commodious place for pasture this is the more probable because it was the practice of the Patriarchs to seek out pastures for their Flocks till they found those that were fat pastures and good according to 1 Chron. 4.39 40. where these Patriarchs are spoke of v. 1. and 24. and ch 5.1 c. but when Reuben was gone saith he Judah espying those Arabian Merchants making towards them counsell'd his Brethren to sell Joseph to those Arabians assuring them that Joseph would die by that means and it would be better he should die among Strangeâ—â— afar off than among them in the midst of his Brethren who would hereby be acquitted from having any actual Hand in his Death This counsel of Judah which signifies praise God all his Brethren praised be God who ordered and over ruled all these matters unanimously commended and consented to it hereupon Joseph was drawn out of the Pit and Sold to those Merchants and hereby Judah deliver'd his Brother from this latter danger and death as Reuben had done from the former But when Reuben returned from seeking pasture being resolved to rescue Joseph without his Brethrens knowledge came by Night unto the Pit as Josephus saith and call'd upon Joseph with a loud voice but having no Answer he then thought that they had slain him in his absence whereupon he sadly bewail'd himself and reproved them with a most rigorous reprimand but understanding what they had done he was then satisfied Judah's Arguments prevailed with him as they had done before he return'd with the rest of his Brethren The sense of whose Arguments in the general was this Judah motions a middle way betwixt the two mischiefs that perplexed them and proposeth Gen. 37.26 27. Saying to them If you will sell him you not only free your selves from Blood-guiltiness whether Actually by Slaughter or Accessorily by Famine but you will get to your selves good gain in the price of him neither would this be all your advantage for besides by this means you will withdraw him from our Father to whom he did usually accuse us and with whom he was better beloved and more made of than us all yet further hereby we shall make him become a real Slave to those that Buy him and so disappoint his Dream'd of Dominion But more particularly observe here 1. That at this time of Judah's interposing for Joseph his Brethren were already resolved by Reuben's Reasons which no doubt God put him upon for Joseph's good not to ruine him with their own Outragious and Murdering Hands but to permit only his pining away and perishing in the Pit 2. Judah was here moved by the Spirit of God to deliver Joseph from this second Death as Reuben was to disappoint the first whereby he became so far inlightened as to account his casting Joseph into the Pit to which Reuben advised would be no better should they let him lye there but a slaying of him themselves 3. This excellent Illumination in Judah that dislik'd to be an Accessory in evil as well as principal was no thorough saving Humiliation which was wrought afterwards in Egypt by Joseph's roughness Gen. 42.7 21 22. and 43.8 9 18. and 44.13 16 to 34. and 45.1 c. for he still retained some hatred against his Brother Joseph insomuch as he gave Counsel to make a Bond-slave of his Brother which was as bad as Death If bare Banishment be as Lawyers term it a civil Death how much more is it when 't is a Banishment into Bondage seeing Liberty is oft preferr'd above Life so that Judah in proposing his Brother Joseph's perpetual Slavery acted more like one of the Devils Patriarchs as Cain is call'd by Tertullian for Hating and Murdering his Brother Abel than one of Gods Though Judah had here some Passion of Love and Compassion towards Joseph in designing to deliver him yet in Selling him as a Slave there was at least a pang and an Act if not an habit of hatred And according to the Apostles Rule he that hateth his Brother is not of God but of the Devil 1 John 3.10 and is not translated from death to life ver 14. Nay in downright terms is but a Murderer ver 15. And how far Judah's motion to sell him which indeed was better than to slay him was remotely at least a Murdering motion seeing this Selling him was but a passing over their power to put Joseph to Death into the Hands of those Arabians who might with more Colour of right have Murder'd him as their Slave than they might do as their Brother because they being Barbarians no better Behaviour could be expected from them than what was Barbarous toward their Bond slaves especially considering what God himself allow'd of among his own Israel during the time of their Rudeness and Pedagogy to wit If a Master corrected his Servant whom he bought so cruelly that he died upon it within a day the Master was not to be punish'd for his death and the reason is rendred because he was his Money Exod. 21.21 so the loss of his Servant being the loss of his Silver seem'd a sufficient punishment which he had inflicted upon himself though in truth that Servant did not owe his Life but only his Labour to his Master and the loss of his Life is not only the loss of a Servant to his Master but also the loss of a Member to the Body Politick or Commonwealth Yet Israel had this Divine allowance of Austerity towards such Bond-slaves out of those Nations which were decreed to be destroyed Deut. 7.2 and it need not to be doubted that those Arabians being Barbarians would be as austere and boisterous upon an Hebrew Bond-slave seeing he as Joseph here was their Money as Hebrew Masters might be in the like case to Canaanitish Captives all which evil Judah's even good motion expos'd Joseph unto yet this he ought not to have done nor his Brethren have consented to the doing of it seeing Joseph was their Brother to whom they all did owe Brotherly Love and their own Flesh from which they should not have hid themselves Isa 58.7 therefore better things were expected from them than to expose their own Brother and their own Flesh to the barbarous usage of those Blind and therefore Bloody Barbarians from whom no good no kindness nothing but a morose Carriage could be expected Their poor Brother who was of the same Nature yea and had the same Father in Nativity who was also capable of the same Grace and Glory with themselves and who had no way been injurious to any of their Persons save only to their sins Gen. 37.2 yet did they shut up their Bowels of Compassion towards this Joseph their Brother in his necessity and extremity for which they are deemed and doomed as Murderers l John 3.15 16 17. neither drawing out their inward Souls Isa 58.10 nor their outward Succours of this Worlds good to him but Murder'd him in their Hearts while they wish'd him out of the World when
Mischief to Israel might perish by the Sword of Israel among the perishing Midianites who as some say sinned that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost because so much Light in God's Mysteries was given to him as above Thus as Shimei sought his Servants and lost his life so Balaam did by seeking his Wages c. He who had said God sees no sin in Jacob now saith They have sinned and now may be cursed and conquered yet God bafflies him herein and disappoints his own desire of dying the death of the righteous he dying among the wicked as Ezek. 32.27 28. Oh that God would cause the false Prophets and the Vnclean Spirit for whom they act and by whom they are acted to pass out of our Land according to his Promise Zech. 13.2 The Sixth Remark is The great Spoil and Prey both of things Animate and Inanimate which those Conquering Israelites the twelve thousand Souldiers obtained from the whole Nation of the Conquer'd Midianites v. 9 10 11. as appeareth more largely by the distribution thereof v. 32 33 34 35. wherein one half of the Prey was given to the twelve thousand Souldiers who had hazarded their lives in the War and the other half to the vast body of Israel that staid still in the Camp v. 25 26 27. So that tho' the two parts of the Prey were made equal yet the two Parties betwixt whom they were divided were very unequal for the twelve thousand Warriours had one half of the whole Prey whereas the other half was divided among almost six hundred thousand that warred not in this Expedition David did indeed decree another Order of Division concerning the Spoils of War as his part is that goeth down to the Battel so shall his part be that stays with the stuff they shall part alike 1 Sam. 30.24 25. where that Case was differing from this for there First David's Men did go forth with minds prepared to fight but being wearied with their March sat down to refresh themselves that after a little rest they might also fall on upon the Enemy Secondly Their staying with the Carriages so nigh the Enemy did expose them to the peril of their lives as well as if they had fought yea sometimes such are in greater danger than they that manage the Battel where the Enemy is more Covetous than Valorous and wheels about to plunder the Carriages c. The Seventh Remark is Israel's Army did also burn down all the Cities of Midian and all their Castles v. 10. which the Chaldee expoundeth their Temples being places of their Idolatrous Worship and Houses of Heathenish Adoration c. Two Reasons may be rendred why those were thus destroyed The First is Lest they should make use of those places again at another time for their Superstitious services for this Cause our Henry the Eighth demolished so many Monasteries saying Corvorum Nidos esse penitùs diruendos ne iterùm Corvi ad Cohabitandum convolent those Crow-Nests were utterly to be destroyed lest the Crows should rally again and flye together to a farther employing them for their foul work The Second Reason is rather Lest Sloth or Avarice should have drawn any of the Israelites to roost themselves in any of those Crow-Nests and thereby neglect to pass over into the Land of Promise therefore their Cities Castles and Temples were all destroyed The Eighth Remark is The Expiation of the Conquerours from their Ceremonial pollution contracted by blood-shed from v. 13 to 25. As Melchisedeoh met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings Gen. 14. so Moses meets those Children of Abraham returning from the slaughter of these Kings of Midian to Congratulate their return with Victorious Revenge and to receive a Rich Present for the Camp that went not out from the hands of those Conquerors v. 12 13. yet this stop'd not Moses's mouth as Bribes do too many Judges Hos 4.18 c. for he was wroth with the Captains for saving the Women alive saying that these were the tempting tools by Balaam's Counsel unto Israel v. 14 15 16. Tho' Moses was the meekest Man upon Earth in his own Matters yet was he blessedly blown up with zeal notwithstanding his transport of joy for the Victory in the matters of his God the Lord of Hosts to whom belonged the Victory Psal 98.1 he was a Lamb in his own Cause but a Lion in God's Holy Zeal is the Cream of all the Affections from hence he passed the Sentence saying Have ye saved those alive by whom ye so lately sinned and so lately suffered let all those Women who have known Man be killed v. 17. This was the first part of the Expiation which seemeth to have Cruelty in it that all those Captive Women who had known Man should be slain after quarter was given them but 't is probable the Souldiers had spared those Women not taking notice either of God's Command for sparing the Women c. Deut. 20 13. or they had no notice that this War was God's Vengeance upon the Women for their being so mischievous to the Camp of Israel Beside Women and Children being unable for War are not feared to fight the Conquerours and therefore are usually spared But Moses in this case might have a Warrant from God to give out this Command justly since all these by their sin are liable to God's justice at all times and are to give up their lives by what kind of death the Lord pleaseth God is the Lord both of life and death and can do nothing unjustly being justice it self and their little ones must be slain as a punishment to their Parents for their heinous wickedness and lest they should live to revenge their Parents slaughter but they reserved the Virgins whose Virginity might be known 1. By inspection of Matrons on the Tokens Deut. 22.15 17 c. 2. By their Age non apta Viro. uncapable to receive Man 3. By the Revelation of God 4. A probable Conjecture and no moral certainty was requisite yet this is one of Solomon's Secrets Prov. 30.19 Those Virgins were reserved either for Wives if Converted or for Servants or for Slaves to be sold c. The Ninth Remark is The second part of the Expiation which is purely legal as the former was seemingly cruel here Persons and things were purified by Ceremony only and herein appeared more Mercy than Cruelty from v. 19 to 26. War tho' lawful and taken up upon God's Command as this was yet v. 19. shews from God it hath a polluting property at least a Ceremonial uncleanness contracted by him that killeth as well as by him that toucheth the Party killed Numb 19.14 which should teach all Men not to have feet swift to shed blood Rom. 3.15 and things taken Captive as well as Persons must be purified v. 20 c. Beside the common Ordinance of Purifying by the water of purification Numb 19.9.12 15 19. Eleazdr here declares from God a particular law of purifying by fire those Vessels
c. pretending great profit to him for thereby he might lay a Tax upon every Poll and much enrich his own Coffers Hereupon David bids Joab to do it Secondly How God had his Holy Hand in the Punishment appears after Objection How could this Act of David being but a Civil Act and frequently practised by Kings be so great a Sin to deserve so great a Plague Answer 'T is true it hath been the practice of great Princes to Tax their People with an Universal Tax by Poll This is certified not only by Civil but also by Sacred Story The Holy Scriptures tell us of Agustus Caesar's Taxing the Subjects of his Dominions far larger than that of David his being of the whole Roman World both of Jews and Gentiles Luk. 2.1 and probably with far more Pride and Vain Glory than this was done by David yet was it not imputed to him as any heinous sin Yea and Moses Numbered the People of Israel without sin Numb 1. ver 2 3. and this was done to prevent a Plague every Head paying the Redemption of their Souls Exod. 30.11 Answer the Second Though all this be granted yet David doubtless sinned in thus doing for that expression of his That I may know the Number of the People ver 2. seems to point directly at David's Sin in that matter seeing there was then no important Reasons either for Church or State to require it at this time therefore must it proceed either from his Curiosity or from Vain Glory or Carnal Confidence in the Number of the Creature with a distrust of God's Providence which an All-seeing God distinctly observed and something thereof Job himself suspected And though Caesar did so for his pleasure without punishment yet David shall not do so God will bear with that in others he will not bear in his own Amos. 3.2 The Philistines may Cart the Ark of God but if David do so he smarts for it and as to Moses God bid him do so but David did this of his own Head without any Divine Direction Answer the Third How could this Action of David be good when General Joab a Man more a Souldier than a Casuist Souldiers use not to trouble themselves with Cases of Conscience saw it to be evil and unseasonable ver 3 4. and 1 Chron. 21.3 Wherein Mark First Joab Judges there was no just cause for so tedious and troublesome a task at this time seeing there was now no fear of any Sedition but the whole Tribes of Israel were entirely devoted to be the Subjects of David and not now blowing up in any part any new Rebellion Mark Secondly This will create saith Joab an endless disturbance to thy Subjects and give them a grievous Avocation from their necessary Employments by their Daily Attendance for many Months to be Polled in every City This will make them murmur Mark Thirdly Besides their dissatisfaction with the Vanity and Vain Glory of this Action it will also involve the People into a participation of thy Pride and Curiosity if not of thy Creature-confidence so God may punish them for this sin as he commonly doth People suffer for their Prince's sins 1 Chron. 21.3 c. N. B. Joab hath here more Piety at least more Policy than Holy Wise David had and declines this God-displeasing Act. N. B. 2. Joab very judiciously having a Nail to drive in disswading David from this design dips it first in Oyl that it might drive the deeper saying The Lord thy God how many soever they be make them an Hundred times more this he wisely wisht lest David should suspect that he Disswaded him out of Dis-affection to him N. B. Thirdly Joab had more sagacity and sapience saith Peter Martyr for his Soveraign than he had for himself saying Why doth my Lord the King delight in this thing that is to be so set upon it without colour of cause and meerly for thy mind's sake This would oft have been happy Counsel to himself had he not been better at giving than at taking Counsel N. B. Fourthly The best Kings may sometimes be too Soveraign as the School-Man phraseth it both Grace and Wit being asleep in one of the best of Human breasts as here in David's a Man after God's own Heart The Third Remark is The accomplishment of this unalterable resolve-Royal in Numbering the People at the King's importunity Mark First Joab perceiving David would not be disswaded neither by him nor by the Captains of the Host that did second him loth he was to lose again the King's favour by farther disputing or disobeying his commands ver 4. Hereupon they like obsequious Courtiers began their computation of Polling the People in the Eastern part of David's dominions beyond Jordan ver 5. Mark Secondly Joab took the Captains of the Host and their Companies with him therefore 't is said they pitch'd in Aroer probably saith Peter Martyr to over-awe the People who might be unwilling enough to be put to this unnecessary trouble and more especially to pay Poll-Money if required of them No wonder if Joab went thus well guarded not only for the pomp of a General but for his safety also in fear of Resistance c. Mark Thirdly Joab passeth through the other parts of Israel to Poll the People according to the King's Command Behold how Joab differed from himself as Peter Martyr well observes when David bewailed the Death of Absalom he could handle the King couragiously and with his roughness reduced David out of his Melancholick Dumps for then was he but acting the part of too Fond a Father But now coming to act the Part of a Resolute King Joab opposeth him molliori Brachio with a softer Hand though he knew it was against the Law and though he had found already how hateful a thing this Poll-Tax was to the People beyond Jordan yet he tamely here not only receives the King's Commission against the light of his own Conscience but Executes it also in other parts of the Kingdom on this side Jordan that he might not lose the King's favour Mark Fourthly The time taken up for this Poll-Tax was Nine Months and Twenty Days ver 6 7 8. So that Joab's counting time was much near the counting time of a Woman with Child and then he brought forth his Number as his Child N. B. So long did David lay again insensible of his Sin in numbring the People as he had done before about the same term of Time after he had committed Adultery with Bathsheba He lay senseless of that Sin till the Child was born as is noted before upon that Story and repented not all those intervening Months which shews that God's Children may not only be deeply Drenched in the Waves of Sin but even lay under them for some time and perhaps sink twice to the Bottom c. notwithstanding all this yet Sin did not dwell in David as an Owner or Home-dweller 't was only a Stranger or a Traveller to him Chap. 12.4 Mark
the end and 2 Kings 12.17 to the end Joash for this monstrous Ingratitude to Jehoiada to whom he owed his own Life and Kingdom thus to requite him in Murdering his Son merely for giving him faithful Counsel never enjoyed good day after for 1. The Syrians executed God's Vengeance upon him and his People tho' Joash hired off Hazael by a great Bribe in his first Invasion 2 Kings 12.17 18. yet the next Year he returns again spoils Jerusalem kills the cursed Claw-backs that had spoil'd a good King and so basely whips and tortures Joash himself saith Grotius Piscator c. that he fell grievously sick upon it 2 Chron. 24.23 24 25. And 2. his own Servants which Josephus saith were Zachary's Friends executed God's Vengeance upon him for Murdering Zachary only for his plain Dealing The Syrians left him diseased only that he might have time to repent but because he repented not his Servants left him dead God was just though they were unjust N. B. Christ declares how this innocent Blood lay upon the Jews from Age to Age Matth. 23.35 where Jehoiada is called Barachias the blessed one Hebr. as Solomon is Jedidiah one beloved of God for Honour's sake c. 2 Kings CHAP. XIII THIS Chapter contains the Lives of two Kings of Israel First the History of King Jehoahaz the Son of Jehu from ver 1 to ver 9. and Secondly of Jehoash his Son ver 10. to the End Remarks upon the first Part The History of Jehoaaz are First Jehu had Reigned over Israel called the Kingdom of Samaria about twenty-eight Years and then died in the twenty-third Year of Joash King of Judah who Reigned forty Years Chap. 12.1 So that this Jehoaaz the Son of Jehu was Contemporary with that Joash of Judah all the seventeen Years of his Reign as here ver 1. and the Death of this Jehoaaz fell out about that time wherein Joash was murder'd in his Bed as he lay diseased thereon by his two Servants descended from Moab and Ammon Chap. 12.21 and 2 Chron. 24.26 Remark the Second As Joash did wickedly in Judah after the Death of Jehoiaâ—a so this Jehoaaz did wickedly in Israel ver 2. whereby the Anger of the Lord was kindled as Fire is so as to deliver up Israel into the hands of Hazael King of Syria as he had done Judah before for the Sins of Joash ver 3. this Hazael had invaded and destroyed Israel beyond Jordan before exercising those barbarous Cruelties which Elisha had foretold of him Threshing Gilead with threshing Instruments of Iron as Amos 1.3 and now he comes on this side Jordan and falls upon Israel oft smiting them Chap. 8.12 13 15. and 10.32 and he took Gath from them which David had recovered from the Philistines and annexed it to the Crown of Israel 1 Chron. 18.1 and 2 Chron. 11.8 but now 't is lost Chap. 12.17 2 Chron. 24.23 and now comes he here to play his old Pranks again Remark the Third This extream Oppression of Israel by Hazael presses Idolatrous Jehoaaz to pray unto Jehovah when his Idols helped him not ver 4. N. B. A wicked Ahab will humble himself in extream Necessity 1 Kings 21.27 bad Coals must be quickned and kindled with violent blowing Affliction is the Bellows to blow up Devotion Jehoaaz was now brought very low by Hazael's threshing Israel to dust ver 7. otherwise God had not been thought on or sought to Remark the Fourth So gracious was God that he who had accepted of wicked Ahab's Humiliation 1 Kings 21.29 accepted also of this sorry Repentance of Jehoaaz not so much for his sake as for the sake of his sore oppressed Israel towards whom he could not but shew Compassion Exod. 3.7 and he saw likewise the blasphemous Insolencies of their Enemies Deut. 32.27 Psalm 12.4 and 140.8 therefore the Lord gave Israel a Saviour ver 5. an Angel say some the Prophet Elisha say others or rather King Jehoash Jehu's Grand-son ver 25. who was encouraged by Elisha to obtain a threefold Victory over the Syrians and to him may be added Jeroboam his valiant Successor Chap. 14.28 of Kings Remark the Fifth Though those two Kings degenerate Joash of Judah and valorous Jehoaaz of Israel were both severely scourged by Hazael the Rod of God's Anger yet neither of them were whipped home to an angry God by true Repentance and due Reformation for 1. Joash of Judah though he was shamefully over-thrown by a small Company of the Syrian Rovers which Hazael observing how timorous Joash had been at his first Invasion in hiring him off with so vast a present 2 Kings 12.18 sent therefore but a small Army against Joash's Multitudes Yet because he would not be reclaimed from his Baal-worship by his Deliverance from Hazael's first Invasion the Lord delivered his great Host into the hands of an handful of Syrians 2 Chron. 24.24 N. B. But such was the Patience of God to this wretched King that he caused the Enemy to depart from him ver 25. and only to disease him by Wounds but not to destroy him out-right that he might have still a breathing time and an opportunity to repent but when he still persisted in his obstinate Impenitency then God suffered his own Servants to conspire his Death as Joash had suffered his own Servants to conspire and Stone good Jehoiada's Son And 2. Jehoaaz of Israel who notwithstanding God's favour in easing him of Hazael when he besought the Lord ver 4 5. here yet could not be reclaimed from Jeroboam's Calves and from the Groves of Baal ver 6. though Hazael had so weakned and diminished his forces leaving him only fifty Horsemen and ten Chariots and ten thousand Footmen a contemptible Company for a King and Kingdom ver 7. and though himself was a Man of Valour ver 8. yet God in Justice made the Valour of so wicked a Man to be in vain He did what he could against the Syrians but 't was to no purpose because God was against him as against Goliah whose might could not save him 1 Sam. 17.50 The second Part concerns Jehoash who succeeded this Jehoaaz in the Kingdom of Israel as Amaziah did Joash in the Kingdom of Judah Remark the First This Jehoash King of Israel was the second of Jehu's four Generations promised to him by a Prophet Chap. 10.30 and he Reigned sixteen Years two or three of which were in the last end of the Reign of Joash King of Judah and the rest in the Days of Amaziah Joash's Son and Successor Chap. 14.1 and 2 Chron. 25.1 c. This Jehoash follows in the same evil Road with his Father Jehoaaz in Jeroboam's Sins c. ver 10 11 12 13. The Life and Death of this Jehoash is briefly passed over here because his most memorable Acts were acted by vertue of Elisha's Prophecy ver 15 c. in the History of Amaziah therefore are they referred thither Chap. 14. and 2 Chron. 25. Remark the Second In the time of this
Disciple fondly Forecasts to lay up a Stock before hand that he might have something to live upon after his Lords Death c. Christ Crosseth the Traitour in his covetous Concupiscence of fingering such a Sum and Patronises Mary's Act in Anointing him who was the Christ which signifies the Lord 's Anointed Isa 61.1 Luke 4.18 and Acts 4.27 and Acts 10.38 saying the Poor ye have always with you c. John 12.7 8. To give unto when you please Alluding to Deut. 15.11 Now Christ staying at Bethany a day or two the fame of his coming thither did Revive the fame of Revived Lazarus hereupon many People do the Pharisees what they could to the contrary came thither not only for Jesus sake only but to see Lazarus also c. ver 9. N. B. That they might fish something out of him concerning the future Estate of the Dead though they lost their labour herein and though we find not they asked Lazarus any Questions where his Soul had been while his Body lay in the Grave which Austin saith was in Manu Dei in the Hand of God not in Purgatory as Papists say for they send none thither by their own principle but Men of Middle-make betwixt Just and Vnyast Now â—azarus was None such but a very good Man and so beloved of Christ Yet many of them leaving the City believed in Jesus ver 9 11. This made the Sanhedrim mad therefore out of their Outrage they consult to kill Lazarus because by his means of being Raised to life the Honour of the Messiah was much more promoted to their own great Regret and Grief N. B. Note well Oh! How were those Outrageous Wrotehes Transported to take up Arms against Heaven it self in seeking to kill a Man only because God had made him alive Though they were thus driven by the Devil to Resolve the Ruine of Lazarus at this time yet as Epiphanius saith he lived 30 years after this as a Monument of Christs Miracalous power and as a Trumpet of his glory long after Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension But these Malitious mad-men Envy all this while feeding upon their own hearts because they could not come at their killing purpose nor suppress the Truth meet with a worse Provocation than ever before to wit Christs Riding in Triumph from Bethany or Bethpage to Jerusalem Maugre all the Malice of Angry Men and Inraged Devils This is Recorded by all the four Evangelists John 12.12 to 2â— Luke 19.29 to the end Mar. 11.1 to 11. and Matth. 21.1 to 17. N. B. Note well There were two Special Times wherein Christ put forth some Beams of his State of Exaltation in his State of Humiliation the one was at his Transfiguration and the other was at this Triumphant Riding The first was private before no Witnesses save Peter James and John who only of Terrestial Persons beheld the Dazling glory of Christ upon Mount Tabor as before in its place But this his Rideing in Triumph to Jerusalem had many some Authors say even Three Hundred Thousand Witnesses crying Hosanna that is the Lord save us to him after the Solemnity of a King and as the Son of David c. The nearer Christ came to the appointed Hour wherein he resolved to lay down his Life the more Magnanimity he putteth forth and meets Death in the very face like the Captain of our Salvation though perfected with Suffering Heb. 2.10 And the more doth he Reveal himself to be the Messiah that was promised in whom all the promises as well as the Types and Figures of the Law were Accomplished And least the Nature of his Kingdom should be mistaken to be Temporal and of this World He Rides not here in any pompous Grandeur upon a Stately Palfrey as Alexander Julius Cesar c. did in a most Splendid Lustre and glorious Equipage but he to Evidence he was no Earthly potentate Rideth here upon a Silly Ass without any Pomp or Splendour not only to shew that his Kingdom was of another World but also to Comfort the poorest and to teach us Tolerance Humility and Patience He Rides here like a poor Man sitting upon a Beast of Burden and that not his own but borrowed while he Rode in Triumph to Jerusalem as Sions King foretold of him Zech. 9.9 This borrowed Beast that bore him was of small Value having no costly Saddle or Stately Trappings to sit upon but only common Garments cast over his Back nor had he any Yeomen of the Life-guard to Attend him only the Common People so that this Poâ—r-port in all its Circumstances seemed Contemptible Yet all this was for our good behold thy King cometh unto thee c. thus poorly Accommodated though Lord of all Acts 10.36 and Heir of all things Hebr. 1.3 Yea King of Kings Revel 19.16 Yet became he thus poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8.9 And though here he appeareth but a poor King yet herein he putteth forth six several Demonstrations of his Divine Power N. B. Note well as 1. That he knew there was such an Ass with her Colt 2. That he sent for them 3. He foresaw the Owners would question the Messengers 4. That he professeth himself the Lord of them 5. He could tell the Masters would send this Lord what he sent for and 6. That all were accordingly done as he had said Mathew mentions both the Foal and the Dam as Zachary doth intimating his Riding upon them both sometimes on the one and sometimes on the other seeing both of them had Garments spread upon them from whence some of the Antients say that by the Ass is understood the Jews laden with the Law and by the Colt the Gentiles that wandred whether they would an untamed People but seeing Mark Luke and John mention only the Colt and it would seem Ridiculous so to change his Beast in Riding so small a Journey therefore the more received Opinion is that he Rode only upon the Colt to which the Ass was yoaked and this Colt was whereon never Man Sat as if he had been Destinated to this very purpose for such Animals as have not been soyled in Humane Services were wont to be applyed to and employed in the most Sacred Services And this might the better convince the most stubborn Jews concerning the Kingly Office and Power of Christ seeing it could not be done without a Miracle that an untamed Colt should quietly carry Christ who was the first that Backed him N. B. Note well But who is it And what is it That this Lord of Beasts and Hearts cannot Tame when he gives out his Mandamus and undertakes the Management thereof c. Here the Multitude are also moved to do Honour to the Messiah in Despight of the Sanhedrim's Threatning Excommunication John 9.22 as to a King whose passage is Beautified with Rich Hangings rare Flowers and Rowzing Acclamations here this People give him the best of their best Congratulating his coming to the Passover in their Capital City
11.20 so it may be said of the lust of the Eyes that it is the chief of the Devils Engines an Heathen could say that a world of wickedness windeth it self into the heart by the window of the Eye There is an Apologue a most significant Fable of a Contention that arose betwixt the Eye and the Heart which of the two was the greater cause of sin a Reference was made by them both to Reason which decided the Controversie thus Cordi causam imputans occasionem Oculo Reason determined that the Heart was the cause of sin but the Eye was the occasion of it oh how oft doth the Devil make the Eye to be as a Burning-glass to set the Heart on fire as he did Davids 2 Sam. 11.2 from the roof he saw a woman and from this roof did Davids downfal begin for there the old Serpent easily winded himself into his Heart by the loop-holes of his Eyes and made himself master of the whole man from looking he went on to lusting and the venome thereof did so infect his Vitals that upon the Ladder of Hell he got a most foul yet not a final fall though it would have been no less had not the hand of Heaven been underneath him to help him up again Psal 37.24 No wonder then if David did so heartily cry Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 lest looking should cause liking and liking lusting again and Job steppeth one degree further to wit from a Prayer to a Vow Job 31.1 yea from a Vow and Covenant to a solemn Imprecation v. 7. he knew the danger of irregular glancing and of inordinate gazing these two do often metamorphize a Man into a Beast and make him a prey to his own bruitish Affections Thus we see that the Eye is now become an Evil Eye so called frequently in Scripture Deut. 15.9 Prov. 23.6 28.22 Matth. 6.23 20.15 Mark 7.22 Luke 11.34 1. Hence the Word flatly forbids us to walk after the sight of our Eyes and the lust of our Hearts Numb 15.39 Eccles 11.9 for those two are seldom sundred 2 Job set a guard and laid Gods Charge upon his Eyes lest they should prove a Broaker of sin to him as that Hang-by Hiram the Adullamite did to Judah Gen. 38.20 4. Hence God hath placed Tears in this sinful and in no other Member which are tokens of Repentance that as it were they might wash it from its sinfulness therefore the Hebrew word Gnaijn well signifies a Fountain as well as an Eye for from it as from a Fountain doth Iniquity flow and surely as the Eye is a Fountain of sin it should be a Fountain of sorrow also Therefore the Prophet wish'd that his Eyes might be a Fountain of Tears Jerem. 9.1 that he might with the waters of godly sorrow wash away the filth both of his own and of other mens sins the waters that flow from a bleeding Vine are said to cure the Leprosie sure I am those Gospel-tears which flow from a Godly Heart are very Instrumental in curing the fretting Leprosie of sin and therefore God hath made the Eye of a watry Constitution that it may be frequently trickling down Tears for that washing work such waters will be turned into wine at the Marriage of the Lamb for which purpose they are preserved in Gods Bottle Psal 56.8 Oh blest is that Soul which is plentifully bathed in the warm bath of their own penitent tears and in the Kings Bath of the Blood of the Lamb of God for without blood there is no remission Hebr. 9.2 'T is not our Tears alone but 't is Christs Blood that doth expiate sin Zeeh. 13.1 The Fountain opened in the sides of our Saviour Job 19.34 who came by water to sanctifie and by blood to justifie penitent sinners 1 Joh. 5.6 Finally seeing the sight by the fall is become a deceitful and a sinful sense our Saviour giveth safe and saving Counsel Matth. 5.29 not only to bind it to its good behaviour call it from its outstrays and lay Gods charge upon it as well as thine own check but also to pluck it out of the old Adam and place it in the new lest it prove a window of wickedness and become a worse disease than any of those two hundred diseases which Physicians reckon up do belong to the Eye and lest Death enter in at that window according to Jer. 9.21 as the Antient Fathers apply that Text cautioning us to shut our Casements lest sin ascend into the Soul thereby and Death by sin so this light of the body bring the Soul to utter darkness Secondly The Ear is a noble Organ and an honourable Member of the Body as well as the Eye in many respects 1. The Ear is as Aristotle calls it one of the two Learned Senses it is an Instrument of Instruction it lets in all Discipline to the Soul All Learning is let into the Mind either by Ocular demonstration or by Auricular Admonition Job 33.16 36.10 15. As the Eye is the window so the Ear is the door for Discipline to enter 2. The Ear is that excellent Organ that lets in Life and Salvation At this door the Devil drew in death at first Gen. 3.1 c. as well as at the window v. 6. Satan in the Serpent said only to bely what God had said Eve listned and let in death God ordaineth as it were to cross and counter-work the Devil that as Death entred into the world through the Ear by our first Parents listening to that old Manslayer so Life should enter into the Soul by the same door the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God As the living Parents of Mankind Adam and Eve in their state of Innocency had listned with their Ears to the Devils proffers so their dead posterity which by their first Parents fall were become dead in sin by bearing Christs promise should live not only the life of grace on Earth but also the life of glory in Heaven Joh. 5.25 And the Prophet saith Hear and your Souls shall live Isa 55.3 therefore he calls on them there Hattu Oznekem to hear with all their might unto the Covenant of Grace and so to the Counsel of Christ Revel 3.18 which only hath power to quicken dead Souls the Covenant of works and the Counsel both of the Devil and of our own darkened understandings have a killing property 3. The Ear is that noble door by which Saving Faith is conveyed into the Soul Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and God giveth not that gift to all men 2 Thess 3.2 but only to his Elect therefore 't is call'd the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 yet God giveth not this gift immediately to Man but mediately by hearing the word As the Eye is called the Sense of Love so the Ear is call'd the Sense of Faith The saving knowledge of God is not conveyed into the Soul
grace as well as the Bolts Bonds and Bounds of Nature as Moses that mild-man by nature and that man of God by Grace spake unadvisedly with his tongue Psal 106.33 And as David when he thought his mouth had been fast muzzled up a fire of passion and impatiency burns within him makes him slip his muzzle break his word and belch out a rash request Psal 39.1 2 3 4. Oh then what great need have the best of men to request of God that he would keep the door of his lips Psal 141.3 not only that it creak not in complaints as doth the door upon Rusty Hinges for want of the oyl of joy and gladness but also to open and shut according to its Creators command never to be shut when silence is sinful and never to be open when speaking is not better than silence The door of the Mouth should be like the gate of Ezekiels Temple it must not be for Man but for Immanuel for Messiah the Prince for him who hath the keys of David to open and shut it according to his will Ezek. 44.2 3. In short as the Clapper of a Bell demonstrates not onely the size of the Bell whether Treble Tenor or Base c. but also the soundness or unsoundness of it by the sound thereof so Mans Tongue discovers the sort of the Mettal and the soundness or unsoundness of the Heart If corrupt communication come out of the mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. rotten or putrid speech Eph. 4.29 those sparks of Hell their stinking breath declareth that they are of the wrong Mettal they are stinking Goats not Christs Sheep 't is a certain rule in Physick when the Excrements of a sick man cometh upward and out of his mouth instead of going downward according to the ordinary course of nature and the party be insensible hereof 't is an infallible Prognostick of approaching death so 't is here when obscene Borborology Black Blasphemy and filthy discourse far worsâ— than any Excrements inasmuch as moral evil is worse than natural proceedeth out of the mouth and the sinful man is insensible of his sin as is the Swearer who swears he doth not Swear even when big bellyed Oaths are belched out by him this is an undeniable evidence that such a man is then in the state of death and already condemned Joh. 3.18 and as the Physicians write Miserere mei Deus upon that desperate Disease of casting up Excrements as aforesaid against Nature so must we say for such Lord have mercy on them their case is dangerous and desperate if God heal them not sure I am Man cannot but on the contrary if a Mans speech be savory and seasoned with the salt of Grace Col. 4.6 as we salt those Meats which are most apt to putrifie 't is a blessed sign of an Heart-changing and Life-changing work Matth. 12.37 Those two Sons in the story that could shoot at their Father when dead were judged Bastards and the Judge would not give them any of their Fathers Goods but the third Son that could not do so unnaturally he judged Legitimate and right Heir to his Fathers All So such as can shoot through the Tremendous Name of God their Father with execrable Oaths and horrible Blasphemies are undoubtedly Bastards and not Sons Such cannot be so continuing the Children of God nor shall have any of their Fathers Goods reserved in Heaven but are unquestionably the Children of the Devil and shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Finally we have a saying a tongue is the best or worst dish in the world sure I am the best thing God sends from Heaven and the worst thing Satan sends from Hell is a tongue The great promise of the old Testament was Christ and the great promise of the new Testament was the Spirit this Spirit God sent down from Heaven in Cloven Tongues Act. 2.3 as the best of Divine Gifts And as the Holy Spirit set the Apostles Tongues on fire with an holy zeal that flame of God Cant. 8.6 so the Devil inflames the tongues of his Vassals with fire from Hell Jam. 3.6 as the worst of his Diabolical plagues because it sets on fire the whole course of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wheel of our Nativity or the whole course of our lives no Age no Estate no Action is freed from the flames of it either in Anger Lust Pride c. This raging Tongue-fire causeth great confusion and inconveniencies a little fire burns up a whole Wood 't is a good servant but a bad master look well to it our anger is alway sin except when our anger is only against sin As the Asp hath a bladder of poison under her tongue which breaks when he bites so this poison of Asps is under mans tongue Psal 140.3 't is top-full of deadly poison Jam. 3.8 we dare not poison one another yet slander is poison oh for a new heart to cause a new tongue and whereas the tongue which the Devil hath fired with a live-coal from Hells Altar can run all the world over and like a Mad Dog bite at every body oh what need there is that the Seraph who is a burning Angel himself as his name importeth should bring his Retheph or burning Coal to touch our tongues not to burn them but to burn up corruption in them Isa 6.6 7. The Poet saith of his Heathen Jove compescuit ignibus ignes he quenched fire with fire when he slew Phaeton who had set the world on fire with a fiery Thunder-bolt So the true Jehovah quenches the fire of Hell in the tongue which is a world of iniquity and oft sets the world on fire with a live coal from Heaven he plucks it as a brand out of the fire Zech. 3.3 Yea this Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 doth not onely burn up our combustible Corruptions but also enflameth our hearts and tongues with a zeal for Gods glory as the Apostles were all of a light fire as Chrysostom Characterizeth Paul also when the cloven tongues of fire came upon them Act. 2.3 Faith is the Tongs that fetcheth this burning-coal from Heaven to purifie and qualifie our tongues for God and his service Act. â—5 9 then indeed are they made as choice Refined Silver which hath an excellent ring or sound with it Prov. 10.20 If the heart of the wicked be little worth then little worth is their tongue but when the heart of the Godly is renewed their tongues are refined to sing Hallelujahs and to sound out the praises of the God of Israel upon a well-tuned Harp or Hart. Especially 1. If the tongue become a blessed Member of Gods cleaving a cloven tongue Act. 2.4 so cloven and divided as to be able to divide the word aright in a right application 2. If the tongue be touched with a live coal from Gods Altar fetched thence by the Tongs of Faith Isa 6.6 7. this fire from Heaven puts the tongue into tune for God
Serpent did bite Christ by the Heel in putting him to Death yet even then and thereby Christ gave Satan a most deadly blow upon the Head for though Christ died a shameful painful and cursed Death for us Gal. 3.13 as being hanged on a Tree Deut. 21.23 to expiate the Curse brought in by this forbidden Tree Cant. 8.5 yet was he quickened by the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 Rose again for our Justification Rom. 8.34 and swallow'd up Death in victory Isa 25.8 1 Cor. 15.57 And to this very Promise and Prophecy many Scriptures have a most excellent Reference as Psal 56.7 and 89.52 and 49.6 and 22.17 2 Cor. 13.4 and 1 Pet. 3.18 Thus Christs Head was not broken but his Heel only was bruised As the bruising of the Heel relates 2. To Christ Mystical his Church or Christians so it pointeth out 1. The Bodies of the Saints which are as the Heel and lower part as their Souls are the Head and upper part according to Mr. Mead's Notion and Death hath power over the Heel or Body below while the Head or Soul is in Bliss above yea and the Devil hath play'd his Tricks with the Relicks of Saints Bodies whereby he infused the Romish Doctrine of the Worship and Invocation of the Martyrs of which Wound in the Heel that Church halteth unto this day 2. It pointeth out the unsound part of the Visible Church or Hypocrites which are but the Heel of the Church of Christ Those are indeed within the Devils Commission here to bruise and break for a further manifestation of Gods Glory and that they which are approved might be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 3. It pointeth out the Church Militant on Earth which is but as the Heel or lower part thereof the Church Triumphant in Heaven being as the Head and out of Satans reach This Heel the Devil is frequently wounding yet is it but a sleight Wound which though it may be painful is never Mortal like the Wound in the Heel far from the Vitals the Head or Heart All the Persecutions of the Church here below do indeed reach their Bodies Goods or good Names yet are they only as a bruise in the Heel in comparison of the better part the Spiritual Life whereof cannot be endangered Mat. 10.28 Neither the Devil nor his Instruments are able to reach the Soul below or the Saints above ☞ Herein is contained an entire Christian Catechism touching the Malady and Misery of Man by the Fall and the Remedy and Reparation of miserable Man by Christ this is pure Gospel that our Adversary the Devil is laid along upon the ground as the Serpent or overwhelmed and turned upon his Back by the Messiah so though he be an implacable Enemy can do no great mischief as he is punish'd and put into such a painful posture and though he sting us in the Heel and make us halt yet must we go halting towards Heaven as Jacob did over Penuel Gen. 32.31 Yea Run the Race set before us Heb. 12.1 Now after the Tempter follows the Doom of the Tempted 1. The Doom of the Woman being first in the Transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 Her Doom is threefold 1. For seducing her Husband she is Doomed to Sorrow 1. In Conceiving 2. In Bringing forth 3. In Bringing up too 2. For pleasing her Palate she shall have pain in her Womb No Female of any kind hath greater pain than that of a Woman as Naturalists say 3. As she proved a stumbling block to her Husband to whom she should have been an Help meet she is Doomed to a Subjection to him v. 10. to have her dependency upon her Husband both for Direction Protection and Provision hence it is that oftentimes against her own will she endureth the uneasy Yoak of an unequal Ruler yea and against Gods will too for God would not have Husbands to rule with rigour though he grant them a righteous Rule over their Wives he would not have them bitter against them Col. 3.19 Eph. 5.28.33 1 Tim. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.1 yet in all this we have a fair Specimen of Divin◠Mercy 1. That God doth not cast Eve off or curse her as he had done the Serpent All this was a fatherly Chastisement rather than a satisfactory and proportionable Punishment God might have inflicted the mulct of sudden death upon her which she had merited he might have taken away the Blessing of Fruitfulness before promised but he only mingleth it with Dolours and yet tolerable Tortures Though the Throws in Birth be so torturing as no kind of Torments can parallel insomuch that Medea in the Tragedy said She had rather die ten times over in Battel than bring forth but once only yet God mitigates the rigour of his Justice with his sweet Mercy in Dooming her only to Temporal Pains where Eternal Death was deserved this was remitted for the Seed newly promised Ezek. 18.23 Psal 103.10 c. 2. Those grievous pains are not so grievous as the Curse and Wrath of God and the pains of Hell all which was the Devils Doom 3. Those pains were imposed to bring her to Repentance and to make her long for Heaven where all pain and sorrow is done away 4. Those Pains are recompens'd with following Joy John 16.21 5. Neither is all hope of life cut off from her if she continue in faith c. 1 Tim. 2.15 The last part of this Divine Doom is upon Adam God observing the same order therein as they had sinned the Offender who sinned last is sentenc'd last and herein is specified 1. The Cause of the Doom and 2. The kinds of it which are three 1. The cursing of the Earth to Man 2. The toilsom life of Man 3. His tiresom Life to expire in a bodily Death v. 17 18 19 c. All which were only Temporal not Eternal punishments for God makes no mention here of Eternal Death which is the proper punishment of sin Rom. 6.23 because by the promised Messiah here a Reconcilement was made betwixt God and Man both for Remission of Sin and the Grace of Eternal Life were contained in the promise of that Seed which would break the Devils Head Hence 't is concluded by all solid Authors that Adam was not Damned but Saved upon those grounds 1. He was a Type of Christ and never any Reprobate or Damned one doth the Scripture make to Typifie our Saviour 2. The Promise of the Messiah was given to them both upon their Transgression which they laid hold on by Faith and therefore Adam call'd his Wives Name Eve that is Life or living in Testimony of his Faith in and Thankfulness for that lively and Life-giving Oracle concerning Christ v. 15. whereby Eve as well as himself had a reprieve from Death and became the Mother of all living whether a Natural or Spiritual Life v. 20. 3. Adam is expresly call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 so he cannot rationally be reputed a Son of Death or Damnation 4. Neither is it probable that
sweet Soul However they are call'd the Light of the VVorld Mat. 5.14 As well as the Salt Oh how dark Would the VVorld be in the night of Degeneracy if God had not some Orient Stars sparkling and bespangling the world though not in every part yet in every Zone and Quarter of it Such an one was our Noah here some good men in bad times an Holy remnant kept for a reserve Good Husbands cast not all their Corn into the Oven but reserve some for seed God kept his Mithe-Mispar a small few here to replant the World Add the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after what manner it is Ans 'T is as the Chaff is kept from burning while the Corn is amongst it As in all times God hath a few Pearls to preserve the many Pebbles and a few Jewels to preserve the Lumber from being destroyed so the Holy Seed call'd Statumen terrae the Substance of the Earth Isa 6.13 and the Righteous are an Everlasting Foundation Prov. 10.25 They may say with David they bear up the Pillars of the world Psal 75.3 Hence it became a common Proverb in the primitive times Absque Stationibus sanctis non staret mundus But for the Piety Presence and Prayers of the Christians the World could not subsist any longer Hence also Philo draws a good Conclusion Oremus ùt tanquam Columnae vir pius permaneat in domo ad calamitatis Remedium Let us pray that the righteous may remain as Pillars in the house with us and not perish from among us as Isa 57.1 As our blessed preservatives from imminent evils 'T is said Abraham stood yet before the Lord Gen. 18.22 And without such to stand the World could not stand for God saith oft over I will not destroy it for their sake v. 23.24 26 30,30 Lot was saved for Abrahams sake as Sodom was for Lots sake till he was departed out of it Gen. 18.23 with 19 22 and 29. And as God gave Zoar to Lot Gen. 19.21 and all the Souls in the Ship to Paul Acts 27.24 So God gives the rest of mankind to the righteous Job 22.30 Upon this account Tabor and Hermon are accounted for East and VVest Psal 89.12 For God accounts of the VVorld by the Church and upholds the World for the Churches sake And were it not for some Jehosaphats God hath in the World he would say to wicked men as Elisha said to Jehoram that wicked King I would not look towards you nor see you as before If it were not for his Elects sake God would make a short work both in and of the World Rom. 9.28 Were it not for the Elects sake there should no Flesh be saved Mat. 24.22 Neither any Jew nor any Gentile left alive were it not for his Covenant sake and his infinite mercy to his Elect deus vindictae gladium oleo misericordiae semper emollit God ever is softening the Sword of his Justice with the Oil of his mercy and hereby a remnant is reserved both of Jews and Gentiles in the VVorld and the VVorld for the Elects sake When God is most enraged and resolved yet then will he yield something unto the Prayers of his precious Servants as he did to Abraham in his interceeding for Sodom gathering ground of God four times and even then broke he off from Begging before the Lord left off from Bateing Gen. 18.22 to 33. Inference Oh then what sublime fools are wicked men in thrusting out and endeavouring to destroy the righteous from among them What is this but to pull an old house the World upon their own heads As Noah did ransom the old World from ruine for 120 years when God was resolved upon it as well as repented he had made it to see whether men would repent of their sins and seek reconciliation by righteousness and by returning to God as Dan. 4.27 Thus Aaron stood betwixt the Living and the Dead Num. 16.48 And so the Plague was stayed by his offering Incense and many a time would God have destroyed Israel had not Moses c. stood in the Gap Psal 106.23 and 30. Thus Elias prayed Jam. 5.18 And Amos also Amos. 7 5 6. And God removed both those Judgments The very presence as well as Prayers of the Righteous doth ransom places and people from ruine were it not that some Clusters that have blessings in them the Churches of Saints be found upon Englands Vine-tree God would lay his Ax to the Root of it and cut it down never to cumber the ground any more Isa 65.8 Mat. 3.10 no sooner was Lot out of Sodom but God rain'd down Hell out of Heaven upon it no sooner was Augustin departed but Gods Judgments came down upon Hippo as after Luthers departure upon Germany and after Pareus his Death upon Heidelberg no sooner was Josiah dead but Jerusalem was destroyed 'T is not those Elijahs that trouble Israel as wicked Ahab said but 't was he himself and his wicked House 1 Kin. 18.17 18. Those reputed troublers of the City Acts 16.20 do really ransom the City from trouble and such as are accounted to turn the World upside down Acts 17.6 do indeed preserve the World from being so turned Some places indeed are so sinful that God saith If Noah Daniel and Job were in it it should not be ransomed from ruine Ezek. 14.20 Yet commonly such Servants of God save places and people both from Imminent and Incumbent Evils by their Prayers and by their Presence 'T is a sign of high Divine Displeasure when a place is bereaved of the Prayers of Gods people by Gods Command as when God bid Jeremy pray not for this people Jer. 14.11 for their good for God seems to say that he can do nothing against a place while his people pray for it let me alone saith God to Moses that I may destroy them Exod. 32.10 Ligatum habent sancti deum ut non puniat nisi Ipsi permiserint The Saints as it were bind Gods hands to the peace so that he cannot punish unless they permit at the Father glosseth upon that Text which seems to intimate that Moses's Intercession for Israel was through Divine condescension too strong for Gods Indignation against them Yet 't is an higher evidence of Divine Displeasure when a place loseth both the Prayers and Presence of Gods people This was Abrahams argument Wil t thou destroy the Righteous with the wicked That be far from thee c. Gen. 18.23 24 25. And. God grants the cogency of the Argument v. 26. Why are not the Tares now pluckt up 'T is for the Wheat sake though thin sown that is present among them therefore saith Christ Let the Tares alone until the Harvest Mat. 13.28 29 30. Thus the World is preserved for the Elects sake Therefore when the Righteous are taken away 't is a sure sign that some great evil is coming on Isa 57.1 Hence the loss of their presence should be laid to heart When a loving Father removeth his best
in Gods Providence In the Mount the Lord will provide a Ram to save his Isaac Gen. 22.14 Issues of Death belong to the Lord only Psal 68.20 He knows how to deliver his 1 Pet. 3.12 and 2 Pet. 2.9 'T was Peter's own Experience Acts 12.10 c. Our Times are in his Hands Psal 31.15 and none can take us out of Christs Hands John 10.28 We have had our places named Jehovah Jireth to perpetuate the Memory of Gods Mercy 4. Hence learn we to bear the loss of Children with patience and silence as Abraham here and Aaron Levit. 10.3 No Parent ever gave up a Son to God with so much patience and under such sad Circumstances as Abraham did unless it were God himself giving his Beloved Son to his Justice for Mans Redemption and when God thought not his Holy Child Jesus too good for us why should we think any Child of ours too good for God 5. God Accepted Abraham's Will for the Deed so he will do ours 2 Cor. 8.12 preferring the willingness of the Will before the worthiness of the Work Small Service may have great Acceptance if much will though not much weight be found therein CHAP. XI The History and Mystery of Isaac's Life THE most Famous Remarks that are Recorded in Scripture concerning the Patriarch Isaac besides those Intermingled in the History of Abraham his Father are these following to wit First Isaac's Weaning made the more Remarkable because attended with 1. Abraham's Feasting And 2. Ishmael's Mocking The former is the Principal and these two are the Accessories First Of the Principal to wit of Isaac's Weaning God gives us a distinct account how Isaac was Born and Named Gen. 21.2 3. Circumcised ver 4. Nursed up by Sarah with great Delight ver 6 7. and then vvhen grovvn up and fit for hard Meat he vvas weaned ver 8. Vajiggamal Hebr. Ablactatus but properly it signifies Retributus an exchanging of one thing for another and thus in vveaning there is a change from Milk to stronger Meat Hence may be inferred many excellent practical and profitable Observations As 1st Isaac was Conceived and brought forth after an extraordinary manner the Son of the Promise as Abraham his Father in the Supernatural Birth of Isaac did foresee the Supernatural Birth of Christ and rejoiced at it John 8.56 He did not Name his Son Isaac or Laughter only because of his Joy for him but also because of his Joy for Christ he rejoiced to see Christs Day of a Miraculous Conception and Birth he saw it and was glad he saw the Face of Christ in his Birth Life and Death c. all in the Figure of Isaac by the clear Eyes of his Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 even things that were afar off yet with a long Arm of his Faith he hugg'd and embraced them as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 doth signifie yea he had not only a Prophetical but also a Real Vision of Christ Gen. 18.1 2 3 17. in the Form of a Man as a prelude of his Incarnation and out of his Philanthropy Tit. 3.4 delighting to be in carne before he was ex carne as a Man among the Sons of Men Prov. 8.31 This made Abraham Rejoice and Dance a Gallyard as the word in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth John 8.56 So Sarah by the force of her Faith Conceived and brought forth Isaac her Son when she was past Age because she judged him faithful who had promised Heb. 11.11 that is she did nor think that God paid his people with words only as Sertorius is said to do his Soldiers or that he fools them off with fair promises as Ptolomee Sirnamed therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to do his Favourites Pollicitis Dives quilibet esse potest Great Mens fair words are like Dead Mens promis'd Shoes he may go bare foot that waits for them not so those at Good Men they will perform their promises though they tend to their loss Psal 15.4 They are Children that will not Lie Isa 63.8 but their Father is a God that cannot Lie Tit. 1.2 He is the God of Truth Isa 65.16 All his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in Christ Jesus that Faithful and True Witness Revel 3.14 Therefore God is Real and Royal in his promises and performances He will do what he hath said 2 Sam. 7.25 and perform with his Hand what he promiseth with his Mouth 1 King 8.15.1 Thes 5.24 All this Sarah his Mother believed though at first she faultered Gen. 18.11 12. The first Tidings hereof she apprehended more strange than true but better recollecting her Religious and Reverend Contemplations of the Almighty she afterwards believed what before she doubted or at least admired rather than believed and as soon as she believed soon after she Conceived though old by the force of her Faith and not by the Vigour of Nature therefore is she upon this very account Inrolled in the Catalogue of the most Eminent Believers Heb. 11.11 where the Apostle sheweth 1. That Saving Faith reaches both Sexes that the weaker Sex eminent in Faith is worthy of Imitation by Men the stronger and that a Woman is no such wonder in Heaven as that wanton witless Wit once said proving it by Revel 12.1 reading no further than those very words extend and stopping at that clause clothed with the Sun and so there is no God as Psal 14.1 if we stop there and go no further 2dly Observe The Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth shame those Hebrew Men he writes to with that Excellent and plainly Masculine Exercise of Faith in the Feminine Sex a Woman Heb. 11.11 where Sarah's Faith is propounded as a pattern both for their and our practice holding forth 1. The Advantage by it She received strength in a Twofold Respect both for Conceiving and for bringing forth though disadvantag'd by the time of it to wit in her Old Age. 2. The Ground and Foundation of it her Faith was founded upon this that she strongly believed the Promiser was faithful to perform his promises Hereupon she is made an Allegorical Mystery in all this her famous History even by the Apostle Paul himself by a special Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Gal. 4.21 to 27 and 30. shewing how Abraham's Family was a Figure of the Church in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 wherein be two Mothers a Bond-woman Hagar and a Free-woman Sarah two manners of Getting as well as Begetting Children 1. By Promise or by Faith 2. After the Flesh or by Nature Two kinds of Children Bondmen as Ishmael and Freemen as Isaac and the former persecuting the latter two Covenants that of Works and that of Grace or the Law and the Gospel the Old Testament and the New Mount Sinai to which Hagar fled twice Gen. 16. and chap. 21. it being in her way Home to Egypt and Mount Sion or Jerusalem the Mother of all Christians
she to have her desire another Child to Joseph to make up Children but she down-right dies by that very means desired Her second Child that made her a Mother of Children according to her desire Give me Children or I die desired was the Death of her self the Mother She had a Child to wit Joseph and lived yea lived sixteen years after she bore him but if she will have Children and be so frettingly discontented at the want of them she must pay dear foâ—â—â—r discontent The bringing forth of Children according to her inordinate desire is the bringing forth of her own Life the Life of this Lad is the Death of his Mother as soon as her Son was come out of her Belly her Soul also went cut of her Body before which she therefore named this Son of sorrow Benoni but his Father as loth to have a daily revival of his dolesom loss call'd him Benjamin as dear to him as his Right Hand Yet this Right Hand Father as his Name signifies had Children that were famous for Left-Handed Slingers Judg. 20.16 most notable Marksmen Rachel dieth of Benjamin whom she over-desired Our desires after Sense-comforts should be moderate and submissive to Gods good pleasure we should be willing to want what a wise God will have us to want though as to Soul-comforts we may and must be earnest and importunate taking no nay-say at Gods Hands these things being so absolutely necessary we cannot live without them and we dare not die without them These latter being upper Springs Throne Mercies and Right Hand Blessings must be striven for with an eager importunity whereas the former being but nether Springs Footstool Mercies and Left Hand Blessings should only be sought for with an even indifferency so as to be pleased without them if God be not pleased to bestow them Rachel's over eager importunity for Temporal Blessings made her whatever use she made of her Fathers Idols no better than an Idolatress when it transported her into a mistaking of her Husband for her God as if he had been in Gods stead to give her Children at his will Rachel dieth by having her desire Oh bless God then for disappointments sometimes to have what we affect may undo us and our wishes taking no effect become the best Weal to us let God be wiser for us than we for our selves God grants our desires ad salutem though not ad voluntatem always for our weal not so for our will Blessed Jacob loses his lovely Rachel such losses happen alike to all to the good and to the bad Eccles 9.2 'T is the Jews Custom to break the Glass out of which the Bridegroom and the Bride drink that thereby they both may be minded of their own Mortality and that they as frail as Grass may only so love as to meditate upon loss Yet this loss of Jacob is qualified to him 1. Partly by his God who instead of a dying Wife gave him a living Son and such a dear Child as 't is said the life of the Father was bound up in the life of the Lad Gen. 44.30 So comfortable was the Son to the Father and so compassionate was the Father to the Son that if the Son died the Father could not live 2. Jacob 's loss was partly qualified by himself in two respects 1. In changing the Name of sorrow given this Son by his dying Mother into a Name of joy that is Benoni into Benjamin not liking such a standing Memorial of Mourning for his moanful loss he alters that Name by his own Authority and in a better Name as it were Buries his own grief which new Name importeth that though this Son was a Son of sorrow to the dying Mother yet he should be for his Mothers sake a Son of joy to him the living Father yea as near and as dear to him as his own Right Hand that is a Son of love Psal 80.17 and the more because this only of all Jacob's Children was Born within the Verges of the Land of Canaan 2 In erecting a Pillar upon Rachel's Grave to testifie his respect and continue her remembrance Deceased Relations may lawfully be thus honoured with such Monuments as have not any Superstition nor too much Pomp and Vanity in them such an one was this of Rachel's Sepulchre Gen. 35.20 not demolish'd as Superstitious either by Joshua or the Judges but is honourably mentioned in King Saul's time 1 Sam. 10.2 Such Memorials of the dead were for reminding the living that they might imitate the Vertues of the deceased so die in hope of a better Resurrection and doubtless the making of this Monument for Rachel's Tomb was some satisfaction and consolation to dejected Jacob. 'T is meet that sorrowful Men should make their own Burdens as light as they can so Jacob did here The Fourth Cross and Calamity that befel Jacob as returning home in his own Family was his eldest Son Reuben committed Incest with Bilhah his Father's Concubine Gen. 35.22 This Holy Patriarch Jacob was just like the Waterman's Oar in the hand of his God no sooner was he heaved up out of the Salt Waters of one Affliction but presently he was dip'd down again into another by the mighty hand of God's marvellous Providence Nay indeed He was not well-weighed out of the Salt Water of his Third Calamity Rachel's Death but he was presently plunged into this fourth Cross to wit Reuben's Incest The Death of his Dear Wife must needs cost him the shedding whole Showers of Salt Tears therefore properly enough is his Sorrows for it call'd Salt Waters And it could not but occasion in him a long and lasting Heaviness Especially If Jacob made Reflections upon himself how he might be somewhat Accessary to his Dear Wives Hard Travel by putting her upon Travelling 't is supposed on foot with an heavy Burden in her Belly and which was worse the pangs of her hard Travel came upon her in the very way of her Heavy Travelling even in the open Field too a place incommodious enough for such Hard and Hazardous a worâ—â— wherein all warmth and other Conveniencies are Requisite yea Necessary for a safe Deliverance Surely we may not suppose that so good a Man as Jacob was and so kind an Husband to his beloved Rachel could peaceably put his Dear Wife especially under her so sad present Circumstances upon unnecessary Hardships and Hazards Some doubt of Jacob's due Tenderness to his big-belly'd Rachel because God bade him go up to Bethel and Dwell there Gen. 35.1 Hence 't is objected Why did not Jacob Dwell or abide at Bethel as God had commanded him until Rachels both Delivery and Recovery but before both these he removes from Bethel toward Bethlehem or towards Ephratah which is Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 and the Prophet Micah Ch. 5 2. puts both these Names together Thou Bethlehem Ephrata But something must be said here for Jacob's just Vindication to wit 1. He understood God's Command for his Dwelling or Abiding at
and a childish Dream But seeing Jacob himself look'd upon it as serious the word Mother must have another meaning and not Rachel to rise out of her Grave to do it Indeed the Rabbies to solve this do say this was fulfill'd in Joshua who came of Joseph and whom the Sun obeyed in standing still and the Moon in staying her Course Josh 10.13 but though this be a fair exemplification 't is not the proper Interpretation of the Dream for Jacob understandeth it not Literally of the Sun in the Firmament but Mystically applying the Sun to himself And Josesph likewise applyeth the Dream figuratively to himself Gen. 42.9 when Humane Event had now given the most Genuine Sense of that Divine Dream or Oracle Some say this Mother was Bilhah Rachel's Maid yet call'd Joseph's Mother because she was his Nurse So Plautus saith Mater est quae mammam dedit she is the Mother that gives the Child Suck Thus think some Hebrews in Munster and Lyra but Castalion says It was Leah Joseph's half Mother Yet the aforesaid Lyra saith Rachel cum adoravit in prole i. e. Benjamin lioèt non in personâ propriâ that Rachel though now dead so could not do Homage to Joseph in her own proper Person yet did it in her Son Benjamin who bowed himself to Joseph with the rest of his Brethren Gen. 43.26 28 29. where all the Eleven Sons the Stars in the Name and with the Name of their Father the Sun saying He is your Servant Sir as we are all so Thus by a marvellous Providence to make good his Divine Dream they become all humble Supplicants to him for necessary Bread however Mercer's judgment seems most solid saying This Mother in Joseph's Dream might be either Leah according to Castalion the time of her death being not mention'd by Moses as is Sarah's who is the only Woman in Scripture whose Age at death is Recorded nor are the Women who went down with Jacob to Egypt named or numbred at all by him save only that they were seventy Souls Gen. 46.26 27. Exod. 1.5 Deut. 10.22 which is purposely Registred at their going into Egypt that we may admire the Power and Providence of God over his Church that even in the House of Bondage in two hundred and fifteen years those seventy Souls were multiplyed into six hundred thousand Men beside Women and Children at their going out of Egypt Numb 1.46 even as many as Stars in Heaven and the Sands upon the Seashore Gods Promise was made good by a Miracle never then think the Church too low for God But the Enquiry is Whether Leah was one of that Seventy which went down with Jacob into Egypt Answer 1. Some suppose so with Josephus who seems to say lib. 2. of Jew Antiq. chap. 4. that Leah led Dinah her Daughter down thither and if so then she was the Mother that did Homage to Joseph according to his Dream So those two the Mother and the Daughter may make up the three and thirty mentioned Gen. 46.15 instead of Er and Onan who died in Canaan for their Sin Gen. 38.7 10. so did not go down to Egypt and therefore ought not to be numbred Leah and Dinah filling up their place Answer the second But 't is the received Opinion of the most Judicious Authors that Leah was dead at Jacob's going down to Egypt so that seeing it was not Leah it was some other of his two Secondary Wives who then was the Mother of the Family who went down with Jacob and who with him did Obeisance to Joseph and no doubt had Leah been alive then and there yea or Rachel her self and had seen Joseph's Honour and Grandeur if unknown who he was due Respects would have been paid by them both unto his Dignity and Deputy-ship Thus having gloss'd upon both Joseph's Dreams wherein God had reveal'd to him his Dominion over his Brethren c. His declaring those Dreams to them was the grand Ground of their Envy and Hatred against him hereupon at the very first view of him when sent of Jacob to give them a Friendly and Brotherly Visit their Hearts rise in Indignation and belch out that black Blasphemy Behold the Dreamer cometh Gen. 37.19 Hebr. Baal Hachalomoth a Lord or Master of Dreams This was a most scurrilous scoff and withal 〈◊〉 most cruel calumny For here 1. They call their Brother Baal which Name is used fifty seven times in Scripture for a dirty Dunghil Deity a false God or Idol Such a lump of filthy Impurity that Baal is used in contradistinct terms to the most pure and holy God 1 King 18.21 God and Baal Yet this is the best Name his Brethren bestow upon their best Brother Their Hearts were so big swoln with Spite and Spleen that they could not call him by his Name his own proper Name Joseph but Nick-name him with that odious and beastly Name Baal But 2. Take the name Baal in its general Genuine and Grammatical sense so it signifies a Lord or Master and therein they seem to honour him but by putting Hachalomoth to Baal therein calling him the Lord and Master of Dreams or one that is Married to them as Baal signifies so they notoriously dishonour him reckoning this Innocent and Early Religious Youth among the abominable Baalim's of the Heathen World whereas they themselves were more truely Baali-aphim Masters of Anger as Angry Men are stiled by Solomon the Wise Prov. 22.24 Baal-aph is a Man of anger and Baal-chemah is a furious Man Prov. 29.12 so they were rather Baali-chemoth married to their furious Passions and Malice more than he was Baal-Hacholomoth a Master of or Married to any fond Dreams which indeed were Divine and sent of God to him wherein he was Passive and but Gods Instrument both in receiving and in relating them And therefore Moses more truely mentioneth how their Father Jacob by an Infallible Spirit names those very Nick-Names of Joseph Baali-Chitsim Arch Archers or Masters of Arrows Gen. 49.23 Those cunning and skilful Archers shot sore at Joseph as at their Mark with their Invenom'd Arrows of Rancour and Rage in their Loud Lies Cruel Calumnies and Cut-throat Contrivances against him So that this Sarcaltick Nick-Name not only this Dreamer as our Translation over narrowly reads it but this Master of Dreams as the Hebrew plainly signifies and so Mr. Ainsworth rightly reads it was no better than their base traducing their Brother as if he had been some insolent Impostor and had made those Dreams merely out of his own mad mind as Master and Framer of them which was a Cursed Calumny seeing they were sent of God to signifie that his advancement to he Lord of the Land of Egypt came not by chance but by a Divine Decree and Gods powerful Providence However their scurrilous stile of Dreamer they give him doth plainly demonstrate that his Dreams were the cause of their hating him and of their conspiring to kill him as judging him the only Authour of them
more precious than Rubies saith Solomon Prov. 8.11 Yea If the Mountains were made an huge Pearl The Rocks entire Rubies and the whole Globe of the Earth were a glittering and glorious Chrysolite yet all this would not be comparable to Christ who is the Essential wisdom of God Job 28.12 13 to ver 20. So far more excellent than Joseph as he is the chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 In this respect Gods Providence might set the Sale of Jesus the Antitype upon an higher price to wit ten Shekels more even thirty than that of Joseph who was Christs Type and Figure so was sold but for twenty For though Joseph by being delivered from death when sold saved much people alive yet Jesus being bought with a mind to Murder him not as Joseph who was sold with an intent of some at least of his Sellers to save him saved many more by his Death which was the Aim of the Divine Decree for Mans Redemption Acts 2.23 than Joseph did by his Life Thus we see there is some disparity as well as a manifold congruity betwixt Joseph and Jesus both as to the worth of those two sold Wares And as to the price of them Joseph the Man was less worthy than Jesus the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or God-man and therefore 't was ordained of God that Jesus should be sold ten Shekels dearer than Joseph To which may be added another Remark on the other Hand to wit that they which bought Joseph though of lesser worth had the better Bargain than they that bought Jesus of far greater value for the former were personally preserved by their purchase yea not only the Arabians that bought him but also the very unnatural ones that sold him but the latter at least some of them that bought Jesus bought a stumbling Stone and a Rock of Ruin to themselves 1 Pet. 2.8 they falling upon this Stone of Israel Gen. 49.24 were broken but this Stone falling upon them did crush them to pieces yea did grind them to powder Mat. 21.44 This was far the worse Bargain the Ninth Congruity reserving the rest for the last of Joseph's Life is Both Joseph and Jesus had 1. Their state of Humiliation and then 2. Their state of Exaltation yet with some disparity as differing 1. In kind Joseph's Humiliation was only a Free-man becoming a Slave and his Exaltation was only on Earth but the former of Jesus was Being Coequal with God and being God he became Man Phil. 2.6 7. yea the lowest of Men a Servant which is of far greater distance than between a Free-man and a Slave and the latter of Jesus is in Heaven Heb. 9.24 2. So they differ in degree likewise for both these in Joseph are differing from both these in Jesus in whom his Humiliation was lower and his Exaltation higher than either in Joseph's were 3. They differ in Quality Jesus was wholly active in his Humiliation he humbled himself Phil. 2.8 This Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 moved himself backward ten degrees upon his Fathers Dial as 2 King 20.11 that he might bring healing in his Wings or Beams to Diseased and Wounded Mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himself Phil. 2.7 to wit of that Majesty and Glory which he had before the World was John 17.5 and voluntarily became a Sinner both by Imputation for God made the Iniquities of us all to meet upon him Isa 53.6 and by Reputation for he was reckoned not only among Men but also among Malefactors Isa 53.9 12. Hence is he said to be sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Rom. 8.3 Hereupon Christ saith I lay down my Life of my self c. John 10.17 18. when he died he died willingly he could have retained his Life longer if he would for he had great Natural strength to cry with a loud voice when he gave up the Ghost Mat. 27.46 50. And thus it was likewise in his Exaltation he had power as he was Life Essential both to lay down his Life when he would when his own appointed Hour was come and to take it up again when he would John 10.17 18. He poured out his Life so willingly for us as if it had been but a little water Isa 53.12 and he rose again by his own power for his Divine Nature loosed the Bands of death Acts 2.24 and swallow'd it up in Victory 1 Cor. 25.54 whereas Joseph in both those States of his was meerly Passive 4. They differ in the Concomitants and Consequences both which might be insisted on But in a word briefly Joseph's Humiliation was accompanied with Life but that of Jesus with Death Death was both the Concomitant and the Consequent of Jesus's Humiliation as Life was of Joseph's He suffered many a little Death all his Life long and at length the cursed Death of the Cross after which he suffer'd no more when the Fire of his mighty Deity had swallow'd up the Fuel of his Mortal Humanity But Joseph after his Exaltation had another Humiliation in his Mourning for the death of his Father Those two States of Joseph are Elegantly Annexed and Amply Illustrated in a most comely Metaphor Gen. 49.23 24. The Archers shot at him c. there is his Humiliation but his Bow abode in strength c. there is his Exaltation 'T is a part of the old Patriarch's Swan-like Song before his Death 'T was his Funeral Sermon Preached by himself upon his Dying Bed which was his Pulpit to his Family the Church and that a most Heavenly and Seraphick Sermon Jacob's Grace like good Liquor run fresh to the bottom The Wine of Gods Spirit is usually the strongest and most generous at the last in the Hearts of Gods Servants the motions of Grace are most quick sensible and lively when the motions of Nature grow slow senseless and gradually dying Hence it is that the words of dying Saints are living Oracles and their last Speeches when their Grace is just upon changing into Glory ought to be long remembred by the living they leave behind them Thus we find not only Jacob here but also Moses Joshuah and the Apostle Paul all leaving their Divine Legacies behind them when they were leaving this lower World for the benefit and comfort of the Church but above all our Lord Jesus himself did so both in his last Sermon John 14 15 and 16 Chapters and in his Prayer after Sermon Chap. 17. Jacob here leaves his Patriarchal Blessing behind him upon all the twelve Tribes of Israel so 't is call'd Gen. 49.28 Though the Legacy he left Reuben Simeon and Levi seem rather a Curse than a Blessing Yet if this be well considered how all those three Sons afore-named 1. Had their Lots in the Land of Promise 2. A Room all of them in the High-priests Breast-plate And 3. All of them their several shares in that Eminent Sealing that is mentioned in Rev. 7. equal with the rest It must be concluded from these three premises that they all three
World and Jam. 5.11 Some suppose that Job was a Son of Nahor Abraham's Brother descended from him by his Son Uz as Elihu was of his Son Buz Gen. 22.20 21. Job 32.2 and so Elihu came to live near to Job who was Son of the Elder Brother as he was of the Younger others suppose him to be that Jobab of Esau's Posterity Gen. 36.33 34. being a Magistrate and Judge in his Country Job 29.7 8 9 c. whose Name was contracted into Job by his Adversity who before was call'd Jobab at length in the day of his Prosperity There is an odd Story Jacobus Justus relates in the Notes to his Map of the Holy Land that Balaam Job and Jethro were Pharaoh's Counsellors when Moses was born and found by Thermutis the King's Daughter who brought him into the Court Moses while a Child trampled Pharaoh's Crown under his feet Balaam said It presaged Destruction to the State Job would have nothing determin'd against him but Jethro said it was only a childish Trick so not to be regarded whence these three sped afterward accordingly Balaam was slain Job afflicted and Jethro made happy by Moses affinity The Second Remark is the Book of Job is a Tragi-Comedy writ either First by Job himself who wished the History were written in a Book Job 19.23 24. so after his Deliverance might answer his own with Or Secondly Elihu who came not from far as the other three did but neighboured upon him and nameth not himself as coming with them and who saith I will shew my opinion c. Job 32.15 16 17. Or Thirdly By Moses in Midian who wrote it for the comfort of Israel sorely distressed in Egypt Whoever was the Penman it matters not God was its Author and Paul quotes Job 5.19 as canonical 1 Cor. 3.19 the whole Book setting forth Job's fall from a very great height of Dignity into the very depth of Misery by Satan's Malice first against his Estate and then against his Body The Dialogues his three Friends held with him were to convince him that his Sinning had been extraordinary because his Suffering was so The Doctrinal part of whose Disputations was sound but their prejudice misled them in the Application Job vindicates himself all along but not prevailing that way He stops their Mouths by imprecating himself in particulars Job 31.1 to last then comes Elihu in as Moderator but inclining to the same Misprision of the others the Lord himself convinceth them all of Job's Integrity not only by an Oracle from Heaven but also by reviving Job's Prosperity doubling all he had lost save only his Children who were with God and making him the longest liver that was born after Terah who died at two hundred and five years old Gen. 11.32 and supposing Job Seventy years old when his trouble came he lived two hundred and ten years old having his years doubled also Behold a Miracle here How Job a Camel for Grandeur and Riches passeth notwithstanding through the eye of a Needle yea with Six thousand Camels c. Job 42.12.16 He entreth that strait Gate into a Mansion of Glory c. his eminent Piety had eminent Misery which yet ended in both Temporal and Eternal Felicity CHAP. XVI The History and Mystery of Israel's Bondage in Egypt and Deliverance out of it THE Ending of the History of Jacob and Joseph introduceth the Beginning of the History of Moses who with his Sacred Pen gives an Account of those two great Patriarchs Periods Gen. 49.33 and 50.26 before he relate his own Birth Life and Death Exod. 1 c. and Deut. 34.6 Now come we to the most grievous part of Israel's Bondage in Egypt where good Joseph had left them after his Death and where they through God's singular Blessing exceedingly multiplied notwithstanding their cruel Oppression according to God's Promise to Jacob Gen. 46.3 Deut. 26.5 This Offspring of Israel after the Death of all the twelve Patriarchs do by Degrees fall into all manner of Abominations As First They commit Idolatry Josh 24.14 Ezek. 20.8 Secondly They forget and forego Circumcision the Covenant of their God and this was the Reproach of Egypt Josh 5.9 c. Thirdly They joyned in Marriage with the Egyptians who were notoriously addicted to Idolatry and all Impiety Levit. 24.10 Exod. 12.38 whereby they were infected with the Vices predominant in that Country for this cause good Jacob seared to go down into Egypt which not only had been some Damage to Abraham Gen. 12.15 and flatly forbid to Isaac Gen. 26.2 and would expose his Posterity to many Perils of both Soul and Body Therefore was their Father afraid to go thither till he had God's Warrant for so doing Gen. 46.2 3 4. Now as in Abraham's Vision of a smoaking Furnace at Sun-set c. Gen. 15.12 17. The Sun of Religion was gone down among those degenerate Israelites walking according to those wretched Principles and Practices aforementioned Therefore the Lord cast them into a Furnace of Affliction call'd an Iron Furnace Deut 4.20 1 King 8.51 Jer. 11.4 An horrid Darkness as of Impiety so of Misery came upon them which afterwards ended in a burning Lamp the other Branch of Abraham's Vision God commanding light to shine out of darkness in their deliverance out of Bondage Psal 112.4 and 97.11 now it was that a new King arose that knew not Joseph who had made such vast Additions both of Wealth and Power to the Crown of Egypt called Busiris a most savage Tyrant even in Heathen Histories This brutish Man envying the wonderful Efficacy of the Promise of God made to Jacob Gen. 46.3 in Israel's increasing so abundantly the Strength of that Promise made the Men strong to beget Children though over-pressed with intolerable labour and the Women also to have no Abortions but to be more lively than other Women in bringing forth c. This became a most grievous Eye-fore to this envious King that to be revenged of them he falls upon them in Cruel Methods 1. Private in his cursed Command to the Midwives for Killing all the Males whom he mostly feared at their Birth which the Midwives not daring to do fearing God more than the King in their contrary Commands It put the Tyrant 2. Upon Publishing that Publick and bloody Edict that seeing neither the Intolerable toil of the Israelites under hard Taskmasters nor the holily refractory Midwives would suppress their spawning Procreation It should be lawful for any of his Subjects to drown the Males as soon as Born Exod. 1.7 8 9 10 11 16 22. In these bitter Times Heman and Ethan 1 Chron. 2.6 Prophetically penn'd the Eighty eighth and Eighty ninth Psalms In this time also was Moses born The first Remark concerneth his Parents who are Canonized in the Canonical Scripture for eminent Believers Hebr. 11.23 where the Apostle being about to bring in Moses's Faith speaketh first of the Faith of his Parents Amram Hebr. High and Jochebed Hebr. God's Glory both of Levi's Race and
't is the more probable to begin the Account of 430 years at Abraham's receiving the Promise Gen. 12. because soon after a Famine drove him into Egypt as after it did the Patriarchs his Posterity where Sarah was seized upon by Pharaoh but then was rescued from him and his Court Parasites by the Lord himself plaguing him and his People Gen. 12.14 15 17. which was a plain prefiguration of God's Plaguing this new Pharaoh and the Egyptians for dealing so injuriously with his Spouse the Church who was the Posterity of Abraham and Sarah their Seed that was blessed in Isaac c. And this Affliction of Israel in Abraham's Loins as it began soon after the first Promise was given him of God in the Seventy fifth year of his Age when Sarah his Wife was endanger'd in the Court of the King of Egypt Gen. 12.2 4 11 c. So that Affliction was carried on successively when Ishmael the Son of Hagar an Egyptian Woman mocked Isaac the promised Seed Gen. 16.3 and 21.9 which is call'd Persecution Gal. 4.29 where began the Four hundred years mentioned Gen. 15.13 This is likewise noted with an Accent that at the end of Four hundred and thirty years the very precise point of time prefixed by God did Israel depart out of Egypt the self-same day is twice mentioned ver 41. and 51. Exod. 12. to shew how exact and punctual the Lord is in performing his Promises as he was in this to Abraham Gen. 15.13 That after four hundred years he would bring his Seed forth with great Substance Which Term precisely began at the Son of the Egyptian Woman persecuting the Son of the free deriding the Covenant challenging the Birthright c. when Isaac was but five years old and Abraham a hundred and five just thirty years after he had received the Promise at seventy five Gen. 12. 2.4 The self-same four hundred and thirty years before when he had got the Promise of Canaan and when be began to pass into Egypt Gen. 12.7.10 that very same Day God brought Israel out of Egypt with great Substance as he had so long before promised God saith one had well-nigh forfeited his Bond here but before the Sun went down he paid his Debt though it was an old Bond of four hundred and thirty years standing This may teach us that God's Promises are good sure hold He will keep touch even to a Day Therefore may we be confident that whatever God hath Prophecy'd and Promis'd though not yet performed such as the Conversion of the Jews the fulness of the Gentiles the fall of Antichrist the new Jerusalem c. shall in God's own appointed time have all their full Accomplishment as this Promise had and that also of sending the Messiah the Seed of the Woman a Promise far older than this here The Third Circumstance of their Departure namely the persons that departed affords a Third Remark which is this When God turns again the Captivity of his People there shall not want Numbers nor Abilities yet some mixtures may be among them As it was in this case assuredly there was the signal and singular Blessing of God upon this oppressed People that maugre the Malice of all their maddest Persecutors there were yet reserved Six hundred thousand strong stout Men beside Old Men Women and Children to depart out of Egypt Exod. 12.37 and not one feeble Person among them Psal 105.37 but all able to march in a Military manner without the help of Horses or Carts to carry them Viatico firmâ valetudine Instructi saith Mollerus And besides that vast Number the more molested the more multiplied There was a mixed Multitude ver 38. which together with the Old Men Women and Children are supposed to make up other Three hundred thousand who these were is not told us in Scripture 't is supposed they were Strangers as the Chaldee saith whether Egyptians or of other Nations that were Servants to Israel who were moved with the Miracles which they saw in Egypt to take hold of the Skirt of those Jews and said we will go with you c. Zech. 8 23. so removed out of Egypt with them and it needed not be wonder'd at that Egypt now almost desolate was no more startled at the Departure of so many Strangers c. for under that consternation they could not mind it As this first was a Specimen of the Call of the Gentiles joyning themselves to the Church So second y it shews many are called and few are chosen for those seeming Converts soon turned their Tippets fall a lusting grosly and grievously and made Israel to Sin Numb 11.4 'T is not casie to touch pitch and not be defiled with it and handling hot Coals will either burn or grime us c. The Fourth Circumstance is the place of Israel's Rendevouz in order to their March which is expresly call'd Rameses Exod. 12.37 not the City only which Israel in their Bondage built for Pharaoh Exod. 1.11 for that place could not contain so many hundred thousand that were gathered out of all parts of Egypt thither especially Proselytes but the Country of Rameses so called Gen. 47.11 and from thence they marched to Succoth so called because either the Israelites leaving their Houses in Egypt first built Booths or Tabernacles there of the Boughs of Trees in Commemoration whereof God appointed a yearly Feast of Tabernacles Levit. 23.42 43 or because the Pillar of Glory came thither to become their first Covering as the word Succoth signifieth from all Annoyances of either persons or things This place was in the confines or borders of Egypt and in the way to the Red Sea The Second Observable this brings us unto is the Conduct of the Cloudy Pillar c. which though no mention be made of it till their third Station or pitching of the People at Aetham which was the edge of the Wilderness Exod. 13.20 yet 't is most probable the cloud came to cover them at Succoth their second Mansion for Joseph's Bones which undoubtedly they brought out of Egypt with them are not mentioned till then also Exod. 13.19 which could not but be a great Confirmation of Israel's Faith that God would carry them to Canaan as he had deliver'd them from Egypt according to Joseph's Faith which he evidenced at his Death concerning their Deliverance and which no interposing Difficulties and Distance of Time so very long after his Death could not interrupt as to the Accomplishment of the Promise Gen. 50.24 25. where he ordained by an Oath that his Bones should be preserved not as Relicks to be adored but to be Buried in the Land of Promise as accordingly they were Josh 24.32 Thus far did Joseph's Faith reach Heb. 11.22 and much farther for he died upon the Promise and held as well as took Possession of the Promised Land by his bones even when his person was out of sight and all his good Actions were out of mind too Exod. 1.8 to testifie
a peaceable and harmless passage through Edom. N.B. This unkindness of Relations befel Christ himself his Friends laid hold on him looking upon him as a Mad-man Mark 3.21 And if this was done to the green Tree what may the dry expect Hereupon Christ forewarns us of the failure of Friends and not only so but of their opposition also that we may place our hope and trust in him alone Matth. 10.21 22. Psal 2.12 and 73.25 28. The fourth Remark is The unkindness of Friends ought patiently to be endured as passing through Wisdom's hands which appoints Time Place Measure and Manner Thus David still'd himself with this consideration that the hand of the Lord ordered the Tongue of cursing Shimei But more expresly here the Lord had forbad Israel to meddle with Edom Deut. 2.4 5. in which place Targum Jonathan thus paraphraseth Israel was commanded by the word of Heaven that they should not wage War with the Posterity of Esau because the time was not yet come wherein God would execute Vengeance upon Edom by their hands This is mentioned in Obadiah's Prophecy Therefore Israel at this time suffered patiently the unkindness of Edom and obeyed the Lord herein tho' the way which they after went through the Wilderness fetching a compass round about the Land of Edom and Moab to come into Canaan proved exceeding irksome and grievous to them so that their Souls were discouraged not only because of the tedious length of the way but also because of the many wants and woes that they found therein Numb 21.4 5. And Jephtha pleads this to vindicate Israel's Patience and Innocency Judg. 11.18 Hereupon Israel being denied passage through Edom turned away to Mount Hor Numb 20.22 which was their next Resting-place after they came from Kadesh Numb 33.37 which name signifies a Mountain upon a Mountain for Har Hebr. signifies a Mountain and Aaron or Aharon signifies a Man of the Mountain who died now on the top of this Mountain upon a Mountain so died near Heaven Numb 20. v. 24 28. yet leaving an holy Son to succeed him upon Earth The same hands of Moses that had put on his Priestly Garments for Glory and Beauty Exod. 28.2 and Levit. 8.7 8 9. do now pull them off to teach the disanulling of that Priesthood that now had contracted sin Numb 20.12 Deut. 32.50 51. and the bringing in of a better Priesthood by Christ who is the true Eliazar or Hebr. help of God Heb. 7.11 18 26 27 28. and who is a Priest for ever after Melchizedek's order and ever liveth to make Intercession for us c. ver 25. and 9.24 Aaron is said to die gnal pi Jehovah at the mouth of the Lord as if God had taken away his Soul out of his Body sucking it out with a kiss of Love the same is said of Moses Deut. 34.5 Numb 33.38 He died upon Hor hagidgad that is in a hole there of Gidgad or Gudgod Deut. 10.7 on the first day of the fifth month for his sin committed at the Waters of Meribah in Kadesh Numb 20.12 24 26 c. after his Priestly Garments were stripped off from him and put upon Eleazar his Son and then he was lamented by Israel all that whole month for thirty days N.B. Mourning for the Dead is honourable the People mourn for Aaron as after they did for Moses who was now reprieved only till they came to Nebo Deut. 34.1 4. thirty days whom they had dishonoured forty years 'T is the Lot of many of the Servants of God to have more honour after their death than they had in their life The Burial of Aaron tho' omitted here is mentioned Deut. 10.6 Both Aaron's and Moses's sin at Meribah is call'd Rebellion and both were doomed to death for it Numb 20.12 24. The best man's heel hath some Iniquity cleaving to it Psal 49.5 Some dirt sticks to all our feet John 13.7 c. so need washing and the brightest Lamps have need of God's Golden Snuffers at some time or other Israel then marched from Mount Hor to Zalmonah Numb 33.41 call'd so of Zelem an Image for there the Brazen Serpent was set up after Many Remarks more than ordinary are upon this Station Recorded The first is The Canaanites having heard of the overthrow which was given Israel thirty eight years before their coming to this Station Numb 14.45 and of the hand of God against them in their so long wandring in the Wilderness were hardened and emboldened to encounter them again at this time when they heard of their second approach towards Canaan Numb 21.1 and no doubt but the Devil did endeavour by this new Impediment which he stirred up to discourage Israel making them think that as their Fathers were through unbelief affrighted and entred not into the promised Land Deut. 1.27 32 35. so their Children hereby might also be deprived Yea and God for the Chastisement of their sins and for the Exercise of their Faith out of his unsearchable Wisdom suffered those Cursed Canaanites at the first to conquer them and to take some of them Prisoners a sorer affliction than what Job suffered The most wise God permitted this Malady worse than any before to befal them that his People might know when they came indeed to conquer the Land they did not conquer it by their own strength or for their own worthiness Psal 44.3 4. Deut. 9.4 The second Remark is This Malady that was matchless in all their former wanderings put Israel upon seeking out a suitable Remedy Hereupon they vowed a Vow c. ver 2. that if God would grant them Victory they would Anathematize all they conquered reserving nothing for their own use but destroy all as consecrated to God With this Religious Promise they joyned fervent Prayer for God's help which was the most probable way to prevail with God as their great Grand-father Jacob found it Gen. 28.20 36. and who is therefore call'd the Father of Vows Thus they found it also ver 3. where 't is said The Lord received the Prayer of Israel and gave up King Arad and his Canaanites into their hands c. then according to their Vow they devoted the Conquered Persons to death their Cities to be burnt but their Goods confiscate to the Lord were carried into the Lord's Treasury Levit. 27.28 29. as was done to Jericho Josh 6.17 19 21 24. But this Vow of destroying the Canaanite's Cities could not now be performed unless in some as first-fruits offered up to God for they being now far off in the Wilderness could not destroy the Cities lying in Canaan Numb 33.40 into which they came not till after Moses's Death and still Jordan was betwixt them and it 'T is not to be believed that they now entred Canaan and when they had destroyed their Cities returned again into the Wilderness to take that tedious Journey which was so irksom to them after Numb 21.4 Therefore this is spoke by way of Anticipation they now conquered the Canaanites Army
seem'd very long for those Children of Light to walk in such a place of darkness for eight years together if so the time of their Suffering bears a due proportion to the time of their Sinning The Third Remark is The Marvelous proportion God observed as it were by a Geometrical Rule in proportioning Israel's Suffering to the proportion of their Sinning both in this time of their Slavery and in all the other following times also As Israel's sinning increased in Magnitude being no better by their former Opressions but ever returning with the Dog to his Vomit c. So their Suffering increased in multitude every term of their Slavery rising higher and higher They served this Chusan Eight Years and because not bettered thereby they served Eglon Eighteen Years ver 14. and afterward Jabin Twenty Years Judg. 4.3 c. With the froward God will deal frowardly Psal 18.26 when lesser Corrections could not restrain them from Sin God laid heavier Punishments upon them and punishes them seven times more yea and seven times more and yet seven times more to that as he had threatned Levit. 26.18.21.24.28 they must be sure of this if their Minds mend not they shall see no end of their misery 't is not meet for Men to abuse God's Mercy and his readiness to deliver them once and again from misery Nor is it meet that God should cast down the Bucklers first therefore doth three times raise up his note of threatning to reduce them into obedience and he raiseth it all by Sevens which are Discords in Musick such Sayings by Sevens do prove Heavy Songs and the execution of them more Heavy Pangs to those that will not be reclaimed by them God will not give over Punishing until Men do give over Sinning The Fourth Remark is The Redeemer that the Lord raised up to Redeem Israel out of their first Slavery was Othniel ver 9. which God would not yet do for them until they humbled themselves casting down the Bucklers first when God they saw would get the better of them They being brought into most grievious miseries by this Oppressing Tyrant and finding no relief from their Idols which they Worshiped they then return to the Lord by Repentance and cry to him for the pardon of their Sins and for sending them a Saviour Hereupon the Lord who is a None such God forgiving even None-such Sinners Mic. 7.18 stirred up Othniel with extraordinary influences of his Spirit to undertake their deliverance which now they so earnestly prayed for ver 10 Othniel or Othoniel in the Hebrew signifies the Time or Hour of God intimating hereby that God's Time and his Hour was now come as John 2.4 for Israel's Deliverance N.B. And this Deliverer whom God sent to Redeem Israel when sold into the hands of this terrible Tyrant was a Type of our dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus who was sent of God to Redeem us out of the hands of all our Spiritual Enemies that we might serve God without fear c. Luke 1.74 75. and thus all the other Judges be Types of Christ though some more eminently than others as the Sequel may manifest Here the Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel gave him Prudence Prowess and Magnanimity to make War against this Tyrannical Oppressour and having Vanquish'd him in Battle he restored rest to God's Israel governing his People in Peace and in the Profession and Practice of God's True Religion according to his Law The Fifth Remark is The Lond had Rest forty Years ver 11. that is from the Death of Joshua to the Death of Othniel the eight Years of Slavery under the Syrians being included as is a frequent way of reckoning in Scripture recording the round number which gives the main Denomination and not insisting upon the Fractions or broken Numbers as Numb 14.33 Acts 7.14 c. where some odds are c. God's Mercy Triumphs over his Justice Jam. 2.13 and is over all his Works Psal 145.8 9. Here he gives to his Penitent People forty Years Liberty for eight Years Slavery The Second Story of Israel's Slavery which followeth from ver 12. to ver 30. under Eglon King of Moab affords many Remarks As First The loss of a Godly Governour is sometimes the loss both of Church and State Othniel dieth ver 11. and almost all Godliness dieth with him for Israel immediately relapseth into their old Idolatry notwithstanding the former experience they had of the manifold Miseries which they by the like sins had brought upon themselves and of God's great Mercy in working their Deliverance They did evil again c. ver 12. neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy could mollifie their hard Hearts nor could any Means constrain them to keep within the bounds of Obedience but made new out bursts into Notorious Extravagancies Insomuch that the Lord comes forth in his hot Displeasure strengthens Eglon to oppress them and weakens Israel to oppose his oppression ver 12. N.B. 'T is God's Work to strengthen or weaken the Arm of either Party Ezek. 30.24 25. so that they can neither defend themselves nor offend their Enemies when God so breaks the Arm as no means nor Medicines can patch it up again And sure I am this is a sure sign of dreadful Divine Wrath when the Arm of Sion is weakened and the Arm of Babylon is strengthened as it was now when Courage was found in Eglon and Cowardice in Israel through the cursed Guilt of their own corrupted Consciences The Second Remark is No sooner had Israel sinn'd away their God who was their Defence but the Moabites under Eglon their King bestir themselves to Tyrannize over them nor may this be wondered at because of the ancient Enmity Moab had against Israel For though Israel were not injurious to Moab in their Wandrings through the Wilderness Deut. 2.9 yet in the business of Balaam Numb 25.1 Moses made a dreadful Slaughter upon their Confederates Numb 31.7 8 c. and themselves were excluded even to the Tenth Generation from coming into the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23.2 4. for their Hiring of Balaam to Curse them All this must needs highly incense them against Israel and being Enemies to God and to the true Religion they watched all opportunities to ruine them and that they might effect it at this time they call into their Confederacy the Ammonites and Amalekites both of the like Malice against Israel and prevailing by this threefold Cord Eglon possesseth himself of Jericho ver 13. and so a King of Moab makes himself King of Israel and kept his Court even in the Land of Canaan in the City of Palm-Trees There is no doubt but Moab's old Malice did spur them to spoil Israel now brought into Subjection and now they lay load upon their Slaves and made their Lives as bitter to them as the Bondage of Egypt had done before N. B. Those Moabites were ever apt to dream of lying comfort to themselves as they did when they fancied Water
Head of his Mustered Army whom Oppression had made mad against Moab useth this Stratagem of seizing upon the Fords of Jordan that no Moabites in Canaan might escape home to Moab nor any Moabites could come to succour those he assaulted in Canaan then like a Politick Commander takes this Golden Opportunity of falling Pell-mell as we say upon these their oppressing Moabites in Canaan while they were in such a desperate Hurry about their Kings Death and Slays of them above Ten Thousand Men yea and the Scripture sets an Asteriscus a Star of Note upon those slaughtered Moabites that they were all Lusty Fat and Corpulent Men Eglon's People were Fat like himself and as it were stewed in their own Broth for those Lord-Danes had long for Eighteen Years eaten of the Fat and drunk of the Sweet while the poor Israelites their Slaves and Vassals were forced to feed upon hard Fare even in the Land of Promise The Third Consequent was Israel's Peace and Tranquility for 80 Years ver 30. that is reckoning from the Death of Othniel and so taking into the Account of this time the time of their Defection after Othniel's Death when they had no Judge over them and wherein through Divine Indulgence they enjoyed Peace and Prosperity in the time of their Apostacy together with the Eighteen Years wherein they were oppressed by the Moabites for 't is not unusual both in Scripture and in other Authors to denominate Times from the greater part as here it was especially when Israel enjoyed some degrees of rest even in their Times of Slavery which here they did God rarely dealing with them according to the Rigour of his Justice and the Demerit of their Sin The Sixth Remark on this Third Chapter is the Story of Shamgar the Third Judge ver 31. Israel after the Death of Ehud falls foul into their old Idolatry again for which before it was long they fall also under another Oppression by the Philistines as formerly by the Syrians and Moabites one fall begat another their sin of Apostacy begat their punishment under Tyranny God never wants Arrows to shoot at Sinners It might be said of the Pagan Jove Si quoties peccent Homines sua fulmina mittat Jupiter exiguo tempore inermis erit If Jove should throw his Thunderbolts every time that Men offend him his Magazine of Arms would in a little time be exhausted But this cannot be said of the true Jehovah who threatneth Israel I will heap up Mischiefs upon you and spend my Arrows on you Deut. 32.23 which yet can never be all spent up for so long as Man's sins abide God's Judgments abide also Man must leave sinning before God leave punishing The Syrians were the first Arrows God shot at Back-sliding Israel for the same sin were the Moabites and now for the like the Philistines and thus it hath been ever since God never wanted a Rod wherewith to Chastise his wanton Children and thus it will be to the end of the World so long as the Serpent's Seed is in it c. Yet this is Comfort God never suffers a Malady but in his own time he sends a Remedy as were Othniel and Ehud in the two former Maladies and so was Shamgar in this Objection Some indeed do doubt whether this Shamgar was one of the Judges of Israel because partly the Scripture speaks so little of him not shewing of what Tribe he was nor that he Judged Israel nor doth it relate any more of his Acts save only this one Exploit and that done by himself alone c. And partly because Shamgar is left out of the Catalogue of Israel 's Judges by sundry of the Fathers as by Clemens Alexandrinus by Isidore c. seeing he is not said to do any one Act of a Judge save only in this one Exploit which being single by his own Hands only might fall out while Ehud was Judge the Philistines making then an Incursion into Canaan c. Answer 1. Had not Shamgar been a Judge the Scritpure would not have said after Ehud was Shamgar ver 31. therefore this Exploit of Shamgar could not fall out in Ehud's time seeing 't is expresly declared to be after him 2. Josephus Origen and others Judge him to be one of the Judges 3. Though it be no where said that he Judged Israel no more is it said so of either Othniel or Ehud whom Shamgar is said to have succeeded 4. If he were not formally a Judex yet was he certainly a Vindex to Israel in revenging their Wrongs upon the Invading Philistines as Samson did afterwards when the Philistines ruled with Rigour over them 5. He is expresly call'd Israel's Saviour or Deliverer here which was the proper Work and Denomination of a Formal Judge 6. By this one Miraculous Deliverance of Israel he seem'd to merit the place of Chief Governour unto which the whole Body of the People might call him by a common and universal Consent Inquiry Why then is the Scripture so short in the Story of Shamgar as to include it in one Vese yet larger on others c. Answer 1. 'T is probable Shamgar's Judgship was very short lasting as some say only for a few Months and not a whole Year even in the last of the Eightieth Year of Ehud dying in the beginning of that Year so Shamgar being his Successor wrought this Deliverance before the Year expired 2. Other Learned Men are of Opinion that many more Victories might very probably be obtained by Shamgar's Valour though this only one be mentioned as being of all the rest most famous and renowned for the Scripture studies Brevity 3. I have consulted Josephus who saith after Ehud Shamgar the Son of Anath was chosen Governour and in the first Year of his Reign he lest this Life to partake the Fruition of another therefore his short Reign hath a short Story 4. This Renowned Act Recorded of him is Instar omnium carrying so great a Figure that it out shines as well as includes many more Memorable Archievements that one single Man should slay Six Hundred Philistines with so weak a Weapon as an Oxes Goad the corrupt Latin Version doth indeed say he did it with an Iron Plow-share judging the former an improbable Instrument for say some in Vindication of that Vulgar Version 't is not likely that Israel being not at this time sold into the Philistines hands should be unprovided of better Weapons seeing they bordered upon their Country who had an implacable Enmity against them But we Answer It is not safe to go from the literal sense of the words of the Text upon such weak and ungrounded Conjectures The Hebrew word Bemalmad Habbakar is rightly rendred an Oxe-Goad and should not be read an Iron Plow-share for the Hebrew is in Documento Bovis of Lamad to teach or learn now the Plow-share is no Document to the Oxe as the Goad is that teaches him to mend his pace when pricked with it nor ought the Oxe-Goad seem an
which is not Mortis Susceptivus capable of being put to Death yet it is said to be Mortified because by its being Devoted to God for the Service of his Sanctuary according to the common Notion of Church-Lands it as it were dyeth passing away from a Secular to a Sacred use In like manner saith he that the Death of Man there mentioned is not a Corporal but a Civil and Spiritual Death like that of Jephtah's Daughter who died to the World when devoted to Prayers and Fastings c. as a Recluse spending her perpetual Virginity in Religious Exercises Answer 3. That Law of putting to Death there is limited with Mikol Asher Lo de omnibus quae sunt sub suâ potestate which he hath a power over but the Jews had no power over the Lives of their very Servants insomuch that if any Master kill'd his Servant casually he was to be surely punish'd for it by the Law of God Exod. 21.20 Much less was it lawful for him to take away the Life of his Servant wilfully and intentionally upon pretence of any Vow as this was but least of all hath a Father power over his Child to take away his or her Life under pretence of a Vow for though Servants be said to be their Master's Money Exod. 21.21 Yet Children are not so to their Parents but are indeed themselves of a Second Edition and so in slaying them they do Tantamont slay themselves in them whereas both Masters and Fathers are bound up from Murdering either Servants or Sons c. by that great Command of God Thou shalt do no Murther whereof Jephtah is made a Breaker by those that say he Sacrific'd his Child Answer 4. Nor will that Law of God which impowereth Parents to get their Stubborn and Rebellious Children Stoned Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. afford any relief to the first Opinion no more than that Law which commands Parents to have their hands first in stoning their Idolatrous Children Deut. 13.8 9. N. B. For neither of those Instances come near or concern our Case in hand for Jephtah's Daughter was a Pious Virgin not so much for ought we know as tainted with Idolatry much less a down-right and known Idolatress and as she was one that durst not transgress the Commands of the first Table in Adoring Srtange Gods instead of the true Jehovah so was she no less careful and conscientious concerning the Duties of the Second Table here 's no Stubborness or Rebellion heard of here Oh how did she Honour her Father in her most Humble Answer to him saying Father do not for my sake make thy self a Transgressour to God I freely give my Consent to thy Vow I am willing to bear my Burthen and to live a Virgin all my Life as one cut off from the Comfort of Children my Will is wrap'd up in thy Will Oh my Father Her words ver 36. import all this as if she had been in Christ's School and had learnt his words Father not my Will but thy Will be done Matth. 26.39 A Dutiful Daughter indeed c. The Second Objection is Should this be granted that Jephtah only Devoted his Daughter to a perpetual Virginity it would too much symbolize with that Popish Doctrine of Votary-Nuns and those Monastick Vows of a Single Life for which we have neither Precept nor President in Scripture Answer 1. It may well be supposed that the fear of palliating that Popish Point about Nunneries hath been the principal Reason that hath prevailed with several Godly Learned Men to push them into those Sentiments that Jephtah's Vow ought rather to be understood of a Burnt-Offering than of Devoting his Daughter to the Service of God in a State of Virginity as this Second Opinion affirmeth N. B. But I think there is more ground of fearing that the first Opinion concerning Sacrificing her Jephtah's practice therein might be improv'd to a greater countenancing of Humane Sacrifices in that Day wherein many Instances were manifest of burning their Sons and Daughters to Moloch Whereas there was neither Precept nor President for any Monastick Separations at that time therefore this was not so dangerous to become a Pattern of any voluntary vowed Virginity in Monasteries as is practical in the Romish Church seeing this Virginity was not voluntarily vowed upon the Virgins part but it was violently imposed upon her by the Rash and Inconsiderate Vow of her own Father who lived in such corrupt times of Ignorance and Superstition that himself wanted not some Tincture thereof as will appear afterward when we come to enquire Whether Jephtah did well or ill both in making and paying his Vow And seeing his Daughter was so far from making any voluntary Vow of Virginity of her own accord though she obsequiously submitted to her Father's Disposing Authority over her yet doth she beg leave of her Father to lament her Destinated Life for two Months among the Mountains before she became a Recluse and to be confined to her place which is but a Sandy Foundation for such Monastick Lives as Popish Nuns lead N. B. But all Circumstances aforesaid being well considered this Example upon Record may rather serve as a Sea mark for shunning such Rocks from fear of Ship wrack than stand as a Pattern for following Ages 'T is safer to say This is Recorded by the Holy Ghost for our Caution and not for our Imitation Answer 2. Nor is it altogether Unscriptural for some Women to be so shut up as not to be given in Marriage ever after to pass by Tamar David's Daughter who was shut up in her Brother's House 2 Sam. 13.20 and David's Concubines who were shut up also we are not told how long David's Daughter remained in Absolom's House but we are told how long his Concubines were even to the Day of their Death 2 Sam. 20.3 N. B. Come we now to more Undefiled Instances as Anna the Prophetess Luk. 2.37 who was one of the few famous Witnesses of the Messiah's coming into the World and of whom Grotius saith that she was Affine huic Exemplum an Example near a-kin to this for she spent Fourscore and Eight Years of her Widowhood saving her Seven Years Marriage in frequent Fastings and Prayer in the Temple Night and Day she coming in at that instant when Simeon took up the Babe of Bethlehem into his Arms Simeoni Succinuit she Sang forth the Praises of that Beautiful Babe with Simeon also to make up a more Harmonious Consort ver 38. N. B. But still to step nearer the point in hand the Counsel of the great Apostle may be conferred herewith concerning Virgins which he confesseth cannot be Congruous to all but only to such as have the Gift of Continency and have so decreed reserving still a liberty of doing otherwise if need require which Popish Votaries do not and which Jephtah's Rash Vow indeed took away from his Daughter being not so careful as the Apostle was in not casting a Snare upon her that had decreed no
this must require three or four Months for his Hair to grow again to its former length and thickness after it was clip'd off or shaven by Delilah's Barber N. B. The Third Reason is Samson must have some such time wherein to be throughly humbled for his heinous sins to renew his Unfeigned Repentance in accepting the Punishment of his iniquity Levit. 26.41 and to reinstate himself into his Vow of Nazariteship which he had so brutishly broken as was allowed for Nazarites to do Numb 6.9 c. but above all wherein to be reconciled to God and to recover his Favour which he had notoriously forfeited Now this must require some considerable time to be done in for 't is God's ordinary Method that there shall be some proportion betwixt Man's Sinning and Man's Sorrowing as Manasseh had sinned greatly in Defying of God in destroying and murdering of Men and in Deifying and Worshipping of Devils therefore must he sorrow greatly 2 Chron. 33.12 So Samson had a long time in Sinning greatly accordingly he must have a long time in Suffering and Sorrowing greatly as no doubt but he did for the loss of his Eyes and not only for that but also for his being fettered with Fetters of Iron which he was now too weak to break and which reminded him how he had suffered himself to be bound with the Green Withes of Sensual Pleasure but above all for his working like an Horse in the Mill for three or four Months together under the Philistines Lashes all this made him a praying ver 28. and a believing Penitent Hebr. 11.32 and beloved of God again after all The Second Circumstance is The place where Samson Died which was in Dagon's Temple great preparations were undoubtedly made in this three or four Months time to Celebrate this Customary Annual Feast and that with more splendid Solemnity because both Princes and People were now to offer a great Sacrifice to Dagon their God and to Rejoice together in their Praises to the Idol for delivering up their great Enemy Samson into their hands ver 23.24 N. B. This Dagon is supposed to be Triton one of the Pagan Sea-Gods with Neptune whose upper part was like a Man and whose lower part was like a Fish whence there is mention made of Dagon's Hands but none of his Feet 1 Sam. 5.4 and yet the Idol was call'd Dagon of Dag which signifies a Fish in the Hebrew Language because the Philistines lived upon the Sea Coast and not far from Egypt where some of their Gods were Worshiped in the form of Fishes they likewise must have a Sea-Idol whom they now met together in a Prodigious Assembly to Adore for this singular Favour in the Temple which they had Consecrated for his Worship The Third Circumstance is The Manner how Samson Died wherein those Particulars may be observed As First Samson is sent for after they had Feasted themselves to the full to make them Merry ver 25. this was done both Actively by putting upon him some Ridiculous Attire and Actions that he might act like a Natural Fool for their Sport and Pastime and Passively by making him the Subject of their Scorn and Laughter pointing the Finger each one at him saying Behold the Blind Fool what fine Sport he maketh us All which he patiently endured wherein he was a Type of Christ whom his Enemies made the Subject of their Scorn and Malice Matth 26.67 68. and 27.29 David complains he was the Song of the Drunkards Psal 69.12 N. B. 'T is a Wonder how such a Generous Soul as Samson was could submit to be their Fool in the Play and did not rather destroy himself as Cleopatra did her self from the greatness of her Spirit disdaining to be derided when she was to be led in Triumph by the Romans c. N. B. But we may well suppose that Samson here did not altogether unwillingly commit some mistakes in his acting the part of a Fool because he was Blind but might willingly also act some Foolish Actions to make them as blind as himself that they might not either discover or suspect his intended design they set him between the Pillars where he might best be seen of all but surely God had his Holy Hand in it for a farther Mischief to the Philistines so it much promoted Samson's private Project of bringing as we say an Old House over their Heads while he lull'd them asleep by his Complaisant Diversions between the Pillars whereby he prepared a way to his own intended design for their Destruction Secondly Observe Samson being placed between the two Main Pillars whereon the Temple stood though there might be many other lesser Pillars beside by the Lords of the Philistines themselves He now desires the Boy that led him as a Blind Man to put him in such a posture that he might reach both the Pillars with his hands spread abroad ver 26. pretending only that he might lean upon them having many Causes of much weariness not only by his continual grinding in the Prison-Mill and by their violent haling him in all haste beyond his usual pace to come and become a Pastime to them but also by his standing there to make them Sport a Work his Noble Mind must soon be weary of N. B. Nor may we wonder either First That Samson knew those two Pillars did bear up this Temple for he might before this have seen it so with his Eyes or heard it by the Relation of others Or Secondly That such a Malapert piece as this Philistine Boy that led him should not saucily scorn his Motion while the Lords looked upon him but so willingly complys and gratifies his Request this surely was from God who has all Hearts in his Hands Thirdly Observe Samson being sensible there were about Three Thousand Philistines got together within this House to Worship their Idol and to make a Mock of himself ver 27. as he leaned on the Pillars so he leaned upon the Lord also Prov. 3.5 and not upon hiâ— Hair new grown therefore prays God to give him new strength once more c. ver 28. which doubtless was a Prayer of Faith and the fruit of his true Repentance wherein he doth not seek Revenge as a private Person but as a publick Judge upon God's Enemies now Worshipping Dagon and Worrying himself N. B. Then God that hears not sinners Joh. 9.31 heard him and gratified him in the Effect Fourthly Observe Samson bowed himself with all his Might pull'd down the two Pillars and the House withal whereby all in it both Lords and Losels perished together and himself with them ver 29.30 Slaying more at his Death than he had done in his Life wherein he was a Type of Christ also Hebr. 2.14 Nor may we look upon Samson here as a Self-Murderer because he acted herein by an extraordinary Instinct of God's Holy Spirit that moved him to pray thus and from his fervent Zeal to become a Sacrifice for publick good next to God's greater Glory
part and main cause of his Purchase Hence Observ 1. A Godly Wife is a good Purchase Boaz could not think he paid too dear for this Purchase seeing she was one that feared God and the price of such an one is far above Rubies Prov. 31.10 A good Wife was one of the first real and Royal Gifts bestowed upon Adam Though Ruth was a Moabitess of that cursed Stock that were excluded from the Church to the Tenth Generation Deut. 23.3 hence some do censure Boaz for Marrying Ruth but uniustly for she was a Proselyte and a Vertuous Woman and came to trust under the Wings of the God of Israel She was not as Solomon's Mistresses of Moab that stole away his heart from God Neh. 13.26 V. 11. The Lord make the Woman c. This is their Prayer for a Blessing on his Marriage Hence Observ 1. Though Marriage be not a Sacrament as the Romanists reckon it yet ought it to be Solemnized and Sanctified by Prayer as it is both an Holy Ordinance of God Prov. 2.17 and an Honourable Estate to Man Hebr. 13.4 That is come into thy House To possess it as a good not an evil Spirit Hence Observ 2. Marriage is either a Marr-Age or a Merry-Age The Heathen could say every Man at Marriage brings into his House a good or an evil Spirit so makes it an Heaven or an Hell thereby Like Rachel and Leah Beautiful as Rachel Fruitful as Leah Hence Observ 3. Beautifulness and Fruitfulness are two Marriage-Blessings which God gives to them that Marry in the Lord. Both those are the Gifts of God and ought to be pray'd for by Man and both these are Blessed Cements betwixt Married Couples Gen. 24.16.67 Rebeccah was very fair and Isaac loved her and Gen. 30.20 and Job 19.17 Children are strong Cements both with Jacob and with Job c. Query 1. Why is it not said like Sarah or Rebeccah Answer 1. Because those two Rachel and Leah left their Countries as Ruth did 2. They desired Off-spring as she did 3. From them sprang the Twelve Tribes only but the Edomites were from Sarah and Rebeccah 4. The Bethlemites were from Leah and Rachel Rachel's Sepulchre was in the Suburbs of the City Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 Query 2. Why is Rachel set first Answer Because dearer to Jacob and his first Thoughts Do worthily in Ephratah c. All this was become a Jewish Form of Prayer Observ 4. Every Man ought to do worthily in his place and station All Men should be serviceable to God and profitable to Man not Inutile pondus terrae as if Born only Fruges Consumere to no purpose or to bad purpose they are to bad purpose by whom no body is better but some body worse See Ezek. 18.18 V. 12. Like the House of Pharez Who was the Bethlemites Progenitor Gen. 38.29 of a Numerous and Honourable Family see v. 18. and the Blessing of this Peoples Prayers came upon the Head of Boaz and Ruth Hence Observe 'T is good to have a share in the Prayers of others God graciously heard the Prayers of this People for this Couple for they had Children Wealth and Honour of them descended many and Mighty Princes especially Messiah the Prince The two grand priviledges of a Child of God Are First To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives And Secondly Upon the Wings of Angels when he Dies V. 13. Boaz took Ruth This was done before solemn Witnesses Hence Observ 1. Clandestine Marriages are not warranted by the Word some Daughters are stolen away without Parents Consent Boaz took her to be his Wife not his Whore He went in unto her A modest Expression of the Marriage Duty Hence Observ 2. No corrupt Communication should proceed out of our Mouths Eph. 4.29 No Borborology no Obscene or filthy Speeches The Hebrew Tongue is called Holy some say because there is not one proper Name in it that signifies the Privities of either Sex or the Act of Copulation but it uses a modest Phrase or Periphrasis The Lord gave her Conception Hence Observ 3. The Key of the Womb as of Heaven of Hell and of the Heart hangs at God's Girdle She had been Married to a Young Man yet had no Child now she is Married to an Old Man yet hath a Child this was by the singular Blessing of God yea and a Son too which was more than a Daughter to uphold the Name and Family even to the Birth of Christ V. 14. And the Women said to Naomi Hence Observe Women's Meetings ought not to be spent in vain and frivolous Chat and idle Prattle much less in Ribaldry and Scurrility Here was an Holy way of Gossiping so Luke 1.58 the time was not wasted but spent in Praying and praising of God That his Name may be famous The Men had pray'd thus before now the Women pray for the same Hence Observ 2. 'T is an happy time when Men and Women do even apart pray for the same Blessing Esther 4.16 Zech. 12.12 Mercy would then come to God's Family and to our own V. 15. A Restorer of thy Life c. Hence Observe Children ought to be Restorers of Life to their Aged Parents and nourishers of their Old Age. Oh what a shame it is that so many Children bring down the Gray-hairs of Parents with Sorrow to the Grave Gen. 42.38 Many break the Hearts of their Parents few are Restorers and Comforters or Nourishers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stork-like so famous for Gratuity to their Dam c. V. 16. Naomi took the Child and laid it in her Bosome To wit next her Heart Hence Observe Love hath a descending Nature as the Beams of the Sun it descends better than ascends Naomi was but Mother-in-Law to its Mother yet behold her Affection to it 'T is oft found that Grand-mothers love their Grand-Children better than their own from the descending Nature of Love Hereupon she became Dry-Nurse to it Oh the Ocean of Love that descends from Parents to Children V. 17. The Women gave it a Name To wit those good Women v. 14. perswaded the Parents so to Name it either at the Birth or at the Circumcision as usual They call'd him Obed A Serviter so he was to Naomi whom he served with Comfort and Restoration and so he was to God a Serving Son Obed i. e. Obedient The Name Obed put him in Mind of his Obedience and Service to God and his Parents Mal. 3.17 as the Prince of Wales's Motto Ich Dien I serve to suppress his Pride c. V. 18. Though he was Mahlon's Legal Son yet was he Boaz's Natural Son the Catalogue of whose Generation is set down to shew that Shiloh came of Judah according to the Promise which Matthew transcribes Matth. 1.3 5. Pharez a Breaker a Type of Christ who broke the power of Death and Hell and the Partition-Wall then Zarah the Jew comes forth again Gen. 38.29 30. Boaz begot of Rahab Matt. 1.5 as Obed of Ruth c. The
had seen a Beam of God's Omnipotency yet return'd to their Idolatry c. The Seventh Remark is The Arks sad dismission from Bethshemesh after its glad Reception there v. 19 20 21. The cause why was The Curiosity both of Princes Priests and People in peeping into the Ark of God which was not to be done upon pain of death Numb 4.20 N. B. And no doubt but their presumption of prying into the Ark might be grounded from a Jealousie that the Philistines had taken something out of it or put something into it while it lay Captive Seven Months in their Hands and this opportunity might make them over-desirous to view the Tables of the Law of Moses which they never had seen nor ever were like to see after the Ark came into the Holy of Holies where they might not approach beside they thought they might presume the more because the Ark had been polluted by the hands of the Philistines who for any thing they knew were not punished for so doing and now it was exposed to publick View therefore having this occasion they might make the bolder with it But Oh! How dear did these Men pay for their presumptuous prying and peeping Fifty Thousand and Seventy lost their Lives for so doing N. B. No such Severity God shew'd to the Philistines because they knew not his Law as his Israelites did or might do If Vzzah do but touch the Ark he dies for it 2 Sam. 6.7 1 Chron. 13.10 but Philistines may hand it into a Cart and not die If Ananias c. commit Sacrilege Peter punishes him with Death Acts 5.5 but so he did not to Simon Magus Acts 8.20 God expects more from his People than from Aliens N. B. 'T was a marvelous good Providence that the Lords of the Philistines were gone had they seen this severity it would have harden'd their Hearts more Some Object here and say First That it is improbable such a vast number of Men should be found in so small a City as Bethshemesh was then the Living had not been so many as to Bury the Dead Hereupon Josephus saith with other Rabbins that only Seventy were slain c. which though it seem but a small number yet might be call'd a great Slaughter either from the smalness of the place or from the quality of the Persons those being their principal Men nor could so many as Fifty Thousand c. all peep into the Ark. Answer 1. To find fault with the Testimony of the Scripture of Truth is of dangerous Consequence giving advantage to the Anti-Scripturists that do too Atheistically deny its Authority c. Answer 2. All those peepers were not only the Bethshemites but also from all other adjacent parts therefore the Text saith God smote of the People not of the Citizens of that City for without all question a great Concourse from all parts of that Countrey could not but run and be there to behold the lost Ark restored to make up so great a number Answer 3. So many might take time to peep successively but suppose all did not so yet were slain they might deserve Death for other sins known to God though unknown to Men who may account those Innocent whom the Lord reckons heinously guilty God's Judgments ought not to be censured by us for though they be sometimes secret yet are they always just Objection 2. This seems too much severity for so small a sin as this was Answer 1. The City of Bethshemesh which signifies the House of the Sun was now under such an Eclipse and darkness as peevishly to think that God was over-strict laying the blame all upon God and none upon their sins v. 20. and therefore desire to dismiss the Ark as the cause of this Rigour David himself had something of this sin 2 Sam. 6.8 9. and the Gadarins much more Matth. 8.54 Answer 2. God always shews most severity in punishing his own People especially in matters that immediately concern'd his Worship and Men are not competent Judges because we understand not the unsearchable Reasons of his Judgments Who hath been God's Counsellor c Rom. 11.33 34. we ought not to search into God's Secrets which belong to him only Deut. 29.29 Hic oportet mirari non rimari we may better admire than express them and we ought not to reprehend what we cannot comprehend The Philosopher could say Nihil interesse pedes nò quisquam an Oculos in clienâ domo ponat 'T is as unmannerly a trick to pry into another Man's House with his Eyes as to press into it with his Feet How much more unlawful was this prying and peeping into the Secrets of God so expresly against God's Law Numb 4.15 18 19 20. Arcana Dei sunt Arca Dei The Secrets of God ought not to be searched into lest we smart for it as they did Eorum quae scire nec datur nec fas est docta est ignorantia saith Calvin As 't is a Learned Ignorance not to know what is unrevealed so 't is a sort of madness to pry into them N. B. The Bethshemites here take care to rid their hands of the Ark which they should have more reverently retained and therefore requests Kiriath Jearim a more Religious City to send for it v. 21. pretending it was too nigh the Philistines who might fetch it from them and the rather because it was in the way to Shilo c. but intending only their own safety 1 Sam. CHAP. VII CHapter the Seventh of the First of Samuel is a Relation of the Acts of Samuel under his double capacity both as he was a Prophet to Israel and as he was a Judge over them and these his Acts do relate both to a time of War and to a time of Peace Remarks upon the former are First The Introduction before the War the Ark was fetch'd up by the Men of Kiriath Jearim where it long abode v. 1 2. 'T is a wonder they durst fetch it at the Bethshemites request for fear of the like fate but this pious People well knew that the Calamity was not to be charged upon the Ark but upon their carelesness and Irreverent Curiosity which they resolved to avoid The perdition of their Neighbours was a Caution to them so they place it in the House of Abinadab in the Hill and consecrated Eleazar his Son to keep it from all kind of such prophane touches as had cost so dear N. B. This Abinadab was undoubtedly a good Man and Josephus the Jew calls him a Levite yet they Sanctified the Son for this Service because the younger and stronger for it and not the Father who probably was Superannuated or at least cumbred with the cares of a great Domestick Charge which might either divert him from or distract him in the Service of God Lavater saith that Ahitub the Priest then living at Shilo did Consecrate Eleazar not to be either Levite or Priest which he was not before for in Israel Men were not made such but
first Treachery if he should yet prevail they desperately endeavour to betray David into Saul's hands the second time to quit themselves of David's Revenge The Second Remark is The opportunity David gave them of this second Treachery was his returning again to the Hill of Hachilah where he had hid himself before Chap. 23.19 the occasion of David's returning to this same Hill again was because it lay nigh unto the Estate of Abigail whom he had lately Married the Emoluments whereof he and his Men stood in need enough of under their necessitous Circumstances and he might hope that both Saul was mollified and the Ziphites at least cautioned by their late disappointments or because he could retreat from thence most commodiously into other places if need required The Third Remark is The Lord suffers those Treacherous Ziphites to send for Saul the second time and Saul must come again with three Thousand chosen Souldiers to seek David again after his former meltings over him and pitch his Tents upon the very Hill of Hachilah ver 1 2 3. N. B. This the Lord ordered not only to allay and qualifie the transporting joy of David's new Marriage with Abigail but also to make a fool again of Saul as appears by the Sequel The Second Part of this Chapter is David's Antidote against this new danger The Remarks upon it are First Saul having desisted from pursuing David for some while because he had bound himself from such persecuting Practices upon David's sparing his life Chap. 24.26 27. The Ziphites though bound to favour David as one of their own Tribe Josh 15.55 yet fearing an after reckoning for their first Treachery as above stir up Saul to a second assault assuring him that now David was as the Hunted Hare return'd to his old form and now Saul might both catch him and kill him so rid both himself and them from all fears of his coming to the Crown at this Saul marches with his Men whereof as is suppos'd Jonathan David's dear Friend gave Intelligence N. B. The Ziphites had assured Saul he might have destroyed David before had not the Philistines so unhappily invaded the Land and delivered David at that time but now he need not fear any such diversion c. Now is David in more apparent danger than heretofore from Saul's besieging him again and now David acts his trust in God as a Remedy against the Treachery both of Saul against his former promise and of the Ziphites notwithstanding their former unsuccessfulness It was undoubtedly an eminent act of strong faith in David in the first place to adventure himself it may be disguised into Saul's Camp first singly as a Spye at some distance and after only with Abishai his Sisters Son Ahimelech the Hittite likely not daring to venture with him ver 4 5 6 7. even to the very Tent of Saul in the midst of the Camp Abner and his Army lying round about to guard his Royal Person This seems to be a very bold and daring attempt and no less than a tempting of God N. B. But it must be considered not only how such Heroick Acts have been done by that Pagan King Alexander the Great who once ventured to pass privately into the Camp of King Porus his Enemy to his great advantage for his ensuing Victory But also how Gideon did the like by Divine Direction for the confirmation of his Faith Judg. 7.11 accordingly no doubt but David did this by a special direction from God likewise N. B. Note well This Act of danger and difficulty was not an Act of Presumption but of a Divine Faith in David Reasons be First David had a general assurance that God would preserve him from all Perils for the Kingdom according to his Promise Secondly He might have a particular Revelation as a Prophet from God that he would cast Saul and his whole Army into a dead sleep for David's protection and security from danger and Thirdly God might give David a Special Promise of giving him a second opportunity to manifest his innocency towards Saul for the farther conviction of that Hypocrite concerning David's Righteous Cause The Second Remark is David's second Act of Faith in preserving the life of Saul against the urgent suggestions of Abishai ver 8 9 10 11 12. wherein Mark 1. Abishai finding Saul fast asleep asks leave of David to nail him to the ground at one blow without need of a second stroke This was the second time of his provoking David to destroy Saul Chap. 24.4 and here though he had received a repulse the first time and was restrained yet now Abishai argueth there is more Reason now to kill him for such and so implacable is Saul's malice that neither thy Clemency towards him nor his own Promises and Oaths to thee for thy safety can oblige him to any lasting reconciliation therefore saith he to David thou dost but tempt God to let slip such an opportunity as God by his miraculous Providence now offereth thee to provide for thy own and all our safety Mark 2. David's Answer Though I be the Lord 's Anointed in Reversion yet Saul is the Lord 's Anointed in Possession therefore I who am still a private Person and a Subject to Saul my Sovereign cannot kill him without sin though he be a Tyrant and rejected of God I can neither do it my self nor suffer to see it done by thee but I will wholly leave him to the Lord who set him up to pull him down for to him only vengeance belongeth Rom. 12.19 And herein David refers not only the matter of his revenge to the Lord but the manner of it also namely three manner of means as 1. The Lord may smite him as he did Nabal or 2. He shall dye according to the course of nature or 3. He shall descend into the Battle and perish which was that way of all the three that God was pleased to chuse and use both to bring Saul to his death and David to his Kingdom Mark 3 Though David spared Saul's Person yet took he away Saul's Spear and a Cruse of Water to become Pledges of David's sparing Saul's life when it was in the power of his hands and might have slain him with his own Spear The Third Remark is The Third Heroick Act of David's Faith in his daring defence of his own doings openly Proclaimed in despite of Saul of Abner and of all the Army ver 13 14 15 16. wherein Mark 1. David gets out of Saul's Camp at a due distance both for the Armies audience and for his own safety Behold here how good David transforms himself into all forms and shapes both of Speech and Spirit that he might do good unto this bad Man to work his weal even in both Worlds c. Mark 2. He calls aloud of Abner by name who was so fast asleep that though the Ear be first awake in the Morning as we use to say and a Man call'd upon by his name will start up
his desires to this Dame only in the general at the first saying bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee v. 8. N. B. This practice of Divination by the Dead or by their Ghosts was frequent among the Pagans and from them Saul learnt it when he would not learn better Lessons from Samuel The Witch was a Practitioner in the Art and can do it but dare not for fear of Saul's severity v. 9. saying wherefore layest thou a snare for my life to cause me to dye supposing him by his speech and garb to be some ordinary Israelite that might accuse her to Saul as one guilty of a Capital Crime N. B. Note well It were an happy thing if we could learn that Godly Lesson from this Wicked Woman namely to answer Satan with the same words wherewith she answered Saul saying oh thou Tempter to sin why layest thou a snare for my life c. We should cut Satan short in such a case as Christ did the Pharisees why tempt ye me ye Hypocrites Math. 22.18 We should imitate the Vertues of Devils c. The Sixth Remark is Saul's security he gives this Dame to bear her harmless for her Diabolical Divination v. 10. Saul sware to secure her from all punishment N. B. Note well Here we may stand and wonder how profoundly had this Hypocrite plunged himself into the deep Pit of Perdition He had pretendedly put down all Witches in the Land according to God's Law Exod. 22.18 Deut. 18.10 which Commands that all such should be put to death but here he swears by the Lord God who had given out that Command to Indemnifie her in despite of that great God and all the World N. B. That Saul sware here may not seem strange at all for it hath been observed before that he had been both a great swearer and as great a forswearer in the case of David again and again that he should now seek to Witches after he had suppressed them was shameful enough this was a returning with the dog to his vomit and makes the report of the Rabbins more probable who say Saul only supprest Witches because they foretold the fall of himself and his Family and the succession of David in the Kingdom However Saul adds this sin to all his former Swearing that he would not only build again what he had formerly destroyed so make himself a most grievous Praevaricator Gal. 2.18 but also makes a most wicked abuse of God's Holy Name desperately Swearing by the Lord that he would sin against him in using Witchcraft and that he would protect the Witch against God as well as Man N. B. This was Saul's topping sin whereby he ripened himself for his ruine and made himself miserable by his choice forsaking his own mercy and following Lying Vanities Jon 2.8 N. B. Note well From whence we may learn that an Hypocrite may hold fair for a while and go far but at long last he is detected that he may by all good Men be detested for his Hypocrisie Some Mens sins go before hand to Judgment and some Mens sins follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 as Saul's did The Seventh Remark is The Witches Promise and performance to Saul when he had thus secured her by his swearing her Indemnity before she knew him who he was that thus boldly would Indemnifie her v. 11. she asks him Whom shall I bring up to thee Here was her grant to his request offering her service to him Saul answers bring me up Samuel Saul had experienc'd much kindness and compassion towards him from Samuel while he was alive insomuch that God rebuked Samuel for mourning so long for him Chap 16.1 So now likewise Saul expected some Counsel and Comfort in his deep distress from Samuel when he was dead To gratifie Saul the Witch falls to her work of Witchcraft in some secret place and the Devil in Samuel's Mantle appeareth telling her it was Saul himself that came to consult her whereupon she made an outcry v. 12. for fear of her own life because Saul was now an eye witness of her Witchcraft tho' other Reasons be rendred of her sudden exclamation by Learned Men as Mark First This supposed Samuel surpriz'd her all on a sudden and made his appearance to her sooner than ordinary before she had done her Charming devotion and before she had mutter'd over all her Necromantick Verses which was the usual time of other Ghosts Apparitions when she had compleated her Conjuration Mark Secondly Some conjecture that this Ghost did make his appearance in a differing manner as well as at a differing time to other Ghosts which she used to Conjure up by her Magick Spells for whereas her Black Art commonly conjur'd Black Spectrums suitable in colour to the Art so denominated yet this supposed Samuel appeared wrap'd up in that Splendid and Majestick Mantle which he used to wear as Judge of Israel Mark Thirdly the Rabbins conjecture mentioned by Menochius is that the usual way of Ghosts appearing was either with their feet upward and the head downward or all along as they are wont to lie in the Grave but this Spectrum came bolt upright as if he had been a living Man However it was this is certain that the Witch was affrighted and it may well be supposed she was no Novice to be affrighted at any ordinary matter in her own Witchcraft it must be some extraordinary accident that made her cry out Mark fourthly But the most probable Reason why she did so was for fear of Saul as is above said whom now she knew by her Familiar that told her so because 1 she crys out thou art Saul and 2. Saul is concern'd to comfort her against her fears saying be not afraid v. 13. as if he had said I come not hither to betray thee but for satisfying my self c. The Eighth Remark is The Preparative to this Dialogue betwixt Saul and Satan in the similitude of Samuel 1st Saul asks her what sawest thou she answer'd 2dly I saw Gods ascending out of the Earth v. 13. Hebr. Elohim Raithi gnolam min haerets Some think that the Spectrum of Samuel appeared here attended with a Company of Evil Spirits because the Witch saith she saw Gods in the Plural Number those Devils being her Gods But the word Elohim is commonly used for one person in the Hebrew Language So Barah Elohim God Created Gen. 1.1 and a Ruler of the People is for honours sake call'd Elohim Gods Exod. 22.28 or this Witch might speak after the Pagan manner who had many Gods Judicious Junius judges those she calls Gods were some goodly Apparitions sent by Satan as his Apparitors and Fore runners But the whole coherence sheweth that those Elohim or Gods was but one Person for Saul desired but one v. 11. and both Saul enquires and the Witch answers only of one v. 14. so that the person she saw is meant one God-like an excellent person full of Splendor and Majesty exceeding not
of his most horrible Butchery of the Lord 's holy Priests Nor would they take any warning at Samuel's Sermon saying to them If you do wickedly still ye shall be consumed both you and your King chap. 12.25 Therefore they partaking with Saul in his Sins partake with him also in his punishments The Third Remark is the Death of Jonathan David's dear friend and of other two of Saul's Sons v. 2. 'T is a wonder Saul would thus hazard so many of his Sons in a Battle which he was foretold would prove fatal to Him and to his Sons To Morrow thou and thy Sons shall be with me chap. 28.19 But more especially that he ventered Jonathan who was Heir Apparent of the Crown and whom he might have left at home to manage publick matters there instead of Ishbosheth who was not present in the Battle But as Saul had not signified the fate of that Fight to any of his Sons lest it should have disanimated their Courage so the Divine Decree was unchangable for David's advantage That the other two of Saul's obscure Sons did Die in the Fight for their Father's sins no body doth admire and Saul must still be alive to see them slain before his Eyes for the aggravation of his misery for his hateful Hypocrisie But that good Jonathan should be slain with them Who can but commiserate his case Seeing he was a most Pious Noble Vertuous and Valorous Prince and undoubtedly very dear to God yet this peerless-Prince the glory of Martial Chievalry that Lumen Columen Patriae the Brightest Honour and Chiefest Pillar of his Country Dieth among the rest and had his share in the common Calamity N. B. Note well The Reasons rendred for it may be these The First is To shew the Truth of Solomon's saying There is one event to the Righteous and to the wicked c. Eccles 9.1 2. in this world As the Harvest-man cutteth down his Good Corn and the Weeds together but for a differing purpose the Weeds he casts away and burns them but the Corn he carries into his Barn Thus God makes the Righteous and the Wicked to differ and Men shall see the difference in a better World Mal. 3.8 The Second Reason God ordered Jonathan's Death here that David might be taught to depend upon God alone for his Crown and Kingdom and not upon Jonathan who had he lived out of a submission to God's declared will and out of his most endeared love to David would have speedily settled David upon his Father's Throne For he loved him as his own Soul chap. 18.1 and had promised To do for him whatever he desired Chap. 20.4 and had sworn it once and again v. 16 42. and chap. 23.18 yea and twice he had heard Saul's consent chap. 24.20 and 26.5 So that David might depend too much upon this Interest in his sworn Brother Jonathan for settling the Crown upon his Head after Saul's Death No saith God thou shalt have it solely from my self and not from Jonathan who shall Die that my Glory may not be darkened by the interposition not Jonathan's The Third Reason Jonathan Dies here to make way for a Accomplishment of Jacob's Patriarchal and Prophetical Benediction that the Scepter might be established in the Tribe of Judah until Shilo came Gen 49.10 that is till the comming of Christ Now had Jonathan succeeded Saul his Father then the Scepter had continued in the Tribe of Benjamin therefore he Dies and gives place to David who was of the Tribe of Judah The Fourth Reason God ordered good Jonathan's Death that he might be thereby freed from that shrew'd Temptation which unavoidably he had met with had he still lived after his Father's Fall For if after Saul's Death the Ten Tribes and Abner to Head them were so mad to set up Ishbosheth a weak and worthless Man in opposition to David for Saul's Successor 2. Sam. 2.8 9. How much more mad might this People have been to Espouse and Advance Jonathan's Title to the Crown who was a Man of such Transcendent Worth in himself and had meritted so much from all Israel in Fighting the Lord's Battels for them more especially in working that wonderful Deliverance for Israel only by Himself and his Armour-Bearer chap. 14.15 this endeared him to the People so as to Rescue him at that time v. 45. And had he now been alive they would undoubtedly have Promoted him to the Crown and their pressing him to Accept the Promotion must needs have been a strong Temptation to Jonathan notwithstanding his Love c. to David Then Vox Popull might seem Vox Dei The Voice of the People would seem the Voice of God c. No Humane strength had been able to resist it In the Fifth place Nor may it be said by any that God did deal over Austerely with Jonathan here because he was cut off amongst such Notorious Sinners which David deprecates from himself Psal 26.9 10. though this seem hard Measure to so good a Man and too much severity in God yet must it be considered that instead of rewarding his goodness with an Earthly Kingdom full of cares and troubles God gave him a present possession of an Heavenly Kingdom Eternal Glorious and filled with such unconceiveable Joys as admit not of the least mixture of Sorrow Thus God deny'd to Moses an Earthly Canaan but gave him Heaven of which Canaan was a Type and shadow Oh! happy Creditor who hath God his Debtor that pays in Gold of Glory when not in Silver of a lower Life The Fourth Remark is The Death of Saul himself v. 3 4 5 6. The Philistines followed hard upon Saul as their Capital Enemy and their Archers sorely wounded him yet God lets him Live to see his Army Routed his Friends Killed and his dear Sons Slaughtered before his Face this could not but be a very great Heart-grief to him who was already sore wounded and so hemmed in with the Enemy that he saw no way to escape And now after a most Wicked Life he is hurried head long to make choice of a most Desperate Death and desired his Armour-Bearer to dispatch him N. B. The Rabbins and other Expositors do unanimously affirm that this Man was Doeg whom Saul had employed in slaying the Lord's Priests and now would he employ the same Dogged fellow to slay himself saying Lest the Vncircumcised take me and put me to a more shameful and painful Death Thus he acted the part of an Hypocâ—â—â—e to his last in despising the Philistines for their Vncircumcision yet never bewailed his own Vncircumcised Heart in his being all his Life-time and now at his Death so desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 Gal. 5.6 and 6.15 When Doeg had deny'd him he desperately dispatcheth himself by falling upon his own Weapon even the same Javelin some say which he had twice cast at David and once at his dear Jonathan though he mist them both yet now he surely hits himself and thrust it into his own
the death of Saul and his dear Friend Jonathan together with Israel's Choicest Worthies and Men of their Chiefest Chivalry v. 17 19 20. to 27. wherein is Remarkable First David is the Author of this lamentable Epitaph because he had both a Poetick and a Prophetick gift and because he was most deeply concerned as Son-in-Law and Successor to Saul and as a great loser in the loss of his best beloved Jonathan who was the next subject of this sad Tragedy Secondly The Matter of this sad Sonnet is a mixture of Poetical Exclamations and Hyperbolical imprecations all composed in a concise Meetre which makes the meaning thereof the more cloudy being the extatick expressions of one overwhelmed with grief for the death of his dearest Friends Thirdly Beside these general Raptures David particularly bewails First The death of Saul commending him for the laudable Vertues which he had which made him amiable and obliging to his Subjects as for those foul affronts offer'd to himself and to Jonathan he candidly covers them as being only the efforts of his sudden passion by which his ordinary temper ought not to be measured and of his jealousie of a Corrival to the Crown for which he ought to be excused but not one word of any piety in Saul which he had not doth David mention N. B. Note well A fair Caution for flattering Preachers of Funeral Sermons 'T is too Pharisaical to beautifie the Tombs of the dead whose lives were bad Mat. 23 29. Secondly the death of Jonathan he more passionately deplores because frater quasi ferè alter he almost lost himself in the loss of him who had he lived would assuredly have given David a peaceable possession of the Kingdom after his Father's death according to the Covenant between them whereas by the death of Jonathan he look'd for long interruptions from it by Abner c. And he makes Rhetorical Flourishes upon Jonathan's Cordial Love to him as transcending the Love of Women Naturalists say of Females quicquid volunt valdè volunt their affections are more earnest than those of Males Yet Jonathan loved David more affectionately than ever did any Woman either her Child or her Husband Fourthly David did not so despond with dolour but being now King he Commands that the Men of Judah his own and now the Royal Tribe should learn the use of their Armour v. 18. because they bordered upon the Philistines upon whom they might retrieve their lost Honour and he instances in the Bow both in Honour of Jonathan who was so skilful at it ver 22. and that they might match the Philistines Archers who had beeen so mischievous to their Mighty ones This the General Chronicle amplifies Josh 10.13 mentions this Book of Jasher which signifies Recti the Book of Right or of the Law a Directory for Prince and People to right Duties on both sides The Jews take it for Genesis the story of Abraham Isaac and Jacob those three Righteous Men but then it should not be Jasher but Jasharim plural it is Rather the Blessing of Jacob Gen. 49.8 Judah's Hands shall be on the Neck of his Enemies so David of that Tribe was to be In this was inserted this Song the foot and burden whereof was How are the Mighty faln oft repeated v. 19.25 27. This Book taught the use of the Bow and Artillery but is now lost being no part of the Canonical Scripture c. 2 Samuel CHAP. II. THIS Chapter contains David's coming to the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of his State of Exaltation as before is recorded the whole History of David's State of Humiliation a perfect Type of Christ his Antitype who passed likewise out of the one into the other This Chapter consists of three Parts Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents First The Antecedents have these Remarks as First David's beginning at the right end and laying the foundation of his promised Kingdom in consulting with God according to God's own Ordinance Numb 27.21 and notwithstanding all his peerless persecutions he dare not now stir one step without Divine direction v. 1. having smarted so much for following his own Humane Policy and Prudence 1 Sam. 27.1 He asks God To what City of Judah shall I go God Answers To Hebron Ziklag was only Achish's Donative to David a remote place so not for his present purpose But God's gift to him was Hebron the Metropolis of Judah more antient than Zoan of Egypt Numb 13.22 a City of Refuge Josh 20.7 and more Renowned because the Patriarchs to whom Canaan was promised lay Buried there and thereby as it were held possession of it The Second Remark is Thither David went as God directed him into the very heart of his own Tribe whence he expected most Acceptance and Assistance and his two Wives with him ver 2. to share with him in his Prosperity as they had done in his Adversity N. B. Note well Wherein we have a Type of Christ and his Church which when It hath Suffered with him shall also Reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Luk. 22.28 29. Our Lord will remove his Spouse from the Land of her Banishment from the Ashes of her forlorn Ziklag to the Hebron of her Peace and Glory he hath taken order for it already Joh. 17.24 and is gone a little before to Prepare Mansions for her Joh. 14.2 3. yea and counteth not himself compleat Till he hath us all with him Ephes 1.23 Nor doth David Cashier those his Men that had Mutinied at Ziklag but brings them all along with him ver 3. and Billets them in the Country-Villages that he might not be burdensome to Hebron in Quartering too great a Company upon them Thus our Lord forgets and forgives our many Murmurings c. and leads us into the Land of Bliss The Third Remark is Not only the Men of Judah Universally v. 4. but also many Worthies out of several Tribes resorted to David 1 Chron. 12.1 2 3 22. who all joined together to Elect him King over Judah which Act might have been of pernicious consequence seeing the Right of Election belonged to all the Tribes had not the Oracle of God directed David hereunto and therefore it was no Sinful Schism Yet notwithstanding not only Ambitious Abner took advantage at this Act to raise a Rebellion against David among the other Tribes v. 8 9. but also it became an ill president and as it were a preparative to that fatal Schism in Rehoboam's Reign which could never be patch'd up again The Second Part is the Concomitants The Remarks of it are First The Elders of Judah with the Concurrence of the Worthies out of other Tribes Anoint David King over Judah v. 4. This was David's second Anointing to be King Samuel had Annoited him privately before which only gave Jus ad Rem not Jus in Re a Right Title to it but not an Actual Possession of it as this second Anointing did Now David was King both de Jure and de Facto David had
Angels on both Hands is modell'd only for our shallow Capacities so brings forth the Devil from the left hand of God's Throne who offers his Service ver 21. as Job 1.6 and 2.1 N. B. Here more ingenuity appears in this evil Spirit than in our modern Jesuites for he confesseth ingenuously that his equivocating Oracle was but a Lye in saying I will go and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets ver 22. N.B. Then God gave him not so much as a Command or Commission saith Lavater but rather a Permission only like those in John 13.27 Matth. 8.32 see Revel 20.3 Peter Martyr adds God is not the Cause of Sin but only hinders not the Tempter from rempting and gives not Grace to the tempted to withstand the Temptation so he assures Satan of Success ver 23. having justly given Ahab up to believe lyes c. 2 Thes 2.11 12. Remark the Third is how Micaiah's Oracle was entertain'd by Zedekiah and Ahab ver 24 26 27. and how it was defended by Micaiah himself against them both ver 25 28. wherein Mark 1. Zedekiah the Prince of Baal 's Prophets and in great Favour with Ahab more Impudent than the rest gives Micaiah a Cuff with the Fist because he had given him and his whole College of Prophets the Lye having no better Argument but Club-Law to answer his Assertion with and with the blow on the Face he expostulates saying Which way the Spirit of the Lord went from me to speak unto thee ver 24. as if he had Monopolized the whole Possession of God's Spirit to himself And seeing it could not be shewed how the Spirit passed from the one to the other therefore Micaiah had it not but Zedekiah had it all as he pretended ver 11. speaking in the name of the Lord. N. B. for a Prophet to strike a Prophet and that in the Face of two Kings whose places of Royalty obliged them to see the Peace better kept was an act of intolerable Insolency a Prophet may be a Reprover with his Tongue but he ought not to be a Striker with his Hand 1 Tim. 3.3 and had not Ahab's Malice against Micaiah marr'd the Justice of his Magistracy he would never have countenanced such a rude Presumption in his Presence 't is a wonder saith Peter Martyr how good Jehosaphat could be silent both at this gross abuse of Gods ' Prophet whom he had occasioned to be sent for and when Ahab also remanded him back to Prison Not a word hear we in behalf of Micaiah his Affinity with Ahab had diminished his Piety Objection Some suppose Zedâ—kiah might use two Arguments 1. That Elijah had foretold Ahab should die in Jezreel Chap. 21.19 Now Micaiah comes and foretels he must die in Ramoth Gilead therefore neither of those Prophets ought to be believ'd and 2. His hand wherewith he smote Micaiah did not dry up as Jeroboam's hand did Chap 13.4 therefore he was to be believed Answer This seems at first sight to be a greater blow to Micaiah's Credit than that Box he gave him upon his Face but the two Prophets are thus reconciled by Vatablus Lavater Lyra P. Martyr Piscator c. 1. It was done in the same general though not individual Place to wit in the Region of Samaria within which Jezreel was 2. Ahab's Chariot polluted with his Blood was washed in the Pool of Samaria as publick a Place as was that of Naboth's Execution but his Armour was carried to his Armory in Jezreel where the Dogs licked his Blood when it came there to be washed 3. The Pool of Samaria reached in a running Stream as far as Jezreel so that Ahab's Blood running out of his Chariot was carried down to Jezreel and there licked up by Dogs 4. That Prophecy of Elijah was more plainly and plenarily fulfilled in Joram Ahab's Son A Child is the Father's Blood John 1.13 Acts 17.26 2 Kings 9.25 26. and though at first this Judgment was denounced against Ahab himself yet upon his Humiliation it was transferred from him to his Son Chap. 21.24.29 5. Yet the same Judgment befel Ahab's Person ver 38. here for notwithstanding that translation of the Curse to his Posterity because Ahab again returned to his old Sins here therefore is the Curse brought back upon himself ver 38. 6. Ahab's Death wound was received in Ramoth-Gilead according to Micaiah's Prophecy ver 28. Elijah had declared the Cause not the Place of Ahab's Death say the Dutch Annotations 7. N. B. Though Zedekiah's smiting hand escaped that withering which seized upon Jeroboam's yet we must not measure the quality of Actions by the goodness of their success God is a free Agent in his miraculous Actings and oft preserves great Sinners from lesser Punishments whereby he only reserves them for greater Judgments as he did this Zedekiah here Mark 2. Micaiah all alone and not defended or so much as vindicated by good Jehosaphat doth not return blow for blow with his hand but lays about him with his Tongue and tells this proud False Prophet his Doom ver 25. That tho' now his Prophet-striking hand escaped God's stroke yet for all his present strutting proudly God would strike him shortly with such a dread as he shall not know in what lurking hole to hide his Head with safety And those Horns wherewith he now insulted would not secure him from danger This Zedekiah thus hid himself say Osiander Lavater c. when he heard the Battle was lost and feared that the proud Syrian Conqueror would break furiously into the City or rather from fear of Ahab's Friends saith P. Martyr Piscator c. who seeing Ahab slain and his Army routed would seek him out to the Slaughter as the chief Abettor and Author of this pernicious War and of Ahab's Destruction Mark 3. Though Ahab's Son afterwards could not but in Zeal revenge his Father's Death by taking off the Head of this chief Seducer Zedekiah yet at present he goes off with Honour but helpless Micaiah must still undergo most severe Censure revengeful Ahab commands that he be returned to Prison from whence he came ver 26. with that scurrilous Nick-name upon him This fellow v. 27. Though he was God's Prophet and one of God's Privy-Council Psal 25.14 yet must he be Imprison'd and fed with Bread and Water of Affliction only to keep him alive that this Prisoners Pittance might reserve him for a farther bloody Punishment upon Ahab's Return being too Cock-sure and Confident of Victory N. B. So Debauched were the Days of Ahab that it was alike difficult to find a wicked man in his Prisons or a godly man out of them As it is a wonder to hear Ahab thus swagger and triumph before the Victory which fell out quite contrary forgetting his own Advice to Benhadad Let not him that girds on his Harness boast c. Chap. 20.11 yet now promising himself Peace Power Victory and Revenge before he buckles on his Armour So on the other hand 't
King Princes and Priests amounteth to three thousand eight hundred Bullocks and thirty seven thousand and six hundred of the smaller Cattel N.B. Oh prodigious Oblation to the Lord for Judah to afford after it had been so harassed with so many contrary Commotions 'T is true Solomon abounded much more in his Oblations 1 Kings 8.63 but he was King over all Israel lived in a time of sublime Peace and prodigious Plenty he making Silver and Gold as common as Stones in the Streets c. 2 Chron. 1.15 N.B. Those Hypocrites Mic. 6.7 made an overture of great Cost so they might thereby purchase to themselves a Dispensation to live as they listed Remark the Fifth The Manner of this solemn Celebration Mark 1. The Paschal Lamb was rosted ver 13. according to the Ordinance Exod. 12.8 9. to signifie the tormenting Death of Christ who as it were was Rosted in the Fire of his Fathers fierce Wrath the rest were Sod and distributed to the People Mark 2. Those Priests served the People first and afterwards they prepared for themselves ver 14. out of the Peace-offerings for till Night they had been busied with the Burnt-offerings N.B. They were not like those Irregulares Gulares greedy Gullions 1 Sam. 2.15 16. that served themselves first Mark 3. The Singers kept their Stations according to the command of David and his prime Masters of Musick 1 Chron. 25.1 2 c. These Singers graced the Solemnity with their Spiritual Songs and the Porters stood at the Gates that none might depart during the Solemnity therefore Provision was prepared for them both ver 15. as for the Priests ver 14. Mark 4. So all the outward parts of God's Worship were performed by each Officer in his Place ver 16. every one doing what was appointed to be done by them as Josiah order'd ver 10 and they continued together to keep this Passover seven days ver 17. Remark the Sixth The unparallel'd Pattern of Josiah both in Person and Passover 1. No King like him in Personal Piety 2 Kings 23.25 he was a Matchless Man and a Peâ—rless Prince Tho' this same Character of a none-such be given to Hezekiah 2 Kings 18.5 Masius saith well there was none like Hezekiah in those Pious Actions which are described in that place but there was none like Josiah take him in all Respects Josiah excelled Hezekiah 1. in his Contrition and tenderness of Heart 2 Kings 22.19 2. in Purging Israel from Idols c. as well as Judah and that by a Personal Acting in both Countries c. as Sanctius observeth and beginning his Reformation when so very young c. 3. In his Humility being never puft up as Hezekiah was 2 Chron. 32.25 31. 4. In his Vnparallel'd Passover which is the second thing wherein none were ever like him 2 Kings 23.22 2 Chron. 35.18 no not from Samuel's time wherein Israel became a Kingdom under Saul no nor in the Days of David and Solomon 1. In such a Spiritual manner tho' they might have a greater concourse of People out of the Twelve Tribes and a vaster multitude of Sacrifices 2. Much less after the Kingdom came to be Divided and both of them most miserably Headed therefore must needs fall far short of this in the Solemnity of the Service 3. Grotius Junius Piscator do all observe That no King of Judah ever kept the Passover with such Pious Preparations of the People who came unprepared to Hezekiah 's Passover 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. and of the Priests and Levites and of himself also nor with such an Vniversal Removal of all Abominations nor with such a deep Devotion and with such a Solemn Renovation of the Covenant 4. There never had been such an Vniversal joy of all good Men as was now both because of their Remembrance of those most miserable Times past under Manasseh and Amon And also because of the good Hope they now had for the Establishment of their Kingdom and of the True Religion in it whereby the direful judgments denounced against them might be prevented this was great joy Remark the Seventh The Event and Effect of this Vnparallel'd Passover As 1. The King Josiah is Proclaimed even by an Herald from Heaven the Pen-man of this Scripture Inspired by the Holy Spirit to be a none-such from Samuel the World's Paragon c. 2 Kings 23.25 None ever clave to God with all his Heart Soul and Strength saith Grotius as he did 2. The People notwithstanding their Sincere King did but dissemble their Repentance from Idolatry for as Grotius observeth the Prophecies both of Jeremy and Zephany in those Times do evidently demonstrate this and Wolphius adds That not only all good Josiah's Sons were bad following rather Manasseh in his Wickedness than their own Father Josiah in his Holiness but also that a great part of this People did more approve of Manasseh's matchless Extravagancies 2 Kings 24.3 4. and thefore 't is said Manasseh's Sins must not be forgiven here ver 26. 3. The Third Effect was The Lord resolves to Remove Judah ver 27 which was now grown worse than Israel Jerem. 3.11 and was therefore worse because she should have been better warned by the Harms of Israel now in Captivity Judah sinned against greater Light and Love and therefore the Lord determines to teach them their breach of promise threatned Numb 14.34 The Second Part of both these Chapters 2 Kings 23. and 2 Chron. 35. is a Narrative of the deplorable Death of this good King Josiah wherein the Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents are Remarkable First the Antecedents Remarks thereon are 1. 'T is said 2 Chron. 35.20 After all this when Josiah had prepared the Temple c. that is After all his Piety demonstrated in celebrating the Passover and all his other Glorious Reformations when he and his People hoped that God was Reconcil'd and a firm foundation laid of future Felicity yet all this Zeal could not prevent God's judgments to be inflicted as for Manasseh's Sins 2 Kings 23.26 so also for the Sins of the People even in Josiah's time Jerem. 3.6 about 13 Years after all the aforesaid accomplish'd in the 18th Year of his Reign 2 Chron. 35.19 and he Reigned 31 Years 2 Chron. 34.1 in which last Year happened the fatal fall of this good King in the 39th of his Age the fall of which Flower even in the flower of his Age blasted all the Hopes of Felicity afore-mentioned N. B. So much are Men oft mistaken about the Design of God's Counsels and it shews that sometimes the Sins of a People in a Land fulâ—y prove too strong for the Prayers and Piety of their Pious Prince and of good People in it Ezek. 14.14 Remark the Second What was done in the space of those 13 Years betwixt the 18th Year of his Reign and Reformation and his Death in the 31st Year thereof is not Recorded in Scripture but as Dr. Lightfoot learnedly observeth in those latter Years of Josiah did Jeremy the
which some say his Vngrateful Country-men stoned him with Brick-bats N. B. This was all the Reward that this faithful Servant of God received for his One and forty Years pains taken amongst them Mark 9. As to this Remnant the Lord set his face against them for Evil in Egypt whither they could easily come Sed Revocare gradum c. hic labor hoc opus est they never return'd to their Country but all perished there save a Methe-Mispar a poor few a small Remnant which God reserved for Royal Use when Pharaoh Hophra that proud Prince was slain by Nebuchadnezzar as both Josephus and Jerome do affirm according to Jeremy's Prophecy Jer. 44.11 12 13 14 26 27 28 29 30. Josephus saith that Nebuchadnezzar came about five Years after he had taken Jerusalem against Egypt and overcame it and slew this their King not sparing these Jews who had so highly incensed him by the Death of Gedaliah his Deputy Governour in Juded and by their running down thereupon to this King of Egypt for Refuge Remark the Eighth Leaving this Remnant lodged in Egypt and gradually consumed under the weight of Jehovah's Oath Jer. 44.26 27 28. whose Word would be sure to stand against their stubborness and in God's time did Hit them when it might most hurt them and waste them away c. N. B. Now let us return to those Jews who were carry'd by force in to Captivity from Judea to Babylon with Zedekiah whereof an Account is given 2 Kings 25.11 2 Chron. 36.20 and Jer. 52.30 who in all were reckon'd to be but Four Thousand and six Hundred Now if it be well weighed how vastly Numerous those two Tribes had been in Numb 1. and 26. where they were numbred and afterwards under sundry Kings of Judah yet are now reduced to so small a number here which intimates what a dreadful matter it is to provoke the Lord by mocking and misusing his Messengers till there was no Remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 No doubt but multitudes perished by the Sword Famine and Pestilence N. B. 'T is true indeed the Reader must Ruminate and Remark there were Three Captivities of Judah Recorded in Scripture the first was in the latter end of the 7th and beginning of the 8th Year of Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 52.28 and 2 Kings 24.12 13 14 c. to the number of 18000 Captives in all at Jehoiakim's resigning himself and the City c. of which before The second was in the 18th of Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 52.29 This was the time when the City was broken up in the 11th Year of Zedekiah which is call'd the 19th of Nebuchadnezzar 2 Kings 25.8 the Old Year expiring and the New entring c. Again a third is mentioned in the Twenty-third Year of Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 52.30 which was about four Years after the former and suppos'd to be upon the provocation of Ishmael's so barbarously murdering Gedaliah his Lieutenant-Governour Upon which Nebuzaradan came up and carry'd away Captive seven Hundred forty five Persons as an addition to the eight Hundred and Thirty-two before N. B. The Captivity of King Manasseh going before all these makes up the number Four Captivities according to Sir Walter Rawleigh who makes that of Jehoiakim with whom Daniel was and that of Jeconiah with whom Ezekiel was to be two Distinct Captivities but because they were within some few Months each of other the latter Reigning but three Months after the former 2 Kings 24.8 2 Chron. 36.9 therefore if not one as some say there be Five Captivities upon Record lodging the Jews in Babylon Remarks upon the Seventy Years Captivity Remark the First The Lord by Jeremy had reveal'd the continuance of this Captivity to be for Seventy Years Jer. 25.9 12. and 26.6 7. and 29.10 that so long the Land should enjoy her Sabbaths 2 Chron. 36.21 being eased of that wicked weight of a Race of Rebels against God that brought upon it most heavy Curses and tyred it out with continual Tillage But where to commence this Computation and on what Year to six the Head of this Accompt there is no small Controversie Dr. Lightfoot counts them to begin the 4th of Jehoiakim See my Discovery of Antichrist p. 151 152 153. Others reckon them from the 11th Year of Zedekiah which made the promis'd and expected Jabile of Freedom to the Jews themselves the more uncertain seeing the precise point of Time or Epocha of its beginning was not clearly expressed by any Prophet Daniel only foots the Account in the beginning of Jehoiakim's Reign Dan. 1.1 Jer. 25.1 which was the first News we hear of Nebuchadnezzar and supposed to be the first Year of his Reign which he began with this Expedition against Jerusalem c. and the same Daniel understood from Jeremy's Prophecy when the 70 Years Captivity were expired Dan. 9.2 reckoning from the first of Nebuchadnezzar in the latter end of Jehoiakim's third and in the beginning of his fourth oft promiscuously express'd in Scripture he knew when it was about to expire N. B. So falls he on speaking the same in his Prayers which God had spoken in his Promises ver 3 c. and soon after performed with his Providences the effect of that former sweet Harmony in his Prayer with God's Promise Besides as there were sundry Captivities so there were sundry Returns c. Remark the Second This Captivity of the Jews in Babylon was as Bad as Israel's Bondage in Egypt for 't is not only said that the Jews were Servants or Salves to Nebuchadnezzar to Evil Merodach and to Belshazzar 2 Chron. 26.20 as had been foretold Jer. 27.6 7. until his end come by the Kingdom of Persia but 't is also expresly declared that the Jews were Slaves in Babylon as the Israelites made Brick in Egypt 1 Chron. 4.22 23. both which works were working in Morter as Exod. 1.14 yea the Jews Bondage in Babylon was much worse than that in Egypt in this respect insomuch as Israel's Souls were Free there while their Bodies were in Bondage for in Egypt they were not compelled to Worship Isis and Osiris those Egyptian Idols but there had their liberty to serve the True Jehovah whereas in Babylon the Jews were compelled to worship Idols Dan. 3.1 6 c. Remark the Third In the beginning of this 70 Years Captivity the Prophet Jeremy composeth the sad Ditty of his Lamentations wherein he most dolefully bewails the Misery of Jerusalem and of the Jews who were now carry'd Captives about 600 Miles from their own Country yet doth he it most Elegantly for all the Chapters in that Elegiack Book excepting the last are Alphabetical every Verse beginning in order with the Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet and the Third Chapter doing so three times over and all of it with singular Artifice in a Poetical Strain and Rapture take one passage for a taste Oi na lanu chi chattanu Lam. 5.16 which words run in a Rhiming Rhythmical Verse signifying Wo to us that we have Sinned and indeed
3.16 17. and Daniel fed upon his Faith as some read the Words Psalm 37.3 and made a good living out of it also for by the force of his Faith 't is said he so muzzled the Mouths of the Lions in the Den Heb. 11.33 that they had no Power to do Daniel the least damage so he lived by his Faith for he dyed not by them Mark 9. Such was the King's Care of Daniel and the Guilt of his own Conscience that he lay all Night as it were on a Bed of Thorns which suffer'd him not to sleep or rest ver 19. whereas sleep is a sweet Parenthesis intervening betwixt a Man's Toils Travels and Troubles attending each Day sufficient to the Day is the evil thereof Matth. 6.34 Man goes forth to his Work and to his Labour till the Evening Psalm 104.23 then God in Mercy to Man appointed the Night for Man's Rest and Refreshment but this poor desponding Darius though a mighty Monarch lay waking and watching all Night tossed to and fro 'twixt Hope and Fear and could not say with Lord Burleigh High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth when putting off his Gown going to sleep he used to say to it Lye thou there Lord Treasurer I bid adieu to all State Affairs for this Night whereas this Carking King was glad to get up very early in the Morning as the Hebrew Word bishpharphara signifies and hastens to the Den with Perturbation saith the Chaldee not fearing the disfavour of his Currish Courtiers saith Calvin for his Grief had swallowed up his fear He runs to he satisfied c. Mark 10. Darius at the Den cry'd out with a deplorable Voice ver 20. far differing from the Voice of Daniel ver 21. Darius in a loud Lamentation asks Daniel Is thy God able to deliver thee c. 't was a commendable Question of Care and Love in Darius to Daniel the tenderest Father could have done no more to his dearest Son and 't is the more laudable here insomuch as it came from a Mighty Monarch to a Captive-Jew and Prisoner at Mercy Junius saith that Darius here doth highly commend both Daniel and the God of Daniel though he doth it but darkly declaring him to be a Potent but not an Omnipotent God he speaks doubtfully Is he able us solent increduli saith Calvin according to the Custom of Unbelievers Daniel Answers with an undisturbed Voice ver 21 23. praying for the King's Prosperity though thus prosecuted under his Government Calvin observes Daniel might deservedly rather have curs'd the King and complain'd of his Perfidiousness and Cruelty to his Grand Councellour c. saying Oh unconstant King had not God been a better Master to his Servant than thou art to me I might have perish'd for thee c. but my God whom as thou sayst I serve continually hath sent his Angel who Grotius saith was one of the Watchers Dan. 4.17 and who either shut the Mouths of the Lions literally or took away their hunger from them or made Daniel appear terrible to them saith Tirinus because by Faith I trusted in him Heb. 11.33 chusing rather to be cast to those Lions than to carry about a Lion in my Bosom an inraged Conscience as thou Darius now dost He acknowledges God the Author says Calvin and the Angel but the Minister of his Deliverance N.B. The Rabbins Riddle here is A Lion comes and delivers a Lion from the Lions meaning the Lion of the Tribe of Judah comes and delivers from those Lions Daniel as stout as a Lion c. Mark 11. The Motives and Procatarctick Causes of Daniel's Deliverance which were two 1. His Innocency ver 23.2 His Faith ver 24. 1. He had a double Innocency one toward God not in respect of his Person saith Polanus which he utterly denies Dan. 9.7 18. but in respect of his Cause for which I am thus condemned and therefore God hath thus asserted his own Glory and my Innocency not from any Merit of mine but from his mere Mercy saith Calvin speaking only of his Temporal not of his Eternal Salvation The other is toward Man I am no Rebel against thy Royal Authority O King as my false Accusers do accuse me for Obedience to Kings must be only in God saith Calvin and we must first fear God and then Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 2. His Faith in God hath been spoke to before no doubt but he prayed hard as David did Psalm 22.21 the Prayer of Faith is of great force believing God knows how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Remark the Last Is the Event of all which is manifold Mark 1. Darius was exceeding Glad that Daniel was delivered ver 23. Shagee Teeb Hebr. Vehementer latatus having now got a blessed Allay to his distracted Mind and troubled Conscience ver 18. He was much cheared that so good a Subject was saved c. Mark 2. Darius thus delighted immediately commands that Daniel should be drawn out of the Den of those fierce and fell Lions which was done accordingly ver 23. not staying for those Lords whose Seals were upon the Stone ver 17. for this Miracle had rais'd up the King's Courage and Resolution to disregard them and to make amends without them in what he had done amiss by their unjust Instigation besides Darius's Decree against Daniel was already Executed the Law was satisfied yet Daniel was delivered Mark 3. Daniel was drawn up out of the Den probably with Cords as Jeremy had been out of the Dungeon Jer. 38.12 N.B. This was a lively Type of our Lord Christ's Resurrection upon whom that furious Lion Death that can devour all Mankind could have no Power Acts 2.24 Rom. 1.4 Death could not possibly hold God-man c. Mark 4. Darius then commanded Daniel's Accusers to be cast into the same Den ver 24. Nec lex est justior ulla quam necis Artifices arte perire suâ These Lords digg'd a Pit for Daniel and now justly fall into it themselves This just Law of Retaliation the Lord oft observeth Psalm 7.15 16. and 9.15 16. Prov. 26.27 Eccles 10.8 Judg. 1.7 c. The King commanded this to be done out of his absolute Power common to these Eastern Kings yet his Wrath here was justly incensed the Miracle was so marvelous and the Guilt of the Malefactors so manifest that without any further Process or Examination he denounces the Sentence of Condemnation and commands immediate Execution Mark 5. Their Wives and Children were cast in with them ver 24. Calvin accounts this an Act of over severe Cruelty and seems to resolve it upon the Arbitrary Dominion of those Eastern Monarohs who used many barbarous Exercises therein yet simply he would not have this Act condemned Bullinger evidences the Equity of it by the like Judgments of God as in the Destruction of the old World of Sodom and of Amalek none were spared The like we read of Achan Josh 7.24 25. of Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.32 and of Haman who was
Little Horn because 1. He was much less than Alexander call'd the Notable and Great Horn ver 5 8. 2. Little because the youngest of his Brethren having nothing of Grandeur at the first save only born a Prince but without a Kingdom till he came to be an Vsurper 3. Little because being of a low Fortune he was sent a Pledge and Hostage to Rome by his Father Antiochus Magnus whom the Romans had Cudgel'd into a Complyance about the best part of his Kingdom of Syria And Little 4. because after his Father's Death he made his escape from Rome and seized upon the Crown of Syria Deposing Demetrius his Nephew and the Right Heir after this he grew from Little to Great yea greater and greater by pretending to be Protector to his young Nephew Ptolomeus Philometor he got into his hands the Kingdom of Egypt from which Crown when the Romans forced him he returned with great Rage to pour forth his Revenge upon the poor Jews who were less able than the Romans to Resist him and in plain terms He play'd the Devil amongst them ver 10 11 12 c. N. B Wherein this Epiphanes Famous as his flatterers styl'd him but rather Epimanes Infamous a Vile Person as the Angel named him Dan. 11.21 Acted the part of a Mad-man in three cases First In casting down some of the Stars of Heaven to the ground ver 10. that is those Godly Priests and Princes of the Jews called Stars because they shone in their Sphere of God's Church Militant Worshipping the God of Heaven whose Names were writ in Heaven as so many Citizens thereof Secondly He did not only cast them down but he also trampl'd upon them and stamp'd them under his Feet ver 10. these he prophaned and cruelly Murther'd them Such Shining Stars as these Rev. 1.10 Persecutors spight in all Ages is specially against Zech. 13.7 Thirdly He magnify'd himself in an Hostile manner against the Messiah who was Lord of the Temple and the Captain of the Jews Sufferings and Salvation Heb. 2.10 in taking all his Worship out of his Temple yea and Christ too as it were he cast out of his place setting up in his room Jupiter Olympus an Image of the Devil v. 11 12. and burnt the Books of the Law 1 Macc. 1. 47 59. N. B. How long this loss of the Daily Sacrifice and those sad Desolations should last was likewise declared to Daniel by the Palmony Hamadabber or Excellent Numberer the Man or Messiah ver 13 14 15 16 c. The Term told him was for 2300 Days that is for six Years three Months and twenty Days Reckoning 365 Days to a Year and adding the two Days of the the two Leap-Years therein to it this was not full seven Years from the beginning of Antiochus's Prophaning the Priesthood and Temple unto his Death that the Jews did suffer under him much less was it Seventy Years as formerly they had suffer'd in Babylon which must needs be a Comfort to the Church of the Jews when Daniel declared it from Christ to them How this Phophecy was fulfill'd see 1 Maccab. 1.12 13 14. and 4.52 and 2 Maccab. 4.12 This Vile Person Acted Vilely from first to last and such an Hell-hound was hardly heard of Mark 3. Daniel in his 9th Chapter receiveth a Prediction of what should befall the Jews from the Time of their Deliverance from Captivity until the Death of Christ Chap. 9.24 25 26 27. namely Seventy Weeks or Seventy times seven Years or four Hundred and Ninety Years from Cyrus's Proclamation to the Death of Christ This Interspace the Angel divideth into three Vnequal Parts the first is Seven Sevens or Forty nine Years to the finishing of Jerusalem's Walls c. The second is the Sixty two Sevens or four Hundred Thirty four Years from that time till the last Seven the Events of which are mention'd ver 26. The third is the last Seven in the latter part saith Dr. Lightfoot Christ Preached 26. The third is the last Seven in the latter part saith Dr. Lightfoot Christ Preached to wit three Years and an half and then was Crucified c. So that from the Decree of Cyrus to the Death of the Messias 't was just 490 Years N.B. I have consulted various Authors about this Term of Time as Alsted's Encuclop pa. 2974. and Dr. Willet on Daniel pag. 284. where he saith Daniel having had a Revelation of Christ who is call'd the Stone cut out of the Mountain without the hands of any Humane Help Dan. 2. Chap. and of the Son of Man's coming in the Clouds Chap. 7. pag. 283. therefore was he the more Inquisitive about the Times of Christ c. as likewise Pemble pag. in folio 353. and many other Antient and Modern Authors N.B. Many great Wits have been exercised about this Noble Prophecy Cornelius A Lapide speaks of one Learned Gentleman who run out of his Wits after many Years study upon it I find the Doctors are much divided about the beginning and ending of these Seventy Weeks 't is most probable they began at the out-going of Cyrus's Decree Dan. 9.25 and ended at Christ's Death tho' some say at the Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans under Titus Vespatian but 't is better to Compute it as Above than to Dispute it without End N. B. However sure I am it may well be observed That the Jews after their Seventy Years Captivity have Seven Seventies of Years granted them wherein they enjoyed their own Countries shewing him how God's Mercies bear the same proportion to his punishing Judgments which Seven a complete Number beareth to an Vnit or One for their Seventy Years Bondage in Babylon was Recompenc'd by the Lord with Seven Seventies of Inlargement in their own Land beside that Mercy of Mercies here promised them even the Grace of the Messiah who in the last Seven Years of the Seventy confirmed the Convenant with many Elect Gentiles ver 27. N. B. But the Jews did so Degenerate and were so Infatuated into such a Sottish Superstition that they put to Death the Prince of Life Acts 3.15 and after that their Seditious Zealots as they call'd themselves committed such abominable Outrages as to sill the Temple with Dead Bodies of their own People as Josephus relateth then came the Time of Christ the King 's sending forth his Roman Armies Matth. 22.7 to Murder those that had Murder'd him and to burn their City and Temple and to put a period to all their Sacrifices and Services This is call'd Christ's Coming Mal. 3.1 2. John 21.22 Jam. 5.7 and therefore 't is said here Dan. 9.27 that Christ himself makes it Desolate for its overspreading Abominations now rendring this once Holy City not only the Slaughter-house of God's Saints but also of the World's Saviour for which foul Fact they are become the Scorn of the World and the Contempt of all Countries thereof N. B. 1. This Scripture doth so evidently demonstrate both the time of the Coming and
in the form of a Servant to come down to this sick Servant's Pallet N. B. Note well O what a mercy it is that the Lord himself should come down from Heaven to be amongst men on earth as he did when he came in the flesh and doth still come to us in the spirit and causing our spirits to leap levalto's within us as the Babe leaped then in his mothers Belly more like a suckling at the Breast as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 2.2 than an Embryo in the Womb. The Eighth Remark is The same Soul may be high in Faith and low in Humility so was this Centurion saying but speak the Word only c. Math. 8 8 9. T is much that he being no Jew nor conversant in the Prophet's writings should be so lofty in his believing as well as so lowly in his humblings through the cloud of his own weakness and unworthiness his eye of faith espyed the worth of Christ's Omnipotency calling him a Captain to command all Diseases for comming and going and saying I am a Man and under Authority yet can do these things how much more thou that art God and under no Authority canst do any thing thou art all-sufficient in thy self to effect what thou wilt N. B. Note well The Centurion makes a Comparison betwixt himself and his Saviour both in respect of his Person and of his Power as of the lesser with the greater saying as it were thus 1. As to my Person I am but a Man a meer Man but thou art God also very God 2. As to my Power tho' I be subject to another yet have I Souldiers under me at my beck and check how much more hast thou who hast a Soveragnity over all created Beings an absolute power over Sickness and Death and can heal this Palsey or Epilepsy as some say though it be sudden hidden and for the most part incurable by men The Ninth Remark is There is a marvellous beauty in Grace especially in great Grace as here in great Faith as well as great Humility This put Christ here to the marvel Mat. 8.10 as before he had been ravished with his Spouses single eye and with one single Chain of her Neck Cant. 4.9 how much more where he beholds a beautiful concatenation of all Gospel-Graces Hereat 't is said Christ marvelled and what can be so great a marvel as to hear that he marvelleth Who was it that wondred at this man's Grace no other but he that wrought all this Faith and Humility in him If any other hand had wrought this Grace in this Captain why should Christ who knew all things ab Aeterno Joh. 21.17 wonder at it Christ wondreth at his own work in this man as he had done before in Nathaniel John 1.47 and at his own love to Mankind when he calls himself wonderful c. Isa 9.6 He wondereth here not as it was a sign of any motion of a troubled mind in him as it is in us but as the grand Doctor of the Church teaching us hereby what we ought to wonder at Christ did not wonder at the Magnificence of the Temple as his Disciples did Mat. 24.1 nor was he at all ravished with the glittering glories of the World with its Beauty and Bravery represented as in a Land-skip by the Devil before his Eyes Mat. 4.8 9.10 as he was with the Spouses Grace and at this Centurion's Faith he much marvelled it being the Work of his own Almighty Power Eph. 1.19 and this his Power Christ never putteth forth but for mighty purposes The Tenth Remark is Christ extolleth as well as admireth his own Grace in this Gentile-Proselyte above all that he found in those that are call'd his own People The multitude wondred at his powerful Teaching Luke 4.22 yet are they not praised the Leper believed Christ's Power to Cure him Mat. 8.2 and was therefore healed but not Praised Martha could say I know If thou ask my Brothers Life it shall be granted John 11.22 yet was she rather reproved than praised ver 39 40. The same may be said of many other Instances in the New-Testament Behold the Lamb of God c. John 1.36 40. So was Peter by Andrew ver 41. and Philip by reading Moses c v. 45. They all believed yet not Praised because they were helped Indeed Nathaniel is praised v. 47. yet believed he not till he saw first a fiâ—â— of Christ's Deity v. 48 49. but this Centurion is praised and preferred above all not only because he believed without all helps and means to bring him into Faith but also because he made such an high profession of the power of Christ's word to heal at distance beyond any natural operation The Ruler of the Synagogue cry'd come quickly c. Mat. 9.18 but this man believed Christ's presence was not necessary his word tho' absent was enough therefore he and Cornelius Acts 10. be the Sundard bearers of Gentile Proselytes Christ extolling him not above Patriarchs and Prophets but above those now to be cast into Hell as is foretold Mat 8.11 12. Lastly Faith hath an happy hand for help from Heaven may have what it will as having the Key of God's treasury Christ saith to the Woman be it unto thee even as thou wilt Mat. 15.28 and to this man as thou believest so be it unto thee Mat. 8.13 Faith always speeds in one kind or in another never fails in having its desire either in Money or in Money-worth 't is said of Luther Iste vir potuit quod voluit might have any mercy that he desired The Second Miracle wherewith Christ confirm'd his Oracles was the Raising to Life the Dead Son of the Widow at Naim Luke 7.11 to 17. Wherein are these Remarks First As to the Time When. It was the very day after he had healed the Centurion's Servant v. 11. as Christ cured one Sick unto Death grievously tormented with a Palsey or Epilepsey which is the Falling-Sickness Mat. 8.6 Just a dying and falling into a state of Death upon the Day before so now the very next Day he raised this Young-Man who was altogether Dead To shew that he was according to the Centurion's Character of him the Great Centurion both of Sickness and of Death giving them both their Commands and Commissions both of coming to us and of going from us when this great Captain pleaseth c. The Second Remark is relating to the place where it wâ—â— done at Naim a City that lay forty eight Miles North from Jerusalem upon the edge of Samaria in the way as the Galileans pass'd to Jerusalem whither probably Christ was now going to the Pentecost Feast Naim Hebrew signifies Beautiful Fruitful Fair and Pleasant an Emblem of the World wherein the Children thereof live in all delights never dreaming of Death till it suddenly seize upon them and spoil all their Pleasures as it did in this Young-Man yet a Dead-Man in the Flower of his Age and in the midst
the Gaergasens above-said or the former is the name of the City standing upon that lake and the latter is the name of that Country Upon which be these Remarks The 1st Remark is Christ crossed the Country to and fro passing here through Reuben's Lot into the Lot of Manasseh then through Gad's Lot into that of Dan Mark 8.27 That He might not seem to omit his Visits to all the Tribes of Israel round about The 2d Remark is Christ's stay was but short here because he met with four Entertainment for no sooner was He landed upon the shore but presently the Pharisees and Sadducees came forth out of Magdala and assault him in a quarrelling sort with their Cavilling Interrogatories though they pretended to be his friends seeking only satisfaction yet intended to obstruct his doing any good in that place Mat. 16.1 and Mark 8.11 N. B. Note well So active are the Devils Instruments to hinder the Kingdom of God and the good of Souls Truth never wants Adversaries and oft hath a scratch'd face by them The 3d Remark is Such as are the Devil's Children however opposite one to another can well enough agree together to oppose Christ The Pharisees held the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body the Sadducees denied both yet these two can combine against Christ So the Jesuits and Priests the Monks and the Friars are at deadly difference among themselves yet these Dogs leave fighting together to conspire against the poor Hare the Protestants whom they jointly endeavour to devour The 4th Remark is 'T is a palpable Evidence of most stupid Hypocrisie as well as of Tempting God to require Signs that God never promised and new Helps of believing which he never prescribed when there be what is sufficient already Thus Rotten-hearted Pharisees c. would not believe the Messiah notwithstanding all his most convincing Miracles no they must have a new Miracle a Sign from Heaven for his many Miracles they despised as earthly such as Moses shewed in giving Manna from Heaven Exod. 16.13 15 29. John 6.30 32. And as Samuel in fetching Thunder and Rain in a clear Sky 1. Sam. 12.18 And as Joshuah in commanding the Sun to stand still in his sphere c. Josh 10.12 13. And as Isaiah in causing the Sun to run Retrograde ten Degrees or backward five hours Isa 38.7 8. And lastly as Elias in fetching Fire from Heaven twice 1. For consuming his own Sacrifice 1 Kings 18.38 And 2. For consuming his and the Lord's Adversaries 2 Kings 1.10 And again ver 12. Thus they desired he would shew them by all means Them as more worshipful Men than the multitude and therefore might merit more extraordinary Miracles such Signs as those were from Heaven then they pretended they would believe in him whereas they intended a Snare both to his Life and Honour for they with their Master Herod Luke 23.8 looked upon Christ as a common Conjurer who would shew to their Worships the best Trick in his Budget and if he will shew them such a Sign as these they would calumniate him for borrowing his Craft from Beelzebub c. But if he will not them must it be because he could not and that he was an Impostor and so deserved to die as a great and Grand Cheat. The 5th Remark is This gross Hypocrisie and Malicious stupidity Christ answers 1. With a profound sight it put upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 8.12 He breathed ou◠this sigh from the very bottom of the belly as if his Heart had been ready to burst if it had not this vent Christ was more sensible of their misery than they were of their own 2. And this sigh had opened the passage came forth this expostulation first calling them Adulterous Hypocrites as they were Apostates from the Faith and Piety of Abraham as Mat. 12.39 so here Mat. 16.4 a Bastardly Brood so tenacious of their own Traditions as rendred them incredulous of Christ's Doctrine and Miracles secondly He tells them their skill in natural things as being Weather-wise which was not their profession and their Ignorance in Spirituals which was their imploy as Students in the Scripture did detect their Hypocrisie seeing they had the means of Grace in Christ's Doctrine and Miracles sufficient Signs of the Time of Grace as those of the Sky were of fair or foul weather yet would not believe that the Messiah and the Kingdom of Grace was come Thirdly He saith No Sign but that of Jonas they should have granted them Intimating that Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection would declare him to be the Messiah in despight of their Malice Acts 2.24 Rom. 1.4 the mystery whereof was contained in the History of Jonah's Rising out of the Whales Belly after his three days lying as buried in it and that Christ's Victory over Death and over all his Enemies shall declare him to be the only Son of God c. They had signs from Heaven at Christ's Death Mat. 27.45 as if the Sun had been ashamed to behold their baseness to him so hid his Head in a Mantle of Black So the Cloven Tongues sent after his Ascension Acts 2.2 3. The 6th Remark is God-tempting Sophisters must not be too long Associated with but withdraw from and forsaken Christ saw these Black-moors would never wash white all his sweet words were in vain spent and spilt upon their obstinate obdurate Hearts therefore he soon leaves them Mat. 16.4 Mark 8.13 And entring into the Ship again he departed to the other side not so much as going into the Town of Magdala seeing in the very Haven among the Ships the Pharisees c. had thus churlishly Accosted him before he was housed N. B. Note well Thus seekers of Signs must be referr'd to Moses and the Prophets and Apostles Luke 16.31 Eph. 2.20 c. If not hear these be gone as Christ here CHAP. XXIV NOW Christ meeting with this Affront from the Pharisees upon his very Arrival to Shore upon the Coasts of Magdala immediately steps back into the Ship and crosses over to Bethsaida in whose Desart he had fed 5000 with five Loaves as above and therefore it may well be wondred at why his Disciples made such a strange misconstruction upon their Masters words Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees c. wherein they thought he blamed their neglect of bringing Bread Mat. 16.5 6 7 8 c. to 13. and Mark 8.14 to 22. which omission might be occasioned either by their quick return not going up into the Town or from their fervescency in following Christ the Bread of Life However the place they now arrived at might have corrected their mistakes had they call'd to mind their former Experiences they would not have understood literally what Christ delivered mystically to wit the Leaven of Pharisees Justification by Works and Sadducees against Resurrection c. both which they better understood when Christ had well chided them out of their mistake All
If any Man think to War against the Justice of God with ten Thousand supposed good Works Gods Justice will War against that Man with twenty Thousand really bad Works and overcome him Whoever dare come riding to Christ upon the Dromedary of good Works Christ will say to such I know ye not depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity Math. 7.23 and so be sent empty away 'T is best coming to Christ as Abigail to David saying Let thy Hand-maid be a Servant to wash the Feet of thy Servants this is more meet than to be made thy Queen 1 Sam. 25.41 or as Mephibosheth said to him Will my Lord look upon such a dead Dog as I am 2 Sam. 9.8 The Third Reason to prove the Insufficiency of Moral Righteousness for Mans Salvation is because as Mans first sinning lay beyond him and without him in Adam so Man's full satisfying of Gods Justice for his sinning lies beyond and without him in Christ The first Adam brought all Mankind into Captivity to sin to misery and to Death it self as he was the publick Person and Representative of the whole Race just as a Parliament Man represents his whole Country for which he acts in the grand Counsel of the Nation and so whatever he doth is looked upon as done by them all Thus also the Scripture speaketh as by one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin and so Death passed upon all Men because all have sinned to wit in Adam Rom. 5.12 Therefore no Man no not the most Refined Moral Man can become his own Redeemer out of this Captivity This is the Work appointed by God for the second Adam whom Jacob calls his Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 the Lord Jesus is the other publick Person who Represents likewise all that are chosen in him and delivers them from Wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 and this is the principal Scope of the Apostle's Arguing in his comparing those two publick Persons the two Adams together shewing at large how the whole Malady of Mankind came by the first Adam and the whole Remedy came by the Second Rom. 5.14 to the end And again the same Apostle argueth to the same purpose saying Since by man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all Dye even so in Christ all that are united to him and found in him Phil. 3.9 shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Thus it plainly appeareth by these and many more Scriptures too long to relate that our Blessed Mediator is the only Redeemer of Mankind and that it is impossible for the best of Men to redeem themselves c. Many more Arguments and Reasons might be added to Demonstrate this great Truth which I shall only name As Fourthly The great Doctrine of Repentance ought to be Preached unto all Men both to those that are merely Moral though attained to the highest Degree of Philosophical Morality such as sundry Pagans Cato Seneca Plato c. did shine within the Eyes of the World as well as to those who are notoriously defective in their Morals and are exceeding gross in their ways of Immorality Now these latter are easilyer convinced and reduced to Repentance than the former having no Reed of his own Righteousness to lean upon I have in my Ministry found it hard work to unbottom a mere Moralist c. And it may be added Fifthly That our Lord hath commanded every Man to pray Forgive us our Sins Luke 11.4 which are call'd our Debts unto Divine Justice Mat. 6.9 12. now seeing All men have sinned both Jew and Gentile Rom. 3.9 23 There is no man that sinneth not 1 Kin. 8.46 no not the most Moral man in the World If any say so they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them c. 1. John 1.8 9 10. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Prov. 20.9 some indeed as the Pharisee Luke 18.11 and the Young Man Mat. 19.20 may say so proudly but there is none that can-say so truly save the sinless Son of God John 8.46 which of you convinceth me of sin Pilate his Judge saith I find in him no fault at all John 18.38 he was like Man in all things sin only excepted Hebr. 4.15 1 Pet. 2.22 Where is boasting then Rom. 3.27 seeing all Men are sinners and have need of a Saviour to purchase a Pardon for their sins No Moral Righteousness can save fallen Mankind c. N. B. Note well This is an Observation worthy of all Acceptation that all the Holy Prophets of the Lord yea and the Holy Lord himself were slain by the Jews who made their boast of the Law Rom. 2.23 chiefly because they all unanimously taught that Mans Salvation must be looked for by the free grace of God in Christ and not by the Law of Works c. Thus having done with the Priest in the Parable the Second Physician of no value was the Levite Luke 10.32 where it is said he passed by this sad Object also what is meant by this Levite there be various glosses as well as upon the Priest here omitting all others I mention but that one which interprets this Priest to be Angels and this Levite to be Men and though both Angels and Men behold this Miserable Man dismounted stripped and wounded c. yet neither of the two hath either Will or Power to help him c. but the soundest Sense in my Sentiments is that of Formal Holiness which carries a Correspondency to the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law and which cannot save a Soul out of the State of Sin Enquiry the Frst what is this Formal Holiness signified by the Levite Answer 'T is an outward profession of Religion without the inward power thereof Such a formal professor this Levite seems to be who was more for the Cerenony than for the Substance of Religion Possibly he as well as the Priest might fear Legal Pollution for the Ceremonial Law forbad such to touch the Dead Levit. 11.8 Deut. 14.8 not only the Dead Carcase of unclean Creatures but also the Dead Body of a Man slain in the Field as he might suppose this Man to be Numb 19.16 but the Legal strictness and niceness of this Levite was an Iniquity for the Man was but half Dead therefore to shew Mercy in saving the Life of the Man was his Indispensable Duty by Gods Law Love thy Neighbour as thy self in doing all Offices of Love for him in Distress Isa 58 6 7. whereas he was one that David complaining of such Fail Friends as standing aloof and afar off in stead of helping c. Ps 38.11 Enquiry the Second How may this Formal Levite who hath only the Form and not the Power 2 Tim. 3.5 be discovered Answer By these few following Characters as 1 he is one that is more zealous for the Ceremony than for the Substance of Gods Law whereas Ceremonial Duties should always give place to
so save only the difference of that was Descending but this is Ascending every sanctified Soul is taken up through the Roof of that House where it departs from the Body in an Heavenly Charet drawn by the Holy Angels and carryed therein into a Mansion of glory as the Prophet Elijah as well as the Patriarch Enoch were extraordinarily Translated in Body as well as Soul But on the contrary the Rich Glutton was as greedily seized upon by the Devils who carryed him down into Hell as the Angels had most Honourably handed Lazarus into Heaven The Glutton while he was Alive seemed to be set at the Right Hand of Christ in all his Worldly Felicity but now when he was dead we find him placed at the left Hand of Christ among the stinking Goats according to the Phrase Matth. 25.33 34 41. Whereas Lazarus in his life had seemed to be set at Christs left Hand in his Leprosie and Poverty yet after his Death he is seated at Christs Right Hand among the Blessed Sheep c. This difference made a great Man cry Mallem Craesus esse vivens sed Socrates morlens I would have the Rich Mans Life but rather the poor Mans Death N. B. Note well The Glutton is now gone to his own place as is said of Judas Act. 1.25 and possibly with as much noise as Judas did whose Bowels did Bityst out ver 18. Because he had no Bowels of Compassion towards his Master his Belly broke in the midst with an huge crack as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth yea and possibly with as much Stench and Noise in the Air as was at Cardinal Wolleys Death and Burial However he is now in a place where he had punishment without pitty who had shewn no pitty Misery without Mercy who had shewn no Mercy Sorrow without Succour Crying without Compassion Mischief without Measure and Torments without End and past Imagination This Teacheth us that great Truth Sinfull pleasures in this Life are punished with painfull Torments in the next Life Say to the Wicked it shall be ill with them c. Isa 3.11 Such go away into Everlasting punishment c. Matth. 25.46 Gehennae Meminisse non sinit in Gehennam Incidere saith Chrysostom to remember what Hell is for Horrour and Terrour might be a good means to hinder Men from being Hurryed into Hell Would but the Wicked Man take a turn or two in Hell daily by a serious and seasonable Meditation this would forewarn him of wrath to come c. If he be not forewarned it had been better for him that he had never been born Mat. 26.24 Mar. 14.21 N. B. Note well Here follows the Dialogue between this Damned Glutton and Father Abraham in whose Bosom glorified Lazarus was lodged from ver 23. to the end of ver 31. First the occasion of this Dialogue was this Damned Soul seeing afar off Lazarus whom he had despised on Earth so highly Advanced in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hell which is so called ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Video as it is a place of darkness wherein nothing can be seen the fire thereof gives no light nor sight of Comfort yet is he said here in this dark Hell to lift up his Eyes which he had neglected to do unto God in Prayer while he was upon Earth and who could not now lift up himself out of this place of Torment yet can he out of this outer darkness as Hell is called Mat. 8.12 22.13 25 30. look upward to the light of Heaven for his greater Torment in beholding Lazarus Happy whom he would not look downward upon from his Pinacle of Earthly Prosperity in his Life-time and now feeling himself in endless Misery how-like was he to the blind Mole that never 't is said opens her Eyes untill she be dying Vtinam ubique de Gehennâ Dissereretur saith Chrysostom would to God Ministers would Preach of Hell every where that at least fear of punishment might drive Men from wickedness when love to Life and Salvation will not draw them to Holiness and the love of Christ constrains them not 2 Cor. 5.14 Thus far the Occasion now Secondly the Dialogue it self which consists of two General parts the 1. Is the Humble Petition of this Damned Soul which he in all simplicity presented unto Father Abraham sitting in a Mansion of glory with blessed Lazarâ—â— in his Bosom The 2. Is Father Abrahams Answer to his Petition entirely Negative rendring weighty Reasons why his Request must be Rejected both as to the cooling of his Tongue by sending Lazarus to Hell with a little water c. and as to the Converting his Brethren by sending Lazarus to them on Earth Take these few Remarks upon the whole The first in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Typical Exemplification is that the Souls have a distinct Existence and Subsistency differing from the Bodles of Mankind they dye not with the Body nor sleep after Death noâ— are they shut up in Subterraneal Caves but all Spirits or Souls at the Death of the body returns to God that gave them Eccles 12.7 from whence they receive their everlasting Doom of either Come ye Blessed or Depart ye Cursed c Remark the 2. As the Souls of the Godly do immediately pass after Death into a place of Bliss and Happiness in Heaven so the Souls of the wicked accordingly do then depart into a place of Torment and Misery The Scripture of Truth so called Dan. 10.21 doth not Note any middle place betwixt them save only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great Gulf fixed a place unpassable from the two Extreams Abraham knew no passage and Holy Peter knew as little thereof 2 Pet. 2.4 Nor Jude ver 6. Therefore Popery in its Doctrine of Purgatory is but a Fancy and Foppery 't is but the Popes new discovery of a mere Chimera or vain fiction c. Remark the 3. Damned Souls are void of the least degree of Ease and Relief the time will come when the proudest sinner may have need of the Meanest Saint to relieve them after Death whom they would not relieve in their Life but rather Reviled yea and famished them yet cannot shall not they receive any Relief from them but this shall be an Aggravation of their Torments to behold those Happy whom they had formerly despised and themselves Miserable Oh! How wellcom might Lazarus be now to him in Hell whom he starved to Death at his Gates Remark the 4th In Hell there will be peculiar Torments for every part of wicked Men as 1. Their wanton Eyes shall be tormented with a sight of ugly Shapes of Devils 2. Their delicate Ears with the Horrible Noise and Outcries of Damned Spirits 3. Their nice and curious Smell with the Poisonfull stink of Fire and Brimstone 4. Their dainty Tast with a most Ravenous and unbearable Hunger and Thirst c. yea and 5. All the Sensible parts shall feel the intolerable Torments of
B. Note well Christ will look on those that look for him and will meet those that endeavour to meet him Jam. 4.8 We all are low in our Spiritual Stature as he in Corporal therefore stand we need of all Gospel Institutions to advance us toward a better prospect of Christ and we are hindred with the press as he was from seeing Jesus ver 3. There is the press both of wicked Men without and of Worldly cares Carnal Cogitations within to hinder our beholding Christ and drawing nigh to him N. B. Note well Oh! That we could climb up the Cross of Christ as he did this Sycomore Tree this would help us to a fuller view of Christ c. And N. B. Note Well Oh! That we could hasten as his name signifies and his posture was not only in running faster than others to meet Jesus ver 4. But also in making hast and coming down at Christs call to entertain him v. 5 6. Heaven is a matter of greatest hast and ought not to be adjourned till to Morrow we should hasten to cast away our Pride and come down to Christ by Humility Oh! the Marvelous vouchsafement of Christ to Zacheus here 1. He Honours this Rich Publican with a Name because his Name was writ in Heaven Luke 10.20 Whereas the Rich Glutton Luke 16. Hath no Name vouchsafed him as poor yet pious Lazarus had there ver 19 20.2 When this Publican had not Confidence in himself to invite Christ then Christ prevented him and not only invites but even obtrudes himself as it were upon Zacheus whose mind Christ knew was willing enough to invite him had not the Sense of his Sins and the publick Odium of his being a Publican yea a Master of them hindered him N. B. Note well we read not that Christ went to any House uninvited save to this Modest Man's 3. Christ left his own House and his glory in Heaven John 17.5 yet is willing not only to come to but also to take up his Abode in this Publicans House Luke 19.5 This also he vouchsafes to do in our Hearts John 14.23 N. B. Note well Assuredly that House had need to be clean swept and well garnished wherein the King of glory Psal 24.7 9. whom neither Heaven nor Earth can contain 1 Kin. 8.27 c. Comes as a guest No wonder then if this Penitent Publican received him with joy ver 5. Though the Malignant Pharisees murmured at this Publicans Priviledge as the Jews did when Christ left their House Desolate Matth. 23.38 And pressed himself into the House of the Gentiles whereof this Publicans was a Type They call Zacheus a sinner who was now none but a Justified Penitent willing to make a four fold Restitution for all his frauds c. ver 8. Standing undaunted at ther Murmuring whereby they would have hurt the green thing in him Exod. 10.15 But Christ will not let those Locusts do so Revel 9.4 And they also Calumniate Christ but he vindicates himself ver 10. Shewing how lost Publicans may be Abrahams Children found by Faith Now when Christ had spoke that he came to save Abrahams Seed the Apostles thence Conjectured that he would at this Journey to Jerusalem begin his Glorious Temporal Kingdom Luke 19.11 as was promised Isa 9.7 And knowing that Daniels seventy weeks were now Elapsed hereupon Christ to undeceive them Preaches the Parable of the pounds Luke 19. ver 12 to 29. Wherein he declareth that a Kingdom was indeed due to him not over the Jews only but over the Gentiles also as all the Prophets Prophesied concerning the Messiah but before the full Accomplishment of this he tells them tacitely of his own Sufferings and of the Jews Contumacy against his Kingdom in this Parable The Scope whereof is 1. That Christ is this Noble-Man that must take his Journey out of this lower World to receive his Kingdom in a better World with a Resolve in due time to Return and Reign gloriously c. 2. The Administration of his Spiritual Kingdom is in his Absence committed to Believers especially to Pastors who are all to Trade with their Talents and to Occupy and Improve their Gifts untill he come ver 13.3 The Pounds and Talents they are betrusted to Trade withal are the gifts God gives them whereby to promote Gods glory and the Churches good and though that Parable Matth. 25.15 Holds out how God giveth not the like Measure of gifts unto all but to every one according to their Capacity c. Yet here is an equal Portion one pound to each of the Ten is given to wit so much Knowledge Faith c. as are necessary to Salvation are equally given to all Christians 4. The Citizens that will not have this King to Reign over them are both Jews and Gentiles that Act Rebelliosly against him Psal 2.1 2 c. The Jews Conspire to kill Christ by a gentile power even that of the Romans instead of sending a Lamb to him Isa 16.1 They sent the Message of Rebels ver 14.5 Then this Great King Returns and Reckons with his Servants c. Christ Traveled at his personal Ascension from which time his Servants Tradeth untill his Return at the General Resurrection 6. Some Servants are found Faithful in their Reckoning saying not my pains but thy pound Lord hath gained ten pounds c. ver 16 18. Attributing the glory of the Gain not to the free will of Man but to the free grace of God as 1 Cor. 15.10 Yet some are found unfaithfull making false and frivolous excuses for their Reckoning and the Lord himself must bear the blame of their unfaithfullness ver 20 21. Matth. 25.24 25. Fretting against the Lord when his own foolishness had perverted his way Prov. 19.3 as fallen Adam did Gen. 3.12 saying in effect Had not God given me a Woman I had not Transgressed against him 7. The Judge passeth Sentence upon the good Servants who are both Highly Commended and Richly Rewarded ver 17 19. and upon the bad notwithstanding his plausible Apology that he had done his Lord no wrong in returning his own again and Translating the Servants fault upon the Masters Austerity ver 21. His Crime is retorted upon himself ver 22 23. And he is Judged out of his own Mouth his common grace was taken from him for he certainly wanted the Oyl of Special Grace seeing his Lips like Doors upon rusty Hinges move not without Murmuring and Male-contendedness and was doomed according to the proverbial Sentence by the Lords Liberality ver 24 25 26. Lastly The Lord having Reckoned with his Servants and Rewarded them according to their Works doth then Revenge himself upon the Rebels ver 27. And when Christ had ended this Parable he went before his Company as the Captain of Salvation towards Jerusalem as Daring to meet Death in the face out of his Matchless Magnanimity ver 28. And thus he is come from beyond Jordan to Jericho Zacheus's City and from thence to Bethany Luke
Enquiry the First how shall the Servants have Rewards Rendred to them Answer This Lord-Judge will then Render to every Man according to his Works Rom. 2.6 to Well-doers Eternal Life ver 7 10. But to Evil-doers Eternal Death ver 8 9. And this Judgment of Christ shall be according to Truth ver 2. For the Right understanding of this Scripture take these three Cautions Caution the 1. This must not be meant of Children who dye while young and live not to work good or evil c. Some of which are Saved by the Eternal purpose of Electing-love and by the Grace of the Covenant of Grace which saith I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Gen. 17.7 Deut. 30.6 Isa 61.9 65.23 Rom. 4.16 9.8 c. Whereas other Children are out of the unaccountable Wisdom of God passed by and left of God as Children of Wrath in the fallen Nature c. Oh! The Depth c. Rom. 11.33 34 35. That the Election obtains and the rest do not ver 2.5 7 8. The 2. Caution is This Rewarding every one according to their Works must not be meant of such as are called at the Eleventh Hour of the Day Matth. 20.6 9. as was the Penitent Thief Luke 23. ver 40 41 42 43. He had lived wickedly all his Life yet now at the point of Death he was Converted by hearing Christs pretious Prayers and by seeing his profound patience c. Then he brake out into that brave Confession worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold his Real Repentance Received from his Gracious Redeemer a full Remission of all his former sins Ingressa pietas priorem Impietatem Depulit saith the Father his now begun Piety drove away all his former Impiety that little time he lived after his Conversion he spent it in expressing his Faith by his Works and so he is said to live very much in a very little space had he lived longer he would have done no less but have lived better c. his Penitent Prayer which he made upon his Cross was as Jacobs Ladder whereon Angels Descended to fetch up his Soul into Paradise his Judge Jesus Judged him by the State he Dyed in and not by the State he had formerly lived in c. The 3. Caution is That Expression Rom. 2.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juxta non propter according and not for their Deeds and so 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To give every Man according as his Work shall be Revel 22.12 Both which Scriptures do signifie the Quality Quantity or Measure rather than the Merit of Works which is but a Popish Delusion upon these Accounts in short 1. There is no proportion betwixt Mans Work and Gods Wages 2. What we Merit by must be our own but our good Works are from God Isa 26.12 Not from our selves so cannot Merit at Gods Hands 3. Our good works are but a due Debt to our Maker so cannot Merit any thing 4. when we have done our best works we are still but unprofitable Servants Luke 17.10.5 Good works are the Via non causa Regnandi saith Bernard they are the way in Christ John 14.6 to walk in unto glory not the procuring cause of Glory c. The 2. Enquiry is How will the Lord Reckon with and Reward the Godly Answer This is certain that the Saints shall Rise first 1 Thess 4.16 when Christ appears the Saints shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 and shall Reckon with their Lord as they are the Blessed Sheep Set upon the Right Hand of Christ Mat. 25.33 34 c. From whence some Divines do say that the Sins of the Saints it a Velantur per Grattam Domini ut non Revelentur in Judicio are so valled by the grace of Christs Righteousness as not to be Revealed in the Day of Judgment and their Reasons be these 1. That Exemplification of the Judgment Day 's process Mat. 25.35 36. The Judge mentions only their good Deeds not as a cause but only as an Evidence of their Acceptance c. which they in all Humility seem ignorant of in Admiting Christs Candour and Kindness to them c. ver 37 38 39 but there is not one word mentioned of any Evil Deeds c. 2. Our Lord expresly saith that Believers have Eternal Life and shall not come into Condemnation John 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into Judgment as the word signifies not as the Rabbi's fondly fancy saying there be four sorts that shall not come into Judgment 1. He that is extream poor 2. He that hath a wicked Wife 3. He that is so deep in Debt as cannot possibly Extricate himself and 4 He that is Tormented with the Torture of the Collick as if all those had Hell here in this Life c. These Jewish Fables are Recorded by De Dieu c. but the true Sense is that Believers shall not come into that Judgment which endeth in Condemnation for 't is said There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ c. Rom. 8.1 where the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 3. That Maxim in Divinity is alledged peecata non Redeunt Justificatis Sins return not to the Justified for that Blessed Scapegoat the Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 carries away upon his Head all the sins of his Redeemed into the Land of Forgetfullness as some Sense it Levit. 16.21 Christ so blotteth out the black lines of their many sins with the red lines of his Meritorious Blood that even the thickest Clouds of their Iniquities shall be remembred no more Isa 23.25 and 24.22 and Hebr. 10 16 17. Moreover it is alledged 4. What Hezekiah affirmeth to Gods glory thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back Isa 38.17 So as they shall never appear before thy face any more 5. David's Assertion is urged God hath Removed our Sins so far from us as far as the East is from the West Ps 103.13 which two contrary quarters can never meet together again 6. The Prophet pleads Gods promise thou wilt cast all our Sins into the Depth of the Sea Mic. 7.18 19. That is so as they may never be Buoyed up again out of thy bottomless Bowels c. 7. 'T is said likewise that the Lord is too gracious to shame his Saints by laying open their sins in the sight of a wicked World God himself saith thou shalt not bear a grudge against the Children of thy People Levit. 19.18 't is the glory of Man to pass by Infirmities Prov. 19.11 How much more is it the glory of a gracious God to do so c. If Mans love can cover all sins Prov. 10.12 much more can Gods love c. God multiplies Pardons Isa 55.7 even above 77. times Matth 18.22 And upon Real Repentance our Sins are all so fully remitted by him as if they had never been committed
or for him 2. He knew himself among Fools so according to Solomons Sentence would not speak in their Ears for they would despise the Wisdom of his words Prov. 23.9 3. He saw that his Desperate Enemies about him were resolved to have his blood and therefore held it more glorious to choak their Malice with silence and to set them down by saying nothing But above all 4. Though he could have non-plus'd them as he did the Doctors at twelve years Old and oft after by his Answers yet now standing in our stead is content to be Condemned for our faults tho' faultless in himself this being the time not of Defence but of Silence and Suffering that Gods grace might be accomplished he as a Sheep before the Shearer opened not his Mouth Isa 53.7 To teach us Wisdom and Patience c. Psal 38.13 14. Not Answer all Accusations c. Now when Caiphas could have no Answer from Christ either to the false Witnesses or to himself he then Extorts one by Adjuring him and such an one as might seem plausible and effectual for Condemning him saying I Adjure thee by the living God c. Matth 26.63 Caiphas's catching question was Twofold 1. Art thou the Christ or the Messiah 2. Art thou the Son of God If thou be silent or tell not the truth then God by whom thou art Adjured will punish thee or however the Magistrate shall Condemn thee for thy contempt of Authority Thus this abominable Hypocrite dare pollute and prophane that Tremendous Name of God so called Deut. 28.58 Calling it in as the Author or at least the Abettor of his Notorious Plots and Practises yea one would think as this story is Related Mar. 14.61 That Caiphas was some Conscientious Person Asking art thou the Baruch Hu or the Blessed one or his Son using this Periphrasis as if he had been afraid once to Name God Yet presently after Adiures our Lord by the living God to tell him who he was whereas the Devil himself could have told him Mar. 1.24 3.11 an Answer to both his questions but he asked this not out of any desire to know the truth but to insnare him by his words for if he denyed it then had he been a Deceiver of the People that believed him to be so and if he made a free and bold Confession as he plainly did Mar. 14.62 of the Truth then they resolved to Condemn him as a Blasphemer as they presumptuously did ver 64. for making himself the Son of God at which this wicked wretch rent his Clothes which an High Priest ought not by the Law to have done upon any Reason Levit. 10.6 21.10 as if his very Heart had been rent with Grief at so sad an Hearing of such a Sacred Truth Though Christ told the Council he was now in his State of Abasement the Son of God was hid in the Carpenters Son whom they Arraign and would shortly Crucifie but they shall see him in a State of Advancement coming in the Clouds of Heaven as in a Chariot of State and then would he Judge those that were now his Judges Besides this he had given all Men the most undeniable Demonstrations of his Deity in his many Miracles the like whereof were never wrought by any mere Mortal Man c. John 9.32 c. This brings in the third part of Christs Sufferings from wicked Men to wit his Condemnation which was first done in this Ecclesiastical Court upon the Ingenuous Confession of our Lord before his Implacable Enemies when the glory of God was deeply concerned that he might leave them without all Excuses teaching us not to deny him before Men when Gods Glory lies at Stake c. And likewise to comfort us against our Sufferings for as Christ comforted himself now with his Future Glory so we if we suffer with him shall also Reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Matth. 19.28 The Sentence of Condemnation was first Denounced against Christ in the Spiritual Court by Caiphas who openly declared his good Confession so called 1 Tim. 6.13 to be Blasphemy and then demands the Concurrence of the whole Council who like a company of Servile Souls durst do no other but concur with Caiphas Unanimously crying He is Guilty of Death and under the pretence of that Law Levit. 24.16 He was Condemned by them all Matth. 26.65 66. and Mar. 14.64 N.B. Note well This may comfortably assure us that the Second Adam who was very God yet Cendemned for saying so hath freed us from that Crime of Blasphemy we stand guilty of for the first Adams affecting a Deity and to be as God Gen. 3.5 For though Christ was most free of Blasphemy and of all other sins yet because we in whose stead Christ now stood are guilty thereof and of all sorts of sin therefore was it the Determinate Counsel of God that our Surety should have this Sentence of Condemnation passed upon him for our sakes and this is done in a General Assembly of Graceless Hypocritical Priests pretending Marvelous zeal for the Glory of God while intending to Murther the Son of God who could well enough agree all in one to Condemn this Innocent Jesus Though the Innocency of his Life had been such that none of them could convince him of one sin Jehn 8.46 But when he was brought before this Court N. B. Note well the whole Sanhedrim were to seek for Witnesses the Witnesses for Crimes the Crimes for proofs and the proofs for Concord they were all and in all these at a loss and could find nothing for their Malicious purpose So that Caiphas was constrained to take a new uncouth and in all Courts of Judicature an unaccustomed way of Adjureing him to Answer who he was that he might intrap him in his own words which when Christ had confessed in an undeniable Truth knowing they were Resolved to have his Life Right or Wrong and Summoning his present Judges to appear at his own dreadful Tribunal at the Day of Judgment which would make them mourn Zech. 12.10 This great Truth which they called Blasphemy was the only Crime for Condemning him Though Caiphas Rent his Priestly Robes at this pretended Blasphemy N. B. Note well yet did it signifie the rending of the Priest-Hood from him which he forfeited by this unlawful Act as before like as the rending of the Vail of the Temple at Christs Death was a sign of the rending away the whole Jewish Worship from the Jewish Nation While Caiphas was thus personating the Tragedy of others he did but really act his own and his Accomplices Now after this unjust Condemnation of Innocent Jesus Let us a little behold how he was abused in the Spiteful Court before they delivered him up to the Secular Powers as the Lord commands in the Law N. B. Note well that the very Ashes and Cinders of the Burnt Sacrifices should be gathered up and laid in a clean place Levit. 4.12 6.11 Numb 19.9 So in the same
they could not Live unless he did Dye As Avarice made Judas betray Christ to those Priests so Envy and Malice made them deliver him to Pilate Mat. 27.18 Mark 15 10 Envy is the Mother of matchless Mischiefs c. It was the rancour hereof that made these Wicked Men so watchful and painful to accomplish their notorious Wickedness they had broken their Sleep the Night foregoing if they spent not the whole Night in wearying our Lord therewith and now having only got some short Nap they are up and at it again very early the next Morning as soon as the day peeped Luke 22.66 N. B. Note well So sedulous can Satan's Slaves be in their management of the most malitious enterprizes Oh! what a shame it is that we cannot be late at Night and early in the Morning in the Lord 's sweet Service for Christ as they were in the Devil's Drudgery against him The second Circumstance was the Place where these Envious Ones which is the Devil's Name do again accuse our Lord was at the Door of the Common-Hall John 18.28 as they had done before at the Bar of their own Consistory now because this Common-Hall did belong to an Heathen Judge therefore forsooth they dare not enter in least they should be defiled c. Thus had the Envious and Wicked One so blinded these Wicked Men that their Religion was turned into a fond Superstition and most putid Hypocrisie in straining at Gnats and yet swallowing Camels Mat. 23.23 24. N. B. Note well Twice at this time had those prophane Priests and Unhallowed Hypocrites practised an over curious Niceness about the Minutula legis some small Legas Defilements yet could then be notoriously negligent about the Magnalia Legis the Weightiest Matters of the Law Therefore by eight several woes all dreadful and opposite to the eight Beatitudes Mat. 5.3 to 13. doth our Saviour well draw these Wretches as by so many links of an Adamantine Chain down to Hell the proper place of Hypocrites Mat. 24.51 and there leaves them to be reserved unto Judgment As 1. They forsooth would not suffer the Price of Blood to lye in the Chest of their Treasury yet could they well enought suffer the guilt of that Blood it self to lye in the Chests of their Consciences That was lawful enough though they startled at the other as unlawful Mat. 27.6 2. So here they scruple again at their entring into the Hall of an Heathen-Judge yet make no Bones of shedding Innocent blood John 18.28 N. B. Note well Thus likewise our Modern Pharisees make great scruples about some simple Ceremony or observation of Lent c. while they can dispense well enough with the neglect of the substance of Religion Such Hypocrites are all those that will be Substantial in Circumstantials while they can be but Circumstantial in Substantials thinking to supply their defect in Morals with a redundancy of Ceremonials c. The third Circumstance is the time when It was at the Passover Feast which lasted many Days those Priests c. had eaten the Passover over Night at the same time that Jesus eat his and well they had spent the Night after it but this Day now dawning was the day of presenting themselves in the Temple and offering their other Sacrifices and Peace-offerings which were still call'd Passoever-Bullocks c. Deut. 16.2 2 Chron. 30.24 35.8 9. They Sacrificed Sheep and Oxen all the seven days of that Paschal Feast and to this part thereof they by all means must come clean from the Pollutions of an Heathen's house John 18.28 Acts 10.28 but so strong was their Thirst after Christ's Blood that though they had resolved before not to Murther him at the Feast for fear of an uproar among the People Mat. 26.5 from whom he had his Hosanna's little before They therefore feared Men more than God Yet now they come to new Resolves being transported with outragious fury they dare not delay till after the Feast his Execution lest they should be prevented thereof by by his own Power or by the Peoples Favour Therefore do they immediately hurry him away to Pilate having bound him again as a condemned Malefactor early this Morning that he might dispatch him speedily for this they themselves could not do John 18.31 because the Roman Power had taken from the Jews the Sword of Justice yet would they in their Phrenzies make bold with it as in their Stoning of Steven Acts 7.54 59. And in their combining under a Curse to kill Paul Acts 23.12 However whether they had Power or no to put Jesus to death I shall not dispute yet not upon this or any other Holy Festival day Thus Herod durst not kill Peter till after Easter Acts 12.4 Therefore design they that Pilate shall be their drudge dealing with him as the Monkey did with the Cat lying upon the Hearth who seeing some Chesnuts roasting in the Fire and not willing to burn his own foot snatches up the Cats Foot and therewith scratches them out of the hot Embers and Eats them But there was an higher hand that over-ruled this Action both as to the thing and as to the time 1. Christ had foretold that he must be given up by the Jews to the Gentiles c. Mat 20.18 19. both of them must have an hand in Christ's Death both of them must be shut up under sin Rom 11.32 All are under sin that he might be a Saviour unto all both Jews and Gentiles â— 2. Though they cried Not on the Feast day c. Mat. 26.5 yet the Determinate Counsel of God would have it at that Time and no other Acts 4.27 That the Type and the Truth or Antitype might carry a correspondency Therefore at this Paschal Feast must this true Paschal Lamb the Lamb of God be offered up Thus the most Holy Will of God ordered the wicked Will of these Priests that this Act should please them tobe done which so much displeased them the day before These Miscreants fulfil the Divine Decree while they think to decline it Yet no thanks to them more than to Haman for Mordecat's Advancement whereunto Haman held the Stirrop only The fourth Circumstance is the Judge who must denounce the final Sentence of Condemnation upon Christ This must not be a Jew but a Gentile it must be Pilate the Roman Governour for the reason above mentioned The Gentiles Sin against Christ as well as Jews for he was to wash away the sins of the faithful whether Jews or Gentiles As to Pilate N. B. Note well There be some who verily think that He was an honest Man because he was so unwilling to have Christ Crucified labouring four several times to free him out of his Murtherers hands and that by four several ways and means as may be more largely manifested afterwards However we safely say that in comparison of those Kill Christs the Priests c. who were a cursed blood-thirsty crew this Heathen Judge did Infinitely transcend
Reflections three several times N. B. Note well 1st The First was Luke 4.23 Physician Heal thy self This Objection against him he knowing their Thoughts doth Anticipate and Answers saying I know you will surely say thus that is Go heal thy own Country Nazareth Alas their Unbelief did Incapacitate them for his Miracles and Oracles 't is said He could not do any Mighty Works there Mark 6.5 Mat. 13.58 He could not because he would not for their Vnbelief as it were transfused a kind of a Dead Palsie into the very Hands of Omnipotency it self yet Christ himself must bear the blame of their Sin The despising of Christ turns to the disadvantage of the despiser and as God manifests himself in mighty works to the Believer so he hides his Power from the Misbeliever N. B. Note well 2d The Second time of such Reflections was Mat. 16.22 23. When Peter took upon him to teach his Teacher saying Master spare thy self c. that is do not thou suffer thy Adversaries so to Abuse thee as thou sayest they will c. This was Simon 's carnal Wisdom which is at enmity with God's Will Rom. 8.7 natural Wit will stumble at the Cross not knowing its Appointer nor its Tendency to God's Glory and Man's Good therefore will it be presumptuously prescribing of Divine Wisdom and Correcting the Sun by its fallacious Dial Yea may Rise so high as to make Opposition both to God's Dispensation and to Man's Salvation as Simon Peter doth here that he might not be involved in his Masters Sufferings But Christ so loved to work out our Redemption that he could not bear with his own dear Disciple that disuaded him from it but was even straitned till it was Accomplished Luke 12.50 hereupon our Saviour smell'd Satan in Simon 's Corruption which was puffed up by the Tempter from his late Exaltation by his Master ver 16.18 and this hindrance of Christ's Passion even from a Godly Man as Peter was became an offence to our Lord. N. B. Note well 3d How much more when this was done the third time from Wicked Men as here who said to him Save thy self as Simon had said to him Spare thy self no doubt but the Devil was in both these sayings for what he cannot do immediately by himself he will essay it by Instruments and Sin whether in the Godly or Wicked will serve Satan's turn As those Wicked Railers took up the false Accusations about destroying the Temple c. for which Christ was unjustly condemned As if those depositions had been true So they ground their Mockings upon that Basis that it was alike easie to build up the Temple as to save himself Mark The Third Mocking matter was If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross The Devil spake these words through those blasphemous Mouths that the price of Man's Redemption might not be paid had Christ come down from the Cross as they commanded and so we all have still remained Satan's Captives If thou be the Son of God c. They think it impossible that the Son of God can be Crucified thus the World thinketh that the Cross and Christianity cannot possibly consist together no wonder if the Adoption of God's own Children be so oft obscured and questioned through the Tempter's Buffetings Satan would still persuade the Saints and Servants of God that they cannot be his Sons if Sufferers as if carrying the Cross and Communion with God were two inconsistent things but the Scripture of Truth saith otherwise For God hath no Son that he Correcteth not c. Heb. 12.6 7 8. He had only one Son sine flagitio without Gorruption But not any one Son sine flagello without Correction Though the Lord Jesus was the Son of God yet was he Crucified for this was the very work for which the Son of God took upon him our Nature and came into the World to die as the Son of Man Mark The Fourth Mock was He saved others himself he cannot save still worse and worse as the Hearts and Mouths that spake the mocking words were worse and worse Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 for the three foregoing Mocks came out of the Mouths of the Passengers the common People who yet were such Fools as to shoot those Bolts that were framed for them in the Saâ—hedrim's Forge as is aforesaid But these cutting and killing words He saved others c. came out of the Mouths of the Chief Priests c. Mat. 27.41 42 43. who should have known better things Corruptio optimi est pessima they were the worse because their Gifts Place and Office should have made them better but here God brands them for their Mockings in an higher degree than their Tools had done and more Insolently Insulting over a Dying Jesus 'T is probable those Priests expected or at least feared that Christ would deliver himself from the Cross by a Miracle therefore did they most malitiously set some to sit down and watch him ver 36. That if it were possible those Watchmen might disappoint his dlawing the Nails which fastened him and so deliver himself which when they saw he did not then did they fall upon this insulting over him as an Impostor scornfully upbraiding him with saving others whereas they should have thankfully Acknowledged God's Goodness therein N. B. Note well It may not be omitted to observe here the over-ruling Power and Providence of God For though humane malice provideth a Guard of Watchmen to secure Christ upon the Cross yet Divine Wisdom ordered it so that seeing the Son of God must not save himself as they bad him but suffer death â—according to the Eternal Decree and Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son these very Watchmen must be Witnesses of the certainty of Christ's Death which may certifie us not only of the reality of his Dying contrary to the lying Legend of Mahomet's Alchoran as above but also of his compleating the full payment of the Ransom for our Sins Thus while Christ's Enemies are most maliciously acting their worst against him the great God who is higher than the highest over-powers and orders these same Actings to be most highly for him so God overshoots the Devil in his own Bow And though those Priests here knew Christ's Miracles in saving others as they acknowledged in this their taunt yet did the light and lustre of his being a Saviour of others so dazzle them that they could not see Wood for Trees for his miraculous saving of so many was a manifest evidence that he was the Son of God and that by the same power he could have saved himself also nor did they understand that those present Sufferings of Christ upon the Cross was now the proper and peculiar work of a Saviour more than in any of his Miracles for not his Miracles but his Sufferings are the Price of our Redemption as is at large abovesaid besides those Priests were so blinded that they
sinner dare ask no more but barely to be remembred and that not so much for his Body as before but principally yea solely for his Soul And this he prayed not that God should remember him in the way of his Wrath and Judgments as God saith I will remember them that shed Innocent Blood when I make Inquisition for Bloods of the Ish Dammim Hebr. or Man of Blood Ps 9.12 But Lord Remember me he cries in the Way of thy Grace and Mercy as thou didst Righteous Noah Gen. 8.1 and Holy David Psal 132.1 c. The 3d Demonstration that this good Thief 's Prayer was the Prayer of Faith is His short Prayer Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom contained in it a very large and long Creed the Articles whereof are these that follow He believed 1. That the Soul died not with the Body of Man 2. That there is a World to come for rewarding the Pious or Penitent and for Punishing the Impious and Impenitent 3. That Christ though now under Crucifying and Killing Tortures yet had right to a Kingdom 4. That this Kingdom was in a better World than this present evil World 5. That Christ would not keep this Kingdom all to himself 6. That he would bestow a part and portion hereof upon those that be truly Penitent 7. That the Key of this Kingdom 's Gate to let in or keep out did hang at Christ's Girdle though he was now dying upon the Cross 8. Which is above all that he dare Roll his whole Soul for its Eternal Salvation upon a Dying Saviour Our Lord in his Gracious Answer to this Penitent Thief 's Prayer Luke 23.43 saith equivalently and in effect to him Oh Man great is thy faith as he had said to the Syrophenician Female Oh! Woman great is thy Faith Mat. 15.28 yea so acceptable was his strong Faith to Christ that he did not only say to this Man as he said to that Woman Be it unto thee even as thou wilt but he most graciously granted him even more than he asked This Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise That is I will not only Remember thee and not forget thee as the Butler did Joseph Gen. 40.23 with 16. Amos 6.6 but also added that that very Day his place of Torment should be turned into a place of Pleasure a better place than that which the first Adam lost to himself and to all his Posterity for that was but a Terrestial Paradise out of which he shut himself but this is a Celestial one into which I the second Adam will open the Door for thee there thou shalt have my Presence and Company Thou shalt be with me and there shalt thou fare as I my self fare Oh! wonderful condescension c. The Inferences from hence are 1st That If Christ did thus gratifie such a notorious Thief one of the Vilest of Mortals in granting his Request and more than he Requested as above because he was truly Penitent at his last Gasp though he had led a most licentious life all along and had been hitherto profusely Impenitent how much more will Christ hear the Prayers of his own Servants and Children who have faithfully followed him all their Days The 2d Inference is Though this Penitent Thief had Paradise promised to him as to one that was both an Heir of the Promise and an Heir of Paradise too yet dyeth he that miserable death of the Cross and hath his Bones broken c. to shew that even the Heirs of Heaven may meet with their Cross from which they are not exempted upon Earth and may have their Bone-breaking Afflictions Psal 51.8 The 3d Inference is Here we have a fair Specimen and a Pious Pattern of the best posture of the Heart of Man in a dying hour to be more careful of the Soul than of the Body at that Juncture All the care that Wicked Ahaziah took at his Death was Shall I recover of this Bodily Sickness 2 Kings 1.2 16. there be many that say Who will shew us any bodily good Psal 4.6 but few say Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon my Soul and there be many that cry Lord Heal my Body for I am Sick but few cry Lord heal my Soul for I have sinned Psal 41.4 David did desire those two Soul comforts whatever became of his Sense-comforts There be also many that in Ship-wracks at Sea and in House-firing at Land can be careful enough in securing their best Goods their Cash Plate and Jewels but how few there be that can take half that care in securing that Precious Jewel the Soul though of more worth than the whole World Mat. 16.26 when the Body as the Ship is just a spliting upon the Rock of Death by some burning Fever c and so leting out the Soul into another World The 4th Inference is Because this Penitent Thief was called in the Eleventh hour of his Life and Repented of his long and lasting lendness at his last gasp so had hope in his Death with the Righteous Prov. 14.32 and a Promise of a place in Paradise after Death c. yet let no profligate prophane and profuse Sinner promise to himself the like priviledge For a particular Instance ought not to be drawn into an universal Favour and both the Promise here and the Performance of it did peculiarly belong to him seeing his Conversion was one of the Seven Miracles that Christ honoured the Ignominy of his own Death by and none can expect such an happy Exit but such as can Attain to his great Grace and Faith upon a Dying Saviour c. The Fourth Grand Remark is the Miracles that Christ wrought upon the Cross puting forth some mighty Beams of his Divine Nature even at that time when the state of his Humane Nature was at its lowest ebb that the Indignity of his Disgraceful Death might be Graced and Dignified thereby The First of those Miracles was the Conversion of the Thief already discoursed upon adding thereunto only this here that his Conversion was the very first Fruits of the Power of Christ's Death even while he was but a Dying and before he was Dead Who can but admire both those branches of this first Miracle That 1st There should be such an Efficacy and Verine in a Dying Jesus while he was but just now paying that prodigious Debt for Man's Sin according to the Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the World began which Debt was not fully compleated before the Death of the Son of God was fully Accomplished And 2dly That this Penitent Thief should have such a power of Faith given him to hang the whole weight of the Pardon of his almost unparallelled Sins and of the Salvation of his precious Soul upon a dying Saviour while both He and his Redeemer were both Hanging upon the Cross and before the Ransom-Money for Sins was yet paid and Redemption for Souls was yet purchased N. B. Note well
pleasure not at Death's demand N. B. Note well Now it was that Death as the Bee lost its sting upon Christ and can sting no more but hath quite lost its Victory through Christ's Death 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56. Christ hereby hath delivered us from the commanding power of Sin from the condemning power of the Law and from the conquering power of Death Though the redeemed in Christ do die yet can they not be kill'd with Death as Jezabel's Children were Rev. 2.23 the second death hath no power over them Rev. 2.11 20.6 14. 21.8 Our Lord 's strong voice may be the more wondered at considering how he was spent with blows blood c. yet now it was the loud voice of his Triumph over Death c. There be yet four Miracles behind to be discoursed briefly upon all wrought wonderfully by a dying Christ upon the Cross by the power of his Deity The Fourth Wonder is The Rending in twain of the Vail of the Temple from the top to the bottom which the Evangelist puts a Behold upon as a thing very wonderful Mat. 27.51 and as wrought by the force of Christ's last loud cry ver 50. then the Angels Presidents of the Temple departed from it as Jerom saith As Christ's last cry upon the Cross was the sign and symptom of frail Man dying so his promising of Paradise-Happiness to the Penitent Thief was a clear demonstration that he was also the Great God Living for none hath the Key of Paradise but the Great God only Nor did our Lord only demonstrate his Deity as above while he was yet living and while his Humanity was in the way of dying But also when he was verily dead and had given up the Ghost he still declares himself to be a Wonder-Working God in all the following Instances whereof this of Rending the Temple's Vail in Twain c. was the first wonder after his Death The distance of the Temple from the place out of the City where Christ was Crucified could not exempt it from the stroke of this Wonder-working Hand when those wretched Priests had made that House of Prayer a Den of Thieves this Vail now Rent was the Partition-Wall that divided betwixt the Holy Place or the Priests-Court and the Sanctum-Sanctorum into which the High-Priest entered only once in the year Exod. 26.31 33. 1 Kin. 6.19 21 31. 2 Chron. 3.14 c. Heb. 9.3 4 6 7 8 c. N. B. Note well This Wonder to wit of rending this Mid-Wall was wrought upon a threefold Account 1st To shew that Christ's Death was the Accomplishment of the Levitical Law and that now all the Ceremonies thereof were rent down and done away 2dly That now by the Gospel sealed up in his Death a new way to Heaven was opened Heb. 10.19 20 21 22 c. And 3. To shew that the Mid-Wall of Partition betwixt the outward Court of the Gentiles and that of the People of the Jews was broke down by the death of Jesus Eph. 2.14 15. This Vail is call'd the Separation betwixt the Prophane Place and the Sanctuary Ezek. 42.20 Now the Ceremonial Law should no longer divide those two but Christ became the blessed Cement to unite all believing Jews and Gentiles into one Gospel-building himself being the knitting Corner-stone c. The Fifth Wonder Christ wrought upon the Cross which is the second after his Death was the dreadful Earthquake Mat. 27.51 now that our Lord was dead as to his Man-hood he still letteth forth the Power and Glory of his God-head more than he had done before and whereas he had shewed himself the Lord of Heaven by causing an extraordinary Eclipse of the Sun and covering the whole face of the Firmament with a Curtain of Darkness So now he appears to be Lord of the Earth also by causing it to shake and tremble As the Heavens had given their Testimonial and Acknowledged their Homage to his Lordly Dominion over them in hiding their Glory while their Lord was Suffering Shame So the very Earth here payeth her Respect and Reverence in an humble Submission to her Almighty Landlord in her Trembling before his powerful Presence when the Lion that King of Beasts doth Roat all the Beasts of the Field do Tremble Now did this Lion of the Tribe of Judah roar with a loud Voice and we may well suppose what a Trembling seized upon those Beasts of the Temple the Christ-Killing Priests when they saw the Vail of their Temple Rent in Twain from top to bottom at their hastening now to their Evening Sacrifice Thus well prepared with the Tincture of this Innocent blood more especially when they felt that sad sight seconded by an Earth quake this could not but cause an Heart-Quake and a consternation in them fearing that the Earth might now cleave Asunder and Swallow them all up as it had done Korah's Company of Conspirators these as well as they being now become a Burden too heavy for the Earth to bear and as weary of them would bury them quick This Earthquake might also predict the performance of what God had promised that Christ would shortly shake not only the Earth once more as was done in Sinai at the Promulgation of the Law but even Heaven also by the Gospel Hag. 2.6 7 Heb. 12.26 27. especially when the desire of all Nations shall come and shake all Wickedness out of both the Heavens of Church and the Earth of State and then give those promised New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 The Sixth Wonder was the Rocks were Rent Mat. 27.51 where the first word Behold doth spread it self over all the parts and several parcels of all those Miracles mentioned in that verse Behold the Vail was Rent c. Behold the Earth did Quake and Behold the Rocks were Rent to denote the marvellousness of those things and mostly in this because herein Rocks are rent by the Rock and one Rock rendeth many Rocks the Rock that rent the Rocks was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 he was the creating Rock Deut. 32 4.31 1 Sam. 2.2 2 Sam. 22.2.32 that rent all the other created Rocks c. This was a Work of greater difficulty to rend the Rocks than it was to rend the Vail c. yet the Power of the Death of Christ doth effect this Work of Difficulty N. B. Note well To shew that no Heart is so hard and rocky but the vertue of Christ's Death can rend it into Repentance Though those Christ-Killers had made their Hearts as hard yea harder than an Adamant Zech. 7.12 yet when their time of love came Ezek. 16 8. their Month of Christ's finding them Jer. 2.24 and when the Hammer of God's Word Jer. 23.29 began to beat upon them as Animated and Actuated by the power of his Death oh how kindly did their Hearts Thaw Break and Melt into Tears and Tenderness Acts 2.36 37. with 41. 4.4 When Moses smote that Rock upon which God stood with his
order Notwithstanding this six-fold unlikely-hood of this loud Lye yet is this Grand Imposture of the Priests who had given Pilate some hint of it before Mat. 27.64 is commonly believed for a Truth among the Jews until this day Mat. 28.15 They are given up to believe this gross Lye because they received not the Truth in love that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 and thus the Chief Priests and Elders gave a large round sum of Money though they sold the Saviour of the World for the Trifle of thirty pieces to bribe that Nation into unbelief among whom this most sublime and vilest piece of Knavery finds belief with Misbelievers The result of all this Discourse is That seeing 1st Christ's Resurrection hath so many famous and memorable Remarks as all those abovementioned put upon it 2dly Seeing Christ came not out of his Grave as Lazarus came out of his fast bound about with his Grave cloaths and therefore Christ when he raised him from Death to Life said Loose him and let him go John 11.43 44. He rose up with his Hands Feet and Head bound fast with those bands of Death because he rose not up as Victor or Conquerour but rose to die again and remained bound above ground until Christ commanded his release But Christ as a Conquerour releaseth himself having the power of laying down his Life and taking it up again in his own hands John 10.18 and loosed off his own Grave cloaths wherewith he was bound laid them in that due order mentioned in Scripture and left them behind him in his Sepulchre c. 3dly Seeing the Great Apostle in relating his full Chest of comfort wherewith he makes his challenge against all condemning Powers Rom. 8.33 34. He puts a most remarkable Rather upon the Head of Christ's Resurrection as the chiefest Box of all his other Spiritual Cordials 4thly Seeing Christ himself Hands in this very consideration I was dead and am alive again as a Cordial to the Church of Smyrna in a time when those Asian Churches were under some sad Apostacy as the Apostle Imports saying All them of Asia are turned from me 2 Tim. 1.15 and some of them had a name to Live and were Dead Rev. 3.1 Hereupon Christ comes in with this seasonable and suitable comfort behold I who was dead but am alive again Rev. 2.8 will make thee who art now in a dead and dedolent disposition to be alive again and to become lively for God and Godliness I am the first and the lust saith Christ to sweet smelling Smyrna who out-live and out-last all mine and thine Adversaries Therefore should we be oft searching in this Box that so abounds with comfort And the result I say of all these premises is that therefore the Day of Christ's Resurrection having all these most eminent Remarks upon it doth mostly require the uppermost Room in our Remembrance above all other days See more of this point in my Christian Walk upon the Lord's Day And more hereof here when we come to Christ's Manifestation Secondly Having thus discoursed upon the time When the next point is the manner How this Resurrection of Christ was managed wherein consider 1st By what Power Christ Rose again This was not done by any Extrinsick Forreign or Borrowed Power as was the Resurrection of Lazarus ut Supra but Christ Rose again by his own Intrinsick Innate and Congenial Power and that in despite of Death Men and Devils Because he was the Son of God so it was hot possible that any bands of Death or Devil could hold him down Acts 2.24 and his rising again after this manner did declare-him to be no less than the Son of God Rom. 1.4 Therefore if the manner of Christ's Rising be more particularly inquired into It must be Answered that as the Angel of the Lord whom some suppose to be the Son of God who loved to be oft among the Sons of Men long before his Incarnation Prov. 8.30 31. did wonderfully in Manoah's Sacrifice Judg. 13.18 19. so undoubtedly our Lord herein did wonderfully As our Lord died wonderfully in dying willingly and not of coaction though it was of necessity in respect of God's Immutable Decree Acts 2.23 4.28 therefore when he gave up the Ghost he cried with a loud Voice which shews as is abovesaid that his Vital Spirits and Strength was not spent at that time but he might have retained his Life longer if he would and thereupon the Centurion concluded him to be the Son of God Mark 15 39. so and much more than so must our Lord rise again wonderfully for his Resurrection hath an Apostolical rather put upon it Rom. 8.34 and this act above all other acts in his state of Humiliation did declare him to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 It being the first step of his state of Exaltation The Centurion did but suppose him to be so by the Miraculous Manner of his Death but all the Saints are assured of it by the Miraculous Manner of his Resurrection which indeed was the more Miraculous if we take it for granted that Christ conveyed his own self-quickened Body through the Great Grave stone that lay upon his Tomb. But some may object against this opinion saying what need we grant this seeing 't is expresly affirmed by the Evangelists that the Angel of God rolled away the stone Answer None of the Evangelists do say that the Angel did this to let Christ out of the Sepulchre for Christ was risen indeed in the Earth-quake before the Stone was rolled away and that great thing was done not to let Christ out who was gone already but to let the Good Women in to be the first Witnesses of this great Truth of his Resurrection for so soon as the Angel had rolled away the Stone he sat down upon it expecting the Women who were now at hand and were saying one to another Who will roll away the Stone for us Mark 16.3 that he might be as Christ's Gentleman-Usher to hand them into the empty Sepulchre The Angel did not roll away the Stone out of any necessity our Lord had for its removal in order to his own Resurrection for he by the Power of his Godhead could rise without it but it was from a necessity for the Good Women without which they could not enter into the Sepulchre It was only for Christ's honour to have such an Heavenly Herald for the first solemn Proclamation of his Glorious Resurrection Learn hence to cry with these Holy Women 1. Who will roll away the Stone of an Hard Heart 2. Of the Curse of the Law which was Writ in Tables of Stone not only to shew its duration but also our obduration 3. Of the Darkness of the Durus Sermo or Hard saying John 6.60 which we meet with here and there in Christ's Word that needs an Interpreter 4. And Lastly Who shall roll away this Stone of Offence for the Churches Inlargement that in this Valley of Achor or trouble
the out-side but her heart within was not right with God but rotten having a foul Soul in a fair Body c. like the Apples of Sodom which Soliâ—us saith are beautiful to behold but crumbles with the least touch into stinking sulphurous Ashes Or like the Egyptian's Temples which were much beautified upon the outside of the Fabrick whereas within nothing could be found but some ugly Serpent or crooked Crocodile Or like the Jewish Sepulchres whose Entrance into those Vaults for Burial were gawdilly garnished when within were nothing but stinking Carcases Matth. 23.27 We may think the same of all painted Hypocrites who like Glo-worms seem to have both light and heat but by touching them neither thereof is in them It may be said of them as a grave Roman Senator said of a painted Embassador What Sincerity can we expect at this man's hands whose locks and looks and lips do lye fair Professors they may be but are foul Practisers yea even Atheistical in practice or practical Atheists Note No doubt but the Hypocrisie of this noble pair of Hypocrites Ananias and Saphira did spring from their Atheism in thinking to hide their sinful Sacrilege from the Omnisciency of the Holy Ghost which doth no less than pave a way unto that unpardonable sin of the Pharisees Matth. 12.31 32. The second Remark concerning this Woman is how soon and suddenly did the Hope of this Hypocrite perish Job 8.13 She came to the Apostle's Convention about three hours after her Husband's death Acts 5.7 not only suspecting nothing and therefore made no inquiry but also expecting and heightened with hopes to find her Husband in the highest Honour among the Apostles for his Charity with the best to the Church But alas how soon her head full of hopes dwindled into an heart-full of Blanks her hope was not only as the giving up of the Ghost as Job 11.20 which is very cold comfort but also it ended in a plain real personal giving up the Ghost The third Remark is one sin makes way for begets and draws on another She had been privy to her Husband's Hypocrisie in mocking God with part for the whole Acts 5.2 From consenting to the sin she steps on to a cunning covering of it after verse 8. She had agreed with her Husband to commit the sin of Sacrilege and to cover it with telling a Lye about the price 'T is too common a crime in our time to cover sin with sin One sin draws on another as one Link in a Chain draws on another until the whole be drawn up till it end in perdition as here Her subjection to her Husband excused her not as she was partaker of his sin so must she of his punishment verse 10. The second Impediment of this growing Gospel-Church was external from professed Foes without as the first was internal from pretended Friends within the Church And this was the second Persecution which the Devil and his Instruments those pestilent Persecutors the Priests c. raised to suppress the Gospel sed veritas magna est pravalebat In this second Persecution and hinderance of the Church there is still more checker'd work of new Disturbance and of new Deliverance 1. The Disturbance was occasioned by the many mighty and marvelous Miracles wrought not only by the hands of the Apostles but also by the very shadow of Peter Acts 5.12 15 16. The light and lustre whereof did both terrifie the unsound and wonderfully incite the sincere to imbrace the Gospel which made a fresh vast Accession to the Church verse 13 14. All this did so inrage the Saâ—â—â—ical Sanhedrim of the Priests c. the greatest part whereof were Saddaces who denied the Resurrection that out of their blind Hellish not Heaven-born Zeal they lay their wicked hands again upon the Apostles and cast them into the common Prison where their notorious Malefactor's were kept verse 17 18. This was the Disturbance designed by the Devil But 2dly There was deliverance wrought for them by an Angel who opened the Prison-doors verse 19. And having brought forth the Lord's Prisoners shut the Prison-doors insensibly again as appears verse 23. And the Reason or End why they were thus miraculously delivered is rendred verse 20. that they might publickly teach the People in the Temple which doing and obeying God rather than Man verse 21 25. became a new provocation to the Priests c. to summon them again before the Sanhedrim who accused them afresh both of Contumacy Novelty and Sedition v. 23 24 25 26 27 28. Thus after their first Disturbance by the Devil and their Deliverance from it by the Angel in this second Persecution they must even then meet with a fresh and a second Disturbance out of which they have a fresh and a second Deliverance at this time also which was wrought for them not by an Angel as before but by the marvelous means of two Men. 1. By the powerful Apology of Peter verse 29 to 33. And 2. By the grave Counsel of Gamaliel verse 34 to 40. after which are the Effects to the end The most eminent Remarks and Mysteries this famous History affordeth are these that follow 1. That Hypocrites are but Wens or rather Botches of the Church and may be taken off without any detriment to it It was so little a loss to the Church to lose Ananias and Sapphira by such a dreadful Doom and Judgment that it became a double gain to it not only in affrighting the Sanballat's and Tobiah's of this day from insinuating themselves into the Fellowship of the Church as they did in Ezra's day Ezra 4.1 2 3 c. Those Hypocritical Adversaries beholding this dismal Example against Hypocrites durst not joyn themselves to the Church verse 13. but also in stirring up the sound-hearted so much the more to become Christians indeed whereby the Church was greatly increased verse 14. Thus when those two Rotten Branches Ananias and Sapphira were cut off the Lord's Vine the Church flourished the better and that which might seem an hinderance to the Gospel became a great furtherance of it as it did Phil. 1.12 The second Remark is that the truly Godly may expect a succession of Trials and Troubles velut unda supervenit undae one wave of the Salt-Sea of Affliction closely pursues another and the following wave is mostly greater than the foregoing Like Job's Messengers not only treading upon the very heels one of another but also each latter bringing worse Tidings than the former the first beginning with the loss of his Cattel c. and the last with the loss of all his Children Thus Persecution which is the Evil Ghost that haunts the Good Gospel grows here upon this Church as well as Doggs it In the former Persecution the Apostles were only secured and Bail taken for their Appearance and upon their Answering for themselves they were soon dismissed with a few Threatnings only But now in this following Persecution they were cast into the Gaol
spots in her also The sacred Scriptures do Record two Spots in this Church 1st The sin of Hypocritical Sacrilege in two of her Members Acts 5. but this sin 't is told there also was miraculously expiated by the death of those two sinners And 2dly The sin of murmuring Acts 6.1 which indeed is a great grievous God-provoking-sin as Exod. 16.7 8. Numb 14.27 36. and 16.17 and 17.5 John 6.43 and 1 Cor. 10.10 c. Note well These Murmurers were destroyed by the Destroyer The Rabbins say God wrote their sin upon their punishment for as they had sinned with their Tongues so they died by an Inflamation upon their Tongues and Worms issuing out of them Numb 14.37 But as to this Murmuring that arose in this Apostolical Church it was seasonably discovered and redressed by the choice of Deacons equally concerned in the Hellenists as well as Hebrews Nor can we find upon Record any one Church-sin whereby such a blessed and useful Instrument as Stephen so full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom was forfeited But on the contrary N.B. Acts 8.2 Such great Grace remained upon the whole Church that the eminently religious Members durst give their stoned Stephen a solemn Funeral and with great mourning also as being sensible of the Church's great loss in him being nothing afraid of those mad Murtherers and furious persecuting Butchers though those outragious Zealots look'd upon it as a piaculiar Act and of deep pollution among the Jews to touch a dead Corps especially of such an one as was put to death for Blasphemy yet did these Devout Men bear him upon their shoulders and perform'd such Funeral Rites for him as were usual only for those of greatest Eminency such as were used for the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 50.1 3 10. at his Interment and more lately at Lazorus's even by our Lord himself John 11.35 Thus the Church here lamented their great loss in such a Man at such a time which may serve to condemn that unnatural Apathy or Stupidity of Stoicks rather than of Christians in our day to lament over Dead Members especially Ministers of Note is a laudable Custom However though no foregoing foul sin can be found in this Church whereby either its Officers or its own Peace might be forfeited yet this we find that a great persecution was raised against her Acts 8.1 not as heretofore against the Apostles only but now it was against the whole Church Whereas God had before this restrained the Rage of those persecuting Priests c. with their fear of the people lest they should lose their favour Acts 4.21 and 5.26 N.B. This Awe had hitherto held them in as is the unruly Horse by Bit and Bridle Psal 32.9 but now through the unsearchable Wisdom of God the Reins of that restraining Bridle are let loose and laid along the Neck of those furious persecuting Beasts to run Riot according to their own wicked will and according as the Devil drove them by both his Whip and Spurs 'T is Tertullian's phrase every Persecutor hath Insessorem Diabolum the Devil for his Driver and as saith the Proverb They must needs go yea run whom the Devil drives The lusts of their Father they both must and will do John 8.44 Satan is call'd the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 because as the great God at the Creation did but speak the word and it was done so if the Devil do but hold up his finger give the least hint his Vassals do obey him N.B. Thus those Priests did who when they saw the people whom they had formerly feared so tamely suffer them to stone Stephen to death do inlarge their Outrage which hitherto they had let flie against the Apostles only but now they fall foul upon the whole Church wherein Saul 1. Was their fit Instrument by whose Diabolical craft and cruelty they proceeded 2. To persecute the Church so effectually as to disperse it abroad Their Staff of Bands and Beauty Zech. 11.10 14. their former Fellowship was now broken N.B. A little discourse 1. Of the Efficient cause of this Persecution and then 2. Of the sad Effects thereof may not do amiss as follows 1. The Divine Record doth stigmatize this Saul to strike with the Devil 's great Hammer herein This same Saul gives an account of his own Education that he was brought up at Gamaliel's feet Acts 22.3 but alas how little had he learnt of his Tutor or Master's Moderation for his Tutor had taught this his Pupil to do nothing rashly much less to be found fighting against God as he daringly dehorted the Grand Council and thereby prudently and piously-got them dissolved whereby he disappointed the Devil's design of that Satanical Sanhedrim in the Church's second Persecution Acts 5.34 to 41. whereof Saul sitting at his feet could not be ignorant Yet this Heteroclite and degenerating Pupil was so fill'd with a furious Phrenzy against Christ and his Gospel that he spent his Youth in Persecution for while he was but a Young Man 't is said that the Witnesses which stoned Shephen threw off their upper Garments that they might be more nimble to stone him and laid them down at this Young Man's feet Acts 7.58 for they were to cast the first stones Deut. 17.7 And the Spirit of God doth farther brand Saul that he was consenting to Stephen's death Acts 8.1 Though he was no Actor in it yet was he a Consenter to it and thereby became guilty of the same bloody Crime N.B. 'T is all one to hold the Sack and to fill it to do evil and to consent to it There is heart-murder as well as hand-murder Matth. 5.22 and committing Adultery with the mind as well as with the body Matth. 5.28 A mind to do evil is sin in the seed which time and opportunity brings forth to maturity James 1.14 15. Quae quid non licuit non facit ille facit God may justly judge us saith Austin for our evil affections though we may want an opportunity for our evil actions N.B. Thus Christ charged all the Blood that was shed from Abel to that day upon the Priests c. Matth. 23.35 because by their consenting to shed Innocent Blood now they consented to and approved of all the Murders of the Innocent that had been perpetrated in all former Ages Nor did Saul here barely consent for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies He was well pleased with it did approve of it in thought word and deed Acts 22.4 20. and 26.10 11. as he acknowledged of himself and 't is said that this Saul made Havock of the Church Acts 8.3 which phrase makes some think that he was the Raving Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin which was prophesied by Jacob Gen. 49.27 He unlearned the Lenity and Moderation of his over-ruled Master N.B. Yet easily learned the Savage Cruelty of the mad Multitude so became as mad as the most and worst of that Rude Rabble yea stepping a degree higher beyond the ordinary
Liquor the Blood of Saints here also N.B. 'T was not sufficient to Rage in Judaea only but he will pursue them also six days Journey into Syria and his Outrage is aggravated herein that he spareth not the weaker Sex who are usually spar'd in such cases if they profess'd themselves Christians And it appeareth that the High Priest and that Council were no less outragious than he in putting a Sword into such a Mad-man's hand No less than the Destruction of the Church of Christ every where is designed by its Enemies both They and Saul hunt for Christians Lives The second Remark is Oh what an eminent Monument of Divine Mercy doth this Blood-thirsty Brute remain upon Scripture Record 1 Tim. 1.13 14 16. that a Pharisee a Persecutor of the first Magnitude and so malicious a Murderer should become a Christian an excellent Preacher of Christ and such an eminent Apostle N.B. Here a Wolf is changed into a Lamb Oh what cannot Omnipotency do out of his Free Grace Persecuting Saul is made a Praying and a Preaching Paul The Sacred Scriptures do largely relate what a notorious Villain this same Saul had been before his Conversion that none might despond or despair of the Free Grace of God so they have but hearts given them earnestly and sincerely to seek it This Man when converted doth as it were Pennance in a white Sheet confessing that he had been the chief of Sinners primus quo nullus prior aut pejor yet the Grace of Christ abounded to an overflow towards him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.14 signifies Preaching ever this great Grace This introduceth Saul's Conversion so wonderful a work of God's Free Grace as is almost without a parallel in the Sacred Record N.B. As it was once said of the Old Testament Saul in derision Is Saul also among the Prophets 1 Sam. 10 11. and 19 24. Tho' the first was spoken for a Wonder yet the latter was uttered in a Jear importing all was surely well when such a Bloody Tyrant was so tyed up manacled maugre all his malice and madness So the same may be said of this New Testament Saul even with admiration Yea this latter is the greater Wonder of the two for the old Saul in his seeking Asses did but find a Temporal Kingdom but this young Saul while he was pursuing Death strangely stumbles upon Everlasting Life N.B. Oh marvelous Metamorphosis far beyond all Ovid's Pagan Dreams Here 's not only a Wolf turned into a Lamb but here 's a Monster of Nature changed into a Miracle of Grace Here 's a Child of Wrath become a Vessel of Mercy and a Son of Perdition an Heir of Salvation The former Saul had the Spirit of Prophecy come upon him which made him another man 1 Sam. 10.6 9. and 10. but this was for the time only who spake only as Balaam's Ass did for the Gift soon left him again he was not turned into a new Spiritual Man However this made many amazed that there should be Anser inter Olores Corvus inter Musas as the Latine's Proverb is suitable to that of the Hebrews A Goose among the Swans a Crow among the Muses a Rustick Saul among the Divine Prophets N.B. But there was more matter of Amazement at the change of this latter Saul Acts 9.21 who of a Cursed Tare was turned into Blessed Wheat and had a real Transmutation a thorough Transmentation and an Abiding work upon him Saul the Persecutor was turned into Paul the Preacher The power of that Chymist is worthily praised who can most curiously not only Refine the fine Gold from its Dross but also extract pure Gold out of drossy Copper How much more is the great God to be magnified who changes Dross and base Metal into the most Refined Gold 'T is only the God of Nature that hath the true Philosopher's Stone and can change the Nature of created Beings the bad into good and the old depraved Nature into that which is new and truly Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Such a great change as this of Saul into Paul was an unaccountable matter and therefore might truly cause Amazement But the Father saith Ex quovis ligno fit Mercurius cum Digitus Dei sit Statuarius The Omnipotent God can of crooked Timber make straight Pillars in his Temple He can of very Stones raise up Children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 Nothing is too hard for that God in whose hand Saul's heart was Gen. 18.14 Job 42.2 c. This so Famous a Conversion of Saul stands Recorded in many remarkable circumstances As 1. The Time when 2. The Place where 3. The Manner how 4. The Witnesses thereof 5. The Concomitants and 6. The Consequents of it 1. The Time when it was while in the very Act of his outragious Persecution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Adulteress was John 8.4 in the very nick of his highest Rebellion against Christ Acts 9.1 2. This Furioso Saul had got his Fatal Commission out of the High-Commission-Court of the High Priest who was as full of Fury as he so needed God's Bridle rather than Saul's Spur for in this whole Book of the Acts of the Apostles in all the over-busie oppositions stirred up against the Gospel we do find the Priests not only the busiest men but also as it is related all along Acts 7.1 and 9.1 and 23 2 c. They seem to be the only Men that were the principal Persecutors Though they were indeed mostly concerned in that cursed work because they looked upon it as belonging to their Function and Interest to look after the prevention of this growing evil of the Gospel as they prophanely mis-judged it Yet had they no distinct power from the Sanhedrim save only as a part thereof This is testified by Saul himself who best knew from whom he had those killing Commissions saying that he received his Letters of Life and Death not only from the High-Priest but from all the Estate of the Elders also Acts 22.5 N B. Notwithstanding this the Sacred Story pitcheth upon the Priests as a parcel of profligate persons who principally prompted on and promoted this Persecution Saul being thus furnished with Authority fetches a compass to fire out all the Christians at Damascus and no doubt this Wolf was worrying them all the way he went with his heart no doubt but Satan suggested many a murdering thought into his mischievous mind Here this Grand Informer this principal Apparitor like a Spanish Inquisitor or rather the great Apostle of that Hellish High-Priest who yet became through Grace the true and heavenly High-Priest's Apostle passeth end-ways almost an hundred and sixty Miles from Jerusalem and within sight of Damascus at Noon-time of the day was the Time of his Call N.B. The second is the Place where it was when he was come near to Damascus Acts 9.3 The Hebrew name of that place Damesec signifies a bagg of Blood so it was called because the Rabbins
applied to Cornelius's case N.B. Which sheweth the mistake of those that so Tye up Grace and Salvation to the receiving of the Sacrament of Baptism as if none could fear God or be accepted of him and saved by him unless they be baptized The fourth Remark is True Peace with God is only purchased and procured and according to be Preached only by and through Jesus Christ v. 36. N.B. So. 1. Christ himself Preached in his own person for all quarters of the World Matth. 8.11 12. that he would draw all men unto him without distinction of Jew or Gentile Poor or Rich c. John 12.32 2. This Peace is Preached to be had by Christ or only through him by the very Angels themselves Luke 2.14 And 3. By all the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel Ephes 2.13 14. Acts 4.12 And 't is all one whether they be Jews or Greeks bond or free male or female they are all one in him Gal. 3. v. 28. who is all and in all Col. 3.11 Insomuch as all other Peace not founded upon the Rock Christ is not pax sed stupor not a right but a false Peace no better than stupefaction The fifth Remark is The Lord of All was Anointed by his Father as the Jewish Kings Priests and Prophets usually were to all those three Offices hence was he called Messiah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New both which names do signifies Anointed Acts 10. v. 36 38. N.B. Hence may we comfortably conclude that seeing Christ is the Lord of the Church and Lord of the World as he is Lord of all he will not suffer his Church to be wronged by the World nor will he be hindered by Devils or wicked men though never so many never so mighty from carrying on his own cause and concerns of his own glory but will gather his Elect both Jews and Gentiles out of all the quarters of the World Rom. 3.30 and 10.12 c. He will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 The sixth Remark is This mighty Mediator who had God with him in the fulness of the Godhead Col. 2.9 induing his Manhood with all might and mercy never exerted his might but in Miracles of Mercy He went about doing good but never any hurt for God was with him verse 38. He could as easily destroy those that would not believe on him as he did save those that willingly believed though often provoked thereunto Nay so far was our Lord from ruining any that when his Apostles asked his leave but to permit them by fire from Heaven to destroy the sawcy Samaritans yet would he not Luke 9.54 Though afterward he impowered Peter to strike Ananias and Sophira with death and also Paul to strike Elymas the Sorcerer with Blindness Acts 5. and 13 chapter N.B. Yet all the Miracles Christ himself wrought were Miracles of Mercy not of Judgments Healing all but harming or hurting none yea the worst sort of evils even such as were oppressed with the Devil Acts 10.38 to shew that he came as a Saviour and not as a Destroyer which is the Devil 's double name both in Hebrew and Greek Rev. 9.11 and that his Errand was to destroy the works of that destroying Devil Heb. 2.14 and 1 John 3.8 and to cast him out of the Souls of Men who were spiritually possessed by him O happy calamity that carries Man to seek a Saviour The seventh Remark is Oh how costly to Christ it was to save us from the Curse of the Law and from the damning power of Sin and Hell He therefore died a cursed Death was slain by the Jews and hanged on a Tree Acts 10. verse 39. Gal. 3.13 Deut. 21.23 that the blessing of Abraham hitherto mostly confined to the fleshly seed of that Patriarch the Jews might now come upon the Gentiles also Gal. 3.8 14. N.B. Therefore the Jews for being Kill-Christs might the less murmure at their Rejection and at the Gentile's Reception at this time who had not so rejected Christ as the Jews had done The eighth Remark is The Resurrection of Christ is the Fort-Royal of the Christian Religion's comfort c. Hereupon the Apostle Peter here Acts 10. v. 40. had no sooner mentioned Christ's Death but immediately he Preach'd his Resurrection also lest those Gentile-Auditors should have stumbled at his Cross and be discouraged to believe in a Dead Christ for that he was Raised from the Dead was a most unquestionable Truth though the Gentiles faith he might hear some rude Rumours hereof by a confused Report and common fame in the general Acts 10. v. 37. The word I say you know yet now let me tell you more particularly that this Truth hath been by all manner of ways proved for Christ hath been both seen and heard yea and felt too 1 John 1.1 after his Resurrection and we are and drank with him verse 41. whereby he was declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 and by consequence a Conquerour of both Death and Hell for us c. And hereupon the Apostle Paul also puts a rather of comfort upon this Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection Rom. 8.34 c. The ninth Remark is God's Truth is never starved for want of Witnesses As the Apostles were Eye and Ear-witnesses of all that was done both by Christ and against him Acts c. 10. v. 39. before and at his Death as likewife after his Resurrection to whom he appeared alive and to above five hundred of the Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 those Apostles were therefore commanded to Preach Christ not only alive but that he would Judge the quick and dead Acts 10. v. 41 42. So the Prophets all testified the same Truth which was included in that first Prophecy of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. v. 15. and so downward from that time Jer. 31.34 Mich. 7.18 Luke 24.27 Acts 10. v. 43. Yea all the Ceremonies in the Sacrifices testified this Truth The tenth Remark is God giveth Testimony to the Word of his Grace where it is sincerely and ardently Preached and Heard Acts 14.3 Here the Holy Ghost accompanied the sincere Preaching and attentive ardent Hearing the Word and these Gentile Auditors being such had the visible signs of Fiery Tongues such as the Apostles had Acts 2.3 falling on them while Peter was speaking Acts 10.44 By which Miracle God declared that the price of Man's Redemption by Christ was paid for and belonged to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews and that the Spirit with the graces of Illumination Regeneration and the gift of Tongues c. thus coming down upon these Gentile-Converts before Baptism did plainly shew N. B. That the Righteousness of God is not attained by any external Ordinance without the internal operation of his Spirit which here came on Cornelius c. being neither circumcised nor baptized Acts 10.35 The eleventh Remark is They who have the Grace signified by Baptism ought to have the Seal of that Grace in being
Earth Revel 11.10 never considering that those Saints in the Earth Psalms 16.3 do bear up the Pillars of the Earth Psalms 75.3 and that God gratifies his own Servants with the preservation of their persecutors as he did Paul with the live of all those Infidels who were in the Ship with him Acts 27.24 37 42. Thus the Stagg in the Emblem by biting off the boughs under which he lay hid from the Hunters bewrays and betrays himself into their hands c. The third Remark is Paul chused to labour with his hands rather than he would disadvantage the Gospel or become burdensome to those poor people who had here received the Gospel 'T is said He wrought with Aquila in Tent-making Acts 18.3 This Trade Paul learnt before he was called to the Ministry N. B. The most Learned among the Jews did alway learn some Handy-craft-Trade holding themselves obliged by their Traditional Law that every Father must teach his Child some Trade and their Rabbi Judah saith that whosoever doth not teach his Child a Trade doth as bad as if he bad him go play the Thief Paul therefore having learnt this Trade of a Tent-maker did work with his hands here for his own subsistency as he did in other places upon the same exigent 1 Cor. 4.12 1 Thes 2.9 and 2 Thes 3.8 Paul had power enough and warrant to challenge Maintenance for his Preaching-work as he intimateth many times over in his Epistles N. B. But 1. There was not yet any Church at Corinth to maintain him 2. When there was a Church there he would take nothing of the Gentiles for the greater honour and promotion of the Gospel among them 3. The persons that embraced the Gospel and believed were mostly the most mean persons as appears most probably from 1 Corinth 1.26 Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called Therefore spared he those poor Proselytes and would not be burdensome to them 4 It was to shew that he sought them more than theirs their persons to be saved by him more than their purses for him to be sustained by them N.B. Yet did he assert his own Right and the Right of Ministers by Divine Appointment 1 Cor. 9.6 11 12 14 c. But because of the present Necessity and Emergency of Affairs he denied himself here as Acts 20.34 2 Cor. 11.7 8. and 2 Thes 3.9 c. working with his hands in sowing Skins together whereon to make Tents used much by the Souldiers in those hot Countreys and by others also to keep off the violence of the Weather c. N.B. Hereupon one saith of him That he was no less busie in his Shop among his Tents than in his Study among his Books and Parchments which he mentions 2 Tim. 4.13 yet was it no work of supererogation as the Romanists say for in this case it was a duty saving the honour of the Ministry but no general Rule So thus Musculus when driven out of his place by Persecution was forced to pick up a poor living by Digging and Weaving And a late Martyr as great a Scholar as Europe had being banished served a Mason for his livelihood The fourth Remark is That painful Preachers must not be blamed for the blood of their perishing People N.B. Paul saith here I am clean your blood be upon your own heads ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I am not in the fault if ye perish The Kill-Christ Jews cryed His blood be upon our heads Matth. 27.25 that is the guilt and punishment thereof Accordingly Paul proposeth his speech to his opposers your blood be upon your own heads answerable to that aforesaid wish in their wretched Imprecation and according to the Jews Custom of the Witnesses laying their hands upon the head of the guilty person as devoting him thereby to death Deut. 17.7 And as the Sacrificers laid their hands upon the head of the Beast to be sacrificed whereby they transmitted their own sin upon the Sacrifice Exod. 29.10 15. and Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 c. N.B. But they had another manner of the High Priest's laying his hands upon the Scape-Goat's head also Levit. 16.10 21. that this Live-Goat might carry away all their sins from them along with him into the Land of everlasting forgetfulness never to be remembred against them any more as Isa 43.25 which was a Type of our Dear Redeemer upon whom God hath laid all our Iniquities Isa 53.6 7. and whom those Opposers rejected when tendered to them by Paul's Preaching Christ and therefore Paul tells them they were so many Felo's de se Self-destroyers and were guilty of their own Death and Damnation for seeing they refused that Christ should redeem them and save them from their sins they must bear their own burdens which without Repentance would bear them down into the bottomless Pit N.B. Nor could Paul be charged with the loss of their Souls for he was free from their blood because he had warned them of their Damnable State and shewn the way of Life and Salvation to them He had blown the Trumpet c. Ezek. 3.17 18 19 20 21. and 33.4 5 6 7 8 9. The Watch-man must give warning of Danger if his warning be effectual for Reformation then both the Warner and the Warned do deliver and save their own Souls If the Watch-man's Warning be not heeded by the Hearers they shall die in their sins but there is no danger to the Watch-man for he did his duty as Paul did here But if the Watch-man give no Warning not only the Sinner dies by his unrepented-of-sins but also the Minister by his not admonishing the Sinner becomes involved in that guilt death and damnation God will punish him as a Dumb Dog Isa 56.10 for not barking according to his duty to sound an Alarm of his People's danger Isa 58.1 All these passages in this Prophet Isaiah as one saith seem non Verba sed Tonitrua not Aery words but frightful Thunder-bolts What then will become of Idol-or Idle-Ministers But Paul was a better Pattern being a painful Preacher he doth his part here and would not have to answer for the blood of them that perished through any neglect in him but leaves it at their own door and upon their own heads as here and Acts c. 20. v. 26. The fifth Remark is The Lord's promise of his presence is a sweet incouragment to his Servants for their Abiding in a place and among a people notwithanding their fears from angry men and from inraged Devils Thus here the Lord Christ spake again to his Servant Paul saying be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee c. Acts 18. verse 9.10 N.B. We may well wonder what was the cause of any new fear in Paul that Christ should now say to him fear not seeing the coming of Silas and Timothy to him according to his order Acts
And here N.B. for he stayeth his Journey all the seven days of the Jewish Passover's Solemnity and would not set forth to travel that time because he would not willfully offend the weak Jews verse 6. He sailed not from Philippi till after the days of unleavened Bread according to their Law Exod. 12.19 Thus he complyed with their Rites which then tho' they were dead by the death of Christ yet were neither deadly nor as yet buried so his compliance was not sinful The second Remark is At Troas Paul plainly observeth the Lord's day or the first day of the Week's Sabbath verse 7. N.B. When he came to Troas which some suppose to be the relicts of that old and famous City of Troy he abode there seven days verse 6. so he had his choice of any day in that whole week to convene by his Apostolical power the most solemn Christian Assembly yet doth he pass over the 7th day of the week the Jewish-Sabbath-day and pitcheth upon the first day of the week expresly Verse 7. well knowing that this was the day which the Lord had made for his worship Psal 118.24 by his Resurrection upon that day Matth. 28.1 and John 20.1 which is by way of Eminency call'd the Lord's day Revel 1.10 on this day the Disciples met and Christ honoured them with his presence immediately after his Resurrection John 20. verse 19. and 26 c. and when he was ascended this day was appointed for the Christians to meet on 1 Corinth 16.2 which necessarily infers the abrogation of the Saturday-Sabbath for in six days they are commanded to Labour Now had they rested both those two days they could not but break that part of God's Law c. The third Remark is A long Sermon sometimes is not Un-scriptural or Un-apostolical N.B. Paul preached until midnight here Verse 7. Because it was his farewell-Sermon ready to depart on the Morrow that phrase implies no less Nay his discourse did continue beyond Midnight even to break of day Verse 11. as this singular example of Paul shewed him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Iron-sides having a Robust body for preaching-work and also his unwearied diligence and Zeal for winning Souls c. So his Auditorie's vigilance patience and Complacency in waiting so long upon God to hear his word is evident here also N.B. Both which patterns will rise up in Judgment to condemn those of our day As the preacher here doth condemn not only the Dum-doggs of our day that cannot bark at all Isa 56.10 but also those lazy Lubbers that think the Sand in their hour Glass runs not fast enough while they are preaching the Gospel c. as if God had not cursed those that do the work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully Jer 48 10. so those hearers here doth no less condemn the drowz◠careless and impatient hearers of our times who cannot watch with Christ one hour without sleep or weariness Mat. 26.40 Those warm Christians here saith Chrysostom medià nocte Vigilabant ut eos condemnent qui medio die dormiunt they did watch till mid-night to condemn those that sleep at mid-day c. The fourth Remark is Religious night-Meetings are lawful and in some cases needful Verse 8.11 N.B. Indeed carnal men do commonly calumniate such Conventicles as if Christians met in the darkness of the night only to comit fornication the Men with the Women but herein theyonly muse as they themselves use this being their own cursed practice Thus the Emperor Caligula thought there was not a chast man upon Earth because himself was detestably unchast Now to avoid any occasion of such a causeless calumny here were many lights prudently provided least their being in darkness should administer any sufpition concerning the honesty and holiness of their profession and practice The fifth Remark is Sermon-sleepers want not warnings of God's sending forth suddenly his dreadful Summons for sleepers N.B. We see Eutichus which signifies good fortune had the bad fortune to fall into a dead sleep sitting in a Window while Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and falls down from the third lost and was taken up for dead This was done by the Devil God permitting it to distract and disturb Paul that he might put an end to his long Sermon which so disturbed the Devil's Kingdom verse 9. yet the following Miracle of reviving Eutychus turn'd it to the contrary All sleepers do distract the preacher The sixth Remark is The Miraculous raising up to life of dead Eutychus by Paul's power of miracles was matter both of great admiration and of strong consolation to the faithful there verse 9 10 11 12. N.B. The young man falls first into a dead sleep for youth is a sleepy and a slippery age then falls he down three stories high which was a fearful and fatal fall driving his breath out of his body as well as bruised it if not broke his bones so that he was taken up dead Paul went down from his pulpit and fell upon him as Elijah did upon the dead Son of the widdow of Zareptah 1 Kin. 17 21. and as Elisha on the Shunamites 2 Kin. 4.34 then upon Paul's prayer for him his life returned into him N.B. Yea so strong was Paul's faith in praying for this miraculous recovery that he comforted the confused Auditory greatly distracted with this sudden casualty Saying be not too much perplexed at this Disaster which the Devil by Divine permission hath done to disturb us for his life is in him knowing infallibly that while he spake these words his life would return so speaks of it as if it were a done thing N.B. This Miracle did not a little fill all the faithful with marvel and comfort As they had been much troubled that the preaching of the Gospel which brought life and Salvation to all believers should be an occasion of death to this young man so were they exceeding glad that dead Entychus was restored to life not only for the young Man's sake alone but also and more especially for their own Confirmation by this miracle for hereby God gave a convincing Testimony to the word of his grace overshooting the Devil in his own bow and over ruling that disturbance to a contrary effect of this wonderful deliverance by which means likewise both the Gospel was attested to and many were confirmed in the belief of it The seventh Remark is As at Troas the Lord's day and the Lord's Supper were celebrated by Paul so the change beginning and ending of the Christian Sabbath is very observable there N.B. For Paul kept the first day administring the Euharist and preaching the word until midnight upon this extraordinary occasion of his departure the next day yea he talked a long time even till break of day verse 7 11. N.B. We should be acted by the same Spirit in obserying the Sabbath tho' not in such extraordinary Actings as the Apostle and his Auditory did or we are not
be either Hector'd by threatnings or allured by Flatteries to lay down his ministry and desist from his preaching-work No doubt but his silence would have been his security both against the malice of the adverse Jews and against the power of the Idolatrous Pagans But a Necessity was laid upon him and a wo unto him if he preached not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 which himself denounced Fourthly This he did also with all confidence and with an undaunted Courage for his love to Christ was somewhat like Christ's love to him stronger than death Cant. 8.6 As Christ had dyed for him so was he ready to dye for Christ Acts 21.13 and he was the more confident because none were found so fool-hardy to attempt the making him timerous and diffident as followeth Fifthly no man forbidding him not because the Jews wanted malice or the Pagans power but because God who setteth bounds to the raging Sea Job 38.11 who suffered not a Dog to bark at Israel's coming so calmly out of inraged Aegypt Exod. 11. v. 7. and who shut the Mouths of the hungry Lions that they hurt not Daniel Dan. 6. v. 22. did deliver Paul both from Nero and from the Jews So that it was then even in Rome-Heathen as impossible to hinder the progress of the Gospel as to stop the Sun from shining or the Wind from blowing Yet such attempts are in Rome-Anti-christian at this day Wherein the contrary to all the afore-said may easily be exemplified Joseph did indeed provide a Granary or store-house of Corn in every City and Village against the famine that lay on the Land of Aegypt But popish Countries want such a Joseph Publick Statutes are made to forbid Christians of the Reformed Religion from having either publick or private places of meeting into worship God and no man incouraging contrary to this here where there 's no man forbiding The Supplement after the last of Acts 28. CHAP. XXIX A Scripture account of Paul while at Rome c. VVHERE Luke the Evangelist tho' guided by the good Spirit of God yet thought it his duty to desist from giving any farther account of the History of the Apostles Lives and Acts and more especially of the Apostle Paul's with whom he was a constant companion in Rome There must I begin this my Supplement N.B. Wherein because Ecclesiastical History having only an humane Testimony is found both various and uncertain about the lives and deaths of the Apostles therefore I shall not dare to confine my following Discourse unto what is Recorded by Nicephorus Eusebius and others from whose Conjectural Relations nothing can be positively and with undenyable evidence asserted N.B. Now that the Sequel and Supplement of this Apostolical History may be as Harmonious Homogeneal and Symbolizing with the former foregoing twenty eight Chapters as the matter may admit I have thought of this Expedient to bottom my Assertions still upon such Historical Hints as are found scattered here and there in the Sacred Scriptures namely in the Canonical Epistles of the Divinely Inspired Apostles themselves which they wrote upon several occasions as they were guided by the Holy Ghost to give an infallible Account N. B. Hitherto we have had lent us by the Lord a Divine Clew of Thread to lead us through this vast Labyrinth of writing the History of the Apostles Lives so far as Luke who wrote their Acts so called hath led us which Book of the Acts might as well be called The Wonders of the Apostles considering what Wonders it containeth not only such Wonders as were wrought by the Apostles but also for them to deliver preserve and incourage them in their prodigious Apostolical Work Insomuch as all the Attempts both of the Tempter himself the Red Dragon and of all his many and mighty Tools which he imployed for silencing the Apostles and for stopping the progress of Christianity which was every where spoken against Acts 28 22. were confoundingly disappointed N.B. We may well therefore call that History of the Apostles not only the Acts a name wherewith that holy Pen-man Luke the Apostles themselves modestly contented themselves but also the Wonder of Wonders wherein the Truth and Power of God did so wonderfully appear that the Gospel should be so irresistibly propagated by them when all men generally both Jews and Gentiles in all Places and of all Ranks both Princes and Peasants opposed it So that the Doctrine of Christianity which the Apostles taught had the multitude the Powers and Authority the Wisdom of the whole World yea and if all the seeming Sanctity that then was in the World to wit among the Jews all these every where were against it Christ was a Sign spoken against as was foretold of him Luke 2.34 in all places by all people N.B. Now what could rationally be expected in such a desperate case and concern which the Apostles undertook and entred upon but that every natural man would at the least suspect that which all the World so generally condemned Notwithstanding all this universal opposition yet did the Gospel prevail and run through the World like a Sun-beam yea and did so much so universally and so constantly flourish in despite of both Angry Men and of Inraged Devils that indeed this became by the mighty Power of God no less than a wonder of Wonders N.B. Now waving Ecclesiastical History let us still stick to the Sacred Scriptures so far as they give light to this Apostolical History Re-assuming the passages of Providence that attended Paul after his coming to Rome The first Remark farther concerning Paul is His writing several Epistles during his Imprisonment at Rome to several Churches and Persons Luke who accompany'd Paul to Rome as appeareth by his phrase We all along Acts 27. and more expresly in Acts 28. And when we came to Rome verse 16 c. gives no farther account of him but only of his lying a Prisoner there for two whole years and Preaching c. Acts 28.30 31. N.B. As it cannot be supposed that Paul spent all this two whole years time in his Preaching work for this would have wearied hoth himself and his Auditors but that there must be a due Interval betwixt one exercise and another not so much for his private Preparations in his Study because he had an extraordinary Apostolical gift c. So nor may it be imagined that such an Indefatigable Labourer in God's Vineyard could carelesly omit the Improvement of his Horae succisivae or spare hours in this two whole years time and therefore 't is no more than rational to affirm that during this his long Confinement he wrote sundry Epistles c. as above But beside the rationality hereof some Scripture-Light may confirm it Note As 1. His Epistle to the Galatians he wrote from Rome this is render'd the more probable 1. From the Postscript of that Epistle unto the Galatians written from Rome tho' this be no part of the Canonical Scripture for in other Postscripts to some