former Repr 1. Who pretend infirmity and weaknesse when yet the power of God the holy seed is ready to break the Serpents head in them Repr 2. Those who exceedingly magnifie the power of Christ the holy seed that he breaks the head of the Serpent when it is yet whole in them Repr 3. Who damp their own and others endeavours with opinion of impossibility of doing that which is here promised that it shall be done Exhort Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6. Means Use that power thou hast The Lord hath not given that for nothing By exercising bodily strength the man growes stronger much more by exercise of spiritual strength Pray to the Lord to put the enmity between thee and the Serpents seed Pray for that innocent harmlesse Abels life which must live and speak again Heb. 11.4 He being dead yet speaketh This enmity must proceed as also the Law and the grace of God that brings salvation Tit. 2.11 The grace of God that brings salvation to all men hath appeared c. The holy Apostle observes this method Rom. 16.19 I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil and then follows and the God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly And then concludes by what means this comes to passe in the next words The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Axiom 4. The Serpent shall bruise his heel There are who understand this litterally and properly of the Church But while the Scripture will affoord both a literal and a spiritual meaning I conceive it is not safe to appropriate it unto one Literally then it 's true that the Serpent bruises or wounds the heel and lies in wait in the way Gen. 49.17 I believe the spiritual meaning is principally aimed at Quaere What is meant by the Heel What to bruise the Hell How the Serpent may be said to bruise the Heel 1. The word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies that well-known part of the Body Yet not only that but also the sole of the foot and the foot-steps The iniquity of my heels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Symmachus turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 49.6 that is the conversation the life and Psal 56.6 They observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my steps So we say Insistere vestigiis to walk in ones footsteps that is to follow one So Rom. 4.12 To walk in the steps of Abrahams faith 1 Pet. 2.21 Hence by Metaphor because he Heel and the Foot-sole is the extream or last part of the Body as the Head is the first the word is used to signifie the last part of any thing Psal 119.33 I will keep it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the end and Verse 112. I inclined my heart to keep thy statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the end Hence it signifies the Reward which is wont to be given at the end of the work Ps 19.11 In keeping of them there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 5.23 Who justifie the wicked for reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The heel of the womans holy seed or Christ may be understood to be either 1. Of his Person or 2. Of his mystical Body 1. Of his Person so the Heel of Christ is his humanity This holds proportion with what the Apostle saith that The Head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11. 2. Of his mystical Body so we may understand the Heel either of the outward man as the meanest and weakest part of the body of Christ Or the inward man that part of the soul that cleaves vnto the earth or earthly nature 2. To bruise the heel The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to bruise it seems to be therefore here used that it might fit both parts of the Text the Head of the Serpent and he Heel of the Womans holy seed The like ye may observe 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man defile Gods Temple him will God destroy The word in the Greek is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus Coverdale turnes the words The same shall tread down thine head and thou shalt tread upon his heel 3. How may the seed of the Serpent be said to bruise the heel of Christ 1. The heel of Christ is his Humanity when therefore the Serpent so far prevailed that he procured him to be put to death according to the flesh he bruised his heel 1 Pet. 3.18.2 The heel of his mystical body 1. In regard of the outward man the meanest and weakest of his fellowers Deut. 25.18 Amalek smote the hindmost 2. In regard of the inward man the heel is that part that cleaves unto the earth or earthly nature and is therefore prone and easie to slide and fall This heel the Serpent observes and bruises In the necessities of the body the soul must needs send forth the natural desires for supply of them Such are the desires of earing and drinking These and such as these are the heel of the inward man which the Serpent observes He observed these in our Lord Matth. 4.3 He had fasted forty dayes all that time ye hear not of the Tempter but when he hungred Verse 2. then the Tempter came unto him This the Apostle was aware of 1 Cor. 7.5 Give your selves to fasting and prayer that Satan tempt you not for your incontinencie It is lawful to have a care and to provide for the supply of meat and drink and raiment c. yet this very care endangers us to fall into temptation and a snare 1 Tim. 6.9 Reason may be 1. In regard of the Womans godly seed that it might be continually exercised and be watchful Virtus languet sine adversario And therefore your adversary the Devil goes about c. 2. In regard of the Serpent his innate Subtilty and malice Who since he is fallen from all lawfull power of commanding and compelling Esay 14. he now acts by craft and cunning 2 Cor. 2.11 by devises and wiles Ephes 6.11 The wiles of the Devill 2 Cor. 11.3 And therefore he setts upon the weakest He beguiled Eve through his subtiltie This discovers what they are whose seed and whose children who reproach the steps the conversation of Gods Saints It is the Serpents work To bruise and tread upon the heel and his children Serpents like himselfe as our Saviour calls them Matth. 23. who reproach the wayes of Christ and his people who slander and reproach the foot-steps of Gods annointed Psal 89.51 who cast aspersions upon the pure religion and undefiled I doubt not but there is a religion that is accounted pure yet is defiled A generation pure in their own eyes yet are not cleansed from their dung Prov. 30.12 Yet there is a religion that is pure yet is accounted defiled by the Serpent and his seed who casts aspersions upon it without desert as a man may receive a dash in his journey Thus the Pharisees of
given them their possessions Deut. 2. Which yet will appear more forcible if we consider the ends why the Lord gives his temporal good things unto graceless men that they may seek out God Acts 17.27 that they may repent Rom. 2.4 So that he who takes away the goods of graceless men he hinders them from the means of finding God and repenting of their sins Yea if those two things be granted 1. That the dominion and right to temporal things is founded in grace 2. That a man may be his own judge who is and who is not in the state of grace no man shall quietly possess any thing he has If a gracious man steals his grace is no grace Yea hence will follow a prodigious distinction of theevery that which a graceless and that which a gracious man commits Come we to the measure and manner of Restitution He shall restore his trespass with the principal thereof and adde unto it the fifth part thereof and give unto him against whom he hath trespassed 1. He shall restore his trespass that is the thing wherein he hath trespassed by a Metonymie But what is here meant by the words following with the principal thereof What is this principal Is it some other thing beside the trespass Surely no Why then is it said he shall restore the trespass with the principal thereof if the principal and trespass be the same thing This doubt must be cleared by a spiritual sense of which anon Meantime as to the letter we may observe The wisdom and goodness of the most righteous God the Judge of all the World in removing all impediments and lets from among men that his royal law might take place in their hearts so that we might owe nothing unto any man but to love one another And what reason is there for this Restitution What is more just then the rule of the most righteous Judge of all the World The Lord tryeth or purgeth the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence or rapine his soul hateth Psal 11. ver 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesses inward and outward righteousness The word is plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11.7 Whence the Psalmist adviseth us to make trial of this by our own experience among men Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end or reward of that man is peace Psal 37.37 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more then the beginning c. Job 42.12 Ye have heard of the patience of Job James 5. ver 11. and have seen the end or reward of the Lord James 5.11 But the transgressours shall be destroyed together The end or reward of the wicked shall be cut off And truly if men patiently wait on the Lord they shall observe that he will bring forth the flying rowl in his due time even the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth c. and it shall enter into the house of the thief and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by Gods Name forswearing what he has stollen and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Zach. 5.1 4. For it must have a time because 1. God is patient and long suffering and would not that any should perish And the fin being conceived in the heart as in the womb Psal 7.14 it must have a time to bring forth and so must the judgement and the curse which goes along collaterally with the sin And when sin is perfected it bringeth forth death And when once the curse hath setled it is no starter but it remaines in the midst of the house for punishments were wont to be inflicted on the houses of malefactors Ezra 6.11 Dan. 3.29 to root out their name and memory And when the curse hath taken up its place in the house its hot idle there but it consumes and eats where ever it comes For as the blessing increaseth Gen. 9.1 So the curse diminisheth and brings to nothing Levit. 26. Deut. 28. This curse goes along with goods however unjustly gotten by fraud or violence The story of Glaucus the Lacedemonian which Herodotus reports is remarkable He had received a sum of money of a certain Milesian for the use of his children under age Glaucus denied the receipt of the money with an oath Glaucus afterward guilty consulted with the Oracle which gave him this answer That the curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seizing stock and house wholly shall destroy Which as the Historian affirms afterward accordingly came to pass For howsoever violent and fraudulent men may flatter themselves and one another we shall finde all pretious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil Prov. 1.13 yet ver 32. The prosperity of such fools shall destroy them Yea we may refer the ruines and destructions of Kingdoms and Commonweals as wise Historians and Statesmen do unto the same causes For of that Anarchy and ruin of Judah whereof ye read Esay 3. ye finde the cause ver 14. the spoil of the poor is in their houses And Jeremy having told the house of Israel and Judah Jer. 5. That their sinnes had with-held good things from them what sins were they Verse 26 27. As a Cage is full of Birds so are their houses full of deceit And Zephany having denounced an heavy judgement against the Jews Ver. 9. among other causes deserving it he saith that the servants filled their Masters houses with violence and deceit But let me again minde you of what one of the most antient Fathers hath written concerning these very sins whereof the Lord here speaks Absit absit inquam ut haec ego de aliquo fidelium sentiam Far yea far be it from me that I should think these things of any of the faithful And good reason since this is the character given of those Primitive times Adeò sancta erat illis temporibus fides ut fallere aliquos posse non crederetur There was such faithfulness and integrity among them that they thought it impossible that any one of them should deceive And because they themselves loved truth and faithfulness and knew not what it was to deceive they thought no man would deceive them So the Virgin-Church might say of her self Ego nescia rerum Difficilem culpae suspicor esse viam Vpon this very consideration that holy Father understood the former part of this law spiritually And I believe upon the same grounds we may so understand the latter part of it Let us inquire and make trial This ground we may lay or rather it s laid to our hand The law is spiritual and this law as hath appear'd in the former part of it It s here said he shall restere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his trespass his sin So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and is rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trespass Esra 9.6
righteousness and holiness of truth Which Divine Plvto hath almost word for word in his Theâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The likeness of God is to be righteous and holy with wisdom or prudence And as Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the figure of his fathers hypostasie or substance so the true Christians are made according to Christ Iohn 1.16 of whose fulnesse they receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even grace for grace every grace in us answering to the counterpart of it self in Christ as every impression and print in the Wax answers to every print and impression in the Seal This image of God is in the soul yet so that Per modum redundantiae by way of redundancy it overflowes also upon the body For as by an Image or Picture we understand not onely the lineaments and portraiture of him that 's drawen but also concretely the table wherein it is drawen And as we conceive the Kings Image in his Coin not onely formally abstractly and apart the resemblance and figure of the King but also concretely and joyntly the money the Silver or Gold wherein it is imprinted Even so the image of God howsoever it be primarily in the soule yet it may be said also to be in the body the seat of the soul whose rectitude and straitness proper to that alone of all the living creatures represents that inward rectitude and uprightness wherein the man is made and an argument of Majesty and Soveraignty over all the Creatures the strength proportion beauty feature and comliness are answerable in some sort to the like vertues in the image of God According to which S. Paul saith that the earthy man Rom. 5.14 the first Adam was a type or figure of the second or him that was to come as the first and rude draught of him As also because the soul works by the body conformably to the image of God whence it is Rom. 6.13 that the members of the body are instruments of righteousness unto God And hence it is that S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.20 that our bodies and Spirits are Gods Yea the image of God extends it self so far that all the outward creatures belonging unto man may be said in some sort to appertain unto the image of God in man not onely because Dei Vestigium est in creaturis saith the School the footstep and similitude of God is in the creatures but also because God hath given unto man the outward creatures not as any part of his image but to adorn his image in him As Painters and Carvers set out their Images and Statues by Pictures of diverse creatures which are not any parts but ornaments of the Statues and Images which they principally intend to make Thus every creature hath Gods mark upon it aut imaginem aut vestigium either Gods expresse image upon it as the reasonable creature or some other impression or similitude of the Deity which remembers us and sends us to the Author of it As when we see among the Creatures any thing that 's beautiful and fair or strong or any other way good it minds us and causes our thoughts and meditations to ascend unto that Essential beauty strength or whatsoever other Excellency is to be found in God In a word Gods mark and footstep in the Creature is in order unto Gods Image in man Gods image in man is in order unto Gods image which is Christ Gods image which is Christ 1 Cor. 3.22 23. is in order unto God This gradual order is excellently observed and set down by S. Paul All things are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods When now the man had defaced that glorious image of his God in himself and disturbed that excellent order of himself and all the Creatures unto God The Lord sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flood to confound all order as that word signifies a sin-flood to blot out his image and footstep out of his creatures as we read Gen. 6. The Lord saw that the iniquity of man was great in the earth and all the image form or shape of the thoughts of his heart was onely evill all the day And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and he mourned at his heart and the Lord said I will blot out man whom I have created from upon the face of the earth from man even unto beast and unto the creeping thing and to the foul of the heavens because it repenteth me that I have made them I desire the Reader to consider upon what ground and Motive the Lord here resolves to blot out man and beast from the earth It will make much for the understanding of Gen. 8.21 ANd the Lord smelled a sweet savour and the Lord said in his heart Gen. 8. Ver. 21. I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth neither will I again smite any more every living thing as I have done If thus we read these words very ill use may be made of them as for an encouragement unto sin because the grace of God so much aboundeth For according to this Translation the Lord here seems to promise that he will not again deal so severely with mankind because the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth and therefore so to curse the ground for mans sake so to smite every living thing would be to no purpose Why because mankinde is incorrigible the imagination of his heart is evil from his youth and therefore to go about to mend the matter by blotting out the living creature as if thereby the sins of men could be blotted out it would be as available as if a man should endeavour to draw water with a Net So one of the Fathers reasons from hence whose name I spare Another of them argues thus down-right The Lord saith I will not any more curse the Earth for the works of men because the minde of man is set upon mischief from his youth therefore I will not any more smite every living soul as I have done And lest we should think that the Ancients onely were of this minde most of the later Expositors are of the same judgement The Glosse of the French Bible speaks their opinion For it sets a Star in the Text directing us to somewhat more remarkable in the Margent which is this He shews what men must be until the end of the world wherein all mankinde is condemned as wholly wicked and depraved How then ought these words to be rendred That we may understand this we must look back at the former words For if we consider the former words they will give light to these Verse 20. Noah builded an altar unto the Lord and took of every clean beast and of every clean foul and offered burnt offerings upon the altar And the Lord smelled a savour of rest so the Marg. according to the
renders the whole broken Thus divers books of Scripture are knit together by copulatives in their beginnings as the books of Moses Exodus with Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these c. So Leviticus with Exodus Numbers to Leviticus The book of Joshua to Deuteronomy Judges to Joshua Ruth to Judges Samuel to Ruth and divers other making the whole Scripture as it were but one large copulate And so many of the Ten Commandements are knit together as Thou shalt not kill neither shalt thou commit adultery neither shalt thou steal neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour neither shalt thou covet thy neighbours wife c. Deut. 5.17 21. And thus the multitudes of Gods law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 8.12 are united as with manifold links whereof if one be broken the whole will and law of God is infringed and violated And the authority of the Law-giver is slighted which is the Apostles reason for he who said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Thou shalt not kill James 2.11 O how careful of these things were the Ancient Doctors of the Jewes Church They accurately summ'd up the numbers of Gods Lawes and divided them into affirmative and negative The affirmative precepts they found to be two hundred forty eight correspondent unto the same number of bones in a mans body Which as they are the strength of the mans body so are the spiritual Commandements and Lawes of God the strength of the inward man As David acknowledgeth Psal 138.3 Thou hast fortified me with strength in my soul And therefore when the Lord was now about to change Abrams name to Abraham he commanded him Walk before me and be perfect Gen. 17.1 5. And then called him Abraham which name contains the same number in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 200. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 40. total 248. Whence the Lord testifies of Abraham that he had kept his Charge his Commandements his statutes and his Lawes Gen. 26.5 The negative precepts are 365 answerable to the number of Nerves and Ligatures in mans body as the Anatomists have observed By these are united the forees and powers and strengths of the inward and spiritual man which must be knit together that the Spirit may come and dwell in it So we read Ezech. 37.1 10. that the sinews joyned bone to his bone and then the spirit entred into the whole body And our obedience hereunto must be perpetual as figured by the dayes of the year of the same number 365. Of all these ten only were written in the Tables which God gave to Moses Exod. 34.28 as being the radical and principal Commandements unto which all the other may be reduced And these are fitted to the number of our fingers the instruments of our work And hence all Nations reckon by the number of Ten as the most determinate and full number and then begin again The reason why the Lawes of God were thus multiplyed appears from the necessity of man to whom these Lawes were given and the great goodness and mercy of God the Lawgiver Mans necessity was great he had a grievous fall even from Heaven to the Earth even from an heavenly minde and affections unto both earthly from wisdom to foolishness ignorance and errour from rectitude and uprightness to obliquity and crookedness from one to many from the Creator to the creatures When therefore the man hath lost his happiness in the one and only God he seeks and hunts for it among the many creatures According to what the Wiseman saith generally of all men Eccles 7.19 God made man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is appellative not proper God made thee and me and every person upright as appears by the opposition following but they have found out many inventions He is said to have forsaken the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 There must therefore have been some time when he enjoyed it and had union with it He is said to be alienated from the life of God Ephes 4.18 Sometime therefore he lived that life He is said to have fallen and therefore sometime he had stood Now being fallen from unity and uniformity to multiplicity division partiality distraction discord disagreement of minde fansie thoughts understanding heart will affections all these divisions and partialities both one from other and in our selves hence appears the great necessity of a manifold law which might pursue the man in his manifold aberrations and strayings from his God which might follow him in every thought will desire affection and ferret him out of every hole So that these many lawes are a certain badge and evidence of that manifold misery whereinto we are fallen For as Plato reasons Where there are many Physitians it followes that the people must have many diseases And where there are many Lawyers there must be many strifes and divisions so we may reason That where there are many Lawes there are many breaches of Lawes and where there are many remedies many healing doctrines as the Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curing or healing doctrine 1 Tim. 1.9 there must also be many spiritual maladies 2. Other reason there is from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.10 that manifold wisdom grace and goodness of God who proportions unto the mans manifold sins and miseries a manifold law So that there 's not any good work the man can do but among the manifold affirmative precepts there 's a law and a rule for it Nor is there any sin that the man commits but among the manifold negative Commandements there is a prohibition of it These Commandements of God are sometime delivered in full decalogue sometime contracted into a lesse number as Deut. 10.12 Sometime to a less then that Zach. 8.16 and yet to a less number Mich. 6.8 The same upon the matter with what we read Matth. 23.23 Yea our Lord reduces them to two Matth. 22.36 40. Can they yet be brought to a less number Rom. 13.9 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law All the Commandements affirmative and negative are contracted into one O consider this who ever love God and his righteousness who have been long busied about the multitudes of Gods Lawes Let us have respect unto all the Commandements Psal 119.6 And surely as Gods righteousness thrives in us he will abbreviate and make short his Commandements Rom. 9.28 The end of the Commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 that most excellent way 1 Cor. 12.31 which is violently broken from the 13th Chapter Wherein S. Paul tells us what that most excellent way is even Charity greater then Faith and Hope ver 13. That bond of perfection Col. 3.14 that new and old Commandment Love that we walk after his Commandements 2 John 6. the new and old way wherein if we walk we shall finde rest unto
glorious mark set before us all Priests and people Ephes 4.13 A perfect man the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ Ye are by your place and profession neer unto God his friends and intimate ones whose duty it is to be middle men between God and his people who are also a people neer unto him Psal 148.14 Whose office it is to burn incense to our God to make prayers and intercessions for the people It is therefore expected of us that we should be more holy more sober more righteous more godly then other people are This is necessary if we consider the end of our prayer For it is the prayer of a righteous man that avails much James 5.10 And intercession is such a kinde of prayer as must avail very much since it is made for the Priest himself and for the whole congregation It s meet therefore that he be an eminently righteous man and zealous such an one as Phineas who stood up and prayed and so the plague ceased Psalm 106.30 the words are he executed judgement nor is there any mention made of prayer in the story Numb 25. though the words will bear both senses and imply that an intercessors prayer must be operative and the mediator himself a righteous man zealously executing justice and judgement Without holiness no man shall see the Lord no not when he is best pleased And shall we think that some remiss degree of holiness will suffice a Priest an Intercessor for Gods people and their Agent with God to see God obtain grace and mercy from God for himself and the people and that when God is most displeased with them when as the people are so is the Priest then where is that Shepherd that will stand before me saith the Lord Jer. 49.19 All the sons of Levi were holy and zealous in Gods cause Exod. 32. yet all of them could not hold Gods hand It was to Moses only that God said Let me alone Nor can we be so uncharitable as to imagine that all men were wicked in Jerusalem when God sought for a man that should stand in the gap and could finde none Ezech. 22.30 No no he sought some excellent man some Moses some Samuel some Daniel to stand before him It s well if an ordinary just man can obtain his own pardon in a common Judgement Lot was a righteous man 2 Pet. 2.7 but he was delivered out of Sodom at the instance and intercession of a more eminently righteous man than he And therefore we read that when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain that God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the Cities in which Lot dwelt Gen. 19.29 As for profane men they are as unserviceable intercessors in the gap as a dry bush to keep out a flame of fire from devouring the stubble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are far from righteousness Esay 46.12 and far off from God We are neer unto God and intercessors for other men wherefore far be it from us that we should be like other men that it should be true of us Like people like Priest Hos 4.9 Or that we draw neer unto God with our mouth and honour him with our lips but our heart should be far from him Matth. 15.8 Far be it from us that it should be truly spoken of us which yet some of the people say that there is much Lording and Domineering over one another and over the people although we be brethren although we be not Bishops If it be so that we can be prowd without a title how neer to God soever we imagine our selves to be he beholds us afar off Or what some say that some of us are neer men covetous if so we are neerer Mammon than we are to the true God That we are as passionate and have as little rule of our affections yea some of us less then other men have If so how can we be said to be neer unto God or neerer then other men It is true what Hierom writes Vehementer Ecclesiam Dei destruit meliores esse Laicos quà m Clericos It s very destructive to the Church that the people should be better men then the Priests Howbeit I hope none of the people can say of any of us that we have erred through wine that we have gone out of the way through strong drink as those Levitical Priests are thought to have done I hope there is no such Beast that toucheth the mountain of the Lord. We well know the Apostles admonition Be not drunk with wine wherein there is excess but be filled with that wine wherein there can be no excess the Spirit of God I know there are among us some I hope many mortified men who need Pauls exhortation to Timothy drink no more water but use a little wine for thy stomacks sake and thine often infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 But if any such intemperate men there be among us as some say there are I shall direct the Apostles exhortation unto them with some little change Drink more water and use but little wine Let the Potitii and Pinarii the drinking Priests and hungry gluttenous Priests as the old Priests of Hcrcules were called saith Festus let such be Priests to them who are no gods 2 Chron. 13.9 In the mystical Temple of the true God the sons of Zadoc every way righteous men must be neer unto him to minister unto him Ezech. 44.15 But there is a drunkenness and not with wine Esay 29.9 a surfeting with the giddy spirit of opinion kindled in our own imaginations or borrowed of our neighbours neer home such a drunkenness I fear there is too much among us and that such boutefeus and incendiaries there are who bring their own strange wilde fire into the Church of God and zealously offer up their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own will-worship unto God Shall such escape the just judgement of God Our God hath his spiritual judgments under the Gospel figured by those under the Law but more dreadful then those Such was the judgement on these two Priests The fire burnt their bodies not their clothes There is a kinde of thunder which burns not the Chest but melts the money in it hurts not the flesh but consumes the bones And such are Gods spiritual judgements they touch not mens bodies but seiz upon their souls Non quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittit God sends not thunder and lightning alwayes to destroy ungodly men but such judgements as are much heavier as hardness of heart impenitency treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath contempt of Gods Word and Commandement from which good Lord deliver us Let these Boutefeus who kindle their own fire and compass themselves about with sparks walk in the light of their fire and in the sparks which they have kindled but this shall they have of Gods hand they shall lie down in sorrow Esay 50.11 O my brethren Let
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus is implyed whereever these are said to have wrought any thing by faith for faith must have an object on which it must rest and what is that but the power of God who is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 O that the Lord had wrought like conquests in our soules by that power But thanks be to God who giveth us believers in his mighty power the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 Caleb stilled the people before Moses Numb 13. v. 30. and said let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it Caleb in these words whether by some inarticulate sound implyed in the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Latins by St or by some signe made with his hand as Acts 13.16 Obtain'd silence He encourageth the people to march against the Canaanites alleaging that they were well able to overcome the land But truly our Translators have almost spoyled Calebs military Oration by rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us go up at once What all at once Soft and fair Without doubt Caleb was more wise then to put the people already discomfited upon a sudden expedition Those words are more emphatical if rendred in their genuine and proper sense Ascendendo ascendamus by ascending let us ascend viz. gradatim pedetentìm not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not all at once not all together Some there are who conceive that the great work of salvation is wrought all at once So they say they are justified all in an instant whereas the command is he that is righteous let him be righteous still The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is righteous let him work righteousness still Rev. 22. v. 11. Revel 21.11 It s a gradual and successive work It is none of Gods way of destroying the spiritual enemies but by degrees so Exod. 23.29 30. And to lead men in successively by little and little as Jacob lead his sheep Gen. 33.14 Likewise in the following words it is a good encouragement that Caleb gives when he saith We are well able to overcome it though he saith not so only our Translators make him speak so Calebs words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praevalendo praevalebimus by prevailing we shall prevail Whereby he not only encourageth them averring that they are able to prevail but likewise instructs them and puts them in a way of so doing Let not him that believes make haste nor hope to do the work of the Lord all at once but let us learn of Caleb to make the experiments of our former victories encouragements to after enterprizes So by prevailing we shall prevail nor shall our labour be in vain in the Lord but he who hath begun a good work in us will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ But my servant Caleb Numb 14. v. 24. because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it These words are to be understood as spoken by the Lord Christ as the Apostle applies the same history unto him Hebr. 3. and 4 where having compared Christ the Lord of the house with Moses Gods faithful servant in it wherefore saith he as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear His that is Christs voice harden not your hearts as in the Provocation as in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness when your fathers tempted me that is Christ For so the same temptation is expresly applied unto Christ 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted And the Apostle having applyed part of Psal 95. to the same purpose he pursues the same argument Vnion with Christ mentioned Hebr. 3.6 Whose that is Christs house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end He then having quoted the words of that Psalm to his purpose v. 7. 11. he resumes the same argument warning them to take heed of an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God v. 12. and exhorting them to exhort one another daily lest they should be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin v. 13. This he enforceth by repeating the same blessed effect the union with and participation of Christ For saith he we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end whilest it is said To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation for some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all not Moses not Aaron not Joshua not Caleb Others indeed provoked the Lord and they shall not see it but my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath fulfilled after me him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it In which words we have these divine truths contained 1. Caleb was the Lords servant 2. Caleb had another spirit with him 3. Caleb fulfilled after the Lord. 4. Caleb went into the land 5. The Lord saith he would bring Caleb into the land whereinto he went 6. Calebs seed shall possess it 7. Because Caleb the Lords servant had another spirit and fulfilled after the Lord the Lord saith He will bring Caleb into the land whereinto he went and that his seed shall possess it 8. All those men who have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the Wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them who provoked me see it But my servant Caleb c. 1. The Lord said of Caleb that he was his servant What Caleb was we read Numb 13. What is it to be the Lords servant Generally his servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6. And what is it to obey what else but pliably and willingly to submit ones own will to the fulfilling of anothers will 1. Obedience must be pliable and willing Esay 1.19 2. It must be to the command of another as such For if the natural bent of ones own will be to the same act which another commands without respect had to the command as such it is nulla vel minor either no obedience at all or less saith S. Gregory Because obedience properly respects the fulfilling not of our own but of anothers will For example Jer. 35.6 7. Had the sons of Rechab been naturally abstemious and loved no wine their obedience to their father had been either so much the less or indeed none at all When therefore the Lord faith of Caleb that he was his servant it is to be understood that he was obedient that is that he was willing and pliable to the fulfilling of the Lords will That we may the better understand this we must know that there is a
brought upon them the King of the Chaldees 2 Chron. 36.15 16 17. And the like spiritual miseries the Lord threatens to the despisers of his Word in these last dayes Acts 13.41 Acts 13. v. 41. Behold ye despisers and wonder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and see which is left out in our translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vanish for I work a work in your dayes which ye will not believe though a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if a man declare it unto you It followes Hab. 1.5 For lo I raise up the Chaldeans even the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi daemones as S. Hierom renders that word even the devils who bring with them their spiritual maladies as insensibility the plague of the heart a reprobate minde hatred malice and all uncharitableness But blessed be the Lord The Ambassadors of peace labour not altogether in vain For divers of Asher the blessed ones even the blessed of the Lord that 's Asher Gen. 30.13 Manasseh such as forget their own people and their fathers house Gen. 41.51 Ps 45.10 and Zebulun such as have the Lord for their habitation Gen. 30.20 Psal 90.1 These believe the Ambassadors of Christ and finde in these sickly times Prov. 13. v. 17. that a faithful Ambassador or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legatus veritatum an Ambassador of truths is health Prov. 13.17 These procure healing to the land And when others sin with an high land these submit themselves unto the Lord and give the hand unto him Thus Babel in these last dayes shall be laid waste the confused thoughts shall be brought under the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 by the true Zorobabel who scatters Babel Zach. 4.7 and Babel shall give her hand and submit her self Jer. 50.15 Let us be such Zebulonites such Manassites such Asherites let us humble our selves and give the hand unto the Lord as they did and the hand of the Lord will be with us as he was with them and he will heal our land if we pray every one unto him Lord keep thy sereant from sins of pride Psal 19. v. 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins of an high hand let them not rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in me Then I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be perfect and pure from much transgression The words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart shall be to well pleasing before thy face O Lord my Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and my Redeemer Psal 19.13 14. Now Korah the son of Izbar the son of Cohath the son of Levi Numb 16. v. 1. and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab and On the son of Peleth sons of Reuben took men Here is a mistake of the Translators like that Numb 12.1 For as there so here where the Spirit of God puts difference between the Ring-leader and principal Offender and others drawn in who were less faulty in this Rebellion by joyning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Corah took together as the Nominative and the Verb our Translators confound this difference by maming the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common to all putting it in the end of this verse For the Scripture as here so elsewhere layes the principal blame on Korah Num. 27.3 the company of Korah the gainsaying of Korah Jud. v. 11. Ecclus 45.18 Hereby they do some wrong to Dathan and Abiram though otherwise blame-worthy as they also do some injury to Aaron though he were not blameless as was noted on Numb 12.1 But our Translatours are not alone in this errour For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he took hath troubled most Translators Diodati puts it in the end of the first verse and makes it common to the other conspirators adding a supplement larger then ours have viz. they took with them certain men The French Bible puts it at the end of the verse and renders it Firent entreprise and tells us in the margent that in the Hebrew it is he took to wit certain with him to perform his enter prize Ainsworth and Piscator put the Verb after the Geneologie of Korah Nam zu sich den Dathan But the Copulative following and Dathan hinders that construction What Ainsworth saith in favour of it seems to be gratis dictum for the reason already alleaged as also because men which he adds is not in the holy text but a supplement and that a needless one Others leave this Verb quite out as Vatablus the Tigurin Bible Luther and the Low Dutch translations also of our English Coverdale and two other How then shall we dispose of this Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how shall we render it surely 't is best to follow the clue of the holy Scripture and to place it where the Spirit of God hath left it So doth Munster Arias Montanus Pagnin and the Spanish Bible As for the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they render took it imports Schism Faction and Sedition and is accordingly understood by the learned Jews Sal. Jarchi and others and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast turns the Verb by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisus est Core c. And Korah was divided which Pagnin expresseth well Tulit seipsum ad partem he took himself aside or apart which Arias Montanus corrects without just cause as elsewhere The Bishops Bible so called as also that of Geneva herein agree with Pagnin and turn the Verb he went apart The Spirit of God aliud agens as relating an antient history points us to a mystery of iniquity the Source and Fountain of Marah and Meribah the bitter waters of schism sedition and mis-leading of the people For whereas antiquity old customs of the Church and the ancient Fathers are wont to be alleaged for the patronage and defence of Schismes Rents and Innovations nor is there any false Prophet but usually he takes covert or shelters himself and his false doctrine under the authority of one or other or all these three these three were prefigured by these three first notorious Schismaticks and false Teachers For what was Korah but Calvus as his name signifies an old Bald-pate Antiquity what signifies Dathan but long custom As for Abiram what 's he but an high father as it were another Abram and of the same original and authority also in his own and the peoples conceit who are seduced by him These reverend old Fathers and Patrons of Errour Heresie and Schism both infected their own age and became paterns also unto after ages 1. They so corrupted their own times that the Princes and people fell to them Numb 16. 2. They became paterns also unto after ages as S. Jude speaking of the Apostates of his and after times he shews whose examples they followed and sends a woe after them Jude v. 11. ver 11. Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and are poured out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effusi sunt so Pagnin or run greedily after the
and to themselves Hos 12.4 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with Us saith Hosea many ages afterward However this be true and satisfactory yet are there inward and spiritual words and an inward sight of them What other words are they whereof the Psalmist Psal 19. and the Apostle speak Rom. 10.18 Have they not heard Yea verily Their sound went into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world 1. Hence it followes that Gods words are visible words S. John saith as before That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life And again v. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you The Word of life was visible unto S. John and his fellow Apostles For howsoever some men may satisfie themselves and others with saying that S. John here speaks of the dayes of Christs flesh when the Apostles saw and heard him surely the same may as well be said of those who apprehended him smote him crucified him For these saw him heard him handled him and that roughly Besides the humanity and flesh of Christ is no where called the Word but the Word is said to be made flesh and to dwell in us John 1.14 Adde hereunto that what S. John saw heard and handled was from the beginning 1 John 1.1 Whereas the flesh of Christ was not from the beginning but in time and the fulness of time Gal. 4. There are inward and spiritual senses whereby the man of God sees and hears savors tastes and handles the words of God Such senses there must be because there is an inward man of the heart which must not want his due powers and faculties For since his words are spirit and life John 6. how can they be otherwise perceived then by spiritual senses according to the Apostles reasoning 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural animalish or souly man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Hebr. 5. v. 14. and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned And therefore the perfect men have their senses exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the discerning of both good evil Heb. 5.14 The words of God are sure firm and certainly true as being demonstrable and that by the most principal demonstration even from the evidence of sense The words which thine eyes have seen For although the words of God are conveyed by hearing whereby faith cometh Rom. 10.17 Yet the most certain sense is that of seeing according to that well-known and approved speech of the Poet Tardiùs irritant animos demissa per aures Quà m quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus Things heard more slowly move the minde then they Which are committed to faithful eyes Hence proceeds the tactual approbative and experimental knowledge of the divine words So that unto such experienced men we may appeal Do you not see this truth do you not handle with your hands this word of life do you not taste that the Lord is gratious 1 Pet. 2.3 This is the most certain knowledge and most beneficial attainment of the living Word of God when we relish savor handle see and taste it when we have our share of what we know Thus according to the old Etymologist Sapientia est sapida scientia Wisdom is a savory knowledge of divine things I shall end this point with the Apostles prayer for his Philippians For this I pray Phil. 1. v. 9. that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in acknowledgement and all or every sense Phil. 1.9 2. Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently In which words we must inquire 1. What this self is 2. What the taking heed and keeping of thy self is and 3. What it is only and diligently so to do 1. Moses explaines thy self by thy soul and thy soul by thy heart For so no doubt Animus cujusque is est quisque every mans soul and minde is himself and is very frequently so used in Scripture as I have heretofore shewen Thus what S. Luke 9.5 cals himself S. Matth. 16.26 cals his soul And the soul is here explained by the heart for although the heart sometime be specially taken for the affective part of the soul Phil. 1. v. 9. and is so distinguished from the minde Matth. 22.37 Yet most-what it s understood more generally of all the parts of the soul and the whole inward man so what is called the heart Matth. 15.19 is what is within Mark 7.21 This is thy self here understood when Moses saith Take heed to thy self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turnd take heed is passive and properly signifies Be thou observed or kept and it is the Passive of the same Verb following howbeit the force and use of it is reciprocal and reflex as Deut. 2.4.23.10 Josh 23.11 Mal. 2.15 The LXX render this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heed which is elliptical and defective in regard of the sense For it signifies no more then adhibere to apply and lay to as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to apply the minde the understanding the thoughts the heart the memory as we say adhibere applicare adjicere advertere animum to apply ones minde to something This we often meet withal in Scripture Esay 42.25 he laid it not to heart and 47.7 and 57.11 Ezech. 40.4 Set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee Dan. 10.12 Thou didst set thine heart to understand This is done when we fix our wandring thoughts and desires by meditation and laying them up in our memory and reserving them for life and practice As for the manner measure and degree of keeping it s two wayes expressed in the text 1. Only 2. Diligently 1. Only excludes all other keeping and care of any thing else to be kept except thy self thy heart thy soul at least comparatively so that the keeping of thy self thine heart thy soul is either sufficient of it self in lieu of all other duties or to be preferred before and above all other To which is also added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which they render diligently which imports two things 1. Not only care whence Hierom turns it Solicitè carefully and the Orator defines care Aegritudinem animi cum cogitatione a pensiveness of minde with taking thought 2. It implies also strength to be used that thereby we may prove and improve our care whence it s rendred by Valdè which is Validè strongly mightily The Wiseman exhorting to the same duty keep thy heart saith he with all diligence which is better rendred in the margent Prov. 4. v. 23. keep thy heart above all keeping which answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a note of comparison so that the Wiseman requires a great degree of keeping the heart above all other keeping And
saith unto him walk before me and be perfect Gen. 17.1 Implying that he had given him strength to obey all the affirmative precepts as indeed he did For the Lord himself testifies so much Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge my Commandements my Statutes and my Lawes Gen. 26.5 Yea are there not 365. negative Precepts answering to the same number of sinews and ligaments in a mans body as the skilful Anatomists affirm and by like spiritual ligatures the strengthes and powers of the inward man are united and bound together Ephes 4.26 Col. 2.19 that when the powers of the inward man are united and bone joyned unto its bone the spirit may enter into the body so joyned together Ezech. 37.10 and the whole man may be compleated and perfected as our Lord saith John 7.23 He made the man every whit sound on the Sabbath day when men rest from their own workes and work the works of God even in that acceptable year of the Lord figured by the like number of dayes 365. The Lord having given so many affirmative and negative Commandements he contracts them unto ten which are the Decalogue or ten better known then practised Commandements of God SER. XV. and the radical precepts unto which the whole number of affirmative and negative commandements being 613 are reduced and wherein virtually they are contained Yea and as there are six hundred and thirteen affirmative and negative Precepts so there are the same number of Letters in the Ten Commandements And so every letter in the Decalogue imports one precept So that after a sort all the affirmative and negative precepts are comprehended in the Decalogue This is the supputation of the Cabalists reported by Georgius Venetus which I leave to the examination and judgement of others Only thus much we may note that as the multitude of sins occasioned the multitude of precepts so God in mercy contracts the number of his lawes according as his people cease from their sinnes Now whereas this book of Deuteronomy was called by the learned Jewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Book of Reproofs or Rebukes Prov. 15. v. 32. the people being probably amended by their rebukes according to Prov. 15.32 He who is obedient to reproof is possessing an heart that is getting understanding And the argument of this Book answering in many parts of it to the Gospel unto which when Israel now became obedient the Lord was pleased to contract his Ten Commandements to half their number even to five requests And upon supposal of Israels increase and improvement of their obedience the Lord diminisheth the number of his Commandements Whence it is that we read that the Commandements reduced unto four Zach. 8.16.17 These are the things or words which ye shall do 1. Speak yee every man truth to his neighbour Zach. 8. v. 16 17. 2. Judg truth and the judgment of peace in your gates 3. And let none of you think evill against his neighbour in his heart 4. And love ye not an oath of falshood For all these are things which I hate Which yet another Prophet abbridgeth unto three Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed unto thee O man what is good Mich. 6. v. 8. and what is the Lord seeking of thee or from thee but 1. To do judgement 2. To love mercy and 3. Humble thy self to walk with thy God Our Lord Jesus yet shortens the number of the Commandements and brings them to two 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy minde or rather reasoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the minde Mens hath the name from resting but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports discoursing and reasoning this is the first and great Commandement But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn and the second is like unto it 2. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self There is reason why our Lord should use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. in regard of him who moved the question a Pharisee v. 34 35. That sect as it is notoriously known like the Pharisees of our dayes pretended much to the first Table and the love of God but little regarded the second Table and the love of their neighbour Wherefore out Lord having satisfied the Pharisees question touching the first and great Commandement The love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unexpectedly he infers the second The love of our neighbour which our Lord knew to be more needful for the Pharisees as it is for those of the same faction in our dayes This was the reason why our Lord directed the Pharisaical yong man to the duties of the second Table only Matth. 19.18 19. Mark 10.19 The Commandements can be but once more contracted viz. unto one and that 's done by S. Paul Rom. 13.9 10. He that loves another hath fulfilled the Law c. And this is the end of the Commandement even love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 and that which advanceth the chief good even thy good O Israel That 's the last Axiom in these words 9. The Lord entreats and Moses commands these duties for good for thy good O Israel When we read that our God entreats us to fear him walking in all his wayes love him serve him and keep his Commandements and his statutes and further that Moses Commands all these we might think that God and Moses had some notable ends upon us That God would not request nor Moses require these duties of us but for their own great advantage Whereas indeed the end whereat all these aime which the Lords entreates and Moses's commands tend unto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Good at which all things indeed aim or ought to aim Finis bonum convertuntur good is as large as the end and the end is as large as goodness So great an end or reward there is in keeping the Commandements Psal 19.11 And in this end where at all the whole creation aimes or ought to aim the good of Israel is involved And therefore there is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thee or for thy good thine advantage as that word signifies which is a more full expression then that our Translators give for thy good Whence it appears that the obedience to the Commandements of God is comprehended in true self-love For as the beginning of the Christian Religion is self-denial denial of the false self-love Luke 9.23 So the end of it consists in the true self-love when we fear the Lord our God and walk in all his wayes and love him and serve him with all our heart and with all our soul and keep his Commandements and his Statutes for good for our selves What an easie precept is it Love thy self And that 's the end of this Text. Does the Lord entreat us petition us yea beg all this of us and that for good for our own good O Israel Does Moses
so much the more it may love him For God in himself is an infinite good without any defect and the soul was made according to his image and for this end to know and love him and till it so do it rambles and wanders about the creatures and is never satisfied Fecisti nos Domine propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum donec pervenerit ad te Lord thou hast made us for thy self And our heart is unquiet until it come unto Thee 1. All that Commandement to love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul and all our minde is a most excellent Commandement This appears from a double Emphasis upon it in the text if thou shalt keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even all that Commandement And therefore whereas the Jews had four Sections of the Law in more religious observation 1. Exod. 13.3 touching their coming forth of the land of Egypt 2. Verse 11. 16. concerning the destruction of the first-born 3. Deut. 6.4 9. touching the property and service of God 4. Deut. 11.13 concerning the former and the later rain That which the first recited of all these four parts of the Law was this Commandement touching the love of the Lord our God This they first recited every morning and every evening and thence it is most worthy of our morning and evening meditation And therefore the Apostle having treated of spiritual gifts 1 Cor. 12.1 30. Be zealous of the best gifts saith he yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shew you a way secundùm excellentiam 1 Cor. 12. v. 31. a way according to excellency a most excellent way But what that is Stephen Langton who divided the holy Scripture into Chapters rendred obscure by dividing the Apostles testimony of that exultent way from that excellent way it self in the following Chapt. This is that which holy David intended Psal 119. v. 96. Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection thine exceeding broad Commiandement The Text is corrupted by the Translation There is no But no diversity at all but the later part explains the former This is the end of the Commandement The end or perfection of the Commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 This is that perfect bond Col. 3. 2. The Lord so speaks to all Israel as to one man If thou keep all this Commandement to do it to love the Lord thy God the Lord requires obedience unto this Commandement of all and of every man 3. To keep all this one Commandement is virtually and radically to keep all the Commandements So much the Lord implyes in the body of the Decalogue Exod. 20.6 they that love me and keep my Commandements Yea S. John tels us that this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements 1 John 5.3 4. Note hence the integrity of Gods will and Commandement requiring a like intire obedience of us But whereas Bonus actus ex integra causa malus ex quolibet defectu every good act requires integrity of causes and circumstances all good but an act is rendred evil by any one defect of these hence it is that man having lost his integrity and fallen into manifold sins and strayings from his God there was a necessity of a manifold Law to follow the man and search him out in his manifold aberrations and wandrings According to which we may understand the Prophet Hos 8.12 I have written to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 8. v. 12. which our Translators turn the great things Arias Montanus Praecipua the chief things Pagnin Honorabilia the honourable things which may as well be rendred the multitude of my Law Whence we may justly reprove a wicked generation of men who being exhorted to keep the Commandement to this end to do it they limit the will of the Holy One of Israel And whereas the Lord commands us to keep all that Commandement to love him with all our heart minde soul and strength they love him with their minde only They flatter themselves into a false conceit that they are in S. Pauls condition where he saith I my self with my minde serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of Sin Yea whether with their minde they serve the Law of God as S. Paul did it may be very much doubted For the Apostle saith of himself or of one in that state The good that I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do not but the evil which I will not that I do And I finde therefore a law that evil lies neer me being willing to do good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diverse other places in that Rom. 7. The words ye perceive are turnd as if the Apostle spake here of a velleity or half-will the good that I would the evil that I would not There 's no such matter the Apostle speaks of a compleat and full will and that which hath no hindrance from it self the good that I will the evil which I will not This man he has a will compleat and ready to do what good he wills and to depart from the evil which he wills not Yea I delight saith he in the Law of God according to the inward man and whereas he hath such a good will to the good and so delights in it and so hates the evil to do that evil its captivity its misery its death it s a body of death unto him And therefore he complaines Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And he hath answer according to the antient reading of S. Ambrose Origen S. Hierom S. Augustin and others and the present Vulg. Latin Gratia Dei per Dominum Iesum Christum the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And by that grace he is made free from the Law of sin and death by the Law of the spirit of life Is it thus with this perverse and sinful generation who pretend a minde and good will to serve the Law of God Does not their life declare them Does not their practice plainly speak what their minde and will is Does not the shew of their countenance testifie against them or rather as it is in the Hebrew does not the acknowledgement of their faces answer against them Do they not declare their sin like Sodom they hide it not Wo unto their soul for they have requited evil unto themselves Be we exhorted O Israel to keep and do all this Commandement to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul minde and strength Let us not hearken to that objection of unbelieving and lazy men which hath more of will then reason in it that this Commandement is impossible This opinion hath gotten ground in the mindes of men partly from the authority of one of the Antients partly from an inbred lightlesness in the most of us of whom it may be truly said that Quae nolumus
there be not a man so just upon earth that so doth good but that he may sin Ye have a brief Analyse and Paraphrase of the neighbour words that lead to my Text. Come we now to the divine truths contained in it and they are these 1. Wisdom strengthens the wise 2. Wisdom strengthens the wise more then ten mighty men in the City 3. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and may not sin 4. Although the wisdom so strengthen yet there is not a just man upon earrh c. 1. When Wisdom is said to strengthen the wise we must inquire what wisdom this is and how it is true that wisdom strengthens the wise 1. The word here turn'd Wisdom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is extreamly ambiguous and therefore we must timely distinguish it according to the significations of it And so Wisdom is either Divine and from above or either Humane and of this world or either Devilish and from beneath The wisdom here meant is divine which is defined Absoluti divinique boni scientia Rerum divinarum humanarumque scientia the knowledge of the absolute and divine good the knowledge of things divine and humane So Lactantius and others The Wiseman who on purpose speaks of wisdom defines it the breath or emanation of the power of God and a pure stream flowing from the glory of the Almighty the brightness of the everlasting light c. Wisd 7.25 26. Which description declares that the true wisdom is not such as the Philosophers have delivered it unto the world who make it one of the intilectual habits as they call them whereof they make five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they will have it consist in knowledge But it is evident by that description of the Wiseman that wisdom is no acquisite habit nor consists it only in knowledge though of the highest things For we must take notice that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom And the Scripture places Wisdom not in the Brain but in the Heart 1 King 3.12 Psal 90.12 By Wisdom then we must here understand the Spirit of wisdom which is Christ and thus Deut. 34.9 Joshuah is said to be full of the Spirit of wisdom Esay 11.2 There shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom For this S. Paul prayes Ephes 1.17 And Wisd 1.4 what the Wiseman calls wisdom v. 5. he calls the holy Spirit of Discipline 2. The word we turn to strengthen is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make firm solid and strong Which is transferred from outward and visible to invisible and inward things So that as the thickning of bodily things makes them stronger as a threefold cord is not easily broken so likewise the addition of spiritual things makes them more firm and those who have them as light and heat c. may be encreased Whence we say Vis unita fortior Psalm 68.29 Strengthen O Lord the things thou hast wrought in us unto which the Apostle may seem to have had respect when he saith 1 Cor. 3.6 7. I have planted and Apoll◠watereth but God gave the increase They go from strength to strength Psal 84.7 Stablish strengthen settle you 1 Pet. 5.10 The reason is evident from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-sufficiency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that operative power of the divine-wisdom in those who have it in them It is given them for this end to work in them as Solomon prayed 1 Kings 3.9 Wisd 9.10 O send her out of thy holy heavens and from the throne of thy glory that being present she may labour with me c. Wisd 6. Obs 1. Note here that a man who is wise by the wisdom of God hath that wisdom in him For nothing can render another like it self but it must be in him in whom it works Since therefore Christ is the true wisdom he must be in those whom he makes wise and strengthens by his wisdom and will be found of all that seek him Prov. 8.17 Obs 2. A great diversity and a broad difference between humane fear and the fear of God which the Wiseman here calls wisdom Humane fear abates mens courage Timor minuit Fear betrayes those succours which reason would afford Wisd 17.12 But the fear of God which is the wisdom here meant encourages and strengthens the wise Obs 3. Hence it followes that a wise man is a valiant man The Wiseman tells us so much expresly Prov. 24.5 A wise man is strong yea a man of knowledge encreaseth strength Solomon knew this from his father Davids example Psal 27.1 Such a valiant man was S. Paul Rom. 8.35 c. who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress c. In all these things we are more then Conquerours Obs 4. That as there are diverse sorts of wisdom divine humane and diabolical as hath been shewen so the divine wisdom it self hath diverse degrees And the wisdom here spoken of is the lowest For Solomon having spoken of the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom he presently saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This wisdom namely the fear of God strengtheneth the wise He implyes that there is another and higher degree of wisdom then this is of which S. Paul speaks experimentally Col. 1.26 27 28 29. the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations which is Christ in you c. whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily Obs 5. This resolves a great doubt which might be made by comparing the speech of the Wiseman Ecclus 24.21 where the Wisdom saith They that eat me shall yet be hungry and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty Whereas John 4.14 Whosoever saith the wisdom of God drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst c. And 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger c. Whence its evident the former words are to be understood of the former and lower degree of wisdom and the later of the consummate and perfect wisdom called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdoms able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 The wisdom of the just Luke 1.17 Which justly reproves our great unthankfulness unto the Lord Jesus our Saviour and Deliverer who saves and delivers us out of the hands of our enemies who redeems us from iniquity from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God 1 Thess 1.10 from eternal death from him who hath the power of death Hebr. 2. Yet who returns thanks Solomon tels us a Story Eccles 9.14 of a little City delivered by a poor wise man And what is this little City but the Church professing godliness S. Matth. 5.14 Such indeed are but few in regard of the whole world Against this little City comes a great King the Prince of this World He besieges it he goes about seeking whom he may devour This is the true Nebuchadnezzar he who straightneth and besiegeth