Chap.12. according to S t M A T T H E VV. 3.73 Verle 38. Then certain of the Scribes and Pharifees ] Hsd not thefe, as onefaid ofNero, Osferreura, cor.plumbeum, an iron face, a leaden heart, that could call for a figne after fo many fìgues ? But it is a figne fromheaven they would have (asMofes called for Manna from thence,Samuel for rain,Elia for firi,&-c.) and much the near they wouldhave been, fhould our Saviour have gratified them. But he never meant it. They werenow foclearly convinced of their blafphemy, that they had, nothing to fay for themfelves, but fawningly to call himMailer, whombefore they had called Beelzebub.: and to pretend themfelves to bewilling to learn, if they might fee a figne. They could not fee woodfar trees,as they fay. And who fo blinde as he that will not fee. Sic sent, Epi¡f. fit, ubi homines majorera vice partem in tenebrisagsuot, ut no- vifmè totem quafi fupervacuum faflidiant, faith Seneca. Men that have lived long in thedark, may think the Sun fuper fluous; Verfe 39. An'evil and adulterous generation, &.c.]. Spuri& foboles,a baftardly brood. So hecalleth them,becaufeutterly degel. aerate from their fore- fathers faithand holineffc. Seelteth after a fagne ] Seeke th with utmoft.earneftnefle, as if it &s n7l,, ssn. were fucka bufincileas mutt be done,or they were undone. It is the rnoru o ct/a. guifè ofhypocrites, to be hot in a cold matter, to thewgreat zeal ghat* in nifies,negleébng the main,meanwhile. Rut the figne of the Prophet Jonas,] Nor thatneither,but for a further mitchief.to them : astheir fathers had quails to choak them, . a King to vex them,cc. and as vlhac had a figne, whether he wouldor no, to render him the more inexcufable. Deus f4pe dat iratiu,guodnegat propitius. God gives his enemies foramgftlefe gifts, as Saul gave c.Michol to David, to be a fnare to him, or 6'1.r(4,.69 Fa+ as Chritt gave /redo the,bag, to,difcover the rottennefle of his soib. heart. Verfe 40. For as Iona was threedaies,&c.] In the hilloty.of Iowa, Chritt found the myltery of his death, buriall and refurre- ction : teaching us thereby CO fearch theScriptures,to.learch them to the bottom ; as thofe thatdig for gold, content not themfelves with the fitft or fecond oar that offers it felt, but fearch on till they have all. This we fhould the rather doe, becaufe weneed neither climbe up to heavenwith thefe Pharifees,nor defceni into the deep with long : Gth the word is nigh thee, even in thymouth, and in thineheart,&c. Ront.1ó.7,8. Se,
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