unto God without it The Apostle exhorteth us Rom. 12.1 to offer up our bodies a living sacrifice acceptable to God For it is said of Cain That he offered unto the Lord of the fruit of the ground Gen. 4.3 He brought an earthly dead liveless offering and was not accepted But Abel brought of the fat of the flock verse 4. He offered the Firstling of his fold a pure clean lively sacrifice unto which God had respect it was more excellent then his Brothers Heb. 11.4 How came this to pass The Apostle tells us it was by faith The life of faith is in death and by death that liveth when we are dead I am crucified with Christ yet I live and I live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 He had a life in the flesh after he was dead to the flesh Faith indeed shall cease but 't is not till the end of the second life The principal act of faith is exercised in death the death of Christ and is a conforming vertue or power unto the likeness thereof by mortification and offering up of the flesh with the affections and lusts unto death Gal. 5.24 God accepteth nothing but what is done in this faith by this faith in the Son of God John 15.5 Heb. 11.5 27. We read in 1 Sam. 15.9 That Saul spared Agag the King and the best of the spoil but that which was vile and refuse and good for nothing that he and the people utterly dastroyed Saul was an hypocritical Tyrant ambitiously aspiring to a Kingdom and got it God gave a King in his anger He that aimeth at the Scepter is not the best Saint 28. Saul was a right Machiavilian he knew the high way to the Crown When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel Hos 13.1 When he was mean and low in a poor condition and little in his own sight he could bow and cringe flatter fawn upon and comply with the vulgar bemoan and pitty the burdens of the poor people especially the good people of the land he could stand cap in hand to the meanest and like Absolom court them into a good conceit of his Clemency and care of their well-fare assuring them that if it were in his power to remedy it things should not be carried as they are but first he put himself into a souldiers posture 2. Sam. 15.1,2,3,4,5 Now he rode post in the right rode to be the head of the Tribes of Israel Commander in chief over the military Forces 1 Sam. 15.17 yea God himself might so far have his work to do under his proud design as to give him a Call to be King and fight his battles as is plain in the place cited which might confirm him in a good opinion of himself to undertake the Government especially if some musty Prophesies had been raked together and by a Court-Parasite particularly applyed to him 'T is as common for the highest as the meanest to be deluded and mistake or mis-use many passages of Gods Providence But now he is King he grows covetous and self-ended he falls upon the spoil and the prey of the enemy who seemed before to contemn all self-interest and advantage Sam. 15.19 His feigned and forged excuse of reserving it for Gods worship would not serve his turn How faulty then are those who do not so much as pretend any thing for Gods service but openly convert the common loss into their private gain This is that which will involve a Nation in broils and blood 29. But alas How many such Sauls hath the world seen since Sauls time who can part with that which is not worth the keeping but with-hold from God that which he requireth as his due If God call for the heart they bring him the lip and tongue only If God require spirit and Truth they offer in the mountain and at Jerusalem they put him off with complements out-side service formality and a State-Religion Dissembling Pharisees they exact and pay Tithe of Mint and Rue but neglect Judgement Mercy Faith the love of God and their Neighbour Mat. 23.23 When God commandeth the best and fattest to be given him they put him off with the leanest with the fruit of the ground If they pretend to dedicate the best unto God they intend to make their own advantage out of it They may refrain from Extortion Adultery c. but continue proud heady high-minaed covetous c. yet be very devout too fast twice in the week give a small Alms out of their superfluity and ill gotten goods pay Tithes give their Minister his due and applaud him censure all that be contrary-minded to them as prophane c. Isa 65.4,5 Luke 18.11,12 30. Those sacrifices are acceptable to God that are turned into ashes Psalm 20.3 This must be done by fire the heavenly fire of zeal and love which separateth and consumeth the gross body of flesh and turneth and reduceth all into a pure essential and spiritual body out of which ashet is made the savory salt of the heavenly nature which seasoneth all things And therefore the Lord is said to plead with all flesh by fire Isa 66.16 He hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isa 31.9 with which refining fire he doth purifie the sons of Levi that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness Mal. 3.3 Mat. 3.12 No oblation in Righteousness but by fire 't is the fire of the Spirit that consumeth the fuel of the flesh Rom. 8.13 We must pass through water and fire before we can come into the wealthly place Psalm 66.12 Without fire we cannot subsist in the natural life much less can we perform the Actions of the spiritual life without it 31. Under the Law the daily sacrifice was not to cease Num. 28.3,4 and this Oblation was to be made by fire He that causeth this to cease is the He-goat Dan. 9.29 Dan. 8.11,12,13 The vile person Dan. 11.21,31 the Beast the Whore the false Prophet that speaketh lyes in the name of the Lord It is Anti Christ that setteth up a Religion in the world without the Cross Whosoever is zealous toward God without Self-denial Mortification and conformity to the death of Christ his zeal is not according to knowledge which will make him seek to establish his own in stead of Gods Righteousness Rom. 10.2,3 Whosoever rejecteth the Cross can be no true Christian Wherefore think it not strange concerning this fiery tryal also which is to come upon you as though some strange thing happened unto you But rejoyce rather although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteous is not saved without great labour and pains hard strugling and striving sore Combats and Conflicts 1 Pet. 4.12,13,17,18 Make not that way too wide which God hath made strait All must go the narrow way who would enter into life For every one must be salted with fire and every sacrifice must be salted with salt Mar. 9.49 10. Tenthly 32.
of outward help only hence it is that they slight all spiritual good wherewith their Neighbour should be profited Not only the hand which getteth our living is necessary to our Body but the eye also which though it doth not work is otherwise profitable for the body So they only that maintaining wife and children do not serve their Neighbour but they also and they chiefly which instruct them pray for them c. Let no man therefore like Judas condemn the practice or works of another unless they be openly wicked but let every man according to his calling study the welfare of the Church 4. Above all they are most like Judas who even now cheat the Lord of his estate and pick Gods pockets such as embezle the goods of the Church which were given to maintain the Ministers and the poor they that encroach those goods and right or wrong keep them to themselves heaping all they can possibly together and spending it only in pomp and luxury or to enrich their kindred but God the Church or poor are never the better for it 5. When prophane Princes see the sacrilegious covetousness of these men Psalm 50. they presently make havock of all So that of the Psalmist is fulfill'd When thou sawest a thief thou wentest with him none considering what follows in the same Psalm These things hast thou done and I was silent But I will reprove thee and set them against thy face c. 6. There be more such cut-purses who refuse to pay their dues to the Church as well as scrape the Church-goods basely to themselves 7. They also are faulty that are Executors or Trustees to dispose the goods of the dead which they bequeathed by Will either to pay Debts or restore that which was ill gotten or to relieve the poor yet do not according to their trust but convert all to their private gain What else do these but as Judas did This is so common now that men make but a jest of it and think it no sin so to do Hence we see that there are very few that do not sin in distributing their worldly goods He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith Eccl. 13. 1 Tim. 6. And they that will be rich fall into many temptations and the snares of the Devil We see also that no man is a fit Minister of the Gospel whose mind is set on covetousness Lastly we see that covetousness is the root of all evil It made an Apostle become both a Thief and a Traytor But leaving Judas and his companions let us return to the History Ye have heard the pious deed of the woman ye have heard also the discontent of the Disciples What doth the woman do now She doth not go about to excuse her self but is satisfied with the testimony of her own conscience which she was sure was well known to Christ Our boasting and excuse should be the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1. But on the contrary Christ defendeth her For he is not only the Judge but the Advocate also of his people and defendeth them not only against the reproach of the world and the Devil but before the Judgement of God too 1 John 2. We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Rom. 8. Hence it is that Paul speaks so confidently it is Christ that dyed who also rose again he intercedeth for us Who shall accuse Gods Elect The Accuser can do thee no hurt if thou and thy works be approved of God Now Christ answereth partly in the singular number because of Judas and partly in the plural number because of the rest of the Apostles to these he speaks mildly and gently but to Judas he replyeth very roughly John 12.7 Let her alone against the day of my burying hath she kept this This was spoken to Judas as if Christ had said I know I am an eye-sore to thee and that thou canst not endure me stay a little and not only my presence but my grace too shall be removed out of thy sight She hath not lost her labour in pouring out her Oyntment upon me nor did I suffer it without a cause it foresheweth and signifieth a great thing to wit that I must shortly die and be buried for a sweet savour of all the Elect. For the bodies of the dead are wont to be anoynted What therefore she cannot do to me when I am dead that she doth now beforehand though she doth not know it therefore let her alone Hitherto he spake to Judas only It follows in Matthew Mat. 26.10 Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wrought a good work upon me These words are spoken to the Disciples in general and the meaning is why are ye so troublesome Yea I say not to every body but to this woman and not for every fact but for that which in my opinion is good Ye should not hinder good works but further them Isa 42. Your office is to strengthen a bruised reed not to break it to cherish the smoaking flax not to quench it as it is written of me and as ye see me do By this word Christ teacheth us 1. That we should not hinder the intention of any unto good Withhold not any from doing good Prov. 3.27 And if thou wilt not do good yet suffer others to do it otherwise thou are doubly guilty both because thou art a dry unfruitfull tree and because thou hindrest others 2. To bear with and receive the weak and not to find fault with what they do because it is not done as it should be lest they should be discouraged and quite give over but encourage them with our respects to do better Why trouble ye this woman saith he she is but a woman not a man stay till she is stronger and she will do more 3. Not rashly to censure what others do before we know to what end they do it or with what intention Who art thou that judgest another mans secret Rom. 14. Why dost thou trouble others It doth not belong to thee but to me to judge the heart and thoughts of men 4. To judge well of the liberality and bounty of our fore-Fathers in their building and benevolence and their enriching Churches whatsoever those outward things are doubtless they shew a thankfull and devout mind in them ready to spend all for the service of God 5. That those only are not good works which are done to our Neighbour and the poor but such also that are done out of devotion to God as I have said before And Christ openly pronounceth that this Unction was a good work 6. That God would not have us serve him with the heart and spirit only but with our body and worldly goods too that so at least we may acknowledge we have all these things from him 7. Lastly We see by this word of Christ that our works be they never
c. ye shew the Lords death ill he come Thus ye see after what manner at what time and with what words Christ instituted the Sacrament all which are of such concernment that t is strange if they kindle not in us a desire of so great good inflame our love to God and encourage us to give praise and thanks unto him We commend and thank him that giveth us an estate at his death to make us rich Why should we not do so here But sometimes we may find ingrateful heirs in the world so alas for it doth Christ find by experience that we are too unthankfull unto him Now the sleighting what is set before us is no small cause of this our ingratitude And so that is too often fulfill'd in us which Elisha once said to the incredulous Noble man 2 King 7.2 Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof Are not these things fulfill'd in us We see and have these great things before our eyes and in our hands yet we perceive them not we taste them not What greater evil can befall a man than to have riches and not enjoy them Two things yet remain to be considered about this Sacrament viz. to what end it was ordained and how it ought to be received It was ordained 1. That our heart should more closely cleave to the words and Promises of God The Prophets promised that the time should come when God would dwell in us and that Christ by his death would take away our sins c. All which and the like Promises are confirmed by this Sacrament He instituted this Sacrament that we should not doubt of these things 2. It is a standing Monument of his Charity that so we might never doubt of his good will to us Whensoever then our consciences are ready to flag and fail which often happeneth specially at death they should be strengthened by this Sacrament 3. It is a perpetual Remembrance and Representation of that only sacrifice which was offered for us upon the Cross The benefit of this Sacrament may be taken out of the words of Paul when he saith 1. The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ c. 1 Cor. 10. Whereby he sheweth that by this Sacrament we partake of all the good things of Christ 2. Another fruit of it is that we also are made one bread and one body even all that partake of one bread and of one cup that is This Sacrament doth put us in mind that we are made one meat and one drink and that we should wholly devote our selves to the good of our Neighbours that we should make the poverty of others our own and account the faults of others as our own c. Therefore in Greek it is called Synaxis that is a communication Whence we may easily gather what is requisite to the worthy receiving of it which is nowhere more clearly exprest than in the figure of the Paschal Lamb and the Manna The Paschal Lamb. Both which figures I shall briefly open Concerning the Lamb consider 1. The house must be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb in three places Exod. 12.7 on the door and both the posts So he that will come to the Sacrament must first be sealed with the Seal of the holy Trinity which is done in Baptism Or thus he must be marked in three places that is he should have the three Sacraments Baptism Confirmation and Repentance Or the blood of the Lamb must be on his doors i. e. he should alwayes have the remembrance of Christs Passion before his eyes when he goeth out and when he cometh in according to that of Paul 1 Cor. 11. As oft as ye eat ye shall shew the Lords death c. Or he should have the Lambs blood on the doors i. e. he must not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ nor blush to keep the Commands of Christ but openly confess that he doth believe and keep them To that which the Author hath here observed The Translators Supplement Heb. 10.29 concerning this first circumstance the Translator further addeth viz. They were not to strike any of the Lambs blood on the threshold nor should we tread the blood of the Son of God under foot But they were to strike the blood on the lintel So should we alwayes have the blood of Christ over our heads above our own reason in higher estimation than the reach of our natural capacity or growth and stature of our earthly man our carnal mind It should be over our head to be seen only by Faith lifting our heads upward from earthy things thoughts desires affections confidence righteousness c. unto heavenly things looking on it as a Propitiation a Reconciliation a Mediation something between Heaven and earth between God and man as that which reconcileth us unto God Heb. 12.24 and giveth us boldness at his Throne of Grace speaking better things than that of Abel Again they were to strike both the side posts one as well as the other We should have the blood of Christ on either hand that we may see God on the lest hand where he worketh and on the right hand where he hideth himself Job 23.9 that we may be kept in prosperity and adversity knowing how to want and how to abound both in respect of the outward and inward man preserved from excess and all extreams swallowed up neither with presumption nor despair but fighting the good fight of Faith having the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand 2 Cor. 6.7 and on the left Now we proceed with the Author 2. They must eat the flesh roasted with fire that night The flesh of Christ must be eaten by night It must be by Faith alone and the eyes of Reason must be shut T is true our flesh would eat it in the day that is it coveteth to see all things but all in vain The flesh of Christ is eaten invisibly and in a Mysterie And the flesh of our Lamb may well be said to be roasted for it is roasted with the fire of Tribulation as also with the fire and operation of the Holy Spirit 3. It was to be eaten with unleavened bread The flesh of the Lamb must not be eaten alone that is we must not only consider what Christ did but what we also ought to do 1 Cor. 5. we must first of all cast out the leaven of malice and wickedness the Sacrament must be received with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth For this food is not provided for dogs but for Children only not for filthy persons but such as are clean They sin therefore who come to it not having first repented of their sins 4. With wild Lettice so the vulg Lat. bitter herbs or as it is in the Hebrew with or upon bitternesses i. e. with a bitter remembrance of our sins Thus the