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
frightful fancies of melancholy men so fall into the hands of the living God v. 31. Though Judgment be not speedily executed Eccles 8.11 yet must it be certainly expected Heb. 9.27 and when it comee oh how dreadful will it be all the fancied Fears Fires Racks Strappado's Scalding Lead Boiling Pitch Running Bell-metal felt as well as fancied are but dim shadows of that wrath of God which none can Avoid or Abide and that to all Eternity 't is call'd the Damnation of Hell Matth. 23.23 which hath pain without pity misery without mercy and torments without end and past all imaginations If Gods present wrath be so unbearable Prov. 18.14 as 't is able to break the back of the mightiest Monarch Dan. 5.6 It made Belshazzars knees knock against each other with trembling It made Judas chuse an Halter rather than undergo it Matth. 27.3 4 c. and well he might seeing holy Job with whom God was but in jest as it were in comparison of Judas did prefer strangling and any kind of Death before such a life Job 7.15 yet all this was but present wrath and nothing at all to the wrath to come the worst Winter is yet to come and come it will that Winter-weather never rots in the Sky nor dies as we say in the Dams-belly This wrath to come is a phrase of speech that wraps up in it all manner of Woes the never quenched Fire and the never dying Worm Vast Seas of Vengeance wide Rivers of Fire and Brimstone unutterable and unsufferable Tortures and Torments are involv'd in this wrath to come All present Racking Roasting we read of Hanging Stabbing Stoning Tearing off the flesh with Thorns of the Wilderness with Saws and Harrows of Iron haling off the Skin by hands over mens heads and all other exquisite and unheard of Cruelties whatsoever Heb. 11.35 36 37. and our Martyrologists mention yet all these are but a flea-biting as the prick of a pin and as a fillip with the finger those present and passant things to the wrath to come wherein God's wrath as well as the Devil 's will break loose upon sinners that think light of a Saviour Matth. 22.5 and Heb. 2.3 Luke 19. v. 27. and shift off offers of Grace Heb. 12.25 Inferences hence 1. How can we find in our hearts to slight Christ oh bless and kiss the Son of God! Psal 2.12 who hath born for us the brunt of this insupportable burden of this Eternity of Extremity in comparison whereof all the afore-mentioned miseries that may befal Mankind in this World are but as a painted Fire to this wrath to come even according to Mans Fear so is Gods Wrath Psal 90.11 Let a man fancy or fear never so much he shall be sure to feel more when Gods wrath falls upon him yet our dear Redeemer knew the power of Gods anger for us when he cried out Eloi Eloi in the three hours Darkness not only all the powers of Darkness set upon him with their utmost might and malice but which was more than all his Fathers favour was suspended from him and his wrath was upon him and all to save â—s from the wrath to come Matth. 27.45 1 Thes 1.10 The second Inference How hateful ought sin to be to us which always hales Hell at the heels of it Sin no where appeareth more sinful that when 't is beheld upon the back of a Crucified Christ where God caused all the sins of his chosen and called to meet upon him Isa 53.4 5. Oh! search then by a Reflect Act under what Covenant are ye Is it nothing to lose an Immortal Soul nothing to purchase an Everliving Death where the Soul as Moses Bush shall be ever burning but never consumed Under the first Covenant Christless men take much pains with the Pharisees for Eternal pains The Curse of that Covenant will come on you if not translated into the second by Regeneration and if new then happy creatures for ever The Second Way wherein God convinceth man of Sin Righteousness and Judgment is by the Gospel and Covenant of Grace which is an higher way and a more raised method and step than the first is to wit by the Law and Covenant of works for Christ oft Promises the sending of the Comforter that his Comfortless Disciples might once observe it as an inestimable favour Promised to wit the pouring out of the Spirit the best of all things upon all Flesh the worst of all things Joel 2.28 Joh. 14.16 26. and 16.7 and when he is come v. 8. he will convince the World c. v. 9 10 11. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so reprove and undeceive the World yea so clearly convince them that they shall have nothing to pretend for their gross mistakes formerly taken with but shall unavoidably acknowledge both the hatefulness of every Act of Sin and the necessity of obtaining Christs Righteousness lest they fall under the Judgment and Condemnation of Christ whom they Condemned yet God Justified and Constituted him to be Judge of Quick and Dead Acts 17.31 More particularly the Spirit shall clear up by such convincing and undeniable Arguments 1. Of the heinousness of that Mother-Sin Unbelief which was the Forst Sin and is still the Root Sin of all the rest Heb. 3.12 rejecting the remedy proposed in the Gospel giving the God of Truth the lie 1 Joh. 5.10 and subjecting a Man to the Rigour Irritation Coaction and Curse of the Law of Works 2. Of the Excellency of Christs Righteousness which is the only saving Righteousness both Imputed in the Grace of Justification and Imparted in the Grace of Sanctification and Christ becoming our surety must acquit us of all our Sins before he could go to his Father or by his going to him he obtained to become our Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 without which no Man can go whither he is gone Heb. 12.14 And 3. Of Judgment That the Son of Man now Judged by the World shall appear the Judge of the VVorld seeing the Prince of the World as Satan accounts himself Luke 4.6 is Judged by him in part already Luke 10.18 Joh. 12.31 c. casting him out of his strong-holds 2 Cor. 10.4 yea out of his Heaven of Mens Heart Heb. 2.14 How much more all his Slaves and Subjects In a word If we be Believers and so partake of Christs Righteousness then will Christ bring forth Judgment unto Victory Mat. 12.20 both in our Sanctification perfecting it in us though we be but bruised Reeds and such smoaking Candlewicks as have more Smoak than Light in us and in our Glorification also but if we be Unbelievers rejecting Christs Righteousness we shall be Damned with the Devil and his Angels in the Damnation of Hell Mat. 23.23 and Mat. 25.41 for Christ will come with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire to render Vengeance upon the disobedient Unbelievers who have rejected his Grace tender'd to them and disregarded his forewarnings of VVrath to come 2 Thes 1.7
piety to Parents and the Bond of an Oath as things prevalent with God proh pudor Oh shame to us After Jacob had Covenanted with Joseph about the place of his Burial that Distemper which Summon'd him to order it grew stronger upon his old decaying Body which had been much worn and weakned by many sore Travels and long toilsom Troubles Gen. 48.1 It was told Joseph Behold thy Father is sick which the Septuagint expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turbatur to shew how he had been toiled and turmoiled with many Crosses Calamities and Tryals all his Life all which this last fatal sickness was about to put an end to he became sick unto Death and therefore he prepareth for it before it came by making his Last Will and Testament which is Twofold 1. He constitutes whom he would have to be his Heirs in Gen. 48. 2. He confers his Patriarchal Blessing upon all his twelve Sons Gen. 49. This in the General From which we have these Remarkable Inferences 1. Gods love and Mans sickness may well consist together Jacob is sick and yet it was Jacob hath God loved Mal. 1.2 and Rom. 9.13 So Lazarus is sick yet Christ had this word sent him Behold he whom thou lovest is sick John 11.3 Augustine asketh Si Amatur quomodò Infirmatur If he be loved of God and of Christ how can he be laid down upon a Bed of Sickness Oh well enough may we say Afflictions are Christ's love-Tokens He saith As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Rev. 3.19 Prov. 3.12 Hebr. 12.6 Such as escape Affliction may well question their Adoption God had one Son Sine flagitio without Corruption but none Sine flagello without Correction The ground is displeased love and the End is fuller Embracements as here 2. God exempts not his Saints from Sickness nor from Death Though they be dead to sin Rom. 6.2 and are redeemed from Death Hos 13.14 yet not from Sickness unto Death which is as God's Chariot wherein he fetcheth his Children home to himself as Joseph did for Jacob Gen. 45.27 so God did in this Sickness send for him that they may live and reign with him in free Embracements and full Enjoyments in a better world 't is necessary that this tottering Tabernacle of Clay should molder down that a better House may be Erected for this do we groan earnestly 2 Cor. 5.1 2 c. that when the Earthly House is dissolved or taken down we may have an Heavenly one and so be freed from our back-burdens of Sin and Misery 3. Some Saints die soon and suddenly without much Sickness to usher in Death It was no more with Moses but only Go up and Die Deut. 31.49.50 He died Hebr. Gnal-pi Jehovah At the mouth of the Lord which we read According to the word of the Lord Deut. 34.5 as if God had taken away his life with a real sign of his love kill'd him with a Kiss and suck'd his Soul our of his Body into himself in a friendly Salutation This was in a manner equivalent to Righteous Elijah's Translation which two a blessed couple conferr'd with Christ upon Mount Tabor at his Transfiguration Matth. 17.3 c. and to that of Enoch's also Other Saints die of a long and lingring Sickness as did Jacob here and Elisha after 2 King 13.14 the best are subject to Sickness and Death and before they can come to the very Gates of Death they oft pass through a strait long flabby Lane of a lingring Sickness and all this in Mercy that they may become more weaned from the World better prepared for their Death Desirous to be dissolved to be with Christ and that they may have a more easie Departure out of the world for as a Member the more it is mortified the better is its cutting off endured so when the Body is weakned and wasted with much Sickness natural strength being worn away cannot make Resistence such die more easily The Divine Contemplation of Dr. Hall hereupon is richly worth Recording Happy is the man saith he who after due Preparation is passed through the Gates of Death ere he be aware and Happy is the Man who by the holy use of long Sickness is taught to see the Gates of Death afar off and addresseth for a resolute passage The one dies like Enoch and Elijah the other like Jacob and Elishah both Blessedly To which I add Some are hurried away to Heaven in a fiery Chariot of an Acute Feaver all on a sudden with the former others lye long under Chronical Diseases dying as it were by Inches as those that are Consumptive or be Famish'd with the latter Instances Now come we to the former part of Jacob's Last Will and Testament relating particularly to Joseph and his two Sons This Godly Patriarch being now sensible that the Sentence of Death was writ upon him as 2 Cor. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Death's Donunciation he felt in himself well understood the double Duty of a Dying Man 1. To set his Heart in order 2. To set his house in order The former he had done already and now he addresseth himself to accomplish the latter in declaring the first part of his Will which was thus occasion'd No sooner did Joseph hear of his Father's fatal Sickness but he like a dutiful Son not lingring till he was sent for lays by all his Publick Affairs and immediately hastens to Visit his Dearest Parent not only to pay his last Respects and perform his last Offices of Piety to him but also to receive his Father's last Blessing which he preferr'd above all the Wealth of Egypt and all the Gold of Ophir from him And he carries with him his two Sons that they also might partake of the Patriarchal Blessing be entred by their Grandfather into the Catalogue of the Church and be bette◠Confirmed in the Doctrine and Practice of true Piety 1. NB. This Practice is a Pattern to all Children of Godly Parents they should be more sollicitous to Inherit their Parents Graces than their Goods Dying Jacob was reviv'd at his Dear Joseph's approach the sight of him did corroborate his weak and comfort his sick Soul besides a Prophetick Spirit came upon him and did transport him above his decaying and dying Flesh Jacob reverently entertains Joseph as he was a Prince so begins his Oration to him Gen. 48.1 2 3. Reading a Divinity-Lecture out of his Kalendar and Catalogue of all God's gracious dealings with him and merciful Dispensations to him which he had carefully kept recounting and reckoning them up not by the Lump or by Whole-sale as it were but by Parcels and Particulars 2. NB. So ought every true Son and Daughter of Jacob to do Thus David did Psal 9.1 Shewing forth or Heb. Ciphering one by one all the marvellous Mercies of God towards him This Jacob did here v. 3 4 c. to testifie in what great Peace and Recumbency or Acquiescence in God's Promises he died 3. NB.
Mark the perfect Man and behold the upright for be his Beginning and Middle never so Troublesom yet the End of that man is Peace Psal 37.37 or at least his After-End He shall have a Goshen a Shalom or Salem Hebr. Peace either here or in Heaven he shall by Death enter into Peace Rest in his Bed Isa 57.2 though he should not die in his Nest as Jacob did here and Job desired Job 29.18 and accordingly did so notwithstanding all his Afflictions both Job and Jacob had this commendable Confidence grounded upon God's Promises 't was not a Carnal but a Spiritual Security a blessed Calm and Composedness a Sabbath of Spirit flowing from Faith and founded upon a good Conscience of their own uprightness which caused Shalom Shalom great Peace and Joy Isa 26.3 There be two Branches of Jacob's first part of his Will The First concerns Joseph whose presence and influence had so affected his old Father's Heart and quickned his dying Spirits so with new Strength as to rouze himself up from his lying along upon his Death-Bed to whom Jacob declareth how he had full power to bequeath the Land of Canaan as he pleased though then he was but a Pilgrim in Egypt yet prizes he and disposes of his Interest in Canaan so we in Faith of Heaven absent in Body yet possess it with our Hearts as he did with his Bones c. because God had given it him by Promise for an everlasting Possession upon Condition of keeping Covenant with God v. 4. Intimating thereby that Joseph being now a mighty Prince in Egypt might possibly the less think of the Promised Land therefore his Father gives him a grave and godly Avocation from the Treasures Pleasures and Honours of that Land whereof he was now the Lord and a solemn and serious Invitation to consider of and comply with that great Promise of Canaan that he would now take up new Thoughts to joyn himself again to the People of the God of Abraham from whom he now seemed for a little to be separated Gen. 49.27 and to corroborate his Confidence the more in God's Promise of that Country he wills Joseph as his Legacy and Portion some part of the Promised Land to wit the City and Country of Shechem over and above all his Brethren Gen. 48.21 21. so that as Judah had the Dignity from Reuben who forfeited it by his Incest Joseph had the Double Portion 1 Chron. 5.1 2 3. Joseph hath his part in the latter part of his Father's Will among the rest of his Brethren Gen. 49.23 c. as well as this part here his was a double part or portion And this Shechem was Ephraim's Joseph's Sons Inheritance Josh 20.7 with 16.1 c. Joh. 4.5 and thither were Joseph's Bones carried out of Egypt and there Buried Josh 24.1.25.32 And Jacob mentions his dear Rachels Death with a great conflict and concussion of passionate Affections as his as for me she died by me importeth Gen. 48.7 upon a double account First to Render a Reason why he buried not Rachel in the double Cave where his Ancestors were buried by Couples Abraham und Sarah Isaac and Rebekah and where he had sworn Joseph to bury him because she died in Child-bed by the way so could not be kept unburied till brought to the Patriarchs Sepulchre through the slow march of his tender Flocks Secondly That Joseph might know why he gave him a double Portion because his Mother Rachel was intentionally and by Right his first Wife and had not Laban cheated him Joseph had been his first-born This brings in the second Branch of the first part of Jacob's Will which Secondly Concerns Joseph's two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim whom Jacob here Adopteth not as his Grandchildren but as his Immediate Children yea as his Eldest Sons as in room of or for Reuben and Simeon so bequeaths them the Birthright and therewith a double Portion making them two distinct and particular Tribes which was not vouchsafed to any of the Children of his other Sons Joseph's Brethren and therefore seeing Joseph's two Sons were hereby made the Fathers of two Tribes This made Joseph's their Fathers part double to all the rest of Jacob's Sons v. 5. Moreover Jacob might mention Rachel upon other Respects As 1. To mind Joseph that as his dear Mother forsook her Father's House in Syria and sojourned with her Husband in Canaan so her Son Joseph must be willing by his Mothers pious Example much more to leave his Honours in Egypt which was not his Native Country and go take possession of the Land of Promise which he did in his bones when dead Exod. 13.19 Josh 24.32 though he could not for many cogent Reasons aftermentioned do it with his Body while living 2. Jacob might hope that seeing my dear Rachel was snatch'd away from me by a preposterous Death when I expected she would live being young and bring me forth a numerous Offspring which God promis'd should spring from my Loins yet brought forth only two Sons Joseph and Benjamin therefore God would Recompence me and make up my loss by Adopting Joseph's two Sons that God's Promise in multiplying his Seed might be fulfill'd in and by them two The Remarkable Mysteries that lye couched in this Famous History are these 1. As Joseph presented his Sons to his Earthly Father to be Blessed by him saying These are my Sons whom God hath given me Gen. 48.9 So Jesus presents all his Saints to his Heavenly Father saying in like sort Here am I and the Children which thou hast given me Isa 8.18 Joh. 6.37 39. As the High-Priest did present the Twelve Tribes to God as well as represent them before him Exod. 28.29 So doth Christ us Col. 1.22 Jude v. 24. Eph. 5.27 Hebr. 9.24 c. and to him the Father Replies as Jacob did to Joseph here bring them now to me and I will bless them which he doth likewise with Kisses and Embraces This Congruity is yet attended with one Disparity Jacob adopted Joseph's Children at first as absent v. 5. but after discerning two Young men standing at Distance probably behind their Father's Back for Reverence-sake but through the dimness of his decayed Eyes he was disenabled to distinguish their Persons therefore he asks Who are these upon which Joseph informs his dim-sighted Father but Christ's Father and ours in him 2 Thess 1.1 2. with Eph. 1.3 c. can never be so dim-sighted as not to discern and distinguish us either at a distance or in the dark He can distinctly discover us when under the Fig-tree covering as Joh. 1.48 His All-seeing Eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth 2 Chron. 16.9 and behold what Men do in the dark Ezek. 8.22 yea Darkness and light are all one with him He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Eye and knows all Psal 139.2 to 14. Neither doth God Bless any as Absent from him Enter praesenter Deus hic ubique potenter God's Presence fills all places he
will give us the double portion which he hath cut out for us with his Sword in destroying the works of the Devil Heb. 2.14 15. and 1 John 3.8 and 1 Cor. 15.56 57. as Jacob did to Joseph Gen. 48.22 The Sword and Bow there is read by the Chaldee Paraphrast Prà yer and Supplication even this way Christ hath purchas'd a Field for us as Jacob did for him Gen. 33.19 yea and an upper as well as a nether Field as Judg. 1.15 this Life and that to come 1 Tim. 4.8 and Mark 10.30 both bequeath'd by Testament 6. Though there may be supposed mistakes about the Mode of Administring Testament-Blessings yet all are composed in an Amicable Acquiescency and a Friendly End Thus Isaac thought that himself had been mistaken in bestowing the Blessing upon Jacob the younger instead of Esau the elder through the blindness of his own Eyes Jacob knew Gods mind towards Ephraim though Isaac did not at first towards Jacob yet upon second thoughts he confirms the first blessing though surreptitiously procured with a second wherewith he sent him away in an establish'd Faith to Padan-Aram Gen. 27.33 with 28.1 2 3 4 5. So Joseph's first thoughts were that Jacob was mistaken accordingly in blessing the younger before the elder yet understanding it was done agreeable to Gods will he sirs down satisfied therein both this and that Difference ended in peace Hence the Apostle affirmeth that both Isaac and Jacob were not mistaken by their Humane Fancies but acted altogether in both their Blessings by a Divine Faith Heb. 11.21 22. Would to God we had unity of Affection where there is not yet unity of Opinion though we cannot all be of one mind no more than of one Face and Voice yet may we live in Peace here unity of Faith is to be had hereafter Eph. 4.13 When Jacob had bless'd both Joseph's Sons then in the last place he blesses all his own Gen. 49. and this latter by Faith too as well as the former Though the Apostle mention not this as he doth that Heb. 11.21 The reason of this Apostolical Omission is supposed to be because First There is a malediction implied in this for what he speaketh concerning Reuben Simeon and Levi seemeth more like a Curse than a Blessing whereas that concerning Joseph's Sons was a pure Blessing without any such mixture so properly succeeded Isaac's Blessing Jacob c. ver 20. Secondly The Apostle might pick out that one Instance out of the many Patriarchal Blessings supposing a taste enough where the whole is so well supplied at large in Gen. 49. and inlarg'd upon again in Deut. 33. Thirdly Besides the Apostle saith there Heb. 11.32 And what shall I more say the time would fail me to give further and fuller Instances and therefore he doth Artificially wind up all together to avoid that prolixity which would not consist with a short Epistle so might for brevity's sake omit this last and long Patriarchal Blessing wherein are contained these famous Remarks 1. Jacob did this when he lay on dying to shew that he persisted and persevered in Faith to his last Breath constantly believing the Promises of God whereby Canaan was settl'd upon his Posterity He died in the Faith of it Heb. 11.13 and when he was a dying 't was no more 'twixt God and Jacob but behold I die Gen. 48.21 as it was no more 'twixt God and Moses but go up and die Deut. 32.49 50. Jacob's Speech was a Speech not of fear but of Faith well-knowing that Death to him should neither be total nor perpetual not total for it was of the Body only not perpetual of the Body but for a Season only for that was buried in the door of Hope for Rising again The second Remark is This last Testament of the dying Patriarch is a living Oracle Oh what a brisk vigorous vivacious Spirit rested upon the dying Flesh of Jacob when he sang out this Swan-like Song at his Death His Graces like good Liquor run fresh to the bottom yea his best Wine runs forth last without dregs out of this Vessel of Mercy The Spirits motion is many times quickest when the motions of the Flesh are slowest The Soul is most sensible when the Body is becoming senseless The Sun shines most amiably towards its Descent and the River running toward the Ocean the nearer it comes to the Sea is the sooner met with the Tide Thus this Holy Patriarch coming towards the Brink of Eternity was met with a strong Torrent of Prophetick Illuminations and made most briskly and with great splendor at his Descent to utter the lively Oracles of God to all his twelve Sons The last Speeches of Dying Saints are ordinarily as living Oracles and long remembred how much more of this extraordinary Prophet and Primitive Patriarch in this his last farewel a most Heavenly one to the World when his Grace was just on changing into Glory The third Remark is As the Grace of Faith participates of Beams from God so it communicates of its Rays to Men Jacob blessed of God blesseth all his Sons with a Prophetick Blessing prophecying what should befal all the twelve Tribes to the very coming of Shilo or Christ Gen. 49.1 10. As Christ was not a Creature all for himself nay not at all so but for the good of others Rom. 15.3 and Acts 10.38 so no more are the Graces Christ gives Jacob bless'd with Faith himself in Faith blesseth all his Sons Gen. 49. where we have Jacob in Gods stead crumbling Divine Blessings among his twelve Children God gives not out his Blessings by whole-sale as we say but rather by retail only which is to maintain Trading Commerce and Communion betwixt himself and us The Cloud doth not commonly empty it self at a sudden burst but gently dissolves and drops down by drop and drop upon the Earth God hath been dropping down Mercy upon Mankind from the Foundation of the World to this day yet is not his Store-house drawn dry or his Treasury empty not only still more and more but also there is still better and better and still better things abiding in the bottom of Gods Basket Heb. 11.40 the deeper the sweeter in the Honey-pot of Divine Promises Christ at the Marriage-feast procured and produced the best Wine in the last place John 2.10 The Promises to the last Times are certainly the best Promises and will be the best performances when the Bridegroom comes after so long an Espousal to Marry his Bride for an Everlasting Embracement Revel 19.7 8. The fourth Remark is Jacob in this Patriarchal Blessing doth Prophetically describe 1. His Sons Conditions and Callings some of one Employ and some of another as Judges Priests Warriours Merchants Husbandmen and Tradesmen all to make up the Common-wealth of Israel 2. Their Manners some were Wanton some Cholerick others Envious Ravening c. yet repenting of their sins they receiv'd Remission from God and were Enrolled all as the twelve Tribes of Israel 3.
Discipline and was a symbol of internal Grace As this People had three Days prescribed to prepare and sanctifie themselves So our Lord saith He for our sakes did sanctifie himself Joh. 17.19 in dying for us which Sanctification Christ compleated not until the third Day at his Resurrection Secondly What the People were not to do 1. They must abstain from their Wives during those three Days Preparation ver 15. This the Apostle sheweth is to be done with Consent for a Time that they may the better give themselves to Fasting and Prayer 1 Cor. 7.5 Not because there was any legal Pollution in it being instituted in the State of Innocency Gen. 2. and honourable in all Heb. 13.4 'T was therefore prohibited not as any prophane Matter in it self but meerly that their Minds might be the more entirely devoted to the Covenant now to be made with God and not diverted by Carnal yet lawful Pleasure Some make this to mean Priests disavowing of Marriage which argues as absurdly as because People on solemn Fast-days abstain from Meat therefore the Clergy must eat no Meat at all 2. As they were not for that Time to touch their Wives so nor must they touch the Mount at that Time when the Signs of God's glorious Presence was upon it v. 12 13. In which Interdict or Prohibition are sundry Branches observable As 1st To whom it was prescribed to wit both to Men and to Beast To Men in General that is to all the People oft intimated in Exod. 19. but principally ver 13. and in special to the Priests who otherwise seem to have a nearer access to God in sacrificing-Service ver 21 22. These Priests are after call'd Young Men of the Sons of Israel Exod. 24.5 being the First born of Families whom God had sanctified to Himself Exod. 13.2 in whose Place he afterward took the Tribe of Levi Numb 8.14 15 17 18. 2ly Upon what Penalty this expresly is added upon Peril of Death The Offender if near Hand was to be stoned and if farther off was to be shot at with a Dart and the Beast is here doomed to Danger to keep his Master at farther distance from Danger in which Premonition there was Mercy in the Commination though so much Severity in the Execution 3ly The Reasons of this Interdict were 1. For Reverence-sake 'T is Presumption in People and an Affront to a Prince for any to come into his presence uncalled Much more into the presence of the King of Kings who though he love familiarity with us in our walking with him in our Conversation yet takes State upon him in his Ordinances will be feared in his Commands and will be trembled at in his Word and Judgments as Dr. Hall phraseth it 2. To restrain the People's Curiosity from prying into God's Secrets 1 Sam. 6.19 Not that it is evil to see God but it is evil in him that seeketh to see him out of Curiosity and to make nearer approaches presumptuously unto him than he permits The Third Reason Had they been permitted to approach and gaze this would have hindred their Attention in hearing the Voice of God which proceeded out of the midst of the Fire 4ly To put a difference betwixt the Lord's Service and that of Idols they had seen in Egypt wherein they used Sporting Dancing and Feasting which afterward this People practised as their Apes when they set up the Golden Calf But here they must know their distance dread God's Presence which was a strong check to all Idolatrous Jollity But 5ly And more especially this was to shew the Nature use and end of the Law which was rather to exclude Men from God by Reason of their Sins than to accept justifie or give Life to them as doth the Gospel for it was the Ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3.7 Gal. 3.10 11 19 21 22 23 24. Mount Sinai is in Bondage with her Children Gal. 4.25 Contrary to the Gospel upon Mount Sion as Paul explaineth at large Heb. 12.18 20 22 c. Notwithstanding this strict peremptory Prohibition that neither People nor Priests should approach beyond their bounds yet the Lord knew better than Moses the Itch of Curiosity in them and therefore He commands Moses to go down and charge them over again though Moses thought it superfluous to keep their Distance yet Moses and Aaron who were Types of Christ's Princely and Priestly Offices were allowed to come up unto the Lord ver 21 22 23 24. The Sixth Remark is the miraculous Manner and marvelous Majesty of the Promulgation of the Law 1. In the affrightful Agitation of the Elements as of the Fire ver 18. of the Air in the Cloud Thunder and Lightning ver 16. and of the Earth in that Dreadful Earthquake c ver 18. And. 2. In the astonishing sound of the Trumpet which by the Ministry of the Angel made a most terrible sound ver 16 19. As Moses gives an ample Narrative of this Majestick Manner of God's giving the Law There was Thunder and Lightning and a Thick Cloud and the â—â—und of a Trumpet c. to the Affrightment of all the People c. that the Man of God might the better accommodate his Expressions to the magnificence of the Lord 's glorious appearing on Mount Sinai and thereby the more to make the People meet to meet the God of Israel such a marvelous Majesty attended Moses here as never any Law-givers among the Heathens were ever honoured with That on a suddain in a clear Morning the Mount was surrounded with Darkness and Fire broke forth out of the midst thereof c. as Gregor Nyssen testifieth but Moses better declareth that there were four Signs of God's Presence two were heard the Thunder and the Trumpet sounding and two were seen the Lightning and the thick dark Cloud so the Apostle to shew the Terrour of the Law describeth the giving of it by six several Expressions As 1. Fire burning 2. Blackness 3. Darkness 4. Tempest 5. The sound of the Trumpet And 6. The Voice of Words Heb. 12.18 19. God speaking out of all these must needs be very frightful Deut. 5.22 23 24. and Deut. 4.11 12. Psal 18.8 9 11 12 13. There was no Comfort from the Light of this Fire because of this dreadful Mixture The Thunder-cloud had blackness in it self and caused a darkness to Israel both be put together Blackness of Darkness Jude ver 13. The Tempest includeth Thunder Lightning and the Earthquake together to signifie that all such the Law raises in the Souls of Sinners under strong Conviction and Compunction of Heart Act. 2.37 c. The Trumpet sounding was the great Alarm and Proclamation that the King of Kings was coming down upon the Mount and a summons to the People to appear Personally before him which was a figure of the last Judgment when no more Relief shall be found than was here in this barren Desart Nothing but Bryars and Brambles which if in Gods way He burns them up and
Servants of God who have the Angels to keep them in all their ways lest they dash their feet against a stone Ps 91.11 12. and the Servants of Satan such as this Balaam was who still tempting God hath his Angel withstanding him once and again whereby this second time his foot was crushed against the wall The Tenth Remark is Behold here the gentleness of God towards the wicked the Angel smites not Balaam down with his Sword as he might have done but lets him pass by again unslain God had more work to do by him and more glory to bring to himself by his means Hereby God teaches us the method of his proceedings in his Judgments against Sinners first he deals with them more mildly shaking only his Rod at them to see if they will be reclaimed yet lets them go untouched then coming nearer he toucheth them with an easie correction as it were wringing their foot against the wall but at the last he bringeth them to such a strait that they have no way to escape his hand but must fall before him as Balaam here had no way to turn aside ver 26. The Eleventh Remark is The Vanity of Diabolical Divination is here marvelously discovered For Balaam was not only a professor of this Black Art of Devilish Divinity but he was also become a most famous practitioner in it so that he was had in highest reputation even in Foreign as well as Domestick Courts and Kingdoms yet this so Admired Diviner that could tell others their Fortunes so called could not presage his own He could not Prognosticate those unhappy casualties that happened to himself once and again in his perverse way whereas such Contradictions in his progress according to the grounds of his own craft were indicating Signs according to their own phrase of ill luck attending and should have made him either to turn back or at least to suspect that his Journey would be unfortunate herein he falls short of the very Philistims Diviners in their superstitious foretelling of future events who directed the People to give the God of Israel the glory of their Mice and Emrods in Emrods of Gold whereof he had given them pain and sorrow in flesh that they might buy off their dolorous Distempers with the choicest and chiefest of their Metalls 1 Sam. 6.2 3 4 5. and their discovery of the difference between common chance or blind Fortune and Divine Providence did far out-strip Balaam's craft v. 9 c. The Twelfth Remark is Balaam meets with his third stop each worse than other this last the worst v. 26. for tho' there was so much distance betwixt the two Walls in his second stop as that the Ass by creeping close to the wall and crushing her Rider's foot might pass on yet in this third Remora the Ass had no room at all to turn aside therefore she falleth flat down under Balaam which teaches us that tho' the Wicked for the present have scope to escape God's Judgments running hither and thither with much riot and Elbow-room Psal 12. last yet at length God rains down such snares upon them Psal 11. last wherewith they are so entangled and in such straits that they can no way escape his heavy hand but must fall before him and be as a Butt for Fire and Brimstone to fall upon them The Thirteenth Remark is This mad Prophet thus reproved three times by three strange carriages and actions of his Ass learneth no good and makes no good use thereof but is still more inraged and smiteth his Beast v. 27. Whereas the Pythagoreans learnt from hence Vbi Asinus procubuerit non est pergendum in istâ viâ Not to go on where an Ass lyeth down Hermippus Records it and out of him Josephus Thus Balaam kick'd against the pricks as Acts 9.5 God oft takes brutish Creatures to teach Men knowledge as Job 12.7 8. Jer. 8.7 Isa 1.3 but Balaam here proves unteachable and will not learn from his Ass to turn aside with her from his perverse purposes tho' by his Asses means his own life was preserved in those three actions v. 33. He smiteth his Ass with his Rod or Staff As he that judgeth another condemneth himself by doing the very same thing Rom. 2.1 c. so Balaam in smiting his Beast shewed himself worthy of more stripes for doing much worse than the Ass A Rod and a Whip saith Solomon for such an Ass and such a Fool 's back as Balaam's was Prov. 26.3 Hitherto reach the Remarks upon the first obstruction of Balaam by his own Ass now follow the Remarks upon his second obstruction by the Lord's Angel or rather the Lord of Angels as before whom now Balaam having his eyes opened saw in an humane shape appearing to him and heard him expostulating with him v. 32 33. excusing the Ass and accusing Balaam whose Omnipresence could sill the Cloudy Pillar for covering and conducting Israel and yet at the same time could meet Balaam as a Man of War with a Sword in his hand to cross this Conjurer in his career c. The First Remark is As Men cannot behold the Marvelous things of God's Law until the Lord unveil and open their eyes Psal 119.18 so nor can they see the deaths and dangers they expose themselves unto by transgressing that Law of God unless God reveal it to them as was done to Balaam here the Angel uncovered his eyes v. 31. The way of the wicked is a darkeness Isa 47.11 They know not at what they stumble Prov. 4.10 He that could advertise others of things that should befall them Numb 24.14 could not advertise himself of the danger of his own death which was before him but was more silly than his Ass which saw the Angel v. 23. until the covering was removed from his eyes Thus are we all naturally not only dim sighted in Spirituals but even as blind as Beetles therein 1 Cor. 2.14 until the Lord give both light and sight irradiating both the Organ and Object Therefore must we pray for that precious Eye Salve Rev. 3.17 and for that Supernal Light 2 Cor. 4.6 We must either Plow with God's own Heifer as Judg. 14.18 the Holy-Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 otherwise we shall not find out his saving Riddle The Second Remark is The way of the wicked is a perverse way yea worse than the perverseness of Beast This appeareth by the Angel's Expostulation with Balaam v. 32. Ki-Jarat Haderekek lenegdi This Lord of Angels saw his perverse inclinations that he was resolved to Curse howsoever and not to lose so hopeful a preferment The Reward of his Divination the Lord saw was the Primum Mobile of Balaam's present motion to Balak sure I am he must needs buy his Honour at too dear a rate that pawns his honesty to procure it The Apostles Peter and Jude applie this perverseness of Balaam against the Balaamites of their times 2 Pet. 2 14.15 and Jude v. 11. and the Angel rebukes him for mis-using
neglect of such Lawful Means as may be subservient to his Providence Hence we may learn the difference betwixt true Faith and vain presumption the latter is bold grounded upon Humane Strength and Natural Abilities which makes it so oft precipitant and rushing headlong upon such weak and false grounds thinking the end may be accomplish'd without the use of those Means that should advance it N. B. Thus the Devil tempted Christ to leap from the Pinacle of the Temple when there was an ordinary way at hand to descend by Stairs down to the ground this our Lord flatly calleth a Tempting of God Matth. 4.5 6 7. and is the sin of a vain presumption whereas true Faith when it hath God's Promise to depend upon is no less careful to use all Lawful Means than if there were no promise of God at all well knowing that ordinarily God appointeth the means and the end to go together and that the certainty of God's Purposes and Promises doth not excuse but rather oblige Man's diligent use of fit means for the Accomplishment of them as we see in Acts 27.30 31. Except these stay in the Ship ye cannot be saved Though God be not bound up to Means yet doth he not usually work without them God works here by this Stratagem against Gibeah as he had done before by the like against Ai Joshua 8.4 5. c. The Sixth Remark is The many Remarkable Branches of this Third Battle As First The Time when it was fought 't is said to be upon the third Day ver 30. for after their last Defeat they spent one Day in marching up to Shilo and the second Day was spent in deep Humiliation before the Lord in Shilo and on the third Day they renew their Fiâ—ht against Gibeah or it is callâ—d the third Day of Battle in respect of the two Battle Days they had before Secondly That Army of Israel who were ordered to feign a Flight made according to their Orders a preposterous Retreat this did flush the Benjamites and made them cry Victoria too soon ver 31.39 and so eager they were of pursuing those Counterfeit Cowards that the whole Garrison of Gibeah was drained dry Thirdly This gave a fair opportunity for the Liers in wait to arise out of the Meadows and Storm the City and then Fire it which was the Sign for those that fled to make a stand turn Head and renew the Battle as soon as they saw the Smoak of the City ascending Hereby the Benjamites were struck with Horrour being disappointed of their Pursuit they had made in the two former Battles and beholding this Third Battle to begin both before them and behind them they fled yet knew not wither for in flying from Death they fled the faster to it so that Day there fell of them Twenty five Thousand besides the Thousand that were slain in the two other Battles ver 38.46 Fourthly God's Presence made Israel's Victory easie here ver 43. In the two former Battles wherein they wanted Divine Assistance to concur with their Humane Endeavours they found it too hard a work for them to overrome their Enemies but now they tread them down without difficulty Fifthly This Slaughter of the Benjamites ceased not in the Field not only upon those that came to Gibeah but pursued them home to their several Cities unto which they fled out of the Battle ver 48. where the Israelites slew Man Woman and Child and all the Cattle that came to hand and burnt the Cities with fire because they had sent Aid to Gibeah All this seemeth harsh bloody and unlike an Isrealite to his Brother if it were not done by the Command of God but out of a Military fury they were certainly blame worthy However we may learn hence N. B. 1. Earnestly to pray that God may prevent Civil War which is always Utrinque triste sad on both sices 2. That such abominable Wickedness may neither be practised among us nor much less protected and patrooniz'd for which Divine Vengeance as well as Humane Revenge cut off the whole Tribe save a few yea their very Infants which was not unusual in such cases Numb 31.17 1. Sam. 15.3 Josh 7.15 and Deut. 13.15 God bid it be done there in a Parallel Case 3. It teacheth us what God will do with the Rod wherewith he Chastises his Children The Rod of the Wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the Righteous Psal 125.3 when his chastizing work is done he casts the Rod into the fire and burns it as he doth Benjamin here whom God first made use of to execute his Justice upon Israel for their not punishing Idolatry among them and then God useth Iâ—rael to Plague Benjamin for not delivering up the Delinquents of Gibeah to Justice yea that Rod wherewith God had most severely Corrected Israel he here casts into the fire when Israel was low enough and Benjamin high enough and so burns it that nothing but a small stump remained unburned namely the Six Hundred Men in the Rock Rimmon ver 47. This brings in the last part namely the Consequents of this third Battle whereof we have an Account in the next Chapter CHAP. XXI of Judges JVdges the Twenty First which Relateth how the Tribe of Benjamin now almost extinct came to be restored In this Relation or Narrative the Causes thereof are declared which be two First The Efficient Cause namely Israel's Repentance and deep Sorrow at those sad Issues their Rash and Uncharitable Oath disturbs them on one hand and their Pity and Compassion to their Brother Benjamin whose utter extirpation they never designed though it fell out very near it in the heat and fury of War beyond their expectation this even distracted them on the other hand therefore come they to Shilo not so much to praise God for their late woful Victory but more especially now to seek God's Direction how they might extricate themselves out of this present Labyrinth to this end they spend a whole Day in Praying Weeping Sacrificing and Deploring the deplorable case of their Brother Benjamin ver 1 2 3 4 5 6. All these Actions were Signs of Israel's Sorrow The Second is The Material Cause or the Means by which the Tribe of Benjamin now shrunk up into a small Remnant was restored namely by providing Wives for them and these were of two sorts 1. Some were given to them freely to wit such as were the Daughters of Jabesh Gilead whose Males c. Israel destroyed because they assisted not in the War against Benjamin ver 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And 2. When still Two Hundred of that Tribe could not be provided by this Gift others must be stolen and taken by force to save them from the Curse they had Imprecated on themselves in their Oath that they would not give them Wives of their own Daughters therefore are they ordered to commit Two Hundred Rapes upon the Damosels that came to Dance their Dances at the Feast in
vexed Israel and the Vexation of Israel by the Philistines must be reserved to be discoursed upon in the History of Samson to which it properly and peculiarly belongeth But as to the Year wherein the Ammonites began to vex Israel though some do say that time of their oppressing Israel Eighteen Years began at Jair's Death to let them know how great the loss of a good Magistrate was by their forfeiting of him Yet the Learned cannot concur with this Opinion because this inlargeth the time of the Judges beyond the just bounds expressed 1 Kin. 6.1 So that the greatest part of Jair's Judgeship was Contemporary with this Affliction of Israel by the Ammonites which Jair though a good Man could not possibly with all his Prudence and Prowess redress On the one hand Israel was now become so mad after their Idols Jer. 50.38 that he could not work a thorough Reformation of Religion among them and therefore God on the other hand gave a Commission to the Ammonites to correct those Tribes beyond Jordan about the fifth Year of Jair's Judgeship and when the baseness and backwardness of Israel was not reclaimed by sundry Deliverances from the Enemies Incursions under Jair's Conduct then the Ammonites passed over Jordan into Canaan ver 9. and sorely distressed Judah Benjamin and Ephraim on this side Jordan in all for Eighteen Years because the scab of Idolatry had spread it self from the fifth Year of Jair upon both sides of Jordan and continued to an Horrible Increase In the same Year that Idolatry began to break out in Israel the Ammonites began to break in upon them and God would not Inable Jair to deliver them from their Oppressors but gave them up to this sad Oppression The Third Remark is The Blessed Effect of this long Slavery Hereby Israel were recovered from Relapses and Reduced to Repentance For First They cry to the Lord ver 10. which no doubt they had often done before a Beast will cry when hurt but their former Cries were only the Fruits of Flesh for their own ease not of Faith for God's Favour Now they cry with their whole Heart and confessed their double Iniquity in particular and that with utmost Detestation both of forsaking God and of following Idols ver 10. Then the Lord was pleased to Expostulate the Case with them upbraiding them with divers Deliverances N. B. Note well Some whereof are not Recorded in the Holy History to shew Israel had many more Favours from God's Hand than are upon Record ver 11.12 13 14. wherein the Lord Christ appearing in an Humane Shape as he had done before Judg. 2.1 and 5.13 and 6.23 tells then He would shew them Mercy no more that is except they repent as Revel 2.5 and derides them for crying to their Idols which could not help them in their need as Elias derided the Priests of Baal 1 Kings 18.27 Hereupon Israel both Repents and Reforms then puts themselves into the Hands of God's Justice in hope of his Mercy and though we read not that the Lord gave them an Answer of Comfort yet 't is said He Repented upon their Repentance and gave them Courage to Encamp against the Enemy yet still want they one to head them ver 15 16 17 18. Judges CHAP. XI JUdges the Eleventh is the History of Jephtah's Expedition against the Ammonites the last Verse of the Tenth Chapter being an Introduction to it Israel there was at a loss for want of a Leader none durst upon their Proclamation undertake so dangerous and desperate an Enterprize though the Principality of Gilead was promised to the Undertaker Hereupon they resolve to send for Jephtah whom they knew to be excellent both for Valour and Conduct and to stipulate with him for his Encouragement That if he would accept of this place of a Leader and give the first Onset he should be their Judge and General ever after ver 8 9. The First Remark in this History of Jephtah is this Man was Banished by his own Brethren because he was a Bastard and quâ talis as Moses Law banished him out of the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23.2 So his Wanton Brethren do Banish him as such out of their Father's Family little thinking that they should another Day be glad to be beholden to him He flies into the Land of Tob not far from Gilead where he musters up many ill-minded Men yet manageth them well in fighting against the Ammonites that bordered upon them wherein he had oft look'd Death in the Face and done brave Exploits in the Field which made Israel more forward to chuse him now for their Chieftain who had so prosper'd in plundering the Enemy for his own and his Followers Livelihood ver 1 2 3 4. The Second Remark is After this Adversity of Jephtah is usher'd in his Prosperity The Principality of Gilead is offer'd to him by the Elders of Gilead upon condition that he would be their Captain in their Warring against the Ammonites who were at this very time come forth to fight against Israel Jephtah at first refused their offer upbraiding them with their publick Act wherein they had corroborated the base private Act of his envious Brethren in Banishing of him and so had thereby made his Banishment Legal The Elders some of whom might possibly be some of his Brethren being Sons of Gilead a great Man in the Country of Gilead answer his Objection saying this pinchig necessity hath brought us to a right sense of our former oversights we did then indeed work our own Wills without Wit and Wisdom but now we come to make thee due Reparation Jephtah being Jealous through former Injuries makes his bargain wisely taking an Oath of them and so accepts of being their Captain only but not a word of being their King because Abimelech's Kingship had been so fatal to them ver 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. The Third Remark is Jephtah being now formally constituted by a Parliament at Mizpeh the Judge and Supream Governour of Israel doth most prudently and piously Treat with the Ammonites before he will fight them and that in obedience to Moses's Law Deut. 20.10 first offer Peace accordingly he sends Embassadours to Expostulate with the King of the Ammonites about his present Invasion saying Why art thou come to sight against me in my Land ver 12. he could not have call'd Gilead Jabaad his Land unless Israel had made him their Head and now hath he a just Title so to term it The King of Ammon answer'd his Embassadors That Israel were the Invaders and not he for he only came up to recover his own right which Israel had robb'd him of ver 13. Then Jephtah Replys again by his Embassadors declaring that the Ammonites Allegation was no better than a loud Lye both negando pernegando he denies it and better denies it ver 14 15. strenuously affirming that the Land in question was Israel's out of all Question and that by a Threefold Right 1. By 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
unlawful War tho' much precious blood was spilt yet that was but a sport to this bloody Man Chap. 2.4 but Secondly God's end was to take Abner out of David's way not only that he might not be beholden to so bad a Man upon whom he now too much depended to bring all Israel under his Government for God will have David to come to his Kingdom over all the Tribes by a better way as followeth The Second Remark is The Death of Ishbosheth by two of his own Captains ver 2 3 4 5 6 7. wherein Mark First The Motives that induced those two Traytors to Murther Ishbosheth were because 1. Abner's death upon whom he wholly depended had disabled him for any Royal duty so was become an insignificant Cypher 2. All the Tribes were in a confusion to hear their Peace-maker was slain while he was negotiating their Covenant of Peace with David and that by Joab when he came home drunk with a successful Victory over the Enemies of Israel hereupon they now doubted of obtaining David's favour 3. None of Saul's House beside Concubine Sons uncapable of the Crown were alive to revenge Ishbosheth's murther save only Mephibosheth who was lamed by a fall and but five years old so neither fit to Reign nor likely to Revenge his Vnkle's Death 4. These two Traytors therefore thought that by their removing useless Ishbosheth out of David's way the Crown of the whole Kingdom must needs come to him without any contradiction Hereupon these two Benjamites of Ishbosheth's own Tribe and Captains of his Guard so had free egress and regress came into his Chamber and slew him sleeping at Noon time a day N. B. 'T is a wonder he could sleep at all by night considering he had lost his right hand in the loss of Abner Alexander said he could sleep soundly while Antipater was his Guard but Ishbosheth's sleeping at Noon and without a Guard under all his present sad Circumstances bespeaketh him a sluggish sapless and a secure fool unfit to weild the Scepter of Israel while he dreaded no danger they smote him under the fifth rib where there was no bone to hinder the Stab took off his head and away they went that Night from Mahanaim to Hebron with this Present to David The Third Remark is What Reception these two Traytors found with David when they presented Ishbosheth's head to him v. 8 9 10 11 12. wherein Mark First Their starch'd Oration to David highly commending their own Damnable Deed to him upon Three Topicks 1. A Jucundo lo here 's the Head of thine Enemy and can there be a more sweet Spectacle than this 2. Ab Honesto We did it by God's Authority who set us on work to avenge my Lord the King c. 3. Ab Vtili Now thine Enemy is removed thou shalt Reign without a Rival Thus those Wretches do Rhetoricate to make their heinous fact not only Lawful but Meritorious and all to ingratiate themselves into David's favour which was indeed the grand inducement of this their desperate Exploit Mark Secondly David abhors the Villany and resolves with an Oath to execute the Villains as he had done to that pick thank Amalckite who did but upon Saul's Request help only to kill him How much more such Traytors as you saith David to a Righteous Man Grotius Observeth here how David doth not call Ishbosheth King because he was not so by right but Man only yet doth he aggravate the fact as far worse than that of the Amalekite in many respects as First He was an Amalekite so by birth an Enemy to Israel and therefore no better could be expected from him especially by Saul who had lately slain almost all their Nation but you are Israelites Brethren of the same Religion and therefore bound to do all good Offices one to another yea you are Benjamites of the same Tribe with Ishbosheth which was yet an higher obligation upon you to the contrary but the highest bond of all was you were his Servants and he had been a good Master to you in preferring you to be Captains of his Life-guard so his life was your trust where in to find Treason makes a most treacherous Traytor In a Second Respect The Amalekite did but hasten Saul's death whom he found deadly wounded to his hand and without hope of recovery so that what he did was both to ease him of his pain and to prevent his shame by the Philistines c. but you kill'd a Man in perfect health in his own house which is a Man's Castle while he was taking his repose and not pursued by his Enemies in the Field c. In a Third Respect The Amalekite did it as he pretended at Saul's earnest request out of meer compassion to him to shorten his torment and to free him from dishonour c. but you of your own will fell in a violent way upon this man whom you should have guarded safe and slew him against his will not fearing any danger c. Mark Thirdly Hereupon David justly commanded their execution and cut off their hands that had done the deed and their feet that carried them away with this Present God punishes those offending Members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapons of Wickedness Rom. 6.13 Mark Fourthly Ishbosheth's head was buried with Abner's to be Partners alike in the same Sepulchre as they had been in the Vsurpation and both faln by treacherous bands yet in Hebron where the Patriarchs lay buried 2 Sam. CHAP. V. THis Chapter is a Narrative how David came to be King over Israel as well as over Judah and that without the assistance of Abner or the treachery of those two late executed Traitors the Lord stirring up the hearts of all the Tribes to come unto David in Hebron and to Anoint him King over them and blessing David with success in the beginning of his Kingdom over all the Tribes c. Remarks upon this Chapter are First The Free Choice of David to be King over all the Kingdom of Israel by the Elders of every Tribe making a League with him in Hebron v. 1 2 3. wherein they constitute him King by Vnction not only as neer a kin to them but because he had been a most successful Captain over them and all this was done solemnly before the Lord Swearing reciprocally on both sides in God's presence whereby David on his part obliged himself to Rule the People according to God's Law and the People on their part promised Allegiance and Fidelity to David as their Liege Lord and Lawful Sovereign The Second Remark is Both the time of David's Age at this his Coronation and the time of his Reign in all v. 4 5. where 't is said he was thirty years old when he began to Reign and he Reigned seven years over Judah and thirty three years after the round number over all Israel David is held forth as a Type of Christ here in several Respects as Mark First Israel stood out long in opposition
the Hebrew the former had kindly wrought up David to the latter and had cooled so Hebr the Spirit of this Man of understanding Prov. 17. v. 27. Decet Reges saith Peter Martyr here Interdum Subditorum Consiliis parere it is comely for Kings sometimes to hearken unto the Councels of their Subjects 1 King 12.7.13.15 Mark Secondly How kind a Father is David still to so unkind a Son deal gently with the young Man c. was the Charge he gave both to his Three Generals and to all the Army v. 5. which plainly implieth that David foresaw the Victory would fall on his side having heard how God had defeated the Councel of Achitophel who had thereupon hang'd himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod N. B. Evil Councel is evermore worst to the Evil Councellor himself This Providence prompts David to prognosticate his Victory which when ye have obtained saith he to his Generals do not pursue it with too much rigour take Absalom Prisoner but kill him not The Reasons why David desires the sparing of him some suppose to be First From his natural affectionate disposition always a fond Father to his Children full of Clemency insomuch that he spared Saul his Enemy when in his power once and again 1 Sam. 24. 26. No wonder then if he were for sparing his Eldest Son Secondly He doth not call him my Son because that would have aggravated his Crime but Lenagnar Hebr. The Boy or Young Man imputing his Heinous Rebellion to the heat of his Youth which makes Men heady high minded and inclinable to Evil Counsels and Practices but if he might be spared and Live till he were Older Age and Experience would make him wiser Thirdly David was Conscious to himself that he was the Meritorious and procuring cause of this Rebellion and that Absalom was given up of God to punish David's sins chap. 12.11 12. and therefore pitied him Fourthly This pious Father would not have his impious Son to Die in his Sin without Repentance for then Soul and Body perish for ever Fifthly Peter Martyr makes David a Type of Christ who pray'd for his Crucifiers as David did here for a Rebel Son against his Father Now come we to the Concomitants of this fatal Fight the Second Part. Remarks upon it are First The Place where the Battle was fought 't is called the Wood of Ephraim v. 6. though it was certainly beyond Jordan so not in that Tribe but call'd so either because it was over against Ephraim or because of Forty Thousand Ephramites lost their Lives there Judg. 12.5 6. The Second Remark is David's Victory ver 7. The Battle was soon determined Absalom's Army consisting of Raw Unexperienced Men in Martial matters stood not the first shock of David's Old Souldiers Sanctius saith without Book that Israel's Rebellious Rout had no General to lead them on that the Numerous Rabble was their Ruine being Ungovernable and that David had so pitched his Army in such an Advantagious Post that he left his Enemies no room whereon to draw up their Army I dare boldly affirm that Old David had learned more of the Politicks of War than his Raw-headed Son who was apter in the School of Venus than in that of Mars And if Absalom as Hushai had Advised him did lead his Army they had an Heartless-Hart not a Lion for their Leader and so 't is no wonder if they were so soon and so easily Routed and Twenty Thousand of them Slain A just reward of their unjust Rebellion The Second Remark is The Wood devoured more than the Sword ver 8. Behold here David's Policy and Absalom's Infatuation to Fight in so fatal a place as the Wood of Ephraim which had been so fatal to Oreb and Zeeb in Gideon's time Judg. 7.25 and 8.3 and to the Ephramites also Judg. 12.5 6. The Routed Rabble running from Death ran to it while they ran into the Wood to hide themselves some fell upon Stubs that did beat the Breath out of their Bodies when they had spent the most of it by their hasty Running away some for hast plung'd themselves into Pits and Ditches which were in the Wood ver 17. and which either they saw not being covered with the Rubbish of the Wood and so their violent flight hurried them in at unawares Or if they saw them they desperately threw themselves into those Slime Pits chusing rather to Die by Drowning than to be Slain by the Sword of those Souldiers that pursued them at the Heels some might be Hanged in the Trees as Absolom was some might be devoured by Wild Beasts some were Slain there in the pursuit and some might be Knock'd on the Head by the Countrey-People N. B. So dreadful a thing it is to provoke the Lord of Hosts who can Arm all things to Destroy us c. The Fourth Remark is Absalom was Hanged by the Neck upon the forked Bough of an Oak in this same Wood ver 9. Where Mark First Absalom met David's Souldiers and they according to David's command spared him and gave him an opportunity to escape but Divine Vengeance would not spare him Mark Secondly The great God directed the Branch of the Oak as he Rode under it to catch hold of his Long Hair that was loosely dissheveled upon his Shoulders and there Hangs him up by the Neck betwixt Heaven and Earth as one rejected of both and not fit to live in either of them Mark Thirdly Some do wonder how Absalom came here among the Thickets of the Wood where there was no way especially for Riders Answer Sanctius wittily observes that seeing it is said Absalom met David's Servants by chance it seems he rather peeped upon them fighting in the Battle out of some safe and secret place than fought against them in the front of the Fight this was a Chief Leader and General likely to Conquer However this is beyond doubt that when he saw his Rabble were Routed a dreadful fright fell upon him and fleeing left the Common Road and Rode among the Thickets till caught by his long Locks such as Sampson had Judg. 16.13 in a Crotch of the Oak Mark Fourthly He being held fast here by the Hair of his Head His Mule that was under him went away which might easily happen because being in flight the Mule passed along very swiftly N. B. As this Mule lurched his Master so will Worldly Wealth lurch Worldlings at their Death however And so will false grounded Hopes lurch Hypocrites Job 8.13 and 11.20 whereas a Lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 a Daughter of the Faith of God's Elect Tit. 1.1 rightly grounded on God's Promises will not lurch us no not at Death Prov. 14.32 But will do to us what Bucephalus Alxander's Great Horse did to him which as Aulus Gellius Reporteth though deeply Wounded in both Neck and Sides in a Battle yet carryed his Master with great speed out of Danger of the Enemy and when he had set his Master down in safety then
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
their chief Leader and Reformer 4. Lavater adds God withdrew from Elijah which caused Elijah that he withdrew from his Work and God did so to teach him his own Nothingness in himself and that all his late wonderful Works were wrought by no Power of his own but by a Power borrow'd from God And Gregory doubts not to say That Elijah began to be tickled with some high Conceits of himself for the great Acts which he had done therefore was he suffer'd thus to fear and to fall beneath himself for his humiliation lest he should be exalted above measure as Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 Elias ille fulminator ad mulierculae scilicet Jezebelis minas nunc trepidat factus est seipso Imbecillior This thundring Prophet now trembles at Jezebel's Threats and becomes unlike himself in weakness and cowardice c. The like we find in Peter likewise who was frighted from his Duty into Sin of a gross nature and that only by a weak silly Wench Matth. 26.71 72. N. B. Learn hence our daily dependency upon divine Influence for every new day-duty If left to our selves we are as weak as water c. The Places that Elijah fled to were Three first to Beersheba ver 3. Remarks upon it are first This City was the utmost Confine of the Ten Tribes where Jeroboam had set up one of his Calves as the other at Dan bordering upon Judah had Elijah's Errand been hither to pull down Calf-Worship here in the name of the Lord he had then acted like himself but he came as a Renegado not as a Reformer Remark the Second What this Reformado did here we are not told save only the leaving his Servant there 1. He thought not himself safe there from the Fury of Jezebel yet his Boy the supposed Son of the Sareptan Widow might be over-look'd 2. A kind Master will not expose his Servant to the Hardships of a Desart as he would himself 3. Lest the Man should discover the Master but 4. That he might more freely converse with God all alone The second Place Elijah fled to was the Wilderness ver 4. Whereon Remarks are First The best of Men when left of God are but changeable Mortals as Elijah here quantùm mutatus ab illo how is he changed from what he was before Oh how bold and couragious had Elijah been in telling Ahab to his Teeth I am not but thou art the Troubler of Israel in carrying the Contest all alone against all apostatizing Idolatrous Israel and in slaughtering with his own single Sword four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal c. but now behold He is so timerous and dastardly that he flees from place to place at the frowns of a weak and wicked Woman He dare not tarry at Beersheba no nor take that Boy with him whom he had rais'd from Death to Life as some say lest his own Life should be betrayed into the hands of Jezebel thereby N.B. He durst not stay in Judah though good Jehosaphat reigned there because he was allied to Ahab and being a Man of a facile Temper Elijah fear'd Ahab might easily circumvent him and so seize his Person Hereupon He flees from thence a days Journey into the Wilderness even into that very Wilderness wherein Israel had wandred forty Years and lays himself down weary and hungry under a Juniper-tree which Serpents naturally avoid saith Pliny and therefore he might Promise to himself a safe and secure sleeping under it's shadow Remark the Second Here he earnestly desired to die that He might be freed from his fears c. which was the fruit of his Frailty as was done by Jonah afterwards Jon. 4.3 for if he really and deliberately desired it and not in a Pang of Passion only it was but his returning to Jezebel and she would readily grant his Request N.B. But Peter Martyr qualifies this passionate Petition saying 1. He feared should he fall into the clutches of Jezebel and her Priests they might have put him to some cruel kind of Death for his slaying so many of Baal's Prophets 2. It was look'd upon as exceeding ignoble to die by the Hands of a Woman Judg. 9.54.3 He desired rather to die by the most noble hands of God's immediate stroke which he look'd on as a more honourable kind of Death And thus had Jacob faln in his Conflict with the Messiah Gen. 32.24 he would have this Honour to fall by noble hands 4. But especially He desir'd thus to die from his Zeal for God's Glory lest Jezebel and her Chimney-Chaplain's should Triumph over his Death by their hands and say now Baal prevails over Jehovah and Baal's Prophets prove too strong for this Prophet of the Lord. Besides 5. He was now a very old Man elder than most of his Predecessors who had lost their lives by Jezebel and other Persecutors and seeing as he said it is enough I can do no more service for God Israel is resolvedly relaps'd into Idolatry And I can no longer expect any Joy of my miserable and mortal Life therefore he press'd this Petition Remark the Third But God's Thoughts were not like Elijah's Isa 55.8 for God had not only more Work for him in this World as the anointing of Hazael John and Elisha c. ver 15 16 17 c. but also God determined to deliver him both from Jezebel and from Death it self which devoureth all Men He should have a greater Honour conferr'd upon him than all his fore-fathers that he mentioned namely be bodily translated into Heaven which he never thought of Remark the Fourth However Elijah's dolour and toilsome Travel lull'd him asleep under the sweet and secure shade of his Juniper-tree ver 5. so while he earnestly calls for Death sleep which is the Image of Death Mortis imago sopor comes to him uncalled N.B. The Angel of God waits on him there as one of God's ministring Spirits to an Heir of Salvation in this wild Wilderness Heb. 1.14 and thinks himself happy in this Office of providing the Prophet's Breakfast which he brings him piping hot as out of an Oven ver 6. not Dainties but Necessaries yet surely most excellently cooked by such a Coelestial Cook this was Angels Food indeed of an Angelical Dress Peter Martyr marks here the marvelous Care and Providence of God towards this Prophet God had provided for him before by a Raven Chap. 17.6 and by the Widow of Sareptah ver 15. and now here by an Angel nor was this all N.B. But afterwards in Mount Horeb God himself fed him with the sight of God's Face and with the hearing of his Word for we find not that Elijah did eat any thing at that time for forty Days and Nights together The Ravens and the Sareptan Widow provided for the Prophet while he was waking saith Dr. Hall but this Angel did so while he was sleeping Needs must Elijah Eat Drink and Sleep with much Comfort while he saw such an Attendant Guardian and Purverour The first time
Trumpet before a Victory be won Events of War are uncertain and therefore not to be sworn before-hand but rather sedulously to be Atchieved He is a confident fool that sells the Hide before the Beast be taken and accordingly it proved for Benhadad himself had much ado to save his own Skin by flight which many of his Souldiers lost with their lives not taking an hand-fâ—ll of Samaria's dust with them The second part of the first War is the Concomitants thereof Remarks upon it are First Bragging Benhadad receives Ahab's Denial of his Tyrannical Demands with an outragious scorn He and the Kings in the Pavilion with him drank down all Anxiety about the Answer as making themselves Cock-sure of the Victory ver 12. and Benhadad himself drank so freely of his Cups until he was intoxicated ver 16. as if Wine should make way for Blood and instead of making good what he had Thrasonically boasted to turn Samaria into a Dust-heap behold he turns himself into a Beast by being drunk N.B. Drunkenness is one of the worst Counsellors many men do that when they are drunk for which they are hang'd when they are sober Drunken Benhadad now in his Altitudes of Pride and Presumption became ripe for his own Ruine however in contempt of the God of Israel and in confidence of his own helpless Gods he had so lustily sworn by ver 10. he commands his battering Engines to be prepared and his Army to make ready for Assaulting and Storming Samaria Remark the Second Brings in the Behold ver 13. Oh the matchless Mercy of God in sending a Prophet to Ahab who had persecuted his Prophets chap. 18.4 c. P. Martyr makes this Divine Act of Grace marvelously remarkable that one of God's Prophets whom Ahab persecuted to death should now be sent to him in his deepest Distress to comfort him with Tidings of his Deliverance and Triumph after all his Miracles by Elijah both of fetching Fire and Water from Heaven were unprofitably spent upon him Ahab had promised much when he and all Israel saw enough to say that the Lord was God and not Baal chap. 18.39 but he had performed nothing yet God destroys him not but will here even Hire him to be good that by a Victory he might better know that the Lord is good and the Lord of Hosts and neither Baal nor the Golden Calves Why God promises Victory to wicked Ahab here P. Martyr renders these Reasons 1. That Ahah might be left without the least excuse and the Justice of God be the more illustrated thereby 2. That God might shew how easily he can suppress the proudest and powerfullest of his Enemies when it is his pleasure so to do 3. God had respect to his seven thousand Servants that kept tight in that corrupt time and bowed not to Baal c. 4. Of all sorts of Sinners God cannot abide the proud and presumptuous Boasters N.B. Such have Nemesin in tergo as the Greeks call it Vengeance upon their backs God resisteth the prou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sets himself in Battle-array against such Jame 4.6 as Benhadad here set himself in Battle-array against God he Deified himself as if a God and therefore God Desied him as an Invader of his Glory Ahab indeed was very lewd but Benhadad was both more lewd and more lofty so God could not abide the sight of him Psal 138.6 but resolves to hurl this proud Luciser out of his supposed Heaven As Ahab being bad shall be scourged with the Rod of Benhadad's fear so Benhadad being far worse shall be smitten saith Dr. Hall with the Sword of Ahab's Revenge c. Remark the 3d. As bad as Ahab was when in his Distress He had called in vain saith Sanctius for help from Baal c. He can now listen to one of God's Prophets whom he had persecuted and begs direction from him how this Deliverance might be accomplished which the Prophet had promised from the true God ver 14. N.B. Even the worst of wicked men when in desperate straits and having but the Natural Conscience awakened thereby will not disdain to desire help from God as those poor Pagan Mariners in Jonah's Ship under a most dismal Storm every one of them cryed unto his God and lest they should all miss the true God they desired Jonah to call upon his God Jonah 1. v. 4 5 6. and at last they all cry unto the true Jehovah ver 14. Jonah 1. So Ahab here hearkens to what this Prophet spake from the Lord when all his Idols fail'd him Remark the Fourth The Prophet tells him not from himself but from the Lord who should be the Instruments and who should be their Captain Ahab gives credit to God's Word puts his Divine Direction into present Execution ver 15. wherein tho' he was a wicked man yet acts not like such an one N.B. For some in such a case would have argued Alas those Young men of the Princes Noble men's Sons have been bred up in Delicacies so are but fresh-water Souldiers Carpet-Knights fitter for a Canopy than for a Camp and to Court fine Ladies rather than to Encounter a fierce Enemy they are not so well experienced in handling a Military Lance in War as they are in tossing curious Court-Complements in Peace c. Beside Ahab might have objected against the Number of them as well as against their Quality saying What are these two hundred and thirty Courtiers able to match Benhadad's so many more Kings and old experienced Captains and Commanders and what can seven thousand Men which is all we can muster do against such a numberless number of the Syrian Army that doth besiege us c Not a word of any such murmuring nature do we hear from this Impious Ahab no he disputes not but dispatches God's Command The Prophet had assured him before-hand that by those very Men and Means Victory should be got that when obtained the Thanks for it might not be ascribed to Chance Baal or Calves c. Remark the Fifth Ahab having god God's Word for his Warrant and God's Instruments at his heels both the 230 Captains and the 7000 Souldiers N.B. which Peter Martyr supposes to be those mentioned chap. 19 18. that were faithful and fled thither for Refuge and all others not daring to adventure upon such a desperate Design with those he marches forth not staying to be assaulted by the Assaulting Syrians but to Assault the Assaulters at Noon-time of day ver 16. when they were eating and drinking and secure from all fear and expectation of any Assault and when Benhadad himself was so Jovial with his Kings that he drank himself drunk with excessive drinking so could not order or direct for any Defence Remark the Sixth This Hand full of Israel God blesseth with a compleat Victory over the vast Host of Syria ver 17 to 21. Mark 1. The young Princes went out first as a Forlorn-Hope to make the first On-set upon the Syrians Such Courage had
Jehoash's Reign did Elisha fall sick and die ver 14 c. In which famous History the Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents be very remarkable 1. The Antecedents Elisha falls sick of his last Sickness whereof he died being as 't is computed above an Hundred Years old Here he lays for some long time languishing upon a Bed of sickness where this King came to visit him and wept over him though he was a wicked Man not for any real respect to God's Prophet did he do thus for then would he have followed his Counsel in forsaking the Calves c. but for the inestimable loss in him both to himself and to the whole Kingdom now greatly Distressed hoping that as Elisha was well known to have done great things for Israel in former times so he might yet give it one lift more out of Misery before his departure by Death N. B. Hereupon he cried to him Oh my Father my Father c. These very words this same Elisha had cried to Elijah when he was taken up c. 2 Kings 2.12 and now he heareth as much cried to himself by this King who ascribeth no less to the Servant of Elijah than he had done to his Master intimating saith Vatablus that Elisha had helped Israel more with his Prayers than all their Chariots and Horsemen could do This was a just remuneration of Elisha's Veneration to his Master Elijah Remark the Third Elisha to shew himself a Father as he is here stiled twice over both to King and Kingdom at his last farewel bids Jehoash bring Bow and Arrows c ver 15 16 17. This was the first sign portending Deliverance by Victory saith Sanctius Mark 1. The King brings the Bow c. at the Prophet's bidding because he expected some Comfort from Elisha therefore he readily obeys him Mark 2. The King at the Prophet's Command puts his hand upon the Bow that is his left hand upon the Bow and his right hand saith Menochius upon the String and Arrows which signified that Jehoash must yet War against the Syrians with Success Mark 3. Elisha puts his hands upon the King's hands the Prophet saith Piscator was in God's stead whereby he signified that God would be with him and fight for him and that his good success must come from God Mark 4. Elisha bid open the Window Eastward not only toward Syria but also toward the Israelites beyond Jordan which now the Syrians had subdued Mark 5. Elisha said Shoot the Arrow of the Lord's Deliverance which the Prophet helped him in God's place to shoot signifying that the Arms of his Hands should be made strong by the Hands of the mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.24 for the recovering saith Menochius the Reubenites Gadites c. from the Syrians Mark 6. The Prophet promiseth such success as Israel had at Aphek 1 Kings 20.26 where they slew an Hundred thousand Syrians c. ver 28 29 30. and thus Jehoash should have destroyed the Syrian Armies upon Condition had not his Unbelief hinder'd it Remark the Fourth Elisha's second Sign was to declare the number of his Victories foretold by the first Sign saith Sanctius ver 18 19. The Prophet commands him to smite the Ground with the Arrows not distinctly directing him as he did in all the other Acts how oft he should smite but leaves him to his Liberty therein the Prophet himself not knowing the number of his Victories saith Piscator but God had told him he should learn that by the number of his strokes therefore Elisha was angry at the King's Negligence that he had not smitten the Ground with all the six Arrows in the Quiver saith Junius but only with three of them for his Idolatry made him soon weary with work well begun The Prophet was angry with the King for his Remisness saith Menochius because he might easily have understood by the former sign and by Elisha's comment upon it that this likewise was designed as a second sign of his success against the Syrians therefore he ought to have done it oftner and earnester Remark the Fifth is The second Circumstance of Jehoash's Misfortune in the Concomitants of it namely the Death and Burial of Elisha ver 20. which sheweth that N.B. 1. The best of Men are but Men at the best being subject to both Sickness and Death 2. Some Servants of God after a due preparation pass through the Gates of Death ere they be aware some fiery Chariot of a short acute Fever or some sudden stroke translates them to Heaven as was Elijah others lay long and lingring upon a Bed of Languishing beholding the Gates of Death afar off wisely improving their Sickness to be better prepared for their expected Departure as did Elisha here 3. Though Godly Ministers may be but lightly esteemed in their life-times yet their deaths and departures are usually bewailed yea sometimes even by bad men as by this King here who had now lost his Chariots and Horsemen Remark the Sixth The Consequents hereof A marvelous Miracle was wrought by Elisha when dead and buried ver 20 21. Mark 1. This was a strange addition to his many even twenty Miracles which he wrought while he was living This Miracle God vouchsafed to shew how dear his Saints are to him even when dead Mark 2. The occasion of it A Band of Moabites invaded the Land now when Baal was set up which they durst not do before Hos 13.1 before saith an Expositor none durst budge against the Name of Ephraim but after Baal came in every paltry Adversary durst venture to trample upon Ephraim as if a dead man c. Mark 3. These Moabites so affrighted those Men that were carrying a Corps to the Grave they durst not bear him end-ways to the Grave prepared for him but in a great fright cast the Corps into Elisha's Grave which lay in their way and no sooner had it touch'd the Bones of Elisha but immediately the Man reviv'd c. Mark 4. This Miracle was to strengthen Jehoash's Faith in Elisha's Prophecies some say this revived Man went to the King to encourage him in his Expedition against the Syrians telling him God would raise up the dead state of Israel Isa 26.19 himself was a sign N. B. May we but touch a Crucified Christ by Faith this will quicken us more Remark the Seventh The Accomplishment of Elisha's Prophecy in reviving the half ruin'd Israel by the hands of Hazael ver 22 23 24 25. God was so tender of his Covenant wherein he had made himself a voluntatry Debtor and would not as yet cast out his People and tho' Hazael made havock of Israel all Jehoaaz's days yet God smote him with Death now and Benhadad his Son is conquer'd three times by this Jehoash as Elisha had foretold to recompence him for his kind visit of sick Elisha as Wolphius that succeeded Peter Martyr noteth and to stir up all men to be kind to God's Ministers 2 Kings CHAP. XIV and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXV
the King ver 2. Mark 1. The King manifested his Favour to her first by his Gestures No sooner had he seen her charming Countenance and lovely Looks so far was he from being offended with her coming but he immediately held forth his Royal Scepter to her which tho' a Dumb yet was a demonstrative Sign that she might come and be welcome N. B. Here God shew'd himself to be the grand Heart-disposer even of the hearts of Kings Prov. 21.1 God's Providence order'd it so that she obtained favour in his sight and not at first did the King frown upon her so that she fell into a Swoon before him as Josephus saith nor did he cashier her out of his Presence as he had done Vasthi The same God who is the Heart maker is the Heart-mover and mender 'T was alike the Lord's work long before this that Laban should leave Jacob with one Kiss and Esau meet him with another who rather would have Kill'd him than Kiss'd him c. Mark 2. Then the King testify'd his Amicable Acceptance of his Amiable Queen by Words as well as Gestures speaking to her good words and comfortable ver 3. as Zech. 1.13 When Esther saw the Scepter stretched out toward her as a Testimony her Presumption was pardoned for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Josephus He that toucheth it is out of Danger Chap. 4.11 then she drew near and first kiss'd it saith Mariana and after did she touch it in token of her thankful acknowledgment of that Rich and Royal favour and the King perceiving by her both bold Adventure and ravishing Posture that she had some pressing Petition to present to him he Salutes her with a Sugar'd Speech accosting her with the Honourable Attribution of her own Name saying What wilt thou Queen Esther Whereas Angry Envious ones will not vouchsafe to name the Persons they have an Hatred against as Gen. 37.19 Joh. 7.11 and 9.29 Thy Suit shall be granted to the half of my Kingdom fear not to utter it c. N. B. If this Proverbial and even Prodigal Promise so much in this King's Mouth did encourage Esther to open her Mouth c. How much more may the exceeding great and precious Promises of our gracious God 2 Pet. 1.4 encourage us to pour out our Petitions before him seeing an admirable Exuberancy of Divine loving kindness and an unspeakable confluence of all kind of Comforts both for this World and for a better is contained in them especially considering what confidence is given us of God that when our Faith turns his Promise into Prayer then will God turn that Promise into a Performance he will perform with his Hand what his Mouth hath spoken and do what he hath said 2 Sam. 7.25 2 Chron. 6.15 17. Remark the Third Esther having heard this prodigious Promise from the King to her did not presently pour forth her whole desires to him ver 4. but prudently improveth his Royal Favour and Offer with all Modesty desiring at present only Let the King and Haman come this Day to my Banquet c. Many saith Menochius were now present whom Esther desired to be absent and Haman was absent whom she principally desired to be present She doth not with the Fool utter all her Mind at first Prov. 29.11 but with the Wise reserves it for a fitter opportunity well knowing the King loved Haman's Company and especially at a Banquet wherewith she would wisely oblige him that being made Merry with Wine his Mind might be sweetned into a Complaisant Humour and so more prompt to promise what she had particularly to propose to him Lyra hath a Notion from Rabbi Solomon That Esther invited Haman alone to accompany the King that so the other grand Courtiers might therefore envy him and thereupon endeavour to undermine him c. ver 5. Remark the Fourth The King observing Haman at this time Absent calls aloud saying Hasten Haman to be presently present ver 5. He comes in all haste but to a bad Bargain at the Issue and accompanies the King to Esther's prepared Banquet where when the King was well warmed with Wine he again renews his former profuse Promise saying What is thy Petition c. to the half of my Kingdom ver 6. supposing Esther's Modesty was such as she durst not propose her Request because of the greatness of its Contents therefore doth the King both encourage and assure her he would grant it tho' never so great N. B. So saith the King of Kings to his Spouse Isa 45.11 Jer. 33.3 and much more than so a whole and a better Kingdom Luke 12.32 Remark the Fifth Esther's Answer ver 7 8. Her present Petition was only to Invite the King and Haman to her Second Banquet the next Day and then saith Vatablus she promis'd to produce her Petition The Learned render sundry Reasons why Esther thus delay'd from day to day 1. The three Days Solemn Fast was not yet over 2ly She foresaw her Second Banquet would more oblige the King's Favour towards her as more meriting So Bonartius 3ly Nor durst she at the first desire of the King so great a Matter as was the rescinding of his own unalterable Decree saith A Lapide 4thly Perhaps there were some Persons present at the First Banquet whose Company she liked not and so would have them Absent 5thly She would have had a firmer Proof of the King's purpose to perform his Promise leaving no room for Levity by so oft promising So Serrarius 6thly She might probably not yet have so clear an Answer in her own heart to her former Prayers and therefore desired some farther Time that Night to seek God for more full Satisfaction 7thly Bonartius saith that Esther herein observed that Golden Rule Festina lentè Make no more Haste than good Speed She had learn'd to prefer Opportunity before Time for a fit Opportunity hath a beauty and a lustre in it above all other parts of Time and therefore is it call'd with an Accent upon it Now is the Accepted Time 2 Cor. 6.2 N. B. Whatever the Reason was of Esther's putting off her Petition until the next Day The most Wise All-disposing God disposed it so by his Holy Hand that Mordecai might first be so highly Honoured and Haman's High Gallows might be beforehand prepared as the sequel of the History sheweth Behold here the pious Prudence of Esther for hereby she made both Haman the more Secure and the King more Kind and Courteous saith Rupertus The Second Part of this Chapter is Mordecai's danger of Death by his denying Honour to Haman the second time Remark the First Now was Haman more highly puff'd up with this new Honour looking upon himself now under a double Honour whereof he was worthy as the Phrase is 1 Tim. 5.17 when not only the King had Advanced him above all the Princes but also the Queen had most highly Honour'd him in inviting him to be the King 's sole Companion twice to her Royal Banquet with
her Life went like a Dagger to his Heart and she backs her prudent Petition with this Confirmation ver 4. saying 1. All our lives are sold by the Craft and Cruelty of that Man who offer'd ten thousand Talents to purchase our Destruction without any Exception of my own Person and she 2. Relates the very Words of that cruel Decree to make the King more sensible how Haman had supplanted him and what he had by Haman's wiles consented to And 3. She saith Had we been â—â—ld into Bondage only I had been Silent tho all Haman is worth cannot countervail the King's Damage thereby for then saith Osiander the King must lose his Queen whom he loveth but if all the Jews be slaughtered not only the Queen must lose her Life but also the King will lose an ineffable Tribute from that painful People Such variety of Arguments and cogent Expressions Esther here useth to make the deeper Impression upon the King's Mind Remark the Third Esther's Oration so incensed the King that from an enraged Mind he doubled his words Vaiomer Vaiomer Hebr. He Said and he Said ver 5. Who is that Sirrah and where is that Sirrah he that durst presume in his heart to do so It seems saith a Learned Expositor that the King did not yet by all Esther's Aggravations understand whom she meant so high an opinion he had of his Right Bye Haman Therefore not thinking this Presumer was so near at hand he hastily asks Esther c. Esther hereupon points him out as the Enemy present and points him out in his proper Colours ver 6. not at all fearing the Face of Haughty Haman then present saith Bonartius When she had found a fit season that God had put into her hands she takes hold of the opportunity strikes while the Iron was Hot and with great Courage calls Haman a Man made up of Mischief no word could she find bad enough for him unless it were Harang Hebr. which signifies the Naughtiest of all Naughts c. That she should speak thus to the King and of his so great Favourite too and that before Haman's very Face must undoubtedly be the work of her Faith and the fruit of her Fasting and Prayer c. Remark the Fourth The Effects of Esther's Oration 1. Upon Haman who being convinced in his own conscience that the Queen's Accusation was all true and that the King was conscious how Treacherous he had been in his greatest Trust this not only Muzzl'd his Mouth so that he had nothing to say for himself but also confounded his Mind ver 6. even at the Banquet whereof he had so boasted Chap. 5.12 This foul Storm fell upon him when he had promis'd to himself one of the fairest Days he ever had This is the Portion of the Wicked in the fulness of their sufficiency to fall into Straits Job 20.22 2ly The Effects upon the King He rose up in a Rage and slings away in a Chafe ver 7. as not enduring saith Drusius to look upon such a cursed Catiff he was no longer able to abide the presence of such a pestilent Person c. The King takes a turn or two in the Garden partly to cool his inflamed Spirits partly to consider within himself how he had lost his Love upon so unworthy a Wretch in over-rashly trusting him with so much Power which he had most Treacherously Abused to the hazarding of the Queen's Life and the Lives of millions of his Innocent Subjects And partly to bethink himself not only of the Heinousness of Haman's Crime but also what Punishment to inflict upon so prodigious a Criminal Remark the Fifth Haman while the King had in his fury withdrawn himself Humbles himself before the Queen to make Request for his Life ver 7. observing the violent commotions of the King's Passions this put him into a dreadful consternation concluding his doom of Destruction was determin'd Hereupon he falls down at the Queen's Feet saith Vatablus and catches hold of the Queen's Knees saith Athanasius begging her with his utmost earnestness to Intercede for him to the King but Esther knew Haman too well to befriend him so far That Pious Queen was undoubtedly acquainted with what Solomon had said A Man that doth violence to the blood of any Person shall flee to the Pit let no Man stay him Prov. 28.17 and Esther not mediating for Mercy in his desperate Case may be justified from that of the Apostle Let him have Judgment without Mercy that hath shew'd no Mercy Jam. 2.13 hence she saith Let him lie for me and die according to his deserts c. N. B. The wonderful Whirling about of that greatest Wheel of Divine Providence and that all upon the sudden even in a moment here Behold yesterday haughty Haman the Highest of all the Princes next to the King himself is this day fallen down groveling upon the ground before the Queen whom he had designed for Death Behold here saith an Interpreter he that had been bowed unto by all Men is now upon his Knees before a Woman He that was a proud profess'd Enemy to all the Jews is here an humble Supplicant to one Jewess He that had contriv'd and determin'd the Death of that whole People is now earnestly begging for his own Life And he that had provided a Gallows to hang Mordecai upon it fears nothing more now than that himself should be hanged thereon He felt his own Gallows groaning for his own Carcass Remark the Sixth The King returns out of his Palace-Garden when these Passages aforesaid were transacting ver 8. He finds Haman in this posture of cleaving close unto the Queen's Knees upon the Banqueting Bed as her humble Supplicant The angry King was willing to misinterpret this Action and to take all at the worst N. B. How oft might Haman have done so and more while he was in favour without being censured Actions are not the same when the Man alters and under any Alienation of Affections The King saith now of this grand Favourite Will he force the Queen before my face c. This he said saith A. Lapide partly out of Passion and partly out of Jealousie for Persian Kings saith Bonartius were always Jealous concerning their Wives and would not suffer them to be seen of Strangers so Josephus and Plutarch affirm Grotius observes Tho' the King were unjust in thus judging amiss of Haman yet God was Righteous in measuring to him as he had measured to others in his slandering so many Innocents whom he design'd to destroy yea the Queen her self he would have forced out of her Life These angry words of the King was the Messenger of Death to Haman the Courtiers presently cover his Face that the King might no more be incensed with the sight of him saith Lyra. Remark the Seventh Haman's Condemnation ver 9. whereof the covering of his Head was the fore-running Sign Not a Man among all the Courtiers opens his mouth for Haman but all against him being
Vol. 4. Page 44 Philosophers prime Patriarchs of Hereticks Vol. 4. Page 436 Piety compared to a Tower Vol. 4. Page 124 125 Providence over-ruling all Vol. 4. Page 17 The concurrence of its works Vol. 4. Page 43 The Prodigal Son Vol. 4. Page 135 136 The Punishment of notorious Sinners under the Gospel-Ministry Vol. 4. Page 347 Policy subservient to Piety Vol. 4. Page 432 Q R Reformation not all at once Vol. 4. Page 37 Righteousness natural or moral what Vol. 4. Page 115 116 Its insufficiency for Salvation Vol. 4. Page 116 117 Repentance to be Preached 117 Rewards above whether equal Vol. 4. Page 187 188 Reproofs singular kindnesses Vol. 4. Page 418 Rome Heathen less cruel than Pagal Vol. 4. Page 496 S Sabbath a means of sanctifying Grace Vol. 4. Page 423 Saints glorified know each other Vol. 4. Page 99 The good Samaritan Vol. 4. Page 120 121 Saul's famous Conversion Vol. 4. Page 365 One Sin makes way for another Vol. 4. Page 347 Requiring Signs an evidence of Hypocrisie Vol. 4. Page 92 Simony from Simon Vol. 4. Page 361 A famous Sorcerer Vol. 4. Page 406 Separation when lawful Vol. 4. Page 444 445 Sleeping at Sermons dangerous Vol. 4. Page 452 The Lord's Day Sabbath hinted at by Circumcision on the Eighth day Vol. 4. Page 21 Shiloh signifies a Secondine hence Christ so stiled Vol. 4. Page 9 Simony abhorred and corrected Vol. 4. Page 36 Sins of Great Men to be reproved Vol. 4. Page 41 Socinians refuted Vol. 4. Page 4 Syllogisms used to confute the Jews Vol. 4. Page 50 T Talents allowed to all Vol. 4. Page 178 A Thief converted at the Death of Christ 237.8 9. His Prayer Vol. 4. Page 238 A peculiar Time of Promises fulfilling Vol. 4. Page 14 Time of Christ's coming to comfort Zion Vol. 4. Page 513 Traditions pleaded against Truth Vol. 4. Page 86 Tranquillity of the Church short Vol. 4. Page 446 Tricks of Tyrants Vol. 4. Page 397 U Unbelief cleaves to the best heart Vol. 4. Page 90 Unbeliever's State most miserable Vol. 4. Page 252 Unconverted Men drive a Trade of Sin Vol. 4. Page 111 Unity of Ministers amiable Vol. 4. Page 395 Unanimity alone cannot authorize Opinions Vol. 4. Page 426 V Vanity used to effect great ends Vol. 4. Page 435 Divine Vengeance sleeps not always Vol. 4. Page 26 Believers call'd Vessels because rather Patients than Agents in Conversion Vol. 4. Page 372 The wise and foolish Virgins Vol. 4. Page 176 Vipers destroy each other Vol. 4. Page 490 W Waiting on God a duty Vol. 4. Page 14 The World a Warfare Vol. 4. Page 314 Man's way not in himself Vol. 4. Page 465 Weaknesses discovertd before the Power of Christ Vol. 4. Page 79 Wise men their Offerings to Christ as Prophet Priest and King Vol. 4. Page 25 A Word in season very good Vol. 4. Page 478 X Y Youth a sleepy Age Vol. 4. Page 453 Z Zeal with Revenge Vol. 4. Page 37 Blind Zeal Vol. 4. Page 355 356 An Exact Index of the Scriptures of the Fourth Volume upon the Old Testament GEnesis Chap. verse Vol. 4. page  5 3  9  15 1  513  22 14  400  32 10  17  37 23  215  49 10  9 Exodus chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 26  25  3 2 3  261  7 3  428  8 15  196  18 21  219  19 16 18  101  34 19  97 Levit. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  14 4  46  25 23  242 Numb chap. verse Vol. 4 page  14 28  221  16 27  424  22 28  434  23 23  407  25 4  225 Deut. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  17 2 8 12  209  18 11  424  28 58  218  32 32 33  224  33 1  42  34 5 6  508 Josh chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 19  437  10 12 13  401  14 6  42 Judg. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  6 37 39  415 Ruth chap. verse Vol 4. page  4 15  57 1 Sam. chap. verse page  2 2 243  14 39 226  21 9 43  26 10 27  28 7 424 2 Sam. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  7 10  198 2 Sam. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  9 1 3  43  15 11  508  21 6  225 1 Kings chap. verse Vol. 4. page  3 16  27  19 11 12  48 2 Kings chap. verse Vol. 4. page  6 18  408  7 9  208  19 29  400 1 Chron. chap. verse Vol. 4. page 2 Chron. chap. verse Vol 4. page  20 12  104  33 12  243 Ezra chap. verse Vol. 4. page  9 13  59 Neh. chap. verse Vol. 4. page Esther chap. verse Vol. 4 page  9 1  420  10 3  217 Job chap. verse Vol. 4. page  15 11  513  22 29  260  â—3 17  35â— Â 42 2  269 Psalm  verse Vol. 4 page 18  5 193 22  6 7 8  232 45  2  34 76  10  40 84  11  511 103  13  137 105  19  25 118  20  36 119  96  116 128  1 2  511 Prov. chap. verse Vol 4. page  1 10 13  270  7 21 23  270  8 30  25  14 32  239  16 9  500  20 11  115  29 25  219  31 14  513 Eccles chap. verse Vol. 4. page  7 14  260 Cant. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 3  12  2 16  456  3 11  216 Isa chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 12  36  2 2  15  7 14  12  11 4  196  26 20  114  42 8  402  53 4 5 6 11  8  65 24  401 Jer. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 2  137  7 11  36  10 23  114  23 6  117 Lam. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 12  231  3 30  205 Ezek. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  3 17 18  440  4 6  512  20 6  31  21 20  114  38 4 6  511  39 1  404 Dan. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 35 45  410  3 26  246  6 8  250  7 27  326  8 26  511  9 24 26  8 15  12 4 7 9  511 Hosea chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 14  512  10 8  223  11 1  27 Joel chap. verse Vol. 4.
made God himself become a Debtor to him for his Works of Supererogation and as if he now insulted over our Saviour being but a Trivial Teacher who could not call him out to a Lecture beyond the Law c. Though he lack'd not a loud lye in proclaiming himself to be without sin which never any Patriarch or Prophet did yet lacked he the quieting of his own Conscience which all his conceited Righteousness could not becalm for this Yonkster notwithstanding all his supposed Merits still cannot be quiet but must rise up run and ask 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What lack I yet Therefore Christ at last cuts this Coxcomb quite with a personal and particular precept such as was that to Abraham for killing his Son Go sell all and give to the poor then come take up my Cross and follow me This Tryal made him troubled turn his back of Christ who might have his Heaven to himself for him he had a Months-mind to Heaven and cheapens it but was not willing to go up to the Price of it that thorough Sale of all choaked him he liked no such Terms so being Wodded and Weaged to the World Renounces Christ rather than it and so do all Worldings that do Trust in their Wealth they are the Camels and Cables that cannot pass through the Needles Eye Mar. 10.24 CHAP. XXVIII Tidings of Lazarus Sickness CHRIST all this time had been beyond Jordan working Miracles and wording Oracles now Lazarus whom be loved falleth sick his two Sisters Mary and Martha send a Messenger to him while be was beyond Jordan to intreat his presence with their Sick Brother and to return to Bethany where he had lately been before Luke 10.38 39 40. Upon this Invitation he prepareth for his Journey over Jordan into Judea again and yet stayed two Days in the place where the Messenger found him John 11.3.6 And where he delivered the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard which is Recorded only in Matth. 20.1 to 17. And not in any other Evangelist the Scope whereof was to Illustrate Christs last words Many that are first shall be last c. Matth. 19.30 and to prevent Peter c. from being puffed up with a preconceit of their promised great Reward ver 28 29. Christ herein cautions them that such as place Confidence in the Merits of their Works as forsaking all c. and call for their Wages before they had well entered into their Work as Peter c. What shall we have c. ver 27. May be placed in the lowest place by the Lord who giveth Eternal life out of free grace not of Debt or Merit For the purport of the Parable holds that such Labourers as had been longest Labouring in the Vineyard and therefore had the highest Estimation of their own Labours yet were last taken notice of least Esteemed yea Rebuked as Adversaries to free grace and daring to Expostulate with God about Justice Whereas those last labourers were first paid because they trusted not in the Merit or Worth of their own Works but in the free grace and goodness of God when the other as Murmuring Merit-mongers are turned off with this Taunt Tolle quod tuum est vade take thy penny and be packing Christ Gods Steward and the Judge of all doth Distribute his Wages for his Work with a most singular Demonstration both of his Justice so that none shall receive less than was promised and of his Mercy so that all shall receive more than they Merited for although this penny be not absolutely Eternal Life it is that Gratuitous penny given to the last Labourers for it is called the Free gift of God Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.7 8. and many more shewing Salvation is not due by Debt or is Gods pay for our pains as here Reward or Wages for Work but is altogether from free grace What ever the penny signified it was something that gave content to the Contractors for undertaking Vineyard work it was that for which each of them followed Christ whether it were for Meat perishing or for Meat induring John 6.27 Indeed all the Antient Fathers except Basil take this penny to signifie Eternal Salvation because 1. Denarius ex Decem was of the value of Ten usual pieces of Money to shew Eternal Life is worth Ten Temporal Lives 2. The round Figure in the Roman penny signified Eternity which hath no End 3. The Stamp and Sculpture upon it was the Kings Image noting our being made like God then 4. The Silver piece had a Lustre and Splendour upon it to denote the glory of our Bodies then as before of our Souls Yet Basil Interprets it some Reward of this Life and this one Mans Interpretation agreeing well with the Scripture of Truth and with the Analogy of Faith may have more weight than all the other whose Sense makes all workers in the Visible Church to be Saved or none are so but the Elect only or all shall be saved and that by the Merit of their Works and all shall be equal in the Wage of Eternal Life and so none shall be first or last contrary to Scripture The Scope of this Parable is only to be pressed as also of other Parables lest Blood in stead of Milk be squeezed out of them c. After this Parable Christ begins his last Journey to Jerusalem to the Eating of his last Paschal Lamb or Passover but especially to the offering up of himself the Lamb of God for taking away the sins of the World At his first setting forward from Jordan to Judea he acquaints his Disciples apart of his approaching passion at Jerusalem as he had done before Matth. 16.21 and again Matth. 17.22 c. For they must be the Witnesses both of his Omnisciency in foreknowing it and of his voluntary laying down his Life in venturing thither where he knew his Death was designed Matth. 20.17 c. Mark 10.32 c. Luke 18.31 c. 'T is said expresly He went before them Mar. 10.32 As most willing to walk that way which went to his suffering work this Amazed the Disciples to behold him walking like a Couragious and Undaunted Captain before them rather desiring than fearing Death This fortitude they more than Admired in their Amasement at their Magnanimous Master and themselves being pusillanimous were Affrighted at his bold Adventure upon his unavoidable Danger therefore desire they him to stay beyond Jordan where he was then safe rather than Expose himself to his Implacable Adversaries in Judea again saying as soon as they could overtake him in their Trembling pursuit after him they said John 11.7 8. Where this same last Journey to Jerusalem is Recorded also Master The Jews lately sought to stone thee and wilt thou go thither again This was their Preposterous Advice from their own Timorous Carnality which naturally startles at and declines the Cross And indeed N. B. Note well 'T is no more than Duty to Decline it when it lies not betwixt us and
with the Solemnities of the Tabernacle Feast for bearing of Palm-branches and heaving out Hosannahs from Psal 118.25 was only used at that Feast yet was this Triumphal Joy Allayed with some Sorrow for Christ coming nigh to Jerusalem wept over it Luke 19.41 As the common Slaughter-House of the Prophets that had lost her day of Peace and so to be destroyed Christ weeps for her that wept not for her self though he knew she would be his Death within five Days This is manifest from John 12.1 12. He was Feasted at Bethany Six Days before the Passover began and that was the Jews Sabbath Day at night at which time they used to have extraordinary Chear on the very next day he Rides in Triumph as Sions King not only for the fulfilling of that Prophecy Zech. 9.9 as is specified in Matth. 21.4 but also for making the Tâ—â—â— and the Antitype to hold Congruity The Paschal Lamb the Type was taken up the Tenth day but not Sacrificed all the fourteenth day in the Revening Exod. 12.3 6. In which Interspace N.B. Note well They Sanctified themselves for that Law Sacrament 2 Chron. 30.19 35.6 In Eating the Passâ—â—â— to Teach 〈…〉 must be made for a True Participation of the Lords Supper c. Thus the Lâ—â—â— of God the Antitype upon the Tenth day made his Entrance into Jerusalem as giving up himself for the great Paschal Feast and was Sacrifie upon the fifteenth day but Apprehended in order to it the Night before upon the First day of the Feast no sooner was Christ come into this City but the Sanhedrin consultâ— to kill him John is 10 11. and for no other Crime as is said before of Lazarus but because he would have saved the City by gathering her 〈…〉 her Chickent under his Wing and they would not Matth. 23.37 This Obstinâ— drew Tears from Christs tender Heart when he came to the Mount of Olives whence he had a full prospect of the whole City and Insury doth Remarks that in the same place where Christ wept over Jerusalem there did the Roman Army under Tiâ—â—â— Vespasian 〈…〉 Teâ—â—â—â—â—ife their Ramperts and wish their Batteries Assault and with Stoâ—â—â—ings from thence did utterly â—uind it as is intimated Zech 14.4 That Mount 〈…〉 and opens a way for the engery to 〈◊〉 here Now Christ having but a few only five dars to live a Mart al life in this lower World at us stand and wonder as Moses did at thâ—â—â—â—â— Bâ—sh how our Lord improved every inch hereof doing very much in a little ripe as must be manifest in those following Remarks The First Remark is Some Greeks seek to side Jesus John 12.20 At that very Season when the Jews sought to kill him being mad to see such Multitudes flock after him Hence they in their Outrage ver 19. fall foul upon themselves for their folly in loitering thus and not being more quick and expeditious in some Remedy because they had suffered their supposed Malady to spread so far as they looked upon it incurable Now they say the whole World runs after him and not only a world of Jews but of â—â—â—tiles also for these Greeks were proselyte â—â—â—â—ler that came up to Worship God at this Feast according to 1 Kin. 8.41 and Acts â—7 and 6.1 Those Proselytes though they were Zealoys in coming far to the Feast were also Modest in their Zeal now Rashly or Rudely obtruding themselves into Christs Company but Civilly Sollicits his Disciples to procure them some private Conference with Christ This was a fair Omes both of the Rejection of the Jews and of the Reception of the Gentile's while the former is stirring up one another to more madness as if all along till then they had not taken Right Measures their Methods had been over mild they had used too much Gentleness now must they fall on with utmost Vigour c Here the latter are courting to none into Christs Presence as accounting it an High Priviledge Christ accepts them to a conference wherein he tells them the time was at hand wherein he should be glorified in the Conversion of the Gentiles yet tells them in General Words but such as implyed an Answer to their Request that as a Corn of Wheat must first be buryed before it spring up to Fruit-bearing c. So I who am the Sted of the Church must first be buryed and then be so glorified I must first suffer and then enter into my glory and seeing the Jews do conspire to kill me Lo I turn to the Gentiles as Acts 13.46 The 2d Remark is The Bath kol or Voice from Heaven which made a louder Ring and Report than all the Acclamations of the Multitude had done in his Royal Triumphant Progress The occasion of it was our Lord at this mentioning of his own Death began to be Troubled John 12.27 c. Through the Horrour of Gods Wrath for Mans sin which he had by Covenant undertaken the expiation of by the Merit of his Sufferings Christ was here Troubled to procure our Tranquillity and his infirmity makes us firm Hereupon he Deprecates Death having a Natural fear as a Man especially such a dreadful Death as he was to undergo attended with unknown sufferings not only from that King of Ierrours and Terrour of Kings that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most Formidable of Formidables Death but also from an Apprehension he was to grapple with the utmost Outrage of all the Devils in Hell which now must be let loose upon him according to Gen. 3.15 Nor was this all that which was worst of all the Sinse of his Fathers Wrath in Satisfying his Justice for the sins of the World upon the back of his Son while his Divine Nature suspended it self and did not exert its power c. So that no wonder if his Sensitive Will cryed Save me from this Hour yet his Rational Will which was ever the same with that of the Father cryed Modestly and with Submission preferring his Fathers Will before his own Life saying glorifie thy Name ver 28. Then the Father Answered the Son As thou hast desired I should glorifie my Name by thy Death I will do so in giving thee Victory over the Devil Sin and Death and as I have glorified my Name by thy Miracles so I do it again by thy Resurrection c. Still the Multitude stayed with Christ who misinterpreted Gods Voice for that of an Angel or the noise of Thunder ver 29. yea and those very Greeks that enquired after Jesus were presented also Hereupon he being Comforted and Confirmed by this Bath Kol which Attested him from Heaven three times for the Ministry 2. At his Teem figuration as chief Prophet whom all must hear and 3. as Sions King here when he had newly fulfilled their Prophesie Zech. 9.9 He doth Comfort and Confirm his Followers with Caution Counsel and Comfort and that which more particularly concerned the Greeks he tells them that the Devil whom the Gentiles Worship as a
had they not pressed him to it beyond his Pagan Power yet doing it with great Reluctancy however our Lord was thus Intitled by his Hand which was guided by the great God and whose Head and Heart were so confirmed in it that though he understood it not yet would not Retract it with all the Priests pressing him to the contrary He was unchangably Resolved that what he had writ should stand How much more the Writings of him whose Name is I am that I am Exod. 3.14 and the same yesterday to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 N. B. Note well We may learn from this Pagan to be constant to a good Cause and in a good Course and not be changlings But we must raise our Minds higher and look beyond Pilate at the Counsel of God who would have Christ proclaimed his Churches King by this Publick Testimony in Pilate's Inscription and that it might be made manifest to the World that Jesus was Innocent and that he was Executed for the same Truth for which he was before Condemned by the Sanhedrim of the Chief Priests and therefore was the Title writ in Hebrew Greek and Latin the best known Tongues then every where that this venerable Elogy might be read and understood of all and that Christ's Innocency might appear unto all not only intimating that he was King of that Religion among the Hebrews of that Wisdom among the Greeks and of that Power among the Latines or Romans for which three things those three People were then Famous The Jews glory'd in their Law and the Greeks in their Wisdom and the Romans in â—heir Power and Dominion but also as presaging the Future Vocation of not only the Hebrews but of the Greeks and Latines too to the Kingdom of Christ N. B. Note well to which may be added that hereby the Holy Ghost hath commended to us the Dignity and Study of these three Learned Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin which are to be Retained for ever in the Church of Christ and seeing Christ hath Sanctified those three Tongues upon his Cross by this Inscription 't is but a Brutish Notion to call them the Languages of the Beast N. B. Note well Moreover this may reprove the Sacrilegious Tyranny of the Romanists who render themselves worse than Pilate in not only forbidding that the Sacred Scriptures should be Translated into the Mother-Tongue of each Land but also Restraining the People from Reading them in Hebrew Greek or Latin yea or in their own Native Language whereas Pilate as God's publick Herald will have Christ Read and acknowledged to be King in any Language both Forraign and Domestick 'T is pitty a poor Pagan should exceed and excell those Papagans who profess to Adore Châ—ist The 4. Branch of the Introduction is their Crucifying two Thieves the one on the Right and the other on the Left Hand of Christ Matth. 27.38 Mar. 15.26 27. Luke 23.33 Joh. 19.18 placing Christ in the midst not so much that he might have Companions in Misery for Solamen Miseris socios adhibere Doloris 't is some Comfort to those in Misery to have Companions in it As it was designed by those Priests to Palliate their wickedness that the People might look upon Christ Crucified in the midst as the worst and as the Prince of Malefactors and the greatest of those three had they Crucified Christ alone he would at least have seemed a better Man than any Thief But Mark the Evangelist lifts us up to look beyond this politick design of the Priests at the profound Counsel of God who directed this Deed that the Prophet's Oracle might be Accomplished saying He was Reckoned to wit by those Priests among Transgressors Isa 53.12 and not only among them but as Chief of them Thus he became the greatest of Sinners both by Imputation as he bare the sins of many ver 6.12 and by Reputation as he was Reckoned among Thieves Robbers Throat-Cutters and Traitors yea in the midst as exceeding the worst of them N. B. Note well As this may teach us how vastly prodigious was the wrath of God against Man's sins for the Expiation of which our Surety the Son of God must be cast into the Catalogue of Notorious Malefactors So no less holds it forth the most Immense Love of our Lord Jesus to us who can submit to be a Companion of Miscreants to make us fit Associates with Holy Angels Zach. 3.7 both Here and in Heaven c. but of these Thieves more afterward is discoursed c. CHAP. XXXII Of Christ's Crucifying NOW come we after those five Introductions to Discourse upon the Passion and Death of Christ Crucified upon the Cross wherein many most Eminent Remarks are comprehended in the Bowels of that one Act of Crucifying Christ As Moses turn'd aside to behold that great wonder of the Bush burning yet not consumed Exod. 3.3 So let us turn aside here to see this great Sight to behold the grand Sin-offering burnt without the Gate yet not consumed to Corruption Levit. 9.11 16 27. Hebr. 13.12 Psal 16.10 11. Acts 13.35 36 37. and to behold the High-Priest himself of our profession Hebr. 3.1 As the great Sacrifice for the whole World was now laid upon the High Altar his Cross and there was Rosted with the Hot Fire of the Wrath of God and of Men and of Devils Behold the Son of God Bleeding Mocked Tortured Dying and Reconciling God and Man and Marrying Justice and Mercy together c. Psal 85.10 The First Remark is Behold the Man He must Die the worst of Deaths for us so Angry was God with Man for Eating the Forbidden Fruit of Sin that he spareth not his own Son when he became a Surety for Sinners He shall die saith Saul though the Lot fall upon my Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 14.39 We Read of Zaleucus's Law that the sin of Adultery should be punished with the loss of two Eyes his own Son was found faulty herein Zaleucus put out one of his Sons Eyes as he was a Just Judge but that he might save his Sons other Eye and not make him quite blind he to satisfie the Justice of his own Law is content to put out one of his own as a Compassionate Father This Resemblance falls far short of the matter Resembled Yet thus far they do Symbolize in an Apt Parallel Congruity The Creator gave this Law to the Creature If thou Eat the forbidden Fruit thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 Man Transgresseth that Law of God even Adam call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 Now that Justice might be satisfied Man the sinner loseth one Eye only to wit his Paradise-Happiness c. and God the Father of Adam is content to give his Son who was as Dear to him as his Right Eye out of his Bosom to make full Satisfaction for the Breach of that Law N. B. Note well Sinfull Man may say here is both a Just Judge to the Law and yet a Compassionate Father to me
not my self but my Surety Dyeth for me c. N. B. Note well This Surety for sinfull Man Heb 7.22 must dye the worst of Deaths such as had all these Aggravations the most Accursed the most Shamefull the most Painfull most Lingring and the most Open and Exposed Death Remark 1. The most Accursed Death whereof something is said before of all other Deaths Though Stoning Burning Sawing Asunder Slaying with the Sword c. Heb. 11.37 were Torturing and Tormenting Deaths yet no Curse is Annexed by the Law of God to any one of them as there is to this of Hanging on a Tree Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 So that Christ dyed the Cursed Death of the Cross to take away the Curse due to us and that we may be Blessed Oh! How should we wonder that he should Humble himself to such a Cursed Death Phil. 2.6 7 8. Did Peter wonder that he Humbled himself so far as to wash his Feet John 13.6 Sure I am we may much more at his Dying thus to Save our Souls and to pay all our Debts for us as Paul did for Onesimus Philemon ver 18. If he owe thee any thing put that upon my Account we are all Run-away Servants and have wronged our Lord much Christ saith I will pay all c. never forget that love in him Remark 2. The most shamefull and ignominious Death not only as he did Hang Naked on the Cross at which the very Heavens blushed and therefore was that Curtain of Darkness drawn over them that they might not behold his Nakedness but also as he was most rudely mocked by all sorts of Passengers and Spectators Yet he endured the Cross saith the Apostle and Despised the shame c. Heb. 12.2 Though Man's Nature be impatient of shame yet Christ shamed even shame it self as if it had been below him to take notice of it and as unworthy of any Observation in Comparison of his so Glorious a Design Hereby the most shameful Death that Saints can be put to is Sanctified to them They that dye in Faith do all dye in a Bed of Honour Heb. 11.2 13. Remark 3. The most Painfull and Dolorous Death This must be so because he was 1. Sore Racked when his Hands were Nail'd wide asunder upon the Head-post and his Feet wide asunder also upon the Foot post not as Papists falsely Picture Christ in their Crucifixes with one Nail only in his Feet whereas two Nails were necessary to Nail his two Feet unless they do absurdly suppose that one Foot only was fast and the other loose but if both were Nailed one upon another according to their Images then the Souldiers could not break both the Leggs of the Thieves but only the outmost because one of them if so lay upon the other besides where shall we find if so the five Wounds of Christ so much spoke off by both Antient and Modern Authors The Popish Picture whereof a great Jesuit was the first Founder Represents Christ with one only Nail in his Feet placed one upon the other Then our Lord had said Amiss in saying to his Disciples behold my Hands and my Feet Luke 24.39 and to unbelieving Thomas behold the print of the Nails c John 20.27 If both his Feet had not been Nailed upon the lower overthwart wide asunder as his side was pierced with the Spear c. This is the 1. Evidence that Christ's Death was exceeding Dolorous and Painful being so extreamly Racked both in his Hands and Feet forcibly stretched wide asunder each from other to the utmost straining of all those Joints 2. Which is the 2d Evidence his four Wounds with the four Nails were made in the Hollow of his Hands and Feet which shews that Christ suffered most Exquisite Torments in those most Sensible Parts being quickest and fullest of Sense as they are fullest of Sinews that as Anatomists Demonstrate all make their meeting together in those places this must needs be most unexpressibly painfull especially in so fine a Body as God had fitted him with Hebr. 10.5 Undoubtedly of the finest Constitution God made his Sons Body that was to be joyned with the Deity and was to be the grand Expiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the World Remark 4. The most Lingring Death those Malefactors whom the Romans Crucified commonly remained many days alive upon the Cross they were two or three days at the leaft a dying Therefore were the Souldiers sent to dispatch those three that were here Crucified by breaking their Leggs that they might not hang so long as was usual because it was the preparation for the Seventh day Sabbath which began at three a Clock on that Afternoon an High Day not only as the Sabbath but also one of the Seven Passover days John 7.37 19 31 32. And this would not consist with the Solemnity of that double Sabbath to have them Roaring under their Tortures therefore their Law provided contrary to the Roman Custom that their Bodies should not Remain all Night upon the Tree but Bury them that Day that their Land might not be Defiled Deut. 21.23 otherwise it was a Lingring as well as a painfull Death a Death that might have lingred and lasted many Days Praestat Semel Mori quà m semper metuere sentire Mortem 'T is better to dye at once than to dye by Inches and to lye long under the smarting Sense and Horrour of a protracted Dying 'T was the Language of a bloody Beast to a Martyr thou shalt not only dye but thou shalt feel thy self a long time to be a Dying The Cruelty of the Cross the weight of the Body hanging by the Hands till Death and practised by the Roman Tyrants upon the Christians was so Inhumane that good Constantine the Great Abolished it out of the Empire never to use it more c. Remark 5. The most Publick Open and Exposed Death not like the fore-runner John Baptist's Death whose Head was taken off privately in Prison without any more ado or observation But Christ's Death was Apparent to be seen Those cruel Crucifiers of Christ do daringly outface not only the Sun of the Firmament but also the God of Heaven both with this Execution and with their preparations to it For 1. Their causing Christ to bear his own Cross till he tyred which comported not with their hast for his Execution to Golgotha 2. Their throwing the Cross upon the ground there in order to its Erection while all requisites were prepared 3. Their drawing forth all their dreadful Instruments for their Crucifying cruelty 4. Their stripping Christ of his own wearing Apparel that he might dye naked c. 5. Their laying his naked Body upon the Cross as it lay along with his Face forward on his Back 6. Their stretching out his Hands and Feet with their utmost strength as upon a Rack of the Spanish Inquisition 7. Their Nailing his Hands and Feet thus extremely Racked out to the Upper and Lower overthwart of the Cross And
Draught thereof never Thirst any more after any of the Vanities of the World or Villanies of Sin 4. He Thirsted that we may Drink better Drink as we do daily c. The 6th Of the last words of Christ upon the Cross was It is Finished when Jesus therefore had received the Vinegar he said it is finished John 19.30 Then had he no more work to do or Suffer not to Descend into Hell either in Soul or in Body as some Romanists say As the Vinegar was the last bitter Dose he received from the wicked Hands of those Villains So the Receit thereof was the last bitter part of his Unparallel'd Passion The first time of their offering him Vinegar before he was Nailed to the Cross he received it not but only Tasted thereof and did not drink it up for he left the rest wherein his Redeemed must pledge him of the same bitter Cup filling up the measure of the Afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 but here he drinks all off to shew that he took the whole Curse for Sin into himself so that now N.B. Note well our Sufferings by Afflictions for our Sinnings against God come not in the Nature of a Curse but of a Cure They are more Medicinal than Penal and there is rather a Spiritual Remedy than any Divine Vengeance now in them they come now all out of Divine Faithfulness as David saith I know that out of thy very Faithfulness thou O God doth Afflict me Psal 119.75 As if he had said Lord thou wouldst not be Faithful to my Soul unless thou hadst thus and thus Afflicted my Body The ground of our being Afflicted is now offended love and the end thereof is fuller Embracements Jer. 31 18.20 All our Sorrows and Sufferings as they come to us through the Sufferings of Christ as through a Colature Sile or Strainer they leave the Curse behind them there our Dear Redeemer drank up all that Vinegar leaving none of it for us it was our Saviour solely that fully satisfied God's Justice for Man's Sins by his Meritorious and Mediatory Sufferings and left not the least part thereof unsatisfied for us to satisfie by any Sufferings of ours The Lord looked upon the Travel of his Soul and was satisfied with all our Souls Isa 53.11 N. B. Note well So that if Inquiry be made what must be the Antecedent to this Relative It in this saying of our Dying Saviour it is finished the Answer in general must be that full Satisfaction to God's Justice for Man's sin was now fully satisfied when our Redeemer received this last bitter Potion of the Vinegar all the parts of his unparallel'd Passion were now Accomplished save only his commending his Spirit into his Father's Hands he had nothing now to do but to Die and to give up the Ghost N. B. Note well But more particularly what is said to be finished here must have a beginning and an Intervening midle as well as end or finishing Now the beginning of Christ's Passion was at the beginning of his Incarnation when he Divested himself of that Divine Glory which he had with the Father before the World was John 17.5 and puts on him the the Form of a Servant Phil. 2.6 7. in his Humane Nature and the Intervening Midle from his Cradle to his Cross was a continued Series of Suffering all his Life long both in the Private and in the Publick part thereof his whole life was indeed as is above said but a lingring Death he was designed by bloody Herod to Die so soon as he began to Live and this Diabolical design for Destroying him was carryed on uncessantly by the Scribes Pharisees and Priests even all his Days But now when his Hour was come for Finishing his Passion behold the Man how many little Deaths he endured in his Agony Buffetings Scourgings Mockings c. before he came to Die that worst of Deaths even the Death of the Cross N. B. Note well Behold how Commensurate was the Second Adam's Passion to the First Adam's Transgression Adam had sinned in Paradise the most pleasant place in the World and his sin consisted in seeing the loveliness of the forbidden Fruit in his Touching and Tasting it for the Eating of which he was Derided by God with an Holy Derision Gen. 3.22 't is an Ironical Irrision Man is become as one of us for his vain Affectation of Aspiring unto a Deity What God speaks there Laughing we all should always Read with Weeping for Hinc Illae lacrimae from hence sprung in all Misery and Mischief upon Mankind this foul Fact of his Eating Forbidden Fruit plainly opens Pandora's Box as the Poets feign from Moses's Pentateuch and pulled up the Sluce to let in an Inundation of Sin and Misery and all Evils to fly out upon us N. B. Note well Behold how the Circumstances of Christ's Suffering do wonderfully Correspond and carry an Accommodated contrary proportion proportionable in those points to Adam's sinning As 1. His place of sinning was the best place even Paradise so Christ's place of Suffering was the worst place in the World even Calvary call'd so from Calvus or Bald-pate 2 Kin. 2.23 24. This Calvary or Golgotha was a place of Skulls such as were Bald all the Hair being rotted off a stinking place for our Sweet Saviour to Suffer in 2. As Adam sinned by seeing the lovely look of the Forbidden Fruit Gen. 3.6 So our Saviour suffered by seeing this sad Spectacle of such an Heap of Bald Skulls No doubt but his Tender Heart was much Afflicted with beholding so doleful a sight seeing such a Slaughter of Men was all made by sin 3. As Adam finned in pleasant Touching so Christ to Expiate Adam's sin was not only touched with our Infirmities Heb. 2.17 4 15. but also had the Torturing Touches of the wicked one 1 John 5.18 in his Torments upon the Cross 4. As Adam sinned in his sweet Tasting so did Christ Tast not only of the Vinegar mingled with Gall but Drank up the Second Dose thereof yea and Tasted the bitterness of Death for every Man Jew and Gentile Heb. 2.9.5 As Adam was derided for vainly affecting a Deity so Christ was mocked for saying truly he was the Son of God c. And he was mocked for many other Crimes yet doth he challenge his mockers to convince him of any sin John 8.46 besides 6. The second Adam Died in the same Day of the Week and at the same Hour of the Day as is noted before to bring Life into the World that the first Adam sinned and brought Death into it thereby The 7th and last of the seven last words or sayings of our Blessed Saviour upon the Crâ—â—s was Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 This was the lasâ— of all our Saviour's Sayings for immediately after he had so said while he was yet living under his six Hours Torments upon the Cross and having a power to lay down his Life when himself pleased John
Feast might be able to Read and understand it in some or other of those three Tongues and of one Tendency to wit for the Honour and Glory of Christ Crucified and not either for the Vindication of the Justice of the power Condemning which was not a little to Pilate's own prejudice in his Reputation and Injustice or for the Shame and Disgrace of the party Condemned as is usual in other Superscriptions fixed upon Dying Malefactors But this however it was intended as an Accusation to brand Christ falsly with the Calumny of usurping an Earthly Kingdom Assuredly tended much for his Glory seeing he was indeed Jesus the Saviour and he was indeed a King more especially of the Jews and the True Israel of God Thus the Mouths and Hands of Wicked Men are so overpow'red by the Omnipotent Jehovah that all is turned to the Honour of Jesus which they design for his Dishonour and the very Title upon his Cross devised to shew the Crime for which he was Crucified becomes no less than a Crown of Glory to Christ beside This Inscription being written in Hebrew Greek and Latin made an open and publick Proclamation to all the Knowing and Learned Men in all parts of the known World that our Lord Dyed as a Faultless Man and altogether Innocent even in the Judgment of Judge Pilate himself who had so oft Absolved him before and now could fix no Slanderous Superscription upon his Cross save this that had such a Divine and Convincing Truth in it without any foul Reflection or Real Fault at all And Lastly By this Title thus writ in those three Tongues our Lord hath Sanctified those three Learned Languages upon his Cross so that the Hebrew Greek and Latin may be Holily Studyed Learned and Improved by Holy Men for which they ought not to be upbraided with Learning the Language of the Beast c. The 2d Sign of Christ's Triumph over Death was the Conversion of the Thief it being the first Fruits of the Power and Efficacy of Christ's Death before he was actually dead and the price of Redemption was fully paid that Vertue should flow from Christ's Death before he dyed even such Soveraign Vertue as not only to Save this Penitent now but also all the Old Testament Saints before he was in the Flesh as the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World Revel 13.8 in God's Decree and in the Types of the Law this was the Antitypes Signal Triumph The Third Fourth Fifth and Sixth Signs of Christ's Triumph over Death were 3. The Suns Eclips 4. The Rending both of the Vail and of the Rocks 5. The Earthquake 6. The opening of the Graves in all which Works our Lord proclaimeth himself the Mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth the Sun of Righteousness when he was even going down under the Earth and setting from the Worlds sight had still a Triumphant power over the Sun the Firmament and could draw a Curtain of Darkness upon its Splendour at Noon time And as he then did shew the signs of his Triumph over the Heavens so much more at that time likewise over the Earth for then as Lord of the Temple he comes suddenly into his Temple in his Triumphant power Mal. 3.1 And Rends the Vail of the Earthly Temple from the top to the bottom yea and Extends his Rending power to the firmer Rocks of the Earth nor is this all but he shakes the very Foundation of the whose Globe of the Earth shewing himself to be the Lord of it as well as of Heaven and causing both of them to do Homage to him their Lord and Soveraign For as the Heavens here like those Seraphims Isa 6.2 covered their Faces with a Vail being dazled with beholding his Invisible Glory now dying oâ—â—e Cross 1 Pet. 1.12 So the Earth Trembled at his presence feeling even then the power of its Omnipotent Creator Moreover to shew more fully a sign of his Triumph over Death and the Grave his Death opened the Graves of others before he went down into his own Grave His Death was the Death of Death it self Hos 13.14 and swallowed up the Grave in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 55. The Seventh and last sign of Christ's Triumph was the Centurions Testimony together with that of the Souldiers c. Matth. 27.54 Mar. 15.39 Luke 23 47.48 Now when the Centurion and many more People saw the Wonders wrought by our Dying Redeemer these wonders wanted not their Wonderful Effects for 1. The Captain of the Guard this Centurion was wonderfully wrought upon by those wrought wonders insomuch that he Glorified God by confessing the Truth saying This was certainly a Righteous Man this was surely the Son of God And 2. The Pagan Souldiers with their Captain were convinced that such Wonders could not be wrought by one that was only a meer Mortal Man but as that Mighty Monarch and Pagan Emperour Nebuchadnezar saw something of the Glory of the Son of God Dan. 3.25 So those poor Pagans got some glimmerings of Christ's Glory when the blind Priests and Learned Rabbies of the Jews were so stupified that their Seared Consciences had no Sense or Conviction at all And 3. All the People that came together to that Sight beholding the things that were done Smote their Breasts and returned Luke 23.48 They Smote their Breasts as the penitent Publican did Luke 18.13 being now awakened by those Wonders and smitten with their own Guilt in giving their consent to the Crucifying of Christ and so furious was this Reflection upon themselves that out of Revenge and Indignation against themselves as 2 Cor 7 11. They would have smitten their own Heinous sin could they but come at it when they thus as by his Word when he is pleased to speak in and by them and causeth Providences to become Ordinances to us as here by those works of Wonder 2. There is much more hope of gaining poor Pagans and such as never yet had the means of Grace and of winning them over to God and Godliness than of convincing Learned Heads that have wicked Hearts and such as have blown upon the Gospel 3. So free is Christ's Love that while sinners are giving Death to him he is Handing out Life and Salvation to them To all these Seven signs of Christ's Triumph may be added the double sign which the Wound made in his Dead Body upon the Cross by the Souldiers Spear John 19.34 powred forth even the Water and Blood as a Twofold Witness that not only he was now Really Dead but also that he was the Grand Sacrifice which had now Expiated the sins of the World and now had paid the full price for sinful Mans Redemption according to that Eternal Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the Foundation of the World Though the Testimony of the Centurion c. be Recorded by all the three former Evangelists and not by John yet this Testimony is Recorded by John only and by none of the other so
so hard to Cure that the Son of God must be killed before the Soul Stab'd by sin can be Cured No less than the warm Blood of Christ on the Cross can be a Salve Soveraign and sufficient enough to heal that Incurable Sore They are fools that think it an easie thing which Christ found so costly to Reconcile sinful Man unto an Holy God The 4. Inference is Oh! that we could do to the Cursed Body of sin so called Rom. 6.6 Col. 2.11 what those Cursed Kill-Christs did to the Blessed Body of our Saviour As they did to him so should we do to sin We should 1. Apprehhend it in its places of Retirement knowing its Haunts as Saul did David's 2. When Apprehended bind it Hand and Foot that it may not break out into any more Misbehaviour 3. Lead it bound with Hands behind away to be Judged in the Court of Conscience 4. Arraign it at that Bar not with false Witnesses but true ones whereof we need not want great Store when Process and Pleading against it are impartially managed Oh! what black large and long Bills of Inditenient may be drawn up against sin for doing us Mischief Imprimis at such a time and place Item in such a day and duty and a Thousand Items to follow that to the end 5. Condemn it therefore saying with Saul that which hath done this Deed shall Die though the Lot fall on my Son Jonathan my peccatum in Delicijs my best beloved sin 6. Then spit in its face the time would fail to Descant upon all 7. Crown it with Thorns 8. Beat it Buffet it and Scourge it yea let it be stripped as well as striped 9. Nail it to the Cross so fast that it may never stir Hands or Feet more but be Crucified The 5. Inference is Oh! that we could behold the Man how this God-Man Christ Jesus dyed with his Arms spread on the Cross as the place of his Birth was an Inn. which entertains all that come to it with great Gates wide opened So this was the posture of his Death ready to Imbrace all that come by Faith and Repentance and such as do so come he will in no wise cast them out John 6.37 The 6. Inference is Oh! how should our Consciences bleed to behold Christ bleeding to Death upon the Cross considering these following Motives as First that we were those Hard-hearted Jews and our Sins were the Nails which fastened our sweet Saviour to his suffering that worst of Deaths the most Accursed Shameful Painful Lingring and most exposed Death upon the Cross where he was Hanged thereon as our Surety in our stead Though those that beheld him then did mostly Taunt and Deride him while he was in Crucifying as above yet may not we do so when we behold Christ Crucified before our Eyes in his Word and Sacraments Gal. 3.1 1 Cor. 2.2 We must mourn over him whom we have pierced Zech. 12.10 and behold him with bleeding Hearts and not Crucifie to our selves the Son of God afresh and put him again to an open shame Hebr. 6.6 How much sorer punishment are such Sentenced to be worthy off Hebr. 10.29 c. It was we who Eat the sowr Grapes the forbidden Fruit and our Saviours Teâ—th are set on edge therewith c. Secondly That Christ Dyed the basest of Death's to teach us the Desert of our sins for which we all deserve to Die the worst kind of Deaths as he did for us whereby he hath not only purchased a more Calm Quiet and Comfortable Death that we may die in our Nests as Job saith chap. 29.18 that is at my own Home and upon my own Couch or Resting-place But also he Sanctified all sorts of Death to his Saints whether they be Hanged Drowned or Burned whether they be sawn asunder or slain with the Sword c. Heb. 11.37 Our Lord and sinless Saviour deserved to die the best of Deaths yea not to die at all seeing Death is the Wages of sin Rom. 6.23 Where no sin is found there no Death is due Yet as he became the surety for sinful Man so the worst of Deaths due to us himself dyed for us He dyed in a shameful place to purchase a better place for us to die in he died in the Field that we may die in our Houses he dyed in that base place of Skulls that we may die in the best Room of our Dwellings and he dyed on his Cross that we may die in our Beds and that among our Friends and with Ease and Comfort For Christ's dying among his Enemies and with utmost Extremity and Desertion hath purchased it for us But suppose any Saints be brought to die a Dolorous and violent Death as their Lord did and as many Martyrs in all Ages have done and still daily do and tho' they must say therein as the Penitent Thief said upon the Cross we indeed are justly in this same Condemnation for we Receive the due Reward of our Deeds Luke 23.40.41 yet hath our Saviour by suffering the bitterest of Deaths so Sanctified all sorts of such shameful and painful Deaths to his Saints that there is not one Dram no nor so much as a Grain though Deserted Souls do find a Scruple of the Poison of the Wrath of God therein Naturalists do relate that the Beasts of the Field dare not drink of the Fountain untill the Unicorn come first to dip in his Horn which sucks up all the Venom out of the Waters and then the Beasts dare drink most freely So our Saviour by his Cursed Death hath sâ—â—ked up all the Curse of every sort of Death into himself he hath drunk up the bitter part of the Cup leaving only the sweet for us Insomuch that all who die in the Faith Hebr. 11.13 though they be drown'd in Water on burn'd in the Fire c. yet do they die in the Favour of God though they die by the Frowns of Men Therefore should our Consciences be greatly concerned and our Hearts bleed freely melting kindly into Tears and Tenderness while a bleeding Dying Jesus is set before our Contemplations Oh! how melting should be our Meditations upon Christ's Death 'T is a Rule in Physick that Diverting the Circulating course of the Blood is the best Expedient for Curing any excessive bleeding in any part as bleeding a Vain in the Arm stops immoderate bleeding at the Nose Would to God we could thus correct our excessive Weepings for Losses and Crosses by Diverting that over-free because a Natural issue by giving a due Vent to our Weeping over our Dear Redeemer thus Dying and bleeding to Death for saving our Souls and making satisfaction for our sins Lastly Learn hence to love the Lord Jesus our Jonah as that Prophet Jonah could not endure the East-wind to blow and the Sun-shines Heat to beat upon his Head for himself yet could be content to be cast over board into the Sea to be Drowned for saving the Ship and its whole Crew So
proposed and not peremptorily imposed It seems doubtful to the for these following reasons beside what is above said c. 1st Had the one of those Travellers been Peter I wonder why the Evangelist should expresly name the other to be Cleophas Luke 24.18 and not name the Companion of him seeing he upon another occasion mentions Peter by name ver 12. immediately before he speaks of those two Travellers setting forth from the City v. 13. methinks Peter had he been one of them might more probably be named who was not only one of the Eleven but also carried one of the greatest figures among them c. Greater than Cleophas or Alpheus who was but one of the Seventy 2dly 'T is but a mistake to think that those two Travellers upon their Returning told the Eleven that the Lord was risen indeed and had appeared to Simon for then the word would have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the nominative case and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Accusative as indeed it is which Origen not observing as great Grotius noteth was the ground of his misapprehension that those words aforementioned were not spoke by the two Travellers to the Apostles but by the Apostles to them two c. 3dly Among the Ancient Fathers the Authority of Epiphanius may serve as a counterballance to that of Origen the former thought that Nathaniel was the Companion of Cleophas and though both those Sentiments of these two Ancient Fathers differing each from other be gratis Dicta Related without book yet it seems not at all improbable that whosoever this Companion of Cleophas was he must be one inferior to him who was the Father of Three Apostles Matth. 27.56 Mark 15.40 John 19.25 wherein it appeareth that Cleophas and Alpheus are but one man 4thly Beside I do find that men of great note in the Church even of the first Rank of Christ's worthies Doe concurr in ranking this apparition to Peter in the fourth place as Pareus Perkins c. Yea some brings it not in till the fifth place c. I rather Judge it was the fourth for our Lord appeared five times to several persons the very first day of his Resurrection The 1st To Mary Magdalen at the Sepulchre The 2d to the good Women going from the Sepulchre The 3d to the two Disciples going to Emmaus The 4th to Simon Peter The 5th to the Apostles only Thomas was absent now the last of these five must more probably be after his appearance to Peter than before it for these following Reasons 1st From Christ's compassion when he was risen and the command came go tell his Disciples Matth. 28.7 and Peter with the first as Mark 16.7 He is named in particular and none else Behold the tender compassion of Christ towards all his Disciples who were now weeping and wailing together but not as Mary Magdalen did for they wept Mark 16.10 because they had so cowardly forsaken him after they had promised to stand by him even unto Death Matth. 26.35 Christ knew they were upon a serious self-reflection driven into this doleful Dump for their forsaking him therefore comes he off in this Candour and Kindness go tell my Brethren John 20.17 't is a wonder the message was not go tell my Revolters my Runaways c. no this Compassionate Saviour forgets and forgives all because they were now weeping for their committed sin he sends this Sweet message by Mary who was weeping also not for committing the like Sin but because she had lost her dear Lord and could not find him with her best seeking Though the Disciples did not join seeking with their weeping as she did and as they should have done according to those rules or a labora and Admotil manu Invocanda est Minerva pray and ply c. yet are they Brethren still with a sweet Saviour because they repented Matth. 28.10 Though they had foully fallen which may Teach us when we sin out of weakness and not out of wickedness Psal 18.21 our sins of infirmity do not discharge us or divorce us from Christ who hates putting away Mal. 2.16 So they be bewailed disclaimed and to our utmost resisted for the future Jer. 3.1 Prov. 28.13 If Christ's bowels yerned thus over all his foully faln Disciples The 2d Reason then follows more especially to poor Peter whose condition was more deplorable than any of the rest excepting that of Judas who had betray'd him The other had only deserted him but Peter had most execrably denied him For which heinous crime the Lord by a look of love like that of the warm Sun upon a bank of Snow had thawed and melted his frozen heart into tears and tenderness Luke 22 61. So that he went out and wept bitterly v. 62. flevit Mare dum flevit Amarē He wept a Sea while he wept out his sorrow saith Ambrose expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor His weeping was the vent of his almost broken heart A stroak from guilt broke Judas's heart into despair but a look of love from the Lord brake Peter's heart into repentance unto life Our Lord knew well that Peter above all the rest had plung'd himself into a Sea of sin and misery and could no way swim out to shore or extricate himself out of the pricking Bryars wherein he was involved Therefore because he was most deiected and his case most desperate our compassionate Samaritan comes first to this wounded man who had faln among Thieves that had left him half dead Luke 10.30 33 34. binds up his wounds c. Therefore of all the Apostles Peter shall have Christ's first appearance He appeared not first to Innocent John but to penitent Peter not to his best beloved Disciple but to this Backsliding Renegado yet now returning by repentance but still in a wilderness of profound ploddings and perplexities then Christ comes and speaks comfort to his heart as Hosea 2.14 his beloved John had not Deserted him altogether nor denyed him at all therefore he being comparatively whole had no such need of this blessed Physician as poor penitent Peter had who was sick and sick at heart hereupon we read not of any one appearance Jesus made to John alone as to Peter here Why He loves to comfort those that are cast down which none else can do 2 Cor. 7.6 when there is the greatest Damp upon their hopes and the greatest Death upon their helps when forsaken of all their comforts c. Thus Christ's tender compassion did more particularly commiserate the most deplorable condition of poor Peter and appeared to him apart which he did not to any of the other Apostles alone And this appearance of Christ to Simon was the more signal upon many respects for 1st It was made in special Petro turpissimē lapso to him under the guilt of horrible sin to shew that Christ is the true All-heal our Saviour is a Salve that will heal the worst of Sores and is for Curing the greatest as well
season draws out Peter to pass through all quarters to visit the Saints that he might confirm them in the Faith and establish a Ministry among those Churches newly planted by the dispersed Disciples v. 32 Acts 9. Secondly The Place where was Lydda which was one of those places Peter passed unto to visit c. a famous City in former times not far from the Mediterranean Sea upon the West Bank of Jordan Oh wonder how Christ hath his Saints scattered and planted in Cities and Countreys c. Thirdly The Person healing was Peter this was not the first healing Miracle that Peter had wrought by the power of Christ for before this he had cured the Cripple that was born lame not lamed by any violent casualty Acts 3.2 7. and that had been lame forty years Acts 4.22 as above Besides we find Acts 5.15 how the shadow of Peter wrought wonders N.B. The like whereunto we read of Paul after Acts 19.12 not as if the shadow or garment or the body of these Apostles had any inherent vertue in them to heal Diseases and to cast out Devils but that the power of helping the Distressed was now so abundantly poured out at this Effusion of the Holy â—host upon them insomuch as these weakest and improbable means were made soveraign and effectual to work Miracles that the glory of those wondrous works might not be attributed to such contemptible things but to the blessed Messiah now gloriously exhibited N.B. Moreover such prodigious Products from such unlikely means did not only demonstrate that the power was of God but it was an accomplishing of Christ's Promise to them that they should do greater works than he had done John 14.12 by which Providence the Gospel was much more propagated To which may be added that Peter there was in conjunction with John in healing that begging Cripple but here he acts alone by himself Fourthly The Party healed was Aeneas who is described 1. By his Name supposed to be a Jew tho' living now at Lydda whom the Jews call'd Hillel but the Greek-Lyddians call'd him Aeneas 2. By his Disease a dead Palsie which had taken away the use of his Limbs so that he became a Clynick and lay Bed-rid 3. By the Antiquity of his Disease Acts 9.33 he had kept his Bed eight years All this is Recorded not only to declare the certainty of the History but especially the difficulty of the Cure and the excellency of the Miracle Omnipotenti Medico nullus insanabilis occurrit Morbus To such an Almighty Physician as Jehova is no Diseease is found incurable Exod. 15.26 Fifthly The Manner how this Cure was wrought is related verse 34. Acts 9. which contains 1. Peter's command in the Name of Christ wherein he promiseth Recovery to this Paralytick suitable to our Saviour's saying Mark 2.9 and John 5.8 in the like case to demonstrate the perfection of the Cure in being now able to make his Bed Peter acts not here by his own power but lets this lame man know whom he should acknowledge for his Benefactor himself being but the Instrument in Christ's hand And 2. The Paralytick's Cure thereby He immediately arose together with the Word there went forth a power Luke 5.17 As Peter was assured of this so the Paralytick did experience it for he felt the dolorous Distemper by the Resolution of his Nerves depart from him in an instant and that now he was inabled to arise and to cast up his Bed whereof he had now no such need as formerly for eight years All this did declare that the Cure was done by a Divine Power seeing Nature and Art acts in Time and by Degrees but he was cured immediately and that perfectly also insomuch as he was made able to make his Bed the best discovery thereof to all Sixthly The Effects hereof namely upon the many Spectators of this Miracle All that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw it and turned to the Lord verse 35. Acts 9. The Hebrew is Sharon a place that had most fruitful Fields Isa 33.9 1 Chron. 27.29 but now it became Christ the Rose of Sharon indeed Cant. 2.1 For this Providence became an Ordinance to the Inhabitants of that City 1 Chron. 5.16 not far from Lydda for hitherto they had been erroneous in Fundamentals so had turned their backs of Christ but now were both Inlightened and Inlivened to embrace his Truth The second great Miracle Peter wrought in this his Journey from Jerusalem when he went thence into all quarters to visit the Saints and to confirm them in the Faith Acts 9.32 was his raising Dorcas from the Dead at Joppa which Miracle is described by six Circumstances The first is the Person upon whom this Miracle was wrought by Peter the personal Object whereof hath sundry Demonstrations As 1. By her Name which is twofold Tabitha so call'd among the Jews and Dorcas so call'd among the Greeks both names signifying a Doe or Roe-Buck and as she was espoused to Christ no other she was to him than as a loving Hind and pleasant Roe Prov. 5.19 2. By her Profession she is call'd a Disciple of Christ 3. By her Practice and Manners she was rich in good works which are the best Riches last longest and go farthest for they follow us into another World Rev. 14.13 She is commended for her Beneficency and for her Liberality Acts 9.36 And 4. By her Disease and Death verse 37. N.B. A dear Disciple may be diseased and die Mary and Martha send this word to Christ Behold he whom thou lovest is sick yea and dead too John 11.3 c. Christ's Love and Saint's Death as well as Diseases may well enough hold a consistency as here also in this dear Dorcas whom when dead they had washed not only to fit her for Burial but especially to shew their hope of the Resurrection which would change that vile Body like Christ's glorious Body Phil. 3.21 The second Circumstance is the double occasion 1. The Ficinity of the place Joppa a Port-Town and very beautiful call'd so from the Hebrew Japhah signifying fair or a fair Haven most memorable for Jonah's taking Shipping there when he would flee from God and decline his Message Jon. 1.3 expresly said to be nigh to Lydda verse 38. Acts 9. The second occasion was the Intercession of the Disciples who were sensible of the great loss they all had in the death of so good a Woman therefore sent they speedily for Peter not only to come and comfort those who were most concerned in the loss but also by the Direction of God's Spirit they were not without hope that this pious Woman might be zecovered by Peter and so remain farther profitable to the Church hereupon they request his haste in coming to them before her Burial which now they were preparing for this is an evidence of such an hope The third Circumstance is the moving Cause of this Miracle which was the doleful Lamentation made by Widows for the loss of this
17.15 had made him so brisk in his work verse 5 6. his Spirit was then warmed with the company of these two good men as two flints tho' both be cold yet yield fire when smitten together Now some sudden pang of fear came upon him as he confesseth that in Macedonia his flesh had no rest but was troubled on every side without were fightings and within were fears 2 Cor. 7.5 here Christ came to comfort him using two Arguments to persuade his continuance in Corinth The first is The Promise of Christ's presence to protect him from harm c. And the second is That Christ had a great Harvest a Ripening in that City to be reaped by Paul's Ministry and he thus incouraged by this double Motive commits himself to his faithful Creator Christ for a year and six Months verse 11. Thus God promised his protecting presence to his Prophet Jeremy Jer. 1.17 18. and no less hath Christ promised to all his faithful Ministers Matth. 28.20 and tho' some of them be killed yet are they not hurt Rom. 8.36 38. N.B. From whence we Learn 2 Lessons 1. That though the Ingratitude and perversness of Hearers do oft discourage their Ministers yet God Animates them to their duty that for the invincible malice of some the Salvation of others may not be neglected And 2. Tho' God permit that his Ministers be Murdered by their persecutors tho' Paul was promised here a more peculiar protection from the killing Plots of his opposers notwithstanding God is with his Servants both in life and death and then most of all 2 Tim. 4.16 17 18. So their fury must make us more fervent that the Servants of the Lord may not be out-vyed by the Slaves of the Devil who cannot dare to do more evil than God's Servants are made able to bear both with patience and joyfulness c. The sixth Remark is Prophane Persons have a most prodigious prejudice against the power of Godliness exceeding low thoughts of the purity of Christianity Thus Gallio tho' brother in Law to that deservedly famous Seneca esteemed no better of Divine Doctrine than a Cento of Empty Words and Aery-Notions or Vain Discourseâ— saying If it be a Question of names or words c. verse 15. N.B. Yea his Brother Seneca who being Tutor to Nero Claudius the Emperor's Adopted Son procured the Consulship over all conquered Greece for his brother Gallio notwithstanding all his vast depth of humane Learning and his Exact knowledge in moral Philosophy yet did this Seneca but Jear the Jews for casting away a Seventh part of their precious time upon a Weekly Sabbath N.B. No wonder then if Gallio tho' a great man in the Roman Government and a good man too according to the extent of Moral Goodness for Historians give him this Character That he was a man of a most Candid Disposition an hater of flattery and addicted to no manner of exorbitant Vices c. yet being but an Heathen and acting by the Dins Light of Nature in the fallen Estate made so mean an account of the Mysteries of the Gospel N.B. However God made use of this Gallio and his Moral Goodness to preserve Paul from the bloody hands of the Jews who being Animated to attempt evil against Paul hoping that this new Judge would favour them against the Christians but he being a prudent Governour Supercedes the Jews Cavilling and Quarrelling Cause tells them he would meddle only with Civil Government and not with Religious matters wherein he had as he accknowledged no skilful knowledge So he made those Cavillers to be driven by force out of the Court that they might not any longer trouble the Bench with their as he thought unnecessary Controversies then the Greeks which the Syriack reads the Prophane beat Sosthenes an enemy as Austin saith to Paul hereby Christ performed his promise to Paul verse 10. Suffering no Man to hurt him verse 16 17. The seventh Remark is While Paul tarryed a Twelve-Month and an half at Corinth Acts 18.11 18. As Christ blest him by his presence with many Converts such as Crispus and Gaius and the House of Stephanas yea and Sosthenes also tho' supposed before to be Paul's adversary verse 17. 1 Cor. 1.14 and Epenetus Rom. 16.5 and 1 Cor. 16.15 called his first Fruits there because Converted at his first coming to Corinth so in the time of his abode in this City he wrote his first Epistle to the Thessalonians which was the first of all Paul's Epistles that he wrote N.B. Tho' the Postscript of that Epistle dateth it from Athens which as it is not Canonical so nor consonant to truth because this Epistle was sent by Silas the contract of Silvanus and Timothy as well as in Paul's name 1 Thess 1.1 and those two came to Paul when he was at Corinth Acts 18.5 nor was there any Church in Achaia while Paul was at Athens for from thence he went to Achaia and planted a Church at Corinth Acts 18. verse 1. but there was a Church in Achaia when he wrote that Epistle 1 Thess 1.7 However the occasion of it was the New-planted Church at Thessalonica was much discouraged to behold the Jews persecute the Christians and to lose by death some of their useful and Eminent Members the Apostle having notice thereof and the Devil either by disputes or by Tumults or by Layings in wait for his life hindered him from giving them a personal visit 1 Thess 2.18 Thereupon he wrote this Epistle to incourage and comfort them in the ways of the Gospel N.B. And the Apostle being informed of some mistakes put upon some passages in the first Epistle about the coming of Christ and still being hindered to go thither himself he writeth also a second Epistle wherein he taketh up the same argument and discourse again for thir further and fuller Establishment The eighth and last Remark At Paul's parting from Corinth he is shaven as a Nazarite in the Haven of Cenchrea belonging to Corinth according to the Law Numb 6.18 This he did verse 18. because He must needs go up to the Passover-feast at Jerusalem verse 21. That he might wait an occasion and take the opportunity of that prodigious concourse of people there and that he might be the more acceptable to the weak believing Jews who yet were Zealous of the Law Acts 21.20 21 23 24. and that by gratifying them in this condescention to the praescription of the Law he gained many to the Faith by becoming a Jew to the Jews 1 Cor. 9.20 in Circumcising Timothy Acts 16.3 N.B. Tho' these Ceremonial Rites dyed with Christ Eph. 2.15 16. yet were not buryed therefore were the Jews indulged in the observance of them till they came to a clearer sight of their Christian liberty and freedom from them so that Paul did not do this as any part of God's Worship nor was there any Dissimulation in the case for the Matter of purifying himself he did that heartily saith Calvin but for the
of death till they see Christ come in this Kingdom Matthew 16.28 The seventh Comfort is Tho' the ordinary time proposed in the precious promise of Christ's coming to save Zion in the common way of Divine Providence be usually when his whole work is done upon Mount Zion namely 1. His Humbling-work for Sin 2. His Purging and Purifying work from Sin And 3. His Preparing work for her Reception of his saving mercy Isa 10.12 Then will her King come to disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon who have so long disquiet the Inhabitants of Zion Ier. 50.34 Yet by his extraordinary prerogative of free grace sometimes when Zion's King beholds unsufferable insolency in her Enemies This will bring him sooner before he can find any innocency in her self and before that Three-fold work afore said be wrought upon her Observe how the Lord argues I would scatter them c. were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy least their adversaries should behave them insolently and say me non voluisse aut non valuisse that I would not or could not save them c. Deu. 32.26 27. Therefore saith the Lord The feet of my Peoples Foes shall slide in due time c. verse 35. but my People themselves shall be exalted in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 If they be not weary of well doing they shall reap in due Season Gal. 6.9 God will not grant the desires of the wicked as David prays least they should exalt themselves Psalms 140 8. His Mercy Triumphs over his Justice James 2.13 and saves them with a Non-obstante with a Nevertheless and with a Notwithstanding their Sins c. Psa 106.8 and 78.38 but 't is more distinctly demonstrated in Ezek the 20. wherein we have the whole sum of the Law and of the Gospel and where mercy many times catcheth hold of the hands of Justice and keeps them from striking his Servants as appeareth from verse 4. to 44. all along God oft wrought for his own name's sake that it should not be polluted c. verse 14 21 and 43 44. when they had more highly provoked him so that he could not save them for their sake yet brought he them into the bonds of the Covenant verse 37. yea and his most gracious repentings were after all this so kindled together as to cry out how shall I give the up Ephraim I cannot find in my heart to be so unkind to thee for I am God and not man and I have holy ones in the midst of thee c. Hos 11.8 9. I will not destroy the Vine for the sake of the few Clusters that have blessings in them Isa 65.8 God would not destroy Sodom and her four Cities had there been found but ten Righteous Persons in those five Cities Gen. 18.32 We therefore do well to argue in prayer to God as Moses did What will the Egyptians say c. Exodus 32.12 and Numb 14 13 14. and as Joshua What wilt thou do to thy great Name Joshua 7.7 8 9. both those Arguments then did prevail with God and why not now c The eighth Cordial is Tho' God will and out of his very faithfulness Psal 119.75 Chastize his Childern for whom he loves he chastens yet he doth not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 7 8. Rev. 3.19 Lam. 3.33 He hath tears in his eyes when a Rod is in his hand c. Therefore he assureth us he will not chide for ever least their Spirits should fail and the souls that he hath made c. Isa 57.15 16 17 18 19. He always corrects in measure Jer. 30.11 and measures it only out by Peck and by Peck and not by whole Bushels at once as the Hebrew runs staying his rough wind in the day of his East wind Isa 27.7 8. The Lord saith I will hear your cryes for I am gracious Exo. 22.27 And even as a Father pitties his Child so the Lord pitties us Psalm 103.13 'T is well known that a little correction satisfies a kind Father for a great fault in his dear Child when the Child swoons under its scourging then the Father lets the Rod fall down on the ground takes up his Child into his Bosom and falls on kissing it to fetch life into it again thus God did to Ephraim Jer. 31.18 20. He stirs not up all his wrath Ps 78.38 but in midst of wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3 2◠〈◊〉 rule is as we are able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 And his anger is but for a very little while and then it ends in burning the Rod. Isa 10 5 25. So that we have need but of a little more patience Heb. 10.36 James 1.4 Rev. 13.10 And God will give an expected end Jeremiah 29.11 The ninth Cordial is Zion's King is not so Titulo tenus in an empty Title and no more but will come and set up his fifth Kingdom after all the four Grand Kingdoms the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman be destroyed The Humane Philosophers do question whether there be a Quinta Essentia a Fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements Earth Water Air and Fire Yet Divine Daniel doth demonstrate that there shall be a Fifth Kingdom tho' Daniel doth obscurely compare the four aforesaid Kingdoms unto four Boysterous and Blustering Winds Dan. 7.2 the fourth whereof namely that of the Roman Caesars was more violent and more permanent than any of the other Three for first The Foundation of that Kingdom was laid in violence and blood at the beginning of it as Julius Caesar who was the first of the Caesars was violently as it were digged out of his Mothers belly when he came into the World and accordingly was his Soul as violently digged out of his Body with stabbing Bodkins when he went out of the World And secondly This last of the four blustering Winds hath lasted longest in blood and violence for near to Two thousand years But we are told of a small still Wind or Voice 1 Kings 19.11 12. which had the Lord in it whereas neither the strong Wind nor the Earthquake nor the Fire all foregoing had none of them the Lord in them This small still breathing Wind or Voice may have a relation to the Kingdom of Christ who is call'd a Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 and Peace upon Earth good will to men Luke 2.14 and whose Kingdom consists of Peace and Joy Rom. 14.17 This is the small still Voice that will at last most effectually becalm all the four violent Winds c. But Daniel doth more plainly declare the four aforesaid Kingdoms all which he expresly compared to four foul Beasts Dan. 7.3 4 5 6 7. then after the final fall of all those four Beastly Kingdoms he addeth a fifth Kingdom which he calleth the Kingdom of a Man verse 13 14. to wit of God-man the Lord Jesus whose Kingdom shall never be destroyed N.B. Christ's Kingdom hath not a finis consumptionis but only a finis consummationis Tho' it shall be