Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities Observ 5. See the large territory of Satan how far and wide he Reigns even all the world over wherever there is death in sin wherever there is the carnal mind wherever there is disobedience Ephes 2.2 As the Word of God is operative in all those who believe 1 Thess 2.13 So on the contrary the Prince of the power of the air works powerfully in the children of disobedience which are far more numerous insomuch as he might seem to speak some truth when offering all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them to our Saviour he tells him it was delivered unto him Luk. 4.6 Observ 6. Satan hath no power at all over the life that 's out of his Jurisdiction Christ the Son of God and Captain of our Salvation is the Prince of Life Act. 3.15 Repreh The Plagiaries the men-stealers such as enslave the servants of God and bring them into captivity under the power of Satan 2 Pet. 2.18 19. Such are they who creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3. Repreh 2. Those who yield themselves captives under the power of sin and death and devil if we yield to his lusts he follows wrath is one of his lusts Ephes 4.27 so is pride especially spiritual pride 1 Tim. 3.6 7. Jam. 4.6 7. so is covetousness Joh. 12.5 whereupon Satan prevailed over Judas Joh. 13.2 by consenting more yet by hardening himself against our Lords admonitions vers 27. So that now he hath taken full possession of him as his own so he did of Ananias and Saphira Satan filled their heart Principiis obsta Consol To the children of Gods kingdom who are in continual heaviness and anguish by reason of manifold temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 To be tempted by Satan is no sin the Lord Jesus who took part of thy flesh and blood was tempted in all things like unto us yet without sin But alas the devil like a roaring Lion goes about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. But doth it not follow whom resist strong in the faith and hath not thy God set an hedge of his providence about thee 'T is true the Devil goes about that hedge he took notice of it and told the Lord Job 1.7 10. Now if thou break not the hedge if thou put not thy self out of protection if thou transgress not if thou keep thee within the hedge the Devil cannot hurt thee if thou yield not to the tempter his temptations cannot hurt thee Jam. 1.14 15. A man is tempted when he is drawn away with his own lusts Zophar gives Job good counsel Job 11.14.18 If iniquity be in thy hand put it away Prov. 28.4 They who keep the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Zach. 2.5 the Lord promiseth that he himself will be a wall of fire round about Jerusalem 'T is true if thou have any thing of Satans if thou retain any of his lusts Joh. 8. he will prevail against thee Wherefore comes the Creditor but to demand his own and if thou cast not what is his out of doors he will have thee or thine with it How did the Creditor deal with the widow 2 King 4.1 The Creditor is come saith she to take my two Sons and make them bondmen if thou have nothing of his he cannot hurt thee Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator Mark what thy brother the Captain of thy Salvation saith Joh. 14.30 the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Tarpeia See Notes on Rom. 5. Exhort Yield not to the suggestion of the evil one All the glory of the world and the kingdoms of it could not tempt our Lord. Ye are children of another kingdom of the kingdom of God and Christ children of the resurrection not of death But alas I am weak I am but a child Yea but thou art of God and his Kingdom and therefore 1 Joh. Ye are of God little children and have overcome them What ever is born of God overcometh the world Object The Devil is strong and he hath the power and kingdom of death thou belongest not to him or his kingdom Ye are of the day not of darkness ye are of another jurisdiction He is but a weak adversary who overcomes only those who are willing to be overcome and that 's the power of Satan and no greater for resist the devil and he will flee from thee 2. That by his death he might destroy him who hath the power death i. e. the devil This is the second end why our Lord the Captain of our Salvation took part of flesh and blood 1. That he might die 2. That by his death he might destroy him who hath the power of death i. e. the devil Herein two things must be enquired 1. What is meant by destroying him who hath the power of death 2. How Christ by his death effected this 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to render unprofitable vain and of no effect from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth idle it answers to the Hebrew and Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here used in the Syriack Ezra 4.21.23 24. then ceased the work of the house of God vers 5. and 6 8. Luk. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 31. to make void 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the Law of none effect Thus when the Law of Commandments which was against us is made void Eph. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by other Laws of Faith and the Spirit when the Law that commands and giveth no strength is abrogated by the Law of Faith which brings power with it when the Ceremonial Law of Sabbath New Moons are taken away by the Law of the Spirit when the body of sin which was made exceeding sinful by the Law is made of none effect Rom. 6.5 6. when death is destroyed which is the wages of sin 2 Tim. 1.10 Then the devil himself who hath the power of death may be said to be destroyed for so the power of the devil increased by the peremptory Law meeting with weak flesh and blood and bringing no power with it whence sin breaks out more violently Nitimur in vetitum whence follows death whereof the devil hath power Thus the Jews tell us that Satan hath the power of death in that he suggests unto sin unto which flesh and blood yielding he becomes an adversary and accuser as Zach. 3.1 Psal 37.38 But the Lord Jesus taking away the sin withall takes away the ground of all Satans accusations so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 2. Thus whereas the devil was operative by the Law Sin and Death the stronger one spoiling the strong one of these weapons wherein he trusted He thus destroys him who hath the power of death for then a tyrant may be said to be destroyed when his Arms his Power his Kingdom his Rule and Authority is destroyed although he himself in his person be not destroyed but yet remain though feeble and without power When therefore the deadly power of sin and the sting of
all the holy ones of God the adhesion cleaving and uniting our hearts unto the living God that 's Hebron This is also in a mountain Heb. 12. and in the Tribe of Judah praising and glorifying our God and confessing to his name and singing Hallelujahs for ever Yea the Lord Jesus prayeth for his persecutors and murderers Father forgive them c. This is proper to the Christian Spirit as appears Luke 9.56 they as yet were of a legal spirit Abels blood cryed from the earth Zachariah the son of Jehojada 2 Chron. 24.22 Jer. 11.20 and 20.12 But what saith our Lord of whom Esay 53.5 Father forgive them And Stephen Acts 7. Christs Blood of sprinkling speaks better things than that of Abel This is the strength of the spirit of Jesus which rejoiceth in tribulation so S. Paul prays for the Colossians Col. 1.11 that they may be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness Exhort If murders proceed out of the heart let us in our hearts suppress them let us mortifie our earthly members let us deal with them as they have dealt with the Lord Jesus and with our souls See notes on Hebrews 1. Let us use our enemies weapons for his destruction and turn his ordinance upon him slay Saul with his own sword wrath is murder be angry and sin not hatred is murder hate thine own sinful life crucify those evil affections and lusts which have crucified the Lord Jesus James 5. Ye have condemned and killed the just one and he doth not resist you be patient therefore unto the coming of the Lord. Our Lord neither by precept nor example commands any retaliation or revenge unto us Let all your doings be done in charity 1 Cor. 16.14 Moses intreated Hobab Love to go along with them all their way Numb 10.29 Out of the heart proceed Adulteries and Fornications The wise mans advice Eccles 11.10 Remove sorrow or anger in the Margin from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh tends to the moderating of the irascible or wrathful passions as also that of the concupiscible Our Lord therefore having discovered the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in wrath and anger he in the next place proceeds to the removal of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil concupisence I shall speak of both these together in one axiom or proposition as the Lord hath forbidden them both by one and the same Law for although the sins in nature differ one from the other Hos 4.14 and in degree one is more grosly sinful than the other and consequently they differ in their respective punishments for Adultery was punished by death not so Fornication unless in the daughter of the Priest Levit 21.9 Deut. 22.22 Yet because all uncleanness is forbidden in the seventh Commandment and concupiscence under the grossest kind I shall speak together of both but let us enquire a part 1. what is Adultery and 2. what is Fornication 1. What is Adultery 2. How doth Adultery proceed out of the heart 1. Adultery is the violating of the faith plighted in Matrimony which because it is broken by appoaching unto anothers bed our Latine Criticks will have it called Adulterium quasi ad alterius torum which because it is extremely unseemly and the cause of great and manifold inconveniences the Greek word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Greek Etymologist compounds of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseemly and inconvenient because the Adulterer doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things unseemly and inconvenient by which kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle expresseth other sins of the flesh Rom 1.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseemliness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are inconvenient Eph. 4.2 Or otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adulterer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who violates and breaks the bonds of unity the bond of the house whence the husband hath his name And therefore to commit Adultery in the German tongue is called Ee or Ehe-breaken the violation and breach of marriage or of unity as that word also signifieth implying thus much that Adultery breaks the bond of wedlock betwixt man and wife and between God and us whence that of the Poet Legitimi rumpere vincla tori Repreh Who sooth and flatter themselves with an opinion of their own chastity toward their spiritual husband because they have no outward idols entertain no rivals The Israelites were in this condition when Hosea reproved them Hos 9.1 and when Ezechiel chap. 6. And they came with great confidence to enquire of the Lord Ezech. 14. confer with Rom. 7.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fornications which the Greek Etymologists derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sell implying that the Fornicator or Fornicatrix prostitutes his and her body and sets them to sale and sell themselves to commit wickedness And happily Fornication may come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though some deduce it from fornix a dark and obscure place wherein they committed their Fornication whence the Satyrist Lenorum pueri quocunque in fornice nati Why come these out of the heart The progress of these out of the heart is more notable than any of the former for herein consists the difference between the apprehensive powers and faculties and the concupiscible and appetitive between those which enter into the man and those which proceed out of the man Obs 1. Note here what a Brothel house what an arrant stew the heart of the lascivious and unchast person is all Adulteries all Fornications all uncleannesses are acted in it Obs 2. A man may be an Adulterer and a Fornicator yet not know a woman and the like may be said of a woman Our Lord teacheth us so much Matth. 5.28 yea and at sometimes punisheth the Lust when it hath proceeded no farther than the heart Gen. 12.17 And the Poet tells us Quae quia non liceat non fuit illa facit Vt jam servans bene corpus Adultera mens est Omnibus exclusis intus Adulter erit Incesta est sine stupro quia cupit stuprum Obs 3. The Law belongs unto Christian men and women Obs 4. It s a spiritual Law See notes on Rom. 7. Obs 5. The great extent of the Law ibid. Obs 6. The excellency of the Christian Righteousness ibid. Repreh 1. Who confine the Law of God unto the letter only See as above Repreh 2. Who know that the Law of God is spiritual and reacheth even to the heart and spirit vide as above Obs 7. The Lord Jesus knows the secrets of our hearts He saith Adulteries and Fornications proceed out of the heart He sees the obscene and filthy lusts of the Letchers which lodge there To see and know these is in it self no sin our Lord Jesus saw them knew them judged them yet without sin yea Christianus salvis oculis foeminam videt animo adversus libidinem Caecus est
and accurately distinguished from their life works and manners for 't is possible their works may be corrupt and evil though their doctrine be sound and good We seem by this doctrine to introduce a possibility of doing what the Law requires whereas Faith and Works are every where opposed Faith and Works are not opposed but Faith and the Works of the Law are opposed Observ 6. The Lord wills the observation and obedience unto his Law by whomsoever it is taught whether they be scribes learned only in the Letter as these were or Scribes taught unto the Kingdom of God Mat. 13. Obs 7. The Lord wills that the Multitude and his Disciples perform all outward obedience unto the Law of God the Scribes and Pharisees had taught the people that and no other so Mat. 5. they taught them that they should not Kill not commit Adultery not forswear themselves c. They urged the Law no farther than the outward observation of it nor knew they or would acknowledge any other obligation to the Law beside only the outward yet was the Sect of the Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most exact Paul was a great proficient herein who professeth Act. 26.5 that he had lived blameless Gal. 3.16 where by the Law he means the Law of Works whereof the Magistrate could take cognizance not the Law of the Spirit of Life for the Magistrate cannot see nor punish any breach of that Law which therefore Clemens Alexandrinus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore St. Paul tells us Rom. 7.7 That he had not known Lust to be sin unless the Law had said Thou shalt not Lust Whence Josephus a learned Pharisee blames Polybius that excellent Historian because he ascribed the death of Antiochus to Sacriledge which yet he never effected but only intended for saith he to have a will to commit that sin if he did it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see then whereto the Pharisees doctrine tended even to the outward observation of Gods Law and no further This and this only the Scribes and Pharisees taught and in this the Lord commands the Multitude and his Disciples to obey them Whence it appears that the Lord requires and esteems actions outwardly good the outward observation of his Law which is much to be observed by them who think that God takes no notice of outward particular actions Observ 8 Note hence the excellency of the Christian Doctrine above that which was taught by the Scribes and Pharisees The Scribes and Pharisees taught men that they should not kill so that if their Disciples laid no violent hands upon men they were not guilty of murder but the Christian Doctrine forbids anger whence murder proceeds and hatred and malice and tells us That he who hates his Brother is a murderer The Scribes and Pharisees forbad Adultery and if men abstained from the outward act they were held innocent and guiltless The Christian Doctrine forbids the lusts of the flesh 1 Joh. 2. and intention of the heart He who looks upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart It is true that which Zophar tells Job that he would shew him the secrets of wisdom Job 11.6 For the Law is not only Literal but Spiritual also The Tables of the Law were written within and without so was the Roll that was given to Ezechiel chap. 2.10 and the Book given to John Rev. 5.1 All which requires an inward and outward Righteousness Righteousnesses holy Conversations and Godlinesses 2 Pet. 3. The Scribes and Pharisees taught the outward Writing outward Righteousness outward Conversation and they were very strict therein The Lord teacheth his Disciples That unless our Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven That Righteousness which must exceed another must comprehend all the other and add more to it It 's a known Principle and that which needs no demonstration no proof at all it s the ground of after demonstrations Majus comprehendit in se minus If therefore the Righteousness of Christ and his Apostles which he requires of them must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees and that upon the greatest of penalties Surely the Righteousness of Christs Disciples must contain that Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees in it Repreh The false Disciples who pretend Faith in Christ and obedience unto his Chair yet are not obedient unto the Chair of Moses who come short of the Righteousness outward of the Law The Scribes and Pharisees taught that men must not Kill the pretending Disciples of Christ and those more Refined and Reformed Kill and destroy one another The Scribes and Pharisees taught men that they should not commit Adultery The pretending and seeming most reformed Christians Rant and Whore and live in all outward uncleanness Yea herein the old Pharisees were better than the new they taught the Law the new ones teach and believe that they are saved by a bare Faith Exhort 1. If the Scribes and Pharisees do Moses's work and draw men let us yield our selves to be drawn unto Jesus Christ by them Exhort 2. To those who sit in Christ's Chair and preach the Gospel that they would teach by words and works It is said of our great Master that he was potens Opere Sermone mighty in Word and Deed. Observ 9. What great commendation it is for a man to be Orthodox and of a right judgement and opinion touching divine truth which is cryed up now a dayes as if it were the principal part of Christianity for men may be Orthodox and sound in their opinions yet wicked in their lives Such here were the Scribes and Pharisees Obj. But must I not do after the works of my Teachers whom then shall I follow Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imitating Creature and whom shall he imitate if not his Teachers Sol. The Teachers of the Scribes and Pharisees are not to be followed in what they do 2. It 's possible that some other may be found whose doings thou mayest follow as well as their sayings yea though they say little but walk on through the gainsaying world in silence yet their works preach unto us Their Life is a continual Sermon If thou find none such in the world thou hast an infallible pattern a spotless mirrour an example exact according to the Will and Word of God the Lord Jesus Christ do after his works He is the Light of the world he that follows him shall not walk in darkness because he sees the Light of this World God the Father well knew there would be many sayers few doers of his Word that the Scribes and Pharisees in all Ages would be the same such as would say and do not and therefore he hath given an unerring Guide unto the world his Word that speaks to us and in us That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath spoken in all men from the beginning
with all the fulness of God Observ 6. Every Servant of the Lord is by profession in his progress proficiency going on from one degree of goodness unto another the servant is said to have i. e. use well and to be constant in that use they are alwayes in motu 1 Thess 4.1 to walk and please God is to abound more and more in so doing The Use hence is for Reprehension of those presumptuous havers who because they have or think they have much of their Masters goods they despise and neglect all but themselves as if they had all and others nothing at all what a world there is of such at this day who think their own party only in our Lord and Masters house and that all others are without that they only have all their Masters Talents among them and all other people are naked poor and miserable And this is the rather abservable because there being at this day many divided Judgments and many several Parties who yet every one flatter themselves that they are the only peculiar people of the Lord and all the rest are of the world and so appropriate God himself and all his goods gifts and graces unto themselves Does not the Apostle tell us That there is one God one Faith one Baptism one Lord and Father of all c. But saith he To every one of us is given Grace It is true there is but one Lord but that one Lord does not appropriate himself to any one of the divided Parties but to every one of the Believers is given Grace for grace The God of all Grace dispences his goods in different measure according to different abilities Mat. 25. and he gives generally to every one without respect of persons as being of such or such a ones Church and therefore Job told his friends who were just of these mens growth surely ye are the people though that he spake Ironically Mysticé What the Servants have is said to be their Masters goods and such as he more especially accounts such which cannot therefore be only outward and temporal but principally inward and spiritual and therefore our Lord saith That his Kingdom is not of this world and therefore he accounts not the wealth of this world among his proper goods but rather in regard of these he is said to have been poor Saul whose Kingdom was of the foregoing world he spake what was figurative and typical concerning the Kingdom of Christ Can the Son of Jesse give you c. Luk. 16.12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans who will give you that which is your own What then are our Lords five principal inward and spiritual Talents 1. Simplicity in Christ such as was in Abel who is a breathing toward the God of Life The second Talent is the work of the Law discovering sin and death Rom. 7. and discovering also righteousness and life for so the righteousness of God is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets This was prefigured by Seth which signifies a positive Law he hath good correspondence with Enoch the first Prophet and preacher of Righteousness as Noah was the last before the flood All the Prophets are descanters upon the preaching of the Law The third Talent is the Grace of God which brings salvation unto all men Tit. 2. and calls and invites men unto repentance as John Baptist who is and signifies the Grace of the Lord. The fourth Talent is Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which is the gift of God Eph. 2. The fifth and last Talent is the Communion with Christ according to the flesh in a lowly meek and suffering spirit but weak according to which it is said He was crucified in weakness and we are then weak in him or with him He who hath but one Talent hath the simplicity of Abel He who hath two Talents hath the work of the Law and Prophets figured by Seth as Abraham told the rich man in hell that his Brethren had Moses and the Prophets To every one of these who hath i. e. improves any one or more of these Talents more shall be given unto him for so they who are simple concerning evil Rom. 16.19 I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple or harmless concerning evil to such I say who wall on thus in their simplicity the Law of the Lord is given Psal 19.7 The Law or Doctrine of the Lord is perfect restoring the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple and Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple Now unto every one who hath the Law of the Lord and Faith to improve the work of the Law written in his heart the grace and gift of repentance is given unto him according to Mal. 4.4 Remember the Law of Moses my servant unto such the Lord promises Elijah the Prophet vers 5. i. e. John the Baptist the voice of God the Father crying in the wilderness even in the wildered heart of man thus the Law and the Prophets are until John And unto every one who hath and useth well this gift of God this grace of the Lord John unto every one who seeth this burning and shining light Mat. 11. and willingly walketh in that light and hears this voice of the Father bringing forth fruit worthy amendment of life unto him is given Faith in the Love of God for so saith our Lord Joh. 6. Every one that heareth and learneth of the Father cometh i. e. believeth in me Lastly every believer ought to shew forth his Faith by his works so to improve his belief according to Titus 3.8 This is a saying of Faith and these things I will that thou constantly affirm that they who have believed in God be careful in maintaining good works which are good and profitable unto men so serving God with a good conscience who gave himself for us vers 14. That he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Now unto such believers and obedient ones is given that Talent Christ that mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Col. 1.26 27. yea unto such Believers it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God These are his houshold Servants yea his friends unto whom he reveils his mysteries or secrets Joh. 15. These receive Christ according to the flesh and unto these Christ is given he mans himself with them in a lowly self-denying meek patient suffering way For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake so Rom. 5 1 2 3. Therefore being justified or purified by Faith throughly cleansed we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God and not only so but we
us unto If any man will come after me let him deny himself Vse 2. This speaks consolation to the poor dejected soul of man Alas I find this duty difficult very difficult Dost thou remember thy solemn Vow and Covenant made with thy God in Baptism that thou wouldst forsake the devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of the world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh c. This Covenant was that which they of the Primitive Church entred into when every one said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I renounce Satan All Vows and solemn Leagues and Covenants are to be explained by this and measured out by this There is no doubt but whoever will in good earnest go about this important duty he shall meet with strong opposition from the World and therefore he hath need of strong consolation Tertullian saith of the Church in his time Nihil illa de causa sua deprecatur quia nec de conditione miratur sicut se peregrinam in terris agere inter extraneos facilè inimicos invenire There is no help for it thou must displease men Mel exulcerata mordet Hony is sharp when it meets with Vlcers but sweet to them who are in health and sound Tull. therefore the Cynick spake I know not how truly of Plato What profit saith he can be in that man who having long time read Philosophy among us was yet never troublesome to any When we begin this hard work O what opposition what contention do we meet withal Why self is strong our own wisdom will not give place to the Wisdom of God The lusts of the flesh are strong the self-will is head-strong and will not yield to the Will of God But on the contrary the Spirit of God is strong in time the rebellious Will may become more tame The house of Saul i. e. arrogancy and self-will that becomes weaker and the house of David the Love of God becomes stronger and stronger so that at length the self is weak and feeble and the Lord becomes strong and his work is perfected in us Observe I pray how this comes to pass in the Order of the Priests 1 Chron. 24.7 The first lot comes forth to Jehoiarib the Lord contending and striving the second to Jedaiah the knowledge of the Lord the third to Harim dedicated the fourth to Seorim Demones oppugnantes fifth Milchias the Lord the King sixth Mayman preparing waters of repentance seventh Accos Spina the thorn which pricks us to the heart Act. 2.8 Abijah Dominus Pater vel Domini voluntas of this Order was Zachariah the Father of John the grace of the Lord which is the fore-runner of Jesus Christ and therefore the ninth Order is of Jeshua And from hence is an increase in the Spirit more and more until the man become nothing and the Lord all in all for so the twenty third Lot comes forth for Delaiah Pauper Domini one whom the Lord has made poor lean exhausted and empty of all self and then the last Lot comes forth for Maaziah the strength and power of the Lord. 2. The second qualification of Christs follower is 1. Taking up his Cross And 2. That daily wherein 1. Let us inquire what 's meant 1. By the History of the Cross 2. By the Mysterie of it The History of the Cross is that punishment of Malefactors this seems to have been more proper to the Romans what death they should dye which punishment was of all other the greatest in that it was the most painful lingering infamous and accursed of all others Phil. 2.8 2. What Mystically may be here understood by bearing the Cross The most agree that by the Cross is to be understood all manner of persecutions afflictions and tribulations c. But persecutions cannot be the Cross of Christ 1. Afflictions befal all men alike Eccl. 9. But bearing of the Cross is proper to him who will be a follower of Jesus Christ they that are Christs have crucified the flesh withe the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 2. We are warranted to flee persecutions Matth. 10.23 When they persecute you in one City flee to another But vers 38. He tells them he that takes not up his Cross and followeth me is not worthy me 3. Afflictions are part of that which is born upon the Cross not the Cross it self whereby we bear afflictions 1. Reason is in regard of Gods command in the Text that we take up on us another life 2. This is reasonable according to that Law wherein God delights lege talionis we have crucified Christ by our Sin Isai 53.5 they have pierced the Father and the Son wherefore mortifie or crucifie your Sins 3. Reason is in imitation of Christ's death if we must take up the Cross against all and every sin then it seems no sin no not the reliques of sin must remain in us he that endures to the end the same shall be saved If ye by the Spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live What men say that the reliques of sin must remain they have no Word of God for it besides there is the greatest danger in them Observ 1. The taking up the Cross is of far larger extent than is commonly understood when men assign for the object of it only outward affliction where also note the subtilty of Satan for the preservation of his own Kindom and consider here also the accomplishment of Types and Figures setting forth our crucifixion and mortification of sin Observ 2. This discovers the vanity and unprofitableness of all outward Altars and Crosses without the inward Cross the patience of Jesus Christ Repreh 1. Of those who perform this duty by halfs yet acknowledge sin must be crucified and mortified but put it off for hereafter for another life wishing with Augustus for an easie death also those who are able to subdue outward foes but are arrant cowards against their inward enemies their sins and those who instead of taking up their Cross make crosses to themselves 2. We hence justly reprove those who will not take up the inward and spiritual Cross the patience of Jesus Christ but reject it and cast it away in the lump of inherent Righteousness and as for the outward Cross they abhor it as the Jews did and count it foolishness as the Gentiles did So that which way soever we understand them taking up or bearing of the Cross that which St. Paul saith to the Philippians concerning some of them is true of these That they were enemies to the Cross of Christ Also those who account this command of Christ impossible yet can they do what is less possible unreasonable and unthankful men the Lord who hath all power both in heaven and in earth is able to strenghten and support them and impower them by his spirit to subdue and mortifie all the power of the enemy But Beloved let us be exhorted to take up or bear our Cross after our Lord be possest with
Righteousness of Faith saith If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved The Apostle in the same Epistle Chap. 8. makes all plain Christ is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.25 to the uttermost Object If every one who believes be justified then what need any thing but faith what need any obedience The whole Word of God must be true and every part of it stand firm with other Know we therefore the true Faith hath obedience involved in the nature of it whence to believe and obey are taken for the same thing See Notes on Isa 3.10 add ye Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. where is set down the very difference between the Law and Faith Observ 1. All who believe Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that believeth As particular Faith is required of every man so particular Justification is promised unto every believer our Translation here is plural all that believe but the Greek is singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one who believeth this is no fair dealing for whereas these words are put in the plural number there is place left for distinction whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that believeth implyes Faith required in every one and a particular promise and assurance of Justification made unto every man Such untrue dealing with the holy Word of God may be observed in our former English Translators as Hebr. 2.9 should taste of death for all another hath it for all men so some of our Latin Translations pro omnibus pro cunctis whereas the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our last Translation hath it That he should taste death for every man What is the difference Dolosus versatur in generalibus So that if we or any one urge the universality of Christ's death he died not pro singulis generum sed pro generibus singulorum He died for all kinds not for every man which yet the Scripture saith expresly Observ 2. Faith in Christ is a purging sanctifying and cleansing Faith Act. 15.9 and 26.18 Observ 3. Christ is the Author of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.2 Observ 4. Christ is the Author of Justification 1 Cor. 6.11 Gal. 2.16 Observ 5. Every one who believes in Christ and is justified by Christ is in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 6. The Gospel of Salvation the glad tidings of justification and sanctification c. is universal to every one that believeth Christ's birth is joy to all people Luk. 2.10 The Grace of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.11 Marg. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jud. vers 3. God would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 As he was born to the joy of all people so he died for the benefit of all He suffered death for every man Hebr. 2.9 No man is excluded who doth not exclude himself Observ 7. God is no respecter of persons See Notes in Joh. 1.12 Observ 8. Faith in Christ purgeth justifieth and cleanseth from all sin all things are possible to him that believeth Mar. 9.23 1 Joh. 5.4 Observ 9. The difference between the Righteousness of the Law and Faith in Jesus Christ Rom. 10.5 6. cum Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Observ 10. Remission of sins and justification cleansing purging from sins go together 1 Joh. 1.9 Observ 11. Faith is not a fancy but a real receiving of Christ and hath through him a real work in it Observ 12. What kind of people believers are they are a cleansed and purged people See Notes in Hebr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repreh 1. Those who detract from the power of Christ in cleansing from sin they ascribe unto their own death more than to Christs death more to the unclean Devil than to the most holy God and his spirit Repreh 2. Who fancy themselves justified when yet they continue and live in their sins Repreh 3. Who ascribe all the cleansing and justifying of Christ from sin to what Christ hath done so many Ages since and not to his working in us Moses is alledged by St. Paul Deut. 30. in that very place mark what Moses saith No good makes us good unless it be in us as è contra no evil evil unless in us Exhort Receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ the justifier and sanctifier Doubt How can we be exhorted to receive him who is already in us 2 Cor. 13.5 Can a man be exhorted to receive him whom already he hath He is in us and we believe he is in us For Answer See Notes in Jam. 1.21 The Prayer O Lord thou hast called us with an holy Calling unto the belief of the Truth by the Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ And thou hast made unto us great and precious Promises that we should be partakers of thy Divine Nature But thou requirest that first we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust That having received these precious Promises we should purifie our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit Thou offerest Faith unto us all by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ But we have not walked worthy of so holy a Calling we have contented our selves with a dead Faith not considering that the Faith that justifieth purifieth the heart that it is obedience that the spirit of God accompanieth it But although our sins be multiplyed against thee yet deal with us in mercy O give us grace to flee out of the false Hypocritical Jerusalem That we may hear the noise of the Trumpet and take warning and be admonished by the fire of the Spirit in the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts Set open the Fountain to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness that may purge out of us that source and fountain of wickedness And vouchsafe unto us that Living Faith that we may believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Scripture hath said That out of our heart may flow the Rivers of Living Waters Amen NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS V. 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come OUR general scope and aim is the discovery of Christ yesterday Heb. 13. i. e. in all that tract of time before his manifestation in the flesh Having therefore found his eternal generation Mich. 5.1 His goings forth from everlasting and his growing up as the tree of life in the paradise of God Rom. 2.7 That Paradise of
God must have a keeper or a dresser who was ye know the first Adam but he was a Type of the second A figure of him that was to come From vers 12. to the end of the 14. our Apostle treats of sin and the reign of it in the world Wherein we have 1. The entrance and usurpation of the Tyrant As by one man sin entred into the world 2. His progress and gaining power over all Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 3. His duration and continuance in his reign from Adam till Moses From vers 12. to the end of the Chapter our Apostle compares Christ the Author of righteousness and life with Adam the author of sin and death and that as like and unlike 1. As like vers 12 13 14. and vers 18 19. vers 12. As by Adam sin entred upon all men and death by sin So by Christ righteousness enters upon all believers and by righteousness life The Apodosis and reddition of this similitude is not full but imperfectly set down in the end of the 14 verse Vers 13. Contains a Prolepsis if all have sinned then they who lived before the Law but not they For where no law is there is no trangression The Apostle distinguisheth the being of sin from the appearing of it and denyeth the assumption by affirming the reign of sin from Adam to Moses although sin were not reputed for sin The Divine Truths contained in these words are these 1. By one man sin entred into the world 2. Death entred by sin 3. Death passed upon all men in that all men have sinned 4. Sin was in the world until the Law 5. It is not imputed or reputed sin when there is no Law 6. Death reigned from Adam to Moses 7. It reigned over all them who had not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression 8. This Adam is the figure of Christ who was then to come Here we are to enquire 1. Who this one man is 2. What is the world 3. What sin this is 4. How is sin said by one man to enter into the world We shall not need go far for explanation of all these This very Divine Truth is expressed in other words in the following part of the Chapter 1. This one man here is afterward called Adam vers 14. 2. The world in this first point is called all men in the third 3. Sin here is called the disobedience of one man vers 19. i. e. Original sin called by many names in Scripture and by the Ancients Peccatum peceans the sinning sin fomes fewel languor naturae the sickness of nature languor membrorum the weakness of the members lex membrorum the law of the members concupiscentia concupiscence macula carnis the spot of the flesh 4. What here is by one man sin entred into the world that vers 19. Is by one mans disobedience many are made sinners For our better understanding of this truth we must enquire 1. How sin entred into the world 2. How by one man The answer to which may contain a reason of the point Dub. 1. How entred sin into the world by imputation only or by real propagation also Certainly by both For to say that God imputes sin to the Posterity of Adam if there were no guilt of sin contracted would require much art to excuse God of injustice which our God needs not no he needs none of our sins to declare him righteous No Let God be true and every man a lyar Rom. 3.4 2. But if we say sin entred by real and true propagation as indeed it did Here the School-men will trouble us with their more curious than useful Quaeres Vtrum per animam an per corpus carnem tantum c. Whether the contagion be conveyed by the Soul or by the Body And they resolve it even the subtillest of them by an implicite contradiction or little better when they deny that it 's conveyed by the Soul yet say that per virtutem activam seminis that sin is conveyed by the active power of the Seed And what active power is that in the seed but the Soul which is called motus efficiens principium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause or the beginning by the Philosopher whom they all follow If any hence inferr that then God should be the Author of it it followeth not for certainly man is and may be truly said to beget a man And what is that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beget another like to ones self This power God gave to man in the beginning Gen. 1.28 And I know not when he took it from him for we find that Adam begat a son in his own likeness after his image He had lost the image of God why is it repeated in his own likeness in his own image What is implied but the propagation of the whole man corrupt like himself The opposition between these two expressions evinceth it vers 1. In the day that God created man in the likeness of God made he him That was the beauty and purity of the Soul Then vers 3. Adam begat a son in his own likeness after his image i. e. the original stain and impurity of the Soul For that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3 6. Psal 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me This one man may be considered Either 1. In himself as one individual and single person Or 2. As a common person Radix communitatis the root of the community and so unus homo is omnes homines one man is all men 1. If as one person his sin is only his own and no mans else 2. If we consider the first man as a common person and radix communitatis he is then understood to receive all for himself and for the Community which depends upon him So he received for himself and all mankind original righteousness and innocency as a Father receives an inheritance for himself and his heirs for ever And as he receives all for himself and his posterity so his loss is to himself if he lose and redounds from himself to all who depend upon him And that this is just with God just men and law-givers themselves allow and approve Vide Notes in Prov. 29.8 Observ 1. See then O man what thy first condition was and what thy present condition is Vide Notes in Hos 8.12 Observ 2. Sin is come as a stranger into the world So a stranger came to David Observ 3. Sin was not originally in the World Gen. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdom 1.13 14. Observ 4. The direful and prodigious increase of sin from one spawn so innumerable a fry Vide Notes in Rom. 6. So efficacious and powerful is the poyson of sin it s of a spreading nature we say Bonum est diffusivum sui Good is diffusive of its self 't is as true of
evil one sinner destroyeth much good Observ 5. The great necessity of a strong Saviour and Redeemer Vide Notes in Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The commadment came Observ 6. Sin is come into the world The Philosopher himself could say from his observation and experience of disorder and confusion in the world that certainly things formerly had been otherwise than now they are And Tully Hominem dicit non ut à matre sed tanquam à noverca natura editum in vitam c. That man was brought forth unto life by nature not so much a mother as indeed a stepdame How Corpore nudo fragili infirmo born naked with a frail and weak body with a mind anxious in regard of troubles and molestations cowardly in regard of fears remiss and idle in regard of labours prone and propense to sloath and lust Rem vidit causam nescivit saith one of the Ancients He saw the matter but not the cause Repreh 1. This reproves their great inadvertency to say no worse of many whereof some Learned men who are engaged in that opinion that there is no original sin but what we call so is contracted by every one in his own person by the example and imitation of others For certainly That there is an inbred propension and inclination unto sin they themselves deny not when they say it is in most men but they will not yield it in all Nor do we say That Original sin is in like measure in all though we say with the Apostle That it is entred into the world and passed over all men which yet is evident in some haply more in some less as I shall shew anon In which respect Alexander Hales said of Bonaventure by reason of his mildness and sweetness of disposition Quod Adamus in Domino Bonaventura non peccavit that Adam had not sinned in Bonaventure what is added that that sin which we call Original proceeds from example and imitation may be disproved by manifold experience of Infants and Children who never had any such example before them for their imitation ye do they declare the fruits of this poisonous plant growing in them as self-will frowardness and disobedience And when they grow a little elder we may discover self grow up in them self-love self-honour self-praise c. and when they grow yet elder lying and excusing and covering sin like Adam Job 31.33 And manifold the like iniquity which Sathan hath bound up in the heart of a child Prov. 22.15 But truly since it appears to all men that the nature of most men say they of all men say we is infected with sin and the whole lump levened It 's better not to dispute whence it became so poluted but rather to enquire into some means how we may be cleansed It 's to little purpose when we see a fire to enquire how it came unless we put to our helping hand to quench it in our selves and others Iniquity burns like a fire saith the Prophet Isai 9.18 and unless it be timely quenched it will burn to the neither most Hell Deut. 32.22 It is said probably that there is no malady without a remedy fire may be quenched the diseased cured what is crooked may be made straight fiery concupiscence concupiscence inflamed may be slaked yea quenched The whole head sick and the whole heart faint yet is not man so desperately sick but he may be recovered The crooked generation may be made straight God made it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straight or up-right in the beginning and it may be made straight again by him Thus 't is true By one man sin entred into the world The Apodosis or redition unto this first point is as true vers 15. The gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many And vers 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Here then Adam is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the type or figure of him that was to come i. e. of Christ I reserve the special explication of those words till I come to the press handling of them Mean time we here find a similitude grounded on a dissimilitude As by one man sin entred into the world so by one man grace and righteousness entred into the world What the one destroys the other repairs and restores Luk. 10.30 A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho c. It might be res gesta a true story 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jericho by all the Ancients is understood the world They spoiled him of his raiment his robe of original righteousness and wounded him leaving him half dead Supernaturalia sunt ablata naturalia sunt vulnerata The things supernatural are taken away the natural wounded Exhort Unto those who convey the nature of Adam unto Posterity that they endeavour to mortifie and kill the old Adam quench the fomes It is observed that they who have so done have left behind them a more blessed issue for though the old Adam be still propagated yet the more he is mortified the less he is transmitted unto posterity as we may see in the Example of Sampson Samuel Joseph Timothy Thy mother Eunice and thy grand-mother Lois It is the law of Adam 2. Death entred in by sin What death is this I shall not trouble you with all the significations of it but only name such as are most pertinent unto the matter in hand and Death is either 1. Natural and of the body Or 2. Spiritual and inward as the death of the life of God in the Soul Or 3. The whole curse of God that followeth upon this 1. As for the first 't is well yea best known by the name of death but whether that be the death here meant it may be doubted For 1. Whereas Gen. 1.28 Man before his fall was to procreate Children they who are immortal have no such faculty of procreation as our Lord speaks Luk. 20.35 36. 2. Beside man had a natural body before the Fall and therefore a mortal So the Apostle calls man's body a natural body 1 Cor. 15.44 which before he calls vile and corruptible opposeth it to a spiritual and immortal body Thus when our Apostle here saith That death came into the world by sin he saith not that mortality then came into the world or a power to dye but death and a necessity of dying for no doubt man if he had not sinned though by nature he were mortal yet by the grace and goodness of God he might have been preserved from death or if he had been dead he might by the grace of the same God have been recalled to life and made immortal But this grace he lost for himself and his posterity Sin therefore was not a cause of natural mortality but rather of necessary death and so 't is true of death also that by sin death entred into the world 2. Death entred
our conformity thereto This is the narrow way Matth. 7.2 Esdr 7. I am the door Joh. 10.7 The new and the living way Heb. 10.20 Observ 2. This discovers a great deal of hypocrisie which with the blind world goes for righteousness and holiness Thou that art called by the name of Jacob answers not to that name Thou hast a name that thou livest Revel 3.1 and art dead Life entred in by righteousness This is the Apodosis and Reddition Here are four questions for explication 1. What is here meant by life 2. What by righteousness 3. What it is for life to enter 4. How did life enter in by righteousness Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life These two phrases are used promiscuously 1. That life enters in by righteousness And 2. That by righteousness we enter into life The former is here understood the other is express Matth. 18.8 9. to enter into life And 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments So to be in Christ and Christ to be in us and many the like So we may be said to enter into peace Esay 57.2 and joy Matth. 25.21 and into glory Luk. 24.26 and into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 7.21 When yet all these are in us The Reason is from that through and intimate Union of spiritual things And accordingly I shall use the phrase promiscuously that life enters into us or we enter into life by righteousness 1. The life here must be opposite unto death As therefore the death is natural so is the life Prov. 16.31 2. As it is inward and spiritual a dying from the life of God in us So is the life also spiritual and inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recovering of the life of God and living unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 3. As that is the whole curse following upon sin and death So is the life the whole blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ himself who is not the blessing only but plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast made him most blessed Psal 21.6 In all these respects we may understand the wise man Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life Rom. 5.18 The Apostle hath both parts of this similitude full 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Since by man came death by man came the resurrection from the dead Here are three things considerable 1. That whereinto entrance is made the world 2. That whereby it may be made righteousness 3. That which enters life 1. By righteousness is here understood both 1. That which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justification which is by faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3.22 26. Thus reconciliation is made by the death of Christ vers 10. And 2. That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.13 18. This is made ours by faith vers 1. being justified by faith That is made ours by conformity unto his death Rom. 6. 1 Pet. 2.24 By this righteousness life enters As by the real transgression and propagation of the sinful nature from Adam unto his seed and posterity Death followed upon his seed and posterity So by the real transfusion of the righteous Spirit from the second Adam unto his posterity and his seed as it is called Esay 53. righteousness and life followeth unto them So expresly Rom. 5.10 18. Reconciled unto God by the death of his Son we shall he saved by his life This we have also fully testified 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Take an illustration of this wrought in the less world by what the God of Nature works in the greater As by the cold condensing spirit the free passages of the water and the earth are stopped and a kind of deadness followeth unto them So by the spirit of iniquity the love grows cold and obstruction is made of the free Spirit of Life But as when the God of Nature sends out his word and melts them he causeth the wind to blow and the waters to flow Psal 147.18 So the God of all grace sends forth his essential word and causeth his Spirit to blow and dissolves that deadness in us So that the law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus makes us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 How The same way that the first Adam brought death upon himself and posterity The same way the second brought righteousness and life Observ 1. Life natural spiritual and eternal are inward things eternal life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3.15 This is negative but what positive proof have we 1 Joh. 5.11 12. God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his son who is the way the truth and the life and he who hath the Son hath life c. Observ 2. Hence we may discern between the true heavenly life and that which is only a shew and semblance of it 1. The true heavenly life enters in by righteousness 2. It 's a life usher'd in by a precedent death If ye by the spirit shall mortifie ye shall live Observ 3. Here is a salve for the most deadly sin a remedy for the most extreme malady A cure even of death it self This was signified by those cures wrought by the Lord Jesus and his Apostles Most of the diseases were either almost or altogether incurable that blindness of the man Joh. 9. was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some blindness by casualty but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Leprosie is very hardly cured They say when the Fever and bloody Flux meet they are incurable they met in Publius Act. 28.8 The man was lame from his mothers womb whom Peter cured Act. 3.2 but because some lameness in children may be helped before the joynts be setled it 's noted Act. 4.22 that the man was above forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed and therefore he was naturally incurable But the cure of a dead man mortuum curare 't is reckoned among the opera inania and labour in vain Hence ariseth the glory of the great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ the Physician of souls A strange cure of Death by Death Extinguunt ignibus ignes The fire of concupiscence by the fire of love O death I will be thy death By Theriaca the Vipers poyson is dispelled 1 Macch. 6.46 the great beast which Eleazar slew cost him his life and Sampson by his death overcame his enemies Heb. 2.14 Repreh Those who seek to enter into life bliss and happiness yet not by righteousness they live in their sins yet hope to enter into life These are without the door like the blind Sodomites they could not find the door Gen. 19. nor shall they find it Our Saviour tells of such Luk. 13.24 Others imagine themselves into the life and enter not in by righteousness these our Lord calls thieves and robbers Joh. 10. There is a night thief and a day thief The night thief doth evil and hates the light Joh. 3. The day thief the prophane person that rebels against the
were blind they should have no sin Joh. 9.41 but because nullis quae sunt officii sui permittitur ignorare Gerson This is the condemnation that light is come into the world yet men love darkness rather than light Joh. 3.19 As concerning what every man ought to know according to such means as may be used I believe hardly any man can be said to be altogether ignorant Thus because the Book of the Creature is open unto every man he is inexcusable who from hence may know God and glorifie him as God yet will not which is the Apostles Argument Rom. 1.20 But although ignorance may in part excuse yet that proceeds not from the nature of the sin but meerly and solely from the mercy of God One notable case is extant Gen. 20. Abimilech had used all moral diligence as they call it he did what he did in the integrity of his heart which God himself acknowledgeth maugre all this Abraham must pray for Abimilech otherwise he and all his must die Luk. 12.48 He who knew not shall be beaten with few stripes why with any it's presumed he might have known 1 Tim. 1.13 I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly There had been no need of Mercy had there not been sin The Jews had by ignorance put to death the Author of Life as the Apostle witnesseth for them Acts 3.17 and though thereby they had fulfilled what God had foretold should be done by the mouth of all his Prophets yet this ignorance excused not à toto they must repent vers 19. Acts 17.23 30. Observ 4. This discovers the great goodness and mercy of our God who takes no advantages of us in our ignorance but is patient toward us and imputes not unto us our sins of ignorance as not willing that we should perish but that we should come to the knowledge of his truth And therefore the Psalmist compares him to a Natural Father that pittieth his own Children Psal 103.13 A Natural Father though his Child in the nonage and infancy commit that which is in the nature of it a great sin yet he imputes it not unto his Child for a sin as Exod. 21.15 He that smites his Father or his Mother shall be surely put to death and vers 17. He that curseth his Father or his Mother shall surely be put to death When therefore a Child of two or three years of age being angry shall smite or revile the Father or Mother according to the letter of the Law he ought to die but because the Law of Nature and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that discrimen honestorum turpium that light of natural reason which some call the Law of Nature and shines to some sooner to others later and is not yet appeared unto the Child to teach him that he should not do injury to his Father or Mother or that in so doing he should commit a great sin hence it is that though what the Child doth be a great sin in the nature of the fact yet because the Child is not yet capable of the Law that should teach him this therefore the sin is not imputed unto the Child for sin yea Parents are so fond that in this they make sport with their Children I write unto you little Children c. 1 John 2. See the great indulgence of our heavenly Father Mat. 12.31 there 's the sin against the Father forgiven then verse 32. follows pardon of sin against the Son see an example of this Acts 9.10 15. Ananias accuseth him but what saith the Lord he will not hear of it Go thy way he is a chosen vessel to me Acts 22.18 Paul accuseth himself and aggravates his own sin yet verse 21. the Lord takes no notice of it but rather seems to take offence that he troubles him with his Confession He said unto me Depart O the vast difference between Gods Mercies unto us and our Mercies one to another David's great sin see how graciously the Lord pardons it 2 Sam. 12.13 David said I have sinned against the Lord presently Nathan said to David The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die So easily is the great God intreated to pardon though two of the greatest sins against our neighbour but we make one another offenders for a word Isa 29.21 yea whereas the Lord easily pardons our debt of a thousand Talents we will not pardon nor have patience toward our fellow-servant though he owes us but a hundred pence Matth. 18.23 30. and so inexorable we are as if sin committed against us were against the holy Ghost An Exhortation Let us acknowledge our errours our ignorances and turn unto the Lord we have a gracious and merciful God to deal withall and one ready to forgive Job 33.27 28 29. Christ himself hath been offered up a sacrifice for our ignorances Numb 15. He is that Bullock that Goat slain for the ignorances of the people He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And let us confess with David Psal 19.12 O who can understand his ignorances O cleanse thou us from our secret sins if we confess our sins he is just to forgive us our sins 1 John 1.9 Levit. 13.13 Repreh Those who live in the clear Sun-shine of the Gospel and pretend extreme much to the knowledge of it yet rebel against the light Job 24.13 if sin be imputed where there is a Law and the Jew is inexcusable Rom. 2. yea if he be inexcusable who hath the light of Nature yet glorifieth not God as God what shall become of him who knoweth the Gospel and the Law of the spirit yet sins against so great light Surely such a servant as so knows his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12. More NOTES on ROM 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come AFter the Prolepsis vers 13. whereof I spake before and might be included in a Parenthesis here followeth an Epanalepsis a resulting a resuming and farther declaring of the Argument contained verse 12. where the Apostle reasons thus however it be true that is objected That sin was in the world untill the Law yet not imputed while there was no Law yet death which was by sin reigned from Adam to Moses c. Hitherto then ye have heard the ingress or usurpation of a Tyrant with his way of entrance upon his tyranny by one man c. and his progress and strengthning himself in his usurped dominion So death passed upon all men c. We now come to consider the duration and time of his reign Death reigned from Adam to Moses c. wherein we have 1. The reign of the Tyrant Death reigned 2. The Subjects over whom in special he reigned even over those c. 3. The
continuance of his reign from Adam to Moses If we resolve these into the Principles whereof they consist they are these 1. Adam was a transgressor or committed transgression 2. Some have sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 3. Some have sinned and not after the similitude of Adams transgression c. 4. Death hath reigned even upon those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 5. Death hath reigned from Adam to Moses even over them who have not sinned c. 6. From the note of diversity though sin were not imputed when there was no Law yet death reigned And every one of these hath an opposite Apodosis as we shall see in the handling every one of them There was anciently a twofold reading of this Verse 1. One without the Negative As death reigned even over those who sinned after the similitude c. 2. The other with the Negative as we now read the words death reigned who had not sinned after the similitude c. And truly the pious Ancients both Latin and Greek Fathers have followed both readings as well they might and we may without any contradiction The meaning of the Affirmative is this Death reigned over Adam and also over all those who sinned as Adam did and after his Example 2. The other reading with a Negative hath this sence that death reigned over those who either sinned not or not after Adams Example not so heinously as Adam sinned 1. What a Transgressor is I lately shewed 2. Let us enquire what Adam is Though we have often mentioned the first Man in the opening of this Text yet what is signified here by the name Adam which was not named till now we have not yet shewn we shall therefore 1. Consider the name Then 2. the thing signified by it 1. Adam then hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Earth and that from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be red or ruddy so that Adam is Man made of red earth As Tyberius by reason of his cruelty was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dust or earth mixt with blood the Apostle alludes to it 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man is of the earth earthy This name may be three wayes understood 1. As the proper name of our Common Parent 2. As the earthly Adam in us the common nature we have in us propagated from Adam Thus Adam gives his name to every one of us as a Father leaves his name to his Children according to which any one may be truly called Adam So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man ordinarily answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is that which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the animalish or natural man the man of this world 3. This name is also given to the Son of God or the Son of man who is in heaven the second Adam the Lord from heaven heavenly When then we say that Adam was a Transgressor we understand that Common Parent who hath propagated as his name so his nature unto his posterity Now that Adam was a Transgressor so it is in the Syriack or committed transgression as it is plain by the story Gen. 3. it was shewn out of the first point in this Text verse 12. with the reason of it And therefore I shall not trouble you with any thing then delivered only I shall answer an objection which seems point black to thwart this Text. Object 1 Tim. 2.14 Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the transgression it seems therefore that not Adam but Eve was the transgressor or committed the transgression I could here trouble you with a long dispute and divers opinions of men which I wave I answer therefore the Man and the Woman are sometime opposed as in that Scripture The Scripture puts Antithesis for Protimesis Misericordiam volo non sacrificium Thou shalt not be called Jacob but Israel Moses gave you not the bread from heaven but my father giveth the true bread from heaven so here Adam was not deceived but the woman Sometime they are taken as one person so Gen. 1.27 In the Image of God made he him Male and Female created he them when yet the Female was not made which ye read first made Gen. 2.18 Thus when Moses recapitulates the Generations of Adam Gen. 5.2 Male and Female Created he them and called their name Adam for they are both as one person and expresly called one flesh so that whether the one or the other be meant or spoken of the name is Adam Besides although the Woman sinned yet was Adam the chief cause of Generation and Propagation both of Mankind and Sin with it and therefore may the transgression be called Adams and Adam be said to be a transgressor Observat Hence then appears the truth of that Psal 143.2 it is the inference of the Holy Ghost Isai 43.26 27. Thy first Father sinned and was a transgressor Where observe the low condescent of our God to our judgement He submits himself to our opinion who can say that he hath merited any thing for himself or others who hath his own demerits and sins Thy first father hath sinned and transgressed and made thee a transgressor from the womb O no in thy sight no man living shall be justified See Notes in Rom. 7.9 Apodosis Christ the second Adam is Righteous He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminency THE JVST ONE Acts 7.52 who have shewed before the coming of that Just One and 22.14 That thou shouldest know his will and see that Just One Yea the wife to Pilate who condemned him acknowledged as much Matth. 27.19 Have thou nothing to do with that Just Man yea he himself who condemned him acknowledged him such vers 24. I am innocent of the blood of this just person so did the Traytor I have betrayed the innocent blood Reason 1. He is essentially such 2. It was necessary he should be such For ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him was no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 Repreh This may justy reprove too many of us who complain of the Old Adam and take no notice of the New who remember these words thy first father sinned but forget that Christ is our second Father yea the Everlasting Father and that he was manifested to take away our sins who complain of a body of sin dwelling in us the Old Adam but remember not that in the New Adam dwells the fulness of the God-head bodily Who pity the Old Man and his lusts Alas it is my nature to be angry to be pettish and froward I am by nature prone to envy to pride to covetousness to gluttony to drunkenness alas I cannot help it I am inclined to it by nature thou art so but what nature is it is it not thy sinful nature is it not thy corruption that is in thee by lusts Mean time thou takest no notice of the Divine
righteousness Ye have this Reddition almost in the same terms vers 17. and vers 21. What is here meant by life what else but the spirit of God called expresly the spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus c. where it is opposed to sin and death and vers 6. to be spiritually minded is life and vers 10. the spirit is life the second Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit that gives life 1 Cor. 15.45 This life shall reign The Holy Ghost makes not the Reddition in the same tense as I shewed in the opening of the first point accordingly 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive the reign of Life is here future the Apostle could not say Life doth reign but it shall reign Reason In regard of God the living God and Men sinful men dead in trespasses and sins 1. God the Father who hath life in himself and out of that fulness of life he gives to the Son to have life in himself Joh. 5.25 26. The Son is the Prince of life Acts 3.15 the way the truth and the life and he gives the spirit of life which quickens and makes alive 2. In regard of sinful men dead in trespasses and sins there is no disposition at all in them to life Psal 49.14 15. They lie in the hell like sheep death shall feed on them and reign over them if ever they be raised from death and freed from the dominion of sin it must be by the power of him who is stronger than death and therefore it followeth The righteous shall have dominion over them in the morning God shall redeem my soul from the power of the Grave or Hell for he shall receive me Ye find this method observed by the Apostle Ephes 2.1 5. But how doth the Prince of Life recover his Kingdom That the Prince of Life may reign he must first subdue the tyrant and usurper Pharaoh must be overcome before Israel be delivered which is ascribed to the Lord Jesus Jude vers 5. Thus Joshua overcame the Kings of Canaan the true Joshua overcomes all those who have ruled over us Isa 26.13 the other Lords Thus Jehu smote the house of Ahab that idolatrous house Jehu qui est he who was and is and is to come a figure of Christ the second Adam He must cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall i. e. omnem cognoscentem cognitionem 2 King 9.8 All the proud knowing knowledge of the first Adam 1 Cor. 8. And Jezebel must be the dogs meat she brought in Baal into Israel Jehojadah caused Athaliah to be slain and then Joash reigned the true Jehojadah the knowledge of the Lord He who by the knowledge of him shall justifie many Isa 53.11 The true Jehu He who was and is and is to come the true Joshuah who is called Jesus Heb. 4. He shall subdue every enemy who detains his Dominion from him Luk. 11.21 22. The strong man keepeth his Palace c. Isa 40.10 Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand and his Arm i. e. his Christ shall rule for him The Lord God shall come with strong hand or as it is in the margin He shall come against the strong man that keeps the Palace Thus I understand 1 Cor. 15.24 25. He shall put down all Rule and all Authority and Power i. e. all such as opposeth the Rule the Authority and Power of Christ the Life Thus we understand the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death the Saints corporal death and that body of death Rom. 7. that inward anguish pain and torment preceding the Saints Conquest and Comfort from Heaven The Author of all that torment Sathan understood by the Ancients to be the last enemy and he is the last we read of to be destroyed Revel 20.10 Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help How is that vers 10. I will be thy King vers 14. I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Joh. 5.25 26 27. Cum marg The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live And the Reason is added for as the father hath life in himself c. to execute judgement Joh. 12.32 Now is the judgement now shall the prince of this world be judged Thus Josuah subdues the King of Jarmuth Jos 10.23 fitly and home to this purpose speaks the Apostle Heb. 2.14 15. There is great equity for all this it is just with God to grant the times of refreshing Act. 3.19 20 21. And most unreasonable it is that since the beasts had their time of Rule in the World and in every one of us which we understand by the four Monarchies typified by the four Beasts Dan. 7. whereof David complains Psal 3.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That now the fifth Kingdom be reserved for the son of man the prince of life Dan. 7.13 This was meant by the reign of all the good Kings of Judah Mezentius had bound Mortua corpora vivis Christ unlooseth the works of the Devil Life shall reign over them who shall be righteous after the similitude of the second Adams righteousness The Scribe taught unto the Kindom of God brings out of his treasury things new and old the new i. e. the Spiritual the old that is the Letter the new i. e. the Gospel the old i. e. the Law According to that measure of the Spirit whereunto I have attained I shewed lately out of the Old Testament the Original of Rulers and Elders and sought for what answered unto these in the New Testament And as I then shewed I found no place so evident as that 1 Tim. 5.17 Whence it appears that all Elders of old were not ordained to teach in the Word and Doctrine but some to Rule This some have traduced and misreported as if I should say there were no mention of Ruling Elders who were not Teachers in all the New Testament An untruth so notorious that I believe I may attest and call to witness the most of ye now present Shall I call this ignorance or malice or by a more milde expression inadvertency or want of heeding what was then delivered For to what other purpose were these words that the neglect of the Old Testament hath rendred many things in the New Testament obscure unto us and among them Elders to which purpose I quoted Numb 11. where they are first ordained by God though before that we read of Elders So that if men dare so boldly vent untrue Testimonies the very next day it 's no marvel that they are confident in false reports after a year yea more than two three four or five years for more than so long yea ever since the
built up for ever Mercy and Truth pretence of Truth without Mercy that would reign It is commonly said that the pride and covetousness and ambition of the former Governours brought the world to that pass wherein it was and truly I dare not excuse them but we are much wronged abroad whether we be teaching or such as would be ruling Elders if we be not altogether as proud and ambitious and covetous as they were and therefore let us take heed lest we continue and increase Gods Judgements among us and provoke him to take away this and all other Government from us Truly the sins of all ranks and orders of men bid fair for such an Anarchy or want of all Rule as ye read of Isa 3 1-8 and therefore we may justly fear that the Lord will make us as the creeping things that have no Ruler over them Hab. 1.14 Consol Here is singular Consolation unto the weaklings the Children that are partakers of flesh and blood who are righteous as yet by the righteousness of the Law and desire to be justified by the righteousness of the second Adam God the Father by his Law hath begotten in them a good will unto Jesus Christ the second Adam and his Righteousness But alas the Law is the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15. and occasions sin to reign more tyrannically and death by sin And because the Children are partakers c. Heb. 2.14 When Pharaoh is most tyrannical the people cry out unto their God and then he sends the true Moses Let us hear holy David speak his experience Psal 18 1-4 The sorrows or the cords Marg. of death compassed me about the floods of Belial i. e. the Devil that hath the power of death Hebr. 2.14 15. vers 5. The sorrows or cords of hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 6. In his distress he calls upon the Lord and what comes of it vers 16 17. the like ye have Psal 116.1 and Psal 142 1-7 Rom. 7.24 25. Repreh 2. Those who in this very nick of time when the Kingdom yea the whole Christian world is in a suffering condition are yet so unseasonably ambitious of Rule that even now they contend for it as the Disciples of Christ when he told them of his passion strove among themselves who should be the greatest Luk. 9.46 This is just Adams property 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is it not much more seasonable to suffer with him As he taught his Disciples upon that occasion Can ye drink of the Cup c. Matth. 20.20 To die with him that we may live with him to suffer with him that we may reign with him Repreh 3. Those who sleight and despise the life See Notes in Col. 2.12 Repreh 4. Those that despise the true sent Ministers of God Luk. 7.32 to be sure the fault is in the Minister If of an austere life as John then he lives like a Monk or if loving and familiar then who is he acquainted with but men without any Religion in them John comes in the way of Righteousness but men will not go out of their own way to meet the Lord in his way And may not this be truly applyed to the men of this Generation who disparage and vilifie the Life that must Reign so far are they from admitting it to reign over them Men are not ashamed to say that the Heathen live better lives than we do Yea that the Jesuites that the Pharisees Difficile est dissimulare diu Death reigned from Adam to Moses These words contain the duration and continuance of the Tyrant Deaths reign with the terms when it began and when it ended I must here remember ye 1. Who this Tyrant is 2. What his reign is 3. What is here meant by Adam 4. What by Moses 5. How Death is said to reign from Adam to Moses 1. This Tyrant Death is not only Natural but also Spiritual and Infernal the first-born of sin the Nephew and Grand-child of the Devil as ye find his Genealogy Jam. 1.15 Job 18. it is otherwise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn Rom. 8.6 to be carnally minded according to the extent of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may turn it the mind and affection of the flesh and so our Translators Col. 3.2 render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set your affection and in the margin mind so that according to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the mind and affection of the flesh which is said to be death So that a carnal mind carnal thoughts reasonings imaginations carnal will love desire hope fear joy grief all these are Death 2. This Death is said to have reigned The word is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that we may understand it so to have reigned that it doth reign as I fear we shall find it doth for wheresoever there is such a carnal mind will and affection there is the reign of Death 3. By Adam we understand not only the person of Adam the first but the nature and that corrupted in every man which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souly man or natural man 1 Cor. 2.9.14 and this is here meant 4. Moses may be understood 1. Properly and personally 2. Figuratively 1. Properly according to the history of him Exod. 2. and so ye have his Name and Etymologie of it Exod. 2.10 2. Figuratively and so by Moses we understand 1. The Law given by Moses Luk. 16.29 Joh. 5.45 2. Christ the end of the Law 5. How did Death reign from Adam to Moses The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from may note a time or Epocha and a cause 1. A time and so the reign of Death from Adam's transgression unto Moses's Law is Two thousand four hundred and fifty years 2. 1 From Adam as a cause as a Common Parent polluting and defiling his Posterity vertually contained in him as a common Root So Levi was in Abraham's loyns c. 2. As a common polluted nature in every one propagated from Adam and inclining and disposing every one to the same transgression and it is true That Death reigned from Adam to Moses 'T is also true that sin and death and he that hath the power of sin and death i. e. the Devil reigned from Adam to Moses yea and yet reigns in every man from Adam that common sinful nature in him till Moses till the Law Varro tells us a story that when the Sabins entred Rome the Fort on the Capitol was committed to one Tarpeius He had a Daughter a Vestal Virgin called Tarpeia she let in the Sabins and she covenanted for what they bare on their left arms understanding their bracelets of Gold and Jewels and precious Stones which they wore on their left arms but they cast all their shields upon her and so destroyed her and entred the Fort. So our Mother Eve was taken with the lust of the eyes Gen. 3.6 Adam and every one of us have a Fort to
keep against the Devil our weak and vain thoughts which the Apostle compares to Eve 2 Cor. 11. they parle with the enemy and let him in Perversa sunt quae à sinistris sunt Prov. 4.2 3. The enemy casts his shield of unbelief upon her and so entred and took possession of the Soul Touching this Death consider 1. the term à quo from which from Adam 2. Ad quem to whom Moses 1. What by Adam supra 2. What by Moses 1. His Name Exod. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because I drew him out of the water By Moses we understand 1. The Law or rather the Law of God given by him so Luk. 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets Joh. 5.45 Ye have one that accuseth you even Moses because the Law was given by Moses Joh. 1.16.3 Christ the end of the Law is understood by Moses A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you c. Deut. 18. Acts 3. Exhort Let the God of Life the living God let Christ the Life arise and reign in us O beloved the Devil with his first-born sin and the first-born of sin death these keep under his kingdom in us The kingdoms of the beast have ruled the Lord hath promised this unto David 2 Sam. 3.9 we all pray for it thy kingdom come we have all covenanted this according to the Word of God the government though the very best without the life and spirit of Christ is to little purpose See Notes in Hebr. 1. until he makes his enemies thy foot-stool Sign This life is inseparable from Charity Mercy and loving Kindness He that hateth his brother is a murderer mercy and truth meet together in the kingdom of life Psal 133. ult Means Before this can be done Satan Sin and Death must be dethroned for this end the Law is serviceable to discover sin Abner brought Israel to David See Notes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hebr. 1. The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may imply a cause as well as a simple term 1. A cause and so it notes the efficient cause And thus Adam may be understood as a Common Parent or Nature 1. As a Common Parent Heb. 7.10 As Levi is said to have been in the loyns of Abraham so Abraham himself and every man may be said to have been in the loyns of Adam and thus its true that Death reigned from Adam to Moses i. e. from Adams transgression death entred and reigned 2. Adam as a common nature in us the reason is Sin and Death remains undiscovered until the Law make Sin appear 2. Nor is the misery known but by the Law Rom. 3.20 By the Law is the knowledge of sin Doubt 1. Did Sin and Death reign without mans knowledge before the Law was given Surely no for Cain Gen. 4.13 and Pharaoh Exod. 9.2 knew their sin which they could not but by the Law Rom. 3.20 and 7.7 I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Beside the Lord punished the sin of the Old World by the Sin-flood as it is called in the High and Low Dutch And Sodom and Gomorrah were over-whelmed with a rain of fire and brimstone from Heaven the Law of Nature therefore was known but not testified as yet outwardly by God as afterwards it was in Mount Sinai In which respect the Gentiles though they had the Law of Nature written in their hearts yet they are said not to have the knowledge of Gods Law Psal 147. ult Doubt 2. Did Death reign ever a whit the less after Moses's Law did it not reign so much the more surely yes for when the Law came Sin revived saith the Apostle Rom. 7.9 See Notes in locum Here I must remember you of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used when Christ came Herod was troubled when there came news of a King Adrian saw the Christians poor and therefore had no fear of a King among them It is worth the observing how the Apostle expresseth this Rom. 7. very warily sin taking occasion by the Law Doubt 3. Did Death reign from Adam to Moses what shall we then say of Abel of Seth of Enoch of Noah of Abraham of Isaac and Jacob c. all which lived before Moses of whom the Scripture gives honourable Testimony that one was Righteous another walked with God c. I doubt not to say of these and all other that Death sometime reigned over them and that all who were born into the world came of Adam the Transgressor and have in themselves the similitude of Adams sin in their Seed and in their institution for they are not only the Children of sinners but the Disciples also Whence the Apostle saith That the vain conversation is received by tradition from our fathers 1 Pet. 1.18 But when they come to Age and the Law written in their hearts is reveiled and they have attained to the discrimen honestorum turpium and can distinguish between good and evil then they discern of things that differ then some walk in the way of their Fathers as the Scripture speaks of some evil Kings or else they walk in the way of the Lord their God For instance it s said of Cain and Abel that after certain dayes they offered sacrifice Cain transgressed according to the similitude of his Father But what shall we say of Abel I know well that in after times they were wont to sacrifice at the end of the year when they had gathered their corn which was a Law in Israel Levit. 23.14 But why may we not say of Abel that Sin and Death at the first reigned even over him till after certain dayes he looked unto his Maker Sure I am it is said of Abraham the father of the faithfull that the Lord called him out of Vr of the Chaldees And Joshuah in his Oration to the twelve Tribes remembers them That their fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time even Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor and they served other Gods Josh 24.2 The like we may say of the rest that according to the transgression of Adam Death reigned over them till God the Father made them meet by faith to be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and delivered them from the kingdom and power of darkness and translated them into the kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 Observ 1. Sin and Death hath a kingdom in the world Amos 9.8 The eyes of the Lord are upon the kingdom of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Mon. Regnum peccati Wisd 1.14 The kingdom of Death upon the earth Observ 2. Deaths kingdom had a beginning in the world from Adam Observ 3. The kingdom of Death is not from God Wisd 1.13 14. contrary to their profane tenent who say God contrived a way to bring sin into the world Observ 4. There is a time when Sin Death and he that hath the power of Death i. e. the Devil reigns without disturbance The strong man keeps the house and all his goods are in peace I was alive without the Law once See Notes in locum Observ 5. Sin Death and
he that hath the power of Death reigns without disturbance but till Moses The Law and Christ the end of the Law Moses and Christ the true Moses they make the trouble and disturbance Moses he draws men away from their obedience and subjection unto sin hence his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses drew away the people from Pharaoh When the news of Christ the King was brought to Jerusalem Herod was troubled c. Matth. 2.3 The thirst of honour pride of life is troubled at the humility of Christ Luk. 23.2 We found him perverting the nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saying that he is Christ a King Act. 17.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that have turned the world upside down so they thought when that which was above is turned downward and that which was below turned upward such were the men that counted the proud happy Mal. 3.15 This is good news unto the humble when they see the fallow ground is broken up We have blessed the proud and covetous whom God hates Now we see blessed are the poor and blessed are the merciful This is the disturbance that Moses and Christ make in the world Demetrius Act. 19.23 had gone on quietly in his trade of Goddess-making till Paul taught that they were not Gods that were made with hands he could have thrived otherwise by making Medals and Crucifixes but this dangerous position could not be born with They are no Gods that are made with mens hands But because that would not take with all but only with those whose profit was concerned therefore he made choice of a more general motive that would take with all the honour of Diana their great Goddess And we may conclude assuredly that when men of corrupt minds however they seem religious oppose the Truth of God the sin that reigned in them is now disturbed by the Law whether it be pride or covetousness or whoredom or drunkenness for these and many more lye hid under a form of godliness when therefore such oppose the Truth it 's evident that Moses is come their reigning sin is disturbed So the Apostle speaks of Jannes and Jambres Magicians of Pharaoh c. 2 Tim. 3.8 Observ 5. Sin Death and he that hath the power of Death reigns from Adam i. e. causally he enstated them and they reign from him The carnal mind the spirit of opinion and the knowing knowledge as the Chaldy turns pissing against the wall was brought in by Adam and that reigns and that hath its favourites among men if any man be of our opinion what ever his life is O then he is good he is an honest man he is Orthodox a good Christian the carnal mind covers all their sins and imputes righteousness unto them A great man who was justly censured they say he was not of our side Blessed be ye of the Lord said Saul to the Ziphites 1 Sam. 23.21 Drunkards Whore-masters abominable lyars scoffers they are right in their opinions in their principles Is it not thus amongst those who would Monopolize and impropriate Religion unto themselves at this day Observ 6. The difference of reigns Death came to the Kingdom by succession unto sin and sin obtained it by the treason of Adam and such a Kingdom will not last it reign'd from Adam to Moses The Kingdom of life lasts from the second Adam who brings life and immortality to light through the Gospel this Kingdom hath no bounds or term or end of continuance it 's everlasting Repreh 1. This may give a check to the proud fleshly mind which is death Rom. 8. which puts forth and sets up it self and would gladly be a ruling in every man and over every man which because it is ugly and deformed it hath gotten a form of godliness under which it lurks a visour of life but under it lies death hidden a carnal mind which is death This was figured by Saul ambitious to reign though God was departed from him he persecuted David to whom God had promised the Kingdom Saul is a figure of Death and Hell which is ever arrogating and assuming to it self power and Dominion over the living And because God is not with him but an evil spirit Acheronta movebit He will raise up Samuel which the Witch calls Gods ascending out of the earth 1 Sam. 28.13 I meddle not now with that controversie only I make this use of it to our present purpose that the earthly spirit the proud carnal mind ambitious of Authority and Rule though God be not with it it will raise gods out of the earth out of the earthly mind out of the wisdom that descends not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish Jam. 3.15 For so the Apostle tells us that he is turned into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 5. Who doth not easily discern this earthly mind through the mantle of hypocrisie What precedent hath the earthly mind for this James and John would sit c. Matth. 20. Luk. 9.46 There arose a reasoning among them who shoud be the greatest Look what the growth of the Corinthians was ye find 1 Cor. 3.3 yet 1 Cor. 4.8 ye are full c. full when yet ye are but babes and not able to bear strong meat 1 Cor. 3.2 ye are rich in all spiritual graces when yet they were but poor Rev. 3. ye reigned as kings as if made kings to God the father when yet ye never learned to obey ye reign when yet ye never suffered with Christ All this without us for look what manner of men the Apostles were vers 9. So 2 Cor. 11.16 The false Apostles had boasted of their Authority c. The Apostle makes Apologie for himself if he boasted a little c. Repreh 2. This reprehends those who would be ruling and reigning over others yet have not themselves gotten the rule of their own spirits who assume unto themselves Authority and Power which they say the Lord hath given them yet cannot shew any power of the Lords ruling and reigning in themselves Alas Quis custodiet ipsos custodes Who shall keep the keepers Where is that holy life where is that Spirit which rul'd the holy Apostles and Elders of the Church who challenge such Rule as Moses and Aaron had and apply that unto these envy us our authority ye take too much upon ye ye sons of Levi Men claim authority and power to themselves such as the Apostles and Ministers of Christ and the Elders had but where is the power of the Spirit Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me 2 Cor. 13. 2 Cor. 6.4 In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of Christ c. à quatenus ad omne Many expect the honour due and given
1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.21 If we love our own Souls let us not spare one of them Saul spared those who to us might seem most fit to be spared the King of the Amalekites and the best of the cattle and these for sacrifice But the Lord will not have evil done that good may come thereby he hates robbery though for burnt offering Let us not therefore spare one of them though we pretend they shall be servants to us like the Gibeonites to draw water tears of contrition the sparing of these cost Saul his life 1 Chron. 10.13 and an Amalekite had an hand in his death 2 Sam. 8.9 10. Pray to the Lord for strength to subdue our iniquities to send the stronger one that may subdue them and to receive us graciously O Lord other Lords besides thee have had the dominion over us but in thy name we will trust Observe then who and what ought to rule us who else or what else but Christ and his Righteousness That 's the King that reigns in Righteousness Isai 32.1 He who shall judge the world in Righteousness Psal 9.8 The Prophet David foreseeing the coming of the Lord our Righteousness to rule and judge the world exults and rejoyceth exceedingly Psal 96.10 11 12 13. Say among the Heathen the Lord reigns c. for he cometh he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness Acts 17.31 To Judge in the Sacred Tongue is properly to Rule and Govern such were all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judges whom the Lord raised up to Rule his People throughout the Book called of that name And when they said to Samuel make us a King to judge us 1 Sam. 8.5 that is to rule and reign over us they chose unrighteousness to reign over them and rejected the Lord and his righteousness vers 7. They have rejected me saith the Lord that I should not reign over them When wicked men bear Rule then iniquity reigns and on the contrary where-ever the Governours are good there not the man but God himself and his righteousness bears rule So said Gideon when the People of Israel offered him the Government over them Judg. 8.22 Rule thou over us both thou and thy son and thy sons son also Gideon said unto them I will not rule over you neither shall my son rule over you the Lord shall rule over you O that there were such an heavenly moderation in all Governours Secular and Ecclesiastical that all and every one could be content that God and his Righteousness should rule over them O that every man in this place could and would truly say and endeavour to effect what he saith I will not rule over you the Lord shall rule over you It was the speech of King Agrippa as Philo reports it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So St. Peter exhorts the Elders that they should not Lord it over Gods heritage but be examples to the flock Christ is the Chief Shepherd the Lord and Master 1 Pet. 5. O that there were such an heart in all under Authority that they would resolve that the Lord should rule over them Children must honour their Parents in the Lord for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6. Righteousness must rule them Fathers must bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord the Lord and his Righteousness must rule them Ephes 6.4 Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal justice and equity must rule them knowing that you also have a master in heaven Coloss 4.1 The Lord governs in Righteousness and the same Righteous Master must rule the Servants Ephes 6.5 Servants be obedient to your Masters as unto Christ not with eye-service but as the servants of Christ and doing the will of God from the heart with good will doing service as unto the Lord knowing that what good soever any man doth the same he shall receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free The good Servants are not the Servants of men but of the Lord and his Righteousness O beloved did all orders of men and every man in his rank thus yield up themselves servants unto God and his Righteousness what a golden age would presently appear No man would oppress another no man would do violence to another no man would kill or steal or lye Isai 11. All the people would be righteous every man would be subject to every man for his good and God should be all in all As vers 2. we are by profession dead unto sin and shall we so contrary to our profession live in it we are baptized into Christs death we are wholly dead and buried with Christ and all this That the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we might not serve sin and shall we yet serve it Christ is raised up from the dead that we should walk in newness of life and shall we yet walk in our lusts in our lusts that by our profession should be dead ye are now alive unto God can ye be dead in sin yet alive unto God vers 12 13. God and his Righteousness ought to reign in you and therefore sin must not reign in you vers 14 15. There is a Prolepsis the motions unto sin are many stirred up by the Law Rom. 7.5 to which he answers that you mistake your condition Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Vers 16 17 18. No man can serve two Masters if therefore ye serve sin ye are servants of sin if righteousness then are ye the servants of righteousness But ye are free from the service of sin and therefore that hath no more power no more interest in you no more than a Master hath power over ye when ye are made free therefore ye are the servants of righteousness NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For I was alive without the Law once IN Chapter 6. our Apostle having discoursed touching the dismission or discharge of our sin from having any Rule or Authority in the Man In this 7th he discourseth concerning the cessation or ending of the Law and the discharge of it also from the Power and Dominion over the man vers 1 6. and both these through the Grace of Jesus Christ In the discharging of the Law from his Power and Dominion over the Man he had told us vers 5. That the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death c. which is a ground for a main Objection For if the motions of sin be by the Law it should seem the Law it self should be sin or sinful and then what difference were there between the Law of Moses and the Laws of the Heathen which are sin and sinful for the statutes or customes of the people are vain Jer. 10.3 And if the Law were sin the Lawgiver must also sin in making such a Law and then what difference were there between
Esau and came into the world immediately after it as I shewed thee before Where the Apostle saith I lived without the law once The meaning is he was so to the Law as if the Law were not as if the Law had been dead to him and this Metaphor he useth vers 4. ye are become dead to the law Where he compares the Law to the Man and those under the Law to the woman He should seem therefore rather to have said the Law is dead unto you than we are dead unto the Law For the similitude was thus as the Woman is free when her Husband is dead so are ye free when the Law is dead But that had been an odious speech to the Jews to say the Law is dead unto you and therefore he saith ye are dead in the law and it comes all to one and the same purpose As thus Ye are dead to the law and the law is dead unto you So that ye have nothing to do with the Law and the Law hath nothing to do with you no more than living men have to do with those that are dead I was alive without the law the Law was as it were dead unto me whence is appears what life he lived without the Law of Nature or Law of God where we must take notice of a threefold life 1. Of Nature 2. Of Grace And 3. Of Sin 1. Of Nature when a man lives according to the Law of Nature 2. Of Grace when a man lives according to the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus 3. Of Sin When he lives according to the law of his members according to iniquity which is a Law unto him I lived according to mine own will and pleasure I thought I lusted I loved I hated I feared I rejoyced I spake I did I left undone all what I would in a word I thought lusted spake did what I listed I had no curb no check no tye of the Law upon me I was a free-man I was alive without the Law For thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to live or be alive signifieth neither natural life nor spiritual life here but the life of sin which is improperly called life and more truly a death Thus the life of the man is that wherein he is more principally imployed The life of a drunkard is to be drunk vivere est bibere of a Gamster to game of a covetous man to covet c. and the nature of the man is so deeply moulded in sin that it seems to be his nature envy pride is the nature and life of the envious man the proud man Thus life is taken in the Scripture Thus walking which is conversation living in which ye walked while ye lived in them Col. 3.7 The Prophet David complains Psal 38.19 Mine enemies live and are mighty live i. e. they are lusty sound cheerful merry frolick in their sins and live without the law why doth the living man complain A man who lives in his sin Lam. 3.39 Vivamus mea Lesbia Eccles 6.8 What hath the wise man more than the fool What hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living i. e. before the rich as the opposition intimates before rich and voluptuous livers Thus to live is taken 1 Sam. 5. vers 6. where David instructs his young men whom he sent to Nabal Thus shall ye say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that lives that Vatablus understands as if David should say Do they fare well as long as thou livest as a flatterer said to Claudius that set out the Ludi Seculares which were kept every hundred year and fell in Claudius his days Saepe facias But David is understood to speak otherwise by our Interpreters who add a proper supplement Thus shall ye say to him that liveth in posterity for so to live is taken by the voluptuous Poet. Vivamus Sera nimis vita est crastina vive hodie Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used 1 King 1.25 They eat and drink before him and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let King Adoniah live Chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him prosper Psal 22.27 your heart shall live for ever i. e. ye shall be merry and joyful This appears also by the contrary as in the story of Nabal 1 Sam. 25.37 His heart died in the midst of him all his mirth and sport had an end The Reason 1. In regard of the man There is a necessity that his natural and earthly life precede The first man Adam was made a living soul the last man Adam was made a quickning Spirit Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and then that which is spiritual 1 Cor. 15.45 46 47. Seeing therefore the Law is spiritual and tends to the advancement of the spiritual life The natural life must precede so that he must necessarily say I lived without the law once 2. A second Reason is in regard of the Law for that was ordained for the lawless saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.9 as the means are ordained for their end and therefore the end must be before the means the lawless man living before the Law So that had there not been a man who had lived lawlesly and without the Law there had been no need of a Law But what we say of positive Laws is true also of Gods Law Ex malis moribus ortae sunt bonae leges The man is first diseased and then Physick is prepared for him First the man lives without Law lawlesly and disobediently that of the soul is the most deadly disease and then the sound and healing doctrine of the Law is prepared for him for the law was added saith the Apostle because of transgression Gal. 3.19 transgression therefore must precede and the man must first live without the Law 3. In regard of the Law-giver who is the only wise God and therefore well knows how needful a Law was for the man so long as he lived for had Christ and his righteousness lived in the man or had the man believed in Christ who is the power of God and loved Christ who is the righteousness of God there had been then no need at all of a Law to compel him thereunto Why Because the man then through faith in Christ the power of God and through love of Christ the righteousness of God should live in the righteousness of God witnessed by the Law and the Prophets which is that life which God requires Now if the man lived that life which God requireth what need he a Law to compel him so to live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith he in Homer Why dost thou spurr a free-horse The law was not made for the righteous man 1 Tim. 1.9 But whereas that the Lord saw that the man had no will unto the righteousness of God nor faith in Christ Jesus but was wholly inclined unto his own lusts and his own will and that sin
check of the Law without remorse of conscience heretofore was this a liberty or a wildness was this a soundness or a sickness was this a life or more truly a death Afflict not thy self too much poor soul for these unruly motions of sin but consider with thy self if these be wicked sinful abominable and loathsome to thee What wert thou when thou wert one and the same with them when thou livedst in them without the Law thou wert one with them thou wert incorporate with them into the body of sin O rather magnifie the grace and goodness of thy God who looseth the bonds of thine iniquities who discovers thy sin to be sin and for sin condemning sin Rom. 8.3 who now undertakes the cure of thy spiritual ulcers This large suppuration and mattering this abundance of filth proceeding from thy wounds is an argument of strength and soundness in the inward parts that thou now feelest the deadly darts of Satan it s a sign of some life in thee where there is sense there is life and è contrà if thou perceivest thine own unrighteousness endeavour to find it more if thou seemest filthy to thy self be more filthy so we understand that Revel 22.11 Exhort Doth the Law come Doth thy sin revive Then let us be exhorted to live no longer without the Law but let us entertain the Law as we would welcome a guest For Motive hereunto consider the manifold blessings upon the obedient Deut. 28.11 The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods spiritual goods the holy Spirit it self he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord gives thee the holy land or land of holiness Consider the curses upon the disobedient upon the out-laws The penalty of an out-law according to our Laws is loss of goods loss of the graces of Gods Spirit loss of lands loss of the holy Land Yea the out-laws caput gerunt luporum any one that meets thee may kill thee saith the Lawyer They are out of protection of the Laws for meritò sine lege periunt qui secundùm legem vivere recesserunt And such out-laws are we all while we reject the Laws of our God no better than Cain conceived of himself like fugitives and vagabonds upon the earth without any benefit of Gods Laws that who ever findeth us may slay us Aliens from the Common-weal of Israel strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2.12 O Beloved As knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Let us let us I beseech ye so many as are yet out-laws in-Law our selves before the Decree go forth ye know the out-law if sought and called in five several Counties refuse to come in and answer to the Law pro exlege tenebitur he is held as an out-law and those penalties pass upon him O how long how often hath the great King of kings himself sought his out-laws who ought to have sought unto him By how many Messengers hath he rising up early and sending them wooed us to come O how lowly how infinitly below his state hath he stooped to winn us to be merciful to our own souls What a low condescent is that that 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dyed and the commandment unto life was found to me unto death THE coming of the Law hath a double event 1. One in regard of sin 2. Another in regard of the man 1. In regard of the sin that revived 2. In regard of the man he died I call these events not effects of the Law for effects proceed from and depend upon causes truly and properly so called and so it cannot truly be said that the Law coming caused sin to revive and caused the man to dye but occasioned both for an event answers to an occasion or a cause by accident as an effect answers to a cause per se and truly and properly so called In these words therefore we have two events of the Law coming to the man 1. Sin revived 2. The man dyed I spake of the first I now proceed to the second event of the Law 's coming The man dyed Herein for our berter proceeding we may enquire 1. How he may be said so to dye 2. What death the man dyed 3. How upon the coming of the Law the man dyed 1. What death the man dyed privations are best known by their opposite habits and therefore as life is three-fold so likewise is death There is a life of 1. Nature 2. Grace 3. Sin And there is a death opposite unto that life of Nature Grace Sin 1. Of the first death these words are not to be understood for the man lives his natural life both under the life of Grace and the life of sin The question therefore lies between the two other deaths whether of them two is here to be understood whether the man may be said to be dead unto the life of Grace upon the coming of the Law or rather 2. dead unto the life of sin I find most Interpreters both Ancient and Modern agreeing that the former is here to be understood namely that the Law coming occasioned the death unto the life of Grace and that the Law coming the man dyed from his life of grace But under correction of better judgements I conceive that that death cannot here be meant by the Apostle for if we should understand that upon the coming of the Law the man then dyed from the life of grace then before the coming of the Law the man should have lived the life of grace for he is said to dye from that life which before he lived but that cannot be For before the commandment came he lived not the life of Grace as appears evidently out of the Context for before the commandment came he lived a lawless life a life without the law the life of sin And therefore when the commandment came he is here to be understood to dye from his sinful life which is that life which he lived before the commandment came 2. How may the man be said to dye The man is said to dye when the sin offers it self as a life unto him and he is a dead man unto the motions of it When therefore sinful thoughts represent the objects unto the man and he rejects them he is said to dye unto them Thus when envy pride covetousness c. present themselves unto the man for so many lives and the man still continues in the denyal and rejection of them He may be said to dye so many several deaths As when the Law comes sin revives and puts forth all her force so it comes to pass that the man dyes every day as the Apostle protesteth 1 Cor. 15.31 and 2 Cor. 11.23 he tells us that he was in deaths often 3. But
how is the man dead unto sin upon the coming of the Commandments it seems he is not for we find him afterward heartily complaining that he was sold under sin vers 14. that sin became exceeding sinful in him vers 23. that sin dwelt in him and that he was brought into captivity unto the law of sin vers 23. For answer to this doubt it will be worth your labour to distinguish between the person who is the man here dead unto sin and the sin it self mortified killed and dead in the man and to the man for the man may be dead to the sin yet may not the sin be dead to the man This is not my distinction for ye shall find the Scripture will warrant us so to distinguish Rom. 6.3 So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death What then was sin dead in so many of them as were baptized into Jesus Christ Surely no for vers 11. Reckon ye yourselves dead unto sin And vers 12. Let not sin reign in your mortal body c. neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin c. Dead therefore they were unto sin but sin was not dead unto them or in them They were dead unto sin c. 1. In regard of affection they hated it abhorred it shun'd it and detested it 2. In regard of profession they professed so much in their Baptism they were baptized into the death of sin represented unto us by the death of Christ with hope to arise unto newness of life and the life eternal in the general Resurrection And thus we understand the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.29 What shall they do who are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not which some would understand as if it had been a custom to be baptized for those in Purgatory for the up-holding of that and other Popish Tenents they are wont to feign customs which never were out of places of Scripture hard to be understood Whereas the Scripture sounds thus What do they who are baptized for dead men professing themselves dead unto sin in hope of the Resurrection unto the new and the everlasting life if the dead rise not For as many as are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his death and if we be planted into the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection Thus they who are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 They were crucified in affections and profession yet were not their affections and lusts crucified unto them for vers 26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory provoking one another envying one another while there were desires of vain glory envy and emulation stirring in them though they might be crucified unto those desires in that they yielded not unto them yet were not these desires and lusts crucified unto them Ye read this distinction more plainly Col. 2.20 and 3.3 Ye are dead dead in your affection and desire unto sin ye have no lust unto it Dead by your profession being baptized into Christ's death Col. 2. But was sin was lust dead unto them See I pray vers 5. Mortifie your members which are upon the earth that which is dead cannot be mortified if these had been dead what need had they to be mortified Therefore since the Apostle exhorts them to mortifie their lusts surely their lusts were not dead though they were dead unto their lusts When sin is crucified killed mortified and dead unto the man as well as the man is crucified and dead unto sin Then the Apostle varieth his phrase as Gal. 6.14 he speaks of himself The world saith he is crucified unto me and I unto the world The Reason of this appears from the Nature of Gods Law The Law is enmity against the Sin and as enemies bear a mortal and deadly hatred one against another so are the Law and Sin disposed for it becomes a killing letter unto him 2 Cor. 3.6 and what the Law cannot effect against the Sin too strong it works upon the man and as it followeth in the next words to the Text that which was ordained to the life of the man proves his death And in this sence we understand Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent him when he seeth that their power is gone Then saith he I kill and make alive vers 39. For rectum is index sui obliqui it s like a straight line The Law discovers the sin as one contrary manifests another contraria contrariis elucescunt black appears the more black if discovered by white and the contrary darkness the more and greater if discovered by the light è contra Sin therefore and righteousness being discovered in their colours the beauty and comeliness of the one the deformity and ugliness of the other will easily appear and beget a true estimate in the man which confesseth a love unto the Law of righteousness and an hatred of the sin and discrimen honestorum turpium power to discover things that differ Phil. and consequently an aversness and aversation from the one and an inclination and love unto the other Observ 1. Hence we may discover a mistake of great consequence proceeding only from an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double signification of the word death and dead For 1. Whereas of old prayers were wont to be made for those who were dead unto their sins that they might have strength against them Hence proceeded that yet lasting controversie touching prayers for the dead which the Papists urge exceedingly in behalf of those who are in Purgatory most what we are outwardly minded and that what we read or hear we are apt to understand only of outward things Most true it is that these poor afflicted souls to whom the Law comes and in whom sin revives they are in Purgatory as appears throughout this Chapter where they struggle against sin but are not able to resist unto blood striving against sin as the Apostle speaks to the Hebrews as yet in this state Heb. 12.4 And therefore the man in the Text crys out Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death presently it followeth I thank my God through Jesus Christ Which in the Vulgar Latin is Gratia Dei per Jesum Christum and the most Ancient English Manuscript turns it the grace of God through Jesus Christ For this Grace and Peace the Apostle prays almost in every one of his Epistles The soul hath sin exceeding sinful like an evil spirit raised in it which it hath no power to lay no strength at all against it only it is dead unto the motions of it Hereupon the Apostle prayeth for grace and strength against so potent an enemy thus 1 Cor. 1.3 and 2 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.3 More specially Col. 1.2 Having prayed for grace in general vers 9.10 11. he prays for the special grace in knowledge wisdom
spiritual understanding and strength and might according to his glorious power And this is more observable in this Epistle because the Colossians were in this condition wherein the man in the Text declares himself Col. 3.3 ye are dead saith he and your life is hid with Christ in God Observ 2. Sin is a stranger to our nature for howsoever through long custom in sin sin and the man becomes all one yet one they cannot be because one and the same cannot be at one time alive and dead Now sin revives and lives and the man dies therefore surely they are not one This was couched in Nathans parable to David 2 Sam. 12.2 where David's lust is represented by a traveller who came to the rich man Vngodly men invite it unto them Wisd 1.12 16. and 2.24 through the envy of the Devil came death into the world it was he that brought it into Judas and then Satan entred into Judas Luk. 22.3 for even Judas the Traytor himself was not all one with it but Satan had darted covetousness and treason into his heart Joh. 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immisisset he had darted Ambition was a stranger to the Apostles There arose a reasoning among them which of them should be the greatest Luk. 9.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there entred a dispute among them and vulgar Latin intravit cogitatio the thought came into them it was none of the house Observ 3. Take heed of judging or condemning any one in whom the motions of sin appear especially if the man dye unto them The humours in the body must be moved and flow before they can be expelled The best Saints of God yea all of them pass through the same purgatory into heaven Observ 4. We see then from hence the energie and power of the Law how far it extends it kills it s a killing letter Thus what the murmuring Jews upbraided Moses and Aaron withall is in some sort true ye have killed the people of the Lord Numb 16.41 It cannot give life Gal. 3.21 This was figured by Elisha who sent his servant with his staff to revive the child but it would not be 2 King 3.29 The law of the Lord is a staff so where the Psalmist Psal 23.4 saith Thy rod and thy staff the Chaldee Paraphr puts thy law This staff Elisha sent by his servant to raise the dead child Elisha Who is that See Notes in Col. 3.1 This is that staff of bread which nourisheth not for ever nor so satifieth but that he who eats it hungers and thirsts again so saith the Initial Wisdom which is the wisdom of the Law Ecclus. 24.21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry and they who drink me shall be thirsty Then presently the Wisdom adds all these things are the commandments of the most high even the Law which Moses commanded But our Lord speaks otherwise of the water of life Joh. 4.13 whosoever shall drink of this water shall thirst again but he that drinketh of this water that I shall give him shall never thirst He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Joh. 6.35 This was figured by Manna which was the food of the people in the wilderness and they gathered it every morning Exod. 16.21 But when they came into the Land of Canaan the Manna ceased Jos 5.12 And they eat of the corn of the Land of Canaan Christ is the true bread and the true land of Canaan the Manna ceased upon the next day after the passover after the death the manna ceaseth The Jews challenged our Lord with this Moses gave us bread from heaven Joh. 6.31 and again vers 49.50 Your fathers did eat Manna and are dead c. and 58. Consol Here is great need of comfort to the disconsolate soul dejected and cast down by the sight of his sins for whereas upon the approach of the Law sin revives and groweth strong in the man yet the Law bringeth no power with it for the subduing of the sin but a guilt and obligation unto death Alas what shall the silly man do but complain I am in trouble my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed c. Psal 31.10 Psal 116.3 4.5 The sorrows of death compassed me about and the pains of bell-gate hold on me And 142.5 6 7. I cryed unto thee O Lord and said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Thus the Law is a killing letter the ministration of death the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. This was figured Numb 17.10 where the Lord said to Moses Bring Aarons rod before the Testimony When Aarons rod appears and awakens us when the Law figured by Aarons rod of the Almond-tree appears it threatens judgement unto all who rebel against it and therefore the Lord denouncing his judgements against Israel Jer. 1.10 I have set thee to root out and pull down to destroy and throw down the Lord confirms it with a sign saying Jeremiah what seest thou And he saith I see a rod of an Almond-tree Then said the Lord thou hast well seen for I will hasten my word to perform it As the Almond-tree blossoms first of all the trees and hastens the flowers and awakens as it were after a winters sleep as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth so hastily shall vengeance awake and come upon transgressors When therefore weak Jacob sees the Rod of the Almond-tree flourish when the Law goes out of Sion he foresees the judgement hastens and therefore cryeth out we perish we die we all perish we are but dead men But to the comfort of such dying souls be it spoken the Lord in mercy provides a sovereign Remedy for such dying men for upon the complaint of the dying people Chap. 17.12 13. in Chap. 18.1 The Lord said unto Aaron Thou and thy sons and thy fathers house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary The care of the Sanctuary lies upon Aaron that the people might not sin die and perish The terrours of Conscience wrought by the Law are relieved and quieted by Faith in Jesus Christ He is the true High Priest of whom Aaron was but a figure He it is who through death destroyes him who had the power of death i. e. the Devil and delivers them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject unto bondage Hebr. 2.14 15. And therefore the Redeemer comforts them against their sins Isai 41 10-16 Therefore to those who are thus dead unto sin and the motions of sin living in them the Gospel and gladtidings of Salvation is preached so we understand that obscure place 1 Pet. 4.6 The Gospel is preached unto them that are dead that they may be judged indeed according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit For so these dead men are judged for dead in the flesh
as the Prophet David complains I am as a dead man out of mind Of such dead men as these the Wise Man speaks Wisd 3.2 In the sight of the unwise they seem to dye and their departure is taken for misery for though they be afflicted in the sight of men yet their hope is full of immortality These Righteous have hope in their death Prov. 14.31 They walk with God as Enoch and Noah did and are not they are in no account at all among men but God takes them to himself Psal 65.34 These these are the dead these blessed dead ones who dye in the Lord Revel 14.13 Exhort That they who live would dye An hard task it is to perswade one to dye no man need to be perswaded to live because life is one of the things which pro se appetuntur which are desired for themselves and therefore death one of those things quae pro se vitantur which are abhorred for themselves But beloved if this life be such as we ought not to live an assumed life then surely to this life we ought to dye but such is this life in sin it 's none of ours it hath no right at all unto us we have nothing to do with it nor it with us Rom. 8.12 Brethren we are debtors but not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if ye live after the flesh which would have a life in ye ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live This life cannot be lived but we must be estranged from the life of our God Ephes 4.18 19 20. for when the Law of this life comes lasciviousness and all uncleanness revives and appears in us which if we give our selves over unto we are estranged and alienated from the life of our God Yea when we live this life we dye unto and put to death the Author of Life Rom. 5.8 While we were yet sinners Christ died for us We cannot entertain such a guest but it will cost us so much When the Traveller came to the rich man he entertained him not with any of his own flocks and herds but with the poor mans Lamb. When we receive and entertain our lusts that are strangers to our nature the flocks and herds of Satan they die not no the innocent Lamb that that must die in us Besides there 's a double necessity lies on us both Precepti and Medii There 's a command lies upon us and that one of the first that ever was given by God to man Gen. 2. Where having set man in the Paradise He gives him a Command to eat of all the Trees in the Garden i. e. the trees of Righteousness and forbad them all unrighteousness as the Wise Man speaking of the same Argument saith The Lord said unto them beware of all unrighteousness But in case they sinned he provided a Remedy to die unto the sin for so the words may be understood so that he now begins to be obedient unto one of the first Precepts to die in his affections unto sin according to that Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death For so I had rather read the words as a Command than as a commination or threatning for there 's much trouble to reconcile that speech of the Lord unto the Truth and to make it agree with that which follow In the day wherein thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die the death when yet Adam lived above eight hundred years after that day There is besides Necessitas Medii No man shall see me and live Means That they live not in us stop them at their entrance yield thy self to be killed by the Law and Prophets The Law is a killing letter The Prophets they hew us as Solomon's workmen hewed the stones before they were joyned unto the Temple Hos 6.5 I have bewed them by my Prophets slain them by the word of my mouth Arise Peter kill and eat It 's said to all the Ministers of God So understand that of the Prophet Him shall Elisha slay Sign He that is dead hath ceased from sin Corporis vitam ex motu dignoscimus Bern. Let us examine our motions our walkings if we walk in lusts we live in them it 's the argument Col. 3.7 having reckoned up certain fleshly lusts fornication uncleanness c. in which ye also walked sometimes while ye lived in them We do not walk when we are dead 2. Breathing Joshua put to death every thing that breathed the first motions unto sin 3. Try thy self by the objects of sin which when sin revives by the Law continually present themselves unto thee Thy neighbour thrives in the world or in the gifts and graces of the Spirit now envy offers it self Thou art vilified and despised wrath and fierceness offers it self to thee Thou hast done some notable exploit done some good service to God now pride comes and offers it self to thee These all these and many more arise up in the best of us Nunc specimen specitur nunc certamen cernitur Sisne necne ut esse oportet bonus malus cujusmodi Now is the tryal whether thou be dead or alive if thou consent and agree to the motion thou art alive they are thy life or rather the true death thou art one with them If thou be dead to them they move thee no more than if they were propounded to a dead man NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good THese words are the conclusion of the Apostles Answer to the Doubt and Objection vers 7. Is the Law sin so it seemed from vers 5. for there he saith that there are passions and motions of sin by the Law which bring forth fruit unto death This Objection he answers 1. By shewing the proper effect or the effect per se of the Law it discovers and prohibits sin therefore it is not sin vers 7. 2. By shewing the events or effects by accident of the Law and they are the reviving of sin increase of all manner of concupiscence 3. Deceiving the man and killing him These are the events of the Law coming to the Man as the Apostle speaks warily not proper effects of it for the Law was by the Law-giver and according to the nature of the Law ordained to life ex fine agentis rei But whereas the Law comes to the Man and finds him living another life a life contrary to the Law it proves a death unto him convincing him of transgression and condemning him as guilty of death and so terrifies the man that it mortifies and kills his desires and affections unto sin Thus the Sun enlightens rejoyceth and enlivens as it were the sight of a sound man but it extreamly offends blear and blood-shot eyes Wine makes glad the heart of all healthful men but it 's deadly wine unto
of it that 's affectus unionis that 's the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 that 's the end of the Law The end of the Law is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 When we obey out of fear we have but half our strength and therefore Homer saith Jupiter took away from Arminta half the strength beside fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4.18 we read of obedience of faith Rom. 1. and 16. but faith works not but by love We read also of an obedience of Charity Deut. 30.20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God that thou mayest obey his voice and cleave unto him the like ye read 1 Pet. 1.24 Castificantes animas vestras sub obedientia charitatis When the Commandment is propounded unto us as good it stirs up Love in us and Love makes all easie Mandata non sunt gravia 1 Joh. 4.18 Reproves Us who quarrel or contend about the Law which yet neither of us observe the good Law and Commandment of our God if we did it would make us good in our selves good to men and one to another kind gentle c. good to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A good man is a common good he is a good man he is not such an one who only doth no hurt though would God we all arrived unto that degree of goodness but doth good like to the Law-giver Psal 119.68 Thou art good and doest good We may discern this better in others than in our selves Jobson in his Relation of the River Gamboa in Africk tells us that the people on both sides the River extreamly hate one another and that for difference in some niceties of their Religion but saith he I saw no difference at all in their lives who differed among themselves May it not be as truly spoken of our selves Observ 1. Observe how reasonable a service the service of our God is his Commandment is good Yes happily good for God the Law-giver Nay my goodness extends not to thee Psal 16.2 But Moses speaks expresly Deut. 10.23 Now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandments of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee for thy good Consol Alas I know that but though the Commandment be good it makes not me good for since it came I am evil and worse than ever I was The light is good saith Solomon and is it ever the worse is it not rather the better for discovering the darkness the Law doth not make thee to be evil thou wert evil before but discovers thee to be so Thou consentest to the Law that it is good that 's a beginning of goodness it so begins to make thee good time was when thou thoughtest that the Commandment was evil time was when thou thoughtest it thine own enemy So Ahab said to Eliah hast thou found me O mine enemy and Michajah never prophesied good to him but evil The dictates of the Law were such to thee thou entertainedst them as evil as the words of an enemy and long time it was with thee e're thou couldest be perswaded to agree with thine adversary to think well of the Law that 's the adversary if now thou consent unto it if now thou canst think that the Commandment is good thank and bless thy God be sure he hath begun a good work in thee Phil. 1. yea such as he will take notice of in these times of calamity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 14.13 When the new wine is found in the cluster one saith destroy it not cast it not away there is a blessing in it so will I do for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all Isai 65.8 But alas thou wilt say my sins the Law hath made powerful and to prevail against me and they multiply themselves and like degenerate friends such sometime they were to me they now prove my greatest enemies The Law commands me this and forbids me that I comply with it but have no power to obey it hence it is that my conscience accuseth me condemns me torments me and judgeth me to death and hell Yet despair not poor Soul The Lord leads down to hell and brings back again he looks with gracious eyes upon the willing the loving though as yet weak and impotent man Vnto him do I look who is of a poor and a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Isai 66.1 Yea though thy Conscience judge thee to death yet is thy God more gracious more merciful to thee than thine own evil Conscience he reveils unto thee the Law of the spirit of life Rom. 8.2 which is Christ Jesus which will make thee free from the Law of sin and death Yea unto such a broken and wounded spirit the beloved Disciple pours in oyl of gladness 1 Joh. 3.20 if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things He knoweth thy good will there toward his good Commandment though thou be not yet able to perform though as yet the good that thou wouldest do thou doest not and the evil thou wouldest not that doest thou yet continue in that good will and he that hath begun this good work in thee will perfect the same He who hath wrought a Will will give power also that thou mayest not only be willing but be able also so that thou shalt overcome the evil with the good Exhort 2. To love the good Commandment It 's a most reasonable Exhortation that that which is good be loved Thou lovest that which thou thinkest good 't is the object of love Is it not more reasonable that thou shouldest love that which the only wise God and the LOVE it self propounds to thee for good When the Physitian forbids thee such or such meats though thou lovest them yet thou abstainest he knows better what is good for thee Charior est superis homo quam sibi Man is dearer to God than to himself Datum est paucis cognoscere quaenam sunt vera bona It is given to few to know what things are truly good Yet truly even a very fool may know negatively what are not the true good things Surely Riches are not the true good things though men call them so these have wings true good things are permanent The Merchant now must seek such as will swim out with him after a wrack Paul was in perils of waters yet these swam out with him in perils of robbers yet they robbed him not of these It is easie to know whether we do love the Law or no if so what we love we think on often Lord how I love thy Law all the day long is my study in it the righteous man exerciseth himself in Gods Law day and night what we love we practise we
the more free to commit sin like the whore in the Proverbs 7.14 Hodie reddidi vota mea therefore I am come forth to meet thee come let us take our fill of love vers 18. The Sacrament even the Holy Sacrament it self will prove to us as an old thing and little worth as it did to Judas who received it and the Devil with it Even the Holy Table it self if we rest in opere operato as they speak barbarously even the Holy Table it self will be made a snare to us and that which should have been for our welfare will prove to us an occasion of falling Seeing therefore Beloved that all outward Ceremonial Services if rested in Are 1. Old things and of little or no value 2. Seeing they are transitory 3. Seeing they unprofitable yea unlawful if rested in 4. Seeing they cannot adequately signifie the things which they were intended to represent 5. Seeing they hinder the very end for which they were intended Yea 6. Seeing our best outward actions our best forms of Godliness prove no better if rested on if any deny the power of it Seeing all these old things must be dissolved and pass away what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of God And according to his Promise looking for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Wherefore Beloved since we look for such things let us be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Seeing all outward Services are old things and must pass away Let us lay hold on the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Hebr. 12.26 27. and not build upon sandy foundations but on the Rock Christ lay hold on hope have and hold fast Grace and lay hold on eternal life unto which he bring us who hath dearly bought us c. More NOTES on II CORINTH V. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old things are past away behold all things are become new MOral old things are past away What is here meant in general by old things I dispatch'd before when I shewed that two kinds of old things must pass away 1. Ceremonial old things 2. Moral The Ceremonial old things I then spake of and shewed Reasons why they ought to pass away from us It Remains that I now speak of the second kind of old things which I call Moral and they are no other than our old sins Vetera sunt veteris hominis vitia saith Anselm Old things are the vices and sins of the old man The old corrupt understanding the old perverse will the old inordinate affections the old sinful life and conversation which because they spread themselves over the whole Man and are of equal extent with him and no other than the Old Adam the Scripture calls them the Old Man And therefore with some resemblance to a man we may consider these old things 1. Sin hath a body Rom. 6.6 if we anatomize that body you shall find 2. Parts of the body the earthly members Col. 3.5 fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry 3. It hath a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 4. It hath a Spirit the Spirit of Errour 1 Joh. 4.6 5. The old man hath works Col. 3.9 Ye have put off the old man with his deeds And these works are either 1. Inward as spiritual wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 And from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit lasciviousness an evil eye blasphemy pride foolishness All these evil things come from within and defile the man Mar. 7.21 2. The old man hath other works which are outward The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revilings and such like Gal. 5.19 20 21. These are the old mans parts and his works But is he naked yes naked to his shame and therefore he gets fig-leaves to cover his nakedness what other cloaths he hath is a garment spotted with the flesh Jude v. 23. yea the old man himself is a garment Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man So that though we name no more here are old things enough to pass away the Lord be merciful unto us and grant they may all pass away from us But what 's meant by their passing away I told you before that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXX render such words in the Hebrew as signifie a change of things 1. Now whereas there are many kinds of changes this is the ultimate and final change the last change of all 1. Destruction That the body of sin may be destroyed Rom. 6.6 2. Crucifixion They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 3. Mortification and killing Mortifie your members that are upon the earth Col. 3.5 If you by the spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 And this is the change understood here by the passing away of old things a blessed change the Lord vouchsafe it unto us all 2. The word notes the change or passing away of a kingdom whereas therefore sin had usurped a tyranny over us and reigned unto death Rom. 5.21 When sin is deposed from the dominion and power that it reign no more in our mortal body that we should obey it in the lusts thereof When the kingdom of sin is abolished and destroyed out of the Soul and Gods kingdom come that 's the passing away of sins kingdom O blessed change when sin 's dethroned and deposed and Gods kingdom come 3. The word notes the changing the Law of the kingdom Whereas therefore the Law of God is destroyed O Lord it is time for thee to lay to thine hand for they have destroyed thy Law saith the Psalmist and when iniquity so far prevails with men that they imagine mischief as a Law then the Law of sin is in force and bears sway in our members but that Law is annulled abrogated and passeth away when the law of the spirit of life hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 O blessed change when the thraldom and servitude under the Law of the members passeth away and is exchanged for the law of the spirit of life the law of liberty the glorious liberty of the sons of God The Reasons why these Moral old things must pass away are considerable 1. In regard of the old things themselves 2. In regard of the new Creature 3. In regard of God the ancient of dayes 1. As for the Moral things themselves they are of a passing and a transitory nature 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away if the world passeth away then all those things which are in the world must pass away with it they are the
and drink to do his Fathers will and shall it be ours to do our own will His will was resolved and emptied into his Fathers will his humanity was wholly without it self 't was instrumentum Dei divinitati conjunctum saith Lyra an instrument at hand for the Deity to work by Such an obedient mind hath been alwayes in the Servants of God mine heart is ready mine heart is ready saith holy David and our Apostle Lord what wilt thou have me to do nay rather what wilt thou do with me their will was so resolved into Gods will that they seemed to do nothing themselves but were without themselves like serviceable instruments to be acted by their Masters hand and ready for God to work by 't is St. Luke's ordinary phrase Paul and Barnabas rehearsed what God had done with them Act. 14.27 and 15.4 Such an obedient mind was in Christ and in all that are Christs and that not only in speaking and doing but also in suffering according to the Will of God which is the third step of our Lords Humiliation He was obedient unto death Rare and singular obedience for whereas obedience is alwayes the greater by how much the good is the greater which we undervalue for obedience sake what goods are greater than either those of name and honour but what contradiction of sinners did he suffer against himself they thought they said well when they said he was a Samaritan and had a Devil or those of fortune but he became poor and had not where to lay his head or those of body as beauty stature strength c. But he was weak and had neither form nor comliness or those of Soul and of all the rest the Will but not my Will but thy Will be done or those of the whole man as Liberty but he was captivated and led away like a sheep to the slaughter or that of all the rest which is the fountain of all the rest the Life but he became obedient even to the death he undervalued and parted with every desireable good only for obedience sake But the Son of Man must be killed saith he himself and he was delivered up to death by his Father it seems therefore his death was necessary yea constrained and violent for he was betrayed bought and sold by Judas and the Jews who procured his death and he himself was unwilling to die if therefore there were necessity from God if coaction from men if in him unwillingness to die surely there was no obedience unto death The Answer to this doubt may serve also for a fundamental reason of this third step or degree of our Lords humiliation for 't is most true the Father delivered up the Son unto death both by cloathing him with a mortal garment which he might put off and die and by inspiring a Will into him to die and by allowing his betrayers and murtherers power and opportunity to deliver him up unto death and by so disposing and ordering his death contrary to their malicious designs that by a conformable death he might repair the life of the world according to the speech of Joseph his type Ye thought evil against me but God intended it to good c. to save much people alive Yet did he not constrain his Son to die either immediately predetermining his Will by an antecedent peremptory decree or over-ruling it and taking away the liberty of it by constraint or mediately by giving any coactive power over him into his enemies hand which 't is manifest they had not and though they had the power they had from God yet not for any such end so that God cannot be said to be the cause of his death though he gave them power to kill him no more than he that lends his friend a knife may be said to be the cause of a murder committed with it so that here was no absolute necessity or compulsion either from God or Man only a necessity of consequence there was which as the learned know may consist with things contingent and free agents But he was unwilling to die how then obedient unto death he seemed indeed unwilling to die and that was lest he should seem not to be a man for what maw simply or absolutely was ever willing to die when he would shew in his flesh the weakness of our flesh saith Tertullian he said Father let this Cup pass from me but in order and submission to his Fathers Will he curb'd his own Will and complyed with his Father in eodem volito and was willing to die Read the story of his Passion and see if he be not so O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Yea he was so thirsty after the Cup of his passion that he called Peter Satan for suggesting a contrary motion the Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it The Father gave it him and he took it the Father delivered him up unto death and he delivered himself up unto death Ephes 5.25 both willingly as Zeno Veronensis speaks of Abraham and Isaac which figured out our Lords passion Ille gladium exerit iste cervicem eodem voto c. the one draws out his sword the wicked which is thy sword or a sword of thine saith David and the other puts forth his neck And surely great reason there was for this Joynt-will of the Father and Son touching the death of Christ whether we respect the Righteousness of God or the salvation of Men For whereas the Righteousness of God is either facti of deed whereby he doth all things befitting himself It became him to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings or dicti of Promise for those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ should suffer he hath so fulfilled And he suffered for our Salvation the general end which we confess in the Creed which salvation in respect of the term à quo is from sin from the wrath of God for sin from the curse of the Law for sin from eternal death the wages of sin from Satan who hath the power of death in sin Tit. 2.14 Rom. 5. Gal. 3.13 Hos 13.14 For Chrlst by his death put to death these enemies of our Salvation as Sampson his type by his death the Philistines In regard of the term ad quem as we confess in the Collect on Easter day by his death he opened unto us the gate of Everlasting Life that he might bring us unto God 1 Pet. 3.18 that he might bring us unto Glory that by means of death we might receive the promise of the Eternal Inheritance Hebr. 2. and generally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Gregory Nyssen nay summa voluntatis c. the whole summ of Gods will is the salvation of men saith Tertullian So willing
means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead and what enemy can now hurt us It s true the sin besiegeth us as the Assyrians did Jerusalem 2 Kings 18.17 The King of Assyria sent Tartan c. Vide Onomasticon on Eliakim That Faith which raiseth us from the death of sin is that which relies on the Spirit of God in us which is therefore called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 4. Because ye are raised with Christ from the dead Seek the things that are above The Reason of this why the Colossians because they are raised with Christ must seek the things above is 1. In regard of the things above 2. In regard of Christ Or 3. In regard of the Colossians themselves 1. In regard of the things above they are lost by our descending and regained by our ascending 1. They are lost by our descending See this afterwards 2. In regard of Christs example He is that high and eminent example unto whom all who are Christs ought to be conformed Rom. 8.29 3. In regard of the Colossians themselves the Reason of this is the engagement of their Faith Hope and Love 1. They were already raised by Faith in the operative power of God and now they must proceed from Faith to Faith 2. The experience of their hope allures them to an higher measure of enjoying the Heavenly life 1 Pet. 2. If ye have tasted that the Lord is Gracious St. John was first invited Revel 4.1 Come up hither but yet Chapter 22. all that are a thirst c. 3. Their Love unto the Heavenly life constrains them He that loveth life c. let him refrain his tongue from evil Observ 1. We are by corrupt nature and the reliques of sin yet unmortified prone and declining downward towards the earth and things upon the earth This was prefigured unto us in the Canaanites who have their name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Incurvation and Depression being bowed down toward the earth vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus we may understand the woman bowed together so that she could not look up thus Satan binds the Daughter of Abraham thus the sinful world are the children of Belial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot ascend or will not ascend with Christ Observ 2. The great goodness of God unto mankind now lapsed fallen and not able to rise alone who hath raised up the Lord Jesus Christ and with him all Believers on him who is ascended up on high and by his spiritual attractive power causeth all Believers on him to ascend with him And to shew how possible and feasible this is he hath raised up holy men in all ages Enoch was translated and taken up and became an example unto all Generations Ecclus Such was Noah before and after the flood Such was Abraham whom the wise man calls a great Father or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an High Father of many nations in Glory there was none like unto him he kept the Law of the most High c. To be raised together with Christ as the Colossians were is to be changed from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness Hence it is that death and sin are taken for the same Eph. 2.1 Ye were dead in trespasses and sins Rom. 5.17 By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all men have sinned So are life and righteousness the same also Rom. 5.17 They who receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ and 6.13 Yield your selves unto God as those who are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Thus Life and Resurrection are all one John 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the life Mark how the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 15.13 17. Christ which is our life being raised Faith is also raised and given with him Act. 17.31 and 26. If therefore Christ be not raised then Faith is vain and we are yet in our sins This Life and Resurrection was promised soon after Adam had died from that life of God and all in Adam In Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 so in Christ we are made alive This was the Gospel that was published by God himself from the beginning Gen. 3. That the Serpents head should be broken by the Holy Seed This Holy Seed he promised to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah to David By all the Prophets who testifie the renovation of the world by Justice and Judgement Isa 9.7 and 11.4 some few may excuse the rest Jer. 23.5 6. and 33.15 Mich. 4. This Promise God fulfilled when he raised up Jesus from the dead Act. 13.32 and 26 4-8 This Promise is called the promise of life 2 Tim. 1.1 Jam. 1.12 This life the Lord Jesus brings from the dead 2 Tim. 1.10 This is to be manifested in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.10 All obedient ones have right to the Tree of Life and may take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. And the whole Gospel was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that we might have life through his Name Joh. 20.31 For he who hath the Son hath life he who hath not the Son hath not life Observ 2. Note here the great Goodness and Mercy of the Most High God who when Mankind was fall'n and could not arise alone was pleased not only to look down from heaven upon the Children of Men but also send down the Lord Christ to humble himself unto our nature and stoop to take us up and raise us up by the power and example of his Resurrection and Ascension yea to manifest the same power in his eminent Saints and holy ones in all Ages yea and to communicate the same power unto us that we may not grovel upon the earth and earthly things but that we may ascend with Christ and those who are Christs unto the heavenly things the things above and have our Conversation in heaven Phil. 3. Observ 3. Hence we read of the glorious types of our Lords Ascension in the holy Patriarchs and Prophets especially Enoch and Elias Enoch's name signifieth dedicated or consecrated who was herein made like unto the Son of God who is consecrated for evermore Hebr. 7.28 Another type of our Lords Ascension was Elias whose Name sounds the Lord God or God the Lord. Of these two saith holy Bernard Foelices illi viri per quos divina ascensio legitur praesignata Enoch raptus translatus Elias Blessed men by whom our Lords Ascension is read foresignified Enoch translated and Elias taken up to heaven A like type of our Lords Ascension was Elihu i. e. as his name sounds God himself See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 4. It is not enough to be raised with Christ unless we also ascend with him Observ 5. An inferiour and lower degree of obedience layes an engagement upon
doth imminere and is ready to take us captive 2 Tim. 2. ult and men are still in jeopardy and proper to our purpose in hand Gal. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not intangled be not obnoxious liable or subject to the yoke of bondage Confer Rom. 8.15 The Reason why they who are not yet delivered and redeemed by Christ are subject and liable to bondage is in the following words This comes to pass by the fear of Death Through fear of death they are subject to bondage What death is this Death is either 1. Natural Or 2. Spiritual See Notes on vers 14. The most that I have seen understand this to be meant of the natural death and take no notice at all of the spiritual howbeit both of them may be here understood which I shall shew anon Mean time let us enquire a little into the nature of fear what it is and how the fear of death makes those who are not redeemed and delivered by Christ subject to bondage There are four principal passions of the soul c. See Notes on Luk. 12. This fear being of the greatest natural and spiritual evil must needs be a great fear and that which brings men or is ready to bring them into bondage for whereas every man naturally loves his own preservation he consequently fears by nature whatever is destructive especially death natural if a natural man and spiritual if spiritually minded Now all fear induceth servitude and bondage or a servile condition because it is proper to servants to fear Rom. 8.15 The Spirit of bondage inclines to fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui metuens vivit liber mihi non erit unquam Observ 1. All natural men liable are to bondage through the fear of Death This enslaves those who might of all men be thought to be the most free-â—en as Philosophers and Wise men as also Princes and great men They report of Aristotle who â—new the immortality of the soul that being ready to dye and anxious concerning his future estate he said I came naked into this world I have lived a wretched life in it and I am departing a doubtful man out of it as not knowing what shall become of me Tu verò ens entium causa causarum miserere mei Adrian the Emperour who knew the Heavens and Stars so well as no man better but neglected him that made them He now about to dye as the Historian reports in his life said thus Animula vagula blandula hospes comesque corporis quae nunc abibis in loca pallidula rigida nudula nec ut soles dabis jocos Observ 2. Note hence what the condition even of Gods children while but children is by corrupt nature what it is and how vile it is we are liable and subject to bondage we are liable to the slavery and vassalage of sin and Satan the basest and very worst of bondages while we are yet under the spirit of bondage we fear Sin and the Law and Death and Satan Doubt We find this to be otherwise for many there are who are not redeemed and delivered by Christ who yet fear not death neither natural nor spiritual and so are not liable unto bondage 1. They fear not the natural death for fear is of an evil shortly in danger to befal us but death howsoever it may be near and very near yet is it apprehended as a far off by most men and therefore it is not feared according to our common speech I thought as little of it as of my dying day 2. As for the spiritual and eternal Death neither is that generally feared for we find many fearless careless and presumptuous Jude vers 12. without fear they are past all fear many desperate and without feeling Eph. 4.19 Desperantes tradiderunt See Jerem. 2.25 I have loved strangers and after them will I go And Wisdom 2.2 We are born at all adventure 1 Tim. 4.2 Having their consciences feared with an hot iron These are in a far worse condition than the other for they are under the bondage and slavery of sin which the other only fear and are liable unto But truly here as in in many other places throughout the holy Seripture the mistake of the Translators hath occasioned great obscurity of the Text For the words are not of that general extent as our English seems to make them but are to be understood with a particular restriction unto the children of God and indeed they ought thus to be rendered Christ took part of flesh and blood that through death he might deliver not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these children mentioned in the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not who but as many as all their life-time c. And so the Text rightly translated clears the doubt For whereas too many there are who fear neither natural nor spiritual death The children of God as yet ignorant and weak often falling into sin fear natural death and much more death in sin which are both threatned by the Law to the transgression of it and so are liable unto bondage under sin and under the law which forbids sin and denounceth temporal and eternal judgements against sinners yet gives them no power at all to resist sin much less to subdue it Under this fear the children live who differ nothing from servants And thus we understand what the Apostle speaks Gal. 4 1-6 Observ 3. Note here a true servile or slavish fear what it is It 's a principle of some good although it self can hardly be called good for a servant acts what he does not from himself but as outward from without But he who acts out of love doth it as from himself and from within as moved by his own proper inclination nor indeed can it be called good because the proper object of it is punishment which therefore as the greatest evil is most feared because what is contrary to it is by such an one most loved so that the best thing it loves is self-preservation And therefore such an one as doth good only for fear of punishment he is not yet in his heart departed from evil for yet he sins in that he would sin if he could sin with indemnity And the evil which in the Act he commits not he commits in his will and the evil will lives still and the work would follow but that he fears the punishment would follow the work so that although such an one do that which is good yet he doth it not well because that which seems to be done in the outward Act is not done inwardly in the heart Now this fear answers to the love of an hireling which is of the reward not of the work nor of him that sets a work yet is there some good in both these in that they both do good and decline evil the one for fear of punishment the other for hope of reward And therefore what good is in both is
a gift of Gods Spirit although the Spirit be not with it as the day-break proceeds from the Sun though the Sun be not with it mean time it prepares a place for the Spirit as the Needle makes way for the thread Ecclus 25.12 Such an one was Ahab he hated not the sin nor loved the Righteousness but he feared the punishment 1 King 21.27 yet even such fear of a servant is better than the opposition of an enemy and was accordingly accepted of God and that fear of punishment might have introduced an initial fear had not Ahab grown proud and secure by Gods forbearance chap. 22. Observ 4. If to be liable and subject unto bondage make men so miserable how miserable are they who are now under the yoke What arrant slaves are they who are servants of sin and Satan The Apostle minds the Romans what their former condition was Rom. 6.19 That they had yielded their members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity c. See Notes in locum and a foul service no doubt it is to be servants to uncleanness Rom. 8.9 Observ 5. Note hence the great necessity of a Deliverer of a strong and powerful Deliverer of a Deliverer who is able to save us from death and fear of Death See Notes on Rom. 6.19 Observ 6. Hence we may take a scantling and estimate of that lowest condition whereunto the Son of God abased himself for our sakes He took upon him the form of a servant which is not to be understood only in regard of the civil Magistrate unto whom he was subject Esay 49.7 and so is called a Servant of Rulers but in regard of the fear of death through which he became liable to bondage and servitude against which he prays Psalm 22.21 and makes heavy complaints throughout Psalm 88. without any comfort at all it 's such a doleful and sad lamentation and complaint that we read not the like to it in all the Scripture and that this Prayer and Supplication this dolorous and grievous wailing and lamentation proceeded from the fear of death appears Heb. 5.7 Consol A dreadful bondage and slavery yet is further aggravated by the duration or continuance of it it lasts all their life long it 's said Si longum leve si grave breve if an evil be long it 's light if it be grievous it is short but here it is otherwise for this bondage and slavery through fear of death it 's most grievous yet is it most lasting even all the life But to thee be it spoken who lovest thy God Is it fear of natural death that afflicts thee Mark what the Lord saith to the Church in that condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 51.13 Who art thou woman 'T is womanish to fear nay Abrahams daughters are not afraid of any amazement 1 Pet. 3.6 Or is it the fear of spiritual death That fear in reason can continue no longer than the sinful life continues the children are all their life long i. e. wile they live for so though it be not in the Greek their life long yet is it in the Syriack and Arabick Versions the fear continues only the time of their life as Rom. 7. as long as he liveth when the man ceaseth to live and Christ begins to live in him Gal. 2.20 then this fear ceaseth The servant abideth not always John 8.35 36. Then when the servile fear is cast out the filial fear is introduced such a fear as is now tempered with love Now Moses gives over his Government unto Joshua Josh 4.14 This mixture of love and fear continues until love be perfected 1 John 4.18 Luke 1.74 75. Reason 1. The Philanthropia the love and mercy of God Titus 3 5. 2. There is no other name Esay 63.5 Acts 4.12 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Christ by his death delivers such from their liableness to bondage and from fear of death How did the Lord Jesus by his death deliver those who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage 1. By removing the object of their fear 2. By restoring them to the glorious liberty of the children of God Death is commonly defined a separation of the Soul from the Body but we then so understand it to be the natural death i. e. the separation of the living soul the soul of the first Adam 1 Cor. 15. This is no more than a ceasing from being which because every thing desires to be and be preserved in being we fear our not being but if therefore the greater the evil is which is feared the greater is the fear of it then the said death and last enemy bringing the greatest evil consequently the fear of it must be the greatest fear and therefore it is of this death and fear of it of which the Psalmist speaks Psalm 49. which he makes a problem of this fear he complains Psalm 55.4 where we have an excellent Paronomasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is that which is called the King of terrours The fear of natural death and all the punishments threatened in the Law is but a shadow of this and therefore this fear of natural death and outward afflictions for sin which are called death are typified by Zelophehad this Zelophehad had no Sons but Daughters a Son argues perfection a Daughter imperfection since therefore the Law makes nothing perfect Zelophehad a type of the state of fear and bondage under the Law he must have no Sons no children but imperfect The Holy Ghost hath shadowed out this deliverance of the child out of fear and bondage and restitution of their freedom by divers types and figures in the Old Testament Zelophehad and his Daughters are four times mentioned Numb 26. and 27. and 36. Josh 17. They are reckoned up in a different order I conceive they had not been so often named but that thereby the Holy Ghost intended to shadow out some notable mystery unto us which I conceive pertinent unto our purpose in hand Zelophehad is the shadow of fear under which the children of God are first brought up Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4. He then differs little from a Servant for to be under the Law is to be in a state of weakness and infirmity Rom. 8. The Law is weak through the flesh which made the Prophet complain Psalm There is no soundness in my flesh by reason of my sin and therefore the Lord Jesus condescended unto the weakness and infirmity of our nature 2 Cor. 13.4 Timor mutilat Fear takes away half a Servants strength and therefore the first Daughter of Zelophehad is Machlah that is infirmity weakness and sickness When this fear hath begotten weakness it rests not in that estate but seeks for a remedy and means of deliverance out of that weakness Timor est consiliativus saith Aquinas Fear adviseth and goes to counsel therefore Zelophehad's second Daughter is called Nognah i. e. wandering or travelling in search for deliverance when we are sensible of our
That he would incline our hearts to keep his Laws That this day we fall into no sin but that all our doings may be ordered by his governance to do alwayes that which is righteous in his sight That he would prevent us in all our doings and further us by his continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in him we may glorifie his holy Name that by his holy inspiration we may alwayes do those things that be good and by his merciful guidance we may perform the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ye know these things if ye do them blessed are ye for blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ make you perfect in every good work to do his will doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JAMES I. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their distress and to keep himself unspotted from the world THe Text is such as well befits the time for this our Age is much distracted with the great variety of Religious Zelots and for the Churches Peace Religion by St. James is in the Text defined and as the thing which most pretend that do pretend Religion is Purity so the Religion which is here defined is Pure for pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this c. The matter which the Text concerns is weighty and such as well deserves attention for what is of higer nature than Religion and what Religion than that which in the sight of God is undefiled and pure The parts whereof the Text consists are two 1. The thing defined viz. pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father 2. The definition or explication thereof and that is this 1. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction 2. To keep himself unspotted of the world 1. In the first the things on which St. James insists are three 1. The duty it self Religion 2. The conditions which are annexed thereto it is pure and undefiled Religion 3. The sincerity of these conditions it is pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father 2. In the second St. James concludes that pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father doth consist 1. In doing Good 2. In eschewing Evil. 1. In doing Good as in visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction 2. In eschewing Evil as in keeping himself unspotted of the world With these by Gods assistance I shall exercise your Christian patience untill I measure out this Text and Time 1. First I will make entrance on the first and that 's Religion nothing is more displeasing unto God than to be contemned nothing more pleasing than to be adored therefore God commanded man to do him service and unto such as do perform that service which he requires he makes the promise of eternal happiness but threatens unto such as do neglect this service the vengeance of eternal fire for God accepts not persons but renders unto every one according to their works whether they be good or evil for the just i. e. such as have done good shall go into life everlasting but the wicked i. e. such as have done evil shall go into everlasting fire Thus Athanasius in his Creed expounds our Saviours words St. Matt. 25. ult Now this duty and service which God requires of Man is set forth in Scripture under several names For 1. Sometimes it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obedience for disobedience is the body of sin to be destroyed Obedience is the life of Righteousness which they that are delivered from this body of death must live Disobedience is the Old Man we must put off Obedience is the New Man we must put on Ephes 4. 2. Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdom is the name which doth express this duty for to do the will of the Lord your God is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations Deut. 4.6 Hominis enim sapientia est pietas saith St. Austin in his Enchiridion to Laurentius chap. 2. 3. Sometimes it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love for Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8 4. Sometimes the duty which we owe to God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godliness for Godliness is profitable unto all things and hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 The godly or blessed man exerciseth himself in the law of God day and night Psal 1. If therefore thou wilt be religious let the study of his Law be thy continual exercise When thou sittest in thy house and when thou goest by the way when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6.7 To this end the people of the Jews did use their Phylacteries that all times the Law of God might be their meditation 2. Secondly à reeligendo Deum quem per peccatum negligentes amisimus For good and evil being set before us we refused the good and chose the evil but by this service we refuse the evil and do chuse the good Deut. 11.26 3. Thirdly à religando nos omnipotenti Deo for sin separated betwixt God and us but this service separates us from sin and rebinds us unto God again For this service works the death of sin the Husband unto which our souls were bound And having freed us from the Law of this our Husband it marrieth us unto our first Love the essential word of truth the Christ of God By this service man which was the Devils captive jure tanquam postliminio returns unto his Country the Paradice of God again And this service in this place is signified by this word Religion For this the words themselves yea and the holy Ghosts intention in this place declares For 1. First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated in the Text Religion Martin Luther calls Gods service in his Translation for Orpheus did first instruct the Thracians in the service of their Gods Therefore from the Thracians saith Suidas God service is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated by Tremelius thus Si quis existimet quod serviat Deo In the Syriach which Tremelius did translate to serve God and to be Religious are not different things but one Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a frequent title which the Saints from their Religion in holy Writ assume 2. Secondly this duty and service which God requires and wills is the doing of the Word which God commands And here St. James exhorts the true believing Jews to whom he writ to be doers of the word not hearers only deceiving their own selves For if any man among you be a hearer of the
16-19 Brethren as also in this Chap. 1.5.14 Brethren 2. They are called also Friends 1 Joh. and Act. 11. 3. And 1 Pet. 1. Christians which is the more usual name This the rather I note here because it imports the qualification of those who have this Law which is of principal regard in this place Now what is a Law And what is that Law which Christians have 1. A Law is an Ordinance or Rule declaring what is to be done what to be left undone for some common good end See Notes in Psal 78.5 This Law the Lord gives unto the fall'n man ubi supra Reason Necessity required it for whereas sin had entred upon the soul of man and estranged him by the Law is the knowledge of sin Observ 1. Thou art inexcusable O Man who ever thou art c. See Notes in Psal 78.5 Observ 2. This testifieth and witnesseth against all and convinceth all ubi supra Observ 3. This Law is fall'n down rejected destroyed and lost as it were among the rubbish c. ibidem 2. Liberty is a power to think will speak and do what we ought without constraint and without hinderance 1. The Law of Liberty is that Law which makes the believers in Christ free from the bondage of sin and death 2. Which renders the believers in Christ free from the compulsory power of Moses's Law 3. This is no other than the Moral Law of God which is said by St. Paul to gender unto bondage Gal. 4. and here by St. James to be a law of liberty are not these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. This law of liberty is called a perfect Law Jam. 1. Not that the Law of Moses is in it self imperfect but because it commands only and gives no power whereas the Lord Jesus gives Grace to help in time of need Hebr. according to which I came not saith he to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Matt. 5.17 when we are all dead in trespasses and sins The Reason 1. why Christians have this law of liberty appears from the donour and giver of it the Lord Jesus Christ He alone is free among the dead Psal 88.5 who hath loosed the bands or pains of death Act. 22.4 Yea he hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 2. There is Reason also in regard of those who are to be made free Under the Law we are all brought up as Children though heirs yet little differing from servants under the Pedagogie of the Fathers Law and therefore though Children of Abraham typically and so in a sort free according to our age yet we stand in need of another Redeemer and if the Son make ye free ye shall be free indeed who gives to all Believers his spirit of life without which spirit no man can be said to be Christs Rom. 8.9 or to be a Christian Joh. 2.27 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. Observ 1. Christian liberty hath a Law The most free Christians have a Law to regulate their freedom for there is no freedom that 's true which freeth any man from obedience unto the Law of God Christians are not exempted or set free from the Law of God Christians are not free from any Righteousness which the Law of God requireth Here is a ground of all dehortations in Scripture all disswasions from doing evil Every man even Cain was supposed to have a power in him to have left his wrath and envy and hatred of his Brother the same is a ground of all exhortations and perswasions to do good the same Cain is supposed to have had a power to do well even while he was wrathful envious and hating his Brother If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou do evil sin lieth at thy door And the like Reason there is for all admonitions and comminations and threatnings in Scripture if they who are exhorted dehorted admonished threatned or any way perswaded or disswaded have in them no power to do or not to do answerably all these acts are utterly in vain How much more hath a Believer in Christ who hath the law of liberty a power in him to do according to the Law and Will of God so that when he is dehorted exhorted admonished reproved or threatned he hath in him a power to act according to the dehortation exhortation c. otherwise they should be all in vain Hence it appears that they who are truly Christians such as the Apostle calls Brethren they are set at liberty from the bonds of their self-chosen wisdom and knowledge free from their own self-will self-love they are released from the bondage of corruption from the dominion and power of sin Hence appears a great mistake among the people of God who in their weakness of understanding take that for free will which indeed is not as when we say we can do this or the contrary which they call libertas contrarietatis and that we can do this or leave it undone which they call libertas contradictionis and they who say this are held to be free-willers and to hold free will as they call it Now neither the one nor the other of these is truly and properly free will but a power and faculty which God Created in the soul of man and remains in the soul and continueth in it even in the state of sin This is evident in Cain who is called the first-born of the Devil He was now full of wrath and envy which is properly the Devils sin The Lord saith to him even then Gen. 4.6 Why art thou wroth and why is thy countenance fallen If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sin lieth at the door and the desire of it shall be subject unto thee and thou shalt rule over it as I have heretofore proved the words should be read vers 7. Here was Cain actually under two great sins yet the Lord even then supposeth him to have power either to do well or ill surely this is not the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free See Notes on Gen. 9.13 Repreh The present untoward Generation who pretend that liberty wherewith Christ hath made his believers free as a cloak to cover their licentiousness as if the Lord Jesus had come to destroy the Law not to fulfil it Like Clodius the Letcher one of their Religion whom Tully justly blames that he Consecrated his house to the Goddess Liberty but set up for Liberty the Image of a notorious known Strumpet As God makes his people free with a true freedom so the Devil gives his Servants a false freedom See Notes on Gen. 26. post medium Rehoboth Observ 5. Consol To the weak Subjects under the Law of Liberty See Notes in Psal 78.51 3. We ought so to speak as they who shall be judged by the Law of Liberty So How The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to 〈◊〉
most desire peace The effect of Righteousness is peace c. Isai 32.17 3. God brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly Here is the first notable and universal judgement of God upon impenitent and incorrigible sinners These words may be considered 1. in themselves 2. with reference to the former 1. In themselves wherein Quaere 1. what manner of men these were who are called here ungodly 2. what manner of flood 3. what is meant by bringing in of this flood 1. The word which we turn ungodly is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is taken in Scripture 1. sometimes more generally signifying all kind of sinful men so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered ordinarily by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly and they oppose it unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Sometimes it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence our English Evil foolish sin being the greatest folly and the evil man the most arrant fool Prov. 1.8 and 11.7 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is foolish 3. Sometimes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezec. 20.38 Rebellious 4. Sometimes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children of Belial Judg. 20.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 34.18 ungodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Violent men Hab. 1.9 answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocrita 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are properly false worshippers of God 2. Upon these God brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flood It answereth more properly to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is only used for Noah's flood Gen. 6.7 Psal 29.10 It 's derived either 1. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to fall importing the great fall of waters Or else from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to confound and so it notes that universal confusion of all things wrought by the flood 3. This great fall of waters this overwhelming and confounding flood God brought in The word we turn to bring in is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to divers words in the Hebrew as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's a word here used very properly for inflicting punishment on impenitent men Exod. 10.13 bringing in the plague of Locusts Deut. 28.61 Every sickness and every plague will the Lord bring upon thee the drought Hag. 1.11 Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth trouble and is so rendered by our Translators Ecclus. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reasons here may be understood from the Principles of action in a rational agent The power of God Potestas all power potentia sufficiency of that wherewith he punisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 17.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 13.6 He hath a treasury of wrath 1 King 8.46 whence he brings the sword famine pestilence 2. In regard of the ungodly world which is reserved for destruction Job 21.30 The wicked is kept for the day of destruction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Prov. 16.4 God hath made the wicked for the day of evil the vessels of wrath are fitted for destruction Observ 1. There is a world of ungodly men what an universal deluge there is of ungodliness yet who takes notice how his soul is overwhelmed with its own lusts which come like water into his soul The voluptuous man considers not how deeply he is immersed in his sensuality the slime pits of Siddim Gen. 14.10 the rich man who considers how his own lusts drown him in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6. They think that by their pride of knowledge and by their wealth to escape but Isai 25.11 12. Jerem. 51.64 therefore hath the Lord lately sent floods of water excessive rains to mind us of the over-flowing and abundance of iniquity The only safety is in the Ark of the Church the waters over-flow the tops of the mountains but Esay 2. Observ 2. Ungodly men are false worshippers of God Such are they who confine Gods Worship to a certain place as the Samaritans to Mount Gerizim Had not God appointed Jerusalem No not in Jerusalem Joh. 4. Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the Sun in every place incense in every place men shall lift up pure and holy hands 1 Tim. 2.8 Rev. 21.22 No temple there The blind man determines this doubt Joh. 9.31 A true worshipper of God and he that doth Gods will are joyned together He therefore that doth not God's will but his own will or the lusts of men or the will of the flesh he is a false worshipper of God Observ 3. There was a world of ungodly men why then may there not be a world also of godly men Adam yet in God's image had a blessing to increase and multiply So Noah after the floud i. e. to fill the earth with such as themselves were Gen. 1.28 and 9.1 But here we make complaint of Adam's fall and our proneness unto evil is there not a promise of greater Grace Rom. 5. and a supply of more help by the second Adam than lost by the first 1. A little leaven leavens the whole lump 2. An accursed seed sown in us by the evil one 3. A root of bitterness in us whereby man 's become defiled 4. A law of sin a law of the members 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit so that ye cannot c. And is not God's leaven of God's Kingdom which the woman toâ—k even the Divine Wisdom and hid in three measures of meal until the whole be leavened is not that a more powerful than the Devils leaven Matth. 13.33 2. And is there not a Seed called the word of God Matth. 13. which abides in them who are born again But if we say we have no sin c. Respon But if we say we must needs sin we deceive our selves and therefore that ye sin not 1 Joh. 2.1 3. A root of bitterness Heb. 12.15 lest why warn us if unavoidable So there is A root and off-spring of David Rel. 22.16 4. A law of sin in the members And is there not a law of the Spirit of life that makes us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 5. Flesh against the spirit And doth not the spirit lust against the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. A floud a sea of ungodliness But Psal 93.3 4. The Lord on high is mightier But a posse ad esse non valet consequentia Yea that de facto there shall be a world of godly men See Esay 11.4.60 21. Jer. 33.15 Mich. 4 3. Psal 72.11 17.82 8. and 86.9 Zach. 14.9 Revel 11.15.15 4. All the kingdoms of the world Revel 21.3 See Notes on Jer. 23.5 There was no poison of destruction in the creatures Wisd 1.14 but when ungodly men had invited the poison of iniquity then came destruction then the Lord did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring in punishment upon them Observ 4. Judgement follows transgression The deluge and floud of waters supposeth a deluge and floud of sin the over-flowing
are a far off These thing were written for those that come after as he speaks elsewhere The Dove is the figure of the holy Ghost and that mourns and laments with an unutterable groaning for the opposition and fighting of the earthly man against it And therefore wickedness it self in the original hath the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from trouble and unquietness Such anxiety such care such trouble our spiritual enemy stirs up in us And therefore the Devil our spiritual enemy is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lords Prayer one who makes us work and labour a troublesome contentious and deadly enemy Do ye not find him so Beloved look I beseech you into your own souls and examine well the motions there Rom. 7.21 22.23 24. I find a law that when I would do good evil is present with me for I delight in the law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 3. Such a fighting enemy is sin but an enemy cannot be said to fight unless it be sought withal and therefore that which is born of God fights with the world and all the Worthies Joshua and all the Judges David and all the Kings are types of him 4. The issue of this fight is prevailing that which is born of God let us observe this in a type or two Haman's wise man tells him Esth 6.13 That if Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shall not prevail against him but shall surely fall before him Haman was an Amalechite who turns away the people of God from his service and worship Mordecai was a true Jew one inwardly a true penitent his name signifieth repentance amara contritio bitter contrition and Esther the hidden invisible Church Amalech is to be overcome by an hidden hand the hand of God the power of Christ in the true Jews and the penitent ones Gaza endeavoured to suppress Sampson but in vain he escapes safely out of their hands and carrieth away the Gates and Bars of the City Judg. 16.1 2 3. Gaza signifieth strength the power and strength of our spiritual enemies with whom the true Sampson grapples and overcomes them For stronger is he that is in you than he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 And so that is verified of our Saviour in the type That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church of Christ thus he is said to overcome a Lion i. e. the roaring Lion the Devil thus he is said to have overcome more at his death than in all his life as Christ by his death overcomes all his spiritual enemies When we duly receive the Sacrament as now we are about to do we shew forth the Lord's death 1 Cor. 11.26 We are now conforming our selves unto the death of Christ and God grant that it may be as truly said of us that by this our conformity unto his death all our spiritual enemies may be subdued in us that by this death we may overcome more than in all our life before All those victories in Joshua Judges the two Books of Kings and Chronicles they all signifie the spiritual victories of Christ and his Church that which is born of God overcometh the world 5. This is a certain and infallible sign unto us that Christ is born in us the Apostle exhorts us to try the spirits whether they be of God or no 1 Joh. 4.1 Doth any Spirit in thee destroy the world in thee It is an evident proof that Christ is born in thee so the Apostle reasons 1 Joh. 4.4 Ye are of God little children ye have overcome the world because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world And therefore when any new Spirits are born and arise in our hearts enquire as Joshua did Art thou for us or for our enemies Josh 5.13 14. If he appear for us he will destroy our spiritual enemies in us O Beloved there are many Spirits gone into the world which are indeed for our enemies which tell us that our spiritual enemies cannot be overcome and so weaken the hearts and hands of God's people if we take Physick and it works not the cure 't is not good so a Plaister if it cure not nor Doctrine if it be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholsome or sound This reproves those who take no notice of God's work in their own souls how quick-sighted are we in all things else He who should take our part and help us to conquer our outward enemy we should ever account our selves his friends his servants Christ is conquering our spiritual enemies in us who takes notice of it Nemo in sese tentat descendere nemo Who is there that enters into his own heart to discern what the Lord is working there Who considers the work of the Lord and the operation of his hands Let us search and try our hearts Beloved there is a world of iniquity in the heart of a man which the Lord would demolish and destroy out of it and therefore as the Devil casts his darts into our heart so doth the Lord his the inspirations and motions of his holy Spirit which he darts into our souls when he sends many a sad thought into our hearts by reason of our sins and fights against the Devil by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God But who takes notice of this work of the Lord There 's not any one such thought befalls us but proceeds from his holy spirit and how commonly are such thoughts entertained Tush man be chearful these are sad melancholly fancies thoughts wash them away in a cup of wine go into some merry company Psal 92.4 5 6. Mark I beseech ye what the Lord saith to such Esay 5.11 12. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue until night till the wine enflame them and the harp and the viol and the tabret and the pipe are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands Hence it comes to pass that the malignant party grows strong in us the Devil builds up his strong holds and the work of the Lord goes not on in us And what comes of it Psal 28.4 5. Give them according to the work of their hands pay them that they have deserved for they regard not the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hands therefore shall he break them down and not build them up Wisdom builds the house and folly pulls it down with her hands Yea the Lord gives up such wicked hearts to the spirit of errour Ahab will not believe Eliah 1 King 22.21 22. Who therefore shall perswade
related Histories of our Saviour's Death Resurrection and Ascension c. And that he by his Death and Resurrection hath overcome the world and to this purpose we understand our Saviours speech to his Disciples Joh. 16. ult Be of good cheer I have overcome the world And truly the words in our English sound no otherwise than to make us secure that the work is done to our hand and we need take no more thought of it or for it but Beloved the matter being of this great consequence 't is worth your attention and best consideration that this Scripture is so far from lulling us into security that it puts us upon the Duty of the Text and encourageth us to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is confidite so the Vulg. Lat. And the Septuagint by this word render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to repose confidence in one as Prov. 31.11 to be bold so by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear not Exod. 14.13 and so it comes home to the Text be bold be confident hope in me I have overcome the world to this purpose the Greek Text the Vulgar Latine the Syriack Interpreter Most fitly to this purpose Deut. 33.27 The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath the arms of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say destroy them Thus in our ordinary speech the victories and conquests of Armies are ascribed unto the Commander in Chief Alexander overcomes the world Julius Caesar conquered France c. because by their Example Counsel and Encouragement these victories were obtained Much more may we ascribe the victory of all our spiritual enemies unto Christ the Captain of our Salvation not only as he by whose example counsel and encouragement we overcome the world but also as he who is the very principle of wisdom power patience and fortitude c. by which we overcome the world Christ therefore the great Commander he hath overcome the world and animates and heartens us to overcome As if a man had conquered a wild beast he should now deliver it to his Son to conquer Thus all the Victories of all the Worthies prefigure unto us Christs conquests and victories of the world Thus he spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself so as a Malefactor is by Law and sentence of the Prince a dead man and as the custome is in France and elsewhere he is set forth and hanged up in effigie Thus all those victories of Joshuah and the Judges of David and other Kings are all types and figures of our spiritual enemies overcome and hanged as it were in effigie and so to be crucified and mortified by us 4. So that this combate is not left unto us as an arbitrary business which may be done or not done and yet no harm done there 's a necessity lies upon us and wo be to us if we fight not all the happiness of that life which is to come depends upon the atchievement of this victory The kingdom of heaven is to be obtained upon no other terms if we suffer with him we shall reign with him Our neighbour kingdom of Ireland will not be recovered upon other conditions and shall we hope the kingdom of heaven will be obtained upon easier terms Sign 1. In a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or universal destruction such as the Lord enjoyned Saul and such as this must be great and small all must perish Whether have we gotten such an universal conquest over our spiritual enemies yea or no Saul being sent to destroy Amalek had commission to slay both men and women infant and suckling oxe and sheep camel and ass and had a charge to spare none 1 Sam. 15.3 yet vers 9. Saul and the people spared Agag the King of the Amalekites the Lord hath given the Faith a general commission and power to destroy Amaleck to overcome the world Do we not spare some reigning sin do we not spare Agag what thy Agag is thou best knowest and God who knows thy heart knows thou hast spared Agag what 's he a covering so Agag signifieth that which covers all other sins and rules and reigns over them is' t not a covering of lies and deceit in trading an over-reaching of our brother in any thing Remember the sparing of Agag cost Saul a Kingdom 1 Sam. 15.23 and so it will thee a better kingdom than his was for cursed is he who doth the work of the Lord negligently deceitfully and cursed is he who keepeth back his sword from blood Jer. 48.10 Cursed is he who spares the life and blood of sin I fear I may truly say with the Apostle Ye have not thus resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 But Saul spared the fattest of the cattle for sacrifice that 's another spiritual Agag another covering of sin a fair pretence of Religion to cover iniquity And is not Religion and Godliness ordinarily pretended when thou principally intendest thine own gain O remember that the Lord hath threatned that he will destroy the face of the covering that is cast over all people Isa 25.7 he hath threatned that he will destroy Gog Ezec. 38. that is the covering and that nothing is covered that shall not be reveiled nor hid that shall not be known O take heed of covering thy wicked heart with so plausible a pretence and shew of Religion and remember the day will come when the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 O that the Lord would make me this day a Samuel to hew that spiritual Agag in pieces that reigns covertly in any soul here present 2. But in an universal destruction the least are destroyed as well as the greatest But alas is' t not a little one and my soul shall live is there a little one if thou sparest it wittingly or willingly thy soul shall die he that offends in one point is guilty of all 3. If the world be overcome then the Government is changed as the Romans gave their Laws to the conquered Nations and made them Provinces thus it is not lawful for us to put any man to death jus gladii Thus the Normans conquering us gave us their Laws And is the Government chang'd in thee are the Laws altered thou hadst many Lords that ruled over thee Isa 26. Is the Lord alone exalted over thee Is he the sole Governour in thee Is he all in all in thee Are the Laws altered heretofore the Law of Sin and Death ruled in thee doth now the Law of God rule in thee Heretofore the Law of thy Members warred against the Law of thy Mind and brought thee into captivity to the Law of Sin that was in thy members Hath now the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus made thee free from the law of sin and death is the world turned upside down Isa 24.
so or so as Moses had commanded Joshua 11.14 Neither left they any to breath What else is hereby to be understood but what the Law and Will of the Lord is that 's Moses who is ordinarily taken for the Law that Jesus the true Joshua fulfilled Obs 3. The Law and Prophets continue in their strength and are as firm and strong obligations in this time of the Gospel as formerly they were The Moral Law in the Letter and Spirit The Ceremonial according to the spiritual understanding of it for Ceremoniale aboletur Spirituale manet The Judicial Law according to the Equity of it This will appear from the two next Verses to my Text v. 18 19. So that the Gospel requires of us as much obedience as the Law for measure and degree Obs 4. They who live dissolutely and loosely They neither have the doctrine of Christ nor his life or practice nor end of his coming to countenance palliate and cover their vitious lives withall Reprehension of those who destroy the Law and the Prophets 't is the cause of their destruction and destruction of the people Malac. 2 1-9 and 4.4 5 6. 2. Think not that I come to destroy c. By these Words the Lord puts a bar against all Opinions all Tenents and Disputes of men concerning the Law as if by him or his doctrine it should in the least be diminished Rat. The Thoughts are the Basis and Foundation of Counsels Wills Affections Actions Works and Words And therefore our Lord thought it necessary to give caution concerning them He knew the present Surmises and Suspitions of the Scribes and Pharisees He foresaw the false conceits and opinions that would be received in the World concerning his doctrine as we find at this day Obs 1. The Law and Prophets are empty and voyd until Christ come to fulfil them There is a Vacuum where obedience and fulfilling of the Law and Prophets is not Vide Not. in James 1.22 Jer. 4.22 23. Obs 2. Note hence what an exact and perfect life our Lord Jesus came to bring into the World even the fulfilling of the Law and Prophets A life opposite unto that generation of men he met withall in the dayes of his flesh and as opposite unto this present generation in the dayes of his Spirit for all those he dealt withall beside his own Disciples who were of one will with himself all the rest were either Pharisees or Sadduces of which sort were also the Herodians The former sort the Pharisees fulfilled only the outside of the Law and Prophets whose righteousness consisted only in the obedience unto the outward commandment The latter sort the Sadduces and Herodians were a prophane people who were so far from fulfilling the Law and Prophets by their obedience that by their outward and inward disobedience they made voyd and emptied the Law and the Prophets Of one or other sort of these the true Disciples and truly called Christians only excepted consists this present Generation As for the Sadduces and prophane persons their sins prevent judgment 1 Tim. 5.25 The Pharisees are the men who most of all deceive themselves and are in greatest danger of deceiving others And therefore our Lord tells his Disciples Matth. 5.20 That unless their Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should not see the Kingdom of God The Scribes were the great Teachers of the people the Pharisees were the most religious followers of their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord hereby teacheth his Disciples wherein consists that Righteousness which God requires and accepts wherein else than in obedience to the Law and Prophets Now the Law saith Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery c. The Scribes and Pharisees did not kill did not commit Adultery and therefore they thought themselves just and despised others Luke 18. And the Reason is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he who obeys the Law is righteous But our Lord Jesus denies that the Scribes and Pharisees obeyed the Law as appears every where throughout the Gospel especially Matth. 23. And the reason because it is not enough that a man do not kill nor commit Adultery c. but that also he have a mind abhorring and loathing murder and adultery for since the mind is so much the more excellent than the body that the man is named from the mind as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Soul signifieth the whole man in the Hebrew and Anima in the Latine foelices animae quibus hoc cognoscere primum inque domos superum scandere cura fuit Whence Anima cujusque is est quisque every man's Soul is himself Hence it undeniably follows that he is a murderer who hath a murdering Soul that he is an Adulterer who hath a Soul inclined to Adultery He who hates his Brother is a murderer He who looks upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart If any one here except and say the Law is not so severe to punish hatred or lust with death 't is true for the Lord hath committed the inflicting punishment for breach of the Law to Magistrates which being but men they punish the evil work done not the evil will they punish the dammage committed not the thought or purpose at least while it is unknown for how else can the Magistrate convince the minds of men by the testimony of two or three Witnesses without which he cannot proceed to punish an offence Would therefore a man be safe from the Magistrate It 's enough for him that he do not kill that he do not commit Adultery although his mind and heart be murderous and adulterous And thus the Scribes and Pharisees were just and righteous who performed outward obedience to the Law and Prophets And if the Kingdom of Christ had been of this World he should not nor would have taught any other doctrine But since the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World not an earthly but an heavenly Kingdom The Judge also is not earthly but heavenly the Witnesses also must be spiritual and heavenly and the judgment spiritual and heavenly in which the mind cannot be hid According to this Righteousness not only the murdering body and the adulterous body is punished as in earthly and bodyly Kingdoms but the murdering and lascivious mind or soul also shall be punished Would we therefore avoyd the eternal punishment we must then no doubt not only obey the outward Law in shew only as the Scribes and Pharisees did but inwardly also truly and from the heart as in the sight of God who searcheth the heart and reins and punisheth hatred for murder and lust for adultery And what I have said concerning these two Commandments is also to be understood of all the rest Obs 3. If our Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the Law and Prophet but to fulfil them Hence it will follow that they who boast of Christ's fulfilling
of the Law for them and apply his righteousness unto themselves and imagine that thereby their iniquities which yet are in them are hid and covered They are arrant hypocrits I say not that such are Pharisees or Pharisaical men for the Pharisees performed an outward righteousness and gave outward obedience unto the Law So that he who knew no better way of fulfilling the Law and acted according to his knowledge he was accepted and approved of So our Lord is said to have loved the Pharisaical young man Marke 10 17-21 But they who boast of Christ's fulfilling of the Law for them when yet by breaking the Law even outwardly they dishonour God These are worse hypocrits than the Scribes and Pharisees were Obs 4. The Lord Jesus came not to destroy but to fulfil This sentence what a world of men lay hold on and hence conclude that Jesus Christ hath done and suffered all things already to our hand c. Vide Not. in James 1.22 Repreh 1. Those Opinionists who think that Christ came to destroy the Law that the Law belongs not to them because they are Christians or imagine themselves to be so Dub. What reason is there that although our God hath so clearly manifested his will in his Law and Prophets and hath not spared his only begotten Son but yielded him up to death for us all yea hath raised him from the dead All which is come to pass that all men through the Son of God should be justified freed and saved from their sins And although the Son hath done all and bought men with a price that they being redeemed from their sins death devil and hell might live in righteousness and holiness before him all the dayes of their life Though the Father hath done all this though the Son hath done all this and suffered all this yet neither Law nor Prophets are fulfilled but sin and iniquity is fulfilled the will and lust of the Devil are fulfilled Answ I answer all what God and Christ hath done and suffered for men is made known unto them and why That they might believe on the Son and obey him and so be saved O how plentiful is the Scripture in Testimonies of this kind John 3.16.36 and 12.25 26. Matth. 16.24 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23 24. and 4.1 2. But though the God of truth so abundantly testifieth this in his Word yet alas how few are there in the World who believe him How few are there who believe in the light the wisdom of God the way the truth and the life which is Jesus Christ himself Yea do not most men believe contrary to the Scriptures Do they not believe and love the darkness more than the light the foolishness of the flesh rather than the wisdom of the Spirit Do they not obey the calling and drawing of the Father of lies unto their eternal destruction rather than the calling and the drawing of the God of truth to their everlasting salvation Thus did their Fathers before them Jer. 2.7 8.13 19.5 They follow their own choosing their own opinion not the Law of the Lord and his sure word of Prophesie 2 Pet. Wherefore they long not at all to be loosed and set free from their sins nor know nor consider that they are faln from the true light of life and the true belief of their Salvation and give heed to Spirits of errour and manifold false faiths and manifold chosen holinesses nor do they consider that they love the sin more than the righteousness the darkness rather than the light the falshood and lie more than the truth it self Yet even in this false faith which they have made choice of they boast themselves as if they were now free from the Law justified from their sins and become very good Christians They think and believe that the Abaddon and Apollion is stronger than Christ the Saviour That the Abaddon hath power enough to destroy the Law and fulfil all unrighteousness c. But they believe not that Christ is strong enough to destroy all unrighteousness Esay 53.1 Lord who hath believed our report To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed c. And therefore according to their faith or unbelief so it befals them Job 15.21 22. A dreadful sound is in his ears c. Repreh 1. Those who think and hold opinion that Christ came not to fulfil the Law Repreh 2. Those who condemn obedient men who fulfil the Law for phansies Exhort Since the Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets let not us who profess our selves his Disciples his Followers Christians let not us destroy them nor let us think that he came for any such end but since the Law is holy and just and good and our Lord Jesus Christ is holy just and good yea goodness it self Hos 3.5 Let us agree with the Law and consent unto it that it is holy just and good and become such And since there is an emptiness in the Law and Prophets until they be fulfilled by obedience since the narrow way of God's Commandments is forlorn and forsaken Even in the dayes of Shamgar that noble Stranger in the dayes of Christ in the flesh and in the dayes of Jael the dayes of the Church of Christ in the Spirit O let us turn us from the broad wayes and crooked wayes And as Hebers house though they had formerly made Covenant with Jabin and Sisara while they walked in the way of Cain So though formerly we have consented to the false knowledge of the subtle Serpent Though formerly we have walked in the way of Cain Jude v. 11. Yet let us with Jael sever our selves from Cain and walk in the narrow way of God's Commandments which leads unto the everlasting life Let us follow the Wise man's Counsel c. Vide Not. in James 4.14 in Supplement NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time that thou shalt not kill for whosoever killeth shall be in danger of the Judgment c. OUr Lord having made a special Preface to his Sermons v. 17 18 19. He now begins the Sermon it self And here we meet with a different Translation and understanding of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was said by them of old time so the Text or to them of old time so the Margin And the Greek words will indeed bear both sences Wherefore let us enquire whether of the two is the more probable They will say by them of old time as we read it in the Text they understood the Rabbins and Teachers of old as if our Lord should say ye have heard that the Rabbins of old have taught the people this Law and this penalty for breach of it But I say thus c. And this sense they rather incline unto because they conceive it our Lord 's main drift in this Sermon to confute the false Glosses and Expositions
enjoyning preservation of life might suffice we may add hereunto others both in regard of God himself and in respect of men 2. God made man after his own Image which is destroyed and defaced by murder Gen. 9.6 It is the Lord's reason he gives of this Law He that sheds man's blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the Image of God made he man 3. The main end aimed at by the Lord himself is here of principal regard His main design is as in all the Commandments to assimilate man and make him like unto himself so in this especially in love and mercy for preservation of man's life Mich. 6.5 Zach. 7.9 10. Luke 6.35 36. 2. In respect of men as to save life renders us like unto God so to kill makes men like the Devil John 8.44 as proprium est Dei servare benefacere so Diaboli laedere Add hereunto that common rule Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even the same to them Matth. 7.12 This is the voice of the Law and the Prophets yea approved of by light of nature the Emperor Severus caused it to be written in many places of his Palace 2. There is a near alliance between men whom God hath made as after his own Image so of one blood Acts 17.26 And thus by one common nature all men are taught of God to love one another 1 Thes 4.9 Obs 1. Man by his fall was and is of a bloody revengeful unmerciful disposition All faln men walk in the way of Cain until God in goodness lead them out of that way into the way of his Commandments 2. The Lord directs his Law to all and every man and woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou man or woman shalt not commit murder The Lord descends to every one in particular to every individual to thee who ever thou art Thou shalt do no murder that every man may know that the Commandment concerns him 3. Note here how precious the life of any man ought to be to any man 4. Note hence how precious every man 's own life ought to be unto himself Therefore this Commandment or act forbidden is left without expression of an object whereby is prohibited all unlawful killing And because our love unto God measures out every man's love unto himself and every man's love unto himself is the measure of his love unto his Neighbour Surely in that every man is forbidden to kill his Neighbour every man is much more forbidden to kill himself Do thy self no harm Acts 16. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment The words contain the penalty annexed to the breach of this Commandment wherein the words are considerable in themselves and with reference to the former implied in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators exceeding often render And which all men know is a note of diversity and signifies But and makes quite another kind of axiom and makes not a copulate but a discret In the words absolutely considered we must enquire what is meant here by Judgment and 2. What it is to be in danger of Judgment 1. Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which word is here to be understood the Session or sitting of Judges Such as at that time were in many Cities of Judea and that their Judicature is here properly understood it 's evident by the opposion unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn the Council To be in danger of Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words are more properly to be turned he shall be obnoxious or lyable unto the Judgment for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies obnoxious c. Vide Not. in Hebr. 2. We shall meet with these words again This Sentence is not extant in the Law in so many words but the meaning of it is clear Levit. 24.21 He that killeth a man he shall be put to death Num. 35.16 17 18 30. Obser 1. What a tie hath God the Judge upon every guilty Conscience 2. How much more upon every blood guilty Conscience Exhortation Highly to esteem the precious life anothers as well as our own 1. It is the workmanship of God 2. It is the Command of God to spare life not to kill 3. God made us after his own Image which is marred by murder 4. It 's contrary to God's main design to render us like unto himself in love mercy goodness c. 5. It crosseth the common rule Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you c. 6. God made us of one blood and so teacheth us to love one another 7. This is no Arbitrary Law it 's not without penalty so great a crime is not expiated without the death of the murderer He that sheds man's blood by man shall his blood be shed 8. Whole Families yea the greatest Potentates with their Kingdoms rue this crime as Pharaoh Saul Ahab yea David himself 9. Even the beast it self and its owner if faulty must die to expiate bloodshed Exod. 21.28 29. 10. The Lord enjoyns mercy to the beasts Deut. 22.6 11. Yea even the beasts are not savage against their own kind They improve their sense better than men their reason yea than Christian men their faith O ye perverse and degenerate mankind So true is it that man without Law and equity is the very worst of all living Creatures 12. Beloved we are men let us not so put off humanity as by cruelty and savageness to become worse than the very beasts 13. The Scribes and Pharisees had attained to this degree of righteousness to spare life they were no murderers Beloved we are Christian men our righteousness must exceed theirs Our Lord hath taught us an higher Lesson I say unto you he that is angry with his Brother without cause shall be in danger of the Judgment Axiom 3. It was said to them of old time thou shalt not kill c. Of how old time were these to whom this was spoken Some say to those in the time of Ezra the Scribe Others look farther back to the times of Moses and indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie things or persons of that Age of the Prophets as Luke 9.19 One of the old Prophets Acts 15.21 Moses of old time c. But most of the Prophets were long after Moses's time And where it is said Moses of old time hath in every City those that preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath-day The old time there spoken of if we mark it is not to be understood of Moses's time but long after namely after the time of the Captivity What if we look yet farther backward even before the Prophets yea before Moses 2 Cor. 5.17 We read of old things and 2 Pet. 2.5 the old World and Revel 12.9 and 20.2 Ye read of the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan who deceived that old World It 's
Glos interlin duritiam cordis à te repellis put away from thee hardness of heart 4. Because we are enemies to the Father and to the Law if therefore God the Father and his Law be an adversary unto us The Law was given because of transgression and the Prophets are the Fathers truch-men and interpreters of the Law unto men and lay the Law unto them Hast thou found me O mine enemy Jeremiah a man of contention to the whole earth Jer. 15.10 5. It is our duty to be reconciled unto the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be at agreement be well minded to the Law 6. The Law saith not that the adversary should agree with us but he adviseth us to agree with our adversary and the same reason there is of the Prophets Jerem. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them The Law which is our adversary cannot abate one iota or tittle of the rigour austerity and strictness of it That is not said to agree with us but we are commanded to agree with it When the Government of Rome was changed from a Monarchy to a Republick under Consuls the young men of Rome attempted to recover the former Government under Kings Livy tells us this reason among others that Kings might be of a flexible disposition sed Legem esse rem inexorabilem that the Law is inexorable certain it is the Law of God is inexorable inflexible that cannot possibly be changed to agree with us so are the Prophets The Courtier would have bent Micaiah to the word of the false Prophets 7. But the Law and the Prophets are adversaries unto us while we are yet in our sins See Notes on Hebr. 1. Obser 8. The Law is with us and we with it in the way of sinners So St. Paul tells us Rom. 7.1 Know ye not brethren for I speak to them that know the Law that the Law hath dominion over the man as long as he liveth while we live i. e. while sin lives in us and we live in it the Law is alwayes checking controuling correcting reproving us endeavouring to bring us off to compliance with it to consent and agree with it thou must expect no other measure from the Law while thou livest But the time will come when thou wilt not live when thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well minded to the Law St. Paul was in this condition who had the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult I live not saith he but Christ lives in me Gal. 2.20 Repreh 1. Who agree with men their adversaries and will not run the hazzard of the Law but will not agree with God the Father and the Law of God but stand out and will not compound their Debt our Lord tells a Parable Luke 16. Repreh 2. Who agree and are of one mind with the Devil himself who is the adversary of God and his People Make a Covenant with Hell and Death Esay 28. The strong man keeps his Palace and all his goods are in peace his anger his envy c. O the folly of wicked men they condescend to any conditions that they may agree with the Devil 1 Sam. 11. even to the putting out of the eyes of their understanding even to the death of their first born Doth the Lord require any such condition agreement with him Jerem. it came not into my heart Do thy self no harm Acts. Sheba must loose his head Exhort Agree consent unto the Law that it is good Means Indirect The fail lies on our part remove what hinders this agreement Thou must end this Controversie either by composition or by opposition A man out of his way will make haste to get into it again The Lord complains often that his people turn aside quickly out of the way Exod. 32.8 Judg. 2.17 And therefore it is but equal â—hat he be importunate with us to return into his way yea it is his mercy that he is so 2. Agree quickly while thou art in the way with him The later words explain the former we are said to do a thing quickly when we are not long a doing it Do before all other things as before sacrifice What is this way It 's commonly said that it is the way of this natural life or while we live in this World and one of the Ancient Fathers consents adversus in via quia incertum tempus vitae praesentis and another saith as much festinandum ad Amicitiam amicorum quamdin vivimus upon whose authority some have built that distinction of via patria the way and the Country understanding by via the way the natural life of man in this World by patria they would understand that is to come But I do not believe that there is any Scripture which will warrant that distinction in such a sence nor any Scripture that calls the natural life a way It is true the eternal life is called patria a Country Hebr. 11.14 but the natural life is never called via a way to that Country but the godly life the way of God's commandments the way of life Prov. 15.24 The sober righteous and godly life that indeed is the way to the eternal life the heavenly Country This is not the way for if agreement be to be made at any time within the compass of this life than at the end of it How then shall many greater things be done afterwards What way then is this in the Text We shall know that if we consider who this Debtor is to whom God the Father the Law and Prophets are opposite to whom the Law of God is an adversary Surely the Law is not an adversary to him that walks in it that consents unto it that it is good John 14.21 He that hath my Commandment my Father will love him He therefore whom our Lord directs is out of that way he walks not in God's way and therefore the way wherein he is must be the way of sinners Psal 1. the way that is not good In the way of sinners that 's the way here meant herein our adversary the Law meets us thou art in the way with him what is the Law here in the way of sinners Yea as an enemy as an adversary to it and to them that walk in it 1 Tim. 1.9 10. Whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine or rather healing doctrine Ratio Quickly the Adversary is importunate and there 's great Reason he should be so 2. The business requires haste we must leave off our sacrificing to God to do it 3. The danger is near the Judge standeth at the door and the way of sinners leads to the Judgment Luke 12. 4. The sooner we agree with the adversary the sooner he agrees with us Thou meetest him that worketh righteousness Esay 65. I said I will confess and thou forgavest When Nathan had charged David he consented presently as soon as Nathan answered The Lord hath done away thy sin Obser 1. There is a time when every
who gave it And therefore these as in state and condition so in the Dialect they differ little from the damned Rev. 16.10 11. Obj. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him This is to be understood of his timely return but such as these never return until it be too late until the master of the house be risen and shut the door Then indeed they shall strive and seek to enter in at the strait gate and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 They shall then seek the Lord Jesus yet die in in their sins for whither he goeth they cannot come Joh. 8.21 Let them well consider this who impute all sin and all iniquity unto one and the same spirit which they say acts in all men all things Jam. 3.11 1 Joh. 1.5 Obs 5. Though whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him yet whosoever speaks against the holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him Rupertus the Emperour being chosen King of the Romans in the year 1400 going to visit and repair the Cities to whom according to the custom many banished men resorted for his Patronage the Emperour coming to Spire great Sute was made to him that he would restore divers men who were banished thence Among the rest a Citizen of Spire when great Sute was made in behalf of him the Emperour inquiring the quality of every ones offence found this man a Blasphemer and therefore banished He restored all the rest but ratified the sentence of this mans banishment A pious Prince and follower of the Lord in the Text who though he pardon all sin and blasphemy yet him who speaks against the holy Spirit he forgives not Neither in this world nor in the world to come i. e. never as St. Mark hath it in the parallel to the Text Mark 3. But St. Mark who wrote more briefly ought rather to be explained by St. Matthew who wrote more copiously than St. Matthew by him Besides the doubt will remain whether sins be forgiven in the world to come yea or no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually understood of the Age that was then to come which St. Paul calls the last dayes and the last time so the Apostle is to be understood Hebr. 2.5 the world to come the dayes of Christ in the Spirit Obser 1. Here then is no ground for Purgatory after this life as some and they of great Authority make use of it Obser 2. Sins may be forgiven in this world which was then to come It 's a part of the New Covenant when the Law of the Spirit of Life is written in our hearts and I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more Jer. 31.34 Obser 3. Sins may be retained and not forgiven in this world which have been connived at and not punished in the former world Mat. 18.34 This may be understood by Joab who slew Abner and Amasa and escaped but was put to death by Solomon 1 King 2. What is Joab but he who hath the Father and is under the Law of the Father 1. He slayes Abner the Fathers Light which is the Law for while we are under the Law we are against the Law He also slew Amasa that which exalts the people and what 's that but Righteousness which exalts a Nation Prov. 14.34 even the Righteousness of the Law Joab therefore is said to be too strong for David as Jephtha's Brethren Judg. 11. but Solomon he puts him to death Saul is a figure of the Law and first dispensation of the Father David of the second and Solomon of the third Thus Shimei escaped who blasphemed David but was put to death by Solomon Shimei is the Obedience who is Son of Gera Rumination and Meditation Such are they who have tasted of the heavenly gift Heb. 6.4 5. who fall away These may escape in the dayes of Christ's flesh David put him not to death but Solomon did Consolation Alas I find my sins as yet a burden unto me how then are they remitted unto me water out of its place is only heavy We are yet weak with him Christ according to the flesh hath his time of weakness with us but he shall appear in power and strength 2 Cor. 13.4 Acts 3. ult Rom. 11.26.27 But alas my heart condemns me In odiosis poenalibus litera sequenda est it is so in all the three Gospels Mat. 12.32 Mark 3. Luk. 5. not that sin against the holy Ghost but blaspheme against the holy Ghost Let them take notice of this who acknowledge God's Almighty Power in Creating and Governing the world yet shorten his hand and limit his power 2 King 7.2 He can and will destroy Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth but they believe not that Christ can destroy their iniquities They believe that the Devil can make a perfect wicked man but they believe not that it 's possible the Lord whom they confess Omnipotent and Almighty that he can make a man perfect Do they not ascribe more Power to the Devil than to God himself Let them consider this who detract from the knowledge and wisdom of the only wise God Ezech. 8.12 Repreh The present Generation who in these dayes of the Spirit when the Lord hath promised to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh and when we ought to wait for the Consolation of Israel and the New Jerusalem to descend from above and the promise of that holy Spirit when now the Lord is endearing his Love unto us in the performances of all his precious Promises Even now not only the prophane world mocks and scoffs even at the naming of the holy Spirit but even they who have received the Spirit of the fear of the Lord not only withstand the motions and inspirations of the holy Spirit but even deny that any such measure of the Spirit is to be expected or hoped for hence it is that a great part of those who I believe have the fear of God in them yet proceed no farther than the very first Dispensation of the Father as if the height of Christianity consisted only in a velleity or half-will toward God and his Righteousness so that the good they would do they do not and the evil which they hate that they do which is no more than the Childhood wherein notwithstanding they set up their Rest O Beloved this cannot be done without damping the good motions of the holy Spirit in us We cannot here set up our Rest but we must needs withstand the good Spirit of God striving with us for were we plyable and obedient unto the holy Spirit did we yield unto the motions of it we should receive to our good will the Power of God for the subduing of all our iniquities for Act. 2. and 5.32 Joh. 14.17 should be fulfilled unto us But while now men content themselves in the lowest
dispensation and appease their clamourous Consciences with one form of Godliness or other and are outwardly minded measuring God's love by outward favours which may befall alike the good and evil as well him that sweareth and blasphemeth as him that feareth an oath Eccles 9.2 while men know no other worship of God then what may be seen or felt the holy Spirit of God puts forth its self and would work in us but finds no compliance no acceptance in us Lo he goeth by me and I see him not he passeth on also and I perceive him not Job 9.11 and 33.14 Exhort 1. Speak not evil blaspheme not the Spirit of God He deserves our best words speak good of his Name Exhort 2. Consider the danger wherein we are even of the greatest sin Prov. 22.3 if we be wise we will take heed not onely of that sin it self but of whatsoever leads thereunto as Adam charged our first Mother that she should not touch the Tree of Knowledge and the wise man his warning of us to take heed of the strange woman Prov. 5.8 Seeing therefore our standing at a stay and withstanding the holy Spirit in the good motions of it which would lead us unto Repentance Faith and new Obedience even to the subduing of all our Spiritual enemies we had need beware Obser Note the greatness of the sin When that Mongrel Levit. 24.11 had blasphemed the Name of God though there were officers among the people Rulers of Thousands of Hundreds of Fifties and Tens The people understood this sin to be none of the smaller matters to be judged by them but among the greater matters Exod. 18. and therefore they brought the blasphemer unto Moses 2. Nor held Moses the business to be other than of the greatest consequence in that he durst determine nothing of himself but appeal to the Majesty of the most high God 3. The Lord himself sentenceth the blasphemer to be stoned by the whole Congregation and Decrees for the future That whosoever blasphemes his God shall dye the death 4. His Parents are described of what Nation and Family they were and his Mother named that a brand of infamy might be set upon them who had neglected their Sons education and not brought him up in the fear of God Add hereunto what signal punishments were inflicted on blasphemers Cain despairs as thinking that God either would not or could not forgive his sin had a mark set on him And Pharaoh perished for his blasphemy Antiochus confesseth that all his troubles came upon him for the same cause 1 Mach. 5. and Nicanor that blasphemer his Host was wholly routed and himself first slain in the battel 1 Mach. 7. And the Constitutions and Lawes of Kingdoms and Common-weals have ratified this but of this before We have not to deal with such a God as judgeth superficially Heb. 4.12 Jud. 14.15 Wisd 1. When the Lord Jesus heard the Jews blasphemy against the Spirit Mat. 12.24 being to denounce this Sentence That their sin should not be remitted vers 25. He is said to have known their thoughts But is there not a Blasphemy beside that which is uttered by the mouth No doubt there is both in the heart and in the life for the fool said in his heart there is no God And since Blasphemies are reckoned among those unclean things which come out of the heart and defile the man surely they were in the heart before Mat. 15.19 Mark 7.22 Mat. 9.4 Mark 2.7 8. Act. 8.22 Simons blasphemy was in his heart There is also a blasphemy in the Life for as there is a denying of the Lord in Works even by them who in their words confess him Tit. 1.10 So is there also a blaspheming of the Lord in Life and Works even by those who bless him with their mouths Esay 66.5 Jer. 50.7 Zach. 11.5 Thus 1 Macchab. 1. we read of many abominations wrought by Antiochus as Idolatries Murders prophanations of the Temple c. but few words spoken throughout that Chapter Cap. 2.6 Matthias is there said not to hear the blasphemies that were spoken but to see the blasphemies that were committed And truly these seem to be the greater blasphemies as those which cause others to blaspheme The Lord judged David and gave him his life but because he had made the enemies of the Lord blaspheme his Child must dye 2 Sam. 12.13 14. And as truly as it was spoken of the Jews that through breaking of the Law they dishonoured God so that his Name was blasphemed among the Gentiles through them So no doubt by our sleighting of the Law of God as not belonging unto us and by our disobedience unto the Gospel and walking unworthy of it the Name of God and Christ and his Holy Spirit is blasphemed among Jewes Turks and Heathen Justinian the Emperour punished Blasphemers with death Lewis the Ninth of France stigmatized Blasphemers with an hot Iron and when sute was made in behalf of one Guilty he would not hear any Intercessor for commutation of the punishment but made this Answer I should count it an honour to me saith he if I should receive the same brand in my forehead if by that means I might free my Kingdom from the guilt of such a damnable sin Others have condemned them to shame in the Stocks or Pillory others have sentenced them to be cast into the Sea The Apostle who better knew the heinousness of the sin delivered over Alexander and Hymineus unto Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme It is observed by Historians that when punishment of this sin is omitted and blasphemers winked at the Great Judge of all the world takes the business into his own Cognizance and involves Houses Cities Kingdomes and Common-weals in a common ruine NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XIII 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnto you it is given to know the mystery or mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but unto them it is not given AN Argument I hope that 's fit for this present Auditory and the occasion of this meeting for all men desire Knowledge saith the Philosopher and these are the times whereof Dan. 12. foretold that men shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased And the Text is a Text of Knowledge but every man is not a meet Auditor nor able to attain unto the knowledge of mysteries They are more proper for Disciples for to them this Text was directed and I hope there are many such and so fit for this Learned Assembly And if there be among you any such Athenian strangers who spend their time in nothing else but either to tell or hear some new thing which is the business of most men now a dayes the Text is fit for them too for it contains no less than matters of State the mysteries and secrets of a Kingdom And how seasonable is it now when the Lord is about shaking all the Kingdoms upon earth
How many were there of these all Luk. 14.25 There were great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother c. The business is of greatest weight and concern'd all and so when he was now to put an end unto the Legal Ceremonial services he calls all to him and tells them what that worship is wherewithal God is pleased and what that is which renders us unclean in the sight of God not a dead carcase of man or beast not eating with washed or unwashen hands not any thing without the man defiles the man but evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnessings and blasphemies these things come from within from the heart and these defile the man Of this sometime our Lord gives hints even in the Law and Prophets Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts rent your hearts and not your garmentt The uncleanness of the Old Law was manifold and easily contracted as by leprosie an issue or by touching any of these these therefore the Jews oftentimes were tainted withal yet without sin Our Lord himself touched the Bier whereon the young man lay who was carried forth to be buried wherefore when David came to Abimelech the Priest 1 Sam. 21. and asked for something to eat he saith he hath nothing but the shew-bread which was lawful for none to eat but for the Priests yet Abimelech gives it to David and those who were with him only with this condition if the young men be clean especially from women Other pollutions defiled the body but Abimelech well knew they were only Ceremonial but wantonness lasciviousness youthful lusts defile the Spirit Soul and Body Obser 5. Hence we learn what the nature of sin is filthiness and uncleanness See Notes on Jam. 1.21 Obser 6. With this filthiness or defilement our whole nature is polluted Obser 7. What manner of people the Saints of God are See Notes as above Consol Alas I am unclean unclean evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications false witnessings proceed from my heart and what a world of wickedness have they left behind them Mine iniquity hath found me out When the Leper was all over white then the Priest must pronounce him clean Levit. 13.12 13. But if the raw flesh appear in him he is unclean If we judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1.9 But if any raw flesh Hebr. any living flesh appear if we seek for life in our sinful nature by the works of the Law we are then unclean Then the Priest Christ looking on us will pronounce us unclean then in thy sight saith holy David No flesh living shall be justified But the sinful soul complains alas who shall deliver me from this body of death surely where-ever there is such sense of the spiritual burden there must needs be life if a dead carcase of a beast fall into a fountain of water it makes not the fountain unclean no it may be clean saith the Law Levit. 11.36 And the reason in nature is because the living fountain works out the uncleanness There is a promise made to the house of David Zach. 13.1 if therefore that fountain of life be opened in thee it will work out all uncleanness O but alas my sins are as the Aethiopians skin and Leopards spots I am habituated unto them they are even natural unto me See Jer. 13.23 and v. last Exhort To lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness it 's the Exhortation which ye read James 1. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though of general use yet more properly signifieth the putting off of Garments even the corrupt old Garment Eph. 4. Joshua was cloathed with filthy Garments Zach. 3.3 4. Esay 6. The Angel took away the Prophets uncleanness Exhort Put on the New Garment even the Lord Jesus Christ Take heed that we foul not our Garments when a man hath a new Garment he is very careful and wary lest he soyle it lest he lay it where it may take dust but if once it hath been stained and soiled men then become careless where they lay it O beloved here is the great danger if we are cleansed from our sin and have put on the robe of Righteousness let us then take heed Rev. 3.4 and 16.15 Heb. 10.27 28 29. As the uniting of the heart unto what is evil by consenting thereunto makes the heart common and one with that which is evil and unclean and contracts pollution from it Even so the uniting of the heart unto that which is good by consenting thereunto renders the heart one with that which is good and draws purity and vertue from it Exhort And therefore touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XVI 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven THese words are part of the Gospel appointed by the Church to be read this day and the fittest I could chuse for the Celebration of this Feast wherein we give most high praise and hearty thanks unto the Almighty and Everlasting God for the wonderful Grace and Vertue and the many excellent gifts declared in St. Peter and pray unto God that he will mercifully grant us Grace to follow the Example of his stedfastness in Faith and keeping Gods holy Commandments whose memory we recount unto the glory of God who hath given such gifts unto men and congratulate his bliss and happiness according to the custom of the Ancient Church which hath been wont to solemnize the names and memories of the Saints grounded upon that of the Wise man which the Jews use proverbially The memory of the Righteous shall be blessed Thus Moses beloved of God and Men his memory is in high praise saith the Son of Syrach Thus the Jews blessed Mordecai and blessed Esther and the Mother of our Lord foretold That all Generations should call her blessed and generally the voice from heaven pronounceth all those blessed who die in the Lord. Thus might we bless the memory of St. Peter and be bold to make use of this Text by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona But the words in reference to those immediately before the Text are a blessing in requital of a blessing a confession answering a confession and a promise to build his Church upon what St. Peter had confessed St. Peter had made a glorious confession of our Lord and our Lord in the Text vouchsafes a gracious confession of St. Peter St. Peter gave a testimony of his Faith touching Christs Divinity Thou art the Son of the Living God And Christ gives
an Apostate there he leaped out again unwashed saying he feared the Bath would fall because Cerinthus was in it an enemy of the Truth Iren. lib. 3. chap. 3. Tertullian gives a very satisfactory reason in his Book de Poenitentia Such an Apostate saith he who returns by his disobedience to his former sins doth he not seem to say That he prefers the Devil before God himself for he seems to have tryed both and compared both and now upon experience to give his judgment that he is the better master whose servant again he chuseth rather to be And whereas by repentance of his sins he was reconciled unto God by repenting of his repentance he becomes reconciled unto the Devil And therefore he becomes so much the more hated of God by how much the more he is accepted of his rival the Devil Obser 1. Hence it follows that the Church of Christ of which he speaks in this place must be a Congregation of self-denying faithful and obedient men sanctified pure c. for such a Church must be of a life most contrary to the life of the Heathens and Publicans Otherwise if the Church here meant may be allowed her spots of deformity and her writness of the old man of sin mark what must necessarily follow That the Church judging and the sinful offender judged are of one and the same condition sinful men all only differing either in the several kinds or at the best in the several degrees of sins Happily the Church judging may be covetous the party to be judged prodigal and wastful that the wicked shall judge the ungodly a sinful Church excommunicate a sinful member of that Church which is tantamount That Satan shall cast out Satan Yea hence it may come to pass that a Church or Congregation of Heathens and Publicans may excommunicate and cast out a member of the true Christian Church according to that in the Epigramm That one sober man among a company of drunkards was censured by all as the only drunkard Lest this might seem less probable unto any one or two instances without exception will prove the truth of it The Sanedrim or great Council of the Jews consisted of the most learned in the Law and the most Religious in that Nation yet were they the men who condemned the Prophets to death so that it could not be that a Prophet should perish out of Jerusalem Luk. 13.33 34. Yea that very representative Church of the Jews judged our Lord Jesus Christ worthy to die c. The like we may say of the Latin Church that now for many years it hath condemn'd men to death for Hereticks and Schismaticks who have been living members of the true Church of Christ Yea may we not say the like of the present visible Church as it is called that since it teacheth that no man is able either of himself whereof there is no doubt or by any Grace received in this life perfectly to keep the Commandments of God but doth daily break them in thought word and deed may we not say of such a Church that so breaks the Commandments of God daily in thought word and deed that they will condemn for Hereticks and men of erroneous Judgements such as can truly say with St. Paul I know nothing by my self I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 4.13 Those who keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 12.17 and 14.12 Here are they who keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus 22.14 I doubt not but such a representative who profess daily to break the Commandments in thought word and deed would condemn even every such one as should profess the keeping of Gods Commandments yea the possibility of keeping them Nay since the Jewish Church it self never delivered so absurd a tenent but rather taught the contrary I doubt not but if our Lord Jesus Christ should again converse in the flesh a Representative Church of such a Faith would put him to as shameful a death as the Jews themselves did By all which it's evidently necessary that that Church which excommunicates a sinful Member as an Heathen and Publican be it self an holy faithful pure and obedient Church otherwise no doubt it were better to be an Heathen man and a Publican than a Member of such a Church Obser 2. Of what account incorrigible and impenitent men ought to be with the Church of God even as the Heathens and Publicans Obser 3. He who neglects to hear the Church he must be in no worse estate than an Heathen and Publican Our Lords warrant extends no farther and therefore we ought not by any means to enlarge it That Rule in the Civil Law is here to take place in poenalibus odiosis litera sequenda est The letter is the rule in all penal laws which we must not exceed In other cases favores ampliandi favours are to be increased not punishments And therefore it 's worthy the inquiring by what authority or warrant of the Lord Jesus the Church can exceed or go beyond this censure Let him be an Heathen and a Publican Our Lord saith not if they hear not the Church then confiscate their goods and imprison their persons this is worse than the Pharisees who make a man a bankrupt together both in body and soul It 's evident that the Lord Jesus neither exercised any further power nor gave be any other authothority to his Apostles nor did they practise any such nor gave any such Rule to the Church according to which they might force men See Notes on Gen. 24.1 2. But the truth of God will suffer And what course do men take for recovery of Gods truth the person offending is produced His Judges say do you recant of your errour the party accused answers I know not that it is an errour I would be convinced by argument out of the word of God You are not called for to dispute but to recant So I would saith the other if I were perswaded that it were an errour and not the truth of God The issue of all is Away with such a fellow from the earth Exh. Hearken to reproof while it is yet time To day while it is called to day harden not your hearts The time may come that we may desire a Reprover neither be heard for our selves nor others Luk. 16. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XIX 16 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And behold one came and said unto him Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life And he said unto him Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God but if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments YE heard lately part of a Dialogue between an Host and his guest These words present us with part of another Dialogue between a Master and one who would be his Disciple wherein we have
right hand without drinking of Christ's Cup without conformity unto his death whereas the true Predestination is to be made conformable to the Image of the Son of God Rom. 8.29 2. Observe hence the unavoidable necessity which lies upon all the Disciples of Christ which would be saved by him and sit at his right hand and his left in his Kingdom that they drink of his Cup. The Lord Jesus is the Author of Eternal Salvation but to those that obey him Heb. 5.9 And he is able to save to the uttermost but those who are able to drink of his Cup and be baptized with his baptism to those who come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 And there is no other name by which we can be saved Act. 4.12 Nor is there any other way but that living way Heb. 10.20 All Power and Authority in Heaven and Earth is given to him yet hath he no Authority no Power to give the Honours and Dignities of his Kingdom to any other than those who drink of his Cup and are baptized with his baptism The necessity of drinking this Cup Nonne haec oportuit Christum pati atque ità intrare in regnum suum Would God they who are too often in other Cups would seriously and sadly think of this Poculum Salutare this Cup of Salvation that they who strive for an outward baptism would as much or more endeavour after this Alas do they not know that whilst we are sinners Christ dies Rom. 5. Do we not know that the wisdom of God is crucified by our foolishness our errours our lies that the life of God is slain by our deadly sin That the Patience Goodness Mercy Love of God c. all which is Christs suffers from our iniquities Esay 53.4 5. So Arius Montanus and Tremellius Repreh Those who refuse to taste of Christs Cup to be conformable unto his death in dying to sin such as refuse to be baptized into his death This no doubt is the reason even because we refuse to suffer the death of the sin and drink of the Cup of Christs sufferings that the Lord hath given and is yet giving to all Nations the Cup of his fury to drink Thus ye read Jer. 25.15 where the Lord threatens his Judgments unto his own People and all the Nations round about for their disobedience unto the Law and Prophets That they turned not from their evil wayes and the evil of their doings which he signifieth under the metaphor of a Cup vers 15. This disobedience hath brought the Sword among us this continues it yet with us This Judgment Esay 66.14 15 16. applyes to the Nations under these Times of the Gospel as also Zach. 13.7 8 9. the same is the reason of all other Judgments of God as the manifold diseases among us Many of us have often professed to shew forth the Lords death by dying to sin and so have taken the Cup of Salvation and have called upon the Name of the Lord yet have we continued in our sins And therefore the Lord hath caused many to taste the Cup of his Judgment Thus he tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. Therefore many are sick and weakly among you and many are fallen asleep i. e. die the death even because they have not died unto sin And to what other reason may we refer the present Judgment of God upon us even this immoderate and unseasonable drought what else may be the cause of this but because we refuse to be obedient unto the Law and Prophets we refuse to drink the Cup of Christs passion we refuse to be baptized into his death Say I this or saith not the Scriprure the very same The Astrologers refer our present drought unto the late Eclipse and it cannot be denied but that hath been Gods Instrument in second Causes whereby he hath brought this evil upon us as the like hath been observed in manifold other Eclipses of the Sun in former times But what is that that hath provoked the Lord to send this Cup of his fury unto us to Eclipse the light and beams of his countenance towards us What hath moved the Lord to stop the bottles of Heaven Job 38.37 that he hath not in their season emptied them upon the Earth Jer. 9.12 And doth not the Prophet Zachary refer the same Judgment unto the same cause under these times of the Gospel Zach. 14.16 17. What is it to come up to keep the feast of Tabernacles It cannot be meant literally for that among the rest of the Ceremonies is ceased What then is signified by a Tabernacle or Tent what else but our humane flesh and body 2 Cor. 5.1 4. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. To keep the Feast of Tabernacles then what is it but to have our Tabernacle our dwelling our house with Christ Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dwelt in us They therefore who refuse to suffer with Christ in the flesh to imitate his death to drink the Cup of his Passion and Suffering with him They shall have no rain of Blessing no rain of Gods Living Word which is compared to rain Deut. 32. Heb. 6.7 no outward rain for as that is one of Gods blessings upon the obedient Deut. 28.12 So is the want of it a Curse upon the disobedient vers 23 24. and for the sin of his People he shuts up Heaven 1 King 8.35 3. They say unto him we are able How able they were appeared soon after when being in company with our Lord when he was now to drink of his Cup they all forsook him and fled What boldness was this what presumption and confidence of their own strength But their confidence and presumption so much the more condemns the despair and unbelief of many of us James and John were yet Carnal they had not received the Spirit of God they knew Christ only according to the flesh As for many of us we perswade our selves that we are Spiritual and know Christ according to the Spirit and believe in his Mighty Power yet when the Cup comes to us when it 's offered to us to drink of it we cannot away with it we have no power no strength at all to drink of it while we are not yet tryed while the Cup is not yet come to us O how valiant we are the Elect the Chosen of God i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chosen men and Mighty men of valour But when now temptation comes either from the world hope of gain or fear of loss or desire of honour and reputation or from our own flesh or from the Devil what ever the temptation is what arrant cowards we are we lye down like great Lubbars and let Satan buffet us Repreh How justly doth this reprove the present Generation of men who look at Christs drinking the Cup of his Passion and Baptism as suffering his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fore-suffering and his principal passion from the Jews and
of a Lamp but the match or wicke of the Lamp which is of an earthly substance and sends forth a fuliginous and smoaky soyl What furthers the clear and bright shining of a Lamp but putting oyl to it and stirring up the match or wick both which we have in the forenamed place Exod. 30.7 8. Let me now remember you what the true and Spiritual Lamp is what else but the Divine Doctrine of the Law and Gospel What hinders now the bright and clear burning and shining of this Lamp of the Divine Doctrine but the earthly and carnal sence of the word for the Lamp of Divine Doctrine hath a letter and a spirit The spirit hath the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7.14 We know that the Law is Spiritual Two things therefore hinder the clear shining of the Lamp of Divine Doctrine 1. the more litteral understanding of the word 2. the soyl of false glosses interpretations and translations cast upon it Mean time we do not go about to disparage the Letter of the Divine Doctrine for howsoever it straiten and hide the spirit yet hath it in self a good meaning as where it 's said Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn it s a work of mercy to the beast so houses full of good things in the Gospel they are blessings of God to the man so Exod. 25 37. thou shalt make the seven Lamps thereof and they shall cause to ascend the light thereof that it may give light over against the face of it so Revel 4.5 there were seven Lamps burning before the Throne which are the seven spirits of God all these are good sences although the litteral sence obscure and hide the Truth and therefore the letteral sence is good although the spiritual be better and for the understanding of it we necessarily trim the Lamp top the Light yet what we take off we do not throw away or tread under foot as we are wont to do with the snuff of a candle and therefore Exod. 25.38 the snuffers and snuff-dishes were to be made of pure gold to receive what might seem redundant or fall off that nothing be lost What helps and furthers the burning and shining of the Lamp of Divine Doctrine but works of Righteousness and Mercy Exod. 25.37 The word we render to trim the Lamp is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to make good as by correcting or amending what 's amiss and helping and exercising in the good Thus the Lord speaketh in Jer. 7.3 Amend your wayes and your doings so 18.11 Return ye every one from his evil way and make your wayes and your doings good 4. Observe here the common duty of all Gods People especially the Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to trim the Lamp to preserve the purity of Gods word Prov. 6.23 His Commandment is a lamp or candle and the Law is Light The Doctrine of Conversion and Repentance preached by John Baptist is a burning and shining light the purity of the Gospel that greater Light that shines to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death Mat. 4.16 To them Light is sprung up for so it is ordered by the Father of Lights that every less Light shine unto a greater as the Lord commanded Aaron to trim the Lamp continually from the evening untill the morning Exod. 27. fine that the Divine Light may so shine and ascend up in the dark world until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 5. Hence we learn what the true Catholick or Universal Church is what else but a company of Virgins chast who keep under their bodies but those other foolish ones are yet called Virgins therefore these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Virgins as if we should English the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those notable those eminent those excellent ones for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies eminency and excellency those who shine as lights in the dark world in the midst of a perverse and crooked Generation Such Virgins who are alwayes prepared to go forth to meet the Bridgroom Here is great need of Consolation or Comforting the poor souls of many who droop and languish and are in danger of despairing of the Bridegrooms coming for so Sion saith The Lord hath forsaken me See Psal 9 10 11. 6. Hence we learn how to apply the holy Scripture unto our selves and how those things which were dark and hard to be understood may be cleared and made easie to us Gen. 1. 't is said the Earth was without form and void what this is to us ye read God said Let there be light God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in all our hearts So my Spirit shall not alwayes non invaginabitur it shall not alwayes be like a sword in a scabbard which sword of the Spirit is the word of God Eph. 6. so likewise there are great promises made to Israel and Judah but what are these to me read Psal 73. so we may say of Circumcision 'T is that of the heart Col. 2. Phil. 3.3 For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and also the Passover what Notes it but that we pass from death to life from the sinful life to the life of Righteousness there are great blessings promised to Gods People Deut. 28. and Levit. 26. beside other places Such were Corn and Wine and Oyl c. and God is said to have blessed Abraham in giving him Sheep and Oxen Men-servants and Maid-servants Silver and Gold wherein Job is also said to be blessed the Prophet teacheth us to top the light to trim the lamp Esay 65.16 And he gives us the reason for the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straitnesses of legal and ceremonial promises and blessings which consisted in earthly things they shall be forgotten by the Disciples or Learners of Christ and therefore he that sweareth shall swear by the God of Truth i. e. by Christ who is the Truth and by him comes Grace and Truth the Ceremonial Law and Services thereof the Promises the Blessings these came by Moses but the Truth of all these came by Jesus Christ He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Amen the Faithful Witness This reproves the blindness and folly of all meer litteral understandings who dote only upon a litteral meaning of Gods word and neither know nor acknowledge any spiritual meaning thereof I should not trouble my self with such inconsiderable men as these are were there not many at this day who mind only earthly things yet would be thought to know the heavenly also when they know only the meer letter of the Scripture having no spiritual understanding of it and therefore clamour against the things that they know not as when 't is said that John Baptist comes in the Spirit of Elias or that John
In respect of a greater measure of it and 2. In regard of more glorious effects and signs then of it than ever were before and therefore before the spirit was given Peter denied his Lord but afterward he preach'd him with notable magnanimity confidence and boldness As for the Fathers of the Old Testament they had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings and faithful promises of the spirit in signs and figures 1. They had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings houses full of all good things Deut. 6.11 fulness of strength children dayes and other like temporal blessings 2. We read also Promises in the Old Testament That God would fill his house or Temple with his glory Hag. 2.7 i. e. the souls of his Children for they are his House and Temple with his Spirit the like we find 1 King 8.10 2 Chron. 5.14 and 7.1 2. Isa 6.1.4 and Ezek. 10.4 which were types and figures of that which was here fulfilled and performed Joel 2. Yea we have an express promise of it Numb 14.21 As truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord Indeed some small measure they had of the Holy Spirit it self whose fulness was reserved for the times of the New Testament but it was only as the little drops before a great showre of rain and therefore in the Old Testament the Prophets phrase to signifie the preaching of the Word and conveyance of the Spirit was to drop their word but under the Gospel it was poured out in showers Under the Law the measure of the Spirit was like the widows oyl in the cruze but under the Gospel like the same oyl filling all the vessels in the house Under the Law they had sufficiency of the Spiri◠according to Divine Oeconomy and dispensation of that time but under the Gospel they have redundancy of the Spirit Tit. 3.6 And the reason is the fulness of the Spirit was reserved for the honour of the Son of God upon whom the spirit of God was to rest Isa 11. which was the token whereby John the Baptist was taught of God to know Christ Joh. 1.32 for under the Law howsoever the Spirit of God was given to all the Prophets yet neither in any large measure nor for any long continuance for he that shall read of the most zealous Prophet Elijah reproving Ahab to his face causing four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal to be put to death 1 King 18. shall read him at Chap. 19. flying for his life and desiring to dye at the threats of a woman This point is useful for Instruction Reprehension Consolation Exhortation 1. Observe then the truth of the Spirit inhabiting That Spirit of the Lord which fills the whole earth saith the Wise Man which fills heaven and earth saith the Prophet Jeremiah doth in a more special manner fill his own Temple i. e. our Souls and Bodies God is in you of a truth Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you If ens dependens cannot ne ad momentum quidem temporis be separate from ens independens If the dependent Being cannot for the least moment of time be separate from the only independent essence surely the Spirit of God and God himself being that only independent Spirit it is impossible that we should be separate from it since we wholly depend upon him live and move and have our being in him 2. Observe Man is a Vessel this vessel was intended to bear Gods Name in Act. 9. and therefore the Saints are exhorted to bear Gods Name in their bodies 1 Cor. 6. ult Portate Deum in corpore vestro This vessel is his body 1 Sam. 21.5 2 Cor. 4.7 O how much more is his Soul the precious Soul Prov. 6.26 how much more excellent is the Spirit an excellent Spirit his Soul is such Ecclus. 21.14 Cor fatui vas fictile the inward parts of a fool they are like a broken vessel 3. A vessel is full of something emptiness of all things is as absurd in Divinity as in Philosophy 4. The Apostolique and Disciple-like kind of filling is with the Holy Ghost the best liquor is put into the best vessels the Spirit of God in Scripture is compared to Wine and Oyl the new wine and the oyl of gladness The new wine must be put into new vessels and the oyl of gladness into the Virgins Lamps that are trimmed or made ready 5. Observe Gods faithfulness and truth in performance of his great Promise Repleti Apostoli impleta est Scriptura the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and Gods promise was fulfilled 'T is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellency The Promise I send the Promise of my Father Luk. 24.49 And the Apostles are commanded to stay at Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the father Act. 1.4 with Act. 2.33 St. Peter interprets it the Promise of the Holy Ghost and St. Paul the Holy Spirit of Promise Ephes 1.13 He who is faithful in performance of his great Promise will also be faithful in performance of less Godliness hath the promise both of this life and that which is to come therefore our Saviour exhorts to seek the performance of the great Promise and the less shall be cast in as the advantage Matth. 6.33 Observ 6. Every one of the Apostles and Disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and therefore in that respect were all equal one with other yet this assertion brings not in absolute parity and equality into the Church of Christ as some would hence infer For although there be aequalitas ejusdem ordinis equality among men of the same order yet there may be and is inaequalitas diversorum ordinum although they of the same order as the Apostles among themselves were equal yet there being divers orders in the Church those orders are not equal among themselves for waving the controversie whether Bishops and Presbyters were all of one order as it cannot be denied but that sometimes the one is taken for the other yet without doubt the Apostles and Deacons were of divers orders as appears Act. 6. and the same is as clear in regard of other orders of the Church 1 Cor. 12. Ephes 4. Yet men of unequal and different orders were herein equal that they all had received the Holy Spirit the Text is clear for the Apostles and Act. 6. is as evident a proof of the Deacons Observ 7. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost The word All is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyes a conjunction and joyning all together as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such an union is required among them who may hope to receive the Holy Spirit as vers 1. When the day of Pentecost was fully come
3. Apodosis Some there are who are righteous and not after the similitude of the second Adam's righteousness This is gravius dictum durus sermo an hard saying at the first hearing which yet is obvious for there is a righteousness which is of the Law Rom. 10.5 and which is of faith vers 6. So the Apostle calls that his own righteousness which is by the Law Phil. 3.9 But that which is through the faith of Christ he calls the righteousness which is of God by faith 4. Death hath reigned over those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to Reign answers most what to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have publick Authority and Dominion whether the Power be used well or ill So we read of a reign of sin and a reign of righteousness Rom. 5.21 a reign of life vers 17. and a reign of death It is here said of death that it reigneth I must here remind you what we understand by death Not only 1. The death Natural which surely had been natural to Man whether he had sinned or no and it had been of Grace if he had continued in the body and not have died Nor only 2. The Spiritual death which is a separation of the Soul from God who is our Life But also 3. The Infernal or hellish death though with distinction according to the distinction of those over whom death reigns which distinction is implyed in the Text for so we cannot truly say that the hellish death reigns over all those who have or have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression though it cannot be denied but that naturally even this death also followeth sin as the wages of it every sin being in its own nature mortal and should prove so did not the Mediator intervene and bring the spirit of Life into the fallen man But here we speak of death as it naturally succeeds unto sin and followeth it according to the prediction and denuntiation Gen. 2. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death What right or title hath Death to the Kingdom The answer to this question will serve for a reason of this point Among the several wayes of coming to power and Sovereignty Statesmen reckon Usurpation Succession and Election and by these means death obtains the Kingdom vers 12. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for first sin usurped a power over us so ye find vers 21. Sin reigned unto death and that is the kingdom of sin Amos 9.8 Rom. 6. Let not sin reign But doth Sin die without issue No Death is the natural Child and issue of sin Jam. 1.14 15. ye find the Genealogy Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is perfected bringeth forth death If we shall search higher and enquire whose lusts these are and who draws us away then we shall find that lust is the Seed of the Devil Joh. 8. The lusts of your Father he is the Grandfather of Sin and Death so that indeed as Children are in the power of their Masters where Sin or Death is said to reign the Devil himself reigneth who hath the power of Death Hebr. 2.14 Ephes 2.1 2 3. So that sin is the Child of the Devil and the first born of sin is Death according to Jam. 1.15 Job 18.12 13. Bildad foretelling the destruction of the ungodly saith Destruction shall be ready at his side and shall devour the strength of his skin even the first born of death So we turn it but the LXX the Vulg. Lat. and the Chaldee Paraphrast they turn it by Apposition the first-born death or death the first-born of sin as the Genuine Child of sin and by right of primogeniture by birth-right successor and heir of sin in the kingdom of sin and Bildad vers 14. explains himself and puts instead of death the first-born and heir of sin the King of terrors But doth Sin and Death enter tanquam in vacuam possessionem as into an empty possession or doth Sin and Death find no resistance Truly very little or none at all and therefore Joh. 8. the lusts of your Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Devils lusts and ye have a will to do them and Rom. 6.19 Ye have yielded your members servants so that here is great right pretended unto the Kingdom right of succession and right of election I cannot here but take notice of that great presumption and rash judgement of some who have dared to condemn to death and hell many souls whom Antiquity hath commended unto us as the most Holy among the Heathen There is a Book extant bearing Title de Animabus Paganorum concerning the Souls of the Heathen The Author of that Work numbers up the most Vertuous of the Heathen recites many of their good works and wise sentences and their exemplary good lives and at length shuts them all up in the pit About the same time that this Work first saw light came forth another bearing Title de Inferno concerning Hell in the handling of which the Author is large and descends to speak of every particular place there not omitting any nook or corner mentioning all the kinds and degrees of torments with so great confidence you would think he had been there Such proud censorious spirits there are yet in the world yea worse who dare pronounce peremptory sentence of Damnation upon those who are not down-right of their own opinion How much more safe were it to follow that moderate spirit of the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.12 13. What have I to do to judge them that are without judge ye rather them that are within your selves and others within or under your power but these that are without God judgeth Yet such is the presumption of proud Adam in us That although our God hath exempted many things from our knowledge Deut. 29.29 as indeed such as we know not nor can know and which are not reveiled yet lest we should seem to be ignorant of any thing we will dare to determine of them as the state of the Heathen the state of Infants When mean time the things which are reveiled as the whole duty of man reveiled in the word these we neglect when yet they are things which the Lord would have us take principal notice of and therefore that Text Deut. 29.29 Things reveiled belong to you and to your Children c. Those words in Hebrew are full of extraordinary points and accents that we should take the greater heed unto them Observ 1. Death is the King of the first Adams Posterity Observ 2. The thraldom and slavery of ungodly men they are subjects and vassals under sin and death See Notes in Rom. 6.19 Life shall reign over them who shall be righteous after the similitude of the second Adams
the trumpet of the Jubilee was to sound and liberty was proclaimed throughout all the Land Levit. 25.16 when the servant was freed from his master and one of his brethren was to redeem him vers 48. all which pointed at Christ and our deliverance and redemption by him from our spiritual thraldom under uncleanness and iniquity so our Lord who best knew interpreted it Luk. 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath sent me to preach deliverance to the Captives recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and vers 21. This day saith he is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears this day of Christ who is hodie Hebr. 13. and fulfilled it was then and God grant it may be fulfilled now for now daily the spirit of God calls upon us to day if ye will hear his voice Now daily the trumpet is blown proclamation made to the servants of sin to renounce their masters and yield their members servants unto righteousness For this Liberty is not wrought by a strong imagination which many a deluded soul calls faith but it 's really and truly wrought in him where ever the Son makes free if the Son make ye free then are ye freed indeed not only in conceit as I shall shew anon He is our elder brother and not ashamed to call us brethren Hebr. 2.11 and to him it belongs to redeem us as being our brother so the Law was Levit. 25. and he through death works a powerful redemption He overcame him who had the power of death i. e. the Devil and delivers or redeems them who through the fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage vers 15. But now is the judgement and now the Prince and Ruler of this world is cast out This is that hard master that tyrant whom so long we serve as we serve uncleanness and iniquity from whence we are then freed when the Creature is redeemed from the bond of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God The Jubilee or blowing of the trumpet is the publication of the Gospel the joyfull tydings of redemption through Christ Lift up thy voice like a trumpet Isa 58.1 shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins let them know that they serve not those masters they owe services unto they are now called to serve righteousness Revel 1.10 11. and 4.1 Christ's voice is a great voice the voice of a trumpet the trumpet of Jubilee the last trumpet hath sounded to raise us up from the death of sin into the life of righteousness Rev. 1.15 1 Cor. 15. Psal 89.15 And blessed thrice blessed are they who can distinguish the sounds of the trumpet know the joyful sound There are many trumpets blown which give uncertain sounds Alas we are in Babel in a confusion we understand not one another but only according to the false conceit every man hath in his own heart and therefore no man prepares himself to the battle to go out of Babel We think the only thraldom is without us and that far enough in the Babel at Rome I excuse not them I believe they have the best share of Babel in the whole Christian world but while we all misunderstand and misapply the Scripture and mistake and oppose one another and continue still under the service of iniquity we are in a Babel in a confusion Out of this Babylonian slavery and captivity under sin uncleanness and iniquity the Prophet and Apostle call us by the trumpet of Jubilee Come out of them my people come out of their slavery out of the captivity of sin unto the glorious liberty of the Sons of God And blessed are the people that know the joyful sound they shall walk in the light of thy countenance in thy name shall they rejoyce all the day the day of the Lord and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted Psal 89.15 16. Psal 60.4 Cant. 2.4 Isa 13.1 2 3. That we may the better understand this we must consider Gods threefold oeconomy and dispensation under the government of the Father the Son and the Spirit and these three as in every Christian Man so in the whole Church These are commonly neglected and hudled all together confusedly and without distinction whereas there is indeed in Scripture a manifest distinction of them one from other 1. The dispensation of the Father and the Son as Rom. 3.19 We know that whatsoever things the Law saith it saith to those who are under the Law vers 21. But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe vers 26. 2. Of the Son and Spirit Joh. 14.25 26. These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things 3. We have all three together 1 Cor. 13.11 12. I was a Child I spake as a Child I understood as a Child I thought as a Child there 's the dispensation of the Father toward the Child under the pedagogie and discipline of the Law of which St. Paul speaks Gal. 3. and 4. But when I became a man I put away childish things He understands the young mans age the age of strength under the Gospel of Jesus Christ the power of God yet though the man be then strong yet he hath not a clear sight of God but sees through a glass darkly he sees the back parts of God Exod. 33.23 as yet he sees through a glass But by the dispensation of the Spirit he sees God most clearly Numb 12.6 7 8. face to face Answerable to these three dispensations are the three degrees of obedience 1. to the Law 2. the obedience of Faith 3. the obedience of Charity Now of all these three dispensations the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the now in the Text referrs to this time of Christ this accepted time the time of Jubilee the day of Salvation Christ the Redeemer challengeth this duty of us which is the end of his redemption That we being redeemed out of the hands of our enemies uncleanness and iniquity those who tyrannized over us might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life Let every one groan until the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text the time of Grace for as the whole Church so every member in it hath a time under the Law when lusts rule in our members Rom. 7. from which Christ the Redeemer in his due time redeems and frees us This was figured Jude 3. Gal. 4.4 Observe what is the true redemption wrought by Christ what else but redemption from uncleanness and iniquity for properly redemption is the buying again of that which was sold Thus Ahab sold
from the abounding of iniquity because saith he iniquity shall abound the love of many shall grow cold Mat. 24.12 4. This is the reason of all sinful designs and wicked actions in the world their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are ruled by an irregularity and lawlesness it self is the Law they are squared by iniquity hath erected her Throne in ungodly men Psal 94.20 upon which it sits rules decrees unrighteous decrees and imagins mischief by a Law Such were the Ordinances of Aegypt Levit. 18.3 and the Statutes of Omri Mich. 6.16 According to this Law they will be angry with their brother without a cause Matth. 5.22 they will look upon and lust after a woman and commit adultery with her in their hearts vers 28. they will swear and take Gods name in vain vers 34. they will render evil for evil vers 39. they will hate their enemy vers 43. Please ye see some Examples of proceedings according to this lawless Law 1. according to this Law Naboth lost his inheritance and his life too Jezebel iniquity it self checks Ahab a servant of iniquity as too remiss too slack in the execution of this Law 1 King 21.7 Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel up eat thy meat and be merry I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite Iniquity hath her servants and officers men of Belial whose mouths speak wickedness to bear witness for her she hath her Elders and Nobles to judge for her and give sentence and a cloak of Religion to cover all and the business is done Ahab take possession God's Cause covers all 2. Such another servant of wickedness was Shemaiah Jer. 29. who checks Zephaniah and the rest of the Priests for remisness The Lord hath made thee a Priest instead of Jehojada the Priest that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord for every man that is madd and makes himself a Prophet that thou shouldest put him in the stocks And why therefore hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth Necessity is a Law to the crooked generation 3. According to this Law Herod proceeded against John Baptist who told Herod it was not lawfull for him to have his brothers wife but Herod found another Law to put him up in prison and take off his head Joh. 14. and what Law was that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. But if ever iniquity was mounted on her Throne and imagined mischief as a Law it was in the condemnation of our Lord when against all Law they would put to death the Author of Life when they would put to a most shameful death when they would crucifie the Lord of Glory as the Apostle most elegantly yet say they we have a Law and by that Law he ought to die and what Law was that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but lawlesness it self that Law which rules all lawless men that light which guides the Sons of darkness and if the light that is in thee be darkness if the Law it self be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how great is that darkness how lawless is that Law 5. And how miserable then are the Subjects unto that Law the servants of iniquity they are Lorded over by iniquity it self it was the Psalmists Curse upon his incorrigible enemy Set thou a wicked man to rule over him Psal 109.6 But over wicked men rules iniquity and wickedness it self all their members are subject to the Law of their members their members are not their own but taken up by iniquity their inward parts are full of wickedness their brain is possessed with covetousness Avaritia in capite omnium Amos 9.1 and pride that possesseth their heart Prov. 21.4 So that the thoughts memory fancy understanding appetite will affections all serve iniquity and therefore the outward members cannot be free their mouth is not their own 't is the mouth of wickedness Psal 107.42 they brag indeed that their tongues are theirs Psal 12. but it cannot be so for they know not of themselves what to speak but iniquity teacheth their mouth Job 15.5 and fills it with cursing and bitterness Psal 10.7 and their tongue speaks pride Psal 17.10 and detraction Psal 140.4 Their power and strength they have is imployed in the service of sin their right hand is not their own 't is a right hand of iniquity Psal 14.4 so that their tongue and their doings are against the Lord Isai 3.8 and the whole man a man of sin and all the parts and members servants of iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the servant complains in the Poet and under the same slavery the Apostle groaned Rom. 7. till he was delivered by the Grace of Christ Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And as it seems miserable to those who know and feel this servitude so much more miserable and lamentable is the case of those who bear this heavy burden yet through long custome are insensible and know it not like one under water who feels not the weight upon him The old servant of iniquity submits and yields himself like a beast so the word I told you signifieth to his accustomed burden as the Camel's inured to their load bend their knees when their burdens are laid upon them And such a very beast is every servant of iniquity and such a beastly life liveth many an one who yet would be accounted a good Christian man In his youth intemperancy puts a bit in his mouth and leads him along like an horse by the mouth through riot and drunkenness through chambering and wantonness through excessive eating and drinking and carding and dicing and whoring and drives him about and about in a circle of the same painful lusts like an horse in a mill blindfold Impii ambulant in circuitu Then if any be set to break him he is monitori asper he is fat and kicks and casts his rider and like a wild Ass snuffs up the wind at pleasure Jer. 2.24 then he 's sick of the the farcions and pride and vain-glory traps him and he 's hurried away with the humours of the time e'en as the fool rides him any foolish and hurtful lusts at length in his old age covetousness catcheth him and makes him a purchase for an unthrift such as himself was and lades him with thick clay and rides him to the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which sufficiently discovers the miserable condition of the servants of iniquity and being advisedly and timely considered may well make us all weary of that service and perswade us to return unto our old Lord to yield our members servants unto righteousness That 's the third point We ought to yield our members servants unto righteousness The righteousness here meant is either 1. Christ himself who is Jehovah Jerem. 33.15 the essential righteousness of God and so that which is here called righteousness vers 22. is called God himself being made free
Moses to name only Moses and the Heathen Law-givers against whom the Prophet Isaiah denounceth a wo Chap. 10.1 Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and write grievousness which they have prescribed And truly both these would follow were it so that the Law per se directly and properly were the cause of our passions and motions stirred up in us by the Law and of the fruits brought forth unto death The Apostle therefore wisely and timely distinguisheth between what the Law directly and properly doth and what sin doth by occasion of the Law 1. First he tells us what the Law directly and properly doth vers 7. What shall we say is the Law sin God forbid and he proves it For that which discovers sin to be sin is not it self sin But the Law discovers sin to be sin And therefore the Law it self is not sin Now that that which discovers sin to be sin is not it self sin appears from hence because no man on set purpose doth that which he knows to be sin but what he thinks good saith Dionysius Areop because either true or apparent good is that which all men naturally desire Seeing therefore the Law discovers sin to be sin yea forbids sin yea accuseth the sinner for sin it cannot be the cause of sin but rather indeed the cause why a man should not commit sin and therefore the Law is not sin no the Law is holy just and good vers 12. But how then comes it to pass that the motions of sin are stirred up by the Law This comes to pass by accident not causally but occasionally therefore 2. The Apostle shews what sin doth by occasion of the Law vers 8. Sin taking occasion by the Commandment it wrought in me saith he all manner of concupiscence and vers 11. sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and vers 12. Sin by the Commandment became exceeding sinful For greater manifestation of this he transfers the business as to himself by a particular and personal instance which is the Text I was alive without the Law once wherein we have a two-fold estate of the man 1. Before the Law came 2. after the Law came 1. Before the Law came and herein for explication two things must be opened 1. Of whom the Apostle speaks this of himself or some other man when he saith I was alive without the Law 2. How he is to be understood when he saith he lived without the Law 1. Who is this I and of whom speaks the Apostle this Who this I in the Text is and of whom to be understood there hath been and yet is among some great disputation such a strife as was for Homer by the seven Cities My purpose is according to my profession and my engagement when I first entred upon this argument without taking part or siding with flesh and blood and without acrimony or bitterness which commonly attend on controversie to endeavour according to the irrefragable dictates of Gods everlasting truth to compose the differences among us concerning the Law And therefore I shall not name the Disputants lest I should revive their disputes They say Juvenal occasioned at least many to be lewd and vitious by too open and plain discovery of their vices Some of the Ancients that I say not also some of latter times who have presumed by their Authority to be Mallei haereticorum to beat down hereticks and their heresies have in the event proved Mallei haereticorum in a worse sence the forgers and contrivers of heresie And whereas they thought to beat down a few they have hammered out a many 1. There are who understand this man in his pure naturals But in what man can any one instance since the fall that was in his pure naturals that this Text may be understood of him 2. There are who understand this man to have been a rational man since the fall but was there ever any such rational man since the fall without a law to regulate his reason for surely he had either the written law or the law of nature born of him 3. Others conceived him to be a man under the Law but that he could not yet actually be as he saith himself I was without the law once and we now speak of him as such as without the Law for the avoiding therefore of further disputes we may understand That the man here mentioned is the earthly the natural man who although he have had some knowledge of the Law though the Law hath not hitherto wrought upon him it hath not yet made any discovery of his sin it hath not come home pressly to him like Nathan to David and said Thou art the man And if we understand the man in the Text thus It matters not much of what person definitly the Apostle speaks this of himself or of some other since he himself and all others have been in the very same condition But you 'l say he speaks of himself yea vers 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I my self what more plain Answer He doth so yet this may be docendi gratiâ as we speak as we are wont for instance sake to name our selves or some other Thus in the Civil Law Titius and Sempromus are the subjects of many Law Cases And we have persons also in our common Laws who are the subjects of many Cases But doth the Apostle use any such kind of Rhetorical Figure Answer You shall judge 1 Cor. 1. The Apostle reproving them for the contentions and divisions among them vers 11. It hath been declared unto me saith he that there are contentions among you Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I am of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Were Paul and Apollo think you two of the persons whom the Corinthians strove for ye shall hear him speak for himself 1 Cor. 4.6 These things brethren I have in a figure transferred to my self and to Apollo for your sakes that ye may learn in us not to think of men above that which is written that no man be puffed up for one against another a sin too too usual among us and I fear more frequent than it was in Corinth However this may be true that the Apostle spake of himself in the Text or of another I contend not so we understand himself or some other to have been in this condition as most certain it is the Apostle and every man else hath been he lived without the law once But 2. How can this be understood that he lived once without the law What law is here to be understood Here is again a controversie what Law is here understood the Law Natural or the Law Moral It is not material whether Law we understand since the moral or written Law is founded in the Law of Nature But the question here is how the man could live without the Law since the Law followeth the sin close at the heels as Jacob did
unto all men and why so for we our selves also were sometimes foolish Are none of us so still did the Apostle think we bear this testimony of himself that we should word it only or talk of it or that we should examine our selves whether we be such yea or no whether we are thus foolish yea or no Disobedience is the greatest folly in the world and therefore the Wise Man often in the Proverbs understands by the fool the disobedient man O ye foolish Galatians who hath bewitched ye that ye should not obey the truth 'T is a witchery to be disobedient unto our God Who of us would endure a disobedient Son or Servant and shall we call our selves Sons and Servants unto our God and yet continue in our disobedience who would endure these Vices in his Neighbour in his Wife in his Child in his Servant who doth not hate them in all these and yet will a man endure them in himself I beseech ye consider it well shall we live in these sins yet conceive our selves Gods Children what Children then think ye surely not worse than these though ye rake hell for them but if thou doest truly hate this lawless life then surely thou wilt first and chiefly hate it in thy self Charity thus truly begins at home and hardly otherwise I beseech ye Beloved let us suffer the correction and the instruction of the Law that we may be dead in our affections unto this wicked lawless life and believe in Jesus Christ and become conformable unto his death die with him that we may live with him and lay hold upon the Eternal Life And that loving correction shall make us great Psal 18.35 Repreh This reproves those who deal falsly with the peoples souls humour and please them in their sins flatter them in a sinful life wherein they live without the Law like those in Ezech. 13.18 19 22. Thus Ahab spared Benhadad 1 King 20.35 42. It is no good argument that a Magistrate is good towards God that he is merry chearful and lively This man lived i. e. he was frolick and jovial and merry without the Law NOTES more at large on ROMANS VII 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commandment came sin revived IN these words is contained the estate of the Man after the Law came And that in regard 1. of Sin that revived 2. of the man he died Four things must be explained 1. What Commandment is here meant 2. How the Commandment may be said to come 3. How sin to revive 4. How upon the coming of the Commandment sin revives 1. What Law what Commandment was this the Law of Nature or the written Moral Law Here is now a Controversie there are who restrain this to the written Commandment But if the Law came to some who lived without the Law before there was any written Law then surely it cannot be understood only of the written Law But the Law came to some who lived without the Law before there was any written Law for so Adam lived without a Law when he sinned and to him the Law came and made his sin known so that he was ashamed of it and hid himself Cain lived without the Law and to him the Commandment came and made the burden of his sin known unto him to be greater than he was able to bear Gen. 4.13 Pharaoh lived without the Law and to him the Commandment came and discovered his sin and the righteousness of God so that he confessed That the Lord is just and I and my people are wicked Exod. 9. If therefore unto these and innumerable others who lived without the Law the Commandment came and made their sin known unto them before there was any written Law doubtless these words cannot be understood only of the written Law That when the Commandment came sin revived For the Law of the God of Life which is written in the hearts of men not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God that comes to every man and tells him what he hath done what he hath left undone it is that which is said here to come it is that which saith inwardly to the man Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt do no murder steal covet 't is that which inwardly accuseth the man and saith to him When thou sawest a thief thou consentedst to him and hast been partaker with the adulterers Thou hast let thy mouth speak wickedness and with thy tongue thou hast set forth deceit Thou satest and spakest against thy brother and hast slandered thine own mothers son These things hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou while thou wert alive without the Law thoughtest wickedly that I am such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done And of men in this estate the Apostle speaks Rom. 2.14 15. But touching this Controversie whether it be the written or unwritten Law it matters not much to us so the Law 2. How may the Commandment be said to come When spiritual things as the Commandment here are said to come we are to understand that they are present and appear to be Thus God and Christ and Faith and the Law are said to come when they appear so the Lord is said to have come to Moses when he appeared unto him Exod. 19. And Christ is said to have come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4.2 when he appeared in the flesh or was made manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. ult Thus 1 Cor. 11.26 as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup shew ye forth the Lords death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until he come why He is with us alwayes to the end of the world Until he come therefore is until his life appear in us for our receiving of the Sacrament is our profession of conformity unto the Lords death until he come and live in us so 2 Cor. 4.10 Alwayes bearing in our mortal bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus may be made manifest or represented so Castel in our body for we which so live are alwayes delivered up unto death for Jesus our true lifes sake that the life of Jesus might be made manifest or represented in our mortal flesh O that every one of us so received this holy Sacrament which is indeed the true end of it Thus also Faith is said to come when it appears to be in us Gal. 3.25 and the reason is spiritual things are said to come when they appear as before So that the Law comes to the man when it is present with him appears to him makes it self known unto him and him known unto himself this explication I conceive may be sufficient 3. But how may Sin be said to revive The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to live not to revive howbeit the ancient reading was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth revived as we turn it and Origen read the Text
c. sanctifie you wholly spirit soul and body Objection This doctrine would make a man desperate Answer Truly so it doth that 's the reason why the man dies upon the coming of the holy law for despair is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 when sin abounds and the man dies yet there remains hope As when all the diseases were taken out of Pandora's Box there was spes in ima pixidis and therefore the Lord raised up his witness in Jacob and gave Israel a Law that they might set their hope in God and so keep his Commandments Psal 78.5 6 7. And therefore the grace of God appeared teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly c. looking for the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus therefore St. Peter blessed God that he hath begotten us again to a lively hope or hope of life Syr. 1 Pet. 1.6 2. This doctrine would make us despair if it were expected of us that we should be holy by our own power or by the power of the Law but whereas by the power of the Law sin abounds the grace and power of God much more abounds 'T is true the Law is the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15. but blessed be God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 3. This doctrine would make us despair if holiness were expected of us all at once and all alike but as there are divers degrees and ages in our natural life children young men and old men so likewise in the spiritual life there are divers degrees children young men and old men 1 Joh. 2. which are the same which the School-men aim at when they tell us of incipientes proficientes perfecti which would help to dissolve many a knot were they taken notice of which are handled and confounded altogether in the present Babel As there are divers degrees and ages in our spiritual life so are there proportionable degrees of grace and holiness befitting them 1. The first degree is Fear 2. The second degree is Faith 3. The third degree is Love 4. These were all typified unto us by the parts of the Tabernacle and Temple 1. The Porch that represents unto us the fear of the Lord and is the childrens condition brought up under the Law and under the spirit of fear and bondage and there is a degree of holiness proportionable unto this fear for by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil 2. The second part of the Tabernacle and Temple is the HOLY wherein after the slaying of the sacrifice at the entrance of the HOLY the table of Shew-bread stands ready for the young men who have overcome the evil one and subdued their iniquities through the power of the stronger one and so become in a second degree holy as God is holy and purifie themselves as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 3. The third is the HOLY of HOLIES whereinto Christ hath entered and prepared a way for these old men who have perfected holiness in the fear of God Now they who have made no further progress yet than the very Porch which was the condition of children under the Law they are subject to fear despair and doubt So was David himself Psal 73.3 12. there he confesseth that he was envious at the foolish and wicked men c. he thought God was pleased with wicked men not with holy men yea hence he said he had cleansed himself his heart in vain and washed his hands in innocency Such tumultuous thoughts he had till he went into the sanctuary then he understood the end of those men such an one was Agur Prov. 30. I was saith he more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the Holy Of both these the Wise Man speaks Prov. 9.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom here 's the first then follows the second The knowledge of the HOLY is understanding Now they who have made no further progress than the very first of these to wit they who through fear and awe of the Divine Majesty depart from evil so they sit not down there but endeavour to go on further they ought not to despair non eadem à summo minimoque the Lord expects not the like measure of holiness of all men all at once ye have a notable example 2 Chron. 30.17 20. 1 Joh. 2. Observ 2. All Laws which favour or allow unholiness impurity profaneness c. they are not of God they are ipso facto null they abrogate themselves Observ 1. All violation and breach of the Law is uncleanness sin is defilement uncleanness and unholiness Observ 3. The Law of the Lord is against all sin uncleanness and unholiness Reproves Those who teach or follow a doctrine of liberty or license rather under what specious name soever it be commended unto us Most men are guilty of this for under one specious name or other unholiness and uncleanness is retained among us Some call it Venial Sin Sin then it is and if sin how are they who commit it and allow themselves in it an holy people and observers of the holy Law others call it frailty infirmity or weakness quotidianas incursiones c. I deny not but such there are but under that name all uncleanness Charity covers a multitude of sin but this name of infirmity covers all sins hypocrisie profaneness lying swearing cursing drunkenness whoring stealing c. in a word all uncleanness 2. Reprove us who think too highly of our own holiness as the Pharisees did There is no degree of holiness but will if we watch not well over our own hearts bring with it a degree of spiritual pride Pride is a Vermin that will breed even in the trees of righteousness themselves unless it be wormed out This is the ground of dividing our selves one from another Isai 65.5 Who say stand by thy self come not near me I am holier than thou There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their filthiness from that which comes from within them It is the fault of us all we are too quick-sighted in discerning other mens sins but dark and blind at home which proceeds from pride and self-love 'T is true the holy Law commands us to withdraw our selves from every brother who walks disorderly 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thess 3.6 and therefore the Prophet must not eat nor drink with Jeroboam an idolater 1 King 13.9 But when we observe this holy Law we must take heed that we our selves be not unholy that we our selves be no idolaters neither covetous nor fornicators thus 2 Cor. 6.14 be not unequally yoaked with unbelievers why for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness c. Hast thou the righteousness of God the Light the
meditate on c. And shall we think thou lovest the Law when thou thinkest of it but one day in a week Means Pray to the Lord. Thou art good and doest good O teach me thy statutes Psal 119.68 This discovers the false judgement of evil and lawless men both of things and persons of things they call good evil and evil good they speak evil of things that they know not so of persons Some said of our Lord He is a good man others said he perverteth the people No wise man will esteem himself by the judgement of evil men the Law is the measure of goodness to the Law to the Testimony Let every man prove his own work proving and trying is by a Rule Gal. last NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know that the Law is spiritual THis Epithet or Adjunct of the Law qualifies the inward man The words are considerable 1. in themselves 2. in relation to the former In themselves they contain these two points 1. The Law is spiritual 2. We know that the Law is spiritual 1. The Law signifieth not only the Ceremonial Judicial and Moral Law but all what ever Ordinances Statutes Judgements Commandments Decrees c. have gone forth from the holy God the Law-giver even from the beginning whatever doctrine or institution it 's called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint and our Apostle here render by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law what ever that Law in the latitude and extent of it is it 's spiritual The Spirit is sometime opposed to the flesh letter 1. To the flesh as in the next words so spirit and flesh are opposed as weak and strong Isa 31.3 1 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or weak but mighty through God 2. It 's opposed sometimes to the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made us able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit In both these respects the Law is Spiritual both as Spiritual is opposed to the flesh and as it is opposed to the Letter For our better understanding of this we must know that the Law being our guide and schoolmaster unto Christ hath in it accordingly a letter proportionable to the flesh of Christ and a spirit proportionable to the spirit of Christ And as the letter of the Law so the flesh of Christ tends to the death of sin so the spirit of the Law or the spiritual Law the spirit of Christ tends to the quickning and enlivening of the inward man of God in Jesus Christ according to the spirit for the letter killeth namely sin in the man but the spirit quickneth or giveth life 2 Cor. 3. And as Christ was partaker of flesh and blood that he might die and arise again by the quickning spirit Heb. 2. So the believers in Christ out of the obedience of faith become conformable unto the death of Christ and by the power of his spirit are raised unto newness of life Now that the Law is spiritual appears by manifold proofs such was the Law of Circumcision so expounded by Moses Deut. 10.16 So was the Law of the Passover and was so expounded by St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. so is the whole Ceremonial Law and Judicial also as hath been shewed in part and the Moral Law too which in special is here said to be spiritual this was meant Exod. 32.15 where we read the Tables were written on both their sides on the one side and on the other were they written so was Ezechiel's Roll written within and without Ezech. 2.10 and St. John's Book Rev. 5.1 The outside is the Letter the inside is the Spiritual meaning of it And David is so to be understood when he saith Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy Law is the truth Psal 119.142 for whereas the figurative righteousness of the Ceremonial Law is not a righteousness which lasted for ever but until their types were fulfilled the spiritual and inward righteousness in them and all other Laws that is for ever and thy Law is the truth i. e. it is spiritual for the Spirit is the Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 The reason why the Law is spiritual is considerable 1. Partly in regard of the Law-giver 2. Partly in regard of the object unto whom the Law is given 3. Partly in respect of the end whereat the Law aims in regard of sin to be discovered by the Law 1. In regard of the Law-giver He is a spirit Joh. 4. and he wrote the Law with his finger and gave it unto Moses Ezod 31. he wrote it with his finger i. e. with his spirit as one Evangelist interprets another If I by the spirit of God cast out Devils Matth. 12.28 with St. Luk. 11.20 If I with the finger of God cast out devils Now since God himself is a spirit and will be worshipped according to himself that Law of worshipping whereby the man worships his God must have some proportion unto him and be also spiritual This Law therefore is directed unto the spirit of the man the highest and most noble part of the man which the Lord had made capable of such a Law by breathing into his nostrils the breath of life Gen. 2. and 3. This is necessary in regard of Gods end in giving his Law for as the Platonists themselves could say it is impossible that the man should otherwise live unto his God or understand the mind and will of his God unless he had such a principle imparted to him by the God of life So Paul tells us Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being As the carnal Commandment is needful for the discovery of the carnal sin so the spiritual Law is necessary for the discovery of the spiritual sin since by the Law is the knowledge of sin It was necessary there should be a spiritual Law for the detection of spiritual wickedness in heavenly things yea for the conquest of it for spiritual things whether good or ill they are strong and by how much the more spiritual the more strong the good God would not be wanting to any Since therefore many live according to the flesh and are carnally minded there is a carnal Commandment for them sith others are spiritually minded there is also for them the Law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. This was figured by the Queen of Sheba's coming to Solomon Sheba is in Arabia where the Law was given she came to Solomon to be resolved of her hard questions It was the custom of the East when people met together to propound hard questions in nature not as now when men meet they cannot part without tipling she propounded her hard questions See Georg. Ven. 230. b. 283. a. The Lord came from Sinai and arose up from Seir unto them He came with ten thousands of his Saints from his right hand went a fiery
is false doctrine because it 's strange unto us The Ismaelites thought strange of Gods Commandments Do we obey do we live it do we observe the great things of the Law do we live justly do we love mercy do we walk humbly with our God If we do these things then we shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no and not till then otherwise for men to hear and then to go away and tell other things this or that is strange doctrine and not practise it So long as men are estranged from the life of God they must needs think strange of the will of God Sin estrangeth man from his God We may learn from hence a good Rule not to be too hasty in judging any tenent to be strange Doctrine or Heresie and condemning men as Hereticks until we our selves have made tryal of the Doctrine whether it be of God Most men speak evil of things and persons whom they know not The Jews for this reason rejected Christ Joh. 5. because they had not heard the voice of the Father his Law nor seen his shape and therefore how could they receive the Son and his Doctrine when they rejected the Father and his Doctrine of his Law that ought to precede While we are averse from our God his Law is an enemy unto us and therefore it was ordained after the Fall Gen. 3. Eph. 2. Coloss 2. Dehort Let not the Commandment seem strange unto us It is connatural it is conformable unto the Law of Nature that is born with us Rom. 2. Means Cease from thine own wisdom Those who would have the Law written in their hearts they must not kick against it Moses wrote Deuteronomy he tells us after Sehon King of the Amorites was overcome when rebellion and kicking against the Law when all scoffing and jeering at those who urge and lay the Law to us hath ceased That 's Ogg the King of Basan This Sehon dwelt at Heshbon i. e. in the mans own thoughts and these are they which make us think strange of the Law 't is the word in the Text and the Psalmist useth the very same argument Psal 94.11 The thoughts of men are vain Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Thou hast restrained prayer from the Almighty Job 15.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acquaint now thy self with God and be at peace so good things shall come unto thee Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thy heart Job 22.21 22. This is the way to be acquainted with thy God Isai 1.16 18. and 30.19.64.24 Jer. 33.3 Call upon me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things such as thou knowest not NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VIII 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead will also quicken even your mortal bodies by or because of his spirit that dwelleth in you THe Wise Man moves an Objection concerning Festival Dayes When all the light of every day is from the Sun he answers it himself by the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and appointed feasts some of them hath he made high dayes and hallowed them and some of them hath he made ordinary dayes as the like reason is of men and persons all men are from the ground saith he and Adam was Created of earth he answers the Objection In much knowledge the Lord hath divided them and made their wayes divers Ecclus. 33 7 8 9. As for Festival dayes howsoever the Apostles thought meet to wave and neglect many which the Jews observed according to the Law of Moses yet some they retained as being more mysterious such as are the Passover Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles whereof the first prefigured the Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus the second the giving of the Holy Ghost and the third the Feast of the Lords Nativity For the Prophet Zachary tells us that the Feast of Tabernacles shall be kept and thus Tertullian and divers of the Ancient Fathers understood the Apostle Coloss 2.16 Let no man judge you in meat and drink or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in part of a feast as the word signifies in part of a feast for one part of it was Judaical and Ceremonial and to be abolish'd another part of it Spiritual and Câ—â—istian and to be retained Nor doth this any way thwart what the Apostle writes Rom. 14.5 One man esteems a day above a day but another man esteems every day 5.9 it 's evident that the Apostle speaks of the weak and strong Christian but come we to the words propounded The Apostle having in the seventh Chapter described the condition of a man as yet under the Law which some foully mistake and pittifully abuse as if it were a description of a perfect Regenerate Man when yet nor Christ nor his Spirit are once mentioned throughout all the dispute from the fifth verse to the 25th In the eighth Chapter he deciphers the state of those who are under the Grace of Christ wherein there is no condemnation as who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these the Spirit of Grace works Life and Peace in the inward Man That they may know whether they have Christ and his Spirit in them or not that body in which sin lived reigned and ruled is dead because of sin now dead in it but the Spirit lives in it because of Righteousness received by the Grace of God and living in it Now the Spirit of God which raised up Christ from the dead not only raiseth up the inward Man but the outward also not the Soul only dead in trespasses and sins but the mortal Body also if that Spirit dwell in us which is the purport of the Text and hath accordingly two parts which are the two Divine Axioms which I shall consider in the Text. 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The Spirit of the Father raised up Christ from the dead 2. If the Spirit of Him the Father that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you He who raised up Christ from the dead will quicken even your mortal Bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you 1. The Spirit of the Father raised up Christ from the dead We find the Resurrection of Christ attributed unto the Father and His Spirit often elsewhere in Scripture Acts 2.24 Whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death And again vers 32. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses So Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power accordiâ—g to the Spirit of Holyness by the Resurrection from the dead And Chapt. 6.4 5. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory
departs from his own right only for peace-sake and withall he leaves us this Rule for our learning practice and imitation in our travel toward the Spiritual Land of Canaan to part with our own proper interest for peace sake for as Charity seeks not its own so neither doth Peace which is of equal extent with it A greater than Abraham the Prince of Peace himself for peace sake dispensed with his own Right and wrought a miracle to pay tribute lest he should give offence Matth. 17.27 And that which St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.7 seems reasonable only to such as he himself was a grown peaceable man an Ambassador of peace why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Love seeks not her own That difference between Paul and Barnabas was jurgium not lis in Charity not with breach of Charity and that not so great as our Translation makes it if well looked into like the division of the Sun-beams which immediately come together again and we hear no more of it Now if differences arise between a believer and an unbeliever a son of peace and an unpeaceable man it is lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make use of the Laws which are in force and use that so perverse unpeaceable and refractory spirits which will not be inclined to peace may be forced and bound to it Nor doth this misbeseem a Son of Peace for as his Father is the God of Love and Peace yet is he severe toward unpeaceable men Deut. 20.12 So may his Son be and that without any wrong at all for 't is no injury done to any man to be compelled to be good and just as much as may be by lawful power when of himself he hath no will no inclination to be so The Law was made for the lawless And as he may make use of the Laws so of the Magistrates though unbelievers for even such a Magistrate by Divine Ordination is the Minister of God for thy good Rom. 13. bono defensionis reparationis Thus whereas the Romans of old had enacted a Law That a Freeman of Rome should not be bound or scourged or imprisoned or put to death under a great penalty We find St. Paul making use of this Law against the Magistrates of Philippi and by that means he escaped imprisonment Act. 16.37 38 39. And the same Law he pleads for himself Act. 22. vers 25. and escapes the scourge and when he was in danger of death from the Jews he made good use of this Law by appealing to Caesar Act. 25.10 Nor is there any doubt but when unjust men who pretend Religion go about to muzzle the Oxe that treads out the corn and as much as lies in them to starve him out of his place when they cannot storm him out of it he may no doubt make use of the Laws Nor ought they to take it amiss herein to be accounted unbelievers because they believe not that Precept of the Apostle Render to every one their due c. Owe nothing to any man but to love one another c. But all this while fictis verbis contendimus come we now to enquire 2. Whether it be lawful for a Son of Peace to go to War yea or no It is disputable whether War in the general for a Christian man be lawful yea or no But for our better understanding of this distinguish between Wars Offensive and Defensive Offensive is either 1. for Religion or 2. Civil Causes 1. Offensive War for Religion is utterly unlawful and therefore our Lord sent forth his Disciples unarmed so much as with a staff Matth. 10.10 c. commanded Peter to put up his sword Matth. 26.52 though drawn and used in behalf of Christ himself for Christ's Kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18.36 Object But this perhaps was because as then the Church had no Power so Bellarmine answers in defence of bloodshed procured by his Faction and I wish it were his errour alone but Christ himself had power enough more than twelve Legions of Angels if he had thought fit to have asked his Father Matth. 26.53 He is a God saith Jerubbaal let him strive for himself He is a Spirit and needs not the help of flesh and blood 'T is proper to the Mahumetans not for Christians to propagate Religion with fire and sword But curse ye Meroz Judg. 5. If the Lord shall raise up Deborah and Barach If he shall raise up Christ to be our Captain If the life of Christians falsly so called become generally so debauch'd so Unchristian so Antichristian so Cainish so Cainaiticall why may it not then please God to raise up a Captain who may execute judgement upon such as he did when he sent Josuah to destroy the Canaanites But what mean time have we to do with types and figures the Lord hath made all old things to pass away and all things become new temporal things become spiritual new enemies new weapons Ephes 6. The Ceremonial Temple was shut when Christ was born as Augustus the Emperour shut the Temple of Janus which was wont to be opened in times of War the very year before John the Baptist was born the forerunner of the Prince of Peace as Orosius tells us that the Gospel of Peace might not be hindered but might run and be glorified As it is observed by the Naturalists that while the Halcyon builds her nest at Sea there is alwayes a calm So while Christ builds his Church his Nest where he may lay his young ones and gather them by his Gospel of Peace as an hen her chickens God then vouchsafes peace on earth But not only for Religion but for Civil Causes also Offensive Wars are unlawful He who sheds mans blood Gen. 9. and all they who take the sword shall perish with the sword Matth. 26.52 and Exod. 20. Thou shalt not kill is a Law yet yea explained to be now much more in force than heretofore when even anger is forbidden by our Saviour Matth. 5.22 and hatred it self is accounted by St. John Murder 1 Joh. 3.15 From whence come wars and fightings Jam. 4. And therefore not only outward murder but also hatred variance emulation wrath strife and envying they are reckoned among the works of the flesh Gal. 5. and they who do them shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven vers 21. But this may be understood without provocation but what if one be provoked I know no Reason but that still we persist in the Negative that Vindicative War is not lawful the Rule is general Avenge not your selves for vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord Yet I deny not but that the Magistrate may yea ought to punish Malefactors and lawful it is for Christian men to serve him in execution of Justice provided alwayes that they serve Justice it self and aim at it not at any private and bloody revenge of their own But whether may a Christian
higher Powers Which withal answers an Objection an old Objection which was first made by Judas Galilaeus saith Josephus Antiqu. lib. 18. chap. 1. about the time when our Saviour appeared in the Flesh Therefore they betake themselves to another shift They are Gods People and so free from subjection unto the higher Powers Thus Judas Galileus suggested to the Jews a Revolt from the Romans alledging That the People of God ought not to be subject unto any Forreign Government It ariseth out of the pride of corrupt Nature according to which the Poet speaks Omnes liberi libentius sumus quam servimus This Objection was renewed by the Christians after the Gospel began to be preached as St. Hierom in locum catena and St. Austin affirm because they were called they said to Christian Liberty Gal. 5. And if the Son make ye free then are ye free indeed Joh. 8. Hence it is that our Saviour himself Matth. 22.21 and his Apostles St. Paul here and St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.13 urge obedience unto the higher Powers And I would to God the very same Objection did not leave even to this day a scruple in the minds of such as think themselves and would be accounted by others the most forward Christians Of which because some erre rather out of weakness of Judgment than out of wilfulness I will endeavour to satisfy them thus When Men are said to be called to liberty it is not to be understood as if we were exempt from Government much less called unto licentious libertinism as if we might do even what we list nor is it a liberty from lawful service but a Spiritual liberty a liberty 1. From the Bondage of sin Rom. 8.2 From death the second death the sting and tyranny of it 1 Cor. 5.3 From the Law both Justification by it and the Curse of it Gal. 3.13 4. From fear Both 1. That which is faithless Psal 112.2 And 2. That which is Slavish Rom. 8.15 5. From Jewish Rites and Ceremonies Acts 15.10 From all these servitudes we are called to be the Sons of God Gal. This this is the liberty we are called unto Now a great difference there is between being called to freedom and actually to be made free we are called to this liberty But I appeal unto thee who ever thou art who standest so much upon thy Christian liberty art thou as yet made free from sin Art thou a Servant of righteousness Faulter not nor deceive thine own Soul with distinctions of sin or committing sin All unrighteousness is sin art thou free from all unrighteousness Yea wert thou yet wert thou bound to Civil obedience yea so much the rather for being thus free from sin thou becomest the servant of righteousness in walking in this and other Commandments of thy God nor is this any abatement of thy Christian freedom for he that is such a Servant saith the Apostle is the Lords freeman 1 Cor. 7. Again si tales sumus qui conjuncti Domino sumus unus cum eo Spiritus sumus Domino dicimur esse Subjecti c. If we be such as are adjoined unto the Lord and are one Spirit with him then we are the Lords Subjects saith Rabanus But if thou be not as yet freed from sin and so become one Spirit with the Lord thou hast not so much as a pretence Si communis adhuc anima est in nobis quae habet aliquid hujusce mundi c. As long as we have a life and soul in us that hath any thing to do with the world and worldly business To him the Apostle directs this Precept Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. For saith the same Father the Lord commanded that they who have in themselves the superscription of Caesar should render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars As for St. Peter and St. John they had nothing that they could give unto the Criple For saith he silver and gold I have none c. but he that hath either silver or gold or possessions or any thing to do in this world as he goes on let him hear this Precept Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Nay were it granted that a Man was as free even as Christ himself yet for the avoiding of offence he ought to be subject unto the higher Powers The Children of God saith he are free but lest we should offend them c. Matth. 17.26 27. Go to the Sea and cast in an angle and take the first Fish that commeth up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of silver that take and give it unto them for me and thee He wrought a Miracle that he might pay tribute This I conceive enough to satisfy a reasonable Man but others there are of Chore's race a generation of Rebels who oppose themselves wilfully against the higher Powers they have a spleen against Authority and misconstrue and mis-interpret all the proceedings of it repugne and disobey it in the Commands of it These are the Men ye shall commonly hear inveighing bitterly against the Governours and in these Halcyon these peaceable dayes complaining and crying out of the times when to the wonderment and astonishment of all but our selves we sit quiet and still in the midst of all the storms secure and at peace in the midst of the wars tumults and combustions of the world swimming in blood round about us Men say Miracles are ceased but this seems one and a principal one and to be ascribed next under the highest Powers goodness and wisdom of the God of order to the prudence bounty and ability of our higher Powers But what is there in the World so sacred so eminent so holy these Men will not blaspheme and slander and that I tremble to speak it under pretence of Religion and Gods cause They cry out That the Kingdom that the Church is ill governed that all things are out of order just like drunken Men they think the house turns round and is ready to fall that the Church and Commonwealth is disordered and turned upside down When alas it is their own giddiness they are drunk they are drunk Such are they who cry out Persecution when they are buffeted only for their faults who jear other Men under the names of Formal and Canonical that is such as live according to the Law and rule prescribed them as if it were a fault so to do Good God! how great is their disobedience who think it a shame and reproach to be obedient What else I beseech you do these Men but profess that they are the Men whom the Apostle speaks of Who are not afraid to speak evil of dignities St. Paul describes them right and this their time and the power of darkness Men lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemous disobedient unthankful unholy c. Traytors heady high minded having a form of godliness but denying the power of it 2 Tim. 3. Unless St. Peter
That we ought to suffer with him 1. Christ is the Lamb slain from the beginning Rev. 13. It is evident we are not able before Regeneration to think speak do any thing that is good when therefore we crucifie good thoughts purposes intentions before Regeneration what else do we but crucifie Christ himself in us 2. Frangendum corpus peccati The body of sin is to be broken Effundendus sanguis vitae pristinae The blood of our former life is to be poured out Mourn for the affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 Consider 1 Sam. 22.1 2 3. What is the meaning of the Cave and who went into it after him but miserable men and men in debt and whom doth he invite else Matth. 11. There are two questions of great moment 1. What have I done the Prophet complains of this Jer. 8.6 2. What shall I do of this Paul Act. 9. the Jaylor Act. 16.30 the multitude Act. 2.37 Means Pray to the Lord to light our candle and set it on our head Job 29.3 Psal 18.28 2. To try us himself Psal 139.23 24. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. I have spoken heretofore of these words which as then I might have told you had a double consideration 1. Absolute Let a man examine himself 2. With a note of distinction or diversity in respect of the words before But let a man examine himself In the Verse before the Apostle had told the Corinthians the danger of unworthy Receiving which that it might not seem a discouragement in the words of the Text he prescribes a means for the due and worthy Receiving of it He that eats But let a man c. Observ 1. The nature of sin is here compared to dross that it 's incorporate with metals as elsewhere the Holy Ghost compares it to dust to stubble Psal 119.119 Prov. 25.4 See Notes on Jam. 1. Jer. 6.28 Ezech. 22.18 Observ 2. As there is dross in us to be consumed so is there something as precious yea more precious than Gold that is tryed 1 Pet. 6.7 See Notes in verba supra Therefore is Christ called the Remnant which is left after all unless the Lord of hosts had left us a Remnant a Seed Rom. 9. the Balsamum Naturale when all the chaff and husk is consumed that brings all to life again as Isai 1.25 26 27. that is thus is Jesus Christ our hope spes in ima pixidis hope in the bottom of the box Observ 3. Because the Sacrament is compared to meat and drink it 's often to be Received See Notes on 1 Cor. 10. Repreh 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so who quarrel about the way of trying some conceive that unless others try us we are not fit guests for the Lords Table The Mistriss of the house bid her Maids sweep the house Wisdom hath her maids Prov. 9. she knows that will not dwell in a body that is subject unto sin Repreh 2. Who measure and try themselves by themselves the Scripture saith such are not wise Repreh 3. Who try themselves by the Opinions of others it 's possible to deceive all Examiners Repreh 4. Who try themselves by Scripture but wrested to their own sense who examine themselves by the end of the Sacrament remembrance of Christ's death not the imitation of it Means of tryal the fire of the Spirit that which hath been tryed by the fire is approved 1. Such is the fire of the Spirit 2. The Word Psal 119.140 Let him eat of that bread Bread is either Natural Food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Spiritual and that either 1. Good and wholesom such as strengthens the inward man Prov. 9.5 Or 2. Hurtful and destructive unto it Prov. 4.17 The outward and natural food is not here understood as all agree for since it is a Sacrament what is visible is representative and significative of some thing invisible as the outward and natural both bread and wine signifie something inward answering to both what those are all agree to be the body and blood of Christ Now what body that is which we eat what blood that is which we drink is a very great question in the Church of Christ and not determined only the most agree that the natural body of Christ which suffered on the Cross and the blood then shed is that which is here understood But how we eat that body and how we drink that blood the great Disputers of the world fall asunder into Three Parties according to their several Opinions 1. Some say that the outward Elements of Bread and Wine are really changed into the body and blood of Christ which we must believe to be so though we see the colours smell the scent taste the relish of the outward elements this they call Transubstantiation 2. Others say that in under with or together with the outward elements of Bread and Wine the body and blood of Christ is eaten and drunk and this is called Consubstantiation But this if well considered overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament 3. A third sort are they who understand as both the former do the natural body and blood of Christ but received both by Faith But the Question is not de Modo but de Objecto not touching the manner how the body and blood of Christ is received but concerning the body and blood it self whether natural or spiritual and mystical and such as is truly called spiritual meat and spiritual drink When our Lord Jesus had treated at large of his body and flesh and blood the eating of the one and drinking of the other and some said how can this man give us his flesh to eat Joh. 6.52 These three divided Parties answer that question 1. The first by Transubstantiation 2. The second by Consubstantiation 3. The other by Faith If the Natural Body of Christ Crucified be here understood then surely the Capernabites were in the right it was to be eaten bodily and his blood bodily drunk As spiritual things are spiritually received and not otherwise if therefore the Natural Body of Christ were here understood it must be received according to its nature bodily Therefore our Lord perceived the gross mistake of the Capernahites as elsewhere they understood him Joh. 2.19 and 3.4 that which all these three take for granted our Saviour expresly denies all these suppose the natural body to be that which is fed upon Our Lord tells them and us if we will believe him that the flesh profiteth nothing he speaks of his own flesh of which they made mention The words saith he which I speak they are Spirit and they are Life Doth the flesh profit nothing did not Christ suffer for us in the flesh did he not by his death pay an inestimable price for our Redemption from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Hebr. 9.27 28. Did he not by his holy Life in the flesh as also by his death leave us an example Is not the death of Christ necessary for the
17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old things are past away behold all things are become new THese words I shall first consider in themselves then as they contain the characters and marks of the New Creature 1. Let us consider them in themselves and so they contain these truths 1. Old things are passed away 2. All things are become New 3. Behold all things are become New 1. Old things are past away In the language of the Scripture old things are not alwayes evil nor are new things alwayes good but sometimes the contrary But for our more distinct and orderly proceeding Old things are of three sorts either 1. In themselves truly good as the fountain of all good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himself the antient of dayes the old way Ask for the old paths where is the good way Jer. 6.16 The old Commandment which is the new Commandment 1 Joh. 2.7 8. The old and perfect age of Christ Ephes 4.13 These old things are in themselves truly good 2. Others there are as truly evil as the old corrupt understanding will and affections which the Scripture calls the old man Ephes 4.22 old sins 2 Pet. 19. 3. A third sort of old things there are of a middle and indifferent nature in themselves such as the Spirit of God makes use of thereby to signifie the other two old things good and evil Of these consist the whole Ceremonial Law and Levitical Service and of the same nature are all forms of godliness in the Christian Church whether of the Popish Religion or the Reformed or of what kind soever The two latter kind of old things are here to be understood viz. the Ceremonial and Moral old things because these two not the other properly can be said to wax old and therefore ready to vanish away as the Apostle argues Hebr. 8. last for so we read that a New Creature is opposed to Circumcision whereby the rest of the Ceremonial Law was to be understood Gal. 5.6 and 6.15 And the former things which are here the old things are death and sorrow and crying and pain i. e. sin and the effects of sin and opposed to new things Rev. 21.4 5. Vetera saith Anselm i. e. veteris hominis vitia the sins or vices of the old man of sin And these two Ceremonial and Moral old things are said to pass away The Greek word here used to pass away is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it notes a time undetermined whereby the Septuagint render such words in the Hebrew as signifie the passing away of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 8.20 The harvest is passed the summer is ended and we are not saved 2. Change of things in time Psal 90.5 As soon as thou scatterest them they are as asleep and they fade away like the grass 3. The passing away of a Kingdom Dan. 4.28 Thy kingdom is passed away from thee 4. The abolishing and annulling of the Law of the Kingdom Dan. 6.6 12. The Law of the Medes and Persians altereth not or passeth not away And according to these four acceptions the word may here be understood I shall speak first of the Ceremonial old things and shew how they pass away then of the Moral old things 1. The Ceremonial old things pass away as the time passeth whence it is that Ceremonia hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time or season because the Ceremonies were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained to continue only for a time Thus the Tabernacle was a figure for the time then present Hebr. 9.9 And when we read Exod. 29.9 That the Priest-hood should be Aarons and his Sons by a statute for ever that the nature and manner of offering the Passover and the Sacrifices the Sabbath the New Moons and Feasts should continue by a statute for ever We understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn for ever to be meant of a certain time which should have the period or end either with the Jubilee of the Jews or with the coming of the Messiah which therefore is called the fulness of time Gal. 4.4 2. Because a change of things was then made and it 's called a time of Reformation Hebr. 9.9 10. 3. There was a change of the Ceremonial Kingdom Hagg. 2.6.7 Yet a little while and I will shake the heaven and the earth c. and the desire of all Nations shall come explained Hebr. 12.26 27 28. where the kingdom shaken is opposed to the kingdom that cannot be shaken The Rulers of the Jews were the Princes of this world 1 Cor. 2.8 4. The Law of the Ceremonial old things passeth away Hebr. 7.12 The Priest-hood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law And thus ye see how Ceremonial old things pass away The Reason why the Ceremonial old things pass away is considerable 1. In respect of themselves 2. In regard of their ends 3. In regard of God who ordained them for these ends 1. In respect of themselves They are in their own nature temporary and transitory and so subject unto change and alteration God alone being immutable and unchangeable 2. In regard of their ends they are sometime called shadows sometime rudiments or elements 1. They are called shadows because they served covertly to represent unto us new spiritual and heavenly things Col. 2.17 Let no man judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ 2. They are the rudiments and elements of the world the first Lessons which the Jews considered and as children learnt under the Law their Schoolmaster until the coming of Christ the old name Josh 15.15 Ciriath Sepher civitas literarum oldness of the letter Rom. 7.6 It is the Apostles Metaphor Gal. 4.1 4. Josh 15.15 Rom. 7.6 But weak and beggerly elements they are such as are fit only for children vers 9. 1. They are weak and therefore called Carnal Ordinances Hebr. 9.10 so flesh and spirit are opposed as strong and weak Isai 31.3 And therefore there is a disanulling of the Commandments going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof Hebr. 7.18 As a Child upon a standing-stool and the Mothers hand and other things to help him to stand and go and a lame man stilts so the weak Child brought up under the Law and fallen lame man useth the help of the Ceremonial old things but being strong in Christ he casts away his crutches Gal. 4. 2. They are wanting and beggarly such as have nothing in themselves but borrow all their power and efficacy from the things they signifie so garments convey not heat unto the body but receive heat from it David being cold himself though covered with cloaths yet got not heat 2 King 1. As signs are empty things yea nothing without the thing they signifie Thus Circumcision in
measures or Ages Childhood Youth or old Age as hath been shewn which of these three would our Apostle have to be formed in the Galatians certainly not the childhood or infancy of Christ that 's implyed to be formed in them when he calls them Little Children No no it was the perfect growth and age of Christ as much as can be attained unto in this life that the Apostle longed for and travelled in birth till Christ was so formed in them But because ab extremo ad extremum non pervenitur nisi per medium and of necessity we must be young before we be old howsoever our Apostle here primarily intend the man-age or perfect age of Christ to be formed in the Galatians yet must the young mans age preceding that old age here also be necessarily implyed and understood We must know therefore wherein principally both these consist what it is for Christ to be formed in the Galatians according to Youth or Old Age. 1. According to the Youth or young age Christ is formed in believers when these Children of light receive a greater measure of light from the Father of Lights and these weaklings receive a greater measure of strength from the Father Almighty than they had before in their Childhood and these two light and strength ye have sometime separate and apart in Scripture and sometime joyntly set down 1. Separate and apart so in Isa 2. which all men understand of Christ's Kingdom vers 5. Christ is called the light of the Lord and Isa 9. our first lesson on his birth day the great light which place the Evangelist quotes to that purpose Matth. 4.13 and interprets it of Christ That it might be fulfilled saith he which was spoken by Isaias the Prophet the people which sate in darkness saw a great light The Law was a light Prov. 6.23 unto children brought up under it Gal. 4. but Christ a great light unto those that are past a child To them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up Light was sown before for the Righteous Psal 97. but now it was sprung up 2. They receive a greater measure of strength for those who were before but babes in Christ and weaklings with Christ as St. Paul speaks in these Christ liveth by the power of God 2 Cor. 13. beside many such like testimonies to be understood of Christ in this Age Psal 71 17-89 But the most pregnant that I know and fittest for this purpose is Psal 110. which our Saviour expounds of himself Matth. 22.44 There the Psalmist calls the time of Christ's youth the day of his power the words are remarkable and well turned by our Translators vers 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power thou hast the dew of thy youth 2. Because light and strength are Vertues issuing out of him at once into those in whom he is formed ye have them both also joyntly set down Thou art the God of my strength O send out thy light Psal 43.2 and the Lord is a sun and a shield Psal 84.11 the horn or strength of David and the lamp or light of Gods anointed Psal 132.17 which old Zachary understood of Christ Luk. 1.69 The Apostle makes all plain 1 Cor. 1.24 Jesus Christ saith he is the power of God and the wisdom of God This light and strength are sometimes contracted and artificially woven into one phrase so in Psal 19. which St. Paul quotes for the preaching of Christ Rom. 10. Christ is called the Sun which is likened to a Giant or strong man to run his course and he appears to John as the Sun shining in his strength Apoc. 1.16 St. Paul coucheth both as closely Rom. 13.12 Put on saith he the armour of light what 's that lest we should mistake him he tells us what he means vers 14. Put on saith he the Lord Jesus Christ Having brought this light and strength or the strength of this light into so narrow a room and as it were contracted the beams of the Sun of Righteousness unto a Cone ye may look for some effects of both in us This light therefore reproves and guides believers 1. It reproves them for whatsoever is reproved is reproved by the light wherefore Vbi clarum manè fenestras intrat when the light enters the sluggards windows it rouzeth him and saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light And it reproves them of a twofold darkness 1. of Errour 1 Pet. 2.25 2. of Ignorance and that 1. meerly privative as that of the two Disciples Luk. 24. 2. wayward and untoward as that of the Athenians Act. 17.27 2. It guides believers also into the wayes of life for this was that light which led the Israelites according to the flesh thorough the wilderness into the Land of Promise and the very same which God thereby typically promised should lead his Israel according to the Spirit through the wilderness of this world into the heavenly Canaan And in express terms He that hath mercy on them shall lead them and by the springs of water the water of life shall he guide them Isa 49.10 for the performance of the promise saith old Zachary and thorough the same tender mercies of our God Christ the day spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the wayes of peace Luk. 1.78 79. The power and strength of Christ in believers is seen both in the deliverance of them from enemies and enabling them to do the will of God as Nehemiah furnished his workmen both with swords to fight and with tools to build The power of Christ in the deliverance of them from enemies is exercised about the enemies of believers and about believers themselves The enemies of believers are Sin Condemnation Hell Death Satan set down in Scripture as Military Forces are in History sometimes their Captains sometimes his Army named and sometimes both all these the power of Christ the Captain of our Salvation overcomes binds disarms spoils and kills in us thus he breaks in us the Serpents head Gen. 3. Thus he treads Satan under the Saints feet Rom. 16. Thus the stronger man enters the strong mans house binds him and takes away his armour from him wherein he trusted Luk. 11.22 Thus he spoils principalities and powers and triumphs over them all Col. 2.15 Thus he becomes the death of death it self and all this is the power of Christs death in us for he triumphs over all his enemies in his Cross Col. 2.15 For whereas the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the Devil This Divine Power is exercised about believers themselves loosing these children from the bands of Satan in whose hearts he had bound up foolishness
put him to an open shame And when the people hear his word and call him their Lord and King yet do not that which he commands them what do they else but crown him with thorns and put a reed in his hand unless they make him a Lord of misrule that will allow them to do what they list And when they bow the knee and uncover their head at his name yet are wilfully disobedient what do they else but deride and mock him as the strangers did and trample under foot the Son of God We pitty St. Peter who denyed his Lord and we would not have done it had we heen in his case no not we but in our works we deny him which is far worse if our Apostle reason right Tit. 1. But to be a Judas to have betrayed our Lord with a kiss and made sale of him who among us that tenders his own reputation would not think it a better report to have had his end Yet what do we else but betray our Lord with a kiss when in praying and praising and singing and preaching we draw near unto him with our lips but our hearts are far from him And I appeal unto thee Merchant Tradesman or other when there stands but a lie between thee and a good commodity dost thou not think it a cheap penny-worth and dost thou not then sell thy Lord He is the Truth and that for a little gain perhaps for less than one of his thirty pieces a goodly price we value our Lord Truth at when we pass him away for a trifle when we transgress for a piece of bread as if the Truth were of all other the cheapest commodity that 's bought or sould And when we contemn the present Grace of Christ when we resist and oppose a known Truth what do we else but spit in Christ's face blindfold him and buffet him But what are these wounds in thine hands These are they wherewith I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13. And who are they that monopolize the friendship of Christ but those weak ones in Religion who would be thought the strongest men and stoutest professors of it These these are his friends who pierce his hands i. e. enfeeble his power cornua in manibus ejus c. He had borns in his hands and there is the hidings of his power saith the Prophet Habakuck 3.4 These hands they pierce who have a form of godliness but deny the power of it 2 Tim. 3.5 And of all Sects in the Christian World these are the men who most of all upbraid others with this place yet are they the men who of all others most pretend infirmity and weakness and that in this day of Christ's Power Psal 110. And what do the rich and voluptuous but put to death the Author of Life Ye have lived in pleasure and been wanton saith St. James Jam. 6. ye have condemned and killed the just one i. e. the Lord Jesus saith venerable Bede Oecumenius and the interlineary Gloss and he mean time doth not resist you Thus he is oppressed and he is afflicted yet he opens not his mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before the shearers is dumb so opened not he his mouth Esay 53. but even unto this death this painful tedious ignominious execrable death He became obedient even to the death of the cross If we desire a Reason more proper to this point 't was that he might shew us in how base esteem we have had the Truth the Wisdom and the Righteousness of God saith Lactantius Institut libr. 4. cap. 36. How we have accounted the life of Christ madness and the end of it without honour Such such hath been his repute always in the world He was dispised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not yet 't was that he might sanctifie us that he suffered without the gate Heb. 13.12 That he might redeem us from the curse of the Law that he became a curse for us Gal. 3. 'T was that no man no not the basest of men should be excluded from the benefit of his death 'T was that he might draw all men unto him that he was thus lifted up The cause of these and all what ere he did and suffered is the Love the great Love of Christ wherewith he loved us and gave himself for us For so he seems really and in effect which is the truest word to speak to every one of us from off his Cross Behold O man what I suffer for thy sake Lo I have disrobed my self of mine Honour my Majesty and Glory and taken upon me thy flesh the rags of thine humanity and all the weaknesses and frailties of it all the basest conditions of it I have been apprehended like a thief accused spit on blind-folded buffeted derided stript scourged and all for thee I have been accounted a Worm and no Man the very shame of men and outcast of the people a mad man one that had a Devil not only sinful not only the worst of sinners but even sin it self for thy sake I have taken a body for this end that I might die for thee and which is yet worse than death I am suffering the torments of a painful tedious ignominious accursed death upon the Cross for thee Behold all that pass by and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Yet is not the sorrow of my Passion which thou seest equall to that which thou seest not of my compassion for thee I am forsaken of my Friends of Angels of Men of my Disciples of my God and Father and left forlorn desolate and exposed unto the malice and temptation of the Devil and all wicked Spirits And all this as it proves for malicious and graceless men for mine enemies for an unthankful world which makes no other use of my sufferings but as of a cloke to cover their wiekedness withall and to hide themselves as they think from the eyes of Omnisciency Lo I am become a man of sorrows that I may lead thee through sorrow into joy I am exposed to the power of darkness that I may bring thee from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God I am now dying for thee that thou by a like death mayst enjoy the everlasting life yea I endure a shameful and accursed death for thee that I may lead thee from shame to glory from a curse unto a blessing I have left all and am left of all for thy sake and oughtest not thou to leave all for my sake I have left whatever is in this world good and delightful for thy sake And oughtest not thou to leave all whatever is evil however it seem to thee good and delightful for my sake yea for thy own sake shall I not see the travel of my soul Thus thus the Son of
is a good proof that Christ obtained a more excellent name than the Angels 2. The second promise He shall be to me a Son Either first the Dutifulness of the Son that he should perform unto his Father and so the words are a prediction of what the Father foresaw would ensue for the future as it hath in all times past Or secondly The words may be understood of the Dignity which the Father designed upon his Son and so the words are promissory and obligatory 1. If we take the words in the former notion they will afford us thus much from the rule of relation 1. That there is an eternal Filiation or Sonship in the Son as well as an eternal Paternity and Fatherhood in the Father 2. The Father loves not the Son without cause or desert for he is worthy of all the Love that the Father can bestow upon him which yet is eternal and infinite 3. Filial disposition and carriage towards God is a thing the Father takes great delight joy and comfort in 4. Though the Angels are Sons and loving Sons of God yet they fall infinitely short of Christ in their love and observance towards God because their being is limited and bounded within a finite compass so they cannot operate and act but according to the strength and activity of that limited being whereas Christs Being is infinite so his love c. 2. He shall be respected by me as a Son Hence observe first what an Honourable Service it is to serve and follow this Son 2. What an happy condition they are in who attain the Honour and Dignity of being reputed the Sons and Daughters of this dearly beloved Son What a wisdom is there to be found Christ what a world of peace riches glory to be found in his Kingdom when as there was so much of these found in Solomon the shadow of this body Consol Believers are the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus God is to them and promiseth to be to them a Father if they demean themselves obediently filially c. 2 Cor. 6. Will he not then provide for his Children It 's an ill Father provides not for his Children his obedient Children Yea evil Fathers do provide for them If ye being evil know to do good how much more your heavenly Father Two things naturally Parents seem by a tye of Nature to owe unto their Children Nurture Nourishment And these Two the Lord promiseth unto his Children by Adoption and Grace and these two are extreamly necessary in these perillous times 1. Nurture I will teach thee in the way that thou shouldest chuse Psal 32.2 Nourishment The young Lions lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Come ye Children hearken unto me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord Psal 34.10 11. Yea to vouchsafe his temporal blessings unto the Children of Satan The highest God is kind to the unthankful and to the evil Luk. 6.35 Idolaters and wicked men Act. 14.17 He doth them good giving them rain from heaven and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness It 's a large promise Hebr. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will never forsake thee Hath he promised to be thy Father yet doubtest thou of his fatherly providence toward thee he gives food to wicked men how much more will he give meat to them that fear him He feeds the Ravens If there be any want on thy Fathers part it must be because thy Father knows not thy wants but he knows that thou hast need of all these things Or else he hears not thy prayers for supply of thy wants Yes that he does and that not only when thou prayest Psal 34.15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers but before they betray their wants in their prayers Isai 65.24 yea before thou knowest what to pray for for we know not what to pray for as we ought c. Rom. 8.26 What then Is he not willing to supply them Questionless he is sutably affected unto his own body what else mean all his promises If ye that are evil c. then the defect must be in his power but how can that be for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the All sufficient God having sufficiency of all good things and all Right and Authority to bestow them as being Lord of Heaven and Earth and having all power to conquer all difficulties which may hinder the supply of all his Childrens wants surely the defect lies not on Gods part Dost thou believe all this that God knows all thy wants c. yet doubtest of his Fatherly Providence toward thee 't is evident the defect lies on thy part thou art modicae Fidei But it 's much to be feared thou fanciest thy self to have a fond Father and so provest not thy self an obedient Son Our Father brought up our Elder Brother Jesus Christ in hardship in labour in temptations in afflictions Though a Son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered and bringing many Sons to Glory he made the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings Hebr. 2.10 wisdom leads her Children through crooked wayes will he deal so severely with his own Natural Son and will he make fondlings and cossets of his Adopted Sons Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee These latter words are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendring a reason of the former and therefore have a twofold consideration 1. Absolute 2. Relative of the Absolute I have spoken the Relative is this Because I have begotten thee therefore thou art my Son And this twofold as the former 1. Because I begat thee 2. Because I begat thee like my self A Day begotten of the Ancient of dayes 1. Thou art my Son because I have begotten thee The Reason of this is considerable from that Right which a Father hath in his Son Hence we see the ground of that which the Lawyers call Patria Potestas the Fathers Authority over his Children it hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Idea and Pattern of it in God himself The Lord himself reasons so Thou art my Son why because I have begotten thee This is the reason why the Lawyers call this Power Sacra Potestas Sacred and Holy and Divina Potestas as being confirmed by the Laws both of God and Men. Yea the Authority of the Father over his Son is so great that Josephus and other of the Jews reckon the fifth Commandment in the first Table as a part of our duty towards God a Law indispensible by any Religion To honour our Father is a Law above other seeming honour given to God But he that hates not Father and Mother c. cannot be my Disciple Christs Doctrine doth not annul or make void the Law but establisheth the Law But what if Father and Mother be Idolaters then we may put them to death c. Deut.
us Admit Christ to sit in his throne and take possession of thee and he will admit thee to sit with him in his Throne What though we be weak yet we have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted like as we are Let us therefore come with boldness unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need He is able to save for evermore he ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 Lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us and run with patience i. e. the Cross of Christ unto the race that is set before us Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was se◠before him endured the cross despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Be of good courage Joh. 16. ult Christ hath overcome the world and he will enable thee to overcome it He hath raised up the Lord and he will raise us up by his own power 1 Cor. 6.17 Yea and make us sit together in heavenly things in Christ Ephes 2.6 He bringeth low and lifteth up he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory 1 Sam. 2.8 More NOTES on HEBREWS I. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom WHerein observe 1. Christ hath a kingdom 2. Christ hath a Scepter of his Kingdom 3. That Scepter is a Scepter◠equity 1. What is a Kingdom See Notes on Jerem. 23.5 2. What the Scepter of that Kingdom is 1. The original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth properly a rod or staff growing out of the root body or branch of a tree 2. Because tribes were wont to be distingushed by such staves Numb 1.17 1 2 3. it 's taken for a tribe or family Gen. 45. All the tribes of Israel are twelve which proceeded from Jacob as so many branches from the same stock Numb 1.4 3. Because all tribes and families proceeding from one stock had one common Governour it s taken for the Governour and Government it self whereof it is the sign 1. 'T is taken for the Governour The Scepter shall not be taken from Juda. The LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prince Thus what we read 2 Sam. 7.7 Spake I a word with any of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tribes of Israel For which we have 1 Chron. 17.6 Spake I a word to any of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judges of Israel 'T is used also for the government it self So Esay 10.5 Ashur the rod of mine anger Esay 14.5 The Lord hath broken the scepter the Chaldee turneth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power Zach. 10. ult The scepter of Egypt i. e. the Dominion Chald. Paraphr The same word is used for a shepherds staff or hook wherewithal he governs his flock as a King governs his people Christ hath a Scepter it is insigne principatus a sign and token of soveraignty and authority and is sometime taken for the Authority it self Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus the Princes of Israel had their staves or scepters the word is the same Numb 21.18 The princes dig'd the well the nobles of the people dig'd it with their staves or scepters The prince of Moab had a strong staff or scepter Jer. 48.17 how is the strong staff broken and the beautiful rod Christ hath a Scepter of Grace and Clemency Esth 4.12 Of Severity and Judgement Psal 2. Revel 12. Why hath he a Scepter God the Father who hath invested him and honoured him with Soveraignty and Authority He in Wisdom strengthens him and arms him with a Scepter which is his Power and Dominion There is not any Authority established in any Commonwealth but it hath a certain power annexed unto it otherwise the authority it self would become contemptible and be despised ye know the fable of the frogs desiring a King If therefore Christ our Lord hath Soveraignty and Authority He must also have a Scepter Power Dominion and Strength to keep and vindicate his Soveraignty from contempt The Lord God the Father therefore having given a throne unto Jesus Christ Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Chald. his word sit thou on my right hand c. there 's his Throne then follows his Scepter The Lord will send out of Sion the rod or scepter of thy strength Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies the rod or scepter i. e. the powerful word of thy Kingdom If we now enquire what special word this is which is the Scepter of Christ What is it else but the word of his patience as the Angel calls it Revel 3.10 i. e. the word of his Cross whereby he subdues all things unto himself So the Kingdom of Christ is joyned with patience Revel 1.9 I John your Brother and companion in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Observ 1. This discovers the Soveraignty Authority and Dominion of Jesus Christ All power is given unto him in Heaven and earth Observ 2. Jesus Christ is the true Messiah proved undeniably against all Jews and Judaically minded men The Scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh i. e. the Son of God Chald. the Messiah come Christ being now born in the flesh the Scepter departed from the Macchabean race and passed to Herod an Edomite Repreh This makes for the terrour of ungodly men the Rebels against Christ's Kingdom who oppose his Government and slight his Authority and Dominion over them What else do we more or less all of us Beloved when we neglect his known commands the Edicts and Decrees of the greatest King I say unto you saith the only Potentate whosoever is angry with his Brother shall be in danger of the Judgment yet who regards the power of this Kings anger so far as to curb and check his own I say unto you love your enemies c. I say unto you swear not at all Who if himself swear not hears not dayly oaths and curses and blasphemies even against the King of Heaven and earth and yet is silent Who regards the power and Dominion of this King who is perswaded that he hath a Scepter Judge not that ye be not judged yet who judgeth not his Brother Be not drunk with wine c. Yet maugre all those Edicts from the most potent King we dare do or leave undone any thing contrary to what he either commands or forbids How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the Lords anointed To tread under foot the Son of God The Laws of all nations have made it treason and punish with death any plot or design against the person of the Prince Our thoughts words and deeds our tongue and our doings are
against the great King yet who fears his wrath who stands in aw of his Scepter Would we dare thus to transgress were we perswaded indeed that he had a Scepter We put a Reed in his hand as the Soldiers did Matth. 27. O Beloved let us not weary the patience of our Lord Jesus Christ The time is coming yea now is when he shews himself to be a King yea a King deeply provoked and since we will not submit unto his golden Scepter his Scepter of Grace and Clemency which he hath long extended and held out to us we shall feel the weight of his Iron Scepter his Rod of Iron whereby he rules the nations and will break in pieces Heathenish men one upon another Revel 5. Yea the Kings of the earth themselves shall hide themselves from the fury of the Lamb laesâ patientiâ fit furor his golden Scepter of patience being despised proves an Iron Rod of severity and wrath Consol Unto the Subjects of Christs Kingdom who stand before his Throne who submit themselves unto his Scepter who are the Sheep of his Fold what if the ravening wolves would rend the flock What may we think better of all these who persecute the flock of Christ The Lord is my Shepherd I shall lack nothing Virga tua baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt What if the black mouth'd Dogs bark It is their nature Dogs will bark Vide Notes before on Hebr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember what contradictions of sinners the King Christ hath suffered against himself Fear not little flock it is your Heavenly Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom What Subjects faithful to their Prince may not promise themselves protection from him Exhort To submit unto the Scepter of Jesus Christ to be corrected and directed by him his Scepter is a Scepter of Rectitude Let us conform our lives obediently unto his Scepter one principal rule of equity is that which this King gives Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets which the great King commands also under the Gospel Matth. 7.12 A most excellent Law of equity whereby to try whether we be obedient unto his Law or no it concerns every man to look into himself otherwise he violates the Law Prophets and Gospel and is not subject unto Christ's Scepter of equity Try then thy self when thou art about to do injury to thy neighbour would I be robbed and spoiled of what I have Surely no and shall I then steal and rob another God forbid Would I be slandered reproached reviled c Doubtless no man could wish so to be though the true Christian man can bear all these things If I would not be so dealt withal my self why should I so deal with another And so of all the rest If black mouthed men had but so much equity as to reflect upon themselves and thus make themselves the judges of their own actions no injury would be done unto our neighbour but we should all be subject unto the right Scepter of Jesus Christ and the great King would be pleased with his Subjects Oh let us humble our selves before him We have used outward Humiliations prayed and fasted made Vows and Coâ—enants yet the sin remains yet the anger of the Lord is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still It is much to be feared we have not asked in faith we have not been inwardly submitted and humbled before our Lord and King we have been Vashti not Esther what 's that we have been double minded that 's Vashti A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways he that wavers is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed and let not such an one think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1. Oh let that Vashti be deposed that double minded and let Esther make her address unto the Throne of Grace Esther What is she the hidden Church the invisible Church the hidden man of the heart Esther was poor and abject without Father and Mother Esth 2.7 brought up by Mordecai the bitter contrition of the Law so the hidden Church is without Father and Mother He that forsakes not Father and Mother c. Esther had no Father nor Mother She forsook her own people and her Fathers house Luke 14.26 then the King took pleasure in her beauty 'T is the eleventh Verse of the the five and fortieth Psalm out of which this Text is taken The King Ahasuerus i. e. the Prince or Head as Christ is truly called the head of his Church This great Ahasuerus the head of his Church lifts up this poor Orphan this Beggar from the Dunghil to set her among Princes to make her inherit the throne of Glory Thus Esther is come to the Kingdom for such a time as this Esther 4.14 When Haman hath gotten a Decree against her people Haman who is that turbans tumultuans the troubler of Israel that 's every ones bosom sin that 's the true Haman Oh let Esther the hidden Church the hidden man of the heeart the Jew within Rom. 2. She that is all glorious within Oh let that Esther now bestir her self let her now come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace what if there be a Law that none must come within the inner Court that is not called lest he be put to death She is dead already and therefore not under the Law but meer Grace and the great King holds out his golden Scepter that she may live Oh let not such fear but their Petitions will be granted What wilt thou Queen Esther and what is thy request It shall be even given thee to the half of the Kingdom yea it is your Heavenly Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom O let such mediate and intercede with the great King for power and authority from him to reverse the Decree that Haman may be crucified and all the true Jews enemies destroyed and the people of Esther even the Lords secret and hidden ones as the Psalmist calls them may be preserved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There remains only the quality of this Scepter it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Psalm whence the Text is taken Psalm 45.7 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth straight and right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore is straightness and rectitude as a line is said to be straight between two terms this is Geometrical rectitude and straightness whence the word by Metaphor is used to signifie the rectitude in life and manners conform to the will of God which we call equity and that in two respects In regard of 1. God in two ways 2. Men. A right line is that which inclines and bends to neither part but lies straight between the terms so equity is that which keeps the middle between two vices and inclines to neither such a phrase meets us often in
the Lord Jesus hath taken part of flesh and blood he cannot be hid The night is far spent unto these and the day draws near c. Rom. 13.12 These are of the day The day will appear at a little hole even a child is known by his doing whether his work be perfect Prov. The light is the light of men As ye have heard of a new Christmas so of a New-years-day 1. A Christmas taking part of our flesh and blood giving us a suffering spirit an heart of flesh a suffering mind himself suffering of us and by us by reason of our sins rather suffering death in us than consent to the sin with us suffering with us in all our afflictions afflicted with us condoling with us Christ speaking in us delivering his Oracles in us Christ praying in us praising God in us Kiriath-Sepher smitten Debir appears yea the veil being rent the Holy of Holyes appears in all beauty and loveliness of the Christian life which appears and shines out of our mortal body which is his Temple and we members of his body of his flesh and bone of his bone this life is light unto others and as the day manifests it self and all things else 3. Forasmuch as the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he took part of the same This third point gives a reason of our Lords incarnation even a conformity unto the children because they were flesh and blood weak and frail he became weak and frail flesh and blood like unto them Because the children are made subject to flesh and blood so the Hebrew word answereth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and implies an impotency c. Wisd 9.15 Amor transformat amantem in rem amatam He who loves another entirely will as much as may be assimilate and conform himself unto him whom he loves Whence the Poets tell of their Jupiter that according as he loved Jupiter in Taurum He changed himself into divers shapes according as they were whom he loved so Hosea 12.10 I have multiplied visions in manu prophetarum assimilatus sum I am resembled unto divers things in the hands of the Prophets The Love of the Lord Jesus inclined him and so far prevailed with him that he humbled himself to our nature and the weakness of it This reason is implied in the Text which faith Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in similitudine unto them so the Syriac This reason is taken from the love of Christ unto the children 2. Another may be added in regard of his relation unto the children as they are his Brethren Esay 40.9 10. Where it is in the Margin Against the strong Luke 11.22 Exod. 2.11 12. The Lord hath raised up of our brethren one like unto Moses according as he promised Deut. 8.15 Who because his Brethren were burdened and oppressed with their sins he is come to visit his Brethren and invites unto himself the weary and heavy laden Matth. 11. Observ 1. Note here an argument as of mans abasement and humiliation so likewise of his honour and exaltation 1. Of his abasement and humiliation he was made flesh and blood weak frail mutable therefore one of mans names in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a miserable poor weak afflicted man such was the Lord Jesus See Notes on Gen. 4. Enosh Plotinus a rare Philosopher in his time as Porphyrius records in his life seemed to be ashamed that his Soul was in such a frail weak mutable body and therefore he would be very hardly perswaded to tell any one of what stock he was nor would he yield by any means to sit that any Painter or Limner should take his Picture what saith he do ye not think it enough that a man bear this Image that nature hath cloathed him withal but will you take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Image of an Image He is thought to have been a Christian and his works declare as much besides his familiarity with the most excellent learned and pious Christians of his time he knew the vanity of flesh and blood not worthy to be so doted upon or gloried in and therefore he refused to suffer an Image of his perishing Image to be taken by any Of the like resolution were two rare men one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the miracle of his age they well acknowledged how frail flesh and blood is and in how frail an Image he walketh Psal 39. Observ 2. But as much this makes for the exaltation of our weak and frail nature that the Son of God hath humbled himself and stooped to take it up and wear our mortal garment that God was manifest in the flesh hath vouchsafed to man us and all Believers with himself in all our afflictions to be afflicted with us to make us his living Temples yea to make us members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 This is an Honour whereunto the Son of God hath advanced our humane nature so that we may say with our Apostle Heb. 2. Thou hast made him little lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and honour yea he laid not hold of the Angels but took hold of the Seed of Abraham and what Even all the Believers Observ 3. The great and manifold wisdom and goodness of our only wise and only good God who since mans fall hath in all things accommodated himself unto him to raise him up again as Elisha to the dead child Man was wandered into manifold by-paths of error and many ways had strayed from his God and therefore according to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sent after the strayed man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the multitudes or multiplicities of his Law Hosea 8.12 as S. Peter wrote his Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those in the dispersion and thus Joseph visited his Brethren in Dotham i. e. in the Law so the true Joseph visits his Brethren Gen. 37.17 Even so we when we were children in bondage under the elements of the world In the fulness of time God sent his Son c. Gal. 4.3 6. We shall find that the Lord after the same manner raiseth us up from our fall as Elisha did the young child 2 Kings 4 29-35 He first sent his Servant with his Staff i. e. the Law but that could not give life Rom. Elisha God the Saviour comes himself and applies himself unto the child and raiseth it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness Observ 4. Here is a lesson for all the children of God that whereas for this reason because the children were partakers of flesh and blood he took part of the same for the same reason we also should even out of love condescend unto the necessities of our brethren S. John reasons so 1 John 4.10 11. If God so loved us we ought also to love one another So ought we to comply with them in the condition
death is taken away and the fiery darts of Satan are made ineffectual and have no power the believer may sing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56. Death is swallowed up in victory Hos 13.14 O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy plagues 2. How is this done by the death of Christ 1. Meritoriously and exemplarily by his outward and inward death this in his own person for thus Job 41. He took Leviathan with an hook In redemptore nostro dum per satellites suos escam corporis momordit Divinitatis illam acculeis perforavit 2. In his body the Church conformed unto him for so through grace and power received by believers from Christ they follow him in his own death and are planted into the similitude of his death c. Rom. 6.5 6 7. This is that which our Lord often requires and especially Matth. 16.24 If a man will be my disciple let him deny himself and take up the cross and follow me That Cross is the patience of Jesus Christ which having her perfect work believers become perfect and intire wanting nothing Jam. 1.4 Such are they who come out of great tribulation c. Revel 7.14 Eleazar slew the Elephant with himself Reason Why did Christ destroy the Devil The natures of Christ and Belial are so opposite one to other as none more so that one must be destructive of the other And therefore sine the Lord Jesus is the stronger one c. Luk. 11. See Notes on Rom. 5. 2. It was meet that in that nature the Devil should be destroyed wherein he had wrought so great destruction from the beginning that he got the name of Abaddon and Apollyon 3. Besides it is reasonable that the conquerour make him subject to him whom he hath conquered For of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought into bondage 2 Pet. 2. And therefore since the lion of the tribe of Judah hath conquered Revel 5. the roaring lion it 's just he bring him into bondage Another Reason there is in regard of the Devil for justice requires that if any one use a power delegate or committed to him unjustly that he loose that power yea if the power had been his own the abuse of it makes it not his own Interest Reipublicae ne re sua quis malé utatur Since therefore this power was permitted unto Satan in regard of those sinners whom he seduceth to delight in sin and he abused it to the destruction of righteous men yea even of the JVST ONE in whom was no sin in all reason he was to lose his power Satan is an Usurper he and his instruments for God himself is Lord of all the world which Satan usurps Tydal will be king of Nations which is Gods title and right Jerem. The earth must be inhabited with righteousness Doubt But we find experimentally that the Devil hath his power still in tempting seducing accusing condemning taking captive and holding captive at his own will 2 Tim. 2. Respon As what the law speaks it speaks to those who are under the law Rom. 3.19 So what the Gospel saith it saith to those who are under the Gospel When therefore the Apostle tells us that Christ took part of flesh and blood that he might dye and by death destroy him who hath the power of death i. e. the Devil We are to understand this as spoken concerning the children because the children were partakers of flesh and blood for there is no doubt but in the unbelieving disobedient world Satan hath still his Kingdom and power of darkness and still works in the children of disobedience for his lusts they will do Joh. 8. And he frames them and fashions them for himself and then works in them But not so in the believers these receive Christ to dwell in them and work in them These are framed and fashioned by Christ and made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his work house These he delivers from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 and works in them the work which his Father hath sent him to do These he hath translated out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of his Son who is love Col. 1. These are turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 Observ 1. Take notice of that mighty power imparted to believers who follow the Lord Jesus and are implanted into his death and daily more and more are made comformable thereunto Behold I give ye power to tread upon serpents and scorpions c. Luk. 10.19 Rom. 16.20 Ahasuerus condemned Haman to the Gallows and afterward gives power to Esther and the Jews to hang up Hamans ten sons and to kill and slay all their enemies Esther 9.13 What is this to us The carnal whether Jew or Christian learns from hence an example of revenge and cruelty But Esther the invisible and hidden Church hence learns a good lesson from the imitation of her head prince and captain that 's Ahasuerus he crucified Haman the troubler even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil as the Septuagint calls him Esther 7.6 and 8.1 and he gives into the hands of Esther the invisible hidden Church and those who are Jews within Rom. 2. power against the ten sons of Haman even the adverse powers against the Commandments of God and all other wicked spirits Doth any man marvel at so great power imparted to believers He knows not yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.19 Observ 2. Hence it will follow that it 's possible that the whole kingdom of sin may be destroyed yea it 's feasible and must be destroyed For if death and he who hath the power of death which is the Devil be destroyed then must sin also be destroyed Why so Because death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed and therefore sin which merits death and precedes it that must be first destroyed 1 Cor. 15.24 25 26. Observ 3. The question is decided whether Christ or the Devil be the stronger why is that any question Do not they make it so nay do they not put it out of question that say their sins are so strong that they cannot be subdued by any power given to man in this life But this is no arbitrary opinion no disputable question which it matters not whether part we hold but of the same extent and necessity with that which the Apostle saith If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Note then how false that commonly received tenent is that sin cannot wholly be subdued in this life they consider not that they make the Devil the stronger man stronger than
are changed what is the former estate but bondage and slavery what else but darkness and the shadow of death what else but torment and vexation what else but indignation and wrath yea what else but death it self and therefore how great a change must it needs be when the Lord Jesus delivers the children who through fear of death c. When the spiritual Cyrus sets open the prison-doors and le ts go the Lords Captives not for price nor reward Isa 45.13 When he brings forth those who sate in darkness and the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron when he brings them out of darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 when he saith to the fearful heart be strong fear not Isa 43 1-4 when he so possesseth our heart with his Love that whereas fear hath torment the Love being perfected casts out the fear 1 Joh. when for a small moment the Lord hath forsaken but with great mercies will gather us c. Isa 54.7 8 9. Yea when our hope hath forsaken us and the fear of death is fallen upon us And now the Lord Jesus saith I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O hell I will be thy destruction Hos 13.14 What a notable change must this be what less than even life from the death Rom. 11.15 And are we the same men before and since we are delivered by Jesus Christ It 's a meditation beloved worthy our best thoughts and serious retirement I beseech you think of it Observ 5. We learn from hence what is the true deliverance of the children of God what else but the redemption which is in Jesus Christ from the sin and consequents of it a real change not imaginary See Notes on Zach. 7. Before deliverance by Christ thou wast a bondslave of sin dead in trespasses and sins now thou art set free from death and alive unto God through Jesus Christ Perhaps God accounts thee so and thy sins dead As if to be dead to sin were only to be thought so Thou commits these sins still Only they are infirmities now which were deadly sins before By this means we shall have wicked mens cursing murder c. And the Saints the very same only fansied otherwise God accounts sin sin he never accounts a drunkard sober or a lecher chast Observ 6. Hence see how vainly and dangerously they deceive themselves who mistake their estate and boast of deliverance from death and a fear of death which they never knew To these the Apostle speaks ye have reigned as Kings They whom the Son delivers and makes free they are first in the state of Childhood under the Fathers Law the inadvertency and not observing this occasions that mistake in our Translators which I noted before The first dispensation of the Father hath passed upon them Jam. 1.18 The Father hath drawn them and taught them and corrected them by his Law Joh. 6. Psal 94.12 Of this estate the Apostle writes Gal. 4.1 The heir so long as he is a child differs nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all but is under Tutors and Governours until the time appointed by the Father even so we when we were children we were in bondage under the elements of the world but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them who were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Whence it 's evident that we must first be in bondage before we can be made free we must first be servants and under the Law before we can be redeemed from under the Law to receive the adoption of Sons Repreh This being the great work of our Saviour and the hinge as it were whereon the door of mortification is moved the deliverance from the fear of death the Arch-deceiver who deceives all the world herein useth all his art and subtilty to keep men from entring in by the door into the Fold of the Divine nature but teacheth them to climb up another away John 10.1 by imagination of a false deliverance a false freedom a false holiness and righteousness Consol Unto the children of God who are yet liable to bondage and fear of death who complain Psalm 55.4 5. Rom. Here is the Gospel or Glad Tydings of deliverance preached unto them here is news of the Redeemer who delivers all those who by fear of death c. Here is the Gospel or Glad Tydings of Salvation the Lord Jesus hath taken part of flesh and blood that he might deliver and redeem those who by fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage thus Glad Tydings was preached unto the old Fathers in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to preach the Gospel or Glad Tydings whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the Gospel both which come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth flesh for the Gospel is but the Glad Tydings the good news of Christ come Christ manifested in the flesh And to whom can this be Glad Tydings unless to those who are under this fear of death and liable unto bondage To whom can the Gospel or News of the Heavenly Goods the Riches of God be so welcome as to the poor Who can be so glad of an healer as he who is broken and wounded To whom can the news of Liberty be so acceptable as to the Captives What news can be so welcome to the blind as that one is come who will open his eyes what is more acceptable news to the bruised Prisoners than that one is come to set them free If thou be in this manner poor broken-hearted captive under sin blind a wounded Prisoner under Satan unto thee be it spoken unto thee the Glad Tydings be which ye read Luke 4.18 it is a sharp means He will be all this unto thee if thou believe on him if thou obey him if thou pray unto him the Lord Jesus himself was delivered no other way by his Father from the fear of death Heb. 5.7 And whereas he hath gone before us in the same way whose Disciples and Servants we profess our selves to be why should it be tedious unto us to continue in this fear of death until he be pleased to deliver us out of it It is no doubt a very great fault that we would be so suddenly and all at once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as we should that the children would be grown and perfect men ex tempore that we should be presently in the Holy of Holies before we have passed through the Porch before we are gone through the Fear Ab extremo ad extremum non pervenitur nisi per media Therefore the Lord having made a promise of Christ Esay 28.16 presently adds He that believes let him not make haste The new believing child is full
to be like unto these his brethren Who are brethren how are the children of God Christs brethren 1. See Notes on Gen. 26.1 they who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. And do the will of the Father Matth. 12. ult Act. 2.37 2. The Spiritual Seed of Abraham are born of the same Father even of God so Hebr. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one Confut. Those who hence infer an equality contrary to vers 11. hujus capitis 2. It became him to be like unto his brethren in all things wherein we have 1. Christ's similitude and likeness to his brethren 2. the extent of it 3. the reason of both 1. Similitude and likeness is not here to be understood in regard of quality but in regard of essence and nature that 's the main drift of the Apostle here to shew that because he took not on him the Angels or layeth not hold on the Angels but the Seed of Abraham therefore he must be like unto the Seed of Abraham which he took on him or layeth hold upon 2. The extent of this similitude and likeness is in all things i. e. in all things which were expedient for our Redemption and no way impeached or hindered his perfection He was therefore born like unto his brethren and like unto them brought up Esay 7.15 He was subject unto his Parents Luk. 2. He was like unto his brethren in all things which are incident unto their nature He was weary Joh. 4. he was hungry he eat he was thirsty he drank he wept Joh. 11. he dyed he is not said any where to have been sick for that is not universally incident unto the whole nature of man Many there have been who have dyed without precedent sickness Besides since all diseases proceed either from an imperfect forming of the body or from some fault in the seed or from intemperancy or ignorance whereby we know not how to distinguish what is wholesome for food The Body of our Lord Jesus was perfectly formed by the holy Ghost he himself was not intemperate and knew and avoided whatever was hurtful to the body He was without sin as Chap. 4. Our Apostle expresly limits the similitude For 1. That was not expedient for our redemption 2. Besides it would have hindered his perfection 1. It was not expedient for our redemption but opposite thereunto for therefore he was made manifest that he might take away our sins and in him was no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 Had there been sin in him he might have been disabled from taking away our sins yea he had had need of one to have taken away that sin 2. Sin would have hindered and diminished his perfection for whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law 1 Joh. 3.4 which directly opposeth his perfection who was to fulfil the law and so take away the sins of the world For like reason we read not that he was liable to errour ignorance or folly for these were no way expedient unto our Redemption but hinderances unto his perfection because they are defects and deprivations We read our Lord wept Joh. 11. but we read no where that our Lord laughed and the reason may be because he was given unto us as an example of mortification and so his weeping was expedient to our Redemption and no way hindered our Lords perfection But that he laughed not it was not that it was unlawful so to do for to what purpose did the Creator implant the power of laughing in our nature if it were utterly unlawful ever to exercise it But though the Lord Jesus be not reported any where to have laughed yet we find that Abraham and Sarah laughed and Isaac had his name from it And Elias derided Baals Priests yea among the times appointed for several actions The Wise man tells us there is a time to laugh Eccles 3. And good reason for nature at mea◠and after it requires a chearfulness and ungirding of the mind because all spiritual exercises even joy it self calls the mind inward and in a sort oppresseth the body for the refreshing and recreating of which we receive meat and drink But this is understood always to be done in measure and moderation which is as it were the reign and bridle of the mind Otherwise Solomon saith rightly of laughter thou art mad and the Apostle reckons up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jeasting among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are unseemly and not convenient Eph. 5. Reason That 's implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it became him The word here used is of like extent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it notes a decency comliness and fitness See Notes on verse above 2. It implys an hypothetical debt So that if the Lord would redeem man he ought to be like unto the man whom he would redeem for that nature that was to be redeemed and delivered that was to be taken on and laid hold upon and the Lord was to be made like unto that nature in all things since therefore he determined for the reasons named before to redeem and deliver man he ought or it became him in all things to be made like unto man whence Phil. 2.7 Other reasons there are 1. God hath said In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Either Christ or the Children must suffer 2. He must be an example of suffering from the following words Object If he were like unto his brethren in all things then he was like unto them in their sins Respon That 's it wherein he was not like unto his brethren which is by name excepted Heb. 4.15 But it seems he was even herein like unto his brethren Rom. 8.3 God sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh Therefore he is like unto his brethren even in their sin This followeth not The Scripture it 's evident by the context is thus to be understood that God sent his Son to supply the defect and impotency of the Law and our flesh that he might take upon him mans flesh that which is like unto the sinful flesh of other men as that which was mortal and suffered the miseries and death its self due to sinful flesh Our Lord therefore is compared to the Brazen Serpent Numb 21.8 9. Joh. 3.14 as like unto it which seemed to have the venome and poyson of a Serpent in it but indeed had none And thus our Lord was like unto the sinful flesh but indeed had no sin 2. The old Hereticks abused this Scripture to confirm their opinion who said that our Lord had no true flesh but only a fantastick body But one of the pious Ancients hath long since answered them that it is not said that our Lord was made in the similitude of mans flesh but in the similitude of sinful flesh 3. But it 's further said that Christ was made in the likeness of man Phil. 2.7 Therefore he was only like to man not truly man
brotherhood with Christ yet neglect yea expose themselves to the temptations of Satan See Notes on Zeph. 2.1 2. 2. Christ hath been tempted wherein two things are to be enquired 1. What it is to be tempted 2. How Christ was tempted 1. The word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See on this word before 2. Christ was tempted in the days of his flesh and of his spirit and in both either 1. By him who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tempter Or 2. By his instuments 1. By the Tempter himself ye read of a notable duel or combat between our Lord and the Tempter Matth. 4. See Notes in locum And thus our Lord was tempted by the Tempter himself 2. Our Lord also was tempted by the great tempters instruments wicked men by the Pharisees and Sadduces Matth. 16.1 whereby they would try his power that if he did not according to their curiosity they might expose him to slander they would have him shew them a sign from heaven Matth. 19.3 The Pharisees tempted him to prove his skill in the Law Whether a man might put away his wife for every cause or no that they might either deride him if he knew not or make him odious to one or other Sex Matth. 22.18 The Pharisees and Herodians tryed his obedience unto Governours that if he should say tribute were to be paid he might incurr the hatred of the people if he should deny tribute to be paid they might bring him in peril of his life Matth. 22.35 36. They tempting him ask him what is the great commandment in the law to try his skill in the Law of God Joh. 8.6 The woman taken in adultery whether to be stoned or no That they might accuse him either to the Roman Power who had taken away all Authority of putting any to death from the Jews or to accuse him to the people as one who took away and was an enemy to their liberty These and the like temptations he had in the dayes of his flesh 2. He was and is tempted also in the dayes of his Spirit 1 Cor. 10.9 Let not us tempt Christ saith the Apostle as they tempted him Numb 21. doubting of the truth of his promises or his power to perform them The Reason in regard of God It 's much for his honour that Satan should be foiled at his own weapons c. See Notes on Mat. 4.1 It was unadvisedly spoken of the Stoick that Jupiter could see no sight on earth more delightful to him or more honourable than Cato killing of himself a cowardly act a foolish act he feared Caesar would kill him and he to prevent him killed himself stultum est ne moriare mori Cato timourously yielded to the temptation How much more delightfull how much more honourable was it unto the most high God to see Job on the dunghil grapling with manifold temptations from loss of goods loss of children false accusations of seeming friends suggestion to desperation from his Wife and whatever witty cruelty this Tempter could inflict on his body or mind Yet all this came short of the Lord Jesus whose whole life and death was as it were one continued temptation wherein he continued a conquerour Job 19.25 How honourable must that needs be to the most High God that Satan the tempter should meet with one whom neither lusts of the flesh Satan nor the world could overcome See Notes on Matth. 4.2 This was necessary in regard of Christ See ubi supra 3. It was necessary in regard of us ibid. Observ 1. It 's a pleasant and delightful thing c. ibid. Observ 2. Who can promise himself exemption from temptation the Son of God is tempted Observ 3. It 's no dishonour to be tempted the Son of God was tempted Observ 4. The Lord Jesus did not voluntarily expose himself unto temptations that appears in that he is said in the Text to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tempted he was passive in his temptations he was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted c. See ubi supra Much less ought we to expose our selves to temptation but rather to be led into them even necessity of Nature and the proper business of every mans calling wherein God hath set him do as it were lead him into temptations wherein he falls by reason of them The Apostle in that he speaks of evil concupiscence he implyes that there is some concupiscence that is not evil as that of eating and drinking and sleeping and other natural desires which no doubt are not sinful being implanted in us by God for maintenance of our being yet the Tempter way-layes us even in these as he tempted our Lord when he was hungry and not before and thus he tryes to make our Table a snare by eating or drinking too much and making the natural desire sinful Thus to the natural desire of sleep he adds yet a little sleep yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the hands to sleep A man is often led into temptation by the proper business of his calling Ecclus. 27.2 buying and selling are lawful actions of mens calling but as a nail stickes fast between stones so doth sin between buying and selling Gen. 39.11 12. Joseph went into the house to do his work Chald. Paraph. to look out the writings of his accounts and his Mistris caught him by the garment and tempted him to folly such temptations follow upon our natural desires and the proper business of our callings which we cannot truly be said to expose our selves unto What then should we forbear the natural desire or desist from the works of our Callings neither so nor so although temptation adhere unto these desires and actions yet sin doth not necessarily adhere or cleave unto the temptation Observ 5. To be tempted is no sin See Notes on Matth. 4. then the Midianites c. It is true no man can truly be said to sin but first he is tempted to sin so that temptation is the beginning of sin but it is as true that no man can be said to sin unless he yields his consent unto the temptation so that temptation is not alwayes the beginning of sin Exhort 1. Let not us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted distrust him not Exhort 2. Let not us yield to the temptation Observ Behold in the Lord Jesus a glorious pattern and example for our imitation He was tempted in all things without sin that we might know how to be tempted without sin this is the method and way wherein he walked 1 Pet. 2.21 He was baptized and then led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted All Christs actions and passions and temptations are our instructions See Notes on Matth. 4. when we are thus emptied of our selves we are then fit to be tempted of the Devil yea being strong in faith and fervent in love unto our God and his Righteousness we shall count it all joy when
man hath received Christ the honour that comes of God only he is in that respect thought worthy of honour as an house of God Axiom 4. Christ is accounted worthy more Glory than Moses Hitherto we have heard the three former Axioms opened which are contained in these words this fourth and last rests only to be explained in this first disparity between Christ and Moses wherein two things are to be opened 1. What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. What it is to be counted worthy of Glory and Honour 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Opinion from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to think or esteem which because it may be as well for good as evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth more especially a good opinion and an honourable estimation had of one and as the light shines from bright and clear bodies so the good opinion honour and glory proceeds from good and virtuous souls Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth videor to be seen and appear as lucid and bright bodies appear and shine quodlibet visibile radiat every visible body sends forth a kind of beams and whoever hath the true light in him there is a lustre and glory which may be discerned by those who have eyes to see it as the Apostles had Joh. 1. We have seen his glory c. This Glory is all one with honour as many Examples prove See Notes on Rom. 15. In the Text what is first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is presently afterwards called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. To be accounted worthy of this Glory is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other significations hath this to esteem and value as we are wont to esteem things by their weight whence Hesychius renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as what is of weight draws down the scale Thus the word which signifieth to honour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be of weight and that which is vile and despicable is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be light and of no weight we have this fully opened in a few words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That little affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Now who accounts Christ or Moses worthy of Honour or Glory who but God the Father the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Glory it self Isa 60.1 he distributes the Crowns Zach. 6.14 He is the fountain of Glory and Honour and Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Christ is accounted worthy of more Glory than Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house Our Apostle reasons thus Christ made Moses and every believing and obedient Man and Woman his house therefore he is accounted worthy more Honour and Glory than the house The reason of this will appear from a Rule in the Art of Reasoning which is That every cause is as it is a cause better than the effect and much more the efficient cause which is the first cause aiming at and intending the end and uniting the matter and form and so in a sort may be called causa causarum as having an influence upon all the other causes as well as upon the effect whence it is in every kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first mover Now as this is true in every principal efficient cause acting univocally so much more is this true of Christ who by reason of his infinite Being and Perfection in working he infinitely excells whatsoever he makes and so is worthy of more Glory than any of his works Observ 1. Christ is accounted worthy of Glory and Honour This is included in the Text as the Positive in the Comparative this is acknowledged by every Creature in Heaven and Earth Revel 5.11 12 13. Observ 2. If Christ be accounted worthy more Glory than Moses then is the Ministry of Christ especially the Ministry of Christ according to the Spirit to be accounted more worthy of Glory than the Ministry of Moses The Apostle compares both these at large 2 Cor. 3.7 Moses was glorious the ministration of death was glorious such was the Law which was given with thunder the voice of a trumpet c. Exod. 19 16-19 Hebr. 17.8 Such Glory as a Judge coming to give sentence of death c. Yet this was glorious so was the Ministry of the Ceremonial Law How much more shall the Ministration of the Spirit and Righteousness exceed in Glory How Glorious was the Lord Jesus in his Ministration of Righteousness when he delivered the New Testament the New Law Matth. 5.1 Blessed are the poor in spirit c. How much more glorious was the Lord Jesus when he delivered his fiery Law as it is called Deut. 33.5 when he gave the Law of the spirit of life Act. 2. in fiery tongues c. Nor was this glorious appearance of the Spirit only in the day of Pentecost but also the like gifts were vouchsafed unto the Church afterward 1 Cor. 14.26 Yea and the same would yet be given were there fit pure and clean vessels to receive them for so the Apostle vers ult We all behold as in a glass the Glory of the Lord c. Tota vita Christi morum disciplina speculum fuit O how wise are they who are daily looking into this Glass and daily conform their life and manners thereunto and so are transformed into other men men heavenly holy angelical divine men and women Observ 3. Christs Glory and Honour was obtained by doing something worthy of it as hereby making of the house Philip. 2.8 Therefore God highly exalted him this ye read Psal 111.1 per totum Revel 4.11 And so no doubt what Glory and Honour is to be obtained by us it is by obedience by doing well and suffering evil They who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality unto these is the eternal life Rom. 2. and if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. And the same Apostle tells us That life and salvation is wrought by enduring the same sufferings which he also suffered 2 Cor. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 4. Here are honours and degrees of honours distinguished and approved of by our Apostle even in the Common-wealth of heaven Here like a Divine Herald he shews to whom less honour to whom more is due Thus as in the heavens there are Principalities and Powers Col. Angels and Arch-angels so in the earth distinctions there are and degrees of honours a Kingdom or Common-wealth cannot consist without them Rom. 13. Yea the God of Order hath established these degrees in his Church as in the Old Testament High Priest Priests and Levites so in the New Testament also the Father sets the Church in order 1 Cor. 12.28 and the Son also
rebellious nations such as were divided from the Lord and divided one from other Repreh 1. Those who harden their own hearts such were the false Prophets of old who by their false wisdom and righteousness hardened themselves against the Lord 1 King 22.22 23 24. What boldness was this which proceeded from the lying spirit in them as at this day many are hardened with the spirit of Antichrist and pretend to destroy Antichrist without them whose spirit is powerful in them This was figured by Jabin who waged war against Joshuah Jos 11.1 a leading King he is routed and his City burnt vers 13. yet he is up again and in great strength Judg. 4. And what is Jabin but the knowing knowledge the knowledge falsely so called this emboldens them against Joshuah the Lord Jesus This emboldens and hardens Jabin the knowing knowledge and Sisera the brutish reluctancy Psal 32. against Deborah and Barach the word and spirit And the Lord leaves them to perish in their own hardness and therefore is said to harden them Josh 11.12 And therefore as Pharaoh being hardend perished in the Red Sea So Jabins Army perished in Kishon id est in hardness The river Kishon swept them away the ancient river the river Kishon Repreh 2. Those who harden not only themselves and their own hearts but others also such are they who being exhorted to mortifie their sins 1 Cor. 15. Let us eat and drink say they and to morrow we will dye Such are they who give lewd examples to others to sin and continue in sin as Jereboam did such as encourage others as Absalon his servants to shed blood harden them against the fear of God 2 Sam. 13.28 Repreh 3. Those who abuse those good means and helps which the Lord hath given for the mortifying and softning of their hearts to the further hardening of themselves and others Our Lord propounds a parable of a Vineyard Matth. 21.33 He sends his servants his servants Moses and Aaron other servants as his servants the Prophets their heart is as hard as an Adamant stone Zach. neither can fire consume the Adamant nor iron break it no tribulation no affliction can prevail it hath the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from not being tamed Jer. 5.3 After the Law and Prophets the Lord sends his Son and he reasons thus to their softning they will reverence my Son but they to their further hardning reason quite contrarily This is the heir come let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours O the goodness of God! O the mercy of Jesus Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same The Adamant they say is broken and loseth the power if it be anointed with blood Goats blood Now the Lord Jesus takes part of our flesh and blood becomes incarnate that what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh c. that he might destroy him who hath the power of death that is the Devil him who hardneth and as in the type Job 41.24 whose heart is as hard as a piece of the nether mill stone The Lord Jesus comes for these gracious ends Some condemn the observing of the time as superstitious others abuse the time to prophanness Repreh 4. Who hear and harden themselves Deut. 29.19 Zach. 7. Prov. 29.1 Heb. 10.26 27 28. Consol The poor misgiving soul will presently conclude this is my case and condition yea it hath been the condition of us all have we not all in our time opposed the good motions and impressions of Gods Spirit Have we not all hardened our hearts against Gods fear against his love c. Yea hath not our God somtime withdrawn his comfortable presence from us and so hardened us This I am sure hath been the state of many for how can we prize the good as we ought unless we have had experience of the evil How can we esteem of the broad unless we have passed through the narrow How can we value the liberty of the holy Land unless we have passed through the straits of bondage in Egypt Nahum the Comforter was an Elcoshite Nah. 1.1 he had experience of hardening God had withdrawn his Grace from him but returned to him in mercy to be Nahum one comforted and a comforter of others Paul had been an hardened man and one who had persecuted Christ and his Church Act. 9. But Paul was broken by the Law and suffered by the blood of Jesus Christ and became a comforter unto all souls who had been like himself Read what he saith of himself 1 Tim. 1 12-17 and thou mayst find thine own better condition Hast thou had experience of hardening pray to the same God with them that he will take from thee as he took from them thy heart of stone and that he will give thee an heart of flesh a tender heart that thou mayst receive the impressions of his spirit so thou shalt be a pattern to others as Nahum was and as Paul was and thou shalt give glory to the Lord as Paul did Now to the King eternal the King of the worlds c. 1 Tim. 1.17 3. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Hitherto we have considered the supposition and dehortation severally and apart come we now to consider them joyntly the dehortation inferred from the supposition To day if ye will hear his voice then hearden not your hearts The reason of this illation of the consequent from the antecedent that if we will hear his voice then we ought not to harden our hearts appears from that obstacle and hinderance which an hardened heart is to the effectual hearing of the Lords voice for as the heart is fons omnium actionum ad extra So is it also terminus omnium actionum ad intra as the heart is that fountain from whence all actions proceed and out of which are the issues of life as I shewed before So is the heart also the term whereat all actions aim as by fasting and mourning and the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better As hearing is considered here in regard of the voice 1. Whose it is 1. The Lords 2. Our Gods 3. Our Shepherds 2. To whom his voice is 1. Servants 2. People 3. Flock Object To hear the Lords voice may save all farther labour See Notes on Phil. 2.8 Observ 1. The Psalmist Psal 95. whence these words are taken had first exhorted the people to sing c. vers 1. and not without singular wisdom this Psalm is used by the Ancient Church as an invitatory and excitation to stir up all to sing unto the Lord and heartily to rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the rock of our salvation Deo salutari nostro whereby the Lord Jesus the Saviour is to be understood But to little purpose is our singing to the Lord with our mouth unless not