it is the end which all Pure Religion tends unto to render us like unto our Heavenly Father to make us Godly that is like unto God Since therefore our Heavenly Father is perfect it behoves us also who profess our selves to be his Sons to be perfect also Obj. Here will some say our Heavenly Father is infinitely perfect shall we hope to be so Beloved in all Divine Duties I observe it we are extreme modest and would be thought to be exceeding humble and lowly conscientiously fearful lest we should be too good too just too sober yea too many would have Christ to do all for them be sober chaste just c. but fear it not the strength and power of well-doing even from a thought unto perfection it is thy Heavenly Fathers And he who commands thee this duty is the Way the Truth and the Life the Wisdom the one Law-giver who knows what we are able to do and therefore would not give us an impossible Law He is the power of God He is ready to impower thee to all what ever he commands only he requires that thou comply with him Oh but I am weak I am impotent I am a child and thou resolvest to continue so I fear Thou canst do what thou canst do do what thou canst do what ever thy hand finds do it with all thy might Milo that carried every day a young Calf as it grew in weight he grew in strength and carried it when it was grown to its full stature and thou wilt in time become such as thou oughtest to be when the Love is perfect in thee his Commandments will not be heavy to thee Repreh Of those who talk against what our Lord here and his Apostles every where exhort unto and clamour and cry out an errour an errour The Devil can make a perfect wicked man It was never accounted an errour in the Church of Christ till of late dayes when iniquity began to abound and the love of many waxed cold Then men because they resolved to live in their sins they cryed down Perfection and cryed there was an impossibility to leave their sins and the same Devil that brought that errour in as knowing he hath not a more precious Engine foments it by his Instruments for let any man examine himself and see and judge whether there be not some one gainful or delightful or honourable sin or other which inclines him to think hardly of this Doctrine and while Satan holds them in that noose by one sin he hinders them from being saved from their sins for that is the first part of perfection to be saved from sin the other to be preserved to God's Everlasting Kingdom But some will say they would be satisfied in their judgments and good reason busie thy self with inferiour Duties first Perfection is the highest Duty and reward of Duty begin with the lowest leave thy tipling-fellowship leave off thy lying thy cheating c. turn from thine iniquities and thou shalt understand God's Truth Dan. 9.13 otherwise thou shalt never understand and in that condition thou livest now in in thy sins thou shalt never be saved it 's a contradiction Exhort Be perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect if this cannot be done the fail must be either 1. in God who cannot or will not or 2. in thy self because unable to receive it This is simply the highest mark we can aim at He who shoots at the Sun will shoot higher than he who shoots at the Moon If we set him before us for the mark of our High Calling we shall attain to an higher measure of obedience than they who propound this or that man Christ commands no impossibilities Examples Phil. 4.13 2 Pet. 2. A Glorious Church without having either spot or wrinkle Have fellowship with the Father and the Son Means 1. Know our own imperfections and decline them 2. Pray Lord help our unbelief 3. Pray for the Faith of God of which I spake before that great Faith that which our Lord said the Son of Man when he comes shall not find upon the earth 4. Pray to the Lord for that Stronger One 5. Hear meditate obey the Word The whole Scripture was given for this end to make the man of God perfect c. 2 Tim. 3.16 All the Ministers of the Word were given for this end to perfect the Saints Eph. 4.11 12 13. Col. 1.28 that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Thus did Epaphras Col. 4.12 He prayed that the Colossians might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Now the God of all Grace who hath called us unto his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus our Lord after ye have suffered awhile make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever 1 Pet. 5.10 11. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW VI. 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven HAving heretofore exhorted you to the performance of that great Duty the fulfilling of Gods Commandments the end why Christ came in the flesh and comes in the spirit And having lately out of Judges 6. pointed to some Means 1. Acknowledgement of our own Inability and unworthiness 2. As also the Promise of God's powerful presence with us for the subduing of our Spiritual Enemies Because 1. The Lord requires the concurrence of our utmost endeavours for the fulfilling of his Promises unto us as Zach. 6.15 2. And expects to be prayed unto and enquired of according to Ezech. 36 37. I have therefore made choice of the Lords Prayer as a principal Means for the effecting of that Grand Duty Yet I do not intend to insist long upon it though the largeness of the Petitions might require it but only on so many Petitions as I can dispatch at this time hoping if the Lord will to finish the rest when I shall meet the same Prayer again Luke 11. Mean time I shall give a brief Analyse and resolution of the whole Our Lord Jesus teacheth his Disciples to pray 1. By removing what hinders which is here said to be a two-fold impediment 1. Hypocrisie vers 5. amplified by the contrary vers 6. 2. Prophaneness or Heathenism vers 7. with the reason of it vers 8. 2. Our Lord instructs them how to pray directly and positively vers 9 13. 1. Propounding unto them an Example of Prayer 2. Rendring a reason of one Petition in the Prayer vers 14 15. 1. He propounds a Pattern and Exemplar of Prayer 1. Formally Our Father c. 2. He commands the imitation of that Pattern and Example when ye pray say c. In the Exemplar we have 1. The Compellation 2. The Prayer it self 1. In the Compellation the personal object is described 1. By his relation to us Our Father 2. By the subject place where in
will so stand until a stronger than he cometh and therefore we pray Thy Kingdom come Obser 3. Hence we learn who it is that upon our humble Request is able and ready to give us the Kingdom Little flock it is your Heavenly Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom Exhort Let us pray for this Kingdom Motive 1. How far and wide does the Devil Rule and Reign Tydal is King of Nations the knowing Knowledge rules every where Jabin hath a very large Kingdom the subtil Serpent hath dominion over all the world Mot. 2. By the coming of this Kingdom our Heavenly Father is glorified Mot. 3. What strong opposition is made against his Kingdom Mot. 4. How prone we are to yield unto the Kingdom of darkness Mot. 5. What a number of God's Enemies yet remain as yet unsubdued in us The Canaanites as yet dwell in the Land Means These Potent Usurpers and Strong Opposers cannot be subdued but by the Mighty Power of God and his Strong Arm to our Salvation and therefore we must pray for that Stronger One who may deliver us from the Power of Darkness Col. 1. Then when the Kingdom of Darkness is subdued we shall say with the Lord Jesus Our Kingdom is not of this world Shall the Powers of Heavens rejoyce and say Rev. 11.15 16 17. The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdom of our God This Kingdom of God cannot come in Power unless he Rule intirely in us unless every Enemy be subdued in his Sanctuary And therefore it 's necessary that the Deity having taken-in the Heaven and the Earth for his habitation and dwelling if he drive out all proper and sensual Will of the flesh out of his own habitation and dwelling the heart of man that he may there Rule and have his Dominion alone That there Rule no other Will there because as Light and Darkness Christ and Belial God and Mammon cannot consist together neither can the Kingdom of Darkness and Kingdom of Light stand together therefore we pray Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Where we must inquire what 's meant 1. By Gods Will. 2. By doing of it 3. What is the manner and measure of it 1. The Will of the Lord here understood is either 1. That which they call voluntas signi that which the Lord would that we should do or leave undone or 2. That which is called voluntas bene-placiti that which God according to his Fore-knowledge and Providence hath determined to be done 1. The summ of what the Lord Wills we should do or leave undone or submit unto is contained in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments whereby the Lord is pleased to measure out his Will unto us which because we have not power of our own we pray may be done inwardly and outwardly in us and by us according as the Law is Spiritual and Literal and that we may wholly submit unto his disposing whatsoever his Will is that it may rest contented that it be done upon us As if the Will of the Lord be that we be sick or poor or in disgrace if he take from us Parents Husband Wife Children Kinsmen Friends if he will that we live or die we also ought to will the same to aquiesce and rest in his most Holy Will remembring what Job said in so great a change The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be his Name Job 1. 2. As for the Will of the Lord called voluntas signi whereby he requires and wills that we do and leave undone This Will of the Lord is either Principal or Less Principal which yet is in order to his Principal Will 1. The Principal Will of God is his Law and Commandment which we call Moral 2. He hath his less Principal Will which is of things serviceable unto man signifying unto him and requiring something of him to be done in order to the Principal Will for so the Lord himself distinguisheth his Commandments into Less and Greater Mat. 5. and 23.23 such are Sacrifice and Mercy 2. The Will of the Lord is done as well by Passion as by Action See Notes on Jam. 1.22 3. That we may know what it is to do the Lord's Will on Earth as it is done in Heaven we must first understand who they are by whom the Lord's Will is done in Heaven who are they but the Holy Angels Psal 103.20 21. Hence it comes to pass that the Word of the Lord is for ever setled in Heaven Psal 119.89 90 91. Dan. 4.35 Now we are taught to pray That as the Lords Will is done in Heaven so it may be done on Earth and therefore our Prayer is that we also may do his Commandments and hearken to the voice of his Word and do his pleasure Obser 1. Hence it will follow that the Lord requires even an Angelical Obedience of us we ought to believe and hope for such a degree of obedience possible to be performed in us by us and upon us for 1 John 5.14 This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us Obser 2. What we have no strength in our selves for the effecting of such obedience we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Obser 3. That we are taught by him who is summa veritas the Truth it self the Amen the Faithful Witness so to pray That God's Will may be done upon Earth as it is done in Heaven Obser 4. The Will of the Lord is to be done not some part of it See Notes on Jam. 1.22 But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls Obser 5. Christian Religion is Practical See Notes ubi supra Obser 6. This Prayer pronounced according to the Letter with the mans mouth and lips hath its vertue efficacy and confirmation in the spirit according to the Divine Nature for words conceived only in an earthly mind and uttered out of the memory by the mans voice which make a noise in the ears of flesh and blood are not nor can be accounted for a Prayer before our Father which is in Heaven Obser 7. Here is Sanctificetur let his Name be sanctified Adveniat let his Kingdom come Fiat voluntas let his Will be done Not sanctifica sanctifie thou nor sanctificemus let us sanctifie lest this should be the work of God or of man only for as man can do no good without the help of God so neither doth God work any good thing in man unless the man will Chrysost Obser 8. Take notice of a great absurdity and that too commonly committed and that in our Prayers to God we pray and are here taught to pray That God's will may be done on Earth and that so as it is done in Heaven yet hold Opinion that it cannot be so done in Earth as it is done in Heaven Is it not evident that the
great King his presence his inhabiting and dwelling and keeping his Court with us which the Hebrews understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Shechinah As when our Saviour tells his Disciples The Kingdom of Heaven is within you Vid. Georg. Venet pag. 222. probl 123. But we seem here to be mistaken for we describe the Kingdom of God whereas the Text mentions the Kingdom of Heaven for answer to this doubt we may know that Heaven is not only that Material and Visible Body well known by that name but also the Maker Preserver and Governour of Heaven and Earth God himself in Scripture is called by the name of Heaven such is the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Heavens and God for instead of the most High Ruling Dan. 4. in the next words the Prophet varying the phrase we have the Heavens Ruling vers 26. Luk. 15.18 The Prodigal speaks to his Father saying I have sinned against Heaven and against Thee Against Heaven i. e. against God and against thee a speech which some use very unfitly in their confessions unto God not heeding the decorum and drift of the Parable for as they use it it 's all one as if one should say I have sinned against thee and against thee Thus Luk. 20.5 Our Saviour askes the High Priests and the Scribes this question The baptism of John was it from Heaven or of men from Heaven i. e. from God The meaning is not the outward and material Heaven for he opposeth not Heaven and Earth together but Heaven and Men. This was known very well to the Ancient Jews who reckoned as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the names of God from them is this speech Sit reverentia preceptoris tui reverentia Coeli i. e. Dei And the Heathens knew this well enough Coelo gratissimus amnis But how doth it appear that Heaven is here so to be understood the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are taken in Scripture promiscuously one for the other Mat. 11.11 He whom St. Matthew calls the least in the Kingdom of Heaven St. Luk. 7.28 calls the least in the Kingdom of God And that which is in the Text the Kingdom of Heaven in the parallel Evangelists who report the same speech of our Saviour is the Kingdom of God Mar. 4.11 Luk. 8.12 2. Now that God that Christ hath a Kingdom appears both 1. By Testimony of Scripture this is that King that Reigns in Righteousness Esay 32.1 1 Chron. 16.31 Let them say among the Nations the Lord reigneth for the Kingdom is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Psal 22.28 Thou art the King of Israel saith Nathaniel Joh. 1.49 the true Melchizedeck King of Righteousness and King of Peace Heb. 7. Apoc. 19.6 The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and it is a part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lords Prayer Thine is the Kingdom 3. Christ is a King far different from all others in respect 1. Of his Person what endowments are required to make a King unparallel'd as Wisdom Power Mercy Strength Riches Content they are in him essentially 2. In regard of his Dominion the extent of it in respect of his Subjects He is an Universal Monarch King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Title of King Catholick is properly his He hath a name written on his garment and on his thigh King of Nations King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 7. 2. In respect of Duration His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion from Generation to Generation Dan. 4.3 3. In regard of intenseness no other power except only his reacheth beyond the Body and therefore after the death of the body there is no more that they can do Luk. 12.4 indeed malice may take up the body and burn it But the power of this King reacheth after he hath killed he can cast into Hell 4. Wherein his Kingdom consists There are three virtual parts of the Soul according to the Philosopher the Rational Irascible and Concupiscible seeing therefore Christ and his Kingdom is within us his Kingdom must consist in the Government of these three and accordingly he hath three Imperial Cities 1. The Rational part of the Soul and that 's governed by Righteousness which consists in declining from evil and doing good 2. The second is Peace founded upon Righteousness wherewithal Revenge and all actions of the irascible Soul are governed 3. The third is Joy grounded upon both whereby the Concupiscible is rule and satisfied Righteousnes rules the Rational Peace the Irascible Joy the Concupisible so St. Paul hath them altogether Rom. 14. 5. And reason there is why we should so judge for since all visible and outward and temporal things are representations of invisible inward and eternal things there could be no outward visible and Temporal Kingdom unless there were an inward invisible and eternal Kingdom of God Besides since by Wisdom which is God himself Kings reign and Princes decree Justice Prov. 8.15 Surely much more must God himself Reign who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the Prince of all the Kings of the Earth If we desire demonstrative proof of Gods Kingdom he hath omni Jure by all manner of Right Jure Naturali by Natural Right he made the world Heaven and Earth and Sea and all the Creatures in them and therefore ipso facto even in that respect that they are his Creatures he ought to reign over them This is a ground of his Universal Dominion over his Creatures and as good ground there is for his special Kingdom over and in the Saints Esay 43.7 It is written of Christ I have created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him God promised him a Kingdom Esay 32.1 and gave him all power in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion But of this ground as also Jus Hereditarium the Right of Inheritance I have spoken enough upon Heb. 1. That Christ is the Heir and Lord of all things because by him God made the worlds He hath a right also of Redemption acknowledged both 1. Temporal as 1 Sam. 12.10 The people of Israel cryed unto the Lord Deliver us out of the hands of our enemies and we will serve the◠And 2. Spiritual Luk. 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life Thus the blood or spirit of Christ purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Heb. 9.14 Beside all these grounds God hath yet a right unto his Kingdom over us and in us Jus Electivum a Right of Election We have chosen him to be our God as Joshuah propounded the business to the Israelites Josh 24.15 If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve vers 21.
right hand without drinking of Christ's Cup without conformity unto his death whereas the true Predestination is to be made conformable to the Image of the Son of God Rom. 8.29 2. Observe hence the unavoidable necessity which lies upon all the Disciples of Christ which would be saved by him and sit at his right hand and his left in his Kingdom that they drink of his Cup. The Lord Jesus is the Author of Eternal Salvation but to those that obey him Heb. 5.9 And he is able to save to the uttermost but those who are able to drink of his Cup and be baptized with his baptism to those who come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 And there is no other name by which we can be saved Act. 4.12 Nor is there any other way but that living way Heb. 10.20 All Power and Authority in Heaven and Earth is given to him yet hath he no Authority no Power to give the Honours and Dignities of his Kingdom to any other than those who drink of his Cup and are baptized with his baptism The necessity of drinking this Cup Nonne haec oportuit Christum pati atque ità intrare in regnum suum Would God they who are too often in other Cups would seriously and sadly think of this Poculum Salutare this Cup of Salvation that they who strive for an outward baptism would as much or more endeavour after this Alas do they not know that whilst we are sinners Christ dies Rom. 5. Do we not know that the wisdom of God is crucified by our foolishness our errours our lies that the life of God is slain by our deadly sin That the Patience Goodness Mercy Love of God c. all which is Christs suffers from our iniquities Esay 53.4 5. So Arius Montanus and Tremellius Repreh Those who refuse to taste of Christs Cup to be conformable unto his death in dying to sin such as refuse to be baptized into his death This no doubt is the reason even because we refuse to suffer the death of the sin and drink of the Cup of Christs sufferings that the Lord hath given and is yet giving to all Nations the Cup of his fury to drink Thus ye read Jer. 25.15 where the Lord threatens his Judgments unto his own People and all the Nations round about for their disobedience unto the Law and Prophets That they turned not from their evil wayes and the evil of their doings which he signifieth under the metaphor of a Cup vers 15. This disobedience hath brought the Sword among us this continues it yet with us This Judgment Esay 66.14 15 16. applyes to the Nations under these Times of the Gospel as also Zach. 13.7 8 9. the same is the reason of all other Judgments of God as the manifold diseases among us Many of us have often professed to shew forth the Lords death by dying to sin and so have taken the Cup of Salvation and have called upon the Name of the Lord yet have we continued in our sins And therefore the Lord hath caused many to taste the Cup of his Judgment Thus he tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. Therefore many are sick and weakly among you and many are fallen asleep i. e. die the death even because they have not died unto sin And to what other reason may we refer the present Judgment of God upon us even this immoderate and unseasonable drought what else may be the cause of this but because we refuse to be obedient unto the Law and Prophets we refuse to drink the Cup of Christs passion we refuse to be baptized into his death Say I this or saith not the Scriprure the very same The Astrologers refer our present drought unto the late Eclipse and it cannot be denied but that hath been Gods Instrument in second Causes whereby he hath brought this evil upon us as the like hath been observed in manifold other Eclipses of the Sun in former times But what is that that hath provoked the Lord to send this Cup of his fury unto us to Eclipse the light and beams of his countenance towards us What hath moved the Lord to stop the bottles of Heaven Job 38.37 that he hath not in their season emptied them upon the Earth Jer. 9.12 And doth not the Prophet Zachary refer the same Judgment unto the same cause under these times of the Gospel Zach. 14.16 17. What is it to come up to keep the feast of Tabernacles It cannot be meant literally for that among the rest of the Ceremonies is ceased What then is signified by a Tabernacle or Tent what else but our humane flesh and body 2 Cor. 5.1 4. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. To keep the Feast of Tabernacles then what is it but to have our Tabernacle our dwelling our house with Christ Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dwelt in us They therefore who refuse to suffer with Christ in the flesh to imitate his death to drink the Cup of his Passion and Suffering with him They shall have no rain of Blessing no rain of Gods Living Word which is compared to rain Deut. 32. Heb. 6.7 no outward rain for as that is one of Gods blessings upon the obedient Deut. 28.12 So is the want of it a Curse upon the disobedient vers 23 24. and for the sin of his People he shuts up Heaven 1 King 8.35 3. They say unto him we are able How able they were appeared soon after when being in company with our Lord when he was now to drink of his Cup they all forsook him and fled What boldness was this what presumption and confidence of their own strength But their confidence and presumption so much the more condemns the despair and unbelief of many of us James and John were yet Carnal they had not received the Spirit of God they knew Christ only according to the flesh As for many of us we perswade our selves that we are Spiritual and know Christ according to the Spirit and believe in his Mighty Power yet when the Cup comes to us when it 's offered to us to drink of it we cannot away with it we have no power no strength at all to drink of it while we are not yet tryed while the Cup is not yet come to us O how valiant we are the Elect the Chosen of God i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chosen men and Mighty men of valour But when now temptation comes either from the world hope of gain or fear of loss or desire of honour and reputation or from our own flesh or from the Devil what ever the temptation is what arrant cowards we are we lye down like great Lubbars and let Satan buffet us Repreh How justly doth this reprove the present Generation of men who look at Christs drinking the Cup of his Passion and Baptism as suffering his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fore-suffering and his principal passion from the Jews and
disobedient Children I say these things were known at least to that place or Nation though perhaps to others something might not be so well known as in the Parable of the grain of Mustard-seed of so great growth as to become a Tree is not known among us in these parts of the world but that it was usual in and well known to them in those parts of the world Tremellius shews by bringing two Examples out of the Talmud of Jerusalem of the Mustard Tree one so strong that the owner of it saith He climbed up into it Another spread so broad that a Potter wrought under the shaddow of one of the branches So no doubt but the Protasis and first part of this Parable in the Text was well known to the Jews and that there was such a fashion among them in their marriages although it be more obscure and unknown to us and much troubles both Ancient and Modern Expositors Let us therefore endeavour to find out what this custome of the Jews was in their Marriages which whether theirs properly or taken from the Romans or Graecians it 's not much material because Christ best foreknew that his Church should consist of the Gentiles and therefore taught those things which he knew would best agree with the Rites and Customes of the Gentiles and might best serve for the winning of them unto God and Christ In the words we have 1. The Parable in the first Verse to the 12. 2. The Scope of the Parable in the 13. Verse In the Parable we have only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Proposition the first part of the Similitude without any Reddition or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made thereunto which therefore must necessarily be supplied in the opening of it Herein we have two parts 1. The preparing of the parties invited to the Marriage from the first Verse to the fifth 2. The event and issue of their preparation in the 6. Verse The preparation we may take asunder into these particulars of all who are called 1. All who are called to the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened unto Virgins 2. To ten Virgins 2. The ten Virgins took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom 3. Of these ten Virgins five were foolish and five were wise 4. The five foolish took their lamps and no oyl with them 5. The wise took oyl with them in their vessels with their Lamps 6. While the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbred and slept we must enquire what is here meant 1. By the Kingdom of Heaven 2. by the Virgins and 3. how all they who are called to the Kingdom of Heaven may be said to be like unto Virgins 1. The Kingdom of Heaven is by some said to be the Church of God endowed with the word of God and Sacraments By others it 's said to be the Grace of God Others rather understand hereby the Divinity it self communicated unto men which the Hebrews understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the in-dwelling Deity or God inhabiting and dwelling with us and in us which they also call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Kingdom of this our Lord Jesus â—â—â—ks to the Jews as of a thing well known to them when he saith The Kingdom of Heaven is within you Comes not by Observation c. Now the Deity communicates it self differently unto men as the Apostle teacheth To one is given the word of Wisdom to another kinds of Tongues And although one and the same Spirit divides all these gifts to all according as he will and although all these gifts be divided and conveyed to men by divers channels yet the fountain whence they proceed is the Kingdom of God But yet not only the Charismata and Graces of the Spirit but also the Divinity it self is given unto men and dwells with them our Lord himself witnesseth Joh. 1.4 the Word which before in the first verse he had said is God dwelt in us Yea our Lord puts it out of all question Joh. 14.23 where he saith If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him This is the Kingdom 2. They who are invited to the participation of this Kingdom are call'd Virgins of both Sexes who keep themselves unspotted from the world the flesh and the Devil such are described in the 14th of the Revel 3 4 5. And I heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harps and they sung as it were a new song before the Throne and before the four living Creatures and before the Elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth These are they which were not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth These were bought from among men being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God So also Mat. 19.12 we read of some Eunuchs Which have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heavens sake He that is able to receive it let him receive it But can all who are called unto this Kingdom be said to be like such Virgins Howsoever all who give up their names unto Christ and profess the Faith they walk not all worthy of him nor can truly be called Virgins yet in that they profess themselves to be such and look toward the Kingdom of God the Scripture allowes them the name of Virgins Thus ye read Jer. 18.11 12. the people walked in an evil way and refused to return to the Lord yet in the 13th Verse the Lord calls them a Virgin People So that the Kingdom of God is likened unto Virgins 't is evident in regard of the admission thereunto or exclusion from it But why are they who are called to the Kingdom of God compared unto Virgins The reason of this depends upon the custome of Marriage among the Jews and other Nations yea the same continues even untill this day among us that as there were young men who accompanied the Bridegroom who were called Children of the Bride-chamber Mat. 9.15 So were there also Virgins her companions to the Bride this ye read in Psal 45.14 the Virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee these were wont to minister or attend at their marriages The old Poets tell us of this ancient rite that they were wont to celebrate their marriages with Lamps Dances and Singing So Hesiod in Scut Her Homer Odyss 7. That Lamps were usual at their nuptials appears also out of Julius Pollux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Old Comedian Primum omnium huic lucebis novae nuptae fanum And Clandestine Marriages were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marriages which had not lamps or lights so Jerome and others of the Ancients understood this Parable But hence may arise
cast a Bulwark a strong Fortress about themselves And how can they keep the Law but through the Lord Jesus the Son of God who fulfils the righteousness of the Law in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. Yea the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Vulgar Latine is called Salvator Esai 26.1 We have a strong City even Salvator the Saviour whom God hath appointed for Walls and Bulwarks Yea him who is the Salvation it self as we render the word Would ye know how safe the City of the Saints and people of God is Hear then what the Prophet saith God hath made and set salvation it self for Walls and Bulwarks salvation it self compasseth the City round about Those who preserve themselves and trust in an arm of flesh for their Saviours are easily exposed to utter ruine and destruction But who can hurt salvation it self The Lord who is the Saviour and salvation it self He is for Walls and for Bulwarks redoubts and outworks Psal 18. See Notes on Psal 9. He himself is as the Hills about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 Whence proceeds the safety of that City Zach. 2.4 5. Manifold Examples having proved the truth of this Clodverus one of the French Kings being himself a Pagan whose Wife Clotildis was a Christian he being now engaged in fight with the Alemans and now ready to be routed he called upon the name of Jesus whom his Wife worshipped and promised to become a Christian if God gave him victory presently Conversa est belli alea The Alemans gave ground and were put to flight Yea holy Bernard makes the challenge Cui in periculis palpitanti trepidanti c. To whom now panting and trembling hath not the Lord Jesus hoped in and called upon presently expelled fear and given courage Who is there whom though now languishing and even despairing hath not the name of the Lord Jesus made even of weakness it self strong 3. He shall save his people from their sins What is sin Who are his people What is it to save his people from their sins And why must the Lord Jesus save his people from their sins 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever is against the Law of God is sin Dictum factum concupitum contra Legem Dei so it is defined But because the Lord Jesus is a perfect Saviour and he who is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 We must here understand all what ever induceth to sin as Temptation and whatever is the consequent and effect of sin as Wrath Death Hell Devil 1 Thes 1.10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven even Jesus which not delivered but delivereth us from the wrath to come And because to save imports not privation only from Evil but infers also the position Good as 2 Tim. 4.18 The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and shall preserve me unto his everlasting Kingdom the chief good and all things conducing hereunto may be here understood by saving And whom doth Jesus so save but his people And who are they No doubt but the Jews the Israel of God his ancient people are here understood but so as an obedient people for such especially the Lord owns for his people otherwise whether Jews or Gentiles they are accounted of God as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 32.21 So he calls all Nations walking in their own wayes and so he calls the Jews Hos 1.9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles Rom. 11.11 2. They are now become the Lord's people they are the true Jews Rom. 2. the true Israel Gal. 5.16 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Yet shall these return unto the true Israel Mic. 5.1 2 3. These are they whom Jesus saves from their sins it 's a word of very large extent and reacheth unto every kind and degree of evil from which the Lord Jesus saves his people and unto every kind and degree of good whereunto he saves them which he doth by his Sacrifice and his Spirit of Sanctification The Reason see in Notes on Matth. 8.14 and 1 Tim. 4.17 18. Obs 1. If Christ must save his people from their sins then is the nature of his people corrupt and such as wants a Saviour The whole need not a Physician but those that are sick they are in themselves lost whom he comes to seek and to save Obs 2. Man's lost condition is by sin alienati à vita Dei Strangers from the life of God Obs 3. The Son of God is the Authour of salvation nor is there any other name whereby we can be saved Acts 4.12 See Sermon on 1 Tim. 4.17 8. Obs 4. He saith not only from Punishment nor from Wrath nor from Hell c. but from Sins A perfect Saviour saves from all sin Now the Lord Jesus is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost or wholly Hebr. 7.25 Repreh 1. Those that are perswaded that they are saved already Repreh 2. Those who in a business of the greatest moment suffer themselves to be deluded by that grand Deceiver who deceives all the World See Notes on Hebr. 2.15 They perswade themselves that they have obtained the end of their hopes the salvation of their souls before they have yet used any means effectual for the obtaining of it Exhort To become the people of the Lord Jesus that so he may save us But is he not the Saviour of the whole World Answer 'T is true and it is the end of his Embassy John 3.17 who is called the Apostle or Ambassadour Heb. 3.1 Yet suppose an Ambassadour of a great Prince publish the will of his Prince to save an innumerable company of Captives and to pay the full price of their redemption yet that he require of them all and every one of them that they willingly forsake their Prison and follow him into their own Country And is it not a most reasonable condition that God the Great King Mal. 1. who will have all men to be saved propounds unto the captives whom Christ Jesus by his blood redeems that they come out of their Prisons that they come out of their Dungeon that they suffer their eyes to be opened 1 Pet. 2.24 Some have been so long in Prison that they are loth to come out What wouldest thou that I should do for thee saith our Lord to the blind man And wouldest thou be made whole So he speaks to him who had lien thirty eight years sick of an infirmity at the Pool of Bethesda Therefore it 's required That they be not unequally yoaked with unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 15. if so v. 16 17 18. And this is the Lords condition all along Ezek. 11.14 15 16. and 14.11 and 37.26 27 28. Zach. 6.15 Obj. But God hath his secret will and his will is not that all should be saved But he added unto the Church such as should be saved Acts 2. ult Thou hypocrite God hath not any secret will
been to Christ Nam cui facile fuisset lapides in panem ad naturae alterius confusionem convertere Luc Brug c. He that could have done this miraculous effect yet did it not teacheth thee to do nothing to please the Devil saith St. Ambrose 3. Though hungry yet wary he is lest Satan should entrap him in his meat The Devil takes all occasions and opportunities of advancing his own Kingdom He takes advantage of our natural necessary and lawful concupiscence thereby to hurt us Take heed he make not thy Table a snare unto thee by intemperance by drunkenness by luxury and sensuality 4. Learn from hence how to he have thy self when thou art tempted not presently to flie to humane helps nor to destroy our nature as we read of some who have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of God an unlawful way and of others who have pulled out their eyes c. Not to despair of God's help not to put God upon a miracle much less obey the Tempter but to make that wherewith we are tempted an object of vertue a vertue of necessity And thus doing thy pittance of outward bread how little soever shall bring thee to the inward bread the bread of life which is the essential word of God And this heavenly food is obtained by the outward Word whether Law or Gospel and Prayer Of the outward Word our Saviour speaks John 9.39 Ye search the Scriptures and therein ye think to have eternal life and they are they which bear witness of me This word must be highly esteemed as Job speaks Job 23.12 I have not departed from his Law I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food This we must ruminate upon as the Israelites called it Man-hu that is What is it And then it will become Man-hu i. e. a portion as the Word also signifieth as ye have it in the Margent Exod. 16.15 The essential bread was in the midst of the Disciples when they were discoursing of it Luke 24.36 This must be done by faith Psal 37.3 By which therefore the Righteous man is said to live Habak 2.4 If thus we do Wisdom shall feed us with the bread of understanding Ecclus. 15.3 and give us the water of Wisdom to drink as the Wise man tells us Wisdom 16.25 That the Grace of God nourisheth all things according to the desire of them that pray for it NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he opened his mouth and taught them saying Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven WHen the Old Law was to be given by Moses he must go up into a Mountain And when the Prophet was raised up who like unto Moses was to give the New Law the Law of the Spirit life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. He must go up into a Mountain the Mountain of his Holiness the Mountain of Essential Bliss and Happiness whence descends every good and perfect gift as from Mount Gerizim the blessings were given Hither resorted unto him the Multitudes of his Disciples Deut. 33.2 3. And hitherto let us resort unto him I invite you not to Mount Sinai the Mountain of horrible terrour and dread But unto Mount Zion whence the Spiritual Law goes forth with all love gentleness and sweetness Glory to God in the highest in earth peace to men of good will It is not of any ordinary Argument our Lord now treats but of bliss and happiness of the Kingdom of Heavens Nor is he any ordinary Teacher but the great Rabboni whom we all ought to have for our only Master even Christ O with what humility and condescent sate the King of Kings in the midst of the multitude of his Disciples and taught them his heavenly Lessons And as he imitated Moses on the Mount in giving of the Law so he follows David in the Preface to his Psalms propounding the description of the blessed man And thus our Lord propounds the chief good as the end of all our endeavours whereat all ought to aime Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven All the desires of men tend to bliss and happiness and end in it And therefore that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last end whereat all men aime to be blessed and happy Insomuch that no man is so barbarous but he naturally desires it so that the desire of it seems to be naturally implanted in us Yea Adam in Paradise enjoying much happiness desired yet to be more happy and much more may the Sons of Adam who have every day sufficient evil for the day desire some refreshing Now though it be agreed by all that bliss and happiness is desired by all yet herein most men are at a loss wherein that bliss and happiness consists Now herein is the great goodness and wisdom of our Lord Jesus seeing that he discovers wherein the true bliss consists 1. The poor in Spirit are blessed 2. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs 3. The poor in Spirit are therefore blessed because theirs is the Kingdom of Heavens 1. Blessed are the poor in Spirit What a Composition is this Bliss and Poverty Poverty is believed to be the greatest misery and can the poor than be blessed Before we proceed farther let us examine this whether the poor can be said to be blessed A man may be said to be poor either 1. Who hath few of those outward things which the world calls goods or else 2. He may be said to be poor who is of a lowly mind Some there are who conceive those here to be called blessed who are poor in the former sense And there is some Reason for it 1. Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor by it self and in it self considered doth not signifie such as are lowly without such addition made as here is So that our Lord may here call those poor blessed who abound not with outward wealth as v. 4. he pronounceth those blessed who mourn For there is no doubt but the aboundance of outward things brings with it much incumbrance and hinderance to the exercise of grace and virtue qui habet terras habet guerras yea it proves too often an incentive and nurse of vices And therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many mighty not many noble And St. James cap. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this world c. Yea St. Luke 6.20 relates our Lord's Words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed are the poor without addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer It cannot be denied but that the aboundance of outward things may overcharge the heart Take heed that your heart be not overcharged Luke 21.34 But so on the contrary may the want of outward things distract the heart which our Lord supposeth when he warns his Disciples take no thought for your life Luke 12.22 And therefore Agur prayed against both extreams
Such animosity such pride of Spirit brings the Curse with it Exhort To poverty in Spirit no man needs Exhortation to be happy c. Vide Not. in Psal 94.12 Such poor in Spirit are the Lord 's welcom Guests to his Spiritual Table These eat the blessed bread drink his Cup of blessing these he welcomes Eat O my Friends c. Vide Not. in Luke 12.4 5. 2. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs who are poor in Spirit wherein we must enquire 1. What is the Kingdom of God 2. How it is said that the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs who are poor in Spirit 1. What is the Kingdom of Heavens 1. Sometimes it 's taken for God's Government of the World 2. The Church of the Kingdom of Heavens in this sence our Lord speaks Matth. 20. The Kingdom of Heavens shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof And where St. Paul saith Col. 4. These only are my helpers in the Kingdom of God he seems thereby to understand the preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom 3. Sometime the Kingdom of Heaven is taken for all those inestimable good things held forth in the Word and Sacraments and this Kingdom is said to be in us to come to be in power c. And thus the Kingdom of Heavens is here understood And why the Kingdom of Heavens is theirs who are poor in Spirit The Reason of this will better appear in the following point 2. Hence it appears how the Kingdom of Heavens may be said to be theirs who are poor in Spirit for the Great King promiseth to dwell with them Esay 57.15 There he keeps his Court and manifests the Glory of his Kingdom and they reign with him Obs 1. The poor in Spirit are Kings so St. Peter calls them and Priests also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. The Prince of the Kings of the Earth he made them such Revel 1. Obs 2. Behold here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most unexpected Paradox The poor humble God fearing Souls invested with the Kingdom of God The wise man brings in the wicked wondering at it Wisd 5.1 5.15 16. Poverty and a Kingdom are most opposite Eccles 4.14 Obs 3. If the Kingdom of Heaven be theirs only who are poor in Spirit how few then are there among us who shall inherit the Kingdom of Heavens How few are there that shall be saved How few are there of us who in this regard can be called blessed men or women Why How few are there who are pure in Spirit Who pursues not the Profits the Honours the Pleasures of this present evil World Who makes not these or some of these his ultimate end Who doth not appropriate unto himself all he hath which yet he hath received only as a Steward and whereof he must give an account It was a churlish speech of Nabal Shall I take my bread c. It was a proud vain-glorious Speech of Nabuchadnezzar Is not this great Babylon c. We can all well see this in them yet who does not appropriate unto himself his own wealth and his own honour How many walk in the way of Cain proprietaries of all they have so Cain signifieth and if there be an Abel a breathing towards God an emptiness of our selves a resignation of all we have all we are that God may be all in all in us Such an Abel such a breathing toward God how soon is it murdered by Cain the appropriation of all to our selves O Beloved Is this our looseness and freedom from the World Is this our poverty of Spirit Is this our Resignation of our selves of all we have of all we are Is this our Christianity Beloved Let me be bold among you and take not offence at what I say but examine it impartially by the word of God compared with our own lives Either this Doctrine touching poverty of Spirit it not the Christian Doctrine or we are not Christians 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heavens The Reason will appear 1. Partly in regard of the poor in Spirit 2. Partly in regard of God and his Kingdom 1. The poor in Spirit are fitted and prepared by Faith Love and Humility and suffering together with Christ for the Kingdom of Heaven they are of the Lord 's little ones and therefore great They are rich in faith and love and therefore Heirs of the Kingdom James 2. And they are fitted hereunto by the Lord Jesus Revel 1.5 6. And by his example who of all other is most poor in Spirit Phil. 2. and of him and with him they have the like mind 2. In regard of God the Father the Kingdom is his Thine is the Kingdom and it is his pleasure to give his Kingdom unto his little flock who are thus fitted and prepared thereunto Obs 1. The Lord requires due qualifications and conditions in all those whom he advanceth unto his Kingdom and Glory The poor in Spirit blessed because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Rom. 2. To those who by patient continuance in well doing c. eternal life If we suffer with him we shall reign with him There is no absolute promise of God without a necessary condition annexed thereunto either expressed or understood Obs 2. Since the poor in Spirit are blessed because theirs is the Kingdom of God Hence it followeth that the Kingdom of God is the true bliss and happiness and whatever renders us truly blessed is somewhat of God's Kingdom Obs 3. Admission into the Kingdom of Heaven is not according to destiny and fatality but according to conditions and qualifications required of God in all those who shall inherit that Kingdom It is true He hath chosen us but in Christ before the foundation of the World and that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1. He hath predestinated us but that we should be conformable unto the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 Repreh 1. Who flatter themselves into an assurance of God's Kingdom and believe that Jesus Christ hath loved them and washed them from their sins in his own bloud and made them Kings and Priests unto God the Father when yet none of all this is wrought in them what evidence then have they for the Kingdom of Heaven A strong imagination which they call Faith without any word of truth to rest upon let such consider what St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.8 9 10 11. Yea but they are washed c If so 't is well They are not the men but such were some of you if yet they be such they may be well assured of the contrary that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Gd Yea such are excluded by another testimony Gal. 5.19 20 21. Repreh 2. Too many of us who much mistake our own spiritual estates who conceive themselves Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven without poverty of Spirit Our Lord tells us of such John 10.1 And St. John Revel 3.1.17
Heaven In the which we have 1. The substance of the Prayer c. 2. The adjunct Seal of it 1. In the substance of the Prayer we have 1. The Petions 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reason Unto every one of the Petitions is to be added the Command of so praying As for the Petitions themselves they contain a most absolute and perfect Prayer for if we pray as we ought we cannot Petition for any thing but it 's summarily comprised in these words for whereas Prayer is the interpreter of our hopes and desires with our God We can pray only for these things lawfully which we can hope for and lawfully desire of our Lord. Now in this Prayer which we call the Lords Prayer not only 1. All things are petitioned for which we may lawfully desire and hope But 2. The order also wherein we may desire them So that by this Prayer not only our understanding is informed what we ought to pray for but also our affections are hereby set in their due method and order wherein we ought to put up our Petitions unto God for it is manifest unto every reasonable man that naturally the end is desired before the means conducing to that end we desire Health first then Physick as a means to recover our present health Now God is the Chief Good and the Vltimate and Last End and toward him our desire tends 2. wayes 1. As we will and desire his Glory 2. As we desire to enjoy him and to be partakers of his Glory The former proceeds from that Love wherewith we love God in himself The latter from that Love wherewith we love our selves in God and according to this method we shall find that the Petitions are ordered in this prayer 1. Therefore we pray for God's Glory 1. Hallowed be thy Name This sanctification and hallowing of God's Name we cannot attain unto unless we be partakers of his Kingdom Therefore we pray 2. Thy Kingdom come This Kingdom of God cannot come unto us unless we be fitly disposed for the receiving of it which is done by means 1. Per se and properly disposing and fitting us thereunto or else 2. By accident 1. Properly we are fitted hereunto either 1. Directly and principally by means whereby we directly obtain the end and that is by obeying our God And so we pray 3. Thy will be done in Earth as in Heaven 2. We are indirectly and instrumentally disposed by such means as is helpful to us and furthering us in our obedience and so we pray 4. Give us this day our daily bread This bread whether Spiritual or Corporal is not savingly obtained unless that be removed which directly hinders from the obtaining of bliss and happiness and the principal thing that so hinders is that which directly excludes us from the Kingdom of God which is Sin And therefore we pray 5. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them their trespasses against us And because being conquered by temptation we fall into sin and are disabled from doing the Lords will we pray 6. Lead us not into temptation Into which temptation we fall by the importunate suggestion of the Devil whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tempter And therefore we are taught to pray 7. Deliver us from the evil One The conclusion in the words following is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which contains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reason why we Petition for these things of our God because 1. He alone hath the right and authority to grant all these Petitions therefore we say Thine is the Kingdom And because he alone hath ability and strength to accomplish our desires we say Thine is the Power And because he is acknowledged the Fountain of all good things the True Light and Father of Lights from whom descends every good and perfect gift we say Thine is the Glory This Reason is exceedingly proper to the Petitions for whereas in every intelligent Agent God Angels and Men of whom we would obtain any good three things are necessarily supposed as Principles whence that good is obtained as Knowledge Will and good affections toward us and Power to effect what we desire as in the Compellation or Invocation when we call him 1. Our Father we imply the two first that he knows our wants and is willing to supply them So 2. In the conclusion we have recourse to him who hath all Power which comprehends Three things 1. Authority to accomplish what we desire 2. Strength to accomplish what we desire 3. Sufficiency of all that good which we can desire All which are contained in the conclusion for because he hath Authority Strength Sufficiency the last word is the means through which we obtain these Petitions for besides that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen is 1. As much as to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be it so 2. It is the Name also of Christ who is the Amen and Faithful Witness Rev. 3.14 In whom 1. All the Promises of God are fulfilled 2 Cor. 1. And 2. He is the Mediator by whom they are to be obtained Come we then to the Compellation wherein we have these Divine Truths or Axioms 1. God is a Father of the Faithful 2. In Prayer He is so to be called upon Our Father 3. Our Father is in Heaven 4. In Prayer He is so to be called upon Our Father which art in Heaven Obser 1. Who is the Sole Object to be prayed unto Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing Let your requests be made known to God Whither should the Children have recourse but to their Father Obser 2. Prayers ought to be made for others as well as our selves Eph. 6.18 therefore we say Our Father Obser 3. How needful it is to come to Prayer in charity toward our neighbour who say not My but Our Father Mat. 5.23 Obser 4. Joynt Prayers of many united together are required by the Lord here if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prayers of the Righteous avail much how much more when two or three how much more when a greater number of Righteous men pray Mat. 18 20. Obser 5. A ground of reverence and hope when we come unto God seeing our Father is in Heaven Mal. 1.6 Exhort Call upon God Our Heavenly Father That we may effectually obtain our Petitions and rightly call God Father it 's necessary we be his Children and that we be his Children we must be begotten of the Father Jam. 1.18 partakers of his Nature and have his Image and shape in us John 5. That this may be effected it 's necessary that the Father affectionately love and turn unto the fallen Humanity and testifie his Fatherly love unto it to beget it anew of Water and of the Spirit from Death to Life On the other side it 's as needful that the fallen Humanity which hath a filial love unto the Fatherly Deity being prevented by the Spirit move it self in like manner out of love and desire of
the Divine Life unto the Fatherly Deity that it may be ingendred and begotten anew by it Nor can this be done untill the Humanity have abandoned and discharged all carnal and sensual Fatherhood until it call no man Father upon Earth then followeth the mutual Testimony of the Spirit of God with our Spirit Rom. 8.16 Such a fruit of the Divine Nature may truly call upon God according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ Our Father whic◠art in Heaven for whiles the earthly man loves yet his lusts and desires his appetites his carnal delights and pleasures he cannot call God his Heavenly Father But when the man hath abandoned all these which were his life even unto death then our Heavenly Father raiseth up as from the dead a good will love and delight toward himself by which good will we are begotten and become an heavenly Generation and the Children of the Most High We may sanctifie and hallow the Name of our Heavenly Father 2. Hallowed be thy Name 1. What is here meant by the Name of our Heavenly Father 2. What is it to sanctifie or hollow that Name 1. The Name of the Lord is the Lord himself Vide Notes on Psal 9.11 2. To sanctifie that Name the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sanctifie is to sever and set apart from all pollution When therefore we pray That the Name of our Heavenly Father may be sanctified or hallowed we desire that the Lord would work for his Names sake that it may not be polluted Ezech. 20. vers 9.14 22. That we may be conversant about the Name of our God with an holy mind holy affections holy expressions in words and works and promote the same in others for the Name of our Heavenly Father is holy and because it is so it cannot be approached unto but by those of like Nature to it whence he himself requires That because he is holy we also should be holy Obser 1. The sanctifying of God's Name is a principal Duty it hath here the first place in our desires and indeed to sanctifie and glorifie it is the end of all the Creatures which are made for his Glory as the End is more noble than the Means for the life is more than meat Mat. 6.25 therefore whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do all must be done to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10. This is that which the Genuine Child partaker of the Fathers own Nature chiefly desires and prays for Obser 2. We know not how to honour him aright which excludes all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all will-worship Nadab and Abihu had a good intention no doubt to sanctifie God's Name when they offered strange fire but Levit. 10.1 2 3. There went out fire from the Lord and devoured them Obser 3. Who can teach us this but our Heavenly Father And therefore we desire it of him Obser 4. The Name of the Lord cannot be hallowed by us unless he himself have intire Dominion and Rule in us And therefore we pray 2. Thy Kingdom come A Kingdom is Politeia sub uno bono it 's a Polity or Government under one that 's good Vide Notes on Mat. 13.11 The Kingdom of God is either 1. Universal and so Psal 102. His Kingdom ruleth over all and he is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. or 2. Special so the Lord is King of Saints Rev. 15.3 even those who sanctifie and hollow his Name 1. Wherein then consists the Kingdom of God 2. What is it for this Kingdom to come 1. The Kingdom of God is an inward Kingdom Luke 17. And therefore we must enquire what is within us over which our God may Rule and Reign and have his Kingdom The Divine Philosopher tells us of Three several parts of the Soul 1. The Rational 2. The Irascible 3. The Concupiscible Proportionably unto these Three parts of the Soul the Kingdom of God consists in 1. Righteousness 2. Peace and 3. Joy in the Holy Ghost for so the Rational part of the Soul is governed by Righteousness which is all Vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Righteousnes all Vertues are contained This Righteousness governs the Royal part of the Soul declining it from Evil and ruling it unto Good wherein consists Righteousness cease to do Evil learn to do well 2. The second part of the Soul is the Irascible or wrathful part this is governed by Peace which is the effect of Righteousness Esay 32. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Col. 3.15 wherein the Irascible had rule before Eccles 11.10 Marg. as also the Concupiscible all the vain desires and appetites call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's 3. The third part of the Soul This Concupiscible while inclined to earthly things is Evil but it 's raised from Earthly to Heavenly objects wherewith it is fully satisfied and becomes one with them in full fruition That 's the third part of God's Kingdom which is called Joy in the Holy Ghost These are the three parts of the Kingdom proportioned unto the three principal parts of the Soul which are governed by Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And therefore as Earthly things and Emperours have their Royal and Imperial Cities so the only Potentate Our Father which is in Heaven hath his three Royal and Imperial Cities proportionable unto the three parts of his Kingdom Sedec whence he is called Melchizedeck King of Righteousness and Salem whence he was called afterwards Melchisalem i. e. King of Peace Heb. 7. The third is Sushan that 's Joy the City of Ahasuerus that is the Great Prince and Head Esth 8.15 The City of Shushan rejoyced and was glad when Psal 84.2 The heart and the flesh cryeth out for the Living God and rejoyceth when we say with David Psal 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Thus the Kingdom of God is said to come i. e. to appear for so those words are taken one for the other as when Christ is said to appear or be made manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. ult St. John saith He is come in the flesh 1 John 4.2 Luke 17.20 21. This Kingdom of God appears or comes when we become strong to do the Lords will therefore the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power 1 Cor. 4.20 when also we are able to suffer out all temptations and to bear the infirmities of others therefore Rev. 1.9 The Kingdom and Patience are joyned together Obser 1. There is want of this Kingdom for Prayer supposeth a want either in whole or in part of what we ask for God's Kingdom is yet but in part come to the most of us because all things are not as yet put under him 1 Cor. 15. Obser 2. We are not able of our selves to advance or raise up this Kingdom of God Satans Kingdom it 's to be feared in very many remains as yet in force and
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
but for their sakes who have taken notice of Christ only without them and according to the flesh not within them or according to the Spirit Poor Souls who have been deluded with a Python a Spirit of Divination which hath brought great gain to their Masters Now this Spirit being cast out by the Name and Power of Jesus Christ it is no marvel that her Masters storm and Cry out these men being Jews the true Confessors and Professors of Christ do exceedingly trouble our City the reason is given v. 19. The hope of your gain is gone This makes Demetrius mad and his fellows the Crafts-men who make or vent silver shrines for Diana cry out amain Great is Diana of the Ephesians Alas the silver shrines will not off the hope of their gain is gone Our Lord moves us to confess him by propounding a reward of our confession May we then obey our Lord in hope of reward Truly in hope of no reward less than himself But this needs some explication The Christian life whereby we confess Christ is above all rewards In keeping of the Commandments there is great reward It was a pious speech one gave of Zadoc who gave name to the Sect of the Sadduces that he was a good Leader of evil Followers 2. Whosoever denieth our Lord him will our Lord deny before his Father which is in Heaven What it is for the Lord to deny a man appears by the contrary phrase what it is to confess a man which is to acknowledge or own him As therefore Christ then owns acknowledgeth and confesseth those who confess him when he invites them to partake of his Kingdom and to Reign with him So on the contrary he owns not nor acknowledgeth but denies those who deny him when he rejects them and renounceth them and adjudgeth them to everlasting punishment of both these ye read in the description of the last judgment which proceeds according to confessing or denying of our Lord Come ye blessed c. for ye have owned me Go ye cursed for ye have not owned me but denied me In regard of 1. those who deny Christ They reject the chief good under the notion of evil they are ashamed of him shame is of somewhat that is evil What iniquity have yours Father found in me Jer. 2. There is no iniquity in him Psal 92. ult 2. He is the Judge at the last day even Christ who denies them wherein consider 1. the Justice 2. the Power of Christ 3. In regard of the Covenant between both the reason appears from the Covenant it self often iterated either in the same or like terms 2 Chron. 12.5 and 15.2 Thus saith the Lord ye have forsaken me and therefore have I also left you The Lord is with you while ye are with him If we deny him he also will deny us 2 Tim. 2.12 This is grounded upon Lex Talionis or because the Covenant is between persons unequal there is greater equity on the Superiours part more justly may he deny us Jer. 17.13 All who forsake thee shall be ashamed and Christ shall be ashamed of them and they that depart from me shall be written in the Earth because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of Living Waters But why before the Father because he who denies the Son denies also the Father and therefore he is called a lyar 1 Joh. 2.22 Who is a lyar but such that deny that Jesus is the Christ He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Object Doth the Lord use terrour to fright us from denial of himself must they that are under the Gospel live under the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage to fear again See Notes on Luke 12.4 5. Repreh 1. Those who are ashamed to confess Christ and his Righteousness to the displeasure of their friend Men alledge the Example of the Thief on the Cross to excuse themselves from obedience till they are going to their grave But I marvel they take no notice of his glorious confession of Christ and profession of Faith and reproof of his fellow thief Thou mean time canst hear thy Fellow blaspheme swear curse lye talk lasciviously and obscenely c. canst see him do that which is wicked yet holdest thy peace and hatest thy Brother Levit. 19.17 when thou wouldest seem to love him art of the same mind with him denyest Christ when thou wouldest seem to confess him Vae mihi quià tacui Esay 9. i. e. pretend to confess and profess Christ a Jew is properly a Confessor or Professor but indeed are no such persons but such as deny him deep hypocrisie which the Holy Spirit calls blasphemy O what a swarm there is of these Flyes they are not of Christ's Church but of the Synagogue of Satan Beelzebub is their God the God of Flyes Can these men hope to be hidden No The Lord saith he knoweth them Rev. 2.9 Object But these have a form of Godliness Answ Some men are ashamed of being too Religious of the very form of Godliness surely Godliness hath as well an outward as an inward form Mat. 8.38 Thus the Germans before their desolation were ashamed of mentioning any part of the Word of God Repreh 2. Those who deny the Lord who say they are Jews and are not who have a shew and form of Godliness but deny the power of it Obser 2. Observe who they are whom the Lord shall deny at the Great Day even they who deny him in this Adulterous Generation Why who denies him do not all of us confess and profess him Beloved let us not deceive our selves Remember how the Spirit of the Lord interprets the denial of Christ O but I believe what dost thou believe That Jesus Christ hath redeemed me saved me Hath he redeemed thee from thy vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Hath he redeemed thee from all iniquity Dost thou believe that he who denies Christ in works him will Christ deny That 's the truest denial I believe that Christ hath done all things for me if he hath done all things for thee then he hath believed for thee too and there 's an end what needest thou believe He hath repented for thee what needest thou repent He bids thee believe thou tell'st him there 's no need of it he hath done it already and biddest him do it himself All this belief is resolved into self-love O but we are not such we hear his Word we receive the Sacrament we do great things in his Name Beloved whatever we do if we fall short of obedience if we want that Life that he requires to be in us it is all to no purpose let us all who profess our selves the people of God take notice of this Hos 7.13 and 8.12 Our confession with the mouth will little profit us when we deny him with our lives and works Such are they who live only an outward moral life such as we read many of the Philosophers were But
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
to speak of such a Kingdom as cannot be shaken And I hope as I am to speak to Divines by Profession so also to Divine Religious and Godly men of Life and Conversation for unto such the Text is principally directed it speaks of mysteries touching the Kingdom of God and I beseech God it may be truly spoken of you all that unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven howsoever unto others it is not given Which words are our Saviours Apologie or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendring a reason and giving answer unto his Disciples question in the next words before the Text wherein are Two parts 1. A dignation or gracious admission of some fit and capable into his School of mysteries 2. An indignation or just omission and exclusion of others out of it as uncapable and unworthy 1. God hath his Kingdom 2. There are mysteries of the kingdom of heaven 3. The Disciples know these mysteries 4. It is given to the Disciples to know these mysteries 5. It is not given to others to know them 6. Vnto the Disciples it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven but to others it is not given 1. There is a mystery or there are mysteries of the kingdom of heaven Wherein we must know 1. What the kingdom of heaven is 2. What is a mystery 1. A Kingdom is not only a Country considered concretely with the Inhabitants of it but the power also and Authority to Rule and Govern them Nor is Heaven only that Material and Visible Body well known by that name but also the Maker Preserver and Governour of it God himself is to be understood by Heaven Such is the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the Heavens and God for instead of the most High Ruling Dan. 4. in the next words the Prophet varying the phrase puts the Heavens Ruling vers 26. for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ranked by the Jews among the names of God Thus in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven is thrice used in one Chapter for God 1 Mach. 3.18 19-26 howsoever the Latin Translation as Drusius observes hath added a Supplement as our English also hath done so likewise Luk. 20.5 and in that known Parable Luk. 15.18 The prodigal speaks unto his Father I have sinned saith he against heaven and against thee A speech which some not heeding the Parable use very unfitly in their Confessions unto God We have sinned against Heaven and against thee which is all one as if they said We have sinned against thee and against thee But that Heaven is here so to be understood appears in that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are in Scripture taken promiscuously the one for the other Thus he whom St. Mat. 11. vers 11. calls the least in the Kingdom of Heavens St. Luke 7. vers 28. calls the least in the Kingdom of God And that which is in the Text the Kingdom of Heaven in the parallel Evangelists is the Kingdom of God Mar. 4.11 Luk. 8.10 which Kingdom of Heaven or of God may be taken either 1. For God's Universal Dominion over all his Creatures of which we may understand Dan. 4.26 Or 2. That special Government of God over and in his Saints Rom. 14. Now howsoever the Text may be true of both yet the drift of the Parable and our Saviours Exposition of it guides us to the latter 2. Of which Kingdom of Heaven there are mysteries or there is a mystery for there is a diverse reading of the word singular and plural The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth some hidden thing for howsoever the Theme whence 't is commonly derived be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to teach some secret or hidden thing touching Divine matters either truly such or reputed so yet if we refer it to the true Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Suidas from shutting up and concealing from common knowledge The words in other Tongues import as much such is secretum a thing remote from sight and arcanum a thing shut up in an Ark or Chest as the mysteries of the Gentiles false Gods were in imitation of the Ark of the True God Such is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying secret Counsel and a mystery such also is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hidden thing bound or sealed up as that mystical Book was Apoc. 5. And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Causabon and others think comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide and more immediately from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of the same signification The issue of all which is that by a mystery we are to understand some thing hidden from the common knowledge of men whereof there are two sorts according to the two great Kingdoms in the world the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan 1. For there is a mystery of Godliness and the Kingdom of God 1 Tim. 3.16 2. And a mystery of Satans Kingdom or the Kingdom of iniquity 2 Thes 2.7 In both these Kingdoms of mysteries two things are to be distinguished The thing hidden and The hiding of it both which are sometimes promiscuously taken the one for the other 1. The thing hidden is the mystery of Godliness is Gods Truth touching the Nature the Wisdom the Knowledge of God his unsearchable judgements his wayes past finding out the Mind the Counsel the Kingdom of God The hiding or covering of this Truth is either 1. outward and more gross and course as the Ceremonies and Services of Types and Figures Or 2. Inward more subtil and refined as that of Parables Numbers and such like for as in Anatomy or Dissection the most tender and most precious part is covered by some soft one as a film and that by some harder and stronger part as the sight of the eye by the tunicles the brain by the pia mater that by the meninx or dura mater so have the most precious truths of God their next and their outward coverings Thus the Ark importing God himself or the divine presence was covered with a veil that with a covering of Badgers skins that with a cloth of blew the Table of shew-bread figuring out Christ unto us was covered with a cloth of blew that with a scarlet cloth and that with a covering of Badgers skins Numb 4. But the Psalmist in plainer terms reveales the hidden truth of God and the mystical hiding of it Psal 51.6 Thou hast taught me wisdom saith he in a mystery the very same which the Apostle speaks even out of the Psalmists mouth We speak the wisdom of God saith he in a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 So on the contrary the thing hidden in the mystery of iniquity is Satans lye 2 Thes 2.11 and he hath also his mystical coverings not only those gross and course ones outward Idols and palpable Idol-worship where withal
he hid his Nature Wayes and Works and so deluded the old world but more refined ones also more proper to the latter times outward forms and plausible shews and appearances of Holiness and Righteousness where withal he covers his Spiritual wickedness in heavenly things This hidden wickedness and the covering of it the Apostle opens 2 Thes 2.9 10. whose coming being or presence is according to the operation of Satan in all power and signs or types and wonders of a lye in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness In both kinds of mysteries the thing hidden and the covering of it are taken promiscuously the one for the other Thus 1. In the mystery of the Kingdom of God Wisdom is put for the mystery of it Here is Wisdom i. e. a mystery containing wisdom Apoc. 13.18 And a mystery for the wisdom hidden under the mystery I tell you a mystery when he reveals the wisdom 1 Cor. 15. And 2. In the mystery of Iniquity the iniquity or wickedness is put for the mystery of it This woman is wickedness i. e. the mystery of it Zach. 5.8 for upon the same woman is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mystery Apoc. 17. And the mystery of iniquity is put for the iniquity it self The mystery of iniquity now worketh that is the iniquity it self 2 Thes 2. The Text directs me to the former kind of mystery the mystery of the Kingdom of God Now according to the twofold reading of the Text singular and plural we may conceive one kind of mystery of the Kingdom it self what it is and wherein it consists and another kind of mystery touching the whole Administration and Government of the Kingdom That there is a mystery of the Kingdom of God or that his Kingdom is a mystical Kingdom will appear if we consider that great variety of typical and parabolical representations of it for what was the Kingdom of Israel but a mystery of the Kingdom of God so it is expounded Eph. 2. and the whole Church is called the Israel of God Gal. 6. And what was meant by all those Judges but God the Judge of all as he is expounded Esay 33.22 Who should judge the world with Righteousness Psal 98. And therefore when the people rejected Samuel They have not saith God the true Judge rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them 1 Sam. 8.7 What is meant by those Righteous Kings but that King that should reign in Righteousness Esay 32.1 even Christ the King of Israel so Nathaniel calls him John 1.49 What by all those wise Kings but Christ who is the Wisdom Prov. 8. What by all those powerful Kings but Jesus Christ to whom all Power is given who himself is essentially the power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 What was David the King of Israel but the love of God so David signifieth and so Christ is called the love of God and the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of his Son who is his Love Col. 1.13 who by the Prophets is called expresly by the name of David Jer. 30.9 Ezech. 37.24 Hos 3.5 and expounded by the Angel to be the very same who should sit upon the Throne of his Father David who was signified by Jedidiah or Solomon but the same Love of God and the same Prince of Peace Esay 9. The peace of God which rules in the hearts of the faithfull Col. 3.15 And how did God otherwise establish Solomons Throne for ever according to his promise 2 Sam. 7. for it 's impossible to make it good in the Type or History but that the true Solomon Christ Jesus the Righteousness Wisdom Power Love and Peace of God should reign over the house of Jacob the Church of God for ever of whose Kingdom there should be no end Luk. 1.32 And what was Melchizedeck but a mystery of God's Kingdom the same King who should reign in Righteousness for so the Apostle expounds that mystery Melchizedeck by interpretation saith he the King of Righteousness and after that also the King of Salem which is the King of peace Heb. 7.2 And wherein I beseech you consists the Kingdom of God but as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 14.17 in Righteousness which contains in it all Graces and Virtues and in the effects of Righteousness Peace and Joy These Examples beside many the like abundantly prove that there is a mystery of the Kingdom of God But if we read the Text plurally the mysteries are infinite which concern the Kingdom of Heaven yea some places of Scripture there are which seem most plainly literal yet indeed are mystical and allegorical and so expounded even by Scripture it self The story of Hagar and Sarah is well known which Gal. 4.22 23 24. St. Paul saith is an Allegory and Christ relating the History of the Israelites from the giving of the Law till himself was made King which contains above four hundred years prepares his Auditors with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are mysteries of the Royal Law or Law of the Kingdom as it is called Jam. 2.8 Mysteries of the Royal Gospel or Gospel of the Kingdom as 't is called Apoc. 14. which is a mystical Gospel Eph. 6.19 The Covenant of Circumcision was a mystery Gen. 17. and so expounded even by Moses himself Deut. 10.16 and 30.6 and Jer. 4.4 So was the Passover Exod. 12. so revealed by St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. such was the Tabernacle also which David opens Psal 15.1 such was the Temple opened by Esay 51.15 and 60 1 2. 2 Cor. 3.16 Apoc. 21.22 such were all the instruments of the Tabernacle and Temple being all but mystical patterns and examples Heb. 8.5 So were the Sacrifices of the Tabernacle and Temple Psal 4.5 and 50.14 and 51.19 Hos 14.2 Heb. 13.13 Such were the special times of Sacrifices the Holy Dayes New Moons and Sabbaths all being but shadows of things to come Col. 2.16 17. Nay Omnia in figura contingebant illis So the old Glosse read that Text 1 Cor. 10. not as we since All these things but all things happened unto them for types and examples And there is good Reason for it whether we consider the mysteries themselves and the truths hidden in them or the persons whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the person Revealing or concealing mysteries those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initiated to whom these mysteries are revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who are without from whom these mysteries are concealed or hidden In every one of these respects good reason there is that the Kingdom of Heaven should be a mysticall Kingdom or that there are mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven As for the mystical truths themselves there is a kind of necessity that they should be concealed for whereas spiritual things have neither name nor sensible figure nor any outward semblance proper to themselves whereby they might be conveyed through our outward and inward senses unto our understanding which
is the only ordinary way of humane knowledge in this life it 's necessary that if one must know them they borrow all such typical and parabolical representations of themselves from outward and sensible things whereby they may be accommodated and fitted unto our understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for it is impossible saith Dyonisius Areopagita That the Divine Ray should otherwise shine unto us then as inveloped and hidden in variety of holy coverings So that the Reason why Divine Truths are hidden in mysteries is è necessitate materiae as the Philosopher speaks of the hair although in somewhat a different sense it proceeds from the matter it self But further as the hair is also a glory to the Woman 1 Cor. 11.15 though effeminate and womanish men have robbed them of that ornament so it is for the excellency and glory of Divine Truths that they be so hidden in mysteries Nature hath concealed her Treasures from open view for 't is from the worth of Gold and Silver that they are hidden under the barren Earth and from the worth of the Kingdom of Heaven that it 's a treasure hidden in the field Mat. 13. Thus Pearls are hidden in shels and under water And the Kingdom of Heaven is a goodly Pearl a Treasure a Pearl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in earthen vessels or rather in shells as the word properly signifieth And the Apostle may be conceived to allude unto the Pearl in in the shell 2 Cor. 4.7 unless we may think that he had reference unto Gideons light in earthen pitchers for so the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of light as the Devils Kingdom is the Kingdom of darkness Col. 1. But that is but a needless and superfluous ornament that beside adorning is for no other use and therefore as the hair is a glory to the woman so 't is given unto her for a covering Ye know Precious Stones and Jewels are wont to be kept and conveyed from hand to hand not naked and openly but in Cabinets or Caskets or other coverings and this is the most profitable and pleasing way of conveying these precious Jewels these Heavenly treasures of divine Truth unto men saith Aquinas I spare to name those other reasons considerable in the persons both revealing mysteries and those to whom they are revealed and from whom they are hidden for these will be more properly and seasonably alledged for the proof of the following points Mean time that which hath been already delivered may suffice for the opening and confirming of the present truth That there is a mystery or there are mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven whence it followeth undeniably 1. That there is a mystical sence of the Royal Law and Gospel of the Kingdom not that a mystical and spiritual sence runs collaterally along withal and every part of the literal sence that 's a conceit beyond all imagination 1. For some Scripture is so literal that it affords no mystical sence at all which is not expresly contained in the words themselves in their very next signification Such are the two precepts of Charity Thou shalt love the Lord thy God withal thy heart withal thy soul and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Such is that precept of our Saviour believe in God or you believe in God believe ye also in me Joh. 14. yea the literal sense is of that latitude and extent that in it are at least virtually contained all things appertaining unto the whole faith and life of a Christian man 2. Again some Scripture there is so mystical that it hath no true literal sence at all such is Jotham's parable of the Trees consulting and choosing themselves a King 2 King 14.9 3. But a middle sort of Scripture there is that beside the literal sence hath also a mystical such is that of the Ceremonial Law and Historical part of Scripture one Example of either may excuse the rest Ye shall not break a bone thereof saith Moses of the Passover according to the literal sence Exod. 12.46 but that Law was mystically intended of our Saviour crucified our true Passover and so expounded by St. John 19.36 whose legs they brake not saith he that the Scripture might be fulfilled a bone of him shall not be broken which truly was hidden in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an Oxe and a Teacher And as this is observable in the Ceremonial Law so likewise in the historical part of Scripture to which purpose saith St. Gregory Dum narrat gestum prodit mysterium Psal 78.1 Out of Aegypt have I called my Son Hos 11.1 understood of Christ Mat. 2.15 Rachel mourning for her Children understood of their return out of Babylon Jer. 31.15 interpreted of Christ Mat. 2.18 ye have one notable place 1 Chron. 17. where the Lord saith of Solomon I will be unto him a Father and he shall be to me a Son This is quoted into Hebr. 1.5 and brought to prove Christ's Sonship or that he is the Son of God as purposely intended to be spoken of him who is the true Solomon the true Peace-maker the true Prince of Peace yea the true Peace it self Nor ought any one to be offended as if when we call the Spiritual and Mystical sence the true Sence and the Truth we should conceive the literal to be false for the Truth of God may be two wayes considered either 1. As it is opposed to falshood and lies thus the Truth and a Lye are opposed 1 Joh. 2.21 and he that tells lies and speaks truth Joh. 8. Or 2. As the Truth of God is opposed to types and figures for whatsoever is not the Truth is not presently a lye or false as some erroneously suppose Thus Daniel desired to know of the Angel the truth of all he saw Dan. 7.16 19. and 11.2 Thus the figurative Tabernacle is opposed to the true Heb. 8.2 The Holiest of Holies figuratively such to those which are truly holy Heb. 9.24 So Christ is the true light Joh. 1.9 the true bread Joh. 6.32 Not as if the first Creature were a false Light or the Manna which the Fathers ate a false Bread or either falsly so called but types they were and figures only of the True Light and the True Bread The ground of all this is There are mysteries of the Kingdom of God 3. So that the Word of God is not so plain perspicuous and easie as some conceive it to be No no for though I dare not say with St. Jerome that Nullus apex vacat mysterio yet well may I complain with him That though the meanest and easiest Trade requires long time perhaps seven years to learn the mysteries contained in it some notwithstanding entertain so poor a conceit of this most mystical Art of life that it of all the rest is so perspicuous and so plain that after four years or less time spent in laying the grounds of Arts if so well without setting a part even so much more time for the
study of the heavenly mysteries ex tempore and without more adoe repentè sic Theologi prodiere They suddainly start up Divines and presume themselves able Ministers and preach with as much facility and confidence as if they had studied Divinity but if they have gotten a smattering in the Original Tongues they have no patience till they be in the Pulpit and then less Nay may it not truly be spoken of their Seniors that they have as mean an opinion of God's Word when they think they have time enough to serve the world prog for their Childrens Children yet study Divinity Nay if they have Tongues and Arts and quote Scriptures and Fathers how learned Clarks soever otherwise they be turn them loose for profound and dissolute absolute Divines Alas they consider not that there are mysteries hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of God and that it 's given to the Disciples only to know the mysteries 2. This points us to the object or matter of all Controversies and Contentions in the Church viz. the Mysteries or hidden Truths of the Kingdom of God for men differ not in Opinion touching things openly and manifestly known for who but a mad man or stark blind would dispute whether 't were day or no when the Sun shines forth bright and clear at high noon Some Divine Truths there are as clear and evident as the Sun shines so that no question can be made of them they give testimony of themselves and need no other argument to prove them to be these prevent all controversies and strivings of men about them But other Divine Truths there are mystical and hidden and about these and these only men differ and hence proceed all Controversies which distract and divide the Church of Christ at this day which when we hear we may well conclude that the Truths where about they differ are not known for were they known there would be then no further difference about them We will not quarrel but pity a blind man if he saith 't is dark when the Sun shines Of such as these St. Paul speaks they are turned aside saith he unto vain janglings desiring to be Teachers of the Law yea and the Gospel too understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 and 6.20 he called Controversies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the oppositions of Science or knowledge falsly so called For did they truly know the Truths where about they differ they would not strive and contend about them as they do and therefore when Controversies are started and hotly pursued in the Church 't is a good Rule not to be over-hasty in siding or adhering unto Spirits of contradiction but rather to do as I have heard the safest course is for a man that travels in a dark night and is in danger to be misled by the ignis fatuus or fools fire to set him down and wait upon the Heavens for light The Prophet Esay gives us the same counsel for avoiding the like â—ools fire of Contention kindled by undiscreet Zelots and carried about like a wisp to brawl and scold at Chap 50.10 11. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled This shall ye have of my hand ye shall lye down in sorrow It 's given to the Disciples and who are they It 's a question like that of our Saviour Mar. 5. Who is that that toucheth my cloaths and may be answered as he was Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou who toucheth me What a throng what a crowd of Disciples there are in the world and do we yet enquire who they are Alas beloved Multi Dominum comprimunt ac una tangit saith St. Gregory An innumerable multitude of Carnal men throng and crowd our Lord by an outward profession of Christianity yet few very few of that great crowd truly touch him and draw virtue from him and therefore when great multitudes followed him as now there do pretending to be his Disciples Luk. 14.25 He turned about and said unto them if any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple and whosoever doth not hear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple vers 33. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple And how few alas how few are there such among the great throng of those who are called Christians but unto these and only these it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven By Knowledge in the Text is to be understood not Historical which is by hear say and rather credulity than knowledge but approbative and experimental knowledge and according to this it is given to these and only these to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven And why to these O these are the only men in the world that are qualified for entrance into Christ's School of mysteries that 's the first reason and a second is this God the revealer of Mysteries vouchsafes to none but these the Revelation of them That this is the qualification of all those who can possibly be admitted to the knowledge of the heavenly mysteries 't is evident by the testimony of God himself They seek me daily saith he and would know my wayes as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinance of their God Esay 58.2 it is a tanquam or quatenus specificativum as specifieth the qualification of him that the mysteries of God's wayes are to be revealed unto viz. an unlearning of our selves and ceasing to do evil and a learning of Christ to do good This the Prophet Jeremy defines by doing judgment and justice Did not thy Father do judgment and justice He judged the cause of the poor and needy and is not this to know me saith the Lord Jer. 22.16 Thus St. Paul requires that we walk worthy of God pleasing him in all things and being fruitful in every good work and then followeth encreasing in the knowledge of God Col. 1.10 and vers 26. of that Chapter The mystery of the Gospel saith he which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations is now revealed what to all without exception without qualification No no it is made manifest or revealed unto the Saints unto the Disciples for the secret of the Lord is with the Righteous Prov. 3.32 Unto them the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great revealer of mysteries as he is called more than once in Dan. 2. he makes known the secrets of the Heavenly Kingdom So saith the wise man That God giveth unto the man that
the spirit If ye love me saith he keep my Commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter or Teacher and he shall teach you all things he shall lead you into all truth Joh. 14.15.16 26. According to these differences of Mysteries Disciples and degrees of Knowledge and in this or the like method the great and only wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great revealer of mysteries orders the dispensation of them so that every Disciple knows not all the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Although generally it be most true that the Disciples and only the Disciples know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven whence if any suggest I should observe a fatality or necessity in God's dispensing the mysteries of Salvation and of his Heavenly Kingdom St. Chrysostome will not give me leave to make any such Collection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Not as if he meant to bring in any necessity or fatality into the world but that he might shew saith he that evil men are the cause of their own ignorance and that the Disciples knowledge of the Divine Mysteries is the gift of God Hence both Priest and People Teacher and Disciple may learn lessons for themselves 1. The Teacher that he presume not to instruct men in the mysteries of the Heavenly Kingdom before he himself be taught the same of God that he adventure not to give forth Divine Truths before it be given unto him and that he himself hath received the gift and therefore the Teachers in Scripture are first taught of God both to unlearn the mysteries of iniquity 2 Cor. 4.1 2. and to learn and teach the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven It pleased God saith St. Paul to reveal his Son in me that I might teach him unto the Gentiles Thus he taught the Philippians the mystery of Contentation Phil. 4.7 wherein he himself had been first instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's given to me to know the whole mystery both to abound and suffer need vers 12. For want of this what an hideous thing it is to consider how many erroneous Phansies are vented by our blind Guides which they themselves know not but only believe or imagine or take upon trust with what impudence do they intrude into Christ's School and bear themselves as the stewards of the hidden mysteries of God What horrible presumption what bold ignorance it is illotis manibus with unnurtured and undiscipled hearts and minds to dare dispense and deal forth the mysteries of God unto the people Beloved there is not any one cause of all the mischiefs in the Christian world greater than this that the spawn and issues of opinionated and brutish men tending immediately and directly to the destruction of themselves and those that hear them are commended to the credulous multitude as the Expositions and Revelations of the Heavenly Mysteries yea and thundered out with such confidence and authority as if they came from the third Heaven what 's the reason of all this The Preacher will Teach and make Disciples equivocally before he himself is one before he himself hath received the gift he presumes to give unto the people to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God 2. It affords us also a Lesson for the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to think more highly or not to desire to know more or higher mysteries than they ought to know but to know unto sobriety Rom. 12.3 to add unto their knowledge temperance 2 Pet. 1.6 To remember that there are old vessels as well as new carnal men as well as spiritual that though the Scribe that 's taught unto the Kingdom of God bring out of his Treasure things New and Old he puts the New Wine into the new vessels and the Old only into the old Obser The nourishment of the Child is milk and honey and therefore Israel under the Law was a Child Gal. 4. and had the Promise of the Land flowing with milk and honey the Child's Portion or the Land of the Churches Childhood these two being commonly the food of Children so 1 Pet. 2. As new born Babes desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Son eat thou honey so shall the knowledge of wisdom be to thy Soul Prov. 24.13 14. This was the practice of the Antient Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We speak not plainly of the mysteries unto Novices saith St. Cyril They knew well that the Apostle could not speak unto the Corinthians as Spiritual but as Carnal but to the Elders and Overseers of the Church of Ephesus not as unto Carnal but as to Spiritual and therefore he declares unto them the whole counsel of God Act. 20. Now good Lord how far distant are we in these last dayes from that holy reservedness of those Primitive times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith St. Cyril it is not the custom of the Church to reveal mysteries unto Novices no no they had their Poenitentes their Catechumeni their Confirmati their Fideles their Sancti their Justi most of them distinct degrees of Christ's Disciples as appears out of Tertullian and others according as they were capable of few of more heavenly Mysteries which now in this hudling age and confusion of all things are but meer names and they scarce known when every Novice thinks he may nay he ought to know as much as the most perfect Scribe that 's taught unto the Kingdom of God As for us Beloved in the Lord let us be exhorted to give over our quarrelling and wrangling out the meaning of Gods Word and let us learn of God to love one another which is the mark of Christ's Disciples To be in the fear of the Lord all the day long which is the beginning of wisdom To continue in the things that we have learned that more may be given unto us to proportion our desire of Knowledge according to our progress in obedience to be humble and obedient Disciples unto Christ in the faithful and conscionable practise of what we know This this is the only Clavis Scripturae this is the only undeceivable ready way of knowing the mysteries which as yet we know not This this is the only qualification for entrance into the School of Christ's mysteries to such Disciples God gives to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Exhort Would we know the mysteries of God's Kingdom let us be Disciples and so be taught unto the Kingdom of God Ye know Christ's Disciples were first the Disciples of John the Baptist as ye find Joh. 1. Thus Simon Peter is styled by our Saviour Mat. 16.17 Simon Barjona Simon the Son or Disciple of John as Disciples were called the Sons of their Teachers Now John the Baptists Doctrine was the Doctrine of Repentance and sorrow for sin and the doctrine of amendment of life Mat. 3. both which our Lord requires in his Disciples as also self-denial and taking up the Cross Luk. 9. and
14. This is that which we have lately vowed and Covenanted sorrow for our sins and amendment of our wayes and thus thus doing we shall defend this City such wisdom is defence Eccles 7.12 A wise man is strong and a man of knowledge encreaseth strength Prov. 24.5 The Covenant is propounded in a right method Truly I conceive I shall discharge my vocation in good measure and perform my Vow and Covenant if through the Grace of God I shall encourage you to that war Militare militiam Domini They who forsake the Law praise the wicked but they who keep the Law contend with them Prov. 6.28 It is in the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They make a trench they build a wall about themselves God is a wall of fire about such Zach. 2.5 God sets an hedge about such Job 1.10 These are they that have the Promise to dwell safely To such as these it is said Levit. 26.5 6 7 8. Ye shall dwell in your Land safely I will give ye peace in the Land and ye shall lye down and none shall make ye afraid were we such as these how should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Deut. 32.29 30. Jos 2.10 O beloved we arrogate all the Priviledges and Royalties of Christ's Disciples and they belong not to us we have no right unto them The drunkard is a drunkard still he hath not left himself he is therefore not Christ's Disciple but the Disciple of Bacchus or Comos which we understand to be meant by Chemosh and is such an one fit for the defence either of himself or others The Glutton is a glutton still and what hath he to do with Christ he is none of his Disciples The Letcher is one of Venus's School not of Christs The Covetous man is Plutus or Mammon's Disciple not Christs The Lyars and the Envious men are the Devils Disciples not Christs O let every one of us sift his own heart and see whether he be not one of these or no Truly Beloved all the power of Satan and Satanical men could not hurt this City were not these Traytors these Rebels haboured and nouzelled and favoured in it I fear more or less by every one of us The greatest and most dangerous enemies are within us and shall we think our selves ever able to defend our selves while we are thus our selves No no let us not trust in an arm of flesh our own or others while we live in our Pride our Drunkenness while we are not Disciples of Christ It 's a terrible Commination unto the rejected Jews which ye read Jer. 37. when the Aegyptians were come into their aid and the Chaldeans were departed from the siege vers 9.10 Thus saith the Lord deceive not your selves or nolite efferre vos pride not your selves though ye had smitten the whole Army I tremble to apply this unto our selves for can we think that while we continue in our undiscipled estate we can ever defend this City No we are the men who betray our City Prov. 29.8 Scornful men bring a City into a snare but wise men the true Disciples they turn away wrath O let us not flatter our selves with our infirmities by which name we call our gross enormities while we are such we are so far from defending this City that we are the men who betray it and bring it into a snare for how can he defend others who is himself as a broken City Prov. 25.28 But what is this all the defence we may use Sure I am this is the best and chief if we make any other defence without this 't is utterly in vain for then only one humane means is used in defence against another a dashing of one vessel against another the striving of the earthly pot-sheards the Covenant points us to this order first amendment of life then giving assistance first wisdom is a defence and then money first we must be so spiritually wise and then such a wise man is strong Prov. 24. Christian defence is not every mans work 'T is true Abraham waged a War and Joshua and David what is that to us if we walk not in the steps of Abraham nor do the works of Abraham if we be not like David men according to Gods heart Doubtless all honest lawful and warrantable wayes may be used for our preservation and defence yea Beloved every free man of this City hath taken an oath which binds him to the defence of it Nay were we strangers in it Captives and Prisoners in it yet being for the time as parts and members of it we are bound to contribute toward the preservation of it Jer. 29.7 And truly beloved if there be any such treacherous men among us as envies us our Lives and Liberties and that which is the use of both our Religion or goes about or ever shall go about to betray them into the hands of Popish Atheistical Bloody men I conceive them a generation of Vipers such as ungratefully eat out the bowels of their own Mother their City or Country Quae charitates omnes omnium complectitur could Tully himself say and unworthy they are to enjoy their safety and preservation in it In a word would God such Achans such troublers of our Israel were even cut off from among us as the Apostle speaks The Lord deliver us from every such evil work and worker and preserve us safe to his everlasting Kingdom Motive If we be Disciples then all the Mysteries will open themselves unto us what a deal of pains is taken by us to open the Scriptures whiles we do as if we set a wedge in the wood against the grain of it whereas the mysteries of the Kingdom are seen only by believing and obedient men which the Vultures eye or curious searchers cannot ken Sign Art thou a Disciple That 's easily discovered to a mans own self and to others 1. To a mans own self Dost thou deny thy self 2. Dost thou love thy fellow Disciples Means are the love of God and our Neighbour if thou have that thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven Dan. 9.13 There is no knowledge of the Truth without turning from our sins Repent or turn to God because this Kingdom of Heaven is at hand That we may know them we must depart from the hidden things of unrighteousness For he that will be Christ's Disciple must deny himself and take up his Cross and follow him Repreh Our rude and unmannerly intrusion into Christ's School of Mysteries while yet we are undiscipled and unnurtured while yet we are self-lovers and self-seekers and enemies to the Cross of Christ The great sin of these times and which makes the times perillous 2 Tim. 3.1 as the Apostle hath foretold men shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-loving Disciples covetous Disciples and such like horrid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carrying implicit contradiction to the Disciples of Christ Yet even in this undiscipled estate we intrude into the
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.
it were all one if our Lord should say to this young man Thou shalt not at all enter into Life why because the Condition of entrance is impossible which 't is very unlikely our Lord should say to this young man whom he is said to love Mar. 10. Hence it appears that the Commandments of God must be kept there is a necessity that they be otherwise we cannot enter into Life Whereas there is a two-fold necessity Praecepti and Medii they are both here How often is the keeping of Gods Commandments enjoyned throughout the Scriptures and how often are they set down as a means whereby we may obtain Eternal Life Exhort Keep the Commandments of God Means Faith working by Love Doth a man believe and love God What will not his Love enforce him to do See Notes on Exod. 20.3 6. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XX. 22 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Jesus answered and said Ye know not what ye ask Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they say unto him We are able And he saith unto them Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father OUr Lords Entertainment of Two ambitious importunate Suitors 1. Reproving them Ye know not what ye ask 2. Expostulating with them Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of which they say they are able to do 3. He answers their Suit That it is not his to give but to those for whom it is prepared 1. James and John knew not what they asked 2. Our Lord asks them whether they were able to drink of his cup and be baptized with his baptism 3. James and John said they were able 4. Our Lord foretells that they shall drink of his cup and be baptized with his baptism 5. To sit on Christs right hand and on his left is not his to give but to those for whom it is prepared of the Father James and John knew not what they asked A sharp Reproof for in reason what a man petitions and asks for he first in words desires and what he desires he first knows and therefore their petition was justly blame-worthy that they knew not what they asked Obser 1. The unseasonable desires of flesh and blood for our Lord had newly told them of his sufferings Reason 1. Why they asked 2. why they knew not what they asked 1. These are the Petitioners who are named in Mar. 10. without mention made of their Mother She is here suborned by her Sons and might therefore seem more probably to undertake their Suit because she had been now a constant follower of the Lord Jesus as none of all the Apostles Mothers had been Besides she might well have observed that of all the Apostles her two Sons with Peter only had been honoured with Sirnames they only had been taken apart from the rest and had been made partakers of somewhat which the rest knew not Mar. 3.17 Mat. 17.1 as the transfiguration Mar. 5.37 Parents are not slow in taking notice of favours done to their children and therefore she looked at them as at rising Suns and such as were like to be favourites in the Kingdom of Christ which they now looked for Besides James and John as some conceive were kinsmen to our Lord according to the flesh and therefore they and their Mother thought it reasonable that he should grant them whatsoever they should desire Mar. 10.35 Peter only was promised the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 16.19 c. He as they conceived would be the only stumbling stone in their way to preferment whereupon they thought fit to put in betimes and move for a promise 2. Why knew they not what they asked They had heard our Lords promise Mat. 19.28 and therefore they desired places of great profit honour and ease for all those are comprehended in their Petition 1. They desired wealth in the Kingdom of Christ 2. Honour in the Chief Places about the King the right hand and left in his Kingdom And 3. Ease they would sit at the right hand and left hand of Christ in his Kingdom and dispose of all things in it like Kings and Compeers with him they dream'd of things Humane and of this world whereas our Lord spake of things Divine and of the world to come Whose Kingdom is not of this world Obser 1. Christ's Kingdom is a Spiritual Kingdom and they were yet Carnal and therefore not in a capacity of knowing the Kingdom of Christ The Natural man knows not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. Obser 2. Note hence the ignorance of flesh and blood who know nothing of Christ but according to the flesh they know only what is worldly and fleshly and dream only of a worldly Kingdom and are ambitious and at strife about places in a worldly Kingdom Though our Lord had told them plainly the Kingdom of Heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that his Kingdom was not of this world yet Luk. 24. they were further instructed to the same purpose And though the Apostle tells us plainly wherein the Kingdom of God consists Rom. 14. men fancy themselves heirs of Gods Kingdom by their Carnal conceiving Obser 3. Note here the nature and property of flesh and blood it 's alwayes plotting projecting petitioning for it self it s own proft its pleasure it s own preferment Repre Their vain imagination who fancy to themselves a Soveraignty and Rule due to themselves over persons and things by a false perswasion of being heirs of Gods Kingdom whereunto they have not attained who presume to sit and rule over the hearts and consciences of others who have not yet gotten the rule over their own spirits such were James and John Luk. 9.49 and again vers 54. the like we may say of all Novices they are ambitious of domineering and ruling over others an evident sign that they have not yet received the Spirit of God as James and John as yet had not Alas if men knew or considered the danger of being an Over-seer or Pastor over others if he well pondered what the Apostle saith He who desires the office of a Bishop desires a good work he would answer to that question wont to be propounded Vis Episcopari truly not feignedly or for fashion Nolo The fruitful Vine Olive and Fig-tree refused the promotion over the Trees It was the pricking bramble bush that was ambitious For what poor man that 's wise would desire a multitude of Children which he cannot feed or maintain Who would willingly bear the burthen of many others when himself already hath his load who being himself weak will cumber himself with the weakness of others Wherefore layest
spiritual wedding Luk. 12.36 37. yea in this sence especially Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun of Righteousness or Righteousness or Servant unto us as the word signifieth as he was the Rock that waited on the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. But for whom is all this sumptuous provision for whom is all this great preparation made For all Nations Esay 25.6 for every Creature Mar. 16. for thee for him for me for every one of us we are all friendlily called we are all kindly and lovingly invited and bidden to come unto this Heavenly Feast And surely if there be any motives sufficient to perswade a reasonable man to come to any Feast these or the most of them the Scripture useth as the most powerful and most effectual to invite us all to come unto this Marriage-feast Whether we respect the cheer variety and readiness of it or the Master of the Feast his free disposition his kind invitation the guests and his hearty welcome of them or the time too much spent at other Feasts and spent in the preparation and invitation to this Feast How seasonable it is to come to this Feast how unseasonable to riot at other Feasts These and the like motives the Scripture useth to invite us unto this Feast 1. Do we respect the cheer what is it but all the Spiritual Graces all the heavenly virtues of God what is it but the Kingdom of Heaven it self Righteousness Peace and Joy What is it but the King of that Kingdom God himself What is it but the enjoying of the greatest and most precious or honourable promises of God What is it but union and communion fruition and participation of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. All this is but a confuse and general description The Prophet breaks out into an admiration How great is thy goodness c. Psal 31.19 Eye hath not seen c. viz. of those without but those within see hear and admire 1 Cor. 2. confer Psal 16.11 and 36.8 and 65.5 This all this heavenly food is ready and prepared for us and because all stomachs are not alike here 's food of all sorts milk for the babes such as are unskilful in the word of Righteousness butter and honey for those that grow up in the fear of the Lord that they may know to refuse the evil and choose the good Esay 7.15 Strong meat for men of perfect age who by reason of use habit or perfection have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil Heb. 13.4 O the plenty and variety of provision in God's house In my Fathers house saith the Prodigal is bread enough i. e. all manner of sustenance as when we pray for our daily bread 2. All these are now ready for us for Wisdom hath killed her beasts she hath mingled or strained and purified her wines she hath also furnished her table Prov. 9. I have prepared my dinner mine Oxen and my fatlings are killed the meat 's on the Table the wines are mingled and poured out All things are ready Come to the Marriage feast Our God prevents us with his Graces he is before hand with us all things are provided for us without our care or providence 3. But ingenuous guests are not so much taken with the cheer that 's prepared for them as the worth and free disposition of the Feast-maker his kind invitation of his Guests and his hearty welcome of them the Lamb and his Wife Rev. 21.9 10. Thou sittest with a Ruler therefore consider what 's set before thee 'T is the wise mans counsel â—n another case Prov. 23.1 All these are eminent in this Feast-maker and Master the King it is that makes this Feast vers 2. yea the King of Kings Haman one of the proudest of men had nothing greater wherein to pride himself than this That he was to banquet with the King and Queen And a greater King and Queen art thou to feast withal even the King and Queen typically meant by those Christ and his Church 2. 'T is that King that riseth early that invites thee 't is he that he may give thee timely notice and he that sends his messengers to call thee for 't is the Lord our God that calls us Act. 2.39 't is Jesus Christ that calls us Joh. 7.37 't is God in Christ that calls us 2 Cor. 5.19 't is God who as a King deals even with us as Kings he sends forth his Ambassadours to call us 2 Cor. 5.20 his Prophets Ho! every one that thirsteth come to the waters Esay 55.1 his Apostles and Ministers 2 Thess 2.14 God hath called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ The Spirit of God in every one saith Come yea many Nations and People say come and let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob Esay 2.3 The Bride of Christ at this Marriage-feast the whole Church every one to every one saith Come Apoc. 22.17 Wisdom hath sent forth her Maidens the King hath sent forth his Servants they tell thee all things are ready many guests are assembled 1. the Bridegroom stayes on thee the master of the Feast expects thee what a glorious company of guests doth the Apostle reckon up Hebr. 12 22-24 And wilt thou be such an unmannerly fellow such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to make the Master of the Feast with so great a company tarry on thee They say Tiberius the Emperour being invited to Supper by a Roman Noble Man stayed till midnight e're he came ut expectatior veniret Historians report it of him and brand him with it as a very unmannerly part yet was he his Subject whom he thus made to wait upon him The King of Kings the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Apoc. 1.5 invites thee to a Feast to banquet with himself what pretence hast thou what excuse is it possible to frame for thee that thou be not branded with unparallel'd unmannerliness if thou let him stay on thee Yea with as much unthankfulness if we consider 1. what we his Guests are 2. what it is that detains us from coming to this Feast 3. what motive he hath to invite us 4. his liberal provision 5. his free welcome of us for 1. Strangers we are unto him and alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 yea enemies unto him Col. 1.21 And 2. what could induce him to invite his enemies nothing in us no no 't is his nimia charitas the exceeding great mercy and love of God unto us which moved him to give us his only begotten Son He which gave us the Precept to love our enemies to do good to them that hate us He gives us the example too He loved us while we were enemies Rom. 5.10 He who commands us If our enemy hunger to feed him if he thirst to give him drink He also propounds himself an example of so doing giving us his Christ his bread from
foot Or 2. perhaps this obstruction proceeds from an high esteem of other meats and drinks thus the Jews admired their figurative Manna and so could not digest the true bread that came down from heaven Joh. 6. And the high estimation the woman had of Jacob's Well endangered her the loss of the Water of Life Joh. 4. Thus many entertain high thoughts of outward formalities in Religion and yet remain themselves without the power of it as our Lord told the Jews That their Fathers ate Manna and yet were dead and the Samaritan woman That he that drank of that water should thirst again Joh. 4.13 And St. Paul told the Galatians That their Ceremonial Observations were weak and beggarly Elements Gal. 4.9 such as could not nourish nor strengthen the Soul with Grace and the same we may say of all Ceremonies in themselves considered whether they be 1. such as the Church injoyns or 2. such as they observe who oppose them and oppose the Church in opposing them In themselves they are no other whose only worth is in their serviceableness and signification of better things and therefore he that is taken with these in themselves considered feeds as it were upon the husks and chaff and neglects the corn the eares the paring of the fruit and neglects the pulp he admires as it were the dish and tastes not of the meat These in themselves are the meat that perish vain and empty things which will not profit us in the latter end The heart must be established with Grace and not with such meat Other humours there are which trouble our concoction in the Will and Affections such is nicety and curiosity O purge out that and that with this recipe dainty palates are not long lived wherefore hear the counsel of the Spiritual Prov. 23.1 2 3. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler as now thou dost consider what is set before thee c. be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitful meat He that would eat to live and not to surfet will be content with wholesome and nourishing food and will eat his meat as savourly out of an earthen platter as out of a silver dish Take heed of being over greedy put thy knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to thine appetite There is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dog-like appetite which possesseth many men of knowing much and doing little Such as is the longing of some women Remember I pray you what befel the Israelites in this case they desired meat for their lusts and God gave them meat as he doth many things in his anger But while the meat was yet in their mouths the heavy wrath of God fell upon them But perhaps choler or melancholy that takes away thy stomach as Ahab 1 King 21.5 6. Anima tua tristata est non comedis panem perhaps thou hast taken a surfet of cares of this life O take heed of that it is our Saviours caution Luk. 21.34 The general privative way is humiliation and emptying our selves of our own Righteousness yet so that we have not an idolatrical conceit of Christ's Righteousness as if we should be idle No vide humilitatem meam for I do not forget thy Law 2. Positive helps are Faith as the Scripture saith of Christ and good will like a good stomach to a feast if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good things of the Land Esay 1. both together an evil Father will give his Son if he ask him bread Mat. 7. Luk. 13. He gives his Spirit to them that obey him Come as hungry as the Amalakite whom David fed Christus confertur hominibus bonae voluntatis Luk. 2. Let him that is a thirst come and let him that will take of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 The oyl will run if there be vessels to receive it 2 King 4. Mat. 7.11 Luk. 11.13 God and his Kingdom is compared to the Reaper The harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few 2. To the Fisherman The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net 3. To the Merchant The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls 4. To the Baker The Kingdom of Heaven is like to leaven 5. To the Cook in the Text I have prepared my dinner mine Oxen and Fatlings are killed And so to divers other callings and professions of life In the Holy Sacrament God condescends to accommodate himself unto all and every man for what is more ordinary what so ordinary as the natural actions of eating and drinking dining and supping and feasting God in Wisdom and Mercy so graciously disposing That whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we may be reminded of God and his Christ his Kingdom his Righteousness This is that he invites us unto under infinite names in Scripture all being but one and the same meat diversly dressed or served up in divers dishes So saith the Lord by his Prophet Hosea chap. 12.10 Prov. 9 1-5 I have spoken by the Prophets and I have multiplyed visions manibus Prophetarum assimilatus sum I have been diversly represented by the Prophets or as we turn it I have used similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets who indeed have ministred the same things of old which are reported unto us 1 Pet. 1.12 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XXII 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reddite ergo quae sunt Caesaris Caesari quae sunt Dei Deo Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods THe words are a wary Answer to a wily Question and contain in them our Duty towards our King and our God We may resolve the words into these Three Truths 1. We ought to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars 2. To God the things that are Gods 3. To the one as well as to the other The occasion of these words we may gather from the Story which as Josephus and Origen reports it is this Pompey the Great and after him Augustus Caesar and other Roman Emperours imposed a Tax upon the whole Empire and so upon the Jews of this St. Luke speaks Luk. 2.1 2 3. when Joseph and the blessed Virgin went to Bethlehem ut profiterentur as it is in the Vulg. Lat. that they might profess themselves subject to the Romans About this time and upon this occasion Judas of Galilee stirred up the people to rebel against the Romans crying out that it was a very unseemly thing that Gods people should serve the Gentiles of him and his end Gamaliel speaks Act. 5.37 He and his followers though they were quickly taken out of the way yet they left many behind them of the same opinion who were called Galileans from the Author of their Sect whereof Pilate for that cause had slain many and mingled their blood with his Sacrifices Luk. 13.1 And therefore this question whether it were lawful to give tribute
and the Majesty for all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is thine thine is the Kingdom c. both Riches and Honour come of thee c. vers 14.16 O Lord our God all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine Holy Name cometh of thine hands and is all thine own Obser 3. The bounty of God unto his Creature though they be the things of God yet he allows us the bestowing of them He doth as it were yield unto the man his own right and interest that he may perform his duty as if Caesar should lend his Subject money to pay himself tribute Of thine own do we give thee When we have fail'd he puts us in a way of paying our debts few Creditors do so and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turn'd as well render unto God c. Obser 4. Gods Service is a free Service Donatio est liberalis datio give unto God God is free in giving his Graces unto us and he would have us free in giving him of his own God loves a chearful giver Obser 5. Gods service is a just service a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Render Obser 6. Hence we learn who are and ought to be accounted the truly Godly who but they who have and give or render unto God the things of God not they who only know the things of God for we know that we all have knowledge 1 Cor. 8. Nor they who have the things of God but detain them in unrighteousness Obser 7. How unjust then are they who render not unto God his own this very neglect unman'd Nebuchadnezzar he was not thought fit longer to be a man than he gave Glory unto God Dan. 5. And because Belshazzar his Son knew all this yet humbled not his heart he lost his Kingdom and Life vers 22 23. The like befell Herod the King who because he got credit by an Oration and gave not the Glory to God he was eaten up of worms and gave up the Ghost Act. 12.23 How dreadful then is the issue of abusing and mis-imploying the things of God if the very not-giving glory to God have such fearful events Such are the holding the truth of God in unrighteousness knowing what we should do yet doing what we should not Look I beseech you what a train of other sins this leads Rom. 1. from vers 18. to the end Holding the strength and power of God in pretence of weakness letting it lye idle by them Such are they who deny the power of Godliness which yet have a form of it Abusing the strength of God to wilful rebellion against God yea abusing that strength unto all ungodliness insomuch that there is no evil done in the City but Gods power and strength hath been abused to the doing of it Amos 3.6 Esay 45.7 'T is Gods strength which the drunkard abuseth to the bearing of strong drink against whom the Lord denounceth a woe because they abuse the strength of God to the lusts men Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink Isai 5.22 'T is Gods strength whereof the thief robs God when he layes wait for blood 'T is Gods beauty and comliness for so he calls it Ezech. 16.14 his ornaments they are and his Jewels his Gold and his Silver which are abused to wantonness and lasciviousness to whoredom and fornication to the invegling and entangling of young men void of understanding as is said of the whore Prov. 7.7 c. 'T is his love for all our love is his in this Mat. 22. which we prostitute unto things abominable Hos 9.10 'T is Gods hope for he is the God of hope Rom. 15.13 which we thrust away and place in vain things which will not profit us but shame us in the latter end 'T is Gods Faith for he is the Author of it Eph. 2.8 which we credit out to the believing of a lye 2 Thess 2. 'T is Gods fear for so he calls it Mal. 1.6 my fear which we give unto men and forget our Maker Esay 51.12 'T is Gods humility for to him 't is due Mich. 6. which is abused to the worshipping of Saints and Angels Col. 2. 'T is Gods worship i. e. his blessing his glory his wisdom his thanks his honour his power his might all which are Gods worship Rev. 7. which are abused unto the Creatures Rom. 1.25 'T is Gods precious time which we trifle away in satisfying our youthful lusts and not considering the day of our Visitation This is such a sacriledge such a robbing of God as most men are guilty of and I fear not very many fewer consider it These all these goods of God we have wasted and mispent his Truth Strength Beauty Love Hope Faith Fear Humility Worship â—â—d precious Time we have lain them out on Carnal things and things that will noâ— profit us in the latter end We are not debtors to the flesh yet we have laid out all these things on the flesh we have paid them in our own wrong they must be paid again Agree therefore with thine adversary and that quickly But whether is more injustice to give light unto darkness or darkness unto light the things of God to the Devil or the things of the Devil unto God For what shall we say unto those who give unto God their sins and say that he is the Author of them who say either 1. Directly that they are given up to commit abominations Jer. 7. or else 2. Obliquely denying that God gives them strength to pay their debt unto him Exhort To be just and upright in this point to give God his own 1. Remember I pray you the reasons before named 't is no more than equity we are exhorted unto to pay our debts unto God 2. God calls for them and challengeth them at our hands 3. We our selves have often promised and vowed to pay them 4. All which prove that it 's a great injustice to detain them for if it be a crying sin to detain our neighbours goods from him how loud doth that sin cry which is against God who is justice it self 5. Add hereunto the liberality of our Creditor the debt we owe him 't is but of his free love and mercy that he lends us all we have or are we have no greater plea when we require our debts than to say we lent the money freely out of our own purses 6. Who would run in continual debt and danger of Law and hang upon every bush and therefore our Saviours advice is to agree with our adversary quickly Mat. 5.25 7. Consider how freely they live who pay all their debts 8. That which in this case seems most of all to hinder our performance of this Duty 't is this we fear we shall be meer bankrupts and lead a tedious and irksom life But we are deceived there 's no loss in making such a deed of gift
Fountain sealed what profit is in them both and what profit is there in great contemplation and long study if it bring forth nothing to the good and benefit of mankind Tully could say Paulum Sepultae distat inertiae Celata virtus and what delight is there in still musick The Lord expects of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some excess somewhat beyond other men in the exercise of our gifts and graces if ye salute your Brethren only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we always abound in labour the Lord will be alwayes rewarding us and making us abound Sign Have we the goods of our Lord have we his Spiritual Talents what they are I have shewn in the first point Have we the simplicity of Abel may we not fear that our craft and subtilty hath bereaved us of our simplicity the Apostle was afraid of his Corinthians 2. Cor. 11.3 Corinth was a City of great trade and traffick and Sin saith the Wise Man sticks close between the buyer and the seller the word astutus subtle and cunning is said to come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies a City and may we not fear the like of our City and for the same reason that the Apostle did of Corinth And what think we of the second Talent the Law of God the Jews had it in their time yet had they it not in that they brought forth no fruit of it and therefore it was taken from them according to that of our Lord Mat. 21.43 The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you c. Yea the idle servant gave sentence against himself out of his own mouth vers 41. and may not we as truly For do we not say almost generally that the Law of God belongs not to us or if it belong to us it 's impossible to be performed by any power that our Lord hath given to his Servants which is now a dayes taught as a Catechetical Doctrine How then do we say we are wise Jer. 8.8 9. We have not the Law and therefore it 's taken from us As for the third Talent the Grace of the Lord calling us to repentance and amendment of life by John Baptist do not most men think that Talent was spent long since and no such dispensation now required in the Church Do not most men leap over John Baptists head that they may come immediately without any preparation unto Christ That Talent we most of all brag of is our precious Faith hereby alone men grasp all the promises of God but are there not seven additions to be joyned to it 2 Pet. 1. It 's a working Faith which our Lord requires a Faith that works what is profitable unto men Tit. 3.8 but Jam. 2.14 What then can we hope of the fifth Talent the suffering together with Christ Is it not a duty either not known or forgotten Is not Christ even dead yea buried in us like that Talent wrapt up in a napkin in the earthy heart And what 's left among us but a glorious profession of Faith and Religion as broad fig-leaves to cover our nakedness without fruit O Beloved let us sadly remember the Lord returns to take an account of his Servants he expects fruit not leaves Mich. 7.1 The Lord Jesus alwayes hungers and desires to eat the fruit of the Spirit in them so long as we bring forth fruit we are not dryed up but if the Lord come and find not this fruit in us will he not say unto us as he did unto the barren fig-tree How many at this day have only leaves and outward profession without the fruits of the Spirit who for a long time have had a name that they live O let us all take heed lest the Lord coming and finding no fruit we bear the Curse according to the doom in the Text From him who hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath Wherefore Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MARK IV. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but unto them that are without all these things are done in parables THese words are a part of our Saviours Answer unto his Disciples who asked him the meaning of the Parable which he had spoken to them in the former part of this Chapter St. Matthew 13.10 reports their question thus Why dost thou speak unto them in parables And his Answer thus Because unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given We may resolve the words I have read into these particulars 1. There are mysteries of the kingdom of God or there is a Mysterie 2. The Disciples know this Mysterie or these Mysteries 3. It is given to them to know it or them 4. To those that are without all things are done in Parables 5. Unto the Disciples indeed it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but unto those without all things are done in Parables Of the two first I have spoken heretofore yet may a doubt arise touching the later whether all the Disciples of Christ know all the mysteries of the kingdom of God yea or no surely they do not But for a more full and clear Answer to this question we must distinguish 1. Mysteries 2. Disciples 3. degrees of Knowledge and 4. Gods different dispensation of divers mysteries unto divers Disciples divers degrees of Knowledge There are two kinds of mysteries some are more easie truths such is the mysterie of the Gospel hid from none saith St. Paul but prophane men who perish in sin Other mysteries there are which the Scripture stiles great Mysteries and such is the mystery of our Conjunction and Union with God Ephes 5.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This saith he is a great Mysterie for so the Church figured by Eve the Mother of all the living ones taken out of Adam the figure of Christ whence the Church is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5.30 This and such like as these are called wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 13. Proportionably to these two kinds of Mysteries there are two sorts of Disciples also some are young and weak and of little understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unskilful or rather according to the Margin having no experience in the word of righteousness Like men of weak queazy stomachs such as can digest only light nourishment as milk and honey Esay 7. 1 Cor. 3. Heb. 5. that is the first principles of the oracles of God as the Apostle interprets it Heb. 6.1 the word of the beginning of Christ As for bread and strong meat they cannot away with it they cannot feed on it with out imminent danger Like those Jews who escaped
out of Jerusalem as Josephus reports and fell to the Romans They who fed of strong meat after their long famine perished in great multitudes whereas some few feeding on Milk saved their lives The Case is the very same with these young Disciples they have such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must be fed with milk and not with strong meat for they are not able to bear it 1 Cor. 3.2 like men of good and strong stomachs who can digest the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meat indeed Joh. 6. Where ye have examples of Disciples of both kinds where when our Saviour had set strong meat before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word which St. Paul useth for strong meat 1 Cor. 3.2 telling them that his flesh is meat indeed or truth Many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him This is an hard saying say they meat of hard concoction who can hear it who can digest it But others there were who could digest this strong meat for when our Saviour asked the Twelve whether they would go away and leave this strong meat Lord to whom shall we go saith Simon Peter in the name of the rest thou hast the words of eternal life that which is the true meat and the true drink Joh. 6.67 68. But others there are stronger and of larger unnderstanding such as by reason of of use habit or perfection can discern between good and evil these stronger Disciples who know the Wisdom and greater kind of Mysteries are called in Scripture wise and perfect men we speak wisdom saith St. Paul among those that are perfect 1 Cor. 2. Proportionably to the two sorts of instances and Disciples there are of the knowledge of this Wisdom different degrees both of extension in respect of the Object when it is of few or more or all Mysteries and of intention in regard of the Act when it is either wavering and mixt with ignorance error and doubting or firm certain and full of assurance For as among the Gentiles there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so among us Christians there is a seeing through a glass darkly or in a riddle and a seeing face to face a knowing imperfectly and a knowing as we are known 1 Cor. 13. a walking by faith and a walking by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 a knowing and a knowing surely Joh. 17.8 2 Tim. 3.14 a knowledge of the grace of God in truth Col. 1.6 and a full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2.2 And therefore howsoever St. Paul thanks and blesseth God that he had abounded toward the Ephesians in all wisdom and prudence and made known unto them the revelation of his will Eph. 1.8 9. yet Ver. 16 17. of the same Chapter he prayeth that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ would give unto them the spirit of wisdom and revelation for the acknowledgment of him According to these differences of Mysteries Disciples and degrees of knowledge and in this or the like method the great and wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great revealer of divine mysteries orders the dispensation of them So that it is not given to every Disciple to know all the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven however it be true generally that to them it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Answerable to these diverse Mysteries Disciples and Degrees of knowledge Gods Oeconomy and dispensation of them is considerable and that according to the Three Persons of the Trinity who are the true Teachers of them Esay 30.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so God the Father by his Law instructs his Disciples Joh. 6.45 Esay 8. and 16. Bind up the testimony seal the Law among my disciples such as tremble at his word Esay 66. for so the secret or mystery is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant Psal 24.14 and reveils unto these his babes the hidden things of his Law Matth. 11.25 These babes thus discipled by the Law of the Father he thereby brings them unto the Son Gal. 3. for so he promiseth to him that orders his conversation aright that he will shew him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 50 ul◠the salvation or Jesus of God He that hath thus heard and learned of the Father he comes unto the Son Joh. 6.45 for these John the Baptist the Minister of the Law directs and points unto Christ as a greater Teacher and Reveiler of higher Mysteries than himself Joh. 1. To such as these Christ himself saith he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Joh. 14.21 And when these Children of the Father become obedient unto his commandment and fruitful in every good work to the doing of his will Christ saith thus unto them Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit so shall ye become my disciples Joh. 15.8 In these Children of the Father now Christ's Disciples Christ finisheth the work which his Father gave him to do Joh. 17. what 's that the acknowledgment of the Father and the Son ver 6 7 8. Now as the Father by the Child-like obedience unto the Law opens the Mysteries of his Kingdom and brings his children unto Christ so by the humble demeanour of Christ's Disciples unto him he reveils the Mysteries of the Gospel unto them and brings them unto the Spirit If ye love me saith he keep my commandments And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter or Teacher so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Chaldee signifieth an Intercessor and he shall teach you all things he shall lead you into all truth Joh. 14.15 16 26. It is given to the Disciples to know these mysteries of the Kingdom of God This phrase is used in Scripture either properly for a voluntary and free concession according to the Lawyers Definition Donatio est liberalis datio or improperly importing only a permission as Rev. 13.5 6 7. 1. Properly and that diversly according to the nature of the thing given and qualities of the parties who receive them which if we apply to the argument in hand is either immediate or mediate The immediate bestowing of this knowledge consists both in the present Revelation and opening the treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge and the illumination and opening the Disciples eyes and understandings that they may know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God ye have both Luk. 24. He opened the scriptures ver 27. and 45. He opened their understanding that they might know the scriptures The mediate giving of this divine knowledge is yet either more remote and further off or more near 1. More remote and further off as is
12 13. I know how to be abased and how to excell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every where and in all things I have learned a mystery as the word properly signifieth both to be full and to be empty or hungry how to abound and how to suffer need Are we the Disciples of Christ The Lord requires that whoever will be his Disciples deny themselves and take up their Cross That we are Christ's Disciples and so true Christians is a thing that almost every man takes for granted but this oftentimes is rather our own partial opinion out of self love than any sure ground of Truth we have touching our own condition Self and Christ are continually in competition The Jews gloried that they were the Children of Abraham If ye were the Children of Abraham ye would do the works of Abraham Do we the works of Abraham revenge hatred malice c. are those the works of Abraham The Disciples of Christ are known by his Livery By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another John 13. This is the Livery of Christ but who wears it We all confess that this is the mark of Christ's Disciples the Coat the Livery by the which they are known and distinguished from all others But alas though we know the Coat well yet we know very few that wear it Is this thy Son's Coat say Joseph's brethren unto Jacob Gen. 37.32 Jacob acknowledgeth the Coat it is my Son's Coat saith he it is the Livery of my Disciple but some evil beast hath devoured him Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces If we look at the Coat which they that will be Disciples wear we shall find it far different from Christ's Livery Haeccine est tunica filii tui The Pope had written to one of our Kings of England in behalf of a Cardinal whom the King had taken in open Rebellion against him the King being much prest by the Pope to restore his Son to his Liberty at length sent to the Pope the Cardinals Coat-armour and this question to the Pope to be resolved Haeccine est tunica filii tui Is this thy Son's garment Observ The vanity of all endeavours without the Divine Revelation to attain unto the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom The blind Sodomites wearied themselves to find the door of Lots house Gen. 19.10 This was figured by that vain attempt of the Babel-builders Gen. 11.2 They journeyed from the East and found a plain in the Land of Shinar and they dwelt there They turned their backs upon the Sun of Righteousness whereas Abraham's journey lay toward the South Gen. 12.9 Hebrew Abraham went journeying toward the South towards the perfect day thitherward lies the day of Rest The path of the just is as the shining light which shines more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4.18 They dwelt in the Land of Shinar i. e. in the Land where Wickedness dwells Zach. 5.8.11 the dark land the land of outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 so Shinar signifieth In this dark Land we encourage one another to make brick and mortar and invent manifold devices and find out many inventions What a multitude of Books have been compiled for this purpose and yet all to no purpose And herewithal we build up a City and a Tower whose top may reach up to Heaven That is the aim of our vain endeavours we will by our pains and industry scale Heaven and know the mysteries of the Heavenly Kingdom while yet mean time we dwell in Shinar This ambition is figured by the King of Babylon Isa 14.13 14. Thou hast said I will ascend into Heaven even into the sides of the North I will be like unto the Most High and what 's the event of all But how art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer confusion of Tongues Men understand not one another though men of different judgements may mean one and the same thing yet while they turn their backs upon the Sun of Righteousness while they dwell in Shinar the Land of wickedness the Lord will not vouchsafe the knowledge of his heavenly mysteries unto them Consol But may many a young Disciple say Alas I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man as Agur speaks Prov. 30.2 Yet mayest thou be a man with whom God is and whom God strengthens so Ithiel and Vcal signifie and are rendred in the Latin Text vers 2. So the Prophet David complains Psal 73.22 I am even as a beast but it follows a beast before thee or with thee yea even such a beast sees more oftentimes than the mad Prophet that drives him yea foresees the sword which the false Prophet foresaw not but drives like Jehu as if he were mad and perished by the sword Numb 31.8 Even such beasts are in the heavenly Jerusalem Zac. 2.4 Jerusalem shall be inhabited as Towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein even such a beast the Lord hath need of 2. And what though thou have not learned the wisdom yet more things are shewn unto thee than men commonly understand as the wise man speaks Eccles 3. Thou hast not yet known the HOLY Prov. 30.3 no nor did Daniel though I have not learned the wisdom nor have I known the HOLY but walk in darkness only Daniel in his time a wise man of great note he was only in the porch of the Temple yet was he vir desideriorum a man greatly beloved as we turn it Dan. 9. and so mayest thou be Be thou also vir desideriorum a man of desires full of holy desires The people of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all WILLINGNESS all desires to see the Spiritual Temple of thy God in the glory of it Consol Happy then yea thrice happy they who are of Gods houshold They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures Psal 36.8 1 King 10 1-8 The Queen of Sheba the Disciples converts they come to Christ so Sheba signifieth and they come to be resolved of their riddles their mysteries and hard sayings Observ Here 's safety in the house the danger is abroad and without Exod. 9.20 They flee to the secret of God's wings Psal 61.5 Psal 91. When the Lord opens Din See Notes on Jer. 37.7 Let his people hide themselves Exod. 9. and 12. in their houses Isa 26.20 So Noah when the flood came entered into the Ark They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Lot must flee whither into secretum Jehovae Psal 91.1 2 so Joas was kept safe by Josaba As for us Beloved let not us stay without but as the Prophet Esay exhorts us Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes he will open unto us the mysteries of his heavenly kingdom We are all invited into this
permission in these dayes the three unclean spirits go forth like frogs that come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet c. Revel 16.13 14. They are the spirits of devils who gather the kings of the earth to battel Satan moving David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 with 2 Sam. 24.1 God himself is said to have done it The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David against them to say go number the people whence it appears that Satan is the instrument of Gods wrath And thus there are spirits created for vengeance which in their fury lay on sore stroaks c. Ecclus. 39.28.31 by one of them Herod was slain Act. 17. and Senacharib when the wrath of God is kindled the Devil is the great beautifeu the great incendiary and kindle-coal who stirs the Lord up to vengeance Isai 54.16 Behold saith the Lord I have created the Smith that bloweth the coals in the fire that bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the waster to destroy that Blacksmith that bloweth the coals is the Devil himself whom the Lord here saith that he hath created he brings forth a vessel or instrument for his work a vessel of wrath every wicked man made such by Satans suggestions and his own voluntary yielding thereunto The Lord hath created this Abaddon this waster to kill and destroy those whom he hath so seduced 2. He hath power to cast into hell What is here meant by hell 1. the word 2. the thing 1. The common condition and state of the dead Jacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 Job desired to be there Job 14.13 the Lord Jesus Christ was there Act. 2.31 2. The common condition of those who are dead in trespasses and sins Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell 3. The condition of the mortified ones who are dead unto sin the pains of hell gat hold of me Psal 116.3 the second is here meant the hell of the damned it hath many names in Scripture 1. What is here meant by hell 2. What it is to cast into hell 3. What is the power to cast into hell 1. It hath many names in Scripture As 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mors in Death no man remembreth thee 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pit Let not the Pit shut her mouth upon me Psal 69.15 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all they who descend into silence Psal 115.17 As the Poets call hell loca silentium and an old man silicernium 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fovea the grave which in the Greek is often turned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the grave who shall confess unto thee Psal 6.5 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the New Testament and in the Text is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The shadow of death If I walk in the midst of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil Psal 107.14 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 9. They had over them a King the Angel of the bottomless pit whose name is Abaddon i. e. perdition and destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This number of Seven is very mystical in Scripture and used to note both rewards and punishments 1. Rewards as they say there are Seven Mansions in Paradise and in the heaven of the blessed when the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold Isa 39. and seven lamps burning seven spirits 2. Thus on the contrary those seven places of torment are reckoned up and seven Angels having the seven last plagues Howbeit whether there be such an exact number of places distinct ordained for the damned souls I dare not define though there be some and they late writers also especially an Italian Author who distinguisheth describes and surveys hell with all the several cells nookes and closets there and all places of torment as curiously and exactly as if he had been there and seen them or held intelligence with some there Nobis non licet esse tam disertos Yet thus much we may understand that by outward judgements in this world the Lord shadoweth out the inward in the inward world and world to come The Jews were wont to burn their Children unto Moloch as ye read often in the Old Testament in imitation of the Phenicians which custom came in with their worship of Baal who was the same with Moloch which hellish Sacrifice was offered by the Jews in Gi-hinnom i. e. the valley of Hinnom which now becoming terrible and odious unto the Jews our Lord threatens an inward and everlasting judgement proportionable thereunto This we find more expresly Matth. 5.22 where comparing the sins and the punishments in this outward world as it was said to them of old time whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement i. e. he is guilty and to be condemned and adjudged to die But I say unto you c. he that is angry with his brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is obnoxious and in danger of no less judgement inwardly than he that kills especially if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. abiding anger and hatred 1 Joh. He that hates his brother is a murderer But if to his anger he joyn cursing and evil speaking Raka i. e. empty fellow he shall be in danger of the counsel i. e. of that judgement which the great Sanedrim or Synedrion or Senate should adjudge him unto i. e. to be stoned But if he add more reproachful speech and say thou fool according to his words he shall be condemned for as the two former judgements were in comparison of outward judgements so likewise is the third and in the Text it is said that God is able able to cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into hell Our English word is borrowed of our Neighbours High or Low Dutch in which Helle signifieth high and deep as altus in the Latin so Sheol Hell is low and deep Deut. 32.22 it shall burn to the lowest hell As on the contrary Heaven is heav'n up or lift up very often as that which is above us generally is called Heaven 2. As for the thing it self whereas God himself is the very bliss and happiness it self objectum beatificum author actûs fruitivi the object of bliss and author of fruition and enjoyment of it and God and Heaven are the same in Scripture So the kingdom of God and of Heaven are taken promiscuously one for other So that man turning from his God unto himself his own wisdom opinion his own understanding righteousness and holiness he estrangeth himself from his God and makes a separation between himself and God Isa 59. And that is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great gulf pitcht between heaven and hell Luk. 16.26 1. Hence he draws upon himself the righteous judgement of
to see the life 1. The Son of God hath all power in heaven and in earth and therefore all authority to command He is the heir of all things Hebr. 1. to whom the Father hath given all things into his hand 2. He is also the Prince of Life Act. 3.15 and hath life in himself and quickens and enlivens whom he will 3. He is the Author of Everlasting Salvation unto those who obey him and by like reason he hath power and authority to exclude all men from eternal life and salvation who disobey him 4. In regard of the life It cannot be seen by any but such as have some proportion and semblance thereunto that the eye may see the Sun it must be Soliformis and that a man may see the Eternal Life he must be obedient For without holiness no man shall see the Lord disobedient men are spiritually blind for the eternal bliss consists in the sight of the everlasting life Hence we may discern who are those quick-sighted Eagles he who obeys the Son shall see the eternal life obedience and holiness is the true eye-salve of the Soul 5. Believers in the Son may and ought to perform such obedience as the Son of God requires This is evident from the wisdom and righteousness of the Son who is so wise that he knows what power believers have and so just as to command no greater service than they are able to perform since therefore he who disobeys shall not see the eternal life surely he might have performed such obedience as the Lord required that he might have seen that life And this is the rather to be observed because most men at this day alledge either want of will to God or want of power in themselves 6. Hence note there is a Lordship Dominion and Soveraignty due unto the Son as also to the Father and to the Holy Spirit in their successive dispensations 7. Observe hence what excludes men from participation of eternal life not any antecedent decree of God debarring any man from eternal bliss no St. John here layes the whole blame upon the man himself and his defect of duty he that obeyeth not shall not see that life Hebr. 3. ult They could not enter in because of unbelief which in the verse before is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render To whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to those who believed not the words are who obeyed not 1. Vse is for Reproof of those who pretend they would see the eternal life yet use not the Lords Opticks Obedience and Holiness Heb. 13. 2. Let us be exhorted to partake of and live that life despise not the tender of Gods love Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the right way This exhortation is proper to our purpose whether we consider the object of the whole Text the Son of God to be believed on and obeyed the duty to be performed unto that object Kiss the Son the main motive perswading to that duty lest he be angry The only begotten Son of God anointed by the Father and appointed his Christ i. e. the annointed one to whom the Father gives all authority in heaven and in earth I have set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion the ground of that Authority He is the Son of God his Jurisdiction his Kingdom very large all the Heathen his right is by inheritance he is heir of all things Hebr. 1.2 This duty to be performed kiss the Son is to obey him which ye read Gen. 41.40 At his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall all my people obey or as we turn it there shall all my people be ruled All my people shall obey thy Commandments and that out of love and acknowledgement of subjection As Samuel having anointed Saul professed his love and subjection to him by kissing him 1 Sam. 10.1 Again by kissing the Son was Divine Worship understood 1 King 19.18 wherefore be we exhorted to kiss the Son i. e. worship the Son Hos 13.2 all due to the Lord Jesus adoration and worship love and subjection and obedience unto the Christ of God as Pharaoh calls Joseph Zaphnath-Paaneah Gen. 41.45 The Saviour of the world this is the principal duty Add hereunto means assisting removens prohibens remove the disobedience and rebellion 't is the counsel of Moses Deut. 10.16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked and disobedient and he gives reason from the greatness of him whom we ought to obey vers 17. For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God and a terrible who regardeth not persons nor taketh rewards The most powerful means to help on our obedience is Love for howsoever the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and hereby the Lord begins the work of obedience in the Soul Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor which is Prima mensura Deitatis whereof Exod. 20.20 Moses said fear not God is come to prove you that his fear may be before you that you sin not This Fear is the beginning of his Love but the middle between Fear and Love is Faith Ecclus. 25.12 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of his Love and Faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him and therefore Moses puts love in the body of the Decalogue Exod. 20.6 And shewing mercy unto thousands in them that love him and keep his Commandments What can be too hard for the obedience of Love That which almost all men complain of the great burden of the Commandments Mandata ejus non sunt gravia Pray to the Lord for the effecting of that which he hath promised to do Deut. 30.6 wherein we have the removal of what hinders the principle of Obedience and the Life it self And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy soul that thou mayest live NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JOHN VI. 55 56. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him THis is an hard saying who can bear it So said some of his disciples vers 60. and vers 66. from that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him So that it is inded an hard saying yet be not thou scandalized whoever thou art but hear him who first uttered this speech him who can best expound it and make it good It is the Spirit that giveth life the flesh profiteth nothing at all The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are life Lift up your hearts we say we lift them up Why was it an hard saying because they heard it and understood it with their fleshly mind Away then with all gross and carnal imaginations arising
uncurbed and without a law and we are true Horites free to commit sin without the check of the Law Doubtless if so we are in a far worse condition than this man in the Text was we must confess we are alive selfness vitious selfness yet lives in us without the check without the instructions of the Law This man could say I was alive once now I am not I was alive once without the Law But we must confess to our own shame that we yet live without the Law Observ 3. See the condition of thousands who think themselves extreme happy men when yet of all other they are the most unhappy they think themselves the freest men when they are the most arrant slaves They have a name that they live when yet they are dead This hath been the errour of divers before our time and may be likewise our errour What an high opinion did the Corinthians conceive of themselves for whereas commonly we think highly of our selves out of a supposed worth in our selves which yet we refer not unto God the Author of it and all good but ascribe it to our own merit yea oftentimes we boast of a false gift which indeed we have not but imagine our selves to have and upon these groundless foundations despise others All these ye find together in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.7 8. who makes thee to differ from another and what hast thou which thou hast not received now ye are free ye reign as kings without us This was the estate of the Church of Sardis Revel 3.1 I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead And the like we read vers 17. of that Chapter of the Laodiceans Thou saidst thou art rich and encreased in goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked These are dangerous mistakes which arise from our first birth from our earthly carnal and sensual life The Apostle tells us of two births which have proportionable lives Gal. 4.22 I am not ignorant what high thoughts the most of us entertain of our selves out of self-love we conceive our selves to be the children of the Promise and of the free-woman we live that life we should do we are rich and encreased with spiritual goods and have need of nothing we are alive Alas we consider not that the first birth must in every man precede the second Hagar must conceive before Sarah Ismael must be horn before Isaac the children of the bond-woman must be brought forth before the children of the free-woman Now because the Apostle speaking of himself who lived the true spiritual Christian life We saith he as Isaac was are the children of promise vers 28. and vers 31. We are not the children of the bond-women but of the free we oftentimes out of an overweening opinion of our selves and partial self-love put our selves into the number and name such Scriptures as are fitted to our mouths whereas indeed we are 't is to be feared many of us rather children of the Bond-woman as at this day that wild people who discend from Ismael call themselves Saracens as if they were the Progeny of Sarah Whereas indeed they are Ismaelites and Hagarens descending from Ismael and Hagar Would God Beloved it were not so But ye have seen that they of Corinth of Sardis and of Laodicea were deceived in their own estate and why may not we fear the like in our selves It is a dangerous thing to be deceived in a matter so nearly concerning us we presume that we are free and born of the free-woman and consider not that there is in us by corrupt nature a kind of wildness and loosness which we oftentimes mistake for the true freedom it is no shame for a man to acknowledge this for Zophar tells Job truth that this is the condition of all mankind Job 11.12 ye have for that purpose the description of the wild Ass Job 39.5 8. even such is the man by nature a free-born Ass This was typified by the first Child born to Abraham of the Bond-woman Hagar as soon as she conceived him she swell'd with pride her Mistris was despised in her eyes her Son proved accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wild man a wild-ass-man or a man like a wild Ass Gen. 16.12 This estate Beloved we are well pleased withal because it sutes very well with our corrupt nature and therefore Abraham in the type is said to have prayed to the Lord Ismael might live O that Ismael might live in thy sight Gen. 17.18 and this life they desire who know no better But mark what the answer of God is unto this prayer of Abraham vers 19. Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac c. So when we have such a desire as Abraham had let us remember Gods answer unto Abraham That the free woman the belief signified by Sarah she shall bring forth and then we shall be truly the children not of the bond-woman but of the free Gal. 4. ult Was Paul or who ever it was that passed through this condition unto the Kingdom of God was he alive without the Law once let me then commend two duties unto you 1. Despair of no man 2. Despise no man 1. Despair of no man what greater sinners read we of then they were who afterward proved Converts Our first Parents who not like Jeroboam caused only Israel but all the world to sin they lived without the Law once They had the Law written in their heart but 't was silent 't was dead to them and they lived without it till they heard the voice of God in the cool of the day Gen. 3. and why may not he whom thou despairest of hear the voice of the same God in the cool of the day when the heat of his concupiscence is over David then whom no man more displayed the honour of the Law nor testified more his affection unto it even he sometime lived without the Law till Nathan And why may we not hope but the same good God may send a Nathan here from whom descends every good and perfect gift Nebuchadnezzar he lived and who but he Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon which I have built great Babylon and I have built it by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty all was his and he was for himself While he spake thus there fell a voice from heaven saying Thy Kingdom is departed from thee and thou shalt be driven out untill thou know the most high ruleth And why may not he who lives now without the correction and chastening of the Law as proud as Nebuchadnezzar be brought down and humbled like him and be corrected and instructed by the Law and put in fear and made to know that he ought not to live and reign but the most High since all those who live in pride he is
17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old things are past away behold all things are become new THese words I shall first consider in themselves then as they contain the characters and marks of the New Creature 1. Let us consider them in themselves and so they contain these truths 1. Old things are passed away 2. All things are become New 3. Behold all things are become New 1. Old things are past away In the language of the Scripture old things are not alwayes evil nor are new things alwayes good but sometimes the contrary But for our more distinct and orderly proceeding Old things are of three sorts either 1. In themselves truly good as the fountain of all good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himself the antient of dayes the old way Ask for the old paths where is the good way Jer. 6.16 The old Commandment which is the new Commandment 1 Joh. 2.7 8. The old and perfect age of Christ Ephes 4.13 These old things are in themselves truly good 2. Others there are as truly evil as the old corrupt understanding will and affections which the Scripture calls the old man Ephes 4.22 old sins 2 Pet. 19. 3. A third sort of old things there are of a middle and indifferent nature in themselves such as the Spirit of God makes use of thereby to signifie the other two old things good and evil Of these consist the whole Ceremonial Law and Levitical Service and of the same nature are all forms of godliness in the Christian Church whether of the Popish Religion or the Reformed or of what kind soever The two latter kind of old things are here to be understood viz. the Ceremonial and Moral old things because these two not the other properly can be said to wax old and therefore ready to vanish away as the Apostle argues Hebr. 8. last for so we read that a New Creature is opposed to Circumcision whereby the rest of the Ceremonial Law was to be understood Gal. 5.6 and 6.15 And the former things which are here the old things are death and sorrow and crying and pain i. e. sin and the effects of sin and opposed to new things Rev. 21.4 5. Vetera saith Anselm i. e. veteris hominis vitia the sins or vices of the old man of sin And these two Ceremonial and Moral old things are said to pass away The Greek word here used to pass away is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it notes a time undetermined whereby the Septuagint render such words in the Hebrew as signifie the passing away of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 8.20 The harvest is passed the summer is ended and we are not saved 2. Change of things in time Psal 90.5 As soon as thou scatterest them they are as asleep and they fade away like the grass 3. The passing away of a Kingdom Dan. 4.28 Thy kingdom is passed away from thee 4. The abolishing and annulling of the Law of the Kingdom Dan. 6.6 12. The Law of the Medes and Persians altereth not or passeth not away And according to these four acceptions the word may here be understood I shall speak first of the Ceremonial old things and shew how they pass away then of the Moral old things 1. The Ceremonial old things pass away as the time passeth whence it is that Ceremonia hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time or season because the Ceremonies were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained to continue only for a time Thus the Tabernacle was a figure for the time then present Hebr. 9.9 And when we read Exod. 29.9 That the Priest-hood should be Aarons and his Sons by a statute for ever that the nature and manner of offering the Passover and the Sacrifices the Sabbath the New Moons and Feasts should continue by a statute for ever We understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn for ever to be meant of a certain time which should have the period or end either with the Jubilee of the Jews or with the coming of the Messiah which therefore is called the fulness of time Gal. 4.4 2. Because a change of things was then made and it 's called a time of Reformation Hebr. 9.9 10. 3. There was a change of the Ceremonial Kingdom Hagg. 2.6.7 Yet a little while and I will shake the heaven and the earth c. and the desire of all Nations shall come explained Hebr. 12.26 27 28. where the kingdom shaken is opposed to the kingdom that cannot be shaken The Rulers of the Jews were the Princes of this world 1 Cor. 2.8 4. The Law of the Ceremonial old things passeth away Hebr. 7.12 The Priest-hood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law And thus ye see how Ceremonial old things pass away The Reason why the Ceremonial old things pass away is considerable 1. In respect of themselves 2. In regard of their ends 3. In regard of God who ordained them for these ends 1. In respect of themselves They are in their own nature temporary and transitory and so subject unto change and alteration God alone being immutable and unchangeable 2. In regard of their ends they are sometime called shadows sometime rudiments or elements 1. They are called shadows because they served covertly to represent unto us new spiritual and heavenly things Col. 2.17 Let no man judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ 2. They are the rudiments and elements of the world the first Lessons which the Jews considered and as children learnt under the Law their Schoolmaster until the coming of Christ the old name Josh 15.15 Ciriath Sepher civitas literarum oldness of the letter Rom. 7.6 It is the Apostles Metaphor Gal. 4.1 4. Josh 15.15 Rom. 7.6 But weak and beggerly elements they are such as are fit only for children vers 9. 1. They are weak and therefore called Carnal Ordinances Hebr. 9.10 so flesh and spirit are opposed as strong and weak Isai 31.3 And therefore there is a disanulling of the Commandments going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof Hebr. 7.18 As a Child upon a standing-stool and the Mothers hand and other things to help him to stand and go and a lame man stilts so the weak Child brought up under the Law and fallen lame man useth the help of the Ceremonial old things but being strong in Christ he casts away his crutches Gal. 4. 2. They are wanting and beggarly such as have nothing in themselves but borrow all their power and efficacy from the things they signifie so garments convey not heat unto the body but receive heat from it David being cold himself though covered with cloaths yet got not heat 2 King 1. As signs are empty things yea nothing without the thing they signifie Thus Circumcision in
the more free to commit sin like the whore in the Proverbs 7.14 Hodie reddidi vota mea therefore I am come forth to meet thee come let us take our fill of love vers 18. The Sacrament even the Holy Sacrament it self will prove to us as an old thing and little worth as it did to Judas who received it and the Devil with it Even the Holy Table it self if we rest in opere operato as they speak barbarously even the Holy Table it self will be made a snare to us and that which should have been for our welfare will prove to us an occasion of falling Seeing therefore Beloved that all outward Ceremonial Services if rested in Are 1. Old things and of little or no value 2. Seeing they are transitory 3. Seeing they unprofitable yea unlawful if rested in 4. Seeing they cannot adequately signifie the things which they were intended to represent 5. Seeing they hinder the very end for which they were intended Yea 6. Seeing our best outward actions our best forms of Godliness prove no better if rested on if any deny the power of it Seeing all these old things must be dissolved and pass away what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of God And according to his Promise looking for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Wherefore Beloved since we look for such things let us be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Seeing all outward Services are old things and must pass away Let us lay hold on the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Hebr. 12.26 27. and not build upon sandy foundations but on the Rock Christ lay hold on hope have and hold fast Grace and lay hold on eternal life unto which he bring us who hath dearly bought us c. More NOTES on II CORINTH V. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old things are past away behold all things are become new MOral old things are past away What is here meant in general by old things I dispatch'd before when I shewed that two kinds of old things must pass away 1. Ceremonial old things 2. Moral The Ceremonial old things I then spake of and shewed Reasons why they ought to pass away from us It Remains that I now speak of the second kind of old things which I call Moral and they are no other than our old sins Vetera sunt veteris hominis vitia saith Anselm Old things are the vices and sins of the old man The old corrupt understanding the old perverse will the old inordinate affections the old sinful life and conversation which because they spread themselves over the whole Man and are of equal extent with him and no other than the Old Adam the Scripture calls them the Old Man And therefore with some resemblance to a man we may consider these old things 1. Sin hath a body Rom. 6.6 if we anatomize that body you shall find 2. Parts of the body the earthly members Col. 3.5 fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry 3. It hath a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 4. It hath a Spirit the Spirit of Errour 1 Joh. 4.6 5. The old man hath works Col. 3.9 Ye have put off the old man with his deeds And these works are either 1. Inward as spiritual wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 And from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit lasciviousness an evil eye blasphemy pride foolishness All these evil things come from within and defile the man Mar. 7.21 2. The old man hath other works which are outward The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revilings and such like Gal. 5.19 20 21. These are the old mans parts and his works But is he naked yes naked to his shame and therefore he gets fig-leaves to cover his nakedness what other cloaths he hath is a garment spotted with the flesh Jude v. 23. yea the old man himself is a garment Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man So that though we name no more here are old things enough to pass away the Lord be merciful unto us and grant they may all pass away from us But what 's meant by their passing away I told you before that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXX render such words in the Hebrew as signifie a change of things 1. Now whereas there are many kinds of changes this is the ultimate and final change the last change of all 1. Destruction That the body of sin may be destroyed Rom. 6.6 2. Crucifixion They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 3. Mortification and killing Mortifie your members that are upon the earth Col. 3.5 If you by the spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 And this is the change understood here by the passing away of old things a blessed change the Lord vouchsafe it unto us all 2. The word notes the change or passing away of a kingdom whereas therefore sin had usurped a tyranny over us and reigned unto death Rom. 5.21 When sin is deposed from the dominion and power that it reign no more in our mortal body that we should obey it in the lusts thereof When the kingdom of sin is abolished and destroyed out of the Soul and Gods kingdom come that 's the passing away of sins kingdom O blessed change when sin 's dethroned and deposed and Gods kingdom come 3. The word notes the changing the Law of the kingdom Whereas therefore the Law of God is destroyed O Lord it is time for thee to lay to thine hand for they have destroyed thy Law saith the Psalmist and when iniquity so far prevails with men that they imagine mischief as a Law then the Law of sin is in force and bears sway in our members but that Law is annulled abrogated and passeth away when the law of the spirit of life hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 O blessed change when the thraldom and servitude under the Law of the members passeth away and is exchanged for the law of the spirit of life the law of liberty the glorious liberty of the sons of God The Reasons why these Moral old things must pass away are considerable 1. In regard of the old things themselves 2. In regard of the new Creature 3. In regard of God the ancient of dayes 1. As for the Moral things themselves they are of a passing and a transitory nature 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away if the world passeth away then all those things which are in the world must pass away with it they are the
stranger an enemy to our nature fighting against our soul 1 Pet. 1. that enemy which the Saints always complain of until it be overcome by Christ he is always fighting and troubling me saith David Psal 56.1 and St. Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. 2. With consent of the will as vers 19. of this Chapter and this is man's addition unto Gods creation and this is that which for distinctions sake from the other the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil concupiscence which is either 1. Compleat in the will only and this is always evil according to the Rule Omnis completa voluntas pro facto reputatur as the looking upon a woman to lust after her Matth. 9.28 2. Deed also as outward adultery vers 27. of that Chapter These lusts are here meant and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusts of errour which is a misconceit or mistake and a false judgement thereupon arising from similitude or likeness of things As when we approve and allow that for true which is false and contrariwise disallow that for false which is true Whence in the will and affection proceeds the embracing of evil instead of good and the shunning of good instead of evil So that lusts are then erroneous and deceitful when being themselves infected they sway to their inclination the judgement of the understanding which concludes falshood for truth and propounds this false judgement to the will The word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seduction or leading out of the way and from the end at which we aim which answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to err or swerve from the way and end of it which also signifieth to sin which is nothing else but a seducing and misleading out of this way of Gods Commandments and from him who is the chief good and end of the Law But because in every deceit some confidence is presupposed in the party deceiving proportionally thereunto we shall find that the deceitfulness of lusts is generally seen one of these two ways Either 1. By perswading to a false and erroneous judgement which is the promise of lust As when intemperance perswades us to an immoderate use of the creatures promising us security and ease Or 2. By rewarding those who were perswaded by them otherwise than they promised And that is lusts performance which is two fold Either 1. Depriving them of the good which they hoped for and which their lusts promised them Or 2. Paying them home with an evil which they feared not which their lusts made them secure of 1. The first of these is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there is scarce any deceit wherein ye shall not meet with these Examples are obvious The first which presents its self unto us is the very first that was practised in the world Gen. 3. Where the woman being perswaded by her lusts of intemperance pride and ambition that they should be no less than Gods knowing good and evil and secured of God's threatning that if they eat of the tree they should dye She was both deceived and deprived of the Wisdom and Deity which she hoped for and became obnoxious unto death which she feared not And if we look a little further we shall find that Nimrod and his posterity being perswaded by their ambition to build a Tower and put in Hope that thereby they should get a great name and made secure even for the future of being dispersed they not only failed of their hoped honour but left Babel behind them a Monument as the name signifieth of their confusion and which they thought themselves far enough from they were scattered over the face of the whole earth And before we go out of the same Country of Chaldea we shall meet with a third example of Nebuchadonozor who was sick of the very same disease deceitful ambition as the Text imports Dan. 4.27 which promised him a durable Kingdom and Honour for so he vaunts himself Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty The promise of his deceitful lust which failed him foully in the end for while these were yet in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven saying O King Nabucodonozor to thee be it spoken Thy kingdom is departed from thee and instead of thy hoped honour thou shalt become like the beasts that perish thou shalt be cast out of mens company and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field nor are the lusts of covetousness and luxury less deceitful For observe I pray you what a large promise the rich Mans avarice and riotous lust made him Luk. 12.19 Soul thou hast much goods laid up in store for many years eat drink and be merry But God said unto him thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee and then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided Examples of this kind are infinite I would to God our own experience did not furnish us with too many See Prov. 31.30 favour is deceitful and covetousness Mar. 4.19 Let us enquire into the cause of this why lusts are thus deceitful the Apostle acquits God the universal cause of all good things from having any hand in this evil Let no man say when he is tempted that I am tempted of God saith St. Jam. 1.13 for he is intentator malorum so it is in the Latin he suggests not evil unto evil men neither tempteth he any man No no say not thou it is of the Lord that I fell away and say not thou that he hath caused me to err for he hath no need of the sinful man Ecclus. 15.12 Yet lest that God the essential truth and faithfulness who is purissimus actus might be conceived altogether idle we may in part demonstrate the deceitfulness of lusts from him either as occasioning or permitting or some such way wherein he hath no direct or positive action Thus the Lord is brought in consulting who should deceive Ahab and giving way to a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets 1 King 22.20 yet we read that Ahab was deceived before by his lusts of covetousness and ambition vers 3. of that Chapter Thus because the Gentiles though they knew God yet they glorified him not as God but became vain and their foolish heart was darkned God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies c. receiving in themselves the recompence of their own errour or deceit which was meet Rom. 1 21-27 And because they that perish in sin suffer themselves to be deluded with all deceivableness of unrighteousness and receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved For this cause God sends them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strength of errour
and bear rule first in us therefore ye read 1 Chron. 1. there were Kings in Edom first before there were any in Israel Beside all this the lusts are worldly lusts and such as rule the most men in the world insomuch as that he who is not ruled by them provokes the whole world against him notwithstanding all this such is the power of Gods Grace that it enables him who will be taught by it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts one instance whereof we have in Joseph though a young man and having all opportunities yea provocations also from his Mistris said not as many do now how can I but do this but rather with great reluctancy how can I do this wickedness and sin against God ego nescia rerum Difficilem culpae suspicor esse viam Observ 6. The reason of these evil times which are really and justly come upon the evil world because men deny not themselves nor endeavour to follow our Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 9.23 no man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-taught to the Kingdom of God whence we may note the method and order of Gods Grace in teaching every man it teaches us to live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soberly temperately c. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteously the Grace of God first teacher us to be good men secondly it teaches us to be Righteous men good Citizens and good Common-wealth's men Thirdly it teaches us to be good Citizens in the Common-wealth of Heaven a man cannot be either of the latter without the former he cannot be a good Citizen that is not a good man his private interest will disable him he cannot be a Citizen of the Common-wealth of Heaven unless he be a good man and a good neighbour for not only the unjust shall have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God but drunkards and intemperate also are excluded thence 1 Cor. 6 9 10. Hence they are to be reproved who neglect the Lessons of Gods Grace both negative and positive and say that Christ has learned these for them and impute Christ's Righteousness unto themselves so that they need not live soberly but may be drunk now and then because Christ was sober for them not chastly but now and then c. not justly but they may cheat c. they believe c. nor godly they may be prophane and ungodly Christ was sober chast godly for them Hence also may be reproved the impotency and weakness of many who suffer themselves to be hurried away with their worldly lusts and pleasures when yet the Grace of God is to be found in denying of themselves whither will the unbridled horse run But methinks I hear many a poor Soul complain I cannot profit by the means of Grace teaching and I also have persecuted those who in life and practice have learned the Doctrine of the Grace of God To these I say mark what a confession Paul makes who was a persecutor Act. 22.1 2 3 4. Paul after was converted surely Paul was a knotty piece of wood to make a Mercury of yet Ex quovis â—igno non fit Merourius the men of Lystra called Paul Mercurius Act. 14. Paul was then humbled cast down and directed to Ananias which signifies the Grace of God the same the Grace of God teaches us and gives us Paul's Example to learn by thou must first be cast down and humbled as Paul was that 's the work of the Law then pray to the Lord and go to Ananias i. e. the Grace of the Lord then the soales of false notions and misunderstanding will fall off As knotty a piece and self-wise as Paul was who was taken notice of for a persecutor yet was he made a healing Mercury and one who published the Grace of God Hence may be reproved the ingratitude of the present evil world toward the God of all Grace The Grace of God that brings salvation to all men appears and teaches all men to deny ungodliness c. But who learns this Lesson who receives not this Grace of God in vain We can easily take notice of Aristotle who after he had heard Plato and had been taught by him twenty years then ingratefully he turned from him whereupon Plato called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Colt that wantonly kicks the Dam I and many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Colts there are in these our dayes are not most men such in regard of their God Does not the Lord complain that Jeshurun is waxed fat and kicks Deut. 32. The Lord had led Israel about and instructed him vers 10. His Grace had taught Israel in the way that he should chuse and guided him with his eye but Jeshurun becomes like the Horse and Mule without understanding Psal 32. Jeshurun waxes fat and kicks And does not the true David complain that his own familiar friend in whom he trusted who did eat of his bread had lift up his heel against him Psal 41. The Lord Jesus is hereby understood to speak of unthankful Judas and may he not understand us also even all who profess his Name for Judas signifies a Professor to whom his Grace hath appeared and taught us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts to feed of wisdoms bread of Divine Doctrine and drink the wine of Consolation of his Spirit Prov. 9.5 6. wherefore if they were unexcusable who knew God only by the Creatures because they glorified not God nor were thankful Rom. 1.20 21. how much more shall we be unexcusable whom he teaches not only by the Creation but also by his written Word and by his Spirit of Grace if we prove non-proficients if we prove unthankful Reprove we here also ungodly loose and lascivious men who frustrate the Grace and Will of God continuing still in their fall improficients the Grace of God being reveiled to teach us to deny worldly lusts they sin against the Light But some will say these desires are natural and the Natural appetites or desires are not fobidden but only set in order to a better even the Divine Nature but these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its name from Beauty and a man loves nothing better thus Nineveh a figure of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath the name from beauty and comliness the world being a well-favoured harlot yet although beauty and comliness be amiable and lovely what wise man will love them in a harlot But let us be exhorted to try the means offered us of God to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children docible and taught of God that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the saving Grace may prevail with us for to live soberly righteously and godly though these I say are very short rules yet they contain much in them and since the Holy Ghost hath delivered them succinctly and briefly we ought to speak briefly of them and seriously to consider what kind of life the Grace of God teacheth us towards our selves towards another and towards our God even a sober a
of the present calamities now lying upon us that we may know whence they come for if Christ rule all things then is there no place for chance or fortune for howsoever all things proceed not from a like fatal necessity yet all things come under a certain rule and even those which are most contingent and free yet are they ordered and governed by him who rules all things Affliction comes not out of the dust Job 5.60 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord sends the Pestilence Levit. 26.25 he calls for the Famine Psal 105. he calls for the Sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth Jer. 25.29 O thou sword of the Lord saith Jeremiah 47.6 7. how long will it be e're thou be quiet put up thy self into the scabbard rest and be still he answers for it how can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon whereunto he hath appointed it The Lord commands not only the sword but the sword-men The wicked is a sword of thine Psal 17.13 The Lord encamps against Ariel round about Isai 29.3 And he sends forth armies against Jerusalem Isai 29.7 Ashur is the Rod of Gods wrath Isai 9.10 By fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh Isai 66. So that beloved it 's utterly a great fault among us that we are imbittered one against another and rail one upon another under the name of Malignants not but that many are so but while we vent our spleen against other we neither consider the cause deserving those miseries our own lusts the true malignant party within us Jam. 4.1 whence come wars nor look unto him who rules and orders these and all other things by the word of his power but like the dogs bite at the stone and neglect him that throws it This doubtless is the cause why our Calamities are yet prolonged and continued Isai 9.8 The Lord Adonai who bears and bears and rules he sent a Word such a word of Power unto Jacob his Church and People O how much better were it to humble our selves 1 Pet. 5.6 Mich. 6.9 Hos 6.1 If he be a Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where is his fear Mal. 1.6 The same question may be moved yet both to the Priests as here it is and to the people See Notes on Phil. 2. This reproves the Potentates and Rulers of the world to whom the Lord hath committed Power and Soveraignty they temper not their Government with lenity patience and gentleness As a roaring Lion and a raging Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people Prov. 28.15 Zeph. 3.3 Her Princes within her are roaring Lions her Judges are evening Wolves The great God and Governour of all the world he rules and bears all things these will bear nothing at all and therefore the Wise Man denounceth an heavy judgement against them Potentes potentèr tormina patientur Not but that they may concern even inferiours also who have but little power in their hand yet according to their power are great tyrants the wise man implyes as much Be not saith he a Lion in thy house and frantick among thy servants Ecclus. 4.30 Observe the great difference between Christs Government and the government of his young Disciples and others Christs Government is with humility patience lenity meekness and long-suffering he bears all things who governs all things his young Disciples and others are haughty proud and high-minded impatient cruel This will appear by divers instances Matth. 20. the Mother of Zebedees Children his young Disciples James and John affect Authority and high place in a supposed earthly kingdom vers 21. But our Lord tells them they knew not what they asked it was an Heathenish Petition not a Christian vers 22. They who rule over the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and their great ones exercise authority upon them but so it shall not be among you What no Rule no Government among them Not so Christ's Kingdom is the most orderly Government in the world and therefore we do not render the words so fully as they are in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie to abase their government to abase their authority to dominere or govern tyrannically so the Rulers of the Nations governed them And truly thus the case stands with all the Sects in Christendom every one hath a portion of James and John's high spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one would get above another and dominere and tyrannize over all other as at this day every Sect hopes to get up and suppress all the rest and do not some of us tread upon the pride of others as Diogenes did upon Plato's The meekness patience and humility of the Saints is seen when they are under as the Primitive Church for the first three hundred years or there about was humble patient meek gentle c. but when they had got Enlargement by Constantine they fell into Sects and Divisions among themselves one strove to get up above another till at length the Popedom advanced it self to that greatness and height wherein it yet continues Domineering and Lording over all as every Sect endeavours to do and would do could they but take away the Dominion from that Beast all and every one endeavouring to depose the true kingdom of God and Christ in righteousness peace and joy This was figured by the ambition of Adoniah 1 King 1. he exalts himself and will reign vers 5. and therefore vers 7. he gets Joab Captain of the Host to his Party the secular and worldly power and Abiathar the Priest a glorious pretence of holiness and with these he endeavours to depose David and Solomon and he rejects Zadoc Benajah Nathan Shemei and Rei and the mighty men which belonged to David these were not with Adoniah The ambitious Sectaries under colour of holiness endeavour to depose David and Solomon i. e. the lovely and peaceable kingdom of Christ and reject Sadoc i. e. the true Righteousness and Holiness and Benaiah the edifying of the Church in Love and Nathan the gift of God his Spirit and Shimei i. e. Obedience and Rei the Communion and Society of Gods Saints these are the mighty ones of Christs kingdom That is the reason that Dan. 7. the four great Kingdoms of the world commonly known by the Name of the four Monarchies they are compared to four Beasts v. 3. four great beasts came out of the sea which vers 17. are interpreted four Kings which should arise out of the earth But the Kingdom of Christ is resembled by a Man vers 13. one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and there was given unto him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom Luk. 9.54 The young Disciples James and John would have fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritanes but our Lord tells them they knew not what spirit they were of i. e. what Spirit guided them
pattern in their own imagination Observ If God have a Throne of Judgment then see what is the highest Court whither all appeals lye God is the Judge of all the world Psalm 103.19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the Heaven and his Kingdom ruleth over all Eccles 5.8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there are higher than they He it is who corrects all errors all iniquity of Judgment Good God what presumption it is which we read in the ancient Councils to come no nearer to our present times in deciding and judging controversie he who shall think or teach otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be accursed and damnanus we condemn this and that which they had no more understanding of than other men such is the presumption of many in these days who will not suffer men to think otherwise with how much more modesty did Moses Numb 15.34 and Gamaliel Acts 5.35 And the Apostles in their first Council Acts 15. Among us no man thinks he can err Moses and the Council were endued with the Holy Spirit Hear this who ever thou art that judgest and was there ever a more censorious age than this is wherein almost every man censures and condemns every man yea and every thing Jude Verse 10. Mean time this is quite forgotten on all sides judge not that ye be not judged Matth. 7.1 Men can send many miles to get something wherewithal to judge and condemn another yet forget to judge themselves and condemn themselves of their own pride and covetousness and men can judge and condemn the Pope yet nourish a proud Pope as Luther speaks in their own breasts Rom. 2.1 2 3. Beloved we condemn the Spanish Inquisition and our late High Commission but Be not many Masters James 3.1 Little do we consider what we put upon the file of our own sins So long as we see any evil without us we never judge the evil within us The Saints 't is true shall judge the world and sit upon Thrones but examine thy self well art thou such a Saint a covetous Saint a drunken Saint Consol What if man condemn thee Alas he sees but the outward surface of thy life See how the Apostle slights the Corinthians judgment of him 1 Cor. 4.3 4. See how the Prophet Jeremy comforts himself in this case Jer. 20.10 11. Psalm 26.1 Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity I have trusted also in the Lord therefore I shall not slide Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart Psalm 43.1 Judge me O Lord and plead my cause against an ungodly nation The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from an unmerciful and cruel people thus when Job's Friends accused him as an Hypocrite he comforts himself in the Judgment of his God Job 16.19 Behold saith he my witness is in Heaven and my record on high My friends scorn me but mine eyes pour out tears unto God Yea Christ himself had no other refuge than the Throne of God Who being reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatened not but committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 and 4.19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as to a faithful Creator 2. Majesty Majesty is terrible and strikes an aw and dread in all those who consider it as the Prophet Esay 2.10 Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for fear of his Majesty When therefore we read that God hath a Throne of Majesty then learn with what humility with what fear with what reverence we ought to make our address unto our God in his Ordinances our Father Abraham's example is notable Gen. 18.22 27. Stood Chald. Prayed as in our Prayer he did not sit when he prayed judge in your selves does such a posture as sitting befit a petitioner to the Throne of the Majesty in the highest I speak not here of bold faced prophane people who jeer the Prayers of the Church but of that our common want of reverence at our Prayers would you take it well of your servant Offer this to thy Governour Mal. 1.8 Will their common pretence of worshiping God in the Spirit excuse this their unreverent approach unto the Majesty of God Did not Stephen worship God in the Spirit Did not Paul worship God in Spirit Did not Christ himself worship the Majesty of God the Father in Spirit yet were not these so bold in their addresses unto the Majesty of the great God Stephen kneeled down Acts 7. And Paul bowed his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 3. And our Saviour himself kneeled down and prayed Luke 22.40 Did not the Levites of old worship God in the Spirit They stood up and praised the Lord 2 Chron. 20.19 And I read that the Seed of Israel stood and confessed their sins Neh. 9.2 Jerem. 15.1 But this they will say is a Ceremony of the Old Law What think men then of Gods worship under the Gospel I read of Stationes and Genuflexiones in the primitive times taken for Prayers but Sessiones never 'till I saw it in the irreverent practices of men yea youth who learn no better from the example of their elders when they stand praying Matth. 11.25 2. What impudence it is What over daring boldness to sin against the Majesty of God For if that were a good argument of David 1 Sam. 26.9 unto Abishai to hold his hand Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be innocent And that unto the Amalekite 2 Sam. 1.14 How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thinehand to destroy the Lords anointed Then a better argument it must be to every one when we go about to commit any known sin how art thou not afraid to provoke the Majesty of God That fallacy which emboldens men is their hope of prevailing by greater power being full they say who is the Lord as Pharaoh said who is the Lord But he knew to his destruction who the Lord is and so shalt thou too who darest to incense the Majesty of God against thee Dare any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unjust and not before the Saints And 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie Are we stronger than he How can I commit this great wickedness and sin against the Majesty of the Great God Let us entertain such meditations as these are when sin offers it self unto us Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Highest God hath a Throne of Majesty in the Highest Then learn to think no low thoughts of God but quae altissima sunt de Altissimo credere As when we hear
hath been the strong delusion of many who have dreamed themselves into a Paradise while mean time they have lived an ungodly life Esay 29.8 Thus Ravliac who murdered Henry the Fourth of France was perswaded he had a place in heaven provided for him And I am perswaded many there are among us who make themselves as sure of heaven as that wretch did and upon grounds weak enough But that we may the better understand how the Saints are set in heavenly places in Christ ye must know that there 's no word for places in the original neither here nor Eph. 1.3 nor vers 20. nor 2.6 nor 3.10 nor 6.12 in all which notwithstanding places are added in our Translation In the ancient English more truly we have things Luther in his translation in high Dutch turns it nature and thus we must understand it here God hath set us in heavenly things in the heavenly nature by Christ Jesus and with Christ Jesus as where he is there we also might be So we read of the heavenly kingdom 2 Tim. 4.18 the heavenly country it is the heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 the heavenly â—â—ft Heb. 7.4 the heavenly things 1 Joh. 3.12 the heavenly wisdom Joh. 3. the heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 These are the heavenly things wherein the Lord hath set believers as our Apostle speaks expresly Heb. 12.22 23 24. In these highest things Christ sits and in these through him God the Father sets us O Beloved we make our selves sure of these heavenly things when yet our thoughts are abased and busied only about earthly things like that foolish Stage-player that when he named heaven he pointed to the earth or like Hawks or Kites or other like birds we sore high talk of high matters of heaven and heavenly things when mean time we eye and aim at a prey at some advantage here below Motive Did we set a true estimate upon these highest things we should not be held back from them by any difficulties The kingdom of heaven suffers violence Matth. 11.12 The people were forbid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to break through Exod. 19.24 But to the highest mountain of the Lords house they brake in Joshuah was commanded to be valiant to invade the land Jos 1.6 7 8 9. If I be lifted up I shall draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 Si virtus corporeis oculis videri potuit omnes ipsam amare vellent Cleâ—mbrotus The mountain of the Lords house on the top of the mountains being erect all nations shall flow unto it Esay 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where dwellest thou come and see Joh. 1.39 Can any good thing come out of Galilee come and see vers 46. John was invited Apoc. 4.1 heaven cannot be seen but by the light of heaven Means Would we enjoy these high things then must we attain unto them the same way that Christ himself did Christ's exaltation followed his Humiliation and so must ours Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 Eph. 4.9 10. He that ascended descended Phil. 2.4 10. So must ours Phil. 2. Prov. 15.33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honour is humility and 18.12 1 Pet. 3. last Confer with Chapter 4.1 Christ sat on the right hand of the Majesty on high after his death burial resurrection therefore mortifie your earthly members Col. 3. So Eph. 2. after we were raised from the dead he made us sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great consolation of the people of God of the true followers and servants of Christ Jesus where their Lord is there are they Joh. 12.26 Their conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 Christianity is the profession of an heavenly life Empedocles vixit ut aspiceret coelum veri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra caput sursum cor deorsum What though they be neglected and despised here below among earthly men carnal men c. They are strangers among men So was their Lord The world knew him not Joh. 1.10 Nor does it know them 1 Joh. 3. What manner of love is this that we should be called the sons of God Therefore the world knows us not As Enoch walked with God and was not why for God took him Gen. 5.24 Such an one is no body in the world God takes these into more intimacy with himself Their mind is about heavenly things And therefore they are not so curious about earthly Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth not despise him that eateth Deus eum assumpsit See Psal 65.5 Blessed is the man whom thou takest unto thee These are men of another Common-wealth and they are travelling homewards they confess themselves strangers and pilgrimes upon the earth And they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a better country i. e. an heavenly They are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2.19 The world knows not these high things Master where dwellest thou Come and see Come up hither As he that is upon an high Mountain may see the Clouds moving this way and that way below him So the Saints they dwell on high Esay 33.16 and can see the turnings and motions and changes of the world below poverty riches honour disgrace they affect ease who love or hate they are below the Saints They mean time dwell on high and become like him with whom they dwell unchangeable Whereas before they admired honours pleasures profit high place and authority and beheld them as things above them being now fixt in the highest they look down upon these as poor despicable things below them These high things then let us be exhorted to aspire unto They are either 1. The high things themselves Or 2. Things tending upwards 1. God himself who is above Job 31.28 and Christ who is from above Joh. 80.23 and he John the Baptist bears witness of Joh. 3.31 or the holy Spirit which is poured out from above from the right hand of God Act. 2. In these is our objective happiness our formal happiness is in communion with God the Father God the Son and God the holy Spirit and with the Saints Jerusalem above the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Whence it is that the Church is figured by Mount Sion and Jerusalem situate among the Mountains Psal 125. Observe then the highest mark of the Christian ambition See Notes on Col. 3.1 This reproves those who contend for other things but for these not at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We will be many Masters Every one will be great But in pursuit of these true highest things we are extreme modest To be great high honourable every man will endeavour with the ruine of others with the ruine of Justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But ought not the best the highest things to be best beloved and most high in our estimation Josh 18.3 why are ye so slack to possess the land which the Lord hath given you We need
endures for ever and ever 4. He hath a Scepter 5. That his Scepter is a Scepter of Equity 6. Of the Son he saith Thy Throne c. 1. That the Son of God is God To be the Son of God by natural Generation infers that he is God according to the Jews dispute with our Lord John 5.18 Therefore the Jews went about to kill him because he said that God was his Father making himself equal with God Had they understood him so to have called God his Father as they said he was theirs by Adoption and Grace they could have born it when they said We have one Father even God upon this ground they accuse him before Pilate John 19.7 We have a Law and by that Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God Now that the Son of God is God which is a main foundation of the Christian Religion it appears by manifest proofs of Scripture I shall name some few wherein Christ is called expresly by the name of God 1. It is among his Titles of Honour Esay 9.6 He shall be called wonderful Counsellor the mighty one God for so the mighty one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read as one Title and God another 2. Hosea 1.7 I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God 3. Habak 3.18 I will rejoyce in the Lord I will rejoyce in the Lord in Domino Jesu meo 4. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and God was that word John 1.1 5. So Thomas called him My Lord and my God John 20.28 6. Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood 7. Rom. â— Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever 8. Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God he thought it no robbery to be equal with God 9. John 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life 10. Tit. 2.13 The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ This truth hath been opposed by the most subtil Spirits both of old and of later times who have bent their wits to overthrow it 11. The name Jehovah is the proper name God and by that Christ is often called Jerem. 23.6 This is the name which they shall call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord or Jehovah our Righteousness 12. The Lord of Glory is a proper attribute of God Act. 1.7 The God of Glory appeared to Abraham c. 1 Cor. 2.8 If they had known him they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory If he be strong and stronger than the Son of Perdition where doth he shew his strength Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you to the end of the world Emmanuel wherein doth he shew his power The Son of God was made manifest for this purpose that he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolve the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly John 10.10 May not many one who hath known Satans work destroyed in himself and his life amended yet say God was in this place and I knew it not Surely there is one in us whom we know not if thou know this then know also that he is able to save to the utmost those who come unto God by him who come by his death into his life know that he came that we might have a more abundant life he is the living God and God of life There was a life before the Son of God was made manifest in the flesh but not that eminent not that abundant life to love salute c. our friends common humanity teacheth it where is the abundance which is expected from thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Confer Matth. 5. and Notes in Psal 112. If the Son of God be God then he is strong so God and Men are opposed as weak and strong so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Nations are as the drop of a bucket Then he is stronger than the Son of perdition Here is a ground of Adoration and of Prayer unto Christ and prayer to God in the Sons Name He is God of God Light of light in his light we see light no man can come to the Father but by him nor to him but by the Father The Deity cannot be approached unto but by somewhat of its own as no man can see the Sun but by its own light 2. The Son of God who is God is also a King having a Throne Thy Throne O God There are three Royal Ensigns of Majesty a Throne a Scepter and an Vnction all which are here ascribed unto Christ and that in their eminency 1. A throne that endures for ever 2. A Scepter of Equity 3. An Vnction of gladness above thy fellows 1. Of the first he hath a Throne for our understanding of this let us enquire 1. What a Throne is 2. Where it is 3. And the reason why it is 1. What a Throne is A Throne is a Royal Seat to rest in and that either 1. Of God Revel 1.4 Grace be to you and peace from him who is and was c. and from the seven spirits that are before the Throne Or 2. Of Man 2 Sam. 3.10 the Throne of David It is a Seat whence the King the Supreme Judge gives judgement 2. Where the Throne of God is Answer where his Kingdom is and that is in all the world in the highest Heavens or Divine world in the Paradise of God or Angelical world in the kingdom of men or this inferiour world Omne judicium dedit filio Joh. 5.23 And although a Throne and Tribunal are sometimes distinguished yet because a King and a Judge are often taken for the same so may a Throne and a Judgement-seat also be That which most of all concerns us is where his Throne is here below surely where his Kingdom is and that 's within us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 17.21 So he tells his Disciples and therefore his Throne must be there also Observe then what manner of Man a true Christian Man is he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of God so the Scripture when it expresseth a thing or person excellent it adds this name unto it thus Timothy was a man of God 1 Tim. 6. 3. What Reason is there why he hath a Throne 1. The Son of God hath Just Dominion over and in all his Creatures all Power and Authority whereof a Throne is one sign or token 2. Hereon he sits after the conquest of sin and death observing thee and me and every one of us how we behave our selves against his enemies for he must reign untill all his enemies become his footstool 1 Cor. 15. Hâ—br 10.13 3. Hereon he sits to judge both quick and dead and to render to every one according to
tract of time which shall expire and have a certain period and end as Circumcision my Covenant shall be in pactum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Covenant for ever Gen. 17. and Exod. 12.14 the Passover an Ordinance for ever The Temple the place where thou dwellest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet together 1 King 8.9 13. they imply duration and continuance everlasting The latter is certain and true but the former not alwayes so But of what Kingdom of Christ and in what world is this to be understood Christ hath a threefold Kingdom and Throne 1. In this visible world 1. Over all the Creatures 2. Over Satan Matth. 12.28 3. Over and in his Saints 2. In the Angels world or Paradise 3. In the Divine world of all which I have heretofore spoken The meaning of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for this age or this world and afterward or yet for eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to increase the duration and comprehend all eternities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this world and for another Here then is to be understood the everlasting kingdom of Christ when all his enemies shall be put under his feet And of this Kingdom we read Revel 11.15 16 17. The Reason in regard of 1. God the Father who gives him his Kingdom 2. The King Christ 3. The subjects unto this King 1. In regard of God the Father 2 Sam. 7.13 I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever God had promised an everlasting Kingdom unto his Son and his promise is one of the two immutable things Heb. 12. His Righteousness Truth and faithfulness are engaged for the performance of this 2. In regard of the King Christ himself his qualifications and endowments fitting him for an everlasting Kingdom as Wisdom Righteousness Judgement Humility Patience Meekness and all what else belongs to the Kingdom of God His Kingdom hath been kept under by the kingdoms of the world like Joseph in Prison David But after the sound of the seventh Angels Trumpet there were great voices in heaven saying The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ He shall reign for ever and ever Revel 11.15 3. In regard of his subjects 1. Who submit themselves willingly Psal 110.3 Dan. 7.18 When the kingdoms of the beasts are ended the Saints of the most high take the kingdom who before had suffered with their King and possess the kingdom for ever even for ever and ever 2. In regard of those who are forced to submit He is to subdue every enemy Exod. 17.14 Put in the ears of Josuah that wiping he will wipe out the remembrance of Amaleck from under heaven Amaleck is a Type of Antichrist who sits in the temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 because he laid his hand upon the Throne of Jehovah or the Lord hath sworn and therefore the fulfilling of this is referred by the Jews themselves unto the days of Christ the true Josuah in whose ears this commandment must be put who is content to do the will of God Psal 40.8 If the Lord will have war with Amaleck from generation to generation then there must be a Josuah to lead the people against Amaleck from generation to generation This Amaleck Christ hath already overcome Revel 3.12 1. I have overcome and sit in my Fathers throne He that overcomes shall sit upon the throne This is not to be done with outward weapons but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX he had horns coming out of his hand there was the hiding of this power Habac. 3.4 If Mordecai be of the Seed of the Jews before whom Haman the Amalachite began to fail Esther 6.13 a Jew inwardly Rom. 2. Esther is the hidden invisible Church Mordecai sits in the Kings seat Christ comes in triumph to destroy Amaleck Ride prosperously Psal 45.4 next before the Text. Observ 1. Christ's Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom Maugre the endeavours of all earthly men to suppress it and cast it down The Kings of the earth have always opposed it by open violence Psal 2. The kings of the earth stood up and the princes took counsel together which they pursue by slander calumniation and subtilty and hence the people of God have been said to be enemies of Kings in all ages The Samaritans called Jerusalem the rebellious and bad city Ezra 4.7 Nehem. 6.6 7. Thou and the Jews think to rebel Esther 3.8 They keep not the kings laws therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them This made Herod fear and all Jerusalem with him when they heard of the King Christ And Pilate was perswaded by the Jews that Christ came to dethrone Caesar but our Lord gave them counsel to give to Caesar the things that are Caesars c. Act. 27 5-8 The lewd fellows of the baser sort set the City of Thessalonica on an uproar These that have turned the world upside down are come hither They all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar saying there is another king one Jesus yet maugre all the opposition that the Prince of the Air can make withall the Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth Have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion These are they who turn the world upside down That which was above is now below Repreh Terrour of those who hinder the erecting of Christs throne Hos 13.6 7 8. Exhort To resolve with Abner to set up the throne of David 2 Sam. 3.10 the true David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Bersheba The Lord hath promised and sworn this vers 9. We have all or I hope will promise and swear to it Beloved Remember the solemn covenant the stool of wickedness Psal which imagines mischief as a law that must be cast down Christ puts down the mighty from their seats their thrones and he himself the humble and meek sits thereon Means That this may be effected all other thrones must be cast down I told ye of four great beasts Dan. 7. The Lion the Bear the Leopard and a fourth that is not named more fierce and terrible than the rest These all these successively have their thrones without us Psal 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and within us All enemies of Christ and his throne 1. The first is the Devil himself the roaring lion 2. The second is the flesh 3. And the third the world 4. The fourth is Antichrist a religious beast The thrones of these beasts must be first cast down Dan. 7.9 But how must that be done Christ himself that he may sit upon his throne will cast down these thrones and all those who sit upon them David tells Saul that he had slain the lion and the bear and doubted not but to destroy Goliah also The last of these the true David destroys with fiery flames Dan. 7.9 10 11. Esay 14. Hag. 2. two last verses When these Thrones of the beasts are cast down the man
Christ sits upon his throne Dan. 7.13 14. This is the man from heaven heavenly Revel 19.11 12 13. The wickedness of the wicked shall come to an end The man of the earth shall be no more exalted against him Psal 10.15 Would we then that Christ should sit upon his Throne in these Kingdoms Would we that his Throne should endure for ever O then set him up in thine own Soul let him reign and rule there Judg. 11. the true Jephtah the head I know many that pray for this yet sin reigns in them The eyes of the Lord are upon the kingdom of sin Amos 9.8 Are men more charitable to others than to themselves Would they have Christ reign for ever and ever in others and not in themselves I appeal to many whether have they not in themselves reigning beasts yea or no He said well Venit avaritia vindicat in me sedem jactantia cupit dominari superbia vult mihi esse rex Luxuria dicit ego regnabo Ambitio invidia iracundia certant in memetipso cujus potissimum esse videar ego quantum valeo resisto renitor quantum juvor Dominum meum Jesum reclamo dico non habeo regem nisi Jesum Bernard 2. Consider we this eternal Throne of Christ in comparison of others Observe the difference between Christ's Throne and all other Thrones 1. Princes of the earth have their thrones but of a short continuance 'T is palpable flattery of the Chaldeans who said to King Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2.5 O king live for ever much more that to Claudius Saepe facias It was a peculiar promise unto David 2 Chron. 6.16 There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel yet was that promise conditioned yet so that thy children take heed to their way c. And this was typical and representative of him who should be great Luk. 1.32 33. The Kingdoms of men have their periods This ye have foretold Dan. 2. under the figure of four metals gold silver brass and iron whence the Poets took the description of their four ages by which are commonly understood as before the four more notable Monarchies of the world The very same are also figured by the four beasts which are interpreted four Kings Dan. 7.2 14. and interpreted by the Angel vers 16-27 These four great beasts Dan. 7. with vers 17. are four kings which arise out of the earth all of them earth born whether we understand it outwardly 1. So the Kingdom of Babylon a part of the Kingdom of Assyria 2. The Persians were long time servants to the Medes 3. The Macedonians long time ignoble 4. The Romans also poor Shepherds at the first More especially 1. The Lion of Babylon cruel but generous had Eagles wings celerity His horses swifter than Eagles but wo unto us we are spoiled Jer. 4.13 plumed by the Medes and Persians made stand on his feet as a man no more a Lions heart but a trembling heart of a man it s said though experience proves the contrary that Eagles Feathers put among other Birds Feathers wasts them whether for the credit of the Babylonian or Roman Eagle 2. The Persians strong and able to endure labour like a bear fighting with their two feet Medes and Persians the three ribs three principal Kings Cambyses Darius Histaspes and Xerxes 3. The third the Macedonian raised by Philip and Alexander exceeding swift in expedition four wings compared to the Leopard subtil Jer. 5.6 A Leopard shall watch over their cities Hab. 1.8 Their horses swifter than Leopards Alexander was swift prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waged many wars spotted An admirable mixture of virtues and vices The Leopard noted for love of wine so that it 's not taken by force but when it 's drunk Thus Alexander mocked and perished by wine 4. The Roman divers from all the former subdues all the rest unto himself Dan. 2.44 These are all successive Kingdoms of the earthly man which bear rule over the heavenly for so long as the Beasts rule God and his Throne are cast down and seem not to be while he seems to bear no rule in the world These four Kingdoms oppress and suppress all they can the Kingdom of God and Christ Psal 3. Where it is said Many are they that rise against me The Cabalists enquire who are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and answer these are the four Kingdoms which the Prophet noted by four Letters ד R. the Romans × B. the Babylonians or Chaldeans ו I. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Graecians ס M. The Medes and Persians for under these four Kingdoms the Kingdom of Christ lay oppressed But these thrones at length are cast down Psal 12.5 I will arise saith the Lord and there appears the throne of the ancient of days vers 9. The throne of the Son of God vers 9. 14. This Kingdom was observed by Papius Ireneus Justin Martyr Tertullian Lactantius and others who understand it of that Kingdom which should last a thousand years Revel 20. as certainly it is to be understood of it nor did they err herein but in that they divined of earthly happiness and temporal pleasures to be enjoyed in this world which therefore may justly be liable to that censure that they began in the spirit and ended in the flesh 2. Worldly Kingdoms cannot last long they are violent and described by wild beasts Herein our Rule holds Nullum violentum est perpetuum But the Kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of the man Ecclus. 12. fine That Kingdom figured by that which was given to the first Adam and fulfilled by the second and this last for ever 3. Satan hath a throne figured by the King of Babylon and that lasts for a time in this world in thee and in me and therefore it is called the prince of this world and his throne continues till the Son of God casts down his throne and casts him out Joh. 12. Now is the judgement yea read of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the triumphant song Esay 14.4.13.23 Consolation and Exhortation to the people of God the true Christians who have rule over all their enemies How much more excellent is their Dominion and Kingdom than all the Kingdoms and Dominions of the earthly Monarchies in the world Who shall be admitted to sit upon eternal Thrones Revel 3.21 22. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the nations shall be gathered unto it to the name of the Lord i. e. his nature whereof they shall be partakers 2 Pet. 1. Neither shall they walk any more after the imagination or stubborness of their own heart Jer. 17. O Beloved Let us go up into this Jerusalem the throne of the Lord Psal 122 1-5 Chald. For the kings of the house of David there are set thrones of judgement thrones of the bouse of David What hinders us but the Kingdom of Satan and the earthly man in
man hath received Christ the honour that comes of God only he is in that respect thought worthy of honour as an house of God Axiom 4. Christ is accounted worthy more Glory than Moses Hitherto we have heard the three former Axioms opened which are contained in these words this fourth and last rests only to be explained in this first disparity between Christ and Moses wherein two things are to be opened 1. What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. What it is to be counted worthy of Glory and Honour 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Opinion from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to think or esteem which because it may be as well for good as evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth more especially a good opinion and an honourable estimation had of one and as the light shines from bright and clear bodies so the good opinion honour and glory proceeds from good and virtuous souls Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth videor to be seen and appear as lucid and bright bodies appear and shine quodlibet visibile radiat every visible body sends forth a kind of beams and whoever hath the true light in him there is a lustre and glory which may be discerned by those who have eyes to see it as the Apostles had Joh. 1. We have seen his glory c. This Glory is all one with honour as many Examples prove See Notes on Rom. 15. In the Text what is first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is presently afterwards called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. To be accounted worthy of this Glory is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other significations hath this to esteem and value as we are wont to esteem things by their weight whence Hesychius renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as what is of weight draws down the scale Thus the word which signifieth to honour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be of weight and that which is vile and despicable is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be light and of no weight we have this fully opened in a few words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That little affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Now who accounts Christ or Moses worthy of Honour or Glory who but God the Father the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Glory it self Isa 60.1 he distributes the Crowns Zach. 6.14 He is the fountain of Glory and Honour and Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Christ is accounted worthy of more Glory than Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house Our Apostle reasons thus Christ made Moses and every believing and obedient Man and Woman his house therefore he is accounted worthy more Honour and Glory than the house The reason of this will appear from a Rule in the Art of Reasoning which is That every cause is as it is a cause better than the effect and much more the efficient cause which is the first cause aiming at and intending the end and uniting the matter and form and so in a sort may be called causa causarum as having an influence upon all the other causes as well as upon the effect whence it is in every kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first mover Now as this is true in every principal efficient cause acting univocally so much more is this true of Christ who by reason of his infinite Being and Perfection in working he infinitely excells whatsoever he makes and so is worthy of more Glory than any of his works Observ 1. Christ is accounted worthy of Glory and Honour This is included in the Text as the Positive in the Comparative this is acknowledged by every Creature in Heaven and Earth Revel 5.11 12 13. Observ 2. If Christ be accounted worthy more Glory than Moses then is the Ministry of Christ especially the Ministry of Christ according to the Spirit to be accounted more worthy of Glory than the Ministry of Moses The Apostle compares both these at large 2 Cor. 3.7 Moses was glorious the ministration of death was glorious such was the Law which was given with thunder the voice of a trumpet c. Exod. 19 16-19 Hebr. 17.8 Such Glory as a Judge coming to give sentence of death c. Yet this was glorious so was the Ministry of the Ceremonial Law How much more shall the Ministration of the Spirit and Righteousness exceed in Glory How Glorious was the Lord Jesus in his Ministration of Righteousness when he delivered the New Testament the New Law Matth. 5.1 Blessed are the poor in spirit c. How much more glorious was the Lord Jesus when he delivered his fiery Law as it is called Deut. 33.5 when he gave the Law of the spirit of life Act. 2. in fiery tongues c. Nor was this glorious appearance of the Spirit only in the day of Pentecost but also the like gifts were vouchsafed unto the Church afterward 1 Cor. 14.26 Yea and the same would yet be given were there fit pure and clean vessels to receive them for so the Apostle vers ult We all behold as in a glass the Glory of the Lord c. Tota vita Christi morum disciplina speculum fuit O how wise are they who are daily looking into this Glass and daily conform their life and manners thereunto and so are transformed into other men men heavenly holy angelical divine men and women Observ 3. Christs Glory and Honour was obtained by doing something worthy of it as hereby making of the house Philip. 2.8 Therefore God highly exalted him this ye read Psal 111.1 per totum Revel 4.11 And so no doubt what Glory and Honour is to be obtained by us it is by obedience by doing well and suffering evil They who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality unto these is the eternal life Rom. 2. and if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. And the same Apostle tells us That life and salvation is wrought by enduring the same sufferings which he also suffered 2 Cor. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 4. Here are honours and degrees of honours distinguished and approved of by our Apostle even in the Common-wealth of heaven Here like a Divine Herald he shews to whom less honour to whom more is due Thus as in the heavens there are Principalities and Powers Col. Angels and Arch-angels so in the earth distinctions there are and degrees of honours a Kingdom or Common-wealth cannot consist without them Rom. 13. Yea the God of Order hath established these degrees in his Church as in the Old Testament High Priest Priests and Levites so in the New Testament also the Father sets the Church in order 1 Cor. 12.28 and the Son also
between the outward and temporal goods and the inward and spiritual goods the outward and temporal goods have the name of goods because they have a twofold goodness in them See Notes on Phil. 4.11 12 13. 1. This substance is therefore better than all other wealth because really and truly it 's all that which the outward riches are only imagined to be Prov. 18.11 or at the best a representative of them in his own conceit but this better substance is the true castle c. Psal 18. The outward wealth is called bona goods but this true substance is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the essential goodness it self as Christ is called Hos 3.5 2. The outward wealth consists in those things which are below the Man as Sheep and Oxen Silver and Gold the true Riches are above the Man Treasures in Heaven 3. The temporal wealth is fleeting and transitory uncertain riches 1 Tim. the better substance is perpetual Isai 33.6 Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and the riches of salvation the fear of the Lord is his treasures 4. Outward wealth and riches are termed even nothing Wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihil ipsum The true substance is all things as when Moses besought the Lord to shew him his Glory the Lord answers him ostendam tibi omne bonum Exod. 33.18 19. as he doth Chap. 34. when he shews him himself And the Lord Jesus is caled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Things Coloss 3.11 as having nothing but possessing all things Gen. 39.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus his Divine Nature is equipollent to all the promises of God 2 Pet. 1. Rom. 15.27 1 Cor. 9.11 God the Father hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly good gifts Matt. 7.11 the Spirit Luk. 11.13 Observ 1. The nature and eminent degree of Christ and the spiritual riches and treasures in him and by him See Notes on Coloss 3.1 Observ 1. Observ 2. The Hebrews substance was an enduring substance The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abiding continuing enduring 1 Pet. 1.2 3. 1. This word imports the immutability of the Hebrews substance which is no other than Christ himself c. as was shewn before This appears by testimony out of Psal 102.26 Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid c. This is quoted by the Apostle to the Hebrews as understood of Christ Hebr. 1. negatively in regard of Christs Nature and immutability 2. Most pure holy in him no potentiality whatsoever is changeable is in potentia hath inclination to become some other thing therefore solus habet immortalitatem 1 Tim. 6. 3. Most simple without admixtion unum bonum quod immutabile est quod est Deus Christ a Rock Hence the name Jehovah Mal. 3.6 I am unless ye believe that I am Observ 1. A sure foundation to build upon a Rock Matth. 7. Observ 2. The miserable condition of those who are not built upon the Rock no standing Psal 69.3 Observ 3. A pattern of constancy and immutability such is Christ in wisdom goodness power c. and such is every Divine Man Psal 102.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immutable subject to no change idem ipse V. L. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of Christ of the same root with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 42.8 Zach. 9.9 Divinitas in ea particula Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever Scaliger ipse in essence and attributes understanding will works Observ 4. Broad difference between God and his Creatures He immutable and independent they mutable and dependent mutable in regard of materiality and potentiality propension to some other thing to nothing opposites for Eccles 33.14 15. Repreh 1. Our inconstancy and mutability Repreh 2. Such as are constant in inconstancy as they say of Planets Gen. 4.12 16. Repreh 3. Those who seek corruptible riches and neglect the durable Exhort To be like unto Christ rich 1 Cor. 10. Eph. 4.14 15. This the Apostle rejoyced to see Col. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Fabricius course of the Sun v. 6. 1 Cor. 15.58 like to God in immutability Psal 102.28 The Children of thy servants shall continue Joh. 12.26 so we obtain the wisdom gray hair all desire eternity all died but Enoch the shortest liver he was translated Heb. 11.5 fulfilled a long time Means 1. To endure as Christ the substance believe so a Rock 1 Pet. 2.4 5. a living stone cut out without hands Dan. 2.34 2. Love him Transformat amantem in rem amatam Christ into us us into Christ 3. Cleave to him Barnabas exhorted to cleave unto the Lord as in Nature things which cleave one to another are changed into the nature one of another one spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.4 Hear and do Matt. 7. while hearing carried about with every wind of doctrine winds waves an house like the Rock it s built upon in righteousness so doing we shall be like him Isai 51 4-8 the great Abaddon shall not have any power against it 2. The fear of the Lord endures for ever Psal 19.9 3. His mercy endures for ever 4. His Kingdom an everlasting kingdom 3. His wayes everlasting Isai 64.5 In these is continuance we shall be saved if we have interest in these what shall hinder us from continuing and being immutable like unto him they that persevere and continue in well doing these shall have eternal life Rom. 2.7 3. That better and enduring substance is in heaven The word Heaven is not read in the V. L. nor in some Greek Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven signifieth not only that material and visible body c. See Notes on Matt. 13.11 but the inward kingdom of God treasure in heaven Ephes 2.4 5 6. conversation in heaven Exhort Seek these durable riches Motive We have a treasure in the field and the like treasure Prov. 11.3 4. Doubt If this better and enduring substance be in heaven how is it in us if in us how is it in heaven Both may consist well together not only by distinguishing what we have re and spe that in our selves we have a real possession of that better and enduring substance but also we have hope of the highest accomplishment of bliss and happiness in heaven so the Apostle Col. 1.5 for the hope But since the kingdom of heaven is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. where else can this be but in the true Hebrews and therefore our Lord saith expresly that the kingdom of heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 17. So that heaven doth not denote a place but a state and property and quality of the things and therefore the Lord Jesus Christ who is the true better and enduring substance he saith of himself Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended into heaven but the Son of man who is in heaven 4. The Hebrews had in themselves a better and enduring substance Observ
two or three are gathered together in his Name Matt. 18.20 Contra Ezech. 12.22 Jesus Christ is the subject or object of all Divinity about which all the Articles of the Christian Faith are conversant For 1. Belief in God the Father hath necessary reference unto the Son And the Maker of Heaven and Earth made all things by his Son Hebr. 1.2 2. Then followeth belief in Jesus Christ c. 3. Belief in the Holy Ghost refers also to the Son for the Holy Spirit breathes from the Father and the Son 4. The Holy Catholick Church and communion of Saints and remission of sins all belong to that mystical body whereof Christ is the Head nor can they be obtained or had without Christ his Spirit gathers the Catholick Church for to him the gathering together of the people is Gen. 49. 5. His Grace of Love and Life unites the members of his body the communion of Saints Eph. 4.16 6. His merit hath obtained remission of sins for he gave himself for our sins Gal. 4.4 7. The Resurrection of the body cannot be without the Resurrection of Christ the head who is the first fruits of them that sleep 8. And life everlasting is the gift of Christ who himself saith I give unto them eternal life Joh. 10.28 Observ If Jesus Christ be the same to day then is he present with this present generation even that wisdom and righteousness and life and power of God Emmanuel God with us Matth. 1. Repreh 1. How unjustly then do we complain I speak not of Children but such as pretend to be grown Christians that we are ignorant of God and Christ Is not he the wisdom and that present with us to day in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10. Christ the unction teacheth all things 1 Joh. 2. Repreh 2. Why complain we of weakness and infirmity Is not Christ the power of God and is he not present with us Is not this the day of his power Psal 104. Psal 110.3 And therefore Gabriel that is the power of God he brings the first news of him who breaks the serpent's head the plots and power and strength of the tempter in us and dissolves his works in us and casts him out Joh. 12.31 Now is the judgement c. now this day 3. Why are we so unrighteous and unholy in our lives Is not Jesus Christ the righteousness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord our righteousness Emmanuel God with us Hath not Jesus Christ given himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father Gal. 1.4 If God be with us who can be against us we say this in regard of outward enemies and is it not as true of inward Jesus Christ is the same to day Where O where shall we find him The foxes have holes and the fowls of the air have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head He is the Love of God Col. 1. Where is that Love to be found if any where As the members being many c. So also is Christ Where shall we find that heroical love of enemies which he commanded and exemplified in himself Yea where is that member-like Love Do not men love one another only for the mutual promoting of temporal advantages Consol To the true Christians Jesus Christ is present with them Hence it is that he is called Emmanuel Matth. 1. and he promiseth his Disciples that he will be with them to the end of the world Matth. 28. Even to the end of time till time be no more and to the end of the evil world that they might overcome it 1 Joh. 5.4 O but if the Lord be with us why is all this evil befaln us c. Judg. 6.13 Jacob was in this strait Gen. 32.9 Thou saidst unto me return unto thy land and to thy kindred and I will do thee good Where doth the Lord make this promise unto Jacob Gen. 31.3 Return and I will be with thee for the Lord to be with us it 's all one with this the Lord will do thee good What then if Esau the earthly man arise against thee with an army of earthly thoughts and lusts if the Lord be with us who can be against us But alas I find it otherwise Esau prevails 2 Chron. 15.2 When Asa had now smitten Zerah the Ethiopian Azariah meets Asa and tells him The Lord is with you while ye be with him while ye fear him believe on him trust in him love him and obey him if thus thou be with him he will be with thee and the man of the earth shall be no more exalted against thee Psal 10.18 Observ 2. See then a necessary duty requisite in the Minister of Jesus Christ which should preach Jesus Christ unto men If Jesus Christ be yesterday and to day then he who shall preach Jesus Christ must in reason know him both yesterday and to day he must know him hidden in the Ceremonies of the Law know him shadowed in the figurative speeches and similitudes of the Prophets in manibus prophetarum assimilatus sum know him reveiled yet veiled and hidden too in the parables of the Gospel But above all he must know him and find him in himself He must know him and find him as a treasure hidden in the field Matth. 13.44 A treasure and greater and more rich than all the riches of the world In comparison of which gold is as a little sand and silver as a little white earth because all good things come with it Wisdom 7. And there it is not said to be a treasure of Gold and Silver or such as Jeremy speaks of Jer. 33. A treasure of Corn Barley and Honey c. But it 's an universal treasure for as the heavenly bodies contain in them virtually say the Naturalists the powers and perfections of all bodies and the Sun and Sun-beams contain virtually all the powers of plants and seeds so a Kingdom contains all wealth for what wealth is there but it 's contained in a Kingdom And the Kingdom of the Heavens all the Heavens which are all one with the Kingdom of God what treasure contain they not And what is all this treasure but the Power of God and the Wisdom of God And what that is ye read Hab. 3.4 1 Cor. 1.24 even Jesus Christ even God himself the Saviour Esay 45.15 A treasure hidden from the wise and prudent Matth. 11. hidden from them who are so wise in their own eyes that they think they know all things yet who stumble and take offence at whatsoever is not already in their own heart Prov. 18. and 't is hidden in the field And why in the field He who will find it must go out of his house out of himself our Lord lead him whose eyes he would open and shewed this treasure out of the crowd 't is to be had in the field in solitude and retiredness not
who like their father Ishmael have their hand against every man and every mans hand against them And I would to God there were not too many such even of those who would be thought to be the only doers of the Word But that we all ought to be doers of the word and not hearers only may be proved undeniably from the parts of it For 1. As for the Evangelical Word no man I suppose makes question of it if any do our Saviour will resolve him Matth. 7. Where he taught his Auditors not to be hearers only but to do his sayings and in that general commission Matth. 28. he commands them to teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them 2. And as little doubt is there to be made of the Law For do we make void the law through the faith of the Gospel God forbid yea we establish the law Rom. 3.31 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 For verily I say unto you saith our Saviour till heaven and earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass away from the law till all be fulfilled for it immediately followeth whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.15 19. Now both legal and Evangelical word teacheth us To love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength with all mind and our neighbour as our selves to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect to cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and Spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God To depart from evil and to do all good To put of the old man or the old conversation according to the Syriach and put on the new To dye unto sin and live unto righteousness To keep the Sabbath i. e. to cease from our own works and to keep the Lords day or do the works of God The first is our conformity unto the death of Christ The second to his Resurrection So that the Gospel requires of us as much obedience as the Law for measure and degree if we consider these and the like places well Matth. 5.18 19 48. 2 Cor. 7.1 and 13.11 Col. 3.14 Tit. 2.12.13 Revel 22.14 compared with vers 18.19 And the reason may appear from mans just and due subordination to the Will of God which is reasonable and just because proceeding from a manifold right of Creation preservation redemption covenant and forfeiture And upon these the Throne of Gods Dominion is erected and into these as into the first principles and foundation of obedience the whole Word of God is finally resolved 1. He is the Lord our Maker our Creator and this is the end of our Creation we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 2. This is the end of our predestination for we are predestin'd to be made conformable to the Son of God who went about doing good 3. The end of our election for we are chosen that we may bring forth fruits 4. This is the end of our Redemption for therefore Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works This was figured in Ruth the type of the Gentile Church saith St. Jerom who being redeemed by Boaz a figure of Christ in whom is our strength brought forth Obed a servant or doer according to that in the Hymn that we being redeemed out of the hands of our enemies may serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life All which howsoever most true yet is there no Divine Truth so much opposed as this and that by all sects of Christians Disputes are endless I 'l but briefly name and resolve some of the principal doubts But if Believers in the Word are saved what need we be doers of the Word If less will serve the turn what need we do more Why should we be prodigal of our obedience why is this wast 'T was the question of Judas who bare the bag and is the tenent of some whose gain I fear is their godliness who measure their Religion by the purse and make choice of that which is the easiest and best cheap But though Believers of the Word be saved yet not those who believe the word of promise only as ignorant men conceive For Faith is an assent to Divine Truth which is not only that of promise but as well that of precepts prohibitions and comminations And God is as well to be believed when he commands forbids and threatens as when he promiseth for as his promise and his oath to the obedient are two immutable things Heb. 6.18 So Heb. 3.18 are his threatning and his oaths to the disobedient But howsoever it be true that Faith alone justifieth yet that faith justifieth not which is alone as all agree But as the Bride-groom Cant. 6.8 9. saith his Spouse is one yet there are saith he sixty queens and eighty concubines and virgins without number Faith hath her Train and Retinue of other Graces attending on it inwardly joyned and united to it and inseparable which cannot be severed from it 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith c. 8.11 For from the assent of the mind unto Divine Truth which we call Faith The soul advanceth it self and is carried out unto the thing believed in a double act of hope For God who is objectum beatificum and in God who is the Author actus fruitivi But these acts of Faith and Hope have an eye at a mans own proper good and look no further Indeed they go out of a man to purvey for that good yet so that they return home again and rest there as a man goeth forth to the Market to buy himself meat yet eats it not there but at his own house But thus a man should make himself his own end And therefore this Faith and Hope cannot be saving alone but must be acted unto Gods honour which cannot be done but out of Charity and thus by works is faith made perfect saith our Apostle By reason of this near conjunction and union of Faith with Love the holy Ghost in Scripture useth Faith and Obedience the one for the other neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Gal. 5.6 ye have the same sentence Gal. 6.15 only Obedience put for Faith 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God And where the one of these is denyed there the other is denyed also Rom. 10.16 All have not obeyed the Gospel Why so For Esaiah said Lord who hath believed our report Deny the consequent
related Histories of our Saviour's Death Resurrection and Ascension c. And that he by his Death and Resurrection hath overcome the world and to this purpose we understand our Saviours speech to his Disciples Joh. 16. ult Be of good cheer I have overcome the world And truly the words in our English sound no otherwise than to make us secure that the work is done to our hand and we need take no more thought of it or for it but Beloved the matter being of this great consequence 't is worth your attention and best consideration that this Scripture is so far from lulling us into security that it puts us upon the Duty of the Text and encourageth us to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is confidite so the Vulg. Lat. And the Septuagint by this word render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to repose confidence in one as Prov. 31.11 to be bold so by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear not Exod. 14.13 and so it comes home to the Text be bold be confident hope in me I have overcome the world to this purpose the Greek Text the Vulgar Latine the Syriack Interpreter Most fitly to this purpose Deut. 33.27 The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath the arms of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say destroy them Thus in our ordinary speech the victories and conquests of Armies are ascribed unto the Commander in Chief Alexander overcomes the world Julius Caesar conquered France c. because by their Example Counsel and Encouragement these victories were obtained Much more may we ascribe the victory of all our spiritual enemies unto Christ the Captain of our Salvation not only as he by whose example counsel and encouragement we overcome the world but also as he who is the very principle of wisdom power patience and fortitude c. by which we overcome the world Christ therefore the great Commander he hath overcome the world and animates and heartens us to overcome As if a man had conquered a wild beast he should now deliver it to his Son to conquer Thus all the Victories of all the Worthies prefigure unto us Christs conquests and victories of the world Thus he spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself so as a Malefactor is by Law and sentence of the Prince a dead man and as the custome is in France and elsewhere he is set forth and hanged up in effigie Thus all those victories of Joshuah and the Judges of David and other Kings are all types and figures of our spiritual enemies overcome and hanged as it were in effigie and so to be crucified and mortified by us 4. So that this combate is not left unto us as an arbitrary business which may be done or not done and yet no harm done there 's a necessity lies upon us and wo be to us if we fight not all the happiness of that life which is to come depends upon the atchievement of this victory The kingdom of heaven is to be obtained upon no other terms if we suffer with him we shall reign with him Our neighbour kingdom of Ireland will not be recovered upon other conditions and shall we hope the kingdom of heaven will be obtained upon easier terms Sign 1. In a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or universal destruction such as the Lord enjoyned Saul and such as this must be great and small all must perish Whether have we gotten such an universal conquest over our spiritual enemies yea or no Saul being sent to destroy Amalek had commission to slay both men and women infant and suckling oxe and sheep camel and ass and had a charge to spare none 1 Sam. 15.3 yet vers 9. Saul and the people spared Agag the King of the Amalekites the Lord hath given the Faith a general commission and power to destroy Amaleck to overcome the world Do we not spare some reigning sin do we not spare Agag what thy Agag is thou best knowest and God who knows thy heart knows thou hast spared Agag what 's he a covering so Agag signifieth that which covers all other sins and rules and reigns over them is' t not a covering of lies and deceit in trading an over-reaching of our brother in any thing Remember the sparing of Agag cost Saul a Kingdom 1 Sam. 15.23 and so it will thee a better kingdom than his was for cursed is he who doth the work of the Lord negligently deceitfully and cursed is he who keepeth back his sword from blood Jer. 48.10 Cursed is he who spares the life and blood of sin I fear I may truly say with the Apostle Ye have not thus resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 But Saul spared the fattest of the cattle for sacrifice that 's another spiritual Agag another covering of sin a fair pretence of Religion to cover iniquity And is not Religion and Godliness ordinarily pretended when thou principally intendest thine own gain O remember that the Lord hath threatned that he will destroy the face of the covering that is cast over all people Isa 25.7 he hath threatned that he will destroy Gog Ezec. 38. that is the covering and that nothing is covered that shall not be reveiled nor hid that shall not be known O take heed of covering thy wicked heart with so plausible a pretence and shew of Religion and remember the day will come when the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 O that the Lord would make me this day a Samuel to hew that spiritual Agag in pieces that reigns covertly in any soul here present 2. But in an universal destruction the least are destroyed as well as the greatest But alas is' t not a little one and my soul shall live is there a little one if thou sparest it wittingly or willingly thy soul shall die he that offends in one point is guilty of all 3. If the world be overcome then the Government is changed as the Romans gave their Laws to the conquered Nations and made them Provinces thus it is not lawful for us to put any man to death jus gladii Thus the Normans conquering us gave us their Laws And is the Government chang'd in thee are the Laws altered thou hadst many Lords that ruled over thee Isa 26. Is the Lord alone exalted over thee Is he the sole Governour in thee Is he all in all in thee Are the Laws altered heretofore the Law of Sin and Death ruled in thee doth now the Law of God rule in thee Heretofore the Law of thy Members warred against the Law of thy Mind and brought thee into captivity to the Law of Sin that was in thy members Hath now the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus made thee free from the law of sin and death is the world turned upside down Isa 24.
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