thou hast not suffâ—â—d me to go on iâ— the broad way to Hâ—ll to perish in my Ignorance as I might have done but seâ—ing them hast gâ—â—nâ—â—d me 〈…〉 for my 〈◊〉 Faith in thy Promises and powebâ—â—â— all before theâ— in Newâ—â—â—â— of Life therefore shall thou be my Lord my God 〈…〉 1. Thus God suffereth some slips in his Saints as in Thomas here thaâ— in their Recovery themselves 〈…〉 might be more confirmed Thomas his doâ—bting more advanceth and advantaâ—eth our Faith than either Mary Magdaâ—â—â— or the other Disciplâ— sooner believing did for while Thomas handled the wounds of Christ's flash he healed the wounds of Unbelief in us for his doubting put this great Truth oâ—â— of doubt to us God would not permit evil to be unless he could extract good out of it Note 2. How soon â—an Christ change the most pertinacious Unbelief into the most precious and saving Faith as here Thomas only felt the Manhood yet believes the Godhead of Christ's now his Faith was the evidence of things not sean Heb. 11. â—â— Now his Faith exeâ—â—'d his Sense on which before he had so much depended Note 3. Christ owns his Sense for Faith verse â—0 his seeing for some say he durst not touch his Lord was his believing Now 't is enough for Faith to see Christ in the flesh by the Apostle's Eyes as Israel did Canâ—an by the Eyes of the Spiâ—â— verse 29 30 31 CHAP. XL. Of Christ's Seventh Appearance THE Seventh Appearance of Christ after his Resurrection was to the Seven Apostles when they were fishing in the Sea of Tiberius which John only relateth chap. 21. verse 1. per totum where the Lord did more fully and in a peculiar manner restore Peter from his Fall in his Threefold Denial by a Threefold Confession of him c. This Sea of Tiberius is call'd the Sea of Galian also John 6.1 because Galilee is the Province adjacent to that Sea which is six Miles broad and sixteen Miles long The Apostles were now drawn out of Jerusalem and were drawing into Galilee according to the command of Christ Matth. 26.32 and the Admoâ—â—â—ion of the Angel Matth. 28.7 The Remarks of this Seventh Appearance are accordingly concerning the Time Place Persons Occasion and Manner of Christ's Manifestation c. to evidence that he was Risen indeed 1st The Time when 't was after that Appearance to the Eleven Disciples whereby Thomas was convinced of that great Truth and confirmed in the Faith of the Messiah which John relates in chap. 20.26 to the end And after these things saith the same Evangelist John 21.1 Christ appears again and confirms Peter more fully in this as he had done Thomas in that foregoing Appearance upon what day of the week this Appearance was is not expresly mentioned as before but some suppose it was upon the third first day for these Reasons 1. John calls this the Third time chap. 21. verse 14. which Grotius refers to the number of days for Christ's first five Appearantes were on the the first first day the very day of his Resurrection five several times to several persons then his Second Appearance was on that day seven night the very next first day to the Eleven c. Now follows this Appearance as to the day which John calls the Third Time as it relateth to the third first day or the Now Christian Sabbath and thus John's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or again verse 1. is explained by his verse 14. as Marks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or last Mark 16. v. 14. is explained both before and after The 2d Reason is Christ did not now as he had done before his Death so frequently and familiarly converse with his Disciples for it was incongruous that a person now Immortal should be always conversant with Mortal Men but only by Intervals though often to â—â—â—â—tifie the Reality of his Resursurrection and the Interval was betwixt one first day and another upon which days only he manifested himself for the better founding of the new Gospel-Sabbath The 3d. Reason is Though this Immortal Body did in State abscond it self for forty days yet it is probable that he shewed himself every first day while he abode upon Earth Note If we grant this Appearance to be upon a week day then may it give incouragement to God's People in their upholding Holy Meeting occasionally upon weeks-days also seeing Christ may and undoubtedly doth manifest himself upon week days as well as upon Sabbath-day Meetings When and wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 especially if they love him he will manifest himself to them John 14.21 But upon whatever day this manifestation was made 't is expresly mentioned that it was in the Morning of that day John 〈◊〉 'T is probable our Lord waited until those seven Disciples would leave work being wearied with their succesless toiling all the night and hopeless of speeding better upon the day when noise round about doth affright away the Fisher from the Net However they learnt this Lesson which David taught That mourning lasts but till morning Psal 30.5 For though they were sad enough at their lost labour all night the Lâ—â—d all the while looking on and letting them labour in vain yet they sped better next morning through their Lord's presence and blessing Flebile principium melior forâ—una sequetur A good ending may follow a bad beginning The 2d Remark is the Place where it was This is apparent to be in Galilee whither the Apostles were now resorting as before to enjoy more of their Master's Appearance For though they had been priviledged with his presence once and again in Jerusalem which the Evangelist relateth in John 20.19 26. they still long for more and can be content to travel from the City so far as Galilee for such a beatifical Vision and how they began to be blest therewith the same John gives an account in chap. at While some have not warily enough observed the difference betwixt those Signs Christ shewed in Jerusalem to confirm the Faith of his Disciples and those he after shewed them in Galilee they have been of this Opinion that John 21. was not writ by John but added by another as the last Chapter of Deuteronomy was to the five Books of Moses because John seems to conclude his History in the end of his 20th Chapter Note Enquiry But why now will Christ again appear to them in Galilee seeing he had appeared twice already to confirm them in Jerusalem Answ Reason the first Because he had promised to go before them into Galilee by the Angel's mouth Mark 16.7 which going was Secondly An act of local motion intimating that all natural motions of a Body Christ retained still and doth retain them even in Glory as sitting standing going c. The Angel said to Mary Magdalen Lo he is not here c. Mark 16.6 and verse 7. He goes before you into
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
stoned ver 35. This was the heaviest of all the four kinds of Death that Malefactors suffered in Israel for capital Crimes some were Sentenced to be Strangled others to be Slain with the Sword some to be Burned and others to be Stoned the two last were undoubtedly the most painful because longer in Dying and therefore inflicted upon the grossest Offenders Though in Man's Judgment this might seem too severe a Sentence for such a seeming small Offence yet in God's Judgment it is not a light offence notwithstanding too many men make but little of it to prophane the Sabbath by doing needless Works upon that Holy Day We may well suppose that this Sinner by the Connexion of ver 30. with this Relation sinn'd presumptuously and with publick scandal 5. He was Executed accordingly being carried without the Camp which was a Circumstance aggravating the Punishment being a kind of Reproach as the Apostle noteth Heb. 13.11 12 13. This was done to the Blasphemer before Lev. 24.14 Thus Jezabel did to Naboth under the Notion of Blasphemy 1 King 21.13 and thus the Jews stoned Stephen under the pretence of a Blasphemer without the City both these wicked Deeds were done afterwards However the severity upon this Sinner sheweth of what weight the Commandment touching the Sabbath is the Prophanation whereof God would have thus dolorously to be avenged and it declares the folly and phrensie of the Swedes c. where the baser sort of the People do always break the Sabbath saying that 't is only the Duty of Gentlemen to keep that Day How much better said that poor Indian in New-England soon after its first Plantation by the English who coming by and beholding one of our Countrey-men profaning the Sabbath by felling a Tree said to him Do you not know that this is the Lord's-day Much macket man that is thou very wicked Man what break you God's Day The best and wealthiest of the Jews saith Buxtorf in his Synagogue will with their own Hands sweep the House kindle Fires chop Herbs cleave Wood c. on the Day before the Sabbath call'd their Preparation-day to prevent any servile Work upon their high Sabbath-day This severity doth likewise farther signifie the Eternal Death of such as do not keep the Sabbath of Christ entring into the rest of God by Faith and ceasing from their own Works as God did from his Heb. 4.1 2 3 4 10 11. finding Rest for the Soul in Christ Matth. 11.28 Then after the Violation of the Sabbath thus severely punished God gives a Law of Fringes upon their Garments as a sign of remembrance to help frail sievy memories broken by the fall the Sky colour'd Ribband ver 38. taught them that though their Commoration was on Earth their Conversation must be in Heaven Phil. 3.20 And the Garment taught that they must put on Christ Rom. 13.14 That Wedding-Garment Mat. 22.11 and the new Man Eph. 4.24 and the Armour of God Eph. 6.11 c. 'T is thought Christ wore such a Fringe which the Woman touch'd and was cured c. Luk. 8.44 The next remarkable Occurrence at Kadesh Barnea was the fatal Conspiracy of Korah c. Numb 16. in which the Causes and the Effects or Events thereof are principally to be considered 1. The Causes are three 1. The Efficient 2. The Material 3. The formal Cause 1. The Efficient is either Principal as Korah Cousin-German to Moses and Aaron for Izhar his Father was Brother to Amram their Father ver 1. Exod. 6.18 all of the Tribe of Levi and Hon Dathan and Abiram who were of Reuben's Tribe the Eldest Patriarch and next Neighbours to Korah in the Camp whereby they were the sooner corrupted by him Vvaque corruptâ livorem ducit ab Vvâ For this corrupting of others he is branded as the prime Author of the Rebellion Jude ver 11. Numb 27.3 or less principal ver 2. He decoy'd into his Conspiracy Men of Note and Name famous for their Parts and Parentage whereby the Rebellion was much corroborated as Gen. 6 4. These Men of Name both for Wealth and Wisdom made the Conspiracy stronger against Moses as did that of the Giants against God himself Corruptio optimi est pessima the more famous of Note those Princes and Statesmen were the more notorious became their Sin of Mutiny and Rebellion Of most dangerous consequence was this Conspiracy for as in a Beast the Body will follow the Head so the Mobile Vulgus call'd Bellua multorum Capitum the Multitude follow their Heads Great Men are their looking glasses by which they dress themselves Their Sins do as seldom go unattended as their Persons c. those were two â—â—ndred and fifty Princes in number 2. The Material Cause was Korah's Ambition of the Priesthood ver 3 10. He being a Levite of the Kohathites which was the chief Family of the Levites having the charge of the Ark Table Candlestick Altars and the most Holy things of the Sanctuary took offence and envied at the preferment of Elizaphan the Son of a Younger Brother Vzziel whereas himself was of Izhar Elder than He Numb 3.27 28 29 30 31. This Affectation of Honour was restless and unsatisfiable growing like the Crocodile so long as it lives and lifts up Korah not only against Elizaphan but also against Moses and Aaron in seeking the Priesthood also 3. The Formal Cause Which is expressed in Korah and his Complices accusing Moses and Aaron for unjustly usurping both the chief Magistracy and chief Ministry v. 3. Saying Ye take too much State too much Power too much Honour too much Holiness in appropriating to your selves those publick Administrations wherein all the People being as Holy may partake with you Secondly The Effects of those aforesaid Causes follow namely 1. The correction of those Conspirators and 2. Their confusion First Their Correction is two-fold 1. Humane 2. Divine for First Moses falls upon his face v. 4. and begs of God to direct him how to correct and convince those Conspirators c. This he doth as an humble Supplicant in this lowly posture not only that God might not proceed against them for their sin as he doth v. 22. in conjunction with Aaron but also Addresseth to Korah the Ring-leader of that Rebellion with most moving and Cogent Arguments which God at his desire had directed him to use that he and his Complices might not proceed any farther in their Conspiracy from v. 5 to v. 19. Wherein there is a multifarious fierce altercation pro and con betwixt Korah and Moses More particularly 1. Moses truly retorts upon them the same that they had falsely charged upon him and Aaron v. 7. as Elijah did after upon Ahab 1 King 18.17 18. 2. Out of his particular Faith and Confidence in God who would maintain their Cause and Calling extraordinary against all opposers He telleth Korah that To morrow the Lord will declare manifestly whether he hath made choice of us for those chiefest Offices of Principality
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
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
to keep it ever-burning upon God's Altar Lev. 6.12 13. besides there was Fire in other Places for Pots to boil with 1 Sam. 2.15 2 Chron. 35.13 c. so much Wood was used as also for Burning of Sacrifices but the common Store of the Temple now failing they bind themselves to provide it in their Courses that God's Service might by no means be neglected N. B. As they took great Care for fuel to nourish God's Fire here that it might not be put out So no less ought we to do to feed our Faith Love and Zeal which Solomon calls the flame of God Cant. 8.6 Waters must not quench it Cant. 8.7 10. nor must Ashes cover it 2 Tim. 1.6 we may not wiâ—h-draw the fewel of God's Ordinances or pour on the puddle-water of gross-sins but feed it as well as the Gentiles did the Vestal Fire which was never to dye out for want of fresh fuel Mark 6. The Sixth Particular Branch of the Covenant was for paying their first Fruits ver 35 36 37. that the Priests rights might be firmly assured and they not be defrauded of any part thereof all the Particulars of the first Fruits are distinctly described here that none might pretend Ignorance in withholding the Priests-due which at this Time the People were prone to Practise either through Poverty or a Penurious or a Prophane Disposition But the first-born of their Sons and of their Cattel both great and small if unclean might be redeemed Exod. 13.2 13. yea the first Fruits of their Dough that the Priest might have a Cake as oft as they Baked N. B. Thus God required the firstlings of all to shew how he highly values the kindness of our Youth Jer. 2.1 2. Mark 7. The Seventh Branch they bound themselves unto by this Covenant was the Payment of Tythes ver 37 38 39. which the Law gave the Levites for their maintenance Numb 18.24 28. and they paid the Tenth of their Tenths to the Priests all this was done by the Inspection of the High-Priest call'd here by way of Eminency the Son of Aaron saith Grotius and though they paid Tribute at this Time to the King of Persia N. B. Yet they thus solemnly bind themselves by Oath that they would not defraud the Lord of his Part but render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are Gods Matth. 22.21 and God's part was laid up in God's House which they promis'd to frequent themselves and to see that none of his Servants should forsake it for want of maintenance which yet they did out of want Chap. 13.10 Nehemiah CHAP. XI THIS Chapter is a Sacred Narrative which seemeth to divide it self into two formal Parts the First is An Account of those Persons that dwelt in the City And the Second is Of those also that dwelt in the Countrey Remarks upon the first Part are First The City is said to be large and great but the People were few that dwelt therein Chap. 7.4 therefore was it Nehemiah's double Diligence when he had once repaired it in all its Parts then his Care was to Repeople it also In Order hereunto he Orders the Rulers especially those that made up the great Council or Sanhedrim to dwell in Jerusalem This they could not well but willingly embrace saith Sanctius because 1. This was the Royal Seat and the most beautiful City and therefore the most suitable Place for the Nobles as is usual in all Nations to take up their Residences there And 2. These were Voluntiers likewise in obeying this Order that this Capital City might be better defended by their Presence and Influence whereby saith Wolphius they declared themselves brave Patriots and grateful Citizens for the Publick Good Remark the Second This Holy City as 't is call'd here ver 2. and many other Places of Scripture because the Temple stood in it with all its Holy Ordinances c. was the principal But or Mark that all the Jews Enemies chiefly shot at therefore so few of either the Princes or People durst make it their free Choice to dwell there both because of the Danger they were mostly expos'd to in that Place and because at present it was rather Chargeable than Beneficial to its Inhabitants in Repairing and Watching whereas in the Countrey they could live at more Ease Plenty and Safety therefore were there so few that offered themselves willingly to secure this so much envied City save only such as were truly publick-spirited and those were they whom the People blessed God for ver 2. that they had such Zeal for the common Cause given them and pray'd God to bless them with Safety and Success Remark the Third Because they that offer'd themselves voluntarily to dwell at Jerusalem were too few to replenish and defend that large and fair City then it was ordered say Grotius and Menochius that every Tenth Man out of the rest of the People should dwell there ver 1. and that none might rationally repine at this Order and to prevent all Murmuring the matter was manag'd by casting Lots the Dispose whereof is wholly from the Lord Prov. 16.33 that so it might appear God himself would have such and such to dwell at Jerusalem as the Apostles knew the Mind of God by the same Means Acts 1.24 26. This Oracle of God answer'd all their Doubts As 1. Of their Desires of enjoying the Profit and Pleasure of the Countrey And 2. Of their Fears to live in the City lest it should be Besieged c. then Conquered and so they Captivated again this made many loath to Adventure there to inhabite save only those few whose Faith was above their Fear and whom God enabled to Roll themselves upon his precious Promise I will be a Wall of Fire round about Jerusalem Zech. 2.5 N. B. This one of Ten or Hebr. Teshang Haiadoth nine Hands saith Montanus or Parts that were left by Lot to live in the Countrey when only one part was chosen by God to dwell in this Earthly Jerusalem is an excellent shadow and figure of the Paucity or fewness of those whom the Lord chuseth to inhabit the Heavenly Jerusalem according to Isa 6.13 Jer. 3.14 c. Many are called but few chosen Matth. 7.13 and 20.16 and 22.14 Remark the Fourth The Description of those that were chosen to reside in the City 1. Those of Judah's Tribe from ver 4 to ver 7. yea and of the Children of Ephraim and of Manasseh too 1 Chron. 9.3 where the same is set down as here but the number is greater because here only those are reckoned who inhabited Jerusalem by Lot but there the Voluntiers also as Masius well observes out of Junius and therefore the Name Israel is used ver 3. to intimate saith Menochius out of Lyra that such of the Ten Tribes as for Religion's sake were moved to leave their own Tribes and to join themselves with the Men of Judah as many did 2 Chron. 11.16 and 30.11 c. And
had in perfection from the first but in Natural Acquired and Experimental Knowledge only such as to be Angry and Grieved Mark 3.5 6.6 and to be Ignorant of some things Mark 13.32 Mat. 24.36 The Son knew not the last day but from the Father This was Ignorantia morae privations non pravae Dispositionis Notewel If Christ thus humbled Himself that he might Suffer for us both in Soul and Body c. How should we be content to be Humbled even to a Nothingness for His Glory and the Churche's Good and how should we be content to be Humbled One for Another The same Mind that was in Christ should be in us Phil. 2.5 6 7. and we should wash one another's Feet as He gave an Example John 13.14 15. 'T is a shame for Man to be so-Proud where God hath been so Humble c. Notewel Secondly As Christ was Conceived in the Womb of the Virgin so must He be Conceived in the Heart of a Christian Gal. 4.19 Paul had a Travelling Spirit till Christ were formed in them This he did promote by two Means 1. By casting the Seed of the Word into their Souls which being Hid in the Heart Psal 119.11 and Well Watered there by the Ordinances will Through Grace breed Christ 2. He presseth them to min â—his word with Faith Heb. 4.2 otherwise It will be as a Miscarrying Womb No sooner did Mary Believe what the Angel had told her but she straight way Conceived Christ Luke 1.35 38. So Faith is a necessary Ingredient for Conceiving Christ Spiritually for Christ dwells in our Hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 All which we may know by the â—abe's Motion as in the Womb. And without this we can have no comfort in the Literal unless we can feel the stirrings of the Spiritual Conception also The Antients say That Mary carry'd Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in her Heart as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in her Arms. Notewel Thirdly As the Literal so the Spiritual Conception cannot be wrought by any Power of Nature but by the Overshadowings of the Spirit of Grace As the Watry Cloud Overshadows a Fleece of Wool and the Rain thereof soaks and sinks into it insensibly so did the Spirit into the Virgin 's Womb and so sometimes into our Hearts Many may abound with the Power of Nature and be indued with all Natural Excellencies yet not have Christ Conceived or formed in their Hearts This cannot be till the Power of the Holy Ghost come upon us which the Wisest Sages and the greatest Luminaries of the Heathen World were strangers to 1 Cor. 2.8 Eph. 4.18 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 There can be no fiducial Assent of the Heart to own Christ as our Lord but by the Spirit Notewel Fourthly As Christ was Conceived by the Holy Ghost that Man's Nature and Sin might be Severed Asunder All born from the first Adam had Nature and Sin so joined together that none could take Man's Nature but He must take his Sin too till the second Adam came to part these two by his Supernatural Conception So All that have Christ Conceived in their Hearts by the Over-shadowings of the Spirit shall feel this parting Power of Christ who was the first from Adam that purify'd Man's Nature and parted it from Sin Thus it was in Regenerated Paul The good He would do He did not The evil He would not Do He Did Rom. 7.19 Sin was one thing in him and Nature Imported in the word I was another would to God we may All have this parting power of Christ to say as the Apostle 't is no more I but Sin that Dwells in me that though we keep the Nature of Man yet Sin may be parted from us As a spark of Fire may but up Towns and Cities c. So this Spirit of Burning can consume a World of Corruption in us Notewel The Fifth Mystery arises from the Third Particular to wit The Commotion at Christ's Conception Joseph cannot sleep Mary must be put away and the Angel must come to quiet all c. Mat. 1.19 20. Thus there is much ado when Christ is conceived in any Christian Heart such a one presently becomes a Table-Talk A Song of the Drunkards Psal 69.12 Men say He is Mad or at least Melancholy Acts 2.13 15. Mark 3.21 Oh what a Rout is made about it and nothing but an Angel from Heaven can hush all not only without in the World but also within in the Christian's own Conscience c. CHAP. III. AFter Christ's Conception followeth his Birth to be Discussed wherein consider five Particulars 1. The Person of whom he was Born 2. The Time When. 3. The Place Where 4. The Manner How 5. The Manifestation of it First of the First First The Person of whom He was Born Wherein two Branches be observable 1. He was Born of a Virgin 2. Of the Virgin Mary Mat. 1.23 1. Of a Virgin for three reasons 1. That he might be freed from the Guilt of Sin which comes by the course of Nature All have sinned in Adam Rom. 5.12 who proceed from his Loins by ordinary Procreation Though Christ was as a Man in Adam yet not simply so as other Men Are both from Adam and by Adam He was from him in his Humane Nature but not by him as a Procreant Cause by Ordinary Generation Therefore was he Born of a Virgin not in the common course of Nature that the purity of his Conception and Birth might sanctifie the Impurity of Ours Christ Began at the farther end of Man's Sin the first Tincture whereof is when Conceived and Brought Forth both in Iniquity Psal 51.5 That he might be our Compleat Saviour The 2d Reason is To Fulfil the Prophecies of Him Isa 7.14 Gen. 3.15 A Virgin shall bring forth Immanuel and the Seed of the Woman Born without the Seed of Man shall be the Breaker of the Serpent's Head and by this Signal and Singular Sign he was known to be the Saviour of the World The 3d Reason is That the strangeness of Christ's Birth might awake a Drowzy World to expect strange matters by his Life Yea much more than at the strange Births of Isaac Jacob Moses Samuel Samson and John Baptist The World did wonder a little at it Luke 2.18 'T is a wonder that they wondred no more that Christ should be Born of a Woman without Man whereas All the World wonders after the Beast Rev. 13.3 and not at this that the Son of God became the Son of Man to make us Sons of Men to be the Sons of God Learn hence a fourfold Mystery 1. What is Impossible with Man is yet possible with God Mat. 19.26 That a Virgin should bear a Son is Impossible by the Power of Nature yet Possible by the Power of God 'T was Impossible in Nature that Sarah when her Womb was Old and Cold should bear a Son yet was it possible with
Peter as Prince of the Apostles to detect the folly of Rome in her fictitious Primacy but with him for this was in the Desart of Bethsaida which was Philip's City John 1.44 and he consulted with all his Disciples say Mat. 14.15 16 17. Mark 6.35 36 37. and Luke 9.12 thus what is omitted by one Evangelist is commonly supplied by another both was done successively one after another Christ did this to discover the Diffidence of his Disciples as well as to commend to them the use of ordinary means under an ordinary Call having as yet more Dross than good Oar in them speaking here like meer carnal men though Christ was resolved in himself notwithstanding this Consult to work this Miracle which teacheth Though we be oft at a Non-plus under the failure of means yet Christ is never Non-plust but knows what he hath to do John 6.6 The 2d Circumstance is Christ commanded the multitude to sit down upon the Grass which now at the Passover was well grown by fifties and by hundreds Mark 6.39 40. and Luke 9.14 that is Rank by Rank that the number of them might be more manifest and that an orderly Distribution might be the better manag'd Christ will have all matters in his Church manag'd in Decency and Order 1 Cor. 14.40 The 3d Circumstance is He took the five Loaves and the two Fishes because he took care to feed the multitude not by creating new Loaves which he could have done to confute Arrians but by multiplying the few Loaves which was equivalent for his giving them Bread and Fish did declare him to be Lord of Sea and Land and to make much of a little required no less than Omnipotency The 4th Circumstance is He looked up to Heaven which he did not when he was doing greater works than this as in Raising the dead casting out Devils and subduing the stormy Sea c. yet lifts he up his Eyes in this lesser work not because he could not otherwise do it but as in the case of Lazarus John 11.41 in healing the Deaf and Dumb Mark 7.34 to shew that he came from the Father and acted all by him and nothing contrary to him Sometimes he looked not up in his acting as one equal with the Father and sometimes he doth look up acknowledging his Father greater than he as Man John 14.28 but especially it was to teach us not to cat Meat before we look up to God for his blessing 'T is said Rom. 14.6 He that giveth God thanks eateth to the Lord then he that gives not thanks at eating eateth to the Devil The 5th Circumstance is He blessed and brake c He did not only give thanks to God for what was present John 6.11 but also but his blessing upon the Bread c. to make it abundant provision Psal 132.15 as well as implored the Father's Blessing upon it Had not the Bread been broken as well as blest it had not been multiplied Fragments succeed fragments both in the hands of the Servitors and in the mouths of the Eaters Christ opened his hand and filled them all Psal 104.28 and 145.15 The five Loaves by a strange kind of Arithmetick were multiplied by division and their augmenting Addition was made by a singular Substraction so that there was enough for 5000 men by his Divine operation The 6th Circumstance is When Christ had broken the Bread he gave it to his Disciples c. both that a Decorum's and due order may be duly observed in the Church by the Ministry and that they might be more certain Witnesses of the Truth of this Miracle as also that by them as Ministers this Miracle might be wrought whereby he after a sort transferred the Glory of it from himself to them they fed five thousand and upward to the full c. The 9th Remark is Christ's Ministers shall lose nothing by distributing their little in feeding the People The Disciples here grudged not of their own little to give others some therefore did it grow in their hands as the Widows Oil did in her Cruise as it did in the hands of the Eaters also who could not but expect a Miracle otherwise they would not have sit down so silently at Christ's command and the Disciples here after above five thousand had been fed with their five Loaves do take up twelve Baskets full which was a great deal more than they had laid down nothing was ever lost by liberality especially of this nature Christ bid his Disciples Take up the fragments that nothing may be lost John 6.12 He would have us Thrifty but not Niggardly wilful waste bring woful want The Disciples do so and have one Basket full for each of them If we consider how few were the Loaves and how many were they that fed upon them we may wonder they left any thing and if we consider how there were twelve Baskets full of fragments left we may wonder also that they are any thing Christ taketh care to fill his Ministers Baskets that they may feed others if not with Temporals yet with Spirituals Baskets be but base things yet God uses them to confound the World The Remainder here was more than Moses's Manna Exod. 16.18 or Elias's Meal 1 King 17.16 or that of Elisha 2 Kings 4.44 and signified the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles being the Remainder of Christ's should feed and fill all Lands Now follows the second grand Miracle of Christ's walking upon the Waters c. which was thus occasioned This five thousand whom he had fed with five Loaves c. had so much Devotion to Christ for so feeding them that they unanimously concluded to cry him up for their King c. John 6.14.15 They could not imagine him the Messias that had not an earthly Kingdom therefore would they force this honour upon him Thus Superstition doth to Christ at this day it will needs obtrude seeming honours upon him whether he will or no though the Word call it no better than Will-worship But this Tumultuous Acting Christ knowing their thoughts did prevent by conveying his Disciples into a Ship and himself into that Mountain where he had been before John 6.3 Matth. 14.23 that he might decline the Tumult for he saith My Kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 N. B. Note well Christ is received in a Regal capacity where the everlasting Doors of the Soul are set open to receive this King of Glory Psal 24.7 that he may Rule in the heart by Faith Eph. 3.17 c. This multitude minded not his Spiritual Kingdom was all for a Carnal Kingdom wherein they might eat and drink with their King c. as they had done in the Miracle and after followed him for Loaves more than for Love Hereupon he avoids them departing all alone into that Mountain where his Disciples had been with him before and had not Christ commanded them to take Ship they had much fail'd of their duty to leave their Lord alone behind them He
not yet come when it comes it brings Understanding with it The 3d Remark is When Christ's Time of going up to this Feast which lasted seven days came he sent two Messengers supposed to be James and John call'd Boanerges to a Village of the Samaritans in his way to Jerusalem to prepare for his Entertainment Luke 9.52 but found it inhospitable they could find no room for Christ there no more than was found for him in the Inn at his Birth Luke 2.7 with Luke 9.53 That Idolatrous off-spring which came from Babylon c. 2 Kin. 17.24 were haters of God's true Worshippers when those two Sons of Thunder saw this their quick hot and cholerick Spirits began to boyl and they would have been thundering desperately against the Village to fire it with a Thunderbolt only they ask their Master leave for so doing v. 54. N.B. Note well 'T were well if all that study Revenge would â—irst consult with Christ in his Word before they stir either hand or foot c. But â—hrist gives them instead of an expected commission a most sharp Rebuke v. 55. â—â—ying This rash Motion of yours is not the Divine zeal of Elias but a carnal reâ—â—ngeful Spirit fired by the Devil This Wild-fire was never kindled upon God's â—â—earth or Altar Ye are Men of another mould than Elias he was a Minister of Inâ—â—gnation but you of Consolation N. B. Note well The example of Saints never â—â—cheth a violation of Charity Elias's action suiteth not Christ and the Gospel's Dispensation These blind Samaritans had a mock Temple upon Mount-Gerizzim John 4.9 20. so did not like Christ for his not worshipping with them but set his face for Worshipping at Jerusalem this the merciful Messiah thought better of Remission than Revenge Acts 17.30 and so went to another place more Hospitable v. 56. N. B. Note well When one door is shut another shall be open c. this other Village was of Galilee not so zealous for the Law as Judea was so not such severe Persecuters c. The 4th Remark is Christ hasten'd not to this Feast as his Kinsmen prompted him but stays behind privately after they were gone to be there at the first day of the Feast and came not up till the middle thereof John 7.14 and then did he go up without much company v. 8 9 10. as he did at his last going to his last Passover and Passion John 12.13 Mat. 21.8 c. which time he tells his Kinsmen was not yet come the time appointed for his Death as John 8.20 13.1 Gal. 4.4 5. the rage of the Jews was even now great against Christ so that had he come up to the first day of the Feast and that with a great confluence of followers as they expected this would have inraged them more His absence on the first day made them cry Where is He John 7.11 not Where is Jesus so full of malice were they as they could not find in their hearts to call him by his name but 't is This Fellow often times with those black and blasphemous Mouths John 9.29 Mat. 12.24 26.61 Luke 22.59 Thus Joseph's Brethren would not out of malice call him Joseph but the Dreamer Gen. 37.19 and thus outragious King Saul asked not for David but for the Son of Jesse 1 Sam. 20.27 30 31. 22.7 13. N. B. Note well This rage of the Jews Christ for our example avoided by his Prudence though he could have done it by his Power He comes privately upon the Fourth Day of the Feast at which time those that were disposed to hear him were whetted up and at more leisure from their solemn Sacrifices at that time well over then taught he them in the Temple openly John 7.14 and that with so much Light and Life as over-ruled the Jews rage and turn'd it into admiration v. 15. The 5th Remark is It must be supposed that while Christ tarried from the Feast till the fourth day thereof and went not up with his Kinsmen to be there on the first day of the Feast he was not lying Idle in an obscure place for that time but was sending his seventy Disciples dispatching them with the same Documents he had given to the twelve Apostles before and indowing them with the miraculous gift of Healing the Sick Luke 10.1 to 17. only with this difference the twelve went at large to any of the Cities of Israel but the seventy only to those places where Christ himself should come in his way from Galilee to Jerusalem These must prepare the way for him now as John Baptist had done at his first Inauguration N. B. Note well The twelve and the seventy may mind us not only of the twelve Wells and seventy Palm-trees Exod. 15.27 but also of the twelve Tribes and seventy Elders of Israel answerable both to the seventy Souls which came out of Jacob's loins Exod. 1.2 3 4 5. these seventy Disciples in thirty five couples do dispatch their narrow work with great success in a little time for they return to their Master before he departs at this time from Jerusalem Luke 10.17 38. The 6th Remark is Upon the last day of this Feast which the Jews call Hosannah Rabbah the Great Jubilee Christ stood up and publickly cried If any man thirst let him come to me and drink c. John 7.37 38. This eighth day a shadow of our Christian Sabbath was the day of their greatest solemnity at this Feast for now all the People from all parts were got up to solemnize it which their Superstition taught them to do by bringing great store of Water out of the Fountain Siloam into the Temple this Water the Priests took and mingling therewith the Wine of the Drink-Offering poured it out upon the Altar singing with loud Acclamations With Joy shall ye Draw Water out of the Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 and thinking that by this charm which they would make Haggai and Zechary the Authors of God cannot but give them the Latter Rain for ripening their Harvest from this custom Christ took an occasion of crying up openly his Spiritual Waters in despight of all the Threatnings of his Adversaries suitable to Isa 55.1 He every one that thirsteth c. and shewing that himself was the True Well of Salvation Zech. 13.1 and that the end of their Ceremonies this last day of the feast did lead to Christ hereby he call'd them from those perishing Waters to those Living and Saving c. The 7th Remark is The Issue of Christ's Preaching in the Temple at this Feast 1. The differing sentiments of his hearers some said he was the great Prophet the Messiah Never man spake like him John 7.40 41 42 43. Thus the very Officers sent to apprehend him said v. 46. others cavill'd and design'd to kill him but they could not come to their purpose for his hour was not yet come So that not only the very Sergeants whom the Adversaries sent to apprehend him failed them
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
by Ezekiel Chap. 48.31 and more fully Amplified by John Rev. 21. ver 12.14 16. where the New Jerusalem is the Emblem is described to consist of 12 Gates which are 12 Pearls and had 12 Angels to watch them The Wall of that Holy City hath 12 Foundations whereon were written those 12 Apostles answering the 12 Tribes of Israel And the measure of this City is 12 Thousand Furlongs Then again Rev. 22.2 The Tree of Life that stood in the midst of the Street of that Holy City beareth 12 manner of Fruits yea and yieldeth its Fruits in every of the 12 Months of the Year in Winter as well as in Summer So that all along here is Relation to the affairs of the Church God seemeth to affect the number of 12 above all others Note From which weighty consideration Dr. Potter doth wittily and learnedly make his Remarkable conclusions both about the Measure of the Wall of this New Jerusalem and about the number of the Apocalyptick Beast Saying to the first That the measure of the Wall of the City is said to be 144 Cubits which cannot be the measure of the compass it being too little for that nor either of the heigth or breadth of the Wall it being as much too great for both of them therefore must it be meant of the Square-measure or Root-number of 12 For 12 times 12 make 144. So that the Wall was 12 Cubits high and 12 Cubits broad Rev. 21.17 The like observation that Doctor makes upon the 144 Thousand the number of Christ's sealed Servants Rev. 7.4 and of his Holy Retinue that would not comply with Antichristian Idolatry Rev. 14.3 4. The Square Root of which number is 12 also But on the contrary as the latter The number of the Beast is said to be 666 Rev. 13.18 The Square Root of which number saith he is 25 a number that is much affected by Antichrist in his 25 Parishes Cardinals Gates Windows Altars Articles Holy days c. As the number 12 is by our Lord Christ Matthias must be chosen to make up the Eleven remaining Apostles the Round and Root-number of Twelve and because no Apostle had power to ordain another the Lord himself must make the choice by ordering the lot to fall upon this Man Pro. 16. last Acts 1.26 And he must be such a Man as had been an Eye-witness of the Lord's Resurrection Acts 1.22 which was a point not only of greatest difficulty to be believed but also of weightiest importance for supporting the Christian Faith and not only of that but also of the whole Doctrine Life Death Resurrection and Ascension too whereof Matthias was one of the Spectators upon Mount Olivet which was the place from whence he Ascended into Heaven Mark 16.19 Luke 24.51 Acts 1.19 12. Bethany laying in the bottom of it and the Garden wherein he had his Agony and was betrayed c. And this Mount our Lord chused to Ascend upon be cause it was in the view of Jerusalem where he had been scorned condemned and crucified about the same distance from the City as was betwixt the Ark and the People Joshua 3.4 From hence the rather our Lord Ascended that he might begin to receive his Crown and Glory nigh to the place where he had endured his Cross and Contempt c. Because I did adjourn our Lord's Ascension to this proper place where we have not only the Twelve Apostles those same principal secretaries of the Spirit and therefore his Successors but also many more Disciples eye-wittnesses thereof let me here give a distinct Discourse upon it as before upon his Resurrection The Grand Remarks upon Christ's Ascension be reducible to those three Heads 1. The Antecedents 2. The Concomitants 3. The Consequents of it which was the Second degree of his State of his Exaltation as his Resurrection was the first And his sitting down at God's Right-hand a place higher than that of Angels those Ministring Spirits that stand about the Caelestial Throne is the Third degree In the general first Matthew saith nothing at all of our Saviour's Ascension nor doth John give us any account thereof Mark is very brief Mark 16.19 20. But Luke is large upon it both in his Gospel Luke 24.50 51 c. and in his Acts of the Apostles the undoubted Author of which Book was that Evangelist as the Preface plainly implies where he gives a more full History of Christ's Ascension Acts 1. from ver 1. to ver 13. Note The commonly received opinion is that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ St. Mark his Ten after St. Luke his Fifteen after and St. John his Forty two years after our Lord's Death St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Judea so mentioneth nothing of Christ's Ascension because there was none in that Countrey who doubted of it being seen of above 500 so nigh Jerusalem c. But Mark and Luke wrote theirs out of that Countrey where they found many that heard nothing of it And seeing they both had recorded it There was no need for John to mention it whose principal work was to Relate such passages as had been omitted by all the other three The hardned Jews will by no means believe the Ascension of Christ into Heaven but on the contrary do make his Descent into Hell their principal and unquestioned Article blasphemously affirming that our Christ is tormented there in boyling and scalding Zoah or Dung because he received not the Traditions of their Chachamims or Elders yea they make him a false Prophet and a Prophane wretch like Esau aying The Soul of Esau entred into the Body of Christ for this cause they call Christians Edomites as the Jew of Maroceo pag. 172.173 saith More particularly now The first Remark of his Ascension is the Antecedents thereof which have a short relation by St. Mark Chap. 16.19 after the Lord had spoken to them to wit when he had delivered all the precepts and promises which his pleasure was to deliver to his Disciples during the 40 days he endured upon Earth N.B. though immediatly when he rose from the Grave his Right was to go up to Heaven but he waved his own Glory so long for the Churche's good Now having nothing more to say or do for settling his Church save only to Seal up all by sending the Holy Spirit he Ascends up into Heaven Luke Chap 24.50 51 is more large Relating how he led his Disciples forth as far as that part of the Mount of Olives which belonged to the Village of Bethany being a place where he had oft been praying and where as some say he mounted the Ass and Rode in Triumph to the City here will he take his Chariot of State and ride in Triumph up from thence into Heaven but first he doth lift up his hands and blesseth his Disciples here which was not so much the posture Accommodated to the Religious Action of his praying for them but rather a more Authoritative Act in the most
Divine Displeasure in denying them to see him any more Matth. 23.39 till they saw him at the last day to their Terrour and cost but not comfort Matth. 26.64 Because they had refused and Rejected him and not known the things that belonged to their Peace in the day of their Visitation Luke 19.42 N.B. But on the contrary if the Lord hath appeared savingly to us this is a sign that he loves us with an Everlasting love Jer. 31.3 And that this Appearing of the Kindness Love and Grace of God our Saviour to us shall without Controversy bring Salvation along with it Tit. 2.11.12 13. 3.4 2. Tim. 1.10 1 Pet. 1.7 c. Then follows the Third degree of Christ's Exaltation after his Resurrection and Ascension which were the two former to wit our Lord 's sitting down at the Right hand of God c. Mark 16.19 Heb. 10.12 Psalms 110.1 c. Oh what great honour hath he given to our humane nature though faln from God by all those three Degrees of advancment all in our names and natures as well as in his own N.B. In this third Degree we find these few Remarks 1st Concerning the place the Right hand of God the next to him in Dignity and Government whereby our Lord is impowered with an Equality of power over all in Heaven and on Eearth over the Church and over the World 2dly The Posture he sits there as one that hath done his Work to wit the Redemption of Mankind he had accomplished the oblatory Office of our great High-Priest Heb. 10.12 And now he had only the Presentatory part of that Sacerdotal Order of Melchizedeck to present himself and his five wounds in the sight of God for us Heb. 9.24 as Jonathan pacified his Father's Anger against David when he would have kill'd him 1 Sam. 20.28 29 32. 19.4 5. 3dly The Capacity he sits in there which is two fold 1. As King of Saints Rev. 15.3 And 2. As Judge of Sinners Acts 17.31 N.B. The first relateth to the Church the Prince of whose Salvation he is Acts 5.31 And the High Priest of her profession Heb. 8.1 Praying and Pleading for all his Children Isa 8.18 As Paul for Onesimus to Philemon wherein they have wronged thee put all upon my Score Philemon ver 18. And this he doth also Governing them by his Laws and providing all necessaries for them both in Soul and Body N.B. But the Second relateth to the World whom he 1. Bridleth from doing all the hart they would do to his Saints Psal 76.10 As he restrained Laban from ruining Jacob Gen. 31.24 29 42. And so he did Esau causing Kissing for Killing Gen. 33.4 c He chains up the Dragon Rev. 20.1 2. as he had done the Wolf Saul Acts 9.1 3 4. 2. He hideth his Servants out of wicked hands as he did Jeremy and Baruch Jer. 36.26 and his Church in the Wilderness Revelat. 12.6 14. Or he 3. Works their deliverance out of the World 's Wicked hands either by marvelous means as he did David from Saul by a well timed report only 1 Sam. 23.26 or by down right miracles as he did Daniel from the Den of Lions and the three Pious Princes from the fiery Furnace As he 〈◊〉 did deliver Israel out of Aegypt and the Jews from Babylon yea and his Church ever since from all her Enemies Or 4. He supports when he will not deliver in making them invincibly couragious under suffering and more than Conquerers Rom. 8.37 Rev. 12.11 And Lastly He burns the rod when its work is done c. Learn hence 1. If Christ be thus advanced then must we honour him equally with the Father John 5.23 Cast down our Crowns before him Rev. 4.10 Submit to his Scepter Psa 2.10 and Live by his Law James 4.12 c. 2. Though Christ be sit down yet so may not we till we have done our Work also we must pursue to apply what he hath purchased and to follow his foot-steps here so as to sit down on Thrones with him hereafter Rev. 3.21 Mat. 19.28 3. None need to fear any foe on Earth who hath such a Friend in Heaven no not Feinds in Hell Hebrews 7.25 Philippians 1.28 Acts 20.24 Romans 16.20 Revel 2.10 c. 4. Tho' he sit down there as a Judge and King yet stands he up sometimes as Stephen saith Acts 7.55 56. As a Comforter counting every stone that was cast at his Servant and ready to revenge the injury done him Stat at Vindex sedet at Judex Stephen saw him standin◠〈◊〉 his Captain shewing him the Crown that he was contending for a sight whereof might incourage his Souldier and tells him of his Avenger c. That in due time he would Revenge his Death c. CHAP. II. The First Gospel-Church NEXT to the Oracles and Miracles of Christ comes in the Account of the Oracles and Miracles of his Apostles The first Chapter of the Acts having given a large Relation of Christ's Ascension into Heaven c. with which sweet sight the Spectators were much taken and transported into an Extasy by the Glory of it while they looked wishtly and intently upon their leisurely Ascending Lord. And of the two Angels like Men in white Apparel to shew they had not lost their native purity as likewise the joyfulness of their Errand rouzing those Galileans out of their Raptures by telling them that the same Jesus now Ascending would so come again in the same manner that is 1. Visibly 2. In a Cloud 3. By his own Power 4. With the like Majesty And 5. With the same Soul and Body Acts 1.10 11. But not one word of the time when In answer to that over curious Question ver 6. and for suppressing the fond curiosity of many humane minds in all ages since to know Divine secrets which are not given to be known of any Man Then that same first Chapter of the Acts relateth the laying of the Foundation of the first Gospel-Church that was constituted at Jerusalem a City which the Apostles would have abhor'd for their Crucifying Christ but the other day c. giving an account of the Time Place and Persons whereof that Church was constituted c. 1. The Time when It was after their return from Oliver into the City This was done by the Command and Appointment of Christ himself who is the chief Lord for chusing times and seasons for his own work c. 2. The Place where It was in Jerusalem in the General the very place where our Lord had endured his Ignominy in that City will he begin to declare his dignity and glory by founding his first Church there c. Note It was more particularly in a private house of that City supposed to be the same house wherein they had a little before both eaten the Passover and received the Lord's Supper with their Lord and Master but more especially the place was in an Upper-Room of that house a Room most raised up towards
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
to dwell in the Tents of Shem or with the Believing Jews which signifies a friendly Association and Communion with them as when God is said to dwell with Men Rev. 21.3 and when the Wolf is said to dwell with the Lamb Isa 11.6 N.B. Nay it may note much more than this namely that the Call and Conversion of the Gentiles became the Rejection of the generality of the Jews which the Apostle demonstrates Rom. 11.7 8 c. how the carnal Jews were cast off and hardened by a Judiciary hardness stumbling at that Stone of offence in the Call of the Genriles so that the seed of Japhet did indeed succeed and took possession of those Tents of Shem wherein God formerly had dwelt among them in the days of the Patriarchs and Prophets Now this was so great a Mystery which had been hid from the beginning of the World Eph. 3.10 11. and which caused the holy Angels to stand at a gaze 1 Pet. 1.12 That the Gentiles should be saved by Christ insomuch that when it came to pass oh what a wonder this was that the Gentiles had Received the Word of God Acts 11.1 2 c. It was such a secret that the very Angels themselves could not understand it till the time fore-appointed of God came to accomplish it and therefore 't is the less to be wondred at that the carnal Jews yea and the spiritual too at the first did so wonder at this unsearchable Riches of Christ Eph. 2.8 toward the Gentiles N.B. And who must be the first Instrument in the hands of Christ to convey this great Grace unto such a forlorn posterity of Japhet and to fetch in the first-fruits of the Gentiles But the Apostle Peter unto whom Christ had committed the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven long before this time Matth. 16.19 and with this Divine Key as one of the Stewards of God's house 1 Cor. 4.1 Isa 22.22 He falls to work and was the first that by the conduct of the Holy Spirit opened such a Door of Faith to the Gentiles which never was shut at any time since that time nor ever will be shut by the utmost malice of Men and Devils while God will have a Church to be on the Earth The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it Matth. 16.18 N.B. Though Christ had given the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven for binding and loosing c. unto Peter not unto him exclusively and to no others but inclusively to the rest of the Apostles John 20. v. 23. Yet how loth was he to exert and exercise this power towards the poor Gentiles for absolving them from their sins in a Declarative and a Ministerial manner upon clear evidence of their Faith and Repentance by his Apostolical Authority Though Peter had a miraculous Vision that was every way so convincing and cogent for evidencing this great mysterious Truth yet how did he doubt and dispute the lawfulness of doing it One would think that the Vision made his Ministry among the Gentiles to be plain and necessary considering how the Sheet contained not only clean meat the Jews but also unclean meat the Gentiles in it and the Voice said Arise Peter kill and eat N.B. Whereby Peter was not taught to kill and slay in Battel as some of his pretended Successors of a Martial and Military temper have done such as Julius the Second who could turn himself both ways either to Peter's Keys or if that would not do to Paul's Sword Saying Cùm Petri nihil efficiant ad praelia claves Auxilio Pauli forsitan ensis erit Englished thus If Peter's Keys will not prevail I will try what Paul's Sword can do N.B. But the Voice of the Vision gave him only a Commission to kill that corruption of Gentilism which he found in the Gentiles by the Sword of the Spirit c. And that as Meat being eaten is digested into the parts of the Body so the Gentiles being converted by his Ministry should be incorporated with and become solid parts of the Church And though all this was done three times yet Peter hangs off still N.B. This gives us a prospect of a great seeming difference betwixt Peter and Abraham who obeyed God's command immediately and that in a matter far more difficult about offering up his only Son without asking God any Reason for laying so hard and unnatural a command upon him c. All we can say is this that the Spirit of God wrought more briskly in Abraham and more slowly in Peter who remained unresolved until Cornelius's Messenger came seasonably to satisfie him Acts 10.17 Now come we to the third part of Cornelius's Conversion namely the Idea or Specification of it which introduceth the two grand Accidents thereof or Circumstances 1. How Peter was expected of this Gentile Centurion And 2. How he was entertained by him Acts 10.24 25 26 27. N.B. Here it may be worth the while to compare together the Prophet Jonah at Joppa Jon. 1.3 and Simon Bar-Jonah as Peter is called Matth. 16.17 and John 21.15 at the same Joppa also Acts 10.5 as an Introduction of the first of these two Circumstances to wit how Peter was expected in this parallel of the Prophet with the Apostle as there is some congruity so there is also some disparity 1. The Congruity 1. In their Names both were Jonah's which signifies a Dove though the Prophetick Dove did not carry an Olive-branch in his mouth as Noah's Dove did to signifie to him that now God's Wrath was appeased and Peace was now come to the World for Jonah denounced dreadful Tydings against Nineveh and surely the Old Jonah had more of the Wasp than of the Dove in him being so oft angry c. But sure I am this Bar-Jonah was a Dove-like Messenger carrying the glad Tydings of the Gospel to Caesarea 2. In their Natures both were Sons of God's Truth Jonah the Prophet was the Son of Amittai Jon. 1.1 which in the Hebrew signifies my Truth and though his Message was a doleful Doom yet did he deliver it as God's Prophet and so was the Son of God's Truth and no less so was this Simon Bar-Jonah who Preached Christ that is Truth it self John 14.6 unto Cornelius c. 3. In their Objects or Places and People which they were sent as God's Messengers unto they both were sent unto the Gentiles though they themselves were both Jews The Prophet was sent to Nineveh the Metropolis of the Assyrian Kingdom and a City of the Gentiles and the Apostle was sent to Caesarea a City upon the Sea Coast formerly call'd Straton's Tower but now sumptuously built and beautified by Herod the Great who in honour of Caesar call'd it Caesarea and though it was mixedly inhabited by Jews and Gentiles yet here was the Roman Court which was the chief of the Gentiles and the Residence of the Roman Governour was ordinarily in this City N.B. So no fitter place could have been found in the whole Land
As he had done first 3000. and then 5000. more by Peter's two Sermons as is above mentioned so here were also many Jews converted by this Sermon of Paul whom he exhorted to continue in the Grace of God ver 43. that is in the Doctrine of the Gospel which is called the Grace of God Hebr. 12.15 And the true Grace wherein we stand 1. Pet. ch 5. v. 12. well-knowing what fierce Encounters Satan usually makes to blast the blessed buddings and beginnings of Evangelical goodness in any N.B. Thus the same Sun of Righteousness which hardens Clay those reprobate Jews yet softens wax the other that were eternally elected 2ly The Gentiles were Docible where some of those Jews were Refractory and they were willingly ready to receive the Gospel that those obstinate Jews did so wilfully reject they besought that these same words might be preached to them the next Sabbath ver 42. Acts 13. or as the text may be read in the week-days between the Sabbath namely upon the second and fifth days of the week before the next Sabbath came on which they used to meet in their Synagogues as on the Sabbath-day according as their Rabbins say to the appointment of Ezra And the Apostles preaching upon those two Week-days did so wonderfully work upon their Auditors that upon the next Sabbath almost all the City was gathered together to hear the word N. B. Here we have a good warrant for Week-day Lectures where God gave a Testimony to the Word of his Grace both to the benefit and blessing of Jews and Gentiles ver 43 44. For not only many Jews and Religious Proselytes such as were come off from Paganism to own the true God in Iudaism followed Paul and Barnabas but also a great multitude of Gentiles ver 45. did embrace the Gospel When the perverse Jews saw that the Gentiles were made equal with them this inraged them with envy whereupon they stirred up some Female Unbelieving Proselytes and some of the Chief of the City against the Apostles so that they drove them out of their Coasts having a furious indignation at the great Confluence of the Gentiles and the happy growth of the Gospel This their contempt thereof did declare them unworthy of eternal life verse 46. N.B. Therefore the Apostles shook the Dust from off their feet in Testimony against those despisers as Christ had commanded Mat. 10.14 disdaining to carry away any of their accursed dust or have any farther Communion with them they then turned to the Gentiles according to the prophecy in Isa 4.9.6 v. 46 47 When the Gentiles understood by that Prophecy their own interest in Christ and their Calling to the hope of Salvation they received the Gospel with more Veneration and greater Joy and they glorified God who as he had ordained their Salvation as the end ordained also the hearing of the Word as their means to that end ver 48. Then in spight of all opposition the Gospel spread like Leaven throughout all the Region ver 49. Though the Jews stirred up those devout Women among them that were Zealous for the Law and against the Gospel to oppose it these tools they chused because faminae quicquid volunt valdè volunt Women are most earnest in what way they undertake verse 50. but they leaving the very dust as Heathenish behind them They went to Iconium c. CHAP. XIV Of Paul and Barnabas at Iconium Lystra c. THIS is the Fourth Journey where these two Apostles Paul and Barnabas had their next Station namely at Iconium Acts 13.51 14.1 a Town in Lycaonia near to that famous mountain Taurus where they went both together into the Synagogue of the Jews and so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed This Blessed success of the Gospel did again Invenome the Venemous Minds of the Unbelieving Jews with rage against the Apostles N.B. Yet as the more outragious were the Adversaries so the more couragious were the Apostles verse 2 3. who shewed as great constancy in performing their duty as their persecutors did obstinacy in persecuting them for it And no less were those Disciples that came along with them from Perga to Antioch and from thence to Iconium notwithstanding all opposition filled with joy Acts 13.52 having now the pardon of their sins sealed to them the Assurance of the promise of their Eternal Salvation and the Gifts of the Holy Ghost which they had at that time as an earnest and pledge to confirm their Faith in both N.B. In this place the Apostles continued a time sufficient for strengthening the New-Converts in the Obedience of Faith God the mean while strengthning them also with miracles wrought by their hands to confirm the Doctrine which they preached that it was from God Hereupon there arose a Schism the multitude was divided v. 4. N.B. Christ came not to send peace but a sword yet is he not the cause of division but the occasion only and that by accident too So it is said that sin is the occasion and not the cause that Grace aboundeth Such as quarrel at the Holy Scriptures because the Ignorant and such as are given up to believe lies do ground their damnable Doctrines and destructive Heresyes upon them are like the People call'd Atlantes who do use to shoot their Arrows against the Sun because it scorches them with its hot Beams God's Ordinances are not to be quarrelled with because by Man's Corruption they breed differences The Bellum Sacramentarium or discord about that Sacrament of Love was soon Kindled but lasts long 't is a Fire that is not Quenched to this Day c. N.B. This Dismal Division such as had been about Our Saviour Himself and his Doctrine John 7.43 like Thunder brought forth a dreadful Hail-shower so that the Apostles were furiously assaulted both by Jews and Gentiles backed with the Authority of the Magistrates whom those superstitious Matrons their wives most malevolently prompted thereunto so that they despightfully used them and designed to stone them verse 5. which by a good providence being understood N.B. They gave ground verse 6. Not so much to save their lives but least they should trifle away their precious time unprofitably there where their Ministry was now obstructed and which they might spend to better purpose in another place This Apostolical pattern doth warrant the practice of such godly Ministers as do flee from persecution to reserve themselves for better times It was both our Lord's Precept Matth. 10.23 and his own practice also Luke 4.30 John 8.59 c. N.B. Their shipping away to Lystra and Derbe made their fifth Journey ver 6. These were Cities of Lycaonia also that lay farther up in the Countrey where they preached the Gospel verse 7. Thus their Persecution in one place procured the furtherance of the Gospel as Paul's phrase is Phil. 1.12 in another place Thousands would never have heard of Christ had not the Ministers of Christ been driven
by Persecution among them God would not permit evil to be unless he knew how to extract some good out of that evil He causeth the Sun when it forsaketh one part of the habitable World to shine upon another N.B. The Apostles coming to Lystra and Preaching here Paul observed a Poor Cripple extraordinary Attentive to the word he perceived thereby through his prophetick Spirit that he had faith to be healed tho' he was born lame and never had walked verse 8 9. tho' his Defect in nature was incurable by Art like the lame Man whom Peter healed Acts 3.2 c. yet had he Faith for his Cure which Unbelief would have hindered Matth. 13.58 Mark 6.5 To this Cripple Paul spake with a loud voice that all the People there present might hear and observe saying Stand upright on thy feet and he leaped and walked verse 10. N.B. For together with Paul's word there went forth a power the power of the Lord was present to heal him as Luke 5.17 the like was done by Peter Acts 3.6 8. and is promised to be done by God's holy Ordinances Ps 146.8 The Lord giveth Sight to the blind he raiseth up the Crooked he loveth the Righteous God loved this Lame Man so he restored him to the use of his Limbs so that he leaped for joy to shew that he was perfectly Cured for all the works of God as was this miraculous Cure are perfect Deut. 32.4 The sight of this miracle put the blind People to pay their Rent to the wrong Land-Lord for tho' Paul had Preached Christ unto them and had confirmed his Doctrine with such a singular miracle which by the light of their own natural Reason they might know that none but a Divine Power could have wrought it N.B. Yet such was the blind Superstition of those poor Pagans that they would needs ascribe the honour of it to their Dunghil-Deityes so forcible is an evil custom and a vain Conversation Received by Tradition from fore-fathers Jer. 10.3 1 Pet. 1.18 Those Pagan-Lycaonians had heard out of the Fables of their Poets that Jupiter and Mercury came down to visit Lycaon their Progenitour of old and that for the affront be offered them they transformed him into a Wolf Hereupon they used to offer Sacrifice to those two Pagan Gods by their Images which they had erected for appeasing them and now the People supposed that they had themselves come down in two humane shapes to work miracles among them N.B. So blind are the principles of Corrupt Reason in fallen Mankind compared unto the clearest Light of the Gospel which was now preached to them Hereupon both the common People adorn the Apostles who were but the Instruments of the miracle with both Divine honours ver 11. and with Names of their Gods verse 12. calling Barnabas Jupiter their chief God as the Heathens took him and Paul Mercurius whom they look'd upon as both the Messenger and the Interpreter of their seigned Gods which caused their applying of his name to Paul who was the Master of Speech as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies speaking much more to the People than Barnabas did who mostly stood silent yet in his Gravity might beckon upon Paul to speak as his Herauld as Jupiter did to Mercury N.B. Nor was this all but their Priest of Jupiter who should have had more wit brought Oxen trimmed with Garlands of Flowers according to their Heathenish Custom unto the gates of the house where the Apostles Lodged their Temple standing without the Town therefore brought they their Sacrifice to the supposed Gods themselves c. and there would have done Sacrifice to them ver 13. because they took Jupiter for the King of Kings and the principal Patron of the City This had been done if the Apostles had not run in among them and shewed the greatest detestation of such abominations telling them that they were but Men of like passions with themselves which plainly differenceth Man from the Divine Nature and therefore no such thing could be done without notorious Sacriledge and themselves be made Idols verse 14 15. Both which were such abominable Acts that the Apostles rent their Cloathes which was a sign of their greatest abhorrency of such detestable Actions and this gaue Paul a new occasion and opportunity to preach again to those Idolatrous Lystrians saying Sirs why do ye these things to such poor Mortals as we are who have need of Food and Raiment we are liable to diseases and death as well as you are so may we by no means either as Men or as Apostles allow of any such Idolatry to us whose Office is to extirpate all kind of Superstition much less to permit or countenance it N.B. Then he obviates two main objections which those Heathen Idolaters might make against the Gospel The first is drawn from the Antiquity of their Idolatry and the second from the Vniversality of it Answering both of them with Affirming that the Reason why so many and for so long a time had worshipped Idols which was a way of fallen Man 's own chusing and never of Gods Commanding was from the just Judgment of God upon them Psa 81.12 Rom. 1.24 28. and here verse 16. and then again in verse 17. He prevents a cavil that they could not plead Invincible Ignorance for their excuse for tho' they and their Ancestors had not the Book of Scripture yet had they the Book of Nature to instruct them that God only who createth all things and preserveth them by his providence in giving Rain Fruits Corn c. is only to be worshipped c. Yet all these Convincing Arguments of the Apostles were little enough to restrain those obstinate Idolaters from committing Idolatry So hard a matter it is to rectify such Rude mistakes in Religion which time custom and popular patterns had so rooted and firmly rivered in their carnal hearts verse 18. N.B. Now the Devil being put to his last shifts began to stir up his Instruments to use violence those were certain Jews that came from Antioch and Iconium who perswaded the People to stone Paul verse 19. Oh what a strange change is in the Mobile here that the same persons who had made a God of the Apostle and would need◠have Sacrificed to him as such a God would now in the twinkling of an eye as it were be for stoning him as a Devil Incarnate or the worst sort of Mankind Thus the Vulgar dealt with our Lord himself crying to him Hosanna one day and Crucify him the next day And behold here the restless malice of Satan against God's Ministers first Tempting them to become Idols of the People and to rob God of his Glory due to him alone and to accept of Divine worship wherein the Devil designed to destroy the Blessed Apostles Souls Now when this design failed him He exciteth the Jews and they the People to destroy their bodies by stoning them Oh what a slippery thing is all wordly honour N.B. Here they
grieved him so much as no Allay could be had of his great grief without Dispossessing the Devil which he effected in the Name and by the Authority of his Lord our Saviour who had impowered his Apostles to cast out Devils in the Name of Christ Mark 16.17 These words Paul uttered 〈◊〉 the motion of the Holy Spirit upon him who informed him of the dangerous effects of Satan's increasing rage as he felt after and also assured him of power from on high to cast out this daring devil according to Christ's promise This latter Action of Paul at Philippi did soon involve him into a state of Passion and suffering for when the Damsel's Masters saw their gain was gone out with the Devil out of the Damsel as if both had gone forth together according to the sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in verse 19.2 They presently raise up an hot persecution against Paul c This introduceth the second general concern of Paul and his Associates at this City namely their passion and suffering wherein those parts fall under a several consideration as followeth 1. Their danger And 2ly Their deliverance In their danger are considerable 1. Their Accusers both who they were before whom and of what they did accuse them verse 19.20 21. And 2 The usage of the accused tho' they were innocent yet without convicting them of any crime they are both beaten with many stripes and cast into close prison and the Jaylor is commanded to keep them in the straitest custody verse 22.23 So that he thrust them into the inner prison and made Paul and Silas's feet fast in the Stocks verse 24. But 2. Their deliverance is described with Graphical and Beautiful Ornaments The principal parts whereof are two First Their freedom from the Jayl And secondly the Conversion of the Jayler and both these are beautified with many adorning circumstances First their freedom from the Jayl is set off in comely colours as it is demonstrated to be both by a Divine hand and by humane helps subordinate thereunto First In the Divine assistance we find it Illustrated both by the time when it was done to wit at midnight as Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God verse 25. and by the means and manner whereby namely by an Earthquake c. verse 26. And secondly In the humane help over-ruled by the Divine hand we have this account that it was done by a decree of the City-Magistrates delivered to Paul by their Sergeants verse 35. and pressed upon them by the startled Jaylor verse 36. but was both refused and renounced by the prisoners because of the notorious injury done to them verse 37. This refusal of their dismission clandestinely doth also startle the Magistrates that they had been so injurious to free men of Rome which was looked upon as a great crime insomuch that they came in person to the prison and being conscious to themselves that they had done what they could not justifie verse 38. They prayed the Prisoners to Pardon them and desired them to depart c. verse 39. The second part namely The Conversion of the Jaylor is marvelously amplified by Antecedents Concomitants and Consequences thereof 1st The Antecedents was the Jaylers intention to murther himself verse 27. but prevented by Paul verse 28. 2ly The Concomitants were 1. His Repentance testified by his fear and trembling wherein he acknowledged his sin and begged pardon of the prisoners v. 30. And 2. His Faith in believing the Gospel ver 31.32 And 3. The Consequents were the kindly Fruits of his New Obedience verse 33 34. The Remarks from those famous passages do follow First From their danger there The first Remark is Where gain is gone there is frequently laid the foundation of Persecution as here and in Acts 19.24 25. The gain of making Silver Shrines for Diana's Temple stirred up Demetrius c. to make an hideous uproar against the Apostles who cryed down that abominable worship but more of that after when we come to that place N. B. 'T is probable this Divining Damsel was a Servant or Slave to many Masters who had all a share less or more in the considerable profit of her advantagious Art for each person that was over curiously inquisitive to have their fortunes told them according to their blind Heathenish Superstition came to this Damsel with the Reward of Divination in their hand as they did to Baloam Numb 22.7 Now when the Divining Devil whereby things to come were foretold was cast out of the Damsel their Gainful Trade was spoiled and then the dispossessed Devil was willing to be entertained and to take possession of the hearts of the disappointed Masters whose godliness was only their gain their gain and their godliness were gone both away together They counted all Fish that came to their net so at last they caught the Devil and all The Devil of discontent filled their hearts from corner to corner and inraged them a gainst the Apostles who had dispossessed their Gainful Devil whom they apprehended and hurryedaway to the Civil Magistrates of the City and there accuse them as is the frequent lot of all faithful preachers to be a sort of Trouble Towns and such as could not be tolerated verse 19 20 21. N.B. Thus the Devil in those couetous Caitiffs had nothing so much ingenuity as that Devil in the Damsel who applauded those Apostles for being the Servants of the most high God verse 17. but now the tune is turned and the truth of the Gospel Satan would be no longer a flattering Devil must now be declaimed against as intolerably troublesome because it destroyed his Kingdom N B. This was the Old Calumny in Ahab against Elijah 1 Kings 18.17 c. nor did those outraigious persecutors pass by that old and ordinary wile of the Devil in all ages in setting up the Placits and Precepts of men in opposition against the Instistitutions and appointments of the great God Christ's Apostles are here proceeded against as Innouators in Religion and as Jews whose names are odious to the world especially to the Romans in this place The second Remark is Generality and Unanimity alone cannot sufficiently Authorize Opinions or practices as the Romanists do assert Here was the profane powers and the rude Rabble concurring together to persecute the Apostles of Christ N.B. The Multitude and the Magistrates joyn issue tear of their Clothes not only to disgrace them the more but also stripps them in order to stripe them upon their naked bodies and when they had striped them abundantly to the satisfaction of their outrage they cast them into prison and as if the inner prison had not been strong enough to secure them they made not only their feet fast in the Stocks but their necks also in the Pillory as the word here signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they put a Wooden ruff about their necks Acts 16. v. 22 23 24. now all this Unity and Unanimity in
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
met with and indured from both the unbelieving Jews and the Miscreant Gentiles God over-ruled it so as to make their piety a most exceeding renowned pattern even to those who were in Christ long before them Those Converts received then the word in much affliction and therefore Paul saith that the Gospel sounded out like a Trumpet and resounded like an Eccho from those Thessalonians as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Thess 1.6 7 8. The fourth Remark is 'T is the Devil's old and new method to lay the most grievous crimes to the charge of Christians Thus he did here by his tools charging the Servants of Christ that they had turned the world upside down verse 6. accusing them of Innovation and Sedition Thus Elias was accounted of old the troubler of Israel And in the primitive times of the Gospel whatever calamity came upon Kingdoms the Christians were blamed for it and their enemies used to impeach them of whatever crime was odious and abominable yea they were went to cloath them with uggly Beasts Skins to cast them unto Lions to be devoured or if not so that any wicked man might hunt them with Doggs and so devour them This was not done only by the Heathen Tyrants but also by the Modern Antichristian Persecutors whose thirst could never be quenched but by the blood of the Saints and therefore they put Sambenitos or Pictures of Devils upon them and represented them in the most deformed forms that none should stick at their Execution Luther was call'd the Trumpet of Rebellion whereas 't is not the Gospel but Mens Corruptions that breed disturbance N.B. This Truth may be Illustrated and Exemplified by a Familiar Similitude 'T is not the Sea of it self but 't is the foulness of Passenger's Stomachs that makes them Sea-sick The fifth Remark is Behold how marvelously the Lord delivers his Servants out of the hands of their bloody Persecutors Tho' they laid Treason as well as Sedition to their charge which they knew was a Capital Crime and would cost them their lives for Proclaiming CHRIST a KING contrary to the Decrees of Caesar as v. 7. Yet could not the Devil catch his prey while he was as he loves to do here fishing in troubled Waters for the Lord hid the Apostles as he did Jeremy and Baruch Jer. 36.26 out of their murderous hands having farther work for them And tho' Jason and his Friends were dragged away before the Court and charged there as Abettors of Treason c. N.B. Yet God so over-ruled those Rulers that they fearing more the unanswerableness of this uproar to the Roman power under which they then lived than any other evil effect from the preaching of the Gospel they only took security of him for his own or for the Apostles Appearance when Required whereby they appeased the people and discharged their prisoners whose Recognisance was never called for afterwards This brings us to Paul's third Station namely at Berea to which City he and Silas were sent privily by night when no more work could at that time be done at Thessalonica for which they had Christ's Warrant When they persecute you in one City flee to another Thus they did flee to Berea not far from Thessalonica The Sacred Narrative of this Station consists of two general heads First The high commendation of the Apostles Auditory met with in this place for exceeding those of Thessalonica in Candor Generosity Prudence and Promptitude both to hear and receive the word of God verse 11 and 12. And secondly The hard usage and opposition the Apostles met with here also This hath a double description the first is How it was raised and by whom verse 13. Berea not being far from Thessalonica the tidings of the Apostles courteous reception here stirred up the Rude Rabble there to bring persecution from Thessalonica to Berea And secondly How it was quelled and by whom namely by the pious policy of the Brethren in Berea verse 14. Conveying Paul who was most maligned away privily to Athens but leaving Silas and Timotheus there still being less obnoxious to edifie the new founded Church there Tho' their stay was not long there for Paul sent his Command to them that they should follow him speedily to Athens ver 15. to assist him in that great work there The Remarks upon Paul's third Station in Europe are these The first Remark is To be docible and well disposed toward the Gospel of Christ is the best sort of Gentility and Nobleness Those Berean Jews were said to be more noble upon this account than were those obstinate perverse and prejudiced Jews at Thessalonica N. B. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 11. signifieth better Gentlemen or as we read it more Noble because all learned men among the Jews were call'd Sons of Nobles Thus the Bereans were better learned of the two which is the more manifest insomuch as it is the character given them that they were daily searchers of the writings of the Prophets they patiently heard what Paul preached they pondered it in their minds and when they had upon comparing it with the Scriptures found it consonant thereunto they received it into their hearts not so much as the word of man but as the word of God as Paul tells them 1 Thess 2.13 This made them better Gentlemen then their Country-men he speaks of there verse 14 15. who Kill'd Christ and his Prophets persecued Paul pleased not God and were rather Ishmalites than Israelites in their being contrary to all men But those Berean Jews were better bred and of a better descent not by civil humane dignity but by spiritual Divine dignation N.B. Assuredly the best and truest Nobility is that of Christianity wherein God himself is the top of the Kin and Religion the Root Isa 43.4 Such as are precious in God's sight are truly honourable the Nobles of the Tekoites were blemished in their blood Neh. 3.5 having but the shadow and shape of honour The second Remark is The Bereans diligence in improving their Talent before Conversion and God adding his blessing to his own given Talent well improved is a blessed pattern and president for us N.B. There are certain abilities God hath given us for external Actions which we may perform without special grace and would we but imploy and improve them to the best advantage for our Souls good we may say our Orthodox Casuists expect the effectual work of the Spirit of Grace to Sanctifie both them and us Thus we may behold in those Noble Bereans how they brought their bodies to the Assembly took the Heads of Paul's Sermon Reverently and Impartially Repeated the Notes they had taken Religiously nor was this all they would not Jurare in verb. Magistri Pin their Faith upon Paul's Sleeve to take all he preached upon Trust as an infallible Oracle but examin'd all his Assertions by the holy Scriptures which they knew were the only infallible Rule because they came from God 2
Tim. 3.16 even from that God who cannot lye Tit. 1.2 and they knew also that truth alone and not error is able to abide that Divine Test Those only are false Wares which need a dark Shop wherein to put them off to the too Credulous Chapmen N.B. They did all this laudable work in the way of Religion yet were not still truly and throughly Religious and Regenerated but were yet unconverted for after all this it is said of them verse 12. Therefore many of them believed both Jews and honourable women of the Gentiles and of men not a few N.B. Upon all those to whom God had given this preparation of the Heart in Attentive hearing in serious pondering and comparing with the Scripture what they heard c. God blessed his own Gifts he had given them and their improvement of the Talents bestowed on them and he gave still more unto them to that which they had according to his promise whosoever hath to him it shall be given Matth. 13.12 and 25.29 namely such Talents of Nature and providence which he hath received from God for imploying and improving in a way of practice but if persons prove lazy idle and negligent herein then their Right-arm and Right-eye which they seemed to have Luke 8.18 shall be dryed up and darkned Zechar. 11.17 the rust of whose Riches shal rise up against them James 5.3 God oft withdraws those gifts which he hath given to persons when they do not use them for God's Glory and the good of their own and others Souls the great ends for which we are betrusted with those Talents N.B. We are even in the faln Estate betrusted with some liberty in external Acts such as are resorting to Gods Ordainances hearing and reading his word c. and our indeavours ought to be Answerable in the use of this liberty would we lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save our souls James 1.21 we may find the Lord's hand not shortned but his word as powerful and piercing as ever it was to those Noble Bereans but if we hide our Talents with the bad Servant we cannot expect that Spirit of Sanctification which the Bereans found The third Remark is That Humane prudence and policy is lawfully Subservient to Divine piety It was an High Piece and Point of prudence in their not sending Paul the nearest and direct Road to Athens but round about by the Sea from avoiding the danger from those that lay in wait for his life 'T is written then immediately the Brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the Sea Acts 17. verse 14. yet those that conducted him and had undertaken to secure him from those murdering Jews brought him to Athens verse 15. This was pious policy to make towards the Sea-side as if Paul had designed to take shipping and be gone out of those parts quite away This was pretended and the rumour of it was reported abroad to hinder the malicious Jews from pursuing him any farther whereas a Journey to Athens in the same Countrey was really intended and it may well enough be supposed that Paul's implacable Adversaries pressed Horses to pursâ—â— after him towards Athens but Paul gave them a fair go-by by his taking the long Circumference round about towards the Sea on foot in the by-foot paths that he might disappoint his pursuers by his going on foot to Athens Tho' Silas and Timotheus stayed at Berea still not only because they were less maligned than Paul but also because they had some Kins-folks in Macedonia N.B. Thus our Lord doth allow as much of the Serpent as of the Dove in us in his saying be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Matth 10.16 17. The Sagacity of Serpents may be imitated in our Christian prudence so far as it consisteth with the Dove's Innocency Piety without policy is too simple to be safe and policy without piety is too subtle to be good Christ would not have his sheep so simple as to stand still and let the Crows stand upon their backs and pull off their wool from their sides There is a Sanctified subtilty and sagacity in foreseeing evils and hiding from them Prov. 22.3 we may not willfully cast our selves upon the needless dangers a Serpent's eye is a singular ornament in a Dove's head Our meekness must be mixt with wariness that it way be the meekness of Wisdom James 3.13 As we may not be crafty Foxes on the one hand to deceive others c. So nor must we be dull Asses that couch under every burden without necessity on the the other hand The Dove without the Serpent is easily caught and the Serpent without the Dove doth sting most deadly The Dove never provokes the Hawk nor projects revenge yet when pursued saves it self if it cannot by fight yet by flight as Paul did here c. Now come we to the fourth Station of Paul in Greece lying in Europe which was in Athens as before in Philippi Thessalonica and Berea Thus the Providence of God over-ruled all the Devil's-mischievous attempts to suppress the Gospel so as thereby the Gospel was much more spread abroad from one City to another until at last it came to this famous University The Relation of Paul's fourth Station which was at Athens hath two grand parts First the Resolves of it And Secondly The Remarks upon it First The whole Narrative hereof Admits of this Analysis or Resolution What Paul acted at Athens may be thus resolued First There is his preparation to preach there wherein we may consider the causes moving him thereunto which were twofold External and Internal for beside the opportunity of a large Auditory and such as were learned yet inviters of him to preach as they had an Itch after Novelties and were curious Inquirers after News these were outward motives there was also another cause more inward namely the Divine Zeal of this Blessed Apostle who beholding the vain Superstition and abominable Idolatry of that famous and learned City could not bear it nor restrain himself from declaring the vanity of it verse 16 17 18 19 20 21. Secondly The Sermon which Paul preached consists 1. Of an Exordium or Preface and Prologue wherein he useth a pious Insinuation for Captivating the Ears and Hearts of his Hearers to attend diligently unto his discourse verse 22 23. 2. Of the Principal Proposition that the True God is only to be worshipped and tho' as he granted they did worship the true God among their Idols as to the matter of worship yet did they do it after a false and vitious manner therefore doth he make known this their Vnknown God to them by declaring to them God's Attributes and his works of Creation and Providence obviating an objection drawn from their fore-fathers Ignorance as also by putting them into a dread that even that same Christ who was crucified should become the most dreadful Judge of Quick
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
an one as brought forth fruit in his old age Psa 92. v. 13 14. Nor was this all his incouragement but 't is expresly said When we were come to Jerusalem the brethren received us gladly verse 17. namely with loving and chearful Entertainment both which were good preparatives to his sufferings N.B. Now is Paul got from all his travels among the Gentiles to Jerusalem the chief City of the Jews This was in the 56. Year of Christ and in the 2. year of Nero's Reign He was in Macedonia at the Passover but coming to Jerusalem at Pentecost there he was apprehended and was prisoner all that year and the 3d. Year and in the 4th year of Nero is Shipp'd for Rome and wintring in his Voyage Acts 27.12 and 28. v. 11. he came to Rome in Nero's 5th year which was the First year of Paul's imprisonment there where he continued prisoner and preaching two whole years Acts 28. verse 30 c. Paul's Station now at Jerusalem affords us these Remarks The first is There ought to be a particular declaration of the marvellous works which the Lord hath wrought for us and by us N.B. Thus Paul did here verse 18 19. when he had Saluted James that Apostle of the Circumcision and all the Elders he declared God's Great works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one by one Thus Moses told Jethro all the great things one by one which God had done for Israel Exod. 18.8 And Paul was particular in relating the mighty works of God in the Conversion of the Gentiles by his Ministry at such a time and in such a place both named distinctly by him As he doth not give this distinct declaration hereof in any vain ostentation of his own excellency for he otherwise Acknowledged that he was the least of the Apostles and unworthy of that high and honourable Title so not meet to be compared with this Apostle James who was resident in that great City on purpose to decide all controversies upon all emergent occasions 1 Cor. 15 9. but only to magnifie the mercy of God in the Reception of the Gentiles into the mercy of the Gospel N.B. He did not give a Relation of this Loving kindness of God in the Lump or by whole-sale in the general but he was punctual and particular in its several branches well knowing that God had wrought all these great works that they might be Recorded in special and have a distinct Room in everlasting remembrance that God might not lose the Glory nor his Church the comfort of any one of them Oh! that we could learn with David to tell punctually and particularly what God hath done for our Souls Psa 66.16 The second Remark is All Just exceptions ought to be satisfactorily Answered before there can be a free and a full admission into a Spiritual fraternity Thus it was here v. 20 21 c. This consistory of the Apostle and Elders do very well approve of Paul's declaration as to the matter it self N.B. But withall they object against him the Complaints of the Jews wherein they accused him for crying down the Rites of Moses as the Solemn Feasts Sacrifices forbidden meats and such like but especially Circumcision Saying that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and that they ought not to Circumcise their Children verse 21. Now because thousands of the Jews which believed yet were Zealous of the Law Paul's Doctrine and Practice herein was of great offence to those Zealots and the greater because the decrees of the Apostles Acts 15.29 concering those things did only respect such as were converted from the Paganism or Gentilism to Christianity so that the Jews many years after this time even to the Reign of Adrian the Emperor tho' believers yet throughly understood not their Freedom from Moses's Rituals as Eusebius and other Ecclesiastical writers do testifie about those times but were willing to lie still under the burden of it The zeal of those Believing Jews being so Tenacious of their Jewish Ceremonies under the liberty of the Gospel was no better than a Zeal without knowledge Rom. 10.2 and Gal. 1.14 However this multitude of Zealous Brethren must come together as they were allowed in case of a Schism to come and consult with the Consistory of Apostles and Elders Acts 15.23 30. verse 22. and they having Intelligence by Letters from the Jews out of Asia who gave them so much Molestation there of Paul's slighting the Customs of the holy Patriarks Therefore we advise thee say they that seeing thou did shear thy head at Cenchrea Acts 18.18 according to thy Vow of a Nazarite do thou shew here in Jerusalem the accomplishment of that Vow c. v. 23.35 and this will be a real Confutation of thy Adversaries Calumnies and N.B. Then the Unbelieving Jews will not fall foul upon thee as a Despiser of the Law of Moses yea and those believing Jews that are still Zealous for the Mosaick Law will receive thereby their full Satisfaction with thee N.B. Now what can poor Paul say or do in such a case Had Paul taught such Doctrine as was laid to his charge or had he not No doubt but he had done so and it was but his duty so to do nor can the Apostle James or any of the Elders except against such Doctrine For the use of Circumcision then as some Zealotes used it was utterly inconsistent with the Gospel making men debtors to the whole Law and Christ altogether unprofitable to them Gal. 5.2 notwithstanding N.B. It was a◠unjust Aspersion which the Adversary cast upon Paul in accusing him that he did forsake Moses for the Doctrine of the Gospel which Paul taught was according to Moses's Testimony of Christ John 5.46 47 c. Moses did particularly write of Christ Gen. 3.15 and Deut. 18.15 and all his Levitical Laws pointed to and prefigured him according to this Tenure that believers must pass from the shadows to the substance which is Christ the end of the Law this was the tendency of all Paul's Epistles N. B Mark well This Consistory did not urge Paul at all to any publick Recantation of his Doctrine but only to Judaize a little in the Temple the Rites whereof might have a better plea while it was standing than Circumcision had which was no Temple Rite Paul complies he acts the principal part of a Nazarite with four poor Votaries paying the Priest for them and for himself according to the Law Numb ch 6. v. 10 11 12 c. This dissimulation if it my be so call'd had bad Success for the Asian Jews presently raise a tumult against him verse 26 27 28 c. The third Remark henceis The most great gracious God provideth at least in some seasons some seasonable Rescues for his persecuted and perplexed Servants Paul saith he was in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 and in perils often both a Gentilibus Sujs his own Country-men and a Gentibus the Heathens v. 26.
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
this would not do for he still stuck fast in the Mud as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Luke 9.7 and his Horrour did devour his Principles of Sadduceism and made him think that John in Jesus and his Apostles Miracles was again Risen from the dead This Third Passover was ushered in with two mighty Miracles the first was Christ's feeding five thousand and upward with five Loaves and two Fishes the second was his walking upon the Sea and rebuking the Storm c. Mat. 14.13 to the end Mark 6.30 to the end Luke 9.10 to 18. and John 6.1 to 22. All the four Evangelists relate the same stories briefly indeed by Matthew but largely by the rest especially by Mark and by John These Remarks are found in the first Miracle 1. Dangers must be declined when they may be so with a safe Conscience Jesus's Disciples came from Preaching abroad and John's Disciples with tydings of their Masters death came all in to Christ about the same time upon this Christ withdraws into a Desart knowing that Herod desired to see him Lake 9.9 that he might dispatch him also as he had done the Baptist but saith Christ Gotell that Fox mine hour is not yet come In the mean time that he might declare himself a real man who might be taken and murdered and to teach us by his Example not to tempt God by a wilful exposing our selves to the rage of man but to decline unnecessary dangers according to his own counsel when persecuted in one City sâ—â—â— to another Mat. 10.23 The 2d Remark is Such as are sensible of their need of Christ will follow him in his with drawments and find him out even in a Desart Though he be a God that sometimes hides himself Isa 8.17 yet cannot he be hid Mark 7.24 from sensible Souls that seek him seriously and must fetch him out of his Retiring Room by their fervent prayers The people saw him departing though privately therefore they ran on foot after him Mark 6.32 33. They neglecting all necessary provision had hard toil and travel yet we will scarce stir out of our own doors to seek a withdrawing Christ The 3d Remark is Christ is compassionate towards such as seek him He will not only iâ— no wise cast them out John 6.37 but he will both head their bodies who took all this pains notwithstanding their Diseases to follow him so far and their souls too by Preaching to them concerning the Kingdom of God Mat. 14.14 Mark 6.34 and Luke 9.11 Here was the dispensation of Divine Wisdom he likewise first refreshed their souls by teaching them many heavenly Truths before he refreshed their bodies which is of less worth Mat. 6.25 He taught them that he was the King promised of God the Messiah see Deut. 33.3 Res pro personâ The Kingdom of God pro Rege misso aeque ac promisso for the King sent as well as promised of God The 4th Remark is Preachers of God's Kingdom must shew much Tenderness towards the Infirmities of their Auditors and not hold them too long but give them a timely Dismission This People the hearers of our Lord came out of their several Cities where they had fulness of all things into the Desart where nothing could be had They forgat their bodily necessities to attend upon this blessed Teacher and to hang their Ears upon his Honey-lips Cant. 5.13 16 preferring his holy and sweet-smelling word before their necessary food Job 23.12 Though few now will take so many weary steps as those good souls did Psal 84.7 and these here be at any pains and cost for Heaven neglecting and hazarding their bodies for the good of their souls Yet the best have but a measure of Affection and when that is spent a good soul may be weary in an Ordinance that is not weary of an Ordinance This Christ's Disciple knew well therefore when the day was far spent they will not have the People kept too long in Attendance of Divine Worship but takes care for their timely and necessary Refreshment The 5th Remark is When God calls to any extraordinary duty then doth he furnish with suitable Ability and makes extraordinary provision for those that prefer providing for their Souls before their Bodies as Mat. 6.33 provided always they tempt not God by a wilful neglect of ordinary means Therefore saith Christ They need not depart Christ knew better than his Disciples what kind of place this Desort wâ—â— and what he had to do John 6.6 yet they look'd upon his Motion Give ye them to eat as absurd and not only improbable but impossible saying Shall we go and buy c Mark 6.37 This is they think a very unlikely matter 'T is a question saith Beza not without a scoff as if they had said where 's your money Sir have we 200 pence to cater for so great a company Christ only tryed them not as Silver Isa 48.10 we must believe against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible when Christ calls The 6th Remark is Where Christ giveth a Call to his Ministers for feeding his People there they must not be discouraged at the smalness of their Provisions so it be the best and most they can get but bring them to Christ and believe in him for a blessing The Disciples here had but five Loaves and two Fishes and now in a Desart where no more could now be procured this made them despair of doing what their Lord bid them do yet Christ was content with what they had though but barley Bread for quality and but small and few for quantity and said Bring them hither to me teaching us to bring all we have and are though never so little so it be the best of the best Gen. 43.11 or the best we are able to get Levit. 14.21 22. unto Christ that he may take off the first Adam's Curse and superadd the second Adam's blessing Man lives not on bread alone Mat. 4.4 Christ's command exerciseth his Disciples Faith Obedience and Liberality to those in want here The 7th Remark is Our wants and weaknesses must first be discovered before Christ will declare his Omnipotency in our Relief This is manifest here it must be long past Dinner-time well towards Evening when healthful stomachs would be craving for food it must be in a Wilderness where unbelief had said Can God prepare a Table here Psal 78.19 far from any Town so no more store could be possibly procured and secretly handed in for feeding this multitude the fewness of the Fishes and Loaves not enough for twelve mens Dinners must also be made known before Christ will work his work of wonder in feeding of 5000 and upward therewith that the Miracle may be more manifest The 8th Remark is The Lord so disposeth of all the Circumstances of this Miracle as might be most for his Father's Glory and for the Peoples profit For 1. Christ consults with Philip saith John 6.5 not with
stoned Paul dragging him out of the City as if he had been dead For their spight was most against Paul because he spake most But while those Believers that followed those Apostles stood round about him verse 20. either in order to bury him thinking him dead as did his Persecutors or to defend him as much as they could from farther attempts of that popular fury He being suddenly revived by the Power of God rose up and ventured again into that injurious City and the next day went away to Derbe This bring us to the third part of Paul 's 1st Peregrination or Travel namely his Regress or Return after so long a Progress to Antioch again from whence be had his first Egress into this his Apostolical Ministry In Paul's Return Three particulars are most Remarkable The first is the Terminus a quo the place where he began it and what he did there before he departed verse 21. The second is the several places he passed through as he returned passing from Derbe to Lystra to Iconium and to Antioch of Pisidia where what they did in all those places is Recorded as in a Journal verse 21 22 23 24 25. Then the third part is the Terminus ad quem the place whither he returned namely to Antioch in Syria from whence they were sent out Acts 13.1 2 3. Where they gave an account of the Success of their Ministry and Embassage wherein they had been employed verse 26 27. as likewise where they stayed a long time to Rest and refresh themselves after all their Toils Travels and Persecutions and for confirming the Disciples there v. 28. The Remarks upon this Regress or Return in short are these 1st That the best provision and preparation for any business of Importance is faithful Prayer unto God concerning it Thus Paul and Barnabas going to Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles were recommended to the Grace of God by the Prayer of the Church of Antioch Acts 13.2 3. and 14.26 unto which Prayer God granted a gracious Answer in their wonderful safety and success of their labours whereby they had both Discipled and Baptized many Souls ver 21. The second Remark is That the way to Heaven lyeth through much Tribulation When Paul started up after his stoning N.B. He seemeth to have this Truth in his mouth Sic oportet nos Intrare in Caelum So must Heaven be gotten by pains by pain by patience and by persecution which is its inseparable Companion Acts 14. v. 20 22. If there be any way to Heaven on Horse-back said Holy Bradford surely this is the way through much Tribulation They that will live godly saith the same Apostle 2 Tim. 3.12 must suffer persecution tho' they carry their matters never so discreetly An Howling wilderness Israel must pass through before they can enter the Land of Promise There is no dividing betwixt Christ and his Cross There is no coming to the Crown but by the Cross If the Head Christ was Crowned with Thorns then his Members Christians ought not to dream of Delicacyes The Rose cannot be plucked without prickes The Marble Stones were first hewen before they were set orderly in Solomon's Temple Nor is Corn brought into the Garner till winnowed The third Remark is It is not enough to sow the Seed of the Word but it must be watered also There ought to be a frequency of the use of Holy Ordinances to make even good Soil fruitful Heaven-ward N.B. Therefore did those Apostles return to visit those people they had preached unto well knowing that those Converts stood in need of Confirming Grace as well as of Converting Grace And therefore did they confirm the Souls of the Disciples c. v. 22. and comforted them also that they might not be offended at Paul's stoning nor stumble at these persecutions they might themselves meet with for the profession of Christ therefore did they preach the Doctrine of the Cross shewing how Afflictions are the Waters of Marah that are met with in the way to heavenly Canaan Hence ordained they Elders to instruct and govern them at their departure commending them to the Lord as Useful Treasure c. ver 23. The fourth Remark is Now was fulfilled Gideon's two Signs Judg. 6.37 39. the Fleece to wit the Jews alone had been wet before and all the ground about it dry Now the ground round about to wit the Gentiles were wet and the Fleece the Jews now was dry CHAP. XV. Of the first Synod NOw come we to the 2d Peregrination or the Travel Journey of Paul c. where of the Counsel held at Jerusalem by the Apostles Elders and Brethren is the Introduction Asts 15. Paul and Barnabas being returned from their first Travel unto Antioch from whence they had been sent and there resolving to refresh themselves for a time out of the heat of Contention and Persecution N.B. But behold the restless malice of an envious Devil against the Gospel and its Ministers no sooner were they settled there in a resting posture and scarce had warmed their Seats but presently Satan sets a quarrel on foot by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or false Brethren Gal. 2.4 concerning the abbrâ—â—ation of the Jewish Ceremonies Those Incendiaries of Satan would have brought the Yoke of Molaick observances upon the neck of the Converted Gentiles This bred the greater and the more dismal Disturbance at this present as it did after the Apostacy of exceeding many from the Gospel because multitudes of the very Jews that believed were yet Zealous of the Law Acts 21.20 and it was a work of great difficulty to work them off from those Typical Rites which had been as it were an Inheritance to them from their fore-fathers and wherein themselves had been Trained up by their Fathers from their Infancy N.B. Those certain men Acts 15.1 that kindled this spark of Contention which had been enough to have fired all the Churches had it not been seasonably smothered The Antients as Epiphanius c. tell us were Cerinthus with his Complices that Old Heretick being the chief stickler in sowing dissention among the Churches concerning the Office of Christ and the all-sufficiency of his Merits or suppose they were pretenders only to believing and therefore call'd False-Brethren who ever they were because not named such they were as the Sowr Leaven of the Pharisees had sowred their Spirits so as they attempted to subvert the Gospel among the Gentiles Gal. 1.7 by endeavouring to exclude them from any hope of Salvation except they submitted to the Law of Circumcision Thus the Devil assaulted this new Gospel-Church at Antioch with this dividing Question whether they could be justifyed by the Righteousnes of Christ apprehended by Faith or the works of the Law must be joyned therewith or whether we be justified by Faith in Christ or by Works of the Law This little Vinegar untowardly mingled among the Sincere Milk of the Word of God had like to have Marr'd All This unhappy Question