A bewitching sight, doubtlesse, and would have moved much with a … heart. But here the devils fire … upon wet tinder, and therefore took not. Gain and glory? rule and riches? Quis nisi mentis inops, &c. Set but a wedge of gold …, and … (that could stay the course of the Sun) … stay … from lusting and laying hold on it. … Asse … fast enough … preferment. And Zimri will have his … though he die for it. These three Enchantresses, The … of the …, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; Pleasure, … …and … (the worldly mans Trinity) whom have they …, befooled, bebeasted? S. Iohn sheweth that a man may be … mortified, a father, and yet wondrous subject to … world. Of the which, neverthelesse, we may say (as … … the people) 'tis wholly set upon wickednesse: Or, as … sometimes … of an Historian, Both the words and shews p. 71of it are full of fraud. It promiseth (as the devil here) great …, but …, pro the sauro carbones, in stead of mines, cole-pits. … Forbisher, in his voiage to discover the Straits, being … up and down with foul weather, snows and unconstant …, returned home, having gathered a great quantity of stones, which he thought to be minerals. From which, when … could be drawn neither gold nor silver, nor any other metall,…. …. 89. … seen them cast forth (saith M. Camden) to mend the …-waies. How oft do the devil and the world give men … and serpents in stead of fish and bread, even the bread of …, …. … 17.that proves gravell in the teeth? How oft are they disappointed that hunt after lying vanities, and so for sake their own mercies, …. 2. 8.as Ionas freely acknowledged, for it had like to have cost … a …? What got Balaam by running after his wagesNumb. 31. 8.Num 31:8 of …, but a sword in his ribs? Achan by his wedge, but … about his ears? Iudas by his thirty pieces, but the halter about his neck? Cranmer by his subscription, but such aAdeo ut … spem …, nec locum … fortunae reliquerit. Ut jam nec … mori, nec vivere inhonestè liceret. Melch. Adam. wretched condition, as that there was left him neither hope of better, … place of worse, as Cole could say in a Sermon, at his recantation? Many of the Romish runnagates, that run thither for preferment, what little respect have they often times, and as little content in their change? Roffensis had a Cardinals hat sent him, but his head was … off, before it came. Allin had a Cardinals hat, but with … thin lining (means, I mean, to support his state) that he was … called the starvelling Cardinall. Stapleton was made Professour of a petty University, scarce so good as one of our freeschools in England. Saunders was starved. William Rainolds was … to a poor vicarage under value. On Harding his … D Featleys.bestowed a Prebend of Gaunt, or to speak more properly, a…. exploded. … Prebend. Many others get not any thing, so that they wish themselves at home again; and sometimes return in the same … in which they went.

And the glory thereof]

wherewith he hoped to dazle our … eyes (those windows of the soul) and so to imprison his affections. But he mistook himself. This heavenly Eagle had … irretertum, nothing moved with these tempting objects. But … many are there (alas) that have died of the wound of the …? that have fallen by the hand of this vile strumpet, the world? who by laying forth her two fair brests of profit and pleasure, hath cast down many wounded, as Solomons harlot, Prov. 7. 26. p. 72And by the glistering of her pomp and …, hath …; as the going fire leads men into hedges and ditches:…. …, as … …, which when she cannot over take the …, doth with her … and …, so that they have no power to … away till she have … them to death.

Verse 9. And he saith unto him, All these things will I give thee.]

A great catch sure: even just nothing: for he shewed out Saviour only shews and shadows, apparitions and resemblances…. of things. The word also used in the former verse for (glory)… foreign …. … an opinion or imagination. So S^t Luke stiles all Agrippa's …, but a fantasie. David tels us, that man walketh in a vain shadow. Now a shadow is something in appearance, nothing in …: So the Apostle calleth all these things, that the devil … our Saviour, foreign, an accidentall mathematicall figure,1 … 7. 31. without solidity or substance. And further tels us, that this figure … away, is ever in transitu, like the streams of a river,…. that … by the sides of a City, no man can stop: or if we could retain the things of this life, yet not the world only passeth away (saith the Apostle) but the lusts thereof. So that a man… 17. … make his heart delight in the same thing still. … fastidio sunt. We loath after a while what we lusted … foreign(as Amnon did Tamar) and quickly finde a satiety, yea an unsatisfy ingnesse in the creature. For he that loveth silver shall not …. …. 10.be satisfied with silver, nor though he could heap up his hoards to the stars, and ingrosse a monopoly of all the wealth in the world. Non … satiatur cor …, quàm corpus aurâ. You may assoon … a bag with wisdome, a chest with …, or a circle with a triangle, as the heart of man with any thing here below. All that earth can afford, is, fumus … (saith one) … & foreign,…. saith another: Vanity and vexation, saith Solomon the…. wise: To whose impartiall verdict (grounded upon so good …)…. 1. 2. we shall doe well to subscribe, without believing the … crakes, or trying any further conclusions. The Centurists …, All these things will I give thee, thus; I will make thee Pope. And indeed many Popes were advanced to that Sea … by the devil, as Histories relate. Who, had they but … what is usually done at their inthronization, wouldD … …. … …. never have been so hasty. For before the Pope is set in his Chair, and puts on his tripple Crown, a peece of row, or wad of straw p. 73is set on fire … him, and one appointed to say, Sic transit …, The glory of this world is but a …. This is only … of form and Ceremony: As is also that, that one day in the year the … Almoner rideth before him, casting abroad to the … certain peeces of brasse and lead, saying, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give you, Whereas that … holds a golden cup in her hand, and her merchants that trade with her, are the Grandees of the earth, Revel. 18. and are… in Apo. 18. … rich by her, vers. 15. The Cardinall of Toledo hath a hundred thousand pound a year comming in; The Arch-bishops of Germany are …-… (many of them) and have revenues accordingly. Petrarch reporteth, that in the treasury of Pope…. John the 22. were found after his death 250. tuns of gold. AndSphinx. Philos. p. …. of Boniface the eighth it is storied, that when he was taken by Philip the fair, King of France, and his palace rifled, there was more treasure found, then all the Kings of the earth were able to…. shew again. Otto, one of the Popes Mice-catchers (as the storyIt was … and trimly … by … Innocent …. Verè … deliciarum Papis suit tun Anglia & … inexhausius. … them) sent hither by Gregory 9. after three years raking … of money by most … arts, at last departing …, he left not so much money in the whole Kingdom, as he either … with him, or sent before him. Judge by this, what they did thorowout all Christendom. The Pope, saith one, could never want money so long as he could hold a pen in his hand. Thus it was then; but how now? Bellarmine complains, that since by us the Pope was cried down for Antichrist, his Kingdom … notNon …, non crevit …, sed … magis ac … evit, …. de Pap. … c. 21. only not encreased, but every day more and more decreased. And Cotton the …, That the authority of the Pope of Rome is incomparably lesse then it was: And that now the Christian Church is but a diminutive. Hereupon also the Cardinals (who … wont to meet oftener) meet but once a week, because the … of the Court of Rome grow …. And albeit the… Concla. ex Synta … l. 15. c 4. foreign …. … good, and … bloud, his honours and manners rose together; yet abates he as little of his former pomp and pride, as the … doth since his fall, in taking upon him here to dispose of all the Kingdoms of the earth, as his: and requiring our Saviour (theOs … & …, in eodem sunt … to. Sphinx Phil. 601. true Lord of all) to … down and worship him. The Cardinals he still createth with these words, Estote fratres nostri & principes mundi. And, as another … (who was the first that … that honour) he holdeth forth his feet to be kissed, having the sign of the … shining with pearls and … stones … p. 74…, … crucem Christi derideat, saith mine …. In … word, with his pomp and primacy, gain and …, … and riches, fat Bishopricks and Cardinalships, as he … Luther, and gain him to his side: so he gets and … a … to that rotten religion. Pauper Lutherus …, said Erasmus; it being then the ready way to … to write and rail against Luther, as Eccius, …, … others found it. But Christ will one day whip such …, and their customers out of his house, as he did … the Gospel; chase them out of his presence, as Nehemiah did … son in Law; Curse them with a curse, that runne … after the errour of … for …. Let the Romish …… offer as large as the devil doth here, every one that hath any thing of Christ in him, will answer with that noble Italian … (Galeacius Caracciolus Marquesse of Vico in … ) who being tempted by a Jesuite to revolt for money, … out, Let their money perish with them, who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies society with … Christ, and his holy Spirit. And cursed be that Religion for ever, &c.

If thou wilt fall down and worship me.]

Luke saith, Worship before me. So that to worship before an Idol is to worship the Idol, whatever the Romanist pretend and plead to the contrary. And not only so, but to fall down, as the devil would have had our Saviour here (though it be not come to worshipping) is a grievous…. 2. 8. sinne. S^t John had not yet worshipped the Angel, but only fallen down, as desirous to worship, and is taken up by the Angel, for that idolatrous gesture. Woe then to those Rimmonites, that plead for an upright soul in a protrate body; and alleadge for their warrant, that of Apocryphall Baruc, Chap. 6. Wherefore when ye see the multitude of people worshipping them behinde and before, say ye in your hearts, O Lord, it is thou that … test only to be worshipped. Serve we God with our bodies also; and say with David and Christ, Lord, a body hast thou … … 8.Loe, I come to doe thy will therewith. But what a … ….and detestable boldnesse was it in the devil, to move speech … a sin as this, to our Saviour Christ? It was extreme sawcinesse in Satan to adjure our Saviour (whom he there cals, The Sonne of the most high God) not to torment him, it was horribleMark 5. 6, 7.Mark 5:6Mark 5:7 impudency. But nothing comparable to this in the Text, to worship p. 75the devil in person: then which, what can be imagined more odious? We see then to what execrable sins the best may be tempted.Capell of Ten. A man is to expect (saith one) if he live out his daies, to be urged to all sinnes, to the breach of every branch of the ten Commandments: and to be put to it in respect of every Article of our Creed. Have you not been tempted (saith another) in… …. this or that kinde? It is because God in mercy would not lead you into temptation. Yea this is, in some sort, more to be acknowledged … victory, when ye were tempted. For not to be tempted is more immediately from God, and … in mans power, then to prevail against temptation. For nothing doth overcome us without our will: but without our will doth God lead us into triall: for he knoweth we would taste little of these, if we might…. …. be our own carvers. Simon, Simon (saith our Saviour) Satan foreign ….hath desired to have you to winnow you (that is, … trouble and hurt you, saith a Father) as a challenger desireth to have one of the other side to combat with: as Goliah called for a man to match him. Now either God denies him, or delivers us, so that that evil one toucheth us not, viz. Tactu qualitativo, with1 …. 5. 18. a mortall touch, as Cajetan glosseth that Text, I have praid for thee, saith our Saviour, that thy faith fail not. He praid for all, but especially for Peter, because more violently tempted. As,…. 4. …. …. 10 7. because more shamefully foiled, therefore, Go tell my Disciples and Peter, that I am risen; and that thereby he is justified. I have praid; so that the remedy was ready made before the disease, the salve before the sore, or else it might have come too late: As those that are stung by a scorpion, if they be not presently anointed with oil of scorpions, die for it: and as those that have drunk poison, if they take not an antidote immediately, ere it get to the vitals, perish infallibly. God in Christ hath all plaisters and pardons ready made and sealed. Else, we might die in our sins, whiles the pardon is providing.

Verse 10. Get thee hence, Satan.]

Avaunt, avoid, be packing. This was an indignity not to be endured, as great every way, as if the … scoundrell upon earth should assault the chastity of the greatest Empresse. Our Saviour therefore will endure him no longer, but commands him out of his presence, with utmost indignation. And surely madnesse, in case … Gods dishonour, is farre better then meeknesse. Here, if … besides our selves, it is to God, as Paul said to the Corinthians; and as he did, when2 Cor. 5. 13.2 Cor 5:13 p. 76… dealt with Elymas that first-born of the devil, when he saw…. him … the deputy, He set his eyes upon him, saith the Text, as if he would have run thorow him. After which lightning follows that terrible thunder-crack, Full of all … and of …, &c. So the Angel of Ephesus could not abide those…. …, …. …, Revel. 2. 2. Nor could David brook the workers of iniquity: he casteth down the gauntler of defiance against them, as his utter enemies, He hateth them with a perfect hatred. Hezekiah …. …, ….pulled down the brazen Serpent (when the people idolized it) and called it a peece of brasse. And Josiah would not let stand the horses of the Sunne, and other monuments of Idolatry, upon any intreaty. King Edward the 6^th, being laboured by some of his best friends, to permit the Lady Mary his sister, to have Masse in her house, answered, He would rather spend his life, and all he had, then to agree and grant to that he knew certainly to be against Act and … fol. ….the truth. And another time, in his message to the Rebels of …: Assure you, most surely, said he, that we, of no earthly thing under heaven, make such reputation as of this one, to have our law obeyed, and this cause of God which we have taken in hand, to be thorowly maintained. From the which we will never remove an hairs bredth, or give place to any creature living, much lesse to any Subject; wherein we will spend our own royall Person, our Crown, Treasure, Realm, and all our State, whereof we assure you of our high honour. Now Gods blessing be… 1189 on that blessed heart, that … such a stomack against Gods dishonour; and … entertain all wicked attempts and assaults with this Apage of our Saviour. And woe to them that cry Euge to such. Whether we may say to the Tempter, as our Saviour did, Get thee hence; and not rather as the Angel, The Lord rebuke … 9.thee, is questioned by some; because it is his only, to command the devil. But that we may, and must say to him, no man doubts, as our Saviour did to the Pharisees, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Mat … 18.Matt 18as Naboth did to Ahab, God forbid me any such wickednesse: As Solomon to his mother, Ask the Kingdom also: As the1 King 2. 22.1 Kgs 2:22 witch of Endor to Saul, Why seekest thou to take me in a snare, to 1 Sam. 28. 9.1 Sam 28:9cause me to die? Thus, Resist, saith Peter: Stand fast, saith1 … 9 Paul: Resist, and Satan will flee, he is but a coward. Stand,… 14. and then Satan will fall. Not to yeeld, is to conquer: if he castforeign. us not down, we are then accepted, as if we did cast him down. We doe ever-overcome, saith that great Apostle, because in ourRom. 8 37.Rom 8:37 p. 77head Christ we overcome before we fight, and are sure of victory,Solomon G. snerus apud Melch. …. Revel. 12. 1. Quare apage sis, Diabole, & tela tua in hoc semen mulier is converte: hunc si viceris, me quo que viceris, said one, Devil, doe thy worst to Christ: conquer him and take all.

For it is written]

This two-edged sword our Saviour hadIsa, 6 …. … is called foreign found to be metall of proof, and therefore holds him to it. Only the Scriptures scare the devil, as only faithfull praier can charm him. Athanasius writeth that evil spirits may be put to flight bya Charm. that 68. Psalm, Let the Lord arise, and his enemies be …. But this is true of the whole word of God, which is armour of proof against the devil.

Thous shalt worship the Lord thy God.]

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, saith Moses. So Matth. 15. 9. with Isa. 29. 13. See Psal. 2. 11. Josh. 24 11. Heb. 12. 27. Solemon sets the … Prov. 1. 7.Prov 1:7of God as the basis and beginning of Gods work and worship, in…. … 5. the beginning of his works. And again, in the end of them, makesDeum … parùm …, valdè …; … qui non …, auget …. Ful …. it the end and upshot of all. For they that fear the Lord will keep his Covenant, Psal. 103. 13—18. Yea, they will work hard at it, as afraid to be taken with their tasks undone, Act. 10. 35. They will give him both the shell of outward adoration, and the kernell of inward devotion; truly, without halting, and totally without halfing; truly, both for matter and manner; totally, both for subject and object; as David who did all the wils of God, andforeign. with all his heart, all the daies of his life. The Gentiles couldAct. 13.Acts 13 say, that God must be worshipped foreign, either to our utmost, or not at all. And Plutarch compares our duty to a certain fish, which eaten sparingly, hurteth; but being eaten up all, is medicinable.

And him only shalt thou serve.]

With inward worship, asStuchius de sacrific … 8. in … expedition against Naples, came into the field like thunder and lightning, but went out like a snuff: more then a man at first, lesse then a woman at last. Guicciard. before with outward. And so, God only is to be served; for it supposeth omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence, which are in none else but God. Sunt qui colendi verbum, foreign, dictum volunt, eò quòd plerun que Dei hominum que cultus cum adulatione & hypocrisi est conjunctus. Sic à foreign, Gallicum & nostrate flatter. Sic adorare quidam dictum volunt ab ore, tamet si mente magis, quam ore vera fiat adoratio. Quinetiam adorare antiquis idem fuit quod agere.

Verse 11. Then the devil left him.]

If Christ command him away, there's no abiding for him. Here he was foiled and quelled, and, as it were, cast down and killed by Christ our Champion. p. 78He came into the field like another Goliah, cracking and…. l. 1 e … Nulla maj r tentatio … ne …. calling craven, but ere he went thence, was made to hop headlesse, as he. First a terrour, afterward a scorn, as it was anciently said of those Chariots, armed with sithes and hooks. Henceforth therefore, though we are ever to expect temptations, till such time, as we have gotten that great gulf between the devil … ….us, Luk. 16. 26. Yet fear none of those things that ye shall suffer. Behold, the devil shall (by his imps and instruments) cast … of you (not all) into prison (not into hell) that ye may be tried (not destroied) and ye shall have tribulation ten daies (so …,…. 2. 10. and no longer.) Be thou faithfull unto the death, and I will … thee a crown of life. Satan can look for no Crown, he is in perdition already. His aim and endeavour is, to draw us into the same condemnation. This we escape, if we resist, stedfast in the faith: for then he perceives Christ, the chief Captain of our salvation to be there; and therefore flees his presence, ever since he felt his prowesse. Chrysostom saith, That by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are so armed against Satans temptations, that he … from us no otherwise, then if we were so many leones ignem expuentes, lions that spet fire. It is not silly peoples defying the devil, and spetting at his name, that avails any thing: for … spet not low enough; they spet him not out of their hearts: yea, they admit him thereinto by yeelding to his suggestions; and are miserably foolish, as if men should startle at the name of fire, and yet not fear to be scorched with the flame thereof. Our … way is to run to Ithiel and Ucal, as Agur did, to Christ, the Authour …. 30. 1, 2.and finisher of our faith; who here gave the devil such… 12. 2. an inglorious …, trampled him in the mire, triumphed over him, and hath promised to tread him under our feet shortly, Rom. 16. 20.

And loe, the Angels came and ministred unto him.]

Perhaps… King. …. …. 9. & 10 … Luk 1. …. Act. 0 4. & 27 ….Luke 1 food to … body, as once to Elias; but certainly comfort to … soul, as to Jacob, Hagar, Daniel, Zecharias, Joseph, Cornel us, Paul, &c. Socrates and Theodoret tell us of one Theadorus, a …, put to extream torments by Julian the …, and … by him, when he saw him unconquerable … tels us, that he met with this Martyr, a long time after this triall, and asked him, Whether the pain he felt were not …? He …, That at first it was somewhat … after a while, there seemed to stand by him a young man in …, p. 79who with a soft and comfortable handkerchief, wiped off the sweat of his body (which through extream pain and anguish was little … then bloud) and bad him, Be of good chear. Insomuch as that it was rather a punishment then a pleasure to him to be taken off the rack, sith, when the tormentours had done, the Angel was gone. And how many unspeakable comforts ministred the good Angels to the modern Martyrs in their prisons, at the stake, and in the fire? Christ indeed was not comforted by them, till the temptation was over; but to us they minister, many times, in the hour of temptation. They have power over the devils, to restrain them: and (though invisibly and insensibly) are as ready to help and comfort us, as the evil Angels to tempt and trouble us: else were not our protection equall to our danger, and we could neither stand nor rise. An Angel stood at Zecharies right hand, Luk. 1. 11. (as the devil did at Jehoshuahs (Zech. 3. 1.) to shew how ready and handy they are to defend and support the Saints. It was as he was burning incense. The Angels are busiest about us, when we are in Gods work: which to set forth, the hangings of the Tabernacle of old were full of … within and without. He said unto him, Fear not, Zechary. The blessed spirits (though they doe not often vocally expresse it, doe pity our humane frailties, and secretly suggest comfort to us, when we perceive it not. Alway they stand looking on the face of God to receive commandments, for the accomplishment of all designs for our good; which they have no sooner received, then they readily dispatch, even with wearinesse of flight, as Dan. 9. …. with so much swiftnesse, as if they had wearied themselves with fleeing. I read of a Frier that undertook to shew to the people a feather of the wing of the Angel Gabriel. A plume of whose feathers it might better have become the Pope to send to … the Irish Rebell, then that plume of Phoenix-feathers he sent to honourB. …: …. …. of Gods …, p 174. and encourage him; had his holinesse such command over Angels, as they say he hath, or did he not rather collude in one thing, as that Frier did in another.

Verse 12. Now when Iesus heard that Iohn was cast into prison]

For Herodias his sake, though under pretexts of fear of sedition, because of the great multitudes that followed and admired him, as Iosephus hath it. This hath ever been an ordinary … …. l. …. 7.cast upon the most …, to be … of sedition, and … of the State. … … held and called a Traitour, p. 80Elijah a troubler of Israel, Paul a pest, Luther, tuba rebellionis, foreignthe Trumpet of rebellion, &c. Iuvenies apud Tacitum quentatas accusationes Majestatis: unicum crimen eorum qui Act. 14 5.Acts 14:5crimine vacabant, saith Lipsius. There was some colour of right, yea of piety laid upon the French massacre, and by edicts, a fair cloak sought, to cover the impious fraud, as if there had been some wicked conspiracy plotted by the Protestants against the King, the Queen-mother, the Kings brethren, the King of Navarre, Camd Elizab. fol. 163.and the Princes of the bloud. For there was coyn stamped in memory of the matter, in the fore-part whereof, (together with the Kings picture) was this inscription, Virtus in rebelle…. And on the other side, Pietas excitavit justitiam. Not many years before this, Francis King of France, when he would excuse to the Princes of Germany (whose friendship he then sought after) that cruelty he had exercised against the Protestants, he gave out that he punished Anabaptists only, that bragged of Enthusiasmes, and cried down Magistracy, stirring up the people to sedition, as they had done, not long before in Germany. This foul…. Annal. vol 2 … 454. aspersion cast upon true Religion, gave occasion to Calvin (then a young man of 25. years of age) to set forth that incomparable work, called his institutions of Christian Religion. Concerning which, Paulus Melissus long since sang,

Praeter Apostolicas post Christi tempora chartas,

Huic peperere libro saecula nulla parem.

Since Christs and the Apostles time no such book hath been written.

He departed into Galilee]

Succenturiatus prodit Ioanni, saith a learned Interpreter. He therefore went into Galilee (which was under Herods government) to be, as it were, a supply and successour to Iohn, whom Herod had imprisoned. How well might the tyrant say of the Church, as those Persians did of the Athenians, foreign. We overturn …, …them, and yet they fall not; we wound them, and yet they fear not. S^t Basil bad the persecuted Christians tell the tyrants with a bold and brave spirit, foreign If ye prevail again, yet surely ye shall be overcome again. For there is neither power nor policy against the Lord. Charles the… in … 8.… … in … fifth (then whom all Christendome had not a more prudent Prince, nor the Church of Christ (almost) a sorer enemy) when he had in his hand Luther dead, and Melancthon and Pomera…, p. 81and certain other Preachers of the Gospel alive, he not only determined not any thing extreamly against them, or violated their graves, but also entreating them gently, sent them away, not so much as once forbidding them to publish openly the doctrine thatAct. and Mon. 1785. they professed. For it is the nature of Christs Church, the more that persecutours spurn against it, the more it flourisheth and encreaseth, as the Palme-tree spreadeth and springeth the more itDurū ut ilex tonsa bipennibus, per damna, per caedes ab ipso Ducit opes animum que ferro, Horat. is oppressed: as the bottle or bladder, that may be dipt, not drowned; as the Oak that taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given it, and sprouts the thicker; as Fenugreek, which the worse it is handled (saith Pliny) the better it proves. This made Arrius Antoninus (a cruell persecutour in Asia) cry out to the Christians, who came by troops to his tribunall, and proclaimed themselves Christians (so offering themselves to death) O miseri, si libet perire, num vobis rupes aut restes desunt? Tertul. ad Sca…ulam.O Wretched men, of ye be so desirous to die, have you neither foreignrocks nor halters, wherewith to dispatch your selves? Diocletian after he had in vain done his utmost to blot out Christs Name from under heaven, and could not effect it (such was the constancy of the Primitive Christians, that no sufferings could affright or discourage them, but that they grew upon him daily, doe what he could to the contrary) laid down the Empire in great discontent, and betook himself (as Charles the fifth also did) toBucholcer. a private course of life. As Lambs breed in winter, and QuailsChronol. Numb. 11. 31.Num 11:31came with the winde: So good Preachers and people spring most in hard times. No fowl is more prey'd upon by hawks, kites, &c. then the Pigeon, yet are there more doves then hawks or kites for all that, saith Optatus. So the sheep; and so the sheep offoreign. Christ, A little little flock, he calleth it, but such as all the Wolves on earth, and devils in hell cannot possibly devour. TheLuk. 12. 32.Luke 12:32 Christians of Calabria suffered great persecution, Anno 1560. for being all thrust up in one house together, as in a sheep-fold, the Executioner cometh in, and amongst them taketh one, and blindfoldeth him with a muffler about his eyes, and so leadeth him forth into a larger place, where he commandeth him to kneel down: Which being done, he cutteth his throat, and so leaving him half dead, and taking his butchers knife and muffler all of gore bloud, cometh again to the rest, and so leading them one after another, he dispatcheth them all, to the number of 88. All the elder went to death more cheerfully, the younger were more timorous. p. 82I tremble and shake (saith a Roman-Catholike, out ofAct. and Mon. fol. 859. whose letter to his Lord this is transcribed) even to remember how the executioner held his bloudy knife between his teeth, with the bloudy muffler in his hand, and his arms all in gore-bloud, up to the elbows, going to the fold, and taking every of them one after another by the hand, and so dispatching them all, no otherwise then doth a butcher kill his calves and sheep. Notwithstanding all which barbarous cruelty the Waldenses or Protestants were so spread, not in France only their chief …, but in Germany also, many years before this, that they could travell from Collen to… of the Church, p. …. Millain in Italy, and every night lodge with hosts of their own profession. It is not yet a dozen years since Pope Urban the eighth (that now sitteth) upon the surrender of Rochel into the French Kings hands, sent his Breve to the King, exasperating him againstReliquias … in Gallica …. the Protestants in France, and eagerly urging, yea, enforcing the destruction of all the heretikes, stabling in the French vineyard, as his Inurbanity is pleased to expresse it. But what shall be given unto thee? Or what shall be done unto thee, thou foul tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of Juniper (Psal.B. Halls answ. to Pope Urban his Inurbanity, &c. 120. 4, 5.) which burn vehemently, and smell sweetly. God shall shortly put into the hearts of the Kings of the earth (and this King among the rest of the ten) to hate the whore, to eat her flesh, and to burn her with fire, Revel. 17. 16. There are notBabylon altera adbuc stat, citò itidem casura, si essetis …. many ages past, since one of his predecessours broke open the gates of Rome, … the wals, dispersed the Citizens, and condemned the Pope to a dark dungeon, lading him with bitter scoffsPetras. de rem. …. fort. dial. 118. and curses. There are not many years past, since the Realm of France was ready, upon the Popes refusall, to reblesse K. Henry 4. upon conversion to them, to with-draw utterly from the obediencePhilip. le Beau. of his Sea, and to erect a new Patriarch over all the FrenchSands his relation …. Relig. Church. The then Arch-bishop of Burges was ready to accept it: and but that the Pope (in fear thereof) did hasten his benediction, it had been effected, to his utter … and decay. Before… of Toler. by Gabriel …, p. …. he would doe it, he lashed the King in the person of his Embassadour, after the singing of every verse of miserere, untill the whole Psalm was sung out. Sed … Evangelij jubare, sagaciores, D. Prideaux contra ….ut spero, principes, adnutum hujus Orbilij non solvent subligacula, saith a great Divine of ours. King Henry the eighth and the French King (some half a year before their deaths) were at a point to have changed the Masse in both their Realms into a Communion: p. 83Also to have utterly extirped the Bishop of Rome, &c.Act. and …. Ex … Cranmeri, fol. 1135. Yea, they were so thorowly resolved in that behalf, that they meant also to exhort the Emperour to doe the like, or to break off from him. The same Emperour to be revenged upon Pope Clement his enemy, abolished the Popes authority thorowout allAnno 1526. Scult. Annal. Decad. 2. p. 2. Spain, his native Kingdome, declaring thereby (the Spaniards themselves for example) that ecclesiasticall discipline may be conserved without the Papall authority. The Eastern Churches… illius …. have long since separated; the other four Patriarchs dividingBasil. apud Baron. Annal. …. 4. themselves from the Bishop of Rome, and at their parting using these or the like words; Thy greatnesse we know, thy covetousnes we cannot satisfie, thy encroaching we can no longer abide, live to Cade of the Church, ex D. Field, Gerson, & Carleton.thy self. Neither are the Western much behinde, especially since all was changed in that Church, manners, doctrine, and the very rule of faith in the Trent-…. Then (according to someRevel. …. 3. Brightman. …, &c. Expositours) did the second Angel pour out his vial upon the sea (upon that conflux of all sorts at Trent) and it became as the … of a dead man (those deadly decrees are written with the bloud of heretikes) and every living soul died in that sea, as once the fish of AEgypt. For none that worship the beast have their names written in the book of life of the lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, Revel. 13. 8. Slain, I say, as in his fathers decree and promise, as in the Sacrifices of the Law, and faith of his people; so in his members and Martyrs, beheaded as John Baptist, or…, semen Ecclesiae. Tert. otherwise butchered for the witnesse of Jesus, and for the Word of God. But the bloud of the Martyrs was the seeding of the Church. God was never left without witnesses, as is seen in ourTestes … per …. Catalogues; but although John was cast in prison, yea beheaded in the prison, as if God had known nothing of him (quoth thatD. Featleys Catalogue, Protestants Calendar. Martyr) yet there never wanted a Jesus to goe into Galilee: And that guilty Edomite Herod was sensible of it, Matth. 14. 2. when he said to his servants, This is John Baptist, he is risen from the Revel. 11. 10, 11.Rev 11:10Rev 11:11dead. In like sort the Romish Edomite, after he had done to death Christs two ancienter witnesses, that (Baptist-like) came… in Apo. 14. 6. in the spirit and power of Elias, to confute and confound their… in that language signifieth a goose, … a swan, and Iohn … at his death prophesied it. Baal-worships, yet to his great grief and regret, he hath seen them revive and stand upon their … again, in that heroicall Wicliff, who is said to have written more then 200. volumes against him, in that Goose of …, that Swan of Saxony (those three … Angels, That flew in the midst of heaven, p. 84… the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the …. 1 … 6. … pap.earth,) together with those other noble Reformers in all Christian Churches. By whom, ever since the Pope was declared toRom cap. …. … …. pag. …. be …, his authority (saith Bellarmine) hath not only not …, but daily more and more decreased. The fourth … hath lost a head, as Cusanus the Cardinall had prophesied, Anno Domini 1464. and after him Trithemius the Abbot, Anno ….1508. A sect of Religion, saith he, shall arise once within this … years, to the great destruction of the old Religions. It is to … that the fourth beast will lose one of her heads. This he … in his book concerning Angels and Spirits. What kinde of spirit it was (black or white) that dictated unto him this prophecy, which fell out accordingly, and was fulfilled … … Luther, I cannot tell. But the godly learned … Bucholc. Chron.it was from that evil spirit, who is said to have sung before,

…, tibi subitò motibus ibit amor.

As the Emperour Frederick is reported also to have fore-told in this distich:

Roma … titubans, variis erroribus acta,… boc …. 2. … p … Philos.

Corruet; & … esse ….

Verse 13. And leaving … ]

Where he had had his conception and education; and did … in a speciall manner affect them, and … their good, but they would not. For when … have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim broke our, as the leprosie in their fore-heads, Hos 7. 1. they refused to be reformed, they hated to be healed. Some few sick folk he healed there, and that was all he could doe for them, more then marvell at their unbelief. He could doe there no mighty work, saith S^t Mark; and therefore left them, saith S^t Matthew; then the…. 6. 5, 6. which he could hardly have done them a greater …; For, woe be unto you, if I depart from you, Hos. 9. 12. In the 9, 10, … 11. … of …, God makes divers removes: And … as he goes out, some judgement … in, till at length he was … gone out of the City, Chap. 11. 23. And then followed … calamity in the ruine …. O pray that the Sunne of that dismall day may … arise, wherein it shall be said, That our … stick is removed, that our Sunne is eclipsed, that theRevel. …. … is … from our English Israel, that Christ hath turned his back upon this our Nazareth, … preces & lacrymas, p. 85cordis logatos, saith Cyprian. Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia, saith Chrysologus. Wish we for our Church, as … did for the Romish Synagogue, that we had some Moses to take away the evils and abuses therein. Nam non unum … vitulum, sed multos habemus. And then sing as another did,

Ah, ne diem illum posteri

Vivant mei, qiso pristinum

Vertantur in lutum aurea

Quae nos beârunt saecula!

He came and … in Capernaum]

Happy town in so sweet and precious an Inhabitant! and is therefore said to be lifted up to Heaven, Matth. 11. 23. as Revel. 7. among those that were sealed of the severall Tribes Judah is first reckon'd of all Leahs children, because our Lord sprang out of Judah: and Nepthali (of all those of Rachels side) because at Capernaum, in that Tribe, heMedes in Apocalyps. dwelt, Ut utrobi que superemineat Christi praerogativa, saith an Interpreter, That Christ may be all, and in all. Here he dweltSie … par. … 40. art 3. in an house, either let or lent him: for of his own he had not where to rest his head, Matth. 8. Here he paid tribute as an inhabitant:juxta Hieron. in Mat. 8.Matt 8 and hither he resorted and retired himself, when he was tired at any time with preaching and journeying, and was willing to take rest; which yet hardly he could doe, thorow the continuall concourse, but was glad to get into a ship or desert to pray, eat or sleep.

Which is upon the sea-coast.]

That is, hard by the lake of Genesaret in Galilee of the Gentiles. Josephus cals it a Town, foreign,Joseph. in vita sua. … it was without wals (belike.) For Strabo writeth that Pompey had commanded the wals of all … Cities in those… l. 16. parts, to be pulled down. S^t Hierom also saith it was a Town,Hieron in nom …. and that it so continued till his times. But S^t Matthew, and S^t Luke name it a City, wherein there was a Synagogue of the Jews, and a Garison of Herods souldiers, because it bordered upon Arabia. It had fifteen thousand inhabitants at least, there being no Town in Galilee that had fewer, saith Josophus. The inhabitantsDe bello Iudaico. l. 3. c. …. might be of the same minde with those of the Hage in Holland, who will not wall their Town, though it hath 2000. housholds in it, as desiring to have it counted rather the principall village of Europe, then a lesser City.

In the borders of Zebulon and Nepthali.]

In the former p. 86whereof is Galilee, in the later this Galilee of the …, where stands the Town of Capernaum, and near unto it is a well of the same name, and of apt signification. For Capernaum (saith… in nom. …. S^t Hierom) is by interpretation, the Town of consolation. … was situate on this side Jordan, over against … saida (otherwise called Julias) not farre from Tiberias, and Tarichaea, … places, lying like wise upon the lake.

Verse 14. That it might be fulfilled, &c.]

The two Testaments may be fitly resembled to the double doors of the Temple, one whereof infolded another: The Old is the new enfolded; the new is the old explicated. For there are above 260. places of the old Testament cited in the new: so that almost in every needfull point the harmony is exprest.

By the Prophet Isaias]

That Evangelicall Prophet, that speaketh of Christs nativity, preaching persecution, apprehension, death,Bul … in …. …. resurrection, ascension and second coming to judgement so lively as no Evangelist goes beyond him.

Verse 15. The land of Zebulon, and the land of Nepthali, &c.]

In … were Nazareth, Beth saida, Tiberias, Cana (where our Saviour … water into wine) and Naim, where he raised the widows son; so that she was twice a mother, yet had but one childe. In Nephthali were the City of Abel (where they asked…. 10. 17. counsell of old, and so they ended the matter) Harosheth the City of Sisera, Riblah, Cesarea, Philippi and Capernaum. This burrough was the seat of the Evangelicall Kingdome; and it was … chosen for such a purpose, as that which by reason of the wonderfull wholsomnesse of the air, fertility of the soil, … to the river Jordan, and lake of Genne sareth, neighbour-hood of many great Towns and famous Cities, promised a plentifull encrease and income of the Evangelicall harvest. Here the corn was white unto the harvest (as at Samaria) and sollicited labourers. It is a Ministers wisdome to seat himself, as near … may be, where most need is, and greatest likely-hood of doing good, as S^t Paul did often. No Church was founded at Athens, Come over into …, and help us. …. 16, 9.no good to be done there among those wits of Greece. The … at Ephesus, whiles a door was opened, and then departed to other places. If thou perceive thy self unfit to doe moreThou hast well done that … art come, Act. 10. 33.Acts 10:33 good in any place, though it be not any fault of thine (saith … grave Authour) away to another. If the commodity of the place prevail more with thee, there to abide, then the promoting p. 87of Christs Kingdome, to use thy talent elsewhere, it is to be feared, thou wilt either lose thy gifts, or fall into errours and herefies,Rolloc. com in Joh. 4. 44.John 4:44 refies, or, at least, become a frigid and dry Doctour among such a people as have once conceived an incurable prejudice against thee.

Galilee of the Gentiles]

So called, either because it bordered upon the Gentiles, or, because it was given away by David to Hiram King of Tyre, or, because it was inhabited by the Assyrians, who carried the people captive, and dwelt in their room.

Verse 16. The people which sate in darknesse, saw a great light]

Luk. 1. 78.Luke 1:78For the day-spring from on high visited them, the bright Sunne of …. 4. ….righteousnesse (which had all Palestine for his Zodiack, the twelve … for his signs) staied longest in … and …: and (S. … observeth) as these two Tribes were first carried into captivity, and seemed furthest from heaven, as bordering on the Gentiles, and in many things symbolizing with …, having learned their manners; so redemption was first preached in these Countries. Physicians are of most use where diseases abound. The Prophets in Elisha's daies planted at Bethel. There was at once the golden calf of Ieroboam, and the school of God.

… in darknesse, and in the region and shadow of death.]

NoteJoh. 3.John 3 here, that a state of darknesse is a state of death. This is condemnation, this is hell-above-ground, and afore-hand, that light is come into the world, and men love darknesse better then light,…. Ut liberiùs peccent libentèr ignorant. Now surely they shall… 14 14. one day have enough of their so much desired darknesse. TheyJob 24. 16.Job 24:16 know not the light, saith Iob: They hate it, saith our Saviour:… 3. 0. They … and … at it, saith Solomon; therefore shall they be…. …. filled with their own waies, whiles they are cast into utter darknesse:foreign. a darknesse beyond a. d …, as it were a … beyond a prison, where they shall never … light again, till they be… Th …. 1. 8. enlightned with that universall fire of the last day, to their everlasting amazement.

Light … sprung up.]

He … them out of darknesse into his 1 …. …. Act. 8.Acts 8marvellous light. So he did the … by Phil ps … and miracles, whereupon there was great … in that …. So by the ministery of Farell, Viret, Calvin, and others, he … the Genevians out of the dark midnight of …. In a p. 88thankfull remembrance whereof, they coyned new money, with this inscription on the one side, Post tenebras lux, After darknesse light (Their posie till then had been, Post tenebras … …. ….…, taken out of Job.) And on the other side, Deus noster pugnat pronobis. Our God fighteth for us.

Verse 17 From that time Jesus began to preach.]

So he had done before John was imprisoned, John 2. and 3. but now more freely and …, more manifestly, and all abroad, as when the day-starre hath done his devoir, the Sun … out to the Prov. 4.Prov 4perfict day.

And to say, Repent]

Both for sinne by contrition, and from foreignsinne by conversion. Change your mindes and …, your constitution and conversation, from worse to better: Recover…, … & … post. 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 S^t … hathLuk … 17.Luke 17 it, 1 Pet. 2. 24. Undoe what you had done before, and be ye … foreign.Rom. …. 2.and metamorphosed by the renewing of your … foreign.For, Except a man be born again, not … …, but …, …. 3. 3.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 2 Pet. 3. 9.2 Pet 3:9bread. 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, p. 89if 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 S^t 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 with1 Chron. 12. 321 Chr 12:32 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 doingProv. 25. 11.Prov 25:11 good, as he to entertain passengers; to set a word or work upon Ecclel. 3. 11.it's wheels, that it may be as apples of gold, and pictures of silver, Job 6 ….Job 6pleasant 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… 116. 16, 17 2 Cor. 6. 2.2 Cor 6:2 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,August. Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas. God hath hanged the heaviest weights upon the weakest wires. Be quick therefore,Prov. 27. 1.Prov 27:1 and abrupt in thine obedience, Thou knowest not what a greatbellied… quid … vesper …. 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 p. 90his 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 theyVeteres Romani Agenoriam. are busie; Satan, when they are idle. For idlenesse is the hour of … & Strenam … pro ….…, 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… verò … urbem …. labour till the sweat runne down his nose. Which, if … doe, God hath promised, that manus molitans, the diligent, nimble handedSpec. …. man shall not stay long in a low place. He shall stand … Princes, as these painfull fisher-men were to stand before theGen. 3. 19.Gen 3:19 Prince of Peace, and to be of his constant retinue. As till then,Prov. 10. 4.Prov 10:4 their busie attendance on their calling was no lesse pleasing toProv. …. …. Christ, then an … diate devotion. Happy is that …, whom his Lord when he comes … serving … and man with his fat and …, … and … in Iothams Iudg. 9. 9.Judg 9:9Parable.

For they were fishers.]

… us, & … (… Beddingf.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…. 5. 17. 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 S^t 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 2 Tim. 2. 19.2 Tim 2:19Lord, 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…. 14 4. follow the Lambe wheresoever he …, as these … did.…. 5 …

And I will make you fishers of men,]

Of live men, as … foreigndesire to catch fish alive, because they are more vendible. An apt p. 91metaphor, wherein, 1. The world is compared to the sea, for it's unsetlednesse, …, the oppression that is in it (the lesser fish being devoured of the greater) the sway that Leviathan the devil bears there, Psal. 104. 26. 2. The Church is compared to a boat, because it is continually tossed with the waves of …, as Noah, Ionah, the Disciples, Paul and those … Ion. 1. 4.Jonah 1:4men, Psal. 107. 27. That stagger like a drunken man, and all …. 8 24.their cunning is gone. 3. The fish to be caught out of this sea, and to be brought into this ship, are men. Nature hath (as it were) spawned us forth into this worldly sea; where we drink iniquity like water, wandering confusedly up and down; till caught and cast into the fish-pool, for the masters use and service. Unwittingly we are caught, and unwillingly we are kept, as … labour to get out of the net, and would fain leap back out of the boat into the water. 4. Ministers are fishers. A … profession, a toilsome calling; no idle mans occupation, as the vulgar conceits it, nor needlesse trade, taken up alate, to pick a livingHirons … fishing. out of. Let Gods fisher men busie themselves as they must, sometimes in preparing, sometimes in mending, sometimes in casting abroad, sometimes in drawing in the net, That they may separate …. 15 19.the precious from the vile, &c. And no man shall have just causeMat. 13. 48.Matt 13:48 to twit them with idlenesse, or to say they have an easie life, and that it is neither sin nor pity to defraud them.

Verse 20. And they straight way left their ….]

As the woman of Samaria did her …, Matthew his …, and blinde Bartimeus his cloak, when Christ called for him. Look we likewise to this Authour and … of our faith; and forHeb. 12. ….Heb 12 love of him, cast away every clog, and the sinne that doth so easily foreignbeset or surround us. Divorce the … from the world, and thereHeb. 12. 1.Heb 12:1 is no great danger. Admire not over-much, rest not in, dote not on, cleave not to the things of this life (those nets and snares of Satan, whereby he entangleth and encumbreth us) that we may attend upon the Lord (or … close to him) without being haled away,foreign or distracted by these lusts of life. The deeplier any man is drowned in the world, the more desperately is he divorced from God, deadned to holy things, and disobedient to the heavenly call,1 Cor. 7. 35.1 Cor 7:35 as the recusant guests in the Gospel.…. ….God loveth currist …, not quarist …, saith ….

And followed him.]

Immediately, and without sciscitation. When Christ cals, we must not reason, but runne, as Paul, Gal. 1. 16. not dispute, but dispatch, with David, Psal. 119. 60. Goe p. 92we know not whither, with Abraham; doe we know not what,Isa. 21. 12.Isa 21:12 with Gideon. If ye will enquire, enquire, saith Isaiah, return, come. A quick passage, and full of quickning. Like that of … Oratour, Si dormis, expergiscere; si stas, ingredere; si ingrederis, Cicer. … ad … 2. ep. …curre; si curris, advola. Courts have their citò, citò, quick, quick: and … use to observe and improve their … tempora: So must Christians. God is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace. He comes leaping on the mountains,Cant 2. ….Song 2 and skipping on the hils: and, being come, he stands at the … and knocks, by the sound of his Word, and motions of his spirit.Revel. 3. 20.Rev 3:20 He sits not, but stands: while a man is standing, we say, he is going. And woe be unto us, if he depart from us. God hath his season,…. 9. 12. his harvest for judgement, Matth. 13. 30. And is now more quick and peremptory in … men, then of old: For … Heb 2. 3.Heb 2:3shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, as is now preached? … 8.Our Saviour would not suffer … man that said he would follow him, to let so much time, as to bury his father. Excuses he takes for refusals, … for denials. As Saul lest his Kingdom: so doth many a man his soul, by not … his time: And troops of them that forget God, goe down to hell, Psal. 9. 17. Quare … mores & moras nostras. Let us up and be doing, … the Lord may be with us.

Verse 21. He saw other two brethren, Iames, &c.]

Three pair of brethren, at least, our Saviour called to the Apostleship; to shew what brotherly love should be found amongst Ministers; what agreement in judgement and affection. There the Lord commands the blessing, and life for ever more. As where envying …. 133. ult.and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work, Jam. 3. 16. Hence the devil laboureth (all he can) to set Ministers at variance, and to … dissension amongst them (as betwixt Paul and … ) that the work may be hindered. Divide & impera, Make division, and so get dominion, was a maxime of Machiavil, which he learnt of the devil. What woefull tragedies hath he … alate betwixt the Lutherans and Zuinglians? What … have the Papists composed out of the Churches tragedies? To foster the faction, they joyned themselves to the Lutherans in…. …, in …, … tantum …, &c, … …. 255. that sacramentary quarrell: they commended them, made much of them, and almost pardoned them all that losse they had sustained by them. This, that holy man of God Oecolampadius bitterly bewaileth, in a letter to the Lutherans of Suevia. The … p. 93saith he, may be pardoned through faith in Christ, but the discord we cannot expiate with the dearest and warmest bloud in our Error condonari potest, … fides adsit in christum: discordiam, … si sanguinem …. …. ….hearts. They on the other side (in their syngrame or answer) handled that most innocent man so coursely, Ut non objurgatione, sed execratione dignum sit, saith Zuinglius, that they deserved not to be confuted, but to be abhorred of all men. This was as good sport to the Papists, as the … betwixt Abraham and Lot were to the Amorites. But that one consideration (that we are … ) should conjure down all disagreements (as betwixt them) and make us unite against a common advesary. The … the English (Anno 1587.) stamped money with two earthern pots, swimming in the sea (according to theCamd Elis. 356 old fable) and wittily inscribed, Si collidimur, frangimur, If we clash, we are broken. The Thracians, had they been all of… conventus. It a dum singuli …, universi vincuntur. one minde, they had been invincible, saith …. And Cornelius Tacitus (who had been here in … with his father-in-law Agricola) reporteth of our fore-fathers, that they fell into the hands of the Romans, by nothing so much as by their dissensions amongst themselves. Pliny telleth of the stone Thyrroeus, that though never so big while it is whole, it floteth upon the waters:Tac. but being broken, it sinketh. And who hath not read of Silurus his bundle of arrows? To break unity, is to cut asunder the very veins and sinews of … mysticall body of Christ, as the Apostle intimateth,foreign. 1 Cor. 1. 10. to hinder all true growth in godlinesse, Eph. 4. 16.…, & … contentione, … non apparuit. …. …. and inward …, Phil. 2. 1. to drive away God, who appeared not to Abraham till the difference was made up, Gen. 13. 14, &c. and to undoe our selves. As the dragon sucketh out the bloud of the …: and the weight of the falling elephant … … l. 8. c. 12.the dragon, and so both perish together. To prevent all which, and to compose all quarrels in this AEgypt of the world, let it be remembred, as Moses told the two striving Israelites, that we are …. And oh how good, and how pleasant it is for brethrenPsal. 133. ….Ps 133 (in the Ministery especially) to … together in unity.

Verse 22. And … immediately left the ship and their ….]

These were … merchants, that … with all to … the pearl of price. So did many Martyrs, and knew they made a savers bargain. Nicolas Shetterden … in a … to his mother; What state soever your fathers be in, leave that to God, and let us follow the counsell of his Word. Dear mother,…. sel. …. embrace it with hearty affection: read it with …; … it p. 94be your pastime, &c. So shall we meet in joy at the last day: or else I bid you farewell for evermore. So Nicolas of Jenvile (… young man newly come from Geneva) was condemned to die, and set in the Cart. His father comming with a …, would have beaten him. But the officers, not suffering it, would have struck the old man. The sonne, crying to the officers, desired them to let his father alone, saying, he had power over him, to do in that… 837. kinde what he would: but Christ was dearer to him then the dearest friend on earth, &c. That of S^t Hierom is well known to most, and often alledged; If my father stood weeping on his knees before me, my mother hanging on my neck behinde me, and all my brethren, sisters, children, kinsfolk, howling on every side, to retain me in sinfull life with them, I would fling my mother to the ground, despise all my kinred, run over my father, and tread him under my feet, thereby to runne to Christ when he calleth me. Reberies and Danvile, two French Martyrs, having been sorely racked, at night rejoyced together. After that, Reberies cried twice or thrice, Away from me, Satan. His fellow being in bed with him, asked, why he cried, and whether Satan would stop him of his course? Reberies said, that Satanset beforeIbid. 842. him his parents, but by the grace of God, said he, he shall do nothing against me.

Verse 23. And Jesus went about all … ]

Not (as the Circumcelliones of old) to make shew of their holinesse; nor as the Jesuites (into whom the Pharisees have fled and hid themselves) to gain proselytes and passengers, That goe right on their waies, Prov. 9. 15. but he went about doing good, saith S. Peter. Act. 10. 38.Acts 10:38The chiefest goods are most active: the best good a meer act. And the more good we doe, the more God-like we be, and the more we draw nigh to the heavenly patern. Religion is not a name, goodnesse a word: but as the life of things stands in goodnesse: So the life of goodnesse, in action. So much we live, as we ….Isa. 38. 16.Isa 38:16 O Lord, by these things men live, saith …, and in all these things is the life of my spirit. And he that keepeth my Commandments shall live in them, as the lamp lives in the oil, the flower in the earth, the creature by food. Nos non eloquimur magna, sed vivimus, said the ancient Christians. And holy Bradford … that hour lost, wherein he had not done some good, with tongue, pen or hand. God hath set us our time, and our task, Job 14. 5, 6, David is said to serve out his time; and John Baptist, to p. 95finish his course, Act. 13. Up therefore and be doing, that ye beDies brevis est, & opus …, & operarij pauci, & pater-samilias urget. not taken with your task undone. Fruitlesse trees shall be cut down: short shooting loseth many a game. The master is an austeer man, and looketh for his own with usury. It is an easie thing when the candle is out, and all still without din, to fall a napping: which will prove to your cost, when God shall send forthRab. …. summons for sleepers.

Teaching in their Synagogues,]

Houses dedicated to the worship of God, wherein it was lawfull (and usuall) to pray, preach, and dispute, but not to sacrifice, Act. 15. 21. The Temple at Ierusalem was the Cathedrall Church: The Synagogues, as petty Parish-Churches, belonging thereunto. There were 480. of them in Ierusalem, as Manahen the JewApud Genebr. in …. reporteth.

And preaching]

Which is a further matter then teaching, foreign.and is therefore set after it here, as an addition. It signifieth to publish, and (as a Herald) to deliver a matter in the hearingforeign. of a multitude with greatest majesty, constancy, fidelity,2 Cor. 2. 17.2 Cor 2:17 and liberty of speech: not budging or balking any part ofCorrupting, as men doe by their false wares, or mixt wines. the truth: not huckstering the Word of God, or handling it deceitfully; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speaking in Christ.

And healing all manner of sicknesse and disease,]

Both acuteforeign … significat …. and chronicall. None came amisse to this Iehovah Rophe, the Lord that healeth, as he stileth himself; This Sun of righteousnesse, that hath healing under his wings. To an Almighty Physician…, … & …. (saith Isidore) no disease can seem incurable. He healed with a wet finger (as we say) such patients as all the Physicians in the Countrey cast their caps at, and could not tell what toExod …. 26. … to.Mal. 4. 2.Mal 4:2

Verse 24. And his fame went thorow all Syria.]

Fame followeth… medico … occurrit …. desert, as a sweet sent the rose. This gave occasion to the Poets to feign, That Achilles his tomb was ever garnished with green amaranth. A good name is better then great riches, saithProv. 22. 1.Prov 22:1 Solomon, And if I can keep my credit I am rich enough, said the… si …, …. …. Plaut. Heathen. Blessing and good report are exprest by one and the same word in the old Testament, Prov. 27. 21. to shew what a ablessing of God it is. And it could not but be a great comfort to David, that whatsoever he did pleased the people. Cicero saith,2 Sam 3. 36.2 Sam 3:36 that perfect glory consisteth in these three things; If the multitude…. 2. … … p. 96love a man, if they will trust him, and if they hold him worthy… … Iesu … & … cap. …. of admiration, praise and honour. Now none of these were wanting to our Saviour, as appeareth in this holy History, and as others have fully set forth. Do worthily in Ephrata, and so be … in Bethlehem, Ruth 4. 11.foreign

And they brought unto him all sick people]

All that were in ill case and taking: For, Si vales, benè est, saith one. And, Vita ….!…. non est vivere, sed valere, saith another. The Latines call a sick…. man AEger, which some derive of foreign, the voice of complaint and …. And the Stoikes when they affirmed, that to live agreeably to nature, is to live vertuously and valiantly, although the body be never so out of order, they perceived when their own turn came to be sick (saith one) Se magnificentiùs locutos esse …. Wolf. in ….quam veriùs, that they had spoken more trimly then truly.

That were taken with divers diseases and torments]

That…. were besieged and hemmed in on every side, as by an enemy straitnedforeign. and …, so that they knew not whither to look, only their eies were toward Christ.

Diseases and torments]

As of those that are put upon the …: Pharaoh was so when God extorted from him that confession, I have sinned: which (being gotten off) he soon bit in again. The word here used in the Originall, properly signifieth theforeign. Test or Touch-stone, where with gold is tried: and, by a borrowed kinde of speech, is applied to all kinde of examination, and (peculiarly) to inquisition by torture, so to any pain or painfull diseases, as of the palsey, lunacy, &c. in this text, and Chap. 8. 6. As also to the torments of hell, Luk. 16. 23. whereof sicknesses are but a beginning, a fore-taste, a very typicall hell to those that have not the fruits of their sicknesse. And this is all the fruits, … Morbos … ….the taking away of their sinne, Isa. 27. I blush not to confesse (saith a great Divine of Scotland) that I have gained more sound knowledge of God and of my self, in this sicknesse, then everNon …, …, &c. I had before. Happy …, that draws the sick matter out of the soul. Physicians hold, that in every two years, there is such…. … …. …. …. store of ill humours and … ingendred in the body, that a vessel of one hundred ounces will scarce contain them. Certain it…, p. 23. is, ther's a world of wickednesse and superfluity of naughtinesse (that bed of spirituall diseases) daily gathered and got together in the sinne-sick-soul: which therefore we must labour to purge outDan. 11. 35. & 12. 10.Dan 11:35Dan 12:10 by the practice of mortification; … God purge and whiten us to p. 97our sorrow, by some sharp sicknes: as he did Gehezi, whose white fore-head had made him a white soul, his disease cured him, as some are of opinion.

Possessed with devils.]

Such as whose mindes and senses the devil perverted.

Those that were lunatike.]

Or such as had the falling-sicknesse,… exerc. as appeareth by those symptomes of this disease, set downEvan … 2 c …. …. de orig. ling. ….by … Matthew, Chap. 17. 17. This is otherwise called Morbus sacer. For the Priests of old (that they might thereby enrich themselves) feigned, that the gods tormented men with this, among other sudden and fearfull diseases.

Verse 25. And there followed him great multitudes.]

A goodPsal. 65. ….Ps 65 house-keeper shall not (likely) want company. O thou that hearest praiers (and so sollicitest suters) to thee shall all flesh come. Christs miracles drew multitudes after him, then; and should still affect us with admiration and strong affection to the Gospel, as the Authour to the Hebrews sheweth, Heb. 2. 3, 4.

CHAP. V.