to him in his Temple 1 Kings 9.3 and 2 Chron. 7.12 c. the House of God was the place of God's manifesting his Presence 3. Ezra here Bewails not his own but the Peoples Sins whose Persons and Sins he taketh upon himself a publick Person that therein saith A Lapide he might become a Type of Christ 4. A Great Assembly attracted thither by a right Noble Loadstone their great and gracious Lord Ezra wept with a great weeping also and made the Place another Bochim observing that Rule of the Apostle Weep with them that Weep Rom. 12.15 They wept with weeping Ezra c. 5. Sanctius observes well here How unspeakable is the Good that is got by the Godly Example of such an High Prince and Holy Priest as Ezra was and so much Evil is learn'd by Evil Examples 6. Here were Anashim Venashim c. Heb. Men Women and Children weeping c. All these the Law of God commanded to meet together at their Solemn Meetings Deut. 31.12 and 29.11 Neh. 8.3 All Sexes and Sizes could not wash their hands in Innocency as Psal 26 6. therefore they all washed them in Tears being polluted with Sin Remark the Second Shechaniah's Oration to Ezra ver 2 3 4 5. Mark 1. Wolphius well observes tho' Shechaniah says we have Trespassed ver 2. yet was he not one of the Trespassers for his Name is not in the following Catalogue ver 26. but he saith We in the Name of the People and their several Families and his own among the rest Mark 2. Tho' his Father Jehiel and five of his Father's Brethren Sons of his Grandfather Elam were all Trespassers ver 18.26 c. yet this Pious Man durst thus couragiously and freely discharge his Duty evidencing thereby that he zealously Honoured God more than his nearest and dearest Relations c. Mark 3. He Counsels that they should fall immediately upon Action and make amends for their Errour and then in case of their Repentance and Reformation saith Piscator we need not despair of God's Mercy He observ'd that old and good Rule Ora Labora 't was not enough for them to Pray but they must join Practice with their Prayers as the Philosopher said to the Carter who had overturn'd his Cart and only call'd for Minerva to help him Stulte admotâ manu Invocanda est Minerva Thou Fool lay on Hands to lift up thy Cart as well as Pray c. Mark 4. He Counsels the Congregation to Covenant with God that all the strange Wives should be in due time put away ver 3. tho' they could not at that juncture accomplish it yet he adviseth they would bind themselves by a Solemn Vow with all convenient speed to perform it saith Wolphius knowing that this would be a means to fix the sickleness of their false Hearts N. B. As God covenants Mercy on his part so we Duty on our part If the Oath of God be upon us we cannot dare to slip Collar so easily but Conscience is commanded to cleave close to God with full purpose of Heart in every part and point of Obedience Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 Mark 5. Tho' this Pious Person had spoke with all Humble Submission of Acting according to the Counsel of my Lord as he call'd Ezra ver 3. having an Eye to his due Dignity and Authority yet in ver 4. hehold how boldly he bespeaks him even as Jehovah did unto Joshua Rise up and Act why liest thou on the Ground Josh 7.10 for there Ezra lay then saith Vatablus still weeping but Shechaniah rouzeth him up saying saith Wolphius thy Weeping without Acting will avail nothing c. Mark 6. Nor doth Shechaniah sawcily thrust himself into Ezra's Office saith Wolphius but submissively saith to him Gnalekah Hadebbar Unto thee this matter belongeth because thou hast both Dexterity to manage the Matter and Authority both from the God of Heaven and from the King of Persia to carry on a Right Reformation Mark 7. He bravely encourages Ezra to put his hand to the Work and he promises in the Name of the People as well as in his own that they all would assist him and strengthen his hands in God as Jonathan did David's in the Wood 1 Sam. 23.16 This was piously and prudently done saith Wolphius Remark the Third The Effect of Shechaniah's Oration ver 5. Then arose Ezra according to the Counsel of Shechaniah Oh how forcible are right and well-placed words unto an upright and well-prepared Heart Job 6.25 Ezra presently Acts in making not only Princes and Priests to Swear in the Name of the Lord saith Grotius but also all the People too lest the Mobile saith Wolphius should slip Collar as soon as gone which they could not so well do when once Cajol'd into the Cords and Chains of a Solemn Covenant with God N. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek for an Oath is quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Hedge to Hedge in our unruly Spirits and never did the Sacrifice under the Law when it was an untamed Heifer stand in more need to be fast bound with Cords to the Horns of the Atar Psal 118.27 than those loose and slippery hearts of ours do need to be confined within the compass of due Obedience with that Sacred Cord of oft renewing our Covenant with our God Every Sacrament is a new Obligation to pay the old Debt of Obedience c. Remark the Fourth Ezra after this Solemn Swearing procures a private Convention or Consistory in the Chamber of Johanan convenient for their Convening there ver 6. tho' he was still Fasting and faint yet no Food could go down with him until he had gone through-stitch with his Work and some effectual Order taken for Redressing that great and grievous Sin Hereupon this Holy Conclave or Council-Chamber when the Sanhedrim was present and Ezra sat President do Consider Consult and give Counsel what course must be taken then they Decreed in this private Council that a General Assembly a Publick Convention should immediately be called together by Proclamation to meet at Jerusalem ver 7. and the Penalty against Aweless and Lawless Persons that refuse to come within three Days they were to forfeit their whole Estates and to be cast out of the Church ver 8. This short space with such severity was purposely set down by this Secret Senate saith Wolphius that the Guilty might make no shifts for their Absence but be brought speedily to Answer in that General Assembly and that Reformation might by no means be any longer retarded Remark the Fifth The Parliament Meets and a vast Multitude attends ver 9. not daring either to out stay their three Days time because their Estates were at Stake or to be at too far a distance out of the reach of a Call and therefore they stood in the open Street near the Temple the sight whereof made them Tremble together with the sense of their Sins inwardly saith Masius and the smart of the great Rain and Cold outwardly
that they will feed lustily upon dead Horses of the Turkish Gally-slaves that they will Eat Opium an Ounce at a time as if it were Bread and of the Maid in Pliny that did Eat Spiders and of Mithridates who had made Poison so natural to him that when he would have Poisoned himself being Captive to the Romans he could not Yea Joseph Scaliger speaks of Spiders in Italy to have such a Poisonous nature as they will kill him that treads upon them and they will break a Glass if they do but creep over it Yet this Poisonful nature falls far short of the Poyson of sin in as much as Moral poyson is worse than Natural and that which kills the Soul exceeds that which onely can kill the Body T is a wonder how men dare take such hearty and deep Draughts of this Poyson of sin So hateful to God and so hurtful to men 1. T is so hateful to God that it made God 1. Repent he had made Man 2. Destroy all Dumb Creatures with a Deluge 3. Not spare his own Son c. this makes God hate sin with a perfect hatred 2. Hurtful to men the least Sin is Mortal to the Soul as the least Poyson is to the Body and if the Soul dye the Body cannot live This Sinful sin Rom. 7.13 is destructive and Damnable both to Soul and Body Hence the Apostle could find no Name bad enough for it but its own name calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinful Sin If he that provoketh an Earthly King to Anger doth sin against his own Soul Prov. 20.2 how much more he that provokech the King of Heaven by Sin which is so Execrable so Detestable and so Intolerable to him why should it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an easie work as the word signifys Acts 18.14 to be wickedly Lewd or Lewdly wicked and so to Damn our own Souls yea and bodies too and that for ever 'T was therefore well said by Maximilian King of Bohemia and afterwards Emperour to the Pope who perswaded him to be a good Catholick with many promises of profits and preferments The King answered I thank your Holiness for your kind offers but the weal of my Soul is of more worth to me than the whole World to this the Pope angerly replyed that he spoke like a Lutheran See Hist Council of Trent p. 429. Though this wholesom form of speech pleased not the Pope yet that of Lewis King of France displeased the Pope much more who cast his Bulls whereby he required the fruits of Vacancies of all Cathedral Churches in France into the fire saying I had rather the Popes Bulls should Rost in the fire than that my Soul should Fry in Hell Speed 496. year 1152. As the woman with two Children the one loved and pamper'd the other Hated and Starved the pamperd child falls sick and dyes and before its Death she cast some care when too late on the Starved child So do too many with the Body and Soul As the woman who had her house on fire was altogether taken up to save her Lumber from the flames and all the while forgot she had left her child in the Cradle but remembring when too late she cryed out most Horribly Oh my child my child I have forgot my child Thus do many men till too late forget their Dear and pretious Souls while Toiling about the Lumber of the world for the Body onely The loss of the Soul is a loss of All and a loss for ever The reasons be these 1. Though foolish Sinners should say after Death when launched out into an Eternity of woe the words of Christ What shall we Give in Exchange for our Souls yet then they have nothing to give for their Souls Redemption Their Riches have then taken the Wing Death robbed Dives of all his possessions Then his friends were scrambling for his Goods Worms for his body and Devils for his Soul when he slept his sleep Psal 76.5 that long Iron Sleep of death as the Poets call it he left his Wealth to others Psal 49.10 when he dyed be carryed nothing away v. 17. Job 1.21 and 1 Tim. 6.7 Eccles 5.15 Death as a Porter stands at the Gate and strips men of all their worldly wealth leaving them not an Half-penny to pay their fare over the Stygian lake as the Poet said And he was but a foolish fellow who when he saw he must dye claps a piece of Gold into his mouth saying Some wiser than some I lle take this along with me Worldly wretches would gladly carry the world out of the world but the Apostle assureth them that it is impossible saying It is certain as we do bring nothing into the world we can carry nothing out of the world 1 Tim. 6.7 Wherewith then shall the Soul be Redeemed in the place of the Damned where there is punishment without pitty misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without compassion mischief without measure torments without end and past Imagination Therefore 2. Suppose the Damned should have something wherewith they might offer a price of their Redemption Non esset Estimabile It would utterly be Rejected Money may be a Master and a Monarch in this world but it bears no Mastery in the other World If Death will Regard no Reason nor rest satisfyed though â—â—â—ou would give many Gifts as Soloman saith of Jealousy Prov. 6.35 If a man can never buy off Death though he would give never so much as that Carnal Cardinal Beauford the Chancelor of England in Henery the 6. time upon his Death-bed complained that his Vast riches would not Reprieve him from Death crying out Fie upon it will money do nothing will not Death be Hired wherefore should I die being so Rich If the whole Realm would bribe Death I am able quoth he either by Policy to procure it or by Money to purchase it c. How much More unable is money which cannot buy off Death to buy off Damnation for the Devils those Tormentors of Damned Souls are far worse than those Medes which God set on to destroy Babylon Isa 13.17 who would not regard Silver or Gold for a Ransom but kill all they came to though never so Rich and ready to Redeem their lives with their Riches Alas the Devils have far less Reason to Delight in Silver and Gold than those Medes had who were Men with whom Money bears a Mastery not so with Devils Riches may indeed be the ransom of a Mans life from the wrath of men Prov. â—3 8 but they will not be the Ransom of a Mans Soul from the wrath of God Prov. 11.4 or the Rage of Devils Hence the Rich Glutton is told of a Great Gulph twixt Heaven and Hell Intimating his state of Torment to be uncapable of any ease much less of any Redemption but was an Unchangeable and Eternal State Luke 16.24 26. 3. That the Damned Souls do sink into an irreparable irrecoverable State may be further
the Egyptians c 1 Sam. 4.8 Pharaoh's preservation through God's Longanimity hitherto from all the ten foregoing Plagues was but his Reservation for a worse and a more signal destruction The second cause of this excaecation was their angry malicious vindictive spirit which transported them into an insatiable thirst to be revenged of the Israelites for all the damages done them upon their account c. Thirdly Their covetous and greedy desire to recover all their goods garments jewels c. though frankly and freely given them for redemption of their own lives Exod. 12.33 36. and to take the spoil of all Israel Fourthly Their vain presumption that seeing the fair way and weather which served for the safety of the Israelites passage they thought they might also serve them for the same purpose This also made them praecipitant c. Some indeed do say that Pharaoh call'd a Council of War who some time did debate upon the shore whether they should give up or carry on their pursuit The issue of this consult at last was as it falls out among those under Divine Infatuations quos Deus destruit prius dementat the worst councel had the best prevalency whereupon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They made a desperate venture Heb. 11.29 which was the highest instance of such a daring presumptuous attempt of unbelief in the Churche's Enemies of all others recorded in the Scripture of Truth The Egyptians here perfectly presumed that they might fare as well in the Sea as the Israelites did Fifthly Therefore we must acknowledge the greatest cause of all was that God had hardned their hearts as he said he would do Exod. 14.4 8 17. and gave them up to a reprobate sense seeing Pharaoh their Leader was raised up for this very purpose c. Exod. 9.16 Rom. 9.17 This judâ—ciary hardness for all their precedent sins made them both unmindful of all former Plagues upon them for their hatred and cruelty to God's People and unable to discern their approaching utter destruction tho' some secondary causes from their own Councils might in God's hand concur to animate them As First It being all dark about them they might not know where they went only feeling firm ground under them Secondly They might suppose it was only an extraordinary ebb of the Sea c. Thirdly Loth they were to lose their prey and prize being all along at Israel's heels 'till the Cloud parted them and began to disturb them yet all this was of the Lord. The Seventh Remark is The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust for the Day of Judgment to be punished either in this World or in the other 2 Pet. 2.9 as here the Egyptians whom God permitted to pursue his Church even into the Sea He gave for a time both fair way and weather before them and lets them follow close at her heels blustring and breathing out threatnings as that Wolf wearied with worrying did Acts 9.1 against her saying I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the Spoil c. Exod. 15.9 till in a trice They sank as lead in the mighty waters v. 10. and were as still as a stone v. 16. There God brake the Heads of the Dragon Pharaoh that Leviathan or Sea-Monster Isa 27.1 Ezek. 29.3 and of all the Crocodiles his Captains and Sworn Sword-Men of Satan and gave them to be meat to the People inhabiting the Wilderness Psal 74.13 14. Israel taking the spoil of their dead Carcases cast upon the shore whereby they were furnished with many necessaries for their journey to Canaan the Lord knew how to secure those brain-sick and incorrigible Sinners to their destinated destruction as well as to deliver his People out of their bloody hands yea rather than they should want Deliverance God knows how to command it to be done thus David prays Thou and none but thou art my King as thou hast been of old O command Deliverance for Jacob Psal 44.4 5. send but a Mandamus from Heaven and that will do it see Lord to save thy Subjects and Servants as thou hast done of old Speak but the Word and it shall be done as at the Creation Yea rather than God's Church shall want peace he will create peace Isa 57.19 from things that are not he can produce it by his Omnipotency and work a Miracle to have it done as here for Jah Jehovah is the Old Rock the Rock of Ages c. Isa 26.3 4 c. If we lean upon this Rock alone Isa 50.10 and call upon him in time of trouble which never befalls us more than is right Job 34.23 nor ever by chance but by Providence as this did on Israel God purposing thereby to get himself honour upon Pharaoh and his host Exod. 14.4 c. Then will he deliver us and we shall glorifie him Psal 50.15 He knows how to deliver he hath delivered he doth deliver and we trust he will do so hereafter 2 Cor. 1.10 Now because this was a fatal issue of a long controversie betwixt Egypt literal and God's Israel which is a most manifest Type prefiguring the last end of the long contest betwixt Egypt mystical Rev. 11.8 or Antichrist and the true Church of Christ as its Antitype concluding without controversie as this did at the upshot of this conflict in the compleat Salvation of the latter and in the utter extirpation of the former As Israel's deliverance from Egypt was not perfected till they saw Pharaoh and his host all lay dead upon the Sea-shore Exod. 14.30 for which they sang the Triumphant Song of Moses Exod. 15. wherein a distinct Narrative of that glorious Victory is exactly Recorded shewing how Miriam and the Virgins sounded forth the high praises of God upon Timbrels v. 20. So all this was a certain pledge of a compleat Victory and Triumph of the true Church over all its Antichristian Adversaries and that those Virgins which are not defiled and follow the Lamb whither ever be goes Rev. 14.4 shall obtain Victory over the Spiritual Pharaoh the Beast or Antichrist and shall stand by the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire as the Hebrew Virgins stood by the Red-Sea having the Harps of God in their hands and shall sing both the Song of Moses the Servant of God for old Miracles of Mercy and likewise the Song of the Lamb our blessed Messiah the Son of God for new Revel 15.2 3 4 5 c. The Mystery of Iniquity is begun to be made manifest and more and more shall be if our sins hinder not Rev. 15.6 The Lord shad Reign Exod. 15.18 and in things wherein Adversaries deal proudly he will be above them Exod. 18.11 He sits in Heaven Psal 2.4 and sees their Day is coming Psal 37.16 as Pharaoh's Senacherib's Herod's c. blasting their designs Psal 106.12 saith they believed in his word and sang his praise could we do the former we should do the latter also The Eighth Remark is The
that happy hour of spending their spleens upon the captive Christ now coming to them that they might condemn him according to Caiphas's counsel John 11.49 50 51. that one Man should dye for the People God speaking this through him as through a Trunk or as the Angel spake in Balaam's Ass and according to the resolve at their general consult Mat. 26.3 4. John 11.57 Mat. 2.4 N. B. Note well Here was a General Council which it seems may err consisting of a company of Cursed Caitiffs all concurring to kill Christ here they erred in a most necessary and fundamental point so that such as have the Title of being Rulers of the Church may prove the most malignant Enemies to the Lord Jesus and the Devil often either finds or makes those of greatest power in the Church to be against Christ as he had those Chief-Priests and Elders here and 't is remarkable also that those Attackers of Christ could not kill him in a Tumult but at a Judgment Seat where his Innocency and their cruelty was clearly declared The 2d Circumstance is The Time when Not only upon an Holy-day which was against their Cannon Law as above but also it was done in the Night Time a right Deed of Darkness in the Hour and by the Power of Darkness Luke 22.53 they had broke their sleep been up and at their cursed Work at least most of the Night and had got the Blessed Jesus condemned by their Spiritual Court about the Cock-crowing at which Time Peter denied his Master and before the Morning for then they led him away as condemn'd by them to Pilate for his confirming their Condemnation of him Mat. 27.1 N. B. Note well Oh see how sedulous the Devil's Servants be in bustling all the Night bereaving themselves of their warm Beds and sweet Sleep that no time might be lost in Satan's slavery yea Annas himself though an Old Man can thus far deny himself in doing the Devil's Drudgery for he is supposed to be the Man that promised the payment of the thirty pieces to Judas and paid them to him when he brought his Master to his House in the way to Caiphas and that this crafty Fox and cruel Tyger as the keenest of the Blood-hounds carried his caught Prey along with him being the first that was call'd upon to the Consistory yea and all the other Priests c. were Restless but made haste and as it is said of the old Jews Their feet ran to shed Blood Isa 59.7 These Remarks hence arise 1st Such is the pravity of our fallen Nature to be so quick expeditious and violent in the practice of Mischievous Impieties as the fire is to burn combustible Matters This should serve for a caution for us to beware of all occasions and provocations to Wickedness when the Wind of Satan's Temptations and the Tide of our own Corruptions meet and join together then Sin runs Rapidly in its strongest Torrent The 2d Remark is Those Christ-Killers could not questionless have been hired for any Money to come out of their warm Beds for doing any thing that was good yet for condemning of Christ the whole spiteful more than Spiritual Council yea and Multitudes of other Priests and People could sit up all Night and that a cold Night too Nor did this cursed corruption of Nature dye with this wretched Generation that Crucified Christ For Alas N. B. Note well How many are yet Alive that can sit up whole Nights at Cards Dice Pastimes and Revellings This is their Pleasure Complacency and their Hears are Ingaged in such Delights But to sit up a little time for Holy Duties Prayers Godly Conference c. This is tedious and painful work to them and presently they fall asleep Yea thus it is not only with the Wicked but with the Godly also For Christ's own Disciples could hold out and not fall asleep in their fishing Imploy yea toil all Night even when they could take nothing Luke 5.5 yet when they were call'd to Pray with Christ in the Garden then they fall asleep even while Judas was awake making his Market with the Priests such cannot sleep till they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 The 3d Remark is As some Trials in Courts of Judicature are over hastily carried on and come to a determined issue so others are protracted and spun out with long delays This Trial of Christ was of the first sort for this solemn Assembly was notoriously hurried on with a Precipitant Fury and Preposterous Rashness whereas they fall upon examining Christ about his Disciples and Doctrine John 18.19 Indeavouring thereby not to learn of him but to insnare him out of his own Mouth whereas Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum no Man is bound to accuse himself saith the Law and the Oath ex Officio is damn'd by God and all Good Men that he himself might help them in proving him an Heretick but they omitted all this time such necessary circumstances as ought to have been practised as the serious examination of Witnesses that contradicted one another and his contrary Answers c. but they being resolved to have his Blood right or wrong huddle up the Cause all on a sudden He is taken brought before the Judge and condemned and all this in one Night's Time N. B. Note well So on the contrary the complaint of our Times is of Dilatory proceedings and of slow dispatch of Law matters so that many are undone before their Causes can come to a final determination insomuch that one complaining once he could not come at such a piece of good Cloth as would make him a lasting Suit He was wittily Answered by his Friend Oh Sir go but into the Chancery and there you may get a Suit that will last you your Life c. whereas God hath ordained that Justice should be so dispatched in Judicial proceedings with that speed and expedition as that men may be made better and not worse and that the Common-Weal Peace and Liberty may be maintained There is a Golden mean betwixt two extremes over hasty or over dilatory to be observed The Third Circumstance is the Manner how this cursed Court and Council proceeded against Christ seeing the end of their Arraigning him was directly designed to destroy him no Indifferent or Impartial manner of proceeding could be expected from them Nothing could be look'd for but an universal Plotting on all hands for the Blood of Jesus N. B. Note well This sprang from that old Enmity mentioned Gen. 3.15 Which broke forth soon in Cain against Abel so in Ishmael against Isaac and in Esau against Jacob and so down in those Jews against Jesus and still it is Ingrafted in the Natures of the Wicked to hate Christ and his Members to this very Day None are more Maligned and laden with Nicknames than professors of Christianity and for no other fault but quâ tales because they follow that which is good Psal 38.20 Though this Ecclesiastick Court had this bloody End
swallowed Hook and all They did as they were Taught Matth. 28.11 12 13 14 15. Now follow the several Appearances of Christ himself which is the 6th and the most infallible Testimony of the Truth of Christ's Resurrection CHAP. XXXVII Of Christ 's Ten Appearances THE Sundry Appearances of Christ himself are reckoned by the Learned after a several sort Some late Learned Criticks and Chronologers do reduce them into the more narrow number of Seven that Sabbatical number the better to make them comport with all the seven Numbers aforesaid to wit Christ's seven last Words his seven last Wonders and the seven last Signs of his Triumph But the common computation hereof among the most Authentick Commentators both Antienâ— and Modern is that Pyâ—hagorical Number of Ten which is the number of perfection as well as seven is so accounted and no doubt but our Lord gave the most perfect Number of his Personal Appearances betwixt his Resurrection and Ascension which interval and space of time consisted of four Tens and forty Days and wherein he appeared Ten several times accordingly to his Apostles c. for their further and fuller confirmation of the Truth of his Resurrection The First Appearance of Christ as all Solid Writers unanimously say was to Mary Magdalen this is positively affirmed by that Infallible Evangelist Mark Mark 16. â— which is also as infallibly confirmed by the Evangelist John Joh. 20.2.14.16 Indeed the Jesuit Maldonate hath the confidence to contradict both those Evangelists as if the Infallibility of the Church of Rome far exceeded the Infallibility of the word of God saying that Christ's first Appearance was to his Mother Mary the Blessed Virgin This he doth daringly affirm but cannot by any convincing Scriptures confirm acknowledging that no such thing is written in the word yet would he have it to be believed that it was so because as he Magisterially saith it was but meet and decent that our Lord in point of Duty should do so Here a Sawcy Jesuit undertakes to Instruct Holy Jesus who was the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 an High point of Humane Manners obliging Christ to pay his Respect and Homage to this Mary in the first place and not to Mary Magdalen though Mark expresly assert it out of whom he had cast seven Devils Mark 16.9 This is the Impudency of the Babylonish Whore to obtrude upon the Church their unwritten Verieties as the Catholicks or rather Cacolicks call them equalling their feigning Traditions with the Authority of the Scripture of Truth among those Fops as do Jurare in verba Magistri and can believe the Dreams and Fancies of some Old Doting Fryar What is this but to make Man's Addle Brain the Basis and Foundation of Faith and not the word of God which in Truth they have turned into an idle Romance with the Trash and Trumpery of their unscriptural Traditions imposed as Articles of their Creed upon the too Childishly credulous who are given up to believe Lies 2 Thess 2.10.11 Amongst which this here is not one of their least Lies The Rhomist Jesuits are more Ingenious in this point though base and bad enough in others ingenuously confessing in their Second Annotation upon Mar. 16.1 that this Mary Magdalen had the Honour to see Jesus first after his Resurrection because say they she Merited it for bestowing so costly an Ointment upon him while he was alive John 12.3 and Mark 14.3 and sought to Anoint him with the like Ointment when he was Dead but not one word do we Read in any of the Evangelists of Christs appearing either first or at all to his Mother Mary We may indeed well wonder at this that he should not make his first Appearance if not to the Noblest or Holiest of Men yet to the Noblest or Holiest of Women such as were Royal Queens or Honourable Countesses or to such as were Eminent for Holiness if not for Honour as was undoubtedly his own Dear Mother the Holiest of Women-kind No it must not be to any-such for Honour or for Holiness but it must be to this Mary who had been a non-such for Ignominy and Iniquity God loves to walk in a way of his own and by himself This Honour done to her who had been so great a Sinner St. Mark Relateth this more at large than the other Evangelists do though in other Historiâ—â— passages he bemostly more brief than the other three Nich. Gorran though of the Dominical Order yet gives more Scriptural Sentiments upon this point than Superstitious Maldonate doth from his blind Devotion to the Virgin Mary For this Learned Friar renders five Reasons why our Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalen in his comment upon Mar. 16.9 the first is because she loved more Ardently Luke 7.47 she had greatest love to Christ because he had forgiven her greatest Sins We read not that the Virgin Mary did wash Christ's Feet with her Tears as this great sinner did ver 44. for though she call Christ her Saviour so needed the forgiveness of some sins Luke 1.46 yet were her sins but little to this Mary's who had been but a light Huswife His Second Reason is that Christ might shew hereby he came into the World to save sinners not the Righteous though there be none such no not one but in conceit only Matth. 9.13 c. His third is that it might be declared how Publicans and Harlots do sooner enter into the Kingdom of Heaven than Proud Pharisees or Civil Justiciaries Matth. 21.31 which is a great shame to be left behind by such As 't is Storied of the Cadar so Christ kills the quick in conceit but quickens those that are Dead in sin His Fourth is that as a Woman was the first Minister of our Perdition our Great Grandmother Eve was the first that brought Death into the World so a Woman must be the first Messenger of our Salvation Mary Magdalen that Apostolorum Apostolissima as one calls her must be the first Preacher and Publisher of Christ's Resurrection John 20.16.18 His Fifth is 't was a Comment on that Scripture where sin abounded there grace hath abounded much more c. Rom. 5.20 and that to none of other sorts of sinners any Room for Desperation should be left To those five Reasons of Gorran other five Reasons may be added why Christ appeared first to Mary Magdalen As 1. Because though she had been formerly a very great sinner yet now through grace she was become as great a Repenter her Sorrowing now was suitable and proportionable to her sinning heretofore What was said of Manasseh that as he had sinned greatly in Defying God in Murdering Men and in Worshipping Devils so he Humbled himself greatly 2 Chron. 33.12 The same may be said of this Magdalen insomuch that some report of her how this prodigious Penitent did after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension Retire into Gallia Narbonensiâ— where she spent Thirty years in weeping for her former sins However 't is great question among
out of every Nation 1. Those led away captive by Salmanasser 1 Kings 17.6 and 18.11 these never returned into their own Countrey but occasionally as here and call'd Parthians Medes Elamites 2. By Nebuchadnezzar who are here call'd Mesopotamites And 3. By Ptolomy those were call'd Hellenists Beside these three were lesser Dispersions James 1.1 and almost in every City where the Apostles Preached among the Gentiles they found Jews there Now to many of these that were come to the Feast not only Peter but all the Eleven Preached For 1. 'T is said They stood up with him verse 14. 2. The Voice of a Stentor could not be heard by those Myriads out of which three thousand were Converts 3. These consult the other Apostles as well as Peter verse 37. 4. These continued not in Peter's only but 1. In the Apostle's Doctrine Preached 2. In their Fellowship for Communion and Conference 3. In Breaking Bread wherein Wine is synecdochically included And 4. In Prayers wherewith they besieged God who was saith a Father well pleased to have Heaven taken by force Matth. 11.12 Oh happy they that be so valiant and violent as to make a prey or a prize of the habitation of happy ones c. CHAP. III. The First Miracle HAving already declared the wonderful Constitution of the first Gospel-Church that ever was in the World in the next place follows the Discourse concerning the Fate and Fare which attended it wherein an intermixture of the Acts of some times all the Apostles and of sometimes some only as touching what they said what they did and what they suffered 't is summarily comprehended Note This Primitive Church being thus prodigiously planted Persecution presently was raised against it to root it up and ruine it Though God's Bridle had hitherto as before restrained the Devil's Instruments so that the very Pharisees and Chief Priests c. had seem'd to favour them as yet not daring to frown upon them But now the Grumbling of their Gizzards inwardly for fear of the loss of their Pharisaical Kingdom began to work up and break out outwardly Note Oh the depths of Divine wisdom in disposing of things thus that where-ever God hath a Church the Devil by God's unsearchable permission must have his Chappel and this cannot become a Chappel of Ease to the Devil's Chimney-Chaplains call'd Chemarim's Atrati or Black-Birds Zeph. 1.4 unless they find a free vent for their Spirit of Persecution which took its first Fire from Peter and John's healing of the Lame Beggar Acts 3.1 2 c. This was the first occasion of the first Persecution Hitherto all the Apostles had acted in conjunction with Peter 1. In their chusing Matthias by a Lot from the Lord to compleat their number of twelve Apostles 2. In their boldness of Preaching to the People when they had received the Holy Ghost 3. In providing for the Poor that received the Gospel for which the Jewish Synagogues out of which they had formerly been Relieved had now cast them out of their care whereof more afterwards As also 4. In their Joint Celebration of a Council and sending their Canons or Decrees to the several Churches c. But in this place here Peter and John only come into play by their going into the Temple at the Ninth Hour the hour of Prayer not to communicate with the Jews in their now Antiquated Worship but that they might have a larger Field for sowing their seed of the Gospel in which they could not miss of but meet with upon the Evening of this great Feast of Pentecost-day about three a Clock in the Afternoon which was the time of their Evening Sacrifice At their entring into the Gate not of the first Court of the Gentiles but of the second Court of the Jews they find the Lame man laid hoping for more Alms from his Countrey-men than from Strangers Note This same Cripple was born lame and was now forty years old therefore the harder to cure and when cured the more credible Witness against the Cavillers at his cure Acts 4.22 This man lay begging daily there and if he had begg'd in that place so many years it may well be wondered at that Christ himself had not cured him long ere this in his passing so frequently through this Porch seeing we do not find that our Lord ever refused any who came for cure To this it may be said that the Lord might reserve this Miracle for this very Time both for confirming the Truth of the Gospel and the Faith of the Apostles in Preaching it All Times and Seasons are in the Lord's hands who both justly forbears to send Salvation at one time and graciously vouchsafes it at another Note This now was the day of sending Salvation to the Cripple who asked Alms of these two Apostles God was better to him than his expectation and so he is to us daily giving us more than we can ask or think Eph. 3.20 Yea he presseth favours upon his Suitors as Naaman did upon Gehazi 2 Kings 5.23 Peter had no Gold to give him but he had Grace to wit a power from Christ wherewith to heal him which as he had freely received so he freely gave it to him when he first excited his expectation with Look on us that he might the more mind the means and the manner of his Cure and be the better prepared to give God the glory of it No sooner had Peter spoke In the Name of Jesus c. Rise up and walk but presently his Feet and his Ankle-bones received strength c. v. 4 5.6 7. Together with this word there went forth a power as Luke 5.17 then was fulfilled that Prophecy Isa 35.6 The Lame Man shall leap as an Hart The Lord raised up the Crooked Psal 146.8 as was this Cripple whose Inside and Soul was now healed as well as his Outside and Body for he went into the Temple with them not only to hang up his Crutches as it were there as Memorials of his Mercy but also to render Praises to the God of his Mercy He praised God not the Apostles Note Instruments must not rob the Author of his glory we may pay the Messenger but we must return Thanks principally to the sending Benefactor Yet this healed Cripple in an Extasie of Thankfulness to them held those his Healers till a great confluence of People came about them all astonished with the unexpected Miracle on this notoriously known Lame Beggar which when Peter saw he embraces this Golden Opportunity and Preacheth his second stinging Sermon to them whereby a great Increase was added again to the Church Not only this Cripple who had cause at last to bless God for his Lameness which brought him as divers Miseries do others to the knowledge of Christ and of Salvation through him a blind Eye hath help'd the healing of a blind Soul c. but also two thousand more believed as an addition to the three thousand Acts 2.41 at the least c. 'T
spots in her also The sacred Scriptures do Record two Spots in this Church 1st The sin of Hypocritical Sacrilege in two of her Members Acts 5. but this sin 't is told there also was miraculously expiated by the death of those two sinners And 2dly The sin of murmuring Acts 6.1 which indeed is a great grievous God-provoking-sin as Exod. 16.7 8. Numb 14.27 36. and 16.17 and 17.5 John 6.43 and 1 Cor. 10.10 c. Note well These Murmurers were destroyed by the Destroyer The Rabbins say God wrote their sin upon their punishment for as they had sinned with their Tongues so they died by an Inflamation upon their Tongues and Worms issuing out of them Numb 14.37 But as to this Murmuring that arose in this Apostolical Church it was seasonably discovered and redressed by the choice of Deacons equally concerned in the Hellenists as well as Hebrews Nor can we find upon Record any one Church-sin whereby such a blessed and useful Instrument as Stephen so full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom was forfeited But on the contrary N.B. Acts 8.2 Such great Grace remained upon the whole Church that the eminently religious Members durst give their stoned Stephen a solemn Funeral and with great mourning also as being sensible of the Church's great loss in him being nothing afraid of those mad Murtherers and furious persecuting Butchers though those outragious Zealots look'd upon it as a piaculiar Act and of deep pollution among the Jews to touch a dead Corps especially of such an one as was put to death for Blasphemy yet did these Devout Men bear him upon their shoulders and perform'd such Funeral Rites for him as were usual only for those of greatest Eminency such as were used for the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 50.1 3 10. at his Interment and more lately at Lazorus's even by our Lord himself John 11.35 Thus the Church here lamented their great loss in such a Man at such a time which may serve to condemn that unnatural Apathy or Stupidity of Stoicks rather than of Christians in our day to lament over Dead Members especially Ministers of Note is a laudable Custom However though no foregoing foul sin can be found in this Church whereby either its Officers or its own Peace might be forfeited yet this we find that a great persecution was raised against her Acts 8.1 not as heretofore against the Apostles only but now it was against the whole Church Whereas God had before this restrained the Rage of those persecuting Priests c. with their fear of the people lest they should lose their favour Acts 4.21 and 5.26 N.B. This Awe had hitherto held them in as is the unruly Horse by Bit and Bridle Psal 32.9 but now through the unsearchable Wisdom of God the Reins of that restraining Bridle are let loose and laid along the Neck of those furious persecuting Beasts to run Riot according to their own wicked will and according as the Devil drove them by both his Whip and Spurs 'T is Tertullian's phrase every Persecutor hath Insessorem Diabolum the Devil for his Driver and as saith the Proverb They must needs go yea run whom the Devil drives The lusts of their Father they both must and will do John 8.44 Satan is call'd the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 because as the great God at the Creation did but speak the word and it was done so if the Devil do but hold up his finger give the least hint his Vassals do obey him N.B. Thus those Priests did who when they saw the people whom they had formerly feared so tamely suffer them to stone Stephen to death do inlarge their Outrage which hitherto they had let flie against the Apostles only but now they fall foul upon the whole Church wherein Saul 1. Was their fit Instrument by whose Diabolical craft and cruelty they proceeded 2. To persecute the Church so effectually as to disperse it abroad Their Staff of Bands and Beauty Zech. 11.10 14. their former Fellowship was now broken N.B. A little discourse 1. Of the Efficient cause of this Persecution and then 2. Of the sad Effects thereof may not do amiss as follows 1. The Divine Record doth stigmatize this Saul to strike with the Devil 's great Hammer herein This same Saul gives an account of his own Education that he was brought up at Gamaliel's feet Acts 22.3 but alas how little had he learnt of his Tutor or Master's Moderation for his Tutor had taught this his Pupil to do nothing rashly much less to be found fighting against God as he daringly dehorted the Grand Council and thereby prudently and piously-got them dissolved whereby he disappointed the Devil's design of that Satanical Sanhedrim in the Church's second Persecution Acts 5.34 to 41. whereof Saul sitting at his feet could not be ignorant Yet this Heteroclite and degenerating Pupil was so fill'd with a furious Phrenzy against Christ and his Gospel that he spent his Youth in Persecution for while he was but a Young Man 't is said that the Witnesses which stoned Shephen threw off their upper Garments that they might be more nimble to stone him and laid them down at this Young Man's feet Acts 7.58 for they were to cast the first stones Deut. 17.7 And the Spirit of God doth farther brand Saul that he was consenting to Stephen's death Acts 8.1 Though he was no Actor in it yet was he a Consenter to it and thereby became guilty of the same bloody Crime N.B. 'T is all one to hold the Sack and to fill it to do evil and to consent to it There is heart-murder as well as hand-murder Matth. 5.22 and committing Adultery with the mind as well as with the body Matth. 5.28 A mind to do evil is sin in the seed which time and opportunity brings forth to maturity James 1.14 15. Quae quid non licuit non facit ille facit God may justly judge us saith Austin for our evil affections though we may want an opportunity for our evil actions N.B. Thus Christ charged all the Blood that was shed from Abel to that day upon the Priests c. Matth. 23.35 because by their consenting to shed Innocent Blood now they consented to and approved of all the Murders of the Innocent that had been perpetrated in all former Ages Nor did Saul here barely consent for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies He was well pleased with it did approve of it in thought word and deed Acts 22.4 20. and 26.10 11. as he acknowledged of himself and 't is said that this Saul made Havock of the Church Acts 8.3 which phrase makes some think that he was the Raving Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin which was prophesied by Jacob Gen. 49.27 He unlearned the Lenity and Moderation of his over-ruled Master N.B. Yet easily learned the Savage Cruelty of the mad Multitude so became as mad as the most and worst of that Rude Rabble yea stepping a degree higher beyond the ordinary
Liquor the Blood of Saints here also N.B. 'T was not sufficient to Rage in Judaea only but he will pursue them also six days Journey into Syria and his Outrage is aggravated herein that he spareth not the weaker Sex who are usually spar'd in such cases if they profess'd themselves Christians And it appeareth that the High Priest and that Council were no less outragious than he in putting a Sword into such a Mad-man's hand No less than the Destruction of the Church of Christ every where is designed by its Enemies both They and Saul hunt for Christians Lives The second Remark is Oh what an eminent Monument of Divine Mercy doth this Blood-thirsty Brute remain upon Scripture Record 1 Tim. 1.13 14 16. that a Pharisee a Persecutor of the first Magnitude and so malicious a Murderer should become a Christian an excellent Preacher of Christ and such an eminent Apostle N.B. Here a Wolf is changed into a Lamb Oh what cannot Omnipotency do out of his Free Grace Persecuting Saul is made a Praying and a Preaching Paul The Sacred Scriptures do largely relate what a notorious Villain this same Saul had been before his Conversion that none might despond or despair of the Free Grace of God so they have but hearts given them earnestly and sincerely to seek it This Man when converted doth as it were Pennance in a white Sheet confessing that he had been the chief of Sinners primus quo nullus prior aut pejor yet the Grace of Christ abounded to an overflow towards him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.14 signifies Preaching ever this great Grace This introduceth Saul's Conversion so wonderful a work of God's Free Grace as is almost without a parallel in the Sacred Record N.B. As it was once said of the Old Testament Saul in derision Is Saul also among the Prophets 1 Sam. 10 11. and 19 24. Tho' the first was spoken for a Wonder yet the latter was uttered in a Jear importing all was surely well when such a Bloody Tyrant was so tyed up manacled maugre all his malice and madness So the same may be said of this New Testament Saul even with admiration Yea this latter is the greater Wonder of the two for the old Saul in his seeking Asses did but find a Temporal Kingdom but this young Saul while he was pursuing Death strangely stumbles upon Everlasting Life N.B. Oh marvelous Metamorphosis far beyond all Ovid's Pagan Dreams Here 's not only a Wolf turned into a Lamb but here 's a Monster of Nature changed into a Miracle of Grace Here 's a Child of Wrath become a Vessel of Mercy and a Son of Perdition an Heir of Salvation The former Saul had the Spirit of Prophecy come upon him which made him another man 1 Sam. 10.6 9. and 10. but this was for the time only who spake only as Balaam's Ass did for the Gift soon left him again he was not turned into a new Spiritual Man However this made many amazed that there should be Anser inter Olores Corvus inter Musas as the Latine's Proverb is suitable to that of the Hebrews A Goose among the Swans a Crow among the Muses a Rustick Saul among the Divine Prophets N.B. But there was more matter of Amazement at the change of this latter Saul Acts 9.21 who of a Cursed Tare was turned into Blessed Wheat and had a real Transmutation a thorough Transmentation and an Abiding work upon him Saul the Persecutor was turned into Paul the Preacher The power of that Chymist is worthily praised who can most curiously not only Refine the fine Gold from its Dross but also extract pure Gold out of drossy Copper How much more is the great God to be magnified who changes Dross and base Metal into the most Refined Gold 'T is only the God of Nature that hath the true Philosopher's Stone and can change the Nature of created Beings the bad into good and the old depraved Nature into that which is new and truly Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Such a great change as this of Saul into Paul was an unaccountable matter and therefore might truly cause Amazement But the Father saith Ex quovis ligno fit Mercurius cum Digitus Dei sit Statuarius The Omnipotent God can of crooked Timber make straight Pillars in his Temple He can of very Stones raise up Children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 Nothing is too hard for that God in whose hand Saul's heart was Gen. 18.14 Job 42.2 c. This so Famous a Conversion of Saul stands Recorded in many remarkable circumstances As 1. The Time when 2. The Place where 3. The Manner how 4. The Witnesses thereof 5. The Concomitants and 6. The Consequents of it 1. The Time when it was while in the very Act of his outragious Persecution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Adulteress was John 8.4 in the very nick of his highest Rebellion against Christ Acts 9.1 2. This Furioso Saul had got his Fatal Commission out of the High-Commission-Court of the High Priest who was as full of Fury as he so needed God's Bridle rather than Saul's Spur for in this whole Book of the Acts of the Apostles in all the over-busie oppositions stirred up against the Gospel we do find the Priests not only the busiest men but also as it is related all along Acts 7.1 and 9.1 and 23 2 c. They seem to be the only Men that were the principal Persecutors Though they were indeed mostly concerned in that cursed work because they looked upon it as belonging to their Function and Interest to look after the prevention of this growing evil of the Gospel as they prophanely mis-judged it Yet had they no distinct power from the Sanhedrim save only as a part thereof This is testified by Saul himself who best knew from whom he had those killing Commissions saying that he received his Letters of Life and Death not only from the High-Priest but from all the Estate of the Elders also Acts 22.5 N B. Notwithstanding this the Sacred Story pitcheth upon the Priests as a parcel of profligate persons who principally prompted on and promoted this Persecution Saul being thus furnished with Authority fetches a compass to fire out all the Christians at Damascus and no doubt this Wolf was worrying them all the way he went with his heart no doubt but Satan suggested many a murdering thought into his mischievous mind Here this Grand Informer this principal Apparitor like a Spanish Inquisitor or rather the great Apostle of that Hellish High-Priest who yet became through Grace the true and heavenly High-Priest's Apostle passeth end-ways almost an hundred and sixty Miles from Jerusalem and within sight of Damascus at Noon-time of the day was the Time of his Call N.B. The second is the Place where it was when he was come near to Damascus Acts 9.3 The Hebrew name of that place Damesec signifies a bagg of Blood so it was called because the Rabbins
and Barnabas sent to the Gentiles THIS Divine Historian Luke the Recorder of the Acts of the Apostles having hitherto carried on the History of the Church and Gospel as both had their Reception among the Jews wherein he more peculiarly pitcheth upon the Acts of Peter and John those two special Ministers of the Circumcision more especially Peter's Now he turns his Pen to follow the planting and progress of the Gospel among the Gentiles which History he begins with the Acts especially of Paul and Barnabas who were the two singular Ministers of the Uncircumcision and more peculiarly Paul's to the very end of that Book N.B. It is not improbable that Barnabas knew before-hand as he was full of the Holy Ghost of his being designed for a Minister of the Vncircumcision and of Paul's being joyned with him in that work long before these two were sent away from Antioch upon it as Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to confirm that first Gentile Church there so his seeking out Saul as before to assist him in the same work giveth some confirmation hereof c. N.B. The solemn Mission of Saul and Barnabas to their Ministry among the Gentiles is fully related Acts 13.1 c. After they had carried the Benevolence of the Church of Antioch to that of Judaea they returned to Antioch again Acts 12.25 where they spend some considerable time at the end of which this new Gentile-Church observing a solemn Fast for the sad Famine that then was sore upon the Countrey And while in Praying and Preaching at their Publick Ministration as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies for which the Greek Scholiast reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Preaching which is the highest Office and Honour of a Gospel-Minister N.B. Though some Protestants make it only a Reading the Liturgy as the Papists translate it as they sacrificed to countenance their abominable Idol of the Mass which that Greek word can never mean the Holy Ghost gave them their Mission and Commission by the Ministry of this Church at Antioch upon this extraordinary day of Humiliation to fetch in the Gentiles who had long lain behind the Partition-wall to the Jews This could not be done without a Divine Warrant for tho' Peter in the case of Cornelius had opened a door for the Gospel to the Gentiles that was only a single gap or breach made in the Wall yet now the whole Partition-wall was to be thrown down and the Gospel was to be brought into all Gentile-Countreys and that heavenly Manna was to be Rained down at their Tent-doors when the Lord said Separate those two men to the work whereunto I have called them V. 2. which confirms that Saul and Barnabas knew their work before-hand N.B. In Paul's first Peregrination or Travel among the Gentiles as their great Apostle in conjunction with Barnabas three famous Circumstances are principally observable The first is his Egress The second is his Progress The third his Regress N.B. In his Egress from Antioch we are to consider the moving cause thereof namely his Solemn Call to undertake this Apostleship of the Gentiles in which Call are mentioned 1. The Ministers who set him apart for that Office with his Collegue Barnabas Simon Lucius and Menaen Acts 13.1 2. The Author God the Holy Ghost pointing out those two men to an Imployment of his own who were lately returned from an Imployment of the Church's verse 2. And 3. The Manner how those three above-named who were Prophets as well as Preachers understanding the Lord's mind and appointing another solemn day of Fasting and Prayer laid their hands upon Saul and Barnabas so set them apart by Ordination v. 3. This is N.B. The second Ordination or Imposition of Hands since the Gospel began which did not confer the Holy Ghost with it for these two were full of the Holy Ghost before And this was the first Ordination of Elders since the Gospel that was practised out of the Land of Judaea among the Gentiles The Remarks from the first part to wit the Egress are these First God granted to this new Gospel-Church at Antioch the extraordinary help of Prophets indued with a Spirit of Prophecy which had ceased from the days of Malachy to Christ's Time This Divine Grant of such as were partakers of Revelations was according to the present state of this new Church as necessary to its well-being until Time and Study had inabled others to be Teachers there which as yet none could attain to in its Infancy Where God denies Means he supplies Means The second Remark from the Egress is The Lord is so free an Agent in scattering his Grace that he poureth it out upon some persons even in the worst of places N.B. As appeareth in the case of this Manaen who was puer Collectaneus one that had sucked of the same Milk with Herod-Antipas the same that Beheaded the Baptist and set at nought our precious Saviour yet this Foster-Brother of Herod Manaen and brought up at Court with Herod did notwithstanding all contemn the profits pleasures and honours of the Court and imbraced the Gospel of Christ so much contemned by both the King and his Courtiers v. 2. N.B. In all Ages God hath had some to fear him and to love his good ways even in the worst of Families and Royal Courts he had his Moses in proud Pharaoh's Family his Obadiah in impious Ahab's Hall 1 Kings 18.3 13. Some good Souls in Herod's House Luke 8.2 as this Manaen also and some Believers even in the Houshold of Nero that Monster of Mankind Phil. 4.22 This Man Manaen made Moses's choice Heb. 11.25 26. The third Remark is A solemn seeking of God before any great Enterprize is a good preparation for entrance into it N.B. Our Saviour himself would not enter upon his Ministry till he had fasted forty days c. Matth. 4.2.17 If we make God our Alpha he will be our Omega therein also and will be with us in the Beginning in the Middle and in the Ending thereof too as he was with these two Saul and Barnabas in their Ministry among the Gentiles N.B. In such serious and secret Addresses at the Entrance unto God we make our humble Acknowledgment that all safety and success in our weighty Undertakings must come from God N.B. The Church's Approbation of what was done in setting Saul and Barnabas apart and their praying for God's blessing upon their Labours is said to be a sending of them forth by the Holy Ghost verse 3 4. whereby the like Apostolical Authority with all the other Apostle's Infallibility of Spirit and a Plenipotentiary Commission to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the Dispersed Gentiles were put upon them N.B. The Imposition of Hands did betoken their Separating and Consecrating to the work as the Priests under the Law did separate and consecrate the Beast for Sacrifice by laying their hands thereon And the reason of those present Actions in this first Ordination among
the Salvation of Souls Paul yielded to circumcise Timothy for that indifferent thing tho' according to the decrees of the Great Council of the Apostles it was not to be imposed was yet necessary for preserving the peace of the Church as then it was by bearing with the weak Jewish Christians to whom he condescended and with whom he complyed so far as would consist with a safe conscience abating of his own liberty to gratify their Scrupulosities and indulging their weaknesses with his stronger grace so far as he knew he should not offend God to whom he designed to gain those weak Souls thus he also comported with the Apostles in the shaveing of his head afterward Acts 21.24 Yet would not he be compelled to circumcise Titus who was a Native Gentile being a Greek which had he done the false brethren that came to spy out the liberty Paul had in Christ and preached would have won a great advantage against him for defaming him as teaching one thing among the Gentile -Churches and practiceing the contrary among the Jews now when he was come to the Apostles at Jerusalem Gal. 2.3 4. Therefore would he not yield that Titus should be circumcised least he should seem to countenance those privy Spies who held circumcision necessary to Salvation N.B. O what a pattern to posterity doth great humble charitable Paul leave here for future practice performing or forbearing what by the law of God he lawfully might according to the various persuasions of several Christians that he might become an Instrument in any degree for the Salvation of any soul and sure I am no order of men can pretend to a greater superiority as to the Conscience in spiritual matters than he undoubtedly had yet would he not exercise a Lordly dominion over the Faith of others 2 Cor. 1.24 N.B. It was therefore well done by the Ministers of Magdeburgh in stoutly opposing those of Wittenburgh and Lipswich who by their Adcaphora's as they call'd them indifferent things would have paved a way to popery And it was good council Peter Martyr gave to Queen Elizabeth that her Church-Governours should not endeavour to carry the Ark of the Gospel into England upon the Cart of Needless Ceremonies as we are doing at this Day out of it The fifth Remark is God doth not only chuse Men to be Ministers but he also appointeth the time when and the place where they shall labour in their Ministry Two hints hereof we have here both verse 6. They were forbidden by the Holy Chost to Preach the word in Asia and again verse 7. The Spirit suffered them not to go preach in Bithynia N.B. The very Journeyings of those Preachers of the Gospel as well as their Divine Exercises were all ordered by the most wise God they must neither speak act or walk but according to Divine direction as Ambrose and Chrysostom here noteth They must for this time pass by both these fore named places and Mysia too verse 8. Thus God the Great Housholder orders the Candle to be removed from one Room to another he granteth to people or withdraws from them the light of the Gospel as oft as he pleaseth Even so it pleaseth him saith Christ Matth. 11.26 N.B. To have the word forbidden to be preached was an heavyer Judgment upon those Coasts than if their Harvest or the Light of the Sun had been denyed them therefore ought all places and people highly to prize the Preaching of the Gospel as a most singular priviledge They that be without a Teaching Priest are without God also 2 Chron 15.3 Amos's Famine of the word was far worse and more deplorable than Samaria's Famine of Bread in that strait Siege c. N.B. Nor may we think that God denied those places his Grace but only retarded it for that time for afterward Paul preached there about two years together Acts 19.10 why God now with held his Grace the reasons be supposed 1. From some secret cause unrevealed 2. From the freedom of God's good pleasure whereon both our Election and our Vocation hath their foundation depending altogether on the free grace of God and not at all upon the free will of Man 3. Those places and people might be as some say reserved for the Apostle John's ure and care for the sevâ—a â—â—â—rches of Asia lay within his line c. 4 Because those provinces were nigh to other places where now famous Churches of the Gentiles were constituted from which if they had a mind they might light their Candle and whereby the knowledge of the Gospel might be easily spread through the lesser Asia But 5. 'T is probable God saw those Cities c. not at all prepared now to receive the Gospel 6. and Lastly God had another new work of greater importance wherein to imploy those Apostles which was to send them speedily into Europe Now come we to Paul's passing over out of Asia into Europe The occasion whereof was a Night-Vision he had of an Angel which appeared to him in the habit of a Graecian-man calling for his help into Macedonia which is a Greek province in Europe extending to the Archipelago Acts 16.9 10 11 12. So came he to Philippi the chief City of that part of Macedonia to help them according to the call of God for Ministers are those means by whom God helpeth a perishing people whereby the Lord plucketh his chosen ones as brands out of the fire Zech. 3.3 he draweth them out of the Devil's drudgery and pulleth them away when hanging over the Chimneys of Hell by one single rotten thread of a frail brittle life from the danger of Damnation N.B. Hereupon God's Ministers are call'd Saviours Obad. v. 21. 1 Tim. 4.16 and Redeemers Job 33.24 28. and Co-workers with Christ 2 Cor. 6.1 Tho' a wicked world take them for tormentors Rev. 11.10 This travel of Paul into Greece is marked out as a new work and such as he never had yet been imployed in namely to preach the Gospel to a Roman plantation for at Philippi the text tells us verse 12. and verse 21. There dwelt a Colony of Roman Citizens who enjoyed the freedom of the City of Rome N.B. He had indeed been always in the Roman Dominions all those Countreys of the East being then Rome's Conquests but still he conversed with other Nations as Jews Greeks Syrians and such like yet never as yet do we read of any Romans till this time now because the Roman Nation lyeth under so many sad brands in Scripture and was now become an abomination to the Jews for ruling so Rigorously over them therefore Paul's going to preach the Gospel to them hath three singular Circummstances Recorded in Scripture as so many Eminent Badges and Advertisements of it For first that when Paul c. would have gone into Asia and Bithynia the Spirit forbade them and diverted them with haste into Macedonia unto this new work of preaching to this Roman plantation Secondly That he was called to this
N.B. 200 years may be allowed him for growing into his virile State of Domineering Royalty which carries the Account to the year 600 and whether we ought to reckon from his first Rising or first Reigning hoc restat ad probandum Guessing is but a vanity where there wants Scripture light to ground and guide And 't is but a too lightly valuing a man's Reputation to venture rashly upon such Rocks as too many famous men have split their Credit upon by their particular determinations which time the best Expositor hath confuted as false but much more of this in my discovery of Antichrist largely handled there c. The second Remark is Tho' Antichrist have still many scores of years wherein to continue and make war with the Saints Rev. 13.5 7. As fixing the Epocha upon the Sixth Century doth necessarily imply N.B. Yet our Lord hath hitherto Interlaced with the tedious time of this Beast's Beastly Reign some lucid intervalls to support the feeble faith and trembling hopes of his people As in the ten Primitive persecutions God now and then stoped the carreer of those Pagan persecutors and gave his persecuted Saints a little leave as in Job's phrase to swallow down their spittle but more especially when Constantine came to the Crown N.B. And after the Church had about 97 years Rest by times which may be well meant That silence in Heaven for half an hour Rev. 8.1 At the opening of the seventh seal after the six seals had destroyed the Pagan State which the Dragon had made his drudge to destroy the Gospel-Church that brought forth the Trumpet-Prophecy so therein all along God gave his Church some little revivings in their bondage under the Papagan power or Antichrist hitherto and will do so till the vials destroy him The third Remark is Nor was this all to give his persecuted people now and then some respite intermission or some cooling times from hot persecutions only but God also scatter'd Cordials for Corroborating and Comforting their Spirits in the Evil day N.B. as 1st It was a comfort to the Church that all the Pagan persecuting Emperors were so short lived insomuch that 27 of them God blew out of the Imperial Chair in the space of 200 years and then the Devil was defeated of his first design for so far was he from routing up the Church by the Pagan power that it self was routed up by Constantine c. This the Church over-lived to see N.B. 2ly No less Joy it was to the Church to see the Devil defeated in his second design against her by his powring out the Puddle water-flood of Arrianism for then the Lord his her in the Wilderness Rev. 12.6 14. And made the Earth help her verse 16. to wit the Goths and Vandals which the four first Trumpets Summon'd in upon the Roman Empire in the year 410 and wasted the western part of it about the 480 d. year All which Interspace the Church injoy'd peace in the Exercise of Religion yea and during this double design of the Dragon against the Church the former in the form of a Pagan the latter of a Christian Arrian yet denying Christ's Deity c. beside the white robes given to those crying Souls under the Altar Rev. 6.11 N.B. The whole 7th Chapter of Sealing and Securing 144000 is brought in for the comfort of the Church Nor did his second design succeed for beside the hiding place prepared of God for his Church in persecution she was born as upon the wings of Eagles as Exodus 19 4 and Deut. 32.11 to soar above its reach Rev. 12.6 14. So that the Church had a liberty to condemn the Arrians Pelagians Nestorians and Eutychians by the 2d and 3d General Councils which swallowed up the Flood N.B. 3ly Still 't is a comfort to the Church to be preserved under Anti-christ the last attempt of a daring Devil when he found it impracticable to destroy the whole Church he makes war against the Remnant of her seed that keep close to the rule of God's word Rev. 12.17 tho' he slay the witnesses yet he cannot bury them God stirs up Friends to preserve them from perishing And as the fifth Trumpet blew up the Saracens who entered Spain the 714 years within 80 years time over-ran it and many other Countries Italy it self c. were got to the very gates of Rome which could not but cause the Pope to pull in his pushing horns so the Sixth Trumpet brings up the Turks about the twelfth Century in Ottoman's year as 't is said 1296 Joyning with the Saracens They are a curb to Papistry and a scourge to Papists Rev. 9.20 for none worship Images as Papists do As the Turks hath been a Rampart to the Protestants so hath he been and is still Rampant to Popish Countries what father Service God hath for him of that Kind is yet unknown but the sounding of the seventh Trumpet which pours out seven Vials gradually upon the beast to destroy him brings the greatest comfort Rev. 11.15 The accomplishment of this is that which we must wait for the vision being yet for an appointed time Hab. 2.3 Dan. 8.19 c. then expireth the Kingdom of the Beast and then Christs Kingdom beginneth Then the Temple of God for Christ's worship and wittnesses both which hath been supprest shall be opened Rev. 11.19 This is the third State of the Church described Rev. 20. A serene and peaceable state till the battel with all the wicked of the world which shall end with Christ's coming to Judgment and then follows the Triumphant state Rev. 21.22 Chapters Seeing these sayings there can agree with no other State Rev. Chapters 12 13.14 15 to 20. do explain what is foretold in Chap. 11. The 4th Remark is There is certainly a time predicted and prefixed by God wherein the Beloved City as the Church is called Rev. 20.9 shall have a Golden Age and Halcyon Days for a thousand years upon Earth which space of Time is repeated six several times expresly Rev. 20.2 3.4 5 6 7. tho' this whole Book of the Revelation be mostly mysterious and as Jerom saith Epist ad Paulinum quot habet Verba tot Sacramenta so many Words so many Mysteries which may most surely be asserted concerning the 20th Chapter that hath been a subject of so many differing and contrary Interpretations and variety of Opinions which is wittily called an Holy Disease Yet this was the Judgment of the Antient Fathers in the very next Age to the Apostles As 1. Tertullian contra Marcion 2. Irenaeus Tract contra omnes Haereses 3. Justin Martyr who of a Philosopher became a Christian about thirty years after the death of this John the Divine the Pen-man of this Book of the Revelation 4. Papias who was St. John's Scholar and a godly Bishop in that Time 5. Hilarius a Divine of eminent Endowments 6. Lactantius that Eloquent and Candid Writer call'd the Christian Cicero Instit lib. 7. where he expresseth this
started by that Do-evil contracted the Devil bred no small dissension and disputation which caused that most Meek Apostle Paul who was willing to become all things to all men to undertake an holy war against them that would Introduce Circumcision into the Christian Church because he could not become sin to any man verse 2. nor could he abate one Inch of the purchase of Christ which was so perfect in it self in order to Salvation that it needed no Eeks or Addittions to it out of the Ceremonial Law Therefore alloweth he not of any works of the Law to be an Ingredient into our Justification and Glorification but he must have the free Grace of God in Christ to be all in all Col. 3.11 N.B. Besides He well knew that the retaining still of Circumcision would have rendred Christ and his Gospel less acceptable among the Gentiles and also have kept possession for all the other legal ceremonies and their Re-entring amongst them for the Circumcised person was obliged by his Circumcision to observe them all Gal. 5. verse 3 4. there being the same reason for the one as for the other This was that which moved this Meek man to contend so earnestly for the Faith of the Gospel as Jude v. 3. being well assured that every small parcel of Divine Truth is pretious none of the least filings of Gold are to be carelesly cast away Oh how Zealous was mild Paul therefore in this Case Gal. 1.7 and 2.5 and 5.12 He wished that those troublers non modó circumcidantur Sed abscindantur not only to have their praeputium or foreskin but their very persons cut off to trouble the Church no more N.B. When these false Apostles pretending the Authority of the Church at Jerusalem for the maintenance of their Heresy had greatly disturbed the peace of the Church at Antioch the Church sends Paul and Barnabas who had chiefly the ministration of the Gospel among the Gentiles from Antioch to Jerusalem that the Apostles of Christ there might decide the Controversy which those Apostles of Satan had started in this New Constituted Church N.B. Humble Paul for he had learnt of his Saviour both Meekness and Humility Matth. 11.29 could be content here to be only a Messenger of this New-Church tho' he was nothing Inferiour even to the chiefest of the Apostles 2 Cor. 12.1 willingly Submitting to the Judgment of those Apostles that were then at Jerusalem hereupon he with Barnabas and other Companions undertake the Embassage who were brought on their way by the Church verse 2 3. not only to shew their due Veneration and Respect to them but also that there was no Dissension betwixt them and the Church which sent them as their plenipotentiaryes to treat about a remedy upon that Emergent mischieuous Scruple and that therefore these were the Ambassadors of Antioch and came not on their own Heads N.B. So they passed thence through Phaenice and Samaria declaring the Conversion of the Gentiles to the brethren in those places who when they heard how the Gentiles were brought from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the ever living God Acts 26.18 This caused great joy to those believers for nothing can more rejoyce the heart of a gracious man than the hearing how heathenish Souls are brought â—â—â—e to God and the Increase of the Kingdom of Christ Thence they came to Jerusalem when they had filled Samaria with this second Joy added to that first Acts 8.10 where they were received with all respect and reverence verse 4. Acts 15. for their great labour in the Lord's Vineyard among the Gentiles Acts 14.27 N.B. Paul and Barnabas who had been imployed in the Ministry of the Uncircumcision made their application peculiarly to Peter James and John who were the Ministers of the Circumcision first in private the other Apostles being gone to preach the Gospel in all probability to other parts of the World The result of this private conference was that the three of the Circumcision did kindly concurr with the two of the Vncircumcision without either detracting from what they had done already or super-adding any more things to be done by then hereafter And all was well concluded betwixt them that as the Three should mind their Ministry among the Jews so should the Two among the Gentiles requiring only that the poor of the Circumcision must be charitably remembred by those of the Uncircumcision N.B. Notwithstanding this Amicable Agreement betwixt the three and the two in private The Zealotes for the Mosaick Ceremonies in the Church at Jerusalem who abetted the opinion of the necessity of Circumcision would not be so satisfied but the matter of Controversy must come to a publick Canvasse So the Elders and Brethren met together with the Apostles in a Solemn Synod to debate the point Acts 15.6 12 22 23. The debates that were principal in this Christian Council are Three to wit First That of Peter who defending the cause of Paul and Barnabas Argueth from particulars instancing in the Conversion of Cornelius to an Vniversal namely the Justification of all the Gentiles His Syllogism consists of three Logical parts 1. His Major proposition is There is but one and the same manner of Justification toward all men 2. His Minor is Cornelius with his whole Family was justified without Circumcision which he fortifies by declaring that this was done by the Command of God ver 7. and that God had given his Testimony for approbation in giving them the Holy Ghost so their Justification was evidenced by their Sanctification ver 8. putting no difference betwixt Jew and Gentiles but purifying their Hearts by faith as well as ours having broke down the partition wall c. ver 9. Then 3. Follows this conclusion from these two premises namely that therefore justification cannot come by the works of the Law which was an intolerable and an inefficacious Yoke ver 10. but by the grace of God the Father through faith on Christ the Son by which way all the Patriarks Prophets and the Holy Progenitours were saved ver 11. Thus Peter proposeth that he would have none of Moses's burdens imposed upon the Gentiles because in a word he himself had seen the Gentiles to have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost in as free and full a measure as ever any Jews had been who were formerly the most Mosaical c. The second Speech made in this Council was that of Barnabas and Paul who affirmed that they had seen the same Divine Testimonies in the Justification of the Gentiles so they confirmed the Proposal of Peter by declaring what Miracles and Wonders God had wrought by them among the Gentiles verse 12. which was an Evidence God was pleased with their Ministration among them therefore the Gentiles being as eminent in Gifts as any of the Jews what could these Mosaick Ceremonies add to them and what need was there to trouble them with such Observances N.B. The third Speech in this Council was
that of James the Just verse 13 c. who not only seemed to be a Pillar but indeed was so Gal. 2.9 both of the Colledge of Apostles and of the Church at Jerusalem but much more as President of this great Council The Tendency of his Oration in the general was to propose a Golden Mean betwixt the two Extreams both of those that would have all the Mosaick Yokes imposed and of those that would have none at all Designing by this Medium that neither the Jews should be too much offended nor the Gentiles too heavily burdened Yet withal he subscribes to the Sentiments both of Peter and of Paul in giving his Sentence verse 19. which after his Exordium and Narrative verse 13 14. he confirms by Scripture that ought to over-rule all Debates verse 15 16 17 18. proposing not only what was to be omitted but also what for maintaing brotherly Love betwixt Jew and Gentile was to be observed verse 20. namely that the Gentiles might be required to rafrain from eating things offered to Idols and strangled and blood and fornication N.B. Which last is reckoned among indifferent things because the Gentiles then tho' falsly thought it so As he in Terence said Non est Flagitium mihi crede Adolescentem scortare c. 'T is no sin believe me for Youngsters to Whore c. But the three first however strictly they had been Imposed by the Law before were now become indifferent by the Death of Christ seeing now there was to be no more distinction of either Meats or Nations any more Yet because the Jews were so glewed to those Jewish Observances as they could not be quickly drawn to let them go v. 21. Therefore to decide this Controversie the whole Council upon this motion of James thought it meet that those Ceremonies should not be buried so soon as they were dead nor immediately dragg'd out of doors but that the Gentiles should thus far Judaize and purchase Unity with a charitable compliance till Time and fuller Acquaintance with the Gospel did more fully inform them concerning Christian Liberty whereby both the Jews and the Gentiles might be made willing to lay aside those now needless Niceties N.B. No contradiction to this Determination of the Controversie rose from any hand but there was an holy and no less happy Unity Letters are dispatched with the Decrees of this Synod wherein 1. The false Apostles are most sharply Rebuked verse 23 24. 2. Paul and Barnabas are highly commended for their Courage and Constancy verse 25 26. 3. Judas and Silas are join'd in Commission with them two that came from Antioch to assure the Church there that this Decree was not forged or counterfeited verse 27. 4. Nor was it any Humane Act but the Dictates of the Holy Ghost verse 28. And 5. That therefore it would conduce much to their Advantage if well observed and so it proved for their Joy verse 30 31. which being done Judas returned but Silas staid for farther benefit to that Church verse 32 33 34. it being enough that Judas acquainted the Apostles with this happy Issue c. Now Paul and Barnabas having staid a competent time to settle all Church Affairs at Antioch the Controversie about Circumcision being well composed they undertake their second Journey among those Gentiles where at their first Journey they had been sowing the good seed of the Word of God leaving many other faithful Teachers to carry on Gospel-work behind them thinking it not enough to sow the seed but they must take care lest it be plucked up in their absence and that Tares by the Envious One be not sown instead thereof verse 35 36. Redit labor actus in orbem An Husbandman's work is never at an end but runs in a Circle nor is that all of the Labourers in God's Vineyard there is weeding and watering-work as well as plowing and sowing before the Reaping of an Harvest 'T is supposed that at the Great Council at Jerusalem this Agreement was made betwixt Paul and Barnabas on the one party and Peter James and John on the other that those two should go among the Gentiles and these three should act among the Jews Gal. 2.9 In order hereunto James abode at Jerusalem as the Residentiary Apostle of the Countrey of Judea Gal. 2.13 and Acts 21.18 where at last he suffered Martyrdom But Peter and John went abroad among the scattered Jews who were dispersed into Forreign Countreys so that at last you find Peter at Babylon in the East 1 Pet. 5.13 and John at Patmos an Island in the West Rev. 1.9 And hereby we may conjecture how they divided their Apostolical Imployment among them N.B. But when Paul and Barnabas are about to set forth this second time the Devil starts a difference betwixt them about Mark 's going along with them as a Companion in the Ministry Barnabas being his Uncle Col. 4.10 was for preferring his Nephew and therefore desired to have his company verse 37. but Paul denied it because he had lurch'd them Acts 13.13 providing for his own ease when they were to take a Tedious Journey and an Hazardous Adventure over the high Hill Taurus which this John Mark disliked and so most timerously deserted them verse 38. This Exception seemed so weighty with Paul that he could not in Conscience give that Incouragement to such a Coward as durst not go along with them unto that work to which the Spirit of God had call'd them Acts 13.2 which was to offer life and salvation unto the Gentiles and to gather them into Christ's Sheep fold therefore stood he so stiff against Barnabas in his too much countenancing his Kinsman so that it rose to a bitter Contention between them verse 39. where Luke being a Physician useth that physical expression of a Paroxism which signifieth the hot and violent Fit of a Feaver N.B. This strife became so sharp as to the prevalent imbittering of their minds each to other and to their parting asunder each from other And it is questionable whether ever they saw the faces one of another again We read not that ever they joined together any more after this Barnabas takes Mark and Paul takes Silas and both go their several ways The Remarks from hence are these First That Satan is notoriously solicitous to sow seeds of Dissention among the Saints and will take all occasions to divide them as here and N. B Oh! what a sad story have we of the Devil 's sowing Differences betwixt Luther and Carolostadius c. both of them good men And another as sad among those that fled from Frankford in Queen Mary's Days Yea such grievous Breaches were found even among them that some of them sought to take away the life of famous Mr. Knox by picking forth some words reflecting against the Emperor out of a Sermon that he had Preached in England long before and now accusing him for that passage to the Magistrates of Frankford N.B. The Devil that Master of all