is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the terrors and the sorrows which shall be in his days i i i i i i Shâ—aâ— fol. 118. 1. He that feasts thrice on the Sabbath day shall be delivered from three miseries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the sorrows of Messiah from the judgment of Hell and from the War of Gog and Magog Where the Gloss is this From the sorrows of Messias For in that age wherein the Son of David shall come there will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accusation of the Scholars of the Wise men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes such pains as women in child birth endure VERS XXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But of that day and hour knoweth no man OF what day and hour That the discourse is of the day of the destruction of Jerusalem is so evident both by the Disciples question and by the whole thread of Christs discourse that it is a wonder any should understand these words of the day and hour of the last judgment Two things are demanded of our Saviour ver 4. The one is When shall these things be that one stone shall not be left upon another And the second is What shall be the sign of this consummation To the latter he answereth throughout the whole Chapter hitherto To the former in the present words He had said indeed in the verse before Heaven and Earth shall pass away c. not for resolution to the question propounded for there was no enquiry at all concerning the dissolution of Heaven and Earth but for confirmation of the truth of thing which he had related As though he had said ye ask when such an overthrow of the Temple shall happen when it shall be and what shall be the signs of it I answer These and those and the other signs shall go before it and these my words of the thing it self to come to pass and of the signs going before are firmer than Heaven and Earth it self But whereas ye enquire of the precise time that is not to be enquired after For of that day and hour knoweth no man We cannot but remember here that even among the Beholders of the destruction of the Temple there is a difference concerning the Day of the destruction that that day and hour was so little known before the event that even after the event they who saw the flames disagreed among themselves concerning the Day Josephus an eye witness saw the burning of the Temple and he ascribed it to the Tenth day of the month Aâ— or Louâ— For thus he l l l l l l De Bell. lib. 6. cap. 26. The Temple perished the tenth day of the month Lous or August a day fatal to the Temple as having been on that day consumed in flames by the King of Babylon Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai saw the same conflagration and he together with the whole Jewish Nation ascribes it to the ninth day of that month not the tenth yet so that he saith If I had not lived in that age I had not judged it but to have happened on the tenth day For as the Gloss upon Maimonides m m m m m m In Taanith cap. 5. writes It was the evening when they set fire to it and the Temple burnt until sun-set the tenth day In the Jerusalem Talmud therefore Rabbi and R. Josua ben Levi fasted the ninth and tenth days See also the Tract Bab. Taanith n n n n n n Fol. 29. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither the Angels For o o o o o o Bab. Sanhedr fol. 99. 1. the day of Vengeance is in my heart and the year of my redeemed comâ—th Esai LXIII 4. What means The day of Vengeance is in my haert R. Jochanan saith I have revealed it to my heart to my members I have not revealed it R. Simeon ben Lachish saith I have revealed it to my heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to the ministring Angels I have not revealed it And Jalkut on that place thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My heart reveals it not to my mouth to whom should my mouth reveal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Neither the Angels nor the Messias For in that sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Son is to be taken in this place and elsewhere very often As in that passage Joh. V. 19. The Son that is The Messias can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do ver 20. The Father loveth the Messias c. ver 26. He hath given to the Messias to have life in himself c. And that the word Son is to be rendred in this sense appears from verse 27. He hath given him authority also to execute judgment because he is the Son of man Observe that Because he is the Son of man I. It is one thing to understand the Son of God barely and abstractly for the second person in the Holy Trinity another to understand him for the Messias or that second person incarnate To say that the second Person in the Trinity knows not something is blasphemous to say so of the Messias is not so who nevertheless was the same with the second Person in the Trinity For although the second Person abstractly considered according to his mere Diety was co-equal with the Father co-omnipotent co-omniscient co-eternal with him c. Yet Messias who was God-man considered as Messias was a servant and a messenger of the Father and received commands and authority from the Father And those expressions The Son can do nothing of himself c. will not in the least serve the Arians turn if you take them in this sense which you must necessarily do Messias can do nothing of himself because he is a Servant and a Deputy II. We must distinguish between the execellencies and perfections of Christ which flowed from the Hypostatical union of the two natures and those which flowed from the donation and anoynting of the Holy Spirit From the Hypostatical Union of the Natures flowed the infinite dignity of his Person his impeccability his infinite self-sufficiency to perform the Law and to satisfie the divine justice From the anoynting of the Spirit flowed his Power of miracles his fore-knowledg of things to come and all kind of knowledg of Evangelic Mysteries Those rendred him a fit and perfect Redeemer these a fit and perfect Minister of the Gospel Now therefore the fore-knowledg of things to come of which the discourse here is is to be numbred among those things which flowed from the anoynting of the Holy Spirit and from immediate revelation not from the Hypostatic Union of the Natures So that those things which were revealed by Christ to his Church he had them from the revelation of the Spirit not from that Union Nor is it any derogation or detraction from the Dignity of his Person
such as I described unto you false Teachers that pretended to the Spirit and to preach and work Miracles by the Spirit And I shall discourse a little concerning the great delusion that is by pretence of the Spirit and this the rather that I may speak something like in subsequence to that I treated upon at our last Meeting Then I exhorted you to hold Communion by the example of Christ. For separation I then told you was the undoing of our Church Now I give caution against the pretence of those that Preach and Expound Scripture by the Spirit For that is the cause of Separation and hath proved the ruine of Religion And although this change of times doth seem to promise that this delusion in time will dye so that the present discourse may seem not so very pertinent yet doth that mischief now live move delude and captivate silly souls little less than it hath done all along Therefore give me leave a little to discover this delusion to you that you may not only be the better fenced against it that it do not deceive you but that you may be the better furnished to stop the mouths of those that pretend to it For the prosecuting this argument you must distinguish between the false pretence to the Spirit of Sanctification and to the Spirit of Revelation By the former men deceive themselves by the latter others They deceive themselves by conceiving they have the former because they have something like it but these deceive others by the pretence of the latter though they have nothing like it There is no grace but there is a false coin minted by the Devil to dissemble it As the Harlot takes the live-child from the unwitting mother and fosters the dead one in the room and so lyes the poor woman deceived and so the poor man is deceived and thinks he hath saving grace when t is but common and the Spirit of Sanctification when t is but the Spirit of Bondage But I shall not insist on this But proceed to the other pretence viz. to the Spirit of Revelation and Prophesie whereby these in the Text deceived others I shall not need to shew you how this hath been the great cheat in all times There were false Prophets before the captivity and false Prophets after it such pretenders almost in all times I shall strip this delusion naked and whip it before you by observing these four things I. No degree of holiness whatsoever doth necessarily beget and infer the Spirit of Revelation as the cause produceth the effect It is the first cheat that these men put upon themselves and others by concluding I am a Saint therefore I have the Spirit and I preach and expound Scripture by the Spirit whereas I say no degree of Sanctification doth necessarily beget and produce that of Revelation I clear this from the nature of the thing it self and by examples First From the nature of the thing The Spirit of Holiness and Revelation are far different therefore the one is not the cause of the other The cause and the effect have a parity and similitude one with another but these are far from being so 1. They are impartible to different subjects Holiness only to holy men the Spirit of Revelation sometimes to wicked men So it was imparted to Balaam Numb XXIII so likewise to Judas and Caiaphas 2. They are bestowed upon different ends Holiness for the good of him that hath it Revelation for the benefit of others 3. They are of different manners and operations The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart Paul is a Saul no more Revelation doth not Judas is Judas still 4. They are of different Diffusion in the Soul Sanctification is quite through I Thess. V. 23. Revelation only in the understanding 5. They are of different Effects Sanctification never produceth but what is good Revelation may produce what is evil Knowledge puffeth up Now see what a cheat they are in This to themselves if they believe it themselves and to others that believe it in this argumentation I am holy therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation To the further confuting of this add but two Examples 1. The first Adam He was as holy as created nature could be and yet had he the Spirit of Revelation Not the Spirit at all He was most holy yet had not the Spirit of Sanctification most full of knowledge yet had not the Spirit of Revelation but all his holiness was founded only in his nature as he was created God made him holy and left him to stand upon his own holiness and had not the assistance of the Spirit at all So he had great knowledge yet not the Spirit of Revelation either to know things to come or to know things beyond their natures and causes But 2. Consider the second Adam He was holiness it self yet had he not the Spirit of Revelation by that holiness In Christ there were two things The holiness of his person by union with the Godhead and the Indowment of the Spirit upon his person He was so holy that he was not only without sin but he was impeccable Rom. VIII 2. as we are a Law that cannot but sin so he contra Now this holiness of Christs person or nature is to a clean different end to what the guifts of the Spirit upon him were His person was so holy that he might perform the Law satisfie justice pay obedience conquer Satan But the guifts of the Spirit were to fit him for Mediatorship to cast out Devils to reveal the will of God to work Miracles to confirm that Doctrine As these differ in their ends so are they from different originals holiness from the purity of his nature indowments by extraordinary donation If he had the Spirit in extraordinary guifts of Revelation and Miracles by vertue of his holy nature why was that Spirit given so visible Matth. III. and given when he was to begin his Mediation Consider his own words Mark XIII 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Some are ashamed to confess their ignorance of any thing yet he doth it plainly For the Divine Nature in Christ acted not to the utmost of its power T is clear from this passage of Christ that by his nature he had not the Spirit of Revelation but he had it by the immediate guift of God For it pleased not God so to reveal that day and hour to him while he was here on Earth So that by this example you may see much more the fallacy of that argument I am a Saint therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation Whereas Christ himself could not say so II. The Spirit of Revelation is given indeed to Saints but means little that sence that these men speak of but is of a clean different nature The Apostle prays Ephes. I. 17. That God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom
further Some point thus All things were made by him and without him was nothing made That which was made in him was life A reading which Chrysostom Hom. 5. in Job saith was used by Hereticks whereby to prove the Holy Ghost to be a Creature And this is the very reading of the vulgar Latin Others have read it thus All things were made him and without him was nothing made which was made in him And then they began a new sentence He was life c. A reading conceived to have been used by the Manicbâ—es whereby to prove duo principia a good and a bad 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men 5. And the light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehend it not 6. There d d d d d d From Mal. 3. 1. 4. 5. And thus dothe two Testaments joyn together was a man sent from God whose name was John 7. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe 8. He e e e e e e The Baptist was a light John 5. 35. but not that light that was to come â—s the light of the three first days of the Creation without the Sun was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that light 9. That was the true Light f f f f f f It may be either read which coming into the world lighteth every man or as our English hath it which latter is approved the true 1. By the very place where the word comming or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyeth for it followeth not immediately the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so being joyned with it reason and the custom of Grammar tell that it should be construed with it 2. It is ordinary among the Jews to call men by this Periphrasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as come into the world which Idiom of the Hebrews the Evangelist followeth here The Syriak readeth as we do which lighteth every man that cometh into the world 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not 11. He came unto g g g g g g As it were into his own house or among his own people as Joh. 16. 32 19. 27. Act. 4. 23. 21. 6. his own and his own h h h h h h In ver 11. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 12. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though they signifie the same thing yet might some distinction of sense be observed in the distinction of words For Christ came among the Jews bodily yet they would not so much as receive him bodily nor acknowledge him for Messias at all but coming among the Gentiles by his word and spirit they received him spiritually received him not 12. But as many as h h h h h h In ver 11. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 12. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though they signifie the same thing yet might some distinction of sense be observed in the distinction of words For Christ came among the Jews bodily yet they would not so much as receive him bodily nor acknowledge him for Messias at all but coming among the Gentiles by his word and spirit they received him spiritually received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name 13. Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we behold his glory the glory i i i i i i As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimâ—bi in Micol as Numb 11. 1. The people became as murmurers Prov. 10. 20. The heart in the wicked is as little worth that is very murmurers very little worth so here The very glory of the only begotten as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Reason of the Order THE Preface being made the story is to begin and that it doth here from Christs Divinity most Divinely For whereas the other Evangelists begin their relations no further back then from the birth or conception of our Saviour or at the furthest of his Forerunner John draws the Reader back to behold him in the Old Testament in the Creation of the world and in the promises to the Fathers And therefore this portion is first to be begun withall and of it self will justifie its own order Especially it being considered that the Person of Christ is first to be treated of before his actions and in his Person the divine nature which John here handleth before the humane Harmony and Explanation FROM Gen. 1. 1. the Evangelist sheweth that the redemption was to be wrought by him by whom the Creation was namely by the Word or the second Person in the Trinity as being sittest for that great work as whereby confusion both in the external works of the Trinity as also in the term of Sonship might be avoided In the external works of the Trinity when the Creator of man became his Redeemer and in the term of Sonship when the Son of God and the Son of Man were but one and the same person Ver. 1. The Word He is so called in the Old Testament First as the Author of 2 Sam. 7. 2. For thy words sake which in 1 Chr. 17. 19. is expressed For thy servants sake the title of Christ Esay 42. 2. the Creation Psal. 33. 6. Secondly as the Author of the Promise 2 Sam. 7. 2. compared with 1 Chron 17. 19. Thirdly as the very Subject of the Covenant and Promise it self Hag. 2. 5. Deut. 30. 12. compared with Rom. 10. 6 7. So that these things being laid together and well considered they shew why John calleth the Son of God the Word rather then by any other name First because he would shew that as the world was created by the Son so it was most fit it should be redeemed Secondly that as in him the promise was given so in him was fit should be the performance Thirdly that as he was the Subject of the Covenant in the Old Testament so also was he the Substance of it in the New From such places as these forenamed where the Son of God is called the Word in the Old Testament it became most familiar and ordinary among the Jews to use this title personally for him And this may be a second reason deduced from that that was named before why the Evangelist here useth it namely as a name most familiarly and comly known amongst his own people Examples hereof might be alledged out of the Chaldee Paraphrast even by hundreds It will suffice to alledge some few Gen. 28. 20 21. If the word of the Lord will be my help c. The word of the Lord shall be my God
bloods in the plural number That is not of the kindred descent or continued Pedegree from the Patriarchal line or the blood of Abraham Isaac Jacob and successively For John the Evangelist speaketh much to the same tenor here that John the Baptist doth Mat. 3. 9. That Christ would adopt the Heathen for the Sons of God as the Jews had been though they had no relation at all to the Jewish blood or stock Nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man The Evangelist hath traced Moses all along from the beginning of the Chapter and so he doth here He used the Phrase of the Sons of God in the Verse preceding from Gen. 6. 2. And this Clause that we have in hand he seemeth to take from the very next Verse after My Spirit shall no more strive with man because he also is flesh Where as Moses by flesh understandeth the brood of Cain men that followed the swing of lust sensuality and their own corruption and by Man the Family of Seth or Adam that was regulated by Religion and reason till that Family grew also fleshly like the other so doth John here the like For having in the next foregoing words excluded one main thing that was much stood upon from any claim or challenge towards the adopting of the Sons of God or forwarding of the new birth and that is descent from Abraham and from those holy men successively that had the promise So doth he here as much for two other which only can put in for title to the same and those are first the will of the flesh or ability of nature Secondly the will of man or power of morality Ver. 14. And the word became Flesh Now hath the Evangelist brought us to the Apollinaris from this clause the word became flesh would wickedly conclude that the word assumed not an humane soul but only humane flesh and that the Godhead served that flesh instead of a reasonable soul Conâ—uted Luke 5. 52. Mat. 26. 38. great Mystery of the Incarnation in the description of which may be observed First the two terms the word and Flesh expressing Christs two natures and the word was made or became their hypostatical union Secondly the word flesh is rather used by the Evangelist then the word man though oftentimes they signifie but the same thing as Gen. 6. 12. Psal. 65. 2. Isa. 40. 5 6. First to make the difference and distinction of the two natures in Christ the more conspicuous and that according to the common speech of the Jews who set flesh and blood in opposition to God as Matth. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 16. Secondly to magnifie the mercy of God in Christs incarnation the more in that flesh being in its own nature so far distant from the nature of God yet that he thus brought these two natures together as of them to make but one person for the reconciling of man and himself together Thirdly to confirm the truth of Christs humanity against future Heresies which have held that he had not a true and real humane body but only Fantastical or of the air Fourthly to explain what he said before that Believers became the Sons of God that is not by any change of their bodily substances but by participation of divine grace for Christ on the contrary became the Son of Man by assuming of flesh and not by changing into it Fifthly to shew the Plaister fitly applyed unto the Sore and the Physick to the Disease for whereas in us that is in our flesh there dwelleth no good but sin death and corruption he took upon him this very nature which we have so corrupted sequestring only the corruption from it that in the nature he might heal the corruption Sixthly he saith he was made or became flesh and not he was made man lest it should be conceived that Christ assumed a person for he took not the person of any man in particular but the nature of man in general Was made flesh Not by alteration but assumption not by turning of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God not by leaving what he was before that is to be God but by taking on him what he was not before that is to bo man And the Evangelist saith rather He was made flesh then he assumed it i. e. that he might set out the truth and mystery of the Incarnation to the life both for the hypostatical union of the two natures and their inseparablity being so united For first whereas Nestorius said that the word was not that man that was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary but that the Virgin indeed brought forth a man and he having obtained grace in all kind of vertue had the word of God united unto him which gave him power against unclean Spirits And so he made two several Sons and two several persons of the two natures his Heresie is plainly and strongly confuted by this phrase he was made flesh which by the other he assumed it might have had more pretext and colour Secondly whereas Eutyches Valentius and others averred that Christ had not a true humane body but only a body in appearance This also confuteth them home and taketh away all probability of any such thing which the word assumed might have left more doubtful since we know that Angels assumed bodies and those bodies were not truly humane So that in this manner of speech The word was made flesh is evidently taught First that there are two distinct natures in Christ the God-head and the Man-hood for he saith not the word was turned into but was made or became flesh Secondly that these two natures do not constitute two persons but only one Christ for he saith he was made flesh and not assumed it Thirdly that this union is hypostatical or personal for he saith the word was made flesh and not joyned to it And lastly that this union is indissoluble and never to be separated For Angels in assumed bodies laid them by again and were parted from them but the word being made flesh the union is personal and not to be dissolved And dwelt among us c. That is among us his Disciples for so the next clause we saw his glory importeth And this Evangelist speaketh the same thing more at large 1 Joh. 1. 1. Full of grace and truth For these words follow next in Grammatical construction and connection lying thus And the word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth The reason of the Parenthesis and we saw his glory may seem to be First because he would explain what he meant by Us before he left it viz. us Disciples that saw his glory Secondly because the Apostles beheld not the very fulness of his grace and truth till they had beheld the fulness of that glory which he shewed on earth Grace and truth As the Soul hath tow noble faculties the understanding and the will the objects of which are
12. that is who shall ascend into Heaven to fetch the knowledge of the Word from thence or the Doctrine of the Gospel the Word of Faith Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And so upon the observation of these three things thus laid down the connexion of this verse that we have in hand with the former and the sense of it in its self doth easily and evidently arise to this sense Ye believe not when I speak to you but the familiar and visible things of the Kingdom of Heaven and how then will you believe if I should speak of the highest and most heavenly mysteries of it And yet from me alone are those things to be learned and known for none can go up to Heaven to fetch the knowledge of them from thence but I came down from Heaven to reveal the will of God and to declare the Doctrine and Mysteries of Salvation and therefore if you believe not what I speak unto you you will never attain to the knowledge of the things of the Kingdom of Heaven And thus doth Christ tax Nicodemus and the Jews for a double unbelief 1. As in reference to him the Teacher whom they believed not though he alone was he who could and who was come to teach and reveal the great mysteries of the Gospel 2. As in reference to the things now taught which they believed not though they were the most visible and facil things of the Kingdom of Heaven And withal he holdeth out unto them a double instruction 1. That they should believe him about these heavenly things because he came down from Heaven And 2. That if they would not believe him in these things they must never expect to know them for none could go up to Heaven to fetch them thence The very same thing in sense with that in Chap. 1. 18. §. But he that came down from Heaven Here doth Christ speak one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of in the verse preceding a most heavenly point of the doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven and that is about his own incarnation and he doth clearly shew the distinction of his two natures in one person his humane nature intimated in the title The Son of man the Divine Nature in that he saith he came down from Heaven and the union of these two when he saith that the Son of man is in Heaven Now Christ is said to come down from Heaven as Joh. 6. 51. first to intimate his Divine Nature and to shew that he was more than a meer man and so the Apostle interprets and applies the phrase 1 Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the earth earthly The second man is the Lord from Heaven And so likewise when it is said of Christ that he was the Manna that came down from Heaven Joh. 6. 58. it sheweth and meaneth that he was a bread of a more high and eminent nature than the Manna that the Israelites eat in the wilderness and yet that was rained from Heaven too Neh. 9. 15. but Heaven here and in that place admitteth of a differing construction Secondly It is the usual speech of Scripture when it is relating the appearing of any of the persons in the Trinity in a visible evidence to say that God came down Exod. 3. 8. Exod. 19. 18. the Holy Ghost came down Luke 3. 22. c. And so may it be used of Christ in humane flesh when the Son of God appeared so visibly amongst men as that he conversed with them in their own nature it may very significantly be said of him that he came down from Heaven Not that the Godhead can change places which filleth all things nor that Christ brought his humane nature locally out of Heaven as hath been erred by some nor yet only because he was conceived by the Holy Ghost as it is construed by others but because he being the invisible God did appear visibly and in humane nature among the Sons of men §. The Son of man which is in Heaven Here is the truth and reality asserted both of his manhood and of his Godhead his manhood in that he is called The Son of man His Godhead in that he is said to be in Heaven And this doth not only confute those Heresies that have maintained that either Christ had not a real humane body or that he had not a real humane soul or that he consisted not of two distinct natures or that he was two distinct persons but this doth also set a plain and large difference detween the appearing of Angels in humane shapes and the appearing of Christ in humane flesh They were indeed in the shape of men but they were not the Sons of men but Christ was they when they were apparent upon earth in such shapes were not then in Heaven but he was Now how the Son of man may be said to be in Heaven whilest he was now speaking to Nicodemus on Earth may be resolved with a double answer 1. Because his conversation all the while he was upon the earth was intirely in Heaven For so is the conversation of the Saints of God on Earth said to be Phil. 3. 20. Et quanto magis Christi qui semper inspexerit Patris intima And how much more saith Grotius was the conversation of Christ there who always beheld the very bosom of the Father As Joh. 1. 18. And so doth Cajetan understand it that Christs humane soul did enjoy the beatifical vision of God continually and therefore he may well be said to be in Heaven even whilest he was on Earth But secondly this may properly be understood per communicationem idiomatum as Divines express it that is in such a sense as the Scripture intends when it applies the several properties of the two distinct natures in Christ indifferently to the whole person For the understanding of which and for the construing of this and divers other places of this nature these things may be taken into consideration 1. That as in the blessed Trinity there is distinction of persons but not distinction of natures so on the contrary in our blessed Saviour there is distinction of natures but not distinction of persons His Divine Nature one thing his Humane another but the person but one as in the constitution and being of our selves the soul is one thing and the body another and yet they constitute and make up but one man 2. That these two distinct natures in our Saviour had their distinct and several properties which were not communicable from the one to the other essentially as the manhood did not rise to infinity like the Godhead nor to those properties that are essential to infinity nor the Godhead descend to infirmity like the manhood nor to those properties that are essential to the infirmity of manhood 3. That though there were in Christ these really distinct natures and really distinct properties of these natures yet in regard of their union in his one person the Scripture doth not seldom
glorifie his divine power and authority in shewing his command and disposal that he had over the Sabbath Therefore whereas his pleading My Father worketh hitherto and I work does answer most directly but to one objection that lay against him namely for healing on the Sabbath yet doth it satisfie the other sufficiently which was his command to the man to carry his bed for he that wrought in other things with the same authority that the Father worketh he also hath the same authority over the Sabbath that the Father hath who as he ordained it so can he dispense with it as pleaseth him Now Christ in this command cannot be conceived to have intended to vilifie the Sabbath as it was a day of rest or to lay that Ordinance of keeping such a day of rest unto the Lord in the dirt but he that was to alter the Sabbath to a new day and in that equality of working which he had with the Father he was to set a new Sabbath day upon the finishing of the work of Redemption as the Father had done the old upon the Creation and therefore as in preface to such a thing he both giveth such a command and pleadeth for what he had done from his divine authority as beginning to shake the day which within two years was to be changed to another The proof of the divine institution of the day of the Christian Sabbath may be begun here Vers. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do 1. By the Son in this place and in the discourse following we are to understand not the second person in the Trinity simply and solely considered in his God-head which while some have done they have intricated these words with endless and needless scruples but the Son as he stood there before them when he speaketh these words namely as the Messias God and Man and so he himself doth teach us to understand it at vers 27. The Father hath given authority to the Son to execute Judgement because he is the Son of man 2. The terms of Father and Son do not only speak that relation of the Father and the Son in the God-head which doth peculiarly regard the eternal generation of the Son begotten of the Father and the mutual and natural notion of Fatherhood and Sonship that is betwixt them by that generation but it more singularly referreth to the several or distinct managings of the Father as to the affairs of the old Testament and the Son as to those of the new For though it is most true and undeniable that the Father in times of the old Testament did work by the Son in his dispensations to the Church and World as by him he made the World and him he made Lord of all things yet was his acting by the Son in the times of the new Testament infinitely more apparent and discernable because the Son appeared in humane and visible shape the Messias sent of God God blessed for ever and did great and powerful things parallel to any done by the Father in the administration of the old Testament And this construction of the Relative terms Father and Son the very scope of Christs discourse doth call upon us to make and the particulars of it as we come to take them up will help to clear unto us and confirm For 1. the matter that Christ was pleading now about which was concerning his present demeanour towards the Sabbath needeth not so much a discourse to tell the Jews how far the second person in the Trinity simply considered as God could act of himself or how far he received his activity from the first Person or how far the first person shewed his Counsels to the Second as to shew how far the Lord gave power and imparted himself unto the Messias and how far he in his Kingdom and Administrations did come neer to the Lord in his For 2. the Jews were not so well acquainted with the distinction of the Persons in the Trinity the first and the second as they were with the distinction of the Father or the Lord that had ruled in the world hitherto and the Massias that in his time should be the King and Ruler by the Lords appointment and it was proper for Christ to speak to them so as they might best understand him and so he doth according to their own distinction which indeed was most true and proper And 3. Observe the whole speech of Christ throughout this Chapter and you find it divided into these two parts 1. To shew what was the power and acting of the Messias to vers 31 32. and 2. to prove and evidence that he was he Not so much to shew what is the power and acting of the second Person in the Trinity simply considered in his Godhead and compared with the first nor so much to prove that he was the second Person in the Trinity as to shew and to prove himself to be the Messias 3. When he saith therefore The Son can do nothing of himself he meaneth that the Messias cometh not in his own power though the second person in Trinity be Omnipotent but he is sent and hath his Commission from God the Father as he doth continually both in this speech and in other places inculcate that the Father sent him As he is the Son of God he is all powerfull in his nature and as he is the Messias he hath all power put into his hand by the Father and yet he saith He can do nothing of himself because he owns the appointment by which he was sent as Messias by the Father He could do all things of himself as he was God but he could do nothing of himself as he was Messias because he was a servant and bare that Office upon the designment And therefore the Arrians were miserably wide and wilfully blind when they produced these words of the Son himself to infringe the glory of the Son and to prove him not equal to God the Father not distinguishing what a Child might have done betwixt his divine Nature which could do all things and his Mediatorial Office which could not do but what he that sent him had appointed In the former they might have owned infinite power and in the latter infinite obedience for it was not imperfection in him that he could do nothing of himself as Messias but it was perfection of obedience and compliance to the will of him that sent him and this does not only argue the readiness of his will but the impeccableness of his nature for he could do nothing of himself but his actings were wholly and necessarily wrapped up in the Will of God 4. Now to apply this part of his speech to the occasion of his present plea He had done a great miracle and he had as they thought violated the Sabbath and he was especially to speak unto the latter for thereupon lay his accusation and he argueth that he had not done
sewed together were just so broad and so they covered only the top and sides but hung not down at the end which was Eastward but the most holy was but five yards long and the five Curtains over that did not only cover the top but also hung down at the West end to the silver bases Secondly the looping together of the Curtains five and five on a piece with a golden tye doth sweetly resemble the uniting of the two natures in Christ divinity and humanity into one person which two natures were not confounded as Curtains sewed together but were sweetly knit together by golden and ineffable union Thirdly this might also fully signify the two Churches of Jews and Gentiles knit together by Christ that so they make but one spiritual Tabernacle Now come and measure the Curtains again imagining them thrown length way over the Tabernacle they were fourteen yards long and twenty yards broad when they were all sewed and looped together This breadth covered the length of the building which was fiftéen yards and it hung down behind the West end even to the foundation The East end was still left open Of the length of them five yards were taken up in covering the flat top of the house which was five yards broad between wall and wall A quarter of a yard was taken up on either side with covering the thickness of the planks so that on either side they hung down four yards and one quarter which was three quarters of a yard short of the silver foundation or little less SECTION XXXVI Of the Goat-hair Curtains TO help this defect as also to shelter the rich Curtains from weather were made Curtains of Goates hair eleven in number in breadth each one two yards as was the breadth of other but being one Curtain more than the other they were two yards broader than the other when they were all coupled together Each Curtain was thirty cubits or fifteen yards long and consequently a yard longer than those spoken of before These were sewed six together on one piece and five on another These two main pieces were linked together with fifty claspes of brass as the other were with fifty of gold But when these curtains were laid upon the other over the Tabernacle they were not so laid as these brazen loops did light just upon the golden ones over the vail but three quarters of a yard more Westward so that the five curtains that went West did reach to the ground and half a Curtain to spare Exod. 26. 12. The other six that lay East reacht to the end covered the pillars whereon that vail hung and they hung half a curtain breadth or a yard over the entrance Their length of fifteen yards reacht half a yard lower on either side than the other Curtains did and yet they came not to the ground by a quarter of a yard so that the silver foundations were always plain to be seen every where but at the West end Thus had the Tabernacle two coverings of Curtains yet both these on the flat roof would not hold out rains and weather wherefore there was made for the top a covering of Rams skins dyed red signifying well the blood of Christ the shelter of the Church Above that was also another covering of Tahash skins a beast not perfectly known what he was but well Englished a Badger and guessed well because of his during hide Thus if you view this building erected and thus covered you see the silver foundation always open to view Half a yard above that hid only under one curtain all the side above that under two and the top with four SECTION XXXVII Of the most holy place THE Priests entred into the Tabernacle at the East end of it and so must we where pace up ten yards forward and you come to the vail which parted between the Holy place and the most Holy of all The Holiest place of all was filled and furnished before the vail was hung up and so it shall be first handled This place was five yards long five yards high and five yards broad a perfect square the figure of firmness herein fitly signifying Heaven In this place at the West end stood the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the world John 3. 11. typifying Christ by whom God is come into Covenant with Gentiles as well as Jews The Ark was made like a Chest hollow that it might receive things within it It was a yard and a quarter long and three quarters broad and three quarters high made of Shittim boards and it was gilded both within and without representing Christs purity both in inward thoughts and outward actions It had no feet but the bottom stood upon the ground a figure of Christs abasing himself upon the earth On the outside of the upermost brink was made a Golden Crown round about representing say the Jews the Crown of the Law but most fitly Christ Crowned with glory At each corner was struck in a staple or ring of Gold wherein were put two staves of Shittim wood gilded over to bear the Ark withall which staves were never to be taken out but there to stay continually teaching the Priests as some say to be ready prest for their service but rather shadowing out Christs Deity supporting his humanity never to be parted from it Now for the cover of this Chest or Ark it was made of pure Gold beaten or formed to the just length and breadth of the Ark that when it was laid on it touched the Golden Crown round about At either end was made a Cherub or the form of an Angel like a child standing bowed with wings reaching over the Ark so that the wings of one Cherub touched the wings of another They were of Gold beaten out of the same piece that the cover of the Ark was of Their faces were one to another and both toward the cover of the Ark. This cover both by the Old and New Testament is called the Propitiatory vulgarly in our English the Mercy-seat So called because from hence God mercifully spake to his People View this part well and you see Christ fully First the two Cherubims bowed toward the Mercy-seat So all Angels to Christ. Secondly They looked each at other but both toward the Mercy-seat So both Testaments Old and New look each at other and both at Christ. So do the two Churches of Jews and Gentiles Thirdly This covered the Law so doth Christ that it plead not against his people to condemn them Fourthly God speaks to Israel from hence so God by Christ to us Heb. 1. 2. SECTION XXXVIII Of the holy place without the vail THUS was the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy of all for fabrick and furniture To separate this from the holy place was hung up a vail of the same stuff and work that the rich curtains of the Tabernacle were The hanging up of this vail was thus Just under the golden claspes that linked the curtains
before had occasioned the loss of his birth-right and if he missed of it now it would be a sign to Isaac that God would have him also to lose the blessing And this Rebeccah easily knew to be Isaacs mind in sending Esau upon that imployment and she accordingly makes use of it for the advantage of her beloved son Jacob and Isaac likewise passeth some blessing upon Esau when he seeth him to have sped of a prey because he saw that God would have him to have some blessing according to the sign that Isaac had proposed to himself Jacob in his eldest brothers garments obtains the blessing the garments of the Priest-hood which belonged to the first born and so were now kept by Rebecoah in Jacobs right Jacob upon fear of Esaus displeasure fleeth to Haran before he goeth he hath the blessing which he had stollen from his father now confirmed upon him by his father knowingly and purposely At Bethel in his way he hath a vision of a ladder a type of Christ incarnate that brings Heaven and Earth together in his two natures and in his reconciliation he anoints the pillar and consecrates the place where he had lain and voweth his tythes The mention of Esaus going to Ismael that is to Ismaels family for Ismael was dead and taking his daughter to wife is set before the mention of the vision at Bethel and the actions at Haran well though it were not so very soon because the Holy Ghost would take up Jacobs story intire and uninterrupted therefore he setteth that story before Jacob at Haran well sheweth himself stronger then three men and rolleth away a stone from the wells mouth which three shepherds could not he meeteth with Rachel and Laban and indenteth for seven years service A man of threescore and seventeen years old is bound apprentice for a wife That this was the year of these occurrences namely the seventy seventh of Jacobs age is to be collected backward from the story following thus Joseph the son of Jacob was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh Gen. 41. 46. then came seven years plenty ver 47 53. which made Joseph thirty and seven years old then passed two years famine ere Jacob came into Egypt Chap. 45. 6. and now was Joseph thirty and nine years of age when Jacob came at the end of the two years famine he himself was an hundred and thirty years old Chap. 47. 9. Now take the thirty and nine years of Joseph out of the hundred and thirty years of the age of Jacob and it appeareth that Jacob begat Joseph at the ninety first year of his age Now Joseph was born in the last year of the second seven or in the fourteenth year of Jacobs service with Laban in the very conclusion of that year Chap. 30. 25 26. take therefore fourteen years out of Jacobs ninety one when Joseph was born and the remainder seventy seven was the age of Jacob when he entred upon those fourteen years service World 2246 Isaac 138 Iacob 78 Jacob beginneth his seven years apprentiship Leah and Rachel are Isaac 139 Iacob 79 figures of the two Churches the Church of the Jews under the Law Isaac 140 Iacob 80 and the Church of the Gentiles under the Gospel the younger the more Isaac 141 Iacob 81 beautiful and more in the thoughts of Christ when he came in the Isaac 142 Iacob 82 form of a servant but the other like Leah first imbraced and taken Isaac 143 Iacob 83 to wife World 2252 Isaac 144 Iacob 84 At the end of this year Jacobs apprentiship for Rachel is out but Laban deceiveth him with Leah and so is Jacob paid in kind for deceiving his father He had deceived his father with a suborned person taking on him to be Esau when he was Jacob and he is deceived by his father-in-law with a suborned person and so imbraceth Leah thinking he had imbraced Rachel his thoughts were upon a child by Rachel whilst he had Leah in his arms and so the birth-right by his thoughts and intention should be Rachels first-born and so it was in time He being thus deceived indenteth yet seven years service longer for Rachel and serveth a week in earnest that he will serve yet other seven years and at the weeks end he marrieth Rachel World 2253 Isaac 145 Iacob 85 REUBEN born and the rest of Jacobs sons probably in this order Isaac 146 Iacob 86 SIMEON born Isaac 147 Iacob 87 LEVI and DAN born Isaac 148 Iacob 88 JUDAH and NAPHTHALI born Isaac 149 Iacob 89 GAD born Isaac 150 Iacob 90 ASHER and ISSACAR born World 2259 Isaac 151 Iacob 91 JOSEPH born and ZEBULON born not long before him Isaac 152 Iacob 92 Ioseph 1 Rachel prophecieth Dinah not born in these seven years unless she Isaac 153 Iacob 93 Ioseph 2 were a twin with Zebulon Isaac 154 Iacob 94 Ioseph 3 Upon a new bargain with Laban Jacob by Gods blessing and direction Isaac 155 Iacob 95 Ioseph 4 groweth exceeding rich to the envy of Laban and his sons Isaac 156 Iacob 96 Ioseph 5 Laban dealeth deceitfully with him about his cattel as he had done about his daughters but the Lord suffered him not to hurt him CHAP. XXXI World 2265 Isaac 157 Iacob 97 Ioseph 6 JACOB departeth secretly from Laban but at last is persued by him Rachel stole Labans Teraphim which were the pictures or statutes of some of her ancestors and taken by her for the preservation of their memory with her now she is never to see her country and fathers house again Laban had abused them to Idolatry He and Jacob make a covenant CHAP. XXXII and XXXIII to ver 17. Isaac 158 Iacob 98 Ioseph 7 JAcob afraid of Esau is shaken in his faith at his approach though he have the visible attendance of Angels for which distrust the Angel of the Covenant Christ meets him by the way wrestles with him and seeks to kill him but he weepeth and maketh supplication and is only maimed but escapeth with life He is called Israel to assure him that he should prevail with Esau who had thus prevailed with God and now with the first naming of Israel is a ceremony taken up to distinguish Israel from other people namely the foregoing to eat the sinew that shrank Esau and Jacob meet friendly and so they part When a mans ways please the Lord he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him CHAP. XXXIII ver 17 18 19 20. Isaac 159 Iacob 99 Ioseph 8 JAcob maketh some abode at Succoth beyond Jordan Eastward and there buildeth boothes for his cattel till they have brought forth their young See ver 13. and an house or a tent for himself Isaac 160 Iacob 100 Ioseph 9 Jacob is at Shechem thither he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or peaceably for till he came there there was no miscarriage in his house he purchaseth a piece of ground and buildeth his first altar CHAP. XXXVIII ver 1 2 3 4 5. JUdah
permitting and practising to swear by the Temple ver 16. came into a common custom Juchas fol. 50. col 1. Baba ben Bota swear by the Temple and so did Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel and this was a custom in Israel Their tithing mint annise and cummin ver 23. explained in the Talmudick treatises Demai whited Sepulchers ver 27. Shekalim per. 1. halac 1. In the month Adar they whited the Sepulchers And the reason is given by the Gemarists that people hereby might have the better discovery of them the better to avoid defilement by them which well observed sets on Christs invective against these wretches the more Gemar utriusq Talm. in loc Jerus in Maasar Sheni fol. 55. 3. Their decking of Sepulchers in honour of those that lay in them ver 29. handled in Jerus in Moed Katon fol. 80. col 3. 4. He concludeth his speech with the intimation of what shame and guilt lay upon them for the blood of the former Prophets slain by their Fathers filled up by their own wickedness in persecuting those that he did or should send to them He calleth them Serpents from Gen. 3. 15. and teacheth us to look upon them as the seed of the Serpent in an eminent degree if any degree of that nature may be called eminent He dooms all the Prophets blood to be required of that generation because they by their transcendent abuse of those whom God sent even of Messias himself did justifie and exceed all the evil their Fathers had done against the Prophets Yea all the blood shed before the blood of Zacharias and his though they held that to have been satisfied for by the destruction slaughter and captivity by the Babylonians Jerus in Taanith fol. 69. col 2. He changeth the name of his Father and so doth Targ. in Lament cap. 2. ver 20. And concludes with a sad denunciation of destruction and that they should no more see him till they should say blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord which very words he had uttered also a great while before this Luke 13. 34 35. and the multitude had said Blessed be he that cometh c. when he rode into Jerusalem upon an Ass. But the same words now uttered by him are of somewhat doubtful interpretation whether they mean their no more seeing of him till the night and time of the Passover for at the Paschal meal every company rehearsed this saying Blessed be he that cometh c. in their great Hallel as they called it or that they should no more see him at all because they had not learned to entertain him as coming from God See Joh. 5. 43. SECTION LXXVIII MARK Chap. XII Ver. 41 42 43 44. LUKE Chap. XXI Ver. 1 2 3 4. The poor Widows Mites THE Jews before their prayers in the Temple or their Synagogues used to give something by way of alms of offering that Charity and piety might go together Maym. in Mattanath Anijim per. 6. Now in the Court of the Women at the Temple as we have observed elsewhere in the discription of that place there were several chests which the Jews call Shoperoth into which the people put the money they offered some to buy one thing for the service of the Temple some another c. SECTION LXXIX MATTH Chap. XXIV all the Chapter MARK Chap. XIII all the Chapter LUKE Chap. XXI from Ver. 5. to the end of the Chapter And after these MATTH Chap. XXV all the Chapter CHRIST foretelleth the destruction of Jerusalem the signs and miseries preceeding and accompanying it THe Talmud tells us that there was a place upon mount Olivet just in the face of the Temple where the Priest slew and burnt the red Cow into the ashes of purification and as he sprinkled the blood he looked directly upon the Temple door Middoth per. 1. c. This was the last Sermon that Christ made upon mount Olivet and he makes it as he sits upon that mount just facing the Temple Matth. 24. 3. And that text that he had taken in tears but two or three days ago weeping over the City and foretelling the destruction of it Luke 19. 44. he now preacheth upon at large declaring the misery and foreshewing the forerunners of that destruction The aim of his speech or to what time and purpose it refers may be discerned by the question of the Disciples to which it is an answer When shall these things be viz. that one stone of the Temple shall not be left upon another Mark 13. 4. Luke 21. 7. and so it relates plainly to the destruction of the Temple and City But Matthew hath added And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world from whence it is conceived by some that the speech doth aim at the end of the world and Christs last coming unto judgment It is true indeed that the close of his speech in Matth. 25. doth speak plainly of the last judgment and that many of those terrible things mentioned Matth. 24. may very well typifie the terrours of the last day but the prime and proper scope of the speech in that 24th Chapter is to set forth the destruction of Jerusalem and the rejection and misery of the Jewish nation as may be observed by these particulars 1. Because in Matth. 24. 15 16. He points directly to time and place when and where these things shall be viz. when the Temple shall be profaned then these things come c. 2. Especially consider ver 34. Verily I say unto you this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled This generation not meaning Generatio Evangelica as some do harshly interpret it but as it means in Matth. 23. 36. Luke 11. 31 32. and abundance of other places in the New Testament the generation then in being 3. The destruction of Jerusalem is phrased in Scripture as the destruction of the whole world Jer. 4. 23. Isa. 65. 17. and Christ coming to her in judgment as his coming to the last judgment Matth. 17. 28. John 21. 22. Math. 19. 28. Rev. 1. 7 c. Therefore those dreadful things spoken of in ver 29 30 31. are but borrowed expressions to set forth the terrors of that judgment the more Ver. 29. The Sun shall be darkened c. shews the decay of all glory excellency and prosperity in that Nation and the coming in of all sadness misery and confusion as Isa. 13. 10. Joel 2. 10. Ver. 30. Then shall they see the sign of the Son of man c. Not any visible appearance of Christ or of the cross in the clouds as some have imagined but whereas the Jews would not own Christ before for the Son of man or for the Messias then by the vengance that he should execute upon them they and all the world should see an evident sign that he was so This therefore is called his coming and his coming in his kingdom Matth. 17. 28. because
26. 1. 29. 1. 31. 1. 32. 1. 40. 1. The whole sum of the three fourteens is the renowned number of two and forty the number of the knops and flowers and branches of the Candlestick of the journeys and stations of Israel betwixt Egypt and Canaan Numb 33. of the children of Bethel 2 King 2. 24. And see Rev. 11. 2. 13. 5. Vers. 18. Before they came together c. That is to dwell together in the same house Nay it is very probable that as yet they dwelt not in the same Town but Joseph in Capernaum and Mary in Nazeret Vers. 19. To make her a publick example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word used by the LXX Numb 25. 4. Ezek. 28. 17. c. And by the New Testament Heb. 6. 6. And ever saith Erasmus in an evil sense Brucioli hath strangely translated this clause Non lo volendo Publicare and divers of the Papists have more strangely expounded it as non volens traducere not willing to take her to himself or to his own house and why Because he thought himself unworthy of her society and because the brightness of her face was such that he could not look upon it And he thought it more possible for a woman to conceive without a man then for Mary to sin And thus will they make Joseph to divorce his wife or at least to use unkindly for her too great excellencies * * * * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divorce her as Mat. 5. 31. 19. 7. Mark 10. 4. Luk. 16. 18. Erasm. Voluit clanculum ab ea divertere And so Brucioli La volse oâ—cultamente â—asciare making Joseph a patient in the divorce rather then an agent or rather divorcing himself then her To put her away privily The Law bound him not to bring her either to shame by trial before the Priest Numb 6. or to punishment by the sentence of the Judges The adulteress indeed was to be put to death if she were accused prosecuted and convicted but to accuse and prosecute her the Law bound not but upon deprehension in the very act Joh. 8. 4. 5. Deut. 22. 22. Numb 25. 8. If a man took a wife and hated her Deut. 22. 13. he might bring her to tryal and upon conviction to punishment but if he love her for all his suspicion and will connive at her fault and not seek her death he is a liberty to connive and tolerated by the Law so to do and blameless if he did it as Judg. 19. 2 3. But if a couple were deprehended in the act of Adultery then must there be no connivence Deut. 22. 22. explaining Levit. 20. 10. And the case of the unbetrothed Damosel Deut. 22. 28. explaining the case of the betrothed And thus is the question easily answered which hath so toiled many expositors How Joseph can be said to be just when in this very matter that is now in hand he violateth It is answered by denying that he violated the Law For that tolerated him thus to do Vers. 21. Jesus for he shall save Rabenn haccadosh saith Because Messias shall save men he shall be called Joshua But the Heathen of another Nation which shall imbrace the belief of him shall call his name Jesus And this is intimated in Gen. 49. Chi jabbo shiloh until Shiloh come Vid. Galatin lib. 3. cap. 20. Vers. 23. Behold a Virgin The Jews seek to elude this Prophecy of Isaiah by expounding it either of the Prophets wife as Isa. 8. 3. or of the Kings wife and from Prov. 30. 19. they plead that Almah doth not strictly signifie a virgin but a woman that hath known a man Answ. 1. There are three words in the Hebrew that signifie and betoken Virginity but this most properly First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Virgin but not always for it properly denoteth a young woman yea though she be not a virgin but hath been touched Secondly Bethulah is the common word used to denote Virginity yet as Galatine observeth out of Prov. 30. it seemeth sometime to be taken otherwise But thirdly Almah properly importeth a young Virgin and not at all one touched So that Naarah signifieth any young Woman though she be not a Virgin Bethulah a Virgin though she be not young but Almah importeth youth and virginity both Secondly the LXX in the place of Isaiah cited translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denoteth no otherwise then a Virgin Thirdly it is given for a sign to Ahaz that Almah should bear a Son now for one that had known a man to do so were no sign at all See Galatine lib. 7. cap. 15. They shall call his name Emmanuel Nomen naturae not impositionis they shall own him for God in our nature and not denominate him Emmanuel for his imposed name See the like Phrase Esa. 60. 18. Ezek. 48. 35. Which is being interpreted First this and other passages of the same nature in this Evangelist argue strongly that Matthew wrote not his Gospel in the Hebrew tongue as is very commonly held For first then had this word needed no interpretation and it had been very hard to have interpreted it but by the same word again Secondly the Jews in those times that Matthew wrote understood not the Hebrew tongue in its purity but had degenerated into the use and speech of the Syrian Thirdly Jonathan Ben Uzziel translated the Prophets out of Hebrew into Chaldee a little before the coming of Christ and Onkelos did as much by the Law a little after and both did so because the Jews could not at that time understand or read the Bible in its own Hebrew tongue and how improper then was it for Matthew to write his Gospel in that language Fourthly all the world that used the Old Testament at those times unless it were such as had gained the Hebrew tongue by study used it in the translation of the LXX or the Greek and it was requisite that the Pen-men of the New Testament should write in that language and according to their stile as Paul writing for and to Romans and Matthew and he to Hebrews that their quotations out of the Old Testament might be examined by the Greek Bible Fifthly let those that hold the opinion we are confuting but seriously consider that Christ calleth himself by the name of two Greek letters and why Rev. 1. 8. Vers. 25. He knew her not till she had brought forth This properly falleth in order at Luke 2. 7. and there shall it be taken up again SECTION V. S. LUKE CHAP. I. The Birth and Circumcision of Iohn the Baptist and the tongue of his Father restored c. Vers. 57. NOW Elizabeths a a a a a a Though the conceived her child above the course of nature yet his time in the womb was according to it full time came that she should be delivered and she brought forth a Son 58. And b
many other places of the like nature wherein the Holy Ghost having penned a thing in one place doth by variety of words and sense inlarge and expound himself in another And the same divine authority and Majesty doth he also use in the New Testament both in parallel places in it self and in citations in it from the Old So that this difference in hand betwixt My face in Malachy and thy face in Mark is not contradictory or crossing one another but explicatory or one explaining another and both together do result to the greater mystery For Christ is the face or presence of the Father and so is he plainly called Exod. 33. 14. and in Christ the Father came and revealed himself among men and the words in both places both in the Prophet and in the Evangelist are to be taken for the words of the Father in the one spoken of the Son and in the other to him In Malachy thus Behold I send my Messenger before me to prepare the way before my face that is before the Son as he is in his own nature the very brightness of the glory of the Father and the express image of his person Heb. 1. 3. and in Mark thus to prepare the way before thy face that is before thee O Son when thou comest to undertake the work of Redemption and to publish the Gospel And this change of persons in Grammatical construction is usual in the Hebrews Eloquence and Rhetorique as 1 Sam. 2. 23. My heart rejoyceth in the Lord I rejoyce in thy salvation There is none holy as the Lord for there is none beside thee c. Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him and 14. 5. The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee Luke 3. ver 1. In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar. This Tiberius was the third Emperor of the Romans the son of Livia the wife of Augustus and by him adopted into the family of the Caesars and to the Empire A man of such subtilty cruelty avarice and bestiality that for all or indeed for any of these few stories can shew his parallel And as if in this very beginning of the Gospel he were produced of such a constitution to teach us what to look for from that cruel and abominable City in all ages and successions Now Tiberius his fifteenth was the year of the world 3957. And the time of the year that John began to Baptize in it was about Easter or the vernal Equinox as may be concluded from the time of the Baptism of our Saviour For if Jesus were baptized in Tisri or September as is cleared hereafter he being then but just entring upon his thirtieth year as the Law required Numb 4. And if John being six months elder then our Saviour as it is plain he was did enter his Ministry at the very same age according to the same Law it readily follows that the time mentioned was the time when he began to Preach It was indeed Tiberius his fifteenth when John began to baptize but it may very well be questioned whether it were so when our Saviour was baptized by him For the exact beginning of every year of Tiberius his reign was from the fourteenth of the Kalends of September or the eighteenth of August at what time Augustus died Sueton. in Aug. cap. 100. That fifteenth of the Emperor therefore in the Spring time of which John began to baptize was expired before September when our Saviour was baptized and so his baptism is to be reputed in the year of the world 3958. which was then but newly begun and in the sixteenth year of Tiberius but newly begun neither unless you will reckon the year of the Emperor as the Romans did the year of the Consuls from January to January But this we will not controvert nor cross the common and constant opinion of all times that holdeth our Saviour to have been baptized in Tiberius his fifteenth §. Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea Here is called Procurator Judeae by Tacitus Annal. lib. 15. and hath this brand set upon him by Egisippus that he was Vir nequam parvi faciens mendacium De excid Jerus l. 2. c. 5. A wicked man and one that made little conscience of a lie from which unconscionable disposition those words of his What is truth Joh. 18. 38. seem to proceed in scorn of truth and derision of it He succeeded Gratus in the government of Judea managed it with a great deal of troublesomness and vexation to the nation and at last was put out of his rule by Vitellius and sent to Rome to answer for his misdemeanours Joseph Antiq lib. 18. c. 3. 4 5. Philo in legatione §. Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee This was Antipas the son of Herod the great and called also Herod after his Father a man that after a long and wicked misdemeanour in his place was at last banished by Caius upon the accusation of his Nephew Herod Agrippa and Herodias his incestuous mate with him as shall be shewed in a more proper place §. Tetrarch Some tying themselves too strictly to the signification of the Greek word understand by Tetrarch him that governeth the fourth part of a Kingdom for the Original word includeth four and accordingly have concluded that the Kingdom of Herod the great was divided by Augustus after his death into four parts and given to his four sons Archelaus in whose room they say succeeded Pontius Pilate Herod Antipas Philip and Lysanias In this strictness hath the Syrian Translator taken the word rendring it thus Herod being the fourth Ruler in Galilee and Philip the fourth ruler in Iturea And the Arabick thus Herod being head over a fourth part even Galilee and so in the rest But if the opinion be narrowly examined these absurdities will be found in it First It maketh a Tetrarchy to be nothing else but exactly the fourth part of a Kingdom whereas Pliny lib. 5. cap. 18. speaketh of Tetrarchies that were like Kingdoms and compacted into Kingdoms and he nameth Trachonitis for one His words are these Intercurrunt cinguntque has Uerbes Tetrarchiae regnorum instar singulae in regna contribuuntur Trachonitis Paneas in qua Caesarea cum supradicto fonte Abila And in chap. 23. he saith Caelosyria had seventeen Tetrarchies Tetrarchias in regna descriptas barbaris nominibus decem septem Secondly It divideth Herods kingdom into four parts whereas it was parted only into three to his three Sons Joseph Ant. lib. 17. Thirdly It maketh Lysanias to be Herods son which he was not at all A Tetrarch therefore seemeth rather to be one that was in the fourth rank or degree of excellency and government in the Roman Empire the Emperor that was Lord of all the Empire being the first the Proconsul that governed a Province the second a King the third and a Tetrarch the fourth So Mishueh and Shalish in the Hebrew
that they thereupon might the more confidently confirm the people And hereupon it is observable that while the Baptist was at liberty our Saviour contented himself with his testimony and preaching but when he was shut up then instantly chose he others Now if any doubt of the possibility of this and question how could John see and hear these things and the other company that was present not do so as well as he The answer may be readily given by example of Elishaes servant 2 King 6. 17. and the two men that went to Emmaus Luke 24. For the mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of fire and Elisha perceived them but his servant did not till his eyes were opened in a more special manner And Christ it is like was in the same shape and appearance upon the way when they knew him not that he was in the house when they did but till then their eyes were holden Yet if any one will suppose that the people saw the slashing of the opened Heaven and heard the noise of the voice that came from thence and took the one for lightning and the other for thunder as John 12. 29. we will not oppose it for now was the season of the year fit for lightning and thunder but that either they saw the Holy Ghost or distinguished the words of the voice any more then Pauls companions did Act. 9. 7. compared with Act. 22. 9. the reasons alledged do inforce to deny till better information Matth. 3. vers 16. And he saw the Spirit of God The Syntax and construction of Mark doth tye and fix these words He saw only to our Saviour as it did those before and both for the reason mentioned namely to shew the return and answer of his prayer But these words of Matthew are not so strict but that they may equally be applied unto John For first there may be observed a distinction in the verse and a kind of difference of speech betwixt what goeth before about the opening of the Heavens and this sight of the Holy Ghost For of that he speaketh thus And Jesus being baptized went straightway out of the water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him And then cometh he on with a distinct clause concerning the other And he saw the Spirit of God descending leaving it at the least in an indifferency whether to apply it to Christ or John But secondly it seemeth rather to be understood of John because he saith himself that this descending of the Holy Ghost was given to him for a sign and that he saw it and if it be not to be so taken here none of the three Evangelists have mentioned it in the story at all And thirdly the rather may it be taken of Johns seeing it because he saith He saw him descending and coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon him Had it been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon himself it must needs have been understood of Christ upon whom the Spirit came that he saw the Spirit coming upon himself but since it i◠upon him without any reciprocation it may be the better applied to John that he saw it It is true indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth reciprocally himself as our Lexicons do give examples and as it is of force to be taken in Saint Mark in this place like as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes doth not signifie reciprocally as in the LXX in Judg. 7. 24. But why should we take the word out of its commonest and properest sense unless there were necessity to do it which in Matthew there is not though in Mark there be Fourthly and lastly These words he saw being understood of John it maketh that the three Evangelists being laid together the relation ariseth out of them the more full and the story more plain For Luke telling that the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended Mark addeth that Jesus saw this and Matthew that John Matth. 3. ver 16. The Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 2. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters in the beginning of the old world and so doth it here of the new It is needless to instance how oft in Scripture the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of God as Gen. 41. 38. Exod. 31. 3. Numb 24. 2. and very many other places but it is most necessary to observe that wheresoever he is so called it is in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim in the plural number and sheweth his proceeding from more persons then one Contrary to the opinion of the Greek Church that holdeth that the Holy Ghost proceedeth not from the Father and the Son but from the Father only Luke 3. ver 22. The Holy Ghost As he is called the Spirit not so much in regard of his own nature as in regard of his manner of proceeding so also is he called Holy not so much in respect of his person for the Father and Son are Spirits and are holy as well as he but in regard of his Work and Office which is to sanctifie the Church of God And in this respect he is called by the Hebrews not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit onely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruahh hakkodesh the Spirit of Holiness for this phrase the Holy Ghost is taken from the common speech of the Jews And so is he called by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 4. and so doth the Syrian call him Rubba dekudsha in this place §. The Holy Ghost descended This descending of the Holy Ghost was first partly for the sake of John for this token had been given him when he first began to preach and baptize whereby to know Christ when he should come Joh. 1. 33. Secondly Partly for Christ that he might thus receive his Consecration and Institution for the Office that he was now to enter upon the Preaching of the Gospel This was as his anointing to instal him into his Function as Aaaron and his Sons were with material oyl to enter them into theirs as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore hath he anointed me he hath sent me to Preach the Gospel And Thirdly Partly for the business and matter that was now to go in hand namely Christ beginning to preach accordingly For First The Gospel is the Spiritual Kingdom and Scepter of Christ in and by which he was to rule all Nations for ever and therefore it was agreeable that the Spiritualness of that should be sealed and confirmed by the Holy Spirits shewing himself even in the beginning of it The carnal rites of Moses were now to vanish and his Corporal and Ceremonial observances to be changed into a Spiritual Worship and neither at Jerusalem nor at mount Gerizim nor elsewhere must there be any more adoration with fleshly and earthly Ceremoniousness but he that will worship God must worship him in Spirit as Joh. 4. 21. Therefore it is no wonder if
Captain of our Salvation and such an one is he held out in this story and such an one is he offered to this combate by the Holy Ghost 1. That the work of the Redemption might begin to parallel the fall for both of them were with temptations 2. That Christ from the very first entrance into his function might be looked on as the subject of the promise Gen. 3. 15. That seed of the woman that shoul break the head of the Serpent in the end when he thus bruised him in the beginning 3. That this beginning of his Ministry might vindicate and glorifie his Ministry all along when the Prince of this world had come and found nothing in him And 4. that a greater than Adam in innocency might be acknowledged here for he by temptation had been overcom but this in temptation overcame Other reasons of Christ being tempted referring to men may be given diverse As 1. to shew that even the holiest of men cannot expect to be free from temptations 2. That Christ might teach us how to combate against the temptations of Satan namely with fasting prayer and the Word of God 3. To shew that we are to overcom through him who overcame temptations for us as he overcame death for us 4. For our assurance of help and succour in our trials since our Redeemer was tempted like unto us as Heb. 4. 15. See Aquin. part 3. quest 41. Art 1. Luke IV. ver 1. And Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost For the better understanding of these words there are two things very material to take into consideration The first is what need there was of Christs being now filled with the Holy Ghost when all the fulnese of the Godhead had dwelt in him hitherto And secondly in what the fulness of the Holy Ghost that was in Christ these gifts that were in him did differ from that fulness and from those that were in other men For the first it is to be observed 1. That by the term the Holy Ghost is to be understood the Prophetick gifts wherewithal Christ was filled for the preaching and publishing of the Gospel as the revealing of the will of God and working miracles The expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Holy Ghost is a phrase and manner of speech used by the Jews in their writings and very common and frequent there and from them must the sense of it be explained for from them it is taken and most commonly and constantly used in their sense in the New Testament Now the Jewish Authors do constantly mean by it the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which he bestowed upon Prophets and Prophetick men enabling them for that employment unto which they were called As if we should go about to multiply examples from them to this purpose we might do it infinitely The Holy Ghost say they was one of the five things that were wanting in the second Temple Massecheth Ioma cap. 1. cited by R. Sol. and Kimchi on Hag. 1. 8. Thou hast shewed that the Holy Ghost dwelleth not on thee to know that I am not drunk Rasi on 1 Sam. 1. 13. The Holy Ghost was gone from Eli therefore prophecy came to Samuel D. Kimch on 1 Sam. 3. 2. The Holy Ghost was born in him from that day and forward and he uttered Psalms and Songs by the Holy Ghost that was born in him for under this general term the Spirit of the Lord is the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of power or strength understood Idem on 1 Sam. 16. 13. The Holy Ghost rested on the false Prophet Idem on 1 King 13. 20. Our Wisemen say before Elias was taken away the Holy Ghost was in Israel when he was taken away the Holy Ghost departed R. Sam. Lanjade on 2 Kings 2. In all which speeches and in divers others which might be produced it is apparent that the Jews by this phrase the Holy Ghost do constantly and continually intend Prophetick gifts wherewith men and women were indued either for the managing of some publique employment to which they were called or for the suiting to some singular and special occasion wherewithal they met And in this sense is the expression most constantly to be taken in the New Testament when it speaketh not of the third person in Trinity it self as Luke 1. 15 41 67. John 7. 3 9. Acts 2. 4. 8. 18. 10. 44. 13. 52. 19. 2. and in very many other places And so is it to be understood here that Christ being now to enter upon the publique Ministery of the Gospel and to act as the great Prophet of his Church and people he is at his baptism anointed and ever after filled with the gifts of the Holy Ghost befitting so great a work and befitting so great a Prophet Now 2. it is to be observed that these Prophetick gifts that the Holy Ghost bestowed upon some particular persons did really and very far differ from the grace of sanctification which he bestoweth upon all his Saints They might indeed sometimes be and very often they were in one and the same person but they were very far from being one and the same thing For 1. Prophetical gifts were sometimes in wicked and prophane men as in Balaam the false Prophet at Bethel Judas c. 2. These were given for the benefit of others rather than for his own that had them but sanctifying grace is given for his benefit chiefly that doth enjoy it 3. They did not make a man any whit the holier towards God but only the more able for some occasions amongst men So that by this expression Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost is not intended any addition of grace or sanctity which he had not before but the collation of Prophetick qualifications at the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him which he had not till then For though by the union of the humane nature to the Godhead that nature did partake of glorious and most excellent perfections arising and resulting from that union yet did it not partake of these gifts or perfections that we have in hand because these were not properly fruits of that union but of a donation And not things conducing to the satisfaction of God in the work of Redemption but to the satisfaction of men in his work of the Ministry The proper fruits of that union were the qualifying of the person of Christ so as that he should be absolutely without sin that he might exactly perform the Law and might be able to satisfie Gods justice and overcom death for these were the proper ends and reasons for which such an union was required but to work miracles to expound difficulties to heal diseases to teach divinity to foretel things to come and the like were not so properly the fruit of that union for even meer men have been enabled to do the same nor did they so directly tend to the most proper end of the incarnation namely the satisfaction of Gods justice
as to the instruction conviction benefit and advantage of men And therefore although the humane nature of Christ through the uniting of it to the Godhead did abound in all holiness and wisdom and graces as to the knowing of God and the best things to the enjoyment of the vision of God and communion with him to the being and persisting absolutely without the least corruption to the entire performing of the whole Law and to a non-possibility of committing sin all which capacities tended towards the satisfaction of Gods justice and mans redemption yet for the ministration of the Gospel and for his working upon the bodies minds and affections of men by teaching preaching and working miracles he is indued with the immediate gifts of the Spirit as it was the way of God to deal with Prophets and prophetick men which gifts did not so properly accrew from the union of the two natures as from the unction of the Spirit The result of the union of the two natures being more properly acceptance with God in the work of Redemption and the fruits of this unction being to the acceptance with men in the work of the Ministery And whereas it is not to be denied but that Christ before the Holy Ghost came upon him at his baptism had the power of miracles and Prophetick wisdom in him as appeareth by his disputing with the Doctors at twelve years old this was through the fulness of the Holy Ghost that was in him even from his mothers womb as it was and much more than it was with John the Baptist Luke 1. 15. and that with this difference from what it is now that it was then upon him as one to be ordained and now upon him as ordained already to the Ministery Now the difference of the fulness of the Holy Ghost in Christ from other men who are also said to have been filled with the Holy Ghost as Luke 1. 67. Acts 6. 5. may appear in these particulars 1. In the measure which may be measured by consideration of the difference of the persons and of their employments for Christ was more capable by infinite degrees of the fulness of the Holy Ghost than meer men were or could be and his employment being also so infinitely beyond the employment of men the measure of the Holy Ghosts fulness in him must needs be accordingly beyond all measure 2. In the manner and vigor of acting The power of the Prophets in working of miracles was exceeding great indeed and wondrous and their descrying and discovering the will of God and things to come was exceeding wonderful and sublime but they could neither do nor tell all things nor could they act upon all occasions but had always their bounds and had sometimes a recess of the Spirit or departure of it from them As Isaac can see what shall befal Jacob and Esau many hundred years after yet cannot know Jacob from Esau when he is in his arms And Jacob can tell what shall become of all his sons in the last time to come yet cannot tell what is become of his best son Joseph in his own time for 13 years together So Moses hath power over Egypt yet hath not power over his own stammering and the Prophet at Bethel can command the Altar that it rent it self but cannot command the Lion not to rent him Thus to this great gift of Prophecy on men as to the Ocean God set its bound which it might not pass and so far might the operating of it go and might go no further but with Christ it was not so He could work what miracles he would when he would how he would and on whom he would he could reveal all truths resolve all doubts clear all difficulties know all thoughts and had no limit of the vigor and acting of the Spirit upon him but his own will §. Was led by the Spirit into the wilderness Namely into the wilderness of Judea For 1. that was in mention in the story next preceding Matth. 3. 2 3. and a wilderness being here spoken of without any further mention what wilderness it was none can so properly be understood as that of Judea which was last named before 2. It is said by Luke that Jesus returned from Jordan by the word returned importing that he came back when he went to his temptation on the same side Jordan on which he was baptized Now that the wilderness of Judea lay on that side is more evident than needeth any demonstration Chemnitius indeed hath supposed this wilderness where our Saviour was tempted to have been the great desert of Horeb or Sinai and he giveth these three reasons for it 1. Because other wildernesses have their distinguishing titles as of Ziph 2 Sam. 23. 14. Shur Exod. 15. 22. Engedi 1 Sam. 24. 11. c. but this wilderness of Horeb is called the wilderness by a special emphasis without any other addition and so is the wilderness mentioned in this story But this is easily answered that it wants its distinctive title here because it was named by it a little before and called the wilderness of Judea 2. Because saith he Mark saith that Christ in this wilderness was with the wild beasts now in other wildernesses there are either dwellings of men here and there or they are not altogether remote from the converse of men but in the great desart of Horeb there were only wild beasts as there are mentioned to have been here Ans. Mark when he saith Christ was with wild beasts doth not therefore inforce that that wilderness was without either men or dwellings But first That Christ for that time avoided both the one and the other and kept himself in the wildest places and most retired from humane society And secondly the Evangelist seemeth to regard rather the state of Christ than the state of the place and to shew Christ to be the second Adam as in the temptation which he was now about so in his safety and security among the wild beasts as Adam in innocency had been and they hurt him not The wilderness of Judea had indeed both cities and villages and dwellings of men in it but withall it had some places wild in it without any such habitations and it had wild beasts in it in those places 1 Sam. 17. 28. 34. 2 Sam. 23. 20. Jer. 49. 19. 3. By this supposal he addeth that this wilderness where Christ was tempted was the great desart of Horeb there is a fair answerableness found out between this story and the story of Israel in that place and betwixt this fasting of Christ and of Moses and Elias in the same desart Answer it is true there would be so indeed but the being of the thing cannot be grounded upon this correspondency but this correspendency must be built upon the thing first found so to be and if this may argue for Horeb desart we may as well argue for Judea wilderness for there the sore tryals of David under the persecution
restored again to the society of men and might come into any of their Cities but the disease was not yet cured I have observed elsewhere that the Priests could not make a Leper whole they could only pronounce him clean and that sentence did nothing at all restore him to his health but only restore him to the Congregation Such was the case of this man the Priest had done for him as much as he could he had pronounced him clean but the poor wretch was as Leprous as ever even scurvy all over and like enough so to have continued only the malady was so fully broken out that the venom was wrought out and his breath not infectious and so he was restored to the converse of men again His case thus stated and his character of Full of Leprosie thus understood it exceedingly cleareth the passages of his story afterward As when he saith Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean he meaneth If thou wilt meddle with this disease which is the Priests peculiar to look unto thou canst make me clean for the Priest could only so pronounce me And when it is said Jesus was moved with compassion towards him it referreth to his visible sad case who was Scurfie and Scabbed a woful creature all over and who had had as much done to him as man could do and yet was in this case still And when he chargeth him to tell no man but go and shew thy self to the Priest he doth it because he would put no disgrace upon the Priesthood but though he had meddled with something of their concernment and had taken where they had left and done what they could not do yet would he not vilifie that order and ordinance but reserve the honour due unto them and maintain the judging of Leprosie unto them still according to the institution that had assigned it to them And this was one reason why he injoined him silence because he would not prejudice but maintain the honour of the Priesthood And so his own words do construe it when he bids him go shew himself unto the the Priest So also Luke 17. 14. And offer the gift which Moses commanded this the man had done before at the pronouncing of him clean but must do it now again when he is made clean that there may no derogation accrew to the Priesthood and the Law about Leprosie but both of them might have their due honour both from the man and from Christ himself and this is meant also by the words for a testimony unto them Mark 1. vers 45. But he went out and began to publish c. He owned Christ for the Messias as appeareth both by his words and by his Gesture He had seen the tokens of the Messias in him when he so instantly removed his Leprosie with his word He had received a most strict charge to conceal the matter and get him to the Priest with his offering but for all this he begins to publish Mark hath used two special words to express the charge given him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave him a threatring câ—arge and sodainly packâ— him away Christ was so serious in his charge because he would avoid the suspition of sleighting or undermining the Priesthood about their office which concerned Lepers and would withal avoid the danger which might accrew unto him upon such a suspition Now whether the man did not rightly apprehend the depth and strictness of this charge that was laid upon him or if he did so apprehend it was transported with blind zeal so as he would publish this great work though he that had wrought it had commanded him silence or whether his boundless joy for his happy cure did make him forget himself certainly he is not excusable who having received so great a benefit from such a hand as he himself owned to be divine yet was so careless to observe that command that he had received also with his healing It was a rare cure that had been to heal a Leper see 2 King 5. 7. and Christ had not healed any till this very time therefore when this was published abroad it would not only gather people under other diseases to Christ for their recovery for they would conclude he could heal any when he could heal this but it would cause Lepers to break into the City where he was which was contrary to their Law and custom and so would breed troubles and confusion so that Jesus could no more openly enter into the City Luke 5. vers 16. And he withdrew himself into the Wilderness and prayed When Christ is amongst men he is doing them good and when he is from amongst them he is conversing with God And otherwise he could not do in regard of the holiness of his nature love to man and his Union with God It was but a harsh time of the year for him to betake himself to seek retiredness in the desert the winter being not yet over but the zeal of the Lords glory did so eat him up that in company he preferd that before his safety and in solitude he preferd that before accommodations What was the matter and subject of his prayers particularly were boldness to go to define It is undoubted the general tenour of them was for the advancement of Gods glory and gathering of his Church and prospering the work of himself for that end as he sheweth the subject of all his prayers John 17. and it is like the present conflux and great concourse of people unto him was looked upon by him in his prayers as a singular occasion offered in tendency to those purposes SECTION XXIII St. MARK Chap. II. AND again he entred into Capernaum after some days and it was noised that he was in the house 2. And straightway many were gathered together in so much that there was no room to receive them no not so much as about the door and he preached the word unto them 3. And they come unto him bringing one sick of the Palsie which was born of four 4. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press they uncovered the roof where he was and when they had broken it up they let down the bed wherein the sick of the Palsie lay 5. When Iesus saw their faith he said unto the sick of the Palsie son thy sins be forgiven thee 6. But there were certain of the Scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts 7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies Who can forgive sins but God only 8. And immediately when Iesus perceived in his Spirit that they so reasoned within themselves he said unto them Why reason ye these things in your hearts 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the Palsie Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Arise and take up thy bed and walk 10. But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins he saith to the sick of the Palsie 11. I
what he did on the Sabbath of his own mind but that it was comprehended within his Commission as Messias and as he had in that his Office received authority from the Father to do wonders to raise the dead and to judge the world so had he also no have command and disposal over the Sabbath peculiarly 5. His words But what he seeth the Father do are to be pointed and referred to the same sense and limitation to which the preceding part of the verse hath been referred To understand the words properly and in their first apparent signification is something difficult To say strictly that Christ could do nothing but those individual and singular things which he had seen God the Father actually to do before him would be very rugged and such a saying as would not be proved For fecit mundum tamen non vidit Patrem ante facientem it is the objection of some of the Fathes He made the world and yet he saw not the Father make another world before him He took upon him humane nature yet he saw not the Father do so before him and so of other particulars But his meaning is according to the thing that he was speaking of namely that in his administrations under the Gospel he could do nothing but according as the Father had done under the administration of the Old Testament not as to every singular and particular administration as if Christ in the administration of the New Testament was to do no particular thing the like to which the Father had not done before but it is to be understood in reference to the general of power authority and disposal according to which the Messias acted in the Gospel even as the Father had done before And so the words immediately following do expound it Whatsoever he doth the same doth the Son likewise Vers. 20. For the Father loveth the Son This God proclaimed twice in a voyce from Heaven Matth. 3. 17. 17. 5. which very words do teach how to understand the term Son all along this discourse namely for the Messias God and man Esay 42. 1. Eph. 1. 6. whom as David represented in other things so did he even in his name which signifieth Beloved and Solomon in his name Jedidiah 1 Sam. 12. 24. The Father besides the infinite and eternal love he beareth to the Son as God the second person in the Trinity Prov. 8. 30. is said to love the Son as Messias because of his undertaking mans redemption and promoting Judgment righteousness knowledge mercy c. the glory of the Father c. Esay 42. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 1. 8 9. John 10. 17. § And sheweth him all things that himself doth By shewing is not meant barely discovering or revealing but imparting and communicating As Psal. 4. 6. Who will shew us any good that is who will bestow any good on us Psal. 85. 7. Shew us thy mercy 1 Kings 2. 7. Shew kindness c. that is grant and vouchsafe it And such is the meaning of Christs words here that the Father doth grant and communicate to him as the Administrator of the New Testament the same power and activity that he himself exercised under the Old To do and act in the same divine Authority and in the same miraculous power that he himsel used and acted in doing whatsover pleased him § And he will shew him greater works than these c. It was a great work that Christ had done in healing a man of so long diseasedness and it was a great matter that he had assumed when he granted such a dispensation with the Sabbath and yet he must do greater things than these before he had done namely raise the dead and change the Sabbath day It is said in verse 16. The Jews did persecute Jesus because he had done these things on the Sabbath day These things that is healed the man and commanded him to bear his bed In answer to those two particulars our Saviour speaketh in this expression greater works than these and in the two next verses he sheweth what greater works those are namely raising the dead and power of all Judgment If any will take the clause in comparison with the works that the Father had done in the Old Testament as that he would vouchsafe the Son to do the like nay greater than these there may be an innocent construction made of it for we read of greater miracles done by Christ than done before but in that he instanceth in the two particulars vers 21 22. it argueth that he speaketh not of doing greater works than the Father had done for the Father had done those two works that he instanceth in but of doing greater works than those that he had done already for which he was now upon his answer He had healed a long continued disease but as the Father raised the dead so would he raise dead as he thought good and he had only granted a dispensation for a particular action on the Sabbath but the Father had committed all Judgment about the affairs of men into his hand and he might alter the Sabbath if he pleased and he would do it Now whereas he referreth these his great works to no higher end in this his speech but only this That ye may marvail he proposeth not this as their ultimate end for that end you have in verse 23. but he proposeth this only as a fruit of those works that he should work that they should be to the astonishment and conviction of these that now accuse him though not to their intertaining of him and believing Parallel to that Acts 13. 41. Vers. 21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead c. This relateth to what is spoken of God in the Old Testament Deut. 32. 39. and to what he did in the Old Testament by the Ministery of his Prophets He proclaims himself God alone in the place cited because he killeth and maketh alive and he raised some dead by the means of Elias and Elisha c. Now saith Christ as the Father or God whom ye acknowledge this great Agent in the Old Testament sheweth this power and so thereby shewed himself to be God alone even so the Messias in the New Testament is invested with the very same power to raise and quicken whom he will that all men should honour the Messias the Administrator of the New Testament as they honour the honour the Father the Administrator of the Old For to this tenour that I may say it again doth he speak all along this Chapter parallelling the Father and the Son not in regard of their equal Diety and Divine power as God but in regard of their dispensations to the sons of men under the two Testaments As how is it possible to understand this passage in hand As the Father raiseth the dead under any other notion than as is mentioned when vers 17 18 19. do clearly ascribe the general Resurrection to the Son Vers. 22. For the
the ground and would not have been heard which to have missed had been death to Aaron this represented to the Priests that the sound of good doctrine and fruit of good living must always be about them as these Bells and Pomegranates This coat also did fitly resemble Christs humane Nature First as this was of one stuff without mixture so that without corruption Secondly as this was put on after an extraordinary manner so Christ put on humanity by an extraordinary conception and generation Thirdly as was the edge about the hole to keep it from renting such was the unseparable union of Christs two natures Fourthly as were the Bells and Pomegranates such were his life and doctrine SECTION XLVII High Priests Ephod ABove this he put the Ephod the materials of which were fine yarn or threds dyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blew and purple and scarlet and with every thred of these was twisted a thred of gold fitly shewing the purity and holiness of the Priest in every action as also most fitly resembling the lustre of the diety shining in each of Christs humane actions The word Ephod doth generally signifie any thing that girdeth a man so the word originally signifies More particularly it betokens garments or other things used in divine service So Samuel ministred before Eli in a linnen Ephod or a linnen coat girded to him So David when he brought up the Ark to Jerusalent being desirous to be as Priest-like as he might he was cloathed with such a garment a linnen Ephod So the abomination which Gideon made Judg. 8. 27. is called an Ephod Because he made it to resemble that Ephod which he had seen upon the High Priest at Shiloh Most especially the Ephod signifies the upmost garment of the High Priest when he served at the Altar or Tabernacle The form of this was somewhat like the aprons which some workmen wear tyed over their shoulders and covering their breast Such was this a rich piece of stuff of the materials before named the breadth of the Priests breast at either side it had a shoulder piece of the same piece which went over the Priests shoulders and were fastned behind one to another Before his breast the piece came down to his paps and there was the lower edg of it upon which was woven a piece to gird it withall of the same stuff and piece so that it was girded over his paps or heart whence John speaketh when he saith he saw Christ girded about the Paps with a golden girdle Apoc. 1. 13. Upon the shoulder pieces were two precious stones set in ouches of gold one on the one side and another on the other The stones were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Beryl vulgarly Onyx the stone which among the twelve belonged to Joseph In these two stones were ingraven the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel six on one and six on another Thus when the Priest appeared before the Lord he bare the charge of all Israel upon his shoulders A full resemblance of Christ. Upon the shoulder pieces likewise were two bosses of gold near to these stones unto which the gold chains that tyed the Breast-plate to the Ephod were made so fast that they might not part one from another Thus was the curious work of the Ephod with its girdle and other apurtenances a full signification of the preciousness and yet heavy charge of the Priesthood SECTION XLVIII The Breast-plate UPON the Ephod was the Breast-plate fastned it was called the Breast-plate of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgement because from it God answered by Urim and Thummim Numb 27. 21. The materials of this were the same that the Ephods were viz. Fine yarn or thread of various colours and a thread of gold twisted with each which thread woven together made as it were cloath of gold This Breast-plate was of this cloath of such a piece as when it was foulded double was a just square of a span every way Thus as the best part of all the Tabernacle viz. the most holy was a perfect square so is the best piece of Aarons garments This piece was double because of the weight of the stones in it which required that it should be strong In this piece were twelve precious stones set in four rows three in a row every stone bearing upon it the Name of a Tribe First 1. Ruben 2. Simeon 3. Levi. Second 1. Judah 2. Issachar 3. Zebulun Third 1. Dan 2. Naphthali 3. Gad. Fourth 1. Asher 2. Joseph 3. Benjamin SECTION XLIX Of the Urim and Thummim THat Urim and Thummim should be nothing but the name Jehovah written and put into the Breast-plate as some have held savours more of exorcism than a divine Oracle Or that the lustre or dimness of the twelve stones should be the Oracle as others is as strange a fancy as the former if we consider the particulars of Answers that have been given As among others that of Davids Whither shall I go the Urim answered to Hebron This impossibility others having espyed have averred that the Urim consisted of the names of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Twelve Tribes and that when a question was asked the letters that served to give the answer either rose up above the others or else met strangely together and made words to give an answer But if the letter Teth were to be spelled in the answer where was it to be had Leaving then these and other conjectures let us see what light the Scripture will give us concerning these things First Urim and Thummim were not two things but one and the same thing and for this reason they are called sometime by a single name Num. 27 21. 1 Sam. 28. 6. c. Secondly the stones in the High Priests Breast-plate are called the Urim and Thummim Exod. 28. 30. Thirdly when God answered by Urim and Thummim the answer was not given by any appearance in these stones but by the mouth of the Priest Numb 27. 21. Fourthly the Priest when he was to receive his answer was to have the Ephod on 1 Sam. 23. 9. Lastly the Priest when he was to receive an answer stood before the Ark Judg. 20. 27 28. The manner then of inquiring of the Lord by Urim and Thummim was thus The things to be inquired of must be of weight and generalty for the stones represented the Judgment of all the people Exod. 28. 30. therefore the inquiry by them must concern the general Such was the general question at Shiloh Judg. 1. 2. Who shall first set upon the Canaanites Such was that of all Israel Shall I shall go up against my Brother Benjamin Judg. 20. 23. and divers others When such a scruple was to be resolved it was told to the High Priest what he should ask So did David wish Abimelech the High Priest at Nob to enquire whether his journey should prosper 1 Sam. 22. 10. So did the Danites to the fained Idolatrous High Priests Judg. 18. 5. The Priest knowing
might have had the rule alone and yet he was unwilling that Caius should go without it seeming to divide his affections betwixt the two whereas his chief thoughts and respects were to his own self But Caius whom the Gods had cast upon it as his foolish auspicium perswaded him must be the man though he read in his nature the very bane of the Empire and yet for affection sake too must young Tiberius be joynt heir with him though he foresaw and foretold that Caius should murder him A monstrous policy to lay his own grandchild for a bait for those jaws that he knew would devour him and this was that by that present cruelty of Caius his own cruelties that were past might be forgotten and the talk of that might not give room to talk of old Tiberius This was that pretended care that he had of the Commonwealth to be sure to leave one behind him that should be worse than himself that by his greater wickedness his own might be lessened and that himself might seem to be less vitious by the others vitiousness above him Yet giveth he counsel to Caius inciting him to goodness which he himself could never follow and exhorting him to tenderness towards young Tiberius which in his heart he was reasonably indifferent whether he followed or no. §. 3. His death Charicles the Doctor gave notice of his death approaching to Caius and Macro though he stole this judgment and conjecture but by a sleight For sitting with the Emperor at a Banquet and taking on him some earnest and speedy occasion to be gone to some other place he rose from the Table and pretending to take the Emperors hand to kiss he closely and stealingly tried his Pulse which Tiberius perceiving but not expressing so much caused him to take his place again and the Banquet to be renewed and him to set out the meal But when the Doctor was got loose from the Table and was come to Caius and Macro and the rest of the adorers of that imperial Sun that was now waiting when he should rise he resolved them that his end drew on apace and was not many days off And then was all preparation for the new Emperor when the last gaspe should remove the old But he that had used so much dissimulation all his life dissembled even in his dying For fainting and swooning so very sore that all conceived he was departed and Caius and all his favorites were gone forth to take possession of his new Empire suddenly the tune is turned and news comes forth that Tiberius is revived and calleth for meat Macro that had often been his instrument of cruelty upon others turns the faculty now upon himself and in stead of meat stopt his mouth with a pillow or with heaping cloaths upon his face and so he died There are indeed diversities of opinion about the manner of his death some saying it was thus as is mentioned others that it was by poyson others that it was by being denied meat in the intermission of his â—its others that he rose out of his bed and fell on the floor no body being near him all which are mentioned by Suetonius It is not much material what his end was that that is first named is most intertained and certainly it suiteth very well with his deservings and it is some wonder that he came to such an end no sooner He died the seventeenth of the Calends of April or the sixteenth of March or if Dion may have his will the seventh and so the rest of that year is accounted the first of Caius SECT 4. CAIUS AN evil Emperor is gone but a worse is to succeed him Caius the son of Germanicus a bad child of a good father inheriting the love and favour of the people for his fathers sake till he forfeited it by his reserving the qualities of Tiberius He was surnamed Caligula from a garb that he wore in the Camp in which he was bred and educated from whence he had the love of the Souldiers till his barbarous nature lost it It may seem incredible that a worse disposition should ever be found than that of Tiberius but the old Politician saw that this was so much beyond it that it would do him credit some impute the fault to his bloody Nurse one Pressilla a Campanian the custom of which Country it was that the women when they were to give their children suck they first anointed the Nipple with the blood of an Hedg-hog to the end their children might be the more fierce and cruel This woman was as savage above the rest of the Nation as they were above other women for her breasts were all hairy over like the beards of men and her activity and strength in martial exercises inferiour to few of the Infantry of Rome One day as she was giving Caligula the Pap being angry at a young child that stood by her she took it and tore it in pieces and with the blood thereof anointed her breasts and so set her nursling Caius to suck both blood and milk But had not his infancy been educated in such a Butchery the school of his youth had been enough to have habituated him to mischief For being brought up in the sight and at the elbow of Tiberius it would have served to have corrupted the best nature that could be but this of his was either never good or at least was spoiled long before Yet had he reasonably well learned his Tutors art of dissimulation so that he hid those Serpentine conditions not only before Tiberius his death but also a while after he had obtained the Empire Only he that had taught him to weave this mantle of dissembling could spie through it insomuch that he would profess That Caius lived for the destruction of him and all others And that he hatched up a snake for the Roman Empire and a Phaeton for all the world And it proved so both to him and them For when Tiberius lay a gasping stifled with a pillow prest upon him he also throtled him with his hand and crucified one of his servants that cried out upon the hideousness of the fact And as for his demeanor toward the State a little time will give too lamentable witness §. 5. Tiberius in a manner cruel being dead How welcom news the tydings of Tiberius death were at Rome may be easily conjectured by any that hath observed his cruelties before Some cried out Tiberius into Tiber some to the hurdle and Tyburne some to one thing some to another using the more liberty of their Tongues against the Tyrant now by how much they had been tied up the straiter whilst he lived Nor did the remembrance of his former cruelties only cause them to rejoyce for his death but a present cruelty as if he were bloody being dead made him the more odious to them than alive For certain men that were but lately condemned and their execution day falling upon the very day when
of Ezra before alledged but nameth more kinds than he doth let the Reader draw among all the names he useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be the title of these Drink-offering Vessels that we are about I should choose between the two last and take Phialae the rather of the two and the pouring out of the Vials in the Revelation may chance receive some illustration by the Readers reflecting upon the pouring out of the the Vial of the Drink-offering 5. There were Chafing-dishes to take Coals from the Altar for the burning of the Incense and Dishes wherein to take Ashes from the Altar and from the Altar of Incense and Dishes for Frankincense and the Dishes Teni and Coz which they used about the Candles and Incense Altar and Censer or Perfuming pans for the Incense Dishes about the Shewbread and such variety of Dishes Basins Vials Cruses Tankards and such like Vessels that it were an endless labour to speak of them or seek after them particularly To which may be added the Axes Knives Flesh-hooks Forks Fire-pans Tongs Snuffers Pots Chaldrons the Vessel Pesachtar a word used by the Chaldee Paraphrast Exod. XXVII 3 c. and the Instruments of Musick of which we have spoken elsewhere the Mortars for making the Incense and when we have reckoned all we can we are sure we cannot reckon all and therefore must leave them to supposal and conjecture And to the Discourse of them which I must leave thus imperfect let me add two Utensils more which indeed were not of the like nature with these that have been spoken of yet may well come in mention with them because they were all Furniture of the same House and those were two Golden Tables but of several natures and uses bestowed by Ptolemy Philadelphus King of Egypt and Helena Mother to Monobazes f f f Arist. in Hist. LXX Ios. Ant. l. 12. cap. 2. Aristeas and Josephus after him relating the story of Ptolemies sending for the Septuagint to come to him to translate the Bible they tell what sumptuous bounty and gifts he bestowed upon the Temple and presented thither and among other things that they spake of as a great sum of mony certain Golden and Silver Goblets and certain Golden Vials 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they mention and describe a Golden Table of that richness cost and curious Workmanship as the like hardly to fellow it in any story as the Reader may peruse them in the places cited in the Margin for I shall not spend time upon their description There is relation also in the Talmudick Treatise Joma of a Golden Table of Queen Helens bestowing and devoting but it was not of the fashion and nature of any Tables that we have mentioned hitherto but it was of a form and quality far differing from them It was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mensa but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabula and the Tradition concerning it is thus g g g Ioma per. 3. Queen Helena Mother to King Monobazes made the Golden Candlestick that was over the Temple door And she also made the Golden Table on which was written the Section of the Law concerning the suspected Wife Numb V. So that this was a written Table hanged upon a Wall and not a Table with Feet standing upon the ground as those were of which we have spoken The Gemara of the Jerusalem Talmud informs us about it in these words h h h Talm. Ierus ibid. fol. 41. She made the Table of Gold on which was written the Section of the suspected Wife and when the Sun rose the beams sparkled on it and so they knew that the Sun was risen And what was written on it R. Simeon ben Lachish in the name of R. Januai saith Aleph Beth was written on it But behold the Tradition is As was the writing on the one side so was the writing on the other It was not thick nor thin but a mean between both As was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was on the one side so was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was on the other As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the one side so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the other R. Hosaiah saith All the Section of the suspected Wife was written on it and out of it he read and interpreted the whole Section It seems this Table hung upon the Wall of the Gate of Nicanor for in that the trial of the suspected Wife was made the manner of which we have observed elsewhere As there were Tables and Candlesticks of Gold 2 Chron. IV. 7 8. in the holy place so there were Tables and Candlesticks of Silver which were used in other places 1 Chron. XXVIII 15. as in the Courts and in the Priests Chambers SECT V. The Priests Garments IT will not be much necessary to spend large Discourse upon this subject about the Garments of the ordinary Priests which they wore in the Service since we have described the Vestments of the High Priest at large in another place who wore all the same Garments that the other Priests did but he wore other also we shall therefore but briefly touch these particulars concerning them 1. That the Garments wherewithal the Priests were arraied when they were about Divine Service were peculiar for that place and occasion and differing from the Garments that they used in their ordinary wearing Some Jews think there were such Priestly Garments before the Law and they speak of such bequeathed from Father to Son in the holy Line even from Adam to Isaac and they think the Vesture in which Jacob obtained the Blessing was of this nature but about this we shall not be inquisitive 2. The Priests when they were come up in their courses to the Service put off their ordinary wearing Clothes washed themselves in Water and put on the holy Garments See Lev. VIII 6. a a a Tamid per. 1. Yea whilst they were at the Temple and attending there on the Service any of them that would sleep by Night he slept not in the holy Garments but in his own wearing Clothes and in the Morning when he was to go to his Service he put off his own Clothes bathed himself in Water and put on the Garments of the Priest-hood These expressions in Scripture Put off the old man and be renewed and put on the new Ephes. IV. 22 23 24. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. XIII 14. Baptized into Christ and putting on Christ Gal. III. 27. Washed from our sins and made Priests Rev. I. 5 6. Not unclothed but clothed upon 2 Cor. V. 4. seem to allude to this custom 2. The holy Garments of the Priests were of white Linnen and they consisted of b Rab. Sol. in Exod XXVIII four parcels whereas the High Priests Garments were of eight parcels and they were of other Colours as well as white And as hath been observed elsewhere every Priest was first tried by the Sanhedrin whether he were right and fit
the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will he give him a stone g g g g g g De benefic lib. 2. cap. 7. HERE that of Seneca comes into my mind Verrucosus called a benefit roughly given from a hard man panem lapidosum stony bread VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you c. h h h h h h Bab. Schab fol. 31. 1. A Certain Gentile came to Shammai and said Make me a Proselyte that I may learn the whole Law standing upon one foot Shammai beat him with the staff that was in his hand He went to Hillel and he made him a Proselyte and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is odious to thy self do it not to thy neighbour for this is the whole Law VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Broad is the way IN these words concerning the broad and narrow way our Saviour seems to allude to the rules of the Jews among their Lawyers concerning the publick and private ways With whom a private way was four cubits in bredth a publick way was sixteen cubits See the Gloss in i i i i i i Cap. 2. hal 1. Peah VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gate UNDER this phrase are very many things in religion exprest in the holy Scripture Gen. XXVIII 17. Psal. CXVIII 19 20. Mat. XVI 18 c. and also in the Jewish Writers The gate of repentance is mentioned by the Chaldee Paraphrast upon Jer. XXXIII 6. and the gate of prayers and the gate of tears k k k k k k Bab. Berac fol. 32. 2. Since the Temple was laid wast the gates of prayer were shut but the gates of tears were not shut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Straight gate seems to be the Greek rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pishpesh a word very usual among the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Tamid cap. 1. hal 3. With a key he opened the little door and out of Beth mokad the place of the fire hearth he entreth into the Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Aruch is a little door in the midst of a great door VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In sheeps cloathing NOT so much in woollen garments as in the very skins of sheep so that outwardly they might seem sheep but inwardly they were ravening Wolves Of the ravenousness of Wolves among the Jewes take these two examples besides others m m m m m m Taanith c. 3. hal 7. The Elders proclaimed a fast in their Cities upon this occasion because the Wolves had devoured two little children beyond Jordan n n n n n n Hieros Jom tobh fol. 60. 1. More than three hundred Sheep of the sons of Judah ben Shamoe were torn by wolves VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By their fruits ye shall know them THAT is a Proverb not unlike it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o Bab. Berac fol. 48. 1. A Gourd a Gourd is known by its branch VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As one having authority and not as the Scribes IT is said with good reason in the Verse going before that the multitude were astonished at Christs doctrin for besides his divine truth depth and convincing power they had not before heard any discoursing with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authority that he did The Scribes borrowed credit to their doctrine from Traditions and the Fathers of them and no Sermon of any Scribe had any authority or value without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins have a Tradition or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wise men say or some Traditional Oracle of that nature Hillel the great taught truly and as the tradition was concerning a certain thing p p p p p p Hieros Pesachin fol. 33. 1. But although he discoursed of that matter all day long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They received not his doctrin until he said at last so I heard from Shemaia and Abtalion CHAP. VIII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou canst make me clean THE doctrine in the law concerning Leprosy paints out very well the doctrine of sin I. It teacheth that no creature is so unclean by a touch as man Yea it may with good reason be asked whether any creature while it lived was unclean to the touch beside man That is often repeated in the Talmudists That he that takes a worm in his hand all the Waters of Jordan cannot wash him from his uncleanness that is while the worm is as yet in his hand or the Worm being cast away not until the time appoynted for such purification be expired But whether it is to be understood of a living or dead worm it is doubted not without cause since the Law treating of this matter speaketh only of those things that dyed of themselves See Levit. XI ver 31. Whosoever shall touch them when they be dead c. and ver 32. Upon whatsoever any of them when they are dead shall fall c. But whether he speaks of a living worm or a dead uncleanness followed by the touch of it for that day only For he shall be unclean saith the Law until the Evening but the carkas of a man being touched a weeks uncleanness followed See Num. XIX II. Among all the uncleannesses of men Leprosie was the greatest in as much as other uncleannesses separated the unclean person or rendred him unclean for a day or a week or a month but the leprosy perhaps for ever III. When the Leper was purified the leprosy was not healed but the poison of the disease being evaporated and the danger of the contagion gone the Leper was restored to the publick congregation Gehazi the Servant of Elisha was adjudged to perpetual leprosy and yet he was cleansed and conversed with the King 2 King VIII 5. cleansed not healed Thus under Justification and sanctification there remain still the seeds and silth of sin IV. He that was full of the leprosy was pronounced clean he that was otherwise was not Levit. XIII 12. If the leprosie shall cover the whole body from head to foot thou shalt pronounce him clean c. A law certainly to be wondred at Is he not clean till the whole body be infected and covered with the leprosy Nor shalt thou O sinner be made clean without the like condition Either acknowledg thy self all over leprous or thou shall not be cleansed VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus touched him IT was indeed a wonder that when the leprosie was a creeping infection the Priest when he judged of it was not hurt with the infection It cannot be passed over without observation that Aaron being bound under the same guilt with Miriam bore not the same punishment for she was touched with leprosie he not Num. XII And also that Uzziah should be confuted concerning his
any thing from the springing of his own fruit is guilty under the name of a Reaper But under what guilt were they held he had said this before at the beginning of Chap. VII in these words The works whereby a man is guilty of stoning and cutting off if he do them presumptuously but if ignorantly he is bound to bring a sacrifice for sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are either primitive or derivative Of primitive or of the general kinds of works are nine and thirty reckoned To i i i i i i Talm. Schabb. cap. VII plow to sow to reap to gather the Sheaves to thresh to sift to grind to bake c. to shear sheep to dy wool c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The derivative works or the particulars of those generals are such as are of the same rank and likeness with them For example digging is of the same kind with plowing chopping of herbs is of the same rank with grinding and plucking the ears of corn is of the same nature with reaping Our Saviour therefore pleaded the Cause of the Disciples so much the more eagerly because now their lives were in danger for the Canons of the Scribes adjudged them to stoning for what they had done if so be it could be proved that they had done it presumptously From hence therefore he begins their defence that this was done by the Disciples out of necessity hunger compelling them not out of any contempt of the Laws VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 David and those that were with him FOR those words of Ahimelech are to be understood comparatively Wherefore art thou alone and no man with thee that is comparatively to that noble train wherewith thou wast wont to go attended and which becomes the Captain General of Israel David came to Nob not as one that fled but as one that come to enquire at the Oracle concerning the event of War unto which he pretended to come by the Kings command Dissembling therefore that he hastned to the war or to expedite some warlike design he dissembles likewise that he sent his Army to a certain place and that he had turned aside thither to worship God and to enquire of the event that he had brought but a very few of his most trusty servants along with him for whom being an hungred he asketh a few loaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When they were an hungred Here hearken to Kimchi producing the opinion of the Antients concerning this story in these words Our Rabbins of blessed memory say that he gave him the Shew bread c. The interpretation also of the clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea though it were sanctified this day in the vessel is this It is a small thing to say that it is lawful for us to eat these loaves taken from before the Lord when we are hungry for it would be lawful to eat this very loaf which is now set on which is also sanctified in the vessel for the Table sanctifieth it would be lawful to eat even this when another loaf is not present with you to give us and we are so hunger bitten And a little after There is nothing which may hinder taking care of Life beside Idolatry Adultery and Murder These words do excellently agree with the force of our Saviours Argument but with the genuine sense of that Clause methinks they do not well agree I should under correction render it otherwise only prefacing this before hand That it is no improbable conjecture that David came to Nob either on the Sabbath it self or when the Sabbath was but newly gone k k k k k k R. Esaias in 1 Sam. XXI For the shewbread was not to be eaten unless for one day and one night that is on the Sabbath and the going out of the Sabbath David therefore came thither in the going out of the Sabbath And now I render Davids words thus Women have been kept from us these three days so that there is no uncleaness with us from the touch of a menstruous woman and the vessels of the young men were holy even in the common way that is while we travelled in the common manner and journey therefore much more are they holy as to their vessels this Sabbath day And to this sense perhaps does that come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there was there one of the Servants of Saul detained that day before the Lord. The reverence of the Sabbath had brought him to worship and as yet had detained him there VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath and are guiltless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Hierâ—s Schab fol. 17. 1. The servile work which is done in the Holy things is not servile The same works which were done in the temple on other days were done also on the Sabbath And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no Sabbatism at all in the Temple m m m m m m Maimon in Pâ—sach cap. 1. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath I. HE opposed this very Argument against their cavils before the Sanhedrin Joh. V. When he was summoned into the Court concerning his healing the paralytic man on this very Sabbath or on the Sabbath next before he shews his dominion over the Sabbath from this very thing that he the Son was invested and honoured with the same Authority Power and Dignity in respect of the Administration of the New Testament as the Father was in regard of the Old II. The care of the Sabbath lay upon the first Adam under a double Law according to his double condition 1. Before his fall under the law of Nature written in his heart under which he had kept the Sabbath if he had remained innocent And here it is not unworthy to be observed that although the seventh day was not come before his fall yet the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned before the history of his fall 2. After his fall under a positive law For when he had sinn'd on the sixth day and the seventh came he was not now bound under the bare Law of Nature to celebrate it but according as the condition of Adam was changed and as the condition of the Sabbath was not a little changed also a new and positive Law concerning the keeping the Sabbath was superinduced upon him It will not be unpleasant to produce a few passages from the Jewish Masters of that first Sabbath n n n n n n Mid. Tillin fol. 15. 3. Circumcision saith R. Judah and the Sabbath were before the Law But how much backward before the Law Hear Baâ—l Turim o o o o o o In Exod. I. The Israelites were redeemed saith he out of Egypt because they observed Circumcision and the Sabbath day Yea and further backwards still p p p p p p R. Sol. in Esai LVIII 14. The
in Babylon but in Judea they were names sit and suitable enough III. Of the variation of names here and in Matth. I. I have already spoken in that place To wit that Neri was indeed the Father of Salathiel though St. Matthew saith Jechoniah who died childless Jerem. XXII 30. begat him not that he was his Son by nature but was his heir in succession VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The son of Cainan I Will not launch widely out into a controversie that hath been sufficiently bandied already I shall dispatch as briefly as I may what may seem most satisfacton in this matter I. There is no doubt and indeed there are none but will grant that the Evangelist hath herein followed the Greek Version This in Genes XI 12 13. relates it in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arphaxad lived an hundred and five and thirty years and begat Cainan and Cainan lived an hundred and thirty years and begat Salah And Cainan lived after he had begot Salah three hundred and thirty years Consulting z z z z z z Theophil ad Autolych lib. 3. about this matter I cannot but observe of this Author that he partly follows the Greek Version in adding to Arphaxad an hundred years and partly not when he omits Cainan for so he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arphaxad when he was an hundred and thirty five years of age begot Salah Nor can I but wonder at him that translates him that he should of his own head insert Arphaxad was an hundred and thirty five years old and begat a son named Cainan Cainan was an hundred and thirty years old and begat Salah When there is not one syllable of Cainan in Theophilus A very faithful Interpreter indeed 1. I cannot be perswaded by any arguments that this passage concerning Cainan was in Moses his Text or indeed in any Hebrew Copies which the Seventy used but that it was certainly added by the Interpreters themselves partly because no reason can be given how it should ever come to be left out of the Hebrew Text and partly because there may be a probable reason given why it should be added in the Greek especially when nothing was more usual with them than to add of their own according to their own will and pleasure Huic uni forsan poteram succumbere culpae I might perhaps acknowledge this one slip and be apt to believe that Cainan had once a place in the original but by I know not what fate or misfortune left now out but that I find an hundred such kind of additions in the Greek Version which the Hebrew Text will by no means own nor any probable reason given to bear with it Let us take our instances only from proper names because our business at present is with a proper name Gen. X. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elisa is added among the sons of Japhet And Vers. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Cainan among the sons of Shem. Gen. XLVI 20. Five Grand-children added to the sons of Joseph Malach. IV. 5. The Tishbite Exod. I. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City On is added to Pithon and Raamses 2 Sam. XX. 18. the City Dan is added to Abel Not to mention several other names of places in the Book of Josua Now should I believe that these names ever were in the Hebrew Copy when as some of them are put there without any reason some of them against all reason particularly Dan being joyned with Abel and the Grand-children of Joseph and all of them with no foundation at all II. I question not but the Interpreters whoever they were engaged themselves in this undertaking with something of a partial mind and as they made no great Conscience of imposing upon the Gentiles so they made it their Religion to favour their own side And according to this ill temperament and disposition of mind so did they manage their Version either adding or curtailing at pleasure blindly lazily and audaciously enough sometimes giving a very foreign sense sometimes a contrary oftentimes none And this frequently to patronize their own Traditions or to avoid some offence they think might be in the Original or for the credit and safety of their own Nation The tokens of all which it would not be difficult to instance in very great numbers would I apply my self to it but it is the last only that is my business at this time III. It is a known story of the thirteen places which the Talmudists tell us were altered by the Seventy two Elders when they writ out the Law I would suppose in Hebrew for Ptolomey They are reckoned up a a a a a a Hierosol Megill fol. 71. 4. Bab. Migillah fol. 9. 1. Massech Sopherim cap. 1. and we have the mention of them sprinkled up and down b b b b b b In Beresh rab fol. 10. 3. and fol. 12. 4. and fol. 41. 4. and fol. 110. 1. as also c c c c c c Shemoth rab fol. 123. 1. where it is intimated as if eighten places had been altered Now if we will consult the Glosses upon those places they will tell us that these alterations were made some of them lest the sacred Text should be cavill'd at others that the honour and peace of the Nation might be secured It is easie therefore to imagine that the same things were done by those that turned the whole Bible The thing it self speaks it Let us add for example's sake those five souls which they add to the Family of Jacob numbering up five Grand-children of Joseph who as yet were not in being nay seven according to their account Genes XLVI 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children that were born to Joseph in the Land of Egypt even nine souls Now which copy do we think it is most reasonable to believe the Greek or the Hebrew and as to the question whether these five added in the Greek were antiently in Moses his Text but either since lost by the carelessness of the Transcribers or rased out by the bold hand of the Jews let reason and the nature of the thing judge For if Machir Gilead Sutelah Tahan and Eden were with Joseph when Jacob with his Family went down into Egypt and if they were not why are they numbred amongst those that went down then must Manasseh at the age of nine years or ten at most be a Grand-father Ephraim at eight or nine Can I believe that Moses would relate such things as these I rather wonder with what kind of Forehead the Interpreters could impose such incredible stories upon the Gentiles as if it were possible they should be believed IV. It is plain enough to any one that diligently considers the Greek Version throughout that it was composed by different hands who greatly varied from one another both in stile and wit So that this Book was more learnedly rendred than that the Greek reading more elegant in this Book than in
VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings TWO Sparrows were sold for one farthing d d d d d d Mat. X. 29. and five for two We find that Doves were sold in the Temple upon the account of women in child-bed and their issues of blood by whom a pair of Turtles and young pigeons were to be offer'd if they had not wherewithal to present a more costly sacrifice so probably the Sparrows were likely to be sold upon the account of lepers in the cleansing of whom they were made use of e e e e e e Levit. XIV 4. I confess the Greek Version in this place hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two sparrows but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two little birds And yet if you will believe the far-fetcht reason that R. Solomon gives you will easily imagine that they are sparrows that are pointed at The leprosie saith he came upon mankind for an evil tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for too much garrulity of words and therefore in the cleansing of it they used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sparrows that are always chirping and chattering with their voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not one of them is forgotten before God f f f f f f Beresh rabb fol. 88. 4. R. Simeon ben Jachai standing at the mouth of his Cave wherein he lay hid for the space of thirteen years he saw a certain man catching of birds And when he heard Bath Kol out of Heaven saying mercy mercy the birds escaped But when he heard Bath Kol saying the pain of death then was the bird taken He saith therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A bird is not taken without God much less the life of a man This passage is also recited in Midras Tillen g g g g g g Fol. 15. 1. but the circumstances vary VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But he that denyeth me c. COnsider whether in these words and in the following Verse our Blessed Saviour do not point at those two unpardonable sins Apostacy or denying and renouncing of Christ and Blasphemy or the sin against the Holy Ghost The first is called a sin unto death h h h h h h 1 Joh. V. 16. And so in truth and in the event is the latter too I find them indeed confounded by some who discourse upon the sin against the Holy Ghost when yet this difference may be observed viz. that Apostacy cannot properly be charged on any but who have already profest Christianity but Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was uttered by the Scribes and Pharisees at that time that they disowned and rejected Christ. VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he divide the inheritance with me I. IN the titles of brethren this obtained amongst them that as the eldest was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first born so the younger was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple because without the title of first-born It seems to be only two brethren here betwixt whom the complaint is made but which of them is the complainant it is not so easie to determine You will say the younger most probably because it is more likely that the first-born should wrong the younger than the younger the first-born And yet in that Court of Judicature which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Court of thou draw and I 'll draw the younger might be troublesome to the first-born as well as the first-born to the younger That matter was thus i i i i i i Baâ—a bathra fol. 13. 1. When a Father had bequeathed to his first-born and younger Son a servant and an unclean beast which could not be parted in two then saith the one to the other do thou draw or I 'll draw that is do thou redeem thy share or I will redeem mine Now here the younger brother may be perverse and as well hinder the redemption as the first-born II. In the division of inheritances how many vexations and quarrels may arise both reason and common experience do abundantly teach us The Rabbins are very large upon this head and suppose that great controversies may arise either from the Testament of the Father or the nature of the inheritance or the quality of the Sons as if the younger Son be a Disciple of the Wise-men and the elder not if the younger be made a Proselyte the elder a Gentile c. But in the instance now before us the complaint or controversie is not about dividing but about not dividing because the first-born most probably would not gratifie the younger in that thing The Judges in that case was the Bench of the Triumviri these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges in the Controversie and decreed concerning the right or equity of dividing And either some were appointed by them or some chosen by those between whom the cause depended as arbiters in the case and these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dividers those that took care as to the equality of the division Now we cannot easily suppose what should move this man to appeal to our Saviour as judge in this matter unless either himself or Brother or both were of the number of his Disciples VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Soul take thine ease eat drink c. k k k k k k Tâ—anith fol. 11. 1. WHen the Church is in distress let not any man then say I will go into mine house and will eat and drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peace be to thee O my soul. For if any one shall so do it is written of him behold joy and gladness staying Oxen and killing Sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye But what follows It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged away from you till you dye And what if he should so say and do when the Church is not in distress VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This night shall thy soul be required of thee HOwever this following story hath something in it that may be laught at yet hath it something in it that is serious enough l l l l l l Elleh Haddehbarim rabb fol. 300. 1. The Rabbins say It fell out in the days of R. Simeon ben Chalaphta that he went to a certain Circumcision and there feasted The Father of the infant gave them old wine wine of seven years old to drink and said unto them with this wine will I grow old in the joy of my Son They feasted together till midnight R. Simeon ben Chalaphta trusting to his own vertue went out at midnight to go into the City In the way he finds the Angel of death and observes him very sad Saith he to him who art thou He saith I am the messenger of the Lord And why then saith
say unto him I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come unto the Country which the Lord sware unto our Fathers for to give us And the Priests shall take the basket out of thine hand and set it down before the Altar of the Lord thy God And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and he went down into Egypt and soiourned there with a few and became there a Nation great mighty and populous c. likewise there was a form appointed to be said over the beheaded Heifer XXI Deut. 6 7. c. And all the Elders of that City that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over the Heiser that is beheaded in the Valley And they shall answer and say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people Israels charge The Priests when they blessed the people had also a form prescribed them VI. Numb 23 24. c. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons saying On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord bless thee and keep thee The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee The Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee and give thee peace And David appointed Psalms for the Tabernacle 1 Chron. XVI 7. And the Schools of the Prophets no doubt had Forms delivered to them So John and Christ taught their Disciples to Pray as wellas to Preach He had not been the Great Teacher had he not taught a Form of Prayer We should have been left untaught in not the least thing Consider also in the behalf of prescribed Forms that we poor creatures short fighted in divine things know not what we ought to pray for Peter at the Transfiguration prayed he knew not what IX Luke 33. We often as Adonijah are ready to ask our own Bane There is no man but if God had granted all that ever he asked it would have been worse with him Midas his wish may teach this But that place of the Apostle will be objected against me in Rom. VIII 26. The Spirit helps our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered Therefore we need no forms as long as what we are to pray is dictated to us by the Spirit But I answer T is the Spirit not an Oracle within us to teach us immediately The Word teaches us what and how to ask But the Office of the Spirit is to help our infirmities in asking our infirmities of memory our want of application to ourselves of what we know to be our wants So in the application of Doctrines of Promises the Spirit teaches us no new thing but minds us and brings home to the feeling of our Souls those things we learnt from the Word Consider moreover we had need to be taught of God what language to use when we are speaking to God T is no small thing to betake our selves before him and to speak to him who is the great and living God Now is it an easie thing to speak as we ought to do unto him Jobs friends spake not right things of God XLII Job 7 8. For which God tells them his wrath was kindled against them and requires them to make attonement for it by offering up seven Bullocks and seven Rams Moses could not speak unto Pharaoh IV. Exod. 10. Much less how shall the poor creature address unto the great God Therefore we are advised by the Prophet Hosea when we approach unto God to take words along with us XIV Hos. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips Where you see are express words put into our Mouths to use when we go and make our Confessions unto God Ah! Gracious God how ready art thou to give that biddest us Ak and teachest us to ask also That puttest Words into our Mouths and teachest us what to say to thee He must needs be ready to pardon sin that would prevent sin in our prayers that are begging for pardon Christ well knew the Majesty of God and the necessities of men the need of Prayer and our disability to pray and therefore he left not himself without a witness of infinite mercy and condescention nor us without one of the greatest things that we could have prayed for when he left us this Platform of Prayer When ye pray say c. And so I come to the Prayer or Form it self When ye pray say Our Father c. It is an opinion then that I can rather wonder at then understand that bids when we pray Say not Our Father As I have often grieved to see the neglect and disuse of the Lords Prayer and to hear the reproach that some have cast upon it so have I as seriously as I could considered what ground these have had for the disusing of it and to this hour I rest admiring and no way satisfied why they should refrain it when Christ hath commanded the use of it as plain as words can speak Matth. VI. 9. After this manner pray ye and again in the Text When ye pray say The Cavils that are made against the use of it are obvious I. To avoid superstition for unto such ends it hath been used Here I cannot but think how wild it is to extinguish a thing good per se because another useth it ill To cut down Vines to avoid drunkenness How subject is he that makes it all his Religion to run from a Superstition to run he knows not whether II. Such a narrow Form straitens the heart is too strait stinting the exercise of the gift of Prayer And here I cannot but think of Soloecisms in pride of apparel It is monstrous to make cloths our pride which are only a badge of sin and cover of shame So it is a Soloecism to cast away this Prayer upon presumption that we can pray so well when it is mainly given because we cannot pray at all III. It is generally questioned whether it be a Form of Prayer or a Copy to pray by IV. If a Form yet what warrant have we to subjoyn it to our Prayers as we usually do V. And if both yet that it is not lawful for every one to say Our Father I shall not dispute these Questions The words of the Text plainly answer the most of them Nor that I go about to give the sense of the Petitions There are many good Comments upon them I shall only consider the nature of the Prayer and the manner of its giving that we may be the better satisfied in the manner of its use First As the Ten Commandments are
one against another whereas there is nothing in the world of which you can give less a reason Why a Man should love every Man in the world I can give variety of reasons but why any one should hate any one Man in the world the invention of Men and Devils cannot give a solid reason He hath wronged thee So hast thou done others He hath deceived thee So hast thou but too oft done thy self He hath been offensive to thee So hast thou been to God Thou canst give no reason why thou shouldst hate thy Brother but the same will be reâ—orted upon thee that for the same cause thou shouldst hate thy self II. To love our Neighbour as our selves This is a Royal Law Jam. II. 8. or the Law of the King And that which the King of his Church hath not only given but a Law which he put himself also in subjection to Deny else his doing for mankind Did he not love his Neighbour Man as himself when he left the bosom of his Father to take the nature the infirmities the sins of Man upon him Did he not love his Neighbour Man as himself when he laid down his life for him and that with as exquisite cruelty anguish and torture executed against him as Men and Devils could invent And if you doubt of his love to Man his Neighbour look into the wound in his side and put your finger into the print of the nails in his hands and feet and ask how those came there And when this Patern and Copy of Love sends his choise Apostle into the world to testifie his love to the world he warrants and he inables him to express as much love to Men as it was possible for Man to express Look else upon his indefatigable pains for the good of Men his sufferings his troubles his bonds and imprisonment and in a word the constant course of his life and ministry And all for the benefit of Men in the service of his Master And then believe the better what he speaks here That he could wish himself accursed that they might be saved This is the Copy of a Christian and not of an Apostle only And this must every one of us write after in the best degree we can Now if any inquire what is the proper reason and ground of the love of our Neigbour I might treat at large of these things That a Christian is to love every one I. For his own sake II. For Gods sake III. For his Souls sake I. For his own sake If any ask why the Answer is ready because he is thine own flesh and blood All the Nation of Israel is akin to our Apostle as all descending of one blood So this same Apostle tells that all the men in the world do Act. XVII 26. God hath made of one blood all Nations of Men. Men of all Nations are akin for they are all of one blood Nay that of the Prophet seems to bring the kindred something nearer Es. LVIII 7. That thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh The Prophets meaning is That thou hide not thy self from the poor when he comes to seek relief and comfort from thee A poor tattered miserable creature that it may be thou wouldst scorn to look upon or be loath to come near or have any thing to do withall yet for all thy goodliness he is thine own flesh II. For Gods sake Because he commands it urges it and it is pleasing to him Doest thou love God This Love of God is to keep his Commandments And there is hardly any Command that is urged more than Love and Unity and affection one towards another III. A third bond that should tye us to love our Neighbour is For his Souls sake This was that that especially moved the Apostle to such an Affection towards his Nation He had as little cause upon any outward or carnal respect to love them as a man could have They were indeed his Brethren but Brethren Enemies they were his Kinsmen but spiteful Kinsmen he never enjoyed peace or safety for them When were they not clamouring against accusing whipping persecuting imprisoning him and seeking his life And yet he cannot but love them wish them well for their Souls sake You would think the Apostle little loved the incestuous Person 1 Cor. V. but his very severity was out of love to his Soul vers 5. That the spirit might be saved When he gave up Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan one would think he heartily hated them when he dealt so severely with them but it was that if possible good might accrue to their Souls For consider his reason of that action I have given them up to Satan Why Not that I might plague them revenge my self on them bring them to ruine but that they might learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. I. 20. That if it may be they may learn better manners and Religion The Kings Daughter is black but comely Cant. I. Black because the Sun hath looked upon her She was born in the Morians Land But she is glorious within because of her virtuousness and goodness The sinful Souls of men as they are sinful are black deformed things but as they are Souls and in regard of their Essential constitution they are lovely and precious And there is more in any Soul in the World to move thee to love him than there is in his Person or Actions to move thee to hate him And how great is the beauty of the Soul when it carries the image of God himself Even the poorest and most contemptible Soul in the world carries the image of God upon it It is Gods own argument against Murther Gen. IX 6. Whoso sheddeth Mans blood by Man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he Man The very same may be used against the hating of our Neighbour the seed of Murther thou shalt not hate thy Neighbour for in the image of God he made thy Neighbour Object But I had thought that by the fall of Man the image of God had been quite lost from him For I have often heard that every Man is born in the sinful image of Adam but the glorious image of God is utterly gone off from him And so the Apostle Rom. III. 23. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God Answer Do you not observe that Gen. I. 26. where mention is made of Adams Creation that God said Let us make Man in our image after our likeness Where the image of God refers to the Essence of mans Soul the likeness to the qualities The Qualities were Holiness and Righteousness in the likeness of God And so the Apostle Eph. IV. 22 c. tells That when any soul is restored again to the likeness of God it is in Holiness and Righteousness This is utterly lost in humane nature till Grace restore it in any Person But the image of God that is in the Soul viz. as the Soul is a Spiritual
The Wicked one in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy one As the unclean Spirit is opposed to the holy Spirit so the wicked to the holy As the Children of God and the Children of the Devil are opposed vers 10. so here in regard of their nature There are some therefore that define the Devil by what is most contrary to God 1. He is become contrary As Christ and Belial light and darkness 2 Cor. VI. 14 15. In what Not in regard of his essential subsistence as he is a spirit intellectual immortal nor in regard only of want of righteousness and holiness but in regard of the bent of his will As in our selves we may read too much of the Devil in that respect that our Wills run so contrary to Gods No contrary to that that will be contrary as Hannibal was to the Romans For 2. He sets himself to be contrary He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that opposeth His contrariety is resolved and wilful In the first Fall he set himself up against God to be head He despised his charge and would head the creature against him And he continually fights against Gods Will and ways See those two things vers 10. which distinguish the Children of God and of the Devil Love and Righteousness the same make the distinction between God and the Devil God loves Man He hates him God loves Righteousness He opposeth it He stands up against Christ. There are two Heads in the world Christ and the Devil and he by his own pride and putting on Secondly He is the Wicked one as he is the Father of Wickedness As Joh. VIII 44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do Ask who begat wicked works the answer must be The Devil 1. He is Father of his own wickedness He is his own Tempter and begat his sin within himself Whereas Adam had something ab extra from without that tempted him 2. He is the Father of others wickedness vers 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil He was the Father of the first Sin How might Adam have stood if not tempted by one above him He could not have believed a Creature could be against God but believed him one that was as a Messenger from God as Angels were He is the Father of all sins He hath concurrence to every sin we commit A general concurrence by poison infused into our Nature As sin hath a general concurrence to death so the Devil hath such a concurrence to sin And such a particular concurrence as we cannot say any sin is without him As no grace is without the spirit I shall not speak of his presence with all his influence with all Thirdly He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wicked one in that he is perfectly wicked That is perfect Cui nihil addi potest vel detrahi To which nothing can be added or taken away So God is perfect and so is the Saints Happiness in Glory perfect happiness The Devil can be no more wicked or less as God can be no more or less good In Satans first sin he could sin no more than he did nor against more light nor could his sin be of more pride and malice He knew he should be damned if he fell yet he sinned and fell His continual sinning cannot be more than it is he cannot have more hate of God than he hath For he hates every thing that is like God or likes him And that not because God damned him but because God is God above him Nor can he be less wicked For an Angel cannot sin at a less rate than the deepest willfulness and malice cannot be tempted deceived ignorant wants not power to stand And thus we see how the Devil is the Wicked one Now II. We come to the Description that is given of Cain and that is twofold viz. by his extraction he was of that wicked one And by his action And slew his Brother I. Let us consider him with relation to his Extraction He was of that wicked one Such a phrase you have Joh. VIII 44. mentioned before You are of your Father the Devil It may be Questioned Whether all in an unregenerate state may be said alike to be of the Devil They are all Children of wrath Eph. II. 2. Whether are they all alike Children of the Devil I Answer 1. All are alike guilty and Children of corruption Sin is come over all One hath as much original guilt as another Because Adams whole sin is on all as Christs whole righteousness is on His. 2. One hath as much sinfulness and depravation of nature as another Abel as much as Cain For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. III. 23. Because all alike from Adam 3. All Children of wrath alike Eph. II. 2. That is First Quoad meritum in respect of merit Secondly Quoad indignationem Dei in peccatum in respect of Gods indignation against sin But not Quoad aeternam iram in respect of Eternal wrath 4. All slaves to Satan alike which that expression doth suppose where it is said That we are delivered out of the power of darkness But all are not under the claim of Satan alike The Elect have God claiming something in them even before they escape from the bondage of Satan As Israel in Egypt before their redemption God had a claim to them Therefore Men are not said to be of the Devil but where the visible acting is according to the Devil So in the place quoted already Joh. VIII 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Works of your Father ye will do 1 Joh. III. 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil And in the Text Cain was of that wicked one and slew his Brother So the Pharisees were of the seed of the Serpent Elymas was the Child of the Devil And from hence I lay down this Doctrine That wicked mens wicked actings shew they be of the wicked one See vers 8. Cain had pious education taught to sacrifice His Parents could tell him more of God and the Devil than almost any since He made an outward profession for he brought his Sacrifice to God Yet his works manifested him to be of the wicked one So wicked ones by their wicked actings shew that they belong to the Wicked One. They are of him That is 1. Of his Kingdom and pay a subjection to it 2. Of his Spirit 3. Of his Acting And this brings us to the next particular Viz. II. To consider Cain with relation to his action He slew his Brother He was of that wicked one and slew his Brother Here we may observe three things obiter by the way First That malice and murther is justly referred to the first Murtherer As Joh. VIII 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do he was a murtherer from the beginning Ye would murther me because
himself to be a jealous God visiting the sins of Idolaters II. A second passage is that about the battel at Gibeah Judg. XX. concerning which let us first take up the words of Deborah Chap. V. 8. For though the history of that war is set many Chapters after the story of Deborah yet was it a great while before her as might be shewed by many evidences if I would stand upon it They chose new gods saith she then was war in the gates Was there a sheild or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel No sooner Idolatry but vengeance no sooner new gods but war in the gates and war with a witness that destroyed forty thousand of Israel and above twenty thousand of Benjamin She speaks but of forty thousand that perished as if no sheild or spear had been among them all whereas in all there fell sixty five thousand But she hints the sad slaughter of Israel which was sent by God and encouraged by him to go against Benjamin and yet when they went to battel they fell forty thousand Strange to be sent by God and yet miscarry to be encouraged by God and yet fall Oh they had chosen new gods and thence this miscarriage The Tribe of Dan had set up Idolatry and all Israel quiet and stir not against it and so become partakers of it But when a Whore hath some unhansom and hard usage at Gibeah then all Israel is suddenly up in arms to revenge her quarrel Zeal for a Whore to revenge her quarrel against Gibeah but not zeal for the Lord to revenge his quarrel against Idolatry And therefore God takes the cause into his own hand and shews himself a jealous God against Idolatry and caused forty thousand to fall in battel though he had sent and encouraged them to it III. A third passage let be that which yet comes more near the Text nay seems not only to come up to it but to go beyond it and that is Exod. XXXII 34. where after the sin of the golden Calf and the Levites slaying three thousand men yet God still hath some anger in store for that sin and saith Nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them When The Jews say That in every scourge and judgment that came upon them there was a remembrance and a lash for the golden Calf And S. Stephen speaks no less or more in Act. VII 41 42. They made a Calf in those days and offered sacrifice unto the Idol c. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of Heaven c. This speaks God a jealous God against Idolatry and seems to speak that he visits the sins of the Fathers upon the children beyond the third and fourth generation succeeding To which thing we shall speak in course in handling of the words To which now we are come II. Then visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children c. All the question and scruple about the thing is Quo jure Where is Gods justice in this to visit the sins of him that sinned upon him that sinneth not sins of the fathers upon the children who probably were never witting or assenting to the Fathers sin It is Gods strict commandment to men Deut. XXIV 16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers but every man shall be put to death for his own sin And doth not he go contrary to that rule himself when he visits the sins of the fathers upon the children And it is his proclaiming again Ezek. XVIII 4. Behold all souls are mine as the soul of the father so also the soul of the son is mine the soul that sinneth it shall dye And doth he not warp from that assertion when children are punished for the sins of their Fathers That God should impute the sin of Adam to all his posterity hath been cavilled at in antient times by some Hereticks and in these later some are not well satisfied about the matter and cannot or will not see how God is just in it Visiting sins unto the third and fourth generation sounds something harsh this far more visiting the sin of the first Father upon all generations Shall he condemn millions of millions for the fault they never committed charge upon them the crime they never consented to I shall not stay my discourse upon this The answer is ready in Adam was all mankind in his Covenant was enwrapped all humane nature and the violation of that Covenant was the sin and guilt of whole humane nature But we shall speak to other kind of examples that come nearer to the sense of the words before us And these are of two sorts viz. in reference to the body or outward condition or to the soul or inward First Was not that hard measure as you may think that when Corah Dathan and Abiram the Parents only had sinned that not only they should go down quick into the pit but their houses also and all that appertained to them Numb XVI 32. The like that when Achan only was in the transgression that his sons and daughters and his very cattel should be put to death as well as he Josh. VII 24. Secondly Seems it not hard measure that when that generation at the building of Babel had only sinned against God in that design for setting up Idolatry that not only they should be given up to Idolatry and blindness but the Heathen their posterity to scores of generations The like that when that generation only had sinned in murthering Christ not only they should bear the guilt of his blood but their posterity through so many ages For the unfolding of Gods dealings in these things particularly let me first move this general consideration What care Parents had need to take that they sin not so as to leave sin and guilt and a curse upon their children and posterity Among their cares to leave them well as the word in the world goes i. e. rich to be sure to take this care that while they leave them well they leave them not ill Sin not for thy childrens sake that they smart not for thy faults when thou art gone I mention two sins particularly that may draw misery and entail a curse upon the posterity cursing their children and unconscionably scraping a cursed estate together to leave to their children Now to assert the Justice of God in this case of visiting the iniquity of the fathers c. either for these sins or others whereas it seems a wrong to the children Consider these things I. It is most just with God to punish wicked men in their dearest delights that judgment may come home to them to the quick to take away the delight of their Eyes and Heart that punishment may make them smart in the tenderest part And when Parents are so fond of that part of themselves their children that they will venture soul and body
added another end as the Sabbath was given to his peculiar people given at Sinai with all these ends and this more viz. To distinguish the Jews from all others for Gods own people See Deut. V. 15. And remember that thou wast a Servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day And so in Exod. XXIII 12. And the Sabbath is reckoned with the Jewish Festivals Col. II. 16. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath days They were distinguished by Times from all other people But how is this Sabbath distinctive I answer 1. None in the world kept the like resting day Therefore the Jews were scoffed at by other Nations as Idle and taken advantage of on that day 2. They kept this Rest as a redeemed people Deut. V. How had they toyled in Egypt and had not the liberty of a Sabbath Now on the contrary when they were delivered out of Egypt they kept the Sabbath as a signification of their rest from their labours there And now look on the Sabbath in its Moral Commemorative Evangelical Typical and Ceremonial End Look on it in its Royal Dress with what possible it can put on as Queen Esther was drest and then view its beauty First in its Antiquity It was from the beginning as it is said of the word of God 1 Joh. I. 1. Ask after the antient paths and the Sabbath will be found to be one of them This is not of the Law but of the Fathers It is the first born of Ordinances and hath a double portion of honour due to it It was the first day of comfort in the world after Adam was adjudged to toyl and misery The Jews say of it that it is a Mediator The Consideration of these Ends of the Sabbath may serve to assoyl that controversie about the Antiquity of its Institution viz. Whether its institution was not before the giving of the Law In the Dispute about the Sabbath afoot in England some years ago there were some went so high shall I say or so low as to maintain that our Sabbath was not of Divine Institution but Ecclesiastical only not ordained by God but the Church And to make good this assertion they would perswade you that there was no Sabbath instituted before the giving of the Law None from the beginning but that the world was two thousand five hundred and thirteen years without a Sabbath for so long it was from the Creation to Israels going out of Egypt and that then and not before was the Law for the Sabbath given Then I pray why should Moses speak of Gods sanctifying the Sabbath when he is speaking of the first week of the world if he meant not that the seventh day of that week was sanctified And what sense were it to read the Command thus For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. and rested the seventh day therefore two thousand five hundred and thirteen years after he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it But read it as it lies before you He rested the seventh day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it and must it not needs mean he blessed that seventh day that he rested and sanctified it and so the seventh successively in following generations But you may observe in Moses that the Sabbath is given upon two reasons or accounts here because God rested but in Deut. V. 15. because God delivered them out of Egypt Thou O Israel thou must keep the Sabbath day in remembrance of thy deliverance out of Egypt but withall he bids them Remember to keep the Sabbath in memory of Gods resting Therefore certainly the Sabbath was kept in remembrance of that before it was given to Israel to keep in memory of the deliverance out of Egypt I said Adam should have kept the Sabbath had he continued in innocency then certainly he had more need of a Sabbath for the benefit of his Soul when he was become a sinner And those four Ends of the Sabbath already mentioned were also ends of the Sabbath to him as well as to us The beauty then of the Sabbath consists First in its Antiquity Secondly In the Universality of its reception throughout of all ages One generation left it to another from Father to Son And it is known to all Churches Thirdly The Bravery of its institution It had Gods example God hallowed blessed drest it nobly but his example is an addition without parallel Fourthly The nobleness of its nature 1. In it there was some of every part of the Law It was Moral Typical Ceremonial As there is something of man in all the Creatures so there is something in the Sabbath of all the Law 2. By it is the propagation of Religion See Es. LXVI 23. And it shall come to pass that from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. As Psal. XIX 2. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge So from Sabbath to Sabbath God is spoken of and knowledge of divine things revealed This was the Market-day that still furnished the Jews with what was needful for their spiritual food and sustenance All marketing was forbidden on it Neh. XIII 15 c. because a greater market was to be minded So Manna was not rained on that day because better things were rained 3. By it came benefit to man and beast It gave them rest from labour and renewed their strength Fifthly Its Durableness Exod. XXXI 16 17. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant It is a sign between me and the Children of Israel for ever It reacheth as the Cherubins wings from one end of the World unto the other Hence also we may see what little difference there is twixt our Sabbath and the first Sabbath of the world Both commemorate the Creation both the Redemption but only that ours is removed one day forward the Sabbath of old on the seventh day of the week ours on the first Much dispute hath been about this change into which I will not ravel only observe these things in reference to this that it is changed to the day of Christs Resurrection I. As great a Change as this do we not read in the Old Testament viz. the change of the beginning of the year from September to March Exod. XII The year had a natural interest to begin in September because then the world the year and time began and yet when God wrought for Israel an extraordinary work in redeeming them from Egypt a figure of our redemption by Christ he thought good to change the year from that time that naturally
Earth with the everlastingness of God makes them as of no lastingness at all Psal. CII 26 27. They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end 2. The longest life compared with the Saints in Glory is as nothing 2 Cor. V. 1. This Tabernacle always dissolving what is it to an Eternal building in the Heaven Here we have none abiding City saith the Apostle but he saith again 1 Thess. IV. 17. that we shall be ever with the Lord. Here our life is but a vapour Jam. IV. as a Sleep Psal. XC as nothing but there we shall live as long as the Lord himself shall live 3. The longest life compared with the long lives that some have lived to wit the Patriarchs before the flood is but of very few days and but as an inch to an ell And so Jacob compares his life Gen. XLVII 9. Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been That is few and full of misery have they been Jacob was of a very fair age an hundred and thirty years old and so old a Man as it is likely Pharaoh had never seen so aged and venerable a head and therefore you find him asking him but that one question How old art thou And yet in Jacob's computation his age was but short in comparison of his Fathers that had gone before him his hundred and thirty compared with Adam's nine hundred and thirty or Methuselah's nine hundred sixty nine So that we are not to judge of long life so comparatively but simply and to measure it by the common stint of Nature that God hath set Which Moses holds out to us Psal. XC 10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years c. And so length of life is to be understood that that reacheth up to that stint and limit of nature So that though seventy or eighty years be but a short time in comparison of the Eternity of God and of Heaven and in comparison of the ages heretofore yet it is a long life because it reacheth up to the utmost on Natures allowance And it is a long time if we consider humane frailty that a poor piece of clay a Man as brittle as glass as unstable as water as fading and fleeting as a blast or shaddow a poor thing that carries death in its principle and walks in danger of death every moment should come up to seventy or eighty years and the pitcher and glass not broken It is a long time for that which is frailty it self to hold so from breaking So that though comparatively to come up to the full stint of Nature be but a short life yet simply considered it is a long time for so brittle a thing to hold out A long time for an ungodly Man to be provoking of God all along and a long time for a godly man to be from home in this sinful world and not got to Heaven But if long life be so frequent in the mouth of God as a promise of a blessing How was it that God shortned mens lives when they were at a fair length I have formerly observed to you that lives were shortned at the Flood and brought from a thousand years almost to about five hundred or not so much Shortned again at the building of Babel and cut from about five hundred to two hundred or little more And when God gives the Ten Commandments at Sinai and this promise in this Commandment he was to shorten lives again which he did within a year and an half or thereabout after he had given this promise at Sinai Now if long life were such a promise such a blessing why did he not suffer lives to stand at their first stint or at that length that those lived before the flood Let us a little consider the length of those first lives and then the shortning of them Some ascribe the length of them to natural causes as that then their bodies were more big strong and vigourous than men are now and that the Elements were then more pure and uncorrupted than they became after and that their diet was more moderate wholesome and nourishing Which if it were so though some question may be made of it yet certainly there was something more concurrent to the prolongation of their lives to that long extent than merely natural causes Their Diet indeed was changed after the flood from eating herbs and fruits of the ground to a liberty to eat flesh and to that referr the words of Lamech upon the naming of his Son Noah Gen. V. 29. And he called his Name Noah saying this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed That is he shall be a comfort to the world in that liberty to eat flesh that shall be granted to him which will be a great ease from the toil and tugging used before to get all the provision they used by toyling in the ground But were the Elements changed after the flood as well as their Diet was changed First We might ascribe the length of their lives something to the promise of life through Christ that was given to Adam And the nearer they were to the giving of the promise the more might we conceive they received bodily vigor from the promise for temporal life as well as spiritual life and vigor of soul to life eternal What was that that made Israel to multiply and to be so fruitful in Egypt even when they were overtoiled and worn out with labour St. Stephen tells you Act. VII 17. that is was the strength of the promise When the time of the promise drew nigh which God had sworn to Abraham the people grew and multiplied in Egypt This it was and not the strength of nature that made the men though over spent with hard toil and labour yet to be vigorous for generation And this was it that made the Hebrew Woman so lively and quick in time of travail and delivery incomparably beyond the Woman of Egypt as the Midwives do relate of them to Pharaoh Exod. I. 19. For that was not a lye of the Midwives as divers Expositors will tell you it was but it was a true relation of them observing the wonderful hand of God in such a strange matter But Secondly We are to consider that in that minority of the world God spared men to very long lives for propagation sake and the peopling of the world And this methinks is hinted in that constant expression Gen. V. and XI and begat Sons and Daughters It might be some Question whether the holy and prophane before the flood and after had their lives lengthned alike Seth the Son of Adam a holy Man lived nine hundred and twelve
they would argue from this reason God finished creating in Principio in the beginning therefore he creates not a Soul now I answer He finished creating genere specierum the kinds of all species but not Species generum the Species of all kinds When he brought Frogs and Lice on Egypt it was a creation of the things but the kind was created from the beginning The same must be said of Souls Let Christs Soul be the instance Was the Soul of the Messias created at the beginning If so what did it all the while till it was united to the Body Where was it What did it Was Christs Soul ever not acting for the good of his people As soon as ever it was put into the Body it began the work of Redemption viz. Christ there sanctifying our Nature by the Union of the humane nature to the Divine His Soul is now in Heaven in the work of mediation for his people It is hard to think that his Soul should be almost four thousand years in being and doing nothing for mens Salvation And we cannot call Christ Christ till he be compleated in our nature Soul and Body So that Christs Soul as ours was infused by immediate Creation in the Body which Body was prepared in the womb for the receiving of it So that though he was not like to us in regard of his begetting in the womb yet he was like in the Union of his Soul to his Body there For II. Christ had a Soul like ours in all things sin excepted It is a question Whether all Souls are equal There is some colour for it Psal. XXXIII 15. Hesashioneth their hearts alike And thence some argue the equality of Souls But I answer 1. That place may be taken thus That God alike is the Creator of all Souls rich and poor wise and foolish 2. It is undoubted all Souls are alike in regard of the ' Essentials of Souls they are all intellectual Spiritual immortal and in regard of their Essential faculties Whether they are alike as to the use and excellency of those faculties I shall not dispute Doubtless Christs Soul was the most excellent and yet like ours in all things that simply relate to the Essence of Souls or the humane nature I need not speak of the Essentials of a Soul he had the Infirmities of a humane Soul viz. those that in themselves are sinless I might so apply that Matth. VIII 17. Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses He was subject to grief in Soul Matth. XXVI 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful To fear Heb. V. 7. In that he feared Joh. XI 33. He groned in spirit and was troubled These are natural infirmities or affections to humane Souls Adam might have had these in innocency if occasion offered The Apostle makes comfortable use of this likeness of Christs Soul to ours Heb. IV. 15. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin And so may a Christian in sadness fear hunger persecution he may refuge to a High Priest that himself was sensible what these things were Non ignara mali c. Oh! what access hath God given to sinners Not only to one in their own nature but that partook of the very infirmities of nature Except sin Name but one that he had not A poor man dying assaulted with Satan fearing pains How comfortably may he refuge to Christ who by experience knew all these III. He was like other Souls in the manner of his departure out of the body and going to another World And this I shall speak to in three Particulars I. Although the reason of Christs death was different from the reason of the death of all other men yet the nature and definition of Christs death agrees withal Though the conception and birth of Christ was different from all others yet the nature of his death was not different the manner of dying indeed differed That in Heb. IX penult reacht Christ as well as others it was appointed for him to dye though upon a far different reason from what other men dye It is worth observing that Christs death was published and pronounced of before the death of Adam was denounced against him In Gen. III. 15. the death of Christ is mentioned in vers 19. the Death of Adam Which speaks that Christ died not of the Plague of mortality of which Adam and all his posterity dye but that his death was upon another kind of account Though Christ the second Adam was incomparably above the first in his innocence in regard of the Perfection of his nature and Person yet in regard of the certainty of Death as I may say he was beneath him For the excellency of his nature so far beyond him that whereas Adam was without sin Christ was without possibility of sinning But for certainty of dying so far otherwise that whereas Adam might not have dyed Christ could not but dye Socinians say Adam was created mortal because he was in a possibility to dye and because he died whereas indeed actually he was created immortal not as yet having any seeds or principles of mortality in his nature sin not being yet come there Christ was so much more without principles of mortality in him as that whereas Adam was sinless He could not sin and yet as I may say he had the principles of dying in him but not so much in his body as mind not in any failing of nature but in the holy bent of his own Will Death was not to him the wages of sin as it is to others nor to end sinning as it is to others but from clear contrary principles viz. Love to Man and Obedience to God The Death of Adam and of all other Men proceeded from disobedience the Death of Christ only from obedience The Death of Adam because he loved not himself nor his seed the death of Christ because he loved his people more than himself So that as to the reason of the death of Christ Jordan was driven back the stream ran a clean contrary way to the reason why other men dye and yet as to the nature and definition of his dying it agreed with the nature of the dying of other men For II. Define death What is it It is the separation of Soul from Body Mortal thou must once find this definition to be most true The Soul that that inliveneth the Body that gives it freshness of colour warmth life and motion when the Soul is departed all these are gone and the Body dead Here is the difference twixt death and a swoon or trance God shewed in Enoch and Elias what he would have done if man had continued innocent viz. Have translated Body and Soul to glory But when sin came in death came in and Soul and Body must be parted the Body to corruption the Soul into the World of
Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin the meaning of these words as written in Belshazzers Dining Room 1194 1195 Mercy of God oft wrested by Men to their own destruction p. 1275. Monuments of mercy were never set up in Scripture to be encouragements for Presumption 1276 Messias divers Names of him produced by the Talmudists p. 167. The Epoche of the Messias is stated from the Resurrection of Christ. p. 180. His coming was predicted by the Quarrels of the Jews p. 181. He was acknowledged for the Son of God by the Jews though not by Nature but by Adoption p. 269 270. Messias who was God-Manâ— considered as he was a Servant and Messenger of the Father and received his Abilities of doing Miracles and of knowledge of Evangelick Misteries and of other things before hand from the anointing of the Spirit p. 251 252. Messias supposed by the ancient Jewish Rabbins to be begot without carnal copulation by the Spirit p. 385 386. The Jews expected their Messias to come when Christ did appear p. 468 1289. They also expected that when the Messias came he would lead them into the Garden of Eden where they should enjoy all manner of worldly Pleasures in the highest degree p. 552. At his coming the World was to be renewed p. 220. Messias or Christ and the Son of God are convertible Terms against the Jews p. 385 548 549. The Fathers of the Sanhedrim had in all likelyhood a strong suspition if not a knowledge that Jesus was the Messias p. 583 584. The Jews expected when he came to enjoy great worldly deliverances and blessings p. 598. What the Jews apprehended of his Temporal Reign was in some things plain in others obscure p. 636. Messias not acknowledged by the Jews to be the genuine Son of God p. 690. The Resurrection of the Messias pointed at in the second Psalm p. 690 691. David put for the Messias p. 691. What appearances and effects the Jews looked for in the Messias which they found not in our Saviour Christ. p. 1110. It was the opinion of the Jews That the Messias should reign a thousand years p. 1171. The Messias say the Jews was not to redeem from sin but from Captivity and Enemies p. 1275. He was say they to have an earthly pompous flourishing Kingdom Page 1275 Messopotamia and her Consorts or Companions what p. 663. And what Country it is 665 Micra a Treatise of the Rabbins containing the Text of the Bible it self its Reading and Literal Explication 422 Midrash a Treatise of the Rabbins containing the Mystical and Allegorical Explication of the Scriptures 422 423 Migdal Elder was a Tower situate near Jerusalem on the South-side 306 Mile a Talmudick mile was seven furlongs and an half 319 581 Millenaries or Fifth Monarchists their dangerous mistake of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelations refuted 1056 1057 Millo in Jerusalem what 24 25 Mind of Man put for the understanding also the bent and inclination of the Soul 1286 Mines of Iron and Brass were in several places in the Land of Israel 88 Ministry the Priests and Levites were the setled Ministry of the Church of Israel they always lived upon Tithes when they studied in the Universities preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service 86 Ministers there were many Ministers in the Apostles days belonging to every Church with the reason of it 1156 1157 Minstrels among the Jews were used at Burials 172 173 Miracles many done in one day by Christ. p. 174. Miracles could not drive the Jews from their Traditions p. 345. Mear Miracles or Signs were never wrought by our Saviour 1104 Mirth or Joy wicked in a strange instance in the Gunpouder-Trayâ—ors 1184 Mishneh a Treatise of the Rabbins containing the Doctrin of Traditions and their Explications 422 Missaar or Mizaar a hill mentioned in the Psalms where situate 501 Mite what sort of mony 350 Moloch represented the Sun and why It was an Image of Brass having the Face of a Calf c. 672 Moment of time what out of the Jewish Doctors 405 Monarehy the Fifth Monarchy is not the Kingdom of Christ but was the Kingdom of the Devil 1166 Mony the Streets of Jerusalem were swept every day and mony found there in the time of Feasts was all Tenths or Tiths p. 303. So also what was found at any time p. 303. Mony of Silver and Gold both Roman and Jewish with their value and stamps what 349 Money Changers what from the Talmud and Maimonides p. 224 225. What they were and why our Saviour overthrew their Tables in the Temple 1204 Monster in a Child with two Bodies from the Navel upward it acted as two Children 373 Mortal Adam was not created mortal against the Socinians 1353. Moses fasted forty days three times over one after another p. 405. Part of his History p. 670. Why God fought to kill him as we read Exod. 4. 24. Page 1066 Mothers Family among the Jews is not to be called a Family 99 Mount Gilead what And whether not the Hill Gaash 373 374 Mount Hor called Amanah in the Jewish Writers 62 Mount Macvar Macherus is derived from it what 81 Mount Olivet the Mount of Olives in the Rabbins commonly the Mount of Oyl whence the Name and what was done there p. 39 c. It had shops in it 305 Mount of Simeon what 51 Mount Tabor what and where situate 495 c. Mount Zebim was within the Land 51 Mountain of the Amorrbites what 12 Mountain of Snow with some the same with Hermon 62 Mountanous Country what 12 Mourners for the dead how the Jews used to comfort them both in the way and at home 323 581 582 Mourning what Mourning was used for the dead also what Feasting and company p. 173. The third day of mourning was an high day 583 Mulcts for Corporal wrongs were several 151 152 Murder was so common among the Jews that the beheading of an Heiser commanded Deut. 21. was left off by order of the Sanhedrim for fear of the Murderers 1111 Musicians in the Temple what sort of Men 373 Musick used at Burials what 172 173 Mustard stalk or Tree exceeding large 195 Mutterings a sort of Enchantments used by the Jews c. 243 N. NAIM near Tabor what p. 369 c. Naim in Josephus and the Rabbins what p. 370. The same with Engannim Page 370 371 Names were given Children at their Circumcision so at the institution of Circumcision God changed the Names of Abraham and Sarah p. 387. It was chiefly for the honour of some Person whom the Parents esteemed that they gave their Son his Name seldom was the Son called by the Name of the Father p. 387. It was common in the Jewish Nation for Men to have two Names one a Jewish Name used among the Jews another a Gentile Name used among the Heathen 739 Nature of Man desperately corrupted 1308 1309 Naveh what place and by whom inhabited 515 Nazarene Christ was so called to hint his separation and estrangment
to have been among the Jews illustrated by examples p. 806 807. They translated the Old Testament so as to favour the Manners Traditions Ordinances and State of the Jewish Nation p. 806 807. It s not an accurate pure Version even the Jews being Judges p. 807 808. Objections answered p. 808 809. Whence not the Greek Version but the Hebrew Text was read in the Synagogues of the Helenists p. 808. By what Authors and Councils it might probably be that the Greek Version came forth which obtains under the Name of the Seventy performed with more craft than Conscience why therefore did the Apostles and Evangelists use it 809 to 811 Sheaf first Fruit Sheaf where and how reaped p. 38 52. When to be offered p. 184. The manner of reaping it 618 619 Sheep Gate or Probatica was not near the Temple contrary to the Jewish opinion 507 Shekel of what parts and value it was p. 343 1204. The reason of the Gift of half a Shekel as used in the Temple p. 1204 1205. Why the half Shekel was to be paid at the age of twenty years and not before 1206 Shepherd Christ a great Shepherd described 573 574 Shezor a Town in upper Galilee Page 77 Shibin not far from Zippor 76 Shoos and Sandals not the same against Beza and Erasmus 178 Shops or Tabernae where things were sold for the Temple where situate 512 Shosbenuth or Shosbenim what 527 Sichem why called Sycbar 506 Signs are for a fit generation p. 191. Meer Signs or Miracles were never wrought by our Saviour p. 1104 Signs of the Heaven and Air and of the coming of the Messiah what p. 203. Signs of Christs coming what from the Doctrine of the Jews 240 241 Siloam a sweet and large Fountain where situate and which way it empâ—led it self p. 25 26 508 509. Silâ—am taken for part of Jerusalem 441 Simon Magus who he gave out himself to be and what the Samaritans accounted him 676 677 Sin is not to be remitted after death p. 190. How a Man may know whether it be pardoned to him p. 1071 1072. Deadly Sin what it is p. 1093 1094 c. Sin is the more desperately deadly by how much it is the more desperately wilful p. 1098. Sin of the Devil what it was p. 1098. Sin against the Holy Ghost why more grievous than that against the Son p. 1130. Believers punished for Sin against the opinion of the Antinominians p. 1226. God stints the time of Mens rising from the Death of Sin which slipped is not to be retrieved p. 1238 1239. Sin unto death and Sin against the Holy Ghost how distinguished p. 1253. Sin of the Devils wretched being beyond pardon p. 1305. God's letting Men go on uninterrupted in their Sin is the greatest punishment they can have here p. 1310 1311. What to think of Saints dying with some Sin unrepented of 1343 1344 Sindon was a Cloak made with Linnin and hung with Fringes 354 355 Singing of Psalms was one part of Prophesie p. 785. See Psalms Singular and Disciple what They are Terms sometimes confounded and sometimes distinguished 433 Sinners there is nothing more desirable to God Christ and Angels than the repentance of a Sinner p. 1269. What it is that moves God Christ and Angels to desire this 1270 Sins of wicked Men are set down in Scripture that we may avoid them 1306 Sion was the upper City on the North part of Jerusalem p. 22 23 24. After the return from Babilon it was constantly called the upper Town 23 Sippor or Zippor a City encompassed with a Land flowing with Milk and Hony noted for warlike affairs an University many Synagogues and many famous Doctors 74 75 Sirbon a Lake like that of Sodon 9 Sitting after the days of Rabban Gamaliel was the posture of Learning 396 Sitting at Table what the manner among the Jews 595 596 Slaughter or Cruelty prodigious in the East Indies 1295 Sleep put for Death used hundreds of times among the Talmudists 174 Smelling judging by Smelling supposed by the Jews to be one qualification of the Messiah for want of which Ben-Cozibah was destroyed by the Jews 543 Socoh in Jos. 25. 35. what 51 Socinianism and Quakarism are great Heresies 1280 1281 Solomons Porch what and where 511 512 1034 Son what the Son is bound to do for the Father 200 Son of Abraham by Faith and Nature what 467 Son of David a common term in the New Testament and Talmudick Writings for the true Messias 96 97 Son of God the Messiah acknowledged to be the Son of God by the Jews though not by Nature but by Adoptlon p. 269 270. He is put for the Messias frequently p. 351. Son of God and Messiah or Christ are convertible terms against the Jews Page 385 548 549 Son the word Son is to be added to every Race in Christ's Genealogy 400 Son of Man why this term is attributed to Christ. p. 204. The Son coming in Glory and in the Clouds signifie only Christs taking vengeance on the Jewish Nation 265 Sons of the envious Woman what 52 Sonship or Adoption as referring to God how understood by the Jews 521 533 Sorceresses Women of Israel were generally Sorceresses 244 Sorrows of the Messiah what 351 Soul the Soul is imprisoned and restrained in its actings whilst it is in the Body p. 1092. How the Soul contemplates God p. 1116. Soul put for Life and Person p. 1204 1205. Soul of Man not the Body bears the Image and Resemblance of God and how p. 1284 1285. Whether the Souls of Men are alike p. 1285. The Soul of Lazarus was in Heaven those four days he was dead p. 1352. Where was the Soul of Christ when separate from the body p. 1344. His Soul was like the Souls of other Men in its infusion existence and acting in the Body 1352 Souls of the Jews disposed of by the Jewish Schools under a threefold phrase or state p. 455. The Transmigration or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also the Pre-existence of Souls what p. 569. How to judge of the true quality and worth of Souls p. 1212 1213. Spectra or Apparitions of the Souls of Men believed by the Jews p. 483 1283. Souls of other Men should be dear to us as well as our own p. 1297 1298 1299. Souls of Men in a better state than Devils and whether all Souls be in a savable condition p. 1302. The Pre-existence of Souls some hold it p. 1352. Whether all Souls are equal p. 1353. What doth a Soul instantly after it hath left the Body p. 1354. The Soul doth neither sleep nor dye when out of the Body p. 1355. Souls in the other World are fixed in their place and condition 1355 South Country used for Judea 13 Spain and France what places the Jews understood for them 368 Speaking among the Jews used to be with all possible shortness especially where the thing was plain p. 668. Speaking with Tongues what is meant by it 1157 Spectra or the Apparitions