by creation the worke of His hands 2 His againe now by redemption the price of His bloud He had no reason to lose that was His quite It stood not with his honour to see them carried away without all recoverie Gen. 3.6 Rom. 7.23 1. Pet. 2 11. 1. Pet. 2 19. But how came we captives Looke to Gen. III. There ye find Lex membâ—orum as S. Paul calleth it fleshly lusts as S. Peter a garrison that lieth in us even in our loines and sight against our soules They surprised Adam and of whom one is overcome his captive he is So was he led away captive and in him all mankind The effect whereof ye see at CHRIST 's comming The spirit of error had in a manner seised on all the world And if Errour had taken his thousand Sinne had his ten thousand we may be sure And this was the first captivitie under the power of Satan For Sinne and Errour are but leaders under him take to his use and so all mankind held captive of him at his pleasure And O the thraldome and miserie the poore soule is in that is thus held and hurried under the servitude of sinne and Satan The Heathen's pistrinum the Turkie-Galleyes are nothing to it If any have felt it he can understand me and from the deep of his heart will crie Turne our captivitie O Lord. Psal. 126.4 Will ye then see this Captivitie turned away and those that tooke us taken themselves Looke to His resurrection Agnus occisus est is true like a lamb He died Revel 5.11 but that was respect had to His Father To Him He was a Lamb in all meekenesse to 〈◊〉 His justice and to pay Him the ransome for us and for our enlargement whose prisoners justly we were That paid and justice satisfied the hand-writing of the Law that was against us was delivered Him and He cancelled it Col. 2.14 Then had He good right to us But death and he that had the power of death the divell for all that Heb. 2.14 would not let Him goe but deteined Him still wrongfully With them the lamb would do no good So he tooke the lyon Died a lamb but rose a Lyon and tooke on like a Lyon indeed broke up the gates of death and made the gates of brasse flie in sunder trod on the Serpent's head and all to bruised it came upon him Luk. 11 2â— tooke from his armour wherein he trusted and divided his spoiles So it is in the Gospell So in this Psalme Till He had right He had no might was a lamb But he had no sooner right but He made his might appeare was a Lyon Et vicit Leo de tribu Iuda Revel 5.5 His right was seene in his death His might in his Resurrection Ye see them taken Now will ye see them ledd Of this victorie this heere is the triumph And if ye will see it more at large ye may Hosee 13.14 1. Cor. 15 55.56 in the Prophet Hosee 13. and out of him in the Apostle I. Cor. XV. death ledd captive without his sting Hell ledd as one that had lost the victorie The strength of sinne the Law rent and fastened to His Crosse ensigne-wise The Serpent's head bruised borne before Him in triumph as was Golia's head by David returning from the victorie And this was His triumph So then upon the matter heere is a double captivitie a first and a second 1. A first and in it captivans they and captivata we 2. A second and in it captivans He and captivata they They tooke us and He tooke them And this is the Iubilee that He that was overcome did overcome and they that had overcome were overcome themselves That captivans is become captivata and captivata is brought out of Captivitie and set at libertie For the leading of this Captivitie was the turning away of ours The five Kings Gen. XIV tooke Sodome and caried Lot away prisoner Comes me Abraham upon them takes the five Kings and Lot in their hands So Lot and they both became Abraham's captives The Amalekites 1. Sam. XXX tooke Ziklag David's towne his wives children and all his people David makes after them takes Amalek and with them his owne flocke too and so became master of both So did the Sonne of Abraham and the Sonne of David in this captivitie heere For all the world as an English ship takes a Turkish Galley wherein are held many Christian Captives at the oare Both are taken Turkes and Christians both become prisoners to the English ship The poore soules in the galley when they see the English ship hath the upper hand are glad I dare say so to be taken they know it will turne to their good and in the end to their letting goe So was it with us we were the children of this captivitie They to whom we were captives were taken captive themselves and we with them So both came into CHRIST 's hands They and we His prisoners both But with a great difference For they are caried heere in triumph to their confusion as we see and after condemned to perpetuall prison and torments And we by this new captivitie ridd of our old Rom. 8.21 and restored to the libertie of the Sonnes of GOD. So that in very deed this captivitie fell out to prove our felicitie we had beene quite undone utterly perished if we had not had the good hap thus to become CHRIST 's prisoners It is not good simply to be taken captive but thus it is For faelix captivitas capi in bonum He is taken in a good houre that is taken for so great a good A happy captivitie then may we say indeed so happy as no man can be happy if he be not thus 〈◊〉 prisoner by CHRIST It is the only way to enjoy true liberty And this for this great Captivitie heere ledd Other inferior Captivities there be in this life and those not lightly to be regarded neither But this of Mankinde is the maine the rest all derived from this and but pledges of it We have lived to see that Ascensor Coeli was Auxiliator noster and Ductor captivitatis nostrae even this way In LXXXVIII the inviâ—cible Navie had swallowed us up quick and made full accompt to have led us all into captivitie We saw them ledd like a sort of poore Captives round about this Isle sunke and cast away the most part of them and the rest sent home againe with shame Eight yeares since they that had vowed the ruine of us all and if that had been the thraldome of this whole land they were led captives in the literall sense we saw them and brought to a wretched end before our eyes So He that heer did still can and still doth lead captivitie captive for the good of His. Take these as remembrances heer below but looke up beyond these to our great captivam dâ—xisti heer And make this use of both that we both these
and as much as in us lies Heb. 6.6 even crucifie afresh the SONNE OF GOD making a mocke of Him and His piercings These I say for these all and every of them in that instant were before his eyes must of force enter into and go thorow and thorow his Soule and Spirit that what with those former sorrowes and what with these after indignities the Prophet might truly say of Him and he of himselfe In Me Vpon Me not whose body or whose soule but whom entirely and wholly both in body and soule alive and dead they have pierced and passioned this day on the Crosse. 2. The Person à quibus Of the Persons which as it is necessarily implied in the word is very properly incident to the matter it selfe For it is usuall when one is found slaine as heere to make inquirie by whom he came by his death Which so much the rather is to be done by us because there is commonly an error in the world touching the Parties that were the causes of CHRIST 's death Our manner is either to lay it on the Souldiers that were the Instruments Or if not upon them upon Pilate and Iudge that gave sentence Or if not upon him upon the people that importuned the Iudge Or lastly if not upon them upon the Elders of the Iewes that animated the People And this is all to be found by our Quest of Inquirie But the Prophet heere inditeth others For by saying They shall looke c whom They have pierced he entendeth by very construction that the first and second They are not two but one and the same Parties And that they that are here willed to looke upon him are they and none other that were the authors of this fact even of the murther of IESVS CHRIST And to say truth the Prophet's entent is no other but to bring the malefactors themselves that pierced Him to view the body and the wounded heart of Him whom they have so pierced In the course of Iustice we say and say truly when a party is put to death that the Executioner cannot be said to be the cause of his death nor the Sherif by whose commandement he doth it neither yet the Iudge by whose sentence nor the Twelve men by whose verdict nor the Lawe it selfe by whose authoritie it is proceeded in For GOD forbid we should endite these or any of these of murther Solum peccatum homicida Sinne and Sinne onely is the murtherer Sinne I say either of the Party that suffereth or of some other by whose meanes or for whose cause he is put to death Now CHRIST 's owne sinne it was not that he died for That is most evident Not so much by His owne challenge Ioh. 8·46 Quis ex vobis a guit me de peccato as by the report of his Iudge who openly professed that he had examined Him and found no fault in Him No nor yet Herod for Luc. 23.14 15. being sent to him and examined by him also nothing worthy death was found in Him And therefore calling for water and washing his hands Matt. 27.24 he protesteth his owne innocencie of the bloud of this IVST MAN Thereby pronouncing him Iust and void of any cause in himselfe of his owne death It must then necessarily be the sinne of some others for whose sake CHRIST IESVS was thus pierced And if we aske who those others be or whose sinnes they were the Prophet Esai tells us Esa. 53.3 4. Posuit super Eum iniquitates omnium nostrûm He laid upon Him the transgressions of us all who should even for those our many great and grievous transgressions have eternally been pierced in bodie and soule with torment and sorrowes of a never dying death had not he stept between us and the blow and receiv'd it in his owne body even the dint of the wrath of GOD to come upon us So that it was the sinne of our polluted hands that pierced his hands the swiftnesse of our feet to do evill that nailed His feet the wicked devises of our Heads that gored his head and the wretched desires of our hearts that pierced his heart We that looke upon it is we that pierced Him and it is we that pierced Him that are willed to looke upon Him Which bringeth it home to us to me my selfe that speake and to you your selves that heare and applieth it most effectually to every one of us who evidently seeing that we were the cause of this his piercing if our hearts be not too too hard ought to have remorse to be pierced with it When for delivering to DAVID a few loaves Ahimelech and the Priests were by Saul put to the sword if David did then acknowledge with griefe of heart and say I 1. Sam. 22.22 even I am the cause of the death of thâ— Father anâ— all his house when he was but onely the occasion of it and not that direct neither may not we nay ought not we much more juâ—â—ly and deservedly say of this piercing of CHRIST our Saviour that we verily even we are the cause thereof as verily we are even the principalls in this murther and the Iewes and others on whom we seeke to derive it but onely accessaries and instrumentall causes thereof Which point we ought as continually so seriously to thiâ—k of and that no lesse then the former The former to stirre up compassion in our selves over him that thus was pierced the latter to worke deâ—pâ— remorse in our hearts for being authors of it That he was pierced will make our bowells melt with compassion over CHRIST That he was pierced by us â—hat looke on Him if our hearts be not flint as Iob saith or as the nether mil-stone Iob. 41.15 will breed remorse over our selves wretched sinners as we are II. The Act. To looke upon Him The Act followeth in these words Respicient in Eum. A request most reasonable to looke upon Him but to looke upon Him to bestow but a looke and nothing els which even of common humanitie we cannot denie Quia non aspicere despicere est It argueth great contempt not to vouchsafe it the cast of our eye as if it were an Obiect utterly unworthy the looking toward Truely if we marke it well nature it selfe of it selfe enclineth to this act When Amasa treacherously was slaine by Ioab and lay weltring in his blood by the waies side the storie saith that not one of the whole Armie then marching by but when he came at him 2. Sam. 22.12 stood still and looked on him In the Gospell the party that going from Ierusalem to Iericho vvas spoiled and wounded and lay drawing on though the Priest and Levite that passed neere the place relieved him not as the Samaritan after did yet it is said of them Luc. 31 32. they went neere and looked on and then passed on their way Which desire is even naturall in us so that even Nature it selfe enclineth us to
them no it is not so Ecce claves mortis inferni see heer Apoc. 1.18 the keyes both of the first and second death Which is a playn proof He hath mastered and gott the dominion over both death him that hath power of death that is the devill 1. Cor. 15.55 Both are swallowed up in victorie and neither death any more sting nor hell any more dominion Sed ad Dominum Deum nostrum spectant exitus mortis Psal. 68 20. but now unto GOD our LORD belong the issues of death the keyes are at His girdle He can let out as manie as he list This estate is it which he calleth Coronam vitae not life alone Apoc. 2.18 but the Crowne of life or a life crowned with immunitie of feare of any evill ever to befall us This is it which in the next verse he calleth living unto GOD Ver. 11. the estate of the children of the resurrection to be the sonnes of GOD aequall to the Angells subject to no part of death's dominion but living in securitie joy and blisse for ever And now is our particular full 1 Rising to life first â— and life freed from death and so immortall 3 and then exempt from the dominion of death and every part of it and so happy and blessed Rise againe so may Lazarus or any mortall man doe that is not it Rise againe to life immortall so shall all doe in the end as well the uniust as the just that is not it But rise againe to life immortall with freedome from all miserie to live to and with GOD in all joy and glorie evermore that is it that is CHRIST 's resurrection Et tu saith S. Augustine speratalâ—m resurrectionem propter hoc este Christianus Live in hope of such a resurrection and for this hope 's sake carie thy selfe as a Christian. Thus have we our particular of that we are to know touching CHRIST risen And now we know all these yet do we not accompt our selves to know them perâ—â—ctly untill we also know the reasons of them And the Romans were a people that loved to sâ—e the ground of that they received and not the bare Articles alone Indeed it might trouble them why CHRIST should need thus to rise againe because they saw no reason why He should need to dye The truth is we can not speake of rising well without mention of the terminus à quo from whence He rose By meaneâ— whereof there two 1 CHRIST 's dying and His rising are so linked togither and their Auditis so entangled one with another as it is very hard to sever them And this you shall observe the Apostle never goeth about to do it but still as it were of purpose suffers one to draw in the other continually It is not heer alone but all over his Epistles ever they runne togither as if he were loth to mention one without the other And it cannot be denied but that their joyning serveth to many great good purposes These two â— His death and 2 His rising they shew His two Natures Humane and Divine â— His Humane nature and weaknesse in dying 2 His Divine nature and power in rising againe 2. These shew His two Offices His Priesthood and His Kingdome â— His Priesthood in the sacrifice of His death 2 His Kingdome in the glorie of His resurrection 3. They set before us His two mayn Benefits 1 Interitum mortis 2 and principium vitae 1 His death the death of death 2 His rising the reviving of life againe the one what He had ransomed us from the other what He had purchased for us 4. They serve as two Moulds wherein our lives are to be cast that the daies of our vanitie may be fashioned to the likenesse of the SONNE of GOD which are our two duetyes that we are to render for those two benefits proceeding from the two offices of His two natures conioyned In a word they are not well to be sundred for when they are thus ioyned they are the very abbridgement of the whole Gospell 1. The cause of His dying 1 His dying once Of them both then briefly Of His dying first In that He died He died once to sinne Why dyed He once and why but once Once He died to sinne that is sinne was the cause He was to dye once As in saying He liveth to GOD we say GOD is the cause of His life so in saying He died to sinne we say sinne was the cause of His death GOD of His rising sinne of His fall And looke how the resurrection leadeth us to death even as naturally doth death unto sinne the sting of death To sinne then He died Not simply to sinne but with reference to us For as death leadeth us to sinne so doth sinne to sinners that is to our selves And so will the opposition be more cleer and full He liveth unto GOD He died unto man With reference I say to us For first He died unto us and if it be true that Puer natus est nobis it is as true Esay 9.6 that Vir mortuus est nobis If being a child He was borne to us becomming a man He died to us Both are true To us then first He died because He would save us To sinne Secondly because els He could not save us Yes He could have saved us and never died for us ex plenitudine potestatis by His absolute power if He would have taken that way That way He would not but proceed by way of Iustice do all by way of Iustice. And by Iustice Sinne must have death death our death for the sinne was ours It was we that were to dye to sinne But if we had dyed to sinne we had perished in sinne perished heer perished everlastingly That His love to us could not endure that we should so perish Therfore as in Iustice He iustly might He tooke upon Him our debt of sinne sayd as the Fathers apply that speech of His Sinite abire hos Io. 18.8 let these go their wayes And so that we might not dye to sinne He did We see why He died once Why but once because once was enough ad auferenda saith S. Iohn ad abolenda saith S. Peter â— And but once Ioh. 1.29 Act. 3.19 Hebr. 9.28 ad exâ—auriâ—da saith S. Paul To take away To abolish To draw dry and utterly to exhaust all the sinnes of all the sinners of all the world The excellency of His â—erson that performed it was such The excellencie of the obedience that He performed such the excellencie both of His humilitie and charitie wherewith He performed it such and of such valew every of them and all of them much more as made that His once dying was satis superque enough and enough againe which made the Prophet call it copiosam Redemptionem a plenteous Redemption But the Apostle he goeth beyond all in expressing this in one place terming it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
righteous but to make us righteousnesse and that not any other but the Righteousnesse of GOD the witt of man can devise no more And all to this end That we might see there belongeth a speciall Ecce to this Name that there is more then ordinarie comfort in it that therefore we should be carefull honour Him with it and so call Him by it IEHOVA our Righteousnesse There is no Christian man that will denie this Name 2. The Sense of this Name but will call CHRIST by it and say of him that He is Iehova Iustitia nostra without taking a syllable or leter from it But it is not the syllables but the sense that maketh the Name And the sense is it we are to looke unto that we keepe it entire in sense as well as in sound if we meane to preserve this Name of Iustitia nostra full and whole unto him And as this is true so is it true likewise that even among Christians all take it not one sense but some of a greater latitude then other Esai 45.24 There are that take it in that sense which the Prophet Esai hath set it downe in Iehovâ iustitia mea that all our righteousnesse is in Him and we to be found in him not having our owne righteousnesse 2. Cor 5. ult but being made the righteousnesse of GOD in Him There are some other that though in one part of our righteousnesse they take it in that sense yet in another part they shrinke it up and in that make it but a proposition causal Râ—m 8.29 and the interpretation therof to be A Iehovâ Iustitia mea Which is true too Esai 26.12 1. Cor. 15.10 1 whether we respect Him as the Cause exemplarie or patterne For we are to be made conformable to the image of CHRIST 2 Or whither we respect Him as the Cause efficient For of all his righteous workes the Prophet truly protesteth Domine universa opera nostra Tu operatus es in nobis and the Apostle when he had sayd Ego correcteth himselfe presently and saith Non ego sed gratia Dei mecum Not I but the grace of GOD. This meaning then Rom. 3.21 Rom. 4.1 is true and good but not full enough For either it taketh the Name in sunder and giveth him not all but a part of it againe or els it maketh two senses which may not be allowed in one Name For the more plaine conceiving of which point 1 Righteousnesse aâ—compted 2 Righteousnesse done Gen. 15.6 we are to be put in minde That the true righteousnesse as saith Saint Paul is not of man's devise but hath his witnesse from the Law and Prophets which he there proceedeth to shew out of the example first of Abraham and after of David In the Scripture then there is a double righteousnesse set downe both in the old and in the new Testament In the Old and in the very first place that righteousnesse is named in the Bible Abraham beleeved and it was accompted unto him for righteousnesse Gen. 18.19 A righteousnesse accompted And againe in the very next line it is mentioned Abraham will teach his house to doe righteousnesse A righteousnesse done In the New likewise The former in one Chapter even the fourth to the Romans no fewer then eleven times Reputatum est illi ad iustitiam A reputed righteousnesse The latter in Saint Iohn My beloved let no man deceive you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous 1 Iohn 3. â— A righteousnesse done Which is nothing els but our iust dealing upright cariage honest conversation Of these the later the Philosopher's themselves conceived and acknowledged the other is proper to Christians only and altogether unknowne in Philosophie The one is a qualitie of the partie The other an act of the Iudge declaring or pronouncing righteous The one ours by influence or infusion The other by accompt or imputation That both these there are there is no question The question is whither of these the Prophet heer principally meaneth in this Name This shall we best enforme our selves of by looking backe to the Verse before and without so looking backe we shall never do it to purpose There the Prophet setteth one before us in his roiall judiciall power in the person of a King and of a King set downe to execute judgement and this he telleth us before he think meeâ— to tell us his Name Before this King thus set downe in his throne there to do judgement the righteousnesse that will stand and against the Lawe our conscience Satan sinn the gates of hell and the power of darknesse and so stand that we may be delivered by it from death despaire and damnation and entitled by it to life salvation and happinesse aeternall that is righteousnesse indeed that is it we seeke for if we may find it And that is not this latter but the former onely and therefore that is the true interpretation of IEHOVA justitia nostra Looke but how S. Augustine and the rest of the Fathers Cont. Cres. 4. when they have occasion to mention that place in the Proverbes Cum Rex justus sederit in solio quis potest dicere Mundum est cor meum Looke how they interpret it then and it will give us light to understand this Name and we shall see that no Name will serve then but this Name Nor this Name neither but with this interpretation of it And that the HOLY GHOST would have it ever thus understood and us ever to represent before our eyes this King thus sitting in His judgement-seate when we speake of this righteousnesse it is plaine two waies 1. By way of position For the tenor of the Scripture touching our justification all along runneth in judiciall termes to admonish us still what to set before us The usuall joining of Iustice and Iudgement continually all along the Scriptures shew it is a judiciall justice we are to sett before us The termes of 1 A Iudge a 1. Cor. 4.4 It is the LORD that judgeth me 2 A Prison b Gal. 3.23 Kept and shut up under MOSES 3 A Barre c Cor. 5.10 we must all appeare before the barre 4 A Proclamation d Rom. 8.33 who will lay any thing to the Prisoner's charge 5 An Accuser e Apoc. 12.10 The accuser of our brethren 6 A Witnesse f Rom. 2.15 Our conscience bearing witnesse 7 An Enditement upon these g Deut. 27. vlt. Cursed be he that continueth not in all the words of this Lawe to doe them and again h Iam. 2.10 He that breaketh one is guiltie of all A Conviction that all may be i Rom. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty or culpable before GOD. Yea the very delivering of our sinnes under the name of debts of the Lawe under the name of a k Col. 2.14 Hand-writing the very termes of an l 1. Ioh. 2.2 Advocate of a Suretie made under the Lawe Of
were by vertue of Chirographum contra nos The hand-writing that was against us Which was our Bond and we had forfeited it And so factus ex muliere to us without factus sub Lege would have been to small purpose No remedy therefore He must be new made made againe once more And so He was cast in a new mold and at His second making made vnder the Law Vnder which if He had not beene made we had been marred even quite vndone for ever if this had not been done for us too Therefore He became bound for us also entered bond anew took on Him not onely our nature but our Debt our Nature and Condition both Nature as men Condition as sinfull men expressed in the words following Them that were vnder the Law for that was our Condition There had indeed been no capacitie in Him to do this if the former had not gone before factum ex muliere if He had not been as we made of a woman But the former was for this Made of a woman He was that He might be made vnder the Law Being ex muliere He might then become sub Lege which before He could not but then He might and did And so this still is the fuller And when did He this when was He made under the Law Even then when He was circumcised Gal 5.3 For this doth Saint Paul testifie in the third of the next Chapter Behold I Paul testifie unto you whosoever is circumcised Factus est debitor universae Legis He becomes a debtor to the whole Law At His Circumcision then He entred Bond anew with us and in signe that so He did He shed then a few drops of His blood whereby He signed the Bond as it were and gave those few drops then tanquam arrham universi sanguinis effundendi as a pledge or earnest that when the fullnesse of time came He would be ready to shed all the rest as He did For I would not have you mistake though we speake of this sub lege being under the Law in the termes of a Debt sometimes yet the truth is this debt of ours was no money debt we were not sub Lege pecuniariâ but Capitala and the debt of a Capitall Law is Death And under that under Death He went and that the worst death Law had to inflict even the Death of the Crosse the most bitter reprochfull cursed death of the Crosse. So that vpon the matter factus sub Lege and factus in Cruce come both to one one amounts to as much as the other Well this He did vndertake for us at His Circumcision and therefore then and not till then He had his name given Him the name of IESVS a SAVIOVR Lak 2.21 For then took He on Him the Obligation to save us And look what then at His Circumcision He undertook at His Passion He paid even to the full and hauing paid it delevit Chirographum Col. 2.14 cancelled the sentence of the Law that till then was of record and stood in full force against us Howbeit all this was but one part of the Law But He was made sub Lege vniversâ vnder the whole Law and that not by his death only but by his life too The one halfe of the Law that is the Directive part He was made under that and satisfied it by the Innocency of His life without breaking so much as one iot or title of the Law and so answered that part as it might be the Principall The other halfe of the Law which is the Penalty He was under that part also and satisfied it by suffering a wrongfull Death no way deserved or due by Him and so answered that as it might be the Forfeiture So He was made under both vnder the whole Law Satisfying the Principall there was no reason He should be lyable to the forfeiture and penalty yet under that He was also And all that the whole Law might be satisfied fully by His being vnder both parts and so no part of it light upon us These two then 1 Made of a woman 2 Made vnder the Law ye see are two severall makings and both very requisite Therefore Either hath a severall Feast they divide this Solemnitie betweene them Six dayes a peece to Either as the severall moities of this fullnesse of time This day Verbum caro factum The word made flesh That day Ioh 1.14 Him that knew no Sinne He made Sinne that is made Him undertake to be handled as a Sinner to be under the Law and to endure what the Law could lay upon Him 2. Cor. 5.21 And so now the thing sent is full and fully sent because made and fully made because made once and twice over fully made ours because fully united to us Made of a woman as well as we Made under the Law as deepe as we Both ex muliere and sub Lege So of our nature of a woman that of our condition also under the Law So fully united to us in nature and condition both And so we are come to the full measure of His sending And that we are come to the full ye shall plainely see by the overflowing by that which we receive from this fullnesse Verse 5. which is the latter part of the verse and is our fullnesse even the fullnesse of all that we can desire For if we come now to aske For whom is all this adoe This Sending This making over and over againe It is for vs. So is the conclusion vt nos that we might from this fullnesse receive the full of our wish For in these two behind 1 Redemption and 2 Adoption to be redeemed and to be adopted are the full of all we can wish our selves The transcendent Division of Good and Evill is it that comprehendeth all And heer it is Our desire can extend it selfe no further then to be rid of all evill and to attaine all that good is By these two being redeemed and being adopted we are made partakers of them both To be redeemed from vnder the Law is to be quit of all Evill To receive the Adoption of children is to be stated in all that is Good For all Evill is in being vnder the Law from whence we are redeemed and all Good in being invested in the heavenly Inheritance whereunto we are adopted Thus stood the case with vs Aliens we were from GOD Ephes 2 12. his Covenant and his Kingdome More then that Prisoners we were fast layed vp vnder the Law From this latter we are Freed of the former we are seised And what would we more Onely this you shal observe that in the Idiom of the Scriptures it is vsuall two poynts being set downe when they are resumed againe to begin with the later and so end with the former So is it heer At the first made of a womā made vnder the Law At the resuming He begins with the later made vnder the Law That he might
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy rich exceeding Eph. 2.7 Eph. 1.8 1. Tim. 1.14 grace overabounding nay grace superfluous for so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and superfluous is enough and to spare superfluous is cleerely enough and more then enough Once dying then being more then enough no reason He should dye more then once That of his death Now of His life He liveth unto GOD. 2. The cause of His living The Rigor of the law being fully satisfied by His death then was He no longer justly but wrongfully deteyned by death As therefore by the power He had He layd down His life so He tooke it againe and rose againe from the dead And not onely rose Himselfe But in one concurrent action GOD who had by His death received full satisfaction reached Him as it were His hand and raised Him to life The Apostles word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the native force doth more properly signifie raysed by another then risen by Himselfe And is so used to shew it was done not only by the power of the Sonne but by the will consent and co-operation of the Father and He the cause of it who for the over-abundant merit of His death and His humbling Himselfe Phil. 2.8.9 and becomming obedient to death even the death of the Crosse not onely raysed Him but propter hoc even for that cause exalted Him also to live with Him in ioy and glorie for ever For as when He lived to man He lived to much miserie so now He liveth to GOD He liveth in all foelicitie This part being oppositely set down to the former living to exclude dying againe living to God to exclude death's dominion and all things perteining to it For as with GOD is life the fountaine of life against death Psal. 36.10 even the fountayne of life never failing but ever renewing to all aeternitie so with him also is torrens deliciarū a maine river of pleasures even pleasures for evermore never ebbing but ever flowing to all contentment against the miseries belonging to deathe's dominion And there He liveth thus not now as the SONNE of GOD as He lived before all worlds but as the Sonne of man in the right of our nature to estate us in this life in the hope of a reversion and in the life to come in perfect and full possession of His own and His Fathers blisse and happinesse when we shall also live to GOD and GOD be all in all which is the highest pitch of all our hope We see then His dying and rising and the grounds of both And thus have we the totall of our Scientes Now followeth our accompt An accompt is either of what is comming to us II. Our Accompt 1. Of our coming in the benefit and that we like well or what is going from us and that is not so pleasing Comming to us I call matter of benefit Going from us matter of duety where I doubt many an expectation will be deceived making accompt to heare from the resurrection matter of benefit onely to come in where the Apostle calleth us to accompt for matter of duety which is to goe from us An accompt there is growing to us by CHRIST 's rising of matter of benefit and comfort such a one there is and we have touched it before The hope of gayning a better life which groweth from CHRIST 's rising is our comfort against the feare of losing this Thus do we comfort our selves against our deathes Now blessed be GOD that hath regenerated us to a lively hope 1. Pet. 1.3 by the resurrection of IESVS CHRIST Thus do we comfort our selves against our friend's death Comfort your selves one another saith the Apostle with these words what words be they 1. Thes. 4.18 Even those of our SAVIOVR in the Gospell Resurget frater tuus Thy brother or thy Father or thy friend shall rise againe And not only against death Ioh. 11.23 but even against all the miseries of this life It was Iob's comfort on the doung-hill well yet videbo Deum in carne mea I shall see GOD in my flesh Iob. 19.25 And not in our miseries alone but when we do well and no man respecteth us for it It is the Apostle's conclusion of the Chapter of the resurrection Be of good cheer yet 1. Cor. 15.58 labor vester non erit inanis in Domino your labour is not in vaine in the LORD you shall have your reward at the resurrection of the just All these waies comfort commeth unto us by it ◠Of our 〈…〉 1. The duty 〈…〉 But this of ours is another manner of accompt of duety to goe from us and to be answered by us And such a one there is too and we must reckon of it I adde that this heer is our first accompt you see it heer called for in the Epistle to the Romans the other commeth after in the Epistle to the Corinthians In very deed this of ours is the key to the other and we shall never find sound comfort of that unlesse we doe first well passe this accompt here It is I say first because it is praesent and concerneth our soules even here in this life The other is future and toucheth but our bodies and that in the life to come It is an error certainly which runneth in mens heads when they heare of the resurrection to conceive of it as of a matter meerely future and not to take place till the latter day Not only CHRIST is risen Colos. 3.1 but if all be as it should be We are already risen with him saith the Apostle in the Epistle this day the very first words of it and even here now saith S. Iohn is there a first Resurrection Apoc. 20.6 and happie is he that hath his part in it A like error it is to conceit the resurrection as a thing meerely corporall and no waies to be incident into the Spirit or Soule at all The Apostle hath already given us an Item to the contrarie in the end of the fourth Chapter before Where he saith He rose againe for our Iustification Chap. 4.25 and Iustification is a matter spirituall Iustificatus est spiritu sayth the Apostle of CHRIST himselfe Verily here must the spirit rise to grace or els neither the bodie 1. Tim. 3.16 nor it shall there rise to glorie This then is our first accompt that accompt of ours which presently is to be passed and out of hand this is it which first we must take order for 1. To be like CHRIST The summe or charge of which accompt is sett downe in these words Similiter vos That we be like CHRIST carie his Image who is heavenly as we have caried the Image of the earthly Be conformed to his likenesse that what CHRIST hath wrought for us the like be wrought in us What wrought for us by his
and so risen that is to speake after the manner of men that there is in Christ a double capacitie 1 One as a body naturall considered by himselfe without any relative respect vnto us or to any In which regard well may we be glad as one stranger is for another but otherwise His rising concernes us not at all 2 Then that He hath a second as a body Politique or chiefe part of a Companie or Corporation that have to him and he to them a mutuall and reciprocall reference In which respect His resurrection may concerne us no lesse then himselfe It is that he giveth us the first Item of in the word Primitiae that Christ in His rising commeth not to be considered as a Totum integrale or body naturall alone as Christ onely but that which maketh for us He hath besides another capacitie that He is a part of a corporation or body of which bodie we are the members This being woon looke what he hath suffered or done it perteineth to us and we have our part in it You shall finde and Aâ— a part of the whole ever when you finde such words make much of them Christ called a a Ephes. 1.22 Head a Head is a part Christ called a b Apoc. 22.16 Root a Root is a part and heer Christ called first fruits which we all know is but a part of the fruits but a handfull of a heape or a sheafe and referreth to the rest of the fruits as a part to the whole So that there is in the Apostles conceipt one masse or heape of all mankinde of which Christ is the first fruits we the remainder So as by the Law of the body all His concerne us no lesse then they doe Him whatsoever He did He did to our behoofe Die He or rise we have our part in His death and in His resurrection and all why because He is but the first fruits And if He were but Primus and not Primitiae dormientium there were hope For Primus is an ordinall number and draweth after a second a third and GOD knoweth how many But if in that word there be any scruple as sometime it is Ante quem non est rather then post quem est alius if no more come but one all the world knowes the first fruits is but a part of the fruits there are fruits beside them no man knoweth how many As a part for the whole But that which is more The first fruicts is not every part but such a part as representeth the whole and hath an operative force over the whole For the better understanding whereof we are to have recourse to the Law to the very institution or first beginning of them Levit. 23.10 Ever the Legall ceremonie is a good key to the Evangelicall mysterie Thereby we shall see why saint Paul made choise of the word first fruicts to expresse Himselfe by that he useth verbum vigilans a word that is awake as Saint Augustine saith or as Salomon a word upon his own wheel Pro. 25.11 The Head or the root would have served for if the head be above the water there is hope for the whole body and if the Root have life the braunches shall not long be without yet he refuseth these and other that offered themselves and chooseth rather the terme of first fruicts And why so This very day Easter day the day of CHRIST 's rising according to the Law is the day or feast of the first fruicts the very Feast carieth him to the word nothing could be more fit or seasonable for the time The day of the Passion is the day of the Passover Chap. 5.7 and CHRIST is our Passover the day of the Resurrection is the day of the first fruicts and CHRIST is our first fruicts And this terme thus chosen you shall see there is a very apt and proper resemblance between the resurrection and it The rite and manner of the first fruictes thus it was Vnder the Law they might not eate of the fruicts of the earth so long as they were prophane Prophane they were untill they were sacred And on this wise were they sacred Levit. 23.10.11.14 All the sheaves in a field for example's sake were unholy One sheaf is taken out of all the rest which sheafe we call the first fruicts That in the name of the rest is lift up aloft and shaken to and fro before the LORD and so consecrated That done not onely the sheafe so lifted up was holy though that alone was lift up but all the sheaves in the field were holy no lesse then it The rule is Ro. 11.16 If the first fruicts be holy all the lumpe is so too 2. Co. 5.14 And thus for all the world fareth it in the Resurrection We were all dead saith the Apostle dead sheaves all One and that is CHRIST this day the day of first fruits was in manner of a sheafe taken out of the number of the dead and in the name of the rest lift up from the grave and in His rising He shooke for there was a great Earth-quake Matt. 28.2 By vertue whereof the first fruits being restored to life all the rest of the dead are in Him entitled to the same hope in that He was not so lift up for himselfe alone but for us and in our names And so the substance of this Feast fulfilled in CHRIST 's resurrection Not of the dead but Of â—hem that sleepe Our Hope Now upon this lifting up there ensueth a very great alteration if you please to marke it It was even now CHRIST is risen from the dead the first fruits it should be of the dead too for from thence He rose it is not so but the first fruits of them that sleepe that you may see the consecration hath wrought a change A change and a great change certainly to change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a buriall place into a coemeterie that is a great Dortor Graves into beddes Death into sleepe Dead men into men layd downe to take their rest a rest of hope of hope to rise againe If they sleepe Ioh. 11.12 they shall doe well And that which lyeth open in the word Dormientium the very same is enfolded in the word first fruits Either word affordeth comfort For first fruits imply fruits And so we as the fruits of the earth falling as do the graines or kernells into the ground and there lying to all mens seeming putrified and past hope yet on a sodeine against the great Feast of first fruits shooting forth of the ground againe The other of Dormientium the Apostle letteth goe and fastens on this of fruits and followeth it hard through the rest of the Chapter shewing that the rising againe of the fruits sowen Ver. 36. would be no lesse incredible then the resurrection but that we see it so every yeare These two words of 1 sleeping and 2 sowing
why not a spirituall Edom too Apoc. 11.8 whence our LORD rose again Put all three together Aegypt Babel Edom all their enmities all are nothing to the hatred that Hell beares us But yet if you aske of the three which was the worst That was EDOM To shew the Prophet heer made good choise of his place EDOM upon earth comes neerest to the kingdome of darkenesse in Hell of all the rest And that in these respects First they were the wickedest people under the Sunne If there were any devils upon earth it was they if the devill of any countrey he would choose to be an Edomite No place on earth that resembled hell neerer next to hell on earth was EDOM for all that nought was MALACHIE calls EDOM the border of all wickednesse Mal. 1.4 a people with whom GOD was angrie for â—ver In which very points no enemies so fitly expresse the enemies of our soules against whom the anger of GOD is eternall Apoc. 14.11 and the smoke of whose toâ—ments shall ascend for â—ver Hell for all that nought is That if the power of darkenesse and hell it selfe if they be to be expressed by any place on earth they cannot be better expressed thâ—n in these EDOM and BOZRA I will give you another The Edomites were the posteritie of ESAV the samâ— is EDOM So they were neerest of kin to the Iewes of all nations so should have been their best friends Gen. 36 2. The Iewes and they came of two brethren EDOM was the elder and that was the griefe that the people of ISRAEL comming of IACOB the yonger brother had enlarged their border got them a better seate and country by farr then they the Edomites had Hence grew envie and an enimie out of envie is ever the worst So were they the most cankred enimies that Israël had The case is so betweene us and the evill spirits Angels they were we know and so in a sort elder brethren to us Of the two intellectuall Natures they the first created Our case now Christ be thanked is much better then theirs which is that enrageth them against us as much and more then ever any Edomite against Israël Hell for rancour and envie Yet one more they were ready to doe God's people all the mischief they were hable and when they were not hable of themselves they shewed their good wills though set on others And when they had woon Ierusalem cried downe with it Psal. 137.7 downe with it even to the ground no lesse would serve And when it was on the ground insulted and rejoiced above measure Remember the children of Edom. This is right the devill 's propertie quarto modo He that hath but the heart of a man will even rue to see his enimie lying in extreme miserie None but very devills or devills incarnate will doe so corrupt their compassion cast of all pitie reioice insult take delight at ones destruction Hell for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insulting over men in miserie But will ye go even to the letter None did ever so much mischiefe to David as did Doëg he was an Edomite Nor none so much to the Sonne of David CHRIST none bore more malice to Him first and last then did Herod and he was an Edomite So 1. Sam. 22.9 which way soever we take it next the kingdome of darknesse was Edom upon earth And CHRIST comming from thence may well be said to come from Edom. But what say you to Bozra This that if the countrey of Edom 2 By Bozra do well set before us the whole kingdome of darknesse or region of death Bozra may well stand for Hell it selfe Bozra was the strongest hold of that kingdome Hell is so of this The whole countrey of Idumea was called and knowne by the name of Vz that is of strength And what of such strength as death all the sonnes of men stoope to him Bozra was called the strong citie Hell is as strong as it every way They write Psal 60.9 it was invironed with huge high rockes on all sides one onely cleft to come to it by And when you were in there must you perish no getting out againe For all the world like to hell as Abraham describes it to him that was in it They that would go from this place to you cannot possibly neither can they come from thence to us Luk. 16 26. the gulfe is so great no getting out No habeas corpus from death No habeas animam out of hell you must let that alone for ever Psal. 49.8 Now then have we the Prophet's true Edom his very Bozra indeed By this we understand what they meane Edom the kingdome of darkenesse and death Bozra the seat of the Prince of darkenesse that is Hell it selfe From both which CHRIST this day returned His soule was not left in hell His flesh saw not but rose from corruption Psal. 16.10 For over Edom strong as it was yet David cast his shoo over it that is Psâ—â— 108 9. after the Hebrew phrase set his foot upon it and trod it downe And Bozra as impregnable a Hold as it was holden yet David woon it was ledd into the strong citie ledd into it and came thence againe So did the Sonne of David this day from His Edom death how strong soever yet swallowed up in victorie this day And from Hell 1 Cor 15.54 his Bozra how hard soever it held as he that was in it found there was no getting thence CHRIST is got forth we see How many soules soever were there left His was not left there And when did He this when solutis doloribus inferni He loosed the paines of hell Act 2 24. 1. Cor. 15.55 trod upon the Serpent's head and all to bruised it tooke from death his sting from hell his victorie that is his standard Col. 2.14 alluding to the Romane standard that had in it the image of the Goddesse Victorie Seised upon the Chirographum contra nos the Ragman Roll that made so strong against us tooke it rent it and so rent nailed it to His Crosse made His banner of it of the Law cancelled hanging at it banner-wise Col. 2.15 And having thus spoiled Principalities and Powers He made an open shew of them triumphed over them in semet ipso in his owne person All three are in Col. 2. and triumphantly came thence with the keyes of Edom and Bozra both of hell and of death both at His girdle as He shewes himselfe Apoc. 1. And when was this if ever on this very day On which having made a full and perfect conquest of death and of him that hath the power of death Heb. 2.14 that is the Divell Heb. 2. He rose and returned thence this morning as a mighty Conqueror saying as Debora did in her song O my soule thou hast troden downe strength Iud. 5.21 thou hast marched valiantly And comming backe thus from the
so no sinne so high as it To lay hands on him it is too ranck that away with it But that is not the case It is not miserunt heere none were laid The seeking to lay hands is a sinne No matter for that it is mittere quaesiverunt and that is enough To lay and to sâ—eke to lay though one be worse both be naught even misâ—io and quasâ—tio both Seeking is a plowing for sinne and that is sinne saith Iob Iob â— 8 â—sâ—y â—9 5 Is a hatching of a cockatrice-egg and that saith Esay is poison no lesse then that comes of it Sinne to lay Sinne to seeke to lay As to lay though you hurt not so to seeke to lay though you lay not Ever in what degree soever Assuerus's danger is Bigthan's sinne the King's danger their sinne that seâ—ke it But if that be all sinne we shall doe well enough What care men for sinne A Câ—pitalâ— sinne if there be no action at the Common Law for it None but Westminster-hall sinnes do men care for GOD saw it would come to this Men learne no more duty then paenall Statutes did teach them He tooke order therefore to bring it within them too We say further then by vertue of this Text besides that it is a grievous sinne praejudiciall to the state of the soule it is a heinous crime a capitall crime amounting to suspensi sunt as much as their neck is worth to seeke this It will beare not an action onely but an enditement of life and death But it must be in Regem then against Him Against others it is not so This If upon the King is a prerogative Royall And as many other waies so heereby appeareth what a King is That whereas in other mens caâ—es as touching the law of life and death to seeke to lay and to lay are much different in the King's case they be all one Quaesivâ—runt if it be no more but so the Law in that case to eny other is I take it favourable and for a bare purpose â—f no hurt ensue no man shall suffer death Not so with the King voluerunt against him is death if it may be discovered and quaesiverunt if he but seeke though he find it not This helps us to understand the Text Ego dixi Dij estis Dij for other causes Psal. 82.6 and this for one that they participate this divine priviledge that as against GOD so against them the heart is enough Quaesiverunt the seeking whither they find or not Voluerunt the will whither the deed follow or not Eccles. 10 2â— Thou shalt not speake evill of the King how not with thy lipps No not in thy secret thoughts saith the Preacher If not speake evill in heart doe evill in heart much lesse Two Commandements when time was we said there were in Nolite tangere 1 Touch not Psal. 105.15 the act 2 Have not the will to touch the intent Two cases there be upon these two 1 Baana and Rechab's that did lay hands upon King Ishbosheth 2. Sam. 4. 2 And Bigthan and Thare'z case heere that did but seeke it to King Asâ—ucrus Both guiltie both suffered Yea Baana and Rechab hang them and well worthy they murdered the King But Bigthan and Tharez Nay and them too hang them though they found it not onely for seeking This then I would have all beare away it is the substance of the Text distillatio favi as I may call it dropps of it selfe without eny streining We find heer in the Bible a ruled case Bigthan's case that held up his hand not for laying his hand but for seeking to lay it Planè suspensus est uterque put to death they were both Why Quaesiverunt for nothing but that they sought to do it they did it not they might plead Non est factum they did it not It would not serve they died for it for all that upon no other enditement then quia voluerunt Voluimus is enough to attaint eny If that can be proved no pleading not guiltie And this is the Law not of the Persians alone which yet was the Law of a hundred twentie seven Provinces nor ours alone and so may seeme to be the Law of Nations but that which strikes it home by vertue of this enrolement heer is the Law of GOD GOD by thus recording it hath made it His owne that if there were no Law for it they might be executed by this booke and this verse of it Sitt still then and seâ—kâ— it not for if you doe this is your doome expresly set downe heere by the pen of the Holy Ghost Take it as a sentence from GOD 's owne mouth Qui quaesiverunt suspensi qui quaerent suspendendi sunt They that sought went they that shall sâ—â—ke to go the same way 2. The Parties by whom Yet for all this sought it was then and since even the King's life Sed vae per quos And that per quos by whom is the next point The crime is bad 1 In Regem makes it worse But the seekers worst of all for they of all other should not have sought it Two they were in number For I know not how but for the most part they go by two's Two in number Gen 34.25 2. Sam. 4.5 2. King 12.21 Simeon and Levi to the murder of Sichem Baana and Rechab to that of King Ishbosheth Iozebed and Iosacar to that of King Ioas Bigthan and Tharez to this attempt heere against Assuerus and the very same number to that of this day Treason is in Hebrew called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a binding together Two there must be to be bound at least Two to conspire or put their breaths together to make a conspiracie Vpon the point there is in all never lesse then three For inter duos proditores Diabolus est tertius All that doe conjure conjure up a third to them The Divell makes them up three for he is one still he the faggot-band that binds them he the spirit that inspires all Conspirators For indeed these unnaturall treasons do not so much steeme or vapor up out of our nature bad though it be as they be immissiones pâ—r angelos malos sâ—nt into it by some messenger of Satan or rather by Satan himselfe Postquam misit Satanas in cor Iudae After Satan had putt it in his heart For he it is that putts in their hearts Luk. 22.3 to seeke to doe it and to doe it if GOD breake not the band choke not the breath of them as heere he did choke it in these with suspensi sunt Two in number what were they Nobly borne I doubt not to be in the place they were What place There be that thinke Bigthan and Tharez were not their proper names but the names of the roomes they held And they have reason for it Bigthan as the word goes in that tongue is Dapifer Tharez is Pincerna Those we know were rowmes
now at the houre 〈…〉 The nature is such ever of the sinne of blood 〈…〉 of theirs he did not thinke good to slipp over in silence but even then to 〈…〉 of it and to tell them his mind about it No time to keepe it from them now 〈…〉 to GOD and so stirred in Spirit not to leave the world till he had left 〈…〉 of his â—eep dislike of attempts in that kind It was the will of GOD 〈…〉 not his eldest sonne Reuben for a soule fact of another nature for 〈…〉 either did he these two for another of blood-guiltinesse Blood and Incest 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 it might prove dangerous he knew if he did not declare his mind and sett 〈…〉 upon that and the like attempts and that he could not discharge his 〈…〉 said nothing to it That others therefore hearing of it might feare to doe 〈…〉 he condemnes their counsell with a Ne Veniat Let never my soule come 〈…〉 counsell or companie 2. Then layes his heavy curse on the fact it selfe and 〈…〉 thirst of revenge the cause of it 3. And lastly censures them doubly for it 〈◊〉 herison depriving them and not them onely but all their posteritie for ever 〈…〉 of inheritance of their owne as all the other Tribes had 2 And then 〈◊〉 tâ—em abroad up and downe all Israël For these are two distinct â— To dis 〈…〉 thing and 2 to scatter abroad is another 〈…〉 is Iacob their Father's curse The Summe and the dis-herison of these two brethren 〈◊〉 â—nd Levi for consulting first and after pursuing so wicked a counsell as the 〈◊〉 of Sichem 〈…〉 Poena will divide the Text the fault and the punishment The Division In it doe but 〈…〉 to make the parts three Simeon and Levi the Parties that made the 〈…〉 upon whom the punishment came 〈◊〉 was either the fact it selfe or two weightie circumstances of it 1 The 〈…〉 they slew a man they broke downe the wall This for this fact and for the two 〈…〉 it First that there was a meeting and consulting before about the doing 〈◊〉 â—hen that there was crueltie after shewed in the doing of it Consulting and 〈◊〉 before Rage and fury after 〈◊〉 punishment or censure is of two sorts You may thus reduce them 〈◊〉 one is a Church-censure 2 The other a Civill paenaltie and so the sentence 〈…〉 Courts 1 Maledictus of one Court that is Spirituall And 2 Dispergam of 〈…〉 that is Temporall 〈◊〉 shall observe all heer stands upon two's 1 Simeon and â— Levi â— they â— and 〈◊〉 â—â—die weapons 1. In the Plott two 1 Counsell and 2 Companie whence 〈…〉 two 1 his soule and 2 his glory 2. In the fact two 1 Murder and 〈…〉 done upon two 1 Vpon the men 2 and upon the very walls 3. In the 〈◊〉 two 1 Anger and 2 furie and they two two Epithets the Anger 1 strong 〈…〉 and the Rage 2 indurate in pursuing killed the men in their 〈…〉 downe walls in their furie 4. In the censure two 1 The Curse 2 and the 〈…〉 One lookes backe the other lookes forward One to the fact the Curse 〈…〉 to the persons the Paenall part In the Paenalty two 1 The dividing and 〈…〉 dividing their persons in the familie of Iacob Scattering their 〈…〉 â—he commonwealth of Israel 〈…〉 now the use we have of it Fiâ—st the 〈◊〉 comming to any such counsells 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 accursâ—â— all such outrages as this 〈…〉 seâ—ne it condemned in 〈…〉 and no◠〈…〉 â—he â—eaâ—hen In Iewrie by Kings 〈…〉 By the Heathen in the case 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 Prophâ—â—s in the case of Absalon and 〈…〉 in the câ—se of Simeon and Levi. And all this 〈…〉 tâ—e Proâ—hets beforâ— the Law long yer Moses were 〈…〉 dayes and now higher then Genesis further then the 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—ave heard to day you shall heare a Patriarch lay his 〈…〉 but at the very point of death All 〈…〉 this iâ— and how GOD will be sure to require it at 〈…〉 â—re 〈◊〉 to shedd blood And this was a good doctrine 〈…〉 beeâ—e â—ver since Esay â—â— 7 till our â—nhappie daiâ—â— wherein some that have 〈…〉 it have scaped the Patriarch's Maledictus and have much adoe to scape th◠〈…〉 â—â—nedictus and being made Saints for it I. The Parties two SImeon and Levi are the Parties He joines them together in the Processe for so they were in the fact eiâ—her as deepe as other and so their causes proceeded in jointly Two they are and two are more then one It is hand in hand this a double-twistâ—â— cord Proâ— 11.22 Hand in hand is the stronger double then single iniquitie 〈…〉 And this is true of any two but more yet of these two for these two are brethren And thâ—t 〈◊〉 â—ond of Nature and naturall affection workes yet more strength For strong â—rov 1â— 19 〈◊〉 the barrs of a Palace so is frater qui à fratre adjuvatur saith Salomon The first thing that makes us muse is that Iacob calls these two Brethren as if the rest were not so Gen. 41. â—2 were nothing of kinne to them They were twelve brethren themselveâ— say so â—o Ioseph But not of whole blood you will say True but six of them these two â—ameâ— and foure besides they had all the same father Iacob and the same mother Lea. And why then these two two brethren and not they We must seâ—ke out somwhat wherein these two were and the rest were not And we will not stirâ—e a whit from the Text. They two were brethren first 1 in wearing of weapons of violence in this verse â— and in the next brethren in wicked counsell 3 and third in the rage of revenge 4 And last in a bloody murder And as in these that make up the fault so in the punishment In all these were these two brethren and these two onely The other nothing of kin to them no fraternitie in these If Râ—bbi Salomon be right that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke be all one with Mechera in Hebrew then it is the swords they were girt with were weapons of violence But if as others take it Mechera be a tent then it must be the weapons of violence were to be 〈…〉 that in their tents they had them though not at their sides The 〈…〉 a more quiet disposition 〈◊〉 in wearing weapons So were not these but their swords out ready 〈…〉 upon every occasion The other had weapons too but not weapons of 〈…〉 they had but cruelty dwelt not in them Weapons of cruelty then it 〈…〉 Why 〈…〉 need haâ—e by his side or in his house weapons Yes But â—hese 〈…〉 were 〈…〉 of violence and violence implies wrong ever 〈…〉 All even our very hands and members 〈…〉 GOD never entended to arme injustice 〈…〉 〈…〉 withall The Law allowes no Chele 〈…〉 man to have 〈…〉 his houâ—e no 〈◊〉 to weare them by his side No 〈…〉 to pâ—ivaâ—e 〈…〉 râ—â—enge 〈…〉 Miâ—i vindictaâ— Revenge
Christians keep sacred and holy by holding solemne Feasts for them least els by revolution of time forgetfulnesse might creep upon us and we prove unthankfull And do we any oâ—her thing in appointing this day then all these did I conclude with the style of the Coâ—ncells Sequentes igitur nos per omnia Sanctorum Patrum vestigia We heerin do but tread in the stepps of our holy Fathers and follow them that were followers therein of God himselfe If it be said all this while we heare no praecept alledged we have nothing but example No more had Esther heer precepâ— had she none Onely God's example she had Picked the foureteenth of Adar out of the fourteenth of Nisan from Pharao that from Haman this It is true Dirigimur praeceptis By praecepts we take our direction 〈◊〉 it is no lesse true Instruintur exemplis We receive instruction in a great part from examples also One serves for our rule the other for our patterne and we as to obey the one so to imitate the other For Perfectio inferiorum assimilatio superiorum The inferiour hath no greater perfection then to become like to them that are his Superiors Superiors I say and that in time no lesse then in place that is such as have in former times laudably gone before us The Bible sheweth this plaine there beside the Bookes of the Law that serve for Precepts to direction God hath caused to be written the Storie of the Bible to yeeld us examples for imitation And those Bookes of Storie are in Hebrew called the former Prophetts to shew before there came any predictions into the world there was a Propheticall force in them to guide God's people by To the 〈◊〉 and to the Testimonie For the practise of the Saints runneth along with the Law under the name of Testimonie their lives having ever borne testimonie to Gâ—d and his truth And as the Hebrewes say a barren Divine shall he be qui nescit 〈◊〉 legem de Prophetis that out of the Saint's practise cannot frame a Law The ground then being layd If this be agreed of that a day that a sett day and that this very day may be appointed We have two points more to touch 1 the 〈◊〉 by which it is to be injoyned and the 2 manner according to which it is to 〈…〉 1. The Authority by which it was enâ—oyned 〈…〉 first For be the ground never so good yet are not we to take up dayes 〈…〉 heads but by order of authoritie they are to be enjoyned us Whose 〈…〉 There be in a Law but three things 1 advise 2 authoritie 3 and Sâ—â—mission 〈…〉 It should seeme at the first Mardocheâ— did onely by a 〈…〉 anno celebrarent honore Verse 20. 〈◊〉 and this before 〈…〉 place That letter of his either not taking place or 〈…〉 enough and they â—eing either layâ—d down or so like to be heer commeth 〈…〉 and this no advise now but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of then 〈◊〉 of a Law 〈◊〉 establish them for ever 〈…〉 nay noâ— both of them do of themselves 〈…〉 commission from it Not 〈…〉 Province of them 〈…〉 XXV Verse and by it 〈◊〉 they to doe all this What Esther did she did in the power of Assuerus 〈◊〉 Assuerus it is well knowen was a Heathen King yet have we heere a Feast â—â—â—ablished by his authoritie So was the King of Ninive a Heathen too Iona. 3.7 yet have we 〈◊〉 enjoyned by his So was the King of Babel a Heathen King yet a Law by him â—ade upon paine of death not to blaspheme the true GOD. So were Cyrus Dan. 3.29 Ezra 5.13.6.12 and Daâ—ius yet the Temple built by their authoritie Things pertâ—ining to Religion all So that there is in the Regall power of all yea even of Heathen Princes to confirme and to â—njoyne what may tend to the worship and service of GOD. Power against the truth or for falshood I know none no Power to destruction 2. Cor. 13.10 1. Tim. 2.2 to aediâ—â—cation all And prayer is to be made without ceasing for Kings that they may applie their power to these to aedifie in the Truth So they will if Mardochei may be in place 〈◊〉 wise them not Haman But if they mis-apply it and not to the end GOD gave it 〈◊〉 for He that gave it them is to take accompt of them for it and He will require 〈◊〉 at tâ—eir hands to Him they be respondent But â—e this heere and ever remembred if by a Heathen Prince's power this was done shall it be denied to a Christen Prince to one in whom Assuerus's power and Esther's Religion both meet to take order for daies or other rites of that nature Well then having both our ground and our authoritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is three severall times repeated in this one verse 1 Once for Mardochei that advised 2 Once for Esther that enjoined and 3 Once for the people that undertook to observe it It is the Iewe's operative word whereby they enact all their statutes Be it then enacted what Vt nulliâ— liceat dies hos absque solennitate transigere Verse 23. That it be lawfull for no man to passe these daiâ—s without solemnizing To a Law there go two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two Caashers two accordings Both twaine are heere 1 According as Esther with Mardochei's advise enjoyned it 2 And according as they that is the people tooke upon them decreed to observe it Which observing is the life of every Law even the publique approbation or giving allowance of it by the constant keeping it The second according is added for the people's commendation that what was prudently advised and lawfully enjoyned was by them as dutifully observed And this they not onely did but bound themselves moreover and their seed so to continue Themselves and that with the highest bond super animas suas which is more then upon themselves and would not have beene putt in the margent but stood in the Text upon theirs and upon their seeds never to let them fall The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the 27. Verse that is to make a Kabala or tradition of it And that is the true tradition indeed when a thing orderly taken up there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is carefully and out conscience kept up there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and delivered over from the Father to the Sonne and from the Sonne to the Nephew to all succeeding Ages none daring to transgresse it on the charge of their soules This Kabala made it a perfect Law Now a word of the manner of the keeping them and so an end 2. The Manner of keeping it They enacted to keepe the Purim daies How to keepe them It will lead us this to the nature of them whither as holy-dayes or no. For at this there be that stick too A feria they will allow them a play-day or ceasing from worke or a festus dies if you