Note well Wonder not that the Innocency of Christ's Servants are now railed at by Rascals when Christ himself was so whom none could convince of sin John 8.46 The Third Grand Remark is Christ's carriage upon the Cross during the six hours of his hanging thereon which consists of several branches the first is his praying for his Enemies Luke 23.34 Where The 1st Note or Mark is Christ is held forth to be an Intercessor with his Prayer as well as a Redeemer with his Blood as he hung upon the Cross and do the efficacy of his Prayer Acts 2.36 The Father forgave them when those very Nails which they had pierced Christ's Hands and Feet with now pricked their Hearts and made them cry out not What shall we say But What shall we do ver 37. that they might â—e saved c. Their Repenting and Believing was the Return of Dying Jesus his Interceeding Prayer So let us pray for our Enemies The 2d Mark is That Christ should Pray for such Enemies as had so notoriously â—â—based Abused and Injured him and still persisted in their villanous cruelties toward him Behold the Man thas praying with his Face all swell'd by their Barbâ—râ—ns Blows and Buffetings with his Shoulders all torn by their scourging Whipâ— and with his Head and Hands and Feet all trickling down with his precious Blood by the Thorns and Nails that wounded all those parts and for such as had not only taken away his Garments but were also taking away his Life even then when he was bleeding by them to death The 3d Mark is That Christ should take all this care to pray for such murdering miscreants before he took care for his own dear Mother to be after mentioned as it falleth out after this in order of time he prays his Enemies who seemeâ— a People of God's Curse out of a state of Damnation into a state of Salvation so many of them as were ordained to Life before he provides for his blessed Mother Behold was ever any love like his love to Enemies c The 4th Mark is He pray'd for pardoning Grace in their behalf Father forgive them this was no Foot-stool mercy but a throne-Throne-Mercy the best of all kinds of Mercy for the worst of all kinds of miserable Sinners even for such as were putting to Death the Lord of Life c. N. B. Note well Let none therefore despond nor none such Sinners despair of pardoning Mercy The 5th Mark is He grounded his praying for them upon their Ignorance They know not what they do therefore Father forgive them ignorance excuseth a tanto but not a toto it self is a Sin yet Sins of Ignorance are lesser Sins than Sins against Knowledge especially when it is Invincible and not Affected Ignorance then God winks at it Acts 17.30 and such may find mercy as sinful Saul did 1 Tim. 1.13 N. B. Note well Oh that all sorts of Sinners would consider that in Swearing Quaffing Whoring c. They know what they do c. The 6th Mark from this first branch of Christ's praying for his Enemies is His prayer was so powerful and effectual for them that within fifty days after it no fewer than eight thousand of those Enemies were converted through the efficacy of it by the word Acts 2.41 speaks of three thousand and Acts 4.4 of five thousand more though some say this latter number was but an Addition of two thousand to the former three thousand suppose it so though others think them distinct numbers yet no fewer than five thousand should repent by vertue of this single prayer to Christ for them is much God hears him always John 11.42 N. B. Note well Oh happy is that Soul friend or foe that hath an Interest in his Prayer The Second Branch of Christ's Carriage upon the Cross was his care for Friends as well as his prayer for Foes He was now hanging upon the Cross in the greatest Dolour imaginable yet in the midst of his Misery cannot forget his Mother but takes care for her Weal after his Decease John 19.26 27. commending her to John his Disciples care Here again we have these few Marks 1st The Occasion The Mother of Jesus with other Godly Matrons creeped as nigh the Cross of Christ as she could get ver 25. Jesus saw her standing there with an heavy heart Then was fulfilled old Simeon's Prophecy concerning both the Mother and the Son Luke 2.34 35. as the Son was now become a Sign much spoken against and basely abused by Wicked Men whose Villanous Thoughts were now discovered So the Mother stood now with a Sword of Sorrow pierced through her own Soul in beholding her Son under such exquisite Torments And John the Disciple whom Jesus loved most tenderly though He loved them all to the end John 13.1 23. stood by the Cross also and was not a little Affected and Afflicted with this sad spectacle of the Tortures of his beloved Lord this was the occasion The 2d Mark is the Tenour of Christ's Speech to them both Jesus saw John as well as his Mother and bids him Take her for his Mother and bids her Take him for thy Son Christ's Tenderness towards her here is very observable not only in making Provision for her for the future but also in the Title he gives her in his speaking to her calling her Woman and not Mother not only because that Relation and Subjection to her as a Son was now done but also lest that compellation of Mother might create in her more consternation of Spirit her grief was great â—nough already by the Sword piercing through her Soul and the Title Mother might have added to her Trouble and broke her Heart out-right c. The 3d Mark is the Time as well as Tenour of Christ's Speech to his Mother c. It was when the time of Unspeakable Unconceivable Horrour and Torture was upon him for now not only the Weight of all the Sins of the whole World did Hang heavily upon Christ while he did hang by his Hands and Feet with the whole weight of his Body upon the Cross but also the heavy wrath of Heaven for satisfaction of Divine Justice for humane offences yea and the Implacable Wrath of Hell too to be Revenged on him for breaking the old Serpent's head both these lay intolerable loads upon him so that Eye hath not seen not the Ear heard nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to think what Dolour and Horrour of Torture and Torment our Dear Redeemer was in at this Juncture of Time while he hanged on the Tree notwithstanding all this that one would think he had enough to do to mind himself in his unsupportable Sufferings yet in the midst of all his own woful misery he is mindful of his dear Mother who was now a Widow and a poor Widow too destitute of subsistency and careful for her future Maintenance The 4th Mark is The effect of Christ's Speech for that purpose 't is recorded
so again ver 24. Let that abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning The Light of the Sun which shines at Noon under which we are is the same that shone in the Morning of the World to the Patriarchs c. we must follow their footsteps Heb. 6.12 A Scripture Faith and Scripture Life are the best of all And in 1 Tim. 6.20 If for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza observes from Chrysostom Basil Ambrose and Augustine there is Chrysostom's Note alledg'd by Serranus of singular use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must put away Novelties that we may avoid Vanities There is some new Light so called that darkens the Mind with Pride Vanity and Villany too like new VVines Luke 5.39 which vapour up into the Head but have neither Grace for the Heart nor Comfort for the Conscience The old way brings Life and Peace Lastly the Nature of this Covenant may be further Illustrated by its sundry Attributes and Excellencies especially Four To wit 't is 1. A Free 2. A Firm or Lasting even an Everlasting 3. A Full. 4. An Holy Covenant all which are summarily comprehended in that Text Isa 55.3 quoted by the Apostle Act. 13.34 As First 'T is Free therefore God saith there he will give he saith not he will sell his Covenant to Man and he there also calls if Mercy meer Mercy excludes all Merit This Covenant is made with sinners without Price or Hire ver 1.2 'T is a deed of gift truly so called 't is not said God sold but gave his Son Joh. 3.16 Gods Covenant with Man is not like those Covenants that are made 'twixt Man and Man wherein the one Party expects advantage Reciprocally from the other Thus Abimelech made a Covenant with Isaac Gen. 26.28 This was a benefit to both Parties For 1. Abimelech saw that God was with Isaac and therefore he could not be an Enemy to Isaac but he must be an Enemy to God and if Isaac were against him Isaac's God would be against him also Hereupon he concludes as the best Measure he could take a Covenant of Peace with him Yea 2. And Isaac was also a Gainer hereby for he gained his own Peace and peaceably enjoyed those Wells of Water about which before this there had been sundry strivings as the Names Ezek and Sitnah signifie from v. 15. to 22. till God gave him the Well Rehoboth making Rooms for him in the Land Oh! that Europes Abimelech's would wisely consider this according to Davids Counsel be wise O ye Kings Psal 2.10 So far as they are against Gods Isaac's so far they are against Isaac's God and Isaac's God against them and so they become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fighters against God himself Act. 5.39 And who ever hardned himself against God and prospered Job 9.4 Name one Man saith Job there either among Tongue-Smiters or among Hand-Smiters who hath escaped Scot-free none ever hardened his own Heart against God but God hath hardened his own Hand against him and hasten'd his Destruction Thus Abimelech whose Name signifies my Father the King secured his own Peace and the Peace of his Posterity by this Covenant v. 29. c. The like Remarks might be made upon that Covenant 'twixt the shechemites and Jacob mutual Advantage was expected each from other thereby Gen. 34.23 c. but in this Covenant of Grace God looks for no benefit by us in his with us Mans goodness extends not to God Job 22.3 tho Gods goodness extends to Man see Psal 16.2.3 'T is only to bestow his bounty on us what God doth herein he doth it freely I will love them freely saith the Lord Hos 14.4 Therefore is it called the Covenant of Grace or of free Grace and that in two respects 1st In proposing it to us Idaea Dei non advenit ei aliundè there is no motive in Man to move God in tendring his Covenant to Man 't is his own Grace his good pleasure only we come to him without Silver without Price yet may we come and be welcome and be taken into Covenant with him Isa 55.1.3 Hence this is expressed oft in Scripture by the word Nathan which in Hebrew signifies to give Gen. 17.2 Heb. I will give thee my Covenant as Act. 7.8 And thus God is said to give the Covenant of Priesthood as a gift unto Phinehas Numb 25.12 c. And thus God expresses himself he loved Israel in his Covenant for no other reason but because he loved them Deut. 7.7 8. That the Covenant is free in its being propounded to us may be further Demonstrated As 1. God gives it first to Man and not Man to God who hath given unto him first Rom. 11.35 He loves us first Joh. 15.16 1 Joh. 4.19 He is found of those that sought him not Isa 65.1 Man in the faln Estate hath nothing to give to God but what he must first receive from God 2. When God seek us first as the Man doth the Virgin for Marriage he finds neither Beauty nor Dowry to draw him as the Man may Ezek. 16.6.5.8 3. But enough God finds to debar him as 1. Unfaithfulness in the first Covenant which Adam broke and we in him Deut. 32.15 Rom. 3.22 23. and 5.14 1 Cor. 15.22 45. c. 2. Enmity against the second Covenant Rom. 8.7 Crooked cross and contrary to him as Darkness to Light Such and no better doth the Covenant find us as the Scoffing Jews Act. 2.13 37. and Raging Saul Act. 9.1 5. 4. And sometimes God chuses the worst as him 1 Tim. 1.15 the worst of Sinners Publicans and Harlots and leaves the better the righteous Pharisees behind Matth. 21.31.32 To whom he saith Friend I do thee no wrong thou hast as much as I owe thee Matth. 20.13 God is no Debtor to Man neither doth he owe any thing to any Man but will have Mercy upon whom he will Rom. 9.15 c. See Ezek. 3.7 8. Joh. 14.22 Matth. 11.23 25. 1 Sam. 12.22 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. All is from free Grace in propounding 2dly In performing it as well as promising and propounding it not as if God were free to perform or not to perform it for he cannot alter the Oath that is gone out of his Lips Psal 89.34 But though Faith Repentance and Obedience be required on our part yet consider 1. At the best and in the best those Graces can carry no proportion of Merit to the reward promised 't is still the gift of God which is Eternal Life Rom. 6.23 2. Those very Graces are promised to us and performed in us by the Covenant wherein the active part lies all upon Gods part I will be a God to you and you shall be a People to me Heb. 8.10 That is I will make you so you cannot make your selves so 3. Consider Christ is the first gift in the Covenant Is. 42.6 wherein the Father gives himself and his Son to us and with him freely gives
till he vvas avvaked out of sleep but immediately he Rose up and Address'd himself to his Business which intimates he understood his Author from the plainest manner of speaking to him vvithout any Ambiguity in so Arduous an Affair 'T is beyond all doubt that Abraham vvas fully satisfied his Call vvas from God that nothing God commandeth can be against Nature seeing God is the Author of Nature although he sometimes vvork against the ordinary course of Nature and that God having most justly inflicted Death upon all both good and bad hath a Soveraignty to take avvay any Mans Life vvhich he first giveth 't is not mans Act but Gods and therefore his special Commands herein cannot be othervvise than most Just and Righteous and though this Divine Precept seem'd to cross the Divine Promise that in Isaac Abraham's Seed should be called and multiplied c. yet Abraham's Faith conquer'd that doubt also being assured that God was able to raise up Isaac again from the Dead Heb. 11.19 Answer 3. God did not give this harsh command with any intention that Abraham should put it in Execution but 't was only to try him how far he would obey upon a bare command 't was not that he should do it but to prove him what he would do not as if God without this Experiment had been ignorant of his Sincerity but to leave it as a Pattern of Obedience to all Succeeding Ages and to hold forth that the Grace of the New Nature could conquer the Corruption of the Old this plainly sheweth how Grace overcometh Nature and how 't is an Act of pure Obedience to be carried forth against Nature upon a bare Command He that thinks nothing too good for God can be willing to Offer up all his worldly Hope and Joy to him much more his Dilecta Delicta or Darling Best-beloved Lusts though as dear as a Right Eye or a Right Hand Mat. 5.29 30. If the Lord but say He hath need of this or that Creature-Comfort much more of any cursed Corruption we must immediately lose it and let it go Mat. 21.3 We should then say to whatsoever God sends for from us Get thee hence Hosea 14.8 Yea be willing to pollute what we before did perfume Isa 30.22 We should have nothing to do any more with these Idols c. Could we but thus Offer with Abraham we should certainly rest with Abraham even in his very Bosom The second Enquiry is what were the difficulties of Abrahams duty under this Command of God The Answer brings us to the Actor and Action the two last parts of the second division The Actor Abraham meets with many difficulties in this Action of offering up Isaac there is a Climax or gradation of aggravations As 1. God saith not to him take thy Servant but thy Son man may better spare his tools he labours with than his limbs he lives by Servants Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but living tools or Instruments wherewith a Master manages his work whereas a Son is as the Juicy branch of a fruitful Tree or as a lively Member of a living Body the loss of which endangereth the life of the whole I have seen a Vine bleed uncessantly upon the lopping of its branches at Spring-time which might have bled to death had I not taken care to staunch its bleeding and some have known the cutting off even of a mortified member in the living part thereof to prevent a gangrene hath caused the party to die Oh then what a Cutting Killing Command was this to Abraham Take not thy Servant but thy Son 2. Thy only Son Had he had many Sons the Tryal had been more bearable but when it was his one and all his only Son Ishmael being now under Abdication and Expulsion Gen. 21.14 Here was another aggravation For a Tree to have but one Branch and to have that lopped off for a Body to have but one member and to have that dismember'd Oh how intolerable is this for both these to be made as empty Trunks and Insignificant Carcases 3. Yet higher whom thou lovest Gen. 22.2 Isaac was a gracious and dutiful Son obebedient both to his Earthly and to his Heavenly Father and therefore Abraham did love him the more had he been some graceless Son his grief had been the less 4. Higher than that Isaac was the Son of Gods promise in him shall thy seed be called So he was the Son of all his Fathers hope of Posterity yet his expectation hereof and of the accomplishment of Gods promise given to relieve him when his mouth was out of tast with all his other mercies as Victory Gen. 14. Protection and Provision Gen. 15.1 He could take no joy in his former Conquest or present promise because Childless v. 2. must by this means be cut off in the offering up of Isaac 5. Still higher ipse primus Author inusitati exempli c. Saith Philo Abraham must be the first Author of such an unparallell'd practice in Sacrificing to God Mans-Flesh To be first in a strange road and to walk in an untrodden path is unsafe and uncomfortable Especially In such an unnatural a matter under all the foregoing yea and the following circumstances 6. He is Commanded to kill his own dear Son with his own holy hands had he been bid to Sacrifice his Servant Eleazar of Damascus Gen. 15.2 Or had this Servant been bid to be Isaac's Executioner for Abraham the Tryal had been less grievous No it must be done with his own hand to his own and only beloved Son 7. He must offer him up also as a burnt offering so that no relick or remainder no Monument or Memorial of him must remain or be reserved but the whole of him must be all burnt to ashes 8. He must himself cut him in pieces lay them limb by limb orderly upon the Altar after the manner of a Sacrifice and himself must make and attend the Fire putting piece after piece in when any was out this was an hard and heavy task until all were consumed 9. Neither was he to do this seeming Barbarous Act immediately while the Divine Command had a fresh impression upon him and while he could have no time to consult with carnal reason but he must take a three days Journey before it was done which was a great while and way for him to go plodding and considering what he was going about e're he came to the place assuredly he could not want some woful misgivings of heart had not his brains been better busied than many of ours would have been in the like case Oh how would our minds have been torn in sunder with horribly distracting Thoughts had our Souls been in his Souls stead yea no doubt but Abraham as a man would rather have torn out his own heart with his own hand than to have done all this to his Isaac had it been put to his own free choice 10. Neither must this Tragedy be acted in some secret
compleat Compendium of the Gospel that the Work is accepted for the Persons sake not contrà The second Instance in Scripture is Judg 13.22 23. Manoah said to his Wife We shall surely die This Opinion did grow as 't is supposed upon that ground There shall no man see me and live Exod. 33.20 Though what they saw was Merchabah velo Rocheba The Chariot in which God Rode but not the Rider as the Rabbins phrase is which Jacob and Moses had seen before these two But his Wife having the stronger Faith shores up her fainting Husbands Faith with three strong Arguments wherein she reasoneth from the Acceptance of their Oblation to the Acceptance of their Person saying If the Lord-would slay our Persons he would not have accepted an Offering at our hands c. where she excellently argueth 1. That seeing God had accepted the Sacrifice which himself had commanded 2. Had Ascended up marvelously in the flame of it And 3. Had promised them that before they died they should have a Son who would begin to Deliver Israel c. All which were not signs of his Anger but of his Favour to their Persons The cogency of her whole Discourse lieth thus seeing in the Covenant of Grace the Person must be accepted before the Action or Oblation when the Offering is accepted then is the Person or Offerer much more The third Instance in Scripture is 1 Kings 18.23 24 29 38. Two Bullocks were provided for discerning the True God from False Gods the one for Baal's Prophets to sacrifice to their Gods the other was for the Lord's Prophet Elijah The former had the first choice they took one of the Bullocks which they best liked Elijah grants all the Advantages to prevent all pretences that their God was sullen and therefore silent both of them offered the same kind of Sacrifice and if either were better than the other the Priests of Baal certainly chose it the Priviledge was theirs as to both Dignity and Priority Elijah's Sacrifice did not differ from theirs either in matter or manner notwithstanding his was accepted and theirs rejected because God had no pleasure in their Persons as he had in him Actions are accepted from Persons that be purified Inference 1. Woe and alas to those yet in the Old Adam and under the Covenant of Works let such bring to God a thousand of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil all their Devotion is but a beautiful Abomination Isa 66.3 God saith to them I have no pleasure in your Persons neither will I at your hands accept any Oblations Mal. 1.10 I regard not your selves therefore I respect not your Services To the wicked God saith What hast thou to do c. Psal 50.16 2. Those in the Covenant of Grace are comforted that a Cup of cold Water is acceptable from them more than the many good works the Pharisee boasts of he had done Luke 18.12 If God hath accepted your Persons your Works though never so weak shall be accepted also Jacob sought the Blessing by wrong means yet though God loved not lying which might have brought a Curse rather than a Blessing God saith Jacob have I loved hence his frailty is pardoned and the blessing procured The Fourth Difference is the Covenant of works is call'd foedus favoris pactum Amicitiae a Covenant of Favour and Friendship but the Covenant of Grace is call'd Faedus Redemptionis ceu Reconciliationis pactum misericordiae the Covenant of Redemption and Reconciliation of Peace and Mercy The former was made between the Creator and the Creature when neither party was at variance but the latter was made between a Sin-Revenging God and a Sin-Committing Man or a Rebellious Sinner both these Covenants God made with Man in Paradise according to Adam's double State while he was placed therein First In his state of Innocency wherein there was then no variance betwixt God and Man yet this is well called a Covenant of Favour and Friendship for God as he is Creator hath an absolute Soveraignty over Man his Creature as the Potter hath Power over the Clay c Adams best of Beings next to Angels his noble Nature Life and Dominion over all Created things were all undeserved Favours bestowed by his Maker upon him who might have made him a Worm and not a Man yea he might have given to Adam an Image much Inferiour to the Image of God which consists in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness Gen. 1.26 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 All these flowed from God to Man ex gratiâ favoris from a Divine Friendship to him more especially his entring into a Covenant with him being a free Agent and under no obligation to do so In the five first Verses of Job 4.1 the great God proposeth some posing Facetious and Ironical Questions to that poor mortal man Job concerning that great Sea-Monster the Whale amongst others this is one he asks him will he make a Covenant with thee to wit will he compound where he cannot Conquer no he scorns it as a thing Infinitely below him the Hebrew reading is will he cut a Covenant with thee alluding to Jer. 34.18 cutting the Calf in Twain and the contracters passing between to bind the correspondency of their Wills and themselves to be so cut in pieces in case of either failure no his Stomach is too stout to stoop thus low Oh then how much lower did the Great God stoop in so Voluntarily without any Natural Necessity upon him binding Himself to Man as well as Man to Himself in a Covenant this was wonderful condescension seeing the distance 'twixt the VVhale and Job though it was vast yet was it but Finite as 'twixt one Creature and another but the distance 'twixt God and Man the Creator and the Creature is Infinite The Psalmist calls it Gods humbling himself in vouchsafing to look out of himself upon the Angels in Heaven Psal 113.4 5 6. how much more low condescension it is in the most high God to look out of himself upon Man made a little lower than the Angels Psal 8.5 and to enter into a Covenant with him wherein that Man might not think much as if God were an Austere Master to yield ready Obedience he is pleas'd to engage himself in promising an Honourable recompence even in this very Law-Covenant in the State of Integrity there were overtures of Divine Favour As 1. That Man was not made something else worse than Man but made his Master-Piece in the whole Creation as before in the Image of his Maker who might have made him a Toad or other loathsome Creature 2. That God gave all Creatures to Man for his use and ease the Horse to ride upon and the Fruits of the Earth c. to feed upon Man should not look upon his borrowed Body and his borrowed Soul yea all that he is or has but he must seriously reflect in admiring and adoring Divine Favour and its out-goings in all they are all the good gifts
Righteousness Deut 9.4 6. but Gods Grace saves me Tit. 3.4 5. The time would fail to speak of all the Differences how the Two Covenants have a sixth Difference in their differing Objects the first was made with Man in his state of Perfection before the Fall while he was without sin but the second was given to Man in his state of Imperfection and Impotency after the Fall And when he was drowned in sin in which state the conditions of the first Covenant are become impossible to be fulfilled by Man though they were possible while he was potent and perfect Rom. 8.3 Isa 48.8 1 Kings 8.46 Prov. 20.9 and 30.12 Eccles 7.20 c. 1 John 1.8 c. Thus the Two Covenants differ'd in Time as well as in Object the one being before and the other after the Fall How may this provoke Men to come from under the Law which is an hard Master and imposeth an heavy yoke Acts 15.10 and the first Covenant which hath impossible as well as unbearable conditions and get under the second Covenant out of Adam into Christ the conditions whereof by the Influence of Grace which the first wanted are possible and whose yoke is easie Mat. 11.29 30. Note 1. Well were they called foolish Galatians Gal. 3.1 because they desired to be under the Law Gal. 4.21 They had more than a Months mind to put themselves under that cruel Taskmaster which requir'd such a Tale of Brick but found no Straw c. though the Grace of the Gospel was reveal'd to them yet were they ambitious of Slavery yea of plain Beggery as 't is call'd ver 9. being willing to live and die under that Covenant they were Born under this is a desire too Universal being but Natural and Connatural to all to continue in that Estate wherein they are Bred as well as Born this is that which makes so many rejoice in their state of Bondage as knowing no better and Dance as it were end-ways to Hell with severe yet insensible Bolts upon the Feet of their Souls Note 2. Though the Covenant of Grace be through Grace possible in fulfilling its conditions of Faith and Repentance yet in the Covenant of Works 't is impossible to accomplish any compleat Obedience in the state of corruption and therefore to suppose a Man may now be saved thereby is tantamount to suppose either a New Creation of Man or that Man is not faln but is still in his state of perfection as Adam was at first and by consequence that Man hath no need of Gods Covenant of Grace as then Adam had not so the Doctrine of Perfection is a Lying Doctrine The seventh Difference is Those Two Covenants have differing Foundations the first was founded upon the Free Will of the first Adam the second is grounded upon the Free Grace and fulness of Grace in the second Adam our Dear Redeemer Hence it is 1. That God deals alike with the like in the first Covenant yet puts a difference betwixt such as are alike in the second The first Covenant is a Covenant of Justice the second of Mercy now Justice is due but Mercy is free God saith I will have mercy upon whom I will but saith not I will deal justly with whom I will for he cannot deal unjustly with any The Judge of all the Earth will do right Gen. 18.25 for his passing of judgment is the last and highest Appeal but he will have mercy upon whom he will Rom. 9.15 for Mercy is his own and he may do what he will with his own and Mans Eye must not be evil because his is good Mat. 20.14 15. therefore 't is the method of Divine Mercy to be oft manifested upon the most unworthy and to prefer the younger before the Elder as Jacob before Esau Ephraim before Manasseh and the Gentiles the younger Brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Luke 15.12 25. before the Jews the elder Yea the Free Grace of God doth oft take hold of the most graceless and he sheweth Mercy to the vilest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 finding as many Motives to draw it forth in the worst as in the best by Nature whereas according to the first Covenant where there is no difference in Work there Justice makes no difference in Wages and seeing the works of all Mankind are evil in Adam who was the publick Person the Parliament-Man representing the whole Country of his Posterity and the Foundation of the first Covenant therefore the second Covenant finds all alike Sinners and Objects of Justice yet sheweth Mercy to some as it pleaseth God Rom. 9.12 18 20. Mic. 7.18 Hence it is 2. That one sin broke the Covenant of Works but many sins will not break the Covenant of Grace 'T was but one offence in Adam that brought guilt and condemnation upon himself and upon all his Posterity but the Gift of Grace and Mercy in the second Covenant is of many offences unto Justification Rom. 5.16 Not many sins before our Conversion nor many sins after it can break this Covenant Psal 89.31 34. Take here a short Recapitulation of the aforesaid differences between the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace 1. They differ in Terms the former being Conditional but the latter Absolute 2. In Means the second being with a Mediator but the first without one 3. In Manner the first accepts the Action and then the Person but the second accepts the Person first and then the Action 4. In the Measure there was indeed great Grace and undeserved favour in the former but there is far greater Grace yea the greatest of all in the latter 5. In the Matter the first puts Mans Life and Salvation into his own hands leaving him to himself and to manage it by his own Strength but the second puts them into the hands of Christ Col. 3.3 who is able to save Psal 89.19 Isa 33.22 yea to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 6. In the object as well as in the Subject or Matter the first was made with Man while Sinless and Holy but the second when he became Sinful and Unholy c. 7. In the Foundation the first was founded upon the Free VVill of Man but the second upon the Free Grace of God This may help both Understanding and Memory The Eighth Difference is they differ in their Duration the first Covenant is in some sound sense abolished Col. 2.14 c. but this second abideth for ever Indeed the Covenant of VVorks stands in force upon all Men out of Christ to all Eternity For 1. By that Covenant Sin is imputed and the Curse of that Covenant is inflicted for ever 2. All that now remain under the first Covenant in a Christless condition are still under the Curse of that Covenant and thereby perish for ever yet the first Covenant is utterly abolished by Christ to all that are in him as their representative Head 'T is necessary to observe for a right understanding of this great Truth that the Covenant of
to Everlasting Psal 90.2 Gen. 17.7 13. Jer. 32.40 Isa 55.3 Heb. 13.20 hence 't is call'd a stablish'd Covenant Gen. 17.7 and a Covenant of Salt 2 Chron. 13.5 because it stands fast Psal 89.28 and faileth or corrupteth not as the things that are Salted last long Hereupon all the Blessings of this Covenant are call'd Everlasting As 1. Pardon Jer. 31.33 2. Joy Isa 35.10 3. Life Joh. 3.16 And 4. Salvation Isa 45.17 for all flows from an Everlasting Fountain the unchangeable God Mal. 3.5 and all are manag'd in an Everlasting Channel by an unchangeable Mediator Heb. 13.8 who brings in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 And how should this 1. Refresh us and Relieve us against the Cor-dolium's and Discouragements both of Desertion and Death neither of which can put an end to this Everlasting Covenant And 2. Ravish us also seeing David was Ravish'd with Covenant Mercy made known to him only for a great while to come that is so far as Christs time 2 Sam. 7.18 19. How much more we for Covenant Mercy the sure Mercies of David that reaches beyond all time even for ever and for ever this Everlasting Covenant is a spring of Everlasting comfort we shall never grieve for the loss of it as of Temporal Comfort Thirdly 'T is a full Covenant as well as free and firm 't is Alvearium Divini Mellis an Hive topful of Heavenly-Honey even all God is and has for herein the great God saith to his Servants as the King of Israel did once say to the King of Syria Behold I am thine and all that I have I Kin. 20.4 thus God saith to us in his Covenant all I am and all I have shall be yours I will be your God Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.33 and all are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 Oh what a large Charter and Portion have the People of God here 1. All God is 'T is as great a portion as God is he is an Infinite God and the Heaven of Heavens contain him not 1 Kings 8.27 yet this Covenant contains and comprehends or shuts up as it were the Incomprehensible God I am your God this is truely call'd an â—â—â—ceeding great and precious Promise 2 Pet. 1.4 greater than that of Balak to Balaam Numb 22.17 which was great Honour and greater than that of Ahashuerus to Esther Esth 5.6 which was half of his Kingdom yea greater than that of the Tempter to Christ Mat. 4.10 which was all the Kingdoms of the World c. if he that promis'd had been able to perform it Yet this surmounts all even ten thousand Worlds and ten Heavens into the Bargain in as much as the Creator is ten thousand times more than all his Creatures he hath made or may make Oh what can God say more than I will be yours as God having no greater to Swear by Sware by himself Heb. 6.13 so God willing to bestow his Benevolence on Man and having no greater thing to give giveth us himself Consider God 1. In his Nature quantus quantus est how great and how good soever he is yet gives he his whole self to us as the Bridegroom gives up his whole self to his Bride Or consider him 2. Personally 1. As God the Father so he Covenants to be a Father to us 2 Cor. 6.17 Exod. 4.22 Jer. 31.20 and as it were fond of us Psal 103.13 and 147. ver 11. 2. As God the Son to be our Mediator to take up all Controveisies and to bring us to glory John 17.24 Ransoming from death Hos. 13.14 and reserving us for Life 3. God the Holy Ghost performs and perfects all that the Father purposeth and the Son purchaseth Heb. 10.15 16. writing the Law in our Hearts washing us from our Sins and witnessing with our Spirits that all is ours so that here is a mighty bundle of Mercies given to worthless Man by the most worthy God in this one clause I will be your God 't is not call'd a Mercy in the singular but Mercies in the plural number Isa 55.3 all sorts and degrees of Mercy suitable to Mans manifold Misery Temporal Spiritual and Eternal no greater Gift can be given from the Creator to the Creature whether Men or Angels The Excellency of this Portion or Gift is manifold As 1st Proportioned to all Mans wants whereof he is made up by the Fall God is all good to Man who is all evil to God God is bonum congruum the Plaister or Salve is broad enough for the Sore he is Elshaddai an All-sufficient and a Sole-sufficient God Gen. 17.1 The Hebrew comes of Shad Mamma a full Breast for an hungry Babe There is in God both sufficiency and suitableness to Mans misery God is both 1. Eminently good whatever Excellencies lye scattered in the Creature they are all concentered in God from whom they come as all Beams in the Sun and as all drops in the Ocean All Dainties according to the vulgar saying are found in this one Dish All the lesser Pearls in the World are contain'd vertually in this one Diamond The Excellency of the Creature is oft single wanting other excellent Adjuncts as Honour hath not always Parentage nor Learning Vertue vice versd c. No Created Being can be a capacious Continent or Receptacle of all perfections but God is all excellent things as Sun Shield Fountain c. Psal 84.11 and Jer. 2.13 c. Yea he is all good Persons too as Friend Father Master Husband c. Jam. 2.23 Isa 41.8 2 Chron. 20.7 John 15.15 Isa 9.6 Col. 4.1 Isa 54.5 Jer. 31.32 yet God is more than all those Relative Terms the majus includes the minus And 2. God is Superlatively as well as Eminently good All Excellencies found in any Creature is in a more transcendent manner both found and founded in the Creator Man may be wise to a degree in the concrete but God is infinitely so in the very abstract he is Wisdom it self and so of all Gods other Attributes 2dly As this Portion of Jacob Jer. 10.16 even all God is the best portion in the World hath in it a proportion so it gives a propriety for 't is not said only I will be a God but I will be your God which giveth Believers propriety in God as they are not their own 1 Cor. 6.19 So we may say with Reverence neither is God his own all God is is theirs 1 Cor. 3.21 22. He hath given himself away as it were from himself to them Yea and 3dly They have not only a propriety in this proportionable Portion but they have also some Possession of it at least in its primitiis or First-fruits the Pawn and Pledge of the full Harvest of Glory the Earnest-penny of the whole Inheritance 't is true the Riches of a Christian lyes most in Reversion he hath yet something in possession as now and then a Kiss of Love from Christ Cant. 1.1 2. now and then some Fellowship with the Father 1 John 1.3 though he hath more in
her Womb after a more than a Natural manner The Hebrew word Vajith rotsatsu signifies more than Calcitrabant they kicked one another but it implies that they ran at Tilt as it were one against the other as Armies do in Battel They did Bustle after an Extraordinary manner and Justle each other even to Bruising and Hurting both themselves and their Mother while they strove for the primogeniture This Supernatural contest and intestine VVar in her own VVomb exceedingly startles the good VVoman and strains from her some passionate and Abrupt Speeches saying If it be so why am I thus that is why have I conceived if I must feel such conflicts Better no Children than to be thus troubled with them why did I desire it if I must Die by it or suffer Abortion This she feared forgetting that penalty inflicted I will greatly multiply thy sorrow c. Gen. 3.16 which she should have Born more patiently yet she presently Corrects her self into a better course conveying her self into some by-corner to ask Counsel of God The Rabbins say she consulted with Shem This could not be for that Patriarch was Dead Ten Years before this 't is more probable what others say that she consulted God either by Melchizedeck the Priest of the most high God who was then alive or by Heber the Father of the Hebrews who they say had the Spirit of Prophecy or by Abraham the Friend of God who lived Fifteen Years after this to his great joy Undoubtedly that his Daughter Rebekah should conceive after so long a Barrenness but the first sence that she got into some retiring Room and there poured out her Prayer immediately to God is the soundest safest and simplest sense And from this private Prayer whereby she prayed down her own passion and impatience as some sleep out their Intoxications she received this Oracle and Answer either by an Angel or a Prophet or rather some Divine Impulse upon her own Heart that her perplexing misery had indeed a profound Mystery in it in that saying two Nations are in thy VVomb c. Gen. 25.23 To wit two Fathers of Edomites and Israelites ☞ Note Hence 1. God gives the Godly no pure Mercy without some mixture of Misery in this Life he gave Rebekah the blessing of Conception after her long barrenness which was one kind of the Curse yet as an Allay of her joy therein she must feel in her Womb such a dolorous Motion and commotion as brought her if not to a Convulsion that Deliquium Animi yet to such a consternation of mind as not only to be afraid she should bring forth some Monster that made all this Collision and concussion within her but also to expostulate in much indignation both with God and with her Husband about it All which was only to whet her up to Prayer Note 2. In all our Maladies we must not Despond nor be swallowed up by too much worldly sorrow nor use any indirect or unlawful means for their removal but run to the great God in Faith and Prayer for the Remedies 'T is remarkable neither Isaac nor Rebekah went to VVise-Men or VVizzards to Star-gazers or Fortune-Tellers c. Either about their want of Children or about their now striving and struggling in the VVomb but make their address to a Prayer-hearing God for which Chrysostom in Hom. 50. much commends their Piety and Religion in not consulting the over curious Arts of the Devil but the Oracle of God Some say 't was Abraham's Oracle at Beersheba but there seems to be no need for her almost ready to Travel with Child-bearing to Travel unto Beersheba at Distance from the VVell of Life where Isaac lived Gen. 16.14 24.62 25.11 having her Husband a Prophet at home especially her God there who is every where However she made no use of such Superstitious Charms as she had seen her Carnal Kindred do in her own Country of the Chaldees such as laying Agnus Castus Lawrel or such-like under her Head to have a Dream or a Vision directing her to some relief But the Name of the Lord was her strong Tower which she runs into by Prayer and so was safe Prov. 18.10 c. NB. Though we have not Oracles now as the Patriarchs had then yet have we a more sure word of Prophecy which they had not whereunto we do well to take heed 2 Pet. 1.18 19. The Authority of the Scripture is greater than the Voice of an Angel Yea 't is equal to Gods Audible and immediate Voice and of greater clearness and certainty to our understandings for besides its Divine inspiration 't is both written and sealed Therefore the Scripture must be our Counsellor Psal 119.24 Isa 8.20 Whoever consults God seriously in the word of his Prophets and Apostles concerning matters of Faith and manners cannot fall short of full Counsel and by their constant and instant Prayers shall obtain help from God as Isaac and Rebekah here did Note 3. So Gracious Exod. 22.27 is the Prayer-hearing God to the Prayers of the Godly that he grants them not only what they desire but much more than is desired Thus Solomon had more than he asked he had not only the things that he asked but also other things that he asked not 1 King 3.13 God grants to him a greater measure of wisdom and knowledge which he desired more than he desired and he granted him Riches and Honours which he desired not Thus Rebekah here had more unfolded to her by Gods Oracle than she desired to know for by Gods foretelling future events concerning her double Burden he Promised to her a safe Deliverance of them without which two Nations could not spring from them c. Thus God comforts those that are cast down as he did her instructing her of a Mystery in her Misery we have oft more than we ask Eph. 3.20 And could we seek Gods Kingdom first enough then other things would seek us fast enough Matt. 6.33 This Divine Oracle the Holy Scripture explaineth two ways 1. In the History 2. In the Mystery First As to the History it hath Four Branches 1. The quality of the Burden she bare in her Womb with so much Molestation 't was a Burden of vast consequence Literally two Sons and Figuratively two Nations whereof they were to be the two Fathers or Princes These both were the Idumaeans of Esau or Edom and the Hebrews or Jews of Jacob or Israel both which the Oracle of God calls Goijm or Gentiles And the Jews do foolishly in Nick-naming Gentile-Christians Goijm by way of reproach seeing God himself called them so as well as us 2. The Collision or Concussion of the Boys each against other in the Womb which is explained not to signifie any peril to the Mother but the differing dispositions of the two Sons which is expresly manifested betimes Gen 25.27 And the hatred of Esau to Jacob is further described which was not Personal only but Hereditary and National also c. 3.
Harbour with Cables rent Sails tatter'd Masts broken Anchors lost c. but as the brave Ship that comes Home with its Streamers flying Trumpets sounding c. The Sixth sense of this Ladder in its Mystical Meaning according to some learned Criticks is It likewise resembles the Generation or Genealogy of Christ according to the Flesh or his Humane Nature which the Evangelist Luke Chap. 3. describeth in its descension downward from Adam and the Evangelist Matthew its Ascension upward from Joseph the supposed Father of our Blessed Saviour and every Generation the three fourteens mentioned Mat. 1.17 ore as so many steps of this Ladder and the two sides thereof are Gods Mercy and Truth whereby all the parts of it were compact together although a Tamar the Canaanitish Rahab the Harlot a Ruth the Moabitess and a Bathshebah the Adulteress be some materials thereof Quolibet ex ligno non fit Mercurius is an old and a true saying among men the Carpenter cannot make a straight Ladder of Crooked Timber but God can for he maketh the bad good and crooked things straight Isa 40.4 42.16 45.2 Luk. 3.5 he maketh them plain to be put together in every point and joint all impediments God removeth saith that Evangelist there to usher into the World Christs Generation which he mentions after v. 23. to the end Christ was pleased to take flesh of these four great sinners aforesaid that were all advanced to be great Grand-mothers to the King of Kings who as he needed not to be ennobled by his stock so neither was disparag'd by his Progenitors but descended from those sinful Women to say nothing of the sundry sinful Men which was to shew that we cannot commit more than he can remit and that by his Purifying Grace he purgeth away and washeth off all our pollutions being the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 as the Sun of the Firmament dissipateth and disperseth all those noxious Vapours that Infect both the Earth and the Air by its Beams And 't is very Remarkable how the lower end of this Ladder of Christ's Genealogy was made up of obscure Materials to wit of such Persons as the Scripture mentioneth no more save only their bare Names neither doth any Jewish Record now extant Register any of their Acts but so many miseries attended them before Shiloh came in those calamitous Times after the Captivity that though they were principal Men among their own People as being of Judah's Tribe according to Jacob's Prophecy Gen. 49.10 yet were they so held in subjection by the Antiochus's and by the Herods of that Age that they were some of them no better than private Persons as Joseph and Mary were though others might be Law-givers among that People privately as Jacob Prophesy'd And we may suppose also that because of the continual Calamities that came then one upon the neck of another little liberty was left the Rabbies to write any Rolls or Registers Catalogues or Kalendars with Enlargements upon them in an Historical Method though undoubtedly the Posterity of David from whom Christ war to descend were then carefully both observed and preserved by those that â—â—â—k'd for the Consolation of Israel Luk. 2.25 and 38. for it was a most certain and received Truth among the Jews of those times that Messiah the Prince Dan. 9.26 should shortly come of that Family and when he came he found them as Joseph did his Brethren Gen. 37.17 in Dothan Hebr. Defection in so low estate were they at his coming and their looking for the desire of all Nations Hagg. 2.7 was that which held up their fainting Hearts in those sad Times wherein not only Prophecy but also Prosperity failed them They had little else to relieve them as to external means Except 1. The Bath-Kol that Voice or Daughter of a Voice as the Hebr. signifies the Eccho heard in the Temple as they tell us which supplied the place of and serv'd for an Oracle And 2. The Miracle of the Pool of Bethesda's Healing by the Angels troubling it Joh. 5.2 3 4. which marvellous Mercy was granted them by God to strengthen their Hearts in his True Worship under all their Persecutions by several Tyrants until the Days of Christ Thus our Lord saith when the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith upon the Earth Luk. 18.8 He found little Faith at his first coming he came to his own and his own in their so deep Defection and suppressing Subjection received him not Joh. 1.11 and he will as he saith find as little Faith at his second coming God oft stays long yea so long till his Saints have done looking for him which yet they ought to do when they cannot be blest with looking on him Isa 8.17 sighing out those sad words Why are his Chariots so long in comming c. Judg. 5.28 when they have even forgot both God's Promises and their own Prayers grounded upon his Promises And when they have done expecting and say there is no hope Jer. 2.25 The harvest is past the Summer is over and gone and we are not saved Jer. 8.20 therefore after Strangers must we go after Princes who serve strange Gods Then even then comes Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as out of an Engine and then doth he things that they looked not for Isa 64.3 4. even Terrible things extolled by God himself Deut. 4.32 33. with 30. the Call of the Jews the Fulness of the Gentiles the Fall of Antichrist the Râ—se of Jesus Christ for those that wait for him and are willing yet to want him till his time come He is a God of Judgment waits to be Gracious Isa 30.18 and knows the best time when to hand forth his favours Isa 49.8 Psal 69.13 every Blessing is best and most beautiful in its season Eccles 3.11 Wait then on him who waits on us The Seventh last and best Sense of Jacob's Ladder is 'T is a most lively Representation of our blessed Mediator himself Jesus Christ Though the most proper and literal sense of this vistonal Ladder be to shew God's Providence in the general whereby he governeth all things both in Heaven and Earth Psal 113.6 't is a glorious condescension in him to look out of himself from the top of this Ladder down upon Angels Psal 113. 6. how much more upon the worm Jacob here Isa 41.14 and upon such worthless Worms and unworthy Wretches as we are whom Sin setteth farther beneath the Worms than the Worms are beneath the Angels Thus God Humbleth himself here to disconsolate and anxious Jacob declaring hereby to him that Divine Providence should attend him after a special manner both in his descent to Mesopotamia and in his ascent or return to Palestine And that God would be his Friend graciously charging his Angels with him Psal 91.11 both in his going down and coming up The Ladder was to signifie the way which Jacob was to go the Angels were his Convoy backward and forward and God at the top
the Morning Exod. 16.21 from 6. a Clock to 9. in the Morning Manna was to be found but when the Sun after waxed hot it melted away by God's appointment though in its own Nature it would abide the Fire in baking or boiling c. when used according to God's command This was to stir up the People that they might get up early and gather it betimes in the Morning that they might have time to prepare it and then attend other business whereas had it been to be gather'd all the Day they would have been sloathful and negligent They must gather it so soon as the Dew that hid it was off the Ground So ought we to gather the hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 The true Bread that came down from Heaven Joh. 6.32 33. In the Morning of our Youth Health and Strength we must seek the Lord while he may be found Psal 32.6 While the Day of Salvation lasteth 2 Cor. 6.1 2. And not shift it off Heb. 2.3 12.25 He that gathers in Summer is a wise Son Prov. 10 4 5. 6.6 8. Joh. 12 35. Gal. 6.10 While Time and Means continue c. and this is supposed to be the â—ur port of Moses Prayer O satisfie us early with thy Manna Mercy Psal 90.14 The Soul of a Sinner cannot have it too soon 2. The Place where Manna was gathered They were to go out of their Tents and beyond the Camp to gather it The Dew lay round about the Camp Exod. 16.13 Thus are we commanded To go forth unto Jesus without the Camp Heb. 13.12 13. We must relinquish our old Conversation and renounce all worldly Interests which are inconsistent with an Interest in Christ and a Participation of him The Spouse could not find Christ upon a Bed of Idleness or in the broad ways and common Worship of the World Cant. 3.1 2. Yet was Manna found nigh their Camp and not far off in the Wilderness nor need we go far for Christ he is nigh us Rom. 10 8. 3. The Persons who were the gatherers namely all Universally Old and Young Male and Female Parents and Children Masters and Servants none excepted or exempted from gathering Manna so nor from getting Christ Gal. 3.28 4. The Measure what each gathered were it more or less there was neither Deficiency nor Redundancy Exod. 16.18 so all sorts of Believers have an equal Portion in Christ our heavenly Manna Gal. 3.28 29. 2 Pet. 1.1 The smallest degree of Grace so it be true sufficeth for Salvation and the weak do partake of Christ in his Word and Sacraments as well as the strong 5. The Extent of this Duty How long As they were to gather it every day and that all along the forty Years until they came to Canaan excepting only the Sabbath-day So ought we to gather this heavenly Manna every day and all our Life long till we come to Heaven and enjoy there an Eternal Sabbath 4ly The Congruity continues in the differing Vses and Effects of this Manna as it was eaten both by good and bad To some it putrefied for not improving it according to God's Prescription and others loathed it as light Bread Numb 11.6 and 21.4 5. Citò parta vilescunt lightly obtained is but lightly esteemed the Wheat of Heaven was lightly set by because lightly come by though to the good it was a spiritual as well as corporal Food Thus God's Word and Sacraments are the savour of Life unto Life to such as make a right improvement of them but to others that mis-improve them and receive them unworthily they are the savour of Death 2 Cor. 2.15 16. breeding that never dying Worm Mar. 9.44 and 46. ever gnawing on the Soul in furious Reflections without Hope of either ending or mending let such squeafie Stomachs as nauseate the Bread of Life and disrelish plain Preaching duly consider this The Second considerable is the Disparity between the Type and the Antitype the Shadow and Substance The First Disparity is this Manna was made in and ministred out of the middle Region only by the Ministry of Angels but the Messiah is the true Bread whereof Manna was only a Figure that came down from the highest Heaven Joh. 6.32 33. and out of the Bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 Secondly Those that fed upon the Type Manna hungred after the next day and so end way for forty Years together as it was food for the Body but such as feed upon this Bread of Life by Faith shall never Hunger Joh. 6.35 That is shall never be painfully or desparingly hungry as utterly destitute of Grace and Glory Psal 119.8 but shall continually feed upon that Gospel Feast of a good Conscience Prov. 15.15 Where as Luther phraseth it the blessed Angels are Servitors of Sweet Meats being Cooks and Butlers and the three Persons in the Trinity are gladsome Guests making the whole Life one intire merry festival without Interruption Thirdly Those that were eaters of this Manna dyed Joh. 6.49 Manna could not Immortalize them as the Poets feign their Ambrosia did their Dunghil-Deities and many of them died in God's displeasure 1 Cor. 10.3 5. but those that feed by Faith upon this Bread of Life have Eternal Life c. Joh. 6.47 48 50 51 56 57 c. That is in the Purchase of Christ in the Promise of the Father and in the first Fruits of the Spirit that resteth on them 1 Pet. 4.14 This our Lord oft inculcateth both as needful to be known and as comfortable to be considered Fourthly This Manna melted putrefied bred Worms and perished in the using Meats for the Belly and the Belly for Meats but God will destroy both it and them 1 Cor. 6.13 But this cannot befal Christ who is Life essential and God will not suffer his Holy One to see Corruption Psal 16.10 Fifthly Manna was but the Carcase of the Sacrament which could not give Life therefore many that fed upon that Sacrament daily did perish Eternally But the Soul of it is Christ signified whereof they that partake live for ever Outward Priviledges do not excuse but aggravate Enormities Carnal Professors feed upon Sacraments after a fleshly manner with such God is not well pleased 1 Cor. 10.3 5. c. the Romanists especially when as Christ saith The Spirit quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 We should be wise Men 1 Cor. 10.15 That is skilful in the Doctrine of Sacraments One may go to Hell with Font-Water on his Face and be haled from the Table to Torment Mat. 22.13 Sixthly Manna lasted but forty Years but Christ ever lives and lasts c. and is the sume Yesterday to Day and for ever Heb. 13.8 c. The next memorable Matter concerning Israel in the Wilderness was at their eleventh Station at Rephidim Exod 17. Raph-Jadiem signifies the healing of the Hands God held Israel's hands here from stoning Moses by giving them Water to which place the Lord led them by the Cloudy Pillar that he might again exercise
back 4. They are doomed to wander in the Wilderness Forty Years till their Carcases were all consumed ver 33 34. Children bear the Whoredoms of Parents and wander so long with them including the Year past and part of the second Numb 10 11. All must know to their cost God will not be charged with breach of Promise which was upon a Condition broken by them so could not be whole on God's part Then did Moses Pen the nintieth Psalm for God's shortening Mens Lives c. to cut them the sooner off in the Wilderness Then the seventh and last Observable is Some of Israel's unhappy War with their Adversaries without God and the Ark going with them after their Mourning greatly for this sad Sentence c. ver 34 40 41 42 43 44 45. They in a blind Zeal as the Hebrew signifies rashly climb the Mountain confess they had finned when God gave them cause to cry yet resolve to Sin again in going up against the Command both of God and Moses and without the Ark This Presumption pushes them out of God's Precincts and so out of God's Protection Their Adversaries smote them to Horma which signifies a Curse or utter Destruction After this they wept but God would not hear so they abode in Kadesh many Days Deut. 1.45 46. Thus the Jews dealt with Jesus and John Baptist as those with Caleb and Joshua till Wrath came without Remedy 1 Thess 2.15 16. Because Israel abode at this fifteenth Station Kadesh-Barnea for many Days Deut. 1.46 according to the Days they had abode at Sinai ver 6. which contained one whole Year as they spent a whole Year at Sinai wherein a great deal of Work occurred as before so here we have many Occurrences in this whole Year following also And whereas God bids them upon their Murmuring c. To turn back to the Red Sea Deut. 1.40 The Lord's meaning was that at their next March whensoever it was which came not till long after that Divine Decree of their wandring so long in the Wilderness They should not go forward towards Canaan but right back again towards the Red Sea from whence they came During their long Station at Kadesh after the old Generation were doomed to dye short of Canaan c. sundry other Occurrences happened besides those before mentioned before their Retrograde Motion In the next place after the Judgment upon the disobedient Parents to be worn out in the Wilderness God remembreth Mercy and suffereth not his whole Wrath to arise but sealeth up his Love again to those late Revolters-Children whom He teacheth what to do when they came to Canaan Numb 15.1 to 12. in the Laws of Sacrificing wherein God promiseth to smell a sweet Savour from the Herd and from the Flock and the same Privilege is promised to all the Stranger Proselytes that embrace the true Religion The Sins of both committed by Errour and Ignorance should be equally expiated when they offered up their Homage to the Chief Lord of all from ver 12 to 27. By all which was figured their Reconciliation unto God and his Grace towards them in Christ Thus after the Curse of the Law for Sin succeedeth for our Comfort the Grace of the Gospel by Faith Checkered Work of Black and White proportionably intermingled is look'd upon as very beautiful Work This comely mixture of the black of Justice and of the white of Mercy God often exposeth to publick View upon Scripture-Record not only here but elsewhere In like manner after the Destruction of twenty four Thousand for the Sin of Baal-peor Numb 25. The Lord causeth the Children of Israel to be numbred again Numb 26. and anew appointeth the Land of Promise to be given to them for an Inheritance and repeateth again the Laws of sacrificing at the solemn Feasts in Numb 28. 29. That upon the Example of Wrath upon the sinful Parents He might discover his remembrance of Mercy in Christ unto the Penitent Believing Children Another remarkable Occurrence happened here at Kadesh-Barnea which was the Severity of God's Justice and Judgments against all proud and presumptuous Sinners in General Numb 15.30 for though there be a Pardon ready Sealed in course by God in Christ for all such as Sin by Infirmity Incogitancy Inadvertency or oversight c. Lev. 4.2 13. else we might die in our Sins while the Pardon is providing yet no such remedy is promised or provided for such as Sin with an high hand proudly and presumptuously with an uncover'd face as Onkelos in Chaldee expoundeth it openly and boldly as not ashamed their Sin should be seen of Men. This is call'd the great offence Psal 19.11 And the Reason is rendred because it reproacheth the Lord as if he wanted either Wisdom to observe or Power to punish such presumptuous Sinners who proudly conceit themselves to be out of the reach of God's Rod Ezek. 20.27 There is no Sacrifice for this Sin but the Sinner is to be cut off either by the Hand of the Magistrate where his Deed deserveth Death by the Law or by immediate Vengeance of the Hand of God as Numb 14.37 And this Severity against such Sinners is exemplified in particular upon a Sabbath-breaker Numb 15.31 32 33 34 35 36. where we may observe 1. The Perpetration of one particular presumptuous Sin together with its circumstances as what where when and how The Fact was seemingly but a small Matter namely gathering a few sticks c. and possibly he might pretend some necessity or conveniency to himself thereby c. but because really is was done with an high Hand in contempt of God and his Law and a prophaning of his Holy Sabbath though in the Wilderness wherein the Sabbath in respect of Cessation from Works was precisely observed but so were not the Laws about Sacrifices for it was written about their Meat and Drink Offerings c. When ye be come into Canaan c. that then and then only they were to be observed yet the Sabbath was to be strictly kept both within the Land and without even in the Wilderness 2. The Punishment for this perpetrated Fact of prophaning the Sabbath wherein 1. The Sinner is apprehended 2. Accused 3. Imprisoned because it was not yet known what Sentence to pass upon him For though the matter of the Fact was twice Doomed with Death Exod. 31.14 and 35.2 Yet was it not declared what manner of Death such a Sinner should dye Therefore God is consulted about this who expresly declareth it ver 35. Besides though the Law be in the rigour of it a killing Letter yet might it admit of some favourable Construction from Necessity c. Which might make the Offender capable of pardon So Moses did not rashly doom him nor ought Magistrates be hasty in matters of Life and Death as in other Cases of an Inferiour Nature They ought to be wary God and his Word ought to be consulted 4. He was Condemned God himself passing the Sentence that he should be
Exodus Leviticus and Numbers as likewise it is a repetition of the principal matters that had befaln them in their forty years travel from Egypt to this last Station and Recorded in the three Books of Moses aforesaid There be but few Histories falling forth in this Record of only the two last Months and therefore the fewer Remarks must be made upon it so far as it affords new Histories The First Remark is to shew the Reasons why Moses in this Fifth Book runs over and repeats the old Laws and the old Stories before Recorded The First Reason was Because all that old Generation of Israel who received the Law at Mount Sinai were now dead in the Wilderness Deut. 1.35 39. and among the Aaron their High-Priest was now dead also Numb 20.25 Therefore Moses Rehearseth here the principal Laws given to their Fathers unto this new Generation that were either not yet born at that time or were then so young as to be uncapable of understanding the Law at Sinai to whom Moses addeth a large Explication of the Law not before delivered which may be Remarked upon afterwards The Second Reason is That Moses having conducted this new Generation to the very confines of Canaan for the space of forty years in a long Pilgrimage through the Wilderness he might prepare them for their possession of the Promised Land therefore he publickly preacheth these two last Months to them and presseth them to obedience c. lest their sins should cut them off in Canaan as their Father's sins had cut themselves off in the Wilderness And The Third Reason is That Moses might renew the Covenant betwixt the Lord and this new Generation requiring a solemn promise from them for the performance of it Thus all this was done Deut. 29. and thus Moses spent the two last Months of his Life would to God we could learn to do so when he knew by Divine Revelation that he must live no longer The Second Remark is After Moses had made a Rehearsal of God's Inestimable benefits to them on the one side and of their Ingratitude Murmurings and Rebellions on the other side in the four first Chapters of this Book he out of a Pastoral Prudence and Providence lays the Law again before them Chap. 5. and expounds the first Command of the Decalogue Chap. 6 to the 11. in which and the 12th Chap. is the 2d Command explained by abolishing false Worship then the 3d Command is opened in the abuse of God's name by False Prophets Chap. 13. and how holy Communion must be being taught by clean Meats c. ch 14. The 4th Command is explained by the Rites of the Sabbath Year the Solemn Feasts c. Chap. 15 16. The 5th Command of Obedience to Governours Civil and Ecclesiastical but not to hearken unto False Prophets Chap. 17.18 The 6th Command concerning Murder Wars c. Chap. 19 and 20 21. The 7th Command touching Adultery Rape Incest c. Chap. 22. The 8th Command concerning Usury and Payment of Vows Pledges or Man-Stealers Wages Weights c. Chap. 23 24 25. The Third Remark is Moses addeth some more Ordinances which he had not mentioned before in the three former Books as the Homage unto God to be paid when they came to Canaan Chap. 26. and the writing of the Law upon stones Chap. 27. and the many blessings promised to the obedient and many curses threatned to the disobedient Chap. 28. and the renewing of the Covenant Chap. 29. together with a promise of mercy to Penitent Sinners believing in Christ Chap. 30. then follows an History 'till Moses's death N. B. To All which is added that Moses Rehearsing the Ten Commandments in Deut. 5. proposeth a Reason for the Sabbath's Ordaining differing from that in Exod. 20. There it was because God rested on the Seventh Day implying the Sabbath's morality and perpetuity But here it is because of Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt and so it respecteth the Jewish Sabbath most properly c. Now come we to the last History concerning Moses to wit the last Facts of his Life a little before his Death After which followeth the famous Relation both of his Death and of his Burial c. Of the first of those famous Facts that Moses did last before his Death an account is given in Deuteronomy Chap. 31. Wherein we find a Treble Record thereof The First is the Resignation of his Grand Government of Israel unto Joshua his Successor in which resigning Act Moses declareth the grounds of laying down that great Burden to be Just and Honest 1. Because of his old Age. And 2. Because it was the declined Will of God that it should be done And withal He encourageth his Successor both to Possess and to divide the Land of Promise having the Presence of God with him in that double Work from ver 1 to 9 and ver 23. The Second Record is His Deuteronomy which was written by himself this he commanded to be solemnly Read relating by whom to whom where when why and how oft and to be laid up and preserved in the Ark from ver 9 to ver 14. and ver 25 26 27. The Third Record is his Prophetical Song wherein He foretelleth Israel's falling away from God and God's anger against them for so doing Moses commandeth this Song to be written to be learnt and Sung by all the People as a standing Testimony against their Apostasy from ver 14 to 30. Now follow the Remarks upon this Chap. 31. The First is Such an Accent and Emphasis is put upon this Histoircal Passage that as the renewing of the Covenant between God and Israel was made by the Rabbins Deut. 29. the one and fiftieth Section or Lecture of the Law so here they begin the two and fiftieth Section wherein Moses setteth forth the State of Israel before his Death and Vatablus makes this Story in Chap. 31. the Ninth Division of the Book rendring Vaialek ambidavit Moses walk'd from his House to his Pulpit c. The Second Remark is Moses's Age ver 2. an hundred and twenty which is divided in Scripture into three equal Forties Moses lived in Pharaoh's Court forty Years Act. 7.20 23. and his second forty was in Banishment in the Land of Midian Act. 7.29 30. Exod. 7.7 and his last forty was his Conduct of Israel through their wandrings in the Wilderness This same Term of an hundred and twenty Years was Noah preaching to the old World and building his Ark Gen. 6 3 14. 1 Pet. 3.19 20. the Doctrin he taught them was aut poenitendum aut pereundum either repent in that time or perish for ever As to the complaint Moses makes of his inability here to bear any longer so great a Burden may be wondred at on this account because his hundred and twenty Years had not made him unable for when he died His sight was not dim nor his natural Force abated Deut. 34.7 but it was upon another account that disenabled him namely He
is The Divine Consolation wherewith He closes this Oration not loving to set like the Sun sometimes in that dark Cloud of Divine Commination Hereupon Moses here comes to Comfort Israel with a double Cordial The First is God's Promise of the Restitution of Israel ver 36 43. And the Second is his Promise of the Rejection of all their Adversaries against whom He denounceth Corporal and Eternal Punishments ver 40 to 44. whereby He shewed God's Mercy in Christ toward them in the end The Sixth Remark is The Conclusion of this Chap. 32. in which after Moses had moved the People to a diligent Consideration and Application of the Matter of this Song ver 46 47. then God commands him to take a view of the Land of Promise from the Top of Mount Nebo the next Mountain ver 48 49. and then to give up the Ghost there ver 50 51 52. wherein Moses faithfully Commemorates his own Sin as a Vindication of God's Justice against him and for a warning to all People not to disobey God by his Example however he gives this Account of himself that according to the Apostle's Phrase He died in the Faith seeing the Promise afar off and saluted it Heb. 11.13 Now come we to Chapter the thirty third of Deuteronomy which is Moses's last Prophetical Prayer and his Patriarchal Benediction relating to the twelve Tribes of Israel a little time before his Death This consists of three Parts 1. The Prologue 2. The Prediction it self in twelve Particulars And 3. The Epilogue or Conclusion of the whole In the first Part the Prologue Moses maketh Arguments for Captivating the Peoples Attention and Good Will His first Argument is drawn from the Person of God who had conferr'd so many and so great Divine Favours upon them ver 2 3. His second Argument from the Person of Moses Himself in his twofold Office 1. Prophetical in giving them the Law ver 4. 2. Regal as he was King c. so might command their Audience The Remarks upon this first Part the Prologue are First Here beginneth the fifty fourth and last Section or Lecture of the Law call'd in Hebrew Haberahah Haec benedictio this is the Blessing beginning here And much to be marked because the Words of dying Men are living Oracles most pious and ponderous but most of all of this dying Man of God Moses The Second Remark is From the Person of God call'd here a Lover of the People who bestowed three special favours upon them The 1. Was in giving them his Law 2. In providing for them the Brazen Serpent to heal them when stung of the fiery Serpents Thus the fiery Law is a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ figured by the Serpent set up while they compassed Mount-Seir Edom's Land Deut. 2.4 5. Numb 21.4 9. And 3. In preparing them for their Possession of the Land of Promise by the Explication of the Law which Moses made to them at this Paran named here and Deut. 1.1 and Hab. 3.3 This teacheth us that after we be brought to Christ by Faith He informs us in his Law by his Spirit and so prepares us for our entring into his Eternal Rest The Third Remark from the Person of Moses is Though Kingly Government as it is described 1 Sam. 8.9 was not set up in Israel yet Moses is call'd King here ver 5. as he was the Supream Magistrate and Chief Governour of Israel their Law-giver and such an Heroick King as reigned over the People by Vertue and Justice not by Force and Violence Not Imperiously saying this I can do by my absolute Power but this is fit for me to do as a Magistrate fearing God c. He had the Heads of the People and the Tribes joyn'd with him here as King Lords and Commons 'T is the best of Governments doubtless where the Beam is kept right and eaven betwixt Soveraignty and Subjection without Tilting the Balance either way The Second Part is the Prediction relating to the twelve Tribes and beginning with Reuben ver 6. The First Remark concerning Reuben is Moses prays for him that though he had finn'd with his Father's Concubine Gen. 35.22 for which he lost his Birth-right Gen. 49.4 and though the Princes of this Tribe rebelled with Korah Numb 16.1 c. yet that Mercy might be shewed him in Christ so as to live to Life Eternal and not die the second Death according to the Chaldee Paraphrast or at least to live before the Lord in this World that he might not be extinguished among the Tribes By Vertue of this Prayer Reuben remained a number to go on Armed before their Brethren against the cursed Canaanites Josh 4.12 The 2d Remark respects Judah v. 7. who was the 4th Brother yet is blest in the 2d place for the honour of the Kingdom which was to be in this Tribe by David c. and out of which the Messiah was to spring Moses prays that God would hear the Prayers of Judah when he fought the Lord's Battels pressing the Lord that he would turn his promises into performances as was oft done in David's and his Successor's days and Moses prays that Judah's hands may be sufficient for him and that God would be an help to him to shew that Man's sufficiency is of God The 3d Remark concerns Simeon whose Name is not mentioned in this Patriarchal Benediction because 1st He lost his Honour by his Cruelty upon Shechem Gen. 49.5 7 c. 2dly By the Corporal and Spiritual Fornication of his Posterity in Zimri c. Numb 25. Therefore was this Tribe lessened from 59 Thousand at the first Muster Numb 1. to 22 Thousand at the last Muster Numb 26.14 But the Rabbins not willing to have Simeon altogether omitted do join him with Judah here in the Blessing because he went forth with that Tribe to fight against the Canaaites Judg. 1.3 and because Simeon's Inheritance lay in the midst of the Inheritance of Judah Josh 19.1 1 Chron. 4.42 So their Expeditions were in common joined together Yet the Greeks in many Copies join Simeon with Reuben in the former Blessing thus Let Reuben live and not die and let Simeon be many in number But this Addition is exploded by the Fathers Some join Simeon's with Levi's Blessing because both of them were scatter'd in Israel Gen. 49.5 7. The 4th Remark respects Levi who had been a Copartner with Simeon both in the Cruelty and in the Curse afore-named yet this Tribe did retrieve it self from both by their Zeal against Idolatry Exod. 32.26 27 c. which Simeon's Tribe did not so comes to be blest by Moses here with a Sacerdotal Dignity ver 8 9 10 11. to whom the Vrim and Thummim Sincerity of Life and Soundness of Doctrine is here promised and which the Levitical Priesthood kept till the Captivity but then lost them Ezr. 2.63 and never recovered them because the Messiah our High-Priest after the Order of Melchisedech was to restore them by the
great Cities named ver 17. therefore their Doom was they shall have Slavery instead of Slaughter Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water shall they be to Israel 'T is a Scripture Phrase of the lowest Rank of Mankind Deut. 29.11 as employed in the meanest and most sordid Drudgery The Magistrates still'd the Murmurers with this plausible Motion ver 21 c. Though they be freed from a Natural Death because of the Prince's Oath yet shall they be damned to a Civil Death by the Prince's Sentence Their Slavery is a sort of Death which will both sufficiently punish them for their fraud and bring considerable benefit to Israel not only in exempting every Israelite from all Drudgery Work but also in getting Gain by the Service of those Slaves and this was the Curse which Noah prophetically pronounced against Cham the Father of those Canaanites that he should be a Servant of Servants unto his Brethren Gen. 9.25 which now was verified in his Posterity Yet such was the transcendent Mercy of God towards them so as to turn this Curse into a Blessing for their Service was to Minister unto the Levites as the Levites did to the Priests in the Sanctuary both in the Tabernacle and in the Temple whereby they had a nearer approach unto God for the good of their Souls this gave them Opportunities to partake of the things of God and to behold his face in Righteousness Psal 17.15 Hence 't is supposed they are call'd Nethinims which signifies Deo dati Men given to God 1 Chron. 9.2 and Ezra 2.43 In the former of which Scriptures they are Ranked with the Priests and Levites A free Grace to those who had saved their Lives by a Lie their being Door-keepers which David desired Psal 84.10 their sordid Services was the less damage to them by being thus sweetly qualified For the nearer they were to the Church the nearer they were to God CHAP. X. JOshua the Tenth gives a Narrative of Joshua's Victory over the five Canaanite-Kings which consists of three General parts The First is The Occasion or procuring cause of the War This is twofold 1. Joshua's utter Demolishing of Ai and Jericho The 2d is the gibeonites falling off from the Canaanites to Israel in making a League with them ver 1.2 The Second Part is The preparation for War both in the Five Kings Confederating and Besieging Gibeon and in Joshua who was solicited to assist Gibeon against the Besiegers ver 3 4 5 6 7. The Third Part is How the Victory was won and improved ver 9. to 42. The Remarks upon the First Part are First The strange Lethargy God had cast those Kings into that the Report of all the wonderful Works God had wrought for Israel in drying up the Red Sea and in the Wilderness and lately in dividing of Jordan to give them an Inlet into their Land and likewise in the Miraculous Overthrow of their strong Frontier City Jericho neither the Rumour of the former Wonders nor the rushing noise of the hideous fall of Jericho's Walls could possibly awake them out of their dead Sleep into which Satan as God's Jailer had lull'd them by their long living Intoxicated with plenty of Carnal Delights and sinful Pleasures Outward Words and Works will do nothing till God bring them to the Heart That which had awakened the Gibeonites did not so to those Kings of Canaan till Ai was destroyed this put them into fear ver 1.2 that their turn might be next Jam tua Res agitur paries cum proximus Ardet Ucalegon Their next Neighbours House being on fire this hardly rouzed them out of that Dead Lethargy and now they enter into a Confederacy The Second Remark is The chief of those five Confederate Kings was Adonizedek King of Jerusalem ver 3. therefore is he first named and was most Active in the Confederacy c. This King Arrogated to himself a most Glorious Name Adonizedeck which signifies the Lord of Righteousness that he might have a greater Veneration from his Subjects This Name signifieth the same in effect with Melchizedeck which is by Interpretation King of Righteousness who was likewise called King of Salem as this Man is call'd King of Jeru-Salem which is King of Peace Hebrews Chap. 7. Verse 2. This High and Glorious Name was a fitter Name for Messiah the Prince who is both the Maker and the Matter of our Peace with God Eph. 2.13 14. than for him who was no better than a Cruel Tyrant as appeareth from Judg. 1.5.7 supposed to be the same Man or if he were his Successor it shews that all those Kings under this specious Name were no better than a Race of Unrighteous Wretches and of Rebels against God The Third Remark is That which Alarm'd Adonizedeck c. was not only the ruine of Ai but also the Revolt of Gibeon which was Achath Gnarai Hommamlakah Hebr. one of the Cities of the Kingdom a Royal City a chief Mother City that had now made a League with Israel embrac'd their Religion and would be glad to do them service this caused those Instruments of Saâ—an to set up their Bristles and to seek the Destruction of that City fearing that Israel would have both Shelter in it and Supplys from it and fearing also that other Cities might learn to Revolt by its Example which the Five Kings would have prevented by inflicting on it exemplary Punishment N. B. Another Reason for those Kings Warring against Gibeon may be gathered from the Particle Caph quasi or as 't is said it was not one but as one of the Royal Cities ver 2. Intimating it was not the Seat of any King for we no where do read of any King of Gibeon as we do of other Cities here and elsewhere but it was equal for Grandeur to any of the Royal Cities though it had no King but seems to be governed after an Aristocratical manner by a Senate of Elders by whose Authority and not in the Name of a King their Embassadors treated with Joshua Josh 9.11 as Grotius noteth If so no wonder such a proud Prince and troublesome Tyrant as Adonizedek should look with an evil Eye upon that State where Democracy was mixt with Aristocracy The Fourth Remark is No sooner is Gibeon besieg'd by all those Five Kings of the Mountains call'd after the Hilly Country of Judea Luke 1.39.65 or making their Approaches only with a great Host in order thereunto but presently Gibeon dispatches away a Messenger crying to Joshua Come up to us quickly to Rescue us ver 5 6. for they make War against us because we have made Peace with thee ver 4. The Argument used is Slack not thy hand to save thy Servants Under the Relation of Servants they challenge the due Right of Protection from a Master Hereupon Joshua having first consulted with God and received encouragement from God hastens then with his Kol gnam Hamilcamah His Mighty Men of War to help them in their Distress ver 7.8 In this
when the Temple the desire of their Eyes should be suddenly destroyed they should have no ease by Mourning for the loss of it such should be the greatness of their Sorrows and Suffering that it should be beyond all Issues of Tears even to a Stupefaction for Curae leves loquuntur Ingentes stupent their Mourning Women as Niobe should be turned as it were into Stones of Stupidity such a Consternation of Mind should suddenly come upon them Yet for a Woman to lose her Husband as here Death makes a near approach indeed when it climbs up into her Bed and strikes off her Head her Husband Observ 6. The State of Widow-hood is a State of Misery This changed Naomi's Name into Marah ver 20. from pleasantness to bitterness for to be a Widow is bitter misery of it self enough and hales at his Heels many Miseries 2 Sam. 14.5 I am indeed a Widow-Woman and my Husband is Dead so am in a Calamitous condition and have the more need to be pitied and relieved The Hebrew word for Widow is Almonah which signifies Dumb for she wants her Head to speak withal her Husband though that Widow could speak without when her Head was taken off she speaks notably for her self and whereas she said I am indeed a Widow you that are Widows should be Widows indeed as Naomi was that Trusteth in God and continueth in Prayers and Supplications Night and Day 1 Tim. 5.5 while ye had your Husbands ye had them to trust in now nothing but God to trust in if you do so your Maker will be your Husband Isa 54.5 and he will take care of you as he did of the Widow mentioned 1 Kings 7.14 in raising up her Son to that Eminency as to be undoubtedly a comfortable stay to her in her Widowhood God will speak for them that cannot speak for themselves though they be oft Dumb as the Hebrew Word signifies for themselves yet God will not be Dumb for them but hath given them more Promises in his Word than to any other condition of an outward concern whatsoever How comfortable a word is that Jer. 49.11 Let the Widows trust in me and leave her Fatherless Children with me saith the Lord this must needs be a blessed stay to a dying Saint and how did God's Providence work for Naomi to sweeten her Old Age as well as Widowhood to her Ruth 4.14 15. Therefore ye that are left alone as Naomi was be sure â—e lean so much the more upon your God alone that he may make good his many Promises to you and be your All and in All Col. 3.11 Yet is not your case so bad as Naomi's for you are left Widows in your own Land and among your own Friends and Relations which afforded a great deal of satisfaction and contentment to the Shunamite 1 Kings 4.13 saying I dwell among my own People but poor Naomi was driven out of the Land of her Nativity and was left a Widow in a strange and Heathenish Countrey this was an Affliction to her Affliction which God was pleased to send upon her as a great Exercise to her Faith and Patience And her two Sons to wit were left also of their Father Elimelech The Mother was left Husbandless and the Sons Fatherless Hence Observ 7. A Fatherless Condition is likewise a Condition of Misery as well as Widowhood in this lower World 'T is a very deep Affliction for poor Children to be left Fatherless in a forlorn Condition exposed to the wide World God knows there be many sad Instances of the Misery of such among us yet you Fatherless ones are not without all Hope and Comfort For First You as well as Widows be Gods Clients whom he takes into his special Protection and therefore God hath oft given it in charge that such should not be afflicted Exod. 22.22 Zech. 7.10 Isa 1.17 Jam. 1.27 but Relieved Psal 82.2 3. Secondly The Fatherless find Mercy in God when they do not in Man Hos 14.3 when they are the Abjects of Man's Scorn even then are they the Objects of God's Pity Thus the Out-casts were Jer. 30.17 Thirdly If Godly Christ will not leave you Fatherless Orphans Joh. 14.18 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ will take up such and Adopt them and be an Everlasting Father to them Oh you that own God God will own you Prov. 3.6 Though your Father and Mother forsake you as they may either in Life or Love they may die or they may live and their Love die yet the Lord will take you up Psal 27.10 Be of good chear if such you have interest in a Father that cannot die he is the Father of the Fatherless Psal 68.5 V. 4 They took them Wives of the Daughters of Moab Hence Observ 1. The dying of one Creature-Comfort is marvelousty made up through Divine Goodness with the being and living of another they both lost a Father and each of them finds a Wife a nearer and dearer Relation for which a Father a Mother and all Friends ought to be forsaken Matth. 19.5 and he that finds a Wife finds a good thing and obtains savour of the Lord Prov. 18.22 Thus Isaac was comforted after his Mothers Death Gen. 24.67 by finding such a good thing as a Mate every way meet for him Cheer up therefore if God take away one comfort he will give another and make up your Loss out of his Fulness he will not leave you comfortless Joh. 14.18 Datum perdidisti non datorem you have lost the Gift but not the Giver If all your old Comforts in the World were dead you have still new ones in the Living God he is the God of all Comfort and the Father of Mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 the former he is called as all true Comfort all kinds of Comfort and all degrees of Comfort comes from him and the latter he is called because when one Mercy is dead and gone from us he is still as a Father to beget new Mercies for us Of the Daughters of Moab This they should not have done Exod. 34.16 Deut. 7.3 4. Ezra 9.10 12. Neh. 13.23 Deut. 23.3 6. such as were excluded the God of Israel's House should not be entertain'd in a Man of Israel's Bosome However God over-rul'd it for good Observ 2. God orders the Disorders of Men to his own Glory There was the Holy Hand of God in all this that the Redeemer of the World should descend from Ruth the Moabite as from Rahab the Harlot both of them Gentile Proselytes to the Jewish Religion and both of them forerunning Types of the calling of the Gentiles Possibly they had not Married Moabitess Daughters had their Father Elimelech been alive but now he was Dead and their Mother Naomi could no better hinder them from Marrying such than Rebecca could hinder her Son Esau from Marrying the Daughters of Heth which were a grief to her because Idolatresses Gen. 26.35 and 't is more probable they did as Esan had done inasmuch as the same
will not appear before the Lord empty Deut. 16.16 Exod. 23.15 and 34.20 but brings her Son three Bullocks a Bottle of Wine and about a Bushel of fine Flour unto Eli in Shiloh as special Presents to make Merry with v. 24 25. and there Hannah told Eli that as sure as he lived she was the very Woman whom he had misjudged and and yet upon better Information had so heartily prayed for her v. 13 18. and then shews him her Son Samuel that was an Answer of his Prayers strengthening her own And N. B. She had both a full Heart and a fluent Tongue while she is mentioning this Mercy of God to her before him v. 26 27. There is much Elegancy in her Oration to Eli which she concludeth most pathetically v. 28. First Arguing from the Topick ab honesto 't is but Honest that he should be Educated in that House wherein he was obtained by Prayer from the Lord I received him from God and now I will return him to God The Lord hath lent him to me hitherto and now will I lend him to the Lord all his Life Then Secondly She Argues à Justo 't is but a Just and Righteous thing that I should pay my Vows and that my Shaul-Me-el Hebr. alluding to her Son's Name Shemuel should now become Shaul-Leel Hebr. that is by Interpretation 't is meet that as God hath freely given him to me so I should as freely give him back to God and Devote him to his Solemn Service which accordingly was done as the last clause of v. 28. that He is emphatical and signifies Samuel who now staid with Eli and did what service he was capable to do in the Sanctuary 1 Samuel CHAP. II. CHapter the second of the First Book of Samuel relateth Samuel's Education at God's Sanctuary in Shiloh The First Remark herein is Holy Hannah's Song of Thanksgiving for her double Blessing God had bestowed upon her First In removing from her the Reproach of Barrenness for which peevish Peninnah had so vexatiously Reproached her And Secondly In making her a Joyful Mother of such an Hopeful Son Yet her praising of God for this double Blessing is call'd her praying to God v. 1. for Thanksgiving is a part of Prayer Col 4.2 and 1 Tim. 2.1 and praising is an Artificial way of praying Gratiarum Actio est ad plus dandum Invitatio saith the Father Thankfulness for old Mercies is the best way to procure new ones God saith of such They are a Thankful People they shall have more of my Mercy and Hannah's praising God for former Benefits was her cunning way of begging God's Blessing upon the Education and Matriculation of her Son under Eli's Conduct The Second Remark is This Heavenly Song of Holy Hannah for her Son Samuel carries a congruous Correspondency with that Coelestial Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary for her Son Jesus who was both hers and our Saviour Luke 1.46 47 c. N. B. In both these Blessed Women there was First A Congruity of Causes the removal of the Reproach of Barrenness and rewarding them with Soveraign Sons Secondly Both of them did leap Levalto's and did Dance a Galliard as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.47 signifies in their Religions Rejoycings And Thirdly Both their Songs are filled with the like Metaphors Asyndeta's and Apostrophe's Yea and Fourthly Hannah Prophesieth of Blessed Mary's Son whom she expresly calls the Messiah or Anointed one v. 10. which is the first Scripture that gives this Name to the Lord Jesus of whom the Rabbins Interpret this place and Zecharias himself accommodates it to Christ Luke 1.69 who was to Judge all the ends of the Earth especially at the Day of Judgment And she foretelleth He shall give strength to his King that after the Judges God would raise up a King to save them wholy which should not be Saul for he was a King of the Peoples chusing but it must be David whom God did chuse and whom her Son Samuel did anoint and who was also a Type of Christ this Anointed one here c. The Third Remark is The Commendation of Samuel for his Sedulity in the Service of the Sanctuary though so young v. 11. and though he had the daily wicked Examples of Eli's Dissolute Sons before his Eyes yet was not this young Child debauched by them N. B. Some Parents to my knowledge have trembled to leave their young Sons as Pupils to a Tutor who had any Debauchee-Students attending him Yet Gracious Hannah here adventureth to leave her only Son when but Young yet Hopeful with Eli as his Tutor who had Tutor'd his own Sons no better and by whom the tender Buds of Samuel's hopefulness might soon have been blasted seeing Sin is as catching as the Plague to our corrupt Natures and especially the sinful Practices of the Elder prove too often woful Patterns and Presidents to the Younger as was the case of Samuel here 'T is a wonder that Samuel's Soul which the Philosopher calls Rasa Tabula a piece of White Paper whereon bad may be written as well as good was not tainted with the lewdness of Eli's Sons who were much elder than he and no doubt were oft tempting him to partake with them in their Villanies N. B. Mendoza indeed affirmeth That Samuel must be about Nine or Ten Years old when it is said of him That he ministred unto the Lord before Eli v. 11. because the Nature of his Mothers Vow chap. 1.28 did design some Service whereof Samuel was capable to perform nor is it probable she would present him to the Tabernacle of God before he was well weaned from the common Food of Children for had he not been so when he came thither he had surely been an Encumbrance and no Advantage to Eli and the Service of the Sanctuary had he been left there a very young Child after his first Weaning from his Mother's Breasts Suppose all this true yet in those Years was he the more exposed to Temptation by Eli's Lewd Sons and therefore it seems a bold Venture in Hannah to leave her Hopeful Son among Eli's Hopeless and Graceless Sons who at their grown years would be apt enough to Insult over such a Stripling N. B. But undoubtedly she had a particular Faith for her Son and could say with David In this will I be confident Psal 27.3 Then the Lord took him up Psal 27.10 whereby she left him with the Lord more than with Eli. And Mendoza's Opinion of Samuel being about Ten Years old is the more probable because though as a Levite he could not enter into the Service of the Sanctuary before he was Twenty five Years old Numb 8.24 yet as a Nazarite devoted to God from his Conception c. he had some special Dispensation and only lighted the Lamps sang Spiritual Songs and play'd on Instruments of Musick and such like Offices of the Tabernacle as he at that Age was able to perform 1 Chron. 6.31 32. and
Glory c. Sixthly He was not willing to Reprove them but the Clamours of others forced him to do it Seventhly He did not Rebuke them publickly 1 Tim. 5.20 for their publick sins to make the Plaster as broad as the Wound Eighthly It was only a Verbal Reproof whereas he should have put them out of their Priesthood and punished them for their Adultery according to the Law without respect of Persons as a Judge c. Ninthly He did not Rebuke them in time but let them live long in sin Tenthly He soon ceased chiding them so 't is said He restrained them not ch 3.13 All that can be said by way of Apology for Eli in this case is First That he now was very Old v. 22. Some suppose him to be now come to his Ninetieth Year even in his Doteage so could not himself Converse with his Sons so as to observe their Male-Administrations and withal he was dim-sighted so could not so well see their sinful Practices His Superannuation caused his frequent Absence from the Tabernacle which gave a greater opportunity for his Sons Wickedness to whom the management of God's Worship was in their Father's Retirement betrusted and 't is not improbable his Sons did not much regard his Reproofs because he was Old and Over-worn but themselves being in their Vigour had Marry'd Wives and were Fathers of Children And N. B. 'T is commonly known that Old Age doth incline Men to Mercy so that 't is no Wonder if Eli seem rather to Flatter than to Chastize his Sons Secondly This Apology may be made also for Old Eli in his giving right Counsel to his Refractory Sons v. 24 25. telling them 1. How they made the Lord's People to transgress either in encouraging them to perpetrate the like execrable Practices by their prophane patterns and instigating the Lord's People to become Children of Belial the Devil's People by their pernicious Examples or otherwise in hurrying them into the other extream of not only neglecting but also of contemning their own indispensable Duties of Offering Sacrifices when they saw that their Oblations must pass through such horrible wicked hands And 2. Telling them If one Man sin against another by doing any Injury the Magistrate or Vmpire may in such a case compose the Difference and patch up such a Peace as both Parties ought to acquiesce if their Hearts be not bigger than their Suits in that final Determination But saith he you have not sinned against Man only but against the Lord also therefore it is not in the power of Man to right the wrong done to God or to reconcile you to him whom you have so immediately offended in his Worship N. B. Eli meaneth that after the manner of Men many dare intercede with the Prince for such as have injur'd any private person but none dare do so presume when the Injury is offered to the Prince's own Person None dare be a Solicitor much less can be a Days-Man in such a case so that Eli seems to point at the Messiah whose Office is to take away transgression Dan. 9.24 who was the Antitype of their Priestly Office and whom he wishes them to make their Mediator repenting of their sins and laying hold of his Merits by Faith and not to perish in their final Impenitency The Sixth Remark is The manner how the Man of God a Prophet sent of God did chastize both the cockering Father and his cockered Children which is done partly Reprehensory and partly Comminatory from v. 27. to the end First By way of Reproof who this Reprover was many are the Conjectures of Learned Men some say it was Elias who was not yet Born into the World or Phinehas who was now lately gone out of the World Others more probably think it was Elkanah or an Angel in Man's shape but seeing this is not revealed in Scripture as 't is vain curiosity to enquire so 't is impossible to determine who he was yet whoever was this Reprover whereas Eli did but dally with this Nail of Reproof he drove it down to the Head here both to the Father and to his Sons N. B. First As to Eli this Man of God upbraids him with that distinguishing favour he had received from God in making him his High Priest though descended of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron and gave all the Emoluments of the Priesthood a very Honourable Maintenance to him and his Sons and yet dare they thus provoke the Lord their Benefactor like foolish Folk and unwise Deut. 32.5 6. Beneficium postulat officium Benefits are binders to Offices and Duties of Thankfulness God looks upon the Abuse of his Benignity as an high Indignity and therefore chides he thus with Eli for this Affront v. 27 28. and not only so in the general but gives him this particular Impeachment that he had neglected his Duty both as a Parent and as a Priest and as a Judge in indulging his Sons to trample under foot the Ordinances of the Lord yet chused he rather to gratifie them than to glorifie God v. 29. N. B. Eli is charged here with conniving at his Sons sins for his own Self-ends because their Sacriledge help'd to feed their Old Father N. B. Secondly By way of Threatning 1. The loss of the Priesthood to Eli's Family v. 30. God had promis'd it to Phinehas Eleazar's Son Numb 25.12 but in some time of the Judges saith Dr. Lightfoot the High Priesthood was translated from the Line of Eleazar Aaron's Elder Son to the Line of Ithamar the younger of whom this Eli descended 1 Chron. 6.4 5 6. and 7 8 6 10. This forfeiture from the Elder Line the Doctor supposeth was made in the matter of Jephtah for instructing him no better but suffering him so unnaturally to dispose of or dispatch his own only and Religious Daughter N. B. Thus as the Promise for the perpetuation of the Priesthood to Aaron's Family Exod. 28.43 and 29.9 was Conditional only so long as they did Honour God therein which Condition the Elder Line of Aaron kept not in the case of Jephtah's Vow therefore was the High Priesthood transferr'd to the Younger Line which now upon the like failure in the Condition made a new forfeiture thereof by Dishonouring God so notoriously in Eli's Sons N. B. This may be called Breach of Promise as that is Num. 14.34 when the old Generation were wasted in the Wilderness and yet the new one was brought into Canaan as God had promised Deus non descrit nisi deferentem Austin 2 Chron. 15.3 2. This Man of God threatens the Extirpation of Eli's Family v. 31 32. His Arm shall be out off as Zech. 11.17 which may either be the Ark call'd the strength of God Psal 78.61 and taken after by the Philistines chap 4. or his Priesthood which was his strength and subsistency whereby he and his Family subsisted but principally his Posterity who are the strength of Parents Gen. 49.3 Deut. 21.17 Psal 127.4 5. this Arm
Trance and Chain'd up in God's Chain like a Wolf restrain'd from Worrying God's Lamb David for a Day and a Night and where Jonathan was Resident and President in his Father's Absence He asks his dear Jonathan What Crime he had committed that his Father was so implacably incens'd against him v. 1. Good Jonathan answers him with a God forbid c. v. 2. not thinking that his Father could be so wicked as to seek David's Life when he had so lately sworn to the contrary chap. 19.6 N. B. The Love of this good Son thought no evil of a bad Father 1 Cor. 13.5 what extravagancy had been in the Father his Charitable Son imputes it as the fruits only of his Frantick Fits and he assureth David saying when my Father comes to himself I dare undertake to reconcile thee to him as I have done heretofore chap. 19 4 5. Thus this Noble-minded Son is least suspicious of evil and puts a more candid Construction upon the evil Actions of a Bloody-minded Father than they truly deserved and so great was the Son's Blind Charity towards a bad Father which was both commendable and comely in him that he assureth David My Father will do nothing either small or great but that he will shew it me To this David replys v. 3. and that with a Solemn Oath because the matter was of great moment that Jonathan might not doubt of it interposing this Reason why Saul concealed his designing David's Death from Jonathan because he knew there was a League of Love betwixt them v. 3. Jonathan's Rejoynder to David's Reply was That he offered his utmost endeavour to grant David's Request for discovering the truth concerning the King's Mind and for preserving his Life who was Innocent yet in danger v. 4. saying to him What thy Soul desireth I will do for thee so our Jesus says to us Matth. 7.7 John 16.23 24. The Second Remark is The manner how Jonathan must pump forth his Father's Mind prescribed by David v. 5 6 7 8. wherein Observe First The Opportunity that is the Solemn Festival time of the New-Moon now at hand which was celebrated as a Testimony of their Thankfulness to God for lending them Times and Seasons Numb 10.10 because all time is the Lords The day is thine and the Night is thine thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Psal 74.16 Secondly The Vacancy of David's usual Seat as he was the King's Son in Law would occasion Saul's Enquiry after him for though David could not well imagine that Saul would expect his Company whom he had once and again endeavoured to kill yet partly Saul might suppose that David would ascribe all those his Extravagancies only to his Frantick Fits but when this Phrenzy was over he would come with a more composed Mind to keep the Feast of the Lord and then David might think himself in safety and so by his coming to fill up his proper Seat would give another fair Season wherein to slay him Or partly and more especially David would try this Experiment for discovering Saul's Mind toward him he begs leave of Jonathan who had power to grant it as the King's Deputy Lieutenant during his Absence at Naioth that he might go to Bethlehem and keep his Annual-Feast among his Kindred for two Days only promising to return and hide himself in the Field near the Court that Jonathan might give him Intelligence how his Father resented his Withdrawment Thirdly David's Appeal to Jonathan's own Conscience concerning his Innocency saying 1. If Iniquity be in me stay me thy self I had rather Die by thy friendly hands than be tortured by the hands of thy furious Father The tender Mercies of the Wicked are Cruelties saith Solomon Prov. 12.10 But if no Iniquity be found in me as thou judgest then be mindful of that Solemn Covenant whereof God is a Witness and give me seasonable notice of Saul's Intentions concerning me If he say well to my Absence by thy leave I am willing to trust my self with him this third time as I have done twice already chap. 18.11 17. and 19.7 notwithstanding his double Double-Dealing with me in forgetting both his Promise and his Oath but if my Absence enrage him for his losing the opportunity of killing me then let me know that I may escape his Rage c. The Third Remark upon the Antecedents is Jonathan's pathetical Promise to David that he would be a fast and a faithful Friend to him at this critical juncture v. 9 10 11. to 18. Wherein observe First After Jonathan had told David he abhor'd the thoughts of either slaying him himself or of betraying him into Saul's Hands to be slain by him v. 9. they consult together by what means and in what place this friendly Office might be performed without suspicion to Saul v. 10 11. So they both walk into the Fields for private Conference where they might not be over-heard and where Jonathan in an abrupt Expression calleth Jehovah the God of Israel to Witness the reality of his Respects and to be Judge betwixt them v. 12 13. Secondly Jonathan's Piety towards God and an humble denial of himself saying Tantamount though I be Heir Apparent of the Crown by Lineal Succession and therefore might envy thee having more cause than my Father for being envious yet because I know 't is the good Pleasure of God to reject my Father and to Elect thee as one better than my Father much Joy mayest thou have of the Kingdom after him and whatsoever becometh of me The Will of the Lord be done therein Acts 21.14 he chearfully submitteth himself and resolveth to cleave close to his Friendship with David in whose felicity he rejoyced as much as in his own Thirdly Jonathan's Faith as well as Self-denial is here very Conspicuous in courting David now in his lowest State of Humiliation even then when David had so solemnly Sworn his own desperate Apprehensions of himself saying As the Lord liveth and as thy Soul liveth there is but a step betwixt me and death v. 3. N. B. Yet at that time Jonathan Complements him as if he were already actually the King of Israel therefore must he have David to Swear and Swear again by way of Restipulation to keep Covenant with himself and with his Posterity whether he were Dead or Alive when David came to the Kingdom which he was sure would be v. 14 15 16 17. N. B. The like famous Faith we find in Abigail afterward Chap. 25.28 30. c. But above all the Faith of the Penitent Thief in him who is called the Son of David he could believe in a Crucified Christ and pray for his kind remembrance when he came into his Kingdom Luke 23.42 as if he saw him already in his State of Exaltation The Fourth Remark upon the Antecedents is The pious Prudence and Policy Jonathan propounds to David as measures to be taken on both sides the one for sounding Saul at the Feast how his Heart stood affected
v. 10 11 16. Secondly God minds David of the Spiritual favours he had also to give him as a sufficient Seal of his complacency in him The Third in the General God Crowns David's Throne with the promise of Christ whereby it was made an invincible Throne indeed but more particularly some of those following promises v. 12 13 14 15 16. be peculiar to Solomon and some unto Christ and some to both as to the Types and Antitypes First I will set up thy Seed after thee v. 12. this belongs to Solomon as the Type 1 Chron. 28.6 and to Christ who is oft call'd the Son of David as the Antitype Secondly He shall build an House for my Name v. 13. belongs to both for as Solomon built the material Temple so the Messiah doth build the Mystical Temple that promise Deut. 12.11 was literally performed by Solomon to whom David gave the pastern and for whom he prepared the materials only 1 Chron. 22.14 28.11 but Spiritually Christ builds the Church call'd God's House Heb. 3.3 6. 1 Pet. 2.5 whereof the Temple was but a Type Luke 1.32 33 c. Thirdly I will be his Father v. 14. so God was to Solomon the Type by Grace and Adoption but to Christ the Antitype by Nature and Eternal Generation which no Man can declare Isa 53.8 and by Personal Vnion also Heb. 1.5 Psal 2.7 Joh. 1.18 Acts. 13.33 1 Joh. 4.9 Fourthly If he commit iniquity as Solomon did but so never did our Lord Jesus no guile or sin was found in him Isa 53.9 1 Pet. 1.19 2.22 Heb. 4.15 tho' all our sins were laid upon him by way of imputation Isa 53.4 2 Cor. 5.22 and tho' he was a Sinner likewise by way of Reputation as he was reputed or reckoned among Transgressors Isa 53.12 So that Solomon was no Type of Christ in his sin proper to himself Fifthly I will Chasten him c. Thus God did to Solomon for his Idolatry in his Old Age 1 King 11.9 14 23 26. and thus the Chastisement of our peace was upon Christ Isa 53.5 but it was for our sins and not for any of his own as Solomon's was Christ suffered to procure our Pardon and Peace thus was there disparity as well as congruity Sixthly But my mercy shall not depart c. v. 15. So Psal 89.30 31 32 33. God chasten'd Solomon only with the rod of weak Men as Enosh signifies like a tender Father to break his Child's stubborness but not his bones he chasten'd him only with Rods and not with Scorpions Seventhly Therefore thy Kingdom shall be established for ever c. v. 16. Solomon's Kingdom continued 'till Shilo came Gen. 49.10 but Christs is for ever and tho' his dispensatory Kingdom shall be delivered up when Sin and Death and all his Enemies end 1 Cor. 15.24 yet his essential Kingdom abides for ever c. The Second and last part is David's Oration or Prayer to God being the blessed Effect of God's Oracle to him Remarks 1. upon the Gratulatory part thereof First When Nathan had delivered God's Oracle to him v. 17. he doth not fall foul upon him for unsaying what he had said v. 3. but presently goes to God in the Tabernacle and having first vilify'd himself as one less than the least of God's Mercies as Father Jacob had taught it him Gen. 32.10 he then makes a thankful acknowledgment of God's matchless mercy c. v. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. where Mark First Being ravish'd with joy he praiseth God for bestowing upon him such undeserved honour and happiness as if he had not been a poor Man's Shepherd but a Son to some Mighty Monarch Mark Secondly He admires the extent of God's Promise to him for a long time to come for so far as Christ's time and for all Eternity also saying as if all thou hadst done already were too little for me Mark Thirdly He in a rapture advances the kindness of God above the manner of Men who think it kindness enough to give their Servant a Pension for Life only not for Posterity too Mark Fourthly He confesses that he was non plus'd What can David say more had he the tongue of Men and Angels he might admire better than express all God's Praises Mark Fifthly He acknowledges all this kindness of God to him not for any merit of his own but for his word sake that is for the sake of Christ the eternal word or for his promise sake Mark Sixthly Then by an Emphatical Apostrophe he extols God's great goodness to Israel whom Elohim all the Three Persons in the Trinity Redeemed from Egypt fed in the Wilderness brought to Canaan c. Remarks Secondly upon that part which is Supplicatory Mark First He prays God to perform his Promise both as to his own Temporal Kingdom and as to the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ v. 25. N. B. Do as thou hast said is a special speeding Argument Mark Secondly He confirms his faith in praying over God's Promises that God's performing them would be for his glory ver 26. and would demonstrate the unchangeableness of his Nature in word and deed v. 27 28. Mark Thirdly He concludes his Oration making most both of God's Mercies and of his Promises sucking earnestly those Breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 not with Lip Labour but Heart Prayer ver 27. and with full assurance of God's faithfulness ver 29. being perswaded that tho' he did not build God an House as he desired yet God would build for him an House for ever 2 Samuel CHAP. VIII THIS Chapter is a Narrative of the Acts of David in time of War and of Peace those Acts are reducible to two Heads First Polemical and then Political Remarks upon his Polemical Acts touching his Wars The First is General Active David would not be out of action if he must not Build God an House he will at the least make all preparations he could for the doing of it In order hereunto he subdues all the Enemies of Israel round about which work had a double tendency towards the Temple work for first thereby he procured a Sublime Peace the Daughter of War that his Son Solomon might have no avocation by any Wars while he was building the Temple and Secondly David hereby provided abundance of materials out of the Spoils of those Nations he subdued N. B. 'T is very observable no Nation he War'd against could stand before him after God had crown'd his Kingdom with the Promise of Christ in the former Chapter after this to rebel against David was to rebel against Christ himself Psal 2.6 7 c. God had sworn to him Eccles 8.2 c. The Second Remark is in Particular his War against the Philistines v. 1. which was his third War against them after he was Crowned King of Israel only with this difference In the two former they were the first Agressors upon David Chap. 5.17 22. but in this David assaults them as the inveterate and implacable Enemies
God delivered to David Shall seven Years Famine come upon thee Chap. 24.13 That is as He interpreteth it there have been three Years Famine already for the Gibeonites and the numbring of the People took up almost another whole Year Now saith Gad shall three Years Famine more come to make them up seven this seems to direct us to the time And Sanctius saith here Mallem hìc res ordine narrari quo gestae sunt this matter of the Famine is related in its place and Order The Second Remark is the Cause of this Famine made known by God's Oracle The natural Cause was the Drought v. 10. David though a Prophet knew not the Supernatural Cause until he consulted with the Vrim and God told him it was to punish Saul's false Zeal who had so perfidiously and perjuriously brought the Gibeonites unto Perdition v. 1 2. N. B. Learn we from David here to say with Job Lord shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Job 10.2 and Surely it is meet to be said to God I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me If I have done Iniquity I will do so no more Job 34.31 32. We ought not to do as the Dog doth who runs snarling at the Stone thrown at him but minds not the hand that threw it Fools look only at the lower Causes c. Man's sinning assuredly goes before Man's suffering as the Needle doth the Thread that follows it therefore should we find out our Sin and be sorry for it before the Lord or our Sin will find us out surely Numb 32.23 And whatever is the Instrument of our Suffering let God be looked on as the chief Cause and Agent whose favour we must labour to reobtain N. B. This Sin of Saul's slaying the Gibeonites contrary to a solemn Oath and though they were Proselytes out of a Zeal not to God but to himself and to Israel that he and his People might possess their Estates lay long fast asleep like a Dormant Debt not called for nor awakened for forty Years after the Fact Thus Joab's killing Abner did sleep all David's days Now Saul's Sin is reckoned for in this Famine whereby the present Prince and People are now punished Peter Martyr renders this Reason why David is now punish'd for Saul's Sin because he had now reigned many Years yet had not still righted these oppressed Proselytes And the People mostly were punished and pinched with this Famine because they had been Accessaries to Saul's Sin either by exciting him to it or by assisting him in it or by rejoicing at it and not endeavouring to prevent it nor labouring to get them restored to their Rights after the Fact was done The Third Remark is the means made use of for removing this Judgment of Famine Namely the getting both God and the Gibeonites reconciled to Israel v. 3 4 5 6. Wherein Mark. 1. Those Gibeonites had complained of their Grievances to God and he had heard them for he is gracious Exod. 23.27 N. B. The Reason why they had not all this long time complained to King David Peter Martyr imagineth That hapned to them which befals all that are deeply oppressed they are so dispirited that they dare do nothing for their own Relief and possibly they suspected that David Saul's Son in Law would be unwilling to Rescind the Acts of Saul his Father in Law Now therefore was God's time Mark 2. God now rouzes David He asks them what would satisfie them seeing Saul had so wrong'd them from a Zeal without Knowledge Rom. 10.2 Against the Publick Faith which God under no pretence will suffer to be broken no not though it was won by a Wile Josh 9.15 Yet was it binding to Successors David well knew all this therefore offers them full Recompence such as they required that both God might remove the Famine and the Gibeonites might pray for the removal of it Gen. 20.7 Job 29.13 Mark 3. It was not a Money-matter they sought for satisfaction but that seven of Saul's Sons might be hanged up before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul that the place wherein he plotted to root out our Families even at his Royal Palace say they may now become the open Stage for the rooting out of his Family God had his great Hand in this matter not only to rid David of that long troublesome House but also in confining the Gibeonites to request no more but seven of Saul's House That so there might be the just number desired yet Mephibosheth be spared The Fourth Remark is the Matter Manner and Form of the Expiation of Saul's Sin whereby God was reconciled and the Famine removed from Israel at the Gibeonites Prayer Mark 1. Mephibosheth Jonathan's Son is so named to distinguish him from that other Mephibosheth the Son of Saul's Concubine v. 7 8. This poor Cripple was saved for Jonathan's sake because of the Lord's Oath between them and surely had David thought rightly upon that Oath it might have saved Mephibosheth's Lands from his Sycophant Servant Ziba as well as his Life at this time from the Gallows N. B. How much more will the Father of all Mercies be mindful of the Children of Believers for Jesus sake and for the Covenant made with their Parents Mark 2. But David doubtless at God's Direction took the two Sons of Rizpah Saul's Concubine and the five Sons of Merab call'd Michal's because she had adopted them at her Sister's Death having none of her own Chap. 6.23 Who was Married to Adriel 1 Sam. 18.19 So they were not Michal's Mark 3. The Manner of this Expiation it was the Execution of this sevenfold Matter by hanging them all up before the Lord v. 9. Though David had sworn that He would not cut off Saul's Seed 1 Sam. 24.21 22. Yet God dispensing with David in this Oath directed Him to do thus otherwise David had been as guilty of Perjury as Saul himself was and God would not have been so well pleased with this Sacrifice as to remove the Dearth at it Mark 4. Rizpah's Motherly Affection to her two hanged Sons v. 10. She erected a Tent upon a contiguous Rock made of Sackcloath in token of Mourning to secure her self from the parching heat of the Sun in the Droughty Day and from the malignant Vapours of the dark Nights Resolving to watch their Bodies from all Annoyances because they were doomed by David with the Direction of God who in this extraordinary Case dispensed with his own double Law Deut. 21.23 and 24.16 To hang there until the Anger of God was appeased for Saul's Sin and Rain reobtained which some say Rizpah prayed earnestly for in her Mourning Tent and that the Lord would accept of the Sacrifice of her Sons for an Atonement to remove the Famine c. N. B. If so then Rizpah must be a Religious Woman having this Providence made an Ordinance to her however she was certainly a Virago of a more than manly Courage that
Chron. 21.12 Is but three Years To solve this doubt some say seven Years was God's first offer but David praying for a shorter time brought God down to reduce them unto three Years as Abraham had prevailed with God to make an abatement from fifty to ten Persons for saving Sodom Gen. 18.24 32. and as Ezekiel had got God to allow Ox-dung for Man's-dung to knead their Bread with in a Famine by a sore Siege Ezek. 4.12 15. Thus God might likewise condescend to David's Prayer as he had done to the Patriarch Abraham's and to the Prophet Ezekiel's This is but gratis dictum a Being wise above what is written and therefore 't is better answered for reconciling this difference 1. By Grotius that numbers might be set down by Notes or Figures as most Nations do which might easily cause a mistake of the Figure three for the Figure seven But 2. Because the aforesaid Supposition seems to weaken the Authority of the Holy Scriptures if mistakes be allowed therein therefore Judicious Junius with whom the best Expositors do concur doth affirm that this offer of God by Gad ran thus Shall three Years Famine as 1 Chron. 21.12 saith Come upon the Land for the Sin of David to make up those that have been already for the Sin of Saul which lasted three Years and the fourth Year was almost out Now God offers David Shall three Years Famine more come to make up the number seven as is expressed here v. 13. Beside 3. Others are of opinion that this fourth Year after the Famine for the wronged Gibeonites was the Sabbatical Year wherein Israel had no new Harvest so could not make up their losses of the three last Years Famine and if this Notion will hold then three Years more such make them seven indeed Mark 6. Though God offered to David's choice whether he would chuse either Famine Sword or Pestilence yet had he Decreed to send the last of the three and neither of the former God in the mean time leaving David to the Direction of his own Wisdom and Will but so as his Will was inlightened and inclined by the secret motion of God's Spirit to chuse the last of them N. B. Which gives a manifest Demonstration that the Determination of Man's Will by God's Decree may well consist with the Freedom of our Wills for David here did freely chuse that one of the three which God had from Eternity decreed and determined should be chosen The Second Part is the Progress of this Plague which David did chuse v. 14 15 16. Wherein Remark 1. The ground of David's choice He said I am in a great strait v. 14. Great Sins bring great Snares David in the fulness of his sufficiency was in straits as is said of the wicked Job 20.22 which of those three direful Judgments to chuse and his straits were the greater because he saw God resolved to make him smart by one of them none of which were eligible Remark 2. David had experience of the evils of both Sword and Famine but none of the Plague The smart of the late Famine was still fresh and felt upon the People And that of the Sword which must have a Commission to conquer and kill his Subjects that were to flee before it was an evil that would much redound to the dishonour of Religion and of God himself who had received David and his People into his Protection by Covenant Remark 3. He chuses neither of the other for though the Hand of God order them both yet there is the Hand of Man in the Sword as it were the Hand of the Creature in the Famine as the Locust Caterpillar Mildew c. But the Plague whereof David had no Tryal was an immediate stroke of God against which though Man can make no Defence as he may do either in War or in Famine especially David and his Nobles but Prayer and Humiliation yet this was David's choice wherein He was equally exposed in his own Person with the meanest of his People and upon this ground only from his former Experience of God's Gracious Goodness He chuses rather to be chastized by a Compassionate Father than by the Hands of such whose Tender Mercies are but very Cruelties Prov. 12.10 N. B. 'T is true to fall into the Hands of the Living God is a most terrible thing as he is an Incensed Judge Heb. 10.31 That is when God taketh to task irreconcileable Rebels and Reprobates who do despise and despite the Spirit of Grace and tread under Foot the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 12.29 But when he comes on the contrary as a tender Father to chastize his own Children He corrects them in measure Hebrew by Peck and by Peck not by whole Bushels at once and staies the rough wind in the Day of the East Wind Isa 27.7 8. Jer. 30.11 Hab. 2.2 The Third Remark from this Second Part is the Egress of the Plague from God that same Morning when Gad was sent to David with these sad Tidings and its Progress among the People even to the time appointed ver 15. Concerning the Continuation of this Pestilence how long it raged in slaughtering the King's Subjects there be two Opinions The First is of those Learned Men that affirm It lasted but from the Morning to the Evening of the first of those three Days offered to David and accepted off by him and thus they Interpret that clause even to the time appointed to be until the Evening Sacrifice and Prayer which was the usual time of Israel's solemn meeting for God's Service Psal 141.2 Acts. 3.1 This Opinion is more plausible and pleasing to the Judicious than that of those who Interpret the appointed time to be the Noon of the first Day because say they the Day is divided into three stated times to wit Morn Noon and Night's approach So that the Noon or the Meridian Sun is one of the Appointed times of the Day as well as the Rising and the Setting Sun This Computation cuts the time of the Pestilence short concluding that it lasted but six hours instead of continuing three days But because Dinner-time was not so much noted among the Hebrews as was the Evening when they had their Gnethmogned Hebrew their Time of Convention for Evening Prayer therefore is this Opinion more probable than that which I thereupon do omit as altogether improbable c. The Second Opinion is that the Plague lasted from that very Morning of Gad's coming to David ver 11. After whose choice it immediately issued forth Vntil the Third Day Which is the Term expressed ver 13. And which Expression leaveth no room for Conjecturing one day only much less but six hours of one day So that the appointed time ver 15. most probably must have Relation to the three days aforementioned in ver 13. And not otherwise without doing Violence to the Law of God Zeph. 3.4 But this we may safely assert with Peter Martyr that the Plague lasted not until the Term
of three Days were expired for three Reasons The First is this very History contradicts it in saying both that the Lord repented him of the Evil ver 16. now God Repents not of any Evil already inflicted but only of that he threatens to inflict Jerem. 26.3 13. and that he stopped the destroying Angel bidding him Hold his hand ver 16. which was needless if nothing of the Sentence and of the term of Time had been Revoked for the Angel could not go beyond his Commission of three Days The Second Reason is Nor is it credible that either the Angel did not come to Jerusalem until the Three Days were expired or that David did defer his Repentance and Deprecating this Divine Displeasure from his People so long as till Three Days were directly run out The Third Reason is What Bechartus and Peter Martyr alledge that in the midst of Wrath God remembereth Mercy Hab. 3.2 And cuts short his Days of displeasure for the Elect's sake Matth. 24.22 not because God is changeable but because he recalls only what he had determined to do in case of Impenitency persisted in But if David and the People become truly Penitent upon this condition God decreed the Plague should not continue the whole Three Days The Third Part is God's putting a Period to this Pestilence Remarks upon it are First The time when this was done It was when the Destorying Angel had destroyed great Numbers in other parts of the Land and was now on the Third Day come to Jerusalem to destroy it also ver 16. Compare with this the 1 Chron. 21. where this story is much inlarged 'T is said there As the Angel did not only stretch forth his hand to destroy but was destroying with his Sword ver 15 27. Many being already Slain therein even then God Repented and stopped the Angel Where Mark 1. Even good Angels are Executioners of God's Justice and Judgments as both here and at Sodom To do Justice upon Malefactors is so noble an Act and Office as not unbeseemeth an Angel Mark 2. This Good Angel was God's Servant being at his Lord's beck and check obedient to his commands both in striking or stopping Either the Angel knew not the Number how many were to be Slain or he is bid to hold his hand as is spoken after the manner of Men. Mark 3. This Destroying Angel did not begin to Destroy at Jerusalem as Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 Jerem. 25.18 and 21.9.49.12 but came last to it hereupon David had good ground to say The Lord loved the Gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 Sanctius renders this Reason for the Plague not beginning at Jerusalem Because saith he the Citizens perhaps paid their Poll-Tax of an half Shekel having the Tabernacle and Priests present with them which would teach them their Duty Mark 4. God's Repenting and stopping the Angel thereupon was mutatio Rei non Dei effectus non affectus concilis non decreti c. 'T was God's purpose not to proceed but to put a Period to the punishing of the People so soon as he had brought them and their King to unfeigned Repentance the acting or neglecting whereof disposeth of all Temporal Judgments whether off or on as is expressed Jer. 18.8 10. and as is exemplified in Nineveh Jonah 3.10 otherwise God is not as Man that he can Repent Numb 23.19 1 Sam. 15.11 29. Rom. 11.29 'T is only said so because God did here what Men do when they Repent namely cease from farther punishing N. B. Here God's Repentings were kindled and he would not execute the fierceness of his Anger as Hos 11.8 9. David foresaw with an Eye of Faith that God's Compassion would not fail Lam. 3.22 and therefore chused like a loving Child to be chastized by his Father himself rather than by the hand of a Slave or Servants As all Creatures are to the great Creator Psal 119.91 David well-knew that his Heavenly Father would not Plague either him or his People according to the Demerit of their Sins but he would only correct them both in measure and mercy and that for their amendment only Mark 5. The Rabbins all grant that the term of this Pestilence was abbreviated but they cannot concurr upon what part of the Third day the Plague ceased Bochartus saith it ceased as soon as the daily Sacrifice was offered which probably was that in the Morning otherwise the Plague had proceeded to the end of that Day 'T is said ver 25. The Lord was entreated to stay the Plague no doubt but David and the Elders did most earnestly intreat it at their Morning Sacrifice c. The Second Remark is The means whereby God was pacified to put a period to any farther progress were Prayers and Sacrifices ver 17 to 25. First As to David's Prayer Mark 1. The Motive to it which was His seeing the Destroying Angel in an Humane figure with a drawn Sword in his Hand between Heaven and Earth upon which upper station he could strike the Highest Cedar as well as the lowest shrub This astonishing sight startles David expecting to be stricken by that frightful now visible striker so betakes himself to serious Prayer ver 17. Mark 2. David in his Praying for his People as a kind Shepherd for saving his Sheep offers himself to be a Sacrifice for them N. B. So was a Type of Christ that Good Shepherd John 10.11 yet was he much over-done by Christ his Antitype who did not only offer to do it but who really gave up himself an Offering for the Sins of his Sheep even when they were his Enemies and had deserved Eternal woe he himself being wholly innocent not as David saying I have sinned Mark 3. Not only David but the Elders also with him covered themselves with Sackcloth and fell upon their Faces in a deep Humiliation and in a devout Deprecation of God's Plague from the People 1 Chron. 21.16 It was undoubtedly after these solemn seekings of God's favour that God said to the Angel It is enough stay now thy Hand 1 Chron. 21.15 though the End be recorded before the Means to effect that End as is usual ver 7 17. The Third Remark is upon the Second Means David must find Sacrifices as well as Prayers ver 18 19 20 c. Wherein Mark 1. In order to Sacrificing an Altar must be erected the place where must be the Threshing Floor of Abraunah for many Reasons First Because there Abraham had his Knife held from slaying his Son Isaac as God held here the Sword of the Angel from Slaying the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Secondly It was the very place where the Temple was to be Built 2 Chron. 3.1 Thirdly And the Place or City where Isaac's Antitype our Redeemer was actually offered up whom this Altar and Sacrifice did represent N. B. Teaching that all David's Humiliations and Prayers could not appease God's Anger alone without the Sacrifice of Christ Mark 2. God sends the Prophet
recorded likewise Psal 18.11 12. 97.2 N. B. And Rab. Maimonides gives the Reason that God appears in a Cloud in a condescension to Man's meanness Mercabah Velo Harocheb Man cannot behold the Sun in Rota in the Circle Vehemens sensibile destruit sensum saith Zabarel Man may see the Chariot God rode in as Moses did Exod. 33.20 but not the Rider himself 't is too vehement an Object for Man to behold without destruction of his senses and of himself also So Solomon saith here to them Ye may see this created Image but ye cannot behold God in Shecinah in the splendour of his glory Remark the 2. Then by an holy Apostrophe Solomon having satisfied their trembling Spirits turns from them to praise God v. 13 14 15 16 to 21. for performing his promises to David Mark 1. Solomon now sate upon the Brazen Scaffold that was purposely built for him in this solemnity 2 Chron. 6.13 Mark 2. Solomon was in a Divine Rapture of holy joy for that glorious sight of God which he beheld from the Brazen Scaffold when he thus broke forth to speak first to God's Servants and then to God himself Mark 3. He blesseth God with all the Congregation as Junius reads it both for his precious Promise to David his Father and for his more precious performance of that Promise to himself his Son O happy Solomon in such a Father and no less happy David in such a Son Mark 4. This memorable mercy of Delivering Israel out of Egypt is oft mentioned in Scripture as here v. 16. as a rousing motive to real thankfulness N. B. O what cause have we to bless God for Christ who delivers us from wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Hell is worse than Egypt and the Devil than Pharaoh Mark 5. Peter Martyr notes from v. 17.18 God sometimes approves such things which he will not have performed as David's readiness to build God a Temple was acceptable to God 2 Sam. 7.11 c. we are bid be ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 a ready heart makes the best riddance of Religious Duties this is God's revealed will that we should be ready and so God accepted of David's desire and intention N. B. Tho' God's secret will and decree was that David should not do it but reserved it for his Son Solomon thus Herod Pilate and Judas did according to the determined Decree of God Acts 4.27 28. yet are condemned for acting against God's revealed express command thou shalt not kill so David and all Believers are approved and commended of God not because they obey God's Decree but his Precept and Providence c. Mark 6. The performance of God's Promise ought evermore to be magnified with most inlargment of heart as Solomon doth here as one ravished therewith v. 19 20 21. God is much glorified in such acknowledgments Thou hast fulfilled with thy hand what thy mouth hath spoken and hast done as thou hast said 2 Sam. 7.25 1 Chron. 17.23 with v. 24. here and 2 Chron. 6.15 God never suffers his faithfulness to fail nor alters the promise that went out of his mouth Psal 89.33 witness the constant and continual experience and testimony of all Saints in all Ages and Generations not one instance extant to the contrary The Second Part of Solomon's Oration after the laudatory is the precatory his Prayer to God after his praise of God most lovely checker'd work Remark the First is the posture of Solomon in his praying work which is threefold here 1. His standing bolt upright with his face towards the most Holy place which was a sign of the erection of his Spirit and the stedfastness of his faith in God standing was his posture while he was praising God But 2. When that was done he kneeled down upon his knees 2 Chron 6.12 13. to make his following supplication this posture did signifie his lowly humiliation of Soul and an acknowledgment of the Lord's Soveraignty over him and over all the Mighty Monarchs of the World for by him all King's Reign Prov. 8.15 Rom. 13.1 4 c. His Third posture was the spreading forth of his hands towards Heaven v. 22. 2 Chron. 6.13 this was to signifie his expectation of God's blessing and his readiness to receive it with both hands and heart this is a posture the light of Nature hath taught the very Pagans when they pray saith Aristotle De Mundo Cap. 7. and Virgil makes it the gesture of a Praying Heathen Sustulit exutas vinclis ad sydera Palmas Aeneid lib. 2. This posture is oft mentioned in Scripture as Exod. 9.29 Psal 143.6 Isa 1.15 c. Remark the Second is the matter of his Prayer v. 23. and so on to 50. Mark 1. Solomon after his Preface v. 23. wherein he strengthens his Faith and stirs up his Devotion proposeth in Prayer first that God would establish the Kingdom in the Family of David according to his Divine promise v. 24 25 26. well knowing that such as would have Promises turn'd into Performances must first put them in suit and press God to do it Ezek. 36.37 Thus Jacob did Gen. 32.9 and David did Psal 119.49 and thus also Elijah 1 King 18.42 in that posture as he lay in his Mothers womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he Prayed a Prayer or Prayed earnestly Jam. 5.17 18. stretching and straining every string in his heart to express and increase his Devotion importing his own misery and imploring God's mercy N. B. Solomon pleadeth the performance of one promise at the time present that he might prevail with God for the performance of another for the future 't is an holy way of incroaching upon God from experience of former favours to advance in expectation of future mercies also God hath is a blessed medium of arguing that God will Psal 85 1â—2 3. there be five thou hasts ' and then comes in thou wilt v. 8.2 Cor. 1.10 Mark 2. Solomon corrects his petition for God's presence in the Temple even in an extasie of admiration v. 27 28 29. saying Such is thy immensity O God that the highest Heaven the most spacious place that ever was created cannot contain thy Infinite Essence within the compass of their circumference how much less this Temple of such narrow dimensions compared with Heaven it being but a small spot of Earth Oh astonishing condescension that thou wilt cause thy Name to dwell in this place Deut. 12.11 and tho' it cannot comprehend thee yet shew thy self graciously present here to grant my present Prayers and the future Prayers of thy People v. 30. Mark 3. The Particulars in Solomon's Prayer as First In case the guilty cannot be convinced by Witnesses and he plead Not guilty if he dare swear it at thy Altar which should awe him as the place of thy presence then Lord set a brand upon him as upon Cain and as Numb 5.16.21 for his perjury for a right Administration of Justice v. 31.32 Secondly In case Israel be defeated by their Enemies
of Sin full for our Lord quotes that wicked Act as highly conducing to the Catastrophe of their Kingdom Matth. 23.32 35 36 37. N. B. The First Second Third and Fourth Chapters of Hosea all speak the fore-tokens of their Captivity The Third Prophet in that time was Amos Chap. 1.1 his whole Prophecy concerns Israel's Rejection but more expresly in Chapters 7.10 11 12 c. he tells us Jeroboam the Second was then alive Contemporary with Vzziah and that Amaziah the Priest of Bethel's Calf inform'd against him as a Traytor to that King The Fourth Prophet in this time was Jonah as is aforesaid upon 2 Kings 14.25 which Text doth certifie he was Contemporary with the former Prophets who had all foretold the Rejection of the Jews and therefore is this Jonah seasonably sent forth to fetch in the Gentiles by preaching to Ninive c. and though at the first he declined his Message out of love to his own Countrymen knowing that the coming in of the Gentiles would be the casting off of the Jews yet was he forced thither when cast a Shore out of a Whale's Belly wherein he was a Type of our Lord's Burial and Resurrection Matth. 12.39 40. just before the Call of the Gentiles by the Preaching of the Gospel APPENDIX Jonah CHAP. I. REmark the First Junius Piscator and Grotius affirm unanimously That the same Jonah whom God sent to Nineveh Jon. 1.1 2. was he that is mentioned 2 Kings 14.25 though Masius and Menochius say otherwise but seeing in both places this Prophet is called The Son of Amittai which Hebr. signifies Truth or Veracity denoting saith D'Dieu that he was a veracious and truth-telling Prophet 't is therefore the concurrent Opinion of learned Authors that both were one and the same Prophet Mr. Lively relateth that this Jonah was the first of all the Prophets whose Prophecies are Recorded and is named next to the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 13.14 20. and 14.25 Jonah lived before the Battle of Joash King of Israel with the Syrians about the end of Elisha's Life and he prophesied among the Ten Tribes say Paraeus Cluverius c. concerning the Prosperity of Jeroboam the Second who was more prosperous than pious and when he had spent much time with small success among the irreclaimable Israelites whose Sermons to them are not come to us upon Record saith Calvin then did God send him to the Gentiles saith Mercerus that they might provoke them to Repentance or at least leave them inexcusable therefore 't is said God also sent him to Nineveh Jon. 1.1 2. Remark the Second Though Jehoaaz in his Trouble besought the Lord 2 Kings 13.3 4 5 6 7. and the Lord heard him out of his matchless Mercy and made use of Jeroboam the Second to be Israel's Saviour though a sorry sinner from the savage Syrians and sent Jonah to foretel his Victories over their Oppressors because God had not still writ Lo-ammi upon them 2 Kings 14.25 26 27 c. Yet because the House of Israel made a misimprovement of this Divine Mercy therefore God sent Hosea Amos Isaiah c. to foretel their Calamity and Captivity yea of Judah as well as of Israel Dr. Lightfoot excellently observeth that when Joel and the other Prophets had shewed the Rejection and Ruine of all the Twelve Tribes and when Obadiah had foretold the Desolation of Esau the next Kinsman to Jacob's Seed then God saw it seasonable to send out Jonah to fetch in the Gentiles c. Remark the Third Jonah at the first declined his divine Embassage unto that great City Nineveh Jon. 1.3 Rabbi Kimchi saith his Reason for his refusal was because he murmured that Mercy and Peace should be carried away from the Jews and now be preached by him a Jew to the Gentiles upon condition of their Repentance He was loth to leave his own People whom he loved and would not have them cast off by the coming in of the Gentiles he thought saith Calvin it would be acting contrary to God's Covenant to reject Israel c. and the like mistake made Peter call'd also Simon Bar-Jonah John 1.42 with his name-sake Jonah who accounted the Gentiles as common and unclean He narrow'd the Beams of divine Grace likewise Acts 10.11 12 15. until better informed by Christ and then he acknowledged his Error ver 34 35. both those two Jonahs might have learnt the Mystery of Naaman's carrying Jewish Earth into Syria 2 Kings 5.17 which signified some favour was to be transported from the Jews to the Gentiles c. Remark the Fourth Jonah's Sin of Disobedience to God's Call and Command ver 2 3. N. B. This whole History is a marvelous dispute betwixt passionate peevish Jonah and the patient and omnipotent Jehovah a sorry Creature with the most sovereign Creator in both Jonah's Messages c. to Nineveh c. God gave him his first Commission to go preach at Nineveh the Metropolis of the Assyrian Monarchy and very Antient Gen. 10.11 and exceeding Ample as well as Antient containing 50 Miles in compass saith Diodorus Siculus and was a City of three days journey in Jonah's days Jon 3.3 and besides this vast compass of Ground it had the like stately Walls about it the height whereof was an 100 Foot and their breadth so spacious as capable to receive three Carts to pass together in a breast or row and these Walls were adorn'd with fifteen hundred Towers says Munster This famous Fabrick the then none-such in the World was so frightful to Jonah's timorous Temper that he durst not face it especially with so dismal a Message of proclaiming its utter Ruine in a little time Hereupon Jonah flees c. acting contrary to blessed Paul who consulted not with Flesh and Blood Gal. 1.16 nor daring to be disobedient to the heavenly Vision Acts 26.19 but Jonah plays the run-away from the Presence of the Lord that is from the special and spiritual Presence of God wherein he had hitherto stood and ministred for from God's general Presence Jonah knew he could not flee Psalm 139.7 8. Acts 17.27 Some run before they be sent as uncalled Preachers contrary to Rom. 10.14 15. but Jonah though he runs not before sent yet when sent he runs not the right way for fear of the Ninevites for love to his Israelites and he conceited his Task was to no purpose in preaching to Pagans seeing he prevailed so little at home with his own People c. therefore fled he to Tarshish making more haste than good speed from Joppa thither N. B. When once got out of God's way we may turn we know not whither and return we know not when He led himself into Tentation but God left him not in it but led him out of it He was happy that no evil happened to him Prov. 12.21 Remark the Fifth God punishes this run-away Jonah ver 4. so far evil did happen to him that the Ship wherein he imbarked himself was stop'd by a Storm
the Heb. Vaiegnather signifies Though he had cast off his God and had been inexorable to him yet his God had not cast off him When his Soul was greatly humbled for his great Sin then was he quicken'd to pray for Pardon ver 13. which was the ready way to meet with Mercy from God who is High and Mighty and Merciful too Isa 57.15 and 66.2 and then God likewise granted him his Inlargement which he desired this undoubtedly was done though we are not told how by God's moving the Enemy to shew him Mercy according to his precious Promise Jer. 15.11 and according to Solomon's Prayer 1 Kings 8.46 47 48 49 50. which was here performed when he had his Bonds loosed and dismiss'd to return to his own Countrey N.B. 1. This Confutes that Novel Opinion both of the Old and of the New Novatians who teach that the great God hath no Mercy for great Sinners None though never so sinful if they have not sinn'd that Sin unto Death need to despair of Mercy seeing a Sinner of the vastest size found Mercy here If Men can but find a Praying Heart God will find a Pitying Heart and an helping Hand N.B. 2. The Rabbins report their uncertainties whether Manasseh got out of Prison with the King of Babylon's good leave or he made his escape And some say his Prison doors were opened his Chains loosed c. and he was delivered as Peter was afterwards Acts 12.6 7 10. but 't is enough for us to know The Lord knows how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Remark the Third Manasseh being returned home his first work was saith Josephus to reform Religion and then to repair the Walls ver 14. which probably were broke down when he was taken Captive yea and the Lord's Altar which he himself had defaced in his Idolatrous Humour and then to destroy those Idols which in that Humour he had before adored ver 15 16. which Deeds on both hands were good Evidences of his true Repentance and which no doubt he had vowed to do in his Distress observing God's Rule Vow and Pay Psalm 66.13 14 c. Remark the Fourth When this Reformed King had reformed his Kingdom save only the High Places that old Superstitious and unremovable Custom and had reduced his People to rights whom he had formerly seduced to Sin 2 Kings 21.9 then he died in the fifty fifth Year of his Reign and sixty seventh of his Life and was buried in his own Garden 2 Kings 21.18 by his own Last Will appointed as holding himself unworthy for his former Abominations to be buried in a Royal Sepulchre The latter Part of both these Chapters relate the Life of Amon his Son and Successor the fourteenth King of Judah and one that was old enough when he succeeded being ten Years older than his Father when he began to Reign and being born as is supposed in the Time of his Fathers Repentance yet doth he imitate his Fathers Sins notwithstanding all the former fearful Fruits thereof but not his Fathers Graces He humbled not himself as his Father had done but waxed worse than he say the Rabbins in burning the Book of the Law wherefore God soon cut him off after two Years Reign because saith Tirinus He would not be made wiser by his Fathers Example His own Courtiers conspired against him and slew him 2 Kings 21.19 to 26. and 2 Chron. 33.21 to 25. N.B. But because Josiah his Son was very Young so could not revenge his Fathers Death therefore the People undertook it as a special Part of Justice 2 Kings CHAP. XXII and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXXIV THESE two Chapters contain the History of the beginning of good Josiah's Reign a most Pious Son of a most Impious Father Amon who well knew all the Calamities that befel his Father Manasseh for his most notorious Impiety Yet was not caution'd is kill'd and buried in a Private Place Remarks upon Josiah First He was the youngest King being but eight Years old when he began to Reign ver 1. that ever sate upon the Throne of Judah as young again as Vzziah 2 Kings 15.2 Dr. Lightfoot well observeth that God had a great deal of Work to be done by Josiah therefore he sets him upon the Throne betimes to accomplish that Work which he had cut out for him in the World and which God had foretold in his Word should be wrought by him N.B. Giving him then his Name about three hundred forty Years before he was born 1 Kings 13.2 Remark the Second This Name which God himself had given him so long ago signifies the Salvation of God to which High Name his renewed Nature did excellently Answer both as to himself for he made God his Salvation by believing in him and as to his People whom by God's Help he saved both from Idolatry and from a foreign Enemy all his days His good Mother Jedidah which signifies the Lord's Darling did undoubtedly drop in Divine Instruction to season her young Son so soon as he was capable to receive it insomuch as he sucked in a savour of Piety with his Mothers Milk and began betimes 1. to do that which was right c. 2. To walk in the good ways of David And 3. more carefully than David He avoided all Aberrations on both hands but kept God's Cause-way Numb 20.17 1 Sam. 6.12 Deut. 5.32 Josh 1.7 Prov. 4.27 until he came to his last Step till then he step d right ver 2. Remark the Third No sooner had Josiah pass'd the time of his Minority living under a Tutor and Protector as Grotius well observeth and come to the Age of Sixteen Years the Eighth Year of his Reign 2 Chron. 34.3 than he began publickly to shew his Zeal for God wherewith his Soul had been seasoned in his Childhood as above Upon which Account too much good cannot well be spoken of this pious Prince that while he was now just entring into the Age of manifold Temptations and a State much expos'd unto many Touthfui Lusts and having now no Protector over him but had the Administration of his Kingdom wholly in his own hands without the Controul of any Superiour yet even at Sixteen Years of Age he begins to be in good earnest for a publick promotion of a Religious Reformation Oh Mirror of Piety at such an Age when commonly Youth is addicted to Vanity Eccles 11.10 Remark the Fourth His Reformation of Religion as described 2 Chron. 34. hath Circumstances of Removing 1. the High-places with their Groves c. ver 3. 2. The Altars and Idols which he Demolished ver 4. 3. He burnt the Bones of the Idolatrous Priests 2 Kings 23.20 Defacing their Sepulchres ver 5. 4 He in a word purg'd forth Idolatry both out of the City and out of the Country far off as well as near hand ver 6 33. so great was his Zeal Remark the Fifth Josiah's Repairing the Temple 2 Kin. 22. ver 3 to ver 20. 2 Chron. 3 34. ver 8 to ver
3.16 17. and Daniel fed upon his Faith as some read the Words Psalm 37.3 and made a good living out of it also for by the force of his Faith 't is said he so muzzled the Mouths of the Lions in the Den Heb. 11.33 that they had no Power to do Daniel the least damage so he lived by his Faith for he dyed not by them Mark 9. Such was the King's Care of Daniel and the Guilt of his own Conscience that he lay all Night as it were on a Bed of Thorns which suffer'd him not to sleep or rest ver 19. whereas sleep is a sweet Parenthesis intervening betwixt a Man's Toils Travels and Troubles attending each Day sufficient to the Day is the evil thereof Matth. 6.34 Man goes forth to his Work and to his Labour till the Evening Psalm 104.23 then God in Mercy to Man appointed the Night for Man's Rest and Refreshment but this poor desponding Darius though a mighty Monarch lay waking and watching all Night tossed to and fro 'twixt Hope and Fear and could not say with Lord Burleigh High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth when putting off his Gown going to sleep he used to say to it Lye thou there Lord Treasurer I bid adieu to all State Affairs for this Night whereas this Carking King was glad to get up very early in the Morning as the Hebrew Word bishpharphara signifies and hastens to the Den with Perturbation saith the Chaldee not fearing the disfavour of his Currish Courtiers saith Calvin for his Grief had swallowed up his fear He runs to he satisfied c. Mark 10. Darius at the Den cry'd out with a deplorable Voice ver 20. far differing from the Voice of Daniel ver 21. Darius in a loud Lamentation asks Daniel Is thy God able to deliver thee c. 't was a commendable Question of Care and Love in Darius to Daniel the tenderest Father could have done no more to his dearest Son and 't is the more laudable here insomuch as it came from a Mighty Monarch to a Captive-Jew and Prisoner at Mercy Junius saith that Darius here doth highly commend both Daniel and the God of Daniel though he doth it but darkly declaring him to be a Potent but not an Omnipotent God he speaks doubtfully Is he able us solent increduli saith Calvin according to the Custom of Unbelievers Daniel Answers with an undisturbed Voice ver 21 23. praying for the King's Prosperity though thus prosecuted under his Government Calvin observes Daniel might deservedly rather have curs'd the King and complain'd of his Perfidiousness and Cruelty to his Grand Councellour c. saying Oh unconstant King had not God been a better Master to his Servant than thou art to me I might have perish'd for thee c. but my God whom as thou sayst I serve continually hath sent his Angel who Grotius saith was one of the Watchers Dan. 4.17 and who either shut the Mouths of the Lions literally or took away their hunger from them or made Daniel appear terrible to them saith Tirinus because by Faith I trusted in him Heb. 11.33 chusing rather to be cast to those Lions than to carry about a Lion in my Bosom an inraged Conscience as thou Darius now dost He acknowledges God the Author says Calvin and the Angel but the Minister of his Deliverance N.B. The Rabbins Riddle here is A Lion comes and delivers a Lion from the Lions meaning the Lion of the Tribe of Judah comes and delivers from those Lions Daniel as stout as a Lion c. Mark 11. The Motives and Procatarctick Causes of Daniel's Deliverance which were two 1. His Innocency ver 23.2 His Faith ver 24. 1. He had a double Innocency one toward God not in respect of his Person saith Polanus which he utterly denies Dan. 9.7 18. but in respect of his Cause for which I am thus condemned and therefore God hath thus asserted his own Glory and my Innocency not from any Merit of mine but from his mere Mercy saith Calvin speaking only of his Temporal not of his Eternal Salvation The other is toward Man I am no Rebel against thy Royal Authority O King as my false Accusers do accuse me for Obedience to Kings must be only in God saith Calvin and we must first fear God and then Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 2. His Faith in God hath been spoke to before no doubt but he prayed hard as David did Psalm 22.21 the Prayer of Faith is of great force believing God knows how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Remark the Last Is the Event of all which is manifold Mark 1. Darius was exceeding Glad that Daniel was delivered ver 23. Shagee Teeb Hebr. Vehementer latatus having now got a blessed Allay to his distracted Mind and troubled Conscience ver 18. He was much cheared that so good a Subject was saved c. Mark 2. Darius thus delighted immediately commands that Daniel should be drawn out of the Den of those fierce and fell Lions which was done accordingly ver 23. not staying for those Lords whose Seals were upon the Stone ver 17. for this Miracle had rais'd up the King's Courage and Resolution to disregard them and to make amends without them in what he had done amiss by their unjust Instigation besides Darius's Decree against Daniel was already Executed the Law was satisfied yet Daniel was delivered Mark 3. Daniel was drawn up out of the Den probably with Cords as Jeremy had been out of the Dungeon Jer. 38.12 N.B. This was a lively Type of our Lord Christ's Resurrection upon whom that furious Lion Death that can devour all Mankind could have no Power Acts 2.24 Rom. 1.4 Death could not possibly hold God-man c. Mark 4. Darius then commanded Daniel's Accusers to be cast into the same Den ver 24. Nec lex est justior ulla quam necis Artifices arte perire suâ These Lords digg'd a Pit for Daniel and now justly fall into it themselves This just Law of Retaliation the Lord oft observeth Psalm 7.15 16. and 9.15 16. Prov. 26.27 Eccles 10.8 Judg. 1.7 c. The King commanded this to be done out of his absolute Power common to these Eastern Kings yet his Wrath here was justly incensed the Miracle was so marvelous and the Guilt of the Malefactors so manifest that without any further Process or Examination he denounces the Sentence of Condemnation and commands immediate Execution Mark 5. Their Wives and Children were cast in with them ver 24. Calvin accounts this an Act of over severe Cruelty and seems to resolve it upon the Arbitrary Dominion of those Eastern Monarohs who used many barbarous Exercises therein yet simply he would not have this Act condemned Bullinger evidences the Equity of it by the like Judgments of God as in the Destruction of the old World of Sodom and of Amalek none were spared The like we read of Achan Josh 7.24 25. of Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.32 and of Haman who was
stretâ—h their Liberty so far as they may do oft as 't is said of Travellers over Lincoln-shire Washes go farther than they should A Man must not in some Cases do all that he may by leave do the Jews here did justly observe that Rule of the Philosopher Posse nolle est nobile though they might have slain the Women and Children yet they nobly declined to do so as may be charitably hoped furbishing the Sword of Justice with the Oyl of Mercy and medling only with those that molested them in their heat of Execution But their refraining from taking the spoils of the slain is oft repeated here to their great Commendation Remark the Ninth The Reasons of their so refraining are rendred by Drusius Erpennius Menochius A Lapide Grotius c. As 1. Lest they should seem to be acted by a covetous Desire of enriching themselves by other Mens Goods like Thieves and Robbers rather than by a Zeal of Justice in their own necessary Defence so resolve to Act like God's Executioners 2. They were desirous not to damnifie but to gratifie the King that the spoils of his Subjects might all come into his Coffers and that his Treasury might be augmented by his Courtesie to the Jews 3. They might spare the spoils for the maintenance of those Women and Children whom they had in Mercy spared yet in Justice had slain their Husbands and Fathers 4. To shew a difference 'twixt those that fear God and those that fear him not Therefore they would not deal with their Enemy so ill as it was apparent that their Enemies designed to deal with them had they faln into their hands they intended to destroy them root and branch Chap. 3.9 and Haman is one of those cruel Enemies who said Come and let us destroy them from being a Nation that the Name of Israel be no more remembred Psalm 83.4 5. That they might be like their Father Abraham in their Military Actings who solemnly vowed not to meddle with the spoils c. Gen. 14.22 6. That they might be like God himself who in the midst of his Wrath remembers Mercy Hab. 3.2 7. Mordecai had admonish'd them how ill Saul had sped with his spoils of Amalek so Aohan with his Wedge of Gold and Babylonish Garment c. His Wedge of Gold served only to cleave his Body and Soul asunder and his Babylonish Garment proved his winding Sheet For these Reasons the Godly Jews would not desile their Fingers with the Spoils of their cursed Foes N.B. Lest they should be justly taxed for that for did Sin of Covetousness which is call'd Idolatry Col. 3.5 and so unbecoming the Saints as it may not so much as be named amongst them Eph. 5.3 and some do observe no Godly Man in Scripture is taxed for Covetousness c. The Third Part of this Chapter is the Consequents of all this Remark the First The Godly Jews had solemnly sought God's Favour by Fasting and Prayer in their Time of most eminent Danger Chap. 4.16 17. now having received a gracious return in that sweet Providence of God Turning all things to the Contrary ver 1. God sending from Heaven to save them Psalm 57.3 and altering the Scene all on the sudden with help at a Pinch in a glorious Deliverance Now the Feast of Purim is instituted wherein most solemnly they might Praise God their Deliverer ver 17 18 19. for his turning their Sighing into Singing their Sadness into Gladness their Mourning into Musick their Tears into Triumph and for his bringing them from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Life c. Remark the Second The Time when they kept this Thanksgiving Day Namely the very next Day after their Deliverance N.B. They would not defer it so much as one Day longer but did strike while the Iron was hot and while the Sense of God's matchless Mercy lay with both weight and warmth upon their Hearts They durst not disobey God's Command Slack not to pay thy Vow c. Deut. 23.21 Now now David pays his Psalm 116.18 for God may construe Delaying for Denying Hag. 1.2.4 yet this must be observed that the Jews in the Country who lived in unwalled Towns but had God to be a Wall of Defence to them ver 19 kept their Feast upon the fourteenth Day at the same time while the Jews in Shushan were destroying the remainder of their Enemies that could not be caught upon the thirteenth Day therefore were they in the City constrained to keep their thanksgiving upon the fifteenth Day for till then they had not rest c. Remark the Third The Manner and Matter of their keeping their thanksgiving Days by the appointment of Mordecai Mark 1. Mordecai the good Magistrate writes the Letter of Injunction to injoin all the Jews in a strict Observation of both the fourteenth and fifteenth Days yearly for themselves and Posterity ver 20 to 29. The Apocrypha calls it Mordecai's Holy Feast 2 Mac. 15.36 and Drusius saith the fourteenth Day was call'd Festum sortium minus the lesser Festivity of Lots and the fifteenth Day Festum sortium majus the greater Festivity of Lots c. Mark 2. As Mordecai was the Author so the Manner of managing these Festivals was with solemn Sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord for this marvelous Salvation and though they were far from the Temple where their Sacrifices should have been offered according to God's Law so could not do what they ought yet well knowing they ought to do what they could in paying their Vows of Praises to the most High even the Calves of their Lips Hos 14.2 this was accepted Psalm 50.13 14. Mark 14.8 for a reasonable Service Rom. 12.1 and they feasted also exhilarating and chearing up their Spirits which had long laid low with a liberal use of Creature-Comforts sending Portions to the Rich out of Courtesie and to the Poor out of Charity Mark 3. The Matter of their Devotion upon those two days was in General they consecrated this Time as an Holy Rest unto the Lord wherein to testifie their thankfulness to him for his so lately and miraculously restoring to them their Lives Liberties and Estates more particularly in reading this History of Haman and repeating among themselves this signal Deliverance in all the stupendous steps of it such as were Haman's Lot casting Esther's supplicating Ahasuerus's reading the Chronicles Mordecai's advance thereby c. Osiander's Opinion is that the Jews spent the fourteenth Day in Fasting and Mourning as a memorial of that desperate danger they had been in and the fifteenth Day in Feasting and Gladness for delivering them from so great a Death Psalm 30.11 2 Cor. 1.10 Remark the Fourth A second Letter is sent supposed at the return of the same time the next Year signed by Queen Esther as well as by Prince Mordecai to confirm those Days of Purim a Name notable to inmind the Jews of their noble Deliverance and to perpetuate the Memory of that Mercy unto all
Shushan upon some important Errand doubtless for the good of their Countrey because they took that tedious Journey in the dâ—â—th of Winter in the Month Chisteu the middle of our November ver 1 2. of these he asked how it fared with God's Church which was his chiefest Care and Hanam a Gracious Man according to the Notation of his Name relates to him the afflicted Estate of the City of God Its Walls remain'd still broken down and its Gates that had been burnt down by Nebuchadnezzar were still unrepaired ver 3. N. B. Juniuâ— and others observe that Cyrus gave them Power to build the Temple but not the Walls c. for fear of a new Rebellion and though the Jews Adversaries accus'd them to the King that they were Building the Walls Ezra 4. yet was it a false Accusation Therefore may it well be wondred at how so many thousand Levites besides many Citizens of all Sexes and Sizes could live there in safety from the Samaritans their deadly Enemies without casting up some Bulwarks saith A Lapide because to keep a continual Watch and Ward round about the City seemeth too great a Charge for such few Citizens as yet did inhabit it seeing so many Jews were not yet returned and Comestor adds here that many Murtherers broke in upon them in the Night-Time and slew many of them plundering their Houses c. Remark the Fifth Nehemiah's Sympathy with his Suffering Holy City Jerusalem ver 4. this good Man no doubt had as he was a Courtier in the King's Palace a whole Confluence of all Creature-Comforts for himself yet could he find no more Content in them all than Haman did in all his but with a baser Mind Esth 5.11 13 〈◊〉 this avail'd him nothing so long as it went ill with Sion he was even sick of the Affliction of Joseph as well as Grieved Amos 6.6 N. B. No sooner had Nehemiah heard from these Messengers the Malady of the returned Jews how they were the Samaritans scorn for their living in an unwall'd City and would have been their ruine but for fear of offending the Persian King then he puts himself in the posture of a Mourner sitting down upon the ground covering himself with Ashes saith Masius and mourn'd Rabbim Jomim Hebr. many Days with Weeping and Fasting to shew his deep sorrow of Heart and to prepare himself the better for Prayer Before the God of Heaven which shews saith Wolphius how much he differ'd from the Religion of the Persians who worship'd the Sun c. and with his Face turned toward the Temple saith Sanctius see 1 Kings 8.44 48. Dan. 6.10 N. B. 1. From It came to pass c. Humane Affairs fall not out by Hap hazard or by Chance as the Vulgar saying is but by the Wise All-disposing Providence of God which was a special Cause that these good Men met together here and by mutual Conference kindled like Live-Coals one anothers Affections and that thereby a Remedy might be provided by that Divine Providence against the Malady c. N. B. 2. So great was this good Man's Grief for the Churche's Calamity that he could not stand under it but sinks down to the Earth yet hath his Heart lift up to Heaven that high Hill from whence he look'd for help Psalm 121.1 2 3. The reproach of the solemn Assemblies was such a burden to him Zeph. 3.17 18. that it kept him in this mournful Posture not only many Days but for three Months or more in preparing himself to Petition the King Chap. 1.1 2. and 2.1 Remark the Sixth Nehemiah's Prayer to God for an effectual redress of that great Grievance and for an acceptable Address to the King for it Mark 1. The Preface of his Prayer ver 5. Anna Jehovah Hael Hagadol Hebr. I beseech thee most great God c. Wolphius observes this Word Anna implies a pressing Necessity as well as a bare intreaty and that he might be Trusting as well as Trembling he describes God by his Goodness as well as by his Greatness saying Lord thou hast ever kept Covenant with thy People surely thou wilt not break it now with those that have but a spark of Love to thee in them Thus hath he here Faith in God as before he had Love to God's Church Mark 2. He sheweth himself a true Member of the Church of God ver 6. If one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it 1 Cor. 12.26 so did Nehemiah here in the substance of his Prayer pressing hard upon God for his Audience to his Servant while he was spreading the sad Case of his distressed Brethren and Confessing his own Sins and the Sins of his Fathers as well as the People's This he insists upon with earnestness that having got off the Guilt of all their Sins he might with more Courage and Comfort deprecate God's Judgments and more easily desire and obtain God's Mercy c. Mark 3. He prevents an Objection ver 7. acknowledging it very true that they were altogether unworthy of any Divine Favour for he saith in corrupting we have corrupted our selves against thee Hebr. Chabul Chabalenu Lak we have bedirtied our selves most filthily as Chabul signifies 1 Kings 9.12 13. so have bound over our selves unto thee to be punish'd as Dirty Sinners deserve no better for we have broke all thy Bonds Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Laws and cast all thy Cords from us as Psalm 2.3 thus he lays load on their Sins to preoccupate God as it were from saying I will shew Mercy no more c. Judg. 10.13 14. Mark 4. He confirms his Faith in Prayer with God's Promise ver 8 9. putting him in Mind of what God had promised by Moses Deut. 4.29 30 31 32. and 30.4 and by Solomon 1 Kings 8.48 N. B. Man cannot carry God's People farther than that God can fetch them back again even from Indea c. now Nehemiah doth not cry here Remember Lord c. as if God could really forget N. B. 'T is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellectum 't is spoken Metaphorically after the manner of Men but must be understood according to the Majesty of God who only seems to forget as Man really may when highly provoked by his People as if they never had been his People nor made them any Promises N. B. In this Case God gives his Prophets and People leave to be his Remembrancers Isa 62.6 7. Thus David did with success Psalm 119.49 and thus Nehemiah doth vigorously and speeds accordingly Mark 5. He pleads not only God's Interest in his Church and his Relation to them but also it was God's Honour to save them saying as Wolphius saith seeing Thou art our Lord and we thy Servants thou art our King and we thy Subjects ver 10. therefore thou art concern'd in Point of Honour to save us so every Master will Work to his Power for saving his Servants and every King will do no less for his Subjects And if
Note well The length of Calamity either on the Church or on the Children of God is a blessed motive to move Christ's Bowels and tender compassions toward them The Eighth Remark is Some Mens Misery is of a longer Measure and others shorter as the Syrophoenician Woman had her misery of a bloody Issue twelve years Mat. 9.20 The Woman that was bowed down doublefold had her Infirmity eighteen years Luke 13.11 but this Cripple had much longer misery even thirty eight years yet what is this to Eternity of Extremity Mankind in general need something to mind them of God Misery makes a Man know both God and Himself Some have prayâ—â— that Sickness might be sent them to tame their bodies from sin and that their Souls might be better disposed for God Some stand in need of more misery to bring them to Christ as others less Every one hath their measure and none have one lash more than is needful If need be we are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1.6 Christ suits the burden to the back and his strokes to our strength c. Yet at long last comes Deliverance then let none Despond and Despair tho' the Vision tarry it will come Hab. 2.3 The Ninth Remark is Christ is better to miserable men than their own fears or expectations This miserable Cripple had laid long in misery all humane helps and Medicines from Men had hitherto proved ineffectual His hope was now hanging upon an helping Angel no less than the motion of Angels who are Ministring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 could dispense an immediate Cure to his old and desperate Disease yet in this he had met with many disappointments and therefore feared he should perish by his Distemper When Christ came and look'd upon him with compassion N. B. Note well He only expected Christ would lend him his hand to let him down into the Waters he would not think of any other way of Cure yet even Christ then cures him by his operative word John 5.7 8 9. Thus while we are measuring God by our Model and casting him into our Mold His Thoughts are not as ours but he goes his own way to work not ours and does things for us we look'd not for Isa 64.3 The Tenth Remark is This Cripple thus cured by a Miracle and in a Moment at Christ's Command Trusses up his Bed and walks to the Temple that he might praise God there for his unexpected and extraordinary Recovery N. B. Note well This his practice is for our pattern to imitate as was likewise that of Hezekiah whose first work when God had raised him from off his Sick bed was to give solemn thanks to God in the Temple for that marvelous mercy Isa 38.22 't is manifest that Christ bestowed on this Cripple a double Cure healing him in part on the Inside as well as wholly on the outside in giving him an Heart so willing to obey Christ's Commands though in things as was said contra Gentes against the Grain of the Jewish Nation who quarrel'd with the Cure and the bearing away of his Bed the evidence and confirmation of the truth of the Cripple's Cure because it was done upon their Sabbath day though much tending to God's Glory The Eleventh Remark is Though this Cripple had but at the first a small knowledge of Christ for he was so transported with his Cure that he much inquired not then after the Curer yet when Christ found him in the Temple he made himself more distinctly known to him saying Go and Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee ver 14. wherein there is 1. A Commemoration of his Cure and Benefit 2. A Commonition of his Duty And 3. A Commination of some sorer Sufferings upon the neglect of Duty N. B. Note well Relapses into old Sins bring Relapses into worser Sufferings God punisheth more severely the second time and riseth higher and higher in his wrath when we by falling lower and lower into ways of wickedness rise higher and higher into Provocations Lev. 26.24 28. c. N. B. Note well Oh 't is a blessed thing to be found waiting on God in his Temple and worshiping him Christ may find us there as he did this Cripple for he calls it My House and 't is call'd His Temple Mat. 2â— 13 Mal. 3.1 Christ's Haunts should be known to us as David's was to the Ziphites 1 Sam. 23.22 that we may find him or rather be found of him and know him more distinctly as this Man did The Twelfth Remark is The Jews Persecute Jesus for this Miraculous healing c. John 5.16 No sooner had Christ cured the Cripple but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he swam out conâ—â—ng himself away ver 13. lest by his Presence that Work should be hindred The cured Cripple as soon as he knew his Curer was Christ from a good intent doubtless 〈◊〉 the Jews that they might Honour Jesus with him and might repair to him if they wanted him for any such Cures Hereupon they Execute their Malice like Hypocrites under specious pretences quarrelling with Christ for bidding the Cripple to take up his Bed on the Sabbath day as a thing unlawful In this they said Vere non Sincere Truly Jer. 17.21 22. Neh. 13.19 c. but not Sincerely It more troubled them that Christ had cured the Cripple than that the Sabbath had been broken by him therefore they ask not What Man is he that healed thee But That bade thee take up thy Bed c. v. 12. Those spiteful People aliud in Titulo aliud in Pyxide like Egyptian Temples beautiful without out some Cat or Dog to be Worship'd within do convent Christ before the Sanhedrim in order to kill him before whom he openly proved himself the Messiah asserting that all Power and Judgment was put into his Hand and that he had the same Authority to dispense the Affairs of the New Testament that the Father had for the Old yet such was their obstinacy that neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy could mollifie their Hearts Acts 13.41 however this plain Sermon in Christ's Oracle and Miracle left them ever after without excuse John 15.22 Rom. 1.20 CHAP. XIII NEXT follows the Miracle of Christ's Healing the Man with a Withered Hand which is Introduced with the Disciples plucking Ears of Corn both these were done on the Sabbath-Day Luke 6.1 to 12. Mark 2.23 to the end Chap. 3 to 7. Mat. 12.1 to 15. Luke calls it the Second Sabbath after the First great Passover Sabbath and so the Jews did reckon the Third Fourth Fifth and Sixth Sabbath till they came to the Seventh-Sabbath which was their Pentecost according to the Law Lev. 23.7 11 14 15 16 17. which was their solemn Thanksgiving Feast for Inning their Barly-Harvest The Remarks hereupon are these First That no Corn no nor Ears of Corn must be eaten till the First-Fruits-Sheaf was offered and waved before the Lord to express their Thankfulness
Hope which have a purifying property Acts 15.9 1 John 3.3 N. B. Note well 1. The Gospel of grace is Congruous to a Besom made up of many Wands or Rods as it is a Complication of many Golden Truths and when it was first preached and applyed as a Besom to the Old Jerusalem it found that place far unlike the New Jerusalem which is paved with pure Gold Revel 21.21 but was more filthy than Samaria and Sodom it self Ezek. 16.47 yet then many Thousands of lost Groats were found out in it Acts 2.41 and 4 4. and 5.14 This New Besom swept clean indeed as the hot Sunshine in the Spring time sweeps clean the Streets so did the hotter Sunshine of the Gospel from the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 at this time and in this place So in Samaria many Silver pieces were sound which had been lost in the Dirt of Simon Magus's Sorcery and Atheism Acts 8.10 to 25. Oh! Bless God this Besom still lasts and Oh that it may sweep London for lost Groats N. B. Note well 2. More especially this Besom here is that grace of the Gospel to wit Repentance and so t is explained ver 10. a Sinner that Repented 't is a Christ-finding and a Soul-finding grace there is a time for all things a time for losing while in the Wilderness of sin and a time of finding as in Jer. 2.14 In her Month they shall find her when her time of Love from Christ cometh Ezek. 16.8 Now the Soul awakes out of the Sleep of sin in Christ's Image Ps 17.15 Eph. 5.14 The old House is made new in all parts 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Pet. 2.24 Eph. 2.1 2 3. This grace of Repentance sweeps sin out of all Members of the Body and faculties of the Soul c. N. B. Note well 3. This House that is swept is either 1. The great World 2 Tim. 2.20 whereof God is the bullder Hebr. 3.4 an House made up of manifold Materials and consists of upper and lower Rooms and Christ will sweep all the Dirt of Antichrist out of this World Zech. 13.2 when his own time comes he will take to himself his great power Rev. 11.15 17. God will do it in his time Isa 60.22 N. B. Note well 4. This House is 2. Meant Man the little World who is as an House made of many Materials 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all differing Members and Faculties Doors of the Ears and Windows of the Eyes differing Rooms the Heart is the inner Room which should be the Guest Chamber for the Passover Luke 22.12 the large upper Room Mark 14 15. and for Christ's Dwelling-House Eph. 3.17 This House needs Repairing Christ is the Repairer of Breaches Isa 58.12 His Father did work he wrought in the first Creation called Creatio transiens but the Son works in the New Creation which is called Creatio continuans a continual and daily work John 5.17 This House in the fallen Estate is as Babylon Revel 18.2 an Habitation of Devils till Christ come to sweep them out Luke 11.21 22. There remains still the unrenewed part Some Blood to be cleansed away which is not yet cleansed Joel 3.21 2 Cor. 7.1 Therefore must we use this Besom of Repentance every Sabbath every Sermon especially at every Sacrament where not one crum of Leaven should be left Exod. 12.15 cleanse this House as Hezekiah did the House of God 2 Chron. 29.16 18. and Nehemiah did after Nehem. 13.7 8. and Christ also John 2.15 Matth. 21.12 N. B. Note well Take heed we sin not away God and his Gospel woe to us if God go from us Hos 9.12 we may embrace the Gospel for a while and then kick it out of doors as Amnon did Tamar 2 Sam. 13.14 15 17. the like is said John 5.35 Gal. 4.15 They then would have pulled the Preachers Eyes out 't is sad when God forsook Shiloh Jer. 7.12 having lost the Ark of Gods presence 't is sad when Gods House is left Desolate Matth. 23.38 'T is sad to live in a Land of Darkness without Gospel Light Matth. 4.16 't is sad when God saith they that are filthy let them be filthy still 1 Cor. 14.38 Revel 22.11 They shall have no more of my Candle light and See John 12.35 Oh blessed be God who now feeds us as Lambs in a large place Hos 4.16 and after the manner of Lambs Isa 5.17 even in a Fathers Bosom Isa 40.11 yea with clean Provender Isa 30.23 but 't is sad when God saith Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Hos 4.17 I cast him out of my care I will not feed you Zech. 11.9 't is sad when God saith so and that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from us Matth. 21.43 even that which we have and what we seem to have Matth. 25.29 Luke 8.18 't is a great loss to lose the Gospel Job preferred it above his food Job 23.12 and Luther cryed Mallem in inferno c. I had rather live in Hell with the Gospel than in Heaven without it and it was our Fathers saying brown Bread and the Gospel was good cheat Oh how may our Sun set at Noon Amos 8.9 Caution Nonpayment of Rent Dues and Customs makes a forfeiture then pay the Custom of Prayer and Praises that as we have received the Candle and Besom of this blessed Gospel from our Fore-fathers so we may continue it with us while we live and transmit it to our Posterities when we dye but if our superfluity of sin be not seen by the Candle and swept out by the Besom Jam. 1.21 if we thus improve not the Gospel of peace how may the woe of War Blood Fire and Smoak come upon us Acts 2.19 Matth. 21.41 Evertit swept was turned into Evertit swept away as the Old World by Water and shall again be by fire at last c. The 3d Parable is That of the lost Son Luke 15.12 to the end take a short prospect and paraphrase upon this Parable Remark 1. The first Mystery of it is the Man here is God who hath two Sons the Jews and the Gentiles The Elder Son the Jews do envy that God magnifies his Mercy more to the younger Brother those Sinners of the Gentiles so called Gal. 2.15 than to them which Christ reproves Matth. 20.15 Remark 2. The Second Mystery of it is to Demonstrate how God doth delight in Mercy Mic. 7.18 which is seen in his readiness to receive the worst of sinners when they return to him by Repentance even a Manasseh and a Mary Magdalen c. those two None-such sinners and so this penitent Prodigal here set forth by many seemingly mis-becoming passions and postures of a Father to such a Son ver 20. Remark 3. The main purport of this Parable is also to view the Threefold State of Man in general 1. His Righteous State in his first Generation God made Man upright Eccles 7.29 Man was then an happy Child or Son in his Fathers Family but having got
resolve but return not All those parts of a True Penitent are found here 1. An Holy Meditation or Consideration of three things First de Malo Commisso of the Evil he had done in a wicked Life Secondly de bono Amisso of the good he had lost in forsaking his Father and Thirdly de Damno perpesso of his present perplexities thinking it better to venture upon a return home to an offended Father what ever he suffered thereby than to dye a lingring Death by a long Famine which he looked upon as little else than a self-murder c. The 2. part of a True Penitent is his Hearty Determination or Resolution of doing two Duties after his rising up and returning the first is his Confession which he looked on as a necessary Duty both for the Pardon of sin Prov. 28.13 and for preventing of Satan that accuser of Men Revel 12.10 or he accuses himself as likewise for the easing of his own grieved Spirit as Sea sick and Sin-sick Jonah did Jon. 1.9 10. The Second Duty is his Supplication make me as thy hired Servant ver 18 19. His Compassionate Father did prevent this particular prayer ver 20. Oh what a lowly mind was this proud prodigal blest with who before could not be content with the Dignity of a Son but now can stoop to become a Slave a Door-keeper a Dog Mat. 15.27 He could be content to be a Dog so he might but be Christs Dog as she was The Third part of a True Penitent is an Humble Resignation into the Hands of a Justly offended Father Submissively prostrating himself at his Fathers Feet like a right Son of Abraham whom God called to his Foot Isa 41.2 yielding himself up to his Fathers Will and Pleasure to do to him to deal with him and to dispose of him whether for kicking of him or for killing of him both which he had justly deserved as his Father thought good Thus he cast himself wholly into the hands of his Fathers Mercy without any Mediator to intercede for him how much more may we cast our selves on God in Christ our Mediatour N. B. Note well A True Penitent 1. Explores his wicked ways Lam. 3.40 2. Deplores his present Misery Jerem. 30.18 3. He doth implore Gods future Mercy Luke 18.13 The 3. Observable is the Consequents of this lost Son finding both himself and his way home again after all his lewd Carriages towards his Father is his loving Fathers lovely Carriages towards him ver 20 c. This is the Second part of the Parable as the first was the Prodigals both Impenitent Rambling and his at last Penitent Returning Remark the 1. How this good Father received this bad Son when returned when the Son was yet afar off and but coming slowly as one doubting of his Reception the Father ran to meet him and had Compassion on him and fell upon his Neck and kissed him N. B. Note Well 1. Though Man a Father in the fallen Nature be naturally very prone to take Revenge and too Tenacious in their Priviledge of punishing their offending Children yet behold here is a Man a Father who can out of his Fatherly Affections so easily forget and forgive the most notorious and None-such offences of this Prodigal Son and who can kiss him also when one would think this Son having no Mediator for him he should rather have kicked him if not have killed him than have kissed him N. B. Note well 2. All this is a lively Emblem of our Heavenly Father who is called the Father of Mercy 2 Cor. 1.3 and who pittyeth his Children as this Father did his Ps 103.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. signifies a pitty ex intimis Vesceribus a vehement moving to Compassion from the most inward Bowels this also is expressed Isa 49.15 Ezek. 16.6 and Jer. 2.2 And how is Gods preventing grace shadowed out here while the Son was yet a good way off the Father ran to meet him though a gracious God be slow to Anger Nehem. 9.17 Nahum 1.3 Psal 103.8 and 145.8 Prov. 15.18 and 16.32 Joel 2.13 Jonah 4.2 yet is he very swift to shew Mercy to poor Penitents the Father hence loveth you John 16.26 27. and Gabriel came flying swiftly with Comfort Dan. 9.21 23. God is said to meet such Isa 65.24 even the better half way tantùm Velis Deus tibi praeoccurret saith Bernard If there be in thee but a willingness to return thou having a Mediator God will run to meet thee while thou art yet afar off and prevent thee of saying Let me be as thy hired Servant ver 21. as this Father did his Son here N. B. Note well Such is the fullness of our Fathers love to us that though we have spent our first Portion we had in the first Adam yet hath he a new another and a better Portion for us in the Second Adam upon our return to him as the Father here c. God is not only a loving God but he is love it self 1 John 4.8 and Christ called our Everlasting Father Isa 9.6 Inn which receives all comers from all Quarters and by the posture of his Death Dying with his Arms spread abroad open upon the Cross the posture of Embracing Friends c. and crying him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out John 6.37 Answering all doubts at once with in no wise there Remark the 2. After the Father had kissed his new-found Son c. he said to his Servants bring forth the best Robe verâ— 22. wherein and in ver 23. there be four parts 1. Raiment for his Back 2. Ornament for his Hands 3. Shooes for his bare feet and 4. Feeding yea a Feast for his Hungry Belly N. B. Note well as to this Raiment in the first place 1. This Prodigal returns with Ragged Cloaths upon his Back as well as half starved with that mighty Famine as to his Belly yet must he have the best Robe put upon him N. B. Note well This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the first Robe and which Augustin understands to be the Dignity or Innocency of the first Adam which he lost by his fall indeed that was Stola prima the first Robe but it was not Stola optima the best Robe for the Righteousness of the Second Adam is a better Robe than that which Adam had or that which Angels have it being the Righteousness of God himself Phil. 3.9 The Robe of Christ's Righteousness wherewith he Cloaths his Redeemed is more glorious than that of Adam in the Covenant of Works for our Redeemer was made a Mediator of a better Covenant Hebr. 7.22 and he maketh us Kings and Priests unto God Revel 1.6 a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 for Robes are the proper Raiment of Royalty This Honour have all the Saints â—s 149.9 and the Covenant of grace with its Non posse cadere 't is not possible to fall from it is better than the first Covenant with its posse
as a caution to all professors as before to all persecutors If your Ministers have at Gods command brought forth this best Robe and put it upon you as you do profess Then consider this Royal Robe maketh you Royal Persons Christ saith I have made you Kings c. Revel 1.6 and 5.10 Such are made Princes in all Lands Ps 45.16 Isa 49.23 Oh how obliging is this Royal Honour to a Suitable Royal Behaviour Do ye walk like the Children of a King Judg. 8.18 Do ye walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Bravely Handsomly as well as Honestly Rom. 13.13 If ye have put on a whole Christ as Lord as Jesus and as Christ that is as King Priest and Prophet ver 14. If the Spirit of glory rest upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 If this Royal Robe be your Raiment as is pretended by your Profession then ought you to walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes 2.12 Then ought ye to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called Eph. 4.1 Your Conversations ought to be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1.27 Solomon saith there be four Creatures that are Comly in their goings Prov. 30.29 c. To which I add a fifth namely A New Creature the true Believer who endeavours to be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 To wit in the manner of his Thoughts of his Words and of his Deeds both unto God and unto Man making it his Exercise and as it were his daily Recreation day by day as the word imports to keep a Conscience void of offence toward both Acts. 24.16 This Robe requires an unblameable Holiness 1 Thess 3.13 And to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 And to abound therein more and more 1 Thes 4.1 On the contrary how unbecoming it is to this Royal Robe for professors to be loose in their Lives this is far off from serving the Lord in the beauty of Holiness Ps 29.2 Holiness becometh Gods House forever Ps 93.5 But alas How many serve God with a course kind of Holiness a Profession without power 2 Tim. 3.5 A Mongrel Religion a mixture of Human Inventions with Divine Institutions This is unlike the Royal Robe but 't is rather a Raiment made up of Linnen and Woollen which Moses's Law forbad to wear Levit. 19.19 Deut. 22.11 How many such minds there be in the World which are corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 This mixture of Worship is called a Cake not turned Hos 7.8 Half raw and half rosted c. others there be that in stead of this Royal Robe that seamless Coat of Christ Woven throughout from the Top to the Bottom John 19.23 Do wear a patched Garment Mar. 9.16 Mark 2.21 Luke 5.6 Patching together their own Righteousness with the Righteousness of Christ which is plain a Linsey-woolsey Garment they cover with a covering but not of Gods Spirit woe to them Isa 30.1 The word of Works must not be mingled with the word of Faith Rom. 10.6 7 8. Gal. 3.10 11. We are justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 And we are saved by grace Eph. 2.5 8. And not of our selves or by our own works at all if so Salvation would be a Debt Rom. 4.4 and not a Gift Rom. 6.23 Alas Man 's own Righteousness is filthy Raggs Isa 64.6 And therefore to be wholly put off Eph. 4.22 Yea and quite cast away as the blind Beggar did his Ragged Raiment when Christ called him Mar. 10.50 And as the Captive Maid did when she was to be Married Deut. 21.11 12 13. Paul would not have one ragg of his own Righteousness to remain but would be found arrayed only in this Royal Robe Phil. 3.9 Thus fallen Man is compared to a naked Infant cast forth c. Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7. Then Christ comes and Cloaths him with his Robe and makes him comly with his comliness that he put upon him ver 10.11 12 13 14. Having dispatched our Discourse upon the first Bounty and Blessing that this Reconciled Father so freely bestoweth upon his Repenting and Returning Son namely this Royal Robe as rich Raiment for his ragged Back This is not all that a Bountiful Father had to bestow upon his now Dutiful Son but his Bowels are not yet drawn dry he hath another yea another and yet another Donative for a needy Object as the Sequel of this Parable maketh manifest N. B. Note well The Father said to his Servants ver 22. 'T is not said that he spake to any one of his Servants but his Speech was directed unto all his Servants intimating that no one Servant could possibly do enough so as wholly to gratifie his boundless Bowels or fully to satisfie his bottomless Bounty towards his penitent Prodigal Therefore they must all be employed and all little enough to accomplish all those four Transcendent Acts of favour from this Father to his Son All this is a Specimen or Representation of Gods Fatherly loving kindness towards penitent Sinners God is called the Father of Mercy 2 Cor. 1.3 Intimating that when one Mercy bestowed by him upon us is spent and gone he remains still a Father both able to beget new Mercies for us and as willing also to bestow them on us God is said to be Rich in Mercy Eph. 2.4 And he is Rich unto all them that call upon him Rom. 10.12 Gods Treasury may well be called puteus inexhaustus an inexhaustible Fountain that can never be drained or drawn dry This Parable of the Fathers rich Favour to his Son giving him one rich blessing after another to the number of four over and above his Kiss of Love is but a narrow Resemblance of Gods rich loving kindness unto us for what is a drop as this in the Text was no more compared with that whole Ocean of love which is found in God and which hath been flowing forth to all his Children from Adam to this Day yet abides it a full Fountain still c. God is not only a loving God in the concrete as we say in Philosophy but he is love it self in the very Abstract 1 John 4.8 As if all love c. There is none like him for love Mic. 7.18 His mercy Triumphs over his Justice Jam. 2.13 He is plenteous in it Ps 130.8 His tender mercy is over all his Works Psal 145.8 9. This in the general now in the particular as we have seen how this kind Father after he had kissed his Son and bad him welcome c. gave him and put upon his back a Royal Robe so his next gift is a Royal Ring which he must have likewise put upon his hand ver 22. As the Robe was for Raiment so this Ring was for Ornament to him Wherein these four Excellencies are considerable as 1. The matter of this Ring 2. The Form of it 3. The posy engraven within it and 4. The Real worth and dignity of
to life again and that will Raise all the Dead in the World at the last Day John 5.25 If Christs word was of such Efficacy here when himself was going to be Judged How much more Efficacious will it be when he comes to Judge the World His thus confounding those Aggressors and Transgressors with a word was a plain Demonstration that none could take away his life from him untill he laid it down of himself Now while they lay groveling upon the ground and our Lord had his Adversaries under his Feet he only Indented with them for the peaceable Dismission of his Disciples and having a full discharge for them he yielded up himself to them Hereupon up they got again and desperately proceed in their Divelish Design being nothing daunted with their late Disaster This leads to the manner how these Assasines Apprehended him as Judas had Betrayed him to them by a Kiss so those Jews c now 1. Laid hands on him 2. bound him and 3. Led him away to the City 1. These wretched Miscreants laid their wicked hands upon Holy Jesus Oh! The prodigious Callosity and Obduration of these Villains Hearts that dare do so to our Redeemer after they had felt the power of his Deity which had just then so confoundingly struck them backward and made them stagger like Drunkards till they fall flat all along on the Earth N. B. Note well Christ did oftentimes put forth a Beam of his Deity as 1. At his Birth in the Eastern Stars that proclaimed it to the Wise-Men and in the Quire of Angels that Sang him into the World 2. At 40 Days old when he was presented in the Temple as a Son of Man yet praised there by some as the Son of God Luke 2.26 30 c. 3. At his flight into Egypt where all the Idols thereof did fall down as History saith at his presence 4. At his Dispute with the Doctors whom at twelve years Old he Astonished c. Luke 2.47 5 At his Baptism in the Bath-kol or Daughter of a Voice as the word signifies to wit the Voice from Heaven and the descending of the Dove Matth. 3.16 17. 6 In the Wilderness where he had Angels to Minister Comforts as well as Devils to buffet him with Temprations Matth. 4. 7. At his Transfiguration which strengthened him against all Affronts Mat. 18.7 At his Agony where he had his comforting Angel Luke 22 43. Wipeing off that Sweat which was the Doom upon Adams fall in the Garden In the Sweat of thy Brows c. when all the powers of Hell were let loose against him as never was upon any person upon Earth since the first pitching of that Field-Battel betwixt the Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 And now 9. At his Apprehension strikeing down his Apprehenders and confounding them with a word of his Mouth I am he they call'd him Jesus of Nazareth by way of Reproach he owns this Reproachful Name and wears it as his Crown even upon his Cross and should not we do so likewise N.B. Note well This his casting of his Assaulters into a Consternation did declare how the wicked should not stand in the Judgment Day Psal 1.7 And how Christ will smite the Earth with the the Rod of his Mouth and with the Breath of his Lips he shall Slay the Wicked Isa 11.4 Notwithstanding after our Lord had thus daunted his Adversaries with this Beam of his Deity let out to their Terrour and Confusion he was pleased to draw it is again and let it ly obscured whereby he permitted those Villains not only to recover their strength but also to proceed in their Villany So they laid Hands on Jesus by his own consent and as Ireneus phraseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while his Deity rested and refused to put forth it self N. B. Note well while he had been in his Agony and Horrible Anguish of Soul in the Garden he desired the Removal of the Cup which was an Act purae Humanitatis but then he prayed himself into a Submission of his will into the Will of God which was an Act purae Sanctitatis as it is when a Man hath a gangered Member to be cut off pure nature makes Reluctancy against it but right Reason yields to the necessity of it These wretches being full of the Devil take Jesus and he being full of God submitted to be taken No sooner was this done but Peter to perform some part of his promised Courage asks leave of his Lord to draw his Sword which possibly he had for slaying the Paschal Lamb or for defence against wild Beasts in those Desarts c. but out of his preposterous Zeal not staying till he had leave cuts off Malchus's Ear Peter probably saw this Man deal more rudely with his Master than his Fellows did therefore that it might appear he would be a Man of his word would Rescue him out of his sawcy Hands but Christ first Reproves this Rash Act in Peter because 1. He did it without a Call and Warrant from God 2. Christ could have Rescued himself by Legions of Angels if he had pleased and 3. It behoved that that the Scriptures must be fulfilled which foretold of his Sufferings N. B. Note well A wonderful work of Christs Deity it was surely also that Peter was not hereupon hewed into a hundred pieces by the surly Souldiers as it was a work of Christs power to repulse his Adversaries and knock them down into a prostrate posture so it was to protect his Servant Peter who by his inconsiderate Act had inraged those Cruel Cut-throats against him N. B. Note well Nor shall they only behold the Works of his Power only but the Works of his Mercy also not only in this Respect that whereas he had cast them down yet he letteth them rise again and whereas he did but throw them down to the Earth he might have thrown them all into Hell but also in Respect of Malchus who was the busyest and rudest Fellow likely in Surprizing our Saviour and whose Name as a sad Omen signifies a King whom Peter had as it were Ear-marked in his Inordinate Fervency but what the Disciple had Marred by his over-eager Zeal the Master mended again by a Miracle of Mercy Luke 22.51 Healing the Wound Miraculously by a Touch of his Hand Thus did the Lord try two ways to convince them of their unparallel'd Iniquity by letting them see both the Acts of his Power and the Acts of his Mercy N. B. Note well but nothing would heal them of their hardness of Heart to be given up of God thereunto is the greatest Judgment on this side Hell Nothing can move or do any good to an hard Heart as Pharaoh's Ex. 8.15 c. Neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy can Mollifie it 2. These Obdurate sinners notwithstanding all these Judgments and Mercies do dare to proceed in their divelish design and not only take Jesus Prisoner but
had they not pressed him to it beyond his Pagan Power yet doing it with great Reluctancy however our Lord was thus Intitled by his Hand which was guided by the great God and whose Head and Heart were so confirmed in it that though he understood it not yet would not Retract it with all the Priests pressing him to the contrary He was unchangably Resolved that what he had writ should stand How much more the Writings of him whose Name is I am that I am Exod. 3.14 and the same yesterday to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 N. B. Note well We may learn from this Pagan to be constant to a good Cause and in a good Course and not be changlings But we must raise our Minds higher and look beyond Pilate at the Counsel of God who would have Christ proclaimed his Churches King by this Publick Testimony in Pilate's Inscription and that it might be made manifest to the World that Jesus was Innocent and that he was Executed for the same Truth for which he was before Condemned by the Sanhedrim of the Chief Priests and therefore was the Title writ in Hebrew Greek and Latin the best known Tongues then every where that this venerable Elogy might be read and understood of all and that Christ's Innocency might appear unto all not only intimating that he was King of that Religion among the Hebrews of that Wisdom among the Greeks and of that Power among the Latines or Romans for which three things those three People were then Famous The Jews glory'd in their Law and the Greeks in their Wisdom and the Romans in â—heir Power and Dominion but also as presaging the Future Vocation of not only the Hebrews but of the Greeks and Latines too to the Kingdom of Christ N. B. Note well to which may be added that hereby the Holy Ghost hath commended to us the Dignity and Study of these three Learned Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin which are to be Retained for ever in the Church of Christ and seeing Christ hath Sanctified those three Tongues upon his Cross by this Inscription 't is but a Brutish Notion to call them the Languages of the Beast N. B. Note well Moreover this may reprove the Sacrilegious Tyranny of the Romanists who render themselves worse than Pilate in not only forbidding that the Sacred Scriptures should be Translated into the Mother-Tongue of each Land but also Restraining the People from Reading them in Hebrew Greek or Latin yea or in their own Native Language whereas Pilate as God's publick Herald will have Christ Read and acknowledged to be King in any Language both Forraign and Domestick 'T is pitty a poor Pagan should exceed and excell those Papagans who profess to Adore Châ—ist The 4. Branch of the Introduction is their Crucifying two Thieves the one on the Right and the other on the Left Hand of Christ Matth. 27.38 Mar. 15.26 27. Luke 23.33 Joh. 19.18 placing Christ in the midst not so much that he might have Companions in Misery for Solamen Miseris socios adhibere Doloris 't is some Comfort to those in Misery to have Companions in it As it was designed by those Priests to Palliate their wickedness that the People might look upon Christ Crucified in the midst as the worst and as the Prince of Malefactors and the greatest of those three had they Crucified Christ alone he would at least have seemed a better Man than any Thief But Mark the Evangelist lifts us up to look beyond this politick design of the Priests at the profound Counsel of God who directed this Deed that the Prophet's Oracle might be Accomplished saying He was Reckoned to wit by those Priests among Transgressors Isa 53.12 and not only among them but as Chief of them Thus he became the greatest of Sinners both by Imputation as he bare the sins of many ver 6.12 and by Reputation as he was Reckoned among Thieves Robbers Throat-Cutters and Traitors yea in the midst as exceeding the worst of them N. B. Note well As this may teach us how vastly prodigious was the wrath of God against Man's sins for the Expiation of which our Surety the Son of God must be cast into the Catalogue of Notorious Malefactors So no less holds it forth the most Immense Love of our Lord Jesus to us who can submit to be a Companion of Miscreants to make us fit Associates with Holy Angels Zach. 3.7 both Here and in Heaven c. but of these Thieves more afterward is discoursed c. CHAP. XXXII Of Christ's Crucifying NOW come we after those five Introductions to Discourse upon the Passion and Death of Christ Crucified upon the Cross wherein many most Eminent Remarks are comprehended in the Bowels of that one Act of Crucifying Christ As Moses turn'd aside to behold that great wonder of the Bush burning yet not consumed Exod. 3.3 So let us turn aside here to see this great Sight to behold the grand Sin-offering burnt without the Gate yet not consumed to Corruption Levit. 9.11 16 27. Hebr. 13.12 Psal 16.10 11. Acts 13.35 36 37. and to behold the High-Priest himself of our profession Hebr. 3.1 As the great Sacrifice for the whole World was now laid upon the High Altar his Cross and there was Rosted with the Hot Fire of the Wrath of God and of Men and of Devils Behold the Son of God Bleeding Mocked Tortured Dying and Reconciling God and Man and Marrying Justice and Mercy together c. Psal 85.10 The First Remark is Behold the Man He must Die the worst of Deaths for us so Angry was God with Man for Eating the Forbidden Fruit of Sin that he spareth not his own Son when he became a Surety for Sinners He shall die saith Saul though the Lot fall upon my Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 14.39 We Read of Zaleucus's Law that the sin of Adultery should be punished with the loss of two Eyes his own Son was found faulty herein Zaleucus put out one of his Sons Eyes as he was a Just Judge but that he might save his Sons other Eye and not make him quite blind he to satisfie the Justice of his own Law is content to put out one of his own as a Compassionate Father This Resemblance falls far short of the matter Resembled Yet thus far they do Symbolize in an Apt Parallel Congruity The Creator gave this Law to the Creature If thou Eat the forbidden Fruit thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 Man Transgresseth that Law of God even Adam call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 Now that Justice might be satisfied Man the sinner loseth one Eye only to wit his Paradise-Happiness c. and God the Father of Adam is content to give his Son who was as Dear to him as his Right Eye out of his Bosom to make full Satisfaction for the Breach of that Law N. B. Note well Sinfull Man may say here is both a Just Judge to the Law and yet a Compassionate Father to me
as the least of sinners Christ called saith Chrysostom first the Publican Matthew and after him this perjur'd person Peter omnipotenti medico nullus Insanabills occurit morbus To this almighty All healing Hand no disease though never do desperate is found incurable Exod. 15.26 a King at his Coronation pardons all Crimes great as well as small So did King Jesus here at his Resurrection even a Renegado from Christ and his Gospel is here comforted The weakest and worst of Believers find acceptance with Christ 2dly It was Petro grauissimē vulnerato to him whose conscience was wofully wounded so that a general message as that go tell my Disciples would not be a sufficient Salve to his most grievous Sore He might object against it and say no This message belongs not to me for I have Undiscipled my self by denying my Lord So am now none of his Disciples 'T is now with him as with some sick persons that cannot feed themselves but must be fed by another hand with a Feather put particularly into their Mouths so Peter must have a message to himself by name a special and Individual Application Mark 16.7 3dly It is Petro acerbissimē dolenti to him Weeping Bitterly Luke 22.62 He was now a double Mourner 1. For his Sin And 2. For his Loss He had not only lost his Lord but he had heinously Sin'd against him before he lost him how to look his Lord whom he had so notoriously abiured while he was living in the Face he knew nor should the Women's report prove true that he was raised from the dead So that he was like the Incestuous Man 2 Cor. 2.7 ready to be swallowed up of over much sorrow had not Christ been seen in the Mount in the very Nick of time as he had before saved him with his hand when he was sinking in the Sea Mat. 14.30.31 4thly It was Petro maxime Scandaloso to him must Scandalous This rock as Petra signies was becaome Rock of offence a reproach to Religion but Christ had smitten this Rock as he did that Rock in Horeb Exod. 17.6 and made the sweet Waters of Gospel Repentance to stream forth hereupon he was accepted N.B. Teaching us whom Christ takes fora Son we must take for a Brother go tell my Brethren Peter was a Brother still such as return with the Prodigal ought to be received God and Angels receive them the Ears of the penitent is the wine of Angels much more we ought to receive the penitent c. And if both the messenger and the message be well considered the effect thereof must be for more humbling of Peter as well as comforting him that he might be the better prepared for this comfortable appearance For 1st The messenger of this go tell my Brethren c. must be Mary Magdalen John 20.17 what could the Disciples think of this Singular Dispensation of Christ's sending one who had been a great sinner as his messenger to them They could not but thus reason among themselves Alas our Lord hath appeared to this Mary and hath not appeared to us he hath Judg'd us more unworthy than he doth this Woman of the presence of his glorified Body because we have so foully forsaken him when she clave close to him both Living and Dead c. If they all argued after this sort how much more must poor Peter make sorer and more severe reflections upon himself who had not only forsaken him but also denied him and that with Oaths and horrible Execrations Now when Peter was duly truly and throughly humbled then comes Christ to comfort him with his appearance to him This was Cod's method with Elijah 1 Kings 19.11 12. God humbles him with a Whirlwind with an Earthquake and with terrible Fire then came the soft and still voice Thus Christ dealt with Saul when he changed him into Paul he humbles him with an Astonishing Light knocks him down to the ground and smote him with blindness and then calls him to be a chosen vessel c. Acts 9.3 4 8 9. Thus also Christ deals with many Christians c. 2dly If the message go tell my Brethren and Peter with the first that I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God John 20.17 Mark 16.7 and Matth. 28.10 Oh how amazing must this message be to them all especially to poor Peter for his deeper guilt Oh matchless mercy an unparallel'd mirror of Divine commiseration Deserters are Disciples yea Brethren still though they had forsaken Christ Christ will not forsake them yea Peter the Denyer is yet courted as a Brother Christ covers all with an hand of love and both his and their sins are as readily remitted by him as if never committed against him They are his Brethren still that is partakers of the same glory and immortality with himself that they might be assured hereof He adds I ascend c. to prepare a place for you John 14.2 3. 16 17. and we have all one God and Father my Father is yours and my God is yours Oh what a Consternation must this message put them all especially Peter into How much more meltings now came upon him than before that his Lord should tell him he had an Heaven for him when he had deserved no less than Hell and that the Devil should be his Father and not God c. N.B. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost to leave no Divine Record in the Holy Scriptures either about the time when or the place where expresly our Lord appeared to Simon Peter Some learned Authors do indeed say that it was undoubtedly beside the Sepulchre when he ran to inspect it with John so Pareus saith It was more probably as Simon returned from the Sepulchre saith Gorran because 't is said that Peter alone wondered in himself at that which was come to pass Luke 24 12. And therefore is this appearance mentioned ver 34. as having a stronger impression upon the other Apostles from the mouth of Peter than what had been told them a little before from the mouth of Mary Magdalen c. Which they look upon as Idle tales ver 11. Peter's Testimony was of greater Authority with them and thereupon N.B. the Eleven told the two Disciples returning from Emmans to relate their Tidings c. And before they began their Relation that they all were now put out of all doubt concerning the truth of the Lord's Resurrection for say they to the two Travellers though we durst not believe it from the Relation of weak Women who are too apt to be over credulous yet now have we it infallibly confirmed from the mouth of so grave and principal a man as Peter Then did the two Travellers tell their Tidings ver 35. as an Additional Certification of the Truth of Christ's Resurrection That which renders both those opinions above mentioned the more Ambiguous is because John was with Peter at the Tomb and as they ran together thither and made their
been for the Law than of going to the Gentiles who will be afraid of me as Ananias himself had been Acts 9.13 To this Objection Christ Answers Have I not told thee that those Jews at Jerusalem will not receive thy Testimony concerning me they will rather reject it reckoning thee as a Light giddy-headed fellow who now Teacheth that very Religion which thou lately persecuted 'T is as if Christ had said N.B. So many as were Cureable being ordained to life are already Cured Utter destruction hastens now on apace both upon the Citizens and the City it self the rest are hardned I have no more mercy to bestow on them by thee Paul still hangs back with his love to the Jews and with his fear of going to the Gentiles Then Christ renews his Command upon him the Second time without promising him any Success Now Paul must no longer dispute but dispatch N.B. Christs Commands must be obeyed simply and readily whether the Gentiles will hear or forbear he must go among them This teacheth us how we should lay by all our own carnal reasonings and vain pretences when once God's Commandment is made manifest to us whatever our Success be we must follow God blindfold Heb. 11.8 Isa 41.2 without Hesitation Sciscitation or Limitation c. Having made these Six Remarks upon Paul's Apology to these Stubborn people the next Remarks arise from the effects of his Apology which were two First Upon his obstinate Auditors who immediately interrupted him when they heard he had preached the Gospel of Salvation to the Gentiles verse 22. and presently broke out into another outragious Tumult Verse 23. N.B. The Second effect was upon the chief Commander to whom Paul was now become a bound Prisoner who yet gratified his Prisoner whom he had secured from the murdring hands of the Jews to preach this Apologetical Sermon upon his Castle-Stairs now Paul's Pulpit out of the reach of his Murderers 1. This Chiliark or chief Commander drew his Prisoner off the Stairs within the VValls of his Castle 2. He bid his Under-Captain examine him by Scourging as judging him some Notorious Malefactor otherwise such hideous out-crys would not have been made against him verse 24. But 3. Understanding he was a Roman Citizen and uncondemned the Commander desisted from binding and scourging Paul ver 25 26 27. And 4. Paul Answers the chief Captain 's Objection that no such injury ought to be done to him who was free born ver 28. Then Lastly the Event of all was that this chief Captain of the Castle fearing to be called in Question for what he had already done to a Roman Citizen contrary to the Roman Law he both looseth off Paul's two Chains from off his hands and feet and absolveth him from being bound with Thongs to a Post in order to his Scourging that by torturing him thereby they might make him confess verse 20. And because the Captain would gladly have found some fault in Paul that thereby he might the better excuse his own Breach of the Roman Law worthy of Bonds N.B. Therefore the next day he sends him down from the Castle to be judged by the Jew's Sanhedrim seeing himself had no skill in the Jewish Religion c. verse 30. not daring to continue in that Crime of keeping a Roman Citizen uncondemned under confinement and likewise that Paul might have there a greater freedom to make his own defence c. The Resolves of these two effects c. afford us these Remarks The first is Such hearers of the word as are not ordained unto life will find some Stumbling-block or other whereon to stumble c v. 22. N.B. Those hardned Jews had given Paul a fair Audience all along hitherto without any gain-saying at all while he Dulcified his Discourse and sweetned his speech with such pleasing expressions as the God of their Fathers c. wherein the Jews gloried above all things that they and theirs had God for their Father John 8.41 but when any mention is made of the Mercy of God to the Gentiles This they could not hear nor bear Therefore do they interrupt him with their Tumultuous clamours prepare themselves to do violence to him again by casting off their Cloaths and in their raging phrenzy threw dust up into the Air verse 23. this Dust they wish'd to be stones to throw at Paul for his Blasphemy N.B. So Proud a Confidence or rather Impudence they had to monopolize the whole Market of Divine Mercy to themselves they madly grudged God should tender it to others which they themselves had so Stubbornly refused to wit the offer of God who is very angry with those persons and people when he saith I will lay stumbling blocks before them Ezek. 3.20 Esp when men stumble at God's mercy offered to others as the Jews here did whereas all the Lord 's Redeemed do much rejoice in yea and the Angels also Luke 15.10 N.B. whose hardned hearts will not hear to this day of the Gentiles having any interest in their Messiah but call us Bastard Gentiles and Curse us Christians in their daily prayers crying Maledie Domine Nazaraeis Curse Lord these Nazareans the Christians and stick not to say that rather than we should have any benefit by their Messiah they would Crucifie him an hundred times over See 1 Thess 2.15 The second Remark is Polititians do not oft consider what is Just and Righteous to be done but what is most proper and useful for present purpose be it Right or Wrong verse 24. N.B. This chief Captain of the Roman Garrison in the Castle must Examine Paul by scourging to make him confess the Cause of those out-crys against him The Heathen Tortures for confession proceeded no farther than Scourging this may shame Christians who put persons into the Inquisition the Boot c. thus they did to Christ Math. 27. ver 26. To Scourge a person uncondemned was look'd upon as so unjust an act that the Laws of no Civilized Nation did ever allow it See on Acts 16.37 yet this must be done to Paul by this Heathen polititian verse 25. The third Remark is Holy piety doth not exclude all Godly policy As Paul here was both prudently and piously politick so afterwards when he set the Pharisees and Saduces together by the ears Acts 23.6 7. It is but Rational that a good man should make use of such lawful priviledges as the place wherein he lives and the Station wherin he stands do afford him Thus Paul pleadeth for himself the priveledge of a Roman-Citizen who neither ought to be bound nor beaten according to the Valerian and the Porcian Law Therefore was this Title Terrible to other Nations so Paul pleads it verse 25 26 27. N.B. Tho' we may not render Evil for Evil yet may we Right our selves by all lawful means for our security Christ allows as much of the Serpent as of the Dove in his Servants Matth. 10.16 provided the Subtlety of the one do not destroy the
was quickly Metamorphos'd in the Ecclesiastick power of the Bishop of Rome in comparison of whose power that when Phocus had gratified Boniface the Bishop with the primacy for the supporting him in the Imperial Chair after he had murdered the Emperour Mauritious his Master and placed him self in it The Emperor's power was indeed very small ever after Therefore is he said to exercise all the power of the first Beast healing his former wound by reviving the adoration of Images under a new name of Saints by which Idolatry lived again and doth live yet is it also limited to 42 months Rev. ch 13. v. 5 12 15 and those two Beasts are but one Beast ver 17 18 c. N.B. That the Lord may make me as another Barnabas a Son of Consolation Acts 4.36 unto the Disconsolate Church in this our Day with a blessed Voice in the Temple Isa 66.6 I shall lay down this General Rule first that the choicest and most soveraign Cordials wherewith we ought to Refresh and Revive our Trembling Spirits when we are even fainting away with fear prevailing over our hope are the exceeding great and precious Promises of God 2 Pet. 1.4 which are called by the Evangelical Prophet the Breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 Those are the blessed Suckling Bottles that all God's Children who are taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 John 6.45 must learn to suck that they may be satified so as no longer to look upon the consolations of God like small matters to them Job 15.11 for no small gifts can come from the hand of so great and so gracious a God who is the God of Consolation Rom. 15.5 and the Consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 He is the God of all Comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 that is of all true Comfort of all kinds of Comfort and of all degrees of Comfort He is the Fountain from whom they all flow and such a Father of Mercy as when one comforting Mercy is spent upon us God still abides as a Father able to beget more and new comforting Mercies for us that the Heirs of the Promises might have strong consolation c Heb. 6.17 18. even everlasting Consolation in our Lord Christ 2 Thes 2.16 Now as there is a Natural Instinct which instructeth Lambs and all such like young Animals immediately as soon as brought forth to suck the Teats of their Dams c. So there is a Divine and Spiritual Instinct which teaches all the Lambs of Christ to suck the precious Promises those blessed Breasts of Consolation that they may be as Napthali satisfied with favour and filled with the blessing of the Lord Deut. 33.23 Behold the marvelous congruity betwixt this Instinct of Nature in all young Animals and that great Grace of Faith in all God's Children 'T is said the Just shall live by his Faith Hab. 2.4 a Text so famous as to be three times quoted in the New Testament Râ—m 1.17 Gal. 3.11 and Heb. 10.38 All which Divine Scriptures do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanimously hold forth the most eminent and most excellent exercise of that great Grace of Faith so exceeding useful to us both while we live and when we die The Just or truly justified ones cannot live without it 'T is as the Merchant Ship that fetcheth our food from far Prov. 31.14 even from Heaven it self sometimes as it did Manna Psal 78.24 25. John 6.31 This Grace makes men able to live even in the worst of times and sure I am none dare die without it 't is the saving Grace as Heb. 11.13 All God's Worthies died in the Faith c. Thus far in the general but now come to particulars N.B. We must learn all of us as becometh the Babes of Christ to suck out satisfaction to our Souls from such blessed Breasts of Consolation as are most suitable to our present condition of any kind of Calamity The first Instance I shall give here is that exceeding great and precious promise which God most graciously granted unto Abraham that Father of all the faithful Rom. 4.16 when a pang of fear came upon him and when his Faith was fallen below his Fear and his Fear was swollen up above his Faith then God comes seasonably and says to him Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 When Abraham was made able to suck out the sweet Milk of this precious Promise by the Mysterial Mouth of a lively Faith then his former fainting fits of a desponding fear were done away and then could he walk as it were hand in hand with his God through all his following Tryals and became able to follow his heavenly Father as we may say blindfold not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet all along well knowing with whom he went for he always walked as a Child in his Father's hand saying as David said afterward Though my God lead me through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for God is with me his Rod and Staff still comfort me therefore surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23.4 6. 'T is expresly said of Abraham that he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform c. Rom. 4.20 21. Now what Malady of fear did here befal our Father Abraham may befal any of the Sons and Daughters of Abraham yea undoubtedly often times does so As Faith in God's Promise was this holy Patriarch's Remedy against his Malady of fear So accordingly it ought to be our Remedy also If we could believe more in the Lord our God we should be better established against all distrustful fears and be more prosperous in our works and ways 2 Chron. 20.20 Isa 7.9 for God proportioneth his performing unto the measure of our believing saying to us as to the Man in the Gospel As thou be lievest so be it unto thee Matth. 8.13 Mark 9.23 This is a very great Truth that whosoever of the Sons and Daughters of Abraham do their duty according to that Divine Command Rom. 4.12 of walking in the steps of faithful Abraham in this World they shall be sure of lodging in the bosom of Father Abraham as Lazarus did Luke 16.22 in the World to come c. The second Instance that I shall add alone here concerneth the Church of God in general as the first did every Child of God in particular both which may fall into fainting fits of hopeless fear this is that exceeding great and precious promise out of which all the Children of the Church ought to suck the Milk of consolation in a disconsolating day of distress upon the Church of Christ namely that blessed Breast of comfort recorded by Zechariah Rejoyce greatly O! daughter of Zion c. Behold thy King cometh unto thee Just
of death till they see Christ come in this Kingdom Matthew 16.28 The seventh Comfort is Tho' the ordinary time proposed in the precious promise of Christ's coming to save Zion in the common way of Divine Providence be usually when his whole work is done upon Mount Zion namely 1. His Humbling-work for Sin 2. His Purging and Purifying work from Sin And 3. His Preparing work for her Reception of his saving mercy Isa 10.12 Then will her King come to disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon who have so long disquiet the Inhabitants of Zion Ier. 50.34 Yet by his extraordinary prerogative of free grace sometimes when Zion's King beholds unsufferable insolency in her Enemies This will bring him sooner before he can find any innocency in her self and before that Three-fold work afore said be wrought upon her Observe how the Lord argues I would scatter them c. were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy least their adversaries should behave them insolently and say me non voluisse aut non valuisse that I would not or could not save them c. Deu. 32.26 27. Therefore saith the Lord The feet of my Peoples Foes shall slide in due time c. verse 35. but my People themselves shall be exalted in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 If they be not weary of well doing they shall reap in due Season Gal. 6.9 God will not grant the desires of the wicked as David prays least they should exalt themselves Psalms 140 8. His Mercy Triumphs over his Justice James 2.13 and saves them with a Non-obstante with a Nevertheless and with a Notwithstanding their Sins c. Psa 106.8 and 78.38 but 't is more distinctly demonstrated in Ezek the 20. wherein we have the whole sum of the Law and of the Gospel and where mercy many times catcheth hold of the hands of Justice and keeps them from striking his Servants as appeareth from verse 4. to 44. all along God oft wrought for his own name's sake that it should not be polluted c. verse 14 21 and 43 44. when they had more highly provoked him so that he could not save them for their sake yet brought he them into the bonds of the Covenant verse 37. yea and his most gracious repentings were after all this so kindled together as to cry out how shall I give the up Ephraim I cannot find in my heart to be so unkind to thee for I am God and not man and I have holy ones in the midst of thee c. Hos 11.8 9. I will not destroy the Vine for the sake of the few Clusters that have blessings in them Isa 65.8 God would not destroy Sodom and her four Cities had there been found but ten Righteous Persons in those five Cities Gen. 18.32 We therefore do well to argue in prayer to God as Moses did What will the Egyptians say c. Exodus 32.12 and Numb 14 13 14. and as Joshua What wilt thou do to thy great Name Joshua 7.7 8 9. both those Arguments then did prevail with God and why not now c The eighth Cordial is Tho' God will and out of his very faithfulness Psal 119.75 Chastize his Childern for whom he loves he chastens yet he doth not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 7 8. Rev. 3.19 Lam. 3.33 He hath tears in his eyes when a Rod is in his hand c. Therefore he assureth us he will not chide for ever least their Spirits should fail and the souls that he hath made c. Isa 57.15 16 17 18 19. He always corrects in measure Jer. 30.11 and measures it only out by Peck and by Peck and not by whole Bushels at once as the Hebrew runs staying his rough wind in the day of his East wind Isa 27.7 8. The Lord saith I will hear your cryes for I am gracious Exo. 22.27 And even as a Father pitties his Child so the Lord pitties us Psalm 103.13 'T is well known that a little correction satisfies a kind Father for a great fault in his dear Child when the Child swoons under its scourging then the Father lets the Rod fall down on the ground takes up his Child into his Bosom and falls on kissing it to fetch life into it again thus God did to Ephraim Jer. 31.18 20. He stirs not up all his wrath Ps 78.38 but in midst of wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3 2◠〈◊〉 rule is as we are able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 And his anger is but for a very little while and then it ends in burning the Rod. Isa 10 5 25. So that we have need but of a little more patience Heb. 10.36 James 1.4 Rev. 13.10 And God will give an expected end Jeremiah 29.11 The ninth Cordial is Zion's King is not so Titulo tenus in an empty Title and no more but will come and set up his fifth Kingdom after all the four Grand Kingdoms the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman be destroyed The Humane Philosophers do question whether there be a Quinta Essentia a Fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements Earth Water Air and Fire Yet Divine Daniel doth demonstrate that there shall be a Fifth Kingdom tho' Daniel doth obscurely compare the four aforesaid Kingdoms unto four Boysterous and Blustering Winds Dan. 7.2 the fourth whereof namely that of the Roman Caesars was more violent and more permanent than any of the other Three for first The Foundation of that Kingdom was laid in violence and blood at the beginning of it as Julius Caesar who was the first of the Caesars was violently as it were digged out of his Mothers belly when he came into the World and accordingly was his Soul as violently digged out of his Body with stabbing Bodkins when he went out of the World And secondly This last of the four blustering Winds hath lasted longest in blood and violence for near to Two thousand years But we are told of a small still Wind or Voice 1 Kings 19.11 12. which had the Lord in it whereas neither the strong Wind nor the Earthquake nor the Fire all foregoing had none of them the Lord in them This small still breathing Wind or Voice may have a relation to the Kingdom of Christ who is call'd a Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 and Peace upon Earth good will to men Luke 2.14 and whose Kingdom consists of Peace and Joy Rom. 14.17 This is the small still Voice that will at last most effectually becalm all the four violent Winds c. But Daniel doth more plainly declare the four aforesaid Kingdoms all which he expresly compared to four foul Beasts Dan. 7.3 4 5 6 7. then after the final fall of all those four Beastly Kingdoms he addeth a fifth Kingdom which he calleth the Kingdom of a Man verse 13 14. to wit of God-man the Lord Jesus whose Kingdom shall never be destroyed N.B. Christ's Kingdom hath not a finis consumptionis but only a finis consummationis Tho' it shall be
us all those Graces Rom. 8.32 Even all things pertaining to Life and Godliness Eph. 1.3 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Pet. 1.3 So that 't is Mercy that performs all to Abraham Mic. 7.20 And the Saints are exhorted to look for the Mercy in Christ unto Eternal Life Jud. v. 21. And are called the Heirs of the Grace of this Life Eternal 1 Pet. 3.7 Because Grace is the cause both of Gods promising it and of his performing it the performance hath in it as much free Grace as the promise seeing we all fall short of Gods Glory Rom. 3.23 and of our own Duty Luke 17.10 The best can never have worth enough with their best to merit Heaven or purchase happiness in way of Justice it must be given in a way of Mercy Mans grace cannot merit Gods Glory In a word every Article of this Covenant is free Grace the whole Gospel is the word of Gods Grace Act. 20.32 And the Grace of God Col. 1.6 Faith is the gift of Grace Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 Remission is from the Riches of Grace Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Justification is freely from Grace Rom. 3.24 Yea and Salvation is given by Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 And all the way thereunto every Influence of Grace comes from Grace Joh. 15.5 Phil. 2.13 As doth Christ himself Joh. 3.16 Inference hence 1. Magnifie the Glory of the free Grace of God as blessed Paul often did Eph. 1.6 and 2.4 and 1 Tim. 1.13 14. c. Add nothing to it mix nothing with it this debases it and darkens the glory of Grace admire it with David 2 Sam. 7.18.21 Psal 115. 1. And Adore it with Abraham falling down to worship Gen. 17.2.3 Give Grace the Glory that gives you both Grace and Glory 2. Inference let not unworthiness discourage 't is only for such as see it and are sensible of it and a contrary state and temper of the Heart in self-admiration secludes such self-admirers He pays best for Heaven that sees he hath nothing to pay for it A thousand Worlds cannot purchase it yet is it freely given hang your hope upon the free grace of God not the free will of Man NB. When Despair Dejects apply absolute promises when security and presumption prevails apply conditional both in their seasons are very useful to Souls well applied The Second Excellency of the Covenant 'T is Firm as well as Free yea 't is Firm because 't is Free had this Second Covenant stood upon Mans Obedience as the first did it had not been a firm and sure Covenant for the Free VVill of Man even in the state of Innocency was but a slippery Foundation much more is it now in the Faln estate but it stands upon the Free Grace of God Rom. 4.16 and not upon any thing in us or to be done by us therefore hath it the more certainty The Covenant of Works was not firm because it was not free but depended upon the mutability of Mans VVill and therefore Mans VVill being changeable that Covenant was changeable also but the Covenant of Grace hath no such dependency on Mans mutable VVill seeing 't is grounded upon the immutable good VVill and Pleasure of an unchangeable God it must be Free and therefore is it Firm nothing can hinder Free Grace from its effectual operation of what and on whom it will though a Promise of VVages upon condition of Works may yet a Promise of Free Grace cannot be prevented besides 't is built upon the unchangeable Purpose of God for Paul puts Purpose and Grace together 2 Tim. 1.9 now this Divine Purpose is such a sure Foundation as cannot be shaken 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his both in respect of the freeness of his Election and of the Firmness of his Affection howbeit this knowledge God hath of his is carried secret as a River under ground till he calls us and separates us from the rest of Sinners hence are we call'd the called according to his Purpose Rom. 8.28 and this purpose is call'd a Promise Tit. 1.2 not as if any Promise of Eternal Life could be made to us before the VVorld began in Person but 1. Because the Father did then Purpose it in himself and according to that his Purpose did also 2. Promise it to his Son for us and in our behalf in that Eternal Covenant between them and 3. According to that Eternal Purpose in himself and that Eternal Promise to Christ the Promise of Eternal Life is made in time to us in our own persons hereupon the Apostle grounds the firmness of the Covenant of Promise upon the stability of Gods Counsel or Purpose Heb. 6.17 so that unless Gods Counsel or Purpose change the Covenant or Promise is unchangeable but God is in one Mind and who can turn him Job 23.13 ever the same Heb. 13.8 and I am is his Name Exod. 3.14 NB. First Here then lyes our strongest consolation and the best Anchor hold for our Hope Heb. 6.18 The Covenant of Redemption before time was Promises conceal'd and the Covenant of reconciliation in time was purposes Revealed yea and in it we see also performances for the future so Ensured by Christ who keeps the Ensuring Office as if they were Acoomplishments at present and so two Eternities meet together in the Covenant that à parte ante before the World and that à parte post both during and after the World assuring happiness to all in the Covenant which must needs be unchangeable As 1. 'T was founded upon two unchangeable Bottoms Gods VVord and his Oath Heb. 6.17 18. 2. 'T was Contracted 'twixt two unchangeable persons the Father and the Son the Father promising so many Souls and Jews being too little Gentiles also cost the Son so much Blood every Drop was Covenanted for 3. 'T was made before an unchangeable VVitness the Spirit Joh. 5.32 36 37. Heb. 9.14 whereupon 't is call'd an Everlasting Covenant Isa 55.3 and Heb. 13.20 and 2 Sam. 23.5 Herein David placed all his Salvation as containing in it the sure Mercies of David or Christ Act. 13.34 't is not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.19 20. not one word of it can fail Josh 21.45 and 23.14 1 Kin. 8.56 't is a sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 and 't is more easy for Mountains to move out of their places Isa 54.10 and for the course of Night and Day to cease Jer. 33.20 21. than for this firm Covenant to fail none ever took hold of it and could say There is a Lie in my hand as Isa 44.20 As God cannot Lie Tit. 1.5 so nor his Covenant Psal 89.33 34 35. 't is impossible Heb. 6.18 NB. secondly This Covenant is so firm sure and lasting that it is Perpetual and Everlasting it includes in it the two Eternities that à parte ante before the World began and that à parte post when the World shall have an end yet the Covenant shall last for ever being as in Moses phrase from Everlasting
though a Prince was not ashamed to own his own Kindred though their Trade was mean and despicable especially in the Opinion of the Egyptians for he did not only vouchsafe to meet them in their way but also 1. To present some of his Brethren poor Shepherds to the King Gen. 47.2 who ask'd them What is your Occupation ver 3. a meet question for a good Magistrate to ask that they had one Pharaoh takes for granted this prudent Prince suffer'd none of his Subjects to live idly without Employ God made Leviathan to play in the Sea Psal 104.26 but none to do so on Earth He that will not work shall not eat 2 Thes 3.10 Paul condemns idleness as a Capital Crime to the pains of Death yea to one of the worst of Deaths to die by Famine 'T is a Law laid upon all Mortals to sweat out a poor living by some lawful Labours and to Earn what they eat by the Sweat either of the Brow or of the Brain Gen. 3.19 yea Paradise it self which was Adam's Store-house was his work-house also .. He must take pains though then without pain or weariness as well as have the pleasures thereof Gen. 2.15 such as do not serve God in an honest Calling will soon as all loose Persons do List themselves to serve the Devil Joseph here had Instructed his Brethren to tell Pharaoh the Truth and not to be ashamed of their Trades Though Grasiers or Shepherds were abominable in Egypt every lawful Calling hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Decorum an Honour put upon it by God 'T is the unlawful only that are shameful A Gamester a Cheater a Kid-napper an Usurer c. are asham'd to own themselves as such when asked what their Occupations be whereas the honest Scavenger Chimney-sweeper Tankard-bearer c. are ready to own themselves so 't is the Language of our Law To Bridewel with them that can give no true account of some just Employ 2. Joseph likewise presented his Father though a poor Aged Man to Pharaoh Gen. 47.7 He was not like those unnatural Children of our day who think it a disgrace to acknowledge their poor Parents David did not so who brought his Father and Mother to the King of Moab to keep them haply pleading that his Father Jesse's Grand-mother Ruth was a Moabitess 1 Sam. 22.3 4. And Joseph did not so who set his old Father before Pharaoh who wondred at the whiteness of his Hoary Head As the King seeing Joseph's Brethren young Men and fit for Labour therefore asks them about their Occupations and they answer That they were not like Body-Lice which live not by their own Sweat but upon the Sweat of others they lived by their own Labours and not upon the Labours of others so it was no Sin to succour them So he seeing Joseph's Father a very old Man and past his Labour asks him only of his Age but nothing of his Occupation Jacob was now an hundred and thirty years old just the half of the four hundred and thirty years between the promise to Abraham and the Delivery out of Egypt to wit two hundred and fifteen years were at this very time expired as before It was strange News in Egypt to see so old a Man as Jacob. Pharaoh design'd no more in his demand How old art thou Gen. 47.8 than what a blind Heathen could do namely to know his years and the Age of his Life yet God so disposeth of Jacob's answer that an excellent Lecture is read to that Heathen King ver 9. How Heaven is Mans Home this World is but as an Inn where Man Sojourns for a while and wherein he as a poor Pilgrim is exposed to manifold evils yea and that through the former sins of the Sons of Men Nature began to decay and Mans Life grew shorter than formerly insomuch that neither Jacob himself nor any other Man now attained to the years of the Life of their Forefathers in the days of their Pilgrimage for Jacob's Father Isaac lived to an hundred and eighty years of Age Gen. 35.28 and his Grand-father Abraham to one hundred seventy five Gen. 25.7 whereas he himself was the◠but an hundred and thirty and being so very old he found his strength decay therefore did he both before then and after make Death familiar to him at Bed and Board learning to die daily and often crying Let me die Gen. 45.28 and 46.30 and lo I die Gen. 48.21 and 50.5 yet God was better to him than his expectations for he lived seventeen years after his conference with Pharaoh Gen. 37.28 dying at an hundred forty and seven years still short both of his Father and Grand-father as before After these things were Transacted Jacob and his Sons had Pharaoh's hearty welcom as they had Joseph's before They desired to live in the Land of Goshen according to Joseph's Instructions Not only because 1. It was nearest to the Land of Canaan so stood most commodious for their Return out of that Country to their own 2. It was most fruitful fattest and fittest for feeding their Cattle but also because 3. That they might dwell apart from the Egyptians and so not be corrupted with their Idolatry Josephus addeth that Joseph would not have his Brethren dispersed among Egyptians for this would have divided them one from another yet were there some Egyptians Inhabitants among the Israelites in Goshen of whom they borrow'd Jewels at their Departure Exod. 11.2 However Pharaoh gave them his Royal Grant of Goshen Gen. 47.4 5 6.11 at their Petition for Joseph's sake Kind he was and constant in his Respects to so good a Servant It pleased Pharaoh well only to hear of his Servants Brethren Gen. 45.16 yea and his Courtiers too at least in counterfeit Kindness they must love whom the King loves they do but humour Pharaoh while they honour Joseph yea so good-humour'd God made Pharaoh to Joseph that he offer'd him to make such of his Brethren as were Men of Activity of Shepherds to become Courtiers Gen. 47.6 but we find not that Joseph accepted of this Royal-offer as being loth to adventure them among the Corruptions of the Court though God had given him Grace to be as fresh Fish in a Salt Sea and his bow abode in strength c. yet might he well Question whether it would be so well with them c. In all which Joseph resembles our sweet Jesus who though a Lord not only of one as Joseph but of all Lands yea of Heaven and Earth yet is not ashamed to acknowledge the meanest of the Saints as his Brethren Hebr. 2.11 He presents us to the Father in whom we are accepted Eph. 1.6 and provides a Goshen a Land of light for us Joh. 14.3 and instructing us how to comport our selves before his Father c. Having seen Jacob's welcom to Egypt now his welfare in it is next to be considered as the first was Honourable so the second was comfortable His condition in Egypt was
indeed like checker'd work He had there long Mercy but at last some Misery God hath set Adversity over against Prosperity Eccles 7.14 There will be interchanges of fair Days and foul 1. 'T was fair weather with Jacob when he met his Jewel Joseph when he had the Honour to be admitted into Pharaoh's Presence to kiss as we say the King's Hand and to hold a familiar Conference with him about Matters of Man's Mortality and when a free and open Entertainment by the King's Liberality and through Joseph's Intercession was granted him in Goshen but above all when God graciously gave him to live there full Seventeen years in Health Peace and Plenty nothing all that time was he deprived of to render his life comfortable He and all his had abundance of all things by his Son Joseph's means while the Egyptians themselves were so pinched with penury that they sold all they had and at last themselves for Peasants and Vassals to Pharaoh to purchase Bread for sustaining their own single lives Thus it fared better with him and his though mere Strangers than with the proper Inhabitants and Natives of the Land And thus Jacob's last Days were his Best Days He never had so large and so long Prosperity neither in Syria nor in Canaan before as he had now in Egypt though some part of this Prosperity was in the sad time of a sore Famine This in the general but more particularly Joseph is God's Instrument of Jacob's and his whole Families welfare in that sore Famine feeding them all with Bread Hebr. according to the mouths of the little ones Gen. 47.12 that is according to the Number of their Families as well small as great He did provide for them all giving every one their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full portion and proportion as Luk. 12.42 which seemeth to have Reference to this place express'd by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave them their due measure of Meat or the Hebrew may be read to the mouth of a little one as the Nurse puts meat into the Mouth of her Suckling meaning tenderly and carefully yea and with as little care and pains to Jacob and his Houshold as Children use in providing for themselves yet 't is improbable those Shepherds used always to pains-taking would be idle all that time as if they had been but so many helpless Infants However 't is a figurative Speech signifying Joseph's great Care he had to provide Necessaries for them all from the eldest to the youngest and their strong Confidence for Provisions in their proper Season and Proportion from him 'T is said Joseph nourish'd his Father and his Family for which end he was sent before by God Gen. 45.7 8. and 50.20 and Psal 105.17 and which he himself had promis'd to do Gen. 45.11 and 50.21 whereupon he is called The Feeder or Shepherd and Stone of Israel Gen. 49.24 by whose means and for whose sake so many Thousands were preserved who otherwise would all have perished All which teacheth us these many Remarks As 1. That 't is a blessed thing to begin a Journey with seeking Gods Blessing at the beginning thereof so did Abraham's Steward Gen. 24.12 so did Jacob when come from Beershebah to Bethel Gen. 28.20 He prayed as well as Vowed and so he did at his coming out from Beershebah towards Egypt Gen. 46.1 there he offer'd Sacrifice and as God gave a successful Journey to Eleazar Gen. 24. so he did to Jacob in that long Journey to Laban in Syria and in this perillous one to Joseph in Egypt where he met with both welcome and welfare As 't is said Tithe and be Rich so Pray and be Prosperous the Popish Proverb Mass and Meat hinders no mans Thrift may serve to reprove Neglecters of Prayer As Prayer must be the Alpha of all our Enterprises so Praise must be the Omega thereof Hoc primum Repetas opus hoc postremus omittas Neither the one nor the other ought to be neglected God may indeed give Success without Prayer but certainly it will be nothing so sweet to the Soul that success is sweetest which is won by Prayer and worn by Thanksgiving 2. This teaches us also That it is not only the Duty of Pious Sons to nourish their Aged Parents when they are disenabled to provide for themselves as before but also 't is the Duty of Pious Souls to do good to their worst Emmies as Joseph did not only to his old Father who had been always kind to him but also to his bruitish Brethren who had been some times cruel to him Recompence to no man evil for evil Rom. 12.17 Revenge to carnal Reason seems Justice Aristotle commends it the World calls it Manhood but indeed 't is Belluinum Beastly and Doghood rather the more manly any Man is the milder and more Merciful he is as was Julius Caesar who wept over his Foe 's Pompey's Head presented to him saying Non mihi placet vindicta sed Victoria I seek not Revenge but Victory as was valorous David 2 Sam. 1.11 12. Though he was well pleased with Nabal's Death the case being differing yet he mourned for Saul's and as was vertuous Joseph who while he fed his Brethren heap'd coals of fire upon their Heads Prov. 25.21 22. to melt those hard Metals into a kindly Repentance knowing assuredly that the less he reveng'd himself the more his God would as indeed he had done reward him 3. It teaches what a marvellous Providence of God attends the Church in sending Joseph beforehand into Egypt Psal 105.17 there to lay up great Provisions for sustaining his Church in the Time of Famine while many of the World were famish'd by it 4. It teacheth likewise That seeing All Joseph's Store was laid up for Jacob and his Families the Church's sake whereby Egypt and other Lands were preserved Oh then what Fools are the Men of the World who persecute the Saints that are their Saviours and Safeguard who hate and hunt them to whom they owe all the good things they have what is this but doing as the silly Deer do in eating up those very Leaves which would hide them from the Eyes of the Hunter 5. It teaches That a poor life in the Church of God is to be preferr'd before the Pleasures of the World Joseph taught his Brethren to say Thy Servants are Shepherds Gen. 47.3 that they might not be employed in Pharaoh's Court or in the great Affairs of the Kingdom as himself having special Grace was but chuse rather to live as poor Shepherds in the Church and Service of God than to be proud Courtiers in the Royal Palace estranged from the Houshold of Faith Joseph but especially God had a respect to preserve the Purity and Visibility of the Church separate from the World which could not have been nor her Doctrine kept uncorrupted had they been mingled with that superstitious people therefore were they placed by themselves at the first though afterward multiplying
Kingdom of Persia Remark the Second Hence Daniel nameth only Darius his settling the Kingdom consisting of 120 Provinces over which he set 120 Princes whereof Daniel was Chief c. Dan. 6.1 2 3. and this he did with all expedition even immediately after the Conquest of Babylon within the compass of that Year saith Dr. Lightfoot for which Haste Junius renders this Reason because he was now come to his Old Age which is call'd an Evil Age Eccles 12.1 and desir'd to see some Settlement before he died Josephus saith that Darius carry'd Daniel from Conquer'd Babylon along with him into Media out of his great Veneration to him because 1. He had foretold the fall of Belshazzar c. for which cause Nebuchadnezzar had favour'd Jeremy Jer. 39.11 c. 2. He saw in Daniel a Right Noble Spirit even the Spirit of the Holy God And 3. Because himself was now Old and unfit for Government and therefore Darius took Daniel along with him for his Assistance Jos Antiq. 10.12 N.B. 1. We read how Daniel Prophesied in the first Year of Belshazzar Dan. 7.1 c. of the four Monarchies which he calls Beasts because they were all Beast-like unruly troublers of the World especially of the Church in the World The Jews thought that when they saw the first Beast the Babylonian Kingdom destroy'd and themselves in hope of returning from Captivity they might enjoy sublime Peace and God's Plenty after their Return To this Daniel saith Nay in a plain Denial saying Three Beasts were yet to follow in troubling them and this Prophecy he wrote in Chaldee for a Caution to the Chaldees but Belsbazzar would not be caution'd but by Pride and Profaness ruin'd himself and all his N.B. 2. Daniel after that first Year of Belshazzar Prophesies again in his third and last Year Dan. 8.1 c. Now was Babylon closely besieged therefore Daniel could not be corporally at this time in Shushan the chief City in Persia but in Vision only ver 2. saith Maldonate tho' Josephus saith it was in Ecbatane a prime City in Media In this Chapter Daniel Prophesies how the Grecian Goat should destroy the Medo-Persian Ram as he had done the Babylonian and how in the 137th Year of the Grecian Monarchy when the Transgressions of the Jews are come to the full a little Horn should arise out of Alexander's Successors namely Antiochus Epiphanes which would cast down the Doctrine of Truth and its Professors to the ground prospering in such Practices for a little time which as Christ himself that Palmoni Hammadabbar or Excellent Speaker or Wonderful Numberer ver 13. Interprets to last not all out 7 Years which was much less than their 70 Years Suffering in Babylon for 23000 Natural Days of 24 Hours do but amount to Six Years Three Months and Twenty Days so Gracious was the Messiah to put so timely a period to his Peoples Sufferings at that time in their own Land ver 14 20 24. but the Prince of Princes against whom he Warreth shall at the end break him in pieces by laying a loathsom Disease upon him and so wrap him up without the hands of Man in the Sheet of Shame v. 25. This Prophecy Daniel writes in the Hebrew Dialect and all the following Chapters to the end of this Book because these all concerned the Jews to know as before he had writ in the Chaldean Tongue from the 2d Chap. ver 4. to this Chap. the 8th because it concern'd the Chaldeans c. This sad Vision made Daniel Sick out of Sympathy with Sion yet prudently he restrain'd his Sorrow and rose up to do the King's business ver 27. Which words make it manifest saith Polanus out of Calvin that Daniel was not now in Persia but in Babylon executing the Office of that Triumvirate or Chief of the three Princes who had the oversight of the 120 Governours whom Darius had plac'd over his 120 Provinces whose Accounts Daniel took both of Tribute and Affairs with his other two Co-partners N. B. 3. Darius being enamour'd with that excellent Spirit of Prophecy Prudence c. he beheld in Daniel design'd to preferr him over all the Princes and Presidents and to commit to him the Government of the whole Realm when he found himself disenabl'd for it by his Old Age Dan. 6.3 This singular Promotion of Daniel conceiv'd to be presently after the Conquest of Babylon and Settling of the Empire made this Holy Prophet a most obnoxious Eye-sore and object of Envy to all the Princes and Presidents who hereupon Club their Wit with the Devil as well as one with another ver 4. to find some fault in the Management of his High Matters that they might impeach him of High-Treason say Grotius and Vatablus and so take him out of their way but they failed in this Impious Project Remark the Third Is hereby Introduced No sooner had God promoted Daniel thus High for the good of his Church in her low Estate still in Babylon to have such a Friend in the Court as this prudent Prophet to Plead for them but presently the Devil imploys all his Imps and Instruments to Remove him out of the way and when they could find no Treason in him as to his Service of Man saith Grotius they resolve to find it in his Service of God They lay their Plot to destroy Daniel but God over-shoots the Devil in his own Bow Mark 1. Those Plotting Princes do Request of this King Darius to Establish a Royal but a most Irreligious Statute That whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for 30 days save of thoe O King he shall be cast into the Den of Lions ver 5 6 7 8. This Act of Vniformity by an Vnalterable Decree is the Plot. Mark 2. This too facile Old King now in his Dotage was easily overcome to pass this Act and to Sign it with his Signet Manual because saith Capellus it was accommodated to his ambitious Humour now flush'd up with his new Conquest of Babylon he can now swallow down Divine Honour done to him beside saith Junius this would exalt him above his Corrival Cyrus c. Mark 3. When Daniel understood what was done ver 9. hearing it proclaim'd He left the Court as unwholesome Air to breath in and retiring to his House he comfortably converseth with his God his Windows being ope as his Custom was ver 10. and this Custome he would not break in shutting his Windows now either to the scandal of the Weak or scorn of the Wicked who watched him and would have charged him with Dissimulation if he had shut them c. Mark 4. These Watchers found Daniel thus praying upon his Knees The Sun shall sooner stand still in Heaven than Daniel will stop his praying to his Father in Heaven Who can stand before Envy Prov. 27.4 those envious ones had now got matter enough they come with full Mouth to accuse Daniel to Darius ver 11 12 13. they call him in
Contempt a Royal Captive a Prisoner at Mercy saying Though thou hast preferr'd him above all us Princes and purposes to promote him over all the Realm ver 3. yet dare this Fellow break the King's Law Mark 5. Darius now reflects upon his own Rashness so soon as he found himself circumvented by his wily wicked Flatterers against so innocent so useful and so honourable a Person He rages not against Daniel for denial as Nebuchadnezzar had done against Daniel's three Noble Companions for the like Dan. 3.19 but disavows all desire after Daniel 's Death and labours by alledging all Arguments for Daniel's deliverance until the Descent of the Sun ver 14. but this after-wit would not do against the Craft and Cruelty of Daniel's implacable Adversaries they urge the unalterable Law they rage against him saith Calvin saying thou art an old despised King if not We and thy Subjects will rebel against thee Mark 6. Darius though he had some faint Desires to deliver Daniel yet yields to the strong Tide and Torrent of these Time-serving Malignants ver 16. Grotius saith there was some Humanity in this King in desiring to do Daniel a kindness from his peculiar Respect to him but Ne micam Pietatis not a dram of Divinity or Religion in him seeing though he perceived Daniel's God to be the true and most mighty God yet doth he deprive God of his Right in neither worshipping him himself nor suffering others to do so by his late Edict However he Prays God to deliver Daniel when he sent him to the Lions Den. N.B. Oh miserable Comforter he commendeth Daniel's serving God which he had forbid by a Law as Nebuchadnezzar had done before him Dan. 3.28 and perhaps might have some hope of Daniel's deliverance from that instance of God's delivering those three Young Nobles out of the fiery Furnace and Calvin adds Darius knew that Daniel had truly foretold the fall of the Chaldean Monarchy whereby he understood that the God of Israel was the All-knowing God and had all created Beings at his over-ruling Command Notwithstanding all this the King Consents and Commands even against his own Conscience to cast Daniel into the Den of Lions N.B. Thus the best Man in the Kingdom became a Sacrifice to the Malice of the vilest Men and that by the Pusillanimity of a King truckling to the Violence of his own Parasites this oft falls out in following Times c. Mark 7. To make all sure a Stone is laid on the Mouth of the Den sealed both with the King 's and with the Courtiers Signets ver 17. The Stone was too great saith Grotius for such a Decrepit Daniel now old to remove or break and the Court Lords must Seal it also saith Maldonate for they dare not trust Darius who they knew had respect for Daniel and was desirous to deliver him and the King's Seal must be affixed first because he feared the Princes would draw him out and murder him if the Lions did not Thus the King complies with his wicked Courtiers saith Calvin notwithstanding his Conviction to the contrary both in condemning good Daniel and in casting him into the Lions Den and likewise in making all this fast work to make him a prey to the Lions N.B. Which teacheth when a Man once gives way to one Sin against his Conscience he knows neither End nor Measure but will Sin again and again and no doubt saith Calvin but God had his Holy Hand in all those contrivances of these cursed Conspirators for the greater Manifestation of his own Miracle N.B. And all this sure Work was done saith Grotius to shadow out what was accordingly done to Christ Matth. 27.60 66. Mark 8. Now is Darius in deep perplexity ver 18. in luto haeret He sticks fast in the Mud saith Calvin he is now self-condemned of his own Conscience for his unwittingly betraying but wittingly condemning his very best Counsellour He went to his Palace and passed the Night Fasting c. his perplexity put him by both his Meat and his Musick all which saith Janius was but the product of his own Precipitancy in hearkening to the Counsel of his wicked Courtiers and Polanus adds now was it the Duty of Darius to rescind his own rash Edict and not only to rate those losel-Lords but also to over-rule them in their barbarous design against Daniel c. Herod was thus perplex'd in the like Case Matth. 14.9 Luke 9.7 N.B. 1. Daniel in the Lions Den fared better than Darius in his Royal Palace especially if that Apocryphal Addition of Daniel hold true which saith that Habakkuk brought a Mess of Pottage to this Daniel in the Den Keckerman calls Pottage Succus benignus a most nourishing Juice containing the Quintessence of good things extracted by a continued boiling for the Sustentation of Humane Life so we see sundry sick Persons are long sustained by supping a little good Broth only Now if the Veracity of that Apocryphal Author may be credited then it necessarily follows that the Case of Daniel in the Den who believed in his God ver 23. and therefore had nothing to put his Palate out of Taste or to discompose his Appetite while his Faith conquer'd his Fear he might drink up this benign Broth with a chearful and thankful Mind was far more comfortable than the Condition of Darius in his Palace Who was in such a perplexity of Spirit that he cared for neither Meat nor Musick and Sleep was departed from him but stood amused and amazed as Herod did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 9.7 pendebat animi dubius sticking fast in the Mire and could find no way out as is the import of that Greek Word Thus Godless Men in the fulness of their sufficiency are in straits Job 20.22 whereas a Godly Man in the fulness of his straits hath a sufficiency that is he is Contentful true Piety hath true Plenty Godliness only hath the right Autarkie or self sufficiency as may be seen in David 1 Sam. 30.6 in Habakkuk Hab. 3.16 17. in Paul Phil. 4.11 He had nothing yet possessed all things 2 Cor. 6.10 therefore Godliness is call'd great Gain 1 Tim. 66. if no more be gained but it self N.B. 2. But suppose that Apocryphal Addition be no better than a Jewish Fable as is generally believed by the Godly-learned yet may it not be judged improbable that the Jew who invented that Conceit was some pious Man and might ground his Fancy upon that Text in Habakkuk Hab. 2.4 The Just shall live by his Faith which Words were doubtless as benign a Juice to the Soul of Daniel in the Den as a Mess of Pottage could have been to his Body for Faith extracteth excellent Nourishment to the inner Man out of the precious Promises of God effectually sucking those Breasts of Consolation so called Isa 66.11 whereby spiritual Life is maintained Thus Daniel in the Den learnt this Lesson from Habakkuk to live by his Faith as himself had done Hab.