Verse 15. His Disciples came to him]
Not the multitudes. They forgat their bodily necessities, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon Christ, to hang upon his hony lips, preferring his holy word before their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 food, as did Iob, chap. 23. 12. Not only before his dain∣ties and superfluities, but his substantiall food, without which he could not long live and subsist. These hearers of our Saviour came out of their cities, where they had every thing at full, into the de∣sert, where they thought nothing was to be had, to hear him. I* 1.1 had rather live in hell, with the word, said Luther, then in Para∣dise without it. Our fore-fathers gave five marks, some of them (which is more mony then ten pound is now) for a good book: and some others of them gave a load of hey for a few chapters of St Paul, or St Iames in English. To hear a Sermon they would* 1.2 go as many weary steps, as those good souls did, Psal. 84. 7. or as these in the text; and neglect or hazard their bodies, to save their souls. How far are they from this that will not put them∣selves to any pain or cost for heaven? and if held a while be∣yond the hour of a Sermon are as ill settled, as if they were in the stocks, or in a fit of an ague: they go out of the Church as out of a goal.
Christ knew all this, better then they could tell him: and to take upon them to tell him, was as if* 1.3 the ostrich should bid the stork, be kinde to her young ones.