upon God himself at the top This makes Jacobs Ladder or Christ to be what the Spouse calls him Cant. 5.10 He is Hebr. vexillatus prae decem millibus the most matchless and incomparable Ladder in the World The chiefest among ten thousand over-topping all others as Saul did the people Antesignanus or Standard-bearer conspicuous above all The way of life is above to the wise Prov. 15.24 and that way of wisdom upon this Ladder in a pleasant way Prov. 3.17 It doth many a Soul good to be running up this Ladder I have sometimes wondred at Horace's expression Coelum ipsum petimus nostrâ stultitiâ we attempt Heaven it self in our folly but sure I am it holds more truly Gratiâ prudentiâ by Gods Grace and by Divine Wisdom not by Humane Folly we should all attempt to climb up to Heaven upon this Ladder The Posture and End of its Erection is for saving from Hell and sending to Heaven The fifth Excellent Property is 'T is a large Ladder there is room enough both for Saints and Angels upon this Ladder 'T is so large that it enlargeth and stretcheth out it self into all Lands as do the great Luminaries of Heaven This Ladder is 1. Extensive as 't is found every where where either Jacob or any of the seed of Jacob may be found whether it be in Europe Asia Africa or America whether it be in the City or in the Country whether it be in publick or in private whether in Family-worship or Closet-retirements in all those places Believers do find this large Ladder of Love let down to them and there doth Christ give them his Loves Cant. 7.11 12. Upon which account the Apostle saith I will that men pray every where c. 1 Tim. 2.8 whether in the Fields or in the Villages or in the Vineyards or under the secret places of the stairs Cant. 2.14 any place yea a Chimney-corner may make a good Oratory upon this Ladder whereon Christ accounteth our voices sweet and our countenances comely And this Ladder Christ himself asserteth this great Truth Joh. 4.21 This Ladder as 't is Extensive in the first-place to all places as above So 2. 'T is comprehensive to all persons there is room enough upon this Ladder for all the Saints in all the Nations of the World for those in Rags as well as for those in Robes they need not justle one another in their climbings up to Heaven for want of room Though the way to Heaven be call'd a strait and narrow way Matth. 7.13 14. 't is not call'd so as if there were no room for more than for those few that find it for there is room enough therein for many millions more had they but hearts to seek and find it but because it allows men no Elbow-room for Vanity and Villany This Ladder is that way and may have the same name given it which Isaac's Third Well had calling it Reboboth Gen. 26 22. because then God had made Rooms or Room enough for him So here God hath made Room enough for all Believers upon this Ladder and if they do justle one another as God knows they do too much it is not for want of Room in it but for want of Love and Brotherly Affection in themselves and 't is well if this doth not discover the carnal seed of the Bond-woman from the spiritual seed of the Free The former being the justlers of the latter Gal. 4.29 As it was in Abraham's and Paul's day so it is now in our day Now seeing Christ this Ladder hath room enough for us both in his Kingdom of Grace and in his Kingdom of Glory John 14.2 he hath many Mansions and many Rooms in those Mansions enough of both in his Fathers house for us Oh what a shame is it that we should not have Room enough for Christ but our straitned hearts are too much like the place of Christs Birth which thrust that sweet Babe of Bethlehem into a stinking Stable for there was no room for him in the Inn Luke 2.7 Have we room enough for beastly lusts to which our hearts can be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an open Inn that entertains all comers and have we or can we make no Room for the holy Child Jesus to whom we should say as Laban said to Eleazar Come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without Gen. 24.31 As Aaron had room enough to bear all the Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel in the Breast-plate of Judgment upon his heart before the Lord Exod. 28.29 So Christ our High-Priest hath Room enough for all Believers Names both in his Book call'd the Lambs Book of Life Rev. 13.8 and in his heart both while on Earth Joh. 14.2 If it were not so I would have told you he could not find in his heart to hide any thing from them that might help and heal their troubled hearts v. 1. and when in Heaven he is much concern'd with all our sorrows and sufferings Isa 63.9 Acts 9.4 and this Ladder hath Room enough for our descending down into our hearts to view the greater abominations there Ezek. 8.7 8 13. and for our ascending up to view the Excellencies of Christ Alas that we have no more Room for him the chiefest of ten thousand and who deserves ten thousand times more of our loves The sixth Excellent Property 'T is a long and lofty Ladder so long as to reach from Earth to Heaven The distance must needs be vast and prodigious betwixt as the Scripture stiles the Heaven and Earth Gods Throne and his Footstool yet this Ladder is so long that it rests with its Top upon the former and stands with its Bottom upon the latter If Learned Authors do but reckon right they do demonstrate by as they call them undeniable Rules that the distance betwixt Earth and Heaven can be no less than an hundred and sixty millions of miles at the least in its due Longitude And some Astronomers do critically and curiously calculate that long distance to be five hundred years Journey from the superficies or surface of the Earth to the Starry Heaven which is yet but the under-ceiling the glorious glittering Rough cast or the most splendid and bright Brick-wall that encompasseth the Royal Palace the Heaven of Heavens the Throne of the great God and the Habitation of the Blessed Eliphaz in Job 22. v. 12. saith Behold the height of the Stars how high they are so high that our Eyes can hardly reach them 'T is a wonder saith Dr. Hall upon the Creation that we can look up to so great an height and so admirable a distance and that our very Eyes are not wearied and tired out in that long way before they come to that long Journeys end Yet hereby that vast distance is undeniably discovered seeing that some fixed Stars as well as the Sun are bigger than the whole Globe of the Earth notwithstanding they seem to the beholders Eyes but as so
His no more c. was no more than that of Children no more till next time therefore David got him at last out of the Land when after the first Melting he had found him faithless In such a case Credulity is but folly V. 11 12 13. Contains Naomi's Disswasive to them for Tryal of their Truth and 't is question'd by some Whether Naomi did well in thus Disswading them seeing it had a tendency to drive them off from that Religion which was true and to fix them in that Worship which was Idolatrous as appears in v. 15. Orpah went back to her Devil-Gods to wit Baal-peor Chemosh Milchom c. but 't is answered No doubt but good Naomi did well in it to try the truth of their Affections Therefore V. 11. Why will ye go with me She would know what was their principal Motive Whether was it for her sake only or for expectation of Husbands from her She would have their Resolutions well grounded Hence Observ 1. New Proselytes and Converts should be full of Caution and Consideration they should be asking after their grounds why they leave the Idols of Sin to go along with Christ and Salvation Naomi might fear Afflictions might attend her in Canaan and this might become a stumbling-block to her Moabitess Daughters so as to make them renounce the good ways of the Lord which would have been a Scandal to the Weak a Scorn to the Wicked and a Cordolium to her self Such as will build the Tower of Godliness must count the cost Luke 14.28 lest they lose the things that they have wrought but that they may receive a full Reward 2 Ep. John v. 8. without a Non-putaram without any Fools Had-I-wist afterwards she doth not command them but Counsel them that it might be a free-will Offering in them to chuse or refuse as if she had said thus If ye will return with me into Judaea then must ye be devoted to the Worship of the True God but if this like ye not then return to Moab your own Countrey Twice over 't is repeated Turn again my Daughters Turn again my Daughters She would have their Resolves well grounded as all of new Converts ought to be they should with good Advice make War Prov. 21.18 and Luke 14.31 This Life is a Warfare and we have Twenty Thousand Enemies to fight against us Satan and his whole Myriads of Devils his Myrmidons of Lusts that War against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 and we have but little of strength to resist them We should follow the Lamb and his Gospel yea we should love the Gospel for the Gospels sake not because it is fringed with Ease and Honour God takes it kindly from young People that they will follow him through a Land that is not sown Jer. 2.1 2. that maketh Moses choice Hebr. 11.25 and the Spouse's Cant. 8.5 chusing Godliness though Afflicted and the Gospel though persecuted keeping the word of Patience Revel 3.10 God is tender of such Esa 63.9 to 15. Observ 2. 'T is very comely and commendable yea and sweetly Corresponding with this Scripture-pattern and President for Mothers-in-Law to carry to their Daughters-in-Law as if they were their own Natural Children Thus Naomi behaved her self to Ruth and Orpah even to the last if she did no more or not so much to the latter as to the former until the saw her comfortably cared for in the World in Ruth's Marriage to Rich Boaz 't was because Orpah deserted Naomi which Ruth did not and so withdrew her self from the Counsel and Kindness of her Mother by her returning unto Moab while both those Daughters stayed with their Mother she treats them kindly and does the best she can for them here she calls them her Daughters two times as if they had been Naturally Born of her you that are Mothers in Law or Step Mothers that is such as Step in to be instead of Natural Mothers you have need of Grace to supply the place of Nature which you cannot have that so you may adorn your place as Daughters of Sarah ought to do 1 Pet. 3.3 5 6 7. Observ 3. Candour and Kindness is a better way to prevail in Perswasion than Rigour Moroseness and Austerity Man naturally is a Noble Creature and will rather be drawn than driven Naomi like Naphthali gives goodly words Gen. 49.21 good words do ingratiate both with good and bad Men when especially they come not out of feigned Lips Psal 17.1 Deut. 33.23 No Noble Nature would be huffed and hector'd even unto that which is good It is good Policy therefore to preserve an Opinion of our Love in the Hearts of those whom we would perswade to any good and to treat them fairly as she here V. 12. Are there yet any Sons in my Womb that they may be your Husbands The Law required that the Brother dying without Issue his Widow should not Marry to a Stranger but his Brother should take her to Wife and should raise up Seed to his deceased Brother that the Inheritance might not be Alienated and a Name lost in Israel Deut. 25.5 6. each one was to keep to his Inheritance Numb 36.7 Levit. 25.23 Hence Observ 1. A minori ad majus from the lesser to the greater I argue Our Spiritual Inheritance ought not to be Alienated much more than their Temporal The Kingdom of Canaan was but a Type of the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Antitype If Naboth can say of the Type only God forbid I should Alienate my Inheritance when tempted to it by plausible pretences 1 Kings 21.3 which the Lord indeed had forbidden Levit. 25.23 Numb 36.7 Ezek. 46.18 how much more should we say so of the Antitype of the Gospel of its Ordinances and of the things of the Kingdom of God Religion is our Inheritance which we have received from our Fore-Fathers and we should say with Naboth the Lord forbid that we should Alienate it that we should forfeit it or fool it away and not transmit it to our Postâ—â—â—ty for so doing our own Children may Curse us their Parents in another World 'T is Religion that makes England the Lord's Land Hos 9.3 and Immanuel's Land Isa 8.8 Now assuredly if we do not live according to the Lord's Law we shall not be permitted to live in the Lord's Land Oh God forbid that our Land should cast us out or that our Sin should cast out the Gospel or that ever Christ's Land should become Antichrists I am too Old to have an Husband Observ 2. That Second Marriages are not Vnlawful This Grave and Godly Matron doth not say 'T is not lawful for me to take a second Husband my first Husband being Dead for the Scripture maketh the Woman free when the Husband is Dead and so likewise the Man Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. What then should hinder the second third or fourth Marriage Though undoubtedly Christian Moderation ought to be observed herein there must be a difference put 'twixt Lawfulness and Expediency 1
to be Mount Nebo which was call'd Pisgah Upon the Top of which the Lord shewed Moses the Land of Canaan which was the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 Accordingly the Devil who delights to be God's Ape in Imitation takes up the Messias unto the Top of the same Mountain and gives Him there and thence the fairest proâ—pect he could procure of all the Kingdoms of the World and of the Glories of them wherewith be Thought to have dazzl'd our Saviour's Eyes those Windows of the Soul and to have fired his Affections but he most miserably mistook himself In this Third Temptation Beelzebub or Master-Fly returns again as Flyes beaten off will come on often therefore are call'd Impudent Creatures and Musters up all his Forces unites all his Stratagems and Strength in this last Assault and Impudently offer'd the Maker of the World a gawdy Map of it in Beauty and Bravery 〈◊〉 witching enough doubtless to a Worldly Mind But hereupon the Lamb grows angry as a Lion rebukes his Impudence and removes him out of his presence c. some say that our Saviour passed through all these three sharp Tentations in one Dayâ— time See more largely hereof in my Church History from Page 304 to Page 320 321. CHAP. VIII THE Fifth Place of Christ's Pilgrimage was Galilee where he had his Peregrination and Perambulation three several Times The First was before the first Passover after his Baptism and Temptations John 1.43 with John 2.12 13. Some four Months Christ spent in walking up and down Galilee whereof there were two sorts 1. That of the Jews and 2. That of the Gentiles Mat. 4.15 the former was in the Tribe of Zebulon and the latter in the Tribe of Napthali and this Division was occasion'd by the twenty Cities of Galilee which Solomon gave to Hiram the King of Tyre 1 Kin. 9.11 Therefore was it call'd Galilee of the Gentiles and a People that sat in Darkness yet saw a great Light Mat. 4.16 for the Day-spring from on High visited them Luke 1.78 and the Bright Son of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 which had all Pâ—lestina for his Zodiack the twelve Tribes for his twelve Sings c. stayed longest among them These two Tribes as Jerom observeth were first carried into Captivity by the Assyrians 2 Kin. 15.29 seemed farthest from Heaven as bordering on the Gentiles and in many things symbolizing with them learning their Manners So Redemption was first Preached in those Countries of Zebulon and Napthali Isa 9.1 â— Our Lord was a long time in perfecting this perambulation he walk'd or went about Doing Good this whole Circuit Acts 10.38 which contained many great Towns and Famous Cities in Zebulon were Nazareth Bethsaida Cana Naim c. and in Nathali were Capernaum Riblah Caesaria Philippi c. All which Populous Places promised a plentiful Increase and Income of the Evangelical Harvest 'T was the Prudence of Christ and of his Apostles to seat themselves as near as might be where most need is and where there was the greatest likelihood of doing most good So ought all Christ's Ministers to do spreading the Net of the Gospel where most Fishâ—â— are found for catching them In this Holy procession of our Messiah we find many Remarks Recorded in Scripture as First His leaving of Nazareth Mat. 4.13 This was the Place of Christ's Conception and Education Therefore did He marvelously Affect this City and sought the Safety and Salvation of the Citizens but they would not Though it being his own Country did draw his Heart to it as our Native places do ours by a kind of Mâ—â—netick Power and Property yet when He would have healed them their Iniquity was Discovered as Hos 7.1 It broke out as the Leprosie in their Foreheads they refused to be Reformed and hated to be Healed Though Christ in his second Perambulation was admitted to be publick Reader in their Synagogue for that Sabbath and Preached a most Powerful Sermon from his Text in Isaiah 50. to the admiration of all his Auditors yet because He pinched their wickedness by his Comparisons He was in Danger of his Life had he not Delivered himself in a miraculous manner Luke 4.16 to 30. He could there do no mighty work saith Mark 6.5 6. Therefore left them say both Mat. 4.13 and Luke 4.31 than which they could scarce have incurr'd a greater Displeasure for Wo be to You saith He when I depart from you Hos 9.12 and what Woes came into the City Jerusalem when the Lord was quite gone out of it Ezek 11.23 God there makes many Removes and still as he goes out some Judgment came in till at last that fatal Calamity in the final Ruine of it rush'd in upon that City N.B. Note well Oh Pray Pray Pray That such a dismal Day of Removing our Candlestick may not come That our Sun of the Gospel may not go down at Noon nor the Glory of God depart from our English Israel that our Dear Redeemer may not be provoked to turn his back upon this our Nazareth The Second Remark is That when Christ left Nazareth because that Great Prophet had no Honour in his own Country nay he was in hazard of his Life among his Countrymen he came and dwelt in Capernaum c. Mat. 4.13 Mark 1.14 Luke 4.31 and John 1.43 and 2.12 where he hired an House for Himself his Mother c. for the Son of Man had not an House of his own wherein to lay his Head Mat. 8.19 This City became the seat of the Evangelical Kingdom fitly chosen for the wholesomeness of the Air Fertility of the Soil and its propinquity both to the River Jordan and the Lake of Genesareth besides many fair Towns and Populous Places were its Neighbours Here the Corn was White unto the Harvest John 4.35 and did solicite Labourers then became it a Town of Consolation as Capernaum signifies when Nazareth the Flower as it signifies withered by the withdrawment of the Sun of Righteousness from it N. B. Note well Contempt drives away Christ but kind Hungrings constrain him to stay Luke 24.29 and 4.42 We should earnestly contend for the Faith which is but once delivered to the Saints Jude ver 3. We must not expect again ever a second Edition of it But if we make Christ welcome as Capernaum did He will dwell here as He did there he will utter Oracles and Work Miracles c. Oh happy Place and People in so sweet and pretious and Inhabitant among them Hereby Capernaum is said to be lifted up to Heaven Mat. 11.22 and some render the Reason why Judah was sealed first of Leah's Children and Napithali of Rache's side Rev. 7.5.6 because Our Lord sprang out of Judah and dwelt in Capernaum of Napthali 's Tribe Here Christ paid Tribute as a Citizen and retired hither when tired at any time with Preaching c. The Third Remark is He went about all Galilee Sometimes walking from Town to Town and sometimes walking upon the Sea Shore Mat.
were both blessed by Noah For first the Posterity of Cham is Thirty upon the Register but of Shem only Twenty six and of Japhet but fourteen And secondly Cham's Countrey to wit Canaan was the Navel of the World a Land that flowed with Milk for Necessity and with Honey for delight Exod. 3.17 where the hardest Rocks did Sweat out Honey and Oil Deut. 32.13 for them to suck and be satisfied Isa 66.11 A Land which God spyed out among all other Lands for his own peculiar people yea for himself to dwell in which indeed was the glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 Deut. 8.7 8 9. and 11.11 12. Lo this goodly Countrey was cursed Cham's Possession whose portion was in this Life Psal 17.14 when his two Blessed Brethren dwelt in the more Barren parts of the Eastern and Western World for their hope was not in this VVorld 1 Cor. 15.19 God deals with his people as the Inn-keeper doth with his Guests who lets them have his choicest Meats and his chiefest Lodgings but reserves the Inheritance for his Children and whatever provision they gather up till they Inherit though it may sometimes prove hard fare yet they have all upon Free-cost whereas the VVicked as do the Guests pay dear for all their better Enjoyments at last Job 20.14 15. Levit. 18.25 Ezra 9.11 They were fatted for their own Fall The third Note is Nimrod of the Posterity of cursed Cham was the Captain and Chief Master-Builder of the Tower of Babel for that was the beginning of his Kingdom Gen. 10.10 though not the end of it for he swam to the Grandeur of his Monarchy through a Sea of Wood while this mighty Hunter hunted Men more than Beasts to Sacrifice their Lives to his own Lust which when he had done he falls upon Building the Tower of Babel and the City of Babylon Gen. 11.2 4. in the Land of Shinar which signifies Hebr. that which scattereth for it had scattered out of it all its wicked Inhabitants they were all wash'd away with the Floud and scatter'd again by the confusion of Tongues at the Building of Babel Gen. 11.8 which was the great evil they feared ver 4. and by that Enterprize sought to prevent This wicked Work in Shinar as the Countrey of Chaldea is call'd Dan. 1.2 God did witness against and worded it with these bold Builders point to point Go to say they Gen. 11.4 Go to saith he ver 7. Let us Build up to Heaven and get up to God say they Hence the Poets feign their Gigantomachia or Giants War against Jove c. heaping Pelion upon Ossa one Mountain upon another Let us go down from Heaven to them saith he Let us make us a Name say they Let us confound their Language that they may not so much as know their own Names saith he lest we be scattered say they Let us scatter them abroad the World saith God ver 8. Thus the Lord confuteth their Folly from step to step and punish'd their pride for they did not Build for God but for themselves in contempt of God and for suppressing his Worship and setting up Idolatry Consecrating their Tower to Bel their Idol and adoring the work of their own Hands this brought confusion upon them thus provoking a Jealous God and no better an Issue may the Babel-Builders of our day expect God will turn them to Grazing as he did Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 32 c. who proudly speaks This is Babel which I Build for the Honour of my Majesty c. As old Babylon was the beginning of Nimrod 's Kingdom Gen. 10.10 So Rome or New Babylon is the Head of Antichrists Kingdom the Pope is the Nimrod of the World who Hunteth Mens Souls to Murder them Revel 18.13 as he did Bodies The fourth Note is Abraham's Ancestors were Contributers to and Abettors of this Building of Babel for 't is said Gen. 11.1 2. the whole Inhabitants of the Earth were of one Language and Journey'd from the Hills to the Plain and said one to another Let us Build the Tower c. to wit the Posterity of Shem and Jophet as well as of Cham all Recorded Gen. 10. NB. 〈◊〉 The Wicked are mixed among the Righteous in this World and though Nimrod was the Ring-leader as before of this Theomachy or Rebelling against God and made the first motion of this Enterprise Abiit tandem in studium Catholicum yet it gained an universal Consent even among Shem's Seed the Hebrews and therefore godly Heber their Father Exod. 1.15 call'd his Son Peleg Gen. 10.25 which signifies Division that he might have before his Eyes a perpetual Monument of Gods Just Displeasure against the proud Babel-Builders because then the Language was divided from the Hebrew and Aben Ezra over-boldly saith that Abraham himself was one of this number of Builders 't is more probable his Progenitors were so whatever Abraham was in Idolatry while young as before for they served other Gods Josh 24.2 Nor his Remote such as Noah Shem c. but his Immediate Progenitors from whom Laban learnt to consult his Teraphims Gen. 31.19 30. goodly Gods that could not secure themselves from Stealing nor from saluting Rachels Breech ver 34. and to Swear by those Idols call'd the Gods of Nabor ver 53. as well as the Gods of Abraham and of their Father Terah all which served strange Gods Josh 24.2 Even Abraham as well as the rest until God call'd him to his Foot Isa 41.2 from the Feet of Idols and from this Bel of Babel were he Born at that time This doth most highly advance the greatness of the Free Grace of God thus to call whom he will Mark 3.13 and to have mercy on whom he will Rom. 9.15 16. God found even Abraham himself ungodly Rom. 4.2 5. but he did not leave him so God must make us good or he 'll never find us so Indeed some say that the Posterity of Heber did not consent to the Building of Babel and therefore were not punish'd with the division of Tongues but retain'd their own Language yea and Countrey too the Eastern part and were not dispersed to Remote places but the general Opinion is that the Seventy Families dwelt together before the Building of Babel and all concurred in that Work they all living in that Countrey where the Tower was Built The fifth Note Doth Shem's Posterity assist Cham's to Build Babel and burn Brick with them in order thereto then Shem's Seed shall make Brick as Bond-slaves in Cham's Countrey to wit Egypt six Hundred years after for despising the Blessing of Shem Gen. 9.26 27. and for expecting a Shem or Hebr. Name by their Conjunctions with cursed Cham Gen. 11.4 of their own raising up in God-daring Work Therefore Abraham's Successors to wit Believers all of his Seed are call'd upon to come out from Babylon c. Revel 18.4 and not to assist in any such God-provoking Enterprize as Abraham's Predecessors did we must leave that Work to Cham's Posterity
that gives the Shadow or Antitype This in the General but in Parcular First Here are the two Wives of Abraham Hagar and Sarah which are the two Shadows or Types being the first Couples the one a Bond-woman the other a Free these two shadow out the two Testaments Hagar the Old Testament or the Law which was a dispensation of Bondage and Sarah the New Testament which is a dispensation of Freedom hereupon the Gospel is call'd the Law of Liberty Jam. 1.25 as it teacheth the way to free us from the Law of Sin and Death which binds uâ— over to Eternal Destruction Joh. 8.36 The second Couple are the two Soâ—â— of those two Mothers Ishmael and Isaac shadowing out 1. The Children of the Flesh born Servants of the Bond-Servant as were the Carnal Jews who opposed Christ and as are all formal Hypocrites that have not the Faith of Abraham And 2. The Children of the Promise or Spirit Free-Born of the Free-Woman as are all the called and chosen of God The Third Couple is the Son of the Bond-Woman Mocking and the Son of the Free Mocked Gen. 21.9 signiâ—ying how the Seed of the Flesh would raise Persecution against the Seed of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 The Fourth Couple is the casting out of the Bond-Woman and her Son from Abraham's Family and the remaining of the Free-Woman and her Son therein shadowing forth the Abolition of the Old-Testament Dispensation in the Church which then was only Abrahams Family and the abiding for ever the Administration of the New-Testament John 8.35 Gal. 4.30 31. The Fifth Couple is Ishmaels exclusion from the Inheritance of Abraham as well as his ejection out of his Fathers Family and Isaac's enjoying it signifying that neither the Carnal Jews nor formal Hypocrites shall have any part of that Eternal Inheritance which the Children of the Promise shall enjoy The Son of the Bond-Woman shall not be Heir with my Son Isaac Gen. 21.10 and Gal. 4.30 under Abrahams Inheritance is figured the Heavenly Blessings in Christ and Life Everlasting Gal. 3.18 29. and 4.7 and 1 Pet. 1.4 which no Ishmaels or reprobates shall Inherit no such Dirty Dogs shall ever Trample upon that Golden Pavement Rev. 21.21 27. and 22.15 So that these words of Sarah were not spoken so much Passionately as Prophetically foretelling the separation of the Holy Seed from the Prophane thereby whereof Abraham through his fond Affection to his Son Ishmael did not yet under stand so well as she who uttered this Speech even from the Spirit of God which was likewise confirmed by God himself Gen. 21.10 12. and hereupon the Apostle doth not record this to be so much the saying of Sarah as the saying of the Holy Scripture which is the Voice of God himself Gal. 4.30 The Sixth Couple which Paul bringeth in when treating of this very History Gal. 4.25 26. is Mount Sinai and Mount Sion or Jerusalem which is above he saith 1. This Hagar is Mount Sinai which is a Mountain situated in Arabia beyond the limits of the Promised Land and the Arabians some say do call Mount Sinai by the name of Hagar which signifies in their Tongue a Pilgrim or Stranger and so are all they no better than Strangers to the true Jerusalem who are not saith Calvin the Children of Abraham's Faith from Hagar the Arabians were called at the first Hagarens but since for more Honours sake they call themselves Saracens as if descended of Sarah Hagars Mistress These Saracens under the conduct of that grand Impostor Mahomet have been desperate Enemies to the true Jerusalem and great opposers of Christ and his Gospel This Mount Sinai saith Paul answereth to the low Jerusalem that is to the Jewish Synagogue Born in Bondage who were killers of Christ and of his Prophets who pleased not God and were contrary to all men 1 Thes 2.14 15. so were rather Ishmaelites than Israelites Gen. 6.12 whose Hand was against every Man c. This Hagar is that is signifies or prefigures Mount Sinai or Jerusalem the lower which constisted of cursed Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's and Pauls time men of low Principles seeking Justification by the works of the Law and by a formality of the Covenant of works these were Hagar or Chagar which in the Arabick signifies also petram a Rock having Rocky Hearts against Christ who is called the Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 not one drop of true Piety could be squeezed out of them and now 't is become a common Proverb such a one is as hard-hearted as a Jew Thus Jerusalem that now is saith the Apostle is in Bondage with her Children and gendreth to Bondage which is Hagar Gal. 4.24 25. they were as was once said of the Romans Homines ad servitutem parati so dis-spirited after their murdering Christ that they truckled under every Aggressor and like their Brother Issachar became Asses couching under all burdens Gen. 49.14 They were so Degenerated from that Free Noble and Heroick Off-spring of Abraham in their Ancestors days that they seemed rather to descend from Hagar the Bond-woman than from Sarah that Noble Lady and Princess seeing Partus sequitur Ventrem the Birth follows the Belly This is the Character of the Earthly Jerusalem so subjected to the Heavy Yoke of Ceremonies Sacrifices and Circumcision which the Hagarens or Saracens observe at this day that 't is said neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear it Acts 15.10 Besides that horrible Dread which was upon their Rebellious Fore-fathers at the giving of the Law upon Mount-Sinai Exod. 20.18 19. is upon their Spurious and Degenerate Off-spring to this day and this saith the Apostle is an Allegory or Figure of the Old Covenant as Sarah is of the New and New Testament Church which he calls the Heavenly in opposition to the Earthly Jerusalem which in the Hebrew Tongue is Jerushalajim in the Dual Number importing as their Cabbalists confess the Upper as well as the Lower Jerusalem and its name Jiru-Shalom signifies a Vision of Peace so it well shadoweth the Gospel of Peace or the New Covenant Luke 2.14 Rom. 5.1 10.15 1 Cor. 7.15 Eph. 2.17 c. and this New Covenant is said to come from above or to be above 1. Because God the Father revealed it not by descending down into the Mount as he did at the giving of the Law but remaining in Heaven he sent it down by his own Son this the Author to the Hebrews teacheth Heb. 12.25 2. Because Christ the Head of the Covenant and of his Covenanted Church did Descend out of Heaven and Ascended thither again from whence he governeth his Church and maketh good his Covenant in all to her 3. Because the Christian Church in Covenant with Christ hath her being and well-being her birth and breeding c. from above John 3.3 5. and hath her Conversation in Heaven while her Commoration is on Earth Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.2 This Covenant is the Mother that brings forth all Believers both Jews
upon the Sea Shore this latter call'd also the Dust of the Earth Gen. 13.15 resembles his Carnal Seed which with the Cursed Serpent did seed upon Dust but the former the Stars of Heaven Gen. 15.5 holds forth his Seed of Believers all Heaven Born and shone as Stars in their Generation accordingly the Lords design was Double in giving his Law on Sinai First Unto the Carnal Seed it setteth out the Old Covenant of works which they had broken and which God would not have wholly blotted out of the Mind and Memory of Men thus the Law strictly or absolutely taken as it was given to Adam as his way to Life in his first Estate so it shut up all these Jews under it as legally Dead except they would slee to Christ seeing they could not attain to any righteousness or Life by the Law simply considered for so 't is the sum and substance of the Covenant of Works and begets Children to Bondage which shall have no Inheritance with the Children of the Promise who all lay hold on Christ in the New Covenant as Gal. 4.21 to the end of the Chapter demonstrateth where Paul speaks of the Law absolutely and properly as a Law Covenant strictly taken in a contradistinction from the Gospel affirming how its Children as those of the Bond-Woman come short of Righteousness and Salvation are cast out of the Kingdom being Persecutors of the Spiritual Seed the Children of Promise as now all reprobates are The Second Design was for the Start of Heaven the Spiritual Seed or Believing Jews to whom the Law on Sinai did darkly shadow out the Covenant of Grace therefore did it bind them to the observation of the Ceremonial as well as Moral part the former being a Metaphorical or Figurative Gospel as the latter was a Literal Law the Letter whereof was not so much killing even to the carnal Jews in Gods Intention as by their own Corruption whereby they scorn'd Christ and his Righteousness in the New Covenant thinking to save themselves by their own Righteousness in a Covenant of Works Rom. 10.3 whereas this Covenant on Sinai was not otherwise designed upon a Damning but only upon a proving Design hence Moses saith there Exod. 20.20 Fear not for God is come to prove you he saith not to damn you and therein as Israel avouched the Lord for their God so God avouched them for his people Deut. 26.17 18. and 29.10 11. which could not be done with Man faln out of the Covenant of Works but by a Covenant of Grace and had this Covenant on Sinai been a Covenant of Works then was God injurious to Israel in calling them back from that Covenant of Grace given to Abraham their Father four hundred and thirty years before Gal. 3.17 to this worse Covenant as if God having begun with them in the Spirit would now perfect them by the Flesh Gal. 3.3 whereas 't is Gods plain method to lead his people from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 and from Grace to Grace John 1.16 Job 17.9 and Prov. 4.18 but never from Grace to Works Object 3. But then why was the Moral Law being the sum of the Covenant of Works given to Israel at Sinai or Horeb Deut. 29.1 if it were not that very Covenant Answ 1. Besides all the aforesaid for farther clearing this great Truth I shall add 1. The Law was not given to Israel as intended they should seek Justification and Salvation thereby but for a fuller discovery of Sin and a further conviction of Conscience 'T is true the very Law of Nature did discover Murder to be a sin in Cain Gen. 4.9 Whoredom to deserve burning Gen. 38.24 with 34.31 and the Patriarchs could say God forbid that we should steal Gen. 44.7 Yea those two Heathen Kings abhorred Adultery yea looking and lusting after any Woman Gen. 12.17 20.3 the same I might add concerning the breach of all the other Commandments as 1. Gen. 35.2 2. Gen. 31.34 35.5 3. Gen. 4.26 4. Gen. 2.3 Exod. 16.23 5. Gen. 27.41 All these were discovered to be sins before the Law was given by Moses even by the light of Nature but in Moses time this light was almost extinguish'd and this Law was obliterated and blotted out by Israel's conversing so long among the Idolatrous as well as Ignorant People of Egypt Indeed Adam's Fall broke this Law and Light in pieces and afterwards it grew dimmer and dimmer daily yea the Sheards of Gods Image wherein Man was created and being broken by his fall became smaller and smaller every Age after so that they could hardly be put together Men successively marring their own Consciences more and more and the Devil stepping in to promote it the Superseminator sowed Tares to choak the good seed wherefore lest it should be lost for ever as a Law in the heart God caused it to be written for the eye as well as spoken to the ear The End why is expressed by the Apostle The Law entred that the Offence might abound Rom. 5.20 to wit where it hath abounded in the Conversation it might now by the light of the Law abound also in the Conscience in great Grief for it and due Detestation of it as the greatest evil He saith also that he had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 3.20 and 7.7 and therefore was the Law added because of transgressions Gal. 3.19 which are discovered by it Ubi Lex ibi Lux. Torah Or Hebr. Gods Law is Mans Light Prov. 6.23 laying all open as 1 Cor. 14.25 and threatning destruction to transgressors Rom. 3.20 23. Answ 2. The Law on Sinai was not given to stand as Covenant of Life 'twixt God and Israel by which they might live for when it was given in its Thunders and Lightnings they were so affrighted that they saw they could not come near the Lord by that Law wherefore then saith the Apostle serveth the Law Gal. 3.19 he answers himself it serveth to chase us to Christ v. 24. whom he calls the End of the Law being accommodated to that Insantstate of the Church which though an Heir of the Promise in the Covenant of Grace made to Father Abraham yet while under Nonage was also under Tutorage and so the Law was her School-master to scourge her to Christ who was able to give her life which the Law could not give her Gal. 3.18 21 24. but rather clapt her up close Prisoner as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 23 from whence she could not possibly escape unless delivered by her Goel or Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 Christ Jesus the Avenger of blood being at her heels she must flee for her lite to this City of Refuge The third Consideration is That the Apostle in those chapters 3d. and 4th of his Epistle to the Galatians doth not make the Covenant on Sinai a distinct Covenant from that of Works and that of Grace to make a third Covenant but he
handleth the Law of Moses in a double notion 1. Relatively as it had Relation to that Jewish Church in her minority under a Tutor or School-master and so it had a twofold respect to the Covenant of Grace the first is antecedent as it prepar'd them for and press'd them to Christ and his Covenant The second is subsequent or consequent teaching them how to walk before the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 regulating their lives by that Rule of Righteousness the Moral Law then given them even by the Mediator himself as well as by Moses Acts 7.38 1 Cor. 10.4 9. as well as in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 and so the Law was to Israel what it was to David a Companion a Counsellor and a Comforter as before Thus Paul speaks of Sinai's Covenant Gal. 3. v. 17. and from thence to Gal. 4.21 as relating to them entring into the same Covenant of Grace made with them in Abraham before then 2. Paul propounds that Law of Sinai simply and absolutely from v. 21. of chap. the 4th to the end as it was a Copy of the Covenant of Works so he maketh it as an Handmaid subservient to the Gospel as Hagar was to Sarah yet begetting Children to bondage and such as were excluded from the Inheritance therefore shews them how dangerous it was to be Children of the Law or Covenant of Works in its absolute proper and simple consideration which was Hagar and unless of Sarah or Covenant of Grace they could not be saved And as it is a Rule to the Regenerate in Christs hand Exod. 20.19 so it leaves the Reprobate without excuse Rom. 1.20 if the Law Natural do so much more the Moral Row 10.4 The fourth Consideration is The Law upon Sinai could not be propounded by God to Israel as a Covenant of Works properly and absolutely as it was given to Adam in his State of Integrity for then was Mankind faln and the keeping of the Law was become impossible to Man therefore 't is enough improbable as to God that he should press it upon faln Man as he had done upon Iâ—â—necent Adam being now altogether unable to perform it save only in the hand of a Medâ—â—â—tor whereof Adam while he stood had no need 'T is true God is just in commending the Law though it be impossible for us to yield universal obedience to all the Duties commanded in 〈◊〉 For l. God hath not lost his Power of commanding though Man hath lost his Power of Obeying 2. Though the matter be never so crooked to work upon yet the Rule which is Regula Regulans as well as Regulata the Rule Ruling as well as the Rule Ruled must needs be a straight Rule 3. Qualis causa tale causatum seeing God is perfect both in esse and in operari in essence and operations his Law must needs be a pure and perfect Law in it self Psal 19.7.4 Adam had a sufficient stock of strength to keep this Law of Works at the first but through the freedom of his own Will he proved Bankrupt like an evil Steward who playeth or maketh away his Lord and Masters money fully furnishing him to accomplish his commands whereby he disenableth himself to perform his Masters work and will So Adam did disenable himself and as a publick person all his posterity whom he represented and therefore holy Paul to shew the Malady of faln Mankind doth declare from Rom. 1.18 to chap. 7.13 how all men both Jews and Gentiles do come short of Gods glory and of their own duty in fulfilling the Law and that the best of men are but men at the best The most Regenerate man faileth in the manner when not in the matter of his obedience he cannot obey Gods Law totus or wholly in respect of himself as well as of the Law for every New Man is as it were two men there is a Law in his members in the faln Estate but renewed in part only which warreth against the Law of his mind Rom. 7.21 23. as two Armies in him Cant. 6.13 Having thus seen Mans Malady the Word and Spirit of God maketh a discovery of Mans Remedy First Convincing him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment John 16.8 This is done two ways 1. By the Law of VVorks as in the Hand of a Mediator it convinceth 1. Of Sin in its Source and Fountain Jer. 17.9 and Gen. 6.5 The Heart is desperately wicked and is evil only evil and continually evil in all its imaginations 't is evil Extensive Intensive and Protensive The truth of all this not only the written Word of God but also our own smarting Experience teacheth us that till God touch our Hearts with his strong Hand Isa 8.11 and break down Windows into our dark Souls we never mind God or his good ways God is neither in our Heads Psal 10.4 nor in our Hearts Psal 14.1 nor in our VVords Psal 12.4 nor in our VVorks or ways Tit. 1.16 We are wholly without God in the World Eph. 2.12 Thus the Looking-glass of the Law discovers Sin both Original and Actual to the Man whose Eyes are opened Jam. 1.23 and Numb 24.3 then God and his own Conscience convinceth him of Sin and condemneth him for it 1 John 3.20 as guilty 2. It convinceth of Righteousness that it is impossible to attain unto it by the VVorks of the Law because of the sinfulness of Mans Nature and weakness of faln Flesh Rom. 8.3 and Gal. 2.16 The Covenant of VVorks leaveth all Mankind under the curse Gal. 3.10 He that can keep some Commandments and not all yea that continueth not therein to the end is under the cusre of God Jam. 2.10 and this curse containeth the whole wrath of God upon Body and Soul in this Life and in the next ready to be poured forth upon us continually both at Home and Abroad Levit. 26.16 18 21 24 28. and Deut. 28.16 to 20 c. John 3.18 36. Job 18.15 Brimstone abideth upon his Head and House ready to take Fire from the Flames of the Lords anger if Grace prevent not its Execution Now every Mans guilty Conscience doth convince him that he is a breaker of Gods Law times without number so is under Gods curse but cannot thereby have the Blessing of Justification And 3. The Law convinceth accordingly of Judgment that will follow and fall upon all the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 That Christ the Judge of the World will come armed with Flames of Fire to render vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel 2 Thes 1.7 8. all such as have rejected the tenders of Grace and refused him for their Mediator but chuse rather to remain in their Natural Unregenerate Estate under the Law or Covenant of VVorks though they have been forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 What can such expect but a fearful coming of Judgment which shall devour Christs Adversaries Heb. 10.27 'T is a fearful thing and beyond the
in this Eternal purpose of Grace Eph. 3.11 as if he thought long with Abraham to speak with reverence until Immanuel's day should dawn John 8.56 yet all these many Myriads of Ages Christ was Jom Jom daily his delight Great was Gods love manifested to Man in making him a meet Helper in time but 't was much greater in providing him a meet Mediator before all time before either Man or Mountains were made and so before Man could take notice of his necessity thereof This shews how marvelously the Fathers Heart was engaged in a design of Grace to Man with whom he might have justly proceeded being at liberty to prosecute the curse of the Covenant of Works and never have treated with his Son about Saving Man Inference 2. How should we love the Son of God who might have refused to he sent as well as the Father might to have sent him yet Christ came though upon hard term Zech. 13.7 and became a Servant to God in this great and gracious design he made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 submitted to fulfil all Righteousness Mat. 3.15 therefore began he at the beginning of Mans sin and carry'd on his Redemption work to the end thereof as he was Conceived and Born of the Virgin Mary to take away Mans Sin contracted in his Conception and Birth he lived a life of sorrows and sufferings to take away our life-sins and he died that shameful and cursed Death of the Cross to save us from the curse of Death Eternal and all along God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 both the World of Jews and that of Gentiles therefore submitted he to the Seals of both Law and Gospel He was Circumcised Luke 2.21 Baptized Mat. 3.16 took the Passover Mat. 26.18 and the Lords Supper ver 26. though he needed none of them either to take away his sin for he was sinless Heb. 4.15 c. or to strengthen his Faith for he had no weakness in it Heb. 2.13 and Isa 49.5 and 50.6 7 8 9. All this was to shew that Christ was under the Covenant of Redemption with the Father distinct from that Covenant of Reconciliation with Sinners whereby all the Seals become proper to a Covenanted people and not common to strangers thereunto Gen. 17.7 Exod. 12.48 Mat. 28.20 Col. 2.11 12 c but Christ rcceiv'd the Seals by a command from the former Covenant of Redemption and Surety-ship for us which he had compacted with the Father not as we poor Sinners receive them as Seals of the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation to expiate all our Sins in them We should all Ride at this Anchor of Hope in Christ who pass'd through all these Ordinances with delight Psal 40.8 as if they had been his Meat and Drink John 4.34 and took sin out of them as he passed under them And by doing and suffering all the good pleasure of his Father Isa 50.5 6. and 53.2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12. John 10.17 18. and 12.49 50. and 17.4 6. He purchas'd and demanded not only his own Glory John 17.5 but also the Glory of all his Redeemed given to him according to the Articles of Agreement betwixt him and his Father in that Covenant ver 24. where Christ saith not Father I wish but Father I will as equal with God This being the great End first in intention though last in execution why he humbled himself to be the Sworn Priest Prophet and King of his Church 3. Inference Oh how should we love God and the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 who hath sworn to he all these to us Psal 110.4 Heb. 7.21 what God barely saith he may Repent of upon a reserve of our Repentance as Jonah 3.2 and 1 Sam. 2.30 but what God Swears is irreversible the Father will not Repent no not to Sacrifice his Son though Abraham might relent to slay his Isaac and the Son will not Repent of being Sacrificed though then he had Dolores Parturientis Joh 16.21 strong pangs of Travail Heb 5.7 and was much straitned till it was accomplish'd Luk. 12.50 here is sure footing for our Faith though the Father and the Son might justly break Covenant with us because we break Covenant with them yet will they not break Covenant one with the other for they have sworn each to other and will not Repent as sure as the Sins of the Patriarchs and Prophets which are past Rom. 3.25 are remitted by this Lamb slain from the foundation of the VVorld Rev. 13.8 and before the World even ever the same Heb. 13.8 He took away all the transgressions of them that were under the first Testament Heb. 9.15 and they are all set down with him in his Kingdom Mat. 8.11 and Luke 16.23 so sure shall all our sins if Redeemed be Remitted also and we Reign with Christ in Heavenly places Eph. 1.3 4 5. and as sure as God hath put down all Persecuting Powers in former Ages so he will those of this Age for he hath said All knees shall bow to Christ Phil. 2.8 Psal 2.8 and bids his Son Sit at his right hand till all his Foes be made his Footstool Psal 110.1 and Heb. 19.13 there is a Spirit Zech. 6.8 that in a way of Providence will never leave stirring up of Spirits till this be accomplished even the weak shall be as David Zech. 12.8 to effect it oh let prayer be made for Christ Psal 72.15 that the Father may perform his Promise to his Son both for his Friends and Foes This shews how our Prayers for Christ Psal 72.15 gratifie the Fathers Bowels as Joab Davids 2 Sam. 13. last and 14.1 The Fourth Inference is Oh the strong consolation that this Eternal Covenant of Redemption which gives a Being and Life to the Temporal Covenant of Reconciliation affordeth to our Faith fixing first upon that former Covenant betwixt Jehovah and Jesus Considering 1. How the Father el shaddai loved us so before we were he designs Decrees and fore-ordains his Son to be our Redeemer before the World began to make him the beginning of his ways Prov. 8.22 primus Faederatus the first Covenanter in the VVomb of Gods Eternal Decree we reckon it a great Favour when a Friend will plead for us in our absence or when a Father will purchase an Inheritance for a Child Unborn yet all this God designed Christ to do for us before we were yea before the Mountains or Man or the VVorld were v. 23 24. while we were Creabiles onely and not Creaturae capable only to be Created but not yet Creatures actually for known to God were all his works not only from but also before the beginning of the VVorld Act. 15.18 2 Consider That this Bargain was struck up 'twixt the Father and the Son not only before we were but from Eternity 't was Everlasting Love Jer. 31.3 Ã parte ante as well as Post the Covenant of Reconciliation to Adam and to Abraham c. was but
his Fathers House and constrained to commit himself to an hard-hearted Master for Twenty long years while Esau in the mean time had the rule of his Fathers House at his departure and after prospered to become a mighty Man notwithstanding all this neither Rebekah nor Jacob did despair of Gods Promise or doubted of the Blessing in due time to be made good and until then they made a Life out of the Promise of it which sheweth that great is the Consolaâ—ion of Gods Servants in the midst of all their Sorrows and Sufferings They carry along with them the Promise and Blessing as the Pawn and Pledge of the Heavenly Inheritance whereby in the greatest want of all things they still greatly abound and whatever of the worser part be taken from them yet this better part can never be so Luke 10.42 What though the wicked prosper and flourish within Doors as Esau did while the godly are suffering hard things abroad with their Father Jacob yet the latter do well know that the former have their portion in this Life Psal 17.14 and 't is but a Barren Mount Seir at the best that is assign'd them they are still strangers to the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 The Inheritance it self is reserved for them it may be on Earth however in Heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Hence do they learn patience and constancy in the good ways of God who many times leads them about as he did Israel in the Wilderness suffering hard things for many years yea and confidence that God in his good time will make his Promise good to his people The fourth Remarkable Note or Observation is that rather than Gods Servant Jacob should be discourag'd by the hard things interveening betwixt the Promise and the Performance God himself will come to comfort and encourage him This brings us to the Vision of the Ladder wherein God came to comfort him and to confirm his Fathers Blessing upon him for a firmer fixing of his Faith upon it Notwithstanding this Blessing Prayer and Promise of Isaac to Jacob yet there were hard Providences quite contrary to the Promises which were hard to be reconciled together attending both Jacob's Person and his Posterity for a long time after before any performances of the Promise appeared As to Jacob's Posterity Moses gives us an Account that Esau's Posterity was sooner advanced to Royal Dignity than that of Jacob which in the Egyptian Bondage were ruled under a Rod of Iron while Esau's Off-spring were Rulers swaying a Golden Scepter Gen. 36.31 before there Reigned any King of the Sons of Israel whereupon the Hebrews observe that Israel was groaning in the Iron Furnace of Affliction while Edom plumed himself with the glittering Glories of a Royal Diadem From whence is an undeniable consequence That Pomp and Prosperity is no Infallible Evidence of the true Church As the Romanists say Luther proves Rome to be a false Church quia sine cruce Regnat because she fetcheth her best marks from the goodness of her Markets If so This will prove Edom a truer Church than that of Israel and though Edom reigned sooner than Israel yet they sooner perished Citiùs exoriuntur impii citiùs exuruntur like the Grass that grows upon the House top may grow up sooner than that of the Field yet it withereth sooner the Mower fills not his Hâ—nds with it Psal 129.6 7. as holding it not worth gathering wicked Men are useless Creatures set up on high for a time but on slippery places Ps 7.3.18 advanced as Haman but to be brought down with a Vengeance and that suddenly whereas the Inheritance of the Children of God Continueth for ever Psal 102.28 by vertue of the Covenant And as to Jacobs person which is the matter in hand and therefore here mentioned after his Posterity Moses gives an Account also that Esau's person was Solacing himself at home in his Fathers House while Jacob was driven from it to Travel into a strange and far Countrey about 500 Miles distance where when Seventy Seven years Old he must be bound Apprentice for a Wife to a churlish Master for Seven years more Whereas long before this Esau had taken to himself two Wives not consulting his Parents nor craving their consent yea contrary to their practice who contented themselves with one to one according to the first Institution Gen. 2.24 and these two which should have been but one were two Hittites the worst sort of the Cursed Canaanites Ezek. 16.3 and therefore Esau's Marriage was a great grief to both his Parents minds Gen. 26.34 35. and 27.46 not only because he had shewed less respect to them in point of Marriage than scoffing Ishmael had done who Married according to his Mothers mind Gen. 21.21 though she was but a Woman and a Bond-woman too yet submits to her disposal therein but also because Esau had Married against both his Noble Parents Wills two untractable Idolatresses of a Rebellious Race and Spirit Rabbys say resisting the godly Council of Isaac and Rebekah whereas Ishmael as we read took but one only And as if this had been too little provocation to Pious Parents by a prophane person when he saw that Jacob was sent to Padan-Aram for a Wise and that his own two Canaanitish Wives were an offence to his Parents he to please them will take another Wife of the stock of Abraham a Daughter of Ishmael his Fathers Brother Gen. 28.6 7 8 9. This he did to please his Father not minding at all whether he or his Wives pleased God God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10.4 By this Marriage he thought to make amends for his faults in his two first and to please his Father better than before but this third Marriage makes him a worse Husband in the multiplication of Wives The former for any thing appearing to the contrary being both alive nor did this make him the better Son for he being the Son of a Free man should not have married the Offspring of the Bond-woman and one that belong'd not to the Covenant of Grace In this prophane person Esau we have a Specimen or Pourtraicture of the best Practices of prophane People who are 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After-witted as Esau was of whom 't is said twice when Esau saw Gen. 28.6 and when Esau saw v. 8. but both times he saw too late and therefore what he did was to little purpose This non putâram or Fools Had I wist in an After-wit or over-late sight is never good neither in Piety nor in Policy Such as Future their Repentance being as Seneca saith semper victuri always about to amend their Manners yet never meet with a time to begin it will find this true when in the midst of their trifling about Offers and Essays of Reformation they are snatch'd away by Death and shut out of Heaven The Patriarchal Blessing was now bestowed upon Jacob though banished and though Esau lived as Lord at Home and now labour'd to please
whereby he bound his loose heart to do some things which were lawful and in his power as building a Chapel for Gods Worship at Bethel to express his gratitude to his God for his already received goodness in the Vision of the Ladder that he might obtain some farther favour from him This was Jacobs Vow and this last clause was the condition of it he well knowing that thankfulness for old is the best expedient to procure new mercies He saith If God will be with me if he will preserve me and provide for me c. All which God had promised him v. 13 14 15. wherein he had a Salve broad enough for his Sore a fourfold Cordial for his fourfold Cor-dolium his Comforts as many as his Crosses therefore there was no need of his doubting and distrusting it yet doth he help forward his weak Faith by this strong Vow to bind his Soul by this Bargain to give God his utmost both in Inward and Outward Worship And that his Bonds might be the stronger the very Pillar he reared and hallowed should be his faithful Monitor to mind him of fulfilling his Vow and become a severe Witness against him in case of his failing to fulfil it afterwards What else could be Jacobs Inducement to lay these double obligations to duty upon himself save only the consciousness he had of the Treachery of his own heart and the certainty he knew of that great Truth which Solomon mentions long after him He that trusteth to his own heart is a fool Prov. 28.26 he is a great fool a proud fool therefore he binds it thus to good behaviour and by woful experience he found all he had done little enough to keep it bent for God Hos 7.16 11.7 Zech. 9.13 for Jacob who was so free while the matter and the mercy was so fresh as to promise such great things to God in his Holy Vow became afterward backward enough and stood in need that God should pull him by the Ear once and again Gen. 31.13 and 35.1 to strengthen his Faith against his fear of being destroyed Gen. 34.30 with a Go up to Bethel c. yea and God punished him for his delays of paying this Vow â— In the Rape of his only Daughter Dinah 2. In the Cruelty of his two Sons Simeon and Levi to the Schechemites Gen. 34. 3. Jacob being refreshed with this blessed Bait of the Ladder in the way went on his Journey Gen. 29.1 Hebr. lift up his feet indefessâ— cursoris adinstar as a generous Gyant refreshed with Wine rejoyceth to run his Race Psal 19.5 Thus Jacob after he had drunk of this Divine Brook in the way Psal 110.7 did lift up both his head and his feet and did walk lightly and lustily his long Journey to Padan-Aram The Joy of the Lord was his strength Neh. 8.10 This Vision was as Oil to him wherewith his Soul was suppled and all his Limbs made more lithe agile and fit for Action Oh! were we but bathed with Jacob in this Bath at Bethel having our Souls soaked in that Soveraign Oil we should pluck up our feet that are feeble as well as our hands that hang down Heb. 12.12 and passing on from strength to strength Psal 84.7 should take long and lusty strides towards Heaven 'T is but a little afore us a little more length of a short life and God knows how short it may be how soon it may end will bring us to our long Home and a rightly Religious and ready heart rids the way apace Oh that we were such As 1. The Comfort of this Vision of the Ladder brought Jacob to Padan-Aram though reputed and computed five hundred miles So 2. The Bâ—ossing thereof promised therein attended him all the twenty years of his stay there with his Uncle Laban which signifies Candid yet became rather a Nabal which is Laban read backward to him now seventy seven years old yet this Churl exacts a double Apprenticeship of hard service from him for his two Daughters and yet another seven years for his Estate though the Churl did confess that the Lord had blessed him greatly by Jacobs presence and service Gen. 30.27 30. much more God blest Jacob himself if Laban were blest for Jacob's sake The Bâ—essing God conferr'd upon Jacob in Padan-Aram according to his Promise from the top of the Ladder was twofold First God Blest him with a numerous Off-spring by Leah and Rachel who were Figures of the two Churches that of the Jews under the Law and that of the Gentiles under the Gospel The younger like Rachel was more Beautiful and Dearer too yea deeper in the Affections of Christ when he came in the form of a Servant though the elder like Leah was first Imbraced as a Wife both Wedded and Bedded NB. Jacob's Polygamy is not to be imitated by others however it may be justified as to himself who might 1. Have a special Warrant from God for this thing as Sampson's Marriage with the Philistin Woman was of the Lord Judg. 14.4 which in the Sentiments of some seems to intimate as if Sampson had Gods Warrant to do what he did 2. This Marrying of two Wives by Jacob was done in a Mystery to represent the Church of the Jews and that of the Gentiles as above as Abraham's two Wives were an Allegory of the Two Testaments or Covenants Gal. 4.24 No such thing now can at the least be pretended unto for its palliation yet Jacob's case is thus far excusable in as much as he design'd to have but one even Rachel Gen. 29.20 21. though Laban deceiv'd him with Leah by a like fraud as Rebekah â—his Mother had not long before in a crafty Disguise substituted him the younger for Esau the elder God oft pays men home in their own Coin as before and measures out the same measures to us that we have measured out to others Mat. 7.12 Jacob thus deceived might have some reflections upon his own deceit he had put upon his own Blind Father Isaac Some Remarks in this History I cannot omit the first is Though Leah was faulty in this Deceit acting her part after her Fathers as Jacob had done after his Mothers Directions yet her sin was graciously pardon'd and Christ did chuse to come from tender-ey'd Leah who bare Judah to Jacob rather than of Beloved and Beautiful Rachel Gen. 49.10 The second Remark is When this cheat was put upon Jacob. His thoughts in his Conjugal Embracements were upon a Child by Rachel while he had Leah in his Arms and so the Birth-right by his Intentions should be Rachel's First-born which afterward God accomplish'd when Jacob Adopted Joseph's two Sons for Tribes and gave to Joseph Born of Rachel the double Portion as to Judah the Dignity from Reuben his First-born by Leah who had forfeited both by his Incest Gen. 48.20 22. and 49.4 1 Chron. 5.1 2. where 't is said that the Dignity was Judah's of whom Christ sprang but the Birth-right was Joseph's
much more for hurting her with both Virulent Tongues and Violent Hands Isa 21.11 34.5 Jer. 49.7 Ezek. 25.12 Joel 3.9 Amos 1.11 Obad. v. 11. Mal. 1.3 Thus oft God tells his People of this lest they should stumble at Edom's Prosperity while they were in Adversity assuring them once and again Yea God spake it more than twice Psal 62.11 yea even eight times that this Grass though never so goodly should be cut down but the Inheritance of the Children of God should endure for ever Psal 102.28 by Vertue of the Covenant and that mystical Union with God therein which is the ground of an everlasting Communion this is that which makes the Church both Immortal and Immutable Moses first extols Esau's Family Gen. 36. as if Gods Blessing had rested rather upon it than upon Jacob's yet afterwards he passeth over it with silence and it almost quite perisheth out of the Minds and Memory of Mankind Esau being equal to Jacob in Blood Birth and Breeding had the Worldly Blessing of pomp principality and prosperity first while Jacob lived obscurely as sojourner only not possessing any part of the Land of Promise in his own right but by the leave of others the true Proprietors then thereof Thus Abraham and Isaac as well as Jacob all confessed themselves to be but Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth Heb. 11.13 14. This Abraham did Gen. 23.4 who purchas'd a possession of the People of the Land the first purchase of possession that is mention'd in Scripture not to Build on but to Bury in ver 9 11 13. where Ephron and Abraham strive to gratifie one another Ephron offers Abraham the free use of their Burial-place saying None of us shall with hold from thee his Sepulchre ver 6. But Abraham was desirous rather to pay for his Propriety in a distinct possession that he might be separated from them in Burial who did not believe with him a better Resurrection therefore he offers the full value for the Cave of Machpelah No saith Ephron The Field I give thee c. v. 13. 'T was a most brave Speech speaking forth a most bountiful Spirit to a stranger especially which is a good Copy of kjndness among Friends and an exalt example of Justice among Chapmen in their bartering and bargaining together v. 15 17 20. such is the care of the truely conscientious that they will give the full worth of the commodity and rather lose of their own than be injurious to or usurp of anothers giving all that is due both in quantity and quality In this bargain the seller doth not ask too much nor the buyer bid too little as it was after here in the Sale of Joseph only one price is pitch'd on and paid down yet though Abraham had hereby purchas'd a little Land in Canaan the Protomartyr Stephen saith God gave him no Inheritance not so much as a Foot it Act. 7.5 that is though he was the Heir of the World Rom. 4.13 and a Prince of God Gen. 23.6 yet God gave him no place whereon to Build a Princely Pallace for himself and his while living to dwell in but only a double Cave as Machpelah by Interpretation was one for men and another for Women or one within another wherein to bury himself and his when Dead to sleep in that Sepulchre till the Resurrection or God gave him not that general and full possession of the Land of promise as he gave it to his Posterity after but lets him be as a stranger in it all his days as he calls himself Gen. 23.4 and a great Traveller travelling to and fro as is computed in the Patriarchs Travels no less than 1794 Miles and as Abrabam confess'd this so did his Son Isaac being another Pilgrim as Heb. 11.13 14 15. Travelling likewise to and fro an Hundred and Forty eight Miles yea and Jacob confess'd the same likewise when he stood before Pharaoh calling the years of his Life the days of his Pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 in very variable and remote Removings 1. From Canaan to Mesopotamia Gen. 28.5 about five hundred Miles distant 2. From thence back again thither Gen. 31.17 18. the same number of Miles and now being return'd to Canaan he shifted from place to place As 3. From Succoth to Shechem Gen. 33.17 18. computed eight Miles 4. From thence to Bethel Gen. 35.1 6. about twenty eight Miles 5. From Bethel to Bethlehem twelve Miles ver 16. 6. From thence to his Father in Hebron which was twenty Miles more there he was but a Sojourner when this unhappy Sale of his only Jewel Joseph happened whereof after so that now this Patriarch had travell'd a thousand and sixty eight Miles yet was he not got to the end of his Pilgrimage for after all the aforesaid he travels 7. From Hebron to Beershebah Gen. 46.1 which was eight German or thirty two Miles English the outmost part of Canaan Southward toward Egypt whither he was forced to go by Famine out of the Land of Promise which was Jacob's seventh Cross or Calamity after this sixth Cross the Sale of his Son Joseph thither to be discours'd upon after in its proper place and order And yet 8. Jacob hath a long Stage from Beershebah to Goshen in Egypt to Heliopolis saith Josephus to On Joseph's chiet Seat of Residency Gen. 41.45 say others which was an hundred sixty and eight Miles a great Journey for Jacob now an hundred and thirty years old Gen. 45.10 and 46.28.34 still 9. He travels thence to Zoan the Metropolis of Egypt where King Pharaoh kept his Court and where Joseph presented his Father to Pharaoh Gen. 47.7 which was twenty eight Miles more into the Land And 10. The compleat Pythagorical Number according to his own choice Jacob removes back from this Metropolitan City and from Pharaoh's Court to the Countrey of Rameses so call'd Gen. 47.11 or Goshen ver 27. which was another twenty eight Miles back again This latter part of the Patriarch's Travels maketh up two hundred fifty and six Miles which being added to his former part thereof being computed a thousand and sixty eighty both these numbers being put together do amount to one thousand three hundred and twenty four Miles No wonder then if this Holy Patriarch be commonly called the Father of the brood of Travellers as the vulgar singing Psalms do Translate that Psal 24.6 He being though the Heir of the Promise and of the Promised Land a most prodigious Traveller having no enduring City Heb. 11.9 and 13.14 Nay he travell'd as it were when he was dead when his Body was carry'd back to be Buried from Goshen to Canaan Gen. 50.7 11 13. Thus was Jacob a profess'd Pilgrim living and dying All this is Recorded for our Instruction and Comfort Rom. 15.4 that though we have the like Afflictions of being constrain'd to remove from place to place in the days of our Pilgrimage as Jacob was and my self have been yet may we but carry along with us the like Affections
Mark the perfect Man and behold the upright for be his Beginning and Middle never so Troublesom yet the End of that man is Peace Psal 37.37 or at least his After-End He shall have a Goshen a Shalom or Salem Hebr. Peace either here or in Heaven he shall by Death enter into Peace Rest in his Bed Isa 57.2 though he should not die in his Nest as Jacob did here and Job desired Job 29.18 and accordingly did so notwithstanding all his Afflictions both Job and Jacob had this commendable Confidence grounded upon God's Promises 't was not a Carnal but a Spiritual Security a blessed Calm and Composedness a Sabbath of Spirit flowing from Faith and founded upon a good Conscience of their own uprightness which caused Shalom Shalom great Peace and Joy Isa 26.3 There be two Branches of Jacob's first part of his Will The First concerns Joseph whose presence and influence had so affected his old Father's Heart and quickned his dying Spirits so with new Strength as to rouze himself up from his lying along upon his Death-Bed to whom Jacob declareth how he had full power to bequeath the Land of Canaan as he pleased though then he was but a Pilgrim in Egypt yet prizes he and disposes of his Interest in Canaan so we in Faith of Heaven absent in Body yet possess it with our Hearts as he did with his Bones c. because God had given it him by Promise for an everlasting Possession upon Condition of keeping Covenant with God v. 4. Intimating thereby that Joseph being now a mighty Prince in Egypt might possibly the less think of the Promised Land therefore his Father gives him a grave and godly Avocation from the Treasures Pleasures and Honours of that Land whereof he was now the Lord and a solemn and serious Invitation to consider of and comply with that great Promise of Canaan that he would now take up new Thoughts to joyn himself again to the People of the God of Abraham from whom he now seemed for a little to be separated Gen. 49.27 and to corroborate his Confidence the more in God's Promise of that Country he wills Joseph as his Legacy and Portion some part of the Promised Land to wit the City and Country of Shechem over and above all his Brethren Gen. 48.21 21. so that as Judah had the Dignity from Reuben who forfeited it by his Incest Joseph had the Double Portion 1 Chron. 5.1 2 3. Joseph hath his part in the latter part of his Father's Will among the rest of his Brethren Gen. 49.23 c. as well as this part here his was a double part or portion And this Shechem was Ephraim's Joseph's Sons Inheritance Josh 20.7 with 16.1 c. Joh. 4.5 and thither were Joseph's Bones carried out of Egypt and there Buried Josh 24.1.25.32 And Jacob mentions his dear Rachels Death with a great conflict and concussion of passionate Affections as his as for me she died by me importeth Gen. 48.7 upon a double account First to Render a Reason why he buried not Rachel in the double Cave where his Ancestors were buried by Couples Abraham und Sarah Isaac and Rebekah and where he had sworn Joseph to bury him because she died in Child-bed by the way so could not be kept unburied till brought to the Patriarchs Sepulchre through the slow march of his tender Flocks Secondly That Joseph might know why he gave him a double Portion because his Mother Rachel was intentionally and by Right his first Wife and had not Laban cheated him Joseph had been his first-born This brings in the second Branch of the first part of Jacob's Will which Secondly Concerns Joseph's two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim whom Jacob here Adopteth not as his Grandchildren but as his Immediate Children yea as his Eldest Sons as in room of or for Reuben and Simeon so bequeaths them the Birthright and therewith a double Portion making them two distinct and particular Tribes which was not vouchsafed to any of the Children of his other Sons Joseph's Brethren and therefore seeing Joseph's two Sons were hereby made the Fathers of two Tribes This made Joseph's their Fathers part double to all the rest of Jacob's Sons v. 5. Moreover Jacob might mention Rachel upon other Respects As 1. To mind Joseph that as his dear Mother forsook her Father's House in Syria and sojourned with her Husband in Canaan so her Son Joseph must be willing by his Mothers pious Example much more to leave his Honours in Egypt which was not his Native Country and go take possession of the Land of Promise which he did in his bones when dead Exod. 13.19 Josh 24.32 though he could not for many cogent Reasons aftermentioned do it with his Body while living 2. Jacob might hope that seeing my dear Rachel was snatch'd away from me by a preposterous Death when I expected she would live being young and bring me forth a numerous Offspring which God promis'd should spring from my Loins yet brought forth only two Sons Joseph and Benjamin therefore God would Recompence me and make up my loss by Adopting Joseph's two Sons that God's Promise in multiplying his Seed might be fulfill'd in and by them two The Remarkable Mysteries that lye couched in this Famous History are these 1. As Joseph presented his Sons to his Earthly Father to be Blessed by him saying These are my Sons whom God hath given me Gen. 48.9 So Jesus presents all his Saints to his Heavenly Father saying in like sort Here am I and the Children which thou hast given me Isa 8.18 Joh. 6.37 39. As the High-Priest did present the Twelve Tribes to God as well as represent them before him Exod. 28.29 So doth Christ us Col. 1.22 Jude v. 24. Eph. 5.27 Hebr. 9.24 c. and to him the Father Replies as Jacob did to Joseph here bring them now to me and I will bless them which he doth likewise with Kisses and Embraces This Congruity is yet attended with one Disparity Jacob adopted Joseph's Children at first as absent v. 5. but after discerning two Young men standing at Distance probably behind their Father's Back for Reverence-sake but through the dimness of his decayed Eyes he was disenabled to distinguish their Persons therefore he asks Who are these upon which Joseph informs his dim-sighted Father but Christ's Father and ours in him 2 Thess 1.1 2. with Eph. 1.3 c. can never be so dim-sighted as not to discern and distinguish us either at a distance or in the dark He can distinctly discover us when under the Fig-tree covering as Joh. 1.48 His All-seeing Eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth 2 Chron. 16.9 and behold what Men do in the dark Ezek. 8.22 yea Darkness and light are all one with him He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Eye and knows all Psal 139.2 to 14. Neither doth God Bless any as Absent from him Enter praesenter Deus hic ubique potenter God's Presence fills all places he
things to come than what was past For this second month Passover could not look backward respecting Israel's Deliverance from Egypt which was the appointed signification of the first month Passover because it miss'd that very famous night no less than a whole month therefore must it rather look forward as it was in it self a month forward and have respect to the future Oblation of Christ who is our Paschal Lamb Passover sacrificed for us in whom we keep the Feast in Spirit and Truth 1 Cor. 5.7 8. And those in a Journey afar of that could not keep the first Passover yet were admitted to the second Numb 9.10 11. may well represent us Gentiles who were unclean even dead in trespasses and sins and afar off also Ephes 2.1 13. yet should be made nigh by the blood of Christ v. 14. and be admitted to become partakers of that second namely the great Gospel-Passover who now is sacrificed for us and of whom we partake often And we may learn from this Divine Allowance in case of lawful Letts as here and 2 Chron. 30.2 that God in some cases is so gracious as to prefer Mercy to us before Sacrifice to himself for we have far more need of that than he hath of this Yet ought not this Divine Allowance to be stretched too far to a Male-improvement for this indulg'd People had a month granted them but no more and if they kept it not the first or second month then they must forbear the keeping of it till the return of the year But this may far more be questioned where Israel had their Meal for unleavened Bread seeing they had only Manna Answer 1. Some think for want of Meal they kept both those Passovers with Manna They kept no more but this till they came to Canaan Josh 5.10 2. Others say That at Sinai they were not far from Midian from whence they might be furnish'd with Meal so much as might serve this time by Jethro's means 3. Tho' a little piece of unleavened Bread might serve them with the Paschal Lamb the rest be supplied with Manna yet their other Sacrifices requir'd Meal too which might be made of Manna call'd the Corn of Heaven Psal 78.24 whereby all was furnished The 15th Remark upon this 12th Station is the floning of the Blasphemer recorded Levit. 24.10 11 c. wherein these particulars are duly to be pondered 1. The Person ver 10.2 The occasion his quarrelling with an Israelite ver 10.3 His heinous Action he blasphemed and cursed ver 11.4 His heavy passion and suffering for his sin For 1. He was apprehended 2. Imprisoned ver 11.12.3 Condemned by God ver 13 14. And 4. Stoned by the People ver 23. First His Person he is said to be the Son of an Egyptian by an Israelitish Woman His Father was one of that mixed multitude which came out of Egypt with Israel Exod. 12.38 whom this Woman married as many other Women then married Egyptian Men to decline their Rage and Fury for at that time the Law prohibiting Marriages with the Heathen was not given them and some charitably say he was a seeming Proselyte 't is more probable that as his Mother taught him to speak so his Father tanght this his Son to blaspheme Her name is Shalomith which signifies speking peaceably here partus non sequitur ventrem the birth did not follow the belly for her Son learnt not of her either to speak or to act peaceably Secondly The Occasion he was of a quarrelsom boisterous and passionate Temper which demonstrates the danger of mixed Marriages For Children like the conclusion of a Syllogism follow the worser part Lyranus saith He was drunk but then must it be with Water for they had no other drink there Rab. Solomon saith The arose about the Shew-bread or about pitching his Tent among the Tribe of Dan But his Father being a stranger could be concerned in neither These are but uncertain conjectures where God hath not a Mouth to speak Man must not have a Tongue to ask This is an holy Nescience Thirdly His heinous Action he both blasphemed and cursed In the heat and height of contention whan will not graceless cholerick persons both say and do If this Man was drunk it was with Choler and Phrenzy which made him belch forth Blasphemies and horrid Execrations out of his black mouth and blacker Gypsie hearr 1. He blasphemed Nakab Hebr. signifies perforare to bore thorough Thus Blasphemers do pierce and strike through the sacred and tremendous Name of God Such Diabolical wretches would both bore his Name and gore his Person if they could 2. He cursed Kalal Hebr. signifies leviter de aliquo loqui to vilifie and scoff at Thus he set at naught the God of Israel against whom it seems his quarrel was saith Jerome more than against that Israelite he quarrell'd with Thus he like those three unnatural Sons that tryed their Archery which could shoot nighest their Father's heart shot his Arrows at God and cursed himself Cursing men are cursed men such Dogs come not into Heaven by barking 1 Cor. 6 9 c. Rev. 22.15 Fourthly The circumstances of his Suffering As 1. He was apprehended as a grand Malefactor even against God himself impeaching the Divine Honour by blasphemy and cursing out of a deep Intestine Malignity 2. This capital Offender is haled away to Moses the chief Magistrate who soon committed him to custody and probably confin'd him with Chains or Fetters for 't is improbable there could properly be any strong Prisons in the Wilderness where they lived only in Tents tho' Moses might hive put him to death by vertue of that Law against cursing Father c. Exod. 21.17 but the Crime being very heinous against God himself as he used to do in other arduous cases so in this he consults with God for a condign punishment 3. God the Judge of all the Earth denounces his Doom He shall be stoned a punishment answerable to his stony heart Nor could it at all excuse him that he had been provoked greatly by others If Michael durst not bring any Railing Speeches against the Devil lude ver 9. how much more must mortal Men tremble to speak blasphemously against the great God! Let those that teach their Tongues to lye swear curse and blaspheme by a daily custom consider this severe Sentence of God and what danger hangeth over their heads every day 4. The People stone him For 1. It was a common quarrel to vindicate the contempt cast upon their common Benefactor from whom they had their Being and Well-Being 2. That by executing this severity they might be caution'd from committing the like abominable Crime Thus the Reason is render'd That all Israel may fear Deut. 13.11 And 3. This was a means to pacifie God by putting away that evil both person and thing from among them whereas his Anger would have been incensed against them had they permitted the Blasphemer to pass unpunished And whereas
back 4. They are doomed to wander in the Wilderness Forty Years till their Carcases were all consumed ver 33 34. Children bear the Whoredoms of Parents and wander so long with them including the Year past and part of the second Numb 10 11. All must know to their cost God will not be charged with breach of Promise which was upon a Condition broken by them so could not be whole on God's part Then did Moses Pen the nintieth Psalm for God's shortening Mens Lives c. to cut them the sooner off in the Wilderness Then the seventh and last Observable is Some of Israel's unhappy War with their Adversaries without God and the Ark going with them after their Mourning greatly for this sad Sentence c. ver 34 40 41 42 43 44 45. They in a blind Zeal as the Hebrew signifies rashly climb the Mountain confess they had finned when God gave them cause to cry yet resolve to Sin again in going up against the Command both of God and Moses and without the Ark This Presumption pushes them out of God's Precincts and so out of God's Protection Their Adversaries smote them to Horma which signifies a Curse or utter Destruction After this they wept but God would not hear so they abode in Kadesh many Days Deut. 1.45 46. Thus the Jews dealt with Jesus and John Baptist as those with Caleb and Joshua till Wrath came without Remedy 1 Thess 2.15 16. Because Israel abode at this fifteenth Station Kadesh-Barnea for many Days Deut. 1.46 according to the Days they had abode at Sinai ver 6. which contained one whole Year as they spent a whole Year at Sinai wherein a great deal of Work occurred as before so here we have many Occurrences in this whole Year following also And whereas God bids them upon their Murmuring c. To turn back to the Red Sea Deut. 1.40 The Lord's meaning was that at their next March whensoever it was which came not till long after that Divine Decree of their wandring so long in the Wilderness They should not go forward towards Canaan but right back again towards the Red Sea from whence they came During their long Station at Kadesh after the old Generation were doomed to dye short of Canaan c. sundry other Occurrences happened besides those before mentioned before their Retrograde Motion In the next place after the Judgment upon the disobedient Parents to be worn out in the Wilderness God remembreth Mercy and suffereth not his whole Wrath to arise but sealeth up his Love again to those late Revolters-Children whom He teacheth what to do when they came to Canaan Numb 15.1 to 12. in the Laws of Sacrificing wherein God promiseth to smell a sweet Savour from the Herd and from the Flock and the same Privilege is promised to all the Stranger Proselytes that embrace the true Religion The Sins of both committed by Errour and Ignorance should be equally expiated when they offered up their Homage to the Chief Lord of all from ver 12 to 27. By all which was figured their Reconciliation unto God and his Grace towards them in Christ Thus after the Curse of the Law for Sin succeedeth for our Comfort the Grace of the Gospel by Faith Checkered Work of Black and White proportionably intermingled is look'd upon as very beautiful Work This comely mixture of the black of Justice and of the white of Mercy God often exposeth to publick View upon Scripture-Record not only here but elsewhere In like manner after the Destruction of twenty four Thousand for the Sin of Baal-peor Numb 25. The Lord causeth the Children of Israel to be numbred again Numb 26. and anew appointeth the Land of Promise to be given to them for an Inheritance and repeateth again the Laws of sacrificing at the solemn Feasts in Numb 28. 29. That upon the Example of Wrath upon the sinful Parents He might discover his remembrance of Mercy in Christ unto the Penitent Believing Children Another remarkable Occurrence happened here at Kadesh-Barnea which was the Severity of God's Justice and Judgments against all proud and presumptuous Sinners in General Numb 15.30 for though there be a Pardon ready Sealed in course by God in Christ for all such as Sin by Infirmity Incogitancy Inadvertency or oversight c. Lev. 4.2 13. else we might die in our Sins while the Pardon is providing yet no such remedy is promised or provided for such as Sin with an high hand proudly and presumptuously with an uncover'd face as Onkelos in Chaldee expoundeth it openly and boldly as not ashamed their Sin should be seen of Men. This is call'd the great offence Psal 19.11 And the Reason is rendred because it reproacheth the Lord as if he wanted either Wisdom to observe or Power to punish such presumptuous Sinners who proudly conceit themselves to be out of the reach of God's Rod Ezek. 20.27 There is no Sacrifice for this Sin but the Sinner is to be cut off either by the Hand of the Magistrate where his Deed deserveth Death by the Law or by immediate Vengeance of the Hand of God as Numb 14.37 And this Severity against such Sinners is exemplified in particular upon a Sabbath-breaker Numb 15.31 32 33 34 35 36. where we may observe 1. The Perpetration of one particular presumptuous Sin together with its circumstances as what where when and how The Fact was seemingly but a small Matter namely gathering a few sticks c. and possibly he might pretend some necessity or conveniency to himself thereby c. but because really is was done with an high Hand in contempt of God and his Law and a prophaning of his Holy Sabbath though in the Wilderness wherein the Sabbath in respect of Cessation from Works was precisely observed but so were not the Laws about Sacrifices for it was written about their Meat and Drink Offerings c. When ye be come into Canaan c. that then and then only they were to be observed yet the Sabbath was to be strictly kept both within the Land and without even in the Wilderness 2. The Punishment for this perpetrated Fact of prophaning the Sabbath wherein 1. The Sinner is apprehended 2. Accused 3. Imprisoned because it was not yet known what Sentence to pass upon him For though the matter of the Fact was twice Doomed with Death Exod. 31.14 and 35.2 Yet was it not declared what manner of Death such a Sinner should dye Therefore God is consulted about this who expresly declareth it ver 35. Besides though the Law be in the rigour of it a killing Letter yet might it admit of some favourable Construction from Necessity c. Which might make the Offender capable of pardon So Moses did not rashly doom him nor ought Magistrates be hasty in matters of Life and Death as in other Cases of an Inferiour Nature They ought to be wary God and his Word ought to be consulted 4. He was Condemned God himself passing the Sentence that he should be
which the Midianites had employed for abominable uses But this Law had this exception that such Vessels as would abide the fire must be purified by passing through the fire such were made of hard Metalls yet such Vessels as could not abide the fire sufficient it was for their purification to be rinsed with water v. 23 24. here is mercy and no cruelty N. B. Thus God hath his Vessels of Honour some of Wood or weak Grace others of Gold or strong grace these latter may be exercised with Fiery Tryals and resistings unto blood the stronger that Faith is the stronger may be its exercise for which end that great gift of God is given to Men Phil. 1.29 but those former weaker and wooden Vessels shall have lower and lesser Afflictions not above their ability to abide 1 Cor. 10.13 Our Gracious God always suits the burthen to the back and the stroke to the strength As those aforesaid Vessels were legally purified from their Ceremonial uncleanness to shew that all Creatures are sanctified to us by Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.4 5. So the Vessels of Mercy in God's House 2 Tim. 2.20 21. are purified from their Corruption by afflictions which is called a passing through fire and water Psal 66.10 12. Ezek. 22.19 22. a trying them as Silver is tryed Zech. 13.9 and Mal. 3.3 and Isa 43.2 The Tenth Remark is The gratulatory Oblation levied out of the aforesaid distribution of the Spoils both that of the Conquerours and that of the Congregation that went not out to war this was twofold First Commanded of God for maintaining the Sacred Ministry the Priests to whom were given one part of five hundred but the Levites because many had one part of fifty this proportion was paid by both the aforesaid Parties as an homage and acknowledgment that the Victory was of God and to shew their thankfulness for his Salvation from v. 28 to 48. The Second Oblation was spontaneous voluntary or a free-will offering for that wonderful work of God wherein a whole Nation was cut off without the loss of one Man out of twelve thousand from v. 49 to the end whereas commonly the Sword devoureth one as well as another 2 Sam. 11.25 'T is usually said that is a strange Battel where none escapeth but 't is more strange on that side where no man perisheth when many yea myriads are slain on the adverse party as here a whole Populous Nation on the one side being against twelve thousand Men on the other How precious in God's eyes is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 by this bloodless Victory God encouraged Israel to Conquer the Canaanites The next Historical passage after the Conquest of Midian is the assignment of the Conquered Countries of the Amorites on this side Jordan to the Reubenites the Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasseh whereof we have an account in Numb Chap. 32. v. 1 2 3 4 5 c. upon which I make these following Remarks The First is Reuben being Jacob's first born of Leah Gen. 29.32 and Gad the first born of Zilpah Gen. 30.10 11. to whom are added some of the Sons of Manasseh the Eldest Son of Joseph the Eldest Son of Jacob by Rachel v. 39 c. do joyn in a Petition unto Moses for their portion of the first-born and to have the first possession out of the Conquer'd Countries of Sihon and Og whereof we have the Narrative in Numb 21. And the Sons of Gad are named before the Sons of Reuben both v. 2. and in v. 6 25 29 31 33. because probably they were the first Authors of this Project and the foremost in the Petition There is no mention of the half Tribe of Manasseh here among the Petitioners that follows v. 33 39. The Second Remark is Moses sharply â—â—proveth the Petitioners who was much moved at the first against their motion v. 6 c. as if it had been both unsavoury and unseasonable First Vnsavoury because it savoured of too much love to themselves and too little love to their Brethren and Secondly Vnseasonable because it disovered some distrust in God who had lately commanded the Division of the Conquer'd Lands by lot Numb 26.55 which they now would prevent and Moses might well look upon it as an evil president not only to discourage their Brethren in going forward to Conquer Canaan but also when some part of Canaan was after Conquer'd some other Tribes might crave that part for their Inheritance and so bring upon the Camp of Israel a great confusion beside 't is not at all improbable that these two Tribes were too much engaged in their affections to that portion of Land as Lot's mind was too much set upon the Plains of Sodom Gen. 13.10 for as he was soon after carried away Captive by the four Kings Gen. 14. so those here are noted to be the first that were carried away Captive out of this very Land who were the first of all the Tribes that had this Land assigned them for their Inheritance 1 Chron. 5.25 2 King 15.29 Strong affections cause strong afflictions if we love over-much we shall be sure to grieve over-much When God sees us set upon it to have this or that have it we may but with an after-reckoning that may dissweeten it with a witness The Third Remark is The Apology which the two Tribes made to pacifie Moses's indignation and to procure his grant of their Petition beside their former Arguments drawn from the copiousness of their Cattel and the commodiousness of that Countrey being so fat and fit for feeding them They offer Moses new Conditions v. 16 17 c. that they designed only to build Sheep-folds c. so leave their Wives Children and Cattel behind them but as for themselves they were ready to march in the fore-front of the Army of Israel in Conquering Canaan and they being freed from that great cumbrance which the other Tribes could not leave behind them might the more freely venture their lives in the Wars of Canaan this might be their intent at the first tho' Moses mistook them 'till he understood better N.B. Gross mistakes and thence great differences may fall out betwixt dearest Friends as betwixt Cyril and Theodoret who Excommunicated each other for Heresie posteà comperti idem sentire so betwixt Reuben and Judah Gen. 37.22 27 29 c. tho' they both aimed at the same thing c. The Fourth Remark is The Ratification of Moses's grant after his mistakes were removed unto die Petition of the two Tribes upon the performance of their Conditions proposed by them v. 20 21 22. being better informed that their suit was neither unsavoury nor unseasonable nor yet unreasonable as he at first judged it saying v. 6. Shall all go to War and ye sit here But with this caution that if they fail'd in their Conditions their sin would find them out v. 23. that is it would in the guilt of it haunt them at their heels like an
Light and Truth of the Gospel Till then the Tribe of Levi prayed for and preached to the People And because Ministers shall be sure to have many Enemies for so doing therefore must the People pray for them and if Man will not Right them Light being offensive to sore Eyes c. God himself will by striking through the Loins of those that injure them v. 11. as Korah Dathan and Abiram were done to Levi had no Portion but the Lord who therefore was their Avenger The 5th Remark is the Publick Exercise of Religion promised to Benjamin ver 12. who had been his old Father's Darling Gen. 42.4 and now must become a Darling to God himself Benjamin must live by Levi because the Temple wherein the Levites ministred stood upon Mount Moriah in the Tribe of Benjamin being the Northern Part of Jerusalem though the Southern Part wherein Mount Sion stood belonged to Judah's Tribe The Valley of Millo betwixt those two Hills Mount Sion and Moriah being filled up and made plain by Solomon whereby those two Hills might seem to be but one and the greater communicating its Name to the lesser hereupon God is said Synechdochically to dwell upon Mount Sion Thus Benjamin did dwell betwixt the two Shoulders of the Lord those two Holy Hills from both sides of the Temple as the Head on the Body The 6th Remark is the Blessing of Joseph in both his Sons Ephraim and Manasseh wherein is promised 1. A Confluence of all Creature-comforts from Earth and Heaven ver 13 14 15 16. and 2. A most potent Kingdom ver 17. Moses prays here that the Sun with its warmth and the Moon with its moisture may make Joseph's Land fruitful and that the Messiah who appeared to him in the Bush Exod. 3.2 might both preserve Joshuah of Joseph's Tribe in his Wars as the Bush in the Flame and bless him with a Conquest over Canaan as with the Horn of an Vnicorn c. The 7th and 8th Remarks relate to Zabulon and Issachar both Sons of Leah whom Moses joins together in one Blessing ver 18 19. to whom he promiseth vast Treasures by Sea-Traffick Zabulon was foretold to dwell by the Sea Shore Gen. 49.13 Issachar had also some Cities by the Sea side though they mostly delighted in a quiet Country Life of feeding Sheep and tilling the Ground from whence they sucked in prodigious Profits Both those Tribes shall not forget to return their Praises to God from whom they received all those Profits They shall call the People to the Mount of God The 9th Remark respecteth Gad to whom is promised 1. most renowned Victories ver 20. and 2. a most Reverend Prophet to Spring out of that Tribe to wit Elijah the Thisbite ver 21. who executed the Lord's Vengeance upon Baal's Priests 1 Kings 18. as likewise of a most resolute Prince namely Jehu of this Tribe who furiously poured forth God's Fury upon the Idolatrous House of Ahab c. 2 Kings 9 and 10. Chap. And though this Tribe had their Portion on this side Jordan where their Law-giver Moses had his Lot to die and be buried in yet were they as couragious as any to conquer Canaan for their Brethren Numb 32.23 29 33. 1. Chro. 12.8 and 5.18 to 22. The 10th Remark relateth to Dan to whom Military Prowess is promised ver 22. who is by Jacob called a Serpent Gen. 49.17 for his subtil and secret surprizing of his Adversaries But here by Moses he is likened to a Lion that lurketh in Bashan the Place where Lions were bred and suddenly jumped upon their Prey that passed by So Dan jumped suddenly on Laish Josh 18. The 11th Remark concerneth Naphthali to whom is promised all sorts of Prosperity even to full satisfaction ver 23. For they laying upon the Sea and trading with Tyre Sidon c. could not well want the most contentful Provisions both for quantity and quality more especially coming with the Favour of God to them There the light of God's Favour in Christ appeared Matth. 4.13.16 The 12th and last Remark upon the Tribes is on Asser or Ashur ver 24 25. to whom is promised a plentiful Portion both above Ground for Fruits and under Ground for Metals together with Multitudes of Children This Tribe had now 53 Thousand and four hundred Men of War Numb 26.47 and is farther promised That while their Days lasted their Strength should last also As Moses was lusty in his old Age Deut. 34.7 The third Part of Deut. 33. is the Epilogue or Conclusion wherein Moses gives 1st a graphical Character of the high Praises of the most high God both in his own Nature and Majesty ver 26 27. and in his transcendent loving kindness to his People Israel ver 28. and 2dly shuts up all with a most elegant Epiphonema which is Eucharistical ver 29. Remarks hereon are 1st This Conclusion concerneth all the Tribes of Israel in general unanimously celebrating the Glory of God in his goodness to his Church in the Wilderness they all partaking thereof to their everlasting Happiness Jeshurun the Chaldee explains it Israel and the Greek translates it Beloved Or it comes of Jashar Hebr. Righteous for they were beloved of God and righteous in his Eyes Yet soon they lost their Uprightness and kicked against God like a Shar Hebr. Bullock or young Mule qui matrem suis regratulatur calcibus that kicks his Dam after he hath suck'd her Dugs Deut. 32.15 The 2d Remark is God was an All-sufficient Succour to Israel while they retained their Uprightness God riding upon the Heavens ver 26. was an evidence of Triumph 2 Sam. 22.11 Hab. 3.8 Revel 6.2 and 19.11 16. having all the Celestial Creatures for his Cavalry or Horsemen and all the Terrestrial for his Infantry or Footmen What Foe can stand before him and his c. The third Remark is the Safety of the Church under such a Protector the Ancient of Days is their Refuge ver 27. Their Protection is both above and below them a Child of God cannot fall so far as to fall below the everlasting Arms of God Cant. 2.6 much less can all his Children Christ destroyeth the Devil that hath the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 and with him all their Enemies are destroyed The fourth Remark is God's Church is a People separated from the World that lays in Wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 They dwell alone ver 28. Numb 23.9 they mingle not with the Heathen nor meddle with their Worship or Manners Esth 3.8 being a peculiar Treasure to God Exod. 19.5 Tit. 2.14 having a better Fountain to feed on than the broken Cisterns of the World No Foe shall Usurp their place The fifth and last Remark from the Epiphonema is God's People are the World's Paragons None-such ver 29. such as the World is not worthy of Heb. 11.38 in their having Ossensive as well as Defensive Armour whereby they pull down the strong holds of Satan 2 Cor. 10.4 5. As 't is God's Glory to tread
Villany punished according to their Demerit ver 8. and at the same time 't is probable they Vowed also that they would not give any of their Daughters to those Benjamites that escaped the Sword of War or Justice in Marriage to them after they had destroyed all the Women Maids and Children of that Tribe and likewise they Vowed likely to put to the Sword the Men of any Town or City who came not up to assist them in this War which Vows they might ratifie with an Oath as is intimated Chap. 21. ver 1.5 N. B. After this Vow confirmed with an Oath they sent to Shilo for Council from God which of the Tribes should go first to the Battel ver 18. here began Israel's presumption to sprout forth They do not ask of God Shall we go up And shall we prosper For of this they were over confident both from the goodness of their Cause and from the greatness of their Strength Nor do they seek to the Lord of Hosts who giveth Victory as he pleaseth Psal 98.1 by Solemn Fasting and Prayer as they ought to have done in their first Expedition but did presumptuously promise to themselves Victory before the Fight and therefore they strove among themselves for precedency and which of the Tribes should have the honour of the Day so seek to God only to determine this difference among them that there might be no more Contention and Emulation about it which God decided saying Judah shall go up first The Third Remark is The better Cause may sometimes have the worser Success and great loss may by the Providence of God befal a good Cause as here to Israel in their first Battle against Benjamin who were the Abettors of the Belialites of Gibeah and protected those Vilest of Villains from the process of Justice which Israel endeavoured to execute upon them The Reasons were here First God suffered the better Cause to fall before the worser ver 19 20.21 to punish that Pride and Self-Confidence he at this time found in his People who only besought God which Tribe should go up first never doubting of the Victory but not at all for God's assisting presence with them in this present Attempt as if they stood in no need of God's Help The Lord had rejected these their Confidences therefore they could not prosper in them Jerem. 2.37 Secondly Because Israel was at this time generally guilty of Apostacy and Idolatry whereof they had not yet repented nor made their Peace with God but come to God's Work with Polluted Hands and had not pulled those great Beams out of their own Eyes which should have been done before they had gone about to pull the greater Beam out of their Brother Benjamin's Eye Matth. 7.3 4. This should have been first done by deep Humiliation and sincere Repentance Thirdly Had Israel prospered in their first Progress of War against Benjamin they had assuredly ascribed it to their own Power and Prowess and not have given God the Glory of a prevailing Victory Fourthly So great a loss befalls them in so good a Cause to teach both them and others not to judge of the Justice of a cause always by the event thereof seeing these things happen alike to all Eccles 9.1 2. Thus we see all the World over how the Persecutors of God's People do oftentimes prosper and the persecuted remain oppressed and trampled under foot until they be prepared for Mercy and their Oppressors ripened for ruine whose advancement by prosperity is but the fore-runner of a deeper downfal and destruction as in Benjamin here The Fourth Remark is Israel after the loss of Two and Twenty Thousand Men in the first Battle do encourage themselves to a second ver 22. Their great loss wrought in them some Reformation of their former Omissions yet had it not a thorough Work so as to fit them for a Victory For First Though now they weep before the Lord ver 23. yet was it more for their Defeat and Losses than for their Sins and Offences for they do not impute their ill success to their own Back-slidings from God but to their going out to Battle against their own Brethren Therefore Secondly Though their Loss drives them to the Lord to ask Council of him yet it was only because they scrupled the lawfulness of their War against their Brother Benjamin so ask if that were not the cause of their Miscarriage or if they might go up the second time neglecting still to ask what success they might have in this second Enterprize And Thirdly 'T is said they encouraged themselves ver 22. that is in themselves both in the goodness of their Cause and in the Multitude of their Men yet remaining of Four Hundred Thousand They had not still learned David's Art not having David's Heart to encourage themselves in the Lord their God as he did in the Day of his Distress 1 Sam. 30.6 and as they did before the Third Battle ver 26. but at this time we read not that they sought God's Assistance out of a sense of their sins by Fasting and Prayer still relying on an Arm of Flesh Fourthly Though God bid them go up here against Benjamin thy Brother though he be yet as they prayed not for God's Assistance so neither did God promise them any Success but answered them according to their Inquiry and according to the Idols in their Hearts Ezek. 14.3 4. whereof they had not still repented having forgot what Joshua had formerly foretold them If ye forsake God he will do you hurt after he hath done you good Josh 24.19 20. so they presume and are punished the second time ver 24 25. Fifthly And Lastly God suffer'd this second Loss of Eighteen Thousand Men to be added to their former loss of Twenty two Thousand to Avenge his own Cause against Idolatry because Israel was not still stirr'd up to Avenge God's Cause against Idolaters They that could be so sensible of an Injury done to a Sorry Whore in Gibeah still did remain senseless of the Injury done to the Great God of Heaven by Dan's Idolatry N. B. Therefore seeing Vice came still to Correct Sin many Achan's many gross Offenders were still in their Army they could not proceed with any prosperous Success Moreover Divine Providence ought not Atheistically to be denied because the good Cause is defeated twice and the bad Cause becomes Victorious twice also For who knows the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor Rom. 11.33 34. This might be thus ordered as the Judgments of God which are sometimes Secret but always Just for these Reasons First The Great God governs every stroke that is struck in Battle and every Weapon of War hath a Divine Commission whom to kill of Humane kind Now 't is not improbable but God took this course to cut off the Rottenest Members of that great Body by the Sword of Benjamin in the two Battles which could not but be a great Blessing to the Common-wealth
carnal Cardinal in France I would not lose my part in Paris for my part in Paradise for indeed no such wretch could have any part at all in Gods Paradise no such dirty Dog shall ever tread upon that Golden Pavement Revel 21.21 and 22.15 Observ 4. Carnal Worldings will be wiser than the most wise God This Worldly Muck-worm Reasons and Resolves here as if the Father of all the Families both in Heaven and on Earth Eph. 3.15 would have undone his Family by a displeasing precept he makes himself wiser than God who sets the solitary in families Psal 68.6 and preserveth them in that state by his providence which can never be contradictory to his precept nor his precept to his providence Yet thus he Argues Should I Marry Ruth Alas she is a poor Widdow and brings no Addition to my Estate and then the Old Woman Naomi must be maintained too which will be a double charge yea further she being Young may fill my House with Children so weaken my Inheritance when divided into many Streams or if she brought him but one Child he would want an Heir to bear his own Name but Mahlons that was deceased it must bear and so he should beget a Child upon another Mans-bed and therefore he thought to obey God who blesseth those that obey him would blast his Patrimony and thus with his carnal Reasonings and for Worldly Respects he dispenseth with his Disobedience to the express Law of God Deut. 25. ver 5 6 7. Whereas 't is our duty to see always better things in Gods will than in our own and to believe Wisdom where we cannot behold Love V. 7. Now this was the manner in former time concerning Redeeming Here the Rites of Redemption or Alienation of Lands are Related bearing some Resemblance with those prescribed in Moses's time Deut. 25. yet with difference Hence Observ 1. Old Custom is of great Authority with all People Custom is not only a Second Nature but 't is also a prime Law to many as Tully said those Customs I received by Tradition from my Ancestors Nullius unquam me Movebit Autoritas no Authority shall ever remove me Mos which signifies custom is called Magnus Trium literarum Tyrannus a mighty Tyrant of Three Letters that mightily prevails every where as amongst those Barbarians that have a custom of throwing stones one at another once in the year and this custom they cannot be persuaded to lay down because they received it by Tradition from their Ancestors But Jeremy tells us The Customs of the People are vain Jer. 10.3 old customs without a consonancy to the Truth and Word of God Joh. 17.17 are but mouldy errors So then the Jus Consuetudinarium cryed up by the Romanists ought to be Abandoned in as much as it Agrees not with the Truth To make custom the chief Magistrate or Law of our Life is to make our selves no better than dead Images that are moved and carried on upon the Wheels of custom Observ 2. Succession of time is very apt to alter primitive Institutions Here some alterations were crept in since the appointment of Moses in Deut. 25. for there the Widdow refused by the next Kinsman complained to the Elders of the injury offered her but here Ruth makes no such complaint There The Woman pull'd off his Shoe but Here The Man pulls off his own Shoe himself and gives it to his Neighbour the Goel or Redeemer There she Spits in his Face to disgrace him But here no such matter is done save only his delivering the Shoe to Boaz whereby he renounced his own Right so much as to tread upon that Land without sufferance and resigned all up to the Redeemer Thus Alterations from the first Institution and Innovations are very apt to creep in upon us in Matters of Religion Our Lord saith non crat sic ab Initio it was not so from the beginning Mat. 19.8 This was a Testimony in Israel That is it was entred upon Record that the Redeemer should ever hold his Right to the thing redeemed They made sure Bargains for the Earth Hence Observ 3. If Earth much more Heaven should be assared Oh what sure work was made about Anathoth's Field Jer. 32. See v. 9. more of this V. 8. So he drew off his Shooe This was for confirming the Bargain according to the custom of the Countrey in giving Possession by Turf and Twig or by Sod and Straw laying them upon the Deed or Evidence c. Hence Observ 1. To put off the Shoes of our Defilements is a Blessed Evidence of an Holy Resignation of our selves to God Thus Moses was commanded to put off his Shoes Exod. 3.5 And thus was Joshuah also Josh 5.15 not so much because they stood upon Holy Ground as that both of them must design themselves to an Holy God Oh that we could do so inasmuch as that Ceremony of Spitting in the Face of this Refusing Kinsman was either omitted or remitted yet the Bargain was firm in Israel From hence arises Observ 2. Religion may be firm and right Religion without some Ceremonies As this Bargain was a right and firm Bargain without that Ceremony for either it was become Obsolete and out of use or Ruth referr'd the whole concern to Boaz. Oh it were an happy thing if the Worship of God were now accounted a right and firm Worship of God without being so cloathed and clogged with so many Ceremonies over and above the nakedness and simplicity of the Gospel N. B. 'T is pity they should be called but indifferent to Salvation yet be accounted so necessary to preferment Those indifferent things must not now either be omitted or remitted though they have been for some time out of use but are imposed as necessary things though not mentioned amongst such Acts 15.28 whereby they lose the very Nature of Indifferency V. 9. Ye are Witnesses this Day 'T was Boaz's care to make his new Purchase with good assurance Caveat Emptor the Buyer must take heed that all be right fast and firm Thus Abraham did in his purchase Gen. 23.16 Those were fit Witnesses because they were Eye-Witnesses of the Bargain and Ear-Witnesses also Hereby he provided for his own security and for the quietness and peace of his Posterity also who otherwise might have been dispossessed of it 'T was therefore an act of great prudence and shall not we be as prudent for Heaven that purchased Inheritance so call'd Eph. 1.14 as Abraham was of his Purchase if we be the Sons and Daughters of Abraham Thus Jeremy as before made sure work by Evidences both Subscribed or Signed and Sealed and Delivered before Witness yea and two Copies for preventing Quarrels and after-Claims Jerem. 32.9 10 11 12. Men love to be upon sure Grounds in things that are Temporal Oh that they were as wise in things that are Spiritual and Eternal V. 10. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess have I purchased c. And 't was a good Purchase even the best
the death of Saul and his dear Friend Jonathan together with Israel's Choicest Worthies and Men of their Chiefest Chivalry v. 17 19 20. to 27. wherein is Remarkable First David is the Author of this lamentable Epitaph because he had both a Poetick and a Prophetick gift and because he was most deeply concerned as Son-in-Law and Successor to Saul and as a great loser in the loss of his best beloved Jonathan who was the next subject of this sad Tragedy Secondly The Matter of this sad Sonnet is a mixture of Poetical Exclamations and Hyperbolical imprecations all composed in a concise Meetre which makes the meaning thereof the more cloudy being the extatick expressions of one overwhelmed with grief for the death of his dearest Friends Thirdly Beside these general Raptures David particularly bewails First The death of Saul commending him for the laudable Vertues which he had which made him amiable and obliging to his Subjects as for those foul affronts offer'd to himself and to Jonathan he candidly covers them as being only the efforts of his sudden passion by which his ordinary temper ought not to be measured and of his jealousie of a Corrival to the Crown for which he ought to be excused but not one word of any piety in Saul which he had not doth David mention N. B. Note well A fair Caution for flattering Preachers of Funeral Sermons 'T is too Pharisaical to beautifie the Tombs of the dead whose lives were bad Mat. 23 29. Secondly the death of Jonathan he more passionately deplores because frater quasi ferè alter he almost lost himself in the loss of him who had he lived would assuredly have given David a peaceable possession of the Kingdom after his Father's death according to the Covenant between them whereas by the death of Jonathan he look'd for long interruptions from it by Abner c. And he makes Rhetorical Flourishes upon Jonathan's Cordial Love to him as transcending the Love of Women Naturalists say of Females quicquid volunt valdè volunt their affections are more earnest than those of Males Yet Jonathan loved David more affectionately than ever did any Woman either her Child or her Husband Fourthly David did not so despond with dolour but being now King he Commands that the Men of Judah his own and now the Royal Tribe should learn the use of their Armour v. 18. because they bordered upon the Philistines upon whom they might retrieve their lost Honour and he instances in the Bow both in Honour of Jonathan who was so skilful at it ver 22. and that they might match the Philistines Archers who had beeen so mischievous to their Mighty ones This the General Chronicle amplifies Josh 10.13 mentions this Book of Jasher which signifies Recti the Book of Right or of the Law a Directory for Prince and People to right Duties on both sides The Jews take it for Genesis the story of Abraham Isaac and Jacob those three Righteous Men but then it should not be Jasher but Jasharim plural it is Rather the Blessing of Jacob Gen. 49.8 Judah's Hands shall be on the Neck of his Enemies so David of that Tribe was to be In this was inserted this Song the foot and burden whereof was How are the Mighty faln oft repeated v. 19.25 27. This Book taught the use of the Bow and Artillery but is now lost being no part of the Canonical Scripture c. 2 Samuel CHAP. II. THIS Chapter contains David's coming to the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of his State of Exaltation as before is recorded the whole History of David's State of Humiliation a perfect Type of Christ his Antitype who passed likewise out of the one into the other This Chapter consists of three Parts Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents First The Antecedents have these Remarks as First David's beginning at the right end and laying the foundation of his promised Kingdom in consulting with God according to God's own Ordinance Numb 27.21 and notwithstanding all his peerless persecutions he dare not now stir one step without Divine direction v. 1. having smarted so much for following his own Humane Policy and Prudence 1 Sam. 27.1 He asks God To what City of Judah shall I go God Answers To Hebron Ziklag was only Achish's Donative to David a remote place so not for his present purpose But God's gift to him was Hebron the Metropolis of Judah more antient than Zoan of Egypt Numb 13.22 a City of Refuge Josh 20.7 and more Renowned because the Patriarchs to whom Canaan was promised lay Buried there and thereby as it were held possession of it The Second Remark is Thither David went as God directed him into the very heart of his own Tribe whence he expected most Acceptance and Assistance and his two Wives with him ver 2. to share with him in his Prosperity as they had done in his Adversity N. B. Note well Wherein we have a Type of Christ and his Church which when It hath Suffered with him shall also Reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Luk. 22.28 29. Our Lord will remove his Spouse from the Land of her Banishment from the Ashes of her forlorn Ziklag to the Hebron of her Peace and Glory he hath taken order for it already Joh. 17.24 and is gone a little before to Prepare Mansions for her Joh. 14.2 3. yea and counteth not himself compleat Till he hath us all with him Ephes 1.23 Nor doth David Cashier those his Men that had Mutinied at Ziklag but brings them all along with him ver 3. and Billets them in the Country-Villages that he might not be burdensome to Hebron in Quartering too great a Company upon them Thus our Lord forgets and forgives our many Murmurings c. and leads us into the Land of Bliss The Third Remark is Not only the Men of Judah Universally v. 4. but also many Worthies out of several Tribes resorted to David 1 Chron. 12.1 2 3 22. who all joined together to Elect him King over Judah which Act might have been of pernicious consequence seeing the Right of Election belonged to all the Tribes had not the Oracle of God directed David hereunto and therefore it was no Sinful Schism Yet notwithstanding not only Ambitious Abner took advantage at this Act to raise a Rebellion against David among the other Tribes v. 8 9. but also it became an ill president and as it were a preparative to that fatal Schism in Rehoboam's Reign which could never be patch'd up again The Second Part is the Concomitants The Remarks of it are First The Elders of Judah with the Concurrence of the Worthies out of other Tribes Anoint David King over Judah v. 4. This was David's second Anointing to be King Samuel had Annoited him privately before which only gave Jus ad Rem not Jus in Re a Right Title to it but not an Actual Possession of it as this second Anointing did Now David was King both de Jure and de Facto David had
but he modestly saith He deceived me by carrying away the Asse which I bid him saddle for me for his own use v. 26. nor doth he mention the slander until he was necessitated thereto by David's Question for his just defence v. 27. and even then with submission to David himself who was wise as an Angel of God to distinguish between realities and undue reproaches v. 28. Courtier like complementing I cannot complain of his treachery nor of my own infelicity c. Mark Fourthly David's Sentence hereupon wherein Mephibosheth acquiesced v. 29 30. First As to David's Sentence some justifie it saying He meant only that Mephibosheth should let Ziba have his Land to half part as is the custom of Landlords to their Tenants in some Countries that Ziba having many Sons and Servants should Till and take all the pains and for so doing should have equal profits with his Master the Landlord according to David's first order Chap. 9.9 10. and this seems to correspond with the Second Part to wit Mephibosheth's Answer to David's Sentence yea let him take all I expect not to continue either the owner of my Grandfather Saul's Lands or the joyner of half the profits thereof I am well enough and I am rich enough seeing my Lord the King is so safe returned to his own Throne and Dignity Secondly But others are of another Opinion saying David was now in haste having the weighty Affairs of settling an unhinged and an unsertled Kingdom upon his hand so had not time to examine matters thoroughtly at this time tho' Ziba was present v. 17. there being no leisure to prove and fend as we say being so full of business and therefore David was hurried headlong to pass this unjust Sentence partly so contrary to his Solemn Oath unto his dear Jonathan partly so uncharitably to a poor Cripple Jonathan's only Son and partly in favour to a faithless Servant who better deserved an Halter for slandering his innocent Master than any such Reward N. B. The Rabbins say that because David broke his Oath with Jonathan and divided Mephibosheth's Land therefore David's Kingdom came to be divided in Rehoboam's Reign tho' David was as an Angel of God in other cases yet in this case he seems no better then a frail man subject to like passions with other Men Charity requires us to think with Abulensis that he did not only now intend to be better informed afterwards when he could be at better leisure but also that he made Mephibosheth amends for this wrong some other way The Fifth Remark is Barzilai's Congratulating David's safe return and conducting him over Jordan in his way to Jerusalem v. 31 32 33 to 40. wherein Mark First Barzilai was one of those three that brought Provisions to David in his Banishment Chap. 17.27 28. we hear no more of the other two some suspect that David some way did disoblige them shewing all his respect to Barzilai as is intimated his Charge to Solomon 1 King 2.7 not naming their kindness there Tho' both of them were Honourable as well as Wealthy Persons For as for Machir he was the Nobleman with whom Mephibosheth had been brought up Chap. 9.4 who seeing David's unexpected kindness to Jonathan's poor cripple Son whom he expected would be cut off for Saul's sake and therefore hid him came at that time to Minister unto David's wants and as for Shobi he was not only Second Brother to unworthy Hanun as is noted before upon that place whom David worthily deposed and set up this Brother in his stead to be King over those injurious Ammonites therefore this thankful Shobi Ministers to David with Machir also But to clear David from the odious ingratitude to this kind King whereof grateful David was rarely found guilty we find it on Record that he married his Son Solomon to Naamah supposed to be this Shobi's Sister or Daughter but a Proselyte to the Jewish Religion 1 King 14.21 Mark Secondly However David was grateful enough to old Barzilai in offering him the pleasant and plentiful life of a Courtier but his modesty and piety refused the King's kindness v. 32 33 34 35 36. pleading his old age that he was Senex quasi Seminex half dead I am dying saith he by piece-meal sensim sine sensu I dye daily as Paul said and am yielding somewhat to death every day therefore am unfit for Courtly pleasures I know thee to be a Musical Man and must have variety of Voice-musick and melodious Instruments playing at thy meals which also will be furnished with all manner of Dainties and delights of the Sons of Men unto all which choice Meat and Musick I am already dead Eccles 12.2 3 4. 'T is high time for me and all such old People to make and pack up our fardles and prepare to go hence into a better World Seeing my continuance in this World can be but short it is not adviseable to alter my habitation where I ought to prepare for death and to lay hold on eternal life and not come to Court where I shall be but burthensom to the King and his Courtiers who would have such Consorts as can discourse and be jocular with them which my decrepit Age disenables me for besides Why should the King recompence my small favour with so rich a reward v. 36. N. B. Thus should we all say to God and surely glorified Saints do so admiring that weight of glory c. Mark Thirdly Barzilai offers his Son Chimham v. 37. and the King accepts him v. 38 39 40. and made him a fellow-commoner with Solomon his Son 1 King 2.7 N. B. Learn we hence to offer our Children to the King of Kings that he may make them Christ's Companions The Last Remark is The Tribes of Israel quarrel with the Tribe of Judah for stealing away the King from them v. 40 41 42 43. wherein Mark First The Tribes of Israel were upon second thoughts convinced of their madness in rebelling with Absalom before the Tribe of Judah was so and were thereupon at strife among themselves for recalling their rightful King v. 9 10. Mark Secondly The better and prevailing part for it were but half of the Tribes of Israel v. 40. the worst part lay lurking at home fit for being fired into the following Rebellion Chap. 20. Mark Thirdly This better part blames Judah for arrogating the recalling of the King wholly to themselves without requesting their concurrence therein as if they designed to engross David wholly to themselves v. 41. wherein they tax David himself for not sending Zadock c. to treat with their Elders as he had done with the Elders of Judah v. 11 c. as well as for permitting such a preposterous precipitation Mark Fourthly The Men of Judah plead Kindred to the King and that they studied more their office than their benefit in what they had done we look'd for no wages for our work v. 42. ye ought to have done as much and not to have come
Spirit Thus the Bridegroom adopted the Bride Ruth 3.9 and so doth God to us Ezek. 16.8 if called c. Mark 3. When this rich Farmer 's Son found his Heart changed by this Habit He leaves his Plough and begs leave of a farewel to his Parents This great change upon Elisha by only the Mantle of Elijah makes up his eighth Miracle Mark 4. Elijah grants it Grace destroys not Nature nor Sanctity Civility Parents do Consent Elisha comes without dallying and delaying not as He did Matth. 8.21 Luke 9.59 and ver 61 62. where Christ grants not to him what Elijah here granteth because Christ knew all Men John 2.24 and that it was a pretence only to leave Christ Mark 5. Elisha's friendly Farewel was speedy This Divine Impression makes him willing to leave his Parents his Plough his fat Farm his All for God c. He slays his Oxen he plow'd with boils the Flesh with the Plough and wooden Instruments makes a farewel Feast for all his Friends here 's no weeping saith Peter Martyr but all Joy at this Happy Day and more honourable imploy Thus Levi did Luke 5.29 1 Kings CHAP. XX. THIS Chapter is a Narrative of Ahab's two great Victories over the Syrians for two years together First of the first Victory in which the Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents are remarkable Remarks first upon the Antecedents As 1. Benhadad the Son of him who had spoiled sundry Cities in Israel chap. 15.20 and the same whom Hazael murdered and succeeded 2 Kings 8.15 waged War against Ahab The Cause of this War is variously assigned As 1. The Syrians above thirty years before had been invited in by Asa to assist him against Baasha and then conquering some Cities 1 Kings 15.17 18. they had felt the sweetness of the Soil of Israel and now they would have all N.B. This is oft the fate of calling in Forein Powers for the suppression of an home-bred Enemy The Remedy oft proves worse than the Disease The 2d Cause saith P. Martyr was Ahab's refusing to pay Tribute to Benhadad which before he had paid him for those Cities that had been taken from Baasha and some also from Omri Ahab's Father not mention'd in sacred Story but implied here ver 34. But the 3d. and true Cause of this War was God's great displeasure against Israel for their Idolatry and Apostasie and Benhadad's Ambition in amplifying those Conquests his Father had made chap. 15.20 was but the Rod in God's hand to chastize the Impiety of his Children Remark the Second Benhadad gathers a vast Host consisting of thirty two Kings c. wherewith he comes up and besieged Samaria the Metropolis of the Ten Tribes designing to catch and conquer that Kingdom wholly to himself ver 1. Hereupon he sends his Embassadors from the Siege into the City to demand all Ahab's Treasures his Wives and Children c. ver 2 3. or expect no Peace but a sudden Assault Remark the Third Timorous Ahab finding himself not only hard pressed with a close Siege without but also worse oppressed with a guilty Conscience within makes a most pusillanimous Truckle to Benhadad's insolent Demands saying I am thine and all that I have ver 4. An evil Conscience was the cause of this Cowardice N.B. Some indeed more charitably call this Prudence in Ahab that by a soft Answer he might mollifie the mind of a Barbarian King so saith Menochius and that he spake not this seriously but only officiously to pacifie Benhadad nor would such a proud Imperious Dame as was Jezebel suffer him to do otherwise as loth enough to be delivered up into the hands of Barbarous Benhadad And Dr. Hall saith that Ahab did wisely like a Reed in the Tempest stoop to this violent Charge of so potent an Enemy he being but half a King while the Kingdom of Judah was divided from him and Benhadad had two and thirty Kings in conjunction with him It is not for the over-powered to expostulate in Capitulations weakness must not argue but yield Might many times runs down Right Remark the Fourth Benhadad insolently incroacheth upon this first submission of Ahab ver 5 6. Ahab offers to be a Tributary King to him and to hold his All in Homage and Fealty under him so the propriety and present possession might be but his No saith Benhadad in his second Message I will not only have Dominion over thy All but I will have present possession of thy All without any subordinate Interest reserved to thy self and not of thy All only but the All of all thy Subjects shall be mine in hold also Thus Insolency is both unsatiable and unreasonable too The unjust knows no shame Zeph. 3.5 he will have his Jezebel too together with the Treasure of the City as well as the Royal City and all the Cash Jewels Plate and portable goods of the Citizens All shall be actually mine saith he nor will I stay till thou deliver them but I will send to fetch them Remark the Fifth Upon the Antecedents Ahab now consults with the Elders whose wealth was now equally involved and incroached upon with his own ver 7. P. Martyr marks well here that Ahab neither consulted God at this pinch nor acknowledged the true cause of it He tells those Elders I have not denied to become his Vassal but nothing will satisfie him save the plundering of our Houses the ravishing of our Wives and the spoiling us of our All that is comfortable This over-strained subjection turns desperate and hereupon the Elders advise him to a Denial and rather stand it out to the Issue of a bloody War ver 8. Then Ahab gave in his Denial but faintly in saying I may not do it ver 9. whereas a right generous Spirit would have said I will not do it thy incroaching Terms required are worse than death c. N.B. Ahab was of such an Abject Temper that he would have submitted to the second Message saith P. Martyr but that he feared a Sedition among his Subjects sending his Answer in such a sordid dress Tell my Lord the King that thy Servant will do all demanded at first He might as well have said and the second too but my Subjects will not suffer me Remark the Sixth Ahab's Denial puts Benhadad into a desperate Out-rage ver 10. He stamps and stares he brags and threats yea and swears by his Gods that he would immediately turn the City Samaria into a Dust-heap And tho' every of his Souldiers should but each take up one hand-full they shall be sufficient to carry the whole City out of its place N.B. Such prodigious Pride and Presumption usually precedes utter Destruction which all Benhadad's Dunghil-Deities could not deliver from Now indeed Ahab answered wisely ver 11. and a little more couragiously than before leaving out that slavish Title My Lord but useth a Proverbial speech Let not him that girds on his Armour boast as he that puts it off N.B. 'T is sublime folly to sound a
the King had opened his mouth to make his Defence so he would not suffer any to stop it till he had done being confident that Agrippa's opinion and Judgment could not but prevail much with Festus while he pleaded for his own life and therefore doth he principally crave the King 's patient Audience stiling it his happiness yet Paul well knew that the true happiness is to find favour with God in the Remission of Sin Ps 32.1 2. and assuredly had not God over-ruled matters and Paul had not been so eminent by his sufferings Agrippa who came into the Court in such a princely pomp Acts 25.23 Especially Festus could never have vouchsafed him attention with so much silence and patience The third Remark is A blameless life from our youth upward is a brave incouragement when we come to suffer for Righteousness-sake Thus Paul here v. 4 5. makes a confident appeal as be had done to Caesar's Court so to his accusers consciences whether they could Justly charge him with any enormities while he was of their Strict Pharisaical persuasion Hereby he vindicated his Christian Religion from the prejudice of the Jews who cast such calumnies upon Paul as if he had imbraced Christianity as a subterfuge from the abuse of his Pharisaism in former times This he wisely washeth off and convincingly urgeth that it was not for any misdemeanors done by him but for his imbracing the Christian Religion which had rendred him so odious and obnoxious to them Now the Testimony of Paul's good Conscience was a strong cordial to support him in all these Tryals which he had before Faelix Festus and King Agrippa over and above his Divine Revelation The fourth Remark is The Doctrine of the Resurrection is no incredible Doctrine This Paul asserts as the foundation of all Religion which he calls the hope of the promise v. 6. for which the 12. Tribes instantly served God and all little enough to obtain a better Resurrection and everlasting life verse 7. and for which Article of the Faith those Degenerate Children of the 12. Tribes do saith Paul persecute me to Death Yet it is a Credible Doctrine which Pagans such as Festus was and Sadduces ought not to deny v. 8. and the Credibility of it is evidently Demonstrated both by God's works of Creation wherein God gave life to that which had it not before therefore he can more easily restore life where it once hath been and by his works of Providence seeing every spring is a Resurrection of Plants that seem dead in winter The fifth Remark is The great ends and effects for which Christ did Institute and Commissionate a Gospel Ministry are principally five for working 1. Conversion 2. Faith 3. Remision of sins 4. Sanctification And. 5. Salvation N.B. All these five be famously specified in Paul's Commission from a greater High-Priest The Lord Jesus to preach the Gospel than the whited wall Ananias was who had before given him a Commission to persecute the Preachers of it and who now did persecute Paul for Preaching it as Paul tells King Agrippa here after he had given him the whole narrative of his wonderful Conversion whereon Remarks have been already made upon Acts 9.3 c. And upon Acts 22.6 As also upon Acts 8.3 from Acts 26.9 10 11 c. to verse 18. where this excellent discription is N. B. Now tho' these five great works of Conversion c. be properly and principally yea only the work of Christ who alone can open the eyes of the blind both of souls and bodies as he had opend Pauls c. yet is he pleased to put this great honour upon his poor Instruments in his ministry's by whom he ordinarily works them and hence are they called co-workers with God 1 Cor. 3 5 6. And 2 Cor. 6.1 The sixth Remark is How abominable it is that among those that profess themselves to be God's peculiar people True obedience to the Great God should be reckoned no better than real Rebellion and Treason against sorry mortal man Thus Paul tells Agrippa verse 19. the Jews who pretend themselves to be God's peculiar people can find no other fault in me but that I durst not be disobedient to this heavenly Vision but I preached the Gospel at God's command verse 20 21. from whose fury God hath hitherto preserved me verse 22 23. Intimating for his own vindication that he had done nothing but what became a man grateful to God for his daily preservation which is not granted to nourish Idleness but labour as also that the truths of the Gospel concern'd Agrippa himself and all princes as well as the meanest people for all are one in Christ Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 The seventh Remark is Carnal minds even of mighty men do pass very uncharitable Censures upon spiritual persons and things Thus the Pagan Judge Festus Judged Paul a mad man verse 24. as the Captains did Gods prophet that came to Jehu 2 Kings 9.11 and the Friends of Christ did Christ himself Mark 3.21 Nor can it be otherwise because of contrary apprehensions for bad men call evil good and good evil Isaiah 5.20 21. They blasphemously conceive the Gospel to be the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.18 It seemeth so to them that perish but to them that shall be saved it is the power and wisdom of God Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Therefore is it a most dangerous symptome thus profanely to mistake and to distast the Gospel of Christ as Festus did here thinking that Paul had over-studied himself and by meddling with matters too high for his Capacity and too deep for his understanding he had brought himself into a mad melancholy so he broke forth into this idle and long Tittle-Tattle c. The eighth Remark is 'T is a blessed Attainment for a man to be master of himself when highly provoked and to be regulated by right reason only and not hurryed by unruly passions Thus it was with Paul here verse 25. making his answer with all meekness with due terms of respect to a Revileing Judge wherein he well observed Solomon's saying a soft answer turns away wrath Prov. 15.1 Festus had spoke truly so far as to say Paul had much learning for he was reckoned an excellent linguist being skilful by his acquired learning besides that infused by the Holy Ghost in the Hebrew Syraick Greek and Latine Tongues well acquainted with the Pagan Poets and a most fluent and Charming Orator speaking and writing Greek in such a Compt florid and elegant style so that Demosthenes's Orations are but dull pieces compared to some of his Epistles yet Festus was extravagant in censuring that Paul's much learning made him mad perhaps he might feel some strange Infleunce upon Paul's Discourse and could not ascribe it to the Right cause the Holy Spirit but to the spirit of madness c. N. B. 'T is true indeed Paul himself confesseth that he had been exceeding mad in persecuting the Truth Acts 26.11 And there were