gold And such are the Sacraments and vertues in them and conveyed by them For whereas spiritual things have no proper name of their own saith Dion Areopagita its necessary that if we must know them they borrow the symbolical representations of themselves from outward and sensible things whereby they may be accommodated and fitted unto our understanding For it is impossible saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Divine Ray should otherwise shine unto us then as it is inveloped and hidden in variety of holy coverings Seeing therefore that which we partake of in the Sacrament inwardly is a spiritual thing and the very same spiritual grace whereof the Israelites were partakers in the Passover and even the Israelites and we Surrogatus Israel the true Christian Church eat of the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.3 4. The difference of the outward Elements makes no difference in the spiritual grace For Christ of whom we partake in the Sacrament is properly no more Bread and Wine then he is Manna and Water out of the Rock then he is the meat and drink Offering then he is a Pascal Lamb. All which signifie Christ The difference therefore is only in the outward signes Obs 1. As there is an inward hidden man of the heart a spiritual and heavenly man 1 Pet. 3.4 so in reason there must be an inward spiritual and heavenly food which he inwardly feeds upon and wherewithal he is inwardly nourished And therefore when our Lord had spoken of his body and blood to be fed upon and drunk he saith My words they are spirit and they are life even the truth of God Veritas est animae pabulum the divine truth is the food of the soul the Pascal Lamb the spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10.2 3. That bread of God which comes down from heaven John 6.33 That hidden Manna that food which endures unto the everlasting life All this is Christ the truth the spiritual Bread Meat Manna Pascal Lamb. And this is that which the true believer inwardly eats and feeds upon in the holy Sacrament This is that which our Lord meant when he said Matth. 26.26 This is my body this is my blood c. For surely his natural body his outward flesh and blood was present with them at the Table and of that he could not be understood to speak but of his inward and spiritual body and blood which he gave even his living Word and Spirit Of this he speaks fully John 6.48 58. Obs 2. As there is an inward and spiritual man and a proportionable food for him so must there be an inward and spiritual participation of that food For it is not possible corporally and bodily to eat that which is spiritual and heavenly And therefore what we read in the text Eat not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it Moses expresseth otherwise toward the end of this Chapter A stranger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not eat thereof what is turn'd thereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as Arias Montanus renders it exactly a stranger shall not eat in it And again when thou hast circumcised him then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall eat in it and so often in the following words The participation of Christ is inward in the Sacrament It is something inward that the believer feeds upon So the Psalmist dwell saith he in the land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pasce veritatem and feed on the truth Obs 3. Christ is to be partaken with and in his afflictions the Lamb must be eaten roasted the sawce is bitter herbs the bread is bread of affliction 1 Thes 1.5 6. the cup is of Christs passion Exhort Be we all exhorted not to eat of the Lamb raw nor sodden at all with water but roast with fire his head upon his legs and upon the purtenance thereof yea to eat the whole Lamb let us endeavour after a full communion with Christ 1 Cor. 1.13 Is Christ divided ver 30. He is made unto us wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Conform our selves to his minde motions actions life strength c. Whether do we thus communicate with him Whether are we strong against our spiritual enemies by Christ who is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 The Lord tels Joshuah Chap. 7. There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore thou canst not prevail against thine enemies There must no uncircumcised person eat of the Passeover There must of necessity therefore be an inward circumcision of the heart that the accursed thing may be removed a laying aside all filthiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and superfluity of naughtiness that we may receive with meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save our souls This is no hasty business 'T is true the circumcision of the flesh was soon dispatched but that of the Spirit is a long work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumcidendo circumcidetur Gen. 17.13 in circumcising he shall be circumcised It s long a doing as that which answers to it mortification moriendo morieris dying thou shalt die It s a long a lingring death That sinful life which we have lived in the flesh was not contracted in an instant no nor in a short time Nemo repente fit pessimus no man is stark naught upon a sudden but by little and little and by little and little is the sinful life to be deaded and destroyed and the holy life to be raised from the dead Nemo repente fit optimus no man becomes so good as he ought to be upon a sudden What the Lord promised Israel according to the flesh Exod. 23.27 28. and made it good to them outwardly the like he promiseth and makes good to Israel according to the Spirit inwardly He sends his fear before us and drives out the spiritual enemies for the fear of God driveth out the sin Ecclus 1.21 O but it 's better thou wilt say to die once then be alwayes a dying O how painful is it to die unto sin Every sin is a life such as it is and therefore to part with it must be painfull as death How tedious and irksom is the pain of circumcision It 's said of the Sichemites that they were sore on the third day Their pains then prevailed saith the Chald. Paraph. as all wounds are most sore on the third day But thy wounds may be sore thy two first dayes Hos 6.2 The law of the Father which brings in the fear Exod. 20.20 that has torment 1 John 4.18 The Gospel of the Son requires the mortification of sin Romans 6.8 But then followes the third day the quickning power of the Spirit But alas I am unclean and guilty to my self of many sins and how shall I eat the Pascal Lamb 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. A multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the Passeover otherwise then it was written But Hezekiah prayed for them saying The
hear his voice c. and here in the text If for all this ye will not hearken unto me c. He speaks to those who are his people within his call within hearing And therefore Psal 95. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si in voce ejus if ye will hear in his voice if ye be within hearing if ye be his flock for to those he there speaks So Esay 1.19 20. If ye be willing if ye be obedient c. But if ye refuse and rebell c. whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Ezech. 3.11 21. If any man will do his will c. John 7.17 These and many the like Scriptures evidently prove that the Lord having declared his will unto his people he leaves them in the hand and power of their own counsel as the Wise man saith Ecclus 15.14 It is a free and voluntary act to sin and to be disobedient and harden our hearts against the voice and calling of God And as free and voluntary an act it is through the preventing grace of God to hear the Lords voice to be willing and obedient Wherefore be we exhorted Beloved to hearken unto the Lord to walk in his statutes to keep his Commandements and do them In one word to be obedient unto him That 's here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I shewed before and the LXX here render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to obey and the Chald. Par. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Castellio turns it Quod si neque tum mihi morigerantes c. If neither then ye be obedient unto me c. So the French Translation and the Italian And all other sound to the same purpose All the promises of God all the temporal and spiritual blessings tend hereunto Yea all the threatnings all the punishments all the curses aim at this to make the people obedient unto their God which is the main drift of this whole Chapter yea of the whole Law and Gospel and in special of this Text. What ever fals short of this however pleasing to us it s not acceptable not pleasing unto God 1. Whether it be Reading and curious prying into the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye search the Scriptures so those words are to be translated as I may shew hereafter if the Lord will for herein ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me but ye will not come to me that ye might have life John 5.39 40. 2. Or whether it be outward hearing of Gods word For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 Otherwise they deceive themselves and that in the main James 1.22 3. Nor is it enough to know the word and will of God the Lord saith of those hypocrites Esay 58.2 They seek me daily and delight to know my wayes And the same people had a form of knowledge even so far as to be able to instruct others yet they taught not themselves Rom. 2.20 21. 4. Nor will holy conference prove acceptable without obedience For of such holy pratlers the Lord saith with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their covetousness Ezech. 33.31 And therefore the Lord expostulates with the wicked in his judgement what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and hast cast my words behinde thee Psat 50.16 17. 5. No nor is faith it self sufficient without the obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 For faith without works is dead James 2.26 6. Nor is a velleity or half-will enough Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian but S. Paul wisht that he and all that heard him were both almost and altogether Christians Acts 26.28 29. Completa voluntas pro facto aestimatur a compleat will is accepted for the deed that is when the deed cannot be done nor is at all in our power according to which the Apostle saith that if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to what a man hath not according to what he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 7. But what shal we say of obedience of it self if it be only in part performed when it is in our power to do the whole and stand compleat in all the will of God the partial and half obedience is not accepted Saul had done much of Gods will and in lieu of what was wanting he reserved a Sacrifice But what saith Samuel unto him Hath the Lord delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifies as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15.22 Yea though lesse of the work were performed yet if done with our whole will and all the power we have it s accepted of God David must not build God an house though he much desired so to do 2 Sam. 7.5 yet what David might do he did to the utmost of his power I have prepared saith he with all my might for the house of my God c. 1 Chron. 29.2 And this was accepted of God saith Solomon It was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the Name of the Lord God of Israel But the Lord said to David my Father Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my Name thou didst well in that it was in thine heart Notwithstanding thou thou shalt not build the house 2 Chron. 6.7 8 9. 8. Can we ascend yet one step higher We may Read we may and search the Scriptures and hear and know all that 's knowable and talk it out again yea we may believe and may have all faith 1 Cor. 13.2 Yea we may be somewhat willing to do Nay we may do many things as Herod did Mark 6.20 Nay we may do all we ought to do yet if we persevere not in the faith good will and obedience all we have done is as if it were undone when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them in the iniquity which he hath done shall he die Ezech. 18.26 He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Matth. 10.22 Be thou faithful unto the death of all and every sin and I will give thee the crown of life Revel 2.10 The Lord strengthen us all in faith good will obedience and perseverance For t is possible notwithstanding all the promises of God and all his threatnings denounced against his people yet that they may not be obedient That 's the Lords second supposition in the Text. 2. The Lord supposeth that his people may not hearken unto him for this or as it is explained for all this for all is not in the Text notwithstanding all the punishments inflicted Whence it appears that the end which the Lord aims at in all the chastisements and punishments of his
the outward profession and practise They are to heal the Nations Revel 22.2 to heal the diseased So the Sun is not only the cause of life but of medicin also Therefore the Poets made Apollo the Sun the Author of both Which is true of the Sun of Righteousnesse in both respects Mal. 4.2 For unto those who fear the Lords Name the Sun of Righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings The same tree of life affords both Revel 22.2 Hitherto we have heard the Lords first precept which is affirmative The second followes which is negative But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill thou shalt not eat of it Through the subtilty of the Serpent the woman given for an help to the man fell a lusting after her own will to be somewhat her self by that desire she had to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil And hereby she desired in a way contrary to Gods command to be like unto God to see and know all what God sees and knowes And of this forbidden fruit she her self did eat and gave her husband also to eat of it And so fell away from the light and life and wisdom and will of God to her own vain opinion earthly wisdom and will of the flesh This is that we call the fall of man whereby the life is mingled with the death good with evil light with darknesse truth with errour This is the Mother sin and Nurse of all other Hence it is that man was driven out of the light of life out of the Paradise of God and hath lost the power to eat of the tree of life It must be given him anew Do we consider all this only as a most antient History and look at it as done only so many Ages since Or may we not finde the same acted over and over many ten thousand times since in all after generations and even in our own selves I might name many Scriptures I shall note but one which I beseech you read and consider well of it 1 Cor. 11.2 And let us observe the direfull effects of our fall and what an evill and bitter thing it is that we have departed from our God and feed not upon the trees of His Paradise but upon such Plants as are not of our Heavenly Fathers planting For whose plants are envy division contention strife and discord which grow up ranck among us as they say The Serpents teeth did-seges clypeata Whose plant is pride the beginning of sin as the wisman calls it Whose is coveteousness the root of all evill Whose is wrath and revenge and other roots of bitterness Whose plants are lasciviousness luxury gluttony surfeting and drunkeness and other such like Pot-herbs Whence grow the briars and thorns the heathenish cares the curses of the earth These all these are sown and planted and grown up thick in us Are these of Gods planting O no The envious man hath done this All this wickedness is grown up as a tree Job 24.20 Of which the fallen man eates freely contrary to the Command of God The rib which the Lord God had taken from the man Gen. 2.22 made He a woman What they turn made is in the Hebrew built as in the margin Which I prefer the rather because it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to edify or build which is very often applyed to the Church as the Truth of this type Act. 9.31 15.16 and 20.32 1 Cor. 14.4 This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Word for word This for this once is bone out of my bones Gen. 2. Ver. 23. and flesh our of my flesh And so it answers to the LXX and to the Apostle Ephes 5.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the words following prove this translation Because she was taken out of man implying that the Church is taken out of Christ which S. Paul calls a great mystery Ephes 5.32 For so we receive from Christ a suffering flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 as he promises to us an heart of flesh Ezech. 36.26 a soft heart and sit to receive impressions from the Spirit of God as Josiahs heart was tender 2 Kings 22.19 We receive also bone from his bones The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies strength as well as a bone Job 21.23 and elsewhere And hereby we are enabled to act and do according to divine impressions made in our tender and fleshy heart And hereby we become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6.10 and able to do all things through Christ who thus inwardly enableth us Phil. 4.13 SERMON I. SERM. I. The Law and Gospel preached from the begining GEN. 3.15 ANd I will put enmity between thee and the woman Gen. 3. Ver. 15. and between thy seed and her seed c. The obscurity of the Scripture proceeds much what either from mistakes of Translation or else from false Glosses and mis-interpretations The words I have propounded now for my Text may prove an instance of them both For whereas in reading of the Old Testament Moses hath a vail upon his face 2 Cor. 3. v. 13. And not as Moses which put a Vail over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished In reading the three first Chapters of Genesis Moses is double vailed And therefore those three with the book of Canticles and some other Scriptures were by the wise men of the Jews prohibited to be read by Novices lest they might make ill constructions of them as I shewed before in part This was needful to be premised because the Text propounded is a part of the third Chapter and hath in it more difficulty then appears at the first reading of the words And therefore whereas the Apostle saith concerning the Jews 2 Cor. 3.15 that When Moses is read the vail is upon their hearts but that vail is done away in Christ The Lord be pleased to turne all our hearts unto himselfe that that vail may be done away Moses having described the fall from verse the first to the seventh he brings in God the Judge examining the fact and making inquiry into the causes of it searching out this sin not unknown to himselfe before from Adam to Eve and from Eve to the principall malefactor the Serpent Wherein we may note how the Lord Parts laesa yea Laesa Majestas the highest majestie the party offended how wisely Obs 1. justly mercifully he proceeds in this and the two following sentences Yea hence we may take notice Obs 2. that although the Lord permits sin for the tryall of his creatures and the manifestation of their weaknes and inconstancy in the good wherein they are not unmoveable like himself yet he will certainly call the offenders to an account afterwards Whence also we learn that he is greater then the Devill and all that sin against him Obs 3. both in knowledge
not made thee and established thee Deut. 32.6 Is not Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater futuri seculi the everlasting Father Esay 9.6 And who is thy Mother Who but the doctrine the wisdom of the holy Church of Christ the Spouse of Christ the wisdom that descends from above James 3.17 the Lambs Wife that comes down out of heaven Revel 21.9 10. Jerusalem above the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 This is the true heavenly Eve built out of the heavenly Adam flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone who is Christ himself Ephes 5.30 31 32. This is a great mystery saith the Apostle but I speak of Christ and the Church This is the true pure Doctrine spiritually the Virgin Mary so Maria signifies according to divers of the Ancients the Mother of Christ conceived formed and born in us and brought forth by obedience and doing the will of our Father who is in heaven For who is my Mother saith the Son of God whosoever doth the will of my Father who is in heaven he is my Mother and Sister and Brother Matth. 12.49 50. Our heavenly Father deserves all honour of his spiritual children For whereas earthly fathers impart unto their children essence nourishment education and inheritance the Father of spirits gives to his children his divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 he nourisheth us with the flesh and blood the Word and Spirit of his Son He instructs us and gives us the unction from the Holy One whereby we know all things 1 John 2.27 He corrects and chastens us as our loving Father that we may be partakers of his holiness Hebr. 12.10 He provides for us an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1.4 Meantime he bears us and is patient and long suffering toward us as a Father beareth his children Deut. 1.31 If he be a Father yea such a father where is his honour Mal. 1.6 Where indeed yea where is he not dishonoured Is it not the greatest slighting of a father to neglect his commands What do they else who regâ—ard not the Commandements of our heavenly Father they despise not men but God 1 Thess 4.8 and then is added Who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit Wherefore else but to keep his Commandements And therefore he hath given his Son unto us that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. Yet is he despised and rejected of men Esay 53.3 and figured by Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite of the family of Ram. Elihu even Deus ipse God himself the Son of the blessed God that 's Barachel and of the family of Ram that is the high One the most high God yet is he a Buzite despised and contemned yea troden under foot by the Jebuzites such as tread under foot the Son of God and put him to an open shame Hebr. 10.29 and lightly esteem the Rock of their salvation Deut. 32.15 O thou Jebusite thou base thou vile man Such thou rendrest thy self by despising thy God 1 Sam. 2.30 They who despise me shall be lightly esteemed Mark how the Apostle reasons Hebr. 2.2 3. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation The Syriac Interpreter turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neglect by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tread under foot the greatest neglect and despiciency The Apostle proves this à minori reasoning from the lesse to the greater Hebr. 10.28 He who despised Moses's Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God c Consider this a-right O man Is not he the wisdom of thy God before whom in thy false reasoning thou preferrest the wisdom of thy flesh Is not he the true righteousnes of thy God before which thou esteemest the false righteousness of thy flesh Is not he the power of God which thou enfeeblest under pretence of impotency weakness to slight him what is it but lighlty to esteem the most honourable yea the honor it self which cometh of God only John 5. ver 24. with 1 Pet. 2.7 marg To make nothing of him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Being and who gives to all things their Being in whom we all live and move and have our Being Yea who himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things Col. 3.11 And this is the Buzite he whom by thy disobedience thou despisest and treadest under foot The punishment denounced against those who slight their parents is death But what death can expiate so great despiciency of the great God what less then the eternal death it self What reparation of honour can we possibly make to him whom we have so deeply despised The good God and our Father puts us in a way of expiation even by dying daily unto our sins This no doubt was one if not the principal meaning of what our Lord said to his son Adam Luke 3.38 upon transgression of the first Commandement of his Father In the day that thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die for certainly Adam died no other death many hundred years after Gen. 2. v. 17. O let us all die that precious death through the power of the Spirit of our God Rom. 8.13 So shall we live yea so shall we reign yea so shall we be glorified Rom. 8.17 And what reparation of honour does the Lord require of us What other then to restore him that life which is lost in us that life of God from which we have been estranged Ephes 4.18 He that offereth praise he honoureth me And what is he who else but he that disposeth his way aright Psalm 50.23 It is the life the holy life that life which is worthy of God which honoureth God For so what our Translators turn I will bless thee while I live Psal 63. Ver. 4. is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Vatablus and the Vulg. Latin In vita mea which should be rendred in English In my life Thus when the Psalmist had exhorted to praise the Lord Psal 106.1 He then inquires who can do it ver 2. to which he answers ver 3. Blessed are they who keep judgement and he who doth righteousness at all times as if he should in express terms say That 's the man who truly honours God So much our Lord saith Herein is my Father honoured that ye bring forth much fruit John 15.8 namely such as are filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 This is the honour and praise which must be given unto our Father in this world and be continued in the world to come in everlasting Hallelujahs Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God! Revel 19.1
walk before Criples in Gods way and with their broken hands instruct others to do Gods Commandements which they themselves professe are impossible to be done Who have eyes full at least of spiritual adultery and cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practises children of the curse who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Besor who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.14 15. and the residue also of that Chapter belongs to such audacious unqualified persons who intrude into the Priests office When every such scurvy fellow every such paltry Scab dares quando omnis res Janum ad medium fracta est repentè sic Theologus prodire when they can thrive no more at their trade extempore start up Divines S. Hierom heavily bemoan'd his own times O how would he have lamented had he lived in our times In the holy Scripture saith he Nullus apex vacat mysterio there is not a tittle without a mystery yet every man thinks he understands it Yea though the meanest and easiest trade requires long time perhaps seven years to learn the mysteries contained in it some notwithstanding entertain so poor a conceit of that most mystical Art of life that without living the same life yea though they live a life contrary thereunto and turn not from their iniquities yet they can understand Gods truth Daniel was of another minde Dan. 9.13 Nay if they have been so industrious as to learn Brachygraphy and have gathered some Short-hand notes they doubt not then but when all trades fail to step out of the shop into the pulpit and out-preach yea preach-out any not so qualified Divines out of their places And being thus initiated with Enoch the dedicated one the son of Cain Gen. 4.17 they hope in due time to preach themselves into some places of trust and profit For this is the mode the method and fashion of the times and the high-way unto preferment And then they lay away their Nets when they have caught the fish Sed nos ab iâ—ta scabie tenemus ungues There is yet one imperfection remains which unqualifies the legal Priest he must not be Concussus testiculo he must be a perfect man and fit to beget others unto God 1 Cor. 4.15 But let us draw toward an end of this Essay Such perfection in the body of the Priests symbolically required like perfection in their souls as I shewed before out of Philo Jâ—daus But how far alas how far differ we in these dregs of time from that spiritual growth and pious endeavours of the Primitive holy Fathers toward the perfect life when now every Dâ—arff takes himself to be a grown perfect man or as perfect as he need to be Whereas in those first times they had their Penitentes their Catechumeni their Constrâ—maâ—â— their Fideles their Sancti their Justi most of them distinct degrees of Christs Disciples as appears out of Tertullian and others according as they were capable of few or more heavenly mysteries and were grown up in the life and obedience unto them All which in this hudling age and confusion of all things are but meer names and they scarce known when every Novice in his nonage of Christianity thinks himself altogether as tall a grown man in Christ as the most perfect Scribe that 's taught into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 13.52 When to believe a possibility of perfection is judg'd to be as great an errour in the Priest under the Gospel as to be blinde or tame scabbed or itchy or what ever other defect was held a blemish in the Priest under the Law When to teach perfection renders the Priest ignorant scandalous and insufficient When the doctrine of perfection frequently delivered in holy Scripture though industriously obscured by our Translators held forth in all Ages taught in the School believed and endeavoured after by all good men from the beginning all along until aetas parentum pejor avis tulit nos nequiores imò nequissimos vitiosissimos until these last and worst dayes when to believe and teach this doctrine That its possible through the Spirit and power of Christ to be a perfect Priest and stand compleat in all the will of God it s held to be a reasonable just and sufficient crime and cause to out a Minister of living and livelyhood O Lord when shall thy gracious promise be fulfilled that Faith shall flourish and corruption be overcome and the truth which hath been so long without fruit be declared When shall that victorious Belief be made known which subdues the World and all that world of iniquity whatsoever is in the World that the Truth may appear and Mercy meet with it When shall Righteousness and Peace kiss each other O thou Israel of God who hopest to be made an holy Priesthood unto thy God! How otherwise can this come to pass but by obeying the voice of thy God and keeping covenant with him Exodus 19.5 6. Let us Per viam negationis by the negative description of the legal Priesthood learn the positive qualifications of the Gospel-Priesthood Let us not be blinde and unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is Ephes 5.17 And when we know the Lords will and way let us walk in it Let us be guides unto others that they may walk as they have us for examples that we cast off the burden of all unnecessary cares that we propound not to our selves any low measure of sanctity but perfect holiness in the fear of God That having eyes we may see and avoid the confusions of Babel That we may lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness That being perfect Priests our selves we may beget others unto God and present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Such Briests the Lord makes unto God his Father to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Revel 1.6 SERMON VIII SER. VIII Gods meeting with men in their own way Leviticus 26. ver 27 28. And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me but walk contrary unto me Then will I walk contrary unto you also in fury THere are two sinewes of the Common-wealth in Heaven whereby the great Lawgiver obligeth his people to obedience from whence also inferiour Lawgivers have taken example Rewards and Punishments They are both very powerful arguments and motives but of the twain the will of the Lord is that the former should rather prevail with us Behold saith he I have set before thee this day life and good death and evil He sets life and good before death and evil Deut. 30.15 Yea ver 19. he gives us that counsel expresly I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and seed may live And accordingly as he instructs Israel to deal with the Canaaaites
to 1 Cor. 16.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all your things be done in charity What ever the true house of Jacob doth that Hobab the love of God and man must be the doer of it otherwise they are not Israel indeed And therefore the Prophet Micha speaks of a false Israelites who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand And they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppress or defraud a man and his house even a man and his heritage Whereupon the Lord threatens an heavie judgement against Israel falsely so called Micha 2.1.6 and then adds an Epiphonema O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord shortned Are these his doings Is the Lords hand shortned that he cannot save you from doing these things Esay 59.1 Are these his doings whose spirit ye pretend Are these things done in charity And these are the Assistants of Moses and Aaron in the numbering visiting and mustering the Armies of Israel Whence it s strongly intimated what manner of people the souldiers of Jesus Christ ought to be even such as Moses and Aaron and their Assistants were or such as their well-boding names imply and hold them forth to have been For since similitude and likeness is one main ground of love how could these choose or approve of such for the Lords Souldiers who were not in some good measure like vnto themselves Yea what wise and devout Souldier will not endeavour by such ensignes of true valour to render himself approveable It is part of the fatherly advise which S. Paul now a Veteran and an old Souldier gives to his son Timothy endure thou hardness as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ No man that warreth intangleth himself in the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier 2 Tim. 2.3 4. The business of Moses Aaron and their assistants was numbering mustering the Israelites The people of Israel were thrice mustered 1. In the first year after their eating the Paskal Lamb their coming out of Egypt when they were to pay every one half a Shekel for the Ransom of his soul Exod. 30.11 12. which figured our Redemption by Christ For we are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from our vain conversation received by tradition from our Fathers but by the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot And every one is to pay his half shekel whereby some understand Faith which yet is of no value without holiness of life and the Redemption is from the vain conversation And therefore the Apostle speaking of our Redemption through Christ exhorts us to be holy as God is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy ver 16. This holiness is in part at the first when men are newly come out of Egypt as an half shekel being the holiness of obedient children ver 14. and not purified according to the purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 29.18 19 20. Howbeit having kept the Passover by faith and by faith and hope passed thorow the red Sea Hebr. 11.28 29. they continue sincere in the good will figured by the unleavened bread 1 Cor. 5.8 until a greater power come that they may cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 That filthiness of flesh and that of the spirit are the two sorts of enemies against which the Israel of God is to be numbred mustered set in rank and file And the mustering in this Chapter is against the former enemies 1 Pet. 2.11 And that which we read Chap. 26. is against the later Of both the Apostle speaks Ephes 6.12 When these enemies are subdued we take possession of the eternal inheritance And therefore being mustered the third time unto these saith the Lord shall the land be divided for an inheritance Numb 26.53 According to which in that excellent hymn called Te Deum laudamus prayer is made for the Church in these words Make them to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Wherein some have thought numerari to be numbred should be read munerari to be rewarded But according to the sense given both will amount unto the same things O ye true Israelites ye who are of the Church Militant ye Males of masculine valour and prowess ye yong men who overcome the wicked one 1 John 2.13 14. Ye are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Choise yong men chosen men of Gods Israel such as are so often mentioned in the Old and New Testament strong and able to wage the spiritual warfare fight the good fight of faith Adde unto or in your faith vertue 2 Pet. 1.5 O ye Veterans ye old souldiers of Jesus Christ who have known him from the beginning There is no limitation no stint of time for continuance in your service from twenty years old and upward or above how much above is not defined Your old age is no diminution to your strength and courage Remember what Caleb saith to Jehoshuah Chap. 14.10 11. I am this day fourscore and five years old As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me as my strength was then even so is my strength now for war to go out and to come in Caleb hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canis as being one of the Lords Dogs Psal 68.23 figuring out good will to his Lord and his righteousness as ye may read in that good old book under a new title the Treasure of the soul to the shame of those who jeer that excellent book of Tobit because mention is there made of his Dog These men know not the mysteries of God by which character the ungodly are described Wisd 2.22 Such Calebs are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum Cor according to the heart of God These wait upon the Lord and renew their strength Esay 40.31 as trees of righteousness Esay 61.3 for as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of Gods people Esay 65.22 which bring forth more fruit in their age Let us do so brave souldiers Let us fight the good fight of faith let us be faithful unto the death of all and every sin and the Lord of hosts will give us the Crown of life as he hath given it unto that old souldier S. Paul I have fought a good fight saith he I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to them also who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O ye brave and valiant souldiers quit
we must not come at or unto a dead soul we must go out of the world as the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 5.10 To go in unto a dead soul is to have intimacy with it as Jacob speaks Gen. 49.6 O my soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word enter not into their secret Hence it appears there are dead souls For what is the natural death but the separation of the soul from the body And what is the spiritual death but the separation of the spirit of life from the soul according to what the Prophet speaks The soul that siuens that shall die Ezech. 18.4 For sin when it is perfected bringeth forth death James 1. And as the man is said to die of some one disease or other or of some wound or of old age even so the soul dies Thus the false teacher who consents not to wholesome or rather healing words 1 Tim. 6. v. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting so our Translators turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sick about questions and strifes of words And it is a deadly sickness for it followeth whence cometh envie and that slayeth the silly one Job 5.2 Yea envie is like the foul disease the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 A consumption of the soul so Wisd 6.23 Neither will I go with consuming envie wrath is a feverish distemper that gives place to the destroyer Ephes 4. Covetousness is a dropsie Quò plus sunt potae plus sitiuntar aquae As much he drinks so much he thirsteth still And prodigality is a flâ—â—â— and looseness of life For the prodigal yong man was dead of it saith his father when he spent his substance with riotous living Luke 15.13.32 And there is the like reason of other spiritual diseases O that men would impartially look into their own spiritual estate and judge concerning themselves whether their souls be dead or alive It is of greatest importance whether so or not For he who hath not the spirit of life and spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 And we are saved by his life Rom. 5.10 We enquire not now into signes of the vegetative sensitive or rational life but what characters we finde in our selves of the divine life or life of God according to which the soul may be said to live If there be no sense or exercise of sense we know that naturally the man is dead at least if his taste if his touch be gone if he taste not that the Lord is gracious Phil. 1.9 I pray Phil. 1. v. 9. that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in acknowledgement and all sense If there be no breathing there is no life if the heart pant not breathe not after the living God Cain hath then killed Abel the self love hath slain the breathing from and towards God Gen. 4. I place not talk and speech among the signes of life It s possible there may be a great deal of holy talk and yet but talk which our Lord the wisdom it self seems to wonder at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O generations of Vipers the word is plural how can ye that are evil speak good things Matth. 12.34 A man may live though he be speechless the true speech is from the life of God Matth. 12. v. 34. Psal 65.1 he that speaks as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 Silence is praise to thee saith David Psal 65.1 though ours turn it otherwise the silent persevering in well doing best praiseth and pleaseth God Psal 50.23 Psal 119.175 O let my soul live and it shall praise thee The Nazarite ought to come unto such living souls and his soul shall live 3. All the dayes that the Nazarite separates himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead soul What dayes of separation were these The learned Jews have caught that the time of the Nazerites now was thirty dayes a whole Moneth and this they understand to be meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 5. He shall be holy because in that word the number of thirty is contained Howbeit this was to be understood if he vowed himself a Nazarite and named no certain number of dayes Of these dayes we understand Acts 21. v. 26. Acts 21.26 where S. Luke mentions the accomplishment of the dayes of purification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against this word Purificationis whereby Hierom renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drusius excepts and we may as well except against the same word here Englished purification and for the same reason Because purification is properly of those who were before unclean and impure whereas the Nazarites here mentioned had vowed against all uncleanness and had kept themselves pure and holy to the Lord. In place of it we may put sanctification There is reason enough for this in the precept He who gives it is Lord of all our time Herein the Christians vow of spiritual Nazariteship exceeds that of the Law That of the law might be temporary as for 30 dayes but our vow in Baptism whereby we are initiated into the Christian Nazariteship is a vow of far greater abstinence as to forsake the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanity of the wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh 2. Belief of all the Articles of the Christian faith 3. Of longer time to keep Gods holy will and Commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of our life O ye Nazarites ye who have separated your selves to the Lord come not at a dead soul all the dayes of your life It is the soul and spirit that is mainly to be heeded The holy Scripture reckons persons by their souls as Gen. 12.5 all the souls they had gotten in Haran and 46.26 all the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt and many the like whereas we account men rather according to their bodies as when we say no body some body a good body c. Vnde haec farrago loquendi venerit in linguas How come we to speak thus but from too little care of our souls which is helped on by mis-translation If we come at a dead soul and so defile our own souls all our former labour is utterly lost The dayes that were before shall fall because his separation was defiled Numb 6.12 He must begin again And there is the same reason with the spiritual Nazarite Ezech. 18.24 When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All the righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in the sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die This no doubt is a very great restraint upon the Nazarite But a case may be put wherein he may seem to be released
is their base fear and unbelief The Lord expects that men should reason à pari from like reason the most natural argument God hath wrought these signes and wonders for me therefore he is able to do the like and therefore he will do it because he bath promised so to do Thus valiant David argued 1 Sam. 17.37 God that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine So S. Paul reasons I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom 2 Tim. 2.17 18. And so he reasons in behalf of the Philippians Phil. 1. v. 6. being confident or having been perswaded of this very thing that he who hath begun a good work in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perficiet will thorowly finish or perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 The timerous and cowardly hearts of men will not suffer them to reason thus Therefore their base fear excludes them out of the holy land Revel 21.7 8. He that overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be to him a God and he shall be to me a son Revel 21. v. 7.8 But to the fearfull and unbelieving and abominated ones and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars these have a portion but not in the holy land no but their part or portion is in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death How easily is the heart broken off from God by hope and trust in any creature St. Paul well knew this and therefore warnes Timothy charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertaine riches or as in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in divitiarum incertitudine in the uncertainty of riches but in the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 If they trust in riches if they be joynd to them they are broken off from the living God They cannot serve God and Mammon And therefore David blaming such man saith he walketh in an image Surely they are disquieted in vain He heapeth up Psal 39.6.7 and knoweth not who shall gather them And now Lord what wait I for my hope it self is in thee Psal 39.6 7. Such an heart-breaker is sorrow Prov. 15.13 By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. v. 10. that sorrow that is according to God worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death 2 Cor. 7.10 It breakes the spirit off from the God of life But delight and pleasure in any seeming present good O how violently and suddenly it breakes off the heart from the chief good Unto such an one the Lord speaks in the judgment Psal 50.16 Psal 50. v. 16 17 18. 17 18. Thou hatest instruction disciplin or correction and hast cast my words behind thee How comes this to passe If thou sawest a thief what ever temptation comes to steal away the heart then thou consentedst or wert delighted or pleasedst thy selfe with him and thy portion is with the adulterers For the heart goes a whoring after the eyes Num. 15.38 and the lustfull man becomes patranti fractus ocello His lascivious eye breaks off his heart from the most holy God and melts it into weakness Reuben the beginning of Jacobs strength the excellency of dignity and excellency of power by this means becomes unstable and weak as water Gen. 49.3 4. Of this Apostasie the Lord complains Ezech. 6.9 I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me O Israel Haec fierent si testiculi vena ulla paterni viveret in nobis Would these things be if the spring of holy life so vigorous in our holy Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob were derived unto us O Israel Thy God hath never broken his promise with thee he is the faithful God who keepeth covenant mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a thousand generations Deut. 7.9 But thou hast broken promise and covenant with thy God many fourty dayes as this people in the Text did yea many of us more then fourty years Wherefore return O Israel unto the Lord thy God for we have fallen by our iniquity Hos 13.1 and may most justly expect a proportionable punishment for our sins who knowes how soon unless it be prevented by a proportionable humiliation and repentance As when Jonas had proclaimed from the Lord yet fourty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Jonah 3.4 See what effect this wrought ver 5. The people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast and put on Sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them Nor do I doubt if I may speak a word in season on this Quadragessima Sunday as it has been anciently called but we have altogether as reasonable grounds for a Quadragesimale Jejunium a fast of fourty dayes as the Ninivites had When ever it was or by whomsoever it was first instituted sure I am he wanted not a patern in the holy Scripture Our Lords example unto us is above all other who fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights Matth. 4.2 which was prefigured by Moses Exod. 34.28 and Elias 1 Kings 19.8 who appeared with him in his transfiguration Matth. 17.3 What if we produce a downright precept of Christ for Christians fasting Ye shall finde it recorded in three of the Evangelists Matthew 9.14 15. Mark 2.18 19 20. Luke 5.33 34 35. where the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees move this question to our Lord why do the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast but thy Disciples fast not Our Lord answers this question 1. Why for the present his Disciples could not fast They were children of the Bride-chamber and as yet the Bridegroom was with them therefore they could not fast 2. He gives command to his Disciples for after-time that they should fast and gives reason for it The dayes shall come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes We read no where that our Lord ever repealed or annulled this precept This precept therefore must stand firm at least while the reason of it stands firm Let us therefore inquire concerning the marriage between Christ and his Church and whether the heavenly Bridegroom be with us yea or no There were three special times observed in marriage not only among the Romans Lacedemonians and other nations but also among the Jewes 1. of espousing and betrothing when the stipulation and promise were mutually made between the Bridegroom and the Bride whence the names of sponsus and sponsa and our English word Wedding from the Dutch Medden to promise this time the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the time of
so much the more it may love him For God in himself is an infinite good without any defect and the soul was made according to his image and for this end to know and love him and till it so do it rambles and wanders about the creatures and is never satisfied Fecisti nos Domine propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum donec pervenerit ad te Lord thou hast made us for thy self And our heart is unquiet until it come unto Thee 1. All that Commandement to love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul and all our minde is a most excellent Commandement This appears from a double Emphasis upon it in the text if thou shalt keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even all that Commandement And therefore whereas the Jews had four Sections of the Law in more religious observation 1. Exod. 13.3 touching their coming forth of the land of Egypt 2. Verse 11. 16. concerning the destruction of the first-born 3. Deut. 6.4 9. touching the property and service of God 4. Deut. 11.13 concerning the former and the later rain That which the first recited of all these four parts of the Law was this Commandement touching the love of the Lord our God This they first recited every morning and every evening and thence it is most worthy of our morning and evening meditation And therefore the Apostle having treated of spiritual gifts 1 Cor. 12.1 30. Be zealous of the best gifts saith he yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shew you a way secundùm excellentiam 1 Cor. 12. v. 31. a way according to excellency a most excellent way But what that is Stephen Langton who divided the holy Scripture into Chapters rendred obscure by dividing the Apostles testimony of that exultent way from that excellent way it self in the following Chapt. This is that which holy David intended Psal 119. v. 96. Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection thine exceeding broad Commiandement The Text is corrupted by the Translation There is no But no diversity at all but the later part explains the former This is the end of the Commandement The end or perfection of the Commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 This is that perfect bond Col. 3. 2. The Lord so speaks to all Israel as to one man If thou keep all this Commandement to do it to love the Lord thy God the Lord requires obedience unto this Commandement of all and of every man 3. To keep all this one Commandement is virtually and radically to keep all the Commandements So much the Lord implyes in the body of the Decalogue Exod. 20.6 they that love me and keep my Commandements Yea S. John tels us that this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements 1 John 5.3 4. Note hence the integrity of Gods will and Commandement requiring a like intire obedience of us But whereas Bonus actus ex integra causa malus ex quolibet defectu every good act requires integrity of causes and circumstances all good but an act is rendred evil by any one defect of these hence it is that man having lost his integrity and fallen into manifold sins and strayings from his God there was a necessity of a manifold Law to follow the man and search him out in his manifold aberrations and wandrings According to which we may understand the Prophet Hos 8.12 I have written to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 8. v. 12. which our Translators turn the great things Arias Montanus Praecipua the chief things Pagnin Honorabilia the honourable things which may as well be rendred the multitude of my Law Whence we may justly reprove a wicked generation of men who being exhorted to keep the Commandement to this end to do it they limit the will of the Holy One of Israel And whereas the Lord commands us to keep all that Commandement to love him with all our heart minde soul and strength they love him with their minde only They flatter themselves into a false conceit that they are in S. Pauls condition where he saith I my self with my minde serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of Sin Yea whether with their minde they serve the Law of God as S. Paul did it may be very much doubted For the Apostle saith of himself or of one in that state The good that I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do not but the evil which I will not that I do And I finde therefore a law that evil lies neer me being willing to do good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diverse other places in that Rom. 7. The words ye perceive are turnd as if the Apostle spake here of a velleity or half-will the good that I would the evil that I would not There 's no such matter the Apostle speaks of a compleat and full will and that which hath no hindrance from it self the good that I will the evil which I will not This man he has a will compleat and ready to do what good he wills and to depart from the evil which he wills not Yea I delight saith he in the Law of God according to the inward man and whereas he hath such a good will to the good and so delights in it and so hates the evil to do that evil its captivity its misery its death it s a body of death unto him And therefore he complaines Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And he hath answer according to the antient reading of S. Ambrose Origen S. Hierom S. Augustin and others and the present Vulg. Latin Gratia Dei per Dominum Iesum Christum the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And by that grace he is made free from the Law of sin and death by the Law of the spirit of life Is it thus with this perverse and sinful generation who pretend a minde and good will to serve the Law of God Does not their life declare them Does not their practice plainly speak what their minde and will is Does not the shew of their countenance testifie against them or rather as it is in the Hebrew does not the acknowledgement of their faces answer against them Do they not declare their sin like Sodom they hide it not Wo unto their soul for they have requited evil unto themselves Be we exhorted O Israel to keep and do all this Commandement to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul minde and strength Let us not hearken to that objection of unbelieving and lazy men which hath more of will then reason in it that this Commandement is impossible This opinion hath gotten ground in the mindes of men partly from the authority of one of the Antients partly from an inbred lightlesness in the most of us of whom it may be truly said that Quae nolumus
the Lord thy God turn'd the Curse to a Blessing Deut. 23.5 that ye may know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justitias the righteousnesses or mercies of the Lord. What though the Aramites the Syrians curse yet bless thou Psal 109.28 and thou shalt obtain a blessing Psal 21. v. 6. yea a double blessing For there is a double blessing pronounced by the Lord Jesus who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessings Psal 21.6 upon his persecuted ones Mat. 5.10 11 12. For as we are called unto suffering so likewise are we called unto a blessing to a double blessing for our sufferings 1 Pet. 2.20 21. that we render not evil for evil or rayling for rayling but contrariwise blessing knowing that we are hereunto called that we should inherit a blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 which the Lord vouchsafe to all his persecuted ones through him who is the Blessings and Son of the Blessed Jesus Christ our Lord But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear Deut. 30. v. 17. but shalt be drawen away and worship other gods and serve them I denounce unto you this day that ye shall surely perish Ver. 15. Moses sets life and good and death and evil before us 1. Life and good if we love the Lord our God to walk in his wayes and keep his Commandements and his Statutes and his Judgements c. 2. Death and evil if our heart turn away and we shall be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them c. I read the words according to the Hebrew text thus If thine heart turn itself away and thou wilt not obey and thou be driven away and worship other gods and serve them I denounce unto you this day that perishing ye shall perish that is by little and little or by degrees ye shall perish This text may be considered in it self absolutely or with reference to the words before injoyning the love of God and walking in his wayes But if c. The words are a serious commination denuntiation or threatning of judgement upon condition and supposition of sin 1. In aversione turning away not hearing not obeying 2. In conversione turning-to being driven away to worship other gods and serve them Now because in every serious conditional threatning a possibility of offending is supposed the Antecedent of this connex or conditional Axiom will afford us these divine Truths 1. That its possible the heart may turn it self away from God 2. That the people of God may not hear or obey God 3. That they may be driven away from the true God 4. That they may worship and serve other gods 5. That they may be so driven from the true God that they may worship other gods and serve them 6. If the heart turn it self away if the people of God obey him not if they be driven away and worship other gods and serve them the Lord denounceth unto them that perishing they shall perish 1. The heart may turn it self away from God So or to the same effect all Translations that I have seen render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The heart is sometime taken more specially for the affective part of the soul and so it is distinguished from the minde and from the will Matth. 22.37 Sometime it s taken more generally for all the parts of the soul and the whole inward man all that is within us Mark 7.21 22. compar'd with Matth. 15.19 20. We may understand the heart here largely as the affective part following the dictate and determination of the understanding The reason of this is evident 1. From the precedent words where life and good and death and evil are set before us whereunto the heart may indifferently turn it self And 2. the Lord having made man after his own image Ecclus 15.17 left him in the hand of his own counsel Ecclus 15.14 17. Before men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is life and death and whether him liketh shall be given unto him 1. Hence it appears that the heart is Vertibile principium a mutable a changeable principle 2. The heart may decline may turn it self away even from the Summum Bonum even the chief good while it is Non clarè cognitum not yet clearly understood Hence we may note a decision and determination of that great question controverted by Philosophers and Divines concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Principale or as Tully calls it Principalus that supream and principal part of the soul I shall not name the manifold opinions of the Antients Many with Plato have thought it to be in the Head which therefore is called Arx totius corporis regia capitolium Others with the Stoicks rather place it in the heart and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Laertius Which Plutarch renders and explains thus The Stoicks say That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or principal part of the soul is that which makes the imaginations assents senses and appetites whence proceeds and ascends the rational which saith he is in the Heart 2. T is possible the people of God may not hear or obey The word here used signifies both but being applyed to the heart the hearing of that is obeying as it should here have been rendred and elsewhere though our Translators turn it to hear as Eccles 5.1 Eccles 5. v. 1. Be more ready to hear that is to obey then to give the sacrifice of Fools which is parallel to 1 Sam 15.22 To obey is better then sacrifice Hos 6.6 and in many other Scriptures That this is possible its evident by the complaints of all the Prophets and needs no proof Come we rather to the next Axiom which hath somewhat more difficulty 3. The people of God may be driven away from him So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not to be drawn away as it is here turn'd but to be driven away Deut. 22. v. 1. And so our Translators themselves turn the word Deut. 4.19 and 22.1 Thou shalt not see thy brothers Ox or his Sheep go astray the word is the same we have in question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impulsos so Arias Montanus driven away So Vatablus turns the word here Impulsus driven so Tremellius so Pagnin Munster hath Expelleris if thou be driven away How comes this to pass Doubtless by misapprehensions of God whence men conceive false and erroneous opinions of him So the Disciples were affraid when they saw Jesus walking on the Sea and said He was a Spirit or rather indeed a fansie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 14. v. 26. Matth. 14.26 Thus the Devil deceived and drove away our first parents from their God when he perswaded them that he envied them their happiness But more of this anon 4. It s possible that the people of God may worship and serve other gods Wherein let us inquire 1. What these other gods are and what it is to worship and serve these other gods The other gods are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The
was no King in Israel every one did that which was good in his own eyes Now Elisha was dead and buried and the Moabites who abuse the Law of the Father signified by Lot the hidden Word of God they are the true Moabites the children of their father the Devil as S. Augustine interprets the Moabites Then also the Syrians ver 22. Pride and deceit and the curse of God upon the sinful soul such spiritually are the Aramites or Syrians these and all other inward enemies oppress Israel What remedy is there for this Let such a man be cast into the grave of Elisha let him be dead and buried with Christ God the Saviour He is now a man lost in the world he is become as a dead man When a man hath left his sin he is not Gen. 5.24 the sinners leave him and he them When he is dead to the sin what remaines but that he should be buried But where it is said they let him down we shall finde no such matter either in the Hebrew or Greek or Chaldee or Latin Translation The Hebrew text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went The Chaldee Paraphrast hath he descended The Syriac he went into the Sepulchre So Tremelius and the Spanish translation and the Italian of Diodati Martin Luther also and two Low Dutch translations As for the Tigurin Bible that hath Devolutus he was rolled into the grave of Elisha So the French translation So likewise two of our old English translations But Coverdale thus renders the word when he was therein and the Geneva Bible turns it when he was down our last translation lets him down gently The Tigurin French and some of our old English translations tumble him down for haste But what need all this curiosity I dare not depart from the letter of the Scripture or fasten mine own sense upon it as many of these have done And indeed it is neer a contradiction to themselves For first they say They cast the man into the Sepulchre which must be in part for fear of the Moabites and then they say they let him down which must be gently and leisurely The holy Spirit of God oftentimes intends a mystery and so leaves the letter seemingly absurd Such seeming absurdities as these are lest for the honour of Gods Spirit which clears the difficulties and sets all right This man is called twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Emphasis That man And although they go about to bury him he is never said to be through dead The words are thus to be rendred And the man went and touched the bones of Elisha First He went Secondly He touched 1. He went Here is set before us a figure of one who was dead in trespasses and sins who is now dead unto sin and buried with Christ The fallen man is not wholly destitute of all strength as I shew elsewhere Therefore the man is said here to go and touch There must be some conformity between Christ and us if we touch him The man is accessary and must be so to his own death unto sin and his own burial of all sin and iniquity It s said of this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went and touched the bones of Elisha The Lord requires of us not only a mortification and dying unto sin but also a burial of all sin They are two Articles of the Faith 1. That Christ was dead 2. That he was buried And so through the Spirit the sin must be put to death Rom. 8.13 and buried by holiness and love Ye have both together Psal 22.1 whose unrighteousness is forgiven the word signifies taken away and removed as dead and then whose sin is covered there 's the burial of it This is that which the Apostle teacheth us that love covers a multitude of sins yea all sins Prov. 10 12. The 2d Act of the dead man he touched the bones of Elisha 1. What bones of Elisha were these what is it to touch the bones of Elisha For it seems by this text that Elisha was very lately buried and so his bones could not yet be touched By the bones of Elisha we understand the strength of God the Saviour so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here rendred bones signifies strengths That man is said to touch into his bones when he became a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes ◠When he became flesh of his flesh that is of a tender heart of flesh to receive impressions of the Spirit and bone of his bone when he became strong and able to effectuate those impressions A vertual touching is here meant even the drawing neer unto the Lord Jesus by faith hope and love For so Hebr. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei fulness of faith And Hebr. 7.19 That better hope whereby we draw near unto God And love is affectus unionis that affection of union whereby we cleave unto God dwell in him 1 John 4.8 and become one spirit with him 2 Cor. 5. draw grace life and vertue from him For so he who hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 By this and many like examples it may appear how necessary it is that we preserve the Letter of the Scripture intire how unconvenient yea how absurd soever it seem to our carnal reason as here that a dead carkase should walk or go c. The letter may be the foundation of a spiritual meaning however happly what that is for the present we understand not And lest this Translation before us should seem so exact as many have conceived that it needs no Essay toward the amendment of it I shall propound unto the judicious Reader the Heads of many frequent mistakes which they may finde in it few of which I shall mention in the ensuing Essay Whereof some possibly will not be thought to change the sense of the Scripture but the Word only and retain the sense others pervert the sense also Examples of the former kinde are Metaphores mistaken and used one for another as when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to blot out as having reference to an Image or Picture or to a Writing it s rendred to destroy as Gen. 7.4 which is taken from building Thus Metaphores are waived and the supposed proper sense taken in lieu of them Josh 2. v. 9. as Josh 2.9 The inhabitants of the land melt from or before your faces Our Translators turnn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faint which there and often elsewhere signifies to be melted And the holy Spirit explains the metaphorical use of it Psal 22.14 Ezech. 21.7 Herein although haply the same sense may be intended yet it is not safe to vary that Metaphore which the holy Spirit intends and dictates So although to spoil in the English tongue Col. 2. v. 15. may signifie to disrobe or devest yet that will not so
the Clue of the Original Tongues as Pagnin and more exactly Arias Montanus have done And although some learned good men have somewhat condemned the later as if he were too curious and have affirmed that he hath in some places made the Scripture scarce to speak sense I confess the Idioms of every Language and so of the Hebrew tongue are such that they must seem harsh if expressed in another Language Yet I leave it to the due consideration of godly learned men whether less violence will not be done to the holy Text by rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expresly though in a phrase more harsh to our English ears then to impose our own sense upon it though in a phrase and manner of speech to us more familiar and better known For albeit the expression be uncouth and strange it will be the Preachers duty business and comfort to explain it unto the people together with the spiritual meaning of it How else can he be said to teach them For many of the people are at least in their own opinion so skilful in the Letter of the Scripture that they disdain to be further taught So that one said I say not how wisely that he would not go cross the way to hear what he knew not already Is it said in vain They shall seek the Law at the mouth of the Priest Malach. 2.7 Therefore it is said of the Levites That they read in the Book of the Law of God and gave the sense Nehem. 8.8 Whence it appears that the Letter of the Scriptures and much more the spiritual meaning of it was obscure even to the Jews themselves especially after they bad been in Babylon And may we not think that the Letter of the Scripture must be yet obscure to the Christian Church which in S. Peters dayes was in Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 And is it yet come out of Babylon When now I had sometime proceeded according to this method and digested the more material mistakes of the Translation into Arguments of plain weekly Sermons both because I wanted other time properly to be bestowed upon that Subject as also that the Amendment of the Translation might appear not Arbitrary but necessary and had applyed the several â—ffâ—yps unto life und manners Although I had for brevity sake wittingly passed by many oversights in the Translation especially in the three first Books of Moses and had scattered enough for any man to glean after me yet I perceived the Work swelled beyond my first intention And therefore considering that the further wo proceed in survey of the Scripture the Translation is the more faulty as the Hagiographa more then the Historical Scripture and the Prophets more then the Hagiographa and the Apocrypha most of all and generally the New more then the Old Testament Considering also that the Work would be very long if I should proceed thorowout the whole Scripture according to the same large measure of Application Lastly perceiving the infirmities of old age already upon me and that Ars longa vita brevis the business is long and life but short I thought meet in mine Essayes to take notice of the mis-translation of other Scriptures as well as these of the Pentateuch observed in this Volume And therefore although at first I put all Scriptures quoted promiscuously either in the Margent as in the beginning or because that was more troublesome to the Compositer in the Context afterward I placed all such Scriptures cited in the Margent against the translation of which I conceived there lay any just exception For the discovery of these mis-translations I have used the help of diverse of my friends especially Dr. Thomas Drayton Mr. William Parker and Mr. Richard Hunt who beside that hath also taken great pains in making a Table of the Sermons contained in this Book also an Index of such Scriptures as either purposely or occasionally are opened in it and also hath made a Catalogue of the more notable Errata in the whole Volume a labour much below his worth and ability The Lord in mercy be pleased to give his blessing unto these my weak Essayes and endeavours that they may tend as they are intended unto his honour and glory in the illustration of his serviceable Word and the edifying of his people in their holy fear faith and love He be pleased to stir up many far more able then I am so thorowly to furbish and sharpen the two-edged Sword of his Spirit the Word of God that it may cut down the known sin and the false righteousness the outward and inward iniquity that I and these my labours may be as nothing in comparison of such instruments as the Lord may raise up that the testimony of Jesus may be cleared and may witness of him that all the people may be gathered unto Shilo Gen. 49.10 2 Thess 2.1 and may give testimony unto the truth in Jesus even the putting off the old man and putting on the new Ephes 4.21 22. That all may be so reconciled unto God by the death of his Son and saved by his life That all may hear the voice of the Father and see his shape Phil. 2.6 and may have his Word abiding in them and receive the Son whom he hath sent and may come unto him that they may have life John 5. That the Son of God may obtain the end of his coming who is therefore come that men may have life and have it more abundantly John 10.10 in Faith Prowess Experimental knowledge Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly love and Common love whereby an entrance may be administred unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So great grace the God of all grace vouchsafe unto us all through the same Jesus Christ our Lord Amen! GEN. 1 2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters EVery Scribe taught into the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man an housholder who bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old Matth. 13.52 The Old is the Figure the New is the Spirit saith S. Basil And the Lord Jesus maketh the Ministers of the New Testament able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit Now should any Man purchase a Field yielding a plentiful Crop and well worth his money yet if he who sold him that Field should beyond his bargain and what he looked for discover unto him a rich Mine and a Treasure hidden in that Field surely he should do the purchaser no wrong Nor have the pious Ancients Jews and Christians Greek and Latin Fathers who delivered the holy Scriptures unto us done us any injury when beside the literal sense which onely some look after they shew us a spiritual meaning also especially of the Penteteuch or Five Books of Moses which Juvenal calls an hidden Book Tradidit arcano quodcunque Volumine Moses And of that hidden Volume the Book of Genesis Yea and of that Book the
mortification and conformity unto Christs death whose innocent life was slain in Adam Revel 13.8 Then began the Lambe to be slain from the foundation of the world This garment they wore Ephes 4.22 and thereby devested themselves of the Old man and put on the new man Christ Esay 61.10 Rom. 13.13 14. and the garments of salvation For Adam was renewed and born again See Gen. 5.3 Now is it probable that the good God should sour all this his love and mercy with derision and mockery How otherwise then shall we understand these words Thus The Lord God sayd Behold the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit he hath been as one of us knowing good and evill He hath been as one of us even in the image of God Gen. 1.26.27 and according to that image he hath known good loved it and imbraced it and he hath known evill hated it and shunned it For so God knowes good and evill Scire bonum non est bonum A meer abstract knowledge of good is not good And 't is as true that Scire malum non est malum neither is the abstract knowledge of evill evill But words of knowledge and sense imply sutable affections Man knew good and evill as God knowes them and loved the good and hated the evill as God and His Christ love Righteousness Psal 45.7 and hate iniquity But hereby the Lord implies a racite disparity to that estate wherein the man now is knowing the good but not loving it knowing the evill but not hating it at the best in that condition which is described by the Poet. Video meliora probóque Deteriora sequor Lest therefore the man in this depraved disposition should taste and eat of the tree of life and by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ill habit of mind digest it into disobedience and continue therein It seemed meet unto Gods fatherly Goodness to send the man out of Paradise Gen. 3.23 to till the earth Because he was taken out of it so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expressed which otherwise is left out in our Translation untill he hath subdued his earth overcome the evill with goodness and by the sword of the Spirit which is the living and powerfull word of God Hebr. 4.12 sharper then any two-edged sword he hath mortified the deeds of his body that he may live And so the man becomes like unto God again as the Lord here saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit the man hath been as one of us knowing good and evill GEN. 4.1 I Have gotten a man from the Lord. Word for word I have gotten the man the Lord. Wherein appears the Etymologie of Cains name She bare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have gotten or possessed the Man the Lord so Martin Luther in his translation Ich hab den man den Herrn I have the Man the Lord. Thus also the Low Dutch translation which followes that of Luther And we read a note upon the place in both which speaks thus That is God be praised I have here the Lord the Man that seed which shall break the head of Satan or the Serpent this shall do it She flattered her self as if she had already gotten that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Messias that God-man promised Chap. 3.15 Miles Coverdale also seems to have been of the same judgement with Martin Luther herein citing Acts 17.31 in the margent of his translation which is also extant in the Low Dutch He shall judge the world in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained The Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not bear our English translation without some force upon them No nor Pagnins For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is true signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum with and so Pagnin turns it here But it then only is to be rendred with when it is joyned with a Verb Intransitive or in Hithpael according to these examples following which I desire the Reader to compare Gen. 5.22 and 34.7 Exod. 1.1 But otherwise when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes between two Nouns it joyns them together by apposition as the Reader may be pleased to compare these examples Jos 24.3 Ezech. 4.1 of which sort is that of the Text under our inquiry Gen. 4.1 as also the second verse Gen. 4.2 As our Mother Eve was herein deceived so likewise are and have been many of her children who conceive that the spiritual and heavenly man is born in them not considering that That is not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is Spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15.46 47. This is the condition of thousands in this fantastick age so subject to imagination How many think themselves extream happy when yet of all other they are the most miserable they imagine themselves redeemed from sin and most free men when yet they are arrant slaves and vassals unto their sins They have a name and think themselves alive when yet they are truly dead What an high opinion did the Corinthians conceive of themselves 1 Cor. 4.7 8. that they were free that they reigned as Kings as many flatter themselves at this day that they are made Kings and Priests unto God the Father Rev. 1.17 and so boast of a false gift Some compare this Church to that of Laodicea which is a self-justifying people who say they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when yet they are wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked So that the wise man may well cry out O wicked imagination Ecclus 37.3 whence camest thou in to cover the earth with deceit The Apostle Gal. 4.22 to undeceive us tells us of two births which have their proportionable lives And the first of these the earthly in every man must precede the heavenly which is the second Hagar must conceive before Sarah Ismael must be born before Isaac The children of the bond-woman must be brought forth before the children of the free-woman where these two births are not known nor the order of them dangerous mistakes arise from self-love proper to the first birth And because the Apostle speaking of himself and others with him who had attained unto the second birth and lived the spiritual life We saith he as Isaac was are the children of the promise we are not children of the bond-woman but of the free Hereupon too many out of an over-weening opinion of themselves and partial self-love put themselves into the number because this and other like Scriptures are fitted not to their conditions but to their mouthes whereas indeed it is much to be feared they are yet children of the bond-woman As at this day the wilde people who descend from Ismael call themselves Saracens as if they were the children of Sarah whereas indeed they are Ismaelites
Hebrew And the Lord said in his heart I will not c. These words present us with Noah's acts and the effect of them Noah's acts are building an Altar and offering Sacrifice upon it The effect Gods acceptance intimated in the Savour of rest and his promise thereupon Surely our God is not taken with outward Offerings or Sacrifices These were onely figurative of Christs acceptable Sacrifice Noah was a manifest type of Christ whom he prefigured in his name and in his works 1. Hierom renders Noahs name as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by two words Cessatio and Requies Cessation and Rest 1. Cessation implies leaving off former labour 2. Rest acquiescence and complacency in good Both which are answerable to the two parts of universall Righteousness and the whole will of God ceasing from evill and doing good whereof we have frequent mention Esay 1.16 17 1 Pet. 3. cease to do evill learn to do well Eschew evill and do good In both respects Psal 40.8 Noah was a type of the Lord Jesus who was content to do Gods will Yea who was figured by David that man who was to do all Gods wills Acts 13.22 the word is plurall which wills are our sanctification and separation from all evill labour and the curse and enstating and quieting our soules in the Blessing According to that gratious invitation Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest Matth. 11.28 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls Thus the true spiritual Noah gave to Lamech and yet gives to Lamech that is to the poor contrite and humbled soul rest from all the labour and toyl in sin which the historical Noah his type could not effect much lesse could he give to that generation Rest from the curse Levit. 10.17 Esay 53.10 Mat. 20.28 That 's the proper work of the spiritual Noah the Lord Jesus who redeems us from the curse and gives us the blessing Dan. 9.24 Gal. 3.13 He is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ransom for many yea the Ransom for all in all Ages who ever are of Lamechs family lowly and poor in spirit contrite and humble The promise of redeptmion is made unto all such 1 Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who gave himself a Ransom for all a testimony for proper or several times or seasons that is according as every age and every person in every age is fit to receive it and is capable of it Such a capablenesse and fitnesse to receive the Ransom is necessary Yea and Christ himself giving himself for us requires 1. An imitation of his death in our selves and 2. A like minde towards others First he requires an imitation of his death in our selves 1 Pet. 4.1 2. so the Apostle For as much as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde For he who hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God c. Therefore Noahs Ark had the exact proportion of a Coffin fitted to a dead mans body signifying and requiring our death and burial with Christ that we may arise with him and walk in newnesse of life 1 Pet. 3.21 which therefore the same Apostle compares to Baptism 2. He requires of us a like minde also in regard of others Epoes 5.1 2. For so an other Apostle Be ye followers of God saith he as dear children and walk in love how even as Christ loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favour which was figured by Noah Gen. 8.21 who offered up a sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a sweet smelling favour or savour of rest it has Noahs name in it And he commands us that we even so love our Brethren because Manifestatio dilectionis est exhibitio operis as one of the Ancients speaks He requires that we manifest our love Mat. 5.48 1. In doing good one to another that every one be Homo homini Deus that one man be even as a God unto another 2. and in suffering evil one for another yea even for sinners according to that of Philo Judaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.8 a good man is a kinde of Ransom for an evil man yea according to Christs suffering how much more for good men So Christ loved us and gave himself for us Let the same mind be in us Phil. 2.5 8. which was also in him Wherein He humbled himself and became obedient unto the death c. Will we read this more expressely 1 John 3.16 It is the speech of the Beloved Disciple Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laied down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren Thus the Lord Jesus the true Noah removes the curse being made a curse for us He procures also the Blessing which also was figured by Noah He procures the Blessing by two acts 1. Preparatory which is Removens prohibens 2. Direct first Preparatory Acts 3.26 whereby he prevents every believer For God having raised up his Son Jesus hath sent him to bless us and to turn every one of us away from our iniquities This preparatory act is as it were a fitting and seasoning of our vessells which done Gal. 3.13 14. Tit. 3.6 then followes his direct act the filling of our vessells being so fitted and prepared with the Spirit of grace which God sheds on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour And so blesseth us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly things Hitherto we have considered Noah's Name and found how short he came of the full performance of what his father Lamech had boded of him which yet was fully accomplished by the true Spiritual Noah whose type he bare Come we now to consider the acts of Noah which also were more completely done by the Spiritual Noah 2. As for Noah's acts they were two 1. Building an altar and 2. Offering Burnt Offerings upon that Altar The Altar prefigured Christ and his patience who is that true Altar Mat. 23.19 which Sanctifies all our gifts And by whom we offer up unto God the Sacrifice of Praise The Apostle applies this unto Christ Heb. 13.10 and especially to his propitiatorie Sacrifice We have an Altar saith he whereof they have no right to eat who serve the Tabernacle For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin are burnt without the Camp Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate 2. The Sacrifice
resemblances between Shem and the Lord Jesus and that Christ himself is the true Shem. The derivation and descent of the word Shem is not known unto men It s commonly derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to name which rather ought to be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor is the descent of the Lord Jesus knowen unto the world So they confess John 7.27 we know not whence he is Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a name Esay 45.15 And names are either Verbalia Verbal or Realta real names Christ is that Shem real that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great that honorable name as the Cabalists call him that glorious and fearfull name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 28 58. This is understood by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so often in the Chaldee Paraphrast where Christ the true Shem is understood Thus Esay 1.13 my soule hateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my word So Jer. 1.8 I am with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my word my name Immanuel Esay 45 17. the true Shem is with thee Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Chald. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto his word Mat. 22.44 which is that Scripture wherewith the Lord proved his Deity and put the Pharisees to silence So that it was no new expression Iohn 1.1 but well known unto the Jewes when S. John calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word which is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that real substantial and essential Name of God It 's usual for the word Name to signifie a person Acts 1.15 Rev. 3.4 11.13 as the number of names that is persons and a few names a few persons As for that dispute whether Shem were Melchisedec or not S. Hierom received it for a truth by tradition from the Jewes and others have followed him in that opinion However spiritually and mystically most certain it is that the true Shem is the right Melchisedec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14. He is Shem the great saith the Thargum of Jerusalem And how shall that be made good that Shem and Sheth were glorious among men Ecclus 49.16 whereof yet so little is recorded either in the word of God or humane writers unless we understand there especially the true Shem and Sheth What therefore is disputable in the letter is reconciled in the spiritual meaning Melchisedec For the true Shem is the true the King of righteousness So the Prophet Esay Esay 32.1 ver 17. Hebr. 7.1 2. A King shall reign in righteousness and afterward King of Salem that is King of peace as the Apostle speakes So we have done with the first quaere who Shem was 2. Come we now to the second what he did and herein we shall finde him a type of the true Shem whether we consider his acts Natural as a Father begetting his children naming them if that may be called natural Moral 1. Shem is said to be the Father of all the children of Heber Gen. 10.21 And was not Shem also the father of Elam and Assur and Lud and Aram c. And so the father of all the children of Elam and Assur c Surely if we look no further then the letter it 's as true of these as those as true that he was the Father of all the children of Elam Assur c. As that he was the father of all the children of Heber If therefore we shall enquire who are the true children of Heber and the true Hebrews we shall finde that no other then the true Shem was their father For who are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are the true Hebrews who else but such as are Irati such as are angry with themselves that they have continued so long in their sins who else but such as are therefore angry with themselves that they may not sin So diverse of the Antients as also Calvin understood Psal 4.4 Ephes 4.26 Be angry and sin not To lay down all our anger one towards another It was the speach of the Deacon to the Communicants as mine now to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man have a quarel against any man A fit qualification for us all who come unto the Lords Table whose profession is to shew forth the Lords death untill he manifest his life in us by dying daily unto sin truly and earnestly to repent us of our sins to be angry with our selves that have so long lived in sin from which we resolve now to dye to be angry with our selves when any thought or evill motion ariseth in our hearts that we give not our consent thereunto and so sin These are the first children of Heber 2. Other children of Heber there are who are transeuntes So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies such as are in their passage from sin to righteousness from death to life such as are about to keep the Passover with our Lord such was Abraham the son of Heber and great grandchild of Shem whom the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14.18 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that passeth over whom Philo Judeus understands to be one who passeth out of the state of sin and corruption into the divine nature 2. Pet. 1.4 Out of Vr of the Chaldes the light of Devills toward the holy Land Which is the dutie of us all O ye children of Abraham who profess our selves believers the duty of us all who pretend now to keep the Spiritual Passover 1 Cor. 5.8 3. There are yet a third sort of Hebers children who are praegnantes such as have conceived Christ in their hearts and such as are as it were with child by the holy spirit Gal. 4.19 of whom I travail in birth again saith S. Paul till Christ be formed in yo These spiritual Hebrews are of the circumcision who put away the sin of the flesh and worship God in the spirit Col. 2. Phil. 3.3 2. Act. His naming of his children As the true Shem begets and is the father of all the children of Heber so he gives names unto them Rev. 3.12 So Ab. Joachim Cant. 1.3 Esay 62.2 Thy name is an ointment powred out Even that unction from the holy One 1 John 2.20.29 truly Christ himself according to the Spirit 2. As for the moral or spiritual acts of the true Shem they are two especially 1. That notable act of Shem which hath made him glorious among men Ecclus 49. he covered his fathers nakedness and may not the true Shem be said to do the like doth not the Lord Jesus Christ cover the nakednesse of that soul where he is begotten He is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.1 2. He covers with the covering of his Spirit Esay 30.1 Rom. 8.13 by which we mortifie the deeds of the body and live 2.
Jerusalem Hebr. 12.22 Ponam Jerusalem in omnibus Gentibus Domus Dei in omnibus locis Ambrose Let no man think that this is to be understood only of the heavenly Jerusalem hereafter to be inhabited when we have put off the body No Hebr. 12.22 Ye are come c. He saith not Ye shall come but ye are come already They shall build all the old waste places Esay 58.12 even the desolations of those souls wherein there was no thought of God Psal 104. they shall be re-builded and shall become a quiet habitation Esay 33.20 especially the Tabernacle of David Amos 9.11 the Love and shall be an habitation of God in the Spirit Ephes 2.22 How shall Japhet be perswaded to dwell in the houses or Tents of Shem Psal 15.10 So Psal 84.3 The Sparrow hath her nest in thine Altars Chal. Par. The Dove that is they who are born of the Spirit and the Swallow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free-bird or the pure in heart LXX the Turtle the soul mourning for sin For there was no place in the outward Temple for Birds to nestle near the Altar The roof of the Temple was stuck thick with golden broaches lest the birds might settle on it and defile it saith Josephus Here the voice of the true Minister the man of God he is a Tentmaker as Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose office is to perswade unto the Tents of Shem. They are Gods Fishers and Fowlers Fistula dulce canit volucrem dū decipit auceps what though accompted deceivers Christ was esteemed such and his Apostles but though deceivers yet true 2 Cor. 6.8 and 12.16 Did I make a gain of you there 's a trial Hear the voice of thy God Esay 30.20 A voice behinde thee c. He speaks to the heart Hos 2.14 He speaks not in a crowd He took the man out of the crowd Matth. 7.33 34. there is such a din and noise heard in the world c. He who would go to another place then that wherein he is must first forsake that wherein he is we must first go out of our selves If thou wouldst hear him thou must go out of the crowd Thou must retire to thine own heart and hear what God saith unto thee there Psal 85.8 Audiam quid in me loquatur Dominus I will hear what God speaks in me He hears those qui convertuntur ad cor who turn to their heart He perswades the heart Gods way of bringing Japhet and his sons to dwel in the Tents of Shem is by perswasion by information instruction counsel advice exhortation c. Gen. 24. Abrahams servant went to fetch a wife for Isaac see his behaviour through that long Chapter God prospered his way brought him to his Masters kindred c. Eliezer is Gods helper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh and blood would have detained Rebecca but ask at her mouth Verse 57 58 67. And thus the Lord deals with all the sons of Japhet But what if they refuse to be led into Sarahs Tent what if they will not belive what then is to be done but to leave them to the Lord what other course took the Apostles Sarah is the free-woman and such must her children be May we not compel men to come and dwell in the Tents of Shem Luk. 14.23 Compel them to come in No doubt we may compell men to come in but how Instantiâ importunitate saith Ludolphus Besides ther 's no decorum in it the parable is taken from inviting men to a feast 'T is not handsome to compel them Nor is there any doubt but that God useth some times forcible meanes to bring men in as in S. Pauls example and the Angel in Hermas saith Cogam credere I will force them to believe not that the Lord enforceth the will against the nature of it or drawes Japhet otherwise then with the cords of a man even so as it is naturall for him to be drawn Act. 26.19 If any man were forced into Shems Tents surely Paul was but I was not disobedient saith he Such meanes the Lord uses as he knows effectuall and such as will prevail for the chainging of the will Yet where this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used it implies no violence Math. 14 22. and Mar. 6.45 He compelled them to go into a ship What did he strike them or drive them in by force surely no they were unwilling to depart from him but he forcibly perswaded them to go into the ship so Luk. 24.28 They compelled him How did they lay violent hands upon him I suppose no but they used forcible perswasions they constrained him saying abide with us c. We read Act. 16. that Lydia a daughter of Japhet whom the Lord had now perswaded to dwell in the Tents of Shem She to shew her thankfullness to Paul and Barnabas ministers by whom she believed constrained them c. How the words before shew And the like constraint was that of the woman on the prophet Elisha 2 King 4.8 Reproof 1. Those who say that Shems Tents shall never be inhabited that the righteousness of God shall be as a Tent forsaken Surely they who say thus know not the Scripture nor the power of God Not the Scriptures Esay 45.18 and 54.3 They know not the power of God they ascribe more power to the Devill he can fill the Tents of wickedness Psal 84.10 But the great God can never fill the Tents of Shem the Tents of righteousness Reproof 2. The sons of Japhet who will not be perswaded by God to dwell in the Tents of Shem Notwithstanding there is so vast a difference between the Tents they live in and those to which they are invited Psal 84.10 And David that had experience of both so much prefers the one before the other though as great a difference as between good and evill blessing and cursing life and death Deut. 30.15.19 And God in mercy condescending to perswade us to choose life yet we are affraid lest we should be deceived by the truth it selfe lest God that cannot lye should lye to us and we believe our lusts that they will be true and faithfull to us which cannot but deceive us Ephes 4. Reproof 3. Those who go about to force Japhet and constrain him to dwell in the Tents of Shem a thing they can never possibly do by any constraint in the world since it is Gods property and he neither uses any such meanes nor authorizeth any other to use them Exhort To the Sons of Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem they are beautifull Tents Num. 24.5 The great happiness of those who dwell with the true Shem they dwell with God he is their house Psal 90.1 These are Aholah c. Ezech. 23.4 He dwells with them they are his house Hebr. 3.6 Psal 84.10 He dwells in them and walks in them Joh. 14.20 23. David had rather be a door-keeper there then dwell in the Tents of wickedness Let us
unto them for righteousness The Lord promiseth Jesus Christ the son to be their life and righteousness and they believe that God is faithfull and able to raise him from the dead and form him in them to be their life IT may be that I may obtain children by her Genesis Chap. 16. Verse 2. And why did the Translators here cast the sense of the Hebrew word into the margent since the metaphore of edifying and building the Church is so illustrious and notable through out the Scripture Thus Rachel and Leah are said to have built up the house of Jsrael Ruth 4.11 Deut. 25 9. 2 Sam. 7.11 16. So it shall be done to the man who will not build up his brothers house And whereas David had a purpose to build an house to the Lord the Lord requites his intention with a promise of building David an house that is giving children who should sit upon his throne This metaphor we read used also by Heathen Authors in the same argument So sounds that known Iambic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 male children are the columnes of houses And the old Commedian in his Mustela Novarum esse aedium arbitror similem ego hominem quando hic natus est And afterward Parentes fabri liberûm sunt I think saith he the man now this son is born is like a new house The parents are the builders of their children Thus often in the New Testament we meet with this metaphor of building up and increasing the Church So the Lord promiseth Acts 15.16 17. that he will build again the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down that the residue of men may seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom his name is called O that we all were workers together with God for the rearing up and increasing of this building O that all we do were done to edifying that we would edify one another and build up one another in our holy faith and commend one another to the word of Gods grace Acts 20.32 Ephes 2.22 which is able to build us up that we may become an habitation of God through the spirit She shall be a Mother of Nations Genesis Chap. 17. Ver. 16. Kings of people shall be of her A Mother is here a supplement and a bold one which is not to be found in either the LXX or V. Lat. or Chal. Par. or Syriac or Arabic versions The Hebrew Text is more general She shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Gentes for nations namely to rule over them For there is no doubt but the Lord herein had reference to the change of her name which was before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarai which is Princeps mea my Princess or Princess of my family but now I shall inlarge her name and dominion with it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarah shall her name be And this is proved by the context The very next words are an exegesis and explication of these Kings of peoples shall be of her For the word answering to people is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall peoples And the Antients understood the words so with reference to the dominion over the nations she shall be called Sarah because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she is a Princess over all Antea dicebatur princeps mea quasi unius familiae mater Postea absolutè Princeps omnium scilicet gentium princeps fatura So S. Hierom. Thou shalt not call thy wife Sarai id est principem mean but thou shalt call hir Sarah exaltando principem quia Ecclesia in omni gente principatur Not Sarai my Princess but Sarah by exalting the Princess because the Church rules in every Nation And in cujus semine benedicuntur omnes gentes quia Christus dominabitur in Gentibus In whose seed all Nations shall be blessed because Christ shall rule in all Nations So the Interlineary Gloss It may also have reference unto the princely grace of faith signified by Sarah the free woman Gal. 4.23 Which is not a prophesy of calling the Gentiles only to the obedience of Christ but of that greatest inlargement of Christs dominion when that shall be fulfilled which we read Revel 11.15 The Kingdomes of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever When all are so become Kings Motûs suos bene regentes so ruling all their motions and actions that as sin hath reigned unto death so may grace reign through righteousness unto eternall life Genesis Chap. 22. Ver. 18. Gen. 12.3 and 18.18 by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my vojce It is true we read the like promise before twice But it is the like onely and not the same which possibly might occasion an inadvertency in the Translators For in the too former Scriptures the blessing is given to Abram in his own name and centred as it were in himself from whom it should proceed unto all Nations But in this place the promise is made to Abram in his seed and by his seed to all Nations Howbeit this makes not all the difference The conjugation is here changed In the former places the blessing is given passively All Nations shall be blessed But in this place the blessing is promised in a reflexe and reciprocall form In both the former we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Nations shall be blessed in this we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Nations of the earth shall not only be blessed as before but shall blesse themselves It 's a Scripture of the greatest Marke and note that I know of all other Wherein the most high God expresseth the greatest reward of the most acceptable duty that his most faithfull and obedient servant in the world Abram could perform unto him This reward is no lesse no other than the son of God himself figured by Jsaac the spirituall joy and delight the son of Abram Gen. 3.15 and offered by Abram his father unto God upon the Altar In requitall whereof God promiseth his own son the eternall joy Of this son of God although there were before promise made yet it was not revealed untill now that his father would give him as a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2.2 And here the Lord makes this promise unto Abram whom he made Heir of the world which promise was to descend upon all Nations And this promise the Lord here confirmes with an oath which are the two immutable things whereby it is impossible for God to lie Hebr. 6. John 3.33 and 7.39 Ephes 1.11.14 Unto which when we consent and believe we set to our seal that God is true And he reciprocally puts to his seal for the conveyance and confirmation of the eternal inheritance Howbeit this free gift of God and Christs free oblation of himself
I live as many an one vseth that oath in vain and falsely O but this is Gods revealed will God has a secret will opposite unto his revealed will 1. If it be Gods secret will how comest thou to know it 2. Thou hast herein a worse conceit of thy God than thou wouldest have of him whom thou thinkest to be an honest man Obj. 2. But the Lord afflicts me and laies heavy strokes upon me These are not the wounds of an enemy but the chastisements of a father And these are arguments of his love When the Physitian purgeth and lets his patient blood it 's a certain signe he has hope of his life and would have him live Why does the heavenly physitian launce thee purge thee Why does he let thee blood let out the sinfull life the blood is the life Thy sins are as scarlet red as crimson Thou hast not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 If the Physitian should leave purging If the Physitian of thy soul should leave correcting thee and chastening thee and prescribing cordialls unto thee If he should give thee over there were some cause of fear If the father leave chastning his Son and let him go out of his house and spend his substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the state of salvation yet if he return he receives him Mark how the Psalmist concludes and I shall conclude with him Psal 118.17 18. I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. Why his reason followes The Lord hath chastned me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Open to me the gates of righteousness I will go in to them I will praise the Lord. Iacob was a plain man dwelling in tents Genesis Chap. 25. Ver. 27. I looked for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used either in the text or at least in the margent to be rendred Perfect but here is no notice taken of any such signification Howbeit Martin Luther and the Low Dutch the Tigurin Bible and the Spanish as also Castellio Munster Vatablus and Piscator render the word Intire which is neer to that which it properly signifies Perfect and so two of our old English Translations have it and Pagnin What others have simple as in the Vulg. Lat. is the same with what is in our English plain the LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine fuco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ceb. Tab. to this purpose saith R. Sal. he was not experienced in all things but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his heart was so was his mouth as he thought so he spake Howbeit simplicity is either opposite unto worldly wisdom 2 Cor. 1.12 Prov 8.5 and 9.13 or to divine wisdom In the former sense Jacob was simple plain intire and perfect The word in the Scripture before us is of a twofold signification 1. Consumi perdi destrui to be consumed and destroyed 2. To be finished accomplished perfected which may be comprehended in these two words consumi and consummari Psal 104.35 with 37.37 to be consamed or consummated The reason of this double signification seems to be this because the nature of perfection consists in the consuming and destroying of what ever is opposite thereunto and the accomplishment of that holinesse and righteousnesse which God requires according to what the Prophet saith Ezech. 22.15 2 Cor. 7.1 I will consume thy silthinesse out of thee And the Apostle exhorts to perfect holinesse in the fear of God Accordingly the word is rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which import unspotted unreproveable innocent pure guiltless and siniple plainnesse and so a privative perfection in which whosoever walketh unto him the positive perfection shall come 1 Cor. 13. Psal 101.2 whereof the Apostle speakes And David walking in the former prayes for and expects the later What is added That he dwelt in Tents R. Salomon would have understood the tents of Shem Heber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having frequented their Schools But he is here said to be a perfect man dwelling in tents which imports his perfect estate and that he was now perfectly gone out of himself to dwell with his God The harvest the full harvest was now come to him when after the gathering in the fruits of their labours they kept the Feast of Boothes with greatest expressions of joy Exod. 23.16 17. which prefigured the eternal reward of all our labours when we shall be received into everlasting Tabernacles Luke 16.9 Deut. 16.13.14 15. when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt surely or onely rejoyce and according to the Apostles exhortation Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Let us Phil. 4.4 O let us be faithful servants to the Lord that we may be perfect also enter into that joy of our Lord and dwell in the everlasting Tabernacles Gen. 27. Ver. 34.38 Matth. 25.21 Esau cryed with an exceeding bitter cry and said unto his father Blesse me even me also O my father And verse 38. Blesse me even me also O my Father What they here turn in both verses even me also is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were the Accusative whereas the word is the Nominative and Esau saith I it is I or I am thy son O my father His speech is interrupted by passion It is good counsel that of the wise man Ecolus 18.30 31. Go not after thy lusts but refrain thy self from thine appetites lest thou lose the principal blessing and when it is too late seek it with tears Gen. 27. Ver. 38. Hebr. 12.17 Hast thou but one blessing O my Father Where it s said Hast thou but one blessing The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is quite left out by all translators except only that of Pagnin amended by A. Mont. The words should be expressed thus Hast thou but that one blessing O my father That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinctive whereby is implyed a twofold blessing one of the heavenly man the other of the earthly Gen. 27. Ver. 39. Thy dwelling shall be the fatnesse of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above In the margent we read or of the fatnesse But if either way we understand the words what great difference will there be between Jacobs and Esaus blessing in this particular except only that the order is inverted But why then does Esau cry with a great and exceeding bitter cry Verse 34. And why doth he threaten to kill his brother Verse 41. Some diversity 't is very probable there is in this part of Jacobs blessing The words may be rendred thus Thy dwelling shall be without the fatnesses of the earth and without the dew of heaven The Hebrew will bear this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the fatnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and without the dew And in the same sense out Translators render the very word Psal 109.24 My knees are weak through fasting and my
by the Spirit of Jesus John 16.8 when the Spirit shall come he will reprove the world of sin the open and known sin the black Egyptian because they believe not in Christ that he is The I am John 8.24 And Moses supposed that his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them but they understood not nor believed Acts 7.25 2. He shall reprove the world of Righteousnesse even the false righteousnesse of the flesh which the pretending religious world counterfeits out of their knowledge of Christ meerly after the flesh whereas our Lord saith He goes to the Father and they see him no more 3. He shall reprove the world of Judgement because the Prince of this world even the spiritual Pharaoh himself is judged and cast out John 12.31 Now because the Hebrews believed not Moses Acts 7.25 therefore their deliverance out of Egypt was interrupted and delayed Exod. 2.14 15. Nor can the spiritual Moses do his great works in us because of our unbelief Matth. 13.58 Wherefore O ye believing Hebrews who are in your passage from sin to righteousnesse from death to life from the letter to the Spirit or as Philo Judaeus interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14.13 one who is passing out of the state of sin and corruption into the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that 's a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Hebrew indeed let not us think low thoughts of the spiritual Moses let not us limit or stint our belief in the Lord Jesus but let us in this our journey 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loynes of our mindes and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of J. Christ who is the great God Tit. 2.13 who is able to save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to all perfection who come unto God by him Hebr. 7.25 And God said unto Moses Exod. 3. Ver. 14. I am that I am The words in the Hebrew are in the future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be what I will be And although it be true that there is oftentimes enallage temporum and that the present tense is sometime understood by the future yet it is not so here For if such an unlimited change may be according as men shall be pleased to make it to what purpose are the times distinguished It is true Hierom hath Sum qui sum as ours render the words I am that I am But he gives no reason for that translation no more do ours Wherefore if good reason can be given why we should adhere to that expresse text of Scripture rather then recede from it it will be of more weight with reasonable men then all mens authority against it Let us try The great name Tetragrammaton Jehovah is so composed by divine artifice that it signifies the three parts of time past present and to come as I have shewen largely on Gen. 9.26 When therefore the Lord calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be he implyes that in the later part of time he will more clearly manifest his Deity in and to the Humanity That we may the better understand this we may observe that the whole tract of time from the beginning to the end of it may be generally divided into two parts or ages one of type prophesie and promise the other of truth fulfilling and performance of what was typified foresaid and promised And this later eminently began when Christ appeared in the flesh and therefore we finde so often especially in S. Matthew ut impleretur that it might be fulfilled c. This time is expressed in the Prophets often by The last dayes those dayes that time c. which the Apostles call the end of the world the later times c. Yea although S. Paul speaks of his own times and calls them the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 yet he tells us also of later dayes which should come after his time 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3.1.5 Now the Lord and his Prophets foretelling what shall come to passe they refer us in the first age or part of time to the accomplishment of it in the later part of time So we understand what our Lord saith to Moses Exod. 6.2 that He was not known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by his name Jehovah that is as it imported a fulfilling of his promises otherwise no doubt he was known by that name unto them And the Prophets point at the later times for the fulfilling of their prophesies Examples are obvious as very often when we meet with this phrase They shall know that I am the Lord often in Esay Jeremy Ezechiel c. And they refer us unto the later times for a more cleer understanding of what they write as Jer. 23.20 And the reason is because in the Messiah the Lord would more clearly manifest himself and his wayes and works So Hos 3.5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodnesse in the later dayes Whereas therefore the Lord now begun his work with Moses he made himself known unto him by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be For all that time he was a God that hid himself under types and shadowes Esay 45.15 Until his only begotten Son declared him John 1.18 And then he who had called himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be in the beginning of his work he calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego sum I am as often elsewhere so especially John 8.59 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before Abraham was I am Thus in this his first bringing up of Israel out of Egypt he styles himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be but the time would come when he should bring his people again from the depths of the Sea Psal 68.22 Esay 51.10 11. Zach. 10.10 This is wrought by the Lord who cals himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am who perfects that first rude draught of his first historical work in Spirit and Truth The Lord hath not communicated himself all at once but at first made himself and his Name known by Moses and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many parts and many manners in prophesies and promises in figures and types but in the last dayes he speaks unto us by his Son who fulfils all the types Col. 2.16 17. prophesies concerning himself Luke 24.44 and promises for all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and by him comes grace to fulfil the Commandements Rom. 8.4 and truth to fulfil types and promises He fulfils the great promise of the Father even the promised Spirit He fulfils the oath of the Lord that all the earth should be filled with the glory of the Lord Numb 14.21 when all behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into
pride and haughtiness of mind a noble spirit He considered not that a Christian spirit is a merciful spirit For surely our sympathy and commiseration is the best part of our alms which is a contract of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy S. John will determine this controversie Whoso hath this worlds good saith he and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up he saith not his purse but his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 John 3.17 Reproof 3. Who eat the inwards not Christs but their own as the envious man does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he eats his own heart Reproof 4. Who eat not the Head partake not of the Lambs dominion but will make Rezin their King their own wilfulness Esay 7. and set up over them Tabeel a god such as seems good to themselves as the Chal. Par. turns Tabeel I beseech ye take it not amiss that I set before ye the fragments that were left the last night It is the judgement of one of the most pious and learned Fathers that by the fragments that were taken up Matth. 14.20 are to be understood the more abstruse and difficult parts of the word which the people left And so the Apostle distinguishes between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.1 2. I fed you with milk and not with meat for ye were not able to bear it Hitherto we have had the Bill of fare the parts of the Pascal Lamb principally to be eaten Come we now to the manner of eating the Pascal Lamb. And first negatively and that 's two wayes 1. Not raw 2. Not sodden at all in water First We must not eat it raw The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn raw of doubtful signification in the Hebrew which descends from the Arabic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with changing of a letter usually changeable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crudum cruentum quod sanguine coctum Scal. It 's meant not simply raw but half roasted a fault I fear too often committed that as the Cooks buy their meat raised or blown up an old sin of the Butchers which Aristotle mentions in his Elenchs so the Cooks half roast their meat that it may seem fair to the eye and be sold off the dearer Rat. Why not raw or half roasted The Law forbids eating with the blood and gives reason because in the blood of the beast is the life of the beast Now if we enquire into a further reason of that Law The Lord thereby would prevent cruelty lest eating with the blood might incline men to love blood and so shed blood Nero and Domitian two of the worst Emperours of Rome loved hunting and shedding the blood of beasts and afterwards were most cruel in shedding the bloud of men Obs 1. Mysticè Not raw The Lord would not that wee should have communion with the life of the beast neither in the concupiscible as lasciviousness and luxury nor in the irascible as savageness and fierceness Eccles 11.10 Obs 2. The Lord would not that we should feed upon his Word in the crudity of the letter As in these and such examples Except a man hate his father and mother c. sell all thou hast and give to the poor c. These and the like Scriptures must be understood cum grano salis according to the intention of the Spirit of God not literally not rawly For if we hate father or mother how can we honour them Doubt But why does Moses forbid eating with the blood when Christ the true Moses and the true Pascal Lamb gives us his blood to drink Answer The Israelites in Moses dayes were not come to the renewing of the life but they were daily admonished and exhorted to amend their life howbeit herein they were very slow yea murmured and hardened their hearts against Moses And therefore they were not suffered to eat the blood For in the blood is the life Deut. 12.23 Unto which life they could not come by reason of their unbelief and disobedience Hebr. 3.19 and 4.11 But the Disciples of Christ who had now passed from the flesh into the Spirit and were come from the death into the life Christ gave to these his flesh to cat and his blood to drink even for a renewing of the life 3. Not sodden at all in water Seething and boyling as also stewing requires water or other liquor wherein to stew boyl and seeth meat and make it fit for eating by working out the scum and drawing out the crudities Mysticè Sursum corda I come not to teach the Artists their own art What then is meant by water wherein the Lamb must not be sodden By water mystically is understood doctrine Ephes 5.26 Doctrine in Scripture is humane or divine Humane doctrine as mens traditions are here forbidden their fear of me is taught by the precepts of men Of this water the Prophet complains thy wine is mixt with water the spiritual doctrine of divine consolation is blended with mans doctrine mans invention for that water which is divine doctrine is elsewhere commended 2. The Lord requires the simplicity in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 and godly sincerity in all our services And therefore 1 Cor. 5.8 as here he forbids the water of humane doctrine so elsewhere the leaven of hypocrisie in eating the spiritual Passover Esay 29.13 1.22 But why must not the Lamb be sodden in the water of humane doctrine or mans doctrine 1. In regard of the water it self 2. In respect of the seething or boyling meat in that water 1. The water it self is from beneath the water below the heavens whereas the divine water is water above the heavens Now because its water from beneath its feculent and sapit contiguam glebam it relishes of the earth whence it comes and that is from the earthly mans wisdom and invention James 3.15 Of this our Lord speaks Ye are from beneath I am from above John 8.23 2. In regard of the seething or boyling and the effect of it the humane doctrine and wisdom cannot reach unto the sublime nature of the divine wisdom and Word The Naturallists say and experience proves it Aqua tantum ascendit quantum descendit Water can ascend no higher then the Fountain from whence it comes That which is of the flesh is flesh that which is of the earthly spirit is earth John 3.6.31 Since therefore the Pascal Lamb is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong meat the weak water of mans doctrine cannot prepare it maturate it or fit it for the nourishment of our souls The water of mans doctrine cannot prepare the spiritual Pascal Lamb. The truth of this appears in the business we have in hand the mystery of the Lords Supper For the learned men of three divided Churches have been long time seething and boyling and parboyling this mystery and all to little
purpose The Lamb is raw There hath been more paper blotted about this controversie and opposition of science and humane learning against humane learning and science then about any other that I know in the Christian Church Reproof 1. Those who kindle their own fire and boyl the Word in the water of their own doctrine contrary to the express precept here not sodden at all in water All the New Lights which have shined now many years they have not brought forth or shined to the life which is the end of all The young Prophet went forth to gather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gathered wilde Gowrds 2 Kings 4.39 which are called fel terrae the Gall of the earth for their bitterness these he gathered and shred into the pot and when they came to be eaten they cried out O man of God death is in the pot c. They could never have eaten it had not Elisha cast in his Meal Many sons of the Prophets have gone forth into the field to gather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lights new lights of humane learning lights of imagination which shine like rotten wood in the night of ignorance what else can be gathered in the field of the world but fel terrae the gall of the earth Matth. 13.38 which they gather out of their own earthly minde Phil. 3.19 And these they shred into the pot and powre out to feed the people withal But the hungry souls after the word of righteousness cannot feed on this food for it s no food of life they cry out that death is in the pot And it would prove death did not Elisha cast in the Meal even the meal of that wheat which fals into the ground and dies John 12. and brings forth much fruit of life It is that Meal which takes away the bitterness from all mens learning and what followed upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was no harm in the pot the words are there was no evil word in the pot and so Arias Montanus turns that Text Non fuit verbum malum in olla there was no evil word in the pot Reproof 2. The people who contentedly feed upon the Word boyled in the water of mans doctrine heated by the fire of their own spirit which works not out the creudities nor scum of the sinful life It is a dreadful threatning ye read Ezech. 24.6 14. Wo to the bloody City to the pot whose scum is therein c. 4. Come we to the positive preparation of this spiritual food It must be rosted with fire Fire is natural and indifferent or spiritual and that good or evil The rosting by a natural fire is the drawing of crudity and rareness out of the meat Mysticè But the spiritual fire is here to be understood and that which is good and that either good in it self or good for us 1. Good in it self so God himself is a fire Hebr. 12.29 And he is essentially good and his Spirit is a fire S. Luke 4.16 2. Temptations also inward and outward Afflictions are a fire called a fiery trial that is to try us 1 Pet. 4.12 and these are good for us It is good for me that I was afflicted Psal 119.71 3. The Word also is prepared by the patience and practice of it and the examples of the Lord himself the Prophets and Apostles Being so prepared it becomes more savory and more easie of digestion Of this the Psalmist speaks Psal 119.140 thy word is fiery 4. Zeal also is a fire and although in it self it be indifferent yet in regard of the object in a good matter it is good to be zealous How shall the Paschal Lamb be rosted When they rost meat the superfluous moysture and crudity is dried and drawn out of it But is there any supersluity in the true Pascal Lamb surely no What necessity then is there that it be rosted The Word has been sodden by Commentators and Expositors and every one hath left his false gloss upon it according to every mans humour according to which there are many Christs Matth. 24.24 and all these must be consumed by the fire of Gods Spirit 2. The Word is most savoury when we partake of it in our afflictions then it has the best relish At other times it is like meat to men that have no appetite But when we are under the fire of afflictions pressures and calamities O how sweet the Word is then unto us as to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Prou. 27.7 as a morsel cut off the Spit The Apostle remembers the Thessalonians of their appetite 1 Thess 1.5 6 7. Our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost there 's one fire And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction there 's another Doubt Why does the Lord propound these mysteries under outward things as of a Lamb c. Love is defined affectus unionis an affection of union oneness and sameness with the party loved Now because one man who loves another cannot really be one and the same with him Disparata non possunt fieri unum disparates cannot be the same he imparts something to him wherewith he may be in a sort one and the same with him such is that which enters into us as our meat and drink and such as is nearest to us as our garments and what else is needful for the preservation of our being Thus Jonathan loved David 1 Sam. 18.1 3 4. Their soules were in a sort one but how did Jonathan expresse that He stript himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments c. Does the Scripture think we intend only to express humane passion Jonathan figures the holy Spirit so his name signifies The gift of the Lord and he clothes David as when Judges 6.34 the Spirit of the Lord is said to come upon Gideon the Hebrew Text saith the Spirit clothed Gideon Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 2.8 Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you our own souls because ye were dear unto us There is no love without communication of something from the party loving to the party loved Thus John 3.16 God so loved that he gave his only begotten Son Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me Ephes 5.2 Christ loved us and gave himself for us So he loved the Church and gave himself for it ver 25. And thus the Lord Jesus Christ to testifie his intimate love unto us he communicates himself unto us by the Sacrament of his body and blood which is called therefore Sacramentum unionis whereby he affectionately imparts himself unto us John 6.55 56 57. My flesh is meat indeed c. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me c. Terms of art are as weights wherewith we weigh silver and
of the plenteousness of Gods house and so shewing forth the death of the Lord Jesus the incense of our prayer may without seeking applause of men Matth. 6.5 or wandring of the minde by right and single intention be directed unto God until Christ come to be our life 2 Cor. 11.26 For therefore we alwayes bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our body For we who live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus may appear in our mortal flesh The Lord vouchsafe so great grace unto every one of our souls Keeping mercy for thousands Exod. 34. Ver. 7. forgiving iniquity transgression and sin The words contain a part of Gods Name revealed unto Moses The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the first letter extraordinary great whereby the Lord shews wherein and in whom he shews mercy viz. in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that springet that sprout of righteousness by whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saveth us Of whom the Prophet speaks Esay 11.1 There shall come forth a Rod out of Stem of the Jesse a Shoot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ill turnd by our Translators a Branch Do we call that a Branch which growes out of the Root of a Tree or rather a Shoot or Sprout shall grow out of his roots that is Christ as the Chald. Par. turns it Behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a King shall come forth of the sons of Jesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christ shall be anointed of his sons sons What is here rendred Forgiving is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is properly 1. Bearing and 2. Bearing away 1. Bearing So the Prophet Esay 53.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bare the sins of many As indeed he doth in us and that with great patience and long-suffering saith the Apostle 2 Peter 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord is long-suffering toward us 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also bearing away So Vatablus confesseth in his marginal notes that it is in the Hebrew Auferens though he puts Condonans in the text Hierom also hath Aufers thou takest away So likewise the French Bible and the Spanish Munster also and one Low Dutch translation And so the LXX render the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking away sins and iniquities And the LXX translation is constant herein For where Moses beseecheth God to make good this his Name unto his people Num. 14.17 18. the same words are repeated both in the Hebrew and in the LXX And great reason there is for this translation For it is more glorious unto God to take away sin then only to forgive it both in regard of the act because to cleanse is a greater work then to pardon only 1 John 1.9 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness And also in regard of the Agent For it is God alone who can take away sin whereas a man can forgive sin against himself and is bound so to do Matth. 6.14 15. and 18.32 33. Mark 11.25 26. Besides Forgiveness of sin doth not enter us into eternal life but the taking of it away and cleansing us from it Hos 14.2 Take away iniquity and receive us graciously The former must be done before the later Otherwise there should some unclean thing enter into the holy City which is everlastingly excluded Rev. 21.27 Consider these reasons well who ever thou art for they are of moment and of nearest concernment to thine immortal soul that it be cleansed from all pollution Consider also who bears thy sins in thee and would bear them away from thee didst thou not hold them fast and refuse to part with them Jer. 8.5 Take heed that thou abuse not this Name of God so full of clemency goodness and long-suffering remember Laesa patientia fit furor patience overcharg'd becomes fury Thou art now under the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Râ—â— 1.9 And thou hast long known the meekness and gentleness of Christ 2 Cor. 10.1 Beware of their resolution who harden themselves against him that they may know his meekness and prove his patience Wisd 2.19 lest that come to pass unto thee which befals all such as neglect the present pretious and blessed opportunity of grace offered them lest thou abuse the patience and meekness of the Lamb and be made sensible when it will be too late to prevent it and be forced to feel the wrath of the Lamb Revel 6.15 16 17. Take notice also as of this part of Gods Name that be bears and bears away iniquity transgression and sin so of that other part of his Name also which next followes that he will by no means cleanse the guilty that he will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation Learn also to pray not only for pardon and forgiveness of sin while yet thou livest in sin and thinkest it impossible to live otherwise but also for the purifying and cleansing of thy sin So the Prophet instructs Israel to pray O Israel return unto the Lord for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words turn to the Lord say unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously c. Hos 14.1 c. So will the good God heal our backsliding and love us freely and his anger shall be turned away from us and he will make good his Name of grace unto us and the Lamb of God shall bear and take away all our sins O that that were come to pass Leviticus IF his offering be a burnt Sacrifice of the herd Levit. 1. Ver. 3. let him offer a male without blemish he shall offer it of his own voluntary will c. I deny not but what is here turn'd without blemish answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXX But since the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifies not only privatively without blemish but positively also perfect and having all inward and outward accomplishments without defect without redundancy Since also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macula a spot or blemish whereas no blemish or spot in the skin of the beast to be sacrificed made it unfit for the service but some other default or superfluity such as we finde Levit. 22.22 Lastly since Christ himself was hereby typified according to Hebr. 9.13 14. The Translators might have afforded a type of Christ this epithet of perfect though they hardly afford it unto any of those who are Christs without some allay or other in the margent What is here rendred of his own voluntary will is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be as well for his favour that is for the obtaining favour to himself from the Lord. For the office may be referred
the two former Chapters the Lord gives divers precepts which in this Chapter he ratisies with sanctions by their respective punishments The words contain a denuntiation of punishment for a crime and the confirmation of that punishment by repetition both of the crime and punishment When any man curseth his Father or his Mother he shall surely be put to death Which words are repeated for aggravavation 1. The crime he hath cursed his Father or his Mother 2. The punishment of the crime his blood shall be upon him What is here turn'd Father or Mother although read copulatively in the Hebrew his Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his Mother yet are the words dis-junctively to be understood his Father or his Mother and that by the authority of the only Lawgiver who warrants the dis-junctive reading of this sentence Matth. 15.4 He that curseth Father or Mother let him die the death So that he who curseth one and but one of his parents is liable to death otherwise the Law might have been eluded Howbeit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here read is not only to speak evil to or of or to imprecate and so wish evil unto any one as it is wont to be rendred by maledicere to curse or speak evil of And so what we read Exod. 22.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Paul Acts 23.5 renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt not speak evil of c. Yet the word signifies more properly to slight and make light of to vilifie and dishonour And so this verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to honour as elsewhere so 1 Sam. 2.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who honour me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will honour but they who despise me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vili pendentur they shall be lightly esteemed When any man speaks evil of or to his Father or Mother or flights either of them he shall die the death that is he shall certainly die as he is worthy to die being guilty of so great a crime Which is explaind in the close of the verse his blood shall be upon him Under the notion and name of parents we are to understand not only our Fathers that begat us and our Mothers that bare us Prov. 23.22 Nor only those whom the Law makes such Ruth 3.1.5 but the name is also extended in a civil respect unto Governours and Magistrates as Eliakim was a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Esay 22.20 21. And Naamans servant called him Father 2 Kings 5.13 And Deborah was a Mother in Israel Judges 5.7 Yea in a spiritual sense God himself is our Father and Jerusalem above is the Mother of us all as I may shew afterward And they are also called our Fathers who beget us unto God Gen. 45.8 1 Cor. 4.14 15. And consequently honour is due unto them and for slighting or cursing them like penalty is due to those who analogically are called their children This denuntiation of punishment will appear to be reasonable if we shall consider 1. What the duty is which is here violated and 2. the reason of that duty as also 3. the violation and breach of the duty and 4. the punishment of that breach and violation The duty violated is honour of parents And what is it to honour The word used in the fifth Commandement and elsewhere is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be heavy or weighty and that in quantity as in bulk or number Prov. 27.3 Or quality as dignity honour glory whence we say that Honos est onus Honour is a burden accordingly the Scripture speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 So 2 Cor. 12.16 I was not burthensome unto you In this sense the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.6 Neither of men sought we glory neither of you nor of others when we might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been burdensome the Syriac hath been honourable as the Apostles of Christ that is such as God and Christ appointed first in his Church 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 and therefore ye read in the margent we might have had authority 1 Thes 2.6 Now the honour due to parents from their children is a weighty business a matter of great weight and moment which is either inwardly performed as an high esteem of them love and fear of them Or 2. outwardly expressed as a testimony of that estimation love and fear in Reverence to their persons Obedience to their commands Supply of their necessities The reason why this honour is to be given to parents will appear whether we consider the parents themselves or their children who owe this duty to them The parents deserve all honour from them as being in eminency above them both because Authors of their being and of their better being by nurture and education Their love and care and labour and cost challenge all respect from them for their unrequitable love For when they have done all that possibly can be done by them and have followed them with all their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their utmost requital that they can make yet being and education exceeds all gratitude as the hinder wheels of the Charet run as fast but can never overtake the former The Father hath his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to will desire to be tenderly affected to his children as implying that all that influence of care and labour and cost is from love which sweetens the authority of Parents over their children 2. In regard of the children themselves justice and gratitude requires this duty of them Children obey your parents in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is just Ephes 6.1 That natural love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mixt with due awe makes up Reverence which is the first part of that honour unto parents And love is the strongest principle of obedience Exod. 20.6 that 's the second Whence will easily follow requital of parents to the utmost of their power because to love is not only bene velle but also bene facere Which is the third part of honour due to parents 3. Since the duty is so just so reasonable the breach and violation of that duty must needs be most unreasonable and unjust The violation and breach of the duty it is slighting vilifying disesteeming dis-honouring whether by word as cursing and evil speaking to parents or of them or by gesture or deed as denying them obedience to their commands or supplying their wants as Matth. 15.4 5. This slighting which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little-accounting is a great sin yea a greater injury done to him whom men slight then if they did some open violence unto him Quem quis contemnit eum non curiosiùs calcabit him whom a man contemns he will not take any great care how he kicks him saith Seneca When Paracelsus begun in Germany to make known his principles
of Physick and Philosophy much different from those received the learned men despised him and vilified him as if he had been a Mountebank or Quacksalver but when Erastus the Emperors Physitian and a very learned man wrote against him men then began to change their mindes concerning him and to think he was not despicable as they had supposed but that he had great worth in him Whereas he who slights and neglects another he thereby declares his opinion of him that he has neither wisdom nor strength nor any thing in him worthy of estimation And from such a slight opinion commonly proceed sutable words gestures and actions 4. Such as these done by children to their parents to whom they owe the greatest honour deserve according to divine justice extream punishment even death it self For God who knowes the hearts of all men sees a disposition to kill where there is a boldness to curse According to which justice Traytors against their civil fathers are to die by the laws of most Nations as being such as go about to take away the lives of those who have given and maintained theirs Whence we perceive a main difference between the prescience and providence of the Great Lawgiver and all inferiour ones The Romans made no law against Parricides because they could not foresee that any could so degenerate or put off a man as to kill his father but the only wise God foresees this and makes lawes against those who would be murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers 1 Tim. 1.9 But what if my father be a wicked man may I not slight him speak evil of him c Surely no the wickedness of the parents exempts no childe from his duty to them Nor is it said honour thy good father and good mother but honour thy father and mother Nor is it said when any shall curse his evil father or mother but his father c. As we may reason from a less obligation Hagar must submit her self unto her Mistris though she dealt roughly with her For it is the Apostles rule 1 Pet. 2 18. Servants obey your Masters not only if good and gentle but also if they be froward David honoured Saul his Father-in-law and often preserved him from death even at the same time when Saul sought Davids life But obedience is a part of honour due to parents must the children be obedient to their parents when they command what is evil I answer the fifth Commandement is a part of the second Table or howsoever accounted by Josephus and Philo Judeus in the first Table yet it s taken out of the first and great Commandement Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy minde and with all thy strength and therefore must obedience unto our heavenly Father be preferred before obedience to our Fathers upon earth Here that rule is true he that loveth Father or Mother more then me is unworthy of me Matth. 10.37 Our Lord Jesus Christ was obedient unto his parents Luke 2.51 yet he staid at Jerusalem when they departed thence And therefore being reproved by his Mother when she found him in the Temple saying thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing how is it saith he that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business Or rather which is a more true translation and a more proper answer to his Mothers expostulation how is it that ye sought me Luke 2. Ver. 49. wist ye not that I must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my fathers house that is in the Temple so that ye needed not go far to seek me The Apostle makes answer to this doubt Children obey your parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord Ephes 6.1 Here also lies an obligation upon Parents by their sober and grave deportment to preserve their authority over their children and to be careful that a rational love decent and becoming gravity be such as may win upon their children elicit draw from them a willing love awe reverence and honor that they shew no example of light behaviour but to be exemplary in all holy conversation It is most reasonable that a man behave himself as a father if he would be honoured as a father saith one of the pious Antients And how equal is that precept Vt ameris amabilis esto Be lovely that thou mayest be loved And by like reason Vt honoreris honorabilis esto that thou maiest be honoured by thy children demean thy self as one fit to be honoured Wouldest thou not be slighted and despised Be not contemptible be not despicable That which the Apostle writes to Titus takes place here with analogy to the spiritual fatherhood Let no man saith he despise thee Titus 2.15 Alas how could Titus how can any man else help it but that he may be despifed his meaning is Let thy sober grave behaviour and thy doctrine be such as may challenge honour and due respect from thy spiritual children Be not thou despicable so shalt thou not be despised The words foregoing make this reason good These things speak and exhort and rebuke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all authority yea as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies with all command as from divine authority Titus 2.15 and out of the word of God And then follows Let no man despise thee Which discovers the fondness of parents who by the lightness of their example and remissness and negligence in their government betray their gravity and authority This was Eli's sin 1 Sam. 2.29 his sons should have honoured him and he honours them and that not only above himself but above God also as God himself interprets it They say the old Ape so embraces and grasps her young ones that by hugging them she kills them Such is the Apish indulgence and unreasonable love of some parents that should they hate their children they could do them or themselves no greater injury For this fin God left his place at Shilo and put out Eli and his house from being Priests before him and brought that ruine upon Eli and his sons and the whole Nation that was not recovered a long time after What Parents are wont to say in this case My son is now of age and discretion he knowes how to behave himself c. It may be well answered by a rule known in the Civil and Canonical lawes Jus reverentiale remitti non potest No man can remit of that reverential right which is by the law of God and Nature due unto his place Whence children also may learn that there is a perpetual obligation and tye upon them to honour reverence obey and support their parents it is a principal Lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them learn first to shew piety at home and requite their parents 1 Tim. 5.4 to obey them and have an honourable esteem of them it is a natural impression Should a Prince strike a
Childe hee 'l complain to his Father though he the poorest and meanest subject It is a duty that children never live to out-grow a debt that they can never fully pay though they be ever paying it as it is said of the childe sequiturque patrem non passibus aequis The thankfull childe follows his father but with unequal steps Now since the Obligation is so great the greater is their sin who 1. in opinion or 2. practise undervalue and slight this Commandement of God touching honour unto parents and the Ratification of it 1. In opinion as they who under pretence of honouring God slight and neglect their parents This was that which our Lord blamed in the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 15.4 Where having recited the Commandement of God and the penalty due to those who break it but ye say saith he whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother it is Corban a gift given and consecrated unto God wherewithal thou mightest be holpen by me such an one shall be free from honouring nourishing clothing supplying the wants of his Father or Mother But should not Gods worship and service you 'l say be so dear unto us that it ought to be preferred before our father and our mother Men are wont in this and other cases to plead for God such as they conceive him to be Some there are who think that God sees as man sees and that he is much taken with beautiful out-sides of Temples made with hands and to such use was that Corban of which our Lord speaks for reparation of the Temple And for this the Scribes and Pharisees were zealous and so zealous that they preferred it before the Commandement of God They knew not nor do many know or at least they consider not that to do justice and judgement is more acceptable unto the Lord then Sacrifice Prov. 21.3 To obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams 1. Sam. 15.22 So that our obedience unto the Moral Law of God our love to our neighbour our honour unto parents is more pleasing unto him then all his ceremonial worship and service Because the Kingdom of God consists in righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost and in these things consists our service of God and Christ acceptable before God and men Rom. 14.17 18. Yea without brotherly love there is no love of God For he that loves not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 1 John 4.20 Therefore our Lord dispenseth with his own service when the brotherly love is wanting till it be fulfilled leave thy gift at the Altar and go first and be reconciled unto thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Matth. 5.24 2. The more are they to blame who by their practise violate this duty a sin very rife among us and to be accounted among those which have brought the wrath of God upon us in these last dayes For the Prophet puts this sin among others in the Catalogue of those which brought the national judgement upon the people Ezech. 22.7 In thee they have set light by father and mother that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that weight of honour due unto them they performed not It is a sin that is extream frequent in this City God avert from us that judgement which he threatned and inflicted on his ancient people for this sin That for this and like sins he would burn them like dross in his Furnace Verse 19. 22. And therefore it is a sin worthy that punishment which the Lord hath denounced great as the reward is great For this is a rule consonant unto sound reason That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weightier things of the Law Matth. 23.23 are ratified by the heaviest punishmants Such is the capital punishment due to the breach of this Law Exod. 21.15.17 And we may read the like Deut. 21.18 21. and 27.16 Prov. 30.17 Whence it is that he seems to appeal to our equity whether his sentence be just or not For having said When any man shall curse his father or his mother let him die the death he presently repeats the crime He hath cursed or set light by his father or mother his blood shall be upon him The evidence of the fact justifies the sentence of God We finde like appeals made elsewhere Gen. 49. Jacob now about to deprive Ruben of the birth-right Thou art my first-born saith he and the beginning of my strength c. thou shalt not excel because thou wentest up to thy fathers bed thou didst dishonour and slight thy father then defiledst thou it Then as it were making an appeal to any who should judge whether his sentence were just or not he adds he went up to my Couch v 4. Thus the Lord now denouncing judgement against Moab Esay 16.7 Moab shall howl for Moab we have heard saith he of the pride of Moab then turning as it were to any one who would judge of it he addes he is very prowd The like we may finde Jer. 44.9 10. Ezech. 13.3 6. Let the people of God be warned of this judgement perform the duty required and so expect the promise made even long dayes dayes of eternity in the land of the living It s the first Commandement with promise It s reckoned by the Jews in the first Table whence the duty is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piety which is proper unto God so the Apostles phrase sounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew piety at home to be pious or godly toward ones own house which he presently explains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to requite the Parents which is good and acceptable before God 1 Tim. 5.4 Yea great is the reward of such piety a lasting an everlasting reward Jer. 35.18 19. There shall not a man be cut off from Jonadab the son of Rechab one who shall stand before the Lord for ever Josephus tells us that these Rechabites were a race of pious and holy men from a long time whom he describes Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. And what is become of them now They were called Esseni and Asidaei whereof we read mention made 1 Mac. 7.13 and elsewhere But surely these were not nor are to be understood only according to the flesh no more then Israel is but according to the Spirit So that they who reverence obey and support their parents they are the true Asidaei the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pious holy merciful ones And these are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 35.2 the Rechabites the sons of him who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rides in glory and triumph upon the word of truth meekness and righteousness Psal 45.4 Who rides-on conquering and to conquer Revel 6.2 and his spiritual children conquer with him and through him and so reign with him For the Law is spiritual and the words have their spiritual meaning For is not God thy Father who bought thee Hath he
worst The best Cauda jubetur adoleri Deo saith S. Gregory ut omne bonum quod incipimus etiam perseverantiae fine impleamus that what ever good we begin we may also fulfil with the end of perseverance The rump or tail of the Ram hath a special name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to curse which is due to the Prophet who perseveres in speaking lies Esay 9.15 The inward part that is the heart as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as also the minde and so what Hebr. 8.10 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde that Jer. 31.33 is the inward part which may be good or evil for the good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil Luke 6.45 And the like may be said of all the rest Who puts all these in the Priests hand who else but the great God as was shewen before He puts in the mans power to do good or to do evil Take notice from hence what the Wiseman saith Ecclus 15.14 God himself made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel the good and evil is put into thy power if thou wilt to keep the Commandements of God and to perform acceptable faithfulness He hath set fire and water before thee Stretch forth thine hand to whether thou wilt Before man is life and death and whether him liketh shall be given him This however Apocryphal hath prime Canonical Scripture to confirm it with a witness I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that thou and thy seed may live that thou mayest love the Lord thy God and mayest obey his voice c. Deut. 30.15.19 20. And I beseech you take notice how the Angel in Esdras interprets that place having spoken of this argument with the Angel 2 Esdr 7.1 58. then ver 59. the Angel saith This is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived saying choose thee life that thou mayest live God puts the good in special into our hand Thus to fill the hand is to give possession of the heavenly goods whereof God hath made Christ the high Priest Hebr. 9.11 and put all things into his hand and he makes his believers such when he gives them an earnest of the holy Land As when possession is given a clod of the land is given into his hand who takes possession of it Acts 20.32 Ephes 1.14 Note from hence who is the great high Priest of our profession who else but the Son of God John 3.35 The Father loved the Son and hath given all things into his hand his right hand is full of righteousness Psal 48.10 Here is the accomplishment of all the typical Priests in Christ For what was meant by the first-born Priests but Christ the first-born of every creature What was Aarons Priesthood or Melchisec's and the execution of their respective offices in expiation and intercession and manifold particulars but representations of Christ and his Priesthood and the execution thereof he was the true Aaron the Mountain of knowledge the Teaching Priest who teacheth like him The true Melchisedec Heb. 7.1.2 3. The true Eleazar Gods helper the true Abiathar that excellent Father Esay 9.6 Pater futuri seculi the Father of the after-world as Hierom turns it the everlasting Father Sadoc the righteous one Jehoshuah the Lord the Saviour the son of Jehosadac the righteous Lord Zach. 6.11 Such an high Priest becomes us to have Observe whence the true believers obtain their office of a royal Priesthood unto God Revel 1.6 Here is no man named neither Moses nor Aaron who fils the hand of the Priests it is the Lord alone who makes Priests Hence also we learn what manner of men the Evangelical Priests ought to be Clean-handed men Man us habere consummatns as one of the Ancients speaks to have perfect hands Hear what Philo Judaeus speaks to this purpose God requires of a Priest first of all a good minde holy and exercised in piety then a life adorned with good works that when he layes his hands on any he may say with a free conscience Those hands are neither corrupted with bribes nor polluted with innocent blood they have done hurt injury wounds violence to no man they have not been instruments unto any dishonest thing but have been imployed in things honest and profitable such as are approved by just honest and wise men So he 2. Axiom Wherefore was the Priests hand filled To minister in the Priests office That 's the end of his consecration And it is in the Hebrew in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators express by so many the LXX render it by one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Castellio succinctly turns all the words thus Quorum manûs ipse Sacredotio sacravit whose hands he hallowed for the Priesthood 1. Hence we may learn who they are who truly judge themselvs to be of the royal Priesthood Who but they who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made perfect or consecrated so the Apostle renders that phrase whofe hand is filled and so the LXX express it who stand complete in all the will of God And having done their own work are ready to offer something up for others as prayers intercessions giving of thanks c. Such were they who stood idle in the market place They had done their own work For shall wee think they were a company of Circumforanei a sort of lazy fellons such as are often in our markets Our Lard entertaines no such into his service 2. Hence it appears that no man taketh this honour to himself Hebr. 5. That is that no man ought to take in hand the Priests office unless it be first put into his hand by the Lord. This justly reproves those who do involare violently take unto themselves the Priesthood who assume and arrogate that office to themselves by their own private that is no â—â—â—â—ority under pretence of gifted men who boast of a false gift whereas indeed God hath not filled their hand with any such gift but they have gotten it by a kinde of Legier de main they have taken it to themselves by Brachygraphy or Short-hand and so by a competent measure of boldness intrude into the Priests office and into the things which they have not seen vainly puft up by their fleshly minde Col. 2. Nor yet do I here confine the gifts of God unto mans approbation or ordination Surely the Lord may fill whose hand he will speak by whom he will as he is said to speak not only by the mouth as Acts 1.16 3.18 but also by the hand of his Prophets as by the hand of Moses Numb 4.37 by the hand of Abijah 2 Chron. 10.15 and many the
of all grace Accordingly the Apostle faith that God the Father makes his children partakers of his holiness Hebr. 12.10 and renders them holy as he is holy All this is necessarily to be understood when we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holiness of holinesses that essential holinesse is it which makes all these persons and things holy which are truly such Which understanding of this phrase is quite lost if it be rendred only most holy And therefore Pagnin renders the words Sanctitas sanctitatum Holiness of holinesses The Tigurin Bible Sanctum Sanctorum holy of holies To the same purpose Tremellius Munster and Vatablus 2. Aaron and his sons must appoint every one to his service and to his burden The whole burden of the Tabernacle when the Camp removed lay upon the Kohathites the Gersonites and the Merarites as appears at large in this fourth Chapter of Numbers The service and burden mentioned in these words before us concerned the Kohathites And this is reasonable according to the prudence and equity of the high Priest who apportions unto every one his burden according to his strength to bear it That one be not eased and another burdened but that there be an equality That there be no confusion but that every one may know his own business That there be no intrusion of one upon anothers work Whence it appears 1. The Levitical office is a laborious office a service a burden He who desires the office of a Bishop desires a good work 1 Tim. 3.1 Docet Apostolus quid sit Episcopatus nomen scilicet esse operis non bonoris The Apostle saith S. Augustine teacheth what Episcopacy is viz. the name of a work not of an honour 2. One man must not bear two mens burdens there is no equality no equity in that 3. Hence it appears that there were orders and degrees of Ministers in the Old Testament some imposing others bearing burdens imposed on them And because the Law was Gravida Evangelio big with the Gospel there must be degrees and orders also of Ministers under the Gospel and these not inferiour unto those under the Law both of them representing the degrees and orders among the Angels We read of three sorts of Ministers distinct in degree from one another 1. There were inferiour Elders or Ministers to whom Timothy and Titus gave power to ordain set up reprove restrain c. These were as ministeriall Levites of the lowest order 2. There were superintendents or Bishops such as Timothy himself was at Ephesus and Titus in Crete These answer to the Priests in the Old Testament and to the Angels called principalities and powers 3. There were higher then these superintendent Bishops who had power to ordain and setup the Bishops of the second order And such were the Apostles themselves For an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expresly attributed to the Apostles 1 Ton. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any man desire a Bishoprick and Acts 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 1.20 his Bishoprick was spoken of Judas fallen from his Apostleship let another take his Bishoprick In this sense S. Paul called Peter James and John who were of highest reputation Pillars Gal. 1.9 So that the name of Ecclesiastical Hieâ—archy is both venerable for antiquity and wants not its basis and foundation in the heavenly Hierarchy I speak not of persons who may nay who have sometimes unworthily intruded themselves and have been by men by undue meant advanced thereunto and have arrogated honours to themselves I speak of the degrees and orders themselves found both in the Old and New Testament Those orders themselves may be piously retained and maintained if the persons admitted thereunto be called of God and worthy of such honour 1 Cor. 12.28 â—phos 4.11 12. we read of divers orders Whereof the first three Apostles Prophets and Evangelists are by some godly and judicious Divines made all one or such as may be found in one and the same person For whosoever is an Apostle or hath seen Jesus Christ in the spirit by which token S. Paul asserts and proves his Apostleship 1 Cor. 9.1 he must needs be a right Propher and a true Dâ—â—agelist The other two may be reduced to the other two subordinate sorts of Ministers Now where out Lord saith he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great or greater V.L. among you let him be your Minister Matth. 20.26 And he that will be greater or greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you Matth. 23.11 shall be your servant great greater and greatest therefore there are among Christian Ministers But he that is greater or greatest hath the greatest burden What a speech was that of S. Paul 2 Cor. 12.15 2 Cor. 12. Ver. 15. I teek not yours but you and I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die The Kohathites might approach to the most holy things to receive every one their service and their burden as appears by the former words These words discover how far the Kohathites might go Not so far as to see when the holy things are covered no not upon pain of death lest they die But these things will better appear in the particular handling of the severals contained in gross in these words The Kohathites must not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die Wherein these divine truths are contained 1. The holy things are covered 2. The Kohathites must not go in to see the holy things when they are covered 3. They must not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die 1. The holy things are covered What are here called holy things are in the abstract with an emphasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holiness and it is no other then what was called before holiness of holinesses This holiness is said to be covered The word here turn'd covered is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to be swallowed up devoured destroyed So Arias Montanus turns it here juxta obsorbere at the swallowing up And though it be often used in Scripture it s no where used to signifie covered except only in this place Howbeit I shall speak somewhat unto both senses 1. The holiness is swallowed 2. The holiness is covered 1. The holiness Some would understand hereby Rem sanctam some holy thing Others Res sanctas the holy things But why should not the Spirit of God express it self in its own sense The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holiness But can holiness be devoured swallowed up or destroyed Can it not if it cannot what 's become of it There is a great deal of inquiry made what 's become of the Ark the golden Altar and the other paterns of the holy things whether the Romans carried them away among their other spoyls when they took Jerusalem But who inquires after the holy things themselves
Seal the Law among my Disciples whom he brings brings up under the pedagogy of the Law which is God the Fathers Law Psal 40.8 Herewith he corrects us and instructs us Psal 94.12 Hereby he makes us partakers of his holiness hereby he reveals Christ unto us Gal. 3. For the Law is the Schoolmaster unto Christ who is the holy of holyes the holiness of holinesses Dan. 9.24 And he is our other Teacher our Master even Christ And what does our Master Christ teach us 1. Self-denial and 2. Taking up the Cross daily Luke 9.23 1. There are abridgements of three selfs in man since the fall one whereby he agrees with the beast and lives according to the principles of bruitish man Another whereby he becomes one with the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan who deceives all the world with false principles of corrupt reason Revel 12. A third whereby man stands conformable unto God and the heavenly man 1 Cor. 15. And this is the man and all the man Ecces 12. ver 13. Eccles 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the man what ever else is in man contrary unto this it s either the beast or the Devil 2. His second precept is taking up the Cross even the Christian patience which S. John cals the patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 The yoke of Christ Matth. 11. the narrow way of mortification Walk in this way bear his yoke his Cross his patience and follow him through his death in humility meekness faith and obedience But how shall I obey unless I know Hast thou not been instructed out of the Fathers law Thou art not its impossible thou shouldst be without all knowledge Obey therefore what thou knowest To him who hath not yet denyed the brutish life the Scripture saith be sober Let not your heart be overcharged with surfeting and drunkenness and the cares of this life Luke 21.34 Obey that which the very beast obeyes Neglect not the meanest precept Whatsoever he bids you do that do Fill the water-tots with water if thou hold that he will turn it into wine To him that hath shall more be given Depart from all known iniquity Believe every Precept every Commandement Adde to that faith vertue prowess and courage and then followes knowledge 2 Pet. 1. Such self-denyers such Cross-bearers who persevere in so doing are the true Disciples of Christ whom they follow into his death and by conformity unto his death he destroyes he swallowes up the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Esay 25.7 he devoures in all such Esay 25. ver 7. the vail vailed and the covering covered And swallowes up death in victory And thus we understand Simons speech touchiing our Saviour Luke 12. ver 32. Luke 2.32 Where he cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lumen ad revelationem Gentium so Hierom turns those words and so they sound in the Syriac interpreter A light for the revealing uncovering taking the vailes from off the nations whereby Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness or off-shining of his Fathers glory Hebr. 1. ver 3. he is also the glory or great light so glory signifies 1 Cor. 15.40 41. and elsewhere of his people Israel And blessed be God the Father of lights and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he hath revealed the brightness of his glory whereby the thick darkness and black vails begin to be discovered and taken off all nations and the scales of false notions and mis-understandings begin to fall from the eyes of men But let us come to the third and last particular 3. They shall not go-in to see when the holiness or holy things are covered lest they die As if it were a speech like that Genesis 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne fortè lest ye die But the text is word for word according to the Hebrew They shall not go in to see when the holyness or holy things are covered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and die which words import what would be the issue and event of the Kobathites bold intrusion and curiosity if they should go in and see them Psal 143. ver 7. So they render Psal 143.7 Hide not thy face from me lest I be like to them or as in the margent For I am become like to them that go down into the pit The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I am like and both may be a good paraphrase Yet the Chald Par. in both places followes the Hebrew so doth the LXX and Hierom and Pagnin This menace and threatning was really fulfilled upon the Beth-shemites 1 Sam. 6.19 This comes to pass by the pride and curious searching of the earthly man of which the Apostle speaks Col. 1.18 They intrude into the things which they have not seen vainly puffed up by their fleshly minde And therefore Hierom turns the words Alii nullâ curiositate videant quae sunt in Sanctuario let others with no curiosity see the things which are in the Sanctuary This proceeds also from the vast disproportion between the most holy God his holiness of holinesses and the natural man much more the sinful man Would we see the most holy God and his holiness of holinesses Nor he nor they can be seen by other then they who are like him That 's the main end of the true religion to be like unto our God But wherein even in holiness and righteousness We cannot otherwise see the most holy God and his holiness in our selves as the eye cannot see the Sun unless it be soliformis in some sort like the Sun and have its image in it God is light and life and such is the mystery of God And therefore to the seeing of God and the things of God there is required the light and life of God In thy light shall we see light The mystery of Christ the new man the holiness of holinesses cannot be known but by a renewed minde a minde renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that created him Col. 3.10 which the genuine Disciples of Christ have 1 Cor. 2.16 No man can otherwise judge of spiritual things unless he be spiritually minded Our God is most pure and holy and therefore only the pure in heart can see God For whereas holiness is separatio ab aliquo applicatio ad aliquid the first part of it is separation from all uncleanness of flesh and spirit Which done the second takes place applies us and dedicates us unto God Thus when the sinful life is deaded and mortified we then see our God For no man can see God and live his own sinful life Exod. 33. There is a death necessarily preceding the sight of the most holy God his most holy things This that is precious death of the Saints in Gods sight Psal 116.15 This is that death wherein the righteous hath hope Prov. 14.32 And his hope is crowned with
the beatifical vision as at the death of Christ the vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom Matth. 27.51 so that the holy of holies appeard And when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 Then shall all vailes be removed And the Spirit which searcheth all things even the hidden things of God shall teach us all things and lead us into all truth For which let us pray that God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto us the Spirit of wisdom revelation in the acknowledgement of him the eyes of your heart being enlightned to know what is the hope of his calling Ephes 1. ver 17 18 and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints To him be glory and honour and thanksgiving now and for evermore Amen When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit or do a trespass against the Lord and that person be guilty Numb 5. Ver. 6 7. then they shall confess their sin that they have done and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof and adde unto it the fifth part thereof and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord even to the Priest Ye may perceive it was not without cause that I shewed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is so often by our Translators turnd to number does not in the former Chapter of this book properly so signifie but to muster and view and visit the Lords army in order to their encamping and marching toward the land of Canaan For having so done in the four first Chapters in this Chapter the Lord gives order for the purging and cleansing of the Camp as from bodily pollution and so every Leper every one who hath an issue must be put out of the Camp and the pollution of the soul which is either ceremonial as whosoever is defiled by the dead as by touching or having communion with dead works ver 2. or moral and such is that in the words before us Wherein we have 1. A supposition of sin committed and guilt contracted by it When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit c. 2. An imposition of a penalty for his sin Or a direction how he should expiate his sin which is to be done by Confession and Restitution He shall recompense his trespass with the principal and addition of the filth part unto the person damnified But put case that the person who hath suffered damage yea and his Kinsman be dead what is in that case to be done Let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord even the Priest The supposition I read thus word for word out of the Hebrew A man or woman if they commit of all the sins of man to trespass a trespas against the Lord then that soul shall be guilty Wherein are contained these divine sentences 1. It is possible that a man or woman may commit one or other of all the sins of man 2. That they may commit some sin of all the sins of man to trespass a trespass against the Lord. 3. The soul that so doth shall be guilty 1. A man or woman may commit some of all the sins of man So the Hebrew so the Chal. Par. and the LXX to a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Pagnin Si secerint ex omnibus peccatis hominis 1. A man or woman It is the observation of Abenezra and of divers out of him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman have in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which make up the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the Lord so long as man and woman husband and wife have in them the name of the Lord so that they fear God and love one another so long the Lord is with them and helps them but if they forget the Lord and hate one another that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is lost and there then remains only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire fire the fire of contention and debate between them such as often proceeds from jealousie as in the latter part of this fifth Chapter and the fire of Gods wrathful indignation upon them 2. What are all these sins of man or men there are divers kinds divers sorts of injuries a multitude of sins implyed in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the sins of man or men such as men are wont to commit one against another Which we may reduce to two heads violence and deceit which is more properly understood by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which does not only signifie praevaricari praevaricationem to prevaricate and deal unfaithfully but to steal filch minm purloin cheat cousin circumvent go beyond a man over-reach him c. This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to raise up or lift up as also the contrary to cast down which suits well with the nature of deceit and fraud For he who deceives another he either directly or indirectly raiseth up the party deceived to an hope and confidence in him who is now about to deceive him and having wound up his hope and expectation of some good he foully frustrates him and casts him into a mischief which he feared not So that in deceit there are commonly these two things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprivating and frustrating of the thing we hoped for and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil a mischief a damage which we feared not The possibility of this is understood by the particle when or if It needs no proof when the acts themselves appear For that a thing is possible does not prove the thing to be A potentia ad actum non valet consequentia But if a thing be certainly it is possible to be Ab actu ad potentiam valet consequentia That it is possible to commit some or other of all the sins of men appears by the manifold examples Rom. 1.28 32. And such as S. Paul prophesied of 2 Tim. 3.1 5. And would God that the examples of these sins did not so abound among us to prove the possibility Let us inquire into the reason of this why men are so fraududulent and deceitful so violent and mischievous one to another so full of cheating theft and rapine Truly we must refer the reason of this to the principles of Atheism Ephes 2.12 without God in the world or which is next unto it Epicureism excluding divine providence from this lower world Ezech. 8.8 and 9.9 when they think that the Lord hath forsaken the earth Or which is near to that Saduceism denying rewards and punishments after a well or ill lead life
not steal Exod. 20. S. Paul tels us that the Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 and therefore it hath a spiritual understanding These words therefore have their mystical meaning hinted in divers parts of the text both in the supposition of the crime and guilt and in the imposition of penalty expiation of the trespass and reconciliation of the trespassers Any of all the sins of man committed involves and implyes the trespassing a trespass against the Lord. Wherein this trespass consists will appear if we compare the parallel Scripture Levit. 6.2 3. If a soul sin and trespass a trespass against the Lord Levit. 6. ver 23. and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered to him to keep c. This supposition seemed strange to one of the most pious and learned Fathers That there should be any soul found guilty of these or any such crimes among the people of God Absit hoc ab Ecclesia Dei and again Absit absit inquam ut haec ego de aliquo fidelium sentiam Far be it far be it I say that I should believe these things to be spoken of the Church of God Yea saith he I dare confidently affirm of you that ye have not so learned Christ would God I could as truly say the same of the present Church of Christ Wherefore since those enormities concern'd not the Church of Christ according to the letter that holy Father applyed that law spiritually to the Church And let us inquire what is the Depositum that which is delivered to be kept Surely the Lord hath delivered unto every one of us a depositum somewhat he has committed to every one of our charge to be kept even our pretious soul and body and the image of our God imprinted in it and stampt upon it as his coyn his money to be imployed to our Masters use Most certain it is thou hast received this thy Lords money the image and superscription of thy God without blemish no way adulterate not at all abased For nothing can proceed from the most holy God which is not holy This image this depositum this pledge must be restored unto thy God intire in specie there is no recompense to be made in value for it it self must be restored unto God If therefore thou be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 If pure as he is pure 1 John 3.3 If perfect as he is perfect Matth. 5. If merciful as he is merciful thou bearest his image the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 These all these are in thy God by nature and all these are in his image which is to be imitated and drawn out in thee and restor'd intirely to him as thou receivedst them If these be in thee happy thrice happy thou This was that pledge which S. Paul gave Timothy a charge to keep 2 Tim. 1.14 O Timothy that good thing committed to thee keep by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us But if now we have imbezill'd our Lords money if we have been unholy and prophane if impure and unclean if unmerciful and cruel if we deride as many do the perfect life and jeer it out of the Church as an impossible thing thou hast wasted thy Lords money thou hast spent thy fathers substance thou hast defaced the image of thy God thou hast adulterated his coin and thus thou hast lyed and denied that good thing committed to thy charge and hast the Devils image minted and imprinted on thy soul 2. We read of fraudulent dealing in fellowship Lev. 6.2 What fellowship what partnership is this Does not the Apostle say If there be any fellowship of the spirit Phil. 2.1 This fellowship of the spirit cannot be without fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ which S. John and his fellow Apostles had 1 John 1.3 And S. Peter we are made partakers saith he of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Since therefore so blessed a fellowship is vouchsafed unto us even a fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and with the holy Spirit if we be partakers of the Divine Nature O how careful how watchful ought we to be lest by our unfaithfulness we deny that blessed society It is denied in works not in words only Tit. 1.16 For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness what communion hath light with darkness 3. The Lord discovers another trespass Levit. 6. ver 2. taking away a thing by violence or by putting of the hand as in the marg If we render that place word for word it sounds thus If a soul sin and trespass a trespass against the Lord in putting of the hand or in rapine or hath oppressed his neighbour by violence or fraud For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both 1. To over-power one by forg'd cavillation Jer. 7.6 Mich. 2.2 2. To deceive and circumvent by fraud Mal. 3.5 Where the Translators put oppress in the Text and defraud in the Margent as they might have done here implying that the word hath both significations Where they quite leave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to take away by open violence For what they turn taking away by violence they otherwise render in the margent putting of the hand What they adde or hath deceived answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hath been shewen so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by rapine is quite left out and not translated By putting of the hand may be implyed â—imming and pilfering and such like close theeving where by a kinde of Legrer de main men steal the word one from another whereof the Prophet speaks Ver. 23.30 By rapine is understood open force and violence whereby men forcibly take to themselves all the promises of God which belong not unto them and thereby lay violent hands upon the kingdom of God before John Baptists day dawns unto them Mat. 11.13 Of both these the Prophet speaks Hos 7.1 The thief comes in and the troop of robbers spoyleth without And our Lord He that entreth not by the door even the death and life of Christ into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber John 10.1 Where the old English Manuscript renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a night-thief and a day-thief Hitherto we have had the supposition of a crime and the guilt of it Come we now to the Lords imposition of a penalty and the means of expiation of the sin and reconciliation with the parties wronged which are literally in this order man and God himself and accordingly he ordains the means The penalty and means of reconciliation unto man is two fold Confession and Restitation Confession is here injoyned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Verb in the reciprocal form then they shall confess themselves which is an inward and reflex confession of the heart Confitebuntur se so Pagnin
was void great care was taken for the choise of Matthias in his room Acts 1.21 26. And S. Paul cals himself an Apostle in most of his Epistles and proves himself such 1 Cor. 9.1 2. The like is said by others of Barnabas and Silas They who say that that and other Offices were temporary and to continue only for a time must if they will be believed by judicious men prove their assertion out of the Word of God If the office yet continue in the Church what answers to it but Episcopacy so S. Ambrose affirmes And it may as well be credited as that under helps and governments are to be understood Elders and Deacons which yet I deny not But all these are but Mera nomina names only unless they be informed with the Lords excellent spirit which is most necessary for the informing and actuating as the whole Body so especially the principal members of the Body of Christ And therefore in great wisdom the Spirit of God requires that the meanest and lowest Officers in the Church who are as it were the feet of Christs body the Church 1 Cor. 12.21 the Deacons being to be appointed to their office the Twelve give the multitude of the Disciples this charge Acts 6. v. 3. Look ye out among your selves seven men approved by testimony full of the holy Ghost and Wisdom whom we may appoint over this business Whence we may strongly reason that if the Deacons must be full of the holy Ghost and wisdom then much more must the Elders and Officers of the Church superiour unto them be filled with the same excellent spirit and wisdom And whereas the Apostles must appoint the Deacons as Titus must ordain Elders Tit. 1.5 These weighty businesses are not to be permitted unto the multitude no not of the Disciples to choose either Elders or Deacons though this is at this day practised by what warrant of the Word I know not but to the Apostles or those who though called by another name are yet in their stead as being best able to judge of these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man judgeth well of the things he knowes and of these he is a competent judge What ever Governour hath this excellent spirit he is thereby enabled to bear all the weaknesses and waywardnesses all the murmurings and repinings of the people under them It is their business And therefore they ought not to domineer over the flocks so I would render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Castellio turns the words 1 Pet. 5.3 Gregibus imperantes domineering or Lording over the flocks Ut reges Gentium qui dominantur eorum like the Kings of the Nations who domineer and abuse their authority over the flocks as Vatablus explains Cleris Cleros vocat greges qui illis velut sortè gubernandi obtigerunt He cals those Cleros that is properly lots who happen unto them as it were by lot to be governed by them And it is the continued Metaphore or Allegory used by the Spirit of God 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. Much less must they domineer over their faith as to enforce men to their opinions as to rule over their consciences The Apostle when most of all he improves his authority over the flock he most abominates all such dominion 2 Cor. 1.24 Not that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand They must leave the conscience free to God alone the Lord of it Gen. 9. v. 27. who alone perswades the heart Gen. 9.27 what some abuse to that end Compel them to come in Luke 14.23 Beside that it is unhandsome to cudgel men and force them to come to a Feast as the drift of that speech is to be understood the meaning of the word is by perswasive arguments to incline men to what they desire as may appear by comparing Luke 24.29 2 Kings 4.8 Acts 16.15 and other places But we need not further descend unto particulars The excellent Spirit of Christ which is known by the fruits of it Gal. 5.22 sufficiently qualifies all spiritual Governours And this Spirit is that due radical qualification which some zealous for the Government or rather the counterfeit of it believe not possible to be obtained in this life but Dolosè ambulant in generalibus wrap up their hidden meaning in general terms and instead of downright Scripture language that God puts his Spirit upon the Governours choose rather to speak in Conceptu confuso that Christ furnisheth these Officers with suitable qualifications for discharge of the office and work committed to them And since they nor have nor hope for that excellent Spirit how can they convey that spirit by laying on of their hands in Ordination Nihil dat quod non habet If they have not that excellent Spirit how can they give it by their hands to those whom they Ordain as the old Presbyters did S. Paul saith 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery And ye read the like Exhortation Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1.6 O my Brethren ye who are zealous of Christs government and discipline let us first sit down in the lowest room and yield our selves Disciples unto the Father Esay 8.16 and suffer our selves to be corrected by his discipline and to be instructed out of his law Psal 94.12 and thereby lead unto Jesus Christ and bearing his yoke his cross and patience that being made conformable unto his death we may be made partakers of his spirit his life and resurrection whereby we shall be enabled to bear the burdens of the weak and one anothers burdens whereby we shall be taught to rule our selves and so become Rulers and Governours of the Church of Christ So shall we be able experimentally to preach Christ warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.28 For this is the end why the Lord gives those his gifts unto men Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers and so Elders and Deacons for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all meet or come into the unity of faith and acknowledgement of the Son of God unto a perfect man to the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ The Lord vouchsafe that great grace unto us all He that gathered least Numb 11. v. 32 33 34. gathered ten Homers and they spread them abroad for themselves round about the Camp And while the flesh was between their teeth yet it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague And he called the name of the place Kibroth Hattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samaritana versio per ipsa pudenda transadegit Quam Tralatores nostri partem honestè ventrem appellarunt Uti mirum non sit locum turpitudinis muliebris quem R. David vocat eidem lupanari nomen indidisse in quo lupanare confortium exercetur Ita prostibulum nominat Ambrosius quod consistorium publicarum libidinum Tertullianus Nor is it unworthy a critical observation that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stews or a Brothelhouse hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Cavare whence our English word Cave Confodere Execrarâ— to make hollow to dig also to curse because as a very good Critick observes and thence infers Lupanar est cavea execrabilis An Harlots house is an execrable Den. According to which Tertullian very fitly Benedictus status apud Deum crescite in multitudinem proficite Excessus verò maledictus adulteria stupra lupanaria It s a blessed state in Gods account Increase and grow into a multitude But the excess is accursed adulteries fornications Brothelhouses The result of all which is that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn a Tâ—â—t is to be understood what the prophet calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an harlots house Jer. 5. v. 7. Jer. 5.7 Which our Translators render in the plurall they assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses whereby they wrong not onely the holy Text but also the Jewes nation and that even then when they were ripe for judgment when yet the Prophet charges them but with one harlots house How odious yea how abominable are such places and practises to every chast soul yea even of him who is Modestè nequam not yet desperately wicked As being that sin which though it begin with pollution but of one person yet spreads it self to the defilement of the whole community as the Lord implies Levit. 19.29 Do not prostitute thy Daughter or rather do not prophane thy Daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be holy to the Lord both in body and in spirit 1 Cor. 7.34 Levit. 19. v. 29. to cause hir to be a Whore lest the land fall to Whordom and the land be filled with wickedness Levit. 19.29 And a propotionable judgment followeth it No portion of God from above All the portion is from beneath even a fire that devours to destruction and roots out all increase Job 31.1 12. Yea the Lord frustrates that end which these leud practises aim at they shall die childless Levit. 20.20 Prov. 7. v. 27. The harlots house is the way to hell going down to the secret or inner Chambers of death Prov. 7.27 All this a man may hear and know and believe and flatter himself as if he were a guiltless person when yet he himself hath in himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that brothel-house and stewes which he hates and abominates without him For from within out of the heart of men Mar. 7. v. 21 22 23. proceed evill reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adulteries fornications murders thefts coveteousnesses wickednesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceit lasciviousnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evill eye blasphemy pride foolishness All these evill things come forth from within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and defile the man So that all these are in the heart according to the French proverb What ever comes out of the Sack was in the Sack And therefore the heart is the Forge and work-house of wicked imaginations plots counsells and devices The heart is a slaughter-house wherein the wicked one slayeth the innocent Psal 10.8 The heart is a Den of thieves The heart is an arrant Brothel-house wherein its possible that a man may be an adulterer and fornicator yet not know a woman and the like may be said of the woman in regard of the man Our Master Christ teacheth us this Doctrin Matth. 5.28 I say unto you that every one looking upon a woman to lust after hir hath committed adultery with hir already in his heart Matth. 5. v. 28. Gen. 12. v. 17. Yea and sometime the Lord punisheth the lust when it hath proceeded no farder then the heart as Gen. 12.17 The Lord plagued Pharaoh with great plagues and his house for the matter or busynes of Sarai Abrams wife This is so consonant unto sound reason that the very lascivious Poet himself could say Ut jam servâris bene corpus adultera mens est Omnibus exclusis intus adulter erit Though well thou keep thy body yet thy soul When all are shut out that within is foul And Seneca Incesta est sine stupro quae cupit stâ—prum She is unchaste without whoredom who desires to be an Harlot Yea although the soul be not stained with those obscene lusts yet because there is a covenant of spiritual mariage between Christ and the believing soul Hos 2.19.20 Zach. 8.8 And the Lord hath given himself to the obedient humanity and is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deity dwelling in us Joh. 1.14 and 14.23 Yea and hath made a contract of mariage with his Church to which he speakes as to one person Exod. 20. v. 3. I am the Lord thy God I am thine Thou shalt have no after or other gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Super faciem meam upon my face Thou art mine The Lord having made this contract of mariage Verbis formalibus praesentibus in these present formal words of a real contract the breach of this contract of mariage is no other then spiritual whoredome Jer. 3. v. 20. Surely as a wise hath treacherously departed from her companion or friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so have yee been treacherous against me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O house of Israel saith the Lord Jer. 3.20 Hence it is that idolatry is spiritual adultery both because it proceeds from carnal thoughts of God and because adultery betrayes the heart to idolatry as in the history before us so 1 King 11.1 And therefore idolatry is reckoned among the works of the flesh Gal. 5.19.20 Yea that in Gods account is idolatry and spiritual adultery when the heart disloyally turns away from God to any thing which is not God or leading unto God Jer. 3.2 Where hast thou not been lyen with Yee adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity not with as our Translators render it but of God So the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 4. v. 4. that the friendship of the world is the enmity of God James 4.4 So our Lord calls the Jewes an adulterous generation Matth. 12.39 and 16.4 This fornication and adultery is committed with the whorish woman the vain thoughts 2 Cor. 11. v. 3. which are compared to Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 as the Serpent beguild Eve so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your thoughts which therefore are forbidden our bed nor may we permit them to lodge in us For therefore the Lord complains Jer.
up take your journey and pass over the River Arnon 2. Executory Begin possess and contend with him in battle The inducement and motive perswading hereunto is by divine artifice situate between these two kinds of exhortation as a powerful perswasive unto both Behold I have given you c. The Exhortations may be considered either in themselves and a part or joyntly as one is in order to other Thus Arise ye take your journey Arise ye that ye may take your journey and pass over the river Arnon Arise ye take your journey and pass over the river Arnon c. But I shall not speak so particularly of all the divine truths which this Text may afford SER. XII but I shall take the exhortations in their order and speak of them as they are serviceable to our edification And first of the first 1. Rise ye up The word here turn'd to Rise up is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly is a change or motion of the body upward which had sitten lyen or fallen down before Generally it imports a change in order to some other state and so it signifies 1. Surgere to Rise which in regard of the term à quo is from sleep from sin and uncleanness from a low estate from great abasement from bondage we have all these together Esay 52.1 2. Awake awake put on strength O Zion put on thy beautiful garments c. There shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean Shake thy self from the dust Arise and sit down O Jerusalem loose thy self from the bands of thy neck O Capive daughter of Zion Yea rising is from sleep and that sleep in death Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead saith the Apostle 2. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also Insurgere to rise against to rise up Hostili more as also to make insurrection against the predominant and oppressing sin This seems to be more proper here as the Lord exhorts to a warlike engagement against Sihon and to a spiritual warfare against sin and iniquity And so this command is Secundum motum Antitypiae Christ our Head is risen and it is most reasonable that his body arise with him He hath risen from a dead sleep his low estate abasement and humiliation and it is the duty of those who are Christs to arise from a like a worse sleep in death Christ hath conquered and abolished death and brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 And according to the exceeding greatness of Gods power to us-ward who believe we rise up as mighty men and tread down our enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle and we fight because the Lord is with us Zach. 10.5 We call upon the Lord and awaken him in us Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise Psal 44.23 And again v. 26. Arise an help for us so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies And the Lord calls upon us Psal 44. v. 26. Ephes 5. v. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illuminabit te Christ shall enlighten thee Whence we may take notice 1. That men are commonly asleep or lazy or at ease in the flesh or drown'd in speculation or dejected and in a drooping despondency and not soon or easily rouz'd or raised up to difficult and hard duty 2. The Lord supposeth in us believers a power to arise when we are awakened by his outward call as that of the Minister as that of Moses here and by his inward call annexed to the outward the voice of Christ speaking from heaven Hebr. 12.25 3. And this is the great mercy of our God to his Israel that he hath raised up his Son Jesus and sent him to raise us up and to bless us by turning every one of us from our iniquities Acts 3.26 or as it is in the Vulg. Lat. Ut convertat se unusquisque à nequitia sua Acts 3. v. 26. that every one of us turn himself from his iniquity which the most antient English Translations follow and the Greek will bear it This goodness and mercy of God will be frustrate and so great grace we shall receive in vain if as Christ is risen we arise not with him Wherefore 2. The second Exhortation is Take your journey Whence it followes 1. Psal 119. v. 1. The Law of the Lord is a way O the blessednesses of those who are perfect in the way What is that way It follows who walk in the law of the Lord. The Gospel also is a way Acts 19.9 They spake evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that way and v. 23. There arose no small stir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about that way In both places the Vulg. Latin hath De via Domini concerning the way of the Lord which is the way of life Yea it is called the life it self Acts 5.20 Go stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this life 2. There are diverse stages diverse steps in the way of life diverse degrees of lalitude extension and intention in the divine vertues and graces There is an increase of faith Rom. 1.17 An abounding in hope Rom. 15.13 A walking and progress in love Ephes 5.2 A growth in grace 2 Cor. 9.8 2 Pet. 3.18 According to which we may out-go one another and exceed our selves 3. We are all of us by profession not at home but Travailers and such as seek a countrey a better countrey that is an heavenly Hebr. 11.16 4. The way to the heavenly Canaan consists not in indivisibili It is not finished all at once Justification is not in an instant but as in nature place and space motion and time they are all Continua continued Revel 22. v. 11. and therefore they have Partem extra partem one part beyond another So in our spiritual journey he that is righteous let him be righteous still The Greek text is otherwise in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him that is righteous work righteousness still Revel 22.11 For since the way to the state of bliss here prefigured by the Lords land Rom. 2. v. 7. Hebr. 10. v. 38 39. is signified by a journey it imports progress and going on a patient continuance in well doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of good worke Rom. 2.7 And as Justification it self is progressive so likewise is the justifying faith from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 And the just shall live by faith or out of his faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which found thus And if he the just draw back my soul hath no pleasure in him there 's no any man in the text but the just man necessarily understood So Hierom Justus autem mens ex fide vivet Quòd si subtraxerit se non placebit animae
out Devils Matth. 12. An Argument which nor Satan who brought this Ranting principle from the bottom of Hell nor all his Ranters are or ever will be able to answer 3. Behold I give into thy hand c. The word here turnd Behold is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See whereby the potency and strength of the enemy and the prepotency and greater ability to overpower him and the Lords free donation is propounded to our eye of faith See I have given into thy hand c. Thus Faith is Speratorum subjectio rerum demonstratio quae non cernuntur as Castellio well turns Hebr. 11.1 faith is the propounding or setting before our eyes things hoped for the demonstration of things which are not seen So potent subtil and malitious an enemy and power over him to subdue him being given into thy hand O Israel well deserves an Ecce Behold see I have given c. But I see no such matter saith weak Jacob. Not with thy bodily eyes this object is propounded unto thine eye of faith Nor can these things be made known unto us but by the Spirit of God We have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit that is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 And therfore when the Prophet Elisha's servant feared the army of the Syrians which compassed the City of Dothan round about Fear not saith Elisha for there are more with us then they who are with them and withal he prayes Lord open his eyes The Prophet Elisha and his servant were besieged with an army of Syrians Pride and deceit and the curse due to these these are Aramites or Syrians and these compass Elisha that is God the Saviour and his servants yea Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besieging us in every circumstance Hebr. 12.1 If we be in Dothan in the Law if Elisha be with us there are more with us then are against as They who keep the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cast a trench about themselves as the LXX turn Prov. 28.4 2. Begiu possess contend with him in battel Hitherto we have heard the three prepuratory Exhortations and their perswasives and motives inducing to the war Come we now to those Exhortations which we may call executory And they also are three Begin possess contend with him in battel 1. Begin This word sometimes imports no more then the act it self which one is said to begin as it s said of our Lord He began to say Luke 12.1 that is He said Matth. 16.6 He began to cast out Mark 11.15 that is He did cast out Matth. 21.12 Sometime it signifies the entrance and first part of the work as he that hath begun a good work will finish it Phil. 1.6 And thus it may be a general exhortation enlarging it self to all the rest as the entrance and first part of them Begin to arise begin to take your journey begin to pass over Arnon to possess to contend with him in battel 1. Hence it appears that after all the precedent exhortations to arise from sin to righteousness from death to life men are prone to lie still in sin and iniquity After exhortation to take their journey toward the spiritual land men are rather inclined to stay at home in the flesh After exhortation to pass over the River Arnon they had rather be still children in Kadeshbarnea After the Lords free donation of Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land into our power and his evidencing this to our faith men hardly believe any such thing possible And therefore the Lord yet stirs us up Begin arise begin take your journey begin pass over the river Arnon 2. Hence it s also evident that the work of salvation is not suddenly finished or in a short time since so many exhortations are needful thereunto and the work as yet not done 3. According to the measure of grace vouchsafed unto us there ought to be a suitable complying and endeavour to walk worthy of that grace The Lord saith he hath given Sihon and his land unto Israel and v. 31. See I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thy face therefore arise take your journey therefore begin thou to possess it Behold here a figure of the mutable and inconsistent estate which is represented unto us in the spiritual childehood The people lingred and continued in their unsetled condition without any progress or going on Whence it is that Moses tells us that these things befel the people in Kadeshbarnea Deut. 1. That is Sanctitas filii instabilis the unstable holiness of the son or childe or rather the sanctity and holiness of moveable changeable and unsetled purity such as is that of the childe Ephes 4. as I have formerly shewen And if we look upon the present state of Christianity we shall finde most-what such a kinde of instability and unsetledness among men The second book of Esdras is a Prophetical history of times then to come Among other predictions we finde this 2 Esder 15.14 15 16. 2 Esdr 15 v. 16. Wo to the world and them that dwell therein For the Sword and their destruction draweth nigh And one people shall stand up to fight against another and swords in their hands And there shall be sedition among men and invading one another They shall not regard their Kings nor Princes and the course of their actions shall stand in their power What our Translators turn Sedition is Inconstabilitio which is rather to be rendred unsettlement or instability How true that prophesie is may appear to any who shall impartially take a survey of the Christian Church now for many years especially in this our nation 1. Hence they are justly reproved who lie still in their fall set not forth nor begin their journey but abide on the other side Arnon Yet O wicked imagination how hast thou covered the whole face of the earth even these men think they are come to their journeys end Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon who roots out the good thoughts and implants evil in their room he bewitches them and perswades them that they have built goodly castles of assurance in the air when they have not yet laid the foundation they have not yet begun the work that they have climbed up to the top of Jacobs Ladder when indeed they have not yet set their foot on the first round They are fully assured and certain of their salvation before they have denyed themselves taken up their cross and followed their Saviour These indeed have begun their journey but they have begun at the wrong end 2. Justly also are they hence blamed who although they begin well with good thoughts good wills good purposes yet proceed not continue not in their course well begun Ye did run well saith S. Paul to the Galatians Gal. 5.7 These he calls his little children cap. 4.19 And whereas many in that state pretend infirmities
reward Matth. 6.2.5.16 What they desire and aim at they have namely the applause and praise of men But the inward cleansing from sinne is not obtained by these outward performances that 's gotten by righteousness Dan. 4.94 It was Daniels counsel to Nabuchadnezzar do away thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by being merciful to the afflicted And therefore the inward good intention of the heart mercy and compassion and the like spiritual graces must accompany almesgiving and thereby the cleansing is obtained So our Lords speech is to be understood as its clear by the context Luke 11.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which our Translators turn Give almes of what ye have which they render otherwise in the margent as ye are able neither way well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are inexistentia as Arias Montanus well renders that word and so the words will afford this sense give or offer ye the things which are within such as I named before your almes or merciful gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and behold all things are clean unto you For that which cleanseth and purifieth is somewhat of God and Christ not the outward work although that also ought to be done So the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified by the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Unless there be that inward purger and cleanser the work is not wrought Outward shewes and pretenses how specious soever are uneffectual This the sons of Sceva found with a mischief when they adjured those who had evil spirits by the Name of Jesus Acts 19.14 15. The evil spirit answered Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And the man who had the evil spirit prevailed over them As the Galls having taken Rome they came upon the Senators who were invested with their Robes and all Ensignes and shewes of majesty whom the Galls slew like beasts whom at first they had looked upon as gods 2. What a poor opinion hypocritical men have of the true God and his Name they make him and his Name inferiour and serviceable to their poor base ends a little wealth a little honour a little pleasure Ahab wanted but a little spot of ground and the Kings name and Gods name must be taken in vain for the obtaining of it What a preposterous inverting and perverting things is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sursum deorsum susque deque turning of things upside down setting the means above the end the end below the means God and his name must serve a turn What ever any hypocrite does though evil yet somewhat of God is pretended for the warrant of it as when he saith its just its equal its true its right Jer. 50.7 John 16.2 In nomine Domini incipit omne malum mischief begins with the name of the Lord as they said of old concerning the Popes Bulls But this taking of Gods name in vain shall be in vain to them who so take it For though the hypocrite by his turning things upside down may possibly deceive a man yet God his Maker he cannot deceive And therefore the Lord denounceth a woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord Esay 29. v. 15 16. and their works are in the darkness and they say who is seeing us and who is knowing us This woe shall be 1. To their work that shall be frustrate Your subversion or turning of things shall be esteemed as the Potters Clay For shall the work say to him that made it he made me not or shall the thing framed say to him that framed it he understood not 2. And this woe shall be to their present state which in requital to their subversion shall also be changed Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon figuring the Gentiles state shall be turn'd into Carmel very fruitful as the Jewes had been through the blessing of God upon it and Carmel shall be esteemed a Forest Whereby the Prophet implyes the conversion of the Heathen unto Christ whom the Jewes should reject as the words following evidently prove And what was charged as a crime upon the Apostles that they turn'd the world upside down Acts 17.6 had yet a truth in it when what was above and high in men Luke 16.15 so that they called the prowd happy Malac. 3.15 that is brought low and the brother of low degree glorieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his height James 1. v. 9 10. and the rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his abasement James 1.9 10. when every valley is filled and every Mountain and hill is brought down Luke 3.5 3. Learn what manner of people Gods Israel is no vain and empty men no they have God and his fulness in them Ephes 3.19 filled or filling unto all the fulness of God Ephes 3. v. 19. They have his name written on them Revel 3.12 Jehovah is the being so that great name signifies not the shew not the seeming only They have his mercy his grace his long suffering his goodness his truth in them that 's his name for ever Exod. 34.7 They have his love in them John 5. that 's his name 1 John 4.8.16 These are the true Esseni which have their name saith Epiphanius from Jesse the father of David Jesse is the very being it self without fiction without hypocrisie Be we exhorted to a most serious earnestness and sincerity in the bearing of Gods name T is worth all thy love all thy reverence And why then hadst thou rather seem to be then in earnest and indeed to be what thou wouldst be thought to be If the shew and form be so highly esteemed by thee how much more will the substance it self if thou knowest it It is worth our inquiring what name thou bearest and whether the name of thy God and his Christ and if so whether in vain yea or no. John sent his Disciples unto Jesus Matth. 11. to inquire whether he were the Christ or no our Lords answer was the blinde see the lame walk c. Many there are penitent men disciples of John who would gladly come to Christ they enquire after Christ would gladly bear his name canst thou answer them so canst thou shew by thy life and works that thou bearest Christs name So when the Greeks came to Philip and Andrew desiring to see Jesus John 12. Our Lord shewed them himself and his Disciples in their death and life a grain of Wheat dead and living and bringing forth much fruit that is Iesus Canst thou shew them Iesus in his death or life canst thou shew thy self dead with him and risen with him Then will mighty works shew themselves in thee as Herod reasoned Thus doing we shall not bear the Lords name in vain while we are bringing forth fruit but he will purge us and we shall bring forth more fruit Hereby the name of the Lord shall not be polluted or
dishonoured by us but in this the Father shall be glorified that we bring forth much fruit SER. XIV and be made the disciples of Iesus Christ John 15. v. 2.8 So will he cleanse us when we thus bear his name Even so O God make clean our hearts within us and take not thine holy spirit from us Thou shalt not kill What not according to Law and justice Deut. 5. v. 17. Is the act of the Magistrate here inhibited who proceeds according to the Law of God when he adjudgeth him to die who bath shed mans blood Gen. 9.6 No act of justice is hereby forbidden but established rather But what if a private man kill another ignorantly whom he huted not before time Deut. 19.4 5. Casually comes not under this precept It s possible a man may not lie in wait to shed blood yet may God deliver a man into his hand whom though he slay yet he is excusable for the Lord hath provided Cities of refuge and propounds a case whereby he who kills another shall not be put to death Deut. 9.4 5. Yet the act of the Magistrate and of him who slayes another without laying wait for him both acts come under the word killing Which therefore is not adequate and proper to this prohibition before us Yea the taking away life from the beast for the sustenance of man is killing also but not forbidden The killing here forbidden in regard of the object is of an innocent person in respect of the act it s wilfully and felloniously committed and out of propense malice as our Lawyers speak And that is Murder as our old Translators have held forth this Commandment in these terms Thou shalt do no murder The old is better Touching this word as I remember I spake somewhat on Exod. 20. parallel unto this place before us But because in the book of Deuteronomie there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an iteration and repetition as of the Law so of divers other matters formerly spoken of in the former books I shall either wholly waive or very briefly touch upon what arguments I have spoken unto The Law is spiritual whereunto our Lord here directs us As for the outward murder of what extent it is and what punishment is due unto it humane lawes civil and municipal take cognisance of it The spiritual murder is committed 1. Against ones own soul or 2. Against ones neighbour or against ones God and his Christ There is a murder committed against ones own soul Prov. 6.32 and 29.24 Job 5.2 In these and like cases a man is felo de se a self-murderer 2. Spiritual murder is also committed against ones neighbour Matth. 5.21 22. 1 John 3.15 3. There is also a spiritual murder of the divine nature and the Lord Christ three wayes 1. In Adam when his innocent nature in us is murdered Revel 13.8 2. In the flesh upon the Cross 1 Cor. 15.3 3. In the spirit so often as his good motions in us are suppressed Hebr. 6.6 These and such as these he calls murderers For whereas every sin hath the name from the end whereat it aimes and is to be esteemed according to the will and purpose whence it proceeds as wrath envie or hatred against our neighbour may be called murder because they tend thereunto and the will and purpose of him who is angry envious or malitious is a murderous will and purpose although really and in the event they murder not their neighbour Even so the wrath envie and malice against the Lord and his Christ may be called murders although they proceed no further then the perverse will Ye go about to kill me saith our Lord John 8. So Traytors are esteemed and suffer death according to their will and purpose although they effect it not What reason is there for this There are in the heart these three notable parts 1. The Rational the 2. Concupiscible and the 3. Irascible which answers unto these three necessary Offices in a City the chief Magistrate which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rational ordering all things by reason the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the concupiscible which is the Quaestor or Treasurer who provides and layes out for what is necessary for the support of the City Now if any obstruction or hindrance happen in the execution of the Questors office then ariseth in the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the irascible which answers to the Militia and Garrison-souldiers who remove those impediments and obstructions This irascible though it be the seat of more compounded affections yet the principle here understood is wrath or anger which is not sin because implanted of God in our nature and the Psalmist really distinguisheth them and after him the Apostle Be angry and sin not Howbeit from the exorbitancy of the concupiscible the appetite inflamed toward something desirable and hindred from fruition naturally there is a boyling of the blood about the heart whence the Questor or Treasurer desires the help of the Militia the souldery for the removing of the impediment The wrath being kindled sometimes burnes excessively and beyond measure and it is a sin We shall observe this in the way of Cain as S. Jude calls it v. 11. Cain signifying possession and peculiar propriety in the flesh desiring yea ingrossing all things natural humane and divine all must serve it as Psal 73.9 According to Martin Luther what they say must be spoken from Heaven and what they speak must prevail upon Earth Whence it is that the sensual propriety challenges Gods acceptance of whatsoever it doth yea and ingrosseth it unto it self so that Gods approbation being given to the simple harmless and righteous Abel wrath and envie burns against him and all the holy Prophets from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah This inordinate desire and wrathful and envious disposition is from the evil one who is called Abaddon and Apollyon Revel 9.11 a murderer from the beginning and by the Jews at this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a destroyer This we finde 1 John 3.11 12. Whence the Greek tongue retains the memory of the first murderers name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to kill Quaere Since it is murder while yet in the heart and such in Gods sight whether is any thing added by performing the outward act yea or no surely there is For proof of this let the first murder be examined Gen. 4.4 It was such in Gods sight when Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell But all that time the Lord was patient and dehorted him and reasoned with him If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou doest not well sin lieth at the dore c. All this time Cain was guilty before God and in danger of the judgement but having performed the outward act then the Lord denounced his judgement against him This will further appear from Gods different rewards of good or evil works intended and performed For since God
word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies other and also after implying that the other god is after Him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one and only true God So that the other gods are whatsoever the heart of man turns unto obeyes and is driven unto when it turns from and obeyes not but is driven from the only true God 2. The word To worship hath diverse words answering to it in the Hebrew as 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bow down the head especially with some other part of the body 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bow the knee 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To prostrate and cast down the whole body which comprehends the other two and this last is here used The Scripture is full of the expressions of honour and reverence which of old were and yet are usual in the East parts of the World But as there are other inward Idols and false gods whereof the outward were types and figures So are there also inward and spiritual false worships of these inward false deities represented by those outward The Lord our God will be known trusted remembred loved feared obeyed and honoured alone The Lord being now about to send his people to Chaldea whither he had already sent some of them furnishes them with an answer to those who should tempt them to worship other gods Jer. 10.11 The gods who have not made the Heavens and the Earth they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens This is written in the Chaldee and this only of all the Prophesie of Jeremiah Which therefore the Chald. Paraph. saith was a Copy of the Epistle which Jeremiah wrote into Babylon that the Jews if tempted to worship their gods might speak to them in their own language The gods that neither can give rain from Heaven nor cause the fruit to grow out of the Earth they and their worshippers shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens Note hence the vast dominion sole soveraignty of the true God He is Lord Paramount he loveth not he will not have any Corrival Faith Fear Love Honour Hope these things are the inward worship of God and are to be given unto him What is the true separation which the Lord our God requires of us 2 Cor. 6. What else but the cleansing our selves and putting away all our strange gods Gen. 39. 2 Cor. 6. See a vast difference between the worshippers of the one and only God and the servants of other gods The Rich mans Wealth his Mammon is taken away c. he despairs and dies as Aristotle saith Despair is the cause of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murder and worldly sorrow causeth death The Honourable man hath lost his Honour God staines the pride of all glory and brings into contempt all the honourable of the Earth Esay 23.9 The dishonoured man sinks in desparation and is lost The fulness of bread is taken from the Glutton and his god and he are both lost The Wine is taken from the Drunkard Joel 1.5 Awake ye Drunkards and weep and houl all ye drinkers of wine because of the Wine for it is cut off from your mouth The Amaretto the lascivious Letcher the poor forsaken Whore she mourns and weeps Alas there 's no more hire So ye finde the women Ezech. 8.14 There sate at the North-gate Women weeping for Tammuz that is for Adonis as the Latin Fathers commonly understand it or as others Osiris for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their pleasure and voluptuousness their belly which is their god they have not wherewith to worship it And there is great reason for it That which all these had for their god is now taken away The heart cannot be removed from what it extreamly loved without grief yea great grief Ye have taken away my gods and what have I more Judges 18.24 Micha had a house of gods which the Tribe of Dan took away When the judgements of the jealous God are in the land and upon all our gods as he executed judgement upon the gods of the land of Egypt when the Danites the judgements of God plunder us of all our gods is it not time high time to have a God that cannot be taken away from us Such an only God have the true worshippers Esay 5.13.17 When the false gods and their worshippers are removed then shall the Lambs the innocent blameless ones feed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Word Nebuzaradan left of the poor of the land to be Vine-dressers and Husbandmen 2 Kings 25.12 Zeph. 3.11 Mal. 3.18 with 4.1 2. Those who have more gods then the one and only God are hence justly reproved of this great sin whereof were and are guilty both Romani and Romanenses the older and later Rome 1. This lost the old Romans the knowledge and faith of Jesus Christ the true God They would have acknowledged him such but they understood he would be worshipped alone and they were loth to part with all their false gods for one and so they lost him Their case was much to be lamented but is not thine the same Alas beloved this is Malum epidemicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a common evil to the Gentiles to the Papists to the Protestants any thoughts wills affections actions works due to God and aliened from God unto the Creature makes a man a worshipper of another God Give me children or else I die saith Rachel to Jacob whereupon Jacobs anger was kindled Am I saith he in Gods stead who who hath withheld from thee the fruit of thy womb Gen. 30.12 Am I a God to kill and make alive that I should cure Naaman of his leprosie so Joram said having rent his clothes 2 Kings 5.7 So Paul and Barnabas rent their clothes when the Lystrians would have done sacrifice unto them Acts 14.14 The Apostle tells us that all things befell the antient people in types and figures and were written for our example And therefore it is more then probable that we may finde the same false gods among us We condemn Salomon for worshipping Ashteroth and Baalim Even to this day we worship Ashteroth the goddess of the Zidonians 1 Kings 11. and that with as much solemnity as ever that is wealth and riches we worship Mammon And though our Lord hath told us that we cannot yet we will serve God and Mammon together We worship many Baalims that is Lordliness and Domineering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will be many Masters This was the pride of the Clergie heretofore Truly pride or any other sin in the Minister is most abominable They had many Titles of Honour but we Clergie and Lay Priests and People can be as proud as they without any titles of honour and like the Cynik tread down Plato's pride with greater pride of our own We have our Baal Perazim the god of Divisions and therefore the Lord threatens to deal with us in this time of the overflowing
murderer Much lesse ought any man to actuate such a wicked affection no not for any price The Lord denounceth a curse against such an one Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person This Translation doth not fully express the Hebrew text Deut. 27. v. 25. for what is rendred an innocent person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not expressed at all in the Translation I wish it were thus rendred Cursed be he that taketh or is taking in the Participle a reward to smite or slay the soul the innocent blood or blood of the innocent so that the soul and innocent blood or blood of the innocent should be joyn'd by Apposition So we read them put together Gen. 9.4 But flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof ye shall not eat The words are better understood by apposition without the supplement but flesh in or with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life or soul thereof the blood thereof ye shall not eat Where life or soul and blood are to be understood as the same thing For the blood is such a vehicle of the soul that it s often said to be the same with it If the natural life be so pretious how much more pretious is the spiritual life The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the soul And how little is it regarded by most men how they corrupt others by their lewd examples by corrupt doings Ezech. 20.44 by corrupt communication by wicked counsels What a brand is that upon the name and memory of Jeroboam that he made Israel to sin How neerly does this concern those who by their office and place are to give ghostly counsel unto others How dreadful will their account be who take reward to slay the souls that should not dye and save the souls alive that should not live by their lying to Gods people who hear their lyes Ezech. 13.19 How careful and watchful are men especially over any one in relation unto them if by deep melancholy or Vi morbi by force of a disease he attempt to lay violent hands upon himself but how many wilfully corrupt and destroy themselves how many are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murderers soul-murderers their own and others Yet such a Cainish generation we live in that almost every man thinks it strange that he should be his brothers keeper Gen. 4.9 when yet in the creation God gave every man commandement concerning his neighbour Ecclus 17.14 These are the corrupting sons Esay 1.24 who plunge themselves and others in the pit of corruption Let us endeavour to get out of this pit There is a dispute hotly pursued at this day touching our fall whether it came to pass through one person or whether every one falls in his own person which controversie concerning our fall I believe not so necessary as our endeavour to arise from our fall A company of people fell into a pit and when many reasoned and disputed how they came there one wiser then the rest advised them for the present to leave off that question and rather to finde means how they might get out Surely all have sinned and are come short of the glory of God But how shall corruption inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15.50 We cannot otherwise receive incorruption and immortality unless we be united by Faith Hope and Love unto incorruption and immortality saith Irenaeus Faith in the operative power of God raiseth us up from the dead Col. 2.12 Without this Faith corrupt men abide in the pit of corruption who will not believe to return out of darkness Job 15.22 But as the Son of God could not be held by the pains or as it is in the Syriac the bands of death but according to what was prophesied of Him Thou wilt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption The like may be said of those who believe in the operative power of God who raised up Christ from the dead The Lord will not suffer his holy or rather merciful ones to see corruption The word there rendred Holy one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not properly holy but merciful and so Pagnin and others render it Psal 16.10 And although the Apostle applyes the words in the singular number unto Christ Acts 2.27 yet the word in the Psalm is in the plural number Thou wilt not suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy merciful ones to see corruption as being understood also of those who are Christs and raised with him Per motum antityprae by conformity unto their Head from death to life from corruption unto incorruption without spot and blameless whereby they are declared to be the sons of God as they who corrupt themselves are not For 2. Their spot is not of his sons This is the depravation of the second divine character and image of God his righteousness which is stained by the spot of iniquity The word Spot is but once in the Hebrew text which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word for word sounds thus Non filiorum ejus macula illorum that is Their spot is not of his sons I doubt not but herein as elsewhere our Translators did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were much biassed by their private opinion That there must some spot remain in the sons of God For by this Translation they strongly intimate That there are different spots some of Gods Sons others of the Heathen As expresly some have explained these words by distinguishing two kindes of spots the one of infirmity the other of malignity So prone men are to retain any blemish and to get authority for it out of the word of God As some out of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn abominable idolatries 1 Pet. 4.3 they have hence distinguished idolatries into two sorts some abominable others not abominable whereas indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a common adjunct unto all idolatry This fraudulent collection some have observed who yet will not see the like done by themselves and others of their party when without ground they so distinguish spots nor have they authority from any Translation either French Italian or Spanish High or Low Dutch or any of the Latin or old English Translations The reason why this Spot cannot be of his Sons may appear from consideration of the most holy God whose sons they are As also in regard of their patern the Son of God unto whose image they are predestinated to be conformed Rom. 8.29 As also in respect of the inheritance undefiled whereunto the Father hath begotten them 1 Pet. 1.3.4 and which they cannot enter into who are defiled Revel 21.27 Observe hence what an excellent people are the true and genuine sons of God They are without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3. These sons do Patrizare they are like their Father holy as he is holy pure as he is pure merciful as their heavenly Father is merciful For so the Lord is 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of great mercy And the sons of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merciful ones which yet our Translators often turn Saints O love the Lord Psal 31. v. 23. all ye his Saints Here and elsewhere our Translation hath Saints whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies mercifull men and the word Saints hath a more proper Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to it The like mis-translation we meet with 2 Chro. 6.41 Let thy Saints rejoyce in goodness the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merciful So Psal 16.10 and 37.28 and 43.1 So the same word is rendred godly Psalm 4.3 and 12.1 and 30.4 and 32.6 beside other places What should be the reason of this I fear we may without breach of charity suspect that herein our Translators did side with a party not so zealous as they ought to be for mercy and good works but have imagined a godliness and holiness without either Whereas we are commanded by the Lord not only to be holy as he is holy but also to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful Yea the same men will not scruple the naming of some men Saints and holy ones especially of their own party even while they are yet only in agone fighting the good fight of faith yet will they not allow the most eminent sons of God the same title no not after they have fought the good fight and finished their course but think it superstition at least to call the Evangelists and Apostles S. Matthew S. Mark S. Luke S. John S. Peter S. Paul c. What an injury is this to the spirits of righteous men when they have attained unto the most eminent degree of Sanctity even to perfection Hebr. 12.23 not then to afford them the name of Saints but dishonourably to degrade them Hereby they may justly be reproved who plead for their spots and staines and alleage for themselves that they must be defiled with them while they live here but when then shall they be cleansed from them cleansed they must be For nothing that defileth must enter the holy City Revel 21.17 They say they shall be purified at the end of this life yea when they can sin no more then they shall be cleansed from their spots What Scripture can they alleage for this Sure I am there 's none in the whole Word of God Besides they attribute more to their own natural death then they do to the death of Christ and our conformity thereunto For the Scripture saith Rom. 8.13 If ye by the Spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live But where read we of any purging by the natural death at the end of this life If therefore the spots cannot be washed out in this life nor at the end of this life it must then follow that there must be a time after this life before we enter into the holy City when these spots shall be washed out And when and where must that be but in Purgatory Mark now beloved whither this unclean doctrine of necessity leads the Authors of it They who are great enemies to Popery are by this their tenent the greatest Patrons of Purgatory But the reliques of sin they say must remain yea and God will have them to remain in us to abase us and humble us lest we should be proud Where I wonder have these men learned this secret will of God For sure I am it is not revealed in the whole written Word of God Nor indeed is it reasonable so to speak As if God would have us to be disobedient lest we should be disobedient As if he would not that we should be without spot lest we should be spotted Doubtless these men fear most where no fear is and they are altogether fearless where the most fear is They fear to be without spot lest they should be proud whereas if they be without spot how can they be proud They fear not the reliques of sin which the Scripture saith are most to be feared For a little leaven leavens the whole lump Gal. 5.9 And he who keeps the whole Law and offends in one point is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 O take heed and look diligently lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled Heb. 12.15 He that neglects small things shall fall by little and little Ecclus 19.1 And for whom do these men plead for the Lord or for Baal their own ruling lusts for the most holy God or for the unclean Devil for Christ or Belial Let Baal plead for himself But they implead others who would willingly wash out their spots with the water of the Word Ephes 5. as Hereticks men of corrupt and erroneous judgements dangerous men Dangerous indeed but to whom to the Devil and his kingdom which they uphold And he stirs these men up out of hatred to the pure spotless Bride of Christ whom he pursues into the Wilderness and casts a flood of reproaches after her Rev. 12. They tell a story of an Ethiopian woman which brought forth a white childe whom therefore the most condemned to death before her cause was heard But the Physitians knowing the womans piety and chastity began to enquire and making search in her bed-chamber they found the picture of Andromeda a fair white woman Whereupon they judged that since Phantasia habet opera realia the phansie hath real effects this woman in her conception looked upon that picture which thereby might form and bring forth a white childe The Spouse of Christ black but comely Cant. 1.5 is accused as an Harlot she labours and is in travaill bringing forth a pure and spotless birth And rash judges of evill thoughts like Judah pronounce sentence against her and say let her be burned for an Harlot for an Heritick But judge now righteous judgment ye Physitians of souls whether it be possible yea or no that the chast and holy Spouse of Christ may bring forth a white child a pure and holy life St. Paul hath determined this controversy long a go 2 Cor. 3. He speakes of himself together with the holy Church we all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his that is Christs open face in opposition to Moses 2 Cor. 3. v. 18. with his face covered ver 13. we are transformed into the same image from glory unto glory Yea Christ himself gives approbation to the beauty and purity of his Spouse thou art fair my love thou art fair Cant. 4.1 Yea ver 7. Thou art all fair my love no spot in thee And are not they Gods sons who have their spots Alas what then shall become of me Hath not Christ so loved his Church that he hath given himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it unto
and violence of passions wherewithall the carnall man is lead or driven the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Esau thinks he shall die if he have not his Mess of Pottage Gen. 25. 5. Observe how poor and beggerly the carnall man is how he wants all temporall things For although he has many things yet he cannot be said to be rich for he is not rich who possesseth many things but he who wanteth not But the earthly carnal man is allwayes needy alwayes of an having disposition alwayes lusting 6 Hence note the deplorable condition of all those who have not the Spirit of God to give check and curb to their exorbitant and unruly affections and lusts Axiom 2. The Spirit lusts against the flesh What Spirit is here to be understood Surely according to the difference of men answer is here to be made For that Spirit of the natural man that is in him lusts against the flesh and the lusts of it whence it is that by nature he does the things of the law Rom. 2. But the Apostle wrote here unto the Galathians who had received the Spirit of God in some measure as appeares Gal. 3.2 The reason is that it may give check to the natural motions This we may understand by the story that Jacob took Esau by the heel Jacob is a figure of the heavenly man Esau or Edom of the earthly man Now such is the goodness of the heavenly man He suffers not the earthly to break forth and to have his whole liberty to do what he lists or to have his full swinge He struggles with him before and though he break out yet he apprehends him and layes hold on him and stayes him in his carreer he limits his proceedings he binds him with cords of the law Psal 2. And when he breakes them and casts them from him he so hedges him in with one impediment or other that he cannot freely pursue his lusts Hos 2.5.6.7 When notwithstanding he breaks the hedg and committes a trespass and builds up himself with strong reasonings 2 Cor. 10. Edom shall build saith the Lord but I will destroy Malach. 1.4 So that he who sins freely and without remorse or cheek hath broken through manifold lets and hindrances hath broken the hedg of providence about him and is a great trespasser 3. The flesh indeed lusteth against the Spirit but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Such is the goodness of God unto men He hath not left us to be governed by our carnal appetites Wherefore take heed that we be not deceived with the error of the wicked who contrary to the lusting of the Spirit follow the lusts of their flesh and for a short and momentary seeming present good part with the incorruptible and eternal good 4. These are contrary the one to the other Here is than a cruel and long-lasting inward war The parties contending Satan the father of lies the son of perdition and the Spirit of error against the God and father of Jesus Christ the true God the Son the Saviour and the Spirit of truth Here are flesh and it's lusts contending against the Spirit and the will of God Here is engaged darkness against light death against life Reason against reason will against will It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war wherein the parties can never be reconciled one must be subdued and overcome But what do they quarrel for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for a toy or trifle no the Harlot Iniquity hunts for the pretious soul the business concerns life thy life yea the eternal life the life of God This discovers a most dangerous mistake and that in a business of the greatest moment in the World and yet which is most of all to be lamented daily and almost universally practised The lucts of the flesh are our deadly enemies yet most men account them their dearest friends The wills and lustings of the Spirit are indeed our nearest friends yet are these accounted by most men their greatest enemies The man carries his most malitious enemies and his best friends about him his sinful flesh with the lusts of it the Evil one the Boutefeu and Incendiary who blows the fire of concupiscence to kindle his lusts and appetites in the sinful flesh He has also Christ and his Spirit revealing and requiring and enabling to do the will of God These adverse contraries so diametrically opposite one to other cannot but act one against the other Exod. 2. Moses grown great smote the Egyptian the next day Moses reproved the Hebrew that did his brother wrong But do we look for these things without us These things are or may be daily acted in us There is an old tradition that one of the Thieves crucified with our Lord was an Egyptian a black Thief this was the Evil Thief the other an Edomite a red Thief whom they call the good Thief The former the black Thief the Egyptian the sin perished the Edomite the first man of the Earth was saved These things works the mortifying spirit of the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.13 This justly reproves those who follow their own carnal lusts against the dictates of their own reason which perswades the contrary like her who said Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor Reuben the son of vision saw the Holy Land and approved it that it was good yet he chose to live on this side Jordan he was taken with Id bruti that was good for cattle Numb 32. What can companions of Fools hope or such as follow their foolish lusts but destruction Prov. 13.20 Not only the Fools but also the companion of Fools shall be destroyed 5. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that we may not do the things of the flesh which otherwise we would do In these words lies the principal difference between the two Translations And that especially in two things 1. Whether cannot or may not be the better translation 2. What 's here meant by the things that we would do As to the first we must know that there is no Verb in the Greek Text here that answers to cannot or may not but that is only a signe of a Mood in our English tongue as all learned in the Greek tongue easily understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly what are the things that we would do where the Text saith The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that ye cannot or may not do the things that ye would Surely either both the things which both flesh and Spirit lust for or some one of them If both the things which the flesh and Spirit lust for then by reason of the contrarietys of flesh and Spirit a man comes off hardly in the performing the lusts either of the flesh or of the Spirit He cannot or may not freely do the things that he would which the flesh lusts for because the Spirit lusts against the flesh And he cannot freely do the things that he would which the Spirit lusts for because the flesh lusts against
no sin deceive themselves The word we turn deceive is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to seduce and lead out of the way They who are thus lead out of the way deceive themselves many wayes 1. By the deceitfullness of sin Hebr. 3.13 When sin and vice hath got on an habit of vertue and goodness by deceitfull lust Ephes 4.22 When they obtrude themselves upon us as if they were naturall unto us But because these are so grosse that they cannot deceive all the grand impostor covers them with appearances of righteousness as 1. By sole and onely hearing and not doing 2. By doing and not beleiving 3. By beleiving and not obeying 4. By obeying but not to the end 5. By a will or half will and not the deed 1. By sole and onely hearing and not doing For thus the sole hearers deceive themselves saith S. James Be doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne selves Jam 1.22 And self-deceit in a matter of so great importance is a great deceit For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 Thus Act. 8.9 Simon the Sorcerer bewitched the people of Samaria And the like Simon that is Hearing bewitches the people of this City and Nation while they obey not the truth Gal. 3.1 2. By doing and not believing Thus the Jew going about to establish his own righteousness hath not submitted himself to the righeousness of God For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.3.4 Thus the Pharisees justified themselves by the works of the law without faith in Jesus Christ But S. Paul and S. James are solidly reconciled if the judicious Reader well consider and it is worth his consideration what S. Paul saith which our Translators have not truely rendred in these words knowing that a man is not Justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.16 Whereas the words are truely to be turned thus A man is not justified by the works of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si non or nisi unless by the faith of Jesus Christ All other reconciliation is unsatisfactory 3. They who say they have no sin deceive themselves by believing and not obeying as if an idle lazy faith could save us from our sins Why because they believe that Christ has died for them and suffered for them and that the Father hath accepted Christs righteousness for theirs so that now they have no sin at all Surely to believe that God accepts Christs sufferings and death for ours without our conformable sufferings and death is to believe a lye For if we die with him we believe that we shall live with him Rom. 6.8 And if we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 4. They who say they have no sin deceive themselves by obeying but not continuing in their obedience They that believe shall be saved that is they who continue in the faith to the end the same shall be saved Rom. 2. They who by patient continuance in well doing c. They who trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that is continue in the faith not for a day or two Thus we are kept in that happy estate Prov. 28.14 of fearing alwayes whereas that false position Once a Saint and alwayes a Saint renders men secure so that they perfect not holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 nor work out their own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 5. They who say they have no sin deceive themselves by a good will or a pretence of a good will instead of the deed It is true that God accepts the will for the deed namely when the deed cannot be done For it may so come to pass that a believer upon his first act of faith elicited may be suddenly surprized and taken away before he can compleat his will by being obedient and doing the deed I will not question the possibility of this hypothesies because I dare not shorten his arm with whom all things are possible nor dare I straiten his bowels whose mercies are over all his works So that I believe the good God would accept of such a good will for the deed it self and esteem of such a believer according to what he hath not according to what he hath not Why because such an one virtually harbours in his heart a full purpose of well doing if God afford him opportunity so to do For completa voluntas pro facto aestimatur a compleat will is accounted for the deed Which cannot be true of a velleity while men neglect their pretious opportunities The reason of all this is self-love which flatters men into a good opinion of themselves This self-love blindes them that they discern not their own self-deceit and so become such as are fit to be deceived by the grand Impostor being disposed thereunto by the deceitfuluess of sin 2 Thess 2.10 Obs 1. Hence it appears that although there he manifold Seducers and deceivers yet the most dangerous deceiver without which we cannot be deceived is every mans own self Obs 2. The most dangerous deceit of all other is for a man to walk in darkness yet to imagine himself to have fellowship with the light To have sin yet to flatter himself that he hath none The onely way to be undeceived is to beleive and obey unto the end The Apostle gives this counsell to the spiritual little children subject to be deceived 1 Joh. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous as he is righteous Let us suffer our selves to be undeceived by those who would lead us into the way of truth Account not them Seducers who would indeed undeceive us As deceivers yet true 2 Cor. 6.8 So the Apostles were accounted yea such they thought Christ himself the truth it self to be Matth. 27.63 Yea that he was the most notorious of all others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that deceiver Yea they fear least God himself the essential truth should deceive them when the divine testimonies out of his express word are alleaged unto them Yet the same men with full consent credit and yield themselves to be seduced and deceived by the lusts of errour O that men could so far suspect themselves as to think it possible for them to be decieved and that the truth may not be in them Axiom 3. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us What is here meant by truth Thy Law is the truth Psal 119.142 By the Law is the knowledge of sin That discovers reproves corrects and chastens us for our sins That brings us to acknowledgement and confession of our sins as in the next verse And therefore if we say we have no sin its evident that the Law that Truth which discovers reproves and
in perfection walketh surely but he that perverteth his wayes shall be known V. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Heb. to the perfect Prov. 11.3 The integrity Heb. the perfection of the upright shall guide them V. 5. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way c. V. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but such as are upright Heb. perfect in their way are his delight Prov. 13.6 Righteousness keepeth the upright Heb. the perfect in the way but wickedness overthroweth the sinner 19. Prov. 19.1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Heb. in his perfection then he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool Prov. 20.7 The just man walketh in his integrity Heb. in his perfection his children are blessed after him Prov. 28.6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness Heb. perfection then he that is perverse in his wayes though he be rich V. 7. Whoso keepeth the Law is a wise son but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father V. 10. Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way he shall fall himself into his own pit but the upright Heb. the perfect shall have good things in possession V. 18. Whoso walketh uprightly Heb. perfectly shall be saved but he c. Prov. 29.10 The blood-thirsty hate the upright Heb. the perfect but the just seek his soul Cant. 4.7 Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Heb. my perfect one Cant. 6.9 My dove my undefiled Heb. my perfect one is but one she is the only one of her mother she is the choice one of her that bare her the daughters saw her and blossed her yea the Queens and the Concubines and they praised her Esay 24.23 Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his antients gloriously Esay 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is staid on thee because he trusteth in thee Esay 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight V. 17. Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back Jer. 15.19 If thou return then will I bring thee again and thou shalt stand before me and if thou take forth the pretious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Jer. 33.8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and whereby they have transgressed against me Jer. 35. See the whole Chapter Ezech. 36.33 Thus saith the Lord God in the day that I have cleansed you from all your iniquities I also will cause you to dwell in the Cities and the wasts shall be builded 35. And they shall say this land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and are inhabited Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols Amos 5.10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly Heb. Perfectly Mich. 7.19 He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea Malach. 4.4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgements 2 Esdras 39 40. Which are departed from the shadow of the world have received glorious garments of the Lord. 40. Take thy number O Sion and shut up those of thine that are clothed in white which have fulfilled the law of the Lord. Chap. 6.25 26 27 28. Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape and see my salvation and the end of your world And the men that are received shall see it who have not tasted death from their birth and the heart of the inhabitants shall be changed and turned into another meaning For evil shall be put out and deceit shall be quenched As for faith it shall flourish corruption shall be overcome and the truth which hath been so long without fruit shall be declared Tob. 4.21 And fear not my son that we are made poor for thou hast much wealth if thou fear God and depart from all sin and do that which is pleasing in his sight Chap. 51. Tobias then answered and said Father I will do all things which thou hast commanded me Chap. 12.9 For almes doth deliver from death and shall purge away all sin Those that exercise almes and righteousness shall be filled with life Wisd 1.4 For into a malitious soul wisdom shall not enter nor dwel in the body that is subject to sin Chap. 4.13 He being made perfect in a short time fulfilled a long time 16. Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous Chap. 15.2 3. For if wee sinne wee are thine knowing thy power but we will not sin knowing that we are counted thine For to know thee is perfect righteousness yea to know thy power is the root of immortality Ecclus 13.24 Riches are good to him that hath no sin and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly Chap. 38.10 Leave off from sin and order thy hands aright and cleanss thy heart from all wickedness Chap. 44.17 Noah was found perfect and righteous in the time of weath c. 2 Mac. 12.42 Besides that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin for so much as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sin of those that were slain Matth. 3.12 Whose fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire 15. For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 5.18 19 20. For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven For I say unto you that except your