common in all their Authors When they cite any of the Doctors of their Schools they commonly use these words Amern rabbothenu Zicceronam libhracah in four letters thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus say our Doctors of blessed memory But when they speak of holy men in the Old Testament they usually take this Phrase Gnalau hashalom on him is peace in brief thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus when they mention Moses Solomon David or others this is the memorial they give them The Arabians have the like use in their Abbreviation of Gnalaihi alsalemo on whom is peace The words in Hebrew want a verb and so may be construed two ways On him is peace or on him be peace The learned Master Broughton hath rendered it the former way and his judgement herein shall be my Law To take it the latter way seems to relish of Popish superstition of praying for the dead which though the Jews did not directly do yet in manner they appear to do no less in one part of their Common Prayer Book called Mazkir neshamoth the remembrancer of Souls which being not very long I thought not amiss to Translate out of their Tongue into our own that the Reader may see their Jewish Popery or Popish Judaism and may bless the Creator who hath not shut us up in the same darkness CHAP. XL. Mazkir neshamoth or the Remembrancer of souls in the Iews Liturgy Printed at Venice THE Lord remember the soul or spirit of Abba Mr. N. the son of N. who is gone into his world wherefore I vow to give Alms for him that for this his soul may be bound up in the bundle of life with the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sarah and Rebecca Rachel and Leah and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which be in the garden of Eden Amen The Lord remember the soul of Mrs. N. the Daughter of N. who is gone to her World Therefore I vow c. as in the other before Amen The Lord remember the soul of my father and my mother of my grandfathers and grandmothers of my uncles and aunts brethren and sisters of my cosens and consenesses whether of my fathers side or mothers side who are gone into their world Wherefore I vow c. Amen The Lord remember the soul of N. the son of N. and the souls of all my cosens and cosenesses whether on my fathers or mothers side who were put to death or slain or stabd or burnt or drowned or hanged for the sanctifying of the Name of God Therefore I will give Alms for the memory of their souls and for this let their souls be bound up in the bundle of life with the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sarah and Rebecca Rachel and Leah and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which are in the garden of Eden Amen Then the Priest pronounceth a blessing upon the man that is thus charitable as it followeth there in these words He that blessed our father Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses and Aaron David and Salomon he bless Rabbi N. the son of N. because he hath vowed Alms for the souls whom he hath mentioned for the honour of God and for the honour of the Law and for the honour of the day for this the Lord keep him and deliver him from all affliction and trouble and from every plague and sickness and write him and seal him for a happy life in the day of Judgment and send a blessing and prosper him in every work of his hands and all Israel his brethren and let us say Amen Thus courteous Reader hast thou seen a Popish Jew interceding for the dead have but the like patience a while and thou shalt see how they are Popish almost entirely in claiming the merits of the dead to intercede for them for thus tendeth a prayer which they use in the book called Sepher Min hagim shel col Hammedinoth c. which I have also here turned into English Do for thy praises sake Do for their sakes that loved thee that now dwell in dust For Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake Do for Moses and Aarons sake Do for David and Salomons sake Do for Jerusalem thy holy Cities sake Do for Sion the habitation of thy glories sake Do for the desolation of thy Temples sake Do for the treading down of thine Altars sake Do for their sakes who were slain for thy holy Name Do for their sakes who have been massacred for thy sake Do for their sakes who have gone to fire or water for the hallowing of thy Name Do for sucking childrens sakes who have not sinned Do for weaned childrens sakes who have not offended Do for infants sakes who are of the house of our Doctors Do for thine own sake if not for ours Do for thine own sake and save us Tell me gentle reader 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whether doth the Jew Romanize or the Roman Judaize in his devotions This interceding by others is a shrewd sign they have both rejected the right Mediator between God and Man Christ Jesus The prophane Heathen might have read both Jew and Papist a lecture in his Contemno minutos istos Deos modo Jovem propitium habeam which I think a Christian may well English let go all Diminutive Divinities so that I may have the great Jesus Christ to propitiate for me CHAP. XLI Of the Latine Translation of Matth. 6. 1. ALms in Rabbin Hebrew are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedhakah righteousness which word the Syrian Translator useth Matth. 6. 1. Act. 10. 2. and in other places From this custom of speech the Roman vulgar Translateth Attendite ne justitiam vestram faciatis One English old manuscript Testament is in Lichfield Library which hath it thus after the Latine Takith hede that you do not your rightwisnes before men to be seyne of hem ellis ye shullen have no mede at your fadir that is in hevenes Other English Translation I never saw any to this sense nor any Greek copy It seems the Papist will rather Judaize for his own advantage than follow the true Greek The Septuagint in some places of the Old Testament have turned Tsedhakah Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almsdeeds or little or to no sense As the Papists have in this place of the New Testament turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almsdeeds by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness to as little purpose In the Hebrew indeed one word is used for both Tsedhakah for Almsdeeds which properly signifies Righteousness upon what ground I know not unless it be to shew that S◠Chrysostom hath such ◠touch Alms must be given of rightly gotten good or else they are no righteousness or they are called Zadkatha in Syrian Hu ger zadek le mehwo they are called righteousness because it is right they should be given and given rightly The Fathers of the Councel of Trent speak much of the merit of Alms whom one may
42. and that according to the Hebrew Text but here the Apostle heightens the expression that he may set home their abuse of Christ nearer to their hearts and may shew the humiliation of Christ the more The Syriack mindeth not this but translates this place and Matth. 21. 42. by the same word refused The Chaldee interpretation of the Psalm from whence the phrase is taken is exceedingly conceited it runneth thus The youth which the builders refused among the sons of Jesse obtained to be set for King and Governour This was from the Lord said the builders and it is wondrous before us said the sons of Jesse This is the day which the Lord hath made said the builders Let us be glad and rejoyce in it said the sons of Jesse Save us now said the builders Prosper us now said Jesse and his wife Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord said the builders Let them bless you from the house of the Lord saith David The Lord give us light said the Tribes of the house of Judah Tie the youth for a Festival sacrifice with cords until ye offer him up and pour his blood at the horns of the altar said Samuel the Prophet c. At which Psalm and place how far the Chaldee in Bibliis Regiis and the Chaldee in Bibliis Buxtorfianis and Venetis do differ it is worth the Learneds observation Vers. 13. And ignorant men Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word exceedingly much taken into use by Jewish writers and both in them and in Greeks it signifieth Private men or men in no publick employment and men of inferiour rank and men ignorant or unskilful Examples of all these significations might be alledged Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The common multitude whom wise men call Idiotae Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unskilful in Physick Aben. Ezr. on Levit. 13. Vers. 2. Aaron that is the Priest anointed in his stead or one of his sons that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotes Idiotae the inferiour Priests Rab. Sol. on Levit. 1. 1. To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what purpose served the pausings To give Moses space to understand between division and division sense and sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more to a private man that learneth from a private man In all these senses may it very well be applied here and it is more than probable all these senses were in the thoughts of the Councel concerning Peter and John at this time they saw they were unlearned private inferiour ignorant men and thereupon they could not but wonder at the miracle and cure that they had wrought Vers. 23. They went to their own company That is to the Society of the one hundred and twenty mentioned Acts 1. 15. Vers. 25. Who by the mouth of thy Servant David hath said c. The second Psalm which owns not its Author in the Title the Holy Ghost ascribeth here to David and seemeth by this very passage to give us close intimation that every Psalm that telleth not in its title who was the Author and Penman of it is to be ascribed to David as the Penman The rule of the Jews that every Psalm that bears not the author of it in the title is to be reputed of his making who was last named in a title before is at a nonplus at these two first Psalms and helps us nothing at all to understand who made them and thereupon Aben Ezra conceiveth not that this second Psalm was made by David but by some of the Singers But this passage of the Apostles in their prayer doth not only own David for the Compiler of this Psalm but also teacheth us to own him so of every Psalm whose Author is not mentioned in the title of it as might be further confirmed if it were ad hic nunc from Psalm 96. 105. 107. 132. compared with 1 Chron. 16. 7. The ancient Rabbins and Doctors of the Jews interpreted this Psalm concerning Christ even as the Apostles do here as it is confessed by Solomon Jarchi at his entrance into it though himself and some other latter Jews apply it to David and it may be in spite to Christ. Vers. 32 33. §. Community of goods This community of goods howsoever it sorted and suited with the present state of the Church at Jerusalem at that time yet can it not be taken up for an example or president for the time to come For first the thing was not done by command but at the free disposal of whosoever was minded so to do Acts 5. 4. Secondly The Lands that were sold were many of them out of the Land of Canaan for the converts were Jews from all Nations and one instance is given in the Land of Barnabas in Cyprus now when these men were resolved to cleave to the Apostles and not to return to their own Country what good would their Lands in those forain Countries do them Thirdly If these Lands and Houses were in Judea as it is undoubted many of them were it may be supposed that the faithful owners thereof took notice of the threatned destruction of Jerusalem spoken of by our Saviour and so would part with their estates for the benefit of the Church before they should be surprized by the enemy And fourthly Thus did God provide against persecution to come that neither the poor of the Church should fall off through penury nor the rich start back through worldly mindedness but by a competent distribution among them the one might have enough and the other not too much And lastly Such was the state of the Church at this time as never was the like to be again It was but newly born it was all in one City the most of the people far resident from their own houses all in a possibility to be scattered by persecution they could not tell how soon and therefore that present administration of the Church in such a case cannot be any copy for times to come either to follow as a command or to imitate as a perfection This very year was a Jubilee among the Jews in the very proper sense it being the eight and twentieth that the Land had had since their setling in it and these people now converted to the Gospel are so far from returning to their possessions if they had sold or mortgaged them as the Jubilee priviledged them that they part with their possessions that they had in their hands having by this time learned that the earthly Canaan and inheritance was not that possession that was to be looked after and that the Kingdom of the Messias should not be earthly Vers. 36. Barnabas a Levite and of the Country of Cyprus c. As Saul a Benjamite of the Country of Tarsus yet educated and lived at Jerusalem so did Barnabas in Canaan though a Cypriot born He had land to sell though he were a Levite for the Levites might purchase Lands of their own even in
the consolation of Israel that is of partaking and enjoying the comforts and advantages of the Messiah and of those days of his So that our Saviours meaning may seem to be this Ye shall from hence forward enjoy no benefit from me the Messiah till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh c. For it is worthy our enquiry whether Christ ever after these words of his did endeavour so to gather the children of Jerusalem together that the City might not be destroy'd and the whole Nation cast off He did indeed endeavour to gather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remnant according to the election of grace but did he ever after this labour that the place and Nation might be preserv'd As to these it is argument enough that he had given them wholly over in his own mind in that here and in St. Matthew he did in such precise terms denounce the ruin of Jerusalem immediately before he utter'd these words I had rather therefore than admit any immethodicalness in St. Matthew expound the passage to this sense From hence forward ye shall never see the consolations of Messiah nor have me any ways propitious amongst you endeavouring at all the preservation of your City or Nation from ruin till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. II. But then here ariseth as great a difficulty about the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till that is whether it concludes them that in time they will say and acknowledg it or whether it excludes and denies that they ever shall for who knows not how different and even contrary a force there is in this word until Occupy till I come b b b b b b Luk. XIX 13. Here it concludes that he will come again This iniquity shall not be forgiven you till you die c c c c c c Isa. XXII 14. There their forgiveness is excluded for ever And indeed the expression in this place looks so perfectly two ways that he that believes the conversion of the Jewish Nation as a thing that must come to pass may turn it to his side he that believes the contrary to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. ALthough a more intimate weighing of these words will not very much help in determining the force of this word until in this place yet will it probably afford us some light into the whole clause The words are taken out of Psal. CXVIII 26. and were sung in the great Hallel So that I will beg the Readers leave to digress a little in search of this usage especially as to those words that are now in hand I. The great Hallel was the recitation of Psalms CXIII CXIV CXV CXVI CXVII CXVIII upon every feast in every family or brotherhood The Hymn that our Saviour Mat. XXVI with his Apostles sung at the close of the Passover d was the latter part of this Hallel II. Every one indeed was of right bound to repeat it intirely in his own person But seeing it was not every one's lot to be so learned or expedite as that came to there was one to recite it in the stead of all the rest and they after him made some responsals This went for a maxim amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he hear 't is as if he responded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he hear though he do not answer he performs his duty the meaning is if any be so unskilful that he can neither recite himself nor answer after another that doth recite let him but hear attentively and he doth as much as is required from him III. There was a twofold way of responding according to the difference of persons reciting If an elder or master of a family or one that could fitly represent the whole Congregation should recite or lead in singing then the rest repeat no other words after him except the first clause of every Psalm and as to all the remainder they answer'd verse by by verse Allelujah For the action of him that represented them and led up in singing avail'd for those that were represented especially they having testify'd their consent by answering Allelujah He was a dunce indeed that could not answer so far amongst the rest IV. But if there wanted such an elder so well skill'd in reading or reciting that it became necessary for a servant or woman or some more skilful boy to lead up then let â—â—â—ccath â— 1. us hear what they did in that case e If a servant or woman or boy should lead in singing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one in the Congregation recites those very words which he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a more antient person or one of greater note do sing or read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they answer after him Hallelujah Now the reason why the words recited by a servant Woman or Boy should be repeated after them Verbatim was this because such an one was unfit to represent a Congregation and his action could not avail for the rest so that it behoved every person to recite singly for himself that he might perform his duty V. When they came to the words now in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord if it be a boy or a servant that is the praecentor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saith Blessed be he that cometh and the rest answer in the name of the Lord. And this is that for which I have so long ventured upon the Reader 's patience that he may observe what is done differently from the rest when this clause is recited It is cut in two which is not done in others And the first words are not repeated after the praecentor as they are in other clauses And whether this custom obtained only in families where servants or boys led up in singing we may judge from this following passage f f f f f f Hieros Succah fol. 54. 1. They askt R. Chaijam bar Ba how doth it appear that he who heareth and doth not answer perform his duty From this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we see the greatest Rabbins standing in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say blessed be he that cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they answer in the name of the Lord and they both perform their duty Midras Tillin leaves these last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly out For so that hath it The men of Jerusalem say from within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save us now O Lord we beseech thee The men of Judea say from without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosper us now Lord we beseech thee The men of Jerusalem say from within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed be he that cometh and the men of Judea say from without we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. I will not confidently assert that these men
say unto him I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come unto the Country which the Lord sware unto our Fathers for to give us And the Priests shall take the basket out of thine hand and set it down before the Altar of the Lord thy God And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and he went down into Egypt and soiourned there with a few and became there a Nation great mighty and populous c. likewise there was a form appointed to be said over the beheaded Heifer XXI Deut. 6 7. c. And all the Elders of that City that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over the Heiser that is beheaded in the Valley And they shall answer and say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people Israels charge The Priests when they blessed the people had also a form prescribed them VI. Numb 23 24. c. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons saying On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord bless thee and keep thee The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee The Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee and give thee peace And David appointed Psalms for the Tabernacle 1 Chron. XVI 7. And the Schools of the Prophets no doubt had Forms delivered to them So John and Christ taught their Disciples to Pray as wellas to Preach He had not been the Great Teacher had he not taught a Form of Prayer We should have been left untaught in not the least thing Consider also in the behalf of prescribed Forms that we poor creatures short fighted in divine things know not what we ought to pray for Peter at the Transfiguration prayed he knew not what IX Luke 33. We often as Adonijah are ready to ask our own Bane There is no man but if God had granted all that ever he asked it would have been worse with him Midas his wish may teach this But that place of the Apostle will be objected against me in Rom. VIII 26. The Spirit helps our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered Therefore we need no forms as long as what we are to pray is dictated to us by the Spirit But I answer T is the Spirit not an Oracle within us to teach us immediately The Word teaches us what and how to ask But the Office of the Spirit is to help our infirmities in asking our infirmities of memory our want of application to ourselves of what we know to be our wants So in the application of Doctrines of Promises the Spirit teaches us no new thing but minds us and brings home to the feeling of our Souls those things we learnt from the Word Consider moreover we had need to be taught of God what language to use when we are speaking to God T is no small thing to betake our selves before him and to speak to him who is the great and living God Now is it an easie thing to speak as we ought to do unto him Jobs friends spake not right things of God XLII Job 7 8. For which God tells them his wrath was kindled against them and requires them to make attonement for it by offering up seven Bullocks and seven Rams Moses could not speak unto Pharaoh IV. Exod. 10. Much less how shall the poor creature address unto the great God Therefore we are advised by the Prophet Hosea when we approach unto God to take words along with us XIV Hos. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips Where you see are express words put into our Mouths to use when we go and make our Confessions unto God Ah! Gracious God how ready art thou to give that biddest us Ak and teachest us to ask also That puttest Words into our Mouths and teachest us what to say to thee He must needs be ready to pardon sin that would prevent sin in our prayers that are begging for pardon Christ well knew the Majesty of God and the necessities of men the need of Prayer and our disability to pray and therefore he left not himself without a witness of infinite mercy and condescention nor us without one of the greatest things that we could have prayed for when he left us this Platform of Prayer When ye pray say c. And so I come to the Prayer or Form it self When ye pray say Our Father c. It is an opinion then that I can rather wonder at then understand that bids when we pray Say not Our Father As I have often grieved to see the neglect and disuse of the Lords Prayer and to hear the reproach that some have cast upon it so have I as seriously as I could considered what ground these have had for the disusing of it and to this hour I rest admiring and no way satisfied why they should refrain it when Christ hath commanded the use of it as plain as words can speak Matth. VI. 9. After this manner pray ye and again in the Text When ye pray say The Cavils that are made against the use of it are obvious I. To avoid superstition for unto such ends it hath been used Here I cannot but think how wild it is to extinguish a thing good per se because another useth it ill To cut down Vines to avoid drunkenness How subject is he that makes it all his Religion to run from a Superstition to run he knows not whether II. Such a narrow Form straitens the heart is too strait stinting the exercise of the gift of Prayer And here I cannot but think of Soloecisms in pride of apparel It is monstrous to make cloths our pride which are only a badge of sin and cover of shame So it is a Soloecism to cast away this Prayer upon presumption that we can pray so well when it is mainly given because we cannot pray at all III. It is generally questioned whether it be a Form of Prayer or a Copy to pray by IV. If a Form yet what warrant have we to subjoyn it to our Prayers as we usually do V. And if both yet that it is not lawful for every one to say Our Father I shall not dispute these Questions The words of the Text plainly answer the most of them Nor that I go about to give the sense of the Petitions There are many good Comments upon them I shall only consider the nature of the Prayer and the manner of its giving that we may be the better satisfied in the manner of its use First As the Ten Commandments are
wandering in the wilderness Here at Kadesh they continued a good space before they removed for so Moses saith Ye abode in Kadesh many days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the days that ye had made abode namely at Sinai as ver 6. and so they spent one whole year there for so they had done at Sinai and whereas God bids them upon their murmuring to turn back to the Red-sea Deut. 1. 40. his meaning was that at their next march whensoever it was they should not go forward towards Canaan but clean back again towards the Red-sea from whence they came Moses 84 Redemption from Egypt 4 And so they do and so they wander by many stations and marches Moses 85 Redemption from Egypt 5 from Kadesh Barnea now till they come to Kadesh Barnea again some seven Moses 86 Redemption from Egypt 6 or eight and thirty years hence Their marches mentioned in Numb 33. Moses 87 Redemption from Egypt 7 were these from Kadesh or Rithmah to Rimmon Parez to Libnah to Moses 88 Redemption from Egypt 8 Rissah to Kehelathah to Mount Shapher to Haradah to Makheloth to Moses 89 Redemption from Egypt 9 Tahath to Tarah to Mâ—â—hcah to Hashmonah to Moseroth to Horhagidgad Moses 90 Redemption from Egypt 10 to Jotbathah to Ebronah to Ezion Gaber to Kadesh again in the Moses 91 Redemption from Egypt 11 fortieth year And thus whereas it was but eleven days journey from Horeb Moses 92 Redemption from Egypt 12 by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea Deut. 1. 2. they have now Moses 93 Redemption from Egypt 13 made it above three times eleven years journy The occurrences of all Moses 94 Redemption from Egypt 14 this time were but few and those undated either to time or place some Moses 95 Redemption from Egypt 15 Laws are given Chap. 15. Korah Dathan and Abiram rebel Chap. 16. Moses 96 Redemption from Egypt 16 Korah for the Priest-hood from Aaron as being one of the Tribe of Levi Moses 97 Redemption from Egypt 17 and Dathan and Abiram for the principality from Moses as being of Moses 98 Redemption from Egypt 18 Reuben the first-born An earth-quake devoureth them and all theirs Moses 99 Redemption from Egypt 19 and a fire devoured the 250 men that conspired with them only Korahs Moses 100 Redemption from Egypt 20 sons escape Chap. 26. 11. and of them came Samuel and divers famous Moses 101 Redemption from Egypt 21 Moses 102 Redemption from Egypt 22 singers in the Temple 1 Chron. 6. 22. c. Aarons Priest-hood that was Moses 103 Redemption from Egypt 23 so opposed is confirmed by the budding of his withered rod and upon Moses 104 Redemption from Egypt 24 Moses 105 Redemption from Egypt 25 this approval divers services for the Priests are appointed Chap. 17. 18. Moses 106 Redemption from Egypt 26 19. and so we have no more occurrences mentioned till the first day of Moses 107 Redemption from Egypt 27 Moses 108 Redemption from Egypt 28 their fortieth year They went under four or five continual miracles Moses 109 Redemption from Egypt 29 as the appearing of the Cloud of glory the raining of Manna the following Moses 110 Redemption from Egypt 30 Moses 111 Redemption from Egypt 31 of the Rock or the waters of Horeb the continual newness of Moses 112 Redemption from Egypt 32 their cloaths and the untiredness of their feet yet did they forget and Moses 113 Redemption from Egypt 33 were continually repining against him that did all these wonders for them Moses 114 Redemption from Egypt 34 Moses 115 Redemption from Egypt 35 They repined when they came out of Egypt that they must come out of Moses 116 Redemption from Egypt 36 Egypt Exod. 14. 12. They repined when they came near Canaan that Moses 117 Redemption from Egypt 37 Moses 118 Redemption from Egypt 38 they must go into Canaan Numb 14. and so they repined all the way between Moses 119 Redemption from Egypt 39 Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c. Deut. 32. 6. CHAP. XX. World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 ISRAEL is now come to Kadesh Barnea again an unhappy place for there they had been eight and thirty years ago and received the doom of not entring into the land and the same doom falleth upon Moses and Aaron there now It is said They came into the desert of Zin to Kadesh in the first moneth but nameth not the year for it referreth to the decree made in that very place of forty years wandering and this is the first month of the fortieth year and so Numb 33. 8. and Deut. 2. 7 14. make it undoubted Miriam dieth at Kadesh and is buried there being a great deal above 120 years old The people murmur here now for water as they had done here before about the land and the Holy Ghost by a most strange word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most sweetly sheweth their confusedness They had lain here a whole twelve-month at their being here before but then no want of water for the rock or the waters of Horeb had followed them hither but how World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 that was now departed is not expressed Moses and Aaron are excluded Canaan for not believing the Lord and not sanctifying him before the people their particular fault is diversly guessed at it seemeth to me that it was this What say they ye rebels must we bring water out of this rock as we did out of Horeb Is all our hopes and expectation of getting out of the wilderness come to this We never fetched you water out of a rock but once and that was because ye were to stay a long time in the wilderness and that was to serve you all the while as we have seen it did by experience Now that water is gone and must we now fetch you water out of another rock O ye rebels have you brought it to this by your murmuring that we must have a new stay in the wilderness and a new rock opened to yield you water for your long stay as Horeb did Are we to begin our abode in the wilderness anew now when we hoped that our travel had been ended and so we shall never get out And so he smote the rock twice in a fume and anger And thus they believed not the promise of entring the land after forty years and thus they sanctified not the Lord in the sight of the people to incourage them in the Promise but damped them in it and thus they spake unadvisedly in their lips and so they were excluded Canaan It was a sign that the Promise aimed at better things then the earthly Canaan when the holiest persons in all Israel are debarred from coming thither from Kadesh Barnea they turn back toward the Red-sea again as they had done before Deut. 1. 40. because Edom would not now give them passage Aaron dieth in
them to be humbled some for their fathers guilt some for their own and some for both and to acknowledge that their being alive till now and their liberty to enter into the Land was a free and a great mercy for their own and their fathers faults might justly have caused it to have been otherwise with them 2. They had imitated their fathers rebellion to the utmost in their murmuring at Kadesh at their last coming up thither and in the matter of Baal Peor and therefore he might very well personate them by their fathers when their fathers faults were so legible and easie to be seen in them 4. He reckoneth not their second journy to Kadesh by name but slips by it Chap. 2. 1 4. Nor mentions their long wanderings for seven and thirty years together between Kadesh and Kadesh but only under this expression We compassed mount Seir many days Chap. 2. 1. because in that rehearsal he mainly insisteth but upon these two heads Gods decree against them that had first murmured at Kadesh and how that was made good upon them and Gods promise of bringing their children into the land and how that was made good upon them therefore when he hath largely related both the decree and the promise he hastens to shew the accomplishment of both 5. In rehearsing the Ten Commandments he proposeth a reason of the Sabbaths ordaining differing from that in Exodus there it was because God rested on the seventh day here it is because of their delivery out of Egypt and so here it respecteth the Jewish Sabbath more properly there the Sabbath in its pure morality and perpetuity And here is a figure of what is now come to pass in our Sabbath celebrated in memorial of Redemption as well as of Creation In the fifth Commandment in this his rehearsal there is an addition or two more then there is in it in Exod. 20. and the letter Teth is brought in twice which in the twentieth of Exodus was only wanting of all the letters 6. In Chap. 10. ver 6. 7 8. there is a strange and remarkable transposition and a matter that affordeth a double scruple 1. In that after the mention of the golden Calf in Chap. 9. and of the renewing of the Tables Chap. 10. which occurred in the first year after their coming out of Egypt he bringeth in their departing from Beeroth to Mosera where Aaron died which was in the fortieth year after now the reason of this is because he would shew Gods reconciliation to Aaron and his reconciliation to the people to Aaron in that though he had deserved death suddenly with the rest of the people that died for the sin of the golden Calf yet the Lord had mercy on him and spared him and he died not till forty years after and to the people because that for all that transgression yet the Lord brought them through that wilderness to a land of rivers of waters But 2. there is yet a greater doubt lies in these words then this for in Numb 33. the peoples march is set down to be from Moseroth to Bene Jahaan ver 31. and here it is said to be from Beeroth of Bene Jaahan to Moseroth there it is said Aaron died at mount Hor but here it is said He died at Moseroth now there were World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 seven several incampings between Moseroth and mount Hor Numb 33. 31 32 c. Now the answer to this must arise from this consideration that in those stations mentioned Numb 33. From Moseroth to Bene Jaahan to Horhagidgad c. they were marching towards Kadesh before their fortieth year and so they went from Moseroth to Bene Jaahan But in these stations Deut. 10. 6. they are marching from Kadish in their fortieth year by some of that way that they came thither and so they must now go from Bene Jaahan to Moseroth And 2. how Moseroth and mount Hor Gudgodah and Horhagidgad were but the * * * As Horeb and Sinai were though they be counted two several incampings of Israel Exod. 17. 1 6. and 19. 1. compared same place and Country and how though Israel were now going back from Kadish yet hit in the very same journies that they went in when they were coming thither as to Gudgodah or Horhagidgad to Jotbathah or Jotbath requires a discourse Geographical by it self which is the next thing that was promised in the Preface to the first part of the Harmony of the Evangelists and with some part of that work by Gods permission and his good hand upon the Work-man shall come forth 7. It cannot pass the Eye of him that readeth the Text in the Original but he must observe it how in Chap. 29. ver 29. the Holy Ghost hath pointed one clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To us and to our Children belong the revealed things after an extraordinary and unparalleld manner to give warning against curiosity in prying into Gods secrets and that we should content our selves with his revealed will 8. Moses in blessing of the Tribes Chap. 33. nameth them not according to their seniority but in another order Reuben is set first though he had lost the birth-right to shew his repentance and that he died not * * * So the Chaldee renders ver 6. Let Reuben live and not die the second death the second death Simeon is omitted because of his cruelty to Sichem and Joseph and therefore he the fittest to be left out when there were twelve Tribes beside Judah is placed before Levi for the Kingdoms dignity above the Priest-hood Christ being promised a King of that Tribe Benjamin is set before Joseph for the dignity of Jerusalem above Samaria c. 9. The last Chapter of the Book was written by some other then Moses for it relateth his death and how he was buried by the Lord that is by Michael Jude 9. or Christ who was to bury Moses Ceremonies The Book of JOSHUA THIS Book containeth a history of the seventeen years of the rule of Joshua which though they be not expresly named by this sum in clear words yet are they to be collected to be so many from that gross sum of four hundred and eighty years from the delivery out of Egypt to the laying of the foundation of solomons Temple mentioned 1 Kings 6. 1. for the Scripture hath parcelled out that sum into these particulars forty years of the people in the wilderness two hundred ninety and nine years of the Judges forty years of Eli forty of Samuel and Saul forty of David and four of Solomon to the Temples founding in all four hundred sixty three and therefore the seventeen years that must make up the sum four hundred and eighty must needs be concluded to have been the time of the rule of Joshua CHAP. I. World 2554 Ioshua 1 JOSHUA of Joseph succeedeth Moses the seventh from Ephraim 1 Chron. 7. 25. and in him first appeared Josephs birth-right 1 Chron. 5. 1. and
came For if Baasha began to reign in the third year of Asa and reigned but four and twenty years as 1 King 15. 33. asserteth then was Baasha dead nine full years before the six and thirtieth year of Asa came and therefore he could not then possibly come up against Judah for he was rotten in his grave But it is thus to be understood that in the six and thirtieth year of Asaes Kingdom that is of the Kingdom of Judah since the revolt of the ten tribes Baasha came up against that Kingdom and warred against it the Kingdom that God would not have to be fought against Now as Jeroboam had made the division which had now continued six and thirty years viz. 17 of Rehoboam 3 of Abijah and 16 of Asa so doth Baasha go about now to confirm that division for he setteth on to build and Garrison Ramah that he might stop all entercourse betwixt Israel and Judah and therefore the Holy Ghost reckoneth the time of this act of Baasha by a computation from the first division And he calls it the Kingdom of Asa the rather also because he had lately confirmed and established it to himself as far as it was possible for him to do namely by a Reformation and a Covenant But now doth Asa exceeding ill for he relieth upon an arm of flesh the King of Syria he hireth him with dedicate things which himself had dedicated but a year or two before he bringeth a forraign enemy in to the Land of Israel and imprisoned the Prophet that reproved him for it Here is the first Captivity of any Israelites and Dan the place of the golden Calf falleth under the sword Because Asa leaned upon the King of Syria therefore was the King of Syria escaped out of his hand 2 Chron. 16. 7. for the Syrian was in league with Baasha and had Asa let him alone he had sided with Baasha and Asa if he had relied on God had conquered Israel and the Syrian both but now he had lost that victory over Syria by seeking thereunto for help 2 CHRON. XVI ver 1. to ver 7. World 3065 Asa. 16 Baasha 14 Division 35 BENHADAD son of Tabrimmon Asa. 17 Baasha 15 Division 36 now King of Syria Baasha cometh up against Judah and beginneth to build and to fortifie Ramah which was a frontier upon the very skirt of Ephraim towards Benjamin and Judah 2 CHRON. XVI vers 7. to vers 11. Asa 18 Baasha 16 Division 37 ASA upon this reliance upon Asa 19 Baasha 17 Division 38 Syria declineth excee-dingly Asa 20 Baasha 18 Division 39 from his former goodness Asa 21 Baasha 19 Division 40 for he grows not only harsh to Asa 22 Baasha 20 Division 41 the Prophet Hanani that reproved Asa 23 Baasha 21 Division 42 him but he also began to Asa 24 Baasha 22 Division 43 use harshness and to tyrannize Asa 25 Baasha 23 Division 44 over his Subjects and for this his alteration he is in continual Baasha 24 wars and troubles World 3074 Asa 26 Elah 1 Division 45 Asa seeth an end of his great Enemy World 3075 Asa 27 Elah 2 Omri 1 Division 46 Baasha and the ruine of that family as he had seen the ruine of the family of Jeroboam 1 KINGS XVI vers 1. to vers 23. Asa 18 Baasha 16 Division 37 AS Hanani the Seer reproved Asa 19 Baasha 17 Division 38 Asa for his reliance Asa 20 Baasha 18 Division 39 upon Syria so Jehu the son of Asa 21 Baasha 19 Division 40 Hanani reproveth Baasha for his Asa 22 Baasha 20 Division 41 Idolatry and threatneth destruction Asa 23 Baasha 21 Division 42 to him and to his family Asa 24 Baasha 22 Division 43 and the same fate is denounced Asa 25 Baasha 23 Division 44 to his house that had befallen the Baasha 24 house of Jeroboam World 3074 Asa 26 Elah 1 Division 45 ELAH reigneth in the of Asa 1 King 16. 8. World 3075 Asa 27 Elah 2 Omri 1 Division 46 OMRI reigneth having slaign Zimri who had slain Elah This is a year of great turbulency in the State of Israel Elah a drunkard of Ephraim is slain by Zimri and Baasha's house is utterly destroyed with him Zimri reigneth at Tirzah but Omri is made King in the Camp at Gibbethon In that very place had Baasha gotten the Kingdom by the slaughter of Nadah five and twenty years ago 1 King 15. 27. a siege being there then as it is now Omri besiegeth Zimri in Tirzah and Zimri destroyeth himself and the Kings Pallace together Then there is another competition and war betwixt Omri and Tibni which continueth till the thirty first year of Asa 1 King 16. 23. And then Tibni is overthrown and Omri becometh sole and intire King Howbeit in the account that the Scripture giveth of Omri's raign saying That he raigned twelve years The beginning of these years is to be taken from the death of Zimri which was in the seven and twentieth of Asa 1 King 16. 15. Therefore whereas it is said in vers 23. That in the one and thirtieth year of Asa King of Judah began Omri to raign over Israel twelve years it is to be understood that his whole raign from the death of Zimri was twelve years which expired in the eight and thirtieth of Asa ver 29. but that the first year of his sole and single Government was Asa's thirty first 2 CHRON. XVI ver 11 12 13 14. World 3076 Asa 28 Omri 2 Division 47 ASA seeth now a third change Asa 29 Omri 3 Division 48 in the Kingdom of Israel Asa 30 Omri 4 Division 49 first the family of Jeroboam then Asa 31 Omri 5 Division 50 of Baasha now of Omri Thus Asa 32 Omri 6 Division 51 speedily doth Idolatry root Families Asa 33 Omri 7 Division 52 out and thus little stability Asa 34 Omri 8 Division 53 is there with those that forsake Asa 35 Omri 9 Division 54 God Athaliah a spawn of Asa 36 Omri 10 Division 55 this last family setteth hard in Asa 37 Omri 11 Division 56 time to bring in the like ruine and confusion into the royal stock Omri 12 of Judah that is now in Israel when she goeth about to destroy the Kings Seed Ahab 1 ASA falleth diseased of Ahab 2 the Gout and seeketh too much to Asa 38 the Physitians 2 Chron. 16. 12. World 3086 Asa 39 Division 57 His name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Physitian World 3087 Ahab 3 Division 58 in the Chaldee Tongue Asa 40 Division 59 Asa still diseased in his feet 1 KING XXII Vers. 41 42 43. World 3089 Asa 41 Ahab 1 Ahab 4 Division 60 JEHOSHAPHAT reigneth upon his fathers death in the fourth year of Ahab 2 Ahab 5 Division 61 Ahab 2 King 22. 41 42 c. and walketh uprightly before the Lord and prospereth 1 KINGS XVI vers 23. to the end World 3076 Asa 28 Omri 2 Division 47 FROM this second of Omri Asa 29 Omri 3 Division 48 42 years are reckoned to
Messias when he came should do no miracles at all this position is asserted in the Talmud in Sanhedrin in that famous Chapter called Helek where the Gemarists do speak exceeding much concerning the Messias and about his coming And from thence it is produced by Maymony in Melachin Umilcha moth per. ult The wretched deceivers having this poor shift to answer to all the miracles that Christ did which indeed were infinite To which they have also 2. joyned another more visibly blasphemous than indeed this but both rancorous alike at the heart and that is That what miracles Jesus did he did them by the power of the Devil as Matth. 12. 24. The Pharisees said This man casteth not out Devils but by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils And so the Talmudists in the Treatise Shabbath fol. 104. Did not the son of Satda so they title our Saviour and there is a blasphemy in it bring Sorceries out of Egypt What the unprejudiced opinion of the people was in these two points we may observe in John 7. 31. And many of the people believed on him and said When Christ cometh will he do more miracles than this man hath done In which they conclude fairly and plainly against the two blasphemous and rancorous opinions that have been alledged and assert That Messias when he came should do miracles and that the miracles that Jesus did were sutable to those of the Messias the Scripture spake the former and his miracles themselves the latter so plainly that it was not reasonable but brutish and devillish to deny either And when our Saviour in the beginning of the verse calls his works The works which the Father had given him to finish he both sheweth that his works were from God and that God had appointed that the Messias should do such works Esay 53. 10. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand It was the Lords pleasure and he performed it accordingly The works that God gave appointment and authority for the Messias to do were indeed the actions of his whole life for he was doing the Will of God continually but those that he meaneth more especially here when he saith they were given him to finish may be reduced to these three heads His fulfilling the Law in the holiness of his life his Preaching the Gospel in the demonstration of abundance of the Spirit and his working miracles for the good of the people There was none of these three taken singly but they did resplendently bear witness of him that he was the person he took on him to be much more did they give an undeniable testimony of him being considered altogether The Phrase To finish seemeth to reflect upon that Prophesie in Esa. 42. 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the Earth Wherein is foretold that the Messias should accomplish and finish whatsoever in the work of his Mediatorship he should undertake And the title that God puts upon him in the first verse of that Chapter My servant declareth that his works were given him to finish by the Father 1. The holiness of his conversation was so exact that we need not to go to Testimony of Scripture that doth so highly celebrate it he himself doth challengethe Jews who were sufficiently captious to accuse him of sin if they could or to find any mote in his holiness and do their worst His lowliness meekness zeal and earnestness to do good and all these acted in an unfading constancy and in the highest activity and that to the continual hazard of his person might be illustrated to this purpose if it were needful As Johns extraordinary sanctity was the greatest testimony that raised him in the hearts of the people for miracles he did none and his Doctrine and Baptizing they could not tell so well what to say to as to his holiness which was so visible So Christ in this kind had a testimony beyond him and as far beyond him as real and cordial holiness is beyond Ceremonial For though it is true indeed that John was really and cordially holy yet that Sanctity that the people admired in him was in his external and Ceremonial strictness of rayment dyet and conversation 2. His Doctrine and Preaching was so parallel to the predictions of the Old Testament concerning the Doctrine that was to be revealed by him it was so high in discovery of the things of Heaven it was so clear in opening the hard things of the Law it was so convincing of the Errors of their false Teachers it was so Divine in its tenor it was so gracious in his mouth and so piercing in the hearts of the hearers that where wilful malice and mischief had not blinded they could not but confess That never man spake like him Joh. 7. 46. 3. His miracles were done in such power and number without difficulty or restriction upon men and Devils healing all diseases and denying healing to none that sought it and all this when working miracles had been dead so long and in all this he seeking no glory to himself these gave a testimony so fully of a vertue above humane nay above Prophetick that where again malice and mischief had not blinded they could not deny that the Messias could not do greater miracles than he did Joh. 7. 31. Vers. 37. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me This is the third Testimony that he produceth for himself namely the witness of the Father which may be taken either for the testimony which God had given him of old in the Law and Prophets or a late by a voice from Heaven when he was baptized If we understand the words in the former sense then the context following Ye have neither heard his voice c. may be taken thus Though God hath never to your eyes nor ears born witness to me from Heaven by any sensible demonstration and evidence yet hath he given abundant testimony of me in the Word of the Scriptures But if we take them in the latter sense than the context speaketh to this tenor Although it be a most rare thing to hear any audible voice or to see any visible appearance of God from Heaven and you never heard or saw any such thing in your Generations yet for my sake and to bear witness of me there hath been such a voice and appearance Or if we understand them joyntly both of the Testimony that God gave of the Messias in the Old Testament and of the witness that he gave by a voice from Heaven the sense of the words following ariseth to this The Father of old in the Scriptures and of late by a voice from Heaven hath born witness of me but as ye never heard his voice from Heaven nor saw his shape so neither do you regard nor retain his Word since ye believe not him whom he hath sent Vers. 39. Ye search the Scriptures c. Besides those reasons that have been alledged
of Christ but a conjectural reason of the sudden and unexpected return of Peter I believe that Peter was going with Cleophas into Galilee and that being moved with the words of Christ told him by the women Say to his Disciples and Peter I go before you into Galilee Think with your self how doubtful Peter was and how he fluctuated within himself after his threefold denial and how he gasped to see the Lord again if he were risen and to cast himself an humble supplicant at his feet When therefore he heard these things from the women and he had heard it indeed from Christ himself while he was yet alive that when he arose he would go before them into Galilee and when the rest were very little moved with the report of his Resurrection nor as yet stirred from that place he will try a journy into Galilee and Alpheus with him Which when it was well known to the rest and saw him return so soon and so unexpectedly Certainly say they the Lord is risen and hath appeared to Peter otherwise he had not so soon come back again And yet when he and Cleopas open the whole matter they do not yet believe even them VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every Creature a manner of speech most common among the Jews by which I. Are denoted all men f f f f f f Bab. Chetub fol. 17. 1. The wise Men say Let the mind of man always be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingled or complacent to the creatures The Gloss there is To do with every man according to complacency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Midr. Till in Psal. CXXXV He makes the Holy Spirit to dwell upon the creatures that is Upon men h h h h h h Maimon in Sanhedr cap. 2. In every Judge in the Bench of three is required Prudence Mercy Religion hatred of mony Love of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love of the creatures that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of mankind II. But especially by that phrase the Gentiles are understood R. Jose i i i i i i Bab. Chagig fol. 12. 2. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wo to the Creatures which see and know not what they see which stand and know not upon what they stand namely upon what the earth stands c. He understands the Heathens especially who were not instructed concerning the creation of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Beresh Rabba §. 13. The speech of all the Creatures that is of the Heathens is only of earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the prayers of the Creatures are for earthly things Lord let the Earth be fruitful let the Earth prosper But all the prayers of Israelites are only for the holy place Lord let the Temple be built c. Observe how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Creatures are opposed to Israelites And the parallel words of Matthew Chap. XXVIII do sufficiently prove this to be the sense of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature in this place that which in Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach to every creature in that place in Matthew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations as those words also of S. Paul Coloss. I. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel that was preached in all the creation In the same sense you must of necessity understand the same phrase Rom. VIII 22. Where if you take the whole passage concerning the Gentiles breathing after the Evangelical liberty of the Sons of God you render the sense very easie and very agreeable to the mind of the Apostle and to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creature or Creation When they who render it otherwise dash upon I know not what rough and knoâ—ty sense Let me although t is out of my road thus paraphrase the whole place Vers. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the earnest expectation of the Creature or of the Heathen World waiteth for the revelation of the Sons of God For God had promised and had very often pronounced by his Prophets that he would gather together and adopt to himself innumerable sons among the Gentiles Therefore the whole Gentile World doth now greedily expect the revelation and production of those sons Vers. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the Creature the whole Heathen World was subjected to the vanity of their mind as Rom. I. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Became vain in their imaginations And Eph. I. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind not willingly but because of him that subjected it Vers. 21. Under hope because the Creature also or that Heathen World shall be freed from the servie of sinful corruption which is in the World through lust 2 Pet. I. 4. into the Gospel liberty of the Sons of God From the service of Satan of Idols and of Lusts into the liberty which the sons of God enjoy through the Gospel Vers. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For we know that the whole Creature or Heathen World groneth together and travaileth and as it were with a convex weight howeth down unto this very time to be born and brought forth Vers. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither the Gentiles only but we Jews also however we belong to a Nation envious of the Heathen to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit we sigh among our selves for their sakes waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of our Mystical body whereof the Gentiles make a very great part FINIS JEWISH AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS UPON THE Evangelist St. LUKE To which are premised some CHOROGRAPHICAL NOTES UPON THE Places mentioned in this EVANGELIST By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. late Master of Katharine-Hall in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in CHRIST GILBERT BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY PRIMATE of all ENGLAND c. May it please your Grace HAVING at length finished in such a manner as it is this undertaking of mine upon the four Evangelists Religion Gratitude and Duty require it from me to commemorate and recognize the infinite mercy of God toward me in bringing me thus far continuing my life preserving to me that strength of Eye-sight vigor both of body and mind to and in so great a degree of old age To all which the same Divine mercy hath added this great benefit that it hath indulged me your Grace's Compassion Favour and Patronage This hath not a little sweetned all the rest securing to me so much leisure for Books tranquility in my Studies the settlement of my Family and an easie condition of life Without this my mind
2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World i. e. know ye not that there shall be a Christian Magistracy that Christians shall be Kings and Magistrates to rule and judge the World And the very same sense speaketh Dan. VII 18. 26 27. from whence both my Text and that passage of Paul are taken know ye not saith he that the Saints shall judge the World How should they know it Why Plainly enough out of that place in Daniel where in vers 18. it is foretold That the Saints of the most High should take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever And in vers 26 27. The Judgment shall sit as in the Text and the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven should be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Two considerations will put the matter out of all question I. That the word Saints means not strictly nor really Sanctified in opposition to men not really sanctified but it means Christians in general in opposition to Heathens And so the Apostle himself clears it in the verse before that I cited Dare any of you go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints What is meant by the unjust there Heathens or Infidels as he calls them vers 6. And then what is meant by Saints But Christians in opposition to Heathens II. Observe the tenor of the contents in Daniel and that will illustrate the sense of these verses that I produced He speaks before of the four Heathen Monarchies the Babylonian Mede-Persian Grecian and Syrogrecian that had had the Kingdom and Dominion and Rule in the World and had tyrannized in the World especially against the Church that was then being but at last they should be destroyed and upon their being destroyed Christ should come and set up his Kingdom through the World and then the Kingdom and Rule and Dominion in the World should be put into the hands of Saints or Christians and they should Rule and Judge in the World as those Heathen Monarchies had done all the time before And thus you have the words unfolded to you and I hope according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost And now my Lords and Gentlemen you may see your own picture in the glass of the Text for you are of the number of those of whom it speaketh In it you may see your selves Imbenched Commissioned and your work put into your hands In the first clause The institution of the Function the ordaining of Magistracy and Judicature I saw Thrones set In the second The Commissionating of Christians unto that Office and Function They sat upon them In the last The end of this Office and the employment they are set upon in it Judgment was given unto them Thrones set by whom By him that had been the great agent in the verse before Christ that had bound the Devil and chained him up They sat upon them Who They that are the persons mentioned in the verse before Men of the Nations undeceived from the delusions of Satan and brought into the truth of the Gospel Judgment was given them for what end For Judgment sake that they might execute judgment and righteousness among the Nations And so I have my words fairly cut out before me and the matter and the method of the Text calls upon me to speak unto these three things I. Of the institution of Magistrates as an ordinance of Christ. II. Of Christian Magistracy as a Gospel mercy III. The great work the all in all of Magistracy The execution of Judgment I. Of all the offices of Christ he executed only one of them peculiarly and reservedly himself without the communicating of any acting in it to any other but as to the execution of the other two he partly acteth himself and partly importeth some acting therein by deputation to others His Priestly office that that most concerned and had the greatest stroke in mans redemption he executed intirely himself and no other had share no other could have share in the executing of that with him None could be capable of offering any of his all-sufficient Sacrifice with him none could be capable of offering the incense of mediation with him But in his Kingly and Prophetick offices he acteth himself and he deputeth others to act for him As the great Prophet he teacheth his Church himself by giving of the Scriptures and instructing his holy ones by his Spirit yet withal hath he deputed Ministers to be her Teachers And as the great King of the Church and of all the World he ruleth in both himself in the hearts of his people by his Word and Spirit and amongst his enemies with a rod of Iron yet withal hath he deputed Kings Judges and Magistrates to be Rulers for him These two great Ordinances you have couched in this very place In the verse before the Text Christ chaineth up the Devil that he should no more deceive poor men as he had done before And how did he this By the Ministry of the Word and Preaching of the Gospel And in the words of the Text he setteth up Thrones and sets men upon them for what To execute Magistracy and to administer Judgment And so likewise are they closely hinted in that place of the Apostle that I cited I Cor. VI. Know ye not that the Saints shall iudge the World or Christians be Magistrates and in the next verse following know ye not that we shall judge Angels or we Apostles and Ministers judge Devils and overthrow their Idols Oracles Miracles and Delusions by the Ministry of the Gospel And so if I should take Pastors and Teachers Ephes. IV. 11. for Magistrates and Ministers I believe there were no soloecisme in the thing and I am sure the Jews called their chiefest Magistrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastores in their common speech And if the Apostle may be shewed there to speak in their vulgar dialect as he doth indeed all along his Epistles it would save a controversie and question that is raised upon that place These two Functions are the two standing Pillars and Ordinances the Jachin and Boaz that our great Solomon hath set up in his Temple to stand with the Temple while it standeth These are two choice strainings and distillings of the precious ointment that was poured on the head of our great Aaron that runs down upon the skirts of his clothing Yours my Lords and Gentlemen is a beam of that lustre that shineth in the Royal Crown of Christs Kingly office It is a coin stamped with the Image and superscription of the great Cesar of Heaven and Earth sitting in his Empire and Dominion over all I remember a Phrase of Pliny in his Epistles speaking of a vertuous and gallant daughter that imitated to the life the vertues and gallantry of a noble Father Filia patreni exscripserat the daughter had copied out her father to the life Magistracy is a daughter of
spoken in Scripture of this righteousness of God and indeed never enough My righteousness is never to be revealed To bring in everlasting righteousness New Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness c. Never enough spoken never enough conceived of this Righteousness the most mysterious acting of Heaven the wonder of wonders among men the Justice of God in justifying a sinner A Divine Justice that exceeds divine Justice Divine Justice turned into Mercy You may think I speak strangely if I do it I am something excusable with Peter ravished with the Transfiguration I am upon a subject that may swallow up all minds with amazement but I clear my meaning In Rom. I. 17. It is said Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Revealed in the Gospel not in the Law Was there no revelation of Justice till the Gospel came Yes the Law revealed Justice but it was condemning Justice as that Text speaks From faith to faith so from righteousness to righteousness Gods Justice was most divine that appeared in the Law to condemn but that Justice exceeded in the Gospel to justifie Where are they that talk of being justified by their own works Then must they have a righteousness of their own that must out-vy Gods condemning justice which is infinitely just But his own justifying justice doth out-vy it As it is said Where sin abounded Grace did superabound So where condemning Justice was glorious justifying Justice was much more glorious I said Justice was turned into mercy I say the greatest Justice into the greatest mercy How are we justified and saved By Mercy True and yet by Justice become mercy not ceasing to be Justice what it was but becoming Mercy what it was not Here is a lively Copy before you God so loveth so acteth justice that he will satisfie it upon his own Son that he might glorifie it by way of mercy on all justified His greatest mercy appeareth in this acting of his justice and you are the greatest Mercy to a people when you do them the most Justice A third and last Copy that I would set before you all that hear me this day is fairly yet seems strangly written with Gods own hand in the Gospel In divers places of the New Testament where mention is made of the Law and where you would think it meant both the Tables it comes off only with mention of the Second Matth. XIX 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments You would look for all the Ten but look forward and he pitcheth only upon the second Table So Rom. XIII 8. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law You would look for the whole Law to be mentioned there but look forward in vers 9. and only the second Table is mentioned So Jam. II. 8. If you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture c. you would look for the whole Law but he concludes all under this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Why where are the Duties of the first Table See how God put even all religion in the second Table As it is said Behold how he saved Lazarus so Behold how God loveth honest upright charitable dealing 'twixt man and man I shall not insist to shew you the reason of this strange passage I might tell you it is because whatsoever men pretend of Religion towards the Commands of the first Table it is nothing if it appear not in our obedience to the second I might tell you God puts you to that that is more in your own power as to obey the second Table is more so than the first But I leave the Copy in your own hands to read and comment on And when you have studied it the most you will find this to be the result how God requires how God delights in our righteous upright charitable dealings one with another A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 13. 1663. JUDG XX. 27 28. And the Children of Israel enquired of the Lord. For the ark of the Covenant of the Lord was there in those days And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days AND it was time to enquire of the Lord considering their present condition and exigent and it was well they had the Ark in those days to enquire at considering the evil of those days and their exceeding wickedness And it was strange that Phinehas was then there considering the time of the story when he is thus brought in The three clauses in the Text that hint their inquiring and the manner of their inquiring and the Person by whom they inquired of the Lord and they inquired at the Ark of the Covenant and they inquired by Phinehas require each one a serious explication and each one explicated it may be will afford something of information that every one hath not observed before I. They enquired of the Lord. And it was time to enquire indeed when business went so crosly with them that though the Lord himself had encouraged them to that war yet they lose so many thousands in the battel At their first mustering they ask counsel of God and he allows their quarrel and appoints their Captain vers 18. And the Children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God and asked counsel of God and said which of us shall go up first to the battle against the Children of Benjamin And the Lord said Judah shall go up first And yet when they come to fight they lose two and twenty thousand men vers 21. They ask counsel of God again and he bids them go up and yet when they come to fight again they lose eighteen thousand men more And now after the loss of forty thousand men they inquire again and indeed it was very full time But what was it they inquired about If why they thus fell when God himself had encouraged them to the War which was a very just Quaere Had I or you been there we might have resolved them without an Oracle There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel and a very strange accursed thing that it is not strange that thou canst not stand but fallest thus before thine enemies In the Chapter before a Levites Concubine plays the whore and runs from him and as he fetches her again she is paid in her kind and whored with at Gibeah till it cost her her life Hereupon all Israel musters in arms as one man and solemnly vows and resolves to avenge her quarrel But in the Chapter before that Idolatry is publickly set up in the Tribe of Dan. And in the Chapter before that it is publickly enough set up in the Town of Micah and yet not one man that stands up or stirs in the quarrel of the Lord. Oh Israel that art thus zealous in the quarrel of a Whore and hast been no whit zealous in the cause of the Lord it is no wonder if thou fall and fall
most dearly beloved Truth thus to be abused and spurned against His most divine Truth sealed with the blood of his dear Son thus to be persecuted afflicted tormented The name of Rome in Rev. XVII is Mystery Babylon And that indeed not only because it is Babylon in a Mystery but that it is a great Mystery that God permits such a Babylon so cruel bloody inhumane a persecutor of his Truth so continual a disturber and vexation and firebrand to the World Such a Deceiver Seducer and Destroyer of Souls We may take up that Jerem. XII 1. Righteous art thou O Lord if I plead with thee yet may we plead with thee concerning thy judgments why doth the way of the wicked prosper And why is it so well with those that work iniquity Why is it so successful with Popery Heresie Error and Ignorance That that is aloft and prevaileth domineers and tyrannizes while Truth is troden down and the poor Gospel trampled under foot I might speak at large how God permits things to go thus upon very Divine reasons As First For the trial of his own people that profess his Truth how they will stick to his Truth under opposition how they will cleave to a poor persecuted despised Gospel how they will own a Truth that brings in no Mony no Worldly profit nor Honour nor Preferment but Loss of all things to gain Eternity The Gospel is the fan of Christ whereby he purgeth his floor and separates wheat and chaff asunder Secondly He permits wicked men to resist â—is Truth that they may make up the measure of their iniquities They think they avenge themselves of the Truth whereas God avengeth himself on them in giving them up to so reprobate a mind To refuse the Truth is bad enough to disobey the Truth this is worse to deny it and apostatize from it this is bad of bads but resisting and persecuting it this is worst of all Some count this the sin against the Holy Ghost In these men it might be for they had seen his miracles But however it was a sin unto death in them Thirdly God permits this because he knows Truth at last will conquer As God turned Christ loose to combate Satan and withdrew his Divine acting because he knew Christ would at last come off a conqueror As it was said of Gad Gad a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last XLIX Gen. 17. So it is with Truth it may be opposed oppressed trodden under yet it will overcome at last Truth is a heavy stone whosoever falls upon it will be broken but whomsoever it falls upon it will grind him to powder If Truth triumph not in the conversion of men it will triumph in their condemnation When there were persecuting Emperors how doth Truth triumph over them And so the time of Rome is coming when the Truth and Gospel which she hath so bitterly resisted and persecuted shall triumph and clap their hands at her confusion and ruine when Babylon shall sink as a milstone in the midst of the Sea and rise no more And all those divine Truths in the Gospel that she hath opposed resisted persecuted shall everlastingly rise up in judgment against her and load her with torments and condemnation So let Babylon come in remembrance before the Lord and he plead the cause of his Truth Gospel People Interest and reward her as she hath done to all these and as she would have done to poor England on the fifth of November And let all the people say Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge Novemb. V. MDCLXXIV ACT. XIII 9 10. Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his Eyes on him And said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord A Dreadful and dismal character to be given to a man by an Apostle and an Apostle now filled with the Holy Ghost to give it Take out but that little great clause Thou child of the Devil and there needs not much more to the picturing of the Devil himself in his proper colours and full proportion Full of all subtilty full of all mischief enemy of all righteousness and the uncessant perverter of the right ways of the Lord. How little needs there more to the limning out the Prince of darkness himself in his blackest complexion What is it for these titles to be given to any man But our Apostle could very well discern between a Brother and a Sorcerer between a true Christian and a false Prophet between a Professor of the Gospel and a professed perverter of the ways of the Lord. The Text tells us he set his Eyes upon him and sees him through he discovers what he is to the very bottom and accordingly is warranted by the Holy Ghost with whom he is filled to give him these brands O thou full of all subtilty and of all mischief thou child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness The two Parties in mention were as different and contrary as light and darkness as Hell and Heaven the one an Apostle the other a Sorcerer the one a most near servant of God the other as near a servant of the Devil the one full of the Holy Ghost the other full of all subtilty and mischief and all the agreement that was between them if that be any was that either of them had a double name for Saul he was also called Paul and Bar Jesus he was also called Elymas The reason of the Apostles double name I should look no further for than to his double relation as he was a Jew born and as he was a freeborn Roman His Hebrew name Saul relates to his Hebrew original and his Roman name Paul to his Roman privilege And whereas he had been called by his Jewish name Saul all along the story hitherto while he had been conversing among the Jewish Nation he being now appointed Apostle of the Gentiles and now set out upon that employment he is called by his Gentile name all along hence forward Paul and Saul no more But the resolution about the Conjurers double name is not so easie and we shall not find Esau in this matter so smooth as Jacob. First As concerning his name Bar Jesus I believe it was almost as far from the signification of that Blessed Name that we adore as he himself was from adoring him and I believe it was a very great way from the letters of that Blessed Name In the Arabick translation indeed that we have in our Polyglot Bible it is written with the very same letters But in the translation in that Language published by Erpâ—â—â—us it is written otherwise and better I doubt not and yet I question whether with the letters proper for it or no I should devine his name Jesus from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain inchoante which signifies
called Gods as Alexander Caligula Sejanus It is said of Antichrist 2 Thess. II. 4. That he opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God Are not thousands as proud in heart as the Devil himself as much as they can be and delight in it 2. In hatred and cruelty One would not believe that Man could be so cruel to Man but that we have the experience of it and this truth in the Text tells us the reason of it because they are of the Wicked one Men are more cruel than Beasts Beasts have been tamed but Man cannot Jam. III. 7. Every kind of Beasts and of Birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed by mankind But only mankind it self is untameable Such an Example was He that wished That all Rome had but one head that he might cut it off at once Nay he in the story of China went further who actually slew six hundred thousand innocent persons 3. Do not some hate the ways of God as the Devil doth I hate Michaiah saith Ahab There were some that spake evil of the Christians only because they ran not into the same excess of riot with themselves 4. And so we may say of Lying There are Children of falshood among us To conclude all with some Uses from this Discourse I. The consideration of this may draw tears to think of the corruption of our nature so far degenerate from its excellency and end II. It may make us moum to consider what we carry within us if God leave us III. Not to think so little of Pride Envy Lying as most do For these sins are the nearest resemblances of the Devil IV. How great a work is Renovation For men to be made partakers of the Devine Nature 2 Pet. I. 4. who had so much before pertaken of the Devils V. We had need to pray that God would keep us from such mischief A SERMON PREACHED upon GENESIS IV. 15. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain Lest any finding him should kill him WE have seen Cain's sin here we see his strange reward Cain slew his Brother God will not have Cain slain How is this agreeable to that Chap. IX 6. Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed How strange this Providence Abel might have done good if he had lived Cain not yet behold this contrary Providence Abel dyes and Cain lives What would Cain wish more than this to live and be secure What would some give for such a Patent If he live What Murthers more may he commit What a discouragement may he be to Righteousness How may the eye of humane reason stand amazed at this providence We may take up that of Jeremiah Chap. XII 1. Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper And the words of Habbakkuk Chap. I. 3 4. Why dost thou shew me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance For spoiling and violence are before me and there are that raise up strife and contention Therefore the Law is slacked and judgment doth never go forth for the wicked doth compass about the righteousness therefore wrong judgment proceedeth And Shall not the Judg of all the world do right Yet what Righteousness seems in this We may satisfie our selves concerning this by these considerations I. Abel was happier dying than Cain living Balaam was a parallel of Cain justfying this Numb XXIII 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his II. The Righteousness of Gods providences is not to be judged of only according to outward appearance Gods judgments are a great deep and the footsteps of them are not known III. The greatest seeming earthly prosperity may be the greatest punishment In the words we observe this That God reserved Cain to long life But how he managed it is scrupulous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he set a mark upon him Rab. Solomon saith it was a letter in his forehead Some say it was a Horn some a trembling that all might know him for a fratricide for a wretch that murthered his Brother But this one would think rather was the way to get him killed For how could all that met him know Gods mind by this mark whatever it was namely That God would not have him killed Therefore Aben Ezra understands it that God gave him a sign till he believed it viz. That God would preserve his life And so it may best be construed That God set him a sign lest c. In the fourteenth Verse Cain says Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a Vagabond in the earth and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me It is questioned here whether Cain begs death or declines it If he begs it God denies him if he declines it he hath his desire with a Curse Hence we gather this Doctrine That Gods letting men go on uninterrupted in their sins is the greatest punishment they can have here Doubtless Cain was loaden with punishment Suppose a Council were called what to do with Cain You would say Cut him off Gods wisdom and justice saith Let him live Long life and prosperity in it self a blessing but here a prison a curse a poison that kills with delight Consider Cain's temper and then consider him banished from the Church and from the memorials of his duty that Gods constant service would give him turned loose to his lusts and the councils of his own heart the longer he lives in this condition t is not the better but the worse for him See vers 24. Cain was avenged sevenfold It was a sore judgment when God said My Spirit shall not always strive with Man Gen. VI. 3. I will trouble them no more Hos. IV. 14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whoredom It is a great question Whether is worse to be cut off in sin or to be not interrupted in it A hard choise as David's was when he said I am in a great strait For the clearing of this observe these two things I. That sometimes the long-suffering of God to the wicked is not the goodness of God to them See 1 Pet. III. 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water Compared with Gen. VI. 3. My spirit shall not always strive with Man God spared the Canaanites that their measure might be full Fulfil ye the measure of your Fathers saith Christ to the Jews Matth. XXIII 32. And Psal LXXIII 4. There are no bands in their death but their
the Justice of God that Christ was to satisfie and if he could not have done that then there would have been some reason he should have suffered his wrath The Justice of God challenged obedience of men or no coming to Heaven satisfaction for disobedience or they must to Hell Here is enough saith Christ to serve for both ends They have disobeyed here is obedience more than all their Disobediences do or can come to They cannot obey as they should here is that that makes it out viz. Obedience infinite III. The truth was that Christ had to deal with the wrath of the Devil but not at all with the wrath of God Consider but these passages and see what was the stress that Christ had to deal withal in his Passion First That Gen. III. 15. He shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Satan the seed of the woman shall destroy thee This is explained Heb. II. 14. For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil And 1 Joh. III. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil And then observe that Joh. XIV 30. The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me And Luke XXII 53. When I was daily with you in the Temple ye stretched forth no hands against me but this is your hour and the power of darkness While I preached there was a restraint upon you because my hour was not come but now you and Hell are let loose to have your full swing against me There was a Combate proposed in the sufferings of Christ before God and Angels Twixt whom Christ and the wrath of God No but twixt Christ and Satan and all his power What doth God in this quarrel Doth God fight against Christ too as well as the Devil Was his wrath against him as well as the Devils wrath What against his own Champion his own Son No he only tries him by affliction not overwhelms him with his wrath He only lets him alone to him to be the shock of Satan He little assists Satan by his wrath laid on his own Champion See the great Mystery of this great Dispensation in brief God had created the first Adam and endued him with abilities to have stood Thus endued he leaves him to stand of himself and permits Satan to tempt him and he overcomes him and all mankind are overthrown God raised up a second Adam endued with power to foil Satan do he his worst and not only with power to withstand Satan if he will but a will that could not but withstand Satan He sets him forth to encounter and leaves him to himself lets Satan loose to do his worst Satan vexeth him with all the vexation Hell could inflict upon him Did not God love his Son look with dear bowels upon him all this while It is a very harsh opinion to think that Christ undertaking the combate for the honour of God against his arch-enemy that obeying the Will of God even to the death that retaining his holiness unmoveable in the midst of all his tortures paying God an infinite obedience it is harsh I say to think that God should requite him with wrath and look upon him as a wretched damned person No it was the wrath of the Devil that Christ had to combate with not the wrath of God at all IV. Though Christ is said to bear sins yet for all that God did not look upon him any whit the more wrathfully or in displeasure but rather the more favourably because he would bear the sins of his people For God looked on Christ not as a sinner but as a Sacrifice and the Lord was not angry at him but loved him because he would become a Sacrifice Joh. X. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life Esa. LIII 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto death Do those words speak the anger of God No his wel-pleasedness his rewarding him for that he would be numbred with transgressors being none but a Lamb without spot and blemish Some say That Christ was the greatest sinner murderer c. because he bare the sins of those that were so which words border upon blasphemy and speak besides a great deal of imprudence and inconsideration See Levit. XVI 21 22. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live Goat and consess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins putting them upon the head of the Goat And the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities Is it not sensless now to say That the Goat was the greatest sinner in Israel Was he any whit the more sinful because the sins of the people were put upon him And so of other sacrifices on whose heads hands were laid and sins put was the wrath of God upon the Sacrifice No the pleasure of God was upon it for attonement In such sense are those places to be taken Isa. LIII 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. II. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 2 Cor. V. 21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin He bare our sins not as a sinner but as a Sacrifice And that Joh. I. 29. makes it plain Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World As a Lamb at the Temple bare the sins of the people so Christ bare our sins How Was the Lamb guilty or sinful No as an attonement and sacrifice And so God looked on Christ as a Sacrifice well pleasing to him not as sinful at all Need we any more illustration Observe that Exod. XXVIII 36 38. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the engravings of a signet Holiness to the Lord. And it shall be upon Aarons forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts and it shall be always upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Holiness to the Lord because he bare iniquity It should rather have been Unholiness if Aaron had been any whit the more sinful for bearing the peoples iniquities But he is said to bear their iniquities because he by his office undertook to attone for them How did God look upon Aaron in his Priesthood With anger because he bare the iniquity of the people Nay with favour and delight as so excellent an instrument of attonement Such another passage is that Levit. X. 17 c. Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place