not only mente tenere to hold in ones mind and think well of them nor is it a Believers duty only to dispute for them plead and reason for them To maintain good works is not only ore or lingua-tenere to hold good works in mouth and tongue To maintain good works is manu tenere to practice them whatever our hand finds to do to do it with all our might Observ 4. Works though good honest fair profitable unto men both to bring them to the faith and to the end of their faith the salvation of their Souls yet find opposition in the World they need maintenance and defence Yea because they are good Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of these works do ye stone me saith our Lord Joh. 18.32 The Jews were ashamed to own that for a cause but as many at this day because they have no true cause why they hate those who plead for Faith and good works accuse them of erroneous judgement false doctrine c. as the Jews accused our Lord of Blasphemy But St. John speaks home to this purpose 1 Joh. 3.12 Wherefore did Cain slay his brother but because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous See Notes on 1 Thess 4.1 Observ 5. Hence appears a great difference between those works which are commonly accounted such and those which are truly and really such and so to be esteemed Men commonly conceive of Liberality and some works of Charity as the only works which we call good works And yet indeed such a man may do and sin in so doing as our Laws make mention of a Corrodie which was an allowance to eat and drink given to some slow bellies and idle persons who refuse to labour God is infinitely more merciful than all men yet hath he commanded that he who will not labour shall not eat yea it is possible that man may do such good works yet perish 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Whereas the true good works are of a far greater latitude Godliness is profitable for all things The true good works which have Faith for their Principle the Word of God for their Rule good will for their Motive Grace for their Strength the Glory of God for their End These are they that are profitable unto men to Faith to the end of their Faith the salvation of thei◠souls These are generally all virtues and virtuous actions which are common to all men and such as are more special and proper to certain orders of men both which are comprized in these two words which meet us often in Scripture justice and judgement Justitia est omnis virtus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Justitia in sese virtutes continet omnes Judgement I conceive to be every mans duty in his own place and calling And thus some conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be used 1 Sam. 8.11 which we render the manner This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you for so Kings Princes Governours and all Magistrates have their office in governing the people and such are their good works The Minister hath his duty also in teaching the people So St. Paul gives charge to Timothy Preach the word in season and out of season c. Be thou totus in his He must not leave the word and serve tables Act. 6. And although the Deacons office was about ministring to the poor yet they preached the word also This seems to be the Reason why the Levite must have no portion among his brethren his whole business was about the service of God And these are their good works Every one of the people hath somewhat or other to do in his own special place or calling his trade and profession of life and herein he ought to be employed And these are their good works Generally Magistrate Minister and People every Believer who believes God and Christ and so dwells in him he hath his good works He who saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 Observ 6. Hence it 's evident that our Church according to this sence maintains good works and that in a greater latitude than they do who most contend for them for they summ them up to seven kinds whereas good works are all virtues and virtuous actions of the Christian life yea we maintain them in a better place degree or order than they do who place their justification in them we maintain them to be the soul and life of Faith and inward justification not as the causes of the same as will appear if we compare the Text with the words before Observ 7. Note hence what is the true Faith of those who believe God See Notes on Gen. 15. Observ 8. Some there are under the means who believe not aright in the living God Act. 17.4 5. 2 Thess 3.1 2 3. And may we not averr the like of many at this day For although all know there is a God yet all do not honour him with right thoughts will affections belief love Rom. 1.21 22. yea Titus 1. ult Repreh They are therefore hence blame worthy and justly to be reproved who content themselves with a barren and dead faith without the life and righteousness of good works Jam. 2.14 24. Much more are they to blame who abound in all manner of evil works 2 Pet. 1.9 Surely there are such yet they will pretend good works also that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word in the Text but in another sence for however they contend for good works and plead for them that they ought to be done yet in the winding up when they speak home to the matter their maintaining of good works is only in pretence and in words when there is no necessity of them to Salvation for they are justified and saved without them And then what remains but that all obedience and good works be meerly arbitrary and left to our discretion among the consequents of Salvation See Notes on Jam. 1.22 To maintain good works may prove chargeable we are said to maintain that which we are at charge withall If they who believe God be saved what need they maintain good works if less will serve the turn c. Vide Notes ubi supra Exhort To maintain good works There is a kind of maintenance in our Law used in evil part a seconding a cause depending in suit between others against Law But the maintaining of good works of Faith Hope Love Joy Meekness Temperance Patience c. Against these things there is no law Gal. 5. These have the countenance of Law Divine and Humane of good Angels and Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To maintain good works may be more specially understood and rendred as our Translators turn the word vers 4. To profess honest trades for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Eph. 4.28 To work with their hands the thing that is good and the following words that he may
them of old time our Lord tells us as much Mat. 19.8 That because of the hardness of their hearts Moses had suffered them to put away their wives but from the beginning it was not so therefore he saith not here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as formerly it was said indeed to or by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery but it was not said to or by them of old time if a man put away his wife c. That this is the true reason why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not here added will appear beside what hath been said if ye compare herewith Jer. 3.1 where the Prophet speaking of the very same argument he puts first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn they say or saying whereby is implied That this was not said from the beginning but since the hearts of men have been hardned by unbelief and disobedience Mysticé There is a lawful and a necessary divorce to be made between us and our sinful thoughts and memory which spiritually are signified by a Wife as I have shewn heretofore out of 2 Cor. 11. These are the Female part of the man as the life is the Male and these are adjoyn'd to the Male even to the life as a meet-help unto it as a Wife which lodgeth in his bosome if she prove unquiet if she be a scold if she gad abroad like an idle huswife if she be an harlot it 's the Wise Mans advise cut her off from thy flesh and let her go Ecclus. 25.26 And this seems to be intended in Deut. 24. If the Husband find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of uncleanness in his wife then let him give her a bill of divorce what is this word of uncleanness there is a pure word and an holy word the word of the Lord is pure but there is a word of Belial saith the Wise Man even the word of Antichrist which opposeth and exalts it self against God and whatsoever is of God and Christ in us God grant saith the Wise Man that it be not found in the house of Jacob c. Ecclus. 23 12 13. This is that which our Saviour calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render for cause of fornication there is an inward word of fornication and adultery this is that which is to be divorced and put away from us O let it not be found in us Exhor Let us rather heed and obey that which was said to them of old time and by them of old time than that which was only by them of later time rather by the precepts of the Lord than his permissions with the Ancients is Wisdom See Notes on Job 12. Mat. 5.32 Hitherto we have heard the pretended Law come we now to our Lord's exception and limitation of this Law or pretence of a Law But I say unto you that he who shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery 1. A man may put away his Wife for the cause of Fornication 2. Whosoever shall put away his Wife saving for the cause of Fornication causeth her to commit Adultery 3. Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth Adultery 4. Our Lord Jesus saith this Whosoever c. 5. It hath been said indeed if a man put away his Wife c. but the Lord Jesus saith c. 1. A man may put away his Wife for the cause of Fornication This is clear in that our Lord names this cause and excludes all others So that his exceptions of this hath the force of an affirmation 2. By Fornication which otherwhere is understood of single persons is here to be meant Adultery for so the words are used promiscuously as I have formerly shewn 3. Reason Fornication or Adultery which is here understood is a real breach of that Sacred Bond whereby Man and Wife becomes one flesh and therefore putting away in this case is but a declaring of that or a perfecting of that by the man which was done before by the woman Further Reason may be this since the most Holy God excludes Adulterers and Fornicators from the Kingdom of Heaven Gal. 5. It seems equal that they should be excluded also from the Saints society upon earth and therefore Adulterers were adjudged by God's Law to the most extreme kinds of punishments among the Jews as burning Gen. and stoning John 8. A man may but must he so do But here it may be doubted whether the man even in this case be bound to put away his Wife even for the cause of Adultery I believe he is not bound to put away his Wife no not for the cause of Adultery and my reason is I do not read any Law of God that enjoyns the wronged man so to do Besides in regard of God he is a witness of the mutual Faith plighted one to the other it is his own reason Mal. 2.14 The Lord hath been witness between thee and the Wife of thy youth and secondly she is thy Companion and the Wife of thy Covenant It is thy Covenant and the Lord is witness to it 3. The Lord hates putting away Mal. 2.16 And we ought not to do the thing that he hates Jer. 44.4 2. In regard of men though it be true that Adultery were a capital crime and to be punished by the Judges as Job 31. if the business were brought before them and proved yet we read not any where that the Husband was bound to prosecute his Wife if he saw her penitent or thought good either to retain her or put her away more privately by bill of divorce We find not that Jacob put away his Wife or Hand-maid which was a secondary Wife whom Ruben abused And Joseph in his ignorance conceiving his espoused Wife to have been an Adulteress being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a merciful man he would not make her a publick Example but thought privately to put her away by bill of divorce Mat. 1. Obser 1. Adultery is here called Fornication as the highest degree of it Obser 2. Adultery is one of the greatest crimes as that which dissolves and unties that knot between Man and Wife and nulls that union betwen Man and Wife above all other causes which otherwise is inseparable Obser 3. Note hence what wisdom is required what providence and circumspection what care in the choice of such a Companion as must live and converse with us and be one with us all our life time Quod semel faciendum est id deliberandum est diu The choice of such an associate is like a stratagem in war wherein a man can err but once Ye are wary in your bargains and buying your commodities which yet ye intend not long time to keep or lie by you but presently to put off for gain and advantage how much more circumspect and wary ought men to be in making a bargain for life in purchasing a
him in the Margin they asked him of peace This Salutation was wont to be of equal extent with their love being confined to their own Nation so was their Salutation also 4. If Christ's Disciples salute their Brethren only what do they more Our Translators add here a Supplement than others which although it be true yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I shewed in opening vers 20. is somewhat that is excellent and so we may understand the words here what excellent thing do ye Obser The Lord requires and expects of his Disciples that they be an Excellent People that they do somewhat more than others do Hence it appears that the Lord requires Salutations not only of our brethren and friends but also of others They are such as win and maintain love among men how else had the people of God lived among their enemies how else did Paul become all things unto all men had he not complied with them 1 Cor. 9. Repreh Those who are wanting and faulty in this duty of Salutation and bring in among Christians an unfriendly and unchristian behaviour without common expressions of love and friendship directly contrary to what our Lord here requires He requires a greater measure of love and expression of love in honouring of men 1 Pet. 2.17 Loving all men saluting all men These restrain their love to a few of their own and their expressions of honour and love in salutations What they are wont to say that they bear an inward love and honour unto all it 's as much as if they said nothing at all for the nature of honour is outwardly expressed in the signs of it and the inward love and affection is declared in outward salutations suitable thereunto as 't is evident to common sence and needs no further proof so that such behaviour is at least a great weakness And truly I pity them who needlesly yea contrary to the Rule of the Word bring inconveniences and mischiefs upon themselves and scandalize the Christian Religion as if it were a rugged unmannerly and uncivil Religion whereas it is most civil and debonaire and lovely and winning in the whole world What they say that men ought not to look for and receive honour one of another is true and they scruple to give that which others may not receive I Answer let men do what becomes them whatever becomes of what they do But if men do what they do out of Judgment and pretence of Reason let them know it's scandalous to the Christian name and utterly a fault among them that whereas they would seem to bring in a greater eminency and excellency of Christinity among men then hath been before in the world they render themselves blame-worthy in that they make men believe that the Lord required a rude inhumane morose and cynical behaviour yea and they cause that which is good in them to be evil spoke of Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect These words contain the conclusion of our Lord's Exposition of the common Law of Love especially the love of enemies which contain these Five Divine Truths 1. Your Father is in heaven 2. he is perfect 3. be ye perfect 4. be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect 5. your Father which is in heaven makes his Sun to rise upon the evil and upon the good c. patrizate igitur be ye like your Father Be ye perfect therefore as your Father which is in heaven is perfect I might thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I shall for brevity sake speak of them all in one Divine Truth as it is inferred out of the former doctrine of which I have already spoken as it lies in the words Because your heavenly Father is perfect be ye therefore perfect as he is perfect Wherein we must enquire 1. what is meant by perfection 2. how we are to understand perfection as our Father in heaven is perfect 1. By perfection here we are not to understand only sincerity which is opposite unto hypocrisie But here must be understood a full compleat and absolute perfection for our Father which is in heaven is here said to be perfect and so he is both in his Essence and Attributes and in his Works Deut. 32. His work is perfect our Translators were well advised of this and therefore they could not here juggle with us and impose other names upon this most eminent duty as elsewhere they do when they turn Jacob was a plain man which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect man and turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undefiled unspotted unfeigned upright Perfectum est in quo omne illud est quod melius est esse quà m non esse For Sincerity and Integrity is a Grace and Vertue opposite unto Hypocrisie and Dissimulation which is understood even in the lowest and weakest Duty as in a good Will it 's required that we be Sincere and not Hypocritical and in the passage out of the sinful Life it 's necessary that we be Sincere and Upright Thus when the Sons of Israel came out of Egypt they brought their dough unleavened which the Apostle interprets Sincerity and Truth 1 Cor. 5. There is a Perfection 1. according to Time and 2. according to Nature 3. according to Universality 1. Perfection according to time is a resemblance in all the parts unto our Father who is in Heaven As a Child new born hath all the parts and members inward and outward of a perfect man and he may be truly said to be perfect in his kind 2. A perfection according to Nature when whatever is due to their Nature is in it 3. A perfection according to Universality so God alone is perfect 2. How must we understand that comparison Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect I Answer even as it lies in the Text what need any other Exposition of it Such a one is perfect as God is perfect when he hath attained to that due to his Nature as God hath that which is due to his If the Child now like his Father in all parts and members inward and outward should so continue and not grow up in stature and birth and quantity and in some good measure should be like unto his Father what would ye think would ye not believe that he would be a very Dwarf a Monster in Nature would ye not think as some do that the Child were bewitcht and some ill eye or other had been upon him Now then look into thy self and consider whereunto thou art called and what thou professest and whereunto thou pretendest to endeavour even the measure of the stature and age of Christ a perfect man Eph. 4.13 and judge and speak truly of thy self art thou not an arrant Dwarf a Monster in the Divine Nature hath not some or other bewitcht thee Gal. 3.1 that after so much hearing thou art yet like a child of a span long Lam 2. Reason is in the Text
guilty of a sin measures another by himself as the Mother in Whoredom suspected the Daughter or else when a man hates another and wishes sin in him and because quae volumus facilè credimus believes he is so evil as he suspects him to be 2. Suspicion is evil in regard of the end why a man suspects when the person suspecting hath an evil opinion of another that he might seem to have a cause why he makes him no requital of some good turn he owes him does him no good Or that he might have a pretence to do him a mischief either in word or deed Now Job had no such motives either from without or from within nor any such ends Great cause he had from without of suspecting and fearing that his Sons might sin against God as I shewed in the reasons of the point His Motives from within were his own Conscience of his own infirmity which yet he hated v. 1. and love unto his Children whom out of love and tenderness he suspected As for his end what was it and why was it but that he might amoliri that he might remove evil from his Sons both of sin and mischief and that their sin being expiated both God and he himself might have occasion to do them greater good Obser 3. We learn then from hence that all suspicion proceeds not from want of charity This is the rather to be considered because the true Job's the upright men who fear God and eschew evil they suffer under the imputation of being uncharitable because they judge things as they do appear even out of the evidence of fact or strong and violent presumption And why Charity thinks no evil I answered that Cavil before But doth Charity think that good which is evidently evil There is no Law of God binds a man to be a fool nor is Charity blind though sensual and bruitish love be If I see a streight stick lying in the water and it appear crooked Videtur per duplex medium It is seen by a double medium Obser 4. It 's possible a man may commit a sin yea and that one of the greatest sins also even cursing and blaspheming of God when yet there is no outward appearance at all of it There is a cursing with the heart so Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 62.4 They bless with their mouth but curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their inward parts as Job's Sons were suspected by their Father to curse God in their hearts Psal 41.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his heart speaks vanity and this is the breach of his Spiritual Law the cursing and blaspheming with the heart And this is more properly the cursing of God who is a Spirit and deals with the Spirit Obser 5. Hence it follows that cursing especially blasphemy and cursing God is one of the greatest sins This follows from the use of the phrase when after the genus is named some one principal of the kind peradventure they have sinned and cursed God in their hearts All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven but c. Mat. 12.31 But it follows in reason for if sanctifying blessing and glorifying our God be one of the greatest duties then prophaning cursing and blaspheming God by the Rule of Contraries must be one of the greatest sins so much is implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to vilifie to disesteem and make light of As the Sons of Ely made light of or cursed the Lord 1 Sam. 2.30 A piercing of God the Father or the same as Zach. 12.10 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth or treading him under foot A sin so hainous that it should not be named Levit. 24.11 He blasphemed the Name i. e. of Jehovah Such wickedness as this it is a shame even to speak Eph. 5.12 13. here 't is hid under the contrary word it appears no less than by the punishment such an one was to be stoned v. 15. Obser 6. Observe the perverse nature of man Job's Sons were at a feast and he suspects them the rather that they had sinned and blasphemed God The goodness of God should lead a man to repentance and amendment of life yet when men partake more liberally of God's goodness they are the more ready to sin against him and blaspheme him Take heed of this at your feasting Deut. 11.2 and 8.10 and 32.15 Remember how that Jeshurun kicked The wise man preferred the house of mourning before it Eccles 7.2 Obser 7. This consideration may somewhat moderate and allay our harsh censures of outward and manifest execrations and cursings Think with thy self hast not thou thy self cursed God in thy heart Eccles 7.21 Obser 8. Job's Sons were not wont to curse and blaspheme their God nor to be drunk at their meetings with Wine nor afterward to go to the Stews for then Job had not said peradventure but without all peradventure no doubt but they have cursed God Obser 9. A good man and such an one as fears God he so hates sin in his own Children Friends or Servants that he fears that even then when there appears no sin for there are secret sins Blessed is he that fears alwayes Obser 10. If Job said thus of his own Sons piously and religiously brought up peradventure they have sinned at their feast What shall we say of the Sons of Belial who sin and blaspheme God and that use lightness in the time of a publick Fast in the time of publick humiliation such indeed is this whole tract of time What will such do on their gaudy dayes in festival times Repreh Those who are Parents or in place of Parents exposing their Sons to the violent and beastly temptations of sensuality and voluptuousness like the Ostrich Job 39.14 17. Yea many there are who go before them by a lewd Example yea encourage them and teach them to curse and swear I have heard of such revel and riot such excess as hath not been practised among the Heathen Esth 1.8 O how unlike are such to Holy Job here Exhor O that we all took example by him and what he said of his Sons every man would say of himself peradventure I have sinned c. Blessed is he that feareth alwayes Motives Consider we have the same enemy Satan powerful malicious hating God envying man his Image Sagacious furnished with the experience of more than 5000 years and our own natural corruption Obser 11. He saith not certainly my Sons have sinned He hoped better of their pious education that his many documents and instructions had not been spent in vain 'T was possible they might not have sinned there is no necessity of sinning God hath no need of the sinful man saith the Son of Syrach He saith not certainly my Sons have not sinned he feared their slippery age and the strength of temptations He spake of young men as Plato wrote of one of his Schollars whom he had first largely
wise and gracious God meets with our weakness and causeth the Gospel to be confirmed unto us by those that heard him Observ 5. God speaks not the Gospel in a dark corner of the earth Esay 45.19 nor in doubtful speeches like the Devils Oracles but clearly and openly again and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.16 Exhort To hear the word of the Gospel of Salvation and believe it and be confirmed in it Col. 2.7 As ye have received Remove what tends to the dissetling of us the childish age Eph. 4.14 Grow up into me in all things Beware of the sleights of men Means Positive to hear the word and do it Matth. 7. The storms beat against that house and it stands stedfast in the faith Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by faith Pray unto the Lord Psal 119.28 my Soul melts or drops or dissolves settle me according to thy word The Apostle having told us of our adversary the Devil 1 Pet. 5.10.11 Prayeth The God of all Grace who called us into his eter-Glory strengthen stablish settle you NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS II. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles c. HItherto we have had the testification of the Gospel These words contain the attestation of witnessing of God unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ As the former Testimony is Verbal given by voice and words so is this Real as given by things for the further confirmation of the Gospel In this attestation we have the person attesting God and the manner or kind of attesting by Signs c. accordingly we have two Divine truths in the words 1. God bare them witness 2. God bare them witness by signs and wonders c. 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to witness or give Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to add unto a former Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to add unto and testifie with others and this is the word here used and no where else either by the Septuagint in Old Testament or by the Evangelists or Apostles in the New and rarely used in humane Authors Aristotle de mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hujus rei elogium est mortalium consensus Thus the Lord began to preach the Gospel the Apostles who heard him confirmed his word God added unto their Testimony and testified with them the truth of this Mark 16. promised Verse 17. performed Verse 20. The Reason he himself hath in him all that eminently which makes a witness without exception wisdom and knowledge he is the only wise God Goodness none good but God Love and Bounty he is the love it self 1 John 4.8 The witnesses who heard the Lord Jesus Christ they were men and as men they might possibly err and therefore to confirm and ratifie his word by them the essential truth himself God that cannot lye nor deceive nor be deceived he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bears them witness Observ 1. The Lord is pleased to put himself into the same Office and number himself with the Apostles and witnesses of the Gospel O what great Humility and condescent is this of our God unto us what zeal what ardent love unto mans Salvation 2 Chron 36.15 The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers rising up early and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place Jerem. 25. and 35.14 He sends his Son Hebr. 1. called an Apostle Hebr. 3. He comes himself he works with them Mark 16.20 and testifies with them Observ 2. The Gospel hath the greatest witness for it self that is to be found in Heaven or earth even God himself who in all Oaths is wont to be called upon as the witness of the truth yea as the truth it self and by whom all Testimonies in all differences are finally resolved 1 Sam. 12.5 Jerem. 42.5 Rom. 1.9 Phil. 1.8 Observ 3. The Gospel must needs be true and as it is called The word of truth Ephesians 1.13 Coloss 1.5 It is witnessed by God and man and by him who is God and man Emmanuel God with us the Lord Jesus Christ 1 John 5.9 If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater Observ 4. The most sure and infallible ground of Faith This appears from the nature of it it is an assent unto truth testified now according as the witness is more wise more good more loving unto us so much the more surely grounded is our assent and the stronger our Faith Since therefore God is the very essential truth God that cannot lye the essential wisdom goodness love it self what he testifieth must be a most sure and infallible ground of Faith If from heaven why do ye not believe him if heaven it self i. e. God himself much more Observ 5. Hence appears the cause of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that boldness in Gods witnesses I know whom I have believed Consol What comfort is here for the poor penitent Convert who yet doubts of Gods Grace to such sinners as he is God bare them witness by signs c. Sometimes we meet with one of these as Luk. 11.16 a sign from heaven sometimes with two as Joh. 4.48 except ye see signs and wonders sometimes they meet us altogether as Act. 2.22 2 Cor. 12.12 But I have not met them altogether in the Old Testament and the reason may be many things were under the Law as Types Figures and Ceremonies the Legal Priesthood Circumcision c. which were not to endure and therefore they had not that confirmation which the Gospel was to have they were things to be shaken the things which were not to be shaken as the things of the Gospel they must remain The Legal Priest was not made with an Oath but Melchizedech and he who was to be made according to the Order of Melchizedech he was made with an Oath Hebr. 7.20 The Gospel was to continue for ever and therefore signs wonders and miracles were wrought for the confirmation of it But come we to consider these in particular 1. God bare them witness by signs i. e. extraordinary signs they are so called because they signifie something to be true which otherwise we should doubt of Thus Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites and the Son of Man to us Luk. 11.30 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rendered wonders they are properly works wrought by a power above Nature The Etymologists will have the word q. d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God speaks by them Vulg. Lat. Portentum that which portends of shews something to come 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turn Miracles the V. L. better expresseth the word by Virtutes Powers specially the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth that power which is seen in healing diseases and casting out Devils Mar. 5.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Lord of that Virtue that healed the
Faith and works co-operate and work together one with another Res utraque alteri fuit auxilio Erasmus faith brings courage and valour and works frequently iterated in crease and confirm it and other graces To this purpose is that Gen. 24. Abrahams servant chusing a wife for his Masters son gives her Ear-rings and Bracelets She that is to be a Spouse for the true Isaac must have both the word of Faith in the hearing ear the hearing and obedience of Faith the true Ear-ring and the work of Faith the true Bracelets upon her hands Faith encourageth and stirs us up to do to act and the act and work accomplisheth the Faith We see this in those miraculous works wrought by our Lord in the Gospel Faith excites and stirs up the believers to come to Christ and to pray unto him profess belief in his power This saith is accomplished by the work wrought The Leper comes to our Lord Matth. 8.2 Lord saith he if thou wilt thou canst make me clean presently our Lord touched him and said I will be thou clean And vers 6. The Centurion petitions our Lord in behalf of his servant and makes profession of Faith in our Lords power vers 8 9. which our Lord interprets to be the work of his Faith vers 10. Matth. 15 22-28 Marc. 9.17 27. And there is the same reason for the co-operation of Faith and works inwardly in the soul For these signs shall follow them that believe c. Marc. 16. But here is no need of miracles now I say not that there is need of the same outward miracles nor indeed at that time had all men who believed a power also to work miracles 1 Cor. 12. Do all work miracles c. Though there be a power which accompanieth the faith of all believers which works inwardly the like miracles Gal. 3.5 6. The spiritual leper cleansed as Matth. 8.2 The Reason is understood from the consideration of the power of God which is Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12. He is the Author and cause of Faith and that operative power which accompanieth it and he finisheth it and accomplisheth the Faith Repreh Those who justifie themselves 1. By their hearing 2. By their Faith without works 3. By their Knowledge 4. By their half will Observ 1. By faith Abraham offered up Isaac and that faith was imputed unto him for righteousness it was an operative Faith which obtained that Divine Testimony What then shall we think of their Faith which affords no works worthy of God no obedience worthy of believers or proportionable to the Faith they pretend Doubtless it is no true living Faith For 1. It hath neither certain and infallible perswasion of Divine Truth 2. Nor confidence and relying upon Divine Power 1. There is no perswasion of Divine Truth for whereas men give assent unto what they know 1. Either by light of nature such are the principles commonly known as impossibile est esse non esse contradictoria non possunt esse simul vera c. Or else 2. Men give assent unto conclusions deduced and inferred from those principles which is knowledge scientifical which they want who have not learned Arts and Sciences Of these two the former assent is the greater because we believe the conclusions in Sciences from the truth of the principles whereof we are ascertained Yet is there a third light more clear more certain more convictive than both these and that 's the light of Faith which is a participation of God's Light and a Testimony of his mind for howsoever God be the father of lights and so the light of Nature is a ray and beam of God's light and therefore they are rendred inexcusable who sin against it Rom. 1. and 2. yet the light of Faith is much more glorious c. as being of things above Nature and consequently the Light of Faith must be divine and supernatural whereby we assent unto them So that we must needs assent and be perswaded of these things whereunto the light of Faith inclines us rather than unto those which are known and believed by the light of Nature and Art Why they proceed from God that cannot lye If two Men of different sights whereof one more obtuse and dim-sighted the other acute If these two should behold the same objects a far off and the one quick-sighted should say they were a company of men and the other being the dim-sighted man like him not perfectly cured Marc. 8.24 should say they were so many trees without doubt this man were a fool if knowing the defect of his own sight he should not rather believe him that was more quick-sighted than himself because he who believes the principles of Nature or conclusions of Art deduced from them he sees as it were with his own dim eyes But he who sees by the light of Faith and hath the evidence of things not seen by light of Nature or Art He sees as it were with God's eyes or as God in us sees them So that the Divine Light of Faith brings with it a far more certain and convictive assent and perswasion than any other light If now a man should believe that he should not have food and raiment unless he rose early and went to bed late and vexed himself with anxieties and cares yea if he believed that he could not live unless he couzen'd and cheated and went beyond his brother in bargaining Can we think that such an one hath any Faith in God's Truth who forbids all these things and commands us first to seek the kingdom of God and then promiseth that all these things shall be added unto us and commands us to cast all our cares upon him for he careth for us Surely if a man firmly believed this he would not act contrary unto it he would not be disobedient unto it 2. They who pretend Faith yet obey not in proportion to their Faith as Abraham did they have no confidence no relying upon God's Power and that he is able to do whatever he promised if he believe on the Power he will give no credit at all unto whatever contradicts any Divine Truth although his own reason and the light of Nature should gain say it Abrahams example maketh this good who against hope believed in hope against natural power he was perswaded that God would make Sarah so fruitful that she should be a Mother of Nations And by the light of the same Faith he believed that God was able to raise up Isaac yea that Catalogue of Believers Heb. 11. who because they believed what did they not do what did they not suffer If therefore men shall pretend belief yet live in their sins and pretend weakness and infirmity these men believe not Gods truth nor have any confidence in Gods power They believe not in Jesus Christ that he is able to save to the uttermost nor that he is the author of eternal salvation to those that obey him For
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are his Off-spring we have even him for our Father Joh. 8. we are his people Servus sum filius ancillae tuae Psal 15. His servants purchased he that had saved our temporal life how should we esteem him should we not owe him the residue of our dayes He who had saved but one member how should we serve him with all the rest Thus St. Hierom's Lion served him for pulling out the thorne out of his foot We are saved from sin redeemed from vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Tit. 2.14 But Liberti who were unthankful returned ad servitium so they who serve the Creature more than the Creator are given up to their own lusts Rom. 1. This is the end of our Redemption That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life Luk. 1. We are servi conducti whereby praesentibus praeteritis futuris promissis to which all these are but little Thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in few things Matt. 25. The Beasts serve us for their present sustenance and hope for nothing future Will neither past nor present nor future blessings move us 4. Other Creatures Omnia serviunt tibi omnia nobis 5. Sinful men what pains they take to serve sin other Masters the unprofitable service of other Lords the servants of sin confess it What hath pride profited us Wisd 5. What fruit have we in those things whereof we are ashamed Rom. 6. The wages of sin is death damnosum By this means the Lord himself is made to serve fecisti me peccatis tuis servire If we yield not our selves to serve God willingly we shall yet whether we will or no as he that goes from the East goes nearer to the West c. yet he is still within the heaven He that runs from Gods willing service falls into his compulsive service Therefore the Stoick prayeth Lead me O God that way which thou choosest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No blessing can be truly such unto us nor no duty rightly performed of us unless we be servants 1. My servants shall eat and you shall be hungry c. 2. Where I am there shall my servant be 3. If any man serve me him will my Father honour 4. He shall come forth and serve them Joh. 13.4 5. Laudate Dominum vos servi hi siquidem verè Dominum laudant qui bene vivunt Psal 50. last This is proper to Jude the servant of Jesus Christ Sign No man can serve two Masters See Notes in Phil. 4.11 12 13. A servant that followeth two men when they part followeth his own Master Every one that is perfect shall be as his Master Whether aim we at our own praise gain glory Surely if we have other Masters and aime at our own gain or glory we are not the servants of Christ if I yet please men I am not the servant of Christ we do but complement with him and tell him we are his servants when indeed we are the servants of sin serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 2. Rom. 6. We do but bow the knee to him and mock him as the servants of the High Priest did and call him Master as Judas Iscariot did not as Judas Thaddeus He that names the name of our Lord Jesus Christ let him depart from iniquity No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Where then art the fruits of the spirit Gal. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Break every yoke Isa 58. Let him deny himself Now because upon self-denial we shall meet with strong temptations to return to our old Masters 1. Partly when we remember and call to mind our sensual pleasures of sin as the Israelites their flesh-pots 2. Partly because we are not yet acquainted with the wayes of God There is therefore need of patience that having done the will of God we may inherit the promises How would we have our servants serve us run ride make hast c. So must we worship and serve God who hath more right and title so us This is intimated by the Apostle where he saith Ye have a Master in heaven Exhort Let us ingenuously confess our unfaithful dealing with our God that we have served his enemies Let us say with the Prophet Isaiah Lord other Lords have ruled over us c. But thou art the Lord our God Isai 26. And let us heartily pray that he would pardon all our sins and make us as one of his hired servants or as it is in the Text Servants of Jesus Christ NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JUDE Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Thus our last English Translation But word for word according to the Greek sounds thus I had need to write unto you exhorting you to labour earnestly in the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints or else to help the Saints in the faith once delivered Or if we will have the word Contend to express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may turn the words thus I have need to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly with in or by the faith which was once given unto the Saints These are all good sences and the Greek words will bear them THe Apostle after his Salutation and acquainting them with the cause of his writing touching the common Salvation he then comes to his Exhortation in the Text concerning the common Faith and of these three Translations given I reject none of them yet I prefer the last as most harmonical with the Word of God as I shall shew And to this one or other of those divers Translations of the Reformed Churches incline as the Spanish that ye strive to persevere in the Faith c. And in the French Bible although it hath Contend for the Faith yet in the Margin they put against the assaults of Satan so Vatabl. Pagnine the Tygurine Bible Castellio ut fide certetis Erasmus ut in fide adlaboretis sanctis or per fidem auxilio sitis sanctis quò magis proficiant in fide And our Old English Translations sound to the same purpose as that of Coverdale I exhort you that ye should continually labour in the Faith and one other to the same purpose so that the old English Translators were herein in the right if the New Translators could have let them alone As for that sence wherein our last Translators render the Text the words will not bear it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not signifie to contend for the Faith that would be exprest either by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not here read as for other inconveniencies
so or so as Moses had commanded Joshua 11.14 Neither left they any to breath What else is hereby to be understood but what the Law and Will of the Lord is that 's Moses who is ordinarily taken for the Law that Jesus the true Joshua fulfilled Obs 3. The Law and Prophets continue in their strength and are as firm and strong obligations in this time of the Gospel as formerly they were The Moral Law in the Letter and Spirit The Ceremonial according to the spiritual understanding of it for Ceremoniale aboletur Spirituale manet The Judicial Law according to the Equity of it This will appear from the two next Verses to my Text v. 18 19. So that the Gospel requires of us as much obedience as the Law for measure and degree Obs 4. They who live dissolutely and loosely They neither have the doctrine of Christ nor his life or practice nor end of his coming to countenance palliate and cover their vitious lives withall Reprehension of those who destroy the Law and the Prophets 't is the cause of their destruction and destruction of the people Malac. 2 1-9 and 4.4 5 6. 2. Think not that I come to destroy c. By these Words the Lord puts a bar against all Opinions all Tenents and Disputes of men concerning the Law as if by him or his doctrine it should in the least be diminished Rat. The Thoughts are the Basis and Foundation of Counsels Wills Affections Actions Works and Words And therefore our Lord thought it necessary to give caution concerning them He knew the present Surmises and Suspitions of the Scribes and Pharisees He foresaw the false conceits and opinions that would be received in the World concerning his doctrine as we find at this day Obs 1. The Law and Prophets are empty and voyd until Christ come to fulfil them There is a Vacuum where obedience and fulfilling of the Law and Prophets is not Vide Not. in James 1.22 Jer. 4.22 23. Obs 2. Note hence what an exact and perfect life our Lord Jesus came to bring into the World even the fulfilling of the Law and Prophets A life opposite unto that generation of men he met withall in the dayes of his flesh and as opposite unto this present generation in the dayes of his Spirit for all those he dealt withall beside his own Disciples who were of one will with himself all the rest were either Pharisees or Sadduces of which sort were also the Herodians The former sort the Pharisees fulfilled only the outside of the Law and Prophets whose righteousness consisted only in the obedience unto the outward commandment The latter sort the Sadduces and Herodians were a prophane people who were so far from fulfilling the Law and Prophets by their obedience that by their outward and inward disobedience they made voyd and emptied the Law and the Prophets Of one or other sort of these the true Disciples and truly called Christians only excepted consists this present Generation As for the Sadduces and prophane persons their sins prevent judgment 1 Tim. 5.25 The Pharisees are the men who most of all deceive themselves and are in greatest danger of deceiving others And therefore our Lord tells his Disciples Matth. 5.20 That unless their Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should not see the Kingdom of God The Scribes were the great Teachers of the people the Pharisees were the most religious followers of their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord hereby teacheth his Disciples wherein consists that Righteousness which God requires and accepts wherein else than in obedience to the Law and Prophets Now the Law saith Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery c. The Scribes and Pharisees did not kill did not commit Adultery and therefore they thought themselves just and despised others Luke 18. And the Reason is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he who obeys the Law is righteous But our Lord Jesus denies that the Scribes and Pharisees obeyed the Law as appears every where throughout the Gospel especially Matth. 23. And the reason because it is not enough that a man do not kill nor commit Adultery c. but that also he have a mind abhorring and loathing murder and adultery for since the mind is so much the more excellent than the body that the man is named from the mind as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Soul signifieth the whole man in the Hebrew and Anima in the Latine foelices animae quibus hoc cognoscere primum inque domos superum scandere cura fuit Whence Anima cujusque is est quisque every man's Soul is himself Hence it undeniably follows that he is a murderer who hath a murdering Soul that he is an Adulterer who hath a Soul inclined to Adultery He who hates his Brother is a murderer He who looks upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart If any one here except and say the Law is not so severe to punish hatred or lust with death 't is true for the Lord hath committed the inflicting punishment for breach of the Law to Magistrates which being but men they punish the evil work done not the evil will they punish the dammage committed not the thought or purpose at least while it is unknown for how else can the Magistrate convince the minds of men by the testimony of two or three Witnesses without which he cannot proceed to punish an offence Would therefore a man be safe from the Magistrate It 's enough for him that he do not kill that he do not commit Adultery although his mind and heart be murderous and adulterous And thus the Scribes and Pharisees were just and righteous who performed outward obedience to the Law and Prophets And if the Kingdom of Christ had been of this World he should not nor would have taught any other doctrine But since the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World not an earthly but an heavenly Kingdom The Judge also is not earthly but heavenly the Witnesses also must be spiritual and heavenly and the judgment spiritual and heavenly in which the mind cannot be hid According to this Righteousness not only the murdering body and the adulterous body is punished as in earthly and bodyly Kingdoms but the murdering and lascivious mind or soul also shall be punished Would we therefore avoyd the eternal punishment we must then no doubt not only obey the outward Law in shew only as the Scribes and Pharisees did but inwardly also truly and from the heart as in the sight of God who searcheth the heart and reins and punisheth hatred for murder and lust for adultery And what I have said concerning these two Commandments is also to be understood of all the rest Obs 3. If our Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the Law and Prophet but to fulfil them Hence it will follow that they who boast of Christ's fulfilling
a Spirit he expects of man a spiritual worship and accordingly gives him a spiritual Law which reacheth to his heart and spirit and requires of him a proportionable spiritual service and obedience Obs Hence we learn that whereas outward effects only seem to be forbidden by the Law of God as killing or murdering hereby are principally to be understood their impulsive causes as wrath and hatred So that murder is first in the heart saith our Saviour Matth. 15. whence it proceeds and is acted by the hand and tongue but the heart is murdrorum officium c. See Notes on Matth. 15. Obser 1. 2. Hence it appears that there are divers kinds of murders outward and inward The Jewes took notice only of the outward So one of them Thou shalt do no murder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy hand or tongue But our Lord teacheth us that there is a murder committed in the heart and therefore out of the heart proceed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murders the word is Plural c. See Notes Matth. 15. Obs 3. A man may possibly be a Murderer who yet layes no violent hands on any one himself or another and that in regard of a threefold object 1. Himself 2. His Neighbour 3. His God Vide Notes as above NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause shall be liable to the Judgment c. IT is locus difficillimus The words contain our Lord 's spiritual exposition of the Sixth Commandment Herein we have 1. A Supposition of a Law broken 2. An imposition of a penalty for the breach of that Law The Law and breach of the Law and penalty or punishment of that breach are all considerable in three degrees proportionable one to another The Law prohibits 1. Anger 2. The effects of anger in reproachful words 1. Less as Racha 2. Greater as Fool. The breach of this Law is likewise in three degrees 1. Anger unadvised undeserved 2. Calling our Brother Racha 3. Calling him Fool. The penalty of this threefold breach of the Law is also considerable in three degrees 1. The Judgment 2. The Council 3. Hell fire All which we may reduce unto these following divine Truths 1. No man ought to be angry with his brother without a cause 2. Whosoever is angry c. shall be liable unto the Judgment 3. No man ought to say to his Brother Racha 4. Whosoever shall say to his brother Racha shall be liable to the Council 5. No man ought to say to his Brother thou Fool. 6. Whosoever shall say unto his brother thou Fool shall be liable to Hell fire 7. The Lord saith this to his Disciples 8. Ye have heard indeed that it hath been said to them of old time c. But the Lord saith to his Disciples Whosoever shall be angry with his brother c. I spake of the first of these before come we to the 2. Whosoever is angry with his brother undeservedly unadvisedly shall be liable to the Judgment Wherein 1. What a Brother is 2. What to be angry with him 3. What without a cause or undeservedly to be angry with him I shewed in opening the former point it remains that I shew what the Judgment here is 2. What it is to be liable to the Judgment By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here we are to understand not the Act of judging but the Judges themselves and their sentence Now the Judges among the Jews may be considered either according to their objects or things and persons whereof they judged or according to the subject places where they judged 1. The objects or things and persons which they judged were either civil as mony-matters or capital as those that concerned the life 2. As concerning the places of Judicature what City or Town soever had a number of Inhabitants fewer than one hundred and twenty that Town or City was judged by the Triumviri or three Judges only who handled only civil businesses as matters between man and man But if the Inhabitants of any City or Town were one hundred and twenty or exceeded that number their number of Judges were three and twenty who took cognizance of criminal and capital businesses and these Judges sate in the gates of their Cities of which Amos 5.15 Whoever therefore had slain a man wilfully he was liable unto this judicature Besides these two less jurisdictions there was the great Synedrion or Session of Judges which consisted of 72. Judges of which our Lord speaks in the next words Now as in the Civil Affairs as the Crimes were greater they belonged to greater and higher Judicatures which took cognizance of them So our Lord here saith that in spiritual businesses as the crimes were greater so they were to be judged by greater Judges and liable to greater penalties As here he whosoever he is that is angry with his Brother shall be liable to the Judgment The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth subject obnoxious or liable unto something as Hebr. 2. subject to bondage See Notes on Hebrews 2. He then that is angry with his Brother undeservedly and unadvisedly is liable unto the Judgment 1. The censure of his own Conscience 2. The Judgment and censure of the spiritual Judges or Judges of spiritual things And 3. The final censure and judgment of the great and universal Judge Reason Is in regard of 1. Our Brother 2. Our Elder Brother or 3. Enemies to both 1. In regard of our Brother with whom one is angry unadvisedly and undeservedly He who is so angry with his Brother is a murderer of his Brother and his anger may be called Murder for whereas every sin hath the name from the end whereat it aims See Notes on Matth. 15.19 20. And there is reason and justice for this severe proceeding among men for if the Act it self were as possible and feasible to the Traytor as the will and passion is he would as soon perform the Act and deed as plot and will it 2. In regard of our Elder Brother the Lord Jesus Christ for when we are angry with him we go about to kill him and when we are angry with any of our brethren for his sake we then also go about to kill him 1. When we are angry with him our Lord told the Jews John 7.20 Ye go about to kill me c. See Notes on Philip. 2. ad finem 2. And the like may be said of our anger against our Brethren for his sake For when we sin against our brethren and wound their weak consciences we sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 And so he becomes wounded of our iniquities and bruised of our transgressions Esay 53.5 And therefore the Lord complains that Saul persecuted him when he persecuted the Church 3. There is reason also if we shall consider the enemy of both the Devil himself who is Abaddon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev.
good name among men 2. As the will of the Lord is that no man should say to his Brother Racha so neither is it his will that any man should receive such an evil report of his Brother Exod. 23.1 Thou shalt not take up or receive a vain report 3. If to be called Racha be thought worthy of the Judgment and that he be liable to it who saith so to his Brother how much more liable is he unto the Judgment and worthy of it who is Racha who is a vain man 4. Whosoever shall say to his Brother Racha shall be liable to the Council These words contain the penalty due to the second breach of the Law viz. to be liable to the Council And what is the Council The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is common to all Sessions of Judges as well to that of 23. and of that three Judges as that of 70. or 72. which is here to be understood As the twelve Sons of Jacob gave names to the twelve Tribes as also the Heads and Princes of those Tribes and afterward the like number of Apostles was appointed by our Lord who had promised to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel So in memory of the LXX Persons who came with Jacob into Egypt Gen. 46.27 They ordained so many Elders and Governours over them and afterward our Lord sent forth the like number of Disciples Unto those seventy Elders the Lord sends Moses Exod. 3.16 and he reported the Lord's message unto them Exod. 4.29 Unto these Moses by the advice of Jethro committed the less matters in controversie to be judged reserving the greater and more difficult to his own cognizance Exod. 18.22 Afterward when Moses complained of his burthen the Lord himself ratifies the Counsel of Jethro and commands Moses to take seventy Elders whom he enabled with the Spirit of Judgment Numb 11.16 This Sanhedrim or highest Council consisted of Priests Levites religious and devout Israelites as appears 2 Chron. 19.8 This Council judgeth of all causes divine and humane civil and capital Reason The spiritual Judge looks at the root of bitterness which is envy pride anger impatiency c. He looks at the fruit growing or like to grow from this root of bitterness this root bears gall and wormwood even bitter words He looks at the direful issue of wrath even death it self Psal 57.3 He shall save me from the reproach of him that would eat me up swords are in their lips Psal 59.7 I have reserved a doubt here to be answered which was proper in part to the former point but here it may receive a more general satisfaction 1. Whether he who was angry with his Brother were liable to the Judgment or who saith Racha to the Council It may be doubted because jus gladii the power of putting Malefactors to death was taken away from the Jews by the Romans according to that of John 18.31 It is not lawful for us to put any man to death Josephus tells us that when Festus was dead Ananus the High Priest called a Council before Albinus came to be President of Judea and cited James the Lord's Brother and many others whom he condemned to be stoned to death But for this he was accused before Albinus the Governour because he called a Council without lieve of the President Now if the Council might not be called without lieve obtained of the Romans how much less might any man be put to death by Authority of the Council Yea the Jews themselves confess that forty years before the Second Temple was destroyed all power of judging criminal and capital causes was taken from the Jews All which if true how then saith our Lord that he who is angry with his Brother shall be liable to the Judgment and whosoever shall say to his Brother Racha shall be liable to the Council How could this be true when our Lord spake this When the power of judging and sentencing all capital offenders was now taken from the Jews I answer some go about to satisfie this doubt by saying that although the power of judging capital causes were taken from the Jews yet the manner of Judgment was well known out of the Law Deut. 16.18 and other places and the practice of it This answer I conceive no wayes satisfieth the doubt for our Lord doth not tell them only of what was past but warns them of the danger to come Nor doth our Lord go about to terrifie his Disciples with inania terriculamenta causeless fears and scare-crows No our Lord here saith That he that is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be guilty of the Judgment and he who shall say to his Brother Racha shall be liable to the Council Hereby our Lord warns his Disciples that although all civil power were taken from the Jews of judging criminal and capital causes yet there remained a spiritual power of judging and condemning wrath and reproaches proceeding from wrath as murder Yea by these very words our Lord doth constitute a Spiritual Judicature in his Church for otherwise it cannot be shewn what Judgment or what Council the angry man and he who calls his Brother Racha shall be liable unto Doubt 2. But it seems our Lord forbids any such power of judging or ruling among his people Matth. 20.25 26 27. Answer Here is utterly a mistake Our Lord by these words doth not take away Superiority of one over another or Spiritual Judicature since he is the God of Order and the Supreme Judge But he forbids such abuse of power as was among the Gentiles They abuse their power and authority over others looking only at their own Soveraignty without aiming at their good whom they rule This is understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to exercise dominion and to exercise authority whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this composition imports the abuse of dominion and authority Obs 1. Take notice from hence that there is or ought to be a Spiritual Judicatory a power of judging spiritual things in the Church of God How doth this follow Surely undeniably for if whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause be liable to the Judgment and there were then no Civil Judicature Our Lord by these words necessarily supposeth a Spiritual Judicature unto which every one who is angry with his Brother without a cause is obnoxious and liable Otherwise our Lord the Judge and great Governour of his Church should be wanting to his Church in a matter of the greatest moment such as a power of judging spiritual things is such as Government is in the Church 2. There are or ought to be spiritual men in the Church who are meet and fit to judge of spiritual things as rash and unadvised anger The Apostle tells us that the spiritual man judgeth all things i. e. all spiritual things whereof he is a competent Judge Why then is there not such a Judgment such a
pass that a man remembers that his Brother hath somewhat against him The guilt of injury done accompanieth the injurious person a man needs no Art of Memory to remember this if he silence not the clamour of his Conscience and will easily mind him of what he hath done or spoken he may have that by heart Thine own heart knoweth saith Solomon that thou thy self hast cursed or spoken evil of others Eccles 7.2 And whereas commonly men retain in memory nothing more fixt and durable than injuries done unto themselves manet alta mente repostum judicium He who doth injury to another at least every good man hurts himself first and is injured by himself and he himself is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most troubled by himself 2. Although remorse of Conscience awaken men as the Cock crowing to acknowledge their guilt yet this comes to pass by the grace and goodness of God as when the Cock crew Jesus turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred the words of Jesus c. Luke 22.60 61. Obser 1. Sins gone past in regard of time yet are not lost they remain upon record yea and may ever remain unless repented of and mortified Obser 2. The goodness of our God who hath given us this Soul and hath given us an helper our thoughts and memory to mind us of what is past and to put us upon our Duty present and to come to God and our Neighbour This the Divine Philosopher understood when he tells us that Mnemosyne is the mother of the Muses c. See Notes on Psal 63. Obser 3. Our memories are witnesses as well against us as for us Reprehend Them who offend their Brother and think not of it remember it not The Italian Proverb is commonly too true among the common sort of men He that offends another he writes it in the Sand but he that is offended engraves it deep in Marble Thus did Josephs Brethren Gen. 37.24 25. when they had stript him and cast him into a pit they sate down to eat c. they had no remorse or memory of what they had done or if they had they went about to put it by but let such know that certainly they shall remember it and that when it is too late as Josephs Brethren accused themselves many years after Gen. Nay if timely they prevent it not they shall be remembred of their injuries and evil deeds when it is too late to correct them Son Remember that thou in thy life time c. Luk. 16. 2. Doth not this more neerly concern us all Have we remembred as we ought the good we have received of our Brother or the injury we have done unto him How unthankful are we to our Elder Brother our Redeemer who redeemeth us from the wrath to come when others yet remain vessels of wrath c. See Notes on Psal 63. Nay do not many oppose and malign the remembrance of their duty to God and Man and Gods remembrances of them and what our Brother hath against them Against such our Lord denounceth an heavy woe c. See Notes ut supra 3. Thou mayest remember there that thy Brother hath somewhat against thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. at the Altar where thou art now about to offer thy gift and why there The place may mind us places are principal artificial means of helping memory But this place the Altar was the place where the people made reconciliation of their Souls unto God And therefore that might well remember us of reconciling our selves unto our Brethren Then and there thou mayest remember when thou art ready to offer the Lord meets us in our good purposes and intentions David had purposed to build an House to the Lord and that night the Lord sends Nathan to him When we desire to know his Will the Disciples were perplexed about what our Lord had said yet a little while and when they desired to ask him he meets the Disciples and prevents their asking John 16.19 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness Esay 64.5 When men are busied about holy actions thoughts the Lord helps them David was troubled about the prosperity of wicked men Psal 73.16 It was painful to him until he went into the Sanctuary of God then he understood the end of those men And perhaps many one might little think of reconciliation unto his Brother until he comes to offer his gift and then the Lord minds him of it Obser Note here the goodness of God to the sincere and upright The Lord strikes in in the very nick of time or place inter sacrum saxum inter malleum incudem to prevent evil and further the good He would not that we should offend He minds us often and more at the last least we should offend him more When the Decree went out against the Jews that night the King could not sleep Esth And truly if we heeded well our own good thoughts and purposes we should experimentally find how present our Lord is how truly Immanuel our God is in the furthering of us in every good work preventing us in all our doings hindring our seeming good purposes Wisd 6.12 16. Repreh Them who will not be remembred of their duty towards God and Man but go on without taking notice or calling themselves to account for their actions No man saith what have I done This forgetfulness is noted by the Word of God as a main cause of sin that great sin Idolatry Psal 106.19 20. The greatest Idolater we read for 2 Kings 21.1 is called Manasseh i. e. forgetful Obj. I am busied about Divine matters I preach the Word I pray I read I confer I meditate Answ This men may do yet have no actual memory of God or their duty towards God or their Neighbour The Sons of Eli daily offered sacrifice yet knew not the Lord 1 Sam. I resort to Church I hear the Word I receive the Sacrament c. They who told the Lord Jesus that they did eat and drink at his Table and he had taught in their streets They were answered Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Luke 13. They who build Temples unto God may yet forget God Hos 8.14 Exhor O Beloved let us take heed to the things that we have heard lest at any time we let them slip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest we leak like a riven dish Heb. 2.1 The Lord threatens Manasseh that forgetful King that he will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish wiping it and turning it up-side down 2 Kings 21.13 dreadful is their condition Rom. 1.28 Because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind Hitherto we have heard the Case a man brings his gift to the Altar and remembers there that his Brother hath somewhat against him What is now to be done Here followeth the resolution of the Case wherein we have these directions 1. Leave there thy gift before the
before it be medled with Hitherto we have heard our Lords first direction taken from Divine matters shewing the great interruption and suspension of our duty towards God which comes to pass by want of reconciliation unto our Brother Now follows the second inconvenience taken from Civil and Humane affairs such as befalls men usually who are deeply indebted and take no care to satisfie their Creditor for the last words give light unto the whole paragraph that this controversie is about a debt unpaid The summ of the whole business is a sute at Law with the ill use of it wherein we have the Lords direction Our Lords direction Agree with thine Adversary and the peril of not following that direction Our Lords direction is 1. to agree 2. seasonably and that according to the present opportunity 1. quickly 2. while thou art in the way with him 2. The peril and danger of not following that direction and that is either mediate and less or 2. ultimate and greatest of all 1. The mediate and less peril is in three degrees Lest 1. The Adversary deliver thee to the Judge 2. The Judge deliver thee to the Officer 3. By Adversary Judge and Officer thou be cast into prison 2. The greatest and utmost peril is perpetual imprisonment confirmed by the truth it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Verily I say unto thee 1. Thou oughtest to agree with thine Adversary 2. Thou oughtest quickly to agree with him while thou art in the way with hm 3. There is danger lest the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge 4. Lest the Judge deliver thee to the Officer 5. Lest thou be cast into Prison 6 Thou shalt not come out till thou hast paid the utmost farthing 7. The Lord Jesus affirms and confirms this unto thee Verily I say unto thee c. 1. Thou oughtest to agree with thine Adversary And 1. What is our Adversary 2. What is it to agree with him The whole business being a sute at Law and the ill use of it His Adversary is here the Creditor such as the Law defines to be he qui adversùs nos stat vel litigat in judicio he who stands against us or contends with us in Judgment who is otherwise called pars adversa the adverse party 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 41.11 The same who is before called thy Brother so the Adversary is called in the Syriack This is the Adversary so called express a Neighbour or Brother Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his Neighbour cometh The LXX turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Adversary And this must be the Adversary here meant for what Job hath 31.35 the Septuagint render the same words which our Lord useth v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Adversary is the Creditor to whom thou art a Debtor 2. Thou oughtest to agree with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. V. L. esto consentiens or as Ar. Montanus bene sentiens use what diligence thou canst to make him consent to thee Hithpael it amounts to the same with what our Lord taught before go be reconciled unto thy brother Prov. 6.1 5. Prov. 25.8 9. Go not forth to strive debate thy cause with thy Neighbour Since the Adversary here is the Creditor unpaid to agree with our Adversary is to compound with him for the debt we owe him And since this sentence differs from the other only evolutione terminorum as they are wont to speak in the School the reasons will be the same with the former which I shall not repeat But since the business before us is a suit at Law it may here be enquired whether the Disciples of Christ may go to law yea or not See Notes on Rom. 12.18 See the condition of the faithful Prophets and Ministers of God while they speak generals and declare the truth O 't is a good man when he comes close to us and reproves us for our personal sins and saith thou art the man then we grow offended the Lawyers were content to hear but when it came near them thou reprovest us also say they and so he did Wo to you also ye Lawyers Veritas lucens amatur redarguens odio habetur Vid. Not. in Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mysticé Even natural reason and self love may perswade men to put matters in difference between them to arbitrement and to comprimise all things before they come to publick Judgment And therefore all the Ancients agree that these words must be understood mystically who then is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mysticus our Adversary I wave here the various judgments of men and shall name those adversaries which the Scripture warrants me so touching them There are adversaries of two sorts 1. Corporal of which I have spoken thine offended brother 2. Spiritual 1. Good God the Father and his Law and Prophets 2. Evil the Devil himself the father of lies and his law even wickedness Psal That God the Father and his Law are adversaries so long as they have any thing against us it 's evident Job 30.21 He complains to the Lord that he is become cruel to him and opposeth himself against him Thus the Law is our adversary Ephes 2.14 Col. 2.15 The evil adversary the Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. That good Adversary the Lord commands us here to agree withall is God the Father and his Law and Prophets while they have somewhat against us Agree with thine adversary i. e. satisfie thy Creditor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consent to his just demands thou art indebted to thy God pay thy Debt Reason It is the main scope of the Law and Gospel to bring men to the same mind and will with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includes both Reason 2. It follows in the Text from the ill consequence of disagreement with his adversary and we may add other Reasons hereunto See Notes on Matth. 22.21 Obser 1. We are debters unto God so what Matthew 6.12 calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our debts St. Luke 11. calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our sins for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God And we owe unto him his Image which is his glory As when our Lord said Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods so that we are debtors of this Image and indeed whatsoever else we have or are See Notes on Matth. 22.21 Obser 2. How poor we are How unable of our selves to satisfie our Creditor We have not one good thought towards it See Notes as before Obser 3. While we detain the things of God we render our selves enemies and adversaries to the Law of God Col. 1.21 Yea since the Lord sends unto us his Messengers to demand the debt and we abuse them and pay not our debts we become yet farther enemies and more oppose the Lord and become such as those Husbandmen are Matth. 21.33 39. with Matth. 23.37
of Elisha See Notes on Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Hearken to the Lord's rod. 3. Pray unto him Psal 69.15 Let not the pit shut her mouth upon me and Psal 142.7 Bring my soul out of prison c. Job 33.26 30. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 31 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it hath been said He who shall put away his wife let him give her a writing of divorcement But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery I Told you in the Preface to the opening of vers 27 28. That our Lord expounds the seventh Commandment and somewhat annexed thereunto having now expounded the seventh Commandment and given directions for the avoiding of Adultery and Fornication to extinguish the evil concupiscence which might foment and nourish this sin implied by plucking out the offensive eye cutting off the offensive hand and foot and all this at our utmost peril even of being cast into hell He now propounds and then expounds somewhat annexed to the seventh Commandment and that is concerning Divorce in the words I have read I shew'd in the beginning of our Lord's Expositions That it is not generally true which some conceive it to be That our Lord in this Sermon on the Mount intended only the confutation of the Pharisees false glosses and mis-interpretations of God's Law for we have seen hitherto that both the first and second instances are no other than the very Law of God in the sixth and seventh Commandments and our Lords Expositions of them have no way confuted them but added their inward and spiritual meanings thereunto that whereas the Law against Murder and Adultery was understood only to restrain the outward Act our Lord shews that those Laws reach even to the heart also wherefore it could not be his general scope howbeit I deny not but he meets with false glosses and misunderstandings of God's Law and such was this custom and practice of the Jews which we have now before us The words contain our Lords third instance wherein we have 1. A Law or pretence of a Law it hath been said 2. Our Lords exception and limitation of that Law or pretence of a Law in the former we have these particulars 1. It was usual and customary for the Jews to put away their Wives 2. Who so puts away his Wife must give her a writing of divorce 3. This was said usually among them 1. It was usual and customary for the Jews to put away their wives This is evident by what our Lord supposeth in his exception and limitation of this usage in the next verse But I say unto you c. as also by the Pharisees question put unto our Lord Mat. 19.3 Is it lawful for a man to put away his Wife for every cause They had no doubt such an usage but we must here enquire quo jure by what right they so did It 's true among men a long custome an usage of long time may become a Law But Nullum tempus occurrit Regi No time can prescribe custome to the Prince much less can the longest time introduce a custome against the King of Kings Was this his Law or not that men should put away their wives The Pharisees would intimate so much Mat. 19.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses mandavit commanded to give her a Bill of divorce No saith our Lord Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permisit permitted you to put away your Wives it was not then any command of God but a permission But every permission is to be reduced to one Law or other either Moral Judicial or Ceremonial To which of these was divorce to be reduced Surely it was a Politick and Civil Ordinance and Dispensation which is to be reduced to the Moral Law and to the seventh Commandment and therefore our Lord having discovered inward Adultery even by lusting after a woman he now shews who give occasion to commit Adultery even they who put away their Wives But for our more distinct proceeding we must know that this putting away was to be understood of Wives of the stock of Israel for otherwise a Wife taken from among the Captives might be put away Deut. 21.14 2. Nor doth this extend to all the Hebrew Wives for she who was forced before marriage by her Husband might not be put away Deut. 22.29 3. This permission or license of putting away was by reason of the hardness of their hearts Mat. 19. which may be understood two wayes either that the Lord and his servant Moses remitted somewhat of the strictness of the Law for a time lest the Husband should complain that he was yoaked without release or remedy 2. because men by their hardness of heart by their own Law or Act did love to be cut off This permission was not allowed in any Case except some nakedness or uncleanness as Deut. 24.1 2 3. The reason why men put away their Wives among the Jews and why there would be the like Divorces made among other Nations if the Laws did not hinder them the reason is because the parties are not duly and as they ought to be united and joyn'd together And this comes to pass by reason of a two-fold defect 1. One in regard of God 2. The other in regard of Nature 1. In regard of God marriage ought to be in him i. e. according to his Will and in his Fear in his Name wherein all things ought to be done especially Wedlock 1 Cor. 7.39 Let her marry to whom she will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only in the Lord. 2. There is also a defect in regard of Nature when Complexions and Constitutions are not considered but other causes and reasons incline parties one to the other of which more anon Obs 1. Here is presupposed that marriage is an Union and Knitting of Man and Wife together and that an intimate Union insomuch that Man and Wife is said to be one flesh Mat. 19. which words of our Saviour have reference unto that first Institution of Marriage Gen. 2. where we read That the Woman was taken out of the man Obs 2. How prone men are to break the Law of God as it appears in that most of God's Laws in the Decalogue are negative and above all Laws men are most apt to break the Law of Love one to another which yet the Lord himself in special is said to teach Thes 4.9 Ye are taught of God to love one another for having made of one blood all the Nations of men there is or ought to be in all men such a love as is wont to follow Consanguinity and Kindred and of all the Laws of Love men are prone to violate that which should bind them most which God gave to the Man in his Innocency upon the first contracting of marriage he shall cleave unto his
spirit 2 Cor. 5. Exhort Be we chast unto our true Husband thy Maker is thine husband See Notes on Gen. 2.18 1. He destroys all who commit Fornication against him Psal 73.27 2. Let there be a consideration of his Dignity He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings 3. There is in all living creatures a desire of perpetuity and immortality not only the sin it self is to be avoided but the danger and occasion of it to our selves and others The Apostle's exhortation is weighty let us judge this That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Rom. 14.13 3. Axiom Whosoever marries her who is divorced committeth Adultery This is an hard saying what shall an innocent woman whom her husband puts away out of the hardness of his heart and not for any default on her part shall such an one be debarr'd from a second marriage yea shall he who marrieth such a one without any other crime on his part be for so doing esteemed an Adulterer Surely as the Law speaks to them who are under the Law so the Gospel and the Author and subject of the Gospel speaks to those who are under the Gospel unto those our Lord's words are directed as to those who are obedient unto his doctrine So the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.10 11 12. Vnto the married I command yet not I but the Lord. Let not the wife depart from her husband but if she depart let her remain unmarried or be reconciled unto her husband this latter clause seems to be the Apostles Counsel and let not the husband put away his wife It is true this saying is hard to flesh and blood but it is an hard thing to be saved and flesh and blood shall not enter into the Kingdom of God The Disciples themselves thought it an hard saying and therefore when our Lord had treated on this very argument Mat. 19.9 at v. 10. His Disciples say unto him if the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry but our Lord answers all men receive not this saying It is not as our Translators read it all men cannot receive this saying there is neither may not nor cannot in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men receive not this saying but they to whom it is given Either men are born without desire of women or they are disabled for marriage by men or they have obtained of God that power over themselves for the Kingdom of God's sake There is no doubt but a man may do much more than he doth and few men endeavour and pray heartily unto God for power over their appetite which they secretly desire to follow Reason of this why he who marrieth her who is put away committeth Adultery may be considered 1. In regard of the Covenant of marriage and 2. in regard of the parties to be joyned together in that Covenant 1. As for the Covenant of marriage that stands firm unless it be broken by Fornication or Adultery and therefore if marriage be contracted where there is no such breach made he who marries her who is so divorced commits Adultery 2. As for the parties to be joyned together in the Covenant of marriage he who shall speedily marry her who is divorced he gives a ground of strong suspition that all was not right before divorce Toties quae nubit adultera lege est Such often I fear are those whom men call their seconds Besides what ever is contrary to marriage according to God's estimate is Adultery and so comprehended in the Commandment Obs 1. Here then are two mischiefs that follow upon divorce he that puts away his Wife except it be for Fornication causeth her to commit Adultery and he whosoever marrieth her who is divorced committeth Adultery Add hereunto what our Lord saith Mat. 19.9 He whosoever puts away his wife except it be for Fornication and marrieth another committeth Adultery that 's a third mischief that follows upon divorce and from every one of these incontinent and adulterous conjunctions commonly proceeds a respective bastardy and an adulterous generation How fruitful is sin Three kinds of Adultery proceed from divorce so true is that of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One absurdity granted a thousand follow O how good how seasonable how necessary a conflict is it principiis obstare by all good means by Faith by Prayer by Fasting by Self-denial by Patience and taking up our Cross to withstand evil motions in the beinning they are then but weak and in our power if we give them a way they 'l prove head-strong and too mighty for us to master them Obser 2. Marriage doth not alwayes priviledge married persons from Adultery here are three Adulteries committed by married persons Obser 3. We ought not only to take heed lest we our selves commit sin but lest we occasion others to commit sin also What can be more grievous not only to commit sin our selves but also to cause others to sin Every man hath burden enough of his own sin and hath little need to load himself with other mens sins Is it not enough that our Lord teacheth us to pray forgive us our trespasses but that we should draw upon our selves a necessity of praying Lord forgive us the sins and trespasses of other men whom we have provoked and occasioned to sin Mysticé He who marrieth her who is put away commits Adultery There is a Wife that is worthily put away even the evil thoughts thus ye read the thoughts compared to Eve 2 Cor. 11. These thoughts are to be divorced and put away the thought of foolishness is sin Prov. 24.9 vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 prophane thoughts as if the most Righteous God were with us and of the same mind with us as well in the sin as in the righteousness as well in evil doing as in well doing an arrant ranting principle the Lord reproves and divorceth such a Wife Psal 50.18 21. when thou sawest a thief c. and thou thoughtest that I was such a one as thy self of one mind with thee in thy thievery in thine adultery in thine evil speaking in thine obloquy and slander but I will reprove thee and the Lord be pleased to reprove all such thoughts and enable us to put them away as the wise man gives us counsel Ecclus. 25.26 cut her off c. when she is put away she must not be married again he that marries such a one that is so put away commits Adultery Mysticé What a good husband the Lord our God is unto his Spouse the Church He warrants her to call him her husband Hos 2.16 He will make a Covenant for her with the Creatures v. 16. yea a covenant of marriage with himself v. 19. and he hates putting away Axiom 4. Our Lord Jesus saith this I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication c. and he that marrieth her committeth adultery These words are a
are the more they answer to their pattern and the more they are to his honour when they abide in him and walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 Consolation to the true Spouse of Christ He hates putting away Mal. But alas the Lord requires a fair a beautiful a spotless Bride a Wife like himself pure as he is pure but I am impure and polluted When we look upon our pattern 2 Cor. 3. and behold the Lord Jesus Christ and then reflect upon our selves we seem deformed Cant. 1.6 I am black because the Sun hath looked upon me and Psal I am as a beast before thee Moses complains Exod. 4.10 I am not eloquent not a man of words since yesterday nor since the third day he explains himself since thou hast spoken to me Job 42.5 6. Now mine eyes see thee wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes But truly in this estate the Spouse is most fit for Christ when the soul knows and acknowledgeth with sorrow her own indignity and unworthiness then is she thought worthy of God Then was the Leper to be pronounced clean by the Priest when he was spread all over with the Leprosie Levit. 13. 1 John 1. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness 2 Cor. 12.7 10. When I am weak then I am strong The Lord speaks to the Church Ezec. 16.6 He minds her of her impurity When she was in her blood and naked and bare then was the time of love But can the Lord love me who am so deformed so unclean so unlovely Can the fairest of ten thousand love the Blackamore Such indeed the Church and every soul is before conversion unto God Are not ye as the Ethiopians unto me O ye Children of Israel Amos 9. This blackness in the Church is either in regard of sin whose contrary is the whiteness and beauty of holiness or 2. in regard of punishment of sin Job 30.30 or 3. in regard of sorrow for sin as a black garment is a sign of mourning Is it said in vain that Moses married the Ethiopian woman a Blackamore Moses was for a testimony of those things that were to be spoken afterwards Heb. 3.5 He was a notable type of Christ who married the Blackamore Eph. 5.25 26 27. But Moses was faithful only as a servant for a testimony c. Heb. 3.5 But Christ as a Son over his own house v. 6. The Lord saith of Solomon He shall be my Son and Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh Christ the Son purifieth his Church Eph. 5. Exhort Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved his Church It is the Apostle's Exhortation Ephes 5.24 as the Church is subject to Christ so let the Wives The Church owns Christ for her head doth his will obeys him takes heed of offending him such ought the wives to be to their own husbands Christ bears or bears with the sins of his Church hath compassion on it nourisheth it comforts it instructs it he hates putting away yea he recalls and renews his love toward penitent and converting souls even such ought husbands to be unto their wives Exhort Let us all be chast and faithful to our true and faithful husband the Lord Jesus Christ NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 33 34 35 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne Nor by the earth for it is his foot-stool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the Great King Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black THese words contain the third instance of our Lord out of the Law which was spoken to them of old time Herein from verse 33 to the 37 we have our Lords instance out of the Law and his Exposition added thereunto In the former we have a command 1. Negative 2. Affirmative 1. Negative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not forswear 2. Affirmative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but shal◠perform to the Lord thy oaths Wherein we have these Divine Axioms 1. Thou shalt not forswear thy self 2. Thou shalt perform to the Lord thine oath 3. From the diversity Thou shalt not But 4. This was said to them of old time 5. Again this was said to them c. 1. Thou shalt not forswear thy self Before we can know what it is to forswear we must know what it is to swear Generally as common to all people and all kind of oaths to swear is Religiosa affirmatio a Religious affirmation so that affirming here is as largely taken as asseveration may be so that it comprehends negation or denial also of what is false It 's a Religious affirmation so that religious involves an obligation or binding him that swears unto God as an avenger of false oaths This is swearing according to the common apprehension of all men who have any knowledge of God And it is enough to premise as positive that we may the better understand what it is to forswear I shall more particularly speak of swearing in the next point What is it then to forswear We borrow the word of our neighbours the Low Dutch Versuearen where Ver answers to for and per in perjurium pejero which is malè juro and answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek which signifieth depravation and perversion of any thing To forswear then is to swear falsly or rashly or wickedly by the Name of the Lord The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coerceo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who swears restrains himself within bounds of truth He who forswears transgresseth and passeth over those bounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra vel super vel contra sign 'T is doubted whence this speech is taken out of the Decalogue or out of some other Laws elsewhere repeated some conceive it taken out of Levit. 19.12 where there is express mention of swearing and prohibition of swearing falsly by the name of the Lord which is all one with forswearing in the Text yet I doubt not to affirm that this Precept is contain'd in the Decalogue both in Exod. 20. and Deut. 5. in the third Commandment For though some conceive that by taking the Name of God in vain is meant only the swearing by God's name without necessity without just cause vainly so the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which St. Cyprian turns in vain vainly Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rashly yet indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render in vain in the third Commandment the very same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to be no more than Yea yea and Nay nay so that for men to embellish and inlay their Communication with oaths it makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it soures the Christian Communication 2. Our Lord points signanter at his Disciples when he saith Let your communication be Yea yea Nay nay for the communication of Christ's Disciples among themselves ought to be no more for what need is there that they who deny themselves take up their Cross and follow the Lord Jesus in humility patience c. are of one heart and one soul c. Surely among such men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their life and manners is more credible than other mens oaths Yea were there any such person among them who could not believe without swearing certainly they were unworthy of that Society But we must also understand that the people of God have not to deal and live and communicate only among themselves but they must converse even with wicked men 1 Cor. 5.10 Otherwise they must go out of the world They must therefore have to do with Heathenish men who nor know nor can discern of the Christian life yea hate it But because an Oath is held to be the greatest Obligation therefore the wicked desire an oath for their security Thus Abimelech desired an oath of Abraham Gen. 21.29 and of Isaac Gen. 26.28 29. and Laban of Jacob Gen. 31.44 the Egyptian of David 1 Sam. 30.15 Among such since we must converse or go out of the world an oath is necessary when we chuse it not but it 's forced upon us And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to swear is passive to be sworn According to which the Apostle saith Heb. 6.16 Men verily swear by the greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Esay 65.16 It is the Law of the Lord Exod. 23.4 5. If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring him back unto him again and if thou see the Ass of him that hates thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him or as it is in the Margent thou wouldest cease to leave thy business for him And how much is a man to be preferred before an Oxe or an Ass how much is a man better than a beast saith our Lord Since therefore we meet not an Oxe or an Ass but many men going astray and following their erroneous Consciences which bring them under burdens unsupportable burdens ought we not to leave our business and go and help them I know what business I leave to help these men and shall return unto it if God Almighty give life and opportunity But the only thing I fear is that these men will not help with me so the Text Thou shalt help with it Now if these men will not help themselves how can any man help with them Against this Doctrine Objections are made some by men of erroneous Consciences who fear an Oath others by men of large Consciences who are prone to swear ye heard one Objection of the former sort before that I spake of these words from the Law of the only Law-giver he saith I say unto you swear not at all And if he command who can countermand I Answer our Lord would not command nor prohibit any thing against the Law of God but to prohibit swearing universally is contrary to the Law of God which that we may understand we must know that in the Decalogue God's commands are most of them Negatives and every Negative hath its respective Affirmative Add to that which hath been spoken the consideration of the last and best end of all our actions whatsoever ye do 1 Cor. 10.31 do all to the glory of God that God in all things may be glorified 1 Pet. 4.11 Now can we speak any thing that makes more for the glory of God than an Oath duly taken whereby God the searcher of all our hearts and reines is called to witness that which none of his Creatures knew whereby we glorifie God's omnisciency when he brings to light the hidden things of darkness 2. We glorifie his justice when we call upon him and pray that he will punish him who lies or deceives 3. We glorifie his mercy when we acknowledge him the rewarder of them who do well Now the Lord Jesus whose main business it was in the dayes of his flesh to glorifie his Father upon earth John 17.4 Who glorified not himself but his father Heb. 5.5 He could not forbid an Oath duly taken which bringeth so much honour and glory unto God Obser 2. The Devil is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evil One as if he did or could do all evil to men or in men whereas he hath indeed a most malicious and evil will but no power at all but what is permitted unto him as appeareth by the History of Job and by the lieve he beg'd to enter into the Swine The Lord himself is summum bonum the chief good but non datur summum malum The Lord reserves to himself a power to restrain all inferiour powers Nor hath the evil one any power at all to cause evil in us unless we yield unto him He can tempt and hath his name from tempting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he did nothing else but tempt unto sin and lusts but he cannot cause us to embrace his lusts unless we our selves will John 8. Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do It is true men lay the blame of all their sins upon him but he can do no more than tempt them unto sin If we resist him he flyes from us resist the Devil and he will fly from you Obser 3. If we ought not to swear because occasionally an oath comes from the Evil One how much rather ought we to abstain from such evil as the Devil positively and directly is the cause of as lying killing c. Obser 4. Evil is from the Evil One. Let your communication be Yea yea c. but whatsoever is more than these cometh of the evil one Obser 5. The will of our Lord is that all our words and works should be spoken and wrought in him and proceed from him not from the evil one but from the good one who is the one and only good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly and essentially and therefore he is called Goodness Hos 3.5 fear the goodness of the Lord John 3.21 He that doth truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God and so must words also for whatsoever we do in word or deed we are to do all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Col. 3.17 Is it then the will of the Lord that his Disciples should be fools surely no but to be the wisest of men to out-wit to be more wise than the Devil himself is crafty Scire malum non
good to them that hate him and to excite and stir us up who call our selves his children to be like unto him herein Obser 6. The course of Nature is not unalterable which conceit is one ground of Atheism The world is not so disposed and set in such an immutable course but that it may admit of changes according to the will of its Maker a free Agent in whose hand and power it is God makes the Sun to arise he can make it to stand still or go backward or forward profer was made of both by Esay to Hezekiah And whereas Ahaz was bidden to ask a sign in heaven surely that had been in the Sun or Moon or other heavenly bodies as unalterable in course of Nature as the Sun is Obser 7. Hence we may justly wonder at the large bowels and compassions and mercies of our God towards his enemies He makes his Sun to arise upon the evil and upon the evil first the evil are first named and indeed 1. because there are more evil than good and the wicked prosper more in the world than the good and have a greater share in the world than the good have in this respect he may be said to make his Sun to arise rather on the evil than on the good Mysticé Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The brightness of his Fathers glory God is light and Christ is light of light Exhort 1. To the Evil that they sin not against the light 2. To the Good that they walk as children of the light Mysticé The Lord makes his Sun of Righteousness to arise upon the Evil and upon the Good for the Son of God who is the Sun of Righteousness enlightneth every man that cometh into this world John 1.9 In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun c. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Giant to run a race Psal 19. Rom. 10.18 Vpon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Job 25.3 Obj. But here some will except and say that the Sun of Righteousness only ariseth upon those that fear the Lords Name Mal. 4.2 Answ Know we therefore that the light of the Divine Sun is either his preventing or following Illumination his preventing or consequent Grace both Joh. 1.8 9. His preventing Grace appeareth to all He hath shewn thee O man Man is taken as largely as Adam for that 's the word there Mich. 6.8 what is good to do justly c. The Grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared unto all men That is John the Grace of the Lord as his name signifieth if this Grace did not appear unto the evil how could it be said that he enlightens every man coming into this world and Titus 2.11 How could evil men be unexcusable before God unless they had some Grace vouchsafed unto them which should take away all excuse How could they be said to sin against the light unless the light had shined unto them Joh. 15.22 If I had not spoken unto them they had had no sin If a man will rather yield himself to be hood-wink'd and blinded by the Prince of darkness than that he will open his eyes and see the light of Life as those do in whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes c. If a man wilfully shut his eyes against the light or shut the casement or draw the curtain and keep out the light surely he makes himself unexcusable that he sees not the light and may be truly said to sin against the light if he oppose or turn from such illumination the means of knowing God as God affords him As for the following words ye read it in the next words Looking for the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of the grace of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. The Sun brings with it all the active and seminal vertues and powers of all Herbs and Plants in the earth and draws them forth so doth the Son of Righteousness bring with it all enlivening and quickning power to elicite and draw forth all what is good in us That our light may shine before men Obser 2. All things fall alike to all men Eccles 9.2 Obser 3. It is no certain adequate evidence of God's Child that these common gifts of God are given to him The Lord raineth upon the just and unjust Reason The same as in the former the same care of all the same necessity of the Creature the Lord here testifieth his love Acts 14. He gives men rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling mens hearts with food and gladness that they might seek out God and his goodness might lead them to repentance In regard of the good and just that they might be more confirmed and know the end of these outward dispensations of God Psal 4.6 7. Object This is not alwayes so for Amos 4.7 8. there the Reason is given that men should turn to the Lord. Obser 4. Natural effects are ascribed to the God of Nature Pluit tonat ningit grandinat Rain thunder snow and hail Proceed from him that ruleth all We ought to acknowledge these Can any of the vanities of the Gentiles give rain Jer. 14.22 Rain is either 1. Natural or 2. Spiritual and that 1. either Good or 2. Evil. Mysticé The Lord makes his Spiritual rain the rain of his Word to fall upon the Just and upon the Unjust even his Word which is as the rain Regeneration and the New Birth that we are born again is from above John 3. Except a man be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above I am from above saith the Son of God Obser 4. Sun and Sun-light and Rain are from above from God Every good and perfect gift the fruits of the earth Repreh On whom the Lord rains yet they bring forth no fruit Heb. 6. Rain stands and sinks not in either stony places or where the earth is full Consol This is my condition many so complain when there is no cause when by their good fruits they are known Exhort Neglect not the Word Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepè cadendo Sic homo fit justus non vi sed saepè monendo The drops do wear the stone by often dropping on 't So men become reform'd when God is minded oft Obj. But I am that earth that is near unto burning Answ Wherefore doth he say near but that we should be awakened and stirred up to prevent it that we come no nearer whose end is to be burned The Servants of Benhadad watched for a word out of the Kings mouth Such is this of burning Obser 6. Consider both together Sun and Rain the greatest blessing this is soon discerned if either apart without the other an heavy judgment The Sun scortcheth and burneth up the fruits of the earth The rain is also sometimes a curse Ezech. 38. Exhort Do good to them that hate you Hereby we advance God's end 2. It 's the most powerful and effectual way 3. If it do not
Blasphemer obtained Mercy Dan. 3. yea he blesseth the most high God and decrees the greatest punishment against those who should blaspheme him v. 28 29. And Simon Magus having blasphemed must pray that the thought of his heart might be forgiven him Acts 8.22 23 24. Reason 1. The mercy goodness and forbearance of God Rom. 2.4 1 Tim. 1. 2. Because sins and blasphemies against the Father drawing by the cords of his love may proceed from ignorance Numb 15.25 because I did it ignorantly 3. It may also proceed from weakness Rom. 8.3 and thus 1 Joh. 2.12 13. All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men our Lord saith not shall be forgiven unto some men but unto men that is all men who repent and believe and obey the Gospel The word is taken indifferently as appears by places of like sence 1 Tim. 2.4 Tit. 2.11 2 Pet. 3.9 Obser 1. The great Grace and Mercy of God the Father unto mankind Tit. 3.4 Obser 2. If God be so Gracious that through his Grace all sin and blasphemy is forgiven unto men 1 Joh. 4.11 how ungrateful is man who forgives no sin or offence to man no evil speaking against himself a cross word a little disrespect a small detriment or loss cools all love Obser 3. Blasphemy against the Spirit is not forgiven in this world nor in the world to come The blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blasphemy of the Spirit which may be understood two wayes first as this blasphemy proceeds from the mans spirit as the spirit of the man is the cause of the blasphemy and so this blasphemy of the spirit proceeds not from ignorance as that of Paul nor from passion as men of a pettish disposition in their hasty anger sometime blaspheme but out of their Spirit out of the inclination incitement and drift of the highest part of the Soul which is called the Spirit So that the blasphemy of the spirit imports besides the blasphemy the cause of it the promptness and readiness of the mans spirit to blaspheme And the words may well bear this sence for as for blasphemy against the holy Spirit the grievousness of that sin is set down expresly vers 32. As for these words they are not so in the Greek or Latin as we read them in our English for whereas we read holy spirit ye perceive it 's a Supplement in your last Translation And Beza confesseth that he added it to the Text. And whereas we read blasphemy against the holy Spirit there is no against in the Greek or Latin but only blasphemia spiritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this first interpretation of the words not only Cajetane gives but also Diodati in his Notes to the Italian Bible 2. Howbeit because I find the other reading in the Syriack and Arabick in high and low Dutch as also in the Spanish and French Bibles I shall not so adhere unto the former as to reject the other which we have in our Translation Blasphemy against the holy Spirit shall not be forgiven and in this sense the spirit is taken for the third person in the Deity Thus blasphemy against the truth of God clearly known whereof the conscience is convinced is blasphemy against the spirit of God And such seems to be the blasphemy of the Scribes and Pharisees here understood 3. Though all sin and blasphemy be forgiven to men yet this speech seems to some to be an Hebraism like that Mat. 5.18 with Luk. 16.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 54.10 The mountains shall remove This howsoever true yet for the reasons before given I conceive the words positively to be understood Obser 1. Peccata non sunt paria All sins are not alike Obser 2. Though our God be most merciful yet his punitive justice or severity sets bounds unto his mercy 3. Obser Behold the goodness and severity of God how good is he unto all men The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious Behold his Goodness but withal behold his Severity He will not acquit the guilty Behold his Goodness All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men But behold also his Severity Blasphemy against the spirit shall not be forgiven unto men Thus the wisdom of God by his Goodness keeps men from despair and by his Severity keeps them from presumption And therefore neither the upper nor the nether milstone must be given to pawn Deut. 24.6 Repreh Mens rash judgement concerning things which they know not There are many secrets in Nature which are not known ordinarily unto men but are gotten by great study and industry O how much more hidden are the secrets of God which he makes known unto those that fear him Psal 25. yet how rashly how unadvisedly do men judge of both What else do they who impute the Sanatio magnenetica by unguentum hopliatricum the cure by the weapon-salve to the Devil himself Have they forgotten what the Psalmist speaks Psal 72.18 that God alone doth wondrous things if these be his wondrous works in Nature dare they honour the Devil with them The like we may say of the influences of the Planets and Constellations which have a truth in Nature whatever the Professors of that Science are This is near the sin of the Pharisees here who ascribed Christ's Miracles wrought by Divine Power unto the Devil What less do they who speak evil of many precious Truths of God which they know not and call them errours and ascribe them to the spirit of errour which are truly proper unto the spirit of God God grant such men pardon for they speak what they do ignorantly in unbelief Repreh Merciless and ignorant men who because they have received thoughts of Christ according to the flesh what ever they hear contrary to their partial and narrow conceivings they call blasphemy Why because a company of men have agreed together in the meaning of some Scriptures which out of their private spirit and interpretation they have imposed upon them and what is so contrary to these must be blasphemy let them take heed rather lest they themselves blaspheme Exhort Let the patience and long-suffering of our God win upon us O let it lead us unto repentance O let us remember the many ignorances of God and his Truth his Wayes or Works our many frailties while yet under the Discipline of the Father Esay 45.4 5. I have sirnamed thee and girded thee 2 Esdr 1.22 23. Hos 11.1 4. Act. 13.18 Margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him 1. Who is this Son of man 2. What is it to speak a word against the Son of man 1. The Son of man is no other than the Lord Jesus according to his humanity who therefore calls himself by that Name not only thereby to signifie that he took part of flesh and blood Heb. 2. but also more
all the holy ones of God the adhesion cleaving and uniting our hearts unto the living God that 's Hebron This is also in a mountain Heb. 12. and in the Tribe of Judah praising and glorifying our God and confessing to his name and singing Hallelujahs for ever Yea the Lord Jesus prayeth for his persecutors and murderers Father forgive them c. This is proper to the Christian Spirit as appears Luke 9.56 they as yet were of a legal spirit Abels blood cryed from the earth Zachariah the son of Jehojada 2 Chron. 24.22 Jer. 11.20 and 20.12 But what saith our Lord of whom Esay 53.5 Father forgive them And Stephen Acts 7. Christs Blood of sprinkling speaks better things than that of Abel This is the strength of the spirit of Jesus which rejoiceth in tribulation so S. Paul prays for the Colossians Col. 1.11 that they may be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness Exhort If murders proceed out of the heart let us in our hearts suppress them let us mortifie our earthly members let us deal with them as they have dealt with the Lord Jesus and with our souls See notes on Hebrews 1. Let us use our enemies weapons for his destruction and turn his ordinance upon him slay Saul with his own sword wrath is murder be angry and sin not hatred is murder hate thine own sinful life crucify those evil affections and lusts which have crucified the Lord Jesus James 5. Ye have condemned and killed the just one and he doth not resist you be patient therefore unto the coming of the Lord. Our Lord neither by precept nor example commands any retaliation or revenge unto us Let all your doings be done in charity 1 Cor. 16.14 Moses intreated Hobab Love to go along with them all their way Numb 10.29 Out of the heart proceed Adulteries and Fornications The wise mans advice Eccles 11.10 Remove sorrow or anger in the Margin from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh tends to the moderating of the irascible or wrathful passions as also that of the concupiscible Our Lord therefore having discovered the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in wrath and anger he in the next place proceeds to the removal of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil concupisence I shall speak of both these together in one axiom or proposition as the Lord hath forbidden them both by one and the same Law for although the sins in nature differ one from the other Hos 4.14 and in degree one is more grosly sinful than the other and consequently they differ in their respective punishments for Adultery was punished by death not so Fornication unless in the daughter of the Priest Levit 21.9 Deut. 22.22 Yet because all uncleanness is forbidden in the seventh Commandment and concupiscence under the grossest kind I shall speak together of both but let us enquire a part 1. what is Adultery and 2. what is Fornication 1. What is Adultery 2. How doth Adultery proceed out of the heart 1. Adultery is the violating of the faith plighted in Matrimony which because it is broken by appoaching unto anothers bed our Latine Criticks will have it called Adulterium quasi ad alterius torum which because it is extremely unseemly and the cause of great and manifold inconveniences the Greek word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Greek Etymologist compounds of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseemly and inconvenient because the Adulterer doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things unseemly and inconvenient by which kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle expresseth other sins of the flesh Rom 1.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseemliness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are inconvenient Eph. 4.2 Or otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adulterer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who violates and breaks the bonds of unity the bond of the house whence the husband hath his name And therefore to commit Adultery in the German tongue is called Ee or Ehe-breaken the violation and breach of marriage or of unity as that word also signifieth implying thus much that Adultery breaks the bond of wedlock betwixt man and wife and between God and us whence that of the Poet Legitimi rumpere vincla tori Repreh Who sooth and flatter themselves with an opinion of their own chastity toward their spiritual husband because they have no outward idols entertain no rivals The Israelites were in this condition when Hosea reproved them Hos 9.1 and when Ezechiel chap. 6. And they came with great confidence to enquire of the Lord Ezech. 14. confer with Rom. 7.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fornications which the Greek Etymologists derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sell implying that the Fornicator or Fornicatrix prostitutes his and her body and sets them to sale and sell themselves to commit wickedness And happily Fornication may come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though some deduce it from fornix a dark and obscure place wherein they committed their Fornication whence the Satyrist Lenorum pueri quocunque in fornice nati Why come these out of the heart The progress of these out of the heart is more notable than any of the former for herein consists the difference between the apprehensive powers and faculties and the concupiscible and appetitive between those which enter into the man and those which proceed out of the man Obs 1. Note here what a Brothel house what an arrant stew the heart of the lascivious and unchast person is all Adulteries all Fornications all uncleannesses are acted in it Obs 2. A man may be an Adulterer and a Fornicator yet not know a woman and the like may be said of a woman Our Lord teacheth us so much Matth. 5.28 yea and at sometimes punisheth the Lust when it hath proceeded no farther than the heart Gen. 12.17 And the Poet tells us Quae quia non liceat non fuit illa facit Vt jam servans bene corpus Adultera mens est Omnibus exclusis intus Adulter erit Incesta est sine stupro quia cupit stuprum Obs 3. The Law belongs unto Christian men and women Obs 4. It s a spiritual Law See notes on Rom. 7. Obs 5. The great extent of the Law ibid. Obs 6. The excellency of the Christian Righteousness ibid. Repreh 1. Who confine the Law of God unto the letter only See as above Repreh 2. Who know that the Law of God is spiritual and reacheth even to the heart and spirit vide as above Obs 7. The Lord Jesus knows the secrets of our hearts He saith Adulteries and Fornications proceed out of the heart He sees the obscene and filthy lusts of the Letchers which lodge there To see and know these is in it self no sin our Lord Jesus saw them knew them judged them yet without sin yea Christianus salvis oculis foeminam videt animo adversus libidinem Caecus est
or if I have laid wait at my neighbours door then c. for this is an heinous crime an iniquity to be punished by the Judges for it is a fire that consumes to destruction and would root out all mine increase Job 31.11 12. where mark how God the Judge frustrates the ends men aim at in these foolish and wicked actions they aim at increase of Children and these practises root out their increase and so the Lord threatens those who commit this folly and wickedness Lev. 20.20 They shall bear their sin they shall die Childless and again vers 21. They shall dye Childless Exhort Be faithful to our Maker who hath vouchsafed to style himself our husband Sign Vxor coruscat radiis mariti Can we appeal unto him as the Church does Psal 44. Means against Adulteries and Fornications against our God They are both of one kind and the same means will be serviceable for the avoiding of both 1. froward thoughts seperate from God Wisd 1.3 therefore Esay 55.7 Let the wicked man forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts c. and return unto me 2. Bacchus Venus Vinum cause and promove this sin 3. There is a drunkenness that is not with wine even a drunkenness with vain and false Opinions 4. Fulness of bread even the word which they practise not therefore it follows 5. Abundance of idleness 6. Above all look to our eyes Oculi sunt in Amore Duces Num. 15.38 Exhort To live soberly temperately and chastly holily and righteously in the time of our health wealth honour and generally in the time of our prosperity it will be our great solace and comfort when any calamity befalls us This was Job's Consolation in the midst of all his miseries and afflictions Job 31. and Hezekiah when the Prophet told him he must now die Yea to shame many who would be thought and called Christians yet spend their time of prosperity in riot lasciviousness and unchastity Zenophon gives them far better counsel when he saith That God is most of all to be worshipped and served in our prosperity when all things go well with us that we may the more securely trust in him when adversity befalls us that we may then call upon him with greater confidence and assurance to be heard of him when we have so lived that we know that he is propitious good and loving to us Out of the heart proceed Thefts Our Lord in the former word discovered that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The evil concupiscence which is called the lust of the flesh 1 Joh. 2. He now makes discovery of another evil concupiscence which is called the lust of the eyes The word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render theft our English word is from the Saxon which hath affinity with the Latin ferre or auferre to bear or carry away as also with the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a thief And because what is stoln is anothers the thief hides what he steals whence the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide Theft largely understood is an unlawful taking away of that which is anothers whether it be done secretly and so he who offends is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or openly and violently and so he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have both together Joh. 10.1 Reason It is first forged there for when the eye makes report of what is desirable unto the heart the heart consents and so follows the eye Josh 7. Achan confesseth this method of thievery unto Joshua Obser 1. The heart is a den of thieves Obser 2. A man may be an arrant thief yet non contrectare rem alienam not handle not touch his neighbours goods When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst to him Psal 50.21 The thief enters in at the windows The Lord presently adds these things hast thou done they are res gestae things which the man hath done though he never put forth his hand to do them Mich. 2.1 2. This is a truth so well known that even out of the dictates of the Law of Nature a Civilian reports it Aulus Gellius lib. 1. cap. 18. quam castè quam religiosè c. we must not omit saith he how chastly how religiously theft hath been defended by our wisest Lawyers Then he tells us out of Sabinus Meminisse debemus furtum sine ulla quaque attrectatione fieri posse sola mente atque animo at furtum fiat annitente Latro est etiam antequam inquinet manus saith Seneca and the same fecit quisque quantum voluit And that of the Poet Has patitur poenas peccandi sola voluntas Nam scelus intrà se tantùm qui cogitat ullum Facti nomen habet Obser 3. There are distinct Dominions Rights and proper Interests in Temporal Things how else can there be thefts since theft is the taking away of that which is anothers if it be anothâ—rs then hath that other a proper right in it which he may call his he hath Dominion over it power to use it spend it alien or sell it Hence it is that the Lord requires in every believer contentation 1 Tim. 6.8 That having food and rayment he be therewithal content Yea the Lord will that every one be provident for time to come Prov. 30.25 The Ants prepare their meat That he may make provision for himself and his house that he be not burdensome to others 2 Cor. 8.12 13. Yea so provident a man ought to be that he may have wherewith to defray publick charges of the Common-wealth Mat. 22.21 that he may supply the necessities of the poor Saints according to brotherly love 2 Cor. 8.12 That he may have to give to him that needeth Eph. 4.28 according to common love Now where there is no proper interest no meum tuum in the world no man could call any thing his own or use it spend or sell it nor should any man have any estate wherewithal he should be content nor would there be any buying or selling giving or receiving borrowing or lending Obser 4. This Right is not founded in Grace so that a man who hath Grace may take away that which is another mans who hath no Grace Our Lord determin'd this long ago when he forbad his own Gracious People to intermeddle with the Land of the graceless Edomites Moabites and Ammonites and that they should by no means invade their possessions and his reason is convictive Deut. 2. which yet will appear more forcible if we consider the end why the Lord gives his temporal good things to graceless men That they might seek out God that they may repent Rom. 2. Know'st thou not that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance If these two things be granted that the Dominion and Right unto temporal things is founded in Grace 2. That a man may be his own judge who is
Disciples whereof this one is most notable should on purpose amuse them or leave them in uncertainties even then when he would most of all inform them for shall we think the Loâ—d Jesus would promise his Disciples such a sign and not give an understanding unto them what that sign should be Our Phylosophy tells us that Nature doth nothing in vain and shall God and Christ do a thing of so great consequence in vain And what though the Scripture here do not determine what this sign is yet it is not in vain to enquire elsewhere in Scripture and compare Scripture with Scripture lest declining this search as vain we expose our selves to the just censure of ignorance or negligence Mysticé There had been a want and desire of one of the dayes of the Son of Man in the world Luk. 17.22 and what day is that but the day of his love which is a token or sign which our Lord gives whereby his Disciples shall be known Joh. 13. This is the third day of the Son of Man the first Fear the second Faith and this third Love which hath been long wanting to the world and is declared in this token sign or ensign of the Son of Man in Heaven for so as a King coming in Majesty and Glory hath his Ensign or Banner going before him even such is the coming of the Lord Jesus in the latter part of the verse and therefore here must precede and go before him his Banner and Ensign which is his LOVE Cant. 2.4 But what ever men may think of the outward Cross I shall not doubt to say that hereby is meant the inward and spiritual Cross of Christ opened in the Heaven or heavenly Being which was never so opened as it hath been of late and it is high time it should be opened for it is hardly known what the true Cross of Christ is though every one pretending Christianity professeth he taketh up his Cross daily and follows the Lord Jesus when yet he knows not what the true Cross of Christ is See Notes on Phil. 2.8 The bearing of the Cross is the Christian patience Observ 1. Observe the subtilty of Satan for the preservation of his own Kingdom See Notes on Phil. 2.8 This may perswade belief that it 's possible such an apparition of Christ on the Cross may have been made unto the Germans among whom those precedent signs have been fulfilled and who have suffered so great tribulation for about thirty years 3. The sign of the Son of Man shall then appear when all the signs formerly mentioned have had their precedency and foregoing Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man The signs preceding are 1. Impostors and Deceivers which come in the Name of Christ and shall deceive many 2. Wars for Religion with their effects 3. Persecutions of the Saints 4. The abounding of iniquity with the decay of LOVE 5. The preaching of the Gospel in the whole world 6. The discovery of the Abomination of Desolation 7. A woe to them that preach the Gospel and the great tribulation of those dayes 8. The darkning of the Luminaries and the old Heavens for as when Man the less world is growing old and dying his sight fails him even so it comes to pass in the great world when now the fashion of it is passing away the Sun and Moon and Stars which are the eyes of it grow dim Indeed the true Sun which is Christ himself by reason of our ignorance and unbelief is darkned and the Moon of Mans Reason gives not her light and the Stars of false light fall thick upon the earth and the powers of the old Heavens are shaken Then the world is to be taught anew and learn a new lesson and begin with the Cross of Christ then appears the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven even the Cross of Christ an effectual means to make all the Tribes of the Earth mourn 4. All the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn These words contain the effect of the apparition and are so disposed by Divine Artifice and Wisdom that they may be understood either of the People of the Land of Israel or of the Inhabitants of the whole Earth 1. As they are understood of the People of the Land of Israel so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the twelve Tribes of Israel that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly is a Rod or Sprout growing out of the stock of a Tree whereof because they made their Staves the word signifieth a Staff it answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 20.37 2. Such a Staff as Kings and Princes use which they call a Scepter whence it 's taken for Dominion and Power Zach. 10.11 The Scepter of Aegypt shall depart away Chald. Paraphrast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dominion 3. And as branches growing from one stock such are Tribes springing from one Father as the twelve Tribes of Jacob or Israel Thus a Tribe was greater than a Family a Family than an House so that all the People of Israel were divided into Tribes a Tribe was divided into Families and a Family into Houses howbeit sometimes a Tribe is all one with a Family as Judg. 20. the Tribes of Israel sent men into all the Tribes of Benjamin i. e. the Families of Benjamin These are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendered either the Tribes of the Land i. e. the Land of Israel or else the Tribes of the Earth Our Lord foretells that all the Tribes of the Land shall mourn Mourning is not all one with grief but an effect of grief and an outward expression of it The word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to strike to cut to wound for whereas grief may be divers wayes expressed The two more usuall expressions are 1. By weeping and crying out voce flebili effusa dolorem suum aperire saith the Critick 2. By beating the breast the head the face or other part of the body and this is the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used It answers to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to smite the breast or other part of the body by reason of grief and because grief may proceed from divers causes and provocations of it the word here used properly signifieth those gestures and motions which are used to express grief and sorrow for the dead Gen. 23.2 and 50 10. Jer. 16.6 Ezech. 24.16 17. These gestures of mourning are natural expressions of grief for the dead as Iliad 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And one of the Latin Poets Nudaque marmoreis percussit pectora palmis Ovid. And another Vnguibus ora soror foedans nunc pectora pugnis Virg. And Apul. Moestaque crines pendulos quatiens interdum pugnis obtundens ubera As these words concern the Tribes of the Land of Israel the reason is evident they had Crucified the Lord Jesus Act. 2.23.36.3.14
with righteousness shall he judge the poor and argue or reprove with equity for the meek of the earth that he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked and 54.17 Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn Psal 98.9 For he cometh he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Where we have an Article of the Christian Faith but no ground or footstep for any bodily presence of Christ 2. We know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh this testimony we have often in the Evangelists Matth. 24. Luk. 12. Mark 13. Revel 3. and 16. The Reason is alledged by the Lord himself Act. 1. Because the Father hath put the times and seasons in his own power Matth. 24. of the day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels but the Father only For since there is a place and time for mercy toward penitent sinners as the sentence and punishment due to their sin may be reversed so may the time of the judgment be reversed also and so be kept secret and hidden from us Yea the reason also may be from the iniquity of foolish and wicked men that they may be surprized and taken in their own wickedness as the Lord himself gives warning Luk. 12.39 This know that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken through So Luk. 17.26 30. As in the days of Noah and Lot so shall the coming of the Son of man be they eat they drank they married and gave in marriage until the time c. that Noah entred into the Ark c. Nor is there here any ground of just complaint that wicked men are surprised so uncertainly since all have been warned timely to be prepared Yea Reason may be given of this in regard of all men for were a set and certain time reveiled when the Son of Man would come preparation would be deferred until that time And therefore since the day and hour is left by divine Wisdom indefinite and undetermined that so we may be ready not only when the judge shall come but always according to that 1 Joh. 2.28 And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming and what it is to abide in him we may see in the 6. Verse of that Chap. He that faith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk as he walked This may silence that presumptuous Spirit of Opinion that notwithstanding this assertion of our Lord will yet positively define a day and an hour when the Son of Man shall come proud spirits the Prophet tells us that secret things belong to the Lord our God but these intrude into Gods secrets and will have all things belong to them Hence may be reproved those who watch and keep a strict guard against all outward force but mean time lie exposed to the assaults of all enemies within O what fears what careful thoughts what searchings there have been what vigilancy and watchfulness to prevent and hinder all plots and designs of men contrarily affected But as for the Adversary the Devil his main design goes on still in mens hearts uninterrupted in Envy malice Bitterness Hatred Revenge c. these enemies against which the main watch ought to be kept every man cherishes in his own heart these enemies of the Soul as David calls them they live and are mighty and these are they which make the times perillous 2 Tim. 3.1 while Israel provided against Jericho and Ai they mistrusted not nor observed Achan the cause of trembling and gnashing of teeth as Achan signifies The 1. Reason of our Invitation or Exhortation to Watching may be from the Authority of the Captain of our Salvation it is his word of Command I say unto all Watch the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Etymologist brings from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to raise up from sickness as Jam. 5.15 at the prayer of faith the Lord will raise up the sick also from the dead 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing also that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us also by Jesus and to stand up as a Watchman is called in the Latin Vigilo which is either from vigeo or vi agere to act with all ones strength or might as he who is raised from the spiritual Malady of Sin or death he acts vigorously and performs the works of righteousness according to what the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 15. awake to righteousness and sin not the Metaphor is taken from military affairs and their night-watches 't is reported of the Romans that they had in their Army those which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which lay outmost and did agmen claudere kept the guard and watch for the whole army 2. Reason may be considered in regard of the Objects watching implies such a strenuous acting which may invite us to enquire about what objects it is to be imployed and that either for the keeping increasing and obtaining of good or for preventing of evil or mischief 1. For the keeping and obtaining of good Ezra 8.29 Watch ye and keep them until ye weigh them before the chief priests and Revel 16.15 Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame 2. The evil to be prevented by watching is two fold either irrepens or incidens as the Civilian distinguishes them which answer to two other in our Law an Inconvenience or a Mischief 1. The Inconvenience creeps and steals upon us as a thief in the night and to such a one the Lord likens himself at his coming 2. Or else the Evil is incident as the Apostle speaks of that wrath which fell upon the Jews to the utmost 1 Thess 2.16 our watching ought to be in regard of both these Note hence the common Profession of all believers in Christ they ought to watch it 's their common duty to watch what I say unto you I say unto all watch The Christian Life is no state of Security as they say of the Civil Law Lex non est scripta oscitantibus sed vigilantibus so it may be said of the Divine Law and the voyce of the Gospel is Watch and pray these duties imply peril and fear not security and ease 3. Because we know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh therefore we ought to watch Because we know no certain time therefore we ought to watch at all times or if there be any more special time prescribed then to watch Our Lord tells us of two special times Luke 12.37 38. and 4 special times Mark
curiosity in an others business and negligence in his own If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee follow thou me 't is every mans duty let every man prove his own work Castel Scarce any man will go about it unless he see others do it before him we are in our performance of duties extream modest and mannerly but in arrogating rewards and honours every man will step before other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus some will not communicate with us at the Sacrament because others are not prepared pro se quisque if every one would sweep his own door the whole street all the way would be clean and prepared quickly Consol It is proper to comfort the dejected spirit as doth the Prophet Isa 40.1 Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak to the heart of Jerusalem c. why every valley shall be filled the dejections and consternations of spirit shall be raised up This is the only seasonable time the Lord doth but stay till we are empty Psal 79.8 make haste let thy tender mercies prevent us or let Christ the mercy of our God come unto us why for we are brought very low and Psal 142. David was in the Cave fled thither to hide himself from Saul as the Church flyes into the Wilderness to hide her self from the Dragon Rev. 12. there he finds himself as low in estate as in place in soul as he was in body vers 3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me then thou knewest my path I looked on my right hand and saw and no man acknowledged me refuge perished from me no man cared for my soul I cryed unto the Lord attend unto my prayer for I am brought very low We find him in the like low condition Psal 116. The pangs of death compassed me about the pains of hell got hold upon me I found distress and sorrow Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful the Lord preserveth the simple I was brought very low and then he helped me And doubtless Beloved the Lord will take up his Tabernacle with us he will dwell with us when we are brought low enough we are yet too proud too haughty too strong too rich too presumptuous too high minded too wise when we are brought low when we are empty then the Lord will come and dwell with us mean time there is no room for him This you 'l find in Isa 30. The people there relied upon their own strength against Senacherib and were resolved so to do and would not hear any Prophet that disswaded them vers 9. This is a rebellious people lying children children that will not hear the Law of the Lord which say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things unto us speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceit please our humour get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from us wherefore thus saith the Lord because ye despise this word and trust in deceit and perversness and stay thereon vers 12.18 When the multitude were perished when he had scattered the people that delight in war the Lord speaks to his lowly ones his poor c. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgement blessed are they that wait for him Yea Beloved in the place before named Isa 57. The people then had such vain confidence as we now have we trust in our great forces our ammunition c. and so did they and therefore vers 10. The Lord said thus to them thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet saidst thou not there is no hope thou couldst not yet learn to despair and put no trust in these things why for thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved i. e. thou hadst means and money to maintain war vers 11. He reproves them of whom hast thou been afraid that thou hast lied c. When thou cryest let thy Companies i. e. thy Soldiers that thou hast gathered together let them deliver thee but the wind shall carry them all away But he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the Land and shall inherit my holy mountain then followeth the great promise unto such lowly ones vers 17 18. Mean time for the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth and smote him I have seen his wayes and will heal him but when when we are brought low enough Zach. 14. Thus in the first place we find it Psal 3.2 Many rise against me many that say of my soul there is no help for him in his God David in his own person represents the Churches calamity under the four Monarchies signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first letter noting the Romans 2. ב the Babylonians 3. י the Ionians or Grecians the 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Medes and Persians Under this pressure and tyranny in confidence in God the Church raiseth up her self many there are who say there is no help for him in his God Selah The lowest condition that can be but raised to the highest in the next verse But thou O Lord art a shield for me my glory and the lifter up of my head I cryed unto the Lord with my voice and he heard me out of his holy hill Selah There his soul is raised up again and vers 8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord and thy blessing is upon thy people Selah The like we find Psal 7.5 If I have rewarded evil to him that is at peace with me let the enemy persecute my soul and take it yea let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust Selah A low estate whence he raiseth himself in the next verse Arise O Lord in thine anger lift up thy self c. The like may be said of all other places where Selah is used if well and advisedly considered it noting alwayes either 1. the depressing and abasing of the soul and spirit or 2. the elevation and exaltation of it which truly Beloved I conceive far more useful to us as I believe you do than to say as some do it 's a musical note or signifieth nothing at all for surely if not one jot or one tittle shall not pass from the Law till all be fulfilled as our Saviour speaks expresly viz. when the spirit should be given them to lead them into all truth and enable them to bear it Joh. 16.13 and if that be true which one of the most pious Ancients speaks that Nullus apex vacat mysterio not a tittle in Scripture without a mystery and if that be true that all Scripture was given by inspiration that the man of God may be made perfect I see no reason Selah should pass away as a non significat and of no
words then we have these Divine Truths contained 1. Some were saved daily from the untoward generation 2. The Lord added to the Church daily such as were saved from the untoward generation In the former we have the flight of Sin and Vice In the latter we have the refuge of Grace and Vertue In the former we do dediscere unlearn and cease to do evil In the latter having ceased from evil we do discere learn to do well The former contains the first dispensation and the work of the Father The latter the dispensation of the Son and his work The Lord added to the Church such as were saved To which we may add a third from the note of diversity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Lord which our Translators render by a copulative as very often they do 3. That though they repented were baptized continued in the Apostles Doctrine and saved themselves from the untoward generation yet this proceeded not from themselves or any power of their own but from the Grace of God Though they did all that was commanded them yet it was out of Grace and Mercy that the Lord added to the Church daily such as were saved or saved themselves from the untoward generation In the first of these we must enquire 1. What was this untoward generation 2. What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are said to be saved from the untoward generation The former is here necessarily to be supplied from the 40. vers to which it hath evident reference Nor can we understand how men can be saved from the untoward generation unless we know what they are The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor can we tell what perverse crooked and untoward is unless we know what is right and straight for privatives are known by their positives that whereby we shall know what is crooked is right and straight now Rectum est index sui obliqui See Notes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.23 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saved answers principally either 1. to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save help preserve or keep 2. else to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to escape or cause to escape some great and imminent danger Observ 1. Mankind by the Fall and continuance therein is in a perishing condition in imminent danger of utter destruction nay past danger danger is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearness of an evil but Mankind periit it 's lost the lost sheep the lost groat the lost the dead Son Luk. 15. Observ 2. They who are delivered from the crooked generation are men saved as from imminent peril as brands pluck'd out of the fire-hearth as men alive from the dead so the Syriack Interpreter here 3. This work is not wrought by Man alone but by the Father preventing Man by his Grace for it is very observable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore the word vers 40. however we turn it actively save your selves is in the form passive as is also the word in the Text which implies that we should Deum pati suffer the saving work of God upon our souls yield our selves unto him co-operate with him 1. As it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save it 's very observable that that verb is never read in the Active Kal implying by that defect that man as he is purely man can never save himself by his own power but that we obtain all our power ability and sufficiency of God only 2 Cor. 3.5 according to that of Jerem. 17.14 Save me O Lord and I shall be saved for vain is the salvation of man Psal 60.13 2. It answers also to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to escape or cause to escape and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word we turn here saved may answer unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evasores such as escape the great and imminent danger of the untoward generation such as are saved or have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts 2 Pet. 1.4 Whence is it that some are saved from the crooked generation Surely God the Father preserves them from it Psal 12.7 Thou wilt save them from this generation and what generation that is he tells us in the next words vers 8. The wicked walk round about a crooked generation For not only the Son but the Father also is called our Saviour and said to save us Tit. 3.4 5 6. And this he doth sometimes 1. immediately so he called Abraham out of Vr 2. mediately by the Ministry of Angels as Lot or by the Ministers of the Word who are therefore called Saviours Obad. vers 21. This they do by that grace of God that brings salvation unto all men Tit. 2. Thus we read that Paul separated the Disciples from the untoward generation Acts 19.9 Nor were they wanting to themselves and therefore we turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Save your selves from this untoward generation 2. The Lord added to the Church daily such as were saved Hitherto we have heard who these saved ones were and from what they were saved which is the work of the Father in the first dispensation My Father worketh hitherto saith the Son of him and I also work Joh. 5.17 Come we then to that second work the work of the Son in the second dispensation and so by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord is to be understood the Lord Christ who is here said to add unto the Church Here then we must enquire 1. What is the Church and 2. What it is to add unto the Church 1. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Lord Jesus is said to add these saved ones unto the Church when he works that work in them which his Father gave him to do Joh. 17. when he further instructs them they now become his Disciples in self-denial taking up the Cross daily daily mortifying their earthly members Reason may be given in regard of 1. Him who makes this addition 2. The Church to which this addition was made 3. Those who were saved and added to the Church 1. In respect of the Lord who makes this addition He is the Head of the Church and hath all authority over it They also who are to be added unto the Church are his for it 's true of these also which he speaks of his Apostles Thine they were and thou gavest them unto me Joh. 17. 2. As for the Church it is the body of Christ which as yet had but few members One hundred and twenty Act. 1. besides what access it received vers 41. whereas the Promise made to Abraham was that his Seed should be as the stars in heaven for multitude and as the sand on the Sea shore 3. As for those who were saved it was the end why they were hewn fitted and prepared by the Law of the Father and his Prophets that they might be added as living stones unto the spiritual house as living members to the body of
light secret and open sinners close hypocrites and scandalous persons Both these strongly imagine themselves into the life and therefore are said to get in some other way than by the door as by following of a false light and by notions and high flown knowledges falsly so called and by much talking of heavenly things they imagine they have them A great and dangerous imposture and self conceit yet I fear too common amongst us Consol To the poor weak travellers who are passing through this narrow way who are crowding through this strait gate and entring into life who bear about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus c. It is tedious to them This is no hasty no sudden death moriendo morieris we were daily plunged into sin 'T is easie to fall Sed revocare gradus superasque evadere ad auras Hic labor hoc opus est The contention was long between the house of David and the house of Saul 2 Sam. 3.1 but the house of David waxed stronger and stronger c. Nor is this any argument that God loves thee the less that he leaves thee long in the passage unto life He tryes thy faith thy patience thy long suffering there were no use of these if we could enter into life as soon as we desire it He proves thy love whether constant or no But prae Amore exclusit foras Doth he keep me out of doors even for love Yea this is an argument of Christ's love unto us Joh. 11.5 6. O let the love of Christ constrain us Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 One of David's worthies is called Azmaveth the strength of death or strong as death The Barhumite the son of heat 2 Sam. 23.31 such is the fervour and ardent heat of Love in David's worthies the servants of Love that 's the true David jealousie is cruel or hard as the grave Esay 41.14 fear not thou worm Jacob and ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye mortals ye dead men of Israel Our translators turn it in the Margent ye few men of Israel I know not why they turn it so except such dead men be few whereas the natural dead are many they are said abire ad plures Why must they not fear There is great reason added I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer he who hath been thy guide unto death and lead thee into it by his example he shall redeem thee from death Exhort To enter into life and admit the life to enter into us Christ he is the way the narrow way the gate the strait gate he hath said he is the door unless we enter by him his humility resignation meekness c. we cannot enter it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful saying 2 Tim. 2.11 if we suffer with him we believe we shall live with him Rom. 6.8 The door whose lintel is sprinkled with the blood of Christ is a sign of safety to him that is therein Exod. 12.22 Heb. 10.19 Means 1. Believe in Christ as the Scripture hath said of him He is the door 2. Love Life Charitas intrat ubi scientia foris stat Love enters in where knowledge is kept without 3. Hereby an entrance shall be administred 2 Pet. 1.11 More NOTES on ROM 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned THis is the Progress of Sin and Death the cause or according to another Translation the limitation of it In the words are these Divine Truths 1. All have sinned 2. Death hath passed upon all 3. Death hath passed upon all in that all have sinned The Reddition unto these parts of the Protasis or Proposition is 1. All shall be made righteous 2. Life shall pass upon all 3. Life shall pass upon all in that all shall be made righteous The Reddition or latter part of the similitude is not in the same tense because the malady in nature precedes the remedy that which is natural and corrupt is first and then that which is spiritual and therefore the first Adam is here called forma futuri the type of the second Adam who is to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also the Verb whereunto it answers in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to err from the mark to miss what we aimed at as Judg. 20.16 Also to go astray or miss the way By Metaphor as the word is most used it signifieth to miss the mark whereat all our actions ought to aim the Glory and Praise of our God So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to miss err from the mark 1 Tim. 6.21 They have erred concerning the faith and 2 Tim. 2.18 who concerning the truth have erred To stray from the straight way of Gods Commandments The reason of this is the same with that of the first point in this Text. Observ 1. This discovers the falseness and doubleness of all mens intentions and aims by corrupt Nature They pretend and would seem to aim at and intend the Glory of God which is indeed the true Mark we all ought to aim at but they truly intend their own glory honour wealth pleasure and ease in the flesh These are too ugly that men should suffer them to appear in their own colours and therefore they veil them over with the Glory of God or some specious pretence or other This is that which our Lord means by the evil eye Mat. 6.23 by the evil eye and the dark light is to be understood the false intention misguided by the false light in us our Lord gives instance in Alms Prayer and Fasting Mat. 6. Alms may be given with a single eye and single intention or with a double and a false intention accordingly men may pray and fast but our Lord discovers the false hearts of all men And if the Light be darkness and the aim and intention according to that Light be false and double how can it be but the action when so misguided must also be sinful and miss the mark Psal 78.57 Hos 7.16 Observ 2. See the manifold aberrations and strayings from the way of the Lord falling short of the end Rom. 3.23 fallen short turning to the right hand or to the left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not in vain called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin that besets us on this side and that side They are all gone out of the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 3. Take notice of the direful increase of Sin it came by one Man into the world yet from that ones Mans sin all have sinned See Notes on Rom. 6.19 Thus Sin opens the windows and death enters in Jer. 9.21 Repreh Why then do we accuse censure judge and condemn one another while yet we are all in the same condemnation all in the pit Exhort To level at the Mark Phil. 3.14 To walk according to the Rule Gal. 6.16 Death passed over all The word which we render to Pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is
them off c. if thine eye pluck it out which we understand not of the outward but the inward members The members of the outward man are well known to all But because Animus or anima cujusque est quisque every mans Soul is himself So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Soul is ordinarily turned a man's self by the Chaldy Paraphrast the Seventy and our English translation Hence it is because few men thus know themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a point of great wisdom the members of the inward man of the heart the soul and spirit are more used and abused than known They are our thoughts our intentions our appetites our passions our affections out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders fornication these defile a man Matth. 15.8 9. which are as it were the members of our Souls The members of the inward man inform actuate and give life unto the outward the inward hand that stretcheth forth the outward the inward foot that sets forward the outward and the inward members being polluted derive their uncleanness unto the outward For a man may kill steal commit Adultery in his heart Matth. 5. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications these are the things which defile the man within and without also when we lend an hand a foot or eye or other member to an unclean cruel or covetous thought The word here used to signifie uncleanness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the LXX express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such words in the original as signifie not only ceremonial pollution not only such as come by touching of a carcase one that had an issue or an unclean woman Levit. 15.2 Nor only that moral uncleanness of the flesh contracted by Adultery which we turn lewdness Hos 2.10 by which is mystically meant Idolatry Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you Ezech. 36.25 For so Idolatry is reckoned among the sins of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20. But all manner of sin was signified by uncleanness Ezr. 6 21. where sin in general is called the filthiness of the heathen As also in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially signifieth peccatum corporale corporal pollution Some sin or other of the body and so is ranked among them 2 Cor. 12.21 Gal. 5.19 Ephes 5.3 and therefore was typified by leprosie Levit. 11. yet is it of larger extent For as there is an uncleanness acted by the outward members of our bodies so likewise an uncleanness there is which is acted by the inward members of our souls And therefore the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 distinguisheth it into the filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit proportionable to the two sorts of members those of the inward and those of the outward man so that sin in general hath this name Either 1. From the want of and opposition unto that purity and cleanness of the Divine nature 1 Joh. 3.3 which was originally in us Or else 2. From want of the fear of God which is clean as the Psalmist speaks Psal 19. by which fear men depart from uncleanness and evil Prov. 16.6 Or 3. From that positive spot and stain which sin leaves upon the Soul Deut. 32.5 Or 4. And lastly from conformity to the Devil that unclean spirit This uncleanness because it 's irregular and swerves from the rule of righteousness and thwarts the law of God it 's called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity or lawlesness which also may signifie that wrong injury and injustice that 's done unto our neighbour This is of as large extent as the former for as the Law is the rule of righteousness testified by us Rom. 3.21 So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lawlesness the rule of iniquity and unrighteousness And therefore it contains in it the genius or common nature of sin for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.4 3. Unto which uncleanness and lawlesness the members then are servants when they become subject and obedient unto the command of sin when the body is subject unto sin Wisd 1.4 when sin reigns in our mortal body and we obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 And that our members have thus been servants to uncleanness and to iniquity I suppose our own consciences may bear us witness and prevent all further proof if not God and Christ himself which is greater than our conscience brings in this strong evidence and firm demonstration against us Verily verily I say unto you he that committeth sin is the servant of sin Joh. 8.34 But all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 And therefore all of us have been servants unto sin and yielded our members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity Which involves in it self the cause of this service Our own propense and voluntary yielding of our members servants thereunto the word is exhibere that is è penu rerum suarum quod habet depromere to bring forth either good or evil out of the good or evil nature of the heart So it fits the inward members and it fits the outward as well for it is presentiam corporis proehere to set the body in a readiness they are all the Lawyers expositions of the words As a servant submits himself wholly and with full consent and without reservation or reluctancy to his Masters will I say to my servant do this and he doth it or as a well managed horse stands ready for the Rider to get up upon for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in propriety of language is used not only in prophane Authors but in the holy Scripture also As Act. 23. vers 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make ready beasts to set Paul on for even so doth sin ride the affections of the soul and the members of the body as a merciless ruffian worries and tyres the poor beast so saith the prophet Jeremy that the sinner turns to his course as the horse to the battle Jer. 8.6 quo iste velit said he who was mastered by his passion St. James refers sin to the same original Let no man saith he when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin Jam. 1.13 14 15. But because an irregularity in the will supposeth somewhat amiss in the understanding Let us enquire what the fail is there The defect of understanding is ignorance or errour Ignorance is either 1. Meerly privative as that of Abimelech Gen. 20. and that of Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 I did it ignorantly Or 2. Pravae dispositionis of evil disposition as that of the Gentiles Rom. 1.21 Ephes 4.18 19. They became vain in their imaginations and their
check of the Law without remorse of conscience heretofore was this a liberty or a wildness was this a soundness or a sickness was this a life or more truly a death Afflict not thy self too much poor soul for these unruly motions of sin but consider with thy self if these be wicked sinful abominable and loathsome to thee What wert thou when thou wert one and the same with them when thou livedst in them without the Law thou wert one with them thou wert incorporate with them into the body of sin O rather magnifie the grace and goodness of thy God who looseth the bonds of thine iniquities who discovers thy sin to be sin and for sin condemning sin Rom. 8.3 who now undertakes the cure of thy spiritual ulcers This large suppuration and mattering this abundance of filth proceeding from thy wounds is an argument of strength and soundness in the inward parts that thou now feelest the deadly darts of Satan it s a sign of some life in thee where there is sense there is life and è contrà if thou perceivest thine own unrighteousness endeavour to find it more if thou seemest filthy to thy self be more filthy so we understand that Revel 22.11 Exhort Doth the Law come Doth thy sin revive Then let us be exhorted to live no longer without the Law but let us entertain the Law as we would welcome a guest For Motive hereunto consider the manifold blessings upon the obedient Deut. 28.11 The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods spiritual goods the holy Spirit it self he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord gives thee the holy land or land of holiness Consider the curses upon the disobedient upon the out-laws The penalty of an out-law according to our Laws is loss of goods loss of the graces of Gods Spirit loss of lands loss of the holy Land Yea the out-laws caput gerunt luporum any one that meets thee may kill thee saith the Lawyer They are out of protection of the Laws for meritò sine lege periunt qui secundùm legem vivere recesserunt And such out-laws are we all while we reject the Laws of our God no better than Cain conceived of himself like fugitives and vagabonds upon the earth without any benefit of Gods Laws that who ever findeth us may slay us Aliens from the Common-weal of Israel strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2.12 O Beloved As knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Let us let us I beseech ye so many as are yet out-laws in-Law our selves before the Decree go forth ye know the out-law if sought and called in five several Counties refuse to come in and answer to the Law pro exlege tenebitur he is held as an out-law and those penalties pass upon him O how long how often hath the great King of kings himself sought his out-laws who ought to have sought unto him By how many Messengers hath he rising up early and sending them wooed us to come O how lowly how infinitly below his state hath he stooped to winn us to be merciful to our own souls What a low condescent is that that 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dyed and the commandment unto life was found to me unto death THE coming of the Law hath a double event 1. One in regard of sin 2. Another in regard of the man 1. In regard of the sin that revived 2. In regard of the man he died I call these events not effects of the Law for effects proceed from and depend upon causes truly and properly so called and so it cannot truly be said that the Law coming caused sin to revive and caused the man to dye but occasioned both for an event answers to an occasion or a cause by accident as an effect answers to a cause per se and truly and properly so called In these words therefore we have two events of the Law coming to the man 1. Sin revived 2. The man dyed I spake of the first I now proceed to the second event of the Law 's coming The man dyed Herein for our berter proceeding we may enquire 1. How he may be said so to dye 2. What death the man dyed 3. How upon the coming of the Law the man dyed 1. What death the man dyed privations are best known by their opposite habits and therefore as life is three-fold so likewise is death There is a life of 1. Nature 2. Grace 3. Sin And there is a death opposite unto that life of Nature Grace Sin 1. Of the first death these words are not to be understood for the man lives his natural life both under the life of Grace and the life of sin The question therefore lies between the two other deaths whether of them two is here to be understood whether the man may be said to be dead unto the life of Grace upon the coming of the Law or rather 2. dead unto the life of sin I find most Interpreters both Ancient and Modern agreeing that the former is here to be understood namely that the Law coming occasioned the death unto the life of Grace and that the Law coming the man dyed from his life of grace But under correction of better judgements I conceive that that death cannot here be meant by the Apostle for if we should understand that upon the coming of the Law the man then dyed from the life of grace then before the coming of the Law the man should have lived the life of grace for he is said to dye from that life which before he lived but that cannot be For before the commandment came he lived not the life of Grace as appears evidently out of the Context for before the commandment came he lived a lawless life a life without the law the life of sin And therefore when the commandment came he is here to be understood to dye from his sinful life which is that life which he lived before the commandment came 2. How may the man be said to dye The man is said to dye when the sin offers it self as a life unto him and he is a dead man unto the motions of it When therefore sinful thoughts represent the objects unto the man and he rejects them he is said to dye unto them Thus when envy pride covetousness c. present themselves unto the man for so many lives and the man still continues in the denyal and rejection of them He may be said to dye so many several deaths As when the Law comes sin revives and puts forth all her force so it comes to pass that the man dyes every day as the Apostle protesteth 1 Cor. 15.31 and 2 Cor. 11.23 he tells us that he was in deaths often 3. But
contain a double exhortation for so I read in an Ancient English Gloss 1. That by Gentiles are here understood the unfaithful that believe not in God 2. By the People the faithful and believers And St. Jerom St. Anselm Rabanus and others seem to have been of Opinion that the first part of the Verse is an Exhortation to the Gentiles the latter to the Jews but St. Austin Euthymius Aquinas and others are indifferent whom I rather incline unto for this Reason because it is very ordinary in the Psalms and other parts of Scripture conceived to be written in Metre that the latter part of a Verse is the Exegesis or explication of the former Examples are obvious Psal 114.1.8 When Israel came out of Aegypt and the house of Jacob from among strange people he turned the hard rock into water and the flint-stone into a well And of this nature I conceive the Text to be Yet it cannot be denied but that in it there is some variation not in the words only but also in the sence the latter part of the Verse being not only an explication but also a kind of Auxesis and adding somewhat to the former for howsoever Gentiles and People be all one and God to be praised by them one and the same yet in the degree of praising the latter makes some addition in the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praise in the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 augments the praise of God And therefore in the Latin the first is Laudate the latter hath Magnificate Magnifie the Lord And St. Jerom in his Translation out of the Hebrew hath Collaudate praise the Lord together so I read the Text in an Ancient English Translation So that the Text will afford us these Two Divine Truths 1. That all Nations ought to praise the Lord. 2. That all Nations ought to magnifie him together In the first three things are to be enquired 1. Who the Lord is 2. What it is to praise him 3. Who these Gentiles are and how they may be said to praise the Lord 1. The Original word in Psal 117. whence St. Paul takes this Text is Jehovah which signifieth the Essence Nature and Being of God which the LXX turn ordinarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord a word of like Original in the Greek of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be though some Criticks think otherwise That word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here used which we turn Lord which in the New Testament most what signifieth Christ to whom all Dominion Lordship and Power is given and so some would have it to be understood here But because he and the father are one and he that seeth him seeth the father and the name here used rather signifieth the Divine Essence Nature and being of God than any of the persons we may rather understand by it the Deity with all the Attributes Virtues and Graces of God as Wisdom Power Goodness Patience Meekness Righteousness and Holiness but especially Mercy with the effects of it properly here meant vers 9. And who will deny but these are praise-worthy if he know the nature of praise and what praise is 2. That 's the second thing to be enquired Praise is defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though Scaliger would have none of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he is in the right we may turn it A declaration or manifestation of the greatness of Virtue or rather a declaration of Virtue which I borrow of the Philosopher and that the rather because it serves to set forth that definition of praise which St. Peter affords us proper to this purpose 1 Pet. 2.9 The shewing forth that Virtues of God I am not ignorant that to praise to honour and to glorifie are distinguished one from other by the School-men but this definition out of the Apostle may comprehend them all and if we consult wiâ—h the word of God we shall find them all confounded and taken for the same this is testified by a Choire of Angels A multitude of the heavenly host praised God saying Glory to God in the highest Thus much the great voice imports Apoc. 19.1 Hallelujah then followeth an expression of that praise SALVATION and GLORY and HONOVR and POWER be ascribed to the Lord our God Luk. 2.13 14. But I need go no further than the words before the Text vers 9. That the Gentiles might glorifie God for his Mercy how was that It followeth for this cause I will praise thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy Name Psal 50. ult He that offereth praise glorifieth me This shewing forth of the Divine Virtues is either real and indeed or vocal and in words 1. The real shewing forth the Virtues of God is the manifesting of that which is Gods in them and this is the work as well of the meer natural and brutish Creature as of Man for so the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shews his handy-work the Sun the Moon the Stars That the Sea whose swelling waves reach up to heaven and threaten to regain their old place and cover the earth should be stopped with a little sand Yea that Creatures that seem most contemptible if duly considered in the nature vertues and regular operations and actions of them cannot but procure our admiration One instance of a thousand That a sensitive soul that life and senses and the motive faculty and the exercise of all these should be shut up in a body so little as we can hardly discern with our eye it commends the skill of the Maker like Homers Iliads in a nutshel These and every one of these Creatures in their several kinds shew forth the virtues of God both as the goodness of their Creator is relucent in them and as they are the object and matter of praise to Men and Angels pro voce aspectu utuntur saith Euthymius instead of speaking the praises of God they propound themselves to be spoken of by them that can Thus also the Saints and holy ones of God really praise God when they shew forth the virtues of God his patience his meekness his gentleness his long-suffering his humility c. in an holy life and in all manner of Godly Conversation for as ungodly men deny God in their works saith the Apostle Tit. 1.16 how plausibly soever they confess him in their words so godly men really confess and praise God in their works though they speak not much of him with their mouth and as that is the greatest denyal of God so is this the greatest praise for herein is my Father honoured saith our Saviour when ye bring forth much fruit Such are compared to sheep who tell not what they eat but bear wooll and give milk and say nothing This this is to praise God though we prate little of him and in this sence saith the Prophet David Psal 65.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Hierom in his Translation out of the Hebrews turns Tibi
no warrant to vent it out of the Pulpit Surely a great preservation it was if preservation and deliverance be to be esteemed according to the evil from which we are delivered this must be a very great one The lives of many thousands were in hazard as well of the Men had been our Assailants as those assaulted and consequently the Salvation of many Souls which might have suddenly been snatcht away to judgement O Beloved There is too little consideration had of the precious life which is continued unto us for the preservation of our more precious Souls for the working out of our Salvation with fear and trembling Alas we have but a little a very little time and that most uncertain how long to enjoy our Natural lives Yet how many thousands are there this day endeavouring to shorten one anothers life and to quench their coal as the widow of Tekoah speaks not considering that every one of us carries an Immortal Soul in an earthen Vessel And such is our unpreparedness generally notwithstanding the heavy hand of God upon us that it may be justly feared had this design been put in execution thousands of Souls had gone down quick to Hell O Beloved Let us not flatter our selves with the opinion of the purity of our Religion while we our selves are unclean an unholy no nor with the justness of our cause while we our selves are unjust nor the malice of our Enemies while we our selves are malicious I have observed very few of such temper that they could express their praise and thankfulness to God for their own preservation without bitterness against their Enemies It is but a Jewish disposition and unworthy of a Christian in their Commemoration of deliverance from the mischievous design of Haman they used these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So some in the Gun-powder Plot have condemned the wisdom of the King and inveighed against the malice of their Conspirators without respect unto their own unworthiness and due thankfulness unto God as if all evil were on one side Repreh Those who cannot praise God but they must be cursing of Men this was a legal and Jewish trick not a Christian duty for so the Jews though that they did was figurative in their Feasts of Purim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Christians have learned a better lesson Rom. 12.14 Bless them that persecute you Bless and curse not No the Christian man must not render evil for evil nor railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 St. James found this fault in his dayes what would he say if he lived in our With our tongue saith he bless we God and therewithal curse we Men Jam. 3.9 10. As if making them as bad as may be were to make us good just like the Pharisee yet these may be of Gods People exhorted here to praise him But others there are who undertake to praise God yet are not of his Nation As the close Hypocrites who place all their praising of God in outward expression of words singing of Psalms talking of Gods Word and works these outward praises are good in their kind but as for the real praises of God here here they are utterly deficient I have known some far outstrip others in this outward vocal praise of God every Sabbath day spend it wholly in hearing and repeating Sermons and conferring and singing most devoutly yet on the week dayes are ordinarily as devoutly drunk and they are as ordinarily blamed for untrue and unfaithful dealing cheating lying and dissembling O Beloved praising of God is not to make a noise with a mans mouth the best praising of God is the real praising of him in heart Yet others because they are not such hypocrites conceive they have liberty to be prophane yet will these be praising of God Let such as these remember God cannot be praised by him who is of a disorderly Conversation Psal 50. Vnto the wicked saith God why doest thou take my Law into thy mouth and Prov. 28. Those who forsake the Law praise not God no they praise the Devil or the Evil One and let them know that the Devil himself gave as good testimony of Christ as these can But the worst of these and that 's strange are those who praise God for their sins who commit Whoredom c. and stand before God in his Temple Jerem. 7.9 10. and Zach. 11.7 They who slay and sell the sheep of Gods Flock and yet say God be thanked or blessed be God for I am rich There are many such in these dayes who praise God for the happy Advent or coming of sin into the world and praise God for his Wisdom in so contriving it and bringing it about that now they have a way to be blessed and happy and never do any thing but believe that all 's done to their hand Os impudens out Blasphemy These are of that Sect which St. Austin calls Ophites a sort of Hereticks that worshipped the Serpent for being the cause of Mans Fall But thou mean time who ever thou art Poor Soul who heartily praisest God for all his Mercies vouchsafed unto thee Comfort thy self in God what if thou canst not talk so devoutly or sing so loud in the praise of God God is no more worshipped with mens mouths than with their hands Act. 14. unless their heart go with them What though the perverse and crooked Generation make no account of thy real praise of God as they are said little to esteem it Wisd 5.1 Is' t any marvel though the Swine trample on the Pearl though the dung-hill Cock prefer his Corn before it because he can clearly chaunt out the vocal praises of God O let it not dismay thee that thou art lampas contempta in cogitationihus divitum a despised lamp in the eyes of proud spirited men Job 12.5 That thy light shines in a dark place and the darkness of men comprehends it not Chear up thy self and go on still really to praise God So let thy light still shine before men though all do not glorifie thy father yet some will Nay saith St. Gregory Quis est adeò bestialis qui videns in credentibus vitam puram non glorificet nomen invocatum in tali vita What man is such a beast that seeing the holy life of believers will not glorifie God in such a life If thou find it otherwise yet marvel not the very same befell thy Lord and Saviour and what wonder is it though the Sun shine forth at high noon if the blind take no notice of it And let us all hearken to the Psalmists and Apostles joynt Exhortation to praise and glorifie the Lord. Many Motives might be named it 's the first and last Duty of Man The morning-stars sing Hallelujah and it proceeds ex ore infantium out of the mouth of babes Judah is Praise but that which all aim at is the Mercy of our
24.44 45 46 47. Joh. 5 39-46 It was called bread Gen. 14. and the flesh of Christ Joh. 6. and the body of Christ Matth. and bread again all one and the same thing spiritually They all ate the same spiritual meat Multis modis significatur quod uno modo impletur Observ 2. Hence appears that effect of the Sacrament the holy Sacrament doth not only confirm grace but encrease it also I speak not of the outward receiving of bread and wine but of that inward and spiritual receiving of that viaticum spirituale those viands and nourishments exhibited unto us by Christ for whereas the holy Sacrament is compared to nourishment meat and drink wherein can the Analogie more properly be than in the encreasing of that Grace inwardly which answers to the aggeneration and encrease of the body outwardly Besides whereas the end of this holy Sacrament is to shew forth the Lords death by a daily dying unto sin we daily increase in Grace and Righteousness for the more Sin is subdued the more Grace abounds the more our pride is mortified the more is our humility quickned the more envy is extinguished the more is our love enflamed towards God and Man our Neighbour and our Enemy Observ 3. The nature of a Sacrament the Sacraments offer some one thing or other to our sence and insinuate another unto our understanding and consideration as the Circumcision Passover Mannah Bread sursum corda Observ 4. The Unity of the Church from the beginning hitherto the Apostle concludes it from the participation of the same Sacrament vers 17. Observ 5. The near union of us who partake of the same bread even as the body and all the members of it are one by participation of the same bodily nourishment Observ 6. The Sacrament is compared to meat and drink and therefore often to be received as in the Primitive Times it was wont to be daily Act. 2.46 as men receive nourishment daily for doubtless there ought to be daily a mortification of sin a daily bearing about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus c. Some men would think themselves half famished if they should have but one Sermon a day though they practice not half of it all the week after yet are we content with the Sacrament once a month The Word is the food of the Soul they say and therefore as they eat two meals a day so they would have two Sermons And is not the Sacrament expresly called Spiritual Meat and will once a month nay once a year suffice for receiving of it The Prophet Daniel tells us Dan. 9. That the Sacrifice and Oblation should cease and the abomination of desolation should stand where it ought not The Devil knew well enough what he did when he caused the daily sacrifice to cease The Church of Rome layes the blame upon us and we return the blame upon them See Notes in Zeph. 1.7 When we discontinue the Sacrament we do as it were let loose the Devil to tempt us and to work in us all ungodliness who is bound by the stronger one and his spirit of mortification full well he knows that the holy Sacrament is a Love-feast and a notable expedient for the encrease of Christian Love and Amity Matth. 24. Because iniquity abounds the love of many grows cold Let them take notice of this who hinder the frequent administration of this Sacrament I believe the most notable intermission of it in the Church hath been in these late times of Dissention and though many causes have concurred to make the times disastrous and unhappy yet this seems to be one among them and not the least namely the discontinuance of this Holy Communion which hath been as it were a disjoynting and dismembring the body of Christ an alienating and estrangeing mens Christian affections one from other so that we come not so often together to profess our Christian Union with our Head and one with other and when we come together it 's oftentimes not for the better but for the worse Repreh Our disorderly assembling of our selves together to eat the spiritual meat without due preparation without preceding examination of our selves See Notes in 1 Cor. 11.28 Beloved I cannot but hold forth the Word of Life both the audible Word by preaching it Phil. 2.16 and the visible Word by administring it I find the Minister engaged to do both If any unprepared and unexamined come and eat of that bread and drink of that cup the peril is his own Luk. 22.21 Judas intruded at the first Institution of the Supper and our Lord admitted him who yet knew his heart Although means have been used and the Minister and others have endeavoured to try the fitness and worthiness of those who Communicate yet who of us all can enter into the hearts of men I the Lord search the heart Jer. 17.10 yea he alone 1 King 8. and there no doubt the true Supper of the Lord the true and spiritual meat is eaten Revel 3.20 And from the heart are the issues of life the outward conversation proceeds from thence which whether we will or no will discover it self out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks the hand works the foot walks the whole life comes forth from thence and manifests it self and therefore let me tell thee who ever thou art who comest hither for custom and formality sake to eat a bit of bread and drink a sup of wine pretending thy self a worthy guest and one who hast prepared thy self and judged thy self Know that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the earth as to shew himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward him 2 Chron. 16.9 So likewise to give to every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17.10 And therefore however thou canst hide thine hypocritical heart from men and lurkest under a form of godliness yet that God that sees the secrets of thy heart will soon discover the falsness of it even to the world and make known thine hypocrisie to thy shame even before men when they shall discover thine intemperancy thy drunkenness thine incontinency thine injustice in over-reaching and going beyond thy brother in bargaining in cheating and cousening and lying thy profaneness in swearing and cursing thy pride and high-mindedness thine envy and hatred thy covetousness thy wrath and impatiency the Lord will discover these to thy shame and reproach even among thine enemies who will say Lo this is he who hath professed himself a worthy Communicant a fit guest at the Lords Table a mortified man dead to his sins conformable to Christ's death one crucified to the world and the world to him And happy wert thou if the reproach and shame among men could expiate thine hypocrisie Dost thou not know that it is written That he that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks his own damnation That he who judgeth not himself shall be
in the Letter and outward part thereof Our Lord tells his Disciples That except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven How could they exceed their Righteousness but by their obedience unto the spiritual Law of God Observ 4. The Preacher may preach and all in vain the Sacraments may be administred and yet in vain Jesus Christ may be set forth evidently before mens eyes crucified in them and all in vain After all is done it 's possible men may not obey the Truth and then all this labour is lost How often have Christians received the holy Communion yet have they not shewn forth the Lords death in dying to any one sin which yet is the end the principal end of this holy Sacrament Yea the end of all our coming to Church the end of all our reading hearing all our fasting humiliation receiving the holy Sacrament it is our obedience Yea the end of all Christs Humiliation Christs humbling himself to the death the painful lingering infamous accursed death of the Cross it is our obedience that the same obedient mind might be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself c. Observ 5. Men are then said not to obey the Truth when they follow not when they imitate not the actions and passions dyings and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Thus Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh This even the Devil knew and confessed But every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God That he is come in thy flesh and mine and formed in us for so the word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Jesus Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 And forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same How is that For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2. So 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins How does that follow The same Apostle tells us Rom. 8. If we dye with him we believe that we shall also live with him For the following of Christ in his Resurrection is rising from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness And thus Christ dyed for our sins that we might also dye to them and rose again for our justification that we might arise unto Righteousness and a new Life So that if Christ be not risen and we with him we are yet in our sins and this is that which by some is called motus antitypi Axom 4. Some or other had bewitched the Galatians that they did not obey the truth The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence is derived the Latin word fascino which signifies either to bewitch or to envy and both may very well fit this place of Scripture 1. To envy and so the Apostle may expostulate with them what Jew yet in the state of servants hath envyed you the liberty of sons 2. Or who hath bewitched you who hath so cast a mist before your eyes who hath so dazled your sight with deceptio visus that ye think ye see what ye see not or cannot see that which is visible and easie to be seen for so no doubt the evil one being the prince of the air can make the Species and Images of things appear which really and truly are not and so intervert and turn aside the Images of things which are that to some they do not appear For if we consider him who bewitches them viz. the grand impostor the Devil we shall find that he according to the Degree of that Divine Power manifested or put forth in men by the Father Son and Spirit he also puts forth his power of darkness to oppose it for as there is the holy Trinity in the Divinity so is there also an infernal trinity in the Devils nature a father of lyes a son of perdition and a spirit of error As therefore when Moses came into Egypt the father of lyes sent forth Jannes and Jambres which withstood Moses So when the Lord Jesus sent forth his Disciples and Apostles to preach the Gospel of Christ crucified then the Devil sent forth Barjesus Act. 13.6 who transforms himself as if he were Jesus the Son of God to oppose them and therefore he is called Barjesus the son of Jesus For as Jesus the Son of God saves his people from their sins Matth. 1. So Barjesus this son of the Devil as he is called endeavours to delude and save the people from grace and righteousness vers 8. Observ 1. That the Lord is not the cause of our disobedience either by any antecedent Decree or by any present instinct nor motion inclining us unto sin O no the Wiseman warns us that we should not say or think so Ecclus 15.11 12. Say not thou it is through the Lord that I fell away for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth Say not thou he caused me to err for he hath no need of the sinful man No doubt were he the cause he would not reprove he would not punish eternally the disobedient souls Observ 2. Disobedience is a kind of witchery Samuel saith as much in so many words Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text which signifies to envy and to bewitch And the Wiseman tells us That by the envy of the Devil sin entred into the world The Devil himself is the grand Sorcerer by this envy of him also iniquity the great witch the old witch she came into the world So the Wiseman tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the witching of naughtiness or wickedness Wisd 4.12 This grand Sorcerer hath also his Ministers who are great Inchanters of the people 2 Cor. 11.4 Sometimes these bewitch the multitude with their doctrine as there are some plausible doctrines which bewitch Christians that they do not obey the truth such is that which would perswade us 1. That the Law of God belongs not unto those that are in Christ then if no law no transgression 2. That God sees no sin in his people where yet sin is to be seen Psal 50.21 22. 3. That Christ hath done all things already to our hands and left us nothing to do but believe it Matth. 7.21 4. That as soon as we have begun to do well there 's no fear of falling away when the Apostle faith Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 5. That sin cannot be subdued no not by Christ in us while we live here when yet faith is the victory that overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Phil. 4.13 I can do all through Christ who strengthneth me These and such as these are obligamenta magica magical tyes which bind men from walking in
and deceitfulness that they may believe a lie 2 Thess 2.10 11. For surely God who is the essential Truth can no more deceive than the fire can moysten or the Sun make dark wherefore if it be so contrary to Gods Nature to be the Author of deceitful lust we may seek the cause rather in him who is contrary unto God and who is that but Satan to whom it belongs as naturally to be a deceiver as a tempter That place Gen. 3. proves both and therefore Apoc. 12.9 That great Dragon that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan is said to deceive the whole world and our Saviour appropriates deceitful lusts unto the Devil Joh. 8.44 which he doth either 1. immediately by himself or 2. mediately by laying a fair varnish upon the object or 3. by corrupting the fansie or 4. by using wicked men his instruments for wicked men are causes also why our lusts are deceitful Ephes 4.14 and therefore they are shackled together wicked men and deceivers grow worse and worse deceiving others and being themselves deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 as the Latin hath it errantes in errorem ducentes erring themselves and leading others into errour which they do 1. by Examples as Jeroboam 2. By vain words and subtil perswasions as Ephes 5.6 But lest any one from hence take occasion to please himself in his lusts of errour as if he himself were not at all in fault and lay all the blame upon either God himself as our first Father did The Woman which thou gavest to be with me she gave me to eat or else 2. more properly upon the Devil as our first Mother did The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat as many now a dayes use to say when they are taken in a fault especially when some lust of the flesh hath deceived them the Devil they 'l say ought me a shame or a spite but let men take heed in this case wherein that of the Wise Man is verified That he that curseth the Devil curseth his own soul For lest any one should accuse any but themselves our Saviour who attributes the lusts of wicked men unto the Devil he also intimates that they are the lusts of wicked men when they wilfully commit them Ye are saith he to such of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do our English makes it obscure the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye will or ye have a lust to do so that ye make the Devils lusts your own when you commit them and are willingly deceived by them so that ours they may be and truly are if we excuse them though they be the Devils because he suggests them All these do but propound the object set out with the fairest varnish perswade us to embrace it as the Devil commended the Tree of Knowledge and used Arguments to perswade the Woman But ye have not yet heard who is the principal cause of this deceit who else is it but every mans own self for howsoever most men are subject to be flattered yet the greatest flatterer is the self-flatterer so though the Devil as Agent deceive us yet the Arch-deceiver is the Self-deceiver And to this Original St. James refers the deceitfulness of lusts Every man saith he is deceived when he is drawn away by his own lusts and entised Jam. 1.14 and vers 22. They that are hearers only of the Word and not doers also they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that deceive themselves with a false judgement And the proud man who thinks he is some body when he is nothing at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he deceives his own mind Gal. 6.3 And the self justiciary is a self-deceiver 1 Joh. 1. the Devil can do nothing neither by subtilty nor force unless we yield to him We have now found out the principal cause of these deceitful lusts add we but hereunto the principium à quo or principle from whence a mans lusts become deceitful and the reason may prove sufficient The principium à quo is Self-love which being the brood of the earthly man and accordingly seems small and earthly Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 15. it implyes the concupiscence or lust as her purveyour so Plato calls it de Rep. libr. 4. to bring in convenient provision of all things for the support of the earthly man and what are they but earthly objects or things delightful unto sense for so the Phansie having no better thing perswades the concupiscence and both these draw the Will to their Party by which means the Faction is so strong that the understanding is easily brought off to judge as the concupiscence and lusts will have it whence the man becomes a self-deceiver led away and enticed by his own lusts All which laid together may serve to demonstrate this truth That lusts are deceitful Observ 1. Which discovers unto us as one chief property of our lusts the errour and deceitfulness of them Observ 2. So also what a dangerous companion an evil man is to himself he is entangled in a deceit which is the greatest of all other quia deceptor deceptum nunquam deserit Observ 3. How dangerous a companion then is such a deceived man unto another every mans lusts are deceitful but evil men that they may deceive the simple and bring them into their own snare add industry to their deceit they lie in wait to deceive Ephes 4. 2 Pet. 2.14 18. all which we know well enough Yet how careless and heedless are we for all that who suffer our selves to be deluded by our deceitful lusts In other things that are without us O how circumspect and careful we are as in our trading lest we should be over-reached by a crafty Merchant lest we should be cozened with counterfeit ware or false weights adulterate coyn or light gold And who of us would be hired to keep a fraudulent unfaithful servant within our doors but how easily are we circumvented by our own lusts and that in things of the greatest consequence How foolish how disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another Tit. 3.3 Not considering that thus we expose our selves to the snare of the Devil who takes us captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 such are they who though their lusts have not yet so far deceived them that they live in open and scandalous lusts of the flesh as adultery fornication uncleanness c. Yet they err in their heart as the Psalmist speaks Psal 95.10 whom St. Jude compares unto the Planets which are carried about with the diurnal and regular motion of the Heavens yet every one hath his own private and proper motion they have a fair outward shew and form of godliness yet they deny the power of it in their hearts Psal 64.5 6. Amos 2.4 Yea their deceived heart causeth them to err so far that they suspect those for deceivers who warn them of this deceitfulness
put him to an open shame And when the people hear his word and call him their Lord and King yet do not that which he commands them what do they else but crown him with thorns and put a reed in his hand unless they make him a Lord of misrule that will allow them to do what they list And when they bow the knee and uncover their head at his name yet are wilfully disobedient what do they else but deride and mock him as the strangers did and trample under foot the Son of God We pitty St. Peter who denyed his Lord and we would not have done it had we heen in his case no not we but in our works we deny him which is far worse if our Apostle reason right Tit. 1. But to be a Judas to have betrayed our Lord with a kiss and made sale of him who among us that tenders his own reputation would not think it a better report to have had his end Yet what do we else but betray our Lord with a kiss when in praying and praising and singing and preaching we draw near unto him with our lips but our hearts are far from him And I appeal unto thee Merchant Tradesman or other when there stands but a lie between thee and a good commodity dost thou not think it a cheap penny-worth and dost thou not then sell thy Lord He is the Truth and that for a little gain perhaps for less than one of his thirty pieces a goodly price we value our Lord Truth at when we pass him away for a trifle when we transgress for a piece of bread as if the Truth were of all other the cheapest commodity that 's bought or sould And when we contemn the present Grace of Christ when we resist and oppose a known Truth what do we else but spit in Christ's face blindfold him and buffet him But what are these wounds in thine hands These are they wherewith I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13. And who are they that monopolize the friendship of Christ but those weak ones in Religion who would be thought the strongest men and stoutest professors of it These these are his friends who pierce his hands i. e. enfeeble his power cornua in manibus ejus c. He had borns in his hands and there is the hidings of his power saith the Prophet Habakuck 3.4 These hands they pierce who have a form of godliness but deny the power of it 2 Tim. 3.5 And of all Sects in the Christian World these are the men who most of all upbraid others with this place yet are they the men who of all others most pretend infirmity and weakness and that in this day of Christ's Power Psal 110. And what do the rich and voluptuous but put to death the Author of Life Ye have lived in pleasure and been wanton saith St. James Jam. 6. ye have condemned and killed the just one i. e. the Lord Jesus saith venerable Bede Oecumenius and the interlineary Gloss and he mean time doth not resist you Thus he is oppressed and he is afflicted yet he opens not his mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before the shearers is dumb so opened not he his mouth Esay 53. but even unto this death this painful tedious ignominious execrable death He became obedient even to the death of the cross If we desire a Reason more proper to this point 't was that he might shew us in how base esteem we have had the Truth the Wisdom and the Righteousness of God saith Lactantius Institut libr. 4. cap. 36. How we have accounted the life of Christ madness and the end of it without honour Such such hath been his repute always in the world He was dispised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not yet 't was that he might sanctifie us that he suffered without the gate Heb. 13.12 That he might redeem us from the curse of the Law that he became a curse for us Gal. 3. 'T was that no man no not the basest of men should be excluded from the benefit of his death 'T was that he might draw all men unto him that he was thus lifted up The cause of these and all what ere he did and suffered is the Love the great Love of Christ wherewith he loved us and gave himself for us For so he seems really and in effect which is the truest word to speak to every one of us from off his Cross Behold O man what I suffer for thy sake Lo I have disrobed my self of mine Honour my Majesty and Glory and taken upon me thy flesh the rags of thine humanity and all the weaknesses and frailties of it all the basest conditions of it I have been apprehended like a thief accused spit on blind-folded buffeted derided stript scourged and all for thee I have been accounted a Worm and no Man the very shame of men and outcast of the people a mad man one that had a Devil not only sinful not only the worst of sinners but even sin it self for thy sake I have taken a body for this end that I might die for thee and which is yet worse than death I am suffering the torments of a painful tedious ignominious accursed death upon the Cross for thee Behold all that pass by and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Yet is not the sorrow of my Passion which thou seest equall to that which thou seest not of my compassion for thee I am forsaken of my Friends of Angels of Men of my Disciples of my God and Father and left forlorn desolate and exposed unto the malice and temptation of the Devil and all wicked Spirits And all this as it proves for malicious and graceless men for mine enemies for an unthankful world which makes no other use of my sufferings but as of a cloke to cover their wiekedness withall and to hide themselves as they think from the eyes of Omnisciency Lo I am become a man of sorrows that I may lead thee through sorrow into joy I am exposed to the power of darkness that I may bring thee from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God I am now dying for thee that thou by a like death mayst enjoy the everlasting life yea I endure a shameful and accursed death for thee that I may lead thee from shame to glory from a curse unto a blessing I have left all and am left of all for thy sake and oughtest not thou to leave all for my sake I have left whatever is in this world good and delightful for thy sake And oughtest not thou to leave all whatever is evil however it seem to thee good and delightful for my sake yea for thy own sake shall I not see the travel of my soul Thus thus the Son of
example Beloved worthy all our imitation to proceed from hearing unto knowledge from knowledge unto patience But this Doctrine of contentation is Evangelical had Paul learnt that he himself disclaims it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I neither received it of man nor was I taught it How then was Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own self teacher Surely such knowledge was too wonderful for him He of himself was never able to attain unto it 'T was too too mystical for both he himself confesseth it was a Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have been taught a mystery Mysteries are spiritual and must have a spiritual Auditor The only spiritual Auditor is the inward man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who can teach the inward man a mystery but only that high Priest and Bishop of our souls Wherefore I am able saith he but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ teacheth not the inward man but by an inward operation in the soul Therefore St. Paul adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the modesty of our Divine Apostle lest these high vaunts of a rapt enthusiastick spirit might seem as arrogant as indeed they are lofty he crowns his glory with his Saviours glory saying boldly that he can do all things but modestly in him in him that strengthens me and shuts up this discoure of contentation with the Author of it Now such as the open hand is to the same hand closed such as they say Rhetorick is to Logick Such another same is this to that going immediately before for what is this to know how to be abased and how to excel how to be full and how to be hungry how to abound and how to suffer need c. but a spiritual explication of this I have learn'd in whatsoever estate I am to be content A Text as ye may perceive consisting altogether of extreams and a Christian moderate carriage in them all The equal and plain level of a middle estate prevents all rubbs of outward discontent so that if all be well within between God and the soul God hath left that man nought else to do but to be thankful And therefore the Prophet Agur prays for a competent estate and against extremes Nay the best affected heathens had their gods granted them but this they never cared for troubling them for more So prone is even nature and that not under-propt by Grace to be contented with a middle estate But to be abased and not dejected contemned and not ashamed to want and not repine not steal not envy not blaspheme to have nothing yet possess all things To be poor yet make many rich To be in honour yet not proud not ambitious to be rich yet not covetous not trusting in his riches not secure not oppressing others not forgetting God Thus to know how to be abased and to know how to excel to know how to be full and how to be hungry to know how to abound and how to suffer need This is labour far above all Natures powers a work that 's fit and worthy only of Divinity In the Text ye have considerable these three Propositions 1. That a Christian man with Paul knows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well to behave himself in adversity and can find out an autarchy in it especially in these extremes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in being abused and being in want in disgrace and poverty 2. That a Christian man with Paul knows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how to demean himself in prosperity and can find out his autarchy in it especially in these two extremes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in abundance of honour and abundance of wealth 3. A third I raise from the connexion of these contraries and extremes together that the same Christian man with Paul being in one extreme is so provided that the other can neither daunt him nor puff him up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And these are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 13. The only cause which fortifies a Christian man and knits in one these jarring contrarieties and extremities of estates ye have it in the last words of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For here St. Paul hath fram'd my Text like to a well made Epigram driving all the energie and strength unto the last verse as to a head which Head is Christ from which as from an Head by pares as nerves descends a gracious yet a differing influence of strength down into all the members of the body of Christ into the noble and all more honourable parts as eyes a superintendent grace how to excel and how to oversee with moderation and providence not to despise inferiours into the hands power to uphold not to oppose the weak into the feet and all less honourable parts the grace of patience and wisdom to know how to be abased and how to suffer need And not to kick at providence or stumble at the prosperity of the wicked And that 's the first proposition that a Christian man with Paul knows how to behave himself in adversity Christ inwardly enables a poor Christan man well to behave himself in his mean estate and low poverty two ways 1. By abating or blunting the desire of what ere good seems absent 2. By procuring a delight and pleasing himself in the use of what is present The ungodly saith the Prophet Esay 57.20 are like the raging sea as in regard of evil consciences and troubled thoughts accusing and excusing like waves of the Sea breaking one another so also in respect of unlimited desires passing the bounds of reason as the Sea overflowes the banks Whereas the Godly man from the soul-ravishing sence of Gods Grace and favour hath his quietus est his blessed halcyon calm for he who said unto the raging Sea saith also unto his troubled thoughts peace and be still and he which said unto the swelling waves thereof saith also unto his impetuous desires hucusque hitherto shall thou come but no further A poor mans desire of wealth and honour is abated or blunted two ways directly or indirectly 1. Directly And that either 1. From a certain knowledge he hath of the things themselves that in themselves they are not so good as to be desired Or. 2. From a strong suspition of them that they are not good for him and therefore not to be desired of him The edge of his desire is taken off directly by the certain knowledge he hath of the things themselves when he hath considered all things under the Sun and finds them all non bona deficent one composed empty vanity in themselves and to their owners simply mala a vanity like the vanity of a woman an alluring an ensnaring vanity one vanity in the neck of another vanity of vanities and all things are vanity Their nature hath such a non bona such a defect of goodness in it that the Wisdom of God and experience of the wisest man conclude that riches have not a being quod non est Wilt thou set thine eyes
12.12 With the ancient is Wisdom and in length of days Vnderstanding 5. But if the Grace of God bring Salvation to all men why then are not all men saved Why come they not out of darkness into Gods mercy by it We say the Grace of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. it s saving or hath a power to save as we say a Plaister or a Medicine is sovereign and hath a power to heal or cure but we suppose that the Plaister or Medicine should be used and applied Grace is not to be understood so universal as if it actually saved all men many men may possibly nay for certain they do receive the Grace of God in vain and hide the light of life under a Bushel Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis non tam necessariò patitur patiens quam agens agit Hence its evident that the Grace of God may be resisted or received in vain for if otherwise why not all saved Sure I am it s more for Gods Honour and more consonant unto the Scripture to lay the fail on men than on God Hence note there is Grace sufficient for all men to be saved The Lord said to Paul who had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace is sufficient against this prick in the flesh Supra omne genus tentationum saith Calvin truly therefore according to him the Grace of God is sufficient for every soul But has the like meâ—sâ—re of Grace that brings Salvation to all men appeared to all men That 's not necessary why The most wise God so disposes and dispenses the means of Grace to all men that if any man neglect though a smaller measure of his Grace he renders himself uncapable of a greater and unexcusable before God The Creation of the World is a common means which the only wise God and God of all Grace administers to all men that thereby they might know God and glorifie him as God If any neglect this means of knowing God and of glorifying him as God they render themselves uncapable of greater means of Grace and further knowledge of God and so become inexcusable before God thus St. Paul reasons Rom. 1.18 to 21. God gives outward Blessings that men might seek out God if by any means they might feel after him c. and that goodness of God leads men or is intended to lead men to Repentance Rom. 2.4 The reason is evident and most just habenti dabitur to him that hath shall be more given but from him that hath not i. e. useth not what he hath shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have Hence we may justly reprove the ingratitude of many men to whom the Grace of God that brings Salvation to all men hath appeared 2 Sam. 10. Who is Hanun but he to whom born of the Serpents Seed Grace and Mercy hath appeared for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are not we the men by corrupt nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not we born of the Serpents Seed even of Nahash but we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as to whom Mercy is shewn 1 Pet. 2.10 and the Lord hath brought us to his marvellous light 2 Cor. 4.1 David therefore sends his Ministers to comfort us for the death of our Father what 's that but when the old Adam the old man of sin begins to die in us there arises in us then great sorrow 1 Pet. 1.6 such as theirs is who are newly circumcised Now the God of all comfort is the father of Mercies and God of all Grace who comforts all those who are cast down even as David he sends his messengers to comfort us 2 Cor. 1.4 These messengers are sent unto us as often as we hear inwardly or outwardly the word of Exhortation or Consolation And let us not deal with David's messengers as Hanun did let us not cut short their garments let us not discover their nakedness as Ham did his Father Noah's and was cursed for so doing let us not cut off their beards that is diminish and sleight their Authority as the Corinthians sleighted Paul 2 Cor. 10.10 Yet this we do so often as we sleight the word of Christ's Ambassadors sent unto us they watch for your souls Hebr. 13.17 such ought to be esteemed for their own works sake 1 Thess 2.13 14. They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Christ's Ambassadors they are messengers of Grace let us take heed we believe not surmises and false informations concerning them as Hanun gave credit to the suspicion of his Princes without cause and used David's Ambassadors unworthily Beloved whatever injury is done to them the messengers of Grace to the Ambassadors of Christ redounds unto Christ himself he that despises you despises me as the injury done to the Ambassador redounds to the Prince that sent him therefore when the Roman Ambassadors were used reproachfully at Corinth Mumius the Consul was sent against it who burnt it and destroy'd it to the ground I fear it is a sin that lies heavy upon this Nation the despight and injury done to the Ministers whereof I doubt not but some of them have been true Ambassadors of Christ and Messengers of Gods Grace unto us 2 Chron. 36.15 Axiom 2. The Grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath appeared our Apostle here alludes to the appearing of a Star Luk. 1.29 To give light to them that sâ—t in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet in the way of peace both a Star and the Grace of God gives light in their several kinds they are called Stars of light Psal 148.3 and the entrance of Gods Word gives light and understanding Psal 119.130 both shine from heaven both are good amiable and lovely surely the light is good they are both quickning and enlivening in their kinds This appearing of Gods Grace is twofold as either of the less light or of the greater as St. Joh. distinguishes Joh. 1. either the less light shining until the day dawn or the day-star it self arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 both which answer to two degrees of Grace both which we have together 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope perfectly for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ as here also in the Text. But here is a diversity between the appearing of a Star and the appearing of Gods Grace for the certain and set times are foreknown and foretold when any Star appears but it is otherwise in the appearing of Gods Grace it appears not according to mans foreknowledge of it although the times however are uncertain to us yet are certainly known to God Grace comes not with outward observation the operation of the Stars is natural not so the operation of Grace Whence observe if the Grace of God that brings
9.35 vers 23. vel Angelorum or of the Angels Judg. 6.22 13.22 Vel Christi recede à me c. dixit Petrus or of Christ therefore said Peter depart from me 4. Respectu attributorum in Deo In respect of the attributes of God 1. Gods wisdom whereby he knoweth all things knowable what is fit to be imparted and to whom 2. His power whether potestas or potentia whereby he enables men to know and do Dan. 2.23 Amos 3.8 1. Observe the dignity and excellency of Gods Prophets God spake by them they are Gods Ambassadors Jam. 5.10 they are in the place of God 2 Cor. 5. Gods Truchmen and Interpreters they convey the mind of God unto us 2 Cor. 6. 2. This hath been alwayes the course of Gods Providence besides the standing Priesthood or Ministry to raise up such Prophets unto his people and to speak by such 2 Chron. 36.15 Jer. 6.17 I set watchmen over you and 25.3 2 King 17.13 The Lord testified against Israel and Judah by the hand of all the Prophets Hos 12.13 by a Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Aegypt Amos 3.18 Zach. 1.4 5 6. 3. They who have the Law and a standing Priesthood may need extraordinary Prophets the Devil may bring in such corruptions in Doctrine Faith and Life into the Priests and People that they may have need of such to reprove rectifie and reform them without which no right reformation can be made Mat. 5.6 Observe the duty of Gods Prophets they speak as they are spoken unto therefore they are said to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Vt homini sua manus they are to God as a mans hand is to him the hand is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common organ guided by the understanding and will 2 Pet. 1.21 They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 born up acti agunt Amos 3.8 so the word came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses Jeremy Amos. 7. Act. 4.20 Thou shalt be as my mouth if thou separate between the precious and the vile Jer. 15.19 They are called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 They speak what they have seen with their Fathers as the grand prophet speaks Joh. 8. Consider the Divinity of the Prophets Writings God spake by them This I note the rather because by many they are neglected as less pertinent unto Christian men as if the New Testament were only proper unto them St. Paul preached no other thing than what Moses and the prophets spake so said Abraham to Dives They have Moses and the Prophets Therefore Scrutamini Scripturas Search the Scriptures Repreh 1. Eos qui contemptu habent Prophetas Those who despise the Prophets 2 Chron. ult Qui vos despicit me despicit He that despiseth you despiseth me For this cause Corinthus eversa Corinth was over-turned and the Palatinate Repreh 2. Those who make themselves Prophets Jer. 29.26 2 King 22.13 14. Read the story of Ahad and Michaiah nay of Balaam who prophesied for preferment who steal the word and use their tongues Jer. 23.25 32. Exhort To read and heed with reverence the Prophecies Judg. 3.20 Eglon stood up at the name of the Lord 1. The Prophecies were dictated of God himself The Prophets were no other than Pen-men or the Pen wherewith they were written if we esteem the apprehensions or wise sayings of men c. how much more the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus Sancti The Apothegms or wise saying of the holy Spirit Act. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophecy came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deborah to Eliezar till Rebecca was joyned to Isaac 2. That is that which St. Peter commended to the Primitive Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was able to bring them to the Day-Star Christ Act. 8.29 They foretold the restitution of all things that universal peace upon earth Act. 3.21 23. 3. The neglect of the Prophets is an evident sign of destruction 2 Chron. 25.16 1 Sam. 2.25 Prov. 29.1 Ezech. 2.5 and 33.33 Act. 3.23 We come now to the measure and manner of Gods speaking by the Prophets under the Law 1. The measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call it the measure though our English seems rather to refer it to times at sundry times as also doth the High and Low Dutch Beza multis vicibus oldest English many ways Dutch Diversly French Italian Sap. 7.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see the place There is not any translation in any Language that I have yet met withal which fully expresseth this word Junius Tremellius come the nearest ad verbum say they omnibus partibus all the parts But they are out the word is to be rendered multis partibus many parts or word for word multipartitò in many parts This affords us these two points 1. That God spake to the Fathers by the Prophets particularly or by parts 2. In many parts 1. Particularly or by parts God revealed not all things to any one of his Prophets but part to Esay part to Jeremy part to Ezechiel c. Reason Ex parte Dei loqúentis on the part of God speaking Ex parte rei qua de loquitur on the part of the thing spoken Ex parte patrum quos alloquntus est on the part of the fathers to whom he spake 1. In regard of God himself He is infinite and therefore should he speak according to his own Essence there would be none to hear So in regard of his Wisdom Righteousness Holiness Power and Goodness which he desires to communicate unto men They are all infinite in him and therefore when he imparts them unto men it 's necessary that he so limit and qualifie them and so fit and prepare his Auditors for the receiving of them that they may be received of them 1 Cor. 13.9 Syriach Modicum ex multo cognoscimus of much we know but little This will appear more plainly if we consider the persons unto whom God spake under the Law Howbeit some were better grown than others yet the general state or condition was childhood Gal. 4. Now in a child there is commonly two things 1. Ignorance in the Understanding 2. Perverseness in the Will and Affections 1. Ignorance in the understanding God therefore so dealt with them as we do with children informing their understanding First with easie truths as to cease to do evil and learn to do well And this Doctrine he imparted unto them by little and little as we pour water into a narrow Vessel guttatim by drops by divers degrees and parts Thus Paul dealt with the Galatians Gal. 4.19 20. And therefore St. Paul having said We know in part and we prophesie in part Adds when I was a child c. 1 Cor. 13.9 10. Thus in that darkness under the Law every Star contributed a part of light unto the Heavens until the Sun of Righteousness arose So doth the prophetical word 2 Pet. 1. Vntil the day-star
of the present calamities now lying upon us that we may know whence they come for if Christ rule all things then is there no place for chance or fortune for howsoever all things proceed not from a like fatal necessity yet all things come under a certain rule and even those which are most contingent and free yet are they ordered and governed by him who rules all things Affliction comes not out of the dust Job 5.60 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord sends the Pestilence Levit. 26.25 he calls for the Famine Psal 105. he calls for the Sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth Jer. 25.29 O thou sword of the Lord saith Jeremiah 47.6 7. how long will it be e're thou be quiet put up thy self into the scabbard rest and be still he answers for it how can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon whereunto he hath appointed it The Lord commands not only the sword but the sword-men The wicked is a sword of thine Psal 17.13 The Lord encamps against Ariel round about Isai 29.3 And he sends forth armies against Jerusalem Isai 29.7 Ashur is the Rod of Gods wrath Isai 9.10 By fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh Isai 66. So that beloved it 's utterly a great fault among us that we are imbittered one against another and rail one upon another under the name of Malignants not but that many are so but while we vent our spleen against other we neither consider the cause deserving those miseries our own lusts the true malignant party within us Jam. 4.1 whence come wars nor look unto him who rules and orders these and all other things by the word of his power but like the dogs bite at the stone and neglect him that throws it This doubtless is the cause why our Calamities are yet prolonged and continued Isai 9.8 The Lord Adonai who bears and bears and rules he sent a Word such a word of Power unto Jacob his Church and People O how much better were it to humble our selves 1 Pet. 5.6 Mich. 6.9 Hos 6.1 If he be a Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where is his fear Mal. 1.6 The same question may be moved yet both to the Priests as here it is and to the people See Notes on Phil. 2. This reproves the Potentates and Rulers of the world to whom the Lord hath committed Power and Soveraignty they temper not their Government with lenity patience and gentleness As a roaring Lion and a raging Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people Prov. 28.15 Zeph. 3.3 Her Princes within her are roaring Lions her Judges are evening Wolves The great God and Governour of all the world he rules and bears all things these will bear nothing at all and therefore the Wise Man denounceth an heavy judgement against them Potentes potentèr tormina patientur Not but that they may concern even inferiours also who have but little power in their hand yet according to their power are great tyrants the wise man implyes as much Be not saith he a Lion in thy house and frantick among thy servants Ecclus. 4.30 Observe the great difference between Christs Government and the government of his young Disciples and others Christs Government is with humility patience lenity meekness and long-suffering he bears all things who governs all things his young Disciples and others are haughty proud and high-minded impatient cruel This will appear by divers instances Matth. 20. the Mother of Zebedees Children his young Disciples James and John affect Authority and high place in a supposed earthly kingdom vers 21. But our Lord tells them they knew not what they asked it was an Heathenish Petition not a Christian vers 22. They who rule over the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and their great ones exercise authority upon them but so it shall not be among you What no Rule no Government among them Not so Christ's Kingdom is the most orderly Government in the world and therefore we do not render the words so fully as they are in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie to abase their government to abase their authority to dominere or govern tyrannically so the Rulers of the Nations governed them And truly thus the case stands with all the Sects in Christendom every one hath a portion of James and John's high spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one would get above another and dominere and tyrannize over all other as at this day every Sect hopes to get up and suppress all the rest and do not some of us tread upon the pride of others as Diogenes did upon Plato's The meekness patience and humility of the Saints is seen when they are under as the Primitive Church for the first three hundred years or there about was humble patient meek gentle c. but when they had got Enlargement by Constantine they fell into Sects and Divisions among themselves one strove to get up above another till at length the Popedom advanced it self to that greatness and height wherein it yet continues Domineering and Lording over all as every Sect endeavours to do and would do could they but take away the Dominion from that Beast all and every one endeavouring to depose the true kingdom of God and Christ in righteousness peace and joy This was figured by the ambition of Adoniah 1 King 1. he exalts himself and will reign vers 5. and therefore vers 7. he gets Joab Captain of the Host to his Party the secular and worldly power and Abiathar the Priest a glorious pretence of holiness and with these he endeavours to depose David and Solomon and he rejects Zadoc Benajah Nathan Shemei and Rei and the mighty men which belonged to David these were not with Adoniah The ambitious Sectaries under colour of holiness endeavour to depose David and Solomon i. e. the lovely and peaceable kingdom of Christ and reject Sadoc i. e. the true Righteousness and Holiness and Benaiah the edifying of the Church in Love and Nathan the gift of God his Spirit and Shimei i. e. Obedience and Rei the Communion and Society of Gods Saints these are the mighty ones of Christs kingdom That is the reason that Dan. 7. the four great Kingdoms of the world commonly known by the Name of the four Monarchies they are compared to four Beasts v. 3. four great beasts came out of the sea which vers 17. are interpreted four Kings which should arise out of the earth But the Kingdom of Christ is resembled by a Man vers 13. one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and there was given unto him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom Luk. 9.54 The young Disciples James and John would have fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritanes but our Lord tells them they knew not what spirit they were of i. e. what Spirit guided them
Gentiles engrafted into the true Tree Note hence O Seed of Abraham that inestimable benefit and blessing vouchsafed unto thee that goodness of God as Christ is called Hos 3.5 given to thee for thy good that riches of God wherewithall he hath end wed thy nature that honour of God as Christ is called 1 Pet. 2. wherewith he honours the 〈…〉 even that honour that comes of God only Joh. 5.44 This is no ground of priding 〈…〉 â—hâ—t the Most High God hath condescended to stoop and take up the fallen Man and neâ—â—◠〈…〉 by the fallen Angels it 's rather an Argument for our greater humiliation and abasâ—â—â—â—â—f our 〈◊〉 in consideration of our unthankfulness our apostacy and our greater misery 〈…〉 need â—reater mercy when our fallen humanity could not otherwise be repaired than by the 〈…〉 God â—ssuming it and laying hold upon it Note here where Ch â—st's 〈◊〉 begins when men begin to be the children of Abraham when men believe in thâ— Lord Jeâ—â—â— Christ Thus Faith in Christ makes a Child of Abraham and Abrahams Seed Gal. 3.7 and they who are Christs are Abrahams Seed then begins Christ's Kingdom Isa 41.10 Observ There is Faith in the Father which must precede Faith in the Son Hebr. 11.6 The Father who gave them c. Joh. 10. He takes not hold of the Angels but takes hold of the Seed of Abraham The words may be considered also conjunctim or joyntly He takes not the Angels but the Seed of Abraham He no where in all the Scripture is said to take the Nature of Angels or to lay hold of the Angels but every where in Scripture is said to take on him or lay hold upon the Seed of Abraham Exhort Yield our selves to the attraction and drawing of the Lord Jesus Christ if we yield our selves unto Christ he blesseth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Gen. 12. And is there not great need Is there not a contrary drawing Jam. 1.14 have we not need to be drawn to the right hand Heaven-ward and God-ward when our own flesh draws us to the left hand to the Devil towards hell what else means Samlah of Masrescha the drawing to the left hand of vanity and Saul of Rehobah i. e. hell it self whereunto leads the broad way Sign 1. Whether Abraham's Seed Abraham's Seed are of Abraham's house and family See Notes on Gen. 12. 2. Abraham's Seed is prolificative full of the fruits of Righteousness Rom. 9.27 Repreh 1. Who mistake their estate and take themselves to be Abraham's Seed and born of the Free-woman Gal. 4.28 when indeed they are of Ishmael Repreh 2. Who presume on Christ's taking hold of them and neglect themselves let such know that the Lord promiseth to keep thee in all thy wayes Psal 91.11 12. Our Lord was aware of this Matth. 3. Thy way lies between fire and water 2 Esd 7. He hath made thee no promise to keep thee if wilfully thou go out of thy way and run into the fire and water or suffer the evil spirit to cast thee into them The Lord layes not violent hands upon us to uphold us whether we will or no Thou lyest still in the water of concupiscence and cryest out Lord help me Lord save me So did the silly fellow who cryed out to Hercules to help him out of a flow he answered him set thy shoulder to the Cart and whip on thy Horses and then I will help thee use what means God hath outwardly put into thy hand he hath given thee senses and reason and understanding make use of them St. Peter bids the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2. Gen. 20.6 I kept thee Job 33 14-30 If God would give me Grace Thou lookest for some irresistible power which was never given to any man from the beginning of the world to this day nor ever will be Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis at ille Labitur labetur in omne volubilis aevum Repreh 1. This may justly blame those who mistake their own estate c. See Notes on Rom. 7. Repreh 2. Those who will needs be the Seed of Abraham yet complain of impotency and weakness do they consider the mighty power of God imparted to the Seed of Abraham Ephes 1. Do they not read in the Text that Christ takes upon him and taketh hold of the Seed of Abraham Yea do they not remember that great and precious promises are made That in Abrahams Seed which is Christ Gal. All generations of the earth shall be blessed NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS II. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people THat which of all other things most offended the Jews in the whole dispensation of Christ in the dayes of his flesh was the mean rank wherein he lived and the execrable death he died 1. As to the former they expected a Messiah such as they understood the Prophets to foretell in the pomp and state of a worldly King 2. As to the latter they were prepossessed that the Messiah was not to die but to abide for ever as Joh. 12.34 and afterward reproached the Christians as worshippers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crucified God and therefore our Apostle labours most in the proof of this that Christ must die for which he shews cause vers 10-14 15. and that he must die such an execrable death Phil. 2. In these words he resumes the same Argument and gives other Reasons of it which he infers from the former words for in that he took part of flesh and blood and took upon him the Seed of Abraham thence it became him as in death to be like unto his brethren so in all things else behoofful for Abrahams Seed and befitting him who supports and succours his brethren This the Apostle proves from the end of his similitude and likeness to his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithful high Priest And that in regard 1. Of God in things belonging unto God 2. In regard of Men that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people 2. He proves this from the adjunct ability and fitness to succour his brethren herein from his experience of their sufferings for in that he suffered being tempted he is able also to succour those who are tempted In this 17th verse we have these Axioms 1. It became Christ in all things to be like unto his brethren 2. It so became him that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things belonging to God 3. Such an high Priest he must be to make reconciliation c. 1. It became Christ in all things to be like unto his brethren Wherein two subordinate Axioms are contained 1. The children of God the Seed of Abraham are Christs brethren 2. It became Christ in all things
as Heb. 10.29 They tread under foot the Son of God Repreh 3. Who prefer and honour flesh and blood before the Lord Jesus as Eli his sons 1 Sam. 2. and 3. Repreh 4. Those who make the Saints coequal with Christ in Honour and Glory are not thâ—â— the house and is it not their greatest honour that they are the house of Christ the houshold of faith and love and is not he the Maker and Builder of that house are not all the Relations wherâ—â—n Christ stands towards his Church opposite hereunto He a vine they branches he the head they the body he the husband they the wife he a king priest and prophet Repreh 5. Those who pretend to honour Christ above all yet much dishonour the greatest Mr. Builder and expose him to derision as not able to finish the work he hath undertaken to do our Lord accounts it so as appears Luk. 14.28 29. even such a rash builder they make the Lord Jesus who say they cannot be made a complete and perfect building no not by any power vouchsafed to man in this life See Notes on Rom. 5. Exhort 1. Give Honour to the Lord Jesus See Notes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. Dehort Assume not Glory or Honour to our selves from any thing without us See Notes on Zephany 1.11 12. Exhort Honour him most who is most honourable NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS III. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For every house is builded by some man but he that built all things is God THese words contain the second disparity and dissimilitude between Christ and Moses Moses was but a man but Christ was God 1. This disparity may be more largely extended as by comparing objects with objects one or more or all houses what are they to all things Acts with acts What is the making of one or more or all houses to the creating the whole world Cause with cause what is the creature to the Creatour Man to God But such is the comparison of Christ and Moses In the words are these three Divine truths 1. Every house is builded by some man 2. He who hath built all things is God 3. From the diversity Every house is built by some man but he who hath built all things is God 1. Every house is built by some man The enumeration of all those things which can be either properly or Metonymically or Metaphorically called houses or buildings whether first dwelling Houses or Tabernacles or Temples or Familes or Tribes or Nations for all these are either properly or figuratively called Houses have their Founders and Builders either artificial as those Houses which are well known by that name made of Wood and Stone or natural as the Father of a Family is the builder of it He shall tell thee words whereby thou and thy House shall be saved Act. 11.14 and 16.31 So we read often of the house of Judah and the house of Levi of which Tribes Judah and Levi were Founders and the house of Israel whereof Jacob surnamed Israel was the Builder This may be further proved by this rule in Metaphysicks that nothing can make it self and the reason is what ever is in potentia and hath a passive power or possibility to be brought to act or actual being it requires something that is in act already to bring it unto actual being otherwise the same thing should be simul in actu potentia be and not be in regard of the same which is a contradiction Repreh Vain men who assume Glory to themselves against nature sense reason Ezech. 29.3 Ego feci memetipsum as the Athenians boasted that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aborigines Observ Though the Lord sends man naked into the world yet he hath given him skill to make himself a dwelling 2. He that hath made all things is God Wherein are two things 1. That Christ is God 2. That Christ who is God is the builder and maker of all things 1. That Christ is God he is so called expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these words Psalm 45.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever c. This is expresly understood of Christ by our Apostle here Heb. 1.8 Vnto the Son he saith thy throne c. Esay 9.6 His name shall be called wonderful the mighty one God c. They are the Titles of Honour belonging unto Christ Hos 1.7 I will save them by the Lord their God i. e. by God the Son the Saviour of the world and as expresly and with greater Emphasis S. John calls him God 1 John 5.20 These and the like proofs would be altogether needless were there not some in these days who among other damnable Heresies have denyed the Deity of the Lord Jesus who in the Text is called not implicitely or by consequence but expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Since Christ is God hence it follows that what is proper to the Deity be attributed and ascribed unto him Philip. 2.6 Who being in the form of God he thought it no robbery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be equal things or equalnesses with God And these may be reduced to these Three 1. what God is 2. what God doth 3. what is done to God 1. What God is 1. Hence it is that as the Father is called Light 1 Joh. 1. so is the Son also called Light Joh. 1.6 And although John Baptist be called a burning and shining light yet the Evangelist speaking of John Baptist saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He i. e. John was not that Light vers 8. that Light was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Light that true Light 2. Hence as the Father is called Life and our Life Deut. 30.20 So is the Son called Life and our Life Coloss 3. the Eterternal Life 1 Joh. 5.20 This is the True God and Eternal Life 3. God is LOVE 1 Joh. 4.8.16 so is the Son Coloss 1.13 4. Hence as God the Father is the Truth and True so the Son is the truth and true He is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. 1 Joh. 5.20 5. Hence as God the Father is the Wisdom and the only wise God so is the Son also the Wisdom Prov. 8. and he is made unto us wisdom 6. Hence as the Father is Righteousness and God of our Righteousness Psal so is the Son also Righteousness the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. and made unto us Righteousness 7. As the Father is the Power at the right hand of Power Matth. 14.62 which is the right hand of God so is the Son also the Power 8. The name Jehovah in the Old Testament is turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and given to the Son in the New Testament 2. What the Father doth the Son doth 1. The same works which are done by the Father are ascribed unto the Son Exod. 20.2 which Jude vers 5. is attributed unto Jesus expresly in the Vul. Lat. 2. As the Father raiseth the dead so the Son quickens whom he will
Pharaohs daughter c. 2. The thing 1. A servant hath nothing of his own what he gets he gets to his Lord 2. As they who were villains 3. What he hath is his Masters 4. What he hath or doth for his Master he is to give an account of 5. He knows not what his Masters mind is further than his work requires 6. He knoweth not what his Master doth Joh. 15.15 Servants have different employments as Davids and Solomons Every servant is not trusted with all his Masters goods Some servants are employed in all their Masters business so was Joseph so was Obadiah No servant is trusted by his Master with his wife 1. God's servant hath nothing of his own His servant David emptieth himself of all he might seem to have 1 Chron. 29.11 2. God's servant works not for himself 1 Cor. 10.31 cum Col. 3.17 3. What a servant gets he gets for his Master Thy pound hath gained c. 4. He knows not what his Master doth John 15.15 Jonathan shot his Arrows Herein Moses the Law-giver and figure of the Law differs from such servants as the Lord entertains into more intimacy under the Gospel such he calls his friends John 15. And unto these he imparts his mind 1 Cor. 2. his secrets and mysteries Now although Moses I believe was inferiour to few of God's servants yet by reason of the dispensation wherein he was as in order to the Gospel which had better promises he is said only to be a Servant Thus the Law brought up only servants under the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 such an one acts all out of fear and Moses himself is described as an Hireling who doth all he doth for a reward 5. Some servants are entrusted with all their Masters goods so was Joseph and Moses faithful and trusty in all the house of God So Paul had the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 No such Scripture concerning Peter 6. Of Servants some are admitted unto nearer intimacy than others are as Moses Numb 12. such a servant was John Baptist but withal a friend to the Lord Jesus Joh. 3. 7. A Servant abides not in the house always Ishmael and Hagar are cast out nor was Moses admitted for ever to stay in the house he must not go over Jordan to rule in God's house in the Holy Land this seems to be figured by Exod. 33.11 Moses though admitted to great intimacy with the Lord yet he departed out of the Tabernacle whereas Joshua departed not 2. Moses was faithful in all Gods house as a Servant These words bound the faithfulness of Moses he was faithful in all Gods house according to that wherein he was entrusted and that limitation is contained in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Servant That we may know how Moses was faithful in all Gods house as a Servant we must remember that a complete house consists of three combinations 1. Husband and Wife 2. Father and children whether Son or Daughter 3. Master and Servant And there is between every one of these as a sutable relation so likewise a respective faithfulness as between the Husband and Wife Father and Child Master and Servant for between every one of these there is either an express or tacite Covenant which while either observes to other they are said to be faithful There are besides these manifold other relations in the Church and Common-wealth and between them Covenants either express or tacite which require mutual faithfulness between one and other as between the Magistrates and the people and between one man and another Observ 5. This opens a noysom sink of unfaithfulness among the Sons of men in hac faece Romuli in these dregs of time 1. The Husband toward his wife his covenant and promise to her was That with all his worldly goods he would endow her yet those his worldly goods and hers also he prodigally wasts with riotous living leaves his wife and children to poverty want and misery he covenanted to live with her and renounce all others he renounceth her and all women are to him as one On the other side the woman obliged by the like to her Husband proves unfaithful to him 2. There is a natural obligation and tye between Father and Child so that the Father is bound for that natural being he hath given his child to afford him likewise esse nutritivum instructivum to give him nourishment and education And the child is bound to honour his Father and Mother but what an universal breach of faithfulness is here The Parents are wanting in their Duty towards their children and by way of requital the children dishonour their Parents Ezech. 22.7 And 3. The like neglect of faithfulness is in the third relation betwen Master and Servant And private Families being the Seminaries and Seed-plots of Cities Common-wealths and Kingdoms from thence issues the breach of common trust and faithfulness among men which all complain of at this day and I believe not without just cause since the character of the iron age Non hospes ab hospite tutus Non socer a Genero fratrum quoque gratia rara est No Servant or nearest Friend is admitted to that degree of intimacy by his Lord that he should allow him familiarity with his wife Joseph preferred as highly in Potiphar's house Gen. 39.6 yet vers 9. He hath kept nothing back from me but thee because thou art his wife and John Baptist so highly preferred by our Lord saith He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom c. John 3.28 29. but the friend of the Bridegroom standeth and heareth him S. Paul durst not appropriate 1 Cor. 1 14.15 but endeavours to present a chast Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11. Repreh 1. The unfaithful servant who is trusted by the Lord with all his house he will yet presume to be unfaithful towards his Spouse either 1. Arrogating her to himself Or 2. Forcing her against her will 1. Arrogating her to himself as calling her after his own name as his Church his people Repreh 2. Those who force the Spouse and commit a spiritual rape on the consciences of people Paul was a more faithful servant 2 Cor. 1.24 though 2 Cor. 11.28 He had care of all the Churches Observ Note here the Dignity of God's people they are his servants the servant receives his Dignity from the Honour and Dignity of his Master and he riseth with him We are the servants of the God of Heaven Ezra Moses rejected all Honours even the greatest among men to be the servant of the Lord Hebr. 11. See the high promotion of Christ's servant Rom. 6.19 Observ Note here the difference between Moses himself in his dispensation and the Apostles of Christ in theirs he is called as he was a servant the Law brought forth John Baptist as a friend John 3. the Apostles were friends of Christ the Gospel brings forth Friends yea Brethren Sisters Mothers Matth. 12. These are no legal Titles
while I speak only of private bloudshed the Text leads me to no other than the professed guilt of these penitent men in that they had shed the bloud of Christ Yet it is a sad thing and worthy the Humiliation of the whole Kingdom this day to consider how deeply 't is engaged in a most unnatural war Writ in the time of the civil war when the sword devours one as well as another as David saith as well the good as the bad the holy as the prophane Wo unto us for our hurt our wound is grievous truly this is a grief and we must bear it as the Prophet Jeremy complains Jerem. 10. and Ezech. This is a lamentation and it shall be for a lamentation But how doth the heavy hand of God upon the Kingdom countenance thy private rancor and revenge Thou wilt say thou hast a good cause a just ground of thy private quarrel and darest countenance it with Davids example when he was to duel with the Philistin as he said to his brother is there not a cause 1 Sam. 17.29 True it is David had a good cause whom God armed against the Philistines and was with him whithersoever he went yet must not he build God a Temple because he had shed much bloud 1 Chron. 22.7 8. But what warrant hast thou for thy bloody and revengful Spirit Canst thou alledge as David could that God sets thee a work Vengeance is his and wilt thou dare to take it out of his hand I beseech the Lord to give thee understanding in this and all things I speak not of publick and necessary defence without which in hac faece Romuli peaceable and innocent men cannot live in safety making war or peace belongs to the Governours and Magistrates of the Kingdoms and Common-wealths I thank God I have learned more manners than to intermeddle with their great and important affairs otherwise than by praying to God for them and being obedient unto them as in conscience we are all bound and in making good construction and intetpretation of all their actions according to a Rule I have ever walked by De Magistratu Semper optime praesumendum We must ever conceive the best of the Ruler I speak of those beautefeus and incendiaries which St. John saw in the Spirit Revel 16.13 14 15. Vnclean spirits like froggs came out of the mouth of the dragon they are the spirits of Devils which go forth unto the kings of the earth c. to gather them to the battel of the great day of God Almighty O that now while Gods judgements are in the earth The inhabitants of the earth would learn righteousness Esay 26. O that we would learn the true Christian warfare we read Eph. 6. Of spiritual wickedness in heavenly things And St. John tells us of a war in heaven Revel 12.7 which some well-meaning men understand of outward war This book is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith one of the Ancients And shall mystical and hidden Scripture be the rule to expound plain Scripture or plain Scripture rather the rule of Mystical But what is this war in heaven it is said to be waged by Michael i. e. Christ with the Dragon i. e. the Devil so expounded vers 9. The war then in heaven is the strife between Christ the wisdom of God and the Devil with his seeming wisdom or true subtilty about heavenly things Thus we read the two Wisdoms opposed Jam. 3.15 16 17. we read the same Wisdom of God making war Revel 19.11 His weapon and all his weapons we read of here is a sharp sword that goeth out of his mouth vers 15. which is the word of God Ephes 6. Heb. 4.12 which because it is accompanied with the Spirit of God Christ is said to destroy Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth Esay 11. 2 Thess 2. Nor do we read of any other weapon And mark what his Soldiers are vers 14. The Armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses cloathed in fine linnen white and clean What that linnen is ye read vers 8. The righteousness of Saints If ye will have a more particular enumeration of the Saints Armory ye find it Ephes 6.13 18. Were this war waged in us as the war of our lusts is Jam. 4.1 Sathan should be overcome Revel 12.11 and no weapon of outward foes should prevail against us yea that of the Prophet should come to pass Esay 2. We should then break our swords into plowshares we should learn war no more which now the malicious practices of unpeaceable men enemies of God and his peaceable people and kindom compel us and enforce us to learn Observ 5. Observe the horrour of conscience guilty of shedding the blood of Christ They kill Christ in whom his word hath no place Joh. 8.37 1 Joh. 3.15 Who so hateth his brother is a murderer And ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Gal. 3.1 How among you Was Christ crucified in Galatia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you Heb. 6.6 Jam. 5.5 6. Is it not so with us Have not we crucified Christ But they repented and thereto we are called Now this duty is a sincere and through change of mind and heart or a turning from Sathan and all unrighteousness unto God and his righteousness wrought by God and accompanied with humiliation fasting weeping and mourning This description contains in it 1. The Essence and Nature of true Repentance 2. The cause of it And 3. The Adjuncts or attendants on it 1. The Nature of it consists in change of mind and heart or in a turning of them which appears from the name of this duty in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also from the Hebrew name of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth turning which is here also used in the Syriack So much is signified by the word in the Low Dutch This change or turning must be to the better So the French word here signifieth amendment of life In this change or turning two things must be considered 1. The Subjects to be changed or turned And 2. The terms 1. The Subjects the mind and heart 1. The mind included in the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Apostle exhorts to a renewing of the mind Rom. 12.1 Ephes 4.23 2. And the same Apostle tells the Jews of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their impenitent heart Rom. 2.5 And these in the Text were pricked at the heart 2. The terms of this change or turning are 1. A quo from which viz. from Sathan and all unrighteousness as Heb. 6. from dead works 2. Ad quem to which viz. unto God and his righteousness Repentance towards God Act. 20.21 Of both which we read Act. 26.18 I send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God 2. The cause of true repentance is God 2 Tim. 2.2 25. 3. The Adjuncts of it humiliation and sorrow which is
more properly understood by the word paenitentia Ye have most of these together Joel 2.12 13. Turn ye even to me c. This sorrow was figured by the sowre herbs which they must eat when they kept the passover at their coming out of Egypt i. e. In transitu à peccato ad justitiam In the passage from sin to righteousness A potentia Satanae ad Deum From the power of Sathan to God A Pharaone spirituali ad Jesum From spiritual Pharaoh to Jesus which is the true Pesac It is necessary we be then afflicted and mourn for the loss of our delights and pleasures we have parted withal for all our sins committed against our God For our parting with our dearest friends in the flesh as the milch-kine carrying the Ark lowed as they went toward Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6.12 our last translation refers to this Text and that upon good grounds then this is fulfilled Zach. 12.10 11 12. Hadadrimmon is a loud out-cry and Megiddo is the Gospel When the Gospel is first preached and the only Son of God known to be slain by us it causeth Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Josiah is slain the Christ of God in the Spirit is slain among us Revel 1.7 There former sorrow was a sorrow to repentance and preceding it Godly sorrow causeth repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 The other sorrow is the Concomitant or attendant on repentance The Reason of this Duty is considerable either 1. In regard of God from whom we have deeply revolted Esay 31.6 who invites us again unto himself Jer. 4.1 2. In regard of us who have a double necessity lying upon us both 1. Of Duty which answers to that which is called necessitas praecepti 2. And of means which is called necessitas medii 't is a means so necessary to Salvation that without it its impossible to be obtained as he who is the Author and Dispenser of it forewarns his Disciples Matth. 18.3 Now whereas there is a dispute whether Faith or Repentance precede This I conceive may reconcile the difference that so much Faith is necessary as to believe that without Repentance we cannot be saved Numb 14. Heb. 3. Thus the Ninevites Repentance is famous but it 's said expresly that first they believed God We must know therefore that there is a kind of legal Faith which propounds the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God unto us That God is Heb. 11.6 which belief must necessarily precede And therefore of the Gentiles that Faith is necessarily prerequired Thus of the Ninevites and of the Jaylor in the same condition with these in the Text Act. 16. yet him Paul bids believe and Peter bids repent He knew not God these did Act. 3. ult A Memoire worthy the transmitting to Posterity DR Jo. Wincop in a Sermon before the House of Commons at the Fast Jan. 29. 1664. being the Day before the Treaty atVxbridge began published by Order of that House the Text was Esay 22.12 printed by Robert Leyburn for Samuel Man in Paul's Church-yard at the Swan 1645. pag. 10. hath these words We all talk of Reformation But still where is it Shew me one lust thou hast mastered one passion thou hast conquered c. Talk not of Reformation only but shew it was there ever more lying cousening malice oppression than now Nay God be merciful to us I know not what kind of new cheat and hypocrisie the father of falshood hath taught some kind of men whereby to cloak all their fraud and villanies by a new way of pretending they are for the Cause Then they think all is well thereby discrediting a good Cause dishonouring a good God abusing your good intentions to work their own sinister ends by Let not men talk of Reformation only but shew it indeed and in truth NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ACTS II. 47. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved The Original Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word for word sound thus in our English But the Lord added to the Church daily those who were saved A Translation that differs very much from the other But it is the Wisemans counsel Blame not before thou hast examined the truth Ecclus. 11.7 which that we may the better do we look back to vers 14. from whence to the end of vers 40. we have either two Speeches of St. Peter to the Jews or one interrupted vers 37. In the former St. Peter after he had desired attention vers 14. he removes and confutes their slaunder who mock'd the Apostles and other Disciples and said They were full of new wine 2. He informs them in the truth 1. That the Apostles spake by the holy Ghost 2. That God had raised up Jesus from the dead whom they had crucified 3. That he was ascended into heaven and sate at the right hand of God 4. That he had poured forth his holy Spirit upon the Apostles 5. That God had made that same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ And these or most of these the Apostle confirms by divine Testimony out of the Prophets The effect of this speech was compunction vers 37. sorrow and fear which fear because it is Consiliativus and puts men upon enquiry how they may escape the evil which they fear They desire Peters and the rest of the Apostles counsel what they should do Then follows Peters advice That they repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins If this they should do they should receive the holy Ghost which promise belonged to them and to all a far off c. vers 38 39. And that they might perform those duties and receive the promised Spirit â—he concludes his speech with exhortation to be saved or as we render the words Save your selves from this untoward generation The effect of this exhortation in these new Converts is seen in a new conversation and that for the present vers 41. They who gladly received the word repented and were baptized and saved themselves from the untoward Generation and so were added to the Church daily vers 41 47. and for the future they who according to the Apostles counsel were saved or saved themselves from the untoward generation they accordingly obtained a like gracious act from the Lord to that which was vouchsafed unto others before vers 4. The Lord added to the Church daily such as were saved or saved themselves from the untoward Generation Thus the Syriack Interpreter and Martin Luther understood and turned the words The Lord added to the Congregation those who were saved and Piscator so the Low-Dutch Translation hath it thus the Old English Manuscript The Lord encreased them that were made safe each day And the truth of this appears Act. 5.14 Believers were more added to the Lord multitudes of men and women And Act. 11.21 And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. In the