by Authority taken from thence It seems this great Doctor of the Gentiles was not of the same opinion with those Jesuits who say that the Epistles of the Apostles were intended only for the use of those Persons and Churches to whom they were first written how much more all the Books of the Prophets in the Old Testament must be antiquated and not concern us as some Jesuited Enthusiasts say in our Day prefering their own Phantastick Revelations above the Rule of Scripture though both Testaments were writ by Divine Inspiration We must rather be of Godly Josiah's Mind who saith concerning Moses many hundred years before him that Moses wrote for us 2 Kin. 22.13 the Book of the Law which Moses wrote with his own hand v. 8. and 2 Chron. 34.14 and ordered to be laid up in the sides of the Ark Deut. 31.26 this Book good Josiah reckoned did speak to them in his Day and feared that great Wrath was kindled against them because they had not hitherto hearkened to do all that was written as he saith concerning us Reckoning aright that General Directions Recorded in Gods Word do Infallibly concern all Ages as 1 Cor. 10.6 11. or likewise of Blessed Stephens Mind who speaking of such as live in the Days of the New Testament saith that Moses recieved the lively Oracles of God to give them unto us Act. 7.38 Moses did indeed deliver those Oracles to the Fathers of the old Testament but they receiv'd them to give them unto us under the New and thus the writings of all the other Prophets after Moses were written for us and for our Learning for Paul's learning and for the learning of that famous Church of Rome the fame of whose Faith was publish'd through the World Rom. 1.8 how much more for our Learning who come far short of their high Attainments and cannot pretend to a greater Perfection The fifth Argument If the Old Testament was disannulled by the Death of Christ then the Church was without a Canon or Rule from that time for many years until the N. Testament was written but this is to suppose what may not be supposed For those Scriptures in which Timothy had been trained up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a Child and wherein Paul exhorts him to continue they being profitable to teach reprove c. 2 Tim. 3.15 16. must be the Scriptures of the Old Testament seeing at the time of Timothy's Childhood none of the New Testament was written for Timothy was taken into Paul's Fellowship before any either Gospel or Epistle was published some of the Epistles were writ before any of the Gospels as that of the first to the Thessalonians yet this was writ after Timothy had joined himself to Paul for Paul's Preaching to the Thessalonians must be before his writing to them as appeareth by many passages in that Epistle yet Timothy was taken into Paul's company before Paul Preached there for the former was done Acts 16.1 2 3. but the latter not till afterward Acts 17.1 c. So that the first New Testament Scripture not being writ when Timothy was grown up and received into Paul's Society see Lightfoots Harmony and Chronology for this It necessarily follows that those Scriptures wherein Timothy was trained up from his Childhood were the Scriptures of the Old Testament yet Paul's Testimony of those very Scriptures was that they were Divinely Inspired and profitable to teach Truth to convince Errour to reprove Vice to instruct in Righteousness and to make wise unto Salvation v. 15 16. The consequence then is evident from hence that the Old Testament could not be look'd upon or supposed by the Church as an obsolete and cancell'd Bond or that the Church was then without a Canon The sixth Argument If the Scriptures of the Old Testament were given by Divine Inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 And if the holy men of God the Prophets wrote them as they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 and their Writings were therefore called The Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 then without all controversie there must be the same holy and heavenly Truth or Divine Doctrine found in them as is in the Scriptures of the New Testament There being but one Spirit as there is but one God one Faith breathing in both Testaments Eph. 4.4 'T was this one Spirit which inspired the Pen-men of them both who is the Spirit of Truth John 14.17 leading both the Prophets and the Apostles into one and the same Truth John 16.13 14 15. Therefore the Books of both should be received with the same Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and neither of them ought to be refused NB. 1. To reject the Old Testament is to reject the Holy Spirit that speaks in it 2. 'T is not only rejecting but resisting the Holy Ghost as Stephen charges the Stiff-necked Jews for rejecting the words of the Prophets which they had spoke to them by the Spirit Act. 7.51 Let none now commit the same sin 3. It can come from no other than from the Inspiration of the Devil to reject the Old Testament which was writ by the Inspiration of God contrary products must proceed from contrary principles The seventh Argument If the Old Testament Scriptures be profitable for such blessed uses as are afore-mentioned then they who cast them away as unprofitable are not only Enemies to the Churches Profit and Edification and are Friends to Errour Vice and sinful Folly all which three the Apostle declareth are disappointed by those Scriptures convincing Errour reproving Vice and making wise to Salvation but are also Blasphemers against God and his holy Spirit that did dictate and indite them There be blasphemous deeds as well as blasphemous words Ezek. 20.27 Now to blaspheme any part of the holy Scriptures either by word or deed is Blasphemy in an high degree and at least borders near upon that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost Matth. 12.31 32. That Opinion of rejecting any part of the holy Canon of the Scriptures which is undoubtedly very hateful to God as well as hurtful to men can never be a good Opinion 'T is not Heaven but Hell-born The eighth Argument If the Prophets as well as the Apostles be the Doctrinal Foundation of the Church as Christ is the Personal thereof 1 Cor. 3.11 then the Books of the Prophets Moses c. may not be rejected But the Antecedent is clear from Eph. 2.19 20. speaking of a Gospel-Church Therefore the Consequent must be clear also Mark well Paul puts no difference betwixt the Doctrines of the Prophets and that of the Apostles he makes them not two but one only Foundation therefore we cannot be true Christians nor indeed a true Church as the Ephesians were and that of Ephesus was unless we be Built upon both such as remove themselves from the Foundation of the Prophets may ere long make as little matter of Building upon the Apostles not regarding any written Word at all but rather
saith the Poet Names and Natures do oft agree but it holds not true in these two Hananiah's in whom not great Grace as Acts 4.33 but very little was to be found The Old Testament Hananiah was only a pretended Prophet Preaching plaâ—â—ntia pleasing things to the Prince and People through flattery and for filthy lucre likely He limits their Deliverance from Babylon to come within two years when the Lord by Jeremy had told them their Captivity should continue seventy years Now because this graceless false Prophet made the Prince and the People to trust in a Lye therefore within two months of his Lying Prediction God smote him that he died Jer. 28.1 3.15 17. Note So dangerous a matter it is for Ministers to teach People contrary to the Revealed Will of God and presumptuously to limit the Holy One of Israel to our time Psal 78.41 Event hath confuted and confounded such Lying Prophets in our Day according to Deut. 18.22 And this New Testament Chananiah is found here to have little more Grace c. than he had as will appear after in describing his sin c. How many Ships are named the Happy Success and the Good Speed c. yet make unhappy Shipwrack at Sea The Second Remark relateth to his State and Quality he was not an ordinary or common Person or Professor but probably as 't is thought a Minister of the Gospel who had received extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and therefore mention is made of him next to Barnabas Acts 4.36 37. that Son of Consolation a good man and full of the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 whereas alas this greatly gifted Minister was a bad man and full of the evil Devil for Satan is said to fill his heart top-full even from corner to corner Acts 5.3 As when the head is fill'd with the fumes of Strong-waters such a person is bold and daring c. So the Devil had so fill'd this man's heart with his Intoxicating Cup that he dare desperately venture to provoke God to his face Note This teacheth us 1. What are Gifts without Grace there the Handmaid wants the Mistress to manage her so miscarrieth And 2. The more light and love any Man or Minister is made partaker of his sin hath the more aggravation and is a falling Star c. The Third Remark is touching his Sin which was this he would ambitiously imitate blessed Barnabas in selling his Farm and devoting the whole price of the Possession by a solemn Vow to God and his Service but the Tempter by his Temptation meeting with and drawing forth this man's corruption perswades him to purloin and detain part of the vowed price for supplying his and his Wife's necessaries in their Old Age or in a time of Sickness or in some sad scattering Persecution that might arise after as indeed it did which they might lawfully enough have done keeping back part for such Ends as are aforesaid had they not vowed to give the whole to the use of the Church Thus there was a complication of many sins in this one as 1. Here was Ambition he would be thought as good as the best yea even as Barnabas himself c. 2. Hypocrisie pretending Holiness and Devotion to God but intending to serve his own ends c. 3. His Diffidence and Distrust in that God whom when he had made his Vow he seemed to dedicate himself and his whole substance unto and upon whom he professed to have his whole dependency for time to come And 4. Sacrilege in Robbing of God insomuch as he paid not down the whole that he had vowed to God contrary to the Law Mal 3.8 Lev. 27.10 and Deut. 23.21 22 23. The Fourth Remark relateth to his Punishment for the concurrence of these four sins in one No sooner had Peter told him of his belying God the Holy Ghost who had stirr'd up the first motion of selling his Possession but he had suffer'd Beelzebub the God of Flies or Master-Fly Satan soon to fly-blow and corrupt it c. but immediately he falls down and gave up the Ghost Acts 5.2 3 4 5. Note Thus as God graced the Jewish Church with some extraordinary Instances of his severe Judgments upon Sinners in the beginning of it such as were executed upon the Man that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath day Numb 15.35 and upon Nadab and Abihu for offering strange Fire Levit. 10.1 c. So did the Lord accordingly grace the beginnings of the Christian Church with the like Judgments upon Sinners that they might be set forth as Sea-marks for all who sail in the Sea of professing Christian-Religion to shun such sins and to learn that the great God with whom we have to do therein is greatly to be seared That we may be what we seem to be we must be to God what we seem to be to Men and we must be to God at all times what we seem to be to Men at any time That we worship God in spirit as opposed to Formality and in Truth as opposed to Hypocrisie John 4.24 God takes some Malefactors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very Theft or Act John 8.4 and hangs them up as it were in Gibbets that others warned thereby may hear fear and do no more any such wickedness Deut. 13.11 and 17.13 and 19.20 and 21.21 Alterius perditio tua fit cuntio seest thou another suffer Shipwrack then look well to thy own Tackling Note Christ had impowered his Apostles with this Commission Whosoever's sins ye remit or retain they are remitted or retained John 20.23 whereby they were invested with a power of Life and Death to inflict corporal Plagues upon the disgracers of the Gospel or to spare them as they were directed by the Holy Ghost which they now had received and whom Ananias and â—â—â—hira had here basely belied thinking their False-play could not be detected by that Divine Spirit as if he were not the Third Person in the Godhead which those that cursedly deny have cause to fear Ananias's Plagues Peter here being fully perswaded that his own sin of Lying against his Lord in denying him c. was assuredly pardoned doth dare thus signally to avenge a Lye against the Holy Ghost and thus doing in a 〈◊〉 Zeal for his Master whom he had denied Note This miraculous manner of punishing notorious Sinners in the Gospel-Church was accommodated only to those Primitive-Times wherein Magistrates were so far from defending the Church that they themselves were found the greatest offenders of it Therefore were those two Dissemblers extraordinarily erected by the extraordinary Apostles as lasting Pillars of Salt with Lot's Wife and everlasting Monuments to all Generations of the great God's just Indignation against the Despisers of the Spirit of Christ After the Husband's Death for his sin against the Holy Ghost followeth 2. The Story of his Wife wherein we have these Remarks likewise The first Remark is her Name was Sapphira which signifies specious or beautiful She might be so on
spots in her also The sacred Scriptures do Record two Spots in this Church 1st The sin of Hypocritical Sacrilege in two of her Members Acts 5. but this sin 't is told there also was miraculously expiated by the death of those two sinners And 2dly The sin of murmuring Acts 6.1 which indeed is a great grievous God-provoking-sin as Exod. 16.7 8. Numb 14.27 36. and 16.17 and 17.5 John 6.43 and 1 Cor. 10.10 c. Note well These Murmurers were destroyed by the Destroyer The Rabbins say God wrote their sin upon their punishment for as they had sinned with their Tongues so they died by an Inflamation upon their Tongues and Worms issuing out of them Numb 14.37 But as to this Murmuring that arose in this Apostolical Church it was seasonably discovered and redressed by the choice of Deacons equally concerned in the Hellenists as well as Hebrews Nor can we find upon Record any one Church-sin whereby such a blessed and useful Instrument as Stephen so full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom was forfeited But on the contrary N.B. Acts 8.2 Such great Grace remained upon the whole Church that the eminently religious Members durst give their stoned Stephen a solemn Funeral and with great mourning also as being sensible of the Church's great loss in him being nothing afraid of those mad Murtherers and furious persecuting Butchers though those outragious Zealots look'd upon it as a piaculiar Act and of deep pollution among the Jews to touch a dead Corps especially of such an one as was put to death for Blasphemy yet did these Devout Men bear him upon their shoulders and perform'd such Funeral Rites for him as were usual only for those of greatest Eminency such as were used for the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 50.1 3 10. at his Interment and more lately at Lazorus's even by our Lord himself John 11.35 Thus the Church here lamented their great loss in such a Man at such a time which may serve to condemn that unnatural Apathy or Stupidity of Stoicks rather than of Christians in our day to lament over Dead Members especially Ministers of Note is a laudable Custom However though no foregoing foul sin can be found in this Church whereby either its Officers or its own Peace might be forfeited yet this we find that a great persecution was raised against her Acts 8.1 not as heretofore against the Apostles only but now it was against the whole Church Whereas God had before this restrained the Rage of those persecuting Priests c. with their fear of the people lest they should lose their favour Acts 4.21 and 5.26 N.B. This Awe had hitherto held them in as is the unruly Horse by Bit and Bridle Psal 32.9 but now through the unsearchable Wisdom of God the Reins of that restraining Bridle are let loose and laid along the Neck of those furious persecuting Beasts to run Riot according to their own wicked will and according as the Devil drove them by both his Whip and Spurs 'T is Tertullian's phrase every Persecutor hath Insessorem Diabolum the Devil for his Driver and as saith the Proverb They must needs go yea run whom the Devil drives The lusts of their Father they both must and will do John 8.44 Satan is call'd the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 because as the great God at the Creation did but speak the word and it was done so if the Devil do but hold up his finger give the least hint his Vassals do obey him N.B. Thus those Priests did who when they saw the people whom they had formerly feared so tamely suffer them to stone Stephen to death do inlarge their Outrage which hitherto they had let flie against the Apostles only but now they fall foul upon the whole Church wherein Saul 1. Was their fit Instrument by whose Diabolical craft and cruelty they proceeded 2. To persecute the Church so effectually as to disperse it abroad Their Staff of Bands and Beauty Zech. 11.10 14. their former Fellowship was now broken N.B. A little discourse 1. Of the Efficient cause of this Persecution and then 2. Of the sad Effects thereof may not do amiss as follows 1. The Divine Record doth stigmatize this Saul to strike with the Devil 's great Hammer herein This same Saul gives an account of his own Education that he was brought up at Gamaliel's feet Acts 22.3 but alas how little had he learnt of his Tutor or Master's Moderation for his Tutor had taught this his Pupil to do nothing rashly much less to be found fighting against God as he daringly dehorted the Grand Council and thereby prudently and piously-got them dissolved whereby he disappointed the Devil's design of that Satanical Sanhedrim in the Church's second Persecution Acts 5.34 to 41. whereof Saul sitting at his feet could not be ignorant Yet this Heteroclite and degenerating Pupil was so fill'd with a furious Phrenzy against Christ and his Gospel that he spent his Youth in Persecution for while he was but a Young Man 't is said that the Witnesses which stoned Shephen threw off their upper Garments that they might be more nimble to stone him and laid them down at this Young Man's feet Acts 7.58 for they were to cast the first stones Deut. 17.7 And the Spirit of God doth farther brand Saul that he was consenting to Stephen's death Acts 8.1 Though he was no Actor in it yet was he a Consenter to it and thereby became guilty of the same bloody Crime N.B. 'T is all one to hold the Sack and to fill it to do evil and to consent to it There is heart-murder as well as hand-murder Matth. 5.22 and committing Adultery with the mind as well as with the body Matth. 5.28 A mind to do evil is sin in the seed which time and opportunity brings forth to maturity James 1.14 15. Quae quid non licuit non facit ille facit God may justly judge us saith Austin for our evil affections though we may want an opportunity for our evil actions N.B. Thus Christ charged all the Blood that was shed from Abel to that day upon the Priests c. Matth. 23.35 because by their consenting to shed Innocent Blood now they consented to and approved of all the Murders of the Innocent that had been perpetrated in all former Ages Nor did Saul here barely consent for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies He was well pleased with it did approve of it in thought word and deed Acts 22.4 20. and 26.10 11. as he acknowledged of himself and 't is said that this Saul made Havock of the Church Acts 8.3 which phrase makes some think that he was the Raving Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin which was prophesied by Jacob Gen. 49.27 He unlearned the Lenity and Moderation of his over-ruled Master N.B. Yet easily learned the Savage Cruelty of the mad Multitude so became as mad as the most and worst of that Rude Rabble yea stepping a degree higher beyond the ordinary
's foundring therefore they under-gird her with Cables to keep her sides close and tight together verse 17. Thus the Church in a storm when the blast of terrible ones is like an Euroclydon or Tempest against her walls Isa 25.4 needs her undergirding by the everlasting Arms of Jehovah underneath her Deut. 33.27 Thus the love-sick Spouse was under-girded when Christ's Left hand was under her head and his Right hand imbraced her Cant. 2.6 and 8.3 The wounded side of that God-man Christ Jesus is the Church's Covert from the Tempest Isa 32.2 Mic. 5.5 3. Both are brought to an hopeless Estate How forlorn was this Ship here when lighting her of Merchandise-Goods c. could not secure them verse 18 19. No Light of Sun or Stars to comfort them no hopes left to save their lives verse 20. Thus is it with the Church often a great damp is upon her hopes because a great death is upon her helps There is no hope Jer. 2.25 N.B. The disparity lyes in this that whatsoever wind bloweth blows good to her be it North or South can 4.16 and herein is the Church happy The seventh Remark is God delights to deliver those that are forsaken of all their helps and hopes of Deliverance Thus it was here in the eyes of Reason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the Natural Events from secondary causes their case was desperate which made them part with their Goods to save their lives yet all would not do but they despaired Then comes Paul to comfort them from God who reserves his holy hand for a dead lift verse 21 22 23 24 25 26. wherein he 1. Minds them of their misery which their Disobedience to God had brought upon them Then 2. He chears them up with assurance of their security from the good warrant of Divine Authority And 3. He fore tells they must be cast upon a certain Island which when it came to pass did as by a sign induce them to believe the Rest all ordered by God not by chance The eighth Remark is The wicked are delivered from Temporal destruction for the sake of the godly who live among them and intercede with God for them Sinners are saved spared and favoured for the Saints sake As here two hundred threescore and sixteen persons verse 37. all Heathens excepting Luke and Aristarchus are saved for Paul's sake verse 24. who had prayed for them and had begged their lives of God as Esther did the lives of her people at the hands of King Ahasuerus Esth 7.3 Thus God spared Zoar for Lot's sake and at his prayer for it Gen. 19.19 c. And he would have spared Sodom for the sake of ten Righteous persons could that small number have been found in it at Abraham's prayer Gen. 18.32 And there Abraham left begging before God left baiting N.B. Oh! what fools and mad-men are the wicked in seeking to destroy the Godly for whose sakes themselves are preserved God saith to the Wicked concerning his Servants as the Prophet once said to wicked Jeboram surely were it not that I regard the presence of Godly Jehosaphat I would not look toward thee nor see thee 2 Ki. 3.14 One innocent person may deliver a whole Island from destruction Job 22.30 What abundance of good does one holy man in a place these hundreds of men fared better both in soul and body for one holy Paul's sake and means The ninth Remark is The same God that ordained the end oradined also means in tendency to that end and therefore to divide assunder what God hath Joyn'd together in neglecting ordained means is no better than a presumptuous tempting of God This great truth is here demonstrated by these divine words except these ship-men that were about to escape in the boat abide in the ship ye cannot be saved ver 30.31 notwithstanding God's promise mentioned verse 24. That they should all be saved not because the will of God or his power to save or the truth and efficacy of his Promise did depend upon second causes as if all these were made effectual only by a vertue from the means whereas in truth the means are made efficacious only by a vertue from the will power and promise of God God is not tyed to them yet ordinarily and usually he doth work by them when he can work with them that we may not neglect the use of them that are ordained by him Thus David shall have the victory but it must be by the means of an Ambush 2. Sam. 5.19 24 and man shall be nourished but it must be by his labour Psalm 128. v. 2 Many more such Instances might be given yet so as God works all in all by those means N.B. for the Grass Corn Trees were created by God before he Created the sun moon and stars by the Influence whereof they now are and do grow Sometimes God to show his Soveraignity doth work without means It is all one to him to save by few or none as well as by many 2 Chron. 14.11 and his Omnipotency can work against means also by Suspending the power and operation of natural causes as when the fire burnt not the water drownd not the Rock yeilded water and the Iron swoom the Sun went back ten degrees c. As God likes not to be tyed to means so nor that we having his promise should in defect of the means doubt of his providence God will be trusted but not tempted by a willful neglect of due lawful means The care of the means belong to us but the care of the end belongs to God Whosoever neglects the means under any pretence of a promise doth not rightly beleive in him but plainly and presumptuously tempts him c. N.B. These mariners had been willing enough to make use of all other means for their safety as undergirding unlading c. and wishing for the Day verse 29. Oh! that we wished so much for the Day of Redemption to make use of more means yet missed in this the means God required The tenth Remark is God's Gospel-stars shine most in the night and their splendour is best seen in time of trouble Thus was it here while this Ship's-crew had a smouth sea and a calm season Paul lyes on the Deck as a poor contemptible prisoner neglected of all but now in this eminent danger God makes him the only Counsellor and comforter unto this great company Common calamity made them comply with that counsel and comfort which came from one in chains amongst them Paul reproves them for rejecting his advice of wintering in Crete v. 21. yet now the storm having becalmed that refractory mind they are mindful to follow his Direction in taking some food having had no set meal for fourteen days through the consternation horrour of death and in admitting Paul to become the Chaplain of the ship for craving a blessing and for praying to God for their farther preservation verse 33.34 35 36 37. yea and for praising God also
Serpent did bite Christ by the Heel in putting him to Death yet even then and thereby Christ gave Satan a most deadly blow upon the Head for though Christ died a shameful painful and cursed Death for us Gal. 3.13 as being hanged on a Tree Deut. 21.23 to expiate the Curse brought in by this forbidden Tree Cant. 8.5 yet was he quickened by the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 Rose again for our Justification Rom. 8.34 and swallow'd up Death in victory Isa 25.8 1 Cor. 15.57 And to this very Promise and Prophecy many Scriptures have a most excellent Reference as Psal 56.7 and 89.52 and 49.6 and 22.17 2 Cor. 13.4 and 1 Pet. 3.18 Thus Christs Head was not broken but his Heel only was bruised As the bruising of the Heel relates 2. To Christ Mystical his Church or Christians so it pointeth out 1. The Bodies of the Saints which are as the Heel and lower part as their Souls are the Head and upper part according to Mr. Mead's Notion and Death hath power over the Heel or Body below while the Head or Soul is in Bliss above yea and the Devil hath play'd his Tricks with the Relicks of Saints Bodies whereby he infused the Romish Doctrine of the Worship and Invocation of the Martyrs of which Wound in the Heel that Church halteth unto this day 2. It pointeth out the unsound part of the Visible Church or Hypocrites which are but the Heel of the Church of Christ Those are indeed within the Devils Commission here to bruise and break for a further manifestation of Gods Glory and that they which are approved might be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 3. It pointeth out the Church Militant on Earth which is but as the Heel or lower part thereof the Church Triumphant in Heaven being as the Head and out of Satans reach This Heel the Devil is frequently wounding yet is it but a sleight Wound which though it may be painful is never Mortal like the Wound in the Heel far from the Vitals the Head or Heart All the Persecutions of the Church here below do indeed reach their Bodies Goods or good Names yet are they only as a bruise in the Heel in comparison of the better part the Spiritual Life whereof cannot be endangered Mat. 10.28 Neither the Devil nor his Instruments are able to reach the Soul below or the Saints above ☞ Herein is contained an entire Christian Catechism touching the Malady and Misery of Man by the Fall and the Remedy and Reparation of miserable Man by Christ this is pure Gospel that our Adversary the Devil is laid along upon the ground as the Serpent or overwhelmed and turned upon his Back by the Messiah so though he be an implacable Enemy can do no great mischief as he is punish'd and put into such a painful posture and though he sting us in the Heel and make us halt yet must we go halting towards Heaven as Jacob did over Penuel Gen. 32.31 Yea Run the Race set before us Heb. 12.1 Now after the Tempter follows the Doom of the Tempted 1. The Doom of the Woman being first in the Transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 Her Doom is threefold 1. For seducing her Husband she is Doomed to Sorrow 1. In Conceiving 2. In Bringing forth 3. In Bringing up too 2. For pleasing her Palate she shall have pain in her Womb No Female of any kind hath greater pain than that of a Woman as Naturalists say 3. As she proved a stumbling block to her Husband to whom she should have been an Help meet she is Doomed to a Subjection to him v. 10. to have her dependency upon her Husband both for Direction Protection and Provision hence it is that oftentimes against her own will she endureth the uneasy Yoak of an unequal Ruler yea and against Gods will too for God would not have Husbands to rule with rigour though he grant them a righteous Rule over their Wives he would not have them bitter against them Col. 3.19 Eph. 5.28.33 1 Tim. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.1 yet in all this we have a fair Specimen of Divin◠Mercy 1. That God doth not cast Eve off or curse her as he had done the Serpent All this was a fatherly Chastisement rather than a satisfactory and proportionable Punishment God might have inflicted the mulct of sudden death upon her which she had merited he might have taken away the Blessing of Fruitfulness before promised but he only mingleth it with Dolours and yet tolerable Tortures Though the Throws in Birth be so torturing as no kind of Torments can parallel insomuch that Medea in the Tragedy said She had rather die ten times over in Battel than bring forth but once only yet God mitigates the rigour of his Justice with his sweet Mercy in Dooming her only to Temporal Pains where Eternal Death was deserved this was remitted for the Seed newly promised Ezek. 18.23 Psal 103.10 c. 2. Those grievous pains are not so grievous as the Curse and Wrath of God and the pains of Hell all which was the Devils Doom 3. Those pains were imposed to bring her to Repentance and to make her long for Heaven where all pain and sorrow is done away 4. Those Pains are recompens'd with following Joy John 16.21 5. Neither is all hope of life cut off from her if she continue in faith c. 1 Tim. 2.15 The last part of this Divine Doom is upon Adam God observing the same order therein as they had sinned the Offender who sinned last is sentenc'd last and herein is specified 1. The Cause of the Doom and 2. The kinds of it which are three 1. The cursing of the Earth to Man 2. The toilsom life of Man 3. His tiresom Life to expire in a bodily Death v. 17 18 19 c. All which were only Temporal not Eternal punishments for God makes no mention here of Eternal Death which is the proper punishment of sin Rom. 6.23 because by the promised Messiah here a Reconcilement was made betwixt God and Man both for Remission of Sin and the Grace of Eternal Life were contained in the promise of that Seed which would break the Devils Head Hence 't is concluded by all solid Authors that Adam was not Damned but Saved upon those grounds 1. He was a Type of Christ and never any Reprobate or Damned one doth the Scripture make to Typifie our Saviour 2. The Promise of the Messiah was given to them both upon their Transgression which they laid hold on by Faith and therefore Adam call'd his Wives Name Eve that is Life or living in Testimony of his Faith in and Thankfulness for that lively and Life-giving Oracle concerning Christ v. 15. whereby Eve as well as himself had a reprieve from Death and became the Mother of all living whether a Natural or Spiritual Life v. 20. 3. Adam is expresly call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 so he cannot rationally be reputed a Son of Death or Damnation 4. Neither is it probable that
and do will be things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1.1 3. Now after this large and long digression upon the Patriarchs Pilgrimage so call'd Gen. 47.9 let us return to Joseph's Sale wherein the first circumstance to be considered is the Sellers his own Brethren and Jacob's own Sons while he was but a Pilgrim in the Land of Promise Oh what cause had Jacob to say I have had hard Providences and an evil Pilgrimage under soft and good Promises Oh how shall I reconcile Gods Providences and his Promises together that thus thwart and contradict each other is this God's giving Canaan to my Seed when my own Sons have sold my Jewel Joseph into Egypt Gen. 37.28 But let God alone with his own work hush unbelief and leave him to his own way and time what a mirror of marvels is the History of Joseph and what beauty is there in every part of those providences when God made all the pieces thereof meet together and match one another in a compleat issue of the whole First The Sellers of him were all his Brethren who would have been his Murderers excepting Reuben even the Sons of the two handmaids with whom Jacob joined Joseph not indulging him to idleness though the Son of his Love in keeping his Cattel Gen. 37.2 they being more base in birth might be less in envy and more easy to be led by their Fathers Love Jacob prudently as 't is probable for preserving peace thus divided his Family into two Companies as he had done before at the approach of his Brother Gen. 32.7 and 33.1 2. Joseph's Humility was such as not to scorn his being join'd with them hoping to find them more modest than the Sons of Leah that were better Born However these proved as bad and as base in their Behaviour as in their Birth if not worse for some say Joseph accus'd them to Jacob of the Sin of Sodomy or Buggery seeing they conspired with Leah's Sons against Innocent Joseph And the Conspiracy was jointly carried on first to kill him so to lay him in a dead sleep that he might never Dream more to their vexation Gen. 37.18 19 20. wherein they compound their Craft with their Cruelty consulting to cover their cruel killing him with a loud Lie they could dare to do a brutish Act but they dare not own it sining and shifting came both into the World together Gen. 3.12 13. Yea and to their Act of Cruelty they resolve to add an Act of Inhumanity also when they had slain him they would not vouchsafe to Bury him decently but cast his Carcass like a dead Dog into a dry Ditch as not deserving the Honour of either Burial or Sepulchre as his Mother had Gen. 35.19 20. Oh how corrupt was the Church here in this Holy Patriarchs Family when almost all his Sons were tainted with such heinous sins Whatever other sins that Joseph accus'd them of to their and his Father not mentioned they were expresly guilty of intentional Murder for they both design'd and endeavour'd it and their Innocency of the Act was sore against their will they wanted nothing to perpetrate that Murder but their Elder Brothers Consent The Hebrews say they consulted to kill him while he was yet afar off by setting their Dogs upon him to worry him Are these the Patriarchs of the Church that Act thus Bloody Antichrist imitates them in this grand evil designing to destroy their Brethren as innocent Joseph here Would to God we could walk as he did here in simplicity of Heart at our Fathers command Oh how low is the Church brought sometimes yet God preserveth it Reuben the Eldest Son of Jacob and but half Brother to Joseph hath the honour here of delivering him from the Diabolical design of his Bloody Brethren in putting Joseph to Death Gen. 37.21 22. 'T is probable that Reuben was absent when this cruel consult determin'd Joseph's Death or if present he presently disapprov'd of and enter'd his Protest against their Devilish Determination Josephus relates Reuben's Reasons whereby he disswaded them from this Bloody Butchery His first Argument was in respect of God that he would surely see them as he saw Cain slay his Brother Abel His second Reason was in respect of their Father whose great grief for Joseph's death would certainly be a Cor-dolium to him and break his Heart His Third Reason respected Joseph that he was but a Child and therefore to be pitied and he was then Brother too and therefore to be spared His Fourth Argument as to themselves that thereby they would bring upon their own heads the guilt of innocent Blood Whether Reuben improved any such Arguments or no we know not having only Josephus Authority for them and the fair probability that must be acknowledg'd both of and in them However this we know more infallibly from Moses who was Divinely inspired in his Pentateuch telling us that Reuben as soon as he heard of his Brethren's profligate Plot and Project against Joseph he endeavour'd to hinder it and to deliver Joseph from dying by their Hands And when he could not do this by his own Strength they all unanimously raging against him for his so perswading them He then gave them a well-pleasing Diversion saying Shed no Blood but cast him into this Pit c. probably adding that the slaying him would be a breach of God's Law to Noah Gen. 9.5 His blood God would require of them but their casting him into the Pit would accomplish their Design without any Bloodshed for there he would die by Famine though their hands were not upon him but in no wise shed any Blood for every drop of Blood hath a Tongue to cry for Vengeance Gen. 4.10 Yea and Moses further most plainly intimateth Gen. 41.22 that Reuben perswaded them to more than they would yield to However he prevailed in this to have Joseph cast into the Pit as Moses expresly saith not with any design that he should die there for to be kill'd by Famine is far worse than to be Slain by the Sword bur to Deliver him out of their Hands unto his Father again by which means he might hope to be reconciled to Jacob whom he had so foully offended by his former Incest and however it was happy that though they hearken'd not to Reuben in all things he exhorted them unto Gen. 42 22. they hearkened to him thus far God would have it so and he will ever have some Reuben or other to deliver his innocent Josephs that go whither their Heavenly Father commands them as Joseph did here what his earthly Father bid him do Gen. 37.13 14. 'T is not in vain for some one Elder Brother or great Man to stand up for God and his People against many Adversaries when the Pharisees designed to put Christ to Death Nicodemus though he had none to second him stood up in the Council spoke in his behalf and for that time disappointed their Devilish design Job 7.51 and the like
a numberless Number Rev. 7.9 9. As Joseph was full of Bowels as to his Brethren so towards his Fellow-Prisoners Gen. 40.6 7. who knew not how to help themselves being clapt up close Prisoners Joseph being now enlarged within the Castle 's circumference came early in the Morning to Visit them according to his charge and observ'd an unaccustomed sorrow in their very Visages his tender Heart soon yearns towards them and at the first sight of their Sadness offers his Service and himself to them though unasked Vincula qui sensit Didicit succurrere Vinctis He had been a close Prisoner himself which had taught him to Sympathize with those in that same suffering He was like-affected for them as if he had been like-afflicted with them Rom. 12.15 and Hebr. 13.3 So Jesus hath a most tender Heart towards Men in Misery he had so on Earth and he hath so in Heaven How Compassionate was he to the Widow at Naim when of his own free accord and unrequested he raised her Son Luk. 7.12 13. and because this loving Lord loves not to see his Servants sad He questions his two Disciples just as Joseph did his two Prisoners why were they so sad Luk. 24.17 and with the like Tenderness he saith to Mary-Magdalen Woman why weepest thou Joh. 20.15 He can have Compassion because he hath been touch'd with our Infirmity yea compassed with that Infirmity call'd Miserable though not with that call'd Sinful Hebr. 2.17 18. and 4.15 and 5.2 Christ becoming Man was thereby a more merciful High-Priest for Man from his own Experience of Humane frailty so that thereby he is able to succour and no less Apt than Able such as have been poor pity those that are pinch'd with Poverty such as have been troubled with Tooth-Ach can best condole the Case of those that are under that dolorous Distemper As Christ was thus Compassonate on Earth so he is not less but rather more in Heaven Manet Compassio etiam cum Impassibilitate Though he now be freed from Passion yet retaineth he still his Compassion though freed from feeling yet not from Fellow-feeling Act. 9.5 and Matth. 25.35 Christ hath lost nothing by his Exaltation in Glory the glorified Bowels of this Compassionate Samaritan must needs be Better and Greater He is God and God is Love he was Merciful as a Man but now as God yea God-Man in Glory Jesus as Joseph knows us when we know not him he will meet us in our coming to him he will do all good for us is not he for us under God Gen. 50.19 only our Sheaf must bow to his Sheaf depend upon him for all they both spake of the Church's Deliverance Gen. 50.24 and Joh. 17.1 to last Christ will not leave a little toe or hoof in Egypt or World 10. As Joseph was the feeder of his Father's Family preserving them alive and from being famished to Death in that Famine of Bread so Jesus is the feeder of his Father's Family the Houshold of Faith the Church and chosen of God from being famished to Death by that Famine of the Word Amos 8.11 Joseph saith of himself to his Brethren God sent me before you to preserve you c. The Famine God hath call'd for will last five years longer he hath made me a means of much Mercy to thousands of People by my Provisions laid up for their preservation Gen. 45.5 6 7 8. and David saith the same of Joseph also Psal 105.16 17 c. God called for a Famine as a Master calls for his Servant that is absent and presently he is present and at hand to do his Work and Will God sends out his Mandamus Summons in his four Sore Judgments and when he Serves a Citation and Subpoena's any one of them in then at his Call yea if he do but hiss they come Isa 7.18 Oh how easie it is with God to break the whole staff of Bread which is the staff of man's Life Lev. 26.26 Ezek. 4.16 Isa 3.1 and 57.10 and so to starve us all soon by denying us an Harvest or two If he call a Famine or the Sword or noisom Beasts or Pestilence will surely come Ezek. 14.13 15 17 19 21. and any one of these four sore Judgments will Ride their Circuits as Judges when they have their Call and Commission so to do Jer. 47.6 7. Alas London hath been laid Desolate by the Plague before the Fire which Hippocrates calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine thing because no Humane Cause can be well given for it omnis Pestilentiae caeca Delitescens est causa saith Fernelius no Physicians can render a Reaso of it but looks upon it as the stroke of a Divine Hand Woe is us that so many noisom Beasts are already sent among us Oh that those Bears and Boars those Lions and Leopards c. may not be let loose against us Oh how soon may the Sword come whenever it comes it is bathed in Heaven Hebr. Drunk or Drenched Isai 34.5 would to God it may no more be drunk with the blood of the Saints on Earth Revel 17.6 If the Sword be onces Drunk 't will Reel to and fro like a Drunken Man and Rove up and down till it hath gone its Circuit both in City and Country Oh that its Commission may be for a Sacrifice upon Edom which the Rabbins read Roma and be filled with her blood Isa 34.6 Psal 137.7 8 9. Rev. 16.6 God is now threatning to send a Famine of the Word Amos 8.11 Hebr. to let it out of his Treasury of Judgments where he hath it ready and pressing to be abroad and to turn it loose like a wild beast coopt and kept up hitherto from hurting The Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will send it out as his Apostle but with a mournful Message quite contrary to the glad Tidings Christs Apostles Preached If it now must come out among us to be sure Pope and Devil will come with it Rev. 12.12 yea Death and Hell will be at the heels of it Rev. 6.8 yet this is for our Comfort there is no Danger that befalleth the Church but God beforehand provideth and procureth some means for her Preservation Thus God sent a Man a famous Man before the Famine to preserve his Church in Jacob's Family from being famish'd by it Joseph shall be then their Feeder so Jesus shall then be our Feeder though not our Feaster in such a Wilderness-Famine Rev. 12.6.14 out of his full Store-houses Christ is our Magazine fulness both of Plenty and of Bounty is in him a fulness which is not Repletive only but Diffusive also oh bless God we have still his Word and Sacraments to feed us c. wherein Christ himself becomes our Bread of Life Joh. 6.48 and our Water of Life Joh. 4.10 Rev. 21.6 and 22.1 Meat indeed and Drink indeed Joh. 6.55 the Heavenly Manna Joh. 6.32.38 our Joseph or Jesus feeds us with this corn of heaven Psal 78.24
bare Suspension of Divine Concourse and Influence which God can and will suspend at his good leisure and pleasure 2. That God gives suffering Graces to his Servants steeling the Faces of his Prophets against the brazen foreheads of Prophane People Jer. 1.18 19 c. Job was in the Furnace which was oft heated by sad Tidings treading on the heels one of another the last heat whereof was the worst and hottest namely the loss of all his Children yet how was he steeled as this Bush here and case-hardened to bear patiently the flames of this hot Furnace without Sin Job 1.21 22. 3. That God Restrains that Rage of Man which will not turn to the praise of God Psal 76.10 He takes up some links of the Chain wherein he holds both Natural and Diabolical Instruments He lets them go forth no farther than to be Instructing Rods not Destroying Swords The Church as the Salamander lives in the fire without being burnt up the manner of her Preservation we know not for Reasons of the Operations of Omnipotency cannot well be rendred Doth God secure this Thorn-Bush much more his Vine-trees that have Blessings in the Cluster Isa 65.8 Doth God take care of the Lillies of the field Matth. 6.28 Much more of his Lilly the Church among Thorns Cant. 2.2 one Thorn will tear in pieces ten thousand Lillies yet this one Lilly is preserved among a Multitude of Thorns and could never yet be cut up by the Sword of Persecution or burnt down by the Fire of Martyrdom 'T is true Winter drives it to keep House under Ground yet that is not its Grave but Sanctuary As Christ-Personal was too hot a mouthful for either the cold Earth his Grave or the raging Sea in the Storm to hold him long or swallow him up So is Christ-mystical his Church which by him swallows up Death in Victory and which never fought with the Dragon but she either won the Day by being Victorious or gained ground by being persecuted 'T is true as she consists of particular Persons Moses dies and David sees corruption c. But still a new Phoenix is raised out of the Ashes of the old one God disappoints her Foes either in the matter of their Malice or in the manner of it and in the end turns the Fire on themselves or theirs as on Pharaoh's Water c. This burning Bush as is aforesaid is the most Graphical and lively Emblem of the Church's State in Egypts Bondage as the flame of Fire could not consume it so nor did it alway remain upon it but was at length removed from it leaving the Leaves and Branches of the Bush according to the Rabbins Relation in their Native and Genuine Splendour and Greenness Accordingly the Church in the furnace of Iron Deut. 4.20 was not destroyed by that Eminent Danger but had in God's due time her most Eminent Deliverance as the three Nobles of Babylon had out of the fiery furnace whereof we have an exact and ample Account in the four following Books of Moses namely Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy wherein is largely related the many famous Transactions relating to the Church from the Death of Joseph who died about the Year of the World 2369 until the Death of Moses which was about the Year 2553 as Dr. Usher affirms The first of these Four Books is call'd Exodus which in Greek signifieth a going forth because it relateth the Story of Israel's going forth from the House of Bondage containing a long Historical Narrative from Joseph's Death to the Time of Moses's setting up the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and God's consecrating it himself by filling it with his Glory Exod. 40. The Second Book Leviticus relateth the Story of one Month only so called because it contains the Levitical Laws or Ceremonies of the Jewish Worship relating both the substance of it as to the matter animate and inanimate offerings for Sin-offerings and Thank-offerings c. and as to the Persons concerned who were either the Publick Priests ordained for that Ministry and ordered by Divine Warrant how to manage it or the Private Persons who were to be purified by Ceremonies from Legal Pollutions and likewise instructed in their Morals about both Domestick and Politick or Civil Duties And the Accidents or Circumstances as well as the Substance of the Mosaical Worship are related also both as to Places consecrated for it c. and as to Times divinely appointed namely both festival Days and Years too in their lesser and greater Jubilees All which Leviticus containeth The Third Book Numbers giveth an Account of almost Forty years Travel in the Wilderness and is so called because it giveth the Number of all the Twelve Tribes of all their Orders Sacred and Civil both Captains and Soldiers c. only omitting the Number of the Levites of Women and Children and of all their Martial Marches in a Military Posture under the Conduct of the Cloudy Pillar through the Wilderness And likewise the many Impediments of Israel's Military March are numbred both those Internal As 1. Want of Provision in that numerous Army Chap. 11. 2. Miriam and Aaron's reproaching Moses Chap. 12. 3. The Sedition occasion'd by the ten Spies Chap 13 14 15. 4. The Conspiracy of Korah Dathan and Abiram Chap. 16 c. And those External hinderances As 1. By the Edomites Chap 20 2. By the Canaanites Chap. 21. 3. By the Moabites Threats and Wiles Chap. 22. to Chap. 26. The last Book of Moses is call'd Deuteronomy because it is a Repetition of the Law of God c. and it containeth the History of the two last Months of Moses's Life wherein Moses gave Israel a short Rehearsal of the great things God had done for them and a short Repetition of the good Laws which God had given to them as he craveth and commandeth Attention by the former so he annexeth many Arguments to the latter for inforcing their Obedience drawn from the Manifold Divine Cursings and Blessings on Obedient or Disobedient Chap. 17.28 Lastly Moses resigns his Office of Generalship gives this Book of Deuteronomy to the Levites and Commands the divinely inspired Song to be publickly Sung Chap. 31.50 with his Swan-like Song Chap. 32.33 he Dies and is Buried Chap. 34. The History of Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt where they had sustered long and barbarous Bondage falls first in order to be discours'd upon before we come to their wandring in the Wilderness c. This consists of three Heads namely The Antecedents the Concomitants and the Conseqents of it First The Antecedents as the Book of Exodus giveth the most ample Account of all those three Particulars both for Substance and Circumstances so more especially of this Point both in respect of the People oppressed and of the Person who delivered them from that Oppression The Oppression of Israel in Egypt was grievous and intolerable Exod. 1.8.14 c. God turned the Hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people c. Psal 105.24
Nilus which they Adored and for which end it is supposed Pharaoh was going down to pay his Homage to that Idol when God bade Moses go meet him in the morning Exod. 7.15 This is intimated in Ezek. 29.3 9. where they are twitted twice for Idolizing it but God made it loathsom to them Exod. 7.18 4. In their Fish which was their daily and delicate Diet Numb 11.5 for the Flesh of many Beasts they out of Superstition would not eat of as abominable Exod. 8.26 All the Fish died when their Water was turned into Blood Exod. 7.21 5. In their Bodies wherein they greatly prided themselves but the Boils God smote them with spoil'd all their Beauties in their well-built Bodies 6. In their Children when in every House there was a dead Corps and that not of a Slave or Servant but of their First-born All these were the Idols of Egypt Exod. 12.12 Zeph. 2.11 Thirdly and Lastly They were plagu'd in all their Senses As 1. In their Seeing for they lost all sight when the Plague of Darkness took away their Light for three days unless it were horrible sights mentioned in Apocrypha Wisdom 17.6 7. however their comfort of Seeing they lost 2. In their Hearing Oh what a Consternation Dread and Terror seiz'd upon them when God uttered his terrible voice in those frightful Thunders in the Plague of Hail when Fire ran along upon the ground yet did not melt the Hail-stones Exod. 9.23 this must be Supernatural and therefore the more dreadful which might make them think that God was come to Rain Hell-fire out of Heaven upon them as he had done before this upon wicked Sodom Gen. 19. How did this voice of the Lord break the Câ—dars c. Psal 29 5 6 c. yea every Tree of the Field Exod. 9.25 3. In their Smelling both by the stench of the Frogs Exod. 8.14 which might mind them of their Sin that made them stink before God and likewise by the stinking rotten matter that ran out of those Ulcers wherewith they were smitten Exod. 9.9 10 11. As they had oppressed Gods people with Furnace work in making Brick so the Ashes of that Furnace became burning Boils that brake forth into putrid running Sores c. 4. In their Tasting both by the Waters turned into Blood because in them they had shâ—d the Blood of the Male Hebrew Children these Bloody Men had Blood to drink for they were worthy Rev. 16.6 Their River Nilus they used to boast of to the Grecians saying in mockery to them If God should forget to Rain they might chance to perish for it the Rain they thought was of God but not their River Ezek. 29.3 9. therefore to confute them in their confidence as God threatens to dry it up Isa 19.5 6. so here to bereave them of all the comfortable use of it they now loathed to drink of it Exod. 7.18 19 20. God cursed their blessings Mal. 2.2 and also by their thirst thereby procured Drinking such Bloody Water did rather torture their Taste than please their Palate or quench their Thirst 5. In their Touching or Feeling by their dolorous shooting pangs in their Body when the sin of their Souls broke forth into Sores of their Bodies which pained them so that as they could not now sleep in a whole Skin as hitherto they had done so they gnawed their own Tongues for pain this was superadded to the bitings of Flies Wasps Flying Serpents c. whereby some might be stung to death Psal 78.45 and the Magicians themselves who had so insolently imitated Moses the Devil being God's Ape were branded with those Boils to detect their contumacy Besides also the Frogs ravening upon their Bodies so irresistibly c. must needs be very offâ—nsive to their Sense of Touching Lastly As if all this had been too little to fill up the measure of their Plagues and Punishments Pharaoh and all his Forces that hitherto had escaped were all drawn blindfold into the noose by fair way weather c. and then were drowned in the Red Sea Exod. 14.8 9 21 24 28. The seventh Remark in the General is The marvellous correspondency betwixt the Plagues upon the old Literal Egypt with its Pharaoh and the new Mystical Egypt with its false Prophet When the Lord comes to plague this new Egypt Rev. 11.8 He will deal with the Romish Pharaoh for persecuting his Gospel Churches as he dealt with the Egyptian Pharaoh for oppressing his Antient Israel therefore in the seven Vials Rev. 16. there is mention made of Boils Blood and Darkness Frogs c. which is a plain Allusion to the Plagues of Egypt only with this difference The Vision of the Vials begins first with the sixth Plague upon Egypt bringing a noisom Boil upon all the Worshippers of the Beast and the reason may be because that sixth Plague was upon Jannes and Jambres the Magicians that they could not stand before Moses Exod. 9.11 so this vexing Plague that is placed first shall fall upon the Ring-leaders of Mis-rule in the Antichristian Egypt and shall reach Home at the first blow when Reformation begins The second and third of the Vials refer both to that one of Blood in Egypt to shew how it shall exceed that wherein they had some relief by digging for Water Exod. 7.24 but this comes throughly Home without any relief and the Throne of the Beast shall be darkened by the fifth Vial as Pharaoh's Kingdom was by the ninth Plague And the Egyptian Plague of Frogs is translated in the Vials into a more dangerous tenour c. CHAP. XVII The History and Mystery of Israel's Deliverance from Egypt NOW come we to the Concomitants the second part of the Premises proposed of Israel's Deliverance and Departure as the word Exodus signifies out of Egyp They are three 1. The beginning of the year is Altered 2. The yearly Passcover is Appointed And 3. The First born of Israel are Sanctified to God Exod. Chap. 12. and 13. The first of these hath this Remark That Abib which signifies opening or part of our March and of our April being the time of Flowers opening must be the beginning of Months Exod. 12.2 at which time some say most probably the World was Created and Noah's Flood began these words therefore give not properly any new Institution as some say but rather a reviving of the old Custom of beginning the year from that time which use had been discontinued in Egypt for a long time by another use of that Countrey which began their year in Autumn At Spring all things begin to revive the Days lengthening and the Sun ascending and now the whole Creation seemed to rejoice at Israel's Release out of Egypt this was a Figure of the Churches Redemption by the Messias who by his Death in this Month John 18.28 c. gave a new life and reviving to the faln bewintered and withered World 1 Cor. 5.7 8. and 2 Cor. 5.17 Rev. 21.5 Thereby also is the Church
little scattered Church may rally and fall in by Coalition with another that stand their ground And this must be done in haste for in apprehending Christs Blood Merit and Spirit as it becometh us not to be slack and remiss therein it so highly concerning our eternal Weal or Woe so nor may we be of loose and dissolute lives but girt in as above nor envious at our Neighbours Priviledge c. And we must observe to keep this Passeover duely and truly Exod. 12.47 or perish for the neglect of it aut faciendum aut patiendum we must either do it now or we must die for it Now come we to the third and last Concomitant of Israel's Redemption out of Egypt namely The Consecration of the First-born of Israel unto God Exod. 13.1 2. and 11. to 16. The reason of it is laid down by the Lord himself saying All the First-born of Man and Beast are mine ver 2. As if God had said thus They are all due Debt to me as sacred things which I saved in the slaughter of all the First-born of Egypt and thereby also I procured my People their liberty out of the Iron Furnace Deut. 4.20 And this also they were commanded to Teach their Children as well as the Mystery of the Passeover Exod. 13.8 9 14 15. God might say all Created things are his by right of Creation and Preservation as indeed they are but the First-born of Israel are his in a more peculiar manner by the right of Redemption from the slaughter of the First-born of Egypt and therefore gave he this Law Concerning this Consecration of the First-born its prescription together with that of the Passeover is but briefly propounded ver 2 3. but more largely described ver 11 12 13 14 15 16. wherein the Divine Command is extended 1. To the time and place when and where it must be observed to wit at their coming into Canaan ver 11. 2. The matter to be Consecrated is to be the First-born both of Man and of Beast ver 12. 3. The manner or form of Redeeming such First-born us were unfit for Sacrifices namely the First-born of the Ass among unclean Beasts which must be Redeemed or Destroyed and the First-born of Man which must be simply Redeemed ver 13. 4. The final cause In memorial of their Deliverance ver 14. which by words they must teach their Children ver 15. and by Symbols they must be reminded of it themselves v. 16. as alway at Hand c. The first Remark hereupon is this That we are not our own but the Lords 1 Cor. 6.20 Christ may say of us and Oh that he may say so as here ye are mine I have bought you with a price and I have saved you from the common Destruction He that is saved is not his own but rather his who saved him servati sumus ut serviamus being delivered therefore serve him in holiness all our days Luke 1.74 Rom. 12.1 The second Remark is The First born here in one respect may Typifie Christ the Redeemer 1. Because he is the Begotten Son of God from all Eternity called therefore the First-born of every Creature Col. 1.15 2. As he took upon him our Nature and was Born of the Virgin Mary so he was also her First-born Mat. 1.25 then presented to God as the First-born Luke 2.23 24. 3. Because he was the first that rose out of the Grave and made a way unto Everlasting Life therefore is he called The First-born of the dead Col. 1.17 Accordingly as the First-born was first set apart and then Sacrificed to God so Christ as the unspotted Lamb holy and acceptable was first separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 and then made himself a perfect Sacrifice for the sins of his People ver 27. And 4. He is called the First-born among many Brethren Rom. 8.29 as our Captain going before us in suffering work to whose Image we ought to be conformed and therefore must we give him the Honour of the First-born whose first Birth-right requireth that all our Sheaves should veil Bonnet strike Top-sail and fall down to his Sheaf as theirs did to Joseph's Gen. 37.7 8. The third Remark is As in another Respect those First-born secondly are Types of Christians the Redeemed as well as of Christ the Redeemer called the Church of the First-born whose Names are written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 Alas we are all of us by Nature the Children of wrath Eph. 2.2 till we be Redeemed by the Blood of Christ from the second death for in respect of the first Death no Man can give any Ransom to God Psal 49.8 9. Heb. 9.27 Thus those First born that were to be Redeemed do Figure out the Redeemed of the Lord out of the World so called Psal 107.2 Isa 51.11 and 62.12 who are as dear to God as his First-born Exod. 4.22 and in that respect are higher than the Kings of the Earth Psal 89.27 for they are Kings and Priests Rev. 1.6 to serve him day and night in his Temple Rev. 7.15 The fourth Remark is The Mercy of our Deliverance requires the Duty of our Obedience Thus here saith God Sanctifie unto me all the First-born c. ver 2. Israel was equally exposed to the Destroying Angel as was Egypt had not the Lord in Mercy spared them therefore he requireth of them their First born We may not be all for receiving Mercy and nought at returning Duty We must not only look at what hath been done by God to us but what also ought to be done by us to God namely observing all things that he commands us Matth. 28.20 This Law signifies that as we are Redeemed from Death by our Dear Redeemer so we should Consecrate both our selves and all ours to the Service of the Lord Rom. 6.13 19 22. and 12.1 even as he is our God and Sanctifies us to himself from the Womb Psal 22.11 Isa 46.3 Jer. 1.5 Luke 1.15 and Gal. 1.15 and then do we Mystically sanctifie our First-born to God even when we Offer up to him our first and best Services the Lord will have the priority thereof We must seek first the Kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 our first Times Thoughts Words and Deeds should be Consecrated to God in our Morning Devotion serve God first c. The fifth Remark is God will be served like himself both in and with the best of all our Services The Males must be the Lords Exod. 13.12 the more Honourable Sex which bears up the Name amongst Men and therefore the Lord curseth that Deceiver who hath a Male in his Flock yet would cozen the great King with some Carrion or corrupt thing Mal. 1.6 8 14. In this Law of the First-born of Beasts as the Male was required signifying that perfect Man our Lord Jesus Eph. 4.13 so even of clean Beasts God will not be defrauded of the Right First-born to prevent the fraud it was ordained to tarry seven days with the Dam and to be dedicated to
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
Honey God will not be too prodigal of his favours in too lavishingly expending them and thereby exposing them to be scorn'd as superfluous things The Seventh Remark is The appearance of the Son of God to his Servant General Joshua verse 13. To the end where we have a whole Bundle of very Remarkable Marks As 1. This Apparition was no created Angel for then he had not admitted of Adoration Revel 19.10 and 22.9 but is called Jehova Josh 6.2 The Son of God who oft appeared to the Sons of men as Preludes to his Incarnation He was oft in carne before he was ex carne saith Tertullian from his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love to Men Tit. 3.4 Luke 2.14 His delight being among the Sons of Men Prov. 8.31 as after his Resurrection he appeared to Mary Magdalen in the the form of a Gardner Joh. 20. and to the two Disciples Travelling to Emmaus in the form of a Traveller Luk. 24. so here before his incarnation in the form of a Captain as the matter did require And that at with a drawn Sword in his Hand vers 13. Oh pray that Christ may never lay down or Sheath this Sword which he first drew at the first enmity Gen. 3.16 for there begins the Book of the Wars of the Lord for the defence of his Church until all the Enemies thereof yea the last of them namely Death be destroyed Secondly Mark here Joshua's Courage in daring to approach an◠Armed Man and no doubt of a most Majestick countenance not knowing whether he might not be a Foe and that some Ambuscade might be laid to entrap him and to cut him off while alone this shews how bravely God had qualify'd Joshua for a General of his Army Thirdly Such as be found doing their Duty and keeping within Christ's Precincts they shall not only have Christ's Protection but his Presence also that Joshua was doing his Duty in the Fields of Jericho may not be doubted some say he was Praying there others that he was Meditating there assuredly he was like a good General viewing the ground and where was the fittest place to attempt Jericho Sure I am he was not asleep there for 't is said He lift up his Eyes c. to shew that his Vigilancy was equal to his Valour Fourthly The Eternal Son of God when daringly asked by Joshua who he was and whom he was for Answered verse 14. That he was neither Israelite nor Canaanite but Chief General both of the Host of Angels which fight for the Church Dan. 10.13 21. Revel 12.7 and 19.11 14. and of the Host of Israel whom I am come to assist against all their Enemies and to give thee directions by what means Jericho shall be conquered Fifthly Christ's discovery of himself suddenly changeth Joshua's daring confidence while he thought him a mere Man into a most humble and Awful Reverence of God's glorious presence insomuch that he falls down flat upon his Face to the Ground before him and declaring withal how ready he was to obey his Divine commands Sixthly Christ's 1st command to him was loose of thy Shoes verse 15. which was used to express the highest Degree of Humiliation under Gods severest Dispensations 2 Sam. 15.30 Isa 20.2 4. Ezek. 24.17 23. Thus Moses Exod. 3.4 and Joshua here to express their own nothingness before the Lord not for any inherent Holiness in the place for it was but common ground when Christ was gone and to make Joshua more attentive to his commands Josh 6.2.3 c. CHAP. VI. JOsh The 6th relateth the overthrow of Jericho where we have 1. Its Antecedents 2. Its Concomitants and 3. Its consequents The Antecedents 1. Are the Terror upon the Townsmen vers 1. in shuting up their Gates not by night only as before Josh 2.5 but by Day also keeping them constantly shut from all Egress and Regress 2. The Lord's Appearance both instructing and comforting Joshua in taking the City both safely and easily verse 2 3 4 5. 3. Joshua's faithfulness in declaring Gods Commands both to the Priests verse 6. and to the People how and when they should compass Jericho in verse 7. Sound the Trumpets and make a General Shout verse 10.16 4. The obedience of both Priests and People to the Lords Commands both Generally verse 8.9 11. and specially in all the seven days verse 12 13 14. 5. The Anathema or Curse of God upon all Man and Beast in it verse 17 18. excepting 1. Persons as Rahab and her kindred verse 17. and 2. Things as Mettals and what were made thereof verse 19. Secondly The Concomitants of Jericho's overthrow as 1. when and upon what day of its compassing verse 15. 2. by what means namely by the sounding of the Trumpets and by the Shoutings of the People verse 20. Thirdly The Consequents are 1. The Destruction of all living Creatures in it verse 21. 2. The Preservation of Rahab with her Family verse 22 23. and 25. 3. The Conflagration of the City verse 24. 4. The Rebuilding of it Cursed verse 26. The Curse fulfilled 2. Kings 6.34 5. Joshua's fame by this noble fact was spread abroad verse 27. This is the logical Analysis or Resolution now the Theological Remarks or Observations The First Remark is The Signification of the Name Jericho the Etymology whereof is Twofold 1. Jericho is derived of Jarach which signifies the Moon because this City was built in the form of an Half-Moon now Decrasing and weaning away yea just entring into a total Eclypse and that which was worst of all Gods direful Curse is denounced against that Man who durst endeavour to help this Moon to a new Increase and renewing of her Horns Josh 6.26 Or 2. 't is derived of Reiach which fignifies to smell sweetly for the fragrancy of the Balsoms Opo Balsamum Karpo Balsamum Xulo Balsamum All which did most happily abound about that City The more mercies that they did and we do enjoy the greater was theirs and is our condemnation when those excellent mercies God gives us are not rightly improved The Second Remark is The Situation of this City it was a Frontier Town near Jordan upon the Skirts of Canaan and opposite to Jerusalem Luke 10.30 In the Travellers Journey tho' he went the wrong way for he should have travelled from Jericho this cursed City unto Jerusalem call'd the Holy City Joshua here first assaults this Frontier City He travelling the right way will not leave this City as a nest of Rebels unsubdued behind him but he levels Jericho that he might the better march on to Jerusalem Oh that our Joshua or Jesus may not leave a nest of Spiritual Enemies behind unsubdued to hinder our March towards that Blessed Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4.26 The Third Remark is The Fortification of it If those Threescore Cities which Moses conquer'd on the other side Jordan were all fenced with High Walls Gates and Bars Deut. 3.4 5. How much more were those many Cities within Canaan on this
the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us Isa 33.22 While they kept close to God and his Covenant These are call'd Judges here because they executed God's just Judgments upon Israel's Enemies c. The Third Remark is The time of these Judges Judging Israel is affirmed by the Apostle to be about four hundred and fifty years Acts 13.19 20. Whereas this Book sets down the History of the space of two hundred ninety nine years only under thirteen several Judges called out by God from several Tribes as in those sums and parcels appeareth I. Othniel of Judah Judged Israel forty years Chap. 3.11 II. Ehud of Benjamin And III. Shamgar Chap. 3.30 31. 80 years IV. Deborah and Barack of Napthali 40 years Chap. 5.31 V. Gideon of Manasseh 40 years Chap. 8.28 VI. Abimelech Gideon's Son 3 years Chap. 9.22 VII Tola of Issachar 23 years Chap. 10.2 VIII Jair of Manasseh 22 years Chap. 10.3 IX Jephtah of Manasseh 6 years Chap. 11.1 and 12.7 X. Ibsan of Judah 7 years Chap. 12.8 9. XI Elon of Zebulon 12 years Chap. 12.11 12. XII Abdon of Ephraim 8 years Chap. 12.13 14. XIII Samson of Dan 20 years Chap. 13.2 and 16.31 The Total Sum is Two Hundred Ninety Nine Years unto which if the Forty Years of Eli's Judging Israel with Samuel mentioned 1 Sam. 4.18 be added it makes Three Hundred Thirty Nine Years Now add the Years of the Oppressors as they are expressed I. Eight years Chap. 3.8 II. Eighteen years Chap. 3.14 III. Twenty years Chap. 4.3 IV. Seven years Chap. 6.3 V. Eighteen years Chap. 10.8 VI. Forty years Chap. 13.1 In all an Hundred and Eleven Years which being added to the Three Hundred Thirty Nine makes up the Four Hundred and Fifty that Paul speaks of Acts 13.20 Such Harmony there is betwixt the Old and New Testament in a Congruous Chronology The Fourth General Remark is the Causes of Israel's Corruption and of its Calamity by consequence is described at large in this Book The Corruption of the Church and its general Apostacy in its Causes which are two fold 1. Privative and 2. Positive First The Privative Cause was the Death of Joshua and of the Elders that were contemporary with him Judg. 2.7 who had hitherto prohibited Corruption Their Death was the Removens Prohibens Removing that Remora and Rampart which hindred Iniquity to come in like a flood upon the Church of God but when God gave them Godly Judges then the Spirit of the Lord did lift up a Standard against it Isa 59.19 Nor was this all but there was a second Privative Cause to wit the want of a King or Supream Magistrate and therefore the Holy Ghost rendreth this very reason of their wickedness no fewer than three times in the History of Micha's Idolatry and of the Gibeonites lasciviousness Judg. 17.61 and 18.1 and 21.25 Hence it is the Opinion of Sir Walter Rawleigh that the War between the Benjamites in the defence of lustful Gibeah and the other Tribes of Israel did likely fall out betwixt the times of Joshua and Othniel for then saith he there was no King in Israel and the Tribe of Judah who led the People against the Canaanites Judg. 1. ver 2 3. led them also against the Benjamites Judg. 20.18 and both these things of Judah's Conduct was by God's direction but Secondly The Positive Cause both of their Corruption and of their Calamity thereby was 1. Their Neglect of God's Command in driving out the Cursed Canaanites they became sloathful consulting their own ease and contenting themselves with what they had already got in their possessions they began to converse familiarly with those Nations which God had charged them to destroy root and branch and so it came to pass that 2. They mixed Marriages with them Judg. 3.6 whereby they became notoriously debauched both in their Worship and in their Manners Israel now fouly degenerates 1. In their Worship they serve Baalim and Ashtaroth c. Judg. 2.11 12 13 17. And particularly Idolatry was found in Micha's Family Judg. 17. And so it spread into the whole Tribe of Dan who 1. Rob Micah of his Graven Image his Ephod and Teraphim and his Molten Image 2. Entice away his Idolatrous Priest and 3. Establish Idolatry in their Tribe which made a Schism of a long continuance Judg. 18. 2dly In their Manners oh what wickedness was committed in that one City Gibea Judg. 19. besides the obstinacy of the other Tribes in their Sins so that they repented not neither at the reproof of an Angel nor of a Prophet but went on in their own stubborn ways Judg. 2.2.19 for which God punish'd them not only by selling them into Oppressors hands but also in their Battel against Benjamin The Particular Remarks now follow the General which will add a farther illustration to their darkness c The First Chapter of Judges holds forth Israel's negligence in expelling the Canaanites and because contraria juxta se posita magis Elucescunt one contrary gives light and lustre to another when they are aptly placed together therefore Israel's Valour and Victory is first related from ver 1. to ver 18. in the Expedition of Judah's Tribe to which is subjoined the same success in Joseph's Tribe from ver 22. to ver 26. that it might the more manifestly appear what little Reason Israel had for their following slothfulness in neglecting to extirpate those Nations which they contrary to God's Command spared as is Recorded from ver 19. and so on ver 21.27 28. to 36. Their foregoing Successes were a sufficient Demonstration that the reason why they Conquered no more was because in God's Name they undertook no more to Conquer from Love of Ease or Cowardly fear c. The First Remark is Here we have Israel's first Expedition against the Canaanites after Joshua's Death which could not but encourage the Enemy and discourage Israel For the Canaanites might happily hope to hold their own now that the Lyon was dead who had so lately and largely devoured their Land and the Israelites might well have misgiving fears that the loss of so Valiant and Victorious a General may prove the loss and ruine of the Common-wealth of Israel This hath befallen some other States in the World whose Weal hath been wrapped up in the Life of a brave Leader Joshua had told them before of his Death that those Nations yet left in the Land must be subdued Josh 23.5 and now all the Tribes were so encreased that they wanted room therefore a War must be undertaken now for inlarging their Quarters which might not be done before Exod. 23.29.30 and because the Success of this first Expedition had so much influence for encouraging or discouraging the Enemy hanging upon it therefore they solemnly seek Counsel of God by Vrim and Thummim which Tribe should begin this Expedition and Judah the Royal Tribe is chosen by God for that Work to avoid Emulation among the Tribes and this
The last Remark is Samson's Burial by his Relations ver 31. which was an Act of Transcendent Love considering their danger in so doing from the now enraged Philistines for the loss of their Five Lords and some Thousands of their principal Men The Survivers therefore were more like to cut Samson's Carcase into a Thousand pieces and cast them to the Dunghil than consent that his Kindred should be allowed to give him a decent Funeral Notwithstanding all this they made a bold Adventure and succeeded with safety Because First The most Barbarous Nations denied not Burial even to their Enemies and would oft-times permit this to be done by their Friends Secondly Samson had taken all the blame to himself of this Dismal Destruction of them in destroying himself with them for which his Innocent Relations could under no pretence be punished Thirdly They were now under such a dreadful Consternation among themselves that survived this late fatal Fall that they had neither Leisure nor Pleasure to take Revenge of his Guiltless Relations Fourthly This Demolishing of Dagon's Temple had destroyed both the Many and the Mighty of their Men which weakened their Forces so as they could not easily rally and recruit for Revenge c. And Fifthly Perhaps God had mollified their Hearts with this Bloody Blow so as that they would not give any new provocation to the Israelites who had so far kept their Covenant of Subjection under them as to deliver up Samson into their hands c. And now they could be content so they might enjoy their own in Peace N. B. In Samson's Death ended the Twenty Years of his Judgeship ver 31. which is here added to explain Judg. 15.20 as to the period of that Term. The Conclusion of this History of Samson is to demonstrate the Parity and Disparity betwixt Samson and our Blessed Saviour First The Parity and Congruity he was a Type of Christ the Antitype As 1. His Birth was foretold first to his Mother and then to his Father Judg. 13.3 11. So it was of Christ first to Mary Luk. 1.30 and then to Joseph Matth. 1.20 2. Samson signifies a little Sun at suprà so Christ is the Son of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 3. Samson was a Nazarite so was Christ Matth. 2.23 4. Samson's Bride was a Stranger of the Philistines so Christ's Spouse is of the Gentiles Isa 55.5 Aliens to the Life of God Eph. 4.18 and Enemies of God Rom. 5.10 5. Samson Conquered a Lyon so did Christ that Roaring Lyon Satan Hebr. 2.14 c. 6. Samson found Honey in the Lyon's Carcase so Christ gives this Honey of Comfort as out of the Carcase of the Conquered Tempter to us who are Tempted in like manner that he who overcame him for us will likewise overcome him in us Hebr. 4.15 7. Samson Posed the Philistines with his proposed Riddle so Christ the Pharisees with his Parables Matth. 13.11 34. 8. Samson carry'd off the Gates of Gaza so did Christ the Gates of Death and of Hell at his Resurrection 9. Samson was Blinded bound in Chains and Derided by the Philistines so was Christ by the Priests Pharisees c. 10. He likewise stretched forth his Arms from Pillar to Pillar as Christ did his upon the Cross 11. He slew more at his Death than in his Life so did Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 c. 12. He was Buried by his Brethren so was Christ Luke 23.53 Secondly The Disparity betwixt the Type Samson and our Saviour the Antitype 1. Samson when he was betrayed into his Enemies hands c. did lose his Strength c. but so did not Christ for he then beats his Enemies back to the ground Joh. 18.6 Yea and he could have commanded Millions of Angels for his Rescue Matth. 26.53 c. 2. Samson's Bride was taken from him and given to another Man c. but the Church our Lord's Bride cannot be taken out of Christ's Hands John 10.28 the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against his Spouse Matth. 16.18 this burdensome Stone breaks their Back Zech. 12.2 3. 3. The Death of Samson's Foes was Samson's Death with theirs but so it was not in Christ's Case for Christ's Foes could only bruise his Heel Gen. 3.15 They could not break his Head as he did theirs and that Old Serpent's also who set them on work c. 4. Though the Parity run parallel betwixt these two in both Samson's having Seven Locks and Christ's having the Seven Spirits of God Revel 3.1 and likewise in Samson's Strength laying lurking in his Prison which return'd again upon the Growth of his Locks c. Thus also the power of Christ's Divine Nature did seem to lay lurking for Three Days in his Grave but returned upon the Third Day to raise him up again yet the Disparity runs far wide beyond the Parallel Lines in sundry Particulars As First Samson's Locks of Hair were but Excrements of Nature which were easily looseable so nothing comparable to Spirits which are the Quintessence and Excellency of all things much less to the Spirit of God which cannot be lost but shall abide for ever in those to whom it is given Joh. 14.16 Secondly Samson's Strength when it returned served only to kill himself among his Foes but he had no power to raise up himself to Life again as our Lord had who had power to lay down his Life and power to take it up again John 10.18 Again Thirdly The Type falls far short of the Antitype insomuch as a little Sun falls short of the Light of the World John 8.12 and the Creature yea and a Sinful Creature is less than the Holy Creator by whom all Persons and things were made Joh. 1.3 Col. 1.16 17 18. Hebr. 1.3 c. A Commentary or Exposition on the BOOK of RUTH RVTH CHAP. I. THERE be little Books in the Bible which the Hebrews call Chamesh Megilloth the five little Volumes to wit Canticles Lamentations Ruth Esther and Ecclesiastes This short Book being the shortest of all the Historical Books in the whole Bible Hugo Cardinalis compares to a Honey-Bee which though but a very little Creature yet is great in Labour and Usefulness as gathering both Wax and Honey which are two useful things for Light and Medicine Lavater compares it to a Jewel or precious Stone which is but little in bulk and substance yet great both in value and vertue N. B. This is an Appendix only to the Book of the Judges which contains an History of things that did fall out as some say betwixt the third and fourth Chapters of Judges and therefore they would have it there inserted betwixt those two Chapters 'T is call'd the Book of Ruth not because she was the Author of it but because she is the chief Matter and Subject of the Story and her Person and Part is principally Acted in it The Author of the Book some suppose to be Hezekiah others Esdras but most and that most probably do think it to be Samuel for he being the
up as Chief Singers in the Church to be Sung by them c. Now come we after those Generals to make Particular Remarks upon this 1 Kings Chap. 1. which mentioneth a fourth Publick Action of David before his Death namely The Inthroning of Solomon The First Particular Remark is The time of it which indeed is twofold The first was done hastily and privately upon the emergent occasion of Adonijah's Ambition and conspiracy related here at large But the second time it was done after the former Plot was broken in a more solemn Assembly of his Princes Nobles and Chief Commanders called together purposely for a more Publick Coronation whereof we have a large Account in 1 Chron. 23.1 and 28.1 2 3 4 c. Wherein he makes an Oration to the Assembly and then chargeth his Son in the first place with the Building of an House to the Lord. And more of this matter in Chap. 29. The time here specified is David's Decay with the Malady and Remedy ver 1 2 3 4. Wherein Mark First David was now but Seventy Years Old yet is he said to be Old and full of Days or Emptied into Days Hebr. that is near his departure yet many others in his Day above Seventy Years Old retained their Heat Strength and Vigor as Barzillai 2 Sam. 19.32 and others N. B. Why David was now so Cold that no Cloaths can keep him Warm there be many conjectures That he was but Seventy appears plainly from 2 Sam. 5.4 he was Thirty Years Old when he came to the Crown and he Reigned Fourty Years more and then this Cold Malady seized upon him because saith Serrarius he had lost much Blood in his many Battles 2. He had many Wives and Children which had exhausted both his Natural Heat and Radical Moisture saith Peter Martyr And 3. He saith it might be a Cold Disease or Cold Palsie c. 4. Some Rabbins render a Reason near to Ridiculous that it befel David for his cutting off Saul's Lap. But 5. Better is that Opinion that saith He had been a Man of sorrows from his Youth up Psal 88.15 and 32. 4. and 38.3 4 5 6 c. and 119.83 This daily sorrow for himself and for his Children had dryed up David's bones Prov. 17.22 If it work Death 2 Cor. 7.10 much more Cold. Mark Secondly The Remedy to this Malady his Physicians prescribed he must marry a fresh young Damsel Cloaths could not keep him warm They may increase heat where any is but they cannot beget heat where none is N. B. David would not have taken their Councel had it not been in a medicinal way without sin They advise not to Wines Spirits Furs c. but the natural cause why they went this way to work saith Valesius was because her heat would be the likest to his both in substance and degree Virgins also have more natural heat than Women who have born Children and Galen gives the same Councel for the Cure of some cold dry Distempers The Second Remark The occasion of David's Crowning Solomon was the praeposterous Ambition of Adonijah the Eldest Son v. 5 6 7 8 9 10. wherein Mark First This Ambitionist a second Absalom discerning how decrepit David was and night his death said I will be King tho' David had declared that Solomon was designed to be King even by God himself 1 Chron. 22.10 yet Absolom-like he projects the like Pomp and Grandeur v. 5. and resolveth to displease his Father who had never displeased him v. 6. but had cocker'd him when he should have corrected him so smarts for his fondness Mark Secondly Joab complies with the Conspiracy here tho' he had kept from Absolom's fearing still an after-reckoning for his killing Abner and Amasa yea and Absolom also whose fatal fall in his Rebellion one would think might have been a cogent caution both to haughty Adonijah and to conscious Joab too and Grotius saith Joab did aspire to have the Crown at his devotion and donation Mark Thirdly Abiathar falls in also being offended that Zadok was so much favoured and fearing the fulfilling of that Prophesy concerning the overthrow of Eli's House whereof he was saith Peter Martyr who addeth that David being now old c. committed his State-Concerns to other Councellors Joab and Abiathar both being secluded and these two despised Solomon because young and born of an Adulteress Mark Fourthly Here was a Sacrifice pretended as had been before in Absolom's Rebellion that it might look with a better colour of religion and that the Rebel himself saith Peter Martyr might seem to be Religious and for a better Omen to his first entrance The Third Remark is David's actual Crowning of Solomon hereupon v. 11 to 37. wherein Mark First Nathan spake to Bathsheba c. See here saith Peter Martyr how God by weak means confoundeth the mighty projectors and worketh by whom he will for the accomplishment of his own will Old David the Rebels thought was now in his dotage and could take no cognizance of their Conspiracy Nathan was neglected not invited to the Rebels Feast he sends Bathsheba to the King to discover the Plot and this spoiled all the sport of the Conspirators c. Mark Secondly Bathsheba goes at Nathan's instigation who puts words into her mouth and promiseth to back them v. 12 13 14. Bathsheba comes tho' uncalled by her own right as a Wife v. 15. which was not allowed to Nathan 'till called in v. 23. Bathsheba bows in a civil adoration to her Lord and King v. 16. David admires her errand being past having conjugal Society saith Sanctius therefore had done calling for either her or any of his other Wives c. Mark Thirdly She challengeth David's Promise upon Oath to her for her Son Solomon to succeed him on the Throne v. 17. N. B. This probably David had done 2 Sam. 12.24 when he comforted her about the death of her base begotten Child she refused at first his consolatory words saith Peter Martyr fearing that both Man would abhor her for that wickedness and that God also would kill all her Children born of her for it David then answered that the matter was otherwise ordained of God to wit that a Son born of her should reign and lest she should think he only courted her with words he confirms the truth of it to her by an Oath If it be asked how did David know this to be God's will 't is answered that David did know it appeareth from 1 Chron. 28. 5 6 10. and he might gather it from that promise of God to him I will raise up thy seed which shall come out of thy loins and will stablish his Kingdom 2 Sam. 7.12 this Promise was not of any Son already born but of one that was after to be born to him and after this time he had none but Solomon yea Adonijah himself grants the Throne was Solomon's from the Lord Chap. 2.15 much better might the Prophet Nathan know it Mark Fourthly Bathsheba
Apostatiz'd Vzziah's unsoundness is described 2 Chron 26.5 he sought God while he took for his Tutor that holy Seer Zachariah whom Hierome calls the Son of Zachariah the Son of Jehoiada whom Joash stoned As long as Uzziah sought the Lord God made him to prosper ver 6 7. to ver 16. But when he was strong God marvelously helping him until he was mounted up to the very Pinacle of Power by his Victories abroad ver 7 8. and by his Grandure at home with his Mathematical Engines c. ver 9 10 15. his Pride now budded to his Downfal Remark the Third When God had handed this Vzziah thus high then began he to fall and to serve God as we say a slippery Trick Ambition and Avarice saith Gattaker became the accompanying pests of his power Hitherto this Hypocrite had only God's Person in admiration as 't is said Jude ver 16. for his own advantage when he had what he would then starts he aside like a broken bow Hos 7.16 as Rehoboam had done before him 2 Chron. 12.1 then began Vzziah to abuse his great power in Acts of Pride and Presumption his Prosperity had intoxicated him Prov. 1.32 he profanely invades the Priests sacred Office ver 16. as if he aspir'd to be Jack of all Trades for 't is said he was a Warrior a Sheep-master and a lover of Husbandry c. ver 10. and now the King will play the Priest also Remark the Fourth Vzziah is rebuked for his Arrogancy and Impudency in taking the golden Censure in order to burn Incense ver 17 18 19 c. Mark 1. God's High-Priest rebukes him telling him That Kings ought not to usurp an Office that appertains not to them N. B. This teaches Ministers must be Men of Courage to withstand the Torrent of Vices and not spare the greatest if need as Nathan did not spare David and John Baptist Herod c. Mark 2. Vzziah was wroth with the Priests as Asa had been with the Prophet 2 Chron. 16.10 both looking upon it as too sawcy an Affront for Subjects to withstand their Sovereigns though modestly managed and not by force Mark 3. Vzziah's wrath against the Priests did the more incense God's wrath against him God smote him with Leprosie taking his Servants part against him as Num. 12.10 Mark 4. When God had thus spit in his Face he needed no thrusting out by Violence but hastens out of his own voluntary will for fear of a farther mischief saith Grotius And no wonder if he were affrighted out seeing as Josephus c. say that terrible Earthquake c. Amos 1.1 Zech. 14.5 fell out at that very time Remark the Fifth The following punishment of his presumptuous Usurpation was two-fold First in his Life and Second at his Death Mark 1. God's Law saith A stranger that approaches the Priest's Office shall be put to Death Numb 3.10 and 18.7 Now is Leprous Uzziah little better than dead for he was not only excluded from all Temple-service but also from all humane Society ver 21. Mark 2. God would have this Leprosie to be incurable that he might live and die so Osiander observes excellently from hence That Vzziah by coveting and compassing the Honour of the Priesthood doth lose his Royal Dignity yea the Privilege of every private Person that were not Lepers who might be admitted into the Temple to God's Worship from which he had wilfully excluded himself ver 20 21. Mark 3. Nor was this all the Punishment he had pull'd upon his own Head by his Presumption in his life-time for by pressing farther into God's House than he should He deprived himself of that Liberty which before He had nor may He live in the City but only in the Suburbs and when He died He must not have that honourable Funeral as the Kings His Fore-Fathers had for they said He is a Leper ver 23. N. B. Here 1. the Note of a learned Commentator saying Let Day-preachers look to it and learn Wisdom from this just Judgment of God upon Vzziah for Usurping what belong'd not to him N. B. His Leprosie is said to arise as a Vapour out of the stirred Ashes of the Incense-Altar ver 19. Thus God wrote his Sin upon his Punishment N. B. And though such presumptuous Persons be not presently punish'd some mens Sins go before to Judgment and some follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 yet know God will maintain his own Order ordained by himself both in Church and State and sooner or later will take an Order with such as violate his Ordination Alterius perditio tua fit cantio Vzziah here is Recorded for our Caution not for our Imitation N. B. 2. Learn hence a cogent Argument against the Arminian Notion of a true Believer's total and final Fall here is an exemplification As Vzziah while he lived thus excluded from Church and State by his Leprosie had indeed lost his jus Aptitudinale his Right of Capacity for his Crown and Kingdom but he did not lose his Jus Haereditarium or Hereditary Right for his Son Jotham was only his Vice-Roy managing all State-Matters in his Father's Name until his Death So a Believer by falling into an Act of Sin loseth his present fitness for Heaven but still his Hereditary Right is not lost thereby as David by his foul sin had not sin'd away his Right to Salvation he had only lost the present Joy of Salvation which he so earnestly begs of God to restore to him Psal 51.12 But mark more of this in my Antidote against Arminianism in their five grand Points Remark the Sixth There had been Prophets before this time continually but none left their Prophecies in writing behind them yet now ariseth a company of Prophets that do so For Vzziah Reigned 52 Years in which long Reign we read of First Isaiah the Prophet's writing the Acts of Uzziah 2 Chron. 26.22 which Junius saith he did partly in the Book of Kings and partly in his own Prophecy as Isa 6.1 c. where he saw the Glory of Christ in the Temple John 12.41 and filling the Temple with smoak to betoken the burning of it because the Jews began more and more at that time to fall into a state of Obduration whereof Isaiah treats in his five first Chapters especially Isa 1.10 and 5.1 2 3. c. and again Isa 14.29 the Prophet saith Out of the Serpent's Root shall come forth a Cockatrice and his Fruit shall be a fiery flying Serpent the Sence is The Philistims rejoiced at Vzziah's Death because he had sorely smote them 2 Chron. 26.6 7. but now was become a broken Rod yet the Prophet Prophesies that Hezekiah should arise out of that Root and be as a Serpent to sting them worse than ever his Grandfather had done The Second Prophet in the days of Vzziah was Hosea Chap. 1.1 timed as Isa 1.1 whose expression was Blood touches blood Hos 4.2 which relates to the Murder of Zocharias the Son of Jehoiada whereby they made their measure
and Truth Mark 3. Some Rabbins over rashly reprove Hezekiah for speaking here ver 19. 2 Kings 20. as one careless and unconcern'd both for his Church and for his own Children after his Day But Wolphius who succeeded Peter Martyr in carrying on his Commentary Answers excellently that as such a careless frame could not consist with the common Affections of Nature in all Men so much less with that singular Piety and Charity so eminently manifest in so good a King who had been so solicitous for the good both of God's Church and of his own Children and Subjects all his Life He only blesses God that this Suffering did not immediately follow his Sinning which was the Cause of Divine Displeasure but that it was suspended for a longer time The last Part is his Death and Successor ver 21. and 2 Chron. 32.33 having a most honourable Burial being laid in the chiefest Sepulchre because saith Osiander he was the chiefest in Piety of David's House for which he was highly honoured both in Life and Death But this Pious Father was succeeded by an Impious Son to wit Manasseh c. 2 Kings CHAP. XXI and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXXIII IN both these Chapters of Kings and Chronicles the History of two Kings is set forth First Of Manasseh And Secondly Of Amon In 2 Kings 21. we have an account only of Manasseh's unparallel'd Impiety but in 2 Chron. 33. is a Narrative of his Repentance also Remarks first upon Manasseh the first Part of both Chapters As First He is described when he began to Reign and how long ver 1. He was but twelve Years old at his Father's Death so was born three Years after his Father's Recovery Chap. 20.6 and about twenty four Years after the Ruine of Israel's Kingdom Chap. 18.2 10. and was the thirteenth King of Judah from the Division of the Tribes and he Reigned fifty five Years which was the longest Reign of any of the Judges or Kings of either Judah or Israel As his great Grandfather Vzziah indeed Reigned fifty two Years but in many of those Years he lived as a Leper shut up in an Apartment 2 Chron. 26.3 21. so of those fifty five Years Manasseh spent many of them in his most sinful Youth others in great Misery and Captivity for within that space saith Junius was comprehended his Captivity in Babylon 2 Chron. 33.11 and other Years in a time of Repentance All these Years being subtracted from the five and fifty there will not remain so many for Manasseh's Wickedness as some imagine yet were they so many as to teach us that a wicked Man with a Crown upon his Head may live long but 't is no Evidence of God's Favour Remark the Second 'T is said He did wickedly ver 2. described in General 1. In the sight of the Lord. 2. Contrary to the manner of the Jews 3. But after the manner of the Gentiles Yea and 4. Point-blank opposite to his Pieus Father and to his Mother likewise who is named Hephzibah the very Title whereby God testifies his Delight in his Church as the Name signifies Isa 62.4 from this Name of Manasseb's Mother some do gather that her Parents who gave it and she her self were all Pious Persons whereby the Impiety of her Son Manasseh is much aggravated because he degenerated so much and so far as he did both from such a Father and such a Mother as he had The Rabbins tell us she was the Daughter of Isaiah the Prophet but that is as uncertain as their saying that Railing Rabshakeb was his degenerate Son as before 't is not at all improbable that she was a good Woman because so good a King made her his Queen Remark the Third Manasseh's wickedness is described in particular 2 Kings 21.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 16. and 2 Chron. 33.3 4 5 to ver 10 the wickedness he wrought is reducible to these three Heads 1. Idolatry ver 3 4 5. 2. Sorcery ver 6. And 3. Cruelty to his own and others ver 6 16. In a Word this none such Sinner Manasseh was a Monster in Sin of the first magnitude For 1. He was a Defier of God 2. He was a Murderer of Men. And 3. He was a Worshipper of Devils N.B. Never did the cursed Leprosie of Sin spread farther in any mortal Man that yet was a Vessel of Mercy Remark the Fourth Is Manasseh's Repentance this is wholly omitted in his History Recorded 2 Kings 21. but largely insisted upon 2 Chron. 33. from ver 11 to 14 c. 't is a vulgar saying they run far that never return and Ambrose said to Monica the Mother of Angustin while her Son was a wretched Manichee that a Child of so many fervent Prayers could not finally miscarry So Manasseh was a Son of pious and praying Parents and one chosen of God to be one of our Saviour's Progenitors Matth. 1.10 therefore though he ran far and wide in the ways of wickedness yet must he not totally and finally fall Manasseh Hebr. signifies For getful who according to the Signification of his Name forgot all the Godly Instructions of his pious Parents to him and all their fervent Prayers they put up to God for him and more particularly be forgot what the Host of Heaven which he worshipped 2 Kings 21.3 5. and 2 Chron. 33.3 5. had done when the Sun and all that Host went ten Degrees backward for his Father's sake Likewise be forgot all the pious Patterns of Reformation in Hezekiah but built again all the Deformations which his Father had demolish'd Moreover Manasseh that Tiger laid hold with his Teeth on all the excellent Spirits of his Time and worried them until he had filled Jerusalem with Innocent Blood from one end to another Besides all the other Prodigtes of Sins aforementioned hardly to be matched in any mortal Man unless in that bloody Monster Nero who was an incarnate Devil Little did good Hezekiah when he was so loth to Dye because he had no Son to succeed him imagine what manner of Son he should leave behind him Notwithstanding all this Monstrous Sinner Manasseh must be a Convert N.B. 1. The Rabbins relate that Isaiah coming on a time to visit Hezekiah told him by his Prophetick Spirit that his Son Manasseh there present would prove a great Persecutor of God's Prophets and of himself in particular whereupon Hezekiah attempted to slay Manasseh but that the Prophet hinder'd him N.B. 2. Josephus saith this Manasseh murdered some or other of God's Prophets and martyred such every Day Josephus Lib. 10 Chap. 3. with him Epiphanius concurreth adding that Isaiah was sawn asunder by his Order and as some say with a wooden Saw the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 11.37 may seem to relate unto Isaiah's manner of Martyrdom saith Dr. Lightfoot N.B. 3. The Rabbins render these Reasons why Manasseh martyr'd Isaiah 1. Because he said that he had seen the Lord upon his Throne c. Isa 6.1 but more especially 2. Because he
Work All these having done their Homage before came to Feast with Gedaliah pretending a friendly Visit and when they saw saith Josephus Gedaliah Merry with Wine they took this opportunity to smite and slay him and with him all his Guests the Jews that were with him and the Chaldeans also there present that his bloody Act might not be known Jer. 41. ver 3 4. Mark 6. Ishmael also flaies seventy Samaritan Proselytes such as were coming to the Feast of Tabernacles in this seventh Month wherein Solomon of old had kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple and sent the People with glad Hearts home 2 Chron. 7.10 1 Kings 8.66 but how is the Matter now altered These Innocent Men who had not offended Ishmael so much as by the least Word but going in the simplicity of their Hearts to worship God in Mourning for the burnt Temple c. and to wait upon Gedaliah which was Ishmael's main quarrel against them this brutish bloody Butcher falls foul upon these fourscore Men Jer. 41.5 6. whom with his Crocodile Tears and deep Dissimulation he had deceived at the first to find out how they stood affected to Gedaliah and no sooner did he understand that they did but once own him but he and his Slaughter-slaves began their Execution of the Innocent ver 7. Mark 7. But Ten of those Fourscore pleaded for their Lives and were spared ver 8. saying We have Treasures hid on the Field knowing Soldiers will do much for Money and willing enough these Men were to part with their Wealth for redeeming their Lives In this case Ishmael's Covetousness conquer'd his Cruelty preferring their Coin above their Blood and hoping to make a farther Prize of them by carrying them away Captive c. After he had cast the 70 slaughter'd Samaritans into a Trench that Asa had made to be a stop betwixt the Samaritans and himself and now 't is fill'd up with such Samaritans as were Friends to the true Religion ver 9. which before was a Fence against such as were Enemies then carry'd Ishmael away Captives all the remainder at Mizpeh even the King's Daughters ver 10. his own Kinswomen whom the Babylonians had spared Thus found they less favour from a fulse Brother than they had done from a profess'd Foe N.B. And thus Hereticks have out-done Heathens in Cruelty to the true Church in all Ages c. Mark 8. Then Johanan hearing of Gedaliah's Death went to fight against Ishmael ver 11 12 13 14 15. This Act of Fortitude like that of Abraham's for Rescuing Lot God made successful to Rescue the Captives full glad hereof But the grand wretch escaped to Ammon with disgrace for no doubt but his Defeat and disappointment of his high Design for catching the Crown would be twitted in his Teeth by Baalis King of Ammon with whom he had absconded and secured himself from the Storm during the Siege of Jerusalem Jer. 40.14 N.B. With what Honour and with what Conscience could this bloody Judas live among the Ammonites-Courtiers who would ever be reproaching him for the Miscarriage of his Arrogant and Roguish Treachery this must be more Vexation to his ambitions Mind than Death it self Remark the Seventh The Captains and Common People upon the Death of Gedaliah resolve to go down to Egypt and did so 2 Kings 25. ver 26. tho' they had promised to be Ruled by the Counsel of the Lord in the mouth of the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 42. and 43. Mark 1. Johanan and the rest feared that the King of Babylon would send his Captains to Revenge the Murder of Gedaliah and with him of many Chaldeans the Governour 's Companions 2 Kings 25.25 whom Johanan and his Captains as he might imagine should have both caution'd and better guarded They therefore were afraid that the Chaldeans would come to punish them for their Neglect Jer. 41.18 Mark 2. Hereupon they humbly pray'd the Prophet for Divine direction Jer. 42. 1 2 3. yet all this was but deep Dissimulation for they had set themselves in the way to Egypt before they came with this Request to the Prophet Jer. 41.17 yet do they promise with an Oath what they never meant to perform Jer. 42. ver 4 5 6 19 20. Mark 3. God delay'd Ten Days before he would Answer the Prophet's Prayer for Direction Jer. 42. v. 7. No doubt but these Dissemblers were impatient enough under such a long Delay yet God seemed by his silence to say to them I will not be enquir'd of by you Ezek. 20.3 unworthy of an Answer Mark 4. At last the Prophet comes and from God promiseth them protection from the Chaldeans ver 8 9 10 11 12. if still they will stay in their own Land but withal threatens Sword Famine and Pestilence to overtake them if they went down to Egypt both against God's express prohibition Deut. 17.16 and against that direful Commination Deut. 28.68 telling them such stubborn Sinners cannot run out of the reach of God's Rod Jer. 42.13 to 22. Mark 5. The Proud Men endeavour to discredit this Prophecy alledging 't was but a Juggle betwixt Jeremy and Baruch Jer. 43.1 2 3. which was notoriously improbable for what could Baruch gain by such a Colloguing Bargain in setting the Prophet against his own Country-men for a common Disturbance Mark 6. Hypocrisie will at long-run discover it self Some Mens Sins are open before-hand c. and others follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 Here Johanan shews himself an Hypocrite ver 4 5 6. than which nothing is more Audacious and Desperate when once discover'd This Desperado in despight of God's contrary Command begins his March for Egypt taking along with him all the Remnant of Judah as if he would desperately spit in the face of Heaven and daringly challenge Jehovah to a Duel as Galigula did his Jove c. Yea Jeremy and Baruch he takes with him also and not without a special Providence these wretches must still have a Prophet to make them more inexecusable Mark 7. Poor Jeremy is hurry'd down to Egypt sore against his Will Thus many of God's faithful Servants are carry'd whither they would not go as Peter Joh. 21.18 But 't is comfortable to consider as 't is no Vntrodden Path many have gone before therein so God hath some special Work for them as for Jeremy here who no sooner comes there but he Prophesies against Egypt and against them too that carry'd him thither Jer. 43.8 9 10 11 12 13. Mark 8. Now are these Remnants of the Jews settled in Egypt and in time fall to open Idolatry the Prophet Jeremy reproves them for it and for their Obstinacy c. for which by Figures joining Paradigms with his Prophecies to make more Impression he foretels both theirs and Egypt's Destruction Jer. 43.8 9. He builds an Altar of Brick and tells them how the King of Babylon shall set his Throne upon those Stones and much more amply and plainly in the following verses and in Chap. 44. throughout for
her double Invitation No wonder if it be said Then went Haman forth joyful and with a glad heart ver 9. and 't is no less a wonder that Haman was so full of Indignation against Mordecai for his so sordidly slighting him whom both the King and the Queen had now so signally Exalted Behold here how all on the sudden God hands out a Choak-Pear to this self-flattering Fool which changeth his Highest Exaltation in one moment into the Hottest Indignation When Haman at his departure from the first Banquet saw Mordecai sitting at the King's Gate and would not stir an inch ne minimo quidem obsequiolo not with the least Obeisance either with Cap or knee no not so much as stand up when this greatest of the King's Favoutites passed by him Enquiry Whether Mordecai did well in this Morose Behaviour Answer the 1st Some Learned Men blame Mordecai for too much Moroseness in denying Haman not only Divine Honour but such as was Civil also duely paid to other Princes and seeing the Law of God forbids not this latter he seems Blame-worthy in transgressing the King's Command especially he being a Stranger an Exile and a poor Captive he could not but judge that this stiffness would much incense and expose him and his People to great danger Answer the 2d But others with Drusius do affirm he did well for these Reasons 1st He look'd upon him as a Vile Person and therefore fit to be slighted Psal 15.4 2dly Haman had forfeited all Respect by his becoming a Sworn Sword-man to the Devil in procuring that Bloody Edict for cutting off all God's People to Honour such an Enemy is to become like an Ass says Ben-Syra 3ly Herein Mordecai shew'd himself constant to his Principles and to his former practice in justly denying him Adoration before This the good Man could not easily alter without being censured that he now did it in fear for the saving of his Life 4ly Mordecai persists in his purpose and gives that Hell-hound less Respect than he had done not only lest Haman's heart should be hardened and heightened but also to shew his firm Faith and invincible confidence in God for Deliverance seeing Esther was now engaged to make Intercession which he strongly believed God would bless with a good Success c. Remark the Second The Restraint Haman put upon his own Rage as Hebr. Vaijthaphek signifies ver 10. for his Fingers even itched to be bathing themselves in Mordecai 's Blood whom he might have easily Murther'd either by his own or by his Servants Hands and as easily have procur'd a Pardon for it seeing he had obtain'd the Royal License to kill the whole Nation how much more might he have leave to kill one contemptible Member of it before his lucky unlucky Day came A Fool 's wrath is presently known Prov. 12.16 How this Fool Haman could so wisely hide it till he got home some say because Mordecai was the King's Servant his Door-keeper and so was under the King's Protection therefore he did it not because he durst not it would have reflected upon the King himself to have suffer'd his menial Servant to be violently kill'd without a due Process N. B. Most sure it is saith Mariana it was the marvelous work of God's Providence thus to Manacle Haman 's Hands and to preserve Mordecai for farther service to his Church Oh how precious is the Blood of Saints in God's sight Psal 72.14 as their Life is so no less is their Death precious in God's presence Psal 116.15 and rather than any Servant or Son of God should be sent to Bed before their Work be done God makes Haman to put Fetters on his own Hands Remark the Third Haman thus refraining himself hasteneth home calls a Counsel of his Friends and Wife ver 10 11 c. This had been a wise course had he been fit to Consult but in his Case of Rage he could covet nothing but revenge Mark 1. He makes a loud Harangue to them for aggravating Mordecai's Affront relating his own Wealth and Honour a none-such in Glory ver 11 12 this he did partly to gratifie his own vain-glorious Humour and partly to qualifie his own fretting and fuming Mind at Mordecai's unbearable Impudence and as he boasted what the King had done for him but not a Tittle what God c. God was not in all his Thoughts Psalm 10.4 so he boasted how the Queen had invited him to her Banquet which was indeed his Bane Mark 2. But all his glorying had one Marr-mirth namely Mordecai's morose stiffness ver 13. which gave an unsavoury Tincture to all his sweet Morsels Hence he asks what is to be done c. Remark the Fourth Zeresh his Wife being a Woman wittily Wicked gives Advice before the Men could speak ver 14. yet all concurr that a Gallows twenty five yards high be set up at Haman's Door not questioning the King's Consent on the Morrow then hang Mordecai thereon conspicuous to all for the greater disgrace to Mordecai and for greater terrour to Haman's Opposers This done saith she will allay thy Dumps and then go merrily with the King to the Banquet take thy full dose of Jovialty without and Cordolium c. All this Advice pleased Human as corresponding with his bloody Humour never doubting to effect all N. B. Thus Man purposeth but God disposeth Human little thought he erected this Gallows for himself to be hang'd upon God befools him c. Esther CHAP. VI. THIS Chapter contains the Advancement of Mordecai by a most stupendous Providence betwixt the first and second Banquet Remark the First The Occasion of it which was wonderful ver 1 2 3. Mark 1. That very Night before the Morrow wherein Haman had resolv'd to hang Mordecai the next Morning the King could not sleep he that commanded a hundred and twenty seven Provinces could not command a wink of Sleep because Sleep is the Gift of God Psalm 127.2 and God held his Eyes waking Psalm 77.4 for glorious Ends which this Almighty Alchymist did extract out of such a Trivial Accident as this is generally accounted Not to sleep c. Mark 2. 'T is marvelous that the King call'd not for his Concubines or for his Musicians to divert him which were most suitable to his Temper saith Serrarius No God over-rul'd it and inclin'd him to call for his Chronicles and directed also the Reader to read that passage therein of Mordecai saving the King's Life by discovering the Traitors This Reading was either as a Recipe to procure Sleep or as a Diversion to deceive Time that it might not be a tedious Night to him Mark 3. Then God caused the King to ask what Reward had Mordecai receiv'd for so transcendently a meritorious Work Lyra saith Mordecai had waited six Years for a Reward and had got none how long soever it was God was not unrighteous to forget his Work and Labour of Love Hebr. 6.10 Though this King had forgot him and was hitherto unthankful
and give them his whole Power knowing them to be Pious Persons and himself now desiring the Jews to be deliver'd N. B. How the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord Prov. 21.1 to turn and tame them as he pleaseth Most Kings cry up Sic Volo sic Jubeo their Will must be a Law to stop a Subject's Mouth especially such Absolute Kings as those of Persia such cannot be brought to confess themselves to have been in an errour lest they should thereby be blamed for any seeming Lightness and Inconstancy But the Almighty God who is the Heart-maker and the Heart-mender had so hammer'd and hamper'd the Heart of this Absolute Monarch for the sake of his poor perplexed People that he brought him into a better Temper insomuch that rather than he would contract the Stain and Sting of such Barbarous and Brutish Blood-guiltiness upon himself by the Murder of Millions of Innocents he will run the risque of being accounted Inconstant N. B. Causinus saith Haman was partly an Amalekite and partly a Macedonian and that this new Decree had inserted in it how Haman had design'd to translate the Kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians c. Now come we to the Concomitants the Second Part of the Narrative Remarks upon it are First The Quality of this New Decree Mark 1. The King commands to write in the King's Name and to Seal with the King's Seal this latter Letter ver 8. wherein not one word is contained for Disanulling Haman's former Decree for destroying the Jews Chap. 3.12 13. but only gives the Jews full power to stand up in their own Defence which was enough to save them c. Mark 2. The King as it were begs their Excuse for not Reversing Haman's Edict because himself was under the lash of that Unrepealable Law of the Medes and Persians and his Recalling thereof might put his whole Kingdom into a Flame but he doth assure them this Plaister would prove broad enough for their Sore for this latter Letter coming last will in effect Repeal the former and they need never doubt but what they wrote in his Name Signed with his Seal would be Authentick enough and pass for a current Countermand fear it not c. Mark 3. The King's Scribes were call'd to write ver 9. N. B. which is look'd on as the longest Verse in all the Bible and those Scribes were as quick to come and write at Mordecai's Call and Command as they had been before at Haman's Chap. 3.12 nor probably cared they much saith an Interpreter what they wrote so they were but sure that it was the King's Will they would write so As for their Religion it may seem to be the same with that of Gallio a meer Irreligion not caring how the concerns thereof went Acts 18.17 so they could but please the King they made no matter of Displeasing God as appeareth in their readiness to draw up Haman's bloody Decree Remark the Second The Time of this New Decree's Publication It was on the Three and twentieth Day of the Third Month our May call'd Hebr. Sivan which signifies Covering for then the Earth is cover'd with all kind of fair and fragrant Flowers then all things were in their Prime and Pride and N. B. then did the Sun of Righteousness arise with Healing in his Wings unto all those Afflicted Exiles that had been design'd for Destruction Mal. 4.2 The precise Time is thus noted not only to set forth the certainty of the History but also to shew God's usual Dealings with and Dispensations to his Church and Children for this Time was above two Months after Haman's bloody Letters had been published so long saith Osiander did God suffer the Jews to lie in a low and lost condition in fear of Death that their Deliverance might be the more Glorious N. B. Other Reasons are rendred why the Lord let the Jews lie under the terrour of this dreadful Day for above two Months As 1st That the Jews might be truly Humbled for and throughly purged from their many and mighty Sins whereof they were guilty 2ly That in particular they might be convinced of their Folly in neglecting the many offers and opportunities of returning to their own Native Country where they might have enjoy'd not only their Lives in safety but also their Liberties in a free and full exercise of the true Religion whereas being dispersed abroad as they could not serve God c. so they were an easie prey to the Enemy 3ly In this two Months and upward God gave an opportunity to the most malicious Adversaries of the Jews of discovering themselves to their own Destruction as the Event evidenceth All these are added to Osiander's Observation afore-mentioned which was indeed the principal Reason for after two Months Terrour to have now such an admirable and unexpected Edict for their Relief and Security this gave the greater Illustration unto God's glorious Goodness which set his Wisdom and Power on work for them Hab. 3.2 Remark the Third This Liberatory Letter was dispatch'd away by Posts riding upon the swiftest Beasts unto all the Princes c. in the 127 Provinces as a Countermand of the King ver 9 10 11. Mark 1. Tho' this Letter needed no such Haste saith Bonartius for there was still near Nine Months to come before Haman's Lucky Day happened being the thirteenth Day of the twelfth Month Adar or February yet Mordecai hasten'd it away in the great Wisdom God had given him that it might come in due time before it was too late Mark 2. It was directed to the Jews in the first place because they were in the deepest Dumps of Despair and so stood in most need of Comfort N. B. Thus the Lord comforted Peter with the first and by Name in his Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am Risen c. Mark 16.7 for he knew him to be in greatest heaviness Mark 3. Then to all Persons in Office who before had received Haman's Killing Letter The Equity of this Saving Edict so opposite to the former no Officer was allowed to Dispute but all commanded at their peril to Dispatch for where the Word of a King is there is Power and none must say what dost thou Eccles 8.4 Dan. 5.19 Hence Mordecai prudently improves both the King's Name and Seal with his Consent for the Church's good Mark 4. This Letter was written unto every Province according to their Language every Nation had it in their several Characters such as they were capable to understand as it was Mordecai's care that all People in the 127 Provinces should have this Unalterable Law of the Perstans in their several Dialects that so none might plead Ignorance N. B. Even so and much more than so ought to be every good Magistrate's care saith an Interpreter that their People may have the Law of God the Holy Scriptures that Everlasting Rule of all Righteousness which can never be Repealed in a known Language tho' the
Though we have four Terms expresly declared by Daniel concerning the Persecution of Antiochus As 1. By the two thousand three hundred Days Dan. 8.14 which makes six Years three Months and twenty Days 2. A Time Times and part of a Time Dan. 7.25 and 12.7 that is three Years and a part the former Date ended before the Sanctuary was defiled but during this second Term the daily Sacrifice was discontinued 3. Another Time set is one thousand two hundred and ninety Days Dan. 12.11 which ended at such Time as God's Altar was rebuilt and God's true Worship was restored by Judas Maccabeus And 4. Forty five Days more are added to the number aforesaid making them one thousand three hundred and thirty five Days Dan. 12.12 which forty five Days overplus ended at the Death of Antiochus most joyful Tidings to God's poor persecuted People for notwithstanding Antiochus's pretended Repentance c. we are told of 2 Maccab. 9.13 28. and Chap. 11. the Jews could have no Confidence in the Words of such an Hypocrite but his Death did fully free them from all their fears of him Yet may we not expect to find any such set Times of Antichrist's Persecution to be set down upon Record by Daniel the Old Testament Prophet no that Work was reserved for John the Divine in the last Book of the New Testament Wherein the number of the Beast or Antichrist's Name carries a marvelous Harmony with these numbers in Daniel for the number of that Man of Sin is said to be six hundred and sixty six Rev. 13.18 now twice six hundred and sixty six make one thousand three hundred and thirtȳt two and three Years and an half make up Daniel's number which is one thousand three hundred and thirty five compleat c. Remark the Fourth Dr. Willet hath most learnedly answer'd great Graserus his great Arguments wherein he contends to prove that this Prophecy of Daniel doth Literally and Historically concern the Roman Antichrist and not this Mad Antiochus The Discourse is extended into ten large Exercises too long here to Epitomize and therefore must I refer the Reader to Dr. Willet's Appendix to his Hexapla upon Daniel page 495 to 520. As likewise to Mr. Joseph Mede's Works who makes the History of the Type Antiochus to lead us by the Hand to understand the Mystery of the Antitype Antichrist that grand Head of the Apostasy in the last Times foretold 1 Tim. 4.1 c. bringing in the Doctrine of Daemons the forbidding of Meats and Marriages c. He shall magnifie himself as Antiochus did Dan. 11.37 Above all 2 Thess 2.3 4 to ver 10. Rev. 13. per totum and Rev. 17.3 c. as to Antiochus's Magnuzzim Heb. the God of Forces which he worshipped Dan. 11.38 the same Mr. Mede most excellently Interprets the Daemons or Tatelar Saints and Angels which Antichrist worships together with our Lord Christ in the Romish Church Nor is this any Novel Opinion for many of the Fathers make this Magnuzzim the Idol which Antichrist should Worship So that none comes nearer the Truth among many other Conjectures than Mr. Mede Much more of this abstruse Point the Reader may find in my Discovery of the Person and Period of Antichrist A little Book which Dr. Thomas Goodwin approved and promoted while he lived c. Apocrypha CHAP. II. Luke III. AS the first Means better than the doubtful Books of the Apocrypha for demonstrating the State of the Jewish Church in that Interval betwixt Nehemiah and the Messiah was Daniel's Prophetick History of Divine Infallible Inspiration As before all along in Chapter the first out of the Old Testament So this second Chapter produceth the like infallible Evidences concerning the same Subject out of the New Testament equally of Divine Authority with the Old Namely out of the Genealogy of Christ Recorded in Luke Chap. 3. yet with this difference betwixt Daniel and Luke the Prophet relateth the Things that befel the Jews without the naming of their Persons but this Evangelist Names only the Persons that succeeded from Time to Time without any Narrative of the things that befel them Remark the First 'T is the concurrent Judgment of Learned Men that Daniel doth not only Prophetically declare the things which occurred the Jewish Church until the first coming of Christ though they did not fall out as some say until three hundred Years after Daniel's Day but also the things that would occurr the Christian Church in the last Days how she should be mostly afflicted by Antichrist as the Jewish had been by Antiochus yet shall she be fully delivered by Christ's second coming Thus Cyprian was wont to Comfort his Christian Friends in his Day with these Words Veniet Antichristus fed superveniet Christus Antichrist will come but then Christ will come after him and overcome him Thus he Interprets Dan. 12.1 2 c. At that Time that is in the last Days and toward the end of the World shall Michael stand up c. N.B. Antichrist was not revealed in Cyprian's Time which Helvicus computeth the second Century betwixt two hundred and forty and two hundred and fifty Years after Christ which was long before that Revelation of the Man of Sin Now when Michael or Christ had made this double discovery unto Daniel both concerning the Malady and Remedy of the Jewish and of the Christian Church then giveth He Daniel to his great Comfort a fair and favourable Dismission out of this Life before the former of those two Confusions come upon God's Church Dan. 12.13 telling him Thou shalt Dye not only without fearing or feeling those troubles but also in a firm Faith both of the Church's glorious Deliverance and of his own blessed Resurrection out of the Dust of Death to an Everlasting Life after thy Soul hath rested in Abraham 's Bosom and thy Body hath got its sweet sleep in the Grave as in a Bed of Down then thou and all the Just shall have full joys beginning here some say for 1000 Years but compleated in Heaven eternally Remark the Second The Interspace betwixt the Second Temple and the Birth of Christ containing about 500 Years is filled up with Three Dynasties saith Dr. Prideaux the First is The Dukes or Chieftains in number 14 all Recorded by the Evangelist Luke under the Infallible Conduct of the Holy Spirit 's Inspiration Luke 3.23 24 25 26 27. This he doth by Ascent from the Mother of our Lord the Virgin Mary up to Zerubbabel the Builder of the Second Temple N. B. Matthew's Genealogy of Christ Matth. 1.1 2 c. is made by Descent from Abraham and so from David c. that Joseph tho' not Christ's Natural but only his Legal Father as being Marry'd to the Virgin Mary might appear to be of David 's Line of whom the Messiah was to come for the Jews Conviction tho' he was but his supposed Father But Luke runs up Christ's Genealogy by his Mothers side even as high as Adam and
to the Godly as he said to Jacob Fear not to go down to Egypt into the Grave c. p. 409. 'T is sudden to some but lingring to others p. 418. Decree of God firm as a Mountain of Brass p. 6. Deliverance must be waited for p. 370 410 425. Departure of Israel out of Egypt into the Wlderness p. 455. Having the Cloudy Pillar for their Conduct p. 457. Devil a faln Angel spake in the Serpent as a Man to deceive Eve c. p. 41 42. His Fall is final p. 43 44. Doomed to eat Dust p. 48 49. Devotion what it is that is acceptable to God p. 77 78. Dreams of sundry sorts p. 248 to 253. And of several Subjects p. 355. to 359. Joseph and Daniel great Interpreters of Dreams Vol. 1. Page 390 391. E. Ear of Man how created and corrupted p. 16 17 Election not from foreseen Works p. 75. 'T is the Cause of Holiness not the Effect of it p. 76 to 210. England an Isle that God hath an eye upon p. 386. Enmity put betwixt the Serpent and the Woman p. 50 51. Enoch walked with God p. 83 c. His Prophecy p. 86 87. His Translation p. 94. as Elijah p. 95 to 99. Envy the cause of Joseph's Sale upon many accounts p. 351 to 354. Eve first in the Transgression as she was first Assaulted p. 43. Eye of Man corrupted by the Fall p. 14 15. F. Faith gives us Acceptance with God p 79. What true Faith is p. 131. It hath a Soul-satisfying property p. 334. Fall Reasons why God suffered the first Fall of Adam p. 44. Fear much attends the most Pious Mind and sometimes upon Suspicion only without any real cause p. 405. Fear of God is the best preservative from Sin p. 373. First born Consecrated to God p. 453 454. Flesh when God allowed Man to feed thereon p. 128. G. Godliness is both the Fealty and the Felicity of Man 't is both his Duty and his Dignity p. 90 91. How there are Safety Solace and Satiety in walking with God p. 92. See Piety Grace is free p. 75. In putting difference betwixt Sons of one Father and betwixt Twins of one Mother ibid. Noah found Grace in God's sight He was not saved for his own Righteousness p. 108. H. Holiness See Godliness and Piety Husband A Man may be long so before he be a Father p. 215. An Husband may be blessed tho' he be not bless'd to become a Father ibid. Hypocrites in the Church at last discover'd 5.58 I. Jews may not boast of the Merit of their Progenitors p. 327 328. Innocents do oft perish by false Accusations p. 377. Job's whole History spoke to p. 429 430. Joseph Sold at a low price was a Type of Christ p. 359 360. And in his state of Humiliation and Exaltation p 365 c. Whether Jacob knew how Cruel his Sons had been to Joseph is discuss'd p. 366 to 369. Joseph's Chastity when Exalted p. 366 367. How farther he is a Type of Jesus in his Exaltation p. 394. He is justified in his Monopolizing all the Corn c. p. 397 398. How he is farther a Type of Christ of the Church and of a Christian p. 399. He makes himself known to his Brethren p. 400 and 403. Presents his Brethren first to Pharaoh p. 412. and then to his Father p. 420. Journeys See Travel We ought to have a Divine Warrant for all our Ingresses and Egresses Vol. 1. Page 128. Isaac a Type of Christ How p. 148 149. His Birth Weaning c. p. 157. Judgment-day is unknown Why p. 104. Signs of its sudden coming ibid. and p. 150. K. Keys There be four Keys hang at God's Girdle p. 127. L. Ladder of Jacob the sundry Senses put upon it in many Resemblances p. 256 258 c. the seven excellent Properties of it as it represents Christ p. 261 to 267. Language Hebrew is the most Antient of all Languages p. 55. Life of Man but a Pilgrimage How Jacob's was so with a witness p. 332 333 334 c. Love How base Lust differs from proper Love p. 377. Lying the Aggravations of that Sin p. 235. M. Man made up of the four Elements God's Masterpiece p. 9 10. Of Man's Body p. 11. In the state of Innocency p. 12 13. And after the Fall p. 14. Man's Heart the cause of Sin and his Eye the occasion of it p. 15. Marriage is Honourable for Ministers p. 88. Of many Wives how it was a Type in Jacob p. 273. 'T is Honourable in it self p. 315. Yet wants not Woe see of it in Adam p. 316 326. Matters that concern the Church tho small are Recorded in Scripture when greater Matters of the World are pass'd over in silence p. 84. Mercy God gives the Godly no pure Mercy in this Life without some mixture of Misery p. 216 217. Ministry is a great Blessing p. 63. Miracles God will not multiply them but where there is a defect of Means p. 460. Moses a Type of the Messias in many Respects p. 432. Of his Bush burning and not consumed p. 435 c. It was a Type of the Church p. 436 437. He was famous for his Birth Life and Death p. 433. Mortality taught by Adam's Death and Immortality by Enoch's Translation p. 85 86. Mother Her Authority is great over her Children see Parents p. 228. N. Name changed for the better p. 158. Nature must be changed in us p. 159. Noah and his Deluge p. 99. His Ingress Progress and Egress p. 123 to 128. O. Obedience of Abraham how excellent it was p. 141 151 152 153 to 156. P. Paradise Man lost it by Sin p. 53 54. The Earthly and Heavenly Paradise p. 95 96. Parents thankful for Children Vol. 1. Page 55. Ought to train them up in God's Worship p. 64. May not hinder them from Good p. 132. Ought not to be partial in Cockering one above another Vol. 1. Page 354. Passover largely describ'd p. 447 to 454. Persecutors do Imprison the Saints yet God is with them there as with Joseph p. 382 383. Piety or Impiety of Persons commend or discommend their Actions p. 70. 'T is never safe without Policy p. 229 282. Pilgrimage of the Patriarchs p. 332 to 336. Plagues the Ten sent upon Egypt p. 443 to 445. Possessions that are Earthly are but Vanity p. 55. Potter hath power over his Clay c. p. 55. As in Cain and Abel p. 56 75. Prayer Man's Prayer for God's Promise must be performed instantly and constantly p. 215. God's Promise must not prevent Man's Prayer ibid. Jacob's Wrestling with God p. 286 to 310. Predestination it lay in the Womb of God's Eternal Decree as Jacob and Esau did in Rebekah's Womb p. 218 219. Price There be three sorts of Prices the Kind the Discreet and the Rigid Price p. 361. Promise the outside thereof cannot save p. 126. See Prayer Deliverance Prosperity attends the bad more than the good p. 242 244. Joseph feared his Prosperity more
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.
Day Man 2.17 Pilate can Act nothing against Christ nor any Tyrant against his Members without God's lending Power John 18.11 The Borrowing Power can never over match God who is the Lending Power 6. 'T is a marvelous matter also to consider how Almighty God held Herod's Hands at the Purification of the Mother of our Lord when Christ the Babe was personally present in Jerusalem and presented to God in the Temple where Simeon and Anna both old and eminent persons gave open Testimony of this Holy Child and all this was done as it were under Herod's Nose while he was expecting to have an exact account of Christ's Birth and Abode from the Wisemen or perhaps he was taken up by some more courtly employments c. Thus God can give Diversions to the bloodiest Designs of Tyrants as of Saul's pursuing David 1 Sam. 23.26 27 28. and of Burying the slain Witnesses by the Beast Rev. 11.9 7. Those Innocent Infants suffered for Christ before Christ suffered for them hence the Antient Fathers do affirm with one Mouth that they died Martyrs for Christ so were undoubtedly Glorified which was a blessed Recompence for their being so Sacrificed c. and that their Souls together with all other Martyrs Vnder the Altar do daily cry to God for vengeance upon such as be like bloody Herod and his cruel Cut-Throats Rev. 6.9 10. 8. Divine Vengeance doth not ever sleep though for a while it may but never dieth Blood-guiltiness within the breast sooner or later brings severe Judgments upon the back not long after this bloody Butchery at Bethlehem which was so barbarous as Dead Rachel buried there many hundred years before Gen. 35.19 could not but after a sort lament it Mat. 2.18 This bloody Herod falls into a foul and loathsom disease He was smitten of God with intolerable Tortures an unbearable burning over all his body Gripes in his Gutts Ulcers in his Fundament Lice in his Privities Gout in his Hands and Feet Convulsions in his Nerves and stinking putrified matter streamed out from all parts of him so that feeling himself in Hell while upon Earth he would have slain himself and was not suffered In this Phrenzy he slew his own Son Antipater whom a little before he had declared to be Heir of the Kingdom and designed many more Cruelties against the Jewish Nobility but was disappointed by God As he lived undesired so he died unlamented Qualis vita finis ita as he lived so he died Perscutors as we say of the Devil always go out with a stench How long Christ was in Aegygt Authors do vary in the computation thereof Some say he was not there above four or five months or less so soon God smote Herod for his butchering the Innocent Children and for his Murdering Intentions against the Lord of Life Those that think thus think also that Christ was two years old before he left Bethlehem and fled into Egypt But that Text Christ was in Egypt until the death of Herod Matth. 2.15 is interpreted to be two or three years at the least for Christ was born in the 32d of Herod's Reign fled soon after his Birth and returned not till the death of Herod ver 19.20 21. who Reigned say Chronologers thirty seven years I omit the further canvasing of this controverted Point to the Curious Criticks in Chronology 't is enough here to know it was soon after the Burchery of Bethlehem Babes that this Tyrant was struck dead and God's Angel glad of an Office to serve the Saints Heb. 1.14 comes flying with Tydings to Joseph in Egypt That they were dead which sought the young Child's Life ver 19.20 N.B. Note well Joseph had not heard from Heaven all the time less or more that he had sojourned in Egypt but God's Time he knew was the best Time As God never comes too soon with false Tydings so he never stays too long with true ones So in due time God will send word to his sinking Church They are dead that sought thy life Though to our thinking God seems to fail us yet he forsakes us not Not that he doth not saith the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 13.5 Oh how many precious Servants of God escaped Smithfield Fires by Queen Mary 's Death Persecutors Day to die must come Psal 37.13 David rested on it 1 Sam 26.10 N. B. Note well However there is no doubt but Joseph and Mary were glad they were going at God's call out of such an Hell as Egypt whence Israel brought back One Golden Calf Jeroboam Two and these two good Souls could not but get there either Guilt or Grief As they willingly went thither at God's command though they being both strangers might well enough think with themselves How shall we maintain our selves with livelihood in that strange Country yet Christ's Presence was their security and their going thither was in obedience to God But the same Authority made them doubtless more willing to return into their own Country so they hasten to Judea thinking to go again to Bethlehem not then knowing but that the place of Christ's Birth must be also the place of his Education but the fear of Archelaus as Cruel tho not so Crafty as his Father and the Warrant of an Angel directed them into Galilee ver 23. Thus are we to understand that passage in Luke 2.39 They returned into Galilee to wit after they had first fled into Egypt For the Evangelist Matthew had so fully handled the matter of the Wisemen and of Christ's Journey into Egypt before Luke wrote that He had nothing left him to say thereof but makes this Transition from Christ's first coming to Jerusalem to be presented in the Temple about 40 days old to his coming again from Galilee where Archelaus had no power being under Philip's Jurisdiction So God sets bounds to Persecution to his second coming thither at 12 years old Where we have Recorded the Fourth passage of Christ's Private Life To wit Christ's Disputing with the Doctors in the Temple Luke 2.39 40 41 42 c. There is none of the Evangelists that Recordeth any thing concerning Christ from the time of his Return out of Egypt about two years old till he came to be twelve so that there be nine years of Christ's first age passed over in silence The 1st Remark hereupon is That Christ will not continue for ever in Egypt but he will return to the Temple again When Isreal was a Child then I loved Him and called my Son out of Egypt Hos 11.1 Exod. 4.22 Numb 24.8 Mat. 2.15 yea If we seek Him He will suddenly come to his Temple c. Mal. 3.1 To Dispute will our Doctors in our Day 2. When Christ came to dispute with the Jewish Doctors then was the time that their School-learning was come to its very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or height in the School of Hillel and Shammai then did their Scholars grow so high and haughty that they not only assumed the Titles of
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
necessary it is to compare all the four Evangelists together for compleating the whole Account of the Life and Death of our Dear Lord. And this Evangelist John assures us of this great Truth as being an Eye-witness of this double Witness in the blood and Water John 19.34 35. No more than what he saw with his Eyes doth the declare to us 1 John 1.3 He saw one of the Souldiers pierce the sides of Christ after he had given up the Ghost with a Spear and forthwith came there out Blood and Water which the same Author in his first Epistle calls the two things that bore Record or Testimony upon Earth This is he that came by Water and Blood not by Water only but by Blood also 1 John 5.6 Here was the foretold Fountain opened Zech 13 1â— even the sides of our Saviour to wash away Man's sin and uncleanness The God of Nature hath in such Wisdom qualified the Natural Heat of Man's Heart that nor only the Lungs are so placed as to blow cool Air upon it but also it is Situated as in a Vessel of water called the Pericardium for the Farther cooling of it and this is a Received Rule among all Learned Naturalists that if this Pericardium or skin of water about the Heart be pierced it is impossible for the Heart which is the prâ—mum vivens ultimum Moriens the first part that lives and the last that dies in Mankind should preserve life in it any longer So that this Wound the Souldier gave our Saviour in his side was a most manifest witness of the Death of Christ and as the Water and Blood did Represent the two Gospel-Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper which did properly flow from the sides of Christ all the other five Mock-Sacraments in the Romish Church flowed only from the sides of Antichrist so they Resembled the two Grand Graces the Water had the Resemblance of the Grace of Sanctification and the Blood of the Grace of Justification These two Graces this beloved Disciple would not have divided each from other Therefore he saith that Christ came by both not by Water only but by blood also To shew that we are both Sanctified and Justified by the Death of our Dear Jesus the water of our Sanctifying grace washes us from the filth of sin and the Blood of Justifying Grace cleanseth and purgeth us from the guilt of sin And seeing we are but in part and not throughly Sanctified for there is ever some remaining Corruption uncleansed Joel 3.21 c. and 't is only carryed on gradually and as it were by Inches therefore the main matter of the Joy of our Salvation consisteth more in our being Justified because the grace of Justification is one gracious Act changing our State of Wrath at one instant into a State of Favour with God and spreading a Mantle as it were to cover out of God's sight the Multitude of our black sins past present and to come by the Red Robes of our Redeemers Righteousness imputed to us So that this blood and water hold forth both the imputed and the imparted Righteousness of Christ and what our Lord hath joyned together that let no Man put asunder No Man can be truly made partaker of that Righteousness which is imputed unless he have also that which is imparted our Sanctification is a blessed Evidence of our Justification We have not need of the blood only but of the water also And tho' this Apostle in 1 John 5.8 make three Witnesses on Earth the Spirit Water and Blood yet he saith these three agrees in one for Gods Spirit doth witness with our Spirits that we are truly Justified and Sanctified by Christ Rom. 8.15 16. And this is highly Remarkable that these Kill-Christ's can do nothing against him but as God had Decreed they may kill him and wound him when killed but the least bone in this Paschal Lambs Body they cannot break as it is written Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12 No more can Satan or his Imps break the least bone of Christ's Mystical Body his Church Let us now take a general prospect of the Death of our Dear Redeemer and make some profitable Inferences from the Sundry Circumstances thereof The 1. Inference is Oh! What an heinous Evil an only Evil Ezek. 7.5 a very bitter thing Jer. 2.19 is sin that could by no possible means admit of any proportionable Expiation or Commensurate satisfaction for it but either by the Death of the Son of God the sinners Surety or by enduring the Eternal Flames of Hell in the sinners themselves every Man as well as the first Man Adam hath eaten the Forbidden Fruit of Sin and the Divine Doom for that Crime of High Treason against the Great God of Heaven the King of Kings is dreadfully Denounced in the open Court of the Holy Scriptures to wit that the Sinner shall surely Die either by himself or or by his Surety There is an infinite offence in every Act of sin as it is acted against the Authority of an Infinite God And should the sinner live for ever upon Earth he would sin for ever against Heaven therefore Eternal Torments are appointed for that Eternal principle of sinning in the faln sinner to satisfie Divine Justice And such suitable satisfaction thereunto the Highest and most Glorious of all the Created Angels in Heaven much less any Mortal Man or the Mightiest Monarch upon Earth could not possibly undertake to make No it must be only the only Son of God that could pay down the full price of our Redemption The 2. Inference is Oh! what a sad case is this that of all Impenitent Ones and Unbelievers who have no interest in the Death of this Son of God who Dyed as the Son of Man to satisfie the Justice of God from the sins of Men These cannot say that Christ dyed for us as Gal. 2.20 c. He gave his Life a Ransom for many Matth. 20.28 But for none such as these and therefore they are like unless they Repent and Believe to bear the Eternal Wrath of God yea and it may be of Man for a while too in themselves which our Dear Redeemer hath born upon the Cross for all True Penitent and Believing Persons The 3. Inference is Oh! how Hateful and Sinful Rom. 7.13 should sin be to every Soul that cost our Saviour so much unparallel'd Sufferings to satisfie for it surely could we but take a view of sin as it lay on our Saviour's Back with such weight as to squeeze out his very Hearts blood out of his Body we should then hate it with a perfect Hatred for Torturing him whom our Souls love Nature teacheth us to avoid that Wound which is hardest to Cure and most Mortal to Life therefore do we guard to our utmost our Heads and Hearts with holding our Hands betwixt them and the Blows And should not Grace teach us to avoid sin which makes the worst Wound in the World as it wounds the Soul and
our Lord would not turn stones into Bread nor come down from the Cross when he could have so done to save himself yet turns water into Wine for us and is content to be Crucified for saving his Church and Children Our Jonah is cast overboard then Justice is calm the Storm ceaseth c. CHAP. XXXIV Of Christs Burial HAving dispatched the Life and Death of Christ now come we to the Burial wherein there be three grand Remarks in its Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents The 1. Remark is The Antecedents of his Burial which is the lowest step in his State of Humiliation Now Christ is dead 't is thought expedient he should be buryed that there might be the Congruity foretold betwixt the Type of Jonah in the Whales Belly and the Antitype Jesus in the Bowels of the Earth As this was Christ's lowest step he took in his Humbled State so it was the turning step towards his Exalted State for when he had ended the shame of his Cross and had given up the Ghost now must he be Buryed yet shall have an Honourable Burial Therefore Joseph of Arimathea the Prophet Samuels City 1 Sam. 1.1 an Honourable Counseller taketh care that Christ now Crucified should not be Buried in the common Graves of Executed Malefactors but to be Intombed in his own Tomb Matth. 27.57 to 60 Mar 15 43 to 47. Luke 23.50 to 54. and John 19.38 to the end All the four Evangelists do Record this Remarkable Action though with some difference in Circumstances yet with none in the Substance One of them calls him a Rich Man another a Good Man so that 't is possible for a great Man to be good greatness and goodness are not Inconsistent though not many Mighty yet some are called in all Ages to own the good ways of God Where-ever the free-grace of God cometh no difference is made betwixt the Rich and the Poor both Plenty and Poverty may be Sanctified to the owner and as there is room for both in the Kingdom of Grace so there is room for both in the Kingdom of Glory Christ's Parable Luke 16. tell us that poor Lazarus ly's lodged in the Bosom of Rich Abraham the Evangelist more saith that this Rich good Man went boldly in to Pilate and begged the Body of Jesus which he durst not have done had he not been Good as well as Rich for he being a Priest or a Levite and one of the Council Chamber of the Temple could not but expect that his Inraged fellow Priests and Privy-Councellours of the Sanhedrim would pick a quarrel with him and would at least fleece him of his Wealth for favouring the Body of him whom they had Executed as an Heretick and Traitor if they did not flea his Skin from of his Back for being a pattern to such a Person they having Threatned Pilate to Article against him for High Treason to Casar if he still persisted to Patronize the Innocency of Jesus Therefore this was a bold Act in Joseph thus to begg a supposed Traitors Body Mark addeth that Pilate wondred Christ should be so soon dead and when assured by the Centurion that it was so he granted this Counsellors Request St. John joyneth Nicodemus with Joseph who were both Members of the Ecclesiastick Court and we maâ— well suppose of them both what St. Luke affirms of the one only that neither of them had consented with that Privy Council to the Condemning of Christ These two Night Disciples became bold and publick Patrons of a Dead Jesus and Conjoin their helping Hands to bury the Body Honourably when all the Day-Disciples excepting John durst not shew their Heads but Dwindle away These two Timorous Proselites do now openly declare themselves to be the Disciples even of a Dead Saviour each of them acted their part Joseph begs the Body takes it down from the Cross at the leave of the Chief Magistrate Such a Friend was our Lord to Magistracy both in his Life and Death He will have Justice satisfied both in his Dying and when Dead he will not be taken down without Pilates leave his part was also to wrap up the Body in Linnen Clothes and to provide a New Sepulchre Hewen out of a Rock in his Garden wherein never any Man lay before him a Tomb that Joseph had prepared for himself but willingly Resigns it up to his Lord and Master who should from good Manners be first served before the Servant and who within three Days after Resigned it up to the lending Landlord no greater loss have they that lend to the Lord the Borrower Prov. 19.17 as well as the Lender of Mercy he borrows only of us what he first lends us and what we willingly lend to God he more willingly repays again with Interest as Joseph had his own New Sepulchre lent to the Lord for three days only Restored to him again with Advantage for Christ's Body lying that little time in it did Marvelously Perfume Consecrate and Sanctifie it for the better Reception of his own Body against the time of his laying it down As it was Joseph's part to prepare the Tomb for the Body so it was Nicodemus's part to prepare most precious Spices for Embalming the Body the same was done by the good Women likewise for further Imbalming him when their Sabbath was over all testifying their Love to their Lord but in that very preparation they all shewed how little Faith and Hope they had concerning speedy Resurrection though he had oft foretold it to them The 2. Remark is The Concomitants of Christ's Burial after the Antecedents and Preparatory Actions every Circumstance whereof Denominates it a very Honourable Burial As 1. The Persons Imployed in Interring the Crucified Body of Christ were two Honourable Persons some suppose they were for their Eminency of Prudence Piety and Justice c. called to be of Council by Pontius Pilate the proconsul of the Country of Judea besides their Membership of Dignity in the Jewish Sanhedrinâ— who yet consented not to that Cursed Vote therein Namely He is guilty of Death Matth. 26.66 He was not buryed by the hands of those Scoundrels that Crucified him as probably the two Thieves were 2. The place where his Body was Buried was an Honourable place for he was not Buried in a Dunghil as some Sordid Persecutors and Tyrants have been nor among the Carcasses of Executed Malefactors in Calvary but in a Garden the best and most Honourable of places John 19.41 As the first Adam had sinned and did fall in a Garden even in a Paradise the Garden of God So the Second Adam will be buried in a Garden even in the Garden of an Holy and Just Man Joseph that the place of Christ's burial might bear a proportion to the place of Adam's Fall The place of Christ's Burial was the place of his Resurrection also and so as all in Adam did fall in a Garden So all in Christ Rose again in a Garden 3. The Tomb it self was an Honourable
brought Light out of Darkness Gen. 1.2 3 4 5 c. Even so did Christ upon the same Day draw his Redeemed People out of that horrible Tohu Va-Bohu or confusion through the Fall out of an estate worse than nothing and brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 By the Power of his Resurrection revealed therein The 2d Reason was to transfer the Legal Sabbath of the Seventh Day to the Evangelical on the First Day because 1. The Old Creation-Sabbath could not hold congruity with this New Creation by Christ who came now to Create New Heavens and a New Earth so as the former should not be remembred nor come into mind Isa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.13 Yea to make all things new Rev. 21.5 c. 2. Nor could it seem any other than Incongruous that this Day of our Lord's Resurrection which began a New Kingdom to wit Christ's Kingdom of the Gospel should pass away into the Old Sabbath that had for its Basis or Foundation the Remembrance of the World's Creation as well as of Israel's Deliverance from Egypt c. And 3. It must be judged very convenient that a peculiar Sabbath should be given to Christians that they might be distinguished from the Jews as they were by their peculiar Rites from the Pagans The 3d Reason was We read in Scripture of four Terrible Earth-quakes the first at the promulgation of the Law of Moses Exod. 19.18 the second was at the Death of our Redeemer the third was at his Resurrection and the fourth shall be at the Day of Judgment when the Law before given shall then be required How can it rationally be rejected that this double Earth-quake at Christ's Death and Resurrection within three days each of other to signifie the shaking of the whole World in both Judaism and Paganism by the Kingdom of the Gospel should not shake the Sabbath from off its old foundation upon a new one especially considering how 't is said I will once more shake not only the Earth as at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.18 but also the Heavens Hag. 2.6 Heb. 12.26 So that there should be a wonderful change both in Church and State and as the Earth-quake at Christ's Death did rend the Vail of the Jewish Temple from top to bottom whereby the Sabbath so far as it was Jewish as well as Sacrifices and Ceremonies were all unbottomed so the Earth-quake at Christ's Resurrection did shake it again unto and upon a new bottom in respect of the Morality and Perpetuity of it For 't is more than probable that as the first famous Earth-quake at God's giving the Law by the Hand of Moses and by the Disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 made such a mighty change and the last at Christ's judging the World by the Law and by the Gospel too will make the greatest change of changes Even of this present evil World into that to come So the two middle Intervening famous Earth-quakes especially being so contiguous touching almost each other as it were and being within the space of thirty six hours one of another so that the Earth had got but a very short rest from the first Convulsion but presently it falls into another quaking fit must necessaily produce this wonderful Alteration seeing they did so nearly conjoin their influences to effect it The 4th Reason of this change of the Sabbath is that Christ's Resurrection was the first Degree or Step of his state of Exaltation whereby he became from the form of a Servant to be an Exalted Prince Phil. 2.7 8 9. Acts 5.30 31. The Lord of All Acts 10 36. and Lord over All Rom. 10.12 yea more particularly the Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 Though the Son of God by his Incarnation became the Son of Man yet did not this diminish his Divine Authority as he was the Second Person of the God-head and therefore wanted no power to maintain the Authority of the Fourth Command and to appoint any one day of the seven according to the pleasure of his Soveraign Will for the observation of the Command touching Sabbath-Day Duties seeing he is Lord even of the Sabbath and the Moral necessity lies in this point that one day of the seven must be sanctified duly to the Lord and sure I am it only is the Soveraignty of this Lord of the Sabbath to chuse his own out of the seven days for his Service that the Son may be honoured with the Religions Remembrance and Holy observation of his first Resurrection day as the Father till then had been honoured with the like Devotion upon his first Resting day from the work of Creation and he that thus honoureth not the Son by despoiling him of his due day and duty himself saith Honours not the Father at all John 5.23 The 5th Reason is The Emphasis and Extraordinary Accent that the Holy Scriptures put upon Christ's Resurrection as of highest Importance to Man's Salvation For the Great Truth of Christ's Resurrection upon which the observation of our Lord's Day is grounded the word of God gives greater confirmation of than of other Gospel Truths As 1st 'T is confirmed by Figures and Significant Types to wit 1. By Adam sleeping while Eve the Mother of all the Living was formed ex ejus latere and taken out of his side then the Man awaked So the Second Adam fell asleep and out of that large Wound in his side came forth the Church the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 then He as God Man awakened 2d By Isaac who was bound upon the Altar to be burnt as a Sacrifice but freed from Death by the Angel and restored to his Father who reckoned God raised up his Son as from the Dead Heb. 11.19 Accordingly it was with our Isaac Jesus c. 3d By Joseph who was shut up in Prison where the Iron entered into his Soul Psal 105.18 as the old Translation reads it and then by a mighty hand of God he was restored to his Father with great Joy So it was with Jesus this Joseph our Brother c. The 4th Figure was By Samson whom the Philistines thought they had secured safe enough when they had him inclosed in Gaza a City with Walls and Gates but he rose up before it was day light plucks up the Posts and Gates of the City and carried them away upon his Shoulders to the top of an Hill Judges 16.3 Even so it was with our Saviour whom the Chief Priests thought they had fast enough in a sealed and guarded Sepulchre But he stronger than Samson raised himself up and by his Irresistible power removed all obstructions carrying the Gates of Death and Hell which could not prevail against him Mat. 16.18 away with him c. The 5th Figure is by Jonah a figure that Jesus made of himself as to his Resurrection who was raised up out of the Whale's Belly which Jonah calls the Belly of Hell Jon. 2.2 So our Jesus was raised out of
the Belly of the Earth his Grave and with Jonah was cast upon dry ground Mat. 12.40 and Preached after c. These are the five figures or types of our Lord's Resurrection even in the Old Testament times long before his Incarnation This great truth of Christ's Resurrection is secondly confirmed as by those aforesaid Figures so by Testimonies of two sorts 1. The foregoing and 2. The following Testomines 1st The foregoing such as were long before Christ came into the World as well as the Figures afore-related and these were the Prophecies of our Lord's Resurrection such as 1. That of Moses Gen. 3.15 The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head to wit in conquering Sin Death Hell and the Devil which Christ could not have conquered unless he rose from the Dead 2. That of David Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Sheol or Grave nor suffer thine Holy one to see Corruption This David could not Prophecy concerning himself because as the Apostle strenuously argueth Acts 13.35 36 37. David saw Corruption but Christ the Son of David did not so and therefore it was an Error in those Good Women who would have embalmed his Body to preserve it from Corruption The like arguing is found in Acts 2.29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36. All grounded on this Prophecy of David 3. That of Isaiah Isa 53.12 He shall divide the spoil with the Strong which the Father promises to the Son as a reward of his Sufferings The Adjective Strong must be supplied with its Substantive thus strong Sin strong Death strong Grave and strong Devil He shall spoil all principalities and powers Col. 2.15 and take the spoil of all these as a Victorious Conquerour doth of his Conquered Enemies which he could not have done had he not risen again this was the promised Wages for his performed Work in the Great Service of the World's Redemption He shall spoil all those spoilers and take their Booties and Treasures from them Luke 11.21 22. yea and leave them empty of Prey 4. That of Hosea Oh Death I will be thy Plagues Oh Grave I will be thy Destruction c. Hos 13.14 which the Apostle Interprets that the Death of Christ was the Death of Death swallowing it up in Victory and giving the Conquest over both Death and the Grave unto us by his Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.54 56. Thus the Enigmatical Emblem of the Phenix in the Fable Dum parit perit Dum perit parit while she brings forth her Young she dies her self and when she dies her self she brings forth her Young Thus did our dear Redeemer by his own Death he brought Life to his Church and Children and by his own Burial he so swallowed up those two swallowers up of him Death and the Grave that neither of them should swallow us up forever because he is Risen When the Head riseth it raiseth up gradually all its Members There be more Prophecies in the other Prophets as Dan. 9.24 c. might be added here were it not too voluminous c. The Second sort of Testimonies were the following Signs as the above-mentioned were the fore-going Prophecies those signs following Christ's Resurrection were 1st The Earth quake whereby the Earth declared a stronger power had Conquered it and therefore she must yield and vomit up Christ's Body out of her Belly as being too hot a Mouthful and too heavy a Belly-full for her to hold any longer Acts 2.24 John 16.21 and Acts 26.23 The 2d Sign was The great Stone rolled away by the Hand of a Mighty Angel who when he had so done sat down upon it as a Conquerour in despite of all the Chief-Priests Guards who ran away as Cowards at his Appearance yet stood he as a Porter before the Door of Christ's Sepulchre to let in the Good Women whose coming he waited for while he sat upon the Stone Thus though our Lord's Death while he suffered the punishment due to us for our sins was in its own nature notoriously shameful yet his Resurrection for our Justification was wonderfully glorious being thus attended by this glorious Angel 3dly The empty Sepulchre Thus the Angel said to the Women He is not here he is Risen come see the place where he lay Mat. 28.6 c. Christ's Body after his Resurrection retained the natural properties of a Body to be circum-scribed in one place at one time the Scripture knoweth no Ubiquity of his Body as the Doctrine of Transubstantiation deviseth If his Body be Risen out of the Grave then 't is not here in the Grave saith the Angel if ye will not believe him nor me believe your own Eyes come see an empty Sepulchre 't is a sufficient Argument to prove that Christ's Body is not present in such or such a place when our senses do not perceive it to be present for thus the Angel argueth otherwise than the Romanists for their Real Presence proving that Christ was not in the Sepulchre because he was Risen out of it and they saw he was not there John believed Christ was not in the Tomb because he saw it empty John 20.8 4thly The Grave-cloaths were left behind and in order John 20.5 6 7. This the Evangelist mentions as a clear evidence of Christ's Resurrection and this alone beside other Arguments were enough to detect that Damnable lye which the Priests taught the Souldiers to tell Say ye his Disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept Mat. 28.13 14 15. how could a louder lye be well told even by the Father of Lies for these following reasons 1st If it were so the Governour might justly say you kept a good Watch the while you shall all be slain because you were all asleep 2dly If you all slept who told you his Disciples stole him away 3dly But suppose the whole Guard of Souldiers were all sleeping at once which is Improbable enough could they all be so fast asleep as none of them to be awaked either by the great Stones rolling away or at least by the horrible Earth-quake 4thly Was it probable that Christ's few and fearful Disciples should now become so fool-hardy as to undertake this exploit in despite of the Guard of so many stout Roman Souldiers but suppose all these Souldiers were fast asleep 5thly It must be concluded that as this was more than those timorous Disciples when they came out of their lurking Holes together could expect so they must make but little noise in accomplishing this great work that none of the Guard could hear their Actings to Accomplish the stealth But 6thly It had been more convenient for those Disciples to have taken away the Body as they found it wrapped up in the Grave-cloaths for they could not but be too fearful of the Souldiers though all asleep as to take up so much time in stripping off the Winding Sheet and untying the Napkin that was about his Head yea and in laying and leaving them all in good
by Abraham If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the Dead Luke 16.30 31. How can they believe the Creature who will not believe the Testimony of the Creator himself revealing his Will to Moses c. 4thyl Those Dead Saints when raised and appearing to living Saints did discourse about Divine Doctrines such as that of Christ's Resurrection and Future Glory in his State of Exaltation as Moses and Elias had done before about Christ's Decease in his State of Humiliation as before both which patterns do direct us to the like practice that when living Saints meet together their discourse should be of Divine Matters as is commanded Mal. 3.16 Though they have not attained that holy state of the Resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.12 We ought to do what we can though we cannot do what we ought this is acceptable to Christ Mark 14.8 5thly The death of the Godly is only as a sleep of the Body till the Morning of the Resurrection come 't is said they slept Mat. 27.52 6thly Christ is a Saviour to Saints before his Death as well as after even of Old Testament Believers 7th This is a Pawn that Christ will raise our Vile Bodies and conform them to his Glorious Body Phil. 3. last The 6th Inquiry is What became of those raised Bodies were they Mortal or Immortal Bodies Answer 1st Some say they were Mortal and that they did die and dissolve into Dust so soon as their Work was done Their ground for this Assertion are these 1. They were only raised up for a little time to testifie the Truth of Christ's Resurrection which when they had done there was no farther Work for them so they laid down their raised Bodies as soon as this was finished which may teach us a willingness to lay down our Bodies when we have fulfilled our Ministry and finished the Work our Father hath given us to work in the World as our Lord and Master as well as these did John 17.3 2. This is the more probable say they because those Bodies which the Angels Assumed wherewith they Feasted with Abraham Gen. 18.8 16. and with Lot Gen. 19.3 c. were laid down again when that special Dispensation was Dispatched and so likely was Moses's Body wherewith he talked with the Messias in his Transfiguration laid aside likewise when that Glory was withdrawn Thus by special Dispensation some are made Rich or Poor let God Abase or Exalt as his Soveraignty pleaseth c. 3. Because these raised Bodies of those Saints say they of this first opinion when they had given their Testimony to the Truth of our Redeemer's Resurrection must either lay down their Bodies again or live an Animal Life upon Earth or Ascend up with Christ into Heaven but they did neither the Second nor the Third therefore they did the first of the Three For as we read nothing of their living on Earth 〈◊〉 conversing with Men after their Resurrection as we read of Lazarus after his John 12.1 2 3 c. save only their Appearance to many so we read as little of their Ascending into Heaven but rather the contrary seeing our Lord was seen to Ascend alone Acts 1.9 10. Answ 2d Others more probably are of Opinion that they were raised Immortal and that they died not again as Lazarus and others whom Christ in his state of Humiliation raised up after a while did but were conversant with Christ during the Forty days he was upon Earth after his Resurrection and then at his Ascension they did Ascend with him in their Bodies as he did into Heaven where they were to be ever with the Lord. Their grounds for this Opinion are these 1. If being raised they had been Mortal and Died again this could not have been so plain a proof and such an Evidencing Specimen and Document of the solid Resurrection that is to come at the last Day which was the Reason and End of this Special Dispensation 2. As the Scripture speaks of a first Resurrection and of the first Fruits of the Resurrection So these Saints Bodies thus raised here might well be priviledged with the first Resurrection to die no more and with being the first fruits of the Harvest to wit of the General Resurrection of all Christ's Redeemed ones 3. As this was more comfortable to them to die no more but to be taken up into Heaven c. So it was more Glorious to Christ who now being entered upon his state of Exaltation raiseth Bodies up now not to die again as he had done in his former state in the form of a Servant but to live for ever and to be Attendants upon their Lord in his Triumph which can never without great Attendance have its due Pomp and Magnificency both while he stayed on Earth and when he went up into Heaven Though the Scripture be silent hereof as it is in the Minute of his Rising 4. Had they died again it had been only a Suscitation rather than a Resurrection c. The Romanists do Triffle in saying that those Saints wandered upon the face of the Wide Ocean or in the remote parts of the Inhabitable Earth c. till Christ Ascended or they tarried for him in the Earthly Paradise c. We say they attended alway on their Lord. Thirdly The Manifestation after the Time and Manner of our Lord's Resurrection which Introduceth the Third Grand Remark herein to wit The Consequents thereof in Christ's several Appearances at several times to sundry persons the Forty Days betwixt his Resurrection out of the Earth and his Ascension into Heaven The Evangelist Matthew speaking short in this after his Manner yet speaks thus far of the Manifestation of Christ's Resurrection That 1. It was declared by an Angel to Mary Magdalen c Mat. 28. ver 1 to 9.2 That it was confirmed by those Women through Christ's Appearing to them v. 9 10. And 3. That it was ratified to his Disciples by his Appearing unto them ver 16 17. to whom as a Triumphant Mediator he gave Commission for laying the Foundation of his New Evangelical Church ver 18.19 20. having now in his state of Separation made his Triumph over Hell the Grave and Death by his Resurrection wherein he set his Foot upon the Neck of that King of Terrors and Terror of Kings bringing Death under his Dominion So that now Death is become but a necessary Engine only to Transplant the Trees of Righteousness which are both of God's Planting and of his Watering into the Celestial Paradise and 't is only a strait Trap-door to let out the Saints out of this Life of Misery and into a Life of Glory Though the precise point of Time the very Instant and Moment thereof wherein Christ rose be not revealed nor likewise the express specifical and distinct Manner of his Rising is clearly recorded in Scripture yet the demonstration of it a posteriori is most Amply Insisted upon by
wicked person nor to Pilute or Herod c. nor had they tydings sent them from the Angel thereof though that probably might have convinced them of their sin but they had rendred themselves incapable of those Priviledges both were done to his Disciples who wereprâ—e ordained for Witnesses Acts 10.41 The Benefits of the Church belong only to the Church Note Those Seven Apostles here must have the Blessing of Christ's Seventh Appearance though they had seen him before that they might be more firmly confirmed in this great Truth which 1. Demonstrated the Divine Nature of Christ Acts 2.24 and Rom. 1.4 which 2. Makes good all the Benefits of his Passion Though David saith What profit is there in my Blood Psal 30.9 Yet is there great profit in Christ's Blood improved by his Resurrection Note Which 3. Is the ground of our Resurrection 1 Pet. 1.3 Christ is Feoffee in Trust for us 〈◊〉 his Resurrection was not only Personal of a particular Man but it was of a publick Person in our Names whom he represented therefore is he call'd the first fruits of the Resurrection as before which sanctifies the whole Crop Ours are but the Appendices of his Resurrection As all Joseph's Brethren shared in his Advancement and all the Jews in Morâ—â—câ—â—'s 〈◊〉 â—odo we sâ—â—â—re in his Note And which 4. Is a special and powerful means to recover us from the swoonings of our Faith both as to our selves in particular and as to the Church ingeneral 1. As to our selves Rom. 6.8 11. There is a spiritual power in Christ's Death to kill sin and in his Resurrection to quicken Grace Faith is the Heliâ—â—rope of Sun-flower that follows this Sun of Righteousness If he be absent Faith saints fails flagged and flattens presently Jacob's Soul was sad for seventeen years at the Joss of Joseph but when he heard that Joseph was alive this revived him Gen. 45 2â— 27. and so should it revive us that our Jesus is alive c. Rev. 1.8 18. And as 2. To the Church could Elisha raise to life a dead Child and cannot Christ do as much for a dead Church Note No wonder then if a Truth of so great importance were so greatly proved by so many Appearances and that to one and the same persons at several times c. The Angel that said to the Women Go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is Risen c. began with this demonstration for proving the Touth of his Resurrection Behold he goeth before you into Galilce Matth. 28.7 and Mark 16.7 The Angel Argues a signo ad signatum from the sign to the thing signified If he be going and upon his Journey then it necessarily follows he must be Risen indeed And thus was this Truth of such vast consequence carried on and continually demonstrated by manifold manifestations of himself to his Disciples both before this and now and after this also So that there might he left no room of doubting thereof in any one of these that were to be the appointed Witnesses c. And sure I am Thomas had need of this for his fuller confirmation and so had Peter to whom Christ had something of great weight to say verse 15 16 17 c. The 4th grand Remark is the occusion which our Lord took for manifesting himself to those Seven to whom he had taken several occasions to shew himself before this The first Adam died and we hear no more of him Job saith If a mas die shall the live again Job 14.14 no surely not till the Resurrection day But so it was not with the second Adam 't is true indeed he died but he lived again Rev. 1.8 18. And we hear of him again and again This is the seventh time of tidings that he was alive the occasion whereof was this Peter said to the other six I go a fishing John 21.3 They all comply to the motion and concur with him here was concord in one work which made them more capable of Christ's company Note But the Question is Whether the work they are agreed in were good if not agreement in Evil is rather Conspiracy than Concord and this is the more doubted 1. Because Christ had called them to leave their Fishing-Trade and to become Fishers of Men Mark 1.17 And 2. Because Christ had told them He that putteth his hand to the plough must not look back Luke 9.62 Answ 1. This Fishing work was no unlawful or dishonest Imploy but well reputed of among the Jews It had been an unlawful looking back indeed had Matthew returned to his work of a Publican Mary Magdalen to her former Lasciviousness c. But this catching of Fish was a work lawful in its own nature Answ 2. They had now nothing else to do for though they were made Fishers of Men yet were they not yet sent out nor yet furnished with the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit to inable them for the Publick Ministry Answ 3. They had now no other way for supplying their own wants having lost their Lord who had hitherto made provision for them As they were Tania mont yet forbid to Preach by being bid to tarry till the Spirit came So they were forbid to be idle They that will not labour either in the sweat of the brow or brain shall not eat Thus Paul sometimes wrought to supply his present necessities 2 Thes 3.8 10. All these Seven therefore went on fishing with a good mind and fished all the night but with bad success for they could catch nothing This was the providential occasion Christ takes to make himself both the better known and the more welcome to them for had they caught any thing his presence and power in the ensuing Miracle of the sudden and so plentiful success had not been so perspicuously and plainly evident Beside it teacheth Note That man's diligence as Solomon saith Prov. 10.4 with 22. without God's blessing is insignificant and unsuccessful All the labour and toil of Man is vain unless God bless it with success Psal 127.1 2. Gen. 11.7 8. Hag. 1.6 9. Unless God stop the hole of the Bag at the bottom with his blessing let Men labour never so hard all runs out Deut. 28.13 c. Were we not thus exercised we should neither beg God's Assistance nor acknowledge his Blessing Note Thus it had been once before They had toiled all night and caught nothing Luke 5.5 Where Christ paid them plentifully for his fare in his use of their Ship No Man shall lose by him And though the Net-brake there yet the Fishes got not out which doubled the Miracle of their plentiful Draught The 5th grand Remark is the manner of Christ's manifestation He comes in the Morning as is aforesaid as a Merchant or House keeper to buy their Fish and there fore asks them Sirs have ye taken any thing John 21.4 5. He calls to them as one that wanted some Fish for the use of his Family or Store-house He hereby causeth them
that trust in him Heb. 13.5 assuring his Apostles here that they should never want necessaries though superâ—â—â—ties they might want without prejudice Nature is content with little 〈◊〉 Grace with less Note But beside this miraculous Provision of Fish c. made by himself he also bids them bring some of their Fish which they had now caught He saith not which I have caused you to catch Thus is he pleased to give them and us the honour of his own Actings and to ascribe such and such good works to us when 't is himself that works all those works in us and for us Isa 26.12 This he doth not so much for pleasing us as for incouraging us in duty Note Nor did our Lord here bid them bring their Fish c. as if his own provision had not been sufficient for them for he could câ—filier have satisfied seven Men with this broiled Fish than he had done 9000 with some few small Fishes c. but it was his pleasure to joyn their labours with his own to honour them as Fellow labourers with him in furnishing this Feast that they might not neglect his Blessing upon their own labour nor lose that which he had helped them unto in the way of their Imploy nor that they should think their great Draught was only a Vision nor that they should tempt God in neglecting means by expecting Micracles Note No sooner had Peter heard his Lord bid bring hither the Fish c. but he always the first and the forwardest to obey his Master's commands runs to the Ship now brought to Shore and with the help of his Fellows brings 153 Fishes but of the Net verse 11. which was a figure of Solomon's Time wherein were found 153 thousand Proselytes 2 Chron. 2.17 Note Here was God's plenty for a Sabbath day Dinner to the tyred Disciples who had toiled all night and taken nothing to eat but this Joy came next morning Psal 30.5 Now the Lord invites them to Dinner saying to them as that King in the Parable said to his Guests Behold I have prepared my Dinner and all things are ready c. Matth. 22.4 When their labour and obedience was accomplished the Master calls them to Dinner to Dine both upon the Food that he had created and upon the Fish that they had caught by his Blessing for both were miraculously brought to hand and ordained for one and the same End Note And when they were sat down to Dinner verse 12 13. then shewed he himself as Master of the Family his Church as he had oft done before his Death distributing to each of them their Portion Matth. 25.14 Luke 12.42 himself Dining with them not that he now wanted Meat but this was done to assure them of the Truth of his Manhood and that he was no Spectrum or Phantasm nor was it only to feed his Disciples corporally but also spiritually in the grand Doctrine of the Resurrection for though they knew by his Face Voâ—â—â— and Actings that it was the Lord yet were not void of all scruples which against such clear evidences they were ashamed to propound Hence was it that Christ condescended to convince them of their groundless scruples by so many signs and circumstances Note As 1. His coming in twice among them when the Doors were shut shewed that his Body was now glorified and made spiritual 2. The Skars he still retained as Trophee-marks of his Triumph to which Paul alludes Gal. 5.17 shewed that it was the same Body which was Crucified 3. His Body being seen here standing upon the Shore shewed that his Resurrection had Landed him above the reach of Sea-storms for had they seen him walking upon the Waters as he did Matth. 14. they would have suspected him to be some Spirit as then they did verse 25 26 c. And now 4 He Dines with his Disciples that no longer any place of doubting might remain Acts 1.3 and 10.41 Christ saith Austin did really feed with his Disciples ex potentia not ex indigentia The Summer Sun by his hot Beams sucks up Water as well as the thirsty Earth the former doth it by power the latter for need No doubt but a glorified Body can eat though it need not do so For glorification cannot take away any power c. Briefly learn hence 1. When God will bless Man all second Causes shall cooperate and contribute their concurring help here the Net breaks not but when God will cross Man then the strongest sinew in his Arm shall crack and his most probable Projects shall have an Abortion He can curse our Blessings Mal. 2.2 and blast all our proceedings as King John confessed Since I subjected to Rome I never prospered 2. Hence learn that 't is Christ's method of Providence to exercise us with disappointments and discouragements for a while to prepare us the better thereby for some greater blessing Thus these Disciples caught nothing all night but the morning made amends for all their labour in vain before Thus Joseph and David were prepared for Advancement to the highest Dignities by many praeceding disappointments c. And thus Israel were long bewildered before brought to Canaan 3. Learn how this World is a Warfare no sooner out of one Trouble but into another Peter here was no sooner got safe through the Sea to Christ but presently his Lord bids him go into the Sea again and fetch the Fish c. Thus our Lord dealeth with us no sooner hath he delivered us out of one Temptation but immediately that we should not Rust for want of exercise he casts us into another yet leads us out and leaves us not in it 4. 'T is but a Dinner with Christ upon Earth until all our toil and travel in Trouble is over but it shall be a Supper with him in Heaven Rev. 19.9 Be we but now nigh the Shore of Deliverance 't will be our happiness to Dine with Christ in a more glorious Raised Dispensation Yet Unda supervenit Vndae one Wave follows another After Dinner before the night of Death come new Storms may overtake us but when we Land upon Death's Shore we rest from our Labours Rev. 14.13 no more Fears or Tears we shall sup and sleep with Christ for ever 5. Learn hence that we have all our Food from Christ and we are his Guests at our own or other's Table As we should receive all with thankfulness 1 Tim. 4.4 Deut. 8.10 c. so must we demean our selves as in his presence not seeding without fear Jude verse 12. not as the profane who have not God in their heads hearts words or works In a word learn hence lastly The Mystery of this whole History That the World is this Sea Preachers are the Fishers the Accoutrements necessary are the Ship the Church and the Net the Word of God The Fisher-men should strip themselves of secular Affairs and be naked with Peter of worldly cares They must be girt also with him yet without Christ they
at his Ascension captivated those that had held us in Captivity for 1. So God's Justice required Isa 33.1 2. So God's goodness had promised Isa 24.21 22. Rev. 13.10 And 3. So our Lord Christ hath fulfilled Col. 2.15 Saving his People to the uttermost Hebr. 7.25 from Sin Death Hell and the Devil who taketh Sinners alive and leadeth them Captive at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 till Christ make a rescue Luke 11.21 22. Thus our Lord Ascended and rode up on high in a Glorious Cloud as in a Chariot of State to his Palace of rest and glory not only leading away a certain number of Captives Note namely those Saints as some interpret who had been held in the Captivity of Death whose bodies rose at Christ's Resurrection Matth. 27.52 and who now accompanied him in his Triumphant march into Heaven But also in a more general sense Captivating 1. Passively all the elect who had been Captives to Satan Sin the World Death and Hell Those their Captives Christ rescues out of their destroying hands and makes them blessed Captives to himself by changing their Miserable into an Holy and Happy Captivity whereby they are brought into the easy Yoke of Christ Matthew 11.29 30. and into the pleasant Obedience of the Gospel Prov. 3.17 2 Cor. 10.5 1 John 5.3 Or 2. Actively Captivating all the Temporal and Spiritual Enemies of his Church and Children who had been Captivated by them Satan had the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 Christ fought the Field with him on the Cross and there spoiled him Col. 2.14 And now Triumphs openly over him in his Ascension verse 15. So Christ Conquered the world John 16 33. And so he did Sin Death Hell c. From hence learn 1st That though the Devil reign still every where as the God of this present evil world which lyeth in wickedness wholly 2 Cor. 4.4 Gal. 1.4 1 John 5.19 Yet Christ hath captivated him hath him in a Chain 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude ver 6. Rev. 20.1 2. And will tread him down under our Feet shortly Ro. 16.20 As he hath done under his own Feet As this is decreed of God foretold and promised by God so in due time it shall certainly be accomplished by Christ yea and personally shall be applyed to every particular true believer 2dly That such as are sensible they are sold under sin c. Rom. 7.14 24. should improve this benefit by believing and not wilfully rot in prison lying still as the Devil's drudges there when Christ hath broke open the Prison-Doors and proclaimed liberty c. Isa 61.1.2 who can commiserate their case that will not come to Christ for life John 5.40 3dly Learn comfort here thou trembling Soul what Christ did here he did not for himself only but for the sake of all his Servants As Joshua first conquered the Kings and shut them up in a Cave then brought them forth and makes his Souldiers and Servants to tread upon their Necks Joshua 10.18 24. So our Jesus hath made his Saints more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 Even Triumphers over all their Enemies 2 Cor. 2.14 Christ's Victory is our Victory he hath broke the Old Serpent's Head we are only exercised with his Tail-temptations and tho' Satan may bruise our Heel so as to make us halt yet ought we to go halting endways towards Heaven as Jacob went halting over the Plain of Penuel Gen. 32.31 We shall Reign with Christ if we suffer with him 2 Tim. 2.12 The 4th Reason of our Saviour's Ascension was to give gifts to Men. c. As the Psalmist saith Psal 68.18 and the Apostle Eph. 4.8 Only with a little Variation As 1st The Old Testament saith how Christ received gifts at his Ascension but the New that he gave them he only received that he might give those gifts for he had no need of them himself As he received them with one hand so he gave them with the other 2dly The Old Testament faith these gifts were for Men be Adam for such as were in Adam that he might repair the lost Image of God in them as it was in Adam before his fall But the New Testament saith these gifts were for his Church which are mentioned Eph. 4.11 Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ c. These were the Gifts he bestowed upon the day of his Coronation and Solemn Inauguration into his Throne of Clory at his Triumphant Ascension These he received that he might give them looking upon it more honourable to give than to receive Acts 20.35 3dly The Old Testament adds even to the Rebellious for the best have been such till the Lord gave them better Hearts Rom. 4.5 5.6 8 10. Yea though they continue in their Rebellion yet may they share in common Gifts and external priviledges for the benefit of his People some such may receive common Grace which is Gratis data tho' not Gratum faciens graciously given of God but not making truly gracious to God And even the Rebellious may receive Restraining Grace that God may dwell among his Redeemed in his Religion and true Worship But those Rebels then lay down Arms and dare not fight against God any longer when once God comes to dwell among them c. Thus Christ did here as Kings at their Coronation commonly do in casting several pieces of Coin abroad to be picked up by the common people so here at his entrance into his heavenly Kingdom he scattered his Gifts among his Subjects and fills his Church with his goodness Hence learn we 1st That none ought to be proud of their Gifts seeing they are not our own but we may well say of them as the Young Man said of his Hatchet Alas Master it was but borrowed 2 Kings 6.5 This consideration may suffice to cut the Coxcomb of vain-glorious and self-ascribing or self-admiring Boasters What is it we have not Received c. 1 Cor. 4.7 To glory in our Gifts is as great folly as for the Groom to be proud of Riding upon his Master's pransing Palfrey the Actor at the Play-house of wearing his borrowed Gay cloaths or the Mudwall of the Sunshine that giveth it a lustre 2dly That none ought to plead Ignorance Inability c. This excuse cannot be current Coin for the Court of Heaven Men should rather go to Christ who gives gifts than persist in unfitness for Generation-work If any want Wisdom c. let him ask it of God who is the giver of all good Gifts James 1.5 6. They do worthily want that may be supplied by asking Yet ask not Matth. 7.7 The Tree of Life must be shaken then the Fruit which is above our heads though the Root in his Birth c. be below may fall down for us to gather 3dly This may incourage that in this great defect of Gospel-Ministers Christ can supply he hath gifts to give and the residue
Heaven and most remote from Noise and Company yet Capacious enough to contain an Hundred and Twenty Persons So a place fittest for this Service of God c. 3. The Persons who were Materials and the Constituting members of this first Constituted Gospel Church are described by their Names Number and Holy Exercises Acts 1.12 13 14 15 c. Amongst whom is named as one of them Mary the Mother of our Lord verse 14. Which is the first time we hear any thing of her after Christ's Death not any of the Evangelists Recording one word of our Lord 's appearing once to her during the Forty days of his tarrying upon Earth yet the Romanists will have her to Command her Son in Heaven in his State of Exaltation who would not be commanded by her at the Marriage-Feast in his State of humiliation saying to her What have I to do with thee Woman c. John c. 2. v. 4. Note There were Holy Women mingled among the Men who waited for the promise of the Spirit and for ten days they all put in suit by their Daily Prayers and no doubt but those of the Feminine Sex might make Masculine Prayers for obtaining the promised Comforter during those ten days of waiting Peter the designed Minister of the Circumcision among whom he now was stood up that this New-planted Church might chuse one in Judas's room to Organize it with a compleat number of Officers that there might be twelve Apostles answerable to the twelve Patriarchs and the twelve Tribes of Israel The Church hereupon chuseth two Joses and Matthias for the Lord to chuse one of them by lot according to Pro. 16.33 which fell to Matthias By that time that their number was compleated wanting nothing now but extraordinary Qualifications for their extraordinary Service in their Generation-work the day of Pentecost came and the effusion of the Holy Spirit upon them This we have Related at large in the 2d Chapter of the Acts This Feast was instituted in Remembrance of the Law delivered to Moses in the Mount fifty days after Israel's departure out of Aegypt at which time they kept the Passover which was their Feast of Unleavened Bread Lev. 23.16 Therefore was it call'd Pentecost which signifies fifty and the Feast of Weeks Exod. 34 22. because it was to be observed Seven Weeks exactly after the Passover Deut. 16.9 And 't is call'd also the Feast of first Fruits of their Wheat-Harvest Exod. 34.22 now that there might be the most Adapted and Accommodated Congruity and Correspondency betwixt the Type and the Antitype as the Law was given upon that fiftieth day Exod. 19.1 11. So the Gospel which is our Lord's Law that great Lawgiver Isa 33.22 must be given upon the self same day Then also were the gifts of the Holy Spirit poured down in most plentiful manner which were the blessed first fruits of the Gospel-Wheat-Harvest after our Lord was Ascended up into Heaven and had sat down but ten days at the Right hand of God Besides not only the Holy Ghost and God's love thereby Rom. 5.5 is sent down and shed abroad on the fiftieth day after that Christ our Paschal Lamb and Passover was Sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 But also this same fiftieth day did fall upon the first day of the Week the more to honour this day to Recommend it to us as the New Christian Sabbath day as Christ had done by his Resurrection upon that day and by his Sundry Appearances to the number of ten upon the same first day of the Week during the Forty days before his Ascension Note We never read of his once appearing all that time upon the seventh day of the Week which was the Old Jewish Sabbath day and which certainly he would have honoured by so doing had he intended that day to be still the perpetual Sabbath nor did he send the Comforter upon that seventh day but upon the first day of the Week again which was the Eight-first-day inclusive after his Resurrection upon the first day of these Eight first days compleating the fifty or Pentecost-Feast Our Lord after he was Ascended and sat down with an Heavenly welcome in Heaven for accomplishing his whole Redemption-work on Earth stayed yet his hand for ten days that as his death was at the Passover so his dignity should be at Pentecost For at both them two Feasts all the Males were to appear in Jerusalem not only out of all the 12 Tribes but also out of every Nation where the Jews had been dispersed that as all these have been witnesses of the injury done to Jesus so they might likewise behold the fruits and effects of his Glory N.B. Thus are we bid to wait but ten days as those did here Rev. 2.10 And then the Comforter will come to us in the mean time let us get up to the mountain of Myrrh and to the hill of Frankincense Cant. 4.6 that is wait in repenting and in praying work till these ten days of dark shadows flee way c. Now whilst this Primo-primitive Church were waiting together with one accord as if there had been but one Soul for an hundred and twenty Bodies there comes unexpectedly at the end a rushing mighty wind that shakes this upper Room The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 and fills every corner of it to fit them for receiving the fiery Cloven-Tongues that came and sat upon each of them N.B. which was a blessed Antidote against that confusion of Tongues wherewith the Builders of Babel were plagued from Heaven The pure Lip and Language even the unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace is promised to Zion's Builders Note Hereby the Apostles were inabled to speak in all Languages having the gift of Tongues Superadded to those great gifts and graces of the Spirit which now they received in a more excellent and extraordinary manner than formerly When the Native Jews and the two sorts of Proselites both those of the Gate owning only the Precepts of Noah and those of Righteousness who were circumcised c. heard them all speak the wonderful works of God in Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension c. and this in every Lingua as filled with the Spirit This procured contrary events and effects for that part of the Auditory that was good were amazed and forced into a Rapture the Object being too strong for the faculty so do only ask at present one another's sentiments of this wonder c. Because they could not fathom the depths of the marvelous Divine Dispensation this drove them into an Extacy as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Acts 2.11 12. and therefore they request one of another to be resolved of a reason concerning them But the bad part of the Authority to wit the Scribes Pharisees c. who understood not Foraign Dialects mocked saying These men are drunk with New-Wine ver 13. thinking with this Aspersion to perswade the People that the Apostles did but
among common Malefactors and though they were fetched out from Prison by an holy Angel yet were they after beaten by these wicked men v. 40. Note Oh the Tenderness of God to his tender Servants while these Apostles were but tender Striplings and not yet grown up to maturity God stays the Rough Wind in the day of the East-Wind and lets it out of his fist as Prov. 30.4 not whole bushels of Affliction at once but only by peck and by peck as the Hebrew word signifies Isa 27.8 as his people are made able to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 They were but tender Plants at their being first filled with the Spirit Acts 2.4 so must not at the first be blown upon with the boisterous blasting and blustering Euroclydon Acts 27.14 or East-Wind of Persecution lest those Trees of Righteousness of God's planting and watering Isa 61.3 should be too much shaken or blowed down quite by the Roots But now after they were filled the second time with the Spirit Acts 4.31 and so better fitted for suffering work by the Spirit of Glory that rested on them 1 Pet. 4.14 they must now grapple with greater Sufferings at this time N.B. There is most comfortable Gospel in that Levitical Law What Vessel is not able to bear the purifying by Fire it shall suffice to rinse them by Water Numb 31.23 In God's great House there be various Vessels some of Wood as well as others of Gold c. 2 Tim. 2.20 21. The Psalmist speaks of both a passing through the Fire and also a passing through the Water Psal 66.10 12. So compassionate and tender-hearted is our heavenly Father toward us that rather than our spirit should fail in the day of our Affliction because our strength is small Prov. 24. v. 10. he will not over-afflict us with Fiery Trials it shall suffice to purifie us with brackish Waters c. He will suit the stroke to the strength he will proportion the burden to the back of the bearer Thus dealt God with David's Son gently chastizing him with the Rod of weak Men 2 Sam. 7.14 15. as tender Parents chasten their stubborn Children to break their stomachs but not their bones God will not scourge us with Scorpions nor crush us with the weight of his own mighty hand upon us The third Remark is that no Humane Misery can befal the Church and Children of God but there is a suitable Salvo of Divine Mercy They can meet with no kind of Malady upon Earth but what may have a more powerful and preponderating Remedy from Heaven Note God sometimes shifts hands and changes means and methods of his Church's Deliverance as here The first was by an Angel the second by Men he works both ways by Peter's Apology or by Gamaliel's Counsel he will be exalted in his own strength when not in the strength of the creature Psal 21.13 not by might but spirit Zech. 4.6 Here the foul Fiend of Hell the Devil by his Imps prevails so far as to cast the Apostles into Prison there he lodges and confines them But is the matter carried so No God sends an Angel who over-powers and out-pulls the Devil makes a forcible Entry with a Rescue and pulls the Prisoners out of Prison c. God could have delivered them by other means but he useth here the Ministry of Angels for the better confirmation of their new exercised Faith letting them see by experience that he had given his Angels charge over them Psal 91.11 And the same and no less is the priviledge of all that fear God The Angels incamp round about them Psal 34.7 They are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to all Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Suppose Satan as our Saviour saith Rev. 2.10 should cast some of us into Prison still God's hand is not shortned 't is God's Ordinance doubtless and the good we must now look for from Angels is as they are in the hands of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 They are all under Christ's Power Matth. 11.27 and 28.18 They ministred to him Matth. 4.11 and Rolled away the Stone from the mouth of his Sepulchre Mat. 28.2 They healed Bodies John 5.4 opened Prisons as here and Acts 12.7 N.B. And undoubtedly they do many signal and singular services for God's Servants still though their visible Apparitions be ceased yet their invisible Operations for Heirs of Salvation shall never cease Some have thought they have felft the touch of an Angel when they have been entring upon some evil Act and thereby have been reclaimed 'T was doubtless an Angel that spoke to Mr. Laremouth a Scotch Minister and Chaplain to the Lady Ann of Cleve and being praying in Prison in the Marian days saying once twice thrice Arise and go thy ways whereupon he arising from his knees and ending his prayer immediately a piece of the Prison-wall fell down whereby he not only was delivered from being crushed to pieces but also escaped beyond Sea c. N.B. God will now have us to live by Faith and not to walk by Sense and therefore we must not see those Ministring Angels yet ought we so to believe as to improve this Ordinance of God N. B. It may be God will make use of Angels to throw down Babylon with Violence and with a Vengeance Rev. 18.21 When Rome that Rueful Milstone which hath grounded to Powder so many Myriads of Saints shall be irreparably Ruined yea rather than the Everlasting Gospel should not be Preached perpetually but fail by the forced silence of holy Men's Ministry God may make an Angel Preach it c. Rev. 14.6 No doubt but Angels do now act for the Church and Children of God though invisibly their hands are under their wings Ezek. 1.8 They are not seen now because Christ governs his Church in a spiritual way yet have we communion with them by Christ though in an invisible manner Hec. 12.22 They are our Nurses to keep us in our way wherein while we abide they protect us c. This they do for us from our Birth to our Death and then as Nurses they carry home the Nurse-child to the Father's house at his command Luke 16.22 Holy Angels fight for us though the Devil and his Angels fight against us Rev. 12.7 This is comfort The 4th Remark is God works such convincing and such confounding Deliverances for his Church and Children that their Adversaries are non-plus'd and horribly perplexed thereby Thus was it with these Adversaries 't is said They doubted about these wonderful things that were done whereunto this Deliverance would grow Acts 5.24 The word translated They doubted is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be thrust into inextricable straits to be profoundly perplexed so 't is read of Herod Luke 9 7. They as he did stood here amuzed and amazed they as it were stuck fast in the Mud and could find no way out and knew not which way to turn themselves They were in such doubt and fear as put them to a loss what
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
the 4th Tho' some of the Antients did Question this Epistle c. yet more of them do confirm its Authority not only they but also all modern Authors finding the Spirit of an Apostle all along breathing in it as well as in all others There is in this Epistle the same Majesty Purity Efficacy Spirituality and power upon mens Consciences all which do demonstrate its Divine impression Moreover the Rabbins say that Enoch instituted that great excommunication of MARAN-ATHA 1 Cor. Chap. 16.22 What became of Jude at last the Scripture mentions not but Eusebius tells of his going to Agbarus King of Edessa whom he cured and converted according to the letter our Lord returned in Answer to the King 's first letter sent to him and there he lyes interred but other Ecclesiastical writers say that he went with his Brother Simon into Persia where he was slain by the Pagan Priests c. This is only humane Testimony Now come we through the supplies of the Spirit of Christ Phil. 1.19 to the fourth and last of all the Apostles to wit John having no Scripture-light concerning the History of the rest of the Apostles and therefore are here omitted in this Discourse who as he was the best Beloved Disciple so was honoured above the other by his Loving Lord both in writing Scripture being made an Evangelist in his Gospel an Apostle in his Epistles and a Prophet in his Revelation and also in prolonging his Life the longest of all for he survived all his Collegues and died last of all the Apostles as is supposed about an hundred years after the birth of Christ and is thought to have gone to continued in Asia till the Third of the Ten Persecutions under Trajan The Remarks upon this last living and over-living Apostle John who lived till the Ninety seventh year of his Age and was the only Apostle that saw his Lord's prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem fulfilled are these The first is as John is frequently called the best Beloved Disciple John 13.23 24. So he had most of his Lord 's personal Favours in being usually present at his chiefest Miracles as at his Transfiguration on Tabor Matth. 17.1 Luke 9.28 in Raising Jairus's Daughter Mark 5.37 c. and so at his Agony in the Garden Luke 22.8 at the Priest's Hall John 18.15 and at his Passion under the Cross John 19.25.26 where Christ commended to him the care of his Mother To which may be added his first Testimony of Christ's Resurrection John 20.2 8. His being an Agent in the first Miraculous Cure after Christ's Ascension Acts 3.3 c. His boldness for Christ Crucified Acts 4.13 and his conferring the Holy Ghost c. at Samaria Acts 8.14 15 17. As also His being call'd by his Lord Boanerges a Sun of Thunder Mark 3.17 and a Pillar of the Church Gal. 2.9 c. The second Remark is This Apostle spent most of his time in Asia which seems to be his Province falling to him as some say by Lot when the Apostles divided their Apostolical work Tho' it should not be granted that the seven famous Churches call'd Golden Candlesticks in the lesser Asia were founded by John who Preached mostly in those parts but that they were founded as others think by Peter and Paul yet this is plainly evident that after the death of Peter and Paul John took upon him the charge of these Churches and was much conversant among them Hereupon some not improbably conjecture N.B. That the Epistle from Laodicea mentioned in Col. 4.16 must be meant the first Epistle of John which was wrote by him while he abode in Laodicea This is safer to say than that it was an Epistle written by Paul from Laodicea which is now lost as the Papists say and therefore they do infer that the Canon of the Holy Scriptures is defective And to affirm that Epistle to be the first Epistle of John is better done than those Quakers do who have Printed a Translation of that spurious and Apocryphal Epistle from Laodicea and plead for it However this is certain John wrote an Epistle to Laodicea and to her Six Sister-Churches in Asia wherein he declareth great Declinings in those Divided Apostatizing Times whereof Paul pertinently giveth this intimation saying All they that are in Asia are turned from me 2 Tim. 1.15 No wonder then if John found the Synagogue of Satan Satan's Throne false Apostles working Magical wonders a Jezebel and corrupt Doctrines c. as John's Epistles Rev. 2. and 3. do express among those that were deserters of Paul and had been ashamed of his Bonds And no wonder then if this Apostle observing the notorious decay of Truth Piety and Charity wrote his first General Epistle as a suitable Salve for these sad Sores of the Church wherein throughout he inter-weaveth Purity of Doctrine Piety of Life and Love to the Brethren the better to fortifie them against the Seducers of that day and his other two Epistles are very much of the same Argument in the closure of which he intimates his desire and purpose shortly to come to them and he wrote his Gospel against such as denied the Deity of Christ The third Remark is The powerful providence of God in this Apostle's preservation from the Residue of his perils in those Primitive Pagan Persecutions we find him in the Isle Pathmos Rev. 1.9 Some say he went thither voluntarily to avoid Persecution and to Preach the Word there but this is improbable because those Islands in the Archipelago where Pathmos is have in them few Inhabitants That very Text tells us he was there not to Preach the Word of God but it was for Preaching it in Ephesus and other places for which the persecuting Emperor banished him thither N.B. The Pagan Persecutions were now begun by that Monster Nero out of the mouth of which Ravenous Lion the Lord delivered Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 c so did he deliver John from him for he was not banished till the Reign of Domitian but within Three years time after Nero had begun his Barbarous Cruelties against the Christians that Tyrant died by his own hands to escape publick and a more shameful execution N.B. In him ended the blood and family of the Caesars and then had the Churches of Christ rest as 't is said Acts 9.31 on a like occasion from bloody persecutions for twelve years and upward c. by reason of the short Reigns of Galba Otho and Vitellius God so ordering it for his Church's good that no sooner had the Soldiery of Spain proclaimed Galba to succeed Nero in the Empire but Otho riseth up against him and cuts him off in the 7th Month of his Reign and set up himself but before Otho was well warm in the imperial Chair that Debauchee Vitellius rose up against him put his army to the foil for which Otho slew himself so he rendred his life and his Empire up both together to him When he had Reigned if it
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