virulency and multitudes of those that had embraced it apostatizing from it and becoming its bitter enemies This double fruit of gall and wormwood proceeded from one and the same root of bitterness viz. Their doting upon Judaism the word taken in a Civil sence as they accounted it a privilegial excellence to be a Jew or in a Religious sence as they expected to be justified by their Judaical works So that the very season and present juncture of affairs might very well give occasion unto the Apostle to handle the two Themes that faced these two great delusions so copiously in this Epistle above all other places viz. The casting off the Jews and coming in of the Gentiles to decry their boasting of being Jews and Justification by Faith to face their dangerous principle of Justification by their Works How he prosecutes his Discourse upon the point of Justification by Faith from the beginning of his Epistle hither any one may see plainly first confuting the opinion concerning Justification by Works and then proving that it is by Faith As to the former in Chap. I. he speaks of the works of the Heathen most abominable and clean contrary to justifying in Chap. II. of the works of the Jews most failing and infinitely short of justifying and yet concludes as to the second head he handles that the Believers of the one Nation and the other are justified Chap. III. 30. as well the circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith and not by works as the uncircumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through faith though it had been of so contrary works In Chap. IV. he instanceth in Abraham as serving to both his purposes shewing that he was not justified by his Works but by believing and that the rather because it was a common opinion and saying among the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Abraham performed all the Law to a little and consequently that he was justified by that performance He sheweth that he believed and was justified by his faith before he received circumcision in which they placed so much of justification and that he received Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised and a seal of the righteousness of faith which should be in the uncircumcision or Gentiles that should come to believe as those words will also bear that he might be the Father of all that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also vers 11. In this verse before as he begins to apply the Doctrine he had cleared and the word Therefore infers no less Upon which I shall not insist to examine whether by it he infers only the first clause of the Text as proved already That Justification is by Faith or the second also as proved likewise or now added to be proved That being Justified by Faith we have peace with God Nor shall I insist upon the connexion but take the words as they lie singly before us and methinks they are as Ephraim and Manasseh before Jacob both clauses so excellent that we may be at a stand on which to lay the right hand so great the mystery of Justification and so incomparable the happiness of having Peace that on which shall we fix to discourse in this hour I may not pass the former but in a word or two by the way hint something of the great mystery of Justification I. It is a mystery and wonder that I may say with that Apostle even the Angels desire to look into and that men have cause with amazement to look upon that ever a sinful wretch a condemned person should be justified before God But so it was in the Law he that was unclean with the deepest died legal uncleanness that could be if purified with the Purification of the Sanctuary he became clean II. It is a mystery that a sinner should be justified and yet whiles he lives in this world he is sinful still But so likewise it was in the Law the Leper was cleansed yet he was a Leper still Levit. XIII 13. In a case there mentioned the Priest was to pronounce him clean His condition was changed as to his restoring to the publick Worship and to the Congregation but his inherent distemper was not wholly removed III. It is a mystery that a sinner should be justified by Gods justice the property of which is to condemn sin and to punish sinners For we are justified not only by the grace and mercy of God but by the very justice of God And methinks the very word Justification speaks no less I am sure the Apostle speaks so in Chap. I. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith In the Law was revealed the righteousness or justice of God condemning and in the Gospel the righteousness or justice of God justifying IV. It is a mystery that mans believing should justifie it being an Act of man and so infinitely unadaequate to Gods justifying But as in the Law he that would have his attonement made at the Altar and have his acceptance there must of necessity take the Priest in his thoughts and in his way to do it for him so Faith doth inevitably include also Christ the object of believing and his merit So that you cannot define this Gospel faith but with this comprehension that it is a trusting in the grace and promise of God through Christ. V. It is a mystery that a sinner should be justified or made righteous by the righteousness of another This is strange to the ears of the Jews who expected to be justified every one by his own righteousness Whereas they might have learned at the Temple that even the holiest things there were not holy of themselves but made holy by something else the Sacrifice by the Altar the Priest by his garments And this is that Faith that the Apostle speaks of in the place mentioned before The righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith I. Rom. 17. i. e. a righteousness beyond that that the Jew expected by Faith in God who immediately trusted in God upon the account of his own righteousness whereas This is a Faith or trusting in God upon the righteousness of Christ. VI. It is a mystery that whereas Faith is not the same for degree and measure in all that believe yet justification is the same in all that believe though their belief be in different measures and degrees So once in the Wilderness all gathered not Manna in the same measure yet when all came to measure they had all alike none above an Omer none under Sanctification indeed receiveth magis minus and one hath a greater degree or less of holiness than other but Justification is not so For all are justified alike the truth of faith justifying not the measure So actual sinfulness recipit magis minus and so some are greater sinners some less but origine sui 't is not so
take what thou wilt and have Lord let me have the righteousness which is of God by faith All things in the World are but dung to it His great Master had taught him and teacheth us all that this is the thing so desirable and to be longed after Matth. V. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness How shall I speak upon this subject A theme fit to be discoursed on by the Tongue of an Angel or by the Tongue of a Saint in glory If a Lazarus should come out of Heaven to preach on Earth as the rich man would have had him in that parable how would he upon his own experience of the excellency of it magnifie this righteousness Nay if a Dives could return from Hell to preach to his brethren and advise them that they should not come into the place of torment he would tell them that all things in the world are but dung and there is but unum necessarium to get that righteousness which is of God by faith Lazarus how camest thou to Heaven Why I was justified Rom. VIII 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified Dives how camest thou to be damned Because I was not justified I shall not enter into any of the various and nice disputes about Justification I shall only speak something of the incomparable excellency of it that if it may be I may warm your hearts a little in the desire and longing after it which is so desirable and to be longed after And this I shall do by considering the nature of it and the effects and I need to look no further It s like the Ark of the Covenant overlaid with gold within and without T is all glorious within in its own nature and all glorious without in its fruits and effects For the first the nature of justification How shall I define or describe it As the Apostle doth Faith Heb. XI 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen not so exactly desining it to speak out its whole nature but as best applicable to his present discourse So I of this to speak of it according to the theme proposed as it is desirable and to be longed after let me say Justification is a mans being interessed in all Christs righteousness and if any thing be to be longed after sure that is To be interessed in all Christs righteousness Laban spake high when he said All these things thou seest are mine these Children are my Children c. XXXI Gen. 43. But how high and glorious is that that may be said of a justified person All thou hearest of Christ is thine his life is thine his death is thine his obedience merit righteous spirit all is thine The Jews speak much when they say all the six hundred and thirteen precepts are comprehended in Justus ex fide vivet The just shall live by faith But they are far from construing the thing aright when they look for justification by their own works and it is a monster of Doctrine in their ears that men are to be justified by the righteousness of another and by the obedience of another But the Gospel as the Apostle tells us Reveals that great mystery For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. I. 17. Here are two scruples 1. Did not the Law reveal the righteousness of God How then is it ascribed to the Gospel that it reveals it And 2. How doth it reveal it from faith to faith True indeed the Law revealed Gods condemning righteousness but the Gospel his justifying righteousness the righteousness of God in a more singular excellency Glorious is the righteousness of God in all its actings his condemning justice his rewarding justice but most singularly glorious is his justifying justice and this most especially is exalted in Scripture as the righteousness of God of the choicest eminency And secondly this Righteousness is revealed in the Gospel from faith to faith How is that I cannot take it only from one degree of faith to another but from one kind of faith to another The Jews that expected justifying by their own works yet had they a faith in God they believed in him looked for good from him but they knew not what faith in God through Christ was they looked for justifying from God and had a faith or belief they should observe it but were utter strangers to justifying through faith in Christ this therefore the Gospel reveals as the great mystery of salvation The righteousness of God justifying a sinner and this from immediate believing in God to believing in him through Christ Jesus and expecting justifying from by our own righteousness to expecting justifying by the righteousness of Christ. The Apostle in Rom. V. from vers 12. forward confirms that that I propose that justification is by imputation of Christs righteousness and the comparison that he there useth clears the matter fully He to open that great point of justification by the righteousness of Christ takes a parallel from the imputation of Adams sin and you may see how all along he sets the one against the other let us speak a little to that parallel 1. Does not the matter of imputation in his discourse there and in deed in it self argue some descending relation as I may tell it Imputation is upon relation of descention He speaks of Adams sin imputed to whom To them that are in relation to him in descent all his posterity The Angels sin is not imputed to him nor his to Angels nor Angels to Angels but Adams to all his posterity because of their relation to him The sin in violating the command given him is imputed to all his posterity because his posterity for they all were in him and inclosed in the Covenant for it was made not with Adam as one man but with all humane nature included in him and so his guilt descended to them upon that relation So the righteousness of Christ is imputed to whom To those that are related to him his seed such as are born of him The comparison of the Apostle must run parallel Adams sin imputed to his seed Christs righteousness to his 2. All the seed of Adam are made sinful alike by his sin so all the seed of Christ are justified a like by his obedience Original sin hath not magis minus but all originally sinful alike though all not actually sinful alike So Justification hath not magis minus but all that are justified are justified alike Sanctification hath its degrees Adams righteousness and holiness were equally perfect but the righteousness and holiness of Saints not so for they are justified by an infinite righteousness but they are not sanctified by an infinite holiness 3. All the righteousness of Christ is imputed to him Not one Saint one part another another but every one all As anima tota in toto tota in qualibet parte So all the righteousness
Text of Daniel from whence the phrase is taken and by divers places in the Gospel where it is used but the full clearing of this I have chosen to refer to that difficult place which will call for it to be cleared when the Lord shall bring us thither Matth. 16. 19. To thee will I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven where I conceive Christ to have foretold to Peter that he should be the first that should Preach the Gospel and open the door of Faith unto the Gentiles as Acts 15. 7. and 10. Now The Kingdom of Heaven signifying thus not barely and simply the Preaching of the Gospel but the Preaching of it to the Gentiles and their conversion it sheweth how proper and pregnant an argument this was to inforce the doctrine and practice of Repentance upon the Jews because the calling of the Gentiles was near at hand which would prove their rejection and casting off if they did not repent as Deut. 32. 21. Before the coming of Christ these four Earthly Kingdoms that are mentioned by Daniel in the Chapters cited bare all the sway and domineered over all the world with cruelty and tyranny but when they were destroyed at his coming he set up a Kingdom of his own and swayed the Scepter of Righteousness over all Nations and ruled them with his word and Spirit And whereas before his coming also the Church consisted but of one Nation and Kingdom and was couched upon a small parcel of Earth the Land of Canaan â—nd had earthly promises and earthly rites when he came and published the Gospel he gathered a Church of all Kingdoms and Nations and Languages under Heaven and built it up with Heavenly and Spiritual promises and instructions and thus The Kingdom of Heaven may fitly be understood in opposition to these two earthly ones Luke 3. ver 5. Every valley shall be filled c. These borowed phrases intend the removing of obstacles and stumbling blocks out of the way and plaining and clearing the way for men to come to Christ and to the obedience of the Gospel The Jews conceive that the cloud of glory that led the people of Israel in the wilderness did really and according to the letter do what is here spoken of for facilitating of their march and journey as that it levelled Mountains raised vallies and laid all of a flat that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks and made all plain that they might travail without trouble or offence And some of them also say that when Jeroboam set up his goden calves and Idolatry in Bethel and Dan that he and his wicked agents laid ambushments and scouts in the ways to Jerusalem to catch up every one that should go thither to worship and to this purpose they apply that saying of the Prophet Hos. 5. 1. O ye Priests and O ye house of the King ye have been a snare on Mizpah and a net upon Tabor And the revolters are profound to make slaughter c. If either of these things were undoubtedly so as they suppose how properly might this passage of the Prophet Esay and of the Evangelist from him be thought to refer thereunto but since they be but surmisals it is safest to take the words for a borrowed speech to express what was said before the removing of obstacles in the way to Christ. Mat. 3. ver 6. Confessing their sins Not to John but to God For neither was it possible for John to hear their confessions nor was it necessary Not possible because of the vast multitudes that came to be baptized nor necessary for to tell him they had comitted such and such sins what conduced it either to their baptism or forgiveness Nor was this their confession of their sins before there being baptized but after For first if we should strictly take the Grammatical construction of the word that importeth their confessing it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would have denoted that they had confessed before they were baptized but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both the Evangelists that speak of that matter Secondly It was far more agreeable to the end and doctrine of Baptism that their confession of sin should be after their baptizing then before in that they were baptized to repentance ver 11. and not e contra the Sacrament was more intentionally to enter them into repentance then repentance to enter them into the Sacrament For as was said before it obliged them more properly to repentance after the receiving of it then before Thirdly the gesture of our Saviour after his Baptism seemeth to have been according to the common custom and gesture of the people and as he coming out of the water fell to prayer so they when they came out used to do to make their penitent confession to the Lord. Mat. 3. ver 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Saduces coming to his baptism The Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans the three Sects of the Jews Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. c. 9. are those three Sheepherds spoken of Zech. 11. 8. whom our Saviour at his coming was to cut off The two former whom we have now in hand are very frequent in mention in the Gospel men of enmity one against another yet both joynt enemies to Christ and to his Apostles The original of the Pharisees is not so easie to go back unto as that of the Sadduces nor is the significancy of their name so readily determined and fixed upon as the other The Sadduces it is well known were so called from Sadoc the first Author of their Sect and he the Scholar of Antigonus Rabbi Nathan in his Aboth Perek 5. hath thus clearly given us their original Antigonus of Socoh saith he received his learning from Simeon the just This was his saying Be not as servants that serve their Master because of receiving Vid. Talm. Bab. Basileae tom 6. in fine * * * * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a portion a reward but be as servants that serve their Master not for the receiving of a reward but let the fear of God be upon you This Antigonus had two Scholars which changed his words they changed them to their Scholars and their Scholars to theirs They stood up and taught after them and said what saw our Fathers to say thus is it possible that a work-man may do his work all the day and not receive his wages at even But if our Fathers had known that there is a world to come and that there shall be a resurrection of the dead they would never have said thus They stood up and separated from the Law and from them broke out the two Sects the Sadduces and Baithusaeans the Sadduces after the name of Sadoc and the Baithusaeans after the name of Baithus So he Now this Antigonus whose good doctrine had this bad construction was Scholar to Simeon the just whom we shall have occasion to look after by and by But the time and
delusion than to realize the prospect for what he shewed him from that mountain and as he shewed it him he could have presented it as well upon any flat or valley For Secondly Matthew saith that he shewed him not only all the Kingdoms of the world but also the glory of them now this clearly argues that Satan presented something more than could be seen in a common prospect For though it had been possible for any eye to have seen all the Kingdoms of the world that is all the Countries of them as they lye yet would not that view and prospect shew their pomp and glory He that from Highgate vieweth London seeth the City but he that will behold the glory of London must go into it And thirdly Luke addeth that he shewed him all these things in a moment of time by which very expression he seemeth to intimate that here was something different from common prospecting or beholding for men looking upon a goodly prospect from an high place view it successive one part after another and must turn themselves round and if they will look further than that place will suffer them they must remove to another hill where that prospect terminates but here all this vast object of all the Kingdoms of the Earth is presented at one view in a moment of time 2. Therefore there was some jugling and delusion of the Devil in this business and he rather presented an object of his own framing than the eyes of Christ took up the sight of these Kingdoms as they really were And it is far more proper to conceive thus of this matter than either to understand these Kingdoms for the Spiritual Kingdoms of Sins as some do and to little sense or to think that his shewing these Earthly Kingdoms and their glory was but pointing out where such a Countrey and Kingdom lay and telling what wealth pomp and power it was of as it is interpreted by others Nor is it any derogation to our Saviour at all to conceive that delusion was practised and proposed to him in this matter any more than it was derogation to him to be assaulted and used by the Devil in the other temptations For 1. Though here had been deceptio visus and our Saviours eyes had taken and received this as a real and a true object which was but fictitious and phantastical it had but shewed the truth of his humane nature and neither sin nor imperfection at all For 1. Error of sense simply considered is not sin And 2. such a thing as this might have been done to Adam in innocency seeing deceptio visus or error of any other sense is consequens naturae rather than fructus peccati an invincible necessity in the finiteness of our nature rather than any proper issue or fruit of sinfulness 2. But our Saviour was so fully accquainted with the legerdemains of the Devil and with the course of natural things as that he could not be thus deceived by shadows but judged of this prospect according as it was indeed airy delusory and phantastical though the Devil presented it to him under the notion of real 3. Now the acting of Satan in this delusion was the framing of an airy Horizon before the eyes of Christ carrying such pompous and glorious appearances of Kingdoms and States and royalties and riches in the face of it as if he had seen those very Kingdoms and their very State indeed For this prince of the air doth most commonly work his delusions by that element when he frameth them to the outward senses And that expression used by the Apostle The Prince of the power of the air Ephes. 2. 2. is worth the looking after to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In time past ye walked according to the course of this world Secundum saeculum mundi hujus doth the Vulgar and Erasmus render it and it may be with reference to the worlds age of Heathenism according to the Prince which the Syriack explaineth as is the will of the Prince of the power of the air or according to Beza Secundum Principem cui potestas est aeris Now what is to be understood by the power of the air is of doubtful and various conjecture whether to take it for darkness or for the power that the Devil hath upon that element or which I rather conceive for the principality of the air that is for the Devils for in that sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh so oft in Scripture that it were needless to exemplifie yet see Luke 4. 6. Rom. 13. 1 2. c. And according to this construction the phrase the Prince of the Principality of the air is but the same with that in Mark 3. 22. the Prince of Devils And so the scope of the Apostle should intend this to make a gradation or to heighten the conception of the Ephesians former impiety by this aggravation that they walked not only according to the garb of the world but according to the will of the very Prince of Devils and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this world and the principality of the air to stand in Antithesis one to another for the visible world of men and for the invisible world of Devils and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stand in the like opposition for the rule and course of the one and for the Ruler and Prince of the other But be the sense of the expression which of these it will it holdeth out the dominion and power that the Devil hath in the air and upon it which he exerciseth accordingly sometimes in real and very sensible effects indeed as in raising storms and tempests and sometimes in delusive and phantastical apparitions as in the thing in hand and in the blood and frogs of Egypt which the sorceres produced Now in the exhibition of such phantasmes as these he doth a threefold act at once namely condensate the air that it may become a visible object shape it into such or such a figure and colour it into such or such colour that it may be an object of this or that representation and this is no hard thing for the Devil to do considering the activity of his nature as he is a Spirit and his readiness to act this activity that he may deceive In such a way as this did he deal in his false and delusive miracles in Egypt in turning water into blood and producing frogs not that he did either really for it is impossible for any creature either to create forms or to change forms but his acting was upon the air by colouring it over the waters and by condensating it to the representing of frogs And it is observable that of those frogs that Moses produced upon the land it is said They dyed and were gathered by the people on heaps and stank Exod. 8. 13 14. for they were frogs indeed but of those that were brought up by the Magicians there is no more
all appearing exceeding rare ever since the death of the last Prophets or thereabout And upon this reason I cannot but hold that this miraculous virtue was but of a later date because miracles and Angels had not been so conspicuous among them till near Christs coming Vers. 5. A certain man which had an infirmity 38. years Our Saviour is pleased to choose out for his cure a man and malady of the longest languishing and of the greatest unlikelihood of recovery If we run back these eight and thirty years to the first beginning of his infirmity we shall find that he was entred into this his disease seven years and an half before Christ was born for Christ was now compleat thirty years old and an half and it may be his disease was as old as was this virtue of Bethesda waters It began upon him immediately after the Temple was finished and completed by Herod as it will appear to him that will calculate and compute the times Now I should assoon date this healing virtue of Bethesda from about those times as any times I can think upon For as the providence of God did bring on and usher in the coming of the Messias when it drew near by several dispensations and degrees so the bringing of the Temple to the highest glory that ever it must have but only that the King of glory came into it and the restoring of Angelical and miraculous administrations were not the least of those dispensations But be it how it will whether the mans disease were as old as the pools virtue or no it was so old as doubtless the oldest in all the pack and as to glorifie the power of Christ most singularly in the healing of it Vers. 6. He saith unto him Wilt thou be made whole Christ doth not question this as doubting of his desire but to stir up his faith and expectation His lying and waiting there so long did resolve the question That he would be made whole but the greater question was Whether he had faith to be healed as Acts 14. 7. and that our Saviour puts to trial by this interrogation Vers. 8. Iesus saith unto him Rise take up thy bed and walk Here is a question also not unjustly moved Why would Christ injoyn him to carry his bed on the Sabbath day It was contrary to the letter of the Law Jer. 17. 21 22. Bear no burden on the Sabbath day c. It was extreamly contrary to their Traditions For bringing a thing out and in from one place to another was a work and one of the special works forbidden to be done on the Sabbath day Mayim in Shab per. 12. And he that carryeth any thing on the Sabbath in his right hand or left or in his bosom or upon his shoulder he is guilty Talm. in Sab. per. 10. And it was dangerous to bring him either to whipping or to suffer death The most general answer that is given is that Christ would have him hereby to shew that he was perfectly and entirely healed when he that could not stir before is able now to carry his bed and so by this action at once he gives a publick testimony of the benefit received and an evident demonstration of the perfectness of the cure But both these might have been done abundantly only by his walking sound and well seeing that he could not walk nor stir of so long before A man that had been so diseased so long a space and had lain at these waters so great a time for him now to walk strongly and well would shew the benefit received and the cure done as well as walking with his bed on his back There was therefore more in this command of Christ than what did barely refer to the publication of the miracle and that may be apprehended to have been partly in respect of the man and partly in respect of the day In respect of the man it was to trie his faith and obedience whether upon the command of Christ he durst and would venture upon so hazardous an action as to carry his bed on the Sabbath day which might prove death or sore beating to him and he relies upon the word of him that commanded and casts off fear and does it And to this sense his own words do construe the command when the Jews question him upon the fact He that made me whole gave me warrant to do it for he bad me and said Take up thy bed and walk He whose power was able for such a cure his word was warrant for such an action And as our Saviour stirs up his faith in his question before Wilt thou be made whole so he tries what it is in this command Take up thy bed and carry it home for so we must construe that Christ ment by walking from the like expression Mark 2. 9. with vers 11. In respect of the day it was to shew Christs power over the Sabbath And as in healing of the palsick man Mark 2. 9. he would not only shew his power over the disease but also over sin and so forgave it So it pleased him in this passage to shew his power over the Sabbath to dispence with it and to dispose of it as he thought good as he shewed his command over the malady that he cured And here is the first apparent sign toward the shaking and alteration of the Sabbath in regard of the day that we meet withall and indeed a greater we hardly meet with till the the alteration of the day came To heal diseases and to pluck off ears of corn for necessary repast on the Sabbath day had their warrant even in the Law it self and in all reason but to enjoin this man to carry his bed on that day and to bear it home whereas the bed might very well have lain there till the Sabbath was over and his home was no one knows how far off certainly it sheweth that he intended to shew his authority over the Sabbath and to try the mans faith and obedience in a singular manner It was easie to foresee how offensive and unpleasing this would be to the Jews for it stuck with them a long time after Joh. 7. 23. and how dangerous it might prove to the man himself and yet he purposely puts him upon it that he might hereby assert his own divine power and God-head as it appeareth by his arguing for it when they cavil at him all along the Chapter Even the same power that could warrant Abraham to sacrifice his own son and Joshua to march about Jericho on the Sabbath day Vers. 14. Afterward Iesus findeth him in the Temple c. The Faith and Obedience of the man upon Christs command though it were of so nice consequence do argue to us that his appearance at the Temple was to render his thanks for the great benefit he had received The poor wretch had hardly been at this Temple for eight and thirty years together the date of Israels wandring
administred in the Name of the Father and the Holy Ghost also but that he would specially work them up to the acknowledgment of Christ. For the Father and the Holy Ghost they acknowledged without any scrupling but to own Christ for God whom they had crucified and to be initiated into Jesus of Nazaret was the great work that the Apostles went about to work upon them and therefore especially endeavour to enter them into Jesus and to have them baptized in his Name Be baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Not that every one that was baptized was presently indued with these extraordinary gifts of Tongues and Prophesie for they were bestowed hence-forward by imposition of the Apostles hands save only when they first fell from Heaven upon the company of Cornelius to compleat that Prophesie which now had its beginning I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh but Peter inviteth them into Baptism and then should they be capable of those gifts and no doubt they were bestowed upon some of them by the Apostles hands Vers. 42. And in breaking of Bread The Syriack expresly understandeth this of partaking of the Lords Supper for he useth the very Greek word Eucharistia here And so divers take that to be the meaning of this phrase both here and in some places else in the New Testamenâ—â— Yea even they that suppose that it meaneth partaking of their common meals and food yet do they think that they had the Sacrament added to it as our Saviour added it to the Passover And indeed the manner of speech doth signifie both the one and the other both ordinary meals and the receiving of the Sacrament as in Luke 24. 35. He was known of them * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Importeth the time here and so the Syriack reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As he was breaking bread in breaking of bread here it meaneth a common Supper in the Inn at Emmaus 1 Cor. 10. 16. The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ Here it betokeneth the receiving of the Sacrament But it may be conceived to intend the Sacrament the rather and chiefly if not only First Because the phrase of breaking of bread for common eating is very rare both in the Old Testament and Jewish Authors but eating of bread is the expression that speaketh that And secondly because breaking of the bread in the Sacrament is a concomitant that cannot be parted from it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he blessed and brake and said this is my body which is broken 1 Cor. 11. 24. Vers. 44. And all that believed were together This Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of frequent and of various use in the Septuagint It sometimes betokeneth the meeting of persons in the same company as Josh. 11. 5. Judg. 6. 33. 19. 6 c. so of Beasts Deut. 22. 10. Sometimes their concurring in the same action though not in the same company or place as Psal. 2. 2. 34. 3. 49. 2. 74. 6. 83. 3. c. Sometimes their concurring in the same condition as Psal. 46. 10. 62. 9. Esa. 66. 17. Jer. 6. 12. And sometimes their knitting together though in several companies as Joabs and Abners men though they sat at distance and the pool of Gibeon between them yet are they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 2. 13. And in this sense is the word to be understood in this story For it is past all imagination or conceiving that all those thousands of believers that were now in Jerusalem should keep all of one company and knot and not part asunder for what house would hold them But they kept in several Companies or Congregations according as their Languages Nations or other references did knit them together And this joyning together because it was apart from those that believed not and because it was in the same profession and practise of the duties of Religion therefore it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it were in several companies and Congregations And to such a sense doth Rabbi Solomon understand the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deut. 25. 5. as indeed it must of necessity be understood not of brethren dwelling in the very same place but of brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are united in inheritance as these believers were now in the Gospel And so is the building of the Jews to be understood Ezra 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in separation from the Samaritans and in joyning in the action though they were of several companies in the building and those companies far distant one from another Neh. 3. per totum 4. 19. Vers. 46. Continuing daily with one accord in the Temple This is not to express that the Temple was their meeting place either for hearing of their Sermons or administring the Sacraments for neither of these would have been indured there as appeareth Chap. 4. 1. but this is to shew that they had not yet shaken off all the Worship of the Temple nor the observance of Moses but resorted thither to the duties of Religion at the hours of prayer as they had done before For many years after this the believing Jews were still tenacious of the Law and reverential of the Temple Acts 21. 20. which they might lawfully be while the Temple stood if their observance of Moses did not destroy in them the doctrine and application of their justification by faith in Christ. And hence was it that the Apostles did so far comply with them both in that place in Acts 21. and also in Acts 15. because Moses was to stand till the Temple fell those Rites not nullifying the death of Christ if rightly used ACTS CHAP. III. Vers. 1. Peter and Iohn went up together into the Temple IT may be this was likewise on Pentecost day and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie identity of time as it doth 2 Sam. 21. 9. and in the Chaldee of Jonathan on Deut. 25. 5. And the ninth hour mentioned here in reference to the third hour in preceding story Chap. 2. 15. at nine a clock in the morning was that conversion of 3000 and at three a clock in the afternoon this of 5000. Howsoever whether it were on that day or no certainly it was on some solemn day either a Sabbath or Festival as appeareth by the number that were then preseâ—â— in the Temple when so many of them were converted For ordinarily on the common days of the week the company that was in the Temple was very few besides the Priests and the Stationary men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are called by the Rabbins which were a number of men chosen to be constantly there to represent the whole Congregation in laying their hands on the heads of the Sacrifices in their behalf This concourse of people on such a solemn day was a fit subject and opportunity for these Apostles to
use of this Sacrament might shew that they renounced their Judaism and professed the Faith and Oeconomy of the Gospel III. Our Communion therefore in this Sacrament is not so much Spiritual as External and declarative of our common and joynt profession of the Christian Faith We are far from denying that the Saints have a Spiritual Communion with God and among themselves in the use of the Eucharist yea we assert there is a most close Communion between true believers and God But what is that Spiritual Communion of Saints among themselves Mutual love one heart prayers for one another c. But they may exercise the same Communion and do exercise it when they meet together to any other part of Divine Worship They may and do act the same thing when they are distant from one another Therefore their Communion in this Sacrament which is distinctly called the Communion of the Eucharist is that they meet together and by this outward sign openly and with joynt minds profess that they are united in one sacred knot and bond of Christian Religion renouncing all other Religions IV. When therefore we approach to the Eucharist in any Church we do not only communicate with that congregation with which we associate at that time but with the whole Catholic Church in the profession of the true Evangelic Religion VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye do shew the Lords death IT is known what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Passover Supper was namely a Declaration of the great works of God in the deliverance of the people out of Egypt The same as it seems would these Judaizing Corinthians retain in the Lords Supper as if the Eucharist were instituted and superadded only for that commemoration The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does very well answer to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Declaration and while the Apostle admonisheth them that the death of Christ is that which is to be declared it may be gathered that they erred in this very thing and looked some other way VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unworthily THE Apostle explains himself vers 29. Where we also will speak of this verse VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let a man examine himself c. HE had said before verse 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which are approved may be made manifest And in the same sense he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a man approve himself in this place not so much Let him try or examine himself as Let him approve himself that is Let him shew himself approved by the Christian Faith and Doctrine So Chap. XVI 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whomsoever ye shall approve We meet with the word in the same sense very often VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the Lords body THIS is to be meant of the proper act of the understanding viz. Of the true judgment concerning the nature and signification of the Sacrament If it were said indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the Lord it might be rendred in the same sense as He knew not the Lord that is he loves him not he fears him not he worships him not But when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the body it plainly speaks of the act of the understanding He does not rightly distinguish of the body of the Lord. And this was a grievous error of these Judaizing Corinthians who would see nothing of the body of Christ in the Eucharist or of his death their eyes being too intent upon the commemoration of the Passover They retained the old Leaven of Judaism in this new Passover of the Eucharist And this was their partaking of the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily as assigning it a scope and end much too unworthy much too mean Ther are alas among Christians some who come to this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily but whether this unworthily of the Corinthians be fitly applied to them I much doubt How mean soever I am let me speak this freely with the leave of good and pious men that I fear that this discourse of the Apostle which especially chastized Judaizers be too severely applyed to Christians that Judaize not at all at least that it be not by very many Interpreters applied to the proper and intended scope of it Of these Corinthians receiving the Eucharist unworthily in the sense of which we spake the Apostle speaks two dreadful things I. That they became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of the body and blood of the Lord vers 27. With this I compare that of the Apostle Heb. X. 29. He hath trampled under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant by which he the Son of God was sanctified a common thing And Heb. VI. 6. They crucify again to themselves the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put him to an open shame Of whom is the discourse Not of all Christians that walked not exactly according to the Gospel rule although they indeed esteem and treat Christ too ignominously but of those that relapse and Apostatize from the Gospel to Judaism whether these Corinthians too much inclined and are admonished seasonably to take care of the same guilt for when any professing the Gospel so declined to Judaism that he put the blood of Christ in subordination to the Passover and acknowledged nothing more in it than was acknowledged in the blood of a Lamb and other Sacrifices namely that they were a mere commemoration and nothing else oh how did he vilify that blood of the eternal Covenant He is guilty of the blood of the Lord who assents to the shedding of his blood and gives his vote to his death as inflicted for a mere shaddow and nothing else which they did II. That they ate and drank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgment to themselves But what that judgment is is declared vers 30. Many are sick c. It is too sharp when some turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Damnation when the Apostle saith most evidently vers 32. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When we are judged we are chastened that we should not be condemned Thus as in the beginning of the Mosaical Dispensation God vindicated the honour of the Sabbath by the death of him that gathered sticks and the honour of the worship in the Tabernacle by the death of Nadab and Abihu and the honour of his Name by the stoning of the Blasphemer so he set up like monuments of his vengeance in the beginning of the Gospel Dispensation in the dreadful destruction of Ananias and Sapphira for the wrong and reproach offered to the Holy Ghost in the delivery of some into the hands of Satan for contempt of and enmity against the Gospel in this judgment for the abuse of the Eucharist in the destruction of some by the Plague for Nicolaitism Revel II. 23 c. VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Word The Spirit gave the Scriptures and he useth them for the end why they were given viz. mans Salvation The Spirit unhingeth not the Essential actings of the Soul but works with them Now the acting of the Soul is by reasoning and perswasion The Will chooseth being perswaded by the Understanding and the Understanding is perswaded by the object And so the Spirit does in the work of Grace Gen IX 27. God shall perswade Japhet 2 Cor. V. 11. We perswade men Now this is not done but by the Word The heart is moulded by the Spirit to receive perswasion but by the Word he works perswasion in us Common grace first grace growth of Grace are thus all wrought by the Word I mean Common grace where sanctification is to follow Sometime there is stirring of Conscience in wicked men from horror and affrightments and sometimes from the Law for the glorifying of it but where healing must come the wound is made by the Word and the healing is effected by the Word A man is perswaded and satisfied that he is in an undone condition How is he so perswaded By the Word The Law does it Rom. VII 9. before mentioned A man is perswaded to rest on Christ. The Word doth it Faith comes by hearing That in Joh. VI. 45. will illustrate this It is written in the Prophet And they shall be all taught of God Taught of God who had been taught of the Devil Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Cometh unto me as Teacher And how did they hear and learn from the father but from the Word of the Father Growth of grace also is built up by the Word 1 Pet. II. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby What sets man upon obedience and striving against sin longing after God c The Word continually applied Man lives by the Word grows by the Word This is the means that the Spirit useth They that speak of a Light within them that serves for all if they mean Light from the Word let them then own the Word if they mean the Light of nature that never yet lighted man to Heaven That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World viz. The Gospel that went through the World t is clear that the Evangelist means that there Joh. I. 9. VI. Having the Spirit speaks not perfection in him that hath it It speaks Holiness not Sinlesness Take this in the mouth of two witnesses as holy as any First S. Paul Rom. VII 17. Sin dwelleth in me and 25. vers with the flesh I serve the Law of sin Secondly S. John 1 Ephes. I. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us To them that distinguish not betwixt holiness and perfection but say they are perfect because they think they are holy I say two things 1. They are little seen in their own hearts 2. Little seen in the Scripture and Divinity For the Scripture is abundant to the contrary and Divinity makes the contrary most plain and facil to be understood It is a Paradox Adam had perfection though not the Spirit a Believer hath the Spirit yet not perfection and yet the Believers imperfection is more excellent than Adams perfection I might instance First in the foundation of eithers holiness Adams from his Creation and nature a Believers from the Spirit and grace Secondly In the amissibleness of Adams Adams was liable to losing a Believers not Thirdly In the manner of Acting of which anon I cannot but observe that in Ephes. IV. 24. The new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred two ways and both to the present purpose The English well and according to the Hebrew Idiom reads true holiness and so the Apostle seems to compare the holiness of the new man with Adams His was true holiness but this truer and more excellent though imperfect It is rendred also The holiness of truth The Gospel is oft called Truth and if it be so to be rendred here then it means Evangelical holiness not only in opposition to Legal but to Adams Evangelical holiness is the holiness and that that indeed restores the Image of God After God created in righteousness and the holiness of truth Hence is that in 2 Pet. I. 4. That by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature Adam was not partaker of Gods holy nature but only of his creation if his holiness were any yet it was mans only but a Believer is partaker of the Spirit when he hath holiness Let me ask this Question and Answer it and that will clear all Why are we justified by perfect justification and righteousness for so we are because it is by the righteousness of Christ which is called the righteousness of God when we are not sanctified by perfect sanctification and holiness though sanctified by the Spirit of Christ I answer First It is needful that Justification be perfect for if we are not justified from every sin it is all one as if we were from none As break one Command and break all so unjustified from one sin and unjustified from all For 1. Such persons are not accepted of God 2. They are liable to condemnation therefore Justification must be perfect But in sanctification t is not so as I shall observe by and by A man may be truly though not perfectly holy Secondly It is Gods will and disposition to glorifie his grace in holiness by its living and acting in and against contrariety As it was Abrahams glory in Rom. IV. 18. Who against hope believed in hope Whether is it greater to be holy in the midst of sinfulness or as Adam to be holy when no sin touched him Which was greater for Lot to be holy in Sodome or in Abrahams house Compare a Believer with Adam Adam had Gods Image the Believer hath Gods Image restored What was Gods Image in Adam It consisted first in the Essence of his Soul and made him spiritual intellectual immortal and secondly in the qualification of his person and made him holy righteous The former is not lost nor extinguished by sin nor could only spoiled and soiled The Devils for all their sin yet are spiritual intellectual immortal substances The latter did embalm and keep fresh the former His holiness kept his spiritualness his intellectual nature in the right temper while he kept it Now to a Believer there is so much holiness as to do the same thing He is spiritual though he be flesh his Holiness makes his intellect right viz. To know God and love him and preserves him to immortality nay goes beyond Adam in operation As namely 1. He knows God in Christ which full revealing of God Adam did not attain to 2. He loves God more excellently than Adam did or could do Adam had no pul-back
not received it When we see a person in worse state than our selves we commonly look upon our selves as some body whereas we should look up to him that hath made the difference And do we see a poor miserable creature and look upon him with scorn And do we not rather think Might not God have made me as poor and miserable as this poor wretch He might have clothed me with rags as well as this poor beggar He might have made me as silly as this poor Ideot Down great heart and proud and learn to ascribe all the comforts and benefits thou hast above any other poor soul where it is due and to ascribe nothing to thy self but guilt and sinfulness If we desire to be esteemed what is it to be esteemed by God He hath set all at one II. rate as men are in the lump if we desire to be of a better value it is wisdom to labour to be so in his eyes that so values all To esteem our selves is but a folly to labour to have others esteem us is but folly unless it be in an estimation that God will say Amen to it also Remember that of the Apostle It is not he whom man approveth but whom God approveth If we would be thought to be beautiful let it shine in the image of God if rarely decked let it be with his ornaments if to be learned remember that He that honoureth me I will honour A SERMON Preached upon JUDGES XI 39. And it came to pass at the end of two months that she returned to her Father who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed THE Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. XI reckoning up that noble Catalogue of men famous for faith and great actions under the Law at vers 32. mentions three that may seem to be something questionable and those are Gedeon and Samson and Jephtha men indeed that had done great acts but that in the close came off with some foul blot Gedeon Judg. VIII 27. made an Ephod and put it in his own City Ophrah and all Israel went thither a whoring after it Samson pulled down the house upon his own head and so became Felo de se or guilty of his own death And was not Jephtha guilty of the death of his own daughter That is the question we are now to look into I have lately shewn you the Heathen sacrificing men and women to their Gods and Heathenish Israelites sacrificing their children unto Moloch let us now consider whether Jephtha a man of a better Name and Religion fell not under the like miscarriage in sacrificing of his Daughter The Text tells us He did to her according to his vow which he had vowed And the resolution of the question lies in the resolution of another verse what his Vow was That you have at vers 30 31. And Jephtha vowed a vow unto the Lord and said if thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands Then it shall be that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me when I come in peace from the children of Ammon shall surely be the Lords and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering A rash Vow as appears by his repenting and renting his garments vers 35. A rash Vow that he could not come off with either breaking or performing it but with sin If he performed it not he sinned in making a Vow that he might not perform If he performed it he sinned in performing a Vow that he might not make So that as the King of Syria once said Whether they came out for peace take them alive or whether they come for war take them alive So is Jephtha taken deadlily whether he hold his Vow or break it he is caught under a rash and sinful Vow as a man that hath a Wolf by the ears that whether he hold him or let him go he is in danger If he break his Vow how can he answer his taking such an ingagement upon him as not to keep If he hold it how can he answer making a Vow of so nice a performance The words of his Vow are read one way by some Interpreters and another way by others and there is one letter in the Hebrew Text breeds this diversity viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that may signifie either And or Or. And accordingly some read it Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace shall surely be the Lords And I will offer it up for a burnt offering And others read it Or I will offer it up As meaning if it be fit to be offered in sacrifice I will offer it in sacrifice but if it be not fit yet it shall be the Lords So some of your Bibles give intimation of this diversity of reading having one in the Text and the other in the Margin But in the Text you see it is And I will offer it up And so it is in the Greek Vulgar Italian French and so rendred also from the Eastern Languages Now what could meet him out of the doors of his house that was fit for sacrifice Nothing to be expected to come out thence but Men Women and Dogs and any of these yea the very Dogs might come out to meet him and welcom home their Master but none of these were sit to be sacrificed Nay a Dog is not fit to be dedicated to God any way For though there is a supposal Levit. XXVII 11. and a permission of dedicating and sanctifying an unclean beast to the Lord that was not fit to be sacrificed and that it might be redeemed for a sum of mony to be given to the Priest yet a Dog is particularly excepted in that prohibition Deut. XXIII 18. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lord for any Vow And do ye think Jephtha had his dog in his thoughts when he made his Vow That were more ridculous to imagine And if any were so simple as to imagine it it might be answered He could not think of his dog because he knew a dog could not be so consecrate to God Could he then think of a Bullock Ram Lamb Kid or Goat These were things indeed that were fit to sacrifice but a double objection lies against thinking that he thought of any of these The one is because he speaks of coming out of the doors of his house which no one will understand but of his dwelling house And it were ridiculous to think of Ox or Ram or Lamb or Goat coming out of his dwelling house And the other is that he speaks of coming to meet him which expression means to welcom him home as his Daughter went out to meet him to welcom him home Now it can little be imagined that he thought of any Bullock or Lamb or Goat coming out to meet him under any such notion Therefore these
these Men pointed the Bible it savours of the work of the Holy Spirit 73 34 Rachab supposed to marry Joshua famous among the Jewish Writers 97 Rain former and later what 409 Raka a word used by one that despiseth another in the highest scorn 141 Rakkath a fortified City from the days of Joshua 67 Rama was the Name of very many Towns in the Land of Israel because they were seated in some high place Page 80 Ramah and Ramathaim Zophin there were two of the Name whence derived 41 Ransom or Attonement for Souls how much and for what end p. 1204 1205 1208. At what time it was paid p. 1205. Why the Poor therein was to give as much as the Rich. p. 1207. And why the Poor in Worldly matters gave more than the Rich did in those that referred to God 1207 Retaliation it's Laws 150 151 Ravens which brought bread and flesh Morning and Evening to Elias are supposed to be the People of Orbo 317 Ravished Saint Austin's determination about chaste Matrons and Virgins Ravished by the Enemy when they broke into the City what 1098 Readers of the Low part of their work 803 Reason the mysteries of Divinity not contrary to it how to be understood 1103 Redemption or new Creation was performed on the day Adam was created 1325 Refuge Cities of Refuge their Number and Names 47 48 Regeneration what kind of Regeneration the Jews thought to be necessary to Proselytism 533 Region round about Jordan what 298 299 Registers or Scribes of the Sanhedrim were two the one sat on the right the other on the left hand one wrote the votes of those that quitted the other of those that condemned 337 Religion the Religion of the Pharisees Sadducees and Esseans was not the National Religion of the Jews but Sects and Excrescences from it p. 1036. Christ sets himself against them that set themselves against Religion p. 1164. The Principles of the Traditional Religion of the Jews made them Crucifie the Lord of Life p. 1175. What Religion the Devil hath most reason to hate p. 1177. And which is the best and what it is p. 1177. Which is the true Religion A difficult Question two marks of it p. 1176 1177. The Jewish Religion was very corrupt under the second Temple p. 1199 1200. The Romish Religion comes very near to Judaism p. 1200. Whether a Man may be saved in that Faith that is in the Religion of Rome doubted p. 1202. Some maintain that a Man may be saved in any Religion or Opinion so he live but honestly towards Men and devoutly towards God 1279 Rempham or Rephan what 673 Renting of Cloaths what 263 Repentance a Doctrine highly fit for the Jews when it was preached to them by John the Baptist The Schools of the Pharisees did ill define Repentance p. 113. The Jews supposed the Redeemer was to come at a time when Repentance was to be p. 114. Repentance not to be put off till death p. 1227. There is nothing more desirable to God Christ and Angels than the Repentance of a Sinner p. 1269. What it is that moves God Christ and Angels to desire this p. 1270. Repentance is the gift of God as well as Pardon p. 1277. The Rule to arrive at Repentance is to take Gods time as well as way 1277 Repetition of the same words in Prayer how practised condemned by Christ. 157 Rephaims what 363 Reproof and Excommunication what they were with the difference between them 747 Resurrection the first Resurrection what 1233 1235 Resurrection of Christ the Epoche of the Messias is stated from the Resurrection of Christ. p. 180. The Resurrection of Christ shews him to be the Messiah p. 691. How it argues and gives assurance of the last Judgment p. 1105. Christ Resurrection and the Creation whether the greater work 1330 Resurrection of the dead was in the days of Ezra denyed by some p. 216. How it is proved out of the Old Testament by Rabban Gamaliel p. 541. How the Sadducees came to deny the Resurrection from the dead p. 542. The Jews looked for the Resurrection from the dead p. 549 552. It is proved out of the Talmud p. 702. Proved out of the Law p. 787. Resurrection and last judgment proved p. 1101 1102 1103 c. The objections of the Sadducees and Atheists answered p. 1101 c. Resurrection of the last day demonstrated against the Sadducees and Atheists p. 1236 1237. Denyed by the Sadducees Page 1282 c. Resurrection of the Saints expected even by the Jews at the beginning of the Kingdom of the Messias 269 Revelation Prophesie Utim and Thummim were gone from the Jews for four hundred years before Christ came 1284 1288 1289 Rhinocorura a River of Egypt what 9 291 Riches worldly Riches and grandure countervail nothing with God 1210 1211 1212 Righteousness why Alms are taken for Righteousness p. 153 c. Righteousness inherent and justifying 504 505 Rings of the Altar what and for what use 33 34 Robbers were very numerous among the Jews and did strange mischiefs how there came to be so many of them 267 268 362 Rock for Christ not Peter 205 Roman Empire when it began p. 388 389. When and how it was measured p. 389. When and how taxed 389 390 Romanists and Jews how they may be said to be yoak-fellows 1110 Romans there were Garisons of them dispersed over the Land of Israel what they were p. 324. The Romans are brought in by the Jewish Writers owning themselves and boasting of their being the Children of Esau or Edom and shew that Esau ought to rule over Jacob. p. 694 695. The Epistle to the Romans when and where it was written by Saint Paul 1051 Rome is put for Edom. p. 292. Rome guilty of our Saviours death as much as Jerusalem p. 1109. It is also guilty of Apostasie p. 1110. Part of the character of Rome at this time as referring to England p. 1165 The proper Name of Rome say Roman Historians is a Secret p. 1165. The Tutelar Deity of it also unknown p. 1166. Rome is the Devils Seat his Deputy and Vicegerent p. 1166. Rome commissioned by the Devil to fight against Christ his Religion and People p. 1166 1167. When first and last spoke of in Scripture p. 1168. Rome Heathen could not be Antichrist because the character of Antichrist is Apostasie p. 1168. Rome Papal hath exceeded Rome Heathen p. 1169. Rome is ever spoken of in Scripture with a black and dismal character p. 1199. Rome and the Religion thereof comes very near to Judaism p. 1200. Whether a Man can be saved in the Faith that is in the Religion of Rome doubted p. 1202 Rome compared with the Old Jerusalem State 1200 Rule God's extraordinary Actings are not Mens ordinary Rule 1276 Rulers the false Logick of those who are for no Rulers over them but King Jesus refuted 1060 S. SABBATH when it ended p. 166 167. The Jews ate nothing on the Sabbath till the Morning Prayers of