sweet Soul However they are call'd the Light of the VVorld Mat. 5.14 As well as the Salt Oh how dark Would the VVorld be in the night of Degeneracy if God had not some Orient Stars sparkling and bespangling the world though not in every part yet in every Zone and Quarter of it Such an one was our Noah here some good men in bad times an Holy remnant kept for a reserve Good Husbands cast not all their Corn into the Oven but reserve some for seed God kept his Mithe-Mispar a small few here to replant the World Add the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after what manner it is Ans 'T is as the Chaff is kept from burning while the Corn is amongst it As in all times God hath a few Pearls to preserve the many Pebbles and a few Jewels to preserve the Lumber from being destroyed so the Holy Seed call'd Statumen terrae the Substance of the Earth Isa 6.13 and the Righteous are an Everlasting Foundation Prov. 10.25 They may say with David they bear up the Pillars of the world Psal 75.3 Hence it became a common Proverb in the primitive times Absque Stationibus sanctis non staret mundus But for the Piety Presence and Prayers of the Christians the World could not subsist any longer Hence also Philo draws a good Conclusion Oremus ùt tanquam Columnae vir pius permaneat in domo ad calamitatis Remedium Let us pray that the righteous may remain as Pillars in the house with us and not perish from among us as Isa 57.1 As our blessed preservatives from imminent evils 'T is said Abraham stood yet before the Lord Gen. 18.22 And without such to stand the World could not stand for God saith oft over I will not destroy it for their sake v. 23.24 26 30,30 Lot was saved for Abrahams sake as Sodom was for Lots sake till he was departed out of it Gen. 18.23 with 19 22 and 29. And as God gave Zoar to Lot Gen. 19.21 and all the Souls in the Ship to Paul Acts 27.24 So God gives the rest of mankind to the righteous Job 22.30 Upon this account Tabor and Hermon are accounted for East and VVest Psal 89.12 For God accounts of the VVorld by the Church and upholds the World for the Churches sake And were it not for some Jehosaphats God hath in the World he would say to wicked men as Elisha said to Jehoram that wicked King I would not look towards you nor see you as before If it were not for his Elects sake God would make a short work both in and of the World Rom. 9.28 Were it not for the Elects sake there should no Flesh be saved Mat. 24.22 Neither any Jew nor any Gentile left alive were it not for his Covenant sake and his infinite mercy to his Elect deus vindictae gladium oleo misericordiae semper emollit God ever is softening the Sword of his Justice with the Oil of his mercy and hereby a remnant is reserved both of Jews and Gentiles in the VVorld and the VVorld for the Elects sake When God is most enraged and resolved yet then will he yield something unto the Prayers of his precious Servants as he did to Abraham in his interceeding for Sodom gathering ground of God four times and even then broke he off from Begging before the Lord left off from Bateing Gen. 18.22 to 33. Inference Oh then what sublime fools are wicked men in thrusting out and endeavouring to destroy the righteous from among them What is this but to pull an old house the World upon their own heads As Noah did ransom the old World from ruine for 120 years when God was resolved upon it as well as repented he had made it to see whether men would repent of their sins and seek reconciliation by righteousness and by returning to God as Dan. 4.27 Thus Aaron stood betwixt the Living and the Dead Num. 16.48 And so the Plague was stayed by his offering Incense and many a time would God have destroyed Israel had not Moses c. stood in the Gap Psal 106.23 and 30. Thus Elias prayed Jam. 5.18 And Amos also Amos. 7 5 6. And God removed both those Judgments The very presence as well as Prayers of the Righteous doth ransom places and people from ruine were it not that some Clusters that have blessings in them the Churches of Saints be found upon Englands Vine-tree God would lay his Ax to the Root of it and cut it down never to cumber the ground any more Isa 65.8 Mat. 3.10 no sooner was Lot out of Sodom but God rain'd down Hell out of Heaven upon it no sooner was Augustin departed but Gods Judgments came down upon Hippo as after Luthers departure upon Germany and after Pareus his Death upon Heidelberg no sooner was Josiah dead but Jerusalem was destroyed 'T is not those Elijahs that trouble Israel as wicked Ahab said but 't was he himself and his wicked House 1 Kin. 18.17 18. Those reputed troublers of the City Acts 16.20 do really ransom the City from trouble and such as are accounted to turn the World upside down Acts 17.6 do indeed preserve the World from being so turned Some places indeed are so sinful that God saith If Noah Daniel and Job were in it it should not be ransomed from ruine Ezek. 14.20 Yet commonly such Servants of God save places and people both from Imminent and Incumbent Evils by their Prayers and by their Presence 'T is a sign of high Divine Displeasure when a place is bereaved of the Prayers of Gods people by Gods Command as when God bid Jeremy pray not for this people Jer. 14.11 for their good for God seems to say that he can do nothing against a place while his people pray for it let me alone saith God to Moses that I may destroy them Exod. 32.10 Ligatum habent sancti deum ut non puniat nisi Ipsi permiserint The Saints as it were bind Gods hands to the peace so that he cannot punish unless they permit at the Father glosseth upon that Text which seems to intimate that Moses's Intercession for Israel was through Divine condescension too strong for Gods Indignation against them Yet 't is an higher evidence of Divine Displeasure when a place loseth both the Prayers and Presence of Gods people This was Abrahams argument Wil t thou destroy the Righteous with the wicked That be far from thee c. Gen. 18.23 24 25. And. God grants the cogency of the Argument v. 26. Why are not the Tares now pluckt up 'T is for the Wheat sake though thin sown that is present among them therefore saith Christ Let the Tares alone until the Harvest Mat. 13.28 29 30. Thus the World is preserved for the Elects sake Therefore when the Righteous are taken away 't is a sure sign that some great evil is coming on Isa 57.1 Hence the loss of their presence should be laid to heart When a loving Father removeth his best
hundred and eight which with the Twelve Apostles made up the one hundred and twenty mentioned Acts 1.15 who were designed for the Ministry 2. Because Believers still abode in Jerusalem verse 3. which Saul made Havock on and which remained under the Inspection of the still remaining Apostles who otherwise would have been left without work Except the Apostles who were commanded to stay at Jerusalem Luke 24.47 and Acts 1.8 that they might confirm the Gospel-Church which was to succeed the Jewish Synagogue N.B. This they do being well assured that while the Lord hath any work for them to do there he both could and would preserve them as he did the Bush in the midst of the Fire Exod. 3.3 from the Rage of their ouragious Enemies No doubt but abundance of those many thousands of Believers were frighted away with the 108. to save their lives by flight while this Bloody Wolf Saul made such havock of the whole Flock sparing no Sex c. verse 3. This was the disturbance c. This bold daring Wolf who had been but a Spectator in stoning of Stephen waxing worse and worse is now become a principal Actor he became the worse by acting his hellish part the better breaking into every house So earnest was this Wolf of his Prey and like a Mad-man spares not Women as well as Men wreaking his raging Malice upon the weaker Sex and acting what was below a Man haling Women who are commonly exempted from Spoil Tyranny and Persecucution so out-doing Pharaoh and Herod who were the two Arch-Tyrants in all Ages for their matchless Outrage upon that Innocent Age of Children yet murdered they only the Males and spared the Females Exod. 2.16 and Matth. 2.16 Nor did that mad Crew which Crucified Christ offer violence to the weeping Women at his Cross but Saul worse than all forgets himself to be a Man or his Mother to be a Woman drags both Men and Women Sad havock is made of the Church when such as may bear for the Church Persecutors forbear not but all suffer for Truth Women as well as Men when Saul brake up house after house so that the 108 Teachers could find no private place peaceably to meet in for Teaching the People this caused the fad scattering of the Church and this was the dark side of this Divine Dispensation a dismal Disturbance Now come we to take a prospect of the bright side thereof a beautiful Intermixture of marvelous Mercy and remarkable Deliverance c. CHAP. VIII The Fourth Persecution THE Remarks of Mercy mixed with this Church's Misery are these 1. God over-powers the Devil in setting bounds and limits to all his and his Instrument's Persecutions saying to them as to the unruly Ocean Thus far shalt thou go and no farther and here shall thy proud Waves be stayed Job 38.10 11. N.B. No Reason can be rendred why the main Raging Sea doth not overflow the many small Islands of Dry Land that are seen in Maps and found by Mariners in all parts of the habitable World save only this that the great God hath set Bars upon it by his Divine Decree God hath shut it up in his Decreed place the hollows of the Earth with Bounds and Banks As it was the incomprehensible work of God's Wisdom and Power to produce such a prodigious vast powerful Body of that fluid Element out of nothing at the first like an Infant out of his Mother's Womb Job 38.8 so 't is no less a work of wonder that God can as easily Rule and Repress that unruly Sea as the Mother or Nurse can her sucking Infant when 't is swathed up with Swadling-bands verse 9. This is a work of God's great Power and is therefore instanced and insisted upon in Scripture as here and Psal 107.23 to 30. and Jer. 5.22 c. God holds the Sea in his hand as in a Pit that it cannot pass out of the hollow of God's hand to overflow the Land in the least of those little Islands but the Tide is pulled back by an Ebb c. N.B. Thus the great God butted and bounded the Roaring and Raging Waves of this great Persecution though the Enemy came now in like a Floud yet the Spirit of the Lord did lift up a Standard against him Isa 59.19 and made him stand at his appointed Bounds beyond which he could not pass Though Stephen shall be stoned and the Teachers with other Believers shall be scattered by the Adversary yet not one more shall be murdered a Church still though not so very numerous shall remain in Jerusalem and the Twelve Apostles shall stay there untouched in the midst of that fiery Furnace to comfort and cherish the Church in that sad deplorable and scattering Day maugre the Malice of angry Men and of inraged Devils The second Remark is As God over powered the Devil so he over-witted him in this Fourth Persecution The Wisdom of God out-wits all the Seven Heads of the Dragon's Beast as the Power of God proves too hard for his Ten Horns insomuch that all the Plotting-heads and the Pushing-Horns do but Aethiopem lavare labour in vain as here This scattering Persecution by which the Devil designed to destroy and smother the Gospel did propagate and spread it the more Acts 8 4◠c. and Acts 11.19 They that were scattered went every where Preaching the Word not only in Judea and Samaria but they that were scattered abroad upon the Persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phaenice the Countrey about Tyre and Cyprus that famous Isle in the Mediterranean Sea and Antioch the Metropolis of Syria N.B. Which City by this means became in time the New Jerusalem of the Gentile-Church as Old Jerusalem out of which they were now banish'd had been hitherto of the Jewish Church the principal Seat Acts 11.19 20 26. which place is exegetical explaining what was more briefly intimated Acts 8.4 This City Antioch will be Renowned to the World's end because the Banner of Christ was first Erected therein and Believers listed themselves under him as their Ensign-Bearer Cant. 5.10 and Captain Heb. 2.10 and had the honour to be call'd by his sacred Name Christians not nick-named so by the Enemies of Christianity who scornfully called all Professors of Christ Nazareans or Nazarites supposed to arise from Peter's weakness in his Judaizing at this City Gal. 2.11 but it was done by Divine Direction as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import being rendred warned of God Heb. 11.7 The name of Christians signifies Anointed ones 1 John 2.27 which Divine Unction hath made many Myriads of Believers in all Ages in despite of the Devil to be Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. v. 6. that is in a spiritual sense such as ever durst own Christ and did glory in the name of being call'd Christians N.B. Oh! that we may hold fast the Profession of our Faith Heb. 4.14 and 10.23 being mindful of this holy Oil poured upon us in
suppose that City to be built upon that very plat of ground where Cain murdered his Brother Abel and bloody Saul would have dip'd this Damascus of a deeper Dye by acting in the Spirit of old Cain to shed the blood of many new Righteous Abels there N.B. Oh stand and wonder how Christ suffered this Mad-man to march end-ways without any Disturbance for five whole days together and for the middle of his sixth day while he was hoping to pepper the poor Professors of Christ in Damascus Object But it may be here demanded What had the High-Priest to do in Damascus which had a King of its own over it 2 Cor. 11.32 and a Deputy-Governour also Answer the first Though the Romans had subdued Judaea Syria c. yet they suffer'd the Jews both at home and abroad in the places of their Dispersion where they had several Synagogues whom they still styled Brethren Acts 22.5 to live according to their own Law and Religion whereupon the High-Priest as Prince and President of the Sanhedrim might judge of any Jews Crime and Imprison c. Though this Council had not power to determine in matters capital which the Romans reserved unto themselves as also to pronounce the Judicial Sentence of Death and the power of publick Execution as is clear in Christ's Caese who was Crucified by Pilate's power Answer the second Hereupon this Plenipotentiary Persecutor carries his Credential Letters to this place taking along with him a great many Sergeants and Bailiffs to Arrest the Christians in that City that he might bring them bound to Jerusalem Acts 9.2 because he feared those Dissenters would find too much favour among those Gentiles had they been Tried in their Courts and because it was impossible a Prophet should perish in any place but in Jerusalem Luke 13.33 That City must fill up the measure of its iniquity Matth. 23.32 And when her Ephah was full then was she to be Ruined and removed Zech. 5.6 8. and 11. This Cutting Commission from the Soveraign Sanhedrim Saul was to deliver to the Deputy-Governour under King Aretas who was now as Josephus saith warring against King Herod for putting away his Daughter and taking Herodias to Wife in Aretas his Daughter's stead and those Pestilent Informers could easily gain the Governour to be on their side to assist them by slandering the Christians that they were Traitors to the King of Damascus and took King Herod's part c. The third Remarkable Circumstance is The Manner how this chief Commissioner of Satan was converted by and to Christ which in the general the particulars being referred to the Concomitants is thus described while Saul was marching with a bloody mind the last day of his Journey and was got near even within the sight of his much desired Damascus resolving to Ruine many Christian Families by ragingly rushing in upon them c. before he slept that night Behold in the midst of all those his murdering Imaginations and malicious Diabolical Machinations even then when he was almost at the end of his Devilishly designed Journey there meets him the Lord Jesus and prebably in his glorified Body unhorseth him or knocks him down if on foot as with a Thunder-bolt or Flash of Lightning as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read circumfulguravit cum the Lord thundered and lightened round about him to stun and astonish him but not to stone him with a Thunder-stone or a spire of Lightning as he had stoned Stephen by other wicked hands And the Thunder of Christ's Power uttered this Voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 This terrible Noise and dazling Light from Heaven makes this proud and presumptuous Persecutor fall down to the Earth He could not but be sensible of the Affrighting presence of the great God who was wont to make himself known in so amazing a manner to meer mortals N.B. Saul being learned in the Law could not but know that Daniel himself a man greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 did in a prostrate posture Reverence the Majesty of God's presence Dan. 8.17 and 10 9. How much more such a matchless wretch as himself who had justly deserved no better a denomination than to be reputed a Man or rather a Monster greatly to be abhorred being conscious to himself that he was a Villain of the first Magnitude and had bid Defiance of the deepest Dye against the God of Heaven and Earth c. Christ calls Saul by his name to mind him that he was doing the Devil's Drudgery just as his old Name-sake Saul had done in persecuting David who was the Father Type and Figure of Christ and that name Saul is doubled not only the more to awaken him but also to shew his greater commiseration of him And though Christ was now above the reach of Saul's Rage N.B. Yet because he and his Church make but one Body he saith to Saul Why persecutest thou me I am the Head of my Church and do feel my self wounded in my Members of the Saints In whom I live Gal. 2.20 and to whom thou art injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 All injuries done to my little ones I take them as done to my self Mat. 25.35 c. And in all their afflictions I am afflicted Isa 63.9 As the honour of the Head redounds to the Members so their sorrows and sufferings do reach unto the Head Our Head is not sensless though it be in Heaven when his Members suffer although they be on Earth N.B. Our Lord retains still both a feeling and a fellow-feeling and is not only sensible of his Saints saying He that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 but is also tender over them saying likewise He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of my Eye Zech. 2.8 or Why persecutest thou me may be emphatically meant of Christ himself And why me for what demerit of mine Sure I am it is causless on my part It cannot be but for my good deeds that thou dost it I have given thee no other cause to persecute me but this that I have so loved thee as to lay down my Life for thee Thus Christ speaks and Saul says Who art thou Lord verse 5. Art thou God or art thou an Angel This learned man in the Law was an Ignoramus in and knew little of the Gospel He knew something of God the Father in the Old Testament but nothing of God the Son in the New therefore he asks Who art thou He answers not therefore Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth as the Child Samuel did 1 Sam. 3.9 N.B. Saul under this consternation is answered by his sweet Saviour I am Jesus whom thou persecutest 't is hard for thee to kick against the pricks There are more words added to this short Answer Acts 22.10 and 26.14 In which places this short History hath a more ample and plenary Relation However so much is Related and Recorded in this place Acts 9.5 as gives Saul an account 1. That though Saul might not directly design to persecute Christ himself
the Gospel must retire out of Damascus into Arabia also where he was as it were Case-hardened for his ensuing Tryals N.B. No sooner is Saul returned out of Arabia unto Damascus again but immediately most eminent danger attended him wherein two things are most remarkable 1. By whom this danger was created Acts 9.23 24. And 2. By what means he escaped it verse 25. First The creators of this danger to Saul were his former Adversaries whom he had put to silence and so confounded verse 22. that they resolved then as before to answer him by Arms because they could not by Argument fraud or force being the best Mediums of Dispute with a baffled Antagonist Oh how long did Anger as Solomon saith Eccles 7.9 rest in the bosom of those fools For no lesser a time than about three years as some suppose If the Quarrel was started as is probable enough at his first Entrance into the Ministry N.B. Now upon his Return again how were their Souls sowred as the Lump is by the Leaven and the Vessel is by the Vinegar by this so long continuing Anger corrupting their hearts wherein it rested This sowre Sataniz'd Spirit stirred them up to lye in Ambush for his Life which some faithful Friend or other the design taking wind discovered to him and though they watched the Gates night and day with a purpose to kill him had he passed forth so that there was no way in their Apprehensions for making this escape yet the Lord delivered him Secondly How and by what helps This is more largely related by himself 2 Cor. 11.32 33. than it is here by Luke There it is intimated that those cursed Jews whom Saul had confounded by dint of a convincing Disputation had informed Aretas the King who was now in War against Herod the King for putting away his Daughter to make room for Herodias that Saul was come thither as Herod's Spy therefore did his Souldiers watch the Gates to apprehend him by the Order of Aretas's Substitute Yet by the help of those Christians who dwelt in Damascus he was let down in a Basket by the Wall so escaped he from their bloody hands The second place of Saul's exercising his Apostolical Office among the Jews for his work in Arabia was among Gentiles and not Recorded in Scripture to which I am confined was Jerusalem as his first was Damascus Saul's Journey to Jerusalem at this time hath many great Remarks As First He went not to this place until he was forced thither by flight from Damascus for saving his own life for which he had the Lord's Warrant to do Matth. 10.23 and which all Casuists do approve of when Persecution is personal especially leaving likewise a sufficient supply behind him N.B. Nor did Saul sin in this escape though it was done against the Roman Law which forbad all leaping over the Walls of a City or Garrison For Tully himself tells us that Loges semper ad aequitatem flectendae sunt Laws must always be interpreted in a sense most leaning to Equity And Apices Juris non sunt Jus the sense of the Law is the Law and not always the Letter Besides God's Glory and the good of Souls were more concerned in Saul's life whose Apostolical work was but now in the Embrio than to have it sacrificed to a quaint Punctilio of Obedience to an Humane Law made upon a meer Heathen Politick consideration God hath not set his Ministers as standing Marks or Butts to be shot at c. therefore was Tertullian too rigid in condemning all kind of flight in times of Persecution Saul fled both by the consent and by the help of the Church here The second Remark is Nor did Saul resort now to Jerusalem that he might receive an Apostolical Commission from the Colledge of Apostles there for that he had received three years before by an immediate Revelation from Christ himself and of this himself gives a large and liberal account Gal. 1.16 17 18 19. where he saith that he upon his Conversion conferred not with flesh and blood namely not with his own carnal Reason which is an evil Counsellor in spiritual matters only but also not with any mortal Man no not with the Colledge of the Apostles whom he calls Flesh and Blood agreeable to Matth. 16.17 1 Cor. 15.50 Ephes 6.12 and Heb. 2.14 Intimating hereby not only that he did not oppose his own carnal Reason to that extraordinary command he had personally and plainly received from Christ himself which would have been no better than down-right Rebellion but also that he did not learn the Gospel which he Preached from the Apostles for he had Preach'd it three years before this Journey to Jerusalem and when he now came thither he staid there but fifteen days which could not be a time long enough to learn such a profound Mystery in Nor did he then see any of the Apostles save Peter and James for probably all the other Apostles were either scattered from Jerusalem at Saul's first Journey thither by Persecution or they were attending their particular Charges of Apostleship in other places according to Rom. 12.7 Yea so far was he from learning any thing from Peter that he tells how he withstood him to the face afterwards Gal. 2.11 c. The third Remark is When Saul came near to Jerusalem neither his Conversion nor his Call to Preach the Gospel were heard of there insomuch that the Disciples in that City were afraid to admit him into fellowship with them Acts 9.26 for he was not known by face to them or to the Churches in Judaea Gal. 1.22 So far was he from learning the Christian Religion much farther from receiving his Apostolical Authority from them The Reasons of their not knowing him as a Convert and as a Preacher c. though they all knew him too well by smarting experience as a Persecutor when he made such havock among them Acts 8.3 may probably be supposed to be these 1. The great distance betwixt Jerusalem and Damascus being an hundred and twenty Miles or six days Journey 2. The little correspondence betwixt those two Cities while the two Kings Aretas King of Damascus and Herod King of the Jews waged War against one another as before which must intercept all interchange of Letters 3. The Persecution that then Raged at Jerusalem might discourage the Converts of Damascus from having any concourse or resorting thither 4. But above all the Remoteness of Arabia where Saul might spend some considerable part of his three years absence from Jerusalem betwixt which two places there could be but little Commerce Therefore those Disciples who had formerly felt his Raging Fury might justly be afraid of taking him into intimate communion with them though his Rage had been three years ago He must be a Probationer for some time before his Admission into Church Communion Our Lord himself would not lightly commit himself to any John 2.24 And this same Paul that stood some while Probationer
Heaven with joy not to part any more c CHAP. XXI Paul 's going to Jerusalem NOW come we to Paul's Passage from Miletum unto Jerusalem Acts 21. where those places through which he passed thither are mentioned As 1. To Coos and the next day to Rhodes two Islands in the Mediterranean Sea verse 1. 2. Then to Phenicia bordering upon Palestine yet in the Country of Syria whose chief City was Tyre and there he landed with his Company and stayed seven days verse 2 3 4. where he was foretold what should befal him at Jerusalem and from whence after he had spent one Lord's day with the Disciples of that City and after prayer at parting with those that Accompany'd him out of the City He 3. Passed on to Ptolemais a City and Sea-Town of Phenicia where he abode with the Brethren but one day verse 5 6 7. Then 4. From whence he passed to Cesarea a City in Palestine mentioned Acts 10.1 and 18.22 where he lodged with Philip the Evangelist and tarry'd there many days till he was told again of the fate that should befall him in Jerusalem yet all cannot diswade him from his Journey thither verse 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. 5. From Cesarea he passeth on to Jerusalem which was his Terminus ad quem the place to which as Miletum was his Terminus a quo the place from whence he went In his return from the last mentioned Peregrination through many parts both of Europe and Asia now is Paul got to the end of his Journey namely to Jerusalem verse 15. His Host that lodged him when Lodging could not but be very scarce at Pentecost seeing all the Males in Judea were Summoned thither Mnason an old Disciple verse 16. Then follows his acceptance in general with the whole Church v. 17. and in special with James and the Elders verse 18.19 to whom he gives a full Narrative of what God had wrought by him among the Gentiles for which they glorified God verse 20. N.B. Yet because the believing Jews who being wonderful many by the blessing upon the Gospel were still zealous for the Rites of Moses not understanding their freedom from them by the Messias throughly c. Those Elders persuade Paul to take off that prejudicate opinion which the Vbelieving Jews out of Asia had instilled into the minds of these Believing Jews at Jerusalem against him verse 21 22 23 24. This Paul doing at their persuasion verse 26. A Tumult ariseth by the instigation of the Vnbelieving Jews of Asia verse 27. Paul is Apprehended Accused and in Danger of his life verse 28 29 30. but rescued by the chief Captain verse 31 32. yet he bound him to make his defence ver 33. to v. 40. N.B. From those Resolves of Paul's passage by several Stages and Journeys to Jerusalem do flow those few following Remarks The first is Dearest Friends and Relations not only those in the Flesh but more especially those related in the Spirit have a most sad sorrowful and a most involuntary parting one from another as here Acts 21. v. 1. N.B. Luke useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that we were pulled from them The same word he had used Acts 20.30 for Heretical Teachers drawing away Disciples that is tearing them Limb meal as the Greek word signifies by a violent avulsion and destraction of one Limb from another as Wolves do with the worried Lamb they devour compelling them by their forcible persuations to Imbrace such distorted Doctrines as produce at length sad and dolorous Convulsions of Conscience while they thrust their Proselytes out of God's way Deut. 13.5.6 13. and as Jereboam did drive Jsrael from following the Lord 2 Kin. 17.21 N.B. Thus were those dear and Spiritual Relations pull'd in pieces here at their parting with Paul it was as if the head had been driven off from the body whose face they must see no more with great difficulty and reluctancy And thus we part with our dying as well as departing Friends who dye in the Lord and fall asleep in Jesus Yet this consideration may comfort us we do but bid such dear Friends good night for we must hope to see them again in the morning of the Resurrection as these did Paul c. here The second Remark is As Paul passed with a straight course towards the old Jerusalem verse 1. so would to God we could do so towards the New-Jerusalem which cometh down from Heaven Gal. 4.25 26. Heb. 12.22 Rev. 3.12 and 21.2 10. N.B. We are commanded to make straight our paths Hebr. 12.12 13. our ways may not be Hubby and Rough no more than crooked ways least our weak and Lame Legs stumble upon some Stumbling stone whereby we may be turned out of God's way which leads directly to this Jerusalem Such as turn aside to crooked paths shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.5 All by-ways from holiness are but high-ways to Hell We should not leap over the hedge of any Commandment for escaping any piece of foul way least the Old Serpent bite us Eccles. 10.8 N.B. But we should do as those Kine of the Philistines did which tho' they had Calves at home yet held straight on their way with the Ark of God to Bethshemesh that house of the Sun as that name signifies 1 Sam. 6.12 Oh that we could do so toward Heaven that house of the Sun of Righteousnes Tho' we have divers objects in our way to divert us Solomon directs us to keep a direct course saying Let thine eyes look right on Pro. 4.25 oculum irretortum in metam Get your eyes fixt upon the right Mark and Object without wandring from it This requires a Patriarch's eye well skill'd in Moses's Opticks Heb. 11.27 we ought not intently to look upon that which we may not lawfully love He that would not hear the bell must not meddle with the Rope c. ponder the paths of thy feet verse 26. namely by the weights of the word and turn not to the right hand c. verse 27. Keep the Kings high way Do as those Mariners with Paul here kept a straight course having their eye on the Star and their hand on the Stern c. The third Remark is The Spirit of Prophecy doth not reveal all things to those upon whom it cometh Thus was it here some of those Disciples at Tyre told Paul through the Spirit that he should not go to Jerusalem verse 4. foretelling by the Spirit of prophecy of his sufferings in that City as Agabus the Prophet did after at Cesarea v. 10 and 11. which afterwards did truly come to pass It seems those prophetick Disciples did but know in part N.B. This same Apostle saith we know in part and we prophecy in part 1 Cor. 13.9 that is we our selves have but a short and imperfect communication of matters from the Spirit of Prophecy we can therefore communicate but an imperfect degree of knowledge to others we know but imperfectly
because we are taught or at least learn but imperfectly Thus those good men being ignorant of that special command Paul had to go this Journey to Jerusalem Acts 19.21 and 20.22 c. they did according to what they knew out of mere Commiseration and true Charity diswade Paul from that Journey But it may be Objected N.B. These good men knowing that the Spirit by which they spake of Paul 's sufferings at that City was infallible and could not Err or be mistaken How come they to diswade him from going to Jerusalem N.B. This Objection hath a double Answer First It was with him as it had been with Elisha in another case saying The Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told me 2 Kin. 4.17 He knew not all things at all times So here the Lord and his Spirit had not told these prophecying Disciples far short of that Eminent Prophet who had a double portion of the Spirit of Elija upon him whereby he wrought a double number to his Master's miracles How Paul went bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem but thinking it to be his own Voluntary choice and understanding by Divine Revelation how much this Enterprize would indanger him they out of their own private Spirit of compassion and humane affection toward him but not from any special command of the Spirit of God desired him not to venture himself thither The 2d Answer is Those men might probably think also that this prediction of Paul's sufferings there was only conditional in case he ventured to Jerusalem in like manner David was told that the men of Keilah would deliver him up to Saul 1 Sam. 23. v. 11 12. to wit in case he had been so fool-hardy as to betrust himself among and with them Thus it is apparent that the Spirit of truth never crosseth or contradicteth himself in any of his Revelations The fourth Remark is Believers come under a double denomination here They are called Disciples verse 4 and Brethren verse 7. N.B. This Reason may be rendred for it Believers in Ptolemais were gathered to-together into Church-Order and had Church-Meetings so are call'd Brethren but not so at Tyre where they lived under no Church-power c. So are call'd Disciples only NB. Where the number of Believers are dispersed and not yet Collected into Church Fellowish with Order and Officers there they are called Disciples or Schollars of Christ only as Beza observeth but when they joyn themselves into Church-Union and Communion then are they honoured with that highest Title of brethren as both in verse 7. and 17. Then the Staff of Bands and the Staff of Beauty Zech. 11. verse 7. are both together Where the bands of the Communion of Saints are found there is far more beauty of holiness than where Christians live in a scattered condition one from another The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being of Christianity may be there in the former where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or well-being of it cannot be found as in the latter N.B. The Flowers of the Garden may be indeed flowers yea and Fragrant flowers too in themselves while they grow in the several beds or pots at distance one from another but they become much more fragrant and odoriferous when they are gathered together and bound up in a Nose-gay and so presented according to this Apostle's own phrase 2 Cor. 11.2 as an incorrupted Virgin to Christ that the smell of her Graces may refresh his eye and ravish his heart Cant. 4.9 10. The fifth Remark is Those Primitive-Gospel-times God most highly honoured with the powrings out of his spirit upon all Flesh N.B. For under the Law God gave out of his spirit but in lesser measures and comparatively by drops only But under the Gospel and the first fruits thereof our blessed Messiah powred out his spirit not here a little and there a little as before but now more largly and plentifully as it were whole pales full at once yea even to an overflow were the fillings of the Spirit at that time they were filled therewith over and over again Acts 2.4 and 4 31. And this was done upon all sorts of Mortals as well on Gentiles as Jews N.B. Contrary to their proud conceit that God gave himself to no people out of the Land of Israel yea and that without distinction of Sex or Rank as he had promised that Sons and Daughters yea Servants and Hand-maids should have the Spirit and Prophecy Joel 2.28 and in part fulfilled Acts 2.17 18. N.B. More particularly upon the Female Sex as upon Anna the Prophetess Luke 2.36 and upon those four Daughters of Philip here Acts 21.8 9. whereby God shewed the inlargement of his loving-kindness which he reserved for the first Gospel-times Here both the Father and his four Daughters are honourably Recorded in their high Advancement For 1. The Father was but a Deacon Acts 6.5 who preaching so successfully at Samaria Acts 8 and discharging his Deacon-ship so well that he purchased to himself this higher degree according to the Apostle's own Rule 1 Tim. 3.13 of being an Evangelist which was an Office placed next to Apostles and above Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 and who were not confined to any place and people as the ordinary Officers are but to preach the Gospel every where as Timothy was exhorted to do 2 Tim. Ch. 4. v. 5. N.B. This Philip was honoured to be the Apostle's Host at Cesarea Acts 21.8 2 His four Daughters are Recorded to be Virgins to wit by their Fathers and their own voluntary consent as 1 Corinth 7.37 not as the Popish Votary-Nuns it is not said that they continued in that state but that they were also prophetesses in foretelling things to come not publick preachers contrary to 1 Corinth 14.34 and 1 Tim. 2.12 c. The sixth Remark is The Sufferings of the Saints and Servants of God are not fortuitous as comming by chance or casualty nor are they only from the power of persecutors but they are all fore known ordained and ordered by the most wise God N.B. Thus was it with Paul in his persecutions they Sprang not out of the Dust Job 5 6. but were determined by a Divine decree as his Lords and Masters were Acts 2.23 and 4.28 against whom Pilate could not have prevailed unless power had been given him from above John 19.11 Thus all the sufferings of Christ's Servants are the matter of God's prescience council and providence as well as purpose from all eternity Eph. 3.11 As Paul's sufferings were fore-ordained by God so they were foretold both by and from God N.B. Thus the Lord said at Paul's first Call and Conversion I will shew him how greatly he must suffer for my name's sake Acts 9.16 even as great things as ever he himself caused others to suffer both by the malice of the Jews his own Country-men and by the fury of Gentiles Whereof we have a Catalogue from himself 2 Cor. 11. verse 23. and this was made known
to him by the Holy Ghost Acts 20.23 and by Men inspired with the Spirit Acts 21.4 and here again by the Prophet Agabus ver 10 and 11. who took Paul 's Girdle wherewith he bound him both hands and teet c. By which outward sign and symbol parallel to that of Jer. 27.2 and ordinary exemplifications of the prophets as Isa 20.2 Jer. 13.1 Ezek. 12.5 which custom the false Prophets also took up 1 Kings 22.11 and Jer. 28.10 11. he fore-shewed what should befal Paul as it were fulfilled verse 33. N.B. This Agabus did not so much for Paul's sake who knew it before but for others sake Accordingly it is foretold to us what we must expect in the way to Heaven which is not a Milky but a Bloody way Acts 14.22 and 2 Tim. 3.12 The seventh Remark is The constancy of holy sufferers in undergoing those Sufferings God calls them unto is a great confirmation to other believers N.B. Thus it was here when those believers at Cesarea heard what was foretold would befall Paul at Jerusalem they out of tender Compassion toward him and out a deep sense what a grievous loss it would be to lose so great a Light do importune him with tears to forbear his Journey to Jerusalem verse 12. tho' their tears did melt Paul into tears also insomuch that there began a strange strife as betwixt David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.40 c. whither should out weep each other he grieving to see them so grieved Yet holds he his right Roman yea true Christian Resolution of being obedient to the Conduct of the Holy Spirit tide good or tide Evil to him verse 13. 'T was a brave Speech of great Pompey necesse est ut eam nou ut Vivam 'T is necessary I should go not that I should live but Braver in this undaunted Champion who said Acts 20.24 He counted not his Life dear to him N.B. And here What mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus verse 13. Thus he who seemed to be altogether insensible of his own griefs which waited for him every where as he knew and said Acts 20.23 was out of an Holy Sympathy exceedingly grieved at this grief of his Friends and thereby bore a double burden both his own and theirs that thus Recoiled upon him Thus as Christ's Love to him was stronger than Death Cant. 8.6 So aqué non aequaliter as well tho' not as much was his love strong to Christ back again and there ought to be the like Reciprocation of love in us to Christ also or it is not of the Same nature with his not begoten by it N B. When those Believers saw such a most Masculine disingaged and most couragious Zeal and resolvedness in him this confirmed their faith and they commit the event to God verse 14. Crying The will of the Lord be done according to the third Petition in the Lord's Prayer at Christ's command Mat. 6.10 and Luke 11.2 and according to Christ's own Example in his own case Matth. 26.42 and Luke 22.42 N.B. Here we ought in all our Perturbations of mind by crosses losses c. to Centre our souls when God's will is done our will must be done also We must say Amen to God's Amen and put our fiat and our places to God's we must have the same mind and Spirit that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 making our lives as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ in resigning our wills to God 1 Pet. 2.9 otherwise we are none of his Rom. 8.9 The eighth Remark is True faith is not daunted at the sight of the Cross but couragiously goeth forward and resolutely follows the call of God as here v. 15. N.B. Paul and his companions who had so passionately and so compassionately diswaded him from his designed Journey make up their packs put on bag and baggage trudge away with their truss'd up fardles as all ready prest and prepared to face any danger in Jerusalem unto which place they resolved to travel and cast themselves upon the Lord whom they knew was able to preserve them This did Paul tho' he was foretold of his sufferings and did certainly fore know even of such and so many-reckon'd up by himself 2 Cor. 11. N.B. As scarce ever were heaped upon any one man's back excepting Christ yet go he will and preach the Gospel he will even in Jerusalem it self amongst those murderers of Christ whom he loved much because Christ had forgiven him much Luke 7.47 and he thought that he could never do nor suffer enough for Christ who had done and suffered much more for him Who now called him hereunto N.B. With the like Spirit said Famous Luther I will surely go to the City Wormes seeing I am sent for thither by the Emperor tho' I knew there were so many Devils to resist me as there are Tiles to cover the Citizens houses c. This he said to Spalatinus who asked him if he would adventure Yea and those friends of Paul were so warmed with his lively coal that they give over to diswade him and resolve to take their own share with him in the danger The ninth Remark is When the Lord calleth any of his Servants to suffering-work he leaves them not altogether destitute even of some Creature-comforts in their way thither Thus was it here with Paul when posting in all hast to meet with his Cross N.B. there went with him certain of the Disciples of Cesarea besides his own other companions who brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus an old Disciple with whom we should Lodge ver 16. This Mnason our translation intimateth was in that company which Journyed with Paul now to Jerusalem but some rather suppose that those Disciples of Cesarea conducted Paul and his company to Mnason's house in Jerusalem for tho' he was of Cyprus and supposed to be converted when Paul and Barnabas were there Acts 13. verse 4. yet had he now an house in this great City who was willing to entertain Paul and to be as another Gaius the host of the Church Rom. 16.23 N.B. Take it in the former sense and it was no small incouragement to Paul to have his Host along with him in company from Cesarea to Jerusalem or in the latter sense for considering the vast confluence of Country-men coming up from all parts of the Country to this Annual Solemnity of Pentecost at Jerusalem it cannot be imagin'd but Lodgings in the City must needs be mighty Scarce and it was therefore no small kindness in Mnason to provide convenient Lodgings for Paul and his company N.B. So that in both senses Paul wanted not his due incouragment especially not to be turned out of Doors but to find Lodging with an old Disciple a Gray-headed experienced Christian a Father in Israel one beyond a babe or Child-hood yea beyond youth a Father 1 John 2.13 and such
Fathers Plenipotentiary and prays for us at his Right Hand much more than when on Earth as one in Joynt Commission with God John 17.24 'T is nor Father I wish but 't is Father I will and none but Christ can be a fit Mediator for he is God to manage matters with God and he is Man too to manage matters with Man 1 Tim. 2.5 This Mediator is so near us in the matter of his Incarnation that he will never be strange to us in the matter of his Intercession The Promise of Christ Gen. 3.15 was the first and will be the last and only Rope of Mercy for falling sinking Man to catch hold of for Salvation from the bottomless Pit In this sense saith the Prophet Isaiah A Man shall be an Hiding-place Isa 32.2 that is the Man Christ Jesus as he is called 1 Tim. 2.5 shall be a comfortable Cordial to Distressed Consciences an Absolute and an All-sufficient Saviour such as his Servants may most surely shelter themselves in and confidently rely upon both for safety here and for Salvation hereafter In this sense also saith the Prophet Micah This man shall be the Peace when the Assyrian comes into the land c Mic. 5.5 that famous He forementioned v. 4. the Man Christ Jesus Alas Flouds and Tempests will Arise and Toss the Church as the Deluge did the Ark the Assyrians and Babylonians Nimrods Brats will Invade and Infest the Church but Christ will be an hiding-place from the Storm and a Covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Waters in a dry-place and as the shadow of a mighty Rock in a weary Land This man Christ shall be her Peace yea her Prince of Peace Isa 6.6 who giveth her Shalom Shalom Peace Peace Isa 26.3 that is pacem regionis pacem Religionis Peace of Country and Peace of Conscience yea pacem omnimodam all kinds of Peace Internal External and Eternal a multiplied renewed and continued peace as God hath promised and Christ hath purchased he merited it as he was the chastisement of our Peace Isa 53.5 and he made it by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 so became our Peace both the Maker of it and the Matter of it Eph. 2.14 16. Therefore though the Assyrian come into the Land he shall be a loser by it if he tread in your Palaces he shall retreat with Dishonour and Defeatment as it befel Senacherib Isa 37.36 37 38. And thus also God reconciled in Christ is known in Sions Palaces for a refuge Psal 48.3 as the City of Sion where the Temple stood was both an Ornament and a Muniment to the whole Countrey so God was both the Ornament and Muniment of both City and Country as being the common refuge to both Thou shalt hide those that fear thee in the secret of thy presence that is in the Golden Cabinet of thy gracious Providence where they shall be as safe as if they were in a Tower of Brass or Town of War yea as if in Heaven it self out of the reach of the rage of Persecutors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Enemies Gunshot saith David Psal 31.19 20. and thou shalt keep them secretly as in a Pavilion which is a Princes Retiring Room or With-drawing Chamber always look'd upon as a sacred place and not to be assaulted there Gods Servants lye safe not only from the stroke of wicked Hands but from the strife of wicked Tongues from the calumnies and contumelies of Graceless Tongue-smiters as no Weapon form'd against them can prosper so every Tongue that riseth against them shall be Condemn'd in Judgnient for a wicked Tongue Isa 54.17 Jude v. 14 15. oh how safe was Noah when the Lord had shut him in his place of Refuge Gen. 7.16 so no Flouds can harm those whom God hands into his Pavilion of Protection The Scripture mentions three sorts of Refuge 1. Created Isa 4.5 His Churches purified unto himself Tit. 2.14 by the Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 are his Glories v. 5 and 2 Cor. 8.23 Isa 46.13 and 62.3 Jer. 4.21 Ezek. 7.20 his Jewels as well as Crown Throne and Ornament Mal. 3.17 and rather than hazard the loss of those Kele Kamudoth Vessels of desire God will put forth his Creating power for the safety and security of his peculiar people and make a cloudy Pillar to cover them as the Ark did Noah like that for Israel in the Wilderness Exod. 13.21 and 14.19 Psal 105.39 This was done for them as they came out of Egypt where there was no Rain Zech. 14.18 yet there was a cloud If it be said how could there be a cloud where there is never any Rain 't is Answered God created it and rather than fail he will do so still he will Hedge their Houses about Isa 49.16 Job 1.10 2. Commended or Allowed Numb 35.6 and Deut. 19.3 4. Those Cities of refuge were Asylum's or Sanctuaries for such as kill'd any man casually without previous Hatred or Intention of Malice or Murder there they were safe Did God promise Cities of Refuge for those that kill'd Men Much more will he himself be a City of Refuge to Saints when wicked men design to kill them Zech. 2.5 A Wall of Fire 'T is supposed Israel was Circumcised when the Plague of Darkness on Egypt began so could not be assaulted while they were sore for at three days end they were recovered 3. Commanded this is God himself his Name Attributes Promises and Providences Prov. 18.10 Isa 26.20 Cant. 1.4 and 2.3 and Isa 25.4 All Gods People have need of this Refuge in as much as the World hath the Church in chase As all Hunted Creatures hasten to their Refuge by an instinct of Nature how much more we by a Divine instinct should hasten home to our God when Hunted by Bloody Hunters Jer. 16.16 Such as Nimrod was who Sacrificed mens Lives to his own Lusts Gen. 10.9 God will either 1. Over-rule the Power of those Pharaohs or 2. Over-wit the counsel of those Achitophels or 3. He will Restrain their Rage Psal 76.10 11. as Gen. 20.5 and 35.5 Exod. 23.31 and 2.4 1 Sam. 23.27 1 Kin. 22.33 provided we be such as 1. Fear him and hope in his Mercy Psal 34.18 2. Mourners marked Ezek. 9.4 and 3. Meek seeking Peace and pursuing it Zeph. 2.3 Psal 34.14 Oh how should we flee to this Refuge as they did to their Baal-Berith Jud. 9.46 God is known for a Refuge in all Ages Luther said when Threatned I shall have Protection from Heaven while I live and Provision in Heaven when I Die 'T was bravely said by the Duke of Hereford Banisht by Richard the Second I shall have the same Sun that he hath to shine on me and the Sun of Righteousness too which my Banisher hath not to shine upon him I am still on my Fathers ground all the Earth is the Lords c. So that the Banished may have more comfort than the Banisher and be in a far better condition than he As
his Father in this third Marriage that he might recover his Father's good will for recalling his Blessing from Jacob to him and that he might have a numerous Off-spring beyond his Brother not yet Married that so the Blessing might seem to be his Yet all this After-wit avail'd not he was wise too late and indeed his wisdom was but his folly for his adding Sin to Sin was no probable means to procure God's Blessing by his Prophaneness And 2. The best Practices of prophane Persons as of Esau here be to seek the Amendment of one Errour by the Commitment of another Esau's adding a third Wife to his two former some say was done as a desperate Affront to his aped Father for sending Jacob away with his Blessing but 't is more probable he did it to shew some penitency for his two wicked Marriages with two Canaanitish women whereby he would reconcile his offended Father and reap the whole of his Affections again in Jacob's absence and so peradventure recover the Blessing Thus there may be a sort of Repentance found in prophane Persons as in Esau here who wept for the Blessing when it was lost yet he found it not though he sought it with Tears Hebr. 12.17 And again being convinced how he had disobliged his Father by his former unlawful Marriages with Heathens he now takes one related to the Church yet this doing was neither acceptable to God nor satisfactory to Isaac being no better than Hypocrisie He through the Hardness of his Heart notwithstanding some Sense and Conscience of his Sin cannot truly and throughly Repent but rather Returns with the Dog to his vomit again 2 Pet. 2.20.22 Adding Transgression to Sin and heaping up one Iniquity upon another For 1. He confesses not his Prophaneness to Go◠but perseveres therein 2. He ceases not from hating his Brother when he now saw it was God's Mind that the Blessing was Jacob's not his Right 3. He wickedly catch'd at his Father's command concerning Marriage for himself whereas that command Isaac gave was not to Esau already a Polygamist having two Wives but to Jacob a Batchelour who yet had not one 4. His third Wife was one of that wicked stock which persecuted the true Church Gal. 4 29. 5. And with this third though a Kinswoman he retains his two other Canaanitish untamed Heifers which he should have dismiss'd as in Nehemiah's Reformation Chap. 10.17 Thus Hypocrites will needs do something that they may seem to be somebody and be well esteemed of by others from whom they hope for Advantage yet change they not from Evil to Good but from one Evil to another as Herod prevents Perjury by Murder Matth. 14.9 they rush on the Rocks in shunning the Sands Thus it appeareth while prophane Esau thinking to expiate one Sin by another was gratifying his Gust and satisfying his Lust upon his three Wives at Home then his better Brother Godly Jacob was toiling and turmoiling in the sweat of his brow to accomplish that long Journey of 500 English Miles all on foot to procure one Godly Yoke-fellow commended to him by both his Holy Parents that thereby he might build up the house of Israel Ruth 4.11 the Church of God Thus the Patriarch Jacob became the Father of the brood of Travellers Ps 24.6 singing Psalms That he was a great Traveller forward and backward plainly appeareth by the vast Distance 'twixt Beersheba where Isaac dwelt and Padan-Aram the Country of Syria call'd Padan which in the Chaldee and Syriack signifies a couple because its Situation was 'twixt two Rivers Tygris and Euphrates or Haran call'd Charran Acts 7.2 the City of Bethuel and Laban That these two places were very far asunder is manifest in Moses Description of Jacob's Return for He flying from the face of his churlish Father-in-Law would certainly make as much riddance and hasty flight as possibly he could to get all safe out of Laban's reach and Laban's pursuit after him must needs be made with all expedition imaginable for the more speedy recovery of his stolen Gods from him yet he could not overtake him until the seventh days Journey Gen. 31.23 at Mount Gilead computed to be about 380 Miles from Haran and still he had about 100 Miles more to go from thence to his Father Isaac Gen. 35.27 All Jacob's hard Travel and Affliction is recorded in Scripture for our heavenly Instruction Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.11 but it may be enquired here how it came to pass that Abraham took care to provide a Wife for Isaac in the same Country Gen. 24. yet Isaac himself is not sent to fetch her but 't was manag'd by a Proxy not in Person Eleazar his Steward must go with Camels golden Ear-rings and Bracelets and store of good things in a most Splendid and stately Equipage to negotiate the Marriage Whereas Isa … 〈◊〉 … st wealthy Father also sends his Son Jacob thither in Person like a poor Pilgrim withou◠a Beast to ride upon only with a staff in his hand Gen. 32.10 in a posture far below the honour done to his Grandfather's Servant who was styled Lord Gen. 24.18 Jacob must go all alone on foot this long Journey having only his Father's Blessing c. Comes pro vehiculo est a Companion is as a Chariot making Time and Travel less tedious by Conference which Jacob wanted Answer to this Enquiry is manifold As First in the General 'T is God's Method often to put hard Providences upon his choicest People and thereby puts them hard to it immediately after they have had the sweetest and most sensible Manifestations of his Favour Thus Hezekiah had no sooner by the good Hand of God upon him set all in Church and State into good order 2 Chron. 29. 30. 31. but Divine Providence permits that at Satan's instigation Semacherib comes up with an Army against him Ch. 32. Thus our Saviour himself was no sooner got out of the Water of Baptism but he was presently cast into the Fire of Temptation Math. 3. 4. he had no sooner heard This is my beloved Son c. but he heard also If thou be the Son c. Thus the Spouse of Christ no sooner had the greatest Enjoyments and Enlargements but presently the greatest Withdrawments yea and Persecutions came upon her Cant. 5.1 2 3 c. Thus also Jacob here was no sooner bless'd but he must be banish'd The same God who order'd him the Blessing order'd him his Banishment also but more particularly The Second Answer is Isaac had hitherto neglected his Son Jacob not finding out a Wife for him being now 77 years old as his Father Abraham had done for him at the Age of 40 at which Age Esau had found out two Wives for himself Now after this long Neglect Isaac hearkeneth to Rebekahs counsel being perswaded it came from God as his Father had been bid to hearken unto Sarahs Voice Gen. 21.12 Hereupon he dispatches Jacob away in haste without Esau's knowledge
the first Offender yet this the offended Husband will condescend to do either out of pity to her or from his want of her Company he offers Reconcilement ver 3. whence some say his Concubine had not committed Adultery for in that case no Reconciliation ought to be offered for Adultery was severely punished by the Law of God c. However he would Imitate God in alluring her c. Hos 2.14 therefore brings he a Beast to ride upon home a couple of Asses though possibly she ran from him on Foot N. B. The Father in-Law rejoiced to behold Reconciliation brought home to him though all this while he had not stir'd out of Doors to fetch it Now must they all rejoyce together in this new Reconcilement the Levite is content to spend three Days therein on his own Voluntary Accord but he must spend other Days more though unwillingly being over-born with the Importunity of his Father-in-Law ver 4 5 6 7 8 9. still the Father in Law presseth his stay so long upon the last Day and all that this renewed Love might be the more confirmed by his kind Entertainment that it was a time sitter to take up Lodging than to begin a Journey but the Levite was resolute and will stay no longer ver 10. and here begins the sad Tragical Story Note here by the way Delays are many times dangerous had they set out betimes and not staid till the Afternoon they might haply have got home that Night and the following Mischiefs might have been prevented Semper nocuit differe paratis N. B. Thus the Devil usually Courteth and Cozeneth those that would look toward Heaven our best Home just as this Old Man did the Levite Be content I pray thee c. What haste In space comes Grace and hereafter is time enough Thus one Delay begets another as one Link in a Chain draws on another Qui non est Hodiè cras minus Aptus erit He that is not fit to Day will be less fit to Morrow and oft times our choice may be made our Judgment For if lingring and loitering in Matters of Salvation be our voluntary choice one Day God may justly inflict it as a Judgment upon us the next day Our delaying to Day may become the hardening of our Hearts to Morrow To Day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Hebr 3.15 Now is the accepted time and now is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Dr. Hall hath an excellent Note here It is good hearing when the Levite maketh hast home an Honest Man's Heart is where his Calling is such an one is like a Fish in the Air whereinto if it come for Necessity or Recreation yet it soon returneth into its own Element again This Office by how much more sacred it is so much the more attendance it requireth even a Day breaketh square with the truly Conscientious as it did in this Levite who rose up early two Mornings together to Depart and to return to his charge ver 5.8 but the Old Man his Father-in-Law detained him against his Inclinations Hinc illae lacrimae from hence sprang all the following Mischief and Miseries No doubt but the Old Father might out of a good Mind constrain their stay N. B. Would to God we could thus constrain Christ to stay with us as the two Disciples did at Emmaus not by force but by friendly Intreaties Luk. 24.28.29 that the hearts of the Levite and his Concubine might be the better reunited and their Mutual Loves be the more reciprocally renewed As a Bone once broken becomes stronger after setting and as Boards well Glued together will not easily be dissevered However this over affectionate Father soon felt the sad effects of his fond Affections both in detaining his Daughter four Months before and now in detaining her Husband with her other five Days until the Day was declined upon the fifth Day for he soon after even that very Night lost his Daughter as well as the Levite lost his Concubine and that after a more than bruitish and barbarous manner which happened thus The Day was far spent when they came toward Jebus the Levite dare not lodge there because it was Inhabited by the Jebusites though the City Jerusalem had been taken by Caleb c. Judg. 1.8 therefore Adonibezek was brought to Jerusalem because it was then in Israel's hands ver 7. yet could they not quite drive out the Jebusites neither the Tribe of Judah out of their part Josh 15.63 nor the Benjamites out of their part Judg. 1.21 And the Jebusites did Inhabit that City until David's day 2 Sam. 5. ver 6 7 8. which was the upper part the strong Fort of Zion from whence probably they much molested the lower part and afterwards by God's Permission drove out the Israelites that dwelt there for the punishment of their Sin Therefore this Levite durst not lodge with those Cursed Canaanites ver 10.11 12. but piously resolveth to lodge in a City belonging to God's People so pitches upon Gibeah belonging to Benjamin ver 13 14 15. where he expected better Entertainment but by an over-ruling Providence of God his choice here proved pernicious to himself to his Wife and to many Thousands of his People If this City were one that was given to the Levites as some suppose from Josh 21.17 no wonder if he turn'd in thither hoping to find some of his fellow Levites there to have the comfort of their Company If so either the Backsliding Benjamites had Banish'd them thence or themselves were become as bad as the Benjamites and the following wickedness was so much the worse Where can a Man be safe from the Devil and his Imps and what place excepting Hell it self can afford a worse Creature than an Apostate Israelite a profligate Professour and a Depraved Priest or Levite Here N. B. This Levite leaning upon his own Vnderstanding in his choice of Lodging Prov. 3.5 and not desiring God's Direction Prov. 16.9 and 19. â—1 and 20.24 Jerem 10.23 goes to Gibeah where he found none so kind as to entertain him there being no Inns in those times as are now but if no Man took them in Travellers lay in the Streets Gen. 19.2 though he would not have been at all chargeable save only for House-room having all Accommodations of his own for his Journey so that there was no reason to refuse him Lodging There was no Job among all the Benjamites who suffered not Strangers to lodge in the Streets but opened his Door to Travellers Job 31.32 Nor was there a Lot to entertain a Levite an Angel Gen. 19.3 Hebr. 13.2 until he came who was an Old Man yet a Work-man yea at Field-work and that till the Evening whereas the other Citizens were Idle and Luxurious and he was also of Mount-Ephraim as the Levite was which might make him the more kind to his Country-man who after some needful Questions asked and understanding he was going to the House of the Lord
or at least might do so must be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.47 God is more sharp with those he loves left they should be damned with the World 1 Cor. 11.30 Thirdly This severity was to teach us that tho' Vzzah had a good aim in this Act yet this was not enough to make this Action good because it was expresly against the Command of God Saul had a good intention in sparing Amalck 1 Sam. 15 21. and the Jews had the like in persecuting Christ and his Apostiles they aim'd at God's Service in it Joh. 16.2 1 Cor. 2.8 N. B. Note well Two things therefore be requisite in true obedience both good Aims and good Actions Jehu did good Actions but his bad Aims quite marr'd them and Vzzah here had good aims yet this could not make his bad action good tho' Jehu's bad aims made his good actions bad Oh how careful ought we to be that all our works be wrought in God Joh. 3.21 both quoad fontem from a right Principle quoad sinem for a right end yea quoad regulam by a right rule also The Fifth Remark is The resentment of David upon this disaster of Divine Displeasure 't is said David was displeased c. v. 8 9. One would think he falls into a petfit of discontent and oh how untowardly spake he in his pang of passion as if the fault had been more in God than in himself or we may more candidly conjecture that David was displeased in a way of sorrow for the sin that had displeased God so as to turn all their joy and laughter into lamentation N. B. Charity directs us to say it was David's grief for the sin which he acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 15.2.13 tho' some peevishness and impatience might through humane frailty be mixed therewith because that day of such general rejoycing was so suddenly dash'd and damp'd with this sad disaster The Second Part of this Chapter namely the seating of the Ark of God in a strange place to with in the House of Obed Edom was occasioned hereby Remarks on this Second part The First is David considering first how ill the Philistines had fared for their miscarriage towards the Ark and after that how fifty thousand Bethshemites had lost their lives for their irreverent peeping into it and now Vzzah was struck dead for touching it was afraid of the Lord v. 9. least God should proceed further in the way of his Judgments both upon himself and upon his People seeing he had been so severe already for the Circumstantial errour of a pious mind and more such mistakes might easily be committed by him or others if they proceed on in their Journey to Jerusalem So David was at a great stand and durst deal no more in a matter so dangerous saying How shall the Ark of the Lord come unto me So David dare not do it v. 10. having met with this sharp dispensation in the attempting of it but he carried it aside into the house of Obed Edom the Gittité The Second Remark is This deed of David some denominate as his Humility not presuming to proceed but rather desist seeing Divine Displeasure seem'd to say so to him until God gave him new direction but more probably David discover'd in this deed great infirmity for as Peter Martyr argueth excellently upon this Point If David did not know that it was the will of God the Ark should be carried to David's City Sion then he ought not to have begun its removal upon his own head but if he had God's Warrant for so doing then he ought not to have desisted from it at this time upon this discouragement N. B. That Old Sophister Satan we may say put a Paralogism or fallacy call'd non causa pro causa upon David here for the Ark was not the cause of this Calamity but Sin which being removed he might have foun'd God reconciled David should have considered that the matter of this action was good but there was some failure in the manner of acting which he finding out and reforming it should have proceeded having God's word to warrant him to carry the Ark to Jerusalem without fear of any further danger N. B. Do not God's Ordinances do good to them that walk uprightly Mich. 2.7 The Third Remark is David's carrying the Ark to Obed Edom's House ver 10.11 wherein Mark First Obededom was a Levite 1 Chron. 15.18 21 24. 16.5 26.4 and certainly a good man who finding David at a loss what to do with the Ark desired of him that his House might entertain it for the present which was near Jerusalem as Sanctius supposeth because Nachon's Threshing-floor where this disaster fell is named here v. 6 as Araunah's threshing floor where the Temple was afterward built in named Chap. 24.18 22. N. B. Note well For though this good man Obededom knew what had befaln the Philistines and the Bethshemites and now Vzzah concerning the Ark yet full gladly did he desire such a bless d and blessing Guest and most chearfully did he entertain it not imputing those disasters aforesaid to the bare having of the Ark which was a gracious sign of God's presence but to some irreverent miscarriages about it and therefore he intends to handle it holily according to the direction of God's Law concerning it Mark Secondly This Man is call'd a Gittite not because a Philistine of Gath for he was an Israelite of the Tribe of Levi as above but because he had sojourn'd in Gath being as Peter Martyr saith banish'd thither with David by Saul when he slew the Lord's Priests and we find that the Levites sometimes were forced to Sojourn where they could find a place Judg. 17.8 or he was of Gath-rimmon a City of Levites Josh 21.24 25. Mark Thirdly The Ark brought a Blessing to Obededom and all his houshold v. 11. Some say how durst David expose his Neighbour to that danger from which he delivered himself Answer David did not impose the Ark upon him contrary to his own consent by his Kingly Authority but this Holy Levite from a sincere love to and fervent zeal for God's Ark did desire of David that he might be its Host to entertain it in his house that was nigh this Perez Vzzah and in the way to Sion the City of David N. B. God took this Act of Faith well at Obededom's hands and blessed him in his Flocks in his Fruits and in all his Affairs and Actions and not only in his Temporals but also in his Spirituals to shew what a liberal Pay-master God is unto all both small and great who favour his concerns and further his Kingdom They shall be no lours but great gainers who give either him or his Servants due Entertainment as Laban was blest for entertaining Jacob Potiphar and the Chief Goaler for Joseph the Widow of Sarâ—pta for Elias the Shunamite for Elisha Zacheus for Christ as Obededom here for harbouring God's Ark. The Third part of this Chapter is
the carriage of the Ark from Obededom's House to its proper place in David's City Remarks upon it are First The removal of the Ark from hence upon the occasion of David's hearing how the Ark had been entertained not only without any damage but also with great advantage to Obededom N. B. Tho' it had not been so as we read to Abinadab who probably had not given iâ— so noble and reverent an entertainment as Obededom did and therefore was not blest like him David hereupon begins to bethink himself of his own loss that if the Ark had been this half year in his own house according to his first design all those blessings upon Obededom had been bestowed upon himself and on his houshold and 't is a wonder David should neglect consulting with God by the Vrim about this matter Now those tidings flush David to renew his former Design when he saw the danger was over v. 12. N. B. 'T is a good Note of a Grave Divine While the Ark brought the Plague both Philistines and â—eâ—â—shemites are weary of it yea and David himself can be content to want it But when it brought a Blessing with it as to Obededom then it is look'd upon as worthy of entertainment many will own a blessing Ark a prospering Truth but he is an Obededom indeed that will own a persecuted and a banished Ark. The Second Remark is David acknowledges his former fault committed in carrying the Ark upon a Cart c. but now it must be born upon the shoulders ef the Levites according to God's own appointment as before and finding his obedience to God herein Secking God in due order so far owned as that the Lord help'd the Levites by an invisible power so to bear it as that it seemed light and no burthen to them 1 Chron. 15.2.13.26 David upon this encouragement offers up a Bullock and a Ram every seventh station as well as at the first stage v. 13 in testimony of his thankfulness to God for his making no breach upon them as he had done in his former undertaking After his Sacrifices he Danced before the Lord with all his might laying aside his Royal Apparel and girding himself with a Linnen Ephod v. 14 15. such as young Samuel used 1 Sam. 2.18 which was a Popular Garment N. B. This David did to shew that in the service of God there is no difference betwixt Prince and People and David gloried more in being God's Servant than in being Israel's King as Psalm 18. the Title and here in God's Service c. The Third Remark is David's Entertainment of God's Ark with great joy in his own City Sion v. 17 18 19. wherein Mark First His placing it in an Holy Tabernacle which he had purposely erected for it by the help of Hiram's Artificers sent to him as is aforesaid for Moses's Tabernacle was still at Gibeon 1 Chron. 16.39 21.29 2 Chron. 1.3 this David still left there because he designed to build a Temple with all expedition 'till countermanded by God therefore built he not a Chapel now because the Ark was yet in its wandering posture 'till it came to be fixed in the Temple but a Tabernacle or Tent only and that at some distance from his Royal Palace for after his Sacrificing in this Holy Tent he is said to return to his own House Mark Secondly His giving thanks to God for this transcendent favour which he did partly by the Priests Sacrifices and partly by blessing the People which he did both as a Prophet and as a Prince to whom it belongs to pray for their Peoples welfare 1 King 8.54 55 c. and to promote it also Mark Thirdly David's Dismission of the people with a Royal Feast giving to each a Cake of Bread a good piece of flesh and a Flagon of Wine enough to suffice every man for his return home N. B Note well He did not make them a dry Dry Feast as Josephus relateth such as the Papists make the People at the Eucharist denying them the Wine Then David Sang the 132d Psalm The Fourth Remark is The Story of Michal v. 16.20 to 23. wherein Mark First Michal did not meet this Pomp as the Holy Women and David's other Wives saith Sanctius did like and Miriam and Jepthah's Daughter to honour the Solemnity with their presence but she peeps through her Window and beholding David's extatick postures despised him for a Madman v. 16. Mark Secondly Holy David returning home to bless his Household like a good Master as he had done the People like a Godly King Michal meets him and mocks him v. 20. her Chamber cannot now contain her but her malice more like a Daughter of Saul than of Sarah makes her to meet him to mind him of three faults First That he had forgot the Majesty of a King Secondly That he had made a Priest of a King by his laying aside his Robes and putting on the Ephod Thirdly That he had acted the Mad-Man's part she forgetting what her Father had done 1 Sam. 19.24 Mark Thirdly David's Reply not without some tincture of tartness v. 21 22. upbraiding her with God's Rejecting her Father and setting him up in his stead and what he had done was to honour God who had so honoured him nor can I saith he be luke-warm herein but resolve to be more so with honour 1 Sam. 2.30 Mark Fourthly God punish'd mocking Michal with a barren Womb v. 23. her Carnal Eyes discern'd not the things of God they were foolishness to her 1 Cor. 2.14 therefore is she call'd the Daughter of Saul v. 20. because she savoured more of Saul's Pride and Hypocrisie here than of Sarah's Faith and Humility Gen. 18.12 1 Pet. 3.6 N. B. Yet this barren Michal hath still too many Sons who make Religion not more a form than a scorn and no marvel if such be plagued with a continual fruitlesness as she was having no Child by David to her death 2 Sam. CHAP. VII THIS Chapter contains David's Counsel and purpose to build the Temple allowed by Man but dissallow'd by God Remarks are First The moving cause of this Counsel was the Peace God had given him now round about v. 1. this sublime tranquillity he look'd upon as an happy opportunity reflecting with a pious mind how himself dwelt in an House of Cedar which Hiram had built for him Chap. 5.11 but God and his Ark dwelt in a meaner unhandsom and unsetled Tent composed only of several Curtains and covered with Skins of Beasts this he thought very unsuitable that his House should be better than God's and more costly this was his word to Nathan v. 2. 1. Chron. 17.1 c. Hag. 1.4 So declares his pious purpose of building the Temple as a fit retribution to the Lord for all his former famous favours Psal 116.12 the doing of which he not only Voted but also Vowed Psal 132.2 this was more than Ahab would do who tho' he dwelt in a Palace of
what he denies when pleased N. B. It seems the Lord in answer to David's prayers dropped down some assureance that his Child was saved and therefore he saith I must go to him not only with my Body into the Grave but also with my Soul into Heaven c. Mark Seventhly The mitigation of David's punishment v. 24 25. wherein First He comforted Bathsheba with the comforts wherewith God had comforted him 2 Cor. 1.4 to wit by telling her that the Child was saved Secondly Moreover God comforted David by making up his loss of a dead Child with the birth of a Wise Solomon born of Bathsheba of whom David had all his Best Sons because they were the fruit of their Parents solemn humiliation Thirdly Nathan who was sent to humble David is now sent to comfort him and to become Tutor to Solomon who must live tho' that in Adultery did dye now David signifying only beloved he hath a Son Jedediah signifying the beloved of the Lord. The last Remark upon this twelfth Chapter is the taking of Rabbah the Metropolis of the Ammonites from v. 26. to the end First in part then the whole c. Mark First Here Joab had laid close Siege to this strong City about Twelve months and now had taken that part of the City where the Royal Palace stood the place of the King's residence which was surrounded with water both for defence and for delight the whole City probably was supplied by Conduit-pipes from hence which therefore Joab the General took care to cut off v. 26 27. Mark Secondly When General Joab saw the City could not long hold out now for want of water he sends for David in all haste that he might have the glory of the Victory v. 28 29. This was a most generous act of General Joab In other of his Conquests he Conquered others only but in this act he Conquered himself to let the honour of all redound to David who had by his sin retarded his success for so many Months N. B. Learn we from Joab these two good Lessons the first is when in our Spiritual Warfare we would Conquer any Corruption we must cut off those Conduit-pipes of water that keep them alive c. The second is when through Grace we have Conquered any Corruption and mortified it by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 let Christ our Spiritual David have the whole glory of the Conquest as the Disciples did Acts 3.12 16. Mark Thirdly David hastens with an Additional Army having now as some suppose made his peace with God whereas while he lay in his sin he durst not look an Enemy in the face takes the City and the King's Crown from off his head which weighed a Talent of Gold c. and setteth it upon his own head v. 30. N. B. Yet the Crown of Glory laid up for David now reconciled to God is far more weighty 2 Cor. 4.17 and enambled with more precious Pearls Mark Fourthly He put the People to most barbarous torments for abusing his Embassadors v. 31. whom he tore in pieces with Saws and Harrows or burnt them in the Furnace of Moloch where they had burnt their own Children This Cruelty makes that Opinion more probable that David had not yet recover'd his mild temper and former tenderness toward Saul and others his heart was yet hardened with impenitency and he had not yet recovered the Spirit of Grace which would have taught him more Mercy and Moderation so there is a transposition of the Story c. N. B. If the Ammonites were so severely punished for abusing David's Embassadors Oh what severity may they expect that abuse the Embassadors of Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 God will strike through their loynes Deut. 33.11 never any such prospered Job 9.4 c. 2 Sam. CHAP. XIII THIS Chapter gives a Narrative how God's Justice which seemed to sleep a while after the death of the Child begotten in Adultery now awakeneth and shews it self in the Temporal punishments of David's foul offences of his Adultery and Murther retaliated upon him by the Adultery and Murther of his Eldest Son Amnon First in General Remarks are First The Lex talionis Divine Justice observed here in Writing David's Sin upon his Punishment As David had committed Adultery made Vriah drunk and then murthered him so his Eldest Son Amnon committed Incest is made drunk by Absolon and then is murthered Remark the Second From the general prospect of this Chapter Lavater noteth excellently from those three Names here mentioned Amnon signifies Stable and Faithful Tamar the Palm-Tree and Absolon his Father's peace but not one of them answered their own Names nisi per Antiphrasin unless by contraries Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepe suo Names and Natures do not always agree Now to the particular parts of this Chapter and first the Adultery or Incest of Amnon the Remarks are First The Agent was Amnon David's first born Chap. 3.2 who lusted after his Sister a Virgin so violently that he fell sick upon it because he could not accomplish his lustful desires v. 1 2. N. B. The reason of his sickness is rendred by some to be this The Affections are placed in the grossest part of Man's mind which hath the greatest affinity with the Body and thence it is that the vehemency of the Affections both those call'd Irascible and those call'd Concupiscible in Philosophy do so powerfully produce strange Distempers in the Body The Second Remark is The Patient Tamar a fair Woman whose Beauty was the bait of Amnon's Lust yet his Sister by the Father's side tho' Absolom's Sister both by Father and Mother Chap. 3.3 This Daughter of David and for any thing we find to the contrary the King 's only Daughter and being a Beautiful Virgin was strictly kept in from gadding abroad lest Dinah's danger Gen. 34. should thereby entangle her No doubt but this precious Jewel this sparkling Diamond David's dearest Darling went always well attended when her occasions call'd her from home This daily diligence of guarding her made Amnon despair of satisfying his lustful desires and therefore lay he down broyling upon the Gridiron of his own unbridled Concupiscence The Third Remark is The Instrument used for Amnon's ease v. 3 4 5. Satan soon found him out a Broker to bring him out of his Mulligrubs namely his Cousin Jonadab of a Serpentine subtilty so a fitter tool for that old Serpent the Devil to work with He being Ingeniose Nequam Wittily Wicked pumps out of Amnon the cause of his paleness and drooping so unlike a King's Son who well cannot have discontent saying Wil t thou not tell me thy Friend who can both keep Counsel and give Counsel Amnon answers I love Tamar my Brother Absolon's Sister he saith not my Sister for shame as he did after to David for obtaining his ends without suspicion v. 6. but here minces the matter of love to an half Sister now Jonadab gives his pestilent Advice A Friend and no Friend had he
gathered in all their Fruits 't was a convenient time to Travel in and now they were preparing to come up to Jerusalem for keeping the Feast of Tabernacles N. B. This Month was in the Civil Account call'd by the Rabbins the first Month supposing that the World was created in that Month But by Divine Institution Exod. 12.2 as Junius and Piscator both well observe it was called in the Sacred reckoning the seventh Month this Month is call'd Ethanim which signifies Ripeness or Strength for then the ripe Fruits strengthen'd the Heart of Man The Second Remark is the Persons who were convocated to this solemn Dedication ver 1 2. King Solomon sent forth his Royal Mandate and summoned in to Jerusalem all the Senators Judges and Rulers of Israel and the Heads of every Tribe with Fathers of every Family to bring up the Ark of God into the Temple upon Mount Moriah now finished and not only they but great Multitudes of Common People came along with those Heads and Fathers voluntarily flocking to this Feast being forward to behold and to promote this glorious Solemnity c. The Third Remark is the Place both whence and whither v. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. wherein Mark 1. This grave and great Assembly march along in great Pomp and Splendour to fetch the Ark of God that special Evidence of God's presence which doubtless before this time had been translated from Gibeon to Sion from the City of David to Solomon's Temple Mark 2. The Priests took up the Ark but lay it on the Levites Shoulders Numb 4.5 with 2 Chron. 5.4 Vatablus well observes this to be the fourth Time of the Priests taking up the Ark the first was at its passage over Jordan the second at its compassing Jericho the third when David brought it back from Obededom's House to his City and now again by Solomon c. Mark 3. The Tabernacle made by Moses was likewise taken up which had hitherto been Transportative and for many Years had been separated from the Ark but now to be reunited and both together settled in the Temple N. B. A Figure of the Church tossed up and down in this lower World Isa 54 11. shall come to a settlement for ever in Heaven the Habitation of God's Holiness Isa 63.15 The many Removes of the Tabernacle are very remarkable before this Time as 1. In the Wilderness it was carried up and down for forty Years Exod. 40.2 2. It aboad in Gilgal about fourteen Years Josh 4.18 19. 3. It remained in Shiloh till Samuel's Time Josh 18.1 1 Sam. 4.4 Psal 78.60 Jer. 7.12 4. It was in Nob 1 Sam. 21.1 till Saul destroyed that City 1 Sam. 22.19 5. It was in Gibeon all David's time 1 Chron. 16.39 6. From thence it was brought into Sion 2 Sam. 6.17 1 Chron. 15.1 And 7. Which was the Sabbatical Time and Place of Rest 'T is now lodged and laid up as a Sacred Monument in the Temple a Type of Heaven That is an odd Apocryphal Story we are told 2 Maccab. 2.5 c. Mark 4. Whereas 't is said here the Priests bare the Ark yet in 2 Chron. 5.4 'T is said the Levites bare it are reconciled by Peter Martyr c. thus 1. The Name Levite in the latter Place is taken largely descending of Levi and so it comprehends the Priests Or 2. The Levites brought it to the most Holy and the Priests carried it into the Oracle Or 3. The Priests carried the Ark all the way and into the Sanctum Sanctorum and the Levites carried the Tabernacle and all its Holy Vessels into the Treasury of the Temple Though the Levites were appointed to bear the Ark Deut. 31.25 yet were they Priests also ver 9. and 1 Chron. 15.2 14 15 c. Mark 5. Whereas ver 9. here There was nothing in the Ark save the two Tables c. is contradicted by Heb. 9 4 where 't is said the Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod were in it also Junius reconciles thus the Particle in it relateth not to the Ark but to the Tabernacle Peter Martyr thus The Apostle speaks of the Ark as it was in Moses's Time wherein all the Three were together for the Apostle is there comparing Moses and the Messias each with other but in Solomon's time only the Tables were in the Ark. Epiphanius and Sanctius read the Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juxta beside or near as well as within for the Book of the Law was put into some Coffer upon the side of the Ark Deut. 31.26 and this might be the Book that Hilkiah found 2 Kings 22.8 and 2 Chron. 34.14 Yea and other Learned Authors argue acutely that God commanded plainly the Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod should be kept in the Tabernacle and not in the Ark Exod. 16.33 34. Numb 17.10 but set before it Lastly Learned Weems of Lathoquar affirmeth that this History would not have added here there was nothing in the Ark save c. unless to denote some change betwixt Moses's and Solomon's Time The Fourth Remark is the Divine Appearance to testifie the Divine Acceptance of all Solomon's present doings ver 10 11. As Solomon had given the Ark of God a most cordial welcom in its way to the Temple by a numberless number of Sacrifices ver 5. far exceeding the number of his Father David's in the like Case 2 Sam. 6.13 So now when the Ark is come God himself bids it welcome into the Temple and Oracle ver 10. A bright Cloud immediately appears which is call'd the Glory of the Lord ver 11. yet was it overshadow'd to signifie saith Peter Martyr our Dimness in Divine Matters which we behold darkly as through a Cloud and our Inability saith Lavater to behold God's Glory Matth. 17.5 6. If Angels cannot Isa 6.2 3. much less Men This Glory drove the Priests forth and so did the Glory of the Gospel exclude that Levitical Priesthood c. The Second part is the Concomitants of this Dedication namely Solomon's praising of God for his gracious Appearance in the over-shadowed bright Cloud to consecrate the Temple v. 10 11 Together with his praying to God for the Continuance of his gracious Presence and Audience to the Prayers of his People for diverting his Judgments ver 12 to 53 c. Remarks hereupon are many to be divided into two Classes seeing Solomon's Oration is partly Laudatory and partly Precatory First Upon the Laudatory and Eucharistical or thanksgiving part Remark the First is when Solomon saw the Priests and the People under some perceived Perturbation saith Peter Martyr at this glorious yet darkned Appearance of God in the Temple he said to them Be not afraid 't is no ill Omen but a token of God's approbation c. v. 12. Solomon minds them of what Moses had Recorded that God would appear in a Cloud Exod. 13.21 22. 24.16 40.35 Levit. 16.2 Numb 9.15 Deut. 4.11 5.22 and what his Father David had left
and Grotius Jeroboam's Golden Calf there had turned Beth-el the House of God into Beth-aven Hos 10.5 an House of Wickedness as their Names Hebr. do signifie The filthy Dust of those Mawmets must not be allowed to lie near Jerusalem saith Lavater but it was carried about eight Miles from thence to disgrace that Idolatrous City Bethel Mark 2. This zealous King Deposed the Idolatrous Priests c. ver 5. call'd Chemarims Hebr. not only because they wore black Cloaths as the word signifies after a Superstitious fashion which is the concurrent opinion of Junius Piscator Mercerus Munsterus Montanus Pagnin c. but also because they were Tinged Singed and burnt black inwardly with an Hell-fire-fervency for a false Religion saith Avenarius c. N. B. The Prophet Hosea speaks of those Priests Hebr. Chemarims Hos 10.5 affecting a black Habit Sanctimoniae Ergô for Sanctimony's sake And the Prophet Zephany saith in Josiah's Day that God will cut off the Name of the Chemarims Zeph. 1.4 namely Baal's Chimney Chaplains black Sooty Fellows like those Greasie Mass-Priests or Abby-Lubbers in the Romish Church Elias in Tisbi saith these Atratei Black-coats were shut up in Cloysters and the Jewish Rabbins call the Monks Chemarims Many Men addicted to Idolatry entertained those Chemarims in Josiah's time Jer. 3.6 Zeph. 1.1 4. as too many do Harbour Mass-Priests in our Times those Josiah cut off according to Zephany's Prophecy c. Mark 3. Josiah Destroyed the Idolatrous Grove ver 6. either that Grove which was planted nigh the Temple as Flaccherus supposeth wherein the Image of Baal was Worshipped after the manner of the Gentiles who Worshipped Priapus in Groves after which they committed all lascivious Beastiality in promiscuous Copulations therefore the Lord forbade by his Law the Planting of any such Groves Deut. 16.21 because it was the practice of Idolaters 1 Kings 15.13 and might be the occasion of reviving that abominable Idolatry Or rather this was a Representation of that Grove or the Image of it because 't is said He brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord ver 6. and we read of an Image with a Carved Grove about it 2 Kings 21.7 that not God in the Temple but the Devil in the Grove might be Worshipped saith Sanctius And this Image he stamp'd small to Powder at the Brook Kidron and the Powder thereof he poured upon the Groves of that Rascality which had been set on Mischief as Exod. 32.22 23. and which had Worship'd the Groves 2 Chron. 34.4 And this Bastardly Brood so call'd was probably Buried in this infamous place as a brand of Ignominy put upon them saith Tirinus All this was done saith Junius in detestation of Idolatry and for Caution to them that still lived Mark 4. Josiah extirpated the cursed Cells or Seats of the Sodomites ver 7. those abominable Brothel-Houses in which Males prostitute their Bodies to Males which was both a Punishment of Idolatry Rom. 1.23 24 27. and a part of their Idol-worship practised at the Instigation of that impure and diabolical Spirit worship'd in the Idol saith Lavater from 1 Kings 15.12 13. and wickedness was so far spread in this Time saith Sanctius that those heinous Sodomites drove a gainful Trade even in the Temple it self and their spiritual Pollution involved them into such carnal Lusts as the very Women were not ashamed say Sanctius and Osiander to Weave Curtains for hiding the Mens shameless Sodomy acted even by the Priests of the Groves c. Remark the Second Josiah's Reformation after the Temple in City and Countrey Mark 1. He demolish'd all the High Places from the North to the South Coast of the Countrey without Partiality ver 8. neither sparing those Priests of Aaron's Line though they sacrificed not to Idols saith Menochius but to the true God yet because they did it in a forbidden Place Deut. 12.11 therefore he deposed them from their Offices Nor did he spare the Rich more than the Poor saith Junius for when he had polluted all the high Places in other Cities to take away their supposed Sanctity saith Grotius he found an High Place erected by Joshun the Governour of the City at the very Gate after the manner of the Pagans who placed their Tutelar or guardian-Gods at the Gates of their Cities This Joshua in Josiah's Day was a great Man and had a good Name Heb but was a bad Man and of a superstitious Nature He had complied with the Iniquity of former times in setting up an high Place at the Gate nigh his Palace yet Josiah's Zeal spar'd it not Mark 2. Josiah's candour toward those Priests descended from Aaron ver 9. for though they had not kept the charge of the Lord but had foully apostatized in sacrificing to God in forbidden Places either for fear or for favour becoming Time servers and comporting with Idolatrous Kings and therefore must bear their Iniquity namely they and their Posterity must be degraded from their Priestly Functions as a Punishment thereof saith Menochius N.B. Other faults saith Grotius in the Priests were pardoned if they proved Penitent he did not remove them from their Sacerdotal Offices but for Idolatry and Worshipping God in unlawful Places did Degrade them yet because these were 1. Levites of Aaron's Race though lapsed and hurried down the stream of Temptation in former Times And 2. They were Penitents falling by Infirmity but rising again by Repentance Poena or Punishment and Penitency are near of kin being Words of the same Derivation therefore for the Honour of the Priesthood this Pious King takes care of their maintenance when laid aside from the Service of God's Altar as Neh. 13.28 Such an one was that temporizing Priest Nehemiah chased from him But a fuller Example hereof is in Ezek. 44.10 11 12 13 14. they yet were to live out of that allowance for the Priest ver 29 30. Lev. 2.4 5 10 11. and 24.5 6 c. Junius well observeth that their spiritual Blemish put them into the very same State which corporal Blemishes brought them into Lev. 21.17 18. Mark 3. Josiah defiled Topheth ver 10. a pleasant Valley near Jerusalem wherein Idolatrous Kings had cruelly tortur'd and tormented their own Children by burning them to Molech Chap. 16.3 Jer. 7.31 call'd Topheth saith Junius from Toph a Drum which was there beaten lest the Father should hear the most horrible howlings of his Child burning in the Fire N.B. From this abominable abuse of this Valley of Hinnom Tophet was taken for Hell Isa 30.33 which in Matth. 5.22 is call'd Gehenna from this Valley of Hinnom representing that place of Torment without End and past Imagination This fruitful Valley zealous Josiah defiled by Dung and dead Mens Bones c. saith Lavater to prevent the like abuses for ever Mark 4. He likewise took away the Horses of the Sun c. ver 11. which were either 1. Carved Horses to which were adjoined a carved Chariot with the Picture of the Sun according
from the greater to the lesser ver 26 27. saying if none-such Solomon both for Wealth and Wisdom was drawn away by strange Wives unto strange Sins if this befel such a Green-Tree what may Dry Trees expect c. Remark the Second Nehemiah's Severity in special against one of the Sons of Joiada Eliashib the High Priest's Son ver 28. whom he banish'd for ever from all Civil Society either at Court or in the City This Priest is not named here but Wolphius out of Josephus calls him Manasses who Married Sanballat's Daughter N.B. Who being banish'd to Samaria Sanballat built him a fair Temple upon Mount Gerizim near the City Shechem and to keep him with his Wife made him the High Priest thereof Thus this Vile Apostate Brother to Jaddua the right High Priest who met great Alexander as before drew many other prophane Priests like himself and many People also who would not put away their strange Wives unto this Mock Temple of Sanballat and so became the first Founder of that deadly Feud and Sad Schism betwixt the Jews and the Samaritans so as there was no dealings between them John 4.9 Remark the Third Nehemiah in his Vezakarah lehem Hebr. Remember them O my God ver 29. turns the incorrigible of those Priests that hated to be Reformed over unto God to be punish'd by himself for polluting the Priesthood and prophaning the Covenant of that sacred Function wherein God had promis'd to give them an Everlasting Office Numb 25.12 13. 1 Sam. 2.30 Mal. 2.4 5. and wherein they had likewise reciprocally promis'd all faithfulness on their Part according to the Holy Rules God gave them Levit. 8.35 and 21.1 c. and 22.2 c. Vatablus saith here N.B. Wo to those Priests that should outshine all others in godly Patterns yet dare to debauch the People by their wicked Practices Corruptio optimi est pessima the sweetest Wine makes the sourest Vinegar and a wicked Priest is the worst of Mankind and woe to such prophane Priests whom God's People do thus turn over unto God to punish Remark the Fourth Nehemiah's purging the Priest-hood c. ver 30 31. Mark 1. He made all the Ministers of the House of God put away their strange Wives and the Children born of them as Chap. 9.2 and such as would not do so he forced them to forsake both the Temple and the Land of their Nativity lest they should corrupt others Mark 2. When he had purg'd away all the filth and rubbish from the Priesthood and made clean Work he sets all such as willingly Reformed in their several Stations appertaining to them in their sacred Function so caused the Priesthood to shine again as the Word here Tahar Hebr. ver 30. signifieth Mark 3. He prepareth the Wood-offering which saith Vatablus was the sacred fuel to nourish the Coelestial Fire to keep it always burning upon God's Altar And the first-Fruits likewise see Chap. 10.34 35. Grotius out of Josephus saith there was a solemn Day appointed to be observed in Memory of this Wood-offering call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. A bearing of Wood observing both a Season to cut it and a Season to carry it Remark the Fifth The most sweet Conclusion of the Old Testament History a sacred Sentence of his fervent Supplication Mark 1. Nehemiah had prayed before that God would remember those prophane Priests for evil ver 29. and now he shuts up his hole History with this pithy and pregnant Prayer for himself Remember me O my God for good ver 31. as he had done ver 15. and ver 22. and Chap. 5.19 wherein he doth not Brag or Boast of his good Deeds but only produceth them in his Prayer as blessed Testimonies of his Sincerity whereof he begs God's gracious acceptance he prays with so much Reverence as to God yet with so much Confidence as to his God c. Mark 2. This Devout Sentence in Nehemiah's last Supplication is the closing sweet-bit of the Old Testament-Times upon sacred Record for though the Book of Esther be set after this yet is it an History of many Years before this as is abovesaid As for the Prophets they all but the three Last lived before the Captivity Haggai and Zechariah prophesy'd while the Temple was in building Malachy when it was builded saith Mr. Pemble reproving mixt Marriages c. Mark 3. Learned Dr. Lightfoot excellently observeth that though the Scripture be utterly silent to express the number of the Years of the Reign of Artaxerxes Ahasuerus who was Husband to Queen Esther long before Nehemiah's last return to Jerusalem or of any of his Successors in clear Expressions so that we are not told how long he Reigned Yet the Scripture mentions Artaxerxes Darius his second Year Ezra 4.24 his fourth Year Zech. 7.1 his sixth Year Ezra 6.15 his seventh Year Ezra 7.8 his twentieth Year Neh. 1.1 and 2.1 and his thirty second Year Neh. 13.6 but how long he farther Reigned the Scripture gives no account no more than of the former Kings and here the Chronicle of the Old Testament-Times as to any express Terms endeth N. B. 1. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost as the Phrase is Acts 15.28 and to his sacred Penmen to Name some several Years of those Kings intending to continue the Scripture Chronicle until the City Jerusalem was compleated and the Temple thereof was compleatly Reformed and its Worship reduced to its Primitive Purity of the legal Priesthood and there to end the Church's Annals c. N. B. 2. The former of the two last Prophets namely Zechariah doth indeed Prophesy concerning the coming of Christ of his Riding upon an Ass Zech. 9.1 9. of his confounding the three Shepherds to wit the Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans and of his being Sold for thirty pieces of Silver Zech. 11.8 12. and of his Disciples to be scattered Zech. 13.7 and of divers Jews mourning over him whom they had pierced Zech. 12.10 as likewise of the City and Temple now restored to their pristine Beauty their second Destruction Zech. 11.1 c. because of their unbelief Though the Time of Zechary's prophesying be express'd as above yet have we no History of the Time between these Times N. B. 3. The latter of the two last Prophets namely Malachy concludeth his Prophecy Chap. 4. with an Exhortation to the Jews to study well the Law of Moses and the Old Testament and giveth them an Expectation of Elias's coming namely John the Baptist at the beginning of the New Testament Because after the Death of this Prophet Malachy the Spirit of Prophecy was to depart with this Malachy from the Jews and was a Stranger among them until the dawning of the Gospel 'T is true some Apocryphal Books were writ betwixt those Times but they all wanted the dictating of that Holy Spirit which was now departed N. B. 4. Malachy concludeth the Canonical Books of the Old Testament with a Prediction of Elias's the Baptist's coming and with a Threatning
by the People as those Maccabees yet the Chief Government was principally Seated in their Sanhedrim commonly so call'd or Synedrium or Senate as Josephus and other Jewish Writers testifie in which tho' some of the Tribe of Levi c. were mixed with the Tribe of Judah yet that Council had their whole power to Sit and Act from Judah's Tribe and so the Scepter did not depart from it but still remain'd in it Remark the Second Learned Diodate saith That seeing this Name Asmoneus which was Mattathias's Name signifies Baron or Great Lord in Hebrew therefore 't is probable He and those Maccabees his Sons might look upon it as some sign of a modest Honour and Domination tho' through Corruption it grew up to the height of Soveraignty in Simon one of the Sons in his Time and afterwards to Absolute Royalty joined with the High Priesthood in Aristobulus and his Successors but more of that in its proper Place Paraeus tells us that this Mattathias was but a Priest and a private Person yet when he saw all the Villanies acted by Antiochus in the Holy City he was stirred up to take up just Arms against him and was the first Man that gave a stop to his overflowing Fury in defence of his Country's Laws and when dying in a good Old Age he left and laid God's Charge upon his five Sons to prosecute with their utmost vigour the good Work he had begun but Prideaux makes it an Inquiry Whether Mattathias might himself execute an Apostate Jew by the Altar out of his zeal seeing he was no Magistrate N.B. No doubt but he did better in informing the Jews that they might lawfully defend themselves upon the Sabbath-day after many of them had been Murther'd by the neglect of it when Assaulted by the Enemy Remark the Third His Son Judas call'd Maccabeus succeeded him from whence sprang the Maccabean Principality saith Paraeus Annexed to the High-Priesthood which lasted unto Herod's Time This Priest's Son that began the Principality of the Maccabees was compared to a Lion for Strength to a Giant for Fight and to a Devouring Flame for driving all down before him and who always went to Praying before he began any one Battel and by the power of Prayer annexed to his Spirit of Courage He discomfited many vast Armies of his Adversaries As 1. Apollonius 2. Seron 3. Ptolomy 4. Nicanor 5. Gorgias and 6. Lysias 2 Macc. 4.57 and 6.46 c. Then having obtain'd all these wonderful Victories without the loss of one Man on his side or even to a Miracle saith Paraeus not so much as one of his Soldiers Wounded he purgeth the Temple of that Idol Jupiter Olympius and all other Abominations that Antiochus had polluted it with then having purified it according to the Law in Memory thereof he appointed the Feast of Dedication which our blessed Saviour saith Dr. Prideaux did afterward honour with his Presence John 10.22 N.B. As Christ did so then when the Temple was purged from the Pollutions of Antiochus that little Antichrist Oh how Glorious will Christ's Presence be in his Temple when it shall be throughly purged from all the Abominations of the grand Antichrist c. Remark the Fourth Valiant and Victorious Judas being basely Deserted by his own Men when he with 800 gave Battel to Bacchides's with his 20000 Foot and 2000 Horse yet had almost saith Cluverius won the Field and had wholly Routed the Right Wing c. was himself without his Run-away Men soon inclosed over-power'd and slain by the Left Wing Then his Brother Jonathan succeeds him who with an handful of Men breaks through Bacchides's great Army endangers the General himself in his Eruption and slays 1000 Enemies in his passage swam over Jordan with his Company and so quitted himself 2 Macc. 9.18 37. Josephus lib. 13. cap. 1. Cluverius Paraeus c. but he and his Sons being slain by Treachery his Brother Simon Priest was struck with a Dead Palsie by an Hand from Heaven as he was Demolishing the Sepulchres of God's Prophets in the Temple and after Tryphon the Vsurper had cheated him of 100 Talents and after he had Ruled in Peace by making Peace with the Romans to over-awe the Syrians he at last was basely betray'd at a Banquet in Jericho by Potolomy his Son-in-law whom he had made Governour of that City Then the third Brother Johannes Hircanus succeeded and Reveng'd the Murther in whose Principality and Priesthood Antiochus besieg'd him in Jerusalem in that Sabbatical or seventh Year wherein the Land rested from Tillage so that there was a sore Famine in the City but Hircanus buys off the Siege with a summ of Money wherewith he was supply'd out of David's Sepulchre Josephus Antiq. 2 Macc. 13. and 14. and 15.16 after which he Demolished that Mock-Temple of the Samaritans upon Mount Gerezim after it had stood 200 Years and utterly razed Samaria for its fighting against the Jews and in his Time saith Paraeus arose those three famous Sects of the Pharisees Sadduces and Essenes N.B. The last of which from Asa Hebr. to consider were a sort of Monks pretending all for Contemplation c. and had all things in common amongst them This was that Hircanus who besieg'd Treacherous Ptolomy in the Castle of Dagon but left the Siege at the woful sight of the Tortures of his Mother who notwithstanding did animate him to pursue his purpose Jos Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 14 15 16. Here follows the Third Dynasty in Judea Hitherto the Maccabean Family the Asmonites had contented themselves with the Title of Chief Princes and of High Priests but now they affected the Crown-Royal Remark the First Aristobulus the Eldest of Hircanus aspir'd at his Fathers Death to be Adorned with the Royal Diadem in order hereunto he first slew his Innocent Brethren at the instigation of his Ambitious Wife Salome and then starved to death his own Mother pretending she aimed at the Kingdom for which unnatural Acts saith Cluverius his own Conscience did so Torture and Torment him that he soon died most miserably after he had Usurped the Kingdom but one Year verifying that Saying in Job The Triumph of the Wicked shall be short Job 20.5 This Hypocrite was the first Priest or Levite that presumed saith Dr. Willet to wear a Crown tho' never any of the Tribe of Judah Usurped the Mitre or presumed to the Priesthood as saith the Apostle Heb. 7.14 yet this Priest changed both the Priesthood and the Principality into a Royal Kingdom N.B. He made himself the next King to Zedekiah after the Captivity no wonder if he so soon vomited out his bloody Soul yet this Succession of Kingship continued in his Line until Herod when Christ came Remark the Second Paraeus and Cluverius give this Account of the following Royal Successors 1. Alexander Jannias succeeds his Brother Aristobulus in the Throne when his Sister-in law Salome had released him out of Prison for which he Marry'd the Widow and made himself
to be Mount Nebo which was call'd Pisgah Upon the Top of which the Lord shewed Moses the Land of Canaan which was the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 Accordingly the Devil who delights to be God's Ape in Imitation takes up the Messias unto the Top of the same Mountain and gives Him there and thence the fairest proâ—pect he could procure of all the Kingdoms of the World and of the Glories of them wherewith be Thought to have dazzl'd our Saviour's Eyes those Windows of the Soul and to have fired his Affections but he most miserably mistook himself In this Third Temptation Beelzebub or Master-Fly returns again as Flyes beaten off will come on often therefore are call'd Impudent Creatures and Musters up all his Forces unites all his Stratagems and Strength in this last Assault and Impudently offer'd the Maker of the World a gawdy Map of it in Beauty and Bravery 〈◊〉 witching enough doubtless to a Worldly Mind But hereupon the Lamb grows angry as a Lion rebukes his Impudence and removes him out of his presence c. some say that our Saviour passed through all these three sharp Tentations in one Dayâ— time See more largely hereof in my Church History from Page 304 to Page 320 321. CHAP. VIII THE Fifth Place of Christ's Pilgrimage was Galilee where he had his Peregrination and Perambulation three several Times The First was before the first Passover after his Baptism and Temptations John 1.43 with John 2.12 13. Some four Months Christ spent in walking up and down Galilee whereof there were two sorts 1. That of the Jews and 2. That of the Gentiles Mat. 4.15 the former was in the Tribe of Zebulon and the latter in the Tribe of Napthali and this Division was occasion'd by the twenty Cities of Galilee which Solomon gave to Hiram the King of Tyre 1 Kin. 9.11 Therefore was it call'd Galilee of the Gentiles and a People that sat in Darkness yet saw a great Light Mat. 4.16 for the Day-spring from on High visited them Luke 1.78 and the Bright Son of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 which had all Pâ—lestina for his Zodiack the twelve Tribes for his twelve Sings c. stayed longest among them These two Tribes as Jerom observeth were first carried into Captivity by the Assyrians 2 Kin. 15.29 seemed farthest from Heaven as bordering on the Gentiles and in many things symbolizing with them learning their Manners So Redemption was first Preached in those Countries of Zebulon and Napthali Isa 9.1 â— Our Lord was a long time in perfecting this perambulation he walk'd or went about Doing Good this whole Circuit Acts 10.38 which contained many great Towns and Famous Cities in Zebulon were Nazareth Bethsaida Cana Naim c. and in Nathali were Capernaum Riblah Caesaria Philippi c. All which Populous Places promised a plentiful Increase and Income of the Evangelical Harvest 'T was the Prudence of Christ and of his Apostles to seat themselves as near as might be where most need is and where there was the greatest likelihood of doing most good So ought all Christ's Ministers to do spreading the Net of the Gospel where most Fishâ—â— are found for catching them In this Holy procession of our Messiah we find many Remarks Recorded in Scripture as First His leaving of Nazareth Mat. 4.13 This was the Place of Christ's Conception and Education Therefore did He marvelously Affect this City and sought the Safety and Salvation of the Citizens but they would not Though it being his own Country did draw his Heart to it as our Native places do ours by a kind of Mâ—â—netick Power and Property yet when He would have healed them their Iniquity was Discovered as Hos 7.1 It broke out as the Leprosie in their Foreheads they refused to be Reformed and hated to be Healed Though Christ in his second Perambulation was admitted to be publick Reader in their Synagogue for that Sabbath and Preached a most Powerful Sermon from his Text in Isaiah 50. to the admiration of all his Auditors yet because He pinched their wickedness by his Comparisons He was in Danger of his Life had he not Delivered himself in a miraculous manner Luke 4.16 to 30. He could there do no mighty work saith Mark 6.5 6. Therefore left them say both Mat. 4.13 and Luke 4.31 than which they could scarce have incurr'd a greater Displeasure for Wo be to You saith He when I depart from you Hos 9.12 and what Woes came into the City Jerusalem when the Lord was quite gone out of it Ezek 11.23 God there makes many Removes and still as he goes out some Judgment came in till at last that fatal Calamity in the final Ruine of it rush'd in upon that City N.B. Note well Oh Pray Pray Pray That such a dismal Day of Removing our Candlestick may not come That our Sun of the Gospel may not go down at Noon nor the Glory of God depart from our English Israel that our Dear Redeemer may not be provoked to turn his back upon this our Nazareth The Second Remark is That when Christ left Nazareth because that Great Prophet had no Honour in his own Country nay he was in hazard of his Life among his Countrymen he came and dwelt in Capernaum c. Mat. 4.13 Mark 1.14 Luke 4.31 and John 1.43 and 2.12 where he hired an House for Himself his Mother c. for the Son of Man had not an House of his own wherein to lay his Head Mat. 8.19 This City became the seat of the Evangelical Kingdom fitly chosen for the wholesomeness of the Air Fertility of the Soil and its propinquity both to the River Jordan and the Lake of Genesareth besides many fair Towns and Populous Places were its Neighbours Here the Corn was White unto the Harvest John 4.35 and did solicite Labourers then became it a Town of Consolation as Capernaum signifies when Nazareth the Flower as it signifies withered by the withdrawment of the Sun of Righteousness from it N. B. Note well Contempt drives away Christ but kind Hungrings constrain him to stay Luke 24.29 and 4.42 We should earnestly contend for the Faith which is but once delivered to the Saints Jude ver 3. We must not expect again ever a second Edition of it But if we make Christ welcome as Capernaum did He will dwell here as He did there he will utter Oracles and Work Miracles c. Oh happy Place and People in so sweet and pretious and Inhabitant among them Hereby Capernaum is said to be lifted up to Heaven Mat. 11.22 and some render the Reason why Judah was sealed first of Leah's Children and Napithali of Rache's side Rev. 7.5.6 because Our Lord sprang out of Judah and dwelt in Capernaum of Napthali 's Tribe Here Christ paid Tribute as a Citizen and retired hither when tired at any time with Preaching c. The Third Remark is He went about all Galilee Sometimes walking from Town to Town and sometimes walking upon the Sea Shore Mat.
c. still waiâ—â— for their Prey again and there presseth upon them for his Release more than eveâ—â— But while he urged Christ's Absolution this time also they cry out against Pilate that if he Justified him whom they had Condemned in their Court and committed the Prisoner to him they would Article against himself as no Friend to Caesar c. John 19.12 This saying knocks down all Pilate's Honesty dead to the ground save only that as he had brought Christ out from the Barr before shewing him most notoriously abused that they might be moved with Compassion towards him when he said to them Behold the Man thus madly misused by the Rude Rabble Soldiers So here again he brings him forth from the Bar and cries again Behold your King John 19.13 14. Are you not ashamed to kill your King whom you have caused me to put all this Contempt upon Those faint Essays of Pilate's clearing the Innocent were took weak Remedies for Curing so strong a Malady as the Priest's Malice Who were not at all moved with all the Miseries they had Mischievously Inflicted upon Innocent Jesus but though they Relented not at their beholding the Man and beholding their King thus abominably abused N. B. Note well 't is meet we should be moved to see the King's Son so basely Scourged by the basest of Men and that for our sakes not for his own those Miscreants melted not Mollified not to behold the most prodigious and profoundest part of our Redeemer's Misery but on the contrary made themselves sport thereof and with many Outragious and Spiteful Speeches flocked about Pilate Threaten to Accuse him of Treason to the Emperour for Labouring by many means to Release such a Traitor to Caesar's Government Now is Pilate Conquered to yield for two Causes and Considerations N. B. Note well First the Impatiency Importunity and Impudency both of the Priests and of the People like Priest like People Pilate faintly saith to them shall I Crucifie your King the more backward he was to it the more madly forward and furious they were for it And the same Mouths that had but a little before cryed Hosanna to Christ at his entring into Jerusalem now with their loudest Clamours cry Crucifie him and to shew the earnestness of their Divelish Desires they double that Outcry saying Crucifie him Crucifie him He is none of our King we have no King but Caesar let him be pushed out of the City to be Crucified Then Pilate Feared a Tumult Matth. 27.24 As God made this People's choice their Judgment they would have no King but Caesar as if there were no King in Sion Mic. 4.9 And as if they Rejected the Lord from being their King 1 Sam. 8.7 God gives them their choice with a Vengeance for their King Caesar utterly destroyed them as was prophesied Zech. 11.6 which was fulfilled by the Emperour Vespasian So this fear of Man brought Pilate into a Snare Prov 29.25 Causeth him to comply with the Clamorous Crew to avoid the Danger of a Tumult c. The Second cause of his complying was his fear of losing Caesar's Favour fearing that more than the loss of God's So chuses to obey the Creature 's Corruptions rather than the Creator's Commands And in fine he loses the Favour of both as the sequel sheweth CHAP. XXXI WHen this Cowardly and Inconstant Pilate was thus Sordidly overcome by the pressings both of Priests and People and overawed by his fear of losing Caesar's Favour and so by Consequence his Office of Power and Presidentship then he that had been as stiff as an Oak in absolving Christ so oft before saying I find-no fault in him becomes as supple and plyable as a Willow and complies with the cursed Crew to Condemn the Innocent and Faultless One that they might lead him away to Execution Whence do arise these few Remarks Remark The 1st is That Men of no Principle Magistrates or others that Act for pleasing the People and fear of Princes Dust and Ashes more than the living God cannot persevere in their pretended Piety or Honesty but yields at last to the Temptation Remark 2d Such as do yield to the Tempter whether they be Godly or Ungodly are sure to be punished for not persevering as was Adam for yielding to Eve Sampson to Dalilah and Pilate here to the People as Adam lost Paradise and his Primitive Excellency both to his Person and to his Posterity and as Sampson lost his Strength his Eyes his God and his Life thereby So Pilate perplexed here with Threats of Impeachment persists not Honest in his Office soon after he was kicked out of it by Cajus for perverting of Justice Banished into Germany as before where through Grief and Shame for loosing both Gods Favour and Caesar's he became his own Death-Man Eusebius Hist lib. 2. cap. 7. and which is worse he stands Branded in the Bible for Condemning the Just One upon Everlasting Record to the end of the World to say nothing of his Torments for it in the other World N. B. Note well This should Teach all Persons to fear God above the World we may not warp and act against the Light of our Consciences as he did The 3d Remark is Above all it concerns Magistrates to be Men fearing God Exod. 18.21 Able and Active Strong and Stout Hearted well underlayed with Righteousness as well as Riches fearing God above all Judges should be Men of Courage ceur de Lions Solomon's Throne was supported with Lions to shew what manner of Men such as Sit in places of Judicature should be and what Mettal a Magistrate should be made off The Standard of Justice should be of Case-harden'd Steel and the Main-posts of a Common-wealth should be Heart of Oak Tully tells us 't is a Mercy to have Judges Modò Audeant quae sentiant so they dare but do according to the Dictates of their Consciences which because Pilate did not do therefore all that Evil aforesaid by a Just Judgment of God came upon him As Joseph yielded not though his Sollicitations were so oft renewed So he and Daniel had no fault found in their Grandeur save in the matters of their God c. The 4th Remark is It was a wonderful providence of God that Pilate should in these his contrary Actings of Absolving and Condemning Christ serve God's Will as well as his own both God's Secret and his Revealed Will. In his Absolving Christ so often he concurred with the Revealed Will of God which declareth him Faultless and without Sin Heb. 4.15 A Lamb without blemish of Original Sin and without spot of Actual Sin 1 Pet. 1.18 and in his Condemning him Pilate served the Secret Will of God which laid upon Christ all the Sins of the whole Elect Isa 53.6 according to the Covenant of Redemption contracted betwixt the Father and the Son for satisfaction of Divine Justice and for the expiation of all our Sins While he stood before the Bar of this Mortal Man he
sin What will ye give me Matth. 26.15 that cursed Traitor sold the Head but Simoniacal Patrons sell the Members he the Shepherd they the Sheep and herein as worse than Judas he only sold the Body but they the Souls of Men as that Scarlet Strumpet doth at this day Rev. 18.13 Nor did Simon here desire to purchase those Miraculous Gifts that he might glorifie God or confirm the Truths of the Gospel which he now professed by them but to make Merchandize of them selling dearer than he would have bought to satisfie his insatiable Thirst after gain as also to maintain his Reputation among his Admirers who saw the Apostles out-vye and over-do him N.B. Beside this Simon Magus was thus far convinced by Simon Peter that himself had no more than a meer shew of Godliness under which he laboured to lurk and was no better a man than what the Apostle had characteriz'd him to be therefore being terrified with that direful Threatning verse 20. and probably fearing to fall under the same dismal Doom that had as he might hear of befallen Ananias and Saphira he feigns a Repentance as he had done a Faith begs the Apostle's prayers which he knew were prevalent with God What became of him the Scripture is silent N.B. However this same Simon whom Philip had look'd upon as Honest and Baptized him was detected by Peter who soon smelt the Fox and divinely drew him out of his Den exposing him to open view Ecclesiastick History saith that as he was flying in the Air at Peter's powerful prayers he fell down and broke his Neck This Story though not Canonical in it self yet holds it a sacred correspondency with Solomon's Canonical Sentence and saying The Memory of the Just is blessed but the Name of the Wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 And He that perverteth his ways shall be known whereas he that walketh uprightly walks surely verse 9. Sure I am the name of this Notorious Hypocrite hath an ignominious and black Brand put upon it wherewith he stands stigmatized in all Civil as well as Sacred Historie and notwithstanding his cunning Contrivances to hide his Hypocrisie yet as this Hypocrite was detected by Peter so is he detested by all persons of consideration to this day His Name still stinks like putrified Carrion N.B. Though this Simon Magus did manage his matters so cleverly and craftily that Philip mistook him for a Believer and baptiz'd him yet Peter presently pump'd up his Rottenness and laid him open in his proper colours all comes out to his eternal contempt and dishonour therefore as those wicked Sodomites who would have carnally known Angels in the likeness of Men Gen. 19.5 8. gave the odious name to that beastly sin of Sodomy So this Sorcerer unsound Simon hath given the execrable name to that abominable sin of Simony wherewith both the Laws of God and Men do brand all those that barter for Spiritual Benefices N.B. This sin is forbid Lev. 25.34 The Levites Portion and Patrimony was not to be sold c. The sellers of Doves in which form the Spirit descended Matth. 3.16 our Lord did whip out of his Temple twice the first time was at his Entrance on his Publick Ministry John 2.14 and the second was at his Ending of it Matth. 21.12 N.B. Alas it may most truly be sighed out and said in our sad seasons that Satan hath his Simon and Jude as well as God He hath his Jude or Judas who was a seller of our Saviour God the Son and his Simon that would have been the buyer of God the Holy Spirit and because he attempted to purchase with Money that greatest of Gifts he deprived himself of all part and portion either in receiving or in the conferring of that Gift and of any part in Eternal Life Preached by Peter c. N.B. But 2dly Though Simon Magus proved an unsound Proselite to Philip's Ministry yet the Aethiopian Queen Candace's Chamberlain became a more sound one as well as all the other Samaritan Professors who was truly and throughly converted by the Ministry of Philip in the Story of whose Conversion there be five singular Circumstances to be observed 1. The Author or Instrument converting Philip Acts 8.26 when the two Embassadors the Apostles had confirmed this new Constituted Church at the chief City of Samaria they all Preach the Gospel in all the same Villages of that Countrey also as they were commanded by Christ Acts 1.8 which testified their Indefatigable and Invincible Industry in despite of this fourth great Persecution Acts 8.1 so returned to Jerusalem Acts 8.25 N.B. But Philip was commanded by the Angel of God to go from thence to Gaza verse 26. nor must he go the ordinary Road thither but the Desart-way which was up-hill and down-hill an Emblem of the way to Heaven so but little frequented Had not Philip been thus directed he had certainly gone the common Path and not have met with this great Ethiopian Officer which doth teach us That man's way is not in himself it is not in man to direct his own steps Jer. 10.23 and that the Lord tells all our wandrings Psal 56.8 Man is not Master of his own walkings but is over-ruled and directed by God and if God will have man to wander in a Wilderness as David did when hunted like a Partridge upon the Mountains and as Philip did here passing through a Desart yet was it great comfort to them both that as they went hither and thither at the Lord's direction so God kept an account of all their footings and flittings N.B. 2dly The Object or Person converted he is commended by his Nation Condition Dignity Religion and Occupation Acts 8.27 28. He was 1. An Ethiopian by Nation 2. An Eunuch or Gelded Man such as Queens imployed in their Chambers to avoid suspicion was his Condition 3. His Dignity is imported in his being stiled an Officer of great Authority a Noble-man of the Queen's Court. 4. For his Religion he was a Proselyte who had been at Jerusalem to worship God in that Solemn Festival of the Passover N.B. His Religion may rise up in Judgment against many Professors who know more of God than this Proselyte He could have only some small knowledge of God in that Dark Region of Africa yet can he cross the Seas takes this long Journey to worship God at Jerusalem and in his Return improved his time so well as to Read the Sacred Scriptures which declares he did not desire to worship the True God according to any false Fancy but as he was directed by the Word of God in his External Worship What a shame is it to behold our Courtiers and Gallants c. if they Read at all in their Coaches do spend their time there in Reading frivolous Romances c. when this ignorant Ethiopian Lord did better having some small smattering of Divine Knowledge used his best endeavour to increase it To him that thus hath it shall be given him and that more
season draws out Peter to pass through all quarters to visit the Saints that he might confirm them in the Faith and establish a Ministry among those Churches newly planted by the dispersed Disciples v. 32 Acts 9. Secondly The Place where was Lydda which was one of those places Peter passed unto to visit c. a famous City in former times not far from the Mediterranean Sea upon the West Bank of Jordan Oh wonder how Christ hath his Saints scattered and planted in Cities and Countreys c. Thirdly The Person healing was Peter this was not the first healing Miracle that Peter had wrought by the power of Christ for before this he had cured the Cripple that was born lame not lamed by any violent casualty Acts 3.2 7. and that had been lame forty years Acts 4.22 as above Besides we find Acts 5.15 how the shadow of Peter wrought wonders N.B. The like whereunto we read of Paul after Acts 19.12 not as if the shadow or garment or the body of these Apostles had any inherent vertue in them to heal Diseases and to cast out Devils but that the power of helping the Distressed was now so abundantly poured out at this Effusion of the Holy â—host upon them insomuch as these weakest and improbable means were made soveraign and effectual to work Miracles that the glory of those wondrous works might not be attributed to such contemptible things but to the blessed Messiah now gloriously exhibited N.B. Moreover such prodigious Products from such unlikely means did not only demonstrate that the power was of God but it was an accomplishing of Christ's Promise to them that they should do greater works than he had done John 14.12 by which Providence the Gospel was much more propagated To which may be added that Peter there was in conjunction with John in healing that begging Cripple but here he acts alone by himself Fourthly The Party healed was Aeneas who is described 1. By his Name supposed to be a Jew tho' living now at Lydda whom the Jews call'd Hillel but the Greek-Lyddians call'd him Aeneas 2. By his Disease a dead Palsie which had taken away the use of his Limbs so that he became a Clynick and lay Bed-rid 3. By the Antiquity of his Disease Acts 9.33 he had kept his Bed eight years All this is Recorded not only to declare the certainty of the History but especially the difficulty of the Cure and the excellency of the Miracle Omnipotenti Medico nullus insanabilis occurrit Morbus To such an Almighty Physician as Jehova is no Diseease is found incurable Exod. 15.26 Fifthly The Manner how this Cure was wrought is related verse 34. Acts 9. which contains 1. Peter's command in the Name of Christ wherein he promiseth Recovery to this Paralytick suitable to our Saviour's saying Mark 2.9 and John 5.8 in the like case to demonstrate the perfection of the Cure in being now able to make his Bed Peter acts not here by his own power but lets this lame man know whom he should acknowledge for his Benefactor himself being but the Instrument in Christ's hand And 2. The Paralytick's Cure thereby He immediately arose together with the Word there went forth a power Luke 5.17 As Peter was assured of this so the Paralytick did experience it for he felt the dolorous Distemper by the Resolution of his Nerves depart from him in an instant and that now he was inabled to arise and to cast up his Bed whereof he had now no such need as formerly for eight years All this did declare that the Cure was done by a Divine Power seeing Nature and Art acts in Time and by Degrees but he was cured immediately and that perfectly also insomuch as he was made able to make his Bed the best discovery thereof to all Sixthly The Effects hereof namely upon the many Spectators of this Miracle All that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw it and turned to the Lord verse 35. Acts 9. The Hebrew is Sharon a place that had most fruitful Fields Isa 33.9 1 Chron. 27.29 but now it became Christ the Rose of Sharon indeed Cant. 2.1 For this Providence became an Ordinance to the Inhabitants of that City 1 Chron. 5.16 not far from Lydda for hitherto they had been erroneous in Fundamentals so had turned their backs of Christ but now were both Inlightened and Inlivened to embrace his Truth The second great Miracle Peter wrought in this his Journey from Jerusalem when he went thence into all quarters to visit the Saints and to confirm them in the Faith Acts 9.32 was his raising Dorcas from the Dead at Joppa which Miracle is described by six Circumstances The first is the Person upon whom this Miracle was wrought by Peter the personal Object whereof hath sundry Demonstrations As 1. By her Name which is twofold Tabitha so call'd among the Jews and Dorcas so call'd among the Greeks both names signifying a Doe or Roe-Buck and as she was espoused to Christ no other she was to him than as a loving Hind and pleasant Roe Prov. 5.19 2. By her Profession she is call'd a Disciple of Christ 3. By her Practice and Manners she was rich in good works which are the best Riches last longest and go farthest for they follow us into another World Rev. 14.13 She is commended for her Beneficency and for her Liberality Acts 9.36 And 4. By her Disease and Death verse 37. N.B. A dear Disciple may be diseased and die Mary and Martha send this word to Christ Behold he whom thou lovest is sick yea and dead too John 11.3 c. Christ's Love and Saint's Death as well as Diseases may well enough hold a consistency as here also in this dear Dorcas whom when dead they had washed not only to fit her for Burial but especially to shew their hope of the Resurrection which would change that vile Body like Christ's glorious Body Phil. 3.21 The second Circumstance is the double occasion 1. The Ficinity of the place Joppa a Port-Town and very beautiful call'd so from the Hebrew Japhah signifying fair or a fair Haven most memorable for Jonah's taking Shipping there when he would flee from God and decline his Message Jon. 1.3 expresly said to be nigh to Lydda verse 38. Acts 9. The second occasion was the Intercession of the Disciples who were sensible of the great loss they all had in the death of so good a Woman therefore sent they speedily for Peter not only to come and comfort those who were most concerned in the loss but also by the Direction of God's Spirit they were not without hope that this pious Woman might be zecovered by Peter and so remain farther profitable to the Church hereupon they request his haste in coming to them before her Burial which now they were preparing for this is an evidence of such an hope The third Circumstance is the moving Cause of this Miracle which was the doleful Lamentation made by Widows for the loss of this
for beginning this great work of bringing both Jews and Gentiles together into one Bond of Communion this place was therefore God's choice where both of them abounded and the mentioning of Cornelius's his being of the Italian Band Acts 10.1 may be look'd upon as an intimation from the Holy Spirit that this very City was designedly pitched upon for this very end wherein both Jews and Gentiles should meet here first in Christ's Sheepfold 4. In their unwillingness to deliver God's Errand for both were backward to it both were more for disputing than for dispatching their Lord and Master's commands Much unlike to Abraham who followed God blindfold and went out not knowing whither Heb. 11.8 N.B. But though he knew not whither he went yet did he know full well with whom he went namely that he walked as a Child in his tender Father's hand which is sufficient incouragement even to a timorous Son as it was to David Psal 23.4 to walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death but neither Jonah nor Bar-Jonah had this confidence First Jonah the Prophet did take shipping at Joppa this very same City when he would flee from the presence of God and decline his duty Jon. 1.3 He Rose indeed like a Servant whom his Master calls up to do his commands verse 2. but it was to Run from his business not to perform it Whatever was the Reason that moved Jonah to Run away from God's command yet is this strange he should fall into such a fixt Opinion that he might and take up such a fixt Resolution that he could flee from the presence of the Lord mentioned twice in verse 3. He could not be ignorant how David had described the Omni-presence of God Psal 139 7 8 9 10 11. Yea natural Reason would rebuke him for thinking he could flee from God Jovis omnia plena God fills all places saith the Heathen Poet. Secondly Bar-Jonah the Apostle was backward enough also as is before related for though he did not as the other Jonah who out of a sullen humour and a melancholy discomposure at the dislike of his Message crept into a Ship-Cabbin or got under the Dâ—â—k before the Ship was ready for her Voyage that he might be sure to go in her and therefore paid for his passage before-hand presently upon his going first on Board which used not to be paid till Passengers come to the Port or Haven designed c. Yet this Bar-Jonah did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stick fast in the Mud of his own doubting heart of unbelief and could find no way out Acts 10.17 In this sense the same Greek word is â—â—â—d to express the perplexity of Herod's guilty Conscience Luke 9.7 as Beza noteth N.B. 'T is true Jonah Run away but Bar-Jonah stood at Mark for the former had only an ordinary Divine Command Arise go to Nineveh c. Jon. 1.2 but this latter had an extraordinary Divine Vision and Commission to converse with the Gentiles notwithstanding Peter's doubting was so prevalent that he verily thought his Jewish Custom in shunning Gentile-Communion was a Reason strong enough to refuse God's Command therefore he cryed Not so Lord c. Acts 10.14 till he was expresly bid to go doubting nothing verse 20. and then he delayed not to obey the Heavenly Vision as Acts 26.19 2. The Disparity betwixt Jonah and Bar-Jonah are these 1. The former was sent in Embassage to a prodigiously vast and populous Gentile-City but the latter was God's Embassador at the first only to a Gentile-Family and his Friends and Relations 2. Jonah's Doubting was worse than Bar-Jonah's for Jonah not only doubted whether the Conversion of the Gentiles might not prove the Rejection of the Jews whereof he was very unwilling to become the Instrument and Bar-Jonah might have the like Doubt But also Jonah doubted whether that great King and his City would not rather deride and punish him than regard his Message for he had no such good Character of them as â—eter had of Cornelius before his going to him Acts 10.22 to incourage him 3. Jonah also feared that his Threatning Message to Nineveh would not proye true for God's graciousness he thought would Reverse the Doom of destroying it within forty days if the City did Repent and then they would repute him for a false Prophet but Bar-Jonah had no such Reasons of any such fear here 4. This Refractory Prophet is punished for a Run-away and put close Prisoner into Little-ease the Whale's Belly out of which upon his prayer he is delivered when made more sensible of his duty by this Miraculous Deliverance yet when thus forced to set upon his work and became successful in it he became passionate and in a pet fit he must needs lie down and die Notwithstanding this God most graciously spared him as well as Nineveh and left him upon Record not only as a Type of Christ's Burial and Resurrection as he lay three nights in the Whale's Belly and then was cast upon dry ground Matth. 12.40 but also as a Caution and Warning-piece to Prophets and People that 't is possible they may prove over-passionate and though good men may Run over far away from their duty This doth not cum Petroquadrare Bar-Jonah did not do as this old Jonah did c. This brings in the first Circumstance namely How Peter was expected by Cornelius Acts 10.24 but so was not Jonah expected by Nineveh Peter after he had lodged the Centurion's Messengers for him whereof Nineveh sent none for Jonah in all civility tho' Gentiles all night verse 23. In the morning he rose up and went with them taking six Brethren from Joppa with him that they all might testifie with him the Grace of God which was dropped down from Heaven upon the Gentiles when it might be questioned as it happened afterwards to be Acts 11.1 2. when Peter returned the second time to Jerusalem to be after observed Now comes he to Caesarca where it is expresly said Cornelius waited for him and he had called together his Kinshmen and near Friends to wait with him for Peter N.B. For this good man Cornelius thought he could not express his love to his Relations and Acquaintance who had probably with him forsaken all Pagan Idolatry better than by giving them an opportunity to hear the Word of Life and receive Instruction for their Souls And 2dly How he was accepted and entertained So soon as Peter was come Cornelius met him fell down at his feet and worshipped him verse 25. Acts 10. that is with a most humble Civil Worship not with any Divine Worship for he had forsaken his Pagan Idolatry and though he could not think him to be God yet perhaps might mistake him for an Angel and designed to worship him accordingly for which Peter blames him verse 26. by letting him know he was no more than a Man who must adore God but must not be adored either as God or as an Angel by Mortal Men We must glorifie
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
Amphipolis and Apollonia two Cities also in Macedonia whether they were called by the Vision but God had no Harvest work there for these his Harvest Labourers and tho' the former of these was so called because the Sea came up to it on both sides yet the Gospel of Christ that vast Ocean of Divine love must not now come to it on any side but Paul passeth by both those places as he was directed by God's Spirit and goes on to Thessalonica one of the chiefest Cities of Macedonia a City built by Great Alexander's Father in memory of a Victory that Philip obtained over the Thessalians and therefore call'd it Thessalonica which signifies the Conquest of Thessaly but it became far more famous for Christ's coming and riding upon the white Horse of the Gospel and conquering a famous Church to himself to which Paul wrote two famous Epistles afterwards c. As to Paul's Preaching the Gospel at Thessalonica two things are principally to be considered concerning his Doctrine Preached in that City The first is the Object thereof which is Two fold 1. The Personal 2. The Real Object The Personal Object is manifold As 1. Whom he Taught the Jews 2. Where in their Synagogue 3. When on the Sabbath-day 4. How oft three Sabbath days together And 5. From whence he drew his Doctrine 't was out of the Scriptures Acts 17. verse 1 2. Then the Real Object is twofold 1. What his Doctrine was namely the Doctrine of Christ's Death and Resurrection And 2. The manner how he taught it was by opening the Prophecies of the Old Prophets concerning Christ and comparing them with what was both done and suffered by Christ making all things so plain to the Eyes of their understandings as if he had exposed them to the open view of their Bodily eyes ver 3. The next considerable to the Object is the Event which also is twofold 1. Good And 2. Bad. The good Event was the Conversion of some Jews and of a great multitude of Greek-Gentiles and of the chief women not a few verse 4. But the bad Event was the opposition and persecution which was a constant Companion of the Apostolical Doctrine in all places where Paul came and this is described by its three parts its Beginning its Advance or Middle and its Catastrophe or ending 1st The Beginning of it was started by the Unbelieving Jews moved with envy who call the lewd Fellows into a League of Conspiracy with them and so sets the whole City in an uproar verse 5. The 2d part of this persecution is the Middle or Increase of it wherein is related that the Apostles being withdrawn to avoid the rage of the rude Rabble so could not be found they fall foul upon Jason the Apostles host and entertainer with others of the Brethren and hale them away to the Rulers of the City where they lay heavy and heinous crimes to their charge they accuse them 1. Of raising Sedition verse 6. 2. Of committing High Treason verse 7. Then the 3d. part the Conclusion thereof tho' those Judges were affrighted at these Accusations both fearing a Tumult among the Citizens and the Roman powers reckoning with them if Christ should be allowed to affront Caesar verse 8. N.B. However they were either well satisfied with Jason's Apology or with the Bail taken for their Appearance if there were need so as to dismiss them out of the Court and let them return home verse 9. This gave a loud alarm to the Apostles knowing that the Jews sought Paul's life therefore were they sent away verse 10. The Remarks upon Paul's preaching at Thessalonica are these The first Remark is Still the Gospel is as the Sea what it loseth on one side of Land it gaineth on another The sending away of Paul and Silas from Philippi to gratifie the mad multitude Acts 16.39 was a means to carry the word of life and Salvation to Thessalonica yea and we may suppose to some Jews both in Amphipolis and Apollonia too N.B. For tho' the every where scattered Jews had no Synagogue built in either of those two Cities as was in Thessalonica yet 't is not at all improbable that they resorted to this Synagogue in Thessalonica out of both the other Cities so had the opportunity to hear Paul preach the Gospel to them N.B. As all these three Cities were situated in Macedonia so they were not so far distant one from another but that they might hold up a Communion in the Jewish worship without any breach of that Law which limited their Sabbath-day's Journey to about two miles among their Traditions Acts 1.12 yet was this looked upon as binding only in their own Countrey in times of peace and not in other Countreys into which War had dispersed them So that some of those Jews out of the other two Cities might be of the Number of those that Believed and Consorted with Paul The second Remark is But those Jews which believed not were the worst sort of Enemies the Gospel of Christ met withal in the whole world N.B. These Unbelieving Jews were worse than those lewd Fellows of the baser sort that were as Idle vagrants out of all honest Imploy Viles et Venales Saith One Vagi otiosiq saith Another such as had nothing to do but to gaze about and run on Errands This Rascality and Sink of the City was the best tools the Jews could find out by whom to do the Devil's drudgery A quo aliquid tale est illud est Magìs Tale inasmuch as those cross-grain'd and cursed Jews set those Mercenary Dueggs of the City on work to make an uproar and opposition against the Gospel they were the principal Agents therein and therefore worse than those worthless burdens of the Earth who were but their Instruments which watched all opportunities to move Sedition in hope of finding some Advantage in change Hence Paul brands those Jews thus that they are neither pleasing to God nor profitable to men 1 Thess 2.15 The third Remark is The Success and prosperous Reception of the Gospel is a grievous eye-sore to the Envious Devil N.B. Would we know the Reason why the Devil raged thus both in the chief Agents the Jews and in those their under-Instruments the mad Miscreants against the Apostles of Christ It was because in three weeks space or very little more they had Converted some Jews many Proselytes and not a few of the chief Gentiles yea and a considerable number of the honourable Matrons of the City tho' such had stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas in Antioch Acts 13.50 All which number of Converts considered with the shortness of the time wherein so many were brought in it cannot be wondred at that the Devil seeing his Kingdom tumbling down filled the hearts of those Incarnate Devils from corner to corner with rage against the Apostles N.B. However this speedy Efficacy of the Gospel upon so many and mighty persons together with the malicious Opposition they
is manifest in his works as in a mirrour arguing thus The world must have a beginning nor could it make it self but as God made all things so he orders and disposes of all things our beings dwellings breathings and motions so that an hair cannot fall from off our heads without his providence Matth. 10.30 therefore these things must not be Attributed to chance or to a Fatuitous Concourse of Atoms as they vainly imagined and the more to shame them out of their vain fancy he brings in the Testimony of one of their own Poets to wit Aratus tho' not named an approved Author among them not that Paul would derive any Authority from that Poet but that he might wound their vanity with their own weapons Adding also tho' God winked at the Ignorance of your Auncestors yet now under the Gospel he would not do so ver 24 25 26 27 28 29 and 30. The seventh Remark is The seed of God's word meeteth with several Soils to receive it when it is sown some are High-way-Soil some Stonny and some Thorny as well as some good Matth 13. No sooner had Paul preached the unknown God to them and also pressed upon them that God would Judge the impenitent world and that by the man Christ Jesus whom the Jews had Crucified Then there were found among them three sorts of Hearers some derided some doubted and a few believed 1. The Deriders or Mockers were probably the Epicureans verse 18. who denyed that the world was Created or Governed by God as also that there were any rewards or punishments for men after death therefore they ridiculed Paul's Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead and of the Judgment-day to come tho' this great truth made Faelix tremble while Paul Reasoned upon it Acts 24.25 Such was the force of Conscience in him yet had it no such impression on those Epicures who judged of all things by common sense not by Conscience 2. The doubters probably were the Stoicks verse 18. who held as bad opinions as the other did yet did not think the Resurrection to be impossible but did acknowledge rewards and punishments might be in the world to come therefore they most likely might say to Paul pressing the Doctrine of Repentance and of the Resurrection verse 30.31 for obtaining better satisfaction to their doubts we will hear thee again of this Matter verse 32. deferring farther discourse upon those points to another day 3. The Believers whether by Paul's publick or private discourse is not mentioned were indeed but few that are named yet were they so honourable that it could not but become a vast advantage to the Gospel to be owned by such a man as this Dionysius or Dennis and by such a woman as this Damaris verse 33 34. Notwithstanding we do not find any Gospel-Church founded at this Athens by Paul as was in the next City he went from hence to namely to Corinth Acts 18.1 No Reason can be rendred for this besides the unsearchable wisdom and pleasure of God but that these Scholars of the University and Citizens of this accounted wisest City were too wise to go to Heaven and to be saved by the foolishness of Preaching the Gospel and that they for their Idolatry were in a Iudiciary way given up unto strong delusions unto vile affections and unto just Damnation c. CHAP XVIII Paul's Preaching at Corinth NOW come we to Paul's fifth Station which was at Corinth Acts 18. v. 1. The Metropolis of Achaia a Sea-Town situated between the Aegean and the Jonian Seas in the very Islâ—hmus or narrow neck of Land that joyns Peloponesus unto Achaia a very rich City made a Roman Colony where Paul gathered a famous Church If we take a distinct prospect of Paul's Station in Corinth there be three Circumstances do offer themselves principally to our observation The first is His Entertainment The second is His Actions The third is His Passions or Sufferings there These three are but Circumstances so called in the largest sense in respect of his Station in that Populous City under which the place time manner and other Circumstances in the strictest notion are Comprehended First His Entertainment in this place was twofold 1. In the house of Aquila verse 2 3. where Paul's host is described not only by his Name but by his Nation and Countrey by the occasion of his coming to Corinth and his Imploy or Occupation there His 2. was in the House of Justus verse 7. who lived nearer to the Synagogue Secondly His Actions or Doings here are described verse 4 5. He was pressed in Spirit by an extraordinary and Divine Inspiration to dispute in the Synagogue every Sabbath-day persuading as far as he could both the Jews and the Greeks that JESVS was the CHRIST who was promised by the Prophets exceeding all other Anointed ones Thirdly His Passion or Suffering was twofold 1. While he Sojourn'd with his first host namely in Aquila's house and studiously took all opportunities to preach the Doctrine of the Gospel and to convince the gain-sayers yet the obstinate Jews would not be convinced but did oppose themselves and blasphemed verse 6. not only mis-calling Paul while they pertinaciously bad him battle as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which we read opposing but even Paul's Master also the blessed Messiah whose Dishonour grieved him most and thereupon he shook his raiment that none of the dust of that place where such blasphemy was spoken might stick to him and uttered that Hebrew phraise Damo berosho Josh 2.19 your blood be upon your own heads with much vehemency as 2 Sam. 1.16 and Matth. 27.25 intimating you are self destroyers 't is none of my fault if ye perish he had blown the Trumpet and warned them shewing the way of life to them therefore was he free from their blood and loss of their Souls Ezekiel 33.4 N. B. However this opposition moved Paul to change his quarters and to betake himself to a new Lodging verse 7. being put in some small pang of fear which the Lord relieved him off by incouraging him with two Arguments First That Christ's presence should continually keep him from being harmed And Secondly That he had much chosen Wheat in that great heap of Chaff to call out by his Ministry so no need of doubting the success of his Ministry nor his personal safety verse 9 10. Lastly Paul in his new Lodgings whether he was constrained to go by the Jews pertinacy at the house of Justus there he made an hard shift to hold a longer abode tarrying in that Lodging with Silas Timotheus teaching the people for a whole year an half verse 11. This Lodging is commended three ways 1. From the honesty and holiness of his host Justus both in name and nature a worshipper of God whom some suppose to be the same with Titus call'd Justus Titus one who had cast off the Polutheism or many Gods of the Gentiles 2. Form the Commodious Situation
of this Host's House it was nigh to the Synagogue verse 7. And 3. From the Suceess of Paul's Teaching there many of the Corinthians believed verse 8. N. B. When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed then many of the people believed also Great men are Looking-Glasses of the places where they live according to which most men dress themselves Though Paul had said upon the Jews discovering their first obstinacy against the Gospel from henceforth I turn to the Gentiles verse 6. yet loth he was so easily to let go his hold of his own Country-men therefore made he this house his fixed place of residency because it was so nigh to their Synagogue and even Contiguous to it here Paul Preached much and oft yea long for 18. Months least he should seem to withdraw the Grace of the Gospel altogether from those of his own Nation still hoping that his threatning to depart from the Jews and preach to the Gentiles might awaken them and the Aemulation of the Gentiles might provoke them to believe But their obstinate and obdurate hearts Received no impression by any thing but made an evil use of every thing so they rendred themselves incurable as they had done before Acts 13.46 Hereupon they Unanimously accord to raise a new Perseution against Paul verse 12 accusing him to the Governour of breaking the Roman Law verse 13. or the Law of Moses not of Murder Theft or any such injury wherefore when Paul was about making an Apology for himself the Governour Gallio himself undertook his defence against his accusers telling them That none of their Articles against Paul did belong to the Cognizance of his Court so drove them out of the place of Iudicature verse 14 15 and 16. N. B. And because they hastned not out fast enough from troubling the Court the Gentile-Greeks that attended Gallio in his Judgment-seat laid hands upon Sosthenes a chief Ruler of some other Synagogue and probably one of Paul's principal Accusers and beat him out of the Croud withall his Fellow Jews that their bawling against Paul might give no farther disturbance to the proceedings of the Judge in more necessary causes verse 17. N. B. The Catastrophe of this new-persecution was wonderful through the over-powering hand of Christ who had promised Paul his preserving presence verse 9.10 for hereby though the matter came to hand-blows yet these fall upon the Accusers but Paul the Accused against whom they all conspired comes off untouched and without any harm at all verse 17. The Remarks do follow the foregoing Analysis or Resolution of the whole into its distinct parts of this History The first Remark is That such Cities as are very rich are usually very loose and very Luxurious so was this Corinth which Paul here came to This City being accommodated with two havens near to it on either side of it the one Jochaeum at which they took Shipping for Italy and those western parts and the other at Cenchrea mentioned Acts ch 18. ver 18 c. at which they took shipping for Asia Much Merchandise Arriving at those two Ports from those several parts of the world were all brought to Corinth which lay in the middle betwixt them and by this extraordinary advantage this City became the great Exchange for those parts of the world The compass of Corinth was five Miles about being strongly walled round So that those Citizens might say with David our lines are allotted us in a pleasant place and we have a godly heritage Psal 16.6 Yet did not this wealthy Mart-Town make any good improvement of these Manifold mercies of God but abused all with their Idolatry and notorious licentiousness for they had within their City the Temple of Isis or Jo an Aegyptian Goddess to whom they Sacrificed a Goose and were silly Geese themselves in their Solemnities but without the City they had the Temple of Venus to whom there were well nigh a thousand Curtizans such Nuns as Venus had consecrated for their lasciuious and wanton worship This Idol-Temple must needs have a very Ample Foundation and be a most prodigious Structure that could contain covents or convenient Lodgings for above as some say a thousand of those Wanton Dames Those Corinthians were generally so leavened with Licentious notions N. B. That they held Fornication to be no sin for this cause Paul in his Epistle to the believing Corinthians is so earnest against that sin 1 Cor. 5. and many other places The Luxury and wealth of this City is a plain Comment upon that old adage Magna Cognatio ut rei it a nominis Vitijs et Divitijs Vices and Riches as they have in the Latin tongue an harmony in name so they differ not much in their Nature when wealth is abused to wickedness N. B. Notwithstanding all this Paul Leaving Athens comes to Corinth which was the other eye of Greece being full of Orators and Philosophers where he expected an Harvest of Converts whereof God assured him after he should reap in great plenty Acts 18.9 10. yet Paul himself came poor enough to this wealthy City altogether a stranger and without Money in his Pocket he is constrained to betake himself to work with his hands for his present subsistency in the work of Tent making but neglects not to frequent the Synagogue every Sabbath to gain Converts The second Remark is A wicked world is soon sick of the Saints and long to worm them out of their Cities and Societies tho' their own preservation from utter ruine be for the Saints sake God saith to Abraham I will not destroy wicked Sodom and her Sisters if ten Righteous Souls may be found in all those five Cities Gen. 18.32 and he saith also If there be but one Cluster of Grapes one Church of Sanctified Souls that hath a blessing in it I will not destroy the Vine for their sakes Isa 65.8 Nay yet lower are divine condescensions toward pardoning mercy find out but one man that is Righteous in Jerusalem and I will pardon it Jerem. 5.1 Notwithstanding all this as the Emperor Claudius did Acts 18.2 so all the the Potentates of the world do banish the true Servants of God from their Socities Claudius commanded all the Jews to depart out of Rome and from Italy and with the Jews the Christians were likewise banished for the Pagan-Romans did not care to distinguish betwixt them because they both worshipped but one God and both agreed to oppose their Idolatry Beside the same quarrel was got to Rome with the Gospel which did attend it in all parts of the World where it came among the Jews who every where opposed it and the Contesting also at Rome against it thereby such Tumults were bred by the Jews against the Christians as occasioned this Decree of the Emperor which Suetonius mentioneth for the banishment of them both Thus foolish are the powers of the Earth that they are resolved to be rid of the Saints who torment those that dwell upon the
Nation who were equally obnoxious to the rage of this Rabble for their opposing Heathenish Idolatry as well as the Christians So 't is easie to Conjecture what would have been the tendency of his Defence namely to lay the load upon Paul and his Company as the only occasion of that Tumult and to have excused the Jews as making no disturbance though they worshipped only the true God c. And therefore ought not to be fal'n upon by the Ephesians but mark how it pleased God to provide for the Apostles safety for this Tumultuous people would not suffer this Alexander to make any Apology for the Jews nor to impute all the blame upon Paul c. v. 33.34 N.B. There is yet a third opinion which takes this Hypothesis for granted that these were two persons yet do strangely convenire in tertio concur in a third denomination many ways As 1. in Name both were Alexanders 2. In Trade both were Smiths tho' the one a Silver-Smith and the other but a Copper-Smith 3. In Nature and Manners both bad enough to wit in the same malignity and opposition against Paul And 4. Both were Adversaries to this Apostle upon one and the same provocation because he taught they were no Gods that were made with hands whereby he hinderd their Handi-Craft and Mar'd their gainful Trade wherein they made Shrines or Images to the Heathen Gods and Goddesses the one of Silver the other of Copper N.B. But supposing them to be but both one person with Calvin he was first a Proselyte to Paul a professor Martyrio propinquus near to Martyrdom here in Paul's cause but afterwards foully Apostatized making Shipwrack of the faith for which he was Excommunicated by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which might probably provoke him to do all that evil to Paul which he complains of 2 Tim. 4.14 c. but whether this wrong was done him at Ephesus or Rome it is not said Hence Learn we a glorious professor may turn a furious persecutor This Alexander did not only withstand Paul's person but his preaching also which was a foul fault of an high and heinous nature 1 Thess 4.8 even against God himself Exod. 16.8 therefore let him that thinks he stands take heed least he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 N.B. The third Circumstance is Concerning the Town-Clark who Registred all the City's Acts and was constantly present at all their publick meetings and lawful Assemblies His appearance and eloquence God made use of to appease the Tumult v. 35. and to dismiss the Assembly verse 41. wherein we may Note these particulars 1. Tho' this Assembly was full of Confusion yet it is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church v. 32. N.B. God bless us from such a state of the Church wherein some cryed one thing and some another as they did in this confused convention which was rather a popular Tumult than any lawful Assembly much less a Church because not call'd by the Magistrates Authority tho' possibly it was made a legal meeting by the Magistrates resorting thither whose mouth this Town Clark was The second Note is This Town-Clark's Starched Oration to the Rabble savoured more of Carnal Wisdom and crafty policy than of any Patronage to true piety For he tells a most loud lye verse 37. that Paul was no Blasphemer of their Goddess whereas Demetrius had more truly told what was Paul's Doctrine verse 26. but Polititians think they may lawfully lye for peace-sake that any untruth may be told to redeem the appeasing of a Tumult and as this insinuation that none quarrel'd with Diana or her worship was more cunning than honest So no less Fallacious was his telling them that tho' Paul c. were against Idols made with hands yet their Image was no such thing but it was dropped down from heaven verse 36. Tho' it be Recorded Plin. Lib. 16. chap. 40. that one Canetias made it yet the crafty Priests persuaded the Credulous people that it fell down from Jupiter to get more Veneration to their Idol and more pounds into their own purses The third Note is He with no less policy gives a diversion to Demetrius from the tumult which indangered the loss of their liberties c. to the open law which is the best Decider of Controversies and Appeaser of Tumults which he promised v. 38 and 39. The fourth Note is He prudently propounds the danger of that days Tumult seeing such a concourse of confusion was a Capital Crime adjudged in the Roman Court under whom they were The last Note is God made use of the Wordly and somewhat wicked Eloquence of this Heathen to preserve Paul c. The Rabble quietly depart home God's hand is not shortened he can save by foes still Oh that we could hush our passions thus by saying 1. Do nothing rashly as he v. 36.2 As the law is open verse 38. So is God's Ear to our crys 3. We are in danger to be questioned v. 46. Thus may we compose our unruly Spirits and dismiss them as he did the Rabble ver 41. CHAP XX. Paul's Travel toward Jerusalem NOw come we to Paul's return towards Jerusalem a Journey which he was moved by the Holy Ghost to undertake his Resolution for undertaking this Journey and for seeing Rome also we have an account of Acts 19.21 22 which Scripture shews how this determination of Paul's return to Jerusalem and of visiting Macedonia and Achaia in his way thither had the Guidance of the infallible Spirit of God and therefore would he not be dehorted from it by all the importunity of his Friends who foresaw what dangers he would be exposed unto there Acts 20.22 c. how Paul travelled through those Countries and visited several Cities where he might scatter the Seed of the Gospel so far abroad because he hoped to have yet a larger Harvest the sequel of this History in a continued Series will demonstrate While Paul stayed in Ephesus before this disturbance by Demetrius last mentioned which was in Asia N.B. Before he began his Journey towards Jerusalem he sent his Messengers before him into Macedonia Acts 19 22. not as if those men there named did Minister unto him for that great Apostle practiced no such Prelatical popish State but it was out of necessity being unable himself to attend all the Offices of the Church They were imployed by Paul not so much to accommodate him with convenient quarters when he came thither in person but to further the Collection for the poor brethren at Jerusalem whether he was now bending his Course 2. Cor. 9.3 4. It was indeed Paul's Resolution to have staid at Ephesus which was his sixth and last Station and where he had stayed for three years Acts 20.31 until Pentecost following had he not been disturb'd by Demetrius 1 Cor. 16.8 but now that uproar being over he saw a necessity to pack off sooner so taking a solemn farewel of his Friends at Ephesus he departed for to go into Macedonia Acts
20.1 N.B. In which Chapter his four places of Commoration into which the whole Chapter may be Resolved as he returned to Jerusalem are mentioned The First is Macedonia from verse 1. to 7. The second is Troas from verse 7. to 13. The third is Assos from verse 13. to 17. The fourth is Miletus from verse 17. to the end of the Chapter wherein all the occurencies and Actions of Paul in all these four places while he abode there in Transitu or Journey to Jerusalem are recorded in several Circumstances N.B. These four Resolves into which the whole Chapter is reduced afford us many Remarks as followeth The first Remark is A Minister of Christ may depart from a place and people where his Ministry hath been successful when driven from thence by persecution N.B. Thus Paul departs from Ephesus where God had a great harvest he giving place to wrath and yielding to the fury of Demetrius and his Tumult not so much for his own safety for had he not been hindered he would have thrust in among the Rabble either to have appeased the uproar or at the worst to have dyed Christ's Sacrifice if he might no longer live his Servant Acts 19.30 31. as for the good of the Church that the brethren there might not be farther persecuted for his sake and that elsewhere the Church by his Ministry might be the more inlarged and edified This was Christ's command when persecuted in one City flee to another Matth 10.23 The second Remark is Such places and people as the Ministers of the Gospel have been persecuted from may have an hopeful and happy return of those same Ministers at least to give them a Corroborating and Comforting visit afterwards N.B. Thus Paul returned from Ephesus to Macedonia Acts 20.1 and 1 Cor. 16.5 from whence he had been driven by persecution some five years ago Acts 16.24 37. as he now was driven from Ephesus yet had he this incouragement for his return which unto all such returning Ministers ought to be presupposed that in that interspace he had received so many evidences of the Macedonians faith towards God and pledges of their Tender affections toward himself Phil. 4.15 16. that as one obliged to revisit them and to bestow his Apostolical pains again among them he resolves to Venture himself there at this time also for their further and fuller establishment and proficiency in the Gospel The third Remark is Paul's practice is our pattern in this that at his departure from Ephesus he leaveth Timothy there behind him tho' in a dangerous place and time yet there was a cogent necessity that required such an able substitute because some false teachers were ready to break out there to infect Christ's Flock 1 Tim. 1.3 4. yea Wolves to worry them Acts 20.29 The fourth Remark is God's people under persecution especially if it last long and sharp too stand in need to be strengthened in the faith and truth of the Gospel c. N.B. The Apostle here went over all those parts of Macedonia where he had formerly sowed the seed of God's word both to confirm and to comfort as the word for Exhortation indifferently signifieth those Disciples after so great an opposition and persecution against them They could not but stand in great need of Paul's Cordials that they swouned not by being offended at the Cross of Christ and no better Cordial could be procured than that which Christ delivered wherein he pronounced and promised a special blessing unto all such as are persecuted for Righteousness sake Mat. 5.10 as Peter learnt from his Lord to comfort the persecuted with this Cordial 1 Pet. 3.14 and again 4.14 in both places pronouncing them happy whether it were wounds or but words they suffered so Paul also learnt to do the like The fifth Remark is Long affliction requireth proportionably a long Consolation Here Paul stayed for three Months Acts 20.2 3. to comfort those disconsolate persecuted Grecians Tho' it be said there he came into Greece that is strickly taken for Attica in which province Athens was or for Achaia the chief City where of was Corinth otherwise if Greece be largely taken it contains Macedonia also which was Great Alexander's Countrey called at this day Albany and Subject to the Turks N.B. Which sheweth that God will not be bound to any place and people to tarry with his Gospel among them any longer than not only durante bene-placito during his good pleasure but also quam din se benè gesserint so long as they behave themselves well and do walk worthy of it Alterius perditio nostra fiat Cautio it concerns us to take caution at their and others desolation least we have not an Interpreter a Comforter left us for 3 months together The sixth Remark is 'T is high presumption and no better than a plain tempting of God to run headlong upon evident and eminent dangers and not to improve all the best and lawful means we can to prevent and decline them as Paul did here Acts 20.3 N.B. The cursed Jews when they could not prevail against him by open violence then they contrived secret plots and treachery against him they laid wait for him in his passage not so much as some say like Robbers upon the High way to rob him of these Collections money which he carried with him for the poor Saints at Jerusalem but most likely like murderers designed to take away his life because they hated him with a deadly hatred for his Zeal in the Gospel but God giving him knowledge of it he avoided them by turning another way The seventh Remark is The truth of Saint-ship is evidenced by Action while Paul ftayed at Philippi among his most dear Macedonians N.B. He was doing there as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 3. signifies he was in continual action As the life natural consists in Action so doth the life Spiritual By these things we live saith Hezekiah Isa 38.16 N.B. And upon this account one man may live more in a month than another in many years In this sence must the Sage Sentence of the Heathen Seneca be taken Saying quamvis vitae paucos fecerimus dies although we have acted but a few days Epist 67. And that better saying of the Ancient Father multos annos in mundo fui sed paucos vixi I have been many years in the world almost fourscore years but I have lived but a few of those years for I was dead in sin the most of them before I began to live and to do for God The renewing Spirit is an active lively thing c. Thus much of Paul's first Commoration in Macedonia Now come we to his second Commoration at Troas in Asia as the other in Greece The Remarks from this second are The first Remark is Paul becomes all things to all men yet would not become sin to any man To the Jews he became a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 as Acts 18.21 with 18. and 21 24 and 26
the true members of that Catholick Apostolick Church N.B. 'T is safer to take from the week-day and add to the Sabbath than to Rob the Sabbath and give it to the week-day Paul then breaks his Fast in the Morning and so departed N.B. Paul's third Commoration was at Assos not far from Troas either by Water or Land on the shore of Asia the chief City of Mysia call'd also Apolonia verse 13.14 15 and 16. wherein nothing else is expressed save the names of several other Cities that he passed through as he took his Journey into Syria and the Reason why he made no longer Stay or Station either in this or in other of the places there mentioned was because he hasted if it were possible for him to be at Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost Yet this third Station affordeth these Remarks The First Remark is That Paul chused to pass from Troas to Assos on foot all alone by Land whereas he might have gone thither by Sea with Company yea with good Company his own chosen and beloved Companions such as are named Acts 20. v. 4. and Luke his beloved Physician Col. 4.14 was one of his Company N.B. As the word us verse 5. and we verse 13 c. makes it manifest tho' he to wit Luke being the Penâ—man of this book of the Acts declineth the mentioning of his own name Now why doth this Great Apostle chuse here to Foot it all alone Surely it was to shew First That he was no proud Prelate but an humble Minister of Christ. He rod not in that pomp Splendour Grandour and Equipage as the Prelates of Rome do commonly Russle with a vast Retinue in their progress As Paul on the contrary had never any to Minister to him out of any State that he took upon him but only out of necessity So nor ever do we read of his riding in his Pontificalibus upon any Stately Charior or Palfrey with Rich Trappings N.B. The second Reason of his going on foot here may be supposed that he might meet with more opportunities of sowing the Seed of the Gospel as he passed through Towns and Villages by Land among those he conversed with which could not be expected in a Sea-Voyage so bent was he for winning Souls N.B. The third Reason was that his Soliloquies and Conversing with God alone might be the more free frequent full and familiar fellowship c. The second Remark is 'T is most probable that at this Journey from Troas to Assos Paul left his Cloak Books and Parchments with Carpus 2 Tim. 4.13 N.B. His Cloak he left for he was now going among his own Country-men in Judea where he was to wear his Jewish habit so leaveth his Roman Garb behind him till he returned into those Roman Colonys again N.B. Or at that time when he wrote his Second Epistle to Timothy being a poor prisoner and having no great Wardrobe he might have need enough of this upper Garment to keep him warm whether it were a riding Coat or a travelling Cloak as some take it for Penula by a Transposition of Letters from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used signifies such a Garment But the most Ancient Syriack Interpreter takes the Greek word to signifie a Repository or little Desk wherein the Apostle laid his writings to this Hesychus one of most exquisite skill in the Greek tongue concurreth in his opinion N.B. Some say the Parchments were the Originals of those Epistles which he had already written for that he reserved the Original Copies and sent only Transcripts out of them may be Collected saith Dr. Lightfoot from these passages I Tertius who wrote out this Epistle Rom. 16.22 and the Salutation of me Paul with mine own hand 1 Cor. 16.21 Col. 4.18 which was the Token in every Epistle 2 Thess 3.17 For all the Epistle beside the subscription was as it seems written with another hand The third Remark is While Paul stayed in the Macedonian Climates he wrote his first Epistle to Timothy whom he leaveth at Ephesus when Paul departed thence that he might confirm the Orthodox and confute the Heterodox who were starting up there with their Jewish Genealogies c. And in his stay in those parts Paul also wrote his Epistle to Titus while he wintered at Nicopolis Tit. 3.12 to whom he gives the like directions about ordaining Elders c. as he had before given to Timothy And N.B. Because of this power of ordaining the Apocryphal Postcripts to these two Epistles make Timothy and Titus to be Bishops but if so it plainly appeareth they were a Couple of Non-resident Bishops for their stay and Settlement either in Creet or Ephesus was but very short being remanded away by the Apostle for Timothy came to Paul at Troas Acts 20.1 4 5. and had he been the fixed Bishop of that Metrapolitan City of Ephesus then Paul forgot himself in beseeching him to abide still there 1 Tim. 1.3 and by Titus about this time Paul sent his second Epistle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 8.16 17. with ch 9.2 3 4. yea and in Paul's short stay at Corinth in this his progress he wrote that famous Epistle to the Romans as that Postscript says right N.B. But Paul's 4th Commoration after many more Stages and Voyages mentioned was at Miletum which affordeth these Remarks The First is That he sent for the Elders of Ephesus which was nigh to this City but would not go thither lest his Journey to Jerusalem should be hindered thereby to establish them against present evils and worse to come ver 17. N.B. The Church of Ephesus and the other Asian Churches were already corrupted and Cankered both in Doctrine and Practice as its evil case appeareth by Paul's first Epistle to Timothy whom he had left there that through the fickleness he saw in some Heresy and Apostacy might not over-grow the Church in such an Eminent City where he had spent his three years labour Acts 20.31 yet did this Apostle fore-see a more dangerous and Epidemical Apostacy among the Jewish Churches which had received the Gospel was coming and this back-sliding from the purity and power of the Gospel would be the topping up of the Iniquity of that Nation and both the fore-runner the hastener or procurer of their Rejection and Destruction N.B. This Paul knew not only from the confidence yea and impudence which false Teachers would assume after their advantage of his Absence but also from the predictions of Christ concerning the strange Impostors and sad Apostacies that would be before the great day of the Fatal and Final Fall of Jerusalem which now came on apace The second Remark is These Elders or Overseers or Bishops which the Apostle sent for to Miletum from Ephesus it is manifest that Timothy was none of them for he was in Paul's company already and had been with him in his Journey hither Acts 20. v. 4 c. N.B. But probably they were the Twelve men upon whom Paul
N.B. and here he was in most Eminent danger to be pulled in pieces by this Tumult or mawl'd with blows to death when this inraged rabble falls Pell-mell upon him with the faggot sticks prepared for the Altar or what came first to hand had not the Roman Commander come so seasonably in for his Rescue verse 30 31 32. Wherein we have this account N.B. That before his Seven days of purification the time of his Vow were accomplished those implacable Jews of Ephesus who were come to keep the Pentecost-Feast here saw him in the Temple where he waited till his Nazarite offering was over Numb 6.13 they against all Law lay hands upon him laid false as well as soul things to his charge crying out that he was an Enemy both to the Jews to the Law and to the Temple c. malicously surmising that he had brought Trophimus a Known Ephesian beyond the Court of the Gentiles the place allowed for such as came out of the Gentile-stock yet worship'd the true God as the Eunuch of Candaces did Acts 8. even into the Court of the Jews which was death by their Traditional Law N.B. And all the ground they had for this Accusation was because they had seen this Trophimus with him in the City therefore he must be with him in the Temple too which was only the frantick Dream of their inraged Jealousy v. 29. with this out cry of Paul's polluting the Temple the whole City was in an uproar by those Asian Blood-hound who had former Contests with him there and now pursued him hither dragging him out of the Temple in order to kill him thinking it great impiety to stain the Pavement of that holy place with blood yet not sticking at staining their Souls with the blood of the innocent here was straining at Gnats and Swallowing Camels verse 30 31. Now when they were just about killing Paul N.B. God steps in for his Rescue in this manner The Romans durst not trust such vast multitudes at Jewish Festivals without a sufficient check therefore kept they a Strong Garrison in Antonie's Tower on the North side of the Temple the Governour hereof having Tidings of the Tumult brings his bands of Souldiers to fee the peace kept his affrighted the Jews from their murthering Paul N.B. The fear of man caused â—hem to forbear what the fear of God could not for the Jews had not power of life and death permitted them by the Romans which sufficiently demonstrates it was not Divine Zeal but Diabolical malice that set them upon this outrage and it was an admirable instance of Gods good providence who delights to Reserve his hand for a dead lift to save those that are forsaken of their hopes God comes unlookt for here and as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of an engine to save Paul and that by an Heathen Colonel who neither had any such intention nor any affection for persecuted Paul as appears by his binding him with two Chains as Agabus had foretold and carried him Pâ—â—soner into the Castle verse 32 33 34 c. CHAP XXII Paul in Prison PAVL now was become a Prisoner to this chief Captain or Roman Tribune who tho' he delivered Paul out of the hands of those that would have murdered him yet bound he him with Chains possibly looking upon him as the Author of this Tumult Acts 23.27 and examined him publickly who he was and what he had done Acts 21. verse 33. However by this same means as what was foretold from God to him Acts 21. v. 11. was fulfilled for not one tittle that is foretold by his Servants from him can fail So God provided hereby that Paul should have a fair hearing before he could be condemned and Executed by that Riotous Rabble who agreed well enough in doing this murdering mischief so far as they durst but could render no reason to this Tribune for their outrage against Paul N.B. Wherefore the Captain ordered his Souldiers to carry away the Prisoner into the Castle not only to secure him from the fury of this confused popular commotion but also to be examined privately again Paul being by this good providence handed up upon the Ascent to the Castle out of the reach of his murderers hands craveth leave of the Captain to make his Apology to this Tumltuous and Frantick people and he did this both to Vindicate the Gospel that no Scandal might rest upon truth and to demonstrate his invincible Zeal for his own Country-men and Kins-men who while they were doing their utmost for his destruction would leave no means unattempted for their Salvation Acts 21. v. 34 35 36 37. When Paul requested this liberty of speaking for himself the Captain asks him two Questions N.B. The first was about his skill in the Greek Language which had been the common Lingua in Asia and Aegypt c. while the Graecian Empire retained its predominacy and was well known among the Romans who were of any good quality and education And his second Question was about his Person whether he were not that Famous Ring-leader of a Rebellious Crew Judas Galilaeus who pretended himself to be a Prophet made an horrible insurrection yet escaped when many of his followers were slain of whom Josephus Lib. 20. Cap. 11. Antiqu. mentions to which Paul Answers No but declares what he was and so had license to make his defence verse 38 39 40. of Acts 21. In Paul's Apology to the people for quelling the Tumult Acts 22.1 2 c. we have these Remarks The first is There is a lawful and pious insinuation for gaining the Attention of Auditors which may be used in Sermons or Orations N.B. Thus Paul did here tho' his Auditory consisted of wicked men and of the most peevish and pestilent persecutors yet doth he give to them their due Titles of respect and honour belonging to the places wherein the providence of God had placed them stiling them Men Brethren and Fathers verse 1. and not using any opprobious invectives which they now deserved Moreover he that could speak all tongues by the Gift of the Holy Ghost upon him chused to speak in his own Mother-Tongue namely the Hebrew mixt with the Syriack ever after the return from the Captivity as knowing that Language was most grateful to this people who had so great a prejudice against all other Nations and Languages This made them keep the more silent verse 2. The second Remark is such as are become renewed in the Spirit of their minds Eph. 4.23 have quite contrary thoughts and understandings to what they had in their unrenewed Estate Thus Paul while he was the Pharisaical Saul had such high thoughts of his strict Sect as to believe if only two persons were to be admitted into Heaven the one must be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee He looked upon himself as a perfect Zealot in Pharisaism wherein persecution of Christianity was one part of his Perfection verse 3 4. but when he by his
and having Salvation c Zech. 9.9 This is that full and strutting Breast of consolation which all the Children of the Church are commanded to suck and be satisfied to milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Isa 66. ver 11. to wit when her King comes in his glory to comfort her this choice Cordial the Prophet Zechariah prepared for the Church's comfort in her Captivity about 500 years before Christ's coming in the flesh and it was so famous a Prophetick promise that when it became a performance at the coming of Christ we find this same Prophecy quoted by all the four Evangelists as Mat. 21.5 7 9. and Mar. 11.2 10. and Luk. 19. ver 30 38. and Joh. 12.13 14 15 16. N.B. But long before this Prophet Zechariah we find that Evangelical Prpohet Isaiah gives us the substance of this very Prophecy in his day saying to the same purpose what shall one then answer the Ambassadors or Messengers of the Nations that the Lord hath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it Isa 14.32 see Psa 87. ver 1 2 3 4 5. and 102.16 where David long before Isaiah most highly extolls Sion's foundation and its superstructure also when the Lord shall appear in his glory but this Prophetical Evangelist Isaiah comes yet more near to this Prophecy of Zechariah saying Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world as the best Tidings that can be heard in the world say ye to the Daughter of Zion behold thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him and his work before him Isa 62. verse 11. Note hence 1st Here are three Beholds to give the greater Lustre upon the the matter there mentioned 2ly Zions King and Salvation are Synonima's signifying one and the same for Zechariah's King cometh is Isaiah's Salvation cometh and thus old Simeon call'd Christ his Salvation Luk. 2.30 3ly When Zion's King cometh then Zion shall be called a City sought out and not forsaken Isa 62.12 This is the sum and substance of all the best news upon the earth we may draw water with joy out of this well of Salvation Isa 12.3 A Mandamus from Zion's King can save Zion at her lowest State Ps 44.4 and 74 12 and 48.2 N.B. This Prophetick promise of Christ's coming with Salvation unto Zion doth afford twelve comfortable considerations The First Cordial is If the Tidings of Christ's first coming unto his Church tho' then he came only in the form of a Servant and in his State of Humiliation yet the Promise thereof was such good news to Zion and so grand a ground of her greatest joy as both those Prophets Isa 62.11 and Zech. 9.9 do testifie Then how much more joyful tidings must needs be Christ's second coming in his State of Exaltation unto his Church when he shall come in his Kingdom and in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory Mat. 24.30 The second Cordial is If the Ante nati or those born before Christ namely the Old Testament Saints could be content to wait the full term of four Thousand years from the first Time that Christ was Promised in the seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 as a Congruous Remedy to man's Cursed Malady by his first foul fall before that promise was performed at the Birth of Christ Then why cannot the Post nati or such as are born after Christ namely the New Testament Saints be content to wait until the term of only two Thousand years more be run quite out before his second coming in Glory which is but half the time that the Patriarks and Prophets waited for his first coming as aâ— Servant only and not as a Lord and King in his Grandeur of Majesty T' is well known that the time since the Birth of Christ amounts not yet to Seventeen Hundred years so there is yet Three Hundred years and more to make up the numbers of two Thousand which is but the one half of the afore-said 4000 in the Old Testament times yet our Lord comforts us with saying For the Elects sake these days shall be shortned Mat. 24.22 and the world may not last thus Six Thousand years as the Rabbins say only from this ground as the Creation of the world lasted six days so its continuation shall be Six Thousand years because 't is said a Thousand years are but as one day with God c. Now what a shame it is that we of the new Testament times should be so short spirited as to be so soon weary of waiting for our Lord 's coming especially considering how we lay under the blessed influence both of Christ's Birth Life and Death yea and of his Resurrection Ascension and Intercession c. None of which were priviledges of Old Testament times yet they waited for the consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 we should adjure our selves not to awake our love till he please Can. 2.7 3.5 The third Cordial is Tho' there be a time for our Lord 's going from his Zion to wit when his Glory departs from her as it did gradualy from his Sâ—â—ctuary Ezek. 10.18 and 11.23 Because Zion's sins do sometime seperate betwixt her Lord and her Isa 59.2 then is it that the spouse complains My beloved had with drawn himself Cant. 5.6 This is the time of Zion's trouble but she shall be saved out of it Jer. 30.7 because there is a time of Zion's Kings returning to her again wherein he saith to her I am returned with my mercies to Jerusalem and I will yet comfort Zion Zech. 1.16.17 Tho' Zion be sad when her King goeth from her yet is she commanded here to rejoice greatly for behold her King cometh unto her Zech. 9.9 Thus we are told how Christ did depart from his Disciples this made them melancholly therefore 't is added for their comfort that in like manner he will return to them again Acts 1.9 11. To the same effect Christ had told them before his death Saying Let not your hearts be sad if I go from you 't is to prepare a place for you and I will come again to you and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also John 14.1 2 3. And he adds I will not leave you comfortless or Gr. Orphans for I will come to you again verse 18. and 28. yea for their greater comfort he tells them his absence from them was both expedient and should be only for a little while and then they should see him again John 16.7 16. which proving a problem or a dark saying to the Disciples our Lord explains it verse 17 18 19 20. As it was but a little time indeed betwixt his Death and his Resurrection c. So it must be but a little time betwixt us living in this last age of the world and our Lord 's returning to us though he tarry his appointed time yet are we assured he will surely come and will not tarry therefore must
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
Prisoners as above No doubt but the Earthquake being general did affright them as well as their Jaylor and did shake the foundations of all their persecuting rage as well as of their prison and made them tremble c. Besides their Consciences might be the more terrified for their stripeing Strangers without any legal Tryal or form of Law c. N.B. Yet all this horrour and terrour had not such a saving work upon their hearts as upon the Jaylor's because not so Sanctified to them as to him for that trouble which is not Sanctified to the Soul is like the HAMMER beating upon cold IRON it makes no impression Thus all the ten Plagues of Aegypt being unsanctified did but harden Pharaoh the more Exod. 7.3 c. The fifth Remark is Real and true Conversion worketh a wonderful change even in the worst of Persons No doubt but this same Jaylor was one of the worst sort of Mankind one that had been imployed in the Devil's Drudgery in beating imprisoning and Stocking the Lord's Servants N.B. But behold what a change is wrought in him in an instant He that a little before had dealt so cruelly with Paul and Silas and did despise whatever they said to him as well as their persons c. Now comes he trembling in to them falls at those feet which he had lately fastened in the Stocks and crys Sirs what shall I do to be saved verse 29 30 c. Now this poor blind Heathen is become mindful of his future estate and is made docible to the Doctrine of life and Salvation yea and together with his civil Veneration towards his Prisoners he brought them forth of prison into his own apartments treated them kindly and heard them Attentively and believingly while they preached to him and to his Family the Gospel of Christ N.B. Oh what a wonderful Catastrophe and Conclusion had this Confinement and cruel usage of the Apostles not only this rude Jaylor became a new Creature was baptized all his house for a demonstration of the truth of his Conversion he washed now those very wounds of the Apostles which himself had made upon their bodies with his stripes upon them but also their fellow-prisoners became here the Lord's Freemen so happy were they in such blessed Company and the Magistrates courted them to be gone verse 31 32 33 to the end This leads to the second part namely to their deliverance from their Danger by a peaceable dismission c. verse 35 36 37 38 39 and 40. upon which we have these Remarks The first is Those that have the true fear of God and faith in Christ will rather obey God in being charitable than such Men or Magistrates as command them to be cruel to God's Servants N.B. This strange change was in one night wrought upon this Jaylor whose name was Stephanas as is gathered from 1 Cor. 1.16 and 16.15 17. that he regards not now his Governours charge of keeping his prisoners close and carrying cruelly to them but frees them out of the Stocks and Pillory brings them out of the low Dungeon into his own House sets meat before them a mercy needful enough to fasting Prisoners and rejoyced in all acts of Humanity of him to them and of Divinity from them unto him yea and was glad to tell them the Tidings that the Magistrates had sent an Order for their fuller release requiring no Fees for himself but was willing to dismiss them with his prayers and blessing to their Ministry upon this News he told them of this New Mercy The second Remark is Tho' we may not return Evil for Evil yet we may use all lawful means for redressing and removing our own grievances as the Apostles did here who though they were as innocent as Doves yet with Christ's own allowance they might be as wise as Serpents N.B. Paul here stands upon his just priviledge and would not be content with a sneaking Clandestine Dismission after such a publick and Ignominous punishment was imposed upon them only for preaching the Gospel and casting out the Divining Devil and that Indictâ causâ without a fair hearing especially against the Roman priviledges wherewith they were Infranchized This was Paul's plea here and elsewhere Acts 22. verse 25. pleading that he was a Roman this was not a lye N.B. For tho' he was not born in Rome but was a Jew born in Tarsus yet because Tarsus did stick close to Julius Caesar in the Civil Wars and afterwards to Octavius it was therefore Infranchized with all the priviledges of the City of Rome whose Freemen by their Valerian Law might not be bound and by their Sempronian Law might not be beaten and least of all uncondemned without the consent of the Romans N.B. This the Apostle pleaded not so much for his own sake as for the Gospel's least it should be contemned with their person and had not Paul's plea been Authentick herein it would have been more despised The Magistrates of Philippi who were now under the Roman powers knew this plea to be true and feared an after reckoning for this Treason in abusing a Roman Citizen as Seneca calls Paul in one of his Epistles to him therefore they cry peccavi and in person besought them to be gone God thus over-ruling their fear for his Servants deliverance The third Remark is The Apostles thus marvellously brought out of prison by the same hands which put them in went into the house of Lydia who being converted verse 14. could not but be much comforted and confirmed in the Faith by this their marvelous deliverance and convened the Brethren to confirm and comfort them also against present and future Tribulation exhorting them to prepare for it to submit to God in it and to pray for a Sanctified improvement of it Then they departed from the City as the Magistrates had requested for their own safety least the rude Rabble should again rush in upon them with more rage and madness N.B. Though Paul for this time peaceably departed from Philippi being over-awed by its Armed powers and people and ordained now no Ministers over that Church till his return thither again as was his course and custom he used in other Churches Acts 14.23 yet this time was the laying of the foundation of that Eminent Church there to which he wrote his Epistle wherein he acknowledgeth as many Tokens of love received from them as from any other Church he planted and wherein also he mentions many Fellow-labourers that he had there in the Gospel both men and women Phil. 4.3 all assisting him with their private instructions to persuade their Relations and Acquaintance touching their Imbracing of the Gospel and it was to this Church that he made so many visits afterwards to compleat them CHAP. XVII Paul Preaching at Thessalonica c. NOW come we to Paul's Second Station in his first Travels into Greece in Europe as his first was at Philippi so his second was at Thessalonica Acts 17.1 passing by both