a Spirit he expects of man a spiritual worship and accordingly gives him a spiritual Law which reacheth to his heart and spirit and requires of him a proportionable spiritual service and obedience Obs Hence we learn that whereas outward effects only seem to be forbidden by the Law of God as killing or murdering hereby are principally to be understood their impulsive causes as wrath and hatred So that murder is first in the heart saith our Saviour Matth. 15. whence it proceeds and is acted by the hand and tongue but the heart is murdrorum officium c. See Notes on Matth. 15. Obser 1. 2. Hence it appears that there are divers kinds of murders outward and inward The Jewes took notice only of the outward So one of them Thou shalt do no murder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy hand or tongue But our Lord teacheth us that there is a murder committed in the heart and therefore out of the heart proceed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murders the word is Plural c. See Notes Matth. 15. Obs 3. A man may possibly be a Murderer who yet layes no violent hands on any one himself or another and that in regard of a threefold object 1. Himself 2. His Neighbour 3. His God Vide Notes as above NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause shall be liable to the Judgment c. IT is locus difficillimus The words contain our Lord 's spiritual exposition of the Sixth Commandment Herein we have 1. A Supposition of a Law broken 2. An imposition of a penalty for the breach of that Law The Law and breach of the Law and penalty or punishment of that breach are all considerable in three degrees proportionable one to another The Law prohibits 1. Anger 2. The effects of anger in reproachful words 1. Less as Racha 2. Greater as Fool. The breach of this Law is likewise in three degrees 1. Anger unadvised undeserved 2. Calling our Brother Racha 3. Calling him Fool. The penalty of this threefold breach of the Law is also considerable in three degrees 1. The Judgment 2. The Council 3. Hell fire All which we may reduce unto these following divine Truths 1. No man ought to be angry with his brother without a cause 2. Whosoever is angry c. shall be liable unto the Judgment 3. No man ought to say to his Brother Racha 4. Whosoever shall say to his brother Racha shall be liable to the Council 5. No man ought to say to his Brother thou Fool. 6. Whosoever shall say unto his brother thou Fool shall be liable to Hell fire 7. The Lord saith this to his Disciples 8. Ye have heard indeed that it hath been said to them of old time c. But the Lord saith to his Disciples Whosoever shall be angry with his brother c. I spake of the first of these before come we to the 2. Whosoever is angry with his brother undeservedly unadvisedly shall be liable to the Judgment Wherein 1. What a Brother is 2. What to be angry with him 3. What without a cause or undeservedly to be angry with him I shewed in opening the former point it remains that I shew what the Judgment here is 2. What it is to be liable to the Judgment By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here we are to understand not the Act of judging but the Judges themselves and their sentence Now the Judges among the Jews may be considered either according to their objects or things and persons whereof they judged or according to the subject places where they judged 1. The objects or things and persons which they judged were either civil as mony-matters or capital as those that concerned the life 2. As concerning the places of Judicature what City or Town soever had a number of Inhabitants fewer than one hundred and twenty that Town or City was judged by the Triumviri or three Judges only who handled only civil businesses as matters between man and man But if the Inhabitants of any City or Town were one hundred and twenty or exceeded that number their number of Judges were three and twenty who took cognizance of criminal and capital businesses and these Judges sate in the gates of their Cities of which Amos 5.15 Whoever therefore had slain a man wilfully he was liable unto this judicature Besides these two less jurisdictions there was the great Synedrion or Session of Judges which consisted of 72. Judges of which our Lord speaks in the next words Now as in the Civil Affairs as the Crimes were greater they belonged to greater and higher Judicatures which took cognizance of them So our Lord here saith that in spiritual businesses as the crimes were greater so they were to be judged by greater Judges and liable to greater penalties As here he whosoever he is that is angry with his Brother shall be liable to the Judgment The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth subject obnoxious or liable unto something as Hebr. 2. subject to bondage See Notes on Hebrews 2. He then that is angry with his Brother undeservedly and unadvisedly is liable unto the Judgment 1. The censure of his own Conscience 2. The Judgment and censure of the spiritual Judges or Judges of spiritual things And 3. The final censure and judgment of the great and universal Judge Reason Is in regard of 1. Our Brother 2. Our Elder Brother or 3. Enemies to both 1. In regard of our Brother with whom one is angry unadvisedly and undeservedly He who is so angry with his Brother is a murderer of his Brother and his anger may be called Murder for whereas every sin hath the name from the end whereat it aims See Notes on Matth. 15.19 20. And there is reason and justice for this severe proceeding among men for if the Act it self were as possible and feasible to the Traytor as the will and passion is he would as soon perform the Act and deed as plot and will it 2. In regard of our Elder Brother the Lord Jesus Christ for when we are angry with him we go about to kill him and when we are angry with any of our brethren for his sake we then also go about to kill him 1. When we are angry with him our Lord told the Jews John 7.20 Ye go about to kill me c. See Notes on Philip. 2. ad finem 2. And the like may be said of our anger against our Brethren for his sake For when we sin against our brethren and wound their weak consciences we sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 And so he becomes wounded of our iniquities and bruised of our transgressions Esay 53.5 And therefore the Lord complains that Saul persecuted him when he persecuted the Church 3. There is reason also if we shall consider the enemy of both the Devil himself who is Abaddon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev.
out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life Of Israel according to the flesh this cannot be understood nor of enemies which are flesh and blood but both spiritual for the Israel according to the flesh hath been so far from being delivered from the hands of bodily enemies that they never so much before as since that time have served under a bodily slavery Besides such enemies they are as are opposed to holiness and righteousness in which we serve God all the dayes of our life And that is the power of doing the will of God for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.3 4. Such a second kind of Omnipotency God hath given unto men such power unto men among whom St. Paul was one I am able to do all things saith he through Christ that inwardly enables me Phil. 4.13 How egregious then is their folly yea how execrable is their Idolatry who might be so strong in God yet repose their strength in the derived weak power of the Creature As the Ahitophels of the time in their deep reach and policy the rich Nabals and Labans the two Churles in Scripture who spell backward one the others Name who make their riches their strong Tower The glozing flatterers who trust in Princes or any child of man In a word all who trust in vain things which will not profit in the latter end To place our strength in a Creature is no less than Idolatry how great then how abominable is their Idolatry who place their strength in their sins who strengthen themselves in their wickedness Psal 52.7 as the Psalmist speaks the mighty Nimrods in evil of whom the Lord speaks in Amos 5.6 I know your manifold transgressions fortia peccata vestra your strong your mighty sins of such saith the Wise Man Potentes potentèr tormenta patientur such mighty men shall be mightily tormented These wage as it were an open war and march against the face of God and all Religion and like the Philistins encourage themselves against the Lord of Hosts Be strong and quit your selves like men 1 Sam. 4. But others there are cunning pioners cuniculos agunt they have a glorious pretence of holiness and under that colour undermine the power and strength of the Lord of Hosts What else I beseech you do they mean who would perswade us that we cannot be so strong in the Lord as to do the Lords will who teach us that the Commandments were given us not for this end that we should keep them No no that 's indeed an end reveiled and above-board but that there is another end aimed at that is that at the best we should acknowledge and bewail our own weakness and infirmity and so let us know that we cannot keep them nay that some might be condemned by not keeping them no though Christ himself say That all things are possible to him that believes though St. John say That they that are strong have overcome the evil one 1 Joh. 2.13 And though he be greater that is in us than he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 Though St. Paul say That the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.4 But alas they complain they have no strength at all whence it comes to pass that they place the strength and power of Religion in meer weakness and impotency and in a devout kind of groaning and lamentable sighing because they say they cannot i. e. indeed they will not do the Lords will But perhaps they need not for the Law was not made for a righteous man but they believe at all adventures that they are righteous Or put case the Law were made for them yet it comes all to one purpose Christ hath fulfilled it for them long ago and hath left nothing for them to do but to believe that 't is done to their hand and to prattle of it But Christ hath enjoyned us many Duties as to love our enemies and to do good to them that hate us and despitefully use us c. Hath Christ fulfilled these for us or shall we look for another Christ to fulfil them for us Here they whine here they sigh here they groan and tell us they have no strength or at the best they say they strive and endeavour which were well in a degree but they think 't is enough nay all Nay they think that they are abundantly strong enough if they can but say that the evil which they do they allow not and the good which they would do they do not that they know they are carnal and sold under sin That they find a Law in their members warring against the Law of their mind and bringing them into captivity to the Law of sin c. If they can but find themselves in this temper as who may not that hath not silenced the check of natural conscience they think all is well and that St. Paul was no stronger than they are Thus they under-prop their voluntary weakness even with the Word of God it self and make it serve as a cloak and covering for their sins Thus the pretence of Rom. 7. shipwracks many a soul which the sixth and eighth might save Adulterers and Adulteresses they would be strong in Christ and Belial together and from this contrariety proceeds their grief their sighing and lamentable groaning and hence proceeds their weakness they are willing to transgress and therefore like harlots willing to be forced use but half their strength or like great lubbards strong enough yet are willing to be buffetted as the cowardly Ephraimites carried bows yet turned themselves backward in the day of battle See Notes first after Easter in 1 Joh. 5.4 This also is the reason that they cull and single but of the Word of God all the Histories and all the Promises which the Lord undertakes to do for his people and refuse what the Lord commands them to do To make this appear to be most true I beseech you observe some few Examples of many which might be named How often do you hear this most comfortable speech There 's no condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus there they make a full period but of the next clause of the sentence essentially belonging unto this being the description of those which are in Christ Jesus namely who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit of this altum silentium not a word of it And in the same Chapter All things work together for good to them who love God 't is in every mans mouth but they never question what it is to love God which St.
enjoyning preservation of life might suffice we may add hereunto others both in regard of God himself and in respect of men 2. God made man after his own Image which is destroyed and defaced by murder Gen. 9.6 It is the Lord's reason he gives of this Law He that sheds man's blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the Image of God made he man 3. The main end aimed at by the Lord himself is here of principal regard His main design is as in all the Commandments to assimilate man and make him like unto himself so in this especially in love and mercy for preservation of man's life Mich. 6.5 Zach. 7.9 10. Luke 6.35 36. 2. In respect of men as to save life renders us like unto God so to kill makes men like the Devil John 8.44 as proprium est Dei servare benefacere so Diaboli laedere Add hereunto that common rule Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even the same to them Matth. 7.12 This is the voice of the Law and the Prophets yea approved of by light of nature the Emperor Severus caused it to be written in many places of his Palace 2. There is a near alliance between men whom God hath made as after his own Image so of one blood Acts 17.26 And thus by one common nature all men are taught of God to love one another 1 Thes 4.9 Obs 1. Man by his fall was and is of a bloody revengeful unmerciful disposition All faln men walk in the way of Cain until God in goodness lead them out of that way into the way of his Commandments 2. The Lord directs his Law to all and every man and woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou man or woman shalt not commit murder The Lord descends to every one in particular to every individual to thee who ever thou art Thou shalt do no murder that every man may know that the Commandment concerns him 3. Note here how precious the life of any man ought to be to any man 4. Note hence how precious every man 's own life ought to be unto himself Therefore this Commandment or act forbidden is left without expression of an object whereby is prohibited all unlawful killing And because our love unto God measures out every man's love unto himself and every man's love unto himself is the measure of his love unto his Neighbour Surely in that every man is forbidden to kill his Neighbour every man is much more forbidden to kill himself Do thy self no harm Acts 16. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment The words contain the penalty annexed to the breach of this Commandment wherein the words are considerable in themselves and with reference to the former implied in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators exceeding often render And which all men know is a note of diversity and signifies But and makes quite another kind of axiom and makes not a copulate but a discret In the words absolutely considered we must enquire what is meant here by Judgment and 2. What it is to be in danger of Judgment 1. Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which word is here to be understood the Session or sitting of Judges Such as at that time were in many Cities of Judea and that their Judicature is here properly understood it 's evident by the opposion unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn the Council To be in danger of Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words are more properly to be turned he shall be obnoxious or lyable unto the Judgment for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies obnoxious c. Vide Not. in Hebr. 2. We shall meet with these words again This Sentence is not extant in the Law in so many words but the meaning of it is clear Levit. 24.21 He that killeth a man he shall be put to death Num. 35.16 17 18 30. Obser 1. What a tie hath God the Judge upon every guilty Conscience 2. How much more upon every blood guilty Conscience Exhortation Highly to esteem the precious life anothers as well as our own 1. It is the workmanship of God 2. It is the Command of God to spare life not to kill 3. God made us after his own Image which is marred by murder 4. It 's contrary to God's main design to render us like unto himself in love mercy goodness c. 5. It crosseth the common rule Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you c. 6. God made us of one blood and so teacheth us to love one another 7. This is no Arbitrary Law it 's not without penalty so great a crime is not expiated without the death of the murderer He that sheds man's blood by man shall his blood be shed 8. Whole Families yea the greatest Potentates with their Kingdoms rue this crime as Pharaoh Saul Ahab yea David himself 9. Even the beast it self and its owner if faulty must die to expiate bloodshed Exod. 21.28 29. 10. The Lord enjoyns mercy to the beasts Deut. 22.6 11. Yea even the beasts are not savage against their own kind They improve their sense better than men their reason yea than Christian men their faith O ye perverse and degenerate mankind So true is it that man without Law and equity is the very worst of all living Creatures 12. Beloved we are men let us not so put off humanity as by cruelty and savageness to become worse than the very beasts 13. The Scribes and Pharisees had attained to this degree of righteousness to spare life they were no murderers Beloved we are Christian men our righteousness must exceed theirs Our Lord hath taught us an higher Lesson I say unto you he that is angry with his Brother without cause shall be in danger of the Judgment Axiom 3. It was said to them of old time thou shalt not kill c. Of how old time were these to whom this was spoken Some say to those in the time of Ezra the Scribe Others look farther back to the times of Moses and indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie things or persons of that Age of the Prophets as Luke 9.19 One of the old Prophets Acts 15.21 Moses of old time c. But most of the Prophets were long after Moses's time And where it is said Moses of old time hath in every City those that preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath-day The old time there spoken of if we mark it is not to be understood of Moses's time but long after namely after the time of the Captivity What if we look yet farther backward even before the Prophets yea before Moses 2 Cor. 5.17 We read of old things and 2 Pet. 2.5 the old World and Revel 12.9 and 20.2 Ye read of the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan who deceived that old World It 's
of Seth and Shem and Abraham and Rechab and the Esseni or Hassadei 2. There are also Scribes and Pharisees hypocritical men There are prophane men without number We enquire now touching the Scribes and Pharisees such there are without doubt who sit in Moses John Baptists and Christ's Chair who teach the Law Repentance and the Gospel of Christ Yet it cannot be denied but many of us say and do not as they tell a story of the Lacedemonian Ambassadors resident at Athens that they being at a Play and an old Athenian coming in and no Athenians giving place to him the Lacedemonian Ambassadors arose and gave the old man room among them whereupon one said That the Athenians a learned City knew what was just and right but they did not act accordingly but left that to the Lacedemonians who were most illiterate men Would God this were not most true of many of us who teach the Doctrine of Moses John Baptist and Christ that we sit in the Chair of Moses John Baptist and Jesus Christ and have the Key of Knowledge but enter not in our selves nor suffer others to enter in that would 3. The multitude and Disciples must not do according to the works of the Scribes and Pharisees The words contain our Lord's Second Precept which is negative a prohibition of following the Works of imitating the Life and Manners of the Scribes and Pharisees Here are these three Axioms 1. The Multitudes and Disciples must not do according to the works of the Scribes and Pharisees 2. They say and do not 3. Because they say and do not therefore do not ye according to their works Which I shall speak of only as they contain our Lord's Doctrine 1. Do not ye after their works 2. And his Reason Because they say and do not Observ 1. The works of the Scribes and Pharisees were sinful unjust and ungodly Obser 2. The Lord knows how flexible how prone we are to follow what is evil especially in him who teacheth what is good how much inclined we are rather to imitate the evil Life than the good doctrine of our Teachers Obser 3. The grace and goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ He would not that we should follow the evil Be not conformed unto this world Rom. 12.1 3 Joh. 11. follow not that which is evil 2. Our Lord gives the reason of this point they say and do not Reason What reason is here why they say and do not what they say is from conviction of their judgemâ—nt according to the Law of God and is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dictate of their Conscence But what they do is from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impetus of their own will and affectiâ—ns See Notes on Rom. 6.19 For howsoever naturallâ— the will ought to follow the dictamen intellectus the dictate of the understanding and last result and conclusion of it yet it 's hurried away by the violence of the seâ—sitive appetite As the daily motion of the primum mobile naturally should carry abâ—ut all the inferiour Orbs but beside and contrary to this motion every Planet stâ—als its own proper motion And thus though the Scribes and Pharisees teachers of heavenly things had motions from the Law of their mind inclining them to act according to the Law of God yet the violence of their appetite swayes them contrary thereunto And therefore Jude calls such wandring stars Jude vers 13. Besides tâ—ere is a false doctrine a damnable heresie brought in by such Teachers whereof St. Peter warns us 2 Pet. 2. Who tell us that it 's impossible to be exactly obedient uâ—to Moses's Chair That they that go about to fulfill the sayings of the Scribes and Pharisees think to be justified by their works or to merit by them If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us and therefore that we may not deceive our selves and that the truth may be in us that we may be Orthodox we must be sure to have sin what ever comes of it This Doctrine eats like a Gangreen and spreads it self like a Leprosie over the whole Christian world so that whosoever shall affirm that it 's possible through the power of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to do the sayings of the Scribes and Pharisees to be obedient unto Moses's Chair He is almost generally believed to be heterodox a man of an erroneous judgment one that holds strange opinions in a word a very dangerous man Obser 1. Note here the wonderfull Grace and wisdom of our God in preservation of his Truth in the world even in a perverse and crooked Generation The Scribes and Pharisees say but do not yet in that they say though they do not they acknowledge what they say ought to be done The People who are Auditors hear but do not yet will confess that what they hear ought to be done And thus in both the only wise God preserves in the Consciences even of wicked men a testimony unto his Truth and a witness in ungodly men against themselves Thus the Lord kept his Truth by the testimony of the false Prophets Balaam and others and over-ruled them by it For truth hath commonly an influence upon a sublime understanding and without the choice of men slides into their minds when they think not of it as the light shines into the eye that 's open without the mans choice As Balaam is said to have his eyes open Numb 24.3 So that a false Prophet a Scribe or Pharisee may have a glimpse of truth yet without any special favour of God because truth respects the understanding according to which a man may be said to be subtil acute knowing learned but according to that he cannot be said to be good just or honest for Charity according to which one is said to be good just or honest is an act of the will since therefore the act of the understanding what is true precedes the embracing of it by the will a false Prophet Scribe or Pharisee may retain truth in his understanding and teach it without any will or love unto it Obser 4. The will of the Lord is that we should do after the sayings and doings after the doctrine and works of those teachers whom he sends unto us And the reason is the Precept is a dead thing that seems impossible untill it be brought to life by the Teacher or others and then it 's made appear to be not only possible but feisable and practicable The Apostle propounds not only what he had taught unto the Philippians Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things were true c. but whatever they had both learned and received and heard and seen in him to do vers 9. who would think that the precept to love our enemies were possible unless some there were who practised it Saul thought it so till he found it practised by David upon himself Observ 5. The Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees is to be diligently
after the wind an earthquake and after the earthquake a fire The like we read before the giving of the Law great commotions Hebr. 12. the Mount burning with fire and blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words The reason in regard of the Converts themselves these terrours and affrightments awaken their sleepy consciences these open their eyes and lets them see what they have done what sin they have committed and what punishment they have deserved but shews them no remedy no means which they might use whereby they might avoid and escape it Men are too prone to arrogate unto themselves what ever good befalls them they think themselves extreme witty therefore lest they impute their deliverance unto their own wits they must be brought to their wits end whereas before they say as the Fly upon the Cart wheele Quantam ego vim pulveris excito what a great force of dust do I raise 2. In respect of God 1. He takes occasion from the straits and necessities of men to glorifie his own wisdom power and goodness Dan. 6.17 Daniel was cast into the den of Lions and a stone laid upon the mouth of the den and that sealed with the Kings signet c. v. 20. then 't was said Is the God whom thou servest able to deliver thee 2 Pet. 2.9 Yes The Lord knows how to deliver the righteous out of temptation 2. That thereby he may bring Man to the acknowledgement of his Duty We know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20.12 In their afflictions they will seek me early Hos 5.12 Observ 1. Hence note Gods method in bringing men unto himself they must first apprehend themselves in a lost condition this is figured by four estates of men 1. In Famine 2. Captivity 3. Sickness 4. Shipwrack Psal 107. This is God the Fathers drawing of men unto the Son Joh. 6. Peter the Fisherman pricks them to the heart Observ 2. The sting of a guilty Conscience sin is committed with much ease and delight and lies quiet in the soul and that perhaps long time and that without any sense or pain but when through the grace and mercy of God the Conscience awakens O how it tortures and torments the poor sinner David was quiet notwithstanding his great sins of Murder and Adultery we read nothing of him but that he went liquidly on without any grudging till his Conscience was now rowzed and awakened by Nathan Psal 6. and 50 and 51. About thirteen years had passed after Jacob's Sons had sold their Brother Joseph into Aegypt before we read that they remembred what their offence was committed against their Brother their Brother was now grown out of all their knowledge but now when their Conscience was enlightened by an affliction O how they accuse themselves as guilty Gen. 42.21 22. These Converts in the Text were quiet enough after the murder of the Lord Jesus until Peter had rowzed their Conscience vers 2 3. and then Oh! what shall we do Observ 3. The vast difference between a good acquitting Conscience and a guilty galled Conscience the good acquitting Conscience passeth through many straits and difficulties but at length comes in latitudinem to rest ease and joy The guilty Conscience is quiet and at rest till it hath brought forth and then comes into straits difficulties and torments Our Saviour Joh. 16.21 seems to describe the former but it 's quite contrary in the breeding of sin Jam. 1.14 15. It 's an easie thing to go along with the stream to sail with the wind and tide to run on according to the course of this evil world c. Ephes 2.2 The beginning of contention is like the letting out of waters they flow naturally The Wise Man tells us what the beginning of contention is he tells us not what the end will be This I spake of long since while yet it was res integra no blood at all drawn on either side and I spun out two Texts to the very end half a year together till many were weary of the argument the beginning is like the letting out of waters it might have been easily stopt had the Ambassadors of Peace on both sides faithfully discharged their office But now alas these waters are becoming a Sea such as I have heard was in the Fen Country the Sea-water had soaked through a bank which might have been helped with half an hours work but the water making it self a passage and not prevented overflowed many thousand acres which yet lie under water O that the beginnings of Marah and Meribah had been stopt but our iniquities I fear are full and a full stream of vengeance a Jordan a river of judgement is broken forth the overflowing scourge long since threatned The Lord hath now sent forth even the Consumption determined upon the whole earth and it is much to be feared that when the overflowing scourge shall pass through it shall come even unto us Isai 28.15 The Lord fit and prepare us for his judgement Observ 4. Behold the horrour of a blood-guilty-conscience it 's that which most of all moved these Converts as appears vers 36. of this Chapter and Chapt. 5. Reason From the consideration 1. Of the Author 2. The Sin it self 3. The judge of it 1. The Author is the Devil for howsoever all lusts are originally excited by him yet he is more especially said to be a murderer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 Two great sins Murder and Lying are proper to the Devil he is Abaddon and Apollyon Rev. 9.11 most opposite herein unto Christ who came to save not to destroy mens lives Luk. 9.56 The Samaritanes were such to the Jews as the Papists to us an affront was offered to Christ vers 54. yet what saith our Lord ye know not of what spirit ye are for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them 2. In regard of the sin it self 1. It is the first in time after that original Apostacy Gen. 4. Sin lies couched at the door vers 7. The first of the Clamantia peccata Crying sins 2. That which caused the floud Gen. 6.11 The earth was full of violence 3. All other damages are reparable Goods Lands Credit Health but a dying man is as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again 2 Sam. 14.14 4. Soles occidere redire possunt The Sun sets and riseth again 5. There is a mark left in the Greek tongue from the first Author Cain in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to kill 6. Bloud is put for all sin bloud toucheth bloud 7. It is a sin most opposite unto Charity 1 Joh. 3.12 which is God himself 1 Joh. 4.8 without which we are nothing 1 Cor. 13. in which all we do ought to be done 1 Cor. 16.14 8. Hence the weight of Jeremies argument may be estimated Ye shall shed innocent blood Jer. Ye perceive all this
Lord be no cause of evil yet he ministers occasion of doing evil He exposed his own Son to the power of darkness yet he who betrayed him had the greater sin and the greater punishment it had been better he had never been born This is the more to be heeded because some think that when providence offers an occasion to do otherwise than the Law commands we may embrace the occasion though contrary to the Law of God Davids men were of this mind 1 Sam. 24. When David had Saul at a great advantage his men said to him Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee Behold I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand that thou mayst do to him as shall seem good unto thee And by this they stirred up David â—o kill Saul Yea Saul himself was of the same mind vers 18.19 But did David himself embrace this occasion which God put into his hand No David did not examine the Will of the Lord by the providence which he put into his hand but by the commandment of God which forbad him to stretch forth his hand against the Lord 's Anointed And therefore I shall propound this necessary Rule to your consideration whereof we shall have manifold use in this life especially in these times Examine not the Commandment of God by the providence and occasion put into in thine hand but examine the providence and occasion put into thine hands by the Commandment of God and act thou accordingly Observ 2. Observe it is no good Argument that sin is mortified in us and that we live as we ought the Christian life because the motions of sin appears not in us Sin may be asleep and not dead or like one in Lipothymia in a swoon When the commandment comes then 't will discover its self that it was not dead but only in a dead sleep like the Snake in the Fable benumb'd with cold but gathered heat from the fire so doth the sin which seems dead but when the fiery law cometh it revives like the water that appears clear till it be stirred and then it discovers it self all mudd at the bottom As the wakening of a sleepy dog As the stirring of a Wasps nest They are quiet enough till they be moved Observ 3. See the truth of that which the Psalmist tells us Psal 143.2 That in the sight of the Lord no man living can be justified which our Apostle expounding Rom. 3.20 saith by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in Gods sight which he repeats Gal. 2.16 where the Emphasis is to be set not only upon the sight of God because no man can be justified in his sight but also upon no man living which is not to be understood as we do in in our common speech when we would express our selves more vehemently we say No man living but in such a sence as our Apostle useth it in this Chap. 7. vers 1.2 The law hath dominion over the man so long as he liveth c. Ainsw in Levit. 13.13 14 15. Thus no man living that is while the man lives and God and Christ lives not in the man its impossible that any man living should be justified But when God lives in the man when Christ lives in the man then he justifieth the man It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 And therefore what the Psalmist saith no man living the Apostle turns no flesh no carnal no earthly man it is impossible that any living man that any flesh should be justified by the works of the Law Observ 4. Learn then from hence the absolute necessity of a strong mighty and powerful Saviour The Law discovers the sin but it cannot take it away yea sin revives by the coming of the Law and is made more powerful more violent than before it was As when Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh with a message from God about the deliverance of the people Pharaoh laid a greater and a more unreasonable heavy task upon them Exod. 5.20 So deals the spiritual Pharaoh when the Law-giver sends his Law unto us he lays load upon us such as no man living is able to bear And therefore the Lord he graciously promiseth to his people oppressed in the Spiritual Egypt Revel 11. That when they cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors he shall send them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn a Saviour and a great one Esay 19.20 The words are a Saviour and a Prince So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth and so Christ is called Act. 5.31 A prince and a Saviour whom God hath exalted with his right hand to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins And by him all that believe are justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all things what things are they The most Ancient English Manuscript hath it from all those sins from which we could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.39 When the sin is now by the force of the Law spread abroad in the man and become exceeding sinful like a leprosie then the high Priest Jesus Christ he cleanseth the Leper Levit. 13.12 13. we turn it he shall pronounce him clean The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. mundificabit he shall make him clean as Arias Montanus turns it well But on the contrary vers 14.15 if he see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. living flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall make him unclean not pronounce him only If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1.9 But if there be any living flesh any flesh that would live by the law the Lord makes that unclean he stains the pride of all glory because by the works of the law no man living no flesh can be justified But here the poor disconsolate soul complains I was alive without the law once I found nothing amiss in my self no regreeting no remorse of conscience But now when I see a better a greater light I find my self in a greater darkness the motions of sin were quiet before now the Law comes they are stirred up in me violently As he who in a fight reeceives many a wound yet then feels them not nor thinks himself to be wounded at all till he cools and then he feels them In the pursuing of the heat of our concupiscence we receive many a fiery dart of the Devil which yet as then we perceive not but afterwards in cool blood I was whole and sound once but now I find wounds and bruises and putrifying sores mine iniquities are gone over mine head and are an heavy burden too heavy for me to bear my wounds stink and are corrupt through my foolishness and there is no soundness in my flesh wretched man that I am Till now indeed thou wert a wretched man thou livest frolickly without curb without
check of the Law without remorse of conscience heretofore was this a liberty or a wildness was this a soundness or a sickness was this a life or more truly a death Afflict not thy self too much poor soul for these unruly motions of sin but consider with thy self if these be wicked sinful abominable and loathsome to thee What wert thou when thou wert one and the same with them when thou livedst in them without the Law thou wert one with them thou wert incorporate with them into the body of sin O rather magnifie the grace and goodness of thy God who looseth the bonds of thine iniquities who discovers thy sin to be sin and for sin condemning sin Rom. 8.3 who now undertakes the cure of thy spiritual ulcers This large suppuration and mattering this abundance of filth proceeding from thy wounds is an argument of strength and soundness in the inward parts that thou now feelest the deadly darts of Satan it s a sign of some life in thee where there is sense there is life and è contrà if thou perceivest thine own unrighteousness endeavour to find it more if thou seemest filthy to thy self be more filthy so we understand that Revel 22.11 Exhort Doth the Law come Doth thy sin revive Then let us be exhorted to live no longer without the Law but let us entertain the Law as we would welcome a guest For Motive hereunto consider the manifold blessings upon the obedient Deut. 28.11 The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods spiritual goods the holy Spirit it self he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord gives thee the holy land or land of holiness Consider the curses upon the disobedient upon the out-laws The penalty of an out-law according to our Laws is loss of goods loss of the graces of Gods Spirit loss of lands loss of the holy Land Yea the out-laws caput gerunt luporum any one that meets thee may kill thee saith the Lawyer They are out of protection of the Laws for meritò sine lege periunt qui secundùm legem vivere recesserunt And such out-laws are we all while we reject the Laws of our God no better than Cain conceived of himself like fugitives and vagabonds upon the earth without any benefit of Gods Laws that who ever findeth us may slay us Aliens from the Common-weal of Israel strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2.12 O Beloved As knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Let us let us I beseech ye so many as are yet out-laws in-Law our selves before the Decree go forth ye know the out-law if sought and called in five several Counties refuse to come in and answer to the Law pro exlege tenebitur he is held as an out-law and those penalties pass upon him O how long how often hath the great King of kings himself sought his out-laws who ought to have sought unto him By how many Messengers hath he rising up early and sending them wooed us to come O how lowly how infinitly below his state hath he stooped to winn us to be merciful to our own souls What a low condescent is that that 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dyed and the commandment unto life was found to me unto death THE coming of the Law hath a double event 1. One in regard of sin 2. Another in regard of the man 1. In regard of the sin that revived 2. In regard of the man he died I call these events not effects of the Law for effects proceed from and depend upon causes truly and properly so called and so it cannot truly be said that the Law coming caused sin to revive and caused the man to dye but occasioned both for an event answers to an occasion or a cause by accident as an effect answers to a cause per se and truly and properly so called In these words therefore we have two events of the Law coming to the man 1. Sin revived 2. The man dyed I spake of the first I now proceed to the second event of the Law 's coming The man dyed Herein for our berter proceeding we may enquire 1. How he may be said so to dye 2. What death the man dyed 3. How upon the coming of the Law the man dyed 1. What death the man dyed privations are best known by their opposite habits and therefore as life is three-fold so likewise is death There is a life of 1. Nature 2. Grace 3. Sin And there is a death opposite unto that life of Nature Grace Sin 1. Of the first death these words are not to be understood for the man lives his natural life both under the life of Grace and the life of sin The question therefore lies between the two other deaths whether of them two is here to be understood whether the man may be said to be dead unto the life of Grace upon the coming of the Law or rather 2. dead unto the life of sin I find most Interpreters both Ancient and Modern agreeing that the former is here to be understood namely that the Law coming occasioned the death unto the life of Grace and that the Law coming the man dyed from his life of grace But under correction of better judgements I conceive that that death cannot here be meant by the Apostle for if we should understand that upon the coming of the Law the man then dyed from the life of grace then before the coming of the Law the man should have lived the life of grace for he is said to dye from that life which before he lived but that cannot be For before the commandment came he lived not the life of Grace as appears evidently out of the Context for before the commandment came he lived a lawless life a life without the law the life of sin And therefore when the commandment came he is here to be understood to dye from his sinful life which is that life which he lived before the commandment came 2. How may the man be said to dye The man is said to dye when the sin offers it self as a life unto him and he is a dead man unto the motions of it When therefore sinful thoughts represent the objects unto the man and he rejects them he is said to dye unto them Thus when envy pride covetousness c. present themselves unto the man for so many lives and the man still continues in the denyal and rejection of them He may be said to dye so many several deaths As when the Law comes sin revives and puts forth all her force so it comes to pass that the man dyes every day as the Apostle protesteth 1 Cor. 15.31 and 2 Cor. 11.23 he tells us that he was in deaths often 3. But
of it that 's affectus unionis that 's the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 that 's the end of the Law The end of the Law is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 When we obey out of fear we have but half our strength and therefore Homer saith Jupiter took away from Arminta half the strength beside fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4.18 we read of obedience of faith Rom. 1. and 16. but faith works not but by love We read also of an obedience of Charity Deut. 30.20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God that thou mayest obey his voice and cleave unto him the like ye read 1 Pet. 1.24 Castificantes animas vestras sub obedientia charitatis When the Commandment is propounded unto us as good it stirs up Love in us and Love makes all easie Mandata non sunt gravia 1 Joh. 4.18 Reproves Us who quarrel or contend about the Law which yet neither of us observe the good Law and Commandment of our God if we did it would make us good in our selves good to men and one to another kind gentle c. good to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A good man is a common good he is a good man he is not such an one who only doth no hurt though would God we all arrived unto that degree of goodness but doth good like to the Law-giver Psal 119.68 Thou art good and doest good We may discern this better in others than in our selves Jobson in his Relation of the River Gamboa in Africk tells us that the people on both sides the River extreamly hate one another and that for difference in some niceties of their Religion but saith he I saw no difference at all in their lives who differed among themselves May it not be as truly spoken of our selves Observ 1. Observe how reasonable a service the service of our God is his Commandment is good Yes happily good for God the Law-giver Nay my goodness extends not to thee Psal 16.2 But Moses speaks expresly Deut. 10.23 Now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandments of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee for thy good Consol Alas I know that but though the Commandment be good it makes not me good for since it came I am evil and worse than ever I was The light is good saith Solomon and is it ever the worse is it not rather the better for discovering the darkness the Law doth not make thee to be evil thou wert evil before but discovers thee to be so Thou consentest to the Law that it is good that 's a beginning of goodness it so begins to make thee good time was when thou thoughtest that the Commandment was evil time was when thou thoughtest it thine own enemy So Ahab said to Eliah hast thou found me O mine enemy and Michajah never prophesied good to him but evil The dictates of the Law were such to thee thou entertainedst them as evil as the words of an enemy and long time it was with thee e're thou couldest be perswaded to agree with thine adversary to think well of the Law that 's the adversary if now thou consent unto it if now thou canst think that the Commandment is good thank and bless thy God be sure he hath begun a good work in thee Phil. 1. yea such as he will take notice of in these times of calamity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 14.13 When the new wine is found in the cluster one saith destroy it not cast it not away there is a blessing in it so will I do for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all Isai 65.8 But alas thou wilt say my sins the Law hath made powerful and to prevail against me and they multiply themselves and like degenerate friends such sometime they were to me they now prove my greatest enemies The Law commands me this and forbids me that I comply with it but have no power to obey it hence it is that my conscience accuseth me condemns me torments me and judgeth me to death and hell Yet despair not poor Soul The Lord leads down to hell and brings back again he looks with gracious eyes upon the willing the loving though as yet weak and impotent man Vnto him do I look who is of a poor and a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Isai 66.1 Yea though thy Conscience judge thee to death yet is thy God more gracious more merciful to thee than thine own evil Conscience he reveils unto thee the Law of the spirit of life Rom. 8.2 which is Christ Jesus which will make thee free from the Law of sin and death Yea unto such a broken and wounded spirit the beloved Disciple pours in oyl of gladness 1 Joh. 3.20 if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things He knoweth thy good will there toward his good Commandment though thou be not yet able to perform though as yet the good that thou wouldest do thou doest not and the evil thou wouldest not that doest thou yet continue in that good will and he that hath begun this good work in thee will perfect the same He who hath wrought a Will will give power also that thou mayest not only be willing but be able also so that thou shalt overcome the evil with the good Exhort 2. To love the good Commandment It 's a most reasonable Exhortation that that which is good be loved Thou lovest that which thou thinkest good 't is the object of love Is it not more reasonable that thou shouldest love that which the only wise God and the LOVE it self propounds to thee for good When the Physitian forbids thee such or such meats though thou lovest them yet thou abstainest he knows better what is good for thee Charior est superis homo quam sibi Man is dearer to God than to himself Datum est paucis cognoscere quaenam sunt vera bona It is given to few to know what things are truly good Yet truly even a very fool may know negatively what are not the true good things Surely Riches are not the true good things though men call them so these have wings true good things are permanent The Merchant now must seek such as will swim out with him after a wrack Paul was in perils of waters yet these swam out with him in perils of robbers yet they robbed him not of these It is easie to know whether we do love the Law or no if so what we love we think on often Lord how I love thy Law all the day long is my study in it the righteous man exerciseth himself in Gods Law day and night what we love we practise we
distraction discord disagreement of mind thoughts fansie understanding heart will affections and all these divisions and partialities are both of one from other and in our selves Hence appears the great necessity of a manifold Law which might pursue the man in his manifold aberrations and strayings from his God which might follow him in every thought will desire affection and ferret him out of every hole These many Laws are a badge of the manifold misery we were fallen into for as Plato reasons Where there are many Physitians it follows the people have there many diseases and where there are many Lawyers the people must be very much divided So we may reason that since there are many Laws there were many breaches of the Laws since there are many remedies many healing doctrines there must be many spiritual diseases Learn we hence to prize and esteem the Law according to the worth and dignity of it they are the honorabilia legis the honourable things of the Law things in themselves honourable as our Lord calls them Matth. 23.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more or most honourable things of the Law for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth honourable is rendered by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is weighty and honourable such as make honourable these weightiest these most honourable things of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith they are the only durable honours Isai 23. Howle ye inhabitants of the Isle Is this your joyous City whose antiquity is of ancient dayes Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre the crowning City whose merchants are Princes whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth The Lord of hosts hath purposed it to stain the pride of all Glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth But Isai 42.21 We will magnifie the Law and make it honourable they are those wherewith we honour God and honorantes me honorabo the honourable man deals in honourable things and by honourable things shall he stand O that such an holy ambition were kindled in every generous breast that they would desire the honour that cometh of God only and pursue it in that honourable way whereby it is to be obtained 1 Sam. 2. These great things of the Law are those whereby we honour our God and according to which God honoureth us to them who by patient continuance in well doing Glory honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2.7.10 Glory honour and peace to every one that worketh good The Lord hath written or will write unto his people the great things or multitudes of his Laws The word in the Original is in the future which in that tongue implies a continual act The Commandments of God are a Letter from God unto the Church a Love-letter of the Churches Husband unto his Spouse And writing the great things of his Law adds to them Confirmation and leaves them upon record in perpetuam rei memoriam These are the lasting honours all other honour fails with the cause which bred it Gentility is on ancient Riches when they decay the honour decayes with them that is built upon them But honour thou thy God and his Christ his wisdom and she shall bring thee to honour Prov. 4.4 Shechem is said to have been more honourable than all the house of his Father Gen. 34.19 ye read no honourable act he did but only he readily circumcised himself ye read for what end he did it Those of Berea were more noble than those of Thessalonica Why because they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether the things which Paul preached were true or no Act. 17.11 Now if these minora Legis these less things of the Law rendered them honourable how much more honourable shall the graviora Legis and great things of the Law if the outward much more the inward if the receiving the outward word how much more the receiving of Jesus Christ himself If the great things of Gods Law be strange to us then we are best acquainted with the enemies of them Prov. 3 5-10 the neglect of the least damnable Palac in Matth. 5.19 Groti Ibid. Reproves Those who magnifie men greatly esteem men and the opinions and performances of men and neglect the great things of Gods Law Thus did the Corinthians of old and this are we now puffed up for one against another Thus Simon the Sorcerer bare himself for some great man and the Samaritans esteemed and called him the great power of God yea though he bewitched them with Sorceries What is Paul or what is Apollo's are they not ministers only by whom ye believe How can ye believe when ye receive honour one of another Peter and John Act. 3. Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. were ashamed of their honour And can there be a greater witchery than that which the Apostle speaks of Gal. 3. Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched ye that ye should not obey the truth who else but Simon why was there a Simon Magus at Galatia yes and at Corinth and London too Simon hath bewitched us that we do not obey the Truth Simon is hearing if we hear and hear and hear and nothing but hear the great things of the Law we think our selves great and honourable people and if we know them then much more honourable yet so much we may do and yet Simon may bewitch us instead of obeying and doing the great things of the Law we cry up Simon either the Preaching or Hearing for the great power of God Doubt But here it may be doubted whether there be such multitudes of Gods Laws since we read that our Lord reduceth all of them to Two only The Commandments of God are sometime more numerous as when they are delivered in the full Decalogue sometime they are contracted into a less number as Deut. 10.12 Now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to walk in all his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Sometime that number is contracted These are the things that ye shall do Zach. 8.16 Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord Sometimes yet to a less than that as Mich. 6.8 To do justly to love mercy to humble thy self to walk with thy God which are the very same which our Lord calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.23 the greater weightier and more honourable things of the Law as judgement mercy and faith Judgement answers to doing justly which is not only the office of a publick Judge but even every mans duty in the tribunal of his own Conscience it comprehends all that duty which may either by strict justice be required or by
equity expected of a man The second is the very same Mercy and the love of Mercy and the last is Faith which because it works by love St. Luke puts love instead of it Luk. 11.42 this who ever doth walks humbly with his God which is the third in that place of Micha these are the same for the want whereof the spirit of God reproves the world These three are yet contracted into a less number even these two Commandments Love of God and our Neighbour for a lively faith or faith enlivened by the spirit and the love of God are all one and mercy and judgement are all one with love of our neighbour I know well this sounds not right to our English ears who take judgement for the rigorous execution of Justice but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Equity Correct us O Lord and yet in thy judgement not in thy fury thy judgement i. e. thy mercy and equity Thus our Lord contracts the Commandments to two Matth. 22.36 40. Can they yet be reduced to a less number Rom. 13. and 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law This is the most excellent way 1 Cor. 12. last which is violently divided from the thirteenth Chapter wherein he tells us what that most excellent way is and in the last verse of that Chapter he tells us of three great things but the greatest of these is CHARITY that bond of perfectness Col. 3. that end of the Law 1 Tim. 1.5 the end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith unfeigned as by the wickedness of men the Commandments are increased so by their obedience they are contracted Reproves Those who dishonour the honorabilia Legis who lightly regard the graviora Legis who little esteem the great things of the Law Fools make a mock of sin pass over judgement tythe Mint and Dill we read it Annise Anethum signifieth not Annise but Dill mean time omit graviora Legis Luk. 11.42 Hos 6.6 7. these are the things whereof the Spirit of God reproves the world the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 16. He shall reprove the world of sin because they believe not in him the power of God the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world of righteousness false Pharisaical righteousness The reason of all this is according as God's and Christ's Righteousness is in the hearts of his people he abbreviates and makes short his Commandment this is plain Rom. 9.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Writ out of any inferiour Court is more observed than the great holy mandatory Letters from the Court of Heaven for these things the Land mourneâ—h the want of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit reproves the world of sin of righteousness and of judgement Observ 3. There are degrees in the Commandments of God some greater Commandments some less those of the first Table are greater than those of the second Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments c. If there be least Commandments then are there greater and so degrees in the observation of them so that if they come in competition the greater must be preferred above the less The Priests brake the Sabbath and were blameless Matth. 12.5 Their Love to God in doing him and his people service excused them the Love of God and our Neighbour is a greater Commandment than that of the Sabbath Vbi periculum vitae cessat Sabbatum where there is danger of life the keeping of the Sabbath ceaseth Every one of you leads his Oxe or his Ass to the water Love to man and beast excuseth the breach of the Sabbath So that ye see the Sabbath was accounted one of the least Commandments even by the Jews themselves whereas some Christians to whom the Sabbath was a sign and a shadow account it one of the greatest if not simply the greatest of them all Counsel and comfort unto every one who like the young man enquire what he should do to be saved There 's not any thing thou doest or hast to do but there 's a rule for it multitudes of Laws There 's not any sin thou committest but there 's a Law to prohibit it a doctrine to heal it 1 Tim. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are thy sins spread like a Leprosie over thy whole body Art thou full of bruises and putrifying sores from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is a plaster as large as thy sores the Commandment is exceeding broad The Law is a Catholicon a Panacea a salve in it for every sore Love covers the multitude of sin But alas Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it besets me in every circumstance and the Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it guards thee and defends thee in every circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear all thy works Verebar omnia opera mea Job 9.28 Have respect to all the Commandments Psal 119.6 But this is dura custodia yet under this thou must be kept Precept upon precept line upon line Isai 28.10 The Child is brought under the multitude of Precepts When I was a child I understood as a child 1 Cor. 13. until that which is perfect is come Gal. 4.3 under the elements of the world As the multitude of stars were made in the firmament of heaven as every one of these contributed its share of light before the Sun was made even so the multitude of Commandments gives light unto the man untill the day begin to dawn and as the day light appears one star after another disappears and still they become fewer and fewer untill the light of Faith shine out as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.23 Before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterward be reveiled Hast thou then scattered thy wayes unto strangers Jerem. 3.13 See the place hasten to the unity Wherefore Beloved let us be exhorted to hasten to the coming of that day 't is the Apostles exhortation 2 Pet. 3.12 It 's a strange one for we say rather Phosphore redde diem We wish for the day Act. 17. that the day would hasten to come to us not that we should hasten to the coming of the day but such is the goodness of that Sun of Righteousness who shines alone in his Saints as Apollo and Sol have their names from their shining alone saith Macrobius when his day light appears he contracts all that multiplicity of day light unto himself He is Achad Deut. 6. ONE and draws all multiplicity into ONE The Queen of Sheba had no more Spirit left in her 1 King 10. when she heard the true Solomon See Georg. Venet. fol. 230. b. When the Scribe had learned thus to contract the multitudes of the Law to the love of God and our Neighbour our Lord tells him Thou art not far from the kingdom of God Mark 12.34 One step further he had been
these things were not done in a corner Nor was the Gospel a Light put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick yea a Beacon on a Hill which gave light unto all the world for as the Sun howsoever appearing but in one place in the world sends forth the Beams equally unto every part of the whole Horizon and successively compasseth the whole world And as a great voice howsoever uttered in one place yet propagates it self according to the contention of him that speaks alike unto every place which are the resemblances which the Holy Ghost it self makes use of even so the glorious Gospel the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his voice was like the voice of many waters Ezek. 43.2 Yea there is neither Speech nor Language but their voices are heard among them their sound is gone out into all lands and their words unto the ends of the world Psal 19.3 Rom. 10.18 And surely whether we consider 1. The Gospel it self or 2. The world to which the Gospel came Or 3. God who so disposed of it Great Reason there is that the Gospel should come into all the world 1. As for the Gospel it self it is the power of God unto Salvation And that Salvation is a common salvation Jude 2. And Christ the Saviour of the world and the desire of all nations 2. And the world it self hath need of such a Saviour being in maligno positus lying in evil and altogether lost in it but only a desire of being better or good This necessity the world draws upon it self by sin but the desire is wrought by God by discovering the horribleness of sin the wrath of God kindled by it the punishment due unto it and so the great need of Christ to save us from it Add hereunto outward Judgements which awake and shake the Consciences of worldly men and especially the Colossians in the Text. To which we may joyn one cause more peculiar unto them as Strabo reports the shaking of their City by frequent Earth quakes all which laid together must needs stir up an earnest desire to hear the Gospel the glad tydings of Salvation such a desire as God alone can satisfie and he undertakes so to do Hag. 2.7 For thus saith the Lord of Hosts I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come See now and admire the fountains in God of so great so universal goodness 1. His admirable LOVE so he loved a sic without a sicut So he loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish Joh. 1. Perish no he would not that any man should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 No he wills that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.4 2. The LOVE of God the Son who gave his life for the world Joh. 6. and tasted death for every man Hebr. 2.9 enlightens every man that comes into the world Joh. 1. The Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world 2. Admire his bounty 't is no more included in Judea 't is not from Dan to Beersheba but from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof 'T is no more true Non talitèr fecit omni Nationi yea now he hath done so unto every Nation and the Heathen have the knowledge of his Law yea and his Gospel too Psal 147. For all the ends of the earth remember themselves and turn unto the Lord Psal 22. so he promised 3. Admire his faithfulness having promised he makes good his Word to all the world yea though all the world were against it This exceeding great LOVE of God unto the world is set off by the foil of envious men and self-lovers who would engross Gods goodness to themselves alone and envy Gods goodness unto the world who shut up the door of his Word his Gospel in Gideons fleece which he showers upon all the earth like the Jews who so envied the Gospel to the Gentiles that they were ready to stone our Saviour when he mentioned the Ninevites the widow of Sarepta and Naaman the Syrian and St. Paul was not worthy to live when once he spake of going to the Gentiles Act. And shall he not make good his Word unto thee who ever thou art who dependest on him 'T is Gods own reasoning He that is faithful in little is faithful also in much And is it not more probable if there can be more or less in God that he that is faithful in much will be faithful also in little 4. Admire his wisdom when Man was fall'n and God in mercy would not utterly reject him he made choice of one People to profess his Law and set them in umbilico terrae the very middle as some judge of the then known in habitable world and of all other places in the world the most convenient for exportation and importation and all manner of convenience into all parts of the world That from Sion as from a centre the Law might go forth and the Word of God from Jerusalem into all the world Isa 2. And being now to convey the Gospel into all the World he made choice of the most peaceable time that ever the Roman Empire had that in those Halcyon dayes Repentance and Remission of Sins might without let be preached among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luk. 24.47 And all these Love Bounty Faithfulness and Wisdom were managed and executed by suitable Divine Power and Authority for as those Posts which bare the Letters of Grace unto the Jews from Queen Esther and Mordecai being hasten'd on by the Kings Commandment disposed themselves and speedily finished their course from Shushan into the one hundred twenty seven Provinces Esth 8. Even so these Apostles or Messengers of the Lord according to the mystical intent of that History were dispatched by his Power and Authority Who hath all power in heaven and earth and sent into all the world to preach the Gospel of Grace and peace unto every Creature Mar. 16.15 Behold then the excusableness and justification of God from mans destruction even before the world there is not one part of the world unto which God hath left himself without witness for he affords to all men living a double testimony and witness of himself Both 1. Outward in that he doth good and gives us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Act. 14.17 2. And inward The testimony of his Law which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts between themselves accusing and excusing one another though they have not the outward Law in Letters communicated unto them And then facienti quod in se est Deus non deest Whosoever walks worthy of these means God is
mortification and Sanctification by bringing in a new worship and another and an easie way of Salvation yet to the truly conscientious and those who are in a good way toward the Kingdom of God these false Teachers lay heavy burdens upon their Consciences and bring needless fears upon their hearts Therefore our Lord denounceth a woe against the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites Matth. 23.15 These men were extreme zealous in gaining Proselytes to their Religion from among the Heathen whom yet being won from that simple and common error of all the Gentiles they did so load with Precepts and Laws and Threatnings c. that they made their consciences much more burdened than they were before with guilt and horrours they being not wonted to such a yoke yea they laid a greater load upon them than upon any Israelites because they said these were not to be trusted Hence it came to pass that they caused these Proselytes by sinning against their erroneous Consciences to become double the children of Hell and more obnoxious to condemnation than themselves as our Lord saith Observ 3. See here the practice of false Teachers in all ages by outward Ordinances they bring and hold the populacy under their tyranny omitting or not so much urging those inward and spiritual Duties which most tend unto the advancement of true Piety yet such is the madness of the people they love to have it so as the Prophet Jeremy speaks Jer. 5. And our Apostle observed it in the Corinthians and it may be observed I believe among many people of our age Ye suffer fools gladly saith he seeing ye your selves are wise For ye suffer if a man bring ye into bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a man smite you on the face 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Exhort To use the things of a middle nature well and to a right end 2. To use the Law of God lawfully The Apostle having spoken against the false Teachers of the Law 1 Tim. 1. that he might take away occasion from them who sought occasion He tells Timothy that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully and it is true whether we understand the Ceremonial or Moral Law And how is it to be used lawfully When it leads unto Christ who is the end of the Law when it is a killing Letter when it mortifies the sin for it was made for the Lawless All these things by right use are to Salvation Exhort 2. Use these things which connot be abused Faith and Obedience of Faith Trust in the living God Mortification of sin fear of God and our Neighbour c. Exhort 3. Touch not the unclean thing Exhort 4. Keeep such a Fast as God hath chosen Isaiah 58. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON COLOSSIANS III. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God THe Articles of the Faith touching our Saviour Jesus Christ concern either his Humiliation or his Exaltation Of the latter sort there are Four His 1. Resurrection 2. Ascension 3. Sitting at the right hand of God 4. And coming again to Judgement And three of these ye have altogether closely comprised in that one Verse which I have now named and the two first together with our Conformity unto them ye have in the Text Wherein we have contained 1. The Resurrection of Christ and the Colossians and all Christians Resurrection with him If ye be risen with Christ 2. The Ascension of Christ implyed and the Colossians and all Christians Ascension with him Seek the things that are above But before we can come to the particular handling of these we must clear the reading of the Text The Apostle seems here to annul or call into question what he had expresly testified before touching the Colossians Resurrection together with Christ Chap. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom also ye are risen And now he speaks conditionally If ye be risen I shall not need to spend much time in answering this but only remind you what I have heretofore told you upon a like occasion That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if doth not alwayes note a condition but sometimes a supposition and signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because for where St. Paul saith If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if bowels of mercies Phil. 2.1 and 4.8 If there be any vertue if there be any praise c. He is so far from making any question whether these be so or no that by an elegant kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it in Rherorick he undoubtedly and undeniably supposeth them to be Thus what seems to be conditioned of the Colossians seems to be conditioned of Christ Act. 26.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turn it That Christ should suffer And of the same nature is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this if in the Text and therefore it is not properly a condition but a supposition It is not that Axiom which the Logicians call Connexum which hath not alwayes truth of parts but affine connexo which hath alwayes truth of parts as here and therefore there is in it truth of parts So that in the Text ye have these several Doctrines 1. Christ is risen 2. The Colossians are risen with Christ 3. They ought to seek the things that are above 4. Because the Colossians are risen c. they ought to seek the things that are above 1. Christ is risen To tell ye a long story of Christ's Resurrection were to spend time and trouble you with a Relation of that which every one knows and believes To go about to prove it were as tedious as needless for there is not one Article of the Christian Faith so firmly proved as it and that not by the Testimony of one alone Though Proculus a Roman one single witness sware he saw Romulus risen from the dead and carried up to Heaven and was believed But our Lords Resurrection is proved by a multitude and those of all sorts Angels Men and Women He was seen saith the Apostle by above five hundred brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 And the Apostles although they were witnesses of all things which our Saviour did both before his death and after his Resurrection yet in special manner they are called witnesses of his Resurrection Act. 1. One must be chosen a witness with us of his Resurrection Chap. 2. God hath raised up Jesus whereof we all are witnesses and Chap. 3. Ye have killed the Prince of Life whom God hath raised up whereof we are all witnesses and Chap. 4. 35. which gave power to the Apostles witnesses of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and Chap. 5. Him God hath exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour and we are his witnesses of these things yea a great part of the Apostles speeches and writings
title unto all things God the father appointed him heir of all things Come we now to the second By whom he made the worlds Herein are contained these two points of Doctrine 1. God made the worlds 2. God by his Son made the worlds First of the first of these wherein we must first explain what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then prove the point and shew the reason of it And lastly come to application The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn worlds is elsewhere turned ages or generations howbeit here we understand the word as we translate it worlds And so our Apostle useth it Heb. 3.11 By faith we believe that the worlds were made Thus 1 Tim. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the king eternal is better turned king of the worlds Thus in the Jews Liturgy used in those days of our Saviour while he lived in the flesh God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord of the worlds Thus Primatus an ancient Father upon this place per secula debemus intelligere omnia quae facta sunt in tempore and upon the Epistle to the Ephesians Seculum homines seculi dicimus sicut Domum dicimus vel bâ—nam vel malam dum habitantes in ea intelligimus homines Yet not only man but all other creatures both superiour and inferiour unto men are here to be understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worlds For there are Macrocosms and Microcosms great and little worlds The Macrocosms or greater worlds are of two sorts things visible and invisible Col. 1.16 1. That there is a visible world all acknowledge and sense it self is an eye and ear witness of it 2. That there is also an invisible or angelical world is clear out of that Col. 1.16 in the which Saints shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 22.30 Luk. 20.36 3. That there is an Hyper-angelical or divine world which the Angels are not created unto but is reserved for the Saints is clear also out of Heb. 2.5 Hence it is that there is a mention of a third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 3. 2. That man is a Microcosm or little world is evident also Joh. 3.16 17. God so loved the world c. Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world i. e. of men as Joh. 1.4 The life is the light of men as in the greater world the Sun so in the less the Sun of Righteousness is the light of it Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness Now as Man is himself a Microcosme or little world so he hath representations in him correspondent unto the Macrocosmes or great worlds for as in his Body he answers to the outward and visible world so in his Soul and Spirit he answers to the Angelical and superangelical world whence the Wise Man saith That God hath set the world in mans heart Eccles 3.11 And that is 1. In his Soul he represents the Angelical world for the Angels are Servants and keep the Commandments of God Psal 103.20 21. Revel 22.9 and by them and out of their world came the dispensation of the Law to Moses Act. 7.53 We have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it Gal. 3.19 The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Out of this Angelical world was the Soul Created according to the judgement of some Judicious and Learned Divines and therefore it hath the Conscience and the summ and substance of the Law written in it Rom. 2.14 15. This is the inward Man according to which St. Paul delighted in the Law of God Rom. 7.22 but the Law of his members which rebelled against this Law was in his flesh or animal part and of the outward world answerable to the brute Creatures 2. The Hyperangelical or Divine world in Man is that which is called the Spirit which one of the wisest Heathens calls Divinae particulam aurae this is that breath of life which God breathed into the man Gen. 2.7 Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life And these are the worlds of which the Apostle here speaks which God made and though here plurally set down yet often we find them otherwise Now that God made the Worlds appears by many Scriptures the first Scripture of all Gen. 1.1 As an Artisan makes a Mold first a type of the word he intends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. that which St. Matth. 24.21 calls the world St. Mark 13.19 calls the Creature which God Created Thus before the world was made there was darkness emptiness Jer. 4.23 Deut. 32.10 Ephes 4.18 having their understanding darkened and 5.8 ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord Isai 51.16 That I may plant the heavens and lay anew the foundations of the earth a new heaven and a new earth and 65.17 18. Behold I Create new heavens and a new earth and 43.7 I have Created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship-Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Apoc. 21.1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth hence it is that the regenerate man is called a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. Thus the Gentiles worshipping Idols are nothing as an Idol is nothing in the world and they are accounted as nothing Isa 40.17 therefore being converted they are new creatures This shall be written for the last generation Psal 102. And the people that shall be Created shall praise the Lord. Hence we perceive a Reason why the Rabbins forbid the Novices the reading of the three first Chapters of Genesis The Reason why God Created the worlds cannot be found any where out of God but is to be referred to his alone free bounty and goodness who being rich in himself and wanting nothing was pleased out of the Mass of Nothing to raise the beauteous Fabrick of the greater and lesser world to the praise and glory of his Wisdom Power and Goodness and that it might be a type of the inward world This clearly confutes our Peripatetick Philosophers who are so much in credit at this day who teach that there is but one and that outward world Aristotles reasons for one world are so ridiculous they are not worth the naming against them all we oppose this Article of the Apostolical Faith Hebr. 11.3 This further informs us of a plurality of great worlds as that there are more worlds than one This truth was figured by the diverse stories in Noah's Ark Gen. 6.16 By the forefront or porch the Holy the most holy of the Tabernacle and Temple These three worlds the Jews acknowledge Cameron in Hebr. 1.2 Of this secret the Platonick Philosophers were not ignorant who speak of an outward an intelligible and divine world this last is it in which God hath dwelt from all Eternity and to the