Joseph whom they barter'd and bargain'd for as for some base abject or common Slave and the Sellers of him set no higher a price upon him though he became a Prince in Egypt Thus Christians are call'd Princes in all Lands Psal 45.16 the many Righteous in Mat. 13.17 is read many Kings Luk. 10.24 They are no less though obscure ones as was Melchisedek King of Salem They are great Heirs but now in their Non-age They are Kings for Christ hath made them no less Rev. 1.6 but they go Incognito as being in a strange Country Heb. 11.9 Their life is hid Col. 3.3 and their Glory is inward Psal 45.13 none of this the World knoweth but this may satisfie us that our Good God knows it and All that have a spiritual discerning know it 1 Cor. 2.14 yea and All our Under-valuers shall in time know it too 1 Joh. 4.1 2. as Joseph's Brethren did him in his Bravery to their unspeakable Horrour and Astonishment Gen. 45.3 for when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory v. 4. All Glorious then at the Resurrection of Names though for a time Denigrated with devilish Nick-Names as Joseph aspersed here for a Dreamer c. as well as of Bodies though then Rotten in the Grave Psal 37.6 God will then clear all wronged Innocency and then the right Value and estimation of all God's Jewels that have been so under-valued and under-rated by a wicked World as Joseph was here shall be made manifest to all men ☞ Suppose this Sale of the Jewel Joseph should be a little examin'd by the Standard and try'd by that received Rule There must be a due Proportion betwixt the Price and the Commodity propounded to be Sold in Buying and Selling As to Selling of Persons I refer to what is aforesaid upon Man-stealing and Man-selling which are both evil in their own Nature especially in Joseph's Circumstances but as to Things bought and sold where there is any odds either in the Excess or Defect betwixt the Price and the Purchase there is Injustice usually imputed There be Three sorts of Prices in contracting for Commodities First the kind Price which our English Phrase most fitly expresseth 'T is worth so much betwixt Brother and Brother Secondly The discreet Price is thus expressed So it is not dear but is no more than reasonable betwixt Man and Man But then there is Thirdly The rigid or rigorous Price which is the Price in the Extremity and at the utmost value and which is expressed also to be of no more worth to a Turk All these Three are the degrees among Casuists of a justifiable Price yea even the Third which is the worst may under some Circumstances consist within the due limits of Commutative Justice Suppose a Commodity to be Sold really worth Ten Pound according to the kind Price betwixt Brother and Brother worth Ten shillings more according to the discreet Price betwixt Man and Man and at the utmost not worth above Eleven Pound even to a Stranger or Turk Even this rigid Price may be just in case a considerable time is given wherein to pay the Price for then the Overplus of the Price is required only in consideration of apparent Damage in wanting so long both his Commodity and his Money provided what exceeds the kind Price doth but bear a due proportion to the undoubted Damage then there is therein no violation of Justice though there would he so and it were unjust in case of present Payment Again There is excess of Price in Extortion and Defect of it in Simplicity and sometimes in Necessity As the Extortioner asks too much which he imposeth upon the necessitous and over reacheth the Simple hence Callings are call'd Crafts and Mysteries I would they were not so in the worst sense even crafty Frauds and Mysteries of Iniquity So the Simple who want the Judgment of Discretion and cannot discern things that differ ask too little as the simple or silly Indians who part with their Pearls as if they were but Pebbles even for mere Toys and Trifles And the Fool according to Law who will change his right Guinea's for more glittering and broader Counters c. Now the Sellers of this Jewel Joseph were as those simple and silly Fools that certainly ask'd too little for him He was certainly of more worth than twenty shekels or Shillings Especially 1. 'twixt Brother and Brother for here were Brethren selling a Brother and their simplicity appear'd the more in this that they were so incens'd against Joseph barely for his Prophetick Dreams as if therein some Felicity had been presaged to a Stranger and not to their own Brother with whom as Josephus well observeth they could not but rationally expect to share when his Advancement dream'd of came to an Accomplishment in his prosperous Estate for as they were Allied to him in Consanguinity they must also be made Partakers with him as it is the common Custom of all persons highly prefer'd themselves to prefer their Kindred and Relations and as indeed he did them in his Prosperity 2. Joseph was certainly more worth than twenty shekels or shillings 'twixt Man and Man For 1. The Judicial Law of Moses put an higher Value and Estimation upon the loss of a good Name even of a Woman the weaker Sex and of less worth in the Law and therefore the Man that brought up an evil Report of a Virgin in Israel was both to be chastised that is to be beaten with forty stripes save one which was a Punishment next to Death and to be Amercied or Fined with the Mulct of an Hundred shekels of Silver Deut. 22.17 18 19. which was the Dowry of Virgins v. 29. with Exod. 22.17 further explained after 2. That Law likewise Fined the Man that forced a Woman in the Summ of fifty Shekels in case he would not make her Amends by Marrying her that thereby she might have a Dowry wherewith to Marry her to another Deut. 22.29 Or in case the Father refused to give his Daughter in Marriage unto him that had Humbled her the Offender must pay this Summ to her Father for wrong to Children redounds to Parents Exod. 22.17 where the Dowry of Virgins only named in the general is particularly express'd how much it is Deut. 22.29 3. The Law also prescrib'd a greater Mulct for the loss of a Slave or Servant which leaving Women is the lowest Rank of Men to wit Thirty shekels of Silver Exod. 21.32 'T is probable Judas in chaffering to sell Christ Matth. 26.15 proposed the lowest price of Man to wit that price of a Slave which was undoubtedly but the half-price of a Freeman yet though Christ was Free-born Matth. 17.26 27. He coming into the World in the form of a Servant Phil. 2.7 submits to be sold at this price but Joseph here was Free-born the Grandson of a Prince among the Hittites Gen. 23.6 yet purchas'd at a lower rate than any of those
Glory here in the Mount that they might the better stick to him in his Garden horror and hotter Services beside John was His Beloved Disciple and was charg'd with the Lord's Mother Iohn 19.26 27. After these three Antecedents follow the substantial part or relation of Christ's Transfiguration or Transformation as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictly signifies which was not done by any change of his natural form shape or stature of Body but by an alteration of the natural obscurity of his flesh that had comparatively no form nor comeliness c. Isa 52.14 53.2 into a most glorious glittering splendour and majesty flowing from the indwelling of the God-head in him Col. 2.9 This was no Metamorphosing his flesh into a Spirit or his Humane Nature into Divine for all the Lineaments and Proportion of his Body and the Figure of his Face so familiarly known to his Disciples still remained but this was an Adventitious Glory wherewith He cloathed himself as he Prayed laying aside for a while the Form of a Servant and putting on the Form of God Darting forth some Beams of his Deity far transcending That when He walk'd as lightly as if he had been but a Spirit upon the Waters Mat. 14.26 The Agility of his Body was shewn there which made his Disciples mistake Him for a Spirit and the lustre and clarity of it here 1. In his Countenance which shone as Moses's had done but far short of this when God gave to his Face something of his own Glory Exod. 34.19 as bright as the Sun in his Strength which is an higher splendour than that the Old Testament puts upon him Dan. 10.6 where his His Face was as the Appearance of Lightning and Hab. 3.4 His brightness was as the light c. And 2. In his Rayments which the splendour of the rest of his Body below his face did penetrate and gave to them this Glorious Tincture so that they became white as the Light or Snow glistering and sparkling as Stars and casting forth flashes of lightning infinitely beyond the Art of the most exquisite Fuller in the World Here Christ shews himself in such Glory and Majesty as He will Appear in at his Second coming to Judge the World and as the Glorified Saints are cloathed with when made like unto his Glorious Body here Phil. 3.21 Mat. 13.43 They shall shine as the Sun c. Their Garments shall be white and shining Rev. 19.8 like those Angels appear'd in Mâ—â— 28.3 Mark 16.5 Luke 24.4 John 20.12 Now this Beam of Deity put forth â—â—re did demonstrate to his Disciples that He could with all this Glory and Power easily have rescued himself out of his Crucifiers hands a tast whereof knock'd them down John 18.5 had he not Voluntarily given up himself an offering for Sin a Ransom for the World Having gloss'd upon the Substantial part of this History of Christ's Transfiguration after the first Circumstantial part to wit the Antecedents thereof I come now to the second Circumstance the Concomitants of it which are three in number 1. Christ's Companions in Glory 2. Peter's Extasie and Advice 3. The bright Cloud and the Divine Voice out of that Cloud First Of the first of these His Companions in Glory The 1st Remark whereon is Moses and the Messias meet together in the Mount as familiar Friends to demonstrate how the Accusers of Christ were notorious lyars in charging him with his breaking Moses's Law making him a frequent Transgressor of it therefore did Moses correspond with him to confute the Jews Blasphemies against Him The 2d Remark is Together with Moses appeareth Elias also who was most zealous likewise for the Law and the most eminent among the Prophets as Moses was the first Law-giver so Elias was a fervent Law-Restorer He came here into this Sacred Synod to testifie that Christ was neither against the Law nor against the Prophets as his Adversaries did Impeach him but came indeed for no other end but to fulfil them Mat. 5.17 c. The 3d Remark is Those two Candidates of Immortality as the Antients call them were the rather appointed for this witnessing work because the People had said of Christ that he was Moses or Elias they two appear here distinct from him to shew He was neither of them They but Servants He their Lord and Son of the living God as Peter had truly professed The 4th Remark is Moses the first Prophet of the Jews and Elias the first Prophet of the Gentiles Luke 4.26 must be the Celestial Witnesses of Christ's Glory as his Disciples were of the Terrestial Ministring here to their Master who now appeared glorious so must have some glorified companions both as best comporting with Christ's Grandeur being a Representation to the Life of his future Kingdom which should consist both of Jews and Gentiles Represented by these two Prophets of both and for a Testimony to the truth that the Apostles might not judge this a phantasm only The 5th Remark is These two Heavenly Witnesses appeared also in Glory having put on a Celestial splendour for Honouring their Lord's Person and Prefence the more even that Glory which they shall possess fully at the Resurrection of the Just which they had not yet attained unto Phil. 3.11 Heb. 11.35 39 40. but which was for Present lent them by a Divine Dispensation yet was this their Glory far lesser than Christs who now shone as the Sun among Stars 1 Cor. 15.41 The 6th Remark is The Discourse in this Sacred Synod was about Christ's Departure or Decease Luke 9.31 what He was to Suffer at Jerusalem and then enter into his endless Glory This Discourse may well be supposed to be long for this Transfiguration lasted all the night seeing it is said Luke 9.37 It came to pass the next Day when Christ and his Disciples were come down c. Those Consorts of Christ did discourse upon his Exodus Greek which we read Decease alluding to Israel's Exodus or Departure out of Egypt which was the beginning of their Liberty So Death call'd a Departure is a passage to Glory and seeing Christ's Resurrection and Ascension were his Exodus too this might lengthen the discourse as well as shewing His Sufferings were prefigured in the rites of the Law and predicted in the Oracles of the Prophets Christ being the Accomplishment of both The 7th Remark is Those two Consorts of Christ did appear here in this Colloquy in their Real Bodies and no Phantasm or Extatical fiction or a Vision of two Angels personating those two Prophets Because 1. 'T is not God's Method to confirm the truth with lying Fictions 2. These two Prophets came to confirm the Doctrine of the Resurrection both Christ's and Ours which they could not properly have done but with their own true Bodies brought with them And 3. Both their Bodies seem to be preserved by God himself from Putrefaction for this very Personal Apparition for Eliaâ—'s Body was rap'd up into
upon the death of the other should become James the great and be brought into the same Rank Office and Imployment to which may be added how Antiquity did honour him with the Title of James the just who was among Believers espetially among those in Judaea of great Reputation and Authority The Tenth Appearance of Christ the last of all was That upon Mount Oliver St. Luke saith He lest them forâ—h as far as Bethany Luke 24.50 Bethany was near Jerusalem and bordering upon the Mount of Oliver Mark 11.1 and Act 's 1. 〈◊〉 At this Bethany his three dear Friends dwelt Laâ—drâ—s Mary and Martha From hence he went to his Cross and from hence also he would go to his Crown for from this place he ascended up to Heaven This last we may well suppose was the great grand and most general Appearance whereunto more than 500 were Assembled that Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 15.6 to take their fast farewel of their Ascending Saviour All his numerous Disciples but of Galilee as well as those fewer out of Judaea for the Disciples that met in Jerusalem were reckoned no more than one hundred and twenty Acts 1.15 however numerous that on Mount Tabor's meeting in Galilee was yet now when he remanded his Disciples back from Galilee to Jerusalem and there comes again to them leading them out thence to the Mount of Olives for more secresie from fresh uproars and became no wicked ones must be witnesses of his Ascension Acts 10.47 This last Manifestation upon Earth must be to a more numerous meeting This Opinion saith Peter Martyr on 1 Cor. 15.6 is backed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above which respects place as well as number implying saith Grotius with Peter Martyr that Christ shewed himself on high as standing up upon some Rising ground or lifting up himself into the Air to be plainly viewed by this great Company so they all conspicuously beheld him in his own former figure and lineaments nor yet in the Majesty of his glorified Body lest they should mistake him for some glorious Angel and not as one who was Crucified dead and buried Note Therefore did he hide his Glory during the forty days rather for their sakes than for any want of it in himself for it was necessary for the Disciples that they see him so as to know him that they might the better Preach the great Truth of the Resurrection Pareus saith likewise with others that this last was the solemnest meeting it being Christ's Valedictory Appearance to above five hundred persons at once this must needs be a General Assembly for settling the great Fundamental Truths of the Christian Religion to be known believed and observed in the Gospel-Churches to the end of the World Note At this last meeting which Paul also mentions 1 Cor. 15.6 with five hundred Brethren Christ's last work was to settle a Gospel-Ministry then Baptism c. as is principally and largely described by Matthew and Mark and more briefly by Luke and John By all those Testimonies it is manifest that this numerous meeting was when all the Disciples were returned from Galilee to Jerusalem at which the Lord gave out his commissions to the Apostles and first Indued them with a full power of Preaching the Gospel to all the World and of Baptizing all Nations for remitting of sins also he gave them Ministerial Authority he likewise set them to the Rights about their Doting expectations of a Temporal Kingdom which they more especially looked for now that their Lord was Risen from the dead a work far above all his former Miracles while he was living and had now brought them to Jerusalem again with such a confluence of followers and where he taught them things pertaining to the Kingdom of God c. Acts 1.3 4 5 6 7 then gave he them commandment to tarry at Jerusalem till the Holy Spirit was sent them at length he led them forth as far as Bethany and they all looking on he Ascended into Heaven verse 9 c. The Grand Remarks that concern this last and most solemn meeting must be collected by piece-meal out of the four Evangelists The first out of Matthew chap. 28. verse 18 c. Jesus came near and spake to them c. This he did saith Grotius in his last Appearance as appeareth by comparing this place with John 21.15 c For Matthew makes a Compendium here of all the principal heads of Christ's Sermons that he Preached to his Apostles not only in that Mount but at Jerusalem both before and after when being at Bethany he was about to Ascend c. Then Christ came nearer and in a more familiar manner to do away at once all their doubts fully as he still draws nearer to all his weak doubting Disciples and communicates himself more familiarly to them plainly saying All power in Heaven is given to me He had it from Eternity as God Phil. 2.7 now 't is given him as Man for Redeeming Mankind at his Resurrection ver 8. Here Christ praemiseth his power yea and promiseth his presence Mat. 28.20 the better to perswade the Apostles to undertake this Work his great Work of subduing the World to the Obedience of Faith To incourage them therefore therein he faith I have all power in Heaven that is to send the Holy Spirit thence to you Asts 2.33 and to take you into Heaven when your Work is done Mat. 25.34 and on Earth too that is a power to gather my Church out of all Nations Ps 2.8 Mark 16.15 16. and to Rule as Lord over all Acts 10.36 43 Eph. 1.20 21 22. Rev. 17. ver 14 Dan. 7.14 go ye therefore forth in this my strength as Gideon did Jud. 6.14 execute your Office and Fear not the Face of Man doubt not of sucess for though ye be but Barley Cakes Course and Contemptible yet in my Name ye shall overthrow the Weak Tents of a Wicked World and the strong holds of the Subtle Serpent Jud. 7.13 Your despised Lamps and Pitchers shall Atchieve great matters ye shall Disciple all Nations deliver to them my Doctrine and Sacraments and reduce them from their Extravagances into an Universal Obedience the whole Man unto my whole Law and though your Work be hard and above any humane hand yet shall ye and your Succesors have my Divine presence to preserve you from your Enemies to prosper you in your Enterprizes and to perform for you whatever heart can wish or need require ver 19.20 This precious promise I will be with you includes to protect to direct to comfort us to carry on our Grace and to Crown us with Glory The 2d Remark is From the Evangelist Mark Chap. 16.14 c. Who Sums up all Christ's Appearances in one so useth his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Postremo or lastly Comprizing this last Appearance as well as those that went before his last charge to the Apostles go Preach the Gospel to every Creature ver 15. not in Judea
the Body of Man before the Fall should have so much Beauty Lustre Splendour and Glory put upon it no doubt but when it came first out of Gods Mint it was a most curious silver piece and shone most gloriously hence Christ compares faln Man to the lost groat Luk. 15.8 9. As no Metal is better than Silver but Gold so no Creature was better than Man but Angels Man was made but a little lower than Angels Psal 8.5 before he became to be besmeared with sin his Body did even while naked undoubtedly glitter with a Divine glory being cloathed with a Royal Robe of Majesty and having upon him the Imperial Crown this gave Man Dominion over all Creatures Gen. 1.26 28. The Image and Superscription of God upon this Silver-piece did shine forth so splendidly that it put an awful reverence upon all Creatures towards Man who then had a most Beautiful Body every way suitable to his Divine Soul Hence the Fathers call'd Man in the state of Innocency The Cedar of Paradise the Picture of Heaven the glory of the Earth the Ruler of the World and Gods own delight The Glory and Beauty of Mans Body which was made by a Counsel called even the Master-piece of the works of Gods Head and Hands was no doubt say Divines like the Body of the Sun in the firmament Judg. 5 31. and like the Body of Christ in his Transfiguration when his Face shone as the Sun Matth. 17.2 and well might it do so for he is the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 And that Derivative Glimpse of Divine Glory put upon Moses in the Mount which caused his face to shine so as affrighted the people from beholding it Exod. 34.29 30. may well mind us what a Primitive Beam of Beauty the Body of Man had before the Fall God did not make Man in the likeness of the Goodliest Creatures but in the similitude of God himself and therefore he could not be without some Reflexive Rays of Royalty and Majesty even from top to toe when all his Members were Weapons of Righteousness unto God Rom. 6.13 Such a dazling Angelical glory had the Proto-Martyr Stephen put upon him as the Mediator Moses had before him so that his Face was as it had been the face of an Angel Act. 6.15 As there was a Visible glory in the Body of the second Adam Job 1.14 They saw his glory exceeding all the glories of the Sons of Men and becoming him who was the Son of God so without all peradventure there was a visible glory in the Body of the first Adam though inferiour to that of the second because of his Hypostatical union Col. 2.9 seeing he is call'd also the Son of God Luk. 3.38 Having no Father as Christ had none but God himself The Image of God was fixed upon Adams Body as well as upon his Soul whereby all the Beasts of the Field all the Fowls of the Air and all the Fishes in the Sea became subject to him and to that glory he was invested with Psal 8.5 6 7 8. and therefore as a sign of his Soveraignty and of their subjection they are all brought to him to receive their Names according to their Natures from him as from their Lord and Master Gen. 2.19 6ly That the Body of Man should be made in some sense Immortal The state of Innocency had this kind of Immortality It was not impossible for Adam to dye and it was possible for him not to dye A thing is said to be Immortal in four senses 1. Essentially Thus God is onely Immortal 2. Ex dono Creationis by the power of the Creation as the Angels and the Souls of Men. 3. Ex Hypothesi upon condition onely as Adams Body had been Immortal if he had stood in his Innocency This Innocency would have embalm'd his living Body better than all the Spices of Egypt could embalm a dead one Manna that was of it self Corruptible Exod. 16.20 21. lasted long and kept sweet many hundred years when laid up according to Gods Command in the golden pot v. 33. Hebr. 9.4 Obedience to God did not onely save it sweet on the Sabbath day but for some Centuries after as their garments lasted forty years Deut. 29.5 so mans Body might have lasted a thousand years in the way of Obedience yea and have never dyed Some say that the Tree of life was to be his constant food which should not onely be a Symbol of life but also a Supporter of it in an Immortal so far as innocent state that Tree would have so preserv'd his Radical Moisture and Natural Heat in an equal temper as well as in a lasting supply that Adams Body should never have had either wrinkle or Hoary Hairs but he should have lived in youthful vigour and in a happy vivacity for a thousand years upon earth and then without either anguish or sickness or pains of Death have been translated from Earth to Heaven the Reliques of this Natural Immortality made Adam live 930 years and Methusalem 960. However this is certain that the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 The body of Man without sin could not have turned into Corruption Death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 before he had sinned there was Temperamentum ad pondus such an equal Temperature of Qualities and the humours in him had such an happy harmony that they could neither breed Distempers nor bring Death but as soon as he had eaten forbidden fruit he came down to a condition of Mortality Gen. 2.17 Adam dyed not that day but lived 930 years after yet then and thereby was his Body made liable to such Diseases and dangers as might deliver him up to Death 4. Something is said to be Immortal Ex dono novae Creationis by the power of the Resurrection So the Bodies of the Saints raised up by the power of God are thereby preserved in mansions of glory for evermore The Body which is at Death sown in Corruption shall be raised in Incorruption 1 Corinth 15.42 it is sown in Dishonour it shall be raised in Glory v. 43. having the glory of the Soul transparent in it as we see the colour of the wine in the glass so the glory of the Soul shall be seen in the Body and this glory shall be a Corporeal glory according to the Maxim Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis non recepti Every thing received is in the thing receiving or receiver according to the nature of the thing receiving and not of the thing received Thus the body being a Corporeal thing receiveth glory from the Soul after a Corporeal manner yea the body it self shall be made a glorified body it shall be conform'd to the glorifyed body of Christ as to the standard Phil. 3.21 the Terrestrial body shall at the Resurrection be made a Celestial 1 Cor. 15.40 or a Spiritual body v. 44. it shall be more like a Spirit than a Body So Diaphanous and transparent saith
many Vndertook to write it Luke 1.1 yet was it fit work for none but for the Four Evangelists who were all extraordinarily qualified by Divine Inspiration for that High Enterprize and were Eye-witnesses of those great Truths which They do distinctly yet coherently Record concerning Christ Hereupon though others Attempted yet none Effected it save these Four who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Took it in hand Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ Mark Ten Luke Fifteen and John forty two According to the common opinion from the most Antient Copies Whoever writes the Life of our Lord Jesus must light their Lamp at this Golden Candlestick having these four flaming Candles all lighted by Fire from Heaven To fetch any feigned Stories of Christ not founded upon Gospel-Evidence from other fabulous Authors is but a speaking wickedly for God and talking deceitfully for Him Job 13.7 As my Design is to Avoid this latter so my Desire is to Observe the former In this Essay I shall shift off and shun the cunningly Devised Fables Artificially compiled and composed not without some shew of Wisdom and Truth such as the Romanists lying Legends abound withal It being but a laborious loss of Time to search into such Things whereof we can have neither Proof nor Profit the Gains will not pay for the Pains And the Task about Toys can never be worthy the Toil 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.4 Tit. 1.14 and 2 Pet. 1.16 I shall therefore keep close to the more sure word ver 19. Scripture Authority N. B. The Life of the Lord Jesus hath a manifold preheminency Col. 1.18 above the best Lives of the choicest and chiefest of all mortal men in many respects As First The Life which Christ lived upon Earth was not only a Godly Life but it was a Life without the least praevarication from the Rule This Immaculate Lamb did lead such an Immaculate Life that he challeng'd his most Critical Adversaries to convince him of any one sin John 8.46 c. Secondly The Life of Christ was not only a Godly Life in compleat Universal Obedience to the Commands of God but it was the very Life of God 'T is said of some men that they are Alienated from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 that is They cannot live a Godly Life because they do not partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 not having the Image of God Imprinted on them nor the Life of God Imparted to them But 't is said expresly that Christ's Life was God manifested in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 and that Christ is the express Image of God's Person and the Brightness of His Glory Heb. 1.3 The Father and the Son are called Equals in the Greek Plural Phil. 2.6 that is every way Equal in Being Life and Operation Christ is Alius from the Father not aliud yet Co-essential and Co-equal not a secondary Inferior God as Arrius saith Thirdly That Christ led not only the Godly Life of a mere Man but also the Godly Life of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man So he had a Duplication of a Godly-Life both that of an Holy God and that also of an Holy Man and both in purity and perfection Fourthly Christ lived in his Humane Nature not only a single Temporal Godly Life upon Earth like that of a Godly Man to wit from his Birth to his Burial but even a Double one also to wit from his Resurrection to his Ascension beside that of Eternal Life in the same Nature in Heaven Fifthly Over and Above all These may be added That the Godly Life which Christ led upon Earth as the Son of Man was the light of Men John 1.4 His Life was a Lovely and Lively Looking Glass for all men to Dress themselves by in their Generation-Work both of Doing God's Work and of suffering God's Will The Life of Christ is the most perfect pattern of all True Piety for our Practice and Imitation We must all learn of him Mat. 11.29 and we should walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 From hence naturally ariseth this great Fundamental and most Evangelical Divine Truth That The most Sanctimonious Life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the light the Lanthorn and Law whereby all Men Women and Children ought to be Directed in all parts both of Active and Passive obedience while they live in this lower World They must all live as their Lord lived For the further and fuller Illustration of the light Hereof let me call in besides those two Texts aforementioned to wit Mat. 11.29 and 1 John 2.6 Hereafter Amplified other corroborating Scriptures As First It is expresly asserted by the Apostle Peter that the life of Christ was the leaving us an Example 1 Pet. 2.21 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Copy to write after A Samplar to work by and the most perfect pattern to Regulate our steps in walking the good ways of God Secondly The Apostle Paul affirmeth that whom God doth foreknow them he doth Praedestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son c. Rom. 8.29 Now this Conformity to Christ is extensive 1. To his Holiness and Diligence in Doing his Father's work He must be about it Luke 2.49 and it was Meat and Drink to Him to be so employed John 4.34 2. To his Humility and Patience in suffering his Father's Will Mat. 26.39 and thus the same Apostle was Ambitious to become conformable to Christ's Death as well as to his Life Phil. 3.10 And 3. To his Happiness and Glory in Heaven as the Wages of that Double work on Earth which also was the Top-branch of the same Apostle's Ambition That His Body might be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ which is the principal Standard of Glory Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.20 49 c. Thirdly Our Lord Jesus himself saith That He hath given us an Example for doing as he hath done c. John 13.15 The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a pointing out our way to us and therefore are we so oft bid to Follow Him and if we be Right Followers of Christ we must Tread in the same Foot-steps of Christ In so Doing we shall find that his footsteps drop fatness for us to gather up for the fatning of our Souls Psal 65.11 And if we be Disciples of Christ we must learn of Him to be lowly and Meek c. Mat. 11.29 we must learn to be Holy as He was 1 Pet. 1.15 and pâ—re as He 1 John 3.3 and the same mind must be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 act as a Picture resembles a Man in outward Lineaments only but as a Child his Father in Inward Dispositions also for Christ is our Father Isa 9.6 And thus are we bid to Preach forth the Praises Vertues and Graces of Christ as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 2.9 Our Lives should be as so many Sermons upon Christ's Life while we strive to express Him to the World
his Benevolence and Beneficence to poor Saints 2 Cor. 8.9 And in His love to Brethren and forgiveness to others Eph. 5.2 This is Conformity in the practice of Outward and Moral Duties The Blind Papists do Blasphemously in making a Play upon Their Good-Friday wherein They Act over an Apish Imitation of all the personal parts of Christ's Redeeming the World And They do as Ridiculously in Imitating Christ's Real and Supernatural Miracles by shewing their false and pretended ones To pretend an Imitation of Christ in his Works of Redemption is Black Blasphemy And in his Work of Miracles is a plain Impossibility but to follow him in his Works of Holiness is both True Piety and a Manifest Duty We may imitate Him in his Morals not in his Miracles Austin saith well Christ no where bids us learn of Him How to crease a World or how to Raise the Dead c. But how to be Meek and Lowly and how to Love one another c. we must follow him in his Well Doings and in his Patient Suffering for Righteousness-sake The Thief on the Cross saith Austin was similis in Poenâ but dissimilis in Causâ He suffered the same Death with Christ but not for the same Cause N. B. This Example of Christ hath more in it than a bare Pattern or any other Example for it doth not only shew us what we ought to do but 't is also both a Remedy against many foul Vices and a Motive to â—â—â—y good Duties As 1. A serious Consideration of Christ's suffering the first and second Death for my Sin this must make me hate my Sin and my self for Sin that cost Christ so dear I am to be blamed as well as Judas the Jews Pilate c. Zech. 12.10 2. This Meditation is a means to breed Reformation and a Resolation to Sin no more and not to crucifie him afresh c. 3. This also must make me think that all my Sorrows and Sufferings are not comparable to Christ's Agony Bloody Sweat c. The Third Considerable is the Comfort from hence which is twofold 1. In our Conformity to Him here And 2. In that hereafter In the first Christ hath given us such a perfect Pattern of Holiness as the least Imperfection cannot be found in it 'T is comfort to a Learner to have a compleat Copy before him to write after that in minding it duely he may be mending his Letters daily So may we be mending our Lives of their crookedness much more if we were more in minding our straight Copy that Christ hath given us for our Example It is said of Hierom that having read the Godly Life and Christian Death of Holy Hilarion he folded up the Book and said well this Holy man Hilarion shall be the Champion whom I will follow Should we not much more say so of this Holy Child Jesus There is the Regula Regulans and the Regula Regulata The Example of Saints is but the Rule Ruled for the Example of our Saviour is the Rule Ruling The Saints are call'd a Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 12.1 That Cloud in the Wilderness had a directive Vertue in it yet had it a Black-side as well as a Bright So the best Saints had some soilings of Darkness some Naevos Patrum and Imperfections their Frailties recorded in Scripture are Exemple Cavendi non Cadendi their Sins are set down as Rocks in Maps that Sailers may shun them and not run upon those Rocks to suffer Shipwrack to their Ruine such as follow the Dark-side of this Cloud of Witnesses are Egyptians and are drowned in the bottomless Pit But such as follow the Light side thereof are Israelites and pass over to the Heavenly Canaan The Apostle Paul proposes Himself a Pattern 1 Thess 1.6 1 Cor. 10.33 yet with this Restriction that we should follow him no farther than he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 not one Inch farther than Christ's perfect Pattern In thus Conforming to Christ here this brings us to our being conformed to Christ hereafter which is the second Branch of Comfort If like him in this Life we shall be like him in that to come Our Bodies shall be made like unto his Glorious Body which is the Standard Phil. 3.21 more glorious than was the Body of Adam in Innocency the Glory of that second Temple shall exceed the Glory of the first So there shall be no need of Adam's Mourning as the Jews did Ezra 3.12 then shall we live and reign with Christ But it shall not be so by a conforming to the World which is the second Branch to wit Nonconformity to the World For we are bid be transformed from that into Christ's Image be Holy with him here and then Happy with him hereafter CHAP. II. HAving dispatched the General Account of Christ's Life as it was the Light of Men shewing how we should be conformed to his Image John 1.4 and Rom. 8.20 Now I come to give a particular Account of his Life shewing how Christ was conformed to Man's Image even from his Conception to his Ascension All the steps that he took in this lower World as He was the Son of Man The first step Christ took upon Earth was His Conception in the Womb of the Virgin which the Apostle affirmeth Without Controversie a mighty Mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 Though the Morals concerning Chris's Meekness Humility Holiness c. be plain and obvious to the mind of Man as are all the Moral Duties contained in the two Tables of the Law of Moses Yet the Intellectuals concerning Christ's Conceptions are truly call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard to be understood which some wrest to their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 by thrusting their dead and putrified Fancies into the bosom of the Scripture as of a Mother thereof like the Harlot 1 Kings 3.19 20. N. B. Oh would to God there were no Strife no Contention in the Church but about this grand Point which of us can be most conformable to Christ's Image in ways of Holiness and who can come up highest and nighest to him in Imitation of his Morals and which of us can be the best Writer after that perfect Pattern in pious Practices We may justly judge it the shame of Mankind that so many can imitate the Voices of Birds c. Yet so few do imitate the Vertues of Christ But as to those profound Points call'd profundum sine Fundo a depth without a Bottom Rom. 11.33 and unsearchable Counsels about Christ's Conception c. We can better Admire than Determine Pruritus disputandi destruit ecclesiam An Itch in searching unsearchable Mysteries brings both the Scratch and the Smart into the Church saith the Antient Father N.B. 'T is said The Spirit of God moved upon the Waters Gen. 1.2 but sure I am it is no other than the Spirit of the Devil that moves so much upon the Waters of Strife where Men dare be but Circumstantial in Substantials yet seem so Substantial in Circumstantiali which concern not the
Heaven in his Translation and there was kept alive so might come alive to attend upon the Lord of Life here nor need we doubt it concerning Moses though there be more difficulty herein than if Enoch had been the Associate in his stead for though Moses was not Translated as they were yet God himself became the Sexton to Bury Moses Body Deut. 34.5 6. and as God could embalm it as well as Bury it beyond all the art of the Egyptians to secure it from putrefaction so could he raise it up and restore it to his Soul both Lively and Glorious that He might serve Christ's Glory here This is rendred the more probable from the Devils contending to catch Moses's Body out of Michael's hands Jude v. 9. and Josephus says He was translated as Enoch and Elias were The Second Concomitant Circumstance is Peter's Extasie and Advice which hath its Remarks also The 1st Remark is The Occasion hereof which Luke relateth thus while Christ was Praying Peter James and John became heavy with sleep but being awakened undoubtedly by the Voices of them that carried on the Conference in this sacred Synod as above they all Beheld the Majesty and Glory of Christ they were all affrighted Mark 9.6 Mat. 17.6 no doubt but such an unexpected and unwonted Apparition of their Lord 's wonderful splendour while in the form of a Servant must needs astonish them for though they were Refresh'd and Ravish'd with this Glorious Vision they were not Transformed with their Master as being but mere Mortal Men so incapable of such Glory and they must know the Glory of Christ and Preach it to others before they may experience it in and upon themselves N. B. Note well Beside this shews that only those Souls which are awakened out of the sleep of Sin can behold Christ's Glory as the Disciples here The 2d Remark is The sight of Christ's Glory and that of Moses and Elias was such a blissful sight that it drives Peter into a plain Rapture or Extasie Abaz was bid to ask a sign either in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath Isa 7.10 11. God gives the Disciples such a sign unasked in bringing Elias from Heaven above and Moses from the Earth beneath though the Scribes c. asking a Sign had none granted them this Amuzed and Amazed them insomuch that Peter was so intoxicated with these few drops of Coelestial Glory that he neither wist what to say Mark 9.6 nor what he said Luke 9.33 The like effect had Paul's Rapture upon him saying Whether in the Body or out of the Body He cannot tell God knoweth and again He cannot tell 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Hence note Coelestial Glories are incomprehensible c. The 3d Remark is So refreshing and ravishing was this glorious Vision to the Hearts of those Disciples that they could have been content with the continuance of this present Joy upon condition they never went lower down upon the Earth nor higher up to Heaven to enjoy there their Lords Joy 'T is good being here saith Peter for them all And if it be so good to have the lower Ravishments and Transfigurations N.B. Note well How much better will it be to inherit Eternal Glory where not only Moses and Elias shall appear in Glory but all the glorified Saints and glorious Angels shining forth with the Glory of the Holy Trinity above all oh how good will this be where all good will be found and no evil Peter was quite dazzl'd with the foretast of Heaven and so transported that while he talks of one Tabernacle for his Master one for Moses and one for Elias yet never thought of one for himself no He can be so content with this as to lye out of Doors himself waiting as a Servant upon his Master without doors in the Streets nay I had like have said as a Drunken-man heeds not to lose his Garment or to lye out of doors during his Inebriation the least degrees of Glory is satisfactory The 4th Remark is Though this Advice of Peter had a good Affection and Intention in it yet was it at the best but unadvised advice from an honest meaning man we may say of it as Hushai said of the good Counsel of Achitophel His Counsel was not good at this time 2 Sam. 17.6 7. for had Christ taken Peter's Counsel then had he not gone to Jerusalem so should have declined Death whereby Life and Immortality was brought to light unto the Saints 2 Tim. 1.10 Thus had Peter made but had provision both for himself and us nor had it been good for Moses and Elias to have been detained from Mansions of Glory for a poor Tent or Cottage of Peter's contriving Nor had it been good for the other Disciples left below had Christ and they staid in Tabernacles above 'T is too narrow a Nature in Peter or any other when he thought it was now well with him not to take care of but to neglect the weal of others to say nothing of Peter's providing no better for his Lord than for Moses and Elias his Servants whom he had heard confirming Christ against his Passion 'T was but six days before this when Peter was call'd Satan by Christ for such Carnal Counsel as this The 5th Remark is That in Coelestial bliss the glorified Saints shall know one another It may justly be wondred at how Peter c. came to know Moses and Elias whom they had never seen before Some say They knew them by their Pictures delivered by Tradition from Age to Age Theophylact rejects this conjecture saying to draw Pictures of Men was then held Unlawful More probably do they say that think they were known by their conference with Christ who might call them by their proper Names c. but that which is more likely is this was done by Divine Revelation through the Glory that was upon them which did thus far Illuminate the Disciples Eyes and Vnderstandings as to know them whence Ambrose concludes We shall know one another in Glory The 6th Remark is Eveâ— a good man may fall under mistakes and not know what he says as Peter in his saying Master it is good being here c. His words had love Amazement and Fear in them 1. His love to his Lord when he heard in the conference how Christ must go to Jerusalem and suffer death there though he durst not Rebuke his Master c. as Matth. 16.22 but comes smoother off here saying Lord if thou wilt Mat. 17.4 c. referring the matter to his Masters mind Yet was this but blind love of the same alloy with the former opposing God's Decree and the Worlds Redemption 2. His Amazement stupify'd him And 3. His Fear made him say oh Master this Mount is an high secret secure and a pleasant place here we have two Mighty Men with us Elias that commanded fire out of Heaven c. and Moses who entred into the Cloud in Mount Sinai c. as if he had
Pleasures He was but once at a Marriage-feast he is now Risen and Ascended above them sometimes we read our Lord wept but we never read that he did so much as once laugh 3. Nor in dead Treasures He sat but once over against the Treasury he is now Risen c. 4. Nor in Ease and Idleness He once slept upon a Pillow in the Ship he is now Risen c. The Spouse could not find him by night on her Bed nor in the broad ways of the World Cant. 3.1 2. 5. No nor in the perfection of Humane Mortality for he is Risen and Ascended c. 3dly That we Rise up and Ascend with Christ to Newness of Life Rom. 6.4 from Prophaneness to Piety this is to have part in the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 awakening out of sin and living unto God 4thly That we labour after an Experimental Knowledge of the power of Christ's Resurrection Phil. 3.10 and of his Ascension also this we do if we cannot be content to be colâ—â—â—â—d careless in our Devotion without finding our hearts burning within us while he talks with us in the way of our Duty Luke 24.32 beyond the reach of formality we may live by a form but we cannot die by a form we must feel the exceeding greatness of his power which worketh mightily in his Redeemed Eph. 1.19 making all his Saints heavenly-minded ascending up to him who is Ascended like Pillars of Smoke Cant. 3.6 and drawn up after him John 12.32 Cant. 1.3 and Col. 3.1 as not being wedded to worldly things 5ly That we purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 to be prepared for our own Resurrection and Ascension which we hope for by vertue of our Redeemer's The fourth is a word of Comfort 1. Our Hope may hang the faster and firmer for obtaining a better Resurrection and an happy Ascension because of the two grand Pawns and Pledges we have to assure us of both As he our Head is not only Risen which cannot but Raise the Body also for Christ accounts not himself compleat without his Church which he calls his fulness c. Eph. 1.21 22. but he is also ascended so must draw up John 12.32 his whole Body even the little Toes or least Members thereof that they may be with him to behold his Glory c. John 17.24 but likewise he hath taken our Nature with him into Heaven and hath sent his Spirit down to us upon Earth Our Flesh is above and his Spirit is below this is a double Earnest 2ly May we but be able to say in the Witnessings of the Holy Ghost that the Lord Christ hath raised our Souls up to the life of Grace we then need not doubt but he will also raise up our Bodies to a life of Glory and not only our Souls shall ascend to him at our death but they shall be â—nited again to our Bodies at the last day and shall both together be with him in Glory for ever If we have experience of a Spiritual Resurrection and Ascension in our Souls This doth strongly confirm our Faith that it shall be corporal also Eph. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.32 34. Ro. 6.4 11. Phil. 4.20 1. Th. 4.14 Col. 3.4 3dly The Soul cannot but be without comfort till Christ the Comforter come and appear to us as to Peter Luke 24.34 who had wept bitterly Luke 22.63 Now where-ever Christ is he will appear sooner or later he cannot be hid Mark 7.24 He appeared personally to the Patriarchs as he did to his Disciples but now to us spiritually Matth. 28.20 whereof we should make good proof and then may we hope he will appear to us gloriously at the last our Faith is supported both by Evidence and by Influence from these things All fruits were unholy till the first fruits were heaved Levit. 23.11 Rom. 11.16 All his Redeemed have a Quietus est or Acquittance virtually by Christ Risen and Ascended Rom. 5.18 and 4 25. but it passeth actually upon us when Christ appeareth savingly to and in us c. 4thly If Christ have led us forth as far out of the World and Sin as Bethany he will assuredly bless us as he did his Disciples Luke 24.50 51. at his last farewel Thus Isaac blessed Jacob but he first felt him Gen. 27.12 21. and if he hath blessed us we shall be blessed as Jacob was but take heed we go not about to cheat him for so shall we bring a curse and not a blessing We may know we are right Adopted Children if we have clean hands a pure heart and an holy life then have we the Lord's blessing Psal 24.3 4. and this is the Sugar which will sweeten the bitter Cup of our Crosses and Curses from an evil World the comfort of Christ's Spirit the feeling of his favour and the pardon of our sins c. 5thly 'T is our great comfort to consider Christ ascended as our common Representative with all our Names writ upon his Breastplate Exod. 28.29 Others indeed ascended as Enoch in the time of Nature and Elias in the time of the Law as well as Christ in the time of the Gospel but none ascended as our Lord did Note For 1. They ascended before Death seized upon them so did not Christ 2. They ascended by the power of another as Elias by a fiery Chariot c. but Christ by his own power 3. They made no way into Heaven for any body else but Christ did for all his c. Heb. 10.20 Note He did not shut the door as Lot did when he had taken in the Angel Gen. 19.10 but left a broad door open for all his Members 4. They could not work Miracles in Heaven as they had done on Earth but Christ could send his Spirit down to his Disciples c. 5. They went up suddenly but Christ leisurely that his Disciples might the better behold and believe it and that we may not expect to go up to Heaven in a Whirl-wind but gradually as Israel did to Canaan by 42 Removes The Righteous are scarcely saved 1. Pet. 4.18 Hard travel must help to Heaven 6thly 'T is no less our comfort to have Christ's Spirit Rom. 8.9 11. and witnessing with our spirits verse 15. that the Lord is risen indeed in us and hath appeared to us Luke 24.34 'T is an infallible sign that we are Simons Saints true believers for we find not that Christ after his Resurrection appeared once to any one under the real Denomination of an Unbeliever Thomas tho' Unbelieving yet was no Unbeliever not to any of the Chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees not to Pontius Pilate nor to King Herod c. For these reasons 1. To teach us that his Kingdom was not of this World John 18.36 2. That his Kingdom did not depend on or stood need of humane Patronage 3. Nor was it to come with Worldly Pomp or outward Observation Luke 17.19 20 21. John 20.29 4. That those Kill-Christs and Contemners of Grace and Mercy might begin to taste of the
even a Dog in a string leading forward a blind Man What Paul said afterwards from David's Pen Ephes 4.8 Psal 68.18 He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men even to the Rebellious This same Saul himself found by experience He that thought to have taken Christians captive is himself taken captive by Christ himself and he that would have brought the Saints bound from Damascus to Jerusalem is himself led blind far off from Jerusalem to Damascus Nor had he only a Man-Dog or a Devil's Ban-Dog now tamed to lead him but undoubtedly Christ himself took this Vessel of Wrath whom he had now made a Vessel of Mercy by the hand and led him all along to compleat his Conversion in the City O happy Israill whom Christ led through the Red Sea as an Horse through the Wilderness in the hand of his Leader that they might not stumble Isa 63.13 And oh happy Saul and oh happy Soul that have this sweet Saviour for a Leader though rebellious formerly such cannot miscarry c. 4. The continuance of his Blindness 'T is expresly said it continued for three days Acts 9.9 His present blindness he confessed afterward was caused by the transcendent splendour and glory that over-powered his natural Eye-sight saying I could not see for the glory of that Light Acts 22.11 Here is matter of great Admiration that the Proto-Martyr Stephen had such a mighty work of God upon him as inabled him to behold Christ in his great Glory Acts 7.55 which glorious sight did so dazle this silly Soul Saul here Oh then what a wonderful work of God will it be at the great Resurrection that shall inable such silly Souls as we are to look upon Christ in his greatest Glory Then shall we see him as he is 1 John 3.2 not as in a Glass obscurely like old men through Spectacles or as a weak Eye looks upon the Sun by some Medium as in clear Water so we behold him now while we are on Earth But the Beatifical Vision in Heaven shall be to see him as he is so far as the limited Nature of a created Being is capable of Then shall we see the King of Saints in his beauty Isa 33.17 As he sits at the Right hand of God infinitely out-shineth the brightest Cherub in Heaven Even a glimpse of this Glory struck this Saul with such a blindness as lasted three days This was a long Night to him who persecuted the Children of the Day 'T was a long time for him to be in Darkness for his so implacably attempting to blow out the Light of the Gospel N.B. Saul's time of Darkness carries a proportion with that dreadful Plague upon Egypt even that Plague of Darkness wherein the Egyptians saw not one another for three days Exod. 10.23 That they might know the worth of Light by the want of it and though they could not stir out of their places nor see one another yet as the Psalmist describes this Plague they could see horrible Spectrums and frightful Apparitions of Devils Psal 78.49 In which Three day's Darkness were the Israelites circumcised in Egypt which is supposed to be hinted at in Psal 105.28 whereby the Egyptians were restrained from Rebelling against God's Word in commanding Israel's Circumcision We may well suppose that Saul had no such frightful Visions for he was now no more an Egyptian but coming to be an Israelite indeed and whose heart Christ was circumcising during these three days Darkness No less time would humble him and teach him he had been spiritually blind in his self-conceit of Pharisaical Religion which was his Raging against Christ N.B. Some think that in those three days of his Blindness he had that Rapture into the Third Heaven which he mentions 2 Cor 12.2 However in this time Christ filled his mind now sequestred from all secular affairs with Divine Contemplations wherein he saw nothing but Heaven and wherein he learnt that Gospel from God which he presently began to Preach Act 9.20 and what was taught him in three days he did teach others till his death 5thly His Abstinence from all Meat and Drink and that for so long a time also This was likewise commensurate to his Blindness and had the same term of time We may suppose he was so amazed and under such an horrible consternation by those Divine extraordinary and overwhelming Dispensations that it was now with him as it had been with David when his heart had been so smitten with the blasting Indignation of God as to make him to forget to eat Bread Psal 102.4 He was now so deeply affected and even parched with a blasting breath of Divine Displeasure both upon himself and the afflicted Church that he was altogether stomachless through want of that heat wherewith his heart should have supplied him verse 3 5 c. N.B. Or if Saul's Rapture into Heaven was at this time no wonder if he did not either eat or drink for as he was sufficed with the sight of Heaven alone he seeing nothing else all the time of his Blindness so he had enough to feed upon by both Faith and Sight having God himself to feast upon as Moses had in the Mount during his long forty days fasting But 't is more probable that all this was done to Saul to humble him throughly to teach him more dependency upon God and that he might value his Restored Sight the more yea and that by fasting he might be the more fervent in prayer for fasting prepares for prayer and gives wings to it therefore are they so often put together Matth. 17.21 and Acts 13.3 c. In those Countreys they could fast longer without harm than we in this colder Climate and as it was less prejudice to them than to us so perhaps they were more willing to fast than we for spiritual advantage 6thly The last Concomitant for compleating his Conversion as also for calling him solemnly to his Apostolical Office was Ananias's Action of laying on hands upon him whereby he both received his own Sight and the Gifts of the Holy Ghost was baptized and of a furious Persecutor became a zealous Preacher Acts 9.10 to 21. N.B. The great Master-workman Christ had shaped out this Gospel-Garment of Apostolical Holiness and now puts it out to his Under-servant to become the finisher of it Hereby the Lord suppressed Saul's Arrogancy in sending him for direction what to do as he had desired verse 6. not to any of his great Apostles but to an inferiour Christian What an high hand had begun a subordinate hand must make up and finish N.B. Where Christ affordeth means we may not expect Miracles The Miracle of seeing the Light and hearing the Voice was past and now Saul must use the means a man must teach him c. to let him know that he must teach men And though Ananias was but a private Teacher yet must himself become an universal Doctor Though this Ananias was a private Person yet had he a
called the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 Surely that must needs yet more be an excellent House which the Spirit of Holiness designeth to dwell in 1 Cor. 3.16 17. The Spirit of God is Res delicata a great thing a good thing and a delicate thing Psal 143.10 it necessarily follows then that the Body must be a stately structure which is thus Templify'd by the Holy Ghost as is the man poor or rich so is his House a mighty Prince lives not in a mean Cottage 2ly Some of the Antient Fathers were of an opinion that Christ made mans Body with his own hands according to the form and fashion of that Body which himself would afterwards take up and suffer in that was full of glory Job 1.14 Whether this conceit hold or no I know not however this I am sure will hold That the Son of God did assume the Body of Man in one person to his Godhead which was a Dignity the Angelical Nature was not dignifyed wâ—thal for verily he took not on him the nature of Angels Hebr. 2.16 and after the making of Man he left nothing unmade but to makâ— himself Man and the excellency of the very ruines of this Temple to wit of faln Man doth plainly shew what a curious piece of work mans Body was in the state of Innocency for since the Fall Moses was exceeding fair Act. 7.20 Samson was exceeding strong Judg. 14 15 16. David exceeding lovely 1 Sam. 16.12 Asahel exceeding 〈◊〉 even swift as a Roe so as to outrun an Horse 2 Sam. 2.17 and Absolom was so exceeding beautiful that there was not a blemish found in him from top to toe 2 Sam. 14.25 All those Excellencies undoubtedly forfeited by the Fall being joyned together in one Body oh what an excellent rare body would they make and such a choice Composition was Mans Body in the state of Innocency As one finding the length of Hercules foot gathered from it the proportion of his whole Body so may we gather from those very Relicks found in faln Man what a goodly thing the body of Man had been before the fall 't was the Master-piece of Gods handy-work Sun Moon and Stars were but the works of Gods fingers Psal 8.3 but Mans Body was the work of Gods hands Psal 139.14 Job 10.8 God as it were took most special pains and laid out his choicest skill in fashioning of Mans Body in the Inner Chambers of the Earth Eph. 4.9 like curious workmen when they have some choice piece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring if forth to publick view Oh what Divine Lectures may be read upon all the External and Internal parts and members of Mans Body and what Seraphick raptures may seize upon the Soul in a serious Contemplation of God in them As the great world is a whole bundle of wonderful works so is this little world the Epitome of the great no less a little Volume of wonders in respect of the body As 1. That such an excellent piece of work should be made out of such sordid and base matter as dust or dirt How doth that mean Original of the Body serve to exalt the wisdom and power of the Creator as well as to humble proud man who out of such indisposed Materials made up such an excellent Fabrick Man who is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common workman can make his work no better than the matter he works on will afford he always uses probable Materials as Gold for Golden and Silver for silver vessels c. but God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.10 a skilful Artist can out of very stones raise up Children unto Abraham Matth. 3.9 and can out of the basest Matter make up a most beautiful body here 's the true Philosophers stone 2ly That out of one Homogeneal matter to wit dust which is all of one kind in all its parts such an Heterogeneal Edifice should be erected as the Body of Man is which consists of such strange variety both of shape and substance as the Similar and Dissimilar parts do to wit the tender skin the soft flesh the tough sinews the strong bones and all out of one material dust Whereas when Man builds an House he must have many Materials as Stone Timber Iron Lead c. to make up his House 3ly That this great work of God upon Mans Body should be Internal as well as External work when a Carver Engraves the Image and Pourtraiture of Man his work is all External all the Excellency of it is outward and obvious to the eye he cannot make Internal Members Deest Intus said the Philosopher in Plutarch there wants life spirits and blood within no Anatomy Lecture can be read on the inside of any Image but the greatest part of Gods work in making Mans Body is Internal to wit in Brain Heart and Liver wherein he hath placed the Animal Natural and Vital Spirits the Animal Spirits are carried by the Nerves from the Brain the Natural by the Arteries from the Heart and the Vital by the Veins from the Liver The Motion of the Watch-wheels of Mans life is out of sight and within doors and all wonderful 4ly That there should be such a Sympathy Symmetry and comely proportion in all the parts and members of the Body every one placed after the most commodious manner The Eye is seated in the Head as a spye on a Watch-tower and the Smell is placed aloft and on the foreside that it might not be offended with the stench of the Excrements proceeding from below and on the backside A thousand more such Remarks may be made of particular Members which for brevity sake I omit adding onely that the Bulk of Mans Body is the Model or pattern for all Buildings whether of Ships or Houses and from the parts and members of it Men have learnt to make many useful Instruments as Bellows from the Lungs c. Also all measures are borrow'd from the Body as Inch Foot Palm and Cubit c. Yea several of its Members God ascribes to himself as Head Heart Eyes Ears Hands and Feet which must needs much commend the Bodies Excellency so much admired by the wisest of Heathens insomuch that Galen gave Epicurus an hundred years wherein to study and contrive a more commodious Composition or correct the place or fashion of any one part of it This famous Physician though an Heathen very well observed how the Body of Man was made Numero Pondere Mensurâ by Number Weight and Measure God indeed made all things so especially his Master-piece who was Divini Ingenii Cura Consilium made by mature Counsel and care of the whole Trinity insomuch that if all the Angels in Heaven had held a most serious Consult from their Creation to this day they could not have cast Mans Body into a more curious Mould or more exact frame nor could they have found out a fairer form or Edition 5ly That
down to the Earth hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek for the body comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligo to bind for the Soul is bound as by the foot in the body so cannot mount up aloft as it doth when Death dissolves the Cord that binds it here below A gracious Soul doth therefore cry out unto the Lord of its own wretchedness herein to wit 1. of the body of sin that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or seed-plot of all sin which is so bred in the bone that it will not out till our bones as Josephs be carried out of the Egypt of this world and 2. of the body of death as it is a receptacle of all Diseases the Soul now dwells in an unwalled unfortifyed City exposed to many Distempers like the Picture of Man in the Almanack that hath rays of Arrows shot against his Head Neck Shoulders Breast Bowels Thighs Legs Feet and all parts which at last ushers in death it self All this makes Paul and every pious heart cry out And if the betrothed Damsel cry out though defiled she shall not dye Deut. 22.27 Bernard calls the body Sperma foetidum stinking seed before birth Saccus stercorum a bag of dung in life Et cibus vermium Meat for worms after death At the best 't is but the living Coffin of the Soul as the Grave is the dead Coffin of the body hence the Greek word for the body is derived of a word that signifies the Grave as before In short the body in the faln estate hath not onely lost its primitive glory whereof so little is left that it serves as Jobs Messengers only to bear testimony of our great loss but 't is also become a great clog to the Soul and an occasion of much sin 't is not onely the Harbour of much natural and corporal but also of much Spiritual corruption and as it was one of the Torments the Tyrants put upon the Primitive Christians to tye a dead body to the living one till the stench of the dead had destroyed the living so 't is no less a torment to a sensible Soul to be tyed to this body of sin and of death the stench whereof makes the Saints cry Oh wretched we c. and we desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far far far better So much of the whole in general now 2ly of the parts in particular take a prospect how each member of the body is corrupted by the fall The Eye before was a most beautiful window to let in saving light and holy instructions into the Soul The Eye was an Holy and Honourable Member of the Body not only call'd a window but also a Looking-glass because Men learnt by the Eye to make them If the Chrystalline humour were not back'd with a black humour the Eye would give no reflexion so if Glasses were not back'd with Steel or Tin and Silver they would not reflect the Rays A whole bundle of wonders are in the Eye As 1. That it should be a Looking-glass as well as a window 2. That it should be of no colour yet behold all colours no sooner is the Eye coloured yellow with the Jaundise but all colours then seem yellow to it 3. That a Man should have Two Eyes yet receive but One sight at once because the Optick Nerves meet in one Middle 4. That the Eye being so tender a part as not to be jested with should be so strongly guarded with Tunicles especially the Apple of the Eye call'd in Hebrew Ishon the little man of the Eye Ishon and in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little Girl or Daughter of the Eye as Bath-Gnaijn Hebr. signifies which is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part hence David Psal 17.8 prayeth that God would guard him many ways as the Apple of the Eye is guarded with many even with five Tunicles 5. Naturalists tell us also that whereas all other Creatures have but Four Muscles in their Eye one to turn it downward another to hold it directly forward a third to turn it to the right hand and a fourth to turn it to the left but God hath placed a fith Muscle over and above all those four Muscles aforesaid in Mans Eye that he may turn up his Eye to Heaven which no unreasonable Creature can do in his calling upon God 6. That this little Candle of the Body the Eye should have such a vast Elevation of sight to light us through the void space of all the Regions of the Air and through all the Seven Orbs of the Heaven to the Eighth which is called the Sphere of the fixed Stars and from which if an ascending line could be drawn perpendicularly as some have curiously calculated it would be a Journey of five hundred years long to it 'T is a vast distance betwixt the Eye and the Sun this is Mathematically demonstrated in as much as the Sun is one hundred and sixty times bigger than the Earth yet seems it but a small body to the Eye because of the great Gulf betwixt them and for ought we know the fixed Stars are as high above the Sun as the Sun is above us the least of which Stars are reckoned fifteen times bigger than the Earth and because of that vast distance appear but as spangles yet the Eye can ascend so high and that in a moment in the twinkling of an eye yea and which adds to the wonder without weariness too The Eye is not tired with travelling thither as the feet are with footing but a little way All which shows what a curious Fabrick the Eye is how much more the Eye of Faith to which nothing can be unpassable or impossible that Eye of the Soul will either find or make a way to the highest Heaven through all difficulties But now Alas 't is become a loop-hole of Lust being top-full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 and is indeed the broker 'twixt the Heart and the Object to make up the sinful bargains of all other sins even the breaches of all Gods Commandments Hence God hath given a covering to the eye not only a natural as the eye-lids but also a moral covering Gen. 20.16 It was at this Cinque-port that Satan first entred and conveyed the first sin into the Soul of Eve Gen. 3.6 and by this Casement the Devil let in so much filthy corruption into the old world as no less than an universal Deluge could wash it clean again Gen. 6.2 5 7. and the Tempter finding this Engine so successful both at the beginning and at the ending of the old world did promote his Hellish projects by it ever after as Josh 7.21 c. Many Millions have dyed of the wound in the Eye 't is one of the Devils three grand Instruments as David had his three Chief Worthies to fight his Battels 1 Joh. 2.16 And as it was said of Abishai that he was the chief of the three of Davids Heroes 1 Chron.
by the Eye but by the Ear. This truth God taught Moses when he pray'd Lord I beseech thee shew me thy glory Exod. 33.18 God corrects him for this calling him from the Organ and object of the Eye to the Organ and object of the Ear saying I will not demonstrate the glory of my goodness to thy Eye but I will proclaim it to thy Ear v. 19. Exod. 34.6 all which condemns the Popish Doctrine that seeing of Pictures those Lay-mens books as they call them are good means to make men Religious which the Romish Church make a matter of Duty and hearing of Sermons which is Gods Ordinance only a matter of conveniency for it pleased God to ordain the hearing of the Word not the seeing of Pictures as the means of grace to build up his Church in the way of Faith and Holiness to Heaven 4. God hath placed in the Ear a double Natural Excellency 1. Discretion 2. Delectation or delight 1. There is a discretion or judgment seated in this Organ Doth not the Ear try words Job 12.11 The Ear judgeth distinctly of the variety of Sounds and of the truth or falshood of Sentences examining every word of the Sentences Hence the Criticks observe that Osnaijm the Hebrew Dual Number for Ears doth also signifie a pair of Ballances for as the Head or beam-head of the Ballance standeth between the two scales and determineth the weight of what is laid therein so the Head of Man hath one Ear hanging on one side and another on the other and the mind judgeth of the worth of words by the Ears as the Ballance doth by the Scales and therefore the two Greek Names for the Ear and the Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a symbolical sound All which together with the Admiration or Interrogation in that Text Job 12.11 which is the strongest asseveration doth intimate that a Judicious Christian taketh not up Truth upon Trust but he tryeth all things by the ballance of the Sanctuary and holdeth then fast that which is good but abstaineth from that which appeareth to be evil 1 Thess 5.21 22. 1 Cor. 2.15 Phil. 1.9 Hebr. 5.14 not carried away as he is led 1 Cor. 12.2 not blown about with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4.14 not pulled away with the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 nor taken prisoner by seducers 2 Tim. 3.6 and so made prize of by them Col. 2.8 for want of either skill or will to try Truth from Error 2. God hath placed Delight as well as Discretion in this most excellent Organ therefore Solomon calls the Ears the Daughters of Musick-passively understood Eccles 12.4 The Instruments of Hearing both External and Internal which receive the Musick as well as if actively taken the Instruments of Speaking that in vocal Song do make the Musick both which fail'd in old Barzillai 2 Sam. 19.35 and therefore he thought himself an unfit Companion for Musical David as some sounds as the sharpening of the saw c. are very harsh and ungrateful so other sounds whether by blast or by beating on Instruments or by a tuneable voice are both refreshing and ravishing to the sense of Hearing 5. There is not any Member that the Devil envies more than the Ear because God hath ordained that Organ to be an open door to life and Salvation as before and therefore that envious one endeavours to shut it up as appears in the case of the man possessed with a deaf Devil Mark 9.25 where Christ rebuketh Satan calling him thou deaf and dumb Spirit because he had made the young man so and thereby had most malitiously marr'd the workmanship of God the Devil had possessed his Ear to hinder him from hearing the Word of life Naturalists say that the Dragon hath the greatest spite against the Elephants Ear because he knows that to be the only part which he cannot defend therefore doth he bite it off and from thence sucks out his Blood So the Red Dragon the Devil endeavours to bung up the Organ of Hearing that Faith Life and Salvation may not come that way When this deaf Devil doth possess mans Ear then it is that God speaks once and twice and man perceives it not Job 33.14 Intus existens prohibet alienuni the Devil within makes man not only averse but adverse as well as unable to attend the word of God without and therefore 't is said v. 16. God openeth the Ears of men 6. This ushers in the sixth Excellency of the Ear there is no Member that God expresseth in Scripture so much of his care of and so much of his pains about as about this as 1. God planted the Ear Psal 94.9 and therefore the Fsalmist argues he that is the Author of the Senses shall he be senseless 2. When the Devil hath made it an heavy Ear Isa 6.10 59.1 and dull Matth. 13.15 then God awakens it Isa 50.4 3. When the Serpent hath not only stopp'd up his own â—ears Psal 58.4 but also the Ear of Man to make him deaf to the charmings of the word of God then God opens it Job 33.16 36.10.15 Isa 50.5 and Christ saith to all that belong to him Epphatha be thou opened or let all lets be removed let all coverings be uncovered Mark 7.34 Revelat aurâ—â—m he takes off the veil that is upon the Ear for so the Hebrew Reading is Jigeleh Ozen he will reveal or uncover the Ear of all outward obstacles to make Man hear the better 4. When Satan hath bolted and blocked up this door of the Soul with Ignorance Vnbelief Passion and Prejudice so that as 't is said of some Creatures Man also hath got Fel in Aure Gall in the Ear then God bores it Oznaim Karitha mine Ears hast thou bored Psal 40.6 or digged open When he saith Epphatha together with that word there goeth a power as Luk. 4.32 which breaketh open the door and maketh the Bore so big that the Word of God may enter and find room Joh. 8.37 yea God calls up the Ears of the Soul to the Ears of the Body that one sound may pierce both then the deaf do hear and the blind do see Isa 42.18 5. When the Devil hath drawn the foreskin of security sensuality and wilful obstinacy upon the Ear so as to make it an uncircumcised Ear Jerem. 6.10 Act. 7.51 then God comes to Circumcise the Ear and with it the Heart Rom. 2.29 Jer. 4.4 this makes an Israelite indeed Joh. 1.47 When the foreskin of the flesh or old Adam is cut and put off by the Spirit of Christ both ad intelligentiam ad obedientiam to understand and obey the word and will of God Thirdly The Tongue is an Honourable Member of the Body therefore is it call'd Mans Honour Gen. 49.6 Jacobs Tongue never gave consent to his Sons villany and Mans Glory Psal 16.9 30.12 37.9 which is explained Act. 2.26 The Tongue is Mans glory above all other Dumb Creatures and surely such a
3. If it be appropriated to the Prince of life and glory as Christ is called so the gate of Ezeâ—â—â—ls Temple was for the Prince Ezek. 44.2 3. A mans Mouth is his gate and his tongue in that gate should neither stir nor sit still but at Christs command there is a time to speak and a time to hold ones peace Eccles 3.7 Christs time of speech and silence is a seasonable and profitable golden time such God-praising tongues are indeed as the tongues of Angels 1 Cor. 13.1 whereas God-blaspheming Tongues are no better than the tongues of Devils those Incarnate Devils have their tongues undoubtedly touch'd with fire from Hell To conclude concerning the Body and its Parts in a word all the Members of Mans Body were the weapons of righteousness before the fall but since they are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons of unrighteousness Rom. 6.13 which phrase imports the Devil to be a King who hath his strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 as well as his Kingdom Matth. 12.26 Sin is his Captaâ—n-General commanding the whole Body Rom. 6.12 he hath his fighting Souldiers under him which war against the Soul 2 Pet. 2.11 and every member of the body becomes a weapon of sin in the hands of those Souldiers Rom. 6.13 Now the throat is an open Sepulchre ready to receive a Mort-morsel in its gaping nature Psal 5.9 which sends out much noisome stench and wherein is oft buryed the good name of their betters when their Tongues as a Rapier hath first run them thorough now the feet are swift to shed blood Rom. 3.5 Isa 59.7 as Pauls were till God stopp'd him in his cursed Career or run into all evil trotting apace and taking long strides towards Hell as if fearing Hell should be full and no room to be for them before they get thither Now the hand is an hand of mischief Psal 26.10 Mans right hand is a right hand of falshood instead of a right hand of fellowship Gal. 2.9 of Faith and Love yea the Heart that principal internal member as 't is primum vivens ultimum moriens the first that liveth and the last that dyeth was before the fall as the Throne of Solomon whereon the King sat and as the Sanctum Sanctorum the holiest place of the Temple wherein God dwelt but now 't is become Satans seat Revel 2.13 he hath filled the Heart from corner to corner Act. 5.3 and he hath filled it with Murther Adultery c. Matth. 15.19 yea with all unrighteousness Rom. 1.29 top-full of vanity and villany So that the heart of the wicked is now little worth Prov. 10.20 as little as may be till purchased by the merit and renewed by the Spirit of Christ 'T was a great Curse Elijah denounced against Ahab that his Ivory Pallace should be turned into a stinking Privy 1 Kin. 22.39 with 21.22 and 2 Kin. 10.27 yet far worse is befaln the Heart of Man which was holy and excellent but now is become a receptacle of all uncleanness See my Hearts Treachery at large While Adam was a wise man in his pure estate his heart was at his right hand he managed his matters discreetly and dextrously he was handy and happy at all his concerns but becoming a fool by his disobedience then his heart falls to his left land Eccles 10.2 this made him and his do all things aukwardly as those that are left handed ever after His Eyes were at first in his head Eccles 2.14 but sinking into his heels he ran away from God when his heart was touched with hell-fire in the fiery darts of the tempter Ebur nitidissimum adhibito igne nigrescit the brightest Ivory if smutched with the fire contracteth a filthy blackness then was the Ivory Pallace of innocent Adam sadly soiled CHAP. IV. Of the Soul of MAN HAving discoursed largely of the excellency of the Body which is but the House Scabbard and Cabinet the Soul is the Guest the Sword the Jewel in the Body I now come to speak of the Souls Excellency 1. in general As the greatest thing in the great world is Man so the greatest thing in the little world Man is the Soul which Jacob calls his honour Gen. 49.6 or glory as the word Chabod signifies The Soul is the glory of a Man not onely as it is the Breath of life and of a more noble nature than other Creatures but also as it is a beam of Eternity an abridgment of the invisible as the Body is of the visible world and as it is a Spirit that had its immediate original from the Father of Spirits Hebr. 12.9 Gen. 2.7 Num. 16.22 and seeing the Soul is a nobler part of Man than is the Body therefore 't is frequent in Scripture Synecdochically to put Soul for Man and Souls for Men Gen. 12.5 14.21 Exod. 1.5 c. The very light of nature hath called it Divinoe particula Aurae a Particle of Divine Breath that the Soul is of a noble nature is one of those Natural principles which Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common notions of the light of Nature like that the whole is greater than the part and like that one and two make three c. Nature dictates those Truths and so likewise that the Soul of Man is an excellent Creature and made for excellent employment insomuch that the Sage Heathen Seneca could say of his Soul Major sum ad majora natus sum quà m ut Corporis mei sim mancipium My Soul is a greater thing and made for greater ends than that it should be a bond-slave to my Body Hereupon Christ refers that great point that a Soul was better than the whole world Matth. 16.26 to their own though carnal Consciences intimating how it was Truth in it self and that if they had the least spark of natural reason left in them they must judge it to be so the bare recital of it was sufficient demonstration how much more doth the light of Grace far clearer than that dim light of nature discover the excellency of the Soul that it is a pretious Jewel which God himself made up and laid up in the curious Cabinet of the Body that at death is resigned up unto God again All Saints learn this lesson from their dying Saviour saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 Our Lord had received his Soul as he was the Son of Man from God and now as a Sacred Depositum or pledge his Father had betrusted him withal he commits and commends it into his Fathers hands again as a most faithful keeper of it who within three days restored it to his Body at his Resurrection The like did David who was Christs Father and figure Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit And this lesson that blessed Proto-Martyr Stephen learnt of his Saviour Act. 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit This was one of the seven Sentences which our Saviour spake upon the Cross and though undoubtedly
his workmanship it must needs be a complete piece of work which came out of the skilful hands of the most Wise God as is said before of the Body Their Stature proportion their feature lineaments were all yea altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 Their Voices were sweet and their Countenances were comely Cant. 2.14 seeing since the Fall such a dazling splendour and bewitching Beauty remains still in some of the Sons and Daughters of men Assuredly the Image of God who is Beauty and loveliness it self did shine forth in their Bodies as well as in their Souls and even while they were naked they were Clothed with Majesty and Glory Psal 8.5 6. yea their nakedness made them not ashamed Gen. 2.25 There was then no need of shame for sin and shame came in both together and there was as little need of Cloathing then for their Bodys being then glorious the bravest Apparel would but have been as a cloud that darkens the shining Sun or as a black mask which covers a most beautiful face undoubtedly they had both that goodly Gracefulness presence and personage as to be not onely most delightful companions each to other but also capable of communion with the Holy Angels to whom they were made but a little inferiour Psal 8.5 yea and with the Holy God himself who rejoiced in the habitable part of his Earth and took much complacency in the work of is own hands Prov. 8.30 31. Adam more than Enoch and Abraham c. walked Arm in Arm with God The 2. External endowment God gave them was the place of their Habitation in Paradise Gen. 2.8 15. God did not build them any Marble monument there or an Ivory Pallace to dwell in such as the Luxury of men in the faln estate hath framed for themselves as that none-such Sinner Ahab built for himself 1 Kin. 22.39 but God planted them a Garden or Orchard choicely furnished with all manner of delicate fruits and hedged round about wherein they might have lived in a condition of Dignity and delectation without the least impairing of their Health and strength for a thousand years yet it being but an earthly place or a Terrestrial Paradise thereby they were admonished not onely of frugality and modesty but also that there was a better place even a Caetestial Paradise into which they should have without tasting Death been translated no doubt but the whole Earth was exceeding pleasant and fruitful as a Garden before the Sin of Man brought upon it the Curse of God Gen. 3.17 yet so kind so good was God to Adam that he planted a Paradise for him wherein he had an affluence and confluence of all good things to make him happy hence it is called the Garden of Jehovah Gen. 13.10 and of Eden which in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify Pleasure and this place of pleasure and pleasantness was by was of eminency the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20 6â— That Paradise was a most pleasant place is demonstrated by those few following Arguments As first from that large description and commendation of it by the Holy Ghost himself in Moses his Pen-man Gen. 2. from v. 8. to v. 16. 2. from its being made a Type of the third Heaven and synonymical with it Luke 23.43 2 Cor. 12.3 4. Revel 2.7 3. from that aggravation of the evil that is put upon their expulsion out of Paradise if it were so great an evil to be banished himself and all his posterity out of this Pleasant place and to have the Garden-door locked against him yea and Guarded also by a Cherubim with a flaming sword Gen. 3.22 23 24. this is a clear evidence that some great good was lost thereby 4. from the restitution of the true Paradise unto faln man by Christ which is a most unspeakable good the first Adam shut Paradise the second Adam opened it by the Key of his Cross or Cross-key and he quenched the flames of that flaming sword which Guarded the Door by powring upon it his meritorious Bloud paving thereby a new and living way to that Paradise which is above Hebr. 10.20 18. herein also the transcendent goodness of God to man is marvelously manifest that God should upon the third day of the Creation when he made the Trees plant a Paradise for mans pleasure before Man was Created which was not until the sixth day Man was made out of paradise on that day and then God took man by the hand and led him into Paradise to take possession of it as the Angel led Lot out of Sodom by the hand for a dispossession Gen. 2.15 19 16. God made not Paradise for the Beasts to spoil but for man to dress which he did as without necessity so without either pains or weariness 't was rather his Recreation than his Occupation his labour was then as an Ordinance but after inflicted as a Punishment Gen. 3.19 This place of delight was prepared for man before it was conferred upon him yea before he was that he might live a life of pleasure there How much greater is Gods goodness unto Adams Posterity who are given to Christ for whom both a life of Grace and a life of Glory is prepared not onely long before they were born but also before the foundation of the World 2 Tim 1.9 Tit. 1.2 c. All those things do teach us these truths 1. That God hath a right Fatherly care of his creatures thus to make provisions for them before they be created 2. that all opinion of merit is hereby overthrown for Adam could not merit this Earthly Paradise before he was made nor we the Heavenly one 3. God led Adam into Paradise that he might know he held it not as Lord of it but as Gods Husband-man and his Tenant at will so long as he behaved himself well which if he forfeited by doing ill he could have no just cause to complain for Gods banishing him out of it who had given it him so freely and so kindly led him into it 4. that Earthly Paradises be not Mans home and Countrey here no abiding City Hebr. 11.10 16. The 3. External favour God gave them was their Dominion over all Creatures Gen. 1.26 28. subdue the Earth and have Dominion c. God made man the supreme Lord of all created things here below all creatures are mans Servants and Houshouldstuffâ—â— God put all things under mans feet as so many stirrops or steps of a Stair-case that Man might raise up himself thereby unto God his Maker David celebrates Gods praise for giving this Dominion over all to Man Psal 8.5 6 20. All things are made for Man and Man is made for God to know and acknowledge him And while Man did so all things also did own and acknowledge Man as their Lord and Soveraign Adam exercised the Centurions Authority Luke 7.8 when all Creatures did come to him for Names and go from him when named Gen. 2.19 All then did reverence Man and were ready to come
while all living or wherein to Bury them when any of them Died until it came to his Dear Sarah's case oh then why should any of the Children of Abraham be discouraged that they have no more than a Burying-place upon Earth when Father Abraham the Heir of the World had no more a great Worldling who laid Houses to Houses and Land to Land by multiplyed Purchases was gravely rebuked by a good man who measured out his Grave before him and told him those few Inches of Earth he must be reduced to at the last we should with Father Abraham mind our Mortality most and other things less The first Doom God Denounced was Thou-shalt surely Die and the first Doubt the Devil suggested was Thoushalt not surely Die there yet remains something of the Spawn of that old Serpent in us to forget our Mortality and to hope yet to live a little longer and so to doubt of that whereof there is the greatest certainty putting the evil day of Death far from us whereas we should neither be fond of Life not fearful of Death but learn to Die daily making Death familiar to us at Bed and Board 'T is very observable how our first Parents cloth'd themselves with Fig-Leaves but God misliking that gave them Garments of Skins a memorial of Mortality hence some say that Christ Cursed the Fig-Tree which bore only Leaves to cover Mans Sin but commended John Baptist who did wear Skins to mind him that he was a poor Mortal The 3. Inference remarkable is If to this of Abrahams purchasing a Burying-place we compare the Jews purchasing with the Price of Christs Blood that Potters Field to Bury Strangers in Mat. 27.7 This will Teach two things 1. That the Jews began to be Dispriviledg'd and Disinherited of their own Land by Crucifying the Emmanuel and Lord of the Land Isa 8.8 Hos 9.3 for hereby Strangers or Gentiles got Footing in it and Possession of it as the Evangelist saith purchas'd by Christs Blood 2. If we be Strangers as we are Gentiles to the Jews Sin in Crucifying the Lord of Life then 't is not so much a Burying-place but a Living and Reigning-place is also purchas'd for us by the Price of Christs Blood not only a Burying-place for our Bodies as a safe Receptacle and Dormitory until the Resurrection upon Earth the Panegyrick or Congregation-House as before the Lord keepeth all the Bones of his Saints Psal 34.20 but also a Reigning-place for our Souls in Heaven to wit those Glorious Thrones Promised to such as follow Christ in the Regeneration Mat. 19.28 and those Mansions of Glory which Christ both Purchaseth and Prepareth Joh. 14.2 3. not only for the Soul until the Resurrection but also for the Body after even for ever Thus far of Abrahams Divine Call in all its parts when whence whither and why now followeth his Obedience of Faith to Gods Call 't is expresly said he obeyed and went out not knowing whither Heb. 11.8 as if he had follow'd God blindfold putting his hand into Gods hand and resigning up himself to his God and his Will to Gods Will well knowing with whom he went though he knew not whither be went So that Abrahams Obedience is Eminently Exemplar to all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham we must all walk in his stops or we shall never Lodge in his Bosom as before All his Children must write after his Copy of Obedience which in its transcendency hath a threefold excellency It was an Obedience so transcendent as to be 1. Without Hesitation 2. Without Reservation 3. Without Limitation Of these in order 1. It was Obedience without Hesitation he used no disputation in the case he falls not upon arguing with God in any Carnal reasonings against his Call and Command saying I cannot apprehend any urgent occasion why I should forsake my own Native Countrey and may not I justly suspect it no better than a piece of sublime folly to go I know not whither and to leave a certainty for an uncertainty Is not one Bird in the Hand as saith the Proverb better than two in the Bush He doth not alledge Lord first satisfie my Scruples and convince my Judgment that 't is my Duty and then will I follow and obey thee No he doth not dispute but dispatch he doth not say as those Recusants in the Gospel said Suffer we first to go and bury my Father Mat. 8.21 Or I have bought a piece of Ground and I must needs go to prove it c. Luke 14.18 19 20. Neither did Abraham dare to do as better Men than those aforesaid even as Moses Exod. 3 1â— and 4.10 11 12 13. or as Jeremy Jer. 1.6 who both do bring in their carnal Reasonings strongly to confute God and his Call No such thing is Recorded of Abraham had he with Theudas thought himself some body Acts 5.36 He would have rais'd some chatting Discourse or Dialogue with God but he plainly becomes a No body before him lyes down at his Foot Isa 41.2 and by the strength of his Faith dashes down all the scummy Bubbles of carnal Reasonings which unbelief would have Boiled up He falls down before the Majesty of that Great Divine Truth Who art thou Oh Man that darest reply against God or word it with him Rom. 9.20 21. If a private Subject may not say to his Prince What dost thou Eccles 8.4 Much less may poor Man say so to the Great God that King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 Balaam took it ill that his Ass should reply upon her Master Numb 22.29 But we must be content to be dumb Asses as the Apostles phrase is 2. Pet. 2.16 and speechless Fools in respect of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 4.10 'T is not a good Angel but the evil one that opens our Mouths to make replies upon such a Soveraign Master our Lord is wiser for us than we can be for our selves our fleshly wisdom is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 That is the forbidden Fruit which must be vomited up by Repentance it being Earthly Sensual and Devilish Jam. 3.15 It is remarkable how God spoke in the silly Ass but 't was the Devil that spoke in the subtile Serpent and how Christ rode upon an Ass into Jerusalem but Satan convey'd himself by a Serpent into Paradise we must all die to our own wisdom and live in Gods as Aaron's Rod swallow'd up those of the Magicians Exod. 7.12 so ought Gods Wisdom to swallow up ours A poor nothing bewilder'd Creature is most suitable and acceptable to an All-sufficient Christ who is Wisdom in the Abstract we must resign our All to him who is our All in All Col. 3.11 without Hesitation 2. As Abraham's Obedience was without Hesitation or any contrary Disputes against Gods Call so it was without Reservation he resigns up himself to the command of God not by halves but wholly without any Ifs or And 's as we say The Popish Lying Doctrine of
greater Nation and mightier than they Numb 14.12 But Moses prudently refuseth this mighty though private and personal preferment because he plainly saw God would be a great loser in his Glory by that Bargain had stiff-necked Israel been destroyed to make way for it 'T is an excellent Note of an Eminent Divine As God was highly displeas'd with Balaam for going though he bade him go so assuredly the Lord would not have taken it so kindly of Moses if he had taken him at the offer he made him in a time of holy Heat against his unholy People And 't is worthy of our serious observation how grievously Jacob was gravell'd his Faith was enough faulty even in this his last and best Argument wherein he bringeth forth his strongest Reason his Shed-Anchor to hold fast his floating Ship his wavering Soul he fills his Mouth with it and rouzes up himself to take better hold of God in his wrestling with him yet here was his failure in thinking that God's Glory would be quite lost if he and his two Bands had been destroy'd by Esau whereas he should have thought with himself that though they all had been slain yet God remaineth true Let God be true though every Man be a lyar Rom. 3.4 Thus Jacob's Grandfather Abraham had better thoughts in a case of as great despondency as to himself and his Wife Gen. 17.17 not daring to be found either Doubting or Deriding the Promise of God concerning his Seed promised when they were in their own thoughts after the manner of Nature writ down Childless having spent all their youth in the Conjugal Yoke without any Children yet now receiving God's Promise of an offspring even in both their old Age He stagger'd not at it as Jacob doth here but against Hope believed in Hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he never thought upon hit own Dead Body he cared not for that at all but gave Glory to God acknowledging him of Almighty Power to overcome all natural Difficulties and to perform whatever he had promised though never so contrary to the course of Nature and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was being carried on with full Sail as the word signifies fully perswaded so goes gallantly on in the way of believing and laughed from an Admiration of God's Favour not from any distrust of his Power as his Wife Sarah after did Gen. 18.12 His Hope therefore is said to bear him up against Hope that is his Hope-Spiritual placed in God All-sufficient over-powered his Hope-Natural which herein was at a loss as being unable to argue above apparent Causes in Nature's Course but his other and better Hope did Dictate to him better things Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. that God was able out of very Sâ—ones to raise up Children unto Abraham Matth. 3.9 as well and better as to bring forth Adam and a whole world of Creatures out of Nothing Such a Plerophory or full perswasion was not indeed in Jacob nor in the best of us Oâ—r highest and holiest Expostulations with God though of never so good intentions favour somewhat of Creature-Frailty and weakness of Faith some Gravel goes along with our purest Water as 't was with Jacob here who yet gave a brisk Testimony of a brave Faith in his Appealing to the Promise when run off from all other Refuges in this Time of Temptation Oh that we could cast Anchor there also in the like case Heb. 6.17 18 19. then would God deliver us from our Esau's as he did Jacob from his Lastly This may comfort us That God hath a look of love upon his Servants as upon Jacob here both in their goings out and in their comings in he marketh all their paths Psal 56.8 whether they be at home with their Father or abroad among Strangers they are ever under God's Eye and overshadowed with his wing Psal 57.1 God was with him at Bethel and Syria c. Now come I to Jacob's fourth Wrestling First With Laban already conquered Secondly With Esau but a Conquering for his Conquest over him comes not in compleated until his two last were accomplished Thirdly With God spiritually in the Duty of Prayer as before And Fourthly With Christ corporally as one man wrestles with another putting forth their utmost Strength and Skill to give the Foil and the Fall each to other So does the Son of God the second Person in the Holy Trinity as is made most manifest afterwards and this Holy Patriarch Jacob make a Tryal of Skill and strive with their strength one against another which of the two should win the Prize This fourth Wrestling or Duel 'twixt these two holdeth forth most stupendous and astonishing History so wonderful as it plainly transcendeth worldly Capacities and seems altogether Incredible to Humane Reason For 1. What can be more marvellous than this that God should take upon him the form of a Man and representing an Antagonist or Adversary should wrestle a Fall with Man yea with an Holy Man yet higher and with such an Holy Man to whom he had promis'd his protection in all places whither he went Gen. 28.15 his dealing well with him Gen. 32.9 and his assuredly doing him good v. 12. Oh wonderful was this to defend Jacob to deal well with him and surely to do him good for God to Come forth as an Enemy to him to fight him in a Duel and so put him upon defending himself as well as he could to fence off the Almighty blows or Thrusts of such a Divine Dueller and to secure his standing against those omnipotent Heavings and Listings of such a Divine Wrestler whose mighty Arms can give the Foil and Fall to the mightiest Monarch upon Earth Psal 76.12 yea can heave lift off and remove the massiest Mountain in the World out of its place Turning it upside down Job 9.5 6. and 28.9 Judg. 5.5 Psal 68.8 Nahum 1.5 Hab. 3.6.10 Psal 114. 7. overturning them by prodigious Earthquakes How easily then even with a wet finger as we say could God by his Omnipotency have overturned Jacob who was nothing so mighty in Bulk as a Mountain nor so strongly founded at the Root And 2. What can be more incredible than this that the Immortal God should be overcome by a mortal Man that the borrowing Power should be too hard for the lending Power that the Creature should be too strong for the Creatour and that this worm Jacob so call'd Isa 41.14 should be able to out-wrestle his own Maker yea the Grand-Maker of the great World yet all these both Admirable and Incredible things are most true and sacred Truths truly Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Dan. 10.21 And by Faith we understand not only the great Truth of the Creation in all its particular Circumstances how all things were made out of Nothing Heb. 11.3 but also that this stupendious Story is true in all its parts aforesaid This must be believed by an historical Faith as all other Truths revealed in the Word are 'T is the Nature
sin 3. Of his Master who over-credulously cast him down into the Dungeon God suffered all these in silence But not withstanding all these injuries done to Joseph by Divine permission yet it plainly appears that Divine Providence all along dropd down many sweet allays both to qualify and to dulcify Joseph's bitter Potions all which were Soveraign Cordials and Sacred Memorials of Divine Mercy in the midst of his worst misery As 1. When his Barbarous Brethren desperately design to destroy him either by the Sword God raises up Reuben to save him from that or by Famine God jostles in Judah to deliver him from that 2. When he was sold for a Slave then there God was with him and gave him great favour in his Masters Eyes so that he became advanced to the Highest Honour in his Masters House 3. When his Miscreant Mistress would have seduced his Soul to Sin God strengthend him to resist it and to obtain a Conquest over that Temptation 4. When that Wicked Woman had highly incensed her Husband by her false accusation against him so that the rage of Jealousie might have immediately transported him into a bloody revenge for Ravishing his Wife as he was made to believe and to execute Joseph with his own hands Yet God restraind that rage Psal 76.10 and manacl'd the Hands of enraged Potiphar as he had done Joseph's Brethren before so that as they only could cast him into the Pit he only could cast him into the Prison Neither of them could Kill him or cause him to be killed by other hands 5. When Joseph was cast down into the Dungeon so his Prison is calld Gen. 40.15 41.14 yet God who suffer'd Joseph to be cast thither suffer'd himself as it were to be cast thither also for God was with Joseph there Gen. 39.21 as he had been with him in his Slavery v. 2. God would own him well knowing his Innocency though the World disown'd him and dealt most mischievously with him as if he had been the worst Miscreant in the World Oh how good it is to have God our Friend who will be with us while we be with him 2 Chron. 15.3 in our Adversity as well as in our prosperity God was present with Joseph as he was with God every where and Gods presence with him made him like a Pearl in a Puddle while he was in Egypt he still retain'd his Orient and Genuine Vertue both in his Prisons and in his Palaces though some while he seem'd to Relinquish his Radiant Lustre and Splendour Though God suffer'd him to be Imprison'd and did not immediately by some Miracle release him out of Prison because of his Innocency but let him be let down into a Dark Dungeon yet did not God desert him but is graciously present with him and shew'd him light in that place of Darkness Psal 112.4 though it was the Darkness of a Dungeon This was the first Harbinger of his Exaltation aforementioned to wit the abatement of his sufferings as the second is his Releasement from them Though God did indeed suffer Joseph 's sufferings to lye sore and severe upon him for some time and lets him lye two or three years in Prison Praying Weeping Crying Toiling and Sweating there that he might be throughly exercis'd in the practice of Piety and so the better prepared for the best preferment yea God permitted Innocent Joseph to be cast into the Kings Prison Gen. 39.20 the worst place for Traitors as guilty of High Treason he as it were passed through the Traitors Gate into the Tower House or Dungeon where he was laid in Irons which did eat into his Flesh or entred into his Soul Psal 105.18 as a Sword was said to pierce through the Soul of our Lords Mother Luk. 2.35 that is bitter sorrows did sorely afflict her for her Sons sufferings so it could not but be a sad Cor-dolium to good Joseph's Soul his Heart must be wounded to have his reputation thus wounded by a wicked Woman and for no crime to be cast into Prison in peril of his Life besides it could not chuse but wound his mind to meditate upon his forlorn condition seeming now to be a mere cast-away from the Church of God where before he had been Blessed to hear the joyful sound of Gods Word and Promises Psal 89.15 in his Fathers House instead whereof he was continually follow'd with many contrary cross Providences and out of this complication of mischiefs befalling him the Devil frames a Chain of Despair complicated of many Links and far worse than those Fetters upon his Feet wherewith to Chain down his Soul and cause it to Sink into the Pit of Desperation in his own sad self-reflections and to strike him down Dead the more the Devil might suggest to him that his Dear Father was Dead at the news of his being devoured by Wild Beasts All these and many more might unquestionably Torment Joseph's Mind more than his Iron-Fetters could do his Body Yet all pass'd through the Hand of permissive Providence which appointed the time the place the manner and the measure of them over-ruling them to Gods Glory and to Joseph's Advancement causing this very Imprisonment to be the means thereunto for unless he had been cast into Prison and into the Kings Prison too he had not been made known to the King nor thereby exalted 'T was Gods presence with Joseph in Prison that made his Bow still abide in strength as his Father said of him Gen. 49.24 and Armed him against these Archers the Arrows of his Mistress's false Accusation and of his Masters furious indignation could not both of them kill him The God of Jacob the Shepherd and Stone of Israel defended him yea and notwithstanding all these Archers against him made him a Shepherd and feeder of all his Adversaries and a Stone for Israel to rest upon in the Land of Egypt ☞ Hence we may learn 1. Though we be traduced as was Joseph no Beasts bites worse than Pick-thanks saith Demosthenes 2. Though the Prince's Favour towards us be turn'd into Frowns upon us there 's no frust to be put in them Psal 146.3 as Potiphar's were to Joseph 3. Though cast into Prison as he was all these may not daunt us Gods presence may be still with us none of these evils shall prevent but all shall promote Gods Promise by his Presence God is now fetching a compass which is both strange and wide he hath a Wheel within a Wheel Ezek. 1.16 all working one way yet unseen in the work All preparing the way and straightning crooked paths for accomplishing the Promises of the latter day yea and preparing us to be Ripe for them Moses proveth that Gods Presence was with Joseph by a threefold Argument The first is plainly demonstrative by its effects to wit the Abatement and Mitigation of Joseph's present Prison-Misery The second is more plainly demonstrative in Joseph's Inlargement and Releasement out of Prison But the Third is most of all so
Blessing in the Success of them as here their hiding the Child he made Successful They leaned upon the Lord's Providence in the use of means for Moses's safety Mark here first how wonderfully the most wise God qualified this Pagan Princess with many excellent Moral Vertues As 1. With a tender Heart of Commiseration ver 6. 2. With complaisant Affability towards the Infant 's Sister ver 7.8 3. With commutative Justice in promising Wages for the work of nursing the Infant ver 9. 4. With Prudence in naming the Child suitable to the Providence calling him Moses which signifies drawn out ver 10. Musaeum calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Water-sprung because drawn as David was afterwards Psal 18.17 out of many waters And 5. With Princely Bounty in adopting him for her own Son vers 10. Hebr. 11.24 for as Philo reports she though long married had no Child of her own and therefore treated this Child as her own and gave him royal Education Act. 7.21 c. Mark Secondly The Congruity betwixt Moses and the Messias As 1. Moses's true Father was unknown to the Egyptians but was reputed the Son of Pharaoh so the true Father of Christ was unknown to the Jews but was reputed the Son of Joseph 2. As Moses was saved from the Infanticide of Pharaoh so Christ was from Herod's cruel purpose of Killing him in his Infancy 3. As Moses had the King for his nursing Father and the Queen his nursing Mother All this is promised Isai 49.23 and hath been performed in Christian Kings c. to Christ mystical 5 namely to his Church under the Gospel Mark Thirdly How the great God overshoots the Devil in his own Bow Pharaoh was told by an Egyptian Priest in a way of Prophecying that an Hebrew Child will come to be the Terrour and Ruin of the Egyptian Kingdom Hereupon he issued out that cruel Decree to the Midwives for slaying all the Males at their Birth The two Midwives observing a mighty helping hand of God in the Hebrew Womens lively Delivery dare not but disobey the King's Commandment However the Males were in great Danger by the Egyptians living among the Hebrews Exod. 3.22 and some might be more violent for executing that bloody Edict This appeareth by the hiding of Moses at his Birth c. We have no such Remarks of his Brother Aaron whose Name soundeth of Sorrow and Joy either as to his Danger or at to his Deliverance as we have of Moses The Wisdom of God so orders the Matters of the World that the greatest Deliverers are exercised with the greatest Dangers and are likewise honoured with the greatest Deliverances from those Dangers The greatest Deliverer is drawn out as the word Moses signifies out of the greatest Dangers It was not so concerning Aaron the less of Man the more of God Oh how wonderfully the most high God doth over-wit the seven Heads and over-power the ten Horns of the fiery Red Dragon Pharaoh's Daughter must save him who shall be the ruin of Pharaoh's Kingdom to save Israel Moses must be countenanced by publick Authority who had been cast out by private fear Oh how doth the most Wise and Great God confound the Craft and Cruelty the Fraud and Force both of angry Men and of enraged Devils The borrowing power can never become a fit Match for the lending power all Power proceeds from God who will not lend either to Men or Devils any more power but what himself can over-rule and order for his own glorious Ends Here God makes a Destroying Power to become a Defending Power causing it after a marvellous manner to contradict it self for all Hearts even the Hearts of Kings are in the Lords Hands Prov. 21.1 he is the Chief Commander of all Mortal Commanders and of a Persecutor can make a Protector God is higher than the highest of Mortals and proud Princes are but his Creatures controulled by the power and pleasure of their Creator Secondly As Moses was thus Famous for his Birth so for his Death also As he was hid at his Birth from Undervaluers namely from those that would have Murthered him therefore did his Parents hide him So he was hid at his Death from Overvaluers namely from those that would have Idolized him therefore God himself became his Grave-maker and Buried him Deut. 34.6 either immediately or by the Ministry of Angels whereof Michael was the Chief or Prince Jude ver 9. yet no Man knoweth of the particular place of the Valley of Moab wherein he was Buried unto this day The Lord therefore hid Moses's dead Body where it was Buried because he knew the Israelites had a most notorious proneness to Superstition and Idolatry to gratifie which Diabolical Itch the Devil made such a Devilish ado in contending with Michael to discover the place but without Success And seeing God would not suffer the Worship of the Tomb or Relicks of so Eminent a Man of God as Moses was 't is therefore ridiculous to imagine God would permit this Honour to be given to any of his succeeding Saints who were so far Inferior to Moses as will appear when we come to his Life Exod. 33.11 Numb 12.8 and Deut. 5.4 and 34.10 We read of Moses putting on a Vail Exod. 34.33 Moses Vailed signifies the Laws Obscurity and Mans Infidelity and as he was Vailed then in his Life so was he Vailed both at his Birth in an Ark of Bulrushes which being opened his Ravishing Beauty appeared Acts. 7.20 and he was likewise Vailed at his Death in an unknown Sepulcher even unknown to Satan himself whose design in desiring to know it Jude ver 9. was that he might of the Body of the Dead make Idols in the Hearts of the Living and thereby he would have set up himself there Dr. Lightfoot's Notion is that Moses was Buried by the Lord that is by Michael Jude ver 9. who is our Lord the Messias and whose work it was in his coming into the World to Bury the Ceremonies of Moses The Sentiments of some are that Moses's Body after its Burial was raised most gloriously in which Glory he held Conference with Christ at his Transfiguration Mat. 17.2 c. Moses appear'd to the Messias there as the Messias or Michael appear'd to Moses at his Death and Burial The same Body that was hid in the Valley of Moab appear'd to Christ on the Hill of Tabor Thus Moses and Christ are good Friends contrary to those that would set the Law and the Gospel at variance Every Transfiguration or Ravishment of Spirit is no better than a Delusion wherein Moses and Messias lovingly meet not c. Thirdly Moses was Famous mostly for his Life more than all the other Patriarchs and Prophers both as receiving greater Honours from God to himself and communicating greater Priviledges from him to Israel As to the former he was not only very oft but also very long with God speaking Face to Face together above all the Servants of God both
whole bundle of Wonders the Lord wrought here for his Churche's deliverance at the Red-Sea as First The strong East Wind raised in an instant by Israel's Redeemer out of the Cloudy Pillar was a wonderful work in his Almighty hands to divide this Sea that lay north and south from top to bottom whereas the natural property of the wind is to blow upon the superficies surface or upper part of the water only and rather spreads them abroad all one way than gathers them on heaps two contrary ways north and south This therefore was Extraordinary God being pleased to make use of this wind let out of his fist Prov. 30.4 to shew his dominion over all created beings Exod. 14.21 which is call'd the blast of God's nostrils Exod. 15 8. and the breath of God's anger Psal 18.16 Thus the Lord will destroy Antichrist by the breath of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 as he did here blow with his wind and caused the Sea to cover Pharaoh Exod. 15.10 This East wind in its violence doth oft denote God's Anger Psal 48.7 8. Jer. 18.17 Ezek 19.12 c. And concerning this wondrous work the Prophet asketh Was thy wrath Lord against the Sea Hab. 3.8 and David saith What ailed thee O Sea that thou fledest Psal 114.5 which he thus resolves God rebuked the Sea and it was dried up Psal 106.9 he rode upon the wings of this wind Psal 18.10 Secondly That the Sea should be turned into dry Land This is a wonderful work of God which the Psalmist calls on us to come and see Psal 66 5 6. which figured that Sea of Affliction God's Israel hath to pass through before they can come to the Heavenly Canaan yet it is made passable easie and fordable to Faith which under a divine call command and conduct can find a way through a Sea of difficulties Heb. 11.29 Psal 66.12 Isa 43.2 c. mighty waters have been oft dryed up First Here by Moses's Rod as well as by the wind which signifies Power and Authority Exod. 14.16 21 22. Secondly By the Ark of God Josh 3.15 which signifies All-sufficiency as containing the Mercy-Seat on it and the Tables of the Testimony the Pot of Manna c. in it Thirdly By the Mantle of Elijah which figureth Righteousness 2 King 2.14 All those three are the three attributes of God for Faith to rely upon in the use of means and there is a fourth by the sixth Vial Rev. 16.12 we are waiting for it against Babylon God hasten it N.B. Thirdly That there should be a way so wide through the midst of the Sea as would receive 600000 Men beside Women Children and a mixt multitude making up as is suppos'd other 300 thousand to march in order and Battel-Ray was another wonderful work of God here was an ebb more than ordinary not only as is usual upon and about the shore but from the top to the bottom quite through the heart of the Sea from the Egyptian to the Arabian shore Exod. 14.21 22. And 't is a Tradition among the Jews that God made twelve ways for the twelve Tribes for each Tribe one grounded on Psal 136.13 lagzarim Hebr. signifying parts but this may be understood of two parts only and not of twelve as it is Gen. 15.17 and t is more probable the two walls on each hand Exod. 14.22 secured but one way for them all together As they had no time to divide themselves into twelve Squadrons the Egyptians being at their Heels so it would have much weakened them nor could they all have Moses their Guide to go before them in twelve ways which must have dismay'd those that had him not for the Lord led them by the right Hand of Moses Isa 63.12 13 14. and beside the Scripture's silence of any more Paths than one which would have amplified the Miracle and so would have been Recorded we ought not to multiply Miracles without some necessitating Cause and seeing one wide way was sufficient more or so many ways may be supposed superfluous Now seeing the Psalmist puts the Mountains skipping c. with the Sea fleeing thus away on both Hands c. Psal 114.5 6. Sweet Comfort for good Souls in evil Times may well be inferred from Zech. 14.3 4 5 6. Where it is promised that the Lord will come and set his Feet upon the Mount of Olives and his standing upon it shall cause it to cleave asunder in the midst and leave a very great Valley marvelously inlarging the Valley of Jehosaphat over which it hangs that a large Way may be made for the Lord and his Saints to return to Jerusalem again as here was for Israel to Canaan 'T is expresly said Half of the Mountain removes towards the North and half of it toward the South Just as this Red Sea was Cloven Hebr. into a Northern and Southern part by the East-wind To shew all Obstructions in God's Time Isa 60.22 for no Man can appoint him a Time Jer. 50 44. shall be removed Jer. 44.28 This cleaving of Mount Olivet was never yet done since Titus with his Roman Army destroy'd Jerusalem nor since the Time of Zechary's Prophecy before that Whether that Promise shall be literally performed to the Jewish Jerusalem we know not however it shall have a sure accomplishment Mystically to the Christian Jerusalem c. We wait on our Lord who is posted so nigh and high to oversee his Temple and to save her with seasonable succours The Fourth Miracle of Mercy was that the Cloudy Pillar which hitherto had gone before the Van of Israel now removes into their Rere when the harden'd Egyptians were become so fool-hardy to follow them into the Sea This they did as is supposed at the second Watch of the Night as Israel went in at the first being but three hours before them We may imagine Israel's danger was desperate Chariots and Horsemen might soon overtake such a Bulky Body of Footmen who being clogg'd with many Women Children and much Lumber must needs March but slowly Here the Lord interposes himself and becomes a Wall of Fire betwixt them and their Danger The Lord is my Shield saith David 2 Sam. 22.2 3. To defend my whole Body from the Thrusts of my Enemies Here the Glory of the Lord was Israel's Rereward Isa 58.8 as above Our Lord will be with us before or behind where he may be most useful for our Aid sometimes humbling us and sometimes comforting us We may not limit the Lord to be ever before us If need be we are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1.6 Christ was behind Mary Weeping John 20.14 Not that the Lord who is every where both in Van and Rere Isa 52.12 changed his Place but it was only the Sign of his Presence that thus removed and became Light unto Israel for furthering their March but darkness to the Egyptians for Retarding theirs Exod. 14.19 20. 'T is said They overtook Israel incamping by the Red-Sea ver 9. but this extraordinary Darkness cast
the Morning Exod. 16.21 from 6. a Clock to 9. in the Morning Manna was to be found but when the Sun after waxed hot it melted away by God's appointment though in its own Nature it would abide the Fire in baking or boiling c. when used according to God's command This was to stir up the People that they might get up early and gather it betimes in the Morning that they might have time to prepare it and then attend other business whereas had it been to be gather'd all the Day they would have been sloathful and negligent They must gather it so soon as the Dew that hid it was off the Ground So ought we to gather the hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 The true Bread that came down from Heaven Joh. 6.32 33. In the Morning of our Youth Health and Strength we must seek the Lord while he may be found Psal 32.6 While the Day of Salvation lasteth 2 Cor. 6.1 2. And not shift it off Heb. 2.3 12.25 He that gathers in Summer is a wise Son Prov. 10 4 5. 6.6 8. Joh. 12 35. Gal. 6.10 While Time and Means continue c. and this is supposed to be the â—ur port of Moses Prayer O satisfie us early with thy Manna Mercy Psal 90.14 The Soul of a Sinner cannot have it too soon 2. The Place where Manna was gathered They were to go out of their Tents and beyond the Camp to gather it The Dew lay round about the Camp Exod. 16.13 Thus are we commanded To go forth unto Jesus without the Camp Heb. 13.12 13. We must relinquish our old Conversation and renounce all worldly Interests which are inconsistent with an Interest in Christ and a Participation of him The Spouse could not find Christ upon a Bed of Idleness or in the broad ways and common Worship of the World Cant. 3.1 2. Yet was Manna found nigh their Camp and not far off in the Wilderness nor need we go far for Christ he is nigh us Rom. 10 8. 3. The Persons who were the gatherers namely all Universally Old and Young Male and Female Parents and Children Masters and Servants none excepted or exempted from gathering Manna so nor from getting Christ Gal. 3.28 4. The Measure what each gathered were it more or less there was neither Deficiency nor Redundancy Exod. 16.18 so all sorts of Believers have an equal Portion in Christ our heavenly Manna Gal. 3.28 29. 2 Pet. 1.1 The smallest degree of Grace so it be true sufficeth for Salvation and the weak do partake of Christ in his Word and Sacraments as well as the strong 5. The Extent of this Duty How long As they were to gather it every day and that all along the forty Years until they came to Canaan excepting only the Sabbath-day So ought we to gather this heavenly Manna every day and all our Life long till we come to Heaven and enjoy there an Eternal Sabbath 4ly The Congruity continues in the differing Vses and Effects of this Manna as it was eaten both by good and bad To some it putrefied for not improving it according to God's Prescription and others loathed it as light Bread Numb 11.6 and 21.4 5. Citò parta vilescunt lightly obtained is but lightly esteemed the Wheat of Heaven was lightly set by because lightly come by though to the good it was a spiritual as well as corporal Food Thus God's Word and Sacraments are the savour of Life unto Life to such as make a right improvement of them but to others that mis-improve them and receive them unworthily they are the savour of Death 2 Cor. 2.15 16. breeding that never dying Worm Mar. 9.44 and 46. ever gnawing on the Soul in furious Reflections without Hope of either ending or mending let such squeafie Stomachs as nauseate the Bread of Life and disrelish plain Preaching duly consider this The Second considerable is the Disparity between the Type and the Antitype the Shadow and Substance The First Disparity is this Manna was made in and ministred out of the middle Region only by the Ministry of Angels but the Messiah is the true Bread whereof Manna was only a Figure that came down from the highest Heaven Joh. 6.32 33. and out of the Bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 Secondly Those that fed upon the Type Manna hungred after the next day and so end way for forty Years together as it was food for the Body but such as feed upon this Bread of Life by Faith shall never Hunger Joh. 6.35 That is shall never be painfully or desparingly hungry as utterly destitute of Grace and Glory Psal 119.8 but shall continually feed upon that Gospel Feast of a good Conscience Prov. 15.15 Where as Luther phraseth it the blessed Angels are Servitors of Sweet Meats being Cooks and Butlers and the three Persons in the Trinity are gladsome Guests making the whole Life one intire merry festival without Interruption Thirdly Those that were eaters of this Manna dyed Joh. 6.49 Manna could not Immortalize them as the Poets feign their Ambrosia did their Dunghil-Deities and many of them died in God's displeasure 1 Cor. 10.3 5. but those that feed by Faith upon this Bread of Life have Eternal Life c. Joh. 6.47 48 50 51 56 57 c. That is in the Purchase of Christ in the Promise of the Father and in the first Fruits of the Spirit that resteth on them 1 Pet. 4.14 This our Lord oft inculcateth both as needful to be known and as comfortable to be considered Fourthly This Manna melted putrefied bred Worms and perished in the using Meats for the Belly and the Belly for Meats but God will destroy both it and them 1 Cor. 6.13 But this cannot befal Christ who is Life essential and God will not suffer his Holy One to see Corruption Psal 16.10 Fifthly Manna was but the Carcase of the Sacrament which could not give Life therefore many that fed upon that Sacrament daily did perish Eternally But the Soul of it is Christ signified whereof they that partake live for ever Outward Priviledges do not excuse but aggravate Enormities Carnal Professors feed upon Sacraments after a fleshly manner with such God is not well pleased 1 Cor. 10.3 5. c. the Romanists especially when as Christ saith The Spirit quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 We should be wise Men 1 Cor. 10.15 That is skilful in the Doctrine of Sacraments One may go to Hell with Font-Water on his Face and be haled from the Table to Torment Mat. 22.13 Sixthly Manna lasted but forty Years but Christ ever lives and lasts c. and is the sume Yesterday to Day and for ever Heb. 13.8 c. The next memorable Matter concerning Israel in the Wilderness was at their eleventh Station at Rephidim Exod 17. Raph-Jadiem signifies the healing of the Hands God held Israel's hands here from stoning Moses by giving them Water to which place the Lord led them by the Cloudy Pillar that he might again exercise
10.10 where he expresseth how afraid he was lest God should destroy them being far more troubled for them then they were for themselves insisting so much upon this eminent History of his interceeding for them this second time when their case was almost desperate insomuch that Moses was put upon a Peradventure I may make an Atonement Exod. 32.30 implying the difficulty thereof and therefore makes he use of his best levers at a dead lift as Prayer and Fasting Thirdly That there was sufficiency and consistency of time for all those three forty days fasts Dr. Lightfoot makes manifest in his Chronology affirming that Moses came down to break the Golden-Calf c. upon the 17th day of the Month Tammuz which answers to our June the next day he returns to God by prayer but is returned back the same day with a sad Answer whereupon Israel is humbled c. Exod. 33. from 5 to 12 c. The next day Moses goes up again and falls upon his second forty days fast wherein he desired to see the glory of God as in his first he had seen a glorious Tabernacle upon Israel's humbling the Cloud of Glory which had been removed by their Idolatry was restored c. On the 30th day of the Month Ab which answers to our July he enters on his third fast then he seeth the Lord and heareth him proclaim himself by most glorious attributes c. Exod. 34. and on the tenth day of the Month Tisri which answers to our September he came down with the glad tidings that all was well betwixt God and Israel with the renewed Tables in his hand and with a Commission to set about the making of the Tabernacle here 's time sufficient for two forty days fasts c. The Twelfth Remark on this Twelfth Station of Israel at Mount Sinai is the erection of the Tabernacle which was the visible sign Divinely appointed of God's favourable presence with his Church the glorious Cloud taking possession of it to dwell therein among his people Exod. 40.17 and 34. Mark here how God renewed his Covenant with Israel when duly humbled for their gross Idolatry God had given Moses upon his first fast Exod. 24.18 two Tables which were the work of God hewn out of the Saphire of the Throne of God's glory v. 20. say the Jewish Doctors and the writing was the writing of God Exod. 31.18 and 32.16 Moses brake those Tables at the sight of the Golden Calf to shew that Israel had made themselves unworthy of so great a Jewel and whereas the Lord had given him a Pattern and a Command for making and setting up a glorious Tabernacle and die service of it that benefit is also forfeited by their Calfish Idolatry and neither Tables to be restored nor the Tabernacle to be made tho' Moses had directions for it Exod. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. Chapt. All those Love tokens from the Lord were lost by their peccatum flagrans the flaming Sin in Exod. 32.1 to 7. until Moses by long and earnest prayer had prevailed for Israel's peace upon their due humiliation 'T is said the People mourned Exod. 33.4 even in Mourning Habit as they had good cause they looked after Moses c. v. 8. to see what success his interceeding for their sin might obtain And when they saw signs that God was appeasable they bowed in thankfulness v. 9 10 11. This Friendship and familiarity of God with Moses was further manifested in those words hew thee two Tables of Stone c. Exod. 34.1 4 c. Herein they differed from die first Tables which were the work of God Exod. 32.16 but these were of Moses's hewing to shew the work of Moses's Law is to hew an heard heart Hos 6.5 yet cannot change it from Stone to Flesh nor write the Law in it that is Christ's work Ezek. 36.36 37. he makes all new Rev. 21.5 the first Law writ in the heart was broke by the sin of the first Adam The Messiah as Moses here renews all both heart and life God writes the Law again here in Moses's two new hewn Tables renews his Covenant with Israel thus humbled gives a new Commission to set about making the Tabernacle the People freshly fall on the work Exod. Chap. 35 36 37 38 39. and so freely frame they furniture for this Worldly Sanctuary Heb. 9.1 as they not only do but over do Exod. 36.7 to make amends for breaking the Law by Idolatry The Women devote their Looking-glasses whereby they dressed their Bodies to make the Laver whereby through Faith they might sanctifie their Souls Exod. 38.8 All was finished by the first day of the first Month in the second year then the Tabernacle was erected the Cloud of Glory fills it Exod. 40.17 34. So that Moses who had oft entred the Cloud cannot here v. 35. when God took up his Seat on the Ark to shew the unworthiness and weakness of all Flesh to come into God's presence as Levit 16.2 Aaron went in only at God's call as Moses into the Cloud when called Exod. 24.16 If so such daâ—ling Glory was not usual then it had hindred the service there it was a Type of God's dwelling with Men in Christ The Thirteenth Remark upon this Twelfth Station at Sinai is that no sooner was the glorious Tabernacle erected in all its furniture both without and within and God had taken his Chair of State upon the Mercy-Seat between the Cherubims but immediately he who had hitherto spoken to Israel out of Heaven Exod. 20.22 and Nehem. 9.13 c. now speaketh from the Mercy-Seat in the newly-erected Tabernacle and called Moses who stood without and could not enter when the glory of the Lord had filled the place Exod. 40.35 to come to him Levit. 1.1 and there taught he Israel by Moses how they should serve him with Sacrifices according to the Levitical Law c. all expressed in the whole Book of Leviticus which only containeth an entire History of one Months time while they still staid at Sinai after the Tabernacle and its service was set up being the first Month of their second years wandring in the Wilderness and of their Redemption from Egypt and the 2515 year of the World Note the first from hence This was wonderful Divine Condescension that the Great God should vouchsafe to humble himself so far as to meet Man in this Tabernacle which had the Cloudy Pillar upon it by day and fire upon it by night in the fight of all Israel in all their journeyings after this Exod. 40.36 38. Numb 9.17 23. this great favour is oft Celebrated Neh. 9.19 Psal 78.14 105.39 Note Secondly God did not call Moses to him with a loud frightful thundring voice as he did upon Sinai but with a sort low yet audible voice as the last letter in Vaiikra He called being less than all the other in that first word doth intimate or it may hint that tho' this were a glorious Oracle yet was
Jaw-bone from breaking and to impower Samson that with it he was made able to Murder a Thousand Men. N. B. Nor must we ascribe too much to the strength of the Jaw-bone it self or to the strength of Samson himself for though this Jaw-bone was moist and fresh of some Ass lately dead so not so easily broken as those that have laid long and dryed towards a Putrefaction and though Samson had likewise most unparallell'd strength reckoned the strongest Man that ever was in the World yet must we look higher above both and conclude That this matchless Exploit was the accomplishment of God's Gracious Promise which we find twice recorded one of you shall chase a Thousand Deut. 32.30 and Josh 23.10 which Scriptures must be fulfilled Mark 14.49 c. The last part is the Consequents of this Victory which be Three The First is Samson's Song of Thanksgiving for it ver 16. singing With the Jaw-bone of an Ass I have laid heaps upon heaps where there is such an Elegancy in the Original Chamor Chamorathaim as our Translation cannot reach for the same word Chamor signifies both an Ass and an Heap N. B. Though Josephus wrongs Samson here saying this Song was a vain Vaunt of his own Strength and Atchievements for which pride God punish'd him afterward with such a Throat-thratling Thirst as made him ready to perish yet the Scripture of Truth owns it as a Song of his Faith and he is celebrated for it Hebr. 11.32 and no doubt but Samson look'd higher than the bare lifting up of the Jaw-bone as he named that place Ramath lehi ver 17. which so signifies for a Monument and Memorial of this Matchless Mercy N. B. Had he ascribed his Victory to so despicable a Tool it was not the lifting of it up but the falling of it down with force that did the feat and so there would have been a Solecism an absurd Impropriety in his naming the place thus Beside it was not the dead Instrument a Jaw-bone that could lay heaps upon heaps of it self but it was the living and lively Arm of a strong Champion striking with it that did the Deed. yet no marks of his own Might doth he make in the name of the place therefore Samson must have an Eye herein to the Almighty Power of God who had given him his Assistance to Atchieve these things The Second Consequent of his Conquest was Samson's excessive Thirst which God quench'd by a Miracle ver 18 19. None can justly wonder that Samson was now Thirsty considering how he had toil'd and turmoil'd himself in Vanquishing such an Host and Mawling a Thousand Men the over-heating of his Body might well in a Natural way cause him to be thirsty But beside this Natural Thirst God might likewise send one Preternatural for Supernatural ends As N. B. First To keep him humble hiding Pride from him Job 33.17 that he should not ascribe the Glory of this great Victory to himself and to his own Prowess which haughty Man is apt to do in Autotheism as bad as Atheism and Polutheism and so Sacrifice to his own Nes Habak 1.16 and with Ajax Adore no God but his own Weapon And Secondly It was to make him pray and this he did here for no sooner had he complained I am sore a Thirst but immediately 't is said He called on the Lord ascribing Kingdom Power and Glory unto God alone and urging this Argument in his Prayer That it would not consist with or conduce to God's Honour to begin a great Work and not to finish it contrary to the Promise when I begin I will make an end 1 Sam. 3.12 N. B. And in his Prayer he tells God Thy Servant hath got this Thirst in thy Service believing that as he had granted him the greater Mercy namely Victory over his Enemies he would not deny him the lesser Mercy to wit the quenching of his Thirst c saying Seeing I have kept within the compass of my calling whereunto my God hath called me I cannot but hope he will Relieve and Refresh me Such a savoury frame of Spirit is apparent in Samson's Prayeâ— here as is enough to answer Josephus's Notion and that of Ambrose following his Footsteps in his Tenth Epistle that Samson was puffed up with Pride and Vain glory in his Song N. B. Sure I am the contrary is apparent in his Prayer wherein he ascribes all the Glory of his Victory to the Lord of Hosts and not to his Jaw-bone of an Ass and he gives a clear Testification therein that he was more tender of Gods Honour than he was of his own in telling the Lord that it would much redound to his Dishonour should he after such a Glorious Appearance with him in this Marvelous Conquest yet suffer him to fall into the hands of the Philistines by his Fainting through Thirst N. B. But that which puts it beyond all Controversie is God's Acceptance of his Address and his Answer of Peace to his present Prayer ver 19. The Lord there works a Miracle to gratifie his Servant and to quench his Thirst God clave the hollow place that was in the Jaw-bone and turned it into a Spring of Water whereof Samson drank and his Natural Spirits were Revived N. B. The same God that did cleave the Rock in the Wilderness and as it were set it a broach to give Israel drink out of it did the like here for his Servant Samson The Miracle was the same though the Subject was differing there he clave the Bock and here the Jaw-bone yet out of both God's Omnipotency fetched not fire but mater For an impotent and weak Man can fetch fire out of a Flint or Bone with forcible strokes upon them but 't is only the Power and Prerogative of the Almighty God to wring Water out of them N. B. And hereupon sensible Samson to testifie his Thankfulness to his God sets another Mark of Remembrance upon this Miracle of Mercy also naming it Enhakkorth that is The Well of him that called or cryed looking upon it as a signal Answer to his servent Prayer in the time of his Extremity Psal 50.15 and this Fountain is said to remain there unto this Day from whence ariseth the Opinion of some N. B. That the Spring of Water was in the ground under it and not in the Jaw-bone it self which every Traveller that saw it might carry away with him as a rich Prize in those hot Countries where they had so much need to drink of the Brook in the way of their Travel 1 Kings 17.4 Psal 110.7 This indeed makes it improbable that the Jaw-bone should continue there so long but the contrary to this Opinion is not incredible upon those Considerations N. B. First Though Passengers might be forward enough to carry a Fountain along with them in that hot Climate yet might they generally have such an Awe upon them as to forbear the removing so great a Monument of God's great power and Miraculous Mercy Secondly
but none of those foul faults could the find out much less the Plague of their own Hearts and thereupon their Sin found out them 1 King 8 38. Numb 32.23 N. B. So grosly â—gnorant was Israel now that their deficiencies in Morals they think to make up with some cheap Ceremonials N. B. Too many such we have in our Day N. B. Israel here can easier fetch the Ark into their Army than Reform what offended God by Repenting of their sins and Returning to the Covenant made with Him The Third Remark is The Ark of the Covenant is fetched without waiting upon God for his warrant or consulting with Samuel which should not have been severed from the Mercy-Seat and between the Cherubims v. 4. N. B. Therefore as Mendoza thinketh they fetch'd all together to shew what an horrible loss did befal Israel when the Ark did fall into the Philistines hands which had this People been truly Penitent would not have been But the two Sons of Belial went with the Ark and this alone was enough to Forseit and Betray it The Fourth Remark is The entrance of the Ark into the midst of the Army causeth 1. The Israelites to rejoice And 2. The Philistines to tremble v. 5 6 7 8 9. Now Israel on the one hand placeth their confidence in an Ark of Wood among them not regarding the absence of the God of Israel from his Ark Herein they were become as bad as the Superstitious Philistines themselves who carried their Carved Images which are called their Gods into the Field with them 2 Sam. 5.21 that they might fight for them But such Carnal Confidence always concludes in Dreadful Confusion as it did here But on the other hand as Israel Triumph'd at the Arks presence though it was but a Short Triumph Job 20.5 and a Triumph without a Victory so the Philistines trembled at it crying Was there ever such a thing heretofore that is not as they knew of though it had been at the Siege of Jericho and in the War with the Meidianites Numb 31.6 c. and they add Wo unto us Acknowledging the God of Israel to be mightier than their Gods yet harden themselves and resolve to fight c. The Fifth Remark is The Second Battle had far more Fatal and Foul effects to Israel notwithstanding their Carnal Confidence that the Ark of Wood would fight for them than the first had for now there fell down Dead Thirty Thousand men v. 10. The Ark wherein they trusted was taken and the two Belialists that were the bearers of it Hophni and Phinehas were both slain ver 11. Of whom Josephus saith that their Father Eli charged them that they should live and die with it and if it were lost never to look him in the Face more N. B. By all this God taught his People that his Ark and Ordinances were never instituted by him to become Sanctuaries to impenitent sinners but for the Comfort of those that truly repent and believe c. Psal 132.8 The Sixth and Last Remark is The sad Catastrophe caused by the very tidings of this dismal Defeat First Old Eli sat trembling v. 12 13. his guilty Conscience misgave him from Samuel's Prediction Bad News like bad Weather comes in hastily unsent for v. 14 15 16 17. He bears to hear of the loss of his Subjects as Judge and of his Sons as a Father but the loss of the Ark as an High Priest this knocks him down backward v. 18. and 't is hard to tell whether his Neck or Heart was first broken after he had been Israels Supream Governor beth in Civils and Spirituals Forty Years And Secondly His Daughter in-Law a good Wise to a bad Husband was by grief for the like loss not of her Husband but of the Ark brought to travel before her full time and so she brought forth yet was she so overwhelmed with sorrow that she was uncapable of comfort when told it but her Soul and her Son passed out of her Body almost both together save only that she named him twice Jechabod speaking but once of the loss of her Father and Husband but twice of the loss of the Ark Israel's Glory This good Woman bewailed her Spiritual loss more than Civil or Domestick v. 19 20 21. 1 Samuel CHAP. V. THE Fifth Chapter sheweth how the Philistines were punished for carrying away the Ark of God Captive The First Remark is The procuring cause of the Philistines punishment was their prophanation of the Ark of God which was his own Institution by Moses in the Wilderness c. and though Israel had now most grosly abused it by over-valuing and Idolizing it so that God justly suffered it to fall into the hands of the Philistines yet will not God suffer it to be under-valued and abused by Uncircumcised Hands which they did in placing it when they had taken it captive in their Temple of Dagon their Idol at Ashdod consecrating it as a most rich spoil and a famous Trophy to their supposed God by whose help they thought the Victory was obtained v. 1 2. The Second Remark in General is Though the Israclites had much benefit by their having the Ark of God among them heretofore as in its being their Conduct to Canaan when the Cloudy-Pillar departed from them in the Dividing of Jordan in the overthrow of Jericho c. Yet now when it was faln into the Philistines hands these Vncircumcised ones found but little joy in their having it but it proved fatal to them and Plagued them from Place to Place and from one City to another N. B. This happened that Men may know how little good is gotten by Holy things if not used in an Holy manner The Third Remark is The particular punishments wherewith God Plagued the Philistines for abusing his Holy Ark this was first upon their Religion or rather Superstition in confounding their Idol Dagon once and again to make it the more contemptible v. 3 4 5. As First God who had seemed to be Asleep hitherto now Awakes in the Vindication of his own Ark and will not suffer Dagon to be its Co-Rival but with his own immediate Hand throws Dagon down flat upon his own Dunghill insomuch that when the Philistines Priests came early in the Morning to Worship Dagon behold they find their Dagon himself in a posture as it were of Worshipping the Ark of God before which the Idol was not able to stand N. B. And thus it still falls out That Diabolical Delusions all fall down before the Glorious Light of the Gospel of Christ whereof this Ark was a Type There is no concord betwixt Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 15. N. B. How the first fall of Dagon came to be hushed the Sacred Scripture telleth us not but saith only They of Ashdod arose early c. to wit the Crafty Priests of Dagon were both Curious to observe what Correspondency their Idol had with its new Neighbour and whether Dagon had received any damage
Royal Assent N. B. Some indeed do say that Saul did not believe what David had said of himself touching his Conquests over the Bear and Lion but look'd upon these Stories as the vain glorious Vaunts of Young Men who commonly make proud Proclamations of their own Heroick Exploints seeing he had heard no Testimony from others about the truth of them therefore reckoned he them as no better than bare Romances of a Rodomantado Yonkster However such were the sad circumstances of Saul and his Army at this juncture that as he had not time now to send a Messenger to Bethlehem for enquiring the truth of these things which the Enemy pressed so hard upon him so he saw that his whole Army had made an absolute Refusal of Accepting the Champion's Challenge save only this young David who was no Member thereof yet proffer'd his Service upon a pious Profession of his Trust in God grounded upon sensible experience he dismisseth him to the Duel and together with his Dismission gave him not only his Commission but also his Supplication saying Go and the Lord be with thee N. B. Which was the best Prayer that an Hypocrite could make and such as might be cordial so far as it concerned the weal of his own Crown and Kingdom Saul might heartily pray for David's prosperous Enterprize that the Lord in whom he so much professed to place his Confidence might go along with him to assist him in the Conquest of so cursed a Caitiff The second Auxiliary Saul furnishes David with was not only his Prayers but his Arms and Armour also Saul Armed David with his Armour Ver. 38. which David put on for Saul's pleasure but put off again for his own pleasure v. 39. saying I cannot go with these for I have not proved them and therefore was he soon weary of them for for tho' Saul had made him his Armour-bearer chap. 16.21 yet this was but for a short season and he had only the bare Title of that Office and Honour For we never read that David was clad in Armour at that time or was in any Battel with Saul at any other time hereupon he saith here I have not been accustomed to there having so much led a Rureal and a Pastoral Life and well might David say I cannot go with these if it were Saul's own Armour which he used to wear in War for there could be no proportion betwixt that which was fitted for Saul's bulky Body who overtop'd all the People chap. 10.23 and that which must fit David's Body of a smaller size and stature c. The third Auxiliary in the failure of the second was David takes to the Duel his own Shepherd's Staff his Sling and his five smooth Stones in his Scrip ver 40. from whence we draw these Notes N. B. 1. The First is The wonderful Providence of God that Saul's Armour should not sit Davids Body but were more like to hinder him than to help him in the Duel therefore must all those Martial Accoutrements be laid wholly aside and those contemptible Tools only made use of that God alone might have the whole glory of this Victory wherein David was to be a Type of Christ who subdued his Enemies not by Carnal but by Spiritual Weapons Zech. 4.6 2 Cor. 10.4 N. B. 2. The Second Note is David disdained not to wage War against such a Walking Armory and so Armed an Antagonist as Goliah was with such worthless Weapons as these being assured by Gods Spirit that he should win the Victory with them well-kowinâ— he went furnished with the Whole Armour of God Eph. â— 14 to 19. He had a Good Cause a Good Call and a Good Conscience this was Armour of Proof to David for a Good Courage also N. B. 3. The Third Note is No doubt but David was an Artist in improving his Sling for the Philistines having forbid the Israelites the use of any Iron-Weapons during their Dominion over them Chap. 13.19 20. So that they were forced in fights to use Slings wherein some of them arrived to great Dexterity even with their Left Hands Judg. 20.16 And it need not be questioned but David under the Teachings of Gods Spirit which rested upon him ever after he was Anointed must needs make him the more dexterous in slinging stones Insomuch that he gives God the Glory of teaching His Hands to War and his Fingers to Fight Psal 18.34 and 144.1 N. B. 4. The Fouth Note is David chuses Five Stones that were smooth for his Sling that they might slip the better out of his Sling by their smoothness and so many as five that if the first failed of its effect he might use another All those five he put into his Shepherds-purse or Bagge having his Shepherds-crook in one Hand and his Sling in the other and so he draws night to the Champion of the Philistines not like a Souldier but like a Shepherd v. 40. That the Glory of the Victory might not be ascribed to any Humane Valour but altogether unto Divine Vertue And a Conquest over such an Accomplished Warriour by such contemptible means as it would be most honourable to Israels God so it must be most disgraceful and discouraging to the Philistines The Fourth Remark upon the Concomitants of this Conflict is The Contest it self in the manner of its management on both sides which is Twofold First There is their Contest in a Conference which was a Logomachia or a War with Words not Swords No sooner did those two Duelists draw nigh within the seeing and hearing each of other at some due distance but presently the proud Philistine disdains the very sight of so mean a Man as David v. 41 42. When Goliah saw that his own Terrible and Disdainful Frowns did not firghten David to flee from him then begins he to Bawle at him saying Am I a Dog that thou comest to me with a Staff meaning his Shepherds Staff which he walked towards him with in his Hand was good for nothing but for driving Dogs out of Doors N. B. If Josephus may be believed David told him most stoutly and sternly that he was not so good as a Dog However he could not look upon him as any better than a Beast And indeed he gave himself a right Name for he was no other than a Dog for Impudence Uncleanness and Infidelity Whether David call'd him a Barking Dog for Defying the Armies of the Living God we find it not recorded however something might probably be said by David in answer to his Question Am I a Dog which made Goliah so mad that he most bitterly cursed David saying Dagon Destroy thee v. 43. which is Tantamount in Profane Discourse The Devil take thee Such was his Dogger Discourse N. B. And had David deemed him better than a Dog he had never come forth to him with a Staff and a Stone Nor was David discouraged at his execrable Oaths but took Goliah's Curse as a pledge for his own Victory For Gods
what was fittest to be done at his departing time He was not taken up into Heaven from his Praying in Private or in his solitary and serious Meditation but in this Ordinance of Divine Discourse with Elisha Had he not known that this Godly Conference was more necessary and Divine it had given way saith Dr. Hall to Prayer and Meditation There can be no better state or posture for the Messenger of our Dissolution to find us in than in a diligent Prosecution of the Duties of our Office our sedulous Attendance upon our Generation-work is no less pleasing to God than is our private Devotion Blessed is the Man whom his Master when He cometh doth find so doing Matth. 24.46 The Third Remark is The Place whither this Chariot of Fire carried Elijah 't is said into Heaven whereof there be various Opinions As 1. That of the Schoolmen c. saying He was rapt up into some pleasant Place prepared of old for pious Spirits that expected the Messiah's opening Paradise for them 2. Vatablus c. say He was carried into Abraham's Bosom which they suppose to be rather in the Air than on the Earth yet grant that his Garments were burnt by the Fire and his Body was changed and made immortal N.B. Their ground is that No Man ascended into Heaven before Christ that descended from Heaven John 3.13 and the passage into Paradise was not yet open'd by Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 he is the first Fruits that went thither Luke 23.43 But 3. The most Orthodox Opinion is that He was taken up into the Third Heaven so called 2 Cor. 12.2 that heavenly Paradise where the Souls of Saints departed are where Christ in his Humane Nature is Acts 1.11 and where all Believers after the General Resurrection shall be with Christ their Head in Everlasting Glory Into this glorious Heaven was Elijah translated as Enoch had been before him Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 both in Soul and Body His Body being so transformed in the way and changed in a moment that his corruptible put on incorruption and his mortal immortality 1 Cor. 15.51 52 53. so as to make him meet to be admitted into those Mansions of Glory And Chrysostom hath a Conceit that the Devil that Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 was very much amazed when he saw Elijah thus marvelously convoyed in a Chariot of Triumph through his Countrey and Territories N.B. 1. As this Rapture of Elijah was a Type of Christ's glorious Ascension Mar. 16.19 Acts 1.11 so it was an ensuring Evidence both as of the Resurrection of our Bodies in General so likewise more particularly of the last Rapture of such Saints as shall be living upon Earth when Christ cometh to the last General Judgment 1 Thess 4.17 2. As this magnificent Rapture was an Effect of Elijah's strong and miraculous Faith in this respect it may be reckoned his twelfth and last Miracle Now come we to the third Particular the Consequents of this Rapture Remarks hereupon are First Elisha's lamenting the loss of his good Master ver 12. This he doth 1. By Words And 2. By Deeds 't is said He saw all this glorious Transaction and Translation this was the Condition of his grant of a double Portion ver 10. therefore kept he both his Eyes and his Heart so fixed upon his Master that he would admit of no Interruption but twice he gave a Repulse to his fellow Prophets with hold ye your Peace ver 3 5. that is give ye me no Diversion I may not look off from my Master to look upon you And now when he saw him got up a good way from Earth towards Heaven He 1. Cries out like an Orphan my Father my Father c. not minding now his natural Father Shaphat 1 Kings 19.16 but the loss of his Spiritual Father was intolerable to him though he was like to gain a double Portion of God's Spirit by his looking upon this loss Nor doth he bemoan his own loss only but likewise the prodigious loss this was to all Israel who had lost in him their Chariots and Horsemen wherein he not only alludes to this Triumphal Chariot he now saw but he also saith Grotius and Vatablus c. intimates that Elijah had been a better Bulwark to Israel by his Prayers and Power with God and by Counsel and Instruction for their Preservation then all their Chariots Horsemen and other Warlike Provisions N.B. In this respect this Elisha afterward had the same stile given him by Joash King of Israel Chap. 13.14 which was an apt Remuneration of his pious Affection to his good Master 2. His Deeds after those aforesaid Words were 1. He Rent his own Cloths into two pieces which was an ancient Expression of Grief Gen. 37.29 34. 2. He took up Elijah's Mantle that fell from him ver 13. whereof he had no need in Heaven God order'd its fall saith Grotius for Elisha's Comfort and for the fortifying of his Faith that together with the Mantle given as a Pledge both the Office and Spirit of Elijah should rest upon Elisha his Successor This Mantle was a good amends for his own cloaths that he had rent and this he keeps as a memorial of his Master 3. He returns back to Jordan wearing this Mantle as his Master had done and in Imitation of his Master smites the Waters with the Mantle ver 14. crying where is the Lord God of Elijah not out of doubt and Diffidence but from Faith and an earnest desire to see an experimental Proof of his Master's Promise of a double Portion c. I find some Learned men have other Sentiments than ordinary hereof partly grounded upon the Ambiguity of the Hebrew word Aph-Hu and partly because these Words He smote the Waters are mentioned twice As to the former Aph-Hu which we read and when He c. they take for one of God's Attributes with an Emphatical Interrogation even himself or even the same as if he doubted whether God would be the same to him that he had been to Elijah As to the latter they say the Repetition of his smiting the Waters implies that the Waters did not divide at his first smiting for which they render these Reasons 1. God doth not grant Miracles immediately lest they should by too much facility be undervalued 2. Lest the Miracle should be ascribed to the external Means 3. Lest Elisha should Pride himself too much in his double Portion and think himself equal if not Superiour to his Master 4. Lest Elisha should Attribute too much to his own Merits and too little to God's Bounty So Lyra Sanctius c. say N.B. However when we come to an Ordinance of God we ought to cry with Elisha here Where is the Lord God of this Ordinance every Ordinance is as a Mantle which our Lord and Master Jesus Christ hath drop'd down from Heaven to us that we may wear them and wrap our selves up in them to keep us warm yet the bare Ordinances of God will not
yea and Reformation of Manners ver 8 9. They cryed mightily to the Lord during those forty days not only the Men but even the Beasts too cryed to God saith Calvin by way of Implication as Psal 147.9 when pinched with Famine saith Lyra The Men cryed mightily with Intention of Mind as well as Extention of Mouth praying the more earnestly as Luke 22.44 and bouncing hard at Heaven-Gates as if resolved to wring Mercy from God with an holy Violence as Matth. 11.12 N.B. This may serve to shame our cold careless and indifferent Devotion Nor rested they here but looked upon Prayer as to small purpose when Supplication is not seconded with Reformation hereupon they renounce with loathing as well as leaving their old Darling sins they restore all rapaciously gotten goods without which God would not remit them Non remittitur Peccatum nisi restituatur Ablatum saith Augustin on Numb 5.6 7. N.B. Here was Repentance from Sin as well as Repentance for Sin Remark the Fifth All this they did not without hope of Mercy ver 9. Mi Jodeang Jashub Hebr. Who can tell if God will turn c This is the speech of one that doubteth but despaireth not saith Calvin 'T was not their Diffidence but the Difficulty of finding Mercy Their Faith struggled with their Vnbelief saith Tarnovius Jonah was peremptory in his Prephecy of Nineveh's Destruction by such a day therefore had they good cause to doubt if not of the pardon of their sins yet of saving their City Mercerus saith All their hope was it was not God's Absolute Decree but only a Conditional Threatning if they repented not of their Sins which if they could God would repent of his Sentence and be reconciled to them though he cannot repent as Man Numb 23.19 Remark the last Relateth the Effect of their Repentance upon God ver 10. God saw not their Sackcloth c. without saith Calvin but their Works within with the Fruits of their Faith which Men could not see in a serious and sincere Repentance as Mercerus and many good Authors charitably stile it That it was real Repentance two Reasons are rendred for it 1. God approved of it here and remitted their Ruine And 2. Christ approved of it after Matth. 12.41 but others are of another Opinion saying their Repentance was but feigned and forced like that of Pharaoh Ahab c. arguing 1. God approved of Ahab's Humiliation though but External 2. This led them not into a milder Carriage to the Captive Jews c. 3. Nor did it last long for about forty Years after Nahum denounces Nineveh's utter Destruction However the merciful God gave them now a Reprieve and Repented to Ruine them at this Time which was only Mutatio Rei non Dei effectus non affectus facti non consilii saith Tarnovius N.B. God granted to Nineveh that they might be reduced to Repentance what Abraham deny'd to Dives requesting one raised from the Dead to reclaim his five profane Brethren Luke 16.27 28 29 30. for here Jonah is raised out of the Belly of Hell Jonah 2.2 and sent to preach Repentance to this sinful City upon which they reformed their Evil Manners c. Jonah CHAP. IV. THIS Chapter relateth a marvelous Tryal at Law as it were betwixt Jonah the Plaintiff and Jehovah the Defendant Remark the First Upon the Plaintiff in the first part of the Tryal Though Jehovah was well pleased as above yet Jonah was ill displeased ver 1 2 3 5. David had once been Displeased with an Act of God's Severity against Vzzah 2 Sam. 6.8 because the General Joy of that Day was dashed and damped with such a sad and suddain Disaster Therefore David gives a good Caution Cease from Anger and fret not thy self in any wise to do Evil c. Psalm 37.1 7 8. but Jonah did here far worse than David who in a pet and pang of preposterous Passion was deeply discontented with an Act of God's Lenity and tender Compassion to the Penitent Ninevites God bids Be angry but Sin not Eph. 4.26 This is the easiest Charge under the hardest Condition and Terms that can be 't is assuredly a difficult Task to kindle and keep quick saith one this Fire of Anger without any Smoak of Sin Therefore the Greeks give this good Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Anger either say nothing or say that which is better than nothing lest thou Sin c. Remark the Second Jonah expresseth his Anger in a Speech call'd a Prayer ver 2. with such a turbulent and tumultuating Mind saith Tarnovius that it seems rather a Brawl than a Prayer Calvin saith N.B. That his Pious Principle put him upon Praying down his own present Passions knowing himself to be naturally Hot and Hasty and feeling himself feeble in giving place to Passion Eph. 4.27 He though to cure it by Praying but the Flesh of his treacherous Heart prevail'd against the Spirit in him under Divine Desertion so that whereas he should have wrastl'd with God as Jacob did Gen. 32.24 26. behold Jonah downright wrangl'd with God and justified himself for his declining the employ as foreseeing the Issue Therefore I fled before to Tarshish so soon forgetting how he had so sorely smarted for his flight yet God had so graciously granted him Deliverance c. Remark the Third Jonah doth not only justifie himself but he accuseth God of too much Mercy to the Damage of his Truth and the Danger of his Honour yea and to the Disparagement of his Prophet all which he thought would be prejudiced by the many Misconstructions the Adversary will make upon the sparing of Nineveh which God foretold by him should be destroyed Thus Jonah quarrell'd with that great Attribute of God's Mercy the chiefest flower in God's glorious Crown Exod 34.6 7. and even with that goodness of God which had so lately preserved himself from perishing in the Sea and whereby he still subsisted thus is he doing enough to undo himself for ever had not God's Mercy triumphed over his Justice James 2.13 Remark the Fourth The Epilogue of Jonah's pitiful peevish Prayer ver 3. Take my Soul out of my Body Hebr. Kack na eth naphshi mimeni whence Grotius gathers this good Argument plainly proving from hence that the Soul is a distinct Substance from the Body and perishes not with it 'T is better for me to Dye saith he than to Live namely in Disgrace of being a false Prophet never more to be believed Jerome doth excuse Jonah herein As if he were more Zealous for God's Glory and the Weal of the Jews whom he conceived would be Damag'd by the Conversion of the Gentiles than for his own personal Reputation But others do better observe that this preposterous Prayer was a zeal without Knowledge and that he added one Sin to another therein For 1. He puts a Fallacy upon God call'd non causa pro causâ alledging that God's being too merciful was the cause of his former flight from his Message
had in perfection from the first but in Natural Acquired and Experimental Knowledge only such as to be Angry and Grieved Mark 3.5 6.6 and to be Ignorant of some things Mark 13.32 Mat. 24.36 The Son knew not the last day but from the Father This was Ignorantia morae privations non pravae Dispositionis Notewel If Christ thus humbled Himself that he might Suffer for us both in Soul and Body c. How should we be content to be Humbled even to a Nothingness for His Glory and the Churche's Good and how should we be content to be Humbled One for Another The same Mind that was in Christ should be in us Phil. 2.5 6 7. and we should wash one another's Feet as He gave an Example John 13.14 15. 'T is a shame for Man to be so-Proud where God hath been so Humble c. Notewel Secondly As Christ was Conceived in the Womb of the Virgin so must He be Conceived in the Heart of a Christian Gal. 4.19 Paul had a Travelling Spirit till Christ were formed in them This he did promote by two Means 1. By casting the Seed of the Word into their Souls which being Hid in the Heart Psal 119.11 and Well Watered there by the Ordinances will Through Grace breed Christ 2. He presseth them to min â—his word with Faith Heb. 4.2 otherwise It will be as a Miscarrying Womb No sooner did Mary Believe what the Angel had told her but she straight way Conceived Christ Luke 1.35 38. So Faith is a necessary Ingredient for Conceiving Christ Spiritually for Christ dwells in our Hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 All which we may know by the â—abe's Motion as in the Womb. And without this we can have no comfort in the Literal unless we can feel the stirrings of the Spiritual Conception also The Antients say That Mary carry'd Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in her Heart as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in her Arms. Notewel Thirdly As the Literal so the Spiritual Conception cannot be wrought by any Power of Nature but by the Overshadowings of the Spirit of Grace As the Watry Cloud Overshadows a Fleece of Wool and the Rain thereof soaks and sinks into it insensibly so did the Spirit into the Virgin 's Womb and so sometimes into our Hearts Many may abound with the Power of Nature and be indued with all Natural Excellencies yet not have Christ Conceived or formed in their Hearts This cannot be till the Power of the Holy Ghost come upon us which the Wisest Sages and the greatest Luminaries of the Heathen World were strangers to 1 Cor. 2.8 Eph. 4.18 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 There can be no fiducial Assent of the Heart to own Christ as our Lord but by the Spirit Notewel Fourthly As Christ was Conceived by the Holy Ghost that Man's Nature and Sin might be Severed Asunder All born from the first Adam had Nature and Sin so joined together that none could take Man's Nature but He must take his Sin too till the second Adam came to part these two by his Supernatural Conception So All that have Christ Conceived in their Hearts by the Over-shadowings of the Spirit shall feel this parting Power of Christ who was the first from Adam that purify'd Man's Nature and parted it from Sin Thus it was in Regenerated Paul The good He would do He did not The evil He would not Do He Did Rom. 7.19 Sin was one thing in him and Nature Imported in the word I was another would to God we may All have this parting power of Christ to say as the Apostle 't is no more I but Sin that Dwells in me that though we keep the Nature of Man yet Sin may be parted from us As a spark of Fire may but up Towns and Cities c. So this Spirit of Burning can consume a World of Corruption in us Notewel The Fifth Mystery arises from the Third Particular to wit The Commotion at Christ's Conception Joseph cannot sleep Mary must be put away and the Angel must come to quiet all c. Mat. 1.19 20. Thus there is much ado when Christ is conceived in any Christian Heart such a one presently becomes a Table-Talk A Song of the Drunkards Psal 69.12 Men say He is Mad or at least Melancholy Acts 2.13 15. Mark 3.21 Oh what a Rout is made about it and nothing but an Angel from Heaven can hush all not only without in the World but also within in the Christian's own Conscience c. CHAP. III. AFter Christ's Conception followeth his Birth to be Discussed wherein consider five Particulars 1. The Person of whom he was Born 2. The Time When. 3. The Place Where 4. The Manner How 5. The Manifestation of it First of the First First The Person of whom He was Born Wherein two Branches be observable 1. He was Born of a Virgin 2. Of the Virgin Mary Mat. 1.23 1. Of a Virgin for three reasons 1. That he might be freed from the Guilt of Sin which comes by the course of Nature All have sinned in Adam Rom. 5.12 who proceed from his Loins by ordinary Procreation Though Christ was as a Man in Adam yet not simply so as other Men Are both from Adam and by Adam He was from him in his Humane Nature but not by him as a Procreant Cause by Ordinary Generation Therefore was he Born of a Virgin not in the common course of Nature that the purity of his Conception and Birth might sanctifie the Impurity of Ours Christ Began at the farther end of Man's Sin the first Tincture whereof is when Conceived and Brought Forth both in Iniquity Psal 51.5 That he might be our Compleat Saviour The 2d Reason is To Fulfil the Prophecies of Him Isa 7.14 Gen. 3.15 A Virgin shall bring forth Immanuel and the Seed of the Woman Born without the Seed of Man shall be the Breaker of the Serpent's Head and by this Signal and Singular Sign he was known to be the Saviour of the World The 3d Reason is That the strangeness of Christ's Birth might awake a Drowzy World to expect strange matters by his Life Yea much more than at the strange Births of Isaac Jacob Moses Samuel Samson and John Baptist The World did wonder a little at it Luke 2.18 'T is a wonder that they wondred no more that Christ should be Born of a Woman without Man whereas All the World wonders after the Beast Rev. 13.3 and not at this that the Son of God became the Son of Man to make us Sons of Men to be the Sons of God Learn hence a fourfold Mystery 1. What is Impossible with Man is yet possible with God Mat. 19.26 That a Virgin should bear a Son is Impossible by the Power of Nature yet Possible by the Power of God 'T was Impossible in Nature that Sarah when her Womb was Old and Cold should bear a Son yet was it possible with
Rom. 1.19 20. Reason indeed may see God per Modum causalitatis Negationis Eminentiae so the glory of the God-head is beyond Sense yet Faith here is beyond Reason which is only the Blear-Eyed Leah but Faith is the beautiful and bright-sighted Rachel and can see him that is Invisible Heb. 11.27 Though it be but through a Glass darkly on Earth yet as Face to Face in Heaven 1 Cor. 13.12 The glory of Heaven can never be clouded as the greatest Glory displayed on Earth may therefore ought we to expect overshadowings of all that Glory we behold in this Life such as came here upon the Disciples just while Peter was talking of Tabernacling continually in it as we in late years have vainly done c. The 6th Remark is The Disciples feared when they entred the Cloud Luke 9 34. which teacheth us how fearful a thing it is to enter into a dark and cloudy Dispensation for 1. The Darkness which it brings with it is naturally an Object of fear 2. We know not what Storms may fall upon us out of that Cloud Nor 3. How long that Cloud may continue before the Hail-stones have done falling and the Sun wade out and appear again with its Light and Comfort Thus their overshadowing caus'd their fear The 7th Remark is Yet Cloudy Dispensations want not some considerations to comfort against fear as here in this case of the Disciples For 1. It was but Cloud and that is no Permanent but only a Transient thing alway Riding Post upon the Wings of the Wind. This consideration did comfort Nazianzen and Basil against Julian's Persecution Ista Nebecula citò transib this small black Cloud shall soon blow over And 2. This is call'd expresly a Bright Cloud Mat. 17.5 to distinguish the Gospel from the Law which was given in a Thick and a Dark Cloud Exod. 19.9 20.21 non in Nube sed-in Nimbo the Law was not deliver'd in a Cloud only but in a Storm of Thunder and Lightning Fire and Smoak Exod. 19.16 18. The Gospel is indeed a Cloud but 't is a Bright one as this was to shew that Christ came to give Light to the dark Shadows of the Old Law by the brightness of his New Gospel Mount Ebal was all Fear but Mount Gerizzim was all Love c. Mount Sinai Trembled and Quarked greatly Exod. 19.18 but Mount Sion Leaps and Dances for Joy Psal 68.6 15 16 25. Heb. 12.18 21. This may serve to comfort us now no Gospel-cloud wants some clearness there is a bright side as well as a black for us to Eye As 't is not all day so 't is not all night with us Zech. 14.7 In the midst of Wrath God remembers Mercy Hab. 3.2 and gives some Revivings in it privately 3. It was a Comfort-speaking Cloud they shall not die in the Cloud but hear their Sweet Saviour and see him again to their Satisfaction and Salvation c. The 8th Remark is God calls off the Disciples by this Cloud from Seeing to Hearing those are two Senses that are capable of Discipline They had been seeing the Glory of Christ now must they hear God's Voice out of the Cloud that hid the Glory from their Eyes The Psalmist saith As we have heard so have we seen Psal 48.8 but here they first see and then hear John who was one of those Seers and Hearers here saith What we have heard and seen 1 John 1.2 3. Faith comes not now ordinarily by Visions but by Hearing Rom. 10.17 yet seeing is helpful to it for the Visible word is the Sacrament wherein Christ is Crucified to our Eyes Gal. 3.1 The 9th Remark is Now came in the third Coelestial Witness of Christ's Glory together with Moses and Elias to wit the Father himself who spake out of the Cloud as he used to do to the Patriarchs that it might be the better believed to be the Voice of God and not of Moses or Elias who now were gone Yea some of the Antients comparing this Voice from Heaven at his Transfiguration with that of his Baptism and first Inauguration Matth. 3.16 17. say that as the Dove then so this bright Cloud now was the Holy Spirit which Peter one of the Spectators calls the most Excellent Glory 2 Pet. 1.17 and calls this Voice a Voice from Heaven ver 18. though it came out of this Cloud So that here also as well as there were a most Majestick Meeting of all the Three persons in the Trinity about the Work of Mans Redemption as on the beginning at Mans Creation Gen. 1.26 where the same words were reinforced here shewing two great points 1. What must be Believed 2. and who must be Obayed c. as above The 10th Remark is To know Christ the Churches Prophet is of Supernatural Revelation Therefore is this Voice said to come from Heaven it must needs be some great Truth the Father himself speaks concerning his Son and 't is spoken to some few only all have not this Spiritual Understanding Col. 1.9 and 't is a Truth of Supream Authority Numa only pretended he had his Laws from the Goddess Aegeria but Christ the True 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19.35 the very Image of his Father Heb. 1.3 which fell down not from Jove but from Jehovah He must be heard in all cases for his word is sufficient otherwise the Son Messiah had not been so faithful as the Servant Moses in the House of God Hebr. 3.2 3 5 6. N. B. Note well Then should we not hear the false Prophet who deceiveth the Nations Revel 13.14 who is more for pleasing the Eye with Images Crucifixes Altars c. than for profiting the Ear which Solomon bids us bow to Instruction Prov 5.1 22.17 c. Since Vision ceased the Ear is the inlet to saving Wisdom Christ had yet a 〈◊〉 Testimony from Heaven to wit at the conclusion of his Redemption work Joh. 12.27 28. to teach us our 3. steps to Glory 1. When Baptized with the Spirit 2. In our growth in Grace and 3. At our Death c. The last Circumstances are the Consequents following the Transfiguration and they are three also as 1. Christs Comforting the Affrighted Disciples 2. His charge that they should not declare his Glory to any till after his Resurrection and 3. The Discourse or Conference about Elias's coming as they came down from the Mount Thus all the whole Relation runs altogether upon Three holding forth the Mystery of the Trinity in all its Circumstances both before in and after it The first is the Disciples were sore afraid Matth. 17 6. and Mar. 9.6 This Voice was carryed by the Cloud as by a Charet into their Ears with great Sound and Solemnity some say with a Thundring Noise like that Terrible Voice which Moses admired they should hear out of the fire yet live Deut. 5.26 Therefore no wonder if they fell down upon their faces Matth. 17.6 but suppose it a small still Voice like that wherein
their Death as well as in their Life for as they both Lived so they both Dyed Qualis vita Mors finis ita an Holy Lifâ— hath an Happy Death so contra First Lazarus dyeth and he dyed in the Lord Rev. 14.13 He slept in Jesus 1 Thess 4.14 So his Death was Blessed being but as that Noble Charior which Joseph the Lord of the Land of Egypt sent to fetch his Father in to partake with him of his glory Gen. 45.27 So the Lord sent Death to this Miserable godly Man as a Waggon not only to carry him out of his present Misery but also to carry him home to his Fathers House where he might partake of future Felicity and endless Glory This Holy Beggar had the Holy Angels attending him at his Death he had been before in his Life Canibus Expositus a Companion of Dogs but now at his Death he is become Angelorum Socius an Associate of Angels who waited upon him at his dying Hour Angels may indeed wait upon wicked Men as that Angel did at the Pool of Bechesda John 5.2 3 4. We cannot suppose that every Person of that Multitude of Impotent folk were godly yet whosoever he was good or bad that first stepped into the Pool when the Waters thereof were moved he was straight-way healed by the Angel But this good Man had many Angels to meet him in his way of Dying as Jacob had Gen. 32.1 2. So his Death was to him only as another Mahanaim having Gods Host making a Lane being on each side to Succour his Soul with an easie passage out of his Body N. B. Note well Here was not one Angel only attending Dying Lazarus but many Angels all as it were striving which of them should be his bearers into a better World Thus he who had been licked by Dogs in his Life was now Honoured by Angels at his Death if it be asked What shall be done to the Man whom the King of Kings Delighteth to Honour as Esth 6.6 9 11. 'T is Answered he shall be Honoured with this double Honour 1. To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives and 2. To be born upon the Wings of Angels when he Dyes Such Honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 This is a greater Honour than that Honour of Hamans hammering out for himself of Riding upon the Kings Horse in Royal Robes c. as above Esth. 6. Yea 't is greater Honour than that of Amasis King of Egypt who would most Ambitiously have his own Royal Chariot to be drawn by four of his fellow Kings whom he had taken Captive in War in stead of Horses to hurry him about in State Oh! How great was this Honour done to a dying Saint that must have the Holy Angels come down from Heaven to Earth upon this Errand only Namely to carry Lazarus's Soul from Earth to Heaven as our Lord hath appointed them To be Ministring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1.14 This Office they account their Honour in Christ who Confirmed them as he Redeemed us that they might not fall as the Evil Angels did Secondly Dives so call'd dyed also and was buryed ver 22. This is all that is said of him leaving his Attendance at Death and his passage after Death to be gathered out of ver 23. where we find him in Hell a ploce of Torments which necessarily presupposeth that he was attended with Devils at his Death as Lazarus was with Angels at his 'T is said here the rich Man also dyed his Riches whereof he had boasted Ps 49.6 and wherein he had trusted Ps 52.7 Mark 10.24 during his life could not now deliver him from Death Prov. 11.4 Death is the end of all worldly glory Ps 49.10 'T is Appointed unto all Men once to dye Hebr. 9.27 None of his Skillfullest Physitians with their Constliest Cordials could Redeem him from being Artested by that grim Serjeant Death and when Dead he was Buried and possibly the whole Town attended him to his Bâ—rying-place whereas poor Lazarus probably had but four Bearers of his Body and a few following the Bier c. though this rich Mans Body was undoubtedly born in great Pomp and Splendour to the Grave yet poor Lazarus's Soul was in a far more splendid State carryed up into glory Whereas no Funeral Solemnities not the choicest sweet purfumes could Cure much less save this Gluttons stinking Soul which 〈◊〉 certainly feized upon by Devils with greediness at its departure out of his Body who hurryed it away hastily to Hell the next news we hear of him is he that had been Clothed in Bysso in Silken Robes while he lived was now groaning in Abysso in that Bottomless pit whereinto those Devils had plunged him when he was dead The Lord let him live the longer to Repent in but he Repented not Revel 2.21 22. So now God bid the Devils to take him c. This brings in the Fourth Difference betwixt this Rich Man and the Beggar in their State after Death also As in life the Glutton had a State of Abundance and the Beggar a State of Indigence so after Death the former had a State of Misery and the latter a State of Glory of whom we are told that as Death came in Mercy to him for delivering him from the smarting Sores of his Body so the Angels Received his Pretious and Pious Soul that had been lodged in a putrified Carcase and not only conveyed it safely through the Air which is called the Devils Territories as he is Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 but also lodged it sweetly in Abrahams Bosom which Phrase is a Synonymon of Celestial Felicity N. B. Note well Glory is no where called the Bosom of Adam for he is noted in Scripture to be the first and great sinner who brought all manner of Misery and Death it self into the World Rom. 5.14 c. Whereas Abraham stands Dignified with the Title of the Father of the Faithfull c. Rom. 4.17 18. Hereupon all Believers who walk in the Steps of Abraham while they live Rom. 4.12 Hebr. 6.12 13. Are said to Lodge in the Bosom of Abraham when they dye as here Pious Lazarus is placed in Abraham's Bosom ver 22 23. Luke 16. because he had been a follower of Abraham in imitation of his Faith and Patience c. N. B. Note well Abrahams Bosom is a Metaphore either taken from Feasts whereat it is said the beloved Disciple leaned upon our Lords Bosom John 13.23 and 20 21. or from the manner of a kind Father who when his Child is weary with running about or hath met with a knock therein immediately takes up his Child and lays it in his Bosom for its Ease Cure and Comfort N. B. Note well this Honour have all the Saints Ps 149.9 That as the Palsy-Man was let down in his Couch through the Tiling of the House top into the midst of the lower Room before Jesus Luke 5.18 19. Even
so save only the difference of that was Descending but this is Ascending every sanctified Soul is taken up through the Roof of that House where it departs from the Body in an Heavenly Charet drawn by the Holy Angels and carryed therein into a Mansion of glory as the Prophet Elijah as well as the Patriarch Enoch were extraordinarily Translated in Body as well as Soul But on the contrary the Rich Glutton was as greedily seized upon by the Devils who carryed him down into Hell as the Angels had most Honourably handed Lazarus into Heaven The Glutton while he was Alive seemed to be set at the Right Hand of Christ in all his Worldly Felicity but now when he was dead we find him placed at the left Hand of Christ among the stinking Goats according to the Phrase Matth. 25.33 34 41. Whereas Lazarus in his life had seemed to be set at Christs left Hand in his Leprosie and Poverty yet after his Death he is seated at Christs Right Hand among the Blessed Sheep c. This difference made a great Man cry Mallem Craesus esse vivens sed Socrates morlens I would have the Rich Mans Life but rather the poor Mans Death N. B. Note well The Glutton is now gone to his own place as is said of Judas Act. 1.25 and possibly with as much noise as Judas did whose Bowels did Bityst out ver 18. Because he had no Bowels of Compassion towards his Master his Belly broke in the midst with an huge crack as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth yea and possibly with as much Stench and Noise in the Air as was at Cardinal Wolleys Death and Burial However he is now in a place where he had punishment without pitty who had shewn no pitty Misery without Mercy who had shewn no Mercy Sorrow without Succour Crying without Compassion Mischief without Measure and Torments without End and past Imagination This Teacheth us that great Truth Sinfull pleasures in this Life are punished with painfull Torments in the next Life Say to the Wicked it shall be ill with them c. Isa 3.11 Such go away into Everlasting punishment c. Matth. 25.46 Gehennae Meminisse non sinit in Gehennam Incidere saith Chrysostom to remember what Hell is for Horrour and Terrour might be a good means to hinder Men from being Hurryed into Hell Would but the Wicked Man take a turn or two in Hell daily by a serious and seasonable Meditation this would forewarn him of wrath to come c. If he be not forewarned it had been better for him that he had never been born Mat. 26.24 Mar. 14.21 N. B. Note well Here follows the Dialogue between this Damned Glutton and Father Abraham in whose Bosom glorified Lazarus was lodged from ver 23. to the end of ver 31. First the occasion of this Dialogue was this Damned Soul seeing afar off Lazarus whom he had despised on Earth so highly Advanced in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hell which is so called ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Video as it is a place of darkness wherein nothing can be seen the fire thereof gives no light nor sight of Comfort yet is he said here in this dark Hell to lift up his Eyes which he had neglected to do unto God in Prayer while he was upon Earth and who could not now lift up himself out of this place of Torment yet can he out of this outer darkness as Hell is called Mat. 8.12 22.13 25 30. look upward to the light of Heaven for his greater Torment in beholding Lazarus Happy whom he would not look downward upon from his Pinacle of Earthly Prosperity in his Life-time and now feeling himself in endless Misery how-like was he to the blind Mole that never 't is said opens her Eyes untill she be dying Vtinam ubique de Gehennâ Dissereretur saith Chrysostom would to God Ministers would Preach of Hell every where that at least fear of punishment might drive Men from wickedness when love to Life and Salvation will not draw them to Holiness and the love of Christ constrains them not 2 Cor. 5.14 Thus far the Occasion now Secondly the Dialogue it self which consists of two General parts the 1. Is the Humble Petition of this Damned Soul which he in all simplicity presented unto Father Abraham sitting in a Mansion of glory with blessed Lazarâ—â— in his Bosom The 2. Is Father Abrahams Answer to his Petition entirely Negative rendring weighty Reasons why his Request must be Rejected both as to the cooling of his Tongue by sending Lazarus to Hell with a little water c. and as to the Converting his Brethren by sending Lazarus to them on Earth Take these few Remarks upon the whole The first in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Typical Exemplification is that the Souls have a distinct Existence and Subsistency differing from the Bodles of Mankind they dye not with the Body nor sleep after Death noâ— are they shut up in Subterraneal Caves but all Spirits or Souls at the Death of the body returns to God that gave them Eccles 12.7 from whence they receive their everlasting Doom of either Come ye Blessed or Depart ye Cursed c Remark the 2. As the Souls of the Godly do immediately pass after Death into a place of Bliss and Happiness in Heaven so the Souls of the wicked accordingly do then depart into a place of Torment and Misery The Scripture of Truth so called Dan. 10.21 doth not Note any middle place betwixt them save only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great Gulf fixed a place unpassable from the two Extreams Abraham knew no passage and Holy Peter knew as little thereof 2 Pet. 2.4 Nor Jude ver 6. Therefore Popery in its Doctrine of Purgatory is but a Fancy and Foppery 't is but the Popes new discovery of a mere Chimera or vain fiction c. Remark the 3. Damned Souls are void of the least degree of Ease and Relief the time will come when the proudest sinner may have need of the Meanest Saint to relieve them after Death whom they would not relieve in their Life but rather Reviled yea and famished them yet cannot shall not they receive any Relief from them but this shall be an Aggravation of their Torments to behold those Happy whom they had formerly despised and themselves Miserable Oh! How wellcom might Lazarus be now to him in Hell whom he starved to Death at his Gates Remark the 4th In Hell there will be peculiar Torments for every part of wicked Men as 1. Their wanton Eyes shall be tormented with a sight of ugly Shapes of Devils 2. Their delicate Ears with the Horrible Noise and Outcries of Damned Spirits 3. Their nice and curious Smell with the Poisonfull stink of Fire and Brimstone 4. Their dainty Tast with a most Ravenous and unbearable Hunger and Thirst c. yea and 5. All the Sensible parts shall feel the intolerable Torments of
the burning fire This Glutton had too dainty a Tongue which he had abused on Earth and now that very Member is Tortured in Hell He had been Drunk when living now is dry when Dead As Eyes Ears Hands c. be ascribed to God so here to Souls figuratively c. Remark the 5th Abraham calls this Damned Soul Son as he was a Jew or as he was but young but as this Title was no better than cold Comfort to him in flames no more will a bare profession without the power prove to many at last nor did his Wealth profit him any more than his profession of being a Member of Abrahams Church nor is he blamed for having good things for they are not Evilâ—r themselves but for his abusing them Abraham Lot Isâ—â—â— Jacob Jâ—â— David Joseph of Arimâ—thea c. were all Rich Men as well as he but they all had Wisdom or improve their Wealth c. poor Lazarus lay in rich Abrahams Bosom Remark the 6th This Damned Soul bids Lazarus to his loss in desiring that his Soul may leave Heaven and reassume his body on Earth and if he must not come to coll his Tongue in Hell yet that he may go warn his Brethren yet alive c. This he wished not out of any love to them for no such grace is found in Hell but from his fear least should they be Damned he would then be double Damned for leading them thither by his lewd Example c. Remark the 7th Dives saith Grotius desired not Lazarus's Spirit to walk but to rise from the Dead but 't is said of Man when he goes hence he shall be seen no more Job 7.8 Ps 39.13 One from the dead will not do to Convert for God hath not appointed it as a means hence this Mans Name-sake Lazarus John 11. was raised from the dead yet the Jews believed not no nor Christ himself after his Resurrection Moses indeed appeared to wait on the Messiah but not to Preach the Gospel c. Remark the 8th Take here a prospect of Hell as it is Represented to us in the Looking-Glass of the Sacred Scriptures wherein we have many sad Representations of it As 1. 'T is called Destruction Rom. 9.22 Phil. 3.19 1 Thess 5.3 2 Thess 1.9 2 Pet. 2.1 12. The Wicked are made to be destroyed for their Wickedness Prov. 16.4 2. 'T is called Death not in the natural Sense but as it is an Everlasting Separation from God the fountain of Life far worse than tearing Limb from Limb this is the Second Death Rev. 2.11 and 20.6 14. and 21.8 3. 'T is called Darkness not Corporal as that of Egypt Exod. 10.23 but Spiritual as a privation of all Light and Comfort Chains of Darkness 2 Pet. 2.4 The Damned are so in the midst of it ver 17. That there is no getting out 't is outer Darkness Matth. 8.12 and 22.13 and 25.30 One darkness beyond another and 't is for all found out of Christ who is light c. 4. 'T is called a day of Wrath Prov. 11.4 Job 21.30 Zeph. 1.15 To which all the Children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 are appointed 1 Thess 5.9 They Treasuring up Wrath against the day of Wrath Rom. 2.5 Their Work is bad but Wage is worse c. 5. 'T is called Shame and Contempt Dan. 12.2 When God sets their sins in Order before their Eyes Ps 50.21 And the greater sinners shall have the greater shame God Abhorrs them Ps 10.3 and Devils despise them Acts 19.15 16. Yea those Vessels of Dishonour Rom. 9.21 2 Tim. 2.20 do despise one another as Matth. 27.4 6. To all these many more Denominations might be added such as are Fear of Gods Displeasure if Cain feared so much on Earth assuredly much more is his fear in Hell Sorrow Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth Matth. 8.12 and 22.13 and 13.42 50. and 24.51 and 25 30 c. Oh! What horrible howlings are heard in Hell both upon the account of their pana Damni the pain of loss and of their paena Sensâ—s the pain of Sense where the Never-dying Worm Mar. 9.44 Doth make such surious Reflections upon their Consciences for what they have lost and for what they now feel and all with these two intolerable Aggravations both of Extremity and of Eternity of those Torments Remark the 9th We can scarce open a Window to give a little light into Lazarius's glorious Lodging that Happy State where into his Holy Life did lead him after he had born his Poverty with Patience c. of whom saith Grotius Dives now begged his pardon for his Churlishness to him when on Earth In a word Heaven and Happiness is compounded both of the freedom of all evil and of the Fruition of all good Eye hath not seen c. What God hath said up for those that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 As God lays out much on us in this life yet hath he laid up far better things for us in the life to come Ps 3â— 19 How great is that word So shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 and that also then shall we see him as he is 1 John 3.2 Oh Beatifical Vision what a Soul-satisfying sight will it be to behold God our Father and Christ our Elder Brother so near a Kin to us sitting at the Fathers Right Hand and so kind as to own us for his Brethren Hebr. 2.11 To behold all the Glorious Angels and all the glorified Saints Patriarchs Prophets Martyrs yea and our own Relations and Friends who dyed in the Lord c. There the Joy is too great to enter into us but we must enter into is Matth 25.21 23. This Joy of our Lord is unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 There our Wills will be fully gratified our Underderstandings know enough and all our Senses shall be satisfied with all suitable Objects yea and all those satisfying Joys shall be as fresh as new as sweet and Ravishing Millions of years after our Enjoyment of those Mansions as they were at the first Moment of our Entry As the light of the Sun is as delightfull now as it was at its first Creation almost 6000. years agoe N. B. Note well Vp Souls and view this good Land thy God will give it thee Gen. 13.17 If thy Soul be made like Christs Soul with grace then thy Body shall be made like his with glory Phil. 3.21 c. Then after more Divine Documents Luke 17.1 to 10. In ver 11. Christ is there going his last Journey to Jerusalem cleansing ten Depers in his way thither ver 12 13 14 c. of all which after Now Mathew and Mark come in again after a long Interval and concur in giving a joynt account of some Remarkable Transactions of Christs life after he passed over Jordan Matth. 19.1 to 13. and Mar. 10.1 to 13. also They relate 1. The story about Divorces the Old Cavillers do haunt him like evil Ghosts here also and would have catched and calumniated him by their
Disciple fondly Forecasts to lay up a Stock before hand that he might have something to live upon after his Lords Death c. Christ Crosseth the Traitour in his covetous Concupiscence of fingering such a Sum and Patronises Mary's Act in Anointing him who was the Christ which signifies the Lord 's Anointed Isa 61.1 Luke 4.18 and Acts 4.27 and Acts 10.38 saying the Poor ye have always with you c. John 12.7 8. To give unto when you please Alluding to Deut. 15.11 Now Christ staying at Bethany a day or two the fame of his coming thither did Revive the fame of Revived Lazarus hereupon many People do the Pharisees what they could to the contrary came thither not only for Jesus sake only but to see Lazarus also c. ver 9. N. B. That they might fish something out of him concerning the future Estate of the Dead though they lost their labour herein and though we find not they asked Lazarus any Questions where his Soul had been while his Body lay in the Grave which Austin saith was in Manu Dei in the Hand of God not in Purgatory as Papists say for they send none thither by their own principle but Men of Middle-make betwixt Just and Vnyast Now â—azarus was None such but a very good Man and so beloved of Christ Yet many of them leaving the City believed in Jesus ver 9 11. This made the Sanhedrim mad therefore out of their Outrage they consult to kill Lazarus because by his means of being Raised to life the Honour of the Messiah was much more promoted to their own great Regret and Grief N. B. Note well Oh! How were those Outrageous Wrotehes Transported to take up Arms against Heaven it self in seeking to kill a Man only because God had made him alive Though they were thus driven by the Devil to Resolve the Ruine of Lazarus at this time yet as Epiphanius saith he lived 30 years after this as a Monument of Christs Miracalous power and as a Trumpet of his glory long after Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension But these Malitious mad-men Envy all this while feeding upon their own hearts because they could not come at their killing purpose nor suppress the Truth meet with a worse Provocation than ever before to wit Christs Riding in Triumph from Bethany or Bethpage to Jerusalem Maugre all the Malice of Angry Men and Inraged Devils This is Recorded by all the four Evangelists John 12.12 to 2â— Luke 19.29 to the end Mar. 11.1 to 11. and Matth. 21.1 to 17. N. B. Note well There were two Special Times wherein Christ put forth some Beams of his State of Exaltation in his State of Humiliation the one was at his Transfiguration and the other was at this Triumphant Riding The first was private before no Witnesses save Peter James and John who only of Terrestial Persons beheld the Dazling glory of Christ upon Mount Tabor as before in its place But this his Rideing in Triumph to Jerusalem had many some Authors say even Three Hundred Thousand Witnesses crying Hosanna that is the Lord save us to him after the Solemnity of a King and as the Son of David c. The nearer Christ came to the appointed Hour wherein he resolved to lay down his Life the more Magnanimity he putteth forth and meets Death in the very face like the Captain of our Salvation though perfected with Suffering Heb. 2.10 And the more doth he Reveal himself to be the Messiah that was promised in whom all the promises as well as the Types and Figures of the Law were Accomplished And least the Nature of his Kingdom should be mistaken to be Temporal and of this World He Rides not here in any pompous Grandeur upon a Stately Palfrey as Alexander Julius Cesar c. did in a most Splendid Lustre and glorious Equipage but he to Evidence he was no Earthly potentate Rideth here upon a Silly Ass without any Pomp or Splendour not only to shew that his Kingdom was of another World but also to Comfort the poorest and to teach us Tolerance Humility and Patience He Rides here like a poor Man sitting upon a Beast of Burden and that not his own but borrowed while he Rode in Triumph to Jerusalem as Sions King foretold of him Zech. 9.9 This borrowed Beast that bore him was of small Value having no costly Saddle or Stately Trappings to sit upon but only common Garments cast over his Back nor had he any Yeomen of the Life-guard to Attend him only the Common People so that this Poâ—r-port in all its Circumstances seemed Contemptible Yet all this was for our good behold thy King cometh unto thee c. thus poorly Accommodated though Lord of all Acts 10.36 and Heir of all things Hebr. 1.3 Yea King of Kings Revel 19.16 Yet became he thus poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8.9 And though here he appeareth but a poor King yet herein he putteth forth six several Demonstrations of his Divine Power N. B. Note well as 1. That he knew there was such an Ass with her Colt 2. That he sent for them 3. He foresaw the Owners would question the Messengers 4. That he professeth himself the Lord of them 5. He could tell the Masters would send this Lord what he sent for and 6. That all were accordingly done as he had said Mathew mentions both the Foal and the Dam as Zachary doth intimating his Riding upon them both sometimes on the one and sometimes on the other seeing both of them had Garments spread upon them from whence some of the Antients say that by the Ass is understood the Jews laden with the Law and by the Colt the Gentiles that wandred whether they would an untamed People but seeing Mark Luke and John mention only the Colt and it would seem Ridiculous so to change his Beast in Riding so small a Journey therefore the more received Opinion is that he Rode only upon the Colt to which the Ass was yoaked and this Colt was whereon never Man Sat as if he had been Destinated to this very purpose for such Animals as have not been soyled in Humane Services were wont to be applyed to and employed in the most Sacred Services And this might the better convince the most stubborn Jews concerning the Kingly Office and Power of Christ seeing it could not be done without a Miracle that an untamed Colt should quietly carry Christ who was the first that Backed him N. B. Note well But who is it And what is it That this Lord of Beasts and Hearts cannot Tame when he gives out his Mandamus and undertakes the Management thereof c. Here the Multitude are also moved to do Honour to the Messiah in Despight of the Sanhedrim's Threatning Excommunication John 9.22 as to a King whose passage is Beautified with Rich Hangings rare Flowers and Rowzing Acclamations here this People give him the best of their best Congratulating his coming to the Passover in their Capital City
Mount of Olives the place of Christs Ascension Acts 1.9.12 Others say he will return from Heaven to the Earth in General grounding their Opinion upon the Expression of Job My Redeemer shall stand upon the Earth Job 19.25 Which words may be understood 1. Metaphorically saith Junius Vpon the Dust Hebr. that is he shall stand last in the Field when he hath Conquered Satan Sin and Death and trod them down as Dust unter his Feet he will make all his Foes his Footstool Ps 110.1 c. or 2. if taken Literally Gnal Hebr. may be Read over the Earth or Dust to wit in the Air for it is said We must meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thess 4.17 That is the Saints for as some suppose there cannot be Room enough upon the Earth to contain all the Sons and Daughters of Adam that have lived in all Ages and Places of the four Quarters of the World at so General a Sessions or Assizes therefore All the Dead in Christ shall Rise first then we which are alive shall be caught up together in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we be ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4.16 17. But it may be supposed that Sinners who dye in their Sins shall be Judged upon the Earth which was the place of their sinning against their Judge and of their saying We will not have this Man to Reign over us Luke 19. ver 14 27. This amounts also to a Demonstration that when the Heavens and the Earth shall be all on a flaming Fire at our Lords Return 2 Thess 1.7 8. 2 Pet. 3.7 to 12. They shall not be Consumed into that Original nothing out of which they were first Created Gen. 1.1 But both of them and the Air also which is the Devils Territories Eph. 2.2 Shall only pass through the Fire to purifie them from the Pollutions of sin and be as the Bush burning but not Consumed Exod. 3.2 Hence 't is said We look for New Heavens and a New Earth c. 2 Pet. 3.13 Otherwise what place hath Christ to Judge the World in The Third thing is the manner how our Lord Returns Namely 1. Visibly as he went up Acts 1 9. every Eye shall then see him c. Revel 1.7 With a Real Body to which our Bodies shall be fashioned Phil. 3.21 2. Gloriously not in the form of a Servant as at his first coming Phil. 2.7 But of an All-Conquering King all shall behold him then coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great Glory Mat. 24.30 3. Suddenly as a flash of Lightning Mat. 24.27 and Surprizing as a Thief Revel 16.15 That gives no warning yea and as Noahs Flood unexpectedly swept all away Mat. 24.37 38 39 40 41 42. Therefore Omnem Crede diem tibi diluxisse Supremum think every Day thy last Day None know what any Big-belly'd Day may bring forth c. The Judge is at the Door Jam. 5.9 4. Terribly to the Wicked if the Law was given in so Terrible a Manner Exod. 19.16 How much more when the Judge comes to Require it c. then Mount Sinai only was all on Fire but at this universal Assises the whole World melts like Scalding Lead about their Ears yea those Rocks which they cry to to cover them Rev. 6.16.17 shall then melt 5. Comfortably to the Godly 't is their Marriage Day Rev. 19.7 8. Therefore they look for it and hasten unto it 2 Pet. 3.12 and lift up their Heads for joy c. Luke 21.28 The Fourth Circumstance is our Lords Attendants at his Returning Namely All the Holy Angels shal come with him and Attend upon him Mat. 25.31 As if he would not leave so much as an Angel in Heaven behind him Angels are his Apparitours who know the Elect as Servants to know their Masters Corn from others in Common Fields 1. By Gods Image of Holiness stamped upon them 2. By being so Conversant with them to keep them in all their ways Ps 91.11 While they are on Earth 3. And possibly by their chearful Countenances upon this Day of their Redemption c. Oh! What a Brave Bright and Glorious Day must this undoubtedly be not only when many Millions of mighty Angels shall shine forth all at once in their Splendour like so many Glorious Suns in the Firmament but also among and above them all our most Glorious Sun of Righteousness out-shining them all Velut inter Stellas luna Minores far more than as the Moon at her full doth out-shine all the lesser Stars And this shall then compleat the Saints comfort when they shall behold the very Nature of Man in this Lord-Judge Advanced above the Brightest Angel upon the Throne of his Glory which some understand upon the Shoulders of Augels because Angels are called Thrones Col. 1.16 As if our Lord will then come carryed in Triumph upon Angels Shoulders as Conquerours are carryed Triumphantly upon the Shoulders of Men c. The Fourth part of this Parable is the Servants Reckoning Mat. 25.19 Luke 19.15 Which holds forth that at our Lords Returning at the Day of Judgment that day shall be a day of Reckoning with all Mankind both with the Godly and with the Wicked Servants how they have Traded with their Pounds and Talents while they lived in this Lower World whether well or ill c. N.B. Note well 1. This time of Reckoning hath various Denominations in the Holy Scriptures as 1. 'T is called a Day because it brings to light all hidden Deeds of Darkness Luke 12.2 3. 'T is called 2. A Night Mat. 25.6 and 1 Thess 5.2 and 2 Pet. 3.10 Because that time will unexpectedly Surprise a secure World as a Thief doth the House that he Robbeth 3. 'T is called the Evening Mat. 20.8 Because the Day for work being expired the Workmen at Even are called by the Lord of the Vineyard to come and Receive their Wages 4. 'T is called the Morning Zech. 3.5 This will be that great Morning wherein God shall bring his Judgment to Light and wherein the Upright shall have their Dominion over all their Emies Ps 49.14 And then shall our Lord be as the light of the Morning without a Cloud c. 2 Sam. 23.4 Hereupon are we bid to Watch for we know not when our Lord will come at Even or at Midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the Morning Mark 13.34 35. Those differing Denominations are indifferently taken for Time a Thousand years be but as one Day with the Lord 2 Pet. 3.8 And some suppose the Day of Judgment may last so long seeing we are not told in Scripture how long this last Day may last this is a Secret unrevealed N. B. Note well 2. Augustin Argueth that this Day of Reckoning must be Managed Vocaliter and not Mentaliter as Aquinas affirmeth Et per locutionem as he Phraseth it that is by way of an Audible Discourse and that Father doth prove it to be probable by urging that Famous
the Wound in the Wounded Man But this Mystery Christian Religion assureth us of though there never was a President in Nature That the Scourging and Wounding of one Man should cure Another yea a World of Men Women and Children but Behold the Man who was not only Scourged for our Sins but had also N. B. Note well 1st A Crown of Thorns platted upon his Head Mat. 27.29 John 19.5 1. To remember us of that direful Curse that first came into the World for Adam's Sin Gen. 3.18 The Curse began in Thorns and ended in Thorns for Christ the Second Adam by wearing this Crown of Thorns which was the first fruits of the Curse took away the Sin and Curse of all his Redeemed People whence we learn farther that 2. Christ's Kingdom was not of this World for then had it been a Crown of Gold and not a Crown of Thorns And 3. That the Members of Christ must not expect a Crown of Glory in this lower Life 't is Reserved for a better World the Crown of Thorns must be expected here below Non decet sub capite spinato membra vivere in Delicijs Saith Bernard it is not fit Seeing the Head was Crowned with Thorns that the Members should be Crowned with Rose-bâ—ds saith Zanchy or live in Delights and Wouldly Pleasures But 4. To Teach us that seeing Christ wore a Crown of Thorns for our sakes and for our Sins and not for his own in the way of his Patience we should therefore for Requital set a Crown of Gold upon his Head as the Spotise in â—he Song did Cant. 3.11 In the way of Obedience These Thorns being puâ—gitive prickly and share as the point of a Sword so the word signifies must needs be extream sensible especially considering that his Body being made of the finest Temper and Tenderest Constitution easily touched with the least hurt N. B. Note well 2dly Behold the Man again How he was Arrayed iâ— Scarlet being first stripped of his own ordinary wearing Garments Mat. 27.28 a Purple Robe they put upon his when stripped Maâ—â— 15.17 30. John 19 2. being a Coat of that colour which did only counterfeit the colour of Purple or Scatlet and was possibly some Thread-bare Garment of a Red-Coat Soldier but suppose it were some Old Coat that had been used in Triumphs or in Sacrificing c. yet could it be no better than a Vile Vestment because it was put on to mock Christ and to please Caesar as well as those Kill-Christs However this was not done without a marvellous Providence of God to teach us 1. That the Second Adam must be stripped naked both to be scourged and to have this Mock-Royal Garment put upon him that He might make an expiation for that Primitive nakedness which the first Adam contracted by his first Sin Gen. 3.7 10. Thus was Joseph a type of Jesus stripped by his Brethren Gen. 37.23 Because his Parti-coloured Chat was an Eye-Sore to them c. 2. They make Christ a Mock-King here by thus Arraying him for he was indeed a King but an obscure one as was Melchiâ—â—deck yet his Kingdom comes not with Observation and oh that it may be within us Luke 17.20 21. N. B. Note well 3dly Behold the Man again How a Reed for a Scepter was put into his Right Hand Mar. 27.29 c. Thus they made a Mock-King of Christ the King of Saints Rev. 15.3 Accoutring the Son of God like a Fool in a Play So do all those still in this day who will not submit to the Scepter of his Spiritual Kingdom and give him full Soveraignty over their Souls and Consciences but at the best serve him only with Carnal Commandments in their Ceremonial Worship All this History hath a Mystery in it signifying how Satan mocks the Souls of Mankind as Christ was plaid upon in these three last Stage-Play Accoutrements the Mock-Robe the Mock-Crown and the Mock-Scepter Thus Sinful Souls are Mocked by Satan 1. In their Vain Ostentation of Worldly Grandeur whereof the Purple Robe the Vestment of Potentates was a Badge c. 2. In a Greedy Affectation of Worldly Wealth which is intimated by the Crown of Thorns for Riches are the Thorns which choak the Seed of the Word slily and subtilly Mat. 13.22 over-topping the Corn harbouring Vermin-Lusts and at last pricking the Consciences of those that do grasp those Thorns too greedily Vitijs Divitijs Vices and Riches in the Latine Tongue are near a Kin in Name and Nature 3. In the Vanity of Worldly Wisdom which is denoted in this Reed fair and smooth to behold but hollow and empty within better to look upon than to lean upon it He that leans upon his own Understanding or Worldly Wisdom Prov. 3.5 leans upon a broken Reed which though it want substance may sufficiently serve to Pierce into his Hands and into his Heart also Isa 36.6 c. N. B. Note well We read that Christ in Scripture had a threefold vestment 1. That at his Birth when his own Mother though newly delivered and much weakened with her Travel had such love for her Son as be at the pains to wrap him in Swadling clothes to keep him warm Luk. 2.7 this was the badge of his Poverty for though he was born King of the Jews as the Three Wise Men of the East styled him yet was he wrapped up in poor ragged clouts as the Word there signifies not in the best but basest place in the Inn. His 2d Was here at his Passion a Vestment of Vileness and a badge of contempt cast upon him in this Red-Coat which his Step-Mother Cant. 3.11 The Jewish Synagogue got him scornfully Arrayed with c. His 3d Was after at his Resurrection when Christ clothed himself with Honour and Majesty Psal 104.1 2. prodigiously splendid must needs Christ the Lord of Angels be at his Resurrection when at that time the Angel who was but Christ's Servant had a Countenance like Lightning and his Raiment as white as Snow Mat. 28.3 with which dazling Lustre and Majesty he frighted all the Priest's Guard of Souldiers away and himself sat down upon the Tomb-stone as a Conqueror Though his Body was Sown in Weakness yet was it Raised in Power c. 1 Cor. 15.43 and in as great Glory as he had in his Transfiguration a Type hereof Accordingly Christ had a threefold Crown 1. This of Thorns a Crown of Grief and Disgrace 2. A Crown of Grace in the Gospel Conquering and to Conquer Rev. 6.2 And 3. A Crown of Gold and of Glory Rev. 14.14 we should go forth and behold the Man thus three times crowned the first by his Step-Mother the two last by his Heavenly Father Cant. 3.11 Lastly When they had thus Adorned Christ like a Puppy Pageant then follows their Ludibrious Homage they Pay to their Stage-Play-King 1. Bowing the Knee to him which Dissembled Prostration was the most palpable evidence of their stiff-neckned Hearts and the plainest posture of
our Dear Jesus the one was Damned and the other Saved to shew that God will have Mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.15 18. The 3d Note of observation is The Repentance and Faith of this Dying Malefactor the truth of the former and the strength and greatness of the latter may be in this manner plainly demonstrated First That he was truly Penitent is made Apparent thus 1st By his rebuking the Raillery of his Fellow-Thief saying Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same Condemnation Luke 23.40 This speech clearly discovers that this Malefactor had the Fear of God upon his Heart which the other Thief wanted for which this Penitent reproved him intimating hereby that the Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom Psal 111.10 Prov. 9.10 't is not only the Beginning but 't is also the Middle and the Ending of Wisdom A Man never begins to be Wise till he begin to fear God which is the best Wisdom and without which Rein to restrain and retain them within compass all Impenitent ones run riotously into all Extravagancies and Exorbitant Courses Thus Abraham told Abimelech Surely the Fear of God is not in this place therefore they will not stick at committing any Sin Gen. 20.11 Whereas Joseph tells his Brethren I dare not wrong you because I fear God Gen. 42.18 The same saith Nehemiah to the People Nehem. 5.15 but because the Cursed Amalekites feared not God they met Israel with Fire and Sword when they should have met them with Bread and Water Deut. 25.17 18 19. Exod. 17.8 and the Apostle saith Where the Fear of God is not before Mens Eyes Rom. 3.18 there the Throat is an open Sepulchre belching out stinking blasphemies as this Impenitent Thief did against Christ and breathing forth the Poison of Asps and bitter Cursings ver 13 14. and their Feet are swist to shed blood c. ver 15 16. Thus was it the fear of God that caused Job to commiserate those that were in misery and perishing Job 31.19 20. which because this Penitent Thief saw his Fellow-Thief did not therefore he reproved him in love to his Soul that was now almost ready to depart out of his Body by Death and just upon going to be judged by the Great God so he most seasonably exhorted him that he should not die in his Sin c. The 2d Demonstration of the Truth of this Thief 's Repentance is by his Ingenuous Confession and from his free and full acknowledgment of his own wickedness Assuredly the sense of his own sin lay with much weight upon his Spirit otherwise he would never have so taken shame to himself and so publickly before so many People as then were present have owned his own just condemnation saying just as the Church of God saith I will bear the Indignation of God because I have sinned against him Mic. 7.9 This was his hour of God's finding him when he had wearied himself all along in his ways of Wickedness Jer. 2.24 This was the time of God's love to his Soul when he had been wallowing all his life long in the polluted blood of his own Iniquity Ezek 16.8 even then was God's Promise to his Church made good to him there remembring his own Wicked Ways and Diabolical doings while he hanged in the midst of his misery and loathing himself for them Ezek. 20.43 44. even then on the Cross did he thus know the Lord c. Judging himself as receiving but his just reward his sinning he was sensible was the cause of his suffering Luke 23.41 that he might not be judged of God nor condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.31 32 The 3d Demonstration of his true Penitency is taken from his Apology for and Vindication of the Innocency of our Saviour saying This Man though a Fellow-Sufferer with us hath done nothing Amiss Luke 23.41 who can but wonder that this poor wretch and miserable dying Malefactor should thus boldly and publickly proclaim the unjust condemnation of Jesus and speak thus confidently and conscientiously for Christ when all the Chief-Priests and so many of the People were Impudently making their Mocks at him as above and so blasphemously speaking against him N. B. Note well Some say that the other Thief Mocked Christ designedly to please the Priests that they for this meritorious fact might Interceed with Pilate for saving his Life and for taking him down from the Cross before he was dead minding himself and his own Body his bodily good only But so was it not with this good Thief he was more concerned for the Glory of Christ's Innocency which he vindicated than he was for his own bodily deliverance not much unlike Moses that Man of God and the Meekest Man upon Earth who was a Lamb in his own cause and concerns when himself was Affronted he carried meekly not speaking one Angry Word Numb 12.1 2 3 c. but was no less than a Lion in God's cause Exod. 32.19 where this meekest of Men was transported into such an high pang of Passion as to break all the Ten Commandments in one Act He was hotly Angry and brake the two Tables in pieces c. When he saw God's Glory so notoriously dishonoured by the Peoples Calf-Worship and their Gross Idolatry Thus this Thief bad not one word to say for his own Justification Yet will justifie Just Jesus to the last breath in his Body c. The Second Branch of this third Note of Observation is To demonstrate the strength and greatness of his Faith together with the Truth of his Repentance this is done thus The 1st farther Demonstration hereof is by this Penitent Thief 's Prayer for Mercy upon his Soul Luke 23.42 Lord Remember me c. This must be the Prayer of Faith and Repentance The other Thief was all for his Body and nothing for his Soul 'T is thought by some N. B. Note well That another reason of his Railing so against Christ was because he who had saved so many other Bodies from Diseases and Death yet would not save his sinful Body from the Tortures of the Cross oh how oft is God murmured at by a Wicked World because he doth not gratifie their Bodies with such and such Accommodations but this Good Thief prays not Lord Remember my Body that is let these Spikes and Nails that fasten my Body to the Cross be drawn out that I may be delivered from Death not a Word of that Nature no now is he under such a neglect of his Body here as if he cared not what became of it so his Soul might but be saved Would to God it were our care when we die to do so c. The 2d Demonstration hereof is By not only his praying being now dispossessed of the Dumb Devil for now behold he prayed as Acts 9.11 but also by his praying so humbly asking only Remembrance Lord remember me for as he was sensible of his so great sins this great
If this Penitent Sinner had such Incouragement to believe in Christ while He was but a Crucifying and so but in paying the Debt for his Sin how much more may we do seeing Christ is now Crucified and the whole Debt is paid and our Surety who paid it is now set down having done all that Work at the Right Hand of God The Second Miracle Christ wrought upon the Cross was that strange Ecclipse of the Sun at that Juncture which was not a Natural or Ordinary but a Miraculous and Extraordinary Eclipse because it was upon the Fifteenth day of the Paschal Feast which was always in Plenilunio or Full-Moon whereas every customary Eclipse is alway in Novilunio or New-Moon Those cursed Kill-Christs call'd for a Sign and then they would believe behold here is a greater Sign and Miracle than if Christ had come down from the Cross c. Such a wonderful Eclipse not made by the Interposition of the Body of the Moon betwixt the Earth and the Sun as always happeneth in the New-Moon meeting the Sun's Body in the two Nodes either the Dragon's Head or the Dragon's Tail but by the Almighty Power of our Wonder-working Redeemer even at the Full-Moon when in a direct opposition to the Sun which brought an universal Darkness upon the whole Land to the Amazement of all Beholders and which was the more Astonishing because it began at Noontide or Twelve a Clock when the Sun is in its greatest strength for Heat and Light and lasted full three Hours till three a Clock in the Afternoon and therefore must be Miraculous and Extraordinary seeing no Natural and Ordinary Eclipse lasteth so long because in the common Course of Nature the Interposition of the Moon taketh away the Light of the Sun only Gradually and by Inches and the Sun by his swift Motion soon wadeth out of the Moon 's shadow and accordingly recovers his Natural Lustre Gradually and by Inches again So that no natural Eclipse can cause any Darkness of such a long continuance as this was besides there cannot properly be a total Eclipse of the Sun by the Interposing Moon because her Body is much too narrow in its Circle to cover the vastly more large Body of the Sun no not with all its Advantage of being Situated in the lowest of the Seven Celestial Orbs wherein the seven Planets have their several distinct Motions Eclipsing one another at their full Conjunctions But this extraordinary Eclipse caused by Christ's Miraculous might covered the whole Land with a continued uninterrupted Darkness more like that Plague of Darkness which Moses by a Miracle did punish the Land of Egypt with Exod. 10.21 23. A Darkness that might be felt yet could not the Egyptians see one another or stir out of their Places c. It was a thick sudden and a continued darkness without any successive Increasing or Decreasing as is done in a Natural Darkness Such a Darkness was this for three Hours at Mid-day to three as was that for three Days without succession of Degrees yet differing in this as well as in time that the Egyptians were more sensible of their Plague than the Jews were of theirs here though this Darkness for the time was worse than that because there was light in Goshen when Darkness overshadowed Egypt but this was Universal no place was exempted from it as Goshen was It covered at the least all that whole Country of Judea even the whole Land without any exception Mat. 27.46 Mark 15.33 and though many Expositors do confine this Darkness to the Jews Country only as understood by that phrase The whole Land yet other Authors do judge it more extensive both because the Evangelist Luke affirms it to be over all the Earth Luke 23.44 but also because the same Miracle Amazed many men in the Remoter parts of the World 'T is true Luke's phrase of the whole Earth may be Interpreted thus narrowly by his other phrase The whole World Luke 2.1 which is no more than the Roman World to wit those Provinces only that pertained to the Empire of Rome But this limited sense is opposed by various Testimonies that this strange Eclipse was Observed and Admired in other Countries far distant from Palestine Phlegon Lucian and Dionysius learned Heathens good Historians and great Philosophers all three recorded both the Day of the Week and the very Hour of the Day when it happened and that in Plenilunio or Full Moon too It was so Amazingly observed in Egypt by Dionysius that he wrote of it to Policarp as History tells us which farther affirmeth that it was seen of Tiberius the Emperor at Rome as also that Proâ—omy was so affrighted with it that he broke out into that passionate speech Aut Natura terminatur aut Deus Naturae paâ—itur Either Nature in the whole World was about Determining or the God of Nature and the Maker of the World was now in Suffering c. Many Reasons may be rendered why our Dying Redeemer wrought this Miracle of Darkness at this juncture As First That by this stupendious Prodigy the Divine Majesty of Christ the Messiah might be vindicated even in the lowest ebb of his humane Infirmity for he did not so empty himself in his state of Humiliation as not at some times to let out some sparklings of his Glory and Deity thus that he might shew himself the Lord of Heaven and Earth here he commands the Sun to be Eclipsed in Heaven and this Darkness to cover as with a black Curtain the whole Face of the Earth The Second Reason was Our Lord hereby did as it were spread a black Vail and draw this Curtain of Darkness over his own naked body while he hung on the Cross in open view that the Good Women might be present and himself die with Modesty Therefore suffered he not the Sun to shine out with its light and to shew forth its Lustre and Glory while its Maker is suffering the extremity of shame Thirdly This prodigy was wrought at this time to demonstrate the heinousness of the prodigious sin of those Kill-Christs at which the very Sun of the Firmament hid his Head and wrapped it self up as in a Mantle of black Darkness as disdaining to behold so sad a Spectacle and even ashamed to see those indignities and injuries done by those worst of the Sons of Men to that Innocent Lamb of God the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 Fourthly This Work of Wonder might be now wrought also to declare the Aggravation of our Mediator's Suffering as well as his Murtherers Sinning insomuch as our Lord had not that common comfort and benefit of Sun-light while he suffered death upon the Cross Solomon saith 't is a comfortable priviledge for the Eyes to behold the Sun and the Light thereof is very sweet Eccles 11.7 yet is dying Jesus denied of this also and of other Allays of his Sorrows and Sufferings Fifthly This three hours Darkness was to give an opportunity for all the
c. after the Syriack-Tongue then in use Mark 15.34 The occasion whereof was this Our Lord about the end of the three hours Darkness and a little before his own Death being now under the full Weight of the Curse due to our sins now burdening him as our Surety Heb. 7.22 and finding all sensible consolation both from Heaven and Earth now withdrawn from his Humane-Nature breaketh forth into this sad Exclamation most heavily Representing the deplorable case of his undertaken Surety-ship in the Words of the Psalmist My God my God Why hast thou sorsaken me Psal 22.1 and some say that he being that Aijeleth Shabar or Morning Stag the Title of that Psalm repeated also ver 2 3. and so on to the end thereof c. Now were the Sufferings of our blessed Saviour's Soul as well as of his Body come to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or utmost extremity as he became the deputed Surety to Satisfie God's Justice for Man's Sin Now did the Wrath of God due to all the Elect for their Sins lye with the most Ineffable and Incomprehensible weight upon the Humane Nature of our dear Redeemer both in his Soul and on his Body Now such and so unsufferable was his horrour hereby insomuch that his Humanity here cried out for the want and withdrawment of his Divinity not as if he thought that his Divine Nature was now separated from his Humane but because it now as it were slept and did not manifest it self with supplies of any sensible comforts N. B. Note here Though the Hypostatical Union had assuredly such a stability as could not possibly Admit of either any Dissolution or any Desertion in respect either of God's Love or of supporting Grace or of Inherent Holiness yet was it not only possible but also necessary that the Mediator of Sinful Mankind should for a time be Deserted of all sensible Comfort and should taste of that most horrible bitterness accompanying such a Desertion that so he might bear the punishment proportionably for our sins and feel the sad effects of the Wrath and Curse of God due to us for them in so high a degree and measure as must be Equivalent to our Eternal Destruction and fully satisfactory to Divine Justice for all our offences N.B. Note well Though God be full of Mercy yet will he not suffer his Mercy to Justle out his Justice whereof he is full also but will be merciful in a just manner first his Justice must be satisfied and then he lets out his Mercy in Accepting Satisfaction from our Surety in his short Sufferings whereas the rigour of his Justice might have exacted it from our selves in our Everlasting Damnation N. B. Note Well Here Christ cries out as one forsaken of God because of the Intolerable Anguish and Agony of his Soul This might as well consist with the personal Union of the two Natures which gave way to this as it did to the Torture and Death of his Body N. B. Note well That the Union with the Divine Nature did firmly remain is plainly evident by his promising Paradise to the Penitent Thief as he was the Great God just before he cries out as a Dying Martyr and as a Man in our stead forsaken of God for Sin yet was it not the out-cries of Despair seeing he still trusted in God saying My God my God when in most Horrour by God's Wrath both upon his Soul and Body so that though his Holy pure Nature through the sense of matchless Torture could not rationally but cry out of God's forsaking him yet there remained a Pious persuasion still both of the personal Union of the two Natures and of the necessity and commodity of his unparallelled Passion The Divine Nature was no more departed from the Humane at this time than is the Soul of Man departed from the Body in Sleep at which time it acts not nor manifests its Indwelling in the Body His Exclamation of being Deserted here was not absolute but comparative only his present case wherein he felt nothing but confusion by bearing the Curse of God for Man's Sin compared with that Glory which he had in common with the Father before the World began John 17.5 and all the Ages of the World he still held that Glory till the Fulness of time came for his state of Humiliation the sad Catastrophe whereof he was now Accomplishing yet without the least murmuring at or quarrelling with the Father for Imposing upon him such a prodigious punishment N. B. Note well Objection Some may say How could this Suffering of Christ which was but for a short time be a full Satisfaction to God's Justice for our Sins seeing we have deserved Eternal Suffering the Demerit of our Sinning Answer Beside the proportion and equivalency betwixt the Sufferings of our Redeemer and our own perpetual destruction as is abovesaid seeing never any sorrow and suffering were like his in their own Nature never any was so forsaken of God so Assaulted by Devils and so Tortured and Taunted by Wicked Men as Christ was who yet was Innocent and deserved not the least of these sufferings therefore they must be meritorious in their own Nature though they were not everlasting Beside this I say the Dignity of the Person thus suffering ought duely to be considered 'T was not any mere Man no nor an Angel that suffered those unsufferable Sufferings but it was the Eternal Son of God though not in his Godhead yet in his Manhood which he Assumed that the same Nature which had sinned might also suffer as a Surety in our stead Now we must look upon the person of this Son of God his Deity Majesty Mercy Justice Obedience c. to be all Infinite and Eternal This made that which he suffered to be of an Inestimable Value and Vertue and of no less force and worth than if Divine Justice had been satisfied by Eternal-Torments upon us yea even upon the whole World For as the Death of David who was reckoned more worth than ten thousand Deaths of his People 2 Sam. 18.4 or the Death of any Prince being but a Man yea a sinful Man is of more estimation than the Death of a whole Army of Common Soldiers because he is the Prince How much more shall the Death and Sufferings of the Son of God the Prince of Princes yea the Prince of Life and of Glory Dan. 3.25 Rev. 1.5 c. Not Finite but every way Infinite and without Sin be of more value and reckoning with the Father than the Sufferings of all the World and though the time of the Son of God's Sufferings was but short yet had they more Intrinsick worth from the worthiness of the Sufferer with his Father than if all the People in the World should have suffered for evermore N. B. Note well Now when Christ had cried Eli Eli c. out of the 22 Psalm wherein this Agony was foretold a worse Agony than that in the Garden which only squeezed clods of
it was a Special not the Universal Resurrection yet so many as might be sufficient by their Resurrection to Testifie and Demonstrate the Vertue and Power of the Death and Resurrection of Christ nor may we think that these Bodies Rose without their Souls to Animate them These many were raised both to shew the Amplitude of Grace in the Efficacy of Christ's Resurrection as Mat. 8.11 and also that this fundamental point of Faith might be the more confirmed by the Mouths of many Witnesses The 3d Inquiry is Who they were Answ 1st Some say they were Adam Abraham Isaac Jacob and Joseph with the the rest of the Patriarchs who therefore were so careful to be buried in Canaan where the Messiah was to be buried because they expected so much the sooner their Resurrection by the Power of Christ's Answ 2d Others out of the like Curiosity do suppose those to be the Bodies of some of the Holy Kings and Prophets which were famous in Old Testament times yet nearer the time of Christ's Incarnation than were the Holy Patriarchs c. Answ 3d Other Authors do rather think they were the Bodies of Old Simeon the Just and Devout Man Luke 2.25 c. of Annas the Prophetess of Zacharias the Baptist's Father of Lazarus now Dead and of other Saints lately dead whose Bodies were not yet putrified into dust in their Graves c. Answ 4th But seeing the Scripture which is the Wisdom of God Luke 11.49 hath not a Mouth to speak Who they were we should not have a Tongue to Ask the Question 'T is enough for us to know they were the Bodies of the Saints whether of the Old or of the New Testament and that there were many of them to Testifie the Resurrection of their Lord and Head being not of the Wicked who rise with Judas not with Jesus The 4th Inquiry is at what time they rose Answ At our Lord's Resurrection not at his Death though then their Graves were opened and Matthew relates the whole story together yet with this caution that their rising was after Christ's Resurrection Mat. 27.52 53. for Christ must be the first fruits of the Resurrection from the Dead to die no more 1 Cor. 15.20 Col. 1.18 Rom. 8.29 Rev. 1.5 And those Saints who rose with our Saviour were as the Basket of First-fruits that both Sanctified and Assured the whole Harvest Deut. 26.2 3 4. This was but an handful though they were many of the General Resurrection and was no more but a pledge to assure us of it and therefore we need not say with Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 18. and after them the Marcionites yea and some Wanton Wits in our Times that the Resurrection is past already as if the Soul only should Arise and not the Body at the last Day Now if these many Arose as soon as their Lord was Risen what a shame it is that we rise not with Christ in our Affections Col. 3.1 A good Servant will blush to lie in Bed when his Master is up Much more when once up to go to Bed again as Carnal Professors minding only Worldly Matters do the former shameful thing so Backsliding Apostates do the latter those once seemed to be got out of their Graves and to have escaped the Pollution c. but become again Intangled as a Bird in a Gin seven worse Spirits enter and make their latter end worse Matth. 12.45 2 Pet. 2. ver 19 20 21 22. The 5th Inquiry is What they did when Risen Answer 'T is not to be doubted that they were true and real Bodies not Spectrums or Phantasms for that it might not be thought such mere walking Ghosts They went into the Holy City and appeared unto many Mat. 27.53 not to converse with Men as formerly but to Attend on Christ into Heaven as well as to be both Companions and Witnesses of Christ's Resurrection Jerusalem is called the Holy City here not because it was now so but because it had been formerly so though now it was degenerated into a Den of Thieves and Murderers of Holy Jesus It was still Holy de jure retaining still the Temple and the Worship of God but not now de facto thus it was called the Holy City Mat. 4.5 though now notoriously debauched into a polluted place where the Devil could play his pranks in setting our Lord upon a Pinnacle of the Temple That City saith Chrysostom was comparatively Holy now having still the Old Instituted Worship of God when other places were polluted with downright Idolatry Therefore though God's Worship was much corrupted yet in the vulgar manner of speaking it still for distinction sake was called the Holy City and that the Resurrection of those Saints Bodies might be judged real they went to it we must suppose they had been Buried without the City as was the Jewish manner Luke 7.12 c. to convince the Murdering Jews of the madness of their Mocking at Christ for his not coming down from the Cross at their Preposterous and Diabolical call Now to shew that he could have saved himself though he would not he now raised up both his own Body and those many Bodies of his Saints and Servants by a much more redundancy and super-abundancy of Power for if it were an Argument of Divine Power to raise up suddenly those many that had been long dead before this And the truth of their Resurrection was made evident by their exhibiting themselves to be seen of many to wit of the Holy Apostles and other Believers to whom they did declare their Testimony of Christ's Resurrection and Glory For as Moses and Elias appearing at Christ's Transfiguration did discourse of Christ's Decease Luke 9.31 so those raised Saints here did undoubtedly discourse of our Redeemer's Resurrection From this whole Question Answered these few Inferences do Arise 1st So long as Means of Holiness and Men of Holiness abide in a place it may be called an Holy place as this City was which was called Holy rather in respect of God whose Sacrifices and Service remained in it than in respect of Men For sew holy men were found in it they had not their Bill of Divorce as yet Jer. 3.1 c. 2dly Seeing some Saints and not all rose only now the Patriarchs Prophets c. that rose not but still are in their Graves are blessed pledges that the Resurrection is not past already but yet to come for those here raised were but the first fruits of them that slept The whole Harvest shall be when Adam shall behold all that innumerable number of his Nephews and Neices that have lived in all the parts of the Earth and in all the Ages of the World 3dly Those Saints raised from the Dead and appearing unto many yet would not nay could not all this convince the obstinate Kill-Christs of their Iniquity no more than Lazarus did who being raised also from the Dead commonly conversed among them therefore was it truly said to the Rich Glutton
by Abraham If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the Dead Luke 16.30 31. How can they believe the Creature who will not believe the Testimony of the Creator himself revealing his Will to Moses c. 4thyl Those Dead Saints when raised and appearing to living Saints did discourse about Divine Doctrines such as that of Christ's Resurrection and Future Glory in his State of Exaltation as Moses and Elias had done before about Christ's Decease in his State of Humiliation as before both which patterns do direct us to the like practice that when living Saints meet together their discourse should be of Divine Matters as is commanded Mal. 3.16 Though they have not attained that holy state of the Resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.12 We ought to do what we can though we cannot do what we ought this is acceptable to Christ Mark 14.8 5thly The death of the Godly is only as a sleep of the Body till the Morning of the Resurrection come 't is said they slept Mat. 27.52 6thly Christ is a Saviour to Saints before his Death as well as after even of Old Testament Believers 7th This is a Pawn that Christ will raise our Vile Bodies and conform them to his Glorious Body Phil. 3. last The 6th Inquiry is What became of those raised Bodies were they Mortal or Immortal Bodies Answer 1st Some say they were Mortal and that they did die and dissolve into Dust so soon as their Work was done Their ground for this Assertion are these 1. They were only raised up for a little time to testifie the Truth of Christ's Resurrection which when they had done there was no farther Work for them so they laid down their raised Bodies as soon as this was finished which may teach us a willingness to lay down our Bodies when we have fulfilled our Ministry and finished the Work our Father hath given us to work in the World as our Lord and Master as well as these did John 17.3 2. This is the more probable say they because those Bodies which the Angels Assumed wherewith they Feasted with Abraham Gen. 18.8 16. and with Lot Gen. 19.3 c. were laid down again when that special Dispensation was Dispatched and so likely was Moses's Body wherewith he talked with the Messias in his Transfiguration laid aside likewise when that Glory was withdrawn Thus by special Dispensation some are made Rich or Poor let God Abase or Exalt as his Soveraignty pleaseth c. 3. Because these raised Bodies of those Saints say they of this first opinion when they had given their Testimony to the Truth of our Redeemer's Resurrection must either lay down their Bodies again or live an Animal Life upon Earth or Ascend up with Christ into Heaven but they did neither the Second nor the Third therefore they did the first of the Three For as we read nothing of their living on Earth 〈◊〉 conversing with Men after their Resurrection as we read of Lazarus after his John 12.1 2 3 c. save only their Appearance to many so we read as little of their Ascending into Heaven but rather the contrary seeing our Lord was seen to Ascend alone Acts 1.9 10. Answ 2d Others more probably are of Opinion that they were raised Immortal and that they died not again as Lazarus and others whom Christ in his state of Humiliation raised up after a while did but were conversant with Christ during the Forty days he was upon Earth after his Resurrection and then at his Ascension they did Ascend with him in their Bodies as he did into Heaven where they were to be ever with the Lord. Their grounds for this Opinion are these 1. If being raised they had been Mortal and Died again this could not have been so plain a proof and such an Evidencing Specimen and Document of the solid Resurrection that is to come at the last Day which was the Reason and End of this Special Dispensation 2. As the Scripture speaks of a first Resurrection and of the first Fruits of the Resurrection So these Saints Bodies thus raised here might well be priviledged with the first Resurrection to die no more and with being the first fruits of the Harvest to wit of the General Resurrection of all Christ's Redeemed ones 3. As this was more comfortable to them to die no more but to be taken up into Heaven c. So it was more Glorious to Christ who now being entered upon his state of Exaltation raiseth Bodies up now not to die again as he had done in his former state in the form of a Servant but to live for ever and to be Attendants upon their Lord in his Triumph which can never without great Attendance have its due Pomp and Magnificency both while he stayed on Earth and when he went up into Heaven Though the Scripture be silent hereof as it is in the Minute of his Rising 4. Had they died again it had been only a Suscitation rather than a Resurrection c. The Romanists do Triffle in saying that those Saints wandered upon the face of the Wide Ocean or in the remote parts of the Inhabitable Earth c. till Christ Ascended or they tarried for him in the Earthly Paradise c. We say they attended alway on their Lord. Thirdly The Manifestation after the Time and Manner of our Lord's Resurrection which Introduceth the Third Grand Remark herein to wit The Consequents thereof in Christ's several Appearances at several times to sundry persons the Forty Days betwixt his Resurrection out of the Earth and his Ascension into Heaven The Evangelist Matthew speaking short in this after his Manner yet speaks thus far of the Manifestation of Christ's Resurrection That 1. It was declared by an Angel to Mary Magdalen c Mat. 28. ver 1 to 9.2 That it was confirmed by those Women through Christ's Appearing to them v. 9 10. And 3. That it was ratified to his Disciples by his Appearing unto them ver 16 17. to whom as a Triumphant Mediator he gave Commission for laying the Foundation of his New Evangelical Church ver 18.19 20. having now in his state of Separation made his Triumph over Hell the Grave and Death by his Resurrection wherein he set his Foot upon the Neck of that King of Terrors and Terror of Kings bringing Death under his Dominion So that now Death is become but a necessary Engine only to Transplant the Trees of Righteousness which are both of God's Planting and of his Watering into the Celestial Paradise and 't is only a strait Trap-door to let out the Saints out of this Life of Misery and into a Life of Glory Though the precise point of Time the very Instant and Moment thereof wherein Christ rose be not revealed nor likewise the express specifical and distinct Manner of his Rising is clearly recorded in Scripture yet the demonstration of it a posteriori is most Amply Insisted upon by
Evangelist who describes here his miraculous entrance whereas this is only a cunning conveyance 2. Others are of opinion that the Phrase the door being shut John 20 19. Imports only the Evening-tide because that is the common time every where of shutting doors c. But this is to put a Tautology upon the Gospel seeing the Evening tide is expressed before this clause The 3d Opinion which is mostly received saith that he entered miraculously yet the Sentiments of the learned about the modification of this miracle are various also for 1. Some say that the doors a creature gave way to Christ the Creator as above But here Men come with natural Reason wherewith they raise a deal of Dust and Doubts Objecting How could this be a true body that came in while the doors were shut one solid body cannot pass through another body that remains solid this would be a penetration of Diameters or dimensions which rule of Philosophy rendring it impossible is repugnant to the reality and solidity of Christ's body if it so passed Answ The 1st I know the Romanists do affirm that Christ passed through the dours here for the better proving their Doctrine of Transubstantation saying as He passed through the doors so he can make his Body to pass into the Bread but suppose Christ made his Body pass through the door yet retained he the same figure proportion and dimension that He had before which the Papists as is above said cannot show us in their Waters or â—read Therefore there is a vast difference herein Answ The 2d They of the Reformed Religion do more rationally say which brings is the 2d Sentiment about iâ— modification that Christ by his Almighty power did so alter the very substance of the doors So that his spiritual body so called 1 Cor. 15.44 might pass â—orow He who so Thickened the Waters as to make them able to beâ—r his Body and to walk upon them in his state of humiliation could much more thin the Solâ—â—â—â— of those Doors so as to make them penetrable to himself in his state of exaltation 't was more easy for him to make the Wood so thin as to pass through it in his â—econd state that to make the Water so thick as to walk upon it in his first state But the 3d Sentâ—ment is that it was not passing through the Wood as the Fire passeth with the heat through the Iron and the Sun with the beams through the Glass Windows c. Both Bodies remaining intire and found but that the doors did really open and shut again unperceived by the Apostles through a Divine miraculoâ—â— power seâ—ing to more is intimated in Scripture against this opinion than against the other and this is the more probable because we have the like instance in an inferior's caâ—â— to wit that of Peter and the Apostles the Prison Doors were opened the Prisoners were brought forth and the Gates were safely shut again though the keâ—pâ—rs were present and stood before the Doors yet did not perceive either the opening and shutâ—ing of the Gates or the escape of their Prisoners Acts 5.28 to 24. So Peter's ease alone Acts 12.4 6 to 12. Answ The 3d If we knâ—w the manner how Christ came into the Room by natural reason then would it be no miracle which all acknowledg it to be yea a double miracle both that he came in when the Doors were shut and that he came in so suddenly so unexpectedly and so insensibly to all So that where reason ends and can render no rational account there 's the Room for saith to begin N.B. The Antients say of this double miracle that it was like that of Christs walking upon the Sea and coming to the Disciples whom they supposed to be a Spirit Matth. 14.25 26. And Cyril in particular saith no man need to doubt in what manner our Lord's Body passed in when the Doors were shut when he understandâ— that this is written not of a meer mortal Man such as we only are but of thâ— Omnipotent Son of God yea Augustine adds Where the deity is no bodily thing can hinder entrance see more of this point before in Christ's rising out of his Grave where a great stone my upon him As his entrance and invisible approach were both wonderful so were both his posture and situation which put the Disciples into a dreadful affright supposing he had been a Spirit Luke 24.37 which with ver 36. brings us unto The 4th Remark to wit his Actions and speeches to them herein Note 1. That his posture was a Standing and not a Sitting Posture that he might the better demonstrate how he was both alive and in health having no need of a Seat to rest on 2. He situates himself in the midst of that Assembly not only as a pastour in the midst of his people but also to convince them that he was no Spectrum or Spirit which are wont to creep into corners as they imagined him to be and that not one of the good but of the evil Spirits no better than a Devil 3. He Salutes them with Peace be unto you more like God than a Devill whose Visage is Dreadful and his Message War and Confusion but not Peace N.B. Who can but wonder that Christ should bring Peace from the Grave and proclaim it also to a company of forlorn Renegadoes that had most Sordidely deserted him and his service Yet even these very Persons must have peace propounded to them who were worthy of War only and Destruction and this he proclaimed twice for their greater comfort John 20.19 21 Oh happy they though Backsliders to whom Christ speaks peace They shall have Pacem Omnimodam all kind of Peace with their Creator with all Creatures and with their own Consciences 4. To confute their fancies and fears he shewed them his hands feet and Side marked with marks of his wounds on the Cross c. That he was no Spirit Luke 24.39 c. N. B. Here a doubt ariseth how his glorified Body could retain any wounds after his Resurrection For Paul saith that our Bodies shall be raised in glory without any blemish or deformity at all Answ Christ had not yet put on his full glory Those Skars he purposely retained to convince his Disciples that he was the wâ—ry Body which was Crucified and these were Trophee-marks of his Victors and Triumph N.B. Indeed there is a differing method in the two Evangelist's Luke's and John's Relation of this Fifth Appearance for Luke proposes the Question whether Christ were Truly risen from the Dead shewing how the Disciples doubted of it from two contrary passions Fear and Joy Luke Ch. 24 3â— and 41. Says they were afraid it was too good too Joyful news to be true Then he shews how Christ did demonstrate the Truth thereof both by Signs and by Testimonies His signs were two fold By Words in reproving their Idle Fears verse 38. In declaring that it was he he himself ver 39 And
with Thomas here prescrib'd a kind of Law upon the Lord saying Coâ—e and lay thy bands upon my only Dying Daughter c. in thinking Christ could not otherwise core her unless he came to his house laid his hands on the Child c. This Ruler of the Synagogue could expect no help or healing much lâ—ss if his Daughter were dead could he hope for her life again Thus weak in Faith was this Learned Rabbi and far short of that Roman Souldier's the Centurion who believ'd Christ could cure his sick Servant without stirring a foot towards his house but barely by speaking the word of command Matth. 8.8 Our sweet Jesus takes no advantages against this Jairus to turn him off but tendring his Infirmity arose and followed him Matth. 9.18 19 c. Note Thus may we hope that Christ will condescend to our weakness where he finds truth in the inward parts any real desires and breathings that are right after Repentance c. Note But the doubt still lies how there could be any wounds in his glorified Body Answ Beside what is said before we must know that ordinarily there can be neither any wounds or any scars in a Body that is glorified For as that is not Death which is only the Death of one part of the Body but when it comes to be the Death of all parts and possesses the whole So that is not properly Glory which is only the Glory of one part and not of all A glorified Body is that which hath a Glory in all the parts c. This is confirmed by the Word of God 1 Cor. 15.49 Though the body be sown in weakness yet it is raised in power and honour But now the scars in Christ's Body were extraordinary and by special dispensation upon these supposed grounds 1. To confirm the doubting Disciples c. 2. To confound Enemies who shall be Thunder struck when they behold him whom they have pierced c. Zech. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 3. To comfort Friends in all Ages shewing our comfort lies nor in Christ's Miracles but in his Sufferings Therefore he bids us behold his wounds as oft as we eat the Lord's Supper 4. To instruct his Followers that as he abated of his Glory so must they of theirs for God's Glory and for the good of others Some go farther and add a 5th Reason of Christ's retaining his five wounds still even at the Right hand of God in Heaven for appeasing his Father's Wrath against his Redeemed for their dally sins he as it were reminds his Father by shewing his five wounds to him how he hath fully satisfied Divine Justice for all their Infirmities Note The Inferences from hence are 1. That the Lord of the Sabbath Matth 12.8 did here farther establish and sanctifie this New Christian Sabbath upon the first Day of the Week by making this his solemn sixth Appearance upon that same day and neither on the Seventh the Old Jewish Sabbath day nor on any other day of the weâ—◠〈◊〉 the foregoing first Day whereupon he made no fewer than five Appearances Note 2ly Though we cannot come up to the first Rate and Rank of Believers and become of the Number of the chief of David's Worthies c. 2 Sam. 23.23 c. yet may we but become of the Second Rate and Rank of Believers and be of the number of the Thirty of David's Worthies we need not doubt of acceptance with Christ whose Father and Figure was holy David Thus it was with Thomas here he faultered and foundered so as he was disenabled to come up with the first for sanctifying the first Christian Sabbath yet keeps he the second and was accepted Thus those persons that could not eat the Passover because they were defiled at the proper season in the first Month were allowed by Moses from the Lord to eat it in the second Month Numb 9.6 c. Nor did the Labourers come all into God's Vineyard to labour at one hour but at several hours some sooner and some later yet the last found equal acceptance with the first Matth. 20.6 7 8. We may come at the 11th hour and yet be welcome Note 3dly Christ over hears every word we speak though in never so private a place yea though it be but a secret whisper in the Ear of another Thus Christ over heard the very words that Thomas had spoke to his Fellow Disciples at a private Meeting on the week-day and now meeting with Thomas on the first Day he chargeth him with his own words verbatim John 20.27 Oh how should this consideration that Christ hears all our idle and wicked words we speak and it may be one against another and will relate them word for word at the last day bridle us He remembers our wicked words and works they are all before his face this we should consider in our hearts Hos 7.2 that we may stand in aâ—e and not sin Psal 4.4 For God records all in his Book Mal. 3.16 The last Remark concerning this Sixth Appearance is the marvelous consequences and effects thereof in converting and confirming wilful Thomas who hereupon cryed out My Lord and my God Verse 28. Now was this Unbeliever this obstinate opposer of that great fundamental Truth conquer'd and made to confess hot only that it was the very Jesus whom they used to call the Lord John 13.13 c. but also gives him the individuating and appropriating Compellation of My Lord whom I resolve now to obey and give up myself wholly to be Ruled by him in all things as the phrase imports And not only so but he adds My God acknowledging both that he had declared himself to be God by his Rising from the Dead Rom. 1.4 Note Here Christ is first call'd God in the Gospels which had it not been a Truth Christ would not have own'd the Title but have reproved him for ascribing to him that Nâ—â—â—e which Christ did not and in this abrupt Sentence My Lord and my God There is a short confession of his Faith and a plain profession of his own Interest in Christ which Christ approveth of verse 29. Note 'T is true Faith that appropriates the Redeemer as if no body 's else but mine Gal. 2.20 He died for me saith Paul and he is mine saith Thomas here Were it not for this possessive Mine the Devil might say the Creed to as good purpose as we For he believes there is a God and a Christs but that which torments him is he cannot say My to any one Article of the Faith Note This concise speech imports a vehement Admiration both of Christ's Clemency and of his own stupidity as if he had said how fâ—d was my state I might have perish'd in my Infidelity hadst thou not condescended to my Infirmity and shew'd me mercy helping me to find the power of thy Deity in the wounds of thy Humanity Therefore shalt thou be my Lord and my God for ever Thus may we all say Lord I thank thee that
thou hast not suffâ—â—d me to go on iâ— the broad way to Hâ—ll to perish in my Ignorance as I might have done but seâ—ing them hast gâ—â—nâ—â—d me 〈…〉 for my 〈◊〉 Faith in thy Promises and powebâ—â—â— all before theâ— in Newâ—â—â—â— of Life therefore shall thou be my Lord my God 〈…〉 1. Thus God suffereth some slips in his Saints as in Thomas here thaâ— in their Recovery themselves 〈…〉 might be more confirmed Thomas his doâ—bting more advanceth and advantaâ—eth our Faith than either Mary Magdaâ—â—â— or the other Disciplâ— sooner believing did for while Thomas handled the wounds of Christ's flash he healed the wounds of Unbelief in us for his doubting put this great Truth oâ—â— of doubt to us God would not permit evil to be unless he could extract good out of it Note 2. How soon â—an Christ change the most pertinacious Unbelief into the most precious and saving Faith as here Thomas only felt the Manhood yet believes the Godhead of Christ's now his Faith was the evidence of things not sean Heb. 11. â—â— Now his Faith exeâ—â—'d his Sense on which before he had so much depended Note 3. Christ owns his Sense for Faith verse â—0 his seeing for some say he durst not touch his Lord was his believing Now 't is enough for Faith to see Christ in the flesh by the Apostle's Eyes as Israel did Canâ—an by the Eyes of the Spiâ—â— verse 29 30 31 CHAP. XL. Of Christ's Seventh Appearance THE Seventh Appearance of Christ after his Resurrection was to the Seven Apostles when they were fishing in the Sea of Tiberius which John only relateth chap. 21. verse 1. per totum where the Lord did more fully and in a peculiar manner restore Peter from his Fall in his Threefold Denial by a Threefold Confession of him c. This Sea of Tiberius is call'd the Sea of Galian also John 6.1 because Galilee is the Province adjacent to that Sea which is six Miles broad and sixteen Miles long The Apostles were now drawn out of Jerusalem and were drawing into Galilee according to the command of Christ Matth. 26.32 and the Admoâ—â—â—ion of the Angel Matth. 28.7 The Remarks of this Seventh Appearance are accordingly concerning the Time Place Persons Occasion and Manner of Christ's Manifestation c. to evidence that he was Risen indeed 1st The Time when 't was after that Appearance to the Eleven Disciples whereby Thomas was convinced of that great Truth and confirmed in the Faith of the Messiah which John relates in chap. 20.26 to the end And after these things saith the same Evangelist John 21.1 Christ appears again and confirms Peter more fully in this as he had done Thomas in that foregoing Appearance upon what day of the week this Appearance was is not expresly mentioned as before but some suppose it was upon the third first day for these Reasons 1. John calls this the Third time chap. 21. verse 14. which Grotius refers to the number of days for Christ's first five Appearantes were on the the first first day the very day of his Resurrection five several times to several persons then his Second Appearance was on that day seven night the very next first day to the Eleven c. Now follows this Appearance as to the day which John calls the Third Time as it relateth to the third first day or the Now Christian Sabbath and thus John's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or again verse 1. is explained by his verse 14. as Marks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or last Mark 16. v. 14. is explained both before and after The 2d Reason is Christ did not now as he had done before his Death so frequently and familiarly converse with his Disciples for it was incongruous that a person now Immortal should be always conversant with Mortal Men but only by Intervals though often to â—â—â—â—tifie the Reality of his Resursurrection and the Interval was betwixt one first day and another upon which days only he manifested himself for the better founding of the new Gospel-Sabbath The 3d. Reason is Though this Immortal Body did in State abscond it self for forty days yet it is probable that he shewed himself every first day while he abode upon Earth Note If we grant this Appearance to be upon a week day then may it give incouragement to God's People in their upholding Holy Meeting occasionally upon weeks-days also seeing Christ may and undoubtedly doth manifest himself upon week days as well as upon Sabbath-day Meetings When and wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 especially if they love him he will manifest himself to them John 14.21 But upon whatever day this manifestation was made 't is expresly mentioned that it was in the Morning of that day John 〈◊〉 'T is probable our Lord waited until those seven Disciples would leave work being wearied with their succesless toiling all the night and hopeless of speeding better upon the day when noise round about doth affright away the Fisher from the Net However they learnt this Lesson which David taught That mourning lasts but till morning Psal 30.5 For though they were sad enough at their lost labour all night the Lâ—â—d all the while looking on and letting them labour in vain yet they sped better next morning through their Lord's presence and blessing Flebile principium melior forâ—una sequetur A good ending may follow a bad beginning The 2d Remark is the Place where it was This is apparent to be in Galilee whither the Apostles were now resorting as before to enjoy more of their Master's Appearance For though they had been priviledged with his presence once and again in Jerusalem which the Evangelist relateth in John 20.19 26. they still long for more and can be content to travel from the City so far as Galilee for such a beatifical Vision and how they began to be blest therewith the same John gives an account in chap. at While some have not warily enough observed the difference betwixt those Signs Christ shewed in Jerusalem to confirm the Faith of his Disciples and those he after shewed them in Galilee they have been of this Opinion that John 21. was not writ by John but added by another as the last Chapter of Deuteronomy was to the five Books of Moses because John seems to conclude his History in the end of his 20th Chapter Note Enquiry But why now will Christ again appear to them in Galilee seeing he had appeared twice already to confirm them in Jerusalem Answ Reason the first Because he had promised to go before them into Galilee by the Angel's mouth Mark 16.7 which going was Secondly An act of local motion intimating that all natural motions of a Body Christ retained still and doth retain them even in Glory as sitting standing going c. The Angel said to Mary Magdalen Lo he is not here c. Mark 16.6 and verse 7. He goes before you into
Galilee which sheweth that his Body after the Resurrection was finite it was also sensible as to seeing and feeling It was likewise an Organical Body still retaining all the parts and members thereof This serveth to refute the Romish Doctrine which saith that Christ retained not all the properties of an Humane Body after his Resurrection c. Thus the Romanists make our blessed Mediator no better than a meer Idol destitute of Motion of Sense of Understanding c. Note 2. His going before his Disciples into Galilee was an act of most gracious prevention They needed not to say as Sisera's Mother said Why are his Charets so long in coming Judg. 5.28 Why comes he not yet For Christ kindly prevents them and goes thither before them Which shews the amiable and amicable carriage of Christ in carrying comfort to his disconsolate Disciples He is nimble as the Roe or young Hind Cant. 2.17 c. His Chariots of consolation have a swift and most speedy motion but when he comes out of his place or Mercy-seat to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth Isa 26.21 then is he slow to Anger Nah. 1.3 and is as a Cart that is pressed with Sheaves Amos 2.13 A loaded Cart is of a very slow motion But he prevents us with his loving-kindness Psal 21.3 Before we ask he answers Isa 65.24 When David did but say I will confess my sin then God forgave it Psal 32.5 And the Spouse saith in the Song It was but a little that I was gone from them and then I found him whom my Soul loved Cant. 3.4 When Moses speaks in the Law he is slow of speech and stammers in comforting But the Messias in the Gospel hath a ready Tongue and is fluent in pouring out words of consolation to the disconsolate Soul Isa 50.4 The second Reason why he appears now in Galilee was because it was a place of more safety as before than Jerusalem was because the Jews fought the lives of the Disciples Therefore Christ tenderly provides for securing them there while weakness was upon them but when he had made them strong with the Indowments of his Spirit then he bids them go fill Jerusalem with his Gospel Until that time Galilee was God's Chamber to hide them in Isa 26.20 The third Reason why in Galilee because it was the place where he had been most frequently and familiarly conversant with the Disciples this Countrey Entertaining the Gospel and Christ more courteously than Judea did and now because they in their Mortal Bodies were incapable of any constant conversing with his Immortal Body now therefore is he said to shew himself to them only at certain times and in certain places and he pitches principally upon this place Galilee Matth. 26.32 and 28.7 c for this cause wherein to manifest himself to them As God gave Moses for a Sign saying On this very Mountain shall thou and Israel worship me Exod. 3.2 Beside the burning of the Bush verse 2 3. By which double Token his Faith was farther and fullier confirmed in the Promise both for the 〈…〉 and for the future So Christ gave this of his going before 〈◊〉 into Galilce which also the Angel reminded them of to comfort them that though He their Shepherd should be smitten as Zech. 13.7 and they his Sheep there upon should be scattered through fear yet this smiting of the Sheep should be but for a short time for he would quickly as before them again like a Shepherd before his Flock Mâ—â—â—â—â— â—8 and 〈…〉 As God's Toâ—en was made good to Moses upon Mount Hâ—â—â—â—â— so was this of Christ's to his Disciples for the further and fuller confirmation of their Faith upon a Mount in Galilce 〈◊〉 Thus our Lord Attemper'd himself to their weakness not only in accomplishing this Sign but also he was felt by Thomas c. and he feed at Dinner with his Disciples not necessitate as Austin saith but potestate c. not for any need he had but by his Divine Power c. Of that more hereafter in its proper place when we come to it The fourth Reason of Christian appearing here in Galilce was because he had most Disciplen in that Countrey 〈◊〉 Jerusalem and Jâ—â—â—â— had indeed much precious Seed sown in them but they both did prove a very 〈◊〉 Soil Christ will be most conversant where there he most Believers he will walls most among his Golden Candlestick and in his Gardens of Spiritual Flowerâ— and in the Viâ—â—â—â—s of Red Wine Rev. 1 1â— Cant. 6.2 and 7.12 There will be give out his Laws He directs his Spouse to follow the footstept of his Flock Cant. 1.7.8 The fifth and last Reason because Galilce and typical place representing to us the Translation of the Gospel from the unworthy Jews into Galilce of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 so â—â—â—â—d Matth. 4.15 The Voice that was heard in the Temple 〈◊〉 â—ino was dismal to the Jews who had forfeited the Covenant in killing the Messenger of the Covenant to wit the Messiah The word Galilce signifies Tâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ious in Hebrew The 3d. grand Remark is the Beisâ—◠〈…〉 Christ appeared here in Galilce These are named John â—1 2 Simoâ—â—â—â—â—â— Thoâ—â—â—â— call'd Didiâ—â—â— Nethaniel of Canaâ—â—â—â— Galilce whom some suppose the some with 〈…〉 the two Sons of Zebedâ—â— James and John and other two Disciples not â—aâ—â—â—d 〈◊〉 yet Apposed to the Philip and Andrew All the Apostles were draw in to together into Galilce to meet the Lord there But those Seveâ— came probably the first and not together in one place not only to shew their Holy Concord but also to hold some godly Conference To these therefore Christ the sooner appeareth here and as the 〈◊〉 Seven was a competent company for farther testifying the Truth of Christ's Resurrection so was it a figure of the Church which is sanctified by the Sever Spirits of God Rev. 3. â—â— And thoâ— these same Disciples had seen Christ twice before all his Thomas who had only seen him once John 20.19 26. yet will the Lord appear to them again to shew what delight he had to be among the Sons of Men as is said Prov. 8.30 Note He chuses rather to stay a while for forty days with poor Mortals upon Earth than yet to Ascend up to his Immortal Glory in Heaven These Seven might possibly think they were sufficiently assured already of their Lord's Resurrection as Peter thought and therefore said I go a fishing John 21.3 both He and They were deceived for they all needed farther Confirmation in this Doctrine of greatest consequence and comfort they must have proofs of it in Galilce as well as in Jerusalem than they might more firmly believe and remember that Jesus Christ of the Seed of Divid was verily Raised from the Dead according to the Gospel 2 Tim 2.8 This great Truth is the whole Gospel's Abridgment to be the Witnesses thereof was the first Function of the Apostles Acts 1.22 Note Christ never appeared after he Rose again to any
at his Ascension captivated those that had held us in Captivity for 1. So God's Justice required Isa 33.1 2. So God's goodness had promised Isa 24.21 22. Rev. 13.10 And 3. So our Lord Christ hath fulfilled Col. 2.15 Saving his People to the uttermost Hebr. 7.25 from Sin Death Hell and the Devil who taketh Sinners alive and leadeth them Captive at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 till Christ make a rescue Luke 11.21 22. Thus our Lord Ascended and rode up on high in a Glorious Cloud as in a Chariot of State to his Palace of rest and glory not only leading away a certain number of Captives Note namely those Saints as some interpret who had been held in the Captivity of Death whose bodies rose at Christ's Resurrection Matth. 27.52 and who now accompanied him in his Triumphant march into Heaven But also in a more general sense Captivating 1. Passively all the elect who had been Captives to Satan Sin the World Death and Hell Those their Captives Christ rescues out of their destroying hands and makes them blessed Captives to himself by changing their Miserable into an Holy and Happy Captivity whereby they are brought into the easy Yoke of Christ Matthew 11.29 30. and into the pleasant Obedience of the Gospel Prov. 3.17 2 Cor. 10.5 1 John 5.3 Or 2. Actively Captivating all the Temporal and Spiritual Enemies of his Church and Children who had been Captivated by them Satan had the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 Christ fought the Field with him on the Cross and there spoiled him Col. 2.14 And now Triumphs openly over him in his Ascension verse 15. So Christ Conquered the world John 16 33. And so he did Sin Death Hell c. From hence learn 1st That though the Devil reign still every where as the God of this present evil world which lyeth in wickedness wholly 2 Cor. 4.4 Gal. 1.4 1 John 5.19 Yet Christ hath captivated him hath him in a Chain 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude ver 6. Rev. 20.1 2. And will tread him down under our Feet shortly Ro. 16.20 As he hath done under his own Feet As this is decreed of God foretold and promised by God so in due time it shall certainly be accomplished by Christ yea and personally shall be applyed to every particular true believer 2dly That such as are sensible they are sold under sin c. Rom. 7.14 24. should improve this benefit by believing and not wilfully rot in prison lying still as the Devil's drudges there when Christ hath broke open the Prison-Doors and proclaimed liberty c. Isa 61.1.2 who can commiserate their case that will not come to Christ for life John 5.40 3dly Learn comfort here thou trembling Soul what Christ did here he did not for himself only but for the sake of all his Servants As Joshua first conquered the Kings and shut them up in a Cave then brought them forth and makes his Souldiers and Servants to tread upon their Necks Joshua 10.18 24. So our Jesus hath made his Saints more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 Even Triumphers over all their Enemies 2 Cor. 2.14 Christ's Victory is our Victory he hath broke the Old Serpent's Head we are only exercised with his Tail-temptations and tho' Satan may bruise our Heel so as to make us halt yet ought we to go halting endways towards Heaven as Jacob went halting over the Plain of Penuel Gen. 32.31 We shall Reign with Christ if we suffer with him 2 Tim. 2.12 The 4th Reason of our Saviour's Ascension was to give gifts to Men. c. As the Psalmist saith Psal 68.18 and the Apostle Eph. 4.8 Only with a little Variation As 1st The Old Testament saith how Christ received gifts at his Ascension but the New that he gave them he only received that he might give those gifts for he had no need of them himself As he received them with one hand so he gave them with the other 2dly The Old Testament faith these gifts were for Men be Adam for such as were in Adam that he might repair the lost Image of God in them as it was in Adam before his fall But the New Testament saith these gifts were for his Church which are mentioned Eph. 4.11 Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ c. These were the Gifts he bestowed upon the day of his Coronation and Solemn Inauguration into his Throne of Clory at his Triumphant Ascension These he received that he might give them looking upon it more honourable to give than to receive Acts 20.35 3dly The Old Testament adds even to the Rebellious for the best have been such till the Lord gave them better Hearts Rom. 4.5 5.6 8 10. Yea though they continue in their Rebellion yet may they share in common Gifts and external priviledges for the benefit of his People some such may receive common Grace which is Gratis data tho' not Gratum faciens graciously given of God but not making truly gracious to God And even the Rebellious may receive Restraining Grace that God may dwell among his Redeemed in his Religion and true Worship But those Rebels then lay down Arms and dare not fight against God any longer when once God comes to dwell among them c. Thus Christ did here as Kings at their Coronation commonly do in casting several pieces of Coin abroad to be picked up by the common people so here at his entrance into his heavenly Kingdom he scattered his Gifts among his Subjects and fills his Church with his goodness Hence learn we 1st That none ought to be proud of their Gifts seeing they are not our own but we may well say of them as the Young Man said of his Hatchet Alas Master it was but borrowed 2 Kings 6.5 This consideration may suffice to cut the Coxcomb of vain-glorious and self-ascribing or self-admiring Boasters What is it we have not Received c. 1 Cor. 4.7 To glory in our Gifts is as great folly as for the Groom to be proud of Riding upon his Master's pransing Palfrey the Actor at the Play-house of wearing his borrowed Gay cloaths or the Mudwall of the Sunshine that giveth it a lustre 2dly That none ought to plead Ignorance Inability c. This excuse cannot be current Coin for the Court of Heaven Men should rather go to Christ who gives gifts than persist in unfitness for Generation-work If any want Wisdom c. let him ask it of God who is the giver of all good Gifts James 1.5 6. They do worthily want that may be supplied by asking Yet ask not Matth. 7.7 The Tree of Life must be shaken then the Fruit which is above our heads though the Root in his Birth c. be below may fall down for us to gather 3dly This may incourage that in this great defect of Gospel-Ministers Christ can supply he hath gifts to give and the residue
out of every Nation 1. Those led away captive by Salmanasser 1 Kings 17.6 and 18.11 these never returned into their own Countrey but occasionally as here and call'd Parthians Medes Elamites 2. By Nebuchadnezzar who are here call'd Mesopotamites And 3. By Ptolomy those were call'd Hellenists Beside these three were lesser Dispersions James 1.1 and almost in every City where the Apostles Preached among the Gentiles they found Jews there Now to many of these that were come to the Feast not only Peter but all the Eleven Preached For 1. 'T is said They stood up with him verse 14. 2. The Voice of a Stentor could not be heard by those Myriads out of which three thousand were Converts 3. These consult the other Apostles as well as Peter verse 37. 4. These continued not in Peter's only but 1. In the Apostle's Doctrine Preached 2. In their Fellowship for Communion and Conference 3. In Breaking Bread wherein Wine is synecdochically included And 4. In Prayers wherewith they besieged God who was saith a Father well pleased to have Heaven taken by force Matth. 11.12 Oh happy they that be so valiant and violent as to make a prey or a prize of the habitation of happy ones c. CHAP. III. The First Miracle HAving already declared the wonderful Constitution of the first Gospel-Church that ever was in the World in the next place follows the Discourse concerning the Fate and Fare which attended it wherein an intermixture of the Acts of some times all the Apostles and of sometimes some only as touching what they said what they did and what they suffered 't is summarily comprehended Note This Primitive Church being thus prodigiously planted Persecution presently was raised against it to root it up and ruine it Though God's Bridle had hitherto as before restrained the Devil's Instruments so that the very Pharisees and Chief Priests c. had seem'd to favour them as yet not daring to frown upon them But now the Grumbling of their Gizzards inwardly for fear of the loss of their Pharisaical Kingdom began to work up and break out outwardly Note Oh the depths of Divine wisdom in disposing of things thus that where-ever God hath a Church the Devil by God's unsearchable permission must have his Chappel and this cannot become a Chappel of Ease to the Devil's Chimney-Chaplains call'd Chemarim's Atrati or Black-Birds Zeph. 1.4 unless they find a free vent for their Spirit of Persecution which took its first Fire from Peter and John's healing of the Lame Beggar Acts 3.1 2 c. This was the first occasion of the first Persecution Hitherto all the Apostles had acted in conjunction with Peter 1. In their chusing Matthias by a Lot from the Lord to compleat their number of twelve Apostles 2. In their boldness of Preaching to the People when they had received the Holy Ghost 3. In providing for the Poor that received the Gospel for which the Jewish Synagogues out of which they had formerly been Relieved had now cast them out of their care whereof more afterwards As also 4. In their Joint Celebration of a Council and sending their Canons or Decrees to the several Churches c. But in this place here Peter and John only come into play by their going into the Temple at the Ninth Hour the hour of Prayer not to communicate with the Jews in their now Antiquated Worship but that they might have a larger Field for sowing their seed of the Gospel in which they could not miss of but meet with upon the Evening of this great Feast of Pentecost-day about three a Clock in the Afternoon which was the time of their Evening Sacrifice At their entring into the Gate not of the first Court of the Gentiles but of the second Court of the Jews they find the Lame man laid hoping for more Alms from his Countrey-men than from Strangers Note This same Cripple was born lame and was now forty years old therefore the harder to cure and when cured the more credible Witness against the Cavillers at his cure Acts 4.22 This man lay begging daily there and if he had begg'd in that place so many years it may well be wondered at that Christ himself had not cured him long ere this in his passing so frequently through this Porch seeing we do not find that our Lord ever refused any who came for cure To this it may be said that the Lord might reserve this Miracle for this very Time both for confirming the Truth of the Gospel and the Faith of the Apostles in Preaching it All Times and Seasons are in the Lord's hands who both justly forbears to send Salvation at one time and graciously vouchsafes it at another Note This now was the day of sending Salvation to the Cripple who asked Alms of these two Apostles God was better to him than his expectation and so he is to us daily giving us more than we can ask or think Eph. 3.20 Yea he presseth favours upon his Suitors as Naaman did upon Gehazi 2 Kings 5.23 Peter had no Gold to give him but he had Grace to wit a power from Christ wherewith to heal him which as he had freely received so he freely gave it to him when he first excited his expectation with Look on us that he might the more mind the means and the manner of his Cure and be the better prepared to give God the glory of it No sooner had Peter spoke In the Name of Jesus c. Rise up and walk but presently his Feet and his Ankle-bones received strength c. v. 4 5.6 7. Together with this word there went forth a power as Luke 5.17 then was fulfilled that Prophecy Isa 35.6 The Lame Man shall leap as an Hart The Lord raised up the Crooked Psal 146.8 as was this Cripple whose Inside and Soul was now healed as well as his Outside and Body for he went into the Temple with them not only to hang up his Crutches as it were there as Memorials of his Mercy but also to render Praises to the God of his Mercy He praised God not the Apostles Note Instruments must not rob the Author of his glory we may pay the Messenger but we must return Thanks principally to the sending Benefactor Yet this healed Cripple in an Extasie of Thankfulness to them held those his Healers till a great confluence of People came about them all astonished with the unexpected Miracle on this notoriously known Lame Beggar which when Peter saw he embraces this Golden Opportunity and Preacheth his second stinging Sermon to them whereby a great Increase was added again to the Church Not only this Cripple who had cause at last to bless God for his Lameness which brought him as divers Miseries do others to the knowledge of Christ and of Salvation through him a blind Eye hath help'd the healing of a blind Soul c. but also two thousand more believed as an addition to the three thousand Acts 2.41 at the least c. 'T