God. But as to thyself, thou standest still, and canst not allow thyself to be accounted nought with Christ. Thou wouldst have all thy own things to be accounted of God, and to be condemned by no one.. How then can it be, that thou shouldst ever endure a thus rejected Christ? much less cast thyself at his feet and account thyself unworthy to be despised with him? Since therefore God hides himself in the despised Man, Christ, and it has seemed good unto him to dwell in him, think not that thou wilt ever find Christ any where but where contempt is found. And hence, thou must come to that state, to think thyself happy, and to rejoice that thou art exposed to contempt. In a word, thou must think and fall down at the feet of thy contempt which cries aloud that all thy things are nought; so that, it may not only be expressed in words, but in reality, when thou proclaimest that God alone, and no man, is to be praised. And thus, that doctrine will be first exemplified in thyself: and then, thou wilt suffer, for the doctrines' sake, all the things above-mentioned, and wilt yet consider thyself unworthy of all those things which thou endurest. It was in this manner that Christ also taught, and bore the name of the only God; and this was what first and above all things fell upon his own head; so that, at last, he was put to death in the most dreadful manner, and in that conflict which no other will ever endure.

This example of glorifying God is most rich and most great, and might occupy a long dissertation. But it is enough for us to have shewn, how great a thing it is to praise God in reality, and to fall down on our faces at the feet of the Man, Christ, the most despised of all men. This is what the apostles did, Acts v. "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” So also it is said, Psalm xvii. that the enemies of Christ shall "lick the dust," and shall "fall down before him :" that is, as Paul saith, shall glory in affliction and the cross, which shall come upon them on account of that praising of God, and for condemning all

human righteousness. For, since Christ himself suffered the cross and punishment, such a value has been put upon them, that no one is accounted worthy of them, and they are to be embraced and blessed as a distinguished grace.

And it is these things that make it manifest how very widely the Christian life differs from the natural. For, 1. It despises itself. 2. It loves and thirsts after being despised. 3. It proves, that whatever will not be despised, rushes headlong into every kind of destruction. 4. It is itself despised, and on account of this contempt, and because it condemns others, it incurs persecution. 5. It accounts itself unworthy to endure such persecution.-Here then the world and nature are shut out by the comparison. What then is to become of every thing else?

There is, however, one thing more here still remaining; namely, 'falling down at the feet of Christ,' concerning which the priests know nothing, nor do they wish to know any thing. For it is not every kind of faith that is effectual here: it must be faith in Christ: it is that alone that truly humbles.

And he was a Samaritan.

But what moved the Evangelist to add to this history this particular above all the rest,- that "he was a Samaritan?" Hereby he opens our eyes and teaches us, that there are two kinds of men who worship God in two different ways. The one is, those who carry with them the name and appearance of an upright, spiritual, and holy life, snd exercise themselves therein, wonderfully in all kinds of works, while the whole together is nothing but outside show; they are very ravening wolves concealed under sheep's clothing: nevertheless, they procure to themselves thereby a great name and reputation, and nearly all men look upon them as the true ministers of God. And hence, they have an overflowing abundance of wealth, honour, friends, and the good things of this world; and that, all under the name of God, whom they consider to be in the midst of

them. And if any one think otherwise of them, they hold him a Jew, a Turk, and an apostate.

The other kind of men carry with them the appearance of certain stupid dolts; for nothing appears to be more ignorant than they, nor farther from the knowledge of God. In a word, they are all Samaritans : which name strikes the ear of the Jew with no less abhorrence than the name Turk, infidel, heathen, or heretic, strikes ours. For the appellation 'people of God was given to the Jews only: and it was considered, that they alone of all men knew and had among them the true worship of God, and so, God himself. And they were exasperated against no one nation so much as against the Samaritans; because this people also, as well as the Jews, wished to be considered the people of God. Hence, a Samaritan was looked upon by the Jews in the same light as an apostate, who has turned his back upon Christianity, is by us.

And, although we cannot deny that the Samaritans were destitute of right faith, and that the Jews had the law and oracles of God, yet the enmity between these two people was kept up in a human, and in the most preposterous manner. For, those who boasted the most of their Judaism, and despised the Samaritans in comparison with themselves, were the coldest Jews, and worse Samaritans than those who really were Samaritans by nature. But, as God loveth truth, and hates outside show and all its ostentation, with perfect hatred, it comes to pass, that he reverses the case, taking unto himself the Samaritan, and rejecting the arrogant Jew. Hence it is manifest, that they are not his people, who arrogate to themselves that appellation in splendor and honour; but that they are his people, who carry with them the appearance of heretics and apostates, and who seem to be the peculiar people of Satan.

Things are just the same at this day. Ecclesiastics, mass-priests, and monks, call themselves the servants of God, and appear so to be unto others, nor is any one considered to be a Christian who does not believe as they believe. Whereas, none live less like

Christians and the people of God, than those among this rabble who appear to be such, and pride themselves the most on that name. On the contrary, those whom they pronounce heretics, many of whom they have burnt and compelled to dig the ground; (as John Huss and such good men ;) these they will not consider worthy the name of Christians, when they alone are the true Christians. And as this is the case, the Gospel has this course, that none turn back,' none with a loud voice glorify God,' none 'fall down at the feet of Christ,' but these Samaritans who are doomed to be despised, condemned, and accursed as heretics, apostates, erroneous, the peculiars of Satan, and what not. Wherefore, we must guard continually against every thing that has a fair show externally, and doubt not but it is all an imposture. On the other hand, we are to take particular heed, that we cast not away that which has no external show to recommend it, lest, in rejecting those who carry with them no external recommendation, we reject at our own great peril Christ and God; which thing happened unto the Jews. And this is the purport of Christ's words which now follow:

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God but this stranger.

The stranger alone performs the duty of a grateful man, and gives glory to God purely and sincerely. O awful example! Of these ten, there is only one found grateful, and he one of the lowest and most despised among men! So that God utterly passes by all that is wise, great, spiritual, and showy in appearance! And yet, this latter sort of men live securely, become more and more hardened every day, and are more obstinately set to defend their tenets!

Nor is this less horrible.-The Lord well knew that those ten were healed, which they themselves little expected would be done. Moreover, he does not remain silent, but asks where they are, and looks about for them; saying, "But where are the nine?" O what

horror will there be, when their conscience shall feel this inquiry of Christ concerning them, and they shall be compelled to answer, where they have been, and why they did not give glory to God? Then they will say, What? Have we not glorified God, and given thanks unto him as our priests have taught us? Here it will be made manifest, whether or not this excuse will suffice that, under the covering of the name of God, we have listened to human doctrine, and, under pretence of God's name-sake have omitted what the oracles of God enjoin! We are fully admonished in the Gospel to beware of human doctrines: and therefore, thou wilt clear thyself by no excuse, if thou permit thyself to be imposed upon by them. We have all in baptism most solemnly promised, that we would obey Christ and his doctrine. No one has then taken upon himself to follow the Pope, the bishops, and the ecclesiastics. Finally, Christ has expressly forbidden us to have any thing whatever to do with the doctrines of men, and has declared that God is in vain worshipped by them.

But Christ consoles his afflicted Samaritans, who are compelled to expose their lives to peril for his namesake from the power of the priests and Jews prevailing against them. For their hopes are propped up by the consideration, that he looks for the other nine, and judges them as sacrilegious for plundering God of his honour and glory, but justifies the Samaritan.

Much

assurance is added to their hope from its being certain, that their cause will prevail with God and stand unshaken; and that the cause of their adversaries will be condemned, although while they live here upon earth, they look down from on high upon others, and appear to do all things rightly.

Wherefore, turn thy mind to this-that Christ, before he justifies the Samaritan, judges the other nine, that we may be at a certainty, and not be in haste to seek revenge, but commit that unto him, and continue in attending to those things that belong unto us. He is of himself intent upon defending the right, and revenging