An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

The second Argument is religious: Though his heart be carnal, yet he runneth to the Sanctuary of Religion. The former Argument was too gross, if it had been alone; and therefore he maketh Religion the greatest, The great Goddess Diana shall be despised; her magnificence destroyed. Now this he maketh a very heinous sin, because all Asia, and the world worshipped her. Thus you see multitude, universality, and the custom of others, that is the great reason he hath to persuade for the worshipping of Diana, which is the same argument that carnal and superstitious people do still possess their souls with.

The second Argument is religious: Though his heart be carnal, yet he runneth to the Sanctuary of Religion. The former Argument was too grosse, if it had been alone; and therefore he maketh Religion the greatest, The great Goddesse Diana shall be despised; her magnificence destroyed. Now this he maketh a very hainous sinne, because all Asia, and the world worshipped her. Thus you see multitude, universality, and the custome of others, that is the great reason he hath to perswade for the worshipping of Diana, which is the same argument that carnal and superstitious people do still possesse their souls with.

So that from this historical passage, you see the Doctrine genuinely deduced, That men who regard Religion no further, than they have carnal advantages, are like so many Toads full of poison, full of rage against such as do faithfully preach the Gospel. Therefore in this very Chapter, we have a notable instance of the work of Gods grace upon some who believed, for they brought their ⟨p. 262⟩Books of curious Arts, which had been gainful and profitable to them, and burnt them before all men, though the price of them was found to be fifty pieces of silver; They mattered not their gain, nor their profit, they would part with all, now they had received the Gospel in the power of it. We have a parallel History with this of Demetrius, Act. 16. 19. where there was a possessed Damsel, that had a spirit of divination, which brought her Masters much gain by soothsaying; but Paul adjureth and dispossesseth that spirit, whereupon it is said, When her Masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone; They took Paul and Silas, and carried them to the Rulers, laying great crimes to their charge. Thus if we do search to the true ground of all that malice which the Chief-priests vented against Christ, never ceasing till they had crucified him; although they pretended Religion, and because he spake blasphemy, and did break the Sabbath, yet the real cause was, because he discovered their hypocrisy and covetousness, manifesting that they sought only great things for themselves. This also Paul chargeth upon his enemies, the false Apostles, who did create so much trouble and grief to him, That they were enemies to the cross of Christ, and did mind earthly things,