Brethren for which he complain'd of them to Jacob so his Father could not but both suspect and expect they would do him some Mischief if ever he came kindly into their Clutches for this and his other reputed Provocations unto their prejudiced Minds The Fifth Ground hereof to be short is His Brethren's words to Joseph after Jacob's Death Gen. 50.16 Thy Father commanded say they to Joseph that thou should forgive the Sin of thy Brethren c. If this was true it necessarily implies Jacob knew what their Sin he would have pardon'd was But of this more afterwards A Sixth may be added If Josephus be but Authentick in saying that Jacob was not altogether ignorant of Joseph's Misfortunes and after the bloody Coat was shewn him he still hoped for better Tidings supposing his Son was only taken Captive and would be heard of c. Jos Antiqu. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. Pag. 30. where he tells a large Story 2dly Beside Joseph's Barbarous Brethren his wanton Mistriss was another Arch-Archer which the Devil employ'd to shoot most invenom'd Arrows against him The occasion was this Poor Joseph was Sold for a Slave by his Brethren to Strangers some say sundry times from hand to hand was he tess'd 1. To the Ishmaelites 2. From them to the Midianites 3. From them to the Medanites who descended from Medan the Son of Abraham Gen. 25.1 2 Brother to Midian Gen. 37.25 28 36. but I rather judge they were all one Company as before However these Merchants though they bought this Jewel better than all their Spices for an old Song as we say yet undoubtedly Sold him for a vast price to Potiphar Pharaoh's Provost-Marshal Little did Joseph know what God was working while he suffer'd his Servant though a young one to be thus justled as the Phrase is from Wigg to Wall thus passed in post-haste from Post to Pillar from one Purchaser of him to another and by a marvelous Providence to this Potiphar Joseph must be here humbled that he might be hereafter exalted Therefore is he not Sold to a Common Huckster or Kid-napper of Slaves or to any Country-Clown but to a Courtier a Commission-Officer in Pharaoh's Court that so a passage might lay open for his future Preferment NB. Could we but have a little more Line of Patience waiting till God make all Ends of his Work meet together Divine Providence is not to be doubted of because we presently perceive not the plain Reasons of its many passages we say Women and Children should never have the sight of half-done Deeds whether those of Painters or those of Carpenters The first Product of the Bear-whelp is to the Eye nothing else but a deformed lump yet the Naturalist says Ursus foeturn Deformem lambendo figurat The Bear licks it into a better shape How much more may the most Wise God who commandeth Light to come out of Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 who caused the first confused Chaos to come forth into a Comeliness wherein he could at the first step have Created all things the Spirit of God hovering over and hatching out every Creature as the Hen doth her Chickens Gen. 1.1 2. can cause to come forth a most beautiful Church out of our present Confusions as be did a most beautiful World out of that primitive Chaos 'T is an excellent Observation of Dr. Reinolds on Psal 110.5 that As a Man by a Chain made up of divers Metals some of its Links framed of Gold others of Silver some of Brass others of Iron c. may be drawn out of a Pit as Jeremy was with Cords Jer. 38.12 so the Lord by a contexture and concurrence of several subordinate Dispensations of Providence which even seem to have no manner of Dependency one of another or natural Coincidency one with another as the Links of the Chain really have hath oft-time wrought and brought about the Deliverance and Exaltation of his Servants that it might appear to be the work of his own hand and of his only Oh how wonderful is every step of Providence in all these Passage◠1. Concerning Joseph himself who must first be Humbled the very Method God took with David making him first as a weaned Child with Afflictions Psal 131.2 and then exalted him 2. Concerning Jacob his Father who was taught in Joseph's Sale and all other Parents not to over-love Creature-Comforts for that is the high-way to over-live them as Jacob thought he had done his Joseph whereby he was excited to fix his Affections more upon heavenly Objects that cannot perish And 3. Concerning Joseph's Brethren who by this very means of their Selling Joseph into Egypt were when Famish'd out of Canaan brought into that long ago accursed Country of Cham or Egypt where their Posterities suffered most hard and long Bondage which happened as is supposed for this very Sin of their Progenitors in their selling Joseph thither Then the last Buyer or Purchaser of poor Joseph the Slave was Potiphar whom Moses describes by a double Denomination 1. By Saris which the Septuagint reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eunuch but such a one he was not for he had both a Wife that tempted Joseph Gen. 39.7 9 12. and also a Daughter Joseph after married Gen. 41.46 as some sense it from the Affinity of the Name therefore he could not properly be a guelded Man as Isa 56.3 4 5. and Matth. 19.12 where the same word is so used but because Eunuchs were Chamberlains to the Kings Women Esth 2.3 and 4.4 as Harbonah was to King Ahasuerus Esth 7.9 and consequently Courtiers therefore it became a Name of court-Court-Honour or Office so we well read it an Officer of Pharaoh 2. By Shar-Hitbachim which signifies a Prince of the Slaughter-men because he had as Keeper of the King's Prisoners the chief Authority over all Malefactors and was to see Execution done upon them as a Sheriff with us therefore 't is read Captain of the King's Guard To this great Courtier who had a double Office at Pharaoh's Court was poor Joseph providentially Sold and not to any mean Man for to be his Slave or Servant Now Moses mentioneth a double Humiliation of Joseph together with a double Exaltation of him both as Preludes and Presages of that grand Preferment God conferr'd upon him alter all First He being Sold by the Merchants of Midian to this Egyptian Courtier was at first employed as a vile Drudge to him that Gypsy-Lord using this white and beautiful Boy no better than our English Lords do now their Blacks whom they make the Skullions in their Kitchens at first God then steps in to mitigate Joseph's Affliction and to make his Servant of a Slave or Servant to become by degrees a Master first in Potiphar's Palace and secondly in Potiphar's Prison First In his Palace and Family Moses mentions three Causes of this mutation from a Servant to a Master The first is Principal Primary and Efficient the other two were as Auxiliaries subservient Adjutories 1. The Presence of
Blessing in the Success of them as here their hiding the Child he made Successful They leaned upon the Lord's Providence in the use of means for Moses's safety Mark here first how wonderfully the most wise God qualified this Pagan Princess with many excellent Moral Vertues As 1. With a tender Heart of Commiseration ver 6. 2. With complaisant Affability towards the Infant 's Sister ver 7.8 3. With commutative Justice in promising Wages for the work of nursing the Infant ver 9. 4. With Prudence in naming the Child suitable to the Providence calling him Moses which signifies drawn out ver 10. Musaeum calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Water-sprung because drawn as David was afterwards Psal 18.17 out of many waters And 5. With Princely Bounty in adopting him for her own Son vers 10. Hebr. 11.24 for as Philo reports she though long married had no Child of her own and therefore treated this Child as her own and gave him royal Education Act. 7.21 c. Mark Secondly The Congruity betwixt Moses and the Messias As 1. Moses's true Father was unknown to the Egyptians but was reputed the Son of Pharaoh so the true Father of Christ was unknown to the Jews but was reputed the Son of Joseph 2. As Moses was saved from the Infanticide of Pharaoh so Christ was from Herod's cruel purpose of Killing him in his Infancy 3. As Moses had the King for his nursing Father and the Queen his nursing Mother All this is promised Isai 49.23 and hath been performed in Christian Kings c. to Christ mystical 5 namely to his Church under the Gospel Mark Thirdly How the great God overshoots the Devil in his own Bow Pharaoh was told by an Egyptian Priest in a way of Prophecying that an Hebrew Child will come to be the Terrour and Ruin of the Egyptian Kingdom Hereupon he issued out that cruel Decree to the Midwives for slaying all the Males at their Birth The two Midwives observing a mighty helping hand of God in the Hebrew Womens lively Delivery dare not but disobey the King's Commandment However the Males were in great Danger by the Egyptians living among the Hebrews Exod. 3.22 and some might be more violent for executing that bloody Edict This appeareth by the hiding of Moses at his Birth c. We have no such Remarks of his Brother Aaron whose Name soundeth of Sorrow and Joy either as to his Danger or at to his Deliverance as we have of Moses The Wisdom of God so orders the Matters of the World that the greatest Deliverers are exercised with the greatest Dangers and are likewise honoured with the greatest Deliverances from those Dangers The greatest Deliverer is drawn out as the word Moses signifies out of the greatest Dangers It was not so concerning Aaron the less of Man the more of God Oh how wonderfully the most high God doth over-wit the seven Heads and over-power the ten Horns of the fiery Red Dragon Pharaoh's Daughter must save him who shall be the ruin of Pharaoh's Kingdom to save Israel Moses must be countenanced by publick Authority who had been cast out by private fear Oh how doth the most Wise and Great God confound the Craft and Cruelty the Fraud and Force both of angry Men and of enraged Devils The borrowing power can never become a fit Match for the lending power all Power proceeds from God who will not lend either to Men or Devils any more power but what himself can over-rule and order for his own glorious Ends Here God makes a Destroying Power to become a Defending Power causing it after a marvellous manner to contradict it self for all Hearts even the Hearts of Kings are in the Lords Hands Prov. 21.1 he is the Chief Commander of all Mortal Commanders and of a Persecutor can make a Protector God is higher than the highest of Mortals and proud Princes are but his Creatures controulled by the power and pleasure of their Creator Secondly As Moses was thus Famous for his Birth so for his Death also As he was hid at his Birth from Undervaluers namely from those that would have Murthered him therefore did his Parents hide him So he was hid at his Death from Overvaluers namely from those that would have Idolized him therefore God himself became his Grave-maker and Buried him Deut. 34.6 either immediately or by the Ministry of Angels whereof Michael was the Chief or Prince Jude ver 9. yet no Man knoweth of the particular place of the Valley of Moab wherein he was Buried unto this day The Lord therefore hid Moses's dead Body where it was Buried because he knew the Israelites had a most notorious proneness to Superstition and Idolatry to gratifie which Diabolical Itch the Devil made such a Devilish ado in contending with Michael to discover the place but without Success And seeing God would not suffer the Worship of the Tomb or Relicks of so Eminent a Man of God as Moses was 't is therefore ridiculous to imagine God would permit this Honour to be given to any of his succeeding Saints who were so far Inferior to Moses as will appear when we come to his Life Exod. 33.11 Numb 12.8 and Deut. 5.4 and 34.10 We read of Moses putting on a Vail Exod. 34.33 Moses Vailed signifies the Laws Obscurity and Mans Infidelity and as he was Vailed then in his Life so was he Vailed both at his Birth in an Ark of Bulrushes which being opened his Ravishing Beauty appeared Acts. 7.20 and he was likewise Vailed at his Death in an unknown Sepulcher even unknown to Satan himself whose design in desiring to know it Jude ver 9. was that he might of the Body of the Dead make Idols in the Hearts of the Living and thereby he would have set up himself there Dr. Lightfoot's Notion is that Moses was Buried by the Lord that is by Michael Jude ver 9. who is our Lord the Messias and whose work it was in his coming into the World to Bury the Ceremonies of Moses The Sentiments of some are that Moses's Body after its Burial was raised most gloriously in which Glory he held Conference with Christ at his Transfiguration Mat. 17.2 c. Moses appear'd to the Messias there as the Messias or Michael appear'd to Moses at his Death and Burial The same Body that was hid in the Valley of Moab appear'd to Christ on the Hill of Tabor Thus Moses and Christ are good Friends contrary to those that would set the Law and the Gospel at variance Every Transfiguration or Ravishment of Spirit is no better than a Delusion wherein Moses and Messias lovingly meet not c. Thirdly Moses was Famous mostly for his Life more than all the other Patriarchs and Prophers both as receiving greater Honours from God to himself and communicating greater Priviledges from him to Israel As to the former he was not only very oft but also very long with God speaking Face to Face together above all the Servants of God both
that he might be a Witness of his Translation for the good of the Church in all Ages 4. God suggested to him that at their parting he should have a double Portion given him Therefore Elisha must be pardon'd for disobeying his Master Remark the Fifth Elijah passeth from Jericho to Jordan which He smote with his Mantle and Divided it as Joshua had done before and passed over it with Elisha fifty Sons of the Prophets looking on ver 7 8. This was Elijah's eleventh Miracle wrought by very improbable means not by the Ark of God as Josh 3.17 but by his Mantle only having a Divine Power accompanying the means N.B. That there might be a meet Parallel betwixt the two great Prophets who were to meet the Messias upon Mount Tabor Moses and Elias Matth. 17.3 4. What Moses had done to the Red Sea by his Rod an unlikely Instrument Exod. 14.16 21. That Elijah doth to Jordan with his Mantle here and Moses's Body was hid as Elijah's Body was translated Remark the Sixth Elijah drawing nigh to tread upon his last ground offers a munificent Boon to his faithful Servant who asks a double Portion ver 9. Mark 1. A Pious Master cannot but be kind-hearted so far as he can to such a Servant as he hath found faithful to him before his Departure from him Thus the best of Masters our blessed Messias was kind-hearted to his Disciples saying to them before his Departure from them Ask what ye will and ye shall receive it that your Joy may be full Joh. 16.24 Mark 2. Elijah bids not Elisha Ask what he would c. as having Power in Himself to gratifie his Request but as God's Instrument only and this he did by a Divine Instinct knowing what he craved of God for him would be done c. Mark 3. Elijah saith not Ask of we after I be gone but before I go saith Peter Martyr to teach us Invocation of Saints departed is no Duty of God's commanding We may have Communion here but no Commerce hereafter with them Mark 4. Elisha asks a double Portion which is variously sensed N. B. As 1. Vatablus saith He ask'd only two parts of Elijah's three for 't is not probable he could be so confident as to expect any excelling of his Master 2. Peter Martyr saith it was not his Pride but his Zeal for ability to bring back Israel from Idolatry which Elijah had not done therefore he asks a more powerful Spirit and Christ promis'd greater Works to be done by his Apostles than by himself Joh. 14.12 3. Erpennius saith Elijah wrought eight Miracles only but Elisha sixteen so doubled them 4. Junius and Grotius say He alludes to the double Portion of the first Born Deut. 21.17 above all their Brethren so Elisha being to succeed Elijah was to be the Head of all the Prophets He desired double to what the rest of the Prophets had 5. Piscator c. say his desire to excel even his Master in spiritual Gifts was no Sin but warranted by God's Word 1 Cor. 12.31 and 14.12 and the same is 1 King 1.37 where God said Amen to Benaiah's Prayer making Solomon's Reign to represent the Church Triumphant as David's did only the Church Militant 6. Osiander c. say that Elisha was more frequently conversant among Men than Elijah had been who mostly led an absconded Life and he taught the People more and lived with greater Pomp in King's Courts so needed more double Grace Mark 5. Elijah answers thou hast asked a singular Gift not single of Prophecie but of Miracles too yet seeing thou hast not ask'd Riches and Honours c. for thy self but spiritual Blessings for God's Glory and the Churches good God will give thee them provided thou see me when I am taken up N.B. This was the Sign by Divine Direction to make Elisha watch and pray the more earnestly Hereby his Request was justified for had it been unlawful the Prophet would have reproved him as Christ did his Disciples in the like Case Luke 9.46 47. Mark 10 36 37 38. Had Elisha been negligent in beholding his hopes had been dash'd and he had lost his begg'd Boon N.B. Such have need to be doubly Diligent and Vigilant that desire double Grace c. Elisha gains it by being an Eye-witness of Elijah's glorious Rapture as the Men of Galilee were of Christ's Ascension Acts 1.10 11. and gain'd the Spirit after it Acts 2.2 3 4. The second Part is the Concomitants upon which Remark the First When Elijah had long and happily fought the Wars of his God and accomplish'd his warfare with many glorious Victories then his God sent him a Chariot of Triumph to fetch him home from Earth to Heaven ver 11. then comes a bright Cloud formed in the fashion of a Chariot and manag'd by the Holy Angels those Seraphims or fiery Spirits fetch up this Seraphical Doctor who was of a fiery Spirit also so there was a suitableness Psal 68 17. and 104.4 N.B. This fiery Chariot was the Means or Instrument of Elijah's Translation yet was it not really a Chariot of Fire saith Lavater for then it would have burnt up the Prophet and would have been rather a torture to him than a Rapture of him But it was the Angels saith Grotius that appeared in the splendid form and similitude of a fiery Chariot only and in a Whirlwind also both which Fire and a Whirlwind had affrighted Elijah in the Rock of Horeb 1 Kings 19.11 12. here was again Terrour and Violence N.B. None ever saith Dr. Hall enter'd into Glory with ease this most favourable change had some equivalency in it to a natural Dissolution Oh that we could cry come Death come Fire come Whirlwind all worthily welcome that carries us to Heaven Remark the Second upon the Concomitants is The Time when the Place where and the Posture and Practice Elijah was in when this Chariot of Heaven came to fetch him to Heaven 't is expresly said as he was walking and talking we are not told what these two were talking on Peter Martyr saith it was about anointing the two Kings Sanctius saith it was about Modelling the Colleges of the Prophets and Mr. Mayer's Opinion is as probable as either of the other saying N.B. That Elijah foreseeing the wickedness of Jehoram wrote a Letter and now committed it to Elisha that he might deliver it to that wicked King when he saw that time 2 Chron. 21.12 but more of that when we come to it However this must be taken for granted that this was Divine Discourse betwixt those two great Divine Prophets for this is certain that Elijah had committed to Elisha the anointing of Hazael to be King of Syria 1 Kings 19.16 17. which was not done till after Elijah's Departure and undoubtedly Elijah was instructing Elisha about all those future Matters of Moment N.B. What a God-pleasing Ordinance Holy Conference and Godly Discourse is in our Walkings and Talkings Without all doubt Elijah knew well
all Ladies for Faith Obedience c. Heb. 11.11 1 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. 2. Rebekah Gen. 25.22 and 27.4 6. 3. Rahab Josh 2.11 James 2.25 Heb. 11.31 4. Deborah Judg. 4.4 5.1 c. 5 Naomi and Ruth Ruth 1.16 20 c. 6. Manoah's Wife Judg. 13.3 23 c. 7. Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13.28 2.1 2 c. 8. Abigail 1 Sam. 25.25 26 28 31 c. 9. Bathshebah Prov. 31.1 c. 10. The Queen of Sheba 1 Kings 10.1 8 9. Matth. 12.42 11. The Shunamite 2 Kings 4 8 9 10. 12 The Widow of Zareptah 2 Kings 17.12 15 18 24. 13. Esther chap. 2.20 c 4.16 c. To name no more here for brevity's sake 2dly In the New Testament As 1. The blessed Virgin Mary who found favour with God above all Women c. Luke 1.30.46 c. 2. Elizabeth Luke 1.6 42. 3. Anna Luke 2.36 37. 4. Mary Magdalen and the other Mary Matth. 28. v. 1 c. 5. Joanna the Wife of Chusa and Susanna Luke 8.3 24.10 6. Priscilla Acts 18.18.26 7. Tabitha or Dorcas Acts 9.36 8. Phoebe Rom. 16.1 9. Lois and Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 Many more might be added seeing some Criticks do observe that the New Testament affords more holy Women upon Record than the Old doth Secondly The Holy Actions of Religious Women that are Recorded for imitation Rom. 15.4 be many more than the Confines of an Epistle can contain Take a few Instances beside that of Sarah whose Name Hebr. signifies a Lady or Princess above-mentioned As 1st 'T is a lasting monument upon the heads of those wise-hearted Women who span with their hands Blue Purple and Scarlet c. for the use of the Tabernacle in Moses's Time Exo. 35.25 I do not at all doubt but your Ladiship hath spun fairer Threads for the Service of the New Jerusalem c. 2 dly 'T is a Memoir of great Honour to those Devout Women who so willingly resigned up their own curious Looking-glasses that a Sacred Laver of Brass for God's Service be made of them Exod. 38.8 Resolving that whereas other Women out of vanity do spend many hours in looking upon their Looking-glasses these zealous Souls will spend their precious Time better in Fasting and Prayer at the Door of the Tabernacle Likewise I dare with confidence affirm Madam that you spend much more precious Time in looking into the Looking-glass of God's Word how you may adorn the hidden Man of your heart 1 Pet. 3.3 4. to render you the more acceptable to your Creator c. than you do to compose your Outward Dress in your common Glass for Acceptance among Fellow-creatures and you could freely sacrifice all your Artificial Looking glasses so the glory of God's service might thereby be promoted 3dly Abigail is famous upon Record for her meek and quiet Temper which is in God's sight of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 who would not cross her Husband while the Spring-tide of his Passion lasted but she prudently waited until it was a low Ebbing-water and then she made an effectual Application 1 Sam. 25.36 37. And 't is a Ruled Case that the Husband and the Wife should never be angry both together c. 4thly Phoebe hath an high Title of Honour given her Rom. 16.2 where she is called not so much an Helper but a Patroness as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 5thly Priscilla is called a Co-worker with the Apostle as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Rom. 16.3 see verse 6. and 12. There is not Room to add more Instances Thirdly The holy Qualifications summ'd up together 1. Virtuous Ruth 4.11 2. Gracious Prov. 11.16 3. Prudent Prov. 14.1 4. Faithful 1 Tim. 3.11 5. Sober 6. Grave 7. Chast 8. Holy c. Titus 2.5 1 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4 5. If I say these Virtues have an happy conjunction in you I can assure you Madam 't is not the stinking breath of a sordid Sycophant for I must say with Elihu I know not to give flattering Titles to any in so doing my Maker would soon take me away Job 32.21 22. This I must say you affect not the vanity of those foolish fashions drawn up by the Finger of God himself in that Map of one and twenty Ornaments Isa 3. where the Moons there mentioned verse 18. which Women wore upon their heads then seem now grown to the full Moon in our wanton Dames but your Dress is decent rather below than above your Station c. That you may retain your Honour by Humility as the strong Man retaineth Riches by Wisdom and Power Prov. 11.16 That you may still walk humbly with your Maker both in God's Arm and in God's Armour and that all those Sacred Truths contained in this Volume may be writ by the Spirit of God upon the Table of your heart as the Epistle of Christ 1 Cor. 3.3 is the unfeigned prayer of Your Ladiships Servant in the best Bonds Christopher Ness A Brief Account and Recommendation of the Author 's worthy and profitable Labours in these four Books styled The History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament although we judge that they carry a sufficient Testimonial within themselves and that they need no other commendation from or to any man but the serious Reading and purusal of them For we find that by his ingenious Contexture of the History of the Scriptures and opening the Mystery contained therein he hath made the Reading of the Scriptures more pleasant more profitable and more plain to the understanding than what may be found in any Expositour that hath gone before him we cannot but bless God who hath inclined the heart of our worthy Brother to a work of this nature and to publish it in such a season wherein so many Attempts have been made to cast contempt upon the Scriptures and all revealed Religion August 27. 1696. Matthew Barker George Griffith Samuel Slater Many more hands might be procured but the Press will not give time An Alphabetical Table of the Principal Matters contain'd in the Fourth Volume of the New Testament A ABraham's bosom what Vol. 4. Page 155 Accounts to be given by and of all Vol. 4. Page 185 186 Actions of the same godly Man different Vol. 4. Page 298 Evidence of Saintship Vol. 4. Page 451 Adam at his Fall fell among Thieves Vol. 4. Page 111 112 113 More restored by the second than lost by the first Adam Vol. 4. Page 144 Afflictions promote Salvation Vol. 4. Page 427 All must come to Christ Vol. 4. Page 84 Antichrist rising Vol. 4. Page 520 B Backsliding dangerous Vol. 4. Page 112 Bath Coll the Voice from Heaven Vol. 4. Page 169 170 Bethlehem Ephratah signifying the fruitful house of Bread Vol. 4. Page 17 Bethesda its Pool Vol. 4. Page 47 Blasphemy of Papists in imitating Christ Vol. 4. Page 5 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Vol. 4. Page 60 Burial-places without the City antient Vol. 4. Page 57 C Christ his
touching Dan. 10.9 10 16 18. N.B. Note well We need frequent touches from the hand of Christ to cure our crooked paths and spirits even every Lord's day c. The Fifth Remark is 'T is a comfort in suffering that though it may be long even twelve years Mat. 9.20 or eighteen years Luke 13.11 or thirty eight years John 5.5 6. yet our compassionate Saviour doth Judge that the Sons and Daughters of Abraham ought at length to be loosed from their long lasting sufferings Luke 13.16 N. B. Note well Oh that every Sabbath some Soul may be loosed from Satan to heal them of the Dropsie or drought after worldly Vanities and Villanies with a draught of the Water of Life Luke 14.2 4. and oh that the Church may be loosed to go forth Mal. 4.2 then shall all Adversaries of Christ and his Church be silenced and be ashamed Luke 13.4 4.4 CHAP. XIV Christ's Sermon on the Mount THE next mighty works of Christ to be discoursed of fall out in order of time after he had Preached his most famous Sermon upon the Mount of Capernaum such as were his healing the Centurion's Servant the raising up to Life the Widows Son at Naim c. 'T is said the Multitude of Disciples praised God with a loud Voice for all the mighty works that they had seen Luke 19.37 and Christ's own countrymen wondred whence he had all that wisdom and those mighty works Mat. 13.54 they sordidly and satanically surmised that he had his skill by ill Arts yea they said he works his wonders by the Black-Art surely he never came to all this honour honestly and in God's Name N.B. Note well We Ministers must not think much to be miscensured and misconstrued seeing Christ himself was so c. but Herod's perplexed Conscience hamper'd him into a better frame to wit into a tho' a faint and fruitless desire to see Jesus Luke 9.9 because he heard of many mighty works were wrought by his hands Mat. 14.2 yet would never stir out of Doors to see Christ perhaps he only desired to see whether he were John Baptist raised from the Dead yet both the Jews and the Blind man give a better Testimony that Christ's Miracles were such mighty works as neither they nor their forefathers had ever seen the like never since they had been the People of God Mark 2.12 and never since the World began were ever the like done John 9.32 Therefore saith he Christ must be God because he had given sight to him that was born blind against the course of nature beyond all the power of art v. 33. Thus the works which Christ wrought bore testimony of him John 5.36 10.25 13.8 14.11 Christ wrought such works as never any man did John 15.24 Christ's works were more stupendous for the manner because wrought by his own power and all for Peoples profit N. B. Note well Though greater works he promis'd to be done by his Apostles for the matter John 14.12 as converting 3000 Souls at one Sermon reducing a great part of the World to the Obedience of Christ c. yet were their works less than those Christ did in two respects 1. They wrought not their works in their own names but in the name of Christ 2. Nor Did any of the Apostles Preach up himself to be God as Christ did but they Preached Christ the only Lord and themselves the Churches Servants for Jesus sake So that Christ was the only Thaumaturgus or Wonder-worker this is attested by Josephus the Jew and confessed by Mahomet himself Hereupon it was disputed in the Roman Senate using to Delfie Great men whether Christ should be received among the number of their Gods for his having done so many wonderful works but the debate ended in the negative because Christ Preach'd up Poverty and lived in the practice of it for which the World hated him and they said Poverty can never have many Proselytes to it for all do decline it When Christ had Preached any Sermons to the People he customarily back'd and confirm'd them with his Miracles which some compute to the number of thirty four corresponding with the years of his Natural Life others do reckon them to be fifty seven something suitable to his supposed Age John 8.57 He had so macerated his Body with pains and fastings that the Pharisees did suppose him to be much elder than he was when he was not much more than thirty Luke 3.23 they judg'd him by his grave countenance to be about fifty But omitting the number of his Miracles let us proceed to discourse upon the Nature of them beside those aforementioned that Christ wrought to back his Sermon upon the Mount where a Mountain was his Pulpit and the whole Law was his Text. As Moses went up to the Mount to receive 〈◊〉 Law so did the Messias to explain it and only such Hearts as are mounted Heavâ— ward have an Universal respect to it Psal â—9 6 Sursum corda up with yeâ— Hearts c. This Mount-Sermon is call'd Catechistical Mat. chapters 5 6 7. declareâ— the qualifications of those that aim at Blessedness and the Means that lead up to it the Blessings were to be pronounced upon Mount Gerizzim Deut. 27.12 and the Curses upon Mount-Ebal ver 13. yet the Blessings are not mentioned as the Curses are In that Chapter because we must look for the Blessings from the Messias not from Mâ—ses for Christ was sent to bless both Jew and Gentile Acts 3.26 The Curse come by the Law Gal. 3.10 but the Blessing of Grace came by the Gospel John 1.17 Therefore Christ stands here as upon Mount-Gerizzim on this Mount of Capernaum to pronounâ—e those eight beatitudes sweetly Harmonizing with that of Deuteronomy here and Lâ—â—â— also addeth that Christ also Denounced Woes as if he had stood upon Mount-Bâ—â— also Luke 6.20 25 to v. 30. Blessed be the Poor the Hungry c. but Woe to the Rich the Full c. Christ proceeds to lay forth the latitude of the Law shewing its Extent to Thoughts as well as Deeds c. contrary to the corrupt Glosses of Jewish Traditions whereby they had made the Law of no effect whereupon he Divinely Damneth their cursed constructions and prescribeth many Christian Duties in Doctrines of Faith and Manners to attain Eternal Life c. no sooner had this Great Oracle of Divine Truth delivered this long and lively Sermon as was his last when he left the World John Câ—â—â—ters 14 15 16 17. but he confirms his Oracles with some Miracles as with healing â—â—e Centurion's Servant and raising to Life the Dead Son of a Widow at Naim 〈◊〉 above hinted c. This the Evangelist Luke clearly demonstrates giving an account of the Heads of this Mount-Sermon Luke 6.20 c. and then makes this transition When he had ended all his Sayings or Oracles then did he back his Doctrines immediately with these two Miracles Luke 7.1 the former is related from ver 1
19.29 Where he Raiseth Lazarus out of his Grave John 11.17 18 c. Which Story none of the Evangelists Records save John only in which mighty Miracle he Relates many Remarkable Circumstances together with the Substantial part thereof The First Remark is concerning the Antecedents of it which were 1. Tidings of Lazarus's Sickness after mentioned were brought to Christ while he was in Bethabara beyond Jordan upon which he returns to Bethany where he had been before kindly Entertained Luke 10.38 c. Though the Messenger of Mary and Martha did not alledge Lazarus's Merits or Kindnesses to Christ but only Christs Kindness to him Behold he whom thou lovest is Sick John 11.3 Nor do they boast of their own Merits as if they were worthy Christ should come and Cure their Sick Brother as Luke 7.4 They thought this enough to say to a loving Saviour for fetching him to their Relief as appears ver 21 32. Thus we need not be carefull in any thing more than to make our wants known to God Phil. 4.6 Cast our Burden upon the Lord Ps 55.22 And let him alone to help us how and when he pleaseth 'T is enough to mind Christ of his Afflicted Church saying Behold she whom thou lovest is sick and the dearly Beloved of thy Soul is delivered into the Hands of her Enemies Jer. 12.7 Could we but look more to the Lord we should be more Lightened Ps 34.5 And made more free from that care of Diffidence and Distrust The sweet love of Christ and the sore Labour and Lassitude of his Dear Church and Children may well enough consist together for these are his Love-tokens as many as I love I Rebuke and Chasten Revel 3.19 His chiding that Church and his Chastizing us is no Evidence of Divine Hatred God had only one Son Sine flagitio without Corruption but not any one Sine flagello without Correction He that escapes Affliction may justly suspect his Adoption Prov. 3.12 Hebr. 12.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. 2. Christ came not immediately upon his first Summons of Lazarus's Sickness but as he had staid at Bethabara two Days after he had heard Tidings thereof purposely that Lazarus might dye before he came to him that God night be the more glorified by his Raising ver 5 6 15. So did he make sure to stay long enough after he was dead before he came that the Glory of God might be the more magnified He was not yet come to Bethany ver 30. Till he had been four days Dead ver 39. Though Christ loved this godly Family ver 5. He loves those that love him especially such as are Morning-seekers Prov. 8.17 The very Walls of their Houses are continually before him Isa 49.16 And he loves to look upon them yet staid he long from them for he is a God of great Judgment and waits to be gracious in the best Season and when Mercy will do us most good Isa 30.18 He knows best when to deal forth his Favours and any prescribing to hint is to Set the Sun by our Dyal This Caesar called Sawâ—iness in his Soldiers and so doth a King when any of his subjects dare send for him in post hast by a Post The Lord loves not to be limited Ps 78.41 either to Time way means or manner we are not got yet into the depths of the Sea Ps 68.22 The Bulls of Bashan hath not pushed us yet enough Ps 22.12 We are not yet low enough and they not yet high enough then deliverance c. Christ did determine to deliver Lazarus yet not at Martha's and Mary's time but at his own So us c. Our Time is alway ready but his Time is not yet John 2.4 and 7.6 On Happy Lazarus though sick and dead to be an Instrument of giving more glory to God than had he been well 3. Christ hath Hinderances in his way of Deliverance Here is a deep Consult among the Disciples whether he might venture upon this danger or no they deny it with two Arguments 1. From the Jeopardy of the Journey ver 8. Wilt thou hazard thy own Life for helping thy Friend c. 2. From the needlessness of its mistaking Christs words that Lazarus was only asleep which was a good sign of recovering Health ver 12 13. But Christ Affirms it with Arguments also 1. From Safety for the last of his twelve Hours and so the Night of his Passion was not yet come c. ver 9 10. Till then neither Men nor Devils could hurt him Austins Descant is Christ is the day and the Twelve Disciples were the Hours the Day gives light to the Hours not the Hours to the Day his Disciples must not direct him but he them c. 2. From Duty my friend Lazarus is Dead by his Sickness to you though but asleep to me and though Bethabara be far from Bethany yet I own it my Duty to go and raise him though it cost me many a weary Foot-step in that long way to relieve my Friend His Name Lazarus signifies one helped of God and he shall be so Mangre the Malice of all my Enemies ver 11 14. Christ hath other Hindrances now as Unbelief Security Back-stiding c. Yet will he come to save us for his own sake not for ours and for the wickedness of the wicked Ezek. 36.22 Deut. 7.7 8 and 9 5. 4. Christ was glad for his own Absence so long from Lazarus ver 15. Though the Disciples deemed it vain Folly to go so far only to awake him out of a sweet Sleep yet Jesus Judged it a joyful Journey it being as easie for him to Raise the Dead as for us to awake a Man out of Sleep Christ was grad for their sakes that he was not there he was there in his God-Head not in his Man-Hood That they might more believe him to be the Messiah which they would have doubted of had Lazarus dyed while he was present but when they should see him give life to the Dead this would make them more firmly believe as John 2.11 Surely to believe first in Christs Name must needs be most pleasing Service to him we cannot do him a greater Honour than to give him our whole Trust both for Safety here and for Salvation hereafter seeing the Confirmation and Increase of Faith in his Disciples here was so great a Joy to him None more welcom in the Fathers House than the Penitent Prodigal is Luke 15.20 22 c. Christ highly accounted of the Centurions first Faith Matth 8.10 22 c. How much more of a Renewed and a growing Faith N. B. Nore well but 〈◊〉 how low is our particular Faith for Christ coming to Raise his slain Witnesses Lake 18.8 Revel 11.11 12. While Christ is glad we should not be sad for his not being here seeing he will come at his own time without Tarrying Hab. 2.3 Hebr. 10.37 And will avenge hiâ— suffering Saints Speedily Luke 18.5.7 5. When Christ comes he seems to come too
3. If it be appropriated to the Prince of life and glory as Christ is called so the gate of Ezeâ—â—â—ls Temple was for the Prince Ezek. 44.2 3. A mans Mouth is his gate and his tongue in that gate should neither stir nor sit still but at Christs command there is a time to speak and a time to hold ones peace Eccles 3.7 Christs time of speech and silence is a seasonable and profitable golden time such God-praising tongues are indeed as the tongues of Angels 1 Cor. 13.1 whereas God-blaspheming Tongues are no better than the tongues of Devils those Incarnate Devils have their tongues undoubtedly touch'd with fire from Hell To conclude concerning the Body and its Parts in a word all the Members of Mans Body were the weapons of righteousness before the fall but since they are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons of unrighteousness Rom. 6.13 which phrase imports the Devil to be a King who hath his strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 as well as his Kingdom Matth. 12.26 Sin is his Captaâ—n-General commanding the whole Body Rom. 6.12 he hath his fighting Souldiers under him which war against the Soul 2 Pet. 2.11 and every member of the body becomes a weapon of sin in the hands of those Souldiers Rom. 6.13 Now the throat is an open Sepulchre ready to receive a Mort-morsel in its gaping nature Psal 5.9 which sends out much noisome stench and wherein is oft buryed the good name of their betters when their Tongues as a Rapier hath first run them thorough now the feet are swift to shed blood Rom. 3.5 Isa 59.7 as Pauls were till God stopp'd him in his cursed Career or run into all evil trotting apace and taking long strides towards Hell as if fearing Hell should be full and no room to be for them before they get thither Now the hand is an hand of mischief Psal 26.10 Mans right hand is a right hand of falshood instead of a right hand of fellowship Gal. 2.9 of Faith and Love yea the Heart that principal internal member as 't is primum vivens ultimum moriens the first that liveth and the last that dyeth was before the fall as the Throne of Solomon whereon the King sat and as the Sanctum Sanctorum the holiest place of the Temple wherein God dwelt but now 't is become Satans seat Revel 2.13 he hath filled the Heart from corner to corner Act. 5.3 and he hath filled it with Murther Adultery c. Matth. 15.19 yea with all unrighteousness Rom. 1.29 top-full of vanity and villany So that the heart of the wicked is now little worth Prov. 10.20 as little as may be till purchased by the merit and renewed by the Spirit of Christ 'T was a great Curse Elijah denounced against Ahab that his Ivory Pallace should be turned into a stinking Privy 1 Kin. 22.39 with 21.22 and 2 Kin. 10.27 yet far worse is befaln the Heart of Man which was holy and excellent but now is become a receptacle of all uncleanness See my Hearts Treachery at large While Adam was a wise man in his pure estate his heart was at his right hand he managed his matters discreetly and dextrously he was handy and happy at all his concerns but becoming a fool by his disobedience then his heart falls to his left land Eccles 10.2 this made him and his do all things aukwardly as those that are left handed ever after His Eyes were at first in his head Eccles 2.14 but sinking into his heels he ran away from God when his heart was touched with hell-fire in the fiery darts of the tempter Ebur nitidissimum adhibito igne nigrescit the brightest Ivory if smutched with the fire contracteth a filthy blackness then was the Ivory Pallace of innocent Adam sadly soiled CHAP. IV. Of the Soul of MAN HAving discoursed largely of the excellency of the Body which is but the House Scabbard and Cabinet the Soul is the Guest the Sword the Jewel in the Body I now come to speak of the Souls Excellency 1. in general As the greatest thing in the great world is Man so the greatest thing in the little world Man is the Soul which Jacob calls his honour Gen. 49.6 or glory as the word Chabod signifies The Soul is the glory of a Man not onely as it is the Breath of life and of a more noble nature than other Creatures but also as it is a beam of Eternity an abridgment of the invisible as the Body is of the visible world and as it is a Spirit that had its immediate original from the Father of Spirits Hebr. 12.9 Gen. 2.7 Num. 16.22 and seeing the Soul is a nobler part of Man than is the Body therefore 't is frequent in Scripture Synecdochically to put Soul for Man and Souls for Men Gen. 12.5 14.21 Exod. 1.5 c. The very light of nature hath called it Divinoe particula Aurae a Particle of Divine Breath that the Soul is of a noble nature is one of those Natural principles which Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common notions of the light of Nature like that the whole is greater than the part and like that one and two make three c. Nature dictates those Truths and so likewise that the Soul of Man is an excellent Creature and made for excellent employment insomuch that the Sage Heathen Seneca could say of his Soul Major sum ad majora natus sum quà m ut Corporis mei sim mancipium My Soul is a greater thing and made for greater ends than that it should be a bond-slave to my Body Hereupon Christ refers that great point that a Soul was better than the whole world Matth. 16.26 to their own though carnal Consciences intimating how it was Truth in it self and that if they had the least spark of natural reason left in them they must judge it to be so the bare recital of it was sufficient demonstration how much more doth the light of Grace far clearer than that dim light of nature discover the excellency of the Soul that it is a pretious Jewel which God himself made up and laid up in the curious Cabinet of the Body that at death is resigned up unto God again All Saints learn this lesson from their dying Saviour saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 Our Lord had received his Soul as he was the Son of Man from God and now as a Sacred Depositum or pledge his Father had betrusted him withal he commits and commends it into his Fathers hands again as a most faithful keeper of it who within three days restored it to his Body at his Resurrection The like did David who was Christs Father and figure Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit And this lesson that blessed Proto-Martyr Stephen learnt of his Saviour Act. 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit This was one of the seven Sentences which our Saviour spake upon the Cross and though undoubtedly
for from thence came the Gospel first to all believing Gentiles John 4.22 This is an Allegory of Divine Authority and hath an exact Accommodation to the Analogy of Faith as for those of Origen and of other wanton Wits too Luxuriant this way not having this to justifie them are well call'd Scripturaum Spuma the frothy Exuberancies of their own Addle Brains bespattering the Sacred Scriptures yet thus far we are warranted from this Apostolical Authority to make a Mystery of this great Mother of the Faithful Sarah as Abraham was the great Father of them as she beareth a sweet resemblance both to the Soul of Man and to the Church of God both in her Name and in her Person 1. In her Name which signifies a Lady or Queen such a one she was both to Abraham and to God so ought the Soul of Man and the Church of Christ to be lovely Ladies and Royal as well as Loyal Queens and Princesses unto God that High-father as Ab-ram signifies The Soul of Man hath many Suitors there was nothing so much contention about Moses Body Jude ver 9. as there is about Mans Soul Mark well who carrieth it in this Suiting Work whether the World or the Devil or God and Jesus Christ Come Soul see well into this weighty Work upon which thy Eternal weal or woe dependeth which of these three is if that doth wooe and win thee The World that old Witch will bewitch thee into some notorious ugly deformed Shape and the Devil may Metamorphose thee into a frightful black Gypsy both these may make thee abhorred of the Lord Prov. 22.14 but it Christ wooe and win thee this and this alone can cause thee to become a Sarah a Lady a Queen and a Princess to God who will greatly delight in thy Beauty Psal 45.11 and if thou fear and love the Lord thou shalt be greatly praised Prov. 31.29 30. Thus also as the Soul of Man hath many Suitors so the Church of Christ hath many Tempters 2 Cor. 11.2 3. as the Sequel will make it more manifest This filled that Apostle with Godly Jealousie such as was that in Job over his Children for fear they should sin against God Job 1.5 c. This Jealousie is a Compound of Love Fear and Anger it s three Ingredients the Ground of it was lest Satan by his subtilty and his devilish Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 should corrupt the Church of Corinth as he did after not only it but the Seven Churches of Asia from the simplicity in Christ 2. There is a Mystery in her person as well as in her name in the History of her Life and this Mystery is manifold As 1. In the change of her name Gen. 17.15 as her Husbands name was changed v. 5. he was the first man in the World whose Name was changed and this is reckon'd upon Divine Record as an high Favour to that high Father as Ab-ram signifies Neh. 9.7 God chusing him for his love and then loving him for his choice pluckt him as a Brand out of Ur or Fire of the Chaldees Zech. 3.3 where till then he lived and might otherwise have died an Idolater Josh 24.2 and the change of the Name imported a change of Estate from worse to better for Abram was enlarged into Abraham which was either for Abram-hamon signisying a Multitude whereof he was to be the Father v. 4. to wit of Israelites Ishmaelites Edomites Keturites c. besides of all Believers Gal. 3.28 29. and Rom. 4.11 and for better sound sake contracted into Abraham or it was as the Rabbins say for honours sake that God inserted one of the Letters of his own incommunicable name Jehovah into the Name of Abram inlarging it to Abraham and after stiling himself the God of Abraham Gen. 26.24 whereby he honoured him more than if he had Ingraven the word Abraham in the Face of the Firmament or writ it in Capital Letters upon some splendid cloud with Letters of Gold Thus also his VVives Name was Changed from Sarai which signifies my Queen my Lady or Princess Oh that God may say so of every Soul among us Thou art my Lady into Sarah which signifies an Absolute Princess and no more to be restrained to one Family only for Sarai the Chaldee Name wherein they that gave it her Wish'd her yea Prophecy'd to her much Honour having My in it which is a term of Restriction is not so honourable as that Name God gave her to wit Sarah an Hebrew Name for as her Husbands Name was changed to Denote he was to become the high Father of a Multitude Mystically signifying three things 1. That God by giving to Abraham a Letter of his Name doth thereby give even himself to him to enlarge his name into Nations 2. That God should be born of the Seed of Abraham in the Incarnation of Christ 3. That this should fall out in the fourth Millenary of the World as this Letter of He from Jehovah was added to Abraham's Name in the fourth place intimating that God should become Flesh after the World had continued four Thousand years so is his Wives Name changed for the same cause and in the same place of Letters to Denote that she was to be a fruitful Mother of much People by the spreading of Isaac's posterity her natural Son and by multiplying many Spiritual Daughters as 1 Pet. 3.6 so that though she had been hitherto but a Lady of a particular Family now she must become an absolute Princess or Queen and have a Female preheminence or much larger extent and latitude Inference hence is no Soul becomes a Sarah or Lady to God untill the Name of God or something of his Name be put upon it where Christ comes to Espouse any true Christian he changeth their Name when Christ comes he maketh all things new Rev. 21.5 a new Heart a new Life a new Tongue and among the rest as remarkable in Scripture a new Name Isa 62.2 Rev. 2.17 a Name better than of Sons and Daughters Isa 56.5 't is said All the People of the Earth shall see that Israel is called by the Name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of that nomen Majestativum that glorious and fearful Name which is put upon them Deut. 28.10 58. as Dioclesian that last of the ten primitive Persecutors was so affrighted with the Majesty of the Name of God upon the Christians whom he Persecuted that in an unexpected humour he Voluntarily devested himself of his Royal Empire quòd Christi nomen se deleturum uti speravit desperâsset because when he sought to root out Religion that tremendous Name of Christ he saw at length 't was labour in vain saith Bucholcer And this very Phrase We are all called by thy Name Gods People do improve as an Encouragement against all Discouragements in their praying to God 2 Chron. 7.14 and Jerem. 14.9 hereupon we should ask our own Hearts these two Questions 1. Whether the Name of God or the
by another However this Lie of Jacob which may be partly extenuated but never wholly justified ought not to be drawn into a pattern for us to imitate 't is Recorded for caution not for imitation yet the most wise God permitted his Sin bringing his own Holy Purposes to pass thereby as he doth most frequently by both the Infirmities of Saints and by the Enormities of Sinners he Sails with contrary Winds and would never suffer evil to be unless he knew how to bring good out of that evil The sixth Remark or Means Jacob got the Blessing by Faith which Esau wanted being clothed in the Garments of the elder Brother of which before add thereto the Hebrews say they were the very Garments that Adam wore in Paradise which had a most sweet fragrancy in them being of Gods own making Gen. 3.21 and being transmitted from Predecessors to Successors still retained their fragrant Paradise-odour which so refreshed and even ravished old Isaac's Smell Gen. 17.27 saying The smell of my Son is as the smell of a Field c. But Aben-ezra saith more soundly than doth that Scriptureless Jewsh Fable that Rebekah might purposely perfume them it being now Spring-time with fresh-springing Plants and fragrant Flowers Those Bigde-hachamudoth Hebr. desireable Garments were not common Coats of Esau for then he or his Wives would have kept them as before but most probably they were Sacred Vestments and Sacerdotal peculiar to the First-born which as Ensigns of the Priesthood and Principality of the Primogeniture the Mother of the Family according to the manner of the Countrey had in her keeping and which she kept in Chests sweetned with dried Rose-leaves and other Odoriferous things whence Isaac said Reeh Reach c. Behold the Smell of thy Garment is as the Smell of a full Field so the old Syriack Samaritan and Greek as well as the Vulgar reads it to wit a Field full of fragrant Flowers and Fruits the sweet Odours whereof had likely ting'd those goodly Garments Besides these Jacob had put upon him the Kid-skins also upon his Hands and upon the smooth of his Neck ver 15 â—6 which in part Symbolizes with that Original clothing wherewith God clothed Adam Gen. 3.21 Coats of Skins which together with those goodly Garments do jointly represent both the Grace of Justification that Garment of Salvation Isa 61.10 that Robe of Righteousness wherewith God clotheth his Church made of the Skin of the Lamb of God that her filthy nakedness may not appear Revel 3.18 and 19.8 and 2 Cor. 5.2 3 4. And the Grace of Sanctification in a new Heart and Life wherein we are said to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.13 14. These are Garments of Honour as the Chaldee calls those Coats wherewith God clothed our first Parents and of Holiness for Glory and for Beauty Exod. 28 2 3 4. which the Greek calleth Holy Robes or Stoles figuring out those Robes of Righteousness wherewith the Saints are clothed Rev. 7.9 14 c. And both these clothings the outward of Justification and the inward of Sanctification have a sweet Smell compare Cant. 2.13 and 4 12 13 14. and 7.11 12 13. like those goodly Garments put upon Jacob which the Thargum Jerosolymat applyeth to the perfume of sweet Spices which God appointed after by Moses to be Offered up to him in the Mount of the Sanctuary both which are put on by Faith Could we but by Faith put on the Royal Robe of Christs Righteousness that Garment of our elder Brother who is not ashamed to call us Brethren Heb. 2.11 when we had never a Rag upon our Backs but left naked by the Fall and when our Father was an Amorite and our Mother an Hittite Rev. 3.17 Ezek. 16. 3 4 5 6 8 10 11 This is that which will put the sweet smell of a fragrant Field upon us and cause our very Constitutions to be like to that of Alexander'â— which is said to be of such an exact and equal Temperature that it gave a sweet scent where ever it went Thus should we be as fragrant Ointment poured forth in all Places and Companies where we come we should leave a sweet savour behind us every where both while we live and when we die Geographers write That some Grounds in Spain as Aristotle doth of Sicily send forth such a strong smell of Rosemâ—ry and other fragrant Flowers that Hounds cannot Hunt there the scent of the Game is so confounded with the sweet smells thereof And Were the Name of Christ iâ— as Ointment poured forth to us as it was to the Spouse Cant. 1.3 Our sweet Resenting of Heavenly things would spoil our Hunting after Earthly Vanities Christ the true Carcase smells so sweet to all Heavenly Eagles Mat. 24.28 which being now lifted up should draw all Men after him John 12.32 Thus Jacob had the sweet smell of a Field full of fragrant Flowers put upon him by his Faith which he undoubtedly was endued with notwithstanding his frailty for he having his scruples answered by his godly Mother who was directed by the Divine Oracle and undertook to undergo the curse he feared together with the assurance oâ— Gods Promise that the elder shall serve the younger and with some confidence from the Primogeniture whereof he had already got present Possession he in Obedience to so grave a Matron as Rebekah was doth dutifully put on the goodly Garments and the Kid Skins c. and believingly rolls himself upon Gods Providence in those holy means for an happy end and event of obtaining the Blessing as he had the Birthright and saying in his Heart with Esther Esth 4.16 If I perish I perish but it shall be in the way of Obedience and accordingly as he believed so was it done unto him Mat. 9.29 the Issue answer'd his expectation of Faith God frequently proportions his own performing to Mans believing he got the Blessing Objection But seeing 't is said that Isaac blessed Esau as well as Jacob Heb. 11.20 how can we say that he got it only Answer 'T is true Esau got a Blessing but Jacob got the Blessing That which Esau got was rather a Prediction than a Benediction in comparison of Jacob's for Isaac had but one solemn Patriarchal and principal Blessing which carried with it the Spiritual Promises in Christ and as Christ is but one so it can be but one also This is that which Esau aright complains off ver 36. Hast thou but one Blessing Oh my Father for though the Blessing of Charity be manifold from Superiors to Inferiors or from Inferiors to Superiors or 'twixt equals Blessing one another in the Name of the Lord Psal 129.8 Heb. 7.7 Numb 6.23 Luke 6.28 c. which is only Ministerial yet the Blessing of Authority which was rather Magisterial as from God extraordinarily Patriarchal and Prophetical was but one single Blessing transmitted from Father to Son by a Solemn Blessing whereby the Covenant of Grace was continued from Generation to Generation
who condemn'd the observation of Dreams which are those Imaginations that the Mind of Man maketh or conceiveth in his Sleep Cato could say Somnia nè cures nam Mens Humana quod optat c. And Cicero censures it in his Books of Divination lib. 1. saying Somniorum observationem vanam esse c. rendring sundry Reasons and suppose saith he some Dream prove true why should we not rather mistrust that one out of many than trust the truth of many because of that one Dreams we see are common to Dogs as well as to Men which will Bark in their Sleep as if pursuing their Game though this may have respect to things past as the Poet says Omnia quae sensu volvuntur vota Diurno Tempore nocturno reddit Amica quies As Man so the Beast may Dream of what he was much affected with the day before yet this cannot be any Prognostick of what shall be the day after or have any relation to future things which Cicero confesses none but the Deity whereby 'tis it self known can make known lib. 2. de naturá Deorum Though the Delphick Devil did foretel some future things 'T is most certain he cannot foretel all nor any thing Infallibly and of himself but either as it is Revealed unto him by God as was Ahab's Fall at Ramoth Gilead or as he fore-feeth it in the Causes Signs or Prophecies of Sacred Scripture wherein he bath undoubtedly a vast and prodigious skill otherwise he could not have quoted it so aptly to Christ Mat. 4.6 Still this Argument must be insisted upon as God doth oft by his Prophets to shew the Vanity of all Idols that God alone can predict and foretel future things according to that of Tertullian in his Apol. cap. 20. Testimonium Divinitatis est veritas Divinationis true Divination is the most clear Evidence of the true Deity and Divinity These sew Remarks about Dreams shall shut up this point for further and fuller Consideration The first is We must not judge all Dreams vain with Epicurus neither may we think that no Dreams are vain with the Superstitious as those in Tertullian qui nulla somnia evacuabant lib. de Animâ cap. 46. both these are the two Extreams there is a Golden Mean betwixt both which requires a Spirit of Discerning and godly Wisdom to distinguish betwixt Natural Diabolical and Divine c. 2. Some good use may be made of some Dreams no wise Man doubteth Aristotle in his Ethicks could say Justum ab injusto non semno sed somnio discerni a good Man may be distinguish'd from a bad though not by his Sleep yet by his Dreams in his Sleep And other Philosophers which godly Mr. Greenham mentioneth say That the Vertuous do differ nothing from the Vitious about half part of their Lives that is their sleeping times save only in their good Dreams as the other have their bad ones for both are much affected in the Night according to their Actions in the Day How much more should Saints employ their Thoughts Words and Actions upon good in the Day and then their Fancies and Affections will Dream of that which is good in the Night But they that make no Conscience to Sin Waking will not at all scruple to Sin Sleeping The Third Remark is Dreams saith Reverend Mr. Baxter are neither good nor evil or sinful simply in themselves because they are not rational and voluntary nor in our power being more properly the products of the Fancy alone than of the understanding or will yet may be made sinful by participation through some other voluntary Acts attending them either Before or After 1. Before as either Commission of Villany which by a strong Impression disposeth the Fancy to Dream thereof or Omission of Duty either in not Mortifying a wicked Heart which is the source and fountain of wicked Dreams or not obliging God by Prayer to lock up our Fancies which is beyond our own power to do 2. After As when Men voluntarily put more stress upon their Dreams than is meet and take the measure of their Actions afterwards from them and so make them as Divine Revelations either trusting in them or affrighted by them whereas the Heathen Diogenes could say 'T is folly to prefer our sleeping before our waking Thoughts and to Prognosticate our Misery or Felicity by Dreams seeing both of them depend more upon what we do when awake than upon what we suffer in our sleep The Fourth Remark is we may not expect that God will inform us in our Dreams about any divine Truths yet about some Humane Events pertaining to this life God may sometimes admonish his Servants as Ecclesiastical History assures us hath been done Holy Mr. Byfield saith That certainly God still doth Treat with his People by Dreams and 't is our Duty to bless God for Holy Dreams See more of this in my Signs of the Times pag. 24 25. Dr. Sibbs in his Evangelical Sacrifice saith That God by Dreams may foreshew some sin to come which we are like to fall into and yet not afraid of or may discover thereby what present Sin prevails in the Heart This God doth rarely and for weighty Reasons mostly to Holy Persons bringing with them their own Evidence which always prove True This makes nothing to heed all Dreams because some hold true for saith Mr. Gattaker of Lotts we mind only what proves true but miss the many thousand that prove false The Fourth and last Circumstance is the Matter what which is most Remarkable attended with Three Beholds 1. Behold a Ladder c. 2. Behold Angels c. 3. Behold God at the top of it Besides the excellency of the Matter is the more apparent insomuch as it was deliver'd both in a Dream and in a Vision too The former being distinctly promis'd to old Men They shall dream Dreams and the latter to young Men They shall see Visions Joel 2.28 which was the first Text that the Apostles Preach'd upon Act. 2.17 to the Conversion of 3000 Souls at one Sermon and then was fulfilled as Christ had told them Joh. 7.37 for the New Testament is but the unfolding and fulfilling of the Old Jacob had here this double Privilege both of a young Man as yet a Batchellor and unmarried and of an old Man being 77 years old at this time bestowed upon him for he had both a Dream and a Vision and both were Divine also and whereas to see Visions is judg'd a greater Honour than to dream Dreams even that Honour as well as this is Jacob dignified with here yea having not only Similitudes and Resemblances of some things to signifie Important Matters as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar had but also the other which is a more excellent way wherein God himself spake audibly and intelligibly to him from the top of the Ladder as Abimelech had Gen. 20.3 and as Joseph had the Angel of God speaking twice to him expresly and without a figure Matth. 1.20 and
Malady to wit his Policy and Prudence now come we to his Piety and Prayer The first was in relation to Man The second Remedy was in relation to God Wherein we have an account of Jacob's double wrestling with God as he had a double wrestling with Man 1. With Laban 2. With Esau as before and Jacob wrestled with God 1. In a Spiritual 2. In a Corporal manner And both those two wrestlings with God interposed and were accomplished before Jacob had his happy Issue of his second wrestling with Man to wit with his Brother Esau and after he had out-wrestled his Uncle Laban The first wrestling Jacob made with God was Spiritual and is conspicuously expressed in his most pathetical Prayer recorded in Gen. 32.9 10 11 12. which is eminently marshall'd and manag'd in an excellent order for his effectual prevailing with God Some say that there be three Ingredients required for a right composition and making up of a pious Prayer The first is a Divine Promise as the ground-work and foundation of a right Humane Prayer When and where-ever Faith finds a Promise 't is its very instinct and nature to turn that Promise into a Prayer and then God will turn it into a Performance The second Ingredient is Deep Humiliation before the Lord that we may not seem to found our Faith and Confidence upon our own Merits but upon Gods meer Mercy The third Ingredient is Hearty Intercession and an earnest Expostulation with God which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Interparling with the Lord 1 Tim. 2.1 where all these three parts be put together 1. 'T is partly Gratulatory giving God thanks for his gracious Promises and past Performances 2. Partly Supplicatory making lowly Addresses to God And 3. Partly Precatory particularizing some special Request or Petition before him All these three parts of Prayer Jacob here most exactly observeth But others affirm there be more than these three parts requisite to a right Prayer which I shall not here discuss and not so much the Order as the Affection of Praying Jacob here ought to be observed because this is the Prayer of a perplexed Mind wherein Jacob's Faith wrestled with his fears of a sudden surprizing External Evil. However 't is very manifest and plainly Remarkable that his Prayer is made up here of three parts 1. His Exordium or Introduction 2. His particular Petition 3. His Arguments wherewith he backs his Petition First His Introductory Exordium or Entrance into his Prayer is very observable Gen. 32. ver 9. O God of my Grand father Abraham O God of my Father Isaac and O Jehovah that saidst c. wherein observe how this Holy Patriarch 1. Negatively Doth not apply himself either 1. To those Teraphims or Idol-Images that his Uncle Laban had Idolatrously Worshipped and that his Beloved Rachel had stoln from her Father and now had them hid in her Tent Gen. 31.34 So Jacob had he been Idolatrous-minded might have by his Wives Information and Instigation a fair opportunity to consult with them as Calvin supposeth Rachel did having a tack and tincture of her Fathers Superstition and Jacob from a Blind Love to her connived at in her These were Idols by which the Devil gave delusive answers to Idolaters asking advice in difficulties and dangers Zech. 10.2 Ezek. 21.21 Hosea 3.4 Habb 2.18 Isa 41.29 Jer. 10.8 15. The Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Idols as Synesius calls him and he would have Men to be so too who have naturally an Itch towards it nothing is more Natural and Con-natural to us than Popery in Image-Worship Nothing is more retained in us when once Entertained by us this Diabolical Itch once got is hardly ever clawed off and cured Rachel had these Mawmets a long time after this Gen. 35.2 4. And Micah's Mother after all that Airing of Israel Forty years in the Wilderness still smells strong of Egypt in having her Molten and Graven Gods Judg. 17.3 5 and 18.14 17 18 20. call'd Teraphim which is in the Hebrew plural for those Idolaters loved them so well as to have more than one of that sort in their Houses from which they expected Help and Health whence Avenarius deriveth the Greek word Therapeuo which signifies Healing as well as Worshipping Therefore John shuts up his first Epistle with this Epiphonema a most necessary caution Little Children keep your selves from Idols 1 John 5.21 at least Negatively with the seven thousand in Israel that bowed not the Knee to Baal If you dare not positively profess a publick Dislike and Detestation thereof holding them in Derision not in Devotion as Daniel and his Associates did Nor 2. Did Jacob betake himself to Angel worship no more than he did to Image worship having as fair an opportunity for this latter as well as for the former for here if ever Jacob had a fit season and occasion to apply himself unto the mediation of Angels seeing they had lately presented themselves to him as military troops in a visible Apparition Gen. 32.1 they met him sensibly and visibly not in his Dream as before on the Ladder but when awake as Servants do meet their Masters and as the Life-guard their Prince and he acknowledgeth Gods kindness therein v. 2. that so much favour and honour was done him as not to charge one particular Angel but a whole Host of Angels with the protection of him who was but one man which made a Lane for him at Mahanaim signifying a double Camp to his great comfort it was now if ever seasonable for Jacob to implore the Angels presence and assistance for his over-matching Esau with his four hundred Cut-Throats but he had learnt better things than these two popish points either Image worship or Angel adoration he knew them unlawful practices And Therefore in the Second place Positively He makes his immediate application to the great Jehovah the only true God as he was made known in the Church to wit in his Fathers and Grand-fathers Families to be above all other Idols never making the least mention of any mediatory Angels at all but giving the whole glory of all to the Lord alone who is only able and willing to hear and Help his Servants that call upon him in their necessities The Second part of Jacob's Spiritual Wrestling with God is That particular Petition which he promotes with much ardency of Affection Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother c. for I fear him c. v. 11. This Petition he placeth in the midst of his prayer so that it standeth strongly guarded both before and behind with several cogent and inforcing arguments both in its Front and in its Rear for the shoring up his Faith in his praying or wrestling work as may more appear in the third part Deliver me saith Jacob he was one that was fled and delivered from a Lion even from Laban and a furious Bear met him Amos 5.19 so by running from his
for us but alas we are made the Tail and not the Head v. 44. because of our Disobedience Thus it was with Ephraim Hos 13.1 The Fourth Remark is such an over-ruling Providence of God attended Joseph that those very means which let in upon him his State of Humiliation were improved thereby to hand him into his State of Exaltation Thus God can by the same means whereby we were cast down raise us up let us leave it with the Lord 't is not good to search too deep into God's Secrets Deut. 29.29 As the Declaring of his own two Dreams to his envious Brethren brought him into all this Misery so the Interpreting of the Butler and Baker's two Dreams to them proved in due rime a great means for his full Delivery at his Age of 28 and two years after the Expounding of Pharaoh's two Dreams to him became not only the Effectual means of his Actual full Delivery but was the very step and stirrup whereby he did climb up into his lasting full Advancement Gen. 40.13 17. and 41.1.25 46 c. The Fifth Remark is also God gave to Joseph for his 13 years Affliction in his Service and Imprisonment full fourscore years Liberty Prosperity and Honour God is a liberal Pay-master and his Retributions to his Servants for all their Sorrows and Suffrings are more than bountiful as to Joseph his Servant here whom God both Inlarged and Advanced by Dreams as before he had been so low abased by them as at last to be thrust down into a Dungeon but behold his God lets down a Ladder of Love to him as he had done to his Father Jacob Gen. 28.12 to lift him up out of his low Condition a Ladder of many Rounds every ascending Step exactly answering those of his descending in this Ladder of Promotion As 1. For his Servitude and Slavery he hath given him a Ring an Ensign of Liberty an Ornament of Honour and a Badge of Authority Gen. 41.42 It being his Signet or Sealing-Ring wherewith he was invested with power as well as honour to Seal with Royal Authority what Commands or Decrees he pleased for the People's observance see Esth 3.10 and 8.2 and Luk. 15.22 2. For his Course kind of Cloathing suitable to his servile and slavish Condition yea for his Mourning Prison-Garments Pharoah gave him a Sute of Silk or very fine Linnen Cotton or Bombazene such as Princes wore so he was ranked among his highest Courtiers 3. For the Iron fetters upon his fett Psal 105.18 He hath a Chain of Gold about his Neck that he might not seem Inferiour to any Prince in the Kingdom 4. For his being fixed in a fast and firm Prison and Dungeon he could not stir his feet out of the Stocks Pharaoh gives him a moveable Chariot whereinto he set his feet to go abroad at his pleasure with Honour yea the second Chariot of the Kingdom Gen. 41.43 which was one of the Royal Chariots as 2 Chron. 35.24 wherein to Ride as a Vice-Roy raised above all the other Princes as Mordecai was mounted upon the King's Horse Esth 6.8 so was Joseph in the King's Chariot and is made the Second man in the Kingdom for Interpreting Pharoah's Dreams whereas Daniel was but made the Third man for Reading the writing upon the wall Dan. 5.29 5. For all his opprobrious Reproaches and contumelious Disgraces that both his barbarous Brethren and his leud Mistriss loaded him with he hath now in their stead the King's Herald to Proclaim before him Abrech Tender-Father or Father of the King for as Ab Hebr. is Father so Rech in Syriack is King from whence the Latin Rex is derived or Oh thou Blessed one as it comes of Barak to Bless whom God hath made a Father to Pharaoh and all the People Gen. 45.8 and while they thus Blessed him who had been sufficiently cursed they bowed the knee to express their Reverence to him who was young in Years yet old in Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an old young man 6. For his being separated from his Brethren Gen. 49.26 He was received into the Royal Society of the Right Honourable the King's Privy-Councillors and was constituted as Chair-man at the Conncil-Table which though Moses doth not express yet David intimateth in Psal 105.21 22. All the very Privy-Councillors as well as the Private People were bound possibly by Oath to obey him in all things and as out of the Chair he magisterally taught these Senators Wisdom Thus the Hebrew Rending runs He bound the Princes to his Soul or according to his Will and made wise his Elders teaching them not only Civil and Moral but also Divine Wisdom for which Cause God sent Joseph saith he into Egypt that some sound of the Redemption of faln Mankind might be heard in that Kingdom at that time the most flourishing in the World Neither is Moses altogether silent herein for he calls him a Master of Wisdom or Father to Pharaoh Gen. 45.8 much more to his Councillors and he says that no hand or foot shall move to wit in Affairs of State at Home or in foreign Embassies abroad without Joseph's order he was the King's Plenipotextiary Gen. 41.44 7. For his being scost'd at by that scornful title of Dreamer Captain-Dreamer Hebr. or this Architect of Dreams Gen. 37.19 and Rogue c. by Potiphar and his Brethren c. behold now he hath an High name of Honour and Office put upon him that is Zaphnath Paaneah Gen. 4◠45 which signifies in the Egyptian Tongue a Revealer of Secrets for his foreshewing the seven years of Plenty and the seven years of Famine or thee Saviour of the World for his saving many Lands from being Famish'd by storing up Provision before the Famine came Wherein he became a most eminent Type of Christ who is so Indeed 8. For his solitary Life he had led a long time both as a Servant and as a Prisoner God gave him in Honourable Marriage the Daughter of Potipherah Prince of On for so cohen signifies Exod. 18.1 and Davids Sons are called cohenim 2 Sam. 8.18 Chief Rulers they were Princes but not Priests And though Joseph was in this strange country constrained to Marry an Idolater because he could not take a Wife out of his Fathers Kindred as Jacob did the Daughter of Laban an Idolater in Syria and Moses a Midianitish Woman Yet the Daughter of a Civil Prince though Idolatrous was a fitter Match for this Religious Man than one of a Superstitious Priest who was a Master of Idolatrous Mysteries this Joseph's Conscience could not dispense with unless he had in this as he had in other things some special direction from God However 't is beyond doubt Joseph instructed her in the true Religion c. 9. And that Joseph might have a full accumulation of comforts proportionable to the time of his Troubles for thirteen or fourteen years of his state of Humiliation whereof about three years he lay in Prison God gave him Fourscore years of
as the Proverb runs drove the Wolf out of the Wood All a Man hath will he give for his Life Job 2.4 There the Father of Lies did speak a great Truth what would their Lands and Liberties signifie should they lose their Lives by the Famine which is an Irresistible Tyrant but so is not Oppression in which case Liberty is oft prefet'd above Life and Men especially Free-born will chuse to lose the latter rather than the former Philo-Judaeus tells of an Heathen-people who in their Wars used only this Expression estote viri libertas agitur quit your selves brave Soldiers rather lose your Lives than your Liberties for that is the Cause you now Fight for 't is for sweet Liberty our Native and Birth-right Liberty And Daniel in his History of England declareth that there was a contention held very hot in this our Land between Prince and People for full fourscore years together about Liberty and Property which ceased not until the Grand Charter was granted the whole and sole design whereof was wisely contrived to keep the Beam right even and equal without tilting on either side between Soveraignty and Subjection And to end that long Controversie this Magna Charta so called was happily gained in the Maturity of a Judicious Prince Edward the first who frankly granted and fully ratified it to the Peoples Satisfaction And if any violence for breaking into Joseph's Store-houses was not acted by the people of Egypt when they came under those sad Circumstances every one of the five being sadder than the other that went before it it may 1. Be ascribed to Joseph's prudence as to a secondary cause of that effect for 't is probable saith Rivet that Joseph wisely laid up his Corn in strong Towers or Castles which were not easily broke into and 't is certain as Recorded in Scripture that he removed the people from one end of the Land to the other ver 21. not only to alter the Property of their Possessions from themselves to Pharaoh the present Purchaser of them but also it was his prudence and policy that by this change of Habitations they might be separated from their Brethren as he himself had been Gen. 49.26 from their Kindred and all their Acquaintance hereby they were render'd altogether uncapable to move Sedition against the Government to which Thargum Jerusal addeth a third Reason hereof that the Egyptians should not deride Joseph's Brethren for being Strangers among them seeing this Translation made themselves Strangers to their own Relations and former Companions yea and brought them into Bondage under Pharaoh according to the Curse Gen. 9.25 they also being a part of Cham's Posterity Gen. 10.6 Psal 105.23 when both their Persons and Possessions were translated into Pharaoh's power But the great Question is Whether Joseph be justifiable in thus provoking a poor pinched and half-pined people He seems to have put off all Bowels of Humanity thus to take the advantage of their necessity and that to the utmost Rigour both to the Ingrossing of all their Goods and to the Inthralling of all their Persons contrary as to appearance to all the common Rules both of Charity and Justice Answer 1. Our Lord expresly forbids to judge according to Appearance but commands to judge Righteous Judgment John 7.24 It need not be doubted but those Blind Egyptians were precipitant enough in their judging and censuring godly Joseph whose Office it was to teach them as well as their Senators wisdom Psal 105.22 that he might both learn them the worship of the true God and unlearn them the worship of their false Gods This was enough to prejudice them against him Tully a Man of great Knowledge as well as Eloquence could say Me à Religione quam à majoribus traditam accept nulla unquam suadebit oratio all the World shall never perswade me to relinquish that Religion which I received by Tradition from my Fore-fathers though it was but a Rotten Romish Idolatrous Religion How much more might these silly Souls say so and therefore they must have a prejudicate opinion of all that he said and did especially if as some say that he press'd upon this people the Doctrine and Practice of Circumcision Though this sâ—â—lls like a Jewish Fable and was not done to their provocation yet was there enough done in all these premised passages to provoke them into rage as before notwithstanding all his prudence and therefore that no mischief follow'd flowing from those that were too apt to judge according to appearance c. must be Attributed more to Gods Power and Providence than to Joseph's Prudence and Policy No doubt but those poor people of Egypt would not only reprehend what they could not comprehend as to the Reason of Joseph's Actings in his high Office but would also Rage at them so Gen. 41.13 as before importeth yet 't is the mighty work of the Almighty's Power and Providence to restrain that rage of Man which will not turn to the praise of God Psal. 76.10 As the Huntsman ordereth the rage of the Hunting Dog to his own pleasure restraining it at his will by a slip or string in his Hand so the Great God hath his Hunters or Hunting Dogs that Hunt Gods Joseph's from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain Jer. 16.16 even mighty Hunters such as Nimrod was Gen. 10.8 9. Caldeans Babylonians or Roman-Babel Butlders that have Hunted Gods people out of their Meeting-places in our Day yet are they all but as Gods Dogs in a String who restrains them at his pleasure and orders their rage for his Honour the Hebrew word for restrain there signifies to curb and to keep within Compass the Greek Septuag reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It shall keep Holy Day to thee that is cease from working as upon an Holy or Resting-day as to outwárd Objects how restless soever it be within It is the Great God who is girded with prevailing power as the Hebrew Gibber signifies Psal 65.6 that girds in all extravagant Rage as within a Girdle yea God hath a Girdle for that most unruly Element the wide Ocean and that must be both a wide and a strong Girdle indeed ver 7. He hath the raging Sea it self fast in his swadling Bands Job 38.9 'T is but as a weak Babe when most outragious in the Hands of the mighty God who orders it at his pleasure turning it this way and that way in its Fluxes and Refluxes as easily as the Nurse doth the swadl'd Infant when he listeth Yea God hath a Girdle for the Mightiest Monarchs girding their Loins with a Girdle Job 12.18 19. with a Rope reads the vulgar wherewith he restrains them laying Affliction upon their Loins Psal 66.11 and removing such as seem unmoveable pouring contempt upon them Job 12.21 Dan. 2.21 and 4.30 c. So God hath a Girdle for the Tumults of the people as well as for the Pride and Usurpations of Princes which are oft as outragious as the raging
Sea foaming out Mire and Dirt yet God stills them and makes as at his check and beck a sweet calm at his pleasure All Masterless Men yea and spiteful Devils who would lay Sion level God muzzles their Mouths and Manacles their Hands from harming his Joseph's Man indeed may stir up strife but God alone can stint it with Bounds Answer the second as to Joseph's vindications 1. All Joseph did to this people as above was not only with their consent but also at their request as Buy us and our Land for Bread Gen. 47.18 19. Volenti non fit injuria 2. As his Actings were not injurious so nor uncharitable for it was Charity in him to remit their Services and retain only their Lands when both were sold him 3. He used Liberality in his Charity towards them for whereas he might have taken half or four parts of their Lands when he restored them to their Liberties and left them but the other half or but one of five yet he allow'd them four parts and was contented to take but one part for Pharaoh which was no more than was laid up in the years of plenty Gen. 41.34 whereas 't is common in the Countrey to Lett Land to half-part for half the profit 4. The Corn which Joseph sold them was the Kings bought with the Kings Money and therefore was he bound in fidelity to the King to take a valuable consideration for it the King was no way oblig'd to give his Corn gratis to them seeing they had the same liberty that Pharaoh had to buy in and lay up Stores of it in the years of plenty Joseph having foretold them of the approaching Famine Had he given them the Corn freely he had been an unfaithful Steward to the King 5. Though Joseph seem'd to make a Monopoly of all the Money as well as Corn He gather'd up all the Money of the Land Gen. 47.14 as he had done all the Corn Gen. 41.48 49. yet did not convert either the Corn or the Money to his own private profit as for the Corn he laid up in Apothecas Regis the Kings Store-houses so Junius reads Gen. 41.35 under the Hand of Pharaoh and not for his own particular use and so the Money Joseph gather'd up he did not hoard in his own private Coffers to enrich himself by his Office but like a faithful Officer to Pharaoh laid it all up in the Kings Exchequer Gen. 47.14 and so infinitely increased his Treasure There be few such just Treasurers and Stewards now-a-days Joseph was faithful to his King because he feared his God Gen. 42.18 without which there can be no true faithfulness 6. Whereas it seems harder in Joseph to take all the peoples Cattel as it seem's hard in him to take all their Money seeing their Cattel was part of their Livelihood in affording them Milk Work c but seeing he neither used any wicked wiles to compass their Cattel nor Acted any thing against the Laws of the Land nor in any way of force Extorted them it was done by a free and fair open Contract with the Owners who now had as little to feed their Cattel with because of the Famine as to feed themselves It was now become cruelty in their owners to keep them any longer and it would be a courtesie and kindness in Joseph to keep them alive for common good and what good could their Goods or Cattel do them if themselves should die for want of Corn as doubtless many did die both by Famine and Plague though Moses mention it not for these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very rarely found asunder 7. But it seems hardest of all that Joseph will take their Lands and Liberties too when both their Coin and their Cattel were gone from them yet still all along here was a lesser good exchanged for a greater and a lesser loss or evil still prevented a worser Life is a greater good and the loss of Life a greater evil than Coin Cattel Lands or Liberties or the loss of them all Jacob reckon'd thus It is enough Joseph is yet alive Gen. 45.28 that 's a Mercy in the midst of Misery he rejoiced more for his Life than for his Honour Why should the living Man complain Lam. 3.39 So 't was enough for this people that Joseph preserv'd them alive they perish'd not with many others so could not complain of an hard Bargain No doubt put their Cattel as well as Coin yea their Lands and Liberties had a due value and price put upon them by mutual consent and that Joseph gave them the full worth in Corn according to the Contract for them And though some may say Joseph might have been more merciful to the poorer sort it must be considered that Joseph was but a Steward for Pharaoh not Administring his own Goods but his Masters now no Man must be liberal of that which is another Man 's without the Owners Consent Yea the Poor and the Rich. 8. And Lastly They did all universally acknowledge that Joseph had been truely liberal as well as merciful to them Insomuch that though God was now punishing them for their Riotous and Licentious Lives in the years of plenty by these years of extream and starving scarcity teaching them hereby the worth of those Blessings by the want of them yet Joseph had preserv'd them from perishing as many others did and had saved their Lives which was far better than all they parted with to purchase them yea and their Liberties too to become Farmers to Pharaoh upon which account he restored their Lands and all their lnstruments of Husbandry as Ploughs Carts c. they were so far from complaining that they thank'd him for his kindness Gen. 47.25 Thus 't is plain it was not Injustice in Joseph but his Equity Fidelity and pious Prudence whereby he saved both King and Kingdom Alive c. N B. In this History of Joseph there is a manifold Mystery 1. As he is a Type of Christ 2. Of the Church 3. Of a Christian 1. As of Christ something is said before to which more is here to be added as to both his states of Humiliation and Exaltation 1. In his Humbled Estate Joseph represents our dear Jesus thus 1. As Jacob being sollicitous for his Sons welfare sent his dearest Joseph as his Embassadour to bring him Tidings how it fared with them and with their flocks Gen. 37.13 14. Thus God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son Job 3.16 Christ was sent to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel his Brethren Mat. 15.24 not so much to know as to purchase and procure their Peace Luk. 19.42 2. As Joseph so Jesus came unto his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 when he came to seek and save that which was lost Luk. 19.10 yea and found them in Dothan too in a state of Defection as before They were so far from receiving this their Physician who came to heal and help
their Convoy by Sea and their Conduct by Land If Caesar's Barge-man could be comforted with Caesar's words in a Storm Quid Times Caesarem vehis ejus Fortunam Be not too timorous in this terrible Tempest but chear up thou carries Caesar so cannot miscarry A child of light walking in darkness need fear nothing while his Heavenly Father holds him fast by the hand Psal 23.4 and 138.7 Isa 50.10 2. When they Die and go down to the Grave as Jacob did go down to Egypt God so saith to them as he said to him Fear not to enter into that Sleeping-place of the Sepulchre I will surely awake you again and bring you back from the Jaws of a Temporal Death to the Joys of an Eternal Life and your frail Bodies that now Death and Grave do swallow up shall certainly rise again and by their very rotting shall be the more refined at the grand Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.36 42 43 44 c. The Second Inference is God comes usually to his Servants as he came here to his Servant Jacob while he was in suspense and did hang betwixt Hope and Fear God loves to perfect his strength in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 The Heart of Man is not in a capable case for receiving Divine Promises till it be first freed from false Fears Therefore God came to comfort Abraham with Fear not before he gave him the Promise Gen. 15.1 so his Grandson Jacob had the same Cordial Fear not before the promise both of his own personal safety and of his numberless Posterity Had God given Jacob only that General Promise I will be with thee It indeed had been enough had he said no more for a sufficient Security against all his particular Doubts and Fears yet out of his super-abundant Bounty he gives a distinct Answer and what might be satisfactory in every particular saying in effect to him 1. I Approve of thy Enterprise my Command is thy Warrant I will make thy Journey Prosperous according to thy Prayer 2. Thy change of place shall neither change my Promise to thee nor thy Company with me I am not chained to one place but am present in every place not tied to Canaan but will be with thee in Egypt 3. Though thou for a time forsake the Land of Promise yet thither will I again bring thee when Dead and thy Posterity while living for whom thy Body Buried there shall take and keep Possession till their Return so that this Promise contains the History of many yea more than two hundred years 4. And thy Jewel Joseph whom thou thought was lost hath been but lent to the Lord who will return him whom now thou so much longest to see with Advantage he was lost a Slave but shall he found a Lord yea a Lord of Lords and of the whole Land 5. Yea thy Joseph whom thou gave up for Dead shall close up thy Eyes when thou diest wherein God promised him both a quiet Life and a comfortable Death in Egypt his dear Joseph being present with him should have the Honour above all his Sons to do that last Office of Love of putting his hand upon his Fathers Eyes which were lift up wide open toward Heaven when he died having Hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 to shut them up which shall shortly be opened again to see God in the Flesh Job 19.26 By all these particulars God assured Jacob and so he doth no less to us the Children of Jacob that there is a Paternal Providence of God always attending upon him and all his whom he will never fail nor forsake Josh 1.5 and Hebr. 13.5 the particular Promise to Joshua is generally applied by the Apostle to all Believers Blessed shalt thou be in thy going out and Blessed in thy coming in Deut. 28.6 I will carry thee down and I will bring thee up saith God to Jacob thou shalt not want my presence at no time and in no place Semel Electus semper Dilectus saith Austin which is well Englished whom God once loveth he ever loveth even to the end Joh. 13.1 This Blessed Patriarch having now this Double Compellation Jacob Jacob and this Treble yea Quadruple Consolation from Heaven his Heart was much eased of his Fears his Spirit lightned from his Doubts his Faith now got above his Fear by the help of this Heavenly Vision that he Rose up from Beershebah v. 5. The word Rose up hath an Emphatical sense signifying Alacrity Importing that his Faith was now confirmed his Joints were Oiled and his Legs made nimbler by this Oracle of God as it had been with him by his Vision at Bethel Gen. 28.12 so that he doth now as he did then Gen. 29.1 Hebr. even lift up his feet went lustily on his way as fast and as far as his Legs would carry him He did so from Bethel though now he had Pharaoh's Royal Chariot to rest his old Legs in He goes cheerfully end ways to Egypt when his Encouragements outweigh'd his Discouragements as in David when distressed 1 Sam. 30.6 taking along with him his Cattle and Goods v. 6. though Pharaoh had in a Court Complement forbad it Gen. 45.20 yet this prudent Patriarch would not go down like a Beggar by carelesly casting away his All in this transport of Joy as 2 Sam. 19.30 and so to become a Trencher-fly to others He had learnt that Lesson 't is better to trust in the Lord in the lawful use of means subservient to Providence than to put Confidence in any man though his own Son or in the greatest of Men who are Princes as Pharaoh Psal 118.8 9. who oft proved but a lye Psal 62.9 They may die or their love may die and they themselves may live He had learnt that also why should we be chargeable to thee my Son 2 Sam. 13.25 Therefore he carries what Provision he had with him and his Family consisting of Sixty six Souls v. 26. went along with him to which if Jacob Joseph and his two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim be added they make up the Number of Seventy v. 27. though they are reckon'd by following the Septuagint then most in use to be five more Act. 7.14 Suppose so yet even that is but a small Number to descend from Abraham in 215 years time after the Promise of multiplying his Seed as the Stars c. The Fifth Remark is Moses mentions this small number that went down with Jacob thus industriously not only for distinguishing the Twelve Tribes nor to shew out of what Family Christ should descend naming Perez and Hezron which are named in Christ's Genealogy Matth. 1.3 and Luk 3.33 but the principal Reason is that this inconsiderable Number at Israel's going into Egypt might the more magnifie the Mercy Truth and Power of God in multiplying these few into an Innumerable Number in Egypt so that these Seventy Souls were become Six hundred Thousand besides old People Women and Children in 215 years more when Israel came out of Egypt This
Eph. 1.22 23. Thus Joseph will have as Pharaoh's Vice-Roy all him Fathers Family with him that where he was in Pomp Peace and Plenty there they might be also And thus Jesus our Brother will have all his Brethren with him it was part of his joy on Earth while he was below to have them about him Mat. 28.10 Go tell my Brethren they must meet me in Galilee c. Mark 16.7 how much more to have them with him in Heaven the Head will draw up all the Members not leaving so much as a little Toe here below into the Fathers Bosom This meeting of Head and Members one with another shall be a more joyful meeting than that of Jacob and Joseph c. or of the two Cousins Mary and Elizabeth the presence of Christ though but then in the Womb made John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to skip and spring more like a suckling at the Breast than an Embrio in the Womb and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Dance a Galliard as the two Greek words import Luke 1.44 46. leaping levalto's for the Saviours coming what shall the presence of our Joseph or Jesus do in the Joys of Heaven If that joy of Jacob and Joseph's meeting cannot be conceived much more incomprehensible is the joy of our meeting our Lord in the Air 1 Thes 4.17 as Jacob's Family met Joseph in Goshen Gen. 46.29 Sermo non valet exprimere experimento opus est 'T is fitter to be believed than possible to be discoursed yea 't is impossible to be discovered 1 Cor. 2.9 we may as soon compass Heaven with a Span or contain the Ocean in a Nut-shell The second evidence of Jacob's joyfulness at this meeting of Joseph was his saying Now let me die c. Gen. 46.30 Jacob could hardly hear the News of Joseph and live His Heart fainted when he heard that Joseph was yet Alive Gen. 45.26 but when once he saw him now saith he let me die He had said before upon the Tidings of Joseph's life 'T is enough Joseph is yet alive I will go down to see him before I die Gen. 45.28 He had almost pined away in a lingring Desire of his Son Joseph long 23 years and hearing he was living when he thought him all that time Dead then he cryeth it is enough I have enough of Content and enough of life may I be but so happy as to see him once before I die And now having obtained that Desireable and Delightful fight of his supposed lost Son He calmly composeth himself to a willingness to die Saying I have lived enough I have my life for his life was bound up in the life of the Lad I have longed enough I have my love for he loved him above all his Sons I have sorrow'd enough I have my joy and I have seen enough in seeing him whom my Soul desired to see The sight and embracement of Joseph was to Jacob so transporting as was that of the Blessed Babe Jesus at Bethlehem to good old Simeon who Sung his Soul as it were out of his Body when he had laid Christ in his Heart as well as lapt him in his Arms singing I fear no Sin I dread no Death sweet Babe of Bethlehem let this Song serve for a Lullaby to thee and for a Funeral to me Oh sleep thou in my bosom and let me sleep in thy Peace Luk. 2.29 30. Thus Jacob in his embracing of Joseph was under the like Raptures rejoycing more for Joseph's life he had from him his Father than for his Honour he deriv'd from Pharaoh Thus as Jacob was welcom First to Joseph So Secondly was he welcom to Pharaoh for Joseph's sake That it might be so Joseph putteth forth his great Prudence Piety and Humility in many particulars As 1. He at this merry Meeting instructs his Brethren unacquainted with Courtship being wholly Educated in Countrey Affairs how they might comport themselves before the King and his Courtiers when he presented them to him for he brought his Brethren to Pharaoh before he brought his Father Gen. 46.31 32 33. with 47.2 7. wisely supposing that the King would desire to see these same new strange Guests his highly honoured Joseph's Relations 2. He foresaw his next work after meeting his Father and his Family was that he might now procure a commodious place of Residence for them which Pharaoh had promis'd in the general Ye shall eat of the fat of the Land Gen. 45.18 20 Now he would have that Royal general Promise confirmed to that particular place of Goshen in their Presence and Audience 3. Though Joseph had this frank Offer of Pharaoh was his great Favourite and Vice-Roy yea and had Invited his Father with a promise to nourish him and his Family particularly in Goshen Gen. 45.10 11. all the five following years of the sore Famine yet will Joseph do nothing for his Friends notwithstanding his Princely Power to fix them in that Fertile Countrey without the Kings Privity and Approbation 4. As Joseph promis'd Goshen to Jacob either out of Conference he had with Pharaoh concerning it or out of confidence of his Royal Assent whenever the motion was made to him as it was Gen. 47.4 6. So for his actual performing of that Promise he effectually obtains the Kings Grant and Royal Licence whereby he prudently prevented the Arrows of those Arch-Archers afore-mentioned the envious Courtiers who were never wanting to wait for his halting and would have shot sore at him for abusing his Authority well-knowing that envy attends upon Honour and always aims at the highest The tallest Trees are weakest at the Tops His Providence in avoiding that offence had he acted by his single Principality was as a Back of Steel to make his Bow abide in strength 5. His marvellous W sdom and pious Modesty appear in this also that he did not send any of those Courtiers that attended him in his Riding to meet his Father in Princely Equipage with his Charet and much attendance Gen. 46.29 but as he humbled himself to his Father and his Family jumping out of his Charet as the Rabby's relate and casting away his Princely Bonnet and other Ornaments of Honour that they might the better discern him and falls down before his Father in all Filial Subjection and Reverence wherein he was not to act the part of a potent Prince but of a dutiful and submissive Son so here he humbles himself to become their Messenger himself to Pharaoh saying I will go up and shew Pharaoh c. Gen. 46.31 for none could expedite that Affair so well as himself having the Kings Ear and so high in his Favour that Pharaoh could deny him nothing he requested This teacheth that what we can and ought to do our selves and that best of all with our own Hands we may not commit it to be done by other Hands as is the custom of careless and slothful ones Non-residents carry on their cure of Souls by their Curates or Journey-men 6. Joseph
yea but when Sir for he went not Mat. 21.29 The Eighth Remark is The variety of Laws given to the Church in the Wilderness the lively Oracles or life giving Oracles of God Acts 7.38 First The Moral Law spoke by God himself in the audience of all the people which is call'd our Life or the Rule of an Holy and Spiritual Life Deut. 32.46 47. Secondly The Judicial Laws which were meerly Judaical and peculiar to the People of the Jews and which cannot fit every Nation no more than any Shoe can fit every foot tho' Carolostadius would have all Magistrates to govern their Subjects by them in all Nations The end of giving the Judicial Laws was to teach Natural Equity to which Judicial Laws mentioned in Chapters 21 22 23. of Exodus must be added those Directions that Jethro gave Moses for substituting Inferiour Magistrates Exod. 18. which choice of Elders was not made till Israel's departure from Sinai Deut. 1.7 8. Nor could Jethro offer Sacrifices as he did Exod. 18.12 before the Law was given Nor could Moses make known God's Statutes to the People as he doth Exod. 18.13 16. before himself knew them So 't is misplaced for weighty Reasons as Dr. Lightfoot observes Harmony of Old Testament Pag. 65.66 Thirdly The Ceremonial Laws were all Typical and therefore Temporary call'd a Yoke too heavy for our Fathers Act. 15.10 Yet their end and use was to prefigure and shadow out the Gospel in its divers Truths in which sense they continue still though not in respect of Observation or Practice yet in respect of Instruction Direction and Testimony to Christ and his Truths The Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are a Commentary and a kind of outwork to the Moral Law The Ceremonial to the first Table and the Judicial to the Second And they are call'd a Wall of Partition betwixâ— Jews and Gentiles because they are made up of Laws that are hard as so many Stones in Nature and that are so many in number as make up a Wall The number of both being reckoned fifty seven when the Moral Law or Decalogue was given by the Son of God Vivâ Voce by his own audible Voice with such Terrour that the People were not able to abide it but desire Moses to be a Mediator He hereupon draws near to God in the thick Darkness receiveth seven and fifty Precepts Ceremonial and Judicial which when he came down from the Mount He telleth the People of and writes them in a Book namely in his Pentateuch The Moral Law sheweth Man what he ought to do and with the same sight he seeth that he cannot do it This makes Man seek to the Ceremonial Law for some Sacrifice or Ceremony to satisfie for his not doing his Duty to the Decalogue wherein Man may see soon that burning a Dead Beast is but an inconsiderable satisfaction for the Sins of a living Man and that outward Purisfyings of Mens selves can avail but little to the cleansing of a soiled Soul the Prophet tells us Thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil will not do it nor can the Fruit of the Body expiate the Sin of the Soul Mic. 6.6 7. The Jews wearied God to the Soul with their Sacrifices and Ceremonies Isa 1.13 14. And David could say Sacrifices thou would not but a broken Heart Psal 51.16 17. The Consideration of this Deficiency in the Ceremonial Law delivers sinful Man up to the Judicial Law which holds forth the Penalty of obstinate Offenders and discovereth to him what he deserveth by the Law of Retaliation This Law is contained in the three Chapters Exod. 21 22 and 23. And thus all those three Laws the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial are as a Schoolmaster to whip us home to Christ Gal. 3.24 None of those Laws of Mosâ—s can save us It was not Moses or the Law but Joshua or Jesus that brought Israel into the Land of Promise Hereby we are constrained to seek out for a Saviour the Lord our Redeemer For there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we can be saved but by Jesus Christ Act. 4.12 N.B. The Parable our Lord himself propounds tends something to this purpose as Luk. 10.30 31 32. Concerning the Man Travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho and falling among Thieves c. Wherein the Man mentioned is Travelling the wrong way He should have travell'd from Jericho the Place of God's curseâ— to Jerusalem the Place of God's Worship and Blessing not from Jerusalem to Jericho As the Man went out of God's Precincts and so out of God's Protection no wonder then if he falls among Thieves Thus the Original Sinner Adam went the wrong way when he listened more to the Serpent's Promise and to his Wife Eve's proffer than he did to God's Precept He went from the Tree of Life to the Tree of Knowledge there hearkening after Honour of the Devil 's giving and not God's he falls among Thieves that stopp'd him stripp'd him and strip'd him so that he was half Dead of his wounds 1. Satan dismounts him of his State of Innocency which should sustain him 2. Sin strips him of all Righteousness which should aray him And 3. Death was the third Thief that strip'd him striking fall'n Man with his own guiltiness and miserably wounding him here is Man in a woful Condition By comes a Priest that is the legal Priesthood or Moral Righteousness This passeth by him but does not cannot help him By also comes a Levite with the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law or formal Holiness This also passeth by and relieveth him not Both these are Physicians if no value miserable Comforters the Eyes of neither of the two did pity him But by comes a good Samaritan our Saviour himself whom they call'd a Samaritan c. he Pities him Salves him Mounts him Lodges him and Pays all for him This Christ the second Adam did for the first Original Sinner N.B. Oh that he may do so for us Adam's Children who are all Actual Sinners and whom the Thieves Satan Sin and Death have wounded Oh that Christ may 1. Pity us when no other doth so Ezek. 16.8 Jer. 31.20 c. 2. Salve us pouring in the sharp Wine of Reproof to search our wounds as well as the sweet Oil of Comfort to supple them 3. Mount us upon his own Righteousness or we never reach the new Jerusalem 4. Lodge us in his own Chamber his Church here and in his Fathers Bosom hereafter 5. And pay all for us by his Active and Passive Obedience which is the two Pence here As our first sinning was without us in Adam so our full satisfying is without us in Christ his Justitia Personae Justitia Meriti pays all c. The Ninth Remark in this twelvth Station at Mount Sinai is the Promulgation of the Law is confirmed by bringing the People into Covenant with God whereof we have an account Exod. 24. which relateth First The Place where according to God's appointment the side of
as Act. 8.16 in Blessing and Cursing whom he pleased whereas in the Case of Israel God chained up his Curses and made them as insignificant against his People as those of Goliah against David whom he Cursed by his Gods 1 Sam. 17.43 and to shew how God overshoots Satan in his own Bow c. The Remarks upon Balaam's first Call are farther as followeth First Though it be said God came to Balaam Numb 22.9 and The Spirit of God came upon him Numb 24.2 Yet God never did Concredit his Word to him as he did to his Holy Prophets of whom it is all along said The Word of the Lord came unto them in all their Prophecies Nor was that Spirit of Prophecie that came upon him any more than a common Gift such as God gives even to the Rebellions Psal 68.18 and such as he gave to Caiaphas Joh. 11.51 c. without saving Grace In impiis quandoque sunt Dona Dei sine Deo ad ecclesiam ministrantia Gifts for saving others but not themselves as a blind-man may bear a Torch in his hand whereby others may receive the benefit of Light though himself receive none c. The Second Remark is In this Night-Vision wherein God came to Balaam are two Parts 1. God interrogates him wherefore those Embassadors were come to his House not because God knew not their Errand for he knoweth all things Joh. 21.17 but that Balaam himself by relating the unjust Request of Balak to God might sind Reason enough even of his own accord to desist from his wicked design ver 9 10 11. And 2. God flatly prohibites him to hearken unto Balak's Project or to adventure upon the Journey in order to gratifie his purpose of Cursing God's People ver 12. The Third Remark is The double dealing of Balaam in the Matter and Manner of this his first Call to his Cursing Work He promis'd to the Princes of Moab that what God said to him in his Nocturnal Vision and Revelation He would make it known to them ver 8. but he proved very partial and impious therein as the Sequel will demonstrate While Balaam had to Answer the Interrogations of God He knew that therein he dealt with the All-knowing One therefore he dared not to corrupt any part of the Embassadors Oration but fully related the whole of the Message sent unto him ver 9. Yet when he came to relate to the Princes of Moab according to his Promise what the Lord had spoke to him He perform'd not his Promise faithfully as appeareth by comparing the 12 and the 13. verses together for Balak's message to Balaam consisted of two Branches 1. That he should Go. And 2. That he should Curse therefore God answereth unto and forbiddeth both adding also a cogent Reason because Israel are Blessed and therefore may not be Cursed by any Man at any Time or in any Place The whole Will of God was made known to Balaam herein so that he must neither Go nor Curse at any Time or in any Place those whom God had Blessed ver 12. Notwithstanding this full Divine Revelation Balaam basely balks his Relation of it to the Princes as he had promised in telling them only the first part of God's Prohibition Concealing the second part and likewise the weighty Reason which God gave wherein the cogency of the Argument and the strength of the Answer did lay ver 13. Thus this Soothsayer did fouly faulter Point-blank contrary both to God's command The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell the Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully Jerem. 23.28 and also to the Apostle's Practice who said I have not shunned to declare unto yon the whole Counsel of God Act. 20.27 As worthy Mr. Ainsworth well observes ver 9. The Fourth Remark is Dato uno absurdo mille sequuntur Balaam's faultering in his account of God's Speech to him when he related it to the Embassadors in telling them less than God spake to him was an unhappy occasion of those Princes upon their return relating to Balak likewise less than Balaam had said to them for they only tell their King that Balaam refused to come ver 1. as if God had not hindred him at all but there only wanted a willingness in the Soothsayer to come and curse Israel the Embassadors intimating not one Word to Balak either of the blessed Estate of Israel or of God's forbidding Balaam to go and curse them as is mentioned ver 12 13. Hereupon arose the occasion of pursuing that following mischievous Project of soliciting Balaam the second Time with stronger Temptations than before ver 15 16 c. Wherein the Holy Ghost sheweth that Balaam's Answer from God in the Night Vision as he related it to the Princes and they to Balak was so far from causing the King to leave off his wicked purpose that it rather proved a whetstone to sharpen him into a fresh attempt with stronger Assaults c. The Fifth Remark is Balaam being of a proud and haughty as well as of a covetous Spirit insinuateth to those first Embassadors that he could well enough be content to go with them to gratifie Balak herein But Jehovah meén lethitti God will not give me leave to go with you at this time therefore the fault is not mine now yet if your Master will send greater and more honourable Messengers for me perhaps God will let me go Thus his covetous and ambitious Soul made him make this faint and favourable Speech as a Man not only loth to offend them but also loth to let go his Hope of Wealth and Honour those wages of Wickedness that were promised after which his Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude ver 11. ran greedily and as the Word signifies was poured out at Water out of a Bottle not caring how he came by it so he might but obtain it Lucra injusta putes Justis aequalia Damnis Dum peritura paras per malè parta peris Thy just Damage shall outweigh thy unjust Desires c. The Sixth Remark is It is the Devil's practice against God's Word to diminish the genuine sense of it and that by degrees from hand to hand till he either invalidate the Truth of it or pervert it to a wrong purpose Thus the Tempter dealt with our Redeemer Matth. 4.6 tempting him to cast himself down for c. where he leaves out that main Clause To keep thee in all thy Ways Psal 91.11 that by mincing the Promise he might marr the sense of it c. Thus it was here likewise in Satan's Sorcerer Balaam tells the Princes less than God spake to him and they relate to Balak less than Balaam had told them so that when the Answer came to Balak it was not now the Word of God but meerly the Word of Man ver 14. N.B. This occasion'd Balak to make a second Call and a more forcible Invitation of Balaam assaulting him with stronger forces of Temptation both in more
honourable Persons and Proffers ver 15 16 c. wherein we have these following Remarks The First is Wicked men are unweariable in pursuing and promoting their wicked Projects Balak casts not up his Cause for lost at his first repulse but reinforces his Batteries upon Balaam This is a check to our dulness and despondency for the good of Souls our own and others in our being so soon said and satiated at disappointments c. When Balak found that proffer'd Wealth and Wages of Wickedness as 't is call'd 2 Pet. 2.15 both because it was Wages both for a wicked Art and for a wicked end would not work this Soothsayer into a willingness He takes new measures and tries him with highest Honours thinking that Balaam's Ambition might be bribed herewith though he should not prove so covetous as to be won with Rewards Be not letted c. that is let neither thy self nor any Man no nor God himself hinder thee The Second Remark is The Tempter is no Changling Satan in the Serpent tempted our first Parents with Promotion to Honour Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 and thus He thought to take our Saviour himself when he promis'd to promote him with all the Kingdoms of the World c. Matth. 4.8 9. Here he prevails with Balaam and with all the Prophets of Baal who fare better than God's Prophets 1 King 18.13 19. and Rev. 11.3 And the Witnesses of Christ do Prophesie in Sackcloath Rev. 11.3 while Chaplains to the Kings of the Earth do strut about the Streets in Scarlet with the greatest ruffling Grandeur which demonstrates them to be of the same Spirit with this Balaam who will not hinder himself as Balak bids him from being promoted to the highest Honours no not by the interdicting Prohibitions of God himself This bait took Balaam's Ambition The Third Remark is Balak useth a double Word for Balaam's cursing Israel the first is Arah which signifieth to curse lightly ver 6. but here ver 17. the Word is Nakab which signifies properly to pierce or strike through Isa 36 6 Hab. 3.14 whereupon it is figuratively used for Cursing or Blaspheming as here and Numb 23.13 25. and Levit. 24.11 the Blasphemer did as it were strike through that sacred and tremendous Name of Jehovah and here Balak grows upon Balaam not only with stronger Assaults in his more honourable Embassadors and highest Preferments but also with his demands of deeper performances Balaam must do more work for more wages He must now not only curse Israel lightly but he must strike them through with his Curses and utterly devote them to Destruction The Fourth Remark is Balaam becomes the graphical Picture of a covetous and ambitious Hypocrite pretending one thing but intending another ver 18. Oh how shy he seems here by no means must he dare to act any thing against the Revealed Will of God no not for an House-full when with all his Heart he would have done it for an Hand-full of Gold and Silver for he laboured with all his might to curse Israel which God had expresly forbid him Balaam's will was undoubtedly corrupt being bewitched with the wages of Wickedness 2 Pet. 2.15 Therefore he besought God by his multiplied Altars and Sacrifices to change his prohibiting Word Numb 23.12 14 c. That he might not be restrained thereby The Fifth Remark is The Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 Though Israel had often provoked God by their reiterated Murmurings in the Wilderness before this Time and though Balaam did often solicite God for leave to curse Israel yet the Lord Would not repent of his Resolve that his People should be blessed as ver 12. Therefore God would not hearken to any of Balaam's Solicitations to the contrary but as when Jacob the Father of this People had got the Blessing though by indirect means of his Father Isaac Esau with all his howling and tears could not get him to reverse it but Isaac said I have blessed him and he shall be blessed Gen. 27.33 so and much more than so Balaam must not prevail with the most high God to revoke that Blessing wherewith he had blessed this Posterity of Jacob and that by no mistake as blind Isaac had done but in Infinite Wisdom and Eternal Deliberation Wherefore Israel is after this put in Mind of this Transcendent Mercy The Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam but turn'd his Curse into a Blessing because he loved thee Deut. 23.5 and restrained Him c. The Sixth Remark is The Name of God Jehovah was both known and pronounced by Balaam ver 18. though he was a Syrian and by other People as the Temanites Shuhites Naamathites and Buzites who did worship the true God though corruptly and probably other God's with him as appeareth from Job 2.10 11. and 32.2 and 42.7 8 9. This Tetragrammaton or Name of God Jehovah which consisteth of four Hebrew quiescent Letters was all along religiously pronounced by the Godly Hebrews the Patriarchs Prophets and People in all those pure Primitive Ages But now the Jews for many past Ages have abstained from pronouncing it using all along Adonai Lord instead thereof and this Tradition was a device of their own restraining it first to the Sanctuary and in Blessing then only to Name Jehovah at last omitting it in the Sanctuary also lest it should be as they supposed prophaned by the unworthy Yea so far went they in this their Superstitious precisenes that they affirm their Wise Men taught not this Name to their Scholars though of honest Conversation but to Name Jehovah once in seven Years Maimonides Treatise of Prayer Chap. 14. Sect. 10. and this it seemeth they did because the Heathen had abused that Name calling their false Gods Jao Jove c. However Balaam as bad a Soothsayer as he was may rise up in Judgment against those Superstitious Jews seeing He gave here to the true God this Name Jehovah which is a Name not communicable to any Creature though severally given to all the Three Persons of the Trinity Psal 110. â— 2. Jer. 23.6 c. Whereas the Blind Jews forbad the writing of it right and to pronounce it at all in this World save only by the High Priest and that only in one Place the Sanctum Sanctorum and at one Time of the Year in the day of Expiation yea and that only in one Case namely in publick Benedictions At other Times in other Places and by other Persons they held it more than a Capital Crime as Gregory shews out of their Talmud c. The Seventh Remark is Some Mens Sins go before hand to Judgment and some follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 Hitherto Balaam in many Passages appeareth a seeming Saint c. but now beginneth he to discover his Satanical Spirit of Hypocrisie He that seemed so constant to Jehovah and to his Commands and so Continent from any covetous Itch after Wealth and Honour ver 18. now begins to warp
the death of Saul and his dear Friend Jonathan together with Israel's Choicest Worthies and Men of their Chiefest Chivalry v. 17 19 20. to 27. wherein is Remarkable First David is the Author of this lamentable Epitaph because he had both a Poetick and a Prophetick gift and because he was most deeply concerned as Son-in-Law and Successor to Saul and as a great loser in the loss of his best beloved Jonathan who was the next subject of this sad Tragedy Secondly The Matter of this sad Sonnet is a mixture of Poetical Exclamations and Hyperbolical imprecations all composed in a concise Meetre which makes the meaning thereof the more cloudy being the extatick expressions of one overwhelmed with grief for the death of his dearest Friends Thirdly Beside these general Raptures David particularly bewails First The death of Saul commending him for the laudable Vertues which he had which made him amiable and obliging to his Subjects as for those foul affronts offer'd to himself and to Jonathan he candidly covers them as being only the efforts of his sudden passion by which his ordinary temper ought not to be measured and of his jealousie of a Corrival to the Crown for which he ought to be excused but not one word of any piety in Saul which he had not doth David mention N. B. Note well A fair Caution for flattering Preachers of Funeral Sermons 'T is too Pharisaical to beautifie the Tombs of the dead whose lives were bad Mat. 23 29. Secondly the death of Jonathan he more passionately deplores because frater quasi ferè alter he almost lost himself in the loss of him who had he lived would assuredly have given David a peaceable possession of the Kingdom after his Father's death according to the Covenant between them whereas by the death of Jonathan he look'd for long interruptions from it by Abner c. And he makes Rhetorical Flourishes upon Jonathan's Cordial Love to him as transcending the Love of Women Naturalists say of Females quicquid volunt valdè volunt their affections are more earnest than those of Males Yet Jonathan loved David more affectionately than ever did any Woman either her Child or her Husband Fourthly David did not so despond with dolour but being now King he Commands that the Men of Judah his own and now the Royal Tribe should learn the use of their Armour v. 18. because they bordered upon the Philistines upon whom they might retrieve their lost Honour and he instances in the Bow both in Honour of Jonathan who was so skilful at it ver 22. and that they might match the Philistines Archers who had beeen so mischievous to their Mighty ones This the General Chronicle amplifies Josh 10.13 mentions this Book of Jasher which signifies Recti the Book of Right or of the Law a Directory for Prince and People to right Duties on both sides The Jews take it for Genesis the story of Abraham Isaac and Jacob those three Righteous Men but then it should not be Jasher but Jasharim plural it is Rather the Blessing of Jacob Gen. 49.8 Judah's Hands shall be on the Neck of his Enemies so David of that Tribe was to be In this was inserted this Song the foot and burden whereof was How are the Mighty faln oft repeated v. 19.25 27. This Book taught the use of the Bow and Artillery but is now lost being no part of the Canonical Scripture c. 2 Samuel CHAP. II. THIS Chapter contains David's coming to the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of his State of Exaltation as before is recorded the whole History of David's State of Humiliation a perfect Type of Christ his Antitype who passed likewise out of the one into the other This Chapter consists of three Parts Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents First The Antecedents have these Remarks as First David's beginning at the right end and laying the foundation of his promised Kingdom in consulting with God according to God's own Ordinance Numb 27.21 and notwithstanding all his peerless persecutions he dare not now stir one step without Divine direction v. 1. having smarted so much for following his own Humane Policy and Prudence 1 Sam. 27.1 He asks God To what City of Judah shall I go God Answers To Hebron Ziklag was only Achish's Donative to David a remote place so not for his present purpose But God's gift to him was Hebron the Metropolis of Judah more antient than Zoan of Egypt Numb 13.22 a City of Refuge Josh 20.7 and more Renowned because the Patriarchs to whom Canaan was promised lay Buried there and thereby as it were held possession of it The Second Remark is Thither David went as God directed him into the very heart of his own Tribe whence he expected most Acceptance and Assistance and his two Wives with him ver 2. to share with him in his Prosperity as they had done in his Adversity N. B. Note well Wherein we have a Type of Christ and his Church which when It hath Suffered with him shall also Reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Luk. 22.28 29. Our Lord will remove his Spouse from the Land of her Banishment from the Ashes of her forlorn Ziklag to the Hebron of her Peace and Glory he hath taken order for it already Joh. 17.24 and is gone a little before to Prepare Mansions for her Joh. 14.2 3. yea and counteth not himself compleat Till he hath us all with him Ephes 1.23 Nor doth David Cashier those his Men that had Mutinied at Ziklag but brings them all along with him ver 3. and Billets them in the Country-Villages that he might not be burdensome to Hebron in Quartering too great a Company upon them Thus our Lord forgets and forgives our many Murmurings c. and leads us into the Land of Bliss The Third Remark is Not only the Men of Judah Universally v. 4. but also many Worthies out of several Tribes resorted to David 1 Chron. 12.1 2 3 22. who all joined together to Elect him King over Judah which Act might have been of pernicious consequence seeing the Right of Election belonged to all the Tribes had not the Oracle of God directed David hereunto and therefore it was no Sinful Schism Yet notwithstanding not only Ambitious Abner took advantage at this Act to raise a Rebellion against David among the other Tribes v. 8 9. but also it became an ill president and as it were a preparative to that fatal Schism in Rehoboam's Reign which could never be patch'd up again The Second Part is the Concomitants The Remarks of it are First The Elders of Judah with the Concurrence of the Worthies out of other Tribes Anoint David King over Judah v. 4. This was David's second Anointing to be King Samuel had Annoited him privately before which only gave Jus ad Rem not Jus in Re a Right Title to it but not an Actual Possession of it as this second Anointing did Now David was King both de Jure and de Facto David had
Private â—â—fe N. B. 1. With Peter Martyr in sacred History we never Read that High-Priests did depose Kings as the High-Priest of Rome hath often done but that Kings have deposed High-Priests as here and Grotius saith the same and that they are but Subjects and stand when the King sits N. B. 2. Mercy ought to be mingled with Justice where any Merit may be formerly found Thus Solomon mitigateth Abiathar's Punishment who in rigour of Law was no better than a dead Man as well as Adonijah and Joab here but Solomon to requite his former kindness to his Father David both in bearing the Ark before him 2 Sam. 15.24 29. 1 Chron. 15.11 12. And in being a Fellow-sufferer with him 1 Sam. 22.20 only banishes him to teach Princes not to write Injuries in Marble and Benefits in Sand or Water c. N. B. 3. The Scripture cannot be broken John 20.35 But must be fulfilled Matth. 26.54 Luk. 24.44 So God's threatning against the House of Eli 1 Sam. 2.31 35. was here accomplished namely the Translation of the High Priesthood from the Line of Ithamar in Eâ—i and Abiathar to the Line of Eleazar in Zadok Ambrose saith Deus tarditatem supplicij gravitate compensat Though Divine Vengeance seems sometimes to come slow with leaden feet yet is it always sure and comes to strike with its Iron hands which drench deep were they fall This Doom had lain dormant for eighty Years betwixt Eli and Abiathar who must be now punish'd for his Treason and so accomplish that Divine Doom c. The Fifth Remark is Solomon's removing of Joab out of his way with more rigour of Justice ver 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. Mark 1. David had caution'd Solomon particularly against Joab ver 5 6. complaining what he had done against David either directly in his over Insolent and Imperious Carriage trampling upon the King's commands when they comply'd not with his Humour or Interest who hath oft provok'd me to Passion 2 Sam. 3.39 and 19.7 c. or Indirectly done to me in his basely Butchering Abner and Amasa to both which I had given my publick Faith for their Security and that when they were about a Treaty of Peace with all the Tribes c. Therefore I refer him under this black Brand to thy Wisdom though he hath been my General this forty Years yet let him not Dye a natural Death N. B. Some Rabbins say Joab had discover'd Vriah's Letters to David's great Disgrace and therefore could never be reconciled to Him for disclosing his Secrets about contriving Vriah's Death But 't is more probable that his putting Absalom to Death still stuck in his Stomach Mark 2. Joab hearing of the Execution of Adonijah and of the Expulsion of Abiathar two of his fellow Arch-Rebels He being the Third and the worst too both as being so stigmatiz'd and branded by David to his Son whereof He might have some notice whereas Adonijah now executed had not been so infamously Characterized as himself was and also as being look'd upon by Solomon with a Squint eye because Joab had despised him and held him unworthy to Reign not only for his scandalous Birth but also for his Childish Youth therefore despairing of any Mercy He ran to the Horns of the Altar ver 28. that they might push away all Executioners of Justice from him and that sacred place might save him as it had done Adonijah Chap. 1.50 N. B. Christ seems to blame Pilate for killing the Galileans at the Altar Luk. 13.1 2. And the Jews for slaying Zacharias there Matth. 23.35 Mark 3. Solomon sends Benaiah to call him thence Joab disobeys the King's command hoping that the King would not dare to pollute that Holy Place with his Blood but his Hope being that of an Hypocrite was no better than the giving up of the Ghost Job 11.20 which is but Cold Comfort He resolves to dye there hoping also it might be some advantage to his Soul but wilful Murtherers such as he had been must have no Mercy shewn them by God's Law Exod. 21.14 Mark 4. 'T is supposed that Joab was haled by force from the Horns of the Altar according to the Direction of that Law of God Exod. 21.14 and then slain both as a pattern to all wilful Murderers not to expect Protection any where and also to expiate the Blood of Abner and Amasa from David who was Innocent of it Joab dies for it and is buried and Benaiah put in his place ver 30 31 32 33 34 35. The Sixth Remark is Solomon's confining of Shimei ver 36 to 40. Mark 1. David's Caution to his Son concerning him ver 8.9 was not out of any Rancorous or revengeful Spirit wherewith David as a private Person durst not Dye and from which canker'd frame many Passages in David's Psalms and in the History of his Life do demonstrate his Freedom N. B. But this Charge he gave as a publick Magistrate to maintain the Honour and Order of Civil Government This Cursing Shimei had Cursed the King with bitter Curses 2 Sam. 16.7 8 c. For which Abishai would have slain him once and again and though David then patiently submitted to it as sent of God and afterwards pardon'd it for his Part 2 Sam. 19.21 23. Yet leaves it to Solomon's Wisdom to Judge of this Publick malicious Fault and to punish him for it at his committing future Offences This Advice was not contrary to David's Oath for then there had been no need of Solomon's Wisdom to find out an occasion for the Future to which his turbulent Spirit will expose him to be paid home for the new and old together Mark 2. Solomon confines Him to Jerusalem at distance from his own Countrey and Kindred amongst whom he might have rais'd some Tumults against the Government He must not stir out of the City neither Eastward to Baburim his old Habitation nor Westward to Gath no way so far distant as the Brook Kidron is from Jerusalem if he did he was a dead Man ver 36 37. N. B. How happy would Abiathar have thought himself in Shimei's Confinement of whom for his Function's sake and his sufferings with David we read not that any doleful Catastrophe attended him as did all his Fellow-Criminals Thus the Lord chastizes his own Children that they might not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.31 But this Cursing cursed Shimei must not be trusted any farther than he may be seen He is kept within compass here close confined N. B. Oh that we could learn to deal so with our own deceitful Hearts and desperately Wicked Jer. 17.9 He that trusts his own Heart is a Fool Prov. 28.26 Mark 3 This Confinement Shimei thankfully owned when imposed upon him as a Favour far more than he either expected or deserved and therefore promised upon Oath to perform it ver 38 39 42 43. where Solomon chargeth him with breaking his Oath his false Heart praised this Law for it's Lenity and promised Obedience
Disappointments which could not but go like a Dagger to his Heart thus to Honour Mordecai c. Mark 4. Make haste and take the Apparel and the Horse c. saith the King to Haman ver 10. here was no time given Haman for Deliberation nor must he Dispute but Dispatch where the Word of a King is especially of an absolute Persian King there is Power and who may say to him what dost thou Eccles 8.4 it was not therefore for Haman aut Responsare aut Repugnare either to Respond or Refuse had he been allow'd the least Breathing Time either to have considered with himself or consulted with his Friends saith a Learned Interpreter he would either have feigned himself Sick or found some other excuse that he might not have done to his Enemy this Honour but God had so ordered it and the King had so commanded it that it must be done in haste Mark 5. Do even so to Mordecai the Jew that sits at the King's Gate saith the King ver 10. this Word must needs stabb Haman to the Heart to Honour Him who was thus Pointed out to him where he sat so that he could not mistake him and now must be forced to honour him whom at this time he had hoped to have hang'd out of his way c. Mark 6. Haman full sore against his Stomach arays Mordecai with the Royal Apparel whose Heart he would rather have torn out of his Belly mounts him upon the King's Horse when he would rather have Danced upon his Grave leads his Horse like a Lacquey and as a cryer proclaims before him his Fidelity to the King in saving his Life which was the cause of this high Honour N. B. Thus perform'd he a Triumph for Mordecai for whom he had prepar'd a Tree c. Oh what a cutting Cordolium was all this to haughty Haman c. Remark the Fifth The Consequences and contrary Effects of this stupendous Dispensation in disappointing Haman and advancing Mordecai Mark 1. Mordecai returns to his old Place ver 12. and to his old Sackcloth saith Lyra to wait for the Issue being not at all puff'd up with his new Honour saith Osiander as he had not been before any whit daunted with Haman's threats Chap. 5.9 The King's Horse and Apparel are returned to the right owner N. B. And he was as little transported with them as David had been with putting on Saul's Armour Nor doth he now envy his Superiours nor insult over his Inferiours nor trouble his Equals nor threaten his Enemies c. but calmly sits down in his old Office committing his Cause to God as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 according to the Guise of a Godly Man Psalm 131.1 2. yet Hopes this former Mercy was a pledge of some Future this Experience bred his Confidence Mark 2. But Haman hurl'd himself home as Nid-caph Hebr. signifies pulling his Night-Cap over his Eyes as ashamed to see or be seen ver 12. N. B. Never was any mortal Man made more a most Egregious Fool by the Immortal God over-shooting the Devil in his own Bow than Haman was here for he made an account to have gone in merrily to the Queens second Banquet after he had truss'd up Mordecai on the Gallows whereas lo he doth not only miss of gratifying his malicious mind upon Mordecai but he is made also to conferr all his matchless Honour upon him and that by his own Direction yea and that publickly through the Streets of the City where all Men had been in an Amazement at this unexpected Honour and sudden Glory of Mordecai which put People to a non-plus when they could not reconcile this Day with Haman's Lucky Day the thirteenth of Adar or February All this must needs Gall him profoundly and Grieve him prodigiously c. Mark 3. Haman consults with his Wife and Wizzards ver 13. such as he made use of saith Grotius in casting Lots to find his lucky Day they all concur in reading his Destiny from this evil Omen this they concluded either 1. From Rules of Politicks saith A Lapide observing Haman's sinking and Mordecai's rising in Reputation which are frequent Cases in Regal Courts wherein new Favourites foil the old Ones and more probably prudent Mordecai might give the fall to haughty Haman in getting the bloody Edict reversed 2. From their own Observations of extraordinary Deliverances they had heard the Jews of old were blest with in Egypt c. saith Menochius and of late in the Court of Cyrus c. saith Grotius c. 3. From Divine Inspiration saith Serrarius God giving them this Instinct as he did to the Sibylls Balaam and Caiaphas c. for his own greater Glory and for the Comfort and Benefit of his own People 4. Or the Devil might put this Answer into the Mouths of those Wizzards by God's Permission saith Mariana and of his Wife to make her now as cold a Comforter as she had been before a cursed Counsellour Chap. 5.14 Haman now heartless and hopeless is hasten'd away by Harbonah who tells him the King and Queen waited for him at that fatal Feast ver 14. Esther CHAP. VII THIS Chapter gives an Account of the foul and fatal Fall of haughty Haman from the high Pinacle of Preferment First The Antecedents conducing thereunto are two 1. Esther's Oration or Petition to the King And 2. The King 's passing the Sentence of Condemnation upon Haman Then Secondly The Execution and his dismal Downfal Remarks upon the first Part are First Haman hangs back from this Second Banquet when he heard his own Counsellours whom he hoped would have been his Comforters declare his Doom and Downfal beforehand now his Conscience if not seared c. began to fly in his Face for his Bloody Decree and now was he loath to go fearing far worse Entertainment than he had found at the former Feast While he thus linger'd and loiter'd the King's Chamberlain Harbonah comes to hasten Haman away probably saying to him It was uncivil for a Subject to Cause both the King and Queen to wait for him c. Chap. 6.13 14. Harbonah hurries Haman away head-long in a turbulent Manner when he saw that he had no Mind to go under pressing Despondency Remark the Second Haman being thus haled thither they all sit down to the Banquet and so soon as the King was well warm'd with Wine his Affections to Esther made him very desirous to know what her suit was and being egged with her delays He asks again What is thy Petition c. ver 1 2. He presseth her to speak out so God doth us to pray John 16.24 then Esther twice encouraged requests of the King for her own Life and the Lives of her People ver 3. What could be spoken in that Case saith Grotius more wittily and more wisely she could not use more Acute and cutting Words to the King's Heart saith Menochius seeing he had such strong Affections to his Queen Therefore to take away
Author p. 552. Fornication is Folly p. 376. God will punish it if Man do not p. 378 379. 'T is allow'd of in Popery p. 438. Free God is in his Choice p. 418. G. Gentiles to be called shewn in the Gibeonites p. 415. They assisted to â—uild the Temple p. 442. God its Name not found in Esther p. 661. Gospel the still Voice hath God in it p. 501. H. Haman's Malice against the Jews p. 671 c. God made a fâ—ol of him p. 680. Hand-writing upon the Wall p. 640. Hearers that have Itching Ears cannot want flattering Preachers p. 513. Heart is deceitful and must be confined p. 433. Cannot be mollifâ—â—d by Ministry Misery Miracle or Mercy p. 475 c. A good Heart cannot want a good Life p. 483. None knows what Villany lurks in it p. 551. High Places not removed why p. 564. Honour of Victory must be given to Christ p. 374. Hypocrisie is foolish it cannot be hid p. 479. It will at last discover it self p. 631. I. Idolatry not always quickly punished p. 479. It besots Men p. 607. Jesting is not unlawful p. 495. Ingratitude God punisheth p. 565. Jonah's History at large p. 574 to 584. Joy of the wicked is short p. 510. Jews Joy great when saved from Haman p. 686. K. King see Prince such as are good have their failings p. 484. He ought not to oppress his Subjects p. 508. Many may be privately Murdered and the World not know it p. 552. They of Israel bad differing anointings why p. 555. Their Blood cryes most to God p. 568. Kings marry'd Priests Daughters p. 587. He is but a Mortal Man p. 617. L. Lamentation of Jeremy Vol. 3. p. 633. Lay-Preachers are fairly warn'd by Uzziah's Leprosie p. 573. Letter that of Elijah to Jehoram is discuss'd at large p. 553. M. Man is made Mortal and Mutable p. 426. Martyr Isaiah sawn asunder p. 612. Masters see Servants who are good may have Servants that are bad p. 541. Means God supplies them when he denies them p. 490. Both External and Internal must be used p. 609. Meat take with Joy knowing God accepts thy Person p. 440. Mene Tekel Peres explained p. 641. Merit Nehemiah pleads not p. 773. Mind of great Men is mutable p. 394. Ministers of the Gospel are a great Blessing to a People p. 372. God will vindicate them when abused p. 374. God useth them more than Miracles p. 422. may Marry p. 532. They must be meek to their People that speak incongruously p. 536. They are oft Poor and live upon Pottage p. 537. They are prized more after their Death than in their Life p. 567. They must be Men of Courage p. 572. Their Maintenance cared for by Kings p. 600. Exempted from Taxes p. 697. And provided for p. 717. Money is a Master and Monarch p. 465. Mordecai's Danger and Deliverance p. 677 c. Mortifie Sin by what means p. 374. We must cut off what feeds it p. 605. Mourn Daniel did so at hindering the Temple p. 657. And the Church did so at Haman's malice p. 673 c. Mount Olivet how a Vile Hill yet the place of Christs Prayer p. 620. Murder of Gedaliah p. 630. Musick composes a disturb'd mind p. 531. N. Nehemiah's return his Prayer to God and his favour from the King p. 700 708. His repairing the City Walls and Gates p. 709 to 712. Nobles disdain not Acts of Huswifery p. 376. Number of the Jews that return'd from Captivity p. 653. O. Opportunity of God is when man is in Extremity p. 548. Oracle of the Devil is always ambiguous p. 512. Ordinance when we come to them we must cry where is the God of this Ordinance p. 527. We may not prefer our own fancies before what God ordains p. 539. P. Parable of Cedar and Thistle opened p. 570. Paradise where it is p. 526. Pardon of Sin Eternally may consist with Punishment Temporally for it p. 373. Parents may not lay up Iniquity for Children p. 427. Parliament call'd by Ezra Vol. 3. p. 703. Passover of Hezekiah at large p. 597 599. and that of Josiah p. 621 622 623. Persecution may be fled from p. 498. God punishes Persecutors p. 557. They come to a sad end p. 647. Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe c. p. 493. Dissembled Sanctity is double Iniquity p. 509. Plague good Men may have it p. 607. Pope doth not as God's Prophets did practice p. 429 432. His Pride p. 518. Prayer so pleasing to God as he gives more than we ask p. 437. God gives more than we pray for p. 533. It should be lively and to the utmost p. 604 605. That of Nehemiah p. 705. Answers to it must be waited for p. 497. Pride what we are proud of may be our Punishment p. 401. 'T is hated of God p. 504. And Men are punish'd for it p. 571 572. That of Hezekiah God punish'd p. 610 611. Prince ought not to purchase his Pleasure with the hazard of a Subject's Life p 418. He may be bad for his Subjects Sin p. 419. He may not be too Arbitrary 420 421. He is established by Piety p. 435. Not too rough p. 471. See King Prison in debauched Days 't is hard to find a bad Man in Prison or a good Man out p. 515. Prophet of God knows not all things p. 543. The small Prophets in their Order of Time p. 573. The Time when each Prophet did Prophesy Appen p. 753. Providence observes an Order in fulfilling of Promises p. 519. 'T is oft checker'd with black and white p. 534. God extracts Good out of Evil p. 538. It wrought wonderfully for Esther p. 667 668 c. It Orders all things p. 705. Prudence comes from God p. 717. Punishment see Pardon hath Sin writ upon it p. 375. God punishes not only for Sins of present but also for Sins of former times p. 592. Q. Quarrels of the Religious are bitterest p. 656. See Hatred R. Rabshakeh's Railing Rhetorick p. 602 c. Rain restrained by a Miracle p. 488. Rebellion of a Son against a Father p 383 to 389. Reformation though but partial yet God rewards it p. 594 That of Josiah was the best p. 616 c. Remedies God provides against all Maladies he permits p. 692 and 694. Repentance of David for his double Sin p. 369. Nathan the Prophet God sends to David a Prophet to rouze him out of his sleep of Sin p. 370 371. How the false differs from true Repentance p. 372. 'T is the Remedy to every Malady p. 461. If but Temporary shall have a Deliverance Temporary p. 511. That of Nineveh p. 579 580. Saved then but destroy'd after p. 586. Signs of that which is sincere p. 720. Reward is great from God for Man's little Work p. 408. Carnal things are but small Rewards for Spiritual p. 541. S. Saints departed ought not to be prayed unto p. 525. The best here have a But at their Door Vol. 3. p. 538. Self-love is
setteth c. Concerning John Baptist we have these Remarks Recorded c. The First Remark is That He was as Chrysologus calls Him Legis Evangelii fibula the Buckle or Button that bound the Law and the Gospel together the bond of both Testaments He is resembled to that Angel with one Foot on the Sea the Law which is rough and moveable and with the other Foot on the Land the Gospel which is smooth firm and stable c. Rev. 10.2 Christ himself calls him more than a Prophet Mat. 11.9 because he pointed out Christ with the Finger whereas the foregoing Prophets only saluted him afar off Heb. 11.13 He was beyond all born of Women both in Dignity and Doctrine above all the Prophets as nearer to Christ and his immediate Forerunner yet behind and below the Apostles as not being an Eye-witness of Christ's Sufferings Deathâ— Burial Resurrection and Ascension as they and the Evangelist were He by his Divine Doctrine and Austâ—re Life had merited among many to be taken for the Messiah Joh 2.19 20 but he durst not assume that Honour to himself ver 21 23. The Second Remark is This John Baptist was at first exceedinly admired by the Jews as a burning and shining Light among them Joh. 5.35 burning in himself and shining to others Hereupon a prodigious Resort was made unto him even all Judaeâ— as well as Jerusalem and all the Regions round about Mat. 3.5 6. but they soon grew weary and fall off Rejoycing in him only for a Season for the which they were justly raxed by our Saviour Mat. 11.7 He also soon grew stale to them as they soon grew weary of him so that they made no more reckoning of Him than of a Reed shâ—ken with the Wind a worthless poizeless priceless Person one of no worth a thing of nothing Then they shamefully slighted him as after the Galathians did St. Paul for whom once they could have pull'd out their own Eyes but afterwards they would have pullâ—d our his Eyes could they have come at him Gal. 4.14 15 16 And as it is now the fate of Godly Ministers to whom Peoples fickle Affections too soon flag and fall neutrum modô Mas modò Vulgus Vulgar Men are variable in their Minds as soon in and as soon out not pleas'd full nor fasting Austere John hath a Devil and a Sociable Saviour is a Wine bibber no Preacher can please Froward Hearts The Third Remark is so soon as John Baptists Work was done He had a Writ of Ease sent him He is then cast into Prison The last account we have of the Baptist is his baptizing at Aenon near Salâ—m Joh. 3.23 that was before he was cast into Prison ver 24. We hear no more of him by any of the Four Evangelists till the story of his Imprisonment which Luke records with the occasion of it Luk. 3.19 20. who tells us ver 1. that Herod was Tetrarch of Galilee as Pilate was of Judaea and Aenon stood in Galilee the Baptist's then last place of Residency And it appears that the Baptist preached to Herod who heard him gladly and did many things being unable to ward off the Power of the Word which came so close upon him Mark 6.20 and that John told this Tetrarch of his faults with as much freedom as he committed them especially in telling him It was not lawful for him to have his Brothers Wife Herodias had a quarrel against John for being so sawcy with her pretended Husband Herod touch the Mountains and they smoak yet Herod remembred John Mark 6.19 20. True Sanctity shines with such Majesty as sometimes strikes an awe upon its Adversaries Consciences as here in Herod but his Carnal Concupiscence did overpower his Superficial Reverence therefore the Evangelist Luke doth characterize him to purpose saying He added yet this above all to all his other Evils that he shut up John in Prison Luk. 3.19 20. This Sin was his Top Sin wherewith he fill'd up his measure a sad Document to Persecutors There is no stint in acts of sin but as one Wedge makes way for another so here Herod â—dded still and this sin filled up his Ephah then no Remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Mat. 23.31 32. The Fourth Remark is Herod having thus wickedly gratified his wanton Minion Herodias in confining the Reproving Baptist she being highly displeased with him for his disturbing her in her lewd Dalliance by his Reproof waits a fit occasion for a full Revenge but could not find it because Herod feared John c. till he had lain in Prison about 18 Months which was the just number of Months God allowed him for his Publick Service at liberty and then laid him aside when his Work was done as he doth and will do us in this day Till then Divine Bounds are put upon Humane Persecutors beyond which no Powers can pass Job 38.11 The Fifth Remark is Jesus hearing of John 's Imprisonment steps into Galilee Mat. 4.12 The true cause of John's confinement was Herod's not complying with John's Doctrine about his Herodias as the Pharisees Sadduces Publicans Soldiers and the rest of the People had done Mat. 4.7 Luk. 3.10 11 12 13 14. Though fear of Sedition was pretended because of the Great Multitudes that followed and admired him This hath ever been an ordinary accusation cast upon the most quiet and innocent to be Seedsmen of Sedition and Troublers of Church and State as upon Elijah Jeremy c. Thus Paul was called a Pest Act. 24.5 and Luther Tuba Rebelltonis the Trumpet of Rebellion c. These old Rusty Tools the Devil draws forth furbisheth them as the Broker doth Old Clohes c. Tertullian calls Satan Interpolator Creaturae a Broker or brusher up of Old Clothets c. for doing Mischief this Day The Sixth Remark is Christ's Departure into Galilee upon John's Confinement was not so much his slipping aside for his own safety but rather to be a supply and Successor to John who was taken a Prisoner at Aenon in Galilee which was under Herod's Government Still God takes care of these two Tribes Zebulon and Napthali which had long laid in darkness Now the Devil in Herod blowing out one Shining Light John as to usefulness God sends them a Jesus God will not starve his Work for want of Witnesses The Seventh Remark is It was during this many Months Imprisonment that John sends his Message from Machaerus Castle to Christ Mat. 11 from 2 to 20. and Luk. 7. from 18. to 36. not for his own sake but for the satisfaction and settlement of his Disciples who possibly expected that Jesus among all his other Miracles might add this one of Miraculously Releasing their Master out of Herod 's Hands seeing he was a Prisoner for Christ and the Gospel But they meet with this Answer to that point yet fully to all the Rest that his Work was to preach the Gospel to set Prisoners free from Hell not from Herod that his Kingdom consisted not of
Jericho's City with the blasts thereof Josh 6.4 5 c. So the Weapons of the Word in the Ministry though weak seemingly as those Priests Trumpets and in respect of the Flesh yet are they Mighty through God and his Spirit for pulling down the strong bolds of Satan and for casting down Imaginations c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. As the Fasting Spittle that cometh out of Man's Mouth is said to kill Serpents so doth that which proceedeth out of the Mouths of God's faithful Ministers quell and kill evil Thoughts and carnal Reasonings which are that Legion of Domestick Devils that hold a constant correspondency and intimate intelligence with the Old Serpent in us This weak Word is made strong to overthrow captivate and subdue a sinful Soul into the obedience of Christ and of that small Seed arise those goodly Trees of Righteousness which are not of the Devils but of the Lord 's Planting and Watering Isa 61.3 The Second Congruity is As Seed must be Harrowed into the Earth it must be cast not only on but into the ground Mar. 4.26 so the Word must be hid in the Heart Psal 119.11 or it will not fructifie Job 22.22 23. Thus as David so Mary kept all pondering in her Heart Luke 2.19 when the Word is well covered with a moisty Moul in the hidden Man of the Heart it takes Root downward and springeth in Branches upward first the Blade then the Ear after that the full Corn Mark 4.28 were but our Minds as the Holy Ark wherein were hid the two Tables of God's Testimony and our Memories as Aaron's Golden Pot wherein was kept the Heavenly Manna Heb. 9.4 Rev. 2.17 preserving Divine Truths of the Gospel and remarkable occurrencies of Providence God would bless our buds Isa 44.3 while we strive to better that Blessing The first springings in the Womb of Grace are precious to God Ephes 2.1 The Third Parallel is As Seed requires a good Soil without which though never so good in it self it cannot be successful So the Word unless received into an Honest and Good Heart Luke 8.15 proves unprosperous Oh that our Hearts may be as Isaac's Soil Gen. 26.12 to bring forth an hundred fold The Fourth Parallel is Though Seed be sown in a good Soil yet no success can be expected without Heaven's Influence Hos 2.21 22. nothing but an Harvest of Weeds can be had when God Rains no Rain upon it Isa 5.6 c. Thus though Paul Plant and Apollos Water yet all is nothing If God give not the Increase 1 Cor. 3.6 7. without this Men will rush on in their own Sins and run Headlong to Hell though great be the Company of good Preachers Psal 68.11 The Fifth Parallel is As the Hope of a good Harvest lies potentially in the Seed that is sown so doth Eternal Life in the Word that is preached Rom. 1.16 This honour is given to that Ordinance above others As the Rain from Heaven hath a greater fatness and a more peculiar fructifying Vertue in it than any other standing or running Waters on Earth so there is not the like life found in any other means of Grace as in this which like Goliah's Sword hath none like it for Converting Work Secondly The Disparity As 1. This is not Corruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 2 'T is not for food to the Body but to the Soul Angels food that nourishes up to to Eternal Life 3. This brings forth the best Harvest where Angels shall be Reapers and the Joy of the Harvest is Everlasting Vse I. Is there any Seed of God in you though but as a Grain of Mustard-seed very little yet if true God looks at Truth more than Measure If born from above or again John 3.3 and the Heart be sound in God's Statutes Psal 119.80 having the spirit of a sound Mind 2 Tim. 1.7 the Acorn now may become an Oak in time a small beginning may have at latter end a greater Increase Job 8.7 It may be you have not vast Heards and Flocks of Graces to offer unto God as Solomon did 1 Kin. 8.63 yet may have a Lamb to send unto the Ruler of the People Isa 16.1 Jacob in a time of scarcity had not much to send as a present to the Lord over the Land of Egypt yet he bids Take a little of each the best of the best Gen. 43.11 Though Nehemiah had not his three thousand Talents of Gold of the Gold of Opher nor his seven thousand Talents of refined Silver as David had to Beautifie the Temple with 1 Chron. 29.4 yet had he a thousand Drams of Gold c. to give for Repairing the Temple Neh. 7.71 and his Drams were acceptable as well as David's Talents For if there be first a willing Mind it is accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 The Lord looks more at the willingness of the Offerer than at the worthiness of the Offering Artaxerxes was exceedingly affected with an handful of Water which one of his Common Souldiers brought him because it was the best present in his power to procure Oh that sweet Gospel in the Law but if he be not able to bring a Lamb c. Lev. 5.7 or two Turtles ver 11. let him bring the Tenth part of an Ephah And if he be not able and cannot get so much let him bring such as he is able to get Lev. 14.21 22. Goats Hair was accepted for the Tabernacle as well as better things Exod. 25.3 4 c. so was the Widows Mite for the Treasury Mark 12.41 to 44. Pence be accepted where Pounds are not and Drams where Talents are not and sure I am a dram of saving Grace is better than a pound of Notional knowledge Vse 2. Ask your hearts those sew questions about this Seed though but small Mat. 13.31 17.20 Mark 4.31 Luke 13.19 First Are any Furrows prepared in your Hearts for the Reception of this Holy Seed Have you had compunctions in Vend Cordis Acts 2.37 making you cry out What shall we do to be Saved Unless your Hearts be Plowed with Gods Heifer as Judg. 14.18 to see the eagerness of others for Heaven will be a Riddle you understand not Secondly Hath this Sower cast his Seed into these prepared Furrows Man may forfeit or neglect his Sowing season but this Sower cannot do so for all seasons are the Lord's first Furrows are prepared then the Seed is sown both in their season not by any natural power it pertains to the power of the World to come Thirdly How hath that Holy Seed succeeded after Sowing One may taste of the Power of the World to come in the Word of God Heb. 6.5 yet bring not forth an Harvest of Holiness without which notwithstanding all bedewings that soak not deep enough no harvest of happiness can be expected Heb. 12.14 c. The Third Part is the Soil Wherein First the Congruity As First much ground lyes fallow where the Plow
the Gaergasens above-said or the former is the name of the City standing upon that lake and the latter is the name of that Country Upon which be these Remarks The 1st Remark is Christ crossed the Country to and fro passing here through Reuben's Lot into the Lot of Manasseh then through Gad's Lot into that of Dan Mark 8.27 That He might not seem to omit his Visits to all the Tribes of Israel round about The 2d Remark is Christ's stay was but short here because he met with four Entertainment for no sooner was He landed upon the shore but presently the Pharisees and Sadducees came forth out of Magdala and assault him in a quarrelling sort with their Cavilling Interrogatories though they pretended to be his friends seeking only satisfaction yet intended to obstruct his doing any good in that place Mat. 16.1 and Mark 8.11 N. B. Note well So active are the Devils Instruments to hinder the Kingdom of God and the good of Souls Truth never wants Adversaries and oft hath a scratch'd face by them The 3d Remark is Such as are the Devil's Children however opposite one to another can well enough agree together to oppose Christ The Pharisees held the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body the Sadducees denied both yet these two can combine against Christ So the Jesuits and Priests the Monks and the Friars are at deadly difference among themselves yet these Dogs leave fighting together to conspire against the poor Hare the Protestants whom they jointly endeavour to devour The 4th Remark is 'T is a palpable Evidence of most stupid Hypocrisie as well as of Tempting God to require Signs that God never promised and new Helps of believing which he never prescribed when there be what is sufficient already Thus Rotten-hearted Pharisees c. would not believe the Messiah notwithstanding all his most convincing Miracles no they must have a new Miracle a Sign from Heaven for his many Miracles they despised as earthly such as Moses shewed in giving Manna from Heaven Exod. 16.13 15 29. John 6.30 32. And as Samuel in fetching Thunder and Rain in a clear Sky 1. Sam. 12.18 And as Joshuah in commanding the Sun to stand still in his sphere c. Josh 10.12 13. And as Isaiah in causing the Sun to run Retrograde ten Degrees or backward five hours Isa 38.7 8. And lastly as Elias in fetching Fire from Heaven twice 1. For consuming his own Sacrifice 1 Kings 18.38 And 2. For consuming his and the Lord's Adversaries 2 Kings 1.10 And again ver 12. Thus they desired he would shew them by all means Them as more worshipful Men than the multitude and therefore might merit more extraordinary Miracles such Signs as those were from Heaven then they pretended they would believe in him whereas they intended a Snare both to his Life and Honour for they with their Master Herod Luke 23.8 looked upon Christ as a common Conjurer who would shew to their Worships the best Trick in his Budget and if he will shew them such a Sign as these they would calumniate him for borrowing his Craft from Beelzebub c. But if he will not them must it be because he could not and that he was an Impostor and so deserved to die as a great and Grand Cheat. The 5th Remark is This gross Hypocrisie and Malicious stupidity Christ answers 1. With a profound sight it put upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 8.12 He breathed ou◠this sigh from the very bottom of the belly as if his Heart had been ready to burst if it had not this vent Christ was more sensible of their misery than they were of their own 2. And this sigh had opened the passage came forth this expostulation first calling them Adulterous Hypocrites as they were Apostates from the Faith and Piety of Abraham as Mat. 12.39 so here Mat. 16.4 a Bastardly Brood so tenacious of their own Traditions as rendred them incredulous of Christ's Doctrine and Miracles secondly He tells them their skill in natural things as being Weather-wise which was not their profession and their Ignorance in Spirituals which was their imploy as Students in the Scripture did detect their Hypocrisie seeing they had the means of Grace in Christ's Doctrine and Miracles sufficient Signs of the Time of Grace as those of the Sky were of fair or foul weather yet would not believe that the Messiah and the Kingdom of Grace was come Thirdly He saith No Sign but that of Jonas they should have granted them Intimating that Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection would declare him to be the Messiah in despight of their Malice Acts 2.24 Rom. 1.4 the mystery whereof was contained in the History of Jonah's Rising out of the Whales Belly after his three days lying as buried in it and that Christ's Victory over Death and over all his Enemies shall declare him to be the only Son of God c. They had signs from Heaven at Christ's Death Mat. 27.45 as if the Sun had been ashamed to behold their baseness to him so hid his Head in a Mantle of Black So the Cloven Tongues sent after his Ascension Acts 2.2 3. The 6th Remark is God-tempting Sophisters must not be too long Associated with but withdraw from and forsaken Christ saw these Black-moors would never wash white all his sweet words were in vain spent and spilt upon their obstinate obdurate Hearts therefore he soon leaves them Mat. 16.4 Mark 8.13 And entring into the Ship again he departed to the other side not so much as going into the Town of Magdala seeing in the very Haven among the Ships the Pharisees c. had thus churlishly Accosted him before he was housed N. B. Note well Thus seekers of Signs must be referr'd to Moses and the Prophets and Apostles Luke 16.31 Eph. 2.20 c. If not hear these be gone as Christ here CHAP. XXIV NOW Christ meeting with this Affront from the Pharisees upon his very Arrival to Shore upon the Coasts of Magdala immediately steps back into the Ship and crosses over to Bethsaida in whose Desart he had fed 5000 with five Loaves as above and therefore it may well be wondred at why his Disciples made such a strange misconstruction upon their Masters words Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees c. wherein they thought he blamed their neglect of bringing Bread Mat. 16.5 6 7 8 c. to 13. and Mark 8.14 to 22. which omission might be occasioned either by their quick return not going up into the Town or from their fervescency in following Christ the Bread of Life However the place they now arrived at might have corrected their mistakes had they call'd to mind their former Experiences they would not have understood literally what Christ delivered mystically to wit the Leaven of Pharisees Justification by Works and Sadducees against Resurrection c. both which they better understood when Christ had well chided them out of their mistake All
as a caution to all professors as before to all persecutors If your Ministers have at Gods command brought forth this best Robe and put it upon you as you do profess Then consider this Royal Robe maketh you Royal Persons Christ saith I have made you Kings c. Revel 1.6 and 5.10 Such are made Princes in all Lands Ps 45.16 Isa 49.23 Oh how obliging is this Royal Honour to a Suitable Royal Behaviour Do ye walk like the Children of a King Judg. 8.18 Do ye walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Bravely Handsomly as well as Honestly Rom. 13.13 If ye have put on a whole Christ as Lord as Jesus and as Christ that is as King Priest and Prophet ver 14. If the Spirit of glory rest upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 If this Royal Robe be your Raiment as is pretended by your Profession then ought you to walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes 2.12 Then ought ye to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called Eph. 4.1 Your Conversations ought to be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1.27 Solomon saith there be four Creatures that are Comly in their goings Prov. 30.29 c. To which I add a fifth namely A New Creature the true Believer who endeavours to be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 To wit in the manner of his Thoughts of his Words and of his Deeds both unto God and unto Man making it his Exercise and as it were his daily Recreation day by day as the word imports to keep a Conscience void of offence toward both Acts. 24.16 This Robe requires an unblameable Holiness 1 Thess 3.13 And to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 And to abound therein more and more 1 Thes 4.1 On the contrary how unbecoming it is to this Royal Robe for professors to be loose in their Lives this is far off from serving the Lord in the beauty of Holiness Ps 29.2 Holiness becometh Gods House forever Ps 93.5 But alas How many serve God with a course kind of Holiness a Profession without power 2 Tim. 3.5 A Mongrel Religion a mixture of Human Inventions with Divine Institutions This is unlike the Royal Robe but 't is rather a Raiment made up of Linnen and Woollen which Moses's Law forbad to wear Levit. 19.19 Deut. 22.11 How many such minds there be in the World which are corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 This mixture of Worship is called a Cake not turned Hos 7.8 Half raw and half rosted c. others there be that in stead of this Royal Robe that seamless Coat of Christ Woven throughout from the Top to the Bottom John 19.23 Do wear a patched Garment Mar. 9.16 Mark 2.21 Luke 5.6 Patching together their own Righteousness with the Righteousness of Christ which is plain a Linsey-woolsey Garment they cover with a covering but not of Gods Spirit woe to them Isa 30.1 The word of Works must not be mingled with the word of Faith Rom. 10.6 7 8. Gal. 3.10 11. We are justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 And we are saved by grace Eph. 2.5 8. And not of our selves or by our own works at all if so Salvation would be a Debt Rom. 4.4 and not a Gift Rom. 6.23 Alas Man 's own Righteousness is filthy Raggs Isa 64.6 And therefore to be wholly put off Eph. 4.22 Yea and quite cast away as the blind Beggar did his Ragged Raiment when Christ called him Mar. 10.50 And as the Captive Maid did when she was to be Married Deut. 21.11 12 13. Paul would not have one ragg of his own Righteousness to remain but would be found arrayed only in this Royal Robe Phil. 3.9 Thus fallen Man is compared to a naked Infant cast forth c. Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7. Then Christ comes and Cloaths him with his Robe and makes him comly with his comliness that he put upon him ver 10.11 12 13 14. Having dispatched our Discourse upon the first Bounty and Blessing that this Reconciled Father so freely bestoweth upon his Repenting and Returning Son namely this Royal Robe as rich Raiment for his ragged Back This is not all that a Bountiful Father had to bestow upon his now Dutiful Son but his Bowels are not yet drawn dry he hath another yea another and yet another Donative for a needy Object as the Sequel of this Parable maketh manifest N. B. Note well The Father said to his Servants ver 22. 'T is not said that he spake to any one of his Servants but his Speech was directed unto all his Servants intimating that no one Servant could possibly do enough so as wholly to gratifie his boundless Bowels or fully to satisfie his bottomless Bounty towards his penitent Prodigal Therefore they must all be employed and all little enough to accomplish all those four Transcendent Acts of favour from this Father to his Son All this is a Specimen or Representation of Gods Fatherly loving kindness towards penitent Sinners God is called the Father of Mercy 2 Cor. 1.3 Intimating that when one Mercy bestowed by him upon us is spent and gone he remains still a Father both able to beget new Mercies for us and as willing also to bestow them on us God is said to be Rich in Mercy Eph. 2.4 And he is Rich unto all them that call upon him Rom. 10.12 Gods Treasury may well be called puteus inexhaustus an inexhaustible Fountain that can never be drained or drawn dry This Parable of the Fathers rich Favour to his Son giving him one rich blessing after another to the number of four over and above his Kiss of Love is but a narrow Resemblance of Gods rich loving kindness unto us for what is a drop as this in the Text was no more compared with that whole Ocean of love which is found in God and which hath been flowing forth to all his Children from Adam to this Day yet abides it a full Fountain still c. God is not only a loving God in the concrete as we say in Philosophy but he is love it self in the very Abstract 1 John 4.8 As if all love c. There is none like him for love Mic. 7.18 His mercy Triumphs over his Justice Jam. 2.13 He is plenteous in it Ps 130.8 His tender mercy is over all his Works Psal 145.8 9. This in the general now in the particular as we have seen how this kind Father after he had kissed his Son and bad him welcome c. gave him and put upon his back a Royal Robe so his next gift is a Royal Ring which he must have likewise put upon his hand ver 22. As the Robe was for Raiment so this Ring was for Ornament to him Wherein these four Excellencies are considerable as 1. The matter of this Ring 2. The Form of it 3. The posy engraven within it and 4. The Real worth and dignity of
of Widdows Houses Matth. 23.24 could not bear him saying Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Matth. 6.14 and here ver 13. These two Masters are Incompatible and the variance between them is Irreconcileable Amity with the World is Enmity with the Lord Jam. 4.4 They vainly thought that the Rich Rulers were only Happy and Blessed but the poor People were only Cursed John 7.48 49. In opposition to whom some Judge that our Lord said Blessed be ye poor Luke 6.20 However he smartly saith to them here ver 15. That all is not Gold by Gods Touch-stone though it glisters much in Mans sight Sordet in Conspect is Judicis quod splendet in conceptu operantis said Bernard which is Englished here What is highly Esteemed among Men that same is no better than a Beautiful Abomination in the sight of God Rotten wood will shine in the Night but this shining proceeds from its own Rottenness Christ tells them here that notwithstanding all their Gawdy shews of Devotion before Men yet God well knew there was nothing but Rottenness and hypocrisie in their Hearts ver 15. and Matth. 23.13 c. Where he Denounceth eight dreadful Woes against those painted Sepulchres and as by so many Links of an Adamantine Chain he draws these Hypocrites down to Hell their proper place Matth. 24.51 and there leaveth them to be reserved unto Judgment 2 Pet 2.4 and 3.7 Now after Christ had glanced upon some false Glosses of the Pharisees ver 16 17 18. He then begins this Parable of the Rich Man c. ver 19. to the end That he might drive the Nail of his former Discourse down lower to the Head Teaching here the right using of Riches as before of having them seeing there is a double Danger either of too much profuseness upon himself or of too much Uncharitableness towards others who be Right Objects of Charity both those Evils were most Apparent in this Rich Glutton who is one Subject described here and poor Lazarus is the other Sucject Here is a Threefold Description of both those Subjects 1. Their Life 2. Their Death and 3. Their Burial then the Consequents be largely Described c. N. B. Note well Some Learned Men say this portion of Scripture is an History because the proper Name of Lazarus is inserted here which Parables have not and by this Argument the Book of Job is proved to be an History and not a Parable for many proper Names are mentioned in the Book of Job but 't is Answered that only one proper Name is found here Namely Lazarus which may Represent any Pious Beggar saith Tertullian for Lazarus being the Contract of Eleazar doth signifie God is my Help when no Man will help me 'T is objected also that Parables are usually drawn from things present in this life and not from future in the World to come Therefore the best Opinion is 't is partly an History ver 19 20 21 22. and partly a Parable from ver 23. to the end for Souls Departed have neither Fingers nor Eyes nor Tongues nor have the Damned any Conference with the Glorified as is said here Father Augustine's Defcant upon this Parable as Beza reads it in an Old Copy I cannot omit who Interprets the Rich Man to be the Jews that were great Justiciaries as that Pharisee was Luke 18.12 c. proud Boasters and grand Feasters strutting about the Streets in a Ruffling grandeur of long silken Gowns and fine Linnen as this Dives did and that had not so much as one Crum of Charity to bestow upon poor Lazarus whom he Interprets to be the Gentiles who were then very Poor Blind Naked Wrete hed and Miserable as is ex presse Rev. 3.17 and full of Sores as here ver 20. They were then Accounted Dots by the Jews Matth. 15.26 Not worthy to Eat up crâ—ms that fell from their Table though themselves were a Company of wanton and â—â—ll fed Children ver 27. Matth. 15. as this Glutton had no Offall nor the Dogs part for Lazarus c. Indeed Christs last words in this Parable Luke 16.31 Seem to intimate that the Jews are one part of it who then would not â—ear Moses and the Prophets c. N. B. Note well The principal point of Divine Truth which this portion of Scripture holds forth to us is the different Estate of the wicked and of the godly both in this World and in the World to come their portion is contrary c. ver 25. which is a Text that Augustine once did Tremble to Read and Meditate upon it The Difference betwixt these two here who Represent both Evil and Good Persons is Related in this Parable to be â—â—â—â—fold First In Name 2. In Life 3. In Death and 4. In that Staâ—â— which is after Death First of their Difference in Name this wicked Glutton by a vulgar Errour is commonly called Dives as if it had been his proper Name but waving this Mistake the word must he taken Appellatively for a Rich Man which Dives signifies as it is rightly Translated and so he is not so much as named who he was as the poor Man is named Lazarus because there be too many such Rich Misers among us not worth naming whose Names are written in the Earth soon Cancelled Jer. 17.13 The Name of the wicked shall Rot Prov. 10.7 God puts out their Name for ever and ever Ps 9.5 And such Wretches David accounted unworthy that he should take up their Names into his Lips Ps 16.4 and he saith Let his Posterity he cut off and in the Generation following let their Names be blotted out Ps 109.13 Yea such is Gods Abhorrency of those Mammonists that Worship their Golden Calf insomuch that God will take away their Names and they shall no more be remembred by Name Hos 2.17 and what ever Name this Rich Man had He left it behind him for a Reproach and for a Curse to Posterity Isa 65.15 Whereas this godly poor Man who made God his help as the Hebrew signifies hath his Name Recorded both in the Book of Truth the Bible here and likewise in the Lambs Book of Life Luke 10.20 Phil. 4.3 Rev. 13.8 and 17.8 Though this poor Beggar was disregarded of Men yet found he favour in the Eyes of God so that God knew him by Name as he did Moses Exod. 33.12 and left this Lazarus's Name upon Scripture-Roll and Record as a Cordial to comfort the godly poor in all Ages and places The Second Difference betwixt these two is in Relation to life in this lower World the one and former was a Man made up of Worldly Wealth Pleasure and Honour Those three Earthly Idols make up the Worldlings Trinity which he Worships for his God His Avarice was his Idolatry Col. 3.5 though he even wallowed in Wealth yet had he nothing to spare for this poor Beggar who lay at his Gates so he could not plead Ignorance or Want of an Object of his Charity c. As his Wealth and Profit
their Death as well as in their Life for as they both Lived so they both Dyed Qualis vita Mors finis ita an Holy Lifâ— hath an Happy Death so contra First Lazarus dyeth and he dyed in the Lord Rev. 14.13 He slept in Jesus 1 Thess 4.14 So his Death was Blessed being but as that Noble Charior which Joseph the Lord of the Land of Egypt sent to fetch his Father in to partake with him of his glory Gen. 45.27 So the Lord sent Death to this Miserable godly Man as a Waggon not only to carry him out of his present Misery but also to carry him home to his Fathers House where he might partake of future Felicity and endless Glory This Holy Beggar had the Holy Angels attending him at his Death he had been before in his Life Canibus Expositus a Companion of Dogs but now at his Death he is become Angelorum Socius an Associate of Angels who waited upon him at his dying Hour Angels may indeed wait upon wicked Men as that Angel did at the Pool of Bechesda John 5.2 3 4. We cannot suppose that every Person of that Multitude of Impotent folk were godly yet whosoever he was good or bad that first stepped into the Pool when the Waters thereof were moved he was straight-way healed by the Angel But this good Man had many Angels to meet him in his way of Dying as Jacob had Gen. 32.1 2. So his Death was to him only as another Mahanaim having Gods Host making a Lane being on each side to Succour his Soul with an easie passage out of his Body N. B. Note well Here was not one Angel only attending Dying Lazarus but many Angels all as it were striving which of them should be his bearers into a better World Thus he who had been licked by Dogs in his Life was now Honoured by Angels at his Death if it be asked What shall be done to the Man whom the King of Kings Delighteth to Honour as Esth 6.6 9 11. 'T is Answered he shall be Honoured with this double Honour 1. To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives and 2. To be born upon the Wings of Angels when he Dyes Such Honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 This is a greater Honour than that Honour of Hamans hammering out for himself of Riding upon the Kings Horse in Royal Robes c. as above Esth. 6. Yea 't is greater Honour than that of Amasis King of Egypt who would most Ambitiously have his own Royal Chariot to be drawn by four of his fellow Kings whom he had taken Captive in War in stead of Horses to hurry him about in State Oh! How great was this Honour done to a dying Saint that must have the Holy Angels come down from Heaven to Earth upon this Errand only Namely to carry Lazarus's Soul from Earth to Heaven as our Lord hath appointed them To be Ministring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1.14 This Office they account their Honour in Christ who Confirmed them as he Redeemed us that they might not fall as the Evil Angels did Secondly Dives so call'd dyed also and was buryed ver 22. This is all that is said of him leaving his Attendance at Death and his passage after Death to be gathered out of ver 23. where we find him in Hell a ploce of Torments which necessarily presupposeth that he was attended with Devils at his Death as Lazarus was with Angels at his 'T is said here the rich Man also dyed his Riches whereof he had boasted Ps 49.6 and wherein he had trusted Ps 52.7 Mark 10.24 during his life could not now deliver him from Death Prov. 11.4 Death is the end of all worldly glory Ps 49.10 'T is Appointed unto all Men once to dye Hebr. 9.27 None of his Skillfullest Physitians with their Constliest Cordials could Redeem him from being Artested by that grim Serjeant Death and when Dead he was Buried and possibly the whole Town attended him to his Bâ—rying-place whereas poor Lazarus probably had but four Bearers of his Body and a few following the Bier c. though this rich Mans Body was undoubtedly born in great Pomp and Splendour to the Grave yet poor Lazarus's Soul was in a far more splendid State carryed up into glory Whereas no Funeral Solemnities not the choicest sweet purfumes could Cure much less save this Gluttons stinking Soul which 〈◊〉 certainly feized upon by Devils with greediness at its departure out of his Body who hurryed it away hastily to Hell the next news we hear of him is he that had been Clothed in Bysso in Silken Robes while he lived was now groaning in Abysso in that Bottomless pit whereinto those Devils had plunged him when he was dead The Lord let him live the longer to Repent in but he Repented not Revel 2.21 22. So now God bid the Devils to take him c. This brings in the Fourth Difference betwixt this Rich Man and the Beggar in their State after Death also As in life the Glutton had a State of Abundance and the Beggar a State of Indigence so after Death the former had a State of Misery and the latter a State of Glory of whom we are told that as Death came in Mercy to him for delivering him from the smarting Sores of his Body so the Angels Received his Pretious and Pious Soul that had been lodged in a putrified Carcase and not only conveyed it safely through the Air which is called the Devils Territories as he is Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 but also lodged it sweetly in Abrahams Bosom which Phrase is a Synonymon of Celestial Felicity N. B. Note well Glory is no where called the Bosom of Adam for he is noted in Scripture to be the first and great sinner who brought all manner of Misery and Death it self into the World Rom. 5.14 c. Whereas Abraham stands Dignified with the Title of the Father of the Faithfull c. Rom. 4.17 18. Hereupon all Believers who walk in the Steps of Abraham while they live Rom. 4.12 Hebr. 6.12 13. Are said to Lodge in the Bosom of Abraham when they dye as here Pious Lazarus is placed in Abraham's Bosom ver 22 23. Luke 16. because he had been a follower of Abraham in imitation of his Faith and Patience c. N. B. Note well Abrahams Bosom is a Metaphore either taken from Feasts whereat it is said the beloved Disciple leaned upon our Lords Bosom John 13.23 and 20 21. or from the manner of a kind Father who when his Child is weary with running about or hath met with a knock therein immediately takes up his Child and lays it in his Bosom for its Ease Cure and Comfort N. B. Note well this Honour have all the Saints Ps 149.9 That as the Palsy-Man was let down in his Couch through the Tiling of the House top into the midst of the lower Room before Jesus Luke 5.18 19. Even
Disciple fondly Forecasts to lay up a Stock before hand that he might have something to live upon after his Lords Death c. Christ Crosseth the Traitour in his covetous Concupiscence of fingering such a Sum and Patronises Mary's Act in Anointing him who was the Christ which signifies the Lord 's Anointed Isa 61.1 Luke 4.18 and Acts 4.27 and Acts 10.38 saying the Poor ye have always with you c. John 12.7 8. To give unto when you please Alluding to Deut. 15.11 Now Christ staying at Bethany a day or two the fame of his coming thither did Revive the fame of Revived Lazarus hereupon many People do the Pharisees what they could to the contrary came thither not only for Jesus sake only but to see Lazarus also c. ver 9. N. B. That they might fish something out of him concerning the future Estate of the Dead though they lost their labour herein and though we find not they asked Lazarus any Questions where his Soul had been while his Body lay in the Grave which Austin saith was in Manu Dei in the Hand of God not in Purgatory as Papists say for they send none thither by their own principle but Men of Middle-make betwixt Just and Vnyast Now â—azarus was None such but a very good Man and so beloved of Christ Yet many of them leaving the City believed in Jesus ver 9 11. This made the Sanhedrim mad therefore out of their Outrage they consult to kill Lazarus because by his means of being Raised to life the Honour of the Messiah was much more promoted to their own great Regret and Grief N. B. Note well Oh! How were those Outrageous Wrotehes Transported to take up Arms against Heaven it self in seeking to kill a Man only because God had made him alive Though they were thus driven by the Devil to Resolve the Ruine of Lazarus at this time yet as Epiphanius saith he lived 30 years after this as a Monument of Christs Miracalous power and as a Trumpet of his glory long after Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension But these Malitious mad-men Envy all this while feeding upon their own hearts because they could not come at their killing purpose nor suppress the Truth meet with a worse Provocation than ever before to wit Christs Riding in Triumph from Bethany or Bethpage to Jerusalem Maugre all the Malice of Angry Men and Inraged Devils This is Recorded by all the four Evangelists John 12.12 to 2â— Luke 19.29 to the end Mar. 11.1 to 11. and Matth. 21.1 to 17. N. B. Note well There were two Special Times wherein Christ put forth some Beams of his State of Exaltation in his State of Humiliation the one was at his Transfiguration and the other was at this Triumphant Riding The first was private before no Witnesses save Peter James and John who only of Terrestial Persons beheld the Dazling glory of Christ upon Mount Tabor as before in its place But this his Rideing in Triumph to Jerusalem had many some Authors say even Three Hundred Thousand Witnesses crying Hosanna that is the Lord save us to him after the Solemnity of a King and as the Son of David c. The nearer Christ came to the appointed Hour wherein he resolved to lay down his Life the more Magnanimity he putteth forth and meets Death in the very face like the Captain of our Salvation though perfected with Suffering Heb. 2.10 And the more doth he Reveal himself to be the Messiah that was promised in whom all the promises as well as the Types and Figures of the Law were Accomplished And least the Nature of his Kingdom should be mistaken to be Temporal and of this World He Rides not here in any pompous Grandeur upon a Stately Palfrey as Alexander Julius Cesar c. did in a most Splendid Lustre and glorious Equipage but he to Evidence he was no Earthly potentate Rideth here upon a Silly Ass without any Pomp or Splendour not only to shew that his Kingdom was of another World but also to Comfort the poorest and to teach us Tolerance Humility and Patience He Rides here like a poor Man sitting upon a Beast of Burden and that not his own but borrowed while he Rode in Triumph to Jerusalem as Sions King foretold of him Zech. 9.9 This borrowed Beast that bore him was of small Value having no costly Saddle or Stately Trappings to sit upon but only common Garments cast over his Back nor had he any Yeomen of the Life-guard to Attend him only the Common People so that this Poâ—r-port in all its Circumstances seemed Contemptible Yet all this was for our good behold thy King cometh unto thee c. thus poorly Accommodated though Lord of all Acts 10.36 and Heir of all things Hebr. 1.3 Yea King of Kings Revel 19.16 Yet became he thus poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8.9 And though here he appeareth but a poor King yet herein he putteth forth six several Demonstrations of his Divine Power N. B. Note well as 1. That he knew there was such an Ass with her Colt 2. That he sent for them 3. He foresaw the Owners would question the Messengers 4. That he professeth himself the Lord of them 5. He could tell the Masters would send this Lord what he sent for and 6. That all were accordingly done as he had said Mathew mentions both the Foal and the Dam as Zachary doth intimating his Riding upon them both sometimes on the one and sometimes on the other seeing both of them had Garments spread upon them from whence some of the Antients say that by the Ass is understood the Jews laden with the Law and by the Colt the Gentiles that wandred whether they would an untamed People but seeing Mark Luke and John mention only the Colt and it would seem Ridiculous so to change his Beast in Riding so small a Journey therefore the more received Opinion is that he Rode only upon the Colt to which the Ass was yoaked and this Colt was whereon never Man Sat as if he had been Destinated to this very purpose for such Animals as have not been soyled in Humane Services were wont to be applyed to and employed in the most Sacred Services And this might the better convince the most stubborn Jews concerning the Kingly Office and Power of Christ seeing it could not be done without a Miracle that an untamed Colt should quietly carry Christ who was the first that Backed him N. B. Note well But who is it And what is it That this Lord of Beasts and Hearts cannot Tame when he gives out his Mandamus and undertakes the Management thereof c. Here the Multitude are also moved to do Honour to the Messiah in Despight of the Sanhedrim's Threatning Excommunication John 9.22 as to a King whose passage is Beautified with Rich Hangings rare Flowers and Rowzing Acclamations here this People give him the best of their best Congratulating his coming to the Passover in their Capital City
against him N. B. Note well The Lord will Judge his Saints at that time in such a manner as to make them Admire and Adore him the more as the King reckoned with that Servant Mat. 18.24 c. saying Thou owest me Ten Thousand Talents for thy many breaking of my Ten Commandments but upon thy Acknowledging the Debt and thy Insufficiency to solve it but tendring satisfaction by thy All-sufficient surety Hebr. 7.22 I freely Cancel out that Hand writing against thee Col. 2.14 Though thou hast omitted many Duties and committed many sins naming the time and place of both yet I have dyed for thee thou shalt not dye saith the Judge c. N. B. N. Note well A word of Caution is needful for the Conclusion of this point seeing this Opinion seems to be over-soothing to the Saints insomuch that if so they need not Tremble to sin against Christ because they shall not be Judged for their sins c. I do from the Lord Admonish all Saints to live such Lives as they may be approved to Christ 2 Cor. 10.18 as well as to have their Character of being approved in Christ Rom. 16.10 Let every one that Nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 To have Holiness writ upon their Hearts and Lives as Vessels of Honour Zech. 14.20 That they may have the Lords Euge well done thou good and faithfull Servant thou hast been Faithfull over a few things of my Gifts and Grace I will make thee Ruler over many things in glory enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 23. and Luke 19.17 19. Christs word must be the Rule of our Life as it shall be the Judge after Death John 12.48 All shall be Judged by the Gospel 't is Judgment according to Truth Rom. 2.2 5 6 16. Enquiry the Third Shall Rewards be equal in Heaven Answer This question is canvased pro and con by Divines both for it and against it Such as are for the Negative and for Inequality do Argue both from Scripture and from Reason First from Scripture as 1. Isa 56.4 5. I will give them within my Walls a Name better than of Sons and Daughters 2. Cant. 8.12 Thou O Solomon shall have a Thousand and those that keep the Fruit thereof two Hundred 3. Dan 12.3 They that be Wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever 4. Matth. 5.19 The same shall be least or greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven c. 5. Mat. 13.8 23. Some thirty some sixty and some an hundred Fold and Mat. 10.41 42. a Disciple's and a Prophet's Reward 6. Matth. 19.28 29. The twelve Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones when others are said only to Inherit Eternal Life 7. Matth. 22.30 Luke 20.36 Saints shall then be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal to Angels now seeing there be Degrees and Orders of Angels Col. 1.16 c. So there must be of Saints 8. Matth. 18.4 Whoso humbleth himself as this Child he shall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven 9. John 14.2 In my Fathers House are many Mansions which may be supposed to differ one from another in Glory as is seen in this great City higher and lower Houses c. 10. Rom. 2.6 and 2 Cor. 5.10 Every Man shall be Rewarded according to his Works that is the greater Grace the greater Glory 11. 1 Cor. 15.41 There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another of the Stars so of the Saints c. 12. 2 Cor. 9.6 He that Sows sparingly shall Reap sparingly but he that Sows bountifully shall Reap bountifully 13. Revel 14. ver 2 3 4. The followers of the Lamb with chast Virgins Hearts have a priviledge beyond others c. 14. Matth. 25.20 23. and Luke 19.16 18. Those two Parables do declare if not both differing Gifts yet differing Gains c. Unto all those Scriptures Those Reasons are secondly added as 1. As there be Degrees of punishments in Hell for it shall be more tolerable for some than for others Matth. 11.21 22 23.24 even so there may be Degrees of Joys in Heaven 2. As there is inequality of grace some weak and some strong c. So proportionably an Inequality of glory 3. Some do more and suffer more than others as Martyrs c. therefore Wages are as Work hath been 4. If equality then no Distinction this seems Confusion which cannot be in Heaven 5. There be Degrees in glory whereby God is known from Angels and Angels from Saints and the Man Christ Jesus from all yea Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles above all Saints and 6. This is a Spiritual Spur in running to grow in grace which is in Christ a purchasing as the Phrase is 1 Tim. 3.13 a greater Degree of glory c. But such as are for the Affirmative to wit for Equality of glory as Hierome Spanhemius c. do Answer all those Scriptures and Reasons aforesaid too long here to insert I Refer the Reader to those two Authors upon Mat. 25.20 c. as he that had much Manna had no overplus and he that gathered little had no lack Exod. 16.18 So here c. all Saints shall partake alike of the Substance of glory not so haply of the degrees thereof all enough c. N. B. Note well 't is Encouragement enough for us to know that PINTS as well as QVARTS shall be filled full of glory Enquiry the Fourth How shall the Judge reckon with and Reward the wicked Answer Mat. 25.24 25 to 30. and Luke 19.20 c. Shew us 1. How God must bear the blame of Mans unfaithfulness I was afraid of thy Austerity c. whereas the good Servants gave all the glory to God saying Lord it was thy Pound not my Pains that gained ten Pounds 2. How God puts no difference betwixt Nequam and Nequaquam an Evil and an Idle Servant this is not enough that he spent not his Masters Talent but hid it in Sudario in that Handkerchief wherewith he should have wiped of his Sweat by labouring hard to improve it c. 3. How the useless as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well as Enemies shall be cast into Hell Mat. 25.30 Luke 19.22 27. The Judge will Judge them out of their own Months c. then shall they bewail their pain of loss as well as of sense crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for ever Lord c. CHAP. XXIX CHrist did not back this Exhortation to work and watch with three Parables for any Difficulty in understanding the Duty but because of Mans backwardness and dullness to believe and improve all due preparations for Christs second coming the manner whereof is set down from Mat. 25. ver 31. to the end Now are we come down to the two last Days that our blessed Lord lived at Liberty before his Apprehension Oh! what an abundance of his business
World whom Judas had sold to them for a triâ—â—e was mocked laughed at scornfully treated scoffingly questioned buffetted spitted on and crowned with thorns unjustly condemned him compelled him to carry his Crost till through its heaviness he had nigh fainted away and though Pilate that Heathen Judge would have acquitted him yet they cried out with the utmost outrage Crucifie him crucifie him chusing rather the release of Barabbas the notorious Murtherer than of him They hung him up between two Thieves as if he had been the grandest Thief in the World and they were not content to pierce his Hands and Feet with Nails by fastening him to the Cross but the hard hearted wretches in their fierce and furious transports gave him Vinegar mingled with Gall to drink in his unexpressible thirst and torture yea they upbraided him with scoffs when he was upon his departure nor were they in their stupefaction enough astonished at the three hours wonderful darkness at the rending of the Temple's Vail at the opening of the Graves and coming forth of the Dead c. nor did their rage and malice expire at Christ's expiration but even after he was dead They pierced his side with a Spear even to the Heart Joh. 19.34 See also the other three Evangelists But more particularly upon those distinct parts His Attachment ended in his being Tumbled up and down in order to his Arraignment and all his Tumblings were to purchase for us peaceable Habitations and quiet resting places c. Isa 32.18 and though this polluted land will not now afford this Mercy Mic. 2.10 yet hath he promised to give his People a place of their own where They shall remove no more 2 Sam. 7.10 Christ became thus restless to procure our rest yea rest Eternal as well as Temporal Heb. 4.9 John 14.2 and was led about as a Prisoner guilty of the most capital crime declining Justice though he never had conceal'd himself but had the very day before this taught openly in their chiefest City and in the Temple the most publick place and so was ever ready to appear before the Rulers for clearing his Innocency to them yet now without a legal summons or any fair process as every free Subject ought to have they attack him in this shameful way binds him and leads him about so disgracefully to take his Arraignment CHAP. XXX NOW follows Secondly The Arraignment of Christ the greatest Trial that ever was in the World for herein not only the Judge of the World was Arraigned and Judged by an Unjust Tribunal of Wicked Men but also the Great God did Condemn and Punish miserable Mankind in his own only beloved Son And though he to wit God proceeded justly yet the judgment of these Evil Men was in this case of the most Holy Jesus most Abominably Unjust for besides the bad Account that these Kill-Christs could give of this Night 's Passover N. B. Note well no sooner eaten but their hands are in blood and that of the Innocent Lamb of God and besides the horrible Affronts and Injuries aforementioned they offered against the Lord and his Christ yea and the unheard of offence they committed against God in the Fact they were transacting they did ex abundanti doubly transgress their own Canon-Law namely 1. In Arraigning and Condemning a Person upon an Holy Day for such a day was now come in And 2. In Acting all this Villany upon this person in the Night time both which Actions are Diametrically opposite to their own Jewish Laws N. B. Note well Moreover more matchless Iniquity is still proposed to our prospect in their proceedings to Christ's Arraignment for they first bring him to Annas Joh. 18.13 But why He was not the chief Magistrate that was Gamaliel's place noâ— was he High-Priest that was Caiphas's Office Possibly they led him hither because Annas's House stood upon Mount Sion as some say in the Way to Caiphas the High-Priest's Pallace but more probably it was to gratifie that old Satanical Sagan who had doubtless an heavy hand in carrying on this cursed conspiracy against Christ c. Mat. 26.3 c. to this Man therefore must Christ be first brought bound to shew that now they had him sure whom he so much desired to be secured and 't is apparent this old Fox would not go to bed late though it were till he had seen Christ brought bound before him which undoubtedly he beheld as a most pleasant spectacle and though he were neither Chief Magistrate nor the High Priest properly so could not Arraign Christ before him yet would he not be wanting to give his gravest Advice how to Accomplish their Christ Killing Contrivance But suppose Anna to be the Prince of Sanhedrim as some style him and that he was a Fellow-Chief-Priest with his Son in Law Caiphas for though the Law allowed but one High-Priest for Life yet now the Roman Presidents contrary to the Law of God sold for Money this High-Priesthood yearly to the covetous Priests Ambitious of Honour and more than one sometimes did purchase this Preferment Suppose therefore as some say that the Father in Law Annas was also High-Priest with his Son in Law Caiphas yet could not he alone Arraign Christ because he wanted the Sanhedrim or seventy two Elders to sit with him for that solemn Sessions was appointed to be held in Caiphas's Rooms whether in his Lodgings in the Temple or in his Pallace in the City is not much Material Thither thereupon Annas sends him bound to Caiphas Joh. 18.24 but before his dismision hence some do say that Malchus who had a Royal Name though but an Idumean Slave being disgusted at the Answer Christ gave his Master Annas in their Parley struck Christ with the Palm of his hand a bad requital for healing this Slaves Ear with the touch of his holy hand John 18.22 thus was verified both the Proverb Like Master like Man and the Prophecy I gave my Cheek to the smiters Isa 50.6 and that They shall smite the Judge of Israel upon the Cheek Mic. 5.1 Now follows the formal Arraignment or Trial of Christ first in the Ecclesiastick or Spiritual Court and then in the Civil or Temporal The former of these Courts took cognizance of false Doctrines Heresie Blasphemy and such like crimes and this Court question'd Christ as an Heretick as afterward the other Court Indited him for a factious person for Sedition and Treason c. and indeed the Spiritual Court did but prepare for the Temporal that Christ being condemned by the Priest's Consistory he might then be delivered over to the Secular Power to go through stitch with it even to execution In his Trial by Caiphas's Court these circumstances are considerable 1st The persons before whom he was Tryed were Caiphas the High-priest and Annas no doubt would not be absent at such a desirable work the whole Sanhedrim consisting of seventy two Priests Scribes Pharisees c. were now assembled in Caiphas's house all waiting for
Though Job held his peace at the loss of all his Childrens Lives because it may be saith that Old Liar Satan he loved them not so well But when he comes to be in danger of his own Life which he cannot but entirely love then will he speak out and speak Blasphemy without sparing c. But our Dear Jesus hath not one word to speak though for the saving of his own Life c. This Amused and Amazed Pilate and therefore was he loth to Condemn him not understanding why he seemeth to sell away his own Life by his strange silence because he loved the Lives of our Souls better than the Life of his own Body Beside Christ knew that Pilate would yield at the last and to what purpose should he plead for himself before such a Judge who though he Judged him Innocent had suffered him to be Scourged and Notoriously Abused merely to please the Wretched Jews no good could Rationally be expected by his Pleading his own Case and Cause from such a Man-pleasing Judge Moreover Pilate marvelled the more at Christ's holding his Peace because that poor Pagan was Ignorant of Christ's standing in our steads to suffer for our sins so was in some Sense guilty as our Surety of all the sins of the World which he consented to by his silence though altogether Innocent in himself yet so willing to be Condemned as not to speak one word for the saving of his own Life before him Matth. 27.12 13 14. John 19.10 N. B. Note well Now I pray you let us learn to do as Ahasuerus the King did to Mordecai when asking his Courtiers what Honour and Dignity hath been done to Mordecai for saving my Life They Answered there is nothing done yet for him Esth 6.1 2 3. Hereupon the King then promoted him to great Honour for this Meritorious Action and Delighted to do so ver 4.6.10 c. So let us be asking our own Hearts communing with them upon our Beds when our Sleep departeth from us as the King 's did Psal 4.4 and saying to them what Honour and Dignity hath been done by us to our Dear Redeemer for saving the Lives of our Souls loving our Salvation more than his own Reputation which he would not vindicate by saying one word for himself c. If our Hearts answer again as they did there is nothing done yet Oh! For shame let something be done now to Honour Christ the time past of our Lives may suffice us 1 Pet. 4.3 'T is enough and more than enough we have neglected this grand Duty so long Now let us rise up and be doing and the Lord will he with us 1 Chron. 22.16 Not only to build a Temple for Christ who far more than Mordecai sought the weall of his People and speaks peace to all his Seed Esth. 10.3 Saying give me your sins and take you my blood and be saved by it thereby shall we build a Temple for our selves for ever The 3. outward Cause why Pilate stood so stiff a while for Christ was when he heard He was the Son of God though this Heathen understood not what the Son of God was being better acquainted with his Dunghill-Deities and Pagan Idols Yet whereas before Christs Innocency had Triumphed in this Pagan's Conscience but he hearing the Name of God this puts him into a mighty maze he was the more afraid John 19.7 8. As he had feared a Tumult from Men before Matth. 27.24 So now he fears more the wrath of God upon him should he dare to lift up his Hand against the most High N.B. Note Well Oh! How notoriously and utterly Debauched yea Satanized are the Debauchees of this Day that dread not to Rend the Reverend Name of God Deut. 28.58 which should not be taken in vain Exod. 20.7 into many pieces in their most Execrable Oaths and most Detestable Blasphemies Assuredly this poor Pagan who knew not the Word of God will rise up in Judgment against this Cursed Cursing Generation among whom the Name of God which is Dreadfull among the Heathen Mal. 1.14 is so commonly â—â—lched out of their Black and Blasphemous Mouths without any Reverence at all To which they add the Trade-driving of Whoredom that chast Joseph calls no peccadillo a small sin but great wickedness and durst not therein sin against God Gen. 39.9 And thus Holy David sets God's Statutes before him so that he durst not wickedly depart from God but keep himself from his Constitution sin Psal 18.21 22 23. So that though an Act of this Wickedness was found in him yet can he Appeal to his All-knowing God that no way of such wickedness could be found in him Psal 139.23 34. He durst not though once overtaken with it drive a constant Trade of it neither that nor any other sin had an High-way over or thorough-fare upon his Heart because he feared God as Gen. 42.18 Nehem. 5.15 This Pagan Pilate had some fear of God which Glorious Name startles and stops him again so Remands Christ into hiâ— Hall and Re-examins him with his Whence art thou John 19.9 to wit art thouâ—â— Man art thou a God To which Christ gives no positive Answer knowing if he had asserted his Deity Pilate would have Acquitted him who gave up himself at this time and place to be Condemned save only that Pilate had no such power as he boasted of over him but as it was given him from above ver 10 11. No Man could give him any power to Comdemn an Innocent Person though God gave it him now for his own glory c. This ushers in the 4th outward Cause or Motive why Pilate still sticks so stiff for our Saviour's Absolution To wit Christ's Threatning him with sin both in the Deliverers the Jews and in him into whose Hands he was delivered to confirm their Condemnation As if Christ had said to him thus Thou boasts of my power as if thou were a little God within thy self yet who gave thee any power to execute the Innocent Can thy power match mine that is the power of God whereby I have often escaped out of my Enemies Hands because my Hour was not then come as it is now Do not bear thy self over-bold of thy power for I know thou will Truckle to the People notwithstanding all thy power Thou art indeed in a place of power but have a care thou be Just in thy Office of Judge lest thou give a dear Account to him that is Higher than the Highest Thy sin comparatively is less than that of Judas and of the Jews for they sin out of Malice c. but thou out of fear of Man and out of Ignorance of God's Word yet know no Man can have any hand in killiâ—â— Christ but he must sin c. This caution doth startle and stop Pilate yet more N. B. Note well Oh! That the Sense of sin may stop us Christians as it did this Pagan Hereupon he goes out to his Hall-gate where the Chief Priests
Lastly Their rearing up the Cross into the Air and fixing it in the Ground as if he had been unworthy either to live or dye on Earth And so left him to live in misery so long as he could c. All these things they transacted in the very Face of the Sun and in Defiance to the Great God Here our Lord was exposed by those Miscreants to be Mocked c. Here was nothing done in a Corner nor was Christ Crucified below but he must be lifted up into the open Air for three Reasons First That he might conquer the Devil that Prince of the Air upon his own Dunghill his own Territory and Country no doubt in the Three hours Darkness all the Powers of Darkness were let loose to spit their utmost Venom upon our dear Redeemer yet he spoiled all those Principalities and Powers Col. 2.15 a plain Allusion to the Roman Triumphs or like that of Tamberlain over Bajazet so Christ couped the Devils up in an Iron Cage and exposed them as they had done him as a publick Spectacle of Scorn and Derision The 2d Reason was That he might pave a free passage for his Redeemed from the Earth through the Air the conquered Devil's Territories up into Heaven He here became Jacob's Ladder whereon Lazarus's Soul safely passed The 3d Reason is That he might Answer the Brazen Serpent upon the Pole as before and heal us when the Old Serpent hath stung us may we but creep to the Cross and give the least look of true Faith upon a Crucified Christ The 2d Grand Remark next the five notorious Aggravations of the Manner of Christ's Death is the Multitude of Mockers and Mockings he met with as soon as he was Reared and Raised up from the Ground into the Air upon the Cross whereunto he was fast Nailed and Exposed to Publick Scorn Remark 1 st The Mockers are described in their Persons Postures and Places or Conditions and Capacities in the World As this Dying Redeemer had a great company of People and of Women that bewailed him Luke 23.27 out of a tender compassion to him and a cordial commiseration of him So he had a prodigious crew of Crucifying Miscreants that managed this most cruel Villany and that like Villains were Mockers of Christ while he was Tortured under their matchless cruelty for full six hours together without the least Respite or Respiration until his Final Expiration whereas the Light and Law of Humane Nature teacheth all Mankind to pity those that are in Misery but these Monsters of Men void of all Humanity Mocked him all along during and enduring his long Misery These Mockers or the Assembly of Mockers Jer. 15.17 have here a threefold character Mark 1st Who their Persons were and they are of four sorts the People the Priests Souldiers and the Thieves As Christ had the good company of Condolers so he had the bad of Deriders and such as were of all these sorts of Persons When the Devil had done his worst that Malice could do against Christ's Body now he stirs up all those Devilish Instruments to Assault Christ's Mind with their cruel Mockings so called Heb. 11.36 at his Holiness and his Communion with God and all this God's Justice will have done that all our Sins might be condignly punished in Christ's Person who became Surety for Sinners to the Father And Mark here what an overspreading Leprosie and Sour Leaven was this Sin or rather Devil of Christ-mocking Here is the whole Body covered over with the putrifying Scab of this Fretting Leprosie far worse than ever Job was Job 2.7 where Biles covered him from Top to Toe or than the Jews were Lev. 13.7 8 12. when the Scab spread from Head to Foot all over and here is the whole lump leavened with the sour Leaven of Malice as 1 Cor. 5.6 One scab'd Sheep spoils the whole Flock saith the Proverb This vilest of Sins was as catching as the Plague and all these sorts of Persons drank one after another of this Cup of Poison the Priests handing it to the People they to the Souldiers and they to the Thieves c. Mark The 2d Character of those Mockers as who were the Persons so what was their Posture this the Evangelists comparing them as we ought to do in other points all together do intimate also First Some of those Mockers were in a passing posture They that passed by reviled him Mat. 27.39 and Railed on him Mark 15.29 Sure I am those Passengers were not passing in the Way of Truth but passed out of the right Road when they passed their scoffs at him Who is the Way the Truth and the Life Secondly Some of those Mockers were in a standing posture The People stood by deriding him Luke 23.35 and Some of them that stood by mocked him in his calling for Elias's help Mark 15.35 36. as after and some of them that stood there Mat. 27.47 but though they stand here to deride a dying Jesus yet could none of them stand to what they had done nor did they or their State stand long after Thirdly Some of those Mockers we may well suppose were in a siting posture as the Chief Priests Mat. 27.41 and the Rulers Luke 23.35 for whom no doubt Seats were provided for to stand so many hours of Christ's Crucifying to Death must needs be look'd upon as too much below their Grandeur However soon after the Roman Armies pluckt their Lordly Seats of State from under them and their Scarlet Robss over their Ears c. Fourthly Some of these Mockers were in an Hanging posture as the Thieves upon the Cross Mat. 27.44 and all the other Mockers must have met with no better posture might they but have met with their due demerit and the desert of their wicked doings The Crucifiers should then have changed places with the Crucified Fifthly There is yet another posture though a ridiculous one mentioned in Scripture concerning those Mockers to wit Wagging their Heads Mat. 27.39 which is indeed the posture of Fools these also wagged their wicked Tongues against Christ but because they were of the more Barbarous sort and had not Wicked Wit enough wherewith to revile him thereof do they supply the want therefore with Antick Tricks making foul Mouths and blowing their Noses as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 23.35 doth signifie throwing their snot at our blessed and bleeding Saviour they wagged their empty Noddles and gave him the most Judicious Nods that those Fools could make Thus was the Lord of Life and Prince of Glory content to expose himself to the worst of Reproaches from the worst of Rascals to purchase Honour and Glory for us Mark The 3d Character of those Mockers is what was their place and capacities they lived in If it be asked what figure those Mockers bore in the World it is answered in General the most of them were mere Cyphers such as did what they did merely to please the Christ-Killing Priests who are called
publick Character for Zeal and Godliness far better than his Name-sake the Hypocrite Acts 5. as appears Acts 22.12 and one of the Seventy as some say sent out by our Saviour Luke 10.1 However he had an extraordinary warrant and call from Christ for this whole Transaction towards Saul c. N.B. This grand Transaction concerning both Ananias and Saul hath so many famous Remarkable Passages in it as will amount to a distinct discourse in the sequel Section Having dispatched Saul's Miraculous Vocation I now come to his Marvelous Ordination to the Apostolical Ministry which he boldly began to officiate in first at Damascus then at Jerusalem c. Saul's Ordination is described to be done 1. By what Organ or Instrument 2. In what Manner And 3. The Event thereof 1st The Ordaining Organ or Minister was Ananias whom whosoever he was Presbyter Deacon or One of the Seventy Disciples or only a private Christian it matters not Christ gave an extraordinary Commission to become his Embassador upon so eminent an Errand and who at first did timorously startle at his Embassage knowing both Saul's past pestilent Persecutions at Jerusalem and his present Power from the High Priest to do the like at Damascus until the Lord answered his Objections and then he obeyed Acts 9.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. after which the Manner and Event follow The Remarks upon the Organ of Ordination are these First Learn hence the necessity and usefulness of a standing Ministry here Christ converts Saul but his Minister must instruct him It was the Church in the Wilderness's choice Let Moses speak to us but let not the Lord himself speak to us lest we die Exod. 20.19 and it was no less Job's wish also Job 33 6 7. for Elihu tells him Behold I am according to thy wish c. my terrour shall not make thee afraid And verse 23. He reckons it as a great privilege If there be a Messenger with a Man an Interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto Man c. 'T is therefore a singular mercy to have the mind of God made known to us by Men like our selves As the Lord ordained the Office of the Ministry so he hath establish'd that Office with efficacy and adorned that efficacy with his own use to convey the Water of Life by those Conduit-Pipes at second hand which shall not be communicated immediately from himself to us The Second Remark is Such as be prompt to Christ's Service may upon appearing difficulties hang back till they â—e helped over those stumbling-blocks by the helping hand of Christ Thus it was with Ananias whom the Lord call'd on in a Vision he answered Behold I am here Lord Acts 9. v. 10. to shew his readiness to run any Errand the Lord would send him and to do what he commandeth him But understanding what it was he then consulting with flesh and blood is affrighted and would be excused as Moses desired Exod. 3.11 c. and 4.1 10 13. This was both their Infirmities fear diverted them from their duty yet the Lord most graciously removes the Remora's and stumbling-blocks out of both their ways of obedience Thus the spirit prevails against the flesh in us and its Objections The Best of Men are but Men at the best and have their unnecessary fears as Ananias had here who thought he had much reason for his Reluctancy N.B. Oh whither may not a Servant of God dare to go while he goes in God's hand that conducts him along as the Child though timorous yet boldly walks even through the darkest Entry because he walks in his Father's hand Thus Abraham went out not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet was he content to be a follower of God blindfold because he knew with whom he went So Ananias here so soon as convinced that his heavenly Father's presence could preponderate all perils he presently subscribes to the Divine Precept and obeys Oh how ready is the Lord to remove the scruples out of the minds of his Saints The Third Remark is Christ knows both where and what we all are and do as here he tells Ananias for his better satisfaction both 1. Where Saul was both in what Street and in what House verse 11. His Redeemed are so dear to him that he loves that Street wherein they lodge the better for them yea the very Air they breath in he loves the better for their breathings there as well as the very Ground they tread upon as is imported Psal 87.5 6. He loves the very Gates where they are born and dwell verse 2. above all other places and the Walls of their Dwelling-places though but Mud-walls or Wooden are continually before him Isa 49.16 as if he loved to look alway upon them how should then Holiness to the Lord as Zech. 14.20 be alway writ in fair legible Characters upon the Walls of our Houses 2. What Saul was calling him a chosen Vessel verse 15. First a Vessel to shew that Believers are rather Patients than Agents in the work of Conversion and in matters of Holiliness therefore Saul here is not compared to any Active Engine that moves it self and sets it self upon work but to a Passive Instrument such as Dishes and Vessels are that may bear Meat Treasure c. by the help of the bearer's hand 2 Cor. 4.7 Secondly Yet a chosen Vessel Christ the great Housholder hath all forts of Utensils or Vessels in his great House the Visible Church some for higher and nobler Imploys others for lower and meaner Services This Saul was predestinated to be a Vessel of Honour Rom. 9.21 2 Tim. 2.19 20 21. whom God had chosen to bear the Divine Treasure of the Gospel in both to Jews and Gentiles though he was but an Earthen Vessel or as the word signifies a poor Oyster-shell 2 Cor. 4.7 He was chosen of God to Preach the Gospel Gal. 1.15 as likewise to suffer for Christ's sake 1 Thes 3.3 and Acts 9.16 Thus the Potter hath power over his Clay Rom. 9.21 c. and so is a most free Agent without any obligation from his lumps of Clay he calls whom he will Mark 3.13 He hath mercy on this Saul yet hardens Pharaoh c. 3. What Saul did Behold he prayeth verse 11. It appeareth by verse 17. that Christ revealed unto Ananias not only what Saul was doing to wit that he was praying and humbling himself greatly before the Lord as that matchless Sinner Manasseh had done for his defying God for his murdering Men and for his worshipping Devils 2 Chron. 33.11 12. in those Solemn Duties of Fasting and Prayer but also the very subject matter of that which he prayed for to wit for the inlightning both of his Soul and Body that he might lead a new and a better life for the future in which great Humiliation he spent all his three days of bodily Blindness inflicted upon him to make him sensible the more of his Soul-Blindness Hereupon Ananias having all this made known
his Actions to the Judgment of the Church at Jerusalem giving them an Account of the whole Transactions and the Reasons which moved him to do what he had done The Vision of the Sheet c. are twice at large Recorded in the 10th and 11th chapters that the tendency of it namely to put no difference now betwixt Jew and Gentile seeing the partition-wall was broke down now by Christ might become the more unquestionable a Truth both to Peter who was most especially concerned in it and to others also who now doubted of it and disputed against it In this Defence or Apology there be these Remarks 1. In the general Peter affirmeth that he had done nothing upon his own head but all according to Divine Direction therein 2. More particularly he is his own Compurgator That he had lived hitherto in a strict observation of their Ceremonial Righteousness verse 8. Though he thought himself far from being justified thereby abstaining from all appearances of evil to them 3. That he had not been too facil or easily reclaimed from their Legal Rites therefore the Vision was repeated three several times c. verse 9 10. before his full Regulation herein 4. The Voice of Divine Providence in sending the three Messengers that gave him his Call verse 11. and the Voice of God's Spirit to clear up his Call with a Divine as well as Humane Warrant c. verse 12 13 14. are asserted for their satisfaction 5. He gives an Account how in his Preaching those Gentiles had the pourings out of the Spirit upon them in the like power as had been upon them that were Jews Acts 2. v. 4. upon Pentecost-Day 6. Then he urgeth the Promise of Christ which he then call'd to mind of baptizing Believers with the Holy Ghost first mentioned by the Baptist Matth. 3 11 Mark 1.8 but after approved of by Christ Matth. 11.9 as by the people John 10.41 and expresly spoken also by him Acts 1.5 7. The Conclusion Peter drew from the Premisses seeing God hath made the Gentiles equal in Grace with the Believing Jews what was I to withstand God verse 17. It was God that call'd them to Life and Salvation and not I saith he therefore it was not in my power to deny them Church-Priviledges and Church Communion Here Peter's Argument is very cogent to such a Conclusion N.B. They that have the thing signified which is the greater have right to the Seal signifying which is the lesser And seeing the sanctifying Graces of the Spirit were given by God to those Gentiles he infers hence had he denied them Baptism he would therein have been a Resister of God and a wronger of them in with holding that token from them which God had sent to them 8. This Defence of Peter's was so pungent and convincing that it conquered the Cavillers they were not only silenc'd from gain-saying but satisfied fully that it was of Divine Dispensation to give the Gentiles Repentance unto life verse 18. which can come from no hand but from the Almighty 2 Tim. 2.25 The Objectors hereupon let fall their Monopoly they dreamt of concerning Christ and Grace and being good men they acquiesced as those that contended more for Truth than for Victory Now follows the second Topick for adjusting and justifying the Gentile's Reception into Gospel-Communion This is drawn from the wonderful success of God's Word among the Gentiles at Antioch called Grecians as contra-distinct from the Jews aforementioned v. 19 20. This is more manifest in the following Remarks First The 120 Ministers mentioned Acts 1.15 who were scattered upon Stephen's stoning Acts 8.1 went Preaching up and down first as far as the bounds of Judea extended then some of them stepped farther as far as Phoenice Cyprui and Syria but all this time dealing with the Jews only not being yet perswaded of the Calling of the Gentiles But Peter having now broke the Ice for a freer passage to them at last some of them made bold to go beyond the partition wall to Preach to the Greeks or Gentiles at Antioch Thus all things do work together though not asunder for good Rom. 8.28 even the Persecution that arose about Stephen did the more disseminate the Gospel c. The second Remark is Divine Light must not be let in all at once but by degrees Thus it was not only with those Banished Ministers who for some time confined themselves to teach the Jews only in strange Countreys yet when more Light was let in they venture among the Gentiles as here at Antioch But it was thus also with the Apostolical Church at Jerusalem who made at the first all this great Ruffle afore-mentioned against Peter's conversing with the Gentiles yet now perceiving many Gentiles were converted at Antioch they now send Barnabas that Son of Consolation to confirm and comfort them in Church-Communion verse 21 22 Thirdly The God of all grace makes even a Gentile-City to cry grace grace Zech. 4.7 Manifested in their Professions and in their Practices also with correspondent conversations All this the good man Barnabas saw and rejoyced at it upon Earth as the Angels also rejoyced at it in Heaven Luke 15.7 and no less did all other Believers who are but learning that Angelical Lesson when they heard hereof in Jerusalem and in other places as Caesarea c. Hereupon Barnabas exhorted this great number of Believing Gentiles verse 21. and this much people which were added to the Lord v. 24. that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord verse 23. as Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 that is cleave close to the Profession of the Truth of Christ with their whole heart tide life tide death whatever it cost them and not foil or slubber their Religion with the slur of a rotten unsound and insincere heart The sound heart is neither ashamed of the Gospel nor a shame to the Gospel Psal 119.80 Fourthly The greatest honour in the Kingdom of God and of the Gospel was conferred upon this Gentile-City Antioch now made even above Jerusalem it self Insomuch that Christ's Disciples were first call'd Christians in this City verse 26. to shew that Christ from thence spread forth his Banner which he had first set up as his Standard therein by a people that had his own name put upon them and who would apparently own and follow him in his good ways maugre the malice of Men and Devâ—ls and in despite of all the designs of a beholding and contradicting World against them as is intimated before N. B. As Caesarea the Seat of the Roman Governour of Indea first seeth the Door of Faith opened to the Gentiles in the conversion of Cornelius and his Friends and Family so Antioch the Seat of the Roman Governour of Syria first heareth and beareth the honour of the honourable name of Christian which therefore will be a Renowned City so long as the World lasteth and the Church in the World N.B. This Antioch of old had been call'd Hamath Ezek.
the Heavens passing away with a noise the Elements melting with heat the Earth burnt up c. 2 Pet. 3. v. 10 11. Such as the Destruction of the whole World is usually expressed by in other Scriptures to alarm the secure c. The fourth Remark is the manner of Peter 's death whereof we have some Scripture-light and of him only of all the Apostles As Peter's second Epistle leaves us some light concerning the time of his death as well as of writing that Epistle to wit a little before his death as is above said which he saith was to be very shortly yet must that phrase of his as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1.14 borrow some light from John 21.18 19 c. to make the manner of his death the more manifest where Christ tells Peter that he should dye a violent kind of death wherein another shall manacle and pinion thee carry thee prisoner where thou wouldst not and that he should follow his Master in the manner of his death in being Crucified at his Martyrdom as Christ had told Peter thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterward Joh. 13.36 This our Lord spake signifying by what death Peter should glorifie God John 21.18 19. That Peter's hands should be stretched out and nailed to the Cross as Christ's were-when Crucified c. This must be Peter's Exitus or way of decease and the manner of taking down his Tent and Tabernacle 2 Peter 1.14 15. when Peter heard his own fate he then is too curiously inquisitive to know what was John's destiny ver 20 21. Our Lord checks his curiosity bids him mind his own concern of executing his master's commands and Imitating his Example not troubling himself with the concerns of others yet withall intimating that Peter's death should be before John's who should live till he came to wit in judgment against Jerusalem to destroy it ver 22. John lived to see the holy City destroyed but Peter was crucified a little before N.B. And yet that he might dye in charity to Paul who had as before exposed him to some open shame by his so publickly reproving him He makes a most honourable mention of him as his Beloved Brother c. 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Whereby he declares to all the world upon record that he had nothing the worse thoughts of him for being so sharply rebuked by him but rather loved him the better for his faithfulness according to Solomon's saying Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Prov. 9.8 c. N.B. This is the last Account and the Total which the sacred Scripture gives us concerning the great Apostle Peter Therefore the life of Peter written by the Jesuit Xaverius that mock Evangelist among the Indians in the Persian Language and translated into Latine by Ludovicus de Dieu is no better than a fardle fraught full of many impudent Fables wherein take only this short tast he telleth how Peter solliciteth the Blessed Virgin to intercede for him with her Son to procure his pardon for his Thrice Denying him As likewise how Christ made Peter and his Successors to be he Lord's Vicars upon Earth and much more ejusdem farinae of the same Bran as appeareth in the Animadversions upon that fabulous lie That Peter was martyr'd by the Jews in Babylonia where he now was is far more probable because such a Frantick Madness was now judiciarily fallen upon them in all parts and a bloody Rage against the Gospel the Devil at this time bestirring himself in the Jews knowing his time was so short N.B. That Peter left no more Writings behind him save those two Epistles makes more against Popery than for to countenance it The third Apostle that still the sacred writ gives some light into their lives is the Apostle Jude on whom take these few Remarks The first is His Name which is prefixed to his Epistle according to the common manner of writting Letters and Epistles in that time Acts 23.26 and all the Apostolical Epistles and not subscribed as our manner is he is called Jude whom Luke calls Judas Luke 6.16 Matthew calls him Lebbeus Matth. 10.3 and Mark Thaddeus Mark 3.18 So that he had three Names Luke calls him the Brother of James the less to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and from him who was the mover of Sedition Acts 5.37 His Mother seems to be the Wife of Cleopas the blessed Virgin 's Sister John 19.25 Matth. 27.56 compared with Matth. 13.55 In which sense his Brother James is called the Lord's Brother Gal. 1.19 as he calls himself James's Brother Jude verse 1. And such was his humility and his Brother 's also James 1.1 that neither of them writ themselves a Brother or Kins-man of Christ nor yet an Apostle as both Paul and Peter do but both of these Brothers stile themselves only the Servants of Christ which they esteemed more honourable than the most glorious Title in the world Thus David in his Title to Psalm 18. useth the like phrase David the Servant of the Lord which he accounted a greater honour than his being KING of Israel Jude's other Name Lebbeus signifies Hearty being an Humble and Hearty Servant of Christ The second Remark is The length of his Life As Christ promised by way of Equivalency to Peter that he should not be Martyred in the middle of his Life but that he should live God's Servant all that time and that not until he came into his old age he should then dye God's Sacrifice as appeareth in the foregoing discourse of him So it is as apparent that the Lord performed his promise of prolonging the Life of his Kins-man Jude insomuch that he survived and over-lived all the Apostles except John This truth is proved from Jude's own word in his Epistle verse 17. Saying Remember beloved the words which were spoken by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ adding in verse 18. How they told you that there should be Mockers in the last times c. which passages make it plainly appear that Jude wrote his Epistle very late even later than any of either Paul's or Peter's Epistles for those two were the very Apostles especially that gave any such fore-warnings upon Record Acts 20.29 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 and 2 Pet. 2.1 2 c. which reference renders it also probable that those Apostles might be dead at Jude's writing his Epistle However he putteth the Christian-Jews in remembrance of those Apostles Sayings which he would not have to dye with them seeing those Mockers of Gospel-Mysteries still lived among them The third Remark is The subject matter of Jude's Epistle which is much like to that of Peter's second Epistle not only in matter but also in style and therefore some Cavillers will not have this Canonical because as they say it was borrowed from Peter's and not dictated by the Holy Ghost N.B. But by the same Rule Obadiah's prophecy may be reputed Apocryphal because 't