except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We are such as deny our Lord and he will deny us at that Great Day our Lord gives us fair and timely warning of it Mat. 7.21 22 23. Luk. 13.26 27. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father Obser 3. Whosoever the Lord is impartial and without respect of persons Obser 4. If our Lord deny those who yet make some outward confession and profession of him because in works they deny him what shall become of those who deny him both in words and works prophane wicked and ungodly men Tit. 1.16 being abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The Apostles prophesie of such to come 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Repreh 1. Do we thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise that we are Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c. Deut. 32.6 2 Pet. 2. 1. Jude 4.18 Obser 1. Observe how the Noble Nature of man is abased and degenerate it needs motives promises and threats of the highest nature to move it but to it 's own duty and threats to terrifie it from its own greatest misery needs consolation for a spur to Divine Glory Christ is the Glory of his people Israel Luk. 2. And shall we who are his people be ashamed of our Glory Shall we turn our Glory to shame Psal 4. Whose Glory is their shame Phil. 3. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour 1 Pet. 2.7 Will a Bride forget her Ornaments Jer. 2.32 Dehort That we would not deny our Lord. Motive He is our Lord shall we deny our Lord He is our Lord that hath bought us He is our owner Even the Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Master's crib and shall not Israel know his Owner Shall his people deny him the Lord that bought them now God forbid 2. Motive The turpitude of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turpitudo Sign Thou deniest him not thou believest that he was born of the Virgin c. and what great matter is it that thou so believest The Devils believe saith St. James But thou confessest that Christ is come in the flesh and the Devils confess so much I know thee who thou art thou Holy One of God Such a belief as this such a confession may consist with a wicked with a diabolical life and he who confesseth Christ so denies him Both contraries work the same effect fulness and emptiness Prov. 30.8 9. Fulness of any thing but God and Christ inclines us to deny him Fulness of Wealth Prov. 30. Lest I be full and deny thee Bread and abundance of idleness holding the Truth in unrighteousness Honour pleasure when thou hast eaten and drunk to the full then take heed Emptiness and appetite of temporal things they confessed him not because they loved the praise of men more than of God Contraria contrariis curantur Contraries are cured by contraries but herein is required Athletica habitudo Our Lord fills the hungry with good things and the rich he sends empty away Lest your beasts be overcharged with surffetting Therefore Sodom was over-thrown and our destruction comes from the same cause Pray unto the Lord to heal our backslidings Hos 14.4 Obj. But this may discourage some weak and misgiving Soul when it shall consider that Christ is denied by a sinful by a disobedient life and that Christ will deny those who so deny him Alas I have denied the Lord. But so did Peter he denied his Lord yea he forswore his Lord yea he cursed himself if he knew his Lord But Peter went out and wept yea he went out and wept bitterly for it yea by a threefold confession through the Grace of him who looked back upon him and caused him to weep bitterly he expiated his threefold denial of his Lord And if thou have denied the Lord that bought thee either in words or works haply for fear as St. Peter did and now thy Lord looks backupon thee and remembers thee of what thou hast done Go out as Peter did go out of thy lewd company such as he was engaged in but above all go out of thy self deny thy self the worst company of all deny thy worldly wisdom thy vain thoughts thy perverse will and affections which have caused thee to deny thy Lord deny ungodliness and worldly lusts follow St. Peter's Counsel as well as his Example Acts 37. The Spirit was not yet come upon Peter Excidit intrà charitatem non a charitate Therefore our Lord looked on him and he upon Christ O but I have been a Persecutor and Blasphemer yea and as they Act. 3.13 14 15. Hear that other great Apostle St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.16 which happened to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Mat. 12. in the beginning Consol To those who confess Christ before men They must displease men there is no help for it If they have persecuted me they will persecute you saith our Saviour Joh. 15.20 the same life being professed by both Wherever men confess Christ the Life there follows the persecution of the world As he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so it is now Wherefore did Cain hate Abel but because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Righteous Saul what evil hast thou done c. See Notes on 1 Thes 4.1 Mel exulcerata mordet Honey is sharp when it meets with ulcers but sweet to them that are in health and sound saith the Oratour Therefore the Cynick spake I know not how truly of Plato What profit saith he can be in that man who having long read Philosophy among us was yet never troublesome to any Doubtless in a mixt Auditory as most are the honey meets with many an ulcer Men will wince when they are galled and therefore no marvel if the Devil cryed out he was tormented by the Lord Mar. 1. how thinkest thou to escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 26.14 15. I am in your hands but know that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your selves Notes on Exod. 20.7 to the same intent with the former MATTHEW 10.32 33. IT is some refreshing to the weary Traveller when he looks back upon the way he hath past I shall therefore in a few words shew you how far we are gone in the way of God's Commandments and where now we are I have hitherto endeavoured to open the Affirmative part of the Third Commandment the Sanctifying and Glorifying of God's Name in sundry special and principal Acts belonging thereunto The Precept is now Negatively to be considered as it lies in the Text. In the words are these severals 1. The Lord's will is That we take not his Name in vain 2. The Lord will
and accurately distinguished from their life works and manners for 't is possible their works may be corrupt and evil though their doctrine be sound and good We seem by this doctrine to introduce a possibility of doing what the Law requires whereas Faith and Works are every where opposed Faith and Works are not opposed but Faith and the Works of the Law are opposed Observ 6. The Lord wills the observation and obedience unto his Law by whomsoever it is taught whether they be scribes learned only in the Letter as these were or Scribes taught unto the Kingdom of God Mat. 13. Obs 7. The Lord wills that the Multitude and his Disciples perform all outward obedience unto the Law of God the Scribes and Pharisees had taught the people that and no other so Mat. 5. they taught them that they should not Kill not commit Adultery not forswear themselves c. They urged the Law no farther than the outward observation of it nor knew they or would acknowledge any other obligation to the Law beside only the outward yet was the Sect of the Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most exact Paul was a great proficient herein who professeth Act. 26.5 that he had lived blameless Gal. 3.16 where by the Law he means the Law of Works whereof the Magistrate could take cognizance not the Law of the Spirit of Life for the Magistrate cannot see nor punish any breach of that Law which therefore Clemens Alexandrinus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore St. Paul tells us Rom. 7.7 That he had not known Lust to be sin unless the Law had said Thou shalt not Lust Whence Josephus a learned Pharisee blames Polybius that excellent Historian because he ascribed the death of Antiochus to Sacriledge which yet he never effected but only intended for saith he to have a will to commit that sin if he did it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see then whereto the Pharisees doctrine tended even to the outward observation of Gods Law and no further This and this only the Scribes and Pharisees taught and in this the Lord commands the Multitude and his Disciples to obey them Whence it appears that the Lord requires and esteems actions outwardly good the outward observation of his Law which is much to be observed by them who think that God takes no notice of outward particular actions Observ 8 Note hence the excellency of the Christian Doctrine above that which was taught by the Scribes and Pharisees The Scribes and Pharisees taught men that they should not kill so that if their Disciples laid no violent hands upon men they were not guilty of murder but the Christian Doctrine forbids anger whence murder proceeds and hatred and malice and tells us That he who hates his Brother is a murderer The Scribes and Pharisees forbad Adultery and if men abstained from the outward act they were held innocent and guiltless The Christian Doctrine forbids the lusts of the flesh 1 Joh. 2. and intention of the heart He who looks upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart It is true that which Zophar tells Job that he would shew him the secrets of wisdom Job 11.6 For the Law is not only Literal but Spiritual also The Tables of the Law were written within and without so was the Roll that was given to Ezechiel chap. 2.10 and the Book given to John Rev. 5.1 All which requires an inward and outward Righteousness Righteousnesses holy Conversations and Godlinesses 2 Pet. 3. The Scribes and Pharisees taught the outward Writing outward Righteousness outward Conversation and they were very strict therein The Lord teacheth his Disciples That unless our Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven That Righteousness which must exceed another must comprehend all the other and add more to it It 's a known Principle and that which needs no demonstration no proof at all it s the ground of after demonstrations Majus comprehendit in se minus If therefore the Righteousness of Christ and his Apostles which he requires of them must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees and that upon the greatest of penalties Surely the Righteousness of Christs Disciples must contain that Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees in it Repreh The false Disciples who pretend Faith in Christ and obedience unto his Chair yet are not obedient unto the Chair of Moses who come short of the Righteousness outward of the Law The Scribes and Pharisees taught that men must not Kill the pretending Disciples of Christ and those more Refined and Reformed Kill and destroy one another The Scribes and Pharisees taught men that they should not commit Adultery The pretending and seeming most reformed Christians Rant and Whore and live in all outward uncleanness Yea herein the old Pharisees were better than the new they taught the Law the new ones teach and believe that they are saved by a bare Faith Exhort 1. If the Scribes and Pharisees do Moses's work and draw men let us yield our selves to be drawn unto Jesus Christ by them Exhort 2. To those who sit in Christ's Chair and preach the Gospel that they would teach by words and works It is said of our great Master that he was potens Opere Sermone mighty in Word and Deed. Observ 9. What great commendation it is for a man to be Orthodox and of a right judgement and opinion touching divine truth which is cryed up now a dayes as if it were the principal part of Christianity for men may be Orthodox and sound in their opinions yet wicked in their lives Such here were the Scribes and Pharisees Obj. But must I not do after the works of my Teachers whom then shall I follow Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imitating Creature and whom shall he imitate if not his Teachers Sol. The Teachers of the Scribes and Pharisees are not to be followed in what they do 2. It 's possible that some other may be found whose doings thou mayest follow as well as their sayings yea though they say little but walk on through the gainsaying world in silence yet their works preach unto us Their Life is a continual Sermon If thou find none such in the world thou hast an infallible pattern a spotless mirrour an example exact according to the Will and Word of God the Lord Jesus Christ do after his works He is the Light of the world he that follows him shall not walk in darkness because he sees the Light of this World God the Father well knew there would be many sayers few doers of his Word that the Scribes and Pharisees in all Ages would be the same such as would say and do not and therefore he hath given an unerring Guide unto the world his Word that speaks to us and in us That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath spoken in all men from the beginning
Simon and Andrew and James and John at their nets Mat. 4. Matthew at the Custom-house Ploughmen Shepherds Herdsmen Fishermen Publicans of what trade or occupation or profession soever these Disciples humble-self-deniers meek patient these may have a deeper insight into the most profound mysteries of Gods Kingdom than the greatest proud covetous self-lovers however otherwise most learned Clerks in that regard the Blacksmith may know more than the Blackcoat That of the Father is well known Surgunt indocti rapiunt Coelum nos cum nostra doctrinâ trudimur in infernum I have more understanding than my Teachers saith holy David The Apostles knew and taught the mysteries of Christ's death and resurrection what was the reason was David seen in Arts and Tongues or were the Apostles filii sapientum as the proud Pharisees called their Disciples Truly neither David gives the reason of his learning greater than his Teachers because saith he Thy testimonies are my meditation And how came the Disciples to be so well seen in the Divine mysteries not for any great learned skill I wiss O no they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlettered men unlearned men and ignorant Act. 4.13 But the true reason is added They took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Repreh 1. Is God a free giver and is thine eye evil because he is good This then may justly reprove the envious spirit the envious spirit that riseth up against the Disciples in all Ages and reigns in too too many in these dayes They have a tale even a mystery of the infernal host Envy was missing in Hell and search being made after her she was found in a Monastery among men professing Religion and since they were dissolved among us she was admitted into Colleges and Societies yea she hath found that favour that she hath got into all Cities and Towns of the Kingdom yea she hath gotten into the Temple of God Ezek. 8.5 The image of jealousie in the entry indeed of Envy the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Envy Mat. 23.13 The Scribes and Pharisees will not go into the School of Christ themselves nor suffer them that were entring to go in Like the Gardiners dog in the Italian Proverb They neither eat herbs themselves nor suffer others who can Or according to our English Proverb The dog in the manger The Patriarchs moved with envy sold Joseph into Aegypt Act. 7. will ye know the ground of it Gen. 37. ye find it to be his dreams and visions of Divine Mysteries This moved Shemaiah to write thus to Zephaniah Jer. 29.26 The Lord hath made thee Priest in the stead of Jehojada for every one that is mad Amaziah complains to Jeroboam Amos 7. The Land is not able to bear all his words what was the reason Amos was a true Seer and saw more Divine Truth than Amaziah Thus it was among the Scribes and Pharisees who delivered our Lord for envy Mat. 27.18 yea envy got among Christ's own Followers James and John Luk. 9.49 And I pray God she be not among us Repreh 2. The great pains which many take who are without to unfold the mysteries of Gods Kingdom yet all in vain they stay without they hear they wish they read and plod and struggle they dig and delve and search after the mysteries of the Kingdom they take pains it is as if a man being about to cleave wood and should set his wedge against the grain and think so to rive and cleave it it is not so to be done a little pains according to the grain will do it As if by their own subtilty pains and industry they could by main force hammer out the mysteries of Gods Kingdom There is a vein for silver and a place for the gold where they find it Job 28. he compares the secrets of wisdom to gold vers 7. there is a path that no fowl knoweth and which the Vultures eye hath not seen no high-flowne quick-sighted contemplators it is not found out by subtilty vers 8. The Lions whelps have not trodden it nor the fierce Lion passed by it it is not found out by strength vers 23. God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof After a long search he declares it who alone can vers 28. Vnto man he saith behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding But what then ought we not to employ our wit and strength in searching after the riddles and mysteries of Divine Truth yes no doubt but so that we first practise what we know and resolve to practise and obey what we shall learn and as yet know not it 's a good rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things which having learned we practise these things practising we further learn as by exercising our strength we get more strength The Jews have an excellent Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man that comes to the Word to be cleansed he is holpen from heaven Qui conatur juvatur But many like men in a mine as our Saviour tells the Pharisees Joh. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye search the Scriptures but ye will not come unto me that ye might have life ye will not deny your selves take up your Cross daily and follow me through my death unto the life like a cold lover that hath received a love-letter from her Friend and Suitor she reads it over and over delights in it puts it in her bosome yet desires not that he should come unto her or she go to him Thus deal many of us with the Scriptures our Beloved's Love-letter unto us we read it every day and resolve to read it over and over we adorn it guild it put it in our bosomes mean time we desire not his presence with us we will not deny our selves incline our ear forsake our own people and our fathers house that so the King may take pleasure in our beauty we desire not that he should come unto us we say not Nil mihi rescribas attamen ipse veni we say not with David I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way O when wilt thou come unto me I will walk in my house with a perfect heart Psal 101.2 Observ 3. Here is a ground for Allegorical and Parabolical Expositions of Scripture if there be any here who make any doubt of them for if without a parable he spake not unto them Mar. 4.34 if to them that are without all things be in parables then in all reason those things which are in Parables or Allegories must be interpreted and expounded not as proper Speeches but as Parables and Allegories What a ridiculous thing it is for a company of blind men to dispute concerning colours which they never yet saw discoursing at large concerning some forreign Land how opprobrious must it needs be to such an one if one but meanly travell'd should ask him Sir were you ever there But they say as the Fryar said Legi in
in the Letter and outward part thereof Our Lord tells his Disciples That except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven How could they exceed their Righteousness but by their obedience unto the spiritual Law of God Observ 4. The Preacher may preach and all in vain the Sacraments may be administred and yet in vain Jesus Christ may be set forth evidently before mens eyes crucified in them and all in vain After all is done it 's possible men may not obey the Truth and then all this labour is lost How often have Christians received the holy Communion yet have they not shewn forth the Lords death in dying to any one sin which yet is the end the principal end of this holy Sacrament Yea the end of all our coming to Church the end of all our reading hearing all our fasting humiliation receiving the holy Sacrament it is our obedience Yea the end of all Christs Humiliation Christs humbling himself to the death the painful lingering infamous accursed death of the Cross it is our obedience that the same obedient mind might be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself c. Observ 5. Men are then said not to obey the Truth when they follow not when they imitate not the actions and passions dyings and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Thus Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh This even the Devil knew and confessed But every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God That he is come in thy flesh and mine and formed in us for so the word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Jesus Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 And forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same How is that For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2. So 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins How does that follow The same Apostle tells us Rom. 8. If we dye with him we believe that we shall also live with him For the following of Christ in his Resurrection is rising from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness And thus Christ dyed for our sins that we might also dye to them and rose again for our justification that we might arise unto Righteousness and a new Life So that if Christ be not risen and we with him we are yet in our sins and this is that which by some is called motus antitypi Axom 4. Some or other had bewitched the Galatians that they did not obey the truth The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence is derived the Latin word fascino which signifies either to bewitch or to envy and both may very well fit this place of Scripture 1. To envy and so the Apostle may expostulate with them what Jew yet in the state of servants hath envyed you the liberty of sons 2. Or who hath bewitched you who hath so cast a mist before your eyes who hath so dazled your sight with deceptio visus that ye think ye see what ye see not or cannot see that which is visible and easie to be seen for so no doubt the evil one being the prince of the air can make the Species and Images of things appear which really and truly are not and so intervert and turn aside the Images of things which are that to some they do not appear For if we consider him who bewitches them viz. the grand impostor the Devil we shall find that he according to the Degree of that Divine Power manifested or put forth in men by the Father Son and Spirit he also puts forth his power of darkness to oppose it for as there is the holy Trinity in the Divinity so is there also an infernal trinity in the Devils nature a father of lyes a son of perdition and a spirit of error As therefore when Moses came into Egypt the father of lyes sent forth Jannes and Jambres which withstood Moses So when the Lord Jesus sent forth his Disciples and Apostles to preach the Gospel of Christ crucified then the Devil sent forth Barjesus Act. 13.6 who transforms himself as if he were Jesus the Son of God to oppose them and therefore he is called Barjesus the son of Jesus For as Jesus the Son of God saves his people from their sins Matth. 1. So Barjesus this son of the Devil as he is called endeavours to delude and save the people from grace and righteousness vers 8. Observ 1. That the Lord is not the cause of our disobedience either by any antecedent Decree or by any present instinct nor motion inclining us unto sin O no the Wiseman warns us that we should not say or think so Ecclus 15.11 12. Say not thou it is through the Lord that I fell away for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth Say not thou he caused me to err for he hath no need of the sinful man No doubt were he the cause he would not reprove he would not punish eternally the disobedient souls Observ 2. Disobedience is a kind of witchery Samuel saith as much in so many words Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text which signifies to envy and to bewitch And the Wiseman tells us That by the envy of the Devil sin entred into the world The Devil himself is the grand Sorcerer by this envy of him also iniquity the great witch the old witch she came into the world So the Wiseman tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the witching of naughtiness or wickedness Wisd 4.12 This grand Sorcerer hath also his Ministers who are great Inchanters of the people 2 Cor. 11.4 Sometimes these bewitch the multitude with their doctrine as there are some plausible doctrines which bewitch Christians that they do not obey the truth such is that which would perswade us 1. That the Law of God belongs not unto those that are in Christ then if no law no transgression 2. That God sees no sin in his people where yet sin is to be seen Psal 50.21 22. 3. That Christ hath done all things already to our hands and left us nothing to do but believe it Matth. 7.21 4. That as soon as we have begun to do well there 's no fear of falling away when the Apostle faith Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 5. That sin cannot be subdued no not by Christ in us while we live here when yet faith is the victory that overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Phil. 4.13 I can do all through Christ who strengthneth me These and such as these are obligamenta magica magical tyes which bind men from walking in
of the end of all these for spiritual and heavenly things are imparted by God unto men and by men unto men for their edifying 1 Cor. 14. which cannot be without some outward Form of words or other expressions There is one Form of Godliness seems not at all to be used as singing of Psalms in the Congregation Why Because some there are very unfit to sing them Respon This cannot be denyed yet for this inconvenience it followeth not that the custom of singing Psalms in the Church should be laid aside For 1. Psalmodia hath been a Form of Godliness both in the Church of the Jews and all Christian Congregations wherein it 's probable there have been some as unfit as in our days 2. Though some unfit yet out of the judgement of Charity yea of certainty some are fit and the unfitness of some cannot debar others from the comfortable use of that Duty 3. It is a Duty 4. Our Lord himself fore-told Psal 22.25 and 35.18 That he would praise the Father in the great Congregation as the Apostle applys it Heb. 2.12 5. For the same Reason they who are unfit to sing should be unfit to read them 6. And 't is possible they may by the grace of God be made fit Many hear outwardly who are not fit to hear but thereby many become fit Observ 1. Note hence the great goodness of God and his love unto Mankind that having made Man for himself he could not satisfie his love with making him Lord of all the Creatures no not with any thing less than the Image of himself imparting the shape of himself unto him Joh. 5. And because similitudo est causa Amoris similitude and likeness is the cause of Love That he might love him more he makes man like unto himself Godlike or as in our language Godly that we should be imitators and followers of God as his dear children Eph. 5.1 Observ 2. Yea since the only Wise God hath so made us and embodied us and cast us into a fleshly mould that we cannot understand any thing from without otherwise than by outward Images and sensible representations of inward things He is graciously pleased to convey the inward by the outward and therefore he is said to have made the two disciplinary Senses Prov. Thus Circumcision the Passover all the Sacrifices and Oblations yea the whole Ceremonial Law are Forms of Godliness whereby the only Wise God condescended unto his people thereby to convey the true spiritual and inward Godliness unto them by those outward and visible signs representing unto them spiritual things Ezech. 37.18 These and such as these outward and visible Forms are called by sutable names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus also the Lord imparts his Godliness by something audible proportionable to the other disciplinary sense of Hearing Rom. 6.17 2 Tim. 1.13 Observ 3. Hence appears their errour who out of a pretence of a pure spirituality condemn all Forms of Godliness without any difference at all and condemn all those who use Forms of Godliness Thus the Sacrament of Baptism is with them such a Form of Godliness as is not to be used Thus also the Lords Supper Instituted of Christ himself is by such sleighted as a Form of Godliness Thus thanksgiving for Meats and Drinks is thought to be superfluous a Form of Godliness Why For all these are spiritual and inward duties and better performed within than acted outwardly I do not deny but these are all as well inward as outward duties and there best performance is inward But our Lord Jesus performed them outwardly and commanded also that they should be outwardly performed It 's true by the inward performance of these acts we are more strengthened But since every man ought to seek not only his own good but the good of others also These and all such like acts ought to be done in Love 1 Cor. 16.14 And all things ought to be done to the edifying of others 1 Cor. 14.26 And how can that be done without some outward form or other to the edifying of its self in love And although praying to God and blessing God may be done inwardly and with the spirit yet if we perform these Duties inwardly only no man else hath the benefit of these Duties but our selves And therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.15 16 17. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest Lastly whereas the Pharisees used all the outward forms of Godliness without the inward Duties Our Lord forbids not his Disciples the use of these Forms but implicitly commands the use of them where he saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven Now that which must exceed another doth not abolish but suppose that which it must exceed Nor did our Lord blame their Use of Forms wherein they placed their Righteousness but the want of this inward Righteousness as the foundation of it as its evident Matth. 23. and by that Pharisaical young man Matth. 19. Repreh Those who pretend to rest in the Godliness without the Form as also those who rest in the Form without the Godliness 1. Those who pretend to rest in the Godliness without the Form Let such know that the only wise God hath fitted the one of these unto the other so that although the outward Form be not perpetual as I shall shew more anon yet it is not to be despised as it is by many at this day who exalt themselves above all Ordinances above all Forms of Godliness above all mans teaching c. Surely the outward Ordinances and Forms of Godliness are not to be despised No say they Doth not the Prophet call them vain oblations See Notes on Gen. 27. 2. They are justly reproved who rest in the Form without the Godliness Thus did many of Gods ancient people the Jews And thus do too many at this day of the false Christians How much pain and sorrow did the Jews undergo c. See Notes on 2 Cor. 5.17 Exhort Let us endeavour after the inward Form of Godliness 2. Axiom Godliness hath a power There are three Principles of actions 1. Understanding 2. Will 3. Power The word we turn Power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth strength and answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Strength Vertue and Power by which great acts are atchieved So the Septuagint turns that word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text above one hundred times Whence also it signifieth an army strong and powerful whence the Church is described to be an Army with banners Cant. 6.4 This power is sometime exercised by the body which in comparison to that strength of the Spirit is but impotency and weakness according to Esay 31.3 The
so or so as Moses had commanded Joshua 11.14 Neither left they any to breath What else is hereby to be understood but what the Law and Will of the Lord is that 's Moses who is ordinarily taken for the Law that Jesus the true Joshua fulfilled Obs 3. The Law and Prophets continue in their strength and are as firm and strong obligations in this time of the Gospel as formerly they were The Moral Law in the Letter and Spirit The Ceremonial according to the spiritual understanding of it for Ceremoniale aboletur Spirituale manet The Judicial Law according to the Equity of it This will appear from the two next Verses to my Text v. 18 19. So that the Gospel requires of us as much obedience as the Law for measure and degree Obs 4. They who live dissolutely and loosely They neither have the doctrine of Christ nor his life or practice nor end of his coming to countenance palliate and cover their vitious lives withall Reprehension of those who destroy the Law and the Prophets 't is the cause of their destruction and destruction of the people Malac. 2 1-9 and 4.4 5 6. 2. Think not that I come to destroy c. By these Words the Lord puts a bar against all Opinions all Tenents and Disputes of men concerning the Law as if by him or his doctrine it should in the least be diminished Rat. The Thoughts are the Basis and Foundation of Counsels Wills Affections Actions Works and Words And therefore our Lord thought it necessary to give caution concerning them He knew the present Surmises and Suspitions of the Scribes and Pharisees He foresaw the false conceits and opinions that would be received in the World concerning his doctrine as we find at this day Obs 1. The Law and Prophets are empty and voyd until Christ come to fulfil them There is a Vacuum where obedience and fulfilling of the Law and Prophets is not Vide Not. in James 1.22 Jer. 4.22 23. Obs 2. Note hence what an exact and perfect life our Lord Jesus came to bring into the World even the fulfilling of the Law and Prophets A life opposite unto that generation of men he met withall in the dayes of his flesh and as opposite unto this present generation in the dayes of his Spirit for all those he dealt withall beside his own Disciples who were of one will with himself all the rest were either Pharisees or Sadduces of which sort were also the Herodians The former sort the Pharisees fulfilled only the outside of the Law and Prophets whose righteousness consisted only in the obedience unto the outward commandment The latter sort the Sadduces and Herodians were a prophane people who were so far from fulfilling the Law and Prophets by their obedience that by their outward and inward disobedience they made voyd and emptied the Law and the Prophets Of one or other sort of these the true Disciples and truly called Christians only excepted consists this present Generation As for the Sadduces and prophane persons their sins prevent judgment 1 Tim. 5.25 The Pharisees are the men who most of all deceive themselves and are in greatest danger of deceiving others And therefore our Lord tells his Disciples Matth. 5.20 That unless their Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should not see the Kingdom of God The Scribes were the great Teachers of the people the Pharisees were the most religious followers of their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord hereby teacheth his Disciples wherein consists that Righteousness which God requires and accepts wherein else than in obedience to the Law and Prophets Now the Law saith Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery c. The Scribes and Pharisees did not kill did not commit Adultery and therefore they thought themselves just and despised others Luke 18. And the Reason is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he who obeys the Law is righteous But our Lord Jesus denies that the Scribes and Pharisees obeyed the Law as appears every where throughout the Gospel especially Matth. 23. And the reason because it is not enough that a man do not kill nor commit Adultery c. but that also he have a mind abhorring and loathing murder and adultery for since the mind is so much the more excellent than the body that the man is named from the mind as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Soul signifieth the whole man in the Hebrew and Anima in the Latine foelices animae quibus hoc cognoscere primum inque domos superum scandere cura fuit Whence Anima cujusque is est quisque every man's Soul is himself Hence it undeniably follows that he is a murderer who hath a murdering Soul that he is an Adulterer who hath a Soul inclined to Adultery He who hates his Brother is a murderer He who looks upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart If any one here except and say the Law is not so severe to punish hatred or lust with death 't is true for the Lord hath committed the inflicting punishment for breach of the Law to Magistrates which being but men they punish the evil work done not the evil will they punish the dammage committed not the thought or purpose at least while it is unknown for how else can the Magistrate convince the minds of men by the testimony of two or three Witnesses without which he cannot proceed to punish an offence Would therefore a man be safe from the Magistrate It 's enough for him that he do not kill that he do not commit Adultery although his mind and heart be murderous and adulterous And thus the Scribes and Pharisees were just and righteous who performed outward obedience to the Law and Prophets And if the Kingdom of Christ had been of this World he should not nor would have taught any other doctrine But since the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World not an earthly but an heavenly Kingdom The Judge also is not earthly but heavenly the Witnesses also must be spiritual and heavenly and the judgment spiritual and heavenly in which the mind cannot be hid According to this Righteousness not only the murdering body and the adulterous body is punished as in earthly and bodyly Kingdoms but the murdering and lascivious mind or soul also shall be punished Would we therefore avoyd the eternal punishment we must then no doubt not only obey the outward Law in shew only as the Scribes and Pharisees did but inwardly also truly and from the heart as in the sight of God who searcheth the heart and reins and punisheth hatred for murder and lust for adultery And what I have said concerning these two Commandments is also to be understood of all the rest Obs 3. If our Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the Law and Prophet but to fulfil them Hence it will follow that they who boast of Christ's fulfilling
righteousness This was figured by Adonizedech Josh 10. who most of all other opposed Joshuah and stirred up five other Kings against him i. e. The Lord of Righteousness the false righteousness in the world opposeth the true Melchisedeck the King of Righteousness and stirs up the Rulers of the darkness of this world against him Eph. 6.12 Nor had the Israelites so cruel an enemy as the Midianites Numb 22. as may be seen Judg. 6. besides other places and why Midian signifieth judgment that false judgment which the Prince of this world executes He who opposed the Lord our Righteousness what is he but the great inward Antichrist Whom Gideon another type of Christ destroys and therefore Christ when he comes to execute Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth the Prophet tells us it shall be as in the day of Midian Esay 9.4 He tells thee all things that ever thou did'st These things hast thou done Psal 50. is not this the Christ If he speaks evil bear witness if good why smitest thou him When all the foundations of the Earth are out of course 't is time I trow to think of Heaven when the Kingdoms are divided as in Mount Perasim as now they are all the Christian world over when they are shaken 't is time to lay hold of such a Kingdom as cannot be shaken such an one as is beyond the power of Satan who like Archimedes would shake the whole world had he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason of all our Jars and Contentions every man thinks he understands and hath the truth of his side and therefore opposeth others of a contrary mind and the other opposeth them when yet neither on either part are true Disciples who first deny themselves and take up their Cross c. but without any such preparation unmannerly and rudely rush and intrude themselves into Christ's School of themselves NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XIII 34 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. 4.33 34. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables and and without a parable spake he not unto them That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world THe Evangelist gives an account of our Lord 's parabolical way of teaching wherein we have these Two parts 1. Our Lord 's constant way and manner of teaching the multitudes it was by parables 2. The reason why he used that way and manner of teaching that it might be fulfilled c. or more particularly these several heads which will afford us these Divine Axioms 1. The speech of Jesus Jesus spake all things before delivered unto the multitude 2. The character mode or manner of his speech He spake unto the multitude in parables 3. The extent of that character and mode of speech Without a parable he spake not unto them 4. The mind or event of that way of speaking That it might be fulfilled c. Wherein we have these particulars 1. The Prophet Asaph opened his mouth in parables 2. He declared things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world 3. Therefore Jesus spake all these things unto the multitudes in parables and without a parable he spake not unto them That it might be fulfilled c. 1. Jesus spake unto the multitudes Wherein we must enquire 1. To whom 2. What he spake 1. To whom he spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the turba the multitudes The word is Plural which yet we render in the Singular but why I know not since they to whom he spake were great multitudes vers 2. The word is sometimes used of the Disciples themselves Luk. 6.17 but most what they are wont to be opposed unto the Disciples of Christ as vers 36. The multitude therefore were undiscipled men troubled and vexed as Luk. 18. Act. 5.17 and troublesome to others The word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to molest or trouble or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Unto these rude multitudes Jesus spake all these things Mar. 4.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of the Gospel concerning these things the Gospel of the Kingdom Reason 1. The necessity of the multitude they were undiscipled though they had many Teachers learned Scribes yet neither were they taught themselves to the Kingdom of God nor would they suffer them to enter in that would Mat. 23.13 2. The Lord Jesus had compassion of the multitude because they were undiscipled Obser 1. The Doctrine of the Kingdom of God is of that Universal concernment that it belongs to the multitude every one of the multitude Our Lord had the wisdom and prudence that he knew best quid quibus what and to whom it was fit for him to speak he spake to the multitudes concerning the Kingdom of God it belonged to them and every one of them to us and every one of us to know it O that we would even in this our day know and duly consider the things that belong to our peace the things that belong to the Kingdom of our God the Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost First it concerns thee who ever thou art even the meanest in the Congregation The Lord Jesus speaks even to the multitudes concerning the Kingdom of God If the multitudes were undiscipled men why spake he these things unto them they were uncapable of them he spake unto them therefore in parables and what is a parable A figurative kind of speech whereby some known outward sensible thing is represented unto the ear signifying something yet unknown and inward unto the mind This is properly a Proverb or Parable and therefore it is wont to be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dark saying as here it is vers and Prov. 1.6 Joh. 16.25 29. opposed to plain Mat. 11.11 wherein because most what grave and weighty Sentences were contained Custom afterward prevailed that Sentences of great weight and moment were also called Proverbs although set down or uttered in proper speech such are many in Solomon's Proverbs and that 1 Sam. 24.13 So Lorica a Coat of Male was first made è Loro of Leather whence it retains the name though it be now made of Iron And Papyrus Paper of old made of an Aegyptian Rush so called keeps the name still though our Paper be now made of Old Raggs and the like we may say of an Inkhorn though now of Lead And because such kind of speeches grew common by use they became Rules of Life whence the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and because among such Rules of Life they were wont to mention the examples of those who had lived without Rule and for that reason were made examples unto others lest also others might offend Hence we find the word used also in evil part as Deut. 28.37 1 Sam. 25.26 2 Sam. 18.32 Jer.
not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand As many abuse their strength their health their wit their memory to violence to luxury to ribaldry and scurrility and so justly lose those natural endowments and stop the passage of Gods Grace So that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ cannot shine unto them and they as unprofitable servants are cast into outer darkness 2. Yet the gracious God in Judgement remembers Mercy and conceals his mysteries also Nè majus eis praejudicium generetur si postquam noverint Christi mysteria contempserint saith Theophilus The goodness of God prevents their greater judgement by preventing their greater sin Qui enim intelligit posteà spernit graviùs punietur saith the same Father 1. He aims at the good even of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those from whom he conceals his mysteries 2. much more at the prâ—servation and safety of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dispensers of his mysteries 3. But most of all at the respect and honour due unto the holy mysteries both which ends ye have together Mat. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast your pearls before swine lest the swine tread them under feet and the dogs turn again and rend you So treading under feet is properly applyed to swine and rending as properly applyed to dogs in some Greek Copies in the Vul. Lat. and the most Ancient English Translations of these we read Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs beware of the concision such as are wont to bark and snarle and bite whom they like not and what they know not and never heard before as dogs deal with strangers All which laid together may serve for a demonstrative reason of this truth why it is not given to these who are without to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but all things are to them in parables Yet perhaps some may doubt of this since many there are learned men who seem to know much Divine Truth yet are without the house of God undiscipled men and disobedient unto the Truth as their lives declare them Yea St. Paul seems to suppose That a man may know all mysteries yet have no Charity which is the badge and character of a Christian man But we must know how that according to the language of Scripture there is a broad difference between the things known by Disciples and undiscipled men as also between their wayes and degrees of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Cyril and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So likewise great difference there is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between meer historical and speculaâ—ive knowledge and that which is experimental and practical Nor can it be dâ—â—yed but that ungodly and undiscipled men may have some kind of Theory and empty speculation of the heavenly mysteries as much as the bare letter will afford them as the Devil himself is called Daemon one that in this sence knows much of Divine Truth saith Gerson But the knowledge here understood is a thorough knowledge such as they call Affective which inwardly works suitable affections in us and such as they call Effective which works outwardly an answerable life and conversation And in this sence they who are without undiscipled men are truly said not to know the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom So that as God is said to know or not to know the wayes of men according to his approbative or reprobative knowledge as Lyra distinguisheth so likewise may men according to their speculative or experimental knowledge be said to know or not to know the wayes of God and secrets of his kingdom much may these take out of their reading and then say it just as water is emptied out of a cistern so much as is put in so much is emptied out and no more But our Lord tells the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. If thou knewest the gift of God c. it should have been in thee a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life and therefore we may say as she did O Lord give us evermore of this water But this may some say is a malicious and final exclusion of those that are without from ever entring into the School of Christ's mysteries not so for howsoever they know not the mysteries of God's kingdom yet some things are so plain that they cannot but know them which God hath shewn indifferently unto all Thus when the Scribes of Esdras had written two hundred and four Books the highest spake thus unto him The first that thou hast written publish openly that the worthy and unworthy may read 2 Esdr 14.45 more plainly Mich. 6.8 He hath shewn thee O man O Adam who ever thou art worthy or unworthy within or without he hath shewn to thee what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self to walk with thy God or to prepare thy self and make thy self ready to walk with thy God Upon the due performance of this God will shew thee more If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine Joh. 7.17 and the rule is general faventi quod in se est Deus non deest being grounded on that of our Saviour To him who hath shall more be given Whence we may observe their scantling small measure and obscure manner of Divine Knowledge who aâ—â— without The Rabbins the most learned of the Jews knew how often every word nay letter was used in the Old Testament yet how foully they erred in the mystery of them The Israelites could not look stedfastly to the end of that which is abolished 2 Cor. 3.13 Joh. 3. The Masters in Israel knew not the secret mystery of Regeneration Repreh Whence also we may observe and wonder at and abhor that abominable presumption of too many even of our own coat and profession who though they be without yea more without than the common sort of men yet dare they pry into the mysteries that are within yea though blind themselves yet dare undertake to lead others though they have not renounced in themselves the mystery of iniquity yet dare they dispense unto others the mystery of Godliness It is not their vain perswasion wherewithal they flatter themselves that they are able to preach to others will excuse them Alas they know not what they preach presuming to be teachers of the Law saith the Apostle They understand not what they say nor whereof they affirm but take up all upon trust and hear-say without any experimental knowledge of their own O how will they answer that dreadful expostulation of God with them Psal 50. Vnto the ungodly said God what hast thou to do to preach my Laws and take my Covenant in thy mouth since thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee or that of the Apostle Rom. 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not
the Saints shall rule all the world and hereupon many flatter themselves into a conceit that all the world shall be their own that they shall rule over their enemies as their enemies have ruled over them that they shall enjoy all pleasures and delights c. which fancy is indeed no other than a kind of gross Turcism The same errour which St. Paul blames in the Galatians having begun in the Spirit they would end in the flesh For surely the true Christian freedom consists not in immunity or exemption from outward Governours as the Apostle testifieth where he saith That he who is called a servant is the Lords free-man 1 Cor. 7. besides it is the saying of the Lord our righteousness if the Son make ye free then are ye free indeed otherwise exemption from an outward servitude maketh no man truly free Lastly if all the people in the Golden Age shall be righteous Isai 60.21 and all be made Kings and Priests unto God Revel 1. and all reign upon the earth Revel 5.10 Who shall they bear rule over surely their true freedom is over their affections and lusts when all their members are servants unto righteousness Dehort From this servitude of uncleanness and iniquity to call it servitude it 's argument enough to disswade us from it it 's the basest condition of all nay no condition Servi neque caput est neque status saith the Lawyer he is in nullo numero he is nullius censûs and shall we yield our members subject to such a condition such as is no condition but if the Master were good the servitude were not ill as was shewn before Some Masters may be found were so good that servants would yield their ears to be boared and become their servants for ever but this is a servitude and slavery to uncleanness To be a servant to unclean swine and a swineherd it 's an honest imployment but this servitude it 's a slavery and servitude unto the unclean spirits Justa servitus a just servitude either commends or allays and qualifieth the burden but this slavery 't is to a most unjust master for 't is to injustice it self he will have brick made but he will allow no straw These are great aggravations but there is yet a greater we are free-men Christ hath made us free we are wont to stand fast in our liberties and plead for them as indeed we may and ought and say they were obtained with much blood And may we not ought we not to stand upon our Christian Liberty which cost the Son of God his most precious blood 1 Pet. 1.18 O then let us yield our selves servants unto him he hath wrought the purging of our sins Hebr. 1.3 he hath paid the price of our redemption even himself that he might redeem us from the slavery both of uncleanness and iniquity Tit. 2.14 He hath given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity there 's redemption from one and the other followeth that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works His service is pure and holy and just and equal so saith Zachary in his time That we being redeemed out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear Remember ye are bought with a price wherefore 't is the Apostles inference and a just one Glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods Which is implyed in this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little word but as many other little words are of greater moment than parhaps at first sight we are aware of I am not ignorant that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into and in are sometimes in the Original Greek as ב in the Hebrew used promiscuously one for the other yet some places there are where the proper use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into is most significant It will be worth our labour to take notice of a place or two Mat. 13.52 Every Scribe taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the kingdom or into the kingdom of God the Syri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many a man hath hearsayes of God's kingdom but he is the learned Scribe indeed that hath so heard that he is taught into it and the words following prove this He brings forth of his treasury things new and old As the Lord promiseth his people under the Law Levit. 26.10 that they should eat the old store and bring forth the old because of the new and he maketh good his promise under Joshuah 5.11 They did eat of the old corn after the Passover and parched corn in the same day this promise is yet further fulfilled under the true Joshuah or Jesus The old and the new are the type and truth the letter and the spirit the figurative and the spiritual which whosoever brings forth out of his treasury must in reason have before in his treasury he must not bring it forth out of books only but out of the tables of his heart it must be in him he must enter into the kingdom of God and that in him Thus 1 Pet. 1.25 The word of the Lord abides for ever and this is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is preached unto you he speaks not only of the audible word which passeth away but of that whereof the word we hear testifieth which is the eternal word the word which abides for ever and therefore St Paul calls the Gospel the testimony of God and Christ 1 Cor. 2.1 2. The Gospel then is preached to the purpose and we have heard to the purpose when the eternal word is preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into us and hath a living form in us The like sence is of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text ye have yielded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have incorporated your selves into iniquity and have been all one with it As the Apostle saith of the Ephesians Ye were sometimes not only dark or in darkness but darkness it self as we say of a notorious villain that he is scelus wickedness it self This appears also by the phrase in the Text opposite unto this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now but why now it requires our present and instant service of righteousness the time present is all the time we have for howsoever the Lord may vouchsafe unto his Church a longer time yet to every one of us he allows but this present time 1. De tempore non habemus nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the time we have is but the present what ever time is past it is as dead to us and that 's it that may suffice us 1 Pet. 4.3 what ever is to come it hath yet no life all we can make our own and be sure of is the present But more specially 2. Now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 the Apostle there alludes to the Jubilee the blowing of the Trumpet the time of Christ and his Spirit when
meekness patience long-suffering and moderation Would God we could all learn that lesson from the best teacher I say unto you resist not evil c. Mat. 5.38 39. The law-giver himself resists not evil He commands no more to us than he practiseth himself There is a world of evil the whole world lies in evil jacet in maligno yet our God resists it not but is patient and long-suffering not willing that any should perish c. Then it seems our God is not just his way is not equal No! Are not his wayes equal are not our wayes rather unequal We know not I fear what it is to be Just Justice is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rigid enmity and exactness which some call Justice No Justice is tempered with Mercy yea often in Scripture taken for Mercy or the effects of it Deut. 6.25 it shall be your righteousness Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 24. Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord c. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mercy from the God of his salvation and 32.5 The Lord loveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness and judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many the like as Matth. 6.1 Nolite facere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your mercy or your alms before men According to this notion we understand what is meant by a Righteous or Just Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 1.19 2 King 6.21 My Father shall I smite them so speaks the rigour of the Law Elisha answers set bread and water before them there 's the lenity of the Gospel the severity of the Law is allayed by the Clemency and Mercy of the Gospel even in time of the Law Say not I will do to him as he hath done to me Exhort To observe the just Commandment of our God It is the voice of the Law and the voice of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 RIGHTEOVSNESS RIGHTEOVSNESS that which is altogether just shalt thou do Deut. 16.20 Such is that summ of the Law and Prophets and Gospel also Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye the same unto them Our Lord commends these things as the great things of the Law to be performed under the Gospel Matth. 23.23 Judgement Mercy and Faith Object But to what purpose is the Law and just Commandment if it cannot justifie What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.3 We are wont to admire the righteousness of Christ and well we may it is worthy our greatest admiration But we little consider that that reproves our unrighteousness and makes for our greater condemnation What we admire for the excellency of it we desire to partake and have a share of it Thus the desire of any earthly thing Gold and Silver Honour Pleasure if named they stir up the desire of themselves in us There is Corn in Aegypt O remember how short our time is how uncertain There is not a more succinct breviate of Christianity than that Titus 2.11 12. Qui justus est justificetur adhuc O consider I beseech ye how short how uncertain how brittle our life is in this present world and how much we have to do in it the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Cleansed therefore we must be from all unrighteousness if ever we inherit that kingdom 1 Joh. 1.9 It 's too late to go about this work when this life is ended therefore whatsoever thine hand finds now to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccles 9.10 Means Hunger and thirst after it strive for it to enter in at the gate of righteousness in the conquest of thine affections and lusts the true Melchizedech shall meet thee Gen. 14. Our Saviour having propounded many parables to his Disciples Matth. 13.52 concludes with this Epiphonema Every scribe instructed to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a good housholder that bringeth out of his store things both new and old The Apostle is such a learned Scribe such a good housholder he brings out of his treasure things new and old the old is the figurative and typical the new is the truth signified by the type and figure saith Basil The old is the Ceremonial and Judicial Law both figurative and typical the new is the Moral Law contained and signified under both those The Ceremonial and Judicial Commandments are fit for the old people as old wine received into old bottles The Moral Law commended to us under the name of GOOD is fit for the new people the people whom the Lord creates anew Psal 118. as new wine put into new bottles This good wine he hath kept till now 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commandment is good For our better understanding of this let us enquire 1. What is meant by Good and 2. how the Commandment may be said to be good 1. There is nothing more usually in our mouths than this word Good yet I believe all men understand it not aright let us therefore enquire 1. What is meant by the word Good 2. What the essence and nature of the thing is which we call good 1. The word in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn good some deduce it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to admire and wonder at but that which is truly good more nearly concerns us than to gaze and wonder at it I conceive therefore it rather comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duco to lead or guide because that which is truly good leads our appetite our will our love our desire our joy and consequently all the affections the whole heart the whole soul the whole man as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of the same sence signifying true good as also beautiful and lovely is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from calling inviting alluring the whole heart unto it and therefore the Philosopher defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the name of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is good which all things desire or rather according to the formalis ratio boni as they speak that is good which is convenient or agreeing with every thing So that the nature of goodness consists in conveniency and agreeableness unto every thing from which conveniency and agreeableness in every kind ariseth a property called Appetentia and desireabless 2. How is the Law said to be good since the nature of goodness consists in conveniency and agreeableness The Law is therefore said to be good because it agrees with the reasonable appetite which we call the Will so saith the Apostle vers 22. I delight in
mortification and Sanctification by bringing in a new worship and another and an easie way of Salvation yet to the truly conscientious and those who are in a good way toward the Kingdom of God these false Teachers lay heavy burdens upon their Consciences and bring needless fears upon their hearts Therefore our Lord denounceth a woe against the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites Matth. 23.15 These men were extreme zealous in gaining Proselytes to their Religion from among the Heathen whom yet being won from that simple and common error of all the Gentiles they did so load with Precepts and Laws and Threatnings c. that they made their consciences much more burdened than they were before with guilt and horrours they being not wonted to such a yoke yea they laid a greater load upon them than upon any Israelites because they said these were not to be trusted Hence it came to pass that they caused these Proselytes by sinning against their erroneous Consciences to become double the children of Hell and more obnoxious to condemnation than themselves as our Lord saith Observ 3. See here the practice of false Teachers in all ages by outward Ordinances they bring and hold the populacy under their tyranny omitting or not so much urging those inward and spiritual Duties which most tend unto the advancement of true Piety yet such is the madness of the people they love to have it so as the Prophet Jeremy speaks Jer. 5. And our Apostle observed it in the Corinthians and it may be observed I believe among many people of our age Ye suffer fools gladly saith he seeing ye your selves are wise For ye suffer if a man bring ye into bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a man smite you on the face 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Exhort To use the things of a middle nature well and to a right end 2. To use the Law of God lawfully The Apostle having spoken against the false Teachers of the Law 1 Tim. 1. that he might take away occasion from them who sought occasion He tells Timothy that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully and it is true whether we understand the Ceremonial or Moral Law And how is it to be used lawfully When it leads unto Christ who is the end of the Law when it is a killing Letter when it mortifies the sin for it was made for the Lawless All these things by right use are to Salvation Exhort 2. Use these things which connot be abused Faith and Obedience of Faith Trust in the living God Mortification of sin fear of God and our Neighbour c. Exhort 3. Touch not the unclean thing Exhort 4. Keeep such a Fast as God hath chosen Isaiah 58. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON COLOSSIANS III. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God THe Articles of the Faith touching our Saviour Jesus Christ concern either his Humiliation or his Exaltation Of the latter sort there are Four His 1. Resurrection 2. Ascension 3. Sitting at the right hand of God 4. And coming again to Judgement And three of these ye have altogether closely comprised in that one Verse which I have now named and the two first together with our Conformity unto them ye have in the Text Wherein we have contained 1. The Resurrection of Christ and the Colossians and all Christians Resurrection with him If ye be risen with Christ 2. The Ascension of Christ implyed and the Colossians and all Christians Ascension with him Seek the things that are above But before we can come to the particular handling of these we must clear the reading of the Text The Apostle seems here to annul or call into question what he had expresly testified before touching the Colossians Resurrection together with Christ Chap. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom also ye are risen And now he speaks conditionally If ye be risen I shall not need to spend much time in answering this but only remind you what I have heretofore told you upon a like occasion That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if doth not alwayes note a condition but sometimes a supposition and signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because for where St. Paul saith If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if bowels of mercies Phil. 2.1 and 4.8 If there be any vertue if there be any praise c. He is so far from making any question whether these be so or no that by an elegant kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it in Rherorick he undoubtedly and undeniably supposeth them to be Thus what seems to be conditioned of the Colossians seems to be conditioned of Christ Act. 26.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turn it That Christ should suffer And of the same nature is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this if in the Text and therefore it is not properly a condition but a supposition It is not that Axiom which the Logicians call Connexum which hath not alwayes truth of parts but affine connexo which hath alwayes truth of parts as here and therefore there is in it truth of parts So that in the Text ye have these several Doctrines 1. Christ is risen 2. The Colossians are risen with Christ 3. They ought to seek the things that are above 4. Because the Colossians are risen c. they ought to seek the things that are above 1. Christ is risen To tell ye a long story of Christ's Resurrection were to spend time and trouble you with a Relation of that which every one knows and believes To go about to prove it were as tedious as needless for there is not one Article of the Christian Faith so firmly proved as it and that not by the Testimony of one alone Though Proculus a Roman one single witness sware he saw Romulus risen from the dead and carried up to Heaven and was believed But our Lords Resurrection is proved by a multitude and those of all sorts Angels Men and Women He was seen saith the Apostle by above five hundred brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 And the Apostles although they were witnesses of all things which our Saviour did both before his death and after his Resurrection yet in special manner they are called witnesses of his Resurrection Act. 1. One must be chosen a witness with us of his Resurrection Chap. 2. God hath raised up Jesus whereof we all are witnesses and Chap. 3. Ye have killed the Prince of Life whom God hath raised up whereof we are all witnesses and Chap. 4. 35. which gave power to the Apostles witnesses of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and Chap. 5. Him God hath exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour and we are his witnesses of these things yea a great part of the Apostles speeches and writings
his way toward Christ the Sun of Righteousness by beholding that supernatural Eclipse of the Sun at the Passion of Christ as he brought these Astronomers by a Star And this I take to be one principal Reason why Christ himself his Kingdom and his Word the Ministers of it and all means of salvation are represented unto us by so many Metaphors God graciously condescends to come home unto us to take us at our trades at our professions of life and all to bring us as he brought the Wise-men here by a Star to Christ 3. God calls not men per saltum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all at once extempore but by degrees Nature is a guide to Grace The Shepherds had an Angel to preach the Gospel unto them which is the immediate outward means of salvation These Wise-men had a Star which was a means but more remote The Shepherds lived in the Church and were well prepared These Wise-men were strangers to it yet utraque lingua de Coelo erat Stellae Angelorum God preached from Heaven both by Star and Angels 4. These had a Star and but a Star We have seen his Star say they and we are come to worship O the listlesness and slothfulness of most men in these dayes who call themselves Christians The Gospel of Christ hath been preached unto us now all our dayes yet how few alas how few obey the Gospel of Christ God gives us his word and great is the Company of the Preachers Psal 68.11 and a great deal of preaching we have and a great deal of learning and reading and talking but how few alas how few come unto Christ as these Wise-men did Unto whom God gave neither Preacher nor Word a tradition they had and only they saw a Star and came a long Journey unto Christ Beloved I would not be mistaken I blame not now our want of diligence in coming to Church though I might nor in seeking Christ any other way abroad and without us This is the Age of which Daniel prophesied Men should run to and fro and knowledge should be much encreased All these things we may do and good means they are and yet not come to Christ We must not alwayes be learning but come to the knowledge of the truth Mark I pray you what our Saviour saith to the Jews John 5.39 40. Ye search the Scriptures for so the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather indicatively than imperatively there to be understood as the Text will appear to any judicious man that well considers it Ye search saith he the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me but ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Why Where were they They were near him enough and they searched the Scriptures enough they knew how often any one letter was used in the whole Old Testament But they believed not on him they came not to him to conform themselves unto him in his death that they might live the life of God as St. Paul speaks Ephes 4. And therefore they were absent from him how near soever otherwayes they drew unto him This this is to come unto Christ Matth. 11.28 29. This is to draw near unto God James 4.8 So that I fear yea I much fear it that the most of us have not thus as yet found Christ but that we are yet at a loss If we follow these Wise-men they no doubt will lead us to him I 'le use no other method than they did We must heed the Law that is our Schoolmaster unto Christ Gal. 3. And in this sence no man comes unto Christ except the Father draw him John 6. for this purpose we must make use of the least helps that God hath given us to use our senses and our understanding to the searching of him out in the Creatures The Heavens declare his Glory Praesentémque refert quaelibet herba Deum When we seek him thus with all our heart God the Father reveales the like Star unto us that he did unto these Wise-men even the illumination of faith so St. Anselme and Rhabanus and the Gloss tells us the Star is to be understood for faith is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. 11.1 Conf. Durand in Festo Epiph. And we are shut up under the Law unto this light of faith to be revealed Gal. 3.23 And by the guidance of this faith we must leave our Country as they did and as their and our Father Abraham did Gen. 12. who followed this very Star saith the Apostle Hebr. 11.8 By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterward receive for an Inheritance obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went Whither ever we go we must go out of our selves and we must walk in the steps of that faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4.12 The Covetous man he must forsake his Covetousness that 's his Country The unclean person his lasciviousness and uncleanness that 's his Country The Drunkard the angry the envious the contentious persons their drunkenness their wrath their envy their strife these are their Countries This is the true forsaking of our Country which many brain-sick men understand not and therefore run as far out of the Land as they were out of their wits before That 's the first means of finding Christ after the example of the Wise-men But we must not follow them too close They went up to Jerusalem out of their humane judgment they thought it was most likely they should find the King of the Jews in the Royal City that they should learn where he was of the learned Scribes and Pharisees But humanum flagitantes consilium divinum amisere ducatum saith St. Bernard while they sought the counsel of men they lost the guidance of God Dum divertunt ad Judaeos stellam amittunt quia dum à pravis hominibus ac Diabolo aliquod consilium quaerunt veram illuminationem amittunt Anselm Thus did Samuel when he was but a Child God called him and he ran to Ely But when God revealed his Son in me saith St. Paul I consulted not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. nor must we for should not a people seek to their God But there are learned Scribes taught unto the Kingdom of God and salvation saith our Saviour is of the Jews these inward Jews And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a dual there are good and bad together The Scribes they tell us he is to be found in Bethlehem that 's the house of bread Very fitly was the bread of life born in the house of bread Whose house are ye saith St. Paul unto the Saints there Christ is born Thither let us go and offer our best gifts as they did Do we thus seek him Or seek we him rather for our own advantage As they sought him for the loaves John 6. This is to seek Christ in Bethlehem the house
1 Cor. 4.8 Vide Not. in Rom. 7.9 Consolation to the poor in Spirit can there be greater yea can there be so great as the Kingdom of Heaven Such strong Consolation is sometime needful unto misgiving and disconsolate souls And therefore the Psalmist Psal 34.18 The Lord saveth such as be of a contrite spirit and 51.17 A contrite heart thou wilt not despise 'T is oftentimes true of many a Soul which the Prophet confesseth of himself It is of very faithfulness that thou causest me to be troubled So the Lord speaks to the Church Esay 57.15 v. 17. He gives a reason of this his dealing for the iniquity of his covetousness I smote him c. Ye read of poor Joseph in Prison poor man He made his moan to his fellow prisoners c. Gen. 40.14 15. Hereupon the Lord detained Joseph two years longer in Custody but at length the Lord brought him forth of Prison with honour yea he was advanced to the Kingdom And thus oftentimes God brings the poor Soul through great straits into enlargement from even a Prison to a Kingdom for so Eccles 4.14 The poor wise Child out of Prison cometh to reign Exhort Be poor in Spirit so shall we obtain the Kingdom of Heaven Such poverty of Spirit we find in all the Saints of God Enoch walked with God and was not c. Gen. 5.22 Vide Not. in locum Blessed is the man whom thou takest to thy self Abraham Rich Abraham Gen. 13. and 24. Yet poor Abraham poor in Spirit I am dust and ashes I am less than all thy mercies saith Jacob. Gen. 32.10 Sign A Kingdom is voyd and there 's no Heir apparent presently one ariseth with his party and pleads his right another his a third his The Kingdom of God is given for an Inheritance unto the poor in Spirit who is the Heir apparent The Catholicks as they call themselves pronounce all but themselves Hereticks and Schismaticks Where is the poverty of Spirit Others though great Enemies to them will not allow any right unto the Kingdom of Heaven unless they come under their Discipline And is not this out of the like pride of Spirit Others call all others the World unless they will return back to some carnal ordinance and having begun in the Spirit they will seek to be perfected in the flesh And is this harsh censure out of poverty of Spirit Others yet unless ye be of such a man's Church and such a man's way ye must be to them an Heathen and Publican And thus all divided Parties judge one of another which of them declares poverty in Spirit Lastly others there are also who unless ye change your cloaths your calling renounce all relations c. and follow them whither I believe many of themselves know not they 'l censure you to be carnal sensual devilish without God in darkness in a word all that 's naught Can these be poor in Spirit These all these think high thoughts of themselves and their own parties but a poor opinion they have of all others so that we are yet to seek for the true poverty in Spirit Let us hear what Character the Apostle gives of those who are poor in spirit Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself v. 4-8 Means Mind not great mind not high things seekest thou great things for thy self Jeremy saith thus to Baruch i. e. to the Blessed One so Baruch signifieth Condescend to low things to men of low degree When Ruth had left her Country Moab she was advised by Naomi to uncover the feet of Boaz and lie down at the feet of Boaz c. And what is Ruth but a Figure of the Church And what is Boaz but a Figure of Christ We all desire the Kingdom of God if we desire it truly we will also desire the means conducing thereunto to learn the Doctrine The good Scribe was taught to the Kingdom of God All the Disciples know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God All these mysteries are learned in humility and poverty of Spirit The fear of God is the beginning of this Wisdom c. Vide Not. in Psal 94.12 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Rectum est index sui obliqui YE heard before of the People walking in crooked wayes come we now to measure our selves and them by the straitness of God's Commandments Our Lord in these words makes Preface to his exposition of the Law and declares a principal end of his comming not as some then thought or afterwards might conceive to break or do violence to the Law and Prophets but to fulfil them both Which we shall more particularly understand if we resolve the Text into its Parts for herein our Lord 1. Removes and denies either opinion surmise or happely the slaunder of the Scribes and Pharisees Think not that I am come to destroy c. 2. Positively he affirms and declares for what end he came Think that I come to fulfil both 1. Our Lord came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets 2. He would not have us think that he came so to do 3. Our Lord Jesus came to fulfil the Law and the Prophets 4. He would have us to think so In the first of these let us enquire what is here meant by 1. The Law 2. The Prophets 3. What to destroy the Law and the Prophets 4. The Coming of Christ 1. The Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which rightly distributes to all what is just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is taught inwardly of God Lex according to some is à ligando from binding the otherwise loose and licentious will of man for such is the nature of it The Law of God is the Will of God concerning things to be done or left undone by man witnessed therefore unto man for so the Law of God is called the Will of God Psalm 40.8 and the Testimony or witness of his Will Psalm 78.5 2. By the Prophets we understand not only such holy men as foretel what the Lord will do as the Etymon of the Greek word signifieth and there are examples many of the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which import as much So Amos. 3. But they also who interpreted the Law and dayly exhorted the People were also called the Prophets such a Prophet was Esay Jeremiah c. 3. The word we turn to destroy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the V. Latine renders solvere to loose or unty which is so understood in regard of the Law which is a Bond which may be two wayes understood as either 1. To abrogate annul and make voyd the Law for so the Phrase is sometimes taken or else 2. By Doctrine or practise to break the Law which otherwise stands in full
had denounced great evils to the people but that he might not leave them desperate he adds Who knoweth if the Lord will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Joel 2.14 Heb. 2.18 Christ is able to succour them that are tempted and 7.27 He is able to save to the utmost James 4.12 Jude v. 24. and many the like wherefore the Lord intimates a possibility that these and such like things may be done and implies an ability in himself to do these things but that we should put our trust in the Lord that he will not do them unto us that so our hopes should be raised up and our prayers which are interpretations of our hopes these should be put up unto him for the averting and turning away of all evil and the obtaining of good Thus when Joel had said who knoweth whether the Lord will return and repent presently he puts the people upon fasting and prayer for the obtaining of what he put them in hope of Joel 2.14 15 16 17. and that means proves effectual v. 18 19. Thus the Prophet David being in danger of Hell Psal 116.3 He then calls upon the Name of the Lord v. 4. and his prayer takes effect v. 5. If he who saith Fool be in danger let him be awakened by his danger and hope and pray who knoweth if the Lord will return and repent The Disciples of Christ are supposed to be liable to reproach and slander to be called Racha and Fools to reviling persecuting all manner of evil saying for Christs sake We are Fools saith St. Paul for Christs sake Vnum habuit filium sine peccato nullum sine flagello One only Son God had that sinned not Yet none had he that he corrected not It ought not to seem strange to us Ye your selves know that ye are appointed hereunto 1 Thes 3.3 Yea the last beatitude is doubled upon those who suffer for Righteousness sake when men revile them and persecute them and say all manner of evil falsly c. 7. Though the Disciples of Christ ought to suffer reproach and bear all manner of evil saying Racha and Fool Samaritane and Devil c. Yet that is no warrant to others to reproach them Whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire though the Son of Man must suffer these things and so enter into his Glory Yet this no way excused Judas though David must bear reproach yet Shimei had no authority to rail on him Quamvis ego dignus hac contumelia sim maxime at tu indignus qui faceres tamen Though I am greatly worthy of this contumely yet thou art unworthy that doest it It is just with God to render tribulation to them that vex you 8. Consider the imminent danger wherein impenitent men daily and hourly are The murderer the wrathful person the reproachful man the reviler hath the judgment of God hanging over his head continually such an one shall not inherit the Kingdome of God such an one is in danger of hell fire They tell a story of Damocles that a Sword hung over his head by a small thred and the like is the condition of every sinful and impenitent man the Sword of Divine Judgement and vengeance hangs over his head and that by a small thred such is the thred of our Mortal Life and when that breaks the Sword of Divine Vengeance falls on his head and the sinner drops down into Hell Fire It is not all our pretence of Religion it is not all our Glorious Profession that will save us Nehemiah saith that the Jews dwelt from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom Neh. 11.30 which were the bounds of the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.8 The one bound is Beersheba i. e. the Pit Fountain or Well of the Oath or Covenant whereby we may understand our Baptism the Font and Laver of Regeneration if the Professor the Jew walk not answerable to his Profession and Covenant made in Baptism that he will forsake the World the Flesh and the Devil He then walks towards the other bound i. e. towards the Valley of Hinnom towards Hell it self Repreh 1. Those who fear the fire of Gods wrath and indignation fear the fire of Gods Judgements by War Plague Famine c. yet fear not that which kindles all these even wickedness it self which is a fire Esay 9.18 Repreh 2. From the name Gehenna from Gihinnom our frowardness and untowardness unto all what God commands us but our forwardness to all evil and sin Repreh 3. Who think hard thoughts of God as if he had determined men to hell and everlasting destruction without consideration of sins deserving it The Lord saith not so No He wills not that any should perish but all should come to repentance He swears it Ezech. 18. if this be spoken as a revealed will and contrary to his secret He who saith so of God hath worse thoughts of him than of an honest man Consol Happy they whose God is the Lord Jehovah The power of casting into hell is in Gods hand He knoweth those who are his friends in these perillous times But alas I am a sinful man have been angry with my Brother and call'd him Racha and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See Notes on Luke 12.4 5. Exhortation To bear the reproaches and vilifyings of men flesh and blood cannot endure Nor have I now to deal with flesh and blood flesh and blood shall not enter into the Kingdom of God I hope I speak to Believers to whom the Prophet speaks Esay 51.7 8. Hearken to me ye that know Righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings Exhor 2. Is the reproachful and wicked man in danger of hell fire then is he not in hell fire Danger is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearness of evil O let us prevent the evil a blow met half way may be prevented Amos 4.12 See Notes on Luke 12.4 5. Axiom 7. Christ saith this to his Disciple That every one that is angry with his brother c. These words are a Divine Testimony wherein we have had the res testata or thing testified we come now to the Testis the Witness who testifieth all this unto us Reason By Authority of the one Law-giver James 4.12 The Shilo to whom all the Law-givers must give place Gen. 49. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shilo i. e. the Messias come and he was to give a new Law the law of the spirit of life Rom. 8. Doubt Doth the Lord Jesus then contradict the revealed will of God who saith Thou shalt not kill O no he fulfils the will of the Father Rom. 3.31 Do we make void the law through faith Nay rather we establish the law The Father saith Thou shalt do no murder The Son saith the same and not only so but thou shalt not be so much
spirit 2 Cor. 5. Exhort Be we chast unto our true Husband thy Maker is thine husband See Notes on Gen. 2.18 1. He destroys all who commit Fornication against him Psal 73.27 2. Let there be a consideration of his Dignity He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings 3. There is in all living creatures a desire of perpetuity and immortality not only the sin it self is to be avoided but the danger and occasion of it to our selves and others The Apostle's exhortation is weighty let us judge this That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Rom. 14.13 3. Axiom Whosoever marries her who is divorced committeth Adultery This is an hard saying what shall an innocent woman whom her husband puts away out of the hardness of his heart and not for any default on her part shall such an one be debarr'd from a second marriage yea shall he who marrieth such a one without any other crime on his part be for so doing esteemed an Adulterer Surely as the Law speaks to them who are under the Law so the Gospel and the Author and subject of the Gospel speaks to those who are under the Gospel unto those our Lord's words are directed as to those who are obedient unto his doctrine So the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.10 11 12. Vnto the married I command yet not I but the Lord. Let not the wife depart from her husband but if she depart let her remain unmarried or be reconciled unto her husband this latter clause seems to be the Apostles Counsel and let not the husband put away his wife It is true this saying is hard to flesh and blood but it is an hard thing to be saved and flesh and blood shall not enter into the Kingdom of God The Disciples themselves thought it an hard saying and therefore when our Lord had treated on this very argument Mat. 19.9 at v. 10. His Disciples say unto him if the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry but our Lord answers all men receive not this saying It is not as our Translators read it all men cannot receive this saying there is neither may not nor cannot in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men receive not this saying but they to whom it is given Either men are born without desire of women or they are disabled for marriage by men or they have obtained of God that power over themselves for the Kingdom of God's sake There is no doubt but a man may do much more than he doth and few men endeavour and pray heartily unto God for power over their appetite which they secretly desire to follow Reason of this why he who marrieth her who is put away committeth Adultery may be considered 1. In regard of the Covenant of marriage and 2. in regard of the parties to be joyned together in that Covenant 1. As for the Covenant of marriage that stands firm unless it be broken by Fornication or Adultery and therefore if marriage be contracted where there is no such breach made he who marries her who is so divorced commits Adultery 2. As for the parties to be joyned together in the Covenant of marriage he who shall speedily marry her who is divorced he gives a ground of strong suspition that all was not right before divorce Toties quae nubit adultera lege est Such often I fear are those whom men call their seconds Besides what ever is contrary to marriage according to God's estimate is Adultery and so comprehended in the Commandment Obs 1. Here then are two mischiefs that follow upon divorce he that puts away his Wife except it be for Fornication causeth her to commit Adultery and he whosoever marrieth her who is divorced committeth Adultery Add hereunto what our Lord saith Mat. 19.9 He whosoever puts away his wife except it be for Fornication and marrieth another committeth Adultery that 's a third mischief that follows upon divorce and from every one of these incontinent and adulterous conjunctions commonly proceeds a respective bastardy and an adulterous generation How fruitful is sin Three kinds of Adultery proceed from divorce so true is that of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One absurdity granted a thousand follow O how good how seasonable how necessary a conflict is it principiis obstare by all good means by Faith by Prayer by Fasting by Self-denial by Patience and taking up our Cross to withstand evil motions in the beinning they are then but weak and in our power if we give them a way they 'l prove head-strong and too mighty for us to master them Obser 2. Marriage doth not alwayes priviledge married persons from Adultery here are three Adulteries committed by married persons Obser 3. We ought not only to take heed lest we our selves commit sin but lest we occasion others to commit sin also What can be more grievous not only to commit sin our selves but also to cause others to sin Every man hath burden enough of his own sin and hath little need to load himself with other mens sins Is it not enough that our Lord teacheth us to pray forgive us our trespasses but that we should draw upon our selves a necessity of praying Lord forgive us the sins and trespasses of other men whom we have provoked and occasioned to sin Mysticé He who marrieth her who is put away commits Adultery There is a Wife that is worthily put away even the evil thoughts thus ye read the thoughts compared to Eve 2 Cor. 11. These thoughts are to be divorced and put away the thought of foolishness is sin Prov. 24.9 vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 prophane thoughts as if the most Righteous God were with us and of the same mind with us as well in the sin as in the righteousness as well in evil doing as in well doing an arrant ranting principle the Lord reproves and divorceth such a Wife Psal 50.18 21. when thou sawest a thief c. and thou thoughtest that I was such a one as thy self of one mind with thee in thy thievery in thine adultery in thine evil speaking in thine obloquy and slander but I will reprove thee and the Lord be pleased to reprove all such thoughts and enable us to put them away as the wise man gives us counsel Ecclus. 25.26 cut her off c. when she is put away she must not be married again he that marries such a one that is so put away commits Adultery Mysticé What a good husband the Lord our God is unto his Spouse the Church He warrants her to call him her husband Hos 2.16 He will make a Covenant for her with the Creatures v. 16. yea a covenant of marriage with himself v. 19. and he hates putting away Axiom 4. Our Lord Jesus saith this I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication c. and he that marrieth her committeth adultery These words are a
same with Baal So the Phaenicians from whom the Jews received that Idol called their God Beel Semen that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord of Heaven even that Lord in every wicked man which rules and governs the old false heavens even that inward and private mover which secretly inclines every evil man though in outward profession he swears to the Lord. St. Jude calls them wandring Stars or Planets which have a common motion with the whole Heavens in a proper motion of their own they are moved as all men are and observe common outward forms of Godliness going to Church receiving the Sacrament Ezech. 33.31 mean time they have their proper and secret motion Obser Pretence of God's name while we walk not in the name of our God but in the name of other Gods is a continued perjury and forswearing of our selves for what else is perjury but the assuming and taking of God's name falsly or vainly so that there is no effect of it in our life God's name is holy when we are not holy as he is holy yet pretend to be the people of God and bear his name what do we else but take his name in vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser As to swear falsly lightly and vainly is to take or bear the holy name of the Lord our God in vain so to swear as we ought is to bear the holy name of the Lord our God worthily as beseems the people of God and what is the name of our God and what is it to bear his name 1. What is his Name That this is an hard Question the Prophet Agur implies Prov. 30.1 4. And indeed none other but the Lord himself can resolve what is his essential name his being and proper vertue which consists in righteousness and mercy and in his marvellous works in Heaven and Earth Deut. 28.58 He himself is his name and his name is himself when Moses enquires after God's name the Lord tells him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be what I will be Implying a more full Declaration of himself in these last dayes when his only begotten Son should declare him and bring Israel out of Egypt the second time Micha 7.15 19. Zach. 10.10 To take this name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also signifieth to bear it and therefore it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear Such is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words are of sacred use and being applied to spiritual things they signifie such a bearing as a vessel bears Acts 9.15 As a Table bears a Picture pourtrayed in it or as a man bears or wears a Garment And all these wayes the people of God may be said to bear his Name or Nature or Image So Rom. 13.12 Ephes 4.22 As a table of the Soul bears the Image of God pourtrayed in it So the man is God's vessel and bears the Lord's name 1 Cor. 6. portate Deum in Corpore vestro O how pure how holy should these vessels be who bear the heavenly man the divine image the name the nature of God himself It is the Apostles Exhortation Esay 52.11 Be clean ye that bear the vessels of the Lord if they who bear the holy vessels of the Lord must be clean and holy surely the vessels themselves must be such Rom. 15.16 1 Thess 4.4 Esay 66.20 1 Cor. 6.19 Dehort Forswear not thy self it 's dishonourable to the great God But an argument ab utili or inutili or à damnoso from profit or disprofit and dammage or loss it 's of all other most prevalent with most men The Prophet Zachary sees a flying roll and gives us the length and breadth of it c. Zach. 5.1 4. Though we take little notice of our sins as customary swearers and hypocrites who bear God's name in vain c. See Notes on the place Obs 1. Obj. But we have long time continued in these sins yet the flying roll hath not come to us c. though happily the flying roll come not at thee c. The Prophet threatens a dismal effect v. 4. It shall enter into the house of the thief and him that swears falsly by God's name Two City sins which go together and I fear are too rife among us going beyond our Brother in bargaining which is no other no better than thievery and then covering it with a pretence of Godliness This flying rool shall enter into the thief's and false swearer's house c. This no doubt is the ground of many a man's failing c. yea this is the ground of the loss of Kingdoms Ecclus. 10.8 Idolatry Tyranny Pride fleshly Lusts Perjury and false Swearing so Theft and Perjury See Notes on Zach. 5.1 4. Thou shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths Hitherto we have heard what it is to swear only generally and as it may be sufficient to discover what it is to forswear Come we now to a more particular handling of an oath Thou shalt perform to the Lord thine oaths Some conceive that these words are the additionary gloss of the Scribes and Pharisees as when any duty is required of us presently it 's held to be an errour and laid to some Sect or other But it 's clear these words are the same or parallel to Numb 30.2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond he shall not break his word but shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth We may describe an oath to be an Asseveration c. See Notes on Esay 65.16 To vow is Deo aliquid sanctè promittere Religiously to promise some thing unto God to perform As for the oaths which the Lord commands us to perform unto God it 's commonly conceived that hereby are meant only promissory oaths but if we consider the circumstance of the words before and after this Text we shall find that offertory oaths are here also to be understood for whereas the former words prohibit perjury or forswearing a mans self that may be done as well when we swear that a thing is or hath been when neither is true as when we promise and deceive 2. And that an assertory oath is here also to be understood it appears by v. 37. where our Lord commands that our yea be yea and our nay nay that is when we affirm or deny a thing to be as well as when we promise Reason Why we ought to perform unto the Lord our oaths See Notes on Psal 76.11 Doubt 1. I have sworn c. See Notes on Zach. 5 1-4 Doubt 2. It 's possible a good man may swear an oath or vow a vow which afterwards he may understand to be unlawful to perform c. See Notes on Psal 76.11 1. An oath is a debt which we are bound to perform Numb 30.2 Psal 56.12 Prov. 7.14 Act. 18.18 and 20 22. 2. An oath though taken to our neighbour is a debt
Commandment of the Lord is his Will Psal 40.8 Is it not as manifest that the Lord here teacheth us to pray That that Will of the Lord may be done and that on Earth as it is done in Heaven Is not therefore such Opinion directly opposite unto the manifest and express Word of God Can they who believe that the Will of God is impossible so to be done can they pray in Faith Do not they who teach that it is impossible That the Will of God should be so done upon Earth as it is done in Heaven do they not teach expresly contrary to the Word of God Do they not teach the Doctrine not of Faith but of unbelief Can such be accounted Ministers of the Gospel Who Teach directly contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ Are these like Epaphras Col. 4.12 Alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God Do they ever a whit mend the matter who say That this Will of God must be done in another Life hereafter when we have put off the Body for doth not the Lord teach us how to pray in this Life Thy Will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Hence the Reason appears why in these Last Times especially the Lords Prayer is omitted yea opposed and born down before the Zelotical opposition of all Forms of Prayer our Lord foretold That iniquity would abound in these Last Times Mat. 24.12 and men would be lovers of themselves proud boasters c. all which are the lusts of their Father the Devil whose lusts they will do and so become his Children John 8. and cannot truly call God Father Repreh Who think themselves at liberty to do their own Will the will of the flesh Job 39.5 who consult with those Psal 2. Let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us We read of one that came out of the Tombs Mar. 5.23 24. The Evangelist gives the Reason vers 2. the man was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vers 9. The unclean spirit saith his Name is Legion because they were many And what else may we say of those licentious persons who break the Law and Will of God and account themselves free to do their own Will There is no doubt but they have an unclean spirit yea there is no doubt but there are many even a Legion of unclean spirits in them This discovers our great perverseness That whereas his Will which he hath revealed unto us is that which he requires of us should be done we commonly make choice of some other thing wherein we think God will be better pleased and we have a poor conceit of what his Will is for we think it is that which every one can do as Jesuites and Turks vide Sp. cap. 8. Exhort Pray unto our Father which is in Heaven that we may do his Will This is the means of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven saith our Lord Mat. 7.21 All the Blessings are promised unto the Obedient Deut. 28. God made all things for them Chald. P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Curses are threatned to the disobedient Jer. 9. Mal. 4. Means What Raphael the Angel speaks generally that Prayer is good with Fasting and Alms Tob. 12.8 it 's good in this special Prayer such a Prayer of the Humble saith the Son of Syrach reacheth unto the clouds yea pierceth the clouds and cometh to the Most High Ecclus. 35.16 17. How cometh such a Prayer so high it's winged with Alms and Fasting for whereas Prayer is elevatio mentis ad Deum the mind is so much the more lifted up to God by how much it 's freed and unburdened of the loads and burdens which commonly oppress it Now there are two more heavy burdens than the rest the delights of the flesh and desire of earthly things 1. The former makes the Body a burden to the Soul 2. The latter choaks the Soul with the dregs of the Earth And therefore the man freed from these his Soul ascends more expedite unto the most High God Prayer joyn'd with Alms couples the love of God and our Neighbour together Prayer joyn'd with Fasting by how much the Natural Man is more weakned the Spiritual man is more strengthned and therefore Prayer flyes as it were with these wings even to the Most High whence it is that our Lord puts Prayer Alms-giving and Fasting together Mat. 6.1 18. This comes to pass when we have learned to go without our own Will and all our own Will and Desire which serve to the propriety of flesh and blood hath no more command in us but is like Saul fall'n upon his own sword 1 Sam. 31.4 But now David Rules in some of whom Act. 13.22 I have found David a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my Will But we know that David did not all the Lord's Will but failed foully in the matter of Vriah This therefore is understood of that David who is to Reign in these Last Dayes even the love of God and our Neighbour Exhort Let us own and call upon our Heavenly Father NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW VI. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us this day our daily bread THe Lord made Promise unto Gideon that by the Three Hundred men that lapped he would save Israel and deliver the Midianites into his hand Judges 7.7 when presently it follows vers 8. That the People took Victuals in their hands The Kingdom is to be recovered out of the hand of Midian by them who lap water out of their hands by them who both are and appear ore opere both by the tongue and by the hand both by word and by deed do the Lord's Will that his Kingdom may come but we must victual the Camp of those who do it And whence shall we have bread that these may eat Surely he who sets them awork will give them Opsonium their Victuals that pray unto him and say Give us this day our daily bread I lately spake of the Three first Petitions of the Lord's Prayer The present occasion invites me now to speak of the Fourth As there is an outward and an inward man so in Reason there must be a proportionable nourishment for both which our Lord here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render daily bread both which need some Explication As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not only bread properly so called but also all kind of nourishment 1 Sam. 14.24 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned food which signifieth bread And Jonathan who vers 26. did eat honey is said to transgress the prohibition of eating bread Thus David saith to Mephibosheth Thou stalt eat bread at my Table 2 Sam. 9. 2 Kings 6. Elisha bids the King set bread and water before the Syrians vers 22. and he prepared great provision for them And where
sense imagination and understanding according to none of which a man is said to be morally good or bad but according to the will and charity the best habit of it so that it cannot be denied but that the sense fancy and understanding of flesh and blood may ken and pry far and reveal much of Divine Truth yea see farther than some others who are spiritually minded Thus John 11.50 Caiphas saw it was necessary that Christ should dye which Mat. 16.22 St. Peter saw not Yet are these said not to know them nor reveal them because neither extensively according to the latitude of the object nor intensively according to the due and through perfection of the act 1. Not extensively because there is yet a veil and covering upon the object which they see So that albeit they see far into Divine matters yet not unto the end of the things they see saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.13 Col. 2.18 Their sight is bounded with a shadow so that seeing they see not somewhat they see that is true yet they see not the utmost truth of what they see for who more skilful in the Letter of Moses's Law than the Scribes and Pharisees yet they believed not in Moses's Law saith our Saviour and proves it because they believed not in him who is the end of the Law saith the Apostle understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1. Tim. 1.7 2. And as they fail in extent of the object so in the intensiveness of the act for there must be not only Vrim but Thummim also in the breast-plate not illumination only but integrity of life also in him who reveals Divine Truth and therefore knowledge in the Scripture notion is then thorow and perfect when it is terminated upon the heart and Revelation is then thorow and perfect when it proceeds from the heart according to that true Rule That the heart is the term of all actions from without and the fountain of all actions from within whether they be words or deeds Thus the true Knowledge and Wisdom which is the ground of Revelation is affective and experimental and effective whence it is that Knowledge and Wisdom and their contraries are ascribed unto the heart the seat of the affections The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and men are said to be wise hearted or contrarily to have their foolish heart darkned and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh According to this notion of Knowledge the Lord Jer. 22.16 speaks to Jehojachim Did not thy Father do judgment and justice and judge the cause of the poor and needy and then it was well with him And was not this to know me saith the Lord Such is not the Knowledge and Revelation of flesh and blood it 's not affective not experimental they have no part of what they know but as Cooks they dress meat for others palates or rather but as leaden pipes they convey or derive the water of Life through them to others but drink not of it So Posts and Carriers convey mysteries of State but are not privy to them Hence it is that though the Scribes were the most learned of the Jews yet when they rejected and disobeyed the word of the Lord and would not be taught to the Kingdom of God The pe◠of the Scribes was vain and there was no wisdom in them saith the Prophet Jeremiah ch 8 9. yea though what they said was true yet as they said it it was false not true for though they say the Lord liveth they swear falsly saith the same Prophet Chap. 5.1 2. and therefore our Saviour silenced the Devil when he revealed him And the reason is He that names the Lord Jesus Christ must depart from iniquity for no man can say That Jesus is the Lord but from the Holy Ghost Thus did St. John That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of Life That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Seeing therefore the Revelations of flesh and blood extend not unto the true end nor proceed from the true beginning they are in Gods account as null Obser 1. This shews the reason why there are so few true Disciples of Christ Confer Notes in Mark 4.11 Obser 2. See the vain and fruitless labour of flesh and blood See Notes ut ante Mark 4.11 Repreh But O the boldness and presumption of flesh and blood how impudently dare many proud and foolish men who know nothing but dote about questions and strifes of words yet how impudently dare they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adventure to intrude into the things they have not seen vainly puft up by their fleshly mind yea out of the corrupt principles of carnal wisdom or a conceit of deep knowledge of the Scriptures either their own or hear-sayes and taken upon trust from others they presume to judge of spiritual things and out of darkness to declare the light and pronounce definitively of Gods truth which they mean time hold captive in iniquity Thus man would be wise though Adam be born like the wild Asses Colt Joh. 11.12 But happy were it for them and for the Church of God if their presumptuous folly proceeded no further but their prophane bablings encrease to more ungodliness and their word eats like a Gangrene and spreads it self to the perversion of unstable souls for whereas the Gospel of Christ is a Gospel of peace and unto Shilo the people ought to be gathered according to which St. Paul adjures the Thessalonians by our gathering together unto Christ 2 Thes 2.1 The partial wisdom of flesh and blood scatters and divides all into Sects and Schisms all differing among themselves and from the Truth which yet the Leaders of every Sect undertake to reveal to men every one adorning and admiring the Fathers of their several Factions as the Samaritanes honoured Simon Magus for the great Power of God because for a long time he had bewitched them with Sorceries And because they know that Christ is not divided every Sect monopolizeth and appropriates Christ intirely to it self Whence are those seditious voices Here is Christ and there is Christ He is in the desart say some nay say others He is in the secret Chamber nay others of late say He hath forsaken the known world Luk. 17.21 And according to Daniel's Prophesie of our times Dan. 12.4 Many run to and fro and knowledge is much encreased And every Sect must be the True Church and therefore every Sect to other must be a false Church and therefore every one is embittered against every one hateful one to other and hating one another and hence come wars and fightings among us Well therefore might the Wise Man say Quid nequius quam quod excogitavit caro sanguis There is nothing more wicked than what flesh and blood hath devised Beloved there
Question touching the good to be done and the life thereby to be obtained If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments The Master excepts against his Disciples Compellation Why callest thou me good And is not the Masters exception liable also to an exception for is not the Master good is he not his Fathers Goodness Hos 3.5 And why then doth he except against his Disciple who calls him good This seems to be the reason of our Lords exception viz. That he might elevate and raise the thoughts of that Pharisaical young man to some higher thing than he saw or acknowledged in the person of Christ that he might insinuate his Deity and God-head Our Master Christ gives us all a good Example of modesty His Disciple calls him Good Master And he points him from himself to his Father as the Fountain of Goodness His Disciples had learned this lesson of their Master Act. 3.12 Why marvel ye at this and why look ye at us as if by our power or holiness we had made this man to walk No not they The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob hath glorified his Son Jesus Therefore c. Act. 14.15 Our Master excepts against his Disciples Question for so I find it in a very ancient reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why dost thou ask me concerning good So the Vul. Lat. constantly read it Quid me interrogas de bono and the most ancient Translation in English What askest thou me of good things And thus the ancient Fathers Hierom Augustine read these words Our Lord therefore here excepting against his Disciples Question as imperfect intimates thus much unto him That it is not sufficient that he tell him what good is to be done unless God himself who alone is good enlighten his understanding and give him strength to perform that good 3. Our Master gives reason of his exception There is none good but one that is God The old reading of these words was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is one good unto which the Syriack added a Supplement and Interpretation that is God The reason then of our Lords Exception is to discover that leaven of the Pharisees wherewithal this young man had been leavened An Opinion that if he knew what was to be done he was able of himself to do it Hence we learn that there are not two Fountains of Goodness but one only which is God alone from whom descends every good and perfect gift Jam. 1. God therefore is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the essential Good whence all who may be called Good participate of his Goodness Deut. 6.4 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have their Letters extraordinary great not only to intimate that we ought to give great attention thereunto but because ע is 70. and 74. the four parts of the world whereunto Abraham was to look Gen. 13. and the 70 Nations therein should worship this one God the Father Jehovah our God God with us the Son and Jehovah one the Holy Ghost God in Unity and Trinity which the Apostle explains 1 Joh. 5.7 Whence the Septuagint Translators of the Bible into Greek being questioned by Ptolemy King of Aegypt concerning the right ordering of a mans life and happy administration of a Kingdom though the Questions are so many and different as the persons yet every one refers every particular Good to God 4. Our Lord resolves the Disciples Question touching the Good to be done and the life thereby to be obtained If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments wherein we must enquire 1. what 's here meant by Life 2. by entring into Life 3. what by keeping the Commandments 4. how and why he who will enter into Life must keep the Commandments 1. Life is here to be understood as Eternal Life in the former verse 2. Eternal Life is here decyphered as a place whereinto one goes or enters as the like phrase imports to enter into the Lords Rest his Peace his Righteousness and to enter into the Lords Joy The same is meant by entring into the Kingdom of God all which we may understand from the figure of them all the Holy Land which was a type of Gods Kingdom of his Rest his Joy of the Eternal Life 3. By keeping the Commandments is here understood the Observation of the Precepts of the Moral Law the Decalogue or Ten Words as Solomon exhorts his Son or Disciple Prov. 7.1 2. My Son keep my Words and lay up my Commandments and live and my Law as the apple of thine eye Obser 1. Life which our Lord here speaks of and the Eternal Life which the Young man inquires after are all one viz. that Life of God from which we have been alienated yea the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness his Peace his Joy his Rest yea God himself For he is our life and the length of our dayes Deut. 30.2 Obser 2. The Young man inquires how he may have Eternal Life and our Lord answers him If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments we then have Eternal Life when we enter into Eternal Life and not till then So Joh. 3.3 with the 5. so that a man neither hath nor knows Eternal Life unless he be in it which is well worthy their observation who will needs have assurance of Eternal Life not but that I know good assurance may be had of it but withal I find that men are extreme deceitful in this very argument they would be sure of their Salvation and of Life Eternal that they might go about some thing else and take no more thought or care for Eternal Life and Salvation A man hath then Eternal Life when he enters into it and is an actual possessor of it Obser 3. The Commandments are to be kept by him who will enter into Life The reason See Notes on Jam. 1.22 confer Notes on Exod. 20.3 6. Against this doctrine all the subtilty of the Serpent and all the sophistry of men have devised arguments See Notes as above Some would elude this distinguishing Salvation and Eternal Life for why say they the young man did not ask Christ by what means must I be saved for then our Lord had said by Faith Believe and thou shalt be saved but he dreamed of merit of works I answer to be saved and to inherit Eternal Life is one and the same thing for Salvation imports two terms as to be delivered from sin and to be preserved unto Gods Everlasting Kingdom And what else is meant by 2 Tim. 1.10 Having abolished death he hath brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel Hence it appears that the Commandments of God may be kept Our Lord requires no other Condition to the entrance into Life Eternal than the keeping of Gods Commandments Now if this Condition were impossible to be fulfilled it were then all one with a Negative or an exclusion out of Eternal Life why Conditio impossibilis aequipollet negativae And so
great but nothing at all without Charity Yea on the contrary the very least and meanest duty performed from this principle as the giving of a Cup and but a cup of water and that cold water it looseth not the reward a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should say He shall have a great reward Mat. 10.42 Yea to do our Neighbour the greatest evil if not out of hatred was pardonable and a means found for his safety Deut. 4.42 yea though he kill him not though he do him no harm yet if he hate him he is a murderer he is reputed to do him the greatest hurt 1 Joh. 3.15 So that it appears as commodious and profitable as just and reasonable that we love the Lord our God with all our heart c. Not that the love of our God is purchased or that it looks at a further reward but upon our love of God there follows a reward as St. Bernard Non sine praemio diligitur Deus etiamsi absque praemio in luctu diligendus sit Deus And that reward what is it but he himself that is beloved Gen. 15.1 2. habet praemium sed id ipsum quod amatur as he goes on for so he loves them that love him which is his second love Prov. 8.17 But for our better understanding of this reward we may distinguish it into that which we obtain in this life and in that to come According to the distinction of the Schoo◠that Beatitudo is either Viae or Patriae that Beatitudo viae is our Union with God by Faith and Love and he that is thus joyned unto God is one spirit with him that loves him happy union when it comes to pass he loves all the souls of those that love him he keeps his mercy for thousands of those that love him Exod. 20. Dan. 9.4 And all things work together for good to them that love him Rom. 8.28 2 Cor. 3. O blessed Union I would to God we did well consider of it what a deal of toil it would save us for I beseech you what do we seek for in our looser time of youth in pleasures of all sorts but only the best good what else but the same good in our riper years in pursuit of honour and reputation what follow we after in our old age but the chief good in wealth we think 't is there as he that said he had much good laid up for many years Thus we pursue the best good all our life long and but catch at the shadows of it embrace nubem pro Junone Thus Impii ambulant in circuitu they go about and about and pursue the chief good throughout all the Creatures in particular and say who can shew us any good Beloved to shew you uno intuitu all at once what we all desire and seek for as it may be had without all this trouble Ostendam tibi omne bonum I will shew unto thee all good 'T is our God and thus to love him is to have him This is the goodness that God hath laid up for them that love him and that before the eyes of Men. 2. But as for that Beatitudo Patriae 't is beyond expression Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him yet the Spirit of God sets this reward out by the most glorious things we either see or hear of or can enter into our heart For 1. What 's more glorious than a Crown and a Kingdom but God shall give the Crown of Righteousness to every one that loves him 2 Tim. 4.8 the Crown of Life to those that love him Jam. 1.12 The Kingdom of Heaven to those that love him Jam. 2.5 But perhaps so long an Exhortation was not needful for we do love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our mind Would God we did but it 's as easie a matter to discover whether we do or not as 't is to say we do wherefore I appeal to thee who ever thou art whither stands the bent and inclination of thine heart Is it towards God and the doing of his Will or towards thy self and the doing thine own Will and Pleasure or because the heart is deceitful dost thou seriously endeavour with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength to keep the Commandments of thy God You know Beloved yea and the world knows too whether it be thus with us or no if it be so how comes it then to pass that there is so much hearing now a days what the Will and Commandment of God is and so little practice of it so much holy conference and so little holy doing Some Religious prattler would say That the Commandments of God are done to our hand and that there 's nothing now to be done by us but to believe that they are done for us and to talk of them A Generation of men like those in Ezechiels time They come unto thee saith the Lord to Ezechiel chap. 33.1 2. as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their Covetousness for they hear thy words but they do them not Alas they consider not what Christ himself saith Joh. 14.21 If ye love me keep my Commandments and therefore the love of God and keeping his Commandments are joyned together as being of one and the same nature as Exod. 20. Dan. 9. beside other places nay in express terms This is the love of God saith St. John that we keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 5.3 But if these fall short of the holy Commandment what shall we say of others who yet pretend and would be thought to love God with all their heart though they make not so great an outward shew of it as they are wont to say But if a man love me saith our Lord he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and dwell with him Joh. 14.23 Christ knocks at the door thy heart wherewith thou sayest thou lovest him and would fain enter prae amore excludis foras dost thou shut him out of doors for meer love dost thou burden him for love Here we may mind you of that Proverb The old Cart lasts longer than the new dost thou wound him for love Thou pretendest thou lovest God I appeal unto thee Art thou not a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God dost thou not rather love to inveigh against others for not loving him than to love him thy self dost thou blaspheme that worthy Name of Christ by which thou art called dost thou not again by thine oaths raise those wounds wherewith thy God and Saviour testified his love unto thee This is not so much as to shew
and yet speaks so that if all should be written the world would not contain the Books that should be written Him the Lord hath given us for a pattern That we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith the Scribes and Pharisees say but the Lord Jesus Christ does they propound words unto us Jesus Christ holds forth works But wherein should we follow the Lord Jesus Christ who did no sin Hear this thou Scribe thou Pharisee thou Hypocrite wherein is this glorious pattern to be followed in that which thou sayest is impossible He did no sin Patterns and examples are ridiculous absurd and unreasonable if they be impossible why because they are propounded to us for this end to shew that the Rule whose examples they are is possible and practicable If therefore it were impossible to follow this pattern this example and to do no sin it would be propounded in vain and to no purpose Thou blind Pharisee dost thou not perceive how thou blasphemest thy God and wrongest his wisdom and goodness who hath therefore propounded his Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness his Son his Christ to be our pattern yea Jesus Christ the power of God to enable us that we should follow his steps who did no sin and thou sayest it is impossible but we must sin Dost thou not perceive how injurious thou art unto the only wise God how thou wrongest his Love and Goodness to thee Exhort To those who sit in Moses's Chair to learn the Law for themselves write a good Copy for themselves to become taught to the Kingdom of God that they will do the work of Moses And what is the work of Moses He bears it in his Name The Name of Moses is not as some conceive given him because he was taken or saved as Josephus would have it or as our Translators explain it in the Margin drawn out of the waters not but that he was so saved and drawn Exod. 2.10 for accurately to speak if his Name were given him from hence because he was taken saved or drawn out of the waters his Name should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Pharaoh's Daughter gives the reason why she called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because saith she I drew him out of the waters And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not one who is drawn but one who draws out of the water They therefore who sit in Moses's Chair ought to do the work of Moses they must draw men out of the water Moses was and is such a drawer for Moses or God the Father by Moses draws men out and from something unto something out of the Sea of wicked and ungodly men as Socrates drew Alcibiades out of a debaucht and lascivious company a company of roaring and ranting Companio◠The wicked are as the raging Sea Esay 52. But what is it to draw out of the company of wicked men unless we be drawn also from out of the wickedness it self If a man be drawn away from wicked and lewd Company and be himself drawn away by divers Lusts and Pleasures wherewith he is tempted and ensnared To what purpose is his being drawn out of this loose Company He may as well perish alone in the sink of his own sin as when he runs with the herd of Swine into the Sea The Spiritual Moses therefore draws us out of the stream of our own Lusts and Pleasures What else are our foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6. these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extracti drawn out of the Sea of Sin Thus Moses is God's Fisher of men under the Law He draws them out of the Sea of Sin 2. And he draws them unto Christ No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Let us all resolve to Pray Lord draw us and we will follow thee The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses 's Chair Therefore all things whatsoever they bid you observe and do The reasoning is thus framed the Philosopher saith truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mans reason what ever is the medium or argument which concludes the question is the cause of that conclusion And therefore since our Lord Jesus who is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.1 and the Author of all true Logick and Art of Reasoning hath thus reasoned Let us with reverence enquire into that which Scaliger calls Ratio Causandi the ground of this reasoning and cause of this inference why because the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's Chair therefore why because they teach the Law should we observe and do what they bid us Both of these seem to me very reasonable grounds of this inference 1. Because the Law is the subject of their Doctrine they teach the Law of God therefore 2. Because they who by custome are the ordinary Teachers of the Law they teach it therefore all things whatsoever they bid you observe and do 1. They teach the Law of God The Law of God or Law of Moses is either veiled or unveiled veiled as the Ceremonial Law and much of the Judicial Law unveiled as much of the Judicial and the Moral Law which is the dictate of the Law of Nature Th◠Law is the Will of God either hiding himself as in the Ceremonial Law or part of the Judicial or reveiling himself more clearly Psal 40.8 Because it is the Will of God it is to be done by whomsoever it is taught and therefore Mal. 4.4 enjoyns all these three several Laws to be remembred and observed 2. The Scribes and Pharisees had now gotten the Chair of Moses and were the ordinary Professors and Teachers of the Law and therefore all things whatsoever they shall bid you observe that observe and do For undoubtedly the God of Peace and Order gives some special assistance unto those whom he sets or permits to be set over others if not for their own sakes who possibly may be vicious and wicked yet for the peoples sake and the preservation of Order and Peace among them for although there were somewhat extraordinary in those Examples of Governours in Scripture yet some though a lower degree of assistance may be hence probably collected unto all As when Saul was advanced to the Kingdom he is said to be turned into another man See Notes on Rom. 13.1 And therefore though our Lord Jesus very frequently reprehended the People and their Teachers yet ye shall not find in all the Gospel that he reproved by Name the High Priests or Priests but only the Scribes and Pharisees the great professors of Knowledge Life and Holiness But he never names the High Priests or Priests in his Reproof that he might maintain the due reverence and respect unto the Priests which were indeed the ordinary Teachers of the People as I shewed lately Doubt 1. Our Lord here seems to put no difference between Teachers no not between Good
Oracle to themselves and others therefore Ecclus. 33.3 such it is unto the man himself and such to others 1 Pet. 4.10 11. As every one hath received the Word even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God Observ 1. There is a time when the Lord Jesus comes to the Temple unto thee O man But how shall we know him when he comes The Prophet Zachary chap. 9.9 tells us Behold thy King cometh unto thee He is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass c. He comes to rule and govern thee Thy King cometh He that Rules over men must be just saith David 2 Sam. 23. And thy King is just and he that makes just And he that doth Righteousness is the Kings Son and is born of him 1 Joh. 3.9 He is the Saviour of his People He hath salvation and saves them from their greatest enemies their sins Mat. 1.21 He is lowly and as St. Matthew turns it meek Mat. 21.3 both which we must learn of him Mat. 11.28 He rides upon an Ass it implyes his Power and simplicity and theirs who bear him Every Ass hath a cross down his back and shoulders The Ass was not made for war that was of old only the Horses imployment because Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace Esay 9.6 and therefore as it followeth He will cut off the Charriot from Ephraim wherever he was or is to come enquiry must first be made whether the Son of peace be there And the Disciples of Christ were called Christians first at Antioch And if this be the character of Christ and his manner of coming unto us I leave it to every mans consideration of what manner of Christians the present Christian world as 't is called consists and what manner of Christians among us be disobedient unjust sinful proud impatient wrathful hateful and hating one another bloody minded and whether the Lord Jesus Christ be come as yet unto us or not Observ 2. The Lord Jesus hath his time of purging his Temple and what part of the Temple doth he purge what else but the porch and outward Court for farther none but the Priests might go This part of the Temple he purged from prophanations of sordid actions and this he proceeds to purge from earthly thoughts he calls it an house of Merchants a den of Thieves the time is short when he that buyeth be as though he possessed not But St. John tells us of two purgings of the Temple Joh. 2. and 12. and in reason it should be so for we read of two sorts of uncleanness 2 Cor. 7. pollution of flesh and spirit from the former uncleanness the Apostle disswades the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6 15-19 This purging he works by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. by his scourging he drives out the iniquity and profaneness out of his Temple and by his stripes he heals us Isa 53.2 He purgeth from spiritual pollution He purifieth the Sons of Levi who enter into the Holy The Lord Jesus also bath his time of teaching in his Temple He is our only Master even Christ Repreh Those envious proud spirits who hinder the Lord Jesus Christ from working in his Temple such are they who give check to his work of purging and will not yield that it 's possible for him to cleanse his Temple they yield it possible for the soul fiend for the unclean spirit to pollute Gods Temple but not that Christ is able to cleanse it from all pollution 2 Cor. 7.1 they may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple may be a den of thieves but Christ cannot drive out of the Temple the thief Zach. 14. ult The same ambitious Pharisaical Spirit hinders the Lord Jesus from teaching in his Temple they assume to themselves the Key of Knowledge and neither suffer others to enter into the Kingdom of God nor enter in themselves they themselves will be the only Teachers so that if any other better know the way of Salvation and can better teach it unto others than they can which is no hard thing to do they detract from him slander and backbite him as erroneous heretical c. So that by this means they shut out the simple souls from the Kingdom of God mean time they enter not in themselves being covetous voluptuous and beyond all other men ambitious and proud yea they will not permit the Lord Jesus himself to teach unless by their authority unless he be admitted thereunto by their ineffectual Ordination These are they who under pretence of zeal persecute Christ and his Church This Envy drives the Lord Jesus Christ from his Temple Ezech. 8. Exhort Let us detain the Lord Jesus with that he depart not from us How earnest were the Disciples that travelled to Emaus to detain the Lord Jesus with them They had found experimentally that the divine Light had illuminated their understandings and that their affections were inflamed with the holy fire Did not our hearts burn within us But how did they perswade him to tarry with them They constrained him saying Abide with us it is towards evening and the day is far spent Luk. 24.29 O beloved I much fear we may use the same reasons It 's much to be feared it 's towards evening with us and that the Sun of Righteousness is going down and that our day is far spent O that we knew at least in this our day the things that belong to our peace Luk. 19.42 Let us while it is day pray him to abide with us Lord if thou depart from us whither shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal Life Sign I know well men are apt to flatter themselves that God is with them and Christ is with them if they have a man that will speak according to their corrupt hearts for otherwise the fool will not understand Pov. 18. O then they believe themselves in a good estate as Micha did Judg. 17.5 What condition doth the Lord require of his people that he may dwell with them and take up his Tabernacle with them Exod. 25.8 Let them make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sanctuary that I may dwell with them what 's that Holiness To this I conceive the Apostle alludes 1 Cor. 3.17 The Temple of God is holy which Temple are ye If he abide with us we abide also with him our Lord puts them together Joh. The Lord is with you while ye are with him He that abideth in him ought himself also to walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 Means by which we may become the Temple of the Lord. The Law and the Prophets were and are until John who was a Prophet and more than a Prophet he and his Doctrine of Repentance and amendment of life must precede This is the Light that shines in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 The true Ministry of the Word Psal 68.16 18. 2. His Disciples came to shew him the buildings of the Temple wherein
and time to come while we praise the time past and promise glorious times to come we wholly neglect the present Soliciti de futuris presentibus angimur Solicitous of the future we are ensnared with the present things Whereas our Lord requires our present or instant duty and service See Notes on Rom. 6.19 Repreh 2. Who know not regard not the warnings of the Spiritual Noah and his Preachers of Righteousness do they know what words and whose words they neglect and regard not See Notes on Heb. 2.1 Repreh 1. Repreh 3 and 4. ibidem Exhort 1. Seek the Lord while he may be found Exhort 2. Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and the cares of this life These were excellent cautions for the men of the old world who spent their time either in eating or drinking and surfetting and drunkenness c. or else in coveting or pursuing after the things of this world and are not the same cautions as needful and seasonable for many of this present evil world who spend this precious time these dayes before the flood of Calamities before the overflowing Scourge in surfetting and drunkenness They sit down to eat and to drink and rise up to play either in that obscene sence or else spend their time in gaming Are there not many such as these at this day in this City who as conscientiously busie themselves in these pastimes as they name them as if they were their Calling Cautè si non castè they will enjoy what they have the good things that are present as the ungodly conclude Wisd 2. Others there are who as eagerly pursue the things of this world that if the flood come they may have somewhat against a rainy day Hence it is that their hearts are overcharged with the cares of this life and that day takes them unawares And while they will be rich they fall into temptation and the snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 O how seasonable therefore is our Lords caution and admonition to the men of this present evil world in these dayes before the overflowing Scourge Take heed lest your hearts c. Means They knew not i. e. they heeded not O let us heed the Preacher of Righteousness That the destroying Angel might pass over the houses of Gods People in Aegypt they must purge out the leven out of their houses which the Apostle interprets malice and wickedness 1 Cor. 5. whereas the Lord will sweep the earth with the beesom of destruction Esay 14.23 How necessary a means is it to prevent the judgement of the Lord by purging our selves and cleansing by sweeping our own spirits as the Psalmists practise was Scopavi animam meam Do we so beloved or do we rather dispute about it whether we need do it or not whether Christ hath not done it for us already and saved us our labour whether it be possible even by the power of Christ to do it or no and while we spend our time in this kind of jangling the Lord comes and finds the work undone The Mistris went abroad and bid her Maids sweep it 's an homely comparison one Maid saith to the other where 's the broom the other saith it is a beesom no saith the other it is a broom so the house remains unswept 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and feels his wayes with a staff and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins O no we every one remember that well enough that Christ by himself hath wrought the purging of our sins we lay all upon him and our expiation wrought by him but we forget our own duty pro se quisque that every one of us ought to sweep our own doors that the whole street may be clean to purge our selves from all pollution we forget the purging of our old sins so the words signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He forgets the purging of his old sins NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XXV 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom SInce our Lords second Coming is of so great moment as that on which and our due preparation thereunto depends our everlasting weal or woe An argument so necessary for us that our Lord spends the most part of the 24th and 25th Chapters of Matthew thereupon in giving us cautions and warnings to wait and again wait for it It will be very well worth our labour and time to enquire into the meaning of this and the following Parable whose general scope is vigilancy and care watchfulness and due diligence in our several Callings from the first verse to the thirtieth that we may be able to stand in the judgment which is described from the 31 verse to the end of this Chapter In the opening of the first I find that of the Wise Man to be most true That the finding out of Parables is a wearisom labour of the mind Ecclus. 13. vers 26. The summ of this Parable is That Christ at his Coming shall admit into his Kingdom those who have waited for him and exclude others who are unprepared even as a Bridegroom in like case was wont to deal with such as he had invited to his wedding It 's here then of necessity to be presupposed that our Lord makes use of a known rite custome and usage ordinary among men at least of that Age wherein he taught and that Virgins were wont to go forth to meet the Bridegroom Otherwise our Lord should declare Ignotum per ignotius That which is unknown by that which is more unknown for intending to shew upon what terms men and women either are admitted to enter or are excluded from the Kingdom of God compareâ—â—ere to a Marriage Feast That unless there were a custome for Virgins so to go forth to meet the Bridegroom c. the Protasis or first part of the similitude would be more obscure than the Apodosis or latter part of it which were very absurd and contrary to the nature of a similitude or parable and unworthy of such a Teacher who is the very Wisdom of God whose custome it was to teach by Parables Besides we find our Lord constant in that way of teaching that he propounds in the first part of his Parables such things as are known to all as when he compares the preaching of the Word to the sowing of Seed the growth of the Kingdom of God to the Mustard-seed growing up and becoming a Tree the man departing from his God and repenting to the prodigal Son forsaking his Fathers house and returning In these and all the rest of our Lords Parables he borrows the first part of them from things commonly known at least to the men of that place and Nation as what 's more ordinarily known than sowing Seed what 's more usual than
have yet a good opinion of themselves that they are fit and worthy to enter into God's Kingdom so partial is self-love yet the Lord Jesus himself he entered not into his Kingdom upon so easie terms no Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so enter into his Glory And the Apostle requiring the like reasonable terms of all believers saith Rom. 6.8 He that is dead is free from sin now if we be dead with Christ we know and believe that we shall also live with him Observ 3. It is the Lord who openeth the way into the Everlasting Life and the same Lord who shutteth the door Luk. 13. When the master of the house is risen up c. the true and spiritual Jephthah who openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man can open the true Eliakim the resurrection of God Isa 22.22 who hath the Key of David laid on his shoulder who only can open and shut He begins with and he finishes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without him we can do nothing not think a good thought Observ 4. The foolish and wicked men call him Lord and Lord whom they yet obey not the Pharisees of old and these of our times lye open to the same reproof Luk. 6.46 would God it were not the common sin of this hypocritical Generation that they mock God and call him Lord and so honour him with their lips when mean time their hearts are far from him so they call him their Saviour their Redeemer c. Observ 5. It is no good Argument that a Man or Church is in a good and saveable condition that he believes and hopes and prays for Salvation This Parable presents the final estate of wicked men who yet come i. e. believe hope desire and pray for Salvation Lord Lord open unto us There is no doubt many of those who sought the Lord when Noah was entered into the Ark and the Lord had shut him up Gen. 7. yet was their seeking in vain Psal 32.6 For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him And our Lord foretells that many should strive to enter and shall not be able Luk. 13. and Joh. 8.21 Jesus said unto them I go my way and ye shall seek me and die in your sins whither I go ye cannot come It was an ancient custom and rite of Marriage that after espousing the Bridegroom should come to the Bride and be entertained at her fathers house before the Bride came into the Bridegrooms house as has been shewn Wherefore some means may here be propounded that the Lord may open to us and that we may be admitted into the wedding Chamber we must first open unto him He stands and knocks at the door of our hearts Yea two most contrary one to other stand and knock there and would obtain entrance into thine heart Jesus and Barabbas Christ and Belial the Prince of Peace and of Life and the murderer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 whether of these two wilt thou entertain If the Lord Jesus Christ then take Elisha's counsel 2 King 6.32 look when the messenger of Satan cometh shut the door hold him fast at the door the messenger of Satan the Son of the murderer the strong assaults and temptations of the Devil are sent to take away thy Head to cut thee off from Christ and Christ from thee Sin lies at the door Gen. 4. stand fast in patience yield not any consent of thy will unto him Entertain rather the true Shamgar that Noble Stranger the true Jephthah whom thou hast cast out receive him and covenant with him to be thine Husband thy Head acknowledge how unmeet thou art to receive so Noble a Guest that thou art not worthy he should come under thy roof The fools boast of their own worthiness Luk. 13. We have cast out Devils c. Be thou wise and acknowledge thine own vileness What am I that thou shouldest look upon such a dead Soul as I am saith Mephibosheth to David 2 Sam. 9.7 8. and when the true David the Love of God invites thee to Supp with him confess thy own unworthiness Dan. 9.7 8. to us belongs confusion of face that 's word for word Mephibosheth How much more unworthy are we to be the Spouse of the Bridegroom with what humility and lowliness of mind should we receive the messengers of David making an overture of Marriage unto us How did Abigal entertain that motion 1 Sam. 25.40 41. when the motion is made us with what joy should we receive that news As Abigal is the exultation and joy of the Father with what humility should we accept of him and his Messengers how beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings We have long been wedded to the folly of the fallen man so Nabal signifies Nabal is his name and folly is with him 1 Sam. 25. and shall we not now be adjoyned unto Christ espoused to him the wisdom of God O make haste while so great a door of Grace and Mercy is opened unto us even as Abigal did 1 Sam. 25.42 She hasted and rose and rode upon an Ass and five Damosels of hers that went with her or after her even so let us make haste and arise from our Fall depart from Nabals house and ride upon the Ass the innocency and harmlesness the patience and simplicity of Jesus Christ such as he requires in his Spouse 2 Cor. 11. Psal 45.14 15 accompanying the five wise Virgins NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord said verily I say unto you I know you not IN the Lords answer here to the importunate foolish Virgins request we have to consider 1. that he answered them and 2. what he answered them what he answered them is 1. his disowning or rejection of them I know you not 2. his specifick rejection of their request his confirmation of that disowning Verily I say unto you I know you not Wherein we have these Three observable Doctrines 1. Our Lord saith he knows not the foolish Virgins 2. Our Lord affirms and confirms what he saith Verily I say unto you I know you not 3. Our Lord saith this by way of Answer to the foolish Virgins Petition Verily I say unto you I know you not 1. That we may understand what it is for God here not to know we must enquire what it is for God to know which is not only his speculative knowledge his simple apprehension or comprehension of things or persons good or evil Heb. 4.12 Psal 94. and 139. But the knowledge here to be understood is joyned with affection as love and approbation when things are done and persons do what is pleasing in Gods sight And thus The Lord knows the way of the righteous Psal 16. and 2 Tim. 2. The Lord knows who are his And thus he is said not
It is the counsel of one of Job's friends to him acquaint thy self with God and be at peace But alas whom go we about to perswade to know God Every man thinks himself well acquainted with God and that he hath attained to great intimacy with him as if that time were generally now come whereof the Prophet Jer. speaks 31.34 They shall no more teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me even from the least of them unto the greatest saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more Every man pretends much knowledge of God as that he is able to instruct others O beloved not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.18 and who are they Should we be Judges of them and say who they are where shall we find them in these our days It 's most likely we seek for them among the Teachers or among them that are taught if we would find them and if among the Teachers we find such as are not ordinary men but such who pretend to a Spirit of Prophecy and such also who confirm their Prophecies with Miracles and whom as our Lord foretels shall plead for entrance into Gods Kingdom with these Arguments Matth. 7.22 Many will say unto me We have prophesied in thy name and have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity And if we enquire for them as God approves among the people surely we shall pitch upon such as observe Gods Ordinances receive the Sacrament and hear the preaching of the Word and our Lord saith there shall be such who shall perswade themselves that they have done their duty but ye read what answer our Lord gives Luk. 13.25 I tremble when I read that story of a great Teacher in Paris about the year 1082. who being deceased and carried on the Bier into the Church to be buried the dead arose and stood up on the Bier and cryed out to the great astonishment of all Justo Dei judicio accusatus sum Hereupon the Funeral being deferred until the next day when in a greater concourse of people and great expectation the dead man cried out again Justo Dei judicio judicatus sum Whereupon the Funeral was again put off till the next day when all the people flocking to the Church the dead man the third time raising himself cried out with a horrible voice Justo Dei judicio damnatus sum The History is unquestionably true Bruno one of many thousands who had heard this terrible Sentence of the dead man against himself thought thus with himself if this be the issue of formal teaching and hearing how necessary is it that our righteousness exceed that of an outward Profession Whereupon he with some others entred a more strict course of life remembring that of our Saviour they who are Professors that 's Juda let them raise their hearts and affections to the mountain of God's holiness let them become practisers of it It is neither preaching nor prophesying nor working Miracles in Christ's Name nor receiving the Sacrament nor hearing the Word preached though by Christ himself nor prating or praying that is sufficient to admit any man into the Kingdom of God all these things men may do and yet be workers of iniquity Obedience Obedience Obedience that 's it the Lord looks for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my heavenly Father this is to know the Lord so saith God in Jer. was not this to know me to obey my voice NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh THese words may be considered either absolutely or entirely in themselves or as they have reference to the former i. e. the whole Parable In themselves they are a discourse whose Conclusion is contained in the first word Watch the Argument in the rest thus They who know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh they ought to watch But ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh Therefore watch As these words are considered with reference to the former they are the Apodosis and all the Reddition that our Lord makes for the Protasis or Proposition of the Parable in the former words and they are inferred as a consequence from them Watch therefore for the Son of Man cometh 1. Then we ought to watch the Son of man cometh 2. We know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh 3. Because we know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh therefore we ought to watch 4. Whereas the foolish Virgins slumbred and slept and for want of Oyl were excluded from the Bride-chamber at the coming of the Bridegroom therefore watch ye for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom cometh 1. The Son of Man cometh Who this Son of Man is and what is his coming we have before heard as Matth. 24. ye may read at large The Coming of the Lord as hath been said is either according to the flesh or according to or in the Spirit according to the flesh and so he reveils unto us what he hath suffered for us and in us and of us and by us and mans himself in a sorrowing self-denying and suffering way So also he comes according to the Spirit or in the Spirit when he appears the second time to those who wait for him and makes himself known to be the man from heaven heavenly and endows us with power from above over all sin and over all the power of the enemy Then he mans us with his heavenly Manhood and makes us flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Eph. 5. Then that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect is perfected then that which was in part or a piece-work is done away and we are perfected in the love of God the bond of perfection and attain participation of the divine Nature Union with our God in the Spirit even as all the Light of the Moon and Stars are perfected by the light of the Sun now the man is cloathed upon with his house which is from heaven and this is the coming of the Son of man here meant And that the Son of Man must come will appear from consideration of what hath come before him whereof ye read at large Matth. 24. to try the obedience and love of his Saints and Believers the divine Oracles are clear which have come forth concerning the coming of the Son of Man Esay 11. having told us of the Rod of Jesse in the first Verse he proceeds in the 4. Verse and tells us that
house of God it is given unto us all at least mediately and remotely God hath afforded unto us all means of knowing the mysteries of his Kingdom seeing therefore that such means are left unto us of entring into the penetrale domus Dei into the closet into the sanctuary of Gods house into the School of Christ seeing we have such means of knowing the mysteries of his kingdom let us fear as the Apostle speaks lest any of us should come short of entrance lest we abuse these means to the dishonour of God and Christ and to the slandering of his word and so these things for our unthankfulness be either given unto us for a curse or taken from us For surely this place wherein we live this is the house of God for as Jacob call'd the place wherein he rested Bethel or Gods house though the name of that City was called Luz at the first Gen. 28.19 So the Virtuous Lady the Lady Margaret our Munificent Foundress named this house Christ's Colledge which was called Gods house at the first Founded by that Pious Prince King Henry the 6th who endowed it with competent Maintenance for a Master three Fellows and a proportionable number of Scholars But as Jacob erected a stone only and called the place Bethel Gen. 28. where afterward he bestowed more cost and pains and built an Altar and called the place El-Bethel Gen. 35.7 So from so small beginnings of Gods house our Noble Foundress raised this Colledge to the amplitude and largeness wherein we now enjoy it and together with the augmentation of the building encreased the number of Fellows to twelve of Scholars to forty seven unto whose Munificence that hopeful Prince King Edward the 6th added the 13th Fellowship and three Scholarships Thus Kings have been our nursing Fathers and the Mother and Grand-mother of Kings and Queens our nursing Mother Whose eminent Examples many since have followed as when David had as a King offered royally toward the building of Gods Temple many of his Princes and People also gave willingly and bountifully thereunto For thus Sr. Walter Mildway Founded the Greek Lecture gave a yearly Exhibition to a Fellow and six Exhibitions to as many Scholars Mr Wentworth Founded the Hebrew Lecture Mr Bunting gave a yearly Exhibition to a Fellow three Sholarships and a yearly summ toward the maintaining of fire in the Hall Mr Cotterwel a yearly Exhibition to a Fellow Mr Rawlings a Scholarship Mr Risby two Exhibitions to two Scholars Nor have there been wanting of our own Body such as have given charitably towards the maintenance of Christ's School of Mysteries wherein they themselves have been Disciples according to the custom of ancient times and that rule of St. Hierom in Ezek. 46. Qui ditior est sacerdos cum venit ad sacerdotium quicquid plus habuerit non filiis debet dare sed pauperibus sanctis fratribus domesticis fidei qui vincunt merita liberorum ut reddat ea quae Domini sunt domino suo qui loquitur in Evangelio quicquid uni istorum fecistis mihi fecistis Ipse enim in pauperibus suscipitur hospitio visitatur in carcere nudus tegitur sitiens bibit saturatur esuriens Thus of Masters Dr Thompson Dr Patison Dr Hawford and Dr Carey of Fellows Dr Watson and Mr Lawghton of Scholars Mr Jennings and Mr Carre of Pensioners and Fellow-Commoners one who was sometime both Mr Burwel These Members of our House have been grateful and liberal Benefactors to it by whose bountiful and liberal hands and hearts God hath given means to us to know the mysteries of his Heavenly Kingdom Let us consider our Benefactors and why they gave these Means unto us 't was for the setting forth of Gods most holy Word 't was that we might use them to the Land and Praise of God so much we confess in our thanksgiving unto God 't was for the honour of Christ 't was for the increase of Faith so much the Inscription and Dedication of this House implyes 'T is Ad honorem Christi Jesu fidei ejus incrementum according to the Law in this very case Si personae ingratae sint Religiosi alicujus Monasterii fabricati ab aliquo Barone revocabitur donatio Monasterium destruetur But these are vain terrors to us for we are already entered and we know the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom would God we did But to discover whether we do or no let us know and be assured that the knowledge of Divine Mysteries cannot consist with our Liberty in any known sin that keeps us still without the House of God for thus an envious man hath no fellowship with wisdom Wisd 6.23 nor a Drunkard Nullum seeretum est ubi regnat ebrietas so 't is in the Latin Text Prov. 31.4 nay generally Jer. 8.7 My people know not the judgement of the Lord No are we blind also How do ye say we are wise and the Law of the Lord is with us Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them O Beloved it is no such easie matter Eccles 13.26 as too many fondly and erroneously conceive to know the mysteries of the Heavenly Kingdom 'T is not the man of great parts 't is not the study of Tongues and Arts not the reading of this or that Authors System or Theses or Common Places not the reading of the Fathers no nor of the Scriptures themselves if but the reading of them No no it is Obedience Obedience to what we know that opens the Mysteries which as yet we know not it is the work of the heart as well nay rather than of the brain there is a veil upon both and both veils must be taken off from both before they that are without can have eyes to see or hearts to understand and know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God There is velamen peccatorum velamen carnalis cogitationis de carne Christi a veil of sin upon the heart and a veil of carnal thoughts concerning Christs flesh upon their minds The veil must be first taken off our hearts the Spirit of God is not given according to flesh and blood or through means or industry but according to the Grace of God They are the pure in heart that shall see God and therefore if we would learn the mysteries of Gods Kingdom we must first unlearn the mystery of iniquity we must first renounce the hidden things or mysteries of dishonesty 2 Cor. 4.2 We must first turn from our iniquities before we can understand Gods Truth Dan. 9.13 This veil is removed by the fear of the Lord and the daily mortification of sin for through the fear of the Lord men depart from evil And the same fear of the Lord driveth out sin Eccles 1. And therefore because by it is removed the veil of sin the same fear of God is often called in Scripture the beginning of Wisdom whence it is that Job making enquiry for Divine Wisdom Job
39.10 And hast not thou the like Harlot continually importuning thee Surely beloved there is an Harlot in every one of our bosoms nearer than Joseph's Mistress was to him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinful concupiscence This is the Harlot which the Wise man discover'd Prov. 7.12 Now she is without now in the streets and lyeth in watch at every corner 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin easily besetting us in every circumstance The like Syrens or Mermaids tempt thee bind thy self with resolutions to the Cross of Christ It was said by a wise man to one of the Kings of England Quando victor eris ad crastina bella pavebis Quando victus eris ad crastina bella parabis God said to Abraham Gen. 15.1 Fear not when such admonition should seem least useful being after the slaughter of the Kings This was Job's constant practice Job 9.28 Verebar omnia opera mea vulg Lat. it was Paul's exercise herein do I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence Act. 24.16 What pious Soul upon sin committed feels not the flames burning on the Altar there is a living Spring there works out all corruption Observe the impetuousness and importunity of our spiritual enemies 1 King 20.22 At the return of the year the king of Syria will come against thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 3. Through many tribulations men must enter into the kingdom of God See their supine neligence who cast all upon Christ and what he hath done and suffer'd without conforming to him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego vici vide Notes in Jam. 4.22 Media Wouldst thou obey even to the death of the Cross love the Lord thy God with all â—hy heart there is no Commandment of God impossible to him that loves we have much talk of Faith Our secret meaning is that we believe all things even this duty of Mortification and Crucifixion is done to our hand Sure I am Christian Charity which is preferr'd by the Apostles as the greatest grace and that which Faith works by And as all our doings must be in faith so so all in Charity 1 Cor. 16.16 if we do all we do in Charity if we would out of Love go about this duty it would be done 1 Joh. 5.3 And suffering is preferr'd before faith Phil. 1. Adjoyn thy self to the Crucified ones There are distempers intemperiae which assault every one of us at times as the evil spirit assaulted Saul David's harp is the Musick which will inchant and charm and lay the evil spirit especially if there be an harmony of such crucified Ones as doubtless there are many such in the world One a far off espied many people gathered together and every one moving orderly he drawing near heard excellent harmony whereupon he himself could not hold but he danced with them hence it was said Is Saul among the Prophets Hear the Lords voyce He saith if any will come after me we are apt to run before him whereas we ought to follow him Esay 30.21 Thou shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way Alas we had great need to be so called upon it is a narrow way and few there are that find it Fear the Lord by it men depart from evil Be angry and sin not Follow the guidance of the mortifying and crucifying Spirit Rom. 8.13 If ye by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Therefore the Apostles advice is Gal. 5.16 I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other So that you cannot do the things that you would Ye see I bring that Scripture for an help to this duty which seems to most men to overthrow it And truly so it doth if we read it as it sounds in our English Translation and so we read it in all the former English Translations that I have seen except only one most ancient Maniscript Indeed the Original Text is thus to be render'd The flesh lusteth against the spirit but the spirit lusteth against the flesh now these are contrary the one to the other so that ye do not the things that ye would ye cannot do the things that ye would is neither in the Original Greek Latin Syriack French Italian Spanish High or Low Dutch And indeed so to turn the words makes them sound directly contrary to the scope of the Apostle if ye please to observe it vers 16. He exhorts walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh That 's the Apostles exhortation Now read the words following vers 17. So that ye cannot do the things which ye would Mark now we would walk in the Spirit the Apostle exhorts us so to do true in these following words he tells us we cannot so do So that in this sence the Apostle should seem to do as if a Commander should lead up his Troop to assault a fort and say Behave your selves valiantly and upon taking this sort I shall bountifully reward you but know that ye cannot take it it 's impossible ye should ever overcome it What think ye are not these like to behave themselves like brave men The case will be the very same if ye confider what the Apostle exhorts us unto vers 16. and vers 17. he tells us we cannot More NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on LUKE 9.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he said to them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me OUr Heavenly Father having brought up His children under Faith and the fear of God the Son invites them to a further progress in Faith ye believe in the Father believe also in me c. and in self-denyal and patience that so through faith and patience having done the will of God they may inherit the promises Having heretofore spoken of the holy fear of God unto which our Lord invites us let us proceed and accept of His further invitation to self-denyal and taking up his cross otherwise we cannot be what we would all seem to be Christ's true Disciples and followers He said unto them all if any man will come after me c. So ye read the words in our last Translation wherein there is an usual mistake The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he said to all In the former verse he spake to his Disciples that Doctrine was proper to them But what concerned all men to know and practise the Doctrine of self-denyal and taking up the Cross that he spake to all not to them all The words before this Text in this and the parallel Scriptures contain a preface proper and pertinent thereunto He said unto all who and how many were they He taught this Doctrine very often They to whom the Lord Jesus propounded this Text were his twelve Disciples
as appears Matth. 10.38 compar'd with Matth. 11.1 but if we look Mark 8.34 He speaks to a greater Auditory when he had call'd the people to him with his Disciples also He said unto them whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me And yet the Lord Jesus taught a far greater number this Doctrine as being such as nearly concern'd all He said unto all who were they and how many Luke 14.25 there were great multitudes with him And he said unto all if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me Which two duties are considerable either severally or joyntly severally and so we read them severally taught self-denyal Tit. 2. Taking up the Cross Matth. 10.38 Answerably the persons invited generally and particularly may be applyed to the respective duties and so the Text will afford us these Lessons A follower of Christ must deny himself our Lord said to all he who will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross He said if any man will come after me c. A follower of Christ must take up his Cross our Lord said to all he who will come after me let him take up his Cross he said if any man will come after me c. Again the words may be joyntly considered as they lie in the Text with reference to the former words and so he said he asked he charged And the reason of this he expresses in the foregoing verse For the Son of man must suffer many things c. But he said to all if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me Observ 2. Notable is the wisdom of our only Master Christ who teacheth not all his Doctrine at once nor to all but having his harsh but necessary Lesson to be communicated unto all he imparts it first to a few of his friends and perceiving it to be taking with them he propounds it to more and seeing it thrive with them he propounds it unto all and God grant it may be taking with us We may consider this Text either absolutely and in it self or with reference unto the words foregoing In the words absolutely and in themselves considered we have the qualification of all such as will be followers of Christ expressed in two general duties self-denial and taking up the Cross 1. The duty is self-denial wherein we must enquire 1. what is here meant by a follower of Christ 2. what by self-denial 3. what it is to deny ones self 1. A follower of Christ is not such a one as imitates him in the tenents and opinions of Christian Religion such as the followers of the Philosophers and Physicians were as they who held the same tenents of Plato or Aristotle Hippocrates or Galen might be said to be their followers But he is a true follower of Christ who imitates him in his death and life Be followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ loved us c. leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who did no evil nor was there guile found in his mouth c. such a follower of Christ must deny himself A mans self may be understood two wayes in respect of sin and of grace that we may understand this the better we must know that there are in a Christian man largely taken the abridgement of three men rational sensual and sinful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to deny to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adds vehemency and intenseness of denial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One who denies universally and generally saith Suidas So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used to deny ones self is utterly and universally to renounce our twofold self when the Christian man resolves his sensual and rational mind will and affections into the mind of Christ and will of God and when he resigns up the gifts and graces of God as not his own or belonging to himself but as belonging to God and received of him 1. Examples of the first we have Tit. 2. to deny ungodliness c. 2. Of the second 2 Cor. 10.5 casting down imaginations 3. I came not behind the very chief Apostles though I am nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ lives in me The reason of this Self-denial appears from a double necessity precepti medii of the precept or command given us and of the grace or means afforded us thereunto Whence we may first observe that our Lord here points us to the Tree of Wickedness as Job calls it Job 24.20 That plant which is not of our heavenly Fathers planting and commands us to lay the Axe to the root of that Tree even Self-love whence all wickedness grows The foundation of that City of the world the flesh and the Devil Duo amores faciunt duas Civitates The two loves make two Cities the love of God and the love of ones own self 2. Note the great Idol Self the great Diana of the Ephesians of all vain desires which Asia the world worshipped Act. 19. is here pointed at to be subdued for Rev. 12. we find the Moon viz. the mutable world under the Churches feet 3. Hence take notice that mankind is become a perverse and crooked generation though created or made upright holy just and good The Daughter of Abraham the high Father is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crooked perverse bowed down 4. Observe this Divine Off-spring now thus perverted the Son of God comes to to make streight 5. Note man can never do this of himself 't is our Lords saying without me ye can do nothing nor will God do this without man He who will come after me let him deny himself again man with God may do this and all things I am able to do all things through Christ who inwardly strengtheneth me 6. Note here the true qualification of all those who are admitted into Christ's School 7. Mark hence the reason why this Doctrine of Self-denial finds so little acceptance so few Disciples 't is a hard lesson self-love the great Idol of our heart stands in the entry Antichrist hath more followers than Christ the Gnâ—mon directing to Christ neglected self-denial 't is not study though diligent and great without this can enter us into Christ's Kingdom the love of God will not suffer us long in a foreign being search after that love Use hence is for reproof of disobedient men Tit. 1.16 who profess they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate or void of judgement Proud Adam yet would be as Gods consider here the Davus qui turbat omnia self-lovers 2 Tim. 3. Jer. 48. Come we to a sign of self-denial he who denies himself he confesseth Christ and since both denial of our selves and confession of Christ is not only in words
will hinder them from joyning in that day like birds shut up in a room seeing the light fly against the windows and beat and destroy themselves not considering that there is somewhat separates between them and their God they consider not the darkness in themselves whereas in God there is no darkness at all The Saints are light and such as have no darkness in them not considering those contrariae fortitudines the powerful opposition of malignant spirits which withstand us in our march Joel 2.4 the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen so shall they run These hinder the coming of that glorious kingdom that glory to be reveiled in us Rom. 8. How much better then were it to pray unto the Lord to dispel that darkness which interposeth it self between us and his kingdom of light to enable us to mortifie and kill these contrary powers these malignants and cavaliers within us then shall the kingdom of God presently appear then shall not any outward enemy be able to withstand us These are not the enemies which our Lord commanded us to love no he who will not hate these enemies and shed their blood is a malignant These are the true Amalekites which lick up the blood of the peoples souls with whom we must have war from Generation to generation O Beloved I fear we have not yet thus resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 we have not yet let out the blood and life of sin and spilt it on the ground for had we thus shed the blood and life of sin had we subdued these inward enemies no outward enemy should prevail against us nay upon condition of obedience the Lord promiseth us victory over all our outward enemies Lev. 26.7 8. Ye shall chase your enemies and they shall fall before you by the sword and five of you shall chase an hundred and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword Yea Deut. 32.30 How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Repreh The crooked Generation who pervert and make crooked the Lords right and straight way Act. 13.10 Paul takes up Elymas the Sorcerer for this O thou full of all subtilty and wickedness thou son of the devil wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight and right wayes of the Lord What are the right wayes of the Lord vers 8. Elymas sought to turn the Deputy from the Faith Faith Repentance Obedience a new Life these are the right wayes of the Lord The Sorcerer sought to turn the Deputy from these and therefore Paul calls him full of wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a propensity or proness to all sin and easiness to commit iniquity and calls him an enemy of all righteousness for righteousness it is Gods straight way and what so great an enemy to it as the crooked way of the Devil and therefore he calls him the Child of the Devil that crooked Serpent who is endeavouring to pervert and make crooked the right and straight wayes of the Lord. Thus do they pervert the straight way of the Lord the way of Faith who believe in a Christ without them and separate from them both justice and time One thousand six hundred years agoe the true Christian Faith is in Christ with you and in you unless ye be reprobates What Sorcerers then are those who point us only unto Christ without us They pervert the right wayes of the Lord. Repreh 2. Those who go about some other way to heaven then the Lord hath appointed The Lord called to him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden But the Papists tell us we should use more manners and sue to him by a proxie go to his Mother or go to the Saints or Angels Their fear of me is taught by the precepts of men by the way of a lewd and wicked life to that purpose is their discouragement of young ones who would keep them from entring into the Land of Promise Amalek opposed Israel licking up the people A ragged Colt they say makes a good Horse 'T is possible but it 's a great way about yea is it not taught that men of an honest moral life are out of the way of the Lord yea and more out of the way then open and profane men An assertion most false and most ridiculous for civil and moral men have at least the outside good profane men are neither in the way of righteousness inwardly nor outwardly moral men have one part of righteousness profane men none at all I deny not but Whoremongers and Adulterers entred into the Kingdom of Heaven before the Pharisees but the grosness of their sins was such it appeared to themselves plainly that they were out of the way and so they repented and believed the Gospel But the Pharisees opposed the Faith of Jesus Christ and believed not But can this justifie those who condemn and censure men as Pharisaical against whom they have no exception at all but only because they live outwardly strict and honest lives I am sure they cannot know their hearts otherwise than by their lives And there is no better sign of an honest heart than an honest life yet because they live honestly they censure them as Pharisaical I wish such censurers so well that I would to God I had the same exception against them Now Beloved since there are so many by-wayes so many crooked paths 't is evident unto any common judgement that it 's possible for men to walk in opposite and contrary wayes of Religion one to other yet neither of them in Gods way Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim both against Judah Isa 9.21 The Pharisees against the Sadducees and the Sadducees against the Pharisees and both against Christ. There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Antichrists all opposite one to another and all unto Christ And the reason is a right line and so a right way is but one between two terms but crooked lines may be infinite this is the rather to be heeded because ignorant men reason thus The malignant party the opposite faction walks in a crooked way and is out of Gods way therefore we are in the right way and in Gods way It followeth not for there may be more crooked lines than one but why are they out of the way they are bloody men cruel men merciless men cursers swearers blasphemers plunderers and robbers c. Be this granted surely who ever are such are out of Gods way Psal 14.4 They are all gone out of the way and why their throat is an open sepulcher their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood But why then are not we out of the way bloody men cruel men merciless men if not swearers yet abominable lyars we are all gone out of the way altogether become abominable why for the very same reason our
our conformity thereto This is the narrow way Matth. 7.2 Esdr 7. I am the door Joh. 10.7 The new and the living way Heb. 10.20 Observ 2. This discovers a great deal of hypocrisie which with the blind world goes for righteousness and holiness Thou that art called by the name of Jacob answers not to that name Thou hast a name that thou livest Revel 3.1 and art dead Life entred in by righteousness This is the Apodosis and Reddition Here are four questions for explication 1. What is here meant by life 2. What by righteousness 3. What it is for life to enter 4. How did life enter in by righteousness Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life These two phrases are used promiscuously 1. That life enters in by righteousness And 2. That by righteousness we enter into life The former is here understood the other is express Matth. 18.8 9. to enter into life And 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments So to be in Christ and Christ to be in us and many the like So we may be said to enter into peace Esay 57.2 and joy Matth. 25.21 and into glory Luk. 24.26 and into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 7.21 When yet all these are in us The Reason is from that through and intimate Union of spiritual things And accordingly I shall use the phrase promiscuously that life enters into us or we enter into life by righteousness 1. The life here must be opposite unto death As therefore the death is natural so is the life Prov. 16.31 2. As it is inward and spiritual a dying from the life of God in us So is the life also spiritual and inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recovering of the life of God and living unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 3. As that is the whole curse following upon sin and death So is the life the whole blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ himself who is not the blessing only but plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast made him most blessed Psal 21.6 In all these respects we may understand the wise man Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life Rom. 5.18 The Apostle hath both parts of this similitude full 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Since by man came death by man came the resurrection from the dead Here are three things considerable 1. That whereinto entrance is made the world 2. That whereby it may be made righteousness 3. That which enters life 1. By righteousness is here understood both 1. That which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justification which is by faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3.22 26. Thus reconciliation is made by the death of Christ vers 10. And 2. That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.13 18. This is made ours by faith vers 1. being justified by faith That is made ours by conformity unto his death Rom. 6. 1 Pet. 2.24 By this righteousness life enters As by the real transgression and propagation of the sinful nature from Adam unto his seed and posterity Death followed upon his seed and posterity So by the real transfusion of the righteous Spirit from the second Adam unto his posterity and his seed as it is called Esay 53. righteousness and life followeth unto them So expresly Rom. 5.10 18. Reconciled unto God by the death of his Son we shall he saved by his life This we have also fully testified 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Take an illustration of this wrought in the less world by what the God of Nature works in the greater As by the cold condensing spirit the free passages of the water and the earth are stopped and a kind of deadness followeth unto them So by the spirit of iniquity the love grows cold and obstruction is made of the free Spirit of Life But as when the God of Nature sends out his word and melts them he causeth the wind to blow and the waters to flow Psal 147.18 So the God of all grace sends forth his essential word and causeth his Spirit to blow and dissolves that deadness in us So that the law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus makes us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 How The same way that the first Adam brought death upon himself and posterity The same way the second brought righteousness and life Observ 1. Life natural spiritual and eternal are inward things eternal life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3.15 This is negative but what positive proof have we 1 Joh. 5.11 12. God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his son who is the way the truth and the life and he who hath the Son hath life c. Observ 2. Hence we may discern between the true heavenly life and that which is only a shew and semblance of it 1. The true heavenly life enters in by righteousness 2. It 's a life usher'd in by a precedent death If ye by the spirit shall mortifie ye shall live Observ 3. Here is a salve for the most deadly sin a remedy for the most extreme malady A cure even of death it self This was signified by those cures wrought by the Lord Jesus and his Apostles Most of the diseases were either almost or altogether incurable that blindness of the man Joh. 9. was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some blindness by casualty but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Leprosie is very hardly cured They say when the Fever and bloody Flux meet they are incurable they met in Publius Act. 28.8 The man was lame from his mothers womb whom Peter cured Act. 3.2 but because some lameness in children may be helped before the joynts be setled it 's noted Act. 4.22 that the man was above forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed and therefore he was naturally incurable But the cure of a dead man mortuum curare 't is reckoned among the opera inania and labour in vain Hence ariseth the glory of the great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ the Physician of souls A strange cure of Death by Death Extinguunt ignibus ignes The fire of concupiscence by the fire of love O death I will be thy death By Theriaca the Vipers poyson is dispelled 1 Macch. 6.46 the great beast which Eleazar slew cost him his life and Sampson by his death overcame his enemies Heb. 2.14 Repreh Those who seek to enter into life bliss and happiness yet not by righteousness they live in their sins yet hope to enter into life These are without the door like the blind Sodomites they could not find the door Gen. 19. nor shall they find it Our Saviour tells of such Luk. 13.24 Others imagine themselves into the life and enter not in by righteousness these our Lord calls thieves and robbers Joh. 10. There is a night thief and a day thief The night thief doth evil and hates the light Joh. 3. The day thief the prophane person that rebels against the
3. Apodosis Some there are who are righteous and not after the similitude of the second Adam's righteousness This is gravius dictum durus sermo an hard saying at the first hearing which yet is obvious for there is a righteousness which is of the Law Rom. 10.5 and which is of faith vers 6. So the Apostle calls that his own righteousness which is by the Law Phil. 3.9 But that which is through the faith of Christ he calls the righteousness which is of God by faith 4. Death hath reigned over those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to Reign answers most what to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have publick Authority and Dominion whether the Power be used well or ill So we read of a reign of sin and a reign of righteousness Rom. 5.21 a reign of life vers 17. and a reign of death It is here said of death that it reigneth I must here remind you what we understand by death Not only 1. The death Natural which surely had been natural to Man whether he had sinned or no and it had been of Grace if he had continued in the body and not have died Nor only 2. The Spiritual death which is a separation of the Soul from God who is our Life But also 3. The Infernal or hellish death though with distinction according to the distinction of those over whom death reigns which distinction is implyed in the Text for so we cannot truly say that the hellish death reigns over all those who have or have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression though it cannot be denied but that naturally even this death also followeth sin as the wages of it every sin being in its own nature mortal and should prove so did not the Mediator intervene and bring the spirit of Life into the fallen man But here we speak of death as it naturally succeeds unto sin and followeth it according to the prediction and denuntiation Gen. 2. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death What right or title hath Death to the Kingdom The answer to this question will serve for a reason of this point Among the several wayes of coming to power and Sovereignty Statesmen reckon Usurpation Succession and Election and by these means death obtains the Kingdom vers 12. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for first sin usurped a power over us so ye find vers 21. Sin reigned unto death and that is the kingdom of sin Amos 9.8 Rom. 6. Let not sin reign But doth Sin die without issue No Death is the natural Child and issue of sin Jam. 1.14 15. ye find the Genealogy Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is perfected bringeth forth death If we shall search higher and enquire whose lusts these are and who draws us away then we shall find that lust is the Seed of the Devil Joh. 8. The lusts of your Father he is the Grandfather of Sin and Death so that indeed as Children are in the power of their Masters where Sin or Death is said to reign the Devil himself reigneth who hath the power of Death Hebr. 2.14 Ephes 2.1 2 3. So that sin is the Child of the Devil and the first born of sin is Death according to Jam. 1.15 Job 18.12 13. Bildad foretelling the destruction of the ungodly saith Destruction shall be ready at his side and shall devour the strength of his skin even the first born of death So we turn it but the LXX the Vulg. Lat. and the Chaldee Paraphrast they turn it by Apposition the first-born death or death the first-born of sin as the Genuine Child of sin and by right of primogeniture by birth-right successor and heir of sin in the kingdom of sin and Bildad vers 14. explains himself and puts instead of death the first-born and heir of sin the King of terrors But doth Sin and Death enter tanquam in vacuam possessionem as into an empty possession or doth Sin and Death find no resistance Truly very little or none at all and therefore Joh. 8. the lusts of your Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Devils lusts and ye have a will to do them and Rom. 6.19 Ye have yielded your members servants so that here is great right pretended unto the Kingdom right of succession and right of election I cannot here but take notice of that great presumption and rash judgement of some who have dared to condemn to death and hell many souls whom Antiquity hath commended unto us as the most Holy among the Heathen There is a Book extant bearing Title de Animabus Paganorum concerning the Souls of the Heathen The Author of that Work numbers up the most Vertuous of the Heathen recites many of their good works and wise sentences and their exemplary good lives and at length shuts them all up in the pit About the same time that this Work first saw light came forth another bearing Title de Inferno concerning Hell in the handling of which the Author is large and descends to speak of every particular place there not omitting any nook or corner mentioning all the kinds and degrees of torments with so great confidence you would think he had been there Such proud censorious spirits there are yet in the world yea worse who dare pronounce peremptory sentence of Damnation upon those who are not down-right of their own opinion How much more safe were it to follow that moderate spirit of the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.12 13. What have I to do to judge them that are without judge ye rather them that are within your selves and others within or under your power but these that are without God judgeth Yet such is the presumption of proud Adam in us That although our God hath exempted many things from our knowledge Deut. 29.29 as indeed such as we know not nor can know and which are not reveiled yet lest we should seem to be ignorant of any thing we will dare to determine of them as the state of the Heathen the state of Infants When mean time the things which are reveiled as the whole duty of man reveiled in the word these we neglect when yet they are things which the Lord would have us take principal notice of and therefore that Text Deut. 29.29 Things reveiled belong to you and to your Children c. Those words in Hebrew are full of extraordinary points and accents that we should take the greater heed unto them Observ 1. Death is the King of the first Adams Posterity Observ 2. The thraldom and slavery of ungodly men they are subjects and vassals under sin and death See Notes in Rom. 6.19 Life shall reign over them who shall be righteous after the similitude of the second Adams
just man are entred thereinto Here I must remind you how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into is often understood And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even into iniquity is the accomplishment of iniquity So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is contrary to it is the accomplishment of holiness and righteousness the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God The use of this phrase is borrowed from the old Levitical custom of entring into the Sanctuary for the Sanctuary of old was a type of Christ who is the true Holy LXX weeks are determined upon thy people Dan. 9.24 and to anoint the most holy Christ himself is the most Holy of holies and the entrance into the Sanctuary figured our entrance into Christ and his righteousness who is the Righteous and the holy One yea the Holiness it self And therefore as uncircumcision in the flesh and any uncleanness excluded men out of that typical Sanctuary So uncircumsion in heart excluded out of the true holiness and righteousness Let them fall from one iniquity to another and let them not enter into thy righteousness Psal 69.28 Thus also in that Mystical Temple the Priests and Levites the sons of Zadoc were to enter into the Sanctuary and minister unto the Lord Ezech. 44.15 16. Even so the true Priests those whom Christ makes priests unto God his Father Revel 1.7 The true Levites the adjoyned ones those who are adjoyned unto the Lord and become one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6. The sons of Zadoc i. e. the sons of the righteous one as Zadoc signifieth these enter into Christ the true Sanctury The true Holy of Holies these minister and serve him Observe the high promotion of Christ's servants the servant of righteousness if any man serve me saith the rigteousness him will my father honour Joh. 12.26 The reward of this service is entrance into his Kingdom that Kingdom is righteousness and peace and joy Rom 14.17 And the servant of Christ enters into all these He enters into his righteousness Psal 69.28 into his holiness in the Text into his peace Esay 57.2 they shall enter into peace each one walking in uprightness they shall enter into joy Well done thou good and faithful servant enter into thy masters joy 5. As ye have yielded your members servants c. So now c. It 's a reasonable exhortation to a reasonable service if the Apostle should have required a greater service of us ought we not to do it How much more then when he requires only that we should be as subject unto righteousness and holiness as we have been to uncleanness and iniquity Truly it is but equity that the Lord requires of us and a shame it were should we not yield unto him Thy feet before were swift to shed blood Let them now be swift to deliver the oppressed Thy hands were open to receive bribes pilfer and steal Let them now be as open to relieve the wants of the poor and needy Thine eyes roved and strayed after strange beauty let them now look on the afflicted and shew them mercy Thus Mary Magdalen had broydered her hair as a net to catch young foolish Amorettoes The same she now useth to wipe the feet of Christ Luk. 7. And generally as we have imployed any of our outward or inward members in the service of uncleanness and iniquity so now it is but reason that we imploy them in the service of righteousness unto holiness Repreh Those who pretend deliverance by Christ and liberty of the spirit for the performance of wild absurd and unseemly actions and such as are unworthy of the Lord Christ unworthy of his Spirit unworthy of Christian Liberty To say no worse of them for the Spirit of the Lord alloweth no man liberty to do as he lists Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty What to do to be like unto Jesus for we behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.17 18. 2. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there are the fruits of the Spirit as love joy peace and whatever is conformable to the Law of God for so the Prophet I shall walk at liberty saith he when I keep thy Commandments So that all the liberty which the Spirit of God allows is testified of in the Law of God The Apostle gives a general enumeration of all such Phil. 4.8 Whatever things are true whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things and whatsoever liberty is not testified of in the Law must be an unlawful liberty Nor is it warrant sufficient that a man be burdened with somewhat that 's contrary to these things for certainly there are many evil spirits which may burden men and press them to do some unlawful action which cannot be ascribed unto the Spirit of God What think ye of those more than four hundred false Prophets who warranted Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead and promised him prosperity What think we of Zedekiah which made himself horns wherewith Ahab should push the Syrians till he should consume them Certainly these men were perswaded by a spirit but not by the Spirit of God so to say and do For did not Ravellac and Felton and others plead a great burden and pressure upon their spirits for those murders which they committed And generally all Malefactors may do the like So that whatever actions are not approved and testified of by the Law or Prophets or Gospel of Jesus Christ They cannot be said to proceed from the Spirit of God but from some unclean spirit and false freedom Axiom 2. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness c. To iniquity unto iniquity The meaning of this point seems as plain as it can be made in English in so many words yet is not so fully to be understood in our language as in the Greek because the case and manner of speech is varied otherwise than it seems to be in our tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity Which phrase and manner of speech relisheth of the Hebrew Idiom and implys a disposition in those who have yielded their members servants unto uncleanness and to iniquity to a progress and going on in that soul service from bad to worse and from worse to worst of all As also it includes the end both agentis rei both that which the sinner himself aims at and also that which the sin it self tends unto a kind of perfection in evil spoken of Gen. 15.16 which is all the difficulty I know in the words Having in the former point shewn what these our members are what their uncleanness and iniquity is and what it is to yield our members servants thereunto Nor
the Pharisees which our Lord came to correct their Glosses were upon the Law which our Lord confutes Matth. 5.6 They thought that a man was then only guilty of murder when he actually shed blood But our Lord who knoweth the meaning of the spiritual Law he saith whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgement without a cause is not extant in the ancient Copies as a diligent searcher of Antiquities hath observed he that hateth his brother is a murderer 1 Joh. To commit adultery may be with a lustful eye and in the heart Yea the friendship of this world is adultery in Gods account Jam. 4.4 the like we may say of Idolatry c. of Swearing and taking Gods Name in vain Object But we seem hereby to attribute too much to the Law I answer if we shall consider the Law only as a carnal or weak Commandment we ascribe too much unto it but if we consider Christ himself assisting the weak man labouring under the Law and a minister of Circumcision as he is called in that respect the Law may be said to be strong and powerful yea so strong so powerful that what is spoken of the Law the very same is spoken of Christ Deut. 30.12 14. conferr'd with Rom. 10. When the Lord promiseth to make a New Covenant with his people He expresseth himself thus Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their hearts c. Hebr. 8. What is that Christ yes Christ himself is the very Covenant Isai 55.3 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle explains to be meant of Christ Act. 13.34 yea the Prophet speaks expresly I will give thee for a Covenant to the people and for a light to the Gentiles Isa 42.6 So that I hope Christ and the Law are surely reconciled when they are both one and the same Consol The Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal I am weak The spirit indeed is willing that 's from the good spirit of God but the flesh is weak that 's from impotent and weak nature Yet despair not the time will come when thou shalt be strong because thou art flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone that was the great mystery whereof St. Paul speaks Ephes 5. For as the Mother of all Living Eve was built out of the first Adam who was the image of the second the figure of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 so is the Church the heavenly Eve or mother of all those who live in the life of God built out of the highest Adam the man from heaven heavenly and made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and therefore as he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is she called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name of strength power valour and courage So to be men or manly is to be strong and valourous Isa 46.8 1 Cor. 16.13 from hence the Apostle reasons to the encouragement of the weak spiritual Eve Ephes 5.29 30. No man yet ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as Christ the Church for saith he We are members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones out of weakness they became strong Thou hast a good will according to the spiritual Law and so Gods will is done in heaven pray that it may also be done in earth Exhort To be spiritually minded to observe the spiritual Law This duty rewards it self to be spiritually minded is life and peace and joy when the heart and the flesh rejoyce in the living God this is the true liberty where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Ambulabo in latitudine I will walk at liberty for I seek thy Commandments Psal 119. Till the Commandment appear good unto us and which is a proof of that goodness till the Law be commended unto us as spiritual and we spiritually minded with it we are held in straitness but when the good Commandment when the spiritual Law and the love of the spirit comes the heart soul and spirit is enlarged I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou hast enlarged my heart Psal 119.32 This was figured by those three Wells which Isaac digged Gen. 26.20 Esech Sitnah and Rehoboth Esech is contention Sitnah is hatred Rehoboth is room Ezech. 41.7 Ephes 2. an habitation of God in the spirit Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God We say commonly flesh and blood cannot endure this or that and therefore we think we reason well and do well to be angry and impatient whereas indeed all those corporal and carnal accidents yea flesh and blood it self must not enter into the kingdom of God we must first be spiritualized by the spiritual Law and the body must be made a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15. We know that the Law is spiritual Here we must enquire 1. What it is to know 2. What kind of knowledge is here meant 3. Of whom the Apostle speaks this when he saith we know 2. Prove this 3. Shew the reason of it 1. I will enquire the first of the Philosopher he will tell us that Scire is per causam scire which with him is demonstration and he speaks trulier than he was aware of for to know a spiritual truth in Scripture-language is to understand it by demonstraâ—â—â—n of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 My speaking and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wâ—â—dom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power 2. And that 's the knowledge here meant lumen spirituale the spiritual light received from God which brings with it conviction and evidence whereby we know and are perswaded that the Law which seemed to us before to sound as it were only litteral and carnal is indeed mystical and spiritual 3. By which we understand that the same person cannot well be meant under We we know and I in the next words I am carnal so as the carnal and spiritual man are opposed one to other so are their conceivings and knowledges opposed one to other 1 Cor. 2.14 and 1 Cor. 3. I could not speak to you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal unless the Apostle in the next words be to be understood to speak by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a condescent when the person speaking doctrinae gratiâ takes upon himself the person of another or else speaks of himself as he had been sometime before he attained unto this spiritual understanding and if we so judge we need not make much dispute as some do whether Paul speak in his own person or no when he saith I am carnal 2. We of whom speaks the Apostle this Of the Apostles and Spiritual men that the Apostle and all spiritual men know this such were the true Priests of the Lord the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Elders who were grown up to the true and
departs from his own right only for peace-sake and withall he leaves us this Rule for our learning practice and imitation in our travel toward the Spiritual Land of Canaan to part with our own proper interest for peace sake for as Charity seeks not its own so neither doth Peace which is of equal extent with it A greater than Abraham the Prince of Peace himself for peace sake dispensed with his own Right and wrought a miracle to pay tribute lest he should give offence Matth. 17.27 And that which St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.7 seems reasonable only to such as he himself was a grown peaceable man an Ambassador of peace why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Love seeks not her own That difference between Paul and Barnabas was jurgium not lis in Charity not with breach of Charity and that not so great as our Translation makes it if well looked into like the division of the Sun-beams which immediately come together again and we hear no more of it Now if differences arise between a believer and an unbeliever a son of peace and an unpeaceable man it is lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make use of the Laws which are in force and use that so perverse unpeaceable and refractory spirits which will not be inclined to peace may be forced and bound to it Nor doth this misbeseem a Son of Peace for as his Father is the God of Love and Peace yet is he severe toward unpeaceable men Deut. 20.12 So may his Son be and that without any wrong at all for 't is no injury done to any man to be compelled to be good and just as much as may be by lawful power when of himself he hath no will no inclination to be so The Law was made for the lawless And as he may make use of the Laws so of the Magistrates though unbelievers for even such a Magistrate by Divine Ordination is the Minister of God for thy good Rom. 13. bono defensionis reparationis Thus whereas the Romans of old had enacted a Law That a Freeman of Rome should not be bound or scourged or imprisoned or put to death under a great penalty We find St. Paul making use of this Law against the Magistrates of Philippi and by that means he escaped imprisonment Act. 16.37 38 39. And the same Law he pleads for himself Act. 22. vers 25. and escapes the scourge and when he was in danger of death from the Jews he made good use of this Law by appealing to Caesar Act. 25.10 Nor is there any doubt but when unjust men who pretend Religion go about to muzzle the Oxe that treads out the corn and as much as lies in them to starve him out of his place when they cannot storm him out of it he may no doubt make use of the Laws Nor ought they to take it amiss herein to be accounted unbelievers because they believe not that Precept of the Apostle Render to every one their due c. Owe nothing to any man but to love one another c. But all this while fictis verbis contendimus come we now to enquire 2. Whether it be lawful for a Son of Peace to go to War yea or no It is disputable whether War in the general for a Christian man be lawful yea or no But for our better understanding of this distinguish between Wars Offensive and Defensive Offensive is either 1. for Religion or 2. Civil Causes 1. Offensive War for Religion is utterly unlawful and therefore our Lord sent forth his Disciples unarmed so much as with a staff Matth. 10.10 c. commanded Peter to put up his sword Matth. 26.52 though drawn and used in behalf of Christ himself for Christ's Kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18.36 Object But this perhaps was because as then the Church had no Power so Bellarmine answers in defence of bloodshed procured by his Faction and I wish it were his errour alone but Christ himself had power enough more than twelve Legions of Angels if he had thought fit to have asked his Father Matth. 26.53 He is a God saith Jerubbaal let him strive for himself He is a Spirit and needs not the help of flesh and blood 'T is proper to the Mahumetans not for Christians to propagate Religion with fire and sword But curse ye Meroz Judg. 5. If the Lord shall raise up Deborah and Barach If he shall raise up Christ to be our Captain If the life of Christians falsly so called become generally so debauch'd so Unchristian so Antichristian so Cainish so Cainaiticall why may it not then please God to raise up a Captain who may execute judgement upon such as he did when he sent Josuah to destroy the Canaanites But what mean time have we to do with types and figures the Lord hath made all old things to pass away and all things become new temporal things become spiritual new enemies new weapons Ephes 6. The Ceremonial Temple was shut when Christ was born as Augustus the Emperour shut the Temple of Janus which was wont to be opened in times of War the very year before John the Baptist was born the forerunner of the Prince of Peace as Orosius tells us that the Gospel of Peace might not be hindered but might run and be glorified As it is observed by the Naturalists that while the Halcyon builds her nest at Sea there is alwayes a calm So while Christ builds his Church his Nest where he may lay his young ones and gather them by his Gospel of Peace as an hen her chickens God then vouchsafes peace on earth But not only for Religion but for Civil Causes also Offensive Wars are unlawful He who sheds mans blood Gen. 9. and all they who take the sword shall perish with the sword Matth. 26.52 and Exod. 20. Thou shalt not kill is a Law yet yea explained to be now much more in force than heretofore when even anger is forbidden by our Saviour Matth. 5.22 and hatred it self is accounted by St. John Murder 1 Joh. 3.15 From whence come wars and fightings Jam. 4. And therefore not only outward murder but also hatred variance emulation wrath strife and envying they are reckoned among the works of the flesh Gal. 5. and they who do them shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven vers 21. But this may be understood without provocation but what if one be provoked I know no Reason but that still we persist in the Negative that Vindicative War is not lawful the Rule is general Avenge not your selves for vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord Yet I deny not but that the Magistrate may yea ought to punish Malefactors and lawful it is for Christian men to serve him in execution of Justice provided alwayes that they serve Justice it self and aim at it not at any private and bloody revenge of their own But whether may a Christian
knows how to please himself even in his naked poverty What delight think ye a Christian man instructed by a greater light of Grace may find in his Christian poverty for relieving whose wants the whole Deity is entrusted your heavenly father knows ye have need of all these things Nay not only knows but cares too The holy Spirit comforts and the Son he inwardly enables and that two ways 1. By giving him a temporal portion So the Lord hath given a portion to them that fear him Psal 111.5 2. By giving him himself an eternal portion The Lord is the peoples portion Jerem. 10.16 And first for the first All conditions of life and callings are of God whether high or low or rich or poor He maketh poor and he maketh rich He putteth down one and setteth up another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.17 As God hath divided to every man And all this he doth according to that one Rule and Prescript of his own uncontrolable and irrefragable will It is too high presumption to demand a reason of his will He himself stops the mouth should dare to ask that question with another May not I do what I will with my own It is his will then that such his poor as are poor should be poor And that 's enough that it is his will Yet all this is nothing to the poor fornicator or the ragged idle drunkard or the stout wandering beggar These are not Gods poor but their own poor I speak not to them let them go to the pismire But for thy further satisfaction who art Gods poor man know that all this he wills according to his wisdom and according to his goodness 1. According to his wisdom his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his manifold wisdom as 't is call'd Ephes 3.10 He wills an harmony of order amongst the members of the body of Christ a first and a last a head and a foot a high and a low a rich and a poor 2. According to his goodness he wills to every one of his what and how much he knows best and fittest for him So that every mans condition is to himself as Mannah was to the Israelites which as the wiseman speaks was fitted of God and made agreeable to every taste This well considered brings Christian reasonings and reasonable appetite unto a non-plâ—â— So that a poor Christian man is neither curious to know more nor desirous to have more but delights in the very least temporal portion that his wise and good God hath bestowed upon him as being most suitable with the publick good of Christ's body what 's his own private good and with the will of God performed in both But O our perverse our peevish and crooked wills O our hypocritical absurd and contradictory prayers We pray and that daily too That Gods will it may be done yet secretly we wish it were not done while almost every man impatiently struggles or despairingly sinks under the seeming Aetna of evils that God hath cast upon him We pray and that as often but for our daily bread yet almost every man hoords and treasures up as 't were for an eternity which runs out at the utmost in fourscore years when yet scarce one of an hundred lives to threescore and ten while almost every man repines at his own seeming wants almost every man fosters a covetous and ambitious desire and thwarts the will of God in regard of God Christ therefore inwardly enables his poor man to delight in that temporal portion that God hath given him two ways by Precepts and Examples By Precepts of Patience in regard of evils and of contentment in regard of the good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things are mixt saith a Philosopher of natural bodies which we may better say of moral Callings The very best of them all nay all from the Scepter to the Plough are more or less blended and mixt together of good and evil But in the mixture and temper of a poor mans Calling besides labour the inheritance of the curse and the common ingredient of all Callings as bitter Aloes is of Pills all other evils are predominant Evils of soul evils of body evils of goods evils of name grievous and heavy long and tedious evils And the Devil himself adds weight and makes them heavier unto the children of God So that Paul might well tell the poor Hebrews Heb. 10.36 that they had need of patience need indeed and great need too to counterpoise so many so great so heavy so tedious evils And because 't is needful our Saviour enjoyns it Luk. 12.19 In patience possess your souls as if he should have said poor man little or nothing else ye have to possess besides your souls ye have need to look to them well and keep them safe your only way to keep them is your patience otherwise you 'l lose them A Doctrine too harsh for the brave Spirits of our time Patience why 't is the beggars and the fools virtue A trick in Philosophy and Divinity to deceive a mans self withall when he can or dare do no other wayes what be base take the lye and not stab not swear not be angry put up all wrongs all injuries quietly cowardly patiently what and give thanks too O it damps a noble Spirit flesh and blood cannot endure it Fool Nor shall flesh and blood enter into the kingdom of heaven But the better to perswade those that are more moderate hereunto let us but consider how little how nothing at all we profit by stubborn resistance and impatient struggling with the will of God His will it will be done though against our wills A Stoick could say and shall not a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall follow thee O Lord whether I will or no And were 't not a great deal better his will should be done with our will than against it Yet so foolish we are how hardly can we work our hearts to come off to suffer that to be done which we cannot hinder or do worse And as it is to no purpose frowardly and impatiently to resist his Will so good reason it is we should quietly and willingly obey it The Master of a Play-house gives to every Player his part one must Act a King another a Servant a third a Beggar why because he 'l have it so and no man murmurs Remember saith Epictetus a servant himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou art a Stage-player and must act that part willingly and chearfully which God hath given thee The Stage-player conforms his will to the will of the Poet and shall not we conform our wills to the will of our Creator But alas how can we be patient the troubles and evils of our mean condition breed anger impatiency discontent grief and despair any thing indeed rather than patience And whereas Paul saith Tribulation worketh patience Rom. 5.3 It 's not univocally and formally to be understood as though evils and tribulations of their own
Axiom Lay hold on the Eternal Life Wherein two things must be explained 1. What the Eternal Life is 2. What it is to lay hold of it 1. Life is either 1. of Nature and that either Vegetative Sensitive or Rational 2. of Sin 3. of Grace one and the same man may live them all successively 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either 1. to lay hold on that which is in danger to perish as Heb. 2.16 He layeth hold on the Seed of Abraham Or 2. To lay hold on that which may keep us from perishing and so the Seed of Abraham layeth hold on Christ And in this latter sence the word is here used and signifieth a further act of Faith a laying hold on the object of it Eternal Life for so Faith is carried to a double object 1. The Righteousness and life of God lost in us 2. The Power of God or Christ for the subduing of the sin intervening and coming beween us and God his Righteousness and the Eternal Life When therefore through the power of God we have fought the good fight of Faith and subdued the sin that 's the first act here commanded Then lay hold upon the Righteousness and Life of God and this here seems to be a Metaphor to lay hold on the Eternal Life is taken from Runners or such as strive in Games for the brabium the reward Observe This if well considered may set an high price upon the true Christian Life and may shame them who sleight and undervalue it Is it not the Life of God good Angels and good Men Is it not the Life that lasts for ever even the Eternal Life Exhort 1. To lay hold on this Life Exhort 2. To fight that good fight Motives 2. 1. Melchizedeck will help us 2. The Righteous are scarcely saved Sign Is Christ Jesus thy Lord No man can call Christ Jesus the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Means 1. Follow the Spirit Galat. 5.16 17. 2. Fighting is a necessary means for the obtaining of the prize Col. 1.24 2 Cor. 1.6 Rom. 6.8 3. If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments 4. Pray to the Lord to restore thine hand dryed up like Jeroboams but perhaps he hath given thee strength already stretch out thine hand stretch it out to the poor and needy this is the means which the Apostle prescribes vers 18 19. Axiom 3. The obtaining of Eternal Life requires our utmost endeavour fighting laying hold running striving to enter From the dayes of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force press forward unto the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Observ 1. Here is a means for the lengthning our short life Lay hold upon the Eternal Life See Notes on James 4.14 Observ 2. The transcendent eminency of the life of God whereunto we are exhorted it 's the Eternal Life whatever other life is but short and temporal for what is your life saith St. James Jacob said of his dayes that they were few and evil What is your sinful life pleasures of sin for a season A lying tongue is but for a moment In Gods wayes is continuance Isa 64.16 The Prize is here the Image of God the Life of God the Divine Nature which consists in all righteousness in humility meekness patience c. all which are in the Living God the consequents whereof are the peace of conscience and ravishing and glorious joy in the Holy Ghost which accompany the Eternal Life where ever it is in God Angels or Men so far forth as they are capable of it or it communicable unto them Now that Eternal Life consists in these is proved Psal 24.3 Who shall ascend into the hill of God i. e. obtain Eternal Life vers 5. He shall receive the blessing and righteousness so that the blessing of Eternal Life is Righteousness Christ praying against his enemies saith Let them not enter into thy Righteousness Psal 69.27 Prov. 12.28 The way of Righteousness is life Prov. 21.21 He that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy shall find Life Righteousness and Honour Isa 46.13 I bring near my Righteousness and my Salvation shall not tarry So that Life Righteousness and Salvation are all one Isa 51.5 and 56.1 Joh. 1.4 In him was Life and that life was the Light of men that Light of men is Righteousness Goodness and Truth Ephes 5.8 9. Light in the 8th vers is so expounded v. 9. therefore the Light and Life of men is the blessed fruit of the Spirit in Righteousness Goodness and Truth Jam. 1.12 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of Life is a crown of Righteousness 2 Pet. 1. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness which are the same and Glory and Virtue the same Object 1. Eternal Life is not to be enjoyed in this world but the life of Righteousness may be obtained Resp It may be enjoyed in some measure as we see in Zacheus Luk. 19.9 Prov. 11.31 The Righteous shall be recompensed in the earth not in outward blessings but inward and spiritual for 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life we have only hope c. there is no hope in the other life for faith and hope cease 1 Cor. 13. 1 Joh. 3.14 We are passed from death to life and vers 15. No murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him compare the first vers with the 14th you shall see that he that loves in truth hath Eternal Life abiding in him Object 2. We are in the way to not in the life Resp True as Childhood is a way to perfect age yet Righteousness c. are the true Eternal Life life in their measure as childhood is manhood in the nature of it Object 3. Eternal Life is a life of joy pleasure happiness Resp Not a Turkish happiness is here described but a Christian not in meats and drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Object 4. Two Kingdoms there are one of Grace the other of Glory Resp The words of both are said to be the words of this life Act. 5.20 The Scripture speaks but of one Kingdom Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 'T is true there are several degrees yet the lowest degree is a participation of the glorious life We are changed into the same Image from Glory to glory i. e. from one degree of Grace into another 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of Righteousness is Jam. 1.12 a crown of Life and 1 Pet. 5.4 a crown of Glory to shew that Righteousness Life and Glory are one and the same thing so Peter confounds Godliness with Life and Glory with Virtue 2 Pet. 1.3 And lest we should cavil and say that Godliness is the way to Life and Virtue the way to Glory he puts them in an inverse order doubtless not without a Divine instinct All this proceeds from meer Grace from the beginning to the end
Grace of God himself Against which defamation as heretofore I affirm the sober righteous and godly life may be lived in this present evil world or never at all Signs for examination Does the fear of God in which true godliness consists and by which men depart from evil and deny ungodliness dwell in thee Does the love of God in which consists true godliness live in thee Does this love of God constrain or perswade thee to Obedience and to keep the Commandments of God Godliness consists in Obedience to the will of our Heavenly Father not in a bare nominal or titular vocation only calling Lord Lord or Father but he that doth his will shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven There is no approaching near God or winning upon him by names or Titles if we would draw near him it must be by works of piety 1 Pet. 1.16 17. It is written be ye holy for I am holy And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Divine Axiom 5. That Grace of God teacheth us to look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ These words contain the End the Mark the reward of all our Labours of all our self-denyal of all our sober righteous and godly life viz. the Blessed Hope of the Glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Wherein we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Epiphany or glorious appearing of the great day star unto those who have walked in the light of the lesser Star both which are evidently aimed at in the Text 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the former the appeared Grace in the twelfth Verse 2. In this thirteenth Verse we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the later the blessed hope and appearing of the Great God c. If we take the words asunder we have in them 1. The Star 2. The manifestation of that Star 3. The expectation of that manifestation 1. The Star considered in its nature humane Jesus Divine great God both jointly Christ its influence the Saviour our Saviour 2. The manifestation of that Star and the lustre of that manifestation it has an appearing and an appearing of Glory 3. In the expectation we have 1. The Hope 2. The blessed hope 3. The expectation it self According to the natural order of handling this Text we must begin with the end of it 1. Jesus is the Christ 2. He is God and the great God 3. He is the Saviour and our Saviour 4. He hath a glorious appearing 5. He is the blessed hope And sixthly and lastly All they whom the Grace of God hath taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world ought to expect the blessed hope of the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 1. Jesus is the Christ this Divine truth is the very Basis and Foundation of all the Christian Religion Other Foundation hath no man laid beside that which is laid Jesus Christ And therefore let us enquire into the meaning of both these names Jesus and Christ and shew the truth of this that Jesus is the Christ Jesus hath that name from saving Matth. 1. He shall save his people from their Sins Christ is from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew according to John 1. which signifies Anointed i. e. with the Holy Spirit so Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon he for he hath anointed me This the Prophet Esay 61. spake in the person of Jesus And Jesus reads upon himself as he to whom it properly belonged for whereas three sorts and Professions of men were anointed Kings Priest and Prophets it was most just that he who was anointed with the oil of gladness above his Fellows King of Kings Lord of Lords and the Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech and the great Prophet that he in whom all these Professions met in their eminency he should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messias the Christ as he who was anointed by the Father to restore and recover the Salvation of the world Ye read often of him in the New Testament and promised in the Old who by the Sacrifice of himself should overcome death and bring life and immortality to Light 2 Tim. 1.10 But far more often does the Lord promise the Messiah or Christ in the Old Testament than expresly name him which the most ancient Chaldee Paraphrast observing where the Messias or Christ is intimated obscurely there he expresly names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus what Gen. 3.15 is said of the Seed of the woman Jonathan and the Targum of Jerusalem interprets to be done in the days of the Messiah Gen. 49 1. I will tell you what shall befall you in the last days the days of the Messias So Verse 10. and 12. Shilo so Exod. 40.9 Thou shalt hallow or sanctifie them for the Crown of the Kingdom of Judah they shall be holiness of holiness to the King Messiah who shall deliver Israel in the end of days and Numb 23.21 The noise of the King Messiah shall be among them So 24.7 The Kingdom of the King Messiah shall be higher than Agag his Kingdom shall be exalted The like we find in the Prophets and in the Psalms in above fifty places more The first Observation is Jesus is the Christ the highest Truth and deepest Foundation Mat. 26. Observ 2. The accomplishment of that Glorious Promise in Matt. 1. He shall be called Jesus the Saviour who shall save his people from their Sins Observ 3. Learn from hence the original of thy name O Christian man a name given by Oracle Acts 11.26 Axiom 2. Jesus Christ is called the Great God and our Saviour the Apostle might have referred to Esay 19.20 where the Saviour is called a Great One which might be also rendred a Prince as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies according to Acts 5. where Christ is called a Prince and a Saviour But if we here retain the word great why is he here called the Great God The reason may be because in Jesus Christ the Father displays his goodness the greatness of his Wisdom Truth Grace Joh. 1. The greatness and Fulness of his Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 In whom the Promises are all fulfilled 2 Cor. 1. The Father saith I will be but the Son saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am John 8.24.58 c. Observ 1. That the Lord Jesus is expresly called God and great God for what some say that this is to be understood of the Father its contrary to the Article of Faith that not the Father but Jesus Christ shall come to Judgment that he may reward his Believers who wait for him besides one and the same Article in the
〈◊〉 that we should render the words they who have believed in God But the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew is commonly construed with × which the Greek and Latin Translations imitate So we say we believe in God which is no more than to say we believe God 2. They who have believed God ought to maintain good works The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to maintain signifieth to stand forth in defence of to stand up for to defend to prefer before all other It signifieth also to rule to pretend to oppose All which may have their use here But the first named is the more proper meaning to defend Now defence supposeth an enemy opposing and withstanding and therefore we must enquire what the enemy here is and how we must maintain and defend good works against that enemy The enemy is the Devil himself the Author of evil works who is the enemy of all righteousness He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is always tempting to the lust of the world and of the flesh and his own lusts which are to envy pride covetousness and wrath and whatsoever proceeds from these with which when men joyn they make them theirs This great enemy stirs up many others Levi and Tan joyn'd together make Leviathan and when the Priest is made of Satans party he preacheth down good works And so by his false doctrine becomes an enemy unto them Against these we maintain good works when out of faith we hate the evil and love the good And that not only in opinion and affection but also in life and practice Hence appears the reason why they who have believed God should maintain good works even because they are good honest fair lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Those works are well worthy to be maintained 2. They are unworthily opposed 3. Believers are fit and worthy to maintain them 1. Good works are well worthy to be maintained Even 1. Because they are good And 2. Because they are commanded of God And 3. Because for them he hath created us both first and last for good works are the end both of our new and old creation Eph. 2.10 4. For this end Christ gave himself for us Titus 2.14 5. Yea the commond end the glory of God is hence advanced Matth. 5.15 Let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven 1 Pet. 2.12 by your good works glorifie God 2. Good works are unworthily opposed 3. They who have believed God are fit and worthy to maintain them they know their worth and value how good they are and for what ends they are commanded of God and they have the power of God by them enabling them to maintain them To him that believes all things are possible By Faith and Patience by Reason and Argument by Encouragement and Exhortation by Rewards by Pattern and Example of Life sumptibus exemplis consiliis precibus Object Doth not the Apostle every where decry and speak against works Rom. 4.2 and 11.6 If by grace then it is no more of works c. Gal. 2.15 16. A man is not justified by the works of the Law by the faith of Jesus Christ Yea this doctrine the Apostle teacheth in the words immediately before the Text Titus 3.4 5 6 7. After that the kindness and love of God to man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but by faith especially in the way of Salvation Answer What works are these which the Apostle here and elsewhere opposeth Surely our own works which we our selves perform doing what seems good in our own eyes Deut. 12. 2. The works of the Levitical Ceremonial Law 3. Yea the works of the Moral Law also when wrought by our own strength And against these works the Apostle disputes in his Epistle to the Romans Galatians Ephesians c. And by these works the Pharisees went about to establish their own righteousness Rom. 10.3 4. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God These works the Apostle opposeth in the way of Salvation and not the works of Faith and Grace which are necessary to Salvation So the same Apostle To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour immortality eternal life Rom. 2.7 8. Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of God but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven Blessed are they who do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life Revel 22.14 Object 2. Our Lord himself saith that the main work of God which the Father requires is that we believe in him whom the Father hath sent Joh. 6.29 What shall we do that we may work the works of God c. It seems therefore that to believe is the great yea the only work Answer Our Lord here understands Faith Synechdochically for the whole progress of obedience and sanctification proceeding out of Faith And Act. 26.18 19. And therefore herein good works are included 2. The Jews ask not our Lord this question simply what they should do but what they should do that they might work the works of God vers 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that endureth unto the everlasting life So our Lord. Now they ask what they shall do they might so labour by what means they might work the works of God And therefore our Lord answered them to their question directing them to such a work and such an object of it that believing in him whom the father had sent even in Christ they should be able to perform good works even the works of God because Christ himself is the power of God 1 Cor. 1. And believing in him we receive him Joh. 1.12 13. and receiving him and believing on him we may be able to overcome the world and all the lusts that are in the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even through him who came to dissolve in us the works of the devil through whom we may be able to do all things and so work the works of God Observ 1. God hath put good works in the hand and power of those who believe God So that they may do good works The Text speaks so much expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have power to do them To what purpose else serves their Faith Credenti omnia sunt possibilia Observ 2. We learn hence that the pressing of good works and urging the practice of them on those who believe God is neither Popery nor Arminianism nor Socinianism nor any sect or divided judgement that I know but the maintaining of the true and Orthodox Christian Faith Observ 3. It is not the duty of Believers only to be Orthodox and hold right opinions to be of a right judgement concerning good works To maintain good works is
gift is of many offences unto justification Rom. 5.15 16 17 18 19 20 21. This Grace this rich Grace we receive in vain and instead of abundance of Grace we bring forth abundance of sin and in that world where God his Christ his Righteousness his Life should reign there Death Iniquity Antichrist and the Devil himself reigns and sets up a Righteousness of his own and Ministers of his own who teach their own inventions instead of Gods Word a strong fancy instead of the true Christian Faith and to cover all he is content that men may perform Gods outward Ordinances of hearing the Word and receiving the Sacrament all which may consist with a world of iniquity But I beseech ye Beloved let not us flatter our selves with vain hopes that we can flatter our God with a Lord Lord for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into Gods Rest and the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of our Father which is in heaven Let us not flatter our selves in the performance of a few outward duties as hearing of the Word and receiving of the Sacraments and neglect the great things of the Law Mercy Judgement and Faith I tremble to consider the doom of such which ye may read Luk. 13.25 26 27. Ye shall stand without and say Lord Lord open unto us And he shall answer and say unto you I know not whence ye are Then shall ye begin to say we have eaten and drunken in thy presence been frequent receivers of the Sacrament and thou hast taught in our streets we have heard Christ himself preach but he shall say unto you I know not whence ye are depart from me ye workers of iniquity This especially reproves those who oppose themselves unto the Merciful Creatour those Abaddonims and Apollyonites those destroyers of Gods world and they are of Two sorts 1. Those who destroy it by false Tenents 2. Those who destroy it by wicked Works 1. By false Tenents as they who would have a new heaven and a new earth a reformation of all things but it must be of their own making Those Babel builders who establish their own Righteousness the Righteousness of the Law and destroy the Righteousness of Faith whereas the Law makes nothing perfect No he who Created us worketh our Righteousness in us What the Law could not do c. We are his Creature Syriack Ephes 2.10 And can the Creature make it self We say in Philosophy Operari supponit esse Now the very being of the New World is Gods making And thou O Lord hast wrought all our works in us Isa 26.12 2. Another sort of Abaddonims and Apollyonites are those merciless men who out of their bloody zeal destroy and ruine the world of Mankind Gods field of the world is over-grown with the Devils tares yet is God merciful and will have both grow together till the harvest but the mercies of men are cruel and bloody Such a bloody motion make those Zelotical Servants say Wilt thou that we root them out cut them off call for fire from heaven to consume them O no the Son of Man the merciful Creatour came not to destroy mens lives but to save them as for these they neither save others nor themselves O would God these bloody minded men would look into that world that God hath Created and set in their heart there should be a new heaven and a new earth there wherein Righteousness should dwell there should be noble plants of our heavenly Fathers planting there should be good seeds sown there seeds of holiness and righteousness yea the very body which answers to the outward world should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost and if the body the outward Court ought to be so holy how holy ought the Soul and Spirit to be which answers to the holy and holy of holies These ought to be houses of prayer but they are made to be dens of thieves and robbers They were made to be an habitation of God in the Spirit and they are become the stable of spiritual wickedness in heavenly things O that these destroyers would look into their inward world and see this abomination of desolation there would they then hate and destroy another or themselves O thou hypocrite first pluck out the beam that is in thine own eye and then thou shalt see clearly to pluck out the mote that is in thy brothers eye first purge the world in thine own heart and then if thou canst find in thine heart destroy Gods world in others Consolation God made the world by his Son this is great comfort to those new Creatures of God who have little or no share of the outward world God hath made all things by Christ and he is the Lord of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.17 He is the father of the world to come which we turn Everlasting Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 9.6 LXX Now if Christ made and be the King and Prince of the worlds will he not afford his favourites such are his Saints that honour and that profit he knows most convenient for them An earthly Prince may delude his Favourites hopes When one of the French Kings Favourites had writ in a window Nos reliquimus omnia c. the King one of the Lewis's it was writes under Merces vestra magna est in Coelis But the King of all the earth will not cannot deal so with his Favourites they must leave all and follow him and can he leave them too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No forsake all thine own sins and thine own righteousness that is by the Law and the great Creator will honour thee with his own presence we will come and dwell with him Joh. 14.23 He 'l take up his Tabernacle with thee yea the great King of the world will keep his Court in thee Thou shalt be an habitation of God in the Spirit He is thy Father then surely hee 'l afford thee a childs portion yea he that made all things made all for the obedient man Prov. 16.4 So the Chaldee Paraphr Son saith the good Father all that I have is thine yea all that he is is thine The Lord himself is the portion of his people I shall Conclude all with Exhortation That since God made the worlds by his Son we would remember our Creatour The wise Man Eccles puts us in mind of a debt a great debt an old debt so old that we have forgotten it All the Creatures in all the worlds were made for Man and Man for God every Creature hath a being and one more excellent than another Man more excellent than all for whom they were all Created yet now no Creature under man knows its own being or the excellency of their being or of whom it received that being or that excellency of it except only man and therefore since there ariseth a natural obligation and tye of the receiver to the giver Man only is bound to
shall be put under the Sons feet and subdued unto him and the Son himself become subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be All in All 1 Cor. 15.28 This is called the day of eternity 2 Pet. 3. ult To him be Glory both now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for ever word for word for the day of eternity or as it is in the Syriack for the everlasting dayes◠Of this 2 Pet. 3.11 And this judgement shall proceed from the Godly world For Answer then to this Querie what introduction and bringing in of the first begotten into the world is here meant It 's plain that the second is here principally to be understood Then the Father shall again bring his first begotten into the world and say Let all the Angels of God worship him That the second is here to be understood appears from hence 1. Because howsoever the Angels of God worshipped him at his first introduction into the world yet it is not said that all the Angels of God worshipped him onely one Angel was the Minister of Annuntiation unto the blessed Virgin Mary though he a principal Angel and one of the seven 'T is true a multitude of the Heavenly Host congratulated his entrance into the world Luk. 2. but we read not that all the Angels did so In the Wilderness when our Lord fasted forty dayes and forty nights we read that the Angels ministred unto him but not all the Angels In the Garden while he was in an agony an Angel of God appeared unto him from heaven strengthning him Luk. 22.43 but not all the Angels and that but few were so employed in the time of our Lords passion c. not then twelve Legions of Angels After his Resurrection at his Ascension we read of few appearing never of all Now beloved we have heard all this and see as it were from an high Promontory the Kingdom of God can we think by our sight and contemplation to enter into it surely no more than a man by sitting in his study and looking in a Map can travel over the world No no it is Faith in the first begotten and all the Virtues following that promote an entrance into those Kingdoms 2 Pet. 1.1 11. A notable proof of this Isa 11 1-10 where having described that glorious time vers 11. It shall come pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people c. Hab. 3.2 Revive thy work in the midst of the years after the first introduction by Creation and before the last The Reason why when he brings his first begotten the second time into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him will appear from the consideration 1. Of God the Son that is to be worshipped 2. Of the Angels of God who are to worship him 1. Gods Justice and the manifestation thereof for whereas the first begotten Son of God hath suffered such contradiction of sinners against himself the Son is brought in with punishing of ungodly ones it is just for the Judge of all the world to manifest the Glory of his Son Hos 2.18 At that day I will make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field vers 20. and thou shalt know the Lord there was much knowledge of Gods Justice manifest and Psal 58.6 Laetabitur justus cum viderit vindictam and a man shall say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth 2. In regard of the Angels they ought to worship the first begotten as for other Reasons before named in the second point so especially in the renewing of the world in the thousand years that they may acknowledge their shame of the Fall of Lucifer which stands upon record for a warning to all the Angels and therefore the Seraphims have six wings with two they cover their faces and with two they cover their feet for whereas there is boldness where there is no sin they were naked and were not ashamed Gen. there is shame where sin is committed and therefore sin and shame came into the world together Gen. Surely no Reason there is of shame in regard of any sin of their own but for shame of Lucifers Fall they cover themselves before the face of God that they may find Grace in his eyes Learn we from hence to acknowledge the Majesty of the first begotten Son of God that he is worshipped as God himself No Angel accepts of worship See thou do it not Apoc. ult Now Beloved doth the Father bring his first begotten only into the outward world or into the inward rather The wise man tells us that God hath set the world in the mans heart Eccles 3.11 yea more than one world as I shewed not long since And shall we think that the Father will bring his Son into the outward world and not into the inward Did he make the world to be empty think we but empty it must be unless he fill it who is the fulness of him who filleth all in all surely he made it to be inhabited Isai 45.18 He created it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a Chaos empty and void for the Devil to come and dwell in No he made it to be inhabited What the Father doth in respect of the greater world and the whole Church he doth in regard of the lesser world and every part of the Church eadem est ratio totius partis He brings in his first begotten into the outward world and he brings him into thy heart Intus usque ad corda hominum ducit eum saith Anselm and in orbem terrae in reparationem humani generis ubique existentis He hath his first time when the Father brings him into our world his time of weakness when we are weak with him He hath also his second time his time of power when we shall be enabled by him 2 Cor. 13.4 To this purpose are the parables of the Ten Virgins and the Talents Repreh This reproves the boldness of Enosh of weak miserable man who dare sin against so great a Majesty which even the greatest Angels adore and fear Dare any of you having a matter be judged under the unjust 1 Cor. 6.1 Repreh Those who neglect the First-born at his first coming into the world we blame the Jews for their ill use of him in his first introduction into the world as if we were not in the same condemnation it 's spoken not only in regard of them but even of all men Isa 53. We see him at his first coming weak c. It 's an heavy complaint They have despised me and my Father We are ashamed of him in this crooked and perverse generation c. Mark 8.38 Cato intravit floralia ut exiret Can we think that he the Lord will enter and dwell in an unclean heart that departs from the Living God See the perverse
not so for we never read that he was sick or that he laughed because these are not common to all men for some are of so happy a constitution of body and mind and healthful that they are never sick nor is that so generally true that the Philosophers should define a man by it unless it be meant of the power to laugh because some are reported very seldom or never to have laughed and were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But a more special reason there was why our Lord Jesus never laughed Among the manifold ends of his incarnation this was one and a principal one he came to be an example unto us of mortification and therefore though the Scripture propound him to us to be followed as our pattern in Love John 15. Eph. 5. in humility and meekness Matth. 11.28 John 15. S. Peter singles out mortification as that wherein he is principally to be imitated 1 Pet. 2 21. Hence we understand that though Christ according to his Divine nature be the power of God and wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 yet as he takes part of flesh and blood he partakes also of the infirmities and frailties of flesh and blood as to us a child is born Esay 9. So as a child he is said to be weak 2 Cor. 13.4 We are weak with him and he is said not to know some things as a man Object But some will say what need any one labour to prove that Christ was incarnate or made man this Article of Faith is so well known that it needs neither proof nor explication No although it were well known and to all yet the declaration of it were not needless for things well known are commanded yet to be declared as the Passover Exod. 12.26 27. Christs death 1 Cor. 11. Shew forth the Lords death until he come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what if we say that Christ's incarnation is not yet well known Then surely it will be needful to explain it and declare it Now certain it is that Christ's incarnation is not well known to all for mysteries great mysteries are properly of things hidden See Notes on Matth. 13.11 Do ye not read of a Mystery of God and of Christ Col. 2.2 which Paul very highly esteemed of Eph. 3.4 Now Christs incarnation is a mystery and therefore not so well known as men commonly conceive 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godliness God made manifest in the flesh c Beloved all which is commonly known and spoken of Christs incarnation as his manifestation in the flesh amounts not to a mystery but is so easie that a child of eight or nine years old may understand it and if they who call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel teach the Doctrine of Christs incarnation no otherwise I know not how they will approve themselves such as they would be accounted 1 Cor. 4.1 It is a Mystery of Godliness Christ made manifest in the flesh Christs taking part of our flesh and blood I say of our flesh and blood for whereas a main benefit is here intended to the children of God if he took flesh only in his humane person what would that profit the children what benefit to you and me ye remember John 15.45 Abide in me and I in you and he that abideth in me and I in him c. There is a mutual communication and participation between Christ and those that are Christs and therefore when he takes part of flesh and blood with us and becomes man he mans us with himself inwardly and outwardly 1. Inwardly and that passively with a soft meek suffering spirit 2. Actively imparting to us an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 Zach. 12.10 This is no other than that like mind of suffering wherewith the Apostle exhorts us to arm our selves for the spiritual battel 1 Pet. 4.1 He suffers of us and in us for our sins cause with us and bears all the weakness and injuries of flesh and blood in not resisting sin yet in conspiring with it Gal. 3.1 2 3. James 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just one i. e. the Lord Jesus Christ Rev. 13.8 The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Esay 53.5 He was wounded of our transgressions and bruised of our sins and iniquities He suffers with us hath a sympathy and fellow-feeling with us when we suffer sorrows for our sins or failings and the remaining of our enemies In all your afflictions he was afflicted Psalm 80.15 also when we mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Esay 63.9 Revel 3.20 2. He mans us also actively when he works in us what is pleasing in his sight when he speaks in us 2 Cor. 13.3 prays in us Rom. 8.15 We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father praiseth in us the Father Heb. 2.12 I will sing praise to thee in the midst of the Church He takes part also of our flesh and blood outwardly when by his spiritual incarnation in us we become his Temple 1 Cor. 3.17 and 6.19 a portable Temple Verse 20. When we become members of his body Verse 15. yea of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.20 yea so far his as not our own 1 Cor. 6.20 yea so far as to maintain life of his flesh and blood He gives his own flesh and blood from Heaven John 6.53 Which truly may justly blame very many of us I fear who though the Lord Jesus bring his flesh and blood and offer us participation of it yet we yield to him as little of our flesh and blood as may be Thy Brother thine own flesh and blood hath offended thee now what saith the Spirit of Jesus Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. He that is not ashamed to call thee Brother he inwardly speaks unto thee to shew compassion towards thy Brother he tells thee vengeance is not thine but his But dost thou reply flesh and blood cannot endure such an affront such an injury Nor shall flesh and blood enter the Kingdom of God Many are content that Christ should take part of their flesh ond blood so far as to take away their sins or rather to cover their sinful flesh and blood with his holy flesh and blood but remember that though men bless themselves c. Esay 32.1 There is a woe denounced to the covering that is not of his spirit Esay 30.1 Exhort Let us yield our flesh and blood unto the Lord Jesus let him take part of us what is it unto us if he take part of all other if not of us receive him If he have taken part of our flesh and blood then is he in us and if Christ be in us the body is dead because of sin the spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 Christ if so in us is not idle in us but works in us the spiritual Circumcision Col. 2.11 So that wheresoever and in whomsoever
outward good for them they therefore assure themselves that for that reason they are in his favour so this people of Israel thought for the same reason Amos 9.7 8. The Apostle brings it more home 1 Cor. 10 1-12 Yea our Lord Jesus himself who is the Rest gives us fair warning of this Luk. 13.23 Reason 1. From hence appears in that the disobedience of unbelieving men excludes them according to our Apostles assertion vers ult of this Chapter No unclean thing shall enter into the Holy City 2. Gods Oath excludes them upon the ground vers 18. To whom sware he that they should not enter into his Rest but to those who obey him not 3. The ground of both these is that dissenting and opposite nature of disobedient men unto God and Christ What communion hath Christ with Belial c. 2. Vnbelieving and disobedient men shall not enter into Gods Rest 1. We have heard what the Rest is 2. what it is to enter into Gods Rest This will not be hard to understand according to the letter and history which ye read Numb 14 28-35 As therefore the holy Land and holy City figured the Rest of God so the entring thereinto prefigured the entring into Gods spiritual and heavenly Rest Thy Land O Emmanuel Isai 8. Thy holy Land or land of holiness Josh 5.15 Entring into Gods Tabernacle and his Sanctuary and his holy Hill mean the same thing 2. Disobedient men shall not enter into Gods Rest What literally we understand by entring into a place that spiritually we mean by entring coming into or enjoying a blessed state and as by the Holy Land was meant Holiness and Righteousness so by entring thereinto we may understand the enjoying of it partaking of Gods holiness Hebr. 12. Thus the unbelieving and disobedient shall not enter into Gods Righteousness Psal 69.27 Let them not come into thy Righteousness i. e. thy Christ who is Righteousness 1 Cor. 1. thy Peace they shall not enter into peace Isai 7.2 Christ is the peace Ephes 2. They shall not enter into joy which is Christ by all which is meant the kingdom of God Rom. 14. into which the unbelievers and disobedient men shall never enter nor inherit it 1 Cor. 6. Gal. 5. Repreh 1. Who sit down and take up their rest in the way toward it before they come to God's Rest they have some sight of the rest and see it afar off and having some worldly happiness they content themselves with that as if it were the rest it self forgetting that they ought to press forward toward the land of Rest these were figured by the two Tribes and half the Reubenites who see the Son even the Rest afar off but Joh. 6.36 they see and believe not that 's Reuben Video meliora proboque Dexteriora sequor And the Gadites deceived by an happiness of this present world Numb 32. Store of Cattle and a fat Land that 's good and the half Tribe of Manasse that hath forgotten the delights and pleasures in open sin but remembers not that they ought to purge their sins and proceed toward the land of holiness and be fruitful in good works with their Brother Ephraim that 's half the Tribe of Manasse thus they sit down and rest themselves on this side Jordan and pass not over unto God's Rest Unto these saith Moses Deut. 12.9 Ye are not yet come to the rest to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you which is an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1. Repreh 2. Who miss the way after long travelling and quarrel with others about it Repreh 3. Others are more to be reproved who sit down and that out of the way of God's rest and take up their rest in their sins as covetousness rapine and violence and yet cover all with a pretence of religion and a form of godliness the Prophet Micah chap. 2. denounceth a woe to such vers 1. and vers 10. Arise saith he depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted Unto such as these the Lord swears that they shall not enter into his rest 3. The Lord swears that the unbelieving and disobedient men shall not enter An oath is an asseveration by calling to witness a greater than our selves But whereas God hath no greater than himself he swears by himself Now an oath is either 1. Assertorium Or 2. Promissorium Or 3. Minatorium The last is here understood whereby the Lord debarrs all unbelieving and disobedient men from his eternal rest This speech is here a defective speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they shall enter into my rest where something must be understood as Nè sim Deus or the like where this conditional If is resolved into a Negative as Esay 22.14 If this iniquity be forgiven them till they die i. e. It shall never be forgiven them Ratio That wicked men might despair of obtaining God's rest in the Devil's way contra Hebr. 6.18 Observ 1. Hence observe that it is lawful to swear otherwise God himself would not but it seems it is unlawful for a Christian man to swear See Notes on Esay 65.16 Observ 2. It is as impossible for impenitent unbelieving and disobedient men to enter into God's rest as it is certain the penitent faithful and obedient shall enter therein Why God hath confirmed both by an oath whereby it is impossible for God to lye Observ 3. This discovers the notorious extreme carnal security of wicked men who would pretend faith and hope in God and will for a need protest and swear as they hope to enter into eternal rest yet live in known sins disobedience to the known commands of God which excludes out of God's rest yea believe not that the enemies which interpose and hinder the entrance into rest can be possibly overcome no not by the power of God such were those very persons to whom the Lord sware in the Text. How can such as these hope ever to enter into God's rest since they are unbelieving and disobedient and such as these the Lord hath sworn They shall not enter into his rest Observ 4. God swearing useth a manner of speech abrupt and imperfect which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an antecedent without a consequent If they enter into my rest what remains is understood the Lord forbears imprecations Hereby we may learn by God's example to forbear curses and imprecations which we ought always rather by an Euphemismus to suppress or to use some circumlocution than plainly to pronounce Thus much every Heathen may teach us Quos ego sed motos praestat componere fluctus How much more David Psal 132.3 If I come into the Tabernacle of my house c. How much more God himself in the Text. Exhort Let us strive to enter into this rest thousands have lost the rest for want of their utmost endeavour of entring thereinto Luke 13. for want of continuance in well doing consider with sadness the defect of many in
all means for the obtaining of it The Lion when he walks puts not forth his Talons but when he pursues Peace is coupled with Holiness If we follow peace we 'll endeavour to remove that which hinders it the Physician purgeth the body of ill humours the Chirurgeon cuts off a member which hinders the peace of the body and so must we do if we will follow peace we must purge the ill humours out all our ill affections from among us Is' t not an ill humour that divides between the head and the body Is' t not an ill member that endangers the health and safety of the body These humours must be purged out these rotten these corrupt members must be cut off Would God they were even cut off which trouble you saith the Apostle Gal. 5.12 Yet though even these were cut off yet might there be a malignant party at home with us Yes that 's true you 'll say what if I should say in thine own house Nay they are nearer they are in thine own bosom there there 's the malignant party Thence come the wars Jam. 4. We accuse one another but every one of us contributes fuel to this common fire 2 Sam. 20. When all Israel was quiet and at peace it is said of Absalom that Sheba the Son of Bichri made a quarrel between the King and his people and was in danger of doing more harm than Absalom wherefore David sends Abishai to pursue after him and all the people pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri And even thus the case stands with us if all delinquents like Absolom had suffered then all would be well The true David tells us that Sheba and his followers will do more harm than Absolom Sheba and his followers are fulness of bread and abundance of idleness the sins of Sodom Fulness of the spiritual bread and abundance of idleness we neglect the obedience to the word we know and he is the son of Bichri i. e. the first born the earthly man that which is natural is first and our lusts are such which make the war in our members This Sheba betakes himself to a fenced City we have all our strong reasoning to defend our lusts withal these cause a mutiny in us cause division such serve not God but their own bellies Means Somewhat to be removed that hinders peace to take away the rubs and offences out of the way of peace whereof the chief is self-love self-seeking self-pleasing that whereby a man seeks his own profit pleasure honour c. as if born only for himself without respect either to God or Man whereby a man makes himself his own idol his own end his own God his own all in all And therefore he followeth only what may serve his end And howsoever he may pretend the worship of God yet it must be in order to his own advantage as when he makes money his god or his own voluptuousness as when he makes his belly his god Phil. 3.15 or his own pride as when he makes his own conceived excellency his god Thus the Prince of Tyrus his heart was lifted up and he said I am a God and sit in the seat of God and set his heart as the heart of God Ezech. 28.2 Such a self-lover regards not anothers peace or ease or welfare but only his own This self-love the Apostle sets first in order in the black-bill of all those troublers of the peace in these last dangerous times 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3. as being the Root the Fountain the summary of all the rest Now the rubs which a self-lover casts in the way of peace are either 1. Out of his knowledge Or 2. Out of his affections 1. Out of his knowledge as opinions which now a long time have disturbed the peace of the Church The Apostle was troubled with such self-lovers in his time as such who preferred their knowledge touching the use of indifferent things before the Salvation of their weak brethren and the peace of the Church with such he deals Rom. 14 13-19 and 15.1 2 3. Such are they in our days who will not lay down a Ceremony which they themselves say is indifferent though by the use of it they disturbe the peace of the whole Church Such are those pretenders to knowledge of every Sect some who according to our Saviours prediction Matth. 24. Cry Lo here is Christs others nay but lo there is Christ And why here and not there here they sit there they stand there they kneel c. A Nut was broken the Kernel in the midst they run after their own opinions not worth a nutshel and neglect the precious peace with God and Men. To such as these I commend the Apostles counsel 1 Thess 4.11 before is a precept to Holiness and that they studdy to be quiet and do their own business Such turbulent spirits if they knew themselves well will find work enough to do at home 2. The second kind of rubs cast in the way of peace are in respect of turbulent affections And the general means to remove these is the Christian patience This is so general a means that by it We hold possession of our selves Matth. 24. And this is of as large extent as peace for as we must follow peace with all men so we must be patient towards all men 1 Thess 5.14 Hereunto are we called 1 Pet. 2.20 21. So that patience as concerning peace with all men is seen in bearing one anothers burdens Gal. the burden of their weak judgements for what if another be erroneously perswaded in his own mind Alas poor man he would fain be loosed from his bonds Should I add affliction to his bonds as the Apostle complains some did to him Phil. Who will chide or be offended with a man in prison He would be glad to be at liberty as well as thou art who would quarrel with a blind man that should say it were dark when the Sun shines But he is not weak but wilful Alas he is the more to be pitied who would contend or strive with a mad man he should be as mad as he The Apostles advise in this case 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6. Flee youthful lusts and follow after righteousness faith charity c. A second burden is the burden of injuries If thy brother sin against thee seven times nay seventy times seven times Yer so far must we be from retaliation that we must turn the other cheek To him that takes away thy cloak give thy coat also These are hard precepts to flesh and blood but flesh and blood must not enter the Kingdom of heaven they are easie to patient and peaceable men as the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 6.7 Why do ye not rather suffer wrong These are the malignant party As patience disposeth us to bear the burdens of others their weak judgements and injuries So 2. Not to require our own right charity bears all things saith the Apostle and is not easily provoked
to many blind guides that they had not a true sight of God which they undertook to shew unto others he must perhaps fare no better than Michaiah did when he told Ahab That the Lord had put a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets 1 King 22.24 A false light makes men extreme bold Men in this case are like to those who are in a mist they see the Air all light about them as they think and see darkness only about other men none about themselves But the true Light makes men bold too you 'l say and how shall we then discern them They are discernable many ways I 'l name no other than those which are perhaps to our purpose 1. If it be a true sight of God it proceeds from a loving and peaceable spirit St. John exhorting us to try the spirits 1 Joh. 4.7 8. Every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love And therefore Paul while he was in the darkness he was contentious and a persecutor But when he saw the true light from heaven and that just One he was ever afterwards loving and peaceable that contention between him and Barnabas it was not lis but jurgium it brake no charity between them The Prophets of Baal Hananiah and Shemaiah were contentious Michaiah and Jeremiah were not contentious but loving and peaceable men 2. If it be a true sight of God it proceeds from an holy life for the life is the light of men Joh. 1.4 and 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine Prov. 11.5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way So much for peace and holiness so much for light and sight of God So I have done with these words as considered absolutely in themselves I come now very briefly to speak of them as they are a motive to the exhortation in the Text and so I shall conclude the Text. Exhort To follow peace and holiness because without it no man shall see the Lord. This is the peace which all the holy ones of God pursue and follow after a peace with holiness a peace with truth a peace with righteousness and judgement for the pursuit of such a peace the most holy God and God of peace hath given us a long outward and worldly peace longer than ever he gave his ancient people the Jews which we have abused to security and ease in the flesh to the prosecuting our pleasure and sensuality Hence it is that Righteousness and Holiness are fled from us and Holiness being fled and gone from us Peace which loves and desires to be an inseparable companion of Holiness would not stay behind her So they are both fled from us and therefore let us let us I beseech ye eagerly pursue after them if we can recover Holiness Peace will follow her the God of Peace will give her to us for he speaks peace to his Saints Psal 85.8 Then his Salvation will come nearer to them that fear him that glory may dwell in our Land Then mercy and truth shall kiss each other We are or may be easily perswaded to seek such a Peace The Saints of God have been disturbed and molested even for righteousness sake a long time it was much safer to have lived loosely than holily their very shepherds were Wolves Act. 20. Ezech. 34. Means Let us wage the Lords war against his enemies in us unholy thoughts inclinations motions c. And then the holy God will be our strength First let us wage the Lord's war and then we shall have his peace first make use of the sword which he came to send upon the earth Matth. 10.34 and then he will give the peace which he left upon the earth Joh. 14.27 For he came not to send peace with sin but the sword of the Spirit to cut down sin with it we may destroy the Cananites which remain in us otherwise they will be pricks in our eyes and thorns in our sides Numb 33.55 such a man shall have no rest 'T was in vain for Gorgias to perswade all Greece to peace when he himself his wife and his maid could not agree together at home When peace is made with our consciences then make peace abroad Holiness is that which principally makes for peace The holy way wherein no unclean thing can pass which is also the way of peace Luk. 7.79 which the wicked know not Rom. 3.17 2. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem as St. Paul for the Romans Rom. 15.5 6. Now the God of peace himself give ye peace always by all means 2 Thess 3.16 whatever things are pure c. and the God of peace c. Confer Margin Arise this is not your Rest The sight of the Lord being the happiness it self which all men naturally desire if men were throughly perswaded that Holiness is so necessary a means that without it they could not attain it they would presently go about the pursuit of it Had any one of us a business beyond the Seas of such importance and speed that it concerned our life since there is no passage but by Ship a Ship being the only necessary means we would presently take Ship and away with the first wind Or had any one of us his hand or foot gangren'd so that unless it were cut off presently the whole body and so our life were in imminent danger I suppose we could presently cut it off why there is no other remedy our life is concerned and this is the only means to preserve life Who is there but desires to be blessed to enjoy the presence of God the beatifical vision In his presence there is life Psal The desire of happiness is natural and so common to all men yet may this happiness be attained unto upon easier terms for the essential word is not so far off from thee that thou needest to go beyond the Seas for it Deut. 30.13 for the Lord who is the essential word of life Is in thy mouth and in thine heart Rom. 10.8 only thou seest not for want of a most holy faith Jude It is thy sin that separates between thee and him Remove that veil and thou shalt see the Lord holiness is the separation from sin so that without it thou canst not see him O wert thou but throughly convinced of this and thine own mortality thou wouldst presently go about it thou wouldst presently cut off thine offensive hand of evil doing thine offensive foot of pride as the Psalmist calls it Psal thou wouldst presently pluck out thine offensive eye of sinister and false intention why It concerns thy life thy inward life otherwise Thou shalt not enter into life Matth. 5.29 30. and 2 Pet. 1.11 so and not otherwise but by the Graces vers 5 6 7. An entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and he that lacks these things is
washed my feet how can I foul them again Cant. Means Consider the filthiness of that from which thou art to be cleansed and sanctified See Notes on Psal 26. One means which I may call a Catholicon by reason of the universal operation it hath in the Soul it 's the Holy Word of God not only that which sounds in our ears nor only that which runs into our eyes this is but a dead letter being alone but as it is quickned and enlivened by the holy the purging Spirit not but that hearing and reading are necessary means hereunto of this Living Word our Lord speaks Joh. 15.3 Now ye are clean or holy through the Word that I have spoken unto you Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth O Beloved it might justly be expected if Holiness be wrought by the Word that we should be the most holy people in the world not the hearers but the doers But that this Holy Word may purge and sanctifie and make us holy it must be mixed with faith Hebr. 4.2 so mixed that we become one with the Word Margin Being so mixed it applyes unto us the blood and spirit of Christ Hebr. 9.13 14. The Law maketh nothing perfect but Christ doth He purgeth like to the refiners fire and to the fullers sope Malac. 3.2 And he shall sit like a refiner and purifier of silver This cleansing and sanctifying is operative in us like the two lathers of the laundress by chastening and correcting us and happy we if we endure chastening Psal 94. To this purpose our Apostle Hebr. 12 5-10 This chastening Word is grievous and tedious to us for the present vers 11. and that grief and sorrow works fear 2 Cor. 11. As correction is to a child but by these stripes we are healed Isai 53.5 Prov. 20.30 The blewness of a wound cleanseth away evil so do stripes the inward parts of the belly By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 16.6 Thus the fear of the Lord is clean Psal 19.9 That fear drives out the evil and works holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 Verebar omnia opera mea I feared all my works saith an Holy Man Unto all these add Prayer unto the Lord that he would correct us and chasten us Follow Peace and Holiness Having spoken more largely of both these severally and a part the less remains for the joynt handling of them Wherein I shall thus proceed 1. I shall prove the union between Peace and Holiness 2. Shew the ground and reason of it 3. Answer a doubt 4. Make use of it unto our selves The Reason of this joynt prosecution of Peace and Holiness is considerable 1. In respect of these Graces in themselves And 2. In respect of God 1. In themselves considered Peace is the effect of Holiness and holiness the cause of peace Isai 32.17 The work of righteousness is peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever The wisdom that is from above is first pure or holy then peaceable and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace Jam. 3.17 This was figured by the Apostle in Melchizedeck Hebr. 7.1 2. Melchizedeck saith he was first by interpretation King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace 2. In respect of God He is the God of both holiness and peace and equally commands the prosecution of both Hence it is that Psal 85.9 God speaks peace unto his people who are they presently he adds and to his Saints and is there exegetical and explains which are his people to whom he speaks peace to those whom he makes righteous by faith he speaketh peace Rom. 5.1 Hence it is that the Apostles in their Prefaces to their Epistles premise Grace and Peace therefore as soon as Christ the true Righteousness and Holiness was born the Angels sung Glory to God in the highest peace on earth and to men good will Luk. 2.14 This was figured Josh 18.1 where it is said That the Congregation of Israel were gathered together in Shilo and set up the Tabernacle of the Congregation there Shilo signifieth Peace here there is the Tabernacle God our Righteousness dwells there Gods Saints and Holy Ones dwell there Quest Whether a follower after Holiness may or ought to follow peace with unholy and ungodly men Answ This is made a question rather by our contrary practice than out of any difficulty in the Word of God concerning it for truly Beloved I speak it from grief of heart when I consider many who follow after holiness who straiten their bowels towards their brethren that he may yea ought so to do in some sort is evident out of the express command of the Holy Ghost in the Text. But for our better understanding of this I must remember ye that as there is a twofold Love the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or brotherly Love the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or common Love 2 Pet. 1. So is there a twofold Peace arising proportionably from these 1. That Peace which ariseth from brotherly love is to be maintained with the Saints with whom they ought to live peaceably and brotherly such a loving and peaceable conversation we find described Act. 2. 2. That Peace which proceeds from common love ought to be extended unto all men though wicked though strangers though enemies even with these the Saints and Holy Ones of God must live peaceably if possibly they can and therefore they ought to use all means possible to promote even the best Peace with them these the Apostle sets down Rom. 12.14 These Precepts are very difficult unto flesh and blood but flesh and blood shall not enter into the kingdom of God yet how difficult soever they seem we find them practised both before the Law and under the Law 1. Before the Law Gen. 21. Abraham enters a Covenant with Abimelech the Philistim for three Generations vers 23 24-32 though Abimelech had injured Abraham vers 25. Observe also his peaceable conversation with the men of Heth Gen. 23. I am saith he a stranger and a sojourner with you vers 4. And he bowed himself to the people of the Land even the children of Heth vers 7. and again vers 12. Isaac followed his Fathers Example Gen. 26. and entred a Covenant of Love and Peace even with Abimelech who hated him vers 27. so did Jacob with Laban Gen. 31. And David so dealt with Saul 1 Sam. 24. when he sought his life Upon this ground depends the lawfulness of Leagues between Princes and States though of different Religions Upon this ground we maintain Peace with the Turks the Persians and Moscovites so do the French the Low Country men and Venetians which the Spaniards will by no means entertain but maintain a deadly feud with them under pretence of Infidelity but it is enough for us to say to them as our Lord did to the bloody minded Jews Joh. 8. so did not
are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art Science Wisdom Vnderstanding and Prudence All these have their Archetypon the Christ of God Thus the Divine Wisdom is said to teach the four cardinal Virtues which are famous among all Nations and recorded by the Orator and by the Wise Man Wisd This justly reproves illogical unreasonable men such as the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is come down in the likeness of man to teach them God's language and his Divine Logick and way of reasoning And the subtle Sophister the Devil unteacheth them the Divine Method of Reason and corrupts their understanding 2 Cor. 11. Thus Samuel reasons from the Lord 1 Sam. 15.2 Amalech laid wait for Israel in the way when they came up from Egypt Go therefore and smite Amalech and destroy all that they have and spare them not Thus the Lord reasons But how reasons Saul and his people They took of the spoil sheep and oxen the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God And even so the Lord reasons Amalech hath devoured and licked up therefore utterly destroy these devourings sins but many reason Let us offer sacrifice that is better than obedience Thus the Lord of the Vineyard reasoned concerning the ungrateful husband-men though they had slain his servants Yet saith he they will reverence my Son But how reason the Husband-men They said among themselves Come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance Matth. 21.37 38. Thus the Sophister hath taught the men of this generation to reason when the Lord sends his Son to require the fruits of his Vineyard even the fruits of the Spirit even the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ they thus reason these are Popery this is the heir the Lord and Heir of all things we cannot be saved by our works let us kill him by our sins crucifie him again and believe that he is dead for us and the inheritance shall be ours Repreh 2. Those who teach and reason out Divine Wisdom by man's sophistry Thus some magnifie Plautus Chrysippus saying that if Moses spake Latin he would use Plautus his phrase if he reasoned he would use the logick of Chrysippus Thus some magnifie man's language and reason not considering that the Divine Doctrine was given to us that we should be changed into it not that we should change and fashion it according to our own corrupt reasoning Rom. 6.17 Exhort Let us speak the words which the Divine Wisdom teacheth Let us reason as the Divine Wisdom reasoneth Let us be wise with the Divine Wisdom holy with Gods holiness This we shall attain unto if as new born babes we desire the sincere rational milk This milk is reasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine Wisdom is no way contrary but consonant and agreeing with true reason and the genuine Art of it which we call Logick as it is clear and evident throughout the whole Scripture Nor is there any Topick or Logical place of Argument in all that Art that the holy Scripture will not afford an example of as all Logicians will easily grant Indeed some are wont to say that nihil est tam ratione firmum quin vi rationis infirmari potest that there is nothing made so fâ—rm by reason but it may again be weakned by reason But this is not to be understood of true Logick but subtil sophistry which is the corruption of it This may raise our estimation and teach us to set an high price as on the Truth and Wisdom of God so on the means conducing thereunto The Truth and Wisdom of God is no other than the Christ of God who is the very Truth of God yea God truly Esay As for the means remotely conducing hereunto it is that common ray and beam of Divine Light which shines more or less in all men and is the foundation of true Logick and reasoning 2. We ought as new born babes to desire the sincere rational milk The word here rendered to desire is not simply so but indeed to desire with great intention and vehemency the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to desâ—re but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to desire earnestly such a natural desire as new born babes have of their Milk Observ Take notice of our degeneration and of what necessity our Regeneration is the Lord calls us back unto the condition of childhood In malice be children children are not malicious They are minimè mali they are innocent Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of heaven O what a deal of our manly work such as we have performed since we were men grown men must be unwoven and ravel'd Observ Note what the nature of desire is it 's a young one of our soul Herein our affective part differs from our apprehensive when we know or understand any thing we receive only the image of what we know But when we desire our soul is carried out unto the thing we desire NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON II PETER II. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And spared not the old world but saved Noah the eighth person a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly ALthough we have spent much time already concerning Noah his name the notations and reasons of it and the prophecy that went before of him as the Apostle speaks of Timothy 1 Tim. 1.18 together with the mystical understanding of all these Yet if we shall consider that all mankind was now destined unto destruction and unto perishing in the flood and that this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a notable emphasis this man found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This Man was just and upright in his generation This Man walked with God This Man was taken in exchange for the world Eccles This Man was he quem Dominus Deus ad reliquias secundum semen hominum reservavit ut esset Ecclesiae seminarium saith Ambrose we will consider these things and much more might be added concerning this Man I hope it will not be tedious unto you to dwell a little longer on the same Argument that so we may imprint in our minds more deeply the character of his holy conversation and according to his Example rest from our own thoughts cares affections and works and generally our vain and earthly conversation and walk with God and study to approve our selves unto God and true righteousness and holiness and be without blame in the midst of a perverse and gain-saying generation that so through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the true Noah we may find Grace in the eyes of the Lord in the time of the overflowing scourge The Spirit of God in Scripture makes use of Noah's example and the Flood to divers holy purposes 1. To figure out Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 2. To forewarn men of security
yet are upon us Besides the Lord hath lately given us manifold signs from heaven forewarning us of these very times He testifies his great mercy to us as he did also to the old world before he sent the universal deluge Observ 2. As Righteousness is the most seasonable theme for the Preacher so of all other the most fit for the eighth preacher for him and them who preach in the time and nearest to the time of the deluge the overflowing scourge Observ 3. It is the most seasonable lesson that Preacher and People can learn When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness Esay 26. Observ 4. Jesus Christ the true Noah is the eighth preacher of righteousness wherein he agrees with his type but as the truth in other things so in this also much exceeds the Type Noah and others can but preach righteousness to the ear and to the heart as the Prophets are commanded Esay 40.1 2. but they cannot incline and bow the heart or work that righteousness in man to whom they preach it But the Lord Jesus Christ the great Preacher of Righteousness is Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purifieth the heart and works his righteousness in us Esay 26. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the branch of righteousness or rather the young tender shoot sprout or twig or plant of righteousness of God the Fathers planting in us So he is called Jer. 23.5 though we turn it a branch improperly which the Chaldy Paraph. here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sucker Esay 53.2 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 11.1 Chald. Paraph. again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this groweth in us See Notes on Jer. 23.5 Jesus Christ the true Noah is the eighth Preacher of Righteousness that we may the better understand this we must know that there have been from the beginning eight manifestations of the Deity 1. To Adam whom the Lord made a kind of visible God upon earth adorning him with his image in Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness 2. A second manifestation of the Deity was to the eight preachers of Righteousness especially to Noah God requiring by them his Righteousness and coming forth then out of his place to judge the world with Righteousness 3. A third manifestation of the Deity was unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom God often appeared and made a Covenant with Abraham and confirmed it by Circumcision the seal of Righteousness by Faith 4. A fourth was unto Moses Aaron and Josuah to whom he made known his Laws his Statutes and Judgements by which he required his Righteousness of the people 5. A fifth manifestation of God was unto Samuel to David Solomon and the Prophets who testified in their several ages the Righteousness of God unto the people so that the righteousness of God was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 6. A sixth was to Zorobabel Haggy Zachary and Malachy by whom the Lord brought his people out of the confused Babel and required of them his Righteousness 7. The seventh was made unto the Lord Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh who himself is the Righteousness of God 1 Cor. 1. 8. The eighth and last manifestation of the Deity is in these last days of the Spirit which the Lord Jesus Christ promiseth Joh. 14.16 17 18. and promiseth himself to be with them to the end of the world This is the Comforter which was given in the days of Pentecost Act. 2. The inward Teacher and Preacher Joh. 16.13 Joh. 2.27 The Reason why the true Noah the Lord Jesus Christ is the eighth preacher of righteousness will appear from the consideration 1. Of the object subject or argument of his Preaching 2. The number of eight 3. The consideration of the eighth Preacher himself 1. The object subject and argument of the true Noah's preaching is Righteousness which is 1. Sometimes taken for the whole Kingdom of God it self Psal 24.5 He shall receive the blessing and righteousness And Psal 69.27 which Christ preached Luk. 4.43 and commanded Luk. 9.2 2. Sometimes it is taken for a part of it as Rom. 14.17 The effect of righteousness is peace peace is taken also 1. Sometimes for the whole Kingdom Esay 57.2 These shall enter into peace 2. Sometimes for a part of it as Rom. 14.17 which the Apostle preached in Christ's name Act. 10.3 6. 3. Joy is either taken for the whole kingdom as Matth. 25.21 23. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord Or else 2. It is taken for the third part of the Kingdom which ariseth from righteousness and peace Rom. 14.2 Macrobius out of the principles of Pythagoras and Plato tells us that octonarius is numerus plenus and that fulness propriè nisi divinis rebus supernisque non convenit such a full number is the number of eight The number of eight is numerus justitiae the number of justice and righteousness And the reason is because it consists of parts which are pariter pares and may be resolved into equal parts This number makes a solid body which they call Tessera or cubus a four-quare which is the figure of the heavenly City and Kingdom Rev. 21.16 Hence it will appear why Righteousness must dwell in the heavenly Kingdom 2 Pet. 3.13 It is adequately and properly here as locatum in proprio loco Esay 2.62 Matth. 13.43 The righteous shall shine in the kingdom of their Father and 25.46 The righteous go into eternal life and not the unrighteous 1 Cor. 6.9 But as eight is numerus justitiae the Diapason so the Kingdom with which it holds proportion makes a disdiapason the more excellent harmony when as it was in the beginning it is now and shall be for ever as Diapason makes but one and the same sound even Jesus Christ in the beginnings yesterday to day and for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.8 3. The true Noah is not only a just man but the just One. He is the righteousness He is Melchizedech Heb. 2.7 It is his work to destroy the spirit of errour the spirit of Antichrist Esay 11.4 5. The spiritual wickedness Ephes 6. 2 Thess 2.7 8. the wicked one Ezech. 28.19 This is the eighth and last beast yet of the seven Revel 17.11 The spiritual and inward Antichrist which is of the seven unclean spirits Matth. 12.45 Such was Adonizedeck to Josuah 10.3 he is in all the seven as his members and subjects over which he is the head Job 18.15 Thus Christ himself opposite unto Antichrist is he that is Jehovah Exod. 3.14 Rev. 1.8 He who is the eighth and hath the seven Rev. 3.1 of whom he is head Esay 11.2 Thus as God left not himself without witness but sent his Son in the days of his flesh to Preach Righteousness unto the Church of the Jews Luk. 19.41 42. So neither now doth he leave himself without witness in the days of his spirit but gives warning of the overflowing scourge by
so Revel 1.7 Every eye shall see him and they that pierced him when they see him their eye that looks upon him affects their heart Lament 3.51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart or my soul all kindreds of the earth wail because of him Thus St. Peter in his first Sermon Act. 2.37 evidently sets forth the sufferings of the Lord Jesus and his crucifixion whereupon the people were pricked at their heart c. our Translators very fitly put that place in the margin of Zach. 12.10 And no doubt the Lord expects a like effect from us of his outward manifestations and not that we should stand at a gaze and amuze our selves only at some things without us Observ 5. Hence we learn the tenour and subject of the Apostles preaching St. Peter's Act. 10.37 and 43. and St. Paul Act. 26.22 23. which we ought well to heed and obey their requiring of us as our duty Observ 6. Here the accomplishment of all types and figures touching our Lords passion and crucifixion as also the subtilty of Satan in bewitching us to abuse the Cross of Christ with outward Observation Observ 7. We need minding and remembring what Christ suffers of us and how we ought to suffer with him and to know how we have crucified him with our sins and that we ought to crucifie our sins with him and so to be crucified with Christ as St. Paul exhorts these Galatians by his own Example The Galatians here had this Doctrine represented unto them in the figures of the Law and in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles yet they obeyed not this Truth let us be careful lest we follow them in like disobedience Observ 8. Note hence the great goodness of God who not only hath given Christ and him crucified but also hath given means of knowing him by the ear by the eye the two disciplinary senses both which therefore God is said to have made and because Christ is the common salvation Jude vers 2. the Lord hath appointed means of all other the most common the most universally known and used by mankind as Bread and Wine Bread and that broken evidently setting forth Christ's body broken on the Cross Wine and that poured out prefiguring before our eyes the blood of Christ shed for us Thus hath Jesus Christ been set forth evidently before our eyes crucified in us and shall such outward manifestations be in vain unto us The Apostle desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ and him crucified but did the Apostle desire to know Christ crucified in himself or in them and did he not much more desire to know and experimentally to find conformity unto Christ crucified in himself and them Is it not proper to all those who are Christ's to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts And the Lord himself hath given us Example in himself of so doing He lived in this world in great sorrow poverty and shame He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs and for our sakes he became poor he exposed himself to open shame And wherefore was all this but that through his like Cross even the patience of Jesus Christ we might crucifie those who had crucified the Lord Jesus even by like sorrow and grief to mortifie the lusts of the flesh by his like poverty to crucifie covetousness the lusts of the eyes and by his like ignominy and shame we might kill and crucifie the pride of life And these are the three great enemies of Christ in the world who have put to death the Author of Life and if we crucifie these we are then crucified with him and shall be glorified with him Amen Axiom 3. The Galatians did not obey the Truth We must here search 1. what is Truth and 2. what it is to obey the Truth Surely Christ is the Truth as he himself saith I am the Truth the Way and the Life He was crucified and died for our sins that we might be crucified and dead with him unto our sins as the Apostle tells them he was Gal. 2.19 I by the Law am dead to the Law that I may live unto God I am crucified with Christ c. Thus the truth in Jesus it putting off the old man and putting on the new Ephes 4. This Truth was crucified in the Galatians and evidently set forth before their eyes yet they obeyed it not in that they were not crucified and dead with Christ So that they were not obedient unto the Truth of Christ crucified being not crucified with him nor willing to bear his Cross For reason of this I shall content my self with the reason in the Text why they were not obedient and speak of it when I handle that point the Apostle alledgeth for a reason some or other had bewitched them Observ 1. The Doctrine of Christ crucified is the Truth Now all kinds of Doctrines in Arts and Sciences hold forth some truth but what truth it is is expressed by the speciale formale of every Art and Science What is the special formal difference of this Truth the Apostle tells us Tit. 1.1 It 's a truth according to godliness Observ 2. Yet is not the Doctrine of Christ crucified the highest truth It is true the Apostle saith he desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Christ Jesus and him crucified i. e. I so behaved my self among you that I might seem to know nothing else and that that must be his meaning appears by his next words I was among you in weakness and in fear and trembling Paul took upon him that state because the Corinthians were young and weak and capable yet of no higher Doctrine and therefore he calls them children and saith he spake unto them as carnal c. 1 Cor. 3.1 and according to his practice to the weak he became weak not but that he had higher Doctrine to impart unto them For such is the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection and Life his Ascension and Session at the right hand of God his coming to Judgement c. These and such as these are higher than that of Christ crucified and therefore 1 Cor. 2. We speak wisdom saith he among those that are perfect and capable of higher and more transcendent hidden truth Observ 3. The Doctrine of Christ crucified is a Doctrine of Truth that is to be obeyed It 's not a Truth only in Theory and Speculation it 's a practical Truth a Truth that is to be obeyed This is the rather to be observed because many look at the Gospel only as a Doctrine of Indulgence Grace and Favour and hope for nothing by it but the remission of their sins Whereas indeed the Gospel requires as much obedience as the Law yea in regard of further explication of the Law it requires more because it was not generally known that the law is spiritual until our Lord and his Apostles had so declared it And therefore whereas the Pharisees were the most strict observers of the Law