lower than God Heb. Coheleth ECCLESIASTES THE PREACHER SOlomon in this Booke convinceth the vanity of the world and the foolishnesse of men Shews that there is nothing better than to fear God and to keep his Commandements And he maintains that there shall be a future judgement He wrote this Book after his falling from God in token of true repentance 574. ECcl. 1.4 The earth abides for ever Isa 40.8 Luke 21.33 Heaven and earth shall passe away Rom. 8.22 2 Pet. 3. In the opinion of men the earth abides for ever but in respect of God and the future change and purgation from corruption and vanity it shall passe away 575. Eccl. 1.9 That which was shall be and there is no new thing under the Sun Gen. 1.1 The world was once created Heb. 9.25 Christ once offered himself Ecclesiastes speaks not of all things none excepted but of the vanity of naturall and artificiall things which is collected from the naturall corruption and change of things * Eccl. 1.9 with Heb. 9.25 The former place speaks in relation to happinesse so there is nothing new to create our happinesse The second place speaks of Christ being offered which if we regard the substance was not new for he was designed from the beginning of the world to be offered and his offering is yet as fresh and powerfull as it was at first Something as to circumstance of time and place c. may be new but not as to substance and force A thing may be new in the individuality thereof but not in the species and kind 576. Eccl. 1.10 There is no new thing under the Sun Revel 21.5 Behold I make all things new Ecclesiastes purpose is not concerning a creation of new kinds of creatures but concerning their change and vicissitude in the world and concerning the malice of men and the Devill that men by the instinct of the Devill from the beginning after man had sinned being defiled with much wickednesse proceed to covet after evill unlesse God renews their hearts and they become a new creature in Christ * Eccl. 1.10 with Rev. 21.5 No new naturall species or kind of creature so the first place But yet new qualifications accidents and circumstances of creatures so the latter place Christ will make all new not onely raise men from their old dust in a new manner but endue them in soul with new graces and in bodies with new tempers and so purge every thing from its drossie quality and mortality as it shall appear to be new * 577. Eccl. 1.15 That which is crooked can never be made straight Isa 40.4 And the crooked shall be made straight That men by all their diligence nor Princes by their power can make things otherwise than they are that which naturally is crooked will have an inclination and bending thither and yet this hinders not that God can and will according to his promise make our hearts which naturally are crooked to become straight 578. Eccl. 2.2 I said of laughter It is mad and of mirth What doth it Prov. 17.22 A merry heart doth good like a medicine In the first place is meant naturall laughter and rejoycing in prosperity and the goods of Nature and Fortune as the Gentiles do and this Ecclesiastes condemns as folly But in the Proverbs is commended that joy onely which proceeds from the holy Ghost * Eccl. 2.2 with Prov. 17.22 Laughter is either naturall the effect of rationality 2. Spirituall the effect of spirituall ratiocination the former place speaks of laughter as naturall which yet cannot be said to be madnesse for it is the naturall product of our reason but as it exceeds either in the bounds or ariseth from unworthy considerations The second place speaks of the effect of a merry heart which may be without outward laughter the one being solid the other flashy and frothy or it speaks of an heart merry with the incomes of the spirit Or 3. Of an heart which is modestly merry and laugheth but not of an immoderate nonsensicall mirth and laughter 579. Eccl. 2.15 What doth it profit me that I laboured to attain more wisdome Prov. 8.35 He that findeth me findeth life Politick wisdome is indeed a singular gift of God but if any man abuseth it and dependeth on his wisdome it profits not but is all vanity Divine wisdome which teacheth us to wait all events from God and to pray to him for his direction in all confers eternall life * 580. Eccl. 2.16 17. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the foole Prov. 8.35 For who so findeth me findeth life The former place tells us that wise men are forgotten as well as fools many times in the thoughts and remembrance of men in this world The latter place tells us of getting wisdome which will make a man live with God after and in this life The former place speaking of worldly wisdome The latter place of Christ the essentiall or divine wisdome * 581. Eccl. 2.22 For what hath man of all his labour Psal 128.2 Of the labour of thy hands The former place speaks of a man at the day of his death The latter of a man in his life the former saith all the fruits of our labours cannot advantage us at the day of our death the latter saith yet they may advantage us in our life time if we be godly 582. Eccl. 2.23 The dayes of man are full of labour and sorrow Psal 128.2 Of the labour of thy hands thou shalt eat and happy shalt thou be Ecclesiastes condemns not labour which God hath laid on men for that is good and necessary having great promises but because riches are purchased by much travell and no man knows whether he shall be a wise man or a foole that he must leave them to * 583. Eccles 3.14 I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever 2 Cor. 4.18 For the things that are seen are temporall The former place speaks of thing being for ever not as so in themselves or appointed to be so by God But so in relation to men men not being able to alter or change the work of God The latter place speaks of things as they are in relation to God and as they are in themselves temporall 584. Eccl. 3.19 There is one event to man and beast as the one dieth so dieth the other Chap. 12.7 The spirit of man returns to God that gave it him In the former place is shewed the opinion of carnall men concerning man and beasts who compares them by the likenesse of their deeds and events In the latter place is taught what is the exellency of mans soul above the beasts and the difference after death But a naturall man cannot perceive these things * Eccl. 3.19 with Eccl. 12.7 The former place speaks of man and beast in relation to outward accidents as hunger cold thirst death they are alike in these and the other place speaks of the soul alone in that it differs
Law and by our Law he ought to die They had a Law in jure not in facto A Law but it wanted the life Execution They might judge among themselves whether such a one were worthy death as they wrongfully judged Christ here but yet the Romans had given them a Law that they should not put their Laws in execution which concerned life And so by the Roman Law it was unlawful for them to put any man to death * 1083. Joh. 18.36 with Psa 71.28 Christs Kingdom is not of this worlds fashion nor of the fashion of the world nor of the Subjects of this world but it consists of Gods Children and it is set up in their heart There is the Kingdom of Christs power which he sheweth in the Protecting of the godly from the wicked in the destruction of his enemies and in the advancement of his name from one end of the earth to the other 1084. Joh. 19.9 Jesus answered not Pilate 1 Tim. 6.13 Christ Jesus before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession To Pilates question first Christ did not answer because he stood before him to suffer and not to plead or excuse at length he gave testimony to the Truth in words and deeds for his Passion and Death were a sufficient testimony and sealing of his Doctrine * 1085. Joh. 19.29 And they filled a spunge with vinegar and put it upon Hysop with Mar. 15. They put it on a reed And so Mat. 27. There was a vessel of Vinegar which upon such occasions usually stood there either as some say to shorten life or to ease the pain but the souldiers did wickedly mingle gall with some of it and offered it him to drink before he was lifted up upon the Cross which he refused and then after when he was upon the Cross they offered him Vinegar and he took it so Matthew and John agree As for the Hyssope some suppose it put about the Spunge so as the Spunge gave him Vinegar to his mouth and the Hyssope besprinkled his face with the Vinegar wherein it was dipped 1086. Joh. 20.1 Christ rose on the first day of the week Mat. 12.40 The Son of Man shall be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth untill the third day This is a Synecdochical computation of time for the least part of the day of the preparation is taken for a whole day and the beginning of the day after the Passeover or the Sabbath is taken also for a whol day Christ was three daies in the grave but it was incompleatly three daies so also he was two nights in the grave the night before being added to them 1087. Joh. 20.1 Mary Magdalen came early when it was yet dark unto the Sepulchre Mar. 16.2 Very early they came to the Sepulchre at the rising of the Sun When it was yet dark very early in the morning she went out of her house and the City waiting for the rest of the women with which afterwards she came to the Sepulchre at the Sun-rising 1088. Joh. 20.17 Touch me not Ver. 26. Reach hither thy finger Christ after the Resurrection would not be touched of Mary Magdalen who only sought him after a carnal way and thought of enjoying him no otherwise than she did formerly by his earthly presence amongst them But he commanded Thomas to touch him that his faith being confirmed he might be a more certain witnesse of Christs Resurrection Touch me not so as loving mothers touch their Sons that they have wanted that is touch me not to stay me For I am not yet ascended I am in haste and have not dispatched all I must I have now the business of being your Advocate to do and I must speedily about it But yet Thomas thou art an unbelieving man in this point and hast less faith than this woman touch thou me for confirming of thy Faith not to stay my Journey The ACTS of the APOSTLES LUKE the Evangelist describes either in general all the Acts of the Apostles or in special Peters Preachings Acts Visions Miracles Imprisonments the Conversion of Paul his Travels Disputations Miracles Bonds Imprisonments and the History of the Primitive Church after Christs Ascension from 26 years unto the 60 year from Christs Nativity 1089. ACTS 1.1 Of all things that Jesus began both to do and teach Luke wrote Joh. 21.25 There are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the world it self could not contain the books that should be written Luke in the first Book wrote of all things necessary for our salvation though not of all things but summarily concerning the conception of Jesus Christ his Nativity Life Passion Death Resurrection and Ascension into heaven August In John Tract 49. Christ did many things that are not written as John the Evangelist witnesseth but those things were chosen to be written which might suffice for the salvation of Beleevers * Act. 1.1 with Joh. 21.25 Of all things that is somthing of every thing which Jesus did the most material and chief things or all things which the Spirit of God suggested to be writtten or all things which were sufficient for the preaching of the Gospel and his heâ—rers The latter place tels us that there are many other things beside the principal matters which were not written though it denies not but the principal are written 1090. Act. 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons 1 Thes 5.1 Of the times and seasons brethren you have no need I write to you Times and seasons as they are in a general consideration is one thing and as they are taken for particular years or daies or seasons are another The Apostles must not be too curious to know the year or day when Christ will come or restore the Kingdom to Israel but yet the Apostle would not have them ignorant of this that there is a time when Christ will come again though he may conceale the particulars of it 1091. Acts 1.9 Whilst the Disciples beheld Christ was taken up and a cloud received him Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven The body of Christ was taken up visibly on high where Christ was personally before according to his Divine Nature Acts 1.9 with Joh. 3.13 The former place speaks of Christs personal ascent into heaven as Man where he is to be reserved till his se-second coming It speaks not of his ascent as God for there he was as God yet the Person in which the Divine Nature was ascended visibly The latter place speaks of Christs being in heaven as God 1092. Acts 1.15 The number of names together were about an hundred and twenty 1 Cor. 15.6 After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once The number of an hundred and twenty must be restrained to the faithful there at Jerusalem the rest were out of this gathering in other places Luke
certainty of the things foretold in respect of God though not in our opinion he shuts out long delaies for the whole time of this Prophesie unto the last day is in the sight of God but as one day or one hour Psal 94. 2 Pet. 3.8 which is a comfort to the godly that they may not despair and it exhorts the wicked to repentance by reason of the sudden destruction shall fall upon them * 1478. Rev. 1.7 And every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him Job 19.27 Whom I shall see for my self and not another or a not stranger Every eye godly and wicked shall behold Christ either to their comfort or sorrow Job saith he shall see him and not another shall see him for Job or in the place of Job but Job shall see him for himself Which denies not but Job and another yea all shall see Christ and yet every man for himself 1479. Rev. 1.13 I saw one like to the Son of man Mat. 9.6 Christ is the Son of man really The first place is an Hebraism by which is intimated the certainty of Christs humanity also he may be said to be like man because he appeared in a singular form 1480. Rev. 2.11 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to die The bodily death is one because the soul is but once separated from the body The second death is taken Metaphorically for the misery and torment of the soul after the death of the body 1481. Rev. 3.7 Christ openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth Ver. 20. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him The Son of God is he that opens the internal door of the heart Joh. 14. we open only the external for no man comes to the Father but by him 1482. Rev. 3.10 I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world Ver. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten God kept the Angel of Philadelphia from evil temptation because he was a pious assertor of the truth but the Angel of Laodicea who was luke-warm he would mend by his reprehension 1483. Rev. 4.8 They rest not night nor day Chap. 14.13 They that dye in the Lord rest from their labours The souls in the heavenly rest of the blessed are not idle they have their labours that weary them not but most sweetly refresh them in the latter place is understood the end of the troubles of this world 1484. Rev. 5.1 I saw a book written Ver. 4. No man was worthy to look thereon John saw the book in a bare Vision but no man could see the mysteries contained in it * 1485. Rev. 5.5 Christ is called the Lion of the Tribe of Juda. Rev. 5.6 Christ is called the Lamb. He is called a Lion to shew his great strength Majesty and Dignity and of the Tribe of Judah because he arose from thence which Tribe boar the Arms a Lion * 1486. Rev. 5.12 Worthy is the Lamb to receive honour glory and blessing If Christ be God how can he receive honour for we cannot add to Divinity Ans Christ as God cannot receive an addition of honour in himself but we may give him a relative honour or Quo ad nos He may seem to be more honourable to us that is when we take all the honour that the Creature hath or Idols hath and place it upon the head of Christ we esteem him most honourable and glorious 1487. Rev. 6.9 Under the Altar I saw the souls of them that were slain Ver. 11. White robes were given to every one of them Souls are invisible spirits which cannot be seen or cloathed it is therefore the sight of the mind and not of the body which is here understood for these things were seen in the Spirit 1488. Rev. 6.10 The souls of those that were slain cry out for revenge against those that slew them Mat. 5.44 Love your enemies and pray for them The cry of the souls proceeds not from a wicked desire of revenge but an earnest desire for Gods glory because they would have no ungodliness or wickedness remain unpunished c. in the day of revenge and judgment we suffering here according to Christs command pray for our enemies 1489. Rev. 7.9 I saw a great multitude which no man could number Luk. 12.32 The flock of Christ is called a little flock The Church compared with the numerous multitude of the wicked is a little flock but considered in it self it comprehends an innumerable multitude of all Ages Sexes Places Tribes and People * 1490. Rev. 7.12 Blessing and Glory and Wisdom c. Rev. 8.1 There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour In the former place it shews what is Angels work in heaven as I take it The latter is shewn what for a little while may be done on Earth whether as in Constantines time or it be an allusion to that silence that was used to be in the Temple while the Incense was offering whereas they blew Trumpets and sung while the sacrifice was offered 1491. Rev. 11.19 The Temple of God was opened in heaven Cha. 21. v. 22. And I saw no Temple therein In the former place the Temple is taken figuratively this the Holy Ghost intimates that God is worshipped most holily with Hymns and Psalms In the latter place we must not think there shall be any material Temple in the life to come as we have here on earth 1492. Rev. 13.8 The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world not properly but figuratively and in Gods Decree by Types Predictions and Efficacy by Acceptation not by Execution 1493. Rev. 16.1 Go and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth Ver. 4. to the 13. They poured out their vials of wrath upon the sea the rivers the fountains the sun the seat of the beast and Euphrates In the first place the earth is taken in a general signification because the effects of all the Vials redounds to the earth in a manner and to earthly men the followers of Antichrist for whatsoever the wrath of God was which was cast on the Seas Rivers or the Ayr or Sun was not for themselves but to afflict the earth and those that dwell thereon 1494. Rev. 18.6 Double unto her double according to her work Mat. 7.2 And what measure you mete shall be measured to you again The first place is a special command of God concerning retaliation In the latter Christ forbids rash judgment concerning others adding the Law of retaliation the more to convince the Jews * Rev. 18.6 with Mat. 7.2 Double not of her deserts but of those miseries she hath brought on you before and that is just
because the Pharisees interpreted their law falsely Christ confutes them and teacheth that private persons must not resist force with force and evill with evill but overcome evill with good Rom. 12.21 to part with their garment and turn the cheek 142. Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy people Luke 13.32 Go and tell that fox Christ speaks so of Herod Private persons of ill will or by contempt must not speak reproachfully of the Magistrate Christ was no private person and by his words detecting the fox-like craftinesse of Herod who endevoured by his craft to overthrow true Religion and the Gospel he sheweth plainly that he feared him not * 143. Exod. 23.7 Thou shalt not slay the innocent and righteous c. Ezek. 21.3 I will draw my sword out of his sheath and will cut off both the righteous and the wicked The former place tels what the civil Magistrate should do in executing Justice the latter shews what the Lord would do in afflicting a people in generall when he destroys the Land He would destroy good and bad whether they were really or only in appearing righteous and this he might do because even in the best he finds matters of failing And besides though he take away the good in a generall judgement it is from the evill to come which they would endure by living under so hard pressures as they were like when a Land was destroyed Besides the godly are no losers in being translated to Heaven * 144. Exod. 25.8 Make me a Tabernacle that I may dwell among them Acts 7.48 The Lord dwels not in Temples made with hands God dwelt in the Tabernacle not that Gods essence or presence can be confined to any place but that he there would give especiall evidence of his grace and glory and of his near relation to his people in entercourse with them by his Word and Sacraments In the time of the Law God did more evidence himself there than in the time of the Gospel 145. Exod. 25.16 Thou shalt put into the Arke the Testimony which I shall give them c. Heb. 9.4 In the Arke was the golden pot with Manna and Aarons rod that budded and the Tables of the Testament In the Arke under the covering were onely the Tables of stone of the Covenant Exod. 16.33 34. Numb 17.7 the pot with Manna and Aarons rod stood before the Ark. The Apostle joyns them all together because they were in the Tabernacle in the sight of God * Exod. 25.16 with Hebrews 9.4 The Apostle saith not that the pot and Aarons Rod were in the Arke The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the which is not referred to the Testament but to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tabernacle before spoken of It s not unusuall for the Relative to be referred to the former Antecedent The Pot and the Rod were said to be in the Arke because we have no answerable Preposition in the English to signifie the latitude and extent of the Original The Greek Preposition signifieth not onely in or within but also by near unto or before Luke 9.31 146. Exod. 29.32 33. Aaron and his sonnes shall eat the holy bread but a stranger shall not eate thereof 1 Sam. 21.6 David eate thereof and they that were with him The Precept of the holy bread or proposition was ceremonial and a temporall pedagogy the morall prohibition was not so David therefore is here excused by a case of necessity 147. Exod. 30.6 Thou shalt put the Altar before the vail that is by the Ark. Heb. 9.3 4. After the second vail in the Tabernacle was the golden censer There was a double vail one by which the outside of the holy place was distinguished from the inside the other by which the holy place was distinguished from the holiest of all between those two vails the Altar of Incense was placed * 148. Exod. 32.32 Race me out of the book of life 2 Peter 1.10 Make your calling and election sure Doubt How did Moses endeavour to make Heaven sure to his soule when he desired to be rased out of the book of life Answ Moses zeale to Gods glory and the peoples good forgets himself and his own estate wisheth rather that himself than the people should perish The Book of life is two-fold the one of life naturall the other eternall He desires to be blotted out of this naturall life and were it to be understood of eternall life it would shew no more then that Moses though carefull enough of his own salvation yet such was his care over the people that he prized theirs rather than his own * 149. Exod. 32.13 Remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob Rom. 2.11 God is no accepter of persons In temporall things such as the first place speaks of such as the forbearing to punish the people of God some say God may have respect to persons but not in eternall Secondly God had not respect to the persons of these Patriarcks but to his gratious promise which he had made unto them as there Moses saith Remember Abraham c. * 150. Exod. 33.11 with Exod. 17.9 Joshuah though he were called a Boy or Child yet he was fifty three years of age and a Commander in the Camp it was usuall to name them so in former times when mens lives were as I take it generally of a longer extent than now and when they were unmarried as Joshuah was Varro cals one juvenis at five and forty and serviu◠Tullius at the age of six and forty there is juventus * 151. Exod. 33.11 The Lord spake to Moses face to face John 1. No man saw God at any time John 6. No man hath seen the Father at any time unless he that is of God c. Moses could not see God and live but the Lord spake so clearly to him as a man speaks face to face with his friend that is distinctly clearly not in an obscure manner by Dreames or the like Great is the difference betwixt a cleare discourse and the knowing or seeing of the substance or essence of God No man saw God nor his secret will of producing salvation by Christ and the manner thereof before the Sonne revealed and discovered it and John 6. No man hath seen the Sonne This is opposed to the revelation which Moses laid forth in his writings and which did so elevate the Jews Christ far excelled Moses herein Moses heard a distinct voice but Christ saw the substance of the Father and the secrets of his designations for our salvation 152. Exod. 33.20 No man shall see me and live 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a glasse darkly 1 Joh. 3.2 The essence of God is invisible and incomprehensible to us in this world but in the next world we shall see God face to face the glory of God as he is 153. Exod. 34.3 God doth not justifie the wicked Rom. 4.5 He justifieth the wicked He doth not justifie the