for he betook himself to his former Lawful Wife Laodice yet she seeing War preparing against him for putting away Berenice and fearing her Husband's Inconstancy for the future makes means to Poison him and sets up Callinicus her Son in his stead and slays Berenice and her Son with all their Followers and Favourers Hereupon Ptolomy Euergetes the own Brother of Berenice stands up as the fifth Horn to Revenge his Sister's Death against Seleucus Callinicus Son of Laodice by Antiochus Theos and Ptolomy prevailed so as to over-run the most part of Callinicus's Kingdom 4ly The fourth War was between this Ptolomy Euergetes and Antiochus Magnus ver 10. This Antiochus being of a great Spirit and not enduring that Ptolomy should possess any part of Syria under his very Nose his stout Stomach stirr'd him up as the sixth Horn to Recover what his Father had lost to Ptolomy and over-ran all that lost part of Syria and Judea also with a most formidable Army and with frequent Incursions as History tells us 5ly The fifth War was between Ptolomy Philopator so call'd per Antiphrasin because he Kill'd his Father c. and Antiochus Magnus ver 11 12 13 14 15 16. Tho' this Philopator was otherwise very Vitious yet was he permitted to be very Victorious against Antiochus the Great over whom he prevailed so much saith Polybius that had he effectually pursued his Victory he might not only have Recovered all Syria c. but also have spoil'd Antiochus of his Kingdom but his Luxury saith Strabo let him escape by flight says Josephus However his casting down ten Thousands of the Jews serves to make him the seventh Horn but Antiochus Recruited while he led a luxurious Life and prevailed as is here declared 6ly The sixth War was between Ptolomy Epiphanes a young Child at his loose Father's Death hasten'd by his Intemperancy and Antiochus Magnus ver 17 18 19 20. Antiochus long'd sore to be Lord of Egypt so lays hold of that opportunity while Ptolomy Epiphanes was young and makes use of both Force and Fraud to obtain it but could not master it by either of the two means 1. Not by Force for many Jews join'd with Ptolomy because he had given them leave to build a Temple in Egypt which was built by Onias at Helioplis upon pretence of fulfilling that Prophecy Isa 19.19 so that Antiochus prosper'd noâ—â—in that Expedition Nor 2ly By Fraud for that he might gain by secret Treachery what he could not win by open Hostility he bestows his beautiful Daughter Cleopatra upon Ptolomy suborning her to destroy her Husband but she as became a good Wife clave to her Husband Nature having taught her to prefer him before a Father as Michal had done to save David from Saul c N.B. 'T is Matter of great Admiration that Daniel should write so distinct an History of the Life and Death of this Antiochus the Great and of his dwindling at last from his Magnitude into nothing ver 17 18 19. and of the Death of Seleucus Philopator also ver 20. all so exactly as they came to pass long after Daniel's Day agreeable to all Relations both of Greek and Latine Historians after the Accomplishment of this Prophecy For Livy Strabo and many other Writers tell us How Ptolomy being besieged by this Antiochus craved Relief of the Romans who were then very faithful in protecting their Allies and who couragiously came upon Antiochus the more because Hannibal being beaten by Scipio had fled to him for Refuge and not only rais'd the Siege but also beats him in Battels both by Sea and Land proving too hard for him at his own Weapons of Power and Policy and so Recovering all the Countries he had Conquer'd from Ptolomy and his own Daughter Queen Cleopatra and from the Roman State also when he had like a Lion enrag'd by his missing his Expedition against Egypt faln foul upon them but the Conquering Romans cast him out of all his Conquests and cast back his own Contumelys against them all upon himself calling him in contempt Antiochus once the Great but now retired into a narrow and remotest corner of his Kingdom where he secured himself for a little time but seeking to enrich himself by Robbing the Temple of Jupiter Belus the Rude Rabble of that Country hew'd him to pieces This was the sad Catastrophe of Antiochus Magnus whose Greatness found this foul and fatal Fall as Daniel did foretel and all Humane Histories do testifie and tho' his Son Seleucus Philopator so call'd because he was his Father's Darling succeeded him yet he proving a covetous griper calling Money his best Friend he gather'd no less of Curses than of Coin from his Subjects so soon becomes poisoned by Heliodorus whom he had employ'd to Rifle the Temple's Treasury ver 20. and 2 Macc. 3.7 the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned Isa 14.20 But 7ly The seventh War between Ptolomy Philometor and Antiochus Epiphanes was the worst War to the woful Jews the History whereof Daniel declares dislinctly from the mouth of the Angel Gabriel ver 21. to the end of the Chapter Mark 1. This Antiochus was younger Brother to the aforesaid Seleucus who was the Romans Tribute-gatherer to whom he was to pay a Thousand Talents by the Year according to the sordid Conditions to which the Romans had reduced the Grandeur of his Father Antiochus the Great This Polling of the People for that great Tax out of Syria made the Son who was the Father's Darling extreamly hated of his Subjects and so became poison'd by Heliodorus a great Court-Favourite in favour of this Antiochus Epiphanes Mark 2. This younger Brother and Successor in the Kingdom is call'd by the Angel a Vile Person ver 21. which was his true Title as a Wicked Person was Haman's Esth 7.6 tho' he affected to be call'd Epiphanes or Famous and Illustrious yea the sowre Samaritans to ingratiate with him in his Cuelty against the Jews styled him Antiochus the Mighty God as Josephus relateth Here was a Bramble brought to the Throne yet as a Vile Person to be despised Psal 15.4 Mark 3. He came in peaceably under pretence of being Protector to his young Nephew Demetrius and tho' the Nobles did not give him the Kingdom yet he took it partly by force whether they would or no and partly by flatteries winning their hearts by Presents pretended Courtesies and private Practices ver 21. and no sooner is he settled upon the Throne but he makes an Attempt upon Egypt insinuating himself as Protector to his Nephew Philometer his Sister Cleopatra's Son during his Nonage and Minority in which time he did overflow Egypt as with a flood of Forces ver 22 23 24. Conquering the Country as far as Pelusium c. Mark 4. When Ptolomy Philometor was grown up Antiochus made his second Expedition against Egypt and farther over-ran his Kingdom corrupting his very Courtiers to betray Philometor and to make Agreement with him his Conquerous feasting him
11.20 so it may be said of the lust of the Eyes that it is the chief of the Devils Engines an Heathen could say that a world of wickedness windeth it self into the heart by the window of the Eye There is an Apologue a most significant Fable of a Contention that arose betwixt the Eye and the Heart which of the two was the greater cause of sin a Reference was made by them both to Reason which decided the Controversie thus Cordi causam imputans occasionem Oculo Reason determined that the Heart was the cause of sin but the Eye was the occasion of it oh how oft doth the Devil make the Eye to be as a Burning-glass to set the Heart on fire as he did Davids 2 Sam. 11.2 from the roof he saw a woman and from this roof did Davids downfal begin for there the old Serpent easily winded himself into his Heart by the loop-holes of his Eyes and made himself master of the whole man from looking he went on to lusting and the venome thereof did so infect his Vitals that upon the Ladder of Hell he got a most foul yet not a final fall though it would have been no less had not the hand of Heaven been underneath him to help him up again Psal 37.24 No wonder then if David did so heartily cry Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 lest looking should cause liking and liking lusting again and Job steppeth one degree further to wit from a Prayer to a Vow Job 31.1 yea from a Vow and Covenant to a solemn Imprecation v. 7. he knew the danger of irregular glancing and of inordinate gazing these two do often metamorphize a Man into a Beast and make him a prey to his own bruitish Affections Thus we see that the Eye is now become an Evil Eye so called frequently in Scripture Deut. 15.9 Prov. 23.6 28.22 Matth. 6.23 20.15 Mark 7.22 Luke 11.34 1. Hence the Word flatly forbids us to walk after the sight of our Eyes and the lust of our Hearts Numb 15.39 Eccles 11.9 for those two are seldom sundred 2 Job set a guard and laid Gods Charge upon his Eyes lest they should prove a Broaker of sin to him as that Hang-by Hiram the Adullamite did to Judah Gen. 38.20 4. Hence God hath placed Tears in this sinful and in no other Member which are tokens of Repentance that as it were they might wash it from its sinfulness therefore the Hebrew word Gnaijn well signifies a Fountain as well as an Eye for from it as from a Fountain doth Iniquity flow and surely as the Eye is a Fountain of sin it should be a Fountain of sorrow also Therefore the Prophet wish'd that his Eyes might be a Fountain of Tears Jerem. 9.1 that he might with the waters of godly sorrow wash away the filth both of his own and of other mens sins the waters that flow from a bleeding Vine are said to cure the Leprosie sure I am those Gospel-tears which flow from a Godly Heart are very Instrumental in curing the fretting Leprosie of sin and therefore God hath made the Eye of a watry Constitution that it may be frequently trickling down Tears for that washing work such waters will be turned into wine at the Marriage of the Lamb for which purpose they are preserved in Gods Bottle Psal 56.8 Oh blest is that Soul which is plentifully bathed in the warm bath of their own penitent tears and in the Kings Bath of the Blood of the Lamb of God for without blood there is no remission Hebr. 9.2 'T is not our Tears alone but 't is Christs Blood that doth expiate sin Zeeh. 13.1 The Fountain opened in the sides of our Saviour Job 19.34 who came by water to sanctifie and by blood to justifie penitent sinners 1 Joh. 5.6 Finally seeing the sight by the fall is become a deceitful and a sinful sense our Saviour giveth safe and saving Counsel Matth. 5.29 not only to bind it to its good behaviour call it from its outstrays and lay Gods charge upon it as well as thine own check but also to pluck it out of the old Adam and place it in the new lest it prove a window of wickedness and become a worse disease than any of those two hundred diseases which Physicians reckon up do belong to the Eye and lest Death enter in at that window according to Jer. 9.21 as the Antient Fathers apply that Text cautioning us to shut our Casements lest sin ascend into the Soul thereby and Death by sin so this light of the body bring the Soul to utter darkness Secondly The Ear is a noble Organ and an honourable Member of the Body as well as the Eye in many respects 1. The Ear is as Aristotle calls it one of the two Learned Senses it is an Instrument of Instruction it lets in all Discipline to the Soul All Learning is let into the Mind either by Ocular demonstration or by Auricular Admonition Job 33.16 36.10 15. As the Eye is the window so the Ear is the door for Discipline to enter 2. The Ear is that excellent Organ that lets in Life and Salvation At this door the Devil drew in death at first Gen. 3.1 c. as well as at the window v. 6. Satan in the Serpent said only to bely what God had said Eve listned and let in death God ordaineth as it were to cross and counter-work the Devil that as Death entred into the world through the Ear by our first Parents listening to that old Manslayer so Life should enter into the Soul by the same door the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God As the living Parents of Mankind Adam and Eve in their state of Innocency had listned with their Ears to the Devils proffers so their dead posterity which by their first Parents fall were become dead in sin by bearing Christs promise should live not only the life of grace on Earth but also the life of glory in Heaven Joh. 5.25 And the Prophet saith Hear and your Souls shall live Isa 55.3 therefore he calls on them there Hattu Oznekem to hear with all their might unto the Covenant of Grace and so to the Counsel of Christ Revel 3.18 which only hath power to quicken dead Souls the Covenant of works and the Counsel both of the Devil and of our own darkened understandings have a killing property 3. The Ear is that noble door by which Saving Faith is conveyed into the Soul Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and God giveth not that gift to all men 2 Thess 3.2 but only to his Elect therefore 't is call'd the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 yet God giveth not this gift immediately to Man but mediately by hearing the word As the Eye is called the Sense of Love so the Ear is call'd the Sense of Faith The saving knowledge of God is not conveyed into the Soul
good Tongue as taketh all opportunities both to glorifie God and to edifie men is a Mans great glory As an Evil Tongue belching out nothing but bad is a filthy shame As the Ear by the Creation was Janua vitae the gate of life but now by corruption through the fall 't is a bolted door to that which is good yet an open portal to that which is evil Whereby it is become a two-leaved gate to let in Death and Destruction Evil communications do corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 Such unsavory speeches as are spoken with an evil Tongue and are heard with as evil an Ear do both corrupt the Manners and kill the Mind of Man So the Tongue by Creation was a wholesome Tongue Prov. 15.4 having an healing property in it by speaking a pure Language Zeph. 3.9 and such as was both pretious and profitable it was then a Tree of life Prov. 15.4 like that Tree which would have given life and immortality to Adam and which stood in the midst of the Paradise of God as the Tongue is placed and planted in the midst of the mouth The Tongue was then as choice refined Silver Prov. 10.20 having an excellent ring or sound scattering Pearls Matth. 7.6 throwing abroad treasure Matth. 12.35 even Apples of Gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 having a lip of Excellency to attend it Prov. 17.7 which feedeth many Prov. 10.21 using knowledge aright Prov. 15.2 Hebr. dealing kindly with it that is offering no abuse to it by venting it unseasonably or causing it to be vended over-cheap and little esteemed and dispersing it abroad as a blessing to many Prov. 15.7 speaking every where of wisdom and of judgment Psal 37.30 All this excellency had the Tongue by the first Creation and has restored it by Re-creation or Regeneration But now through Mans Degeneration in the fall the Holy Spirit hath branded the Tongue with many black brands and Characters calling it a false Tongue Psal 120.3 a naughty Tongue Prov. 17.4 a perverse Tongue Prov. 17.20 a froward Tongue Prov. 10.31 a flattering Tongue Psal 5.9 a deceitful Tongue Psal 52.4 Micah 6.12 Zeph. 3.13 a lying Tongue Psal 109.2 Prov. 6.17 12.19 26.28 yea a biting as well as a back-biting Tongue Psal 52.4 15.3 Prov. 25.23 The Tongue bites as well as back-bites it speaks devouring words and the Tongue oft bites worse than the Teeth as Sphinx Philosoph sheweth pag. 192. and this Lashon Hebr. for Tongue doth not only lash on as a scourge Job 5.21 for Tongue-smiting Jerem. 18.18 is as smart as any hand-smiting but slash on also and draws blood Ezek. 22.9 Backbiting is not only Back-beating but also 't is flesh-slashing therefore the Tongue made in the form of a two-edged Sword is likewise call'd a sharp Razor Psal 52.2 that instead of shaving the Hair launcheth the flesh instead of trimming the Beard cutteth the Throat Such were the lashes of Doegs lewd Tongue 'T is well said that Man hath two Ears and but one Tongue to signifie that he must be swift to hear but slow to speak Jam. 1.19 We read oft he that hath an ear to hear let him hear but never he that hath a Tongue to speak let him speak for we can do that fast enough without bidding and 't is well said that before the Fall Man had but one Tongue because his Heart and his Tongue were then compleat or Relatives that is the yea and nay of the Tongue were the yea and nay of the Heart c. but now by the Fall Man is become double-tongu'd 1 Tim. 3.8 Man hath Os Bilingue Prov. 8.13 Vulg. Latin a tongue and a tongue He hath an Heart and an Heart so the Hebr. Psal 12.2 One Heart in the Mouth and another in the Belly for he can speak one thing and think another as Joab did to Abner and Amasa in his killing kisses or he can turn his tale and tune his Fiddle to the Base even of the basest times saying one thing at one time and another thing at another Thus Man in the faln estate is become Bilinguis two-tongued and not only so but that Doeg aforesaid as the Devil made him was Trilinguis Three-tongued The Chaldee Paraphrase calls a Back-biter the Man with three Tongues however Doegs Tongue had three stings which killed three at once with his lying report though there was truth in it For 1. It killed the Priests Bodies of whom he reported 2. Sauls Soul to whom he reporte And 3. himself his own both Body and Soul who was that wicked Reporter Well therefore might David call Doegs Tongue not only a sharp Razor as before and a Tuck or Rapier a most Murthering and dangerous weapon Hebr. Psal 42.10 but also a three-forked Engine that could thus destroy three at once Evil words therefore are not wind as most imagine but they are the Devils drivel that leaves a foul stain upon the Speaker and oft the like upon the Hearer yea and sometimes prove cutting and killing words to those concerning whom they are spoken and heard a tale-bearer hath the Devil in his Tongue a tale-hearer hath the Devil in his Ear. Let us take up a lamentation and mourn over this stately burnt Temple as they did Ezr. 3.12 In respect of the tongue which before was Mans glory but now is become his shame 't is now an unruly evil full of deadly poison even a world of iniquity Jam. 3.6 8. 't is not there call'd a City of Iniquity or a Countrey of Iniquity but a whole world of Iniquity It defiles the whole Body as Miriams Tongue in talking against Moses did defile her whole Body with Leprosie It sets on fire the whole course of nature and it self is set on fire of Hell But alas that Tongue which is set on fire of Hell here in this world shall be also set on fire in Hell hereafter in the other world as the Rich Gluttons Tongue was when he begged for a drop of water to cool it Luk. 16.24 The Tongue is untameable as the Apostle James there declareth All Savage and Venemous beasts have been tamed but this Beastly Tongue the taming whereof is far more needful could never be tamed Nec vult Panthera domari this wild Panther will not be tamed There is no man can tame it yet Christ can and doth when he who makes all things new Revel 21.5 makes the Heart Tongue and Life new and when the strong door of Grace is super-added to that double door of Nature to bar it in This unruly Member the God of Nature hath shut up within a double door the one of flesh that is the lips the other of Bones to wit the Teeth And seeing in the depraved estate it most unrulily breaks through this double door upon small provocation the God of all grace lays the briddle of grace upon it Psal 32.9 39. 1 Jam. 1.26 3.2 yet so unruly is this evil member that it oft breaks the bridle of
as the Waters in the Red Sea did on each side Israel Exod. 14.22 but this is no better than proud presumption to imagine a Miracle without warrant from Scripture seeing that concerning Israel is recorded but this concerning Enoch Paradise to be thus secured is not so much as darkly intimated Besides if it had been so then Noah needed not to build an Ark the eight persons with all the Cattel might have been secured there with Enoch who would have made them nine persons saved contrary to a Pet. 3.20 4. Others of them say That Paradise might be preserved in the Waters as was the Olive-Tree whereof the Dove pluck'd a Branch suppose this true yet Enoch must have been Drowned for Trees have not Breath as Man hath 'T is said every thing that had Breath Died Gen. 7.22 there is not par ratio 't is no right arguing from the preservation of a Tree which is breathless to the preservation of a man who Breatheth 5. 'T is said of Elijahs Translation twice as before that he went up into Heaven 2 Kin. 2.1 11. this cannot be Paradise below the same may be said also of Enoch The third Branch is what of Enoch was Translated whether his Soul only or his Body also Answer No doubt but God took up his Body as well as his Soul from Earth to Heaven and from this Life to a better without any separation of his Soul from his Body This brings me to the second Remarkable and the second Enquiry about if to wit his Advantage attending this high Priviledge He did not see death Heb. 11.5 He tasted not of that bitter Cup. Indeed his Translation was as Calvin calls it a kind of extraordinary death yet came he not under 1. The expectation of Death by either Disease or Decay much less 2. Under the power and dominion of Death by parting his Soul from his Body but it was with him as it shall be with those that are alive at Christs coming Behold saith the Apostle I shew you a Mystery This was likely one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wordless words that he heard in his Rapture 2 Cor. 12.4 and therefore unknown till then to any Morial We shall not all die but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 We shall have Spiritual Bodies v. 44. And a Building of God not made with hands with which House we desire to be clothed upon c. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. And the same Apostle to the Thessalonians saith more plainly Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thes 4.17 Paul thus speaketh of himself as of one alive at Christs coming because we should daily expect it and even hasten unto it as 2 Pet. 3.12 And he intimateth there that the Clouds are the Chariots and Waggons which our Joseph our Jesus will send for us at that time to carry us up to Heaven as the Patriarch Joseph the Lord of the Land did for his Fathers Family down to Egypt Gen. 45.27 And such a Chariot carried up Christ himself into Heaven Act. 1.9 Thus Enoch was taken up in a Whirlwind as in a Waggon as the best Hebrew Doctors do affirm however 't is plain Elijah was so And in the very Act of their Translation both their Mortality was so swallow'd up of Life and Immortality and their Corruption did put on Incorruption in such an unconceivable way as those that shall be changed and caught up at Christs coming That neither of them felt the Sting of Death no more than the Victory of the Grave he saw not Death This is taken Literally or Mystically 1. Literally as here and Luke 2.26 Simeon saw not Death until he had seen the Son of God 2. Mystically John 8.51 If a Man keep my sayings he shall not see death Death is Threefold 1. Temporal 2. Spiritual 3. Eternal In the former of these Death is taken Literally in the two latter Mystically The Holy Scripture uses three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adjoining to Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Heb. 11.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 8.51 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 52. Mat. 16.28 and Mark 9.1 c. to be dead in sin a frequent Phrase in Scripture or to die in sin as John 8.21 relates to Death Spiritual This is an heavy Doom and the very next door to damnation 't is a sad thing to die in a Ditch or Dungeon but 't is far sadder to die this death Spiritual to Die in Sin but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tast Imports that Saints only Tast of Death they do but sip of that bitter Cup which for tasting of that forbidden fruit in Paradise they should have been swilling and swallowing down for ever This sinners who die in their sins do they do not only swallow it but are swallow'd up of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever which when that is added as Joh. 8.51 52. relates to Death Eternal Saints do die but sinners are kill'd with Death Rev. 2.23 A good man is said agrotare Vitaliter mori Vitaliter his sickness and death is in order to life he hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Death to him is as the Valley of Achor a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 as an entrance into the Heavenly Canaan But to evil Men Death is a Trap-door to let them down into Hell that Region of Darkness and Torment When Death comes with a Writ of Habeas Corpus and the Devil with a Writ of Habeas Animam c. 't is therefore a wonder that they go not raving and roaring out of the World Our Enoch had exemption from all those three Deaths Hereupon Chrysostom wonders that Enoch should pass safely through the Prince of the Air 's Territories unmolested the Devil not daring to cast so much as one Stone at his Mud-wall as he rode along in his Chariot as Elijah did into Heaven Assuredly God did gather him up in a moment being his Conduct and Convoy all along clothing him with the qualities of a glorify'd Body without either sickness pain or perishing of his fleshly Body he had neither Disease nor Death 1. He saw not Death Temporal nor 2. Death Spiritual which is Threefold 1. Of Sin Rom. 6.2 2. Of the Law Gal. 2.19 3. Of the VVorld which is Twofold 1. Active wherein the World is dead to us Phil. 3.8 2. Passive wherein we are dead to the World Mat. 10.22 Both these are held out in Paul's words The World is Crucified unto me and I am Crucified to the World Gal. 6.14 Christ kills two at once there Paul to the World and the World to Paul It was but a dead thing to him and he was as dead a thing to it Enoch saw not this Spiritual Death in sin for he received Testtmony concerning himself and we concerning him that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 3. He saw not Death Eternal the place
4. and not faint Luke 13.24 Rom. 15.30 till we obtain Benjamins Portion in sitting down at our Brother Josephs or Jesus's Elbow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strife earnestly not for the Cup till we spill the Wine 4. As Jacob buys that which he could not win a Spiritual Priviledge with Temporal Pottage so if we either by strife purchase or suite can attain to true Spiritual Blessings we are happy 5. On the other hand the Profane as Esau are despisers of Grace Gen. 25.34 parts with their Patrimony without regret or remorse and that for trifles Worldly things are no better than a Mass of Lâ—ntile-Pottage a right Son of Adam who sold his own and his Posterities happiness for a Morsel of Meat pretending danger of Death v. 32. whereas 't was more the greediness of his Natural Appetite and the greatness of his Carnal Passion and Affection so priz'd present profit before as he thought an empty Priviledge limiting it to this Life only as Job 21.13 Thus Sensualists sell their Souls for a thing of nought as Amos 2.6 whereas Christ who best knew the worth of a Soul as he alone went to the price of a Soul saith 't is more worth than a World Mat. 16.26 Godly Naboth was of a better mind saying God forbid a should sell away my Inheritance 1 Kin. 21.3 and indeed God had forbid him Levit. 25.23 Numb 36.7 Ezek. 46.18 so he fearing God in that corrupt age would rather be made a Martyr than break Gods Law the Selling of his Inheritance had been the purchasing of Sin and Disobedience but a good Man is bid to sell all that be may purchase not Sin but Christ that Pearl of great Price Mat. 13.45 as Jacob here parts with a part of his Pottage to an Hungry Hunter whom a little will not suffice in a time of Famine to purchase the Primogeniture which was a figure of Divine Adoption Jacob having bought the Birth right had a way made so gain the Blessing also in the getting whereof there be many eminent remarks or remarkable means whereby he got it As 1. Isaac's Blindness did concur towards it 'T is some wonder how Isaac came to be Blind so soon with Old Age seeing he lived above Forty years after this Gen. 35.28 29. being now but an Hundred Thirty seven years Old the very Age that his Brother Ishmael died at Gen. 25.17 which put him the more to mind his own End and to make his Patriarchal Will before he died though he lived long even Forty three years after How he came to be Blind so soon yet live so long is much marvell'd at seeing the same did not befal any of the other Patriarchs yet is he noted to be more Continent and Temperate than any of them having but one Wife Gen. 24.67 We may not think that Isaac's Blindness was caused by the Smoak of the Sacrifices that Esau's Wives Offered to their Idols as the Rabbies say or that it was an extraordinary Judgment of God upon him as hath been upon great Sinners as acts 13.11 c. but his Old Age being now an Hundred Thirty seven years old was incident to this as to other Infirmities Eccles 12.2 3 4 c. it being of it self a Disease and the Sink of all Diseases Yet this was ordered by a Divine Hand upon him at this time not because as Christ saith This Man had finned or his Parents but that the Works of God might be made manifest in him John 9.3 For God then sent this Blindness upon Isaac that by this means the Blessing might be as it ought by the Oracle conferr'd upon Jacob which Isaac with his Eye-sight would not have done This may be strong Consolation that our good God doth marvellously dispose of the Infirmities and Calamities of bis Servants in the best way of Subserviency to his own Glory Oh what mad work had Isaac made had he not been blind he would for his part have brought Destruction upon the World for as much as he wish'd to Bless Esau who upon any occasion would have sold the Blessing as he had done the Birth-right and besides being very wicked by despising this as he had the other he would have brought the wrath and curse of God upon the whole Earth Therefore Isaac's Blindness of Eyes seeing he had such Blindness of Affection to his prophane Son was a great Blessing and let us say with the Apostle All things work together for the good of the Children of God Rom. 8.28 The second Remark is The Expectation of his own death Isaac saith I am Old and I know not the day of my Death Gen. 27.2 no more doth any though never so young as soon saith the Proverb goes the Lambs Skin to the Market as that of the Old Sheep and the Hebrew saying is There be as many young Skulls in Golgotha as old Young men may die for none have or can make any Agreement with the Grave or any Covenant with Death Isa 28.15 18. but old Men must die 'T is the Grand Statute of Heaven Heb. 9.27 Senex quasi Seminex an old Man is half dead yea now at fifty years old we are accounted three parts dead this Lesson we may learn from our Fingers end the Dimensions whereof demonstrate this to us beginning at the end of the Little Finger representing our Childhood rising up a little higher to the end of the Ring-finger which betokens our Youth from it to the top of the Middle Finger which is the highest point of an elevated Hand and so most aptly represents our Middle Age when we come to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Heighth of Stature and Strength then begins our declining Age from thence to the end of our Fore-finger which amounts to a little Fall but from thence to the end of the Thumb there is a great Fall to shew when Man goes down in his Old Age he falls fast and far and breaks as we say with a witness now if our very Fingers end do read us such a Divine Lecture of Mortality Oh that we could take it our and have it perfect as we say on our Fingers end Oh that there were such an Heart in us Deut. 5.29 só wise as to consider our latter end Deut. 32.29 Death to the Young is in insidus lyes in Ambush for them and is ready at all times to fall on if the Lord of Hosts give but the word but as to Old Men Death is prae Januis stands before their Door and is ready to step in over the Threshold to strike c. Hence cometh that saying That Old Men have pedem in cymba Charontis one Foot in the Grave already and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Old Man is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a looking toward the Ground Decrepit Age goes stooping and groveling as groaning for the Grave It doth not only expect death but oft sollicites it Though we find not Isaac do the latter
expresly that Isaac was an Hundred and Eighty years old when he died Gen. 35.28 The longest liver after Heber of all the Patriarchs was this Child of Promise Isaac whom Abraham begot in his old Age he had a longer life than his Father Abraham who died when he was an Hundred and seventy five years old Gen. 25.7 So that 't is more than probable Joseph saw his Grandfather Isaac though Isaac's forty years Blindness hinder'd him from seeing Joseph before he was Sold into Bondage and that Isaac blessed him and all Jacob's Children before he died for 't is related in Gen. 35.27 that Jacob came from Migdal-Edar his last Stage to his Father Isaac then removed from Beershebah where Jacob left him Gen. 28.10 unto Hebron upon the occasion 't is suppos'd ot burying Rebekah there Gen. 49.31 of whom there is no mention after Jacob's Return with his Wives Children Family and Furniture when he had been now absent from Isaac about Thirty years to wit Twenty one in Mesopotamia with Laban and Nine in his Returning and Sojournings having so many halts in the way not only through his own halting but also through the many Hindrances he had therein one while stop'd by Laban behind another while by Esau before yea all these four Crosses aforementioned befalling his Family in his passage made him make long Pauses at several Stages besides his own tenderness of over-driving his tender Children his breeding and bearing Flocks and Herds c. made him lead on softly and make very short Stages besides also many other Impediments not mentioned Here an Enquiry is made Whether Jacob saw not his Father Isaac All this Thirty long years Answ It may not be supposed that so Affectionate a Son and so conscientious a Saint as Jacob was could satisfie his own Soul without a sight of such a Father as Isaac was so blessed a Patriarch and who had so solemnly sent him away with his Patriarchal Blessing Had he not visited his Aged and blind Father from whom he had both his first Being and his well-being too by his Blessing and to whom a Son can never be too grateful in God assoon and as oft as it was in the power of his hands to do He had been otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too unnatural to him It is therefore more than probable that Jacob having now lived many years in Canaan since his return from Laban He went oft over to pay his due Respects and reverential Duty to this Reverend Prophet and Patriarch while he dwelt not very far distant from him in Hebron before he removed himself from his former Habitation at Migdal-Edar about 20 Miles from Isaac with all his Bagg and Baggage as we say at this time to him Gen. 35.27 Hither to Hebron Jacob came with his whole Family Flocks and Furniture even a vast Train and Attendance where he had the Happiness to be an Inhabitant with his Aged yet Affectionate Father in Peace and Plenty for twelve years together after so long wearisom and dangerous a Pilgrimage Here he had the Comfort of Cohabitation with his much indeared Isaac where for so long a time he was not only honoured with this Patriarch's sweet Countenance but was also helped with his sage Counsel both in his own Arduous Affairs in keeping and carrying on an amicable Correspondency both with his cruel Brother Esau and with the cursed Inhabitants of Canaan and in his Holy Education of all his Sons the twelve Patriarchs who had already some of them wrought him much woe As is before related in Reuben's Inoest and in Simeon and Levi's Massacre c. But above all in that universal Conspiracy of them all save of Reuben who had offended enough before in the Sale of that rich Jewel Joseph which happen'd as before 12 years before Isaac's Death though Recorded after it and therefore in this Discourse is it in the same order of place though not of time discours'd upon for which lamentable loss of his Jewel Jacob refus'd to be Comforted Gen. 37.35 yet there 't is said also that His to wit Jacob's Father Isaac say Junius Pareus c likewise wept for him for he being yet alive must be a partaker of his Son Jacob's Grief who likely loved this lost Joseph best for his being the most towardly of all the Twelve Grandsons the Patriarchs Nevertheless we may well conceive Isaac's presence with disconsolate Jacob was some allay to his sorrow in Joseph's Absence He had yet his old Father to bear with him a part of his burden and to counter-comfort him as no doubt he did against his great grief and loss though he now wanted his young Son But when Jacob must lose his dear Father Isaac and so all the sweet Comforts he had found in his Company Countenance and Counsel as an Additional Aggravation of the loss of his hopeful Son Joseph Hinc illae Lachrymae This he could not choose but look upon as a great Cross and Calamity also and though Moses mention nothing of Jacob's Mourning for Isaac Gen. 35.29 as he doth of his Mourning for Joseph Gen. 37.29 30 31 33 35. and after of Joseph's Mourning for Jacob Gen. 50.1 3. no doubt but Jacob largely likewise lamented this his double loss 'T is one of the Dues of the Dead to be lamented at their Funerals and Solon's Rule Mors mea nè careat Lachrymis Let me not have a Dry Funeral is far better than that of Ennius Nemo me dedecoret Lachrymis c. Let none bedew my Tomb-stone with their Tears for 't is mention'd as an Honour done to Sarah the first we Read of mourn'd for at Death that Abraham came to mourn for her Gen. 23.2 And the want of this is not only a fault Isa 57.1 See also Act. 8.2 but 't is also threatned as a Curse in many Scriptures Therefore the Affection of sorrow may lawfully have an ' Expression by Tears at Funerals and 't is a laudable practice warranted in all Ages and Men may mourn at the Death of Dear Friends so it be 1 In Truth not feignedly 2. In Hope not Despairingly 3. If it be not produced from too much Distrust in God And 4. If in Measure not proceeding to an Excess which speaks out too much Affection to and Confidence in the Creature It follows hence that 't is more than probable This 5th Cross or Calamity of Jacob's the Death of his Dear Father put him into Mourning As to Jacob's 6th Cross the sale of Joseph and his 7th his being forced by Famine first to send his dear Benjamin and then to go himself out of Canaan into Egypt both which have a Coincidency with the History of Joseph and thither therefore I refer the Reader having insisted long upon Jacob. CHAP. XIII The History and Mystery of Joseph's Sale THE History of Joseph's Life is handled under four Heads First His Sale into Egypt Secondly His State in Egypt Thirdly His Exercise there And Fourthly His Exit thence
Jacob loved Joseph so much that he could not conceal or cover it but openly discovers it to all their emulating Eyes by clothing him above all with a Coat of many Colours such as so far as we read he covered not his dear Benjamin's Body with The Reasons may be supposed That 1. Benjamin was not come to such proof as to oblige his Father's Affections 2. Not he but Joseph took away the great Grief for Rachel's Barrenness as being her First-born and her Picture also in Resemblance and Beauty 3. The Birth of Benjamin was the Death of his Dear Rachel this must be some damp to Jacob's Delights in him but Joseph's Birth left no such matter of mishap behind it to afflict his Father's Heart or to obstruct his Affections Besides 4. Jacob by his Prophetick Spirit foresaw no such good proof in Benjamin that ravening Wolf as he calls him Gen. 49.27 as he had already seen in Joseph and did foresee much more v. 22.26 There may be too much Curiosity to make over critical Enquiries about the Matter of Joseph's Coat whether it were Silk or made up of divers kinds of Threds like our strip'd Stuff which afterward was forbidden by the Law to be made of Linnen and Woollen Lev. 19.19 or about the manner of its making whether it were Opus Phrygionicum woven upon the Loom like Tapestry or it was Embroider'd Needle-work wrought curiously with the fingers in some Frame and so made parti-coloured by the Semsters Needle and not by the Weavers Shuttle or about the Form and Fashion of it whether it were Tunica manicata a Coat with Sleeves or Tunica Talaris reaching down to the Ankles as if a Sacerdotal Garment as some say the Hebr. Peses signifies But why should the Priesthood Garment be ascribed to so young a youth as Joseph unless as the Primogeniture was given from Reuben to him who was the first-born of Rachel who in Jacob's Intentions was first embraced So Joseph might be apparell'd as the designed Priest of the Family As there is no need of any of these Niceties so neither can there be any Satisfactory proof given for any of the aforesaid out of Sacred Scripture concerning these latent Circumstances 't is the sâ—fest Rule for observation Where Divine Writ hath not a Mouth to Speak there we should not have a Tongue to Ask Yet thus far the Holy Scriptures speak That Tamar David's Daughter had such a parti-colour'd Garment wrought or Embroider'd Work with divers Colours for with such Robes Kings Daughters Virgins were so Apparelled 2 Sam. 13.18 As God in all Ages hath put a difference of Estates among the Sons and Daughters of Men so that Difference hath been distinguish'd by different Apparel Rags or Robes mean or costly That Tamar's Garment of divers Colours was costly none doubteth her Father David being at that time in the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or top of his Pomp and Prosperity and in the Zenith or vertical point of his Royal Dignity Therefore his only Daughter and exceeding beautiful David's dearest Darling his Joy and Jewel was undoubtedly arayed with most costly Apparel call'd Hebr. Passim a richly Embroider'd Garment Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diver Colours and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of divers Threds without Controversie very costly And seeing the same word is used both in Hebrew and Greek for Joseph's and for Tamar's Garment it may thence be concluded that Joseph's also was a very costly Coat which as some suppose his Father cloth'd him with as with the Badge and Ensign of his Primogeniture because when he embraced Leah he thought it had been Rachel Therefore he bestowed the Birth-right according to the measure of his own Mind and not according to the Cheat Laban had put upon him Gen. 29.25 from Reuben who had forfeited it Gen. 35.22 and 49.3 upon Joseph who was the first Son of that Wife whom he first agreed to have Gen. 29.18 and 30 23 24. the Son of Israel so call'd as if his only Son that Title being appropriated to him because he was best beloved of him therefore Reuben's Birthright was given to this Son of Israel Joseph 1 Chron. 5.1 with which went the Priesthood until Moses Law for which Garments for Glory and for Beauty most rich Raiment and even Royal Robes were appointed for its Apparel Exod. 28.2 c. And though Joseph's Coat could not be granted to be costly in its Materials as an Emblem of his Priesthood according to Jacob's present Design yet must it be granted to be a costly Coat in it self as it was the Emblem undoubtedly of his intended Primogeniture However it proved a costly Coat both to Joseph the Son and to Jacob the Father 1. To the Son This very Coat that Joseph was covered with became a grievous Eye-sore to his Brethren and made him the object of their Envy and Hatred Gen. 37.4 This gay and gawdy Coat was a great offence to their envious Looks Jacob look'd â—pon it with delight and complacency but they with rancour and malignity because they thought it a sign shewing some partiality in their Father's Affections Hence some say it had been batter Jacob had loved Joseph more so he had but shewed it less This Ambrose noteth as Jacob's naevum or oversight to prefer one Son before another yea before all though his Paternal Affection was grounded upon his Son's Pious Disposition yet had he done better to have hid his hot love under the cover of a plainer Coat suitable to those of his other Sons To conceal his Respect had been his Prudence and Piety but thus offensively to reveal it seem'd Fondness and Partiality Therefore became it 2. A costly Coat to the Father as well as to the Son as it expos'd Joseph to implacable Hatred so it occasion'd to Jacob unexpressible Sorrow Gen. 37.32 33 34 35. when the Father saw his Sons Coat dip'd again in a bloody Dye-fat that the Tincture of a blood-red Colour had quite covered and carried off all those divers delightful Colours the Coat consisted of at the first he sorrow'd with exceeding great Sorrow and wept so bitterly over it as to let fall whole showers of Tears upon it wishing to wash it therewith into its original Complexion and his Son Joseph well in it again He was so passionately affected with the conceit of his Sons Death that by his overmuch life-swallowing Sorrow he would needs hasten his own The strong Tide of his inordinate Passion carried him down so irresistibly that he not only refused to be comforted but resolved also to groan away his Life and to carry his Grief to his Grave Thus this curious Coat however costly in its own matter proved far more costly both to the Donor and to the Wearer ☞ Hence First Ambrose gives a good Caution to all Parents that they be not partial in their loves to their Children Cavete saith he nè quos natura conjunxit Paterna gratia nimiâ partialitate dividat Take heed
envied the vast numbers and multitude of Israel and would therefore have them cursed that thereby they might by his hands be diminished Numb 22.3 5 6. but Balaam here is over-ruled by Almighty God and constrained by force to utter a blessing for their farther Increase c. The fifth Remark is Yea Balaam is forced to pronounce a greater blessing upon Israel here ver 10. not only as they were a People happy in this life both for multitude and safety but also in their death too as they were a righteous People whose Righreousness should deliver them from the Curse of death Prov. 11.4 and not be killed by it as Jezebel's Children were Rev. 2.24 because the Israel of God have a Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ Phil. 3.9 therefore they shall not die as the wicked do whose expectation then perisheth Prov. 11.7 and their Hope upon a dying Bed is but as giving up the Ghost which is but cold comfort Job 11.20 The sixth Remark is As bad as this Soothsayer Balaam was yet was he not so bad as those brain-sick Notionists that dare deny the Immortality of the Soul of Man for herein he is Orthodox and not Heterodox in pronouncing the different state of the righteous and of the wicked after death Hereupon he prays Let me die the death of the Righteous c. ver 10. which would have been altogether a vain and superfluous Request had he believed that the Soul died with the Body if so the death of the righteous could not be better nor more desirable than the death of the wicked and the last End of the latter would be as good as the former The seventh Remark is Even wicked men may desire to die the death of the righteous tho' they never endeavour to live the life of the righteous Thus Balaam did as many do desire the End without the Means whereas the Means are ordained of God as well as the End Act. 13.48 and ought not nay cannot be separated There must be Holiness before there can be Happiness as Heb. 12.14 No seeing of God without holiness and the end of Faith is the Salvation of the Soul 1 Pet. 1.9 and the righteous have a blessed Reward after this life as their End in Heaven Matth. 5.12 c. The eighth Remark is Bare desires of an happy death will not do for such desires without endeavours after an holy life also are like Rachel who was beautiful but barren Therefore Men usually as they live so they die For Balaam here who lived the life of the wicked being a Servant of Satan in his Sorcery died the death of the wicked notwithstanding those specious desires after a better death wherein this Minister of Hell transformed himself into an Angel of Light and Minister of Righteousness yet his end was according to his works as the Apostle telleth us of all such 2 Cor. 11.15 for as he lived so he died among the Enemies of God by the Sword of Israel Numb 31.8 Thus far Balaam's first Attempt against Israel extendeth wherein the God of Israel over-powered him in this Attempt Now come we to Balaam's second Attempt wherein we have these three parts 1. The Occasion 2. The Advantages and 3. The Disappointment First The Occasion was Balak's expostulation with Balaam for acting quite contrary to his expectation which consists of Balak's Accusation and of Balaam's Apology and Answer to his Accusation ver 11 12. The first Remark is From Balak's accusing Balaam tho' Balak pretended great Devotion in serving God by his Altars and Sacrifices yet he intended only to serve himself upon God for he rested not in the Answer of God by Balaam but opposed his own will against God's will unjustly calling God's Friends his Enemies tho' they passed by his Borders in peace and now being crossed in his cursing and cursed Contrivances he hot only repines at God's blessing Israel but boldly blames Balaam for pronouncing it 〈◊〉 all which are discoveries of Balak's Hypocrisie Malice Pride and Prophaneness The second Remark is from Balaam's Answer unto Balak's Accusation v. 12. tho' Balaam wanted no will to Curse Israel for Balak's Wages yet he acknowledges God's restraint lay so strong upon him that he could not do what he would therefore he tamely takes and bears Balak's blame but still shifts it off from himself and lays it at the Lord's door for laying that compulsive necessity upon him and withall he pretends his own Care and Conscience in observing God's Command saying Otho Eshmor Ledabber must I not be careful to keep close to God's word only Thus those two Hypocrites mocked one with another thus Cato could say Potest Augur Augurem Videre non Ridere Can one Soothsayer see another and not laugh together to observe how they cheat the World with their Fortune-telling However the Lord that sitteth in Heaven looks and laughs and hath them all in derision Psal 2.4 The Third Remark is This was the occasion of the 2d Attempt wherein Balak failing in his first doth not desist but takes new measures here so unwearied are wicked men in their wicked Designs Oh what a shame is it for us to complain of weariness in the good ways of God! Mal. 1.13 Balak supposing that Balaam was affrighted with his prospect of so prodigious a multitude persuades him to a change of place where he might see only some part of the Camp of Israel and where he might sacrifice as before and fall to his Prayers or rather Charms that by his Fascinations or bewitching look on one part he might in their Name curse the whole Camp This was Balak's renewed method ver 13 14 15. The like Superstition and Folly in changing of Places we find Recorded afterwards in the silly Syrian's who being foiled by Israel on the Hills would fight with them again in the plains 1 King 20.20 23. As this was an old device of the Devil who taught Amalek when they could not cut off the whole Camp of Israel Exod. 17.12 c. to kill the hindmost of Israel even all that were feeble behind the Camp Deut. 25.17 18. So it was likewise afterwards the Policy of that Dragon who when He could not Devour the Church that had Eagles wings to escape with from him being wroth went to War with the Remnant of her Seed Rev. 12.7 13. The Fourth Remark is the success of this second Attempt namely a second Disappointment for Balak asks Balaam what word the Lord had put into his Mouth at this Time ver 16 17. and Balaam takes up his Parable the second Time ver 18. and instead of a Curse pronounces again the Blessing saying Rise up Balak to receive the Lord's Word with Reverence as Eglon did Judg. 3.20 Gen. 49.33 God is not as Man to repent c. of his absolute Decrees though He may do of his Conditional Promises ver 19. Thus Balaam doth reprove Balak of his gross mistake in endeavouring to reverse God's decreed Blessing upon
for the City Timnath-Serah which he chose call'd Timnath heres which signifies the Picture of the Sun which was there worship'd Judg. 2.9 in detestation whereof the Name was altered by tranposition of Letters Here 's for Serah was on old ruinous City which he was forced to repair before he could inhabit it and Masius tells a Story of Paula whom Jerom writes to how she went to visit Joshua's Sepulchre in this City Josh 24.30 and there wondered that he who was the principal Divider of that fruitful Land to others should set out for himself no richer Revenues but the meanest and barrenest part thereof as the Hebrew word Bethubem here signifieth yet lower nor still was this the whole of Joshua's Condescension for he receiv'd this poor pittance not by Lot as the Tribes did their Lands but by Gift The Children of Israel gave an Inheritance to Joshua ver 49. and 50. He acknowledged it a Gift to him from the People over whom God had placed him their Governour and General though it was only the People's free Assent unto the Lord's Promise or Precept for undoubtedly the Lord said the same to Moses concerning Joshua as well as Caleb Josh 14.6 seeing Joshua had shewed the same Courage and Faithfulness in espying out the Land of Canaan which Caleb did Numb 14.6.30 therefore must receive the same equal encouragement and comfort from God at that time namely to have such parts of the Land when it was Conquered as they desired Oh sweet Spirited Modest Humble Low-condescending Joshua in all these aforementioned Particulars But all this was done that there might be the greater Congruity betwixt Joshua the Type and our blessed Jesus the Antitype who did Exouthenize or empty'd himself condescending to come in the form of a Servant to his Redeemed People to whom he saith concerning the work of my hands command ye me Isa 45.11 Christ indeed became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 was born lived and died poor c. CHAP. XX. JOshua the Twentieth appointeth the Cities of Refuge according to God's Command Exod. 21.13 Numb 35.6.11.14 c. Deut. 19.2.9 The Remarks upon it are principally Three The First Remark is The end why God appointed those Cities of Refuge was for the preservation of the Life of Man so tender is the Lord of the Effusion of Bloud that he provides six Sanctuaries here to save Mans Life from the Avenger of Bloud least he should take his private revenge while his Bloud waxed hot within him for the loss of some near Kinsman Deut. 19.5 6. Well doth Job Characterize God The Preserver of Men Job 7.20 and well doth the Apostle Adore God's Philanthropy or Love to Mankind Tit. 3 4. So precious is the Bloud not only of his Saints though that be chiefly but of all his Reasonable Creatures in the sight of God Ps 72.14 and 116.15 compared with this care of God to Man in general Here therefore all those Cities of Refuge were placed in open view and as some say paved all the way as a Mark of Direction yea and situated at a just distance that the Innocent Party might repair from all parts in due time without enquiring the way thither least the Pursuer thereby overtake the pursued The Second Remark is The Form or priviledge of this Asylum or Sanctuary teaching 1. Who were capable of it not the wilful Murderer such saith God shall be Haled from the Horns of the Altar Exod. 21.14 as Joab was 1 Kings 2.31.34 but only Casual Manslayers without any premeditated Malice the Lord acting by them as meer Instruments in his hand without any purpose or intention on their part Exod. 21.13 2. What was this Priviledge namely security from the Avenger and a safe Judiciary Tryal if his Slaughter be found Chance-Medley The practice of Princes in protecting wilful Murderers is quite contrary to this Law of God much more the Pope's dispensing with such as if wiser than Solomon who saith A Man that doth Violence to the Bloud of any Person shall flee to the Pit let no Man stay him Prov. 28.17 God's Law is Draw such from the Altar to the Halter least the Land be Defiled with Bloud The Third Remark is How long they were to stay in those Cities and that was to the Death of the High-Priest Numb 35.25 Josh 20.6 then had he a Release after a long confinement which was his punishment for his carelesness c. because the High-Priest was a Type of Christ and so this Release was a shadow of our Redemption by the Death of Christ who was also Typed out by all those six Cities of Refuge 3 on this side Jordan and 3 on that if we run to this Rock for our Refuge we are safe Prov. 18.10 and none can pull us out of his and his Fathers hands Joh. 10.28 29. He is our best Sanctuary when pursued at the Heels by the Avenger of Blood Divine Justice and by the Guilt of our own Evil Consciences c. If we be in Christ the Rock Temptations and Oppositions do as the Waves dash upon us indeed but 't is to break themselves all asunder c. CHAP. XXI JOshua the Twenty first Is a Narrative of the Cities divided and given by Lot unto the Priests and Levites from ver 1. to ver 43. Hence the Remarks are First The Fathers of the Order of Aaron come and make their claim v. 1 2. when the whole Land was now distributed among the several Tribes which they could not do sooner for they were not forgotten in the foregoing division because they were to have their Cities and Inheritances out of the other several Tribes amongst whom they were to be dispers'd according to Jacob's Prophecy Gen. 49.7 that they might the more easily frequently and effectually as they were obliged teach Israel Gods Judgments Deut. 33.10 and that the People might upon all occasions resort to them for learning the sense of the Law of God Mal. 2.7 and they do not here refer themselves to the Charity and Devotion of the People for their Mantenance out of any free Gifts but they ground their claim upon the Command of God to Moses Numb 35.2 nor was this a General Command only of Cities and Suburbs to be given to them and the rest to be referr'd to the pleasure of the People but the number of those Cities are expresly named to be forty eight Cities and their Lands and Suburbs are exactly measured in their extent belonging to the Levites not for Tillage for the Levites were to have no such Employment Numb 18.20.24 but for Pasture Pleasure and other Country Commodities Besides all other means of their maintenance are precisely prescribed as being the portion which God had appropriated to himself and bestowed upon them as his Ministers that administred unto him that so they might not stand to the courtesie of the People but acknowledge the Lord alone to be their only Benefactor The Second Remark is The Children of Israel's readiness to
of Baal ver 25. He doth not only build up an Altar for the true God ver 26. but he likewise pulls down Baal's Image Altar and Chappel also This he did by Night with the help of ten honest Servants of his Fathers because he could not do it by Day for fear of an Uproar by the many mad-headed Inhabitants of Baalists and though this seemed to entrench upon his Father's Rights and Authority yet God's Command to Gideon was a sufficient Warrant for by his Commission to be Supreme Magistrate he was now made his Father's Superiour c. ver 27. Gideon must first reform and remove those stumbling Blocks of Idolatry before he can expect any success against the Midianites nor was this privative part of Piety in Demolishing the Worship of Baal enough to prepare him for a Judge and General but he must likewise practice the positive part thereof in Erecting an Altar for Jehovah upon which he must offer a Bullock of Seven Years old supposed to be all that time fatting for Baal But now returned to the right owner for the Cattel upon a Thousand Hills are the Lords not Baals Psal 50.10 This must be singled out because of its Age for it being seven Years old it began to be when their Misery by Midian began to be and now being to be Sacrificed it fitly signified that the period of that Midianitish Misery and Tyranny was now at hand to be accomplished This seven year old Bullock that stood in the second place in the Stall and designed for Baal must be Sacrificed to the Lord with the Wood of the Grove which Gideon with the help of those ten Religious Servants that detested the Idolatry of those corrupt times and were willing to run the rescue with their young Master had cut down in the Night from whence we may learn that those things which have been abused to Idolatry may afterwards be lawfully used in God's Service as Churches Chalices c. Thus the Bethshemites used the Cart and Kine of the Philistines in the Worship of God 1 Sam. 6.14 15. The Ninth Remark is The hideous Uproar that this Nights Reformation raised up among the rude Rabble early next Morning ver 28 c. when they rose betimes to do their Devotion to Baal 't is a wonder their seven years Oppression had taught them no better Lessons nor had no more lessen'd their liking to Idols they rush in upon Joash the chief Man or Magistrate among them and in a great rage demand of him to put his Son to Death before he was heard what he could plead for himself why he should not die N.B. Thus bloudy is Idolatry nothing can satisfie but the Death of those that oppose it as the experience of all Ages doth evidence And thus blind are Idolaters that like Idols have Eyes and see not Psal 115. ver 5. They are brutishly hurried on more by Rage than by Right or by Reason c. The Out-rage of this many headed Idolatrous Multitude was more than Micah's Judg. 18.24 when he made that Out-cry Ye have taken away my Gods and do ye ask me what I ail Alas what have I more that I make any matter of nay 't was more like that of Demetrius and his Crafts-men in Act. 19.23 28 c. about their Goddess Diana who would violently have devoured Christ's Disciples that decryed their Idolatry This Superstitious Mobile comes here in a blindfold Career crying out Justice Justice upon the Sacrilegious Fellow no doubt but they had observed that Gideon was no such admirer of their Idolatrous Worship as they were by his not giving Cap and Knee to Baal so devoutly as they did therefore they presumed it must be Gideon who had committed this great Sacriledge and it was the greater affront in him because he was the Magistrate's Son Thus we see how an hideous Tumult was raised ver 28 29 30. Now the next Account is how this untamed Beast came to be tamed by the Wisdom of Joash the chief Man among them and who had the keeping of the Cattel appointed for Baal's Sacrifice ver 25. and to whom they now addressed for Justice ver 31 32. N. B. 'T is plain that Joash had been a Worshipper of Baal yet so wise a Man as to train up his Son in an honest and painful Calling tho' he had many Servants ver 27. yet must his son be a Thresher and earn his Bread in the Sweat of his Brows and this might be one reason that the Messiah when he came to him did behold him with so Amicable an Aspect ver 14. because he found him in the Duty of an Honest Calling and so lustily belabouring the Wheat which he was Threshing out Undoubtedly Joash was loath to lose so laborious a Son who was now in more danger of dying by the hands of Monstrous Men than he had been before by the hands of a Gracious God who said to him Fear not thou shalt not die ver 23. and who was a fast Friend to him in this Exigency also for it is the Lord's Work to still the noise of the Seas the noise of the Waves and the Tumults of the People Psal 65.7 as he did here in token of his acceptance of Gideon's Sacrifice upon his new Altar which he called Jehovah Shalom ver 24 26. N.B. The Divine Acceptance hereof may well be wondered at seeing it was a Sacrifice of strange and various Dispensations as Dr. Lightfoot excellently observeth for it was offered by Night on a new Altar in a common place by a private person with the Wood of an Idolatrous Grove and it was a Bullock prepared for Baal that Idol it self yet because it was an Offering of Faith even of that Faith for which Gideon hath a famous Record Hebr. 11.32 therefore was it accepted of God who used Joash as his Instrument for the safety of his Son at this time this prudent Magistrate might indeed be a Man indifferent in Matters of Religion so had been a Worshipper of Baal to comply with his Neighbours but now not improbably the Lord had convinced him by the Information and Actions of his Son Gideon and hereupon being assaulted by a Tumultuous Crew of Baalites Satan's Imps he labours to appease the Tumult and to defend his Son's Fact by Three Arguments The First is From their Audacious Irregularity in this Tumultuous Meeting to vindicate Baal without any lawful Call for if a fault were committed it did not belong to them being but private Men but to the Magistrate to judge of the Offence and to punish the Offenders thus the Town Clerk of Ephesus quell'd the Commotion of Demetrius c. Act. 19.35 His Second Argument was from fear of punishment he speaks to them as Mayor of the Town that it belongs to me to punish seditious Citizens that disturb the common Peace by Tumultuous Uproars so passeth the Sentence upon such Let the Ring-leaders he put to Death while it is yet Morning ver 31. It
of his most horrible Butchery of the Lord 's holy Priests Nor would they take any warning at Samuel's Sermon saying to them If you do wickedly still ye shall be consumed both you and your King chap. 12.25 Therefore they partaking with Saul in his Sins partake with him also in his punishments The Third Remark is the Death of Jonathan David's dear friend and of other two of Saul's Sons v. 2. 'T is a wonder Saul would thus hazard so many of his Sons in a Battle which he was foretold would prove fatal to Him and to his Sons To Morrow thou and thy Sons shall be with me chap. 28.19 But more especially that he ventered Jonathan who was Heir Apparent of the Crown and whom he might have left at home to manage publick matters there instead of Ishbosheth who was not present in the Battle But as Saul had not signified the fate of that Fight to any of his Sons lest it should have disanimated their Courage so the Divine Decree was unchangable for David's advantage That the other two of Saul's obscure Sons did Die in the Fight for their Father's sins no body doth admire and Saul must still be alive to see them slain before his Eyes for the aggravation of his misery for his hateful Hypocrisie But that good Jonathan should be slain with them Who can but commiserate his case Seeing he was a most Pious Noble Vertuous and Valorous Prince and undoubtedly very dear to God yet this peerless-Prince the glory of Martial Chievalry that Lumen Columen Patriae the Brightest Honour and Chiefest Pillar of his Country Dieth among the rest and had his share in the common Calamity N. B. Note well The Reasons rendred for it may be these The First is To shew the Truth of Solomon's saying There is one event to the Righteous and to the wicked c. Eccles 9.1 2. in this world As the Harvest-man cutteth down his Good Corn and the Weeds together but for a differing purpose the Weeds he casts away and burns them but the Corn he carries into his Barn Thus God makes the Righteous and the Wicked to differ and Men shall see the difference in a better World Mal. 3.8 The Second Reason God ordered Jonathan's Death here that David might be taught to depend upon God alone for his Crown and Kingdom and not upon Jonathan who had he lived out of a submission to God's declared will and out of his most endeared love to David would have speedily settled David upon his Father's Throne For he loved him as his own Soul chap. 18.1 and had promised To do for him whatever he desired Chap. 20.4 and had sworn it once and again v. 16 42. and chap. 23.18 yea and twice he had heard Saul's consent chap. 24.20 and 26.5 So that David might depend too much upon this Interest in his sworn Brother Jonathan for settling the Crown upon his Head after Saul's Death No saith God thou shalt have it solely from my self and not from Jonathan who shall Die that my Glory may not be darkened by the interposition not Jonathan's The Third Reason Jonathan Dies here to make way for a Accomplishment of Jacob's Patriarchal and Prophetical Benediction that the Scepter might be established in the Tribe of Judah until Shilo came Gen 49.10 that is till the comming of Christ Now had Jonathan succeeded Saul his Father then the Scepter had continued in the Tribe of Benjamin therefore he Dies and gives place to David who was of the Tribe of Judah The Fourth Reason God ordered good Jonathan's Death that he might be thereby freed from that shrew'd Temptation which unavoidably he had met with had he still lived after his Father's Fall For if after Saul's Death the Ten Tribes and Abner to Head them were so mad to set up Ishbosheth a weak and worthless Man in opposition to David for Saul's Successor 2. Sam. 2.8 9. How much more mad might this People have been to Espouse and Advance Jonathan's Title to the Crown who was a Man of such Transcendent Worth in himself and had meritted so much from all Israel in Fighting the Lord's Battels for them more especially in working that wonderful Deliverance for Israel only by Himself and his Armour-Bearer chap. 14.15 this endeared him to the People so as to Rescue him at that time v. 45. And had he now been alive they would undoubtedly have Promoted him to the Crown and their pressing him to Accept the Promotion must needs have been a strong Temptation to Jonathan notwithstanding his Love c. to David Then Vox Popull might seem Vox Dei The Voice of the People would seem the Voice of God c. No Humane strength had been able to resist it In the Fifth place Nor may it be said by any that God did deal over Austerely with Jonathan here because he was cut off amongst such Notorious Sinners which David deprecates from himself Psal 26.9 10. though this seem hard Measure to so good a Man and too much severity in God yet must it be considered that instead of rewarding his goodness with an Earthly Kingdom full of cares and troubles God gave him a present possession of an Heavenly Kingdom Eternal Glorious and filled with such unconceiveable Joys as admit not of the least mixture of Sorrow Thus God deny'd to Moses an Earthly Canaan but gave him Heaven of which Canaan was a Type and shadow Oh! happy Creditor who hath God his Debtor that pays in Gold of Glory when not in Silver of a lower Life The Fourth Remark is The Death of Saul himself v. 3 4 5 6. The Philistines followed hard upon Saul as their Capital Enemy and their Archers sorely wounded him yet God lets him Live to see his Army Routed his Friends Killed and his dear Sons Slaughtered before his Face this could not but be a very great Heart-grief to him who was already sore wounded and so hemmed in with the Enemy that he saw no way to escape And now after a most Wicked Life he is hurried head long to make choice of a most Desperate Death and desired his Armour-Bearer to dispatch him N. B. The Rabbins and other Expositors do unanimously affirm that this Man was Doeg whom Saul had employed in slaying the Lord's Priests and now would he employ the same Dogged fellow to slay himself saying Lest the Vncircumcised take me and put me to a more shameful and painful Death Thus he acted the part of an Hypocâ—â—â—e to his last in despising the Philistines for their Vncircumcision yet never bewailed his own Vncircumcised Heart in his being all his Life-time and now at his Death so desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 Gal. 5.6 and 6.15 When Doeg had deny'd him he desperately dispatcheth himself by falling upon his own Weapon even the same Javelin some say which he had twice cast at David and once at his dear Jonathan though he mist them both yet now he surely hits himself and thrust it into his own
now the Lord sends him here with Sad Tidings about filling his Family with variety of sore confusions The former was the fruit of his Integrity because he was a Man after God's own Heart 1 Sam. 13.14 And had respect unto all God's precepts Psal 119.6 yea and because it was in his Heart to build God an House therefore God would build an House for him 2 Sam. 7.11 1 King 8.18 1 Chron. 17.10 But this latter was the fruit of his Apostasy and Back-sliding from God and Godliness David's dangerous Down-fall had many manifest Gradations each lower than the other as N. B. Note well Mark First He began with Ease and Idleness unbeseeming a King Mark Secondly He falls into Lust and Wantonness which Fire being not carefully quenched Flamed forth into the Act of Adultery Mark Thirdly This Act hardens his Heart so that all his care now was to hidâ— his Sin and to avoid the shame In order hereunto he makes Vriah Drunk to flush him with Desires of Doing with his Wife that David's Doing so might not be discerned Mark Fourthly When this Project would not prosper Vriah must be Murderd in a Treacherous manner Mark Fifthly Joab his General must be involved into the Guilt of the Murder Mark Sixthly And rather than this Murder should be omitted the very Ammonites shall be encouraged with a Conquest and some brave Souldiers of his own Army be killed for company and sent into another World Mark Seventhly David's dreadful descent into Sin from one degree to another did so hoofe and harden his Heart through the deceitfulness of Sin Heb. 3.13 that he lay in this Spiritual Lethargy of Impenitency for three quarters of a Year and upwards untill the Lord out of tender compassion towards him was graciously pleased to send Nathan to awaken him and to make him feel the Bruises of his foul fall c. N. B. Oh! then what need have we all to Pray Lord lead us not into Temptation or if so then Lord leave us not in Temptation but lead us out of Temptation Godly David when left of God doth worse than wicked Ahab who only Coveted his Neighbour's Vineyard but David coveted the Wife yea even the Life of his most Valiant and Renowned Worthy and for no fault in him but only because he would not be drawn from his honest simplicity to serve for palliating David's Adultery The Third Remark is Nathan is sent of God to rouze David out of this Deep Sleep who most prudently introduceth his Divine Reproof with a pleasant Parable v. 2 3 4. after the manner of Antient Times and those Eastern Countries Because men that are awakened hastily out of a Deep and Sweet Sleep are apt to brawl at their best Friends for doing so therefore Nathan falls not foul upon David upbraiding him with reproachful Names of an Adulterer and a Murderer but in the wisdom of God dips his Nail of Reproof in the Oyl of a smoothing Apologue that it might drive the better and deeper N. B. David himself was a Prophet yet needs he Nathan the Prophet to be sent to him as one Physician to another But 't is Sanus ad aegrotum as Chrysostom saith the Sound to the Sick Nathan takes David when alone in his Closet retired from his Courtiers and fetcheth about this form of Speech as the Wise Woman of Tekoah did chap. 14.20 In which Parable he first fisheth out of David what the Law was and then forceth David to give sentence against himself v. 5 6. Nathan dresseth up his discourse in another person as if the relation had been real N. B. Men usually favour themselves too much when they are Chancellours in their own cause and measure all things by their own byassed Minds As the Patriarch Judah was partial in his sentence Let her be Burnt Gen. 38.24 until himself was concerned and then comes he off with She hath been more Righteous than I v. 26. Little did David dream that He was the Man in the Parable He could allow himself another Man's Wife yet Judge another Man to Death for taking away a poor Man's Lamb while David imagined it the offence of another and not his own Oh how is he transported with passion He can be more severe than God himself for God's Law only required a restoring fourfold Exod. 22.1 But David dooms this Thief in the Parable not only to do that but to Die too While David was indulgent to himself He was most severe to others as to the Ammonites after v. 31. N. B. That inhumanity in putting the conquered Ammonites to such terrible tortures was in the time of his Impenitency The Fourth Remark is Nathan applies all the parts of the parable to point out David's person when he had made his own Tongue a lance as Austin saith to rip up and heal his own Heart and so became self condemned Tit. 2.11 saying Thou art the Man Narratur fabula de te as the offence committed so heinous in thy Eyes is thine own so the Sentence thou hast denounced with so much severity should be thine own also Hereupon he reckons up the great favours God had done to David v. 7 8. And the Grievous Sins that David had committed against God ver 9. Wherein Mark First David was the Rich Man that had many Wives so under no need of stealing poor Vriah's Cade-Lamb as it was not want but wantonness no small Aggravation So was it the greater injury to Vriah to be robb'd of his only Jewel And the more kind Vriah had been to his own Ewe-Lamb Bathsheba the greater was her disloyalty to so Loving an Husband in prostituting her Body to David's Lust Mark Secondly the Traveller whom David Feasted in his Debauching of Bathsheba some say was the Devil who is a true Trudge over even over the whole World Job 1.7 1 Pet. 5.8 but others better say It was Fleshly Lust which yet was the Devil's Messenger with a Mandate to David that he might satiate himself with stoln pleasure c. This Carnal Concupiscence was indeed but a Traveller to David but a Stranger and not a Home-dweller with him N. B. This ought also to be our Care and Conscience that though a Temptation make its own entrance when the Doors of our Hearts are not carefully kept that against it yet may we not bid it welcome or make it any kind Entertainment We may not give it any voluntary Lodging Jer. 4.14 Much less Feast it c. Mark Thirdly Doth David think saith Nathan that God hath given thee so many great benefits that he might Hire thee to be wicked and to break his Commandments against Adultery and Murder Thou hast given a most wretched reward to thy Worthy Vriah that Man of Gallantry who had ventured his Life for thy sake and would have laid down his Life for thy safeguard yet hast thou basely slain him with the Sword of the Ammonites who will Revile Religion and its God for his giving Israel no better
Private â—â—fe N. B. 1. With Peter Martyr in sacred History we never Read that High-Priests did depose Kings as the High-Priest of Rome hath often done but that Kings have deposed High-Priests as here and Grotius saith the same and that they are but Subjects and stand when the King sits N. B. 2. Mercy ought to be mingled with Justice where any Merit may be formerly found Thus Solomon mitigateth Abiathar's Punishment who in rigour of Law was no better than a dead Man as well as Adonijah and Joab here but Solomon to requite his former kindness to his Father David both in bearing the Ark before him 2 Sam. 15.24 29. 1 Chron. 15.11 12. And in being a Fellow-sufferer with him 1 Sam. 22.20 only banishes him to teach Princes not to write Injuries in Marble and Benefits in Sand or Water c. N. B. 3. The Scripture cannot be broken John 20.35 But must be fulfilled Matth. 26.54 Luk. 24.44 So God's threatning against the House of Eli 1 Sam. 2.31 35. was here accomplished namely the Translation of the High Priesthood from the Line of Ithamar in Eâ—i and Abiathar to the Line of Eleazar in Zadok Ambrose saith Deus tarditatem supplicij gravitate compensat Though Divine Vengeance seems sometimes to come slow with leaden feet yet is it always sure and comes to strike with its Iron hands which drench deep were they fall This Doom had lain dormant for eighty Years betwixt Eli and Abiathar who must be now punish'd for his Treason and so accomplish that Divine Doom c. The Fifth Remark is Solomon's removing of Joab out of his way with more rigour of Justice ver 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. Mark 1. David had caution'd Solomon particularly against Joab ver 5 6. complaining what he had done against David either directly in his over Insolent and Imperious Carriage trampling upon the King's commands when they comply'd not with his Humour or Interest who hath oft provok'd me to Passion 2 Sam. 3.39 and 19.7 c. or Indirectly done to me in his basely Butchering Abner and Amasa to both which I had given my publick Faith for their Security and that when they were about a Treaty of Peace with all the Tribes c. Therefore I refer him under this black Brand to thy Wisdom though he hath been my General this forty Years yet let him not Dye a natural Death N. B. Some Rabbins say Joab had discover'd Vriah's Letters to David's great Disgrace and therefore could never be reconciled to Him for disclosing his Secrets about contriving Vriah's Death But 't is more probable that his putting Absalom to Death still stuck in his Stomach Mark 2. Joab hearing of the Execution of Adonijah and of the Expulsion of Abiathar two of his fellow Arch-Rebels He being the Third and the worst too both as being so stigmatiz'd and branded by David to his Son whereof He might have some notice whereas Adonijah now executed had not been so infamously Characterized as himself was and also as being look'd upon by Solomon with a Squint eye because Joab had despised him and held him unworthy to Reign not only for his scandalous Birth but also for his Childish Youth therefore despairing of any Mercy He ran to the Horns of the Altar ver 28. that they might push away all Executioners of Justice from him and that sacred place might save him as it had done Adonijah Chap. 1.50 N. B. Christ seems to blame Pilate for killing the Galileans at the Altar Luk. 13.1 2. And the Jews for slaying Zacharias there Matth. 23.35 Mark 3. Solomon sends Benaiah to call him thence Joab disobeys the King's command hoping that the King would not dare to pollute that Holy Place with his Blood but his Hope being that of an Hypocrite was no better than the giving up of the Ghost Job 11.20 which is but Cold Comfort He resolves to dye there hoping also it might be some advantage to his Soul but wilful Murtherers such as he had been must have no Mercy shewn them by God's Law Exod. 21.14 Mark 4. 'T is supposed that Joab was haled by force from the Horns of the Altar according to the Direction of that Law of God Exod. 21.14 and then slain both as a pattern to all wilful Murderers not to expect Protection any where and also to expiate the Blood of Abner and Amasa from David who was Innocent of it Joab dies for it and is buried and Benaiah put in his place ver 30 31 32 33 34 35. The Sixth Remark is Solomon's confining of Shimei ver 36 to 40. Mark 1. David's Caution to his Son concerning him ver 8.9 was not out of any Rancorous or revengeful Spirit wherewith David as a private Person durst not Dye and from which canker'd frame many Passages in David's Psalms and in the History of his Life do demonstrate his Freedom N. B. But this Charge he gave as a publick Magistrate to maintain the Honour and Order of Civil Government This Cursing Shimei had Cursed the King with bitter Curses 2 Sam. 16.7 8 c. For which Abishai would have slain him once and again and though David then patiently submitted to it as sent of God and afterwards pardon'd it for his Part 2 Sam. 19.21 23. Yet leaves it to Solomon's Wisdom to Judge of this Publick malicious Fault and to punish him for it at his committing future Offences This Advice was not contrary to David's Oath for then there had been no need of Solomon's Wisdom to find out an occasion for the Future to which his turbulent Spirit will expose him to be paid home for the new and old together Mark 2. Solomon confines Him to Jerusalem at distance from his own Countrey and Kindred amongst whom he might have rais'd some Tumults against the Government He must not stir out of the City neither Eastward to Baburim his old Habitation nor Westward to Gath no way so far distant as the Brook Kidron is from Jerusalem if he did he was a dead Man ver 36 37. N. B. How happy would Abiathar have thought himself in Shimei's Confinement of whom for his Function's sake and his sufferings with David we read not that any doleful Catastrophe attended him as did all his Fellow-Criminals Thus the Lord chastizes his own Children that they might not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.31 But this Cursing cursed Shimei must not be trusted any farther than he may be seen He is kept within compass here close confined N. B. Oh that we could learn to deal so with our own deceitful Hearts and desperately Wicked Jer. 17.9 He that trusts his own Heart is a Fool Prov. 28.26 Mark 3 This Confinement Shimei thankfully owned when imposed upon him as a Favour far more than he either expected or deserved and therefore promised upon Oath to perform it ver 38 39 42 43. where Solomon chargeth him with breaking his Oath his false Heart praised this Law for it's Lenity and promised Obedience
was in returning back to Bethel and refreshing himself there when thus wheadled by this Deceiver's Delusions ver 19. He sinned saith Peter Martyr because 1. He forsook a certain Divine Word for one uncertain over credulously yielding against that express command mention'd by himself ver 9. fâ—om which an Angel should not have drawn him Gal. 1.8 whatever Revelation is pretended if contradictory to the known Revealed Will of God in his Word that can never come from the Spirit of God 2. He sinned in being so soon drawn aside by the old Prophet's Cheat for being himself a Prophet he might have enquired of the Lord about this Seducer's Lie Or at least have prayed for Divine Direction in so dubious a Case And he should have tried the Spirits before he had trusted too far 1 Joh. 4 1.3 He sinned saith Gregory because he was priding himself in the precedent Presence of God in his Miracles therefore God left him to this foul fall The fifth Remark is The Punishment denounced against this Man of God for his Sin ver 20 21 22. where he was Eating and Drinking against God's express Command there doth he hear his own doom denounced by the Mouth of that old Prophet that had seduced him As he sinned at the Table so his Punishment is declared at the Table also which was very sowre Sawce to the savoury Morsels this faint weary and hungry Man was now feeding upon and thus far the Punishment carry'd a Correspondency to the Sin God soon discovered the deceitfulness of the old false Prophet and the rash Credulity of the young true one which could not but marre the Comfort of that Refreshment God makes this old Impostor here to condemn himself for his Deceit as well as his deceived Guest for his Disobedience which is laid to his charge tho' he was beguiled into it as Adam was Gen. 2.17 and 3.6 yet God gave him this gracious warning Thou shalt Dye ere thou reach Home that he might repent of his Sin before he died N.B. Oh what occasion did Jeroboam take to Blaspheme the Name of God when he first heard that the Man of God could cast off his Royal Refreshment and Reword too Yet comply with the Invitation of this old Prophet for even ordinary Entertainment and where he could not expect any Donative at all How much more when he heard both of their Table-talk and of his Death by a Lion c. The second Part after the Antecedents are the Concomitants as 1. The Time when this man of God met with his Punishment 't was after Dinner ver 23.2 The Place where 't was in his way Home ver 24. And 3. The Manner How he died 't was done by a Lion which devoured neither the Carcass nor the Ass he rode upon ver 25 28. Mark 1. The false Prophet now makes him some amends when he had betrayed him into God's displeasure by saddling his own Ass and setting the true Prophet upon him that he might depart in a more easie posture of Riding whereas he returned fast enough and too fast to Bethel on Foot and now must he ride indeed to meet his own Bane the sooner the Lion in the way Mark 2. The Severity of God against his own Servants sometimes for but one Sin as may be seen in Adam's Moses's Jonah's Sins c. Judgments begin at the House of God 1. Pet. 4.17 and Saints are oft made Signs to Sinners Ezek. 24.24 By this Judgment executed on this Man of God it was manifest that those Judgments he had threatned against Idolaters would surely be Executed If God had a Lion for him he hath worse Lions for them 2 Kings 17.33 Mark 3. O the depth of the Counsels of God Rom. 11.33 That this true Prophet who had far lesser sinned is sooner punished than the old Imposter or notorious Jeroboam P. Martyr Answers 1. Speedy Punishments are not always Arguments of Divine Wrath but rather such as be deferred Hos 4.14 17. God is most Angry when he saith Let Sinners alone unpunished And 2. God useth to punish small Sins with Death as in Lot's Wife Gen. 19. and he that refused only to smite the Prophet was slain by a Lion as this Man of God was 1 Kings 20.36 to shew that God is the Supreme Lord of Life and Death Nor 3. was the Sin of this Man of God small for it was a gross Disobedience to a positive Command And he being a Prophet was the more obliged to a greater exactness in Obedience to all God's express Precepts c. 4. All this Prophet's former Obedience could not expiate the Guilt of this one act of Disobedience to teach us that not one of the least of God's Commandments may be broken Matth. 5.19 and he that offends in one point is guilty of all James 2.10 Mark 4. Though this Prophet's Sin was not small seeing the great God was Dishonoured and the Authority and Success of his Message was blasted by his Return to Bethel c. yea and Jeroboam c. were hardened in their Idolatry Yet was not his Punishment so great as some imagin for 1. the Lion had a Commission only to suffocate stifle or choak him but not to devour him 2. This was done only to his Body paying now that Debt which he did owe to God and Nature at another time his Soul was undoubtedly safe The Third Part is the Consequents of all these things ver 29 30 31 32. Mark 1. The same miraculous Power of God that opened the Mouth of the Lion to Murther this Man of God with a bite did likewise shut up his Mouth from devouring the Carcass according to his ravenous Nature and Manner with other Preys Nor did the Lion go away when he had worried the Prophet but was kept as Guardian to secure the Carcass from other wild Beasts or Fowls Thus a Destroyer was made a Preserver Judg. 14.14 Thus God restrains the Rage of Men Psal 76.10 Mark 2. The old Prophet hears comes and finds the Carcass and the Lion guarding it 'T is a wonder he durst come nâ—ar it least the Lion should much more vehemently worry him for his double Sin both in hindring this Man's Obedience to God and pretending a Revelation from God to do so but he saw the fierce Beast restrain'd and that encouraged him Some say the Lion went away at his approach as rendring up the Carcass to him Mark 3. Though Lions love Ass-Flesh say Naturalists yet this Lion tears not either the dead Carcass or the living Ass but rather causeth him to stand still without running away for fear and stay there to bear his dead Master to the Burial by the Conduct of the old Prophet Mark 4. The Seducer and his Sons do bury the Seduced and lament over him crying Alas my Brother as Jerem. 22.18 This was Cut-throat kindness a cruel Courtesie first to kill a Man and then help him to his Grave Yet this old Deceiver takes care to secure his own Bones
from Megiddo to Jerusalem where his Palace was and where he might meet with the best means for his Cure and if he died there did he chuse to die and he did so not desiring to die at Megiddo that was in the Tribe of Manasseh Josh 17.11 where he would have stop'd Necho from passing his Country Remark the Sixth Tho' this good King got his Death's wound at Megiddo yet he died not till he came to Jerusalem 2 Chron. 35.23 24. Notwithstanding it is not to be doubted by the common Rules of just Charity but that Josiah in his passage between these two Places finding himself without hope of Recovery and before his last Agony of Death did really Repent of his Rashness and was by his most Gracius God most perfectly pardoned N. B. for two Reasons 1. Seeing it was only a Sin of Ignorance not knowing God had spoke this to Necho but he had more cause to suspect than to believe his Testimony 2. Because God had promised he should die in peace 2 Kings 22.20 that is in favour with God tho' he died in War Undoubtedly he died not in his Sin as Joh. 8.21 tho' he died for his Sin c. for he had led an Holy Life in the whole course of his Conversation The Third Part is the Consequences of Josiah's Death Remark the First Josiah this good King dies and all the felicity of the whole State of Israel dieth with him for thenceforth it was never known but as Thebes was after the death of famous Epaminondas by its Calamities only therefore both City and Country had good cause to Mourn for him 2 Chron. 35.24 which was the greatest Mourning we read of and to which the Prophet alludeth in Zech. 12.10 11. N. B. 'T was a most â—lamentable loss whether we consider 1. the Personal goodness of this Man the Island of one innocent Person is deliver'd by the pureness of his hands Job 22.29 whereas one Sinner destroyeth much good Eccles 9.18 2. Or the manifold good he acted in his Life-time as a King he might say with David I hear up the Pillars of it Psal 75.3 as a true Atlas that upheld the State Isa 6.13 Or 3. The most miserable Calamities that befell that Kingdom after his death c. Remark the Second The Prophet Jeremiah was the chief of those Mourners saith Grotius being much moved at the loss of him whose worth he had fully known and by his Prophetic Spirit foreknew that Josiah's Death did draw up the Sluce to let in an Inundation of all manner of Miseries 2 Chron. 35.25 yea and all the Singing-men and Singing Women lamented this loss N.B. It was the Jews manner to have Mourners at the death of Worthy Persons Eccles 12.5 Jer. 9.17 in which Mournings they made mention of the Party deceased with a mournful Note how much more for Josiah here which became an Ordinance in Israel a constant Custom in all their following Funerals still to bewail the death of Josiah which began all their publick Calamities upon City and Country and this their common Mourners observed in all succeeding Generations N.B. That Lamentation for the loss of Josiah is lost and not the same saith Grotius with that Recorded in Sacred Writ that being made for the fall of Jerusalem N. B. How dark and deep sometimes are Divine Dispensations that so good a King thus dies when wicked Kings are let to live Who can be God's Counsellour Rom 11.34 Remark the Third When the People of the Land had bury'd Josiah in his own Sepulchre 2 Kings 23.30 which he had in his Life-time prepared especially for himself among the Sepulchres of his Fathers 2 Chron. 35.24 then they all with an unanimous consent took his Son Jehoahaz and Anointed him King 2 Kings 23.30 to settle him more surely in the Kingdom tho' he was younger than his Brother Jehoiakim ver 36. yet because he was a more stern and stout Man more forward and better able to withstand Pharaoh-Necho than Jehoiakim was therefore by a Popular Faction he got the Kingdom and it succeeded accordingly This is the judgment of Mastus Sanctius and Lavater and Menochius addeth That Jehoiakim was timorous and fearing Pharaoh declined the Crown so Jehoahaz being more Valorous was set up lest Pharaoh finding the Throne empty should seize it as his Wafe But oh what a sad Change was here from one that did right into one that did evil ver 31 32 Nor did he prove so fierce against Pharaoh saith Sanctius as against his Subjects and therefore is he call'd a Lion Ezek. 19.2 3. a very Cannibal to his own Country c. 2 Chron. CHAP. XXXVI THIS Chapter gives a brief Account First How Unhappy good Josiah was in his four bad Sons from ver 1 to ver 14. And Secondly Of the Desolation and Dissolution of the Kingdom of Judah from ver 14 to ver 20 And Thirdly and lastly Of the Jews final Deportation into the Babylonish Captivity from ver 20 to ver 23. all which are Amplify'd upon in the 2d of Kings 23.24 25. Chapters Remarks upon the First Part to wit Josiah's bad Sons are 1. Jehoahaz whom a Popular Faction made King as is abovesaid lest Pharaoh-Necho upon his return should make a Seizure saith Masius upon the Vacant Kingdom This Man proved a Degenerate Plant from so Pious a Father following Amon and Manasseh more than Josiah restoring that Idolatry his Father had destroyed saith Menochius partly to gratifie the People that had promoted him which still hankered after Superstition even in Josiah's time and partly to Dulcifie the King of Egypt who was a Worshipper of Idols Yet all this would not avail for Necho in three Months time returns and Conquers him 2 Kin. 23.33 but not without a great slaughter saith Sanctius from Ezek. 19.4 The Son endeavour'd say Munster and Lavater with an Army to avenge his Father's death therefore Necho did not only Depose him because he had taken the Kingdom without his leave and to shew he had Power to dispose of the Kingdom but also took him Prisoner and carry'd him down to Egypt where he died 2 Kin. 23. ver 34. as Jeremy had foretold Jer. 22.11 12. where he is call'd Shallum and 1 Chron. 3.15 Remark the Second Necho sets up Eliakim his Brother who was put beside the Crown by the Factious People being Elder than Jehoahaz 2 Kin. 23. ver 31 and 36. compared together and chang'd his Name into Jehoiakim to shew his Soveraignty over him as Dan. 1.7 both which Names signifie God shall Arise This obsequious King carefully pays the Tribute Necho laid upon the Land namely 100 Talents of Silver which amounted to Thirty seven Thousand and five Hundred pound Sterling and a Talent of Gold which was Three Thousand seven Hundred and Fifty Pound more This large Mulct Jehoiakim levy'd upon his People ver 35. from whom likely he received no less summs of Curses than of Coin However hereby he bought his Peace with
their Death as well as in their Life for as they both Lived so they both Dyed Qualis vita Mors finis ita an Holy Lifâ— hath an Happy Death so contra First Lazarus dyeth and he dyed in the Lord Rev. 14.13 He slept in Jesus 1 Thess 4.14 So his Death was Blessed being but as that Noble Charior which Joseph the Lord of the Land of Egypt sent to fetch his Father in to partake with him of his glory Gen. 45.27 So the Lord sent Death to this Miserable godly Man as a Waggon not only to carry him out of his present Misery but also to carry him home to his Fathers House where he might partake of future Felicity and endless Glory This Holy Beggar had the Holy Angels attending him at his Death he had been before in his Life Canibus Expositus a Companion of Dogs but now at his Death he is become Angelorum Socius an Associate of Angels who waited upon him at his dying Hour Angels may indeed wait upon wicked Men as that Angel did at the Pool of Bechesda John 5.2 3 4. We cannot suppose that every Person of that Multitude of Impotent folk were godly yet whosoever he was good or bad that first stepped into the Pool when the Waters thereof were moved he was straight-way healed by the Angel But this good Man had many Angels to meet him in his way of Dying as Jacob had Gen. 32.1 2. So his Death was to him only as another Mahanaim having Gods Host making a Lane being on each side to Succour his Soul with an easie passage out of his Body N. B. Note well Here was not one Angel only attending Dying Lazarus but many Angels all as it were striving which of them should be his bearers into a better World Thus he who had been licked by Dogs in his Life was now Honoured by Angels at his Death if it be asked What shall be done to the Man whom the King of Kings Delighteth to Honour as Esth 6.6 9 11. 'T is Answered he shall be Honoured with this double Honour 1. To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives and 2. To be born upon the Wings of Angels when he Dyes Such Honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 This is a greater Honour than that Honour of Hamans hammering out for himself of Riding upon the Kings Horse in Royal Robes c. as above Esth. 6. Yea 't is greater Honour than that of Amasis King of Egypt who would most Ambitiously have his own Royal Chariot to be drawn by four of his fellow Kings whom he had taken Captive in War in stead of Horses to hurry him about in State Oh! How great was this Honour done to a dying Saint that must have the Holy Angels come down from Heaven to Earth upon this Errand only Namely to carry Lazarus's Soul from Earth to Heaven as our Lord hath appointed them To be Ministring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1.14 This Office they account their Honour in Christ who Confirmed them as he Redeemed us that they might not fall as the Evil Angels did Secondly Dives so call'd dyed also and was buryed ver 22. This is all that is said of him leaving his Attendance at Death and his passage after Death to be gathered out of ver 23. where we find him in Hell a ploce of Torments which necessarily presupposeth that he was attended with Devils at his Death as Lazarus was with Angels at his 'T is said here the rich Man also dyed his Riches whereof he had boasted Ps 49.6 and wherein he had trusted Ps 52.7 Mark 10.24 during his life could not now deliver him from Death Prov. 11.4 Death is the end of all worldly glory Ps 49.10 'T is Appointed unto all Men once to dye Hebr. 9.27 None of his Skillfullest Physitians with their Constliest Cordials could Redeem him from being Artested by that grim Serjeant Death and when Dead he was Buried and possibly the whole Town attended him to his Bâ—rying-place whereas poor Lazarus probably had but four Bearers of his Body and a few following the Bier c. though this rich Mans Body was undoubtedly born in great Pomp and Splendour to the Grave yet poor Lazarus's Soul was in a far more splendid State carryed up into glory Whereas no Funeral Solemnities not the choicest sweet purfumes could Cure much less save this Gluttons stinking Soul which 〈◊〉 certainly feized upon by Devils with greediness at its departure out of his Body who hurryed it away hastily to Hell the next news we hear of him is he that had been Clothed in Bysso in Silken Robes while he lived was now groaning in Abysso in that Bottomless pit whereinto those Devils had plunged him when he was dead The Lord let him live the longer to Repent in but he Repented not Revel 2.21 22. So now God bid the Devils to take him c. This brings in the Fourth Difference betwixt this Rich Man and the Beggar in their State after Death also As in life the Glutton had a State of Abundance and the Beggar a State of Indigence so after Death the former had a State of Misery and the latter a State of Glory of whom we are told that as Death came in Mercy to him for delivering him from the smarting Sores of his Body so the Angels Received his Pretious and Pious Soul that had been lodged in a putrified Carcase and not only conveyed it safely through the Air which is called the Devils Territories as he is Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 but also lodged it sweetly in Abrahams Bosom which Phrase is a Synonymon of Celestial Felicity N. B. Note well Glory is no where called the Bosom of Adam for he is noted in Scripture to be the first and great sinner who brought all manner of Misery and Death it self into the World Rom. 5.14 c. Whereas Abraham stands Dignified with the Title of the Father of the Faithfull c. Rom. 4.17 18. Hereupon all Believers who walk in the Steps of Abraham while they live Rom. 4.12 Hebr. 6.12 13. Are said to Lodge in the Bosom of Abraham when they dye as here Pious Lazarus is placed in Abraham's Bosom ver 22 23. Luke 16. because he had been a follower of Abraham in imitation of his Faith and Patience c. N. B. Note well Abrahams Bosom is a Metaphore either taken from Feasts whereat it is said the beloved Disciple leaned upon our Lords Bosom John 13.23 and 20 21. or from the manner of a kind Father who when his Child is weary with running about or hath met with a knock therein immediately takes up his Child and lays it in his Bosom for its Ease Cure and Comfort N. B. Note well this Honour have all the Saints Ps 149.9 That as the Palsy-Man was let down in his Couch through the Tiling of the House top into the midst of the lower Room before Jesus Luke 5.18 19. Even
of himself or of the matter it self but rather in the Surmises of frail flesh saith Jerom Vere non Tardat Christus sed Respectu Infirmitatis nostrae N. B. Note well There be indeed promises of God that have a time prefixed as Gen. 15.13 and 18.10 and Jer. 25.11 But other Promises be Sealed yet not Dated having no time prefixed as that of Deliverance to David Psal 50.15 and the promise of Christs coming c. with whom a Thousand years is but as one day Ps 90.4 2 Pet. 3.8 yet comes unexpected Luke 12 40. Remark the 7th Our Lord delays his coming Luke 12.46 For glorious ends as 1. For gathering all his Elect 2. That the Mystery of Iniquity may be Ripened and Repealed 3. That all Prophecies may be Accomplished 4. To leave sinners excuse less giving them space to Repent in 2 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 2.21 Mora sponsi est opportunitas Resipiscendi Hilary 5. To exercise the Patience of the Saints and 6. To inflame the Desires of his Redeemed Crying come Lord Jesus come quickly Bemerah bejamenu Hebr. with Expedition and in our Day why Lord are thy Charets so long in coming as Judg. 5.28 Remark the 8th The Lord's supposed Lingring was the occasion of the Virgins slumbring and sleeping which may not be taken Conjunctively as if they did all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both slumber and sleep but Disjunctively the Wise slumber'd and the Foolish slept Remark the 9th There be three sorts of Sleep 1. Somnus Naturalis 2. Mortalis 3. Spiritualis 1. Some understand this of natural sleep saying the day of Judgment shall be at Midnight 1 Thess 5.2 But this cannot be for Midnight to us is Midday to our Antipodes 2. Others say 't is the Mortal sleep or sleep of Death so do Hilary Augustin and Chrysostom Sense it from Dan. 12.1 2. So Jairus's Daughter was Dead to Men but a sleep only to Christ but this cannot be the Sense for at the last Day all shall not be Dead but some shall be Alive 1 Thess 4.17 both Wise and Foolish so it cannot be the sleep of Death 3. It must therefore be meant of a Spiritual sleep the Wise Virgins slumbered in sins of Infirmity though they every day expect their Bridegroom yet are not every hour so watchful as they ought to be the Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 whereas the Foolish were fast a sleep in their sins of Security and Enormities This must be the sense for those Reasons Reason 1. Because all the parts of the Parable are Spiritual as Lamps Oyl c. The 2. Reason because the words in the Original are used in the Mystical Sense both by Divine and Profane Authors as Aliquando bonus Dormitat Homerus Homer himself may slip sometimes saith Horace and Mark 13.36 Gal. 5.14 1 Thess 5.6 c. Reason the 3d 'T is the Scope of the Parable to rowze up unto a Spiritual Watchfulness Add. Reason the 4th Our own smarting Experience testifies our aptness to Nod both in Credendis and Agendis in Faith and Manners Remark the 10th The difference betwixt these Virgins is not that some had sins and some had none for all have Spots but some are not the Spots of Gods Children Deut. 32.5 Therefore when the cry is made now by the sound of the Gospel as will be after by the Trumpet of the Archangel We must all examine our Selves 1 Cor. 11.28 Whether we be slumbring Saints or sleeping sinners they differ thus 1. Saints are sometimes overtaken with nodding at unawares Gal. 6.1 As David against his purpose Ps 119.106 and Peter Matth. 26.33 35. But sinners set themselves to sleep by lying down drawing the Curtains c. 't is his choice he deviseth Mischief on his Bed Ps 36.4 Mic. 2.1 c. 2. Saints Nodding at unawares are easily awaked with the least Noise yea their own Nodding oft awakens them the crowing of the Cook awakes out of slumber c. but sinners in a fast sleep loud Hollowing and violent Jogging scarce does it and they flye in the Face of those that awaken them 3. Saints awaked from slumbring rub their Eyes Rowze their Spirits shake themselves as Samson did Judg. 16 20. but sinners be willing to sleep still and will throw Bedstaves at those that Awake them so their choice is their Judgment Remark the 11th We must 1. Be Virgins for Purity of Profession without Spots 2. Wise Virgins having Wisdom from above Jam. 3. â—7 3. Watch unto Prayer 1 Pet. 4.7 4. If we Nod let the Heart be awake Cant. 5.3 And by Lamp-light as the Lion sleeps with his Eyes open then sleep we not the sleep of Death Ps 13.5 5. Get Christ our High Priest not only to snuff our Lamps with the Golden Snuffers Exod. 25.38 37.23 2 Chron. 4.22 But also to pour in fresh Oyl as the Olive-Tree Zech. 4.2.3 In every Ordinance Christ is the Rock that follows us as well as Israel 1 Cor. 10.4 That our Lamps may still be lighted 6. Hold on hold up and hold out to the end Matth. 24.13 Revel 2.10 3 12. Numb 36.7 12. Jerem. 32.7 Rehoboam turns Gold into Brass but Asa returns Bâ—ass into Gold 2 Chron. 12.10 1 Kin. 15.15 Remark the 12th Comfort against final falling 1. The Wise may slumber but not fall fast a sleep as the Foolish 2. True Grace is Oil Multiplyed as 2 Kin. 4.24 upon which we live even to the last 3. Christs promise Jer. 32.38 40. John 10.28 29. and 14 16. 2 Thess 3.3 Tit. 1.1 Matth. 16.18 1 Cor. 1.8 9. 4. Christs Prayer Luk. 22 32. Hebr. 7.25 and 9 24. John 16.23 God hears him always John 11.42 and we Pray in his Name as Job Oh! That I may be as in Months of Old Job 29.2 5. Christs purchace of perseverance as well as of other Graces Eph. 1.3 We are begot by the Eternal Spirit and born of Immortal Seed 6. Christ cannot dye in Saints Rom. 6.9 10 11. If one dye then all may so Christ is left without Members an Head without a Body Jus aptitudinale may be lost but not Jus haereditarium we may lose our aptness for Heaven but not our Right to it or our Heritage of it The Parable of the Pounds and Talents Holy David saith I will incline mine Ear to a Parable to which he inviteth all Ranks of People Rich and Poor to give heed Ps 49.1 2 3 4. Accordingly let all sorts Sizes and Sexes Attend while I open this dark Saying the Scope whereof as Augustin saith is to put all Persons upon Working out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling Phil. 2.12 That every one may make the best Improvement of their Lords Goods whether Natural Civil or Spiritual Gifts of God to them according to their utmost Abilities in order thereunto Mat. 25.14 c. and Luke 19.12 c. In this Parable there be two parts first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Materiale
Lips should preserve Knowledge Mal. 2.7 to pour out their foul Invectives against him and this Slander of Seducing cast upon our Saviour by them was 2. The worse and the more abominable because Christ had publickly taught and told them in his famous Sermon upon the Mount that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Mat. 5.17 c. and though Pilate here said Hearest thou not what these say c. Mat. 27.12 13 14. Yet Christ hearing well enough Answered Nothing because they Alledged nothing but notorious Lies known to be so in the Consciences of his chief Accusers But principally because he had put himself in our room and was though Innocent yet willing to be condemned as Guilty in this Humane Court that we might be Acquitted at God's Tribunal He Answered Nothing because he would not hinder the work of Redemption which he had then in hand therefore patience and silence were his best Apology to those Calumniators as it had been in his Type Isaac to Ishinael nor was his silence any consent to his guilt for he was foretold to be the Dumb-Lamb Isa 53.7 never any Man more Innocent yet more willing to be Condemned Insomuch that Pilate marvelled greatly thingking possibly Christ betrayed his own Cause by his over wilful silence not knowing how he stood in sinful Man's stead as guilty of our faults so loved our Justification more than his own Reputation Pilate had more cause to marvel at the Impudence of the Priests pressing such palpable slanders against Christ such as the Pagan Judge himself could not but easily perceive what probability could there be that a poor Plebeian one of the ordinary sort of People as our Lord appeared to be having no Armies Armed Guards or Strong Garrisons nor so much as an Hole or House of his own where to lay his Head Mat. 8.21 should any way attempt a Treasonable Invasion of Caesar's Jurisdiction The bare Relation of such an Abominable Lye was a sufficient Refutation to it self and would clear Christ of all suspicion of Treason And there is no doubt but so much Sagacity Pilate had as did discover and see through so thin a Lye Tenue Mendacium pellucet Therefore did Pilate try so many Politick Tricks to Absolve our Lord whereof this was the first of Pilate's Politicks His Second was by sending him to Herod taking an occasion to do so from a Word drop'd by the Priests that Christ was of Galilee which was Herod's Tetrarchy and Jurisdiction Luke 3.1 therefore he partly to Court Herod who was then at Jerusalem for reconciling some old Heart-burnings betwixt them about Pilate's Murdering those Men of Galilee Luke 13.1 Over whom he had no Authority and partly or principally because he could be content to quit his hands from condemning the Innocent which he might well hope Herod would not do because he was so long desirous to see Jesus Luke 23.8 and therefore may find some Favour or Friendship or at least Justice from him He might hope likewise that the Accusers would not follow him so far seeing himself had so disappointed them but their Malice made them mad to leave no Stone unturned N. B. Note well Now Jesus sees that Monster which had Murthered his Fore-runner John Baptist and Herod was exceeding glad to see Jesus looking upon him as some cunning Inchanter or nimble Juggler who would shew him some fine Tricks for his Court-diversion and for feeding his Phancy with Phantastick Feats but Christ would not gratifie him with either Deed or Word for God is not so profuse of his Power as to condescend at all times to humane curiosity 'T is a great matter that must occasion him to force Nature beyond its Bounds Christ would not Exert his Power of Miracles upon every trifling and frivolous occasion Not to satisfie the curiosity of any nor for his own Vain-Glory much less for hindering his determined Death Least of all before Herod that Fox who had sought to Kill him before Luke 13.31 32. and who would not stir out of Doors to hear Christ's Word while he Preached in his Territory in the Cities of Galilee yet now having him in his Hand le ts him go though Christ would not vouchsafe him either a Word or a Work because Herod had heard the Baptist gladly yet put him to Death for crossing his carnal Corruptions Mark 6.20 21 c. and though the chief Priests did most vehemently accuse Christ before him both with Extention of Speech Intention of Spiâ—it and Contention of the most Hellish Spitefulness Luke 23.10 Herod only made no body of Christ Exoutheniz'd him ver 11. as the Greek Word is who is our All in all Col. 3.11 because he would shew him no Jugling Tricks upon his Stage and his Guard abused him putting on him a White Robe which the Jewish Nobility most affected as Pilate's after did cloth him in Purple a colour most affected by the Romans both in mockage and contempt of Christ representing him as an Histrionical King Luke 23.11 So sent him back to Pilate not so much because he could be content that Christ should escape his hands as appears from Acts 4.27 but because he would have Pilate who was only the Roman President to Court him again who was call'd the King and who promised the half of his Kingdom to the dancing Damosel Mark 6.22 23. Mat. 14.9 and therefore must have more reverence than the President from whence we have these few Notes N. B. Note well 1 Many desire to see Jesus not for Jesus sake but for some sinister by-respects for profit or pleasure as Herod did here Many as he would see the Works of Christ but love not to hear the Word of Christ especially that which crosseth their carnality as he did the Baptist till it came to that cutting point c. N. B. 2. Because Galilee was the place of Christ's Breeding Birth and his first Miracle c. Therefore Pilate shew'd himself so far a Just Judge in remitting Jesus to Herod whose Jurisdiction Galilee did belong to Luke 3.1 It was thus far honesty in Pilate not to put his Sickle into another Man's that is into Herod's Harvest N. B. 3. Yet herein Pilate began to make a breach upon his own Conscience in sending our Lord to Herod for seeing he to whom the Kill-Christ's referred the whole matter judged Christ wholly Innocent and out of Envy only delivered to him why did he not as his Duty of a Judge was wholly to Acquit him and not venture him to that old Fox Herod at all This he did only to Extricate himself out of the Briars and to gratifie Herod upon a Politick account N. B. 4. Christ did vouchsafe to give an answer to Pilate a Pagan because he sought after the knowledge of the Truth without any precurring prejudice but no answer to Herod who was Circumcis'd and of the Jewish Religion yet had kill'd the Baptist his Voice so left him dumb and would have killed him
our Dear Jesus the one was Damned and the other Saved to shew that God will have Mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.15 18. The 3d Note of observation is The Repentance and Faith of this Dying Malefactor the truth of the former and the strength and greatness of the latter may be in this manner plainly demonstrated First That he was truly Penitent is made Apparent thus 1st By his rebuking the Raillery of his Fellow-Thief saying Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same Condemnation Luke 23.40 This speech clearly discovers that this Malefactor had the Fear of God upon his Heart which the other Thief wanted for which this Penitent reproved him intimating hereby that the Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom Psal 111.10 Prov. 9.10 't is not only the Beginning but 't is also the Middle and the Ending of Wisdom A Man never begins to be Wise till he begin to fear God which is the best Wisdom and without which Rein to restrain and retain them within compass all Impenitent ones run riotously into all Extravagancies and Exorbitant Courses Thus Abraham told Abimelech Surely the Fear of God is not in this place therefore they will not stick at committing any Sin Gen. 20.11 Whereas Joseph tells his Brethren I dare not wrong you because I fear God Gen. 42.18 The same saith Nehemiah to the People Nehem. 5.15 but because the Cursed Amalekites feared not God they met Israel with Fire and Sword when they should have met them with Bread and Water Deut. 25.17 18 19. Exod. 17.8 and the Apostle saith Where the Fear of God is not before Mens Eyes Rom. 3.18 there the Throat is an open Sepulchre belching out stinking blasphemies as this Impenitent Thief did against Christ and breathing forth the Poison of Asps and bitter Cursings ver 13 14. and their Feet are swist to shed blood c. ver 15 16. Thus was it the fear of God that caused Job to commiserate those that were in misery and perishing Job 31.19 20. which because this Penitent Thief saw his Fellow-Thief did not therefore he reproved him in love to his Soul that was now almost ready to depart out of his Body by Death and just upon going to be judged by the Great God so he most seasonably exhorted him that he should not die in his Sin c. The 2d Demonstration of the Truth of this Thief 's Repentance is by his Ingenuous Confession and from his free and full acknowledgment of his own wickedness Assuredly the sense of his own sin lay with much weight upon his Spirit otherwise he would never have so taken shame to himself and so publickly before so many People as then were present have owned his own just condemnation saying just as the Church of God saith I will bear the Indignation of God because I have sinned against him Mic. 7.9 This was his hour of God's finding him when he had wearied himself all along in his ways of Wickedness Jer. 2.24 This was the time of God's love to his Soul when he had been wallowing all his life long in the polluted blood of his own Iniquity Ezek 16.8 even then was God's Promise to his Church made good to him there remembring his own Wicked Ways and Diabolical doings while he hanged in the midst of his misery and loathing himself for them Ezek. 20.43 44. even then on the Cross did he thus know the Lord c. Judging himself as receiving but his just reward his sinning he was sensible was the cause of his suffering Luke 23.41 that he might not be judged of God nor condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.31 32 The 3d Demonstration of his true Penitency is taken from his Apology for and Vindication of the Innocency of our Saviour saying This Man though a Fellow-Sufferer with us hath done nothing Amiss Luke 23.41 who can but wonder that this poor wretch and miserable dying Malefactor should thus boldly and publickly proclaim the unjust condemnation of Jesus and speak thus confidently and conscientiously for Christ when all the Chief-Priests and so many of the People were Impudently making their Mocks at him as above and so blasphemously speaking against him N. B. Note well Some say that the other Thief Mocked Christ designedly to please the Priests that they for this meritorious fact might Interceed with Pilate for saving his Life and for taking him down from the Cross before he was dead minding himself and his own Body his bodily good only But so was it not with this good Thief he was more concerned for the Glory of Christ's Innocency which he vindicated than he was for his own bodily deliverance not much unlike Moses that Man of God and the Meekest Man upon Earth who was a Lamb in his own cause and concerns when himself was Affronted he carried meekly not speaking one Angry Word Numb 12.1 2 3 c. but was no less than a Lion in God's cause Exod. 32.19 where this meekest of Men was transported into such an high pang of Passion as to break all the Ten Commandments in one Act He was hotly Angry and brake the two Tables in pieces c. When he saw God's Glory so notoriously dishonoured by the Peoples Calf-Worship and their Gross Idolatry Thus this Thief bad not one word to say for his own Justification Yet will justifie Just Jesus to the last breath in his Body c. The Second Branch of this third Note of Observation is To demonstrate the strength and greatness of his Faith together with the Truth of his Repentance this is done thus The 1st farther Demonstration hereof is by this Penitent Thief 's Prayer for Mercy upon his Soul Luke 23.42 Lord Remember me c. This must be the Prayer of Faith and Repentance The other Thief was all for his Body and nothing for his Soul 'T is thought by some N. B. Note well That another reason of his Railing so against Christ was because he who had saved so many other Bodies from Diseases and Death yet would not save his sinful Body from the Tortures of the Cross oh how oft is God murmured at by a Wicked World because he doth not gratifie their Bodies with such and such Accommodations but this Good Thief prays not Lord Remember my Body that is let these Spikes and Nails that fasten my Body to the Cross be drawn out that I may be delivered from Death not a Word of that Nature no now is he under such a neglect of his Body here as if he cared not what became of it so his Soul might but be saved Would to God it were our care when we die to do so c. The 2d Demonstration hereof is By not only his praying being now dispossessed of the Dumb Devil for now behold he prayed as Acts 9.11 but also by his praying so humbly asking only Remembrance Lord remember me for as he was sensible of his so great sins this great
sinner dare ask no more but barely to be remembred and that not so much for his Body as before but principally yea solely for his Soul And this he prayed not that God should remember him in the way of his Wrath and Judgments as God saith I will remember them that shed Innocent Blood when I make Inquisition for Bloods of the Ish Dammim Hebr. or Man of Blood Ps 9.12 But Lord Remember me he cries in the Way of thy Grace and Mercy as thou didst Righteous Noah Gen. 8.1 and Holy David Psal 132.1 c. The 3d Demonstration that this good Thief 's Prayer was the Prayer of Faith is His short Prayer Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom contained in it a very large and long Creed the Articles whereof are these that follow He believed 1. That the Soul died not with the Body of Man 2. That there is a World to come for rewarding the Pious or Penitent and for Punishing the Impious and Impenitent 3. That Christ though now under Crucifying and Killing Tortures yet had right to a Kingdom 4. That this Kingdom was in a better World than this present evil World 5. That Christ would not keep this Kingdom all to himself 6. That he would bestow a part and portion hereof upon those that be truly Penitent 7. That the Key of this Kingdom 's Gate to let in or keep out did hang at Christ's Girdle though he was now dying upon the Cross 8. Which is above all that he dare Roll his whole Soul for its Eternal Salvation upon a Dying Saviour Our Lord in his Gracious Answer to this Penitent Thief 's Prayer Luke 23.43 saith equivalently and in effect to him Oh Man great is thy faith as he had said to the Syrophenician Female Oh! Woman great is thy Faith Mat. 15.28 yea so acceptable was his strong Faith to Christ that he did not only say to this Man as he said to that Woman Be it unto thee even as thou wilt but he most graciously granted him even more than he asked This Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise That is I will not only Remember thee and not forget thee as the Butler did Joseph Gen. 40.23 with 16. Amos 6.6 but also added that that very Day his place of Torment should be turned into a place of Pleasure a better place than that which the first Adam lost to himself and to all his Posterity for that was but a Terrestial Paradise out of which he shut himself but this is a Celestial one into which I the second Adam will open the Door for thee there thou shalt have my Presence and Company Thou shalt be with me and there shalt thou fare as I my self fare Oh! wonderful condescension c. The Inferences from hence are 1st That If Christ did thus gratifie such a notorious Thief one of the Vilest of Mortals in granting his Request and more than he Requested as above because he was truly Penitent at his last Gasp though he had led a most licentious life all along and had been hitherto profusely Impenitent how much more will Christ hear the Prayers of his own Servants and Children who have faithfully followed him all their Days The 2d Inference is Though this Penitent Thief had Paradise promised to him as to one that was both an Heir of the Promise and an Heir of Paradise too yet dyeth he that miserable death of the Cross and hath his Bones broken c. to shew that even the Heirs of Heaven may meet with their Cross from which they are not exempted upon Earth and may have their Bone-breaking Afflictions Psal 51.8 The 3d Inference is Here we have a fair Specimen and a Pious Pattern of the best posture of the Heart of Man in a dying hour to be more careful of the Soul than of the Body at that Juncture All the care that Wicked Ahaziah took at his Death was Shall I recover of this Bodily Sickness 2 Kings 1.2 16. there be many that say Who will shew us any bodily good Psal 4.6 but few say Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon my Soul and there be many that cry Lord Heal my Body for I am Sick but few cry Lord heal my Soul for I have sinned Psal 41.4 David did desire those two Soul comforts whatever became of his Sense-comforts There be also many that in Ship-wracks at Sea and in House-firing at Land can be careful enough in securing their best Goods their Cash Plate and Jewels but how few there be that can take half that care in securing that Precious Jewel the Soul though of more worth than the whole World Mat. 16.26 when the Body as the Ship is just a spliting upon the Rock of Death by some burning Fever c and so leting out the Soul into another World The 4th Inference is Because this Penitent Thief was called in the Eleventh hour of his Life and Repented of his long and lasting lendness at his last gasp so had hope in his Death with the Righteous Prov. 14.32 and a Promise of a place in Paradise after Death c. yet let no profligate prophane and profuse Sinner promise to himself the like priviledge For a particular Instance ought not to be drawn into an universal Favour and both the Promise here and the Performance of it did peculiarly belong to him seeing his Conversion was one of the Seven Miracles that Christ honoured the Ignominy of his own Death by and none can expect such an happy Exit but such as can Attain to his great Grace and Faith upon a Dying Saviour c. The Fourth Grand Remark is the Miracles that Christ wrought upon the Cross puting forth some mighty Beams of his Divine Nature even at that time when the state of his Humane Nature was at its lowest ebb that the Indignity of his Disgraceful Death might be Graced and Dignified thereby The First of those Miracles was the Conversion of the Thief already discoursed upon adding thereunto only this here that his Conversion was the very first Fruits of the Power of Christ's Death even while he was but a Dying and before he was Dead Who can but admire both those branches of this first Miracle That 1st There should be such an Efficacy and Verine in a Dying Jesus while he was but just now paying that prodigious Debt for Man's Sin according to the Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the World began which Debt was not fully compleated before the Death of the Son of God was fully Accomplished And 2dly That this Penitent Thief should have such a power of Faith given him to hang the whole weight of the Pardon of his almost unparallelled Sins and of the Salvation of his precious Soul upon a dying Saviour while both He and his Redeemer were both Hanging upon the Cross and before the Ransom-Money for Sins was yet paid and Redemption for Souls was yet purchased N. B. Note well
Rod then there gushed out Streams of Water Exod. 17.6 no Heart can be so hard or obstinate but Christ can conquer and overcome it when he pleaseth to put forth his power upon it Manasseh had made himself an obdurate Sinner yet is greatly humbled proportionably as he had greatly sinned 2 Chron. 33.12 The Seventh Wonder was the opening of the Graves Mat. 27.52 53. which might be the Issue of the Earth quake and of rending the Rocks out of which they used to Hew their Sepulchres ver 60. this was done to shew that our Lord died indeed but not to remain under the Power of Death for his Grave must be opened also as well as the Graves of those Saints that had only slept in their Bodies until his Death then are they Quickened and Raised up from the Sleep of Death to Life again and came forth out of their opened Graves c. And all this was done N. B. Note well To let us understand that the power of Christ's Death and even those that believed on the Messiah before his Incarnation have an Interest in Christ's Death c. and when Christ seems dead then comes the opening of the Graves Ezek. 37.12 c. CHAP. XXXIII THE 5th Grand Remark is Our Lord 's seven last Words or Sentences which he uttered while he hung upon the Cross The First was his Prayer for his Enemies Father forgive them for they know not what they do this he prayed for them while he was Bleeding to Death by their Bloody Hands His Face all swollen by their barbarous Blows and Buffets so that his Visage was marred more than any Mans ' Isa 52.14 His Shoulders all Torn by their brutish Lashes and Scourgings so that the Cross laid upon those galled parts must needs notoriously pinch those tender places Yea while both his Hands and both his Feet were pouring out his precious blood at the four Wounds the Murderers had made with their Savage Nails in all those Members yet even then was his blessed Mouth opened to pour out this Pathetical Prayer for those Monstrous Miscreants which proved a Prayer so prevalent not only for the Conversion of the People who were but the lesser offenders herein as before but also for the Conversion of many Priests who were the Capital Criminals and Chief Ring-leaders in this Diabolical Dance and Design Yet Christ so far prevailed by his Prayer here that not only many thousands of the People Acts 2 41 c. 44. but also a great company of the Priests became obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 N. B. Note well Oh the kindness of Christ to his Enemies even in the midst of their Acting Enmity against him yea their unparallelled Villany Was there ever such love to Enemies as this of His to be so kind to the unthankful and to the evil Luke 6.35 Let us cry with David This is not after the manner of Men O Lord God 2 Sam. 7.19 These were more like the Bowels of God and not of Man Hos 11.8.9 I am God and not Man And because our Lord was God as well as Man therefore this matchless compassion was found in his Heart toward his Enemies The Second Sentence or Word Christ spake on the Cross was His bidding John to take Mary for his Mother John 19.26 27. Oh marvellous filial compassion and commiseration towards his Mother now a Widow and very Poor in the midst of his own matchless misery yet cannot he forget her but in the very height of his own Torments hath his Mouth opened in her Remembrance commanding his Beloved Disciple to take care of his better Beloved Mother after his Decease seeing her Husband Joseph the Carpenter was then Dead and her Son Jesus the Redeemer was now Dying John beholding Jesus so careful and conscientious in discharging his Duty to his Earthly Mother while he was paying that prodigious price of the World's Redemption to the Justice of his Heavenly Father N B. Note well To shew that Duties done in Obedience to the First Table ought not to Justle out the doing of Duties in Obedience to the Second 'T is Godly honesty to pay Man his Due as well as God c. Hereupon John takes that Holy Virgin to the best home he had Accounting her the most blessed Depositum or matter of Trust the Richest Jewel that ever as to persons he was betrusted with verily expecting that every place where she came would be blessed by and better for her Abode in it See more of this and of the first in Christ's carriages on the Cross The Third Word Christ spake upon the Cross was to the Penitent Thief This Day verily thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. If the last words of Dying Saints be deemed Living Oracles How much more the seven last Words of our Dying Saviour his last Sayings and Sentences who was the grand Prophet and Infallible Oracle of God's Church deserve to be Writ in Letters of Gold and to be laid up as the Manna was in the Golden Pot of a Sanctified Memory that they may be retained by all the Godly in everlasting remembrance Mark Here in these last Words of our Lord to this Good Thief that though Christ had promised Paradise to the Penitent in the General only yet doth he perform more than had been either promised to him or prayed for by him in particular as is abovesaid This Thief begged only a bare Remembrance in General yet Christ grants him the high Advancement of Paradise and that with Expedition even that very same day c. N. B. Note well 1st If so bad a Man proved through Grace so good a Penitent even at the last Gasp then ought we to despair of none because we know not whose Names are Writ in Heaven Luke 10.20 we never looked into the Lamb's Book of Life Rev. 13.8 The Election obtains Grace Rom. 11.7 though it be not till the Eleventh hour of the Day at the last Minute Mat. 20.6 9 c. As many as God ordains to Life do believe Acts 13.48 This Gist of God is given to them Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 All those whom God Predestinateth he effectually calleth c. Rom. 8.30 Therefore seeing no mortal is of God's Privy Counsel to peruse the Records of Eternal Predestination that Man said not amiss who cried dum Spiro Spero while I breath I hope Grace may come Inter pontem fontem betwixt the long Race of a Wicked Life and the fatal stroke of final Death as here N. B. Note well The 2d Note here is If our Lord have such a precious Promise of giving that Beatifical place of the Celestial Paradise to the vilest of Sinners as this Thief was when becoming a Penitent how much more are they Accepted of him that fear God and Work Righteousness even the greatest part of their Lives c. Acts 10.34 35. The Fourth Word Christ spake upon the Cross was Eli Eli Lamasabacthani Mat 27.46 or Eloi Eloi
necessary it is to compare all the four Evangelists together for compleating the whole Account of the Life and Death of our Dear Lord. And this Evangelist John assures us of this great Truth as being an Eye-witness of this double Witness in the blood and Water John 19.34 35. No more than what he saw with his Eyes doth the declare to us 1 John 1.3 He saw one of the Souldiers pierce the sides of Christ after he had given up the Ghost with a Spear and forthwith came there out Blood and Water which the same Author in his first Epistle calls the two things that bore Record or Testimony upon Earth This is he that came by Water and Blood not by Water only but by Blood also 1 John 5.6 Here was the foretold Fountain opened Zech 13 1â— even the sides of our Saviour to wash away Man's sin and uncleanness The God of Nature hath in such Wisdom qualified the Natural Heat of Man's Heart that nor only the Lungs are so placed as to blow cool Air upon it but also it is Situated as in a Vessel of water called the Pericardium for the Farther cooling of it and this is a Received Rule among all Learned Naturalists that if this Pericardium or skin of water about the Heart be pierced it is impossible for the Heart which is the prâ—mum vivens ultimum Moriens the first part that lives and the last that dies in Mankind should preserve life in it any longer So that this Wound the Souldier gave our Saviour in his side was a most manifest witness of the Death of Christ and as the Water and Blood did Represent the two Gospel-Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper which did properly flow from the sides of Christ all the other five Mock-Sacraments in the Romish Church flowed only from the sides of Antichrist so they Resembled the two Grand Graces the Water had the Resemblance of the Grace of Sanctification and the Blood of the Grace of Justification These two Graces this beloved Disciple would not have divided each from other Therefore he saith that Christ came by both not by Water only but by blood also To shew that we are both Sanctified and Justified by the Death of our Dear Jesus the water of our Sanctifying grace washes us from the filth of sin and the Blood of Justifying Grace cleanseth and purgeth us from the guilt of sin And seeing we are but in part and not throughly Sanctified for there is ever some remaining Corruption uncleansed Joel 3.21 c. and 't is only carryed on gradually and as it were by Inches therefore the main matter of the Joy of our Salvation consisteth more in our being Justified because the grace of Justification is one gracious Act changing our State of Wrath at one instant into a State of Favour with God and spreading a Mantle as it were to cover out of God's sight the Multitude of our black sins past present and to come by the Red Robes of our Redeemers Righteousness imputed to us So that this blood and water hold forth both the imputed and the imparted Righteousness of Christ and what our Lord hath joyned together that let no Man put asunder No Man can be truly made partaker of that Righteousness which is imputed unless he have also that which is imparted our Sanctification is a blessed Evidence of our Justification We have not need of the blood only but of the water also And tho' this Apostle in 1 John 5.8 make three Witnesses on Earth the Spirit Water and Blood yet he saith these three agrees in one for Gods Spirit doth witness with our Spirits that we are truly Justified and Sanctified by Christ Rom. 8.15 16. And this is highly Remarkable that these Kill-Christ's can do nothing against him but as God had Decreed they may kill him and wound him when killed but the least bone in this Paschal Lambs Body they cannot break as it is written Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12 No more can Satan or his Imps break the least bone of Christ's Mystical Body his Church Let us now take a general prospect of the Death of our Dear Redeemer and make some profitable Inferences from the Sundry Circumstances thereof The 1. Inference is Oh! What an heinous Evil an only Evil Ezek. 7.5 a very bitter thing Jer. 2.19 is sin that could by no possible means admit of any proportionable Expiation or Commensurate satisfaction for it but either by the Death of the Son of God the sinners Surety or by enduring the Eternal Flames of Hell in the sinners themselves every Man as well as the first Man Adam hath eaten the Forbidden Fruit of Sin and the Divine Doom for that Crime of High Treason against the Great God of Heaven the King of Kings is dreadfully Denounced in the open Court of the Holy Scriptures to wit that the Sinner shall surely Die either by himself or or by his Surety There is an infinite offence in every Act of sin as it is acted against the Authority of an Infinite God And should the sinner live for ever upon Earth he would sin for ever against Heaven therefore Eternal Torments are appointed for that Eternal principle of sinning in the faln sinner to satisfie Divine Justice And such suitable satisfaction thereunto the Highest and most Glorious of all the Created Angels in Heaven much less any Mortal Man or the Mightiest Monarch upon Earth could not possibly undertake to make No it must be only the only Son of God that could pay down the full price of our Redemption The 2. Inference is Oh! what a sad case is this that of all Impenitent Ones and Unbelievers who have no interest in the Death of this Son of God who Dyed as the Son of Man to satisfie the Justice of God from the sins of Men These cannot say that Christ dyed for us as Gal. 2.20 c. He gave his Life a Ransom for many Matth. 20.28 But for none such as these and therefore they are like unless they Repent and Believe to bear the Eternal Wrath of God yea and it may be of Man for a while too in themselves which our Dear Redeemer hath born upon the Cross for all True Penitent and Believing Persons The 3. Inference is Oh! how Hateful and Sinful Rom. 7.13 should sin be to every Soul that cost our Saviour so much unparallel'd Sufferings to satisfie for it surely could we but take a view of sin as it lay on our Saviour's Back with such weight as to squeeze out his very Hearts blood out of his Body we should then hate it with a perfect Hatred for Torturing him whom our Souls love Nature teacheth us to avoid that Wound which is hardest to Cure and most Mortal to Life therefore do we guard to our utmost our Heads and Hearts with holding our Hands betwixt them and the Blows And should not Grace teach us to avoid sin which makes the worst Wound in the World as it wounds the Soul and
the Belly of the Earth his Grave and with Jonah was cast upon dry ground Mat. 12.40 and Preached after c. These are the five figures or types of our Lord's Resurrection even in the Old Testament times long before his Incarnation This great truth of Christ's Resurrection is secondly confirmed as by those aforesaid Figures so by Testimonies of two sorts 1. The foregoing and 2. The following Testomines 1st The foregoing such as were long before Christ came into the World as well as the Figures afore-related and these were the Prophecies of our Lord's Resurrection such as 1. That of Moses Gen. 3.15 The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head to wit in conquering Sin Death Hell and the Devil which Christ could not have conquered unless he rose from the Dead 2. That of David Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Sheol or Grave nor suffer thine Holy one to see Corruption This David could not Prophecy concerning himself because as the Apostle strenuously argueth Acts 13.35 36 37. David saw Corruption but Christ the Son of David did not so and therefore it was an Error in those Good Women who would have embalmed his Body to preserve it from Corruption The like arguing is found in Acts 2.29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36. All grounded on this Prophecy of David 3. That of Isaiah Isa 53.12 He shall divide the spoil with the Strong which the Father promises to the Son as a reward of his Sufferings The Adjective Strong must be supplied with its Substantive thus strong Sin strong Death strong Grave and strong Devil He shall spoil all principalities and powers Col. 2.15 and take the spoil of all these as a Victorious Conquerour doth of his Conquered Enemies which he could not have done had he not risen again this was the promised Wages for his performed Work in the Great Service of the World's Redemption He shall spoil all those spoilers and take their Booties and Treasures from them Luke 11.21 22. yea and leave them empty of Prey 4. That of Hosea Oh Death I will be thy Plagues Oh Grave I will be thy Destruction c. Hos 13.14 which the Apostle Interprets that the Death of Christ was the Death of Death swallowing it up in Victory and giving the Conquest over both Death and the Grave unto us by his Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.54 56. Thus the Enigmatical Emblem of the Phenix in the Fable Dum parit perit Dum perit parit while she brings forth her Young she dies her self and when she dies her self she brings forth her Young Thus did our dear Redeemer by his own Death he brought Life to his Church and Children and by his own Burial he so swallowed up those two swallowers up of him Death and the Grave that neither of them should swallow us up forever because he is Risen When the Head riseth it raiseth up gradually all its Members There be more Prophecies in the other Prophets as Dan. 9.24 c. might be added here were it not too voluminous c. The Second sort of Testimonies were the following Signs as the above-mentioned were the fore-going Prophecies those signs following Christ's Resurrection were 1st The Earth quake whereby the Earth declared a stronger power had Conquered it and therefore she must yield and vomit up Christ's Body out of her Belly as being too hot a Mouthful and too heavy a Belly-full for her to hold any longer Acts 2.24 John 16.21 and Acts 26.23 The 2d Sign was The great Stone rolled away by the Hand of a Mighty Angel who when he had so done sat down upon it as a Conquerour in despite of all the Chief-Priests Guards who ran away as Cowards at his Appearance yet stood he as a Porter before the Door of Christ's Sepulchre to let in the Good Women whose coming he waited for while he sat upon the Stone Thus though our Lord's Death while he suffered the punishment due to us for our sins was in its own nature notoriously shameful yet his Resurrection for our Justification was wonderfully glorious being thus attended by this glorious Angel 3dly The empty Sepulchre Thus the Angel said to the Women He is not here he is Risen come see the place where he lay Mat. 28.6 c. Christ's Body after his Resurrection retained the natural properties of a Body to be circum-scribed in one place at one time the Scripture knoweth no Ubiquity of his Body as the Doctrine of Transubstantiation deviseth If his Body be Risen out of the Grave then 't is not here in the Grave saith the Angel if ye will not believe him nor me believe your own Eyes come see an empty Sepulchre 't is a sufficient Argument to prove that Christ's Body is not present in such or such a place when our senses do not perceive it to be present for thus the Angel argueth otherwise than the Romanists for their Real Presence proving that Christ was not in the Sepulchre because he was Risen out of it and they saw he was not there John believed Christ was not in the Tomb because he saw it empty John 20.8 4thly The Grave-cloaths were left behind and in order John 20.5 6 7. This the Evangelist mentions as a clear evidence of Christ's Resurrection and this alone beside other Arguments were enough to detect that Damnable lye which the Priests taught the Souldiers to tell Say ye his Disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept Mat. 28.13 14 15. how could a louder lye be well told even by the Father of Lies for these following reasons 1st If it were so the Governour might justly say you kept a good Watch the while you shall all be slain because you were all asleep 2dly If you all slept who told you his Disciples stole him away 3dly But suppose the whole Guard of Souldiers were all sleeping at once which is Improbable enough could they all be so fast asleep as none of them to be awaked either by the great Stones rolling away or at least by the horrible Earth-quake 4thly Was it probable that Christ's few and fearful Disciples should now become so fool-hardy as to undertake this exploit in despite of the Guard of so many stout Roman Souldiers but suppose all these Souldiers were fast asleep 5thly It must be concluded that as this was more than those timorous Disciples when they came out of their lurking Holes together could expect so they must make but little noise in accomplishing this great work that none of the Guard could hear their Actings to Accomplish the stealth But 6thly It had been more convenient for those Disciples to have taken away the Body as they found it wrapped up in the Grave-cloaths for they could not but be too fearful of the Souldiers though all asleep as to take up so much time in stripping off the Winding Sheet and untying the Napkin that was about his Head yea and in laying and leaving them all in good
order Notwithstanding this six-fold unlikely-hood of this loud Lye yet is this Grand Imposture of the Priests who had given Pilate some hint of it before Mat. 27.64 is commonly believed for a Truth among the Jews until this day Mat. 28.15 They are given up to believe this gross Lye because they received not the Truth in love that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 and thus the Chief Priests and Elders gave a large round sum of Money though they sold the Saviour of the World for the Trifle of thirty pieces to bribe that Nation into unbelief among whom this most sublime and vilest piece of Knavery finds belief with Misbelievers The result of all this Discourse is That seeing 1st Christ's Resurrection hath so many famous and memorable Remarks as all those abovementioned put upon it 2dly Seeing Christ came not out of his Grave as Lazarus came out of his fast bound about with his Grave cloaths and therefore Christ when he raised him from Death to Life said Loose him and let him go John 11.43 44. He rose up with his Hands Feet and Head bound fast with those bands of Death because he rose not up as Victor or Conquerour but rose to die again and remained bound above ground until Christ commanded his release But Christ as a Conquerour releaseth himself having the power of laying down his Life and taking it up again in his own hands John 10.18 and loosed off his own Grave cloaths wherewith he was bound laid them in that due order mentioned in Scripture and left them behind him in his Sepulchre c. 3dly Seeing the Great Apostle in relating his full Chest of comfort wherewith he makes his challenge against all condemning Powers Rom. 8.33 34. He puts a most remarkable Rather upon the Head of Christ's Resurrection as the chiefest Box of all his other Spiritual Cordials 4thly Seeing Christ himself Hands in this very consideration I was dead and am alive again as a Cordial to the Church of Smyrna in a time when those Asian Churches were under some sad Apostacy as the Apostle Imports saying All them of Asia are turned from me 2 Tim. 1.15 and some of them had a name to Live and were Dead Rev. 3.1 Hereupon Christ comes in with this seasonable and suitable comfort behold I who was dead but am alive again Rev. 2.8 will make thee who art now in a dead and dedolent disposition to be alive again and to become lively for God and Godliness I am the first and the lust saith Christ to sweet smelling Smyrna who out-live and out-last all mine and thine Adversaries Therefore should we be oft searching in this Box that so abounds with comfort And the result I say of all these premises is that therefore the Day of Christ's Resurrection having all these most eminent Remarks upon it doth mostly require the uppermost Room in our Remembrance above all other days See more of this point in my Christian Walk upon the Lord's Day And more hereof here when we come to Christ's Manifestation Secondly Having thus discoursed upon the time When the next point is the manner How this Resurrection of Christ was managed wherein consider 1st By what Power Christ Rose again This was not done by any Extrinsick Forreign or Borrowed Power as was the Resurrection of Lazarus ut Supra but Christ Rose again by his own Intrinsick Innate and Congenial Power and that in despite of Death Men and Devils Because he was the Son of God so it was hot possible that any bands of Death or Devil could hold him down Acts 2.24 and his rising again after this manner did declare-him to be no less than the Son of God Rom. 1.4 Therefore if the manner of Christ's Rising be more particularly inquired into It must be Answered that as the Angel of the Lord whom some suppose to be the Son of God who loved to be oft among the Sons of Men long before his Incarnation Prov. 8.30 31. did wonderfully in Manoah's Sacrifice Judg. 13.18 19. so undoubtedly our Lord herein did wonderfully As our Lord died wonderfully in dying willingly and not of coaction though it was of necessity in respect of God's Immutable Decree Acts 2.23 4.28 therefore when he gave up the Ghost he cried with a loud Voice which shews as is abovesaid that his Vital Spirits and Strength was not spent at that time but he might have retained his Life longer if he would and thereupon the Centurion concluded him to be the Son of God Mark 15 39. so and much more than so must our Lord rise again wonderfully for his Resurrection hath an Apostolical rather put upon it Rom. 8.34 and this act above all other acts in his state of Humiliation did declare him to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 It being the first step of his state of Exaltation The Centurion did but suppose him to be so by the Miraculous Manner of his Death but all the Saints are assured of it by the Miraculous Manner of his Resurrection which indeed was the more Miraculous if we take it for granted that Christ conveyed his own self-quickened Body through the Great Grave stone that lay upon his Tomb. But some may object against this opinion saying what need we grant this seeing 't is expresly affirmed by the Evangelists that the Angel of God rolled away the stone Answer None of the Evangelists do say that the Angel did this to let Christ out of the Sepulchre for Christ was risen indeed in the Earth-quake before the Stone was rolled away and that great thing was done not to let Christ out who was gone already but to let the Good Women in to be the first Witnesses of this great Truth of his Resurrection for so soon as the Angel had rolled away the Stone he sat down upon it expecting the Women who were now at hand and were saying one to another Who will roll away the Stone for us Mark 16.3 that he might be as Christ's Gentleman-Usher to hand them into the empty Sepulchre The Angel did not roll away the Stone out of any necessity our Lord had for its removal in order to his own Resurrection for he by the Power of his Godhead could rise without it but it was from a necessity for the Good Women without which they could not enter into the Sepulchre It was only for Christ's honour to have such an Heavenly Herald for the first solemn Proclamation of his Glorious Resurrection Learn hence to cry with these Holy Women 1. Who will roll away the Stone of an Hard Heart 2. Of the Curse of the Law which was Writ in Tables of Stone not only to shew its duration but also our obduration 3. Of the Darkness of the Durus Sermo or Hard saying John 6.60 which we meet with here and there in Christ's Word that needs an Interpreter 4. And Lastly Who shall roll away this Stone of Offence for the Churches Inlargement that in this Valley of Achor or trouble
assembled in Mark 's Mother's house verse 12. had first their great Fear verse 12 13. and then their greater Joy even to an astonishment verse 14 15 16. Or 4. The Souldiers that kept him in Prison verse 18. And lastly Herod the King that cast Peter into Prison he transfers the punishment designed for Peter upon his Keepers that though sore against their will had let him go verse 19. 3dly The Consequents hereof are 1. Herod's wonderful Death for his Pride verse 20 21 22. And 2. The Church's Peace thereby verse 24. All these three eminent passages afford their several Remarks As First From the Antecedents the Remarks thereon are these 1. Afflictions do seldom come single upon the Church and Children of God Here were Contemporary Troubles which did fall out together upon the faithful here both the Famine throughout Judea which might last several years as many have done in Divine and Humane History mentioned Acts 11.28 30. And this foul Persecution wherein the Apostle James perished happened at or about the same time Acts 12.1 2. The Saints do usually fall into divers Temptations at once James 1.2 Fluctus Fluctum Trudit one Wave of the Sea of Adversity immediately succeed each other and do offer violence to us as they did upon Jacob Gen. 42.36 making us cry out as he did All these things are against me with their joynt and overwhelming force Thus Job's Messengers did as it were tread upon the heels one of another with their reiterated blows c. The second Remark from the Antecedent is The Devil never needs to starve his devilish work for want of devilish Instruments N.B. All Ages do furnish him with fit Tools for his hellish Ends He never wants a Pharaoh in the Old Testament-Times nor an Herod in the New He hath always some fit for his work He had his many Bloody Herods in New Testament-Times As 1. Herod the Askalonite or rather Rascalonite to murder the Innocent Babes of Bethlehem 2. His Herod Antipas to Behead the Baptist and also to deride our dear Redeemer And 3. This his Herod Agrippa Father to that King Agrippa we read of Acts 25. and 26. and the more likely a man for doing the Devil's Drudgery as being Brother to that Dancing Damosel Herodias who danced John Baptist's Head from off his shoulders c. This Man was now Vice-Roy or Deputy-King under the Roman Emperour and had a ceremonious Zeal in the Jewish way which highly transported him to act wickedly as well as warmly against the Church of Christians Hereupon it is a black Brand put upon him by the Holy Spirit that he stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church Acts 12.1 which phrase imports his vehemency of mind in persecuting-work yet God withered it not as he did Jeroboam's The third Remark is 'T is an old Trick of cruel Tyrants not only to curry favour with the wicked by shedding the blood of the godly as this Tyrant's Character is v. 3. and as was the practice of all the Royal Posterity of Herod the Great this man's great Grand-father who chiefly studied to please the Roman Emperours their Masters and to gratifie the Jews their Subjects making no matter whether by right or wrong but also to Rage most furiously against the Governours of the Church as here against James and Peter saying with the Tyrants of later Times Kill the Captains and those Listed under them are more easily destroyed This Christ foretold The Shepherds be smitten and the Sheep are scattered Matth. 26.31 The fourth Remark is The Blood thirsty Blood-Hounds of that old Man-slayer tho Davil hath such an insatiable Thirst upon them after Blood that they can never be satiated or glutted with shedding Blood as it was here with this bloody Herod who thought is not enough to stretch forth his hands in vexing certain of the Church verse 1. that is to kill some and to punish others with blows and banishment especially the Governours of the Church too well knowing how much all the Members of the Body do suffer by sympathy when their Head and Ministers are so mortally wounded by his cruel hands Nor was it enough to him to kill James with the Sword verse 2. that is to Behead him for so the Talmud in Sanhedrim per. 7. hal 3. saith those that were slain by the Sword were Beheaded according to the Custom of the Roman Kingdom but he proceeded farther to take Peter also verse 3. 'T is with those Tyrants as it is with those that have the Dropsie the more they drink the more dry they are This is that wonder John saw in the Apocalyptick Beast blood-thirsty Babel Rev. 17.6 a wonder with a Climax or Gradation N.B. 1. He saw a Woman drunk the Whore of Babylon this is a greater wonder than to see a Man drunk 2. No Liquor would serve this Whore to be drunk with but Blood And 3. No Blood but the Blood of Saints Though this Liquor of Saints-blood made this Whore-woman drunk yet is she like brutish Barnaby drunk over night and dry in the morning still thirsting for more blood till at last the Lord Omnipotent who judgeth the Whore will deal with her as Tomyâ—is did with Cyrus whose Head she cut off and cast it into a bowl of blood saying Satiaâ—te sanguine quem sitasti cujusque insatiabilis semper fuists that is glut thy self in that bowl with thy mouth-full of blood wherewith thou could never yet be glutted Thus the Lord will deal with this bloody Whore when he casts her into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone The fifth Remark is Such as are most useful to and most eminent in the Church be the most obvious Objects mostly exposed to the fury of Persecutors As here this James the Brother of John was to Herod Thus also was Peter to him This James was call'd a Bâ—anerges or Son of Thunder by our Saviour Mark 3.17 because of the bigness of his Voice and for his zealous and earnest Preaching To this eminent yea one of the eminentest Apostles was the care of the Church at Jerusalem more especially committed No wonder then if he were the more hated by Herod whom the Devil so stirred up to destroy this Man So it came to pass what his Lord had foretold him Matth. 20.23 that he drank of the same Cup which his Master did drink of The sixth Remark is Such is the Soveraignty of God over all his own Servants that it is his pleasure to permit several Fates to attend them though they be imbarked together in one and the same Bottom of Generation-work Thus both James and Peter carried equally a very great figure in their Apostolical Orb yet Divine Providence permits the former to be murdered but Peter only to be imprisoned and yet not to perish there by a perpetual Imprisonment but to be Released from Prison by an holy Angel Though we may not pry into the Ark of God because it is prohibited nor ask God a Reason
hunted by bloody Saul as one hunteth a Partridge upon the Mountains 1 Sam. 26.20 N.B. When the Miracles extraordinary cease then the Means that are ordinary must be applied and improved The conduct of the Angel was now gone Peter must betake himself to his prudentials which he accordingly doth 1. In beckoning to those praying Souls not to be too loud in their rejoycings for his being Released out of Prison and Returned now at their prayers lest any at that time that passed by or any in the Neighbouring-house should take notice of the Brethren's sudden Voice of Joy and thereby Peter be farther pursued and the house it self for entertaining him together with the taking of all that company be indangered verse 17. 2. When Peter had given God the glory of his Deliverance to them tho' an Angel was the Instrument therein and had requested them to tell James and the Brethren who were met in another place upon the same account N.B. For they were forced to divide into several Companies lest multitudes together should discover the Meeting away he goes to abscond lest that house should be searched for the many met in it in a more obscure place 3. God blessed Peter's prudentials here for though strict search was made for him verse 18 19. Herod's Blood-Thirstiness would prompt him to the more severe scrutiny And matter of life would prompt the Keepers thereunto for beside the ordinary danger of letting Prisoners escape this they knew would be aggravated by Herod's Tyranny and therefore is it said As soon as it was day there was no small stir among the Souldiers what was become of Peter verse 18. namely N.B. Those Souldiers who were bound with Peter in the same Chain as before as soon as they were awake could not but miss him finding the Chains still holding them fast though loosed from Peter they might then suspect according to vulgar Errour that Peter was bewitched out of their hands or metamorphosed into some strange Creature or Ghost by Magick Art and so slipp'd from them N.B. What Influence this fond conceit might have upon these men to make them more remiss in their searchings for Peter I know not however it was with Peter as it had been with Jeremy and Baruch who did not fall into the hands of their bloody-minded Adversaries because the Lord hid them Jer. 36.26 whereas the King had burnt the Roll so he would have Martyr'd both those men but God directed them to such a place of Recess as the King's Messengers could not find them nor understand where they were till his passion was over and thus the Lord hid Peter here N.B. Verse 19. This inraged Herod so that having lost his prize Peter he found his Keepers whom he sentenced to be led away to Execution for this supposed fault only of their letting Peter escape This was just in God who many times meets with Instruments of Persecution even in this World and sometimes by the Persecutors themselves as here but it was notoriously unjust in Herod who put to death those Innocent Souldiers who could not help what was done The second Remark is God's Vengeance falling down upon the head of this bloody Herod the Actual Murderer of James the Elder and the Intentional Murderer of Peter also had not God made a miraculous Rescue The occasion was this Herod designed to wage War against those two Rich Cities Tyre and Sidon which therefore might possibly be insolent or however might tempt this proud Tyrant to war against them not for their Religion for we read of little as yet therein but for their Riches thinking that his Conquest of them would well enough countervail all his charges in such a War But both those Cities fearing the uncertain Event of War by the Mediation of Blastus Herod's Lord High Chamberlain made their peace with him and begg'd his pardon before the War was commenced This Truckling of these two potent Maritim Cities puffed up Herod's haughty heart hereupon he makes a starched Oration supposed on his own Birth-day c. being arrayed in a Cloak made of the Cloth of Silver which being beaten upon by the Sun-Beams did plainly dazle all the Spectator's and Auditor's Eyes This gave an opportunity to his Parasitical Courtiers to applaud him above measure and like base Sycophants to say He spake with the Voice of God and not of a Man Hereupon Herod being Tickled and not rebuking those flatterers nor giving glory to God who is jealous thereof Isa 42.8 he commands his Angel to destroy him who had delivered Peter that durst not own any Divine Glory Acts 10.26 by smiting him with the Lowzy Disease wherein he died as his Grandfather before him to teach him that he was but a Mortal Man subject to Vermine N.B. This teacheth 1. That Flatterers Courtiers here prompting the People to flatter Herod thus impiously do take the ready way to destroy the persons so blasphemously flatter'd for the great God will by no means admit of any Corrivals 2. No man is flatter'd by another who hath not first flatter'd himself as Herod had done when he made his vain-glorious Speech to Tyre and Sidon's Commissioners N.B. Josephus saith that at his death he complained much of the People's vanity in Deifying him but not at all of his own Autotheism in Deifying himself with his Self-admiration And 3. God picks out such fit seasons to avenge himself of his Enemies at that time when it may be most for his own glory and their confusion Herod perished in his highest honour which was an Answer also to the Church's prayer v. 20 21 22 23 c. The third and last Remark is The new Peace of the Church when they had prayed down Herod dead verse 24. But the Word of God grew and multiplied Where N.B. The Gospel is compared to Seed as our Saviour doth in his Parable Matth. 13.19 It was still safely and successfully Preached and received in Faith by many honest and good hearts The number of Believers were multiplied by the Word the Ground or Soil which is most harrowed is made thereby the most fruitful The good fruit of Faith and Obedience did by every shower of Persecution falling upon the Church the more abound as Acts 19.20 and Col. 1.6 The Church is alway invincible the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it Matth. 16.18 Truth may for a while be oppressed but it can never be utterly totally and finally to all intents and purposes suppressed N.B. Camomile the more ye tread it the more ye spread it And the Palm-tree's Posie is Nec premor nec perimor the more weight ye lay upon it to keep it down the higher and faster it groweth up The Church in Egyptian-Bondage never increased so much as when Pharaoh laboured most to keep it under from growing The more he molested them the more he multiplied them Exod. 1.12 So true it is that Persecutors by pulling down the Church build it the more c. CHAP. XIII Of Paul
presupposeth that Paul had then made his appearance before Nero-Caesar and was acquitted N.B. But besides this passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews there be other Scriptures that give us a fuller account hereof As 1. That in the 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first Answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge and therefore he orders Timothy to hasten his coming to him v. 21. looking on him as a fast Friend when all others failed From this may be observed 1st That tho' the phrase At my first answer seems to imply that Paul made more Apologies than one and so made more appearances than this as the Postscript understands it making also Timothy a Non-Resident Bishop yet it only intimates that at the very first pinch and appearance of danger All the Christians there that should have been his assistants started from him and left him to plead for himself among whom was Demas verse 10.2 Tim. 4. who sculked away to Thessalonica out of the reach of Rome when he saw this Tryal of Paul to be of a very doubtful issue 2ly Observe It is not sufficient for us to maintain the truth our selves but we ought to assist such as stand up for the truth and not shrink from them when they are in trouble for it and need our assistance Thus all Paul's Friends sinned in shrinking from him through weakness and humane frailty therefore he begs of God that he would grant them a remission of that Sin 3dly It was a very sad Circumstance in Paul's sufferings that when he had appealed to Nero himself and when Nero himself in the Court of Rome heard his cause and defence none of the Church that was at Rome nor any of those that were of his own Retinue durst own him through a fright or stand by him in so signal an encounter and in so eminent Danger where his very Christianity was Crime enough for which to be executed And Paul himself did read his own death near even in Nero's Temper v. 6.2 Tim. 4. 4thly Tho' men failed Paul yet God failed him not but stood by him 2 Tim 4. verse 17. and made him able to plead his own cause so powerfully that he was delivered out of the Lion's mouth namely from Nero so called as Tyrants and persecutors of the Church have frequently in Scripture that name of Lions put upon them Ezek. 19.2 Psal 35.17 and 91.13 Pro. 28.15 and Jerem. 2.15 47. N.B. God is never so sweet and so seasonable to his Saints as in the day of their deepest distresse God loves to help those that are forsaken of their helps and hopes N.B. The next Scripture that giveth light herein is those passages in that Epistle to the Philippians Ph. 2.21 where at this time of his imprisonment also he complains that all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ just like all forsaking him c. 2 Tim. 4. verse 16. then he goes on verse 23. Hoping to send Timothy presently to them so soon as I shall see how it will go with me He could not as yet spare him to accompany Epaphroditus until he came to a certainty what would be the Issue of his present imprisonment telling them withal that he had sat down counted the cost of Godliness and cast it up thus that he had made up a total Resignation of his own will into the holy will of God according to Acts 21.13 14. comforting himself and them with those few Considerations As 1. That hitherto his confinement had fallen out for the furtherance of the Gospel c Phil. 1.12 13 14. Tho' the Devil designed it for the hinderance thereof yet through the over-ruling providence of God so ordering it he had Liberty two whole years and opportunity of Teaching the things of Christ whereby his Chains of Iron became a greater honour to him than were those Chains of Gold which King Agrippa the Emperor Nero or any of his Judges wore with so much Ambition therefore would he not have them discouraged but comforted as the Corinthians were 2 Cor. 1.5 6 7. Acts 5.41 James 2.2 It was matter of Joy to him that all Nero's Court began to ring of his sufferings seeing their inquiry after the Cause thereof gave occasion to impart some Notions of Christ to them whereby some of them were Converted Phil. 4.22 2. He lets them know that supposing the worst though his imprisonment should determine in his death and that he should then be offered up a Sacrifice yet as this would be his own advantage so it could be no dis-service to their faith Phil. 1.21 and 2.17.18 if it should be thus sealed with his blood 3. Yet was he persuaded either by a Prophetick Spirit in a Revelation or by the Sanctifying Spirit strengthening his Faith that as his prison had been his Ark of safety for two whole years so now that he should be delivered out of the mouth of the Lion and restored to them to confirm their Faith farther with his personal presence writing thus to them And having this confidence that my still abiding in the flesh is more needful for you I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of Faith Phil. 1.24 25. and again I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly Phil 2.24 designing to follow Timothy to them Another Scripture which gives light that Paul weathered out this point and was restored to his Liberty in despight of the Lion after so long imprisonment is Philemon verse 22. but withal prepare me a Lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given to you This accords with Phil. 1.25 and 2.24 Paul had long longed to visit the Christians at Rome and had prayed for a prosperous Journey thither but had been long hindered Rom. 1.10 11 12 13. and 15.22 23. yet was he brought to Rome by such a way as he little dreamed of Little thought Paul that when he was bound at Jerusulem and posted from one prison to another that God was now sending him to Rome his longing for it might be one cause of Paul's making his appeal to Rome Acts 25.10 11.12 N.B. Now God sent him and very safe with a great Convoy to Cesarea and from thence with a great convoy God's own protection notwithstanding both the Shipwrack and the Viper as safe to Rome N.B. God goes oft another way to work for granting our desires and for doing us good than we could imagine Paul lyes prisoner at Rome two years at the end of that term he is set at liberty bespeaking his Lodgings for him at Coloss where Philemon was a Minister call'd Paul's fellow-labourer whose wife was Apphia named before Archippus another Minister Col. 4.17 whose house must be now Paul's Lodgings Philemon verse 1.22 Thus have we a full account of Paul's confidence that through the Church's prayers for him both at Philippi and
Bond of Religion that it makes the Saints of God not only desirous but even resolute also both to live and die together Thus Peter said to Christ I will even die with thee as well as live with thee and so said all the Disciples Matth. 26.35 Thus David begg'd of God Gather not my Soul with Sinners nor my Life with Bloody Men Psal 26.9 He could be well pleased to die with Saints as Ruth here with Naomi but he liked not to die with Sinners as that Religious Woman once said upon her Dying Bed Lord let not my Soul be gathered amongst Sinners in Hell for thou knowest I never loved their Company while I was upon Earth I will Die Hence Observ 2. All Persons and People should so live as those that do expect them and their Relations may die So Ruth did here expect it both for her Mother and for her self 'T is the grand Statute of Heaven 'T is appointed unto all People once to die Hebr. 9.27 As there be some that do promise themselves great things by such and such of their Relations which possibly are snatch'd from them before they be aware as the Priest was served who promis'd to himself great preferment when he heard his Uncle was made the Pope yet his next Tidings be receiv'd was that the Pope his Uncle was dead which made him cry out Alas I never thought of his Death So there be others that live so Licentiously as if they should never die never come to Judgment as if they were to have an Eternity of pleasure of sin in this World as Psal 49.10 11 12 13. Solomon doth wisely cut the Cocks-comb of the Younker's Courage in sin with a stinging But at the end of all his Jollity that Marrs all his Mirth But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Eccles 11.9 'T is sublime folly then for Persons to have such Inward Thoughts as if their Houses or Lives should be for ever 'T is very remarkable the first Doom that ever was denounced in the World was about the entring of Death Thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 and the first Doubt that ever was pronounced in the World was about the not entring of Death Ye shall not surely Die Gen. 3.4 ever since that time though the Doom hath been exactly executed in all Ages which was in the first Age denounced There is something of the Spawn of that Old Serpent left still in Man's Nature prompting to doubt of that whereof there is the greatest certainty Death is certain though the Day of our Death be uncertain Although every Man granteth that he shall surely die yet there is scarce any Man that futureth not his Death and thinketh not he may live yet and yet a little longer he may live a few more fair Summers he may see This is Folly in an high degree especially that sond Conceit of an Immortality and abiding here for ever which Ruth here had not so fully confuted by daily experience There will I be Buried Hence Observ 3. As Burial is one of the Dues of the Dead so dear Friends desire to be Buried together Ruth desires to be Buried with her Godly Mother It is very observable That the first purchase of possession mentioned in Scripture History was a place to bury in not to Build in Gen. 23.9 The Seed of Abraham God's Friend should be mindful of their Mortality and not fondly Dream of an Immortality this Blessed Proselyte to the Faith of Abraham Ruth is very mindful of her both Death and Burial 'T was a great Curse upon Conijah That he should be Buried with the Burial of an Ass Jer. 22.19 That is his Corps shall be cast out like Carrion into some by-corner he lived Undesired and he dyed Unlamentented and then had not the ordinary Honour of a Burying-place but was thrown out into a Ditch or on the Dunghill to be devoured by the Beasts of the Field and by the Fowls of Heaven a Just Hand of God upon this Wicked Man that he who had made so many to weep by his wickedness should have none to weep for him at his departure he who had such a stately Palace to sin in while alive should not have so much as an ordinary Grave to house his Carcase in when Dead Many great Ones have so lived that they have met with in the end the Death of a Dog and the Burial of an Ass Abraham therefore is careful for a Place of Sepulture for him and for his as Ruth doth here for her own and he would not be joined with Infidels in Burial but he desires and purchases a distinct burying place from them who neither had Belief nor Hope of the Resurrection of the Dead they offered him the free use of their common Burying-place Gen. 23.6 but he will rather pay for a Propriety to him and his than hold such a Community with them for he was desirous to be separated in Burial from them who believed not the Resurrection with him as Ruth doth here and his place purchas'd for Burying in was at Hebron which signifies Society or Conjunction for there lay as in their Repository or Resting-place those Godly Couples Abraham and Sarah Gen. 23.19 and 25.9 Isaac and Rebecca Jacob and Leah Gen. 49.31 and though Jacob Dyed in Egypt yet took he an Oath of his Son Jâ—seph for his Burying of him in that place Gen. 49.29 30. and 50.5 This was the common desire of all the Godly Ones in Scripture to be according unto Scripture Phrase gathered unto their Fathers as desirous to sleep with those in the Bed of Dust with whom they hope to awake to Eternal Rest Thus Ruth doth here with Naomi such Sepulchres are Symbols of the Communion of Saints and of the Resurrection of the Dead Hence the Hebrews do call their Burying-places Beth-Caiim the House of the Living and Job also calls the Grave the Congregation-House of all Living Job 30.23 the publick or common meeting place of all People as the Apostle after him calls Heaven The Congregation-House of all the First-Born Hebr. 12.23 Thus Christians may have an honest care as Ruth hath here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom they be Buried and where they are lay'd when they are Dead that as they lived together and loved together they may lie in the Grave together and not be divided sometimes in their Death as 2 Sam. 1.23 however not in their Burial 'T was a sad Judgment denounced against that proud Lucifer not Belzebub of Hell as some Antients say but Belshazzar of Babylon that he should not be joined in Burial with his Compeers and Fellow Kings in Funeral State and Pomp c. Isa 14.20 The Lord do so to me and more also this is a form of Imprecation frequently used in Scripture wherein more by an Aposiopesis is understood than expressed The Evils Imprecated are not expresly mentioned yet thus much this form of Speech implyeth Let God bring what evils
he pleaseth upon me be it Plague Famine Sword c. If I do otherwise than I say or if I pretend one thing and intend another If any thing but Death do part thee and me Hence Observ 4. Death is the final dissolution of all Bonds of Duty whether Natural Civil or Religious The Wife is no longer bound to her Husband Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. Children to Parents Subjects to Princes and People to Pastors Ver. 18. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded Hebr. Ki mith a mesteth hi. She strengthened her self Hence Observ 1. Outward Temptations and Solicitations to back sliding are most effectually resisted by inward firm and stedfast resolutions So Ruth here finds her loose Heart First With a purpose and a promise of persevering and being none of Solomons Fools That dares to trust her own Heart Prov. 28.26 she lays another bond upon that slippery thing the heart Jer. 17.9 more deceitful than all things to wit the Oath of God and this also she binds with a curse saying Let the Lord double and treble all evils upon me let him make me an execration and an example to all if I turn my back from thee and from thy God by all these bonds she bound her loose Heart fast to the ways of God and so she stoutly endured the shock of Temptation which Orpah did not Thus were we but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solidly stiff and stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 as Ruth was we might resist all Temptations to sin either from the Devil from without or from our own Hearts from within We should not give place Eph. 4.27 no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 to our own angry and Vindictive Spirits for then we let in the Devil into our Hearts But if we resist those fleshly Lusts which are stirred up by the Devil and which War against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 then they are though materially they be sin yet not so formally in as much as we do not allow them but abhor them and abhor our selves for them and not only so but the Tempter will as Naomi here leave off speaking by way of Temptation to us Then she left off speaking to her Hence Observ 2. Tempters to evil will in due time be dastdardly and yield unto those that do not yield unto them but are resolved stedfastly to cleave unto that which is good Thus Naomi yields to Ruth when she saw that Ruth would not yield to her and thus we shall find that could we but resist the Devil that grand Tempter to backsliding stifly strongly and stedfastly he would flee from us we should find him but a Coward who is like the Crocodile if you follow him he fleeth from you if ye flee from him then he followeth you the Reason of the Devils Cowardliness is this that Old Serpent having his Head bruised and crushed by the Promise of the Messiah Gen. 3.15 cannot now so easily thrust in his mortal sting unless we do dally with him and so lay our Breasts open to him N. B. But the Devil hath no Defensive Armour to defend himself though he hath Offensive to offend us therewith If the grand Tempter be thus cowardly 1 Pet. 4.7 then much more his Underlings and Vassals if the principal Agent be so much more his tempting Tools or inferiour instruments The Slave or Servant is not greater than his Master in Courage c. She left speaking c. now resting satisfied with Ruths resolution Hence Observ 3. 'T is breach of Charity to suspect the integrity of such as give those evidences thereof wherewith the Judgment of Charity should be satisfied Thus Naomi who was a Godly Wise Matron doth testifie by her speaking no more about turning back to Moab that she was now assured of her Daughters Honesty and Constancy and that she was now stedfastly resolved to be of the true Brood of Travellers Psal 24.6 towards the Land of Promise her silence gave consent hereunto Ver. 19. So they two went untill they came to Bethlehem Hence Observ 1. Such is the Faithfulness of our Heavenly Father to all his Children that he never fails nor forsakes them but when one comfort faileth them he findeth out another for them Thus Naomi having lost her Elimelech an Israelitish Husband hath a Moabitish Daughter Ruth given to her that clave as close to her as her Husband and resolves to be her Faithful Companion in all her sorrows and sufferings The loss of one Relation is made up out of Gods fulness by raising up another Thus when Abraham lost his beloved Wife Sarah Gen. 23.19 then God made up his loss by giving him a blessed Daughter Rebeccah in her room who was brought by an eminent Providence expresly into Sarahs Tent Gen. 24.67 to fill up the place of the dead there with a living comfort Thus also God himself stood by Paul when all men had forsaken him 2 Tim. 4.16 17. No man stood with him He might say as Socrates once said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friends I have no friend stands with me yet the Lord his best Friend stood with Paul who is better than a thousand fail-friends or as Plato calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 changeable Creatures God is never so sweet and and so seasonable to his Saints as in the day of their deepest distress this made David encourage himself in the Lord his God when he was greatly distressed 1 Sam. 30.6 well knowing that his God loves to help his People which trust in him when forsaken of all Creature Comforts when there is a Death upon all their Helps and a Damp upon all their Hopes Oh that in all our straits we could run to this Cordial and turn into this Counting-House as David did and find our selves well underlaid as we say with Comforts to wit in the Power Promises and Providences of God who is in Covenant with us and undoubtedly will remember us in all our troubles as he did David Psal 132.1 if we remember him in them as David did So they two went Hence Observ 2. There be but few Friends that are true Friends Here be but two together Orpah forsakes Naomi but Ruth only cleaves to her Amicitia sit inter binos qui sunt veri inter bonos qui sunt pauci that is let Friendship be betwixt two that be true and betwixt those that are good which are but few 'T was said in Richard the Thirds time by the Duke of Buckingham to Bishop Morton fast and faithful Friends are all for the most part gone in Pilgrimage and their return is uncertain Fast Friends be few such a Friend as Jonathan was to David who loved him at his own Soul 1 Sam. 18.2 And his Soul was knit to Davids Soul Corporibus Geminis Spiritus unus erat There was but one Soul for two Bodies Ni mihi sis ut ego non eris alter ego A true Friend is called another I a second self which can be but few and frater
in the form of a Servant to come down to this sick Servant's Pallet N. B. Note well O what a mercy it is that the Lord himself should come down from Heaven to be amongst men on earth as he did when he came in the flesh and doth still come to us in the spirit and causing our spirits to leap levalto's within us as the Babe leaped then in his mothers Belly more like a suckling at the Breast as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 2.2 than an Embryo in the Womb. The Eighth Remark is The same Soul may be high in Faith and low in Humility so was this Centurion saying but speak the Word only c. Math. 8 8 9. T is much that he being no Jew nor conversant in the Prophet's writings should be so lofty in his believing as well as so lowly in his humblings through the cloud of his own weakness and unworthiness his eye of faith espyed the worth of Christ's Omnipotency calling him a Captain to command all Diseases for comming and going and saying I am a Man and under Authority yet can do these things how much more thou that art God and under no Authority canst do any thing thou art all-sufficient in thy self to effect what thou wilt N. B. Note well The Centurion makes a Comparison betwixt himself and his Saviour both in respect of his Person and of his Power as of the lesser with the greater saying as it were thus 1. As to my Person I am but a Man a meer Man but thou art God also very God 2. As to my Power tho' I be subject to another yet have I Souldiers under me at my beck and check how much more hast thou who hast a Soveragnity over all created Beings an absolute power over Sickness and Death and can heal this Palsey or Epilepsy as some say though it be sudden hidden and for the most part incurable by men The Ninth Remark is There is a marvellous beauty in Grace especially in great Grace as here in great Faith as well as great Humility This put Christ here to the marvel Mat. 8.10 as before he had been ravished with his Spouses single eye and with one single Chain of her Neck Cant. 4.9 how much more where he beholds a beautiful concatenation of all Gospel-Graces Hereat 't is said Christ marvelled and what can be so great a marvel as to hear that he marvelleth Who was it that wondred at this man's Grace no other but he that wrought all this Faith and Humility in him If any other hand had wrought this Grace in this Captain why should Christ who knew all things ab Aeterno Joh. 21.17 wonder at it Christ wondreth at his own work in this man as he had done before in Nathaniel John 1.47 and at his own love to Mankind when he calls himself wonderful c. Isa 9.6 He wondereth here not as it was a sign of any motion of a troubled mind in him as it is in us but as the grand Doctor of the Church teaching us hereby what we ought to wonder at Christ did not wonder at the Magnificence of the Temple as his Disciples did Mat. 24.1 nor was he at all ravished with the glittering glories of the World with its Beauty and Bravery represented as in a Land-skip by the Devil before his Eyes Mat. 4.8 9.10 as he was with the Spouses Grace and at this Centurion's Faith he much marvelled it being the Work of his own Almighty Power Eph. 1.19 and this his Power Christ never putteth forth but for mighty purposes The Tenth Remark is Christ extolleth as well as admireth his own Grace in this Gentile-Proselyte above all that he found in those that are call'd his own People The multitude wondred at his powerful Teaching Luke 4.22 yet are they not praised the Leper believed Christ's Power to Cure him Mat. 8.2 and was therefore healed but not Praised Martha could say I know If thou ask my Brothers Life it shall be granted John 11.22 yet was she rather reproved than praised ver 39 40. The same may be said of many other Instances in the New-Testament Behold the Lamb of God c. John 1.36 40. So was Peter by Andrew ver 41. and Philip by reading Moses c v. 45. They all believed yet not Praised because they were helped Indeed Nathaniel is praised v. 47. yet believed he not till he saw first a fiâ—â— of Christ's Deity v. 48 49. but this Centurion is praised and preferred above all not only because he believed without all helps and means to bring him into Faith but also because he made such an high profession of the power of Christ's word to heal at distance beyond any natural operation The Ruler of the Synagogue cry'd come quickly c. Mat. 9.18 but this man believed Christ's presence was not necessary his word tho' absent was enough therefore he and Cornelius Acts 10. be the Sundard bearers of Gentile Proselytes Christ extolling him not above Patriarchs and Prophets but above those now to be cast into Hell as is foretold Mat 8.11 12. Lastly Faith hath an happy hand for help from Heaven may have what it will as having the Key of God's treasury Christ saith to the Woman be it unto thee even as thou wilt Mat. 15.28 and to this man as thou believest so be it unto thee Mat. 8.13 Faith always speeds in one kind or in another never fails in having its desire either in Money or in Money-worth 't is said of Luther Iste vir potuit quod voluit might have any mercy that he desired The Second Miracle wherewith Christ confirm'd his Oracles was the Raising to Life the Dead Son of the Widow at Naim Luke 7.11 to 17. Wherein are these Remarks First As to the Time When. It was the very day after he had healed the Centurion's Servant v. 11. as Christ cured one Sick unto Death grievously tormented with a Palsey or Epilepsey which is the Falling-Sickness Mat. 8.6 Just a dying and falling into a state of Death upon the Day before so now the very next Day he raised this Young-Man who was altogether Dead To shew that he was according to the Centurion's Character of him the Great Centurion both of Sickness and of Death giving them both their Commands and Commissions both of coming to us and of going from us when this great Captain pleaseth c. The Second Remark is relating to the place where it wâ—â— done at Naim a City that lay forty eight Miles North from Jerusalem upon the edge of Samaria in the way as the Galileans pass'd to Jerusalem whither probably Christ was now going to the Pentecost Feast Naim Hebrew signifies Beautiful Fruitful Fair and Pleasant an Emblem of the World wherein the Children thereof live in all delights never dreaming of Death till it suddenly seize upon them and spoil all their Pleasures as it did in this Young-Man yet a Dead-Man in the Flower of his Age and in the midst
of his youthful Vigour and Vanity Or Naim Hebrew signifies the moving of them for thus the whole City was mightily moved at this mighty Miracle Luke 7.16 The Third Remark is A Young Man may be a Dead-Man This Widow's Son is call'd a Dead-man Luke 7.12 and a Young-man ver 14. assoon goes the Lambs-skin to the Market saith the Proverb as the Old Sheep Senibus mors in Januis Adolescentibus in insidiis Saith Bâ—rnard Death seizeth upon old men yet lyes lurking as in an Ambushment for the youngest As the Old must dye so the Young may Dye Our Drecrepit Age both Expects Death and Sollicits it but Vigorous Youth looks strangely upon that Grim Sergeant sent of God to Arrest it so soon The Fourth Remark is 'T is no new device or novelty to have burying places without the City 't is said here when Christ came to Naim he meets Men with a Dead Man carried out of the City ver 12. for they might not as holding it unhealthful and unwholesome to Bury within the Walls open Graves and Interr Corps in the City Therefore N. B. Note well Let not any Survivers murmur at the Burying of their near and dear Relations in the Suburbs of this City seeing it was so here and the Resurrection will find them any where The Fifth Remark is 'T is no untrodden path for an only Son to dye as well as an only Husband This good Woman as the sequel demonstrates loses first her only Husband therefore is she call'd a Widow and now as if the loss of her Head were not great enough she must lose her only Son who might have been to her what Obed was to Naomai a restorer of her Life and a hourisher of her Old Age Ruth 4.15 This her only Branch must be lopped off from the Tree also then murmur not at such strokes c. The Sixth Remark is Yet Christ's Compassion is toward such as are under such severe strokes 'T is said v. 13. When the Lord saw her he had Compassion on her and said weep not All this and more was done upon Christ's own accord from his Free-Grace and Unrequested This Widow did neither beseech his Bowels to Pity her nor his Power to Raise her Son Christ had and hath still a most tender Heart and will pity and provide more for his Praying People than they ask of him The Seventh Remark is As Christ touched the Bier and spake to the Dead Arise whereby the Dead-man was raised to Life and Restored to his Mother ver 14 15. N. B. Note well So a word of Christ's Mouth and a touch with his Hand shall suffice to revive the Slain Witnesses and to restore them to the Church their Mother Oh that God may thus visit his People and be Glorified as ver 16. However it shall be enough at the last Day to Raise up all the Dead John 5.29 1 Thes 4.13 c. The Eighth Remark is Sometimes Christ commanded secresie in his working Miracles as Mark 5.43 Luke 8.56 but five Persons were Witnesses of Jairus's Daughters being raised to life c. but this and that of Lazarus was done openly in the sight of the multitude without charge of Privacy as in Capernaum where Christ had been laughed to scorn and had newly denounced a Curse against that City but there were no such causes here All is done in open view Solomon saith Every thing is Beautiful in the right Season So are all Christ's Acts doing all well Mark 7.37 CHAP. XV. NOW follow many more matchless Miracles whereby the Lord backed his Divine Oracles and Doctrine of Truth The first and next now to be gloss'd upon is Christ's Casting out of the Deaf and Dumb Devil Mat. 12. from ver 22 to 46. Mark 7.32 with 9.17.11.17 Luke 11. from ver 14 to 27. This is illustrated by many Remarks The First is Both Matthew and Mark do introduce this Miracle by premising a general account of an Ambulatory Hospital following Christ from all parts Great Multitudes followed him from place to place Mat. 12.15 yea some of Esau's Posterity Idumeans as well as Jews throng to touch Christ Mark 3.7 8 9 10. and he healed the Diseases and Plagues of all that came to him and cast out Devils Mat. 8.16 12 1â— to which is added When the unclean Spirits saw him they fall down before him crying Thou art the Son of God Mark 3.11 The matter was well amended since Satan's first onset upon Christ in the Wilderness c. Where he then doubted saying If thou be the Son of God Mat. 4.3 6. The same Power can change his note to us The Second Remark is As Devils truckled to Christ's Power in his own Person so they did to that wherewith he impowered his Apostles whom he gradually gathered to be with him to see his Glory John 1.14 39 c. to be Witnesses of his Works Acts 10.39 41. And to learn as his Auditors the Doctrine of the Gospel that they were to Preach N. B. Note well So that the very Apostles themselves did not at their first mission into the Ministry Preach by the Spirit but what they had heard about a Twelve-month from the Mouth of their Master When Christ had Called and Chosen them to the number of twelve answerable to the twelve Tribes of Israel and throughly instructed them both for Praying and Preaching work He gives them not only a free Mission Mark 3.13 but also a free Commission both for curing Diseases and for casting out Devils Mat. 10.1 6 8. Mark 3.14 15. Luke 6.12 c. with 10 17. 9.1 Satan falls as Lightning from Heaven before them Luke 10.18 and that Serpent hurts them not Mark 16.18 Nor can he finally or totally hurt either Christ's Ministers or Believers that are his Members The Third Remark is Simon the Pharisee Invites Christ to a Feast Luke 7.36 It was fit he should feast sometimes that fared so hard mostly He is call'd Simon the Leper Mat. 26.6 Mark 14.3 whom Christ had healed of his Leprosie and who therefore entertains his Healer in way of Thankfulness to a Dinner and Christ's foregoing Words The Son of Man is come Eating and Drinking c. Luke 7.34 might possibly induce him to make this Invitation as haply Christ's others words Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 might invite the Woman-Sinner to prostrate her self at Christ's-feet c. leaning on his left Elbow at Meat Luke 7.37 38. This was Mary Magdalen out of whom Christ had cast seven Devils and became a consort with a Court-Lady Joanna c. who had been healed by Christ also Luke 8.2 3. The self same Mary that was Sister to Lazarus John 12.2 3. Mark 15.40 16.1 Luke 24.10 Where we may not imagine Lazarus's Sister must neglect to be about the Burial Seeing Christ foretold that she should do that Office John 12.7 This Mary the Antients say was Married to a Noble Person of