and accurately distinguished from their life works and manners for 't is possible their works may be corrupt and evil though their doctrine be sound and good We seem by this doctrine to introduce a possibility of doing what the Law requires whereas Faith and Works are every where opposed Faith and Works are not opposed but Faith and the Works of the Law are opposed Observ 6. The Lord wills the observation and obedience unto his Law by whomsoever it is taught whether they be scribes learned only in the Letter as these were or Scribes taught unto the Kingdom of God Mat. 13. Obs 7. The Lord wills that the Multitude and his Disciples perform all outward obedience unto the Law of God the Scribes and Pharisees had taught the people that and no other so Mat. 5. they taught them that they should not Kill not commit Adultery not forswear themselves c. They urged the Law no farther than the outward observation of it nor knew they or would acknowledge any other obligation to the Law beside only the outward yet was the Sect of the Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most exact Paul was a great proficient herein who professeth Act. 26.5 that he had lived blameless Gal. 3.16 where by the Law he means the Law of Works whereof the Magistrate could take cognizance not the Law of the Spirit of Life for the Magistrate cannot see nor punish any breach of that Law which therefore Clemens Alexandrinus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore St. Paul tells us Rom. 7.7 That he had not known Lust to be sin unless the Law had said Thou shalt not Lust Whence Josephus a learned Pharisee blames Polybius that excellent Historian because he ascribed the death of Antiochus to Sacriledge which yet he never effected but only intended for saith he to have a will to commit that sin if he did it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see then whereto the Pharisees doctrine tended even to the outward observation of Gods Law and no further This and this only the Scribes and Pharisees taught and in this the Lord commands the Multitude and his Disciples to obey them Whence it appears that the Lord requires and esteems actions outwardly good the outward observation of his Law which is much to be observed by them who think that God takes no notice of outward particular actions Observ 8 Note hence the excellency of the Christian Doctrine above that which was taught by the Scribes and Pharisees The Scribes and Pharisees taught men that they should not kill so that if their Disciples laid no violent hands upon men they were not guilty of murder but the Christian Doctrine forbids anger whence murder proceeds and hatred and malice and tells us That he who hates his Brother is a murderer The Scribes and Pharisees forbad Adultery and if men abstained from the outward act they were held innocent and guiltless The Christian Doctrine forbids the lusts of the flesh 1 Joh. 2. and intention of the heart He who looks upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart It is true that which Zophar tells Job that he would shew him the secrets of wisdom Job 11.6 For the Law is not only Literal but Spiritual also The Tables of the Law were written within and without so was the Roll that was given to Ezechiel chap. 2.10 and the Book given to John Rev. 5.1 All which requires an inward and outward Righteousness Righteousnesses holy Conversations and Godlinesses 2 Pet. 3. The Scribes and Pharisees taught the outward Writing outward Righteousness outward Conversation and they were very strict therein The Lord teacheth his Disciples That unless our Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven That Righteousness which must exceed another must comprehend all the other and add more to it It 's a known Principle and that which needs no demonstration no proof at all it s the ground of after demonstrations Majus comprehendit in se minus If therefore the Righteousness of Christ and his Apostles which he requires of them must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees and that upon the greatest of penalties Surely the Righteousness of Christs Disciples must contain that Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees in it Repreh The false Disciples who pretend Faith in Christ and obedience unto his Chair yet are not obedient unto the Chair of Moses who come short of the Righteousness outward of the Law The Scribes and Pharisees taught that men must not Kill the pretending Disciples of Christ and those more Refined and Reformed Kill and destroy one another The Scribes and Pharisees taught men that they should not commit Adultery The pretending and seeming most reformed Christians Rant and Whore and live in all outward uncleanness Yea herein the old Pharisees were better than the new they taught the Law the new ones teach and believe that they are saved by a bare Faith Exhort 1. If the Scribes and Pharisees do Moses's work and draw men let us yield our selves to be drawn unto Jesus Christ by them Exhort 2. To those who sit in Christ's Chair and preach the Gospel that they would teach by words and works It is said of our great Master that he was potens Opere Sermone mighty in Word and Deed. Observ 9. What great commendation it is for a man to be Orthodox and of a right judgement and opinion touching divine truth which is cryed up now a dayes as if it were the principal part of Christianity for men may be Orthodox and sound in their opinions yet wicked in their lives Such here were the Scribes and Pharisees Obj. But must I not do after the works of my Teachers whom then shall I follow Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imitating Creature and whom shall he imitate if not his Teachers Sol. The Teachers of the Scribes and Pharisees are not to be followed in what they do 2. It 's possible that some other may be found whose doings thou mayest follow as well as their sayings yea though they say little but walk on through the gainsaying world in silence yet their works preach unto us Their Life is a continual Sermon If thou find none such in the world thou hast an infallible pattern a spotless mirrour an example exact according to the Will and Word of God the Lord Jesus Christ do after his works He is the Light of the world he that follows him shall not walk in darkness because he sees the Light of this World God the Father well knew there would be many sayers few doers of his Word that the Scribes and Pharisees in all Ages would be the same such as would say and do not and therefore he hath given an unerring Guide unto the world his Word that speaks to us and in us That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath spoken in all men from the beginning
meekness patience long-suffering and moderation Would God we could all learn that lesson from the best teacher I say unto you resist not evil c. Mat. 5.38 39. The law-giver himself resists not evil He commands no more to us than he practiseth himself There is a world of evil the whole world lies in evil jacet in maligno yet our God resists it not but is patient and long-suffering not willing that any should perish c. Then it seems our God is not just his way is not equal No! Are not his wayes equal are not our wayes rather unequal We know not I fear what it is to be Just Justice is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rigid enmity and exactness which some call Justice No Justice is tempered with Mercy yea often in Scripture taken for Mercy or the effects of it Deut. 6.25 it shall be your righteousness Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 24. Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord c. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mercy from the God of his salvation and 32.5 The Lord loveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness and judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many the like as Matth. 6.1 Nolite facere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your mercy or your alms before men According to this notion we understand what is meant by a Righteous or Just Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 1.19 2 King 6.21 My Father shall I smite them so speaks the rigour of the Law Elisha answers set bread and water before them there 's the lenity of the Gospel the severity of the Law is allayed by the Clemency and Mercy of the Gospel even in time of the Law Say not I will do to him as he hath done to me Exhort To observe the just Commandment of our God It is the voice of the Law and the voice of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 RIGHTEOVSNESS RIGHTEOVSNESS that which is altogether just shalt thou do Deut. 16.20 Such is that summ of the Law and Prophets and Gospel also Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye the same unto them Our Lord commends these things as the great things of the Law to be performed under the Gospel Matth. 23.23 Judgement Mercy and Faith Object But to what purpose is the Law and just Commandment if it cannot justifie What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.3 We are wont to admire the righteousness of Christ and well we may it is worthy our greatest admiration But we little consider that that reproves our unrighteousness and makes for our greater condemnation What we admire for the excellency of it we desire to partake and have a share of it Thus the desire of any earthly thing Gold and Silver Honour Pleasure if named they stir up the desire of themselves in us There is Corn in Aegypt O remember how short our time is how uncertain There is not a more succinct breviate of Christianity than that Titus 2.11 12. Qui justus est justificetur adhuc O consider I beseech ye how short how uncertain how brittle our life is in this present world and how much we have to do in it the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Cleansed therefore we must be from all unrighteousness if ever we inherit that kingdom 1 Joh. 1.9 It 's too late to go about this work when this life is ended therefore whatsoever thine hand finds now to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccles 9.10 Means Hunger and thirst after it strive for it to enter in at the gate of righteousness in the conquest of thine affections and lusts the true Melchizedech shall meet thee Gen. 14. Our Saviour having propounded many parables to his Disciples Matth. 13.52 concludes with this Epiphonema Every scribe instructed to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a good housholder that bringeth out of his store things both new and old The Apostle is such a learned Scribe such a good housholder he brings out of his treasure things new and old the old is the figurative and typical the new is the truth signified by the type and figure saith Basil The old is the Ceremonial and Judicial Law both figurative and typical the new is the Moral Law contained and signified under both those The Ceremonial and Judicial Commandments are fit for the old people as old wine received into old bottles The Moral Law commended to us under the name of GOOD is fit for the new people the people whom the Lord creates anew Psal 118. as new wine put into new bottles This good wine he hath kept till now 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commandment is good For our better understanding of this let us enquire 1. What is meant by Good and 2. how the Commandment may be said to be good 1. There is nothing more usually in our mouths than this word Good yet I believe all men understand it not aright let us therefore enquire 1. What is meant by the word Good 2. What the essence and nature of the thing is which we call good 1. The word in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn good some deduce it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to admire and wonder at but that which is truly good more nearly concerns us than to gaze and wonder at it I conceive therefore it rather comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duco to lead or guide because that which is truly good leads our appetite our will our love our desire our joy and consequently all the affections the whole heart the whole soul the whole man as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of the same sence signifying true good as also beautiful and lovely is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from calling inviting alluring the whole heart unto it and therefore the Philosopher defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the name of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is good which all things desire or rather according to the formalis ratio boni as they speak that is good which is convenient or agreeing with every thing So that the nature of goodness consists in conveniency and agreeableness unto every thing from which conveniency and agreeableness in every kind ariseth a property called Appetentia and desireabless 2. How is the Law said to be good since the nature of goodness consists in conveniency and agreeableness The Law is therefore said to be good because it agrees with the reasonable appetite which we call the Will so saith the Apostle vers 22. I delight in
except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We are such as deny our Lord and he will deny us at that Great Day our Lord gives us fair and timely warning of it Mat. 7.21 22 23. Luk. 13.26 27. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father Obser 3. Whosoever the Lord is impartial and without respect of persons Obser 4. If our Lord deny those who yet make some outward confession and profession of him because in works they deny him what shall become of those who deny him both in words and works prophane wicked and ungodly men Tit. 1.16 being abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The Apostles prophesie of such to come 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Repreh 1. Do we thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise that we are Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c. Deut. 32.6 2 Pet. 2. 1. Jude 4.18 Obser 1. Observe how the Noble Nature of man is abased and degenerate it needs motives promises and threats of the highest nature to move it but to it 's own duty and threats to terrifie it from its own greatest misery needs consolation for a spur to Divine Glory Christ is the Glory of his people Israel Luk. 2. And shall we who are his people be ashamed of our Glory Shall we turn our Glory to shame Psal 4. Whose Glory is their shame Phil. 3. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour 1 Pet. 2.7 Will a Bride forget her Ornaments Jer. 2.32 Dehort That we would not deny our Lord. Motive He is our Lord shall we deny our Lord He is our Lord that hath bought us He is our owner Even the Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Master's crib and shall not Israel know his Owner Shall his people deny him the Lord that bought them now God forbid 2. Motive The turpitude of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turpitudo Sign Thou deniest him not thou believest that he was born of the Virgin c. and what great matter is it that thou so believest The Devils believe saith St. James But thou confessest that Christ is come in the flesh and the Devils confess so much I know thee who thou art thou Holy One of God Such a belief as this such a confession may consist with a wicked with a diabolical life and he who confesseth Christ so denies him Both contraries work the same effect fulness and emptiness Prov. 30.8 9. Fulness of any thing but God and Christ inclines us to deny him Fulness of Wealth Prov. 30. Lest I be full and deny thee Bread and abundance of idleness holding the Truth in unrighteousness Honour pleasure when thou hast eaten and drunk to the full then take heed Emptiness and appetite of temporal things they confessed him not because they loved the praise of men more than of God Contraria contrariis curantur Contraries are cured by contraries but herein is required Athletica habitudo Our Lord fills the hungry with good things and the rich he sends empty away Lest your beasts be overcharged with surffetting Therefore Sodom was over-thrown and our destruction comes from the same cause Pray unto the Lord to heal our backslidings Hos 14.4 Obj. But this may discourage some weak and misgiving Soul when it shall consider that Christ is denied by a sinful by a disobedient life and that Christ will deny those who so deny him Alas I have denied the Lord. But so did Peter he denied his Lord yea he forswore his Lord yea he cursed himself if he knew his Lord But Peter went out and wept yea he went out and wept bitterly for it yea by a threefold confession through the Grace of him who looked back upon him and caused him to weep bitterly he expiated his threefold denial of his Lord And if thou have denied the Lord that bought thee either in words or works haply for fear as St. Peter did and now thy Lord looks backupon thee and remembers thee of what thou hast done Go out as Peter did go out of thy lewd company such as he was engaged in but above all go out of thy self deny thy self the worst company of all deny thy worldly wisdom thy vain thoughts thy perverse will and affections which have caused thee to deny thy Lord deny ungodliness and worldly lusts follow St. Peter's Counsel as well as his Example Acts 37. The Spirit was not yet come upon Peter Excidit intrà charitatem non a charitate Therefore our Lord looked on him and he upon Christ O but I have been a Persecutor and Blasphemer yea and as they Act. 3.13 14 15. Hear that other great Apostle St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.16 which happened to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Mat. 12. in the beginning Consol To those who confess Christ before men They must displease men there is no help for it If they have persecuted me they will persecute you saith our Saviour Joh. 15.20 the same life being professed by both Wherever men confess Christ the Life there follows the persecution of the world As he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so it is now Wherefore did Cain hate Abel but because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Righteous Saul what evil hast thou done c. See Notes on 1 Thes 4.1 Mel exulcerata mordet Honey is sharp when it meets with ulcers but sweet to them that are in health and sound saith the Oratour Therefore the Cynick spake I know not how truly of Plato What profit saith he can be in that man who having long read Philosophy among us was yet never troublesome to any Doubtless in a mixt Auditory as most are the honey meets with many an ulcer Men will wince when they are galled and therefore no marvel if the Devil cryed out he was tormented by the Lord Mar. 1. how thinkest thou to escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 26.14 15. I am in your hands but know that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your selves Notes on Exod. 20.7 to the same intent with the former MATTHEW 10.32 33. IT is some refreshing to the weary Traveller when he looks back upon the way he hath past I shall therefore in a few words shew you how far we are gone in the way of God's Commandments and where now we are I have hitherto endeavoured to open the Affirmative part of the Third Commandment the Sanctifying and Glorifying of God's Name in sundry special and principal Acts belonging thereunto The Precept is now Negatively to be considered as it lies in the Text. In the words are these severals 1. The Lord's will is That we take not his Name in vain 2. The Lord will
great but nothing at all without Charity Yea on the contrary the very least and meanest duty performed from this principle as the giving of a Cup and but a cup of water and that cold water it looseth not the reward a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should say He shall have a great reward Mat. 10.42 Yea to do our Neighbour the greatest evil if not out of hatred was pardonable and a means found for his safety Deut. 4.42 yea though he kill him not though he do him no harm yet if he hate him he is a murderer he is reputed to do him the greatest hurt 1 Joh. 3.15 So that it appears as commodious and profitable as just and reasonable that we love the Lord our God with all our heart c. Not that the love of our God is purchased or that it looks at a further reward but upon our love of God there follows a reward as St. Bernard Non sine praemio diligitur Deus etiamsi absque praemio in luctu diligendus sit Deus And that reward what is it but he himself that is beloved Gen. 15.1 2. habet praemium sed id ipsum quod amatur as he goes on for so he loves them that love him which is his second love Prov. 8.17 But for our better understanding of this reward we may distinguish it into that which we obtain in this life and in that to come According to the distinction of the Schoo◠that Beatitudo is either Viae or Patriae that Beatitudo viae is our Union with God by Faith and Love and he that is thus joyned unto God is one spirit with him that loves him happy union when it comes to pass he loves all the souls of those that love him he keeps his mercy for thousands of those that love him Exod. 20. Dan. 9.4 And all things work together for good to them that love him Rom. 8.28 2 Cor. 3. O blessed Union I would to God we did well consider of it what a deal of toil it would save us for I beseech you what do we seek for in our looser time of youth in pleasures of all sorts but only the best good what else but the same good in our riper years in pursuit of honour and reputation what follow we after in our old age but the chief good in wealth we think 't is there as he that said he had much good laid up for many years Thus we pursue the best good all our life long and but catch at the shadows of it embrace nubem pro Junone Thus Impii ambulant in circuitu they go about and about and pursue the chief good throughout all the Creatures in particular and say who can shew us any good Beloved to shew you uno intuitu all at once what we all desire and seek for as it may be had without all this trouble Ostendam tibi omne bonum I will shew unto thee all good 'T is our God and thus to love him is to have him This is the goodness that God hath laid up for them that love him and that before the eyes of Men. 2. But as for that Beatitudo Patriae 't is beyond expression Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him yet the Spirit of God sets this reward out by the most glorious things we either see or hear of or can enter into our heart For 1. What 's more glorious than a Crown and a Kingdom but God shall give the Crown of Righteousness to every one that loves him 2 Tim. 4.8 the Crown of Life to those that love him Jam. 1.12 The Kingdom of Heaven to those that love him Jam. 2.5 But perhaps so long an Exhortation was not needful for we do love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our mind Would God we did but it 's as easie a matter to discover whether we do or not as 't is to say we do wherefore I appeal to thee who ever thou art whither stands the bent and inclination of thine heart Is it towards God and the doing of his Will or towards thy self and the doing thine own Will and Pleasure or because the heart is deceitful dost thou seriously endeavour with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength to keep the Commandments of thy God You know Beloved yea and the world knows too whether it be thus with us or no if it be so how comes it then to pass that there is so much hearing now a days what the Will and Commandment of God is and so little practice of it so much holy conference and so little holy doing Some Religious prattler would say That the Commandments of God are done to our hand and that there 's nothing now to be done by us but to believe that they are done for us and to talk of them A Generation of men like those in Ezechiels time They come unto thee saith the Lord to Ezechiel chap. 33.1 2. as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their Covetousness for they hear thy words but they do them not Alas they consider not what Christ himself saith Joh. 14.21 If ye love me keep my Commandments and therefore the love of God and keeping his Commandments are joyned together as being of one and the same nature as Exod. 20. Dan. 9. beside other places nay in express terms This is the love of God saith St. John that we keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 5.3 But if these fall short of the holy Commandment what shall we say of others who yet pretend and would be thought to love God with all their heart though they make not so great an outward shew of it as they are wont to say But if a man love me saith our Lord he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and dwell with him Joh. 14.23 Christ knocks at the door thy heart wherewith thou sayest thou lovest him and would fain enter prae amore excludis foras dost thou shut him out of doors for meer love dost thou burden him for love Here we may mind you of that Proverb The old Cart lasts longer than the new dost thou wound him for love Thou pretendest thou lovest God I appeal unto thee Art thou not a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God dost thou not rather love to inveigh against others for not loving him than to love him thy self dost thou blaspheme that worthy Name of Christ by which thou art called dost thou not again by thine oaths raise those wounds wherewith thy God and Saviour testified his love unto thee This is not so much as to shew
will hinder them from joyning in that day like birds shut up in a room seeing the light fly against the windows and beat and destroy themselves not considering that there is somewhat separates between them and their God they consider not the darkness in themselves whereas in God there is no darkness at all The Saints are light and such as have no darkness in them not considering those contrariae fortitudines the powerful opposition of malignant spirits which withstand us in our march Joel 2.4 the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen so shall they run These hinder the coming of that glorious kingdom that glory to be reveiled in us Rom. 8. How much better then were it to pray unto the Lord to dispel that darkness which interposeth it self between us and his kingdom of light to enable us to mortifie and kill these contrary powers these malignants and cavaliers within us then shall the kingdom of God presently appear then shall not any outward enemy be able to withstand us These are not the enemies which our Lord commanded us to love no he who will not hate these enemies and shed their blood is a malignant These are the true Amalekites which lick up the blood of the peoples souls with whom we must have war from Generation to generation O Beloved I fear we have not yet thus resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 we have not yet let out the blood and life of sin and spilt it on the ground for had we thus shed the blood and life of sin had we subdued these inward enemies no outward enemy should prevail against us nay upon condition of obedience the Lord promiseth us victory over all our outward enemies Lev. 26.7 8. Ye shall chase your enemies and they shall fall before you by the sword and five of you shall chase an hundred and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword Yea Deut. 32.30 How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Repreh The crooked Generation who pervert and make crooked the Lords right and straight way Act. 13.10 Paul takes up Elymas the Sorcerer for this O thou full of all subtilty and wickedness thou son of the devil wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight and right wayes of the Lord What are the right wayes of the Lord vers 8. Elymas sought to turn the Deputy from the Faith Faith Repentance Obedience a new Life these are the right wayes of the Lord The Sorcerer sought to turn the Deputy from these and therefore Paul calls him full of wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a propensity or proness to all sin and easiness to commit iniquity and calls him an enemy of all righteousness for righteousness it is Gods straight way and what so great an enemy to it as the crooked way of the Devil and therefore he calls him the Child of the Devil that crooked Serpent who is endeavouring to pervert and make crooked the right and straight wayes of the Lord. Thus do they pervert the straight way of the Lord the way of Faith who believe in a Christ without them and separate from them both justice and time One thousand six hundred years agoe the true Christian Faith is in Christ with you and in you unless ye be reprobates What Sorcerers then are those who point us only unto Christ without us They pervert the right wayes of the Lord. Repreh 2. Those who go about some other way to heaven then the Lord hath appointed The Lord called to him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden But the Papists tell us we should use more manners and sue to him by a proxie go to his Mother or go to the Saints or Angels Their fear of me is taught by the precepts of men by the way of a lewd and wicked life to that purpose is their discouragement of young ones who would keep them from entring into the Land of Promise Amalek opposed Israel licking up the people A ragged Colt they say makes a good Horse 'T is possible but it 's a great way about yea is it not taught that men of an honest moral life are out of the way of the Lord yea and more out of the way then open and profane men An assertion most false and most ridiculous for civil and moral men have at least the outside good profane men are neither in the way of righteousness inwardly nor outwardly moral men have one part of righteousness profane men none at all I deny not but Whoremongers and Adulterers entred into the Kingdom of Heaven before the Pharisees but the grosness of their sins was such it appeared to themselves plainly that they were out of the way and so they repented and believed the Gospel But the Pharisees opposed the Faith of Jesus Christ and believed not But can this justifie those who condemn and censure men as Pharisaical against whom they have no exception at all but only because they live outwardly strict and honest lives I am sure they cannot know their hearts otherwise than by their lives And there is no better sign of an honest heart than an honest life yet because they live honestly they censure them as Pharisaical I wish such censurers so well that I would to God I had the same exception against them Now Beloved since there are so many by-wayes so many crooked paths 't is evident unto any common judgement that it 's possible for men to walk in opposite and contrary wayes of Religion one to other yet neither of them in Gods way Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim both against Judah Isa 9.21 The Pharisees against the Sadducees and the Sadducees against the Pharisees and both against Christ. There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Antichrists all opposite one to another and all unto Christ And the reason is a right line and so a right way is but one between two terms but crooked lines may be infinite this is the rather to be heeded because ignorant men reason thus The malignant party the opposite faction walks in a crooked way and is out of Gods way therefore we are in the right way and in Gods way It followeth not for there may be more crooked lines than one but why are they out of the way they are bloody men cruel men merciless men cursers swearers blasphemers plunderers and robbers c. Be this granted surely who ever are such are out of Gods way Psal 14.4 They are all gone out of the way and why their throat is an open sepulcher their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood But why then are not we out of the way bloody men cruel men merciless men if not swearers yet abominable lyars we are all gone out of the way altogether become abominable why for the very same reason our
in the Letter and outward part thereof Our Lord tells his Disciples That except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven How could they exceed their Righteousness but by their obedience unto the spiritual Law of God Observ 4. The Preacher may preach and all in vain the Sacraments may be administred and yet in vain Jesus Christ may be set forth evidently before mens eyes crucified in them and all in vain After all is done it 's possible men may not obey the Truth and then all this labour is lost How often have Christians received the holy Communion yet have they not shewn forth the Lords death in dying to any one sin which yet is the end the principal end of this holy Sacrament Yea the end of all our coming to Church the end of all our reading hearing all our fasting humiliation receiving the holy Sacrament it is our obedience Yea the end of all Christs Humiliation Christs humbling himself to the death the painful lingering infamous accursed death of the Cross it is our obedience that the same obedient mind might be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself c. Observ 5. Men are then said not to obey the Truth when they follow not when they imitate not the actions and passions dyings and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Thus Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh This even the Devil knew and confessed But every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God That he is come in thy flesh and mine and formed in us for so the word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Jesus Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 And forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same How is that For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2. So 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins How does that follow The same Apostle tells us Rom. 8. If we dye with him we believe that we shall also live with him For the following of Christ in his Resurrection is rising from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness And thus Christ dyed for our sins that we might also dye to them and rose again for our justification that we might arise unto Righteousness and a new Life So that if Christ be not risen and we with him we are yet in our sins and this is that which by some is called motus antitypi Axom 4. Some or other had bewitched the Galatians that they did not obey the truth The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence is derived the Latin word fascino which signifies either to bewitch or to envy and both may very well fit this place of Scripture 1. To envy and so the Apostle may expostulate with them what Jew yet in the state of servants hath envyed you the liberty of sons 2. Or who hath bewitched you who hath so cast a mist before your eyes who hath so dazled your sight with deceptio visus that ye think ye see what ye see not or cannot see that which is visible and easie to be seen for so no doubt the evil one being the prince of the air can make the Species and Images of things appear which really and truly are not and so intervert and turn aside the Images of things which are that to some they do not appear For if we consider him who bewitches them viz. the grand impostor the Devil we shall find that he according to the Degree of that Divine Power manifested or put forth in men by the Father Son and Spirit he also puts forth his power of darkness to oppose it for as there is the holy Trinity in the Divinity so is there also an infernal trinity in the Devils nature a father of lyes a son of perdition and a spirit of error As therefore when Moses came into Egypt the father of lyes sent forth Jannes and Jambres which withstood Moses So when the Lord Jesus sent forth his Disciples and Apostles to preach the Gospel of Christ crucified then the Devil sent forth Barjesus Act. 13.6 who transforms himself as if he were Jesus the Son of God to oppose them and therefore he is called Barjesus the son of Jesus For as Jesus the Son of God saves his people from their sins Matth. 1. So Barjesus this son of the Devil as he is called endeavours to delude and save the people from grace and righteousness vers 8. Observ 1. That the Lord is not the cause of our disobedience either by any antecedent Decree or by any present instinct nor motion inclining us unto sin O no the Wiseman warns us that we should not say or think so Ecclus 15.11 12. Say not thou it is through the Lord that I fell away for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth Say not thou he caused me to err for he hath no need of the sinful man No doubt were he the cause he would not reprove he would not punish eternally the disobedient souls Observ 2. Disobedience is a kind of witchery Samuel saith as much in so many words Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text which signifies to envy and to bewitch And the Wiseman tells us That by the envy of the Devil sin entred into the world The Devil himself is the grand Sorcerer by this envy of him also iniquity the great witch the old witch she came into the world So the Wiseman tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the witching of naughtiness or wickedness Wisd 4.12 This grand Sorcerer hath also his Ministers who are great Inchanters of the people 2 Cor. 11.4 Sometimes these bewitch the multitude with their doctrine as there are some plausible doctrines which bewitch Christians that they do not obey the truth such is that which would perswade us 1. That the Law of God belongs not unto those that are in Christ then if no law no transgression 2. That God sees no sin in his people where yet sin is to be seen Psal 50.21 22. 3. That Christ hath done all things already to our hands and left us nothing to do but believe it Matth. 7.21 4. That as soon as we have begun to do well there 's no fear of falling away when the Apostle faith Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 5. That sin cannot be subdued no not by Christ in us while we live here when yet faith is the victory that overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Phil. 4.13 I can do all through Christ who strengthneth me These and such as these are obligamenta magica magical tyes which bind men from walking in
of the end of all these for spiritual and heavenly things are imparted by God unto men and by men unto men for their edifying 1 Cor. 14. which cannot be without some outward Form of words or other expressions There is one Form of Godliness seems not at all to be used as singing of Psalms in the Congregation Why Because some there are very unfit to sing them Respon This cannot be denyed yet for this inconvenience it followeth not that the custom of singing Psalms in the Church should be laid aside For 1. Psalmodia hath been a Form of Godliness both in the Church of the Jews and all Christian Congregations wherein it 's probable there have been some as unfit as in our days 2. Though some unfit yet out of the judgement of Charity yea of certainty some are fit and the unfitness of some cannot debar others from the comfortable use of that Duty 3. It is a Duty 4. Our Lord himself fore-told Psal 22.25 and 35.18 That he would praise the Father in the great Congregation as the Apostle applys it Heb. 2.12 5. For the same Reason they who are unfit to sing should be unfit to read them 6. And 't is possible they may by the grace of God be made fit Many hear outwardly who are not fit to hear but thereby many become fit Observ 1. Note hence the great goodness of God and his love unto Mankind that having made Man for himself he could not satisfie his love with making him Lord of all the Creatures no not with any thing less than the Image of himself imparting the shape of himself unto him Joh. 5. And because similitudo est causa Amoris similitude and likeness is the cause of Love That he might love him more he makes man like unto himself Godlike or as in our language Godly that we should be imitators and followers of God as his dear children Eph. 5.1 Observ 2. Yea since the only Wise God hath so made us and embodied us and cast us into a fleshly mould that we cannot understand any thing from without otherwise than by outward Images and sensible representations of inward things He is graciously pleased to convey the inward by the outward and therefore he is said to have made the two disciplinary Senses Prov. Thus Circumcision the Passover all the Sacrifices and Oblations yea the whole Ceremonial Law are Forms of Godliness whereby the only Wise God condescended unto his people thereby to convey the true spiritual and inward Godliness unto them by those outward and visible signs representing unto them spiritual things Ezech. 37.18 These and such as these outward and visible Forms are called by sutable names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus also the Lord imparts his Godliness by something audible proportionable to the other disciplinary sense of Hearing Rom. 6.17 2 Tim. 1.13 Observ 3. Hence appears their errour who out of a pretence of a pure spirituality condemn all Forms of Godliness without any difference at all and condemn all those who use Forms of Godliness Thus the Sacrament of Baptism is with them such a Form of Godliness as is not to be used Thus also the Lords Supper Instituted of Christ himself is by such sleighted as a Form of Godliness Thus thanksgiving for Meats and Drinks is thought to be superfluous a Form of Godliness Why For all these are spiritual and inward duties and better performed within than acted outwardly I do not deny but these are all as well inward as outward duties and there best performance is inward But our Lord Jesus performed them outwardly and commanded also that they should be outwardly performed It 's true by the inward performance of these acts we are more strengthened But since every man ought to seek not only his own good but the good of others also These and all such like acts ought to be done in Love 1 Cor. 16.14 And all things ought to be done to the edifying of others 1 Cor. 14.26 And how can that be done without some outward form or other to the edifying of its self in love And although praying to God and blessing God may be done inwardly and with the spirit yet if we perform these Duties inwardly only no man else hath the benefit of these Duties but our selves And therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.15 16 17. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest Lastly whereas the Pharisees used all the outward forms of Godliness without the inward Duties Our Lord forbids not his Disciples the use of these Forms but implicitly commands the use of them where he saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven Now that which must exceed another doth not abolish but suppose that which it must exceed Nor did our Lord blame their Use of Forms wherein they placed their Righteousness but the want of this inward Righteousness as the foundation of it as its evident Matth. 23. and by that Pharisaical young man Matth. 19. Repreh Those who pretend to rest in the Godliness without the Form as also those who rest in the Form without the Godliness 1. Those who pretend to rest in the Godliness without the Form Let such know that the only wise God hath fitted the one of these unto the other so that although the outward Form be not perpetual as I shall shew more anon yet it is not to be despised as it is by many at this day who exalt themselves above all Ordinances above all Forms of Godliness above all mans teaching c. Surely the outward Ordinances and Forms of Godliness are not to be despised No say they Doth not the Prophet call them vain oblations See Notes on Gen. 27. 2. They are justly reproved who rest in the Form without the Godliness Thus did many of Gods ancient people the Jews And thus do too many at this day of the false Christians How much pain and sorrow did the Jews undergo c. See Notes on 2 Cor. 5.17 Exhort Let us endeavour after the inward Form of Godliness 2. Axiom Godliness hath a power There are three Principles of actions 1. Understanding 2. Will 3. Power The word we turn Power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth strength and answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Strength Vertue and Power by which great acts are atchieved So the Septuagint turns that word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text above one hundred times Whence also it signifieth an army strong and powerful whence the Church is described to be an Army with banners Cant. 6.4 This power is sometime exercised by the body which in comparison to that strength of the Spirit is but impotency and weakness according to Esay 31.3 The
must begin with Love and Mercy to their Neighbour and Brother Our Lord prescribes us this method to begin with the peace with men and so to seek peace with God to pass from the love of men to the love of God This order Peter and John observed they went up to the Temple to offer up their Prayer but they came more acceptable to God by shewing mercy to their Brother They intended a gift to God but first what they had they gave to the lame man Act. 3. Obser 4. If we ought to desist and leave off our service unto God that we may do service to our Brother surely we ought to leave off all business of our own that we may be serviceable unto our Brother The reason is à majore John 33.12 God is greater than man The Lord enjoyns this expresly Exod. 23.4 5. If thou meet thine enemies Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again if thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldst forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him These are hard sayings should a man leave his own business and help his enemy help him that hates him Our Love would rest at home and center it self at home upon our selves But our God who knoweth the frame of our hearts upon every occasion draws out our Love unto another and lest we should think this duty too hard to be performed unto our enemy and him that hates us the Lord sweetens the name of enemy and hater and changeth it unto a Brother Deut. 22. 1. 4. for that Book of Deuteronomy hath much Gospel in it Now the Gospel is against all enmity malice and hatred and directs our Love not only to those of our own faith but also unto strangers and enemies Col. 3.10 Ye have put on the new man who after God is created in righteousness and true holiness c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law Rom. 13.8 Obser 5. This discovers and condemns the contrary method and disorderly practice of the Religious World which runs quite blank opposite unto the method which our Lord commands here They will first reconcile themselves to God make their peace with God pray to God that he will be reconciled to them and when they think they have made all sure with God they little regard their Brother but live in envy rancor malice against him Great and notable pretenders they are to the first Table but notoriously negligent of the second They judge quite contrary to our Lord here they think its better to offer sacrifice to God than to be reconciled to their Brother that sacrifice is better than obedience c. See Notes on 1 Sam. 15.22 Note what a kind of Christendom we have at this day wherein all men will come unto God and offer up their Prayers and their Praises and Thanksgivings their Fasts and Humiliations unto God yet maintain fewds and enmities and irreconcileable differences with one another and with difference of judgement divide also their hearts and affections one from another for alas how remisly how negligently is love and peace maintained among us c. See Notes on Rom. 12.18 I fear we are most of us guilty herein ibidem Mysticé Must I go and get reconciliation with my Brother and mean time leave my gift at the Altar It 's possible my Brother may be absent he may be beyond the Seas We are here forced upon a spiritual meaning of these words have we not a Brother a Friend a Neighbour nearer home even in us unless we be cast-awayes Exhort First be reconciled unto thy Brother then come and offer thy gift both the offending Brother and the Brother offended stand in great need of Admonition and Exhortation 1. The offending Brother The fail lies first on thy part thou hast given offence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go as soon as may be use all means possible to win thy Brothers love unto thee His love may wax cold yea putrifie into hatred and malice The beginning of contention is like the letting out of waters c. See Notes on Acts 2.37 2. To the party offended The Lord lays as strict a Command upon thee to be reconciled unto thy Brother as upon thy Brother offending to use all means to be reconciled unto thee Mat. 18.21 22. Mark 11.25 Consider thou hindrest thy God of his Honour and thy Brother of performing his Service to his God The blame as yet lies upon thy Brother he hath offended thee if thou refuse to be reconciled the blame will be wholly thine How canst thou pray to thy God The Lord bids thee when thou prayest forgive Mark 11.25 and if thou dost not forgive instead of blessing which thou hopest for thou bringest a curse upon thine own head according to thine own prayer Thou prayest forgive us our trespasses as we forgive c. and it is the only Petition which our Lord explains Mat. 11.14 15. Thou mayest now hugg and please thy self in thy wrath and comfort thy self with hope and revenge as Esau did against his Brother Jacob Gen. Thou thinkest there is a time to love and a time to hate But dost thou remember that there is also a time when hatred and envy must perish Eccles. 9.6 They must not enter into Heaven there is nothing but love and mercy and goodness there is no room for hatred and envy and therefore either thou must betimes part with them and let them perish from thee or if thou retain them thou must perish with them and with them go to hell from whence they came if the Prince of this world come and find these his goods with thee and thou one with them and will not part with them But deal freely and impartially with thine own soul what would'st thou enjoy in this world would'st thou not that all men should love thee be friends with thee and if so be that thou hearest that thou art despised or hated then thou grievest and then wishest that they would return and be reconciled unto thee And this is that which the Lord requires of thee and there is all the reason in the world thou shouldest perform the same unto thy Brother He shall perish who will not be reconciled unto thee and thou shalt perish who will not be reconciled unto thy Brother Consider how merciful a God thou hast and how he deals with thee Axiom 6. If therefore our Lord infers his case and directions thereupon from his Exposition of the Law in the former words since the penalty is so great for such anger and reproachful words as Racha and Fool which proceed from thence therefore be reconciled before all things yea before Divine Worship if thou bring thy gift c. The wise man makes the like inference Prov. 17.14 The beginning of strife is as if one let out waters therefore leave off contention
Commandment of the Lord is his Will Psal 40.8 Is it not as manifest that the Lord here teacheth us to pray That that Will of the Lord may be done and that on Earth as it is done in Heaven Is not therefore such Opinion directly opposite unto the manifest and express Word of God Can they who believe that the Will of God is impossible so to be done can they pray in Faith Do not they who teach that it is impossible That the Will of God should be so done upon Earth as it is done in Heaven do they not teach expresly contrary to the Word of God Do they not teach the Doctrine not of Faith but of unbelief Can such be accounted Ministers of the Gospel Who Teach directly contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ Are these like Epaphras Col. 4.12 Alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God Do they ever a whit mend the matter who say That this Will of God must be done in another Life hereafter when we have put off the Body for doth not the Lord teach us how to pray in this Life Thy Will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Hence the Reason appears why in these Last Times especially the Lords Prayer is omitted yea opposed and born down before the Zelotical opposition of all Forms of Prayer our Lord foretold That iniquity would abound in these Last Times Mat. 24.12 and men would be lovers of themselves proud boasters c. all which are the lusts of their Father the Devil whose lusts they will do and so become his Children John 8. and cannot truly call God Father Repreh Who think themselves at liberty to do their own Will the will of the flesh Job 39.5 who consult with those Psal 2. Let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us We read of one that came out of the Tombs Mar. 5.23 24. The Evangelist gives the Reason vers 2. the man was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vers 9. The unclean spirit saith his Name is Legion because they were many And what else may we say of those licentious persons who break the Law and Will of God and account themselves free to do their own Will There is no doubt but they have an unclean spirit yea there is no doubt but there are many even a Legion of unclean spirits in them This discovers our great perverseness That whereas his Will which he hath revealed unto us is that which he requires of us should be done we commonly make choice of some other thing wherein we think God will be better pleased and we have a poor conceit of what his Will is for we think it is that which every one can do as Jesuites and Turks vide Sp. cap. 8. Exhort Pray unto our Father which is in Heaven that we may do his Will This is the means of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven saith our Lord Mat. 7.21 All the Blessings are promised unto the Obedient Deut. 28. God made all things for them Chald. P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Curses are threatned to the disobedient Jer. 9. Mal. 4. Means What Raphael the Angel speaks generally that Prayer is good with Fasting and Alms Tob. 12.8 it 's good in this special Prayer such a Prayer of the Humble saith the Son of Syrach reacheth unto the clouds yea pierceth the clouds and cometh to the Most High Ecclus. 35.16 17. How cometh such a Prayer so high it's winged with Alms and Fasting for whereas Prayer is elevatio mentis ad Deum the mind is so much the more lifted up to God by how much it 's freed and unburdened of the loads and burdens which commonly oppress it Now there are two more heavy burdens than the rest the delights of the flesh and desire of earthly things 1. The former makes the Body a burden to the Soul 2. The latter choaks the Soul with the dregs of the Earth And therefore the man freed from these his Soul ascends more expedite unto the most High God Prayer joyn'd with Alms couples the love of God and our Neighbour together Prayer joyn'd with Fasting by how much the Natural Man is more weakned the Spiritual man is more strengthned and therefore Prayer flyes as it were with these wings even to the Most High whence it is that our Lord puts Prayer Alms-giving and Fasting together Mat. 6.1 18. This comes to pass when we have learned to go without our own Will and all our own Will and Desire which serve to the propriety of flesh and blood hath no more command in us but is like Saul fall'n upon his own sword 1 Sam. 31.4 But now David Rules in some of whom Act. 13.22 I have found David a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my Will But we know that David did not all the Lord's Will but failed foully in the matter of Vriah This therefore is understood of that David who is to Reign in these Last Dayes even the love of God and our Neighbour Exhort Let us own and call upon our Heavenly Father NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW VI. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us this day our daily bread THe Lord made Promise unto Gideon that by the Three Hundred men that lapped he would save Israel and deliver the Midianites into his hand Judges 7.7 when presently it follows vers 8. That the People took Victuals in their hands The Kingdom is to be recovered out of the hand of Midian by them who lap water out of their hands by them who both are and appear ore opere both by the tongue and by the hand both by word and by deed do the Lord's Will that his Kingdom may come but we must victual the Camp of those who do it And whence shall we have bread that these may eat Surely he who sets them awork will give them Opsonium their Victuals that pray unto him and say Give us this day our daily bread I lately spake of the Three first Petitions of the Lord's Prayer The present occasion invites me now to speak of the Fourth As there is an outward and an inward man so in Reason there must be a proportionable nourishment for both which our Lord here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render daily bread both which need some Explication As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not only bread properly so called but also all kind of nourishment 1 Sam. 14.24 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned food which signifieth bread And Jonathan who vers 26. did eat honey is said to transgress the prohibition of eating bread Thus David saith to Mephibosheth Thou stalt eat bread at my Table 2 Sam. 9. 2 Kings 6. Elisha bids the King set bread and water before the Syrians vers 22. and he prepared great provision for them And where
is not any one cause of all the mischiefs in the Christian world greater than this and I pray God that we one way or other be not guilty of it that the spawns and issues of opinionated flesh and blood are commended unto the credulous multitude as the Expositions and Revelations of Gods Truth and thundered out with such Authority bold earthly spirits as if they came from the third Heaven Alas they consider not that the carnal eye hath not seen nor the carnal ear heard these things nor have they entred into the heart of man or flesh and blood But God reveals them by his spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 Flesh and blood hath not revealed them but my Father which is in Heaven That 's the next point Our Father which is in Heaven he hath revealed Christ He it is that removes the veils propounds the object enlightens the eyes of our understandings and so manifests and reveals Christ unto us 1. He removes two kinds of veils both that which is upon Christ and that which is upon us 1. That which is upon Christ is the veil of types and figures and ceremonial shadows both in the Old Testament and in the New saith the ordinary Gloss Thus the New Moons Holy dayes and Sabbath dayes were shadows but the Body is Christ And therefore as the shadow vanisheth at the presence of the Body this veil of Ceremonies is done away in Christ saith St. Paul So 2. Is the veil upon us which is manifold but two principally whereof the one we draw upon our minds the other upon our hearts 1. That upon our minds is the veil of Knowledge falsly so called this veil was meant by Gog which signifieth a Covering and accordingly the Holy Ghost makes use of it Ezec. 38. where the Lord speaks thus to Gog Thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the Land a cloud a veil of false notions and misunderstandings of spiritual things saith St. Hierom which hath covered all the world And since there are many Anti-Christs this is one and a great one a veil upon the mind the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ruling part that rules all the world a covering cast over all people and a veil which is spread over all Nations and this veil the Lord promiseth to remove in these last dayes Esay 25.7 2. Yea and that other veil Obstinacy and Unbelief upon the heart for when the heart shall turn unto the Lord the veil shall be taken away These veils removed God reveals his Son but where where else but within us Christ formed in you saith St. Paul There is one in you whom ye know not saith St. John and say not here or there for the Kingdom of Heaven is within you saith our Saviour Thus St. Paul assures the Galatians in the first of that Epistle that these two veils of Ceremonies and types in the Jews Religion and false Knowledge Obstinacy and Unbelief being removed vers 13 14. It pleased God saith he to reveal his Son in me vers 15 16. But to what purpose is either the removing of the veils or the propounding of this glorious object unless there be a light to illustrate it and eyes to see it therefore Christ himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The brightness of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1. 2. That light that enlightens the Gentiles the Nations as it is in Simeons nunc dimittis A light to those that sate in darkness and were covered with the veils so much the Greek words imply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A light for the Revelation or uncovering of the Gentiles Thus God illustrates the object and so he illuminates the eyes of our understandings for the seeing eye God hath made saith Solomon and that sight of the seeing eye which is Faith is Gods gift saith the Apostle Eph. 2. and this Faith God reveals Gal. 3.23 all which being done by God the Father He may be truly said to reveal Christ his Son and well he may for Reason The Reason is evident The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of Lights whether they be sight imagination thought understanding or some faculty Light above them all as Plato numbers them And this Light is the Son of God that Light of Light as we confess in the Nicene Creed yet is not the Revelation of this Light unto men Natural as the Emanation or Generation of it is from the Father for St. James who calls him the Father of Lights saith That every good and perfect gift and therefore Christ the best and most perfect gift descends from him And our Saviour Joh. 4. calls himself Gods gift As Socrates said he was Gods gift unto the Athenians and every Holy Man is Gods gift unto those men among whom he lives And therefore since nothing is more free than gift the Father is a free and voluntary agent in the Revelation of his Son so saith the Son expresly No man knows the Son but the Father and he to whom the Father will reveal him Doubt Yet we cannot but hence take notice of a doubt how it can be true that the Father reveals the Son since the Son is said to reveal the Father Mat. 11.27 It 's a question moved by some of the Ancients who resolve it by mutual Relation but surely the mutual and interchangeable Revelation of the Father and the Son hath more difficulty in it than can be expedite by the knowledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which that ye may the better understand ye may he pleased to consider with me God the Fathers method and way of revealing his Son and God the Sons way of revealing the Father unto men which I suppose is not so usually observed and laid to heart as it neerly concerns us as it is frequently set down in the Old and New Testament but more specially and plainly in that common term of both Mal. 4. Where God the Father having promised to reveal Christ the Son of Righteousness vers 2. before he reveals him he requires That we remember the Law of Moses already revealed vers 4. and vers 5. he promiseth first to send Elijah Now by the Law is the knowledge of sin and Elijah which is John the Baptist saith our Saviour he baptizeth with the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins saying unto the people That they should believe in him who should come after him Christ Jesus Act. 19.4 and 20 21. whom he calls the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world and of them he requires amendment of life And this Forerunner having prepared the Lords way Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together saith the Prophet Esay 40.5 and the Evangelist Luk. 3.6 and shews unto such the true Jesus Psal 50. last And thus we understand That no man comes unto the Son but whom the Father thus draws unto him and unto these the Son manifests and reveals himself Joh. 14.21 And unto these the
sin and iniquity and so dispose themselves to the deceitfulness of sin 2 Thess 2. with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish The Prophets of Ahab were resolved to say what the King would have them as he said Qui decipi vult decipiatur in nomine Diaboli 2. The Lord hath warned them so that they are without excuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Their punishment is most just because they have not believed the Spirit of Truth they well deserve to be given up to the Spirit of errour Joh. 3. I came in my Fathers name saith our Saviour and ye believe not in me Note the great unbelief and folly of men they account those who would undeceive them and lead them into the way of Truth Seducers So they accounted the Apostles as Deceivers who yet were true yea they called and accused Christ himself calling him that Deceiver yea they fear lest God himself the essential Truth should deceive them yet with full consent they credit and yield themselves to be seduced by the lusts of errour Note the most dangerous stratagem of Satan of all others he becomes a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets 1 King 22. he corrupts the Oracle and the Priest that gives it forth and makes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he joyns himself to the Priest and let them have a love to deceive the whole world Levi joyn'd to Than the Dragon makes Leviathan Exhort Let us reassume our Lords caveat Take heed lest any one deceive you there is danger look about ye look within ye the grand Impostor lurks and lies hid here The qualifications which our Lord here names are of all other the most remarkable the Deceivers are many multitudes of all kinds bring their perils with them and endanger us lest we be perswaded by them Esay 31.1 because they are many therefore Exod. 23.3 they are ready prest they are industriously wicked they lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4. 3. They come in Christs Name there is not a more dangerous fallacy than fallacia nominis that of names and the reason is the nature of the things expressed by the names whereby they are called whence Gods Name and himself is the same Deut. 28.58 And the Creatures were named by Adam according to their natures and properties See Notes on Gen. 1.28 Hence it is that when evil men and seducers come to us under the names of good men there is imminent danger lest we be mistaken by the fallacy of the name the name of Godly Religious Holy c. what an impression it makes in the minds of good men they think the men must be such because they are called so What a gainful trade have many driven yea and yet drive under the Name of the Godly Party they all lead out of the narrow way therefore Mat. 7.13 14. the Lord having exhorted to enter in at the strait gate he presently adds beware of false Prophets and gives marks to discover them vers 15. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XXIV 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory YE remember the Disciples had propounded divers Queries unto our Lord concerning the sign of his Coming and the end of the world such Petitioners as they were are never dismissed without an answer A good man hauriet sibi gratiam à Domino He draws grace and favour from the Lord Prov. 12.2 As Goodness is communicative and diffusive of it self so it is also attractive and draws a further degree of goodness unto it self Ecclus. 2.26 God gives to the man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy And Christ who is the goodness of God Hos 3.5 He communicates himself to his Petitioners here in shewing them the signs of his Coming whereof I have pitcht upon the principal Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man after which then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven In vers 30. our Lord foretells signum and signatum the sign and the thing signed 1. The sign of the Son of man appearing in Heaven 2. The effect of that appearing in the Sons of men upon Earth In the former are considerable these particulars 1. That Christ is the Son of Man 2. The sign of that Son of Man shall appear in Heaven 3. The sign of the Son of Man shall then appear in the Heaven when all the former signs have had their precedency and foregoing 2. The effect of this appearing of the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven shall be 1. All the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn 1. The Son of Man and who is this Son of Man it's the question that the people ask our Lord Joh. 12.34 unto which although he there makes no direct answer yet Mat. 16.13 by that question Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am He puts it out of all question that he is that Son of Man so the Lord Jesus stiles himself very often in the Gospel Mat. 8.20 and 9.6 beside many other places Son of Man i. e. a Man Reason That thereby he might signifie his Humane Nature which he took upon him for mans sake Heb. 2. or I that live in mean repute and contemptible estate among men or he gave himself that Name by which he would be more familiarly called and this is all Interpreters make of it But I believe our Lord had greater reasons than these why he call'd himself the Son of Man Daniel among the Jews was of greatest Observation in regard of the Messiah and the time of his appearing chap. 7.13 he is called the Son of Man Obj. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resp Phil. 2.8 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not Similitudinis but Certitudinis and whereas Revel 1.13 and 14.14 ye read of one like the Son of Man No man questions but Christ is here to be understood the Lord therefore hence implyed by that Name that he was that Son of Man that was to appear thus Joh. 5.27 Reas 2. Because why Inprimis notanda est saith one of greatest authority among us and what is that ut hominibus communicet quod à patre accepit ut nos locupletaret sua opulentia That he might communicate to men what he received from the Father that he might enrich us with his riches This seems no reason at all why the Father gave Power or Authority to the Son because he was the Son of Man viz. that he might communicate that Authority unto men for have all men that Authority or doth the Lord give all men such Authority as the Father gave to him Doth he give that Authority to any Is not he the head of his body the Church Col. 1.18 and 2.20 The Reason is plain if we
self-love and a strong fancy enstates them in joy unspeakable Whence have they learned this doctrine whence but from their impostors and deceivers who come in the Name of Christ and deceive many our Lord warns us of them twice vers 11. and again vers 24. and then superadds a serious warning and we find great need of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 25. for look through the Word of God and see where the everlasting Joy and Kingdom of Glory can be obtained by other means than by suffering the Cross Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 2.11 1 Pet. 5.10 And in the Text the Lord promiseth to those who suffer with him and sorrow to repentance that they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven All the labour of the Impostors and Deceivers is to perswade men that they shall obtain everlasting joy without mourning that they shall enter into Life some other way Joh. 10.1 This is the principal scope the false Prophets and Deceivers aim at Consol To the Tribes and Families of the Earth especially to those who are of the Stock of Abraham Act. 13.26 that is Believers Rom. 4.12 16 24. Gal. 3.26 27 28 29. See Notes on Gen. 12.1 But must we be alwayes mourning Is there no hope of such a state wherein sorrow shall flee away There is indeed such a state but this Indolentia this joy without sorrow and mourning belongs not to the Tribes of the Earth who bear the Image of the Earthly none but to those who bear the Image of the Heavenly Heb. 12. But this belongs to another Tribe the Tribe of the heavenly even the Lords Tribe Psal 122.4 The Psalmist speaking of the true Jerusalem Thither the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord to give testimony to Israel These Tribes are called the Tribes of the Lord even the spiritual and heavenly minded ones who have known the Lord from the beginning who is indeed their beginning and they his off-spring his Children who grow out of him as branches from their stock and so his Tribes Thither the Tribes ascend the Psalmist tells us Psal 84.5 that there are ascensiones in corde they ascend to testifie to Israel even the true Israel of God that the Deity dwells among them Chald. Paraphrase when they come to praise his Name as when two or three are gathered together in his Name he is in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 yea to testifie against the rebellious and ungrateful Israel the manifold benefits they have received of Christ and their great unthankfulness who rejected him and crucified him so that the Tribes of the world the Gentiles enjoy the Promises which were made unto the Tribes of Israel these Tribes of the Lord testifie to the Tribes of Israel Crucianum Deum as St. Hilary calls the Lord Jesus the Crucified God These are the Tribes of the Lord who shall sit and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 Exhort Let us now mourn lest we then mourn let us now sorrow to repentance lest we then sorrow to desperation Luk. 6.25 Wo to them who now laugh for they shall mourn This mourning is inferred from the appearing of the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then when they see that sign Then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn That we may be the more affected with this sign we must know it is luctus pro unico mourning for a Son an only Son Zach. 12. Murder is one of the greatest sins simply the greatest against our Neighbour all other leave a Being this takes away the Being it self Means To produce this mourning are the preaching of the word whence follows that mourning Zach. 12.11 As the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo where Josiah was slain 2 Chron. 35.22 When Gal. 3.1 before their eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is described and crucified wherefore he saith Weep not for me but for your selves But alas we have not been conformable to his death we come short we have not run our race of Patience it hath not had its perfect work we are not yet redeemed from Earth not yet born the Image of the Heavenly not yet engrafted into the likeness of Christ's resurrection though we profess much Love yet we daily wound him wherefore he saith what are these wounds in thy hands he answers such as I have received in the house of my friends such as with their mouth make shews of love but within are full of envy Exhort See ye refuse not him that speaks from Heaven NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XXIV 37 38 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as the dayes of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be For as in the dayes that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the ark And knew nothing untill the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be I Have noted already many things concerning the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven vers 30. wherein we have signum signatum the sign of the Son of Man the Son of Man himself appearing which apparition and coming of the Son of Man is further described by the certainty of it and the time and manner of it secret and suddain The words contain a prophetical-parallel-comparison or similitude and that either contract and brief or explicate and opened more at large 1. Contract and brief vers 37. 2. Explicate and opened more at large in vers 38 39. 1. In the contract similitude we have these particulars 1. Noah and the Son of Man are parallel 2. Noah had his dayes 3. The Son of Man hath his coming 4. The dayes of Noah and the dayes before the coming of the Son of Man are also parallel 2. In the explicate similitude we have these Divine Truths 1. In the dayes before the flood they were eating and drinking 2. They were marrying and giving in marriage 3. Noah entred into the Ark. 4. They were eating c. until that Noah entred into the Ark. 5. The flood came 6. The flood took them all away 7. They were eating and drinking c. and knew not until the flood came and took them all away 8. The coming of the Son of Man shall be even so Noah and the Son of Man are parallel in their like Birth and Name Death and Life and Resurrection 1. In their Birth Lamech was a poor depressed humbled man See Notes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 5. and he was the Father of Noah And though the Lord Jesus came of the Seed Royal even according to the flesh yet were his Parents poor depressed and humbled so that he was born in an Inn and in the stable of the Inn. Nor did he improve the fortune of his mean Parentage for he had not where
dry Land and I will move all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts Thus Simeon waited for the Consolation of Israel Luk. 2.25 And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon this man was just and feared God and waited for the Consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was upon him so Anna waited for him also vers 36. and many others vers 38. She being a Prophetess a Widow of great age above eighty years who had served God with fasting and prayers coming at the same instant unto them confessed likewise the Lord and spake of him to all them that waited for Redemption in Jerusalem upon which the Apostle in the second of the Hebr. 14. acknowledgeth also saying Forasmuch as the Children were partakers of flesh and blood he himself also or likewise took part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the devil 2. There is also a waiting upon his appearing and coming in the Spirit this is not proper only to these latter times of the Gospel but even thus also the holy Fathers of Old waited for the Lords appearing and coming unto them thus Jacob professeth Gen. 49.18 O Lord I have waited for thy Salvation So Job 14.14 If a man dye shall he live again All the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait till my change shall come so Psal 25.5 Lead me forth in thy Truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation in thee do I trust all the day also Psal 101.2 I will do wisely in the perfect way till thou comest to me I will walk in the uprightness of mine heart in the midst of mine house and Mich. 7.7 I will look unto the Lord I will wait for God my Saviour So the Apostle Rom. 8.25 If we hope for that we see not we do with patience abide or wait for it and Hebr. 9.28 Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many and unto them that look or wait for him the second time shall he appear without sin unto salvation Yea this was one main duty which the Apostles in their preaching and writings exhorted men unto as may in many places appear especially in the 1 Thess 1.9 10. For they themselves shew of you what manner of entring we had unto you and how ye turned unto God from Idols to serve the living and true God and to look for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivereth us from the wrath to come 2. They all slumbred and slept Slumbring and sleeping is either natural or spiritual good or evil so the Psalmist in Psal 4.8 I will lay me down and also sleep in peace for thou O Lord only makest me dwell in peace and safety Natural Actions are commonly defined to be such as we read in the 1. of Gen. 28. God blessed them and said Bring forth and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it wherein are comprised many Natural actions as Eating Drinking Ruling Subduing Obeying Sleeping Waking Procreation and the like all good in their kind No man will think that these Virgins are blamed here for Natural slumbring or sleeping all what is Natural and only so may be good or evil Nor can we conceive how slumbering and sleeping can be understood of the Natural clearly though there are of the Ancients who understand it so but there is no such Conference after the natural Death between the wise and foolish all their thoughts perish And therefore of necessity we must enquire what is the Spiritual slumbering and sleeping for which they are rather here all blamed There are Spiritual Senses answerable unto those Natural three of them we have together in 1 Joh. 1.1 That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes and our hands have handled of the word of life a fourth we have in the 34. Psalm vers the 4. O taste and see that the Lord is good and gracious to them that put their trust in Him the 5. in Cant. 1.3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as an oyntment poured forth therefore the virgins love thee the savour of thine oyntments the Savour of life unto life making life 2 Cor. 2.16 To the one the savour of death unto death to the other the savour of life unto life When therefore the Objects of our Spiritual Senses are propounded to us yet by reason of the fumes and vapours of outward things the thoughts and affections towards them are damped and our heart blinded so that the Prophecy becomes often fulfilled which we read Matth. 13.14 15. of Esay's which saith By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive for their heart is waxed gross their ears dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes hear with their ears and understerstand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them Saepè oblata ob oculos non videmus oftentimes those things before our eyes we see not saith Scal. Luk. 21.30 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your heart be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and the cares of this life for as a snare shall that day come be watchful therefore and pray The slumbering therefore is a kind of supineness and negligence the sleep security and carelesness which steals sometime upon the wise Virgins a forgetfulness of their duty towards God and also towards their neighbour Hence may arise a Doubt Some may say how can all these Virgins both wise and foolish be said to slumber and sleep May we read the words distinctly they all slumbered as the wise and slept as the foolish for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise a Copulative is sometime taken for a disjunctive as in the Story of Jephthah's Daughter I have shewn but this is against the common Consent of all Antiquity perhaps some may say for all read the words copulative as common to both wise and foolish So that the words may be understood as common to both wise and foolish Virgins that they all slumbred and slept they have all more or less been negligent careless drowsie carnal and secure Observ 1. Hence may be observed if both wise and foolish Virgins slumbred and slept it 's a sad thing to be a man for if all whoever they are who serve God slumber and sleep great is the infirmity of all Mankind which inclines even the wise themselves to folly How good a God have we who would not that any should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Tim. 2.4 but that we should all awake to righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15. Hence may arise another Doubt But is there no difference betwixt the wise and foolish To which I answer it 's true in regard of sleep in death there
It is the counsel of one of Job's friends to him acquaint thy self with God and be at peace But alas whom go we about to perswade to know God Every man thinks himself well acquainted with God and that he hath attained to great intimacy with him as if that time were generally now come whereof the Prophet Jer. speaks 31.34 They shall no more teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me even from the least of them unto the greatest saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more Every man pretends much knowledge of God as that he is able to instruct others O beloved not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.18 and who are they Should we be Judges of them and say who they are where shall we find them in these our days It 's most likely we seek for them among the Teachers or among them that are taught if we would find them and if among the Teachers we find such as are not ordinary men but such who pretend to a Spirit of Prophecy and such also who confirm their Prophecies with Miracles and whom as our Lord foretels shall plead for entrance into Gods Kingdom with these Arguments Matth. 7.22 Many will say unto me We have prophesied in thy name and have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity And if we enquire for them as God approves among the people surely we shall pitch upon such as observe Gods Ordinances receive the Sacrament and hear the preaching of the Word and our Lord saith there shall be such who shall perswade themselves that they have done their duty but ye read what answer our Lord gives Luk. 13.25 I tremble when I read that story of a great Teacher in Paris about the year 1082. who being deceased and carried on the Bier into the Church to be buried the dead arose and stood up on the Bier and cryed out to the great astonishment of all Justo Dei judicio accusatus sum Hereupon the Funeral being deferred until the next day when in a greater concourse of people and great expectation the dead man cried out again Justo Dei judicio judicatus sum Whereupon the Funeral was again put off till the next day when all the people flocking to the Church the dead man the third time raising himself cried out with a horrible voice Justo Dei judicio damnatus sum The History is unquestionably true Bruno one of many thousands who had heard this terrible Sentence of the dead man against himself thought thus with himself if this be the issue of formal teaching and hearing how necessary is it that our righteousness exceed that of an outward Profession Whereupon he with some others entred a more strict course of life remembring that of our Saviour they who are Professors that 's Juda let them raise their hearts and affections to the mountain of God's holiness let them become practisers of it It is neither preaching nor prophesying nor working Miracles in Christ's Name nor receiving the Sacrament nor hearing the Word preached though by Christ himself nor prating or praying that is sufficient to admit any man into the Kingdom of God all these things men may do and yet be workers of iniquity Obedience Obedience Obedience that 's it the Lord looks for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my heavenly Father this is to know the Lord so saith God in Jer. was not this to know me to obey my voice NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh THese words may be considered either absolutely or entirely in themselves or as they have reference to the former i. e. the whole Parable In themselves they are a discourse whose Conclusion is contained in the first word Watch the Argument in the rest thus They who know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh they ought to watch But ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh Therefore watch As these words are considered with reference to the former they are the Apodosis and all the Reddition that our Lord makes for the Protasis or Proposition of the Parable in the former words and they are inferred as a consequence from them Watch therefore for the Son of Man cometh 1. Then we ought to watch the Son of man cometh 2. We know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh 3. Because we know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh therefore we ought to watch 4. Whereas the foolish Virgins slumbred and slept and for want of Oyl were excluded from the Bride-chamber at the coming of the Bridegroom therefore watch ye for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom cometh 1. The Son of Man cometh Who this Son of Man is and what is his coming we have before heard as Matth. 24. ye may read at large The Coming of the Lord as hath been said is either according to the flesh or according to or in the Spirit according to the flesh and so he reveils unto us what he hath suffered for us and in us and of us and by us and mans himself in a sorrowing self-denying and suffering way So also he comes according to the Spirit or in the Spirit when he appears the second time to those who wait for him and makes himself known to be the man from heaven heavenly and endows us with power from above over all sin and over all the power of the enemy Then he mans us with his heavenly Manhood and makes us flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Eph. 5. Then that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect is perfected then that which was in part or a piece-work is done away and we are perfected in the love of God the bond of perfection and attain participation of the divine Nature Union with our God in the Spirit even as all the Light of the Moon and Stars are perfected by the light of the Sun now the man is cloathed upon with his house which is from heaven and this is the coming of the Son of man here meant And that the Son of Man must come will appear from consideration of what hath come before him whereof ye read at large Matth. 24. to try the obedience and love of his Saints and Believers the divine Oracles are clear which have come forth concerning the coming of the Son of Man Esay 11. having told us of the Rod of Jesse in the first Verse he proceeds in the 4. Verse and tells us that
our conformity thereto This is the narrow way Matth. 7.2 Esdr 7. I am the door Joh. 10.7 The new and the living way Heb. 10.20 Observ 2. This discovers a great deal of hypocrisie which with the blind world goes for righteousness and holiness Thou that art called by the name of Jacob answers not to that name Thou hast a name that thou livest Revel 3.1 and art dead Life entred in by righteousness This is the Apodosis and Reddition Here are four questions for explication 1. What is here meant by life 2. What by righteousness 3. What it is for life to enter 4. How did life enter in by righteousness Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life These two phrases are used promiscuously 1. That life enters in by righteousness And 2. That by righteousness we enter into life The former is here understood the other is express Matth. 18.8 9. to enter into life And 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments So to be in Christ and Christ to be in us and many the like So we may be said to enter into peace Esay 57.2 and joy Matth. 25.21 and into glory Luk. 24.26 and into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 7.21 When yet all these are in us The Reason is from that through and intimate Union of spiritual things And accordingly I shall use the phrase promiscuously that life enters into us or we enter into life by righteousness 1. The life here must be opposite unto death As therefore the death is natural so is the life Prov. 16.31 2. As it is inward and spiritual a dying from the life of God in us So is the life also spiritual and inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recovering of the life of God and living unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 3. As that is the whole curse following upon sin and death So is the life the whole blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ himself who is not the blessing only but plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast made him most blessed Psal 21.6 In all these respects we may understand the wise man Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life Rom. 5.18 The Apostle hath both parts of this similitude full 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Since by man came death by man came the resurrection from the dead Here are three things considerable 1. That whereinto entrance is made the world 2. That whereby it may be made righteousness 3. That which enters life 1. By righteousness is here understood both 1. That which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justification which is by faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3.22 26. Thus reconciliation is made by the death of Christ vers 10. And 2. That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.13 18. This is made ours by faith vers 1. being justified by faith That is made ours by conformity unto his death Rom. 6. 1 Pet. 2.24 By this righteousness life enters As by the real transgression and propagation of the sinful nature from Adam unto his seed and posterity Death followed upon his seed and posterity So by the real transfusion of the righteous Spirit from the second Adam unto his posterity and his seed as it is called Esay 53. righteousness and life followeth unto them So expresly Rom. 5.10 18. Reconciled unto God by the death of his Son we shall he saved by his life This we have also fully testified 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Take an illustration of this wrought in the less world by what the God of Nature works in the greater As by the cold condensing spirit the free passages of the water and the earth are stopped and a kind of deadness followeth unto them So by the spirit of iniquity the love grows cold and obstruction is made of the free Spirit of Life But as when the God of Nature sends out his word and melts them he causeth the wind to blow and the waters to flow Psal 147.18 So the God of all grace sends forth his essential word and causeth his Spirit to blow and dissolves that deadness in us So that the law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus makes us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 How The same way that the first Adam brought death upon himself and posterity The same way the second brought righteousness and life Observ 1. Life natural spiritual and eternal are inward things eternal life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3.15 This is negative but what positive proof have we 1 Joh. 5.11 12. God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his son who is the way the truth and the life and he who hath the Son hath life c. Observ 2. Hence we may discern between the true heavenly life and that which is only a shew and semblance of it 1. The true heavenly life enters in by righteousness 2. It 's a life usher'd in by a precedent death If ye by the spirit shall mortifie ye shall live Observ 3. Here is a salve for the most deadly sin a remedy for the most extreme malady A cure even of death it self This was signified by those cures wrought by the Lord Jesus and his Apostles Most of the diseases were either almost or altogether incurable that blindness of the man Joh. 9. was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some blindness by casualty but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Leprosie is very hardly cured They say when the Fever and bloody Flux meet they are incurable they met in Publius Act. 28.8 The man was lame from his mothers womb whom Peter cured Act. 3.2 but because some lameness in children may be helped before the joynts be setled it 's noted Act. 4.22 that the man was above forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed and therefore he was naturally incurable But the cure of a dead man mortuum curare 't is reckoned among the opera inania and labour in vain Hence ariseth the glory of the great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ the Physician of souls A strange cure of Death by Death Extinguunt ignibus ignes The fire of concupiscence by the fire of love O death I will be thy death By Theriaca the Vipers poyson is dispelled 1 Macch. 6.46 the great beast which Eleazar slew cost him his life and Sampson by his death overcame his enemies Heb. 2.14 Repreh Those who seek to enter into life bliss and happiness yet not by righteousness they live in their sins yet hope to enter into life These are without the door like the blind Sodomites they could not find the door Gen. 19. nor shall they find it Our Saviour tells of such Luk. 13.24 Others imagine themselves into the life and enter not in by righteousness these our Lord calls thieves and robbers Joh. 10. There is a night thief and a day thief The night thief doth evil and hates the light Joh. 3. The day thief the prophane person that rebels against the
departs from his own right only for peace-sake and withall he leaves us this Rule for our learning practice and imitation in our travel toward the Spiritual Land of Canaan to part with our own proper interest for peace sake for as Charity seeks not its own so neither doth Peace which is of equal extent with it A greater than Abraham the Prince of Peace himself for peace sake dispensed with his own Right and wrought a miracle to pay tribute lest he should give offence Matth. 17.27 And that which St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.7 seems reasonable only to such as he himself was a grown peaceable man an Ambassador of peace why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Love seeks not her own That difference between Paul and Barnabas was jurgium not lis in Charity not with breach of Charity and that not so great as our Translation makes it if well looked into like the division of the Sun-beams which immediately come together again and we hear no more of it Now if differences arise between a believer and an unbeliever a son of peace and an unpeaceable man it is lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make use of the Laws which are in force and use that so perverse unpeaceable and refractory spirits which will not be inclined to peace may be forced and bound to it Nor doth this misbeseem a Son of Peace for as his Father is the God of Love and Peace yet is he severe toward unpeaceable men Deut. 20.12 So may his Son be and that without any wrong at all for 't is no injury done to any man to be compelled to be good and just as much as may be by lawful power when of himself he hath no will no inclination to be so The Law was made for the lawless And as he may make use of the Laws so of the Magistrates though unbelievers for even such a Magistrate by Divine Ordination is the Minister of God for thy good Rom. 13. bono defensionis reparationis Thus whereas the Romans of old had enacted a Law That a Freeman of Rome should not be bound or scourged or imprisoned or put to death under a great penalty We find St. Paul making use of this Law against the Magistrates of Philippi and by that means he escaped imprisonment Act. 16.37 38 39. And the same Law he pleads for himself Act. 22. vers 25. and escapes the scourge and when he was in danger of death from the Jews he made good use of this Law by appealing to Caesar Act. 25.10 Nor is there any doubt but when unjust men who pretend Religion go about to muzzle the Oxe that treads out the corn and as much as lies in them to starve him out of his place when they cannot storm him out of it he may no doubt make use of the Laws Nor ought they to take it amiss herein to be accounted unbelievers because they believe not that Precept of the Apostle Render to every one their due c. Owe nothing to any man but to love one another c. But all this while fictis verbis contendimus come we now to enquire 2. Whether it be lawful for a Son of Peace to go to War yea or no It is disputable whether War in the general for a Christian man be lawful yea or no But for our better understanding of this distinguish between Wars Offensive and Defensive Offensive is either 1. for Religion or 2. Civil Causes 1. Offensive War for Religion is utterly unlawful and therefore our Lord sent forth his Disciples unarmed so much as with a staff Matth. 10.10 c. commanded Peter to put up his sword Matth. 26.52 though drawn and used in behalf of Christ himself for Christ's Kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18.36 Object But this perhaps was because as then the Church had no Power so Bellarmine answers in defence of bloodshed procured by his Faction and I wish it were his errour alone but Christ himself had power enough more than twelve Legions of Angels if he had thought fit to have asked his Father Matth. 26.53 He is a God saith Jerubbaal let him strive for himself He is a Spirit and needs not the help of flesh and blood 'T is proper to the Mahumetans not for Christians to propagate Religion with fire and sword But curse ye Meroz Judg. 5. If the Lord shall raise up Deborah and Barach If he shall raise up Christ to be our Captain If the life of Christians falsly so called become generally so debauch'd so Unchristian so Antichristian so Cainish so Cainaiticall why may it not then please God to raise up a Captain who may execute judgement upon such as he did when he sent Josuah to destroy the Canaanites But what mean time have we to do with types and figures the Lord hath made all old things to pass away and all things become new temporal things become spiritual new enemies new weapons Ephes 6. The Ceremonial Temple was shut when Christ was born as Augustus the Emperour shut the Temple of Janus which was wont to be opened in times of War the very year before John the Baptist was born the forerunner of the Prince of Peace as Orosius tells us that the Gospel of Peace might not be hindered but might run and be glorified As it is observed by the Naturalists that while the Halcyon builds her nest at Sea there is alwayes a calm So while Christ builds his Church his Nest where he may lay his young ones and gather them by his Gospel of Peace as an hen her chickens God then vouchsafes peace on earth But not only for Religion but for Civil Causes also Offensive Wars are unlawful He who sheds mans blood Gen. 9. and all they who take the sword shall perish with the sword Matth. 26.52 and Exod. 20. Thou shalt not kill is a Law yet yea explained to be now much more in force than heretofore when even anger is forbidden by our Saviour Matth. 5.22 and hatred it self is accounted by St. John Murder 1 Joh. 3.15 From whence come wars and fightings Jam. 4. And therefore not only outward murder but also hatred variance emulation wrath strife and envying they are reckoned among the works of the flesh Gal. 5. and they who do them shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven vers 21. But this may be understood without provocation but what if one be provoked I know no Reason but that still we persist in the Negative that Vindicative War is not lawful the Rule is general Avenge not your selves for vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord Yet I deny not but that the Magistrate may yea ought to punish Malefactors and lawful it is for Christian men to serve him in execution of Justice provided alwayes that they serve Justice it self and aim at it not at any private and bloody revenge of their own But whether may a Christian
full or not peaceable as the word signifieth Gen. 15.16 But when it was peaceable then God sent Josuah to destroy them Thus the people of Laish were quiet Judg. 18.27 and secure and then came the Tribe of Dan and smote them with the edge of the sword When people are quiet and secure in their sins then comes Dan i. e. Judgement as the Scripture interprets it Gen. 38.6 and doubtless it is our security and peace in our sins that hath brought Gods judgements upon us Thus before the flood they ate they drank c. and our Saviour foretells it shall be so in the end of the world Luk. 17.26 30. They were as a ship exposed without a Pilot or Rudder unto the waves and winds and then drowned in destruction and perdition Thus we understand 1 Thess 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape But alas may some man say I would live peaceably with all men but for this cause I am opposed by all men I was even Peace it self unto them but when I spake unto them thereof they made them ready for battel O happy art thou thou sidest with God himself he is the God of Love and Peace yet who suffers more so much as he The differences and disputes in the world reach not to him nor to thee Babel was intended for heaven but it came short of it the Moon keeps on her constant course though all the dogs bark at her and so do thou thou art one of them that dwells on high Isai 33.16 Thou beholdest the king of kings in his beauty where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world as the Apostle renders the next words 1 Cor. 1.20 He who dwells on high looks on all such differences as things below him As he who sits on an high mountain may behold how the clouds below him are drawn this way and that way by contrary winds The trees are moved and the sea roars Ipse interim non movetur Judaeus contra Gentes Circumcision against uncircumcision one Sect against another but the peaceable Christian the Christian the Peace-maker fits as an impartial Umpire and Arbitrator above all Sects which are all manifest works of the flesh An ill office it is to foment a difference between Man and Wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the bird flyes hard against the window seeing light but observes not what hinders all desire union with the God of peace but few observe that their sins separate between them and their God Like curing of a wound skinning it it festers and breaks out again so doth the playster of many Ambassadors of Peace who run before they are sent They say peace peace where there is no peace Repreh The unpeaceable who fish in these troubled waters have nothing to lose but their lives and are like desperate Gamesters Let the sword-men take heed of shedding blood and let us all follow the things that make for peace and wherewith one may edifie another NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS XIII I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God IN the former Notes the ray and beam of that Star which shined at the Epiphany by the Ancients interpreted saving Faith directed the members of the body of Christ to union and agreement one with other and guided our feet into the way of peace Another ray or beam of the same Star directs the body so united and knit together under the subjection of an head as large a duty as the former 1. In that Peace was to be extended unto all men 2. In this all men are exhorted to subjection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers which contains a Precept and the reason of it 1. The Precept Let every soul be subject to the higher powers 2. The Reason 1. Negative there is not any power but of God 2. Affirmative the powers that are are of God 1. The words seem to be Metaphorical and borrowed from the martialling ranking and ordering of an Army Wherein 1. some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superiour and in Authority 2. Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inferiour and under Authority so spake the Centurion Luk. 7.8 nec discessit ab arte sua in a soldiers language I am a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordered under the power of another both the words of the Text whereof the first the Higher Powers are Governours appointed by God for the welfare of the people committed to their charge that they may live together a quiet and a peaceable life under them in godliness and honesty 2. In the Precept the higher powers here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abstract put for the concrete for persons administring this power are generally according to the Province whereabout they are imployed of two sorts for whereas the whole Creature of God is bodily and spiritual and man is the compendium the brief and model of them both consisting of both body and spirit two sorts of Governours are needful in respect of both the Magistracy and Ministry and both are here meant by Potestatibus i. e. praelatis spiritualibus principibus terrenis saith the Gloss the Spiritual and Temporal Governours secularibus Ecclesiasticis so St. Anselm and Rhabanus read the Text thus Omnibus potestatibus sublimioribus subditi estote Be ye subject to all higher powers And these are either 1. simply the highest powers as the King or 2. subordinate unto the highest As the Roman Proconsuls and Presidents were under the Emperours of these St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him as these Officers were To these we are commanded to be subject What that duty is we shall know the better if we further consider in these Higher Powers that especially whereunto we ought to be subject which is Supereminency and Goodness 1. The Supereminency whereby they are in order above others And 2. The Goodness whereby they are diffusive and communicative unto others These two were signified by that Oyl wherewith the Kings and Priests were anciently Anointed which was fragrant and precious as appears by the ingredients Exod. 30. and holy and so appropriate only unto holy uses that it was unlawful to employ it otherwise than in the Anointing of holy Persons and holy things that is the Eminency which also supplies the Body as the Nature of Oil is and renders it able and nimble to act and so to import an influence of it self to others and that is the goodness 1. This Eminency of the higher Powers in their high ranck and order being disproportioned unto Inferiours begets admiration
I shall not trouble you with the manifold significations of it but name only the principal and speak of it only as it fits our purpose And so we may consider it Either 1. In regard of the new things themselves and then it is a note of their dignity Or 2. In regard of us to whom these new things are propounded and then it notes our duty 1. In regard of the new things themselves 1. It affirms them to be certain and true And 2. It denotes them to be excellent And 3. To be present And so many points of Doctrine there are couch'd in this word 1. These new things are true and certain 2. These new things are excellent 3. These new things are present I shall first handle the Doctrines and then make application of them 1. These new things are certain and true in opposition to Types and Figures Falshood and Lyes For whatsoever is not true is not always false but typical or figurative as ye shall easily perceive by some few examples of many 1. The true Tabernacle is opposed not to a false but to the Figurative Heb. 8.2 Christ is the minister of the true tabernacle 2. The Holiest of Holies figuratively such is opposed to those which are truly holy Heb. 9.28 Christ is not entred into the places made with hands which are figures of the true 3. So Christ is the true light Joh. 1.9 The true light that enlightneth every man the true bread Joh. 6.32 Moses gave ye not that bread from heaven but my Father giveth you this true bread from heaven The true vine Joh. 15.1 I am the true vine not as if the the natural light or Manna or Vine were false or falsly so called but Types they were and Figures only of the true Light the true Manna and the true Vine Thus when Daniel chap. 7.13 16. had seen in a night Vision as other figurative representations so especially the principal new thing we speak of Christ's everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed Daniel came to one of them that stood by and asked him the truth of all this What he means by truth he explains by the next word So he told me and made me to know the interpretation of things The like ye have in vers 19. of that Chapter and Chap. 11.2 And thus Behold notes the truth of these new things hidden under and opposed to Types and Figures 2. The things are true in opposition to falshood and lyes Thus the truth and a lye are opposed 1 Joh. 2.21 and he that tells lyes and speaks truth Joh. 8.44 45. In both respects the new Man Christ is called truth Joh. 14.6 1. Thus Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 Where truth is opposed to Types Figures and Shadows which Christ fulfilled Col. 2. And 2. He is faithful and true Apoc. 19.11 And therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Amen or Truth the Witness the Faithful and true Witness Apoc. 3.14 And so ye have the first Point explained and proved The second Point is These new things are excellent This word Behold demonstrates excellent rare wonderful great things We say not Ecce Behold when we speak of toys and trifles things small and ordinary Behold implies things of the best note 1. The New Creature Christ and all his Graces And 2. A new State of the Christian Church different from that of the Jews Rare new things Behold I send Eliah the Prophet John the Baptist to foretel the new man's birth Malach. 4. Wonderful things Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son that New Man Esay 7. Great things Behold I declare unto you great joy which shall be to all people Luk. 2.10 2. Excellent graces of the New Man 1. The new Commandment by which he lives 2. That new way that new and living way that excellent new way of life of charity 1 Cor. 12. ult 1 Cor. 13.1 a verse unadvisedly and violently rent away from the 13th Chapter which essentially and properly belongs to it Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133.1 Excellency of power 2 Cor. 2.7 Excellency of knowledge Phil. 3.8 We have a great many together Prov. 8.6 I will speak saith Wisdom of excellent things And they are Truth Righteousness Instructions Knowledge Wisdom the fear of God Counsel Strength all which and more follow in that Chapter from which principles issues the most excellent new Christian life And that life in more abundance Joh. 10.10 3. The Apostle describes the new state and condition of the Christian Church Heb. 12.22 Ye are come to mount Sion the City of the living God the new the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Testament and to the blood of sprinking that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Of these speaks that great voice out of heaven Apoc. 21.3 Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God That 's the second Point The third is these certain and excellent new things are present This word demonstrates the presence of all these certain excellent new things both in respect of place and in respect of time It is the force of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pointing specially at things present as also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which represent things to our fight and view to be looked upon Thus God himself who makes the new heaven and new earth who is the fountain of all certain excellent and present new things He himself is so intimately present with us and with all his new people and such as desire to be so that they may feel after him and find him For if the Sun and Light can diffuse themselves c. much more God Act. 17.27 So St. Paul tells the Athenians That he is not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our being So near us that we may feel after him and as it were touch him and draw new vertue from him And therefore the Greek Interpreters render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth to touch That which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and with our hands have handled the words of life 1 Joh. 1.4 Nay so nearly present are these new things that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17.21 And the New Man is in you For know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you 2 Cor. 13.11 Col. 1.26 27. 2. These true
knows how to please himself even in his naked poverty What delight think ye a Christian man instructed by a greater light of Grace may find in his Christian poverty for relieving whose wants the whole Deity is entrusted your heavenly father knows ye have need of all these things Nay not only knows but cares too The holy Spirit comforts and the Son he inwardly enables and that two ways 1. By giving him a temporal portion So the Lord hath given a portion to them that fear him Psal 111.5 2. By giving him himself an eternal portion The Lord is the peoples portion Jerem. 10.16 And first for the first All conditions of life and callings are of God whether high or low or rich or poor He maketh poor and he maketh rich He putteth down one and setteth up another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.17 As God hath divided to every man And all this he doth according to that one Rule and Prescript of his own uncontrolable and irrefragable will It is too high presumption to demand a reason of his will He himself stops the mouth should dare to ask that question with another May not I do what I will with my own It is his will then that such his poor as are poor should be poor And that 's enough that it is his will Yet all this is nothing to the poor fornicator or the ragged idle drunkard or the stout wandering beggar These are not Gods poor but their own poor I speak not to them let them go to the pismire But for thy further satisfaction who art Gods poor man know that all this he wills according to his wisdom and according to his goodness 1. According to his wisdom his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his manifold wisdom as 't is call'd Ephes 3.10 He wills an harmony of order amongst the members of the body of Christ a first and a last a head and a foot a high and a low a rich and a poor 2. According to his goodness he wills to every one of his what and how much he knows best and fittest for him So that every mans condition is to himself as Mannah was to the Israelites which as the wiseman speaks was fitted of God and made agreeable to every taste This well considered brings Christian reasonings and reasonable appetite unto a non-plâ—â— So that a poor Christian man is neither curious to know more nor desirous to have more but delights in the very least temporal portion that his wise and good God hath bestowed upon him as being most suitable with the publick good of Christ's body what 's his own private good and with the will of God performed in both But O our perverse our peevish and crooked wills O our hypocritical absurd and contradictory prayers We pray and that daily too That Gods will it may be done yet secretly we wish it were not done while almost every man impatiently struggles or despairingly sinks under the seeming Aetna of evils that God hath cast upon him We pray and that as often but for our daily bread yet almost every man hoords and treasures up as 't were for an eternity which runs out at the utmost in fourscore years when yet scarce one of an hundred lives to threescore and ten while almost every man repines at his own seeming wants almost every man fosters a covetous and ambitious desire and thwarts the will of God in regard of God Christ therefore inwardly enables his poor man to delight in that temporal portion that God hath given him two ways by Precepts and Examples By Precepts of Patience in regard of evils and of contentment in regard of the good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things are mixt saith a Philosopher of natural bodies which we may better say of moral Callings The very best of them all nay all from the Scepter to the Plough are more or less blended and mixt together of good and evil But in the mixture and temper of a poor mans Calling besides labour the inheritance of the curse and the common ingredient of all Callings as bitter Aloes is of Pills all other evils are predominant Evils of soul evils of body evils of goods evils of name grievous and heavy long and tedious evils And the Devil himself adds weight and makes them heavier unto the children of God So that Paul might well tell the poor Hebrews Heb. 10.36 that they had need of patience need indeed and great need too to counterpoise so many so great so heavy so tedious evils And because 't is needful our Saviour enjoyns it Luk. 12.19 In patience possess your souls as if he should have said poor man little or nothing else ye have to possess besides your souls ye have need to look to them well and keep them safe your only way to keep them is your patience otherwise you 'l lose them A Doctrine too harsh for the brave Spirits of our time Patience why 't is the beggars and the fools virtue A trick in Philosophy and Divinity to deceive a mans self withall when he can or dare do no other wayes what be base take the lye and not stab not swear not be angry put up all wrongs all injuries quietly cowardly patiently what and give thanks too O it damps a noble Spirit flesh and blood cannot endure it Fool Nor shall flesh and blood enter into the kingdom of heaven But the better to perswade those that are more moderate hereunto let us but consider how little how nothing at all we profit by stubborn resistance and impatient struggling with the will of God His will it will be done though against our wills A Stoick could say and shall not a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall follow thee O Lord whether I will or no And were 't not a great deal better his will should be done with our will than against it Yet so foolish we are how hardly can we work our hearts to come off to suffer that to be done which we cannot hinder or do worse And as it is to no purpose frowardly and impatiently to resist his Will so good reason it is we should quietly and willingly obey it The Master of a Play-house gives to every Player his part one must Act a King another a Servant a third a Beggar why because he 'l have it so and no man murmurs Remember saith Epictetus a servant himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou art a Stage-player and must act that part willingly and chearfully which God hath given thee The Stage-player conforms his will to the will of the Poet and shall not we conform our wills to the will of our Creator But alas how can we be patient the troubles and evils of our mean condition breed anger impatiency discontent grief and despair any thing indeed rather than patience And whereas Paul saith Tribulation worketh patience Rom. 5.3 It 's not univocally and formally to be understood as though evils and tribulations of their own
Christian wealth saith Hierom. Now that a poor man be content with his own mean estate there is required a twofold disposition 1. A positive well-liking of his own estate 2. A comparative better liking of his own estate quoad se as for himself than of anothers A poor man cannot but like well of his own mean estate if he consider it both as it furthers his spiritual good And as it hath in it self sufficient temporal good 1. And for the first know that thy way to heaven poor man is more compendious on the left hand by adversity than on the right hand by prosperity Matth. 5.3 10. 'T is true indeed a thousand have faln on the left hand but ten thousand have faln on the right That hath slain her thousand but this her ten thousand For whereas poverty in Spirit imports saith Thomas an evacuation and emptying the soul of pride and lofty thoughts blown up by the confidence repos'd in wealth and honour Thy outward poverty of estate augments that inward poverty of spirit as the antiperistasis of outward cold intends the heat within us So that God hath prevented pride in thee alotting thee a mean condition of life and not affording fuel or incentives unto such proud and high swoln cogitations To which by how much every one is the more rich and noble by so much the more he lyes expos'd and open Surgit animus cum potentia as he speaks the mind it riseth with the power and means And therefore Paul seeming now to have ended his first Epistle to Timothy with the wonted form to him be honour and power everlasting Amen Adds as it were a Post-script of great weight and consequence Charge them that are rich in the world saith he that they be not high minded Such lofty spirits make the way to heaven difficult and full of trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wisdom of God seems at first to wonder how they that but have riches can ever come there Difficile dicens divitem introire in regnum Caelorum utique intelligit pauperem facilius The Son of God saith St. Hierom affirming that it 's hard for a rich man to enter into heaven implys doubless that it 's easier for a poor man to enter into heaven And when the Spirit of God speaks expresly that not many mighty not many noble are called is' t no◠implyed that many impotent many poor and many ignoble are called more plainly and without need of consequence Hath not God chosen the poor of this world saith St. James rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom But how alas how can a poor disgraced Christian man pick a temporal contentment out of that estate which seems indeed naught else but a soul devouring discontent Even so as out of the eater came meat or as the stomach lest the body pine turns even the humours into nourishment when thou hast nothing else to take pleasure in take pleasure in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses so did Paul 2 Cor. 12.10 But always there is some sweetness in the strong some good though mixt with many evils pick that out as the stomach lest the body pine seeks nourishment out of the very excrements So did Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse who now ejected and forc'd to teach a School at Corinth chear'd up himself thus Regnabo tamen yet I will reign saith he though it were God knows but imperium in belluas So did the Cynick who when he saw the Mice gather up the Crums 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even Diogenes himself saith he hath his parasites Diogenes and Dionysius Corinth and Athens shall both rise up in judgement against thee thou querulous and repining soul Vivere me dicas something I have but God knows it is but a little But little hast thou not thy share Did not God divide it to thee And wilt thou blame his wisdom Call'st thou that little that he knows fittest for thee I tell thee 't is rather great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a blessing in it Esay But grant it were but little do not men receive little and great gifts with like reverence and thanks if from the hands of Kings What hast thou that thou hast not received from the hand of God And wilt thou be ungrateful unto his goodness What if it be but little Is' t not more than thou broughtest with thee Thou broughtest nothing at all with thee into the world yet is not that little thou hast more than thou seest many others have And hast thou not deserved far less What though but a little so the Righteous have it What though but a little so with the fear of the Lord though but a morsel so with contentment though but a door-keepers place so in the house of God But how little is it Alas but from hand to mouth but food and raiment Proud ingrateful wretch but food and raiment Was not Jacob a better man than thou as worthy a man Beloved as any of us all yet 't was all he prayed for Gen. 28.20 Bread to eat and raiment to put on yet thou call'st it little The Primitive Noble army of martyrs of whom the world was not worthy they had not so much They wandered about in sheeps-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented They wandered in the deserts and in the mountains and in the Dens and in the hollows of the earth yet more than they had thou callest little Little thy Saviour himself had less The son of man hath not where to lay his head It 's an example so without so above all example that it 's impossible to ascend higher Matth. 10.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is an Autarchie it is sufficient for the Disciple to be as his master is and the servant to be as his Lord is A man would think so and is it not sufficient for thee Thou art not yet his Disciple thou art not yet his Servant Consider these things well and go thy ways be male-content repine at thine own estate and chide Providence if thou knowest for what And yet I have a greater consolation for that poor man who is contented with his mean estate than this is terrour to the male ntent ye have it annexed unto this Precept of contentation Be content with what ye have Why For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Our English cannot express emphatically enough that heap of Negatives in the Greek Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not leave thee no I will by no means forsake thee Whatever consolation can be added unto this 't is less We return unto thy Divine Majesty most merciful Father all possible praise and thanks for all thy blessings bestowed upon us for the speaking and hearing of thy holy word though in great weakness Grant we beseech thee that what hath been sown in weakness may rise again in power And to this end grant that acknowledging every good and perfect gift even
Axiom Lay hold on the Eternal Life Wherein two things must be explained 1. What the Eternal Life is 2. What it is to lay hold of it 1. Life is either 1. of Nature and that either Vegetative Sensitive or Rational 2. of Sin 3. of Grace one and the same man may live them all successively 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either 1. to lay hold on that which is in danger to perish as Heb. 2.16 He layeth hold on the Seed of Abraham Or 2. To lay hold on that which may keep us from perishing and so the Seed of Abraham layeth hold on Christ And in this latter sence the word is here used and signifieth a further act of Faith a laying hold on the object of it Eternal Life for so Faith is carried to a double object 1. The Righteousness and life of God lost in us 2. The Power of God or Christ for the subduing of the sin intervening and coming beween us and God his Righteousness and the Eternal Life When therefore through the power of God we have fought the good fight of Faith and subdued the sin that 's the first act here commanded Then lay hold upon the Righteousness and Life of God and this here seems to be a Metaphor to lay hold on the Eternal Life is taken from Runners or such as strive in Games for the brabium the reward Observe This if well considered may set an high price upon the true Christian Life and may shame them who sleight and undervalue it Is it not the Life of God good Angels and good Men Is it not the Life that lasts for ever even the Eternal Life Exhort 1. To lay hold on this Life Exhort 2. To fight that good fight Motives 2. 1. Melchizedeck will help us 2. The Righteous are scarcely saved Sign Is Christ Jesus thy Lord No man can call Christ Jesus the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Means 1. Follow the Spirit Galat. 5.16 17. 2. Fighting is a necessary means for the obtaining of the prize Col. 1.24 2 Cor. 1.6 Rom. 6.8 3. If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments 4. Pray to the Lord to restore thine hand dryed up like Jeroboams but perhaps he hath given thee strength already stretch out thine hand stretch it out to the poor and needy this is the means which the Apostle prescribes vers 18 19. Axiom 3. The obtaining of Eternal Life requires our utmost endeavour fighting laying hold running striving to enter From the dayes of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force press forward unto the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Observ 1. Here is a means for the lengthning our short life Lay hold upon the Eternal Life See Notes on James 4.14 Observ 2. The transcendent eminency of the life of God whereunto we are exhorted it 's the Eternal Life whatever other life is but short and temporal for what is your life saith St. James Jacob said of his dayes that they were few and evil What is your sinful life pleasures of sin for a season A lying tongue is but for a moment In Gods wayes is continuance Isa 64.16 The Prize is here the Image of God the Life of God the Divine Nature which consists in all righteousness in humility meekness patience c. all which are in the Living God the consequents whereof are the peace of conscience and ravishing and glorious joy in the Holy Ghost which accompany the Eternal Life where ever it is in God Angels or Men so far forth as they are capable of it or it communicable unto them Now that Eternal Life consists in these is proved Psal 24.3 Who shall ascend into the hill of God i. e. obtain Eternal Life vers 5. He shall receive the blessing and righteousness so that the blessing of Eternal Life is Righteousness Christ praying against his enemies saith Let them not enter into thy Righteousness Psal 69.27 Prov. 12.28 The way of Righteousness is life Prov. 21.21 He that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy shall find Life Righteousness and Honour Isa 46.13 I bring near my Righteousness and my Salvation shall not tarry So that Life Righteousness and Salvation are all one Isa 51.5 and 56.1 Joh. 1.4 In him was Life and that life was the Light of men that Light of men is Righteousness Goodness and Truth Ephes 5.8 9. Light in the 8th vers is so expounded v. 9. therefore the Light and Life of men is the blessed fruit of the Spirit in Righteousness Goodness and Truth Jam. 1.12 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of Life is a crown of Righteousness 2 Pet. 1. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness which are the same and Glory and Virtue the same Object 1. Eternal Life is not to be enjoyed in this world but the life of Righteousness may be obtained Resp It may be enjoyed in some measure as we see in Zacheus Luk. 19.9 Prov. 11.31 The Righteous shall be recompensed in the earth not in outward blessings but inward and spiritual for 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life we have only hope c. there is no hope in the other life for faith and hope cease 1 Cor. 13. 1 Joh. 3.14 We are passed from death to life and vers 15. No murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him compare the first vers with the 14th you shall see that he that loves in truth hath Eternal Life abiding in him Object 2. We are in the way to not in the life Resp True as Childhood is a way to perfect age yet Righteousness c. are the true Eternal Life life in their measure as childhood is manhood in the nature of it Object 3. Eternal Life is a life of joy pleasure happiness Resp Not a Turkish happiness is here described but a Christian not in meats and drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Object 4. Two Kingdoms there are one of Grace the other of Glory Resp The words of both are said to be the words of this life Act. 5.20 The Scripture speaks but of one Kingdom Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 'T is true there are several degrees yet the lowest degree is a participation of the glorious life We are changed into the same Image from Glory to glory i. e. from one degree of Grace into another 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of Righteousness is Jam. 1.12 a crown of Life and 1 Pet. 5.4 a crown of Glory to shew that Righteousness Life and Glory are one and the same thing so Peter confounds Godliness with Life and Glory with Virtue 2 Pet. 1.3 And lest we should cavil and say that Godliness is the way to Life and Virtue the way to Glory he puts them in an inverse order doubtless not without a Divine instinct All this proceeds from meer Grace from the beginning to the end
Grace of God himself Against which defamation as heretofore I affirm the sober righteous and godly life may be lived in this present evil world or never at all Signs for examination Does the fear of God in which true godliness consists and by which men depart from evil and deny ungodliness dwell in thee Does the love of God in which consists true godliness live in thee Does this love of God constrain or perswade thee to Obedience and to keep the Commandments of God Godliness consists in Obedience to the will of our Heavenly Father not in a bare nominal or titular vocation only calling Lord Lord or Father but he that doth his will shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven There is no approaching near God or winning upon him by names or Titles if we would draw near him it must be by works of piety 1 Pet. 1.16 17. It is written be ye holy for I am holy And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Divine Axiom 5. That Grace of God teacheth us to look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ These words contain the End the Mark the reward of all our Labours of all our self-denyal of all our sober righteous and godly life viz. the Blessed Hope of the Glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Wherein we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Epiphany or glorious appearing of the great day star unto those who have walked in the light of the lesser Star both which are evidently aimed at in the Text 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the former the appeared Grace in the twelfth Verse 2. In this thirteenth Verse we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the later the blessed hope and appearing of the Great God c. If we take the words asunder we have in them 1. The Star 2. The manifestation of that Star 3. The expectation of that manifestation 1. The Star considered in its nature humane Jesus Divine great God both jointly Christ its influence the Saviour our Saviour 2. The manifestation of that Star and the lustre of that manifestation it has an appearing and an appearing of Glory 3. In the expectation we have 1. The Hope 2. The blessed hope 3. The expectation it self According to the natural order of handling this Text we must begin with the end of it 1. Jesus is the Christ 2. He is God and the great God 3. He is the Saviour and our Saviour 4. He hath a glorious appearing 5. He is the blessed hope And sixthly and lastly All they whom the Grace of God hath taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world ought to expect the blessed hope of the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 1. Jesus is the Christ this Divine truth is the very Basis and Foundation of all the Christian Religion Other Foundation hath no man laid beside that which is laid Jesus Christ And therefore let us enquire into the meaning of both these names Jesus and Christ and shew the truth of this that Jesus is the Christ Jesus hath that name from saving Matth. 1. He shall save his people from their Sins Christ is from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew according to John 1. which signifies Anointed i. e. with the Holy Spirit so Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon he for he hath anointed me This the Prophet Esay 61. spake in the person of Jesus And Jesus reads upon himself as he to whom it properly belonged for whereas three sorts and Professions of men were anointed Kings Priest and Prophets it was most just that he who was anointed with the oil of gladness above his Fellows King of Kings Lord of Lords and the Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech and the great Prophet that he in whom all these Professions met in their eminency he should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messias the Christ as he who was anointed by the Father to restore and recover the Salvation of the world Ye read often of him in the New Testament and promised in the Old who by the Sacrifice of himself should overcome death and bring life and immortality to Light 2 Tim. 1.10 But far more often does the Lord promise the Messiah or Christ in the Old Testament than expresly name him which the most ancient Chaldee Paraphrast observing where the Messias or Christ is intimated obscurely there he expresly names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus what Gen. 3.15 is said of the Seed of the woman Jonathan and the Targum of Jerusalem interprets to be done in the days of the Messiah Gen. 49 1. I will tell you what shall befall you in the last days the days of the Messias So Verse 10. and 12. Shilo so Exod. 40.9 Thou shalt hallow or sanctifie them for the Crown of the Kingdom of Judah they shall be holiness of holiness to the King Messiah who shall deliver Israel in the end of days and Numb 23.21 The noise of the King Messiah shall be among them So 24.7 The Kingdom of the King Messiah shall be higher than Agag his Kingdom shall be exalted The like we find in the Prophets and in the Psalms in above fifty places more The first Observation is Jesus is the Christ the highest Truth and deepest Foundation Mat. 26. Observ 2. The accomplishment of that Glorious Promise in Matt. 1. He shall be called Jesus the Saviour who shall save his people from their Sins Observ 3. Learn from hence the original of thy name O Christian man a name given by Oracle Acts 11.26 Axiom 2. Jesus Christ is called the Great God and our Saviour the Apostle might have referred to Esay 19.20 where the Saviour is called a Great One which might be also rendred a Prince as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies according to Acts 5. where Christ is called a Prince and a Saviour But if we here retain the word great why is he here called the Great God The reason may be because in Jesus Christ the Father displays his goodness the greatness of his Wisdom Truth Grace Joh. 1. The greatness and Fulness of his Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 In whom the Promises are all fulfilled 2 Cor. 1. The Father saith I will be but the Son saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am John 8.24.58 c. Observ 1. That the Lord Jesus is expresly called God and great God for what some say that this is to be understood of the Father its contrary to the Article of Faith that not the Father but Jesus Christ shall come to Judgment that he may reward his Believers who wait for him besides one and the same Article in the
〈◊〉 that we should render the words they who have believed in God But the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew is commonly construed with × which the Greek and Latin Translations imitate So we say we believe in God which is no more than to say we believe God 2. They who have believed God ought to maintain good works The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to maintain signifieth to stand forth in defence of to stand up for to defend to prefer before all other It signifieth also to rule to pretend to oppose All which may have their use here But the first named is the more proper meaning to defend Now defence supposeth an enemy opposing and withstanding and therefore we must enquire what the enemy here is and how we must maintain and defend good works against that enemy The enemy is the Devil himself the Author of evil works who is the enemy of all righteousness He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is always tempting to the lust of the world and of the flesh and his own lusts which are to envy pride covetousness and wrath and whatsoever proceeds from these with which when men joyn they make them theirs This great enemy stirs up many others Levi and Tan joyn'd together make Leviathan and when the Priest is made of Satans party he preacheth down good works And so by his false doctrine becomes an enemy unto them Against these we maintain good works when out of faith we hate the evil and love the good And that not only in opinion and affection but also in life and practice Hence appears the reason why they who have believed God should maintain good works even because they are good honest fair lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Those works are well worthy to be maintained 2. They are unworthily opposed 3. Believers are fit and worthy to maintain them 1. Good works are well worthy to be maintained Even 1. Because they are good And 2. Because they are commanded of God And 3. Because for them he hath created us both first and last for good works are the end both of our new and old creation Eph. 2.10 4. For this end Christ gave himself for us Titus 2.14 5. Yea the commond end the glory of God is hence advanced Matth. 5.15 Let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven 1 Pet. 2.12 by your good works glorifie God 2. Good works are unworthily opposed 3. They who have believed God are fit and worthy to maintain them they know their worth and value how good they are and for what ends they are commanded of God and they have the power of God by them enabling them to maintain them To him that believes all things are possible By Faith and Patience by Reason and Argument by Encouragement and Exhortation by Rewards by Pattern and Example of Life sumptibus exemplis consiliis precibus Object Doth not the Apostle every where decry and speak against works Rom. 4.2 and 11.6 If by grace then it is no more of works c. Gal. 2.15 16. A man is not justified by the works of the Law by the faith of Jesus Christ Yea this doctrine the Apostle teacheth in the words immediately before the Text Titus 3.4 5 6 7. After that the kindness and love of God to man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but by faith especially in the way of Salvation Answer What works are these which the Apostle here and elsewhere opposeth Surely our own works which we our selves perform doing what seems good in our own eyes Deut. 12. 2. The works of the Levitical Ceremonial Law 3. Yea the works of the Moral Law also when wrought by our own strength And against these works the Apostle disputes in his Epistle to the Romans Galatians Ephesians c. And by these works the Pharisees went about to establish their own righteousness Rom. 10.3 4. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God These works the Apostle opposeth in the way of Salvation and not the works of Faith and Grace which are necessary to Salvation So the same Apostle To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour immortality eternal life Rom. 2.7 8. Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of God but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven Blessed are they who do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life Revel 22.14 Object 2. Our Lord himself saith that the main work of God which the Father requires is that we believe in him whom the Father hath sent Joh. 6.29 What shall we do that we may work the works of God c. It seems therefore that to believe is the great yea the only work Answer Our Lord here understands Faith Synechdochically for the whole progress of obedience and sanctification proceeding out of Faith And Act. 26.18 19. And therefore herein good works are included 2. The Jews ask not our Lord this question simply what they should do but what they should do that they might work the works of God vers 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that endureth unto the everlasting life So our Lord. Now they ask what they shall do they might so labour by what means they might work the works of God And therefore our Lord answered them to their question directing them to such a work and such an object of it that believing in him whom the father had sent even in Christ they should be able to perform good works even the works of God because Christ himself is the power of God 1 Cor. 1. And believing in him we receive him Joh. 1.12 13. and receiving him and believing on him we may be able to overcome the world and all the lusts that are in the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even through him who came to dissolve in us the works of the devil through whom we may be able to do all things and so work the works of God Observ 1. God hath put good works in the hand and power of those who believe God So that they may do good works The Text speaks so much expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have power to do them To what purpose else serves their Faith Credenti omnia sunt possibilia Observ 2. We learn hence that the pressing of good works and urging the practice of them on those who believe God is neither Popery nor Arminianism nor Socinianism nor any sect or divided judgement that I know but the maintaining of the true and Orthodox Christian Faith Observ 3. It is not the duty of Believers only to be Orthodox and hold right opinions to be of a right judgement concerning good works To maintain good works is
gift is of many offences unto justification Rom. 5.15 16 17 18 19 20 21. This Grace this rich Grace we receive in vain and instead of abundance of Grace we bring forth abundance of sin and in that world where God his Christ his Righteousness his Life should reign there Death Iniquity Antichrist and the Devil himself reigns and sets up a Righteousness of his own and Ministers of his own who teach their own inventions instead of Gods Word a strong fancy instead of the true Christian Faith and to cover all he is content that men may perform Gods outward Ordinances of hearing the Word and receiving the Sacrament all which may consist with a world of iniquity But I beseech ye Beloved let not us flatter our selves with vain hopes that we can flatter our God with a Lord Lord for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into Gods Rest and the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of our Father which is in heaven Let us not flatter our selves in the performance of a few outward duties as hearing of the Word and receiving of the Sacraments and neglect the great things of the Law Mercy Judgement and Faith I tremble to consider the doom of such which ye may read Luk. 13.25 26 27. Ye shall stand without and say Lord Lord open unto us And he shall answer and say unto you I know not whence ye are Then shall ye begin to say we have eaten and drunken in thy presence been frequent receivers of the Sacrament and thou hast taught in our streets we have heard Christ himself preach but he shall say unto you I know not whence ye are depart from me ye workers of iniquity This especially reproves those who oppose themselves unto the Merciful Creatour those Abaddonims and Apollyonites those destroyers of Gods world and they are of Two sorts 1. Those who destroy it by false Tenents 2. Those who destroy it by wicked Works 1. By false Tenents as they who would have a new heaven and a new earth a reformation of all things but it must be of their own making Those Babel builders who establish their own Righteousness the Righteousness of the Law and destroy the Righteousness of Faith whereas the Law makes nothing perfect No he who Created us worketh our Righteousness in us What the Law could not do c. We are his Creature Syriack Ephes 2.10 And can the Creature make it self We say in Philosophy Operari supponit esse Now the very being of the New World is Gods making And thou O Lord hast wrought all our works in us Isa 26.12 2. Another sort of Abaddonims and Apollyonites are those merciless men who out of their bloody zeal destroy and ruine the world of Mankind Gods field of the world is over-grown with the Devils tares yet is God merciful and will have both grow together till the harvest but the mercies of men are cruel and bloody Such a bloody motion make those Zelotical Servants say Wilt thou that we root them out cut them off call for fire from heaven to consume them O no the Son of Man the merciful Creatour came not to destroy mens lives but to save them as for these they neither save others nor themselves O would God these bloody minded men would look into that world that God hath Created and set in their heart there should be a new heaven and a new earth there wherein Righteousness should dwell there should be noble plants of our heavenly Fathers planting there should be good seeds sown there seeds of holiness and righteousness yea the very body which answers to the outward world should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost and if the body the outward Court ought to be so holy how holy ought the Soul and Spirit to be which answers to the holy and holy of holies These ought to be houses of prayer but they are made to be dens of thieves and robbers They were made to be an habitation of God in the Spirit and they are become the stable of spiritual wickedness in heavenly things O that these destroyers would look into their inward world and see this abomination of desolation there would they then hate and destroy another or themselves O thou hypocrite first pluck out the beam that is in thine own eye and then thou shalt see clearly to pluck out the mote that is in thy brothers eye first purge the world in thine own heart and then if thou canst find in thine heart destroy Gods world in others Consolation God made the world by his Son this is great comfort to those new Creatures of God who have little or no share of the outward world God hath made all things by Christ and he is the Lord of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.17 He is the father of the world to come which we turn Everlasting Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 9.6 LXX Now if Christ made and be the King and Prince of the worlds will he not afford his favourites such are his Saints that honour and that profit he knows most convenient for them An earthly Prince may delude his Favourites hopes When one of the French Kings Favourites had writ in a window Nos reliquimus omnia c. the King one of the Lewis's it was writes under Merces vestra magna est in Coelis But the King of all the earth will not cannot deal so with his Favourites they must leave all and follow him and can he leave them too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No forsake all thine own sins and thine own righteousness that is by the Law and the great Creator will honour thee with his own presence we will come and dwell with him Joh. 14.23 He 'l take up his Tabernacle with thee yea the great King of the world will keep his Court in thee Thou shalt be an habitation of God in the Spirit He is thy Father then surely hee 'l afford thee a childs portion yea he that made all things made all for the obedient man Prov. 16.4 So the Chaldee Paraphr Son saith the good Father all that I have is thine yea all that he is is thine The Lord himself is the portion of his people I shall Conclude all with Exhortation That since God made the worlds by his Son we would remember our Creatour The wise Man Eccles puts us in mind of a debt a great debt an old debt so old that we have forgotten it All the Creatures in all the worlds were made for Man and Man for God every Creature hath a being and one more excellent than another Man more excellent than all for whom they were all Created yet now no Creature under man knows its own being or the excellency of their being or of whom it received that being or that excellency of it except only man and therefore since there ariseth a natural obligation and tye of the receiver to the giver Man only is bound to
all means for the obtaining of it The Lion when he walks puts not forth his Talons but when he pursues Peace is coupled with Holiness If we follow peace we 'll endeavour to remove that which hinders it the Physician purgeth the body of ill humours the Chirurgeon cuts off a member which hinders the peace of the body and so must we do if we will follow peace we must purge the ill humours out all our ill affections from among us Is' t not an ill humour that divides between the head and the body Is' t not an ill member that endangers the health and safety of the body These humours must be purged out these rotten these corrupt members must be cut off Would God they were even cut off which trouble you saith the Apostle Gal. 5.12 Yet though even these were cut off yet might there be a malignant party at home with us Yes that 's true you 'll say what if I should say in thine own house Nay they are nearer they are in thine own bosom there there 's the malignant party Thence come the wars Jam. 4. We accuse one another but every one of us contributes fuel to this common fire 2 Sam. 20. When all Israel was quiet and at peace it is said of Absalom that Sheba the Son of Bichri made a quarrel between the King and his people and was in danger of doing more harm than Absalom wherefore David sends Abishai to pursue after him and all the people pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri And even thus the case stands with us if all delinquents like Absolom had suffered then all would be well The true David tells us that Sheba and his followers will do more harm than Absolom Sheba and his followers are fulness of bread and abundance of idleness the sins of Sodom Fulness of the spiritual bread and abundance of idleness we neglect the obedience to the word we know and he is the son of Bichri i. e. the first born the earthly man that which is natural is first and our lusts are such which make the war in our members This Sheba betakes himself to a fenced City we have all our strong reasoning to defend our lusts withal these cause a mutiny in us cause division such serve not God but their own bellies Means Somewhat to be removed that hinders peace to take away the rubs and offences out of the way of peace whereof the chief is self-love self-seeking self-pleasing that whereby a man seeks his own profit pleasure honour c. as if born only for himself without respect either to God or Man whereby a man makes himself his own idol his own end his own God his own all in all And therefore he followeth only what may serve his end And howsoever he may pretend the worship of God yet it must be in order to his own advantage as when he makes money his god or his own voluptuousness as when he makes his belly his god Phil. 3.15 or his own pride as when he makes his own conceived excellency his god Thus the Prince of Tyrus his heart was lifted up and he said I am a God and sit in the seat of God and set his heart as the heart of God Ezech. 28.2 Such a self-lover regards not anothers peace or ease or welfare but only his own This self-love the Apostle sets first in order in the black-bill of all those troublers of the peace in these last dangerous times 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3. as being the Root the Fountain the summary of all the rest Now the rubs which a self-lover casts in the way of peace are either 1. Out of his knowledge Or 2. Out of his affections 1. Out of his knowledge as opinions which now a long time have disturbed the peace of the Church The Apostle was troubled with such self-lovers in his time as such who preferred their knowledge touching the use of indifferent things before the Salvation of their weak brethren and the peace of the Church with such he deals Rom. 14 13-19 and 15.1 2 3. Such are they in our days who will not lay down a Ceremony which they themselves say is indifferent though by the use of it they disturbe the peace of the whole Church Such are those pretenders to knowledge of every Sect some who according to our Saviours prediction Matth. 24. Cry Lo here is Christs others nay but lo there is Christ And why here and not there here they sit there they stand there they kneel c. A Nut was broken the Kernel in the midst they run after their own opinions not worth a nutshel and neglect the precious peace with God and Men. To such as these I commend the Apostles counsel 1 Thess 4.11 before is a precept to Holiness and that they studdy to be quiet and do their own business Such turbulent spirits if they knew themselves well will find work enough to do at home 2. The second kind of rubs cast in the way of peace are in respect of turbulent affections And the general means to remove these is the Christian patience This is so general a means that by it We hold possession of our selves Matth. 24. And this is of as large extent as peace for as we must follow peace with all men so we must be patient towards all men 1 Thess 5.14 Hereunto are we called 1 Pet. 2.20 21. So that patience as concerning peace with all men is seen in bearing one anothers burdens Gal. the burden of their weak judgements for what if another be erroneously perswaded in his own mind Alas poor man he would fain be loosed from his bonds Should I add affliction to his bonds as the Apostle complains some did to him Phil. Who will chide or be offended with a man in prison He would be glad to be at liberty as well as thou art who would quarrel with a blind man that should say it were dark when the Sun shines But he is not weak but wilful Alas he is the more to be pitied who would contend or strive with a mad man he should be as mad as he The Apostles advise in this case 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6. Flee youthful lusts and follow after righteousness faith charity c. A second burden is the burden of injuries If thy brother sin against thee seven times nay seventy times seven times Yer so far must we be from retaliation that we must turn the other cheek To him that takes away thy cloak give thy coat also These are hard precepts to flesh and blood but flesh and blood must not enter the Kingdom of heaven they are easie to patient and peaceable men as the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 6.7 Why do ye not rather suffer wrong These are the malignant party As patience disposeth us to bear the burdens of others their weak judgements and injuries So 2. Not to require our own right charity bears all things saith the Apostle and is not easily provoked
how early should we be stirring what speed should we make how precious should we esteem every moment of time This is our own case yea every one of our cases we have a a long journey like that of Abraham from out of Vr of the Chaldees to the land of Canaan from out of the light of Devils so Vr of the Chaldees signifieth to the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 In the holy land or land of holiness we are all called of God as was Abraham to finish our journey He riseth up early and sends his Prophets to call us 2 Chron. 36.15 God speaks once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not Job 33.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead Alass how much of our time have we spent already in dead works in works of vanity which will not profit us in the latter end How little of our time remains the Lord alone knows how much of our journey yet remains I tremble to consider since our lives speak it too plainly how few have found entrance into that narrow way that leads into an holy life doth not our Lord say That there are few who find the way of life the way of mortification but how many fewer have made progress in it What pretences we have cast in our way That Christ the Fore-runner is entred into the most holy for us Heb. 6.20 and 9.24 That Christ is not entred into the holy made with hands which are the figures of the true he could not enter into them because he was no Levite nor a Priest according to the order of Aaron but he is entred into the Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us that Christ hath suffered for us the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God O Beloved let us let us I beseech ye take heed lest by magnifying Christ's sufferings we exempt our selves from suffering with him and so deceive our selves in the main Christ and his sufferings and his intercession for us with his Father they are above all our praises we cannot magnifie them enough Mean time let us know they were not set before us to gaze upon or to contemplate but to imitate and follow 't is for us that Christ is entred into the Holy for us not only meritoriè but exemplaritèr not only for our sakes but for our example he entred that we might also enter He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps We must exceed the Pharisees therefore what ever was in their holiness we must have and more Excedens continet excessum Matth. 5. Esay 35.8 'T is a long race but he that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Let us therefore perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. O how much have we finished of our Journey nay how little rather How little of our time remaineth If the day of thy life shut in the grave Eccles 9.10 The night cometh when no man worketh no man travelleth this race this pursuit must be finished in this short life therefore it 's called the words of this life Act. 5.20 If we finish it not we have lost our journey all our labour is in vain the Gates of the holy City will be shut against us I beseech ye consider it well if there be no Popish Purgatory after this life as I believe we are all easily perswaded to believe and if no unclean thing enter into the holy City which is the express testimony of the Holy Ghost Apoc. 21.27 Lay these two together and then consider how nearly it concerns us how much it stands us upon to purge out all uncleanness every unclean thing in this life The old man to be put off before the new man be to be put on as two suits for the same body On the other side if we finish this race we win the incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness and not only for me but for all those who love his appearing The same Apostle 2 Cor. 6. Then 7.1 Whether we follow Holiness or no will appear from the nature of this pursute it 's a motion and a motion in the nature of it is continued so that if it be interrupted it 's not now one motion but many Example in a Race if one run and then stay and after run again c. these are not one race but many This is contrary to the constant and continued pursute of Holiness contrary to our ever following of that which is good 1 Thess 5.15 With such unconstant holy people God will not be holy Psal 18.26 he threatens Levit. 26.21 Marg. He that is holy let him be holy still and he that is filthy Apoc. 22.11 Ezek. 6.9 Wisd 20.43 Let us remember that dreadful example of the Israelites inconstant holiness how many thousands of them perished in Cadesh-barnea and never came into the Holy Land 2. All motion hath a succession and progress and therefore if we pursue holiness it will appear by our growth and progress in it Let us examine our own wayes but if we will not others will what proficiency have we made in this pursute what lusts have we subdued All Natural things Corn Trees Herbs our own bodies they have their growth their accomplishment and height and the like ought to be in our souls these are not done upon a suddain 't is true the hand of the dyal or watch doth not appear to us to move but it appears after a very short time to have moved nor doth a growing tree seem to us to grow c. So though we cannot every moment or particle of time discern any progress in our pursute of holiness yet it 's easie to discern it after a short time Ye are wont to observe it in your young children after a short space whether they have grown in stature yea or no should we not much more observe our own souls Surely if we be the same men that we have been heretofore five ten twenty years c. if we do antiquum obtinere if we walk in the same way Impii ambulant in circuitu like an horse in a mill we cannot say truly that we have followed after holiness 3 Joh. 2. I pray above all things that thou mayest prosper even as thy soul prospers The Original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest go on in Holiness and Righteousness If we follow Holiness we will take heed of all manner of pollution of flesh and spirit this is a most certain sign being taken from the very nature and essence of Holiness which is a separation from all uncleanness O how carefull how wary shall we be Hebr. 12.15 look diligently lest c. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid I have
are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art Science Wisdom Vnderstanding and Prudence All these have their Archetypon the Christ of God Thus the Divine Wisdom is said to teach the four cardinal Virtues which are famous among all Nations and recorded by the Orator and by the Wise Man Wisd This justly reproves illogical unreasonable men such as the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is come down in the likeness of man to teach them God's language and his Divine Logick and way of reasoning And the subtle Sophister the Devil unteacheth them the Divine Method of Reason and corrupts their understanding 2 Cor. 11. Thus Samuel reasons from the Lord 1 Sam. 15.2 Amalech laid wait for Israel in the way when they came up from Egypt Go therefore and smite Amalech and destroy all that they have and spare them not Thus the Lord reasons But how reasons Saul and his people They took of the spoil sheep and oxen the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God And even so the Lord reasons Amalech hath devoured and licked up therefore utterly destroy these devourings sins but many reason Let us offer sacrifice that is better than obedience Thus the Lord of the Vineyard reasoned concerning the ungrateful husband-men though they had slain his servants Yet saith he they will reverence my Son But how reason the Husband-men They said among themselves Come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance Matth. 21.37 38. Thus the Sophister hath taught the men of this generation to reason when the Lord sends his Son to require the fruits of his Vineyard even the fruits of the Spirit even the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ they thus reason these are Popery this is the heir the Lord and Heir of all things we cannot be saved by our works let us kill him by our sins crucifie him again and believe that he is dead for us and the inheritance shall be ours Repreh 2. Those who teach and reason out Divine Wisdom by man's sophistry Thus some magnifie Plautus Chrysippus saying that if Moses spake Latin he would use Plautus his phrase if he reasoned he would use the logick of Chrysippus Thus some magnifie man's language and reason not considering that the Divine Doctrine was given to us that we should be changed into it not that we should change and fashion it according to our own corrupt reasoning Rom. 6.17 Exhort Let us speak the words which the Divine Wisdom teacheth Let us reason as the Divine Wisdom reasoneth Let us be wise with the Divine Wisdom holy with Gods holiness This we shall attain unto if as new born babes we desire the sincere rational milk This milk is reasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine Wisdom is no way contrary but consonant and agreeing with true reason and the genuine Art of it which we call Logick as it is clear and evident throughout the whole Scripture Nor is there any Topick or Logical place of Argument in all that Art that the holy Scripture will not afford an example of as all Logicians will easily grant Indeed some are wont to say that nihil est tam ratione firmum quin vi rationis infirmari potest that there is nothing made so fâ—rm by reason but it may again be weakned by reason But this is not to be understood of true Logick but subtil sophistry which is the corruption of it This may raise our estimation and teach us to set an high price as on the Truth and Wisdom of God so on the means conducing thereunto The Truth and Wisdom of God is no other than the Christ of God who is the very Truth of God yea God truly Esay As for the means remotely conducing hereunto it is that common ray and beam of Divine Light which shines more or less in all men and is the foundation of true Logick and reasoning 2. We ought as new born babes to desire the sincere rational milk The word here rendered to desire is not simply so but indeed to desire with great intention and vehemency the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to desâ—re but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to desire earnestly such a natural desire as new born babes have of their Milk Observ Take notice of our degeneration and of what necessity our Regeneration is the Lord calls us back unto the condition of childhood In malice be children children are not malicious They are minimè mali they are innocent Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of heaven O what a deal of our manly work such as we have performed since we were men grown men must be unwoven and ravel'd Observ Note what the nature of desire is it 's a young one of our soul Herein our affective part differs from our apprehensive when we know or understand any thing we receive only the image of what we know But when we desire our soul is carried out unto the thing we desire NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON II PETER II. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And spared not the old world but saved Noah the eighth person a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly ALthough we have spent much time already concerning Noah his name the notations and reasons of it and the prophecy that went before of him as the Apostle speaks of Timothy 1 Tim. 1.18 together with the mystical understanding of all these Yet if we shall consider that all mankind was now destined unto destruction and unto perishing in the flood and that this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a notable emphasis this man found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This Man was just and upright in his generation This Man walked with God This Man was taken in exchange for the world Eccles This Man was he quem Dominus Deus ad reliquias secundum semen hominum reservavit ut esset Ecclesiae seminarium saith Ambrose we will consider these things and much more might be added concerning this Man I hope it will not be tedious unto you to dwell a little longer on the same Argument that so we may imprint in our minds more deeply the character of his holy conversation and according to his Example rest from our own thoughts cares affections and works and generally our vain and earthly conversation and walk with God and study to approve our selves unto God and true righteousness and holiness and be without blame in the midst of a perverse and gain-saying generation that so through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the true Noah we may find Grace in the eyes of the Lord in the time of the overflowing scourge The Spirit of God in Scripture makes use of Noah's example and the Flood to divers holy purposes 1. To figure out Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 2. To forewarn men of security