that it was kept fourteene dayes Answ First they kept indeed a Festiuall seuen dayes ouer but it was not the Passeouer Secondly if they did celebrate the Passeouer seuen daies longer it was because many were vncleane amongst so many people who could not goe home and come again the next moneth and so they thought that it might be continued other seuen dayes so that it was extraordinary vpon that Law Num. 9. Quest 2. How these seuen dayes were celebrated Answ 1. In generall all these seuen dayes were holy Leu. 23.4 2. But yet we must distinguish betweene the first and the last day and the fiue middlemost The fiue middle were holy in these respects First because that rite of eating vnleauened bread was to be continued Secondly because on all those seuen dayes there were extraordinary sacrifices to be offered proper to those dayes besides the continuall morning and euening sacrifice Leuit. 23.8 Numb 28.23 Thirdly because the people were to come together morning and euening to worship God and to feast together in a holy reioycing in the Lord 2. Chron. 30.22 Luk. 2.43 But the first and seuenth were in a peculiar manner and more strictly holy First because on these dayes there was an holy Assembly vers 16. Leuit. 23.7 8 Nvmb. 28.18 25. What this holy Assembly was see Nehem. 8.2 3 5 c. Secondly in regard that they were not to doe any seruile worke on these dayes vers 16. to the end they might haue the more liberty to worship God and not to be tyred and wearied with labour on the fiue dayes Vers 15. For whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vntill the seuenth that soule shall be cut off from Israel THe last thing to be considered is the necessity of this Sacrament of the Passeouer and so consequently of the Lords Supper instituted in the roome thereof That there was a necessary obseruation of it appeares in two respects First because it was expressely and simply commanded of the Lord vers 14. Secondly because of the penalty laid vpon those that should wilfully neglect or contemne it vers 15. for although onely this particular Rite of vnleauened bread be here expressed yet by a Synecdoche wee must vnderstand it of the whole Ordinance so that the contempt or neglect is not onely of this rite but of the whole Ordinance as appeares by comparing this with Numb 9.13 That we may more distinctly see wherein this necessity consists we are to consider in generall that a thing is then said to be necessary without which another thing cannot bee Now this is vsed in two respects first for a thing that is absolutely necessary without which a thing cannot possibly be so as are the causes of things said to be necessary Thus Christs death is absolutely necessary for our saluation Secondly it is taken for that which is necessary by consequence for the better effecting and more easie performance of a thing The Sacraments are necessary not as causes for then should they giue grace and saluation But they are necessary as a meanes of saluation and that also not simply for so is Faith the meanes and this commeth by hearing of the Word but in these two respects first because God hath commanded them they are his ordinances to trie our obedience and so although we should reape no benefit by them yet were we to obserue them Secondly in regard of our need because we are carnall and are most moued with things obiected to our senses not so much apprehending spirituall mysteries and therefore for the helpe of our vnderstanding and strengthening of our Faith God ordained the Sacraments that so more particularly wee might apply Christ to our selues Therefore wee must distinguish betweene the outward signes and the thing signified Christ is that which the Sacrament represents now to feed on Christ to celebrate this Passeouer for so is he called is absolutely necessary without which no saluation Ioh. 6.53 But as for the Elements and other Rites they are necessary but in part not as causes nor as meanes simply without which there were no partaking of Christ but in regard of Gods command and our better helpe In the Penalty obserue first the Extent thereof secondly the Persons against whom it is denounced 1. The Extent is in these words that person shall be cut off from Israel To take this in the largest extent it setteth forth three things First that those that offend against this charge shall bee separated from the communion and fellowship of the people of God and so be accounted as Heathen men 1. Cor. 5. last alludeth hereunto Secondly the taking of them cleane from the face of the earth either ordinarily by the sword of the Magistrate for so this cutting off is taken Exod. 31.14 15. or extraordinarily by the hand of God Thirdly a depriuation of saluation and debarring from life eternall a cutting off from hauing fellowship with the body of Christ hereafter because here they so little regarded the communion of his members as Psal 69.28 2. The persons against whom this iudgement is threatned are plainely set downe Numb 9.10 13. Where we see that if vrgent causes did hinder any one God in that case did dispense with him but if when he might conueniently keepe the Passeouer and was not hindered by the prouidence of God he did then neglect it then was he liable to this punishment We see therefore that the Iewes were bound in conscience to the obseruation of the Passeouer as they also did vers 28. and in times succeeding when they were growne carelesse or had forgotten the ordinances of God we see that godly Kings considering the great necessity of it had great care to restore it to its former obseruation as Iosiah and Hezekiah 2. Chro. 30. To apply this to our selues seeing that there is as great necessity of our Sacraments as of these of the Iewes as great a penalty denounced against the wilfull contemuers and neglecters of ours as of theirs we haue as great need of these helpes as they and as great benefit redounds to vs as to them it followes that we are as strictly bound vnto the obseruation of the Sacraments as they were and therefore we are not to thinkâ— it a matter arbitrary and left at our choise but to make conscience to come when God by his Minister doth inuite vs. 2. Againe as here is condemned all wilfull profanation and contempt of the Sacraments so likewise is reproued that superstitious conceit that many haue of the necessity of it who if they be sicke will haue the Sacrament brought to them c. AN EXPOSITION VPON THE THIRTIETH PSALME Psal 30.2 In whose Spirit there is no guile GVile is a spirituall deceit whereby a man deceiues himselfe before God in the matter of his saluation The kinds of it may bee reduced to foure heads 1. Guile in respect of Gods fauour when a man is deceiued by a false perswasion that he is in the fauour and loue
verie Temple And thus should they that haue authoririe be carefull to prouide such things as are fit in the Church c. for the setting forth of the worship of God 2 The Name Bethesda a house of pouring out wherby it should appeare that the poole was not of standing water but such as came running in in great abundance from some Spring head but in the Syriack it is called Bethehesda by adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is a vsuall thing in translating of such words as haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them into Greeke to leaue out that letter This signifieth a house of mercie which name might be giuen vnto it in remembrance of this gracious worke of the Lord in giuing such vertue to this water and this shewes the care of the people to retaine in memorie the workes of the Lord. Thus did Abraham for the sauing of his sonne Isaac Gen. 22.14 and Iacob Gen. 28.19 3 The Roomes Fiue Porches or Galleries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth a spacious place to walke in These were made for the reliefe and good of those poore people that they might be drie from winde and weather because they were to tarrie a great while before they could be healed and according as the number of them did increase so they builded mo porches There were fiue porches This is recorded as a commendable worke of charitie for our imitation that God hauing giuen vs abundance we should in thankfulnesse to him and charitie to relieue them that want bestow something on the poore Vers 3. In these lay a great multitude of sicke folke of blinde halt and withered waiting for the mouing of the water Vers 4. For an Angell went downe at a certaine season into the poole and troubled the water whosoeuer then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoeuer diseâ—se he 〈◊〉 FOurthly the companie which was there which is described first by their number secondly their condition thirdly the end of their being there 1 Their number is expressed when it is said that there was a great multitude which shewes that in those dayes they were many whom the Lord scourged and laid his heauie hand on them as may appeare by this and also in that notwithstanding Christ did daily cure so manie yet still many more resorted vnto him This came to passe first because of their owne sinne secondly for the manifestation of Gods power and glorie now at the comming of Christ thirdly that it being a thing so common euerie one might the better apply it to himselfe and take notice of his owne condition 2 Their condition their distrâ—sses are here said to be of foure kinds there were first sicke folke weake and feeble persons such as were vnable to helpe themselues and so weakned through sicknesse that they were past ordinarie cure secondly Blinde thirdly Halt fourthly Withered all which diseases could not be cured by ordinary meanes This is first to shew that this cure was miraculous secondly hereby God would pull downe the pride of the Iewes that euen in the middest of their glorious citie such a companie of distressed persons was to be seene as a spectacle of their own condition which vse we are to make of the sicke that are amongst vs thirdly it shewes the great goodnesse and pitty of Christ that he would come amongst them which teacheth vs also not to cast our eyes asquint vpon poore sicke persons but rather to goe vnto them if we haue any meanes of helpe like the Samaritan 3 The end why they lay here which was to wait for the mouing of the water and the reason of this end is in the fourth verse that by stepping into the water at such a time they might be cured Hence we learn That they who were distâ—essed in body had a care to vse the meanes of recouerie So we see when Christ did manifest himselfe to haue diuine power to cure diseases how all such as were sick resorted vnto him and the reason was because they were sensible of their bodily diseases To apply this to our spirituall diseases this condemnes vs that we being sicke and dead in sinne doe not yet regard the meanes of cure The reason of their wayting set downe vers 4. contains the story of a great miracle whereof there are two parts 1. the meanes of working this cure which was troubled water 2 the meanes of attaining to it viz the stepping in In the meanes of working this cure first there was water vsed Hence to omit the allegories of some vpon this place why water is here vsed in generall we may learne That God doth vse meanes in the working of his extraordinary workes Not but that he could doe them without meanes but it so pleaseth him to vse them for the triall of our obedience and it teacheth vs to bee carefull in the vse of all meanes that God hath appointed for the effecting of any thing Secondly it was Troubled water Now troubled waters are not wholsome and good for cure as cleere waters are but this was â—o 〈◊〉 Gods â—xâ—â—aordinarie power and that the cure came from him not from the water Hence the Doctrine is That God can make any meanes powerfull for the effecting of that which hee will haue done yea though the things bee neuer so vnlikely and contrary as wood to bring vp iron 2. Kings 6 6. Salt to make water sweet 2. Kings 2.21.22 Clay and spittle to cure the blinde For the worke is only from the Lord and not from the meanes but God doth it to draw our minds from the meanes to the consideration of a higher author Wherefore we are not to tye Gods power vnto the meanes or in those meanes that God hath appointed to dispute of the fitnesse and goodnesse of them as Naaman did To apply this to the meanes of saluation it teacheth vs to consider the ordinance of God and not the weaknesse of the meanes The want of which consideration made both Iewes Gentiles to stumble at the Gospel of Christ and not to râ—ape that benefit by the ministery of the Apostles as otherwise they might 3. The Cause of the troubling of the water is here expressed to bee an Angel Some reade the text an Angel of God but that he was so is plainly implyed by this diuine and good worke whereabout hee was sent Many questions are here moued about this Angel which seeing they are but curiosities and meere coniectures wee will omit In general we may learn That God hath made these glorious Angels to be his ministers for the good of men so are they called ministring Spirits and so we reade they were sent from time to time to the children of God to comfort to defend them c. But a particular reason of the sending of an Angell here was that they might know that the vertue to cure came not from the goodnesse of the water but that it was a diuine worke seeing that the water
other misorders is sinne Secondly that the seeming good things that come to the wicked are indeed euill things and turne to their destruction And those euill things that come to the godly are indeed good to them and turne to their benefit Thirdly Many things in this world seeme to fall out crosly to the end that we might looke for that general iudgement when euerie thing shall bee ordered according to iustice and right 2. If it be obiected that it doth not beseeme the Maiesty of God to haue regard to small and base things I answer The smallnes of such things doth not so much debase his care and prouidence as the infinite number of them doth magnifie his wonderfull wisdome and power in disposing of them The vse in briefe is First To refute all Atheists and Epicures Secondly to teach vs to looke vp vnto him to depend vpon him to cast our selues on him to look for a blessing from him whatsoeuer the meanes be that we vse c. The Second point is the likenes Idenity or Samenes of the Sonne with the father Christ here proues that his power and authority is one and the same with the fathers because the effects of both are one and the same The Doctrine in generall is That Christ is equall with the Father This himselfe plainely expresseth vers 19. and it is manifest in regard of the effects which are attributed to both ioyntly as Heb. 1.2 touching the creation and to either of them as the creation of the world to the sonne Ioh. 1.3 and redemption to the father So the sending of the holy Ghost to the Father Ioh. 14.26 and to the Sonne Ioh. 15.26 and 16.7 this equality is plainely expressed Ioh. 1.1 and Philip. 2.6 Vse 1. To refute all heretickes denying him to be God 2. It confirmes the former vses drawen from the title Father and it shewes that he is to be worshipped as God the Father Heb. 1.6 3. To strengthen our faith in the maine point of religion viz. redemption by Christ that we may be fully perswaded of the infinity and all-sufficiency of his merites Consider now the maine End and Scope for which Christ alleadgeth this he doth it as we heard to defend himselfe against the Pharisees who excepted against that worke which he had done on the Sabbath His defence is grounded First on his owne authority Secondly on the goodnesse of the work God worketh saith he euery day on the Sabbath also and is blamelesse But I haue the same authority that God hath therefore I am not to be blamed Hence this Doctrine ariseth First from the proposition that God cannot breake his Law The Sabboth was not here violated because in this act God did worke with Christ The grounds of it are 1. God is Lord of his Law and not tied vnto it for he gaue it vnto his creatures not to himselfe 2. Gods will is the rule of goodnesse of lawfull and vnlawfull 3. The absolute perfection and goodnesse of God that hee cannot goe against it denying or thwarting himselfe Some obiections are made against this as Gen. 22. Where God commands Abraham to kill his sonne and Exod. 12. Where the Children of Israel are bidden to borrow of the Aegyptians Iewels c. To these I answer First That these are not against the law for the former example there was no fact done nor any intent and purpose of a fact to be done but was only a triall In the latter the word which wee reade borrowed signifieth also to aske or require So that they asked of the Egyptians these and these things and the Aegyptians gaue them vnto the Israelites freely and God did so extraordinarily worke vpon the hearts of the Aegyptians that they gaue them their chiefe thinges 2. I answer That God is Lord of life and death to take life from man when he will And as he hath power so also he hath right to doe it Now God forbids the taking away of life when we haue right so to doe God therefore may command any one to be the instrument of doing this Secondly So also had God an absolute power ouer the goods of the Aegyptians to to dispose of them as he pleased Besides consider the equity of this fact First equity did require in regard of that sore bondage wherein they held them that they should make them some recompence Secondly the Aegyptians enioyed their labour and this deserued wages Thirdly They reaped much good by the Israelites who builded them cities c. And therefore it was iust and equall that they should be rewarded Another Obiect is out of Hosea 1.2 but to this I Answer that it was but a vision and no fact and the Prophet only declareth vnto the people that thus and thus was done in a vision to set forth vnto them their estate what they were like vnto 2. From the Inference or conclusion ariseth this Doctrine That neither Christ can breake the Law of God and that vpon the same grounds as the former so hee is said to bee the Lord of the Sabbath Vse 1 To shew vnto vs that whatsoeuer Christ did in subiecting of himselfe to the Law it was for our sakes So Gal. 1.14 which is spoken in regard of a voluntary submission as a pledge and suretie for vs. Obiect But what if hee had broken the Law had hee not been subiect to punishment as other men Answ This is a supposition of an absolute impossibility and therefore not to be made 2. To teach vs that what God and Christ did by the absolute goodnes and perfection of their nature that we should endeauour to doe in being pliable to his law and subiecting our selues to it because it is agreeable to his will Lastly from the goodnes of the worke that it was a Diuine worke and so Lawfull This Doctrine doth arise Workes tending to the honour of God are proper to the Sabbath Verse 18. Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not only because he had broken the Sabbath but sayd also that God was his Father making himselfe equall with God IN this verse is layd downe a violent opposition against the former Apolagies The branches of it are two First The manner of the opposition Secondly The Causes In the manner note First The Kinde of this Oposition they sought to Kill him Secondly the Extent the more In the Kind note this Doctrine arising from it that the aduersaries of the truth labour to suppresse the truth not by force of argument but by persecution Thus did the old Iewes with the Prophets casting them into Prison and killing them but yet not discouering any error in their Preachings as 2. Chron. 24.21 So dealt Herod with Iohn Baptist and the Iewes with the Apostle Act. 4.16 So haue Heathen men and Heretikes alwaies done towards godly Martyrs and so doe Papists where they get the vpper hand Reason hereof is First The euidence of truth which is such that it cannot by soundnesse of argument bee
second institution of the Passeouer when it was ordained to an anniuersary rite they are not repeated nor yet were performed by Christ when he did abrogate the same And this we may obserue that there may be rites in the first institution of ordinances which are not of perpetuall vse So in this Passeouer they were to keepe their houses and to sprinkle the blood onely at this time because at this time onely the destroyer was to passe by and likewise to eate it in such haste because now onely they were to bee gone out of Egypt on a sudden So in the Lords Supper Christ vsed vnleauened bread because at that time there was no leauened bread to be eaten also he celebrated it at euening because it was immediately to succeede the Passeouer which was eaten at Euen So hee sate at the Lords Supper hauing sate before after the fashion of the Countrey at the Passeouer A rule to know when such rites are occasionall as if they be not expressed in the words of the institution of the ordinances Seeing therefore the gesture of sitting is neither by the Euangelists nor Saint Paul repeating the institution expressely set downe wee are herein to submit our selues to the orders appointed by the Church Vers 14. And this day shall be vnto you for a memoriall and you shall keepe it a Feast to the Lord throughout your generations you shall keepe it a Feast by an ordinance for euer 14. Seuen dayes shall yee eate vnleauened bread euâ—n the first day yee shall put leauen out of your houses for whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day to the seuenth day that soule shall be cut off from Israel 16. And in the first day there shall be an holy Conuocation and in the seuenth day there shall be an holy Conuocation to you no manner of worke shall be done in them saue that which euery man must eate that onely may be done of you COncerning the time of the celebration of the Passeouer we are to note first the beginning secondly the continuance 1. In the beginning obserue first vpon what occasion it was ordained secondly on what time of the yeere celebrated First the occasion was that great deliuerance from Pharaoh and that bondage wherein the Egyptians held them the same night that this deliuerance was to bee sent this Passeouer was instituted God so disposing of it first in regard of himselfe to shew that this deliuerance came from him in that euery thing came to passe according as he had before signified Secondly in regard of the people to strengthen their faith and hope that seeing all things accomplished according to this signe they might beleeue in God and haue their hearts enlarged to praise and trust in him Secondly the time of the yeere on which it was celebrated is set downe vers 18. In the first moneth that is in the Spring time answering in part to our March The fourteenth day of the moneth at the full of the Moone after the Spring Equinoctiall God making choice of this time that euen the time might stirre vp their hearts and encourage them to hope for a deliuerance Also it was a type of Christ whose comming brought with it the Spring of grace of knowledge and illumination c. Quest Here a question may be moued whether they were strictly bound to obserue alwaies this time and no other Answ To this we answer in generall that they were not so strictly tied vnto this time as that vpon no occasion it might be altered This appeares by that story which is recorded Numb 9. vers 6. to 14. Out of which we may note these points First that God requires not impossibilities of his children but doth dispense euen with his owne ordinances in case of necessity as here in case of legall vncleanenesse by burying a dead man God gaue them liberty to alter the time vnto another moneth So in the wildernesse was Circumcision because of the vncertainty of their iourneyes and so there may be many necessary occasions to hinder a man from the Sacrament and so I doubt not but if a man that hath long lyen bedâ—ed should haue a feruent desire to receiue the Communion the place might be altered and it might be celebrated in a priuate house there being company sufficient to make a Congregation the like may be said of Baptisme Secondly that it is better to forbeare for a time then being vnprepared to come to the Sacrament Against this may bee obiected the example of those that came vnpared to the Passeouer 2. Chron. 30.17 18. But wee answer that God shewed his displeasure at this in that he plagued them ver 20. although at the prayer of Hezekiah and their own repentance no doubt he healed them Also they had honest hearts and did this in ignorance wherefore hee passed by their infirmity Now if there might bee Legall vncleannesse without sinne and yet those that were thus vncleane might not come to the Passeouer much more ought wee that are indeed defiled with sinne abstaine for a time lest being vnprepard we make the Sacrament vnfruitfull vnto vs and an occasion of bringing iudgement vpon vs 1. Cor. 11.28 Thirdly that we doe not wittingly and willingly hinder our selues from the Table of the Lord. For these men were grieued that they could not come as appeares by their complaint to Moses which shewes they were necessarily hindred And vers 13. wee see a great iudgement threatned against such as might come and did neglect it Wherefore it must be a matter of necessity that hinders vs and not euery pretext that wee make vnto our selues So likewise many will make themselues vnfit by continuing in malice and anger against others by which meanes they continue still in impenitency and also shew their light esteeme of Gods ordinance Fourthly that if we be necessarily hindred at one time wee labour to make it vp at another hereby shewing our true desire and religious care 2. Concerning the continuance of the Passeouer we are to note first how long it lasted at once for the celebration of it Secondly how long it lasted in the continuall succession of it from yeere to yeere Concerning the former it was celebrated seuen whole daies vers 15. to the end that it being a great ordinance a memoriall of a great benefit and a type of a greater it might haue a solemne celebration Now it was kept seuen dayes because it was iust seuen dayes before their full deliuerance accomplished for the first day they came out of Egypt and the seuenth they passed ouer the Red Sea Here two questions may be asked First whether they might increase or diminish the number of these dayes Answ No they might not alter the dayes to the end that the mystery might be alwayes had in remembrance and be an occasion to declare vnto their children when they should aske them the reason of them all the circumstances of that deliuerance But in the 2. Chron. 30.23 we reade