into the Heart so Obedience is the letting out of God into the life here is God manifest in the Flesh of his Saints as was after a more transcendent manner in the Flesh of his Son 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 otherwise we are alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 if we do not lead a Godly life which kind of life none can live but those that do partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby they are renewed to be Holy as God is in Quality though not in Equality 1 Pet. 1.15 and to resemble him in countenance and condition as Children do their Father but such as are thus without God Eph. 2.12 the Devil works in them as the Blacksmith works in his Shop Eph. 2.2 Hammering out many Hard and Hot works of wickedness The Obedience of Faith in Abraham doth evidently appear in all his Ten Tryals I shall Instance and Insist upon only the first and the last of those Ten as the Author to the Hebrews doth Heb. 11.8 and 17. and first of the first Get thee out of thy Country c. said God to Abraham Gen. 12.1 and he obeyed this call by the strength of his Faith This proposition consists of a subject and a predicate the subject is Abrahams Person whereon I have spoken in the threefold aforesaid resemblance the predicate is Abrahams Action his obeying the Call and Command of God wherein four circumstances are very remarkable 1. The Time when it was when God call'd 2. The Terminus à quo or place from whence God call'd him 3. The Terminus ad quem or Countrey whither he was call'd 4. The Reason or End why he was thus said unto by the great God Get thee out of thy Countrey c. First of the first to wit the time when Abraham was call'd It was while he lived in Ur of the Chaldees for Abraham lived with his Father Terah in that place and in Haran or Charan a City of Mesopotamia till he was seventy sive years old Gen. 12.4 and Acts 7.2 3 4. There and then did the God of Glory appear to Abraham Gen. 11.28 This that Blessed Proto-martyr Stephen being filled with the Holy Ghost intimateth to convince those Superstitious and Blood-thirsty Jews who conceited that Religion was confined to Canaan or Jerusalem that Abraham had the true Religion even in Chaldea and in Charan before ever he saw Canaan or receiv'd Circumcision or before any Ceremonies were appointed by the Ministry of Moses and before there was either Tabernacle or Temple When Abraham dwelt with his Father on the other side of Euphrates and served Idols Josh 24.2 even then did God call him out of his Countrey yea call'd him to his Foot Isa 41.2 making him to follow his Call and to run as a Lackey at Gods Stirrup as it were with a blessed though a blind Obedience not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 no much caring so long as he had God by the Hand or might follow him as his Guide step by step Abraham as it were winked when he had put himself and his Hand into Gods Holy Hand to be led at his Divine Leisure and Pleasure By Faith Abraham when called obeyed Heb. 11.8 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports reverence in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and obedience in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not stop his Ear with the Adder to this great Charmer Psal 58.4 5. but he listen'd and hearken'd to Gods Call with an â—weful respect Christ Sheep do know his voice John 10.4 and his Companions or Friends such as Abraham was do hear and follow it Cant. 8.13 and Revel 14.4 Thus Abraham did not dispute but dispatch Gods command but immediately departed without Sciscitation or Carnal Reasonings against it Gen. 12.4 his inner and outer Man were Relatives so it should be with us The second Circumstance is the place from whence which is Twofold 1. Ur. 2. Haran which signifies in the Hebrew Fire and Wrath and so the History includes a Mystery As to the History touching Abraham's departure 1. From Ur of the Chaldees Gen. 11.28 31. where his Father Terah seems to have the Honour of that first Journey for he being inform'd of that Divine Oracle to his Son Abraham it seems repented of his Idolatry and consented to depart from that Idolatrous Countrey and hath the Honour of being principal therein though the Call was immediately and more especially to Abraham his Son Acts 7.2 3. and though they and them mentioned in Gen. 11.31 be meant of both Terah and Abraham yet the Call was chiefly to Abraham Gen. 15.7 and Neh. 9.7 The second place of his Removal was Haran this was after his Father Terah's Death Gen. 11.32 and 12.1 2 4. and Acts 7.4 who probably for his old Age was the cause of his Son Abraham's Sojourning and staying in Haran and hence some think it probable that as Abraham had two Calls from God the first from Ur when his Father was living and from whence the good old Man went along with him The second was from Haran after Terah was dead In the first Call God bid Abraham Get out of thy Countrey not mentioning his Fathers House to be left behind him for his Father went along with him yet this Phrase and more is added at his second Call Gen. 12.1 2. for it would have been not only of bad report among Idolaters but also an Act of undutifulness in it self to have forsaken his old Father and to have left him from whom he had both his Being and Succour succourless in the World From hence have we these choice Remarks and Mysteries The first Remark and Mystery is Parents ought not to hinder their Children from good and from obedience to God Here Terah the old Father did not rebuke Abraham his Son for being too full of Fancy nor charg'd him upon his Blessing to abide in his Native Countrey and not to be so Fantastical as to follow so fond a Call that told him not of the place whither he was to go he did not say to his Son Wil t thou leave a certainty for an uncertainty or wilt thou be wiser than all thy Fore-fathers c. Thus ignorant Parents say now to their enlightned Children Tange Montes Fumigabunt touch the Mountains and they will smoke Psal 144.5 If Inferiours do but touch Superiours in crossing them in their vain Customs Jer. 10.3 by not conforming to them Oh how some in such a Case are Acted more by Rage than by Right or Reason as Nebuchadnezzar was Dan. 3.19 and as too many Parents are but so was not Joash to his Son Gideon Judg. 6.27 30 31. who bravely defended him against the many-headed multitude in his Reformation and so was not Terah here to his Son but would go along with him in Obedience to God as far as his old Legs would carry him at the very first Call and therefore had he the honour of being principal in the first Removal Let
while all living or wherein to Bury them when any of them Died until it came to his Dear Sarah's case oh then why should any of the Children of Abraham be discouraged that they have no more than a Burying-place upon Earth when Father Abraham the Heir of the World had no more a great Worldling who laid Houses to Houses and Land to Land by multiplyed Purchases was gravely rebuked by a good man who measured out his Grave before him and told him those few Inches of Earth he must be reduced to at the last we should with Father Abraham mind our Mortality most and other things less The first Doom God Denounced was Thou-shalt surely Die and the first Doubt the Devil suggested was Thoushalt not surely Die there yet remains something of the Spawn of that old Serpent in us to forget our Mortality and to hope yet to live a little longer and so to doubt of that whereof there is the greatest certainty putting the evil day of Death far from us whereas we should neither be fond of Life not fearful of Death but learn to Die daily making Death familiar to us at Bed and Board 'T is very observable how our first Parents cloth'd themselves with Fig-Leaves but God misliking that gave them Garments of Skins a memorial of Mortality hence some say that Christ Cursed the Fig-Tree which bore only Leaves to cover Mans Sin but commended John Baptist who did wear Skins to mind him that he was a poor Mortal The 3. Inference remarkable is If to this of Abrahams purchasing a Burying-place we compare the Jews purchasing with the Price of Christs Blood that Potters Field to Bury Strangers in Mat. 27.7 This will Teach two things 1. That the Jews began to be Dispriviledg'd and Disinherited of their own Land by Crucifying the Emmanuel and Lord of the Land Isa 8.8 Hos 9.3 for hereby Strangers or Gentiles got Footing in it and Possession of it as the Evangelist saith purchas'd by Christs Blood 2. If we be Strangers as we are Gentiles to the Jews Sin in Crucifying the Lord of Life then 't is not so much a Burying-place but a Living and Reigning-place is also purchas'd for us by the Price of Christs Blood not only a Burying-place for our Bodies as a safe Receptacle and Dormitory until the Resurrection upon Earth the Panegyrick or Congregation-House as before the Lord keepeth all the Bones of his Saints Psal 34.20 but also a Reigning-place for our Souls in Heaven to wit those Glorious Thrones Promised to such as follow Christ in the Regeneration Mat. 19.28 and those Mansions of Glory which Christ both Purchaseth and Prepareth Joh. 14.2 3. not only for the Soul until the Resurrection but also for the Body after even for ever Thus far of Abrahams Divine Call in all its parts when whence whither and why now followeth his Obedience of Faith to Gods Call 't is expresly said he obeyed and went out not knowing whither Heb. 11.8 as if he had follow'd God blindfold putting his hand into Gods hand and resigning up himself to his God and his Will to Gods Will well knowing with whom he went though he knew not whither be went So that Abrahams Obedience is Eminently Exemplar to all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham we must all walk in his stops or we shall never Lodge in his Bosom as before All his Children must write after his Copy of Obedience which in its transcendency hath a threefold excellency It was an Obedience so transcendent as to be 1. Without Hesitation 2. Without Reservation 3. Without Limitation Of these in order 1. It was Obedience without Hesitation he used no disputation in the case he falls not upon arguing with God in any Carnal reasonings against his Call and Command saying I cannot apprehend any urgent occasion why I should forsake my own Native Countrey and may not I justly suspect it no better than a piece of sublime folly to go I know not whither and to leave a certainty for an uncertainty Is not one Bird in the Hand as saith the Proverb better than two in the Bush He doth not alledge Lord first satisfie my Scruples and convince my Judgment that 't is my Duty and then will I follow and obey thee No he doth not dispute but dispatch he doth not say as those Recusants in the Gospel said Suffer we first to go and bury my Father Mat. 8.21 Or I have bought a piece of Ground and I must needs go to prove it c. Luke 14.18 19 20. Neither did Abraham dare to do as better Men than those aforesaid even as Moses Exod. 3 1â— and 4.10 11 12 13. or as Jeremy Jer. 1.6 who both do bring in their carnal Reasonings strongly to confute God and his Call No such thing is Recorded of Abraham had he with Theudas thought himself some body Acts 5.36 He would have rais'd some chatting Discourse or Dialogue with God but he plainly becomes a No body before him lyes down at his Foot Isa 41.2 and by the strength of his Faith dashes down all the scummy Bubbles of carnal Reasonings which unbelief would have Boiled up He falls down before the Majesty of that Great Divine Truth Who art thou Oh Man that darest reply against God or word it with him Rom. 9.20 21. If a private Subject may not say to his Prince What dost thou Eccles 8.4 Much less may poor Man say so to the Great God that King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 Balaam took it ill that his Ass should reply upon her Master Numb 22.29 But we must be content to be dumb Asses as the Apostles phrase is 2. Pet. 2.16 and speechless Fools in respect of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 4.10 'T is not a good Angel but the evil one that opens our Mouths to make replies upon such a Soveraign Master our Lord is wiser for us than we can be for our selves our fleshly wisdom is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 That is the forbidden Fruit which must be vomited up by Repentance it being Earthly Sensual and Devilish Jam. 3.15 It is remarkable how God spoke in the silly Ass but 't was the Devil that spoke in the subtile Serpent and how Christ rode upon an Ass into Jerusalem but Satan convey'd himself by a Serpent into Paradise we must all die to our own wisdom and live in Gods as Aaron's Rod swallow'd up those of the Magicians Exod. 7.12 so ought Gods Wisdom to swallow up ours A poor nothing bewilder'd Creature is most suitable and acceptable to an All-sufficient Christ who is Wisdom in the Abstract we must resign our All to him who is our All in All Col. 3.11 without Hesitation 2. As Abraham's Obedience was without Hesitation or any contrary Disputes against Gods Call so it was without Reservation he resigns up himself to the command of God not by halves but wholly without any Ifs or And 's as we say The Popish Lying Doctrine of
John 5.5 6 7. Some must help us poor impotent ones and none can better do it than God 3. We have forfeited our Interest in our selves by the Fall so are faln into our Lords Hands for want of Repairs or as wafes and strays the Lord of the Mannor seizeth on us for not paying our Fines we be Bankrupt Merchants we cannot answer our Landlord as broken Tenants one of a thousand Job 9 3. Will we but come into Gods Hospital he will take care of us if we will be at his finding Those which were poor in Israel were equally with the Priests cared for by the Lord. 4. Besides all this God hath bought us with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 20. therefore should we thus glorifie him The First-born were his and so are all the Redeemed We give but God his own and will a Man Rob God Mal. 3.8 5. We yield not to an Enemy but to our best Friend not to Ruine but to Restore us c. Let Faith have VVarrants and it trusts God with Events Job 13.15 Luke 1.38 Psal 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Mat. 2.22 We have with Moses lived long in Pharaoh's Court come now to Gods Court and yield your selves to him whose Right it is to Rule you Rom. 6.13 and is Rich to Reward you after such yieldings 't is not Loss but Everlasting Gain Having dispatched the first of Abraham's Ten Tryals I omit the other Eight As 1. His being famish'd out of Canaan into Egypt where both his own life and his Wives Chastity were endangered Gen. 12.10 12 c. 2. The Dissention 'twixt Lot and Abraham Gen. 13. Which occasion'd a departure each from other 3. The Battel Abraham fought for the rescue of his brother Lot notwithstanding his departure from him Gen. 14. 4. His domestick divisions about Sarah and Hagar Gen. 16. 5. His undergoing the pain of circumcision as a Seal of Gods Covenant to him Gen. 17. 6. His interceeding for Sodom c. Especially for Lot in Sodom Gen. 18. and 19. 7. His being famished again out of Canaan into the Philistines Countrey where himself and his Wife was again endangered Gen. 20. 8. His casting out the bond-woman Hagar and her Son Ishmael which was grievous to him Gen. 21. These eight tryals with the first and the last make up the compleat Pythagorical and perfect number of Ten and as the Tenth Wave upon the Sea Shore some observe to be the strongest so the tenth Tryal of Abraham is evident to be the sorest Note hence 1. If Abraham had his Ten Tryals and waded so deep in the waters of affliction why should any Son or Daughter of Abraham grudge to wet their feet therein had his bosom which is a Synonymon of Heaven Luk. 16.23 So many temptations in it and can any of our bosoms plead exemption from them Especially when the Grand Statute of Heaven hath appointed that we must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 Yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 There is a Must in the former and a Shall in the latter Scripture The 2. Note is as God reserv'd the sorest Tryal for the last of all Abrahams ten So may he do to us we have not yet resisted unto Blood striving against sin Heb. 12.4 Our sorest Tryals may be yet to come Especially If the witnesses be not yet slain and the last bite of the Beast of Babylon that deadly bite be not yet over The 3. Note is as God gave Abraham Tryals Phil. 1.29 they are a gift so he gave him Faith to support him in them his Faith was the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And his Tryals were given him that he might know the gift of God Joh. 4.16 His Faith was his Shield Eph. 6.16 Which he had ready by him when he was to use it Oh that our Shield may be as ready as was his in whose bosom we desire to rest Heb. 11.8 9 17. Alas we think our selves strong until we come to be tryed but upon Tryal we are oft found to want this Shield which is Pistol-proof yea Cannon-proof hence prove we but as young Jether who did not dare to encounter his adversaries Judg. 8.20 We should live by our Faith Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 And we must die by our Faith Heb. 11.13 Yea do and suffer all by it The 4. Note is According as Abrahams Faith was so were his Tryals a strong Faith shall have Strong Tryals but a weak Faith shall have but weak Tryals God ever suits the burden to the back and the Stroke to the Strength 1 Cor. 10.13 According as we are able Adhaering Faith cannot carry the Soul dry-shod through the deep waters of Affliction as assuring Faith can do Therefore God expecteth more from an Abraham laying more load upon him because he hath given more strength to him than he doth from a weak Son or Daughter of Abraham he is no wise carrier that will lay the greatest load upon the weakest horse neither doth God desire that the two Talents should bring in as much revenues to the Crown of Heaven as the five should Mat. 25.14 15 16 17. God requires an improvement according to our means and mercies he betrusted us with only the Philistines may make a cart for Gods Ark and pass unpunished alas they knew no better but If Israel who knew their Masters will cart God Ark instead of carrying it upon the Priests Shoulders God makes a breach upon them 1 Sam. 6 7.14 with 2 Sam. 6.6 7. They that know their Masters Will and do it not shall be beaten with many stripes and unto whom much is given of him shall much be required Luk. 12.48 In this Tenth and last Tryal of Abraham Heb. 11.7 in the General before we come to the particular description of it there be four circumstances considerable 1. The Agent 2. The Patient 3. The Means 4. The End of this Tryal wherein Abraham was Tryed 1. The Agent or Tryer is twofold there is the Man-Tryer and the God-Tryer There is man trying man 1. In civil things Thus offenders are said to be tryed in Courts of Judicature where they are found guilty and sentenc'd or Innocent and acquitted 〈◊〉 In Spiritual matters Thus the Pastor of the Church of Ephesus tryed them which said they were Apostles and were not but were found lyers Rev. 2.2 and so did the Pastor or Angel of the Church of Smyrna try the false Jews v. 9. Thus likewise Lydia said to the Apostles If ye Judge me Faithful come into my house Acts 16.15 But alas mans Judgment of Tryal is fallible 1 Cor. 4.3 4. And may meet with mistakes poor purblind man may condemn the Innocent and clear the guilty both in Civil and Spiritual affairs as it was blessed Pauls case not only the corrupt Courts of Judicature but also the carnal part of the Church of Corinth as he calls them 1 Cor. 3.3 did Judge amiss of
27.50 54. and yet we find that Christ was Bound as well as Isaac Gen. 22.9 Mat. 27.2 and both willingly and freely not resisting but giving up themselves thereto The fifth Circumstance Both Isaac and Christ were Offered up on a Mountain the former on Mount Moriah the latter on Mount Golgotha or Calvary The sixth is both these two were Offered up alone as Isaac was alone the Servants and the Ass being left at the Foot of the Hill Gen. 22.5 So Christ trode the Wine-Press of his Fathers Wrath alone Isa 63.3 all his Disciples being at Distance from him as the History of the former Circumstance holds out a Mystery to wit that our loose and slippery Hearts stand more need to be bound with the bond of the Spirit than either Isaac or Christ or any Wild Bullock or other Sacrifice needed binding with Cords to the Horns of the Altar Psal 118.27 so in this latter also to wit As the Servants were at distance from Isaac and the Disciples from Christ so all our Gifts and Graces though we must hold them as our lives in point of Sanctification yet must we let them all go in point of Justification therein Christ must be alone we must make no Rivals nor Co-saviours with him The seventh Circumstance As Abraham the Father carried the Knife or Sword wherewith Isaac should have been Killed and the Fire wherewith he should have been Burned so God the Father poured down his Wrath and Justice due to us for our Sins upon his only Beloved Son Jesus Christ there was the Fire of Wrath and the Sword of Justice for Christ too he bore our Griefs suffer'd our sorrows he was stricken smitten of God and Afflicted Isa 53.4 he was Wounded for our Transgressions v. 5 not for his own for he knew no Sin yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him v. 10 with 6 7. Oh that this may bruise our Hearts that as Christ was Crucifixus fixed to the Cross so he may be Cordifixus fixed to our Hearts his satis-passion is our satis-faction God spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 causing all our sins to meet upon his back he suffered the Just for the Unjust 1 Pet. 2.24 and was content to be in the Wine-Press to bring us into the Wine-Cellar Cant. 2.4 The fourth Respect wherein Isaac was a Type of Christ was his Escape and Deliverance in sundry particulars As 1. Abraham was just fetching the Fatal blow to slay Isaac and his Hand was stayed by an higher Hand Gen. 22.16 when the Knife was up the Lord came and stop'd his stroke so the Souldiers when just going to break Christs Bones were restrained for he must be the true Paschal Lamb who was Rosted whole in the Fire of his Fathers Wrath to deliver us from the Wrath to come Exod. 12.9 and 1 Thes 1.10 from frying in the Fire of Hell for ever Joh. 19.33 36. The Souldiers could not break Christs Legs because God had otherwise ordered it Voluntas Dei fuit necessitas Rei who can resist Gods will Rom. 9.19 Christ took his own time to Die so could not the two Thieves which were Crucified with him do and therefore their Bones were broken This further confirms what is said above that Christ did die Voluntarily for 't is said v. 31. that he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost whereas other men do not bow the Head until they have given up the Ghost he might have lived longer if he had listed having strength of Nature to utter such strong cries c. 2. As Isaac was Dead in his Fathers Account no less than three days the time which he spent when he went plodding to the place of Offering Gen. 22.3 4. and therefore 't is said that Abraham receiv'd Isaac as from the Dead in a figure Heb. 11.19 founding his Faith upon the Fidelity and Omnipotency of God which are the two principal Pillars whereon Faith Resteth as did the Temple upon Jachin and Boaz which signifies stability and strength 1 Kings 7.21 3. As the RAM was caught by the Head in a Thicket of Thorns Gen. 22.13 which God had provided for saving Isaac according to Abraham's word of Faith ver 8. So God hath provided another Sacrifice which we in Justice should have been as Isaac for our Salvation even Christ that Immaculate Lamb whose Head was likewise Crowned with Thorns as Abrahams Ram was the Hebrew word Sabbech signifies a perplexing Bush of Briars or Thorns unto which Christ alluded in that famous Lammah Sabbactani Mark 15.24 Our sins are compared to Briars and Thorns which would for ever have held us if they had not by a Divine gracious Assignation caught hold of Christ and held him Mark well here is one Saviour in two Figures Isaac and the Ram the former preserved and the latter Offered up in his stead Dying in the one and Restored in the other answerable hereunto were the two Figures of the slain Goat and of the Scape-Goat Levit. 16.9 to 22. The one as the Ram here Representing Christs Mortal Humanity the other as Isaac here his Immortal Deity or Divinity or the one of Christs Death the other of his Resurrection and our Assurance that Christ the Scape Goat escaped Death as Isaac did and liveth for ever to make intercession for us Revel 1.18 Heb. 9.24 must be matter of unspeakable Joy and strong Consolation to all Believers Christ is not only the Testator giving all Divine Legacies at his Death but he also is his own Executor by being Alive again at his Resurrection to see all his own Legacies Executed according to his Last Will and Testament Heb. 9.15 The fifth Respect wherein Isaac resembles Christ as the Type doth the Antitype is in his Marriage 1. None must serve Isaac for a Wife among the cursed Canaanites but Rebekah one of his own Flesh Countrey and Kindred Gen. 24.3 4. Thus the VVorld which lyeth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 is unfit to be Marry'd to Christ whose Spouse must be Flesh of his Flesh Heb. 2.14 Gen. 2.23 and Spirit of his Spirit Rom. 8.9 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one Heb. 2.11 the unsanctified Children of the Devil John 8.44 have no such Relation to Christ nor any such Union or Communion with him As Rebekah was a Daughter of the white Line so the Church is of the Line of Election the called and chosen Revel 17.14 2. Rebekah Hebr. signifies full and fatted she was very fair to look upon yet a pure Virgin lis est cum formâ magna pudicitiae Now Alas 't is become a Proverb How can she be fair and honest too Gen. 24.15 16. So Christs Spouse is All-fair Cant. 4.1 c. yet a pure Virgin 2 Cor. 11.2 Revel 14.4 Mat. 25.1 neither giving her Love nor his VVorship to Strangers Thus the High-Priest a Type of Christ must not Marry a VVhore or Prophane but a Virgin Lev. 21.7 13. The Spouse is also full and fatted with the fulness of Christ John
must be Isaac and not Ishmael nor any other may none but Abraham be the Priest to slay this Sacrifice Can this Inhumane Action be done by no Hands but by the Hands of his own Father Must my own Hands destroy the Seed of my own Loins Is there no way to be faithful to my God but in being unnatural to my Son and in making my self a Monster of Parents to all the World 5. If I who profess Religion do such an Unparallell'd Irreligious Act how shall I hereby give just occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to Blaspheme to lay Reproach upon Religion and to Rail against God himself as if he were not only the Abettor but also the very Author of such matchless Villany Oh! how will all the Banks of Blasphemy against both God and Religion be broken down among the Heathen And how will Men spend their spite and justly angred indignities on me saying There goes the Barbarous Man that most brutishly Butcher'd his own Son 6. As I shall never be able after this Act to look any Man in the Face so least of all my own dear Sarah who will never Affect or Embrace more the Murderer of her Beloved Child whom she bred brought forth and brought up in Sorrow as 1 Chron. 4.9 yet now was become not her Jabez or Jazeb a sorrowful Son but her Isaac indeed a Son of much Joy and Laughter as the Name signifies Alas Whither shall I go and which way shall I turn me when all people shall hiss at the very sight of me and the Wife of my Bosom shall spit in my Face instead of Entertaining me for becoming a Butcher to her Dear Son How may she more justly Ring that loud Peal in my Ears saying as Zipporah said after to her Husband Moses Surely a Bloody Husband thou art to me twice over Exod. 4.25 26. Thus shall I make my Conjugium to become a Conjurgium my Yoke of Wedlock an unbearable Yoke when I have made her a most justly peevish froward and morose Woman continually scolding with me in all other after-occurrences and thus my Marriage shall become my not Merry-age but Marr-age by laying the Foundation by this Fact of continual Contentions Brawling and Brangling will be dropping scalding hot upon my Head uncessantly which I can neither cure nor carry patiently Prov. 19.13 How may the Dog-Letter r lead me a Dog-life and make me wish to live in the corner of the House-top Prov. 21.9 or which is worse in the VVilderness among Ravenous Beasts and Venemous Serpents in greatest danger and want of all necessary Accommodations ver 19. 7. And that which is still worse and nearer How shall I be able to stand before the checks and chidings of my own Conscience which I cannot fly from but must carry it in my Bosom to sting me continually and in all places and Companies for Murdering so dutiful and gracious a Son Had Isaac been a foolish Son which Solomon saith is the calamity of his Father Prov. 19.13 I might have been less troubled though David could never have done with his doleful Ditty Oh Absalom my Son my Son would God I had died for thee 2 Sam. 18.33 and 19.4 Notwithstanding his being a Graceless and Rebellious Son and Died by other Hands and not by his own yea Trussed up 'twixt Heaven and Earth as unvvorthy of either by Gods ovvn immediate Hand but my Isaac vvas a wise Son which made a glad Father Prov. 10.1 and 15.20 his Fathers Light as Abner and Joy or Laughter as Abigail signifie yet must I be the Murtherer 8. How can this my Murdering practice be reconciled to Gods gracious Promise How can Isaac Die and yet Live to be the Father of Nations and of that Blessed Seed Christ Jesus the Redeemer in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed Gen 22.18 Gal. 3.8 16. How can it be my way to keep Isaac for these great purposes promised thus wickedly to kill him Such and many more with the aforesaid might have been the carnal Reasonings of Abraham's Heart against his Obedience to this grievous command of God but through the strength of his Faith Fear and Love to God he doth not dispute but dispatch he doth not argue but obey the command God knew he spoke in that command to a faithful Abraham and Abraham knew he dealt with a most Holy God who was too kind to do him any harm and too just to do him any wrong therefore doth he Act his part and leaves Gods part to himself to order and issue all according to his own Wisdom Power and Goodness he obeys the command and leaves the Success of his Obedience to the great God who out of his Soveraignty giving no account of any of his matters to Man Job 33.13 had given our that command thus Abraham is said to Offer up Isaac Heb. 11.17 insomuch as he did Offer him up purposely though he did it not actually Inferences hence be 1. As Abraham did so every Child of Abraham ought to Evidence their Fear and Love to God Gen. 22.12 Now I know c. not as if God were ignorant at any time of any thing for he is Omniscient God knew Abraham's Fear of Love Hosea 3.5 before but now he made Experience of it when Abraham testified his Faith by his Obedience and declared it openly to all the World Oh that we could give such real Evidences of our Love to Christ as Abraham did here and as Peter did Mat. 14.28 29. in adventuring to walk upon a boisterous Sea c. Alas we murmur to wet our Feet where he and many Martyrs waded deep in the Salt Waters of Affliction 2. Our best Evidence hereof is to Offer up our Isaac to God our Herodias our Dalilah whatever is our Joy and Laughter not warranted by the Word as the Ambitious Mind its Honour the Voluptuous its Pleasure the Covetous its Treasure and the Envious its Revenge c. Alas the Spirit naturally in us lusteth to Envy Jam. 4.5 and will be as forward in Returning as Persecutors are in Offering Evil Revenge is said to be sweet 1 Sam. 24.19 We should Offer up this Isaac and not avenge our selves Rom. 12.19 but rather keep the Kings peace and so give place unto wrath that is to the wrath of God into which Mans wrath must be melted which is ready to seize upon our Adversaries if we do not by an over-hasty Revenge prevent it Psal 94.12 Luke 18.7 8. I say unto you saith Christ that ye resist not evil Mat. 5.39 for in some cases to resist is to be overcome saith Paul Rom. 12.21 There be three Scripture Phrases that teach us our Duty 1. Be still Psal 46.10 2. Stand still Exod. 14.13 3. Sit still Isa 30.7 'T is a thousand times better Aristotle could say to suffer an hundred injuries than to offer one Commit all in a way of well doing to a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 3. We must place our Confidence
was not a Speech so much Military as from a General of an Army but also truly Divine as from a Professor of Divinity Believe in the Lord c. so shall ye be established c. Vetè amenu Hebr. that is say the Amen to this Divine Promise and Prophecy believe God and believe his Prophet Jahaziel so God will stablish your Faith he will perform his Promise and your present March against this formidable multitude shall be marvelously prosperous This sense Maluenda puts upon this Sentence of Iehosaphat N.B. Faith is a special means to obtain the benefit of God's Promise Isa 7.9 Heb. 6.12 there God is concerned for his Glory but Unbelief frustrates all c. This golden Sentence Believe and prosper ver 20. may not be omitted without some short Animadversions Mark the first is Faith in God's Word of Promise is the best stay in Evil Times The more we rest and rely upon God's Power and Providence the more we engage God to perform his Promises Herein Rules are to be regarded to regulate our Faith Mark the second These Rules are reducible to three Heads The first Rule is We must rightly understand the Nature of the Promises which are the Object of our believing Christ's Disciples staggered at the Promise which Abraham did not by the strength of his Faith Rom. 4.20 we trusted it had been he c. Luke 24. v. 21. the reason of their staggering thus was their want of a right understanding the nature of God's Promise they dream'd of a Carnal Kingdom wherein they expected promotions at Christ's right hand and left whereas it was Spiritual only Remark the Second The second Rule is We must observe the Order of God's Providence in performing his Promises wherein three things must be well understood The first is God oft delays to do what he hath declared he intends to do both in 1. Punishing the wicked Eccles 8.11 Isa 10.12 Psal 107.42 and 1 Sam. 2.9 God delays to stop the mouth of the wicked only till they have done their work and till their sins be full Gen. 15.16 2. In rewarding the godly he delays also for 1. He will be trusted he could have cast down the Walls of Jericho the first day yet must Israel trust him till the seventh day 2. He will have us to find out the accursed thing c. Josh 7.11 The continuance of the Captivity made them search their ways Lam. 3.40 3. It makes Mercy more sweet when it comes after a little delay had Abraham got his Isaac in the first year of his Marriage his Son would not have been such a laughter of Faith to him 4. Tho' God seem to delay quoad nos as to us as we are short spirited yet is he not slack concerning his Promise 2 Pet. 3.9 but hastens it as fast as the Heavens hasten in their Revolution which as Bellarmin affirmeth run six thousand Miles in every hour Remark the Third Consider also as God sometimes seems unto us to delay in his Promises to the godly and in his Threatnings to the wicked so sometimes he doth act quite contrary to them both God threatens to wound the hairy scalp of the wicked Psal 68.21 yet lets he them alone a long time to flourish but all is that the Sun-shine of God's favour may but ripen them the better for God's Sickle Gen. 15.16 Psal 37.2 and 52.5 6. and 92.7 Rev. 14.15 18. Haman and other wicked men have been spared a while that they might become fitter fewel for the fire of God's Judgments Mal. 3.15 and 4.1 and thus likewise God seems to do with his Promises quite contrary to them by his Providences so that 't is oft a work of great difficulty to reconcile God's Promises and his Providences together Great things God hath promised and Faith turns Promises into Prayers yet sometimes God casts those Prayers seemingly by his Providence as dung in the faces of his praying People Psal 80.4 This is a great Tryal especially when God says I will deliver you no more Judg. 10.13 N.B. And consider 3. God sometimes begins to perform what he hath purposed and promised yet afterwards draws back his hand as if he would never-perform it This may be instanced 1. In his Threatnings as in the case of Sodom whose Sin did continually cry to Heaven for Vengeance they were led away captive yet delivered by Abraham from that Captivity as if they had not been such gross God-provoking Sinners Gen. 14. Notwithstanding this Divine Vengeance after this stepping backward steps forward again and destroy'd them by Hell-fire from Heaven Gen. 19. 2. In his Promises God steps back likewise from what he had promised as in David's case God had promised by his Prophet Samuel that he should be King c. In order hereunto God by his Providence brought David to the Court from his Sheep-coat to be King Saul's Musician to cure him of his Melancholy as above this seem'd a fair step Yet afterward God's Providence steps backwards and David is sent back from the King's Court to keep his Father's Sheep again notwithstanding this God's Providence steps forward again Saul is slain and David came to the Crown according to God's Promise The Third Rule of Direction is As we must 1st understand aright the Nature of Divine Promises and 2dly the Order of Divine Providence in performing a Divine Promise so 3dly we must remember how faithful God hath been in fulfilling what he had promised in former Ages to the Patriarchs to the Prophets and to his People both before under and after the Law God would not break his word of Promise with them so much as one Day in four hundred and thirty Years Exod. 12.41 in the case of their Egyptian Bondage nor did God break his word with his People so much as one Night in the seventy Years of their Babylonish Captivity but in that very night when the term of Seventy Years was expired Belshazzar expired also being slain by Cyrus who set them at Liberty Dan. 5.30 Ezra 1.1 N.B. This must needs corroborate our Faith to consider how punctual God hath been in Times past to perform his Promises he who is unchangeable in himself and hath so precisely perform'd old Promises that are past he will be no less positive in performing those Promises that are yet behind unperformed because he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 He that hath delivered doth still deliver and we trust also he will deliver 2 Cor. 1.10 Though there be a Damp upon our Hopes and a Death upon our Helps yet will he revive his Work again Heb. 3.2 and therefore in the failure of all Creature-Comforts that Prophet resolves to rejoice in the Lord ver 17 18. and Job hangs on a killing God Job 13.15 Now after this necessary Digression I return to the Concomitants of Jehosaphat's Expedition against the Enemy and to the Second Remark thereupon which is His Marshalling of his Army ver 21.
at all in the former The Sixth Remark is God Suffered man to be Tempted by the Tempter though he foresaw if man were Tempted he will surely Fall The good pleasure of God which always is a Fathomless Depth Rom. 11.33 Must be acquiesced in and there is no Chatting or Wording it with God Rom. 9.20 Man must not ask God a reason why he did permit the first sin or why he did not prevent it Gods will is sometimes secret yet always Just as 't is never severed from his Wisdem God being a free Agent cannot be unjust to any because he is bound to none Gods unsearchable Counsels do conquer our understandings when our understandings cannot comprehend them Yet those Reasons of this Divine permission may be understood As 1. It was to prove man whether he would persist and persevere in his Obedience to God thus Abraham was proved Gen. 22.1 to manifest his Faith the more and 't is observable God doth not praise man when he had made him as he had done all his other creatures for this cause man must first be proved and then if he deserved it praised Homo prius probandus quam approbandus saith Ambros. Man must first be proved and then if he deserve it approved 2. God permitted mans sin to manifest the frailty of the best created beings none of which neither Mâ—n nor Angels can continue in their Integrity without the special Grace of their Creator to assist them 3. It might be as a pattern of punishment for the creatures Confidence and Independency on his Creator Who had given him Free-will and Sufficient Strength to resist the Temptation if he would now while God leaves man as was meet to exercise his own motions of Will and Power Man abusing his own Free-will and trusting in his own strength did not desire of God his sustaining Grace 4. But above all God permitted the perpetration of all this evil both in the Tempter and the Tempted yet all this consisted with Gods Justice and Holiness because God well knew how to convert all this evil into a greater Good and to a more excellent manifestation of his own Glory for if man had not sinned God had not died to wit that God-man Christ Jesus by whom and by which greater glory redounded to the great Creator the Power and Justice of God in Rejecting the Vessels of wrath and his Grace and Mercy in receiving the chosen Vessels are most evidently and eminently declared Rom. 9.22 23 and 11.32 33. These are therefore groundless cavils to say either God will'd or nill'd the Fall of man If he will'd it why did he forbid it and how could he justly punish man for doing what God willed Yea and is not this to make God the Author or approver of sin Or if God nilled it why did he make a Serpent that Tempted man and why did not God hinder the sin of man by sustaining him in his Temptation All those carnal Reasonings against Gods Deep Counsels are but Fleshly Folly controlling Divine wisdom in the bottomless and Incomprehensible depth whereof it is confounded for in this dilemma or double-horn'd Argument which carnal reason raises against this great Truth there is not a Full and Sufficient Enumeration of particular causes because God simply nether will'd nor nill'd mans Fall but only suffered it to be so yet not altogether unwillingly for this presupposeth some sadness to besal the patient that suffers evil to be and a greater power in the Agent that doth the evil as if God the permitter of it could not prevent it So that Divine permission is quodam modo a kind of Gods willing it yet not as it was a sin for so God will'd it not but with utmost detestation did prohibit it and after it was done he did most justly punish it But as it was 1. For Mans proof 2. For discovery of the Creatures frailty 3. As a mulct for Humane Confidence And 4. As an occasion of a greater manifestation of Divine Glory as before so God hinder'd it not but suffer'd it to be yet herein designing and directing all both the Temptation and the Fall to the highest advancement of his own Praise and Honour The seventh Remark is 1. The proper procuring Causes And 2. Gradual progress of this primitive sin 1. The prime External Cause was Satan with his outward Insinuations and inward Impulses John 8.44 1 John 3.8 9. The next Exterior Cause were the Ears Eyes Hands and Mouth of Man for by those outward Senses and Members the Allurements of Satan and Sin did penetrate to the Heart and to the Internal Appetite The Interior Cause was their Free-will voluntarily turning it self from God and subjecting themselves to the Devil hereby they spoiled the Image of God Engraven upon them lost the due knowledge of and true reverence to the Divine prohibitive Precept given to them and Affected that Deity which the Devil had promis'd them Yea Lastly Hereby their Concupiscence to the Forbidden Fruit was every where Irritated so that the desire of the Flesh then set Eyes Hands and Mouth to that sinful work insomuch that though the Tempter was the first in the fault because he through Envy and Malice thus supplanted them yet the nearest and most immediate fault lay in the freeness of their own Will according to the third Branch of the distribution of parts aforesaid whereby they freely consented unto Satans Impostures and forsaking God they voluntarily yielded themselves up to the Devil therefore Satan is not so to be blamed for this first sin as that Man should in the least be excused And as 1. The sundry Causes so 2. The several Degrees of the first sin are very remarkable such was the subtilty of Satan in the Serpent that by little and little from less to more and from more to most of all he usher'd in the first sin for first He makes the Woman to listen unto the Tempting Voice of the Serpent 2dly He perswades her to look upon the lovely Fruit. 3dly He prevails with her to pluck it and eat it And 4thly To give it to her Husband that by her perswasion he might be seduced to a Society in her sin and all this in a very little time Oh what a speedy graduate sin is quickly passing from Eve's Ear in hearkening to the Tempter to her Eye in gazing upon the Tree and so immediately to her Heart the Devil driving it Jehu like in a furious pace Still sin must not rest there but it must be propagated and communicated to others Eve must hold forth the Tempting Apple to Adam and as Prov. 7.21 With much fair speech she caused him to yield yea with the flattering of her lips she forced him The Apostle Jam. 1.13 14 15. points out the pedigree and proceedings of sin 1. He clears God of being its Author the Author of all good cannot be the Author of any evil that is Morally so 2. Though the Devil strike the Fire of sin yet 't
of Violence as he did Abel for he delivers from Death whom he pleaseth Psal 68.20 And he was a Pleaser of God though a Displeaser of the World in his contrary motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave God good Content and continued in Gods Favour John 15.11 Jer. 32.40 41. Deut. 10.15 Prov. 11.20 and 12.22 and 15.8 when he could not please God in Efficacy he would always do it in Indeavour As when the Centurion could not come himself he sent a faithful Servant so when Enoch could not reach God with his performances he breathed out to him faithful Desires and Indeavours and God accepts of the VVill for the Deed. Thus Abraham walked with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. or perfect unblameable yet rejoiced to see Christs day John 8.56 as needing a Saviour apprehended by Faith and without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Neither of those two Patriarchs pleased God by presenting to him their own Righteousness but by believing in the Righteousness of their Redeemer who fill'd up the measure of their imperfect Obedience hence God is pleas'd with their Endeavours Objettion 2. But Christ was the first that Ascended into Heaven as the First-fruirs so Enoch was not carried thither Answer 1. Christ indeed is the First-fruits of them that Slept and Rose again but so did neither Enoch nor Elijah neither of them Died or Rose from the Dead as Christ did Answer 2. That is not spoke in John 3.13 1 Cor. 15.20 Col. 1.18 in respect of Time but in respect of Power the two Enoch and Elijah Ascended not by their own power as Christ did who Ascended as a Son but they only as Servants sent before the Son therefore the Doctrine of Purgatory c. is but an idle Dream and Dotage but the Doctrine of the Ascension both of Body and Soul into Heaven is confirmed by Enoch's and Elijah's Translation this is assured to us by three Bodily Inhabitants in Heaven that this Truth may be established by three Witnesses and all their Ascensions had sundry Witnesses thereof As 1. The Seven of the Ten Patriarchs though Abel was kill'd and Adam newly dead of Enoch's Ascension 2. Fifty Men that sought Elijah and found him not 2 Kings 2.17 3. The Men of Galilee were Witnesses of Christs Acts 1.9 May we but experience our Spiritual Translation here on Earth Col. 1.13 and 1 John 3.14 this Experience will breed Hope Rom. 5.4 of a Corporal Translation hereafter into Heaven with those three Blessed Ones c. CHAP. IX The History and Mystery of Noah's Deluge The History of Noah succeedeth that of Enoch to be discoursed upon according to the Apostles method in the 11th of Hebrews wherein he amplifies the excellency of Faith as in its nature so in its Effects evidenc'd and Illustrated by many instances in the Faithful from the Creation all along down to the Maccabees Those he divideth into four Classes or Ranks The 1. Is of the Faithful before the Floud Heb. 11 4 5 6 7. The 2. Rank is of the Faithful from the Floud to Moses time from v. 7. to v. 23. The 3. Rank is of the faithful from Moses to Israels entrance into Canaan from v. 23. to v. 32. The 4. Rank or Classis is of the Faithful from Israels entrance into Canaan through the times of the Judges Kings and Prophets of Israel to the times of the Maccabees whose faithfulness he reduceth to two heads declaring 1. What they did do from v. 32. to 33 34 35. And 2. What they did suffer v. 35 36 37 38. Agreeable to this Divinely inspired method I do propose my present method of discourse and having already given a large and practical account from Adam to Noah before the Floud I come now to discuss the History of Noah which contained in it many famous and most remarkable passages of Divine Providence The particulars thereof be six 1. Gods determination to drown the World and to destroy it by Water as at last it shall be by Fire 2. The impulsive cause and occasion provoking God hereunto to wit the notorious pravity and corruption of that age 3. The Singular Piety and Righteousness of Noah in that Universal Degeneracy 4. A narrative which is double 1. Of the Ark for saving Noah 2. Of the Deluge for destroying the World 5. The Divine Deliverance of Noah by the Ark from the Deluge 6. The comfortable Covenant God made with Noah after that Divine Deliverance and Destruction Of all these in Order and first of the first 1. Gods Decree or Purpose to destroy that wicked World wherein the Negative as well as Positive part are both Remarkable for God 1. Repented he had made man Gen. 6.6 2. He resolves to ruin and marr man v. 7. Whence observe 1. Such is the poisonous and pestilent nature of sin as to provoke God who did make the World even to marr it and unmake it again The first Enquiry in the Explication of this first Observation is How did God repent of making man Answ It repented the Lord c. and it grieved him v. 6. are not spoken properly of God in whom none of those accidents common to mankind can be found for God repenteth not 1 Sam. 15.29 But parabolically and figuratively as Maimonides saith in Jesudeh Hatorah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intellectum though spoken after the manner of man yet understood according to the nature of God as the Fathers Phrase is Suitable to the aforesaid saying of the Hebrew Doctors Vajinachem Hebr. here is rendred Gods Abominating his making of man Symmachus And Humane passions are here ascribed to the Divine Nature for our better Apprehensions of Gods displeasure against mans sin hereby we are to understand that as a man when he repenteth changeth his Act he that repents him of his work is ready to destroy it So God when he changeth his Act is said to repent yet then 't is mutatio Rei non Dei effectus non affectus facti non conslii 't is not a change of Gods will but of Gods work Repentance with man is the changing of his VVill as well as VVork but repentance in God is only a changing of his VVork but not of his VVill which is unchangeable For in him there is no Variableness nor Shadow of change Jam. 1.17 Seeing there is no mistake in his Counsels no disappointment of his determinations and no deceiving of his Expectations Though God have sometimes a will to change his work yet never to change his Will His Decrees and Purposes stand like Mountains of Brase Zech. 6.1 Always Immutable God is not capable of Frailty and Fickleness as man is Accordingly is that other Phrase It grieved him at the Heart to be understood for in the Right Idiom and Property of speech God hath neither Heart nor Grief as he is a most pure Spirit and an uncompounded Being he can have no passion as he is above all composition
Mountain and save me all this Toil and Travel so save me from the Deluge 3. Or why cannot God Create me an Ark as he did Create the World with his Word and not tyre me in a Work so tedious for Time as will require an Hundred and Twenty years in Building by me which God can Create in a moment 4. No doubt but this wicked World will scoff at my strange Work as before This might more rationally be expected than Sanballat and Tobiah's scoffing the Temple-Builders for they did but rear up a new Fabrick in the place where the old one stood before so 't was less exposed to either wonder or scoffing but this work of Noah was altogether new and unheard of before and look'd rather to be the work of some Phrentick Person altogether Itrational to their wilfully blind Understandings which might the more put them into a deriding posture 1 Pet. 3.20 and Job 22.15 17. The disobedient Ones derided Noah and laugh'd both at his work and at his words When he spake the words of truth and soberness to them concerning the Divine Decree declared to Drown the World they depart from him deriding one with another at Noah's Trifling and bid God depart from them Job 21.14 and 22.17 Which was the Language of Hell and far worse than we cannot come Mat. 22.3 5 c. These things must needs be great stumbling Blocks to Noah in his way of Obedience to Gods command yet his Faith was so strong as to buoy him up above all and bears him through all that God commanded him to do Noah's Faith replies to all these Objections I must lye long in the Waters and yet be saved from them and that in the Eyes of a perishing World this is for my Masters Glory and in order to this I must prepare an Ark though it be a long and tedious work 't is the Wisdom of my God thus to employ me though grievous to the Flesh 1. For the Tryal of my own Faith for an Hundred and Twenty years as God after tryed the Faith of Israel Deut. 8.2 when he led them about in the Wilderness Forty years which they might have Travell'd over in Forty days Thus the Faith of Abraham was tryed when he had not his Son given him until Thirty years after he was promised and thus also was David's Faith tryed who got not his Kingdom till a long time after it was promised him and he Anointed by Samuel 't is one of Gods methods 2. As my Faith must be tryed so this wicked World must be warned and left without excuse so loth is God to surprize and destroy and so full of forbearance is he my knocking as a Carpenter as well as my admonishing as a Preacher must be as standing Summons and Sermons to them every stroke I give upon the Ark must be a real Alarm to them for forewarning them to flee from the wrath to come Thus Noah Preached even without Preaching as Basil and Nazianzen say 3. Though it be true God could save me without those means of Ark Food c. but he will have me to serve his Providence in the use of such lawful means of his own prescribing he will have me so to Trust him as not to Tempt him which I shall certainly do if when God prescribes Means I should expect Miracles The second Remark is No sooner was the Ark prepared and Noah with all his company entred but the Graves of those Rebels began to be fashioned in the Clouds no sooner was the Door of the Ark shut safe upon Noah but the Windows of Heaven were opened to pour down a dowzing and drenching Rain for Forty days together upon the World and that in the second Month Gen. 7.11 Our April as 't is thought by Luther c. even then when every thing was in its Prime and Pride Birds singing Plants budding c. nothing less look'd for than a Floud Alas We know hot what may come to pass in a moment of Time all the Fountains of the great Deep were opened as well as the Windows of Heaven Those wicked men and so indeed do all Mankind live continually betwixt two Deaths the Waters above and the VVaters below Nos quasi medios inter duo Sepulchra posuit Deus saith one God can drown Man when he will with the Waters above the Firmament or with those below it but now they both combine to meet together for Heaven Earth and Sea were all upon an uproar against this Race of Rebels when they least look'd for it God shot at them with an Arrow suddenly as the Psalmist saith Psal 64.7 Methusalem dieth according to the signification of his Name and then the Dart cometh so shall sudden destruction come upon the wicked However at the last day which shall be sudden and unexpected 1 Thes 5.3 Mat. 24.37 The Sun shone fair upon Sodom the same day whereon ere night Fire and Brimstone from Heaven did fearfully destroy it What can be more lovely to look upon than a Corn-field a day before the Harvest Oâ— a Vineyard the day before the Vintage when the Mighty Angels Gods Reapers shall thrust in their sharp Sickles or London the Day before it began to be buried in its own Rubbish c. Those Antediluvian Belly-Gods sinned so securely in their excessive eating and drinking c. as if they had been out of the reach of Gods Rod but he found them out not only with a Witness but with a Vengeance Security is alway the certain Usher and Forerunner of Destruction as at Laish Judg. 18.27 and at Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.16,17 Before an Earth-quake there is the Deepest Calm and the most quiet Air and when the high Wind lays the greatest Rain falls Paterculus the Historian saith well Frequentissimum calamitatis initium est securitas men are never less safe than when they are most secure Wo to us if Fulness breed Forgetfulness and Saturity Security in us so as to take no notice either of Gods Praedictions or our own Perils Inferences hence 1. The Deluge is at hand is our Ark at hand ready prepared The signs of an Approaching Deluge are upon this present evil World as were then upon the Old World those Antediluvian Belialists or Men of wickedness with a witness had run all out of Order in Family State and Church In the Family were found Luxury and unlawful Lusts in their ungodly Matches and Marriages In the State Rapacity Violence Injustice and Tyranny In the Church Contempt of Gods Word and Atheistical Opinions either that there is no God or that God doth not order all by his Providence but that a man may do well enough without him Oh! would to God these signs were not upon us at this Day And which is worse than all that the Sons of God to wit Professors were not degenerated now as they were then and become deep Died in Vanity if not in Villany with the Sons of Men or the Carnal World 'T is sad when
only Son Christ John 3.16 to die for them on Mount Golgotha or Calvary to redeem them that were worse Gally-Slaves than those to the Turks tied or chained to an Oar. God the father sent Christ his Son out of his own bosom may not we say as they did Joh. 11.36 Lo how he loved us As Christ loved Lazarus whom he calls his friend Joh. 11.11 and so he doth his Disciples Joh. 15.14 15 16. When God bought us off from Death and Damnation we were in a worse case than any Turkish Slave alas the bands of Iniquity are upon us in the state of Nature Act. 8.23 and that his only beloved Son Christ must be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption herein is not observed the law of buying and selling to wit tharum pro chariori something dear for something dearer for here God giveth his Son the best of all things for us the worst of all things is there any love like this love Joh. 15.13 2. Abraham represents or resembles Christ the Son in parallel congruities also As 1. Abraham was an High Father so Christ is call'd an Everlasting Father Isa 9.6 2. As Abraham went out of his Fathers House and Native Country at Gods Command so did Christ leaving Heaven and his Fathers Bosom he came down to the Earth to setch us up thither 3. As Canaan was promis'd to Abraham and to his Seed so is Heaven to Christ and to his Seed Gal. 3.16 28. c. 4. As Abraham delivered Lot and many more Captives out of Captivity by a great Victory Gen. 14.16 So Christ hath delivered a whole World of Captives this Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 conquering the strong Man and Devil v. 14. Luk. 11.21 and leading Captivity Captive Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.8 Col. 2.15 5. As Abraham interceeded for the Righteous in Sodom and for the VVicked therein for their sakes Gen. 18. from 24 to 32. So Christ maketh Intercession for the Righteous Heb. 7.25 and 9.24 and 1 Joh. 2.1 yea he prayed for those VVicked ones that wickedly crucified him Luk. 23.34 6. As Abraham turn'd the Bond-Woman and her Son Hagar and Ishmael out Door Gen. 21.12 14. Gal. 4.30 even so Christ excludeth all Bastard Hypocrites saying Depart from me I know you not Mat. 7.22 23. 7. As Lot and his Family were saved from the fire of Sodom for Abrahams sake So are we saved from the fire of Hell for Christs sake 8. As the Princess Sarah was taken from Abraham for a while by the King of the Philistims Abimelech and by the King of the Egyptians Pharoah Gen. 12. and Gen. 20. yet he recovers her again without harm even so though the Spouse the Church that great Queen and Princess seem to fall some while into the hands of black Gypsies or Uncircumcised ones yet Christ recovered her again without any hurt for God restraineth them from harming her Gen. 20.3 6. he will make all the Kings of the Earth who endeavour to be injurious to his Spouse to know that they are all but dead Men as then 3. Abraham carries the resemblance of every true Christian as well as of Christ in many parallel cases also As 1. Abraham was a friend of God so is every sincere Servant of Christ Joh. 11.11 and 15.14 15. God is a friend to them and to theirs Exod. 20.6 Psal 37.26 and 115.13 14. 2. Abraham was of Gods Court and Council God said shall I hide from Abraham Gen. 18.17 no more God hide his secrets from them that fear him Psal 25.14 Joh. 15.15 c. 3. As Abraham was Circumcised Gen. 17. so are all right Christians Rom. 2.28 29. Col. 2.11 having put away the foreskin of the Heart Jer. 4.4 The Circumcision of Christ by his Merit and Spirit takes off all the Actions of the old Adam Eph. 4.22 as the cutting off the praeputium or foreskin was painful and caused bleeding in Circumcision So the abandoning of Fleshly Concupiscence in Mortification is irksome to the Flesh and oft causeth a bleeding Heart 4. As Abraham was call'd from Babylon or Country of Babel to Canaan the Land of Promise so is the Christian from a state of Confusion as Babel signifies Hebrew into the Covenant of Grace 5. As Abraham was but a Pilgrim and Stranger in this lower World Heb. 11.9 10 14 15. So the true Christian hath his Conversation in Heaven while he bath his commoration on Earth Phil. 3.20 Strangers and Sojourners below but Burgesses and Citizens above Eph. 3.19 Their Tents or Tabernacles here become Mansions hereafter 6. As Abraham yields up his Isaac his Laughter as the word signifies unto the Lord so doth the true Christian his Dearest lust his peccatum in deliciis his best beloved Sin at Gods Command 7. As Abrahams Faith was a working obeying Faith so the true Christian yields obedience to the Faith Rom. 1.5 that is to the Doctrine of the Gospel or to Christ the proper object of Faith and not only so but his Obedience is the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16 â—6 his Faith brings forth Obedience 'T is not a dead workless Faith but the Faith of Gods Elect. Tit. 1.1 is lively working Faith this saving Faith is not idle but works by love Gal. 5.6 As life discovers it self by Fruit and Action so doth Faith by Trust in God and Love to his People It appeared that Canaan was a good Land by the excellent Fruits which it brougâ—â— forth Num. 13.23 It was an evidence that Dâ—rcas was a good Woman because she had made many coats for charitable uses Act. 9.39 so 't is here as Faith doth Justifie the person according to Rom. 3.28 so works do justifie the Faith to be a right real and saving Faith according to Jam. 2.17 21. that Tree which is not for Fruit is for Fuel and for the Fire 't is not enough to say we have Faith but we must do something to demonstrate it saying so will not serve the turn Jam. 2.14 Men may word with God and yet miscarry Isa â—8 2 3. God is too wise to be put off with bare words he will turn up our leaves and look for our Fruits as Christ did to the Fig-Tree Mat. 21.19 which when he misseth he Curseth yea he lays down his Basket and takes up his Axe and cutteth it down that it may cumber the Ground no more Luk. 13.7 Christianity is not a matter of names or words as Gallio thought Act. 18.15 't is not a bare talking of God but a strict walking with God Augustin saith the Judge at the day of Judgment will not ask men quid legerint so much as quid egerint non quantum dixerint sed quomodo vixerint not how they have worded but how they have walked not what they have spoken so much as how they have Acted to live soberly c. Tit. 2.12 and to do Justly c. are things that God requireth at our hands Mic. 6.8 As Faith is the Taking in of God
Parents learn from hence to further and not to hinder their Children in the good ways of God Honour is the Reward of the former but Dishonour if no more of the latter The second Choice Remark or Mystery is Though Children be hindred by their Parents from following the Lord fully as Numb 14.24 yet must they not cast off that Duty the Fifth Commandment enjoins them to honour them c. God in many cases requireth Mercy rather than Sacrifice Parents may stand in more need of Childrens Mercy sometimes than God can of their Sacrifice at any time Mat. 9.13 c. The Scripture teacheth that Children should nourish their Parents in their old Age Gen. 47.12 Ruth 4.15 and 1 Tim. 5.4 c. yet the old Pharisees did by their Corban or Devoted things License Children to deny their Parents any further Succour Mark 7.11 12. The same our new Pharisees the Papists do who say That a Monk may not leave his Consecrated Cloyster to relieve his Father but must rather see and suffer him to die for Hunger in the Streets Lyra that Famous English Jew but an Arrant Papist as most were then in the Thirteenth Century hath these words Filius per professionem in Religione factam à parentibus subveniendo excusatur As if a Son Consecrated to God might be excused to do execrable things to Parents Thus they do Ungod as it were God himself and make his Fifth Commandment of no Effect such are of their Father the Devil rather than of Abraham's John 8.44 who nourish'd his old Father in Haran till he died and would not leave or lurch him though under a pretence of his Call to Canaan No Child of Abraham should leap over such a Block as a Parent in his way but should wait as Abraham did at Haran till God remove it out of the way The third Choice Remark or Mystery is Mans Heart needeth many pulls from Gods hand before Man can compleat his Obedience to God Here God gives Abraham two calls or pulls before he pull'd him to the Land of Promise The first pull bringeth him only from Ur to Haran there he setleth and gathereth much Goods Gen. 12.5 Thus Sampson follow'd his Parents till he met with the Hony-comb Judg. 14.8 9 10. So doth the Dog his Master until he meet with some Carrion Though these simile's suit not with Abraham yet they do with too many Professors that Would seem to be the Sons of Abraham Gods second pull at this Holy Patriarch Abraham was an effectual pull it brought him to Gods Foot Isa 41.2 it brought him from Haran to Canaan because he was both called and chosen The fourth Choice Remark or Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd 1. From Ur which Hebr. signifies Fire And 2. From Haran or Charan which Hebr. signifies Wrath so God calleth every Child of Abraham from the Fire of Hell and from the State of Nature whereby all are Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 He plucks us as Brands out of the Fire Zech. 3.3 and pulleth us out of the Fire Jude ver 23. as the Angel pulled Lot out of the Fire of Sodom Thus by Grace such as are Born Vessels of VVrath are made Vessels of Mercy The fifth Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd from his Fathers House as well as from an Idolatrous Countrey so are all the Children of Abraham call'd to come out of Babylon Revel 18.4 that Land of Graven Images Jer. 50.38 God maketh a Proclamation that his Children should make haste hence and Home Zech. 2.6 Ho Ho Come forth Get ye away this is not your rest for it is polluted Mic. 2.10 See Isa 48.20 and Jer. 50.8 and 51.6 and 45. This Literal Babylon was the Chief City of the Chaldees from whence Abraham was called and his Children are called from their Fathers House as he was Luke 14.26 c. when it stands in Competition with Gods Command as that Noble Italian Marquess Galeacius told his Popish Father solliciting him to Apostacy that his Body and Estate were his Fathers but his Conscience was the Lords All Carnal Respects must be subject to the Spiritual and all Carnal Relations must be bewailed Deut. 21.11 12. yea and relinquished Psal 47.10 So shall their Souls become Christs Spouses and the King Delight in their Beauty ver 11. Give any thing of Man but nothing of God for peace The sixth Mystery in the History Chaldea was an Idolatrous Countrey which Worshipp'd Fire as a God as the word Ur signifies because possibly they had seen Coelestial Fire come down from God to consume the Sacrifices of the Patriarchs and thereupon they would Worship that Element The Jewish Fable is false that Abraham was cast into the Fire or Ur because he would not Worship Fire as a God in the days of Nimrod but was saved by his Faith But 1. He was not Born in Nimrod's Time 2. Then Moses or Hebrews 11. or Ecclesiasticus the 45th or Josephus or Philo would have Recorded it all writing of Abraham's Faith and Life But God brought Abraham from this Fire-worshipping place and acquaints him with himself who is devouring and consuming Fire Isa 33.14 Heb. 12.29 Thus men place their Worship upon a wrong Object when they adore as well as admire the Fire of their own Zeal or Fervency of Spirit instead of God from whence those Flames do flow Isa 4.4 and Acts 2.2 3 c. The seventh Mystery or Remark in this History is Divine Vocation and Adoption floweth wholly and solely from Free Grace Nimrod's Church as one saith had almost swallow'd up Abraham Speciosa Chaldaeorum Superstitione erat inductus sed non seductus while he was young serving other Gods as well as Nahor and Terah who as some Rabbins say got his living by Making and Selling of Images Yet out of this Root so Idolatrous both on Father and Mothers side the whole stock of Israel sprang to be an Adapted people to God and in Covenant with him Therefore to humble this people God minds them of the Rock from whence they were hewed Isa 51.1 and telleth them their Father was an Hittite and their Mother an Amorite Ezek. 16.3 and upon this account some think Abraham is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly Rom. 4.5 as he was at first an Idolater until God call'd and justified him Abraham's Fore-fathers were the Builders of the Tower of Babel they were but newly come down from Mount Ararat whereon Noah's Ark rested into the Plains of Shinar Gen. 10.2 20 21. and Gen. 11.2 where it appeareth that Seventy Families were Born to Noah's three Sons whence the Antients currently concur that the Nations were afterwards distinguished by so many Tongues and Countreys Gen. 10.32 Note here 1. Though the World was newly wash'd with the Floud yet Chaldea was notoriously Idolatrous in Building Babel c. 2. Cursed Cham had a more numerous Off-spring and more sweetly situated than his two better Brethren Shem and Japhet who
while those cursed Canaanites were then in the Land Gen 12.6 7 and 13 14 15. and then and there did he build an Altar to the Lord Gen. 12.8 and 13.18 Though the Canaanites were in it which Altar and Worship was to wear out those cursed ones at the last Zech. 14.21 In this History is a manifold Mystery as 1. Where-ever Abraham was his chief care was to be going on still toward tie South Gen. 12.9 as towards the Sun So should all the Children of Abraham travel towards the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 Setting forth early as Morning seekers Prov. 8.17 And making Progress in Grace as 2 Pet. 3.18 As from glory to Glory 2. Cor. 3.18 2. His first care in all places where he came was to build an Altar to his God and so it should be ours we are a Kingdom of Priests 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 1.6 And we have an Altar Heb. 13.10 Which is Christ who sanctifies the Sacrifice Mat. 23.19 Let us therefore by him offer up the oblation of Prayer and Praise to God in all places and at all times Heb. 13.15 Psal 50.23 We should build this Altar not Stony but Fleshy in our hearts Ezek. 36.26 3. Abraham built his Altars although the Canaanites were thin in the Land and 't is a wonder they did not stone him for so doing which certainly they would have done had not God restrained them Thus ought all the Spiritual seed of Abraham to shine as Lamps in the midst of a crooked and cursed Generation Phil. 2.15 Mat. 5.16 And 1 Pet. 2.12 Holding forth the word of life as an Ensign and bearing up Gods name as a Badge or Beacon yea wearing Christs mark in our foreheads which is the place of our profession Rev. 9.4 We should set up our Altars in Sight and Dispight of Idolaters as Abraham and call them Jehovah nissi the Lord is my Banner Moses did Exod. 17.15 4. Abraham was the first man we read of who had God most familiarly appearing to him and the sight of the Canaanite did not so much discourage him as the sight of his God did encourage him so 1 Sam. 30.6 And thus also 't is a sight of God Especially it frequent and familiar that more encourageth the soul than can all the cursed Canaanites and Corruptions it sees in it self discourage yea though they be as Tall as Cedars and strong as Oaks Amos 2.9 And though they have Iron Chariots and be exceeding Strong Josh 17.18 Indeed when fear through unbelief transcends Faith then the Soul faith I shall one day perish by the hand of those Soul Murthering Sauls As David did 1 Sam 27.1 And despair of a Conquest but when Faith gets above Fear by a fresh sight of God that beatifical Vision it then like Hannibal's Vinegar eats out its own way through the Alps of all opposition when a beam of Divine Light is darted into the Soul This is a Soveraign Cordial to save it from swouning and is to Faith what Boaz was to Naomi a Restorer of its Life and a nourisher of its old or declining age Ruth 4.15 Then goes it forth in the strength of the Lord Psal 71.16 Both Conquering and to Conquer all Canaanites and Corruptions 5. As the Land God gave to Abraham and to his seed was the Lords Land as before and both he and they but Strangers in it Heb. 11.9 10 14 16. Thus Heber or Hebrew signifies a Pilgrim or Stranger in the Holy Tongue So whatever Land Houses Worldly enjoyments we have and in an Earthly sense call'd our own yet all are the Lords Psal 24.1 And we have but a Strangers Interest in them as we have our all from God so we should spend our all for God and while we live in Gods good Land we should live by Gods good Laws and not suffer fulness to breed forgetfulness Deut. 8.11 and 32.15 Laden bodies have often but leaden Souls We should look upon our all with a Pilgrims Eye and Use our All with a Pilgrims mind They that buy great Demesnes should be as if they possessed not 1 Cor. 7.14 And they that build goodly houses Deut. 8.12 which make men unwilling to die as being great losers if they have not also a Mansion-house in Heaven and fill them with Silver and Gold v. 13. Yet the Heart ought not to be lifted up v. 14. Nor prosperity make us Proud Reasty and Rusty Jer. 22.21 Rest must not breed Rust remembring we are but Pilgrims Psal 39.12 2 Cor. 5.9 1 Pet. 1.17 and 2.11 But a brood of Travellers Psal 24.6 'T was a mighty work of Abrahams Faith in this thing as in many others to behave himself as a Stranger on Earth because he knew himself a Citizen of Heaven Heb. 11.9 10. c. So we Eph. 2.19 20. The 4th particular is the end why God call'd Abraham it was only to take possession of Canaan not to enjoy it as a present Inheritance for we find that he was famished twice out of this good Land of Promise first into Egypt Gen. 12.10 And secondly into Gerar the Philistines Countrey Gen. 20.1 Yet did he ever make Canaan his retreating place sojourning in it For an hundred years the remnant of his life From which History learn this Mystery 1. The most fruitful Land may be made barren for the wickedness of those that dwell in it Psal 107.34 God can famish our Canaan to us Zeph. 2.11 2. Suppose we be forced into Egypt of Philistia to seek for that we cannot find in a famished Land of Promise yet this is our best retreating place when God heals our backslidings Hos 14.4 Alas we are over apt to slip out of the Land of Promise as Adam was out of Paradise and Abraham out of Canaan but the Lord keeps the Feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2.9 Obj. Though Heb. 11.8 saith God call'd Abraham to Canaan to receive an inheritance there and Acts 7.5 saith Yet God gave him no inheritance in it not so much as to set his Foot on Ans These two seeming contradictory places are thus reconciled Answ 1. Abraham did inherit Canaan mystically as that Land was a Type of Heaven which is call'd Abrahams bosom Luk. 16.23 God may deny literally yet grant Mystically or Spiritually Inasmuch as God gave Abraham the heavenly Canaan though not the Earthly for his inheritance 't was more than equivalent though God deni'd him in Silver he paid him in Gold Ans 2 He did inherit it in his Posterity though not in his person four hundred and thirty years after the promise Gal. 3.17 Thus God kept his promise with him and so he doth with us though we see not the performance thereof Thus Abraham Isaac and Jacob all three are called the heirs of the promise Heb. 11.9 But none of them heirs of the Land promised they all had the promise when they wanted the Land They all enjoyed the promise though the performance of it was afar off yet they saw it embraced it and died
a good Souldier of Jesus Christ â—â— Tim. 2.3 Should the Saints or Souldiers of Christ lye always in Garisons and never come out to any Skirmish or Battel how could their Valour be known Aromatical spices have nothing of that Fragrancy and Odoriferous smell as when they are pounded small in the Mortar The Moon always shineth brightest in the night season Thus God brought down the hearts of his people with hard labour Psal 107.12 When they had stubbornly stouted it out with God and their Sturdy hearts those proud pieces of Flesh had thought to have carryed it with a strong hand against an Omnipotent God as that Stiff-necked and Outragious Rebel Manasseh thought to do till God hamper'd him when he caught among the sharp Thorns and laid him in cold Irons 2 Chron. 33.10 11 12. Yea God dealt thus with a better man than he to wit David whom Uzzahs Death made to get Trumpets Sacrifice Linnen Ephod to bring up the Ark with Dancing and Singing which were not before 2 Sam. 6.6 13 14 Men learn Righteousness by Gods Judgments Isa 26.9 See more of this in my Christian Mirrour Chap. 8. 3. By the Word Abraham is tryed by a special Word or Divine Command Gâ—n 22.2 to offer up his only Son Isaac and 't is observable that both Abrahams great Temptations to wit his first and his last of the ten began with one strain vade tibi get thee gone Gen. 12.1 and Gen. 22.2 The Hebrew Phrase in both places is Laklekah Go thou hence and his obedience in both these cases was the better seeing it was grounded upon Gods Command in both God led him into Temptation and in both he delivered him from the evil thereof Thus all our Works and our Worship should be tryed by Gods Word To the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 Not to the precepts of men Isa 29.13 and Mat. 15.9 We must have Divine Warrant for all our Divine Worship Heb. 8.5 c. And all our works must be wrought in God Joh. 3.21 From a Right Fountain for a Right End and by a Right Rule 't is the Rule of Gods word that tryeth the straightness or crookedness of all our ways Psal 125.5 Gal. 6.16 If Dinah daâ—e gad abroad beyond the due limits of the Right Rule then Shechem both catches her and deflours her Gen. 34.1 2. If any of Rahabs houshold wander forth from under the Scarlet Thred Josh 2.18 19. with Chap. 6.23 Or if any Israelites from under the besprinkled darnel Exod. 12.7.13 They are in great danger to be destroyed and so are all such as turn aside from the Rule of Gods word to their own crooked paths God will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.5 But peace shall be to those that mind the Rule Gal. 6.16 4. By the Spirit which is twofold 1. Of man which is call'd the Lords Candle Prov. 20.27 Yet burns but dimly and cannot but pass a purblind and partial Judgment upon Divine matters being darkened by the Fall 2. The Spirit of God which is quick and powerful trying the treacheries of the heart Heb. 4.12 This Spirit searches the deep things of man as well as the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11 14. If we plow with this Divine heifer we may find out the Depths of Satan in us Rev. 2.24 A Jealous God will Try us before he Trust us Oh that we may have this witness to our State The fourth Circumstance is the End why Man is Tryed by God which is twofold 1. A Discovery of Evil as in Hezekiahs case The Lord tryed him to discover the Evil that was in his Heart 2 Chron. 32.31 32. 2. A discovery of Good as in Abraham's case here 't is said the Lord Tempted him Gen. 22.1 For what end 'T was to Discover the Good that was in his Heart to wit that his Love to his Creator was stronger than his Love to the Creature and that his Devotion to his Heavenly Father prevail'd over his Affection to his Earthly though only Son The Angel said to him Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not with-held thy Son thy only Son from me Gen. 22.11 but it may be said in Objection Satan is call'd the Tempter and not God Answ Temptation is twofold 1. Probationis by way of Probation 2. Perditionis to bring into Perdition the former of these belongs to God and the latter to Satan God Tempts Abraham here to take a Tryal of his Faith Love and Obedience Thus he Tempts the Children of Abraham but 't is always to do them good at the latter end Deut. 8.16 but when Satan Tempts 't is alway to do us Hurt in the beginning in the middle and at the latter end too Satan comes with his Sieve as to Peter Luk. 22.31 a Sieve casteth out the Best and keepeth in the worst what Evil he findeth in us he confirms it but what is Good in us he weakens and wasts it On the other hand when Christ comes to Tempt or Try us he brings not a Sieve but a Fan to that work Mat. 3.11 12. the use whereof is to cast out the worst and keep the best Thus Abraham's Temptation had nothing of Satans Wiles Methods Depths Darts Devices c. for then it had been a Tempting to Evil in which sense God Tempteth no man Jam. 1.13 A clear Specimen of this differing Temptation we have in Davids case whom both God and Satan Tempted 1 Chron. 21.1 and 2 Sam. 24.1 but for different ends and in differing respects Satan for a Sin in David God for a Punishment on Israel We must suppose God was displeas'd with the People for their disregarding Davids Kingdom disowning him often and oft owning his Enemies as well as with David for his Trangressions Satan moved him by Suggestion God only by Permission Satan suggested that Covetous as well as Ambitious Desiring and Designing Thought of Polling the People and of laying a Tax upon every Poll or Head God leaves him to himself as he did Hezekiah 2. Chron. 32.31 and gave him up to Satans suggestion God doth this as a most Just Judge but Satan doth it as Gods Jailor and as Davids Adversary Satan designs it as an Act of Sin but God as a Punishment for Sin ordering all wisely for good as Satan Intended all maliciously for evil God Tempts to good properly but never to evil Jam. 1.13 unless improperly as the Sun doth not properly cause the stench of the Dunghil when it shines hot upon it nor of the Darkness of the Night when it withdraws from us as its presence in the former Instance doth only occasion it by accident the Stench arising not from the Sun but from it self so its absence occasions the Night per accident only God always inclines the Heart to good but he never either Infâ—rces or Infuses evil God here Tempts Abraham to an Act of Obedience but not to the Act of Murther quà Tale as a Sin Inference
till he vvas avvaked out of sleep but immediately he Rose up and Address'd himself to his Business which intimates he understood his Author from the plainest manner of speaking to him vvithout any Ambiguity in so Arduous an Affair 'T is beyond all doubt that Abraham vvas fully satisfied his Call vvas from God that nothing God commandeth can be against Nature seeing God is the Author of Nature although he sometimes vvork against the ordinary course of Nature and that God having most justly inflicted Death upon all both good and bad hath a Soveraignty to take avvay any Mans Life vvhich he first giveth 't is not mans Act but Gods and therefore his special Commands herein cannot be othervvise than most Just and Righteous and though this Divine Precept seem'd to cross the Divine Promise that in Isaac Abraham's Seed should be called and multiplied c. yet Abraham's Faith conquer'd that doubt also being assured that God was able to raise up Isaac again from the Dead Heb. 11.19 Answer 3. God did not give this harsh command with any intention that Abraham should put it in Execution but 't was only to try him how far he would obey upon a bare command 't was not that he should do it but to prove him what he would do not as if God without this Experiment had been ignorant of his Sincerity but to leave it as a Pattern of Obedience to all Succeeding Ages and to hold forth that the Grace of the New Nature could conquer the Corruption of the Old this plainly sheweth how Grace overcometh Nature and how 't is an Act of pure Obedience to be carried forth against Nature upon a bare Command He that thinks nothing too good for God can be willing to Offer up all his worldly Hope and Joy to him much more his Dilecta Delicta or Darling Best-beloved Lusts though as dear as a Right Eye or a Right Hand Mat. 5.29 30. If the Lord but say He hath need of this or that Creature-Comfort much more of any cursed Corruption we must immediately lose it and let it go Mat. 21.3 We should then say to whatsoever God sends for from us Get thee hence Hosea 14.8 Yea be willing to pollute what we before did perfume Isa 30.22 We should have nothing to do any more with these Idols c. Could we but thus Offer with Abraham we should certainly rest with Abraham even in his very Bosom The second Enquiry is what were the difficulties of Abrahams duty under this Command of God The Answer brings us to the Actor and Action the two last parts of the second division The Actor Abraham meets with many difficulties in this Action of offering up Isaac there is a Climax or gradation of aggravations As 1. God saith not to him take thy Servant but thy Son man may better spare his tools he labours with than his limbs he lives by Servants Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but living tools or Instruments wherewith a Master manages his work whereas a Son is as the Juicy branch of a fruitful Tree or as a lively Member of a living Body the loss of which endangereth the life of the whole I have seen a Vine bleed uncessantly upon the lopping of its branches at Spring-time which might have bled to death had I not taken care to staunch its bleeding and some have known the cutting off even of a mortified member in the living part thereof to prevent a gangrene hath caused the party to die Oh then what a Cutting Killing Command was this to Abraham Take not thy Servant but thy Son 2. Thy only Son Had he had many Sons the Tryal had been more bearable but when it was his one and all his only Son Ishmael being now under Abdication and Expulsion Gen. 21.14 Here was another aggravation For a Tree to have but one Branch and to have that lopped off for a Body to have but one member and to have that dismember'd Oh how intolerable is this for both these to be made as empty Trunks and Insignificant Carcases 3. Yet higher whom thou lovest Gen. 22.2 Isaac was a gracious and dutiful Son obebedient both to his Earthly and to his Heavenly Father and therefore Abraham did love him the more had he been some graceless Son his grief had been the less 4. Higher than that Isaac was the Son of Gods promise in him shall thy seed be called So he was the Son of all his Fathers hope of Posterity yet his expectation hereof and of the accomplishment of Gods promise given to relieve him when his mouth was out of tast with all his other mercies as Victory Gen. 14. Protection and Provision Gen. 15.1 He could take no joy in his former Conquest or present promise because Childless v. 2. must by this means be cut off in the offering up of Isaac 5. Still higher ipse primus Author inusitati exempli c. Saith Philo Abraham must be the first Author of such an unparallell'd practice in Sacrificing to God Mans-Flesh To be first in a strange road and to walk in an untrodden path is unsafe and uncomfortable Especially In such an unnatural a matter under all the foregoing yea and the following circumstances 6. He is Commanded to kill his own dear Son with his own holy hands had he been bid to Sacrifice his Servant Eleazar of Damascus Gen. 15.2 Or had this Servant been bid to be Isaac's Executioner for Abraham the Tryal had been less grievous No it must be done with his own hand to his own and only beloved Son 7. He must offer him up also as a burnt offering so that no relick or remainder no Monument or Memorial of him must remain or be reserved but the whole of him must be all burnt to ashes 8. He must himself cut him in pieces lay them limb by limb orderly upon the Altar after the manner of a Sacrifice and himself must make and attend the Fire putting piece after piece in when any was out this was an hard and heavy task until all were consumed 9. Neither was he to do this seeming Barbarous Act immediately while the Divine Command had a fresh impression upon him and while he could have no time to consult with carnal reason but he must take a three days Journey before it was done which was a great while and way for him to go plodding and considering what he was going about e're he came to the place assuredly he could not want some woful misgivings of heart had not his brains been better busied than many of ours would have been in the like case Oh how would our minds have been torn in sunder with horribly distracting Thoughts had our Souls been in his Souls stead yea no doubt but Abraham as a man would rather have torn out his own heart with his own hand than to have done all this to his Isaac had it been put to his own free choice 10. Neither must this Tragedy be acted in some secret
place or private corner which had been a little more tolerable but it must be upon an open Theatre a publick Stage upon a Mountain in the sight and view of the World 11. This perplexed Patriarch as he might not consult with his own reason which certainly would have put him to a stand so he must not consult with his own Wife though she had an equal interest in Isaac who might haply have hung about his neck and hindered him as Zipporah did Moses to the hazarding of his life Exod. 4.24 25. 12. But the greatest conflict of all was that the Messiah was promised to come of Isaac and so the Salvation of the World did seem to perish in Isaac's perishing Notwithstanding all these aforesaid twelve difficulties the Actor Abraham acts his part of obedience with all 1. Alacrity 2. Constancy 3. Prudence and 4. Confidence All which four shew the Excellency of Abrahams Obedience of Faith as before the Difficulty of it in the next place is the third Enquiry How all these were in this Act. Ans 1. With all Alacrity and readiness to obey he rose up early Gen. 12.3 Making no delatory work about it Thus David did saying I made haste and delayed not Psal 119.60 We read of Balaam how he made the like haste to do evil he rose up early Numb 22.21 And shall not we do so for doing good Our Lord Christ rose up early to pray for us Mark 1.35 And shall not we do so for our selves Holy David made it his resolve saying I my self will awake right early Psal 108.2 We should do so every day Especially the Sabbat-day as Joshuah and Israel did Josh 6.12 15. If we would have the Walls of cursed Jericho to fall before us as v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is not meet for a man that either gives or takes good Counsel to sleep the whole night or too much saith Homer Sanctificat Sanat Ditat quoque Surgere Manè To rise betimes maketh men Holy Healthy and Wealthy Abraham here rose up early to be gone about his work The Sun ariseth and then man goeth forth to his labour Psal 104.12 23. Abraham here stays not to consult with his beloved Sarah lest her affections should have hindred the operations of his Faith nor with his own corrupt reason or natural affections that Old Beldam which is both the Mother and Nurse of all our Disorders and Extravagancies for he was renewed in the Spirit of his mind Eph. 4.23 Cassianus tells us of a young man receiving Letters from his Parents to disswade him from Chistianity cast them into the Fire not daring to tempt himself with reading them so should we do with all those carnal reasonings suggested by our own corrupt hearts or carnal relations to us otherwise we shall never Rest nor Feast in Abrahams Bosom 2. The Constancy and Continuance of this his ready Obedience 't is a wonder how his heart was kept in such an obediential frame for three days together all the time of his Travelling from Beershebah to Mount Moriah which some derive from Marah bitter 't was no other to Abraham in this bitter Tryal while he went all this long-way until on the third day he saw the Hill afar off Gen. 22.4 He could not but in his mind see his Dear Son as it were bleeding upon the Altar all along as he Journeyed thither and so he dwelt with his thoughts upon an Expectation of so heart-breaking an evil all this three days Journey which seemeth worse than the evil it self praestat semel mori quà m semper metuere 't is better to die at once than to be so long a dying a speedy Execution doth mitigate misery whereas delay aggravates it How he paused and pondered all the while upon this Bloody and Barbarous yet Commanded Enterprize We know not yet surely his Faith did so over-rule all his unruly affections as to extricate this blessed Patriarch out of his present perplexities and in all his Ploddings of Mind and Misgiving of heart kept him all along Tight Steady and Constant to continue his resolves in obeying Gods Command to the End Thus we should not ponder the Cross too much then 't will prove too heavy we must not chew the Physical Pill at all 't will tast too bitter we may not plodd too much upon the harshness of Divine Commands then they will appear hard sayings Joh. 6.50 Whereas none of them are indeed grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 As we ought to swallow our purging Pills whole so we should not plodd with our minds below but ply the Throne of Grace above for a good Use a good End and Issue of all our Tryals both in Tribulations and Temptations 3. Abrahams Prudence in leaving his Servants and the Ass at the Foot of the Hill v. 5. Shebu lachem Expectate hic Tarry ye here this he said fearing lest they being present at the top of the Hill might hinder him in his Obedience and Oblation And as he left them there so did he leave his natural affections and his carnal Ratiocinations contrary to Gods Command with them there that he might serve the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 Oh that we could learn from Abraham to leave our Servants and the Ass to wit whatever may distract us at the foot of the Hill while we go up into the Mount to Worship God Even whatever is carnal that we may be Spiritual and so Worship God who is a Spirit in Spirit without Formality and in Truth without Hypocrisie for the Father seeketh such to Worship him Joh. 4.23 But alas our Carnal Affections though they be the fittest Companions for the Ass are not so much our Servants as our Masters and they will whether we will or no go up with us into the Mount we cannot with Moses and Joshuah put off those dirty Shoes of wandering thoughts and Earthly imaginations to come clean to the most Holy God with clean hearts before his Throne of Grace for they cleave as close to us as our Skin to our Flesh and we are not cleansed from that Blood Joel 3.21 Nor from the iniquity of Peor until this day Josh 22.17 No nor yet from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit for the perfecting holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And as we ought to leave the Servants and the Ass below So much less must we our selves stay with the Ass below this is to make our selves Spiritual Asses indeed while we should with our Father Abraham go up to God above 4. Abrahams Confidence herein 1. Speaking Prophetically we will both of us come again to God Gen. 21.5 And 2. God will provide himself a Lamb v. 8. As to the 1. Of these Some Popish Casuists say that Abraham here uttered an untruth or more plainly told a lye seeing he went with a purpose to do that to Isaac which would certainly hinder him from returning again This is wickedly said concerning the Father of those Children who will not
lye Isa 63.8 And a sordid slander and they say little better that affirm Abraham spoke so with a Mental Reservation If God will for he knew the Will of God was otherwise declared or that he Equivocated with his Servants using the plural for the singular lest they should obstruct his obedience and therefore he deluded them with an ambiguous expression Such do better than either of the aforesaid that say Abraham believed to receive his Son again from the dead according to Heb. 11.19 Yet this cannot be the genuine sense For 1. The Apostle only saith there that he considered God was able to do it but that God would do it presently he knew not 2. Had Abraham been assured of Gods being willing as well as able at that instant to restore Isaac it had been no such strong Tryal of his Faith and Obedience neither would he have deserved such a signal commendation thereof They say best of all that think Abraham being confident of Gods Power and leaving his will to his own wisdom Prophecyed in General of something he was ignorant of and like one under an amazement as well he might he spoke he knew not what as Peter once did at Christs Transfiguration Luk. 9.33 and as he Prophesied beyond himself of Isaac's return so of Gods providing a Lamb in Isaac's Room when those Cutting and Killing Compellations my Father and my Son passed between them Gen. 22.7 8. This is the second part of his Prophecy though he knew nothing how In a strong confidence of both these he proceedeth steedily to the Action which is the fourth and last particular of offering Isaac wherein observe 1. Abraham built an Altar upon Mount Moriah where the Temple was afterwards built 2 Chron. 3.1 To sanctify his Sacrifice Mat. 23.19 So Christ is our Altar that sanctifiâ—â— all our Services Heb. 13.10 2. He told his Son then the Command of God unto which Isaac submitted Josephus without a Divine Warrant relateth the Communication betwixt them 3. He bound Isaac who offered his Hands to the Cords his Body to the Altar and his very Throat to the Knife it self without any resistance the Sons Will was wrap'd up in the Fathers Will because it appear'd to him to be Gods Will. 4. He took the Knife to slay his Son v. 10. Oh what Painter in the World could express the posture of Abrahams outward Countenance under the most powerful yernings of his inward Bowels and Affections over his Dear yet Dying Child surely that Painter which set forth Agamemnons Sacrificing his Daughter Iphigenia for the safety of his Army would have drawn Abrabam as he did Agamemnon with his Face under a Veil as unable to delineate his unconceivable sorrow and when the Knife was up and Abraham just going to Kill his Son God calls twice for haste Abraham Abraham c. v. 11. This God took in so good a construction that 't is said he offered him Though Isaac was not indeed offered Heb. 11.17 God reckons as if he had done it because he was willing and would have done it every man is so good before God as he truly desires and endeavours to be All those have their Names writ in the Book of Life qui quod possunt faciunt etsi quod debent non faciunt that do what they can though they cannot do what they should saith Bernard God took it kindly at Davids Hands that it was but in his Heart to Build him a Temple 1. Kin. 8.17 18. and Christ took it well from that good Woman that she did all she could Mark 14.8 so gracious is our God as to account that to be done which man is but about to do as in Abrahams and Davids case when we cannot do what we ought we ought to do what we can Inferences hence be 1. All difficulties in Divine Commands ought to be wholly rolled from off our selves upon our God as Abraham did here 2. God will provide himself a Lamb we may have Fire and Wood but the Sacrifice we must have from God 3. God loves to bring his Servants low and to the last when the Knife is up then the Lord comes down he reserves his Holy Hand for a Dead lift of Deliverance 4. When we are in the most pinching exigents and cannot tell whither to turn us then should we believingly say God will provide a Pious and Precious Proverb much to be mused on and made use of 1 Cor. 10.13 In the Mount God will be seen and make a way to escape 5. God will not have Holy Purposes frustrate and altogether dismissed without Holy Performances though Isaac was spared yet Abraham must not go away with dry hands God Offers a Ram to Abraham and Abraham offers that Ram to God Gen. 22.13 c. 6. How ought all Children to learn Obedience to their Parents in the Example of Isaac's to His 7. How ought all the Children of Abraham to learn Obedience to God As he gave up his Isaac his Joy and his Laughter to him so should we resign whatever is Nearest and Dearest to us unto him 8. Such us are unwilling to Sacrifice their Ram or Rammish Lusts to God will much less their Isaac or their Lives and Souls He that Offers up his Ram or Lust his Isaac or Soul shall not only he spared but it shall live for ever Faith teacheth this Orthodox Paradox that the way to keep Isaac is to give up Isaac 9. Faith is most tryed in acting against Nature especially against corrupt Nature 10. Faith reconciles the seeming contradictions 'twixt Precepts and Promises as here they clashed and cross'd as two contraries 11. God Watches all the motions of Abraham his lifting up the Knife at last no less he doth of all the Children of VVickedness who he saith shall not waste any more as before 1 Chron. 17.9 12. Our last Tryals may be our hottest this the hottest Fire of all the Ten Tryals that Abraham was Tryed with he had waited long for this Son and now he must want him yea and that by the worst way imaginable he himself who had waited so long and plainly longed for him must now as if weary of him with his own Mouth as it were worry him If he did not sure I am we in his case would have mustered up many strong carnal Arguments against this Act. As 1. Assuredly the God of Mercy cannot delight in any such Barbarous and Unnatural cruelty How can the Blood and Murder of Man have in it any acceptable Piety to God 2. If God will take pleasure in the Murder of a Man for a Sacrifice to him will not some Stranger serve Must none but my Son be that Burnt-offering Cannot my God find out and fix upon some other Man than my Son 3. If God will single out my Son and have no other Man why might not my Son Ishmael serve for a Sacrifice if a Stranger will not serve for it might not he satisfie and exempt my Son Isaac 4. If it
in Gods Providence In the Mount the Lord will provide a Ram to save his Isaac Gen. 22.14 Issues of Death belong to the Lord only Psal 68.20 He knows how to deliver his 1 Pet. 3.12 and 2 Pet. 2.9 'T was Peter's own Experience Acts 12.10 c. Our Times are in his Hands Psal 31.15 and none can take us out of Christs Hands John 10.28 We have had our places named Jehovah Jireth to perpetuate the Memory of Gods Mercy 4. Hence learn we to bear the loss of Children with patience and silence as Abraham here and Aaron Levit. 10.3 No Parent ever gave up a Son to God with so much patience and under such sad Circumstances as Abraham did unless it were God himself giving his Beloved Son to his Justice for Mans Redemption and when God thought not his Holy Child Jesus too good for us why should we think any Child of ours too good for God 5. God Accepted Abraham's Will for the Deed so he will do ours 2 Cor. 8.12 preferring the willingness of the Will before the worthiness of the Work Small Service may have great Acceptance if much will though not much weight be found therein CHAP. XI The History and Mystery of Isaac's Life THE most Famous Remarks that are Recorded in Scripture concerning the Patriarch Isaac besides those Intermingled in the History of Abraham his Father are these following to wit First Isaac's Weaning made the more Remarkable because attended with 1. Abraham's Feasting And 2. Ishmael's Mocking The former is the Principal and these two are the Accessories First Of the Principal to wit of Isaac's Weaning God gives us a distinct account how Isaac was Born and Named Gen. 21.2 3. Circumcised ver 4. Nursed up by Sarah with great Delight ver 6 7. and then vvhen grovvn up and fit for hard Meat he vvas weaned ver 8. Vajiggamal Hebr. Ablactatus but properly it signifies Retributus an exchanging of one thing for another and thus in vveaning there is a change from Milk to stronger Meat Hence may be inferred many excellent practical and profitable Observations As 1st Isaac was Conceived and brought forth after an extraordinary manner the Son of the Promise as Abraham his Father in the Supernatural Birth of Isaac did foresee the Supernatural Birth of Christ and rejoiced at it John 8.56 He did not Name his Son Isaac or Laughter only because of his Joy for him but also because of his Joy for Christ he rejoiced to see Christs Day of a Miraculous Conception and Birth he saw it and was glad he saw the Face of Christ in his Birth Life and Death c. all in the Figure of Isaac by the clear Eyes of his Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 even things that were afar off yet with a long Arm of his Faith he hugg'd and embraced them as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 doth signifie yea he had not only a Prophetical but also a Real Vision of Christ Gen. 18.1 2 3 17. in the Form of a Man as a prelude of his Incarnation and out of his Philanthropy Tit. 3.4 delighting to be in carne before he was ex carne as a Man among the Sons of Men Prov. 8.31 This made Abraham Rejoice and Dance a Gallyard as the word in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth John 8.56 So Sarah by the force of her Faith Conceived and brought forth Isaac her Son when she was past Age because she judged him faithful who had promised Heb. 11.11 that is she did nor think that God paid his people with words only as Sertorius is said to do his Soldiers or that he fools them off with fair promises as Ptolomee Sirnamed therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to do his Favourites Pollicitis Dives quilibet esse potest Great Mens fair words are like Dead Mens promis'd Shoes he may go bare foot that waits for them not so those at Good Men they will perform their promises though they tend to their loss Psal 15.4 They are Children that will not Lie Isa 63.8 but their Father is a God that cannot Lie Tit. 1.2 He is the God of Truth Isa 65.16 All his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in Christ Jesus that Faithful and True Witness Revel 3.14 Therefore God is Real and Royal in his promises and performances He will do what he hath said 2 Sam. 7.25 and perform with his Hand what he promiseth with his Mouth 1 King 8.15.1 Thes 5.24 All this Sarah his Mother believed though at first she faultered Gen. 18.11 12. The first Tidings hereof she apprehended more strange than true but better recollecting her Religious and Reverend Contemplations of the Almighty she afterwards believed what before she doubted or at least admired rather than believed and as soon as she believed soon after she Conceived though old by the force of her Faith and not by the Vigour of Nature therefore is she upon this very account Inrolled in the Catalogue of the most Eminent Believers Heb. 11.11 where the Apostle sheweth 1. That Saving Faith reaches both Sexes that the weaker Sex eminent in Faith is worthy of Imitation by Men the stronger and that a Woman is no such wonder in Heaven as that wanton witless Wit once said proving it by Revel 12.1 reading no further than those very words extend and stopping at that clause clothed with the Sun and so there is no God as Psal 14.1 if we stop there and go no further 2dly Observe The Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth shame those Hebrew Men he writes to with that Excellent and plainly Masculine Exercise of Faith in the Feminine Sex a Woman Heb. 11.11 where Sarah's Faith is propounded as a pattern both for their and our practice holding forth 1. The Advantage by it She received strength in a Twofold Respect both for Conceiving and for bringing forth though disadvantag'd by the time of it to wit in her Old Age. 2. The Ground and Foundation of it her Faith was founded upon this that she strongly believed the Promiser was faithful to perform his promises Hereupon she is made an Allegorical Mystery in all this her famous History even by the Apostle Paul himself by a special Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Gal. 4.21 to 27 and 30. shewing how Abraham's Family was a Figure of the Church in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 wherein be two Mothers a Bond-woman Hagar and a Free-woman Sarah two manners of Getting as well as Begetting Children 1. By Promise or by Faith 2. After the Flesh or by Nature Two kinds of Children Bondmen as Ishmael and Freemen as Isaac and the former persecuting the latter two Covenants that of Works and that of Grace or the Law and the Gospel the Old Testament and the New Mount Sinai to which Hagar fled twice Gen. 16. and chap. 21. it being in her way Home to Egypt and Mount Sion or Jerusalem the Mother of all Christians
or fewer of them in Scripture-Record who minded any thing of Christs coming he came to his own and his own received him not John 1.11 But after this Oh how did this Barren Church sing c. when three Thousand of them were brought forth at one Sermon Acts 2.37 39 41. 2. The Gentile Church was for a long time as a lone Woman or Widow as it were altogether Barren and without Hope of Issue while the Gentiles were without Christ without Hope and without God in the World c. Eph. 2.1 2 12. yet afterwards in the New Testament Times the Gentile Church which before had brought forth only here and there a Proselyte or two as Jethro c. had a more Numerous and Glorious Off-spring than ever the Jewish Synagogue had Thus Sarah though at first Barren had a far greater Issue than Hagar yea and Hannah than Peninnah notwithstanding both were reproached for their former Barrenness Gen. 16.4 and 1 Sam. 1.6 The second Branch of this second Resemblance is The unwarrantable way Sarah took to supply the want of her own Fruitfulness in giving Hagar to her Husband That she might obtain Children by her Bond-woman Gen. 16.1 2. Gal. 4.22 God had promised a Seed to Abraham but not expresly as yet whether by Sarai or no hereupon Sarai propounded her Handmaid as a Secondary Wife or Bed-fellow to her Husband because the Children of Bond-servants belong'd to their Masters and Mistresses by the Law Exod. 21.4 Thus Rachel reckoned the Issue of her Handmaid Billah must be Hers Gen. 30.3 6 and 8. and thus Sarah sought a Seed to Abraham according to Gods promise though she were not the Mother thereof that so the Blessing God had annexed to his Promise might be obtained The Hebrews most improbably say this Hagar was the Daughter of Pharaoh to put the more Honour upon Abraham in this Act and to equal him with Solomon who Married the Daughter of another Pharaoh but Kings Daughters are most unfit to be Handmaids who are brought up Mistresses of the Highest Rank and had Paul been of that Mind he had never stiled her a Bond-woman Gal. 4.22 'T is more probable she was one of those Maids of Pharaoh's House which were given to Sarai Gen 12.16 Whatever she was and whatever good aim Sarai might haven in giving her to Abraham yet the means were naught this expedient for having Seel was not according to God because it violated the Law of the first Instituted Wedlock Gen. 2.14 but it was after the Flesh Gal. 4.23 Sarai was over-hasly and Abraham was over-facile they were both blame-worthy for want of Faith in Gods Promise as if his power could not have performed it beyond the common course of Nature in their old Age and for Violation of Wedlock contrary to its first Institution Mal. 2.15 and Gen. 2.24 This Act might be their Sin of Ignorance and of Infirmity as was also their and the other Patriarchs Polygamy practised in that time and their slipping out of Gods way brought much evil upon them Sarai is whip'd with her own Rod Hefiod saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evil counsel proves always worst to the Counsellors Hagar now pregnant with Child despiseth Sarah her Barren Mistress as Prov. 30.21 her Sin was writ upon her Punishment Gen. 16.4 5. she was despised as one rejected concerning Gods Promise and Abraham was disturbed with those Domestick dissentions 'twixt the Mistress and her Hand-maid Hereby is also figured the difference betwixt the two Mothers the Bond-Woman and the Free the Law and the Gospel and thus likewise the Soul of Man and the Church of God taketh some wrong ways for accomplishing Divine Promises following and finding out false rest fetching peace from the works of the Law rather than from the Faith of the Gospel this is to establish Hagar the Bond-Woman in the place of Sarah the Free out of whom sprang the Messiah that Blessed Prince of all true Peace and such mistaken methods to peace always end in sad disturbance as this in the History did Besides there is this other Mystery that such as put confidence in the works of the Law as the proud Pharisee did Luk. 18.10 11. will despise the Grace of the New-Covenant as Hagar did Sarah Rom. 10.3 will not submit to the Righteousness of God by Christ The third Mystery of Sarah's person in the History of her Life is in her Beauty she had a fair and Beautiful countenance a most lovely look and comely complexion Gen. 12.11 which Plato calls the principality of Nature Outward Beauty is very attractive which yet Sarai kept although she was now about or above sixty years old being not impaired by breeding or bearing of Children or it was preserved by God for the serving of his providence which followed thereupon and here we see how Beauty may be a double snare both to them that have it and to them that love it yet Sarah had a better even an Inward Beauty her chief Beauty was that of the Hidden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3.4 6. Gratior est pulchro Veniens in Corpore Virtus That Vertue hath a better Grace Which shineth from a comely Face Where these two meet they have a most happy conjunction and draw all Hearts to them as Esther obtained Favour of all that look'd upon her Esth 2.15 otherwise where beauty is without Grace and Vertue 't is like a Jewel in a Swines Snout Prov. 11.22 It wants that which should Consecrate and Sanctifie it as in Aurelia Orestilla cujus praeter formam nihil unquam bonus laudavit having nothing commendable to good men save only deceitful Favour and vain Beauty Prov. 31.30 'T was not thus but better with Sarah here who is therefore made a Figure of Jerusalem the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 and of the New-Testament Church v. 24. which is the Spouse of Christ that is all fair Cant. 1.15 and 4.1 c. well looking and well liking to bring forth Fruit in old Age Psal 92.14 and thus as with the Church of God so it ought to be with the Soul of Man which should pray as Psal 90.17 Oh let the Beauty of the Lord be upon me The fourth Mystery of Sarah's Person in the History of her Life is in her Sufferings the chiefest whereof were that She twice did fall into the Hands of two Kings Pharaoh Gen. 12. and Abimelech Gen. 20. both which might have Ravish'd her and made her Disloyal to her Husband yet God mofs Graciously prevented it in both places by Plaguing the former and Diseasing the latter out of both these two Kings Courts God brought her off with Innocency Honour and Advantage Oh how many Snares of Tentation God carries his Church and our Souls thorough oft we are in the Bryars As Sarah was 1. In Egypt when God famish'd Abraham out of Canaan the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 thither which was the Granary of the World The Hebrews make this a fault in Abraham for
that gives the Shadow or Antitype This in the General but in Parcular First Here are the two Wives of Abraham Hagar and Sarah which are the two Shadows or Types being the first Couples the one a Bond-woman the other a Free these two shadow out the two Testaments Hagar the Old Testament or the Law which was a dispensation of Bondage and Sarah the New Testament which is a dispensation of Freedom hereupon the Gospel is call'd the Law of Liberty Jam. 1.25 as it teacheth the way to free us from the Law of Sin and Death which binds uâ— over to Eternal Destruction Joh. 8.36 The second Couple are the two Soâ—â— of those two Mothers Ishmael and Isaac shadowing out 1. The Children of the Flesh born Servants of the Bond-Servant as were the Carnal Jews who opposed Christ and as are all formal Hypocrites that have not the Faith of Abraham And 2. The Children of the Promise or Spirit Free-Born of the Free-Woman as are all the called and chosen of God The Third Couple is the Son of the Bond-Woman Mocking and the Son of the Free Mocked Gen. 21.9 signiâ—ying how the Seed of the Flesh would raise Persecution against the Seed of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 The Fourth Couple is the casting out of the Bond-Woman and her Son from Abraham's Family and the remaining of the Free-Woman and her Son therein shadowing forth the Abolition of the Old-Testament Dispensation in the Church which then was only Abrahams Family and the abiding for ever the Administration of the New-Testament John 8.35 Gal. 4.30 31. The Fifth Couple is Ishmaels exclusion from the Inheritance of Abraham as well as his ejection out of his Fathers Family and Isaac's enjoying it signifying that neither the Carnal Jews nor formal Hypocrites shall have any part of that Eternal Inheritance which the Children of the Promise shall enjoy The Son of the Bond-Woman shall not be Heir with my Son Isaac Gen. 21.10 and Gal. 4.30 under Abrahams Inheritance is figured the Heavenly Blessings in Christ and Life Everlasting Gal. 3.18 29. and 4.7 and 1 Pet. 1.4 which no Ishmaels or reprobates shall Inherit no such Dirty Dogs shall ever Trample upon that Golden Pavement Rev. 21.21 27. and 22.15 So that these words of Sarah were not spoken so much Passionately as Prophetically foretelling the separation of the Holy Seed from the Prophane thereby whereof Abraham through his fond Affection to his Son Ishmael did not yet under stand so well as she who uttered this Speech even from the Spirit of God which was likewise confirmed by God himself Gen. 21.10 12. and hereupon the Apostle doth not record this to be so much the saying of Sarah as the saying of the Holy Scripture which is the Voice of God himself Gal. 4.30 The Sixth Couple which Paul bringeth in when treating of this very History Gal. 4.25 26. is Mount Sinai and Mount Sion or Jerusalem which is above he saith 1. This Hagar is Mount Sinai which is a Mountain situated in Arabia beyond the limits of the Promised Land and the Arabians some say do call Mount Sinai by the name of Hagar which signifies in their Tongue a Pilgrim or Stranger and so are all they no better than Strangers to the true Jerusalem who are not saith Calvin the Children of Abraham's Faith from Hagar the Arabians were called at the first Hagarens but since for more Honours sake they call themselves Saracens as if descended of Sarah Hagars Mistress These Saracens under the conduct of that grand Impostor Mahomet have been desperate Enemies to the true Jerusalem and great opposers of Christ and his Gospel This Mount Sinai saith Paul answereth to the low Jerusalem that is to the Jewish Synagogue Born in Bondage who were killers of Christ and of his Prophets who pleased not God and were contrary to all men 1 Thes 2.14 15. so were rather Ishmaelites than Israelites Gen. 6.12 whose Hand was against every Man c. This Hagar is that is signifies or prefigures Mount Sinai or Jerusalem the lower which constisted of cursed Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's and Pauls time men of low Principles seeking Justification by the works of the Law and by a formality of the Covenant of works these were Hagar or Chagar which in the Arabick signifies also petram a Rock having Rocky Hearts against Christ who is called the Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 not one drop of true Piety could be squeezed out of them and now 't is become a common Proverb such a one is as hard-hearted as a Jew Thus Jerusalem that now is saith the Apostle is in Bondage with her Children and gendreth to Bondage which is Hagar Gal. 4.24 25. they were as was once said of the Romans Homines ad servitutem parati so dis-spirited after their murdering Christ that they truckled under every Aggressor and like their Brother Issachar became Asses couching under all burdens Gen. 49.14 They were so Degenerated from that Free Noble and Heroick Off-spring of Abraham in their Ancestors days that they seemed rather to descend from Hagar the Bond-woman than from Sarah that Noble Lady and Princess seeing Partus sequitur Ventrem the Birth follows the Belly This is the Character of the Earthly Jerusalem so subjected to the Heavy Yoke of Ceremonies Sacrifices and Circumcision which the Hagarens or Saracens observe at this day that 't is said neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear it Acts 15.10 Besides that horrible Dread which was upon their Rebellious Fore-fathers at the giving of the Law upon Mount-Sinai Exod. 20.18 19. is upon their Spurious and Degenerate Off-spring to this day and this saith the Apostle is an Allegory or Figure of the Old Covenant as Sarah is of the New and New Testament Church which he calls the Heavenly in opposition to the Earthly Jerusalem which in the Hebrew Tongue is Jerushalajim in the Dual Number importing as their Cabbalists confess the Upper as well as the Lower Jerusalem and its name Jiru-Shalom signifies a Vision of Peace so it well shadoweth the Gospel of Peace or the New Covenant Luke 2.14 Rom. 5.1 10.15 1 Cor. 7.15 Eph. 2.17 c. and this New Covenant is said to come from above or to be above 1. Because God the Father revealed it not by descending down into the Mount as he did at the giving of the Law but remaining in Heaven he sent it down by his own Son this the Author to the Hebrews teacheth Heb. 12.25 2. Because Christ the Head of the Covenant and of his Covenanted Church did Descend out of Heaven and Ascended thither again from whence he governeth his Church and maketh good his Covenant in all to her 3. Because the Christian Church in Covenant with Christ hath her being and well-being her birth and breeding c. from above John 3.3 5. and hath her Conversation in Heaven while her Commoration is on Earth Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.2 This Covenant is the Mother that brings forth all Believers both Jews
before the Friend of God because God made his Mind known to him even in secrets most familiarly as a Man doth to his Friend Thus we see how God made and renew'd this Covenant of Grace with three publick Persons all as Mr. Baxter saith Representers of Mankind 1. With Adam to whom when God judged him for his Sin at the same time promis'd a Saviour and through this Saviour promised made a new Law of Grace with Man Gen. 3.15 which short Text God probably did explain to Adam more plainly than is express'd in those few words as appeareth by his instructing his Sons to Sacrifice wherein was shadow'd out the Blessed Saviour hence all Mankind are more mercifully dealt with than according to the rigour of that violated Law which Adam had Sufficient though not effectual Grace to keep yet did not to be shut up as Devils under Despair but have many Means and Mercies to bring them to the God of Mercy which Cain and his Off-spring mis-improved as did the Degenerate World also so all save eight Persons perished in the Dâ—luge The second publick Person was Noah with his House being saved to be the second Root and Representative of Mankind God renews this Covenant with some additionals to them Though the first Renewal was forfeited in the Flood Gods Covenant of Peace to Man is then re-inforced yet was it rejected by Cham whose Person and Posterity was therefore Cursed and after by Nimrod that Arch-Rebel and Master-Builder of Babel's Tower who thereby brought the Curse of the confusion of Tongues by which means the knowledge of God was much lost in the loss of the Holy Tongue and most Men fell to Idolatry and Sensuality The Third publick Person who escaped those two great Evils aforesaid was Abraham call'd the Father of the Faithful with whom God most familiarly renewed again this Covenant as with his familiar Friend more fairly and fully than with Adam or Noah adding a special Promise to him that his Seed should be an Holy Nation a Peculiar People and that of him the Messiah should Spring for confirming his Hope in both these Promises God gave him Circumeâ—â—â—on as the Seal of the Covenant Gen. 17.2 where we find that the fifth time of Gods consuming this Covenant with Abraham intimating thereby that it is the prora puppis the First Second and Third yea the main point and Strong-hold or Fort-Royal of Mans Salvation and therefore we should be well Studied in the knowledge of it and have a wellgâ—â—â—â—d dâ—â—ssurance of â—ur interest in it This Covenant is call'd the Oath which God Sware unto Abraham Luk. 1.73 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Hedge which a Man may not break down lest a Serpent bite him Eccles 10.8 and we may easily Imagine that God will not break the Hedge of his own making This is the Magna Charta or Grand Charter that the Faith of Abraham in all his Ten Tryals and of all the Children of Abraham hold their Hope and Confidence on And that renewing of the Covenant with Abraham was accommodated to his then present condition of having no Children therefore was it given to him in Terms of multiplying his Natural Seed which should receive Circumcision as the Seal of the Covenant and of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 from whom Christ came The fourth Period of Renewing the Covenant of Grace was with Moses another Eminent publick Person and by him with all Israel after their coming out of Egypt where as it had before a clearer Manifestation to Abraham for Christ was promis'd to be his Seed Born of the Woman Mary descended from Abraham than to Adam and Noah so now it had a larger extent even to the whole Nation of Jacob or Israel the Seed of Abraham Gods Friend Hereby the Israelitish Nation became a peculiar people nearer to God than any other Nation as the Priests and Levites were by a special Separation made nearer to God than the common people which yet were accounted an Holy Priesthood also in comparison of the Gentile World wherein God had some scatterings of Holy Ones even in Abraham's day notwithstanding the Covenants Renewal personally with him such as Holy Shem alive at that time with Holy Melchizedeck and Holy Job with his Friends afterwards yea and 't is improbable that all the Children of Keturah of Ishmael and of Esau did forsake the Lord being all Circumcised and so in some sort as Mr. Baxter saith were Covenanters with God however this is certain that Israel's Embodying into a new Common-wealth with a Theocratical Government in a peculiar manner receiving a new Body of Divine Laws as well as their Deliverance out of the Egyptian Bondage were all done by vertue of Gods Covenant with Abraham unto Jacob or Israel Thus the Prophet saith God will perform or Hebr. give his Mercy to Abraham and his Truth to Jacob Mic. 7.20 'T is there call'd Mercy to Abrabam for Gods Mercy moved him to make the Covenant originally as to the clearest discovery hereof with Abraham and his Truth bound him to perform it to Jacob coming in at second Hand under Abraham's Covenant whereof Divine Mercy was the Foundation as to promising and Divine Truth was the obligation as to performing according to that in 2 Sam. 7.18 21. According to thine own Heart and for thy words or Covenants sake hast thou done all these things shewing when God hath voluntarily made himself a Debtor by promise to his people he will come off fairly with them in performance and not be worse but rather better than his word Abraham was the common Head or Root from whom the Covenant was conveyed to the Branches Israel wherein he was a Type of Christ the Head and Prince of the Covenant Gal. 3.16 to Abraham and to his Seed Christ not Christus in Individuo or Christ Personal only for Christ in that sense had not a Right unto the Promimises from Abraham but rather Abraham from Christ so it must be meant Christus in aggregato or Christ Mystical also that is the Church or Faithful whose Father is Abraham he is the Root and they are the Branches Rom. 11.16 It may indeed be taken for both Christ Personal and Mystical 1 Cor 12.12 Seeing Christ is the Seed in whom all the Nations of the Earth are blessed Gen. 22.18 with whom the Covenant was made primarily and principally yet accounts not himself a whole Christ and compleat without he have his Members who are therefore call'd his fulness Eph. 1.23 Inference hence Having viewed the Plat-form of this Covenant of Promise how it hath been carried on the same in all Ages from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham and so to Israel and so shall be to the end of the World How should we fall-down upon our Faces as Abraham did Gen. 17.3 admiring the abundant Goodness of God in vouchsafing to enter into Covenant with him he was astonish'd at this condescention as David was
upon the Sea Shore this latter call'd also the Dust of the Earth Gen. 13.15 resembles his Carnal Seed which with the Cursed Serpent did seed upon Dust but the former the Stars of Heaven Gen. 15.5 holds forth his Seed of Believers all Heaven Born and shone as Stars in their Generation accordingly the Lords design was Double in giving his Law on Sinai First Unto the Carnal Seed it setteth out the Old Covenant of works which they had broken and which God would not have wholly blotted out of the Mind and Memory of Men thus the Law strictly or absolutely taken as it was given to Adam as his way to Life in his first Estate so it shut up all these Jews under it as legally Dead except they would slee to Christ seeing they could not attain to any righteousness or Life by the Law simply considered for so 't is the sum and substance of the Covenant of Works and begets Children to Bondage which shall have no Inheritance with the Children of the Promise who all lay hold on Christ in the New Covenant as Gal. 4.21 to the end of the Chapter demonstrateth where Paul speaks of the Law absolutely and properly as a Law Covenant strictly taken in a contradistinction from the Gospel affirming how its Children as those of the Bond-Woman come short of Righteousness and Salvation are cast out of the Kingdom being Persecutors of the Spiritual Seed the Children of Promise as now all reprobates are The Second Design was for the Start of Heaven the Spiritual Seed or Believing Jews to whom the Law on Sinai did darkly shadow out the Covenant of Grace therefore did it bind them to the observation of the Ceremonial as well as Moral part the former being a Metaphorical or Figurative Gospel as the latter was a Literal Law the Letter whereof was not so much killing even to the carnal Jews in Gods Intention as by their own Corruption whereby they scorn'd Christ and his Righteousness in the New Covenant thinking to save themselves by their own Righteousness in a Covenant of Works Rom. 10.3 whereas this Covenant on Sinai was not otherwise designed upon a Damning but only upon a proving Design hence Moses saith there Exod. 20.20 Fear not for God is come to prove you he saith not to damn you and therein as Israel avouched the Lord for their God so God avouched them for his people Deut. 26.17 18. and 29.10 11. which could not be done with Man faln out of the Covenant of Works but by a Covenant of Grace and had this Covenant on Sinai been a Covenant of Works then was God injurious to Israel in calling them back from that Covenant of Grace given to Abraham their Father four hundred and thirty years before Gal. 3.17 to this worse Covenant as if God having begun with them in the Spirit would now perfect them by the Flesh Gal. 3.3 whereas 't is Gods plain method to lead his people from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 and from Grace to Grace John 1.16 Job 17.9 and Prov. 4.18 but never from Grace to Works Object 3. But then why was the Moral Law being the sum of the Covenant of Works given to Israel at Sinai or Horeb Deut. 29.1 if it were not that very Covenant Answ 1. Besides all the aforesaid for farther clearing this great Truth I shall add 1. The Law was not given to Israel as intended they should seek Justification and Salvation thereby but for a fuller discovery of Sin and a further conviction of Conscience 'T is true the very Law of Nature did discover Murder to be a sin in Cain Gen. 4.9 Whoredom to deserve burning Gen. 38.24 with 34.31 and the Patriarchs could say God forbid that we should steal Gen. 44.7 Yea those two Heathen Kings abhorred Adultery yea looking and lusting after any Woman Gen. 12.17 20.3 the same I might add concerning the breach of all the other Commandments as 1. Gen. 35.2 2. Gen. 31.34 35.5 3. Gen. 4.26 4. Gen. 2.3 Exod. 16.23 5. Gen. 27.41 All these were discovered to be sins before the Law was given by Moses even by the light of Nature but in Moses time this light was almost extinguish'd and this Law was obliterated and blotted out by Israel's conversing so long among the Idolatrous as well as Ignorant People of Egypt Indeed Adam's Fall broke this Law and Light in pieces and afterwards it grew dimmer and dimmer daily yea the Sheards of Gods Image wherein Man was created and being broken by his fall became smaller and smaller every Age after so that they could hardly be put together Men successively marring their own Consciences more and more and the Devil stepping in to promote it the Superseminator sowed Tares to choak the good seed wherefore lest it should be lost for ever as a Law in the heart God caused it to be written for the eye as well as spoken to the ear The End why is expressed by the Apostle The Law entred that the Offence might abound Rom. 5.20 to wit where it hath abounded in the Conversation it might now by the light of the Law abound also in the Conscience in great Grief for it and due Detestation of it as the greatest evil He saith also that he had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 3.20 and 7.7 and therefore was the Law added because of transgressions Gal. 3.19 which are discovered by it Ubi Lex ibi Lux. Torah Or Hebr. Gods Law is Mans Light Prov. 6.23 laying all open as 1 Cor. 14.25 and threatning destruction to transgressors Rom. 3.20 23. Answ 2. The Law on Sinai was not given to stand as Covenant of Life 'twixt God and Israel by which they might live for when it was given in its Thunders and Lightnings they were so affrighted that they saw they could not come near the Lord by that Law wherefore then saith the Apostle serveth the Law Gal. 3.19 he answers himself it serveth to chase us to Christ v. 24. whom he calls the End of the Law being accommodated to that Insantstate of the Church which though an Heir of the Promise in the Covenant of Grace made to Father Abraham yet while under Nonage was also under Tutorage and so the Law was her School-master to scourge her to Christ who was able to give her life which the Law could not give her Gal. 3.18 21 24. but rather clapt her up close Prisoner as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 23 from whence she could not possibly escape unless delivered by her Goel or Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 Christ Jesus the Avenger of blood being at her heels she must flee for her lite to this City of Refuge The third Consideration is That the Apostle in those chapters 3d. and 4th of his Epistle to the Galatians doth not make the Covenant on Sinai a distinct Covenant from that of Works and that of Grace to make a third Covenant but he
in this Eternal purpose of Grace Eph. 3.11 as if he thought long with Abraham to speak with reverence until Immanuel's day should dawn John 8.56 yet all these many Myriads of Ages Christ was Jom Jom daily his delight Great was Gods love manifested to Man in making him a meet Helper in time but 't was much greater in providing him a meet Mediator before all time before either Man or Mountains were made and so before Man could take notice of his necessity thereof This shews how marvelously the Fathers Heart was engaged in a design of Grace to Man with whom he might have justly proceeded being at liberty to prosecute the curse of the Covenant of Works and never have treated with his Son about Saving Man Inference 2. How should we love the Son of God who might have refused to he sent as well as the Father might to have sent him yet Christ came though upon hard term Zech. 13.7 and became a Servant to God in this great and gracious design he made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 submitted to fulfil all Righteousness Mat. 3.15 therefore began he at the beginning of Mans sin and carry'd on his Redemption work to the end thereof as he was Conceived and Born of the Virgin Mary to take away Mans Sin contracted in his Conception and Birth he lived a life of sorrows and sufferings to take away our life-sins and he died that shameful and cursed Death of the Cross to save us from the curse of Death Eternal and all along God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 both the World of Jews and that of Gentiles therefore submitted he to the Seals of both Law and Gospel He was Circumcised Luke 2.21 Baptized Mat. 3.16 took the Passover Mat. 26.18 and the Lords Supper ver 26. though he needed none of them either to take away his sin for he was sinless Heb. 4.15 c. or to strengthen his Faith for he had no weakness in it Heb. 2.13 and Isa 49.5 and 50.6 7 8 9. All this was to shew that Christ was under the Covenant of Redemption with the Father distinct from that Covenant of Reconciliation with Sinners whereby all the Seals become proper to a Covenanted people and not common to strangers thereunto Gen. 17.7 Exod. 12.48 Mat. 28.20 Col. 2.11 12 c but Christ rcceiv'd the Seals by a command from the former Covenant of Redemption and Surety-ship for us which he had compacted with the Father not as we poor Sinners receive them as Seals of the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation to expiate all our Sins in them We should all Ride at this Anchor of Hope in Christ who pass'd through all these Ordinances with delight Psal 40.8 as if they had been his Meat and Drink John 4.34 and took sin out of them as he passed under them And by doing and suffering all the good pleasure of his Father Isa 50.5 6. and 53.2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12. John 10.17 18. and 12.49 50. and 17.4 6. He purchas'd and demanded not only his own Glory John 17.5 but also the Glory of all his Redeemed given to him according to the Articles of Agreement betwixt him and his Father in that Covenant ver 24. where Christ saith not Father I wish but Father I will as equal with God This being the great End first in intention though last in execution why he humbled himself to be the Sworn Priest Prophet and King of his Church 3. Inference Oh how should we love God and the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 who hath sworn to he all these to us Psal 110.4 Heb. 7.21 what God barely saith he may Repent of upon a reserve of our Repentance as Jonah 3.2 and 1 Sam. 2.30 but what God Swears is irreversible the Father will not Repent no not to Sacrifice his Son though Abraham might relent to slay his Isaac and the Son will not Repent of being Sacrificed though then he had Dolores Parturientis Joh 16.21 strong pangs of Travail Heb 5.7 and was much straitned till it was accomplish'd Luk. 12.50 here is sure footing for our Faith though the Father and the Son might justly break Covenant with us because we break Covenant with them yet will they not break Covenant one with the other for they have sworn each to other and will not Repent as sure as the Sins of the Patriarchs and Prophets which are past Rom. 3.25 are remitted by this Lamb slain from the foundation of the VVorld Rev. 13.8 and before the World even ever the same Heb. 13.8 He took away all the transgressions of them that were under the first Testament Heb. 9.15 and they are all set down with him in his Kingdom Mat. 8.11 and Luke 16.23 so sure shall all our sins if Redeemed be Remitted also and we Reign with Christ in Heavenly places Eph. 1.3 4 5. and as sure as God hath put down all Persecuting Powers in former Ages so he will those of this Age for he hath said All knees shall bow to Christ Phil. 2.8 Psal 2.8 and bids his Son Sit at his right hand till all his Foes be made his Footstool Psal 110.1 and Heb. 19.13 there is a Spirit Zech. 6.8 that in a way of Providence will never leave stirring up of Spirits till this be accomplished even the weak shall be as David Zech. 12.8 to effect it oh let prayer be made for Christ Psal 72.15 that the Father may perform his Promise to his Son both for his Friends and Foes This shews how our Prayers for Christ Psal 72.15 gratifie the Fathers Bowels as Joab Davids 2 Sam. 13. last and 14.1 The Fourth Inference is Oh the strong consolation that this Eternal Covenant of Redemption which gives a Being and Life to the Temporal Covenant of Reconciliation affordeth to our Faith fixing first upon that former Covenant betwixt Jehovah and Jesus Considering 1. How the Father el shaddai loved us so before we were he designs Decrees and fore-ordains his Son to be our Redeemer before the World began to make him the beginning of his ways Prov. 8.22 primus Faederatus the first Covenanter in the VVomb of Gods Eternal Decree we reckon it a great Favour when a Friend will plead for us in our absence or when a Father will purchase an Inheritance for a Child Unborn yet all this God designed Christ to do for us before we were yea before the Mountains or Man or the VVorld were v. 23 24. while we were Creabiles onely and not Creaturae capable only to be Created but not yet Creatures actually for known to God were all his works not only from but also before the beginning of the VVorld Act. 15.18 2 Consider That this Bargain was struck up 'twixt the Father and the Son not only before we were but from Eternity 't was Everlasting Love Jer. 31.3 Ã parte ante as well as Post the Covenant of Reconciliation to Adam and to Abraham c. was but
him with Dominion and Lordship and Jacobs Posterity was in Slavery to Egypt some Hundreds of years after as the days of his Person were few and evil in trouble Gen. 47.9 So the days of his Posterity were many and evil in Bondage therefore there must be a deeper Mystical and Spiritual sense of the Blessing made good in Heavenly Blessings both to him and to his Posterity by the Messiah 2. The Blessing Isaac pronounc'd upon Jacob must be the same Blessing which God Promis'd to Abraham the Grand-Father and to Isaac the Father so to be transmitted in this Patriarchal manner to the Son now none doubt that the Blessing of Abraham c. which was to come upon the Gentiles in the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.8 14. was a Spiritual Blessing 3. God himself as well as Isaac explains it to be a Spiritual Blessing and further confirms it when Jacob after it flyes to Padan-Aram Gen 28. First Isaac puts this sense upon it v. 3 4. God Almighty Bless thee and give thee the Blessing of Abraham c. what he had done before by a misguided Fancy he now more advisedly doth upon a well grounded Faith according to Heb. 11.20 this the Hebrew Doctors say had an Eternal Foundation which shall have no end either in this World or in that to come Isaac adds to his own Blessing that also of Abraham who had the Original Grant of special Grace Gen. 12.3 17.1 c. which chiefly consisted in forgiveness of Sin Redemption from the Curse and receiving the Promise of the Spirit through Faith in Christ Gal. 3 9 13 29. Rom. 4.7 8 13 c. Secondly God explains it to be a Spiritual Blessing Gen. 28.25 In thee and in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be Blessed which must be meant the Blessing of Eternal Life by Christ who was of his Seed the same Promise was made to Abraham Gen. 12.3 18.18 and performed by Christ Act. 3.25 16. Gal. 3.8 Thus Jacob was made the Heir of the Spiritual Blessing So are all true Christians 1 Pet. 3.9 to whom God spake there as well as to Jacob Hos 12.4 God spake with us there as well as with him Sixthly and Lastly Though Isaac in his Patriarchal Benediction mentions only Temporal Blessings yet there is nothing more frequent and familiar with the Holy Prophets than under such Symbols to signifie Spiritual and Coelestial Blessing not that the Faithful of their times should sit down satisfied with Earthly things and neglect the Heavenly but because the rudeness of the Infant state of the then Church did so repuire it for Christ was not at that time revealed for whom alone the revealing of all Mysteries was reserved and who indeed was himself this Dew of Heaven and this Fatness of the Earth Promised as he is the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven that Coelestial Manna that Meat indeed and Drink indeed without which the Souls of the Faithful would certainly Languish and Die though their Bodies be never so well filled with the most delightful dainties of the Earth wherewith had Isaac put off Jacob as his only portion neither could he have been so well satisfied nor Esau so much grieved at the Bargain who according to our Translation had the same Temporal Blessings and by the Lordship and Dominion Promis'd here to Jacob must not only be understood an External Kingdom but also the Internal and Eternal one of the Messiah descending from Jacob anointed of God above his Fellows and advanced above every Name by whom alone the true and salvifick Blessing is conveyed to all the Faithful of what Family Nation or Country soever This History hath many Remarkable Inferences naturally flowing from it As 1. Besides those that have Offer'd themselves all along That Parents ought to bless their Children too many God knows do Curse and not Bless them but cursing Parents are cursed Parents and 't is well for some good Children whose bad Parents curse them for their goodness that causless Curses shall not come Prov. 26.2 which like a wandring Bird flies about where it will yet no Body cares or is the worse and when her Wings are wearied with wandring after she hath beat the Air to no purpose she returâ—s to her Rest or Nest Thus the causless Curse flies at Random and in vain but returns at last into the Authors Bosom from whence it came Little do such cursing Parents consider they are call'd contrariwise not to Curse but to Bless their Children that they may inherit the Blessing 1 Pet. 2.9 2. Children ought to fear the causeful Curses though not the causless of their Parents As Isaac here Blessed Jacob and Esau but Cursed neither of them no not his prophane Son whom rather he would fain have Blessed So the better Son feared his Fathers Curse Gen. 27.12 So shall I bring a Curse upon me and not a Blessing Jacob justly feared to use deceit to his Blind Father lest not only his Fathers but also Gods Curse Deut. 27.18 should come upon him Oh how many unnatural and cursed Cham's there be in the World that cause their Parents to Curse them for their unnaturalness as Noah did his Son Gen. 9. 22 25. 'T is sad when God saith Amen thereto God himself curseth such Caitiffs Prov. 30.17 That 's a Curse with a witness the Curse of God and the Curse of a Parent when 't is just falls heavy and lamentable Effects have followed even the complaint of a Parent makes a loud cry in Gods Ear Judg. 9.5 6. 'T is said That God by cutting off Abimelech rendred the wickedness he had done to his Father Let all Children think of this and fear undutifulness 3. Parents ought to gather together a Stock of Divine Promises that they may bless their Children more out of Faith than out of Form praying for them out of a Promise as Isaac did here for his Son Jacob praying that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon him Gen. 28.4 And out of that constellation of Promises the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed This should be improved with utmost importunity and without any exception not baiting God one of our Children but pleading the Covenant for all them where God makes no exception we need not make any our Prayers for them must be grounded upon some word of Promise for Promises are the Ground as precepts are the Rule of Prayer and our Prayers for them require Faith it must be the Prayer of Faith founded upon a Promise the proper Work of Faith is to turn Promises into Prayers And Oh! that we had a particular Faith for them all saying with David in this will I be confident Psal 27.3 This should be our Confidence that whatever we ask according to his will as this is according to his Covenant without any express exception he heareth us 1 Joh. 5.14 We may lose some Children for want of our earnest asking Oh that
when together 't is only from God The third thing is the Action Wait for this Now waiting is a Servants work Psal 123.2 If I be a Master saith God where is my Service Mal. 1.6 David expectando expectavit Hebr. Kavah Kivethi Psal 40.1 in waiting waited he prayed and waited he waited and prayed he first prayed and then waited to see the Issue Psal 5.3 Waiting is an Act of the Soul wherein it earnestly looks for some promis'd good from the Hands of God Waiting is a Compound of many Graces Faith and Patience like the two Cherubims which covered the Mercy-seat have their Faces looking one toward another and join their Wings together over-shadowing the Soul in this waiting work These two Graces do support the Heart of Man as Aaron and Hur did the Hands of Moses Exod. 17.12 Hope is the Pulse of the Soul and expectation is its Perspective-glass As the Body lives spirando by breathing so the Soul lives sperando by hoping and the more lively that hope is the more lively is the Soul for God Expectation discovers things afar off in Faith's Perspective glass as if they were at Hand John 8.56 hereby Abraham saw Christs Day and as Faith hath a strong sight so it hath a long Hand wherewith it both Espies and Embraces remote Mercies Heb. 11.13 'T is not enough to believe the Promises in the truth of them nor to hope for the good of them which is laid up in them but we must patiently wait and expect till that good be given out to us by the God of Judgment timing all our Mercies for best to us The remaining part of the Patriarch Jacob's History may be reduced to these few Remarks The first is When Jacob had bestowed his Patriarchal and Prophetical Benediction upon all his Sons being both broken with old Age and wearied with so long a Funeral Oration which he had delivered with his utmost Extension of Speech Intention of Spirit and Retention of Memory he quietly composeth himself to Die and sweetly to sleep in Jesus well knowing with Job that his Redeemer lived and was ready to receive him into a Mansion of Glory Gen. 49.29 33. He had hitherto raised up himself into so reverend a posture 't is supposed he sat on his Bed-side with his Feet hanging down as his infirm Body would permit in reverence to the Word of God which he then delivered c. so drew up his Feet and died The Apostle expresseth dying Jacob's posture leaning on his Staff Heb. 11.21 where likewise he mentioneth only Jacob's blessing the two Sons of Joseph because Born out of his Family in a Forreign Land yet by Faith both are Adopted by Jacob for his own Children and where the Apostle also follows the Septuagint who in their unprick'd Bibles did read Matteh a Rod for Mittah a Bed the Hebrew reading is He bowed himself upon the Beds-head Gen. 47.31 The Romish Vulgar reading leaveth out upon to make way for their worshipping the Cross Suppose the reading be upon the top of his Staff instead of the head of his Bed then might it figure the Rod or Scepter of Christ otherwise it had not been Faith as the Apostle calls it here but Superstition but the genuine true sense is that Jacob raised himself on the Pillow being now a Clynick or Bed-rid at the Beds-head supporting his feeble Arms with his Staff which some not improbably putting both the Hebrew words Mittah and Matteh together suppose was his Bed-staff when he took Joseph Sworn to Bury him in Canaan so bows himself forward with his Head in thankfulness to God who had not only given him the sight of Joseph whom he had reckoned dead and devoured by wild Beasts and his two Sons also in great Grandeur and likewise some sure hope to be Buried himself in the Land of Promise as an Earnest and Hansel of the Twelve Tribes Possessing it The second Remark is The sweetest days that ever Jacob saw were those days he lived in the Land of Egypt immediately before his Death Joseph feedeth his Father with his whole Family full seventeen years before his Fathers Death Gen. 47.28 and so long Jacob had nourished Joseph full seventeen years before he was sordidly sold by his Brethren whom he now nourished Gen. 37.2 That the Son should feed his old Father and Family in a time of most dangerous Famine was but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a paying nourishment to him from whom he had first his own before yet such was his Sons Capacity as Lord of the Land that it made Jacob's last days his best days He was an hundred and thirty years when he was brought before Pharaoh Gen. 47.9 and he lived in Goshen till he was an hundred and forty seven years old ver 28. God reserved his best Wine till the last for him As his Nature and outward Man was most comfortably accommodated by his Son in Goshen so no less was his Grace and Inner Man by his God to the last for his Graces like good Liquor as above ran fresh to the bottom Mark the perfect Man and behold the upright for be his beginning and his middle never so troublesom the end of that Man is peace Psal 37.37 A Goshen he shall have either here or in Heaven hereafter The third Remark is At Jacob's coming down into Egypt did the first half of the four hundred and thirty years mentioned in Exod. 12.40 and Gal. 3.17 expire commencing from Abraham's going out of Canaan Gen. 12.4 10. as a Sojourner c. so that from this time Israel were in Egypt for two hundred and fifteen years more before their Deliverance thence It is plain that these four hundred and thirty years are to be computed from the first Promise made to Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 c. to the giving of the Law Gal. 3.17 and 't is plain also there were only four hundred years of this term to come in Gen. 15.13 for then the thirty years were expired The Text Exod. 12.40 doth not confine their Sojourning to Egypt only but in Canaan also which was not theirs then by Actual Possession Gen. 15.13 but Abraham and Isaac c. were Strangers in it Gen. 17.8 Psal 105.11 12. The Hebrew words Moshab and Toshab Sojourner have their Emphasis Abraham was the first Founder of this famous peregrination or Sojourning which first began in Canaan while Israel as Levi was in his Loins Heb. 7.9 and ended in Egypt when the other Moyety of two hundred and fifteen years expired after Jacob came thither The Remaining part of the Patriarch Joseph's History is also reducible to these sew Remarks The first is as they are methodized in the last Chapter of Genesis His great Filial Honour to and care of his dear Father's dead Body both in weeping upon it as willing if possible to have wept him alive again and in Imbalming it Gen. 50.1 2 3. according to the Custom of the Egyptian Country wherewith he complied partly in
but the Amorites had taken them from the Moabites as above from whom now Israel won them by Conquest and had present possession thereof still retaining their old Name Those Plains reached unto the River Jordan in that part which was over against Jericho the first City which Israel conquered in Canaan Josh 6. therefore is it call'd Jordan of Jericho These Plains and Countreys of the Amorites God now gave unto Israel as the first-fruits of their Inheritance after their tiresom Travels and Troubles in the Wilderness on this side Jordan to those that travelled from Egypt to Canaan by which they were to be encouraged against the Residue of their Enemies beyond Jordan as Moses improveth it to that purpose saying Thine Eyes have seen all that the Lord your God hath done to those two Kings Sihon and Og So will the Lord do to all the Kingdoms whither thou passest c. Deut. 3.21 22. and 31.4 God might well give the Lands of Sihon and Og to Israel for an Inheritance because he is the true Proprietary and Lord Paramount of all the Earth and for this great Mercy David taught Israel in after Ages to be thankful to God and to sound out his praises for this pledge of future favour Psal 135.10 11 12. and 136.18 22. The third Remark is The External Impediment of Israel's Motion by the Moabites c. the place where being Shittim or Abel-Shittim upon which the two former Remarks are made in the general Now come we to a particular discourse upon the Impediment it self branching it self out in three particulars The Moabites endeavour to interrupt Israel's passage to the promised Land First By hiring a Sooth-sayer to curse them which curse God turned into a blessing Secondly By open Hostility and force of Arms drawing out in Battel-ray against them Thirdly By Wiles suggested by the Sorcerer's pestilent Advice drawing them to commit Fornication and Idolatry Numb chap. 22 23 24 25. Now to discourse distinctly upon all the particular passages of this eminent Divine Dispensation toward the Church in the Wilderness will afford many famous particular Remarks As First Beside the place before Remark'd upon in the generals the Principal Agent is the next Circumstance to be considered who is described by his Name Parents and Condition Numb 22.2 and likewise by his Policy and Prudence which appeareth in his consulting how to avoid an imminent common danger he calls in his Neighbour-Nation the Midianites to joyn both their fraud and their force their craft and cruelty with him v. 3 4. Balak King of Moab was the main Man who together with his Subjects the Moabites were sore afraid of Israel This fear God smote them with to make the Enterprizes of his People the more easie Exod. 15.14 15. Deut. 2.25 Josh 2.9 This Balak was a man of note and figure in his day both for Prudence and Prowess a politick and potent Prince Mich. 6.5 Judg. 11.25 He saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites this he looked upon with an evil Eye but not to Receive Instruction Prov. 24.32 The only fruit was He and his People were not only afraid bur also fretted at Israel's weal as the Egyptians had done before them Exod. 1.12 Tho' those Moabites had no cause either to fear or fret they were worse afraid than hurt for Israel passed by them in peace being forbidden of God to touch their Border Deut. 2.9 because Allied to them descending of Lot who was Nephew to Abraham the Father of Israel Beside Israel had eased the Moabites of the Amorites who had been a troublesom incroaching Neighbour taking away part of their Land from them Numb 21.26 Yea they also gave them assurance that they would not meddle or molest them Notwithstanding being degenerated from the Faith of their Father Lot and worshiping Chemosh Numb 21.29 They feared as do the wicked where no fear was Psal 53.3 and being gross Idolaters they loath the People of the God of Abraham and of Lot their Father This is the Guise of Graceless ones being acted and agitated by the Envious One they design to grieve God's People but themselves are grieved and fret to behold them well sore against their will A great sin it was to grieve not for their own wickedness but for Israel's welfare Thus their punishment is made suitable to their sin their Envy becometh both their Crime and their Curse No better was it with the Midianites descended of Abraham Gen. 25.1 2. and so Brethren unto Israel but now being faln from the Faith of their Father Abraham unto that shameful Idol Baal-Peor Numb 25.17 18. they conspired with the Moabites against them who meant neither of them any harm as the Lord had commanded till afterwards Numb 25.17 Nor had these Midianites any occasion of offence at the Amorites overthrow by Israel seeing they had been held in subjection by those Amorites for the five Kings of Midian that now Combined with Moab and perish'd for so doing Numb 31.8 are call'd the Dukes of Sihon Josh 13.21 because he had subdued them by his Tyrannical Power whereof Israel had now freed them therefore had they more cause to be thankful unto Israel for freeing them from Sihon's Yoke and to have rejoyced with the Joy and for the Prosperity of their Brethren than to become Confederates with Moab against them 'T is probable they two had been Nations in Confederacy in former Wars as when Hadad King of Edom smote Midian in the field of Moab 1 Chron. 1.46 when their bordering one upon another was an occasion of Quarrels arising amongst them This Politick Prince Balak imagined that Israel would now lick up his Countrey as the Ox licketh up the Grass a sit Emblem of the wicked Psal 37.2 He sends for the Senators of Midian who club their wits together and discerned that Israel was not to be subdued by any Humane Hands in War But the Devil at the Consult tells them they must have help from Hell c. The second particular Remark relating to this Impediment is The Ministerial Tool and Instrument whereby this Hinderance was managed against Israel who is also described by Name Parents Condition and Habitation Numb 22.5 This was Balaam the Diviner or Soothsayer so call'd Josh 13.22 who had a double Call such as it was to this wicked work of cursing Israel 1. From whence was he called Answ From Pethor or Mesopotamia that lays betwixt Tygris and Euphrates Numb 23.7 Deut. 23.4 the Countrey where Abraham first dwelt Acts 7.2 Gen. 24.4 10. and where he served other Gods Josh 24.2 and where Jacob served for a Wife c. Hos 12.12 Gen. 31.21 Hence his Posterity professed their Father an Aramite or Syrian c. Deut. 26.5 from this Eastern Countrey infamous for Soothsaying and Divination Isa 2.6 Was Balaam sent for 2. By whom Answ By Balak the Elders both of Moab and Midian being his Messengers Numb 22.5 7. having the Reward of Divination in their hands which the
The Second Objection But was not this Action of Rahab's both a Treacherous and a Treasonable Action against her King and Country Was she not a betrayer of Canaan herein Answer It may not be said so for she being the first Fruits of the cursed Canaanites and according to the signification of her Name Rahab one enlarged from the Pagan Religion had undoubtedly a particular Revelation from God that the Land of Canaan and so her Town Jericho were proscribed by the great Creator and given to the Israelites Josh 2.9 10 11 c. This did absolve her from all Laws of her King and Country and laid a New Law upon her to Incorporate her self into the Common-wealth of Israel and to promote their welfare saith Calvin upon that Scripture 'T is true Abulensis saith that Rahab had not Sinned if she had betrayed the Spies into the Sergeants Hands but this is directly against the express Testimony of the above-quoted Scriptures that makes her hiding them from their Hands a noble Act of Faith Much better saith Masius in saying Rahab First Understood neither that the Life of the Spies would be the Destruction nor their Death the Salvation of her Country And secondly when she knew that her Country was proscribed by God and given to the Israelites she neither ought nor could either oppose a just cause or patronize the unjust c. There can no Bond be obliging against the declared will of God It would have alterd the case had her action been subservient only to her own advantage and not also to Gods will The fourth Head of Discourse is the intelligence those Spies received of Rahab concerning the Universal consternation both of Jericho and of all the Region round about vers 8 9 10 11. Wherein Rahab declareth the cause of her deserting the cause of her King and like a good House-wife not only cover'd the Spies with the Green Stalks of Flax which she had to dry in the Sun upon the flat Roof of her House but also Span a fair Thread out of it and did Weave for her self a beautiful Webb as may be said of both her Temporal Preservation and Propagation and of her Eternal Life and Salvation also Hereupon both the Apostles James and Paul as above take notice of her faith in God and obedience to him but make no mention of her Falshood and Lies or Equivocations to Men. Her good intentions preponderated the evil of some circumstances in her Actions The First Remark is It was a generous Act of Rahabs Faith to venture her own Life thus for saving the Lives of the Spies concealed by her but much more to furnish them with means to escape and with intelligence to carry back unto Joshua that the Town and Country was his own Yet most of all in taking an Oath of these Spies for her own security and her Relations as if Jericho had been now in their Hands But of that afterwards notwithstanding the strength and security of the City The second Remark is no sooner had Rahab secured her own House from the Kings Searchers by Infatuating and Dismissing them into a fond pursuit but then she declareth the grounds of her Heroick Faith to Joshua's Searchers saying I know c. grounding her confidence upon two special Miracles that the God of Israel had wrought for Israel namely 1. the drying up the Red-Sea and 2. their Conquest of the two Kings Og and Sihon and of both their Kingdoms concluding the same omnipotent Arm would dry up Jordan a small River much more and enable Israel to conquer the Kings and Kingdoms of Canaan And by this token she assured them hereof because a general Consternation was come upon her City c. Whereas God had given Joshua and his company great courage becoming Conquerors The Third Remark The Apostle James joyneth the Faith of Abraham which carried him through his ten Tryals with this Faith of Rahab which carried her only through this one Trial and the exercise whereof was only in Civil entertainment yet for Religious ends both together Jam. 2.23 25. to shew that the weakest as well as strongest Faith must evidence its truth and Life by its works and not only so but also to incourage those that be in the lowest form of Faith may find favour with God as well as those of the highest form provided there be any evidences of a living Faith as in Rahab Few can climb so high as Abraham the Father of the faithful and the Pattern of Believers as Christ takes notice of the Green Figs Can. 2.13 so even of Buds and Blossoms Can. 7.12 and will bless the Buds Isa 44 3. according to the Old Translation Tho' faith be as small as a grain of Mustard-seed The Filth Head of Discourse is the Oath or Covenant made by the Spies to Rahab at her Demand for saving her Life and the Lives of her Relations vers 12 13 14 16 18 19 20. The Remarks upon it are 1. Oaths are an Antient way of ending Strife Heb. 7.16 and this poor penitent Pagan thought her self secure by this means vers 12. No doubt this was a great exercise of her small faith to be thus confiding in a Covenant with those Spies as if they had the power of Life and Death at this time in their Hands who themselves were as yet in a desperate case and could not secure their own Lives In all this she far exceeded the Faith of all Israel who now staggerd at Gods promise and more at the performance of it tho' they had seen all his Wonders and she had only heard the Reports of them Nor doth she mention one word for saving her self in this Sacred Swearing because the Law of equity obliged them to preserve their Preserver All her care was carried forth for her carnal Relations lest they should perish in an unconverted State The Second Remark is the Token of their inviolably keeping this Covenant she demanded of them vers 13 21. was the Red Cord by which she let them down for their escape Josh 6.23 25. This was the outward means of her and her Friends Salvation Red is a saving colour As Isralel's Doors were Red with the Blood of the Paschal Lamb that the destroying Angel might pass over their Houses Exod. 12.7 13. c. So Rahabs Window must have the Scarlet Line tied to it Josh 2.21 The Door is of use to let in Passengers and the use of the Window is to let in light into the House The Soul of Man hath its Door namely the Ear to let in Doctrines and its Window namely the Eye to let in knowledg therefore both of them do need to be made Red with the Scarlet-Blood of the Lamb of God whose Fleece also affordeth the Right Red Line which is effectual for our Salvation The Third Remark is The strict and punctual Terms of those two parties in this Reciprocal Covenant having conditions on both Hands First Rahab's part was to bind the Scarlet Thread
Numb 31.6 as here in the siege of Jericho but its Absence had been fatal to them Numb 14.44 45. Tho' its Presence was successful to such as stood on good Terms with God yet was it not so to those Carnal Confidents 1 Sam. 4.3.4 5 6. who made an Idol of its Wood and an Antidote for their own wickedness the Ark was present at which they Triumph'd before and without a Victory as the Philistines trembled without any cause but God was not Present not as a Friend saith Josephus but as an Enemy they trusted more in the bare sign of Gods Presence than in the sure Promises of God to be apprehended Alas What was the Ark without the God of the Ark And What are Ordinances of God without the God of those Ordinances Those profligate Priests and People cried the Ark shall save us But David did better tho' he sent the Ark into Joab's Camp before Rabbah 2 Sam. 11.11 yet sent he it back to Jerusalem when he fled with a slender Army from Rebellious Absolom and when he never more needed the comfort of its presence 2 Sam. 15.25 26. well knowing that God could save without it as well as with it relying more upon Gods powerful Presence which was the substance and would be a Sanctuary to him in his banishment Ezek. 11.16 than upon the Ark which was but a sign and shaddow of it The Eighth Remark concerneth 2. The inward Means which is Faith affirmed Hebr. 11.30 both in Joshua the General and in the Priests and People tho' many other Graces were here Acted as Vnanimity Patience Constancy c. yet no Grace is named by the Apostle there save only the Grace of Faith because that is the Mother-Grace which quickens all the other her Daughters nor was this an Historical or a Miraculous Faith like that Mat. 21.21 22. of removing Mountains tho' a Miracle was wrought by it but it was a saving Faith for that is the Faith which our Apostle discourseth upon there Or did this Faith effect so great a work as it was a justifying Faith only but as it laid hold 1. on Gods precept Josh 6.1 and then on Gods promise vers 5. So that in this Act of Faith there was not only Obedience to Gods precept but also a firm Dependance upon Gods Promise first made to Abraham of giving Canaan to his Seed and now renewed to them Tho' the outward means as the blowing of Rams Horns seemed never so childish and contemptible to Carnal Reason yet when Faith as the inward means doth make use even of scorned ways because they are Divinely prescribed then doth the Soul mind its Duty and soon finds Gods Mercy as here when second causes are weakest then should our Faith be strongest if a Divine Warrant be but our prop and bottom Thus Sarah's Womb being dead required a more lively Faith Rom. 4.16 17 18 19 20 c. are the means we make use of either in sacred or secular affairs the very appointments of God then ought we to wait in them by Faith tho' they be never so mean expecting a Blessing of success from him that appointed them Faith in Gods promise is the foundation of Prayer and Prayer is the fervency of Faith when we can turn Gods precepts and promises into prayers Casting our burden upon the Lord by Faith then God will turn them into performances that we may be sustained Psal 55.22 Moreover Faith is such a God-pleasing Grace Hebr. 11.6 That God oft Honoureth it with doing those things which his own power and not our Faith performeth as here it was Gods Power and not Israels that overthrew Jericho's Walls appropriating Faith makes that which is Gods to become ours c. The Ninth Remark respecteth the Manner namely compassing about it seven Days c. This is not the manner of Conquerers to walk round a besieged City only but to assault and storm it This manner may be considered 1. As to its posture and 2. As to its extent First The Posture was a walking posture as it had no direct or probable Tendency for subduing the City so it likewise seemed Ridiculous to the Rude Citizens who might well scoffingly say What are these foolish People doing Have they not had a walk long enough for forty Years in the Wilderness that now they have a new walk round about our Walls and that once every Day for six days together They desire indeed to possess our City but they may compass it long enough before that posture can conquer it c. besides this posture seem'd Perilous as well as Ridiculous for though at that time they had no Guns as now yet had they Engines to throw great Stones at a great distance wherewith Archimedes frighted the Romans when they besieged Syracuse c. Notwithstanding their danger to have some at least knock'd on the Head by those Engines in their walking so oft about c. Yet God will make Jericho as well as his Israel know that he can give Victory to their Feet as well as to their Hands God oftentimes delighteth to go some way of his own which is not Man's way and worketh his own Will by such means and in such a manner as the World judges both Perilous and Ridiculous As the greater was God's Glory in effecting this great work wherein Israel contributed nothing to it so the stronger was Israel's Faith in believing it should be effected notwithstanding both the Difficulty Danger and Improbability of Means and Manner c. The Tenth Remark introduceth the second branch of the manner to wit the extent As 1. Israel's posture was a walking not a warring or fighting posture not one Sword of an Israelite drawn not one stroke by any struck not any Engine used to make one breach in any part of the Besieged City So 2. The extent of this walking posture to be considered in two Respects or Terms 1. The Term of place How far Israel walkked And 2. The Term of Time how oft they walked that term of place First The Term of place or space of ground they walked was 1. Negatively not an Acre or Furlong or any such measures of Miles nor was it an half-turn c. but 2. Positively It must be a whole turn a Circumambulation a compassing the City round about as Vaiaseb and Holekim Halok Hebr. signifie Ver. 3.11 13. and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.30 imports their drawing a Circle round about the City Had they not gone round about all had not been their own They had Conquer'd no more than they had compass'd so had done their work but to half part Yet at the best if we judge of this Action in it self as Treading a Circle Ludionum ludibria potiùs Censeri debetur quà m Bellatorum Stratagemata It looks more like Childrens Play in treading a Maze than any Stratagem of Warriours All this was to teach Israel not to expect success from their own Prowess or Policy but meerly from the
Abraham the first time at their entrance into Canaan Josh 8.30.33 And here have we his second Renewing and Ratifying of this ancient and solemn League and Covenant ver 25. so sollicitous was he of the publick weal both of Church and State after his Decease well knowing that this was a blessed means to bind their treacherous hearts to a better behaviour which otherwise would be ready enough to slip the old Collar if new Bonds were not laid upon them Whereupon Joshua brings Israel twice into the Bonds of the Covenant so called Ezek. 20.37 because such Bonds of Vows and Covenants rightly made and renewed are of singular use to keep the minds of Men within the bounds of obedience and to make Men more firm constant and peremptory in ways of well doing This Three fold Cord cannot quickly be broken Eccles 4.12 The Second Remark is The Place where this Covenant was Renewed namely at Shechem ver 1. Thither Joshua calls and convenes his Second Parliament as the First is supposed to be at Shilo ten Miles distant from Shechem as Jerom affirms for tho' Shilo was the place in Ordinary of Joshua's Assembling the Congregatson of Israel together Josh 18.1 because the Tabernacle was then fixed there having the Ark the visible sign of God's presence in it yet Shechem is expresly said to be the place of this New Convention and where the Old Covenant must be renewed which was an extraordinary Occasion and thereupon it was in the power of Joshua to remove the Ark thither as was done under the Government of Eli 1 Snm. 4.3 and of David 2 Sam. 15.24 upon great Emergencies therefore it is said they presented themselves before the Lord at Shechem ver 1. and by the Sanctuary of the Lord ver 26. For this Sacred Assembly met together for such a Religious Exercise of Contracting a Covenant with God and having the Ark of Gods presence with them might well be said to present themselves before God who is present in all such Assemblies Exod. 20.24 Ps 82.1 Math. 18.20 So the Name of God's Sanctuary is given to it Moreover there be many Reasons why this Parliament was held at Shechem as at a place convenient for it because First It was the Chief City of Ephraim Joshua's Tribe so this Noble City was the fittest to entertain such a Noble Assembly Secondly It was near to Joshua's City whose Age had now made him infirm and therefore the ease of Israel's Supream Governour must be consulted in the choice of a place for his Presence Thirdly Shechem was a Levitical City given to the Tribe of Levi as an Academy and one of the Cities of Refuge which were Sanctuaries appointed of God Josh 20.7 and 21.21 so a fit place Fourthly This City was the Place where was the solemn Burial of Blessed Joseph's Bones as is implied here ver 32. and for the Burial of the rest of the Patriarchs Acts 7.15 16. Therefore was it designed for this last solemn Convention Fifthly Above all Shechem being the very place where the Covenant was first contracted betwixt God and Abraham Gen. 12.6 7. and being the very place where the same Covenant was Renewed again betwixt God and Israel Abraham's Seed at their first entrance into this Land of Promise Josh 8.30.33 between the two Mountains of Ebal and Gerizzim which were very near to Shechem as appeareth from Judg. 9.6 7. where Jotham spoke his Parable from the top of Mount Gerizzim to the Men of Shechem Anointing Abimelech that Bastard in the Valley which lay betwixt it and Mount Ebal a place employed for Religious Services Deut. 11.29 and 27.12 therefore Joshua might well judge this place most proper both for Reviving the Remembrance of God's Covenant with Abraham there and for reminding this same People of their former Obligations unto the Lord there as likewise to engage them in a farther ratification of them in their Faith c. The Third Remark is The August and Elegant Oration which dying Joshua spake to this Parliament at Shechem beside what he had spoken in the foregoing Chapter upon this occasion of Renewing the Covenant wherein observe 1. His Exordium he begins in the Name of the Lord and not in his own Name ver 2. and 2. His Proposition Exhorting Israel to a perseverance in the pure Worship of God ver 14. 3. This Proposition he confirms both by Argument and by Example By Argument First Demonstrating how God had obliged them to a constant obedience by his manifold Mercies that Mercy might enforce them the firmer to duty Then gives them an Historical Narrative of what God had done for them and for their Fore-Fathers beginning at God's call of Abraham out of his Idolatrous Country ver 2 3. giving him Isaac the Heir of the Covenant and of a numerous Offspring which God brought out of Egypt ver 4 5 6 and destroyed the Egyptians ver 7. nourish'd them in the Wilderness and gave them Victory over the Amorites ver 8. and turn'd Balaam's Curse into a Blessing and gave them Canaan ver 9 10 to 14. Then Secondly He confirms his Proposition by Example as well as by Argument laying before them the pattern of their Predecessors how ill it fared with them while Idolaters and how well when purged from Idolatry ver 14. and not only so but he lays his own example before them ver 15. Telling them likewise that it was impossible for them to serve both God and Idols for God would be served truly without halting and throughly without halving ver 19. and that God would severely judge them if they proved Apostates ver 20. The Fourth Remark is Israel's Ready obedience unto all that Joshua commanded them in the Name of the Lord. They voluntarily enter into the Bonds of the Covenant and make a solemn profession of their Faith and faithfully promise a firm perseverance in the pure Worship of the true God ver 16 17 18 21 24. N. B. Joshua in bidding them chuse you whom ye will serve ver 15. doth not leave them to their own free choice to do either but proveth hereby their voluntary and professed subjection to the true Religion that their own free choice thereof might more powerfully oblige them to a constancy in their Covenant And they answer we will serve the Lord and God forbid we should do otherwise ver 16.21.24 This was well resolved had it been as well performed They seem to bind themselves again and again that they would keep touch with God by an Unalterable Resolution but alass soon after Joshua's death they started aside like a broken how Ps 78.57 Hos 7.16 As plainly appeareth in their serving of Baalim Judg. 2.10 11 12 13 c. The Fifth Remark is Joshua's Ratifying this Renewed Covenant its Renovation must be corroborated with a Ratification Joshua as God's Vicar General ratified this Covenant by a Three-fold means First By Preaching to the People pressing hard upon them again and again as in a Dialogue or Conference with
Bond of Religion that it makes the Saints of God not only desirous but even resolute also both to live and die together Thus Peter said to Christ I will even die with thee as well as live with thee and so said all the Disciples Matth. 26.35 Thus David begg'd of God Gather not my Soul with Sinners nor my Life with Bloody Men Psal 26.9 He could be well pleased to die with Saints as Ruth here with Naomi but he liked not to die with Sinners as that Religious Woman once said upon her Dying Bed Lord let not my Soul be gathered amongst Sinners in Hell for thou knowest I never loved their Company while I was upon Earth I will Die Hence Observ 2. All Persons and People should so live as those that do expect them and their Relations may die So Ruth did here expect it both for her Mother and for her self 'T is the grand Statute of Heaven 'T is appointed unto all People once to die Hebr. 9.27 As there be some that do promise themselves great things by such and such of their Relations which possibly are snatch'd from them before they be aware as the Priest was served who promis'd to himself great preferment when he heard his Uncle was made the Pope yet his next Tidings be receiv'd was that the Pope his Uncle was dead which made him cry out Alas I never thought of his Death So there be others that live so Licentiously as if they should never die never come to Judgment as if they were to have an Eternity of pleasure of sin in this World as Psal 49.10 11 12 13. Solomon doth wisely cut the Cocks-comb of the Younker's Courage in sin with a stinging But at the end of all his Jollity that Marrs all his Mirth But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Eccles 11.9 'T is sublime folly then for Persons to have such Inward Thoughts as if their Houses or Lives should be for ever 'T is very remarkable the first Doom that ever was denounced in the World was about the entring of Death Thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 and the first Doubt that ever was pronounced in the World was about the not entring of Death Ye shall not surely Die Gen. 3.4 ever since that time though the Doom hath been exactly executed in all Ages which was in the first Age denounced There is something of the Spawn of that Old Serpent left still in Man's Nature prompting to doubt of that whereof there is the greatest certainty Death is certain though the Day of our Death be uncertain Although every Man granteth that he shall surely die yet there is scarce any Man that futureth not his Death and thinketh not he may live yet and yet a little longer he may live a few more fair Summers he may see This is Folly in an high degree especially that sond Conceit of an Immortality and abiding here for ever which Ruth here had not so fully confuted by daily experience There will I be Buried Hence Observ 3. As Burial is one of the Dues of the Dead so dear Friends desire to be Buried together Ruth desires to be Buried with her Godly Mother It is very observable That the first purchase of possession mentioned in Scripture History was a place to bury in not to Build in Gen. 23.9 The Seed of Abraham God's Friend should be mindful of their Mortality and not fondly Dream of an Immortality this Blessed Proselyte to the Faith of Abraham Ruth is very mindful of her both Death and Burial 'T was a great Curse upon Conijah That he should be Buried with the Burial of an Ass Jer. 22.19 That is his Corps shall be cast out like Carrion into some by-corner he lived Undesired and he dyed Unlamentented and then had not the ordinary Honour of a Burying-place but was thrown out into a Ditch or on the Dunghill to be devoured by the Beasts of the Field and by the Fowls of Heaven a Just Hand of God upon this Wicked Man that he who had made so many to weep by his wickedness should have none to weep for him at his departure he who had such a stately Palace to sin in while alive should not have so much as an ordinary Grave to house his Carcase in when Dead Many great Ones have so lived that they have met with in the end the Death of a Dog and the Burial of an Ass Abraham therefore is careful for a Place of Sepulture for him and for his as Ruth doth here for her own and he would not be joined with Infidels in Burial but he desires and purchases a distinct burying place from them who neither had Belief nor Hope of the Resurrection of the Dead they offered him the free use of their common Burying-place Gen. 23.6 but he will rather pay for a Propriety to him and his than hold such a Community with them for he was desirous to be separated in Burial from them who believed not the Resurrection with him as Ruth doth here and his place purchas'd for Burying in was at Hebron which signifies Society or Conjunction for there lay as in their Repository or Resting-place those Godly Couples Abraham and Sarah Gen. 23.19 and 25.9 Isaac and Rebecca Jacob and Leah Gen. 49.31 and though Jacob Dyed in Egypt yet took he an Oath of his Son Jâ—seph for his Burying of him in that place Gen. 49.29 30. and 50.5 This was the common desire of all the Godly Ones in Scripture to be according unto Scripture Phrase gathered unto their Fathers as desirous to sleep with those in the Bed of Dust with whom they hope to awake to Eternal Rest Thus Ruth doth here with Naomi such Sepulchres are Symbols of the Communion of Saints and of the Resurrection of the Dead Hence the Hebrews do call their Burying-places Beth-Caiim the House of the Living and Job also calls the Grave the Congregation-House of all Living Job 30.23 the publick or common meeting place of all People as the Apostle after him calls Heaven The Congregation-House of all the First-Born Hebr. 12.23 Thus Christians may have an honest care as Ruth hath here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom they be Buried and where they are lay'd when they are Dead that as they lived together and loved together they may lie in the Grave together and not be divided sometimes in their Death as 2 Sam. 1.23 however not in their Burial 'T was a sad Judgment denounced against that proud Lucifer not Belzebub of Hell as some Antients say but Belshazzar of Babylon that he should not be joined in Burial with his Compeers and Fellow Kings in Funeral State and Pomp c. Isa 14.20 The Lord do so to me and more also this is a form of Imprecation frequently used in Scripture wherein more by an Aposiopesis is understood than expressed The Evils Imprecated are not expresly mentioned yet thus much this form of Speech implyeth Let God bring what evils
God for nothing that is Possible or Honourable is too hard for his Power Omnipotent Gen. 18.12 14. Rom. 4.19 20. When Moses smote the Flinty Rock Numb 20.10 't was more possible in Nature to fetch Fire out of it than Water yet was Water not Fire fetch'd from it by the Almighty Power of God The Unbelieving Lord said God's plenty promised by the Prophet could not possibly be performed though the Windows of Heaven were opened 2 Kin. 7.1 2. With Nicodemus we oft say How can these things be John 3.9 Can God prepare a Table c. Ps 78.19 Can this Corruption be mortified Can this Temptation be Resisted Can this Sin be Remitted Can our bodies be Raised Can Christ's Cause be revived Thus do we Err not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God Mat. 22.29 Remember to rest your Souls upon the Power of God in his Promises as Dan. 3.17 and Mat. 3.9 8.2 26.53 c. He can make a Virgin bear a Son c. He can what we cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Heathen Poet Linus could say All things are easie with God and nothing is Impossible Notewel Were we but Virgins Cant. 1.3 Rev. 14.4 Christ and his Cause may be born again of in and among us There is nothing Impossible with God c. N.B. The Second Mystery is As there must be a Spiritual Conception of Christ in the Conscience of a Christian ut suprâ so there should necessarily follow a Spiritual or Mystical Birth of Christ He must be born of us as well as conceived in us and both these are best effected in and by a Virgin Heart that is renewed so as to love Christ with an Holy Chast Virgin-love as more of that after alas there be many that seem to have Conceptions of Christ but they prove meer Embryo's Moles false Conceptions that become bare Abortives and never see the Sun Many have good Motions and good Desires kindled in their Consciences by some strong Convictions yet these come to be quenched either by withdrawing of Fuel a neglect of Ordinances or by pouring on Water in falling into soul Courses so Christ that seem'd to be conceived in the Heart comes not on to be born and brought forth into the Life they cannot say 'T is not I that live but Jesus Christ that liveth in me c. Gal. 2.20 How many fair Buds of good Desires are blasted and never Blossom into the flower of good Resolutions much less into the Fruit of good Actions Some seeming Palpitations or Pantings of Heart after good some Inquietations of Spirit and unsatisfiableness of Soul are oft stifled by Men who should not quench the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 but be careful to add fuel to that Holy Fire Lev. 6.12 13. and 24.2 3. The neglect of this Duty should be confessed 2 Chron. 29.6 7. and we ought to blow up those sparks of the Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 into a Flame 2 Tim. 1.6 that our Lives may shine in a dark World Matth. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 1 Pet. 2.12 If we have but the sparks of true Grace and we be but smoaking Flax Christ will not smother or quench it Matth. 12.20 God forbid we should do it our selves Therefore should we be like the Woman greatly wondred at which Travelled and was in great pain to be delivered c. Rev. 12.1 2. The New Birth will cost us strong cries and tears before we bring forth Christ into our Lives and Actions N. B. The Third Mystery is This can be done in none but in a Virgin-Heart as was before intimated effectually Christ was born of a Virgin And 't is the Virgins that love Christ Can. 1.3 that have a spiritual Chastity and are not defiled with the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust 2 Pet. 2.20 These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14.4 and these are they that bear and bring forth Christ first conceived Mystically in their Hearts into the most conspicuous Parts of their Lives and Actions The Life that they now live in the Flesh they live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 they are Redeemed for Royal Vse The Hebrew Word Gnalamoth for Virgins signifies God's hidden ones for so they are called Psalm 83.3 Their Life is hid in Christ Col. 3.3 Would to God such Virgins were without number now Cant. 6.8 N. B. Note well The Fourth Mystery is As Christ-lay nine Months in his Mother's Womb not Idle but eating out the Core of Corruption which cleaves to our Natures and then was borne So we under the Spirit of Bondage are prepared for the New-Birth she first received of the Holy Ghost before she conceived and brought forth Christ So must we do c. The Second Branch is The Person of whom Christ was born was as a Virgin in General so the Virgin Mary in Particular Concerning whom there is a double History and Mystery respecting 1. Her Stock And 2. Her State She was one of a very high Stock and Pedigree yet one of a very low State and Condition First The Mother of our Lord was nobly descended therefore is Christ call'd the Son of David Matth. 1.1 and 9.27 and Luke 20.41 So was Joseph his Reputed or Foster-Father of David's Lineage also Matthew shews the latter and Luke the former Matthew calls Christ the Son of David and of Abraham Matth. 1.1 2. because these two had the Promise of Christ's proceeding from their Loins This was for the Comfort of the Jews that God had made his Promise good to Abraham whom they call'd their Father And Luke derives Christ from Adam Luke 3.23 38. for the Comfort of the Gentiles who were of Adam though not of Abraham These were convincing and undeniable Testimonies that Christ was the true Messiah and the Saviour of the World This we must believe and with blind Bartimaeus cry out Jesus Thou Son of David have Mercy on me Mark 10.46 so strong was his Faith that it did not only break through but also increased by all rebuking Contradictions He cryed a great deal the more ver 48. Notewel True Faith works its way as the Sun doth through all Obstructions Yea and when he heard that the Master call'd him as he doth us daily he cast away his Garments ver 50. though but a Beggar so knew not where to get another Coat in this Case he stood not upon the loss of his Coat but for Joy of his being called cast it from him that he might hasten to his Redeemer Oh that we could cast away our rotten Rags of Sin Heb. 12.1 and that filthy Garment also of our own Righteousness Isa 64.6 let Christ tread upon it Matth. 21.8 Leave thy Water-pots and all John 4.28 All this is Recorded in the Gospel for the Everlasting Honour of this poor Blind Man when mighty Monarch's are pass'd over in silence they if not utterly forgotten lay shrouded up in the Sheet of Shame c. Secondly Though Mary was of a most
their Death as well as in their Life for as they both Lived so they both Dyed Qualis vita Mors finis ita an Holy Lifâ— hath an Happy Death so contra First Lazarus dyeth and he dyed in the Lord Rev. 14.13 He slept in Jesus 1 Thess 4.14 So his Death was Blessed being but as that Noble Charior which Joseph the Lord of the Land of Egypt sent to fetch his Father in to partake with him of his glory Gen. 45.27 So the Lord sent Death to this Miserable godly Man as a Waggon not only to carry him out of his present Misery but also to carry him home to his Fathers House where he might partake of future Felicity and endless Glory This Holy Beggar had the Holy Angels attending him at his Death he had been before in his Life Canibus Expositus a Companion of Dogs but now at his Death he is become Angelorum Socius an Associate of Angels who waited upon him at his dying Hour Angels may indeed wait upon wicked Men as that Angel did at the Pool of Bechesda John 5.2 3 4. We cannot suppose that every Person of that Multitude of Impotent folk were godly yet whosoever he was good or bad that first stepped into the Pool when the Waters thereof were moved he was straight-way healed by the Angel But this good Man had many Angels to meet him in his way of Dying as Jacob had Gen. 32.1 2. So his Death was to him only as another Mahanaim having Gods Host making a Lane being on each side to Succour his Soul with an easie passage out of his Body N. B. Note well Here was not one Angel only attending Dying Lazarus but many Angels all as it were striving which of them should be his bearers into a better World Thus he who had been licked by Dogs in his Life was now Honoured by Angels at his Death if it be asked What shall be done to the Man whom the King of Kings Delighteth to Honour as Esth 6.6 9 11. 'T is Answered he shall be Honoured with this double Honour 1. To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives and 2. To be born upon the Wings of Angels when he Dyes Such Honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 This is a greater Honour than that Honour of Hamans hammering out for himself of Riding upon the Kings Horse in Royal Robes c. as above Esth. 6. Yea 't is greater Honour than that of Amasis King of Egypt who would most Ambitiously have his own Royal Chariot to be drawn by four of his fellow Kings whom he had taken Captive in War in stead of Horses to hurry him about in State Oh! How great was this Honour done to a dying Saint that must have the Holy Angels come down from Heaven to Earth upon this Errand only Namely to carry Lazarus's Soul from Earth to Heaven as our Lord hath appointed them To be Ministring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1.14 This Office they account their Honour in Christ who Confirmed them as he Redeemed us that they might not fall as the Evil Angels did Secondly Dives so call'd dyed also and was buryed ver 22. This is all that is said of him leaving his Attendance at Death and his passage after Death to be gathered out of ver 23. where we find him in Hell a ploce of Torments which necessarily presupposeth that he was attended with Devils at his Death as Lazarus was with Angels at his 'T is said here the rich Man also dyed his Riches whereof he had boasted Ps 49.6 and wherein he had trusted Ps 52.7 Mark 10.24 during his life could not now deliver him from Death Prov. 11.4 Death is the end of all worldly glory Ps 49.10 'T is Appointed unto all Men once to dye Hebr. 9.27 None of his Skillfullest Physitians with their Constliest Cordials could Redeem him from being Artested by that grim Serjeant Death and when Dead he was Buried and possibly the whole Town attended him to his Bâ—rying-place whereas poor Lazarus probably had but four Bearers of his Body and a few following the Bier c. though this rich Mans Body was undoubtedly born in great Pomp and Splendour to the Grave yet poor Lazarus's Soul was in a far more splendid State carryed up into glory Whereas no Funeral Solemnities not the choicest sweet purfumes could Cure much less save this Gluttons stinking Soul which 〈◊〉 certainly feized upon by Devils with greediness at its departure out of his Body who hurryed it away hastily to Hell the next news we hear of him is he that had been Clothed in Bysso in Silken Robes while he lived was now groaning in Abysso in that Bottomless pit whereinto those Devils had plunged him when he was dead The Lord let him live the longer to Repent in but he Repented not Revel 2.21 22. So now God bid the Devils to take him c. This brings in the Fourth Difference betwixt this Rich Man and the Beggar in their State after Death also As in life the Glutton had a State of Abundance and the Beggar a State of Indigence so after Death the former had a State of Misery and the latter a State of Glory of whom we are told that as Death came in Mercy to him for delivering him from the smarting Sores of his Body so the Angels Received his Pretious and Pious Soul that had been lodged in a putrified Carcase and not only conveyed it safely through the Air which is called the Devils Territories as he is Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 but also lodged it sweetly in Abrahams Bosom which Phrase is a Synonymon of Celestial Felicity N. B. Note well Glory is no where called the Bosom of Adam for he is noted in Scripture to be the first and great sinner who brought all manner of Misery and Death it self into the World Rom. 5.14 c. Whereas Abraham stands Dignified with the Title of the Father of the Faithfull c. Rom. 4.17 18. Hereupon all Believers who walk in the Steps of Abraham while they live Rom. 4.12 Hebr. 6.12 13. Are said to Lodge in the Bosom of Abraham when they dye as here Pious Lazarus is placed in Abraham's Bosom ver 22 23. Luke 16. because he had been a follower of Abraham in imitation of his Faith and Patience c. N. B. Note well Abrahams Bosom is a Metaphore either taken from Feasts whereat it is said the beloved Disciple leaned upon our Lords Bosom John 13.23 and 20 21. or from the manner of a kind Father who when his Child is weary with running about or hath met with a knock therein immediately takes up his Child and lays it in his Bosom for its Ease Cure and Comfort N. B. Note well this Honour have all the Saints Ps 149.9 That as the Palsy-Man was let down in his Couch through the Tiling of the House top into the midst of the lower Room before Jesus Luke 5.18 19. Even
B. Note well Christ will look on those that look for him and will meet those that endeavour to meet him Jam. 4.8 We all are low in our Spiritual Stature as he in Corporal therefore stand we need of all Gospel Institutions to advance us toward a better prospect of Christ and we are hindred with the press as he was from seeing Jesus ver 3. There is the press both of wicked Men without and of Worldly cares Carnal Cogitations within to hinder our beholding Christ and drawing nigh to him N. B. Note well Oh! That we could climb up the Cross of Christ as he did this Sycomore Tree this would help us to a fuller view of Christ c. And N. B. Note Well Oh! That we could hasten as his name signifies and his posture was not only in running faster than others to meet Jesus ver 4. But also in making hast and coming down at Christs call to entertain him v. 5 6. Heaven is a matter of greatest hast and ought not to be adjourned till to Morrow we should hasten to cast away our Pride and come down to Christ by Humility Oh! the Marvelous vouchsafement of Christ to Zacheus here 1. He Honours this Rich Publican with a Name because his Name was writ in Heaven Luke 10.20 Whereas the Rich Glutton Luke 16. Hath no Name vouchsafed him as poor yet pious Lazarus had there ver 19 20.2 When this Publican had not Confidence in himself to invite Christ then Christ prevented him and not only invites but even obtrudes himself as it were upon Zacheus whose mind Christ knew was willing enough to invite him had not the Sense of his Sins and the publick Odium of his being a Publican yea a Master of them hindered him N. B. Note well we read not that Christ went to any House uninvited save to this Modest Man's 3. Christ left his own House and his glory in Heaven John 17.5 yet is willing not only to come to but also to take up his Abode in this Publicans House Luke 19.5 This also he vouchsafes to do in our Hearts John 14.23 N. B. Note well Assuredly that House had need to be clean swept and well garnished wherein the King of glory Psal 24.7 9. whom neither Heaven nor Earth can contain 1 Kin. 8.27 c. Comes as a guest No wonder then if this Penitent Publican received him with joy ver 5. Though the Malignant Pharisees murmured at this Publicans Priviledge as the Jews did when Christ left their House Desolate Matth. 23.38 And pressed himself into the House of the Gentiles whereof this Publicans was a Type They call Zacheus a sinner who was now none but a Justified Penitent willing to make a four fold Restitution for all his frauds c. ver 8. Standing undaunted at ther Murmuring whereby they would have hurt the green thing in him Exod. 10.15 But Christ will not let those Locusts do so Revel 9.4 And they also Calumniate Christ but he vindicates himself ver 10. Shewing how lost Publicans may be Abrahams Children found by Faith Now when Christ had spoke that he came to save Abrahams Seed the Apostles thence Conjectured that he would at this Journey to Jerusalem begin his Glorious Temporal Kingdom Luke 19.11 as was promised Isa 9.7 And knowing that Daniels seventy weeks were now Elapsed hereupon Christ to undeceive them Preaches the Parable of the pounds Luke 19. ver 12 to 29. Wherein he declareth that a Kingdom was indeed due to him not over the Jews only but over the Gentiles also as all the Prophets Prophesied concerning the Messiah but before the full Accomplishment of this he tells them tacitely of his own Sufferings and of the Jews Contumacy against his Kingdom in this Parable The Scope whereof is 1. That Christ is this Noble-Man that must take his Journey out of this lower World to receive his Kingdom in a better World with a Resolve in due time to Return and Reign gloriously c. 2. The Administration of his Spiritual Kingdom is in his Absence committed to Believers especially to Pastors who are all to Trade with their Talents and to Occupy and Improve their Gifts untill he come ver 13.3 The Pounds and Talents they are betrusted to Trade withal are the gifts God gives them whereby to promote Gods glory and the Churches good and though that Parable Matth. 25.15 Holds out how God giveth not the like Measure of gifts unto all but to every one according to their Capacity c. Yet here is an equal Portion one pound to each of the Ten is given to wit so much Knowledge Faith c. as are necessary to Salvation are equally given to all Christians 4. The Citizens that will not have this King to Reign over them are both Jews and Gentiles that Act Rebelliosly against him Psal 2.1 2 c. The Jews Conspire to kill Christ by a gentile power even that of the Romans instead of sending a Lamb to him Isa 16.1 They sent the Message of Rebels ver 14.5 Then this Great King Returns and Reckons with his Servants c. Christ Traveled at his personal Ascension from which time his Servants Tradeth untill his Return at the General Resurrection 6. Some Servants are found Faithful in their Reckoning saying not my pains but thy pound Lord hath gained ten pounds c. ver 16 18. Attributing the glory of the Gain not to the free will of Man but to the free grace of God as 1 Cor. 15.10 Yet some are found unfaithfull making false and frivolous excuses for their Reckoning and the Lord himself must bear the blame of their unfaithfullness ver 20 21. Matth. 25.24 25. Fretting against the Lord when his own foolishness had perverted his way Prov. 19.3 as fallen Adam did Gen. 3.12 saying in effect Had not God given me a Woman I had not Transgressed against him 7. The Judge passeth Sentence upon the good Servants who are both Highly Commended and Richly Rewarded ver 17 19. and upon the bad notwithstanding his plausible Apology that he had done his Lord no wrong in returning his own again and Translating the Servants fault upon the Masters Austerity ver 21. His Crime is retorted upon himself ver 22 23. And he is Judged out of his own Mouth his common grace was taken from him for he certainly wanted the Oyl of Special Grace seeing his Lips like Doors upon rusty Hinges move not without Murmuring and Male-contendedness and was doomed according to the proverbial Sentence by the Lords Liberality ver 24 25 26. Lastly The Lord having Reckoned with his Servants and Rewarded them according to their Works doth then Revenge himself upon the Rebels ver 27. And when Christ had ended this Parable he went before his Company as the Captain of Salvation towards Jerusalem as Daring to meet Death in the face out of his Matchless Magnanimity ver 28. And thus he is come from beyond Jordan to Jericho Zacheus's City and from thence to Bethany Luke
Heaven and most remote from Noise and Company yet Capacious enough to contain an Hundred and Twenty Persons So a place fittest for this Service of God c. 3. The Persons who were Materials and the Constituting members of this first Constituted Gospel Church are described by their Names Number and Holy Exercises Acts 1.12 13 14 15 c. Amongst whom is named as one of them Mary the Mother of our Lord verse 14. Which is the first time we hear any thing of her after Christ's Death not any of the Evangelists Recording one word of our Lord 's appearing once to her during the Forty days of his tarrying upon Earth yet the Romanists will have her to Command her Son in Heaven in his State of Exaltation who would not be commanded by her at the Marriage-Feast in his State of humiliation saying to her What have I to do with thee Woman c. John c. 2. v. 4. Note There were Holy Women mingled among the Men who waited for the promise of the Spirit and for ten days they all put in suit by their Daily Prayers and no doubt but those of the Feminine Sex might make Masculine Prayers for obtaining the promised Comforter during those ten days of waiting Peter the designed Minister of the Circumcision among whom he now was stood up that this New-planted Church might chuse one in Judas's room to Organize it with a compleat number of Officers that there might be twelve Apostles answerable to the twelve Patriarchs and the twelve Tribes of Israel The Church hereupon chuseth two Joses and Matthias for the Lord to chuse one of them by lot according to Pro. 16.33 which fell to Matthias By that time that their number was compleated wanting nothing now but extraordinary Qualifications for their extraordinary Service in their Generation-work the day of Pentecost came and the effusion of the Holy Spirit upon them This we have Related at large in the 2d Chapter of the Acts This Feast was instituted in Remembrance of the Law delivered to Moses in the Mount fifty days after Israel's departure out of Aegypt at which time they kept the Passover which was their Feast of Unleavened Bread Lev. 23.16 Therefore was it call'd Pentecost which signifies fifty and the Feast of Weeks Exod. 34 22. because it was to be observed Seven Weeks exactly after the Passover Deut. 16.9 And 't is call'd also the Feast of first Fruits of their Wheat-Harvest Exod. 34.22 now that there might be the most Adapted and Accommodated Congruity and Correspondency betwixt the Type and the Antitype as the Law was given upon that fiftieth day Exod. 19.1 11. So the Gospel which is our Lord's Law that great Lawgiver Isa 33.22 must be given upon the self same day Then also were the gifts of the Holy Spirit poured down in most plentiful manner which were the blessed first fruits of the Gospel-Wheat-Harvest after our Lord was Ascended up into Heaven and had sat down but ten days at the Right hand of God Besides not only the Holy Ghost and God's love thereby Rom. 5.5 is sent down and shed abroad on the fiftieth day after that Christ our Paschal Lamb and Passover was Sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 But also this same fiftieth day did fall upon the first day of the Week the more to honour this day to Recommend it to us as the New Christian Sabbath day as Christ had done by his Resurrection upon that day and by his Sundry Appearances to the number of ten upon the same first day of the Week during the Forty days before his Ascension Note We never read of his once appearing all that time upon the seventh day of the Week which was the Old Jewish Sabbath day and which certainly he would have honoured by so doing had he intended that day to be still the perpetual Sabbath nor did he send the Comforter upon that seventh day but upon the first day of the Week again which was the Eight-first-day inclusive after his Resurrection upon the first day of these Eight first days compleating the fifty or Pentecost-Feast Our Lord after he was Ascended and sat down with an Heavenly welcome in Heaven for accomplishing his whole Redemption-work on Earth stayed yet his hand for ten days that as his death was at the Passover so his dignity should be at Pentecost For at both them two Feasts all the Males were to appear in Jerusalem not only out of all the 12 Tribes but also out of every Nation where the Jews had been dispersed that as all these have been witnesses of the injury done to Jesus so they might likewise behold the fruits and effects of his Glory N.B. Thus are we bid to wait but ten days as those did here Rev. 2.10 And then the Comforter will come to us in the mean time let us get up to the mountain of Myrrh and to the hill of Frankincense Cant. 4.6 that is wait in repenting and in praying work till these ten days of dark shadows flee way c. Now whilst this Primo-primitive Church were waiting together with one accord as if there had been but one Soul for an hundred and twenty Bodies there comes unexpectedly at the end a rushing mighty wind that shakes this upper Room The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 and fills every corner of it to fit them for receiving the fiery Cloven-Tongues that came and sat upon each of them N.B. which was a blessed Antidote against that confusion of Tongues wherewith the Builders of Babel were plagued from Heaven The pure Lip and Language even the unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace is promised to Zion's Builders Note Hereby the Apostles were inabled to speak in all Languages having the gift of Tongues Superadded to those great gifts and graces of the Spirit which now they received in a more excellent and extraordinary manner than formerly When the Native Jews and the two sorts of Proselites both those of the Gate owning only the Precepts of Noah and those of Righteousness who were circumcised c. heard them all speak the wonderful works of God in Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension c. and this in every Lingua as filled with the Spirit This procured contrary events and effects for that part of the Auditory that was good were amazed and forced into a Rapture the Object being too strong for the faculty so do only ask at present one another's sentiments of this wonder c. Because they could not fathom the depths of the marvelous Divine Dispensation this drove them into an Extacy as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Acts 2.11 12. and therefore they request one of another to be resolved of a reason concerning them But the bad part of the Authority to wit the Scribes Pharisees c. who understood not Foraign Dialects mocked saying These men are drunk with New-Wine ver 13. thinking with this Aspersion to perswade the People that the Apostles did but
mis-rule can be well enough Content with the concord and confederacies of the wicked for he will not have his Kingdom divided by such combinations as they are Conspiracies against Christ's Kingdom so they are the Corroborations and Confirmations of his own Therefore doth he only envy the happy Harmony of those that are the truly Religious This very consideration should be a sufficient caution to all good men least they be too far Imbarked into the Salt Sea of contention and that they do not overshoot themselves even in the best causes least if we be over hot one against another God's wrath may be kindled more hot against us all Wo and alas for those over sharp disputes and differences in our day My Soul doth mourn in secret for them We want the Angel that hath power over the fire to quench it c. Rev. 14.18 The second Remark is The best of Men are but Men at the best Those two Eminent Apostles being attempted to be worshipped at Lystra as a couple of Gods then staved off those blind Devotionists with crying out to them They were men of like passions with themselves c. Acts 14.15 and here they do testifie that same in their deeds which they there had affirmed only in words Their passions made them part as Abraham and Lot parted through a strife among their Servants Gen. 13.9 yet may we well suppose that their passions did not destroy their habits of Grace infused into both their hearts by the Holy Ghost They being good men both of them still kept the Unity of Faith in the hond of peace And though Barnabas were more blame-worthy according to the Judgment of the Greek fathers who say Paul only sought that which was just but Barnabas that which was Humane Divine matters ought to be consulted in the cause of Christ more than natural Relations which are oft times cloggs in clear duty And John mark 's pusillanimity in declining the hardships and Hazards of the Ministry once might well be judged that the same might be his Temptation again in their second enterprize N.B. Notwithstanding all this yet Barnabas being so good a man and full of the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 could not but retain his cordial friendship with Paul and Paul must do the same with him having still an holy respect of and an hearty Prayer for one another as undoubtedly it was no otherwise betwixt Lot and Abraham though they parted asunder 't is clearly intimated Gen. 18.31 that Abraham prayed for Lot in Sodom not giving over begging till he had prevailed with God in Baiting from fifty to ten and then might Abraham hope that peradventure ten Righteous persons might be found in Lot's numerous Family for the sparing of Sodom and her four Sisters Gomorrah Adimah Zeboim and Zoar however Lot was preserved at Abraham's prayer for him and Charity bids us think that Righteous Lot prayed also for Abraham The third Remark is The Sincere reproofs of the Righteous to Offenders are singular and real kindnesses Psal 141.5 So they proved here c. And Solomon saith Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Pro. 9.8 to wit for that faithfulness he findeth in thee and for that benefit he receiveth from thee Open Rebuke is better than secret Love Pro. 27.5 And faithful are the wounds of a Friend verse 6. though they put a man to some shame and pain too for the present yet afterward they do good and therefore are more desirable than flatterys because beneficial such woundings or smitings with the Tongue as they do prevent the evil consequences of sin so they are the best acts of the most faithful friendship Thus Paul's severe reflections upon John Mark here was so blest to him say the Greek Fathers also that it made him for the future more diligent and valiant in the cause of the Gospel which occasioned that kind Salutation Paul giveth him Col. 4.10 and which sheweth they were reconciled again and came into friendly and familiar fellowship This Mark repented of his sin and became profitable to Paul for the Ministry as Paul tells Timothy 2 Tim. 4 11. and was with Paul at Rome Phile. v. 24 as his Fellow-labourer and Evangelist and least the Church at Colosse or any of the other Churches should take up a prejudice against Mark for his leaving Paul and his company in Pamphylia Acts 13.13 therefore doth Paul give orders that if he came amongst them they might kindly entertain him as he was Peter's Spiritual Son 1 Pet. 5.13 Col. 4.10 And though Barnabas by standing so stiff for his Nephew against Paul his faithful Fellow-traveller had much disgusted him when Natural affection sway'd that good Man over much in the case of his Kinsman yea and again in his being found halting with Peter Gal. 2.13 rather than he would walk uprightly with his old Associate Paul verse 14. for the which Paul reproved them both yet doth Paul make an honourable mention of this same Barnabas 1 Cor. 9.6 matching him with himself in equal Apostolical power which flowed from his great holy ingenuity as it was in Peter to make such an honourable mention of Paul who had reproved him 2 Pet. 3.15 Oh! that all differences among Saints were thus amicably composed as here c. CHAP. XVI Paul and Silas sent out again NOw those two great Apostles being thus divided about their Companion in their work go their several ways Barnabas takes Mark and goeth to Cyprus that Island in the Mediterranean Sea and which was Barnabas's Native Soil Acts 4.36 After whose sailing to Cyprus nothing is recorded what honour this prophet found in his own Countrey 't is probable not much not only because Christ had foretold that such seldom meet with good success in their Ministry John 4.44 but also because had Barnabas's labours among his Kindered and Acquaintance been answerable to his Love and Affections toward them the Sacred Scripture could not have been silent concerning any such success And this may moreover be the more doubted because we find not that Barnabas and Mark were now sent away to Cyprus by any solemn Recommendation of the Church at Antioch as Paul and Silas were to their work they two were Recommended unto the grace of God Acts 15.39 40. that they might have the Spirits conduct and assistance but not a word of the Church's prayer for Barnabas and Mark when they sailed to Cyprus Therefore have we a distinct and exact account of Paul and Silas's Travells Actions and Success in their Perambulation through Syria and Cilicia confirming those Churches that had lately been planted in those Countreys Acts 11.19 and 15.23 c. to which also the late Decree of the Council at Jerusalem was directed that they might by their exhortations and answering of offered objections be incouraged to persevere in the profession of the Gospel of Christ which they had heard Acts 15.41 The sacred Journalls of Scripture do Record their Stations and Actions first in Asia and then
Apostate for it he confessed it but saying he was only fal'n off from the Devil c. nor may we keep Company with the Incorrigible See Ephes 5.7 11.2 Thess 3.14 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 c. Tit. 3.10 c. The fifth Remark is Paul's Apostle-ship and Ministry was confirmed by his working Miracles at Ephesus verse 11 12. N.B. Those Miracles he wrought there were not common and ordinary or such as might happen by chance but special or singular such as had been wrought by Peter Acts 5.12 15. and such as our Saviour had foretold and promised John 14.12 Insomuch that even Handkerchiefs or Aprons having but touched Paul's body and being brought unto the Diseased became by a Miracle the most Soveraign means both to cure diseases and to cast out Devils N.B. which were greater Works than Christ did for the matter tho' not for the manner of them because Paul did not these things in his own name but in Christ's nor did he preach up himself the Churche's Bridegroom or Husband but her Servant for Jesus's sake N.B. God was pleased to put a power into those improbable unlikely and in themselves Contemptible means to work miracles for two Reasons 1. That the power of Christ whom Paul preached might the more evidently be manifested therein And 2. That such as were absent tho' never had seen Paul nor heard him preach might yet have an high and honourable estimation of and veneration for Christ and his Gospel These Miracles did magnifie much Paul's Ministry N.B. Nor doth this make any thing for palliating the Superstitious use of Popish Relicts so much reverenced tho cheats by the Papists The sixth Remark is The Devil would gladly be God's APE ver 13.14 N.B. The Jewish Jugglers there would by all means imitate the Apostles in casting out Devils designing thereby if they could have done it by their Charms effectually to have persuaded the people that all the Apostles miracles were but Magical Exorcisms Yet those Exorcists pretended to charm in the Name of the Lord Jesus as if there had been in the bare Words and Syllables which they propounded a power of Miracles N.B. Tho' there be certainly none in them yet the true God being willing to be known and owned rather than that the names of the false Gods should be called upon hath sometimes put forth his power in such Superstitious Invocations Matth. 12 27. Tho' now to those Vagrants like our Gipsies Vagabonds God would not give this honour because he was now manifesting the Majesty and Glory of the Messiah so would not concur with any that came not in his Authority as well as name yet whatever had been formerly done by calling on the God of Abraham as Josephus Relateth strange Storys thereby 't is abominable impiety because God's Word warrants no such practice nor gives one promise to act faith on in so doing The seventh Remark is The Devil by Divine permission hath power over those that prophane the name of Christ taking it in Vain against the 3d. Commandment tho' they be descended from never so honourable predecessors and themselves never so much pretenders to a Veneration for the name of Jesus c. Mention is made here for a clear manifestation of this truth That there are Seven Sons of Sceva one that had been high Priest or of the chief of those 24. Courses of Priests divided by David 1 Chron. 24.4 who became Vagabounds wandring up and down to conjure out evil Spirits in the name of the God of Abraham as Josephus saith in his Eighth Book c. merely to pick a livelihood out of that Trade as our Jugglers do but turned their Tone here when they saw how the Apostle wrought miracles in the Name of Jesus they likewise adjured evil Spirits by Jesus whom Paul preached verse 13 14. N.B. This should teach all Parents especially Ministers to use their utmost indeavours that their Children be well educated That great High Priest Pope Paul the third thought it sufficient to say of his Dissolute and Bloody Son Farnesius haec vitta me non commonstratore didicit he never learnt those Debauchees of his Father What these Seven Sons learnt of their Priestly Father the Scripture is silent yet are they called here certain Vagabond Jews and Exorcists or Conjurers who thought to work as mighty miracles as Paul did but the Devil proved too hard for them Saying Jesus I know for he had destroyed the Devil's works Heb. chap. 2. v. 14. and Paul I know for he had felt his fingers in that Messenger of Satan 2 Cor. chap. 12. v. 7. and yet had thrown the Devil out of his Trenches 2 Cor. 10.4 but who are ye tho' they to wit Jesus and Paul have a Commission to cast me out yet I know ye have no power to cast me out too N.B. Here the old Lyar spake truth confessing that he was under God's Command signified to him by the least of God's Ministers v. 15. The possessed by the power of the Devil who hath not lost his natural tho' he hath his moral and Spiritual power Rushes upon those Exorcists Masters all the seven tears their Cloaths wounds their bodies and had not God here limited the Devil had unavoidably destroyed them all However that he did thus much mischief to those who were his own Vassals may well be wondered at because the Devil usually and willingly Co-operateth with Conjurers and Witches called Begnalath of the Mistress of a Devil 1 Sam. 28.7 suffering himself to be commanded by them out of others bodies that they might confederate with him in their Souls but here God over-ruled all and defeated the Devil in his wicked practices making all serve the farther advancement of the Gospel which Paul preached The eigth Remark is This Execution of Divine Vengeance wrought wonderfully for the Conviction and Conversion both of Jews and Greeks Acts 19. ver 17. insomuch that many believed and came and confessed their sinful Deeds verse 18 19. N.B. When these Sinners saw that God undertook the patronage of this preacher of the Gospel making the Devil his Executioner upon the Sons of Sceva for prophaning the name of Christ this did not only strike them all with terrour but also they believing that God's power was above the Devil 's thereby became sensible of their danger in being led still Captive by the Devil at his will and would keep his Council no longer but laid ope their spiritual mutual Sores of former Diabolical Delusions by a publick and ingenuous Confession that the Balm of the Gospel might be the more effectually powred into them N.B. As the fear of God's Judgments moved them to Confess their sins not privately in the ears of a Priest as Papists do but publickly in the hearing of all which was some ease and cooling to their Consciences like giving Vent to a Vessel ready to break and cooling the blood by breathing a Vein and their Confession by the Mouth was made unto Salvation Rom.
was quickly Metamorphos'd in the Ecclesiastick power of the Bishop of Rome in comparison of whose power that when Phocus had gratified Boniface the Bishop with the primacy for the supporting him in the Imperial Chair after he had murdered the Emperour Mauritious his Master and placed him self in it The Emperor's power was indeed very small ever after Therefore is he said to exercise all the power of the first Beast healing his former wound by reviving the adoration of Images under a new name of Saints by which Idolatry lived again and doth live yet is it also limited to 42 months Rev. ch 13. v. 5 12 15 and those two Beasts are but one Beast ver 17 18 c. N.B. That the Lord may make me as another Barnabas a Son of Consolation Acts 4.36 unto the Disconsolate Church in this our Day with a blessed Voice in the Temple Isa 66.6 I shall lay down this General Rule first that the choicest and most soveraign Cordials wherewith we ought to Refresh and Revive our Trembling Spirits when we are even fainting away with fear prevailing over our hope are the exceeding great and precious Promises of God 2 Pet. 1.4 which are called by the Evangelical Prophet the Breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 Those are the blessed Suckling Bottles that all God's Children who are taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 John 6.45 must learn to suck that they may be satified so as no longer to look upon the consolations of God like small matters to them Job 15.11 for no small gifts can come from the hand of so great and so gracious a God who is the God of Consolation Rom. 15.5 and the Consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 He is the God of all Comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 that is of all true Comfort of all kinds of Comfort and of all degrees of Comfort He is the Fountain from whom they all flow and such a Father of Mercy as when one comforting Mercy is spent upon us God still abides as a Father able to beget more and new comforting Mercies for us that the Heirs of the Promises might have strong consolation c Heb. 6.17 18. even everlasting Consolation in our Lord Christ 2 Thes 2.16 Now as there is a Natural Instinct which instructeth Lambs and all such like young Animals immediately as soon as brought forth to suck the Teats of their Dams c. So there is a Divine and Spiritual Instinct which teaches all the Lambs of Christ to suck the precious Promises those blessed Breasts of Consolation that they may be as Napthali satisfied with favour and filled with the blessing of the Lord Deut. 33.23 Behold the marvelous congruity betwixt this Instinct of Nature in all young Animals and that great Grace of Faith in all God's Children 'T is said the Just shall live by his Faith Hab. 2.4 a Text so famous as to be three times quoted in the New Testament Râ—m 1.17 Gal. 3.11 and Heb. 10.38 All which Divine Scriptures do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanimously hold forth the most eminent and most excellent exercise of that great Grace of Faith so exceeding useful to us both while we live and when we die The Just or truly justified ones cannot live without it 'T is as the Merchant Ship that fetcheth our food from far Prov. 31.14 even from Heaven it self sometimes as it did Manna Psal 78.24 25. John 6.31 This Grace makes men able to live even in the worst of times and sure I am none dare die without it 't is the saving Grace as Heb. 11.13 All God's Worthies died in the Faith c. Thus far in the general but now come to particulars N.B. We must learn all of us as becometh the Babes of Christ to suck out satisfaction to our Souls from such blessed Breasts of Consolation as are most suitable to our present condition of any kind of Calamity The first Instance I shall give here is that exceeding great and precious promise which God most graciously granted unto Abraham that Father of all the faithful Rom. 4.16 when a pang of fear came upon him and when his Faith was fallen below his Fear and his Fear was swollen up above his Faith then God comes seasonably and says to him Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 When Abraham was made able to suck out the sweet Milk of this precious Promise by the Mysterial Mouth of a lively Faith then his former fainting fits of a desponding fear were done away and then could he walk as it were hand in hand with his God through all his following Tryals and became able to follow his heavenly Father as we may say blindfold not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet all along well knowing with whom he went for he always walked as a Child in his Father's hand saying as David said afterward Though my God lead me through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for God is with me his Rod and Staff still comfort me therefore surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23.4 6. 'T is expresly said of Abraham that he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform c. Rom. 4.20 21. Now what Malady of fear did here befal our Father Abraham may befal any of the Sons and Daughters of Abraham yea undoubtedly often times does so As Faith in God's Promise was this holy Patriarch's Remedy against his Malady of fear So accordingly it ought to be our Remedy also If we could believe more in the Lord our God we should be better established against all distrustful fears and be more prosperous in our works and ways 2 Chron. 20.20 Isa 7.9 for God proportioneth his performing unto the measure of our believing saying to us as to the Man in the Gospel As thou be lievest so be it unto thee Matth. 8.13 Mark 9.23 This is a very great Truth that whosoever of the Sons and Daughters of Abraham do their duty according to that Divine Command Rom. 4.12 of walking in the steps of faithful Abraham in this World they shall be sure of lodging in the bosom of Father Abraham as Lazarus did Luke 16.22 in the World to come c. The second Instance that I shall add alone here concerneth the Church of God in general as the first did every Child of God in particular both which may fall into fainting fits of hopeless fear this is that exceeding great and precious promise out of which all the Children of the Church ought to suck the Milk of consolation in a disconsolating day of distress upon the Church of Christ namely that blessed Breast of comfort recorded by Zechariah Rejoyce greatly O! daughter of Zion c. Behold thy King cometh unto thee Just