was not let or set down out of the Angel's Arms who had charge over him to keep him in his way verse 40. till he came to Azotus so call'd by the Septuagint which in the Hebrew Old Testament Reading is Ashdod one of the five Principal Cities of the five Lords of the Philistines Josh 15.47 1 Sam. 5.3 and 6. v. 16 17 18. N.B. Now the distance from Gaza to Azotus as Diodorus Siculus measures it is 270 Furlongs or 34 Miles so far did Philip flie safely upon the wings of an Angel imployed by the Spirit of God The Remarks hereupon are these 1. This miraculous Rapture of Philip from the Eunuch's presence and prospect was for this purpose that the Eunuch might be the more assured of the Truth of those things which were taught him by Philip's Ministry and that he was a person sent of God to save this Ethiopian's Soul The second Remark is God will do better to his People at the latter end than at the beginning according to his promise Ezek. 36.11 Philip here had an hard and toilsom Journey from Samaria to Gaza footing it through a Desart in untrodden paths But now from Gaza to Azotus he hath an easier passage an holy Angel becomes his Chariot and he who ran to the Eunuch's Chariot making haste and not delaying to obey God's Command Psal 119.60 as he Rode a while in that earthly woodden Chariot when the Eunuch had handed him into his Acts 8.30 31. So now he Rides in an Heavenly and Angelical flying Chariot wherein he not only Rode but did Flie to Ashdod The third Remark is Wheresoever Christ comes he casts out Satan that strong Man out of his strongest holds as he is the stronger Man Luke 11.21 22. This Ashdod was a place famous or rather infamous for Dagon and his Diabolical Worship 1 Sam. 5.3 where the True God Awakes in his Power by beating Dagon upon his own Dung-hill and paying the Posteriors of his Worshippers with Emerods And it was a principal place of the Philistines those Irreconcileable Enemies of the Church of God But now Philip must go thither with the Gospel that in this dark place he might bring Life and Immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 N.B. 2dly The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing which Joy was the fruit of his Faith Rom. 5.1 admiring at the great Gift conferred upon him in the Knowledge of Christ and in the Salvation of his Soul which was now sealed to him with the Seal of the Covenant of Grace he values not what the wild Courtiers at home would say of him or censure him for having Christ's Mark set upon him but takes Ship at Gaza and becomes the first we find that carried Christianity into Africa CHAP. IX Of Saul's Conversion and the Church's Rest THIS ninth Chapter containeth a most remarkable Remedy of the Church's Malady the most notorious Misery that ever yet had befallen her since her first Constitution God now wrought the Church's Deliverance by a new and notable providential way not by the Confusion but by the Conversion of the most principal and most pestilent Persecutor thereof whereby not only that Church which was at Jerusalem but also the other Churches which had been gathered in other places by means of the Dispersion had rest and peace Acts 9.1 to 32. verse 31. saith Then had the Churches Rest c. at Saul's Conversion N.B. Moses's-Bush Exod. 3.2 3. was an excellent Emblem of the Church of God as the Bush burned yet was not consumed no more is the Church by the fire of Tribulation Isa 43.2 because of the good will of him who dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33.16 whereby either the Bush is consolidated so as to bear the force of the flame without harm as Gold in the Furnace comes purer out but is not consumed Job 23.10 or the furious and consuming heat of the fire is restrained as was done in the Fiery Furnace of Babylon so that the fire had no power so much as to singe the Hairs or the Garments of those three Nobles who were cast into it Dan. 3.25 27. N.B. God Almighty who is the God of Nature did divide between the substance of fire and the intense activity of its heat against and above Nature God miraculously separated between the Essence and the Faculty and so hindered its operation Thus he doth in his Church's case Let us turn aside with Moses and behold this great wonder great indeed for there was a flame of fire else how was the Bush burning There was light else how did Moses see it yet was there no heat else how came the Bush not to be consumed Thus is it with the Church in her fiery Trials even as great a Vision In her Affliction the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire Psal 29.7 and not only so but divideth also the heat from the light so that she is not consumed by the former but only illuminated by the latter So 't is with each afflicted Saint as dying yet live 2 Cor. 6 9 c. The first Remark is The Church of Christ may have worrying Wolves and desperate Devils let loose upon her such an one was Saul here Acts 9.1 2. This Blood-hound had been blooded in the Blood of stoned Stephen yet was not glutted nor satiated with it but makes desperate Havock upon other Christians in Jerusalem Acts 8.2 And as he says of himself chap. 22.4 and 26.10 relating still to this time not being satisfied herewith He yet breathed out more Threatnings and Slaughter c. which signifies a violent and vehement hellish Heat of a diabolically inraged and inflamed heart discovered by the fiery words that he breathed out of his black Mouth c. He was so full of the fire of Rage within that it broke out with his breath in flames without And N.B. This Ravenous Wolf is described here as if wearied with worrying the Flock he now lay's himself down panting for breath But enough of Saul's black Character in the foregoing 6th Chapter It shall suffice here only to shew how insatiable this Wolf was of the Blood of Saints insomuch that no sooner had he by panting a while recovered his breath but he presently trotts to the High Priest who was Prince or President of the Sanhedrim for a new Commission that his Persecution might have the Semblance of Justice and Authority and his Letters-Patents must be so large as to reach so far as Damascus N.B. For though the Romans had conquered Judaea and the Countreys contiguous to it yet did they give Liberty to the Jews to exercise their Religion and to Imprison Dissenters both within and without their Countrey where they had any Synagogues and such they had at Damascus the chief City of Phoenicia whither many of them had been driven in their many Dispersions as well as to many other places It could not suffice this greedy Beast to drink Blood at Jerusalem only but he must have a Draught of the same
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
without Man so the Spirit was promised by the same Covenant to transact all that was required for the Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth 2 Thes 2.13 from within Man appertaining to the Election of Grace The Holy Ghost therefore must be given as well as Christ who is one Comforter as another Comforter Joh. 14.16 17. The Father sends the Son and the Son from the Father sends the Spirit Joh. 15.26 Acts 2.2 The Spirit comes both as a VVitness as a Seal and as an Earnest to confirm this Covenant As Faith is Man's Seal so the Spirit is God's Seal Joh. 3.33 Eph. 4.30 not only by confirming the Promises of the Covenant to the Soul but also by engraving the Image of the Covenant in the Soul of Man And he is the Earnest also Eph. 1.14 2 Cor. 1.21 22. not only as binding the bargain but also as part of the payment so call'd the first-fruits thereof therefore Chrysostom saith Should not God give the Inheritance promised he would come to the loss in losing his Earnest How then ought we to love all the Three Persons in the Trinity seeing Opera Trinitatis not only ad extra but also in this respect ad intra too sunt indivisa they did all personally concur in this great work of Man's Redemption in the Eternal External and Internal part thereof 1. The Father first framed the main Model and made the first motion hereof calling things that are not as certain as if they were Rom. 4.17 he fore-ordaining as well as fore-knowing and fore-seeing Man's Fall said then out of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love of God to Man Tit. 3.4 Deliver him front going down into the Pit I have found a Ransom Job 33.24 then was the Father gracious to man so as to find out his Son a Ransom an Atonement tor him or a Cover for his sin as a sore is covered with a Plaster or as the cursing Covenant of the Law was covered with the Mercy-seat the guilt and filth of his sin shall be forgiven him Jam. 5.15 and he shall not go down into the Infernal Pit to all this the Son 2. Gave his Hand as is the manner of contracting Covenants Ezek. 17.18 Jer. 50.15 to the Father that he would be the Grand Undertaker herein Isa 38.14 which is understood of the second Person to whom sick Hezekiah turneth from the Father in his Pathetical Prayer Thus Christ was the beginning of Gods way Prov. 8.22 The Fathers Covenant with the Son was the first out-going of God to his Creature Man and this was Christs delight ver 30. and thus he became the Lamb slain from yea before the Foundation of the World in this Eternal Covenant Revel 13.8 And for all this unutterable compliance in the Son to the Father touching this Covenant Christ expresly affirmeth that the Father loved him before the Worlds Foundation John 17.24 And 3. The Holy Spirit was concern'd in managing this Covenant of Redemption As 1. He must overshadow the Virgin Mary Mat. 1.20 Luke 1.35 as he had overshadow'd the confused Chaos in the Creation bringing all into form Gen. 1.3 so curiously framing Christs Body in her Womb she knew not how Eph. 4.9 Psal 139.14 15. 2. He must take up his Temple in all those whom the Father hath given to the Son 1 Cor. 3.16 and 6.17 and Rom. 8.11 14. and 2 Tim. 1.14 that he may preserve them both in Grace and for Glory and were it not for the indwelling of this Holy Spirit in Saints did he turn us over to be secured by Gifts of the Spirit only the Devil would make an hard shift to blast the best Gifts in the VVorld as he blasted those excellent Gifts in Adam at the beginning of the World which far excell'd in degree any Gifts we can receive Christ hath charg'd his Spirit with all his Redeemed in this Dark forlorn World and way-less Wilderness that none of his should be lost therein and this Spirit is a Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 and greater or stronger is he that is in them than he that is in the VVorld to wit the Devil call'd the God of this VVorld 2 Cor. 4.4 1 John 4.4 so that neither Men nor Devils can draw them away Totally and Finally from God God puts his Spirit into all his and causeth them to walk in his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 and if at any time as indeed many times they be dead this quickening Spirit doth quicken them in their way Psal 119.40 37 25 149. and 143.11 Rom. 8.11 and 1 Cor. 15.45 Christ sendeth the Spirit to dwell with us and to abide in us Joh. 14.16 17. Christ sets the Spirit at work and the Spirit sets Faith at work and by this mighty power of God we are preserved to his Heavenly Kingdom 1 Pet. 1.5 Timothy's transcendent Gifts would soon have evaporated had they not been kept by the Holy Ghost that dwelled in him 2 Tim. 1.14 This abiding Spirit carries on his work to perfection Isa 59.21 and Psal 138.8 and Phil. 1.6 He is a foolish Builder that cannot finish when he begins a Foundation Thus all the three be concern'd I meddle not with the Antelapsarian or Sublapsarian Notion for non datur prius posterius in Deo God beholds all things uno intuitu at one glance altogether NB. 1. The first Sin of Man was indeed primarily against God the Father as it was a Breach of his Command yet was it principally against God the Son as it was a vain Affectation of becoming like God in Knowledge and Wisdom which is only proper and peculiar to Christ in his Hypostatical Union call'd the Wisdom of God In the first Sin of Man was sown the Seed of that only unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost under the New Govenant therefore Christ and the Spirit are concern'd 2. Meditate how this Covenant was made 'twixt two Persons that cannot Lie and that before the World began Tit. 1.2 as Christ was God he cannot Lie no more than his Father to pray now for the coming of Christs Kingdom doth as much gratifie the Fathers Bowels as Joab's Requesting for Absalom 2 Sam. 13. last and 14.1 God will make good his Covenant to his Son Christ was Haeres Natus and is Haeres Constitutus a Born Heir and a Made Heir God will not let him want his Lordship of all Acts 10 36. 3. Meditate God loves his Saints from Eternity yea while Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Amore Benevolentiae though not Complacentiae until called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Paul puts Purpose and Grace together 2 Tim. 1.9 Gods Eternal purpose is made to appear in calling to Grace Tit. 1.2 and 3.4 Decretum patriae ceu intentionis finis brings forth Decretum viae medii executionis making us first holy then happy Rom. 5.8 9 10. 4. Meditate Look on your selves in Christ as the Father doth who Elected us with him as well as in him God
and a 1000 more for Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Blessings both privative for removing Evil and positive for receiving Good whether the good things of the Throne or of the Footstool They are all the Branches of this blessed Tree of Life they do all happily Centre as so many circumferences or parallel lines in this gracious Covenant it being nothing else but a Confluence and Collection or compound of all the Promises as the Sea is of all the Rivers the Firmament of all the Stars they do all meet together in them as the Beams do in the Sun or Lines in the Center Thus it may be said also that the Covenant is not a single strong hold or Tower but even a whole City of refuge into which the Righteous run and are safe Prov. 18.10 yea when the proud Waves of Temptation and Bâ—isterous Billows of Tribulation have beat upon them here have they cast the Anchor of their Hope succesfully and rode out the Storm safely for Rocks and Mountains may depart but this Covenant cannot fail Isa 54.10 11. Thus the Nature of the Covenant may be most seen in the Promises what is said of Godliness 1 Tim. 4.8 that it hath the Promises of the Life that now is and of that which is to come may more abundantly be said of the Covenant from whence Godliness cometh it being the Grand Charter the Magna Charta of a Christians Hope for both Worlds both for Safety here and for Salvation hereafter The Covenant is indeed a Promise but every individual Promise is not the Covenant they are not convertible Terms neither is it yet a bare Promise but 't is also confirmed by an Oath Heb. 6.17 not because God the Covenant maker is unfaithful and needing such a Sacred Bond but because Man is incredulous and will not believe God upon his bare word There be two things that make any matter more credible 1st The Quality of the Person 2dly The manner of the Speech The 1st 'T is the God of Truth who cannot Lie that speaks in the Covenant I will be a God to them and they shall be to me a people Heb. 8.10 c. Here the Quality of the Person speaking is enough to beget Belief if the word of a King be look'd upon so Sacred a matter as to be held as inviolable as the Laws of Medes and Persians how much more the Word of the most High God King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19.16 a God of Truth Deut. 32.4 who cannot Lie Tit. 1.2 as Gods Children are Children that will not Lie Isa 63.8 nay 't is impossible for God to Lie Heb. 6.18 for that would not imply potency but impotency and infirmity which cannot consist with Omnipotency and so would if so Ungod God himself as his Love moved him to make the Promise so his Truth binds him to perform it The 2dly Is the manner of the Speech if the Word seriously spoken be also confirmed with an Oath which sometimes helpeth Truth in necessity and cleareth Mens Innocency betwixt Man and Man Exod. 22.11 this maketh a Promise more credible 'T is a vulgar saying An Honest Mans word is as good as a Bond how much more is the word of the most True God whose word is sufficient of it self to render it credible Yet God tendering Mans Infirmity though his word cannot be made more true than it is in it self because it may be made more credible in respect of us therefore hath he bound it with an Oath yea and set to his Seal too how then should we rest assured concerning the Truth and Faithfulness of the Covenant God hath not barely spoke it but he hath solemnly Swore it both which are two Immutable things Heb. 6.17 18. yea and Sealed it to us also with a double Seal 1. With the Broad Seal of his Sacraments 2. With the Privy Seal of his Spirit The Sacraments are Gods Visible Oaths as it were to us he taketh the Body and Blood of his Son into his hand and solemnly sweareth to bestow upon us all the purchases of Christs passion they are Gods Broad Seal and his Spirit is the Privy Seal whereby after our believing we are assured of Gods Love Eph. 1.13 after Faith of Adherence comes in the Faith of Evidence Recumbency on Christ brings Assurance from him and Assurance is Gods Seal as Faith is our Seal He that believeth sets to his Seal that God is true John 3.33 We yield first our Assent and Consent of Faith leaning upon the Lord Christ and laying the whole stress of our Salvation upon him hereby the Contract is made and then God puts his Seal to the Contract God honours our Sealing to his Truth by his Sealing with his Spirit which is not only Gods Seal but also his Earnest not a Pawn which must be return'd again but an Earnest which is part of payment and assures or binds the Bargain Should not therefore the joy of the Lord be our strength Neh. 8.10 And the Covenant conveys to us most strong Consolation far better than the Comforts of Philosophy which Plato calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toys and Trifles and Socrates did find them no better when he came to Die Yea and Cicero when he applyed his Philosophical Cordials as Anodynes and Antidotes to some Disconsolate pangs that were upon him cryed out upon this Experiment of their being ineffectual Nescio quo modo Imbecillior Mediana quà m Morbus I know not what is the matter that my Disease or Malady is too hard for my Medicine or Remedy But the Consolations of Gods Covenant are strong in themselves and therefore should not be small to us Job 15.11 We should cast our Anchor of Hope which is a sure and stedfast Anchor always upward and fasten it not in the depths of the Sea but in the height of Heaven whereof it gets firm hold and sure possession Heb. 6.19 Inferences hence are 1. 'T is the Blood of this Covenant that must raise up Mankind out of the Pit into which they are faln by the first Sin Zech. 9.11 All Mankind to wit both Jews and Gentiles are faln into a Pit wherein there is no Water of Comfort for them in themselves and herein they are detained as so many Prisoners in the Prison of this waterless or comfortless Pit As first The Jews who for contempt of Christ and his Gospel John 1.11 Acts 13.46 with chap. 3.14 and 7.51 have rejection for rejection they are trodden under foot as Prisoners in the Pit Isa 51.23 who were once the highest of Nations Deut. 4.7 8. and 26.19 and 33.29 and whose Land was the glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 now wrath is come upon them to the utmost 1 Thes 2.16 let all places and people beware of rejecting Christ and his Gospel Heb. 2.3 and 10.29 c. and John 15.22 Mat. 11.21 22 23 24. This Sin makes Grace it self to become our Enemy 1 Sam. 2.25 Mercy Triumphs over Justice Jam. 2.13 before Grace be
must be prest and intent for the Journey especially when we are ready to depart out of the Egypt of this life and to take Heaven by Storm Matth. 11.12 c. The second Posture expressed is Having Shoes on your Feet which hath also an Anagogical Sense as signifying 1. A readiness for their Departure Acts 12.8 2. The reality of their Deliverance for Captives were made to go bare-foot Isa 20.4 3. Their gladness for their Deliverance for in Mourning Men put off their Shoes 2 Sam. 15.30 But 4. And more especially It was a Figure of our being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace Eph. 6.15 that we may be able to Travel over Aetham which signifies hard ground and which Israel passed over in their way to Canaan Exod. 13.20 namely Tribulation Persecution c. that unavoidably way-lays us in our passage to Heaven Acts 14.22 and 2 Tim. 3.12 such as are fortified with Gospel-comforts whereby God creates peace in the Soul can walk unharmed amidst the Briars and Brambles of a wicked World as such Gospel-shoes made the Spouses Feet marvellously Beautiful Cant. 7.1 so to all Believers their being thus well Booted and Buskin'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confers Safety as well as Beauty both Muniment and Ornament The third Posture expressed is With Staves in their Hands for expedition to their Journey and in this sense 't is used Zech. 8.4 and Mark 6.8 so Jacob speaketh With my Staff I passed over this Jordan Gen. 32.10 he had then nothing more but a Staff to lean upon This signifies to us that we should be furnished with the Word of God in our Hearts as well as in our Hands whereby we may be both directed and strengthened As it is said of Jacob in his old Age He worshipped God leaning upon his Staff Heb. 11.21 so are we commanded to lean upon the Lord and stay upon our God Isa 50.10 With this Staff in our Hands and Hearts we shall as Jacob did lift up our Feet and go lustily to Heaven c. Gen. 29.1 The fifth Circumstance of Celebrating this first Passeover whereunto some Rites aforementioned are supposed to be peculiar was the End why which was Twofold 1. Temporary And 2. Anniversary 1. The Temporary End was that the Blood of the Paschal Lamb so besprinkl'd as above might be a Token and Testimony unto the Israelites that they should be saved from the Destroyer Exod. 12.12 13. It was the Word of God which instituteth all Sacramental Signs and without which they are vain and unprofitable that Instituted this as an outward and visible Sign in this Old Testament Sacrament for corroborating the Faith of the Hebrews not only that they should be saved Temporally at this time but also Eternally by the Blood of the Lamb of God whereof this was but a Type The Instituting word annexed to this Sacramental Action is It is the Lords Passeover ver 11. which is a Figurative Speech and a Sacramental Expression like that of our Saviour This is my Body Mat. 26.26 for the Lamb was not the Passeover it self but only the material part of it and the Mystical meaning of this Paschal Lamb they were commanded to make known unto their Children ver 26. which condemns that Mass of Mystical Ceremonies in the Romish blind Devotion whereof no Reason unless such as is ridiculous can be rendred At this Divine Institution the then Church of God bowed their Heads in token of their owning it and thankfulness for it ver 27. whose practice in obedience to Gods Precept did testifie their Faith in Gods Promise for their preservation and who were accordingly preserved in that universal Destruction of the First-born of Egypt and of her very Gods that could not protect their Worshippers Exod. 12.12 no nor themselves but Rabbins say their Wooden Idols were putrified into Rottenness those made of Stone were broken into Dust and those made of Metal were melted down to the Earth the like is Recorded in History to be done when the Holy Child Jesus fled into Egypt No sooner did he enter there but all their Idols fell flat to the ground c. 2. The Anniversary End was that this Sacrament of the Passeover must be observed yearly with a great deal of Festival Joy as a perpetual Ordinance all their Lives for a standing Memorial of this great Deliverance this is call'd a Statute for ever Exod. 12.14 29 42. Deut. 16.1 3. because it was to be kept once a year until Christ came and became our Passeover Sacrificed for us in whom all Ceremonies ceased and in whose Gospel Supper the Remembrance of our Deliverance by his Death until he come is kept Eternally 1 Cor. 5 7 8. and 11.25 26. The Christian Passeover succeeding this Jewish legal one Moreover How many remarkable Memorials of Personal preventing Mercies have we wherein God doth pass over us and over-skip us when many others do fall upon our Right Hand and upon our Left c. in the time of our Lives Oh how ought we to keep constantly a Passeover of praise for our preservation and preserve this loving-kindness of God in Everlasting Remembrance The sixth and last Circumstance was the Persons who must partake of the Passeover 1. Negatively No Stranger Gentile no nor any Apostate Jew say the Rabbins must eat thereof Exod. 12.43 48. no uncircumcised Person But 2. Positively The partaker of the Passeover must be a Circumcised Person either an Home-born Jew or a Proselyte Gentile This is express First For the quality of the Communicants they must be Circumcised for Circumcision was the Seal of the Covenant and of their Profession of it Gen. 17.7 c. the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 whereof such as were Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel unless Proselyted had no part nor interest in the Mysteries and the Passeover being a Commemoration of that glorious Redemption of this Circumcised people they who profess'd not the same Religion nor were Incorporated with that Church by Circumcision had nothing to do with that Commemoration as wanting the Character entitling to Seals and Sacraments All which teacheth us that the Faithful only have Fellowship with Christ in his Ordinances and that Infidels Unbelievers ought not to be admitted to our Gospel-Passeover this is to cast holy things to Dogs c. Mat. 7.2 None must eat of the Lords Supper that are not Members or the Church by Baptism A Man must live before he can be nourished he must be bred before he can be fed and all unclean Persons are debarr'd as by the Law Numb 5.2 3. and 9.6 13. and 19.13 so much more by the Gospel 1 Cor. 5.7 8 11 12. c. Then Secondly For the quantity of them a competent number there must be for a Communion as is abovesaid Exod. 12.3 46. a small Family may join with another If the Family be poor and have not a Lamb of their own they are allowed to Feast with their Neighbours Thus one
to him by the Lord not only feared not to visit Saul who was now become a greater wonder in being Rank'd among those that prayed than the former Saul was when Ranked among those that prophesied 1 Sam. 10.11 but also declareth plainly that the Lord hath purposely sent him with an Answer to his Prayer that what he had prayed for should be fully performed N.B. But this is matter of great Admiration that a man who had been Educated according to the strictest Sect of the Pharisees should have such a character upon him That be never prayed till now No doubt but during that time he had said many a Pharisaical Prayer after a formal manner but never till now prayed he a prayer as James 5.17 18. for true prayer is the breath of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 and Jude verse 20. and prayer without the Spirit is like the cold breath of a pair of Bellows not like the warm breath of a living Creature 'T is no better than the bare cry of the Old Creature not of the New an empty Ring only and not so much significancy in it as the vain Tinkling of a Cymbal The second Branch of the description of Saul's Ordination is the Manner of it Ananias came to him with Christ's Commission as Saul did with the Devil 's to Damascus c. by vertur whereof he laid his hands upon Saul for good who would have laid hands upon Ananias c. for evil healed him of his blindness and imparted to him the Gifts of the Holy Ghost c. verse 17 18. The Remarks hereupon be these First Insomuch as Scales like those of Fish fell from his Eyes doth declare that this was no ordinary Blindness nor proceeding from any ordinary cause nor could be cured by any common ordinary means but only by a special and extraordinary Miracle una cademque manus vulnu opemque tulit the same hand that woundeth must heal The second Remark is the same power that healed Saul of his bodily blindness did at the same time rend off the Vail and tore up the covering that was spread over the Eyes of Saul's understanding Isa 25.7 2. Cor. 3.14 Ephes 4.18 and 5.8 In all which latter Quotations Saul acknowledges his Internal as well as External Darkness and farther that all his Jewish Learning he had got at Gamaliel's feet was but blindness Phil. 3.7 8. The Third Remark is if Ananias were but an ordinary Christian he undoubtedly had an extraordinary warrant for this extraordinary work as Philip the Deacon had done before Acts 8.6 7. for a special Divine Command was necessary here seeing none but the Apostles had power to confer the Holy Ghost c. The third Branch is the Event which is manifold As 1. The Recovery of his Sight 2. The Reception of his Baptism and 3. The Susception of his Apostolical Office Acts 9.18 19. which Saul the Persecutor now changed into Paul the Preacher as well as the Prayer began at Damascus verse 20. In those there verses we have an account that 1. He fortwith received Light and Sight of Soul as well as of Body the same Saviour who makes all things new c. Rev. 21.5 made him a new Creature Renewed in the spirit of his mind Ephes 4.23 and now he saw with other Eyes than before 2. Therefore saw he now a necessity of being baptized which he had before ridicul'd and persecuted that by this Badge of Baptism he might be listed into the Body of that Christian Church which heretofore he had made havock of This Solemn Seal of the Covenant of Grace was a giving his Name to Christ a Testimony of his Conversion and for confirming his Faith in Christ and himself in the profession of the Gospel 3. No sooner was Saul thus throughly changed but he immediately changeth his Society N.B. Rabbi Hillel Rabbi Sameas and other Rabbius who were Rulers of the Jew's Synagogues in that City were now no suitable Associates for him as formerly he now saw thro' the Spectacles of the Spirit of Christ that these same Rabbies had quite lost all their comliness and they were become so ugly and unhandsom to him as not any more to be made meet Companions for him he therefore resorts to and associates himself with the Disciples of Jesus who had sled from Jerusalem thither upon the dispersion Acts 8.1 3. Noscitur è Socio qui non dignoscitur exse Dark Men who cunningly conceal their Qualities may be best discerned by their most constant Companions It very much concerns us what Company we keep Prov. 1.15 and 2.12 and 5.8 and 1 Cor. 5.9 11 c Saul abandons his old Companions as the Convert Youngster did his former Miss saying to her Ego non sum ego I am not the same Man I was Thus Paul now Paul renounceth the Rabbins those professed Enemies of the Gospel and became with David a Companion of those that feared God Psal 119.63 Now will he both love any and learn of any who went to Christ's School and learnt of him Acts 4 13. 4. No sooner had he given Nature some necessary Refreshment but he presently puts forth himself upon Preaching Christ We cannot but suppose that this Saul was by this time exceedingly weakened and wasted not so much with his long Journey as with the consternation and perplexity he was plunged into by his late confounding Vision of a Glorified Christ which caused fear grief and sorrow c. in him but above all with his three-days fasting and continual praying Therefore was it his prudent care to preserve his health by receiving now some meat that he might be inabled for the Service of God to which he was now called here N.B. This care himself after commended to and commanded Timothy 1 Tim. 5.23 All superstitious Abstinence from Food is no better than Will-worship Col. 2.18 and is plainly branded to be the Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4.4 c. This introduceth the exercise of the Ministry and Apostleship of Saul who was not yet called Paul till Acts 13.9 The Reasons may there be rendred and of his Preaching to the Jews among whom he alone retained his old Hebrew Name till he began his Apostolical Office to the Gentiles Acts 13. among whom he was ever after called by this Gentile name as more acceptable to them than the Jewish This St. Luke observes who never call'd him Paul but ever Saul till his Gentile work began whom he never calls Saul after it The exercise of his Apostolical Office among the Jews was 1. To the Jewish Synagogues at Damascus and 2. Afterwards to those at Jerusalem The first is Recorded in Acts 9.20 unto 26. and the second from verse 26. to 32. In the former these two grand Remarks are related relating first to his Doctrine and then to his Danger at this City Damascus First His Doctrine is commended 1. From the Time Place and Matter verse 20. and 29. And 2. from the Effect of it both as to his
11.20 so it may be said of the lust of the Eyes that it is the chief of the Devils Engines an Heathen could say that a world of wickedness windeth it self into the heart by the window of the Eye There is an Apologue a most significant Fable of a Contention that arose betwixt the Eye and the Heart which of the two was the greater cause of sin a Reference was made by them both to Reason which decided the Controversie thus Cordi causam imputans occasionem Oculo Reason determined that the Heart was the cause of sin but the Eye was the occasion of it oh how oft doth the Devil make the Eye to be as a Burning-glass to set the Heart on fire as he did Davids 2 Sam. 11.2 from the roof he saw a woman and from this roof did Davids downfal begin for there the old Serpent easily winded himself into his Heart by the loop-holes of his Eyes and made himself master of the whole man from looking he went on to lusting and the venome thereof did so infect his Vitals that upon the Ladder of Hell he got a most foul yet not a final fall though it would have been no less had not the hand of Heaven been underneath him to help him up again Psal 37.24 No wonder then if David did so heartily cry Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 lest looking should cause liking and liking lusting again and Job steppeth one degree further to wit from a Prayer to a Vow Job 31.1 yea from a Vow and Covenant to a solemn Imprecation v. 7. he knew the danger of irregular glancing and of inordinate gazing these two do often metamorphize a Man into a Beast and make him a prey to his own bruitish Affections Thus we see that the Eye is now become an Evil Eye so called frequently in Scripture Deut. 15.9 Prov. 23.6 28.22 Matth. 6.23 20.15 Mark 7.22 Luke 11.34 1. Hence the Word flatly forbids us to walk after the sight of our Eyes and the lust of our Hearts Numb 15.39 Eccles 11.9 for those two are seldom sundred 2 Job set a guard and laid Gods Charge upon his Eyes lest they should prove a Broaker of sin to him as that Hang-by Hiram the Adullamite did to Judah Gen. 38.20 4. Hence God hath placed Tears in this sinful and in no other Member which are tokens of Repentance that as it were they might wash it from its sinfulness therefore the Hebrew word Gnaijn well signifies a Fountain as well as an Eye for from it as from a Fountain doth Iniquity flow and surely as the Eye is a Fountain of sin it should be a Fountain of sorrow also Therefore the Prophet wish'd that his Eyes might be a Fountain of Tears Jerem. 9.1 that he might with the waters of godly sorrow wash away the filth both of his own and of other mens sins the waters that flow from a bleeding Vine are said to cure the Leprosie sure I am those Gospel-tears which flow from a Godly Heart are very Instrumental in curing the fretting Leprosie of sin and therefore God hath made the Eye of a watry Constitution that it may be frequently trickling down Tears for that washing work such waters will be turned into wine at the Marriage of the Lamb for which purpose they are preserved in Gods Bottle Psal 56.8 Oh blest is that Soul which is plentifully bathed in the warm bath of their own penitent tears and in the Kings Bath of the Blood of the Lamb of God for without blood there is no remission Hebr. 9.2 'T is not our Tears alone but 't is Christs Blood that doth expiate sin Zeeh. 13.1 The Fountain opened in the sides of our Saviour Job 19.34 who came by water to sanctifie and by blood to justifie penitent sinners 1 Joh. 5.6 Finally seeing the sight by the fall is become a deceitful and a sinful sense our Saviour giveth safe and saving Counsel Matth. 5.29 not only to bind it to its good behaviour call it from its outstrays and lay Gods charge upon it as well as thine own check but also to pluck it out of the old Adam and place it in the new lest it prove a window of wickedness and become a worse disease than any of those two hundred diseases which Physicians reckon up do belong to the Eye and lest Death enter in at that window according to Jer. 9.21 as the Antient Fathers apply that Text cautioning us to shut our Casements lest sin ascend into the Soul thereby and Death by sin so this light of the body bring the Soul to utter darkness Secondly The Ear is a noble Organ and an honourable Member of the Body as well as the Eye in many respects 1. The Ear is as Aristotle calls it one of the two Learned Senses it is an Instrument of Instruction it lets in all Discipline to the Soul All Learning is let into the Mind either by Ocular demonstration or by Auricular Admonition Job 33.16 36.10 15. As the Eye is the window so the Ear is the door for Discipline to enter 2. The Ear is that excellent Organ that lets in Life and Salvation At this door the Devil drew in death at first Gen. 3.1 c. as well as at the window v. 6. Satan in the Serpent said only to bely what God had said Eve listned and let in death God ordaineth as it were to cross and counter-work the Devil that as Death entred into the world through the Ear by our first Parents listening to that old Manslayer so Life should enter into the Soul by the same door the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God As the living Parents of Mankind Adam and Eve in their state of Innocency had listned with their Ears to the Devils proffers so their dead posterity which by their first Parents fall were become dead in sin by bearing Christs promise should live not only the life of grace on Earth but also the life of glory in Heaven Joh. 5.25 And the Prophet saith Hear and your Souls shall live Isa 55.3 therefore he calls on them there Hattu Oznekem to hear with all their might unto the Covenant of Grace and so to the Counsel of Christ Revel 3.18 which only hath power to quicken dead Souls the Covenant of works and the Counsel both of the Devil and of our own darkened understandings have a killing property 3. The Ear is that noble door by which Saving Faith is conveyed into the Soul Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and God giveth not that gift to all men 2 Thess 3.2 but only to his Elect therefore 't is call'd the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 yet God giveth not this gift immediately to Man but mediately by hearing the word As the Eye is called the Sense of Love so the Ear is call'd the Sense of Faith The saving knowledge of God is not conveyed into the Soul
and Gentiles and therefore is it called Jerusalem above not so much from the place where it now is for the Christian Church wrapp'd up in the Swaddling-bands of the Covenant of Grace is now below militant on Earth as from the Fountain and Original from whence it floweth it came from Heaven as John Baptists Baptism did Matth. 21.25 and seeketh after heavenly things Col. 3.1 2 3. This is the Allegory when under the True History lieth hid some sense and signification of higher matters and nobler mysteries The Apostle here argueth from that which was taken for granted among the Hebrews to wit that beside the Historical sense of those Scriptures of the Old Testament there was another Anagogical sense more eminent and spiritual than the literal story This the Rabbins call Midrash Dibre kephullim Verba duplicata words that are Typical be doubled with things that are Antitypical as Moses Maimonides saith As Abraham's Family was then the True Church so undoubtedly the principal Events that did befal that Family were as so many lively Types what should befal to the Jewish and Gentile Churches There is a sweet harmony and similitude betwixt Abraham's Family and the Church of God his Family wherein the Jewish Church was the first Mother with her Children under bondage of the Law answerable to Hagar the Bond-woman who was the first Mother in Abraham's Family and her Bond-children and the Gentile Church was but the second Mother answerable to Sarah yet a Free-woman and brought forth Free Children as she did Isaac under Gospel-freedom and Heirs of the Promise Under these figures are represented the two Covenants the Old and the New which indeed are but one and the same Covenant of Grace if we consider the matter and scope thereof yet is it called two in respect of the time and manner of its Dispensation as appeareth after Sarah and Hagar saith Paul signifie the two Testaments as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictly taken is rendred and a Testament is properly the Will of the Dead but here in a more general sense 't is taken for the two Covenants 1. That of the Law given upon Mount Sinai which gendred an Off-spring unto Bondage for the Jews served the shadows of many burdensom Ceremonies and that from a naked fear of punishment for the Law did strike a Terrour and a Servile Fear into their Hearts whereof Hagar the Handmaid and Sinai the Mountain signifying both one thing in the Apostles Phrase were a Figure 2. That of the Gospel wherewith that of the Law notwithstanding its differing Dispensation did in its Effect and substance agree as the Law was our School-master to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 The Church in her Childhood was put under a Tutor which presupposeth an Authority that is only Temporary and to be grown from manum Ferulâ subduximus the Church is got above those severe Disciplines of Shadows and Ceremonies all which yet pointed to Christ and this Umbrage of the Jewish Pedagogy lasted until Christ who is the Substance of these Shadows came into the World There were indeed some false Apostles in the Primitive Times who would have continued the slavish Ceremonies of the Law in opposition to the Spiritual Liberty of the Gospel such Paul found in the Churches of Galatia who would not only make these two Covenants diverse but also contrary therefore the Apostle writes an Epistle to rectifie this mistake saying These things are Allegories Types and Figures shadowing out that one great Truth contained in the Covenant of Grace 'T is true the Covenant of Works made with Adam before the Fall and the Covenant of Grace made after the Fall be two distinct and contrary Covenants For though they do agree 1. In having the same Author God 2. The same Parties God and Man 3. The same End Gods Glory and Mans Good 4. The same Tenure both after a sort be Conditional though their conditions differ not Absolute Yet these two Covenants do differ much As 1. In their Terms Tenure or Conditions the former requires performing the latter believing Do and live saith the first Live and do saith the second Gal. 3.12 and Acts 16.31 Do this and live saith the Covenant of Works Believe and be saved saith the Covenant of Grace yet as the former requires a Faith in the Creator though it knows no Redeemer The Jews professed that they believed on God John 8.41 and Christ acknowledg'd it John 14.1 They believed God loved Man as Created Holy and continuing in that Holiness whereas the Faith of the Gospel is that God loveth lost Man a Sinner in his Saviour Tit. 1.1 2. So the latter Covenant requires Works Tit. 2.11 14. and Mat. 5.16 though it be a Covenant of Grace and not of Works as the matter of our Justification as performed by our own strength and as preceeding a Legal Faith believing God will love me unto Life because I have Works first as the ground of this Faith whereas the Grace of the Gospel requires Faith first and then Works Tit. 3.8 Let them which believe be careful to shew forth good Works First live to wit by Faith and then do this is the Obedience of Faith so called Rom. 16.26 See that you have then a working Faith whereas 't is the usual saying and sentiment of the most and best Divines that Faith is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace For a right understanding of this Notion mark well these following Considerations The first is The Covenant of Grace is a Free Covenant 't is a Covenant of Free Grace both in the promising and in the performing part as Free Grace did from all Eternity purpose and propose it so the same Free Grace doth in fulness of time perform and accomplish it There was no Obligation on Gods part to propound a second Covenant to faln Adam after he had forfeited the first but this Covenant did flow freely from God ex gratiâ misericordiae out of his most gracious and condescending Mercy after the Fall as the other did ex gratiâ Favoris out of Amicable Favour and Friendship to his Creature before the Fall both were freely given and both in Paradise To Adam under his double capacity No Man can maintain the Dominion and Soveraignty of God that asserts an Obligation on Gods part in any Overtures to his Creature before he bind himself firm thereto The great God is no way Debtor either to Persons or Things until he make himself so first by his own free and gracious Promise The second Difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and of Grace is the latter was made with a Mediator but the former without one for then there was no disagreement betwixt God and Man before the Fall but after the Breach was made by Mans first Transgression there stood need of a Mediator and Christ is call'd the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 9.15 and 12.24 Before sin entred God and Man were one and in unity Hence the Apostle
of a superlatively good God When he Rideth he should bethink himself whence is it that I am the Rider and the weary Horse the Carrier this is from the goodness of God So in case of Health Life and Liberty c. Lord what is man and who am I saith David How many want what I have But above all 3. That whereas the Supreme God out of his uncontroulable Soveraignty might have commanded work without wages yet he covenanted to give wages for work yea such wages as were far beyond the merit of the work Mans penny-work of poor as well as pure Duty must be so richly rewarded as with a Paradise-felicity There is no proportion between them NB. Inference hence If there were so much Divine Favour and Friendship in the Covenant of Works as whereas the absolute Law-giver might never have vouchsafed to look out of himself contenting himself with his own unconceivable Happiness within himself or might have laid a Law upon Man to make Brick without Straw and to work without wages yet is pleased to bargain with him for hire He covenants as well as commands saying Do this and live Thus even the first Divine Law in this Law-Covenant was wonderfully sweetened with some Divine Love A little work in that easie prohibitive Precept Thou shalt not eat forbidden fruit c. was sacilitated with a promise of very great wages How much more doth the goodness of God abound and overflow in the Covenant of Grace made to Man 2. In his state of Corruption when he had broke the first Covenant by his Disobedience and brought himself under the Curse of that Covenant yea and could by no means cure himself of that Curse then God freely from himself and from his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or good pleasure of his will Eph. 1.5 not from any merit or motive on Mans part brought in the Covenant of Reconciliation call'd Foedus Misericordiae aut Gratiae the Covenant of Grace and Mercy Indeed the Covenant of Works was in some sense a Covenant of Grace though it was not the Covenant of Grace for there can be no Covenant between a finite Man and the infinite God but there must be some Grace in it some Gracious Condescensions 'T is true 't was rather Law-Grace than Gospel-Grace for there was no Gospel-Grace in the first Covenant that Grace was the purchase of Christ's Passion that Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 for compleating the second Covenant yet if Grace be taken not strictly but largely for undeserved goodness so there were sundry respects of Grace in the Covenant of Works Man even before the Fall could not merit those three Divine Vouchsafements aforesaid God did not grant them out of Debt but out of Grace This second Covenant was made also with Adam in Paradise after the Fall Gen. 3.15 as the other was made with him before the Fall Gen. 2.17 where the Promise is implied in the Threatning expressed Obey and live is understood in Disobey and die where Death is the Curse of that Covenant which being made with Adam as a Representative of Mankind continueth still in force to all that are as yet in him But there is superabundant Grace in the second Covenant therefore it is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminency The Covenant of Grace Though it was a Glorious Condescension in God to look out of himself upon the holy Angels in Heaven and upon holy Adam on Earth yet is it a far more Glorious Condescension for the holy God to look down so low as sinful Man seeing sin setteth Man further below a Worm than a Worm is below an Angel The Inference from hence 1. Oh then how should we cry out with the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Rom. 11.33 We should stand with Paul that great Mirrour and Miracle of Free Grace 1 Tim. 1.15 upon the banks of this Ocean of the Covenant of Grace and spend our selves in contemplation of the boundless and bottomless yea endless Dimensions thereof and in Admiration and Adoration of a gracious God therein The measure of Grace in this Covenant is modus sine modo a measure without a measure Its breadth and length its height and depth one Dimension above the three in Philosophy are all surpassing knowledge Eph. 3.18 19 20. They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impervestigable leaving no vestigia or footsteps for carnal Reason to trace out and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imperscrutable not the sagacity of the greatest Sages no nor the sapience of the wisest Angels are able to search out 1 Cor. 1.20 21. chap. 2.8 9. 1 Pet. 1.12 1 Tim. 3.16 The Divine Grace wrapt up in this Covenant is so deep that the sins of the vilest sinner in the World cannot sink him beyond the depths thereof may he be but enabled by Faith to swim thereon no not a Manasseh who defied God murdered Men and deified or worshipped Devils nor Mary Magdalen who was possessed with seven Devils all dispossessed hereby 2. But take heed lest any take hold of the Devils Covenant instead of Gods saying I shall be saved by this Covenant though I live in my sins Alas this clause the Devil that old Deceiver foisteth into Gods Covenant to make thee die in thy sins too John 8.21 24. You had better die in a Ditch or in a Dungeon as die in sin then are ye damned to all eternity VVithout holiness no man can see God Heb. 12.14 'T is call'd an holy Covenant Dan. 11.30 If you cause it to indulge you in your unholiness you make it the Devils Covenant not Gods who will never own Satans forgeries and interlinings for his own hand-writing You must be holy as God and his Covenant is either take it as he tenders it or you cannot partake of the blessing by it NB. The Arminians do indeed affirm that the Lord was under some compulsion and constraint to make the second Covenant for say they the Covenant of VVorks was so rigid that God could not carry it on and follow it out unless he should cast Infants into Hell for a sin which was none of theirs save only by imputation and which was pardoned to the first Man who committed it therefore say they God having a natural Antecedent Love and Desire to save all Mankind was necessitated to make this Covenant of Grace with all Mankind none excepted See Corvinus contra Molinaeum cap. 8. sect 7. and cap. 9. sect 5. Answer This gross mistake doth not only bring the great God into the same strait which Darius the King was brought into when he would have gladly delivered Daniel but could not do it Dan. 6.14 But also which is far worse 'tis to say of God what the blind Jewish Talmud Blasphemously saith of him that God hath a secret place wherein he afflicts himself because he Burnt the Temple and deliver'd up
the Jews to Captivity for both which he drops down every Day two Tears into the Ocean and for Grief daily smites himself upon his Breast with both his Hands Talmud Doctrin fidei Judaicae ord 1. disp 7. ord 5. Tract 8. 'T is likewise to say of God as the Turkish Alcoran chap. 43. saith That God and his Angels do wish well to Mahomet their Prophet but cannot free him from Death which the Fates had Destined Yea lastly This Arminian mistake maketh the true Jehovah to be no better than what the ignorant Heathens imagined concerning their Impious Jupiter who they say doth daily deplore the Irresistible Destinies when he could not possibly divert them What is all this but to think wickedly of God that he is just such a one as our selves Psal 50.21 made up of passionate Affections such as are Desires to have all both Men and Angels both Elect and Reprobate to be Eternally Saved but he cannot help the matter with all his Omnipotency and therefore must upon the same account take on and be sorrowful that he cannot procure the Salvation of all thus they do not only put Fetters upon Gods Almighty Hands but also lay strange Restraints upon the free overflowings of his Free Grace and Goodness The second Consideration is The Covenant of Grace is a free Covenant on Mans part as well as on Gods as God had no Obstacle or Obstruction in himself as is aforesaid to oblige him to it so neither had he any Objective Idea of good or Object of Complacency in Man either seen or foreseen which moved and drew forth the compassion of God to give faln Man this Covenant of Grace no his own Free Grace and the good pleasure of his Will Eph. 1.6 was his only Motive Ground and Foundation thereof According to that Maxim in Divinity Idea Dei non advenit ei aliunde God fetcheth not any Motives to or Reasons of his Love from without him but they flow freely from within himself to faln Man who was then left without Money he could pay no price for this New Covenant Isa 55.1 3. God freely gave him this Covenant as 't is said concerning Abraham I will give thee my Covenant Gen. 17.2 So the Hebrew Veetenah Berithi ought to be read and rendred though it be otherwise in our Translation which yet reads the like Phrase to a plainer purpose Numb 25.12 Hebr Nothen lo eth berithi Shalom I give unto him my Covenant of Peace both which Scripture Phrases do jointly imply that the Covenant of Grace is a Free Gift of God to Man And this great Truth is most Excellently Illustrated from that Intricate yet Divinely Inspired Expression Deut. 7.7 8. Behold or lo he loved you because he loved you which may seem idem per idem a Womans Reason yet is it a most manifest Demonstration that the ground of Gods Love to Man is solely in himself and comes wholly from himself Moses that Man of God who was so oft and so long in the Mount with God could assign no other Ground or Reason why Israel became Gnam Segullah a peculiar people Exod. 19.5 Deut. 7.6 Mal. 3.17 where the same word Segullah is used and read Gods Jewels in Covenant with their God above all the common Stones of the World but this God frankly chus'd them for his Love and then firmly loved them for his choice Seeing all the World was his he might chuse or refuse at his own pleasure nay he tells them plainly 't was not for your Righteousness Deut. 9.5 but 't was done freely finding no Motive thereunto in them more than in others 't was only because he had a delight to love them Lo Betsidkathekah Rak Chashak leahabah otham 'T was not for your Righteousness 't was only God delighted to chuse them for his Love Deut. 10.15 and to rest in his choice Zeph. 3.17 And with Moses agreeth Samuel another Chancellor of Heaven saying Ho il Jehovah legnash oth ethkem lo legnam It pleased the Lord to make yon his people 1 Sam. 12.22 the Hebr. Jail signifies to Swear 1 Sam. 14.24 It not only pleased God to give them this Covenant but he also Swore it to them And with both these two doth David also concur saying Ki Chaphets Bi he made over such and such Mercies to me because he delighted in me 2 Sam. 22.20 Chaphets implies the highest content even delight hence the Church is call'd Gods Chephsibah Isa 62.4 his delight Thus David speaking of himself was Gods delight but speaking of Gods people he saith they had their Mercies Kiretsitham because God had a favour to them Psal 44.3 The word Ratsah signifies the highest complacency Psal 149.4 Thus also Ezekiel chap. 36.22 and Jacob Gen. 32.10 yea all the Holy Patriarchs and Prophets did not dare to darken the Glory of Free Grace but all unanimously exalted it and gave it the highest honour themselves mean while sitting down in the Dust under the lowest Abasement Inference It follows hence that no Man can enough admire the Free Grace of God which is the Fundamental Cause of all Divine favours and not any Merit of our own Free Grace is the Fountain from whence floweth all our Temporal Spiritual Spiritual and Eternal Felicity Oh what a gracious God must our God undoubtedly be as he stileth himself Exod. 22.27 who will thus humble himself to Man as to come down to him and freely put himself into such a condescending capacity as to become a Covenanting God to him and with him and to make himself who is absolutely free and unobliged an Honourable Debtor unto Man as well as Man a poor Creditor unto himself when he did owe nothing to him Yea and to make Heaven and Eternal Happiness so sure to him as that all the Orbs above shall sooner break and melt like Snow before the Sun than that the Covenant of Promise or a tittle of it fail The Third Consideration is Faith is only quodam modo after a sort the condition of this Covenant of Grace which differeth from the Covenant of works in this There be conditional Promises to Grace in the first Covenant but there be absolute Promises of Grace in the Second The First Covenant was conditional given to Adam in his State of Innocency and so to Grace received before but the second Covenant was absolute given to Adam in his State of Corruption when he had lost his former Grace Promisinga New and better Grace in Christ The first Covenant did presuppose Grace before it was made with Man yet doth it not Promise to give Grace to whom it was made but the Second gives all Grace and presupposeth none preceding to its gift thus in its own Intrinsick Nature and Essence it is absolute not conditional therefore is it call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Testament wherein Men do absolutely dispose of their Goods but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies a conditional Covenant containing a mutual stipulation from both
parties yet as to its Extrinsick and External Dispensation it may not be denied that there are in Relation to us some consequent and improper conditions as appendices of this Covenant in the substantial part thereof such as Faith and Repentance c. are and they are call'd consequent conditions and improper not antecedent and proper conditions such as do denominate the Covenant conditional because they absolutely undertaken for by Christ the Head of the Covenant and are effectually wrought in all the Redeemed by the Grace of that Covenant also So that though in Preaching of the Covenant there are conditions yet in the making of it there are none the contract is absolute and downright so without either If 's or And 's God will do both parts of it both His and Ours peremptorily he will be a God to us and he will make us a People to him c. Zech. 8.8 Heb. 8.10 c. and the Conditions in the promulgation of the Covenant as if we Relieve Repent c. are not causals but demonstratives they are only Blessed Evidences of our Interest in it not any moving motives causing God to Covenant with us They do not make the Covenant but only shew it in such and such Qualifications not unlike that vulgar saying if you see such a man tell him I must speak with him c. And if it be him who is my Friend tell him I must impart my very Heart to him Abraham by Gods giving him his Covenant for 't is ever call'd the Lords Covenant became Gods Friend and God would not hide any thing from him but tells him his Heart Gen. 18.17 18. Infer from hence How should we admire the freeness of this Covenant of Grace 't is call'd the pleasure of God Isa 53.10 and the good will of God to Man Luke 2.14 when the Covenant of works was broken by Man God out of his Soveraignty and Dominion over Man might have ruled Man ever after by way of command and upon his Disobedience might have taken him away and sent him to his place as he saw cause and as the matter did require but that then God should so graciously superadd this New Covenant and deal still not only with Man but even with sinful Man in the way of a Covenant and not only in the way of a Command How can Man but cry out with David VVhat can thy Servant say more This Free Grace of thy Covenant exceedeth not only all my expressions had I the Tongue of Men and Angels but also all my apprehensions Psal 31 19. 1 Cor. 2.9 Oh how great is thy goodness both in respect of its Fountain 1 Joh. 3.1 2. and Col. 3.3 and in respect of its Fulness much laid out and in Possession but more laid up and in reversion is this the manner of Men O Lord God I trow not to be so kind to the Evil c. Luk. 6.35 Men use not such kindness to their good Servants to take care of them and theirs much less to Evil ones who am I O Lord That thou hast brought me hitherto 2 Sam. 7.18 19 20. c. Thus to bring me into the Bonds of the Covenant Ezek. 20.37 say further with David all the Paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth Psal 25.10 especially this Path of the Covenant which was one of his first Prov. 8.22 1. There is Divine Mercy in making it to Man 2. There is Divine Truth in keeping it with Man his Mercy moved him to make it and his Truth binds him to perform and keep it It was Mercy that made the Covenant to Abraham and it was Truth that perform'd it to Jacob as the Prophet saith expresly Mic. 7.20 Hebr. Thou wilt give c. for all is from Free Gift and all he doth is for the sake of the Covenant 2 Sam. 7.21 The fifth Difference between the two Covenants As there is more grace in the latter than in the former Covenant so the Covenant of VVorks is made with Man standing upon his own leggs and by his own strength and leaves him thereunto as altogether to himself but the Covenant of Grace is made primarily with Christ who is the Prince of the Covenant primus Foederatus the chief Covenanter becoming our Surety and Undertaker for Faln Man in all that is required of him In the first Man was bound to God who then found him fully furnished with a sufficiency of strength which he had freely created him with able enough to do all God bound him unto But in the second Covenant God is bound to Man for when God came to make this Covenant of Grace with Man he found Man in the Faln Estate having lost all his strength Man was then without strength Rom. 5.6 a poor impotent and feeble creature possessed with a spirit of infirmity as John 5.5 Luke 13.11 made up altogether when he had marr'd himself of frailty a compound of weaknesses unable to do any matter after a gracious and spiritual manner theâ—â—omes God and gives Christ to Man that he might do for him what was impossible he should do for himself Rom. 8.3 and in him promiseth a new and better power Isa 40.29 even the power of God not the power of Man in his first Estate whereby Man should be kept through Faith to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 In a word Adam's life was put into his own hand in the Covenant of Works but a Believer's life is now put into the hands of Christ Had Adam stood in his Estate of Integrity his Reward had been from Debt and he might have found matter of boasting before God He might then have said to God Lord my strength hath carried me forth to perform thy whole will c. Give me my wages for my work even the life that thou hast promised To him that works the wages is counted a debt There is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boasting and demanding a due Debt Rom. 4.1 4. Adam might then have said as that Elder Son a Type of one under the Covenant of Works once said I have served thee these many years and never brake I thy Commandment c. Luke 15.29 Thus Man might have demanded happiness as a due Debt from God to him and thus all Legalists and hollow Hypocrites do hold that God is in their debt as the Romanist that said Coelum gratis non accipiam I will either merit Heaven or I will never have Heaven But now in the Covenant of Grace 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free-gift freely given to the person without respect to any work or if to the work yet for the persons sake but not a due Debt as due unto the work unto which it is promised as in the Covenant of Works wherein Man is not justified gratìs or freely for his compleat Conformity to the Law for then 't is Gods pay for Mans pains 't is a giving him only what he
Righteousness Deut 9.4 6. but Gods Grace saves me Tit. 3.4 5. The time would fail to speak of all the Differences how the Two Covenants have a sixth Difference in their differing Objects the first was made with Man in his state of Perfection before the Fall while he was without sin but the second was given to Man in his state of Imperfection and Impotency after the Fall And when he was drowned in sin in which state the conditions of the first Covenant are become impossible to be fulfilled by Man though they were possible while he was potent and perfect Rom. 8.3 Isa 48.8 1 Kings 8.46 Prov. 20.9 and 30.12 Eccles 7.20 c. 1 John 1.8 c. Thus the Two Covenants differ'd in Time as well as in Object the one being before and the other after the Fall How may this provoke Men to come from under the Law which is an hard Master and imposeth an heavy yoke Acts 15.10 and the first Covenant which hath impossible as well as unbearable conditions and get under the second Covenant out of Adam into Christ the conditions whereof by the Influence of Grace which the first wanted are possible and whose yoke is easie Mat. 11.29 30. Note 1. Well were they called foolish Galatians Gal. 3.1 because they desired to be under the Law Gal. 4.21 They had more than a Months mind to put themselves under that cruel Taskmaster which requir'd such a Tale of Brick but found no Straw c. though the Grace of the Gospel was reveal'd to them yet were they ambitious of Slavery yea of plain Beggery as 't is call'd ver 9. being willing to live and die under that Covenant they were Born under this is a desire too Universal being but Natural and Connatural to all to continue in that Estate wherein they are Bred as well as Born this is that which makes so many rejoice in their state of Bondage as knowing no better and Dance as it were end-ways to Hell with severe yet insensible Bolts upon the Feet of their Souls Note 2. Though the Covenant of Grace be through Grace possible in fulfilling its conditions of Faith and Repentance yet in the Covenant of Works 't is impossible to accomplish any compleat Obedience in the state of corruption and therefore to suppose a Man may now be saved thereby is tantamount to suppose either a New Creation of Man or that Man is not faln but is still in his state of perfection as Adam was at first and by consequence that Man hath no need of Gods Covenant of Grace as then Adam had not so the Doctrine of Perfection is a Lying Doctrine The seventh Difference is Those Two Covenants have differing Foundations the first was founded upon the Free Will of the first Adam the second is grounded upon the Free Grace and fulness of Grace in the second Adam our Dear Redeemer Hence it is 1. That God deals alike with the like in the first Covenant yet puts a difference betwixt such as are alike in the second The first Covenant is a Covenant of Justice the second of Mercy now Justice is due but Mercy is free God saith I will have mercy upon whom I will but saith not I will deal justly with whom I will for he cannot deal unjustly with any The Judge of all the Earth will do right Gen. 18.25 for his passing of judgment is the last and highest Appeal but he will have mercy upon whom he will Rom. 9.15 for Mercy is his own and he may do what he will with his own and Mans Eye must not be evil because his is good Mat. 20.14 15. therefore 't is the method of Divine Mercy to be oft manifested upon the most unworthy and to prefer the younger before the Elder as Jacob before Esau Ephraim before Manasseh and the Gentiles the younger Brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Luke 15.12 25. before the Jews the elder Yea the Free Grace of God doth oft take hold of the most graceless and he sheweth Mercy to the vilest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 finding as many Motives to draw it forth in the worst as in the best by Nature whereas according to the first Covenant where there is no difference in Work there Justice makes no difference in Wages and seeing the works of all Mankind are evil in Adam who was the publick Person the Parliament-Man representing the whole Country of his Posterity and the Foundation of the first Covenant therefore the second Covenant finds all alike Sinners and Objects of Justice yet sheweth Mercy to some as it pleaseth God Rom. 9.12 18 20. Mic. 7.18 Hence it is 2. That one sin broke the Covenant of Works but many sins will not break the Covenant of Grace 'T was but one offence in Adam that brought guilt and condemnation upon himself and upon all his Posterity but the Gift of Grace and Mercy in the second Covenant is of many offences unto Justification Rom. 5.16 Not many sins before our Conversion nor many sins after it can break this Covenant Psal 89.31 34. Take here a short Recapitulation of the aforesaid differences between the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace 1. They differ in Terms the former being Conditional but the latter Absolute 2. In Means the second being with a Mediator but the first without one 3. In Manner the first accepts the Action and then the Person but the second accepts the Person first and then the Action 4. In the Measure there was indeed great Grace and undeserved favour in the former but there is far greater Grace yea the greatest of all in the latter 5. In the Matter the first puts Mans Life and Salvation into his own hands leaving him to himself and to manage it by his own Strength but the second puts them into the hands of Christ Col. 3.3 who is able to save Psal 89.19 Isa 33.22 yea to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 6. In the object as well as in the Subject or Matter the first was made with Man while Sinless and Holy but the second when he became Sinful and Unholy c. 7. In the Foundation the first was founded upon the Free VVill of Man but the second upon the Free Grace of God This may help both Understanding and Memory The Eighth Difference is they differ in their Duration the first Covenant is in some sound sense abolished Col. 2.14 c. but this second abideth for ever Indeed the Covenant of VVorks stands in force upon all Men out of Christ to all Eternity For 1. By that Covenant Sin is imputed and the Curse of that Covenant is inflicted for ever 2. All that now remain under the first Covenant in a Christless condition are still under the Curse of that Covenant and thereby perish for ever yet the first Covenant is utterly abolished by Christ to all that are in him as their representative Head 'T is necessary to observe for a right understanding of this great Truth that the Covenant of
his hope had hang'd upon the First Covenant he had perish'd Eternally and all his Posterity with him yet was he finaliter objectivè predestinated to Glory by the Grace of Christ in the Second Covenant which was able to save him to the utmost and did undoubtedly save him yet not as a publick person representing all his Posterity for then we should have been predestinated unto life in Adam and not in Christ Rom. 8.29 30. but as a single Man like Abraham and Jacob c. laying hold of Christ in the Covenant of Grace from which he could not totally and finally fall The first Covenant was left on Earth where Thieves broke through and stole away the priviledge thereof but the second was laid up in Heaven 't is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 and hath an Inheritance Reserved in Heaven where no Thieves can come 't is out of the reach of Hell and Devil for us who are reserved for it as well as it for us 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Oh try under what Covenant are ye ask your Hearts three Questions 1. Are ye in that state ye were Bred and Born in 2. VVho is your Tutor corrupt Nature or the Spirit of Grace 3. Do ye hang your Hope on self Righteousness or on Christs As Adam so ye flee from the first for refuge to the second but if ye despise it there is no remedy Mat. 22.5 8. Luke 14.24 Psal 81.11 12. Heb. 10.26 39 Psal 73.27 and 125.5 2 Pet. 2.20 Having dispatched the many Differences between the two Covenants of VVorks and of Grace I come to the next point of Enquiry what the Covenant on Sinai was and whether it was a Covenant of VVorks or a Covenant of Grace or distinct from both so as to make up a third Covenant To this I answer 1. Negatively That it could not be distinct from both the other two for then there would be three Covenants contrary to that Scripture Gal. 4.24 These are the two Covenants there cannot be a third Covenant 'twixt God and Man save only the two either that of VVorks or that of Grace and God mentions but one Covenant when the first was broken Lev. 26.42 c. 2. Positively The Covenant of Grace given after the Fall contradistinct only to that of VVorks before the Fall hath been always one and the same for substance in all Ages of the Church though under divers forms of Administration from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham from Abraham to Moses from Moses to David and so on from David to Christ and from Christ to this day yea and will be the same without change to the end of the World therefore the Apostle Paul affirmeth that though he was a Minister of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 yet taught he no other Doctrine concerning any New Covenant but what was taught before by Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament Acts 26.22 and hereupon he declareth that the Prophets and Apostles are jointly the Foundation-Doctrinal for the Church to build upon seeing both of them taught Salvation by Christ only who is the Foundation-Personal 1 Cor. 3.11 Eph. 2.20 as also Rev. 21.14 First Objest But if the Covenant of Moses upon Mount Sinai in the Old Testament be not a distinct Covenant from that of the Messias upon Mount Sion in the New Testament why are they called the Old and the New Ans 1. Negatively They are not so called as if they had a special Difference or Distinct Nature betwixt them no more than betwixt the Old and New Moon which are not two differing Moons but one and the same in differing Appearances Thus the Doctrine of the Covenant in the Old Testament was the same with that thereof in the New the Old being Evangelium Velatum only the Gospel Veiled the New being Lex Revelata only the Law Revealed or Accomplished they do not hold out two Christs the Seed of the Woman promised to faln Adam was the same in both Testaments and so not two Covenants Therefore this Distinction of the Covenant into New and Old is not Generis in species of a general into specials comprized in it but Subjecti in Accidentia of a Subject distinguished by its Accidents The Subject is one and the same in substance related in both Testaments yet admits of divers Accidents Accessories or Appendices as an old House or Habit may be so decayed as to be repaired and made new again yet still the same for substance Thus the Veil of Shadows which covered the Covenant of Grace in the Old Testament waxed old and this was done away by Christ Heb. 10. l c. Ans 2. Positively as before Negatively we must know That this Covenant of Grace had sundry Aera's Epocha's or periods of Account as to its External Dispensation differing in different circumstances and various manners of Administration all adapted and accommodated to the times wherein they were dispensed yet all along one and the same for substance in its Essence and Internal Nature The first Account we have of its promulgation was to Adam Gen. 3.15 when the Covenant of Works was violated by his Fall yet cancelled by his Recovery being raised up under the Apple-tree by Christ the promised Seed Cant. 8.5 then did God most graciously though but darkly dispense to faln Adam the Covenant of Grace for the Grand Charter of Man's Salvation after the Fall was there dressed up in a form most agreeable to that sad estate into which the Serpent by Satans subtilty had involved him therefore is it worded thus The Seed of the Woman whom Satan in the Serpent had seduced shall break his head who had bruised her heel The second Account of the publication of this Covenant of Grace was to Noah after the Floud Gen. 9.9 12 17. where he had not only the Ark wherein he was saved but also the Rain-bow as Tokens of this Covenant accommodated as suitable Symbols and Sacraments to confirm his Faith that the World should no more be drowned for sin and this God himself brings in as a Branch of his Covenant of Peace Isa 54.9 10. saying This is as the waters of Noah they shall never Drown the World nor my Covenant shall be ever broken c. Yea and still this Rainbow is applied as a Sign of Gods favour to his Church Ezek. 1.28 Revel 4.3 and 10.1 where Christ is said to have a Rainbow about his Head as Nuntius Foederis Serenitatis a Messenger that saith he is faithful in keeping his Covenant and that Storms and Deluges shall be done away and dried up when the Dragon shall pour out a Flood of Evils upon the Church Revel 12.15 The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him Isa 59.19 The third Account of this Covenant was Gods renewing it with Abraham and that in a clearer manner of manifestation than either of the former and therefore probably is he honoured with that high Title three times in Scripture as
when Jonathan the Heir of the Crown would vouchsafe to enter into Covenant with him a poor Shepherd 1 Sam. 20.11 16 c. that was much but this is a million more This made Abraham abase himself as one unworthy to touch the Hand of the most high God held out in tendring this Covenant and abasing himself even below himself to such an unworthy Worm hereby lifted up above it self thus his Children must lye at Gods Foot Isa 41.2 and cry VVho am I Lord 2 Sam. 7.18 Second Object Was not the Covenant God made with Moses and with Israel as 't is expressed Exod. 34.27 upon Mount Sinai a Covenant of Works not of Grace in the Moral Law Answ 1. 'T is call'd indeed a Subservient Covenant by great Divines yet this may not be understood so as to constitute it a third Covenant distinct from both the other two of Works and of Grace as if that of Works were a Natural that on Sinai were Legal or Mosaical and that of Grace were Evangelical But Melancthon Chron. lib. 4. assures us that this three-fold Covenant was an old Monkish Dream whereon the Doctrine of Merits was Designedly as well as Dotingly grounded The truth is the Mosaical Covenant is a compound of both the two Covenants as to its Inward Essence and Constitution 't is a Covenant of Grace but as to its Outward Form and Dispensation 't is a Copy of the Covenant of Works as the sequel will evidence That the whole Doctrine delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai was in its Essence and Substance the same with the Covenant of Grace given before to Adam Noah and Abraham appeareth by many Arguments Arg. 1. That Covenant in which God promiseth to be our God since the Fall must be the Covenant of Grace and the Praeface of the Decalogue saith I am the Lord your God c. This God cannot be to Man since he sinned but in Christ Arg. 2. That Covenant as the Law is called Deut. 4.12 13. 5.2 3. which holdeth forth Sin-pardoning Mercy is the Covenant of Grace but so doth the second Commandment set forth God as shewing mercy to thousands where pardoning-mercy stands in opposition to a visiting of Iniquity Arg. 3. That Covenant which is founded upon Mercy must be the Covenant of Grace but such was this of Sinai 't was not a Covenant of Friendship as was that of Works betwixt an holy God and holy Adam in his state of Perfection but it was a Covenant of Mercy with a stiff-necked people Deut. 9.6 wherein he loved them not because they were lovely but because he loved them Deut. 7.7 8. 1 Sam. 12.22 meerly from the good pleasure of his goodness 2 Thes 1.12 Deut. 7.9 12. God joins Covenant and Mercy together as also 2 Chron. 6. v. 14. 2 Kings 13.23 Neh. 1.5 to shew his Covenant did flow from his Mercy Arg. 4. That Covenant which was the same with Abraham is granted by all to be the Covenant of Grace for as that Covenant at first found Adam an Apostate so after it found Abraham an Idolater Josh 24.2 It was not Grace in faln Adam or in Idolatrous Abraham that drew God into Covenant with either of them but it was Grace in God that moved him to take the one and the other into Covenant with himself and thus also took he stiff-necked Israel as before as he was the God of Abraham and so of his Seed by vertue hereof He brought them out of the Bondage of Egypt which Typified their Freedom from the Bondage of Sin so it was the Covenant of Grace whereof Circumcision was given as a Seal both to Abraham and to Israel under this Covenant of Sinai Rom. 4.11 Typing that of the Heart Rom. 2.29 and the Apostle saith he that is Circumcised is Debtor to the whole Law Gal. 5.3 c. which shews it was the Seal of Sinai's Covenant but this of Sinai is so Deut. 8.18 Levit. 26.41 42. Exod. 2.24 and 3.6 7. Deut. 6.10 and 7.12 The fifth Argument That Covenant which was confirmed by the Blood of Sprinkling was a Covenant of Grace but so was the Covenant on Sinai Exod. 24.5 and behold the Blood of the Covenant sprinkled upon the Book which the Lord hath made with you and sprinkled upon all the people ver 6 8. shewing thereby as by all their Sacrifices so many Types of Christ the Grand Sacrifice that without shedding of Christs Blood for us and its sprinkling on us there could be no Remission of Sin Heb. 9.19 20 21 22 23. The sixth Argument All the Ceremonies of Sinai's Covenant were the shadows of good things to come and Types of Christ who is the Body Heb. 9.1 c. All the Ordinances of Worship and the worldly Sanctuary there mentioned belonging to Sinai's Covenant are Expounded as pointing out the Covenant of Grace The Ceremonial Law was no other than their Gospel The seventh Argument That Covenant made with a Mediator is the Covenant of Grace and so was that of Sinai Gal. 3.19 Adam had no need of one before the Fall Israel had Moses their Mediator not Redemptions sed Relationis wherein he was a Typical Mediator only The Second Answer is The Law pressed upon Israel on Sinai was not a Covenant of VVorks but a darker dispensation of the Covenant of Grace for the better understanding of this consider four things 1st That the Law given upon Mount Sinai is taken either Strictly or Largely 1. Strictly as the Moral Law is press'd upon Israel for an exact rule of all Righteousness and promising Life upon condition of personal perfect and perpetual Obedience so it was indeed given in the form and as a copy of the Covenant of VVorks being materially and for substance the same with that to Adam in Innocency thus the Apostle saith Rom. 10.5 6. that in this sense the Law is not of Faith for its Righteousness speaketh in this manner he that doth them shall live in them where such a condition is propounded as neither is nor can be fulfilled by any Man save only by the Man Christ Jesus in the faln estate hence Luther raiseth an Holy Rapture saying the Law speaking thus to any Mortal Man Do and Live may as well say Morere Die out of Hand for there is no Man Lives and Sins not he can as soon cease to Sin as his Pulse to beat or his Heart to pant and his Lungs to breath 2. Largely as the Law contains the whole Doctrine delivered upon Mount Sinai with all the Precepts and Promises which may be reduced thereunto all the Ceremonies and Sacrifices which were Shews and Shadows of our Saviour the Body so 't was a darker dispensation of the Covenant of Grace to Israel 2dly Consider The off-spring of Abraham the Jews were of two sorts there was his Carnal and his Spiritual Seed represented to us in Gods Promise to Abraham Gen. 22.17 I will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand
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
a Yesterday Covenant in comparison of this Covenant of Redemption 'twixt the Father and Son for us which was from Eternity It cannot be said that there was a Beginning of their Love to us whatsoever was before the VVorld and Time which was Created with the World must needs be Eternal designs of Gods good VVill to Man Luke 2.14 are no younger than God himself How many are Gods thoughts of Love to usward Psal 40.5 David cannot reckon them by retail not knowing where to begin them below Eternity therefore he doth it by whole Sale shewing the Original of those thoughts to arise out of this Eternal Covenant of the Father with the Son v. 6 7. c. the Father delighted in those thoughts of Love to the Elect from Everlasting and the Son delighted in them too Prov. 8.30 31. God began to love us in Christ assoon as he began to be himself and to love himself and his Son which indeed had no beginning but was from Eternity Oh how should this indear Gods Love to us dear is that Love of a Friend to us that hath been extended from their very Infancy and continueth unto their Death upon us How much dearer must Gods Love to us be which hath been from Eternity and will be to Eternity as it had no beginning so it can no End but lasts as long as Gad lasteth this platform is profundum sine fundo 3. Consider that our Persons should be taken into the same Covenant with the Son of God assoon as Christ was Elected we were Elected in him Eph. 1.3 4. and accepted in him v. 5 6. so brought into this Matrimonial Covenant of being betrothed to God himself Hos 2.19 wherein the Son said to the Father Here am I and the Children thou hast given me Isa 8.18 all brought into an Union above that of Angels As Christs coming under our Covenant to be made under the Law for us was his lowest abasement so his taking us into his Covenant to have interest in his Sonship and Righteousness is our highest advancement 4. Consider There is a more glorious Emanation or flowing forth of this Eternal Love of saying That if their Heathen-Gods do not hinder wickedness when they can and may hinder it they bring themselves under an unavoidable necessity of punishing men for that wickedness There be some Sâ—cinians and Arminians also that are not ashamed to symbolize with the Pagans herein being burdened with the same seeming Reason saying Why would God suffer sin to enter into the World which he might have hindered knowing he should be thereby under a necessity either of tormenting sinful men in Hell or his Innocent Son Chrifst on Earth yea both these must be tormented Ans 1. 'T is no less than blasphemy to say that the great God wanted either Wisdom or Power to prevent the entrance of sin into the World seeing he is Infinite in both his Infinite Wisdom could have designed another way than sins entrance and his Infinite Power could have accomplished that design for prevention of sin 2. Though Divine Power had undoubtedly a Dominion over sin either to prevent it or to permit it yet Divine Wisdom thought it best of all to permit it upon Reasons weighty in themselves yet unsearchable to our humane capacities VVhat man knoweth the deep mysteries of the mind of God or who hath been his Counsellor Rom. 11.34 'T was blasphemy in Alpbonso the wise the fool rather to say had he been of Gods Counsel at the first he could have amended many things that now are in the World 3. If we consider the State of Innocency under the Covenant of VVorks simply as it respects Man only so it had been better and more excellent morally that Man had never sinned and never been sick so as to need a Physician But if we consider Mans condition in that first Estate relatively as it had a respect to a more universal good to wit the Glory of God in the flowings forth of his Free Grace and the greater manifestation of his Infinite Love there is more Divine Excellency in Mans falling by sin and rising again by Christ in the Covenant of Grace Gospel-Repentance or Godly-Penitency wherein Faith fetcheth in Healing from Jesus for a sin-fick Soul is better than a Legal-Innocency a Gospel-rising than a Law standing upon many accounts 1. This was the way which the Infinite Wisdom of God invented to make the best evidence of his Love to Man as 't is said of sinful Man that he sought out many Inventions Eccles 7. v. 29. So may we say of the most holy God that he sought out a world of Inventions for the Excursion of his Love to Man and among all sorts of ways his Wisdom could invent and that in an Eternity of time too he pitcheth upon this as the best way to let Man fall into sin and to become an Enemy to God that his great Love as 't is call'd Eph. 2.4 might be the more manifest which would not have appeared so great if Man had not sinned To love Man as a Friend who had never displeased him all his life as that Elder Brother said to his Father Luke 15.29 was over-low a way of love for him who is called Love it self 1 John 4.8 16. No Man must be a sinner a God-offending creature and this must be the way whereby God commendeth his Love to Man Rom. 5.8 10. Such an unsearchable way of hidden Wisdom's inventing as neither Heighth nor Depth nor Breadth nor Length thereof could ever be found out by Man who must endeavour to Admire it but must not undertake to Express it Rom. 11.33 Eph. 3.18 19 20. Who art thou O man that dare chat and argue with the most wise God who found out this way for glorifying his own Justice upon some and his Mercy upon others Rom. 9.20 c. Oh Mercy Mercy Mercy presupposeth Misery primum Dei donum est Amor as he is Goodness so he is Love and he laid this platform from all Eternity to let out his Love in a way of Mercy permitting Man to fall into Misery meerly that it might serve as a Soil to set off the Love of God the more The second Account is As this was Gods way to set forth his Love to Man the more so 't is to raise up Man's Love to God the more That great sinner the Woman that washed Christ's feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair loved much because Christ had forgiven her much Luke 7.38 to 48. She loved him not only more than Simon there who never had faln so foully as she had done but even more than the blessed Virgin of whom we never read that she did so manifest her love to Christ in such actions as this greater sinner did who had a deeper sense and a more powerful feeling of Divine Compassions obliging her to return love for love yea proportionally measure for measure more than many that had never so faln
that contracted with Death not to seize upon him without giving due warning content saith Death whereupon he indulged himself in all ways of voluptuousness in the midst whereof Death came to claim his due the man replied no Death thou hast not given me due warning therefore I must not yet be thy due Prize but Death rejoined O man inasmuch as thou hast been sometimes afflicted with Head-ach Tooth-ach c. thou hast been duly warned by me though thou didst not take the warning therefore now is the time I must take thee away and accordingly Death did so Oh that secure Sinners would meditate upon Gods disannulling all their Covenants with Death and Agreements with Hell and not say in their Thrasonical Hyperboles Nos ab omni malo sumus securissimi we are Shot-free and shall Scape scot-free though the Prophets and Preachers prate and tell us a talk of Death and Hell notwithstanding all their politick Bug-bears to keep men in Awe we shall yet dance upon their Graves The Lion is not so fierce as he is painted nor the Devil so black as he is represented Good follows shall have good quarter with the Devil say our Modern Atheists They reckon thus but they reckon without their Host who disannuls all Jer. 6.19 3. The Latine name for Covenant is 1. Foedus quasi fiat Fides be faithful in it or 't is so called à Foedo animali in Foedere diviso from some filthy beast divided in two parts and the parties concerned in the Covenant passing between the parts as before c. The use of this Ceremony was customary not only among the Hebrews Gen. 15.9 10. Jer. 34.18 but also among the Heathens as above Roman Histories tell us how it was their Custom at making of Covenants to cut that filthy creature a Sow in twain as the Hebrews cut the Calf c. and when the sow was divided the Faeciales or Heraulds gave one half to one party and the other half to the other saying So God divide you in sunder if you break this Covenant and let God do this so much the more as he is more able This agreeth with that of Virgil afore-cited Et Creasâ jungebant Foedera porcâ The second Latine name is pactum à pacando from pacifying quasi pace factum made in peace for there is no making of Covenants betwixt contrary parties until their minds be pacified each to other Thus when the offended God is willing to make a Covenant with offending Man it argues his anger is pacified towards us Which Mercy should oblige us to Duty that is not to be unfaithful like our Fathers but stedfast in his Covenant Psal 78.8 37 57. which the other name seems to import Foedus quasi fiat Fides Faith and Faithfulness is required whoever break Gods Covenant sooner or later break their own peace if not their own souls as Zedekiah did Ezek. 17.14 16 18 20 God saith there As I live so sure will I punish Perjury c. he being deeply engaged and highly concerned therein a sin hateful to God and hurtful to man Paul puts it among the black bed-roll of Villanies 2. Tim. 3.3 4. The English name Covenant quasi convenient à convenire or two parties coming together into one and concording in one matter as pactum est quasi pace factum an Agreement peaceably made betwixt two differing parties The second thing to be considered after the Name is the Nature of this Covenant which our Lord Jesus the Angel and Mediator thereof calls a Testament Matth. 26.28 Those two names strictly taken have various differences As 1. A Covenant is the Agreement betwixt two at the least but a Testament is a Declaration of the Will of one only 2. The two Parties betwixt whom a Covenant is passed must be both living at that time but a Testament takes its date at the Death of the Testator being invalid and of no force until the maker of it die 3. A Covenant is ratified by the mutual consent of both Parties to the Conditions thereof but a Testament absolutely dependeth upon the good will and pleasure of the Testator and therefore is it call'd a Man's Will wherein he is pleased to bequeath such and such Legacies to those he beareth a good will unto whether Relations or Strangers meerly of his own grace and benevolence Notwithstanding this Difference in a threefold respect yet are they promiscuously taken in Scripture as Gal. 3.15 Heb. 9.15 16 c. All which does demonstrate to us the Nature of this Covenant 't is not only so but 't is also a Testament wherein 1. The Testator is Christ 2. The Heirs or Legacees are the Saints 3. The Legacies which are given thereby be the Gifts of the Spirit and the Graces thereof 4. The Executor is the. Holy Ghost that Spirit of Truth which leadeth into a true possession of all therein promised 5. The Witnesses are the Apostles and Martyrs c. 6. The Will is the Bible 7. The Seal the Sacraments 8. God the Supervisor 9. The Court wherein it 's proved 1. Upper is the Court of Heaven And 2. The lower is the Court of our Consciences 10. The Term it lasts for ever and ever Nay and which is more for our comfort the Testator himself though he did â—â—e yet lives again to become his own Administrator Heb. 9.15 The Devil himself cannot disappoint it Having declared how the Nature of a Covenant strictly taken differs from a Testament I come in the next place to shew how it differs from a Promise though it be called both a Testament and a Promise or the covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 The excellency of it is made most evident in the exceeding great and gracious Promise of it 2 Pet. 1.4 and therefore is this New Covenant of the Gospel prefer'd before the Old Covenant of the Law as being stablished upon better Promises Heb. 8 6. yet is the Covenant more than a Promise because it is a 〈◊〉 und of all Gods Gracious Promises to Man in Christ as a constellation differs from a Star â—â—â—oth the Covenant differ from a Promise 'T is not any single Star that shines alone which constitutes or is called a constellation the art of Astrology saith there be a 1000 Stars of Note aâ—â— wâ—â—â—h that they may be better known are reduced to only fourty eight Constellations in the Nâ—â—th twenty one in the South fifteen and in the Zodaick or middle betwixt twelve which in all amount to the number aforesaid Thus it may be said here that there be more than a 1000 Promises scattered up and down in the Heavens of Holy Scripture each of them shining forth not only with their single but also with their singular splendor and illustrious Beauty but still the Covenant is the grand Constellation or rather Firmament consisting of an happy Conjunction of all those distinct Promises whether they be Promises of Grace or to Grace of giving Christ of pardoning Mercy of purifying Grace
us all those Graces Rom. 8.32 Even all things pertaining to Life and Godliness Eph. 1.3 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Pet. 1.3 So that 't is Mercy that performs all to Abraham Mic. 7.20 And the Saints are exhorted to look for the Mercy in Christ unto Eternal Life Jud. v. 21. And are called the Heirs of the Grace of this Life Eternal 1 Pet. 3.7 Because Grace is the cause both of Gods promising it and of his performing it the performance hath in it as much free Grace as the promise seeing we all fall short of Gods Glory Rom. 3.23 and of our own Duty Luke 17.10 The best can never have worth enough with their best to merit Heaven or purchase happiness in way of Justice it must be given in a way of Mercy Mans grace cannot merit Gods Glory In a word every Article of this Covenant is free Grace the whole Gospel is the word of Gods Grace Act. 20.32 And the Grace of God Col. 1.6 Faith is the gift of Grace Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 Remission is from the Riches of Grace Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Justification is freely from Grace Rom. 3.24 Yea and Salvation is given by Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 And all the way thereunto every Influence of Grace comes from Grace Joh. 15.5 Phil. 2.13 As doth Christ himself Joh. 3.16 Inference hence 1. Magnifie the Glory of the free Grace of God as blessed Paul often did Eph. 1.6 and 2.4 and 1 Tim. 1.13 14. c. Add nothing to it mix nothing with it this debases it and darkens the glory of Grace admire it with David 2 Sam. 7.18.21 Psal 115. 1. And Adore it with Abraham falling down to worship Gen. 17.2.3 Give Grace the Glory that gives you both Grace and Glory 2. Inference let not unworthiness discourage 't is only for such as see it and are sensible of it and a contrary state and temper of the Heart in self-admiration secludes such self-admirers He pays best for Heaven that sees he hath nothing to pay for it A thousand Worlds cannot purchase it yet is it freely given hang your hope upon the free grace of God not the free will of Man NB. When Despair Dejects apply absolute promises when security and presumption prevails apply conditional both in their seasons are very useful to Souls well applied The Second Excellency of the Covenant 'T is Firm as well as Free yea 't is Firm because 't is Free had this Second Covenant stood upon Mans Obedience as the first did it had not been a firm and sure Covenant for the Free VVill of Man even in the state of Innocency was but a slippery Foundation much more is it now in the Faln estate but it stands upon the Free Grace of God Rom. 4.16 and not upon any thing in us or to be done by us therefore hath it the more certainty The Covenant of Works was not firm because it was not free but depended upon the mutability of Mans VVill and therefore Mans VVill being changeable that Covenant was changeable also but the Covenant of Grace hath no such dependency on Mans mutable VVill seeing 't is grounded upon the immutable good VVill and Pleasure of an unchangeable God it must be Free and therefore is it Firm nothing can hinder Free Grace from its effectual operation of what and on whom it will though a Promise of VVages upon condition of Works may yet a Promise of Free Grace cannot be prevented besides 't is built upon the unchangeable Purpose of God for Paul puts Purpose and Grace together 2 Tim. 1.9 now this Divine Purpose is such a sure Foundation as cannot be shaken 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his both in respect of the freeness of his Election and of the Firmness of his Affection howbeit this knowledge God hath of his is carried secret as a River under ground till he calls us and separates us from the rest of Sinners hence are we call'd the called according to his Purpose Rom. 8.28 and this purpose is call'd a Promise Tit. 1.2 not as if any Promise of Eternal Life could be made to us before the VVorld began in Person but 1. Because the Father did then Purpose it in himself and according to that his Purpose did also 2. Promise it to his Son for us and in our behalf in that Eternal Covenant between them and 3. According to that Eternal Purpose in himself and that Eternal Promise to Christ the Promise of Eternal Life is made in time to us in our own persons hereupon the Apostle grounds the firmness of the Covenant of Promise upon the stability of Gods Counsel or Purpose Heb. 6.17 so that unless Gods Counsel or Purpose change the Covenant or Promise is unchangeable but God is in one Mind and who can turn him Job 23.13 ever the same Heb. 13.8 and I am is his Name Exod. 3.14 NB. First Here then lyes our strongest consolation and the best Anchor hold for our Hope Heb. 6.18 The Covenant of Redemption before time was Promises conceal'd and the Covenant of reconciliation in time was purposes Revealed yea and in it we see also performances for the future so Ensured by Christ who keeps the Ensuring Office as if they were Acoomplishments at present and so two Eternities meet together in the Covenant that à parte ante before the World and that à parte post both during and after the World assuring happiness to all in the Covenant which must needs be unchangeable As 1. 'T was founded upon two unchangeable Bottoms Gods VVord and his Oath Heb. 6.17 18. 2. 'T was Contracted 'twixt two unchangeable persons the Father and the Son the Father promising so many Souls and Jews being too little Gentiles also cost the Son so much Blood every Drop was Covenanted for 3. 'T was made before an unchangeable VVitness the Spirit Joh. 5.32 36 37. Heb. 9.14 whereupon 't is call'd an Everlasting Covenant Isa 55.3 and Heb. 13.20 and 2 Sam. 23.5 Herein David placed all his Salvation as containing in it the sure Mercies of David or Christ Act. 13.34 't is not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.19 20. not one word of it can fail Josh 21.45 and 23.14 1 Kin. 8.56 't is a sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 and 't is more easy for Mountains to move out of their places Isa 54.10 and for the course of Night and Day to cease Jer. 33.20 21. than for this firm Covenant to fail none ever took hold of it and could say There is a Lie in my hand as Isa 44.20 As God cannot Lie Tit. 1.5 so nor his Covenant Psal 89.33 34 35. 't is impossible Heb. 6.18 NB. secondly This Covenant is so firm sure and lasting that it is Perpetual and Everlasting it includes in it the two Eternities that à parte ante before the World began and that à parte post when the World shall have an end yet the Covenant shall last for ever being as in Moses phrase from Everlasting
Kingdom of God in time and that within us as the other was done without us 'T is sad to want the touches of the Spirit which are quickening comforting and saving touches We may want its comforting presence yet have its quickning presence but if this latter be lost the former cannot be had for there can be no peace or comfort felt where there is not Life and we may want the Arbitrary Influence of the Spirit which raiseth up Grace to an high Lustre and Eminency yet have the necessary Influence which maintains the Being of Grace as the other doth its Well-being c. If the Holy Spirit doth not touch us with his Divine touches the unclean Spirit will with his Deadly touches 1 John 5.18 Job 2.5 The In-dwelling of the Holy Ghost in us prevents the re-possession of the unclean Spirit after he has had his dispossession for he must find his House empty or he cannot re-enter Mat. 12.43 c. yet though he is hereby kept from re-entring he is not from assaulting although the Man in Christ be assaulted yet the In-dwellings of the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 11. doth secure him from Satans assaults yet the manner of the Spirits workings and in-dwellings be unknown to us John 3.8 c. In a word whatever Christ is as he saith he is Bread a Branch a Door an Heir Light Life an Altar a Lamb a Way a Vine a Lion a Foundation a Corner-stone tryed by all or has whatever the Spirit is a Dove a Comforter c. as before or has yea whatever Heaven or Earth hath in them the Angels the sweet Influence of the Pleiades and of all other Constellations the Covenant conveys all to us Dona Throni Dona Scabelli the good things of the Throne and the good things of the Footstool yea whatever is in Gods Threefold Treasury of the Sea Air and Earth It is a Covenant of Peace with all Creatures Job 5.23 whatever either Creation or Providence hath in them whatever God the Creator hath and is whatever God the Redeemer hath and is and whatever God the Sanctifier hath and is are all made over to us by the Covenant and is not this a full Covenant Fourthly and lastly As it is a full so 't is an Holy Covenant Luke 1.72 Dan. 11.28 30. There Antiochus's his Indignation was against the Holy Covenant as it was against the holy God and his holy People who were in holy Covenant with him his unholy irreligious Heart was against them for their holy Religion which they profess'd and practis'd 'T is call'd an holy Covenant 1. Quoad Fontem from the Fountain from whence it flows to wit from the Holy God who is Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 and is proclaimed by those Heavenly Heralds the Seraphims three times over Holy Holy Holy Isa 6.3 and this Superlative Holiness in God gives a most Immense Lustre and Beauty to all his other Attributes 't is Holy Justice Holy Power Holy Wisdom Holy Love c. Now qualis causa tale causatum à quo aliquid tale est illud est magis tale If God who is the first cause of the Covenant be Holy then the Effect which flows from this Cause and Original must needs be Holy also the Stream is as the Spring 2. Quoad Finem from the End of this Holy Covenant which is to make us an Holy People we are chosen to be holy Eph. 1.4 Hence Holiness is absolutely necessary to Evidence our Interest in this Holy Covenant 't is necessary to Salvation which is the End of the Covenant both necessitate medii praecepti as 't is Gods precept that we should be Holy Levit. 11.44 and 19.2 and 20.7 1 Pet. 1.15 16 c. So Holiness is our means and way to Happiness for without it no Man can see the Lord Heb. 12.14 and therefore 't is promis'd in as 't is an Evidence of the Covenant 3. Quoad Objectum the Grace of the Covenant knows no other Object but an Holy People so made or so found as the Holy God is one Party confederate in this Covenant so his Holy Saints are the other Party Psal 50.5 for God doth not take the wicked by the Hand Job 8.20 to enter into Covenant with them nay he will not allow them so much as to take his Covenant into their Mouths Psal 50.17 he is King of Saints Revel 15.3 and will have no correspondence with the Evil. 4. Quoad Subjectum all the Contents or Subject Matter of this Covenant are Holy Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.24 which Isa 55.3 calls sure Mercies are by the Apostle call'd Holy Things all the parts as well as both the Parties are Holy the Promise in it is Holy Psal 105.42 and our Faith that lays hold on it is Holy Jude ver 20. The whole of it was spoke in his Holiness Psal 60.6 Inferences hence 1. This is the true Reason why this Holy Covenant is so little Embraced by the World 't is because they are an unholy People and hate this Covenant for its Holiness John 3.19 c. 2. Let us try our selves by our Holiness for an Interest in this Holy Covenant is it writ on all our Natural Civil and Religious Actions Zech. 14.20 on our Riding Drinking Sleeping c. The Doctrine contrary to Holiness is the Devils Covenant and none of Gods who knows his own Hand and owns no other Some weighty and Soul-awakening Considerations may commodiously conclude this great Concern of the Covenant all having a tendency to the Convincing Converting Quickening Confirming and Comforting the Souls of Men and Women 1. Consider All persons are under either the Covenant of Works or under the Covenant of Grace no Man can be under both Covenants at once for they are incompatible one with another the Law as it is a Covenant hath no consistency with the Covenant of the Gospel these two are two Vicegerents in Mans Heart the Law hath natural Conscience to keep its Courts there but the Gospel hath Faith to keep Christs Court there these are Inconsistent as both being supream principles are opposite till over powered a man may indeed be under a double Image to wit of Flesh and Spirit for that Image of the old Adam is done away and of the second Adam is renewed by Degrees but a Covenant-State is a Legal act so the change from the one to the other both which stand upon contrary Foundations as before is done all at once and therefore the one must make void the other and none be under both 2. Consider There is a natural propensity in the faln nature to desire to be under the Covenant of Works Gal. 4.21 Ye that desire to be under the Law for all men would establish their own Righteousness Rom. 10.2 3. and would be doing something to merit Heaven as Vega that Papist said Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have Heaven freely given â—â—c Alas Proud Man scorns that Gift of God Rom.
6.23 but would have it as a due Debt this is not only from a Principle of Pride but also of Ignorance concerning Christ and of Enmity also against God as if he were not Wise Just and Kind enough for them 3. Consider As Man naturally desires to be so he really is under the Covenant of Works by Nature in his Unregenerate State while he remains in the old Adams Nature as a Wild Olive he abides also under the old Adams Covenant which is a broken State and likewise a Broken Covenant therefore that Man until he be broken off Rom. 11.17 from that old Root must be most miserable seeing that brokeâ— Covenant 1. Promiseth no Life but upon perfect Obedience 2. It hath no Mediator nor Surety to salve his imperfections 3. Neither is there in it any Promise of Pardoning Sin or of giving Grace 4. And every New Sin breaks anew that once broken Covenant therefore Lastly It can never quiet his Conscience as before but lays him under the Curse of it Gal. 3.10 and every man that is under the Curse is under the Covenant that causeth the Curse and who would be Cursed Woe to such as are under the first Covenant which can comfort none but upon this condition Obey perfectly and live Eternally this is poor comfort seeing Gods Commands are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 and Mans Obedience is exceeding narrow Luk. 17.10 c. yet can it curse all that fails and falls short 4. Consider 'T is then a most necessary though a much neglected Duty to be Translated from the Covenant of VVorks into the Covenant of Grace Col. 1.13 we are without God in the VVorld but not without the Devil while we are Strangers to this Covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 we are poor empty Self-deceiving and Self-defiling Creatures under the Irritation Coaction and Condemnation of the Law Justice without Mercy in that Avenger of Blood which pursueth us and whose Heart waxes hot within him Deut. 19.6 to overtake and overcome us 't is therefore an indispensable duty to flee into this City of refuge thou art not only a Man-slayer a felo de se or Self-slayer Eccles 7.16 Numb 16.38 But a God-slayer in as much as omne peccatum est Deicidium every sin is a killing of God saith Luther as much as in us lyeth Flee therefore as a Bird to your Mountain Psal 11.1 Mat. 24.16 to the Mountain of this Covenant take hold with Joab in danger of Death of the Horns of this Altar 1 Kin. 2.28 You are stung with the fiery Serpent the Curse of the broken Covenant and there is but one remedy a look of Faith and love to the Brazen Serpent Numb 21.8 Joh. 3.14 there 's no avoiding the Curse of the First Covenant but by being Translated out of it Sodom and Satan would accept of that offer you reject 5. As Christ was given for a Covenant Isa 42.6 49.8 so all Christless Souls are Lifeless Souls they are Dead and Damned without Christ for Life and Salvation are laid up in him Joh. 15.1 2. Act. 4.12 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.17 as the Mercy-Seat was no larger than the Ark and they never sever'd each from other this shews that Grace and Salvation extends no farther than the Covenant the Hebrew word Copher signifies a Coffering or Covering up our sins Rom. 3.25 1 Joh. 2.2 as all out of Noahs Ark or Coffer were drowned so all out of Christ and this Covenant are Damned as Joseph was the only Doer of all to save the Egyptians Gen. 41.41 44 49. Go to Joseph saith Pharaoh what he saith to you do v. 55. so Jesus is the great Doer of all to save mankind and whoever crys for fear of Famishing the Father sends such to our Joseph our Jesus he is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 yea the Covenant it self and the grand sole undertaker in it Isa 38.14 6. Union is the ground of Communion as our Union with the First Adam gives us Communion with the Cursing-Covenant so our Union with the Second Adam gives us Communion with the Blessing-Covenant our Translation out of the first is by Union with the second there is a breaking â—ff and a grafting in Rom. 11.17 19 24. where Grace grants these God looks upon that Soul 1. As no more a Son of the old Adam 2. He is no more under the Rigour and Curse of the Law but 3. Is become an Heir of the Grace of Life I Pet. 3.7 the Grace of Union brings the Grace of Unction c. Objection But how shall I know my Union in this Covenant Answer by these Characters and Cautions for this high Building so free firm full and holy a Covenant must have Battlements built about it to keep Children and Fools from topling over Childrens Bread may not be cast to Dogs such as are 1. Ignorant Christ brings not Mercy to them but Vengeance Isa 27.11 2 Thes 1.8 2. Such as bless themselves in their sins Deut. 29.19 Psal 68.21 he will wound their scalps their Damnation slumbers not 2 Pet. 2.3 those were wilful c. The First Character for tryal of our Union is Ask thy Heart in what nature art thou In the Old Adams or in the new partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Is the Old house with its fretting Leprosie pull'd down Levit. 14.44 45. and a new one erected new in quality tho' not in substance so as to Love and Hate what God Loves and Hates Rev. 2.6 all the Scraping in the World will not purifie the Walls of thy Heart without renewing Grace ye may beat a Wolf Black and Blue knock out his Teeth cut off his Claws and put a Sheep-skin upon his back yet all this will not drive away his Wolfish Nature Naturam expellas furcâ c. this may Chain him but not change him so 't is with Man tho' never so much Civiliz'd without a new Nature a new Heart hadst thou ever an Earth-quake or Heart-quake to rend thy Heart as the Jailor had Act. 16.26 canst thou experience the Death and Burial of the Old Adam and the Resurrection of the new Rom. 6.3 4. and if not thou art a Son of Adam an Heir of his Covenant and so an Heir of his Curse Gal. 3.10 Eph. 2.3 that Word knows no exception against the rule but free Grace this Curse must be born either by thy self or by thy surety 2. Character Ask under what Reign art thou as well as in what Nature Adams or Christs is thy old Lord and Husband to wit concupiscence Dead Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. this rules over us by carnal Generation 't is therefore call'd the Law of Sin a Law is that which hath Authority in it and it must be slain by Spiritual Regeneration thus none but Widdows marry Christ the High Priest of the Gospel Heb. 3.1 though 't was forbid to the High-Priest of the Law Lev. 21.14 yet those are Virgins Rev. 14.4 Cant.
Bands and Beauty Zech. 11.10 14. 15. In the Arminian way God cannot promise a Seed to Christ having no power over the will 16. Childrens Bread must not be cast to Dogs Mal. 2.5 8 10. that break Covenant with him 17. This is that which makes room for a lively Hope for a working Faith and for fervent Prayer which are all bottom'd on the Covenant of Promise and without it none of these aforesaid could be 18. Unfaithfulness in Man cannot make the faithfulness of God to be of no effect Psal 89.33 and 111.9 Use 1. Then give the same measure to God that he gives to you he is a God to you and not to the VVorld be ye a people to him and not to the VVorld give him your All wit strength c. Let not God say Israel would have none of me Psal 81.11 nor of mine All. Abide for him Hos 3.3 He takes it ill when we run from him to other Lovers Psal 73.26 27. and 125.5 Isa 57.8 2. In all straits say Doubtless thou art our Father Isa 63.15 16. Claim thy right to the Covenant cry Oh God thou art my God Psal 63.1 This is more than if the Cattel upon a thousand Hills were thine or the VVealth of both Indies Abraham asks VVhat wilt thou give me Oh God God answers I will give thee my self my All-sufficiency Gen. 15.1 2. take me as Thine use me as Thine and all that I have this made him adore Gen. 17.1 2 3. as it did make David admire 1 Chron. 17.21 24. VVe can never do enough for him that does all this for us 3. Grieve not God nor Christ nor the Spirit Eph. 4.30 Those in Covenant together do strive to please one another Can we say to God as he may say to us Wherein have I injur'd thee Mic. 6.3 Do all well-pleasing in his sight Phil. 4.18 Heb. 13.21 CHAP. XII The History and Mystery of Jacob's Birth HAving done Discoursing upon Isaac relating to the Covenant both in the History and Mystery the next Patriarch is Jacob to be Discours'd upon in whose Life Isaac's History c. is farther handled whose grand Remarks are Threefold 1. His Birth 2. His Life 3. His Death 1. Of his Birth He was a Son of Prayer his Father Isaac intreated the Lord who hath the four Keys of Heaven of Hell of Hearts and of the Womb all hanging at his Girdle for his Barren Wife Rebekah and the Lord was intreated of him Gen. 25.21 Hence Note I. That Isaac was an Husband Twenty years before he was a Father for he was Forty years old when he was Marry'd to Rebekah ver 20. and he was Sixty when Jacob was Born ver 26. All Husbands are not Fathers such as are Childless remember blessed Isaac and blessed Abraham before him Gen. 15.2 'T is no untrodden path but 't is as the All-wise God will give out that Blessing Note 2. An Husband may be blessed though he be not blest to become a Father 'T is said expresly the Lord blessed Isaac Gen. 25.11 to wit with all Spiritual Blessings and with many Temporal though he wanted that one of having Children when yet God had promised an Innumerable Seed Gen. 12.2 and 15.3 and 17.16 c. Note 3. Scoffing Ishmael 's may be very Fruitful in Children much sooner than godly Isaac 's for Ishmael was the Progenitor of Twelve Princes Gen. 25.16 according to Gods promise Gen. 17.20 when Isaac was yet writ Childless ver 21. by his Wives Barrenness Note 4. Gods Promise must not prevent Mans Prayer but rather promote it for though Isaac had Gods Promise of a Posterity Gen. 21.12 c. Yet doth he not neglect his own Prayer but sued out the Promise by Prayer We may not so presume upon Gods Promises as to be negligent in the practice of our own Duties God will be enquired Ezek. 36.37 Note 5. Mans Prayer for accomplishing Gods Promise must be perform'd constantly and instantly Thus Isaac multiplied Prayer as the Hebr. Vajegnetter doth signifie Deprecatus est he intreated the Lord with vehemency and perseverance as well as multiplication as Chrysostom observes for full Twenty years Thus Prayers for a Promise like those Arrows of Deliverance 2 Kings 13.19 must be often reiterated before the performance of the promised Mercy can be received Citò data vilescunt what is lightly obtained is but lightly esteemed The Lord was intreated of Isaac though it was long first after Twenty years praying for it The Lord is a God of Judgment and waits to be gracious in the best Season Isa 30.18 He holds us in Suspence sometime but 't is only to commend his Mercy the more to us that Heavenly Manna which was lightly come by was as lightly set by Note 6. 'T is a Patriarchal practice and pattern for Husband and VVife to put up joynt Prayers to God together the Hebrew Lenochak Ishto praesente Uxore vel simul cum Uxore importeth thus much our Translation reads it Isaac prayed for his Wife but the Hebrew strictly is è Regione Uxoris suae directly over against his Wife or before her which Hebrew Phrase sheweth it was a Solemn conjunct Prayer wherein Isaac prayed with her as well as for her Now when they had lived long together without Children This joynt Practice of Prayer is further confirmed from 1 Pet. 3.7 That your viz. Husband and Wives joynt Prayers be not hindred Note 7. Sad exercises and disappointments may attend the most Godly couple in the World neither the Holy Estate of Wedlock nor the Heavenly promise of Gods blessing nor their own youth and strength could secure these two Holy ones from such Crosses as did gall their Shoulders for Twenty Years together Children come not by any humane Vivacity or Vigour but by the Divine gift and Benediction Isaac did acknowledge in his Address to God The Rabbins say the place of this joynt Prayer was either Mount Moriah where Isaac had been Offered Gen. 22.9 or the place of his private Prayer where he had his Oratory for pouring out his Heart to God frequently Gen. 24.63 but upon that and this occasion more fervently looking upon the getting of a Wife and the begetting of Children as two mighty important matters 'T is too Curious to ask where seeing the Scripture is silent 't is enough to know what was done though we know not where 't was done This is plain that Isaac intreated God in some such convenient place as was acceptable to God who is no respecter of either Persons or places Act. 1.24 1 Tim. 2.8 and God Answered his Prayer for hereupon Rebekah his VVife Conceived Gen. 25.21 whose long waiting was at last recompensed with the Birth of a most worthy Person to wit of Jacob the Patriarch Nay the Lord as a rich requital for her long Barrenness gave her two Sons at one Burden to wit Jacob and Esau The History whereof holds out a great Mystery telling us how those Twins spurned and sprunted in
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
Name of Christ The force and efficacy hereof dependeth not upon their Ministry or the intention of their Minds but upon the Mind and Will of God declared in his Word to which their pronounced Blessing carries a correspondency 'T is a piece of Blasphemy in the Popish Priests to exercise a power of pardoning Sins which no mere Man can do by his own Authority Mat. 9.3 6. hereby they do subvert the Souls of some Men The truth is this the Blessings Efficacy dependeth not on the intention of the less principal Blesser who is Man but on the more principal Blesser who is God The Benediction could not be conferr'd at Isaac's pleasure but by Gods pre-ordination this the poor Blind Father acknowledges that Divine Providence had over-rul'd him and telleth Esau that by Wisdom so some sense the word Mirmah which we read by subtilty Jacob had taken away his Blessing ver 35. The second Cause cannot hinder the Operation of the first Cause hereupon though Isaac's primary intention was erroneous he corrects it by a right secondary intention and ratifies that by Faith Heb. 11.20 Gen. 27.33 c. and 28.1 which before he had only related by fancy and though the mistakes of Persons do invalidate Humane Contracts as Marriage Donatives c. yet this holds not always true for Jacob's after-consent made Leah mistaken for Rachel his Lawful Wife however it cannot hold as to the Divine Covenant and Counsel which is not in Mans power to frustrate either by contrary intentions or indeavours Shall their unbelief make the Faith of God of no effect Rom. 3.3 nor doth unbelieving or not rightly intending indeavours of Men frustrate Decrees or Ordinances of God The eighth Inference is Spiritual Blessings must be sought and sued for in their proper Season Here Esau came too late for the Blessing which was bellowed before be lost the right Season which is a part of time above all other parts even the Shine and Lustre of time so could not obtain it no not with Tears Heb. 12.16 17. where 't is said 1. That he found no place of Repentance that is not in Isaac whom he could not with all his weeping and his Fathers Affection to him make to Repent and Repeal what he had done for when Isaac saw he had done unwilling Justice in Blessing he durst not Reverse the Blessing for he feared an exceeding great fear Gen. 27.33 2. Esau's weeping the Apostle intimates was but an Hypocritical Repentance they were Tears only of Discontent for while he wept he at the same time threatens his Brother therefore is he call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profane for he that hateth his brother it of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.10 12. Esau wept only for Revenge and in Hypocrisie who rued his Deed but did not repent of his Sin 3 Though vera seria poenitentia nunquam est sera true and sound Repentance is never too late for God saith when at any time a Sinner repenteth truly he shall live and not die Ezek. 18.21 27. yet Esau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was reprobated or rejected both for his unsound and unseasonable Repentance be did not enter in while the door was open Math. 25.10 11. he sought not the Lord while he might be found Isaâ— 55.6 Ps 32.6 when God calls and Men refuse when they cry God hears not Prov. 1.25 28. He that will not when he may when he would he shall ha' nay Esau crys out of his Father's Store and of his Brother's Fraud but not a word of his own Prophaneness in selling his Birthright whoso prefers Swine before a Saviour with the Gadarens and their part in Paris before Paradice with the carnal Cardinal and earthly Pleasures before the City of Pearl with prophane Esau and with him seek the Blessing too late also shall be rejected tho they seek it with Tears 'T is too late to weep when Time is come already for the Judgments of God to fall on us and when Time is past also for the Amendment of our own lives The next grand Remark in Jacob's Life is this Vision of the Ladder before which some previous practicable and profitable Notes are to be diligently observed As 1. No sooner is Jacob Blest but he must be Banish'd Immediately after he had got the Blessing in his Fathers House Gen. 27. he must be gone into Banishment from it Gen. 28. Crux est Evangâ—lii Genius saith Luther Persecution is the bad Ghost which always Haunts Religion and Righteousness 'T was not now safe for Jacob to tarry any longer at Home because of the Bloody Threats of his Brother Esau Thus the Faithful find hard usage from the faithless for all Men have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 3. for seeking after Spiritual Blessings therefore Christ hath given us Counter-cordials saying That Banishment c. can be no barr to Blessedness but is rather an Evidence of it when 't is for the Gospels and Righteousness sake Mat. 5.10 11 12. A good Cause and a good Conscience makes right Martyrs and gives them with that honour Phil. 1.29 an Exhibition of Heaven The second Remarkable Note is Though Jacob must be Banisht yet shall he be doubly Blest to Counter-comfort him Gen. 28.2 3 4. Must Jacob arise and go a long and tedious Journey yet before his departure Isaac will Bless him again for the further and fuller confirming of his Sons Faith about inheriting the Blessing not as if the first Blessing were insufficient either in respect of it self or in respect of the Blesser Isaac but that it might be more satisfactory to Jacob who was Blessed by him for he having got the Blessing from his Brother to himself by fraud might justly doubt of its Ratification his Faith therefore had need of a Fence against his fear and the doubling of the Blessing was the Cure of his doubting especially when his Father Blest him now wittingly and willingly whereas before he had only done it ignorantly This second Benediction Isaac gives to Jacob upon a Threefold account 1. To Support his Sons Soul with due Courage and Comfort against all those Cares Pains and Perils that must attend him both in his Solitary Travels and in his state and place of Banishment 2. That he might not be discourag'd at the leaving of his Fathers Land as if he had no Title to it therefore his Father Prays as well as Blesses that he might Inherit it 3. That he might not be offended at Esau's present state who while himself was driven abroad tarry'd at Home seem'd more Happy and more like to become the Heir therefore must he have his Fathers second Blessing to carry along with him in his Banishment and there to live upon it as the Earnest of his Inheritance in due time Hence the third Remark or Note ariseth That the faithful may and must wait with patience for the happy performance of Gods pretious Promises Whereas Jacob who had the Blessing and the Promise of God is forced from
Frailty which would consist with Sincerity yet his Sons were grosly sinful in this Fact and the cursed Canaanites were justly provoked thereby to take Revenge Though with God the Soul of the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father nor the Father the Iniquity of the Son Ezek. 18.20 yet with Men 't is usually otherwise Men commonly impute the Miscarriage of Children to their Parents though as innocent as Jacob here and do study Revenge upon both This is that Jacob feared while he look'd downward upon Men to wit his own few who were also Guilty and his Adversaries many who were also highly incensed and not upward unto God who indeed put a pannick Terrour upon them Gen. 35.5 which made them fear him who so much feared them whereby God himself became Jacob's Security But Secondly Lest some should think this Fact not so heinous as 't is here aggravated because Jacob is no more severe upon his young Sons with his paternal Authority save only in these few words aforesaid v. 30. we must know that though Moses here expresseth no more than as above yet 't is probable that this Godly Patriarch said much more than is Recorded as betwixt Cain and Abel above c. And that by a grave Sermon fraught with many severe and convincing Sayings he shew'd them their Sin and his just Indignation against them for it Suppose Jacob said no more than is express'd by Moses giving way for the present to his Sons fury upon unknown Reasons and acquiescing in the just Judgments of God executed upon the Shechemites who without the Knowledge of God and Faith in Christ had prophaned God's Ordinance to wit Circumcision which is call'd a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 as it was a Sin in those Sons of Jacob to obtrude it upon those Unbelievers so it was a Sin in those Shechemites being Unbelievers to embrace it And that not for Religion but for Riches sake their Flocks and Substance shall be ours v. 23. 't was a Tale of Utile or Gain that most took them This Jacob knew to be such a Sin as God seldom suffers to go without a sensible and severe check no not in his Dearest Children who may prophane an Ordinance of God much less in Strangers and Enemies to the Covenant of God who do despise it even with utmost despight Suppose I say Jacob were silent as to some part of that sharp Reproof which the demerit of the Fact required seeing it was Just with God not only for their prophaning God's Ordinance as above but also for approving Shechem's Sin for purposing to spoil God's People of their Goods v. 23. and beyond all doubt for their own actual and personal Guilt in other respects Nevertheless Seeing it was unjust in his Sons the Instruments and Executioners of of God's Justice when Jacob came upon his Death-Bed there he smothers none of his Sentiments but speaks out to the full blazing their Sin and Shame with a black Pencil in all horrid Aggravations not only calling that foul Fact a deliberate Self-will the more wilful a Resolve is against the Dictates of deliberating Reason the more wicked is that Resolve but also Cursing it for Cruelty and Treachery yea and Blessing himself that his Soul had not come into their sinful secret or hellish Plot never consenting to it either in word or thought Lastly Stigmatizing these two Sons for Brethren in Iniquity and dooming them with the Curse of Division as a meet Punishment for their cursed Union Gen. 49.5 6 7. The Third calamity and cross that befell Jacob in his return to Canaan notwithstanding God's Command and Covenant too was the Death of his dear Rachel More briefly upon this than upon the other two before seeing Moses Description of her Death is but short though I must enlarge upon the Providences of God attending Jacob whereby God prepar'd him for that severe stroke 'T is storied of Euripus a River that it flows seven times a Day Thus this Holy Patriarch had floods of Trials and Troubles came frequently flowing in upon him He is fast in the Bryars at Shechem's Destruction The Canaanites being many will come and easily kill me and mine being but few had his faith been above his Fear as Psal 56.3 he would have said How many shall I reckon my God for This same God that in his distrustful fear he reckon'd not of comes and looses him out of the Bryars being mindful of his Covenant with Jacob commands him to go up from thence to Bethel and pay his Vows he had made there as he fled from Esau Gen. 28.20 22. that thereby he might Strengthen his Faith against present Fears 'T was now about eight years expired since Jacob left Labân returning home to his own Country and Kindred yet all this long time he had not been mindful to pay his promis'd Vow to God at Bethel well nigh thirty years ago now Though in that interspace of time God had done great things for his Servant Jacob bestowing many Mercies on him as a plentiful Estate and a numerous Offspring and vouchsafeing many Deliverances to him from his Uncle Laban from his Brother Esau c. According to his Covenant made with him from the top of the Ladder Gen. 28.13 c. God is faithful 2 Tim. 2.13 to perform all he had promised on his part to Jacob in every Punctilio thus far but the Failure was on Jacob's part who was forgetful to perform what he had promised by way of Restipulation back again to God Therefore did the Lord as it were pull Jacob by the Ears once and again to Remind him of his Vow and call'd for a performance of his Promise The first time in Gen. 31.13 where God not only shews himself well pleased with Jacob's Vow by mentioning it and by naming himself the God of Bethel which signifies The God of God's House whereby God approved both of the Name and of the Deed Gen. 28.19 20. stirring him up to future Confidence by former Experience of his Favour but also recalls to his Mind what he had well-nigh forgot with his Memory whereby was plainly intimated that the Lord look'd for a performance and afterward severely punish'd him for his Neglect of it The second Time was Gen. 35.1 Arise Go up to Bethel c. This was Eight years after the first reminding jogg God gave Jacob upon the Elbow about his Vow 'T is with Jacob and with us his Spiritual Seed as it is with fond Children Bread eaten is soon forgotten Divine Mercies and Deliverances both Freedom from Evil and Fruition of Good are commonly at the utmost but a Nine Days wonderment Most mens practice proclaims that Seiapato il Morbo Fraudato il Santo having escaped the Danger they would deceive the Saint they pray'd to in the Danger How many Vow against Sin yet when Temptations like strong Philistims come upon them as they did upon Samson then they break all the Bonds of God as
38.2 contrary to his Duty Gen. 24.3 and 27.46 and 28.1 whereof Judah could not be ignorant yea and before Salmon married Rahab of Jericho there were others of Jacob's Offspring that married Wives descended from Cham as Simeon had Saul the Son of a Canaanitess Gen. 46.10 Upon this account therefore Joseph presented these his two Sons to Jacob that they might receive his Patriarchal Blessing that they might be adopted by him as his proper Sons and have Israel's Name put upon them Gen. 48.5.16 lest any should judge it some prejudice to them because Born in Egypt and of an Egyptian Mother so reckon them of the cursed Stock of Cham and not Heirs of the Covenant and of the Promised Possession Hereupon also the Author to the Hebrews Ch. 11.21 mentions Jacob's Blessing these two Sons of Joseph by faith but not a word of his Blessing the Twelve Patriarchs mention'd by Moses Gen. 49. which Jacob undoubtedly did by Faith also The Reason is this because it was a more transcendent Act of Faith in Jacob to Bless these two Sons of Joseph being half the Sons of cursed Cham by their Mothers side than it was to bless his own Twelve Sons who were immediately descended from him in his Marriage at his Fathers appointment Gen. 28.2 Both Rachel and Leah owned and obeyed the true God Gen. 29.32 33 34 35. and 30.6 8 13 17 18 20 22 23. and 31.16 Ruth 4.11 whereas Ephraim and Manasseh's Mother was the Daughter of an Heathenish Idolatrous Sun-worshipping Priest Gen. 41.45 in a City of wickedness as On or Aven Ezek. 30.17 signifies because they Sacrificed to the Sun there thence was it called Heliopolis a City of the Sun and Potipherah chief Ruler thereof under Pharaoh was High Priest of the Sun Therefore must it needs be an High Eminent and most Sublime Act of Jacob's best and most raised Faith to Adopt and Bless the Off-spring of such a Mother wherein he over-looks the Honour of her Extract being a Princess as well as a Priests Daughter as before it seems Priests were no mean Men among the Egyptians for one Man might be both Prince and Priest and some suppose Joseph spared the Priests Lands for his Feather in Laws sake Gen. 47.22 others better say 't was Joseph's burden to indulge Idolatry he had no Heart to it yet must have an hand in it and could not help it as the King's Officer whose Commands he must obey herein or incur the utmost Displeasure both of Prince and People which yet condemns the contempt of a better Ministry now half-starved by Men of better knowledge Jacob had no respect either to the Nobility of their Blood they were born of or the vastness of that Wealth and Honour they were born to or yet the goodly stature and properness of their Persons for that is a seeing as Man seeth and judging by the eye of sense 1 Sam. 16.7 but he looked upon them with an eye of Faith yea of a strong lively Faith in his weak and dying state a Faith most illustriously Illuminated by an extraordinary Prophetick Spirir whereby though now he was a poor Pilgrim in Egypt leaning upon his Pilgrim-staff he mentions Gen. 32.10 yet now presents it as a Scepter to Joseph signifying his Dominion puts the name of Israel which was the greatest of Names upon both his Sons so that they are called no more the Children of Joseph as the Children of Judah the Children of Reuben c. but the Children of Israel And lastly he no otherwise disposeth of the Kingdoms of Canaan to them than if himself had been peaceably possessed of the Royal Throne in Jerusalem Jacob acts in Blessing Josephs two Sons as one of God's Privy Council preferring the Younger before the Elder This was his Heavenly Wisdom which he would have had no need of had the Elder right to his right hand and his right-hand Blessings that is done in the common Course and Custom of Nature but here he was to shew the Freedom of Grace which required more than ordinary Wisdom making the last to be first and the first last what he did herein was by Divine Inspiration And as if he had been one of God's highest Courtiers as well as Counsellours He bestoweth both Temporal and Spiritual Blessings upon them v. 16.20 as if the Key of El-shaddai had hung at his Girdle and as if the Bona Dona Throni Seabelli the good Gifts both of God's Throne and of his footstool the riches of Heaven and Earth had been all in his Power to bequeath to whom he would at his pleasure My Redeemer saith he bless both the Lads there he puts the Blessings of Redemption upon them and let them both increase like Fish into a Multitude there 's the Blessings of Providence which did so miraculously multiply them that at their going out of Egypt Manasseh was Forty two Thousand seven hundred and Ephraim was Thirty two Thousand five hundred and though all these perish'd in the Wilderness yet were they at their entry into Canaan again multiplied in both these Sons to Eighty five Thousand and two Hundred men meet for War Numb 26.28 34 37. the like Blessing was confirm'd on them by Moses Deut. 33.17 and Joshuah acknowledged them to be a great people Josh 17.17 All which sprang out of Joseph whom Jacob bewailed for dead twenty three years Learn here from this History a manifold Mystery As 1. As these two Sons were born in Egypt and of an Egyptian Mother so we are born in the State of Sin and by our Mothers we are Children of wrath yet may our Heavenly father Adopt us and put his Name upon us 2. As the Elder had the left hand and the Younger the right so is it as to the Jewish and Gentile Church held forth in the Parable of the Prodigal who was feasted within doors though the younger and less deserving while the Elder was without Luk. 15. 3. It teacheth also that the Church of Believers shall stand at Gods Right Hand as Sheep and shall have Right Hand Blessings upper Springs to bring them thither Whereas the people of the World are put oft with Left Hand Blessings only nether Springs and at last turn'd oft as Goats to Christs Left Hand 4. May we become through Grace Ephraim's which signifies Fruitful and Manasseh's which signifies forgetful or forgetting Could we but forget those things that are behind our own Follies and Vanities and learn to be fruitful in good works God hath a liberal Legacy for us and will bring us out of this lower Egypt to his high and Heavenly Canaan 5. May we be but Josephs as Jewels in a puddle retain our Lustre as he did in Egyptian Slavery and holding fast our righteousness not letting it go in the worst of times and places c. Job 27.6 and holding holding up holding out holding on holding fast and firm our Hope and Confidence to the end Heb. 3.6 then doubt not but Jesus the Blessed Testator
which is enough to answer that Rabbinical Notion of seventy two Angels c. in the singular number yet was he no Created Angel but still is call'd frequently Jehovah this change of Titles shews him no ordinary Angel but the Son of God who is call'd the Angel of Gods presence Isa 63.9 and the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 as he was the Fathers Angel or Messenger sent of God to ratifie the Covenant of God with Man and this Angel here is plainly call'd Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 9. and the Invisible God Heb. 11.6 27. whom yet Moses saw as his Rewarder with an Eye of Faith and who was pleased thus to manifest himself in this Cloudy Pillar before his Incarnation to his Infant Church that stood in need to be led by his Hand in a familiar manner This leads us to the Third Particular namely the Way that this Lord of Angels Christ led his Church towards Canaan which is express'd under a double Description 1. Negatively Not by the way of the Philistims Land though that was the nearest way Exod. 13.17 for this had been but a few days Journey commonly accounted no more than a Journey of ten days and this way Isaac chose as the nighest when he was going from Canaan to Egypt he went first to Gerar in the Philistims Country lying in the way thither but was there stayed by the Lord Gen. 26.1 2. Philo saith 't is but three days Journey The Reason is rendred Lest the people Repent when they see War and they return to Egypt This the Lord speaks after the manner of Men as it were personating a prudent and provident Prince or Leader that prospecteth and preventeth all occurrent Dangers whereas by his Omnipotency he could have made the Philistims to favour Israel as he had made the Egyptians do so Exod. 12.36 or he could have made his Peoples courage more vigorous than that of the Philistims by Victories over them though they were of a war-like Temper and would have warr'd against them and deny'd them passage through their Country for as 't is supposed they had before this time killed some of the Israelites while they lived in Egypt in the days of Ephraim Joseph's Son 1 Chron. 7.21 22 23. and Psal 78.9 10. and this might make the Israelites more afraid to encounter with the Philistims which might have proved a sudden and long War so Israel would have been willing to venture back into Egypt as after they would have done when far farther off Numb 14.3 rather than cut their passage through the weapons of such a puissant and potent People All this shews us those two great Truths First The Lord's tenderness towards his poor People that when dispirited with tedious servitude and still generally disarmed he would not call them immediately to behold so frightful an Evil as War is especially with fierce and furious Philistims He will not tempt above what we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 but will make us ready for Tryals before Tryals be made ready for us Secondly God will not multiply Miracles but where there is a defect of means He ordinarily observes the Method of his ordinary Providence as here leading Israel not the nighest but the safest way most suitable to their Infirmities where no Necessity is God will not Infringe the Law and ordinary Course of Nature which himself hath set Therefore Secondly Their way is express'd Positively that the Lord led them about by the way of the Wilderness of the Red Sea Exod. 13.18 this he did out of Tenderness toward their timorousness being debased in spirit by their cruel Bondage and having but Staves in their hands which they held in the Passeover for their own defence God not having yet given that following fortitude after appearing in their War with Amalek which fell out forty Days after their departure from Egypt lest any of them should ascribe what after happened to their own Valour c. This open Way of the Wilderness wherein they must meet with no War till they were well hardened with Travel and Experience of God's Goodness the Lord led them for their Relief from fear of War thus the Law of God provides no fearful or faint-hearted should go to War Deut. 20.8 The like Tenderness God shewed to Lot saying I cannot escape to the mountain let me stay in Zoar. Gen. 19.19 20 21. yea before this we have a famous Specimen of Divine Tenderness toward Abraham himself the Father of this Israel as God led him from Caldea to Canaan by the way of Charran Act. 7.2 4. whereas there was as appeareth by the Maps of those Countries a nearer way from Ur thither yet because that way was most Dangerous and Troublesom God led him about by an inhabited and safer way more commodious for his Supplies and the like the Lord doth here for Abraham's Offspring though thorough an uninhabited and howling Wilderness wherein never any mortal Monarch though never so mighty was ever so served in State as Israel was all that way God himself condescending to be their Providore bringing in Provision to that Prodigious Camp quenching their Thirst with Water out of the Rock that follow'd them 1 Cor. 10.4 and satisfying their Hunger with Quails and the Corn of Heaven c. Dei voluntas est summa necessitas as we must so 't is best to go God's way wherein we find weal but in our own way oft woe c. The Reasons why God led them about are some Expressed and some Implied As First God dealt with Israel here as the Eagle doth with her Young twice that Similitude is used Exod. 19.4 and Deut. 32.11 she slutters over them while they lie slugging in the Nest stirs them up takes them tenderly when fledge between her own Wings and teaches them to fly by degrees before they altogether forsake their Nest and wholly rely upon their own Wings Thus as there was somewhat to do to bring Israel out of their Nest in Egypt so God made them not to fly into any frightful War all on a sudden but first trains and exercises them as new raised Soldiers before their going forth to Battel They must be more fledge and their Wings must be better grown Thus as the Old Testament Church had the Wings of an Eagle given her to fly from the Dragon Pharaoh so call'd Ezek. 29.3 So hath the New Testament Church given her Rev. 12.14 The Second Reason Warring with the Philistims within a few days of their marching out of Egypt would have made them Repent of leaving it and resolve to return to which they were so ready afterwards when they had no such occasion and far farther oft Numb 14.3 Now God led them about and that through the Red Sea that their return might be stopp'd there unless they could have dry'd it up again this would prevent after-thoughts Thirdly This way they must go for God will get himself Honour of Pharaoh and his Host by drowning them in the Red
evil Ghost and overtake them in the punishment as it did Gen. 44.34 and after Isa 59.12 Hereupon the two Tribes unanimously renew their Promise and Covenant shewing thereby their Faith in God and love to their Brethren they were resolved to be in the fore-front of the Battel with their lives in their hands against so many and mighty Enemies of Canaan leaving their weak Families behind them to the Lord's protection N.B. Thus the matter was adjusted betwixt them and Moses yet was it not accomplished under Moses's Ministry figuring that the Law should make nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope Heb. 7.19 it was fulfilled under Joshua who dealt favourably with those two Tribes and did not take all their able Warriours according to the strict letter of their Covenant v. 21. but only forty thousand of them Josh 4.12 13. which was not half of their military number as appeareth by their last muster Numb 26.2 7 18 34. the over-plus of the forty thousand staid behind to guard their weak Families The Fifth Remark concerns the half Tribe of Manasseh whereof no mention is made untill v. 33. where they are named either First Because they joyned themselves to the Petitioners looking upon the Land of Og and Sihon to be too large for the two Tribes only or Secondly Because those Sons of Manasseh shewed much faith and fortitude in conquering Gilead v. 39. and 't is said of Machir the Son of Manasseh that he was a man of war therefore he had Gilead and Bashan Josh 17.1 Thirdly Because this half Tribe abounded with Cattel as did the other two Tribes This half Tribe had also their Inheritance given them upon the like condition with the former two Tribes Josh 4.12 And the Inheritances of all the three was not only Moses's Donation but it had also the Lord's approbation as 't is said the Lord hath given it you Deut. 3.18 The Sixth Remark is Musakkoth Shem Hebr. The changing of the names of those Cities which the two Tribes and half conquered v. 38. for those Amorites on this side Jordan to fill up their Iniquity Gen. 15.16 called their Cities by the Names of the Idols which they Worshipped such as Nebo Isa 46.1 Baal Judg. 6.31 which the Lord would not have to be mentioned by his People Exod. 23.13 Psal 16.4 therefore their names were changed Beside 't is common for Conquerors to change the name of Conquered Cities and Countries to commend their Conquests and their own Names and Fames to Posterity But Jerom's saying absit abore Christiano ut sonet Jupiter Omnipotens Mehercule c. Magis portenta quam Numina is grounded upon the first Reason Heathenish Gods no nor Popish Idols should not be mentioned so honourably by the mouths of Christians yet those old Idolatrous names were revived and retained especially when Israel did degenerate Judg. 13.17 Isa 15.2 Ezek. 25.9 and so it is with us c. The Thirty Third Chapter being the next of Numbers affords some few Remarks The First is Here begins the 43d Lecture of the Law call'd the Journeys which were 42 in number from Egypt to Jordan figuring the Churches unsettled estate under Moses's Law that brings not to rest Deut. 12.9 as the Gospel of the Messias doth Heb. 4 3. Isa 33.20 Heb. 12.27 28. as Moses reckons up 42 removings from Egypt to Canaan so Matthew reckons up 42 Generations from Abraham to Christ Mat. 1. by whom we have entrance into Heaven All those manifold Stations wherein Israel met with manifold Exercises as Hunger Thirst Fiery Serpents Plague c. shew us that through manifold Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 N.B. The Jews do miserably comfort themselves that these 42 Journeys are so distinctly described by Moses to make out the hope of their Redemption by the Messiah yet to come after their long wandrings and that they shall then return into their Promised Land 't were well they would more mind what their own Rabbi Moses Hadarschan most truly saith the true Redeemer was born before He was born that reduced Israel into this last Captivity The last of those Mansions was Abel-Shittim v. 49. so called from their woeful bewailing the sad plague Numb 25.6 The Second Remark is The Command of God for Israel's destroying all the Idols and the Idolaters also out of the Land of Promise from v. 51 to the end And this Command is back'd with a grievous Commination If you dare be sparers of any of them know that those spared will not spare you no not your tenderest parts your eyes to which they will be pricks v. 55. and they will gore your sides also with the sharpest Weapons without either measure or mercy The troubles which those spared Jebusites brought upon Israel are set forth in the Book of the Judges in the History of Jabin Sisera and others N.B. No less pernicious are those spared Jesuites to those Christian States that harbour them An Interpreter saith here Shall we suffer those Vipers to lodge in our bosoms 'till they eat out our bowels This extirpating Command of rooting out those cursed Jebusites is oft repeated by God Exod. 23.33 Deut. 7.1 2 5. and again Deut. 12.2 3. no less will be the preserved Jesuites but pricking Briars and grieving thorns Ezek. 28.24 to the Souls and Bodies of the Church of God as Psalm 106.34 35 36. Nor ought it to be objected Why did not God command Israel to endeavour the Conversion of those Gentiles rather than their confusion and utter extirpation Answer Because 1. The time of persuading Japhet to come over to the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 that is of propagating the true Worship of God in the way of the Gospel was not now come 2. Because these Canaanites were the cursed Offspring of Cham and therefore to be cut off lest Israel should be harmed by any sinful Society with such notorious Sinners their Land did spue them out and God who is the true proprietary of all Lands gave it to Israel which was divided by Lot to all the Tribes Numb Chap. 34. and a portion for the Levites and Cities of Refuge Chap. 35. and the inconveniency of alienating the Inheritances of Daughters was remedied by their Marrying in their own Tribe hence the Daughters of Zelophehad Married their Uncle's Sons lest their Inheritance should be removed from their Tribe Chap. 36. All which Divine Commands must certainly corroborate Israel's confidence of a Conquest of Canaan seeing all these Orders were given as if Israel had been now in present possession of the Land already c. Now come we to the last Book of Moses call'd Deuteronomy in Greek signifying the Second Edition of the Law and unto the last two Months of Moses's Life and the two last Months of Israel's forty years wandring in the Wilderness This Book doth plainly appear to be a Rehearsal and Explanation of those Laws God gave Israel mentioned in the three former Books
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
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
Trance and Chain'd up in God's Chain like a Wolf restrain'd from Worrying God's Lamb David for a Day and a Night and where Jonathan was Resident and President in his Father's Absence He asks his dear Jonathan What Crime he had committed that his Father was so implacably incens'd against him v. 1. Good Jonathan answers him with a God forbid c. v. 2. not thinking that his Father could be so wicked as to seek David's Life when he had so lately sworn to the contrary chap. 19.6 N. B. The Love of this good Son thought no evil of a bad Father 1 Cor. 13.5 what extravagancy had been in the Father his Charitable Son imputes it as the fruits only of his Frantick Fits and he assureth David saying when my Father comes to himself I dare undertake to reconcile thee to him as I have done heretofore chap. 19 4 5. Thus this Noble-minded Son is least suspicious of evil and puts a more candid Construction upon the evil Actions of a Bloody-minded Father than they truly deserved and so great was the Son's Blind Charity towards a bad Father which was both commendable and comely in him that he assureth David My Father will do nothing either small or great but that he will shew it me To this David replys v. 3. and that with a Solemn Oath because the matter was of great moment that Jonathan might not doubt of it interposing this Reason why Saul concealed his designing David's Death from Jonathan because he knew there was a League of Love betwixt them v. 3. Jonathan's Rejoynder to David's Reply was That he offered his utmost endeavour to grant David's Request for discovering the truth concerning the King's Mind and for preserving his Life who was Innocent yet in danger v. 4. saying to him What thy Soul desireth I will do for thee so our Jesus says to us Matth. 7.7 John 16.23 24. The Second Remark is The manner how Jonathan must pump forth his Father's Mind prescribed by David v. 5 6 7 8. wherein Observe First The Opportunity that is the Solemn Festival time of the New-Moon now at hand which was celebrated as a Testimony of their Thankfulness to God for lending them Times and Seasons Numb 10.10 because all time is the Lords The day is thine and the Night is thine thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Psal 74.16 Secondly The Vacancy of David's usual Seat as he was the King's Son in Law would occasion Saul's Enquiry after him for though David could not well imagine that Saul would expect his Company whom he had once and again endeavoured to kill yet partly Saul might suppose that David would ascribe all those his Extravagancies only to his Frantick Fits but when this Phrenzy was over he would come with a more composed Mind to keep the Feast of the Lord and then David might think himself in safety and so by his coming to fill up his proper Seat would give another fair Season wherein to slay him Or partly and more especially David would try this Experiment for discovering Saul's Mind toward him he begs leave of Jonathan who had power to grant it as the King's Deputy Lieutenant during his Absence at Naioth that he might go to Bethlehem and keep his Annual-Feast among his Kindred for two Days only promising to return and hide himself in the Field near the Court that Jonathan might give him Intelligence how his Father resented his Withdrawment Thirdly David's Appeal to Jonathan's own Conscience concerning his Innocency saying 1. If Iniquity be in me stay me thy self I had rather Die by thy friendly hands than be tortured by the hands of thy furious Father The tender Mercies of the Wicked are Cruelties saith Solomon Prov. 12.10 But if no Iniquity be found in me as thou judgest then be mindful of that Solemn Covenant whereof God is a Witness and give me seasonable notice of Saul's Intentions concerning me If he say well to my Absence by thy leave I am willing to trust my self with him this third time as I have done twice already chap. 18.11 17. and 19.7 notwithstanding his double Double-Dealing with me in forgetting both his Promise and his Oath but if my Absence enrage him for his losing the opportunity of killing me then let me know that I may escape his Rage c. The Third Remark upon the Antecedents is Jonathan's pathetical Promise to David that he would be a fast and a faithful Friend to him at this critical juncture v. 9 10 11. to 18. Wherein observe First After Jonathan had told David he abhor'd the thoughts of either slaying him himself or of betraying him into Saul's Hands to be slain by him v. 9. they consult together by what means and in what place this friendly Office might be performed without suspicion to Saul v. 10 11. So they both walk into the Fields for private Conference where they might not be over-heard and where Jonathan in an abrupt Expression calleth Jehovah the God of Israel to Witness the reality of his Respects and to be Judge betwixt them v. 12 13. Secondly Jonathan's Piety towards God and an humble denial of himself saying Tantamount though I be Heir Apparent of the Crown by Lineal Succession and therefore might envy thee having more cause than my Father for being envious yet because I know 't is the good Pleasure of God to reject my Father and to Elect thee as one better than my Father much Joy mayest thou have of the Kingdom after him and whatsoever becometh of me The Will of the Lord be done therein Acts 21.14 he chearfully submitteth himself and resolveth to cleave close to his Friendship with David in whose felicity he rejoyced as much as in his own Thirdly Jonathan's Faith as well as Self-denial is here very Conspicuous in courting David now in his lowest State of Humiliation even then when David had so solemnly Sworn his own desperate Apprehensions of himself saying As the Lord liveth and as thy Soul liveth there is but a step betwixt me and death v. 3. N. B. Yet at that time Jonathan Complements him as if he were already actually the King of Israel therefore must he have David to Swear and Swear again by way of Restipulation to keep Covenant with himself and with his Posterity whether he were Dead or Alive when David came to the Kingdom which he was sure would be v. 14 15 16 17. N. B. The like famous Faith we find in Abigail afterward Chap. 25.28 30. c. But above all the Faith of the Penitent Thief in him who is called the Son of David he could believe in a Crucified Christ and pray for his kind remembrance when he came into his Kingdom Luke 23.42 as if he saw him already in his State of Exaltation The Fourth Remark upon the Antecedents is The pious Prudence and Policy Jonathan propounds to David as measures to be taken on both sides the one for sounding Saul at the Feast how his Heart stood affected
they so chained up by the over-ruling Providence of God that they are bound up from doing so much mischief to David and his Friends as David had done to them for God designed this Calamity only to Chastise David for his distrusting God in the Land of Judah Chap. 22.5 and for his Dissimulation to the King of the Philistims but not to deliver either Him or His to Death The Second Remark is though the loss was not so great as it might have been without God's restraint yet was it so grievously deplorable that they all bewail'd it and wept until they could weep no more v. 3 4. and no wonder for Achish had dismiss'd David and his Men and bid them return home to the City which he had bestowed on them They thereupon march away and were three Days in marching from Achish's Army to Ziklag v. 1. 2 Sam. 1.2 well wearied undoubtedly with this long march all on foot and at the end find they had no home to harbour them nor Wives to embrace them after a long absense nor Sons or Daughters to refresh them with their presence and t is no wonder that David was greatly distressed also for the loss of his Wives v. 5. but more especially for fear of being stoned by his own Friends and Followers as he was the Chief Cause of all their Calamities N. B. Note well First in provoking the Amalekites to this Cruelty Secondly In his so improvidently drawing forth all his Forces that should have guarded Ziklag against the incensed Amalekites Thirdly In his being over-forward to march with Achish against their own People and to assist him in such an unnecessary yea pernicious War against God's Israel Fourthly This Fury of their stoning David might arise from that innate levity of their minds naturally inherent in the Jewish Nation that upon every discontent were for stoning their Rulers as Moses Exod. 17 6. and the Messias Joh. 8.59 and here David a Type of Christ that Blessed Messiah Fifthly Or it might spring from that stupefaction into which their great grief had overwhelmed them so that they had lost the use of their reason and knew not what they either said or did Sixthly Tacitus Noteth that an Overthrow received in any Army doth commonly cause a Mutiny The Third Remark is David's Remedy to this desperate Malady but David encourag'd himself in the Lord his God v. 6. Take a particular prospect of David's discouragements whereby he became so prodigiously distressed N. B. Note well 1. He was forced to flye from his own home in the Land of Promise and by Saul's furious rage against him driven as an Exile into an Heathenish Countrey 2. Having had a little lucid intervals a short respit of peace and breathing by seating his Family at Ziklag and though himself had been for a while absent from thence with Achish yet now had he sent him home but now he had no home to come to for he found his House burnt c. 3 What to do or which way to turn himself he knew not not to his own Country for that had been to run into the mouth of that Furious Lion Saul who sought to devour him every day nor to the Philistims durst he turn back for their Lords had such an envious eye of jealousie over him that they had newly got him Cashiered from their Army though their General had shewed much Generosity towards him yet the Lords prevailed to pack him away with dishonour and disgrace 4. The Amalekites his malicious Enemies were now become Possessors of his beloved Wives and had a strong Army to maintain their possession of them 5. His own Friends and Followers from whom alone he could expect any comfort were so exasperated as they will needs Stone him Alas poor distressed David What was his Remedy against this desperate Malady He can look for relief no where here below therefore he looks up to Heaven and encourag'd himself in the Lord his God now David was at his worst as Joah said afterwards to him in another case 2 Sam. 19.7 This sad dispensation was worse to him than all the Evils that had befaln him from his Youth until now and therefore was a sign that Deliverance was not far off as when things are once at the worst we use to say they will then mend so David's Deliverance was here at the door when he believingly cast his whole dependency upon the Lord his God only whom he had found Faithful to him in his Promises and had never fail'd him in his deepest dangers with his Providences God loves David well knew to reserve his holy hand for a dead lift in the behalf of his Servants in Covenant with him when there is a damp upon their hopes and a death upon their helps Thus his Encouragements in God did by the help of his Faith out-weight weighs his discouragement from Man though his distress was the greater inasmuch as those very distressed Persons whom he had received into his protection Chap. 22.2 were now become David's grandest distressers in their designing to stone him The Fourth Remark is The Antecedents of David's Expedition against the Amalekites v. 7 8. wherein he first craves Divine Help and Consults God's Oracle according to God's Ordinance Numb 27.21 as he had done before with good success for his own safety Chap. 23.9 10 c. He here begins at the right end c. Before which time we find in this good Man a bad neglect of this good duty in thus Consulting with God for we read not of his calling for the Ephod either when he fled to Gath for Refuge from Saul Chap. 27.1 or when he offered to go along with Achish to the Battel against Israel Chap. 28.2 But now when his distresses he had brought himself unto be being his own Counsellor made him sensible both of his former errors and of his present duties now he can cry again bring hither the Ephod This Great distress had driven David into his Counting-House where he found how his God in Covenant Relation had hitherto preserved him by his All-poweful Providence and had likewise given him a special Promise which he could not but account Infallible of his succeeding Saul in the Kingdom therefore so good a God was no longer to be neglected by him who was bound likewise by Covenant on his part to acknowledge God in all his ways and not to lean upon his own understanding Prov. 3.5 as he had done heretofore and had deeply smarted for it No doubt but David had more than a Months mind to pursue the Amalekites and to recover his beloved Wives yet dare he not now do so without God's leave and liking and no sooner did David remember God but God also did remember him and gave him an Answer of Peace both his approbation and direction to pursue and prevail David's Ephod brought a Blessing to him when Saul's Witch brought a Curse upon him and his Sons c. N. B. Note well Saul had
ver 4. Remark the Fourth Ezra's Prayer from ver 5 to ver 16. Mark 1. Ezra rose up at the Evening Sacrifice and falls down upon his Knees and with spread Hands falls on Praying ver 5. in the Presence of those that trembled at God's Word ver 4. well knowing that unto such the Lord looketh with his choicest looks of Love Isa 66.2 and that his Prayer together with the Sacrifice might ascend up in those Pillars of Smoak Cant. 3.6 as a Memorial before God Acts 10.4 Mark 2. The Preface of his Prayer ver 6. for insinuating the better into God's Favour he includes himself into the number of the Transgressours Acknowledging that the Sin was now become National in the guilt of it and that it was now become like deep Waters wherein they were like to be all drowned as Psalm 38.4 and 124.4 and that it was now gone up to Heaven to fetch down Wrath from Heaven Mark 3. He makes Confession with all Aggravation ver 7. as Daniel did in his Day Dan. 9.5 bewailing the Sins of their Forefathers the sad Effects whereof they were still smarting under in the Continuance of the Captivity of so many of our Brethren abroad yet we at home are still reviving the same old Sins whereby we declare our selves to be but a Race of Rebels from one Generation to another in a continued Series of the same Sins Mark 4. As Ezra had handed out the Vessels of the Temple by number and by weight as before just so he handleth his own and his Peoples Sins For 1. He confesseth them by number as Aaron did Confess over the Head of the Scape Goat all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel Lev. 16.21 So likewise 2. By weight for as Aaron confessed also all their Transgressions in all their Sins that is laying open how many Transgressions were wrapp'd up in their several Sins and the Circumstances of them that did aggravate them so did Ezra here Mark 5. Ezra doth not only Confess the Sins of past and present Times but he doth aggravate them by the many Benefits God had conferr'd upon the People and by the many Cautions God had oft given them to the contrary ver 8 9 10 11 12 13. yet all seemed lost upon them Remark the Fifth The many moving Metaphors that Ezra useth both in expressing God's Kindness to the Jews and his cautioning and counselling them to a better behaviour Mark 1. That Metaphor of God's giving them a Nail ver 8. Hebr. Jather signifies saith Piscator a Pegg of Wood or Iron driven in to hang Garments upon or useful Vessels Isa 22.23 or it signifies the Pins or Stakes of the Tabernacle to make it stand steady in Storms Exod. 35.18 Isa 33.20 or it signifies the Anchor to which the Cable is fastened saith Menochius that the Ship might Rest near the Shore all which sheweth that God had given them some Settlement in a good Governour Zerubbabel and a good Priest Jehoshua which was some support of their Faith and Hope that God would do them good Mark 2. That God had lightned their Eyes for a little space that is exhilarated the Eyes of our Minds saith Vatablus so the Phrase isused 1 Sam. 14.27 28. for in Danger the Eye looks dim and dark the Soul sitting there shews it self pleased or displeased c. Mark 3. God had given them not new Light only but new Life also reviving them with delivering them from Captivity ver 8 9. they had been as dead and dry bones in Bondage Ezek. 37.12 now God had revived them and brought them back to build again the burnt Temple Mark 4. God hath given them a Wall c. ver 9. Hebr. Nader signifying a Fence and so the favour of the King of Persia was Fence to them their Sefeguard and Protection Moreover God's Providence was a Wall of Fire round about them Zech. 2.5 Isa 5.2 Matth. 21.33 Remark the Sixth Ezra useth that Phrase of Relation betwixt God and them nine several times Thrice in the Singular Number My God ver 5 6. and Six times in the Plural Our God ver 8 9 10 13. all which were Phrases of Faith referring to the Covenant that padbulum fidei the sufficing food of Faith Intimating by all these that God had not cast them out of the Covenant for their manifold Sins but had punish'd them too little ver 13. when God said too much Isa 40.12 Remark the Seventh The Conclusion of this good Man's Prayer ver 14 15. wherein he Adores God both for his Justice and Mercy and lays load upon himself and his People with a Sixth Aggravation of their Sins in Sinning again after such a Deliverance as if God had Delivered us for that end saith Wolphius that we might the more freely despise the Lord and his Law Then he Deprecates the Anger of God that he may not Repent of his begun Benefits saying Tho' we have forfeited thy Favour and deserve nothing but Destruction yet art thou faithful and true in thy Covenant of Promise which appeareth in thy leaving a Remnant of us we hope for Holy Use N. B. Tho' we let go our fast hold on God yet God will not let go his faster hold on us Ezra CHAP. X. THIS Chapter relateth the Remedy unto that Miserable Malady for which Ezra most moaningly mourned before the Lord in Prayer all the foregoing Chapter and that by a through effectual Reformation of mint Marriages wherein 1. Antecedents 2. Concomitants are considerable Remarks first upon the Antecedents Of which the First is The Excellent Example of Holy Ezra had a most Efficacious Influence both upon Princes Priests and People ver 1. where 't is said that Ezra beside his begging Pardon and deprecating Divine displeasure he Wept also c. which is not mentioned among the other effects of his deep Humiliation Chap. 9.3 nor of his casting himself down before the House of God but 't is certain he did now Weep possibly his Sorrow at first might be above Tears which afterward gushed forth in abundance Curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent The Greatness of his Grief might so stupifie him at the first that his Eyes were too narrow for his Heart tho' his Mouth was not altogether so But now Expletur lacrymis egeriturque dolor his sad Heart found a vent at his Eyes wherewith it was ecased And his Weeping was publick before the House of God where all might behold him that their Eyes might affect their Hearts to contribute their Tears of Compunction also for the filling up of Godâ—s Bottle Psal 56.8 as they had done their Sins of Provocation for the filling up of God's Bagg Job 14.17 at Ezra's Example N. B. 1. Ezra being a Priest might have gone into the Holy Place and there have Pray'd c. but he doth it in the Outer Court before that of the Priests as a publick Pattern to the People 2. Ezra here Prayeth c. because God had promis'd to hear Prayers made
Shushan upon some important Errand doubtless for the good of their Countrey because they took that tedious Journey in the dâ—â—th of Winter in the Month Chisteu the middle of our November ver 1 2. of these he asked how it fared with God's Church which was his chiefest Care and Hanam a Gracious Man according to the Notation of his Name relates to him the afflicted Estate of the City of God Its Walls remain'd still broken down and its Gates that had been burnt down by Nebuchadnezzar were still unrepaired ver 3. N. B. Juniuâ— and others observe that Cyrus gave them Power to build the Temple but not the Walls c. for fear of a new Rebellion and though the Jews Adversaries accus'd them to the King that they were Building the Walls Ezra 4. yet was it a false Accusation Therefore may it well be wondred at how so many thousand Levites besides many Citizens of all Sexes and Sizes could live there in safety from the Samaritans their deadly Enemies without casting up some Bulwarks saith A Lapide because to keep a continual Watch and Ward round about the City seemeth too great a Charge for such few Citizens as yet did inhabit it seeing so many Jews were not yet returned and Comestor adds here that many Murtherers broke in upon them in the Night-Time and slew many of them plundering their Houses c. Remark the Fifth Nehemiah's Sympathy with his Suffering Holy City Jerusalem ver 4. this good Man no doubt had as he was a Courtier in the King's Palace a whole Confluence of all Creature-Comforts for himself yet could he find no more Content in them all than Haman did in all his but with a baser Mind Esth 5.11 13 〈◊〉 this avail'd him nothing so long as it went ill with Sion he was even sick of the Affliction of Joseph as well as Grieved Amos 6.6 N. B. No sooner had Nehemiah heard from these Messengers the Malady of the returned Jews how they were the Samaritans scorn for their living in an unwall'd City and would have been their ruine but for fear of offending the Persian King then he puts himself in the posture of a Mourner sitting down upon the ground covering himself with Ashes saith Masius and mourn'd Rabbim Jomim Hebr. many Days with Weeping and Fasting to shew his deep sorrow of Heart and to prepare himself the better for Prayer Before the God of Heaven which shews saith Wolphius how much he differ'd from the Religion of the Persians who worship'd the Sun c. and with his Face turned toward the Temple saith Sanctius see 1 Kings 8.44 48. Dan. 6.10 N. B. 1. From It came to pass c. Humane Affairs fall not out by Hap hazard or by Chance as the Vulgar saying is but by the Wise All-disposing Providence of God which was a special Cause that these good Men met together here and by mutual Conference kindled like Live-Coals one anothers Affections and that thereby a Remedy might be provided by that Divine Providence against the Malady c. N. B. 2. So great was this good Man's Grief for the Churche's Calamity that he could not stand under it but sinks down to the Earth yet hath his Heart lift up to Heaven that high Hill from whence he look'd for help Psalm 121.1 2 3. The reproach of the solemn Assemblies was such a burden to him Zeph. 3.17 18. that it kept him in this mournful Posture not only many Days but for three Months or more in preparing himself to Petition the King Chap. 1.1 2. and 2.1 Remark the Sixth Nehemiah's Prayer to God for an effectual redress of that great Grievance and for an acceptable Address to the King for it Mark 1. The Preface of his Prayer ver 5. Anna Jehovah Hael Hagadol Hebr. I beseech thee most great God c. Wolphius observes this Word Anna implies a pressing Necessity as well as a bare intreaty and that he might be Trusting as well as Trembling he describes God by his Goodness as well as by his Greatness saying Lord thou hast ever kept Covenant with thy People surely thou wilt not break it now with those that have but a spark of Love to thee in them Thus hath he here Faith in God as before he had Love to God's Church Mark 2. He sheweth himself a true Member of the Church of God ver 6. If one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it 1 Cor. 12.26 so did Nehemiah here in the substance of his Prayer pressing hard upon God for his Audience to his Servant while he was spreading the sad Case of his distressed Brethren and Confessing his own Sins and the Sins of his Fathers as well as the People's This he insists upon with earnestness that having got off the Guilt of all their Sins he might with more Courage and Comfort deprecate God's Judgments and more easily desire and obtain God's Mercy c. Mark 3. He prevents an Objection ver 7. acknowledging it very true that they were altogether unworthy of any Divine Favour for he saith in corrupting we have corrupted our selves against thee Hebr. Chabul Chabalenu Lak we have bedirtied our selves most filthily as Chabul signifies 1 Kings 9.12 13. so have bound over our selves unto thee to be punish'd as Dirty Sinners deserve no better for we have broke all thy Bonds Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Laws and cast all thy Cords from us as Psalm 2.3 thus he lays load on their Sins to preoccupate God as it were from saying I will shew Mercy no more c. Judg. 10.13 14. Mark 4. He confirms his Faith in Prayer with God's Promise ver 8 9. putting him in Mind of what God had promised by Moses Deut. 4.29 30 31 32. and 30.4 and by Solomon 1 Kings 8.48 N. B. Man cannot carry God's People farther than that God can fetch them back again even from Indea c. now Nehemiah doth not cry here Remember Lord c. as if God could really forget N. B. 'T is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellectum 't is spoken Metaphorically after the manner of Men but must be understood according to the Majesty of God who only seems to forget as Man really may when highly provoked by his People as if they never had been his People nor made them any Promises N. B. In this Case God gives his Prophets and People leave to be his Remembrancers Isa 62.6 7. Thus David did with success Psalm 119.49 and thus Nehemiah doth vigorously and speeds accordingly Mark 5. He pleads not only God's Interest in his Church and his Relation to them but also it was God's Honour to save them saying as Wolphius saith seeing Thou art our Lord and we thy Servants thou art our King and we thy Subjects ver 10. therefore thou art concern'd in Point of Honour to save us so every Master will Work to his Power for saving his Servants and every King will do no less for his Subjects And if
it not only as it is most curiously enambled but also beautified with a most Rich Diamond c. First Of the first Excellency namely the matter that this Royal Ring was made of undoubtedly was Gold pure beaten Gold it was a Gold Ring not made up of any inferior worthless or mixed mettal Alchymy Rings are contemptible things among Mankind As the Robe is called the best Robe so without Controversie this Ring must be the best Ring in his Fathers Treasury If the very Snuffers and Snuff-Dishes in the Tabernacle were made of pure Gold Exod. 25.38 and 37.23 Much more this King 2dly The Form of this Ring was the most perfect of all Forms according to the Mathematic Rule which preferrs a Circular Form far before that which is Triangular or Quadrangular c. Therefore the most Wise Creator framed that glorious Creature the Sun to be round that vast Circumference of the Heavens to be round and that great Body of the whole Earth to be round yea the whole Vniverse of the Visible World is represented to us in Globes to be of a Circular Form So this Ring was a round Ring which form hath neither beginning nor ending and so is a most evident Emblem of Eternity which a parte Ante in respect of that before had no beginning and a parte post in respect of that after it hath no ending Thus a year is represented by a Serpent that Circles himself round like a ring with his Tale in his Mouth signifying that the end of the Old year is the beginning of the New c. 3dly The posy that was Engraven in this Ring may easily be supposed to be some significant short Sentence such as all Rings are Adorned with by some inward Inscription but more especially Wedding Rings Such as I love and like my choice And as God Decreed so we agreed and such like Now may it not be said without Absurdity that here was a kind of Wedding here to wit of a lost Son to a loving Father and the posy of this Ring may well be supposed to be one of those Sentences or Characters that the Father gave of his Son My Son was dead but is alive or He was lost but is found Luke 15.24 and 32. 4thly The Richness of this Ring 't was no common plain Ring but of the choicest and chiefest sort such as be most Artificially Enambled by a most skilfull Artist in Ingraving Work and Adorned with some Sparkling Diamond or some other glittering and dazling Jewel or Precious Stone I have lately seen a Jewel valued at many Thousands of Pounds yet nothing comparable to the Pearl of price the Lord Jesus Matt. 13.45 46. So that we may suppose it to be a Stone Ring so called and one of the best sort for as the Father called for the best Robe to put upon his Back he undoubtedly called likewise for the best Ring to put upon his Hand Learned Heinsius in his Criticks upon this Ring saith thus Hic Annulus fuit insignis Nempe cum patris Notâ sigillo ut sâ—e verus filius ac proprius Agnosceretur This Ring was Famous as it had the Fathers Coat of Arms Engraven upon it and so was the Signet that his Father Sealed his Letter with and all his own proper Goods and this Son having this Seal or Signer might be the better acknowledged to be his own true and proper Son hereby Yea and Grotius adds concerning this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ring that as it was an Honourable Badge of a free People among the Romans so it was an evident pledge of most eminent Dignity among the Eastern Nations hence Pharaoh put upon Josephs Hand his own Royal Ring Gen. 41.42 And 't is a sign of Riches saith the Scripture Jam. 2.2 All this History relating to the Ring hath a Mystery in it Therefore some Solid Authors Extoll this Parable as one of the most Famous Parables that is left upon Record in Sacred Scripture both for the Choice Variety of the History for it is long and for the Pregnant Significancy of some Gospel-Mystery in every part thereof as in this Ring for Example First In the General as the Robe above named did signifie the Grace of Justification so this Ring doth signifie the grace of Adoption 'T is commonly known that a Ring is a Token of Espousal love thus the Lord is said to betroth us to himself for ever Hos 2.19 20. And to be Marryed to us Jer. 3.14 Calling his People Hephzibah and Beulah because he delighted in them and is Married to them Isa 62.4 Now this Mystical Marriage God accomplisheth upon us First by his Grace of Justification Adorning us as his Bride with his Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 And then by his grace of Adoption he espouseth his Bride to himsalf and Rejoyceth over her as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62.5 The like Phrase is used 2 Cor. 11.2 Rev. 19.7 8. Though this be the time of our Contract only in the Kingdom of grace here but the Consummation of the Marriage is reserved for the Kingdom of glory hereafter N. B. Note well Gods Order in this Parable First the Robe and then the Ring and in Ezek. 16. First when the time of Love came the Lord washed her and Clothed her and then put Bracelets upon her Hands c. ver 8 9 10 11. and made her exceeding Comly with his Comliness which he put upon her ver 12 13 14. Which teacheth that we must be Justified before we can be Adopted and Sealed with our Heavenly Fathers Signet or Sealing Ring for his own Sealed ones as the Phrase is Rev. 7.3 4 8. Nor can we set to our Seal that God is True untill God give us his Sealing Ring as the Father doth give to his Son here John 3. ver 33. For Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 which is the Sealing grace c. Thus God made Zerubbabel to be a Signet Hag. 2.23 And we read of the Signet of Gods Right Hand Jer. 22.24 And if we can but shew Jesus the Signet he hath bestowed on us when he came first into our Hearts by his grace Eph. 3.17 Then will his seeming Displeasure be appeased towards us as Judahs was upon the like means towards Tamar Gen. 38.18 24 25. for Christ cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 Nor any Breathings of grace that he hath given us Matth. 12.20 Thus far of the Ring in General now in particular briefly of its four Excellencies First The Mystery of its excellent Matter Gold is the Mettal that it is made of signifying that the grace of Adoption is a far finer Mettal than the finest of Gold 1 Pet 1.17 18 19. Oh! Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.7 The Matter of this Mystical Ring is so fine that we can neither purchase it now hammer it upon any Human Anvill but as it is Gods gift Eph. 2.8 13. So it is his Divine Handy word c. It is pure Spirit
sinner dare ask no more but barely to be remembred and that not so much for his Body as before but principally yea solely for his Soul And this he prayed not that God should remember him in the way of his Wrath and Judgments as God saith I will remember them that shed Innocent Blood when I make Inquisition for Bloods of the Ish Dammim Hebr. or Man of Blood Ps 9.12 But Lord Remember me he cries in the Way of thy Grace and Mercy as thou didst Righteous Noah Gen. 8.1 and Holy David Psal 132.1 c. The 3d Demonstration that this good Thief 's Prayer was the Prayer of Faith is His short Prayer Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom contained in it a very large and long Creed the Articles whereof are these that follow He believed 1. That the Soul died not with the Body of Man 2. That there is a World to come for rewarding the Pious or Penitent and for Punishing the Impious and Impenitent 3. That Christ though now under Crucifying and Killing Tortures yet had right to a Kingdom 4. That this Kingdom was in a better World than this present evil World 5. That Christ would not keep this Kingdom all to himself 6. That he would bestow a part and portion hereof upon those that be truly Penitent 7. That the Key of this Kingdom 's Gate to let in or keep out did hang at Christ's Girdle though he was now dying upon the Cross 8. Which is above all that he dare Roll his whole Soul for its Eternal Salvation upon a Dying Saviour Our Lord in his Gracious Answer to this Penitent Thief 's Prayer Luke 23.43 saith equivalently and in effect to him Oh Man great is thy faith as he had said to the Syrophenician Female Oh! Woman great is thy Faith Mat. 15.28 yea so acceptable was his strong Faith to Christ that he did not only say to this Man as he said to that Woman Be it unto thee even as thou wilt but he most graciously granted him even more than he asked This Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise That is I will not only Remember thee and not forget thee as the Butler did Joseph Gen. 40.23 with 16. Amos 6.6 but also added that that very Day his place of Torment should be turned into a place of Pleasure a better place than that which the first Adam lost to himself and to all his Posterity for that was but a Terrestial Paradise out of which he shut himself but this is a Celestial one into which I the second Adam will open the Door for thee there thou shalt have my Presence and Company Thou shalt be with me and there shalt thou fare as I my self fare Oh! wonderful condescension c. The Inferences from hence are 1st That If Christ did thus gratifie such a notorious Thief one of the Vilest of Mortals in granting his Request and more than he Requested as above because he was truly Penitent at his last Gasp though he had led a most licentious life all along and had been hitherto profusely Impenitent how much more will Christ hear the Prayers of his own Servants and Children who have faithfully followed him all their Days The 2d Inference is Though this Penitent Thief had Paradise promised to him as to one that was both an Heir of the Promise and an Heir of Paradise too yet dyeth he that miserable death of the Cross and hath his Bones broken c. to shew that even the Heirs of Heaven may meet with their Cross from which they are not exempted upon Earth and may have their Bone-breaking Afflictions Psal 51.8 The 3d Inference is Here we have a fair Specimen and a Pious Pattern of the best posture of the Heart of Man in a dying hour to be more careful of the Soul than of the Body at that Juncture All the care that Wicked Ahaziah took at his Death was Shall I recover of this Bodily Sickness 2 Kings 1.2 16. there be many that say Who will shew us any bodily good Psal 4.6 but few say Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon my Soul and there be many that cry Lord Heal my Body for I am Sick but few cry Lord heal my Soul for I have sinned Psal 41.4 David did desire those two Soul comforts whatever became of his Sense-comforts There be also many that in Ship-wracks at Sea and in House-firing at Land can be careful enough in securing their best Goods their Cash Plate and Jewels but how few there be that can take half that care in securing that Precious Jewel the Soul though of more worth than the whole World Mat. 16.26 when the Body as the Ship is just a spliting upon the Rock of Death by some burning Fever c and so leting out the Soul into another World The 4th Inference is Because this Penitent Thief was called in the Eleventh hour of his Life and Repented of his long and lasting lendness at his last gasp so had hope in his Death with the Righteous Prov. 14.32 and a Promise of a place in Paradise after Death c. yet let no profligate prophane and profuse Sinner promise to himself the like priviledge For a particular Instance ought not to be drawn into an universal Favour and both the Promise here and the Performance of it did peculiarly belong to him seeing his Conversion was one of the Seven Miracles that Christ honoured the Ignominy of his own Death by and none can expect such an happy Exit but such as can Attain to his great Grace and Faith upon a Dying Saviour c. The Fourth Grand Remark is the Miracles that Christ wrought upon the Cross puting forth some mighty Beams of his Divine Nature even at that time when the state of his Humane Nature was at its lowest ebb that the Indignity of his Disgraceful Death might be Graced and Dignified thereby The First of those Miracles was the Conversion of the Thief already discoursed upon adding thereunto only this here that his Conversion was the very first Fruits of the Power of Christ's Death even while he was but a Dying and before he was Dead Who can but admire both those branches of this first Miracle That 1st There should be such an Efficacy and Verine in a Dying Jesus while he was but just now paying that prodigious Debt for Man's Sin according to the Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the World began which Debt was not fully compleated before the Death of the Son of God was fully Accomplished And 2dly That this Penitent Thief should have such a power of Faith given him to hang the whole weight of the Pardon of his almost unparallelled Sins and of the Salvation of his precious Soul upon a dying Saviour while both He and his Redeemer were both Hanging upon the Cross and before the Ransom-Money for Sins was yet paid and Redemption for Souls was yet purchased N. B. Note well
presupposeth that Paul had then made his appearance before Nero-Caesar and was acquitted N.B. But besides this passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews there be other Scriptures that give us a fuller account hereof As 1. That in the 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first Answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge and therefore he orders Timothy to hasten his coming to him v. 21. looking on him as a fast Friend when all others failed From this may be observed 1st That tho' the phrase At my first answer seems to imply that Paul made more Apologies than one and so made more appearances than this as the Postscript understands it making also Timothy a Non-Resident Bishop yet it only intimates that at the very first pinch and appearance of danger All the Christians there that should have been his assistants started from him and left him to plead for himself among whom was Demas verse 10.2 Tim. 4. who sculked away to Thessalonica out of the reach of Rome when he saw this Tryal of Paul to be of a very doubtful issue 2ly Observe It is not sufficient for us to maintain the truth our selves but we ought to assist such as stand up for the truth and not shrink from them when they are in trouble for it and need our assistance Thus all Paul's Friends sinned in shrinking from him through weakness and humane frailty therefore he begs of God that he would grant them a remission of that Sin 3dly It was a very sad Circumstance in Paul's sufferings that when he had appealed to Nero himself and when Nero himself in the Court of Rome heard his cause and defence none of the Church that was at Rome nor any of those that were of his own Retinue durst own him through a fright or stand by him in so signal an encounter and in so eminent Danger where his very Christianity was Crime enough for which to be executed And Paul himself did read his own death near even in Nero's Temper v. 6.2 Tim. 4. 4thly Tho' men failed Paul yet God failed him not but stood by him 2 Tim 4. verse 17. and made him able to plead his own cause so powerfully that he was delivered out of the Lion's mouth namely from Nero so called as Tyrants and persecutors of the Church have frequently in Scripture that name of Lions put upon them Ezek. 19.2 Psal 35.17 and 91.13 Pro. 28.15 and Jerem. 2.15 47. N.B. God is never so sweet and so seasonable to his Saints as in the day of their deepest distresse God loves to help those that are forsaken of their helps and hopes N.B. The next Scripture that giveth light herein is those passages in that Epistle to the Philippians Ph. 2.21 where at this time of his imprisonment also he complains that all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ just like all forsaking him c. 2 Tim. 4. verse 16. then he goes on verse 23. Hoping to send Timothy presently to them so soon as I shall see how it will go with me He could not as yet spare him to accompany Epaphroditus until he came to a certainty what would be the Issue of his present imprisonment telling them withal that he had sat down counted the cost of Godliness and cast it up thus that he had made up a total Resignation of his own will into the holy will of God according to Acts 21.13 14. comforting himself and them with those few Considerations As 1. That hitherto his confinement had fallen out for the furtherance of the Gospel c Phil. 1.12 13 14. Tho' the Devil designed it for the hinderance thereof yet through the over-ruling providence of God so ordering it he had Liberty two whole years and opportunity of Teaching the things of Christ whereby his Chains of Iron became a greater honour to him than were those Chains of Gold which King Agrippa the Emperor Nero or any of his Judges wore with so much Ambition therefore would he not have them discouraged but comforted as the Corinthians were 2 Cor. 1.5 6 7. Acts 5.41 James 2.2 It was matter of Joy to him that all Nero's Court began to ring of his sufferings seeing their inquiry after the Cause thereof gave occasion to impart some Notions of Christ to them whereby some of them were Converted Phil. 4.22 2. He lets them know that supposing the worst though his imprisonment should determine in his death and that he should then be offered up a Sacrifice yet as this would be his own advantage so it could be no dis-service to their faith Phil. 1.21 and 2.17.18 if it should be thus sealed with his blood 3. Yet was he persuaded either by a Prophetick Spirit in a Revelation or by the Sanctifying Spirit strengthening his Faith that as his prison had been his Ark of safety for two whole years so now that he should be delivered out of the mouth of the Lion and restored to them to confirm their Faith farther with his personal presence writing thus to them And having this confidence that my still abiding in the flesh is more needful for you I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of Faith Phil. 1.24 25. and again I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly Phil 2.24 designing to follow Timothy to them Another Scripture which gives light that Paul weathered out this point and was restored to his Liberty in despight of the Lion after so long imprisonment is Philemon verse 22. but withal prepare me a Lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given to you This accords with Phil. 1.25 and 2.24 Paul had long longed to visit the Christians at Rome and had prayed for a prosperous Journey thither but had been long hindered Rom. 1.10 11 12 13. and 15.22 23. yet was he brought to Rome by such a way as he little dreamed of Little thought Paul that when he was bound at Jerusulem and posted from one prison to another that God was now sending him to Rome his longing for it might be one cause of Paul's making his appeal to Rome Acts 25.10 11.12 N.B. Now God sent him and very safe with a great Convoy to Cesarea and from thence with a great convoy God's own protection notwithstanding both the Shipwrack and the Viper as safe to Rome N.B. God goes oft another way to work for granting our desires and for doing us good than we could imagine Paul lyes prisoner at Rome two years at the end of that term he is set at liberty bespeaking his Lodgings for him at Coloss where Philemon was a Minister call'd Paul's fellow-labourer whose wife was Apphia named before Archippus another Minister Col. 4.17 whose house must be now Paul's Lodgings Philemon verse 1.22 Thus have we a full account of Paul's confidence that through the Church's prayers for him both at Philippi and
interspace of wandring in the Wilderness he made the 90th Psalm wherein he tellech us that the ordinary time of Man's Life was reduced to seventy or eighty years and so was made shorter by half than before when Men did live some hundreds now Man's Age was cut short to accomplish the Divine Decree of wearing out that old Rebellious Generation and this thing Moses sadly bemoaneth in that Psalm shewing how that People were soon consumed by God's Anger for their sins The second Remark is That God is both true in his Promises and in his Menaces both being confirmed by his Sacred Oath His Threatnings are not uttered in Terrorem only or are they windy words Zeph. 3.5 but are sure to take effect to the confusion of the wicked as his Promises are performed to the comfort of the godly God sware as I live that those unbelievers should not come into Canaan but die in the Desart Num. 14.21 22 23. God taking them at their word ver 28. as they rashly said ver 2. Psal 95.11 and 106.26 Heb. 3.18 accordingly they did so yet their Children saw God's Glory in performing the Promise unto them Numb 14.30 31 32 33 c. but they were to bear the Whoredoms of their wicked Parents till the forty years were expired that they might learn to their cost what it was to break Promise with God on their part who without this never breaks Promise on his part unless Man's failure of his Promise set him free ver 34 35 38 c. Tho' it was but eleven days Journey from Horeb or Sinai by the way of Mount-Seir to the Plains of Moab and Jordan in a right progress Deut. 1.2 Where Moses minds them how soon they might have passed into the Land of Promise if they had not Rebelled for which they were made to wander to and fro as if they had been treading a Maze about 38 years longer Deut. 2.14 Where their Rubs are recounted and Reasons of so long delayâ— Their Rebellion made this eleven days above three times eleven years journey The Third Remarks is God in the midst of all this fierce wrath did remember his tender Mercy Hab. 3.2 For during all the interval of this Forty Years provocation 'twixt Egypt and Canaan repining at the first that they must come out of Egypt Exod. 14 12. and repining again when they came near Canaan that they must go into it Numb 14. And no less repining by fits no sewer than ten times v. 22. all the way between the Lord would not see them suffer the want of any necessaries notwithstanding their sins Psal 106.8 The Lord was with them and blest them all these forty years so that they did not lack any thing Deut. 2.7 Yea they were so far from wanting that they walked all that long inter-space of time under five continual Miracles of Mercy from the God of Mercy as First They had all that time the attendance and appearance of the Cloud of Glory It was not a tedious matter to Christ himself to lead them in and out in this Labyrinth Nor Secondly Was he weary with raining down Manna daily for their supply all that long season Nor Thirdly Was the Rock or the Waters of Horeb tired or dryed up with following them in so many Maeanders windings and turnings so long a time and way Nor Fourthly Were their feet worn and wearied with footing it all that tedious time but were preserved from being foot-sore c. And Fifthly The continual newness of all their Garments not Thread-bare or Ragged c. Deut. 8.4 Never Prince was served in such State as they so supplyed all along in a miraculous manner God taking the whole care of preserving and providing for such a prodigious People in number all upon himself as he doth for the Fowls of Heaven that sow not and for the Lilies of the Field that spin not insomuch that those Israelites needed not to anger themselves with those anxious carking cares muttering with their mouths out of the abundance of unbelief in their hearts What shall we eat drink and put on as is the custom of blind Heathens Mat. 6.26 to 33. The 4th Remark is If Men will take liberty to commit sin against God God will take the like liberty to make but a short story both of their Persons and Actions in the time of their lives Thus the Lord served those many hundred thousand sinners that took so much liberty to sin against him their lives for this long period of about thirty eight years God vouchsafes no Record or Narrative of for Moses mentions only the History of the two first years and the beginning of the third then leaps he over all the following current years with their occurrents save only the bare names of their several Stations Numb 33.18 to 36. He passeth over in silence and pitcheth upon the last year of the forty whereof he gives a full Relation Thus God dealt with Lot tho' a just Man for the main 1 Pet. 2.9 yet because he took liberty to commit Incest Gen. 19.36 therefore have we but a short History of Lâ—t's Life and but as interwoven with the Life of Abraham Now was the New Generation the old save some few being all worn out in the 38 years wandring brought to Kadesh again namely upon the first Month of the fortieth year after their departure out of Egypt Numb 20.1 Deut. 2.14 with 1 7. ver where they abode about four Months and then removed to Mount Hor Numb 20.22 the place where Aaron dyed v. 25. on the first day of the fifth Month of this fortieth year as is expresly said Numb 33.38 So that from Numb 20. to Deutrâ—nomy the last are described the passages of their journeying in the Wilderness in their last year there only there being little Recorded of the 38 years after the Spyes return and Report falsely save the only mentioning of 1. Their murmurings in which they sinned and for which they suffered c. And 2. The Means of Grace for their reconciliation with a provoked God to be obtained by Christ figured by the Sacrifices that it might appear Where Sin abounded there Grace more abounded Rom. 5.20 The Remarks upon Israel's Return to Kadesh and their abode there do follow The First is God would have those Murmurers to renew the memorial of their Baptism and of their Baptismal Vows therefore did he send them from Kadesh where they had murmured to the Red-Sea Numb 14.25 wherein they had been Baptized 1 Cor. 10.2 before they return to this Kadesh again and when they returned thither at this time they removed from Ezion-Gaher which is a Port upon the Shore of the Red Sea 1 King 9.26 as is expresly said Numb 33.36 The like Relation Jephthah uttereth Israel walk'd through the Wilderness to the Red-Sea and Came to Kadesh Judg. 11.16 Would to God we could renew our Covenant with God by reviving the remembrance of our Baptismal Vows This means blest of God may
confirm our Faith c. The Second Remark is At this Mansion of Kadesh doth Miriam dye a good Woman and of great use as a Prophetess to the Church in the Wilderness to which she was one of the three Guides Mic. 6.4 N. B. First Something that was famous is Recorded of her Exod. 15.20 and Secondly Something that was Infamous Numb 12. As to the first no doubt but Miriam was endued with a Prophetick Spirit and God spake by her and by Aaron as well as by Moses Numb 12.2 tho' not so familiarly mouth to mouth as to him v. 8. therefore is she honoured as one of those three singular instruments in the hand of God and a principal guide of God's People from Egypt towards Canaan 'T is not impossible that Miriam might be as helpful to Moses being much Elder than he whom she watched when Exposed in an Ark of Bulrushes Exod. 2.4 as Nazianzen's Mother was to his Father non Solum adjutricem in pietate sed etiam doctricem gubernatricem c. Not only an Help-fellow but also a Doctress and Governess to him as the Son's Character is of her Therefore they who vilifie the Female Sex especially with reference to Religion may here observe that in the very point of extraordinary Prophecy as well as in ordinary piety the Male and Female are all one in God as they are in Christ Gal 3.28 But secendly Tho' Miriam was famous enough until that unhappy matter of emulation betwixt her and Moses's Wife happened Numb 12. as above this was that which made her something infamous a blot in her Escutcheon of Honour which we may charitably believe she got cancel'd out upon her Repentance and recovery from Leprosie Suppose her weak head being of the weaker Sex was not able to bear such strong Wine out of the Cup of such an high honour without being intoxicated for which fault her Heavenly Father spate inker face Numb 12.2 14. Yet thus far God honours her by Recording her death in Sacred Scripture Numb 20.1 as was Sarah's Gen. 23.1 where Sarah's Age as well as Death are both Recorded Some have observed that God thought it not fit to tell us of the length of any Woman's Life in Scripture save only Sarah's for the humbling of that Sex which is too apt to be haughty Notwithstanding as Souls have no Sexes so of some Women such as Miriam Deborah the Virgin Mary c. It may be said that beside their Sex there was nothing found Woman-like or weak in them as if what Philosophy saith the Souls of those Noble Creatures had followed the Temperament of their Bodies which consist of a frame of rarer Rooms of a more exact composition than Man's doth The great storm that Miriam raised and probably about precedency is covered with sience Mic. 6.4 as was Sarah's unbelief 1 Pet. 3.6 the Prophet and the Apostle making an honourable mention of them both thus Miriam is honourably mentioned for her Death and Burial Numb 20.1 Where also her age is necessarily implyed tho' not plainly expressed as was Sarah's for she must dye about 130 year old being at least ten years older than Moses whom she watched among the Reeds of the River and who dyed at 120 years old c. The Third Remark at Kadesh this second time is Israel's murmuring again for want of water here as before they had done at Rephidim in the first year of their coming into the Wilderness Exod. 17.2 That was done by the Old Generation and this by the New Numb 20.2 3 4 5 c. Who did too perfectly Patrizare Children acting over again the old sins of their sinful Parents whom God had therefore cut off and consumed at this time whereupon those new Male Contents were the worse because they made no better improvement of God's severity with their Fathers as Dan. 5.22 As God had tryed their Father's forty years ago with this very want so now he tryed their Children and they also Rebell'd against him Thirst is a more eager Appetite than Hunger and more enrageth the Desires and Affections of Mankind therefore were they thus earnestly and eagerly hot in their chiding of Moses in wanting not only Water but Patience also whereby they were transported to break the peace with their Governour this was now their Malady and a great impediment again in their way to Canaan The Church in the Wilderness was exercised with the same evil of wanting Water both in her first and in her last years wandring therein the same Fiery Tryals may befall us that befell our Fore-fathers in the Marian days Objection They had lain here at Kadesh a whole Twelve-Month 38 years before this and then there was no murmuring for want of Water Answer The Waters out of the Rock Horeb broached at Rephidim Exod. 17.6 c. had followed them from thence to Kadesh and from Kadesh back to the Red-Sea and in all their 38 years wandring those Waters followed them still 'till their return now to Kadesh again but at this time those Waters out of the following Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 were departed tho' the manner how is not expressed Thus God may betrust his Church a long time with Living Waters yet by his Soveraignty withdraw them again The Fourth Remark is The Remedy to this Malady for which Israel again in a new Edition seditiously murmured Moses and Aaron pray for Water v. 6. which God again graciously answered putting up and pardoning this renewed Rebellion in a new Generation and prescribes means to satisfie their thirst by a renewed Miracle v. 7 8. Such a Congruity there is betwixt that Miracle in the first year Exod. 17.1.6 and this in their 40th year that some have mistaken this for a Repetition only of that but Disparity may be observed as well as Congruity for 1. That at Rephidim which was their tenth Encamping place from Egypt this at Kadesh which was their Tenth Station of the 42. before they entred Canaan Numb 33. declares it c. 2. There Moses cryed to the Lord for the outrage of the People here Moses and Aaron both fall down before the Lord. 3. There the Lord stands before Moses on the Rock here his Glory appeareth unto Him and Aaron 4. There Moses was commanded to smite the Rock with his Rod here he is commanded only to speak to the Rock with his Rod in his hand 5. There it was for the Old Generation here for the New c. 6. There Moses is not branded with Incredulity as here he is which makes the fifth Remark The Lord is angry both with Moses and Aaron here for their unbelief ver 9.10 11 12. Moses's Sin seems to be manifold here as 1. His immoderate anger 2. His speaking to the People when he should have spoke to the Rock ver 8. 3. His smiting of it when he should only have spoken to it 4. His smiting it twice in a pang of Passion the doubling of his stroke shew'd the heat and fume of