The right of living is one thing the possession another Abraham had the right to the land and he had the possession but it was in his seed and posterity 69. Gen. 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth 2 Sam. 24.9 And Joab gave up the summe of the number of the people unto the King The posterity of Abraham which were and are before the numbring David made cannot be numbred nor had David the compleat number of the people from Joab who gave the King a lesse number of the people than they were * 70. Gen. 14.13 And these were confederate with Abraham 2 Chron. 19. Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that help the Lord. The Law of God forbids leagues with Infidels and wicked men but not all leagues those are condemned only which are against true Religion Marriages or joyning in armes except in the case of publick necessity as Asa with Benadab Josaphat with Achab c. but such leagues as are concerning the defending of their Countrey preserving neighbourhood of not making inroads of prâ—serving the publick peace or mutuall commerce where Religion is not hurt are not forbidden but are adjudged lawfull and necessary such a league was this of Abraham with the neighbouring Cananites * 71. Gen. 15.6 Whereby shall I know this Matth. 12.39 An evill and adulterous generation seeks after a sign It is one thing to ask a sing for the confirmation of temporall promises where the thing was obscure and altogether hid another thing to ask a sign to demonstrate a thing which might otherwise be known Abraham seeking a sign was a speciall motion of Gods Spirit which Christ condemns not for it hath been permitted to some by a peculiar favour as to Gideon and Hezekiah which they did not so much out of incredulity as out of a desire to be forfeited against humane infirmity or he asked this Question not so much doubting of the thing promised as desiring to know somewhat more particularly of the manner of performance Abraham might well seek a sign in a thing which he had no promise on before nor no footstep of the manner of the comming of it discovered there being many difficulties to encounter withall before it could be effected The Jews they might have sought the Scriptures and found so clear evidences that Jesus was the Christ that they need not seek any signes concerning him 72. Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and he counted it unto him for righteousnesse James 2.21 Abraham was justified by works Abraham before God was justified by faith and was declared to be just by his works before men offering up his son Isaac upon the Altar 73. Gen. 15.13 Thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them 400 years Exod. 12.40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Aegypt was 430 years In the Scripture the years are not alwayes precisely numbred the lesser number is omitted and here under the greater round number the lesse is comprehended * Gen. 15.13 with Exod. 12.40 In a great summe so small a number comes under no particular account as the 72 Interpreters are called the 70 and this account is not to begin lower than the giving of the promise to Abraham to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Aegypt and the giving of the Law were 430 years Exod. 12.40 Gal. 3.13 of which neither 405 nor 400 nor 430 was spent under the Egyptian persecution for though the account end with their parting thence it did not begin with their coming thither but so much of the time was run before Jacob's coming thither and so much after that peaceably passed on untill the death of Joseph so as some account the time of their rigid servitude to an 140 some to a 121 at the most the summe of 430 equally divided the one half spent before their going into Aegypt the other half in their abiding there 215 before their going into Aegypt reckoned thus from the promise given to Abraham to the birth of Isaac 25 from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob 60 years from thence to their coming into Aegypt 130 in all 215 the other 215 thus 94 before the death of Levi 121 betwixt his death and their deliverance out of Aegypt Chrys hom 36. in Gen. 74. Gen. 15.15 Thou shalt go to thy Fathers in peace Joshua 24.2 Terah and his fathers served other Gods To go to his Fathers that is to die it is an Hebrew phrase Also by the name of Fathers here may be understood Adam Abel Noah c. to whom he went by faith * 75. Gen. 15.16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again 1 Chro. There are reckoned six in the Tribe of Judah from Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Phares Hezron Chaleb so in the Tribe of Levi from Abraham to Moses are reckoned six from Abraham Isaac Jacob Levi Cahath Amram Moses Answ In the fourth generation that is in the 400 year 100 year to a generation or somewhat about this which for evennesse and rotundity is not reckoned Or Secondly By the fourth generation is meant the fourth geniture or birth of the Father and the Son so the fourth generation is to be reckoned from the descent of the sonnes of Jacob into Aegypt to their entrance into Canaan as in the Tribe of Judah from Judah to Phares from Phares to Hesron from Hesron to Caleb so in Levi Levi Cahath Amram Moses Thirdly It is one thing to begin the reckoning of four generations from the day that God made this promise to Abraham at which time Abraham had none at all and another thing to begin their account from the time that their servitude in a strange Nation which God foretold should determine before ever God promised the returning of any fourth generations he told Abraham they must first fojourne in a strange Land then in the fourth generation of them whom God brings out thence they shall return to this Land which account Moses set down Exod. 6.16 reckoning from Levi whose first generation was Coath the second was Amram the third Aaron the fourth Eliazar who divided the Land at the time God had foretold Abraham 76. Gen. 16.9 The Angel of the Lord said unto Hagar Return to thy Mistress Chap. 21.12 God commands Abraham to send Hagar away First Hagar flying of her own accord was commanded to return to her Mistresse Gal. 4.22 Chap. 31. then being thrust out by force she staid in the desert the Apostle expounds that figure and applies it to the Old and New Testament 77. Gen. 17.12 God appointed circumcision 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing Circumcision by divine institution in the Old Testament was a sacrament to the coming of Christ but in the New Testament it is nothing nor is profitable to our salvation we must therefore distinguish the times of the Old and New Testament 78. Gen. 18.25 Thou shalt not kill the righteous with the
written by Samuel It contains the History of three hundred years * 278. JUdg 3.11 The Land had rest forty years Under this number are all the yeares comprehended from the death of Joshua to the death of Othniel as also the eight years of the servitude under the Syrians The lesser number is to be counted under the greater and more complete * 279. Judg. 3.30 The Land had rest eighty years c. Here from the death of Othniel are numbred also the years of Ehud and Samgar for Ehud could not be Judg eighty years for when these years are expired the whole time of man is run out The like we meet with Jud. 5.31 8.28 9.22 10.2 3. 11.26 where in the three hundred yeares are included the forty years of their carrying in the desart 280 Judg. 5.31 Let all the enemies of the Lord perish Prov. 25.21 If thy enemy hunger feed him with bread Mat. 5.44 Luk. 6.35 Rom. 12.20 if he thirst give him water to drink We must do good to our enemies but not to Gods enemies and for private injuries we must not curse them but as they are Gods enemies of whom there is no hope of their conversion out of zeal of a S. Spirit we may pray also for their destruction 281. Judg. 6.17 36. Gideon asketh a signe from God Mat. 12.39 An evill generation seek for a signe Gideon was confirmed in his office by a signe given from God so Moses and Joshua Christ calls the Pharisees an evill generation justly because they out of curiosity sought for a signe Let us be content with the Word of God 282. Judg. 6.21 Gideon sacrified on a rock Lev. 1.5 The sons of Aaron shall offer the sacrifices on the Altar Gideon offered the matter of the sacrifice to the Lord and God himself was the Priest in burning the offering nor was there any Leviticall officer present and the event teacheth us that what Gideon did was from divine instinct * 283. Judg. 9.18 with the whole Chapter and Chap. 8.3 Object It s gathered that there were not seaventy but sixty eight for Abimelech one of the brethren was the slayer and the youngest Jonathus fled Answ The Scripture often puts a round and full number neglecting the lesser or more which either come short or exceed it as Numb 11. There is said to be seaventy Elders when in truth there were seaventy two so here on the contrary seaventy for sixty eight * 284. Judg. 10.1 with Judg. 6.15 Of the Tribe of Issachar of the Tribe of Manasse Answ Gideon and Phua although brothers by the same venter yet of severall Fathers of severall Tribes A woman might marry to a man of another Tribe so as the heritage was not transferred into another Tribe * 285. Judg. 10.4 with Numb 23.41 Object This latter saith they were called Jair from one of an Elder date from Jair the sonne of Manasses Answ The elder Jair gave a name to the Villages The latter to the Walls which encompassed them and so made them Townes or Cities and further he strengthned and confirmed their names * 286. Judg. 11.26 Israel dwelt in Heshbon and Aroer and their Towns three hundred years These years are to be reckoned from the departure of all the Israelites out of Aegypt after this manner the time of their abode in the wildernesse forty yeares the Government of Joshua seaventeen of Othniel forty Iudg. 3.11 of Ehud and Samgar eighty Iudg. 3.30 Barak forty Gideon forty Iudg. 8.28 Abimelech three Iudg. 9.22 Tolah twenty three Iudg. 10.2 Iair twenty two Iudg. 10.3 The whole in all is three hundred and five years Here therefore the five years odde are not named it may be because this even number three hundred is fitter both for the computation and the speech 287. Judg. 11.39 Jephtha did according to his vow Vers 31. Whatsoever cometh forth of the dores of my house to meet me I will offer up for a burnt-offering to the Lord. Deut. 12.31 The Lord hates all the abominations that the Gentiles used to their Gods and those that offered up their sonnes and daughters and burned them in the fire Jephtha vowed disjunctively that whatsoever should first meet him out of his house should be the Lords that it should be either sacrificed or deputed for Gods service for he knew that all living creatures could not be offered in sacrifice to the Lord therefore he he consecrated his daughter for the work of the Sanctuary Verse 38. for she being sanctified to God knew no man and she bewailed her virginity 288. Judg. 13.7 Samson was a Nazarite from his mothers womb unto the day of his death Mat. 2.23 It was fulfilled in Christ he shall be called a Nazarite The Nazarites in the Old Testament were votaries according to Law Numb 6. who gave themselves wholly to meditate upon divine matters and others which were born so as Samson here on whose head never razor came nor was his head ever shorne others were called so both wayes joyntly Christ was prefigured by them who was most free from all uncleanness commonly called a Nazarite because he was brought up in the Town of Nazareth * 289. Judg. 18.1 with Josh 19.47 It s said Dans Lot was the seaventh Lot Answ The Lot assigned them in regard the Amorites possessed a great part thereof was not great enough for them nor was it large enough for them in regard of their numerous Tribe * 290. Judg. 20.46 with 35. There were slain of the Benjamites twenty five thousand Vers 35. twenty five thousand one hundred men Answ An hundred are not counted it may be because this even number of twenty five thousand is fitter for computation and speech * 291. Judg. 21.4 with Exod. 38. There were no more Altars to be built after the erecting of that by Moses Answ Not without the Tabernacle but within the Tabernacle or Temple they might erect as many as was sufficient for the sacrifice as Solomon did 1 Kings 8. But without the Tabernacle none was to be erected without a special dispensation from the Lord. 292. Judg. 16.31 Samson killed himself Exod. 20.14 Thou shalt not kill Samson killed not himself with the Philistins by any rashnesse of his own but he did that by the instinct and power of God and was a figure of Christs overthrowing our enemines RUTH IT is so named from Ruth a woman Samuel describes in this Book Ruths dutifullnesse to her Mother in Law and the integrity of Boas who was Davids Grandfather 293. RUth 3.4 Naomi perswades Ruth to lie down at Boas feet 1 Tim. 2.9 Women adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety That was indeed a dangerous counsell nor must it be drawn in for an example Naomi was brought on to do that by the Law of raising children to the brother that was dead Yet God hindred that no dishonesty happened thereby 294. Ruth 4.13 Boas took Ruth and she was his wife and he went in unto her Deut. 7.3 You shall
but the wife The woman is under the power of the man in oeconomicall government whilst she obeyeth and is subject as the body is to the head but in conjugall union the man hath not power of his own body 26. Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Matth. 6.11 Give us this day our daily bread Prov. 10.22 In the first place punishment and a laborious life is denounced against man idlenesse is condemned Deut. 8.3 Mat. 4.4 and Gods blessing is promised because a man is born to labour as a bird to flying nor is it repugnant to honest labour to desire those things which are necessary for the sustentation of our life for it is not labour but the blessing of God which maketh rich God can feed us without bread as he fed Moses Elias Christ but bread cannot feed us without God 27. Gen. 3.19 For dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Ecclus. 10.12 A man when he dyeth shall inherit creeping things beasts and worms c. Job A man though he be consumed by Serpents wormes beasts toads yet at last he is brought into the dust of the earth * 28. Gen. 3.22 The man is become like one of us Deut. 6. Hear ô Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord. Psalm 86.10 I am God alone When it s said like one of us in the plurall it intends not a multiplicity of Gods but a distinction of persons in the God-head and when it is said that man is not like this or that person but like us In the generall it implies that the Persons in the Trinity are of the same nature and authority and in saying like us it implies further that man was like God for Qualifications not Essence Man was like God in resembling his power and holinesse not in equalizing either These words Thy God is one Lord was in opposition to the multiplicity of vain Gods which had the repute among Heathens to be Gods but really were not so 29. Gen. 4.1 Eve bare Cain and said Psal 128. I have gotten a man from the Lord. 1 John 3.12 Not as Cain who was of that wicked one Eve in child-bearing acknowledged Gods blessing and by way of thankfullnesse she offered the first fruits of her labours to God John speaks not of the person of Cain which was created by God but of his wickednesse that came from the Devill * 30. Gen. 4.3 4. Abel sacrificed Gen. 4.26 Then begun men to call on the name of the Lord. Doubt Seth lived after Abel and yet Abel sacrificed How did men then begin to call on God when they did it before Answ Questionlesse Adam Abel and Cain did offer sacrifice to God but that was more obscurely and not so solemnely as in Seth's time when it was done publickly and in the Church of God by Seth in whose prosperity the Church remained and probably the corrupt means of Cain might have enervated the sacrificing to God and brought prophanenesse upon the face of the earth which Seth by his publick worship of God did restore so as now men begun openly to pray and sacrifice to God which they had not done formerly Or 2. Men then more purely than formerly began to worship God having separated themselves from the rest of men not concerned in the Covenant lest living in a continuall mixture with the cursed Cainites their promiscuous meetings might poyson the Saints with such vices as this offspring of Cain had learned therefore now they come out from among them and began to call on the name c. 31. Gen. 4.4 And Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock Chap. 4.26 Seth began to call upon the name of the Lord. Adam with his sons before Seth offered sacrifice and called on the name of the Lord in his family but publick invocation began in Seth in whose posterity the Church remained the Canaanites being rejected * 32. Gen. 4.7 If thou do well sin lieth at thy door 1 John 2.1 If any man sin he hath an advocate with the father Jesus c. There are two wayes of interpreting the former way 1. Some as holding such a promise some a threatning the word used for sinne may bear the signification of a sacrifice for sin and so they would make the words to import that if thou sinne then there lies at the door of the Tabernacle or Temple a sacrifice Christ which was promised Eve But this would seem the same much with the former part in having his sacrifice accepted which could not be but by Christ 2. Sinne lyeth at the door that is a threatning to have his secret sinne revealed so that it should not lurk and lye hid in the bosome closet or chamber but be made so manifest as if it were laid at the door though for a time it may sleep as a Mastiff Dog at the door yet it will not rest long Not the Judgement for that sinne will lye long but it will lye in wait for him at the doore when he steppeth either in or out to set upon him If you take it the former way then they signifie the same thing if the latter way then it signifies no more then that sinne will be discovered and haunt us if we repent not but if we repent and call upon Christ then we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ who will stop the mouth of this dog and remove this sinne 33. Gen. 4.7 Vnto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Psalm 37.23 Prov. 16.9 Jer. 10.23 The way of man is not in himself In the first place it is said what a man ought to do Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body In the latter place it is declared that a man of himself can do nothing in divine and saying matters 34. Gen. 4.15 Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seaven fold Chap. 9.6 Whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed God is the wisest and freest law-giver therefore he would not have Cain killed by reason of propagation of mankind after the flood he gave the Law that the Magistrate should punish the murderer with death * Gen. 4.15 with Gen. 9.6 When it is said He that sheds mans bloud c. it s meant either ordinarily or extraordinarily either ordinarily by the hand of the Magistrate to whom is committed the Sword of Justice for that purpose or extraordinarily God in his Justice useth the hand of one murtherer to do execution upon another when humane justice passeth it over with impunity or he some way shortens the life of the bloody man so that he liveth not half his dayes Gods punishing Cain before the flood in such a sad manner shews not that this was against the precept given afterwards or that God upon an extraordinary occasion might not inflict a Judgement upon an offender another way whereby other ends which the Lord proposed might be brought to passe
impenitent and such as persevere in wickednesse but he justifies the penitent and such as are justified in Christ * 154. Exod. 34.7 He will by no means justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 He justifieth the ungodly He will not justifie an ungodly man i. e. he will not esteem that man which walks wickedly to be a godly man but yet if a wicked man humble himself and casts himself upon Christ he will justifie him in Christ though not in himself He justifies him who in his own person was and is ungodly though in Christ he be righteous now by believing * 155. Exod. 34.15 16. with Deut. 21.11 The prohibition is to be understood as long as the woman remaines in her infidelity seeing the danger was of turning the husband from his God to strange Gods but if she was converted to the Jewish Religion he might marry her Thus Salomon married Rahab the whore Boaz Ruth the Moabitish c. but Salomon is reprehended for marrying Infieels nor yet can that hinder that Sampson took the unbelieving Philistim to wife c. Esther was married to unbelieving Ahasuerus seeing that was either done by a speciall dispensation else t was the failing of Sampson and the other was under the power of Ahasuerus much good did accrew thereby 156. Exod. 34.15 Thou shalt make no league with the Cananites Gen. 21.27 Abraham made a Covenant with Abimelech Covenants in spiritual matters and such as belong to Religion must not be made with Heathens and Idolators but Abraham made a Covenant with Abimelech in temporall matters such as belonged to commerce and the common peace of the Country 147. Exod. 34.16 Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his sonne 1 Cor. 7.12 If any brother have an unbelieving wife and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away c. God expresly forbad the Israelites to marry with the Cananites lest the Israelites should be seduced to worship other Gods The Apostle speaks of a marriage confirmed already before the conversion of one party to Christ otherwise it is a very unhappy thing to marry those that are of false religions 2 Cor. 6.14 Nor must we draw in the same yoak with them LEVITICUS WAS so called from Levi one of the Tribes It contains the Leviticall sacrifices the sanctifying of the Priests and people the difference of meats vowes conversation and other observations and rites * The whole time of the story of Liviticus is but one moneth namely the first moneth of the second year of their deliverance and not altogether so much neither for the very first beginning of the moneth was taken up in the erecting of the Tabernacle of which the story is Exod. 40. 158. LEv. 1.6 The sons of Aaron shall pull of the skin of the burnt-offering and cut it into pieces 2 Chron. 35.11 The Levites pulled off their skins It was the office of the Priests to pull off the skins of the burnt-offerings but because in the time of Hezekiah and Josias the celebration of the Passeover was solemne and many millions of sacrifices were offered therefore it was extraordinarily granted to the Levites to pull off the skins 159. Lev. 1.13 The Priest shall burn all oblations upon the Altar for a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour unto the Lord. John 4.24 God is a Spirit and smels not In the former words he speaks comparatively that a man delights in sweet odors so God is delighted in their sacrifices not by reason of the fat of bullocks but for the sacrifice of his onely begotten Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3.17 160. Lev. 2.1 The oblation of a sacrifice to the Lord must be fine flowre and he shall pour oyle upon it and put frankincense thereon Chap. 5.11 He shall bring the tenth part of an Ephah of fine flowre he shall put no oyle upon it neither shall he put any frankincense thereon Sacrifices of free-will were made with oyle and frankincense but offerings for sin were made without oyle and frankincense 161. Lev. 2.11 No meat-offering shall be brought unto the Lord made with leaven Chap. 23.17 You shall bring two loaves of two tenth deals they shall be of fine flowre baken with leaven they are the first fruits The oblation which was leavened was eucharisticall or for a thanksgiving but the free-will offering was without leaven 162. Lev. 3.16 All the fat shall be the Lords by a perpetuall statute Chap. 23.17 Two loaves of the first fruits of two tenth deals of fine flowre with leaven God separated the fat for himself not to eate it but to hinder the people that they should not eat it for Idolaters did eat the fat of their sacrifices 163. Lev. 6.18 The Leviticall sacrifices should endure for ever Heb. 10.14 By one offering Christ perfected for ever them that are sanctified The sacrifices of the old Law are said to be for ever by reason of the long continuance of the Jewish polity but they are all abolished by one compleat sacrifice of Christ 164. Lev. 9.24 Fire went out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt-offering c. Amos 5.22 Though you offer me burnt-offerings and gifts I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts Offerings to God of a pious and sincere heart were accepted by him but the offerings of Hypocrites proceeding from a corrupt heart were an abomination to the Lord. 165. Lev. 11.1 Vnclean beasts Gen. 1.31 All things that God made were very good Unclean creatures in the old Testament were so in respect of the Jewish pedagogie of the ceremoniall Law and not by nature but because God was pleased to have it so whereas by goodnesse of the creation all things were good and clean to those that were clean Tit. 2.15 166. Lev. 11.7 The Jews must eat no swines flesh Matth. 5.11 The Gadarens of the tribe of Benjamin fed hogs Hogs flesh was not eaten by the Jews but yet they were not forbid to apply the paunch the skin and the fat to other uses * 167. Lev. 11.8 Of their flesh shall you eat c. They are unclean unto you Rom. 14.14 There is nothing unclean in it self To be unclean by divine institution is one thing to have a naturall uncleannesse is another all things in their first creation were good and clean though not as Moses saith to you who have a restriction by Gods speciall command and that upon the account of teaching them or representing something to their minds by these outward things * Lev. 11.44 You shall therefore sanctifie your selves c. Ezek. 37. ult I the Lord do sanctifie Israel In the former place is meant ceremoniall sanctifying which is nothing else but separating from such and such things which the Leviticall Law prohibited to be touched so as it concerned externall reverend addresses before the Lord. And though it did purport a spirituall and inward sanctification yet it implies no more
they cannot stand with love But when we are affraid out of the love and respect we owe to God to displease him or we moderately fear the punishments of the Lord. These may stand with love Perfect love casts out all tormenting fear not all fear whatsoever for Matth. 10.28 Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell * 540. Psal 129.1 Many times have they afflicted me from my youth up Nahum 1.9 Affliction shall not rise the second time The first place tells us that the godly are often afflicted The second place tells nothing to the contrary but that the enterprises of the Assyrians against Judah and the Church were against God and therefore he would so destroy them at once that he should not need to return the second time to destroy 541. Psal 132.13 God hath chosen Sion for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it Acts 6.14 We heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy this place and change the traditions of Moses In the first place is a promise of the conservation of the Temple and of the Jewish polity upon condition of their obedience if the Jews should do that which God commanded them and keep his holy Covenant In the last Stephen from the predictions of Christ and the Prophets concerning the ruine of the City and Temple at Jerusalem invites them to repentance 542. Psal 136.1 to 26. The goodnesse and mercy of the Lord is for ever and ever Tit. 3.4 When the gentlenesse and love of God our Saviour appeared The Fathers under the old Covenant did no otherwise taste the goodnesse of God than we do by looking unto Christ to whom God commended his goodnesse and him that he promised to give our Fathers for their salvation he hath given unto us revealed in the flesh 543. Psal 139.1 O Lord thou hast proved me Gal. 6.4 Every man shall prove his own work The Psalmist prayeth that God would prove him not that he was free from sinne but he desires by mercy to be cleansed The Apostle sheweth what is our duty namely to make our works approved to God which he will prove * 544. Psal 139.21 22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee c. Matth. 5.44 Love your enemies There is a difference betwixt our enemies cause and his person Their sinnes and evill causes must be hated we must give no approbation thereto but their persons being Gods creatures and was his Image must beloved Enemies are of two sorts private and publick a private enemy is he which hateth a man for some private cause such a one we must love and not hate A publick enemy is he that hates an enemy for Gods cause for the Gospels cause and these be of two sorts curable and incurable if curable pray for their conversion hating their conditions incurable 1 Cor. 16.22 and even to these we must haâ—e their sinâ— and for their sinnes hate their persons and no otherwise David in the former place speaks of publick not private who hated not him but God and were incurable 545. Psal 145 8. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion Exod 33.19 I will have mercy on whom I will Rom. 9.15 19. God is gracious and mercifull so that he offereth his goodnesse to wicked men also and declares in them the effects of his grace and clemency he made them he given them temporall goods he defers his temporall and eternall judgments though they are ungratefull to him but he sheweth mercy to whom he will not looking on our worth but he saveth us frely without being obliged he doth all of his own goodnesse and mercy * Psal 145.8 with Exod. 33.9 The former place speaks of Gods mercy compared with his other attributes as they are communicated to men and so comparatively his mercy is above all his works for even wicked men have many mercies from the Lord. The second place shews Gods mercy from eternity on particular persons which no waies crosseth the former 546. Psal 147.9 He giveth to the beasts his food c. 1 Cor. 9.9 Doth God take care for Oxen God takes care for Oxen so as to give them their food in due season Yet he takes no care for Oxen in comparison as he cares for man The Apostles meaning is to shew that the end of the Law was not to shew or prescribe how Cattle should be sed though that may be occasionally delivered in it but to command equity to be used in the just rewarding of those who labour for us and under similitudes and shadows these werâ— prefigured in the Law The PROVERBS OF SOLOMON VVIthout doubt it was taken out of his three thousand Parables and his most wise sentences for the good of the Church teaching good men patience and wisdome and the fruit of it is to be imbraced and sinne to be fled from Relating the works of the wise and foolish he commends the manners of an honest woman 547. PRov. 1.15 My sonne walk not with sinners remove thy foot from their paths Luk. 15.1 All the publicans and sinners came unto him to hear him and he received them Solomon forbids us to run to evill with wicked men or to allow of their wickednesse Christ receiving publicans and sinners reproved their faults exhorted them to repentance by his great love toward them * 548. Prov. 1.20 Wisdome uttereth her voice in the streets Esay 42.2 He shall not cause his voice to be heard in the streets Christ the eternall wisdom of his Father uttereth his Gospell in the most publick places so as none can plead ignorance Nor doth this hinder Christ in his Incarnation to come privately and not with the externall pompe and glory of worldly Princes which by reason of their followers and triumphs make a noise in the streets 549. Prov. 1.26 I will mock at your trouble and laugh when your destruction cometh Ezek. 18.32 I will not the death of a sinner for I take no pleasure in the destruction of a sinner God is delighted in his justice when he punisheth those which despise his grace and that will not hearken to his fatherly vocation but of his mercy he will not the death of sinners as death is the destruction of nature The former place belongs to Gods consequent will the latter to his antecedent will that is ruled by justice this by mercy * 550. Prov. 1.28 They shall seek me early but shall not find Mat. 7.7 Seek and ye shall find When Christ saith seek and find he bids seek in time and not out of time not deferre our repentance and calling on God till Gods time be past for then if they seek God as many may do in distresses and calamities they shall not find a return of deliverance But if any man in the day of grace will seek God he shall find him * 551. Prov. 2.19 They that go in to her return no more 1 Cor. 6.10 Such were some of
of Antichrist defection from the Gospel He exhorts them to good words and works These two Epistles were written from Athens 1407. 1 THES 1.3 Remembring your work of faith and labour Rom. 3.28 Gal. 3.10 Faith is opposed to works Faith is a work but not ours or proceeding from our own strength Joh. 6.29 for then it would not justifie us but it is the work of God and a quality in us respecting the merits of Christ therefore the Apostle calls not Faith it self so much a work as he doth that which proceeds from faith * 1 Thes 1.3 with Gal. 3.10 Faith is a work and brings forth works is a work of the Spirit and brings forth works of righteousness in us yet this hinders not but that Faith may be opposed to Works in the matter of Justification Faith as it justifies is not considered as it brings forth Works but as it brings home Christ Faith yet which brings home Christ is not without Works which Works do shew themselves immediately upon Justification though I cannot say in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Justification 1408. 1 Thes 2.20 For you are our glory 1 Cor. 1.31 He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Our glorying hath its foundation in God in the mean while if any thing be done amongst the auditory by the work of the Ministry we must say with the Apostle It is not I that laboured 1 Cor. 15.10 but the grace of God which was with me 1409. 1 Thes 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord. 2 Tim. 4.6 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand In the first place is spoken of the company of the faithful by reason of the most near communion and uniting of the body of Christ for we are all one spiritual body so many as believe in Christ so that what happens to one member may seem to happen to all the rest * 1410. 1 Thes 4.17 And so we shall be ever with the Lord. Rev. 20.6 They shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years We shall be ever after our Translation with the Lord. The latter place speaks of a thousand years but probably this may be in this world before our translation and so it nothing hinders but that after our translation we may be with the Lord for ever Whether these thousand years are to be meant litterally for so many years or else figuratively as the rest of the verse must be viz. Kings and Priests interpreted it is not to the purpose in hand 1411. 1 Thes 5.5 Ye are all children of the light and of the day not of the night Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God We are here with Paul children of light and the day in grace nor yet in glory The Apostle expected not to be made the Son of God because he was so already actually but only to be revealed to be so for it appears not so yet what we shall be for though we be heirs we do not yet actually possess the Kingdom we must therefore distinguish Sonhood acquired here by grace from that which shall be in our Country by glory 1412. 2 Thes 1.5 The persecutions and tribulations which you endure are a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which you also suffer Eph. 2.8 You are saved through faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God The faithful are worthy not by their own worthiness but Christs also the word worthy is the same here with convenient Col. 1.13 1413. 2 Thes 2.2 The day of Christ is at hand 1 Joh. 2.18 It is the last time To be at hand and to draw near do differ the Apostle denieth that the day is at hand but he denieth not that it draweth near it is called the last time in respect of former time and because in the last time the day of judgment draweth nigh it is called the last hour in respect of God because our daies compared to Eternity are but one moment and a thousand years in Gods sight as yesterday when it is past also all things are present with God 1414. 2 Thes 3.10 If any would not work neither should he eat 1 Cor. 9.6 Have we not power to forbear working In the first place Works are either of the head or of the brain flesh and idleness are condemned in the latter labour is commended which is wrought not with the hand alone but with the head also the Ministers of the Church are not to get their living by the labour of their hands being they are not Mechanicks The Apostle had a singular gift from God to preach extemporary 2 Cor. 1.11 and yet had he means from the Churches Two Epistles of St. PAUL to TIMOTHY THE first is a pattern for Pastors to shew them what they ought to be in Doctrine and Prayers and in Life with their families and laies down the way how to instruct all men of what state age or condition soever It was written from Laodicea in the Year of Christ 52. The second confirms Timothy that he should not be cast down in his mind by reason of the tempests of persecutions and warns him that in preaching the Gospel he should avoid false doctrine that he should be diligent and come unto him It was written from Rome when he was in prison in the year of Christ seventy * 1415. 1 TIM 1.19 20. Some having put away scil a good conscience concerning faith have made shipwrack Joh. 3.36 He that believeth hath life eternal Doubt He that believes in Christ is as sure of salvation as if he were already in an actual and real possession of Christ which cannot be if a man may fall from faith Answ Hymeneus and Alexander made shipwrack not so much of faith it self as of the object of faith that they believed the doctrine of faith which they once professed and afterward deserted falling into heretical blasphemies and blasphemous heresies 2 Tim. 2.17 18. which place clearly explicates the other it shews that they fell from some fundamental truth formerly professed as in the point of the Resurrection or the like The Apostle adds immediately Ver. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of the Lord abideth sure c. q.d. though some professors fall away yet such as do indeed belong unto Christ and are his are firm and stable Or secondly they gave reins to a licentious life against the dictates of their own conscience which God punished by taking away the light of the Spirit from them that so in the midst of their course they should lose their most spiritual Merchandize Yet this shews not that ever these fell from true saving faith or ever had it they that have it once cannot finally