Baal exceedeth a better zeal for the true God yea and Cain's zeal as bad as he was outvies the zeal of too many that neither have a Sheaf nor a Sheep for Gods Worship oh how most men abuse those words of Christ I will have mercy and not Sacrifice spoke in reference to Gods tenderness to his Creatures yet they misconstrue it in favour of their own penuriousness saying they must rather have mercy on themselves and their purses than be at too much cost in Sacrificing to the Lord Mat. 9.13 The fourth property of their Service is There was unity in their Worship As they were Twins in their Births so they were Twins in their Offerings There was an Harmony and happy Conjunction in both Cain did not Build one Altar and Abel another but one serv'd both they both Offer'd in one place and at one time yea and the place is supposed to be that very place as is aforesaid where Solomon Built the Temple Hence observe It makes much for the Honour of Religious VVorship when 't is perform'd in the Spirit of Unity The first Inference is Oh let it not be told in Gath nor published in Askelon that there is Altar against Altar and Prayer against Prayer amongst Professors in our Day The Apostle presseth to Unity with many Arguments Eph. 4.3 4 c. We have all one Faith and we have all one Father we be all Sons of one Man as Gen. 42.11 or rather of one God why should we fall out by the way in our going home to our fathers house Gen. 45.24 'T were certainly a great happiness if all Professors could serve God after one manner but this as one saith potitùs optandum quà m sperandum est may rather be desired than expected for Divisions must be Luke 12.51 1 Cor. 11.19 and no unity of faith can be had until we all come to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Eph. 4.13 There is a wonderful variety of faces and voices amongst Mankind yet as it doth most marvellously set off the Wisdom of the Creator so it doth not destroy Humane Society in the Creation but consists well together and is very useful for distinction of Persons one from another Thus also opinionum varietas opinantium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the variety of Professions and Unity of Professors may well enough consist together without breach of Peace The second Inference is Yet Unity without Verity is not Unity but Conspiracy There is no true Concord but in Truth That is no right means which destroys the proper end Those are bad means that are destructive to a good end That Contention which promoteth Holiness is better than that Peace or Unity which would destroy it but Unity against God and Holiness is as two sticks becoming one in the Devils Hand not in Gods as Herod and Pilate united against Christ we must not part with Truth for Peace that is a buying Gold too dear We are bid to follow peace with all men Heb. 12.14 But 't is only usque ad Aras so far as will consist with Holiness as that place sheweth The third Inference is That narrow Principles undo Unity could we but own and embrace Saints as Saints 't would much advance it but this loving our own Image better than Christs cuts the very Staff both of Bands and of Beauty Zech. 11.7 10.14 And we verily do no less than love our own Image better than Christs if we can love only those of our own Opinion and not others of another Perswasion though the Image of Christ shine forth never so convincingly in them The fifth Property 'T was equally a solemn Service by way of Sacrifice both these Sons paid their Homage to their Maker the one in a Sheaf and the other in a Sheep Hence observe Holy Sacrifices and Services have been tendered and rendered up to the great God in all Ages of the VVorld by the Church of God Adam Noah Moses David c. all Offer'd Sacrifices and attended upon Gods Service Sacrificium quass sacrum factum a Sacrifice is a sacred Fact solemnly performed by the Creature to the Creator and the Solemnity of this Service consists in four Respects 1. As the Sacrifice was a real acknowledgment of Gods Soveraignty over the Sacrificer Isa 16.1 Even Moab it self should send a Lamb to the Ruler of the VVorld And Psal 118.27 Because God is the Lord therefore bind the Sacrifice 2. As it was a sad Remembrancer of the Sacrificers sin to wit that he deserv'd to be Burnt as his Burnt-offering was even in Everlasting Burnings Hence the sin of the Sacrificer was transmitted to his Sacrifice by laying his Hand upon the Head of the Beast Thus God laid upon Christ the iniquities of us all Isa 53.6 as they transfer'd their sins upon their Sacrifice 3. As it was a solemn protestation of their Faith in Christ whom all their Sacrifices did prefigure as he was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the VVorld Revel 13.18 Abel's Lamb and Moses Paschal Lamb were but Types of that Antitype the Lamb of God who was to take away the sins of the VVorld John 1.29 36. All their Sacrifices were stays to their Faith in Christ Thus Abel Offered his Lamb in Faith Heb. 11.4 His Sacrifice was not only a Confession of his demerit of Death for his sin but 't was also a Profession of his Faith in Christ whereby his Death he deserved was transferred upon his Head Christ who died for him Alas every Man hath eaten Forbidden Fruit and must die for it either by himself or by his surety either our Blood or Christs must go for it and 't is not enough that Christs Blood be shed for us unless it also be sprinkled upon us Heb. 9.19 21. and 10.22 for cleansing our Consciences 4. As it was also an Offering of Thankfulness those Sacrifices were Eucharistical as well as Propitiatory Thank-offerings as well as Sin-offerings VVhat shall I render saith David Psal 116.12 He had nothing to give 't was but a render and he had nothing good enough to render unto God c. Enquiry Why have we no such Sacrifices under the Gospel no such Ceremonies as they had under the Law Answer the first They were all Carnal Ordinances during the date of the Pedagogy of Moses and until the time of Reformation by Christ Heb. 9.10 11. Therefore such as would introduce the Abrogated Jewish Ceremonies may at the same Door bring in the Abrogated Jewish Sacrifices also as Tilham did Circumcision c. first in England and then in Germany and thereby put such a chargeable heavy Yoke in Offering Sheep and Oxen c. upon Christs Disciples which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear Acts 15.10 much less we And if those very Ceremonies which were of Gods own ordaining be not to be observed much less those of poor Mans devising Surely God respects his own more than Mans by much Gal.
saith and that very probably no sooner was Sarah taken into Abimelech's Court but he and his whole Family were smitten of God with some deadly Diseases when his Physicians consulted with could give neither Satisfaction nor Cure Then God told him in a Dream if he perfected his sin he was but a dead man c. By this Disease coming as out of an Engine immediately from God he was restrained from sin ver 6. and 17. and constrained to restore Sarah to her Husband all which teach us 1. That even Kings themselves may not be Licentious to do what they list but they are under limitation both of Humane and Divine Laws 2. Adultery even in Kings is punishable with Death both Popes and Emperors have been justly cut off by the Just Hand of God in and for this abominable sin 3. Ignorance cannot altogether excuse Sin as in Abimelech here it may excuse à Tanto something Luke 12.48 but not à Toto altogether 4. The whole Family may be blessed or cursed for the Masters sin as here ver 17 18. and Luke 19.9 This day Salvation is come to thy House as thou art a Son of Abraham Thus also the sins of Kings bring Plagues upon Kingdoms 2 Sam. 24.17 Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi ver 9. here Thou hast brought on me and on my Kingdom this great sin 5. So dear to God are his Saints that he severely punisheth even Kings for their sakes he suffereth no Man to wrong them so as though they may heavily oppress them they shall ever utterly suppress them Psal 105.14 15. Touch not mine Anointed is spoke to not of Kings Be wise now therefore O ye Kings kiss the King of Kings lest he be angry Psal 2.10 Revel 19.16 Potentes potenter torquebuntur ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia Great Sins under great Mercies bring great Plagues and Judgments 6. Things wilfully taken away must be willingly restored Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum Knowledge must reform wherein Ignorance hath offended till Sarah was restored no Mercy could be expected Lastly Those two Captivities of Sarah may resemble the two Captivities of her Seed the Old Testament Church First In Egypt under Ten Plagues 2dly In Babylon sent out with good Conditions Thus it befalls both the Church of Christ and the â—â—â—l of a Christian they are sometimes Captivated by Beelzebub that Prince of black Gypsies 〈◊〉 Devils or by Abaddon that God of this World which lyeth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 or King of all the Uncircumcised in the Mystery as Sarah was in the History yet both are not only seasonably and safely rescued but also brought off abundantly Enriched as she was with her Sheep and Oxen c. coming Richer out of Temptation than they went into it which leaves them through sanctifying Grace always better than it found them Oh that there were that Beauty in us which was in her The fifth Mystery of Sarah's Person in the History of her Life was her Constancy and Faithfulness to her Husband she was a Loving and Loyal Wife to him not hankering after strange no not though Royal Flesh as was Pharaoh and Abimelech Abraham was a covering of Eyes to her Gen. 20.16 Her Reverend regard to such a Reverend Husband made him a better Veil betwixt her Eyes and the Eyes of wanton Person than that Veil which Abimelech gave a Thousand Shekels of Shillings to her Husband to purchase for her that she might cover her Face with it whereby she might be known to be a modest Matron as well as a Married Woman in subjection to the Man Gen. 24.65 and 1 Cor. 11.3 6 7 10. Hence the Supouse took it ill that her Veil was pulled off whereby she might be judged to be a light and dishonest Woman Cant. 5.7 We should shun and be my of the very shew and shadow of sin if either we tender our Credit abroad or our Comfort at home Oh what a comfortable Companion was Sarah to Abraham in all his Travels and Troubles doing him good and not evil all her days Prov. 31.12 She was constant in her Conjugal Yoke carrying on and even her part thereof not drawing the contrary way and did stick to him with faithful Affections in all Changes and Chances whatsoever yea though she suffered many hardships as before with him and was oft put very hardly to it yet was she not afraìd with any amazement 1 Pet. 3.6 driving out all servile fear of the World with a stronger filial fear of God as the stronger Nail drives out the Weaker Oh that the Churches of Christ and the Souls of Christians could be so constant and faithful to their Lord and Husband as she was to hers Hos 3.3 We must bear his Cross after him Luke 9.23 here on Earth if we would wear his Crown with him in Heaven The sixth Mystery of Sarah's person in the History of her life was in having her faults transmitted from her self to her Husband as Gen. 18.13 The Lord said to Abraham wherefore did Sarah laugh Here was Sarah's sin doubled 1. Her Unbelief of Gods promise 2. Her Untruth she covered her Unbelief withal yet all is charg'd upon Abraham the Wives sin reflects upon her Husband and this is not all learnt from hence but it teacheth also that the Spouses Beloved bears upon him all her Transgressions Surely he hath born our griefs and the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him Isa 53.4 5. He bore our sins in his own body upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 He the true Scape-goat taketh away the sins of the World Joh 1.29 Bearing them into the Land of forgetfulness Lev. 16.21 As this is a continual practice of Christ for us so this posture of his carrying away our sins should be as a perpetual Picture born about in our hearts Seeing his satis-passion is our satisfaction he took upon him whatever was Penal and Satisfactory to Divine Justice that belonged to Sin whereby we may be made Free Joh. 8.36 He was content to go down to the Wine-Press that we might be brought up into the Wine-Cellar or into the Banqueting-House Isa 63.3 Cant. 2.4 'T was the manner of those that offer'd their Burnt-Offerings of old to lay their Hand upon the Head of Beast Offered signifying the imputation of our Sins upon Christ this is done now by Faith Oâ— that as Christ was Crucifixus so he may be Cordifixus fixed to our Hearts as to his Cross The last Mystery of Sarahs Person in the History of her Life is she in conjunction with Hagar and with their two Sons represents the two Covenants Gal. 4.24 c. which indeed is the main Mystery and that which hath most manifest Manuduction to it by the blessed Apostle under the Infallible conduct of the Holy Spirit In this Main or Principal Mystery there be manifold Members all coupled together in couples and compared per pares by pairs As 1. Here is the Shadow or Type 2. Here is the Body
God had not as yet made a particular Law against Blasphemy now upon this particular occasion a general Law is here superadded for punishing Blasphemers in all succeeding Ages Levit. 24.15 16. And God ordained also That the Witnesses who heard him blaspheme should lay their hands upon his head when he was to be stoned 1. To confirm their Testimony and the Truth of it that they did not by Slander take away his Innocency nor by Murder his Life 2. That his Blood might be upon his own head and that they were not guilty of his sin If so 3. It was a kind of Imprecation that they might suffer the same severity So Deut. 17.7 12. and 19.20 c. shews 4. This Sacrifice of Justice expiates Wrath from the Survivers Our Blasphemies the stumbling-block to Jews and Turks cry loud for Vengeance on Nominal Christians c. Now come we to Israel's remove from Mount Sinai their 12th Station where they had stayed long namely a whole year abating ten or thirteen days as appeareth by comparing Exod. 19.1 2. where it is said They came to 1 Sinai on the third day of the third month of the first year with Numb 10. 11 12. where 't is said They Removed from thence the twentieth day of the second month which we now call April in the second year Which famous Remove affordeth these as famous Remarks The first is Israel is now blest with four famous Privileges at this first Removal from thence to confirm their Faith in their Travel through that terrible Wilderness beside the New Tabernacle they had got among them and the New Passover that was celebrated by them As 1. They had the Word of God to warrant their Remove and Couduct to Canaan The Lord spake thus to them here Ye have dwelt long enough about this Mountain take your Journey to the Mount of the Amoâ—ites c. Lo I have given you the Land c. go in and possess it c. Deut 1.6 7 8. 2. They had the lifting up of the glorious Cloud which had rested in that place almost a whole year from off the Tabernacle Numb 10 11. which was a visible sign that they must now be gone from that long Station then the Cloud moving call'd for their motion and was a better Guide to them than any Mathematical Chart or Compass can be to Mariners at Sea in this wayless Wilderness Numb 9. 15 18.3 They had now the soundings of the new Silver Trumpets with which the Priests were to blow an Alarm for the Removal of the Camp c. Numb 10.1 3 8. call'd a Statute for ever the outward Rite continuing till Christ's coming and the mystical signification which still abideth for ever namely the sounding of the two Silver Trumpets of the Law and Gospel in the mouths of God's Ministers who must lift up their Voices as Trumpets Isa 58. 1. and Joel 2.15 16. Ezek. 33.3 1 Cor. 14.8 Rev. 4.1 to put their People upon Motions and Marchings toward the heavenly Canaan This likewise was a sign Audible as the other Visible 4. They had Moses sanctifying their Removal at the removing of the Ark to seek out a Resting-place c. by solemn Prayer saying Rise up Lord and let thine Enemies be scattered c. Numb 10.33 34 35.36 which words David useth Psal 68.1 c. where he prophesieth of Christ's Resurrection and Ascension whereby all those Mysteries were fulfilled The second Remark is The posture of Israel's Marching from Sinai all in comely Order which was summarily in this prospect When God took up the Cloud Moses prayed and the Priests sounded the first Alarm out of the Silver Trumpets at which Judah who was the first Standard having a Lion for his Badge of Honour with Issachar and Zabulun all numerous Numb 2.9 c. and they march foremost whom the Levites of Gershom and Merari follow with six Wagons bearing the boards and coverings of the Tabernacle Numb 10.14 15 16 17. At the second Alarm Reuben bearing a Man in his Ensign Simeon and Gad with their Army of 151 thousand 450 fighting Men rose up and followed the foregoing Waggons and after them went the Kohathites in the midst of the Twelve Tribes bearing on their shoulders the Ark Candlestick Table Altar c. At the third Alarm 's sounding rose up Ephraim who bare a Bullock in his Banner with Manasseh and Benjamin having an Army of an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred Men of War following the Sanctuary or Tabernacle that went before them unto which the Psalmist alludeth Psal 80.3 Numb 10.18 to 22. and 22 to 25. Thus the Sanctuary had the midst safest and most honourable place for Religion is the heart of a Nation and is both Ornamentum Munimentum to it The greatest Camp went foremost and the next in greatness came hindmost namely the Standard of Dan who had an Eagle in his Ensign with Asher and Naphthali those rose up at the fourth Alarm with a hundred fifty seven thousand six hundred fighting Men call'd the Gathering Host Josh 6 9. because they not guarding the Tabernacle had committed to their Charge the care of gathering together the lame faint and feeble and to look that nothing was lost or left behind to which David seems to allude Psal 27.10 As here was a strong Guard before so there was behind to secure the Sanctuary from Enemies both ways Numb 10.25 26 27 28. yet God was their best Guard as well as Guide both leading the Van or Front and bringing up the Rere Isa 52.12 and 58.8 Psal 68.8 9 10. where God's goings are described The third Remark is When Israel left Sinai then Jethro was for leaving Israel in this place the Story of him related Exod. 18. ought to be placed here as is said before For 1. Jethro offered Sacrifices to God ver 12. whereas the Law for them was not given till they came to Sinai Nor 2. Were the Statutes given till then which Moses sate to make known to them Exod. 18.13 16.3 His chusing of Judges by Jethro's Advice was not till their departing from Sinai Deut. 1.7 8 9. Numb 11.16 17 c. Moses courted his Father-in-law to go along with them For the Lord hath spoke good concerning Israel Numb 10.29 knowing God's Promises to be good sure-hold Jethro at first was unwilling ver 30. but either he yielded after to stay to be Eyes to Israel ver 31. or at least he returned again to Moses in the Wilderness because there is mention of the Posterity of this Hobab among the Israelites in Canaan Judg. 1.16 and 4.11 Sam. 15.6 or they came after c. The fourth Remark is Mount Sinai was not a place fit for Israel to abide in and to build there a Temple for God No it must only be a movable Tabernacle for it was a place of Bondage by reason of the Law there given Gal. 4.24 25. The Law is a Yoke of Bondage as Jerom calls it and they who look
his Lust his wickedness was made publick and a way prepared for the succeeding Tragedies which were a just judgment of God upon Amnon and upon David himself Mark 2. The Event as to Tamar now Defloured and Bereaved of her Virginity by Force First Though Austin saith Invita Virgo vexari potest Violari non potest A Virgin Forced may be vexed but cannot be violated And Jerom Corpora Sanctarum mulierum non vis maculat sed voluntas 'T is not an over-powering violent compulsion but a free and willing consent that polluteth the Bodies of Holy Women Yet a Ravished Tamar cannot but be ashamed to shew her Face to any person ever after therefore she complains Whither shall I cause my shame to go v. 13. Secondly She was greatly grieved with his sudden hating her and saying to her Arise be gone v. 15. when himself had thrown her down by his greater strength otherwise there had been no need of her arising And if the Relation of a Brother did not yet his allaying his own Lust upon her might have obliged him to have allayed her Grief a while and not immediately in so morose a manner bid her Be gone Hereupon she answered There is no cause ver 16. of adding this Inhumanity to thy present Impiety This evil is greater than the other which she might truly say in divers respects for though it was a foul and filthy fact yet it proceeded from Natural Concupiscence allured by the Bait of Beauty but this sudden expulsion was most barbarous Cruelty to expose her after private Abuse so soon unto publick contempt as if she had been the enticing Strumpet or at least consenting to it That was done in the Heat and Heighth of his Flagrant Lust but this is done in Cold Blood to make her an open scandal both to God and to his People more especially to the Royal Family stained hereby in their Reputation But Thirdly That which afflicted her most of all was that inexorable Amnon call'd his Servant for wicked Masters will not want wicked Servants to humour them in their wicked works to Thurst her out of doors by force ver 17 18. Thus this Royal and Vertuous Virgin was abused both by the Master in Forcing her to part with her Virginity and then by the Man as bad as the Master to pack her out of doors c. This Affront was unbearable being also sensible what a cordolium this would be to her good Father David who had brought her into those Bryars by sending her to Amnon and what an high provocation it was to prove to her own Brother Absolom who would ruminate Revenge c. N. B. This confluence of mischiefs and complication of maladies and miseries made miserable Tamar Put Ashes upon her Head and Rend her Royal Garment and laid her Hand upon her Head and walk endways crying ver 19. all which were demonstrations of her deploring the loss of her Virginity This rending her Raiment was a real sign of her sorrow Job 2.12 13. Jerem. 36.24 Ezek. 37.30 Josh 7.6 and 2 Sam. 12 c. Yea through the greatness of her grief she did not only rend her Embroidered Garment to shew how her Virginity had been rent from her by force but also Laid her hand on her Head to hide her Face that seat of shame-facedness that none might see her Jerem. 2.37 as if ashamed to shew it yet all along in the open Streets as Chrysostom saith she exclaimed against Amnon crying that he had Ravished her least she should be thought to have been thrust out of Doors for an Impudent Harlot Mark 3. The Event as to Absolom ver 20 22. to whom she made her immediate application rather than to her Father David against whom probably she was not a little incensed for sending her to Amnon's House whereby he had uncautelously occasioned all her calamity N. B. But ambitious Absolom who was her own Brother both by Father and Mother had no hand in this Vnhappy Act and did sincerely Sympathize with her in her sad circumstances saying to her First Hath Aminon been with thee He calls him Aminon for contempt for Amnon signifies Faithful but Aminon an Artist in the Black Art taught in the Devil's School c. And Been for Lien with thee a modest expression of an immodest Action Secondly But hold thy peace my Sister he is thy Brother So had less cause to suspect him therefore none can blame thee for being alone with him Or thy blazoning his faults will be a blot to our whole Family Hence it is more probable that Tamar did not make an open out-cry of the fact to those she passed by in the Streets according to Chrysostom's opinion above mentioned but all along concealed it save only what calamity in the General concurring Circumstances might discover to have befaln her yet she had not revealed it in particular until she came to Absolom who made enquiry into the cause of her out-cry c. Thirdly He comforts her by bidding her not grieve too much for that which is now done and cannot be undone seeing it was forced upon thee and done against thy will all men will excuse thee That which cannot be cured must be endured What is past cure must be past care too We must make the best of an ill matter as we can Thou canst not expect relief by thy complaints to the King seeing Amnon is as near and dear to David as thou art though his only Daughter yet he is his First born Son Heir apparent to the Crown so such a fond Father as he is to us all will not right thee upon him N. B. With such like consolatory speeches Absolom so far did Temper his Sister Tamar's sorrow that she was content to live in his House like a desolate and disconsolate Widow in secrecy and retirement no Noble Blood of her Rank seeking to Marry her but lived in solitude all her Life Fourtly Though Absolom thus pacified his Sister Tamar's grief yet hated he his Brother Amnon for his abuse of her with an Habitual hatred ver 22. neither debating with him about it nor threatning him for it but made as if he had digested it by Brotherly love but still carryed on a Brother-like correspondency with him for many Months and some years as will after appear having Malice in his Heart Mark 4. The event hereof as to David ver 21. He was very wroth to wit with Amnon but this was not enough for David was the Supreame Magistrate and God had put the Sword of Justice into his Hands Rom. 13.4 which he ought to have seen Executed without partiality or respect of persons N. B. Josephus the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin add to the Hebrew Text this reason David was loth to grieve the Spirit of Amnon because be greatly loved him being his First-born But Holy David could not be ignorant how ill good Eli sped for such like fondness in conniving more than meet at his Sons heinous faults Some
Earth Revel 11.10 never considering that those Saints in the Earth Psalms 16.3 do bear up the Pillars of the Earth Psalms 75.3 and that God gratifies his own Servants with the preservation of their persecutors as he did Paul with the live of all those Infidels who were in the Ship with him Acts 27.24 37 42. Thus the Stagg in the Emblem by biting off the boughs under which he lay hid from the Hunters bewrays and betrays himself into their hands c. The third Remark is Paul chused to labour with his hands rather than he would disadvantage the Gospel or become burdensome to those poor people who had here received the Gospel 'T is said He wrought with Aquila in Tent-making Acts 18.3 This Trade Paul learnt before he was called to the Ministry N. B. The most Learned among the Jews did alway learn some Handy-craft-Trade holding themselves obliged by their Traditional Law that every Father must teach his Child some Trade and their Rabbi Judah saith that whosoever doth not teach his Child a Trade doth as bad as if he bad him go play the Thief Paul therefore having learnt this Trade of a Tent-maker did work with his hands here for his own subsistency as he did in other places upon the same exigent 1 Cor. 4.12 1 Thes 2.9 and 2 Thes 3.8 Paul had power enough and warrant to challenge Maintenance for his Preaching-work as he intimateth many times over in his Epistles N. B. But 1. There was not yet any Church at Corinth to maintain him 2. When there was a Church there he would take nothing of the Gentiles for the greater honour and promotion of the Gospel among them 3. The persons that embraced the Gospel and believed were mostly the most mean persons as appears most probably from 1 Corinth 1.26 Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called Therefore spared he those poor Proselytes and would not be burdensome to them 4 It was to shew that he sought them more than theirs their persons to be saved by him more than their purses for him to be sustained by them N.B. Yet did he assert his own Right and the Right of Ministers by Divine Appointment 1 Cor. 9.6 11 12 14 c. But because of the present Necessity and Emergency of Affairs he denied himself here as Acts 20.34 2 Cor. 11.7 8. and 2 Thes 3.9 c. working with his hands in sowing Skins together whereon to make Tents used much by the Souldiers in those hot Countreys and by others also to keep off the violence of the Weather c. N.B. Hereupon one saith of him That he was no less busie in his Shop among his Tents than in his Study among his Books and Parchments which he mentions 2 Tim. 4.13 yet was it no work of supererogation as the Romanists say for in this case it was a duty saving the honour of the Ministry but no general Rule So thus Musculus when driven out of his place by Persecution was forced to pick up a poor living by Digging and Weaving And a late Martyr as great a Scholar as Europe had being banished served a Mason for his livelihood The fourth Remark is That painful Preachers must not be blamed for the blood of their perishing People N.B. Paul saith here I am clean your blood be upon your own heads ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I am not in the fault if ye perish The Kill-Christ Jews cryed His blood be upon our heads Matth. 27.25 that is the guilt and punishment thereof Accordingly Paul proposeth his speech to his opposers your blood be upon your own heads answerable to that aforesaid wish in their wretched Imprecation and according to the Jews Custom of the Witnesses laying their hands upon the head of the guilty person as devoting him thereby to death Deut. 17.7 And as the Sacrificers laid their hands upon the head of the Beast to be sacrificed whereby they transmitted their own sin upon the Sacrifice Exod. 29.10 15. and Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 c. N.B. But they had another manner of the High Priest's laying his hands upon the Scape-Goat's head also Levit. 16.10 21. that this Live-Goat might carry away all their sins from them along with him into the Land of everlasting forgetfulness never to be remembred against them any more as Isa 43.25 which was a Type of our Dear Redeemer upon whom God hath laid all our Iniquities Isa 53.6 7. and whom those Opposers rejected when tendered to them by Paul's Preaching Christ and therefore Paul tells them they were so many Felo's de se Self-destroyers and were guilty of their own Death and Damnation for seeing they refused that Christ should redeem them and save them from their sins they must bear their own burdens which without Repentance would bear them down into the bottomless Pit N.B. Nor could Paul be charged with the loss of their Souls for he was free from their blood because he had warned them of their Damnable State and shewn the way of Life and Salvation to them He had blown the Trumpet c. Ezek. 3.17 18 19 20 21. and 33.4 5 6 7 8 9. The Watch-man must give warning of Danger if his warning be effectual for Reformation then both the Warner and the Warned do deliver and save their own Souls If the Watch-man's Warning be not heeded by the Hearers they shall die in their sins but there is no danger to the Watch-man for he did his duty as Paul did here But if the Watch-man give no Warning not only the Sinner dies by his unrepented-of-sins but also the Minister by his not admonishing the Sinner becomes involved in that guilt death and damnation God will punish him as a Dumb Dog Isa 56.10 for not barking according to his duty to sound an Alarm of his People's danger Isa 58.1 All these passages in this Prophet Isaiah as one saith seem non Verba sed Tonitrua not Aery words but frightful Thunder-bolts What then will become of Idol-or Idle-Ministers But Paul was a better Pattern being a painful Preacher he doth his part here and would not have to answer for the blood of them that perished through any neglect in him but leaves it at their own door and upon their own heads as here and Acts c. 20. v. 26. The fifth Remark is The Lord's promise of his presence is a sweet incouragment to his Servants for their Abiding in a place and among a people notwithanding their fears from angry men and from inraged Devils Thus here the Lord Christ spake again to his Servant Paul saying be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee c. Acts 18. verse 9.10 N.B. We may well wonder what was the cause of any new fear in Paul that Christ should now say to him fear not seeing the coming of Silas and Timothy to him according to his order Acts
and of the same nature with Angels 3. The formal cause the Soul was made not after the similitude of any Created thing but after the Image of God himself the Creators both in respect of its substance and qualities 4. The final cause both of the Creation of the Soul and of its redemption also was 1. That it might be the Temple of God and the Habitation of his Holy Spirit in this world 2. That it might Temple with God and sit shining upon a Throne in the world to come This noble end in both worlds together with the other three causes make the Soul like Saul higher by the head and shoulders than all other Created Beings It follows then that it is a most foolish thing to play away such a noble and pretious Soul which God hath given to Man unto Satan for his Toys and Trifles only We do judge the ignorant Indians very injudicious in making away their Gold and Jewels by way of barter and exchange onely for old Mettal and gawdy Pictures and our Courts of Judicature doth judge those Children to be natural Fools by Law that will part with Gold for Counters such a one is deemed not Compos Mentis incapable of inheriting his Parents Estates and so the Judge doth disinherit him But this bartering away of a most pretious Soul for a few toys of worldly Treasure Pleasure and Honour is far worse than either of the former and none but Children and Fools would make such fond Bargains Oh how unfit are such to be betrusted with the true riches Luk. 16.11 12. or with a truly rich Soul so it is in it self and its own nature Yet many such fools and children there are we see in the world so betrusted which sell away their Souls for trash and trumpery pro Thesauro Carbones 't is a sorry exchange of a Pearless Pearl for poor Pebles a gaining of dung and losing a Diamond Oh how unworthy are they of such a pretious Soul that dare sell their own Souls as the false Prophets did the Souls of the people only for handfuls of barley and for a piece of bread Ezek. 13.19 like so many base Gypsies or common beggars a pretious Soul was no more set-by by them Such do little consider 1. The worth of their Souls while they are yet in their hands unsold away If a Jeweller after much pains and skill in polishing his Jewel into a most exquisite piece cannot chuse but be much troubled to see his precious Pearl faln into the hands of such Fools or Children as neither know how to value it nor how to use it So this rare and choice piece wrought by Jehovah the Jeweller so transcendent in its due and true estimate that the Spirit of God seems at a stand to find out any thing to equal the Soul in its value saying What shall he give in exchange for his Soul Mark 8.37 We may say after the manner of Men that God cannot be well pleased to see a precious Soul of his making Isa 57.16 Jerem. 38.16 fall into a fools hand that hath no Head nor Heart to improve it Prov. 17.16 Oh what sublime stupefaction even stuns the minds of most men that they do not consider the worth of the Soul but wilfully cuts the Throat of it and having no Heart to look after Heaven while it may be had do trifle away their precious Souls in their sinful courses and their hard and impenitent Hearts do plainly fool away their own Salvation 2. As they do not consider the worth of the Soul so neither do they consider the loss of it what kind a loss the loss of a precious Soul is they consider not 1. That it is an incomparable matchless loss yea though a Man should gain the whole world by losing the Soul Christ himself declares it a most silly sale and no better than a bruitish Bargain Matth. 16.26 All the world cannot weigh in worth against one Soul This was the Divine Sentence that Francis Xaverius gave John the Third King of Portugal to meditate every day one quarter of an hour on to wit What shall it profit to win the whole world and to lose one Soul Wherein our Saviour deals with the worlds darlings to convince them of their mad folly as Elijah dealt with Baals Priests to convince them of their gross Idolatry 1 Kin. 18.23 24 25 30 33. where Gods Prophet in his Tryal by Sacrifice grants them all the advantages that might be lest it should be pretended that their God was sullain and therefore silent and takes all the disadvantages to himself He gives them dry wood and takes wet wood to himself c. that the Miracle might be more manifest and without exception yet was he too hard for them even so Christ here grants the worldling all the advantages of the world all that the whole world can afford to its darlings to wit pelf pomp and pleasure yet one pretious Soul though never so wet with the water of adversity outweighs all the world there is no Comparison between them the loss of it is an incomparable loss If to lose a mans life for money be look'd on as a madness what is it to lose the Soul which indeed cannot be lost in respect of being and property though it may be in respect of well-being and felicity As there is no comparison betwixt a mans pretious life and his perishing wealth so that skin for skin and all that he hath will he give for his life Job 2.4 that is any skin of Cattle Servants Children to save himself in a whole skin the Traveller parts with his purse to the Robber and the Mariner with his Cargo to the storm that their lives may be spared so there is less comparison 'twixt worldly vanities and a most pretious Soul Seeing 1. the light of nature hath Philosophiz'd that Man is nothing else but a Soul cloathed with a Body and that this noble Guest and Royal Inhabitant dwells in it as in an house of clay or in a bag of dust and therefore persons are usually called Souls the more excellent part denominating the whole yea and that the Soul was made for noble imployment and should not be brought into subjection unto any sordid things below its own excellency as worldly things be 2. The light of grace doth much more Theologize that the Soul is a most precious Jewel which God himself hath laid up for a little time in the curious Cabinet of the Body Psal 139.15 16. and therefore all the Saints in all ages learnt this lesson from their dying Saviour to resign up this Jewel which they had from God at death unto God again Though our dying Redeemer did commit his dear Mother to his beloved Disciples care Joh. 19.27 yet did he commit this precious Jewel his precious Soul to his Heavenly Fathers care Luk. 23.46 3. It was Christs judgment which is certainly Infallible as he is Truth it self and cannot lye that the whole world
and Flesh was taken out of his Side which therefore God did to Adam sleeping rather than waking Nor could he be a Spectator of this wonderful divine Work yet his Soul was at liberty wrapt up in this Trance or Extasie and by a prophetick Spirit therein he knew what was done and the mystery signified thereby not onely his own natural Marriage with Eve but also Christs mystical Marriage with his Church Eph 5.32 Hereupon being awakened he broke out into those prophetick words This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh Yea learned Peter Martyr thinks that Adam observing there was no meet Match found for him among all the Creatures which passed before him in this profound Sleep or Extasie earnestly prayed to God that a suitable Help-meet might be made for him and when this was done he was a great Admirer of that divine Work which he could not be a Spectator of Thus Adam found all things in the World created before himself but saw not the Creation of any thing no not of his own Wife though created after him He must adore the Wisdom and Power of the Creator in all things by his Faith yet must he not see the manner of Gods creating any thing by his Eye God consults not with Adam to make him happy as he was ignorant whilst himself was made so he shall not know while a Second-self was made out of him both that the Comfort might be greater than could be expected and that he might not upbraid his Wife with any great Dependence or Obligation he neither willing the Work nor suffering any pain to have it done The Rib can challenge no more of her than the Earth can of him Then 2 God took one of his Ribs not a bare Bone but a Rib with Flesh on it v. 23. Adam might have one Rib more than ordinary put into his Side for this very purpose therefore Adam was neither monstrous with it nor deformed without it Hence note 1 God took onely one Rib not more whereon to make him one Wife onely he had promised him one Help-meet which accordingly he bestowed therefore Polygamy is a sin and for one man to have many Wives was not from the beginning 2 God chuses rather to build the Woman out of the mans Rib than to form her out of the Earth as he had done Adam which had been all one to the Almighty Creating-power that not onely the likeness of their Nature but also the affection of their Kin-ship might the more oblige those two first-Couples in mutual Love and the same effect of reciprocal Affections might be diffused and communicated to all their Posterity at their entrance into a married estate By this very Argument the Apostle exhorteth all Husbands to love and cherish their Wives as they do their own bodies seeing they are their own flesh Eph. 5.28 3 Note the Woman was not made as the Rabbies say of the Eye of man that she should not be a wandering unstable Creature like Dinah Gen. 34.1 neither was she made of the Eye of man that she should not be a listener and hearkener like Sarah Gen. 18.10 14. but she was made of a Bone and yet but of one Bone ne esset ossea lest she should be stiff and stubborn as a Bone for some say when the Man lost Free-will the Woman found it and kept it ever since And 't was of a Bone not taken out so high as the Head that she might not usurp Authority over the Man and become his Imperious Mistress Nor so low as the Foot that she might not be trodden upon by him and be his Slave and servile Vassal but of a Bone betwixt Head and Foot a Bone out of the Side that she might be betwixt both a collateral Companion or Side-fellow or Yoke-fellow that stands upon even ground with her Husband though drawing upon the Left side A Bone from under the Arm to signifie Protection and not far from the Heart to shew the Dilection or Love that Man owes her It was a Bone from the Left side as most say where the Heart is seated to teach what hearty love ought to be betwixt the married Couples As the Husband is the Wifes Head so the Wife is the Husbands Heart even the Wife of his Covenant Mal. 2.14 She must eat of his Morsel drink of his Cup and lie in his Bosom 2 Sam. 12.3 His Authority must relish more of loving Respect than of rigorous Power and her Observance must rather be heartily than grudgingly performed 3. When God had builded the Womans Body hereupon our Bodies are called Houses Job 4.19 and 2 Cor. 5.1 and inspired a Soul into it Gen. 1.27 he brought her to Adam v. 22. The same God who was her Builder was her Bringer too yea and her Conjoyner in Marriage with the Man God brought the Woman to the Man as a Wife to her Husband and joyned her to him as an Helper whereby is shewed the Sanctity and Dignity of the married estate for God did not onely ordain Marriage in the general but he also made the first Marriage himself and that in the best and holiest estate that ever man enjoyed on Earth 'T is the pious opinion of some that the Son of God having here put on the Form of man did bring this most beautiful Woman formed by himself in his hand to the man and in most Divine and elegant words gave her in Marriage to him Whether this were so I shall not assert yet sure I am Moses doth assure us that three things were done by God himself in this first Institution of Marriage As 1 Dixit God said 't was not good for Man to be alone c. Gen. 2.18 2 Duxit God led the Woman by the hand to the Man and so was both the Father to give tier in Marriage and the publick Person to marry them in a solemn manner 3 Benedixit God blessed them Gen. 1.28 yea and a three-fold honour is put upon Marriage in Scripture by all the three persons in the Trinity 1. God the Father was the first Institutor and Ordainer of it not Cecrops or Lycurgus or Numa as Heathens say 2. God the Son honoured Marriage with his first Miracle as well as Presence Job 2.2 11. God the Son works his Miracle for confirmation of God the Father's first Ordinance to wit the first Marriage 3. God the Holy Ghost sanctified the state of Marriage by over-shadowing the betrothed Virgin Matth. 1.18 20. when Mary was espoused to Joseph she was found with child of the Holy Ghost The power of the Highest did over-shadow her Luk. 1.35 as the Spirit did the confused Chaos at the Creation Gen. 1.2 this wonderful Conception of Christ Mirari licet Rimari non licet must be believed and admired but cannot be pried into nor expressed Note hence 1 that Marriage is honourable to all Heb. 13.4 and therefore not to be prohibited to any as the Romish Church doth to their Priests
but also 1. All the whole brood of Devils which Lucifer drew into the same condemnation with himself and therefore is call'd the prince of Devils 2 All the whole race of wicked men call'd the Children of the Devil as before John 8.44 and 6.70 and Act. 13.10 according to the mystical sense for God having catch'd Satan in the Serpent holds him fast there until he had past this direful Doom upon both in one Satan entred into the Serpent willingly but he was held there unwillingly by Gods hand 2. By the Seed of the Woman is meant primarily that God-man Jesus Christ who is Christ personal and secondarily all the Elect of God in Christ and those are call'd Christ Mystical 1 Cor. 12.12 the head with his Members and though the man be not expressed either in the former or in this latter clause yet is he not in either to be excluded Man is left out here as holding out the great mystery of the Incarnation for Christ was so the Seed of the VVoman that he was not at all of mans Seed Isa 7.14 and between Christ and Satan was the widest enmity for Christ consented to Satan in nothing when the Prince of this World the Tempter came to Tempt our Redeemer he found nothing in him Joh. 14.30 no compliance no corruption to work upon yet as the Seed of the Serpent is collectively taken not only for Beelzebub the Prince of Devils and the God of this VVorld but also for all the Evil Angels that did fall with him and for all the reprobate that are led captive by him so the Seed of the VVoman must also be collectively taken including all the Elect as Members with the Head Thus the blessed Virgin together with all true Christians in Christ are included who are all said to wrestle with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.12 and their whole life is a warfare 1 Tim. 1.18 The third pair or couple of Champions to match each other in this Enmity and Hostility is again primarily Christ and the old Serpent Satan whose Duel was fought in the fulness of time Mat. 4.1 to 13. and Luke 4.1 to 13 See a full description of this most dreadful Duel in my Church History plot the 22th from page 317 to 327. Christ alone is that stronger Man that conquers the strong Man Luke 11.21 22. that draws the Dragon out of his Don and cracks his Crown as is here promised that destroys his works Heb. 2.14 that makes him to fall like Lightning from Heaven Luke 10.18 yea from the Heaven of mens Hearts 2 Cor. 10.4 that he himself might dwell in them Eph. 3.17 It was Christ that personally spoiled those principalities and powers and made a shew of their broken Heads openly triumphing over them on his Cross Col. 2.15 Christ was that only one of the Seed of the Woman that was able to match and over-match the Devil and he personally comes out of the Camp of the Saints as David did out of the Camp of Israel to fight Hand to Hand with this great Goliah and therefore it is said here he shall not so much assault thy Seed Oh Serpent but thy self Oh Satan for in his destroying thee he destroys thy Seed also seeing the Serpent and his Seed stand and fall together and that he may destroy thee 't is said he shall not so much assault thy Tail Oh Serpent for that being cut off may grow again but thy Head where all thy Power Policy and Poyson lyeth he shall break thy Head and trample thee under his Feet yea and he will tread him under our Feet shortly as he hath already done under his own Feet Rom. 16.20 All the Godly Seed of the Woman shall secondarily partake of this Triumph in Christ as all the wicked Seed of the Serpent shall be trodden under foot with Satan In all this the Law of Retaliation is observable God gives Satan here Middah beneged Middah as the Hebrew phrase is measure for measure Per quod quis peccat per idem punitur ipse Satan was now Triumphing in his Victory over the Woman now God retaliates the Devil as he had seduced a Woman so he should be destroyed by a Woman Here is an excellent Antithesis Satan had conquer'd Eve and her Seed but Mary who is call'd a Woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency Gal. 4.4 and her Seed Christ should conquer Satan By the former Haishah or Woman came in Death but by the latter came in Life and Salvation The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head that is Satans Kingdom Headship and Dominion over Men yea and Sin which is the Scepter of his Kingdom and till this be done all that the Devil can do is to bruise the Heel of that Holy Seed he may nibble at the Heel but he cannot reach the Head Achilles is said to receive his Mortal Wound by Pyrrhus in the Heel but he that is born of God keepeth himself so that the wicked one cannot touch him 1 John 5.18 However not with any of his deadly touches He cannot thrust his venemous Sting so far into him as to cause him to die for Christ who is our life Col. 3.4 can as soon die at the Right Hand of his Heavenly Father as in the Heart of a true and sound Believer because his Life is hid with Christ in God The Fathers Life is bound up in the Life of his Child as Gen. 44.30 The Devils Commission here is not to hurt both the Heels but one only as before so that the faithful Christian shall stand firm upon one Heel even when he is hurt in the other and even this hurt in one only Heel is far off both from the Head and from the Heart and though the iniquity of his Heel do not only encompass him but also through the Serpents subtilty overturn him too yet God redeems his Soul from the hands of Hell Psal 49.5 6 16. The Believer riseth again and becomes more than a Conqueror Rom. 8.37 And what is that but to be a Triumpher 2 Cor. 2.14 We do over overcome as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies because through Faith in Christ we overcome before we Fight and are sure and secure of Victory Christ himself hath broken the Head of the Tempter and he hath left only Tale-temptations for us to grapple with which Christ in us the hope of Glory doth also conquer for us while he reigneth in us and rideth on us as on his white Horses all the World over Conquering and to Conquer Rev. 6.2 Therefore this bruising of the Heel as it relates to Christ personal points out 1. The Humanity of Christ which was his Heel or lower part as his Divinity was his Head or upper part and which Satan did indeed bruise or 2. The Heel or lower end of Christs publick Ministry When Christs hour was come and that hour of the power of darkness then the
forth at once Hand over Head this they did not but went out by pairs as the word imports without any disorder or confusion Gen. 8.19 This may serve to shame all the extravagancies in the World especially in the Church Yea 3. All must beware to be like those unclean Creatures in this as well as unlike in the other case to come in and go out from means of Grace both ways unclean as they did from the Ark what is this but to have seared Consciences Lastly Consider the Consequents after Noah's Egress NB. 1. He began the New World with Sacrifice Gen. 8.21 Beneficium postulat Officium Gods Mercy call'd for Mans Duty 'T is good to begin every new day with Duty to God for Mercy the Night before Joshua began his Wars which proved Conquests with Circumcision Josh 5.2 c. NB. 2. The Altar Noah Built was Erected say the Rabbins in the same place where Abel had Offer'd where Abraham did Offer and where the Temple Altar stood shewing that Christ is the standing Altar of all Ages and this Altar is one and the same in Type and Antitype Heb. 13.10 c. NB. 3. After this Sacrifice call'd Gnoloth or Ascensions God blessed all Creatures with an exceeding great Increase Gen. 8.17 so the Saints shall be blest at the glorious liberty promised Rom. 8.21 c. When they shall go forth then they shall grow up c. Mal. 4.2 NB. 4. After this also God enlarg'd Noah beyond the Fruits of the Earth to which Adam c. were confined to feed upon Flesh Gen. 9.3 for the preservation of him who had been their preserver all Creatures did owe their Lives to him and to all in him He had toiled hard to lay in provision for them now this was some Comfort to him and his concorning his Toil according to Gen. 5.29 that they might eat Flesh how much more is it to us that we may eat the Flesh of Christ which himself giveth us John 6.51 55. Alas our own Toil will not save us on this cursed Earth NB. 5. And Lastly Gods Covenanting with Noah though Man was evil only evil and continually evil Gen. 8.21 confirmed by the Rainbow Gen. 9.9 did prefigure the Spiritual and Eternal Covenant of peace by Christ with sinful Mankind Isa 54.8 9 10. Rev. 10.1 especially when fixed to a penitent Heart as the Rain-bow to a watery Cloud CHAP. X. The History and Mystery of Abrahams Tryals ABraham was first call'd Abâ—ram which signifieth an High Father he is after called Ab-ra-ham by putting some of the letters of Jehovah to the former which signifies the Father of a multitude hence is he named the Father of the Faithful Rom. 4.11 which made him an High Father indeed and he became the Father of a multitude not only of the Jews but of the Gentiles also v. 12. for the Blessing of Abraham came upon the believing Gentiles Gal. 3.8 14. The highest Honour is oft given to this High Father As 1. God frequently calls himself the God of Abraham 2. Abrahams Bosom is made the Synonymon of the same import with Heaven it self and its unspeakable happiness Luk. 16.22 23. 3. Abraham is call'd three times in Scripture The Friend of God 2 Chron. 20.7 Isa 41.8 and Jam. 2.23 which was an higher Honour to Abraham than if God had engraven his name in the highest Orb of the Heavens This lofty style and most eminent Title speaks out a mutual Relation 'twixt God and Abraham God really favoured Abraham and Abraham entirely loved God as one Friend doth another hence it was That 1. There was frequent Communion between God and Abraham who had his familiar Visions of God And 2. There was a Friendly League and Covenant both Offensive and Defensive betwixt them Gen. 12.2 3. and 15.1 18. and 17.2 7. And 3. As an excellent Ensign of this Honourable Friendship it was for Abrahams sake that his God swore to him Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly c. did not simply say but solemnly Swear to Abraham which was a glorious condescention that he would bless him in himself and his and make him a blessing to many others Gen. 12.2 3. Thus Abraham the tenth from Noah as Noah was the tenth from Adam had also most high honour put upon him as was ut suprà upon Noah for as Noah was the restorer of Religion to the World so Abraham was the establisher of it in the World yet in this respect Abraham is advanced above Noah in as much as Destruction was extended to all people in Noahs days but Salvation was Promised to all Nations in Abrahams days In thee saith God to him shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed Gen. 12.3 c. Moreover this Friend of God was a tryed Friend for God did try him with ten tryals and every one worse than other though still God led him from lower to higher and harder tryals the last of the ten being the highest and hardest of all about Offering up his only Son c. yet still he sticks close to God as his Friend yea as his Life Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 that this Father of the Faithful might become a perfect Pattern or Copy to both Jâ—ws and Gentiles that were to be the Children of Abraham He must give no less than ten proofs and evidences of his Faithfulness to God which shews us two Truths 1. No Bosom of any Son of Abraham Luk. 19.9 can expect exemption from Tryals and Temptations when that Bosom of Father Abraham to which Heaven it self is compared was assaulted with them c. 2. Abrahams practice of Faithfulness to God under all his ten Tryals and Temptations as a faithful friend of God is ablessed pattern to all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham for their holy imitation under all their Exercises Children should follow the foosteps of their Father Heb. 6.12 and we must all tread in Abrahams steps in this lower World Rom. 4.11 12. or we shall never lodge in Abrahams Bosom as Lazarus did Luk. 16.22 23. in the better World Abraham indeed stands under a threefold resemblance As 1. He represents or resembles God the Father in these parallel congruities 1. As Abraham was an High Father as his name signifies so is God the Father the Highest Father yea the Father of all Fatherhoods 2. As Abraham was the Father of many Families both Jews and Gentiles that are Faithful yet had he but one only Son by natural Generation to wit Isaac Born in fulness of time to him So God the Father is the Father of all the Families in the World Eph. 3.14 15. yet hath he but one only Son by Eternal Generation which none can declare Isa 53.8 to wit Jesus born of a Virgin in due time Gal. 4.4 3. As Abraham so loved God that he spared not his only Son but would have offer'd up Isaac upon Mount Moriah Gen. 22.1 c. So God loved Abraham and the Families in him so much that he gave his
handleth the Law of Moses in a double notion 1. Relatively as it had Relation to that Jewish Church in her minority under a Tutor or School-master and so it had a twofold respect to the Covenant of Grace the first is antecedent as it prepar'd them for and press'd them to Christ and his Covenant The second is subsequent or consequent teaching them how to walk before the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 regulating their lives by that Rule of Righteousness the Moral Law then given them even by the Mediator himself as well as by Moses Acts 7.38 1 Cor. 10.4 9. as well as in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 and so the Law was to Israel what it was to David a Companion a Counsellor and a Comforter as before Thus Paul speaks of Sinai's Covenant Gal. 3. v. 17. and from thence to Gal. 4.21 as relating to them entring into the same Covenant of Grace made with them in Abraham before then 2. Paul propounds that Law of Sinai simply and absolutely from v. 21. of chap. the 4th to the end as it was a Copy of the Covenant of Works so he maketh it as an Handmaid subservient to the Gospel as Hagar was to Sarah yet begetting Children to bondage and such as were excluded from the Inheritance therefore shews them how dangerous it was to be Children of the Law or Covenant of Works in its absolute proper and simple consideration which was Hagar and unless of Sarah or Covenant of Grace they could not be saved And as it is a Rule to the Regenerate in Christs hand Exod. 20.19 so it leaves the Reprobate without excuse Rom. 1.20 if the Law Natural do so much more the Moral Row 10.4 The fourth Consideration is The Law upon Sinai could not be propounded by God to Israel as a Covenant of Works properly and absolutely as it was given to Adam in his State of Integrity for then was Mankind faln and the keeping of the Law was become impossible to Man therefore 't is enough improbable as to God that he should press it upon faln Man as he had done upon Iâ—â—necent Adam being now altogether unable to perform it save only in the hand of a Medâ—â—â—tor whereof Adam while he stood had no need 'T is true God is just in commending the Law though it be impossible for us to yield universal obedience to all the Duties commanded in 〈◊〉 For l. God hath not lost his Power of commanding though Man hath lost his Power of Obeying 2. Though the matter be never so crooked to work upon yet the Rule which is Regula Regulans as well as Regulata the Rule Ruling as well as the Rule Ruled must needs be a straight Rule 3. Qualis causa tale causatum seeing God is perfect both in esse and in operari in essence and operations his Law must needs be a pure and perfect Law in it self Psal 19.7.4 Adam had a sufficient stock of strength to keep this Law of Works at the first but through the freedom of his own Will he proved Bankrupt like an evil Steward who playeth or maketh away his Lord and Masters money fully furnishing him to accomplish his commands whereby he disenableth himself to perform his Masters work and will So Adam did disenable himself and as a publick person all his posterity whom he represented and therefore holy Paul to shew the Malady of faln Mankind doth declare from Rom. 1.18 to chap. 7.13 how all men both Jews and Gentiles do come short of Gods glory and of their own duty in fulfilling the Law and that the best of men are but men at the best The most Regenerate man faileth in the manner when not in the matter of his obedience he cannot obey Gods Law totus or wholly in respect of himself as well as of the Law for every New Man is as it were two men there is a Law in his members in the faln Estate but renewed in part only which warreth against the Law of his mind Rom. 7.21 23. as two Armies in him Cant. 6.13 Having thus seen Mans Malady the Word and Spirit of God maketh a discovery of Mans Remedy First Convincing him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment John 16.8 This is done two ways 1. By the Law of VVorks as in the Hand of a Mediator it convinceth 1. Of Sin in its Source and Fountain Jer. 17.9 and Gen. 6.5 The Heart is desperately wicked and is evil only evil and continually evil in all its imaginations 't is evil Extensive Intensive and Protensive The truth of all this not only the written Word of God but also our own smarting Experience teacheth us that till God touch our Hearts with his strong Hand Isa 8.11 and break down Windows into our dark Souls we never mind God or his good ways God is neither in our Heads Psal 10.4 nor in our Hearts Psal 14.1 nor in our VVords Psal 12.4 nor in our VVorks or ways Tit. 1.16 We are wholly without God in the World Eph. 2.12 Thus the Looking-glass of the Law discovers Sin both Original and Actual to the Man whose Eyes are opened Jam. 1.23 and Numb 24.3 then God and his own Conscience convinceth him of Sin and condemneth him for it 1 John 3.20 as guilty 2. It convinceth of Righteousness that it is impossible to attain unto it by the VVorks of the Law because of the sinfulness of Mans Nature and weakness of faln Flesh Rom. 8.3 and Gal. 2.16 The Covenant of VVorks leaveth all Mankind under the curse Gal. 3.10 He that can keep some Commandments and not all yea that continueth not therein to the end is under the cusre of God Jam. 2.10 and this curse containeth the whole wrath of God upon Body and Soul in this Life and in the next ready to be poured forth upon us continually both at Home and Abroad Levit. 26.16 18 21 24 28. and Deut. 28.16 to 20 c. John 3.18 36. Job 18.15 Brimstone abideth upon his Head and House ready to take Fire from the Flames of the Lords anger if Grace prevent not its Execution Now every Mans guilty Conscience doth convince him that he is a breaker of Gods Law times without number so is under Gods curse but cannot thereby have the Blessing of Justification And 3. The Law convinceth accordingly of Judgment that will follow and fall upon all the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 That Christ the Judge of the World will come armed with Flames of Fire to render vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel 2 Thes 1.7 8. all such as have rejected the tenders of Grace and refused him for their Mediator but chuse rather to remain in their Natural Unregenerate Estate under the Law or Covenant of VVorks though they have been forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 What can such expect but a fearful coming of Judgment which shall devour Christs Adversaries Heb. 10.27 'T is a fearful thing and beyond the
frightful fancies of melancholy men so fall into the hands of the living God v. 31. Though Judgment be not speedily executed Eccles 8.11 yet must it be certainly expected Heb. 9.27 and when it comee oh how dreadful will it be all the fancied Fears Fires Racks Strappado's Scalding Lead Boiling Pitch Running Bell-metal felt as well as fancied are but dim shadows of that wrath of God which none can Avoid or Abide and that to all Eternity 't is call'd the Damnation of Hell Matth. 23.23 which hath pain without pity misery without mercy and torments without end and past all imaginations If Gods present wrath be so unbearable Prov. 18.14 as 't is able to break the back of the mightiest Monarch Dan. 5.6 It made Belshazzars knees knock against each other with trembling It made Judas chuse an Halter rather than undergo it Matth. 27.3 4 c. and well he might seeing holy Job with whom God was but in jest as it were in comparison of Judas did prefer strangling and any kind of Death before such a life Job 7.15 yet all this was but present wrath and nothing at all to the wrath to come the worst Winter is yet to come and come it will that Winter-weather never rots in the Sky nor dies as we say in the Dams-belly This wrath to come is a phrase of speech that wraps up in it all manner of Woes the never quenched Fire and the never dying Worm Vast Seas of Vengeance wide Rivers of Fire and Brimstone unutterable and unsufferable Tortures and Torments are involv'd in this wrath to come All present Racking Roasting we read of Hanging Stabbing Stoning Tearing off the flesh with Thorns of the Wilderness with Saws and Harrows of Iron haling off the Skin by hands over mens heads and all other exquisite and unheard of Cruelties whatsoever Heb. 11.35 36 37. and our Martyrologists mention yet all these are but a flea-biting as the prick of a pin and as a fillip with the finger those present and passant things to the wrath to come wherein God's wrath as well as the Devil 's will break loose upon sinners that think light of a Saviour Matth. 22.5 and Heb. 2.3 Luke 19. v. 27. and shift off offers of Grace Heb. 12.25 Inferences hence 1. How can we find in our hearts to slight Christ oh bless and kiss the Son of God! Psal 2.12 who hath born for us the brunt of this insupportable burden of this Eternity of Extremity in comparison whereof all the afore-mentioned miseries that may befal Mankind in this World are but as a painted Fire to this wrath to come even according to Mans Fear so is Gods Wrath Psal 90.11 Let a man fancy or fear never so much he shall be sure to feel more when Gods wrath falls upon him yet our dear Redeemer knew the power of Gods anger for us when he cried out Eloi Eloi in the three hours Darkness not only all the powers of Darkness set upon him with their utmost might and malice but which was more than all his Fathers favour was suspended from him and his wrath was upon him and all to save â—s from the wrath to come Matth. 27.45 1 Thes 1.10 The second Inference How hateful ought sin to be to us which always hales Hell at the heels of it Sin no where appeareth more sinful that when 't is beheld upon the back of a Crucified Christ where God caused all the sins of his chosen and called to meet upon him Isa 53.4 5. Oh! search then by a Reflect Act under what Covenant are ye Is it nothing to lose an Immortal Soul nothing to purchase an Everliving Death where the Soul as Moses Bush shall be ever burning but never consumed Under the first Covenant Christless men take much pains with the Pharisees for Eternal pains The Curse of that Covenant will come on you if not translated into the second by Regeneration and if new then happy creatures for ever The Second Way wherein God convinceth man of Sin Righteousness and Judgment is by the Gospel and Covenant of Grace which is an higher way and a more raised method and step than the first is to wit by the Law and Covenant of works for Christ oft Promises the sending of the Comforter that his Comfortless Disciples might once observe it as an inestimable favour Promised to wit the pouring out of the Spirit the best of all things upon all Flesh the worst of all things Joel 2.28 Joh. 14.16 26. and 16.7 and when he is come v. 8. he will convince the World c. v. 9 10 11. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so reprove and undeceive the World yea so clearly convince them that they shall have nothing to pretend for their gross mistakes formerly taken with but shall unavoidably acknowledge both the hatefulness of every Act of Sin and the necessity of obtaining Christs Righteousness lest they fall under the Judgment and Condemnation of Christ whom they Condemned yet God Justified and Constituted him to be Judge of Quick and Dead Acts 17.31 More particularly the Spirit shall clear up by such convincing and undeniable Arguments 1. Of the heinousness of that Mother-Sin Unbelief which was the Forst Sin and is still the Root Sin of all the rest Heb. 3.12 rejecting the remedy proposed in the Gospel giving the God of Truth the lie 1 Joh. 5.10 and subjecting a Man to the Rigour Irritation Coaction and Curse of the Law of Works 2. Of the Excellency of Christs Righteousness which is the only saving Righteousness both Imputed in the Grace of Justification and Imparted in the Grace of Sanctification and Christ becoming our surety must acquit us of all our Sins before he could go to his Father or by his going to him he obtained to become our Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 without which no Man can go whither he is gone Heb. 12.14 And 3. Of Judgment That the Son of Man now Judged by the World shall appear the Judge of the VVorld seeing the Prince of the World as Satan accounts himself Luke 4.6 is Judged by him in part already Luke 10.18 Joh. 12.31 c. casting him out of his strong-holds 2 Cor. 10.4 yea out of his Heaven of Mens Heart Heb. 2.14 How much more all his Slaves and Subjects In a word If we be Believers and so partake of Christs Righteousness then will Christ bring forth Judgment unto Victory Mat. 12.20 both in our Sanctification perfecting it in us though we be but bruised Reeds and such smoaking Candlewicks as have more Smoak than Light in us and in our Glorification also but if we be Unbelievers rejecting Christs Righteousness we shall be Damned with the Devil and his Angels in the Damnation of Hell Mat. 23.23 and Mat. 25.41 for Christ will come with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire to render Vengeance upon the disobedient Unbelievers who have rejected his Grace tender'd to them and disregarded his forewarnings of VVrath to come 2 Thes 1.7
the Depth of this Full-Sea or high Tide of Mercy Rom. 11.33 yea and to admire the Length Breadth and Heighth as well as Depth of Divine goodness Eph. 3.18 And 3. 'T is full of the finest Mercies tender Mercy that hath a soft Hand for a sore Heart Luk. 1.72.78 Jam. 5.11 Bowels of Compassion which makes God sometimes seem to Stagger between two shall I strike or shall I not Hos 11.8 Psal 78.38 Lam. 3.33 Luk. 6.35 1 Kings 20.31 Mercy pleaseth him Mic. 7.18 One Deep calls on another here our Deep misery his Deep Mercy Thus I might enlarge on all other Attributes But briefly 4. Gods Justice is ours by this Covenant as well as his Mercy in condescending to the Triumph of Mercy over Justice in accepting satisfaction from another even Christ for us in Absolving us from the condemnation due to us and in receiving us into the generation of the righteous though but with a borrowed righteousness of the Lambs lending 5. His Holiness is ours as the Pattern of our Piety and the Object of our Love and imparting it to us Eph. 4.24 6. His Truth or Faithfulness is ours which gives a being to all his Promises and converts them into Performances us his Love moved him to make them so his Truth binds him to perform them to wit in the best Season not suffering his Faithfulness to fail Psal 89.33 7. His Omnisciency is ours whereby he observeth all our wants and weaknesses taking care as well as notice of us in and under them even at all times 8. His Omnipotency is ours the Omnipotency of Gods Anger is Dreadful but of his Love is comfortable and when Love sets this Almighty Arm on work what can it not do Job 42.2 9. His All-sufficiency is ours a pretious and inexhaustible Treasure which hath supplied the wants of all his People in all former Ages and still is pressed down heaped up and running over to supply us in this present Age as it never yet failed so nor will it for ever 10. His Ubiquity or Omnipresence is ours this is our Cordial God is every where with his Saints at Sea or Land City or Country they are no where from their fathers ground 11. His Unchangeableness is ours he sits upon the Floods Psal 29.10 the World is a Fable of changes but the unchangeable God hath his Hand upon the wheel and mannages its motion to his own glory and his Churches good doing with his Hand what his Mouth has spoke 12. His Glory is ours and so is his Eternity Hath God an Earth for us upon which we now live and hath he not an Heaven for us a Glory and that Eternal In a word Gods Eyes Ears Hands Feet Breath Back-parts Head and Heart c. Which God is said to have in Scripture are all ours his Throne and Footstool c. All Grace Peace Comfort c. All in Heaven and on Earth ours 1 Cor. 3.22 Secondly Both the Names and Offices of the son as well as all the Attributes of the Father are ours by the Covenant 1st His two Natures the Hypostatical Union of the Godhead and Manhood is ours 1. As a sign that Man made sick by sin should Recover and not Tast of the second Death This sign God gave Hezekiah of his Recovery from a sickness unto Death that the Sun went backward Ten Degrees with its Shadow 2 Kings 20.8.10 And this Infallible sign that Mankind sick of sin shall recover inasmuch as the Son called the Sun of Righteousnes Mal. 4.2 hath gone back with his shadow of Glory Ten Degrees at least nay such as are Numberless To wit that infinite distance betwixt equality with God and the form of a Servant Phil. 2.7.8 Christ left that Glory which he had with the Father before the World was Joh. 17.5 and took upon him not only the Nature of Man but even of faln Man which was worse than if he had become a Toad Oh! How Low did Christ stoop to raise us up on High every Degree of his Descending is a certain sign of our so many Degrees Ascending 2. As a Screen to Sconce and shelter us from consuming Fire such God is in himself Heb. 12.29 which would soon kindle upon such dry Stubble as faln Mankind is therefore Christ became God-Man and so a Days-Man or Mediator between God and Man that the Flames of these Everlasting Burnings as God is called and which no meer Man can stand before Isa 33.14 should not take hold on us 3. As a Ladder our Lord applies Jacobs Ladder to himself Gen. 28.12 Joh. 1.51 he is the true Ladder of Life by which Faln Man must Ascend out of the Pit of Despair into the Heaven of Pardon and Peace with God The top of this Ladder toucheth Heaven with his Divinity and the Foot or Bottom of it rests on Earth with his Humanity whereby he reconciles Man to God and makes Heaven open and obvious to us provided we own him as our only Mediator and lay hold by the Hand of Faith upon his merits as upon the Rounds or Steps of this Heavenly Ladder such as seek to go up to God any other way must as Constantine the good Emperour once said erect his false Ladder and climb up alone and assuredly such climbers upon so short and so rotten Ladders not only venture their Neck-breaking but their very Souls shall fall down into the Bottomless Pit strange Ladders lead to a strange end and will not take and keep hold of us as the true Ladder doth as well as we of it and far better hold too 4. And Lastly As a Conduit Christ is the Conduit of Conveyance a Royal Conduit some magnificent Conduits there are indeed that are made upon days of great Pomp and solemnity to run some few hours with Wine as well as all other hours with Water but this Divine Conduit runs always with Wine and always with Water too and this Wine which perpetually flows from it is better than the Blood of the Grape Gen. 49.11 12. Deut. 32.14 'T is no less than the Blood of the Lamb of God yea the Blood of God himself Act. 20.28 Neither is the Water which continually streameth out of it Common Water but Living Waters Joh. 4.10 and 7.38 and Waters of Life Rev. 21.6 and 22.1 Christ is a Golden Conduit which Conveyeth through its Golden Pipes the Golden Oyl of Grace and Spirit Zech. 4.12 God blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 1.3 For our Faith first lays hold of the Manhood in this Hypostatical Union of Christ so climbs up to the Godhead Thus as Christs two Natures are ours by the Covenant so are his three Offices In Mans Creation Man was made like God but in Mans Restoration God was made like Man and became Mans Prophet Priest and King in respect to those three Offices the three Sages of the East offered to Christ at his Birth 1. Myrrh as to a Prophet 2. Frankincense as to
or Mother and all the People shall say Amen Deut. 27.16 Prov. 30.11 17. and many other Scriptures The Fourth Remark or Remarkable means whereby Jacob obtain'd the Blessing was the mutual diligence of the Mother and Son in the use of the most commodious means tending to that end Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratia gratiam parit there was a Reciprocation of Affections betwixt the Mother and the Son and no love was lost between them The Mother overhearing what Isaac had said secretly to Esau proposes this project to Jacob for preventing the design and for pre-occupating the Blessing that it might be placed upon the right Object according to Gods Oracle v. 6. Gen. 27 and she injoins her Son in all filial Obedience to her Maternal Commands v. 8. he obeys yet not until his Objections which she thought not of were answered v. 11 12 13 15. In Rebekahs project for her purpose aforesaid there be three particulars First the Means prescribed that Jacob should take two Kids of her Dressing which Rupertus makes to be the Two Testaments as he doth by Blind Isaac represent Carnal Cardinals selling Spiritual Blessings for Temporal Morsels that the daintiest Bits might be pick'd out of both and that if the one were not dressed up pleasing to Isaac's Palate the other might be Rebekah knew her Husbands Diet and could Dish up what was delightful to his Tooth and Tongue ver 9. Wives ought to please their Husbands 1 Cor. 7.34 and Oh that we could bring Savoury Meat to our Maker who is our Husband Isa 54.5 and to our Father as we are his Children that he might bless us He hath said That he will eat our Honey-comb with our Honey Cant. 5.1 Crust and Crumb he will take in good part our sorry performances which come from sincere Hearts and such as regard not sin Psal 66.18 yet will reject the fat of Rams where Hands are full of Blood and Hearts of Sin Isa 1.11 15. The second particular is The putting into practice or Execution of those projected means Jacob must bring this Dish of Kids to his Father Isaac for Venison and personate his Brother Esau in so doing Against this Jacob objects plus vident oculi quam oculus many Eyes see more than one Esau my Brother is an hairy Man my Father peradventure will feel me c. ver 11 12. Here the plain Man must act the part of a Politician and of a subtle Man Gen. 25.27 yet not without some controuls and contradictions of Conscience Jacob saw more than his Mother and therefore saith I shall seem to him as a Deceiver This teaches 1. That the Pious could be Politick as well as others were not their Wit Wisdom and Understanding over-ruled by the working of their Consciences they are not so simple or filly as the World deems them And 2. A Pious mind hath a more mind to seem so than to be so So Jacob saith I shall seem to my Father as a Deceiver though this he could not be without fear and scruple 3. Plain Piety sometimes without some honest Policy is too simple to be safe as always Policy without Piety is too subtle to be good Our Lord bids his Disciples be wise as Serpents yet harmless as Doves Mat. 10.16 The Head of a Serpent and the Heart of a Dove are two good Ingredients in compounding the best Christianity which calleth us not to a silly simplicity and sheepishness to suffer every Crow to pull all the Wool from off our Backs when 't is in the power of our Hands to Right our selves in a right way both of Law and Gospel Christianity allows us as much of the Serpent as of the Dove A Serpents Eye is a singular Ornament in a Doves Head The Dove without the Serpent is caught easily the Serpent without the Dove doth Sting Mortally when Piety and Policy are well matched together this makes themselves secure and many safer from casting themselves into needless dangers All its Activity is Dove-like that Flies Provokes not the Hawk nor Projects Revenge 4. Policy is never matched aright with Piety but when 't is manag'd in such Means and Methods as are manifestly Subordinate and Subservient to the declared Will of God all the wicked Wits and Wiles of evil Men are indeed Subservient to the secret Will of God who doth order Mens most crooked ways of wickedness to a right and straight end for his own Glory The secret Will of God is no rule for Man to walk by for we may cross Gods secret Will and do well as David did in praying for the Life of his Child 2 Sam. 12.16 18. though God had decreed yea declared ver 14. it should die and Men may serve the secret will of God and do ill as Judas and the Jews did in Betraying and Crucifying of Christ Acts 2.23 God over-rul'd their worst of Actions for his Best of Ends the Redemption of the World This Subserviency to Gods secret Will will not warrant Humane Actions But Rebekah's project here was Subordinate to the declared VVill of God and her policy here was not only from a strong Affection to her Son but also from a strong Belief of Gods Oracle Gen. 25.22 23. which made her have such a strange Opinion of the success of her project saying to her scrupling and curse-fearing Son Upon me he thy curse Gen. 27.13 which she could not have so boldly spoken without a firm Faith upon the Promise and a real reliance upon the Oracle of God Though the Methods she took to deceive Isaac might be of her own devising rather than of Gods directing for setting him to the Rights that he might comply with not cross and contradict Gods revealed Will. ☞ Christians are frequently call'd the Meek so Mat. 5.5 and in Psalms and Proverbs often overcoming envy and ill-will more by patience than by pertinacy committing their cause as Christ did 1 Pet. 2.23 to him that judgeth righteously hereby with honest Naboth they come to be Sworn out of their Patrimony yet that place assures us there 's nothing lost by meekness for it both pronounces the meek blessed Ones and promises they shall inherit the Earth so much as God sees good for them and leave it to their Posterity Prov. 13.22 As Heaven is taken by violence Mat. 11.12 so is the Earth by meekness God loves no Tenants butter and he is the great Landlord Psal 115.16 nor grants longer Leases to any than to the meek whereas frowardness forfeits all into the Lords Hand Abraham makes a meek Remission of his own right of choice unto his Nephew Lot Lot taketh it and behold Lot is crossed in that which he chose but Abraham is blessed in that which was left him God never permits any Man to lose by meekness Objection the first Why did not Rebekah and Jacob shew meekness in committing their cause to God in the Contract 'twixt Isaac and Esau Answer 'T is answered This meekness of Christianity is a
Eyes upon the Wicked for evil and not for good Amos 9.4 He looks upon all created beings from Angels down to Worms Psal 113.5 6. Curat universa quasi singula singula quasi sola saith Austin He Eyeth All as if one and one as if all and no more This Ladder or Pillar of Providence hath not only a long reach from Heaven down to the Earth but also a large Eye looking well Jer. 40.4 unto and upon Cities Ezr. 5.5 Families Isa 49.16 and every Righteous Person Psal 33.18 and 34.15 Job 36.7 1 Pet. 3.12 as here upon and unto this poor Pilgrim Jacob numbring the very hairs of our Heads Matth. 10.30 setting an Hedge about us as Job 1.10 and a wall of Safety Isa 26.1 and 60.18 Ezr. 9.9 This Ladder is still let down from Heaven as here for the Comfort of Jacob so for all the Seed of Jacob still Angels are ascending and descending upon it all charged to look well to God's little ones Psal 91.11 as their careful Nurses bearing them up in their Arms while they are all along in this lower world and at Death carrying them away safe through the Air the Devils Territories Home to their Father's House into Heaven there laying them down in the warm bosom of Abraham Luk. 16.22 that they may be ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 and there sing Hallelujahs to him for evermore in a beâ—er World How may this support us with Comfort in all our Trials and Troubles seeing Christ is at the top of this Ladder overlooking every Stone that is thrown at us as at Stephen Acts 7.55.58 and saying to us Fear not thou worm Jacob Isa 41.14 and as once he said to Martha If thou wilt believe thou shalt see the mighty power of God Joh. 11.40 so Jacob saw after this The Third Sense put upon this Ladder is it represents the Church's Pilgrimage through the World mounting up like Pillars of Smoak from Earth to Heaven Cant. 3.6 How hath she had her Ascensiones Fumi the rising Rowlings and Agglomerations of Smoak which though black and sooty as it is through manifold Imperfections and Infirmities attending her yet hath a principle within to carry her upward as it hath and comes more welcom and sweet to God than all the costly Evaporations of Myrrh and Incense and all the odoriferous Powders of the Spice Merchant as being perfumed with the fragrant Odours of her Redeemer's Merits and Mediation Hebr. 9.24 Revel 5.8 and 8.4 whereby her Prayers pass up as a sweet memorial Act. 10.4 and the Persons that be her Members are accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 both go up as Incense Psal 141.2 and sometimes wonderfully Judg. 13.19 20. for besides the Inward principle aforesaid there is likewise an outward Influence lifting up both Prayers and Persons 1. Her Prayers being kindled and rarified by the fire of God's Spirit do move and mount upward as the Flame doth naturally toward Heaven Christ carrying them along as he did Manoah's Sacrifice in the flame whereof he ascended for it is his office to present the Churches Services before God and to procure their gracious Acceptance with him hereby they become right Heave-offerings to the Lord Exod. 29.28 wherein our hearts should be heaved up to Heaven 2. The Persons belonging to her themselves The Lord at the top of the Ladder lets down his long Hand and gives them many an effectual lift Drawing them to himself Cant. 1.4 Joh. 6.44 and 12.32 Causing them to approach to him Psal 65.4 for it is his gracious will that where he is there they may be also Joh. 17.24 therefore doth Christ both hold and hale them by the hand by the heart Hos 11.4 his left hand being under their heads and his right hand embracing them Cant. 2.6 in which posture he carries them gently in his bosom Isa 40.11 through the Wilderness of this World to Rest with himself in Eternal Glory Thus hath the Church been climbing up this Ladder in her Militant State both before the Law under the Law and after the Law under the Gospel to this present day and will be climbing to the end of the World the Angels attending her all along Deus videt Angeli astant c. therefore though she be bewilder'd yet in her VVilderness state she cannot miscarry 'T is with her as with Israel in their Pilgrimage from Egypt through the Wilderness to Canaan wherein they had Forty two Stations from Raamses to Jordan a long Ladder with so many Steps or Stages which pre-figureth the various wandrings of the Church and her many removes in this worldly Wilderness yet hath she the conduct as Israel had of the Pillar of Glory to protect them to direct them and to suit their Necessities Night and Day Exod. 13.21 22. chusing though not the nearest yet the safest way for them and ordering the matter so that evils should not be ready for them till they were made ready for evils Thus the Heirs of Heaven may not murmure that they are wanderers oh Earth and as younger Brohers shift from place to place Gods Pilgrims have no fixed Seat Gen. 47.9 1 Chron. 29.15 1 Pet. 1.17 and 2.11 Heb. 11.9 10 13 14. yet still they have this to comfort them they in all their wandrings have hold of their Fathers Hand and he of theirs conducting them from step to step upon this Pilgrim ladder until he Hand them to the highest step and from thence into Heaven The Pillar of Providence leads the Church-Militant through the World to be Triumphant in Heaven The fourth sense of this Ladder according to others is It hath the resemblance of Divine Predestination Descending from Heaven to the Earth and again Ascending from the Earth to Heaven the Eternal Decree and Everlasting Covenant of God concluding at the end in Mans Salvation In this latter way to wit of Ascension Gods Predetermination is the Root of the Ladder and Mans Salvation is the Top of it but in the former way of Descension God is at the top of it fore-knowing and writing in the Book of Life the Names of such as shall be saved and the several Steps thereof are 1. Election 2. Creation 3. Vocation 4. Justification 5. Adoption 6 Sanctification and 7. Glorification The two sides of which Ladder they make to be the Justice and Mercy of God Even the Heathen Poet Homer could dream of a Golden Chain which the Gentile Jupiter let down from Heaven to Earth whereby according to the Wisdom of the Antients he ordered all things according to his Will but our blessed Apostle Paul tells us better of a Golden Chain indeed whereby the True Jove or Jehovah manages matters concerning Mankind in an orderly manner Rom. 8.29 30. to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1.5 6. and according to the counsel of his own Will v. 11. Oh how should men mind more the lower Steps of this long Ladder and become better Scholars in the Grammar-School of Faith
Death he seem'd to run to it and by seeking to shun the shelves should â—ow most likely be split upon this Rock Laban as a Lion had some shamefac'dness in him saith a Rabby but Esau as a Bear had none at all Jacob therefore Prays sends Messengers sends Presents and submits c. And all to pacifie this chafing Bear robb'd of his two Whelps to wit the Birth-right and the Blessing He that meets with such a Beast will not strive with him for the Wall but be glad to scape by him with any lawful condescentions For I fear Jacob's fear was not a sudden and involuntary violent fear such as wise Men are naturally subject unto upon the noise of some dreadful crack of Thunder or upon the news of some unexpected strange and horrible Casualties out of which they again recover themselves whereas Fools as the Stoick Epictetus observeth do abide in the same fear still sometimes to a Distraction but Jacob's fear was a judicious and setled fear as may appear by his careful and threefold Preparation 1. For War 2. For Prayer 3. For Presents In all which he did well placing his Prudence and Prayer in a way of Subserviency and Subordination to Gods Providence which is the proper place The Third part of his Prayer is The Arguments he pusheth on his Petition with and they are in number seven placing his particular Petition not in the Head but in the Middle of them The first is taken from the Divine Covenant v. 9. where he is Gods Remembrancer reminding him of that Covenant which God had struck with Abraham and his Seed so pleads and puts in for his own part thereof as his Seed Saying as it were Lord thou hast been graciously present with my Grandfather and with my Father Oh! be not absent from me both their and thy Son As thou hast deliver'd them out of all evil so deliver me Remember thy Covenant if not my Congregation Psal 74.19 20. Jacob herein doth as it were Appropriate God calling him the Tutelar God of his Fathers Family their Domestick Deity or Daemon that he might the more pathetically profess him to be his peculiar God too The second Argument is drawn from a Divine Command as the first was from a Divine Covenant saying Thou saidst unto me return ver 9. wherein he argues thus Lord thou knowest I did not depart from my Service in Syria upon my own Head neither by any rashness of my own Sentiments nor by the fond advice of any of my Relations either of my Wives or of my Children I am no Rogue nor Runagate 1 Sam. 25.10 that hath broke away from my Master as some evil Servants do before their time be out I have not been saith he like a Damm'd or stopt River that breaks its Banks or as some unruly Cattel that break both their Bands and their Bounds No I staid out my full time of my hard Service and stirr'd not a foot until I had thy Call Gen. 31.3 Seeing therefore it was not my precipitancy but thy precept that hath brought me into this great peril of my Brother Esau 't is but an equal and Righteous Challenge I make to claim relief from thee The third Argument is drawn from a Divine Promise as the second was from a Divine Precept urging Thou saidst I will do thee good ver 9. and 12. So Jacob interprets that Promise I will be with thee Gen 31.3 which indeed hath in it whatever Heart can wish or need require Promises must be prayed over God loves to be sued upon his own Bond to be burden'd with and importun'd in his own words Prayer is our putting Gods Promises into Suit 'T is neither Arrogancy nor Presumption to Burden God as it were with his Promise-Bonds As his Love mov'd him to make them so his Truth binds him to perform them and 't is our Duty to improve them as it was his Mercy to make them So Gods Mercy always calls for Mans Duty there is a sweet Reciprocation between them two we ought therefore to lay claim and make challenge in a way of Duty unto all that Aid and Assistance when we find our selves plung'd into perils which God hath promis'd to give us in a way of Mercy as Jacob doth here to whom this Promise of God I will be with thee was such precious Spice that twice he repeats it and ruminates upon it rolling it as Sugar in his Mouth and hiding it under his Tongue God spake it once he heard it twice as David did Psal 62.11 by an after-deliberate-reiterated Rumination and Meditation upon it He sucks and is satisfied with this Breast of Consolation Isa 66.11 He milks out or as the Hebrew signifies he wrings out as the hungry Child doth its Mothers Breast sucks so long as a drop will come and sucketh still till more cometh so Jacob the Patriarch here both presseth and expresseth Gods Promise squeezing out more comfort out of it than it seemed to contain 'T is very Remarkable how the Patriarch improves this Promise Veeheieh Gnimmak ero tecum I will be with thee Gen. 31.3 wringing it and squeezing out of it 1. Those words Veettibah Gnimmak ' benefaciam tibi I will do thee good or I will deal well with thee Gen. 32.9 And then again 2. These words Hetib Atib Gnimmak ' benefaciendo benefaciam tibi In doing good I will do thee good or I will surely do thee good v. 12. The Lord is good and doth good to Man even while he is evil and doth evil to God and Jacob here argues himself into an assurance that God would certainly do him good Mark well how kindly doth a Promise ripen grows both greater and mellower in the Hand of Faith which stretcheth and straineth it after an holy manner to the best and most happy advantage Could we but believingly pray over Gods Promises such Prayers would be nigh to God Night and Day 1 Kings 8.59 and he could as little deny them as deny his own Deity The exceeding great and precious Promises so called 2 Pet. 1.4 are the most fragrant and sweet-smelling Spices especially when well pounded by the Preaching of the Word to the Souls of Saints that are sick of Love 't is a sweet time with them when Christ brings them into his Banqueting-house stays them with the Silver Flaggons of his Wine-cellar the Holy Scriptures and comforts them with the Golden Apples that grow upon the Tree of Life the precious Promises Cant. 2.4 5. Then is Christs left hand under their heads and his right hand doth embrace them v. 6. and then it is when they are thus stayed and stablished under his Banner of Love when their Souls are thus satisfied with such transporting Joys that they can now be content to want what God will have them to want and to wait Gods time which is always the best time and his leisure for their Deliverance being hereby adjured themselves and they now adjuring others not to Dare the awakening
fight of Faith whereby he got he best of Blessings the crown of life 2. Tim. 4.7 8. and who also exhorteth all us to war the same warfare as we are Men of God Fight this good fight 1 Tim. 6.11 12. and if we prove good Soldiers of Jesus Christ 2. Tim. 2.3 our Conquest shall be Eternal Glory This very Copy of Jacob may comfort us in such Holy Combats shewing 1. That we should alway be in expectation of Assault not only Men wrestle with us but even Beasts as Paul saith I fought with Beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15.32 2. That when one Assault is over others and it may be more grievous must be expected 3. That we wrestle not with Flesh and Blood but with Principalities and Powers and Spiritual wickednesses and in high places Eph. 6.12 4. And sometimes with God himself as Jacob here who never Tempts as Satan doth to Sin but from Sin for our probation as he did Abraham Gen. 22.1 never for our perdition 5. Though God tempt us and try us yea and possibly not only labour us hard but lame us also to humble us as he did Jacob here to humble him yet through Grace this very lameness is a badge of Honour as it was to Jacob as well as a memorial of Humility Though God belabour us never so much yea and lame us too in our wrestlings with him yet he lets us live as he did Jacob here In the midst of wrath he remembers mercy Habb 3.2 and wherefore should the living man complain Lam. 3.39 7. In all our hard labour and lameness our gracious God supplies us with strength from himself for our support as he did to Jacob here while he is casting us down with the one hand at the same time he is bearing us up with the other He strengthens us with might Eph. 3.16 yea with all might Col. 1.11 in the inner man by his Spirit 8. This Example teacheth us too that Victory cannot be got without Frailty and Maimings Though we be maimed in pursuit of Victory yet must we not let God go without his Blessing as Jacob here 9. Right Wrestlers will wring the Blessing out of the hand of Christ who stands not only to wrestle with us but also to look on us to behold how we wrestle with one Crown on his Head and another in his Hand crying Vincenti Dabo To him that overcometh will I give this Crown Revel 2.10 And 't is very observable Christ promiseth his Blessing to all Overcomers in all the Seven Churches as well as in that at Ephesus v. 7. and to those at Smyrna v. 10. as to those at Pergamus Revel 2.17 at Thyatira v. 25 26 27 28. at Sardis Revel 3.5 at Philadelphia v. 12. yea and to those that overcome even in lukewarm Laodicea v. 21. Read over all those Rewards there promised they are all so Rich that they are Richly worth wrestling for and the Effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much for them Jam. 3.16 Thus the Prayers of this Patriarch performed with hard labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Septuagint read Hos 12.3 by his strength had power with God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 got the better or prevailed for the Blessing v. 4. Ob quà m hoc non est omnium This is not every mans Mercy whose praying is prevailing This is the Generation of them that seek him that seek thy Face O God This is Jacob Psal 24.6 yea this is Israel who prevail'd as a Prince with God Prayer saith Luther hath a kind of Omnipotency in it of whom 't is said Iste vir potuit quod voluit apud Deum He could have any thing what he would of God by his omnipotent Prayer Jerom saith Deus ipse qui nullis contra se viribus vinci potest precibus vincitur That is God himself who is otherwise unconquerable may yet be conquered by Prayer provided we persevere in Prayer as Jacob did holding out all the Night-time of a dark Dispensation till the Morning-light and growing more resolute toward the latter end than at the beginning as be was Invictum Vincunt vota precesque Deum Jacob never gave over Wrestling Weeping and Praying until God blessed him there Gen. 32.29 The first Enquiry is what was this Blessing wherewith Jacob is said to be blessed here Answ 1. The Jewish Rabbins thinking it to be Esau's Angel which wrestled with him Think also that this was only his Confirmation of that Blessing which he had fraudulently forced from his blind Father Isaac and now he would not let Esau 's Angel go till he had ratify'd it in Esau's stead 2. Josephus judgeth that Jacob would constrain this Angel to inform him of his future Fate and Fortune what should happen to him in After-times 3. Others understand this Blessing to be Jacob's external safety only that the Angel who had lam'd him of his Leg should not lay Siege to his Life too by his own hand or let him lose it by the hand of his Brother Esau 4. Thomas Anglicus over-narrowly Interprets with the aforesaid this Benediction to be nothing else than the Imposition of a new Name upon him the Name Jacob chang'd into Israel 5. Abulensis and others say as is aforesaid that it was only he healing him of his lameness which was done as they conceive before Jacob met Esau for the Reasons fore-mentioned But 6. It was without controversie the Divine Blessing even such a Blessing as was worthy for God to give with whom he had Power against whom he prevailed Hos 12.3 45. And such as would fully satisfie this couragious Conquerour Jacob Psal 90.14 even that special mercy of God in Christ for which this noble Wrestler so earnestly wrestled even with excellent Wrestlings as it was said of Mark-Anthony He did not fish for Gudgeons and despicable Fishes but for Towns and Castles So Jacob did not Duel or Fight here for those low Things aforenamed they were comparatively contemptible to him but for that peculiar favour God shews to his People Psal 106.4 and that God should do to him as he uses to do unto those that love his Name Psal 119.132 It was not any common mercy that would content Jacob in his contending work but it must be saving mercy without which he could not live and without which he durst not die This is made more manifest by considering well First How Jacob requested two things of the Angel his Name and his Blessing The former was denied because he would not serve his Curiosity the latter is granted because he would willingly succour his necessity and support him in his adversity This was the one thing needful Luk. 10.42 and necessary to be had But that other was only Curious and might well enough be spared we must be willing not to know what God will not have made known Exod. 6.3 Judg. 13.18 1 Sam. 6.19 Rom. 12.3 Therefore this second must be a better thing than the first thus
He did his Judg. 16.9 Hereby sore Bruises and sad Breaches are made upon the Consciences of Men such as nothing can heal but the Blood of that great Votary that Blessed Nazarite and All-Heal the Lord Jesus Vows are most solemn and sacred Services and they have much to Answer for who neither mind the making nor the Keeping of them but do no better than Dally with them as Children do with their slips wherewith they play at fast or loose at their pleasure and as Monkeys do with their Collars who slip them on at their Master's Will but slip them off at their own but God is the Avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.6 Though haply they remain out of the reach of Humane Justice as not coming under Man's Cognizance If God will be avenged upon Defrauders but of Men how much more will he be of those that would defraud himself but be not deceived God will not be mocked Gal. 6.7 nor can be deceived they shall hear from him sooner or later even all that break Covenant with him They shall find to their cost their breach of Promise on their part Numb 14.34 God never breaking on his part unless the failure of the other party promising for their part do set him free As bad Zedekiah found it by smarting Experience though his was but a Vow or Oath to Man only which he brake 't is said of him Shall he escape that doth such things or shall he break Covenant and be delivered Ezek. 17.13 15 16. and this Interrogation is answered v. 18. No he shall not escape And farther v. 19 20. Suitable to this saith David Shall they escape by Iniquity No God will cast them down in his Anger Psal 56.7 Let them never think to escape Their Sin shall surely find them out Numb 32.23 though they be never so cunning to cover it Such Fool-Hardy ones as dare to walk upon Iniquity's Fire works let them look to be blown up and they shall have the Psalmists Prayer to promote it And 't is not thus only with such bad Men as Zedekiah but with far better Men Good Jacob here escapes not but is sharply chastised for his slackness to pay his Vows sad Disasters befall him in his Family as the Rape done to his only Daughter the Massacre committed by his Sons c. God overtook him with these severe Scourges when he found him so slack to perform his Promise to him and to Purge his Family from Idols 'T is Ten to one if any Leper returns to give Praise to God for Mercies received Luk. 17.15 Many mâ—ke Prayer their Refuge few make Praise their Recompence Hezekiah himself did not perform his Returns proportionable to his Receipts 2 Chron. 32.25 Neither did good Jacob here give such quick Returns as God required like Rain that comes down from Heaven in thick Showers but goes up again only in thin Mists so Jacob had received whole Showers of God's Blessing but he returned God's Praise for them slowly and slenderly Therefore for quickening Jacob's dull Motion God deals out to him some sour Dispensations He is troubled not only through his Daughters Curiosity by his Sons Cruelty but also because the whole Country of the Curs'd Canaanites were ready to rise upon him and root him and all his out of the Land of the Living If any thing will arrouze and raise up our Hearts to a thankful Remembrance of former Mercy it must be the smarting sense of some present Misery as here when Jacob was in a Desperate Streight and in a Dreadful Fright then was it high time for him both to Purge his House and to Pay his Vows both which he had so long neglected NB. B hold here Gods Tenderness towards distressed Jacob for though God was justly and highly displeased with him for both those neglects aforemention'd yet he chides him not cuttingly now that he was in Heaviness but takes this opportunity for we are best when at the worst and rubs him gently reminding him candidly both of his present duty and future safety the God of Bethel so call'd Gen. 31.13 kindly calls him to Bethel which before he dare essay to go to he first reforms his own Family as behoves the Head to take care for the Bodies purity that he might come clean to God and his Worship at Bethel 'T is a strange thing that any strange Gods should be suffer'd at all in such a Family That censure of Calvin seems too severe saying that Jacob connived at Rachels Mawmets from a blind love to her as Solomon gratified his Mistresses of Moab 'T is more probable they were such as the Shechemite Captives brought with them Gen. 34.29 whatever these Idols were or whence ever they came Jacob demands them all he will not tolerate any one House cannot hold the Ark and Dagon both Domesticks and Proselites will do any thing give up all their Images to Jacob now they are in danger to be destroyed by an insurrection of the Country Jacob Burys them because he durst not stay to Burn them or to Beat them to Powder Gen. 35.2 3 4. where Dr. Lightfoot hath an excellent Note that those Proselytes of Shechem and Syria that is the Captive Shechemites and those that came along with him from Laban the Syrian which I suppose must be the Doctor 's meaning were all admitted into Jacob's Religion by Baptism This Remark of his is probable enough insomuch as they were all commanded to be cleansed v. 2. or purified which was done according to the Law by washing in Water Lev. 15.13 Numb 31.23 as well as to change their Garments as Exod. 19.10 14. where washing their Cloaths was a token of washing their Hearts Jer. 4.14 and cleansing themselves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 yea and the very Gentiles as Plautus saith used to wash themselves before their Sacrifices that they might come clean to them Tertullian tells us also that the Primitive Christians used to wash themselves before they went to Divine Worship To say no more about the Antiquity of Baptism referring the Reader only to Dr. Lightfoot's Learned Discourse upon this Subject both in his second part of his Harmony on the four Evangelists upon John 1.25 and in his Harmony on the New Testament thin Folio pag. 10. However Jacob's thus purging of his House before he went to pay his Vows teacheth us this plain and great Truth that men must come before God with the best preparation they can get as well as with the best performance Lev. 5.7 11. 14.22 30 31. for God will be sanctified of all them that draw nigh to him Lev. 10.3 This the Blind Heathens saw and therefore said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worship not God by the By as a by work but with all possible preparation Plutarch If those poor Infidels would not serve God Hand over Head as we say but duly prepare themselves at home first for it how may they rise up in Judgment against
aforesaid As if he had been of less worth than either the good Name of a Virgin or her Virginity yea or had been worse than any Slave as Sold at a lower rate than he by Ten shekels and much more below both the Fifty and the Hundred shekels the aforementioned Amerciaments § 5. The History of Joseph's Sale the first General Head brings us being dispatched to the second General Head to wit his state when Sold which is twofold 1. A Stare of Humiliation 2. A State of Exaltation which in the General doth marvelously demonstrate a clear Congruity betwixt Joseph the Type and Jesus the Antitype in this and sundry other Respects as thus in short here designing a distinct discourse upon that Point 1. Both were sent of their Father to visit their Brethren Gen. 37.13 and Act. 3.26 and 10.36 2. Both found their Brethren in Dothan which signifies in Hebrew in Defection Joseph Gen. 37.17 did so literally and Jesus so mystically Christ found his lost Sheep in utter Defection both of Doctrine and Manners Some four or fewer were only found who look'd for the Consolation of Israel 3. Both were conspir'd against by their Brethren whom they went being sent to visit Gen. 37.18 and Luk. 20.14 and Matth. 21.37 38. 4. Both were Assaulted both by Craft and Cruelty which usually go together among their Brethren 'T is the common custom of that Red Dragon the Devil to lend the Churches Adversaries his seven Heads to Plot with and his Ten Horns to push with against God's poor Josephs who as they are Innocent in incensing so are Dreadless of Danger 5. Both had their Deliverers for a time as Reuben deliver'd Joseph Gen. 37.21 So Nicodemus did Jesus for that time Joh. 7.51 52 53. they then went away Re Infectâ attempting no more at that Council 6. Both were Sold by those related to them Joseph by some of the Twelve Patriarchs and Jesus by one of the Twelve Apostles and that out of Envy both of them Act. 7.9 Matth. 27.18 Both deserving better things from them Joseph deserv'd Affection from his Brethren and Jesus Fidelity from Judas 7. Both were Sold to Strangers Heathens by pretended Friends Joseph to the Arabians and Jesus to the Romans for so it was consequentially being deliver'd up to die a Roman not a Jewish Death 8. Both were Sold at a vast undervalue Joseph but for twenty shekels Gen. 37.28 and Jesus but for ten more Matth. 26.15 in neither of which Bargains was there any equality betwixt the worth of both the wares and both the prices paid down for them Joseph as a Man was of infinite worth and weight making so famous a figure in the World yet put off for a small Trifle though both his Sellers and his Buyers were saved alive from the fatal Famine by his Life Holy David makes a great Matter of this even a Miracle of Mercy Psal 105.17 God sent a man before them c. even an eminent and eximious Man a Man made up all of excellency to be an Universal Friend in Egypts Court for saving all Adjacent Countreys from being Famished especially his Church in Jacob's Family then sojourning in Canaan which teacheth two or three great Truths First That no Danger befalleth the Church but God beforehand provideth and procureth some effectual means of her Preservation and Deliverance he knows how to do it effectually as Peter saith 2 Pet. 2.9 and that from Peter's own sweet experience Act. 12.7 8 9 c. Secondly That God ordereth the Disorders of the wicked in the World to his own Glory and to his Churches good as he did this Sale of Joseph both for the advantage of God's People and for the benefit of both the Buyers and the Sellers The Third Truth from hence is That the People of the World fare better for the People of God It was for Jacob and the Church's sake that so much store of Corn was provided by Joseph in Egypt to preserve other Countries as well as his Family alive in that fierce Famine The Midianites the Ishmaelites and the Arabians who were all the Buyers of Joseph and had not that Ingenuity we read of in Rutilius's Scaevola who when a Price was propounded by the Seller of a piece of Ground he did not cry It 's naught it 's naught as most Buyers do and boast afterward of their Penyworth as Prov. 20.14 but that Honest Heathen to the shame of too many Christians judiciously as well as ingenuously affirmed That it was worth much more Money than his Chapman asked and accordingly paid down abundance more than the price Demanded I am afraid those Merchants that bought Joseph had not the half of Scaevola's Honesty and sure I am the Sellers set too low a Rate upon the Head of such a Jewel as Joseph was whose whole Life as one saith of him was adorned with most bright and beautiful Stars shining forth in their Splendour and Glory and should both the Buyers and Sellers of Joseph be judged by the Custom of that Country according to Stobeus's Story which ordereth that every Seller should make Oath before a Magistrate that he Sold his Ware according to the just price of its worth and every Buyer must make Oath also before the Magistrate that he bought his Ware exactly according to its worth at least by common Estimation Both the Buyers and the Sellers of Joseph would be found Faulty by the accustomed Oath of that honest Country apud Thuriacos a People and Citizens in Greece seeing Joseph the Commodity bought and sold here was a Jewel of inestimable worth yet put off and purchased on both hands at such an inconsiderable price as twenty shekels 't was indeed as the vulgar Saying is a Robin Hood's penyworth worth much more Money but lightly come lightly go 'T was not like that Standard of Prices in Samaria's Scarcity by the Siege when an Asses Head was esteemed worth fourscore shekels which was four times as much as the price here of precious Joseph 2 King 6.25 but rather like that of Samaria's Plenty when a Measure or Bushel not of Meal only but of Flour Wheat-flour and finely sifted was Sold for one shekel 2 King 7.18 as Joseph was Sold for twenty who Hebr. Gave as well as Gathered Kol-okel all Meat and Bar Wheat Measures without Measure an innumerable Number as the Sand of the Sea very much Gen. 41.48 49. wherewith he fed Phaenice Canaan Syria and Arabia c. as well as Egypt all the Seven years Famine v. 54. then undoubtedly those Arabian Purchasers of Joseph though they might cry 'T is naught 't is naught while they were in purchasing would highly boast what a Cheap and Rich penyworth they got of him now being become the Lord High Steward of so great a Granary and the Grand Providore of the World Though Joseph thus apparently proved a precious Pearl though thus cheap bought and sold yet Jesus is infinitely a more yea the most precious Pearl Mat. 13.44 45 46.
is Omni-present The Second Mystery in the History is as Jacob adopted Joseph's Children saying They shall be mine v. 5. and my Name shall be upon them v. 16. In like sort God adopteth all whom our Joseph our Jesus presents and represents as his Dear Children saying I will be a Father to them and they shall be my Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6.18 This is call'd a Royalty or Prerogative Joh. 1.12 which Nonnus Paraphraseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stiling it Heavenly Honour such as is amazing 1 Joh. 3.1 and good reason that worthless worms are hereby made higher than earthly Kings Psal 89.27 Thus also the Name of God and of Christ is put upon all his adopted Children hence they are call'd Godly and Christians They are call'd by his Name 2 Chron. 7.14 Jer. 14.9 Deut. 28.10 They are married to Christ Rom. 7.4 so have their husbands Name put upon them Isa 4.1 as Solomon's Wife was call'd the Shulamite Cant. 6.13 of Shalom Peace from whence was his Name Oh that we could take hold of the Skirt of that Jew Jehovah our Emanuel Zech. 8.23 saying Let us be call'd by thy Name to take away our Reproach Isa 4.1 Isa 63.19 Jer. 15.16 Deut. 28.10 would we but avouch the Lord for our God he would surely avouch us for his adopted Children Deut. 26.17 18. we should say to Christ as that Roman Lady said to her Husband Ubi tu Caius ibi ego Caia I will not only bear thy Name but will also live in thy Presence and thou shalt be a Covering of Eyes to me as Gen. 20.16 I will not be sick of a Pleurisie seeking any more than thy self I will be satisfied with thy favour Deut. 33.23 Psal 65.4 when thou tellest me where thou feedest Cant. 1.7 8. I will feed and lye down with thee Psal 23.1 2 3 4 5 6. There is a Cornu-Copia all good with thee The Third Mystery in this History is There may be Difference of Opinion for a time betwixt the Holiest Persons and Relations as betwixt Jacob and Joseph here The Father was contradicted by the Son when he saw him cross his hands to lay his right hand upon his younger Son as about to convey the strongest and most honourable Blessing by this sign of the stronger and more honourable Hand upon Ephraim Though Jacob guided his hands wittingly and wisely Gen. 48.14 yet this posture displeased Joseph saying not so my Father v. 17 18. suspecting it to be some Mistake of his Father from the Dimness of his Eyes v. 10 11. which might disenable him to discern the Elder from the Younger so though he was well pleas'd with his Father's Blessing yet being displeased with his symbolical Posture he endeavours to correct the supposed Error of his Fathers hands with his own whereby he run into a real and worse Error himself Though the Eyes of Jacob's Head were Darkened yet those of his Heart and Mind were inlightned with a Prophetick Spirit whereby he understood God's Mind more than Joseph did and therefore he refused both his Correction and Direction saying I know my Son I know v. 19. Thus we see here is a pair of Holy Prophets the Father and the Son divided and in contrary Disputes yet not about the Substance of the Blessing but about the Ceremonies and Circumstances of it wonder not then that Differences do happen now in the True Church and the Doctors thereof be oft Divided It ever hath been so as Here before Christ and as afterward after Christ Gal. 2.11 and Act. 15.39 It will be so for ever But mark the Differences are only in Points less Material and such as concern not the Foundation This Difference betwixt Jacob and Joseph was about a Matter of Ceremony Joseph though a great Prophet and Diviner insisted too much upon the Ceremonious part would have the right hand imposed on the elder Son and so falls into a double failure 1. In binding God's Grace to the Priority of Nature 2. In distiking the Divine Motion of Jacob's Prophetick Mind which thus guided his hand Thus this mighty Man of God who could before Divine all things now knoweth not that the workings of Grace are not according to the Order of Nature and that Divine Blessings go not by a Natural and Carnal Seniority but by a Spiritual and Eternal Election Rom. 9.7 8 11 12. Joseph saw not this now for God reveals not all things at all times to his Prophets as before NB. The quarrel about Ceremonies is Ancient even in Father Jacob's days 't was also in the very Cradle of the Christian Church Col. 2.8 c. Soon after what coil was about Easter-keeping even to Blows and Blood Augustine in the Fourth Century complains hereof worse far when Antichrist rose then Formality are up the Reality of God's Worship as Pharaoh's lean Kine did the fat so down to 'twixt Luther and Calvin c. The Heart-burnings 'twixt Ridley and Hooper about Cap and Surplice was ended in Body-burnings in the Marian Days Peter Martyr advised Queen Elizabeth not to carry the Gospel upon the Cart of needless Ceremonies Some call them Innocent but oh how mischievous have they ever been in separating chief Friends as Jacob and Joseph here and many more ever since the Lord stand up and step in to stem the Tide and stop the Torrent of such Quarrels in our own Times The Second Part of Jacob's Last Will differ'd from the First For 1. The first was private few persons probably being present at its making but this second was more Solemn and Publick being his last farewel to the World All his Sons must then be call'd together who at that time lived in distinct Places and Families 2. The former Will He made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he was about to Die Hebr. 11.21 but this latter was made when he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word used v. 22. to express Joseph's being at the very point of Death So Jacob in Gen. 49. had just finish'd his course as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and had finish'd the work God gave him to do in the World Joh. 17.4 after the first part Jacob said Behold I die Gen. 48.21 but after this second he died indeed he immediately gather'd up his feet and gave up the Ghost Gen. 49.33 3. The first concern'd only Joseph and his two Sons begot by him upon the Body of his Egyptian Wife 'T is somewhere said in Scripture that Jacob's Sons were of Cham which cannot be meant of his Twelve Sons for they were born to him before he came into Egypt but it must have Reference to those two whom he adopted there to be as much his proper Children as Reuben and Simeon Gen. 48.5 Now Joseph marrying an Egyptian Woman by whom he had those two Sons They were on the Mothers side the Sons of Cham so Jacob's Sons in this sense are said to be of Cham. Besides Judah also married the Daughter of Suah a Canaanitess Gen.
his firm fast hand-hold and heart-hold of Faith he had of Heaven its Antitype at his Death 〈◊〉 This faithfulness of Moses and Israel in fulfilling the Promise their Fore-fathers had sworn to Joseph Gen. 50.24 25. bolds forth to us this great truth That the will of the Dead must faithfully be performed so the Apostle saith The Testament it confirmed when the Testator is dead Hebr. 9.17 God will surely revenge their quarrel whose Souls he hath received into his Heavenly protection whose godly Legacies and Bequeathings are reversed and their Last Will and Testament not rightly fulfilled for as God professeth himself the special Protector of the Fatherless and Widow so he will maintain the cause of the Dead that are Fatherless as to the World and their Souls are as it were Widows for a time while they are absent from their Bodies Woe to them that are unfaithful to the Dead who will assuredly be much more so to the living This is also considerable that whereas the Patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt they did not only sell him thither but their Children carry'd his Bones thence and not his Bones only but of those Patriarchs also Acts 7.16 who had equal Title to that Land of Promise with Joseph so would not be left in the Land of Bondage Now the carrying of the Bones of all the Twelve Patriarchs along with them out of Egypt could not but be a continual corroboration of Israel's Faith in the Wilderness and encourage them to expect with patience the accomplishment of Gods Promise c. But Israel's carrying dead mens Bones in their Company was nothing comparable such an encouragement to them and a Corroboration of their Faith as was that of having the living Lord not only for their Companion but also for their Captain Conduct and Convoy from Rameses through the Wilderness all their two and forty Journeys coming to them in their Removal from Rameses though not mentioned till their third station at Aetham for they had then a need of Gods guidance to direct them the right way as well as afterwards and the Lord their Guide never left Israel till they came to pass over Jordan where they were commanded to follow the Ark not the Cloud The Remarks upon this are many and eminent as follow The first Remark is The Lord could by many other means have manifested the presence of his Majesty in his guiding Israel but here for their greater comfort he doth shew himself by some visible signs of his presence 'T is said The Lord went before them in the Cloudy Pillar by Day and in the Pillar of Fire by Night c. Exod. 13.21 Divine condescention is marvellous here now was the Church but a Child Israel is so call'd when call'd out of Egypt Hos 11.1 God puts her not off with naked Signs or verbal Promises barely but give her a most lively Representation of his presence in this Cloud not as if the great Jehovah could be included in a Cloud for his Immensity is incomprehensible and he fills both Heaven and Earth with his Omnipresence the very Light of Nature in the Sage Heathens could say Jovis omnia plena and praesentem monstrat quaelibet herba Deum God is every where Ubiquity is his Attribute and therefore this Cloud could not include or conclude the Omnipresent God but he only condescended here to the Childish capacity of his Infant-Church by letting forth one single Ray of his Invisible Majesty in this glorious manner for his Churches Encouragement and Direction in a wayless Wilderness And indeed this is the glory of the Old Testament that it had so many glorious Appearances of the great God in such a familiar way c. The second Remark is who this Person is that thus gloriously manifested himself in this Cloudy Pillar He is call'd Jehovah here Exod. 13.21 and the Angel of God Exod 14.19 and such an Angel as was both of Gods Name and Nature Exod. 23.20 23. the Angel of Gods presence Isa 63.9 who was indeed the Lord of Angels even the Son of God whom Paul plainly calls Christ and whom the Israelites tempted by their Disobedience in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.4 9. and who is Typified by this Cloud Isa 4.6 leading his people c. for Christ protects and directs yea every way is a congruous Salvo to the wants and weaknesses of his Church and Children in the Wilderness of this lower World as this Cloudy Pillar was here which various ways represented our Redeemer 1. As Christ is the Pillar and Supporter of his Church in the World as upon a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Rev. 15.4 where her standing would be both too hot and too slippery were it not that Christs Left Hand is both under and over her Head and his Right Hand doth embrace her Cant. 2.6 as her Upholder 2. As Christ sheweth us the way to Eternal Life This Cloudy Pillar did direct Israel through the Wilderness to the Earthly Canaan but Christ leads his Redeemed to the Heavenly Countrey Heb. 11.14 through this present evil World so call'd Gal. 1.4 taking them by the Arms and teaching them to go Hos 11.3 4. yea himself saith I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 He is the way to walk in the truth to walk by and the life to walk with c. 3. As Christ openeth to us an open passage through the Red Sea of our severest Afflictions which even threaten to swallow us up but indeed by his Grace doth preserve us He led Israel by the Head as well as by the Hand down the Deep as the Rider doth his Horse down the Hill and made their way so firm and plain that there was nec lutum nec lapis in semitâ suâ neither Quagmire nor Mud to stick fast in nor any Stones to stumble upon He led them gently and leisurely with his glorious Arm till he brought them to rest in the Land of Promise Isa 63.11 12 13 14. so he will do so to us may but our Souls and Sufferings he Dyed Red with his Blood Heb. 9.12 13 14. 4. As this Pillar was call'd a Pillar of Fire and of a Cloud Exod. 14.24 for it was but one in Substance though divers in Offices 'T is call'd one in the singular number Exod. 40.38 Numb 9.15 16 21. 1 Cor. 10.3 Psal 105.39 c. yet the same Cloud covered the whole Camp from the heat of the Sun in those not Countreys very injurious to Travellers especially in that Sandy Defart of Arabia directing them all the day in their Journeyings but was as Fire to give them light in the Night whether they rested or travelled So Christ consists of two Natures the Fire represented his Divine Nature and the Cloud his Humane both handing us to Heaven Thus there is much congruity more in the Sequel but some disparity The third Remark is The excellent properties of this Cloud far exceeding and excelling all other common and ordinary Clouds shewing
Sea therefore they go not the nighest way Fourthly God would not let them go the way of the Philistims because as some say the Philistims had been favourable to Abraham and Isaac c. So their Country must be spared not wasted by War Fifthly The Sins of the Canaanites were not yet full Gen. 15.16 and the Philistims were reserv'd for Israel's Exercise Sixthly And chiefly that God's Glory might be more manifest in leading and feeding his People forty years there Deut. 28.2 c. Objection May not that Reason rendered for Israel's not going the nighest way lest they repent when they see War seem no Reason seeing they both saw and felt War with Amalek in that other way which God led them about Answ 1. Had they gone the nearest way the Philistims within a few Days would have faln upon them lying so nigh to Egypt as before whereas they met not in the other way with the Amalekites till forty days after their departure as is intimated before Numb 33.15 2. Before they had this War with Amalek they were well corroborated in their Confidence of God's Presence with them both by the Destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea and by their being nourished with Quails and Manna from Heaven Exod. 16.13 15. and with Water out of the Rock Exod. 17.6 and this Experience they had wanted if they had gone the other shorter way 3. Had they been afraid of the Philistims in that near way they might soon have step'd back to Egypt without any stop in their way but they could not now do so in fear of Amalek because they had the Red Sea upon their backs 4. The Amalekites did but fall upon the Rear of their Camp where the mixt Multitude their lumber was supposed to be placed and at worst cut off only the hindmost and feeblest of them Deut. 25.18 whereas had they gone through the Philistims Country that stronger and more Martial People might have endangered the whole Body of the Camp in a long War c. ☞ God led Israel about by the Wilderness out of Egypt not like fâ—â—rful Fugitives but in Marshal Order as Chamushim signifies Exod. 13.18 with their Loins girt on the fifth Rib as was their posture at the Passeover Exod. 12.11 all Unarmed for Pharaoh objected not against them their providing Arms nor could they poor Slaves be well betrusted with any being so exasperated and made desperate by Slavery unless some had Arms for the defence of Goshen from Incursions or borrow'd with Jewels to defend themselves in the Wilderness from wild Beasts Serpents and Robbers c. Herein the Power of God was more manifest in saving all along this unarmed Army which was Pharaoh's great Inducement to pursue them to the Red Sea after whose Drowning with his whole Host Israel got all their Arms cast up on the Shore before God led them to fight with Amalek Thus God led them out with an high hand Exod. 14.8 and train'd them a long time for Canaan's Wars CHAP. XIX The History and Mystery of Israel's Wandrings in the Wilderness NOW come we to the fourth Special or Particular namely Israel's Journeyings and Wandrings in the Wilderness under the Conduct of the Cloudy Pillar Herein consider First The Terminus à quo the place from whence they Journeyed which was from Rameses as before 2. The Terminus per quem the place through which that is in General the Wilderness but more particularly the forty two Stages Stations or Mansions and Removes the Camp of Israel had all mentioned by Moses Numb 33. from vers 1. to 50. before they reach'd the River Jordan where they came to the 3d. Terminum ad quem to Canaan The Remarks on each of these Three Terms in order first upon Rameses upon which add something to what is abovesaid thereon The First Remark concerns the Time when Israel removed from Rameses 1. In General the self-same day in the first Spring Month when the four hundred and thirty years were exactly expired as before Exod. 12.41 upon the 15th day of Abib which answers to our March then was the time of their sojourning accomplished either in their Persons or in the Loins of their Progenitors whereas the Law was not given till a year after their coming out of Egypt yet the Apostle pitches upon this same number of four hundred and thirty years from the Promise to the giving of the Law Gal. 3.17 which reckoning must be understood for about or near that term because it concern'd not to enervate Paul's Argument though it fell out a year beyond that Account but it is of great Importance in this Calculation of the Time by Moses in Exod. 12.41 which yet some read in the strength of the Day for the self-same Day as Gen. 7.13 and 17.23 that is when it was broad light Day the Egyptians beholding them but could not hinder them 2. As to the time when whether by Night or by Day Evening or Morning Israel began their Journey out of Egypt at least seemeth doubtful because of seeming Contradictions in Scripture for 't is said that They went out by Night Bemits raim lailah Deut. 16.1 And again at the Evening thou shalt offer the Passeover in the season that thou camest out of Egypt whereas indeed 't is plainly affirmed by other places of Scripture which is most probable that they went by Day-light yet Early in the Morning that the Type might answer the Antitype about the same time that Christ rose out of the Grave for our Redemption to wit early before the Sun was risen Mar. 16.2 did the Church rise out of her Grave of Egyptian Bondage This Moses speaks positively where he purposely describes all their Journeyings from first to last saying They Journeyed from Rameses on the Fifteenth Day of the first Month on the Morrow after the Passeover They went out with an high hand in the Eyes of all the Egyptians and at that time when they were burying their dead first-born c. Numb 33.3 4. Considering therefore 1. That the Israelites were commanded not to stir out of their Houses all the Passeover Night till the Morning Exod. 12.22 2. That the Egyptians could not bury their Dead that Night till the next Day and then saw Israel's marching out 3. That God brought Israel out with an high hand or Chaldee with an uncovered head that is openly boldly powerfully insomuch that Israel's hands did not hang down which posture betrays fear Hebr. 12.12 but came forth couragiously and not like Cowardly fugitives Exod. 13.3 and 14.8 and Numb 33.3 c. It must be concluded the other Scriptures speak Inchoativè of Israel's preparing in the Night for their Morning March The Second Remark concerns the place whence Israel took their first Journey to wit Rameses Exod. 12.37 which most probably was the Land of Rameses so called Gen. 47.11 a Province in the Countrey of Goshen though we read of a City which Israel in their Slavery built for Pharaoh's Treasure
prize Directors in unknown paths at a very great price so Moses did Hobab who could best look about for best conveniences for them For though they had the Cloud as their general Conduct yet that stood fixed chiefly upon the Tabernacle if not only Numb 9.15 but Hobab must give particular Directions in what part of that wild waste Wilderness Israel should pitch their Tents which vastly extended about ten or twelve Miles round about and Hobab best knew how to accommodate the Camp in all its parts with places where to pitch both nighest Springs of Water best for pasturing their Flocks c. and most secure from the Enemy Gods Cloud excluded not humane help and seeing Hobab holds his peace it seems his silence gave consent to the request c. Numb 10.32 c. The Third Guide to Israel was the Ark of God Numb 10.33 34. even this also is said to go before them to search out a Resting-place for them that which is there spoken of the Ark Moses speaks of God himself Deut. 1.33 and so doth the Prophet God espyed out a Land for them Ezek. 20.6 This is a Metaphorical Speech for Searching implies either Knowledge which could not be in the Ark made up of lifeless and senseless Materials or uncertainty of finding which could not be in God who knew all places uno Intuitu at one glance and so no doubtfulness could have place in him Nor may we imagine that the Ark could be a fit Guide while it was seated in the midst of the Camp which was only while they Encamped but when they Marched forward then was it born by the Levites in the Front of the Army and because but few of that vast Multitude could behold it in its so low a situation the Eyes of all Israel beheld the Cloudy Pillar that always remained upon the Ark after they removed from Mount Sinai and so the Ark under the Cloud went before them the Third three days Journey from Sinai as their first three days Journey was from Egypt Exod. 13.18 and the second was from the Red Sea Exod. 15.22 an hard task to travel so long without resting which some suppose was the Cause that made them murmur Num. 11.1 yet others are of opinion that when Israel went all those forementioned thrice three days Journeys the Cloud made intermitting Pauses in that time for their necessary Rest by Sleep and Refreshment by Food If not the greater was God's Power manifested in Enabling as well as Directing them However they had a new Incouragement in this last three days Journey which they had not before namely the Ark of the Covenant which was a figure of Christ who as a Learned Rabbi of our own Countrymen observeth walk'd before his Redeemed three days Journey in the state of the dead to his Resurrection upon the third day 1 Cor. 15.4 which was his seeking and searching for Rest and Peace unto our Souls in our Justification theâ—â—by Rom. 4.25 and 5.1 2 3 and 8.34 and Matth. 11.29 Heb. 4.3 10 11. and who said of himself Behold I cast out Devils and do Cures to day and to morrow anâ— the third day I shall be perfected c. Luk. 13.32 33. the Mystery whereof was prefâ—gured by Abraham's Journeying three days to Mount Moriah where he offer'd up his Son Isaac Gen. 22.4 c. But those murmuring Israelites had less Cause to murmur at those three days Journey all together not only presupposing those Pauses aforesaid which the Cloud made for Israel's necessary Rest and Refreshment Thus Travellers are said to travel three days Journey notwithstanding their Baits in the way and Night Lodgings in their Inns before they come to their Journeys end but more especially if the Pillar of Glory as the Jewish Rabbies conceive did for facilitating Israel's way level the Mountains raise the Valleys and lay all on a flat by burning up the Bushes smoothing the Rocks and making all a plain Path-way before them c. Moreover above all this If the Son of God cloathed with this Cloud as Rev. 10.1 and is said to come in the Clouds according to this Ancient Resemblance Dan. 7.13 Rev. 1.7 c. did take Israel by the Arms and taught him to go Hos 11.3 having his left hand under his Church's head and his right hand embracing her Cant. 2.6 as the Chaldee Paraphrast applieth that place to this Cloud and the effects thereof All these Auxiliaries in this happy Conjunction made Israel's Journey more easie and the less to be murmured at In this blessed posture is the Church now Marching in the Wilderness which after two days Christ will revive and on the Third day she shall live in his sight Hos 6.2 having three Guides 1. The Cloud of the Holy Scriptures 2. The Hobabs of a Gospel-Ministry And 3. The Ark of the Covenant yea the Covenant it self As God in Christ was the original Cause of all Motion and Rest so he is still the Guide of his Church in the way she should go leading his Flock in and out Psal 80.1 2. Joh. 10.9 under whose Conduct they feed in the way c. Isa 49.9 10. Rev. 7.16 and 12.6 14. and when there is a failure appearing the Church desires to be told where he feeds his Flock and makes them rest at Noon c. Cant. 1.7 As Moses sanctify'd both their journeyings and restings by Prayer Numb 10.35 36. so ought we to do Psal 68.1 2 c. in this Day The Eleventh General Remark from Israel's Removings from place to place is this The Instability of the Church's State under Moses's Law otherwise than under the Messiah's Gospel for then she was not come unto her Rest Deut. 12.9 as she did under Christ The Old Testament Church in the Wilderness sought Resting-places there Numb 10.35 but found none for she was then in Viâ only and not in Patriâ in her way to her Country so found no Rest but such as the Angels had in Abraham's Tent Gen. 18.4 and as the Ark had in the midst of Jordan Josh 3.13 but the New Testament Church believed in Christ and so did enter into Rest Heb. 4.3 c. Thus it is Prophecied of Sion's stayed State under the Gospel It shall be a quiet Habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall be removed nor any of the Cords thereof shall be broken Isa 33.20 The Accomplishment whereof is shewed by the Apostle that the Law-Dispensation was to be shaken and remov'd that the Gospel-state which cannot be shaken might remain as an unremoveable Kingdom c. Heb. 12.27 28. As it was Joshua and not Moses that led Israel into Rest in Canaan so 't is Jesus that gives Rest Matth. 11 28. The Twelfth General Remark is as Israel moved or removed not either from or to any place but as the glorious cloud moved and removed therefore did they diligently watch its Motion with a watchful eye always upon it both Night and
in his Obedience to God's Command Stretch out thy Spear that is in thy hand ver 18. and be drew not his hand back c. until Ai was destroyed ver 26. This was the Signal a Banner being fixed to the end of his Spear the lifting up or tossing of the Colours was a Sign for the Ambush to arise and enter and for the main Army to turn head upon the Enemy and destroy them Nor was this all but it was a mysterious means to discomfit Ai as Moses Rod held by steady hands was to discomfit Amaleck Exod. 17 11 12. that Joshua should do as Moses had done before him to stand fixed in one place with the Staff or Spear whereon hung the Colours held up in his hand all the time of the Battel without striking one stroak himself which was work or rather Idleness below any Brave General All this seems absurd and ridiculous to Carnal Reason but the Mystery hereof was to signifie that the Victory was not got by any Prowess in Joshua who only stood still in his place pointing his Spear towards the City but by the assisting and effective power of God who only was to have the glory of it as in the Case of the Amalekites who were discomfited more by Moses's Praying than by Joshua's Fighting Nor could Joshua's hands have kept so steady for so long a time had not the Arms of his Hands been made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.24 't is said of God only that his hand is not weary but is stretched out still Isa 9.12 and 59.1 The Remarks upon the Secâ—â—d Part after the Victory was obtained The First is Joshua built an Altar unto the Lord in Mount Ebal according to Moses Law Exod. 20.25 Deut. 11.29 27.5 6. to Offer up a Burnt-Offering and a Peace-Offering upon it c. ver 30 31. where Note 1. This must be immediately after the Sacking of this City Ai while the Glorious Victory which had so enriched them with all Spoils lay with most weight and warmth upon their Hearts it is best striking while the Iron is hot then was the Altar built Note 2. This Altar must be of Rough Unpolish'd Stones to polish it with an Iron Tool is to pollute it God loves not outward Pomp whereof Popery is made up and which scoffs at our simplicity c. Note 3. It must stand in Mount Ebal this was farther up in the Countrey near Shechem in the Tribe of Ephraim Judg. 9.6 7. 20.7 Thus far Israel durst now march to fulfill God and Mose's Commands for the Canaanites were smitten with dread at the loss of these two strong Frontier Cities and the Altar must be in Ebal where the Curses were read to shew that Christ is the Altar Hebr. 13.10 that takes off the Curse and sent to bless Act. 3.26 The Second Remark is the Decalogue was writ upon a Monument of Stones which were polish'd and plaistred ver 32. as is manifest from Deut. 27.2 and now God renewed his Covenant with Israel as before at Sinai many of them being dead Deut. 26.17 Reading the Curses on Ebal that they which would not obey God for love should do it for fear as well as the blessings upon Gerizzim ver 33 34. and these Curses we may read particularly what they are Deut. 27.15 16 17 c. the Blessings are not so particularly and distinctly mention'd by Moses that we may learn to look for them by the Messiah only for he was sent upon that special Errand to bless both Jew and Gentile Acts 3.26 CHAP. IX THE Ninth Chapter of Joshua consists of two parts The 1st is the Enmity or Conspiracy of the Canaanitish Kings against Joshua ver 1 2. and the 2d is the Amity or Friendly Covenant that the Gibeonites made fraudulently with Joshua the fraudulency whereof is described in a three fold description 1. by its Causes 2. by its Effects and 3. by its Adjuncts The Remarks upon the first part are these The First is whereas seven Nations are reckon'd up by all their Names Deut. 7.1 to be destroyed by Israel six only are named here in ver 1. The Girgashites are not here mention'd to make them up seven hereupon some suppose that those Girgashites took hold of the Covenant of peace with Israel and their cutting a Covenant as the word Deut. 7.2 signifies with them was the reason they were not cut off by them as the other six Nations were but this seems to be wise above that which is written seeing St. Paul saith expresly that seven Nations were destroyed and their Lands divided among the Tribes of Israel Acts 13.19 And in rehearsing the number of those Nations the Scripture reckoneth them sometime more and sometime fewer as in Gen. 15.19 they are reckoned to be Ten but in Exod. 23.23 33.2 Deut. 20.17 they are reckon'd only Six The reason of this difference is one part of this People might have several Names and several parts of them might be comprehended under one Name or sometime General Names and sometimes particular might be mentioned However the Number Seven was the most current Number as Josh 24.11 c. because 't is the full and perfect Number as above Gen. 2.2 and signifies the many Enemies of the Church God will subdue tho' they be mightier than we Deut. 7. i. e. be got up in their own Sentiments to a number of fulness and perfections c. The Second Remark from the First part is when those Kings of the Canaanites which was the general name of all the seven Nations heard that Israel had Sacked and Burned the two main Bulwarks of Canaan their Frontier Cities and of great strength Jericho and Ai then were they awakned out of that stupifaction and slumbering which God had cast upon them they could not but hear long before this that their Country was Invaded yet such a supine security had lull'd them asleep that we read not of any forces they raised to obstruct the torrent of this Invasion and even now they only deliberate upon it and entred into a Confederacy about it but did not actually do it as the sequel of the History demonstrates for we read not that they took any advantage tho' sometimes they had some as when Israel fled before Ai and when they marched so far into the Country as Mount Ebal and Gerizzim to assault Joshua's Army but both in the beginning of the War and to the end thereof we shall always find them assaulted by Israel They all stood out in this stupidity and were destroyed If Men harden their hearts God will harden his hand and hasten their utter destruction save only the Gibeonites who were saved from Ruine by their League Josh 11.19 20. The Second Part concerning the Gibeonites who were of the Hivites ver 7. here and Josh 11.19 affordeth many Remarks on their League The First Remark is the Causes of their so subtily and fraudulently procuring a Covenant
with Midian's Multitudes ver 3. Now must there be a second Purgation when but Ten Thousand be left and still they were too many ver 4. N.B. God is sometime troubled with too much help but never with too little He will have all the Glory of this Miraculous Victory And therefore again he shrinks in this Ten Thousand into the small Remnant of Three Hundred ver 5 6. God knows what is in Man John 2.24 25. that he is a Self-vaunting Creature apt to Autotheism which is a Man's falling down to Worship himself and to say as here Mine own hand hath saved me ver 2. mine own Valour hath got me the Victory So prone are Men to Sacrifice to their own Nets Habak 1.16 which the Lord prevented here The Second Remark from the first part is The marvelous means God used to reduce this Army of many Thousands into so poor a Remnant as only Three Hundred The first Means was a Proclamation that because Cowardise is catching the Cowards are commanded to cashire themselves least they should infect their Brethren Deut. 20.8 and what was become of that Courage they seem'd to have in their first coming into Gideon where they had God's Promise of Conquering their Enemies who had so long oppressed them after a most grievous manner and now had a fair opportunity of recovering their Ancient Liberty which they could not but long for as much as the Rich Glutton did for a drop of cold Water to cool his Tongue when tormented in Hell-fire yet away went Two and twenty Thousand Cowards and deserted their Brethren so little trust is there to be put as one saith here in the fickle and faithless Multitude N. B. The Reason why two parts of three were so timerous and returned home is supposed to be that they now understood the prodigious Multitudes of Midianites c. all well Arm'd and Disciplin'd yea and in great heart because of their long success whereas on the other hand the Army of Israel was but a small handful in comparison of their Innumerable Enemies and of such as were dispirited by long Slavery and many of them unfurnish'd with Arms and necessary Provisions Both those Considerations might probably cool that courage they seem'd to have before But the Second Means of purging the Ten Thousand into Three Hundred by the posture of drinking Water was far more Remarkable than was the purging of Two and thirty Thousand into Ten Thousand by Proclamation only which referred the matter to themselves either for going or staying as their Courage had brought them Voluntiers to Gideon so their Cowardice carried them off Voluntiers from Gideon But this Proclamation not making a thorough Purgation many that were fearful indeed yet loath to be accounted Cowardly Disserters did put on a good Face and desired the good Opinion of Gideon that he might look upon them as more Valiant Soldiers than those Twenty two Thousands that had shamefully deserted him Therefore God bids Gideon try one Trick more to make a stricter Scrutiny which made a Discovery by an Occult and Indiscernible Evidence of Nine Thousand Seven Hundred more Cowards that still remained with him as seemingly Couragious ver 5 6. All excepting Three Hundred did lay them down to drink whereas the Excepted and Accepted number only took up a little Water into the Palms of their Hands to put into their Mouths This latter posture of lapping Water like a Dog was an Indication of stoutness of Body and of Temperance of Mind they only drank a little of the Brook in the way to relieve Nature in necessity then lift up their Heads to pursue their Design Psal 110.7 Those were the fittest to follow the Lord not surfeiting with wordly Pleasures but taking only a little tast of them Whereas the bowing of the Body and falling flat to the ground which had been their posture in Worshiping Baal thrusting their Mouths into the Water as thirsty Horses do that they might drink their fill with Greediness was a sign of a weak weary Body and of an Intemperate Mind c. N. B. Gideon had ask'd of God two Signs before and both were granted him about the Fleece in an open and obvious way of Ocular Demonstration and now God gives Gideon here unask'd a third Sign of an Occult Nature and of an obscure Quality for no Natural Reasons can be rendred why so many of the Ten Thousand did fall down prostrate upon the ground to drink like an Horse and so few of them did lap Water out of their Hands like a Dog save only such as are uncertain Conjectures And therefore it is safest to say That there was an over-ruling Hand of God in this matter of disposing the Minds and Bodies of those Ten Thousand so that all of them save Three Hundred only should lay down to drink because it was his Divine Pleasure to have those over-lowly and over-liberal Drinkers dismissed home and to save Israel from Midian by the hands of Three Hundred Men only The Third Remark upon the Antecedents of the Battel is A new Confirmation of General Gideon's Faith needful enough another Sign seems to be when his Army and Auxiliaries were shrivel'd away and shrunk up into so narrow a compass of Three Hundred Men which the Midianites might scornfully call Gideon's Three Hundred Lap-Dogs How might their Army that consisted of above an Hundred Thirty and Five Thousand Soldiers ridicule this despicable handful and contemn them far more than Great Goliah did the Stripling David and no doubt but Gideon himself had he consulted with Flesh and Bloud as 't is said Gal. 1.16 must have some misgiving Motions in his Mind about his present Enterprize Surely Sense and Carnal Reason was not Gideon's Counseller in this case but Faith upon God's Promise still bears him up believing it was all one with God to save by few or by many 1 Sam. 14.6 and a little help in God's hands will help God's People to Victory Dan. 11.34 that through weaker means they may see God's greater strength Augustin saith God is Magnus in magnis nec minimus in parvis N. B. Howbeit Though Gideon was famous for his Faith upon Record Hebr. 11.32 yet doubtless his own humane Imperfection must suggest some Doubts to him 't is but rational to argue according to Christ's Parable that Ten Thousand Men may not presumptuously wage War against Twenty Thousand because two to one is great odds Ne Hercules contra duos in all probability as they are over-matched so they will be over-mastered by them Luke 14.31 How much more improbable was it in Gideon's case that his Three Hundred Men should be able to match and Master an Hundred Thousand and upwards of Midianites c Therefore we may well suppose that he here cryed out with that Man in the Gospel Lord I believe help my Vnbelief Mark 9.24 at which cry of Gideon the Lord condescendingly came and did corroborate his staggering Faith by Three Marvelous Means The First was
Interpretation ver 14. making the Cake to be Gideon c. Secondly The Circumstances of it Inquiry 1. Why must Gideon be this Barley-Cake baked that acts those Feats c Answer For various Reasons rendred by the Learned The First Reason Some read Tselil lechem a Cake that made an hideous noise saying A Cake that is baked under hot Ashes especially if made of Barley which is colder and moister than Wheat will by the force of heat make a noise and sometimes flie forth of the fire like a Thunderbolt leaping out with violence as we oft see rosting Chesnuts to do This was a lively Representation of Gideon that rushed suddenly upon them with sounding his Horns and the rather because the Dreamer used the Hebrew Language and as one of those Hebrew words Tselil comes of Tsalal to make a noise so the other word lechem is an Ambiguous word and signifies either Bread or War and War never wants noise Secondly Barley-Bread is vile and contemptible compared with Wheat-Bread and now had the Midianites so robb'd the Israelites of their better food that they had made them glad to eat Barley-Bread and well might Gideon be compared to such a contemptible Cake seeing he Characterizeth himself as one in a mean and despicable case Judg. 6.15 Much more was he despised by the Midianites who fed upon the Wheat of the Land but scorned to eat Barley-Cokes the forced food of the poorest People Thirdly God will have Gideon call'd a Cake in the Dream because he had in his Hospitality to the Angel of the Lord or rather to the Lord of Angels entertain'd him liberally with Cakes of Flour c. Judg. 6.19 probably made of the Flour of Barley the best that the Midianites had left him for he was but threshing his Wheat when the Lord came to him so had not time to turn it into Flour Therefore the Lord made Gideon hear this Dream of a Cake as an happy Omen of his Victory for a Reward of his Hospitality to himself c. Enquiry 2. Why this Cake tumbled down a Tent c Answer This Cake being of a round and Orbicular form made like a Loaf might the better tumble down the Hill with violence and dash against a Tent which Josephus calls the King's Tent and not improbably for the Hebrew word Haohel with its notifying Article He signifies Tentorium omnium elegantissimum fortissimum the fairest and strongest Tent. Now the Analogy and Comparison in the Dream standeth thus N. B. As 't is no less than a great Miracle if so poor a thing as a Barley-Loaf should by rolling down upon it overturn a well pitched Tent though of it self it be as unable to remove a Mountain as to over-throw a Tent yet being thrown by a Divine Hand overturns and ruines not only the King's Tent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency but even all the Tents of the whole Camp of Midian even so Gideon a Man kept long under Vassalage so that he durst not shew his Head must be as wonderfully employed in the Lord's Hand even with a small handful of despised Fugitives gathered together to rout and ruine such a prodigious Army as they were what this Dreamer saw done in his Dream that his Interpreter told him which was represented by it he would certainly see would come to pass Now come we to the second part of the Concomitants of the Battel from ver 15. to 21. The Remarks hence are First No sooner had Gideon heard this Dream and the breaking thereof Hebr. a Metaphor from breaking a Nut to come at the Kernel or its Interpretation which he might understand though spoke in the Midian Language being only a differing Dialect from the Hebrew and being accustomed to it for Seven Years Slavery But he immediately falls upon a double Work First Upon Praising of God for confirming his Faith in such a miraculous manner And Secondly Upon Praying to God that he would signally bless him with success in his Enterprize ver 15. The Second Remark is The Marvelous Stratagem Gideon makes use of in Assaulting the Enemy in the Night Josephus saith in the Fourth Watch of the Night which was the very time wherein Christ came to comfort his Disciples half Dead with a long Storm Matth. 14.24 25 26 27. and now the same Messiah comes at the same time here to comfort distressed Israel c. but the Scripture of truth saith it was in the beginning of the Midnight Watch. Gideon chused the Midnight ver 19. because then the Watches were changed and the Army soundest on Sleep and so most subject to astonishment if suddenly awakened N. B. Now comes Christ to comfort Israel after an hard Apprentiship of Seven Years under Midian even now when Israel was low enough even as low as God would have them and reduced from Thirty two Thousand Men to Three Hundred only then the Lord comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as out of an Engine to rescue them out of the hands of their Oppressors who were now high enough also And this the Lord did by so strange a Stratagem he directed Gideon unto as cannot easily be parallel'd as Joshua did Conquer Jericho only by the noise of Trumpets and Astonishments c. So Gideon with his Three Hundred Men Conquers this vast Host only with each Man 's holding a Jug-pot with a lighted Torch in it in one hand and a Rams-Horn for a Trumpet in the other hand no light was to be seen no noise was to be made until they set themselves on all sides of the Army ver 16. Then must they break their Pitchers at Gideon's Example that their Lamps might give a sudden light ver 17. And then must they sound their Trumpets as if there had been so many Troops at their Heels following them as there were Trumpets sounded ver 18. And then must they likewise each Man give a most lusty Shout and cry The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon All this being done by Divine Direction the whole Host ran and cryed and fled ver 19.20 21. They were so daunted and dismayed both with sudden light and noise that the Curtains of Midian Trembled as 't is said Hab. 3.7 and all the Tents both of King and People were over-turned by this Barley-Cake The Third part is the Consequents The Lord set every Man's Sword against his Fellow ver 22. Such a Spirit of Giddiness was upon them that they took Friends for Foes and slaughtered one another in the place so that as Josephus saith there was little need of the Sword of Gideon Who yet out of Modesty and not willing to ingross the Glory of the Victory to himself sent a Summons to the White-liver'd Deserters namely the Two and Twenty Thousand Timerous Soldiers who first forsook the Army out of fear and to the Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Slothful and intemperate Water-Drinkers also none of which were so far honoured by God as either to bear a Torch or to break a
God bless'd him with Threescore and Ten Sons all lawfully begotten by his Body and none of them Adopted only ver 30. and he had one Son by his Concubine who moved him to call his Name Abimelech which signifies my Father the King probably out of her Pride and out of design to have him a King though his Father had refused it ver 31. That design breaks forth in the next Chapter This Eighth Chapter closes up with the Third Branch of Gideon's Description to wit his Death and Burial and Israel's Horrible Apostacy after it ver 32 33 34 35. Their Piety died with Gideon Judges CHAP. IX JUdges the Ninth contains the History of Abimelech the Sixth Judge of Israel so called though indeed he did Vsurp the Kingdom He is described First By his Name Father and Kindred ver 1. Secondly By his double State of Prosperity and Adversity from ver 2. to ver 28. Thirdly By his Deeds in conquering the Seditious and Besieging the Tower from ver 29. to 49. And Fourthly By his Death as Jotham had foretold it from ver 50. to 57. The Remarks are First How great a mischief many times is the Death of a good Governour as it was observed before the loss of former Judges was again and again a mischievous loss to Israel both as to their Religion and Liberties So here again no sooner is Gideon gone but Israel is gone both from God and from all Godliness they make Baal-Berith their God to whom they become professed Covenanters as the Name importeth Judg. 8.33 Yea this People were of such a wicked Temper that they neither remember'd the Favour of God nor the Valour of Gideon but so mad they were after their Idols Jer. 50.38 that they neither feared God nor Reverenc'd Man Judg. 8.34 35. Apostates from God prove Devils to Man Therefore as God had scourged them for their former Folly Apostacy and Idolatry by Forreign Foes So now he comes to plague them for the like Provocation and worse as it was against more light and love against more Means and Mercies added to the large number of all their former Deliverances with the Plague of a Civil Vncivil War among themselves insomuch that they are made to sheath their Swords in one anothers Bowels through Abimelech's Ambition c. N.B. Gideon's Ephod left behind him did indeed become a Snare Judg. 8.27 making a most fearful Schism and Division among the People for some of them went to Worship God as Shilo as they had done for many years from Joshua's Judgeship others new-fangl'd were for this new Altar and Ephod at Ophrah This was enough to sow Seeds of Sedition amongst them and because good Gideon gave the occasion hereof he therefore got to himself a new Name namely Jerub-bosheth 2 Sam. 11.21 Bosheth Hebr. as Ish-bosheeb signifies a Man of Shame Gideon got this Name of Shame for leaving this shameful thing the Ephod behind him but his Bastard Son he left proved worse c. The Second Remark is Abimelech's Prosperity in promoting his Plot and Project to compass a Crown and Kingdom His Ambition rode without Reins therefore goes he to Shechem where his Mother dwelt Judg. 8.31 Communes with his Kindred Uncles and others what might be the likeliest means for effecting his Design puts a starch'd Speech into their Mouths how to Court the Men of Shechem supposing they would willingly enough comply with a Regal Government which his Father had modestly refused and upon this Supposition grounds he his Oration That the Multitude of his Father's Sons was such they all affecting Domination as he Insinuated measuring them by himself for so ill minded Men do Muse as they use will occasion horrible Dissentions in dividing the Kingdom amongst them all that each may have his share this would cause dismal Stirs in the State All which confusion might be prevented by making me King saith he who am so nearly related to you and therefore shall be your no small Honour and Advantage Chap. 9. ver 1 2. and his Glozing Wheedles did easily captivate the Men of Shechem They readily complied because it seem'd to suit well with their Interest which will not lie at any time ver 3. and now having got a Temple built for their Baal-Berith after the Death of Gideon which he would never have suffered while he lived and endowed with considerable Revenues for those Men that were close-sisted in the Service of God could be open-handed enough to their Idol's Contributions they take out of this supposed Sacred Treasury Threescore and Ten pieces of Silver ver 4. N.B. All this the Devil in the Idol was willing to part with that therewith he might purchase the Heads of Gideon's Threescore and Ten Sons whom he found did Patrizare and were like their Father in opposing Idolatry With those Seventy Silver pieces Abimelech hired the Dehauched Desperado's as with Press-Money or Entring Penny promising them rich Plunder to execute his Devilish Design They march like a Ragged Regiment along with him to Ophrah and there Massacre Gideon's Seventy Sons upon a Stone as so many Sacrifices unto Baal upon this Altar to revenge the wrong that their Father had done to Baal in throwing down his Altar Judg. 6.27 28. Thus the Money out of Baal's House was expended in Baal's Service yet the Lord hid Jotham out of the Assassinates hands ver 5. he after did Jeremy and Baruch Jer. 36.26 The Third Remark concerning Abimelech's Prosperity when he had thus bloudily removed those Seventy Sons ' of Gideon excepting Jotham that were Rubbs and Remora's in his way to his Regal Government that his Bowl might run more roundly end-ways then the Men of Shechem are call'd together to make him King ver 6. This may well be look'd upon as an highly presumptuous Act for one single City to chuse a King for all Israel especially considering how God had appropriated the choice of a King over all Israel to himself Deut. 17.14 15. N. B. But it may be supposed this City had many Advantages at this Juncture for promoting this presumptuous Project As First The eager inclination of the Israclites in general to Kingly Government as appeared by their offer of it to Gideon and to his Sons Judg. 8.22 and though Gideon refus'd it for himself yet could he not give it away from his Sons to whom they then offered it also as well as to him Secondly There was now after Gidoen's Death a General Defection of the Israclites from God to Baal whose powerful Patron Abimelech only pretended to be at this time Thirdly The Proud Imperious Spirit of the Tribe of Ephraim unto which Shechem belonged did manifest it self Judg. 8.1 and 12.1 as if they had the prevailing power over all the other Tribes and could cause them to close with a King of their chusing among their Brethren Fourthly They here got the start and whipping hand of all the other Tribes actually at this time putting the Crown upon Abimelech's Head and having
Abimelech by a Witty and Woody Wile makes a shift to burn both the Tower and the Sacred Fort wherein about a Thousand Men and Women were burned and Baal-Berith their helpless Block became a Burnt-Offering with them From thence Abimelech marches to Thebez near Millo out of which fire came forth and devoured him according to Jotham's Prophetick Curse ver 20. The Towns People ran into their strong Tower that were not slain in the taking the Town taking up great Stones to the top of the Tower which was flat Roof'd to beat off the Assailants Abimelech Intoxicated with his former Success was not Timerous but too Temerarious he being Fool-hardy went har'd to the Door to burn it also but a Woman throws down a piece of a Mill-stone upon his Head and breaks his Scull There lay this Bramble Brained and this brings in the last part of his History i. e. his Death described by its Concomitants and Consequents First The Concomitants He Died desperately in his sin his Wicked Life ended in a Woful Death he taketh care of his Credit but none of his Soul saying to his Armour-bearer Slay thou me and let it not be said a Woman slew me Yet this means whereby he thought to smother it did divulge it the more 2 Sam. 11.21 N. B. Behold the Just Hand of God upon him he had slain his Seventy Brethren upon a Stone ver 5. and now he loseth his own Life by a Stone his Head had stoln the Crown of Israel and now a Woman of Israel breaks his Head into pieces for so doing His Sin was writ upon his Punishment Secondly The Consequents of his Death his Army immediately dispersed not staying to take the Tower c. to Revenge their King's Death but likely were glad to be rid of such a Tyrant who Entred like a Fox Reigned like a Lyon and Died like a Dog This Cursed Bramble was fit for nothing but as to burn others so to be burnt it self for the wrong done to his Father That Hainous Sin had an Heavy Punishment and Jotham proves a True Prophet though it was three Years after he had uttered his Prophecy ver 46 47 48 49 50. to the end Judges CHAP. X. JUdges the Tenth relateth Israel's Relapsing and Repenting in general for they enjoyed Peace under their Seventh Judge Tolah and under their Eighth Judge Jair but after them they Relapsed into Idolatry and were oppressed by the Ammonites c. Therefore in this Chapter is the double State of Israel to be considered First The State of their Liberty 1. Under Judge Tola And 2. Under Judge Jair from ver 1. to ver 6. The Remarks upon this first State be First This Tola is described by his Parents Ancestors Tribe and Seat ver 1. and by his Life Death and Burial ver 2. He thrust not himself into this Office as Abimelech the Usurper had done but was raised up by God and was accordingly qualified to Reduce Israel into Right Order when notoriously disordered by Abimelech's Tyranny to abolish Idolatry which much abounded during Abimelech's Licentious Monarchy and to Restore Religion to its Native Purity c. Here was work enough for Tola though he had not as we read any Oppressing Enemies to deliver Israel from in his Day N. B. He beareth the Name of the first born of Issacher Gen. 46.13 A Tribe of a sluggish Disposition Gen. 49.14 fitter for Subjection in Couching than for Dominion in Commanding and not much Memoriz'd in her Men any where Deborah doth indeed celebrate them in her Song for having Valiant Princes and People that assisted her Judg 5.15 and David made great account of them in his Day for their understanding in the times c. 1 Chron. 12.32 This Tola likely was such an one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency who knew what Israel ought to do and who by a prudent and pious Government kept them from Sedition and Civil Wars from Oppression and Tyranny as also from Idolatry for Twenty and Three Years while he lived in Samaria where likewise he lay buried ver 1 2. The Second Remark relateth to Judge Jair who was a Man of great Wealth and Worth in Gilead having Thirty Son that were Lords of Thirty Cities and that rode upon Thirty Mules of State like Judges or Men of the greatest Figure and Quality as Judg 5.10 and 12.14 2 Sam. 13.29 and 18.9 1 Kings 1.33.38 44. and these were all Princes Subordinate to Judge Jair N. B. Note well This was not that Jair whom Moses mentioned Numb 32.41 for that was above Three hundred Years before this and he had but Twenty Three small Towns Conquered from the Canaanites 1 Chron. 2.22 But this Man's Sons had Thirty Cities supposed to be the same with Addition but now Wall'd about and Fortified for this Judge Jair's Honour and therefore were called Hanoth-Jair after his Name given them by his Honourable Ancestors and now both Increased Beautified and Fortified in his Day This Judge was of the Tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan he Judged Israel Twenty and Two Years appeasing all Tumults such as had broke forth in Abimelech's Tyranny restoring the true Religion and administring Justice according to God's Law N. B. The Sequel demonstrates that Judge Jair could not reclaim them all his Days though he did his Endeavour Then this Judge died and so went to be Judged at the Tribunal of the Supream Judge ver 4 5. Hebr. 9.27 The Second State of Israel was their State of Slavery after a long State of Liberty The Lord sold them again into the hands of their Enemies This State is described 1. By its Cause ver 6 7. 2. By its Adjuncts of Time Persons and Place ver 8 9. And 3. By its Effects bringing Israel to Repentance c. ver 10. to 16 c. The First Remark hereupon is The Moving Cause of their Bondage now was the breaking forth of their old Itch of Idolatry and that worse than ever after a long Restraint for they Worship not only Baalim and Ashtaroth as formerly but they must have Cheimosh and Molcch and Dagon also mean while they quite forsook the Lord because his Service was too severe but the Service of Idols was more Flesh-pleasing allowing of Stage-Plays Dancings Comedies Tragedies and such like Mad Merriments and because they saw those Idol-Worshipers flourish in Wealth and Honour while themselves were Poor and Contemptible and lastly because themselves were but few compared with the Idolatrous World therefore the Lord sold them into the hands of those with whom they hoped to Ingratiate by serving their Gods The Second Remark is 'T is said That Year they vexed them ver 8. both the Persons vexing and the time of their being vexed are just matter of Inquiry As to the Persons vexing it is Answered Though the Philistines be named in ver 7. as well as the Ammonites to be the vexing Persons yet in the History of Jephtab the Ammonites were the principal Persons that
vexed Israel and the Vexation of Israel by the Philistines must be reserved to be discoursed upon in the History of Samson to which it properly and peculiarly belongeth But as to the Year wherein the Ammonites began to vex Israel though some do say that time of their oppressing Israel Eighteen Years began at Jair's Death to let them know how great the loss of a good Magistrate was by their forfeiting of him Yet the Learned cannot concur with this Opinion because this inlargeth the time of the Judges beyond the just bounds expressed 1 Kin. 6.1 So that the greatest part of Jair's Judgeship was Contemporary with this Affliction of Israel by the Ammonites which Jair though a good Man could not possibly with all his Prudence and Prowess redress On the one hand Israel was now become so mad after their Idols Jer. 50.38 that he could not work a thorough Reformation of Religion among them and therefore God on the other hand gave a Commission to the Ammonites to correct those Tribes beyond Jordan about the fifth Year of Jair's Judgeship and when the baseness and backwardness of Israel was not reclaimed by sundry Deliverances from the Enemies Incursions under Jair's Conduct then the Ammonites passed over Jordan into Canaan ver 9. and sorely distressed Judah Benjamin and Ephraim on this side Jordan in all for Eighteen Years because the scab of Idolatry had spread it self from the fifth Year of Jair upon both sides of Jordan and continued to an Horrible Increase In the same Year that Idolatry began to break out in Israel the Ammonites began to break in upon them and God would not Inable Jair to deliver them from their Oppressors but gave them up to this sad Oppression The Third Remark is The Blessed Effect of this long Slavery Hereby Israel were recovered from Relapses and Reduced to Repentance For First They cry to the Lord ver 10. which no doubt they had often done before a Beast will cry when hurt but their former Cries were only the Fruits of Flesh for their own ease not of Faith for God's Favour Now they cry with their whole Heart and confessed their double Iniquity in particular and that with utmost Detestation both of forsaking God and of following Idols ver 10. Then the Lord was pleased to Expostulate the Case with them upbraiding them with divers Deliverances N. B. Note well Some whereof are not Recorded in the Holy History to shew Israel had many more Favours from God's Hand than are upon Record ver 11.12 13 14. wherein the Lord Christ appearing in an Humane Shape as he had done before Judg. 2.1 and 5.13 and 6.23 tells then He would shew them Mercy no more that is except they repent as Revel 2.5 and derides them for crying to their Idols which could not help them in their need as Elias derided the Priests of Baal 1 Kings 18.27 Hereupon Israel both Repents and Reforms then puts themselves into the Hands of God's Justice in hope of his Mercy and though we read not that the Lord gave them an Answer of Comfort yet 't is said He Repented upon their Repentance and gave them Courage to Encamp against the Enemy yet still want they one to head them ver 15 16 17 18. Judges CHAP. XI JUdges the Eleventh is the History of Jephtah's Expedition against the Ammonites the last Verse of the Tenth Chapter being an Introduction to it Israel there was at a loss for want of a Leader none durst upon their Proclamation undertake so dangerous and desperate an Enterprize though the Principality of Gilead was promised to the Undertaker Hereupon they resolve to send for Jephtah whom they knew to be excellent both for Valour and Conduct and to stipulate with him for his Encouragement That if he would accept of this place of a Leader and give the first Onset he should be their Judge and General ever after ver 8 9. The First Remark in this History of Jephtah is this Man was Banished by his own Brethren because he was a Bastard and quâ talis as Moses Law banished him out of the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23.2 So his Wanton Brethren do Banish him as such out of their Father's Family little thinking that they should another Day be glad to be beholden to him He flies into the Land of Tob not far from Gilead where he musters up many ill-minded Men yet manageth them well in fighting against the Ammonites that bordered upon them wherein he had oft look'd Death in the Face and done brave Exploits in the Field which made Israel more forward to chuse him now for their Chieftain who had so prosper'd in plundering the Enemy for his own and his Followers Livelihood ver 1 2 3 4. The Second Remark is After this Adversity of Jephtah is usher'd in his Prosperity The Principality of Gilead is offer'd to him by the Elders of Gilead upon condition that he would be their Captain in their Warring against the Ammonites who were at this very time come forth to fight against Israel Jephtah at first refused their offer upbraiding them with their publick Act wherein they had corroborated the base private Act of his envious Brethren in Banishing of him and so had thereby made his Banishment Legal The Elders some of whom might possibly be some of his Brethren being Sons of Gilead a great Man in the Country of Gilead answer his Objection saying this pinchig necessity hath brought us to a right sense of our former oversights we did then indeed work our own Wills without Wit and Wisdom but now we come to make thee due Reparation Jephtah being Jealous through former Injuries makes his bargain wisely taking an Oath of them and so accepts of being their Captain only but not a word of being their King because Abimelech's Kingship had been so fatal to them ver 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. The Third Remark is Jephtah being now formally constituted by a Parliament at Mizpeh the Judge and Supream Governour of Israel doth most prudently and piously Treat with the Ammonites before he will fight them and that in obedience to Moses's Law Deut. 20.10 first offer Peace accordingly he sends Embassadours to Expostulate with the King of the Ammonites about his present Invasion saying Why art thou come to sight against me in my Land ver 12. he could not have call'd Gilead Jabaad his Land unless Israel had made him their Head and now hath he a just Title so to term it The King of Ammon answer'd his Embassadors That Israel were the Invaders and not he for he only came up to recover his own right which Israel had robb'd him of ver 13. Then Jephtah Replys again by his Embassadors declaring that the Ammonites Allegation was no better than a loud Lye both negando pernegando he denies it and better denies it ver 14 15. strenuously affirming that the Land in question was Israel's out of all Question and that by a Threefold Right 1. By the
which they desired to over homeward they cryed Sibboleth and could not proâ—ounce the Word with its Aspiration so their Dialect discover'd them and expos'd them to the Slaughter N. B. Jephtah might have offered many Hebrew words that had sh double in them a Shomesh the Sun Shelishah Three or Shaâ—shelch a Chain c. in signification but the word proposed was Shiboleth because saith Dr. Lightfoot of the present occasion for the word signifies a Stream and the Ephraimites denying themselves to be of Ephraim having a wicked Principle of Liberty to Lye rather than to Die are required to call the Stream which they would have Waded thorough to Mount Ephraim by the right name and they could not name it aright with a breathing Pronounciation like the French that cannot pronounce Aspirates but call Third a Tird Therefore seeing those Fuguives a Name they had branded Jephtah with could not breath a-right are slain and must breath no more c. N. B. Notâ—well How many discover themselves to be Naughty by their Lisping Language in Religious Matters speaking the language of Ashdod Nehm 13.24 Their Speech doth bewray them as Matth. 26.73 By our words we shall be justified or condemned c. Matth. 12.36.37 The Third Remark upon the second part of this Twelfth Chapter is The Successors of Jephtah who after his two famous Victories Foreign and Domestick in his six Years of Judgeship then died and was succeeded First By Ibzan ver 7 8.9 10. He Judged Israel Seven years in peaceable times as did his two Successors after him and therefore nothing of special note acted against Forreign or Domeslick Enemies is Recorded of them in the time of their Judgeship save only that this Judge Ibzan was Renowned both for the Number and for the Equality of the number of his Sons and Daughters having Thirty of each whereby he linked himself into a large Affinity and so was much strengthened in his Government According to the Duty of a good Father he sent his Daughters out of his Family abroad where he had found fit Matches for them all and he took Thirty Daughters out of other Families to be Wives for his Thirty Sons and so to live with them in their Father's Family And N. B. Thus on both hands the Husband went not to the Wife but the Wife ment to the Husband as to her Lord and Head N. B. And thus likewise the Man misseth his Rib so maketh out to recover it and the Woman made of the Rib taken out of Man's side inclineth to be in her old place again under the Man's Arm or Wing therefore an Husband is call'd a Rest for the Woman Ruth 3.1 And hence arises that Natural Propensity in most People to a Marriage Vnion both in Males and in Females of Mankind in all Ages c. Secondly The next Successor was Edon of whom nothing is recorded save that he Judged Israel Ten Years ver 11 12. maintaining the purity of God's true Worship and administring Justice among the People in those peaceable times and therefore is he thought worthy to be reckon'd among the Judges not Dying in his Iniquity for not having done good among his People Ezek. 18.18 N. B. Only Samson's Birth is supposed to be about the beginning of Elon's Judgeship God then being about to raise up a Remedy against Israel's Malady by the Oppressing Philistines whose Forty Years Oppression of Israel probably began about this time And Thirdly After Ibzan the Tenth Judge and after Elon the Eleventh Judge succeeds Abdon the Twelth Judge who Judged Israel Eight Years ver 13 14 15. where he hath a most Renowned Character for his Numerous Sons and Nephews the Noble Number of Seventy N. B. Enow to make up a whole Sanhedrim and himself the Judge These are all said to ride upon Seventy Ass-Colts to set forth their Gallantry and Grandeur which at least argueth that this Abdon was a Man both of a vast Estate and of a most high Honour in whom the Ephraimites himself being of Ephraim began to recover themselves from that low Estate into which they had been reduced by Jephtah c. So Joseph's Glory shone forth again in him as it had done in Joshua c. Judges CHAP. XIII JUdges the Thirteenth holds forth the Nutivity of Samson in the Circumstances Antecedents and Consequents First The Antecedents affords those Remarks As First The Angel's Apparition the first and second time The first time was when God had again sold Israel for their new Apostacy and Idolatry into the hands of the Philistines for Forty Years ver 1. N. B. There be two Opinions when those Forty Years began Some say First That they began about the Fifth Year of Ibzan because 't is said here that Israel was under the power of the Philistines at Samson's Birth ver 5. So that the first Twenty Years is supposed to begin soon after Jephtah's Death and the great Slaughter that Jephtah had made upon Ephraim which Tribe was look'd upon as the Chief Bulwork of Israel might well encourage the Philistines to make Incursions into their Countrey of Cannan and give the computation of the first Twenty Years Oppressing Israel and then the second Twenty is the exact term of Samson's Judgeship Judg. 15.20 But. The Second Opinion begins the first Twenty of the Forty at Samson's first Year and carries on the second Twenty downward to those that succeeded him as Eli and Samuel and that for those Reasons N. B. The First is These over-Numbers are always computed under the following Judges who delivered the People from their Oppressions The Second Reason is This Apostacy of Israel which caused God to deliver them into the Philistines hands must be after the Death of Abdon seeing 't is set down so expresly in the Text that after his Death Israel sinned again c. ver 1. The Third Reason is It doth not appear that Israel fell into Idolatry during the three last Judges but lived in a profound Peace as above for we read not either of any Oppressions by their Enemies or of any Deliverances from their Oppressors in any of these Therelast Judges times The Last Reason is It is plainly apparent that Israel was under the Oppression of the Philistines a great part of that time wherein Eli Judged Israel even until after his Death that Samuel succeeded him 1 Sam. 7.9 10 11 12. Whether of those Two Opinions be most certain I shall not determine but leave it to the Judicious Reader N. B. However this I dare confidently affirm That the Sin of Israel whenever it began to break forth to cause this Calamity by the Philistines was a most grievous Eye-sore to a most Gracious God who had now deliver'd them out of the hands of their Oppressours five several times already under the Government of the Judges If any sin be an Eye-sore to that God who is of pure Eyes and cannot behold Iniquity Hab. 1.13 who cannot look upon it but he must loath it who
this must require three or four Months for his Hair to grow again to its former length and thickness after it was clip'd off or shaven by Delilah's Barber N. B. The Third Reason is Samson must have some such time wherein to be throughly humbled for his heinous sins to renew his Unfeigned Repentance in accepting the Punishment of his iniquity Levit. 26.41 and to reinstate himself into his Vow of Nazariteship which he had so brutishly broken as was allowed for Nazarites to do Numb 6.9 c. but above all wherein to be reconciled to God and to recover his Favour which he had notoriously forfeited Now this must require some considerable time to be done in for 't is God's ordinary Method that there shall be some proportion betwixt Man's Sinning and Man's Sorrowing as Manasseh had sinned greatly in Defying of God in destroying and murdering of Men and in Deifying and Worshipping of Devils therefore must he sorrow greatly 2 Chron. 33.12 So Samson had a long time in Sinning greatly accordingly he must have a long time in Suffering and Sorrowing greatly as no doubt but he did for the loss of his Eyes and not only for that but also for his being fettered with Fetters of Iron which he was now too weak to break and which reminded him how he had suffered himself to be bound with the Green Withes of Sensual Pleasure but above all for his working like an Horse in the Mill for three or four Months together under the Philistines Lashes all this made him a praying ver 28. and a believing Penitent Hebr. 11.32 and beloved of God again after all The Second Circumstance is The place where Samson Died which was in Dagon's Temple great preparations were undoubtedly made in this three or four Months time to Celebrate this Customary Annual Feast and that with more splendid Solemnity because both Princes and People were now to offer a great Sacrifice to Dagon their God and to Rejoice together in their Praises to the Idol for delivering up their great Enemy Samson into their hands ver 23.24 N. B. This Dagon is supposed to be Triton one of the Pagan Sea-Gods with Neptune whose upper part was like a Man and whose lower part was like a Fish whence there is mention made of Dagon's Hands but none of his Feet 1 Sam. 5.4 and yet the Idol was call'd Dagon of Dag which signifies a Fish in the Hebrew Language because the Philistines lived upon the Sea Coast and not far from Egypt where some of their Gods were Worshiped in the form of Fishes they likewise must have a Sea-Idol whom they now met together in a Prodigious Assembly to Adore for this singular Favour in the Temple which they had Consecrated for his Worship The Third Circumstance is The Manner how Samson Died wherein those Particulars may be observed As First Samson is sent for after they had Feasted themselves to the full to make them Merry ver 25. this was done both Actively by putting upon him some Ridiculous Attire and Actions that he might act like a Natural Fool for their Sport and Pastime and Passively by making him the Subject of their Scorn and Laughter pointing the Finger each one at him saying Behold the Blind Fool what fine Sport he maketh us All which he patiently endured wherein he was a Type of Christ whom his Enemies made the Subject of their Scorn and Malice Matth 26.67 68. and 27.29 David complains he was the Song of the Drunkards Psal 69.12 N. B. 'T is a Wonder how such a Generous Soul as Samson was could submit to be their Fool in the Play and did not rather destroy himself as Cleopatra did her self from the greatness of her Spirit disdaining to be derided when she was to be led in Triumph by the Romans c. N. B. But we may well suppose that Samson here did not altogether unwillingly commit some mistakes in his acting the part of a Fool because he was Blind but might willingly also act some Foolish Actions to make them as blind as himself that they might not either discover or suspect his intended design they set him between the Pillars where he might best be seen of all but surely God had his Holy Hand in it for a farther Mischief to the Philistines so it much promoted Samson's private Project of bringing as we say an Old House over their Heads while he lull'd them asleep by his Complaisant Diversions between the Pillars whereby he prepared a way to his own intended design for their Destruction Secondly Observe Samson being placed between the two Main Pillars whereon the Temple stood though there might be many other lesser Pillars beside by the Lords of the Philistines themselves He now desires the Boy that led him as a Blind Man to put him in such a posture that he might reach both the Pillars with his hands spread abroad ver 26. pretending only that he might lean upon them having many Causes of much weariness not only by his continual grinding in the Prison-Mill and by their violent haling him in all haste beyond his usual pace to come and become a Pastime to them but also by his standing there to make them Sport a Work his Noble Mind must soon be weary of N. B. Nor may we wonder either First That Samson knew those two Pillars did bear up this Temple for he might before this have seen it so with his Eyes or heard it by the Relation of others Or Secondly That such a Malapert piece as this Philistine Boy that led him should not saucily scorn his Motion while the Lords looked upon him but so willingly complys and gratifies his Request this surely was from God who has all Hearts in his Hands Thirdly Observe Samson being sensible there were about Three Thousand Philistines got together within this House to Worship their Idol and to make a Mock of himself ver 27. as he leaned on the Pillars so he leaned upon the Lord also Prov. 3.5 and not upon hiâ— Hair new grown therefore prays God to give him new strength once more c. ver 28. which doubtless was a Prayer of Faith and the fruit of his true Repentance wherein he doth not seek Revenge as a private Person but as a publick Judge upon God's Enemies now Worshipping Dagon and Worrying himself N. B. Then God that hears not sinners Joh. 9.31 heard him and gratified him in the Effect Fourthly Observe Samson bowed himself with all his Might pull'd down the two Pillars and the House withal whereby all in it both Lords and Losels perished together and himself with them ver 29.30 Slaying more at his Death than he had done in his Life wherein he was a Type of Christ also Hebr. 2.14 Nor may we look upon Samson here as a Self-Murderer because he acted herein by an extraordinary Instinct of God's Holy Spirit that moved him to pray thus and from his fervent Zeal to become a Sacrifice for publick good next to God's greater Glory
Night is this 'T is the great Grace of God that strengthens Frail Man to resist Temptation No doubt but Boaz found Gods strengthening Grace to enable him for resisting the Temptation or otherwise he had led himself into a Temptation which we pray God may not do so with us by this Advice and been a Tempting the Tempter to Tempt him which needs not seeing our own Hearts will Tempt us without the Devil Jam. 1.14 15. V. 15. Bring the vail c. The Apron Sheet or Mantle Women in some Countries do wrap themselves in such kind of Plads or Mantles when they go abroad It must be some capacious thing to contain Six Measures of Barley Hence Observ 1. True Vertue or Grace makes persons Universally good Boaz was a Gracious or Vertuous Man as Ruth was a Vertuous Woman he is not good in one kind or respect only but in other respects also He is good in his Charity as well as in his Chastity he adds one Grace to another 2 Pet. 1.5 As he robbs not Ruth of her Chastity so he bestows upon her his Charity saying to her Bring the Vail that I may fill it with my Corn not to take it from her as the Churlish Watchmen did to Christs Spouse Cant. 5.7 He measured Not fill it at random but took time to measure it out It may be that he might keep an exact account of the increase of his Field and of Gods blessing therein that he might know how near he came to Isaac's blessing whose Field brought him an hundred-fold Gen. 26.12 which is the utmost that Christ mentions of increase in the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13.23 Hence Observ 2. Gods blessings bestowed on us should be recieved by us in an exact reckoning we should receive them pondere mensurâ numero by number weight and measure to take the tale to ponder the weight and to behold the quantity of them is an excellent way to get a Thankful Heart and a Rendring Disposition with David Psal 116.12 Six measures of Barley So that he knew what he gave her he gives not hand over head as one in hast Hence Observ 3. As Charity is no Churle so neither must it be Blind or Extravagant His liberality is not lavish in laying out Gods blessings but he giveth in Judgment and with Discretion not without consideration Prudence is the General Guide and Universal Mistress in all Acts and Exercises of Vertue Psal 112.5 The Hebrew is Shesh Segnorim Six Barleys Had he given her six Barley Corns his gift had been more niggardly than bountiful The former substantive being cut off by an Ecclipsis 't is supplied by adding a Bushel or an Homer it cannot be the former for it was not possible for Ruth to carry six Bushels of Barley which weighs one hundred and sixty pound weight neither could her Mantle contain it This measure therefore must be an Omer which is the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16. v. last which came nigh to our Bushel which also her Mantle might hold and her Shoulders might bear however 't is doubtless as much as she could well carry Boaz will not send her away empty but laden home Hence Observ 4. As Boaz so much more our God never sends home true suitors empty He giveth and he giveth liberally he giveth Grace he giveth more grace Jam. 4.6 and more Grace even a bosom full of blessings even as many as they can bring Faith to bear away Every Sabbath and Sermon or Sacrament Christ cries to us as Boaz to Ruth his suitor bring hither thy Vail not a little but a great Faith that I may fill it Open thy mouth wide that I may fill it Psal 81.11 Faith is the receiving Grace God proportions his performing to our believing As thou believest so be it unto thee Matth. 8.13 The greater that the Vessel or Water-pot is which is carried to the Well the more Water it bringeth home in it The greater that the sacks were which the Patriarchs in the Famine carried with them into Egypt the more Corn they contained to carry home in them for themselves and for their Families V. 16. When she came to her Mother who probably knew her not it being yet Dark and therefore asked Who she was This shows that Ruth hasted home for three Reasons First For the Danger of the way it being so early and before Day Secondly For the burden she bare to be disburthened Thirdly For her Joy that she might communicate to her Mother her happy success Hence Observ 1. As Ruth did so every good Soul should basten home to wit to Heaven we should have Pauls Cupio dissolvi I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far far better Phil. 1.23 and that upon the same cogent Reasons that made Ruth hast home N. B. First The Danger we are in while we are in this Dark Forlorn World Secondly The Burden of Sin we carry upon us Here Thirdly The Joy we hope for at our Fathers House hereafter Who art thou This Question Naomi asked before she opened Ruth the Door who in the dark could not well be discerned though poor People fear not Robbing Hence Observ 2. As Naomi so Gracious Souls should look well to their Doors examine all comers saying Who art thou Keep the Door of your Hearts Prov. 4.23 And cover it Numb 19.15 All that the Man had done to her That is said unto her Hence Observ 3. A good Mans saying is looked on as good as doing as Gods Dicere est facere The Lord spake and it was done Gen. 1. often And his benedicere est benefacere his blessing is benefiting He is faithful that hath Promised Rom. 4.21 2 Tim. 2.13 Heb. 10.23 and 11.11 So when a good Man hath once promised any thing we then say 't is as good as done Hence Observe lastly 'T is Saints Duty to exchange their experiences to be telling one another what the Lord hath said to and done for their Souls Psal 66.16 as Ruth did to Naomi here what the man had said to her or done for her Happy is that Soul which can say Christ hath promised me Marriage hath contracted with me to spread his skirt over me V. 17. He said to me His Heart and Tongue were relatives in this liberal Love Hence Observ 1. Love in the Heart will discover it self every way In the Eye in the Mouth and in the Hand too Eat not the Bread of him that hath an Evil Eye Prov. 23.6 Dat bene dat mulltum qui dat cum munere vultum He put her not off with cold Complements Jam. 2.15 16. saying be warmed with a fire of words or be cloathed with a suit of complements If Love be in the Heart 't will be in the hand too Go not empty This liberal man Deviseth liberal things Isa 32.8 By liberal things shall he stand Hence Observ 2. Giving not Getting Handing out not Hoarding up is the true way of right Thriving One
Chaldee call Boaz the Good Man by whose Prayers Canaan was freed from the Famine that drove out Naomi c. Laus Deo Finis The First Book of SAMUEL CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of Israel under Eli the Fourteenth Judge N. B. AFTER the History of Ruth which Dr. Lightfoot placeth before Deborah and which setteth out the marvelous Providence of God in bringing Light out of Darkness namely our Lord Christ the Light of the World out of the dark Corners of Moab that came by Lot's Incest Gen. 19.34 Yet Ruth the Moabitess must be a Mother to our Saviour Matth. 1.5 Then comes in the History of the First of Samuel which containeth an History of Eighty Years namely from the Death of Samson who died by his own Hands Gloriously to the Death of Saul who also died by his own hands but Wretchedly and Ingloriously or shamefully The First Book of Samuel is a Synopsis or Recapitulation which runs upon two Heads First The History of Eli and of Samuel who is both the Author and the Matter of a great part of it And Secondly The History of the two first Kings of Israel to wit Saul and David The first Chapter of this first Book containeth the Birth of Samuel within the forty Years of Eli's Judgeship or Priesthood The Remarks upon it are these First Samuel's Father was Elkanah call'd an Ephrathite ver 1. not because he was of Ephraim's Tribe but because he was Born there for he was a Levite 1 Chron. 6.22 23. and ver 33 34. N. B. This Son descended from Korah a good Son from a bad Father and these Levites were scattered among all the Tribes as afterward the Jews were among other Nations and were called by the Names of those Nations Act. 2.9 10. N. B. The Rabbins do reckon this very Elkanah among their Forty and Eight Prophets that Prophesied to Israel and that he was the Man of God who so sharply reproved Eli chap. 2.27 N. B. This good Man had two Wives ver 2. Polygamy in the Patriarchs and in him was a sin of Ignorance flatly forbidden Levit. 18.18 Thou shalt not take one Wife to another to vex her as Peninnah did Hannah here v. 6. It was not so from the beginning Matth. 19.8 Mal. 2.15 but Lamech of the Cursed Seed of Cain first brought in this sinful practice and so his Second Wife is called Zilla which signifies a Shadow because she was but the Shadow of a Wife yet this Shadow Peninnah whom Elkanah made his second Wife to supply Hannah's Barrenness as Abraham did Hagar for Sarah's had a most petulant and peevish Spirit in upbraiding Hannah not only with the fruitlessness of her Body but also of her Prayers for a Child from Year to Year v. 7. This was undoubtedly Vexatious to Elkanah to behold his Beloved Hannah so daily vexed by Peninnah whose Sarcasms he could not silence nor could he comfort Hannah ver 8. so this good Man had small Peace in his Polygamy which was his punishment for that sin The Second Remark is on Samuel's Mother Hannah who was so sorely grieved with Peninnah's Provocations that though she went up with her Family to the Feast of the Lord in Shilo which the Law required to be kept with rejoicing Deut. 12.7 and Levit. 10.19 yet Hannah's both Harp and Heart were out of Tune and cannot be chearful but betakes her self to Fasting and Prayer before the Lord while others were Feasting Nor could she be comforted by her Husband by telling her that he was better to her than the Ten Sons which Peninnah had wherein she so much glory'd over her and that her Barrenness was no abatement of his fervent Affections to her Hannah still found Prayer and Patience the best Anodines and Antidotes for asswaging her grief cold Patience must quench her Corrivals fiery Contumely's and hot fervent Prayer must quicken and prevail with God to grant her desire and to animate her Devotion the more she adds warm Tears thereunto and as if all this were not enough she subjoyns likewise her Solemn Vow to God saying If thou wilt give thine Hand-maid a Man Child then will I give him to the Lord all the days of his life c. v. 8.9 10 11. The Third Remark is Eli's mistake concerning this Melancholick Woman it seems Hannah prayed and continued praying in the sight of the High-Priest yet prayed in her heart moving only her Lips but her Voice was not heard partly to avoid all suspicion of Vain-glory partly that others might not be acquainted with her Barrenness which was a great Reproach in Israel and partly that she might not give any disturbance to the publick Worship at that time with her private Prayers had she utter'd them with an Audible Voice However Eli marked the Writhing Motions of her Mouth and her unusual Gestures she used through the vehemency of her Affections and her fervency in Prayer He hereupon judged she had drunk Wine too liberally at the Feast and sitting as Judge there he to redress this disorder commands her to go sleep out her Drunkenness and repent of her wickedness which is a shame to the Lord's Feast v. 12 13. Thus the Judge misjudged and misconstrued her true Devotion as was that of those Primitive Christians Acts 2.13 c. Thus also both Ancient and Modern Martyrs have been misjudged in all Ages and if we be so in our Age God is not leading us through any untrodden Paths many better than we have gone before us in that way but our comfort is Veniet veniet qui malè judicata rejudicabit dies the Day of Judgment will judge over again all that are misjudged Psal 37.6 The Fourth Remark is Hannah's just Apology to Eli's unjust Accusation v. 15 16. 'T was indeed foul play that Eli should be both Plaintiff Witness and Judge alone yet Hannah makes a fair Defence being the Defendant and forced to be her own Advocate saying No my Lord I am a Woman of a Sorrowful Spirit c. ver 15 16. This Plea that she enters containeth saith Chrysostom a sweet bundle of precious Graces As N. B. First Her Patience she then had not rendred to Peninnah's Reproaches railing for railing had she done so how would Elkanah's House have been filled with the fire of Contention constant Combustions in his House betwixt his two Corrivals in Emulation would have fill'd that good Man's Heart with Horrible Anxiety as it had been no small cross to good Jacob in keeping the Peace betwixt his two envious Wives Rachel and Leah who both of them took their turns of Discontented Speeches to the troubling of Jacob's Tranquility but Hannah here is silent touching the Taunts of Peninnah that was so peevish to her and though she could not be so to Eli's Taunts here but answers them yet she setteth not up a loud Note at him calling him a false Accuser nor doth she twit him in the Teeth with bidding him to look better to those Drunken Whoremasters
thereby Surely they were no less Careful than Curious to redress the Alteration and Detriment before the People were stirring to take any cognizance thereof which indeed they did And all because they feared lest their Dunghill Deity should come into contempt and thereby their Double Honour of Reverence and Maintenance would fall down with their Dagon to the Dust And suppose any of the People were peeping so early as themselves they could soon Sham such credulous By-gots with telling them it was only a Casualty N. B. However the Curiosity and Carefulness of those Superstitious Priests in Rising thus Early c. may serve to shame our sluggishness in a better Worship at which David was Early Psal 5.3 c. We Read how our Lord Rose Early to Pray for us c. Mar. 1.35 Sanctificat Sanat dit at quoque Surgere Manè To Rise betimes in the Morning makes Men Holy Healthy and Wealthy But Secondly Seeing the first fall of Dagon was not effectual to convince those Sottish Idolaters of their Mad folly the Lord of the Ark throws Dagon down the second time with more violence after the Priests had reared up this poor sorry Cod who could not rear up himself from his first fall insomuch that now the Lord brake the Head of Dagon quite off and the Palms of his Hands so that nothing but the Stump remained v. 4. N. B. The Head is the seat of Wisdom and the Hands of strength as they are instruments for action now both Priests and People come and behold what a Silly God they had hitherto Worshipped one that had neither Wisdom nor Power to help himself much less to help his Worshippers But as the Prophet saith He could act neither good nor evil Isa 41.22 23. We may well suppose that the place where Dagon stood up aloft in was the most honourablest part and highest end of his Temple and most remote from the Door of entrance yet was his Head and Hands found choped off upon the Threshold of the Door Which plainly intimateth that God gave this Infamous Idol an horrible hurle with utmost disdain and detestation N. B. God hurl'd him though not as he did Lucifer from Heaven to Hell Isa 14.14 c. yet from one end of his Temple to another from the highest and most honourable to the lowest and most contemptible part of it namely to the Threshold where any of the People might trample upon their God and tread this Dunghill-Deity under foot as unsavoury salt Matth. 5.13 N. B. Thus the God of Israel Conquers the Philistines Dagon upon his own Dunnghil while the Philistines had Conquered Israel Nothing but the Stump of Dagon was now left and no doubt but that also was sorely battered and broken by so fearful a fall The upper part of an Human shape was Demolished and nothing is left but the lower part which was in the form of a Fish Desinit in piscem mulier formosa Supernè Horace And Frons Hominem praesert in piscem desinit Aluus saith Virgil. So that the Account these two Poets give of Dagon is That it was some Meremaid or Sea-Nymph unto whom they ascribed that great Honour of their Victory over Sampson Judg. 16.23 N. B. And thus far these fond Philistines found out the right Fund of their then Triumph which was not a Male but a Female for never any Man could match Samson but he was once and again over-matched by a Woman and it was that Woman Delilah who delivered Samson into their hands yet may we here say the Philistines were thus far mistaken herein that it was not a Sea Nymph but a Land-Nymph which was their grand Patroness and they were more beholden to Flesh than to Fish in their catching and captivating of strong Samson c. N. B. Moreover Behold here the vain Superstition of the Philistines They will not tread upon this Threshold c. ver 5. Whether they did this either by way of Veneration thinking Dagon's touching had Sanctified it or by way of detestation because it had been so fatal to their God This matters not whether way However God had his Holy hand in over-ruling their Superstition in making it a means to perpetuate the Memory of this famous Miracle of Dagon's falling before the Ark and breaking his Neck upon the Threshold to Gods own Glory and to the shame of Idolatry which otherwise very probably would have soon been forgotten N. B. 'T is pity such reverencing of the Thresholds of Temples should be found as among Pagans so among Papagans also who Kiss the Threshold of Peters Church in Rome at this Day The Fourth Remark is The Lord of the Ark after he had plagued those Superstitious Philistines in their Idol next falls foul upon their very Bodies ver 6 7 8 9 10. When their former Nocuments upon their Idol did not prove effectual Documents to them either for Reclaiming them from their Idolatry or for Returning the Ark back to Israel then God plagueth their Persons with Emerods which some think was the Lues Venerea or the foul disease others say it was Vlcus in Ano or Fistula in the Fundament but most are of Opinion it was the Emrods or Piles a Disease mentioned only here and Deut. 28.27 whatever it was they are expresly said to be destroyed therewith it proved a Destructive Disease to them as the great God set it on upon them Ordinary Piles be of two sorts the Outer and Knobbed which may more easily be come at and Cured And the Inner or blind Piles because they cannot be seen N. B. These are most painful and more hardly Cured as not capable of any Applications these fall out ordinary But this Plague upon the Philistines was undoubtedly extraordinary and of the latter sort also because 't is said The Lord smote them in their Secret Parts ver 9. God wrote their Sin upon their Punishment He Plagued them in their Dishonourable Parts for placing his Ark in a Dishonourable place by their Dishonourable Dagon God paid their Posteriours as Austere Masters do their dull Puny-boys N. B. The dulness of those Philistines under God's Rod was obvious not only in Worshipping Dagons Altar but also Dagons Threshold when it was thrown down from its Altar and still persisted in their dull Duncery Some say that Sodomy was their Sin and therefore their Punishment was upon Their hinder parts Psal 78.66 'T is certain it brought a shameful soreness on them in a contrary part and of a contrary Nature to the honourable soreness of Circumcision Possibly this Disease had a complication of other Diseases as the Disentry or Bloody-Flux the Viscerum Tormina or Griping and Twisting of the Guts all which made it so Destructive as well as Dolorous to them The Philistines had before cryed out Wo unto us when the Ark came into Israel's Army Chapter 4.8 They cryed then without cause but now had they a just cause to cry Wo unto us when the Ark was come into
seat of his Pride and Impudence when no other part of Goliah was capable of danger he being wholly Immured from Top to Toe as it were in a Wall of Brass that the Stone did sink into his Forehead v. 49. N. B. As a stone doth naturally and speedily fink into the soft Water so it sank into his hard Skull and through that into his Brain also But suppose he had his Helmet pull'd down over his Forehead and Face as some say he had this renders the Wonder more Wonderful that a Sling stone should pierce through his Helmet of Brass which was harder than his Skull surely David by the Spiritual force of his most Heroick Faith makes this Stone fly at the Face of his Adversary and he seemed no otherwise than to have wrapped up in his Sling not a Stone only but with Reverence be it spoken even the Blessed God himself he hurl'd the Almighty Power of his God at the Head of Goliah and this bâ—â—ke through all Seventhly No sooner had this Stone pierced through the Pia Mater which compasseth the Brain like a Swathing Cloth which Solomon calls The Golden Bowl Eccles 12.6 if that be broken the Wound is Mortal and Goliah with this Wound was deprived of all sense and motion so that he fell flat with his Face on the ground and there lay the Greatness of Great Goliah N. B. No doubt but he caus'd an Earthquake by his great fall considering both the Bulk of his Body and Weight of his Armour Eighthly Observe how David prevailed over the Philistine with a Sling and a Stone v. 50. which were unlikely means to prostrate so Bulky a Body in so strong a Garrison as it was wrap'd up in such strong Armour All this did David by the help of his God and by the force of his Faith Hebr. 11.32 So Shamgar had obtained a great Victory over those Philistines with an improbable Weapon namely an Oxes-Goad and Samson the like with a like contemptible Instrument to wit the Jaw-bone of an Ass 'T is no matter what the Tool be if God take it in his Hand God oft useth such contemptible means the more to manifest his own Power and Glory 2 Cor. 12 9. Ninthly Observe how Goliah's Head was cut off with his own Sword v. 51. So soon as David saw Goliah lay sprawling upon the ground saith Josephus then David ran and drew out the Gyants Sword out of its Sheath which Goliah had not as yet drawn out designing first to begin the Fight with his Spear and not to use his Sword till he came to a closer Combat but David's Sling-stone had prevented that and now David doth draw it for him to cut off his own Head with his own Sword N. B. This argues that David was a strong Man if he were a little Man as most imagine otherwise he had not been able to have wielded a Giant 's Sword as he did here for cutting off the Giant 's Head and we read he was able to wear it after Chap. 21.9 N. B. Thus Goliah Propriis pennis configitur as Julian the Apostate said when the Christians consuted his Heathens by their own Arts and Authors alluding to that Adage A Fowl may be shot with an Arrow that is Feather'd out of its own Wing So Goliah was first stunn'd with the stone out of David's Sling is now Beheaded with his own Sword which he had designed for the Death of David and for the Destruction of God's People Thus Haman was Hang'd upon his own Gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai See Psal 9.16 They are Snared in their own Snares Tenthly Observe how David's fighting and prevailing against Goliah was a singular Type of Christ who fighting against Satan Sin the World and Death doth Vanquish them with their own Weapons N. B. For By his Death he destroyed him that had the power of Death to wit the Devil Heb. 2.14 He swallowed up Death in Victory Hosea 13.14 and took away Sin Isa 25.18 which is the sting of Death and the strength of Sin which is the Law 1 Cor. 15.54 55. He hath Cancell'd this Handwriting of the Law and Nail'd it to his Cross Col. 2.14 15. and finally he hath broke open the Prison of the Grave and so hath set all his Elect at Liberty as a Learned Annotator here saith No doubt but the Israelites run as fast to Insult over Goliah when now Dead as they had sled from him for fear of him before while he was alive v. 11.24 Christ hath kill'd Death for us c. so we ought not to fear Death Mors Mortis Morti Mortem quoque Morte dedisset N. B. See more of this Monomachy in the Third Volume upon that Duel fought betwixt Christ and the Devil Matth. 4. where our Saviour throws three smooth stones the three Scriptum est's at Satan wherewith he broke the Serpent's Head the Type and Antitype agrees c. Now the third part of this Chapter is the Consequents of all Remarks hereupon are First No sooner did that vast Host of the Philistines behold their Champion their Idol in whom alone they put all their Confidence fall down Dead and Beheaded by David but they all fled out of the Field v. 51. yielding the Victory to Israel partly as the Condition of the Covenant at the undertaking of this Duelling Combat did oblige them v. 8 9. and partly yea more especially because the Lord struck them with a Panick Terrour otherwise the loss of one Man could never have so daunted such a Prodigious Army as they were c. The Second Remark is The Army of Israel pursues and makes a dreadful Slaughter of Thirty Thousand Men saith Josephus even to the Gates of Gath and Ekron v. 52. and then return'd to take the Plunder of their Camps v. 53. This Pursuit was prudently manag'd by Saul who suffer'd not his Soldiers to Plunder till the Victory was compleated The Third Remark is David's Triumph v. 54. David brought Goliah's Head to Jerusalem and set it up upon some Pinacle as a Trophy of his Victory and to terrifie the Jebusites that still held the strong hold of Sion 2 Sam. 5.7 though the City had been won before by the Tribe of Judah and Benjamin Judg. 1.21 and 19.10 and put his Armour in his Tent either that Tent he had at his Father's House or that Tabernacle he erected afterwards N. B. Then David penn'd the Ninth Psalm the Title being Muthlaben the Death of the Champion c. and some say the Hundred and forty fourth Psalm also for the Chaldee reads v. 10. From the Sword of Goliah The Fourth Remark is David's Honours from Saul v. 55. to the end which are related in the two first Verses of the Eighteenth Chapter upon these last Verses here N. B. A Doubt is moved How Saul could be ignorant who David was when he lived at the Court Chap. 16.21 Answer 1. David was not constantly at Court till after this Conquest chap. 18.2 but
to his discontented Soldiers before he cut off Saul's Lap but seeing it is placed in Scripture after that Act when he returned to them with Saul's Lap in his hand at which sight they were enraged because he had not kill'd him The Fourth Remark is This daring Action of David in cutting off Saul's Lap which he could not do without eminent Danger and Difficulty N. B. To resolve this Doubt I find several Sentiments seeing it seems marvelous that Saul neither Saw him nor Heard him nor Felt him when he did it Answer 1. The Syriack and Arabick Version for Saul's covering his feet is that he laid him down to sleep being weary'd with his hasty pursuit so David without difficulty took him napping and so might easily have cut his Throat according to his first purpose as the Rabbins say but his Heart misgave him and he better bethought himself therefore he did only cut off his Lap. The Second Answer is Supposing Saul was only Easing Nature he laid aside his Upper Garment at some distance behind him according to common custom for the more conveniency of doing that business this did facilitate David's cutting off a small part thereof enough to become an evidence of his Innocency The Third Answer is That Saul did not only Cover his Feet but He covered his Head also according to the custom of that Country for Modesties sake that the Disfiguring of Mans Countenance in that Straining work may not be discerned The Fourth Answer is God wrought miraculously for David here not only in giving him extraordinary agility in the Act but also in Stupifying Saul so as to make him insensible Thus God cast him into a deep Sleep Chap. 26.7 12. To say nothing of the noise of Saul's Soldiers at the Mouth of the Cave which might well drown the noise of David's nimble motion c. The Fifth Remark is David's Apology and Pathetical Oration to Saul in the Vindication of his own Innocency v. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Wherein Observe First Though David had been afraid of Saul and therefore hid himself from him and though his Heart had smote him for cutting off Saul's Lap as being an injurious and ignominious Act and an affront to his Soveraign yet now becomes he more bold being better satisfied with the testimony of his own Conscience and dares follow Saul out of the Mouth of the Cave and cries after him with this evidence of his Integrity in his Hand Secondly He makes his most humble obeysance to Saul as to his Soveraign bowing with his Face to the ground that by Heaping Coals of Fire upon his Head in his Humility he might happily melt him into a more appeased frame and to quench his Fury with Courtesie Thirdly David prudently accosts Saul with a well Accommodated Oration which he begins with his blaming not so much Saul himself as his Sycophants for infusing into him such Evil Counsel whereby he was agitated to such eager and evil Actions more than by any Genuine Malice of his own N. B. This was a Politick Insinuation of David thus to Conquer and Captivate Saul s Bennevolence whereas in truth Saul could not be justified for tho' those Sycophants had the Devil upon their Tongues in their slandring David to him yet Saul had the Devil in his Ears in hearing and believing their slanders The Tale-hearer is no less faulty than the Tale-bearer Nor was this all Saul's fault for he had indeed the Devil in his Heart as well as in his Ear even that Evil Spirit from the Lord sent upon him Chap. 16.14 So wanted a Bridle more than a Spur. They must needs Run whom the Devil drives Fourthly David Vindicates his own Innocency not by words only but by a sign also crying to Saul Ecce Signum behold here an infallible Evidence that I seek not thy Life as thy Sycophants suggest to thee saying My Father God delivered thee into my Hands this day and my men bid me kill thee c. As if he had said according to Chrysostom's sense God hath given me a greater Victory this Day than on that Day when I Conquered Goliah for now I have not only Conquered my own Soldiers who rose from all sides of the Cave to kill thee by disswading them from so doing with a word in season But I have also Conquered my self whose Corrupt Nature prompted me to dispatch thee but by Grace I have Mastered it behold here thy Lap to testifie it c. Fifthly To convince Saul's Conscience the more David Adds the Proverb Semel malus semper data occasione praesumitur esse malus Once Evil and ever Evil if opportunity be offered I am Honest as thou never hast so shalt thou never find me otherwise c. As if he had said I abhor the motion Such Counsel of the wicked is far from me Job 21.16 Sixthly David pleads 'T is below a King to Kill a Flea c. as 't is below an Eagle to Catch Flies this was David's Humility expressed in Psalm 131. calling himself a Dead Dog And Lastly He appeals to God the Righteous Judge v. 12 15. twice over and woe to those whom Gods persecuted People turns over to the great God for Revenging the injuries done them for he is the Lord of Recompence and will surely requite Jer. 51.56 The Sixth Remark is The Influence and Efficacy this Pathetical Oration of David had upon the Heart of Saul First It Squeezed Tears from Saul v. 16. which was like Moses's fetching Water out of a Rock Thus David's Innocency began to Triumph in the Tyrants Conscience This was only a Temporary Passion in an Hypocrites Heart Secondly It constrained from Saul a candid Confession of David's Integrity and of his own Iniquity saying v. 17 18. While I bare an Evil will to thee thou hast born a a Good will to me Thirdly It compelled Saul to give David an High commendation of his matchless Meekness and Tenderness toward him v. 19 20 saying Thou hast not dealt with me as with an Enemy after the manner of Men but thou hast rather imitated the Clemency of God in sparing my Life which is more than my Kingdom when it was in the power of thy hands which no meer Man would do to an Enemy Fourthly So strongly did Conviction take hold of Saul's Conscience that he confirmed what Samuel had foretold and while Samuel was yet alive that David Shall be King and thereupon falls into a Capitulation not to cut off his Posterity verse 20 21. N. B. The care he had of his Sons was indeed commendable though he had hitherto taken such a course as was more like to bring a Curse upon them and not a Blessing Notwithstanding David Concurs and Capitulates by an Oath v. 22. The same in Effect with that Covenant he had contracted with Jonathan before N. B. Here David bound himself only that upon his own private Account he would not cut any of them off as his Corrivals to the Kingdom but he
Bowels and so he Died even in a Damnable state Exit Tyrannus N. B. Note well First Josephus and the Rabbins make Saul a Martyr in Dying thus Valourously by his own Hands to avoid disgrace c. But surely he Dyed the Devil's Martyr not God's whose express command is Thou shalt not kill Secondly Saul had spared Agag contrary to God's command and now from a Righteous Judgement of God he will not spare himself but is Felo de se a Self-murderer destroying God's Image in himself Thirdly He Dyed in his Sin Joh. 8.21 and in the worst sort of sin the sin of Witchcraft whereof he was guilty in Consulting with a Witch c. A Man had better Die in a Ditch or in a Dungeon than Die in Sin Unrepented of or Unpardoned Fourthly Not one hint have we of his Repentance but 't is said the Lord slew him for his Sins 1 Chron. 10.14 The Second part of this Chapter is what happened after Saul's Death The Remarks hereupon are First If Saul's Armour-Bearer were Doeg following his Master 's Evil Example of Self-Murther when he saw his Master Dead whom he would not over-live because of his over-love as Brethren in Iniquity Hereby God justly Revenged upon him the Blood of the Lord's Priests which he had slain in his being his own Executioner The Second Remark is Saul's Death and his Army Routed put the Parts Adjacent to the Valley of Jezreel the place of this Defeat into such a Consternation that they fled from their Cities and the Philistines came and dwelt in them v. 7. Thus the Philistines prudently pursued their Victory and had not God raised up David at this time to put a stop to their Proceedings in all likelihood Israel had lost Canaan hereby The Third Remark is The Philistines Triumph over Slain Saul ver 8 9 10. All Saul's care was for his Body that it might not be Abused ver 4. but no care he took for his Soul and his Body was abused nevertheless They cut off his Head as David had done to Goliah and devoted it to Dagon for this Victory His Armour they Dedicated to Ashtaroth another Idol And they Hung up his Carcase as on a Gibbet in Bethshan for scorn The Fourth Remark is The Men of Jabesh-Gilead hearing of it and remembring the old kindness Saul had done them Chap. 11.11 Marched all Night as he had done for their Deliverance Though they were far Remote beyond Jordan yet they Zealously Marched thither and took down the Bodies of Saul and his Sons now Putrified by Hanging so long in the Sun and Wind by stealth carried them away Burnt their Flesh and Buried their Bones under an Oak in Jabesh for a Monument thereof v. 11 12. and then Lamented the Publick Calamity with Fasting and Prayer for Seven Days which was the very Term of Truce Nahash had given them in chap. 11.3 So long here v. 13. they seek God's Love of Israel The Second Book of SAMUEL Which in the general Prospect of it is an History of the Kingdom of David holding forth his whole Life as First His Inauguration to the Throne of Israel 1. By one Tribe only Chap. 1 2 3 4. and 2. By all the Tribes Chap. the 5th Secondly His Royal Actions in his Regal Government as first those that were laudable Chapters 6 7 8 9 10. and secondly those that were culpable Chapters 11. 12. Thirdly His Checker'd State of Life partly in Adversity both as to his private Capacity by his two bad Sons 1. Amnon Chap. 13. and 2. Absalon Chap. 14. and as to his Publick Condition First by Sedition which was 1. Domestick moved by Absalon Chapters 15 16 17 18 19. and 2. Extrinsick by Sheba Chap. 20. Secondly by Famine Chap. 21. and Thirdly by Plague Chap. 24. and partly in Prosperity which David Celebrates Chapters 22 23. After this Recapitulation of the whole Book in General Now the particular prospect of each Chapter is to be considered 2 Sam. CHAP. I. WHICH declares the state of Israel after this their direful defeat by the Philistines the Tidings whereof David received with deep deploration yea the Death of Saul tho' he was his Capital Enemy yet he profoundly bewail'd it Remarks hereupon are First The Messenger of those sad Tidings is described by sundry Circumstances As 1. When he came to David it was three days after David had return'd from the slaughter of the Amalekites v. 1. And 2. Whither he came to wit unto Ziklag for it was not so burnt but David and his Men might refresh themselves in it after so long an harrase until God provided them better Quarters 3. Who he was an Amalekite v. 8. the Son of a Stranger v. 13. 4. In what posture he came pretending sorrow for the loss of God's People with his Cloaths rent and earth upon his head and falling down at David's feet to humour and honour the Rising-Sun v. 2. and 5. He is described by his Age he was a young Man v. 5 13. The Second Remark is This Amalekite's Narrative of the effect of the Fight of the Philistines against Israel wherein he gives David a distinct Account upon David's diligent Enquiry v. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. wherein Observe First He declares to David the flight of Israel the slaughter of the Army and the death of Saul and Jonathan v. 4. Secondly To confirm his Story of Saul's death which mostly concerned David he confesseth himself to be the Author thereof by a Casualty of coming to the place where he was v. 6. and Thirdly To qualifie his Crime he saith Saul call'd me v. 7. chose me v. 8. and requested me to be his Executioner v. 9. He adds Fourthly a comparing Saul's desperate Case saying as Josephus and others do relate Saul said to me I am sorely wounded by the Arrows of the Archers and by my own Weapon I have faln upon yet am I not likely to die of those wounds nor would I be willing to live with them until the Philistines overtake me and put me to some shameful and more painful death and seeing my Coat of Mail will not suffer my Lance to pierce deep enough to dispatch me do thou lean upon me with the whole weight of thy body that the Weapon may pass through me and outright kill me to quit me of my dolorous pain Fifthly Hereupon saith he when I saw he could not live both for anguish of Mind and pain of Body I thought it an Act of Charity to do for him what he desired of me to dispatch him out of his misery and to dye by my hands rather than by his cruel Conquerors then took I the Crown from off his head and the Bracelet that was upon his arm and have brought them to my Lord v. 10. The Third Remark is a Scrutiny touching the veracity of this Amalekite's long Harangue Tho' I find some Learned Men Patronizing this Amalekite and purging him from lying to David saying his Story was a Real
Truth for Saul had indeed faln upon his own Weapon but his Coat of Mail had hindred it from piercing deep enough to be so speedily a mortal wound but that the Philistines might come and catch him alive and abuse him and tho' it be said when his Armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead he slew himself 1 Sam. 31.5 Which yet Dr. Lightfoot Senseth thus When he saw Saul had given himself so deadly a wound he did the like and died indeed but Saul's wound was not of so quick a dispatch therefore he desired this Man to kill him outright N. B. Notwithstanding all this yet upon a more serious inquest into Particulars this whole story seems more probably to be a pack of Lies one stitched to another for these Reasons The First is 'T is altogether improbable either that Saul after he had given himself such a deadly wound whereof he was ready to dye should be able to call him and spend so many words in talking with him or that this Man should dare to stay so long in this Discourse with Saul seeing he also was fleeing with the whole Army to save his own life which he might have lost by making this halt had the Philistines overtaken him in their pursuit which Saul feared for himself during this Parly The Second Reason is Nor can it be probable that Saul should desire to die rather by the hands of an uncircumcised Amalekite than of the uncircumcised Philistines which he so much feared He could not put any such difference between them seeing Amalek was more accursed and devoted to destruction than the Philistines The Third Reason is 'T is expresly said that Saul fell upon his own Sword 1 Sam. 31.4 but this Fellow saith he fell upon his own Spear v. 6. here Gnal Chanatho Hebr. whereas it is Ethbachereb his Sword The Fourth Reason is 'T is as expresly said that Saul's Armour-bearer being yet alive saw that Saul was dead 1 Sam. 31.5 which doubtless he would throughly know before he did kill himself The Fifth Reason is Had the Armour-bearer been yet alive when Saul call'd this Amalekite to dispatch him he would certainly have hindred him from doing that which himself durst not do 1 Sam. 31.4 The Sixth Reason Nor could that be more probable which he told David I took the Crown that was upon his head v. 10. but look'd rather like a Lye for 't is not likely Saul would wear his Crown upon his head in Battle this would have made him a fair Mark to his Enemies whom they chiefly aimed at A Wise General will rather disguise himself as 1 King 22.30 than be so fondly exposed c. The Seventh Reason The Scripture of Truth doth manifestly ascribe Saul's death to be his own action 1 Sam. 31.4 5. even to his falling upon his own Sword which must be of more credit with us than an artificially composed speech of an accursed Amalekite who had taught his tongue to tell Lyes Jerom. 9.5 and all to curry favour with David from whom he promis'd to himself some great preferment by thus glozing with him N. B. Note well First Thus far it is true that this Fellow brought Saul's Crown c. to David How he came by it is the question The Rabbins relate that as the Armour-bearer was Doeg so this Man was his Son and as the Father had the Crown in his Custody to carry it before the King in State and now seeing Saul was like to wear it no longer and that himself was resolv'd to dye with the King he gave Saul's Royal Crown and Bracelets to this Fellow his Son advising him to carry them to David ut in ejus gratiam se insinuaret so to win the favour of him whom he calls his Lord whom he owned as King now Saul was dead N. B. Secondly This very Sword wherewith at God's Command Saul should have cut off the Amalekites but spared them was the Instrument of his own death and as some say an Amalekite one whom Saul had spared with Agag must push it forward and Saul who had been so Cruel to David all along is now become cruel to himself Thus God fills Men with the Evil of their own ways Prov. 14.14 The Fourth Remark is the effects of this Relation which be two-fold First What David did v. 11 12 13 14 15 16. And Secondly What David said thereupon v 17 18. c. First What David did as 1. He rent his Cloaths v. 11. which was usually done in those days to testifie an extremity of passion without regard either to damage or decency Regis ad exemplum his Men did the same with David 2. They all Mourned Wept and Fasted until Even v. 12. though upon their own private accounts they had but small cause to do so Yet upon the publick account there was great reason for so doing because a great blow now was given to the Church of God and that by the hands of the uncircumcised who would by this means exalt their Dagon above the God of Israel and there was cause enough of this Humiliation because Israel had brought this fatal Overthrow upon their own heads for their many grievous sins yea tho' Saul was their Capital and irreconcilable Enemy yet was he the Lord 's Anointed and one that had Fought the Battels of the Lord with good success Therefore it may not be marvel'd at that tho' David was so well pleas'd with Nabal's death yet he thus mourn'd for Saul's because the case was not alike beside many brave Men were fallen in Battle out of Israel but above all David's dear Jonathan as afterwards 3. David did after all this Arraign Examine Condemn and Execute the Amalekite that came to curry favour with him v. 13 14 15 16. wherein David like a Just Judge gives him a fair Trial in a Judiciary way and tho' the Fellow had told him that he was an Amalekite v. 8. yet David asks him again who he was either for fear of his mistake in not minding his story well enough because of his great grief or it was to try the man whether he would agree with himself in telling his Tale then David said Why didst not thou refuse to kill the King as his Armour-bearer had done how knowest thou but some Providence might have happened for saving his life notwithstanding his most eminent danger c. Thou confessest thou kill'd the King thou shalt be killed N. B. Note well A just hand of God on this Amalekite for his Lying As David before had as it were Sacrificed a whole band of Amalekites to Saul's Funeral 1 Sam. 30.17 before he had intelligence of Saul's death so now he Sacrificed this Intelligencer thereof on the same account which David might lawfully do both because God had commanded that all the Amalekites might be slain as before and because David at Saul's death was now virtually the King 2. What David said as well as did namely David's Elegy or Funeral Song upon
unlawful War tho' much precious blood was spilt yet that was but a sport to this bloody Man Chap. 2.4 but Secondly God's end was to take Abner out of David's way not only that he might not be beholden to so bad a Man upon whom he now too much depended to bring all Israel under his Government for God will have David to come to his Kingdom over all the Tribes by a better way as followeth The Second Remark is The Death of Ishbosheth by two of his own Captains ver 2 3 4 5 6 7. wherein Mark First The Motives that induced those two Traytors to Murther Ishbosheth were because 1. Abner's death upon whom he wholly depended had disabled him for any Royal duty so was become an insignificant Cypher 2. All the Tribes were in a confusion to hear their Peace-maker was slain while he was negotiating their Covenant of Peace with David and that by Joab when he came home drunk with a successful Victory over the Enemies of Israel hereupon they now doubted of obtaining David's favour 3. None of Saul's House beside Concubine Sons uncapable of the Crown were alive to revenge Ishbosheth's murther save only Mephibosheth who was lamed by a fall and but five years old so neither fit to Reign nor likely to Revenge his Vnkle's Death 4. These two Traytors therefore thought that by their removing useless Ishbosheth out of David's way the Crown of the whole Kingdom must needs come to him without any contradiction Hereupon these two Benjamites of Ishbosheth's own Tribe and Captains of his Guard so had free egress and regress came into his Chamber and slew him sleeping at Noon time a day N. B. 'T is a wonder he could sleep at all by night considering he had lost his right hand in the loss of Abner Alexander said he could sleep soundly while Antipater was his Guard but Ishbosheth's sleeping at Noon and without a Guard under all his present sad Circumstances bespeaketh him a sluggish sapless and a secure fool unfit to weild the Scepter of Israel while he dreaded no danger they smote him under the fifth rib where there was no bone to hinder the Stab took off his head and away they went that Night from Mahanaim to Hebron with this Present to David The Third Remark is What Reception these two Traytors found with David when they presented Ishbosheth's head to him v. 8 9 10 11 12. wherein Mark First Their starch'd Oration to David highly commending their own Damnable Deed to him upon Three Topicks 1. A Jucundo lo here 's the Head of thine Enemy and can there be a more sweet Spectacle than this 2. Ab Honesto We did it by God's Authority who set us on work to avenge my Lord the King c. 3. Ab Vtili Now thine Enemy is removed thou shalt Reign without a Rival Thus those Wretches do Rhetoricate to make their heinous fact not only Lawful but Meritorious and all to ingratiate themselves into David's favour which was indeed the grand inducement of this their desperate Exploit Mark Secondly David abhors the Villany and resolves with an Oath to execute the Villains as he had done to that pick thank Amalckite who did but upon Saul's Request help only to kill him How much more such Traytors as you saith David to a Righteous Man Grotius Observeth here how David doth not call Ishbosheth King because he was not so by right but Man only yet doth he aggravate the fact as far worse than that of the Amalekite in many respects as First He was an Amalekite so by birth an Enemy to Israel and therefore no better could be expected from him especially by Saul who had lately slain almost all their Nation but you are Israelites Brethren of the same Religion and therefore bound to do all good Offices one to another yea you are Benjamites of the same Tribe with Ishbosheth which was yet an higher obligation upon you to the contrary but the highest bond of all was you were his Servants and he had been a good Master to you in preferring you to be Captains of his Life-guard so his life was your trust where in to find Treason makes a most treacherous Traytor In a Second Respect The Amalekite did but hasten Saul's death whom he found deadly wounded to his hand and without hope of recovery so that what he did was both to ease him of his pain and to prevent his shame by the Philistines c. but you kill'd a Man in perfect health in his own house which is a Man's Castle while he was taking his repose and not pursued by his Enemies in the Field c. In a Third Respect The Amalekite did it as he pretended at Saul's earnest request out of meer compassion to him to shorten his torment and to free him from dishonour c. but you of your own will fell in a violent way upon this man whom you should have guarded safe and slew him against his will not fearing any danger c. Mark Thirdly Hereupon David justly commanded their execution and cut off their hands that had done the deed and their feet that carried them away with this Present God punishes those offending Members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapons of Wickedness Rom. 6.13 Mark Fourthly Ishbosheth's head was buried with Abner's to be Partners alike in the same Sepulchre as they had been in the Vsurpation and both faln by treacherous bands yet in Hebron where the Patriarchs lay buried 2 Sam. CHAP. V. THis Chapter is a Narrative how David came to be King over Israel as well as over Judah and that without the assistance of Abner or the treachery of those two late executed Traitors the Lord stirring up the hearts of all the Tribes to come unto David in Hebron and to Anoint him King over them and blessing David with success in the beginning of his Kingdom over all the Tribes c. Remarks upon this Chapter are First The Free Choice of David to be King over all the Kingdom of Israel by the Elders of every Tribe making a League with him in Hebron v. 1 2 3. wherein they constitute him King by Vnction not only as neer a kin to them but because he had been a most successful Captain over them and all this was done solemnly before the Lord Swearing reciprocally on both sides in God's presence whereby David on his part obliged himself to Rule the People according to God's Law and the People on their part promised Allegiance and Fidelity to David as their Liege Lord and Lawful Sovereign The Second Remark is Both the time of David's Age at this his Coronation and the time of his Reign in all v. 4 5. where 't is said he was thirty years old when he began to Reign and he Reigned seven years over Judah and thirty three years after the round number over all Israel David is held forth as a Type of Christ here in several Respects as Mark First Israel stood out long in opposition
Oracle for Wisdom to all the Countrey round about insomuch that when any Controversie arose among the Countreymen it was their Custom to resort to this City and referr all their Matters to our Citizens Men well versed in the Law and they commonly stood to their Arbitration N. B. Therefore do not thou think oh Joab that our Wisdom is turned into Folly or her meaning according to the Marginal Reading was thus Our Wise Citizens spake in the beginning of Sheba's coming and of Joab's pursuing him Surely they will ask of Abel according to the Law of God Deut. 20.10 Whether we will protect the Traitor or deliver him up If God required terms of Peace first to be tendered to Strangers how much more to a City of Israel And so she both modestly reproves Joab for the neglect of that Duty of offering Conditions of Peace and obliges him to observe it Mark 2. She adds arguing v. 19 We in this City are peaceable and faithful to the King having had no Hand in the late Rebellion of Absalom we were by our Scituation so far remote from the Seat of that Civil War that none can have the Confidence to accuse us for being concerned in it Beside 't is a Mother City having many Villages as Daughters depending on it for Defence as well as for Direction Therefore O Joab If thou destroy this City thou destroies many in one and our Destruction will also be an Injury to Israel and to the God of Israel The Fifth Remark is the Event of all v. 20 to 28. Joab demands only Sheba's Head she Counsels the Citizens to grant it the Traitor is made to Hop headless and his Head made to hop over the Wall to Joab who returns to Jerusalem in Triumph hath a new Confirmation of his Generalship as his Reward for this good Service and the Commonwealth flourished again with Peace and famous Governours and David is reestablished c. N. B. Note well 1. Behold a wonderful Work of God The King and Kingdom was in a way of being overturned by this wicked Man Sheba yet both have an happy new reestablishment by the Wisdom of a weak Woman 'T is less Matter who is the Instrument where God will be the principal Agent many Men marvel why this City that so abounded with Wise Men should make a Weak Woman their Embassadress with Proposals of Peace when their City was so near to be stormed and how she whom by her Sex Nature had made timorous durst stand upon the Top of the Wall where Joab's Engines were uncessantly hurling great stones to batter it down that his Army might enter and plunder the City The Answer is some suppose she was a Governess in the City as Deborah was in Israel Judg. 4.4 and Queen Athaliah 2 King 11.14 However she was known to be a Wise Woman v. 22. Who could both wisely and elegantly tell her Tale and whom Joab would hear speak sooner than a Man and doubtless a good Woman whom God would and undoubtly did protect in that place of Danger N. B. Note well 2. This Wise Woman having first wrought upon and brought over General Joab the Besieger to yield unto an Accommodation she in her Wisdom expostulates with her Citizens the besieged and as Josephus relateth she spake thus to them Will ye utterly undo your selves your Wives and Children for the sake of this one Wicked Fellow Sheba who is not only a Stranger to you All but also a Rebel against good King David from whom you all have received many Benefits c. Moreover it is more than probable that this Wise Woman did throughly understand the Sentiments of the City Senators before she came upon her Embassage otherwise Had she not known before hand their resolve of not to run any risque of ruining themselves and their All for Sheba's sake she would never have so readily replied to Joab that Sheba's Head shall be thrown to him over the Wall as she promised v. 21. Which she might promise the more confidently not only because she knew the Resolution of her faithful Citizens to promote it but also because she observed how Sheba's own Souldiers were now struck with a Pannick Fear so would not protect him nor hinder the project Joab only desired to have him delivered up More was done for Peace than was desired The Traitor's Head was cut off and cast over the Wall the Army departs without Plunder c. N. B. Note well 3. This History hath a Mystery in it Though many Allegories of the Antients are but the frothy Exuberancy of wanton Brains yet that of Dr. Hall here is excellent saying Sheba the Traitor is our Lust the City Abel is our Breast God calls to us for the Traitor's Head having no quarrel to our Persons but to our Sins If we love the Head of our Lusts better than the Life of our Souls we shall justly perish in the Vengeance We cannot be more willing to part with our Sins than our merciful God is to withdraw his Judgments as Joab did here I add my own Allusion not incongruous to that of the Contemplative Doctor namely Sheba the Son of Bichri in Hebrew signifies the â—â—rst Fruits of Captivity resembling out Original Concupiscence in the faln Estate which must be beheaded and mortified by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 Before we can have Peace with God and the Armies of his Judgments withdrawn from us 2 Sam. CHAP. XXI THIS Chapter is a double Narrative First of Famine and Secondly of Wars in the latter end of David's days saith Dr. Lightfoot Remarks upon the first part namely the Famine are 1. The Time when those three Years of Famine were this is uncertain saith Peter Martyr Some Expositors are for a Transposition of those Stories both of the Famine and of the Wars which they say fell out before the Rebellions both of Absalom's and of Sheba's rendring probable Reasons for their Opinion seeing 't is said here in the General only that this Famine fell out in the Days of David v. 1. but other Authors of profound Judgment in Concurrence with Dr. Lightfoot do see no Reason for admitting any such Transposition in the Scriptures seeing it is never safe to allow it but when it is necessary and cannot be avoided And therefore 't is best to take them in that Order wherein the Holy Spirit hath placed them yet sometimes Scripture-story puts those Passages that belong to one matter all together though they happened at several times Dr. Lightfoot placeth this Famine after the Suppression of Sheba's Sedition upon which occasion David penn'd his Fourth Psalm as he did his Third Psalm at Absolom's Rebellion grounding his Opinion 1. Upon that Expression Sheneh Achari Sheneh Hebr. Year after Year v. 1. Which Phrase is not found in the Description of any other Famines therefore it imports that the three Years Famine must be joined to the Story that went before concerning Sheba His 2. Ground is that offer which the Prophet Gad from
Angels on both Hands is modell'd only for our shallow Capacities so brings forth the Devil from the left hand of God's Throne who offers his Service ver 21. as Job 1.6 and 2.1 N. B. Here more ingenuity appears in this evil Spirit than in our modern Jesuites for he confesseth ingenuously that his equivocating Oracle was but a Lye in saying I will go and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets ver 22. N.B. Then God gave him not so much as a Command or Commission saith Lavater but rather a Permission only like those in John 13.27 Matth. 8.32 see Revel 20.3 Peter Martyr adds God is not the Cause of Sin but only hinders not the Tempter from rempting and gives not Grace to the tempted to withstand the Temptation so he assures Satan of Success ver 23. having justly given Ahab up to believe lyes c. 2 Thes 2.11 12. Remark the Third is how Micaiah's Oracle was entertain'd by Zedekiah and Ahab ver 24 26 27. and how it was defended by Micaiah himself against them both ver 25 28. wherein Mark 1. Zedekiah the Prince of Baal 's Prophets and in great Favour with Ahab more Impudent than the rest gives Micaiah a Cuff with the Fist because he had given him and his whole College of Prophets the Lye having no better Argument but Club-Law to answer his Assertion with and with the blow on the Face he expostulates saying Which way the Spirit of the Lord went from me to speak unto thee ver 24. as if he had Monopolized the whole Possession of God's Spirit to himself And seeing it could not be shewed how the Spirit passed from the one to the other therefore Micaiah had it not but Zedekiah had it all as he pretended ver 11. speaking in the name of the Lord. N. B. for a Prophet to strike a Prophet and that in the Face of two Kings whose places of Royalty obliged them to see the Peace better kept was an act of intolerable Insolency a Prophet may be a Reprover with his Tongue but he ought not to be a Striker with his Hand 1 Tim. 3.3 and had not Ahab's Malice against Micaiah marr'd the Justice of his Magistracy he would never have countenanced such a rude Presumption in his Presence 't is a wonder saith Peter Martyr how good Jehosaphat could be silent both at this gross abuse of Gods ' Prophet whom he had occasioned to be sent for and when Ahab also remanded him back to Prison Not a word hear we in behalf of Micaiah his Affinity with Ahab had diminished his Piety Objection Some suppose Zedâ—kiah might use two Arguments 1. That Elijah had foretold Ahab should die in Jezreel Chap. 21.19 Now Micaiah comes and foretels he must die in Ramoth Gilead therefore neither of those Prophets ought to be believ'd and 2. His hand wherewith he smote Micaiah did not dry up as Jeroboam's hand did Chap 13.4 therefore he was to be believed Answer This seems at first sight to be a greater blow to Micaiah's Credit than that Box he gave him upon his Face but the two Prophets are thus reconciled by Vatablus Lavater Lyra P. Martyr Piscator c. 1. It was done in the same general though not individual Place to wit in the Region of Samaria within which Jezreel was 2. Ahab's Chariot polluted with his Blood was washed in the Pool of Samaria as publick a Place as was that of Naboth's Execution but his Armour was carried to his Armory in Jezreel where the Dogs licked his Blood when it came there to be washed 3. The Pool of Samaria reached in a running Stream as far as Jezreel so that Ahab's Blood running out of his Chariot was carried down to Jezreel and there licked up by Dogs 4. That Prophecy of Elijah was more plainly and plenarily fulfilled in Joram Ahab's Son A Child is the Father's Blood John 1.13 Acts 17.26 2 Kings 9.25 26. and though at first this Judgment was denounced against Ahab himself yet upon his Humiliation it was transferred from him to his Son Chap. 21.24.29 5. Yet the same Judgment befel Ahab's Person ver 38. here for notwithstanding that translation of the Curse to his Posterity because Ahab again returned to his old Sins here therefore is the Curse brought back upon himself ver 38. 6. Ahab's Death wound was received in Ramoth-Gilead according to Micaiah's Prophecy ver 28. Elijah had declared the Cause not the Place of Ahab's Death say the Dutch Annotations 7. N. B. Though Zedekiah's smiting hand escaped that withering which seized upon Jeroboam's yet we must not measure the quality of Actions by the goodness of their success God is a free Agent in his miraculous Actings and oft preserves great Sinners from lesser Punishments whereby he only reserves them for greater Judgments as he did this Zedekiah here Mark 2. Micaiah all alone and not defended or so much as vindicated by good Jehosaphat doth not return blow for blow with his hand but lays about him with his Tongue and tells this proud False Prophet his Doom ver 25. That tho' now his Prophet-striking hand escaped God's stroke yet for all his present strutting proudly God would strike him shortly with such a dread as he shall not know in what lurking hole to hide his Head with safety And those Horns wherewith he now insulted would not secure him from danger This Zedekiah thus hid himself say Osiander Lavater c. when he heard the Battle was lost and feared that the proud Syrian Conqueror would break furiously into the City or rather from fear of Ahab's Friends saith P. Martyr Piscator c. who seeing Ahab slain and his Army routed would seek him out to the Slaughter as the chief Abettor and Author of this pernicious War and of Ahab's Destruction Mark 3. Though Ahab's Son afterwards could not but in Zeal revenge his Father's Death by taking off the Head of this chief Seducer Zedekiah yet at present he goes off with Honour but helpless Micaiah must still undergo most severe Censure revengeful Ahab commands that he be returned to Prison from whence he came ver 26. with that scurrilous Nick-name upon him This fellow v. 27. Though he was God's Prophet and one of God's Privy-Council Psal 25.14 yet must he be Imprison'd and fed with Bread and Water of Affliction only to keep him alive that this Prisoners Pittance might reserve him for a farther bloody Punishment upon Ahab's Return being too Cock-sure and Confident of Victory N. B. So Debauched were the Days of Ahab that it was alike difficult to find a wicked man in his Prisons or a godly man out of them As it is a wonder to hear Ahab thus swagger and triumph before the Victory which fell out quite contrary forgetting his own Advice to Benhadad Let not him that girds on his Harness boast c. Chap. 20.11 yet now promising himself Peace Power Victory and Revenge before he buckles on his Armour So on the other hand 't
Though we have four Terms expresly declared by Daniel concerning the Persecution of Antiochus As 1. By the two thousand three hundred Days Dan. 8.14 which makes six Years three Months and twenty Days 2. A Time Times and part of a Time Dan. 7.25 and 12.7 that is three Years and a part the former Date ended before the Sanctuary was defiled but during this second Term the daily Sacrifice was discontinued 3. Another Time set is one thousand two hundred and ninety Days Dan. 12.11 which ended at such Time as God's Altar was rebuilt and God's true Worship was restored by Judas Maccabeus And 4. Forty five Days more are added to the number aforesaid making them one thousand three hundred and thirty five Days Dan. 12.12 which forty five Days overplus ended at the Death of Antiochus most joyful Tidings to God's poor persecuted People for notwithstanding Antiochus's pretended Repentance c. we are told of 2 Maccab. 9.13 28. and Chap. 11. the Jews could have no Confidence in the Words of such an Hypocrite but his Death did fully free them from all their fears of him Yet may we not expect to find any such set Times of Antichrist's Persecution to be set down upon Record by Daniel the Old Testament Prophet no that Work was reserved for John the Divine in the last Book of the New Testament Wherein the number of the Beast or Antichrist's Name carries a marvelous Harmony with these numbers in Daniel for the number of that Man of Sin is said to be six hundred and sixty six Rev. 13.18 now twice six hundred and sixty six make one thousand three hundred and thirtȳt two and three Years and an half make up Daniel's number which is one thousand three hundred and thirty five compleat c. Remark the Fourth Dr. Willet hath most learnedly answer'd great Graserus his great Arguments wherein he contends to prove that this Prophecy of Daniel doth Literally and Historically concern the Roman Antichrist and not this Mad Antiochus The Discourse is extended into ten large Exercises too long here to Epitomize and therefore must I refer the Reader to Dr. Willet's Appendix to his Hexapla upon Daniel page 495 to 520. As likewise to Mr. Joseph Mede's Works who makes the History of the Type Antiochus to lead us by the Hand to understand the Mystery of the Antitype Antichrist that grand Head of the Apostasy in the last Times foretold 1 Tim. 4.1 c. bringing in the Doctrine of Daemons the forbidding of Meats and Marriages c. He shall magnifie himself as Antiochus did Dan. 11.37 Above all 2 Thess 2.3 4 to ver 10. Rev. 13. per totum and Rev. 17.3 c. as to Antiochus's Magnuzzim Heb. the God of Forces which he worshipped Dan. 11.38 the same Mr. Mede most excellently Interprets the Daemons or Tatelar Saints and Angels which Antichrist worships together with our Lord Christ in the Romish Church Nor is this any Novel Opinion for many of the Fathers make this Magnuzzim the Idol which Antichrist should Worship So that none comes nearer the Truth among many other Conjectures than Mr. Mede Much more of this abstruse Point the Reader may find in my Discovery of the Person and Period of Antichrist A little Book which Dr. Thomas Goodwin approved and promoted while he lived c. Apocrypha CHAP. II. Luke III. AS the first Means better than the doubtful Books of the Apocrypha for demonstrating the State of the Jewish Church in that Interval betwixt Nehemiah and the Messiah was Daniel's Prophetick History of Divine Infallible Inspiration As before all along in Chapter the first out of the Old Testament So this second Chapter produceth the like infallible Evidences concerning the same Subject out of the New Testament equally of Divine Authority with the Old Namely out of the Genealogy of Christ Recorded in Luke Chap. 3. yet with this difference betwixt Daniel and Luke the Prophet relateth the Things that befel the Jews without the naming of their Persons but this Evangelist Names only the Persons that succeeded from Time to Time without any Narrative of the things that befel them Remark the First 'T is the concurrent Judgment of Learned Men that Daniel doth not only Prophetically declare the things which occurred the Jewish Church until the first coming of Christ though they did not fall out as some say until three hundred Years after Daniel's Day but also the things that would occurr the Christian Church in the last Days how she should be mostly afflicted by Antichrist as the Jewish had been by Antiochus yet shall she be fully delivered by Christ's second coming Thus Cyprian was wont to Comfort his Christian Friends in his Day with these Words Veniet Antichristus fed superveniet Christus Antichrist will come but then Christ will come after him and overcome him Thus he Interprets Dan. 12.1 2 c. At that Time that is in the last Days and toward the end of the World shall Michael stand up c. N.B. Antichrist was not revealed in Cyprian's Time which Helvicus computeth the second Century betwixt two hundred and forty and two hundred and fifty Years after Christ which was long before that Revelation of the Man of Sin Now when Michael or Christ had made this double discovery unto Daniel both concerning the Malady and Remedy of the Jewish and of the Christian Church then giveth He Daniel to his great Comfort a fair and favourable Dismission out of this Life before the former of those two Confusions come upon God's Church Dan. 12.13 telling him Thou shalt Dye not only without fearing or feeling those troubles but also in a firm Faith both of the Church's glorious Deliverance and of his own blessed Resurrection out of the Dust of Death to an Everlasting Life after thy Soul hath rested in Abraham 's Bosom and thy Body hath got its sweet sleep in the Grave as in a Bed of Down then thou and all the Just shall have full joys beginning here some say for 1000 Years but compleated in Heaven eternally Remark the Second The Interspace betwixt the Second Temple and the Birth of Christ containing about 500 Years is filled up with Three Dynasties saith Dr. Prideaux the First is The Dukes or Chieftains in number 14 all Recorded by the Evangelist Luke under the Infallible Conduct of the Holy Spirit 's Inspiration Luke 3.23 24 25 26 27. This he doth by Ascent from the Mother of our Lord the Virgin Mary up to Zerubbabel the Builder of the Second Temple N. B. Matthew's Genealogy of Christ Matth. 1.1 2 c. is made by Descent from Abraham and so from David c. that Joseph tho' not Christ's Natural but only his Legal Father as being Marry'd to the Virgin Mary might appear to be of David 's Line of whom the Messiah was to come for the Jews Conviction tho' he was but his supposed Father But Luke runs up Christ's Genealogy by his Mothers side even as high as Adam and
in all His Imitable Excellencies Our suitable Holy practice is the bese sort of Preaching forth Christ's praise The Image of this our Dearest Friend should not only be Hung up in the Private Closets of our Hearts but also in the most Conspicuous places of our Lives This is to walk in Christ Col. 2.6 not daring to take so much as one step out of Him who is the way to walk in the Truth to walk with and the Life to walk by John 14.6 And this is to walk as he walked treading in and following his Holy footsteps If we abide in him 1 John 2.6 In this General Discourse upon the Life of Christ there be three things next to be Discussed The Caution Counsel and Comfort hereof First The Caution It may not be Imagined unnecessary to build some Battlements about this lofty structure to secure Children and Fools from Toppling and Tumbling over Know then that the Actions of Christ's Life are of three sorts 1. Miraculous 2. Moral And 3. Mediatory As to the First which were Miraculous They are not set down in Scripture as Actions Imitable by us poor Mortals for some of them were personal as of the World's Redeemer Thus was he born of a Virgin which we cannot be He suffered upon the Cross for the World's Ransom and for Sin 's Expiation which we cannot Do. Nor can we Rise again the third Day as He did for our Justification and Ascended Triumphingly into Heaven lead Captivity Captive c. wherein we cannot Immitate Christ Those and such like were our Redeemer's Personal Actions and peculiar only to him as Incommunicable to any other There be other Actions of Christ beside those Personal which are not only Praeter-natural but also Supernatural As were His Fasting Forty Days His Giving sight to the Blind Life to the Dead c. Now for any Mortal to presume an Imitation of Christ in the Former of these is no better than Blasphemy These were the proper Prerogatives of Christ's Person And for any man to strive as presuming to follow Him in the Latter which were all Miraculous is a mere Impossibility Christ did such works as never any Man did Joh. 9.32 Therefore we are no where bid to make a new World to walk on the Sea c. as he did Secondly Next to Christ's Miraculous both Personal and Supernatural are his Moral Actions to be considered And these we are to Imitate our Lord in He commands us to learn from him the right Practice of those two Twin-Sister-Graces of Meekness and Lowliness Mat. 11.29 and to follow his very footsteps in the practick part of his Holy Life Christ is the Head of the Church which is the Body Eph. 1.22 23. Now as the Body Natural follows the Head naturally so ought the Body Mystical to follow Christ Spiritually in all his Morals though not in any of his Miracles especially in those two Moral Vertues or rather Evangelical Graces Meekness and Lowliness which so walk hand in hand together as they are there call'd Christ's Yoke The Yokes that the Flesh the World and the Devil lay upon Mankind are manifold but Christ's Yoke is but one not many All Gospel-Duties are reducible to one single Head Rom. 10.9 that is to Faith which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 There is but one main Duty and this is the Whole Duty of Man Eccles 12.13 which hath Two Objects and Two Offices The two Objects be God and Man The Grace of Lowliness giveth to God his Due and the Grace of Meekness giveth also to Man his Due And the Two Offices do concern the Debt as the two Objects do the Due for Lowliness gives and Meekness forgives the Debt Both these in conjunction make up Christ's Yoke as one which while it is Green and we be unaccustomed to the Yoke Jer. 31.18 seems Heavy but when this Yoke of Christ comes to be Dryed Tryed and Worn a while then it proves Easie as Christ calls it Mat. 11.30 and very Light after a Man is once used a little to it though perhaps He cannot fadge so well with it at the first 't is then no more a Burden than Wings are to a Bird wherewith she flies aloft when and whither she listeth That which maketh this Yoke of Christ easie is that Christ beareth up the heaviest part of it upon his own Shoulders as He did the cross-burdensome end of his own Cross when Simon the Cyrenian bore only the Lower and Lighter end upon his Shoulders after Jesus Luke 23.26 And Christ gives his Spirit to help our Infirmities in all those Duties which He Himself Acted in his own Person for our Instruction and Imitation Hereby come we up to Delight in doing the Will of God Psal 40.8 This main Duty of Man is yet a Yoke lest any should Presume but still 't is a light and easie Yoke lest any should Despair This confuteth Carnal-Gospellers on the one Hand and the Monkish Merit-Mongers on the other hand assuredly our Lord Jesus by passing through all the parts of Active and Passive Obedience hath made all Gospel duties both easie Imitable and Delectable too now no command of God is grievous 1 John 5.3 c. N. B. Thus a serious Meditation upon the Meekness of Christ did most powerfully convert the Aethiopian Eunuch Acts 8.32 33 c. And we read of an Earl call'd Eleazar who being oft overcome with Immoderate Anger was cured of that Head-strong Passion and Inordinate Affection by his sedulous studying upon the Patience of Christ which consideration He never suffer'd to pass out of his meditating and musing mind before He found his Heart transformed into his Saviour's Similitude as Surius who writes this Earl's Lise tells the Story of this Passionate Prince Thirdly The Actions of Christ are not only Miraculous and Moral but also Mediatory as Christ's Dying Rising again and Ascending c. As we ought to Imitate Christ in his Moral Works by a Real Doing and Suffering as we have Him for Our Example So must we imitate him in his Mediatory Works by way of Similitude This is done by Translating that to our Spiritual Life which He did as our Mediator That is we must Dye to Sin Live to Righteousness Ascend up to God with our Desires and Sit down at his Right Hand with our Affections Besides this There is a Conformity to him in the framing of our Inward and Spiritual Life which consists not in a doing what Christ did upon the Cross c. but in Doing the like by a certain kind of imitation As 1. As Christ resign'd up himself an offering with strong Prayer and Tears c. so should we give up our selves to God as a Spiritual Oblation and as a Reasonable Sacrifice Ps 40.8 and Rom. 12.1 2. As He bare his own Cross c. so ought we to bear ours Luke 9.24 If it lays 'twixt us and our Duty 3. We must be like Him in Crucifying and Mortifying the Cursed Body of Sin as was done
Instance which Christ himself uttered as a Specimen of the Management of the Day of Judgment both for Matter Manner c. Mat. 25.31 to the end of ver 46. Where the Lord Judge Denounceth the Final Doom both upon the Sheep at his Right Hand and upon the Goats at his Left ' and all by way of Dialogue c. ye saw me naked c. Now 't is farther Alledged that seeing the Father Judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son John 5.22 And that the Son will Judge the World as he is Man in Humane Nature and that none of all the Posterity of Adam shall be excused for their Absence from this General Assizes none shall be allowed to appear by a proxy but every Individual Man Woman and Child Poor or Rich Jew or Gentile shall be compelled to appear personally before this Judge's Tribunal 2 Cor. 5.10 And there have a fair and full Tryal either for Weal or Woe Now upon this Supposition the Day of Judgment may take up a much longer time than most do imagin for it Requires as much time to speak a Mans Life as to read it c. we may well believe that this General Just Judge will not suddenly shuffle up any Matters for Eternity in that Day Upon these Considerations that Holy Man of God Mr. Shepheard in his Sincere Convert page 37. saith that this Day of Christs Kingly Office in Judging the whole World shall haply last longer than his private and less Glorious Administration in Governing the World shall do c. this saith he may be made evident both by Scripture and by Reason c. N. B. Note well 3. This is the time however long or short wherein all Mankind both the good and the evil Servants must Reddere Rationem give an exact Account of their Stewardship whether they have wasted their Lords Goods either Pounds or Talents or have improved them in Tradeing Luke 16.1 2. and 19 15. c. Mat. 25.19 c. All Persons must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to Reckon with the Judge about all things they have done in the Body 2 Cor. 5.10 whether they have received the Graces or Gifts of God in vain 1 Cor. 15.10 Oh! Blessed is that Faithful and Wise Steward who giveth a good account to his Lord at his coming Luke 12.42.44 Now the particular account Men must then give is Threefold First of their Thoughts which are known to God Hebr. 4.12 13. in that day God will Judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ c. Rom. 2.16 Then the Book of Conscience shall be opened which is Index Vindex Judex 'T is Gods Spye and Mans Overseer faithfully Recording every Vain as well as Villainous thoughts Rom. 2.14 15. John 8.9 1 Cor. 10.29 Hebr. 10.2 Tho' sinfull Thoughts be free as to Men yet are they not free to Conscience which is better Sore than Seared much less can they be free to an All knowing God John 21.17 Acts 1.24 Secondly They must Reckon with this Lord Judge for their words Mat. 12.34 35 36 37. If idle and wast words must be accounted for in the Day of Judgment how much more for evil and wicked words Cassiodore saith that among ten Thousand Talents of Mens common Communications there is scarce an Hundred pence no non decem quidem obolos not so much as ten half penny 's of Spiritual and Savoury Discourse Alas How much frivolous and fruitless Speeches do frequently slow from every Mans Mouth hereupon Wise Xenophon and Plato did propose this profitable practice that Mens Speeches and Discourse might be written down in a Table Book both at Meals of Meat and at all Meetings c. that they might be brought to shame when they Reviewed their many Extravagant Expressions Thus the Psalmists Heart was greatly grieved when he Reflected upon what he had spoke amiss but a little before Ps 73.13 21 22. Therefore did he pray Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth keep the Door of my Lips Ps 141.3 well knowing what an unruly Member the Tongue is which no Man can Tame Jam. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. where the Tongue is called not a City of Evil or a Country of sin but a whole World of Iniquity hereupon we ought to put our untameable Tongues into the Hands of God as David did who alone is able to tame them the Difficulty of which Work we are taught by the God of Nature who hath given the Tongue its place and Situation betwixt the Head and the Heart that it might take Counsel from them both before it utter any words c. and the God of Nature hath fenced the unruly Tongue within bounds by a double Wall the one of flesh to wit the Lips and the other of Bones to wit the Teeth that it may be kept the better within Compass from all Extravagant Speeches c. For this very cause of the Tongues unruly Nature God hath ordered not only that Children shall not be able to speak untill they grow up to some wit and understanding whereby they may the better order their Speeches with their Tongues but also that all they who are born Deaf must be Dumb likewise because they being Deaf cannot hear Instruction for Teaching them the Right use and Government of the Tongue Even a fool when he holds his peace is accounted wise c. Prov. 17 28. Thirdly Then an Account must be rendered as for all their Thoughts and for all their Words so for all their Works Namely for all such Works wherein there hath been any Omission of Good and wherein likewise there hath been any Commission of Evil It may be Succinctly Reduced into those distinct parts the Reckoning hath a double Relation both unto good and unto evil First unto the first of Good which is thus Expressed Either 1. De bonis Omissis of good that is waved or De bonis Demissis of good that is wasted Or 2. De malis Commissis of Evil that is committed or De Malis permissis of Evil that is permitted when it is in the power of our Hands to prevent the Perpetration of it hereby we make our selves partakers of other Mens Sins 1 Tim. 5.22 N. B. Note well Participans Nutans non obstans non Manifestans c. Which the Grave and Godly Mr. Greenham Interprets thus saying we become Accessories to other Men who are the principal Actors of them either by commanding or by commending or by consenting or by counselling or by countenancing or by communicating or by concealing if we be not Admonishing nor Mourning nor Praying for the Offenders c. And Accessorium Sequitur principale saith the Maxim in Divinity he that is but Accessory to other Mens sins is likewise Involved in the Guilt of the principal sinner and so he may partake of the Plagues thereof Revel 18.4 1. Sam. 3.13 Rom. 1.32 see much more upon this point Dr. Ames Cases of Conscience pag. 299 c.
had they not pressed him to it beyond his Pagan Power yet doing it with great Reluctancy however our Lord was thus Intitled by his Hand which was guided by the great God and whose Head and Heart were so confirmed in it that though he understood it not yet would not Retract it with all the Priests pressing him to the contrary He was unchangably Resolved that what he had writ should stand How much more the Writings of him whose Name is I am that I am Exod. 3.14 and the same yesterday to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 N. B. Note well We may learn from this Pagan to be constant to a good Cause and in a good Course and not be changlings But we must raise our Minds higher and look beyond Pilate at the Counsel of God who would have Christ proclaimed his Churches King by this Publick Testimony in Pilate's Inscription and that it might be made manifest to the World that Jesus was Innocent and that he was Executed for the same Truth for which he was before Condemned by the Sanhedrim of the Chief Priests and therefore was the Title writ in Hebrew Greek and Latin the best known Tongues then every where that this venerable Elogy might be read and understood of all and that Christ's Innocency might appear unto all not only intimating that he was King of that Religion among the Hebrews of that Wisdom among the Greeks and of that Power among the Latines or Romans for which three things those three People were then Famous The Jews glory'd in their Law and the Greeks in their Wisdom and the Romans in â—heir Power and Dominion but also as presaging the Future Vocation of not only the Hebrews but of the Greeks and Latines too to the Kingdom of Christ N. B. Note well to which may be added that hereby the Holy Ghost hath commended to us the Dignity and Study of these three Learned Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin which are to be Retained for ever in the Church of Christ and seeing Christ hath Sanctified those three Tongues upon his Cross by this Inscription 't is but a Brutish Notion to call them the Languages of the Beast N. B. Note well Moreover this may reprove the Sacrilegious Tyranny of the Romanists who render themselves worse than Pilate in not only forbidding that the Sacred Scriptures should be Translated into the Mother-Tongue of each Land but also Restraining the People from Reading them in Hebrew Greek or Latin yea or in their own Native Language whereas Pilate as God's publick Herald will have Christ Read and acknowledged to be King in any Language both Forraign and Domestick 'T is pitty a poor Pagan should exceed and excell those Papagans who profess to Adore Châ—ist The 4. Branch of the Introduction is their Crucifying two Thieves the one on the Right and the other on the Left Hand of Christ Matth. 27.38 Mar. 15.26 27. Luke 23.33 Joh. 19.18 placing Christ in the midst not so much that he might have Companions in Misery for Solamen Miseris socios adhibere Doloris 't is some Comfort to those in Misery to have Companions in it As it was designed by those Priests to Palliate their wickedness that the People might look upon Christ Crucified in the midst as the worst and as the Prince of Malefactors and the greatest of those three had they Crucified Christ alone he would at least have seemed a better Man than any Thief But Mark the Evangelist lifts us up to look beyond this politick design of the Priests at the profound Counsel of God who directed this Deed that the Prophet's Oracle might be Accomplished saying He was Reckoned to wit by those Priests among Transgressors Isa 53.12 and not only among them but as Chief of them Thus he became the greatest of Sinners both by Imputation as he bare the sins of many ver 6.12 and by Reputation as he was Reckoned among Thieves Robbers Throat-Cutters and Traitors yea in the midst as exceeding the worst of them N. B. Note well As this may teach us how vastly prodigious was the wrath of God against Man's sins for the Expiation of which our Surety the Son of God must be cast into the Catalogue of Notorious Malefactors So no less holds it forth the most Immense Love of our Lord Jesus to us who can submit to be a Companion of Miscreants to make us fit Associates with Holy Angels Zach. 3.7 both Here and in Heaven c. but of these Thieves more afterward is discoursed c. CHAP. XXXII Of Christ's Crucifying NOW come we after those five Introductions to Discourse upon the Passion and Death of Christ Crucified upon the Cross wherein many most Eminent Remarks are comprehended in the Bowels of that one Act of Crucifying Christ As Moses turn'd aside to behold that great wonder of the Bush burning yet not consumed Exod. 3.3 So let us turn aside here to see this great Sight to behold the grand Sin-offering burnt without the Gate yet not consumed to Corruption Levit. 9.11 16 27. Hebr. 13.12 Psal 16.10 11. Acts 13.35 36 37. and to behold the High-Priest himself of our profession Hebr. 3.1 As the great Sacrifice for the whole World was now laid upon the High Altar his Cross and there was Rosted with the Hot Fire of the Wrath of God and of Men and of Devils Behold the Son of God Bleeding Mocked Tortured Dying and Reconciling God and Man and Marrying Justice and Mercy together c. Psal 85.10 The First Remark is Behold the Man He must Die the worst of Deaths for us so Angry was God with Man for Eating the Forbidden Fruit of Sin that he spareth not his own Son when he became a Surety for Sinners He shall die saith Saul though the Lot fall upon my Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 14.39 We Read of Zaleucus's Law that the sin of Adultery should be punished with the loss of two Eyes his own Son was found faulty herein Zaleucus put out one of his Sons Eyes as he was a Just Judge but that he might save his Sons other Eye and not make him quite blind he to satisfie the Justice of his own Law is content to put out one of his own as a Compassionate Father This Resemblance falls far short of the matter Resembled Yet thus far they do Symbolize in an Apt Parallel Congruity The Creator gave this Law to the Creature If thou Eat the forbidden Fruit thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 Man Transgresseth that Law of God even Adam call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 Now that Justice might be satisfied Man the sinner loseth one Eye only to wit his Paradise-Happiness c. and God the Father of Adam is content to give his Son who was as Dear to him as his Right Eye out of his Bosom to make full Satisfaction for the Breach of that Law N. B. Note well Sinfull Man may say here is both a Just Judge to the Law and yet a Compassionate Father to me
Note well Wonder not that the Innocency of Christ's Servants are now railed at by Rascals when Christ himself was so whom none could convince of sin John 8.46 The Third Grand Remark is Christ's carriage upon the Cross during the six hours of his hanging thereon which consists of several branches the first is his praying for his Enemies Luke 23.34 Where The 1st Note or Mark is Christ is held forth to be an Intercessor with his Prayer as well as a Redeemer with his Blood as he hung upon the Cross and do the efficacy of his Prayer Acts 2.36 The Father forgave them when those very Nails which they had pierced Christ's Hands and Feet with now pricked their Hearts and made them cry out not What shall we say But What shall we do ver 37. that they might â—e saved c. Their Repenting and Believing was the Return of Dying Jesus his Interceeding Prayer So let us pray for our Enemies The 2d Mark is That Christ should Pray for such Enemies as had so notoriously â—â—based Abused and Injured him and still persisted in their villanous cruelties toward him Behold the Man thas praying with his Face all swell'd by their Barbâ—râ—ns Blows and Buffetings with his Shoulders all torn by their scourging Whipâ— and with his Head and Hands and Feet all trickling down with his precious Blood by the Thorns and Nails that wounded all those parts and for such as had not only taken away his Garments but were also taking away his Life even then when he was bleeding by them to death The 3d Mark is That Christ should take all this care to pray for such murdering miscreants before he took care for his own dear Mother to be after mentioned as it falleth out after this in order of time he prays his Enemies who seemeâ— a People of God's Curse out of a state of Damnation into a state of Salvation so many of them as were ordained to Life before he provides for his blessed Mother Behold was ever any love like his love to Enemies c The 4th Mark is He pray'd for pardoning Grace in their behalf Father forgive them this was no Foot-stool mercy but a Throne-Mercy the best of all kinds of Mercy for the worst of all kinds of miserable Sinners even for such as were putting to Death the Lord of Life c. N. B. Note well Let none therefore despond nor none such Sinners despair of pardoning Mercy The 5th Mark is He grounded his praying for them upon their Ignorance They know not what they do therefore Father forgive them ignorance excuseth a tanto but not a toto it self is a Sin yet Sins of Ignorance are lesser Sins than Sins against Knowledge especially when it is Invincible and not Affected Ignorance then God winks at it Acts 17.30 and such may find mercy as sinful Saul did 1 Tim. 1.13 N. B. Note well Oh that all sorts of Sinners would consider that in Swearing Quaffing Whoring c. They know what they do c. The 6th Mark from this first branch of Christ's praying for his Enemies is His prayer was so powerful and effectual for them that within fifty days after it no fewer than eight thousand of those Enemies were converted through the efficacy of it by the word Acts 2.41 speaks of three thousand and Acts 4.4 of five thousand more though some say this latter number was but an Addition of two thousand to the former three thousand suppose it so though others think them distinct numbers yet no fewer than five thousand should repent by vertue of this single prayer to Christ for them is much God hears him always John 11.42 N. B. Note well Oh happy is that Soul friend or foe that hath an Interest in his Prayer The Second Branch of Christ's Carriage upon the Cross was his care for Friends as well as his prayer for Foes He was now hanging upon the Cross in the greatest Dolour imaginable yet in the midst of his Misery cannot forget his Mother but takes care for her Weal after his Decease John 19.26 27. commending her to John his Disciples care Here again we have these few Marks 1st The Occasion The Mother of Jesus with other Godly Matrons creeped as nigh the Cross of Christ as she could get ver 25. Jesus saw her standing there with an heavy heart Then was fulfilled old Simeon's Prophecy concerning both the Mother and the Son Luke 2.34 35. as the Son was now become a Sign much spoken against and basely abused by Wicked Men whose Villanous Thoughts were now discovered So the Mother stood now with a Sword of Sorrow pierced through her own Soul in beholding her Son under such exquisite Torments And John the Disciple whom Jesus loved most tenderly though He loved them all to the end John 13.1 23. stood by the Cross also and was not a little Affected and Afflicted with this sad spectacle of the Tortures of his beloved Lord this was the occasion The 2d Mark is the Tenour of Christ's Speech to them both Jesus saw John as well as his Mother and bids him Take her for his Mother and bids her Take him for thy Son Christ's Tenderness towards her here is very observable not only in making Provision for her for the future but also in the Title he gives her in his speaking to her calling her Woman and not Mother not only because that Relation and Subjection to her as a Son was now done but also lest that compellation of Mother might create in her more consternation of Spirit her grief was great â—nough already by the Sword piercing through her Soul and the Title Mother might have added to her Trouble and broke her Heart out-right c. The 3d Mark is the Time as well as Tenour of Christ's Speech to his Mother c. It was when the time of Unspeakable Unconceivable Horrour and Torture was upon him for now not only the Weight of all the Sins of the whole World did Hang heavily upon Christ while he did hang by his Hands and Feet with the whole weight of his Body upon the Cross but also the heavy wrath of Heaven for satisfaction of Divine Justice for humane offences yea and the Implacable Wrath of Hell too to be Revenged on him for breaking the old Serpent's head both these lay intolerable loads upon him so that Eye hath not seen not the Ear heard nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to think what Dolour and Horrour of Torture and Torment our Dear Redeemer was in at this Juncture of Time while he hanged on the Tree notwithstanding all this that one would think he had enough to do to mind himself in his unsupportable Sufferings yet in the midst of all his own woful misery he is mindful of his dear Mother who was now a Widow and a poor Widow too destitute of subsistency and careful for her future Maintenance The 4th Mark is The effect of Christ's Speech for that purpose 't is recorded
Powers of Darkness to make their Assault and Battery upon our Blessed and Bleeding Redeemer The Devils in Hell concurred with those Incarnate Devils the Jews to lay load upon Christ on the Cross but he proves too hard for them he Conquers and Captivates those Assaulting Devils and as the Roman Conquerors in their Triumphs used to do tyed their hands behind their backs leading Captivity Captive in Triumph Eph. 4.8 Col. 2.15 Sixthly This prodigy was an alarming providence to awaken those wretched Priests and People whose Eyes were blinded with too much light that they could not for light see light so labours to blow out the Light of the World Yet all this without Grace would not awaken their seared Consciences As God gave the Egyptians three Days Darkness to Repent in during which time Israel might have made an escape out of Egypt but that they scorned to steal a deliverance so God gave those Pestilent Jews three hours Darkness to Repent in but they were like Jezabel's Children to whom God gave a space to Repent in but they repented not Rev. 2.23 They had the Space but not the Grace of Repentance N. B. Note well God is quicker and shorter now in his long-sufferance of Sinners They of old had three days and these but three hours to Repent in Seventhly This portentous Darkness did portend the Black and Gloomy days that were drawing nigh to fall upon the whole Nation of the Jews Thus the Prophets predicted most dismal calamities coming upon Judea under this very Notion of Darkness as Isa 5.30 8.22 Lam. 3.2 6. Jer. 13.16 Joel 2.2 Zeph. 1.15 These Prophesies came to pass in Babylonish Captivity but what Christ foretold that such a dismal day of Darkness should come upon the Land of Judea at the final destruction of Jerusalem and now at hand as had not been since the Creation of the World Matth. 24.29 Mark 13.19 where 't is called Affliction it self as if all Evils were in its Bowels Eigthly There be other curious Criticisms which I shall sum up together under this last head of Reasons As 1st That there might be an harmonious congruity betwixt the two Adams The first Adam did fall from his state of light into darkness as some say about the midst of the Sixth Day and continued for three hours in that darkness after the Fall before the Promise of Grace by Christ came to him So long lasted this darness also at the Second Adam's Death Yet others do affirm that Christ died at the same hour of the Day wherein Adam Fell and brought in Death into the World c. 2dly That these three hours darkness did denote the three days of Christ's lying after his Death in the darkness of the Grave after which came light in his Resurrection c. And 3dly That though this darkness lasted till Three in the Afternoon yet then began the light again So though darkness be now upon the Jews and light upon the Gentiles yet when the fulness of the Gentiles be come in in the Afternoon of the World the Jews recover light again The Third Great Wonder Christ wrought upon the Cross was that at the very moment of his dying he could cry with a strong and with a loud voice and that two several times Mat. 27.46 50. after he had hung six hours upon the Cross with so many unsupportable Burdens upon his Back as is before related still his natural strength was not at all Abated nor any decay of Nature was upon his Vitals his Voice was loud and strong still even at the very point of his giving up the Ghost Mark 15.34 37. Whereas in the common course of the World Dying Men who die a lingring death as our Lord did become weaker and weaker the nigher that death approacheth toward them they thrattle in the Throat and their Voices can heardly be heard by the By-standers This Wonder is recorded not only by Matthew and Mark as above but also by the Evangelist Luke chap. 23.46 that he cried with a loud voice at the very minute of his breathing out his last breath And those strong cryings are mentioned also by the Authour to the Hebrews Heb. 5.7 Therefore Pilate with the Centurion and Souldiers marvelled that he was so soon dead Mark 15.44 45. John 19.33 now no natural Reason can be rendered why Christ died so soon before the two Malefactors that were Crucified with him who because they were not already dead as our Lord was had their Legs broke to dispatch them for it happened beyond the common course and custom of ordinary Nature seeing those that died this death of the Cross usually lived several days as above yet Christ died at the end of Six hours The reason hereof must be supernatural to wit though his death was a violent death as to wicked men yet was it a voluntary death as to himself He laid down his life when himself pleased No man saith he can take my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again and because I lay it down so voluntarily of my self therefore doth my Father love me John 10.17 18. N.B. Note well Thus also the more voluntary our Services are both in Dying or in Suffering the more grateful they are to God Moreover the strength our Lord had at the ending of the three hours Darkness was an evidence that his Wonder-working hand wrought both the beginning and continuance of it so long for as Moses stretched out his hand toward Heaven to bring the three Days Darkness upon Egypt Exod. 10.22 So the Messias here stretched forth his Voice and Power when his hands were stretched forth upon the Cross and commanded this Plague of the three hours Darkness-upon Judea Moses was a Minister of Legal wrath so he inflicts a longer date of Darkness than the Messias who was a Minister of Evangelical Love did Yet Judea though the Land of Promise and the Lord 's own or Immanuel's Land Lev. 25.23 Isa 8.8 Hos 9.3 must not altogether escape unpunished Amos 3.2 c. but shall have a shorter date of darkness than Egypt notwithstanding its sinning against so much light and love But beside all this the very posture of Christ's dying makes his Death the more wonderful for 't is said He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost as if he bowed it to meet Death in the Teeth Whereas in the common course of Nature dying men do not customarily fall or bow down the head until they be downright dead but our Lord in his Dying comes forth to be a Conquerour over Death for before Death could come at him as it doth at Weaklings that can live no longer but are ready to drop down and die at every breath he sets upon Death it self and Conquers it So strong was Christ as to cry with a loud voice and to give up the Ghost at his own choice and
our Lord would not turn stones into Bread nor come down from the Cross when he could have so done to save himself yet turns water into Wine for us and is content to be Crucified for saving his Church and Children Our Jonah is cast overboard then Justice is calm the Storm ceaseth c. CHAP. XXXIV Of Christs Burial HAving dispatched the Life and Death of Christ now come we to the Burial wherein there be three grand Remarks in its Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents The 1. Remark is The Antecedents of his Burial which is the lowest step in his State of Humiliation Now Christ is dead 't is thought expedient he should be buryed that there might be the Congruity foretold betwixt the Type of Jonah in the Whales Belly and the Antitype Jesus in the Bowels of the Earth As this was Christ's lowest step he took in his Humbled State so it was the turning step towards his Exalted State for when he had ended the shame of his Cross and had given up the Ghost now must he be Buryed yet shall have an Honourable Burial Therefore Joseph of Arimathea the Prophet Samuels City 1 Sam. 1.1 an Honourable Counseller taketh care that Christ now Crucified should not be Buried in the common Graves of Executed Malefactors but to be Intombed in his own Tomb Matth. 27.57 to 60 Mar 15 43 to 47. Luke 23.50 to 54. and John 19.38 to the end All the four Evangelists do Record this Remarkable Action though with some difference in Circumstances yet with none in the Substance One of them calls him a Rich Man another a Good Man so that 't is possible for a great Man to be good greatness and goodness are not Inconsistent though not many Mighty yet some are called in all Ages to own the good ways of God Where-ever the free-grace of God cometh no difference is made betwixt the Rich and the Poor both Plenty and Poverty may be Sanctified to the owner and as there is room for both in the Kingdom of Grace so there is room for both in the Kingdom of Glory Christ's Parable Luke 16. tell us that poor Lazarus ly's lodged in the Bosom of Rich Abraham the Evangelist more saith that this Rich good Man went boldly in to Pilate and begged the Body of Jesus which he durst not have done had he not been Good as well as Rich for he being a Priest or a Levite and one of the Council Chamber of the Temple could not but expect that his Inraged fellow Priests and Privy-Councellours of the Sanhedrim would pick a quarrel with him and would at least fleece him of his Wealth for favouring the Body of him whom they had Executed as an Heretick and Traitor if they did not flea his Skin from of his Back for being a pattern to such a Person they having Threatned Pilate to Article against him for High Treason to Casar if he still persisted to Patronize the Innocency of Jesus Therefore this was a bold Act in Joseph thus to begg a supposed Traitors Body Mark addeth that Pilate wondred Christ should be so soon dead and when assured by the Centurion that it was so he granted this Counsellors Request St. John joyneth Nicodemus with Joseph who were both Members of the Ecclesiastick Court and we maâ— well suppose of them both what St. Luke affirms of the one only that neither of them had consented with that Privy Council to the Condemning of Christ These two Night Disciples became bold and publick Patrons of a Dead Jesus and Conjoin their helping Hands to bury the Body Honourably when all the Day-Disciples excepting John durst not shew their Heads but Dwindle away These two Timorous Proselites do now openly declare themselves to be the Disciples even of a Dead Saviour each of them acted their part Joseph begs the Body takes it down from the Cross at the leave of the Chief Magistrate Such a Friend was our Lord to Magistracy both in his Life and Death He will have Justice satisfied both in his Dying and when Dead he will not be taken down without Pilates leave his part was also to wrap up the Body in Linnen Clothes and to provide a New Sepulchre Hewen out of a Rock in his Garden wherein never any Man lay before him a Tomb that Joseph had prepared for himself but willingly Resigns it up to his Lord and Master who should from good Manners be first served before the Servant and who within three Days after Resigned it up to the lending Landlord no greater loss have they that lend to the Lord the Borrower Prov. 19.17 as well as the Lender of Mercy he borrows only of us what he first lends us and what we willingly lend to God he more willingly repays again with Interest as Joseph had his own New Sepulchre lent to the Lord for three days only Restored to him again with Advantage for Christ's Body lying that little time in it did Marvelously Perfume Consecrate and Sanctifie it for the better Reception of his own Body against the time of his laying it down As it was Joseph's part to prepare the Tomb for the Body so it was Nicodemus's part to prepare most precious Spices for Embalming the Body the same was done by the good Women likewise for further Imbalming him when their Sabbath was over all testifying their Love to their Lord but in that very preparation they all shewed how little Faith and Hope they had concerning speedy Resurrection though he had oft foretold it to them The 2. Remark is The Concomitants of Christ's Burial after the Antecedents and Preparatory Actions every Circumstance whereof Denominates it a very Honourable Burial As 1. The Persons Imployed in Interring the Crucified Body of Christ were two Honourable Persons some suppose they were for their Eminency of Prudence Piety and Justice c. called to be of Council by Pontius Pilate the proconsul of the Country of Judea besides their Membership of Dignity in the Jewish Sanhedrinâ— who yet consented not to that Cursed Vote therein Namely He is guilty of Death Matth. 26.66 He was not buryed by the hands of those Scoundrels that Crucified him as probably the two Thieves were 2. The place where his Body was Buried was an Honourable place for he was not Buried in a Dunghil as some Sordid Persecutors and Tyrants have been nor among the Carcasses of Executed Malefactors in Calvary but in a Garden the best and most Honourable of places John 19.41 As the first Adam had sinned and did fall in a Garden even in a Paradise the Garden of God So the Second Adam will be buried in a Garden even in the Garden of an Holy and Just Man Joseph that the place of Christ's burial might bear a proportion to the place of Adam's Fall The place of Christ's Burial was the place of his Resurrection also and so as all in Adam did fall in a Garden So all in Christ Rose again in a Garden 3. The Tomb it self was an Honourable
order Notwithstanding this six-fold unlikely-hood of this loud Lye yet is this Grand Imposture of the Priests who had given Pilate some hint of it before Mat. 27.64 is commonly believed for a Truth among the Jews until this day Mat. 28.15 They are given up to believe this gross Lye because they received not the Truth in love that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 and thus the Chief Priests and Elders gave a large round sum of Money though they sold the Saviour of the World for the Trifle of thirty pieces to bribe that Nation into unbelief among whom this most sublime and vilest piece of Knavery finds belief with Misbelievers The result of all this Discourse is That seeing 1st Christ's Resurrection hath so many famous and memorable Remarks as all those abovementioned put upon it 2dly Seeing Christ came not out of his Grave as Lazarus came out of his fast bound about with his Grave cloaths and therefore Christ when he raised him from Death to Life said Loose him and let him go John 11.43 44. He rose up with his Hands Feet and Head bound fast with those bands of Death because he rose not up as Victor or Conquerour but rose to die again and remained bound above ground until Christ commanded his release But Christ as a Conquerour releaseth himself having the power of laying down his Life and taking it up again in his own hands John 10.18 and loosed off his own Grave cloaths wherewith he was bound laid them in that due order mentioned in Scripture and left them behind him in his Sepulchre c. 3dly Seeing the Great Apostle in relating his full Chest of comfort wherewith he makes his challenge against all condemning Powers Rom. 8.33 34. He puts a most remarkable Rather upon the Head of Christ's Resurrection as the chiefest Box of all his other Spiritual Cordials 4thly Seeing Christ himself Hands in this very consideration I was dead and am alive again as a Cordial to the Church of Smyrna in a time when those Asian Churches were under some sad Apostacy as the Apostle Imports saying All them of Asia are turned from me 2 Tim. 1.15 and some of them had a name to Live and were Dead Rev. 3.1 Hereupon Christ comes in with this seasonable and suitable comfort behold I who was dead but am alive again Rev. 2.8 will make thee who art now in a dead and dedolent disposition to be alive again and to become lively for God and Godliness I am the first and the lust saith Christ to sweet smelling Smyrna who out-live and out-last all mine and thine Adversaries Therefore should we be oft searching in this Box that so abounds with comfort And the result I say of all these premises is that therefore the Day of Christ's Resurrection having all these most eminent Remarks upon it doth mostly require the uppermost Room in our Remembrance above all other days See more of this point in my Christian Walk upon the Lord's Day And more hereof here when we come to Christ's Manifestation Secondly Having thus discoursed upon the time When the next point is the manner How this Resurrection of Christ was managed wherein consider 1st By what Power Christ Rose again This was not done by any Extrinsick Forreign or Borrowed Power as was the Resurrection of Lazarus ut Supra but Christ Rose again by his own Intrinsick Innate and Congenial Power and that in despite of Death Men and Devils Because he was the Son of God so it was hot possible that any bands of Death or Devil could hold him down Acts 2.24 and his rising again after this manner did declare-him to be no less than the Son of God Rom. 1.4 Therefore if the manner of Christ's Rising be more particularly inquired into It must be Answered that as the Angel of the Lord whom some suppose to be the Son of God who loved to be oft among the Sons of Men long before his Incarnation Prov. 8.30 31. did wonderfully in Manoah's Sacrifice Judg. 13.18 19. so undoubtedly our Lord herein did wonderfully As our Lord died wonderfully in dying willingly and not of coaction though it was of necessity in respect of God's Immutable Decree Acts 2.23 4.28 therefore when he gave up the Ghost he cried with a loud Voice which shews as is abovesaid that his Vital Spirits and Strength was not spent at that time but he might have retained his Life longer if he would and thereupon the Centurion concluded him to be the Son of God Mark 15 39. so and much more than so must our Lord rise again wonderfully for his Resurrection hath an Apostolical rather put upon it Rom. 8.34 and this act above all other acts in his state of Humiliation did declare him to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 It being the first step of his state of Exaltation The Centurion did but suppose him to be so by the Miraculous Manner of his Death but all the Saints are assured of it by the Miraculous Manner of his Resurrection which indeed was the more Miraculous if we take it for granted that Christ conveyed his own self-quickened Body through the Great Grave stone that lay upon his Tomb. But some may object against this opinion saying what need we grant this seeing 't is expresly affirmed by the Evangelists that the Angel of God rolled away the stone Answer None of the Evangelists do say that the Angel did this to let Christ out of the Sepulchre for Christ was risen indeed in the Earth-quake before the Stone was rolled away and that great thing was done not to let Christ out who was gone already but to let the Good Women in to be the first Witnesses of this great Truth of his Resurrection for so soon as the Angel had rolled away the Stone he sat down upon it expecting the Women who were now at hand and were saying one to another Who will roll away the Stone for us Mark 16.3 that he might be as Christ's Gentleman-Usher to hand them into the empty Sepulchre The Angel did not roll away the Stone out of any necessity our Lord had for its removal in order to his own Resurrection for he by the Power of his Godhead could rise without it but it was from a necessity for the Good Women without which they could not enter into the Sepulchre It was only for Christ's honour to have such an Heavenly Herald for the first solemn Proclamation of his Glorious Resurrection Learn hence to cry with these Holy Women 1. Who will roll away the Stone of an Hard Heart 2. Of the Curse of the Law which was Writ in Tables of Stone not only to shew its duration but also our obduration 3. Of the Darkness of the Durus Sermo or Hard saying John 6.60 which we meet with here and there in Christ's Word that needs an Interpreter 4. And Lastly Who shall roll away this Stone of Offence for the Churches Inlargement that in this Valley of Achor or trouble
Mary the Mother of our Lord all this time Answ 1. Some indeed do suppose that the Mary called the Mother of James c. Luke 24.10 must be the Mother of our Lord seeing that James is called the Lord's Brother Gal. 1.19 not as if Born to her who lived and dyed a Virgin but as born to Joseph her Espoused Husband by a former Venter as all the Greek Interpreters Affirm These Sons James Joses c. when their own Father Joseph was Dead still follow the Mother of the Family to wit the Virgin Mary their Natural Father 's Espoused Wife Answ 2. But it appears evidently that James and Joses c. were only Cousins to Christ though called his Brethren Matth. 12.46 Gal. 1.19 as born of his Mother's Sister Mary the Wife of Cleophas Matth. 27.56 Mar. 15.40 and such Cousin-Germans are called Brethren Gen. 13.8 29.15 So that it could not be the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom Christ appeared here but it was her Sister Answ 3. 1. Christ on the Cross committed his Mother to John with whom she was now and it is supposed doubted not of Christ's Resurrection 2. Christ's Work was not now to know any after the Flesh 2. Cor. 5.16 Deut. 33.9 3. Had he first appeared to her none would have believed her Hence we have not we hear not one word from any of the four Evangelist's of our Lord appearing at all to his Mother Mary much less first as the Jesuit Maldonate Asserteth for if the Disciples looked upon those Tidings which the two other Maries c. told them as Idle Tales Luke 24.11 how much more would they have Judged them as the Doting Dreams of a Fond Mother concerning her only Darling Son had she been the only or the first Messenger thereof A manifold Mystery may be learned from this History of our Lord's second Appearance As 1. Such is the power of Divine Love to Christ in the Soul that it is made thereby Restless in it's Inquiries after him when first they have found Peace and Satisfaction in an Injoyment of him The Center of the Soul is Union and Communion with a Sweet Saviour Matth. 11.29 and all Created Beings are Restless out of their Center Omne leve tendit sursum omne grave deorsum Fire and Smoak press upward Stones and ponderous pieces downward because there is their Center Thus was it with those Holy Women they had lost their Lord with whom they had found their best Felicity now they cannot brook any Distance or Estrangement from him and therefore do they diligently seek here after a lost Saviour 2. The stronger our Affections to Christ are the greater shall be our Honour and the quicker shall be our returns of Relief Thus the Lord dealt with these Holy Women who have here not only an Honourable Room in the Divine Records of the Gospel for their excelling others even the Disciples themselves in their love to the Lord but also they are the soonest Relieved with comfort from their Fears even by the same means wherewith the Adversaries were Terrified for the same Angel who frighted the wicked Watch away and leaving them to lie still under their Horrour and Affrightment yet he comforts those good Women with fear not ye as those that are fled do Nor was this all but their seeking after Jesus was Honoured with an happy finding of him before they were aware and much sooner than they expected Which therefore was the more Joyful a meeting to them 3. Such Souls as seek a lost Christ sincerely in the way of Obedience and in due use of God's Ordinances shall assuredly find him to their Satisfactson in due time The Lord meeteth those that do walk cheerfully in the way of Righteousness Isa 64.5 If we call he saith I will Answer and shew us Great and Mighty Things such as we knew not Jerem. 33.3 Such as draw nigh to God in Duty he will draw nigh to them in Mercy Jam. 4.8 Thus those VVomen were obeying the command of God's Angel and running to tell Tidings of Christ's Rising to his Disciples and Christ meets them in the way and both confirms and comforts them 4thly A new found Christ after some sad time of losing him must be held fast with both hands earnestly Thus these Good Women did who first fall down at Christ's Feet when they had newly found him and then they hold him fast by the Feet as resolving to lose him no more The former of those two postures declared their Humility and the latter their Love The Saints do the same still by clasping about him with the Arms of Faith cleaving close to him as if it were done by a corporal contact Thus the Shunamite clung close to the Feet of Elisha 2 Kin. 4.25 27 30. Thus also did the Shulamite with him whom her Soul loved She saith I held him when I had found my lost beloved and would not let him go c. Cant. 3 2 3 4. and again upon a second loss she charges the Daughters of Jerusalem if they found him to tell him that she was Sick of Love and nothing could cure her but his Presence and Imbracements Cant. 5.6 7 8. and when she found him she held him fast in the Galleries Cant. 7.5 There she gave him her loves ver 12. while his left hand was under her Head and his Right Hand Imbraced her Cant. 8.3 with Cant. 2.6 And thus are we commanded to cleave fast to our Lord for he is our Life Deut. 30.20 And thus that Good Man Barnabas who was full of Faith and of the Holy Ghost exhorted the Primo Primitive Christians at Antioch that with purpose of Heart they would cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.22 23 24. We need not fear that our Lord will rebuke us as he did Mary Magdalen John 20.17 saying Touch me not for then he was not to stay with her nor she with him As he now appeared in his glorified Body above the capacity of only Mortal to converse constantly with him and therefore must appear sometimes only till the Great Truth of his Resurrection was sufficiently confirmed and then disappear again So he had other work for her to do at this Juncture than to linger there in holding of him Because his Bowels now yerned for though he was now above all Passion Natural and Humane Passion yet not void of Spiritual and Divine Compassion towards his poor almost heart broken Disciples who were now crept out of their lurking holes and were now got together Mourning and Weeping for the loss of their Lord Mark 16.10 as she had been doing at the Sepulchre and therefore she must run quickly to relieve those Mourners with the same comfort where with both the Angels and Christ concurring with and confirming it bad comforted her self This was of more Importance and required more expedition than her Inconsiderate Zeal in desiring to hold him longer seeing he was not now at that point of time going to Ascend to his Father but
found in so eminent an Apostle's heart as Thomas was may mind us how much more may be found in the hearts of the best of us poor worthless Worms when left to our selves and in the hand of our own Counsels N.B. So the doors giving way and yielding up a free passage for Christ's entrance here should likewise admonish us how the doors of our hearts ought to yield and give way to Christ's entrance into them when he comes and stands knocking there by the Hammer of his Word and by the Hand of his Spirit How can we be so hard hearted as to suffer a sweet Saviour whose only Errand for our entertaining him is to save our Souls to stand out of doors as it were with his Hat in his hand intreating an open Entrance till his Head be filled with Dew and his Locks with the drops of the Night as the unkind Spouse did Cant. 5.2 Her sleepy heart cost her dear verse 6. They that will not when they may when they would they shall have Nay Shall dead Wood yield and not living Hearts See Psal 24.7 The 4th Remark follows here to wit The Manner How our Lord managed this manifestation of himself this sixth time which was principally for curing and confirming unbelieving Thomas Christ appeared here after the same sort as he had done before John 20.19 26. Both times he came in when the Doors were shut and stood in the midst to be seen and viewed from top to toe by all the Eleven c. As this could not but be a farther confirmation of the Ten Disciple's Faith because they had seen him appear to them after the same sort on the first Day before this Thus Christ most graciously condescended to Gideon for confirming his Faith mentioned Heb. 11.32 by granting him a double sign Judg. 6.37 38 39 40. Both he and these Apostles came not up to a firm Faith at first but by degrees Note So it must serve also for a fuller conviction of Thomas's Unbelief concerning the Relation that his Fellow-Disciples had given him of Christ's last Appearance when he saw his Lord appear again in the same sort as â—hey had related Now the particular manner of Christ's manifesting himself to all the Eleven at this time was both by words and by deeds again as he had done before yet in some circumstances differing as there was now a different occasion For 1st Christ saluted them Thomas and all with the same sweet Salutation Peace be unto you as before and as he had taught them to salute those Houses that willingly received the Gospel of Peace Matth. 10.12 13 c. Let us here turn aside a little with Moses Exod. 3.3 and behold this work of wonder That our Lord should proclaim peace to such an obstinate Rebel against that glorious Truth of Christ's Resurrection as Thomas was Though the Renegado-ten Apostles might upon their Rocovery by Repentance be reckoned as worthy of this Salute yet sure I am this stubborn Unbeliever Thomas must needs be look'd upon as most unworthy of any such gracious Congratulation for he had been prescribing a Law of believing to himself and putting on a limiting Condition upon his Soveraign Lord contrary to that command Thou shalt not limit the Holy One of Israel Psal 78.41 too sawcily saying Except I see in his hands c. and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe John 20.25 Notwithstanding all this wicked wilfulness and peevish perverseness in Thomas yet shall he have his particular share in this general peace Who but the Son of Peace the Saviour of Sinners would have so said to and so saluted such an unworthy Sinner This clear Character of Christ's candour and kindness in the case of Thomas may serve to encourage us to put in for our part in Christ's Peace though in rigour of Justice we be altogether unworthy to partake thereof 2dly After our Saviour had Saluted them all in general comprehending Thomas for whose sake peculiarly was the benefit of this 6 Appearance designed he shewed again his wounds for the sake of this one doubting Soul Note Oh marvelous Clemency These were the most indubitable signs of the Reality of his Resurrection whereas had he made his raised Body to pierce the solid Wood and to pass through the shut Doors this Act would have added strength to their Doubtings that it was not Christ himself but some Spectrum or Spirit for it is the property of Spirits and not of true Bodies to penetrate other Bodies Beside 't is against the very scope of this Appearance which plainly was to be touched by Thomas that by touching he might come to know and believe now such a penetration of Diameters or solid Dimensions would have unavoidably rather weakened than strengthened that Faith which he came to confirm as well as recover seeing as no meer Spirit can be touched so no solid Body can enter while doors be shut However was his passage in upon them it was not that of a Spectrum or Phantasm but of the Omnipotent God yet did this God Man shew here the wounds of his Manhood More especially to Thomas for whose sake he came and to whom be said Reach hither thy hands c. John 20.27 Note John mentions both Christ's wounded hands and his wounded side but makes no menâ—ion of his wounded feet yet this is supplied by Luke who relates how Christ said to them Behold my hâ—â—ds and my feet c. Luke 24.39 Oh wonderful Divine condescension not only in his vouchsafing to appear again and shewing his wounds for the fuller removal of that scruple that terrified all the Ten Apostles thinking him to be but a Phantasm verse 37. whereas by this second show of himself and of his wounds the Ten were further confirmed that it was the same Body which was crucified and now raised up alive again But more especially was this gracious vouchsafement made to this unbelieving Thomas c. 3dly Christ gave Thomas not only an â—oular as to the others but also a palpable demonstration saying to him Feel with thy finger those four lesser wounds which the four Nails made in my hands and feet and thrust thy whole hand into that greater wound made by the Souldier's Spear in my side c. And annexing with it a friendly Reproof Be not faithless but believing Note Thus Christ can be content to condescend thus graciously unto the weakness of this Unbeliever who undoubtedly was much to be blamed for his so presumptuously prescribing and laying such unreasonable Laws upon his Lord because Christ saw that the Root of the matter was in him as Job 19.28 the seed of God still remaining 1 John 3 â— The Radical Grace of Faith was yet budding forth some fâ—int desires in him to believe better and to repent â—ore of his 〈◊〉 therefore did Christ out of his matchless candour and compassion condescend to him and to his weakness Thus our Lord did to Jairus Mark 5.23 c. who
assembled in Mark 's Mother's house verse 12. had first their great Fear verse 12 13. and then their greater Joy even to an astonishment verse 14 15 16. Or 4. The Souldiers that kept him in Prison verse 18. And lastly Herod the King that cast Peter into Prison he transfers the punishment designed for Peter upon his Keepers that though sore against their will had let him go verse 19. 3dly The Consequents hereof are 1. Herod's wonderful Death for his Pride verse 20 21 22. And 2. The Church's Peace thereby verse 24. All these three eminent passages afford their several Remarks As First From the Antecedents the Remarks thereon are these 1. Afflictions do seldom come single upon the Church and Children of God Here were Contemporary Troubles which did fall out together upon the faithful here both the Famine throughout Judea which might last several years as many have done in Divine and Humane History mentioned Acts 11.28 30. And this foul Persecution wherein the Apostle James perished happened at or about the same time Acts 12.1 2. The Saints do usually fall into divers Temptations at once James 1.2 Fluctus Fluctum Trudit one Wave of the Sea of Adversity immediately succeed each other and do offer violence to us as they did upon Jacob Gen. 42.36 making us cry out as he did All these things are against me with their joynt and overwhelming force Thus Job's Messengers did as it were tread upon the heels one of another with their reiterated blows c. The second Remark from the Antecedent is The Devil never needs to starve his devilish work for want of devilish Instruments N.B. All Ages do furnish him with fit Tools for his hellish Ends He never wants a Pharaoh in the Old Testament-Times nor an Herod in the New He hath always some fit for his work He had his many Bloody Herods in New Testament-Times As 1. Herod the Askalonite or rather Rascalonite to murder the Innocent Babes of Bethlehem 2. His Herod Antipas to Behead the Baptist and also to deride our dear Redeemer And 3. This his Herod Agrippa Father to that King Agrippa we read of Acts 25. and 26. and the more likely a man for doing the Devil's Drudgery as being Brother to that Dancing Damosel Herodias who danced John Baptist's Head from off his shoulders c. This Man was now Vice-Roy or Deputy-King under the Roman Emperour and had a ceremonious Zeal in the Jewish way which highly transported him to act wickedly as well as warmly against the Church of Christians Hereupon it is a black Brand put upon him by the Holy Spirit that he stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church Acts 12.1 which phrase imports his vehemency of mind in persecuting-work yet God withered it not as he did Jeroboam's The third Remark is 'T is an old Trick of cruel Tyrants not only to curry favour with the wicked by shedding the blood of the godly as this Tyrant's Character is v. 3. and as was the practice of all the Royal Posterity of Herod the Great this man's great Grand-father who chiefly studied to please the Roman Emperours their Masters and to gratifie the Jews their Subjects making no matter whether by right or wrong but also to Rage most furiously against the Governours of the Church as here against James and Peter saying with the Tyrants of later Times Kill the Captains and those Listed under them are more easily destroyed This Christ foretold The Shepherds be smitten and the Sheep are scattered Matth. 26.31 The fourth Remark is The Blood thirsty Blood-Hounds of that old Man-slayer tho Davil hath such an insatiable Thirst upon them after Blood that they can never be satiated or glutted with shedding Blood as it was here with this bloody Herod who thought is not enough to stretch forth his hands in vexing certain of the Church verse 1. that is to kill some and to punish others with blows and banishment especially the Governours of the Church too well knowing how much all the Members of the Body do suffer by sympathy when their Head and Ministers are so mortally wounded by his cruel hands Nor was it enough to him to kill James with the Sword verse 2. that is to Behead him for so the Talmud in Sanhedrim per. 7. hal 3. saith those that were slain by the Sword were Beheaded according to the Custom of the Roman Kingdom but he proceeded farther to take Peter also verse 3. 'T is with those Tyrants as it is with those that have the Dropsie the more they drink the more dry they are This is that wonder John saw in the Apocalyptick Beast blood-thirsty Babel Rev. 17.6 a wonder with a Climax or Gradation N.B. 1. He saw a Woman drunk the Whore of Babylon this is a greater wonder than to see a Man drunk 2. No Liquor would serve this Whore to be drunk with but Blood And 3. No Blood but the Blood of Saints Though this Liquor of Saints-blood made this Whore-woman drunk yet is she like brutish Barnaby drunk over night and dry in the morning still thirsting for more blood till at last the Lord Omnipotent who judgeth the Whore will deal with her as Tomyâ—is did with Cyrus whose Head she cut off and cast it into a bowl of blood saying Satiaâ—te sanguine quem sitasti cujusque insatiabilis semper fuists that is glut thy self in that bowl with thy mouth-full of blood wherewith thou could never yet be glutted Thus the Lord will deal with this bloody Whore when he casts her into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone The fifth Remark is Such as are most useful to and most eminent in the Church be the most obvious Objects mostly exposed to the fury of Persecutors As here this James the Brother of John was to Herod Thus also was Peter to him This James was call'd a Bâ—anerges or Son of Thunder by our Saviour Mark 3.17 because of the bigness of his Voice and for his zealous and earnest Preaching To this eminent yea one of the eminentest Apostles was the care of the Church at Jerusalem more especially committed No wonder then if he were the more hated by Herod whom the Devil so stirred up to destroy this Man So it came to pass what his Lord had foretold him Matth. 20.23 that he drank of the same Cup which his Master did drink of The sixth Remark is Such is the Soveraignty of God over all his own Servants that it is his pleasure to permit several Fates to attend them though they be imbarked together in one and the same Bottom of Generation-work Thus both James and Peter carried equally a very great figure in their Apostolical Orb yet Divine Providence permits the former to be murdered but Peter only to be imprisoned and yet not to perish there by a perpetual Imprisonment but to be Released from Prison by an holy Angel Though we may not pry into the Ark of God because it is prohibited nor ask God a Reason
's foundring therefore they under-gird her with Cables to keep her sides close and tight together verse 17. Thus the Church in a storm when the blast of terrible ones is like an Euroclydon or Tempest against her walls Isa 25.4 needs her undergirding by the everlasting Arms of Jehovah underneath her Deut. 33.27 Thus the love-sick Spouse was under-girded when Christ's Left hand was under her head and his Right hand imbraced her Cant. 2.6 and 8.3 The wounded side of that God-man Christ Jesus is the Church's Covert from the Tempest Isa 32.2 Mic. 5.5 3. Both are brought to an hopeless Estate How forlorn was this Ship here when lighting her of Merchandise-Goods c. could not secure them verse 18 19. No Light of Sun or Stars to comfort them no hopes left to save their lives verse 20. Thus is it with the Church often a great damp is upon her hopes because a great death is upon her helps There is no hope Jer. 2.25 N.B. The disparity lyes in this that whatsoever wind bloweth blows good to her be it North or South can 4.16 and herein is the Church happy The seventh Remark is God delights to deliver those that are forsaken of all their helps and hopes of Deliverance Thus it was here in the eyes of Reason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the Natural Events from secondary causes their case was desperate which made them part with their Goods to save their lives yet all would not do but they despaired Then comes Paul to comfort them from God who reserves his holy hand for a dead lift verse 21 22 23 24 25 26. wherein he 1. Minds them of their misery which their Disobedience to God had brought upon them Then 2. He chears them up with assurance of their security from the good warrant of Divine Authority And 3. He fore tells they must be cast upon a certain Island which when it came to pass did as by a sign induce them to believe the Rest all ordered by God not by chance The eighth Remark is The wicked are delivered from Temporal destruction for the sake of the godly who live among them and intercede with God for them Sinners are saved spared and favoured for the Saints sake As here two hundred threescore and sixteen persons verse 37. all Heathens excepting Luke and Aristarchus are saved for Paul's sake verse 24. who had prayed for them and had begged their lives of God as Esther did the lives of her people at the hands of King Ahasuerus Esth 7.3 Thus God spared Zoar for Lot's sake and at his prayer for it Gen. 19.19 c. And he would have spared Sodom for the sake of ten Righteous persons could that small number have been found in it at Abraham's prayer Gen. 18.32 And there Abraham left begging before God left baiting N.B. Oh! what fools and mad-men are the wicked in seeking to destroy the Godly for whose sakes themselves are preserved God saith to the Wicked concerning his Servants as the Prophet once said to wicked Jeboram surely were it not that I regard the presence of Godly Jehosaphat I would not look toward thee nor see thee 2 Ki. 3.14 One innocent person may deliver a whole Island from destruction Job 22.30 What abundance of good does one holy man in a place these hundreds of men fared better both in soul and body for one holy Paul's sake and means The ninth Remark is The same God that ordained the end oradined also means in tendency to that end and therefore to divide assunder what God hath Joyn'd together in neglecting ordained means is no better than a presumptuous tempting of God This great truth is here demonstrated by these divine words except these ship-men that were about to escape in the boat abide in the ship ye cannot be saved ver 30.31 notwithstanding God's promise mentioned verse 24. That they should all be saved not because the will of God or his power to save or the truth and efficacy of his Promise did depend upon second causes as if all these were made effectual only by a vertue from the means whereas in truth the means are made efficacious only by a vertue from the will power and promise of God God is not tyed to them yet ordinarily and usually he doth work by them when he can work with them that we may not neglect the use of them that are ordained by him Thus David shall have the victory but it must be by the means of an Ambush 2. Sam. 5.19 24 and man shall be nourished but it must be by his labour Psalm 128. v. 2 Many more such Instances might be given yet so as God works all in all by those means N.B. for the Grass Corn Trees were created by God before he Created the sun moon and stars by the Influence whereof they now are and do grow Sometimes God to show his Soveraignity doth work without means It is all one to him to save by few or none as well as by many 2 Chron. 14.11 and his Omnipotency can work against means also by Suspending the power and operation of natural causes as when the fire burnt not the water drownd not the Rock yeilded water and the Iron swoom the Sun went back ten degrees c. As God likes not to be tyed to means so nor that we having his promise should in defect of the means doubt of his providence God will be trusted but not tempted by a willful neglect of due lawful means The care of the means belong to us but the care of the end belongs to God Whosoever neglects the means under any pretence of a promise doth not rightly beleive in him but plainly and presumptuously tempts him c. N.B. These mariners had been willing enough to make use of all other means for their safety as undergirding unlading c. and wishing for the Day verse 29. Oh! that we wished so much for the Day of Redemption to make use of more means yet missed in this the means God required The tenth Remark is God's Gospel-stars shine most in the night and their splendour is best seen in time of trouble Thus was it here while this Ship's-crew had a smouth sea and a calm season Paul lyes on the Deck as a poor contemptible prisoner neglected of all but now in this eminent danger God makes him the only Counsellor and comforter unto this great company Common calamity made them comply with that counsel and comfort which came from one in chains amongst them Paul reproves them for rejecting his advice of wintering in Crete v. 21. yet now the storm having becalmed that refractory mind they are mindful to follow his Direction in taking some food having had no set meal for fourteen days through the consternation horrour of death and in admitting Paul to become the Chaplain of the ship for craving a blessing and for praying to God for their farther preservation verse 33.34 35 36 37. yea and for praising God also
circumstances of losing both Ship and Goods at Sea How kind and courteous were those Barbarous people whom both the Graecians and the Romans scorned for their Rudeness and Barbarity unto Paul and his Shipwrack'd company here verse 2. In their Philanthropy the word here used or compassion unto Mankind in misery affording them all friendly Accommodations N.B. How far short of this is the custom even of Christian Countries where a Royalty is granted for Seisure of all Shipwrack'd Goods that come to shore and scarcely is a fire found to dry the cloths and warm the Bodies of the Seamen sustaining all this loss yet saving their lives bp swiming to shore This is not a remembring to entertain strangers c. and to have a fellow-felling with those in adversity putting their Souls in our Souls stead Heb. 13.2 3. James 2.16 c. But 't is rather an additional affliction to affliction c. Christians should be more ashamed to come short of those Barbarians herein than to imitate their merciful humanity The Barbarous are Humane here but the humane be now Barbarous The third Remark is No sooner hath one affliction passed over and is gone from God's Servants but presently another comes upon them with a fresh Assault c. Velut unda supervenit undae as one wave of the sea doth Immediately succeed another that is broken and spent Thus was it here with this poor prisoner Paul as if it had not been enough that he was carryed captive in chains which could not but be very obnoxious to him in his shipwrack having his right hand chained to the left hand of the soldier who was his Keeper Acts 28.16 20. but he must also swim to save his life upon some board of the broken Ship And when he had escaped this Eminent danger getting safe to shore and kindling a fire to dry his Cloths and warm his Body but immediately a Viper bolts out of the sticks which he laid upon the fire and fastened upon his hands verse 3. as that venemous Beast useth to do when it biteth And 't is a Creature so full of poison that not only its biting but also some say its very breath is mortal and deadly N.B. As there was a natural cause of this Venemous Beast's bouncing out of the fire For 't is the Nature of those cold Creatures when being benummed with cold they lye without Motion but this beast being now refreshed with the warmth of the fire began first to stir it self and then leaped forth c. So there might be also a preter-natural cause of the Viper's fastening upon Paul's hands more than of any other of his companions for no doubt but that old Serpent the Devil whose design was to destroy Paul who had already destroyed much of his Kingdom must have an hand in this intended and expected mischief Thus many are the troubles of the Righteous which come like Job's Messengers treading upon the heels one of another yet this is their Comfort The Lord delivers them from all Psal 34.19 The fourth Remark is Great and Grievous dangers befall gracious Souls So was this to Paul as well as his Shipwrack If the nature of the Viper be considered which some derive from Vivi pera because contrary to the Nature of other Serpents which all do only lay Eggs as the Cockatrice Isa 59.5 c. The Viper brings forth living Young ones Others say this Serpent is call'd Vipera quia Vi pariat she brings forth her young by force for her young ones gnaw their passage through the Dam's sides so come forth with the Dam's destruction And Galen telleth that the Viper's Conception is conveyed by the mouth at which Copulation the Female biteth off the head of the Male and when her young come forth they eat through her entrailes and so she perisheth also N.B. Thus the young ones seem to revenge the death of their Sire the Male upon their Dam the Female As she destroys him in Coitu or Copulation for their Conception so they too preposterous to stay their full time in the womb destroy her in partu or in the Birth by breaking down the walls of their Mothers house to be gone before the due time for doing mischief which they begin at home against their own Mother but do carry it on against all mankind they can come at in their way N.B. Heredotus excellently observeth that the Vipers thus destroying one another was purposely ordered by the great God least those Venemous Animals should too much Multiply to the prejudice and damage of Mankind Therefore we see that all Beasts and Birds of prey are comparatively Barren bringing forth very few young ones whereas those that are prey'd upon are exceeding fruitful least the latter should be destroyed by the former Father Ambrose in his Hexameron calls the Viper Nequissimum genus Bestiae A most poisonful Destructive Creature Therefore both John Baptist and our Dear Jesus calls the cursed Pharisees a generation of Vipers Matthew 3.7 and 12.34 and 23.33 As if worse than the worst sort of Serpents seeing they pretended to be better Vipers Teeth are buried in their Gums so that one would think they could not bite thus it is with Hypocrites c. Yet Pliny affirms Viperarum Morsus sunt Insanabiles their bitings are incurable Lib. 11. Cap. 37. N.B. Mathiolus tells of a Country-man whom he saw who in his mowing of a Meadow happened to cut a Viper in two with his Sithe and thinking she had been quite dead he takes up with his hand that part which had her head But the inraged Beast shakes her head and miserably bites the Mower upon his hand and then leaps up to his Mouth as they commonly do into which she spewed out her poison whereof the man immediately dyed N.B. And Historians Relate in latter times How the Tartors dip their Arrows in the Venom of Vipers mingled with Man's blood whereby they became notoriously obnoxious and Mortal to the Christians against whom they warred All this doth plainly demonstrate how great was Paul's danger when such a mischievous Beast fasten'd upon his hand Yea those very Barbarians when they saw the Venemous Viper hang upon his hand they were so apprehensive of his danger that they looked upon him little better than already a dead man as those Israelites stung with the Fiery SERPENTS in the Wilderness without the appointed Remedy presently dyed whom vengeance would not suffer to live any longer verse 4. The fifth Remark is As gracious Souls may meet with very great dangers so the most great God doth most graciously grant them very great deliverances as he did here to his gracious Apostle not only from being drowned by the late Shipwrack but also from being destroyed by this present Viper N.B. The very light of Nature led those Barbarians to some Right Sentiments concerning Divine Vengeance especially of God's Revenging the Sin of Murder hence the Heathens call'd one of their Furies Tisiphon which signifies a Revenger
Doctrine of Grace into an occasion of Licentiousness Therefore doth he so sharply tax that notorious abuse and insists more fully on matters of practice the Doctrine of Faith having been so largely inlarged upon by other hands N. B. Eusebius out of Egesippus Relateth how this Apostle James suffered Martyrdom at Jerusalem by the then outragious Jews who threw him down from the top of his Pulpit some say from the pinnacle of the Temple and then knocked him on the head with a Fuller's Club as Abet was by Cain's in the ninth year of Nero. The destructive wars of the Jews happening in his twelfth Joseph de boll Lib. 2. Cap. 25. And his Antiqu. Lib. 20. Cap. 8. The second Apostle next to James in order of Time to be discoursed of in this Supplement of the Lives of the Apostles so far as Scripture-Light still leads us is Peter who is likewise named after this James the less last mentioned in this Relation Gal. 2.9 which order of placing these two Apostles doth spoil the Papists Argument for Peter's Primacy Concerning Peter the Scripture mentioneth little of his Motions and Actions after his Deliverance from Prison by the Angel who somewhere absconded till the Angel had also destroyed Herod who had imprisoned him Acts 12 c. Then he appeaned at the Council held at Jerusalem Acts 15 c. After that no more is mentioned of him in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Yet mention is made of his Motion from Jerusalem to Antioch after this Gal. 2.11 c. where Paul withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed c. N.B. That this happened after the Council at Jerusalem is apparent from the place and time of this Contest for 1. The Place was Antioch And 2. The Time was while Barnabas was with Paul now Paul and Barnabas came from Jerusalem to Antioch with the Decrees of that Council and at Antioch Barnabas parted from Paul as hath been related in Acts chap. 15. after which parting we never read of their being together any more while Paul and Barnabas were together at Antioch Peter came thither N.B. From whom Paul was so far off like one taking Instructions from him as from a Superiour that he withstood him to his face which would have been unmannerly had Peter been the supreme Apostle and had Paul given no better place to his President and his Better as holy Bradford phraseth it Paul reproves Peter and that publickly for his dissimulation and halting betwixt two Opinions as Elijah had reproved the Seed of Halting Jacob Gen. 32.31 1 Kings 18.21 for before the Jews who were Christians yet zealous for the Ceremonial Law Acts 21.20 came from James at Jerusalem to Antioch Peter had freely conversed with the Gentile-Christians at Antioch and had eaten of such meats with them as were prohibited by the Law of Moses but after those Zealots came Peter withdrew from Communion of that Gentile-Church out of fear of displeasing those zealous Jews by the lawful use of his Christian Liberty lest they should upon their return to Jerusalem raise up the Rage of the Jews against him by their Reports N.B. When Paul saw how Peter made not straight paths to his feet lest that which was lame be turned out of the way as Paul saith Heb. 12.13 not walking with a Right foot Gal. 2.14 but giving a great scandal to the Gentiles and no small blow to Paul's Preaching who had taught the Abolishment of Ceremonies and freedom from the Mosaical Yoke by his warping from that plainness and simplicity which the Gospel required Paul rebuked Peter before them all c. The Remarks upon this History are these First That the Scriptures ought to be searched according to Christ's command John 5.39 that the Sacred Stories concerning Christ's Apostles may be gathered up and Recorded together so far as the most wise God was pleased to Reveal them What is not Recorded in one place may be found out in another by comparing one place of Scripture with another as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 9.22 signifies a Metaphor borrowed from Builders who Erecting their Fabricks do sit one piece or part of their work to another and then bring them and joyn them together finding each part then perfectly agreeing with the other c. Thus Paul did prove there that Jesus was the Christ by quoting the Promises and Prophecies of the Old Testament and comparing them with God's Performances in the New c. And thus must we supply out of the Epistles what Luke hath not related in his Acts of the Apostles The second Remark is That the sins of Teachers are the Teachers of sins Great mens faults go as seldom unaccompanied as do their persons The dangerous consequence of the miscarriages of men eminent in the Church as well as in the State is evident here in Peter's Prevarication which had many Aggravations for not only those Christians who were Members of the Church at Antioch being Native Jews followed Peter's Pattern but also Barnabas Paul's Felow-labourer and Joynt-Commissioner with him to bring the Decrees of the Apostolical Council about that very case of Non-Compliance with Legal Ceremonies joyned with Peter in the same Hypocrisie as the Original word is Gal. 2.13 What need then have we to prove all things 1 Thes 5. v. 21. seeing good men yea great men may seduce us And how cautelous ought those that are good and great to walk uprightly lest by their warpings which are of the worst sort they become seducers of others The third Remark is The plaister ought to be so broad as is the wound Peter had prevaricated publickly before them all and therefore is Paul's Reproof of Peter's Offence accordingly according to what Paul taught Timothy 1 Tim. 5.20 The salve must be as wide as the sore Peter here feared not Danger so much as Offence and herein he had not done amiss but that in avoiding a lesser scandal he falleth into a far greater and Peter's practice proved a compulsion to make others yea eminent Professors to comply with it The company we keep do in some kind compel us to do as they do and because what Peter did was not done privately so as to offend some private person only but it was done openly whereby the Church of Antioch was offended N.B. Therefore Paul reproves him openly tho' Baronius be as bitter against Paul for so doing as ever Paul was against Peter for this foul fault And Bellarmin shifts this off saying that it was not Peter but Cephas who was one of the Seventy Disciples Whether Peter made his next Motion from Antioch the Sacred Writ mentioneth not Yet have we upon Divine Record two Epistles writ by Peter which do indeed give us further light concerning Peter's Life and Actions after his being as aforesaid at Antioch as appeareth by these Remarks The first is The place where Peter was when he wrote these Epistles His first Epistle Chap. 5.13 Gives