173 L/1 Commentary upon the G'o(pel Chap.5. a general lukewarmnefe and unzealoufntffe ? And ( befides the love ofmany waxen cold) doth not iniquity abound in every quar ter and corner of theland ? which therefore even groaneth under ourburden, and longeth for a vomit to fpue us out, as the moll un- thankful) and unworthy people that ever Gods Sun (hone upon, and Gods rain fell upon ( the Sunof Chrifts Gofpel efpecially, and the rain ofhis grace ) fo fair and fo long together ? If there be any eard,,,r viz, unpardonable fin in the world, it is ingratitude, faid that Peerlcfle In ratuas dix Qeelizabeth in a meflage to Henry 4. King of France. The very eris,omniadtx Heathens judged it to be the epitome of a 1 evil : Call me unthank- eris full, faithone, you call me all that naught is. Lycurgrrc would :Zuodprod gio make no law againfl it, becaufe he thought no man would fall fo far rei ofér be below reafon, as not thankfully toacknowledge a benefit. Thus àeftcium no nature it felt abhorres ingratitude; which therefore carrieth to ingratuudine much the more deteffation, as it is more odious even to them teat nibit fedi4' have blotted out the image ofGod. Some vices are fu:h as nature evil inter bar- fmileth upon, though frowned at by divine Julfice : Not Co this. traros. Pareus is Gen44.4 , Wherefore haveye rewardedevil fargood ? Gen.44.4 'Verfe46. For ifye love th;m that love you, What rewardhave you ?] The Greek and Latine word ( fay the Rhemifis ) lignifieth Ous Mat. 50, : very wages or hiredue for worke ; and foprefùppofeth a merito- rious deed. But what will they fay toS.Lulee, who calleth that zete,or grace, which S. Matthew here called tuoii-,a reward ? It is pr.rrnium,!ed a. reward,but of meer grace ( fee Rom.4) that God will give to ,gratuitun Be. them that love theirenemies. If thine enemy behungry, fled him, sa sn Mlt. & &c. For thou/halt heap codes of fire upon his head, and the Lord fhra!l reward thee, faithSolomon, Prov.25.21 , aa. A double enccu. ragement,andalllittleenough; i. Thoulhalt heap coals on his head,thofe coales are (as !flu/in interprets it) urentes panitentie gemitus, the fcorching fighs of true repentance : q. d. Thou fhalt, melt thefe hardef} metals, ( as many of the Martyrs did their per- fecutours) thou ¡halt meeken their rancour, overcome their ma- lice,: carafe them to turn fhort aga;n upon themfelves, and, upon fight of their fin, flame themfelves, and juff:ifie thee, as Saul did .David. 2.. The Lordihall reward thee. ( And all his retributions are more then bountiful)) yet not of merit ( for what propor- tion betwixt the work and wages ? but fir4 of mercy. Reward andmercy are joyned together in the fecund Commandment, and Pfal.62.ia, Secondly,of promife, for our encouragement,) fish. our labour is.not invain in the Lord. Briefly, it is called a reward,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=