rejection of that people you will understand more clearly the Apostle concerning their Call which is there handled Pharisaism and the sotishness of traditions had now a good while ago thrown them into blindness stupidity and hardness of heart and that for some Ages before Christ was born but when the Gospel came the Lord had his gleanings among them and there were some that believed and unto whom the participation of the promises was granted concerning them the Apostle speaks in that Chapter See ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. At this present time there is a remnant according to election c. which we have observed before at Chap. III. ver 7. VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zunin in Talmudic language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Kilaim cap. 1 hal 1. Wheat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zunin are not seeds of different kinds Where the Gloss is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a kind of Wheat which is changed in the earth both as to its form and to its nature By the best Lexicographers it is rendred Zizania in Latine So that that field in this Parable was sown by the Lord with good wheat by the Enemie with bad and degenerate wheat but all of it was sowen with wheat one or the other These words do not so barely mean good and bad men as good and bad Christians both distinguished from other men namely from Heathens as wheat is distinguished from other seeds but they are distinguished also among themselves as good wheat is distinguished from that which is degenerate So Chap. XXV All those ten women expecting the Bridegroom are Vigins but are distinguished into Wise and foolish VERS XXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which indeed is the least of all seeds c. HENCE it is passed into a common proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to the quantity of a grain of mustard and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to the quantity of a little drop of mustard very frequently used by the Rabbins when they would express the smallest thing or the most diminutive quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is the greatest among herbs h h h h h h Hieros Peah fol. 20. 2. There was a stalk of mustard in Sichin from which sprang out three boughs of which one was broke off and covered the tent of a potter and produced three Cabes of mustard R. Simeon ben Calapha said A stalk of mustard was in my field into which I was wont to climb as men are wont to climb into a fig tree VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In three sata measures of meal THAT is In an Epha of meal Exod. XVI 36. Now an Omer is the tenth part of an Epha The Chaldet reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The tenth part of three Sata The LXX reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The tenth part of three Measures And Ruth II. 17. It was as an Epha of Barly Where the Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it were three Sata of Barly A i i i i i i Alphes in Pesach cap. 5. Kimchi in Miclel Seah contains a double Hin six Cabes twenty four Login an hundred and fourty four Eggs. VERS LII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bringeth forth out of his Treasury things new and old THESE words are spoken according to the dialect of the Schools where the Question was not seldom started What wine What corn or fruits were to be used in the Holy things and in some Rites new or more old namely of the present year or the years past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now a thrifty man provident of his own affairs was stored both with the one and the other prepared for either which should be required So it becomes a Scribe of the Gospel to have all things in readiness to bring forth according to the condition and nature of the thing of the place and of the hearers Do ye understand all these things saith Christ both the things which I have said and why I have said them So a Scribe of the Gospel ought to bring forth c. CHAP. XIV VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is Iohn c. WAS not Herod of the Sadducean saith For that which is said by Matthew Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees Chap. XVI 6. is rendred by Mark Beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod Chap. VIII 15. that is Of their doctrine If therefore Herod embraced the doctrine of the Sadducees his words This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead seem to be extorted from his conscience pricked with the sting of horror and guilt as though the image and ghost of the Baptist but newly butchered by him were before his eyes So that his mind is under horror and forgetting his Sadducism groaning and trembling he acknowledgeth the Resurrection of the dead whether he will or no. Or let it be supposed that with the Pharisees he owned the Resurrection of the dead yet certainly it was unusual for them that confessed it to dream of the resurrection of one that was but newly dead they expected there should be a resurrection of the dead hereafter but this which Herod speaks beleives and suspects is a great way distant from that doctrin and seems indeed to have proceeded from a conscience touched from above VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not lawful for thee to have her a a a a a a Cherithuth cap. 1. hal 1. THERE are thirty six cuttings off in the Law that is sinners who deserve cutting off And among the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that lies with his brothers wife b b b b b b Joseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 6. Philip was now alive and lived to the twentieth year of Tiberius VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when Herods birth day was kept THE Jewish Schools esteem the keeping of Birthdays a part of Idolatrous worship perhaps they would pronounce more favourably and flatteringly of thine O Tetrarch because thine c c c c c c Avodah Zarah c. 1. hal 3. These are the times of Idolaters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kalends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saturnalia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when they first took upon them the Empire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Birth day of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the day of a mans birth While they distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and A birth day they understand the beginning of that Kingdom of which distinction the Gemarists have many disputes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The daugter of Herodias danced Not so much out of lightness as according to the custom of the Nation namely to express joy and to celebrate the day The Jews were wont in their public and more than ordinary
manner of speech is no rare thing in Scripture as might be shewed by several instances if I would insist upon it And all the World is inevitably put upon this Dilemma either thou must be of Satans army or must fight against Satans army and expect it to fight against thee That therefore may seem an hard case that God from the beginning put enmity between the Devil and Men Gen. III. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed And was there any need of this Had not the Devil spight and enmity enough against men without Gods putting enmity between them Yes enough and enough again but man had not enmity enough against the Devil He had been too much friends with him in harkening to him obeying him complying with him to the violating Gods Command and the undoing of all mankind and should he still continue in that compliance with him there were no hope of recovery no way but eternal ruine Therefore it was a most comfortable and happy passage when God himself takes on him to dissolve this society and to set them at odds that the seed of the woman should set the Devil at defiance be an Enemy to him and fight against him and at last through Gods strength and good assistance tread him under foot But they must look for as sharp dealing from him as possible If they will be enemies to him and not obedient and compliant he will be an enemy to them to purpose and omit nothing that may tend to their ruine whether subtilty or strength For he hath his deceivings and his Army in the Text and he hath his deceivings and his strength in his temptations and assaults I need not to spread before you the parts of the Text they lye so plain in their several clauses The task before us is rather to explain them which we shall assay to do in the method and order as they lye And first the first clause And when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed recals us to the third verse of the Chapter where Satan is bound for a thousand years There bound here loosed there bound for a thousand years here the thousand years are expired there bound and imprisoned that he should not deceive the Nations and here loosed he goes out to deceive the Nations again I doubt a Millenary and I should scarce agree about the explication of this Scripture He looks for the thousand years yet to come I make no doubt but they are long since past and ended He thinks Satan shall be chained up that he shall not persecute or trouble the Church when the Text tells you plainly that his chaining up was that he should not deceive the Nations And there is a great deal of difference between persecuting and deceiving between the Church and the Nations Do but call to thoughts how the Devil deceived the Nations or the Heathen for that English word of ours is the very Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the Text to worship Idols or as the Scripture phraseth it to worship Devils to believe lying Oracles false Miracles to account the highest profaneness to be Religion as the Prostitution of their bodies in Fornication to be divine adoration offering their children to Molock to be devotion sacrificing men and women to be zeal and to bury men quick to be a blessed attonement I say do but call to remembrance how the Devil thus deceived the Nations before the Gospel came among them and you may easily perceive what is meant by the great Angels binding the old Serpent the Devil and imprisoning him that he should not deceive the Nations or Gentiles as he had viz. Christ sending his Gospel among them did by the power and prevalency of it curb restrain and chain up the Devils power and activity from cheating so abominably as he had done hitherto For the Gospel cast down their Idolatry silenced their Oracles dissolved their Miracles and curbed those abominations that had reigned before As those that are any whit acquainted with History do very well know and those that but read the Bible cannot be ignorant of And thus he bound the Devil that he should not deceive the Nations Secondly His binding and imprisoning is said to be for a thousand years Which may be taken Allusively or Determinately 1. Allusively or speaking according to the common opinion of the Jewish Nation which conceiveth that the Kingdom and Reign of Messias should be a thousand years as it were easie to shew in their own Authors abundantly And so the Apocalyptick may be conceived to speak according to their common opinion that he may the better speak to their capacity and that speaking by things familiarly received and known he might intimate his mind more feelingly to their apprehensions But withal he explains what is meant by Christs reigning viz. in and by the power of the Gospel conquering Nations to the obedience of the Truth and subduing Satan from his cheating and deluding them as he had done Now the Scripture speaking so much of Christs Kingdom and reigning among the Gentiles by the Gospel that Gospel subduing the power of Satan among them and bringing them to subjection under Christs scepter and the Jews holding that Messias his Kingdom should be a thousand years our Evangelist relates to the former and allude◠to the latter that he may the better be understood when he saith Satan was bound a thousand years and the Saints of Christ reigned with him a thousand years 2. You may take the time determinately and that very properly for just so long a time And begin from the time that the Gospel was first sown by the Apostles among the Heathen and count a thousand years forward and you have them ending in the depth and darkness of Popery when Satan was let loose again and the World and Nations cheated and deceived by him into as gross ignorance palpable darkness horrid Idolatry ridiculous belief of forged Miracles and Oracles and committing all manner of abominations as ever the Heathen had been deceived and cheated by him before The Gospel from the first preaching of it among the Gentiles had now gone through all Nations and by it the World was made Christian and all People and Nations and Languages were come to the acknowledgment of it when up comes Popery in the West as Mahumetism in the East and overspreads the World with an universal darkness that it becomes as blind superstitious deluded heathenish as ever it had been And that Popery is more peculiarly here meant whereby Satan deceived the Nations as much as ever he had deceived the Nations under Heathenism besides that the calculation of the time taken determinately doth help to argue the main scope of this book from Chapter XIII hitherto doth also evince which is to speak of Rome or the Western Babylon and as it were to write her story Thus according to the first clause in the
forty or the eighteen years of Eglons afflicting were the last eighteen Ehud 27 years of Ehuds eighty for by this means Othniel and Ehud are made Ehud 28 to start up in the very end of these sums of years and get a victory and no Ehud 29 Ehud 30 more news of them whereas it is apparent not only by the years of the Ehud 31 men lately cited and by Chap. 2. 19. but also by other passages that the Ehud 32 Ehud 33 Judge was not only their deliverer in one fought battle or the like but Ehud 34 that he was their instructer and helped and strove to keep them to the fear Ehud 35 Ehud 36 of the Lord Chap. 2. 17. and when any of the Judges did not so they are Ehud 37 noted for it as Gideon about his Ephod Abimeleck about his brethren Ehud 38 Ehud 39 and Samson about his women so that in what time of these fourscore years Ehud 40 of Ehud to place the eighteen of Eglons afflicting it is not certain nor is it Ehud 41 very much material seeing it is certain that they fell out sometime within Ehud 42 Ehud 43 those fourscore years A good space of time may we allot for Israels falling Ehud 44 to Idolatry after Othniels death and for Gods giving them up to their enemies Ehud 45 Ehud 46 power upon their Idolatry but whensoever that affliction comes it Ehud 47 comes so home that a King of Moab is King of Israel and hath his very Ehud 48 Ehud 49 Court and Palace in the Land of Canaan in the City of Jericho That City Ehud 50 was inhabited by Israelites before Eglon and his Moabites Ammonites and Ehud 51 Ehud 52 Amalekites drove them out and yet had not Joshua's curse seized on them Ehud 53 for that had reference only to Rahabs kindred and family to prohibite Ehud 54 Ehud 55 them for ever going about to fortifie and build it for a Canaanitish Town Ehud 56 again and Hiel that went about that work in Ahabs time was of that Ehud 57 Ehud 58 stock and that light upon him accordingly as will be touched there The Ehud 59 oppressours of Israel at this time were the very same Nation that came Ehud 60 against Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. Namely Moabites Ammonites and Meunims Ehud 61 Ehud 62 or Amalekites and Edomites that dwelt promiscuously among Ammon as see Ehud 63 the Notes when we came there and those that are here spoken of are generally Ehud 64 Ehud 65 fat men ver 29. as was Eglon himself extraordinarily Ehud was a Ehud 66 man of Benjamin and probably of Gibeah for he was of the same family in Ehud 67 Benjamin that King Saul was of afterwards and thus the honour of Benjamin Ehud 68 Ehud 69 was somewhat restored in him and as Judah in Othniel hath the first Ehud 70 honour of Judge-ship so Benjamin in Ehud had the second Eglon is destroyed Ehud 71 Ehud 72 with a two edged sword compare Rev. 1. 16. About the latter end Ehud 73 of Ehuds life we may indeed suppose some of the passages of the Book of Ehud 74 Ruth to have come to pass for that Book containeth the story of a very Ehud 75 Ehud 76 long time but the exact place in the Book of Judges where and the exact Ehud 77 time in Chronicle when to lay any particular of those occurrences is not Ehud 78 Ehud 79 to be found nor determined World 2690 Ehud 80 EHUD dieth The Book of RUTH TOwards the aiming and concluding upon the time of the story of the Book of Ruth these things may not unprofitably be taken into consideration 1. That Salmon who came with Joshua into the land married Rahab and of her begat Boaz who married Ruth Matth. 1. 5. 2. That from Salmons coming into the land to the birth of David were 366 years namely 17 of Joshua 299 of Judges 40 of Eli and 10 of Samuel and yet was this long space of time taken up by four men viz. Salmon before he begat Boaz of Rahab and Boaz before he begat Obed of Ruth and Obed before he begat Jesse and Jesse before he begat David so that you must allow to every one of them near upon a hundred years before he begat his son 3. That from their coming into Canaan to Ehuds death were 137 years 4. Now grant that Rahab lived sixty years in Israel before she had Boaz by Salmon and that Boaz lived an hundred years before he was married to Ruth both which are fair allowances yet will this his marriage with Ruth fall but three years after Ehuds death So that this Book of Ruth may be taken in between the third and fourth Chapters of the Book of Judges The Book of Ruth setteth out the great providence of God in bringing light out of darkness Ruth a mother of Christ out of the incest of Lot a special mark over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the story of Lots eldest daughter lying with her father Gen. 19. 34. and a special mark in a great letter in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the story of Ruth going to Boaz his bed Ruth 4. 13. seem to relate one to the other and both together to point at this providence Boaz born of a Heathen woman and married to a Heathen woman but both these become Israelites and holy After the reading of the Book of Ruth the Reader and story return to the fourth of Judges JUDGES CHAP. IV. V. World 2691 Deborah 1 Deborah 2 DEBORAH and BARAKS forty years begin Israel after the death Deborah 3 of Ehud fall to their old Idolatry again and for that ere long fall under Deborah 4 Deborah 5 oppression Shamgar got one wonderful victory for them but wrought Deborah 6 not a perfect deliverance Deborab a woman of Ephraim ariseth after him and Deborah 7 Deborah 8 judgeth the people she being a Prophetess and by the spirit of Prophecy stirreth Deborah 9 up Barak of Nephtali to fight with Sisera whom he overcometh by an army Deborah 10 of Galileans but Sisera himself falleth by the hand of a Proselytess woman Deborah 11 Deborah 12 Then Deborah and Barak sang Here the man of Nephtali giveth goodly Deborah 13 words They tell the sad case of Israel in Shamgars and Jaels times before the Deborah 14 Deborah 15 victory was gotten over Sisera that men durst not go in the common ways nor Deborah 16 dwell in villages and unwalled Towns for fear of the enemy The rich and Deborah 17 Deborah 18 gallant men that used to ride on white Asses durst not ride in those times and Deborah 19 the rulers durst not sit in Judgment for fear of being surprised and people Deborah 20 Deborah 21 durst not go to the Town wells to draw water for fear of the enemies archers Deborah 22 but now all these may speak of the actings of God towards the forsaken villages Deborah 23 Deborah 24 and towards the forlorn places of Judicature in the gates for they
is darted through David mourneth sadly for him because of the desperate condition in which he died Shimei is pardoned He came down first of all the house of Joseph to meet the King chap. 19. vers 20. Here the house of Joseph is used for all Israel except Judah and set in opposition to Judah Joseph had been the prime family while the Ark was in Shiloh and all Israel were named after it as Psal. 80. 1. but then God refused Joseph and chose Judah for the chief Psal. 78. 68 69. And there began and continued the difference and distinction betwixt Israel and Judah Joseph and Judah Ephraim and Judah for by all these names are the rest of the Tribes stiled in opposition to the Tribe of Judah CHAP. XX. SHEBA the Son of Bichri rebelleth a man of Benjamin by descent ver 1. but of the hill country of Ephraim by residence ver 21. PSAL. XXX WITH the third Verse of this Chapter read the 30 Psalm which seemeth to be made by David when upon his return to Jerusalem after his flight he purgeth and halloweth his own house which had been made a Stews by Absalom PSAL. IV. VVITH this Chapter also read the fourth Psalm made as the stile of it argueth upon this rebellion of Sheba as the third Psalm was made upon the rebellion of Absalom He checketh the people for despising his Kingdom and hearkning after a Kingdom that was but vanity as first Absaloms and now Shebas ver 2. He adviseth Israel and Judah not to sin in their anger 2 Sam. 19. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be angry but sin not ver 4. He professeth in ver 7. that since the time that corn and wine and other provision increased to him from Barzillai Shobi and Nahash 2 Sam. 17. 27. c. that his heart had received comfortable confidence and assurance of his restoring again and therefore he would still trust and depend upon that goodness and providence that had delivered him out of the other trouble and wrought those good beginnings towards him CHAP. XXI to Vers. 15. David 36 THree years famine lye upon the Land for the offence of Saul He in a David 37 zeal to Israel and Judah would expel the Amorites and destroy them and David 38 with them all Wizards and Witches and with them he also falls upon the Gibeonites and destroyeth them though Joshua had made a Covenant with them That these three years famine began the next year after the year of Absaloms rebellion the Text seemeth to hint in the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vers 1. The year after that year for in all the Scripture wherein mention of famine is made it only saith There were seven years famine or ten years famine c. and that is enough and is used constantly to denote that there was famine so many years together and it never telleth that there was famine so many years year after year And therefore this expression here seemeth rather to joyn the three years of famine to the story before then to one another However we shall find a passage in the story of Davids numbring the people that directs us very well about the time of these years CHAP. XXI Vers. 15. to end I CHRON. XX. Vers. 4. to end THose Battels are of an uncertain date and therefore since there is no direction where to place them it is the safest way to take them in the order where they lye especially since both the Books of Samuel and the Chronicles have laid them in this place The Book of Samuel reckons four Battels and the Chronicles but three for that wherein David was in danger and could not come off with honour and safety is omitted The Book of Chronicles concealeth sometimes the dishonour of the Saints of God as it mentioneth not the fact of David with Uriah and his wife nor the Idolatry of Salomon c. The Book of Samuel calleth Elhanan the Son of Jaare Oregim a Bethlehemite and the Book of Chronicles calleth him the Son of Jair Now there is mention of Elhanan a Bethlehemite the Son of Dodo 1 Chron. 12. 26. and whether these were two men or only one and the same may well be questioned He is said to have slain Goliah 2 Sam. 21. 19. that is Lahmi Goliaths brother as the Book of Chronicles expounds it as by Michal is meant Michals Sister in the same Chapter of Samuel ver 8. CHAP. XXII PSAL. XVIII THere are two things that may seem to argue this not to be the proper place of this Psalm and Chapter 1. Because it was most especially composed upon Davids delivery from the hand of Saul as the title sheweth In the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul that is especially out of the hand of Saul as Josh. 2. 1. Go view the land and Jericho that is Jericho chiefly 2. Because the next Chapter in Samuel beginning thus And these are the latter words of David shewing that these of Chap. 22. were uttered a good while before them But howsoever this Song of deliverance might be penned by David many years a go upon his clear deliverance from all trouble by Saul and his Family yet is it most properly laid here and repeated by David at this time when now all his enemies had spit their venom and he was delivered from them all and now we hear of no more enemies of his stirring but himself an enemy to himself in numbring the people If any one will be so curious he may read Psal. 18. at the end of 2 Sam. 4. when David is quit from the trouble of Sauls house and he may read this 2 Sam. 22. which is the same thing again here CHAP. XXIII HEre are some words of David of a latter date 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred Verba posteriora as well as Postrema The reason of the recital of his Worthies in this place was observed before CHAP. XXIV I CHRON. XXI David 39 DAVID numbreth the people by the provoking of Satan 1 Chron. 21. 1. and by the provoking of God 1 Sam. 24. 1. the former tending to a sin in David the latter tending to a punishment of Israel the Lord was displeased at them for so little regarding Davids Kingdom as he had been at David for the matter of Uriah and as he had been at Sauls house for the slaughter of the Gibeonites and therefore he giveth up David to a covetous thought to number the people that he might lay a tax upon every Poll. Joab hath here more piety at the least more policy then David and declines the business till master'd by Davids importunity He is nine moneths and twenty days upon his counting much near the counting-time of a woman with child and at last he bringeth in the number but here the account in the Book of Samuel doth differ exceedingly from the account in the Book of the Chronicles
Gospel as well as Luke The Apostle in this second Epistle to Corinth doth first excuse his not coming to them according as he had promised in his first Epistle 1 Cor. 16. 5. clearing himself from all lightness in making and from all unfaithfulness in breaking that promise and pitching the main reason upon themselves and their present condition because he had not yet intelligence when he went first into Macedonia of any reformation among them of those enormities that he had reproved in his first Epistle therefore he was unwilling to come to them in heaviness and with a scourge This his failing to come according to his promise had opened the mouths of divers in his disgrace and false teachers took any other occasion to vilifie him which he copiously satisfies and vindicates himself all along the Epistle His exceeding zealous plainness with them and dealing so home and throughly against their misdemeanours as he did was one advantage that false teachers and his ill willers took to open their mouth against him and to withdraw hearts from him and withal and mainly because he was so urgent against the works of the Law as to Justification and those rites which the Jews even the most that were converted to the Gospel too much doted on About the former their taunt and scorn against him was His Letters are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence is weak and speech contemptible Chap. 10. 10. A poor contemptible fellow say they to be so sharp and supercilious in his Letters this is more then he durst speak if he were here c. But let such know saies he that what I am by Letters in absence I will be by words and in deed in presence Concerning both this and the latter named they passed Festus his censure upon him as Acts 26. 24. that he was besides himself This he mentions and answers Chap. 5. 13. Whether we are besides our selves it is for God or whether we be sober it is for your cause For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead c. Since Christ died for all that is for Jews and Gentiles both he could not but conclude that all were dead the Jew as well as the Gentile therefore he could not but so urgently call upon the Jew to look off his own righteousness and the works of the Law and to look for Justification by faith in Christ. Another scandalous opinion and reproach they also took up of him That he walked after the flesh a strange slander of Paul Chap. 10. 2. but this was but an appendix to that before because he was not Pharisaically precise about their trivial rites of the Law which too many of them mixed with the Gospel but cried them down therefore they cried him up for carnal His answer to this is that his Ministry may witness the contrary for him ver 3 4 5. the end of which and the abundant effect of which was to beat down such carnal affections and actions as were such indeed His expression of the weapons of his warfare being strong to pull down strong holds expounds that Num. 24. 17. of Christs smiting the corners of Moab and destroying all the Sons of Seth. And he gives this for a second answer that if they would be but obedient they should see how his Apostolick power was ready to avenge disobedience Since he hath such back friends and open enemies in this Church it is no wonder if he write so doubtingly of them how he should find them and that he staied no longer with them when he came to them as his stay was very little His former Epistle as it is apparent by several passages in this had wrought them into a reasonable good temper but mischief now was crept on them again at least there were some that were tampering to bring it on In regard therefore of that vilifying that these false teachers enemies of him and God did set him at and sought to make him odious and contemptible in the eyes of the Church he is put to it to make his vindication and that as the matter required with much largness and earnestness He therefore copiously discourseth what God had done by him what he had suffered for God and what he had done for the Churches in any of which things let any of these that reviled him come near him if they could In relating the passages of his life he mentioneth many things of which there is no mention in his story in the Acts of the Apostles and frequently in his discourse he speaketh of his folly in boasting as Chap. 11. 1. Bear with me a little in my folly and see ver 16 17. because indeed mans boasting of himself is folly and they would be ready to censure his so therefore he styles his by that title though it were not folly in him but a needfull and an holy vindication of himself and of his Ministry After he had sent away this Epistle by Titus Erastus and Mark if our conjecture fail not and had given notice to the Corinthians of his speedy coming to them and warning to get their Collections ready against he came he provideth for his journey into Syria which he had intended so long partly to visit the Churches in these parts and partly to bring up the Collections that he had got for the poor of Judea which he had promised to the three Ministers of the Circumcision Peter James and John that he would be carefull of Gal. 2. 10. CHRIST LVI NERO. II ACTS Chap. XX. Ver. 4. And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea and of Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus and Gaius of Derbe and Timotheus and of Asia Tychicus and Trophimus 5. These going before tarried for us at Troas 6. And we set from Philippi after the daies of unleavened bread THE story as hath been said hath brought us to another year the beginning of which that is from the entrance of January and forward even till Easter Paul spent in Macedonia still wintring there viz. in Nicopolis Philippi c. and after Easter he sets for Jerusalem ver 6. Therefore we have superscribed it The second of Nero and of Christ the 56th When we come to speak of the Epistle to the Romans which we shall meet with in our way very shortly we shall say something of the names of these men for many of them will meet us there only we cannot meet Timotheus here without some notice taken of him and some quaere how he came here The last year Paul left him at Ephesus when himself came thence and being come thence into Macedonia he sends him an Epistle with his earnest desire in it that he would stay there still upon that needful imployment upon which he was left 1 Tim. 1. how then is Timothy now got to him into Macedonia so that he is with him at his setting away from Philippi We have not indeed
times when he was not grown a monster and not by way of crimination of them or for the salving of his own credit as he did in his tenth year 2. There is mention of Pomponia Graecina tried for her life about the beginning of Nero's reign for matter of Religion as we mentioned before 3. This imprisonment of Epaphras and it may be of Aristarchus at this time and certainly of Timothy presently after may also confirm it for what should these men be imprisoned for but for Religion It is very probable therefore that Nero had by some Act or Edict suppressed Christianity not only at Rome but also in Judaea as it seemeth by that clause in Tacitus Rursus erumpebat non modo per Judaeam c. and if so that might be a forwarder of that defection that was so general in the Churches of the Jews that had received the Gospel they falling to Moses again or joyning the adhesion to the Law with the profession of the Gospel for thus hâ—ding their Christianity they might retain their liberty of their Christianity such as it was the Religion of the Jews not being at all suppressed by him However if there were such a suppression at Rome as it is very like there was Pauls deliverance from the Lions mouth was the more remarkable since he was to answer not only to his accusers about his profession but before a judge that was prejudiced against it so deeply But since we have heard of no stirring at Rome of all this time to such a tune nor any mention of any imprisoning but only of Paul how comes the matter to wax so hot now since Nero's heat against any Christianity seemeth to have been some years or at least a good while ago Here we cannot but remember that passage in the Epistle to the Philippians so lately written Philip. 1. 15 16. Some preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of good will The one preach Christ of contention not sincerity supposing to add affliction to my bonds By which it may be conjectured that some enemies of Pauls and his companies taking opportunity of Nero's declaration against Christianity did bussle and make ado in preaching the Gospel aiming at nothing more then this that hereby the ringleaders in the Gospel Paul and his company as no doubt they were noted so to be might be the more narrowly looked after and this might well be some occasion of the imprisonment of Epaphras and Timothy at this time and of Aristarchus if so be he were not a prisoner before CHRIST LXI NERO. VII THIS year is Timothy a prisoner and Paul himself at liberty for his two years imprisonment expired the later end of the last year or the beginning of this You have intimation of this Heb. 13. 23. where he saith Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty with whom if he come shortly I will see you For I cannot interpret the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise then in reference to restraint and then we may out of this passage observe that Timothy had been a prisoner and that the Hebrews had known of his imprisonment but now he was at liberty and Paul too ready to come away with him when he should come He had written to the Philippians that he hoped shortly to send Timothy to them Philip. 2. 19. and to Philemon to provide a lodging for him for he hoped ere long to come into those parts Philem. ver 22. By which we may conclude that upon his inlargement he intended not to have staid long at Rome or that Timothy at the least should not have been long from them but that his imprisonment as it proved hindred them both Therefore we may not cast his commitment beyond this year but how long he lay under restraint we cannot tell only we may conceive him at liberty the next for in that year we suppose the writing of the Epistle to the Hebrews which speaks of his inlargement In our thoughts about Nero's suppressing Christianity and these mens bonds thereabout we may also look with admiration at the wondrous workings of God observe that even at these times there was Christianity in Nero's houshold Phil. 4. 22. This year some occurrences befalling in this our own Country of England though they are besides the argument that we are upon yet may they not unfitly be taken into mention for Countries sake Suetonius Paulinus was now General for the Romans here He assails to take the Isle of Man Incolis validam receptaculum perfugarum saith Tacitus Strong in the inhabitants and a refuge for fugitives He bringing on his men near the shore finds an Army guarding and ready to forbid his landing Among the men there were women running up and down In modum furiarum veste ferali crinibus dejectis faces praeferebant Like furies in a dreery garb with their hair about their ears and they carried torches The Roman souldiers for a while stood amazed at such a sight but at last falling on they enter and destroy them and possess and Garrison the Island Excisique luci saevis superstitionibus sacri Nam cruore captivo adolere aras fibris hominum consulere Deo fas habebant And they cut down the groves that were devoted to bloody superstition For they used to sacrifice captives at their Altars and to look into their inwards by way of auguration It is a remarkable and true saying of Pliny concerning Italy or Rome That it was a Country Quae sparsa congregaret imperia ritusque molliret tot populorum discordes ferasque linguas sermonis commercio contraheret ad colloquia humanitatem homini daret Nat. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 5. which in short is this that it civilized the world and taught barbarous Nations humanity A strange assertion if we consider the barbarous bloodiness and superstitions of the Romans themselves yet if we look upon the thing it self it is very true they being a people of Learning Discipline and Education and planting these wheresoever they got footing And this was one means in the Lords providence whose ways are past finding out to harrow the worlds ruggedness and to fit it the better for the sowing of the Gospel In what temper our Land of Brittain was as to civility before they came in may be guessed by this garb of the Isle of Man so near relating to it if we had no more evidence Whilest Suetonius was thus busied here he hears of a revolt and rebellion in Brittain caused partly by the cruel exaction of Decimus Catus the Governour who revived some impositions that Claudius the Emperour had remitted partly by the grinding usury and exactions of Seneca who having put them even unwilling to take vast sums of money of his to most unsufferable usury he now called it and the use in with all extremity and mercilesness And partly by an unhappy obsequiousness of Prasuiagus King of the Iceni or at least by an unhappy abusing of his
by the Gospel And when he saith lift up your eyes and look on the fields he seemeth to point them to the multitude of Samaritans that were now in sight coming toward him That passage in the Prophet Hosea Chap. 2. 20 21 22 23. speaketh to such another divine and spiritual sense and purpose I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth And the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil and they shall hear Jezreel the Lords seedness And I will sow her to me in the earth c. And the like in Amos 9. 13 14. Behold the days come saith the Lord that the plowman shall overtake the reaper c. Vers. 36. And he that reapeth c. The Prophets and the holy Teachers under the Old Testament sowed the Word and Doctrine of Salvation which ripened to the harvest of the Gospel Not but that they like good labourers reaped the fruits of their labours in gathering a harvest of souls in their several generations by the power of their Ministery but in this passage our Saviour aimeth not only at the Disciples converting of souls as they had done but also at some transcendency of theirs in this ministration above those that had gone before them which may be observed in these particulars of advantage 1. The Prophets and the teachers of the way of Salvation under the Law may be considered in a twofold relation either in reference to the great pains they took in their ministery and the fruit they had of it in conversion of souls or in reference to the doctrine of Salvation which they left behind them planted in the Nation by their pains and ministery to succeeding generations To this latter it is that our Saviour referreth when he saith that they were to enter into other mens labours meaning that whereas the clearness of the doctrine of Salvation had been growing in the Nation from time to time by the pains and sowing of the holy Prophets in their several ages they now came to preach upon this advantage that they had all these holy mens foundations to build upon and to top up the clearness of that doctrine which they had been building up through all the time of the Old Testament Nay we may also take John Baptist and Christ himself in the number of these seedsmen that sowed the seed of that doctrine in more plentifulness and clearness than all had done before and even into their labours must the Disciples in their ministery enter having so great a preparation made and so great a foundation laid as they two had made for them to enter upon and to begin their work 2. The Prophets and Teachers under the Law had raised the thoughts of the people to an expectation of Messias his coming about this very time as hath been observed before and so had even ripened them to the full for the ministery of the Apostles when they should come to teach that Christ was come and that he had done and suffered whatsoever was written of him And this very thing among others was a singular and eminent whiteness of this field of the Jewish Nation to harvest that they looked every day when the Messias should appear And observe how soon the womans words take in Samaria Is not this the Christ so as not only the Samaritans flock out to him but that upon her very words they believe and upon a little converse they confess We know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world vers 42. And this because their expectation was full ripe of the Messias his present coming 3. Now as for the ripeness of the Gentiles field for the Gospel harvest it consisted not so much in any such doctrine of Salvation as had been sowed among them or in such expectation of Christs coming though the Jews now dispersed through all the world might have a little acquainted them with such matters more than had been published among them in ancient times as it did in the ripening of the love of the Lord and his turning towards the Nations in mercy whom he had for so many years cast off and despised And according to the ripening of that love the Lord had disposed certain providences which did somewhat help toward the ripening of the world unto such a purpose as in that the Scriptures were now turned into the Greek Tongue and were among the Heathens that the Greek Tongue in which the New Testament was to be written was now the most commonly spoken language of all other and that the Jews of those Tribes that had retained the true Religion when the ten fell away namely Judah and Benjamin were by several means planted and sowed abroad in all Countries of the world and with them the Scriptures Our Saviour therefore upon the Samaritans coming out unanimously to him through the womans relation concerning him to whom he had imparted that he was the Messias for that very purpose taketh occasion to discourse of the ripeness of the world for the harvest of the Gospel and animateth his Disciples to that work by several arguments as 1. That they shall receive the reward and fruit of their labours to eternal life 2. That they shall not only receive this fruit but they shall receive it in the eminentest and highest degree with the glorious Patriarchs and Prophets who had laboured in sowing they and these reapers should rejoice together 3. That they should enter into other mens labours as Israel did at their entrance into the land of Canaan into houses they builded not and vineyards they planted not c. And that that common Proverb which proveth to be true upon various occurrences one soweth and another reapeth should prove true to them to their much comfort and incouragement Vers. 42. This is indeed Christ the Saviour of the world Here is a confession of Faith higher by some degree than the Jews common Creed and belief concerning the Messias for they held him only for a Saviour of the Jewish Nation and Redeemer of that people but the rest of the world they looked not after nor regarded and so we may see how deeply and cordially these Samaritans had drunk in and digested the water of life which Christ had administred unto them as to acknowledge him in his proper character The Samaritans indeed were Gentiles however they pretented to Joseph for their Father and so in their conversion may we look upon a beginning of the conversion of the Gentiles the great field now white for the Gospel Harvest In less than four years after this this field of Samaria where Christ had now sowed such seed the Enemy came and sowed damnable tears by Simon Magus Acts 8. It may be that wretch took opportunity for the venting and speeding of his delusions there by this that he found the City acknowledging it for certain that the Messias had been among them and he creeps in among them either as one of his Disciples or else
sad thing it is to be separate from Christ as a thing accursed and to consider with our selves how the case may be with us as to this particular Now he that knows what Christ is needs no more proof to shew what it is to be I. separate from him If in him alone be life Joh. I. 4. to be separate from him can be nothing else but death And if there be no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. VIII 1. there can be nothing but condemnation to him that is not in him It is the saying of our Apostle 2 Cor. XII 2. I knew a man in Christ taken up into the third Heaven What by the rule of contraries can become of him that is out of Christ I would we could but seriously lay these three things to heart which are the particulars of the matter before us First How sad a thing it is for Christ to have nothing to do with a man but to disclaim him Secondly How sadder if sadder needs be is it for Christ to be ashamed of a man and disdain to own him And Thirdly Yet sadder if possible for Christ to curse a man or at least to look upon him as a thing accursed Are not all these included in the Apostles expression here And is not any of these the saddest thing that can possibly befal a man It may be you will say Hell fire is worse than these the Worm that never dyes Eternal wrath and vengeance are worse than these But doth not this separation from Christ include all these And can any other come of it but Fire and Wrath and Vengeance How then is the case with thee as to this particular Oh! I doubt not but I am II. Gods I hope Christ owns propriety and interest in me But upon what ground dost thou think that God owns thee What reason hast thou to think that Christ acknowledges thee for a sheep of his against the claim of the Wolf and the roaring Lion I have heard of a man that laid claim unto a very great Estate upon no other ground in the world but because he dreamed one night that that Estate was his Mens confidence about their spiritual welfare most commonly proceeds from no other ground but merely because they dream so like them who in reference to outward welfare 1 Thes. V. dreamt of Peace Peace when sudden destruction was just entring in at the door It makes me remember that saying of Jude vers 8. These filthy Dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignites And why does he call them Dreamers rather than any other title Because all their confidence in what they did came but from a fancy and dream and had no better foundation and though they did this evil yet they dream they shall speed well enough God lays claim to no man but because he seeth that in him that pleaseth him He calls none his that is offensive to him The wit of man cannot invent a reason why God should own a man that goes on in his wickedness and lay claim to him for his own that is continually offending him Plead Election plead the infiniteness of Gods mercy plead the freeness of his Grace plead what you can you can never give real satisfaction to your own heart that God claims any interest in you or owns you for his own till you walk so as to please him For what does an ungodly and wicked man differ from a separate thing from Christ and one that he hath no claim to and nothing to do withal The Scripture tells us That God hates the proud abhors the covetous scorns the scorners frowns upon the ungodly and despiseth evil doers And this fruitful Meditation I have gathered from the mention that is here made of being accursed or separated from Christ. Now from the consideration of the person that could be willing to undergo this separation and of the reason why viz. the saving of the souls of the Jews his Brethren I may gather as fruitful a Doctrine And that is this That the souls of other men should be dear to us as well as our own And that it is cause of grief to see any soul perish That the souls of these men were dearer to the Apostle than his own in that he could be content that his should perish so that theirs might not is a thing of rare Example and whether we are to write after such a copy is a question yet to be discussed But that the souls of others should be dear unto us is so plain in this copy that he that runs may read it It is not for kindreds sake barely that he is so affectionate to them though he call them Brethren and Kinsmen but it is their souls that he looks after that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus and not perish It were needless to shew how earnestly he laboured to save as many souls as possible and if it were possible that no soul should perish His pains and Preaching his actions and Epistles breathed such affection every where and to all persons But this you will say belonged to his Function as he was an Apostle and Minister But doth this belong to every private person to be so tender to the souls of all I am loath this Question should be asked it is so like Cains question Am I my Brothers keeper Have I any thing to do with another mans soul that I should trouble my self about it But how shall we interpret that great Command Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self But first Who is my Neighbour Our Saviour Answers it with a Parable Let me Answer it with another question nay Who is not thy Neighbour In that Parable of the Man that fell among Thieves and the good Samaritan relieving him our Saviour shews that even one of another Nation even one of an Enemy Nation is to be accounted a Neighbour For so were the Samaritans to the Jews and yet the Samaritan that pitied was Neighbour in our Saviours construction to him that fell among Thieves The Greek and Latine word that is used to signifie a Neighbour signifies properly one that is near to one but it means nearness of relation and affection rather than nearness of place Nearness of relation that is as all are made of one blood and nearness of affection that should be as all are of one shape and image Every one is our Neighbour of what Land or Nation state or condition soever because every one is related to us by these respects Well every one is our Neighbour and we are to love our Neighbour that is every one as our selves to hate none to malice none to be enemy to none but to love every one And what especially to love in him That that is the chief and most regardable and most precious in him and that is his Soul To have an affection a regard a kindness for every mans Soul and to