Verse 17. O faithlesse and perverse generation]
He reproves* 1.1 the nine Disciples, but rejects them not. Christ in the very dung∣hill of unbelief and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, can finde out his own 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of faith and holinesse, as we see in Sarah, Gen. 18. 12. That whole speech of hers was vile and profane (besides that for want of faith she laughed at the unlikelihood, and was therefore checked by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.) One thing only was praiseworthy in that sinfull sentence, that she called her husband Lord: This, God hath taken notice of, and recorded to her eternall commendation, and others imitation, 1 Pet. 3. 6.
Depraved, distorted, dislocated. Homo est inversus decalogus. Man now stands acrosse to all good∣nesse, is born with his back towards heaven, a perverse and croo∣ked creature, Deut. 32. 5. having his upper-lip standing where his nether-lip should, Pro 19 1. and all parts else out of frame and joint, Rom. 3.
As they doe, that willingly bear* 1.2 a burden, and are content to continue under it. Christ bears with our evil manners, Acts 13. 18. as a loving husband bears with a froward wife: but yet he is sufficiently sensible, and therefore complains of the pressure, Amos 2. 13. and once cried 〈◊〉〈◊〉 under the importable weight of it, My God, my God, why hast thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me. The earth could not bear Korah and his company, but clave under and swallowed them up: as it soon after 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out the Canaanites, who had filled it with filthinesse from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to cor∣ner, Ezra 9. 11. Consider, how oft thou hast 〈◊〉〈◊〉 over the mouth of the bottomlesse pit, and art 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into the boy∣ling caldron, that fiery furnace. Oh stand and wonder at Gods 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and be abrupt in thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 abused mercy turn into fury.