330 t1 Commentary upon the Gofpel Chap,1o, as fifh,though fearfull, ftir not at the great noife of.the fea, where- unto they are accuftomed : andas birds thatbuildin a belfree, ftar- tle not at the tollingof thebell. Shake offthe eloft ofyourfeet] In token that you fought not theirs;but them, and that you will not carry away fo much as any of their accurfed duff : that you will not have anycommunion at all with them, wait no longer upon them:that the duff of thole feet ( that [mould have been beautiful) (hall be fatall and ferall to them ; that God (mall hence-forward beat them here as fmall as duff with his heavy judgements, as with an iron-mace, and that Flat, 2. hereafter he fhall (hake them offasduft,when they come to him for falvation,at the laff judgement. Verfe 15. Itf'dl be mere tolerable] God canbetter bearany thing, then the abufe of his freegrace in the offers ofmercy. Pro- fligate profefVours and Profane Gofpellers, (hall one daywith, Oh that I had been a Sodomite, that I had neuer heard a Sermon 1 or oh that I might hear but one Sermon more,&c. Should Solomon fotfake thatGod that had appeared unto him twice? Good turns aggravate unkindnc fes: and nothing more torments thofein hell, then to think that they might have beeu happy,hai theybeen wor- hy theiryears,as theyfay. Verle 16. Behold I fend you forth, &c.] This might feem in- credible to the Difciples, Lich they were bent among the loft (beep of Ifrael. But firange though it feem, 'cis not fo Urange as true. Lòok for it therefore. Behold. Chrit was in no tuch danger from Herod thatfox,as from chofewolves the Pharifees. As (beep in the midff of Wolves] Who would make it their work to worry the flock, and fuck their blond, as did Saul that wolfe of the Tribe ofBenjamin, and the Primitive Perfecutours. Under Diocletian, feventeen thoufand Chriftians are Paid to have been flain in one moneth, amoragft whom alfo was,Serena the Em prefl'e. Thofe ten Perfecutions were fo cruel, that St Hieronz, writes in one of his Epiftles, that forevery day in the year were murdered 5000. exceptingonly the firft dayof 7anuary. St Paul fell into the handsof that Lion Nero, gtsi orientem fidem primal Roma cruentuvit, asTertullian hath it, who therefore alfo cal - lath him, .Dedicatorem damnations Chrifianorum. All she rift of the Apoftles are reported to have died by the hands of Tyrants, fave onlySt Iohn : who, in contempt ofChriftianicy,and of Chuff ( that is by interpretation, Gods Anointed) was calf by Demo- tiara Al f#ed. Ghro. asol,1' ag.3; B.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=