Apostacy of it they delivered divers Ceremonies unto the Church Observ 2. Not only the open and known sin is destructive but also the counterfeit righteousness not only the manifest breach of Gods Law brings destruction with it but also the perverse and cross observation of it Observ 3. Outward Services of God may be abused as hearing the word when the heart goes after covetousness Ezek. 33. Prayer is abused when not used to obtain Grace for pardon of sin nor strength against sin Thanksgiving is abused when it ends in surfeiting and drunkenness The Sacrament of Baptism is abused when made an argument of quarreling The Lords Supper is abused when used only to cover sin not for the mortification of sin Fasting is abused when used for this end that men may smite with the fist of wickedness Esay 58. When under a pretence of a Fast Naboth i. e. the Spirit of Prophecy must be slain Axiom 2. All these things by abuse tend to destruction Namely of those who abuse them Herein we must enquire 1. What all these things are 2. What their abuse is 3. How by their abuse they are to destruction 1. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which things we must understand those in the verse before mimically expressed Touch not taste not handle not in all which their objects are to be understood as touch not a dead Carcase or one that hath an Issue or a Leper c. Taste not Swines flesh or what ever by the Ceremonial Law was unclean Handle not or meddle not with a woman Now the question is whether these prohibitions proceeded from the Ceremonial Law of God now according to the Letter out of use or whether hereby be to be understood the opinions of the Philosophers as the Pythagoreans for these as many Hereticks after them taught their Disciples to abstain altogether from Wine and Women such were the Eucratitae a sort of old Hereticks Clem. Alexand. lib. 3. Strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle foretold that such as these should be in the later time 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. Surely such Prohibitions might proceed out of the Ceremonial Law of God yet since the Philosophers whose Leaders at least had read the Writings of Moses delivered the same rules to their Disciples and that in order to the worship of Angels as hath been shewn and of such the Apostle speaks expresly v. 18. We may here understand those Prohibitions at large whether the Dictates of the Law or Opinions of the Philosophers The Reason of this Reproof I implyed before being one of the Apostles Arguments to convince them ab indecoro it no way beseemed them it was contrary to their Profession they were by Profession dead to the world and the elements of the world A like Reason the Apostle hath whereby he reproves the Galatians in like condition Gal. 4 9. After ye have known God how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements c. Observ 1. Hence it appears how forward men are in the observation of outward commands and prohibitions they are too free and need restraint here by the Apostle what 's the reason of this O Beloved these outward commands or prohibitions do not cross or thwart mens corruptions Besides hereby men make a fair shew in the flesh and have the face of a specious Sanctity and Holiness in the eyes of the world Observ 2. Note hence the Reason why such outward Commandments as these find so easie admittance by the unsanctified vulgar multitude they do not trouble them in their sins they can keep a Sabbath and hear the word and receive the Sacrament they can keep a fast and eat nothing all day hear the word and return home as good Christians as when they went out and think they have done God good Service in that they have not touched nor tasted meat nor drink all the day mean time their customary sin remains when yet the resting from sin is the true Sabbath the mortifying of sin is the end of the Holy Sacrament and the ceasing from sin is the true fast The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink nor abstaining from meats and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And he that in these things serveth Christ is accepted of God and approved of men Rom. 14. Observ 3. Note hence what mighty power Satan hath over this present evil world which lies in him 1 John 4. yea over those who were sometime as dead to the world such the Apostle reproves Gal. 4.9 After ye have known God c. and such he reproves in the Text Thus the Prince of the Air as the Ancients understand him to be figured by Belshazzar Esay 14.14 He will be like the most High St. John brings him in working miracles and giving life to his dead Image Revel 13.15 And what else doth he when he raiseth up those who were dead to the world and dead to his Image and makes them live again unto it Observ 4. See then in what rank and order of Duty a Fast is it is one of the outward and Ceremonial Services of God and so in order to that which is spiritual and by these and such as these the Lord nurtured and brought up his people Axiom 3. Touch not tast not handle not all which by abuse tend to destruction after the Commandments and Doctrines of men What men are these Who else but the false Teachers among the Christians who either did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coin opinions and tenents themselves or took them from the Philosophers as I shewed in the opening of the first point And what Reason can we alledge for this why the false Teachers should thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This proceeds from carnal wisdom which though most unfit as being enmity to and foolishness with God yet it 's always tampering with the things of God Thus the wisest Heathens Knowing God yet worshipped him not as God but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened Rom. 1.21 22 23. And in this their blindness and folly they intruded into the things that they had not seen vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind Thus we shall find how superstitious some of the wisest Philosophers have been as Xenophon Epimenides and among the Jews Jeroboam Jehu Solomon Vide Notes in Psalm 105.19 This cannot be construed of the Magistrate who is Custos utriusque Tabulae who seeing the ruine of the people to proceed from their disobedience towards God he may nay he ought to enjoyn such Laws as make for the welfare of the people and herein he ought to be obeyed as being of things lawful and possible and for peace and order sake But the Ordinances here mentioned proceeded from the superstitious Teachers either in part as Acts 15. or in whole as in all Pharasaical men Observ 1. Such men are apt to multiply Commands Observ 2. Such men though they would enlarge conscience as touching the necessity of
exinde spei aeternae particeps Who having received from God the Father the substance of Baptism is become holy and so partaker of the eternal hope Now plainly before we know what it is to be named with Christ's Name we must know what Christ is See Notes on Matth. 10. Gen. 1.28 Repreh 1. All false appearances See Notes on Matthew 10. 2. Who bear the Name of Christ in outward profession yet are not the men they seem ibidem Exhort To a most earnest seriousness and sincerity ibidem Consol As these many Antichrists who are here prophesied of by our Lord that they should come in his Name so the true Christ comes in his Fathers Name also As the false Christs come in their Fathers Name so the true Christ comes in the Name of the Father who is the God of Truth whom he calls himself Amen Amen i. e. Veritas veritatis 1. As the false Christs come from the Father of Lies so the true Christ is Jesus the Saviour who is born of the Father who is called God the Saviour Tit. 2. As the false Christs are Destroyers and born of him who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called Abaddon and Apollyon the son of perdition 2 Thess 2. As the Spirit of Errour 1 Joh. 4. leads men into all errour and deceit so the Spirit of Truth leads the Disciples of Christ into all Truth 1 Joh. Observ This discovers the great Wisdom and mighty Power of God that though they be many who deceive yet he is wise and powerful to discover and frustrate all their machinations so that the Church in all Ages hath stood and shall stand maugre all opposition 3. Those Deceivers who profess this grand Truth teach many Lies and Errours under pretence of this one Truth 2 Pet. 2.12 13. and under the colour of this Truth live disobediently dissolutely and loosly Tit. 1.16 and turn the grace of God into wantonness Jude v. 4 5. 4. The Devil transforms himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. 5. The greatest deceits and subtilties are hid and used here 6. One truth may usher in many errours by the subtilty of Satan and his Ministers Many shall come in Christ's Name and say I am Christ This day if at any other time since the dayes of Christ in the flesh or the Apostles dayes this Scripture is fulfilled in our ears Observ These are the last times St. John collects this consequence from the multitude of Antichrists 1 Joh. 2.18 Repreh The false Christs and the false Prophets who publish them and the false Christians who believe them The false Prophets confess Jesus to be the Christ and under that Truth bring in manifold errours that he hath done all things so that we need do nothing but believe that we are Redeemed though we yet serve sin that all sins past present and to come are pardoned that once in Christ and alwayes in Christ Let it not seem strange to us that there are so many divided judgements in the world concerning Christ who yet all of them pretend his Name Exhort Receive him that comes in his Fathers Name Joh. 5.43 He comes among his own but his own receive him not Joh. 1. He complains he hath not where to lay his head He comes that we may have life Joh. 10. Means Alas their pretences are so many and so glorious how can I but be deceived by them Call things and persons by their right names Alas how shall I know them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doth not our Lord tell his Disciples by their fruits ye shall know them Mat. 7.16 and he there speaks of these false Prophets who should come unto them in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves When Austin the Monk came into England the remnant of the holy People who then dwelt at Glastenbury sent of their brethren to discover of what spirit he was with this direction If he be humble lowly and meek he comes in the real Being Nature and Authority of the Lord Jesus who is lowly and meek Mat. 11. If he be Proud c. though he comes in the name and pretence of Christ he is a false Prophet he calls himself by a false name therefore Prov. 6.17 a proud look and a lying tongue are joyned together and therefore proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Prov. 21.24 Beware of them be not deceived by them If he be Contentious though he come in the Name of Christ he is a false Prophet and this fruit grows from the former pride for only by pride cometh contention Prov. 13.10 He is no Ambassadour of peace beware of him pride goeth before contention Prov. 16.18 If he be Covetous let him come in what name he will he is a deceiver the Lord hath discovered this to be the character of the false Prophets of old Mich. 3.5 and the same is the mark and character of the false Prophets that come in the last times 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Hezekiah brake the brazen serpent and called it Nehushtan 2 King 18.4 others might call it a God or a monument of the Divine Presence but he called it a piece of brass The People offered Sacrifices and so called them when yet they worshipped their own false Gods but the Lord calls them not Sacrifices but slain beasts Act. 7. Jehu called his bloody mind by the name of Zeal Come see my zeal The Jews called their abstinence from meat by the name of a Fast which the Prophet calls their holding down their heads like a bull-rush for a day Esay 58. Means If we receive the noble stranger Shamgar with his Ox-goad inciting and stirring up his Ministers the Oxen 1 Cor. 9. He will subdue these spiritual Philistins The Chast Penelope waited for Vlysses and yielding not to any paramours he coming destroyed them all And when the true Bridegroom comes he shall do in like manner They shall say I am Christ This is the fourth thing which our Lord foretells The profession of these many deceivers they shall say I am Christ which may be understood Two wayes 1. When the Deceivers shall speak this of themselves or 2. They shall speak this of Christ himself 1. Of themselves Supra 2. When many shall speak these words of Christ truly and profess that Jesus is the Christ the son of God And thus the words no doubt are genuinely and properly to be understood Many shall say that I the Son of Man am Christ Reason That under that Truth they might vent their errours Observ 1. Many grand Impostors and Deceivers may profess much Truth yea that grand Truth that Jesus is the Christ 2. Such Believers and Professors believe and confess no more than the Devils themselves do Mat. 8.29 Mar. 1.23 24. Act. 16.17 18. 2. The effect They shall deceive many Reason Why shall these deceive many 1. In regard of the many they are such as are fit to be deceived they are such as already perish in
admitted unto the Marriage Supper it is the wisdom of the Lord to oppose unto these other five who for their defects and demerits were excluded for so good is set against evil and life against death so is the godly against the sinner Ecclus. 33.14 15. Here may arise a second doubt If the name of Virginity be so honourable how comes it to pass that it 's common both to them who are admitted to the Marriage Feast and also to them who are excluded from it To which I answer That we may understand this the better we must know that the Creator hath given unto Man the use of the five Operations or operative powers of the Lord as the Wise Man calls the five Senses Ecclus. 17.5 These five operative Powers or Senses have their respective delightful objects which Solomon calls the delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.8 after these the heart commonly runs out and runs riot Numb 15.39 Seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring And therefore the virtue of abstaining and continency is taken up and busied about the moderating and restraining our Senses from the pleasures and delights of the flesh from voluptuousness and sensuality This continence and abstinence is either real and true and for the best end that thereby we may please God and save our souls 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should become a cast-away or it may be pretended and professed only and for some by-ends thus the hypocrites fasted to be seen of men Mat. 6.16 Hence it is that the name of Virgins is common to both kinds as well to them who restrain their appetites in some measure and do what is in its own nature good only As also to those who keep under their bodies and bring them into subjection and let their light shine before men that they may see their good works but for a further and more glorious end and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5.16 Observ 1. We learn hence that the visible Church as we call it in this time when the Lord is coming to judgemet is one half foolish that as a great part of those who were the most forward professors were the Pharisees and did all their works to be seen of men Mat. 23.5 so it may be feared of a like race of men at this day Observ 2. Hence take notice that the Church of Christ in this world taken at large is mixt of wise and foolish when the Israelites went out of Aegypt a mixt multitude went up also with them Exod. 12.38 All Christians true and false 1. Profess that they expect the Lord Jesus Christ 2. All call him their Bridegroom 3. All go out of themselves in some measure to meet him 4. All are baptized some sooner some later 5. All are Virgins 6. All have Lamps c. Homo homini quid praestat What difference is there among Christians The Seal of Gods foundation is The Lord knows who are his and who so names the Lord Jesus Christ let him depart from iniquity When the Lord comes it will then appear who are sincere who not who are prepared who not who shall be admitted unto the Supper who excluded whom the Lord will acknowledge for his whom he will reject mean time they are all accounted Virgins though five of them be wise and five foolish NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no oyl with them THe foolish Virgins took their Lamps but wherein consists the wisdom and prudence of the one and folly of the other The foolish Virgins took their Lamps but took no oyl with them And what is the oyl Some hereby understand Faith so Pisc others Repentance so Arius Mont. but neither name any Scripture for warrant of their Assertions though it be true that the Living Faith or Life of Faith which is not without a change of mind yea a change of the whole man which is Repentance not to be repented off these are here necessarily understood but neither of them are properly that oyl which is here meant What is that oyl but the Spirit of Love for so the Spirit is called oyl Esay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore hath the Lord anointed me He hath sent me to preach good tidings which our Lord again citeth in Luk. 4.18 This Spirit or love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of believers Rom. 5.5 And this hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us where we have both together 't is the Spirit of Love and Meekness that the true Virgin Souls receive 2 Tim. 1 7. God hath not given unto us the spirit of Fear but of Power and of Love and of a sound mind and therefore it 's called the Love of the Spirit Rom. 15.30 Brethren I beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that you would strive with me by prayers to God for me Hence proceeds the obedience of Love whereunto Mercy is promised Exod. 20.6 I am the Lord God shewing Mercy to thousands and ten thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments This is understood in the Vul. Lat. Castificantes animas vestras sub obedientia charitatis 1 Pet. 1.21 Chastening your souls under the obedience of love Seeing your souls are purified in obeying the Truth through the spirit to love one another with a pure heart fervently The oyl then in the Lamp is the Living Faith that works by Love works of Mercy works of Righteousness of Holiness and of all Virtues c. whence proceeds the joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 18. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men herewith the Bridegroom is anointed Psal 45. Even with the oyl of gladness The taking of the oyl is the believing of the Spirit and Life and Love some there are who believe not that they shall receive the Spirit although the promises be made thereof c. Act. 2. and 5. and Luk. 11. Observ 1. Here we may observe the Virgins even the foolish Virgins had their Lamps of Faith and Knowledge 2. Inert and dead Faith Faith without works Knowledge though of the Law of God and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Knowledge without Obedience without Love will not make a man wise to salvation 1 Cor. 13.2 Though I have the gift of Prophesie and understood all Mysteries and all Knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing 3. Defect and want of Oyl want of the
See Notes on Luk. 9.23 This Cross is the patience the Altar ibidem 1. Quaere Whether all be to be consumed that is laid on 2. Quaere Whether is the Cross or Patience alone sufficient against all temptations See Notes in Luk. 9.23 No reliques of sin must remain See Notes in Phil. 2.8 Observ 1. The Christians daily exercise See Notes in Luk. 9.23 Observ 2. It is no easie matter to be quit of our sins Observ 3. The vanity of all outward things being destitute of the inward Cross and Patience c. See Notes in Luk. 9.23 Observ 4. Hence we may easily discover what kind of Christians the present Christian world consists of the Apostle in the Text tells us what they ought to be They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts But 2 Tim. 3.1 2. he foretells us what manner of Christians in these last dayes they should be self-loving Christians whereas the true Christian begins with self-denial Luk. 9. covetous Christians contra to do good proud Christians whereas Christ teacheth his Disciples humility blaspheming Christians such as take his Name in vain by an hypocritical profession of him and cause his Name to be blasphemed whereas the true Christians do the quite contrary Do we not evidently see how true a Prophet St. Paul was and how this his prophecy is fulfilled in these our dayes But how can such as these be taken for Christians O they have a form of Godliness that hides all these faults they hear many Sermons they keep the Sabbath yea but doth not the Apostle say That they who are Christs have crucified the flesh True but that 's impossible they have no power to do that they have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof yea such power is altogether needless for Christ himself bare the Cross for them and his Righteousness which he hath wrought in the flesh is imputed unto them So that if they be but joyned to the Godly Party as they call themselves or be congregated and gathered in a Church-way of fellowship they may then be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud c. And all these things shall be reputed as infirmities frailties imperfections of the Saints and Christ's Righteousness imputed to them shall cover all their knavery What 's the ground of all this They know not the true Cross of Jesus Christ but take it to be Persecution or Affliction c. See Notes in Phil. 2.8 Addition Observ 5. Note here a great difference between the true Disciples of Christ who are the true Christians and those who are only in pretence and name such The true Christian is he who followeth the Lord Jesus Christ who hath the same mind in him which was also in Christ Jesus What mind was that 1. An humble mind He humbled himself 2. An obedient mind He became obedient and that to the death 3. And that the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 The true Christians arm themselves with the same mind and suffer with Christ for he who hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 They have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts The Christians in pretence only are they who hold Opinions of Christ as whether he died for all men or no And these please themselves exceedingly in the name of Orthodox that they are of right Opinions As for the following of Christ in crucifying the flesh with the passions and lusts they know not what the true Cross of Christ is and how then can they crucifie the flesh with the passions and lusts on it Or if they preach it they are like the followers of the Philosophers of old who took up their Leaders Opinions and Tenents but as for practice of them therein they failed As it is said of the Athenians That they knew what Virtue was but they gave the Lacedemonians lieve to practise it Repreh 1. Who bear not the Cross c. See Notes in Luk. 9.23 Repreh 2. Those who mistake the Malefactor here to be crucified the Old Man the sinful flesh or flesh of sin and in lieu thereof crucifie their own natural flesh like him that aimed at the beast and killed the man Repreh 3. Who confess affections and lusts are to be crucified but they wish an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See Notes in Luk. 9.23 Repreh 4. Who are able and valiant for destroying outward foes but not the inward ibid. Consol 1. Alas I am not able to follow the Lord Jesus I know him only according to the flesh See Notes in Luk. 9.29 Consol 2. Who follow Christ neither transported with a better condition nor dejected with a worse ibid. these are dead men See Notes in Phil. 2.8 Addition NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON EPHESIANS IV. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill or fulfil all things Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt perficeret omnia vel pacificaret omnia THese words contain our Lords Journey from Heaven to the Earth and from the Earth to the Heavens and the end of that journey whereof he himself speaks Joh. 16.28 I came forth from the Father and come into the world Again I leave the world and go to the Father That we may the better understand what correspondence the Text holds with the neighbouring Verses let us examine the coherence which I conceive to be this The Apostle having exhorted the Ephesians unto Unity vers 1 2 3. endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace he enforceth his Exhortation from those great names vers 4 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all And foreseeing that the variety of gifts might provoke the less to envy the greater and the greater to despise the less by a Prolepsis he prevents that great inconvenience which experience in all Ages proves makes the rent in the body of Christ He tells them that this variety both of gifts and their measures proceeds from one and the same Donor vers 7. To every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ which he proves by testimony of the Prophet David Psal 68.18 When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive which he understands and interprets to be meant of Christ vers 9 10. all which variety tends to unity vers 11.16 Of the Lords Ascension and our conformity thereunto I have formerly insisted I have made choice of this Text that I might consider the end of Christs Ascension In the words we have these points 1. Christ abased and humbled himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de descended 2. Christ was exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he ascended 3. The same Christ who humbled himself was
ad finem Gow God was with these men not only at large according to that old Verse Enter presenter Deus hic ubique potenter But more strictly enabling them to be obedient in all estates to do good and suffer evil Thus the Lord was present with them enabling them from consideration of God's constant goodness towards them to believe he would be good still unto them enabling them to trust in him wait upon him he was with them also ready to do them good and protect them from evil Object But the Lord did not that good which was now needful for them they wanted water Resp The Lord well knew their wants and expected their Prayers for supply of them Psal 101.5 6. He knew the Manna present with them sufficient for the supply of natural necessity besides that the Lord may be with us and do us good he requires that we be with him 2 Chron. 15.2 Observ 1. Hence we may learn a good lesson not to make our own choice of any of God's ways or dealings towards us the Apostle's voice is soveraign Phil. 4.6 Where having laid this ground-work The Lord is at hand the Syriack word is the same with that Exod. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord is with us near to us thereupon he exhorts Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication and Thanks-giving let your requests be made known unto God Then he tells us what good will come of it vers 7. Gideon thought God was not with him and the people because they were now under the power of the Midianites but the Angel tells him that the Lord was with him Judg. 6.13 So many a servant especially in the primitive times might think himself if he were made free but the Apostle teacheth them better 1 Cor. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea though mayst be made free use it rather the ground of this is vers 20.24 Let every one in that calling wherein he is called therein abide with God Observ 2. The people of God may want many things needful for the natural life for a time it was Davids experience that he never saw the righteous forsaken c. And it s universally true never utterly forsaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but was not Lazarus forsaken for a time That the mercy of others may be exercised and the prayers of them who want may be put up unto God c. Observ 3. The Lord may be among his people though they abound not with outward things though in a wilderness where there is want of all things Zeph. 3.12 I will leave also in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord So Hab. Thus we read of many holy men in great streights yet God was with them as with Isaac Jacob Joseph David Exhort We ought not in the times of straits to tempt God but wait upon him pray unto him c. 1 Cor. 10.9 Observ Hence it 's evident that the Lord Jesus had his being providence guiding and government of his Church before the appearing in the flesh for what here is said that their Fathers tempted me is to be understood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted And this is the scope of our Apostle in the Text Thus vers 4. of the Chapter He is said to be the rock out of which being smit the fathers drank in the wilderness Hitherto we have heard how the Fathers of the Hebrews tempted God in regard of his Omnipresence Exod. 17.7 Is the Lord in the midst of us or not Come we now to consider their temptation of God in regard of his power This power of the Lord is tempted in regard of outward objects and works about them sometimes in regard of inward objects and works about them In regard of the former 1 King 20 22. So the Fathers of the Jews tempted the power of God ut supra 2. In regard of the latter when men question doubt or deny the power of God in effecting some inward work which he hath said he will do The fathers tempted the Lord in regard of his Power that 's evident out of Numb 14.22 where as also vers 11. The Lord complains of their unbelief and tempting of him thereby as distrusting his power as if he were not able to subdue their enemies and bring them into the Land of Canaan maugre all the opposition of the seven Nations which he promised to destroy that this was indeed the sin whereby they tempted the Lord in the wilderness appears by the place cited And that it was the same sin from which the Apostle here dehorts the Hebrews it 's evident if ye compare with the Text that application which the Apostle makes of it vers 12. an evil heart of unbelief And vers 18 19. and chap. 4. vers 2 3 11. not in regard of outward enemies for they were never more under them than now But that we may know how the Lord is tempted by unbelief in his power let us enquire what it is to believe in the power of God that so one contrary may discover the other The Christian Faith is carried to a twofold formale objecti it looks at two things in God not only truth in all his words as well commands threatnings c. as promises but also power and strength for the effecting and doing what is pleasing in Gods sight This the Apostle speaks of Col. 2.12 See Notes in locum See an example of this in Abrahams faith whose faith is the pattern of the true Christian faith as he is said to be the father of the faithful i. e. of those who walk in the steps of Abrahams faith Abraham believed that God would give him an holy Seed Gal. 3.16 Confer Notes on Gen. 15.5 6. Observ 3. Observ 1. Hence it 's evident that they who believe not that the Lord is able to subdue all their spiritual enemies and bring them into the heavenly Canaan they are truly said to tempt the Lord by their unbelief in the power of God Observ 2. Reason of the mighty works wrought by believers See Notes on Gen. 15. Medie Observ 3. Observ 3. The operative power of Faith Observ 4. An answer to the pretence of impotency Observ 5. The reason of that ungodly life at this day so visible so rank in that which we call the Christian world Men believe not the power of God so true a Prophet was St. Paul who foretold what manner of Christians this latter age should bring forth and the reason of it 2 Tim. 3.1 Observ 6. The reason of iniquity abounding Gen. 15. Observ 7. The reason of the ruines in the false Christendom Repreh Who glory in Gods presence with them in this or that Congregation and boast that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of us when yet in whomsoever he is of this or that Congregation their
as he sends forth unto a perverse and rebellious people All the eight Preachers before the Flood especially Noah were Confessors and Preachers of Righteousness before a perverse and gain-saying world Lot was a Confessor in Sodom so was Job in the Land of Vz among the Edomites These testified of God and Christ unto the Heathen and when God 's own people were become like the Heathen Ezech. 2.3 must testifie to them saying Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious house To him give all the Prophets witness Acts 10.43 He hath not left himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without witness Acts 14.17 All the Holy Men of God in their time have been Confessors of Christ Heb. 12.1 a Cloud of Witnesses Repreh 1. This justly reprehends many of us both 1. Who pretend to Confess Christ and 2. Before whom Confession is made 1. They who pretend to Confess Christ either 1. Know him not or 2. If they know him yet live him not 1. They who pretend to Confess Christ yet know him not for Confession necessarily supposeth Knowledge of what we confess if we know not Christ how can we confess him shall we confess or profess what we know not But we do know Christ There is a Knowledge according to the Flesh and according to the Letter a Knowledge according to the History But what saith the Apostle of that 2 Cor. 5.17 Though I have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more Our Knowledge Confession and Profession of Christ must be of Christ as he is the Image of God the Eternal Life c. And our knowledge of him must be not Historical only but Experimental 1 Joh. 1.1 2. Such Confessors were the Apostles otherwise the Devils themselves they know Christ and they confessed him also Mark 1.34 Luk. 4.41 whom therefore our Lord would not suffer to confess him no nor some men neither who believed Joh. 2.23 24 25. see the place What great matter then do they who Confess Profess and boast of Christ which indeed they have no knowledge of which yet is a great part of the Religion that is to be found at this day in the world Joh. 5.37 38. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape and ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath sent him ye believe not These Confessors therefore are like him that had seen the World in a Map and the Heavens in a Globe and made long relations of them because when one asked him more particularly of some place he confessed he was never there only he had read it in Books Their conversation is not in Heaven and heavenly things in Christ who make such plausible confessions of him But what saith the Apostle Rom. 15.18 I dare not speak of any thing which Christ hath not wrought in me or by me Therefore Gal. 1.15 16. When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me that I might teach him to the Gentiles wherefore how preposterous a course do many take who presume to Preach and Teach Christ and his Truth before themselves have learned to confess what they know not what is this but to give a false Testimony of Christ Repr 2. Do we know such a Christ as the Scripture testifieth of and why then do we not confess such an one in our lives Pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli These are but words when occasion is offered to Confess Christ as when is there not what manner of men are we then A Soldier he vaunts and boasts of his valour what he will do a Pyrgopolynices a miles gloriosus when there is danger he is anoother man what a shameful thing is this is not such an one to be cashiered when the case so requires that thou shouldst endure hardship as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ Men are commonly such in point of Confession and Profession of Christ yet think there is no shame belongs to it Repreh 3. Those before whom Confession is made Men desire not to hear of any other Christ then what they have in themselves which I fear is no other than an Antichrist and false Christ Stultus non intelliget nisi ea dixeris quae sibi consentanea sunt Prov. 18. A fool will understand nothing but what agrees with his own knowledge And so there is an envious Christ a proud Christ a covetous Christ and so they think wickedly that there is such a one as themselves Psal 50. This is that which our Saviour foretold and is fulfilled in these evil dayes Mat. 24. That there should be false Christs and false Prophets Therefore there must be such Christians as St. Paul 1 Tim. 3.1 foretold would be He was a true Prophet as we shall easily find if we compare with this description and prophesie the Professors and Confessors in these our dayes envious professors covetous professors wrathful and revengeful professors drunken professors lecherous professors Great need there is therefore of comfort and strength yea strong consolation unto young and weak Confessors and Professors of Christ True it is to confess Christ brings with it manifold inconveniencies to the flesh But as Tertullian for the Church in his time Nihil ille de causa sua deprecatur quia nec de conditione miratur scit se peregrinam in terris agere inter extraneos facilè inimicos invenire Mark how the Lord comforts such Esay 51.12 I even I am he that comforteth thee Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man Alas I can easily bear the outward opposition but I am wanting and not able to make such outward profession as I see others do Religion hath as well an outside as an inside what though thou canst not make such plausible outward shews of Christ and Christianity as others do It is not outward appearance but the inward shape of God Joh. 5. That Image of God in thee which thy God respects What if thou hast not that form of Godliness which the world hath alwayes doted upon even a Religion that can be seen or felt if thou hast the form of God if Christ be formed in thee Gal. 4.19 What though thou canst not talk much of God or make much ostentation the Lord requires not so much oral or mouth-confession as the confession of the life When the Life speaks and confesseth and professeth Christ Psal 65. Tibi silentium laus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the silent or patient going on in well doing that confesseth Christ c. See Notes on Rom. 15. Rom. 2.6 7. There is a great difference between Christ's confession of us and our confession of him Repreh 1. Those who promise themselves that Jesus Christ shall own and confess them before his Father yet they mean time confess not him before men When Christ's promise
Baptist is Elias that was to come we should deny that there was any such man as Elias the Prophet And when we say with the Prophet that David which signifies the love of God shall rule in these last dayes Ezek. 34.23 24. I will set up one shepherd over them he shall feed them even my Servant David I the Lord will be their God and my Servant David a Prince among them we should therefore deny that there was any such man as David in his Generation How foolish and blind are these men how little do they know of the mind of Christ does not the Apostle say omnia in figura contingebant illis Is there not a Spirit as well as a Letter and are there not Ministers of the letter as well as Ministers of the spirit Let us be exhorted therefore to top our Lights trim our Lamps and let our Light shine before men for by the Oyl wherewith God feeds our Lamp of the divine Doctrine we are to understand the Spirit of God Luke 4.18 The spirit of God is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor c. Heb. 1.9 God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness 1 Joh. 2.20 Ye have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things and 27. the anointing which ye have received from him abideth in you and is truth c. Spiritualia non habent propria nomina the holy Spirit therefore hath many names whereby to express the Truth of God NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the foolish said unto the wise Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out IN which words note that which is common to both is a conference between the wise and foolish Virgins wherein we have a request made by the foolish Virgins to the wise and the answer thereunto in the 9. Verse The Request is back'd with a Reason Give us of your Oyl for our Lamps are gone or going out the Request and Reason both of those foolish Virgins are like themselves Give us of your Oyl they supposed that 1. The Oyl which the wise have is their own your Oyl 2. That the wise have a right to give it Give us of your Oyl 3. That they have a right to give it to them Give us c. and their reason is as foolish and unreasonable for our Lamps are going out They foolishly suppose that the Oyl of the Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit which the wise have is their own neither of which is true The Oyl of the Spirit is the Lords Joel 2. Act. 2. I will pour out my Spirit c. nor are their works properly their own but the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 the fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace long-suffering c. though by gracious imputation they are called their works Isai 26.12 Lord unto us thou wilt ordain peace for thou also hast wrought all our works in us 2. Yet cannot the wise give of this Oyl or Spirit it is the gift of God Act. 8.20 Then said Peter Thy money perish with thee because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money which he imparts unto men Eph. 4.7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ And the Father pours of this Oyl upon the Son Luk. 4.18 and Heb. 1.9 3. Although this Oyl of the Spirit be poured out by the wise yet it s none of theirs nor is it their gift but Gods therefore the Pen-men of the Scripture spake warily Act. 8.18 The Holy Ghost was given by laying on of the Apostles hands 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 Thus the fruits and works of the Spirit are God's gifts so is Faith Eph. 2. and so is Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 4. Yea though the wise may be said to give of their Oyl yet not to every one not to the foolish not to those whose Lamps are out habenti dabitur there is a time when even the foolish shall know that the Spirit of Love and Works of Mercy are needful that they cannot meet the Bridegroom without them when they shall know and feel their own wants of these when they shall beg supply of these and not obtain them 5. There is a kind of Love even among fools and wicked men they beg supply of not only their own but others wants also give us of your oil Thus the rich man being in Hell prays Abraham to send Lazarus to his Father's house to warn his five Brethren that they might not come into that place of torment Luk. 16.27 28. 6. They who are wise to salvation have store of spiritual riches the Oyl of the Spirit of Love and Mercy Prov. 21.20 in the house of the wise is a pleasant treasure and oyl Psal 112.3 Riches and treasures are in his house and his righteousness endureth for ever which is not to be understood of worldly wealth for no doubt many their are who have not the wealth of this World yet are they rich towards God Jam. 3.17 the wisdom which is from above is pure peaceable gentle full of mercy and good fruits 7. The chaste Virgin-souls have the Oyl of the Spirit in there vessels they have the Unction 1 Joh. 2. which every one of us hath in some good measure if we be Christians i. e. anointed ones for so the ancient and Primitive Church described a Christian to be qui acceptam habuit à Deo Patre substantiam baptismatis utique Spiritûs sancti exinde spei aeternae Such a one as had received of God the Father the substance of Baptism of the Holy Ghost and thereby of hope of eternal life so Tertul. And therefore the Apostle delivers it as a general Character of a Christian man Rom. 8.10 If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his So that among the manifold divisions of Christians at this day this may decide the Controversie who is the true Christian who else but he that is anointed with his Unction endowed with his Spirit if any say they have the unction and Spirit of Christ as some of all parties do they are easily discerned by the fruits of the Spirit or by the want of them Gal. 5.22 8. What ever measure of the Spirit or spiritual good we have it may profit another until the last godliness is profitable for all things so Psal .. 16.2 3. My goodness is not unto thee but to the saints so the Apostle desired to impart some spiritual gift to the Church Rom. 1.11 and the Ministers sow unto the people spiritual things 1 Cor. 9.11 as being Gods Seedsmen and his Stewards 1 Pet. 4.10 11. But howsoever the Spirit of God and the gifts of it are profitable to them that have it and to others to whom they impart them from the Lord yet in the time when the Bridegroom cometh the Spirit and
spiritual goods profit none but those who have them Herein is seen a notable point of folly in the foolish Virgins Abraham made intercession for Sodom and obtained Lot's deliverance this was in the way but in the end it 's otherwise Abraham would not afford one drop of water to cool the rich mans Tongue Whence note the false Unction in time of need when the Bridegroom cometh will not give light and therefore they desire Give us of your Oil. Hereby is decyphered unto us an improvident secure and negligent Generation in regard of their spiritual Estate such as ill husbands are in regard of their temporal Goods too many in these days who waste their own and other mens Substance also with riotous living such are these in the Text who consume their stock of Grace they think and go about to recover it by the Providence and Piety of others a lazy sort of people 2. Hence consider the vain and foolish dependence upon others for that good which will not profit at all unless it become our own ye shall hear some boast of their good Parents what a religious Father he had what a good Mother what store of Oyl they had in their Lamps what 's all this to thee that they were good if thou be evil if that good be not in thee also 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned if these be not in thee also But above all how vainly do men glory in men their Ministers whom they hear their precious men as they call them What is Paul and what is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believe As the Stoick said well Tell me not saith he what Philosophers thou hast heard but shew me what thou hast learned so usually men enquire not in what pasture the Sheep hath fed if she bring a thick Fleece and a full Bag. Be we exhorted to have our Lamps burning in our hands it 's our Lord's Exhortation sutable unto the duty in the Text Luk. 12.35 36. shine forth by your good works Solomon described the vertuous Woman Prov. 31.18 Her candle goes not out by night but the light of good works cannot shine forth for want of the Oyl of the Spirit in our Lamps which nourisheth and feeds them We read 2 Kings 4.6 when there was no vessel left to receive then the Oyl ceased so on the other side the want of good works causeth the Oyl of the Spirit to fail As Zedekiah's Sons were slain before his eyes were put out even so when good works which are our Children fail the Lamps are extinct and fail also 3. Hence observe what is the Christian life inwardly the Oyl or Spirit of God it self so 1 Joh. 1. the Spirit is life this burns as a fire as the Spirit is called Matth. 3.11 and this Oyl Spirit and Fire shines forth in a Flame of Works of Love and Mercy unto the World Let your light so shine before men so that God the Father Son and Spirit and the wise Virgin-souls all shine by one and the same Light unto the dark world for God is Light 1 Joh. 1.5 so I am the light of the world saith the Son and so is the Lord the Spirit which Light of Life shines forth in the Virgin-souls Isai 60.1 2. Arise be enlightned or shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee for behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people But the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee where what in Vers 1. is called Light and Glory in the 2. Verse is called the Lord himself whence it is that the Saints of God the pure Virgin-souls they are also called the light of the world Matth. 5.14 4. Note here the dismal darkness of the sinful Soul when the light of the divine Spirit is extinguished when the Lamp is gone out The candle of the wicked shall be put out as he that hath lost a light is in greater darkness than he was before Job 18.6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle and his candle or lamp shall be put out with him So again 21.17 How is the lamp or candle of the wicked put out the light that is in them is darkness and then how great is that darkness 5. Hence it appears that wicked men and fools which are the same are spiritually dead even while they live dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Hos 13.1 When Ephraim offended in Baal he died So 1 Tim. 5.6 She that liveth in pleasure or delicately is dead while she liveth Luk. 15.24 for this my son was dead and is alive again Yea such foolish Virgins are twice dead the first Life was one and the same with the living God for God made man upright saith the Wise man Eccles 7.29 Notes on Rom. 7. they therefore who are recalled again to the participation of Light and Life 1 Pet. 2.9 and have kept under their bodies and mortified their carnal lusts and appetites yet retain not the Oyl of the Spirit in their Lamps but improvidently and negligently let them go out yea quench that holy sire kindled in them 1 Thes 5.19 These are trees whose fruit withers nay without fruit twice dead pluckt up by the roots operam oleum perdiderunt they have lost all the Oyl of the Spirit of light and life all their labour of love their Lamps are gone out the only reason of these absurd and unreasonable deeds of darkness which at this day are committed by those who yet would be thought to walk in the light both national and personal Such are the national engagements of Christians in bloody Wars who rather should be the Light of the World The like we may say of those whose deeds of darkness extend not to the whole Nation yet much eclipse the light of the Christian Name in many what 's the reason but the reason in the Text their Lamps are gone out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dark all colours are alike there are who profess that all Women are alike to them all mens goods are to them as their own their Lamps are out they have lost that discrimen honestorum turpium that Light whereby they might discern between things that differ and the Light that is in them is darkness the Apostle refers these actions to the same cause Eph. 4.17 They walk as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance or blindness that is in them because of the hardness of their hearts How came it to pass that their Lamps were gone out They trimmed them not they neglected them and their time they arose not from their slumbering and sleeping so that from him that hath not shall be taken away
postilla mea I read it in such or such a Common-place-book in such a body of Divinity so strangely we are deceived in our selves when we think our selves to be such because we read things to be so and so Some have much pleased themselves and brooded high thoughts of themselves because they know that which highly enlightened men have known or thought that the same light were in them and therefore they say a Child upon a Gyants shoulders may see further than the Gyant No no we must our selves grow up unto the same measure Observ 2. The Disciples of Christ are no such fools and ideots as the world conceives them when they speak of such with a scommatical accent and say they are boni viri good honest men 'T is true 1 Cor. 3.18 They are fools in this world according to the diabolical wisdom Jam. 3. Otherwise they are the wisest men and greatest States-men the best Politicians in the world Privy Counsellors of the Kingdom of Heaven acquainted with all the secrets of State Yea by redundancy from the Divine Wisdom and Knowledge of Mysteries they are the best and ablest Ministers of State and skill'd in worldly affairs Joseph was by education no States-man but lived privately in his Fathers house yet Joseph gave better Advise to Pharaoh for the Preservation and Government of his Kingdom than all the wise men of Aegypt could though they of note for their Wisdom and Policy but in regard of Joseph the Princes of Zoan became fools the Princes of Noph were deceived Isa 19. Joseph the prisoner knew more than they all See Notes in Mat. 8.25 While the Church at this day is rent in pieces by manifold divided judgements and the greatest contention is what is the true Christianity and who are the true Christians It might be very seasonable yea necessary for us to consider an argument of this nature what in the beginning was meant by the Christian name lest we should strive as many do like the Andabatae qui clausis oculis pugnabant saith Tully they were wont to fight blindfold See Jobson of the Religions on both sides the River Gaubra Our Saviour that great Example of our imitation he leads us into this method when a question arose touching Divorce for decision of it he referrs us to the first institution of Marriage Mat. 19.8 whence he inferrs From the beginning it was not so And the Apostle an exact follower of Christ when the Corinthians contended about the Lords Supper he decides the question by pointing them to the beginning of it 1 Cor. 11. So in the contention about the Resurrection Cap. 15. And let us be followers of the Apostle as he was of Christ Act. 11.26 The Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch The words contain two spiritual names of our profession very needful to be known by us all for all and every one of us either indeed are or would be thought to be 1. Disciples of Jesus Christ and 2. true Christians but whether really and truly we be such the opening of both these may fully discover but this hath been already done Observ Wicked men disobedient undiscipled men have no ground of confidence that they know any thing of Divine Truth why unto such all things are in parables Nor can they judge of Divine matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the spiritual man that judgeth all things Nor have they any authority from God to teach others NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON LUKE VI. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it came to pass in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God Which words I render thus And it came to pass in those dayes he went out into a mountain to pray and he continued all night in the prayer-house of God My reason for this Translation I shall give in due place THe words contain our Lords retirement to his devotion and his continuance in it 1. His retirement is amplified by the time when and place where and that more generally a mountain he went out in those dayes into a mountain and the end of his retirement to pray 2. The continuance in his devotion it was all night and the special place of it and appropriation of that place to whom it belonged it was the prayer-house of God In the former part Our Lords retirement to his devotion we have this Divine Aixom In those dayes Jesus went out into a mountain to pray In the latter The continuance of our Lords devotion we have two other Axioms 1. God hath his prayer-house 2. The Lord Jesus continued all night in Gods prayer-house 1. In those dayes Jesus went out into a mountain to pray This seems to be meerly circumstantial but if we shall consider the Notes on Mat. 24.1 what mountain this was neither St. Mark in the parallel story Mar. 3. nor St. Luke tells us by name but it appears not to have been far from Capernaum whither our Lord resorted after he had ended his Speech to his Apostles Mat. 8.5 Luk. 7.1 And because of that his most Divine Sermon in this mountain and his miracles of feeding the multitudes said also to be at this mountain and healing the Leper at the foot of this mountain and our Lords frequent resort hereunto it 's called by Adrichomius and others Mons Christi Christs Mountain Hither he ascended to pray This he did in those dayes It may be doubted whether this be to be understood to have come to pass immediately after the stories next preceding or some time before namely before his Sermon in the Mount Theâ—e was good reason for his retirement whether we consider the term à quo whence he went or the term ad quem whither he went or his business whereabout he went 1. As for the term à quo if ye look the verse before ye shall find him among a company of mad men and was there not good reason he should go out from among a company of mad men 2. The term ad quem was a Mountain and that whereunto he was wont to resort and retire himself to his privacy 3. The business whereabout he went required both Doubt What so great need of prayer Our Lord knoweth what we have need of Resp 1. Though he have promised yet will he be intreated for them Ezek. 36.37 2. As man so he saith My Father is greater than I. 3. To teach men Joh. 11.42 Parents know the necessities of their Children yet in all reason they will put them upon their duty to make known their wants Observ 1. Our Lord by his Example reads us a necessary Lesson He went out saith the Text and when we would be vacant and free to the performance of any divine duty the Lord here going out from a mad crew leads us out of the crowd and throng of the world that lies in the evil one he leads us forth from the tumult and madness of the people Observ 2.
sooner they end their torments Repreh Those who consider this and thereupon expose themselves to the hazzard of their lives yea of their Souls being none of Christs friends There is a speech goes currant among us that sin is extinguished with the death of the body and this makes many not valiant like Christians but desperate like Turks Quaere what truth this hath in it surely there is no Scripture whereon it is truly grounded All the seeming ground it hath is Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is ceased from sin Hence they conclude that if they be dead they cannot sin they ascribe more to their own death than to the death of Christ Let such know that the cause and subject of sin is the immortal soul not the body that dyeth and therefore the soul retaineth and carrieth with it the habits of sin contracted and not mortified in this life qui respicit ad pauca de facili pronunciat I am confident that he who gathered that Opinion from this Text considered neither the antecedent nor consequent for vers 6. and 8. speaks evidently of the death of sin as the tree falls so it lyes according to which was Stints speech in his will he gave his sins to the Devil Doubt Wicked men are prodigal of their lives Those who are prodigal of their wicked lives and blame the friends of Jesus Christ as timorous Aristippus Timeo animam Aristippi tu animam nebulonis Exhort To the friends of Jesus Christ to the true Christian fortitude maugre all opposition of outward or inward enemies Examples leading Examples in the Preachers Job 13.13 Let come of me what will Act. 20.24 I count not my life dear to my self Vulg. Lat. Estius and of Epaphroditus Phil. 2.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this regard saith Esther Esther 4.16 If I perish I perish 1 Pet. 3.6 Doing well and suffering evil not afraid of any amazement that Heroical answer Dan. 3.16 17 18. of the three Captives to Nebuchadnezzar O king we are not careful to answer thee in this matter however they hold the conclusion we ought to obey God rather than man Consider the ground of that boldness and confidence in those who are persecuted Not accepting deliverance that they might receive a better resurrection They stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed death which unites unto life which joyns the Spouse unto the Bridegroom with a knot that can never be dissolved Blessed death that enstates us in the everlasting inheritance that brings the thirsty soul to the Rivers of living Waters Blessed death that frees the miserable from all calamities that wipes all tears from our eyes Blessed death that with one stroke makes an end of that work that we have been doing many days with many for thy sake are we killed all the day long Upon far weaker considerations than these Cleombrotus having read in Plato of the happiness of the future life after this impatient of longer stay cast himself from a Rock into the Sea Christian Religion teacheth us no such precipitancy nor had he learned it in Platoes School That we may upon good terms dare to dye Means That we may not fear remember that if not now yet sometime and that ere long how that we must dye and then facilè coetera contemnit omnia qui se cogitat aliquando moriturum He easily contemns all other things who thinks he must sometimes dye 2. If once we fear not to dye what then can be terrible unto us As that noble Spartan When one told him that Philip had made an inroad into Peloponesus and it should then go hard with the Lacedemonians unless they were quickly reconciled to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Semi-viri saith he O ye half-men ye mankins what ill can betide us who are not afraid to dye Only let us make sure of the main He that is dead to sin needs fear no other death Epaminondas the great Theban Commander being deadly wounded understanding that the Thebans were Conquerors and the enemy routed he then said I have now lived long enough for I shall dye a conqueror and so drawing out the spear out of his body he presently dyed Valerius Maximus reports the story somewhat otherwise that Epaminondas asked whether his Shield were saved yea or no and hearing it was saved and the enemy overcome Fellow saith he this is not the end of my life but the better and more noble beginning of it for now Epaminondas is born when he thus dyes O how much rather ought a Christian Soldier to enquire whether his Shield be saved or no whether he be sound in the Faith If so how much rather may he say with that notable Champion I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith c. i. e. my shield is saved Nunc cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo Moriar cum philistaeis Judic 16. Eleazar 1 Macch. 6. shew the vast Elephant and himself dyed with it When Behemoth is dead even the beastly lusts and pleasures as Behemoth signifieth beasts in the plural who then will fear to dye But is there yet a greater consolation than this Doubtless there is if we dye with him we shall live with him It was that which was the greatest consolation unto Philip now dying that he should leave behind him Alexander his Son And for the same reason Antonius pius was content to dye because he should leave behind him his son Commodus But how much rather ought the true Christian Soldier in whom Christ is formed to dare to dye when Christ is born He hath infinitely more true consolation when the true Alexander i. e. the helper and prevailer or when the true Commodus Jesus Christ who was infinitely more worthy of that name than Commodus unworthy So saith Israel to Joseph Gen. 46.30 Now let me dye since I hath seen thy face The true Israel of God rules and prevails with God how much more may he say Laetus Moriar So V.L. Let me dye with joy seeing I see the true Joseph Christ himself alive in me So saith Simeon when he saw Jesus Luk. 2.25 Nunc dimittis Domine Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation So may the true Simeon the obedient man that 's Simeon how much more may he say Lord now lettest thou c. Psal 50. last How much more may he say with Epaminondas I do not now end my life but begin to live I have fought a good fight c. henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of life c. Observ 1. Our Lord foresaw that they who should publish the Doctrine of Salvation should be persecuted for so doing and that not onely by the gain-saying world of heathen men but also that grievous wolves should enter in among them Nay not only the Romanists but even the professing Protestants also it matters not what profession what names men
secular and worldly helps but in a sort constrained by the enforcement of positive and present enemies temptations from the evil beasts and evil spirits to desire it to hearken to the voice of God and he must needs go we say whom the devil drives 3. Thirdly such a desart and forlorn condition the Lord requires in all such as he receives to be his Disciples Luk. 14 25-33 Every one of your that forsakes not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple it is required of him who ever is fit to be a Disciple of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher Nor will you take an Apprentice but he shall be able to write and read they who will be Christs Disciples or Apprentices which is the same they must go into the wilderness unto John the Baptist and hear Gods voice of him before they can be received to be the Disciples of Christ for beloved it is not such an extempore business to be a Disciple of Christ as 't is conceived by some who out of pretence of magnifying Christ and his merit or out of favour of their own lusts or out of ignorance of the Scripture which truly is not so much heeded as the glosses and writings of men upon it and the received vulgar tenents which are taken for granted for one or more of these reasons they transgress and pass over the Law and leap over John Baptist's head and so at one step go out of Aegypt into the heavenly Canaan without passing through the wilderness they will be John's Disciples immediately whether he will or no without hearkening unto John the Baptist. 1. Observe then a common duty necessary for all those who would be Christ's Disciples and Christians indeed would they hear the Lords voice let them go into the wilderness for do we think our Lord would send his Minister to speak where there was not an ear to hear he speaks in the wilderness and thither must we go to hear him And therefore we read that when John preached Luk. 3.10 the common people went to him and he teacheth them then the Publicans vers 12 13. then the Soldiers vers 14. and John the Baptist preacheth there still the Lord cryes still in the wilderness of the heart if men would go out unto him out of Aegypt out of Jerusalem out of all worldly corruptions to hear him Thus David was in the wilderness Audiam quid in me loquatur Dominus Psal 85.9 11. for he shall speak peace unto his People and to his Saints yea and to those qui convertuntur ad cor 2. Observe the perverseness and untowardness of our nature a fat Land and plenty of all things ought to lead us unto our God but such is our perversness it makes us rebels against our God and drives us from him of this the Lord complains Jer. 2.31 Have I been a wilderness unto Israel a land of darkness q. d. No I have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an all-sufficient God unto thee yet we will not hear him Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked like a fat bullock in a rank pasture kicks its own damm so Jesurun seems to signifie coming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth a bullock Neh. 9.25 26. They took strong cities and a fat land and possessed houses full of all goods wells digged vineyards and olive-yards and fruit trees in abundance so they did eat and were filled and what then then they should take heed that they forget not the Lord their God this is Gods caveat unto his people Deut. 6.10 11 12. But they when they had eaten and were filled they became fat and delighted themselves in thy great goodness and they turn disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy Law behind their backs Rom. 2.4 Jerem. 22.21 I spake unto thee in thy prosperity and thou saidst I will not hear this hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyedst not my voice Our case beloved The Lord seated us in a plentiful Land and afforded unto us the choicest of his temporal and spiritual blessings peace and truth such favour hath been shewn unto us yet we would not learn righteousness In the land of uprightness we have dealt unjustly The Lord spake unto us in our prosperity and we said we would not hear we have grown fat and kicked and this hath been our custome from our youth that we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God Reproves Those who will not go out of the crowd to hear the Lords voice mens worldly affairs make such a din and noise in their inward ears that they cannot they will not hear the Lords voice like those who live at the Catadupa or fall of Nilus they are deaf and can hear no other sound and therefore will not come out of Aegypt Intus existens prohibet alienum they have hearkened so long to the beasts and the devils voice that unless John speak according to that they cannot they will not hear him Prov. Nisi ea dixeris quae sunt in corde ipsius unless you speak such things as are in their heart they will not hear It 's a dreadful thing to consider what the Lord threatens his own people Deut. 28.47 48. the very same the Lord seems now to threaten unto us he spake unto us in the time of our prosperities that we would go into the wilderness forsake all and follow him and we said in our life the truest word we will not hear and therefore he now threatens to make us a wilderness to take away all those things which in our affection we would not forsake and so he will make us serve him in the want of all things this hath been Gods method and way of dealing with his own people Hos 2.6.14 We shall now know experimentally that there is no safety but in our God 2. Those who hear the beasts every beastly lust cryes in the motions of it either from others or from our own hearts the howling wilderness within us the wild beasts of the wilderness were with the wild beasts of the Island the Satyr cryes unto his fellow these are heard The Foxes craft and subtilty the Doggs envy detraction backbiting and slandering the Swines drunkenness and sensuality the Wolves Bears Lions and Tygres Cruelty and Rapine these cry and are heard Yea the devil cryes in the wilder'd heart of man Zym meets Jim the Satyr and the night waster cryes to his fellow and are heard blood-thirstiness and lying are sins proper to the devil In regard of the first he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a destroyer whence the Jews at this day entertain the Christians with this name welcom shed And the devil is therefore called Abaddon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 9.11 such an evil spirit at this day possesseth the wilder'd heart of man such a blood-thirsty lying spirit speaks to them and is heard Joh. 8.44 Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your
2. A casting down of the proud and high-swoln thoughts Thus the way of the Lord is a plain and even way a way of equity we have a clew to guide us in that way Matth. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye the same Men are wont to esteem what injury is done to themselves to be very great what they do to other men little or none at all what 's the reason they go by the rule of self-love 2 Tim. 3.2 that leading sin lets in all the rest The guide of the Lords way is self-denial let him deny himself Severus the Emperour is reported to have had that sentence often in his mouth Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris and for that reason he is supposed to have been a Christian But if that be a mark to know a Christian by Good God! where shall we find a Christian we esteem not Christians now by obedience to Christs Doctrine but by Opinions and taking parts though we live Antichristian lives as that Emperour had that speech often in his mouth yet persecuted the Christians That Emperour died in this Island and I would to God that Christian Principle were not dead with him But wouldst thou walk in this way of equity wherein all the Saints of God have walked before thee it is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 11.13 which prophesied until John Change the person and when thou wouldst do any thing to another examine thy self would I be defrauded slandered robbed killed c. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Omnia praecepta in hoc he that loves his neighbour hath fulfilled the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. The way of the Lord hath no stumbling-blocks in it The Wise Man tells his Son that if he follow Wisdom he shall walk in his way safely and his foot shall not stumble Prov. 3.23 and there is great reason for it for the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way Psal 37.23 and he gives his Angels charge over such a man to keep him in all his wayes Psal 90.11 such a man is in the day and if a man walk in the day he stumbles not Joh. 11.9 much less doth the righteous man fall seven times a day Which I beseech ye to take notice of because I well know many well-meaning Christians have drunk in this errour and conceive it to be a truth grounded upon nay extant in the Scripture in the Complaint of a Sinner which is set next before the singing Psalms ye have this in the beginning of the third staff The Scripture plain tells me The righteous man offendeth Seven times a day to thee Now beloved where doth the Scripture plain tell me this I doubt not but the Penman of that Complaint had reference to Prov. 24.16 where we read a just man falleth-seven times and riseth up so that in that part of the Complaint there is a double errour committed 1. There is an errour of adding to Gods Word an usual errour but a damnable one a day is not in the Text I have on purpose searched the Original Hebrew Chaldee LXX Latin Translations many Translations of the Scriptures into other Languages and those many yet a day is not extant among one of them except only in one Latin Translation which wanting the Original is of no Authority at all 2. Suppose it were a true reading That the just man falleth seven times a day which yet is no where extant in the Original yet it is not rightly there understood That the righteous man offendeth seven times a day that appears not for if ye please to look the words next before vers 15. Lay not wait O wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous spoil not his resting place for a just man falls seven times and the words following but the wicked shall fall into mischief it 's evident out of the Context that the fall of the righteous here meant is into affliction and tribulation Our last English Translators were certainly of this mind who put in the Margin Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of all c. 37.24 Job 5.19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Thus also the Ancients understand this place Austin is not out of credit in this Age wherein commonly men give more credit to Children than Fathers Non de iniquitatibus sed de tribulationibus intelligi voluit others I could add both of the Greek and of the Latin Church but 't is enough that the very context and parallel Scriptures prove the place to be understood of affliction and tribulation Yet beloved I deny not but the Children of God may stumble yea and fall also while they are Children and that often which is signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their falls 3. Prepare the way of the Lord i. e. straighten it This also is the meaning of the word as the Prophet Isaiah implyes Isa 40.4 this supposeth that our wayes are perverse and crooked opposite unto that rectitude and straightness which God requires the conformity to his will If we enquire into the reason of this it ariseth from the proness of our first birth unto evil of which David speaks Psal 51.5 Behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in iniquity was I brought forth which word signifieth a crookedness or perversness or as we turn it iniquity or wickedness which is of Wichen in the Low Dutch that signifieth as much from this crookedness of nature proceed all crooked wayes whereof the Prophet in the same Psalm Rectum est Index sui obliqui That we may therefore know what crookedness is and the crooked things which are mentioned Isa 40. we must first know what is straight That is right and straight which inclines to neither part as a straight line lies even between to terms a straight way inclines neither to the right hand not to the left as Moses travelling through the wilderness toward the Land of Canaan saith Numb 20.17 We will go by the Kings high way we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left and Deut. 2.27 by the way will I go I will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left So in our passage through the wilderness toward the Holy Land or Land of holiness we must go straight on by the great Kings high way without any turning by the way by the way only by the way as Deut. 16.20 Righteousness righteousness shalt thou follow all manner of righteousness and only that and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that without turning any way to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5.32 Prov. 4.27 The rule of this right and straight way is the Word of God Psal 33.4 The Word of the Lord is right the Law of God the Statutes of the Lord are right Psal 19.8 That word is
the same reason of all outward services in regard of the man When that which is perfect is come that which is imperfect is done away when we have received the unction from the holy One all outward images and figures cease unto us Hence Ceremonies have their name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and endure only for a time being for that time serviceable unto the principal Commandment which is everlasting Joh. 12.50 and serve only till the time of Reformation Heb. not any Reformation that ye have had but a far better and greater Doubt The Ceremonial Law is now abrogated And why then doth the Apostle commend it unto us and call it holy I answer as the Ceremonial Law signified and required inward Holiness of the Jews so it doth now signifie to us and require the same of us but with this difference God the Father is not now worshipped by it nor is God the Son as yet to come in the flesh prefigured though figured by it otherwise the same spiritual duty of Sanctification is by it required of us It s a true Rule Ceremoniale aboletur spirituale manet And therefore the holy Ghost retains the same commandment as a Law in force among us Christians until this day For the Saints of God are Citizens of the holy City Ephes 2.19 and are the holy temple of God vers 20.21 This should not be uncouth unto Christians for know ye not that ye are the temple of God c. The temple of God is holy which temple ye are 1 Cor. 3.16 17. yea not only the temple but the priests also in the temple and such as officiate there as the priests of old did 1 Pet. 2.5 ye as living stones are built up a spiritual house an holy priest-hood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ But it seems the Commandment is yet holy and in force and to be observed For 1. Act. 15. in that first Council the Decree speaks thus It seems good to the holy Ghost c. where they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessary things And the Holy Ghost is the Author of them to the holy Apostles assembled in Council 2. Yea secondly whereas that Council was occasioned by the question touching circumcision as appears vers 1.24 we read not that Circumcision is reckoned up among those necessary things yet in Chap. 16. ye find Paul circumcising Timothy The former doubt hath so far prevailed with some that they have for conscience sake abstained from meats made of Swines blood and from all fowls strangled We must know therefore that the things were forbidden are necessary to be abstained from either in themselves because in themselves evil as Fornication which the Gentiles held to be no sin as appears by that saying Non est flagitium Adolescentium Scortari And by the Apostles dehortation of the Corinthians from it 1 Cor. 6.13 14 15. or else they were necessary in regard of the peace of the Church for Charity makes middle and indifferent things in this respect become necessary lest weak ones take offences at the use of them you will conceive this Answer to be full and satisfactory if ye be pleased to compare vers 20 21. where the Apostle gives the reason of the prohibition the reading of Moses in the Synagogue every Sabbath day As to the second St. Luke gives the reason of it Act. 16.1 2 3. Timotheus was the Son of a Jewess but his Father was a Greek Him therefore Paul took and circumcised because of the Jews which were in those quarters yea the Apostle gives us an account of these and all his like actions 1 Cor. 9.20 To the Jews I became a Jew that I might gain the Jews c. Rare and singular Charity especially if we compare it with the cold love in our dayes when we force men to do and speak and think what we only like O how wary and careful we are lest we offend one another as we pass by one another in the way but in regard of scandalizing and wounding the consciences of men how peevishly yea how wilfully do we lash and fall foul one upon another Wo to the world because of offences Observ 1. If the Ceremonial Law be holy if the Commandment be holy and contain in it the beauty of holiness then all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all will-worship falls to the ground as Dagon before the Ark of God Our God cannot will not be known but by his own means instituted by himself for the knowing of himself as the Sun cannot be seen but by its own light The Ceremonial Law the holy Commandment the holy Sacraments are as an Optick glass as the Apostle compares them 2 Cor. 3. whereby we may see know and worship our God if this glass be soiled and dusty the inventions of mans earthly mind makes it so it 's useless and cannot convey the object unto our mind and heart Observ 2. This lets us see their great boldness and presumption who impose their own made and invented holiness upon the Consciences of men There is one Lawgiver saith St. James 4.12 and that 's the Lord saith Isai 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver if any Ceremonies be thought necessary as how can an action prescribed in general be perform'd without them Let them who impose them take heed that they be prescribed according to the will of the Lawgiver as such as serve to edifying to decency to order to conformity and uniformity of the body of Christ and these as few as may be lest they hurt more than further the ends before named The holy Commandment the Sacraments and Ordinances of the Church are as a glass saith the Apostle if they be too numerous too pompous they are as paint to the glass intended indeed to adorn it but keeps out the light Jobson saw no difference among the people on the one side or other of the River Gamboa as touching their lives only they differed in Ceremonies one from other as whether the Table should stand here or there above or below this way or that way How much paper hath been blotted with this Controversie of late dayes as also whether at the receiving the holy Sacrament we should sit or stand or kneel about these things we differ and for these things men envy one another and hate one another But who considers that while we eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord we profess to shew forth the Lords death until he come 1 Cor. 11.26 alwayes bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4. about these things few words are made and I fear as few thoughts so that like Aesops dog we contend for the shadow and lose the substance As touching Baptism whether Children are to be baptized or no whether with Sureties or without whether with the sign
equity expected of a man The second is the very same Mercy and the love of Mercy and the last is Faith which because it works by love St. Luke puts love instead of it Luk. 11.42 this who ever doth walks humbly with his God which is the third in that place of Micha these are the same for the want whereof the spirit of God reproves the world These three are yet contracted into a less number even these two Commandments Love of God and our Neighbour for a lively faith or faith enlivened by the spirit and the love of God are all one and mercy and judgement are all one with love of our neighbour I know well this sounds not right to our English ears who take judgement for the rigorous execution of Justice but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Equity Correct us O Lord and yet in thy judgement not in thy fury thy judgement i. e. thy mercy and equity Thus our Lord contracts the Commandments to two Matth. 22.36 40. Can they yet be reduced to a less number Rom. 13. and 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law This is the most excellent way 1 Cor. 12. last which is violently divided from the thirteenth Chapter wherein he tells us what that most excellent way is and in the last verse of that Chapter he tells us of three great things but the greatest of these is CHARITY that bond of perfectness Col. 3. that end of the Law 1 Tim. 1.5 the end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith unfeigned as by the wickedness of men the Commandments are increased so by their obedience they are contracted Reproves Those who dishonour the honorabilia Legis who lightly regard the graviora Legis who little esteem the great things of the Law Fools make a mock of sin pass over judgement tythe Mint and Dill we read it Annise Anethum signifieth not Annise but Dill mean time omit graviora Legis Luk. 11.42 Hos 6.6 7. these are the things whereof the Spirit of God reproves the world the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 16. He shall reprove the world of sin because they believe not in him the power of God the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world of righteousness false Pharisaical righteousness The reason of all this is according as God's and Christ's Righteousness is in the hearts of his people he abbreviates and makes short his Commandment this is plain Rom. 9.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Writ out of any inferiour Court is more observed than the great holy mandatory Letters from the Court of Heaven for these things the Land mourneâ—h the want of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit reproves the world of sin of righteousness and of judgement Observ 3. There are degrees in the Commandments of God some greater Commandments some less those of the first Table are greater than those of the second Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments c. If there be least Commandments then are there greater and so degrees in the observation of them so that if they come in competition the greater must be preferred above the less The Priests brake the Sabbath and were blameless Matth. 12.5 Their Love to God in doing him and his people service excused them the Love of God and our Neighbour is a greater Commandment than that of the Sabbath Vbi periculum vitae cessat Sabbatum where there is danger of life the keeping of the Sabbath ceaseth Every one of you leads his Oxe or his Ass to the water Love to man and beast excuseth the breach of the Sabbath So that ye see the Sabbath was accounted one of the least Commandments even by the Jews themselves whereas some Christians to whom the Sabbath was a sign and a shadow account it one of the greatest if not simply the greatest of them all Counsel and comfort unto every one who like the young man enquire what he should do to be saved There 's not any thing thou doest or hast to do but there 's a rule for it multitudes of Laws There 's not any sin thou committest but there 's a Law to prohibit it a doctrine to heal it 1 Tim. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are thy sins spread like a Leprosie over thy whole body Art thou full of bruises and putrifying sores from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is a plaster as large as thy sores the Commandment is exceeding broad The Law is a Catholicon a Panacea a salve in it for every sore Love covers the multitude of sin But alas Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it besets me in every circumstance and the Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it guards thee and defends thee in every circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear all thy works Verebar omnia opera mea Job 9.28 Have respect to all the Commandments Psal 119.6 But this is dura custodia yet under this thou must be kept Precept upon precept line upon line Isai 28.10 The Child is brought under the multitude of Precepts When I was a child I understood as a child 1 Cor. 13. until that which is perfect is come Gal. 4.3 under the elements of the world As the multitude of stars were made in the firmament of heaven as every one of these contributed its share of light before the Sun was made even so the multitude of Commandments gives light unto the man untill the day begin to dawn and as the day light appears one star after another disappears and still they become fewer and fewer untill the light of Faith shine out as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.23 Before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterward be reveiled Hast thou then scattered thy wayes unto strangers Jerem. 3.13 See the place hasten to the unity Wherefore Beloved let us be exhorted to hasten to the coming of that day 't is the Apostles exhortation 2 Pet. 3.12 It 's a strange one for we say rather Phosphore redde diem We wish for the day Act. 17. that the day would hasten to come to us not that we should hasten to the coming of the day but such is the goodness of that Sun of Righteousness who shines alone in his Saints as Apollo and Sol have their names from their shining alone saith Macrobius when his day light appears he contracts all that multiplicity of day light unto himself He is Achad Deut. 6. ONE and draws all multiplicity into ONE The Queen of Sheba had no more Spirit left in her 1 King 10. when she heard the true Solomon See Georg. Venet. fol. 230. b. When the Scribe had learned thus to contract the multitudes of the Law to the love of God and our Neighbour our Lord tells him Thou art not far from the kingdom of God Mark 12.34 One step further he had been
higher Powers Which withal answers an Objection an old Objection which was first made by Judas Galilaeus saith Josephus Antiqu. lib. 18. chap. 1. about the time when our Saviour appeared in the Flesh Therefore they betake themselves to another shift They are Gods People and so free from subjection unto the higher Powers Thus Judas Galileus suggested to the Jews a Revolt from the Romans alledging That the People of God ought not to be subject unto any Forreign Government It ariseth out of the pride of corrupt Nature according to which the Poet speaks Omnes liberi libentius sumus quam servimus This Objection was renewed by the Christians after the Gospel began to be preached as St. Hierom in locum catena and St. Austin affirm because they were called they said to Christian Liberty Gal. 5. And if the Son make ye free then are ye free indeed Joh. 8. Hence it is that our Saviour himself Matth. 22.21 and his Apostles St. Paul here and St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.13 urge obedience unto the higher Powers And I would to God the very same Objection did not leave even to this day a scruple in the minds of such as think themselves and would be accounted by others the most forward Christians Of which because some erre rather out of weakness of Judgment than out of wilfulness I will endeavour to satisfy them thus When Men are said to be called to liberty it is not to be understood as if we were exempt from Government much less called unto licentious libertinism as if we might do even what we list nor is it a liberty from lawful service but a Spiritual liberty a liberty 1. From the Bondage of sin Rom. 8.2 From death the second death the sting and tyranny of it 1 Cor. 5.3 From the Law both Justification by it and the Curse of it Gal. 3.13 4. From fear Both 1. That which is faithless Psal 112.2 And 2. That which is Slavish Rom. 8.15 5. From Jewish Rites and Ceremonies Acts 15.10 From all these servitudes we are called to be the Sons of God Gal. This this is the liberty we are called unto Now a great difference there is between being called to freedom and actually to be made free we are called to this liberty But I appeal unto thee who ever thou art who standest so much upon thy Christian liberty art thou as yet made free from sin Art thou a Servant of righteousness Faulter not nor deceive thine own Soul with distinctions of sin or committing sin All unrighteousness is sin art thou free from all unrighteousness Yea wert thou yet wert thou bound to Civil obedience yea so much the rather for being thus free from sin thou becomest the servant of righteousness in walking in this and other Commandments of thy God nor is this any abatement of thy Christian freedom for he that is such a Servant saith the Apostle is the Lords freeman 1 Cor. 7. Again si tales sumus qui conjuncti Domino sumus unus cum eo Spiritus sumus Domino dicimur esse Subjecti c. If we be such as are adjoined unto the Lord and are one Spirit with him then we are the Lords Subjects saith Rabanus But if thou be not as yet freed from sin and so become one Spirit with the Lord thou hast not so much as a pretence Si communis adhuc anima est in nobis quae habet aliquid hujusce mundi c. As long as we have a life and soul in us that hath any thing to do with the world and worldly business To him the Apostle directs this Precept Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. For saith the same Father the Lord commanded that they who have in themselves the superscription of Caesar should render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars As for St. Peter and St. John they had nothing that they could give unto the Criple For saith he silver and gold I have none c. but he that hath either silver or gold or possessions or any thing to do in this world as he goes on let him hear this Precept Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Nay were it granted that a Man was as free even as Christ himself yet for the avoiding of offence he ought to be subject unto the higher Powers The Children of God saith he are free but lest we should offend them c. Matth. 17.26 27. Go to the Sea and cast in an angle and take the first Fish that commeth up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of silver that take and give it unto them for me and thee He wrought a Miracle that he might pay tribute This I conceive enough to satisfy a reasonable Man but others there are of Chore's race a generation of Rebels who oppose themselves wilfully against the higher Powers they have a spleen against Authority and misconstrue and mis-interpret all the proceedings of it repugne and disobey it in the Commands of it These are the Men ye shall commonly hear inveighing bitterly against the Governours and in these Halcyon these peaceable dayes complaining and crying out of the times when to the wonderment and astonishment of all but our selves we sit quiet and still in the midst of all the storms secure and at peace in the midst of the wars tumults and combustions of the world swimming in blood round about us Men say Miracles are ceased but this seems one and a principal one and to be ascribed next under the highest Powers goodness and wisdom of the God of order to the prudence bounty and ability of our higher Powers But what is there in the World so sacred so eminent so holy these Men will not blaspheme and slander and that I tremble to speak it under pretence of Religion and Gods cause They cry out That the Kingdom that the Church is ill governed that all things are out of order just like drunken Men they think the house turns round and is ready to fall that the Church and Commonwealth is disordered and turned upside down When alas it is their own giddiness they are drunk they are drunk Such are they who cry out Persecution when they are buffeted only for their faults who jear other Men under the names of Formal and Canonical that is such as live according to the Law and rule prescribed them as if it were a fault so to do Good God! how great is their disobedience who think it a shame and reproach to be obedient What else I beseech you do these Men but profess that they are the Men whom the Apostle speaks of Who are not afraid to speak evil of dignities St. Paul describes them right and this their time and the power of darkness Men lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemous disobedient unthankful unholy c. Traytors heady high minded having a form of godliness but denying the power of it 2 Tim. 3. Unless St. Peter
and such as supported those that lived the like life worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ It is the grace of the Gospel only that can enable us to learn that lesson of the Wise Man Remove anger from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh Eccles 11.10 Observ 2. Where God exerciseth some of his Saints with penury and want he in his providence stirs up some or other either near or in remote places to pity and relieve their wants as he did the widow of Sarepta and the Shunamite and here the Macedonians and Achaians Observ 3. Mercy and Bounty ought as well to be communicated unto the absent as present as well to those who ask us not as to those who crave our help as well to those afar off as those who are near and therefore this kind of Bounty is compared to sowing seed Psal 112. 2 Cor. 9. He hath dispersed and scattered abroad c. Now the Sower goes out to sow his Seed c. See Notes on Psal 112.9 And therefore Alms-giving in the Low Dutch is called handreichinge a reaching out the hand to help others And an Old Dutch Translation useth the word here gemein handreichinge a common stretching or reaching out the hand to the help and relief of the poor Saints Such relief the Philippians reached to St. Paul as he testifieth of them Phil. 4 10-19 Observ 4. This points us to the most acceptable principle by which our living Faith works in this Communication even our Love and good will So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifieth and thus the Syriack Martin Luther the Low Dutch and Miles Coverdale render the word here Sutably hereunto the Apostle 2 Cor. 9.7 The Lord loves a chearful giver yea this good will and chearfulness is better than the deed it self without it if our Apostle reason right 2 Cor. 8.10 See Notes on Gen. 12. Repreh 1. Those who communicate only good words toward the necessities of the poor Saints as if a few comfortable phrases out of the Scripture and a few good wishes could supply their needs James tells us the contrary Jam. 2.15 16. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say warm your selves c. notwithstanding ye give them not those things that are needfull for the body what helpeth it Repreh 2. The dead Faith of too many at this day who yet would be accounted believers and true Christians they pretend much strength in their hand of Faith to lay hold and assure themselves of Christ and Salvation by him but as for doing good being rich in good works ready to distribute and being ready to communicate to these duties their hand of Faith is altogether dry and withered Exhort 1. To become Saints truly such We have a powerful motive here from the great care of them taken by God and good men Psal 34.9 10. O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions shall suffer hunger but they which seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good When the Decree of Ahasuerus issued forth in favour of the Jews many of the people of the Land became Jews for the fear of the Jews fell upon them Esth 8.17 And since Religion hath been in fashion and obtained favour what a world of people are turned Jews i. e. Professors so the word Jew signifieth O let not the Pharisaical profession and pretence of Saintship be so powerfull with us as the real practice of true Sanctity if we think it good to appear good how much better is it really to be good Exhort 2. Be pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ye willing to make some Contribution some Communication to the poor of the Saints in Savoy Nay as I understand we need not read the words partitively the poor of the Saints but the poor Saints they are all poor And poor they are because they are Saints because they are dedicated and consecrated unto God therefore they are plundered and spoiled they are poor impoverished Saints There are a sort of rambling lazy grudging runnagate poor to whom yet we must shew mercy we must make some Contribution I confess they are some of them but poor Saints poor they are and we ought to extend our Charity even unto them Si non homini humanitati They are of our own flesh and we must not hide our selves from those who are of our own flesh how much less from those who are of our own Spirit humble meek patient c. As we then have opportunity we must do good unto all men even to unbelievers God is good unto them gives them rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and fills their hearts with food and gladness And surely we ought to be followers of God and do good even to such unbelievers they are of Gods great houshold how much more then should we be good to the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 These of all other are most thankful to God 2 Cor. 9.13 they are best able among all men to recompence us and do us good with good counsels strong consolation powerful prayers c. and these are the better sort of good things which are more communicable than Gold or Silver or any outward Treasure Bonum quo communius eo melius These are the poor Saints at Jerusalem a people that fear God here 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peaceable people yet live among those who are enemies unto peace here 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have heard their Necessity let us hear our Duty The Duty is called by most honourable names it 's called Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See Notes on Psal 112. Rom. 12.13 Distributing to the necessity of the Saints To do good and communicate forget not Hebr. 13.16 This doing good requires it self for it is a more blessed thing to give than to receive Act. 20. and the greatest good redounds unto our selves Mark what a requital is promised 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Mean time what we give to the poor Saints we lend unto the Lord what we have we are but stewards of it And it 's required of a steward that he be faithful And the unjust steward will teach us a lesson to make us friends of the unrighteous Mammon We have a REMEMBRANCER of these things every one in his own heart if we will listen to him it may be our own case we may as well want the help of those of Savoy as they of Savoy now want our help And therefore Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them who suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body Yea our Lord and theirs will remember such bounty Psal 41.1 2. Blessed is he who considereth the poor and needy c. Yea he will remember it when we have forgotten it The King of Saints will take it as done to himself which is done to the least of his brethren Mat.
envy hatred malice and all uncharitableness such as the Apostle foretold should be in these latter dayes 2 Tim. 3.1 2. Self-loving Christians covetous Christians c. under pretence of sanctity and holiness to oppose Magistracy which the Ancient Christians ever abhorred to do but every soul was subject to the higher powers c. not only for fear but for conscience-sake If we thought it lawful to oppose Magistrates saith Tertullian We are Christians enough to beat all the Roman Legions But our present false Christians think it lawful Are these men in Christ or rather in Belial is Christ formed in them or rather Abaddon and Apollyon what have they to shew for their Christianity and being in Christ but an outward profession some outward Ordinance some form of Godliness without the Power a long conceived Prayer or a long common Prayer without the life required in either O thou who art called Jacob are these his doings O thou who art called and wouldest be thought a Christian is this the life of Christ He who saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 More NOTES on II CORINTH V. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature THese words admit a double Consideration for they may be either 1. Absolutely considered and in themselves Or 2. With reference to the precedent words 1. Absolutely and so the Text is a Christian document concerning faithful mens Union with Christ and their new birth in him This document howsoever it seems a conditional Proposition or connex Axiom yet it is no other than that which the Logicians call Affâ—ne Connexo for in pure Conditionals if the first part be true the latter is true also not otherwise But in those kinds of Propositions which in their form are like Conditionals there is a truth of parts If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing if ye by the Spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8. See Notes in locum Thus in Col. 3.1 compared with Col. 2.12 Phil. 2.1 and 4.8 Thus where the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 26.23 we turn it rightly that Christ should suffer c. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn if doth not alwayes note a condition but sometimes a supposition and signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Thus we may indifferently render the words If a man be in Christ he is a new Creature And because or seeing that a man is in Christ be is a new Creature Now because there is no Verb expressed we may understand the Text according to diverse Verbs understood diverse wayes Either 1. Because a man is in Christ he is a new Creature Or 2. If a man be in Christ let him be a new Creature Marg. So that in the words ye have these Three points of Doctrine 1. A faithful Man is in Christ 2. He is a new Creature 3. Because he is in Christ he is a new Creature Christ is not here to be understood according to the flesh the veil which is Christs flesh is removed Hebr. 2. To be in Christ is to be in Christs Kingdom To be in heavenly things Ephes 1. 1. To be partakers of Christ Hebr. 3.14 Thus Andronicus and Junia were in Christ Rom. 16.7 St. Paul calls himself a man in Christ 2 Cor. 12.2 But why stand we on particulars We read of whole Churches in Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.22 Col. 1.2 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 All which howsoever it be true yet the Scripture seems to thwart this when it tells us That Christ is in the Faithful how then are the Faithful in Christ But this is so far from weakning this Truth and our assent thereto that it further establisheth it and shews that the Union between Christ and Believers is most firm and intimate Thus as St. Paul knew that he himself was in Christ 2 Cor. 12.2 so he saith That it pleased God to reveil his Son Christ in him Gal. 1.15 And as he saith of the Colossians they were in Christ Col. 1.2 So that Christ was in the Colossians Col. 1.27 1. We aee his house Hebr. 3.6 1 Tim. 3.15 and he ours Psal 90.1 2. He dwells in us and we in him Joh. 6.56 3. In him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 And he lives in us Gal. 2.20 4. Christ the word of the Father speaks in faithful men I will hear what God will speak in me Psal 85. If ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me 2 Cor. 13.3 The Angel of the Covenant spake in Zacharie cap. 1.9 And they spake in Christ 2 Cor. 2.12 and 12.19 5. He works all our works in us Isa 26.12 and we all ours in him Joh. 3.21 Eccles 9.1 contra Isa 29.15 Amos 9.2 The Reason of this promiscuous and interchangeable use of the phrase of Believers being in Christ and Christ in Believers is That most thorough and most intimate Union of Christ with the Church and the Church with Christ So that as we may speak indifferently of natural things conspiring into a mutual union one with other that the water is in the wine and the wine in the water the fire in the iron and the iron in the fire though the qualities of these hinder a perfect Union and as the light is in the air and the air in the light even so nay much rather may we say of this spiritual Union of Christ with believers that Christ is in them and they in him Observ 1. Observe then the ground of that Wisdom which we see in Christian men They are in Christ and Christ is the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 30. and vers 5. They have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 And therefore surely they must be very wise so wise that all others observe and admire their Wisdom Deut. 4.6 7. And wherein consists that Wisdom but in keeping and doing Gods commandments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom God is so intimate or inward 1 Cor. 14.25 Observ 2. This is the ground of that upright and holy conversation observable among Christian men They are in Christ and he is the righteousness of God 1 Cor. 2.30 All their ways are in Christ 1 Cor. 4.17 They walk with God constantly and evenly not by starts and fits Georg. Ven. fol. 131. b. in him we are made the righteousness God 2 Cor. 5.21 Observ 3. This is the ground of that power which the Saints have against all their enemies of their Salvation They are in Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 and he is the power of God And this time of the Gospel is the day of Gods power Psal 100.3 i. e. of Christ Phil. 4.13 Observ 4. The ground of the Christian mans unspeakable happiness wherein soever men place it Whether 1. In contemplation In him are bid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 All truth is in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 There
and are zealous for them and quarrel with one another for them as if they were the kernel it self whereas indeed they are but husks and shells old things and of no value For be it granted that these Ceremonial old things preserve the Spiritual Truth as shells and skins preserve the pulp and kernel yet that 's but till the fruit be ripe and then these are neglected and cast away Thus Ebedmelech drew Jeremy out of the dungeon with old cast clouts and rotten raggs Jer. 38. yet being drawn out he did not cloath Jeremy with them and though veritas è puteo though Truth be drawn out of the pit out of the dungeon by means of these Ceremonial old things by means of these weak and beggarly elements it is not to be cloathed with them again In Christ Circumcision is nothing c. but a new Creature I left a doubt behind me common to this and the next point which I shall now clear for if old things be passed away and all things become new how can we exhort men to both or either of them I Answer according to Bonaventure things may be said to be old and so to pass away or become new either 1. In respect of the common state and condition of the whole Church and Gods common dispensation Or 2. In respect of the special condition and state of several persons in several times of the Church 1. In regard of the common condition and state of the Church and Gods dispensation old things Ceremonial and Moral then passed away when God in the fulness of time sent his Son to put an end to the Ceremonial Law and to destroy the works of the Devil and in this respect true it is that both Ceremonial and Moral old things are passed away 2. In regard of the special condition and state of several persons Some there are to whom the old things are not yet passed away these we exhort to let these old things pass away To this purpose the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 6.1 2. We saith he as workers together with him beseech you that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain for he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the time of salvation The like we understand by Psal 95.7 Luk. 4.18 2. Things are said to be which ought to be not which are alwayes actually such id fit quod jure fit The Apostle exhorts the Colossians to put off the old man Col. 3.8 and yet vers 9. he saith they had put him off i. e. it was their duty to put him off and they professed so to do Hebr. 5.4 No man takes this honour c. i. e. no man ought to take it otherwise nothing was more ordinary than for the Jews to be ambitious of it and buy it of the Roman Governours The old things are passed away i. e. they ought to pass way And thus we are exhorted to let them pass away from us When the Moral old things shall pass away then all things shall become new i. e. Holy Just and Good It 's useful for Reproof and Exhortation 1. It Reproves those who pretend these new things new garments yet walk not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honestly or decently in such habit as befits the new day and put not on the Lord Jesus Christ but walk in rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness in strife and envying in wrath revenge anger lying cursing and swearing These and such as these are the Old Mans Wardrobe the Old Mans night-gueere and befit not the new Man or the new Day What a shameful contradiction it is to be called by the new name of Christians yet live like Heathens and Infidels 2. It Reproves those who dote upon a Ceremonial Worship and Service of God who dote upon old things when all things are become new who know no other Service of God than what they can hear and see and feel Like Micha who pleased himself extreamly that he had a molten Image and a Teraphim and an house of Gods and a Levite for his Priest Judg. 17. Alas they consider not that God is a Spirit c. they consider not That man indeed looks at the outward appearance only but the Lord beholds the heart He tells the Woman though she profest the worship of the true God yet because she with other Samaritans confined his worship to a certain place ye worship saith he ye know not what And St. Paul tells the Galatians who would have Circumcision a part of Christian Religion and confound the old Ceremonies with the Truth That in Christ Circumcision saith he availeth nothing and uncircumcision availeth nothing but a new Creature NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON GALATIANS III. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesuâ— Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you THe Galatians being converted unto Christ cerâ—â—â—â—â—ews who professed Christianity had in part perverted them 〈◊〉 â—â—ought them back to Judaism perswading them to embrace it 〈◊〉 with the Gospel alledging the Example of Peter and otâ—â—â— With these the Apostle deals somewhat sharply Châ—â— â— 6 I marvel saith he how it comes to pass that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye arâ— devolved or turned about unto another Gospel He alludes saith Hierom to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence he would imply they had their namâ— Galatians volatiles easily turned like a wheel from Christ to Moses from the Gospel to the Law from the Spirit to the Letter and like tartness he useth in the Text when he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foolish Galatians To these upon this occasion St. Paul writes this Epistle and after his salutation he vindicates the Authority of his Apostleship and his Doctrine and how he preach'd it among the Gentiles and executed his office of Apostleship and in this narration he spends most-what the first and second Chapters In the third and fourth Chapters he applys himself more closely to the business in hand and proves at large that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ And this is the Argument of his Discourse throughout the third and fourth Chapters The fifth and sixth Chapters are exhortations unto Christian Duties Now as he began his first part with a sharp and abrupt reprehension I marvel ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ Chap. 1.6 with like authority or greater he begins his second part with the Text Wherein he charges them with crucifying the Lord Jesus with disobedience unto the truth though declared unto them that they suffered themselves to be bewitched with false doctrine and therefore charges them with misunderstanding of it The Divine Axioms or points of Doctrine contained in these words are these 1. Jesus Christ was
crucified in the Galatians 2. Jesus Christ was evidently set forth crucified in the Galatians 3. The Galatians did not obey the truth 4. Some or other had bewitched them that they did not obey the Truth 5. The Apostle for this reason calls them foolish Galatians This is a hard saying who can bear it But That this may appear to you we must enquire 1. What crucifixion is And 2. How the Lord Jesus was crucified 3. How and whether he was crucified among the Galatians or in the Galatians Crucifixion is that painful that lingering that shameful and that aâ—cursed death of the Cross unto which Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto Philip. 2.8 This painful lingering shameful accursed death of the Cross the Text saith our Lord suffered among the Galatians How among them Our English word among is borrowed of our Neighbours the Low Dutch word gemengt that is mixt or mingled so that some where in that Region of Galatia this was done and accordingly Martin Luther turns the word unter inter sometimes between us or among us so Piscator so the Low Dutch but they put in the Margin or in you and the French Bible and the Italian and Spanish Bibles all our Latin Translations that of Erasmus that of Castellio that of Beza only the Vulg. Latin hath in vobis in you All our English Translations Tyndal Coverdale and three others except one English Manuscript which hath in you And what else I beseech you signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek and in vobis in the Latin but in you in plain English But how do they make it good that Christ was crucified among the Galatians The Evangelists tell us He was Crucified in or near Jerusalem without the Gate and how then among the Galatians Galatia was a great way off Jerusalem It will make somewhat toward the opening of this Truth if we enquire what these Galatians were and where they dwelt They are said to have been a people which descended of the Gauls called therefore Gallograeci but first Gomoritae from Gomar the Son of Japhet saith Josephus lib. 1. They were Scituate in the Lesser Asia between Pamphilia on the South on the East Cappadocia on the North the Euxine Sea saith Ptolomy in his first Table of Asia These are the people among whom Christ was Crucified But how could this be that Christ should be Crucified at Jerusalem and yet among the Galatians Our Expositors have much ado to bring both together One and he no mean man answers thus Although Christ was Crucified at Jerusalem yet saith he Paul tells us then by my preaching his Passion Life and Cross He hath been so lively set forth that ye might even see him before your eyes as evidently as the Jews saw him on the Cross at Jerusalem among you saith he lately in your age as it were before your eyes and perhaps some of you at that very time were present at Jerusalem and beholding Christ on the Cross among you i. e. in your age in your time or in you saith he that is in vicina via near you in Judea almost among you and before your eyes Crucified I could weary you and my self too with the shifts that some both Ancient and Modern Expositors have found out to bring Galatia and Jerusalem together which are at least ten dayes journey one from other O Beloved how little hath Christ been known or yet is he known according to the Spirit how few of that multitude who repute themselves Christians can truly say with St. Paul Though I have known Jesus Christ according to the flesh yet now I know him so no more 2 Cor. 5. for is not Jesus Christ the wisdom of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1. Is he not made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Is not the Truth in Jesus the putting off the old Man and putting on the new Ephes 4. Know we therefore that Christ is crucified and slain divers wayes 1. In Adam when his innocent Nature in us is murdered Revel 13.8 and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world 2. Crucified in the flesh upon the Cross 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures 3. In the Spirit as often as his good motions are suppressed in us For such crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Hebr. 8.6 So that it will be no hard matter to declare how Christ was Crucified in the Galatians nor will it be very difficult to find out yet even now where our Lord both was and is daily crucified and by whom alas poor Pilate was not the alone crucifier of Christ And first how can Christ be said to be crucified in the Galatians To which I answer when they yielded not unto the motions of his Spirit in themselves but withstood them resisted them when they withstood the holy inspirations of Christs Spirit striving with them when they grieved when they quenched the holy fire in themselves when they yielded unto the inward Antichrist usurping a power in them for both cannot live together Thus Vatablus explains the Vulg. Latin in vobis inter vobis spiritus sanctus c. Isai 53.5 He was wounded of our transgressions and bruised of our iniquities But can the true Christ of God be crucified and slain The Divine Image saith holy Bernard Non est deleta sed obruta it is not wholly wiped out but overwhelmed The sacred Emblem represents unto us in the Lion Rampant the Devil above and the Lamb below trodden under foot but looking up and expecting when he shall be owned and restored mean time as to them in whom he is crucified he lies as utterly dead for thus the Prophet Isa 59.14 tells us that Truth is fallen in the street what street is that Lata licentiosa carnalium vita saith Hierom that broad street and licentious way and life of carnal men which is that which St. John tells us of Revel 11.8 that the two witnesses the Law and the Prophets which witness of the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 They lye dead in the street of that great City which St. Austin understands to be the Devils City which is spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified Observ 1. Hence it follows that Christ is in all men either dead or alive either crucified or glorified Observ 2. Christ is and lives in Believers Col. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory So 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And indeed how can Christ be and live otherwhere than in his believers since
was the Tree of Life but the truth and life of it Rev. 2.7 What Melchizedeck but the true King of Righteousness and King of Peace Heb. 7.2 What Joseph called Zaphnath Panneah Gen. 41.45 But as the vulgar there hath it Salvator mundi the Saviour of the world This is the true David the love of God Col. 1.13 The same who is his love the true Solomon the peace of God he who is our peace Eph. 2.14 But examples of this kind are infinite 1. This reproves those who dote about Types and Figures and look not for the fulfilling of them in themselves by Christ A great deal of this kind of dotage there is in the Church of Rome that I say not among us also who gaze upon the outward braveries of Religion which they read of in the Jews story Such is that of the curious Antiquaries who are impertinently anxious and inquisitive what became of all those Vessels and other monuments of the said Temple the rich vail c. The Colossians were herein too blame and all who follow them superstitious observers of meats and drinks holy days new Moons and Sabbaths which though they serve as patterns and types of heavenly things saith the Apostle Heb. 8. Yet are they in themselves but weak and beggarly elements shadows saith the same Apostle Gal. 4. Whereas the body is of Christ 2. For the Reproof of those who look for the accomplishment of Gods promises otherwhere than in Christ himself as outwardly temporally and literally not discerning the difference of providence under the Law and under the Gospel for whereas under the Law we read of great outward promises unto the obedient Riches and plenteousness are in his house The most of Deut. 28. and Levit. 26. are spent upon this Argument And God promiseth people wells that they digged not vineyards that they planted not and houses that they builded not c. These and such Scriptures some apply now unto themselves not considering that these were the rewards of the people under the Law and that the Gospel is established upon better promises than these are That God then blessed Abraham and Job and others when he gave them sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants Gen. 24. Job 1.2 But God having raised up his son Jesus he hath sent him to bless us in turning every one away from his iniquities Act. 3. ult And God hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly things Eph. 1.3 And therefore Esay 65.16 hath mentioned the promises fulfilled in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former things were to instruct us that those legal promises were narrow houses full are empty if compared with the Spirit of God Corn and Wine and Oyl are poor blessings if compared with Christ the bread of life the true wine and the oyl of gladness the Spirit of God They who look so low as these earthly things for the accomplishment of Gods promises put themselves in a far inferiour condition to that wherein they presume themselves to be The Sadduces looked for the fulfilling of Gods promises in these things yea the Turks at this day look for these blessings yea many of them look for higher and things above these And shall we call our selves Christians beginning in the Spirit and end in the flesh begin with the heavenly and end with the earthly Shall we who are Christians hope for any thing less than Christian promises Yea the holy Patriarchs and Fathers of the old Testament received these temporal blessings no otherwise than as Pledges and Types of the holy Spirit of promise what else were their houses full of all good things Deut. 6.11 but the fulness of the Spirit And what he promised that he would fill his house or temple with his glory Hag. 2.7 What understand we but the bodies souls and spirits of his Saints who are his Temples with his holy Spirit It is too gross a conceit of some Fathers that the holy Patriarchs were pasti ad saginam fed as it were to be fat with the outward blessings and looked no farther Truly I doubt not but many of them had more clear and distinct understanding of the Spiritual things and a more full fruition of them than most of us have Abraham to whom the promise of the Land of Canaan was made enjoyed not so much of it as to set his foot on Act. 7.5 But sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise The Promise was made to him yet he never enjoyed the earthly but looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Hebr. 11.9 10. they enjoyed not the earthly Canaan but a better Countrey that is an heavenly vers 16. And shall we who call our selves heirs of Heaven dishonour our high calling and abase our hopes by fastening them upon the earth and earthly promises Exhort To receive the Spirit of Christ It 's the Apostles Exhortation Ephes 5.18 Be ye filled with the Spirit A most reasonable Exhortation when the Lord fulfills unto us the greatest of his Promises that we receive it and that it may appear worth the receiving I beseech ye consider 1. The Spirit of Christ finisheth and puts an end unto all sin Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's signified also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn fill or fulfill to put an end unto sin it 's the work of the whole Trinity the Father discovers it by his Law shews the foulness and ugliness of it The Son dies for it and washeth us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.9 The stronger man binds the strong man and takes away his armour from him yet he hath power to tempt and hath life in him still therefore the Apostle tells the believing Hebrews who had gone thus far ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 The life-blood of sin is not yet drawn out therefore Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself up to God purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Hebr. 9.14 Thus Josiah must destroy all that breatheth the brats and little ones of Babylon If the Spirit fill all things in the world beside and fill not us what benefit is it unto us that he fills all things He who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his When sin is ended and taken away then peace is made between God and us by Christ the Peace-Maker that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Sheba the Son of Bicri the man of Belial his head is cast over the wall 2 Sam. 20. the City of Abel hath peace When Sheba the seven evil spirits the seven capital sins which are the spawn of Bicâ—i the first-born or Son of perdition as Bicri signifieth the man of Belial the Devil himself when his head is
well if thou believest as the Apostle did O Beloved We are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a very easie belief See Notes on Phil. 2.8 Observ 4. 'T is possible then to arise from spiritual death This is evident out of the Text it self for this resurrection is wrought by the operative power of God Now with God all things are possible 2. De facto the Believers in the Text were risen now ab actu ad potentiam from what is done by a possibilty that it 's possible to be done it 's a good argument Doth any deny this What else do they mean who say that it 's impossible but that of necessity we must sin is not this to deny the Resurrection from the death of sin to the life of Righteousness Object In many things we offend all Jam. 'T is true what then Therefore 1. Thou mayst curse swear lye steal c. the same excuse is for all 2. This takes not away the possibility Object 2. But the Apostle St. James he saith so See Notes on the place 2. No wise man no religious man will take offence at this Doctrine Why The Scripture is plain for it besides it attributes nothing unto mans power but ascribes all unto the all powerful God with whom all things are possible 'T is the operative power of God that raiseth us up from the death of sin into the life of righteousness 'T is Faith in that operative Power and that Faith is Gods gift that raiseth us up This reproves those who profess themselves Christians yet lye still dead in trespasses and sins and arise not unto newness of life nor seek the things above by Faith in the operative Power of God it is the case of most of us For either we 1. Superstitiously confine the commemoration of the Resurrection of Christ to one day in the year and that passed we think no more of it but as the day passeth so the duty with it Christians of old were wont to salute one another with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord is risen So we salute the day make a formal ceremonial Complement of it fairly salute it and let it pass by till it return the next year Or else 2. We think we are risen well enough with Christ if we declaim against those who are risen no better We think it Religion enough for us to cry down the others superstition and justifie our selves and both sides please themselves in confuting and opposing one another and as it commonly comes to pass in controversies Veritas altercando amittitur The true rising and ascending with Christ is neglected by both and lost by both Beloved Suppose a company of men were faln into a dark or deep dungeon Were it not a great madness for these men to quarrel one with another and contend one with another which should be the best way to get out of this dungeon one saying This is the way another that 's the way and still continue in the dungeon the pit of transgression and sin and God knows not one of many of us know which is the way to get out of this pit but one gropes here for the way another there and we quarrel one another and every man will have his own way and be a guide unto another Like the Andabatae we fight in the dark but all this while we are in the pit and contend in the dark one with another Were it not a great deal a wiser course to entreat good Ebedmelech to help us out of the dungeon as he drew Jeremy out of it Jerem. 38.12 Ebedmelech Who is that The servant of the King of kings when I am lifted up saith he I shall draw all men unto me and with cast clouts and rotten rags even by holy examples of the Ancient Saints We all indeed acknowledge that Christ is the way and the way-guide and the means to arise is Faith but every man saith Lo here is Christ and lo there When yet scarce one of many of us knows Christ as we ought or the way how to arise with him or the operative power of God through him or Faith in that operative Power I will prejudice no mans growth and proficiency would God we were all perfectly risen with Christ But Beloved I beseech ye let us judge impartially of our own condition Do we think we have attained to the same pitch and growth that St. Paul had arrived unto when he wrote his Epistle the Philippians Phil. 3.8 11. He earnestly desired to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings Therefore surely he had not then as yet known it he had not yet attained nor was yet perfect as he saith vers 12. Had not the Apostle you 'l say known Christ nor the Power of his Resurrection How comes he then to write so much of Christ He speaks not there of Historical and Theoretical knowledge but experimental and tactual as I may call it such as ye read of Phil. 1.9 1 Joh. 1.1 2. Alas Beloved While we live this animalish sensual and brutish life we are far short of rising together with Christ If we have not the power of his Resurrection How shall we know the power of his ascension NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON COLOSSIANS II. 20 21 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances Touch not taste not handle not * We turn Which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men See Notes on vers 12. THe words are a reproof or expostulation with the Colossians for their superstition that they doted on the Jewish Ceremonies A sin against their profession They pretended to be dead with Christ to the rudiments of the world and therefore they ought not to live conformable to the world hold the Opinion and Tenents of the World 1. The first Argument is ab indecoro it mis-beseems the Christian profession 2. The other is a damnoso it is destructive so to abuse the commandments of God contrary to their institution So I turn these words Touch not taste not handle not all which by abuse are to destruction namely of those who use them 3. This comes to pass by the commandments and doctrines of men This is the structure of the Apostles reproof and expostulation part of which is the Text in vers 21.22 Touch not taste not c. Which we are not to understand so as if the Apostle here prohibited the Colossians the touching tasting or handling of any thing Although one of the Latin Authors of great name cite the Text to that purpose But it is evident by the Context that St. Paul personates and brings in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of imitation the false Teachers among the Colossians who usurped authority over them using their words Touch
the Scriptures and above all things required believed and obeyed by Belieuers in the Primitive times And therefore the Creed and the Articles of the Christian Faith were not written at the first but committed to the memories minds and hearts of Believers to be practised And what Christ on his part had suffered and done was propounded unto them and thereby was required of them on their part performances and conformity thereunto Thus the Apostle requireth 1. In the Galatians who had in part revolted from the Christian Faith conformity unto Christ's birth Gal. 4.19 2. In the Corinthians conformity unto Christ's crucifixion 1 Cor. 2. 3. In the Romans conformity unto his death and burial and resurrection Rom. 6. 4. In the Colossians who were raised up together with Christ conformity unto his ascension 5. The Apostles themselves had attained to a conformity with Christ in sitting with him in heavenly things Ephes 2.6 And these were conveyed as mysteries and secrets unto Believers and privately whispered by one to the other at the first And therefore in the ancient Liturgies and service of the Church the Creed was propounded at first voce submissa more secretly and in a lower tone and voice until the Council of Nice explained and enlarged it and delivered it to be published openly according to what our Lord Jesus had foretold Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall he heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear in clossets shall be proclaimed upon the house tops Luk. 12.3 St. Luke first wrote his Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Ancients read that Text Luk. 1.1 and so in the Latin Quae in nobis completae sunt rerum Of things fulfilled in us And afterward having written his Gospel begins the Book of Acts thus The former Treatise O Theophilus I have made of all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up Do these things concern us or no We call our selves Christians And every man presumes himself such But who considers these things wherein the Essence of Christianity consists otherwise then bounded within the person of Jesus Christ Who considers the humility of Jesus Christ as with an influence upon himself that he ought to humble himself and be of no reputation Who considers the obedience of Jesus Christ so that he himself ought to be obedient Who considers the sufferings of Jesus Christ so far as if he himself were by vertue of his calling to suffer with him 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. Nay who thinks that his own Salvation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrought by the same sufferings in himself which Christ also suffered 2 Cor. 1. Who thinks on Christ's Resurrection so far as if it concerned him to arise unto a new Life Who regards our Lords Ascension beyond the act of his person then as performed by him Who looks at it as it concerns himself to mind affect love desire live an innocent life worthy of God O what a world of false Christianity there is in the Christian world O Beloved the Evangelist writes to thee whoever thou art who lovest God Thou art the true Theophilus all that which he did all that which he taught until the day he was taken up concerns thee and ought to be fulfilled in thee Away then with all idle contemplations and empty speculations of Christianity falsly so called The true Christianity is seen in our conformity to Jesus Christ in leaving the world and going to the Father in dying unto sin and living unto God the Truth of Jesus is seen in putting off the old man and putting on the new Eph. 4. In being crucified and dead unto sin and arising into a new Life and being risen to ascend with Christ and seek affect love desire and live the life of Jesus Christ 4. Observe what manner of men now they be and how qualified they ought to be who ought to seek the things above They must be such as are already raised unto a new life otherwise they are not fit to seek them Psal 34.14 Depart from evil and do good then follows seek peace and ensue it Esay There is no peace to the wicked saith my God So seek ye the Lord ye meek of the earth Zeph. 2.3 It 's impossible otherwise to understand the things above though Christ himself should preach them unto you Nicodemus was a learned man and a Master in Israel and knew not the Nature of Regeneration Joh. 3.9 He stands amazed and saith how can these things be yet surely the things above or most of them are of an higher Nature than Regeneration And how then should the earthly and natural man know them Our Saviour saith so much to Nicodemus vers 12. If I have told ye earthly things and ye believe not How shall ye believe if I tell ye of heavenly things O they are the things above No marvel therefore if some people who have not had their senses exercised to discern of good and evil but live a natural and earthly life no marvel that these understand not some things which the Minister may speak for how can such believe and understand when we speak of heavenly things When our Lord had discoursed of spiritual meat and drink his body and blood Job 6. Many took offence at it vers 60. This say they is an hard saying who can hear it Therefore our Lord knowing in himself that his disciples murmured doth this offend ye saith he what and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before The words that I speak unto ye they are spirit and they are life If ye understand not what I speak unto you upon the earth and discourse in familiar manner how will ye understand if I shall ascend up where I was before If we understand not him who speaks on earth how shall we understand him who speaks from Heaven Hebr. 12. Repreh Those are worthy of the greatest Reproof who disorderly go about this highest Duty yet are insensible of it Isai 58.1 2 3 4. The Prophet must cry aloud to such They seek me daily and delight to know my wayes as a people that did Righteousness and forsook not the Law of their God The Lord had commanded the people to seek him Amos 5.4 Seek ye me and ye shall live vers 14. seek good and not evil that ye may live yet he denounceth a woe to them who desire the day of the Lord why so for saith he unto what end is it for you To you the day of the Lord is darkness and not light vers 18. The like we may say to brutish and sensual men who seek these high things the things above to what end is it for you why do ye seek them An adulterous generation desires a sign but he gives them none but that of the Prophet Jonah a sign from heaven First leave the earthly conform unto Christs death and then rise to a new life then seek the
Israelites diverse things touching the Tabernacle and materials of it c. Exod. 25. Because they had sinned a great sin in making a Golden Calf Exod. 32. He repeats the same things verbatim which their fin had caused them to forget Exod. 35. The like we may observe Numb 28. where Moses repeats diverse of those Laws which he had before taught the people because their whoredom with the daughters of Moab Numb 25. had obliterated and abolished the knowledge of them Whence we learn not to bring with us to the hearing of Sermons or like discourses curious ears or dainty palates that cannot relish the same meat if more than once served up unto them How contrary are such men to the Primitive Christians Act. 13.1 2. who besought the Apostle that the same words might be preached to them the next Sabbath day and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to hear the Word of God the same things that were before delivered vers 44. It is a Lesson for you Parents or in the place of Parents as Masters of Families that which Moses teacheth Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach these words diligently unto thy Children or thou shalt whet or sharpen them so 't is in the Margin The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to iterate to repeat over and over as in the whetting of a knife you move your hand this way and that way and all to set an edge upon the Word of God that it may be sharp and pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart Hebr. 4.12 How shameful a thing therefore it is for us to hear and receive the same things over and over to have the same Word of God whet and sharpned upon us once and again and yet mean time only fungi vice cotis to be like a whetstone or like an anvil not one jot the better Gutta cavit lapidem c. these are as the nether milstone hard-hearted men that will not admit the Word of God to take place in them The holy Apostle was not content once to have taught the Thessalonians but he repeats it again and here adds an entreaty exhortation that they would abound so we may joyn the fourth and fifth points together we intreat you in all their names nay in the great Name i. e. the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ An Argument that it 's a very difficult thing to obtain at the hands of men that they would abound go beyond others beyond themselves in walking and pleasing God But how reasonable this request and exhortation is will easily appear if we summarily recollect what hath been hitherto delivered 1. That they abound to please God which is the greatest and highest Duty of Man The best commendation of the best men as how great praise is recorded of Enoch and Noah and our Father Abraham Walk before me saith God unto him and be perfect Gen. 17. and I will make my Covenant between me and thee and I will multiply thee exceedingly and I will make thee exceeding fruitful this is the fruit of abounding and pleasing God 2. Thus to abound it is to draw near unto the Divine Nature it self 2 Pet. 1. 3. There 's a necessity laid upon us of so doing God hath commanded it our own duty requires it it 's the only means of pleasing God our own wants call for it it is for Gods honour and glory it adds to our own account 4. So necessary it is that the Apostle repeats it over and over 5. He intreats us so to do 6. He intreats us in the Name of the Lord Jesus which is 1. A terrible Name it commands with Authority He is the Lord 2. Yet dulce nomen the Lord Jesus which comprehends all these dulcia nominá those suppling oylie names of Saviour Deliverer Redeemer names of mercy goodness gentleness a name where God unfolds and layes open the treasuries of his bounty and goodness will not these supple us and bend us hereunto surely then these will 1. Without abounding in walking and pleasing God all our labour is utterly lost which we have formerly taken all the righteousness that we have done shall not be mentioned Ezech. 18.24 it 's a rule among Divines Bona opera subsequenti peccato mortificari eademque rursum per poenitentiam vivificari Estius in Gal. 3.4 That good works are made unfruitful and dead by sin following them and enlivened and quickned anew by repentance following sin let me therefore expostulate this Case with you shall we lose all our labour hitherto Have we suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain Gal. 3.4 for I hope better things of you and those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as touch upon and lay hold upon and are continued with Eternal Life O Beloved consider the danger of standing at a stay See Notes on Gal. 4.19 3. If ye give over your abounding in walking and pleasing God all your labour hath been spent in vain if ye go on and abound your labour is not in vain 'T is a Meiosis which the Apostle hath 1 Cor. 15. ult My beloved brethren be ye stable and immoveable alwayes abounding in every good work of the Lord. Estius in locum So many Translations have it and so it is Col. 1.10 and 2 Thess 2.17 knowing this that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. No all the reward of Life Eternal is suspended upon non-perseverance and abounding in walking and pleasing God This is too glorious a mirrour for the greatest part of those who call themselves Christian Men to behold themselves in for let us look I beseech you with an impartial eye into our own selves and compare our selves now with our selves some years agoe Let us examine our own hearts whether we are any whit better yea or no Is there not the same faith knowledge hope confidence love patience meekness and the same degree of all these in us which was perhaps many years ago If so how do we abound here 's no increase at all how do we walk and please God walking is a motion and going on here 's no such matter Let us instance if ye please is not our Love confined within a few of our own Sect and Religion whatever that is Doth it any whit extend it self beyond that Nay do we not love them only which love us and is this to abound except we seign some such wretch as is in every respect his own all in all but he loves some besides himself Nabal and Laban the two Churles that Anagrammatize one the others name loved their own they were good to their own blood their kindred and acquaintance The rich man in hell loved his brethren and yet if we be so good to these only we are in effect but good unto our selves we make our selves our own centre and circumference And this
of the end of all these for spiritual and heavenly things are imparted by God unto men and by men unto men for their edifying 1 Cor. 14. which cannot be without some outward Form of words or other expressions There is one Form of Godliness seems not at all to be used as singing of Psalms in the Congregation Why Because some there are very unfit to sing them Respon This cannot be denyed yet for this inconvenience it followeth not that the custom of singing Psalms in the Church should be laid aside For 1. Psalmodia hath been a Form of Godliness both in the Church of the Jews and all Christian Congregations wherein it 's probable there have been some as unfit as in our days 2. Though some unfit yet out of the judgement of Charity yea of certainty some are fit and the unfitness of some cannot debar others from the comfortable use of that Duty 3. It is a Duty 4. Our Lord himself fore-told Psal 22.25 and 35.18 That he would praise the Father in the great Congregation as the Apostle applys it Heb. 2.12 5. For the same Reason they who are unfit to sing should be unfit to read them 6. And 't is possible they may by the grace of God be made fit Many hear outwardly who are not fit to hear but thereby many become fit Observ 1. Note hence the great goodness of God and his love unto Mankind that having made Man for himself he could not satisfie his love with making him Lord of all the Creatures no not with any thing less than the Image of himself imparting the shape of himself unto him Joh. 5. And because similitudo est causa Amoris similitude and likeness is the cause of Love That he might love him more he makes man like unto himself Godlike or as in our language Godly that we should be imitators and followers of God as his dear children Eph. 5.1 Observ 2. Yea since the only Wise God hath so made us and embodied us and cast us into a fleshly mould that we cannot understand any thing from without otherwise than by outward Images and sensible representations of inward things He is graciously pleased to convey the inward by the outward and therefore he is said to have made the two disciplinary Senses Prov. Thus Circumcision the Passover all the Sacrifices and Oblations yea the whole Ceremonial Law are Forms of Godliness whereby the only Wise God condescended unto his people thereby to convey the true spiritual and inward Godliness unto them by those outward and visible signs representing unto them spiritual things Ezech. 37.18 These and such as these outward and visible Forms are called by sutable names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus also the Lord imparts his Godliness by something audible proportionable to the other disciplinary sense of Hearing Rom. 6.17 2 Tim. 1.13 Observ 3. Hence appears their errour who out of a pretence of a pure spirituality condemn all Forms of Godliness without any difference at all and condemn all those who use Forms of Godliness Thus the Sacrament of Baptism is with them such a Form of Godliness as is not to be used Thus also the Lords Supper Instituted of Christ himself is by such sleighted as a Form of Godliness Thus thanksgiving for Meats and Drinks is thought to be superfluous a Form of Godliness Why For all these are spiritual and inward duties and better performed within than acted outwardly I do not deny but these are all as well inward as outward duties and there best performance is inward But our Lord Jesus performed them outwardly and commanded also that they should be outwardly performed It 's true by the inward performance of these acts we are more strengthened But since every man ought to seek not only his own good but the good of others also These and all such like acts ought to be done in Love 1 Cor. 16.14 And all things ought to be done to the edifying of others 1 Cor. 14.26 And how can that be done without some outward form or other to the edifying of its self in love And although praying to God and blessing God may be done inwardly and with the spirit yet if we perform these Duties inwardly only no man else hath the benefit of these Duties but our selves And therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.15 16 17. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest Lastly whereas the Pharisees used all the outward forms of Godliness without the inward Duties Our Lord forbids not his Disciples the use of these Forms but implicitly commands the use of them where he saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven Now that which must exceed another doth not abolish but suppose that which it must exceed Nor did our Lord blame their Use of Forms wherein they placed their Righteousness but the want of this inward Righteousness as the foundation of it as its evident Matth. 23. and by that Pharisaical young man Matth. 19. Repreh Those who pretend to rest in the Godliness without the Form as also those who rest in the Form without the Godliness 1. Those who pretend to rest in the Godliness without the Form Let such know that the only wise God hath fitted the one of these unto the other so that although the outward Form be not perpetual as I shall shew more anon yet it is not to be despised as it is by many at this day who exalt themselves above all Ordinances above all Forms of Godliness above all mans teaching c. Surely the outward Ordinances and Forms of Godliness are not to be despised No say they Doth not the Prophet call them vain oblations See Notes on Gen. 27. 2. They are justly reproved who rest in the Form without the Godliness Thus did many of Gods ancient people the Jews And thus do too many at this day of the false Christians How much pain and sorrow did the Jews undergo c. See Notes on 2 Cor. 5.17 Exhort Let us endeavour after the inward Form of Godliness 2. Axiom Godliness hath a power There are three Principles of actions 1. Understanding 2. Will 3. Power The word we turn Power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth strength and answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Strength Vertue and Power by which great acts are atchieved So the Septuagint turns that word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text above one hundred times Whence also it signifieth an army strong and powerful whence the Church is described to be an Army with banners Cant. 6.4 This power is sometime exercised by the body which in comparison to that strength of the Spirit is but impotency and weakness according to Esay 31.3 The
nature but he produceth an Image or Statue as Pigmalion did or Picture of himself as a voluntary Agent and therefore however it may resemble him be like him yet it s not equal to himself Christ therefore being the natural Son of God begotten by his Father by eternal Generation and consequently equal unto him he must be better than the Angels who are also called in a large sence the Sons of God because the Angels are produced by Creation and by a voluntary Agent A second Reason may be taken from consideration of the Angels themselves which however wise and potent yet are they creatures and therefore finite both in time and essence and not capable of infinitude 2. Why compared with the Angels To make it appear that Christianism is better than Judaism the Gospel than the Law the Law was given by Angels the Gospel by the Son of God Joseph Gen. 37.7 What shalt thou reign and rule over us A thing very unlikely but they will make it less probable they cast him into a pit sell him to strangers and then he must be imprisoned and after all this exalted to be ruler over all the Land of Egypt the true Joseph Thus Moses Acts 7.27 Jephthah David Luke 19.14 We will not have this man rule c. Christs Humiliation did not last always he hath a state of exaltation even above the Angels Yet a little while and ye shall not see me Jonas was three days in the Whales belly and as Christ is so are his Saints weak with him 2 Cor. 13.34 As the Moon eclipsed or Sun as it seems to us but in a few hours returns to its former lustre and brightness See then O Christian how great he is whose name thou bearest even greater than the Angels Because Christ was once manifested in the flesh men are apt to retain earthly mean and inferiour conceits of him to a great derogation from his Deity and Majesty and to a great hazard and danger of their own Salvation Is not this say they the carpenters son c. Matth. 13.55 Is not his Mother Mary and are not his Brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas Nor did his Brethren believe on him John 5.7 Such offence was taken at him in the days of his flesh and to this day it is the greatest stumbling block to the Jews and they account it the greatest reproach unto the Christians that they worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Crucified God For this reason the Apostle here and elsewhere is so industrious and studious to restore Christ unto his former Greatness and Dignity Comparatives suppose their Positives if Christ therefore be better than the Angels then surely he is good yea goodness it self he is that Goodness whereby God made the Angels and all the creatures good he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Goodness of God it self and therefore most amiable most lovely c. But when I say he is good and goodness it self we must understand not only that moral goodness whereby he is diffusive of himself but also all Power and Strength and Wisdom and Honour and Majesty are included in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore Hosea speaking of these times wherein we dayly expect the Conversion of the Jews Hos 3.5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King i. e. the King Christ and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days Fear the Lord and his goodness Goodness is not formidable or to be feared but amiable and lovely but eminency of goodness provokes admiration LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How much more then eminency of Power Strength Wisdom Honour and Majesty all which are here great reason then that we fear and reverence the Lord and his goodness If Christ be better than the Angels This reproves those who do attempt that which neither the Angels nor Christ himself would do surely the better any man is by so much as he is better by so much it 's lawful to do that which an inferiour may not do what presumptuous boldness then is it in men to speak evil of their Superiours a sin which this age swells withal in this most unhappy division of this Kingdom Good God! What bitter invectives have we read and heard against Superiours on both sides Durst the Angels do this 2 Pet. 2.11 Nay durst Christ himself do so Jude Verse 9. That place refers to Zach. 3.23 but if our Translators be mistaken in that sure I am 1 Pet. 2.23 comes home to our purpose He being reviled reviled not again True Christians ought not to speak evil of any man and may they speak evil of authority of their Superious Curse not the King no not in thy heart Eccles 10.20 Acts 23.5 It is written thou shalt not curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ananias was a Sadducee and a wicked man and Paul's heavy adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou oughtest not to speak evil of the Ruler of thy people Exod. 22.27 Paul had taught the Romans another Lesson Rom. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is for the consolation of all true Christians Christ the Son of God whom they worship is better and stronger than the Angels One Angel prevailed against the whole host of the Assyrians and slew in one night an hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 Kings 19.35 Yet is Christ more potent than that yea than all the Angels so that I may say to the true Christian man as the Angel said to Gideon The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour And if so potent a Lord be with thee who can be against thee Emmanuel But if it be so as thou maist answer with Gideon why then is all this befaln us Judge 6.13 I shall answer thee with the words of Azariah unto Asa 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you Forsake him Thou wilt say God forbid I seek him by Prayer and by Fasting and by hearing of his word and therefore I am with him Thou dost well but the best way to know whether thou art with him or no will be to enquire of the Prophet in that place 2 Chron. 14.11 and 16.7 8. So that to rely on the Lord to rest on him to trust in him is to be with him hast thou been thus with the Lord Or hast thou rather relyed and rested upon evil Angels and Spirits of errour Hast thou not relyed upon Benhadad and the Syrians as Asa did there i. e. hast thou not relyed on men of war Benhadad signifieth the Son of a Warriour noise of War Hast thou not relyed upon proud Spirits high minded and deceitful men So the Aramites or Syrians signifie if so no marvel though the Lord be not with thee 2 Chron. 16.8 9. Upon the very same grounds Ahab fell at Ramoth-Gilead
the east and 45.13 Literally of Cyrus which is saith Plutarch in the Persian tongue the Sun spiritually Christ the Sun of righteousness Jer. 23.5 The days come that I will raise up unto David the righteous Branch So 33.14 15. I will perform the good thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 14.13 the branch of righteousness Concerning the begetting and bringing forth of Christ Esay 4.2 3 4 5. and 11.1 2. and 65.9 Gal. 4.19 In every day of Grace and Light which the Lord vouchsafeth to men upon earth he begets his Son and causeth him to be brought forth and most of all in the last days Mich. 5.2 3. Revel 12.1 2. That we may the better understand this we must know that time differs from eternity thus Time is varied according to motion of which it is the measure of variation and succession Eternity is the measure of that which is unmoveable and therefore it 's always present and therefore it 's noted by hodiè which signifieth the present time But whereas that which is making is not yet complete and perfect but that which is already made is perfect therefore he saith not genero but genui because he is perfect yet lest the Generation of Christ should be thought transire in praeteritum and consequently to fail in regard of the present and future he adds to day have I begotten thee The Son of God therefore is perfect from eternity and his Generation is from eternity and is alway begotten of the Father as light is perfect in the Air yet always and every moment it proceeds from the Sun And therefore the Holy Ghost maketh use of that Metaphor Mich. 5. Egressus ejus in principio à diebus aeternitatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 110.3 Ex utero ante Luciferum genui te So LXX Reason A fine from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to open the dark eyes that they who see not might see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord hath begotten his Son to be an everlasting day and light Psal 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it even Christ himself who is the bright day light the light of light Luk. 1.78 79. The day spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness c. Joh. 1.9 The true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world vers 56. your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world Esay 60.1 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Revel 1. and 21 23. The city had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it For the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Observ This is the ground of that irreconcileable difference between Christ and Antichrist as great as between day and night light and darkness what communion hath light and darkness righteousness and unrighteousness What concord hath Christ and Belial c. 2 Cor. 6. 2 Thess 2.4 8. Hence it is that both their children are at deadly feud among themselves Ephes 5.6 9. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of night nor of darkness c. 1 Thess 5.5 6 7 8. Such are their works Eph. 5.9 qui male agit odit lucem it is said of Judas that he went out and it was night he went about a deed of darkness Joh. 13.3 Repreh This blind age wherein men as the Pharisees of old conceive they see yea that they are most perspicacious and quick sighted yet are stark blind Can we judge any otherwise of this Generation when the Lord Jesus Christ is come a Light into the world Joh. 3. and profers himself as a guide unto the world a guide even to the everlasting life I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life He that hates sin and iniquity which is the true darkness and desires the Light of Life to be erected in him and so followeth me thorough the way of self-denyal patience mortification holiness love of God and men He shall have the Light of everlasting Life when the true Light shineth 1 Joh. 2.8 yet men have their understanding darkned alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 Living in envy hatred and malice one towards another Can we judge any otherwise of this generation than that they are stark blind or hardened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both Eph. 4.8 The true light shineth saith St. John and then he adds he that saith he is in the light yet hates his brother is in darkness even till now and verf. 11. And therefore St. John giveth them the lye that say they have fellowship with God the Light yet walk in darkness 1 Joh. 1.6 What must needs be the event of this Doubtless most dreadful Psal 82. vers 1. The Lord calls for the Light of Life and what comes of it They know not neither will they understand they walk on still in darkness Then follows all the foundation of the earth shall be moved all Estates disturb'd all Laws and Orders violated all go to ruine yea upon the like wilful blindness and shutting their eyes against the Light of Life see a greater condemnation Luk. 17.20 21 22. Consol Is Christ the day and am I a Christian yet in darkness If it be so why am I thus as Rebecca reasoned Gen. If Christ be the day why go I mourning all the day saith David Psal 38.6 Nay 't is the complaint of the whole Church Lam. 3.2 He hath led me and brought me into dark places as they that are dead of old surely a mournful condition Is there darkness even in Goshen He that is in the darkness knows not whither he goes But to the consolation of thy Soul be it spoken all darkness is not evil God himself is said to dwell in the thick darkness 1 King 8.12 He made darkness his pavilion Psal 18.9 11. For although much be written concerning God yet if we consider the multiplicity of contemplations touching the Deity which humane understanding cannot reach unto We will understand in what sence God is said to dwell in thick darkness The Priest could not come near there is a distractedness through which all Saints pass The Lord brings down to hell and brings back again 1 Sam. 2.6 This this is the forlorn condition of the Soul following her Lord through the wilderness through the way of self-denyal patience and mortification which all and every Saint of God passeth through before he come to the clear Light of Life as in Nature the matter precedes the form This was obscurely intimated in the Creation of the outward world wherein first darkness was upon the face of
the deep Then God said Let there be light and in making of every day the evening goes before the morning 2 Cor. 4.6 Wherefore despair not nor be discouraged but hope on the Light that shall shine unto thee 1 Pet. 1.12 13. The Prophet Esay speaks comfort to the Soul in this Estate Esay 50.10 Remember how long thou hast estranged thy self from the light or sinned against it Zach. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of small things The day riseth not all at once there is oftentimes the thickest darkness before the rising of the Sun Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day Be content with what ye have for he hath said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be content with the Candle of the Lord his teaching Spirit in thee Prov. 20.27 Ungodly men shall be deprived of that The candle of the wicked shall be put out Prov. 24.20 He that hath begun a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ He is behind the cloud the cloud of our sins that removed he 'l appear and we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Consol 2. To the true Christians in these dismal days Christ is the day There is no day so dark in this outward world but the Sun of Righteousness may be seen in it as they say in Alexandria in Egypt the Sun may he seen every day Mal. 4. Vnto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise Surely there is light in Goshen where men draw near unto God Psal 34. Vulg. Lat. aecedite ad eum illuminamini Exhort 1. Hasten the coming of the day of God Though Christ be always hodie yet not to thee Zach. 1.5 6. Exhort 2. If Christ be the day then let us who are Christians Walk honestly as in the day while it is called to day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the Apostles exhortation Rom. 13.13 To walk decently and honestly as becomes those who are of the day 2 Thess 5.5 6 7. Men of good behaviour walk not abroad in the day with night garments what they are the Apostle tells us vers 14. Surfeiting and drunkenness chambering and wantonness strife and envying No honest man will appear in the day in such ugly habiliments as these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were the after supper meetings of riotous persons which were the worshippers of Kemosh the Idol of the Moabites Seldom did they part without drunkenness therefore that 's next vina Venusque they commonly accompany one another chambering and wantonness and who hath wo who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath bablings who hath wounds without cause They that tarry long at the wine and therefore there follows strife and envying When we have put off these night garments these deeds of darkness put on the armour of light or Christ himself who is the perfect day shine as lights in the world Reproves Those who pretend unto Christianity and that they are of the day yet take offence at the light when it shines unto them when it reproves them when it exhorts them 1. When it reproves them For whatsoever is reproved is made manifest by the light when it comes home to the man and discovers him to himself it 's entertained as Ahab entertained Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy the light is good who is there but can afford the Lord Jesus Christ all the attributes that may be but when the day appears to him and discovers the darkness wherein he lives 't is like a light brought to one who hath long been in a dungeon he hates it he 'll flie in his face that brings it 2. The like acceptance it finds with us when it exhorts us to a likeness of it self to become Light in the Lord 2 Tim. 1.10 Jesus Christ the day having abolished death hath brought light and immortality to light through the Gospel whose life is the light of men John 1.5 This light invites us to his humility where like a sparkling Diamond set in a dark ground he shines and hath most lustre Matth. 11. Learn of me for I am lowly c. With what scorn is the motion entertained He comes among his own and his own receive him not we are in this like the Jews who expect the Messiah in the pomp of a King Light is come into the world and men love darkness more than the light because their deeds are evil They who were addicted too much to the Letter lost the true meaning of the Spirit when therefore they conceived that only the literal Text was the truth they slighted all mystical sence of Gods word and so they presumed to bring the word of God to the rule of their narrow understanding But that an Allegory may be used for a proof of Divine Truth howsoever I might name divers Scriptures I shall for the present instance only in one Gal. 4.21 Where if any doubt whether it makes to our purpose or no let him consider whether the Apostle bring not that example as a proof against those who desired to be under the Law Verse 21. Then let them consider whether it were an Allegory or no if any man doubt he may be resolved Verse 24. where the Apostle saith expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There 's no Hypocrisie will long help us and make us appear children of the day Glow-worms and rotten wood can shine in the night but the day declares them if the day of God be risen in us 't will soon discover it self the light discovers it self and all things in it if the light be in us 't will appear Lo here lo there Matth. 24.27 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their off-spring c. we may see day we say at a little hole 't will discover it self Means Hold not the light in darkness the truth in iniquity Give heed to the Prophetical word 2 Pet. 1.19 Light thy candle at it yea if thou pray unto him The Lord himself will light thy candle and make thy darkness to be light then the Lord himself will make the day appear unto thee Donec Dies luceat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sol oriatur in cordibus vestris Syr. 2. Testimony and proof of God the Sons Coeternity with the Father The first was Homologetical a Confession this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Promise it may be taken either out of Psalm 89.26 27. He shall cry unto me thou art my Father c. And so Christ is represented unto us under the type of David who was a lively figure of Christ Esay 55.3 4. I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David which the Apostle understood of Christ Acts 13.34 Jerem. 30.9 They shall serve the Lord their God and David their King Hosea 3.5 After this shall the Children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and
13. We must not be wise above the Law In odiosis in things odious as punishments the Letter is not to be exceeded but benignius interpretandum favores sunt ampliandi we find not any mention made at all of Father and Mother in that Law There is the same Relation brought in between God and the Church through Faith in Jesus Christ for ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. Hence it is that the same Scripture that is spoken of Christ Jesus the Son of God is spoken also of the Church and Congregation of Believers Matth. 2.15 After the death of Herod the Lord admonished Joseph to come out of Aegypt and bring the Child Jesus thence That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Out of Aegypt have I called my Son This is taken out of Hosea 11.1 When Israel was a Child I loved him and called my Son out of Aegypt My Son i. e. Israel for so he commands Moses to speak to Pharaoh Exod. 4.22 23. where it is observable that the punishment which the Lord first threatens he last executes Thus the Lord speaks to Jacob or Israel Isai 43.1 I have Created thee I have formed thee thou art mine and Isai 45.11 because he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for this cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Hebr. 2.11 If the Sons of God then none of our own 1 Cor. 6. ult and 7. The woman hath not power over her own body c. Is not he thy Father that begat thee Deut. 32. The Noble descent of Gods Children If we be his Sons then we interpret all what he doth good just wisely done The Father lops goodly trees he brings in grapes and bids his servants tread them this is Patris Imperium See Luk. 2.49 Here is a promise of Bonum Officii as Psal 81.9 Mich. 5.8.13 these seem to be threats but they are promises The Gospel Matth. 1. Isa 58.13 14. Check thy desires in these and thou shalt delight in the other These are all empty Contemplations unless they be brought home and centred in our selves The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the God and Father of us all by Adoption of Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ and we are all the Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty Exhort To demean and carry our selves worthy of our Father Adoption is not known in our Laws nor in use in this Kingdom but was frequent in the Roman Common-wealth in force here by the Civil Lawes in which our Apostle was very well seen According to it the Adopted Children were most observant of their Father by Adoption and Grace ingratiated themselves put on as much as they could the persons of their Fathers took their names upon them So observant was Augustus of Julius Caesar Tiberius of Augustus c. by whose bounty they obtained inheritance So observant ought we to be of our Adopting Father Estote imitatores Dei ut filii charissimi Eph. 5.1 See by what wayes the Saints of old became the Sons of God if ye call him Father who without respect of person c. in fear now love casts out this fear Jus reverentiale remitti non potest As obedient children not fashioning your selves unto your former lusts of your ignorance 1 Pet. 1.14 2 Cor. 6.14 Rom. 1.4 Rom. 8.14 led by his spirit Rev. 21.7 Phil. 2. Genuine Children will not endure their Father to be dishonoured they imitate their Father Ephes 5.1 God the Father judgeth all men without respect of persons Amos 9.7 Are ye not as the Children of the Aethiopians to me e. If the Lord said so to his own people the Jews might he not say so to us presume not of the means he now affords he can take them away and Surrogate and Adopt the Turks and Jews There is one at this day surely an extraordinary man who hath written to the Jews and Turks That by reason of the Christians Life unworthy of the Gospel the Lord is taking them to be his people We are too apt to pretend and alledge infirmities and weaknesses yet to lay hold on promises the Lord therefore in these words requires a Duty and makes a Promise both in one as Psal 81.1 Mich. 5.13 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS I. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him THese words are the third Allegation or Proof of the Apostles Conclusion vers 4. whereby both parts of the conclusion are proved Christ's transcendent Superiority and the Angels due subordination and inferiority out of one and the same Scripture Psal 97.7 This third Quotation is to the like effect with the two former Observ 1. The Scriptures which speak of Christ's Dignity and Excellency are not few search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Observ 2. It is safe lawful necessary and by the Apostles own practice warrantable to make full and clear proof of the things which we teach and affirm concerning Christ No Divinity ought to be taken upon trust much less that which is taught concerning the person of our Saviour or the only true way of salvation which is our Apostles main scope in this Epistle Observ 3. That we should not affirm any thing concerning God Christ and the Holy Ghost by tradition from men but only such as we inwardly know by Divine Illumination and confirm by clear Testimony of Scripture Observ 4. Whereas Paul a man not unread or unlearned cites nothing but the Scriptures quotes none of the Heathen Poets or Philosophers no not any of the Rabbins or Hebrew Fathers in matters of Faith and fundamentals of Salvation We ought to produce better Testimony and Authority than the writings and sayings of men be they Humane or Ecclesiastical writers therefore the Papists do God and us yea themselves great wrong to obtrude Articles of Faith upon us by Humane Authority without Divine The third Allegation is extant word for word in the LXX Deut. 32.43 but it hath neither the Original Hebrew nor Vulgar Latin to confirm it though diverse of the Fathers see LXX Editionem the more unquestionable Authority is Psal 97.7 though there the Angels are spoken unto here they are spoken of The Psalm is to be understood of Christ In this judgement agree both Jews and Christians Ancient and Modern but whether of his coming in the flesh or coming to judgement here they differ In the words are these two points 1. God the Father brought or brings or shall bring his first begotten Son into the world 2. When he so brings him he commands all the Angels of God to worship him 1. God the Father brought c. For the clearing of this we must enquire 1. What world is here meant and 2. How the Father brought the Son into the world 1. What world are there any more than one We believe
what he hath done in the body 4. The Throne is the guerdon and reward which the Father gave him for his conquest of Sin Satan Death and Hell Rev. 3.21 Learn we from hence that vast difference and disproportion between Christ and the Angels yea even the highest Angels though there be some Analogie between the Creator and his best Creatures such as the Angels are As God is a Spirit and his Angels are Spirits God is a consuming fire and Angels are a flame of fire God is light and his Angels are Angels of light c. yet when they come to be compared together the disproportion and difference is far greater as between Creator and Creature finite and infinite mutable and immutable c we say in Philosophy there there is no proportion It is the duty and practice of the Pen-men of Gods Spirit to set forth this difference that the Creator may be exalted according to his infinite greatness and the Creature depressed according to its inferiour condition Some Angels have certain Countries allotted unto them to guard and keep as we read Dan. 9. of the Princes of Persia and Grecia and of Michael their Prince which the Ancients understood of Topical Angels Some of them are called Dominations either because they have Hierarchies of Angels under them as the word Archangel imports or else because God hath Dominion over them in a special manner Yea some of them are called thrones Coloss 1.16 Yea all of them are so unto God and Christ who sits and rules in them and doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth Whence they are also called Christs Chariots Dan. 35. in which he comes riding for the help of his Servants Psal 18.10 He rode upon a Cherub and did fly he came flying upon the wings of the wind This Testimony therefore is very fit to set forth the Transcendency and Superiority of Christ's Nature and the subordination and inferiority of the Angels Consol If the Son of God be God and God with us what can be against us but Judg. 6.12 c. Jer. 14.7 God is with you while you are with him I conclude with Consolation and I shall now proceed with it There is great need of Consolation in these tempestuous times to the soul sinking and there is no means to support it so convenient as the consideration of this point that Christ the Son of God is God This upheld the drooping and sinking Soul in the midst of all storms of temptations inward and outward Matth. 14.22 When the Disciples were upon the Sea and the ship was tossed with the waves because the wind was contrary the contrary spirit contrariae adversae potestates they oppose the ship that tends straight on to the true haven where we all would be But see when we are in the greatest and most imminent danger then comes Christ unto us walking on the waters so did not the Jews but through the Sea and through Jordan nor Elias nor Elisha but through Jordan Christ only as the spirit moved upon the waters so he walked upon them They said it is a phantasm In the night of temptations of storms and tempests we do not think the Lord to be what he is but otherwise than he is we think not God to be there when he afflicts us chastens us corrects us we lay the blame upon the Devil upon a Spirit But the Apostles teach that God is the same who afflicts and comforts who casts down and raiseth up c. See Palatium in Love Here here is the great Consolation EGO SVM the very â—ame message that Moses was to carry the Israelites into Aegypt I AM hath sent me unto you The same message I may bring unto you in this our common affliction Ego Sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's an Exhortation with which I shall conclude this point O that we did believe this Truth that Jesus Christ the Son of God is God Motive By this means we become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 For this end was the Gospel written That ye may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that ye may have life through his name Joh. 20.31 This is that Faith which overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5. When thou yieldest to the suggestions of Satan thou doest not believe that Christ is God In my Name they shall cast out Devils Out of their belly shall flow rivers of living waters Where doth the Devil work more at this day than among pretending Christians The Throne of Christ may be understood to endure for ever and ever considered either Absolutely or Relatively unto other Kingdomes which are not of the like duration and continuance This may help us to discover in these times of distraction who are the true Christians and truly Beloved there is great need of this when there is such contention for Christ here is Christ and there is Christ If the Son of God Jesus Christ be God surely those people are the true Christians who have most of God among them A true Christian man hath Christ living in him he is wise powerful holy Deut. 4.6 This great Nation is a wise and understanding people for what Nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Can our God be nigher than in us The Son of God our God is Emmanuel God with us and in us Would we sit with the Lord in his Throne Pray to the Lord that he would erect his Throne in us that he would destroy his Corrival in us Regnum non habet socium Antichrist in us That the Son of God would destroy the Son of perdition in us That the Son of God who is God would dethrone and depose him who exalts himself above all that is called God and is worshipped That he would destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming That he would cast out the Prince of this world he began to do it Joh. 12. Now is the judgement now is the Prince of this world cast out That he would set up his Throne in our hearts and judge us in his strength Here he justifieth the ungodly Here he condemns sin for sin 'T is true there is a time when Christ is weak in us 2 Cor. 13. A time when the Sons of Zeruiah are too strong for him nor is it in vain said that the Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David Alas how was he opposed and contradicted and sleighted c. and so is Christ but he endured the Cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Hebr. 12.1 2. More NOTES on HEBREWS I. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever THere is an Observation that goes for currant that where we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone it is most-what understood of a
cannot reach it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himself thought meet to bear witness to it and that with signs and wonders c. Observ 3. See the difference between Gods Testimony to the Law and to the Gospel his Testimony given to the Law struck terrour and astonishment into all that heard it the sound of a trumpet the voice of thunder c. Exod. 19. Hebr. 12. The testimony given to the Gospel casting out of Devils healing diseases feeding the hungry and many the like all beneficial unto men Observ 4. A ground of confidence and boldness to the Ministers and faithful witnesses of the Word Act. 14.3 long time they abode speaking boldly in the Lord who gave testimony to the Word of his Grace c. 2 Cor. 3.12 Seeing we have this hope we use boldness of speech yea though a miracle confirm not the Word yet God gives us an inward testimony to the Word There are many Divine Truths that carry home their testimony with them that cannot be denied such as that Matth. 26.64 Art thou the Christ the Son of God Jesus answered thou hast said it Thine own heart confesseth this to be true And beloved when our heart acknowledgeth a truth it 's a sign that God hath been there 1 Joh. 5.10 Joh. 3.33 He that receives his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true Repreh This present Generation who though they have the works of the Creation as the Heathen had the typical and figurative services that the Jews had the Word Signs Miracles and Wonders that the Primitive Christians had yet are they not brought to the Christian Faith and Obedience if the invisible things of God known by the things that are made rendered the Heathen unexcusable because when they so knew God they worshipped him not as God how much more shall we be unexcusable who have all that they had c. we have seen many signs and wonders yet became vain c Repreh This reproves the great infidelity yea the madness and folly of this present Generation so many signs and wonders hath God wrought to confirm the truth of the Gospel yet are men more prone to believe another Gospel and another Christ than the true Gospel and the true Christ and that without any signs and wonders Joh. 5.43 Our Lord Jesus Christ the Amen the faithful witness is come unto us in his Fathers Name and his Father hath born him witness by signs and wonders and divers miracles yet we have not received him if another if a false Christ come in his own name him we will receive Object And have not we then received the true Christ Beloved I complain not now of the Jews who followed Jonathan and Barchozba the truth in Jesus is putting off the Old Man c. but who receives such a Christ who believes such a Gospel Another false Christ is come one that does not require putting off the Old Man but one that perswades us he will cover the Old Man so close that God shall not see him and him we receive The true Christ in his Gospel-salvation comes to take away the sins of the world and is the true Lamb of God who was signified by all the daily sacrifices under the Law him we will not receive Another a false Christ is come and tells us that our sins cannot be taken away and him we receive Object But are these and such as these false Christ Beloved I deny not but many Divine Truths touching the true Christ may be believed yet may the same men who so believe believe also a lie and that which is not true of the true Christ and in that respect they may be truly said to believe a false Christ Joh. 4.22 The Samaritans worshipped God the Father as our Saviour acknowledgeth vers 21. yet saith he ye worship ye know not what why because they worshipped him under a false notion as if he were to be worshipped only in Mount Gerizzim as appears by comparing vers 23. in spirit and truth as if he were only a topical God and confined to a place So Psal 50.18 19 20 21. Thieves Adulterers evil speakers deceitful persons slanderers of their Brethren these and many the like will in these dayes be called and accounted Christians and have a form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3. And why cannot we say that these are true Christians both because they have not denied themselves taken up their Cross and followed Christ and also more properly to our purpose because they believe and worship false Christs they think every one of them that Christ is like themselves a covetous Christ a proud Christ a thievish Christ an adulterous Christ c. they themselves are such and they think every one that Christ is such an one as themselves hence it comes to pass that there are so many false Christs in the world What 's the reason of this so great unbelief The true Christ of God comes to take away our sins and to redeem us from all iniquity and to save us by his life Rom. 5.10 And this is testified by signs and wonders c. But we love our sins too well to part with them and therefore we will not receive the true Christ upon those terms Joh. 3.19 Our Lord asked him who had an infirmity c. Joh. 5.5 Wilt thou be made clean The false Christ he discoves not our pride our envy our drunkenness c. but calls all these infirmities and weaknesses and flatters us in them and tells us we may be intemperate because our Chapman is come to town and therefore such a Christ we readily receive dreadful is the issue of this unbelief Joh. 8.45 2 Thess 2.10 11. Exhort Not to gaze upon the signs miracles and wonders in the Scripture but consider them as neerly concerning our selves Ezech. 12.9 Confer Notes on Psal 8. Ezech. 24.19.24 and 37.18 Luk. 8.9 10. More NOTES on HEBREWS II. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. Quae collata sunt secundum voluntatem ejus and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own will THese words contain the other kind of Attestation 1. The holy Spirit hath diverse distributions or gifts 2. These distributions or gifts the holy Spirit bestows according to his own will 3. God bare witness to the Apostles c. by the gifts of the holy Ghost 1. The word we turn distributions or gifts is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth partition or distribution And this word is very often used by the LXX as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the dividing and parting of 1. the Holy Land dividing the inheritance Gen. 31.14 Is there any portion or inheritance in our fathers house Josh 18.10 2. The dividing the spoil Exod. 15.9 Isa 53.12 3. Men into certain ranks and orders though the LXX therein use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Hebrew word is the same 1 Chron. 24. where David divides the Priests which
and lowly For why is earth and ashes proud Eccles 10.9 See Notes on Psal 144.1 1. This end the Lord aimed at in man making him partaker of flesh and blood 2. As also at another great Artisans c. See Notes ut supra 3. Hence thirdly most appears the glory of the great God c. ibidem Observ 3. Take notice from hence how frail and weak our nature is Even the Children of God and Christ for a time have this common with all the generation of men they are flesh and blood as others are and therefore impotent and weak as others are Esay 31 3. The Egyptians are men and not God and their horses are flesh and not spirit yea all the beauty of the body and all the wisdom and righteousness which they cannot naturally attain unto are but as the grass and flowers of the field Esay 40.6 Only herein even in this estate the children of God differ from all other sons of Adam they are through the Law of God brought off to be willing toward God and his Righteousness Jam. 1.18 Of his own will he begat us 2. And there is in the children begotten of the Father a Character of their Father which is God the Fathers shape Joh. 5. This shape was in the Apostles and Disciples Matth. 26.41 The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak and therefore not able to resist temptation as our Lord there implys Observ 4. The children were partakers of flesh and blood yet were these children for signs and for wonders The Divine Power and Virtue is not hindred from it's operation though in an earthen vessel Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are yet c. Jam. 5.17 And Barnabas and Paul were men of like passions with us Act. 14.15 It 's evident therefore that their power is not their own but from another Even the mighty power of God by faith whereby of weakness they become strong Heb. 11.34 2. He took part of the same These words contain the Incarnarion of the Lord Jesus 1. His Incarnation where we must not omit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometime is taken by way of eminency for one of the Names of God See Notes on Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This eminent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath taken part of flesh and blood i. e. He hath had mans nature common and together with man that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used that he hath taken part of the same whole humane nature appears Psal 16.18 19 20. My flesh shall rest in hope Act. 2.25 26. Rom. 1.3 and 9.5 Made of the seed of David according to the flesh Heb. 5.7 The days of his flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 3.18 and 4.1 2. 2. By the parts of it 1. The body Matth. 27.58 59. He begged the body of Jesus 2. The soul Joh. 12.27 Now is my soul troubled 3. The spirit Luk. 23.46 Into thy hand I commit my spirit The reason in regard of 1. God 2. Children of God 3. Christ partaker of flesh and blood with these children 1. In regard of God who begot these children to a like good will with himself towards his Righteousness he would not that such a will should be in vain or lost or alone but that it be brought to act and power which cannot otherwise be than by imparting power unto them And that Power is Christ himself 1 Cor. 1.24 Therefore we read that Christ is given hominibus bonae voluntatis Luk. 2.14 And thus we understand that God works the will and the deed He is the Father of spirits and knows well what is in man that though in himself he be but flesh and blood yet is there some eminent thing in him which came out of God Joh. 32.8 There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding In regard of Christ himself his love to his brethren they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of one and the same father he knew them though willing yet too weak to grapple with and overcome sin and Satan And therefore while yet sin and Satan is stronger than they are and the flesh lusteth against the spirit He comes as the stronger man upon the strong Esay 40.9 Luk. 11.21 As Moses came to visit his brethren and seeing an Egyptian smite an Hebrew c. Exod. 3. In regard of the children that they might receive him and he partakers of the Divine Nature and become one with him Repreh Our pretence of infirmity and weakness in this day of Christs power He hath taken part of our flesh and blood if we be Christians if we be believers Joh. 1. Without him nothing was made that was made he enlightens every man that cometh into this world upon whom doth not his light arise Job The word was made flesh and dwelt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 4.1 Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world But thou pittiest thy sinful flesh and pleadest for it Alas I bear about me a mortal garment a body of clay 2 Cor. 4. Corpus carcer animae the body is the prison of the soul Sap. 9.15 Alas the flesh rebels against the spirit and therfore we cannot do the things that we should c. A false translation Here is offered unto us Beloved an Object of our joy great joy joy to all people Luk. 2.10.11 a joy to Angels who sang Carrols at his Birth It was foretold Zachary that he should have joy and many should rejoyce at the birth of the Baptist Luk. 1.14 who was the fore-runner only of our Lord Jesus Christ The object of this joy this great joy this joy to all people apprehended in this time of Apostacy only carnally fleshly and sensually produced no better than a carnal and a fleshly and a sensual joy a joy of wild asses all the Christian world over The water can ascend no higher than it descends Men neither could nor yet can bring forth any better than they conceive if the conception be carnal the birth also must be carnal For whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 Since therefore that great love of God to the world in giving his Son hath been no better accepted Since that great Grace of God hath been turned into wantonness by the unfaithful world it was just and reasonable to take away such sensual expressions of joy as are so unworthy of God and Christ and of those who call themselves Christians Yet I shall not now deal with you as many have done who have advised that the Feast of Christmas should be wholly taken away and left nothing in the room of it There is a generation of men that are wise to do evil know only how to destroy overthrow and cast down but how to do well to edifie raise up or build up they know not The Tabernacle of David which must be repaired in these last days will never be raised up by these men
David advanced to the Kingdom in Daniel delivered out of the Den and brought to honour Christ's ascension figured in Enoch whom God took unto him in Joseph triumphant whom Pharaoh called Zaphnathphania which Jerom turns the Saviour of the world In Elijah i. e. God the Lord carried up to heaven in a fiery chariot In David recovering all the spoils from the Amalekites Christ conquering Satan Hell Sin and Death and sending the spoil to his friends Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive and given gifts unto men even the gift of the holy spirit The first Religious men we read of were Christians Abel and Enoch and Noah and Abraham Isaac Jacob. If this speech be uncouth to call these Christians it may be excused as Eusebius doth libr. 1. of his Ecclesiastical History They were saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all those things which the name of a Christian contains in it as denial of themselves patience faith obedience love of God and their neighbour these were eminent in them They knew and acknowledged Christ the anointed of the Lod Abraham saw him saith our Lord himself Joh. 8. It was he who gave answer unto Isaac It was he who spake with Jacob and conversed familiarly with the Prophets and other holy men of God Whence it is evident that those holy ones of God were the same with these who afterward were called Christians all saved by the Common Saviour and partakers of the Common Salvation for there is Salvation in no other and anointed with the same unction of the Spirit according to which the Saints of God at this day are called Christians and accordingly the Prophet called those Nolite tangere unctos meos my Christians or Anointed ones Psal 105.15 Observ 3. Professors of Christian Religion have been of Old 1 Cor. 10 3 4. They all eat the same spiritual meat Moses suffered the reproach of Christ and esteemed it greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt Hebr. 11.25 26. All these things were examples or types and were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.11 Whence it is evident that the same Religion which Abraham Isaac and Jacob professed and the same life which they lived the same true Christians at this day profess and live and that from the same Faith for Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for Righteousness and to the obtaining of the same blessing for as many as believe are blessed with faithful Abraham Observ 4. See the ground of that uniform life observable in the Patriarchs Prophets and other holy men of God in the Old Testament Jesus Christ the life of every holy one of God He is the same in all This justly reproves those who neglect the Old Testament as a Scripture not pertinent unto us being Christians or if it belong to us then it is but to reveil unto us what the Patriarchs of Old did and what befell them or some such like historical end whereas indeed the whole Christian Religion which we now profess is contained in the Old Testament If any man be otherwise minded let him consider how and in what manner the Gospel was preached at the first How often have we in the beginning of St. Matthews Gospel ut impleretur c. Our Lord refers to the Old Testament for the Doctrine of the New Luk. 24.44 All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me and those Books comprehend all the Old Testament 1. In the Law of Moses Joh. 5.46 For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me yea there is such a necessity of believing Moses that otherwise we cannot have Faith in Jesus Christ Mark his next words But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words 2. They were written in the Prophets Rom. 1.2 Paul separated unto the Gospel of God by his Prophets c. 3. In the Psalms Hebr. 1.2 full of quotations out of them Yea which is worth the observing the Apostle professeth that when he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ he said nothing else but what the Prophets and Moses foretold Act. 26.22 Having obtained help of God I continue untill this day witnessing both to small and great saying no other things than those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come that the Christ should suffer c. Though he who shall go about to declare this out of Moses and the Prophets shall be accounted of some prodigious Sect or other or said to be a man not in his right mind As while Paul was speaking these words Festus cryed with a loud voice Paul thou art beside thy self though as he answered he was not mad but spake forth the words of truth and soberness Yea they who neglect the Law and the Prophets and sever them from one another and the Gospel from both these rather are not in a right mind nor know what they say as the Evangelist speaks Mark 9.5 6. Confer Notes on Jam. 1.22 2. Jesus Christ is the same to day There is a double hodiè or to day 1. The one noting the present day 2. The other is a day of longer continuance Deut. we command thee this day yet larger as Christs incarnation and birth so some understand that in Psal 2. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee which therefore they restrain to his incarnation and birth because St. Peter cites the same words of the Psalm and applyeth them to what Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Jews had done unto Christ in the dayes of his flesh this is temporalis dispensatio Greg. The dayes wherein all things written and prefiguring Christ are to be fulfilled for all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after as many as have spoken have likewise foretold of these dayes Acts 3.24 2 Cor. 1.20 Joh. 1. Grace and Truth c. This is the time when the mystery must be reveiled which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints c. Col. 1.26 27. The Life was manifested and we have seen it 1 Joh. 1. Observ 1. See then how near how present our Lord Jesus Christ is with us the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which was from the beginning which was yesterday the same is to day The Word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it dwelt in us it is Emmanuel God with us as it was God with them as it was yesterday so it is to day as it was in the beginning so it is now Our Lord commanded the seventy Disciples to preach that the kingdom of God was come nigh unto them because he himself was then come Luk. 10. And John the Baptist Joh. 1.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And beloved happy we who have God so near unto us as in the midst of us When
two or three are gathered together in his Name Matt. 18.20 Contra Ezech. 12.22 Jesus Christ is the subject or object of all Divinity about which all the Articles of the Christian Faith are conversant For 1. Belief in God the Father hath necessary reference unto the Son And the Maker of Heaven and Earth made all things by his Son Hebr. 1.2 2. Then followeth belief in Jesus Christ c. 3. Belief in the Holy Ghost refers also to the Son for the Holy Spirit breathes from the Father and the Son 4. The Holy Catholick Church and communion of Saints and remission of sins all belong to that mystical body whereof Christ is the Head nor can they be obtained or had without Christ his Spirit gathers the Catholick Church for to him the gathering together of the people is Gen. 49. 5. His Grace of Love and Life unites the members of his body the communion of Saints Eph. 4.16 6. His merit hath obtained remission of sins for he gave himself for our sins Gal. 4.4 7. The Resurrection of the body cannot be without the Resurrection of Christ the head who is the first fruits of them that sleep 8. And life everlasting is the gift of Christ who himself saith I give unto them eternal life Joh. 10.28 Observ If Jesus Christ be the same to day then is he present with this present generation even that wisdom and righteousness and life and power of God Emmanuel God with us Matth. 1. Repreh 1. How unjustly then do we complain I speak not of Children but such as pretend to be grown Christians that we are ignorant of God and Christ Is not he the wisdom and that present with us to day in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10. Christ the unction teacheth all things 1 Joh. 2. Repreh 2. Why complain we of weakness and infirmity Is not Christ the power of God and is he not present with us Is not this the day of his power Psal 104. Psal 110.3 And therefore Gabriel that is the power of God he brings the first news of him who breaks the serpent's head the plots and power and strength of the tempter in us and dissolves his works in us and casts him out Joh. 12.31 Now is the judgement c. now this day 3. Why are we so unrighteous and unholy in our lives Is not Jesus Christ the righteousness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord our righteousness Emmanuel God with us Hath not Jesus Christ given himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father Gal. 1.4 If God be with us who can be against us we say this in regard of outward enemies and is it not as true of inward Jesus Christ is the same to day Where O where shall we find him The foxes have holes and the fowls of the air have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head He is the Love of God Col. 1. Where is that Love to be found if any where As the members being many c. So also is Christ Where shall we find that heroical love of enemies which he commanded and exemplified in himself Yea where is that member-like Love Do not men love one another only for the mutual promoting of temporal advantages Consol To the true Christians Jesus Christ is present with them Hence it is that he is called Emmanuel Matth. 1. and he promiseth his Disciples that he will be with them to the end of the world Matth. 28. Even to the end of time till time be no more and to the end of the evil world that they might overcome it 1 Joh. 5.4 O but if the Lord be with us why is all this evil befaln us c. Judg. 6.13 Jacob was in this strait Gen. 32.9 Thou saidst unto me return unto thy land and to thy kindred and I will do thee good Where doth the Lord make this promise unto Jacob Gen. 31.3 Return and I will be with thee for the Lord to be with us it 's all one with this the Lord will do thee good What then if Esau the earthly man arise against thee with an army of earthly thoughts and lusts if the Lord be with us who can be against us But alas I find it otherwise Esau prevails 2 Chron. 15.2 When Asa had now smitten Zerah the Ethiopian Azariah meets Asa and tells him The Lord is with you while ye be with him while ye fear him believe on him trust in him love him and obey him if thus thou be with him he will be with thee and the man of the earth shall be no more exalted against thee Psal 10.18 Observ 2. See then a necessary duty requisite in the Minister of Jesus Christ which should preach Jesus Christ unto men If Jesus Christ be yesterday and to day then he who shall preach Jesus Christ must in reason know him both yesterday and to day he must know him hidden in the Ceremonies of the Law know him shadowed in the figurative speeches and similitudes of the Prophets in manibus prophetarum assimilatus sum know him reveiled yet veiled and hidden too in the parables of the Gospel But above all he must know him and find him in himself He must know him and find him as a treasure hidden in the field Matth. 13.44 A treasure and greater and more rich than all the riches of the world In comparison of which gold is as a little sand and silver as a little white earth because all good things come with it Wisdom 7. And there it is not said to be a treasure of Gold and Silver or such as Jeremy speaks of Jer. 33. A treasure of Corn Barley and Honey c. But it 's an universal treasure for as the heavenly bodies contain in them virtually say the Naturalists the powers and perfections of all bodies and the Sun and Sun-beams contain virtually all the powers of plants and seeds so a Kingdom contains all wealth for what wealth is there but it 's contained in a Kingdom And the Kingdom of the Heavens all the Heavens which are all one with the Kingdom of God what treasure contain they not And what is all this treasure but the Power of God and the Wisdom of God And what that is ye read Hab. 3.4 1 Cor. 1.24 even Jesus Christ even God himself the Saviour Esay 45.15 A treasure hidden from the wise and prudent Matth. 11. hidden from them who are so wise in their own eyes that they think they know all things yet who stumble and take offence at whatsoever is not already in their own heart Prov. 18. and 't is hidden in the field And why in the field He who will find it must go out of his house out of himself our Lord lead him whose eyes he would open and shewed this treasure out of the crowd 't is to be had in the field in solitude and retiredness not
who like their father Ishmael have their hand against every man and every mans hand against them And I would to God there were not too many such even of those who would be thought to be the only doers of the Word But that we all ought to be doers of the word and not hearers only may be proved undeniably from the parts of it For 1. As for the Evangelical Word no man I suppose makes question of it if any do our Saviour will resolve him Matth. 7. Where he taught his Auditors not to be hearers only but to do his sayings and in that general commission Matth. 28. he commands them to teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them 2. And as little doubt is there to be made of the Law For do we make void the law through the faith of the Gospel God forbid yea we establish the law Rom. 3.31 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 For verily I say unto you saith our Saviour till heaven and earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass away from the law till all be fulfilled for it immediately followeth whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.15 19. Now both legal and Evangelical word teacheth us To love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength with all mind and our neighbour as our selves to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect to cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and Spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God To depart from evil and to do all good To put of the old man or the old conversation according to the Syriach and put on the new To dye unto sin and live unto righteousness To keep the Sabbath i. e. to cease from our own works and to keep the Lords day or do the works of God The first is our conformity unto the death of Christ The second to his Resurrection So that the Gospel requires of us as much obedience as the Law for measure and degree if we consider these and the like places well Matth. 5.18 19 48. 2 Cor. 7.1 and 13.11 Col. 3.14 Tit. 2.12.13 Revel 22.14 compared with vers 18.19 And the reason may appear from mans just and due subordination to the Will of God which is reasonable and just because proceeding from a manifold right of Creation preservation redemption covenant and forfeiture And upon these the Throne of Gods Dominion is erected and into these as into the first principles and foundation of obedience the whole Word of God is finally resolved 1. He is the Lord our Maker our Creator and this is the end of our Creation we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 2. This is the end of our predestination for we are predestin'd to be made conformable to the Son of God who went about doing good 3. The end of our election for we are chosen that we may bring forth fruits 4. This is the end of our Redemption for therefore Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works This was figured in Ruth the type of the Gentile Church saith St. Jerom who being redeemed by Boaz a figure of Christ in whom is our strength brought forth Obed a servant or doer according to that in the Hymn that we being redeemed out of the hands of our enemies may serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life All which howsoever most true yet is there no Divine Truth so much opposed as this and that by all sects of Christians Disputes are endless I 'l but briefly name and resolve some of the principal doubts But if Believers in the Word are saved what need we be doers of the Word If less will serve the turn what need we do more Why should we be prodigal of our obedience why is this wast 'T was the question of Judas who bare the bag and is the tenent of some whose gain I fear is their godliness who measure their Religion by the purse and make choice of that which is the easiest and best cheap But though Believers of the Word be saved yet not those who believe the word of promise only as ignorant men conceive For Faith is an assent to Divine Truth which is not only that of promise but as well that of precepts prohibitions and comminations And God is as well to be believed when he commands forbids and threatens as when he promiseth for as his promise and his oath to the obedient are two immutable things Heb. 6.18 So Heb. 3.18 are his threatning and his oaths to the disobedient But howsoever it be true that Faith alone justifieth yet that faith justifieth not which is alone as all agree But as the Bride-groom Cant. 6.8 9. saith his Spouse is one yet there are saith he sixty queens and eighty concubines and virgins without number Faith hath her Train and Retinue of other Graces attending on it inwardly joyned and united to it and inseparable which cannot be severed from it 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith c. 8.11 For from the assent of the mind unto Divine Truth which we call Faith The soul advanceth it self and is carried out unto the thing believed in a double act of hope For God who is objectum beatificum and in God who is the Author actus fruitivi But these acts of Faith and Hope have an eye at a mans own proper good and look no further Indeed they go out of a man to purvey for that good yet so that they return home again and rest there as a man goeth forth to the Market to buy himself meat yet eats it not there but at his own house But thus a man should make himself his own end And therefore this Faith and Hope cannot be saving alone but must be acted unto Gods honour which cannot be done but out of Charity and thus by works is faith made perfect saith our Apostle By reason of this near conjunction and union of Faith with Love the holy Ghost in Scripture useth Faith and Obedience the one for the other neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Gal. 5.6 ye have the same sentence Gal. 6.15 only Obedience put for Faith 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God And where the one of these is denyed there the other is denyed also Rom. 10.16 All have not obeyed the Gospel Why so For Esaiah said Lord who hath believed our report Deny the consequent
and down like a Musician and challenge all Musicians of the best note to sing or play with him if he overcame any he got the prize if another overcame him he took a course with him he should never sing or play more causing him one way or another to be put to death As the Emperour of Rome then in Musick so the Romanists since that time in Religion Those whom they could not or now cannot overcome with spiritual weapons they endeavour to suppress with carnal and temporal But it is impossible by any outward force or violence to destroy thoughts and opinions they must be overcome with spiritual weapons So that as we now judge of that Emperour so we may of these men who have taken and yet take a like course the same which St. Paul speaks of did Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.9 They are men of corrupt minds reprobates concerning the faith and theâ—r folly shall be made manifest unto all men as their 's also was For surely they declare plainly that they want spiritual weapons when they trust to carnal and temporal This Christ himself shall one day slew when he shall consume Antichrist not with fire and sword but with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thess 2. Cutting and pruning trees makes them the more branch forth so doth the sword c. But Christ root and branch 5. Observe how cautelously the Spirit of God propounds this Doctrine that the whole glory of this victory over the world may be given to God alone and not to us This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith and therefore it is of faith saith the Apostle that it might be by grace Rom. 4.16 Repentance from dead works is the first onset toward this conquest of the world and that 's of God If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 And faith is here said to be the victory of the world But that faith is not of our selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And St. Peter in his Sermon to Cornelius saith Act. 10.43 3 16. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believes him shall receive remission of sins Whosoever believes in him believes in him through his name and power in whom they believe Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.17 Thanks be unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 So that the whole victory and triumph over the world is from the Grace of God Thy pound hath gained ten pounds saith our Lord in the parable 1. This makes for our reproof who think our selves faithful men and women Revel 17.14 yet yield our selves to be beaten and buffeted by Satan are we not ashamed cowardly Ephraimites We carry Bows we think we presume when we are armed with all the armour of God yet turn our selves back in the day of Battle we call and repute our selves the Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and assume to our selves all the Glorious Titles of the faithful we are the Christians the Saints the called of God the holy ones c. strong in the faith mighty men of valour c. but when we come to be tryed when Satan or the world or our flesh tempts us what arrant lubbars we are we lie down and yield up our selves and let Satan beat us what 's the reason We have not this victorious faith which overcomes the world Beloved these are the very last times when the Lord comes to avenge his elect who cry day and night unto him And he is now ready to take vengeance of our spiritual enemies but that is fulfilled which he foretells Luk. 18.8 When the Son of man comes shall he find faith on the earth For had we that victorious faith should we so easily yield our selves in every assault every conflict of the enemy No no 't is not faith but presumption like those Numb 14.40 Lo say they we are here and we will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised and they presumed vers 44. to go up to the hill top and the Amalechites came and the Canaanites which dwelt in the hill and smâ—te them and discomfited them even to Hormah They took upon them with a lofty and presumptuous mind to fight against their enemies the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to lift up Habbac 2.4 with Hebr. 10.38 39. according the LXX here the Apostle renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw back by unbelief when we make such presumptuous and such unbelieving onsets upon our enemies the Amalechites prevail against us they turn us away from our God and smite us as the word signifieth and so do the Canaanites we yield our heart to the world and the traffick and trade in it and our self-love and desire of gain overcomes us or afflicts us and abaseth us even to the earth those are the true Canaanites and bring the curse of God upon us and destruction even to the utmost that 's the true Hormah A like example we read of Act. 19. of certain vagabond Jews vers 13-16 This was known to all the Jews and Greeks who dwelt at Ephesus and 't is known to us Beloved and 't is our own case many of us we take upon us an usurped power pretend the name of Christ and get gain and credit by it as if we were indeed the true Saints and faithful of God and such as had power over the Devil could tread upon Serpents and Scorpions and all the power of the enemy and alas we want that victorious faith we have not such power we are yet in the Devil's snare and are his slaves and vassals many of us every one of his temptations and assaults prevail against us whence it is that the evil spirit of the world leaps on us overcomes us and prevails against us and we had we faith should put him to flight he puts us to flight and leaves us wounded and naked to our shame Hence also we may be reproved who bend our Forces only against outward enemies against the world without us and mean time give way to the inward enemies to prevail against us O if Antichrist and his adherents were brought down once if the malignant party were subdued if such or such a great man's head were off all would be well Now do not we go about presumptuously to rule the world Do not we set up our selves in the place of God to whom properly vengeance belongs Beloved suppose the Pope and all his faction were down if we have a Pope in our Belly as Luther said every man had if we be as proud as ambitious as lofty and high-minded as the Pope what if the Pope of Rome were down while he stands or sits as it were in his Throne in our heart Let us search our own heart do we not find the man of sin