is exceedingly delighted with and given to the cruelty of the Sword-plays in which he swept away a world of Servants and Freemen that had been accusers of their Masters in the time of Caius And which was most ridiculous he caused the statue of Augustus to be removed out of the place because it should not behold such bloody work being inhumanely himself delighted in that butchery which he thought too barbarous for a brazen statue to look upon These bloody spectacles brought him to an habit of cruelty which was augmented and hardened in him by the damnable counsels of his Empress Messalina a woman wicked above parallel or expression and by the spurrings on of other sycophants C. Appius Silanus is put to death because he refused to incestuate Messalina when she desired him for he had married her mother but because Claudius must not hear of this beastly cause of her displeasure Narcissus a freeman of the Emperor accused him for this that in a dream he had seen Appius slay the Emperor Upon his death the people began to expect no more goodness from Claudius at all but gave him up for a Tyrant like the two that had gone before him whereupon Annius Vincianus and Futius Camillus Scribonianus and others conspired against him but being deserted of their souldiers in the enterprize they are glad to end their lives by their own hands that they might escape the executioners Messalina and Narcissus and others of their faction using the stupid folly of the Emperor to the compassing of their own wills involve in false accusations and in miserable deaths an infinite multitude of men and women honorable and inferior of all qualities and conditions according as the spleen of any of them moved or was provoked Among them that thus perished Arria the wife of Caecinna is upon record for her Roman valour for when her husband trembled and was afraid to slay himself she took the sword out of his hand and fell upon it and gave it him again reeking with her blood with these words Behold boy how I feel no pain And now saith my Author were matters come to such a pass that nothing was reputed a greater vertue than to die valiantly and like a Roman To such a cruelty had custom and evil counsel brought him that of himself was of a reasonable gentle nature but wanted constancy and discretion to manage it THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE Jewish and the Roman Of the Year of CHRIST XLIV And of the Emperor CLAUDIUS III. Being the Year of the WORLD 3971. And of the City of ROME 796. Consuls Claudius Caesar III. L. Uitellius ACTS CHAP. XII Vers. 2. And he killed Iames. §. 1. The Martyrdom of James the great WE are now come to the time of Great James his death For Agrippa coming the last year into Judea as we saw from Josephus and it not being probable that he should do this exploit before Easter as the circumstances told us we may justly take this year for its proper time and place Now about that time saith St. Luke Herod the King the Syriack addeth who is called Agrippa stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Jews and he killed James the brother of John with the sword The first words About that time relate to what went before in the preceding Chapter vers 28. and meaneth in the days of Claudius Caesar. Now what should be the incentive of the spleen of Agrippa against the Church is not specified it may well be supposed it proceeded from that his Ceremoniousness and strict observance of Mosaick Rites which is mentioned by Josephus Concerning the Martyrdom of James under this his spleen we will content our selves with the words of the Text He killed James the brother of John with the sword accounting all other additional circumstances which may be found in officious Authors to be nothing else but gilded legends and fond inventions As that mentioned by Eusebius out of Cleniens his Hypotyposeon concerning his accuser that seeing his constancy to the death confessed the faith and was martyred with him That by Epiphanius that he lived and died a Virgin and that by * * * Tom. 2. Iulii 25. Surius who is the bell-weather for old winter tales that telleth That his body after his martyrdom was shipped by Ctesiphon and his fellow-Bishops for Spain that the Ship in six days was directed thither without Pilot or Compass but only by the influence of the Corps that it carried That at the landing the body was taken up into the air and carried near the place of its burial twelve miles off That Ctesiphon and his fellows werâ— led to it by an Angel And more such trash that it is but labour lost either to read or mention §. 2. The Apostles Creed The Creed was made upon this occasion saith a a a De Institut Cleric l. 2. c. 56. extat in Auctario ad Biblioth Patrum â—ol 620 Rabanus Maâ—…s as our Ancestors have delivered unto us The Disciples after the Ascension of our Saviour being inflamed with the Holy Ghost c. And being charged by the Lord to go to all Nations for the preaching of the Gospel when they are to part one from another they first make a common platform among themselves for their future preaching Lest being severed in place divers and different things should be preached to those that were invited to the faith of Christ. Being therefore together in one place and filled with the Holy Ghost they compose a short platform for their preaching conferring together what they thought And this they appoint to be given to them that believe and to be called Symbolum c. Thus he and very many others with him conceiving that the Apostles supplied not only the matter of the Doctrine contained in the Creed but the very form and words also For Peter said say they I believe in God the Father Almighty John The maker of Heaven and Earth James And I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Andrew Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary Philip Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thomas He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead Bartholomew He ascended into Heaven sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty Matthew From thence shall he come to judge both the quick and the dead James the son of Alpheus I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church Simon Zelotes The communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins Judas the brother of James The resurrection of the flesh Matthias The life everlasting Amen Thus the hundred and fifteenth Sermon de Tempore that goeth under the name of b b b Tom. 10. col 849. Austen but apparent that it is not his by this that here is reckoned the descent into Hell which in his book c c c Tom. 3. p. 143. de Fide Symbolo is quite omitted Now were this
Asa 30 Omri 4 Division 49 Ahaziah 2 Chron. 22. 2. of which Asa 31 Omri 5 Division 50 when we come there Asa 32 Omri 6 Division 51 In the one and thirtieth year of Asa 33 Omri 7 Division 52 Asa Tibni is conquered and Asa 34 Omri 8 Division 53 Omri is sole King He reigneth Asa 35 Omri 9 Division 54 six years in Tirzah and then removeth Asa 36 Omri 10 Division 55 to Samaria which he had Asa 37 Omri 11 Division 56 built for Zimri had fired the Omri 12 Kings Palace at Tirza Omri is more wicked then any that went before him he maketh cursed Statutes Mich. 6. 16. Ahab 1 AHAB reigneth in the 38 Ahab 2 year of Asa 1 King 16. 29. and Asa 38 doth more wickedly then his father World 3086 Asa 39 Division 57 Omri had done He bringeth World 3087 Ahab 3 Division 58 in the Sidonian Idoll Baal into Asa 40 Division 59 request in Israel and addeth that Idolatry to the Idolatry with the golden Calves He had married a Sidonian woman Jezabell an Idolatress a Murdress World 3089 Asa 41 Ahab 1 Ahab 4 Division 60 a Witch and an Whore and it is no wonder if Ahab grew to a height of wickedness indeed Ahab 2 Ahab 5 Division 61 when he had such a father as Omri to bring him up and such a wife as Jezabell to lye in his bosom 2 CHRON. XVII all World 3091 Ahab 3 Ahab 6 Division 62 JEHOSHAPHAT in Ahab 4 Ahab 7 Division 63 the third year sendeth Ahab 5 Ahab 8 Division 64 Priests Princes and Levites Ahab 6 Ahab 9 Division 65 to teach the Law He hath Ahab 7 Ahab 10 Division 66 great tribute from the Philistims Ahab 8 Ahab 11 Division 67 and Arabians hath Ahab 9 Ahab 12 Division 68 eleven hundred thousand and Ahab 10 Ahab 13 Division 69 sixty thousand fighting men Ahab 11 Ahab 14 Division 70 and is a terror to all that were round about him But hath already made affinity with Ahab and married his Ahab 12 Ahab 15 Division 71 Son JORAM to Athaliah Ahab 13 Ahab 16 Division 72 Ahabs Daughter see Ahab 14 Ahab 17 Division 73 2 Kings 8. 18. and 11. 1. Ahab 15 Ahab 18 Division 74 for Ahazia Son to Joram Ahab 16 Ahab 19 Division 75 and Athaliah was born in the eighth year of Jehosaphats reign See 2 Kings 8. 26. 1 King 22. ver 44. to 50. World 3105 Ahab 17 Ahab 20 Ahaziah 1 Division 76 1. JORAM the son of Jehoshaphat reigneth Observe these Texts 1 King 2â— 51. Ahaziah the Son of Ahab began to raign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah and reigneth two years And 2 King 1. 17. And Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken and Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat King of Judah And 2 King 3. 1. Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah By these Scriptures it is most plain that both Joram the son of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign in the seventeenth of Jehoshaphat I shall not need to make the collection it is so conspicuous in the Text for who seeth not in them that Jehoshaphats eighteenth when Joram the son of Ahab beginneth to reign is called The second year of Joram the son of Jehoshaphat Now Jehoshaphats reign was not yet expired by eight or nine years for this was in his seventeenth year and he reigned five and twenty 1 King 22. 42. Nor was Ahabs reign expired by two or three years for this was in his twentieth year and he reigned two and twenty 1 King 16. 29. But the reason that both their sons came into their thrones thus in their life time and both in this same year was because the fathers Jehoshaphat and Ahab were both ingaged in the war against the Syrians about Ramoth Gilead and while they were providing for it and carrying it on they made their sons Viceroyes and set them to reign in their stead while they were absent or imployed about that expedition we shall have occasion to observe the like of Joram the son of Jehoshaphat again afterward 1 KING XVI ver 30. to the end World 3091 Ahab 3 Ahab 6 Division 62 AHAB doth abominably Ahab 4 Ahab 7 Division 63 buildeth a Chappel and Ahab 5 Ahab 8 Division 64 an Altar to Baal in Samaria In Ahab 6 Ahab 9 Division 65 his days Hiel a man of the family Ahab 7 Ahab 10 Division 66 of Rahab living now in Bethel Ahab 8 Ahab 11 Division 67 seeing Canaanitish Idolatry Ahab 9 Ahab 12 Division 68 and Canaanitish manners come Ahab 10 Ahab 13 Division 69 on so fast he is imboldned to set Ahab 11 Ahab 14 Division 70 on to build Jericho again to make it a Canaanitish City but his eldest Son is slain in laying the foundation and his youngest son in setting up the Gates according to the curse of Joshua denounced upon such an undertaking above five hundred and thirty years before 1 King 17 18 19. In the degenerate and most wicked times of Ahab appeared the glorious piety and Prophetick spirit of Elias a seasonable reformer when times were come to the very worst He was of Jabesh Gilead he shutteth up Heaven that there is no rain for three years and six months till Baalites be destroyed and then there is rain enough He is fed by birds of prey he feedeth the Sareptane widow and becometh the first Prophet of the Gentiles He raiseth her dead Child destroyeth hundreds of false Prophets bringeth fire from Heaven and rain ere long after it Fasteth forty days and forty nights seeth the Lord where Moses had seen him accuseth Israel to him Is appointed to anoint Hazael King of Syria who should plague Israel for their Idolatry and to anoint Jehu King of Israel who should destroy the house of incorrigible Ahab and to anoint Elisha a Prophet in his stead to go on with the reformation that he had begun John Baptist was a second Elias a man in a hairy garment and leather girdle 2 King 1. 8. Matth. 3. 4. of a powerful and operative Ministry and a great reformer in corrupt times 1 KING XX XXI XXII vers 51 52 53. Ahab 12 Ahab 15 Division 71 AHAB two years together Ahab 13 Ahab 16 Division 72 hath two great Victories Ahab 14 Ahab 17 Division 73 over the Syrians but letting Ahab 15 Ahab 18 Division 74 Benhadad go he undoeth himself Ahab 16 Ahab 19 Division 75 compare the case of Saul about Agag King of Amalek 1 Sam. 15. Ahab murdereth Naboth for his Vineyard World 3105 Ahab 17 Ahab 20 Ahaziah 1 Division 76 AHAZIAH the Son of Ahab reigneth 1 KING XXII to Verse 50. and 2 CHRON. XVIII all World 3106 Ahab 18 Ahab 21 Ahaziah 2 Iehoram 1 Division 77 JEHOSHAPHAT and Ahab are now together in
where it began to be called Bethany and at that place it was where Christ began his triumphant riding into the City at this time It is observable that he is entertained with the solemnity of the Feast of Tabernacles for carrying of Palm branches and crying Hosanna was never used but only at that Feast but now translated to this occasion which may help somewhat to the explaining of Zech. 14. 16. Count from hence the daies to the Passover as the Evangelists have reckoned them and you will find that this was the first day of the week the Lords day afterward and this day seven night he rose from the dead In the midst of his triumph he weepeth over the City though he knew that within five daies she would be his death SECTION LXXIII JOHN Chp. XII from Ver. 20. to the end of the Chapter Greeks would see Iesus A voice from Heaven THe order is plain in the Text of John and needeth no illustration Christ was thrice attested from Heaven according to his threefold Office King Priest and Prophet At his Baptism for the great Highpriest when he was anointed and entred into his Ministry At his Transfiguration for the great Prophet to whom all must hear And now for the great King when he had newly fulfilled this Prophecy Rejoyce O Sion behold thy King cometh c. The Bath Kol or heavenly voice that the Jews commonly speak of is in the most if not all the instances that they give of it but a fiction of their own brain to bring their Doctors and their Doctrines into credit SECTION LXXIV MARK Chap. XI from the middle of Ver. 11. to Ver. 27. MATTH Chap. XXI from Ver. 17. to Ver. 23. The fruitless Figtree cursed THe order is clear in Mark ver 11. 12. Christ after his riding into Jerusalem having spent all the day there goeth at even to lodg at Bethany and in the morning going for Jerusalem again and hugring seeth a Fig-tree and finding no Figs on it curseth it and yet the Evangelist telleth that the time of Figs was not yet Why then should Christ look for Figs when he knew the time of the year was not yet for them Answ. He looked not for any Figs that he thought could be grown ripe and fit to eat that spring it beign now at the furthest but about our April but he looked for those that grew the last summer and had hung on the trees all winter It is true indeed that some trees had shot forth their fruit by Passover time for so Maymony tells us in Kiddush Hhodesh per. 4. but neither to ripeness nor was the Figtree any of them For to those words of our Saviour Matth. 23. 32. When the Figtree putteth forth her leaves ye know Summer is nigh lay these of Jerus in Sheviith fol. 35. col 4. Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel saith From the putting forth of the Figtree leaf to the green Figs appearing are fifty daies and from the first appearing of the Fig to the fall of the blossom fifty daies and from thence to the ripe Figs fifty daies more five months in all There were several kinds of Figtrees in that Land as the Jews tell us in the Treatises Demai and Sheviith where they have special occasion to treat of that matter besides those Figtrees that were in their Orchards and Vineyards As 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they say were Figs of the Wilderness 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were baser Figs likewise 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Figtrees that brought their fruit to ripeness but once in two years And 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they say grew in the fields and bare white Figs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from three years to three years The Gemarists dispute What Do they bear their fruit every year or only once in three years They bear their fruit every year but it is not ripe till three years end How doth a man know its time or what year it is with it R. Jonah saith by binding a list about it It is a tradition of Samuel that he hung some pendants upon it The meaning of the matter is this There was a Figtree growing in the fields of this nature that the Figs that it shot forth one summer it was two summers more before they came to ripeness so that they hung upon the tree unless hands or wind hindred three summers and two winters before their maturity Now because the strange nature of this tree different â—â—omothers caused that the seventh year or year of release could not so easily be remembred and observed concerning it as concerning other trees therefore they tied some coards or lists about it or â—ung something upon it that might give notice and keep in remembrance what year it was with it and whether the fruit if any were of the first second or third years growth So likewise the figtrees mentioned before called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were two summers in ripening their fruit So that of such a tree as one of these Christ might well look for figs of the last years growth old figs under new leaves if so be the leaves were new Yet could not this properly be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there are that would change the reading of the original and instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the time of figs was not yet would have it read but I question whether with the consent of any one copy in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For where he was was the time of figs. For that phrase The time of figs meaneth the common time that generally figs were ripe which was ordinary and commonly known and which was not of well near five months after Passover time Christ cometh to the Temple and casteth out buyers and sellers as he had done three years before this was four daies before the Passover At Even he goeth and lodgeth in Bethany In the morning he cometh again to Jerusalem This was three daies before the Passover As they came the Disciples observe the figtree withered whereupon he saith Have faith in God for verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto this mountain Be thou removed and â—ast into the sea and shall not doubt in his heart but believâ— that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith In which words he neither warranteth nor encourageth any to look for a faith that should remove mountains but 1. He speaketh Hyperbolically for the magnifying of the power and excellency of faith as Mark 9. 23. Hyperboles with which the Scripture abounds are not to be taken according to the letter but the thing intended is to be taken at the higher pitch As to instance but in one example and that about this very mountain that Christ pointed at Zech. 14. 4. which meaneth not litâ—rally Olivets cleaving indeed or removing but great concussions to the people and open way made for the enemy 2. Christ in this
being The former which he prosecuteth hither he handleth in these several particulars His power of miracles to the highest demonstration of Divine Power equal with the Father vers 19 20 21. His absolute authority of ordering all things vers 22. His Divine Worship under the New Testament as the Fathers under the Old vers 23. His being the Teacher of his Church and preacher of the Gospel vers 24. His calling of the Gentiles vers 25. His raising of himself from the dead and having the disposal of life and death in his own hand vers 26. His universal dominion over all vers 27. His being the powerful raiser and Judge of all at the general resurrection vers 28 29 c. All that are in the graves In Daniel it is Many of those that sleep in the dust c. that is The many meaning All Not that all the dead are in graves for some were drowned some burnt c. but because the grave is the most common receptacle of the dead and because the Jews did ordinarily render the word Sheol which betokeneth the place and state of the dead generally by the grave as see Targ. Jonath in Gen. 37. 35. 44. 29. c. Buxtorf in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat Sheol in genere locum corporum humanorum post mortem unde communiter pro Sepulchro c. Shall hear his voice We might here intricate our selves in a dispute whether there shall be an audible voice of Christ at the general resurrection or whether the hearing of his voice do mean the feeling of his power only as some do understand it to the expence of that time which might be better improved in preparing against that time come These Scriptures speak about that matter 1 Cor. 15. 52. The Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised 1 Thess. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God 2 Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise c. But as for that Text which is commonly produced to the same purpose Mark 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds c. It plainly speaketh only of Christs sending his Ministers with the Trumpet of the Gospel to fetch in people to the Faith for vers 34. saith that this and the other things spoken with it in the verses before must be accomplished before that generation that was then alive should pass It is not to be doubted but the coming of Christ to Judgment will be in the dreadfullest state and terror that heart can conceive and the terror of that day of accounting for all actions may well be guessed by the terror of the day of giving the rule of all actions Exod. 19 20. and that the Lord shall then utter his voice his mighty voice it is not to be doubted neither but this in thunders and dreadful and majestick noises for such are called the voice of God rather than in any articulate sound of words The Talmud in Sanhedrin fol. 97. cited before speaking of Voices and Thunders that should be a little before the coming of the Messias the Gloss there saith These are the voices of the Son of David I shall leave it to the Readers own thoughts to make the most feeling and dread commentary upon these words that he can towards the awing of his heart to a preparedness against that dreadful time when it shall come Vers. 30. As I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which sent me Our Saviour seemeth in these words to allude to two customs and traditions of the Jews and to plead with them from their own principles 1. The Talmudick tract Sanhedrin speaking concerning mens inquiring of the Judicatories in matters of difficulty hath this Tradition They ask first of the Sanhedrin in their own City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had heard it they resolve them If not they go to a Sanhedrin near their City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had heard it they resolve them If not they go to that in the gate of the Mountain of the House 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had heard it they resolve them c. Perek 11. where by the words if they had heard they mean if the Sanhedrin had heard by Tradition what was to be the determination of such a matter they judge accordingly but if they had not heard then the last recourse was to the great Sanhedrin of 71. which was the very Treasury of Traditions Christ being come now before the Sanhedrin seemeth here to speak to them according to their own rule As you judge according as you hear and receive by Tradition so I judge as I hear meaning either as he had heard and received from the Father in the divine and secret Counsels between them or rather as he received intelligence and warrant for his actions from the Word of God doing those things that were there written of him And the words immediately before I can do nothing of my self being understood of him as God-Man may be easily understood and without straining in such an exposition 2. Rambam in his tract about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers and Partners and the Talmudists occasionally in the Treatises about Contracts Espousals and Divorces c. conclude this for a Maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That a Messenger that doth that upon which he was sent all his acts are good in Law And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Messenger that transgresseth against the words of him that sent him his act is nuâ—â— upon this very ground Christs arguing here is clear and pregnant and cometh home to their own position My judging is just because I being sent of the Father do not mine own will but do the errand that he sent me upon and do his will And to this sense may we also interpret his words in vers 24. for the fuller clearing of them He that heareth my word and believeth him that sent me because his words were but the words of him that sent him the Doctrine of the Gospel being but the same with the Doctrine of the Law and Prophets Vers. 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true This he speaketh also according to their own grounds and manner of proceeding in their Courts Though he did bear witness of himself yet his witness was true Joh. 8. 14. but in their Judicatories a man was not to be witness in his own cause but he stood or fell by the witness of others And so not true here is to be understood ad modum recipientis they would not accept it as a current testimony in his pleading for himself to bear
lib. 18. cap. 6. Herod repaired this Tower and bestowed much cost upon it and in honour of Antony named it Antonia and fortified it that it might be a guard for the Temple and as in former times so still were the holy Robes laid up there all his time and all the time of Archelaus his Son after the removal of Archelaus from his Kingdom and the confiscation of his estate this Tower came into the Romans hands and was kept as a Guard or Garison by them and the High Priests garments laid up there under their power till Vitellius as we shall see hereafter did restore them to the Jews own keeping Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 15. So that the Captain here meant is the Captain that was over the Company that kept this Castle a Roman Commander and he joyning with the Priests and Sadduces to hinder the Gospel and imprison the Disciples the Jews and Romans do again conspire as they had done against Christ so now against his Apostles Psal. 2. 1 2. There was a chief Captain that was Governour of the whole Garison at Hierusalem as Chap. 21. 33. 24. 7. and his several Companies lay placed in several Courts of Guard about the City among the rest this was one within the virge of the Temple the greatest badge and sign of all other of the Jews present servitude and subjection when their very Temple and service had a heathen bridle put upon it And thus did the abomination of desolation begin to creep in and to stand in the place where it ought not Vers. 2. Being grieved that they taught the people This grievance of the Priests Sadduces and Captain of the Temple proceeded from several principles and causes The Captains distaste was for fear the business should tend to innovation or tumult the Sadduces because they preached the Resurrection of the dead which they denied Chap. 23. 8. the Priests because they being private men went about to teach the people and chiefly because they preached the Resurrection through Jesus Through Iesus the Resurrection from the dead Though the whole Nation did so generally assert and hold the Resurrection of the dead the Sadduces only excepted that they made the deniers of this point one of the three Parties that should never have part in the world to come as they speak in the Talmud in the Tractate of Sanhed Perek Helek These are they that have no portion in the world to come he that saith The Resurrection of the dead is not taught from the Law and he that saith That the Law is not from Heaven and Epicures Yet was this no less than heresie in their esteem to teach that the Resurrection of the dead was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proved and experienced in Jesus or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the power and efficacy of Jesus that either Jesus was risen or that he should be the Author of the Resurrection Vers. 4. And the number of the men was about five thousand The 5000 mentioned here were the number of Converts and not of Auditors and they were a single number by themselves and not an addition to the 3000 mentioned before to make them five thousand For first the Holy Ghost intendeth in this Book to shew the power of the Gospel rather than the bare preaching of it and how many it converted rather than how many heard it Secondly The juncture of the verse is so close and facil that none can understand it any otherwise than of the number of believers unless it be for very captiousness for the Text saith that many of them that heard the word believed And how many was that many Namely 5000 men For thirdly how ridiculous were it to interpret that the Holy Ghost should tell us that there was an audience in the Temple of 5000 men Why Josephus saith that generally every course of the Priests contained so many And it would be utterly strange if the Holy Ghost which in all the Bible never numbred an audience at the Temple no not when he was intentionally writing of the service and assembly there should do it now when he is purposely upon a story of men converted to the Gospel Again That this is an intire sum different from the 3000 in the second Chapter is plain by the very story in hand For first it is a discourse concerning a miracle done by Peter and John and all the Chapter to the three and twentieth verse keeps close to that relation and what reason possibly can be given that this clause only should start from it Secondly It were an uncouth manner of reckoning and such as the Scripture is utterly unacquainted with to number 5000 and to mean but 2000 and never to give any notice that it so meaneth Thirdly The number of the men were 5000. Of what men Of those which heard the word What word The word preached by Peter and John vers 1. and not the word preached on Pentecost day by all the Apostles Thus is the Church become 8000 numerous by two Sermons besides the multitudes that were believers before and those whose conversion is not summed Vers. 5. Their Elders Rulers and Scribes c. In this Councel and Consistory that was now gathered the Evangelist exhibiteth variety of members First Their Rulers or the Chief Priests the heads of the twenty four courses Secondly Scribes or other Doctors of the Tribe of Levi. Thirdly Elders or the Seniors and Senators of the other Tribes Fourthly Annas the Nasi or President of the Sanhedrin Fifthly Caiaphas the High Priest the Ab beth diu the father of the Court. Sixthly John as it seemeth the son of Annas the Governour of Gophins and Acrabatena in the time of Nero Joseph de bello lib. 2. cap. 25. Seventhly Alexander called also Lysimachus and Alabarcha of whom we shall have occasion to discourse afterward Eighthly As many as were of the High Priests kindred Brethren or Cosens of that family so that by this concourse of all these at this time divers of whose employment and residence was at distance it may be the rather supposed that this was at some solemn Festival that had brought them all to Jerusalem Vers. 7. And when they had set them in the midst The Sanhedrin sate in half the floor in a circle Rambam Sanhedrin Per. 1. Those who had any thing to do in the Court stood or sate in the midst of them Luke 2. 46. §. By what name have you done this So did they very foolishly conceit that the very naming some names might do wonders as Acts 19. 13. and the Talmud in Shab forgeth that Ben Saida they have a blasphemous meaning in this expression wrought miracles by putting the mutterable name within the skin of his foot and there sewing it up Vers. 11. This is the stone which was set at nought In Psal. 118. 22. which is the place from which this speech is taken is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stone refused and so is it Matth. 21.
impure to come near And there was another which the Wise-men would not manifest III. When it especially lay upon the Sanhedrin sealed at Hierusalem to preserve pure Families as much as in them lay pure still and when they prescribed Canons of preserving the legitimation of the people which you may see in those things that follow at the place alledged there was some necessity to lay up publick Records of Pedigrees with them whence it might be known what Family was pure and what defiled Hence that of Simon Ben Azzai deserves our notice c c c c c c Bab. Iâ—vamoâ—â— fol. 49. 2. I saw saith he a Genealogical sâ—rol in Jerusalem in which it was thus written N. a Bastard of a strang Wife Observe that even a Bastard was written in their publick Books of Genealogy that he might be known to be a Bastard and that the purer Families might take heed of the defilement of his seed Let that also be noted d d d d d d Hieros Taaniâ—â— fol. â—â— 1. They found a Book of Genealogy at Jerusalem in which it was thus written Hillel was sprung from David Ben Jatsaph from Asaph Ben Tsitsith haâ—ceseth from Abner Ben Cobesin from Achab c. And the Records of the Genealogies smell of those things which are mentioned in the Text of the Mishnah concerning Wood-carrying e e e e e e Taanith cap. 4 hal 5. The Priests and Peoples times of Wood-carrying were nine On the first day of the month Nisan for the Sons of Erach the Son of Judah the twentieth day of â—ammuz for the Sons of David the Son of Judah the fifth day of Ab for the Sons of Parosh the Son of Judah the seventh of the same month for the Sons of Jonadab the Son of Rechab the tenth of the same for the Sons of Senaah the Son of Benjamin c. It is therefore easie to guess whence Matthew took the last fourteen generations of this Genealogy and Luke the first forty Names of his namely from the Genealogical Scrols at that time well enough known and laid up in the publick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repositories and in the private also And it was necessary indeed in so noble and sublime a subject and a thing that would be so much inquired into by the Jewish people as the Lineage of the Messiah would be that the Evangelists should deliver a truth not only that could not be gain-said but also that might be proved and established from certain and undoubted Rolls of Ancestors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Iesus Christ. That the Name of Jesus is so often added to the Name of Christ in the New Testament is not only that thereby Christ might be pointed out for the Saviour which the Name Jesus signifies but also that Jesus might be pointed out for true Christ against the unbelief of the Jews who though they acknowledged a certain Messiah or Christ yet they stifly denyed that Jesus of Nazareth was he This observation takes place in numberless places of the New Testament Act. ii 36. viij 35. 1 Cor. vi 22. 1 John ii 22. iv 15 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Son of David That is the true Messias For by no more ordinary and more proper Name did the Jewish Nation point out the Messiah then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Son of David See Mat. XII 23. XXI 9. XXII 42. Luke XVIII 38. and every where in the Talmudic Writings but especially in f f f f f f fol. 97. 1. Bab. Sanhedrin where it is also discussed what kind of times those should be when the Son of David should come The things which are devised by the Jews concerning Messiah Ben Joseph which the Targum upon Cant. IV. 5. calls Messiah Ben Ephraim are therefore devised to comply with their giddiness and loss of judgment in their opinion of the Messiah For since they despised the true Messiah who came in the time foreallotted by the Prophets and Crucified him they still expect I know not what Chimerical one concerning whom they have no certain opinion whether he shall be one or two whether he shall arise from among the living or from the dead whether he shall come in the clouds of Heaven or sitting upon an Ass c. They expect a Son of David but they know not whom they know not when VER 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IUDA IN Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehudah Which word not only the Greeks for want of the Letter h h h h h h fol. 4. 4. in the middle of a word but the Jews themselves do contract into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judah which occurs infinite times in the Jerusalem Talmud g g g g g g Demai fol. 22. 3. The same person who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Jose Bi R. Jehudoh in the next line is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Jose Bi R. Judah So also h Shabb. And this is done i i i i i i Iom tobh fol. 62. 3. elsewhere in the very same line VERS 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Booz of Rachab SO far the Jewish Writers agree with Matthew that they confess Rachab was Married to some Prince of Israel but mistaking concerning the person whether they do this out of ignorance or wilfully let themselves look to that Concerning this matter the Babylonian Gemara hath these words k k k k k k Mâ—gill fol. 14. 2. Eight Prophets and those Priests sprang from Rachab and they are these Neriah Baruch Seraiah Maaseiah Jeremiah Hilkiah Hanameel and Shallum R. Judah saith Huldah also was of the Posterity of Rachab And a little after There is a tradition that she being made a proselytess was Married to Josua Which Kimchi also produceth in Jos. Chap. VI. Here the gloss casts in a scruple It sounds some what harshly saith it that Josua Married one that was made a Proselyte when it was not lawful to contract Marriage with the Canaanites though they became Proselytes Therefore we must say that she was not of the Seven Nations of the Canaanites but of some other Nation and sojourned there But others say That that prohibition took not place before the entrance into the Promised Land c. VERS 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Ioram begat Ozias THE Names of Ahazias Joash and Amazias are struck out See the History in the Books of the Kings and 1 Chron. III. 11 12. I. The Promise That the Throne of David should not be empty passed over after a manner for some time into the Family of Jehu the overthrower of Jorams Family For when he had razed the House of Ahab and had slain Ahaziah sprung on the Mothers side of the Family of Ahab the Lord promiseth him that his Sons should Reign unto the fourth generation 2 King X. 30. Therefore however the mean time the Throne of David was not empty and that Joash
because I would have every one to look well about lest the case be his own and not I but every mans own Conscience to judge whether he be guilty of wilful sinning or no. What thinks the Conscience of a false witness of a forsworn deponent that knowingly and resolvedly takes a false oath perverse justice and seeks the injury of his neighbour doth not this man know his sins wilfully What thinks the common swearer the common prophaner of the Lords day the unclean person the riotous and wanton the deceiver oppresser scoffer of the power of godliness does he not know or think that he sins wilfully If they will not know it nor think so but be more wilful still in wilful shutting their eyes against conviction let me leave that saying of the Lord himself written as it were upon these walls for a witness against them shall I say or as a doom upon them which you have Esa. XXVI 11. They will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people yea and the fire of Gods enemies shall devour them The Apostle Ecchoes the last words in that passage we cited expectation of fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries I might shew the deadliness of such wilful sinning especially by two Observations I. That it is a most deadly symptom when the actus primus voluntatis when the will is so desperately poisoned at the bottom The acting of any sin is deadly enough of it self but when it is committed by the full bent of the first act of the will it is as poisoning the bullet to make it the more deadly which was killing enough of it self before Chistian how readest thou Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind and withal thy heart But wilful sinner how actest thou To oppose the counsel and command of the Lord with all the heart and mind and soul. To love and follow and commit wickedness with all the heart and mind and soul. If this be not a deadly wound under the fifth rib a mortal Plague at the bottom of the Will what can you call the Plague of the Heart II. Such sinning doth not only proceed from such a deadly principle but it adds more deadliness to that principle Every wilful sinning doth add more hardness and more wilfulness of sinning to the Heart still A hard Heart doth harden by sinning and the more the sin is wilful the more the Heart gathers hardness The Jews fein this the creeping on of the tempter to Eve that the Serpent asked the Woman why not eat of this Tree She answered Because God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dye First he drew nigh to it and said Thou seest I am nigh it and yet do not dye then she toucht it and then eat of it So do wilful sinnings draw on one another and from one the Heart is imboldned to another If such sinners would but find time with an impartial candle of self examination to look into their own Hearts they would find the too sad experience of this truth written there in black letters indeed But because few such will read their own Hearts let me leave that verse of the Apostle with them to read and to see what construction they can make of it to save their own stake If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 27. 1669. ACT. XVII 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead OCcasional meditations are Samsons hony gathered out of a dead carcase Heavenly thoughts taken up from Earthly occurrences the Sun and Heaven seen in looking downward into the Water from the Earthly objects that man meets with here below the Heart raising meditation upon them to some Heavenly purpose The true Philosophers stone indeed that turns what a man meets withal into some golden meditation And this divine Elizir our Saviour used very much From the occasion of the Samaritan Womans fetching water he raiseth his discourse and her thoughts to consider of the water of his Grace Joh. IV. And upon the occasion of the peoples following him for loaves he would raise their minds to think of the meat that perished not but indureth to Eternal Life Joh. VI. And in all his parables which were so exceeding frequent with him wherein he was still teaching some Spiritual and Heavenly things by some Earthly resemblance whatsoever the particular intent of every several parable was yet this intimation went in general with them all That there was to be an improvement of the observation of Earthly things and occurrences to Heavenly thoughts and meditations As he in the story that looked toward the Earth and pointed toward the Earth and yet cried O Câ—lum Methinks such a noble and remarkable occasion as we now meet withal should not be let pass without some elevated meditation And when we see our Assises Judges Trials Sentencings methinks a sursum corda may do very well in thoughts taken of the great and dreadful Judgment As Esa. XXXIII 17 18. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Thy heart shall meditate terrors A right occasional meditation The right of an Earthly King in his royalty may justly move and stir up the heart to meditate the terrors of the King of glory The sight of a Judge in his authority and honour and the sight of the day and of the passages of an Assise may very properly and should indeed stir up the heart to meditate the terrors of that great day which the Lord hath appointed wherein he will judge the World in righteousness by the man which he hath ordained of which c. Such a reflection caused me to choose these words to discourse upon at this time at the Assise of our County to stir up the remembrance of the greatest Assise of all the World a meditation that can never be but useful and more especially at such a time as this that gives some specimen and Idea in little of the thing and does as it were in landskip lay the thing before us The Apostle in this place is discoursing to the University men of Athens It is said vers 21. That the Athenians spent their time in nothing but to tell or hear some new thing And here was strange business for them to purpose Strange news to them to hear such a Sermon against their Idolatry to hear speak concerning the Resurrection of the dead and an universal Judgment of all the World and all the World to be judged by a man that God had ordained Such riddles to flesh and blood and
II. Concerning this great Judges judging all the World at the last day I shall but offer to you that Prospect Rev. XX. 12. I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled away and there was no place found for them And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and they were judged Heaven and Earth fled away before God but no fleeing for small and great but they must be judged Heaven and Earth that were in being are dissolved and gone but the dead small and great that were not in being are brought into being that they may be brought to judgment And so Chap. VI. 14. Heaven departs as a scroll that is rolled up together and every mountain and Island is removed out of his place But in the next verse there is a World of wretches that would fain be gon too but it will not be would fain be hid fince they cannot go but that will not be neither That say to the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand II. Now what assurances or earnests as I may call them hath God given of this that II. he will Judge all the World which is the second thing I mentioned I might mention divers The Apostle makes the destruction of the World by water and Sodome by fire to be such 2 Pet. II. 9. Another Apostle makes the raising him from the dead that is to be Judge to be such assurance Act. XVII 31. But I only name three more That he hath set up Judicatures in the World That he hath set up a Judicature in every mans soul. And that he hath given his Law and Word by which men must be judged I. Are not the Tribunals and Judicatures that he hath set up in the World evidence and assurance given that he will Judge the World Magistracy whose image and superscription doth it carry The great Caesars the great Magistrate of Heaven and Earth And if that deal in matters that concern the body may we not read in it that he that ordained it will dispose both of bodies and souls Take to thoughts that of the Apostle 1 Cor. VI. 2. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World i. e. That a Christian Magistracy shall judge among men And Know ye not that we shall judge Angels i. e. That a Christian Ministry shall judge against Devils Weigh the words seriously and I believe you will find them to rise to this sence And then know you not that the ultimate judging of Men and Devils must rest in him that instituted Magistracy and Ministry both I said you are Gods for in your function you carry his representation and character but I said he is much more God that ordained you Gods and he much more Magistrate and Judge that ordained you Magistrates and Judges In you Judgment is drawn in little in him it is in full proportion Filia exscripsit Patrem as he of old of a good daughter that she had copied out a good father Your function hath copied out Divine Authority but yours is but a Copy the original incomparably fairer II. Is not the Judicature that God hath set up in every mans soul an undoubted assurance of Gods judging of all When a very proper definition of Conscience is That it is Praejudicium judicii a foretaste a preface to the judgment to come doth it not give assurance of the judgment to come And that to every soul when there is a conscience in every soul. That as our Saviour when the Jews ask him what appearance was there of the Kingdom of Heaven gives them this answer The Kingdom of Heaven is with in you as some read it so if any one ask what proof and assurance is within you Ask Felix also Act. XXIV 25. As Paul reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled And how comes a Roman valour to be so shaken at the word of a poor Jew A great Judge trembling at the words of his prisoner He had that within him that gave testimony to every word that Paul spake that it was true A strange thing to him as well as a dreadful to hear of the Judgment to come in manner as the Divine Orator set it out But there was that within him that could not but assent to the truth of all he spake III. Gods very giving of his Law to the World is an assurance abundant that he will once judge the World Let me draw your thoughts to the foot of mount Sinai to stand with Israel there while the Law is giving Do you not see the dreadful terror in which it is given fire and smoke and earth-quake and sound of trumpet And do you think that the great Lawgiver that comes in such dread to give it will never come to demand an account of it how men have dealt with it Must those Words be scattered in the Air and God never take more care or account of them And let me lead your eyes to mount Calvary and there let them observe the great God sealing his Covenant and Gospel in the blood of his own Son See Christ bleeding there hands feet and heart bleeding out his last drop of blood to confirm and seal that Truth and Gospel that he had preached to the World And will God and Christ never take account how men use the Gospel that as I may say cost so dear engrossing This very thing is an undoubled assurance that God will Judge all the World because he cannot but call men to account how they have demeaned themselves to his Law and revealed will As sure as a Law and a Gospel have been given so sure a judgment to come to inquire what usage Law and Gospel have found among men and a reward accordingly The Jews in their writings do oft bring in the Law complaining to God of injuries done to her by such and such persons and begging that he would do her right Hath a despised Law a contemned Gospel a scorned Word of God no cry in the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth and hath the Lord no care to plead their cause Are they only to cry to men and if men abuse them have they no cry to God And hath the despised blood of Christ and trodden under foot no cry to God I cannot but remember the Talmudish story about Zacharies blood that was shed betwixt the Temple and the Altar that no rains no pains no water could wash it off the pavement of the Temple but still and still it was bubbling there and would never be quiet till execution of judgment quieted it the King of Babylon slaying near an hundred thousand persons in the same place The application is easie The judgment of wicked men lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not 2
from him into the house a Scorpion bit him And can you call that a Resurrection cheerfully and favourly when a man is raised from one death to die another Blessed and holy is he saith this our Apocaliptic that hath part in the first Resurrection over such an one the second death shall have no power But if he have no share in the first Resurrection at the second Resurrection his rising is but to remove out of one death into another out of one deadly room in the prison into a worse Therefore the Scripture in the places mentioned speaks of the Resurrection as if belonging only to the holy and righteous speaking of it as it is in its proper definition arising again from death and not flitting from one death to another it speaks of the second Resurrection as it is akin and related to the first that being an arising from one death this from another And this is the first Parallel that we may make between them they are both a rising I from death that neither in the one nor in the other death hath any more dominion not the death of sin in the first Resurrection nor death in the grave in the second Shall we dispute whether the first or second Resurrection be the greater work the greater business They are as it were brethren and to whether belongs the priviledg of birthright It hath been said of old that sleep is the elder brother of death and certainly with as much right we may call rising from the death of sin elder brother to rising from death in the grave May we not call sin the elder brother of Damnation and on the contrary Grace the elder brother of Glory and the rising of the Soul elder brother to the rising of the body What is the first formulation or corner stone that is laid for the building up of a happy and blessed Resurrection at the last day Will you lay it in the Power of God That can raise men to damnation as well as salvation Will you lay it in the Will of God That will raise up some to damnation as well as some to salvation But you must lay it in the first Resurrection or the rising of the soul out of the grave of sin Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption The word is so written in Hebrew that it may be read Holy one or Holy ones We know the Holy one of God did not could not see corruption and the reason was because he was so holy an one and it must be holiness that must be the beginning the great promoter of our incorruption And get but the soul happily raised and cleared of her corruption the happy raising and clearing from the corruption of the body will certainly follow You remember the expression of the Apostle If you be risen with Christ seek those things which are above Col. III. 1. We risen with Christ It is well worth considering how that is done There were some that arose with him indeed out of their graves at his Resurrection Mat. XXVII Of these it might well be said you are risen with Christ but how of others The meaning is Not only you are risen as Christ is risen but you are ingrafted into Christs Resurrection and risen united to his risings The Apostle warrants the expression of ungrafted Rom. VI. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection So that in the instant of the first Resurrection that any man attains to rising from the death of sin to the life of righteousness that man is ingrafted implanted into Christ and as sure of a happy Resurrection as that Christ is risen A Second Parallel of the first and second Resurrection is in regard of the instrumental II. cause of both The second Resurrection will be effectuated by the all powerful voice of Christ calling all out of their graves Joh. V. 28. All that are in the graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth This the Apostle calls the Voice of the Archangel and Trump of God 1 Thes. IV. 16. And in 1 Cor. XV. The trump shall sound and the dead shall be raised Let us by the way pause a little and take up some thoughts of this Trump or Trumpet The Father of old said That whether he were eating or drinking or whatsoever he did he still thought he heard this Trumpet sounding this alarm Arise ye dead and come to judgment Suppose you heard it now would it not startle you We have been startled many a time with a dreadful clap of thunder what amazement and dread would you be in if you heard this alarm the voice of the Trumpet that will make Heaven and earth to quake and to vanish away the Voice of the Archangel and his Trumpet that will rouze and awake all the world and whosoever hath slept the longest in the dust The alarm of the Trumpet that will not only force all to awake but to rise and to come and appear at the Judgment Now what parallel doth the first Resurrection bear to this Why that is an alarm also of the Trumpet of the Gospel How oft is the Ministry of the word of God compared to a Trumpet Esay XXVII 13. The great Trumpet shall be blown and they shall come that were ready to perish in Assyria and the out casts in the land of Egypt and they shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem That is the sound of the Gospel shall gather them and bring them to worship the true God Mat. XXIV 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds That is he shall send his Ministers with the sound of the Gospel Think of the sound of the Trumpet at Sinai and think of the Trumpet at the last day at Sinai to cause a first Resurrection or to bring Israel out of their sinful condition to rise and live to God and at the last day to call to account about the keeping of that Law that was then given So that would you know Whether you shall have a happy Resurrection at the last day consider with your self whether you have come to the first Resurrection even to this day And if you would know whether you have attained that consider whether you have been raised by the Trump of the Gospel It is to thy first Resurrection thou must look to judge of thy speeding at the second These two are linked together and have relation one to another as the Feast of Pentecost when barly harvest was now got in had relation to the second day in Passover week when barly harvest first begun The Resurrection will be a fit harvest for every man to reap according as he hath sowed There is none but would willingly have a Resurrection at the last day to life and not to damnation begin thy Resurrection here
any Resurrection It follows Neither Angel nor Spirit Now why he should deny this is a great deal harder to find out than to find out why he denyed the Resurrection For that he denyed because he could not find mention of it in plain terms in all Moses But he finds mention of Angels and Spirits in terms plain enough there There is indeed no mention in Moses of the creation of Angels in the History of the Creation And that might haply give the Sadducee occasion to think there were no such creatures made But then what will he say when he meets with the mention of Angels so frequently after Gen. XXXII 1. Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him And Jacob called the name of that place Mahanaim that is two Armies viz. The army of the Angels that met him and the other army or great train of his own Family An Army of Angels then and not one now Thousands of Angels at Sinai Deut. XXXIII 2. and not one extant now What could a Sadducee think was become of those Angels of which there is so frequent mention in Moses Were they dead and not in being or were they confined to Heaven and no more to converse with men It is not easie to unriddle an Hereticks fancy a Sadducees mistery And it is very excusable ignorance to be ignorant of the depths of Satan of the depths of a Sadducean Heretick There is not indeed mention of Spirits in Moses in such plain terms but only of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Men. But though there were no more yet one would have thought that enough to have stopped his mouth that he should not say There was no Spirit when it is said in the very second verse in all Moses The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters And Numb XXVII 16. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation The First that offers it self to our consideration in this case is The distinction that is I. here made twixt Angels and Spirits Neither Angel nor Spirit And in the next verse The Pharisees cry out We find no evil in this man but if a Spirit or Angel have spoken to him let us not fight against God Where the question is What is meant by a Spirit thus distinguisht from Angels when the Angels themselves are called Spirits A further distinction of the Jews may help to clear this They in their writings thus distinguish Angels and Spirits and Devils And among other sayings that hold out this distinction they have this All things are subservient to the will and command of the Holy Blessed God Angels and Spirits and Devils Where what is meant by Angels and Devils is easie to understand but what is meant by Spirit when so distinguisht from both viz. walking Ghosts of the dead as they supposed or Spectra appearing in the shape of this or that Person that was dead So the appearing of a representation of Samuel raised by the Witch of Endor they would account a Spirit And that remarkable passage Luke XXIV 36 37. As they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed they had seen a Spirit That is They did not think that it was Jesus in his own person that stood in the midst of them but some apparition only in his shape Now the Pharisees thought there were such Ghosts and Apparitions And so did the Heathen also conceive And Tully a Heathen from that very thing doth plead the Immortality of the Soul For saith he since men that are dead appear to the living it is a sign that they also live though they be dead and that they are not quite extinguished That there have been and may be such Apparitions there is no question and Histories give us some instances in this kind As one among many that famous story of the Ghost of Julius Cesar after his being murthered in the Senate appearing to Brutus who had had a chief hand in the murther and telling him Videâ—is me apud Philippos Thou shalt see me again at Philippi And so he did And the very forbidding of Necromancy in Scripture doth argue that there may be such Apparitions Deut. XVIII 10 11. There shall not be found among you an Inchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or a consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizzard or a Necromancer Now what is a Necromancer The very Greek word speaks it that it is one that consults or asks Council of the Dead as the Witch of Endor would do of Samuel And there is a hint of such a thing Esai VIII 19. should not a people seek unto their God should they seek for the living to the dead Now though the Pharisees with the Law condemned this wickedness and witchcraft of consulting the dead yet if any such Apparition offered it self voluntary without such calling forth by Sorcery they accounted it to be harkened to Therefore they say If a Spirit or an Angel have spoken to him let us not fight against God But the Sadducees denied there was any such thing as Spirit or Angel Where a Second question ariseth Whether they thought there were no such Incorporeal II. substances as Angels or Spirits Or whether their meaning was that the appearing of Angels and Spirits was now ceased and to be no more There is an expression something like this later Joh. VII 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified The Holy Ghost was not yet for so the original Greek hath it exactly And was there ever a time when the Holy Ghost was not in being Our English hath well resolved it in adding one word The Holy Ghost was not yet given He was in being from all Eternity but he was not given and bestowed upon men as he was to be when Jesus should be glorified And so in that answer of certain Ephesians to Paul Act. 19. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Yes they had heard that a thousand times over that there was an Holy Ghost But their meaning is we have not heard whether he be restored again to Israel since his departing away after the death of Zechary and Malachi and those last Prophets So if the Sadducees did acknowledg such things in being as Angels and Spirits yet they might deny that such things were in acting then No appearing of Angels and Spirits then for that was clean vanished It was most true that after the death of those last Prophets the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation departed from Israel till the coming in of the Gospel For a matter of four hundred years no Vision no Prophesie no appearing of Angels no Oracle by Urim and Thummim no extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost Samsons locks and strength shaved off and gone And those great privileges that that people had
it did begin So though the Passover be appointed to be in that first month that began the new year and be called an Everlasting Ordinance Exod. XII 16. Yet upon occasion the Lord ordained it to be kept in the second month Numb IX To this we may add Gods changing the very end and memorial of the Sabbath to Israel themselves Changing said I or rather adding a new memorial which it had not before In Exod. XX. the memorial is to remember Gods creating and resting in Deut. V. where the Ten Commandments are repeated it is in memorial of their redemption out of Egypt Not unclothed of its first end and memorial but clothed upon So if Adam had continued innocent he must have kept the Sabbath and then it had been to him but the memorial of Gods creating and resting But when Christ and redemption by him was set up and come in before the Sabbath came in then it was clothed with another memorial viz. the remembrance of the redemption II. Christ had power and authority to change the Sabbath Mark II. 28. The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath He had power over all Divine Ordinances Hebr. III. 5 6. Now Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant c. But Christ as a Son over his own house He is not a Servant in the house but a Son to dispose of the affairs of the house as he sees good He is greater than the Temple and so may order the affairs of the Temple as he saw good If a Jew question why he laid by the Ceremonies of Moses The answer is ready because he was greater than Moses Lord of the house in which Moses was but a Servant Nay it was he that appointed Moses those Ceremonies and he might unappoint them at his pleasure That is observable Act. VII 38. This is that Moses that was in the Church in the wilderness with the Angel which spake to him at Mount Sinai and with our Fathers who received the lively Oracles to give us With the Angel who was that It was Christ the great Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. III. 1. The Angel of Gods presence as he is called Esai LXIII 9. Then who spake with Moses at Mount Sinai It was Christ. Who gave him the Lively Oracles Laws Testimonies Statutes It was Christ. And then might Christ that gave them dispose of them as seemed him good So that if a Jew question why Christ changed Circumcision into Baptism the Paschal Lamb into Bread and Wine the Jewish Sabbath into the Christian Sabbath The answer is ready he was Lord of them and might dispose of them Het set up Circumcision the Passover the Jewish Sabbath and might take them down and alter them as he pleased III. Ye read once and again in Scripture of Gods creating a new world Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. III. 13. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth Rev. XXI 1. And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Now when was this done The Apostle tells us when viz. in his own time 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature The meaning of it is Gods creating a new Estate of things under the Gospel a new Church the Jews cast off and the Gentiles taken in new ordinances in his Church Ceremonious worship taken down and Spiritual set up new Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper instead of the Circumcision and Passover a new Command of love to one another a new Covenant a new and living way into the most holy a new Creature and in a word all things become new Then certainly a new Sabbath was fit for a new Creation Lay these two places together Gen. I. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth In fulness of time God created new Heavens and a new Earth and as the first Creation had the old Sabbath so was it not fit the new Creation should have a new Sabbath As our Saviour speaks Mat. IX 17. New cloth must not be put into an old garment nor new wine into old bottles but new wine must be put into new vessels and both are preserved So in this case a new manner of worship new Ordinances new Sacraments to be committed to the old Sabbath This is improper but a new Sabbath must be for these as well as they themselves are new How pied would Christianity have looked if it had worn a Coat all new in other respects but had had on the shirt or piecing of the old Sabbath And how unfit was it to have tyed Christians to the observation of the old Sabbath of the Jews IV. The Resurrection of Christ was the day of his birth and beginning of his Kingdom Observe the quotation Acts XIII 33. The promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled to us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee When was the day wherein Christ was begotten In the day that God raised him from the dead That is strange for as he was God was he not begotten from Eternity and as he was man was he not conceived by the Holy Ghost and born three and thirty years and an half before his Resurrection Yes both most true and yet that true too that he was begotten from the day of his Resurrection And the Apostle tells you how to understand it viz. He was the first begotten and first born from the dead begotten that day to the Gentiles and all the world from thenceforward a Saviour to them and by his Resurrection as the Apostle saith Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the dead So likewise his Resurrection was the beginning of his Reign and Kingdom Consider upon that Mat. XXVI 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom That is when I am risen from the dead And see Mat. XXVIII 18. Now I begin to reign All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth For now he had conquered all his Enemies Devil Death and Hell Now was not the first day of the week the day on which Christ rose fitter to be made the Sabbath to commemorate his Birth-day from the dead and his entrance into his Kingdom than the last day of the week the old Sabbath on which day he lay in the grave and under death Kings and Potentates use to celebrate their Birth-day and the day of entrance into their Kingdom and this King of Kings was it not fit that such a memorial should be of his Birth-day and entrance into his Dominion And compare the Creation and Christs Resurrection whether of
Balaam loved the wages the wages of unrighteousness yet he could wish to dye the death of the righteous Numb XXIII 10. Even Conscience beareth witness to this truth that dying in any sin is damnable But how is it possible but some sin will stick to the best of men I answer II. True that there is no man living without sin but we are to distinguish upon two things First Twixt sin and guilt If we consider presly it is not the sin that immediately damns but the guilt of the sin A thief hanged the sin of robbing is past and gone but the guilt of it brings him to the gallows so sin as to the act is over and gone but the guilt sticks Now there is some sin which binds not a man over to guilt to condemn him Psal. XXXII 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin There is sin but the guilt of it is not charged on men But what sin is that I might answer All sins already pardoned have they been never so great Rom. VIII 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth But we speak of sins that stick at the instant of death Therefore Secondly We distinguish upon the sticking of sin to the flesh and to the heart A Saint hath sin sticking to the flesh not to the heart Rom. VII ult With the mind I serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin As if we get the disease from the heart it is not so deadly so Saints having got sin from their hearts it is not damning to them They hate it but it cleaves to their flesh So that the guilt of such sins is pardoned all along because the Saint all along strives and prays against them It is not I but sin in me Not my heart or consent but sin in my flesh that will neither be got out nor quiet In a word a dying sin cannot kill a dying man Sin is mortified all along and if in death it stirs yet it is dying and hath not power to kill And this have I spoken to remove that error about this Article of the Creed that Christ descended to Hell to fetch Souls to Heaven that yet wanted something to bring them thither II. A second opinion and interpretation is that he descended locally to triumph over II. the Devils and the damned An Interpretation that seems to carry more sense and innocence and yet is far from the meaning of the Article To take it into examination First To consider something concerning Christs Soul when separate from his body I. It is undoubted that it went to Heaven assoon as departed and it is very unwarrantable to look for it in Hell unless we have good evidence of the Scripture at least of reason for it His words on the Cross to the good thief were To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Luke XXIII 43. and his last words to God were Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit vers 46. Now who can doubt but he was instantly in Heaven and his Soul with God And when and indeed why should it go to Hell Christ was dead but thirty six hours and his Soul to be on the Cross in Heaven and Hell in that time is a flitting up and down that unless the Spirit of Christ himself in Scripture tell us so how can we believe it That it flitted from the Cross to Heaven Scripture is plain but that it flitted from Heaven to Hell we are yet to seek Ye shall seek me and not find me Truly according to this opinion we know not where to seek him nor to find him in that time If you will take the propriety of his own words Luke XXIII 46. Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And John XVII 11 13. I am no more in the World but these are in the World and I come to thee And now I come to thee you may certainly conclude that his Soul was with God while it was separate but that it was in Hell any moment of that time there is not one tittle of Scripture to give any evidence but Act. II. 27. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell and this Article of which we shall shew a far other sense II. Was it possible that Christs Soul should go from Heaven to Hell The Souls of the glorified Saints cannot and I question whether Christs could or not See Luke XVI 26. Between us and you there is a great gulph fixed so that they which would pass from us to you cannot Whence I observe two things 1. What is meant by a great Gulph an unsuperable unpassableness from one to another But especially 2. They that would pass from hence to you Are there any in Heaven that ever would go to Hell The Devils indeed chose it but I question whether they understood what Hell meant so well as they do now But never blessed Soul did nor could do it They are too much delighted with the happy enjoyment of God to make such a choise But Christ by that expression in the Parable does the more shew how it is impossible for a Soul once in Heaven to go thence to Hell that if it could be supposed they would do it it cannot be done And could Christs Soul do it any more Could Christs Soul have any delight to leave the joys of Heaven to go to Hell III. There is no reason no Scripture to tell us that Christs Soul had any thing to do as to the work of Redemption or Mediatorship when separate from the body What will you make of this Triumphing Was it any part of his Redeeming or Mediatorship If it were not what was it If it were why not acted per totum Christum by whole Christ Christ performed the whole Law as Totus Christus whole Christ viz. As to his humane nature in Soul and Body He was upon the Cross as Totus Christus Whole Christ he rose ascended sits in Heaven as Totus Christus Whole Christ Body and Soul And we are bound to believe in toto Christo In whole Christ as Redeemer and Mediator as God so perfectly Man of Body and Soul consisting And it were but an improper piece of Faith to believe so great a thing as his work in Hell is made to be to be done by a part of Christ for his Soul was but one part of him But Secondly Let us speak a little to this Triumphing I. The opinion is taken up I suppose in allusion to the custom of the Romans They conquered and then led their prisoners in Triumph the Conqueror in his triumphal Chariot the Captives in chains after it Cleopatra would kill her self rather than be thus led in triumph Now what was this but a pompous proud and vain shew And what will they make of this Triumph of Christ Nothing but a shew For what did he in this Triumph Who can imagine what but shew himself there Did he
their character of Hades 1. They thought it was a place under the Earth And the reason is because they thought none went to Heaven but those that were to be gods all others went to Hades Hence Aeneas and Ulysses went down into the Earth to the World of Souls there to confer with some dead friends Hence the cheat of the Devil to bring Ghosts as ascending out of the Earth 1 Sam. XXVIII 13. 2. This place of Souls had two parts viz. Elysium and Tartarus and those parted with a deep gulph of a deadly River and that from one side they could see and talk to the other According to this common opinion Christ frames his Parable Luke XVI 23. He in Hades in the place of torment looks over the gulph and talks with Abraham So that both good and bad when dead went to Hades the good to the place of rest and delight the bad to the place of sorrow and pain So the Greek Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Both go to Hades c. Lazarus went to Hades and so did the rich man too but to contrary conditions IV. In this sense then is the Article to be taken as speaking according to the common notion That Christs Soul went to Hades to the other World to the place where good Souls went which Scripture hath taught us is Heaven The word Hell now is come to signifie only the place of torment but of old it signified larger as the word Hades does and by the Greek word and its signification we must construe it Let me give you a word parallel The word Knave is now taken only in a bad sense of old it signified a Servant So some old Translations express A Servant of the Lord by A Knave of the Lord. When we read that we do not construe it by the present sense of the word but by the old and by the original Hebrew So when in this Article we read the word Hell we must not construe it according to our present common acceptation but as of old it signified the place and state of all Souls departed And so in this Article there are these three Doctrines comprised I. That Christ had a true humane Soul like other men Like to us he had a Soul that was reasonable that inlivened the Body that was whole in it and not the Divinity that inlivened and actuated his Body II. That when Christ died there was a real separation of Soul and Body as it is with other men The Soul slept not with the Body but was separate from it Though it was to come into the Body again yet it forsook the Body and was separate III. As soon as it was departed it went into another World of Souls to a place where holy Souls go viz. to Heaven And there continued till it was to return to the Body It was in Paradise all the while the Body was in the grave Object Is this the meaning of Act. II. 27. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell or Hades If Hades mean Paradise why should Christ pray against being left in Hades My Flesh shall rest in hope that it shall not be left in Hades and hopes he not that his Soul shall not be left in Hades as he hopes his Body shall not see corruption Answer He doth not pray thus as if it were not well with his Soul in Hades as to what it enjoyed but that it was not well while separate from the Body for that it was while Christ was under death As if he should say Thou wilt not leave me under death my Soul in separation This would be the Triumph of the Devil Observe Christs Soul was in glory the while his Body was in the Grave and yet desires to return to the Body Why That he may finish the work of God by his Resurrection to conquer death As I said It is Hell to the Devil not to be doing evil so it is Heaven to Christ to do the Will of God He left the bosom of the Father to come into the World and when his Soul was in the bosom of his Father again in those joys that are not expressible yet it would rather do the work of God Ask a Soul there wouldest thou be on Earth again No. But wouldest thou be on Earth to do God service there Yes it is as Heaven to be doing any thing for God Ubi Imperator ibi Roma Where the Emperor is there is Rome so wheresoever a man can please God it is Heaven to him Here is the happiness of Saints in Heaven that their Will is wholly swallowed up in the Will of God It is a question where Lazarus his Soul was while he was four days dead Why undoubtedly no where but in Heaven But the reason of the objection is Because it was but a wrong or misery to his Soul to send it from Heaven again Blessed Soul dost thou think so No any thing to obey the Will of God So the Soul of Christ was in glory in the midst of unspeakable joys yet he would not have it continue there till the work of God was done Soul thou art well be content keep in Paradise still let the Body lye in the Grave it feels not hurt Ah! but all this while Satan Death is not conquered Gods cause is not pleaded and finished let that work first be done and then both to glory That that I speak to and that that the Article aims at is that Christ had a humane Soul like other men but that not sinful and that it departed as the Souls of other men Some on Gen. I. 26 27. And God said Let us make man in our image say God set Christ before him and made man after the image of Christ as though they would say God made the first Adam in the image of the second whereas we should say the contrary God made the second Adam in the image of the first So Phil. II. 7 8. He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man c. Not man at first created in the likeness of Christ but Christ was brought into the World in the likeness of man And how Christs Soul was like other mens I shall observe to you in three things I. In its infusion into the Body II. In its existence and acting in the Body III. In its going out of the Body Men saw his Body like other mens and in these his Soul shewed it self like other mens also I. By its infusion or induction into the Body But here you will say the Copy is darker than to know what to write after it It is controverted how Souls are put into the Body and there are two mistakes about it viz. Praeexistence and Generation which this may rectisie Some hold Praeexistence of Souls that they were created at the beginning of the World and put in at last into Bodies And