good Tongue as taketh all opportunities both to glorifie God and to edifie men is a Mans great glory As an Evil Tongue belching out nothing but bad is a filthy shame As the Ear by the Creation was Janua vitae the gate of life but now by corruption through the fall 't is a bolted door to that which is good yet an open portal to that which is evil Whereby it is become a two-leaved gate to let in Death and Destruction Evil communications do corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 Such unsavory speeches as are spoken with an evil Tongue and are heard with as evil an Ear do both corrupt the Manners and kill the Mind of Man So the Tongue by Creation was a wholesome Tongue Prov. 15.4 having an healing property in it by speaking a pure Language Zeph. 3.9 and such as was both pretious and profitable it was then a Tree of life Prov. 15.4 like that Tree which would have given life and immortality to Adam and which stood in the midst of the Paradise of God as the Tongue is placed and planted in the midst of the mouth The Tongue was then as choice refined Silver Prov. 10.20 having an excellent ring or sound scattering Pearls Matth. 7.6 throwing abroad treasure Matth. 12.35 even Apples of Gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 having a lip of Excellency to attend it Prov. 17.7 which feedeth many Prov. 10.21 using knowledge aright Prov. 15.2 Hebr. dealing kindly with it that is offering no abuse to it by venting it unseasonably or causing it to be vended over-cheap and little esteemed and dispersing it abroad as a blessing to many Prov. 15.7 speaking every where of wisdom and of judgment Psal 37.30 All this excellency had the Tongue by the first Creation and has restored it by Re-creation or Regeneration But now through Mans Degeneration in the fall the Holy Spirit hath branded the Tongue with many black brands and Characters calling it a false Tongue Psal 120.3 a naughty Tongue Prov. 17.4 a perverse Tongue Prov. 17.20 a froward Tongue Prov. 10.31 a flattering Tongue Psal 5.9 a deceitful Tongue Psal 52.4 Micah 6.12 Zeph. 3.13 a lying Tongue Psal 109.2 Prov. 6.17 12.19 26.28 yea a biting as well as a back-biting Tongue Psal 52.4 15.3 Prov. 25.23 The Tongue bites as well as back-bites it speaks devouring words and the Tongue oft bites worse than the Teeth as Sphinx Philosoph sheweth pag. 192. and this Lashon Hebr. for Tongue doth not only lash on as a scourge Job 5.21 for Tongue-smiting Jerem. 18.18 is as smart as any hand-smiting but slash on also and draws blood Ezek. 22.9 Backbiting is not only Back-beating but also 't is flesh-slashing therefore the Tongue made in the form of a two-edged Sword is likewise call'd a sharp Razor Psal 52.2 that instead of shaving the Hair launcheth the flesh instead of trimming the Beard cutteth the Throat Such were the lashes of Doegs lewd Tongue 'T is well said that Man hath two Ears and but one Tongue to signifie that he must be swift to hear but slow to speak Jam. 1.19 We read oft he that hath an ear to hear let him hear but never he that hath a Tongue to speak let him speak for we can do that fast enough without bidding and 't is well said that before the Fall Man had but one Tongue because his Heart and his Tongue were then compleat or Relatives that is the yea and nay of the Tongue were the yea and nay of the Heart c. but now by the Fall Man is become double-tongu'd 1 Tim. 3.8 Man hath Os Bilingue Prov. 8.13 Vulg. Latin a tongue and a tongue He hath an Heart and an Heart so the Hebr. Psal 12.2 One Heart in the Mouth and another in the Belly for he can speak one thing and think another as Joab did to Abner and Amasa in his killing kisses or he can turn his tale and tune his Fiddle to the Base even of the basest times saying one thing at one time and another thing at another Thus Man in the faln estate is become Bilinguis two-tongued and not only so but that Doeg aforesaid as the Devil made him was Trilinguis Three-tongued The Chaldee Paraphrase calls a Back-biter the Man with three Tongues however Doegs Tongue had three stings which killed three at once with his lying report though there was truth in it For 1. It killed the Priests Bodies of whom he reported 2. Sauls Soul to whom he reporte And 3. himself his own both Body and Soul who was that wicked Reporter Well therefore might David call Doegs Tongue not only a sharp Razor as before and a Tuck or Rapier a most Murthering and dangerous weapon Hebr. Psal 42.10 but also a three-forked Engine that could thus destroy three at once Evil words therefore are not wind as most imagine but they are the Devils drivel that leaves a foul stain upon the Speaker and oft the like upon the Hearer yea and sometimes prove cutting and killing words to those concerning whom they are spoken and heard a tale-bearer hath the Devil in his Tongue a tale-hearer hath the Devil in his Ear. Let us take up a lamentation and mourn over this stately burnt Temple as they did Ezr. 3.12 In respect of the tongue which before was Mans glory but now is become his shame 't is now an unruly evil full of deadly poison even a world of iniquity Jam. 3.6 8. 't is not there call'd a City of Iniquity or a Countrey of Iniquity but a whole world of Iniquity It defiles the whole Body as Miriams Tongue in talking against Moses did defile her whole Body with Leprosie It sets on fire the whole course of nature and it self is set on fire of Hell But alas that Tongue which is set on fire of Hell here in this world shall be also set on fire in Hell hereafter in the other world as the Rich Gluttons Tongue was when he begged for a drop of water to cool it Luk. 16.24 The Tongue is untameable as the Apostle James there declareth All Savage and Venemous beasts have been tamed but this Beastly Tongue the taming whereof is far more needful could never be tamed Nec vult Panthera domari this wild Panther will not be tamed There is no man can tame it yet Christ can and doth when he who makes all things new Revel 21.5 makes the Heart Tongue and Life new and when the strong door of Grace is super-added to that double door of Nature to bar it in This unruly Member the God of Nature hath shut up within a double door the one of flesh that is the lips the other of Bones to wit the Teeth And seeing in the depraved estate it most unrulily breaks through this double door upon small provocation the God of all grace lays the briddle of grace upon it Psal 32.9 39. 1 Jam. 1.26 3.2 yet so unruly is this evil member that it oft breaks the bridle of
grace as well as the Bolts Bonds and Bounds of Nature as Moses that mild-man by nature and that man of God by Grace spake unadvisedly with his tongue Psal 106.33 And as David when he thought his mouth had been fast muzzled up a fire of passion and impatiency burns within him makes him slip his muzzle break his word and belch out a rash request Psal 39.1 2 3 4. Oh then what great need have the best of men to request of God that he would keep the door of his lips Psal 141.3 not only that it creak not in complaints as doth the door upon Rusty Hinges for want of the oyl of joy and gladness but also to open and shut according to its Creators command never to be shut when silence is sinful and never to be open when speaking is not better than silence The door of the Mouth should be like the gate of Ezekiels Temple it must not be for Man but for Immanuel for Messiah the Prince for him who hath the keys of David to open and shut it according to his will Ezek. 44.2 3. In short as the Clapper of a Bell demonstrates not onely the size of the Bell whether Treble Tenor or Base c. but also the soundness or unsoundness of it by the sound thereof so Mans Tongue discovers the sort of the Mettal and the soundness or unsoundness of the Heart If corrupt communication come out of the mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. rotten or putrid speech Eph. 4.29 those sparks of Hell their stinking breath declareth that they are of the wrong Mettal they are stinking Goats not Christs Sheep 't is a certain rule in Physick when the Excrements of a sick man cometh upward and out of his mouth instead of going downward according to the ordinary course of nature and the party be insensible hereof 't is an infallible Prognostick of approaching death so 't is here when obscene Borborology Black Blasphemy and filthy discourse far worsâ— than any Excrements inasmuch as moral evil is worse than natural proceedeth out of the mouth and the sinful man is insensible of his sin as is the Swearer who swears he doth not Swear even when big bellyed Oaths are belched out by him this is an undeniable evidence that such a man is then in the state of death and already condemned Joh. 3.18 and as the Physicians write Miserere mei Deus upon that desperate Disease of casting up Excrements as aforesaid against Nature so must we say for such Lord have mercy on them their case is dangerous and desperate if God heal them not sure I am Man cannot but on the contrary if a Mans speech be savory and seasoned with the salt of Grace Col. 4.6 as we salt those Meats which are most apt to putrifie 't is a blessed sign of an Heart-changing and Life-changing work Matth. 12.37 Those two Sons in the story that could shoot at their Father when dead were judged Bastards and the Judge would not give them any of their Fathers Goods but the third Son that could not do so unnaturally he judged Legitimate and right Heir to his Fathers All So such as can shoot through the Tremendous Name of God their Father with execrable Oaths and horrible Blasphemies are undoubtedly Bastards and not Sons Such cannot be so continuing the Children of God nor shall have any of their Fathers Goods reserved in Heaven but are unquestionably the Children of the Devil and shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Finally we have a saying a tongue is the best or worst dish in the world sure I am the best thing God sends from Heaven and the worst thing Satan sends from Hell is a tongue The great promise of the old Testament was Christ and the great promise of the new Testament was the Spirit this Spirit God sent down from Heaven in Cloven Tongues Act. 2.3 as the best of Divine Gifts And as the Holy Spirit set the Apostles Tongues on fire with an holy zeal that flame of God Cant. 8.6 so the Devil inflames the tongues of his Vassals with fire from Hell Jam. 3.6 as the worst of his Diabolical plagues because it sets on fire the whole course of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wheel of our Nativity or the whole course of our lives no Age no Estate no Action is freed from the flames of it either in Anger Lust Pride c. This raging tongue-Tongue-fire causeth great confusion and inconveniencies a little fire burns up a whole Wood 't is a good servant but a bad master look well to it our anger is alway sin except when our anger is only against sin As the Asp hath a bladder of poison under her tongue which breaks when he bites so this poison of Asps is under mans tongue Psal 140.3 't is top-full of deadly poison Jam. 3.8 we dare not poison one another yet slander is poison oh for a new heart to cause a new tongue and whereas the tongue which the Devil hath fired with a live-coal from Hells Altar can run all the world over and like a Mad Dog bite at every body oh what need there is that the Seraph who is a burning Angel himself as his name importeth should bring his Retheph or burning Coal to touch our tongues not to burn them but to burn up corruption in them Isa 6.6 7. The Poet saith of his Heathen Jove compescuit ignibus ignes he quenched fire with fire when he slew Phaeton who had set the world on fire with a fiery Thunder-bolt So the true Jehovah quenches the fire of Hell in the tongue which is a world of iniquity and oft sets the world on fire with a live coal from Heaven he plucks it as a brand out of the fire Zech. 3.3 Yea this Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 doth not onely burn up our combustible Corruptions but also enflameth our hearts and tongues with a zeal for Gods glory as the Apostles were all of a light fire as Chrysostom Characterizeth Paul also when the cloven tongues of fire came upon them Act. 2.3 Faith is the Tongs that fetcheth this burning-coal from Heaven to purifie and qualifie our tongues for God and his service Act. â—5 9 then indeed are they made as choice Refined Silver which hath an excellent ring or sound with it Prov. 10.20 If the heart of the wicked be little worth then little worth is their tongue but when the heart of the Godly is renewed their tongues are refined to sing Hallelujahs and to sound out the praises of the God of Israel upon a well-tuned Harp or Hart. Especially 1. If the tongue become a blessed Member of Gods cleaving a cloven tongue Act. 2.4 so cloven and divided as to be able to divide the word aright in a right application 2. If the tongue be touched with a live coal from Gods Altar fetched thence by the Tongs of Faith Isa 6.6 7. this fire from Heaven puts the tongue into tune for God
3. If it be appropriated to the Prince of life and glory as Christ is called so the gate of Ezeâ—â—â—ls Temple was for the Prince Ezek. 44.2 3. A mans Mouth is his gate and his tongue in that gate should neither stir nor sit still but at Christs command there is a time to speak and a time to hold ones peace Eccles 3.7 Christs time of speech and silence is a seasonable and profitable golden time such God-praising tongues are indeed as the tongues of Angels 1 Cor. 13.1 whereas God-blaspheming Tongues are no better than the tongues of Devils those Incarnate Devils have their tongues undoubtedly touch'd with fire from Hell To conclude concerning the Body and its Parts in a word all the Members of Mans Body were the weapons of righteousness before the fall but since they are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons of unrighteousness Rom. 6.13 which phrase imports the Devil to be a King who hath his strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 as well as his Kingdom Matth. 12.26 Sin is his Captaâ—n-General commanding the whole Body Rom. 6.12 he hath his fighting Souldiers under him which war against the Soul 2 Pet. 2.11 and every member of the body becomes a weapon of sin in the hands of those Souldiers Rom. 6.13 Now the throat is an open Sepulchre ready to receive a Mort-morsel in its gaping nature Psal 5.9 which sends out much noisome stench and wherein is oft buryed the good name of their betters when their Tongues as a Rapier hath first run them thorough now the feet are swift to shed blood Rom. 3.5 Isa 59.7 as Pauls were till God stopp'd him in his cursed Career or run into all evil trotting apace and taking long strides towards Hell as if fearing Hell should be full and no room to be for them before they get thither Now the hand is an hand of mischief Psal 26.10 Mans right hand is a right hand of falshood instead of a right hand of fellowship Gal. 2.9 of Faith and Love yea the Heart that principal internal member as 't is primum vivens ultimum moriens the first that liveth and the last that dyeth was before the fall as the Throne of Solomon whereon the King sat and as the Sanctum Sanctorum the holiest place of the Temple wherein God dwelt but now 't is become Satans seat Revel 2.13 he hath filled the Heart from corner to corner Act. 5.3 and he hath filled it with Murther Adultery c. Matth. 15.19 yea with all unrighteousness Rom. 1.29 top-full of vanity and villany So that the heart of the wicked is now little worth Prov. 10.20 as little as may be till purchased by the merit and renewed by the Spirit of Christ 'T was a great Curse Elijah denounced against Ahab that his Ivory Pallace should be turned into a stinking Privy 1 Kin. 22.39 with 21.22 and 2 Kin. 10.27 yet far worse is befaln the Heart of Man which was holy and excellent but now is become a receptacle of all uncleanness See my Hearts Treachery at large While Adam was a wise man in his pure estate his heart was at his right hand he managed his matters discreetly and dextrously he was handy and happy at all his concerns but becoming a fool by his disobedience then his heart falls to his left land Eccles 10.2 this made him and his do all things aukwardly as those that are left handed ever after His Eyes were at first in his head Eccles 2.14 but sinking into his heels he ran away from God when his heart was touched with hell-fire in the fiery darts of the tempter Ebur nitidissimum adhibito igne nigrescit the brightest Ivory if smutched with the fire contracteth a filthy blackness then was the Ivory Pallace of innocent Adam sadly soiled CHAP. IV. Of the Soul of MAN HAving discoursed largely of the excellency of the Body which is but the House Scabbard and Cabinet the Soul is the Guest the Sword the Jewel in the Body I now come to speak of the Souls Excellency 1. in general As the greatest thing in the great world is Man so the greatest thing in the little world Man is the Soul which Jacob calls his honour Gen. 49.6 or glory as the word Chabod signifies The Soul is the glory of a Man not onely as it is the Breath of life and of a more noble nature than other Creatures but also as it is a beam of Eternity an abridgment of the invisible as the Body is of the visible world and as it is a Spirit that had its immediate original from the Father of Spirits Hebr. 12.9 Gen. 2.7 Num. 16.22 and seeing the Soul is a nobler part of Man than is the Body therefore 't is frequent in Scripture Synecdochically to put Soul for Man and Souls for Men Gen. 12.5 14.21 Exod. 1.5 c. The very light of nature hath called it Divinoe particula Aurae a Particle of Divine Breath that the Soul is of a noble nature is one of those Natural principles which Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common notions of the light of Nature like that the whole is greater than the part and like that one and two make three c. Nature dictates those Truths and so likewise that the Soul of Man is an excellent Creature and made for excellent employment insomuch that the Sage Heathen Seneca could say of his Soul Major sum ad majora natus sum quà m ut Corporis mei sim mancipium My Soul is a greater thing and made for greater ends than that it should be a bond-slave to my Body Hereupon Christ refers that great point that a Soul was better than the whole world Matth. 16.26 to their own though carnal Consciences intimating how it was Truth in it self and that if they had the least spark of natural reason left in them they must judge it to be so the bare recital of it was sufficient demonstration how much more doth the light of Grace far clearer than that dim light of nature discover the excellency of the Soul that it is a pretious Jewel which God himself made up and laid up in the curious Cabinet of the Body that at death is resigned up unto God again All Saints learn this lesson from their dying Saviour saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 Our Lord had received his Soul as he was the Son of Man from God and now as a Sacred Depositum or pledge his Father had betrusted him withal he commits and commends it into his Fathers hands again as a most faithful keeper of it who within three days restored it to his Body at his Resurrection The like did David who was Christs Father and figure Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit And this lesson that blessed Proto-Martyr Stephen learnt of his Saviour Act. 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit This was one of the seven Sentences which our Saviour spake upon the Cross and though undoubtedly
both were 1. Immortality God gave them not onely the most noble Life as to the nature of it in as much as the Life Rational of Man is more noble than the Life Vegetative of Plants or the Life Sensitive of Beasts but also most Extensive as to its continuance for had they not Sinned their Souls had never have been separated from their Bodies but they should have lived a most happy life a Thousand years upon Earth according to the opinion of the Antients and then have been translated as Enoch and Elijah were into Heaven this Immortality was onely ex Hypothesi upon supposition of holding their integrity as before and an Immortality a parte post onely as the Schools speak and not a parte Ante also for some things are said to be Immortal 1. Which have a beginning but have no end as the Angels and the Souls of men 2. Some things have no beginning yet shall have an end as the Eternal decrees have their Temporeal accomplishments 3. Something again there is that hath neither beginning nor end and that is God himself of the first sort would their Immortality have been have they stood their Bodies would have been Immortal as well as their Souls 'T was the Vain Philosophers fancy that Men had no beginning but was Eternal a parte Ante as to before which is fully confuted by Moses mentioning Mans creation three times in one Verse Gen. 1.27 2. Wisdom yea such a such a perfection thereof as to know all that was knowable we read of Solomons wisdom even in the state of Corruption how it made him Natures Secretary and wiser than all men 1 Kin. 4.31 c. 10.4 c. yet was it undoubtedly short of Adams wisdom in the state of innocency Though Solomon were wiser than all men in the faln estate yet this makes him not wiser than Adam in the pure estate who then had the perfection of knowledge and wisdom then did he know aright his God his Creatures and himself too he had 1. Natural 2. Acquired 3. Revealed knowledge 1. His knowledge was inbred and concreated with him so 't was Natural to him 2. He Acâ—nired knowledge of God by the Creatures in a way of Causality and eminency he ascended from the effects to the cause till he came at the first cause as if he had been climbing upon Jacobs ladder 3. The Attributes of God and the mystery of the Trinity were revealed to him and nothing of corruption was then either within him or without him to darken his understanding to him as Solomon had Adam wisely understood all simples singulars and universals and could rightly while he was himself Right and upright compound or divide them he could then without any mistake discern good from evil and the just from the unjust to follow the former and to flye the latter The unanswerable argument of his knowledge and wisdom was his giving names to all creatures according to their several Natures as those that understand the Hebrew tongue do understand or at least may do Convenium Rebus nomina saepe suis The names Adam gave them were accommodated to their Natures Gen. 2.20 one part of that Image of God wherein Adam was Created is knowledge Col. 3.10 and this was in the perfection of it so that Tostatus was under a mistake in preferring Solomon before Adam because he is said to be wiser than all men that were before him or after him for that is spoken of the common Generation of men wherein the two Adams must be excepted the first man created in the Image of God and the man Christ Jesus born without sin Adam did certainly know all things but the four things which are not knowable to man to wit 1. The secret Decrees of God which belong not to men Deut. 29.29 Rom. 11.33 who knows the mind of God c. 2. Future contingents as his own fall 3. The thoughts of the minds both of men and of Angels God onely is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Heart-searcher Act. 1.24 our most secret thoughts and intentions which are the creatures of the Heart are naked and open to him onely Heb. 4.13 4. All Individual things of all kinds which are as it were Infinite as suppose how many Stars there are in the Heavens how many Fishes in the Sea how many Fowls in the Air how many Beasts in the field how many Sands upon the Sea-shore known only unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world Act. 15.18 Omnisciency is his Incommunicable Attribute 't is God alone that knoweth all things Joh. 21.17 All these things 3. Holiness and Righteousness which completed the Image of God in Man Eph. 4.24 'T is something over-curious a Criticism having in it more Wit than Grace to say God was the first that made Images in the world in making Man after his own Image but sure I am God was the first that forbad Image-making to wit in the second Commandment 'T was certainly a gross mistake in Oleaster that grand stickler in the Spanish Inquisition to say that God in the Creation took upon him the shape of a Man and thereupon 't is said he made Man in his own Image whereas the truth is This is to make God after Mans Image rather than Man after Gods Image but the Image of God wherein Man was Created was his being made holy and righteous aequè non equaliter as God in quality though not in equality Thus Solomon saith God made Man right and upright Eccles 7.29 he was right in the sight of God 2 Chron. 29.2 his state was well pleasing to God and he was upright before him he was right 1. in his understanding of things as before having the perfection of knowledge and wisdom 2. in his will willing and nilling all that God would have him to will or nill he loved all that God loved and hated all that God hated Revel 2.6 3. his Conscience Memory Affections all had a rectitude or rightness in a word his Holiness and Righteousness God created him in made him both suitable to Gods Nature and Subject to Gods Law which is both a right and a straight Rule Psal 19.8 then there was a Right order in all his Affections no jarring discords which would have made no good musick were then among them but all were placed upon their proper objects needing no reconcilement as now one to another The inferiour parts of the Soul were all subordinate to the superiour The Will was subject to the Judgment or Conscience The Affections to the Will Prov. 16.32 all the outward members to both Rom. 6.13 and the whole man in all parts both inward and outward in subjection to God much more might be added of Internalls 2. The External endowments which God gave our first Parents in their pure state were sundry also As 1. the most perfect Beauty and Comliness of their persons As is the cause so is the effect as is the workman so is
of it for 't is altogether improbable If not impossible That Cain who was a wicked one and of the wicked one 1 Joh. 3.12 Should be a Son of Paradice or be begot in the State of Innocency Adam might have hope of an offspring by Eve after their sin and their Doom for their sin because he had heard both the promise of the Womans Seed and the threatning of a dolorous birth Therefore in this hope he went in unto his Wife which the Holy Tongue all along expresseth by Jadang or knowing her upon this God gave Eve the Blessing of conception and then had she smarting experience both of the Sorrows of conceiving and of pain in bringing forth according to the Divine Doom passed upon her for her sin Gen. 3.16 Yet this pious Mother at the birth of Cain her first-born doth acknowledge Gods goodness for saving her from those Sorrows and Perils of birth and delivering her of a lovely Son such as the World had never seen before and therefore she would consecrate him to God as she had received him from God saying I have got a man from the Lord Gen. 4.1 Although in this the good Woman was greatly deceived by her Sons degenerating into the Devils off-spring As many good parents are and may be deceived in the hopes of their Children yet must they bless God for giving them Children which are blessings in themselves Psal 127.3 and 128.3 4. in opposition to the curse of barrenness Thus Eve acknowledged Gods goodness in giving her Seth Gen. 4.25 whom the Devil in Cain could not compass to kill as he did Abel in whom her expectation was not disappointed as it was in her first-born whom with the consent of her Husband unto whom she was put in Subjection Gen. 3.16 She called Cain which signifies possession herein therefore Eve did not usurp any authority that belong'd not to her but Adam willingly indulg'd her in this common right and gratify'd her in being so grateful to God for the blessing of fruitfulness her saying I have got a man from the Lord though Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepe suo Children are Certain Cares but Uncertain Comforts It is probable that Eve experiencing many molestations in the Education of her offspring and perceiving that Cain was not like a man of the Lord or like to be that man the Lord the Messiah promised call'd her second Son Abel which signifies first Vanity either 1. Because she then understood the Vanity of her own thoughts in mistaking Cain for the promised seed Or 2. Because she was now more sensible of the Vanity of Humane life unto which all were subject in their faln and mortal State Or 3. Because as some say she foresaw that Abel would be Murdered by Cain suddenly subtilly and sinfully so he would be a most memorable Monument of Humane Misery and Vanity Or 4 Our first parents repenting of their sinful fall resolved as others say to devote their first-born Son to the Worship of God which Law was ever after observed till the Tribe of Levi was brought in by Moses Law instead of the first-born Exod. 22.29 Numb 8.15 16 17 18. And their second Son to the Affairs of the World which compared to Gods Worship is but Vanity therefore they call'd his name Abel And the Hebrew word Habel signifies secondly Luctus lamentation because he was the first grand cause of his Parents long Lamentation when he came to be murdered by the hands of that bloody butcher his brother Cain who was so far from being the Angel of the Lord or the Lord and Messiah that he was rather the Messenger and first-born of the Devil though he was the first-born and so the High-priest of the Family yea a Devil incarnate thus to devour and destroy his own and only Brother Abel ☞ Hence those famous Remarks following may naturally be Inferr'd 1. Such was the unspeakable goodness of a most gracious God that notwithstanding the sin of man he would not abolish his own blessing promis'd upon Marriage but ratified it with the blessing of conception and Birth even in the State of sin for his own glory and the good of his Elect which should be brought into the world thereby 2. It was not the good pleasure of God to create out of the Earth a continued Succession of mankind as he had alone the first man but Marriage was Gods own Ordinance whereby the World must be propagated as by means Lawful Holy and Well pleasing to God who ordained it before the Fall So that all Reproachers of this Holy and Honourable Ordinance Heb. 13.4 are Reproachers of God himself the Ordainer of it such are the Romanists who impose that Doctrine of Devils in forbidding it to their Votaries 1 Tim. 4.1.3 In the mean time being insensible that Whoremongers and Adulterers God himself if man will not Judge 3. Parents are taught here to be truly thankful to God for those Children whom he graciously giveth them as Eve was here and as Jacob was after Gen. 33.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Childâ—en are Gods special gift as David taught Solomon Psal 127.3 and Title of the Psalm Psal 128. That nothing can begotten no child can be begotten without Gods blessing This was a fit Lâ—sson for Solomon who of a 1000 Wives and Concubines begot only one Son that we read of and he none of the wisest 4. Parents should consecrate those children to God which they have so graciously received from God they should nurture their souls as well as nourish their bodies which latter is done even by Brutes to their young Eph. 6.4 A Godly Education must make Children as Arrows Psal 127.4 Arrows are not Arrows by Growth but by Art Pious instructions pare off the knotty natures of Children and polish them for God Their natures are Refined and Reformed by Grace Thus Adam and Eve taught both their Sons to Sacrifice to the Lord. 5. Hence also is a clear evidence both of the Antiquity and Excellency of the Hebrew Tongue not only as no other language will admit of any such Interpretation of the word Cain as this I have got a man from the Lord But also as the three first names of men Adam Cain Abel holdeth out a most practical and profitable aphorism or Golden Sentence Adam signifying Earth Cain Possession and Abel Vanity all this being rightly spell'd and put together in Gods School affordeth us this Divine Maxim viz. Earthly possessions are but Vanity The sixth famous Remark is The marvellous and Absolute Power which the Principal Potter hath over his Clay in framing and forming of Earthen Vessels whether in the VVomb or in the World Gods Soveraignty is eminently observable in respect of Order as well as End As Gods End is wonderful in making up some Clay Vessels for honour and others for dishonour according to his own uncontrolable Counsel and Pleasure So Gods Order hath unsearchable wisdom in it here in framing and forming first not the
Parents learn from hence to further and not to hinder their Children in the good ways of God Honour is the Reward of the former but Dishonour if no more of the latter The second Choice Remark or Mystery is Though Children be hindred by their Parents from following the Lord fully as Numb 14.24 yet must they not cast off that Duty the Fifth Commandment enjoins them to honour them c. God in many cases requireth Mercy rather than Sacrifice Parents may stand in more need of Childrens Mercy sometimes than God can of their Sacrifice at any time Mat. 9.13 c. The Scripture teacheth that Children should nourish their Parents in their old Age Gen. 47.12 Ruth 4.15 and 1 Tim. 5.4 c. yet the old Pharisees did by their Corban or Devoted things License Children to deny their Parents any further Succour Mark 7.11 12. The same our new Pharisees the Papists do who say That a Monk may not leave his Consecrated Cloyster to relieve his Father but must rather see and suffer him to die for Hunger in the Streets Lyra that Famous English Jew but an Arrant Papist as most were then in the Thirteenth Century hath these words Filius per professionem in Religione factam à parentibus subveniendo excusatur As if a Son Consecrated to God might be excused to do execrable things to Parents Thus they do Ungod as it were God himself and make his Fifth Commandment of no Effect such are of their Father the Devil rather than of Abraham's John 8.44 who nourish'd his old Father in Haran till he died and would not leave or lurch him though under a pretence of his Call to Canaan No Child of Abraham should leap over such a Block as a Parent in his way but should wait as Abraham did at Haran till God remove it out of the way The third Choice Remark or Mystery is Mans Heart needeth many pulls from Gods hand before Man can compleat his Obedience to God Here God gives Abraham two calls or pulls before he pull'd him to the Land of Promise The first pull bringeth him only from Ur to Haran there he setleth and gathereth much Goods Gen. 12.5 Thus Sampson follow'd his Parents till he met with the Hony-comb Judg. 14.8 9 10. So doth the Dog his Master until he meet with some Carrion Though these simile's suit not with Abraham yet they do with too many Professors that Would seem to be the Sons of Abraham Gods second pull at this Holy Patriarch Abraham was an effectual pull it brought him to Gods Foot Isa 41.2 it brought him from Haran to Canaan because he was both called and chosen The fourth Choice Remark or Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd 1. From Ur which Hebr. signifies Fire And 2. From Haran or Charan which Hebr. signifies Wrath so God calleth every Child of Abraham from the Fire of Hell and from the State of Nature whereby all are Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 He plucks us as Brands out of the Fire Zech. 3.3 and pulleth us out of the Fire Jude ver 23. as the Angel pulled Lot out of the Fire of Sodom Thus by Grace such as are Born Vessels of VVrath are made Vessels of Mercy The fifth Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd from his Fathers House as well as from an Idolatrous Countrey so are all the Children of Abraham call'd to come out of Babylon Revel 18.4 that Land of Graven Images Jer. 50.38 God maketh a Proclamation that his Children should make haste hence and Home Zech. 2.6 Ho Ho Come forth Get ye away this is not your rest for it is polluted Mic. 2.10 See Isa 48.20 and Jer. 50.8 and 51.6 and 45. This Literal Babylon was the Chief City of the Chaldees from whence Abraham was called and his Children are called from their Fathers House as he was Luke 14.26 c. when it stands in Competition with Gods Command as that Noble Italian Marquess Galeacius told his Popish Father solliciting him to Apostacy that his Body and Estate were his Fathers but his Conscience was the Lords All Carnal Respects must be subject to the Spiritual and all Carnal Relations must be bewailed Deut. 21.11 12. yea and relinquished Psal 47.10 So shall their Souls become Christs Spouses and the King Delight in their Beauty ver 11. Give any thing of Man but nothing of God for peace The sixth Mystery in the History Chaldea was an Idolatrous Countrey which Worshipp'd Fire as a God as the word Ur signifies because possibly they had seen Coelestial Fire come down from God to consume the Sacrifices of the Patriarchs and thereupon they would Worship that Element The Jewish Fable is false that Abraham was cast into the Fire or Ur because he would not Worship Fire as a God in the days of Nimrod but was saved by his Faith But 1. He was not Born in Nimrod's Time 2. Then Moses or Hebrews 11. or Ecclesiasticus the 45th or Josephus or Philo would have Recorded it all writing of Abraham's Faith and Life But God brought Abraham from this Fire-worshipping place and acquaints him with himself who is devouring and consuming Fire Isa 33.14 Heb. 12.29 Thus men place their Worship upon a wrong Object when they adore as well as admire the Fire of their own Zeal or Fervency of Spirit instead of God from whence those Flames do flow Isa 4.4 and Acts 2.2 3 c. The seventh Mystery or Remark in this History is Divine Vocation and Adoption floweth wholly and solely from Free Grace Nimrod's Church as one saith had almost swallow'd up Abraham Speciosa Chaldaeorum Superstitione erat inductus sed non seductus while he was young serving other Gods as well as Nahor and Terah who as some Rabbins say got his living by Making and Selling of Images Yet out of this Root so Idolatrous both on Father and Mothers side the whole stock of Israel sprang to be an Adapted people to God and in Covenant with him Therefore to humble this people God minds them of the Rock from whence they were hewed Isa 51.1 and telleth them their Father was an Hittite and their Mother an Amorite Ezek. 16.3 and upon this account some think Abraham is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly Rom. 4.5 as he was at first an Idolater until God call'd and justified him Abraham's Fore-fathers were the Builders of the Tower of Babel they were but newly come down from Mount Ararat whereon Noah's Ark rested into the Plains of Shinar Gen. 10.2 20 21. and Gen. 11.2 where it appeareth that Seventy Families were Born to Noah's three Sons whence the Antients currently concur that the Nations were afterwards distinguished by so many Tongues and Countreys Gen. 10.32 Note here 1. Though the World was newly wash'd with the Floud yet Chaldea was notoriously Idolatrous in Building Babel c. 2. Cursed Cham had a more numerous Off-spring and more sweetly situated than his two better Brethren Shem and Japhet who
Israel his Ear heard their groanings yea their Breathings Lam 3.56 God not only heard and saw but also he respected and remembred them these four are all put together Exod. 2. last It was not so much Israel's Innocency as their Enemies Insolency that moved Gods Bowels to yearn over them Deut. 32.27 There was the Cloud of their Sins to hinder their Cries from going up to God Lam. 3.44 and indeed the Cry of their Sins did outcry the Cry of their Prayers yet after long refraining God comes with this comfortable Vision of the Bush to represent that as Moses was not quite lost in his Banishment so nor Israel quite destroyed in their Bondage This was an excellent Emblem that that Fire of Tribulation should not kindle upon them Isa 43.2 The good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33.16 kept the Burning Bush from being consumed This Angel of the Lord was the Lord of Angels Heb. 1.6 7. Mark 12.26 call'd the Eternal God Exod. 3.4 6 13 and Jehovah ver 7. to whom Moses gave Adoration which no Created Angel dare own Revel 19.10 and 22.9 This Son of God in the Fiery Furnace secured the three Nobles of Babylon from being Burned Dan. 3.27 c. hereby also Was this Bush secured Christ suspending his concourse without which no Natural Agent can act or consolidating the Bush above the solidity of Gold or restraining the Fire taking away the heat yet continuing the light thereof The Spiritual signification which is the Harvest of all of this Burning yet not Consumed Bush is manifold reducible unto two Heads 1. Mystical 2. Moral The first is Mystical which is various to be taken only with this due caution we must distinguish herein betwixt what this miraculous Vision may be aptly applyed unto and what is the genuine Sense intended All Parabolical Scriptures may have several Allusions yet the Scope doth carry them but to one only Gregory who otherwise loved Allegories gives this good caution though the History of the Scriptures ought not to be bereav'd of their sound and significant Mystery yet may they not be burdened with too many Allusions which sometime do prove I add the frothy Exuberances of wanton Brains This Bush is applyed by the Antient Fathers 1. To the Virgin Mary who was a Mother yet a Virgin she brought forth a Son yet retain'd her Virginity the same Omnipotent Power wrought both this and that 2. To the two Natures of Christ whose Godhead was the Fire and his Manhood was the Bush the Lustre of the Divine Nature was so accommodated to the Humane that it was not swallow'd up thereby 3. To the Resurrection of Christs Body on which Death furiously seized as did the Fire upon this Bush yet could not consume it though the raging fury of the Pharisees seal'd up Christs dead Body in the Sepulchre and guarded it with Souldiers yet saw not his Body any Corruption 4. To the Damned Souls which are ever Burning in Hell-fire but are never consumed by it The Fire of Hell differs from this Fire on the Bush in this here is light without heat there heat is without light The second is the Moral Sense which also is manifold As 1. God by this Bush taught Moses how he might become a good Governour He must give light to the people by his own Godly Life and by the good Laws of God but he must not Burn and Consume them by Intolerable Burdens and Tyrannical Oppression Pastoris est tondere non deglubere 2. That Saints in evil Times should be as Lot in the Fire of sinful Sodom yet preserv'd his Integrity as Job also did in a sinful Generation 2 Pet. 2.7 8 Job 27.6 All Temptations to Sin have the Nature of Fire in them and are therefore call'd Fiery Darts Eph. 6.18 The worse that the Times and Places are the better ought the Saints to be that both the Times and the Places may be better and not worse by them they should be as the fresh Fish that live so in the most Salt Sea 3. 'T is an Emblem of the Combat betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit in every Individual Saint The Spirit is the Fire call'd the Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 and the Flesh is the Bush which in the best is not Burnt up or Consumed the best of Men are but Men at the best and are as those under Legal pollutions notwithstanding their purifications unclean until the Evening of Death Grace doth not annihilate Sin till then All these be pious Allusions framed from this burning yet not consumed Bush yet are not to be pressed upon the Text as the proper sense of it Lastly The true proper and genuine Sense of this Vision of the Bush is That the Church of God in general and the Children of God in particular may be in Fiery Tribulations yet shall not be consumed by them As this was performed Literally Dan. 3.27 So it hath been is and ever shall be Figuratively Isa 43.2 2 Cor. 4.9 and 6.9 and 11.23 The Church concutitur non excutitur may be shaken but not shiver'd may be dipp'd and dowz'd in the brackish Sea of Affliction but never Drowned like the Wooden Pot dipp'd in the Water Niteris Incassùm Christi submergere Navem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illa ratis This Divine Distich was sent to the grand Seignior when he was going out in his Ruffling Grandeur to over-run Christendom c. Accordingly saith Luther of the Romanists persecuting him They may indeed thrust me but they shall never throw me The Reasons be 1. From the Constitutive Matter of the Church as she is made up of Immortal Seed and of the Eternal Spirit and partaking of the Divine Nature so far she is Incorruptible and Unconquerable and can never be destroyed for the destroying Agent must have a greater Efficacy than hath the destroyed Patient otherwise Destruction cannot prove Effectual Now he who is in the Church and Children of God is greater than he that is in the World 1 John 4.4 Christ who dwells in our Hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 is stronger than that strong man Satan Luke 11.21 22. or any of his Instruments Hereby we are made more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 yea Triumphers 2 Cor. 2.14 by his Spirit our Sweet Inhabitant The Seed of the Serpent may nibble at the Heels of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 but shall never be permitted to give her a fatal blow at the Heart her Heels may be bruised but her Heart cannot be broken the Church may be damaged in her Branches but her Body and Root cannot die The second Reason is drawn from the goodness of the Churches most gracious God who so qualifies all her fiery Tryals as to Abstract from them their destroying property Thus the heat of this Fire that burnt the Bush was so suspended and restrained by the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33.16 that it was not consumed by the Flame This is a Gospel Riddle
that the good Will of God and a Flame of Fire from Man may consist together Yea Gods Visitation may have in it Mans Salvation Job 10.12 Psal 106.4 'T is of great use to understand this we pore too much in beholding the Flames of Fire in our Tryals and Troubles and ponder too little in believing the Good will of our God therein this makes us Harbour hard Thoughts of God with Job as if he dealt cruelly with us and was become our Enemy Job 16.9 and 30.21 with 13.24 and 19.11 we look on our Troubles as mere Streams of fiery wrath whereas indeed they are Messengers of Love and Fatherly Affection Whom God loves he chastens though he do not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 Lam. 3.33 Isa 28.21 calls it his strange Work yet out of faithfulness Psal 119.75 'T is Medicinal as well us Penal The Third Reason is from the Nature of those Troubles befalling God's Church and Children God never stirs up all his wrath therein Psal 78.38 He corrects them only with the Rod of Men Enoshim Shebet the Rod of weak Men 2 Sam. 7.14 that cannot give such a blow as the Rod of God When God comes to take Vengeance upon Babylon he proclaims this thundring Threatning I will not meet thee as a man Isa 47.3 But as a God who is consuming fire Hebr. 12.29 then Babylon which is no better than Briars and Thorns Isa 9.18 the very Curse of the Earth Gen. 3.18 cannot stand before Devouring fire nor dwell with everlasting Burnings Isa 33.14 God goes through those Briars and Thorns and burns them together Isa 27.4 but when God comes to chastize the Children of Sion He smiteth them not as he smiteth those that smote them Isa 27.7 but doth it in measure Hebr. Peck by Peck not whole Bushels at once ver 8. and Jerem. 30.11 for he comes not to them as a Judge with Severity but as a Father with Pity being himself afflicted with their Afflictions Isa 63.9 so he takes not up the Sword to them but only the Rod and that only the Rod of weak men The Rod of God that is Destruction but the Rod of men that is only Correction and 't is such a Rod as Christ hath suck'd out its Curse and Bitterness yea hath made it like Jonathan's Rod which dropped Honey taking from it the Nature of a Curse and giving to it the Nature of a Cure Though the Devil's Temptations have a tendency to Perdition yet God's are for Probation only Gen. 22.1 Deus â—a Vulnerat ut vulnerando Medetur the Chirurgeon launces his own dear Child with all tenderness cuts and weeps weeps and cuts again The wise Physician 's Rule in Pleurisies c. is Sparing then is spilling yet always maintain Nature that it may be able to grapple with the Disease c. This Vision of the burning Bush affords strong Consolation Though the Church Militant and its Members be oft in the fire for the ruling Brambles do not only scratch them but out of those Brambles cometh out a fire to scorch them also Judg. 9.15 and oft in the Water of Affliction yet the Church is preserved The Devil doth with her just as he did with the Daemoniack whom he cast sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water to destroy him Mar. 9.22 the same Power that preserv'd him from his being destroyed by those two merciless Elements even ever after his Childhood to that Day did cast out that cruel Devil and doth as miraculously preserve the Church in the like cases of Danger neither Fire nor Water hath any Power to destroy her Isa 43.2 Suppose her in the Water then is she as was Noah's Ark in that Universal Deluge which the higher that the Waters rose was thereby the nigher lift up to Heaven And as the Ship wherein were Imbarked Christ's Disciples the only Church then in the World Matth. 14.24 c. No Winds no Waves can beat her down into the Deep Though she be afflicted tossed with Tempests and not comforted yet retains she her sure foundation and her fair colours c. Isa 54.10 11 12. The very Gates of Hell in which all Diabolical fraud and force is seated cannot prevail against her Matth. 16.18 Suppose the Church to be in the Fire as well as in the Water there also the good Will of God goes along with her into the flames as here into the burnings of this bush thus the Son of God went with Shadrach Meshek and Abeduego not only to but into the fiery furnace Dan 3.24 25 c. Here the Fire consumes not the Bush as there the flame consumed only their Bonds c. No Natural Agents can act without the Concurrence of Supernatural Providence For l. Here is a suspensive Divine Act where the concourse of God's Providence is suspended there Natures must be is God's may not be The suspension and cessation of the Divine concourse is the Dissolution of the whole Universe 2. Here might be likewise a transmutative Divine Act whereby the Bush was consolidated into such a solid Substance as not to be Combustible The Boughs and Leaves say the Jewish Rabbies were made harder above the solidity of Gold so that they still retained their native greenness being fortified with a quality the flame cannot penetrate 3. Or here might be also a restraining Divine Act whereby the Fire was chained up from its Activity and Violence which it naturally hath in burning up combustible Matter into Ashes This is more than a bare Cessation of the Divine Concourse as was in the Case of the three Nobles of Caldea Dan. 3.27 'T is indeed a great truth If the first wheel in a Clock amp c. stands all the other wheels must stand with it Now God is the Primus Motor and his Providence is the Primum Mobile Hereby All live and move Act 17.28 without God's concourse neither Meat can nourish nor Clothes warm our Bodies for we live not by bread alone c. Matth. 4.4 without this the Heavens could not move nor the Sun shine nor the Earth bear fruit nor the Fire burn c. but in this Case of the Bush as it might be done by a suspensive Act or by a transmtative Act as when Christ enabled Peter to walk upon the Waters which are a fluent Element giving way to a solid Body this was done either by qualifying Peter's Body with levity or by freezing the Waters into a Pavement so more probably by a Restraining Act the God of Nature chains up Nature in its Actings God ties up the Sea in swadling bands so that it cannot overflow the Earth Job 38.8 9 10 11. God shut up the mouths of the Lions so that they could not devour Daniel in the Den Dan. 6.22 The Voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire Psal 29.7 so that they could not consume this Bush c. All this may be for Comfort to God's Church and Children thus 1. That all created Powers are annihilated by a
his firm fast hand-hold and heart-hold of Faith he had of Heaven its Antitype at his Death 〈◊〉 This faithfulness of Moses and Israel in fulfilling the Promise their Fore-fathers had sworn to Joseph Gen. 50.24 25. bolds forth to us this great truth That the will of the Dead must faithfully be performed so the Apostle saith The Testament it confirmed when the Testator is dead Hebr. 9.17 God will surely revenge their quarrel whose Souls he hath received into his Heavenly protection whose godly Legacies and Bequeathings are reversed and their Last Will and Testament not rightly fulfilled for as God professeth himself the special Protector of the Fatherless and Widow so he will maintain the cause of the Dead that are Fatherless as to the World and their Souls are as it were Widows for a time while they are absent from their Bodies Woe to them that are unfaithful to the Dead who will assuredly be much more so to the living This is also considerable that whereas the Patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt they did not only sell him thither but their Children carry'd his Bones thence and not his Bones only but of those Patriarchs also Acts 7.16 who had equal Title to that Land of Promise with Joseph so would not be left in the Land of Bondage Now the carrying of the Bones of all the Twelve Patriarchs along with them out of Egypt could not but be a continual corroboration of Israel's Faith in the Wilderness and encourage them to expect with patience the accomplishment of Gods Promise c. But Israel's carrying dead mens Bones in their Company was nothing comparable such an encouragement to them and a Corroboration of their Faith as was that of having the living Lord not only for their Companion but also for their Captain Conduct and Convoy from Rameses through the Wilderness all their two and forty Journeys coming to them in their Removal from Rameses though not mentioned till their third station at Aetham for they had then a need of Gods guidance to direct them the right way as well as afterwards and the Lord their Guide never left Israel till they came to pass over Jordan where they were commanded to follow the Ark not the Cloud The Remarks upon this are many and eminent as follow The first Remark is The Lord could by many other means have manifested the presence of his Majesty in his guiding Israel but here for their greater comfort he doth shew himself by some visible signs of his presence 'T is said The Lord went before them in the Cloudy Pillar by Day and in the Pillar of Fire by Night c. Exod. 13.21 Divine condescention is marvellous here now was the Church but a Child Israel is so call'd when call'd out of Egypt Hos 11.1 God puts her not off with naked Signs or verbal Promises barely but give her a most lively Representation of his presence in this Cloud not as if the great Jehovah could be included in a Cloud for his Immensity is incomprehensible and he fills both Heaven and Earth with his Omnipresence the very Light of Nature in the Sage Heathens could say Jovis omnia plena and praesentem monstrat quaelibet herba Deum God is every where Ubiquity is his Attribute and therefore this Cloud could not include or conclude the Omnipresent God but he only condescended here to the Childish capacity of his Infant-Church by letting forth one single Ray of his Invisible Majesty in this glorious manner for his Churches Encouragement and Direction in a wayless Wilderness And indeed this is the glory of the Old Testament that it had so many glorious Appearances of the great God in such a familiar way c. The second Remark is who this Person is that thus gloriously manifested himself in this Cloudy Pillar He is call'd Jehovah here Exod. 13.21 and the Angel of God Exod 14.19 and such an Angel as was both of Gods Name and Nature Exod. 23.20 23. the Angel of Gods presence Isa 63.9 who was indeed the Lord of Angels even the Son of God whom Paul plainly calls Christ and whom the Israelites tempted by their Disobedience in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.4 9. and who is Typified by this Cloud Isa 4.6 leading his people c. for Christ protects and directs yea every way is a congruous Salvo to the wants and weaknesses of his Church and Children in the Wilderness of this lower World as this Cloudy Pillar was here which various ways represented our Redeemer 1. As Christ is the Pillar and Supporter of his Church in the World as upon a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Rev. 15.4 where her standing would be both too hot and too slippery were it not that Christs Left Hand is both under and over her Head and his Right Hand doth embrace her Cant. 2.6 as her Upholder 2. As Christ sheweth us the way to Eternal Life This Cloudy Pillar did direct Israel through the Wilderness to the Earthly Canaan but Christ leads his Redeemed to the Heavenly Countrey Heb. 11.14 through this present evil World so call'd Gal. 1.4 taking them by the Arms and teaching them to go Hos 11.3 4. yea himself saith I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 He is the way to walk in the truth to walk by and the life to walk with c. 3. As Christ openeth to us an open passage through the Red Sea of our severest Afflictions which even threaten to swallow us up but indeed by his Grace doth preserve us He led Israel by the Head as well as by the Hand down the Deep as the Rider doth his Horse down the Hill and made their way so firm and plain that there was nec lutum nec lapis in semitâ suâ neither Quagmire nor Mud to stick fast in nor any Stones to stumble upon He led them gently and leisurely with his glorious Arm till he brought them to rest in the Land of Promise Isa 63.11 12 13 14. so he will do so to us may but our Souls and Sufferings he Dyed Red with his Blood Heb. 9.12 13 14. 4. As this Pillar was call'd a Pillar of Fire and of a Cloud Exod. 14.24 for it was but one in Substance though divers in Offices 'T is call'd one in the singular number Exod. 40.38 Numb 9.15 16 21. 1 Cor. 10.3 Psal 105.39 c. yet the same Cloud covered the whole Camp from the heat of the Sun in those not Countreys very injurious to Travellers especially in that Sandy Defart of Arabia directing them all the day in their Journeyings but was as Fire to give them light in the Night whether they rested or travelled So Christ consists of two Natures the Fire represented his Divine Nature and the Cloud his Humane both handing us to Heaven Thus there is much congruity more in the Sequel but some disparity The third Remark is The excellent properties of this Cloud far exceeding and excelling all other common and ordinary Clouds shewing
his own Sons saying Clodius accusat Machos Vice corrects sin as many Malapert Dames would have done in her Circumstances but she gives him a milder Answer to his Reproaches than the Blessed Apostle could scarcely give to the High-Priest in his Day Acts 23.5 calling him a Whited Wall c. but she here gives the High-Priest good words patiently bearing his Unjust Censurings of her N. B. Secondly Here is her Prudence as well as Patience she seeketh to satisfie him against his false Judgment he had passed so rashly upon her from his Seat of Judicature as a Judge by such Cogent Arguments and such Undeniable Reasons as did clearly demonstrate that she was Sober enough saying I have drunk neither Wine nor strong Drink c. for I have spent this Day hitherto in Fasting which all others have spent in Feasting v. 7 8. Beside saith she I am a Woman in whom Drunkenness is more abominable than in Men and thereupon the Romans punish'd it with Death as well as Adultery and that she was a Woman of a troubled Spirit so more likely to be Drunk with her own Tears whereof good Soul she had drunk abundance rather than with any Intoxicating Liquors N. B. Moreover Hannah prudently Argueth against Eli's calumny that he ought not to count her a Daughter of the Devil but upon better grounds Confessing she had been no better than a Daughter of Belial which is the Devil 2. Cor. 6.15 had she been drunk indeed as he supposed then had she thrown off the Yoke of the Law of God as the word Belial signifies and become a monstrous Miscreant as all drunken Women be in the deliberate and sober sentiment of this Gracious Woman And N. B. Thirdly Behold here her Humility and Modesty together with her Patience and Prudence none of which could have shined so forth in her had she been really drunk according to Eli's over-severe Sentence Notwithstanding Eli's Rash Severity in so Misjudging her yet she useth no Railing Accusation against Him as is said of Michael against the Devil Jude ver 9. in calling him an Vnjust Judge but Humbly and Modestly Beautifies all her Pleadings for her Innocency with that comely and commendable Compellation no my Lord wherein she sheweth that she had a Reverence and Veneration for Him tho' he had passed so severe a Censure unworthily upon her All these things put together do plainly prove that as Hannah calls her self A Woman of a Sorrowful Spirit so we must call her A Woman of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4. and that there was a Blessed Harmony betwixt her Name and her Nature for as her Name signifies Gracious in the Hebrew Tongue so had she a most Gratious Nature and Disposition Conveniunt Rebus Nomina sape suis Names and Natures do oft Harmonize The Fifth Remark is Eli's Racalling his unjust Censure and pronouncing his Sacerdotal Benediction upon her c. v. 17 18. Now Old Eli sees with new Eyes being strongly convinced by her strenuous Arguments he is now satisfied that she was Sober and not only so but Sorrowful also and so Sorrowful that she was Drunk with Sorrow as the Phrase is used Isa 51.21 but not with Wine now he understood she had not been pouring in Wine down her Throat but pouring out Tears before the Lord multiplying her Prayers N. B. As one resolved not to let the Lord go without his Blessing Gen. 32.26 a right Daughter of Jacob rather than of Belial Now Eli saw all Hannah's earnestness in her strange Motions without speaking out was only to wrest out of God's Hands that Mercy which he for a while with an unwilling willingness withheld from her that she might be the more importunate with God in her most fervent Prayers Hereupon Eli to make her amends for his former Uncharitableness bids her go in Peace as Elisha dismissed Naaman 2 Kings 5.19 wishing her Mind might be more composed from all her Griefs that she might learn to cast her burden upon the Lord and he would sustain her Psal 55.22 and withal Eli promises to her his Prayers for her to that purpose and not only so but he also Prophesies That the God of Israel will grant thy Petition either from a general Consideration of God's known kindness in hearing Prayer or from a special Revelation of God's Spirit which he a good Man might better have than such a wicked High-Priest as Caiphas had John 11.51 N. B. Hannah being thus cheared up with the High-Priest's chearful words beggs the benefit of his continued Prayers looking upon his Answer as God's Oracle and the Motions of the Comforter meeting with the Motions of her own Mind all her Vexations vanish away and now she could eat and drink with a merry heart Eccles 9.7 The Sixth Remark is Samuel's Birth and Education at home c. v. 19 20. to 24. Then Elkanah and Hannah thus comforted rose up early in the Morning to Worship God before their Ten Miles Journey home to Ramah this Whet was not look'd upon as any Let thereto Prayer and Provender never hinders a Journey N. B. This was a good President for our Practice they redeemed some time for Prayer and God's Answer of Peace to their Prayers not only brought them safely home but also Blest Barren Hannah immediately with Conception and likewise with the Birth of a Boy after Nine Months whom she called Samuel because he was asked of God as the Hebr. Name signifies a Son sent to her from the Lord as an Answer to her Prayer Now Elkanah goes up to Shiloh with a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for the Birth of his Son and to ratifie his Wifes Vow v. 11. which he now had made his own Vow also v. 21. and had not disannull'd it as according to the Law he might have done Numb 30.8 but Hannah staid at home N. B. To perform the Moral Duty of Nursing her Child and therefore sinned not in neglecting the Ceremonial Duties the Women being not so obliged as the Men were Exod. 23.17 She desired her Husband to let her stay till she might carry her Vowed Child along with her and so leave him with the Lord as soon as he could do any Service in his Sanctuary N. B. To such a lawful and reasonable Request of Hannah her Husband consents v. 22 23. and so all Husbands ought to gratifie their Wives The Seventh Remark is Samuel's removal from Ramah to Shiloh v. 24. to 28. then Hannah takes her desired and Vowed Child after she had Weaned and Nursed him up until he was fit for some Service and to shift for himself among Strangers and three Bullocks with him c. one whereof was to be for a Burnt-Offering and the other two as a Gratuity to the High-Priest and the rest of the Priests to Feast with that they all might be obliged in their tender care-over the young Child Thus N. B. She
the Reputation of a Prophet upon it ver 28. Remark the Third His cursed Carcass is carried in his all-bloody Chariot out of the Field to Samaria The Chariot was wash'd at the Pool there the Dogs came to claim their Due lapping up Blood and Water together as Vatablus saith after their nature and the Tongues of those Brutes verifie the Tongue of God's Prophet Remark the last is Micaiah and Elijah are justified Naboth is revenged Ahab is judged and his whole Council of false Prophets are all confounded which is a sufficient proof that Councils may err and now Zedekiah ware Horns thou art the next Sacrifice to expiate the Son Joram's Vengeance for leading his Father Ahab into Ruine The Lord is righteous in all his ways c. Psal 129.4 and 145.17 2 Kings CHAP. the first BEfore the History hereof some general Remarks must be made to make way for it The first is The last Chapter of the first of Kings gives a short account of Jehosaphat's Life and Death from ver 41 to ver 51. but speaks nothing of him in this second Book of Kings yet have we a large Relation of Jehosaphat's Reign in the second Book of the Chronicles Chapters 17 18 19 20. the summ of which is referred to this last Book of Kings Remark the Second in general is Ahaziah the Son of Ahab is briefly described 1 Kings 22.51 52 53. but more amply in this 2 Kings chap. 1. but not at all mentioned in the 2d of Chronicles because his Reign was short and enough had been recorded already of so bad a King Remark the Thâ—â—d in general is Ezra the Scribe as is generally affirmed was the holy Pen-man of these two Books of the Chronicles as appears by the two last verses of the last chapter of these two Books and the three first verses of the Book of Ezra which are almost the same word for word This is an evidence that they were written after the Captivity and therefore that Book of Chronicles to which the two Books of Kings do so frequently make a Reference cannot be those Sacred Chronicles which were written long after both the Books of Kings As the Hebrews do call these Holy Chronicles Debre-Haiamim the words or deeds of days because they contain an History from Adam to Ezra's Day So the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Remainders or gatherings up implying that the Books of Chronicles have gathered up what the Books of Kings had left out and not recorded yet omit many passages that were before fully related as the foul fall of David and the fouler fall of Solomon c. we have not a word there of them The Fourth general Remark is The second Book of Chronicles is the same with those two Books of Kings save only that after the separation of the Ten Tribes which was the turning point and began the Declinings of Israel's Glory that holy Pen-man gives over his History of the Kings of Israel which is sufficiently supplied out of this second Book of Kings and insisteth only upon the History of the Kings of Judah until their Captivity in Babylon and where-ever He relateth the same History formerly Recorded he returns as one phraseth it with Vsury as is before noted N.B. Only sometimes some of the Affairs of the Kingdom of Israel wherein the two Kingdoms had to do one with another are intermingled The Fifth general Remark is The cogency of this consideration causeth it therefore to be unavoidably necessary that as it hitherto hath been done so the History both in this second of Kings and in that second of Chronicles must go hand in hand in conjunction so far as the coincidency of matter doth constrain Hereupon this History of the second of Kings must be supplied out of that in the second of Chronicles and so begin this Book with the History of Jehosaphat of whom we have heard a little out of the first of Kings and tho' he be not treated on in the second of Kings yet is he largely in the second of Chronicles therefore begin we with him omitting what is already said before we come to Ahaziah Remarks in particular first upon Jehosaphat are First He was the fourth King of Judah succeeding his Father Asa 1 Kings 15.24 2 Chron. 17.1 in whose History is first His care of Religion tho' he was contemporary with wicked Ahab and Reigning about eighteen years in Affinity with him yet was he both Religious in his own person walking in the first ways of David before his fall into foul infirmities ver 3. he was not corrupted with that contagious Air of his neighbouring Idolatrous Israel ver 4. but his heart was lifted up in the ways of God not with Pride but with Zeal ver 6. He also endeavoured to make his People Religious by sending Teaching Princes Priests and Levites among them to teach them the Law of God ver 7 8 9. and not Humane Traditions For this the Lord requited him with a rich Reward 1. When he had established a Preaching Ministry the fear of the Lord fell upon Kingdoms round about him ver 10. And 2. His growing greatness brought in great Tributes to him from the Philistines Arabians c. ver 11. And 3. God blessed him with a prodigious Army of eleven hundred and sixty thousand brave fighting Men ver 12 14 19. of this 2d of Chron. c. 17. so that 't is no wonder that Ahab molested him not but made a League with him Remark the Second After this Jehosaphat joyns with Ahab and marcheth with him to Ramoth Gilead as is before related in 1 Kings 22. and now here again repeated in 2 Chron. 18.1 to the last verse N.B. 'T is usual for this Author Ezra to give only an Abridgment of those Histories he found so fully Recorded before yet this History he repeats over again almost word for word which must needs most highly commend the Contents hereof as exceeding necessary useful and profitable seeing the Holy Spirit who was Ezra's Enditer can do nothing in vain But he adds 2 Chron. 19.1 as well as that precious passage The Lord helped him noted before Jehosaphat returned to his house in peace looking upon his Deliverance as no less than a Miracle saith Vatablus and reckoning himself as a brand pluck'd out of the fire Zech. 3.3 and having seen Ahab suffer shipwrack before his Eyes he resolves to take more care of his own tackling for time to come c. Remark the Third God sent a Reprover to him 2 Chron. 19.2 even Jehu the Son of Hanant the Seer who delivered his Message with better success to patient Jehosaphat than his Father had done to passionate Asa 2 Chron. 16.7 10 c. whose wrath with God's Prophet would have better become wicked Ahab than godly Asa but a true sense of God's goodness in good Jehosaphat when he saw his Soul had through Divine Help at his call escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler
Instance which Christ himself uttered as a Specimen of the Management of the Day of Judgment both for Matter Manner c. Mat. 25.31 to the end of ver 46. Where the Lord Judge Denounceth the Final Doom both upon the Sheep at his Right Hand and upon the Goats at his Left ' and all by way of Dialogue c. ye saw me naked c. Now 't is farther Alledged that seeing the Father Judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son John 5.22 And that the Son will Judge the World as he is Man in Humane Nature and that none of all the Posterity of Adam shall be excused for their Absence from this General Assizes none shall be allowed to appear by a proxy but every Individual Man Woman and Child Poor or Rich Jew or Gentile shall be compelled to appear personally before this Judge's Tribunal 2 Cor. 5.10 And there have a fair and full Tryal either for Weal or Woe Now upon this Supposition the Day of Judgment may take up a much longer time than most do imagin for it Requires as much time to speak a Mans Life as to read it c. we may well believe that this General Just Judge will not suddenly shuffle up any Matters for Eternity in that Day Upon these Considerations that Holy Man of God Mr. Shepheard in his Sincere Convert page 37. saith that this Day of Christs Kingly Office in Judging the whole World shall haply last longer than his private and less Glorious Administration in Governing the World shall do c. this saith he may be made evident both by Scripture and by Reason c. N. B. Note well 3. This is the time however long or short wherein all Mankind both the good and the evil Servants must Reddere Rationem give an exact Account of their Stewardship whether they have wasted their Lords Goods either Pounds or Talents or have improved them in Tradeing Luke 16.1 2. and 19 15. c. Mat. 25.19 c. All Persons must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to Reckon with the Judge about all things they have done in the Body 2 Cor. 5.10 whether they have received the Graces or Gifts of God in vain 1 Cor. 15.10 Oh! Blessed is that Faithful and Wise Steward who giveth a good account to his Lord at his coming Luke 12.42.44 Now the particular account Men must then give is Threefold First of their Thoughts which are known to God Hebr. 4.12 13. in that day God will Judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ c. Rom. 2.16 Then the Book of Conscience shall be opened which is Index Vindex Judex 'T is Gods Spye and Mans Overseer faithfully Recording every Vain as well as Villainous thoughts Rom. 2.14 15. John 8.9 1 Cor. 10.29 Hebr. 10.2 Tho' sinfull Thoughts be free as to Men yet are they not free to Conscience which is better Sore than Seared much less can they be free to an All knowing God John 21.17 Acts 1.24 Secondly They must Reckon with this Lord Judge for their words Mat. 12.34 35 36 37. If idle and wast words must be accounted for in the Day of Judgment how much more for evil and wicked words Cassiodore saith that among ten Thousand Talents of Mens common Communications there is scarce an Hundred pence no non decem quidem obolos not so much as ten half penny 's of Spiritual and Savoury Discourse Alas How much frivolous and fruitless Speeches do frequently slow from every Mans Mouth hereupon Wise Xenophon and Plato did propose this profitable practice that Mens Speeches and Discourse might be written down in a Table Book both at Meals of Meat and at all Meetings c. that they might be brought to shame when they Reviewed their many Extravagant Expressions Thus the Psalmists Heart was greatly grieved when he Reflected upon what he had spoke amiss but a little before Ps 73.13 21 22. Therefore did he pray Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth keep the Door of my Lips Ps 141.3 well knowing what an unruly Member the Tongue is which no Man can Tame Jam. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. where the Tongue is called not a City of Evil or a Country of sin but a whole World of Iniquity hereupon we ought to put our untameable Tongues into the Hands of God as David did who alone is able to tame them the Difficulty of which Work we are taught by the God of Nature who hath given the Tongue its place and Situation betwixt the Head and the Heart that it might take Counsel from them both before it utter any words c. and the God of Nature hath fenced the unruly Tongue within bounds by a double Wall the one of flesh to wit the Lips and the other of Bones to wit the Teeth that it may be kept the better within Compass from all Extravagant Speeches c. For this very cause of the Tongues unruly Nature God hath ordered not only that Children shall not be able to speak untill they grow up to some wit and understanding whereby they may the better order their Speeches with their Tongues but also that all they who are born Deaf must be Dumb likewise because they being Deaf cannot hear Instruction for Teaching them the Right use and Government of the Tongue Even a fool when he holds his peace is accounted wise c. Prov. 17 28. Thirdly Then an Account must be rendered as for all their Thoughts and for all their Words so for all their Works Namely for all such Works wherein there hath been any Omission of Good and wherein likewise there hath been any Commission of Evil It may be Succinctly Reduced into those distinct parts the Reckoning hath a double Relation both unto good and unto evil First unto the first of Good which is thus Expressed Either 1. De bonis Omissis of good that is waved or De bonis Demissis of good that is wasted Or 2. De malis Commissis of Evil that is committed or De Malis permissis of Evil that is permitted when it is in the power of our Hands to prevent the Perpetration of it hereby we make our selves partakers of other Mens Sins 1 Tim. 5.22 N. B. Note well Participans Nutans non obstans non Manifestans c. Which the Grave and Godly Mr. Greenham Interprets thus saying we become Accessories to other Men who are the principal Actors of them either by commanding or by commending or by consenting or by counselling or by countenancing or by communicating or by concealing if we be not Admonishing nor Mourning nor Praying for the Offenders c. And Accessorium Sequitur principale saith the Maxim in Divinity he that is but Accessory to other Mens sins is likewise Involved in the Guilt of the principal sinner and so he may partake of the Plagues thereof Revel 18.4 1. Sam. 3.13 Rom. 1.32 see much more upon this point Dr. Ames Cases of Conscience pag. 299 c.
obstructions early in the Morning of the First Day and was a signal Symbol of Christ's Victory over the Devil Death Sin and the Grave Some say the Earth-quake was caused by the Descending Angel who when he came to sit down upon the great Stone he had rolled away from the Sepulchre made the whole Earth to shake like a mighty Man when he sits down upon a Bench makes the whole room shake under him But 't is more probable the Descending of this Angel was not the Cause but the Consequence of the Earth-quake for Christ himself was the cause thereof who no sooner began he to stir in the Grave but he shakes the Foundations of the Earth so that the Earth was in pain the pangs of a Travelling Woman was upon her as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2.24 signifies till she was delivered of him and the bonds wherewith Death had bound him in the Grave He by the Power of his Divine Nature more easily broke asunder than Sampson his Type did the New Cords wherewith the Philistins manacled him when the Spirit of God came upon him As this was a Triumphal Sign of Christ's Power over the Earth and Hell and over all the Powers of both So that it may be demonstrated He was Lord of Heaven as well as of Earth and Hell He commands the Holy Angels from thence to come and do him Homage hence that Angel which was the chief Speaker to the good Women calls Christ The Lord See the place where the Lord lay Mat. 28.6 intimating that he was not only your Lord the Lord of Saints but also our Lord the Lord of Angels too therefore he stiles him the Lord Absolutely for at his Resurrection did Christ begin his Kingdom whereunto Angels as well as Saints do belong as Subjects Ephis 1.19 20 21 c. Moreover the Syriack reading saith here that this Gabriel called Christ Our Lord to the Women which shews that Christ was truly and properly God In this sense some say that the Angel which rolled away the Stone was sent as an Officer to let his Lord out of Prison without the Keepers consent and that he sat down upon the Stone in contempt of all the Weapons that the Souldiers who watched the Sepulchre held in their Hands and which indeed did fall out of their Hands at their woful sight of this glorious Angel who though he appeared in Humane shape did by his splendour appear to be more than a Mortal Man the Majesty of his Visage shewed his mighty power as his Habit did his Innocency and Holiness which raised an Heart quake in the Bodies of the Keepers when the Earth-quake had been shaking the Pillars of the Earth 'T is no wonder that the lustre of this Angel did drive the Watchmen into the Paroxysm of a shaking Ague being now made sensible that they had been bearing Arms against Almighty God and were now become obnoxious to his Irresistible and Unavoidable Wrath 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Heb. 10.31 How great must be the Majesty of our Lord Jesus a beam whereof He put forth at his Transfiguration when this Angel's but our Lord's Servant's Countenance was like Lightening and his Garments white as Snow And if the splendid Appearance of but one Holy Angel did so Affright a company of Couragious Souldiers such as the Roman Armies which had now Conquered the World consisted of How then shall Wicked Men stand in Judgment at the last Day when the Lord of Angels shall come with whole Myriads of glorious Angels to Judge the World Oh the unspeakable Akings and Quakings of Conscience and the unconceivable convulsions of Heart that shall then seize upon and surprize them in that dreadful day when the World is all of a light fire about their Ears c. Nor may we think that Christ stood in need of this Angel to help him out of the Prison of the Grave by rolling away the Stone for such was the Almighty Power of his Divine Nature that nothing could resist his naked Nod and thereby could as easily Arise out of the Grave when the Stone was unrolled away as he did Appear in the Room among his Disciples when the Doors were shut without any penetration of Diameters as the School-men phrase it John 20.19 26. but more of that in its place afterward This Ushers in the 2d Grand Remark concerning the Concomitants of Christ's Resurrection in respect of its Time Manner and Manifestation First The Time when the precise point whereof is not recorded in Scripture as is abovesaid but the Day whereon it was is by all the four Evangelists to wit the first day of the week and not without intimation that it was Early in the Morning of that day when the Earth-quake was for as the Earth had shook at Christ's Passion because it could not bear his Suffering so now again it shakes at his Resurrection to shew that it could not hinder his Rising and as Hilary hath it Hell it self shaked also as much as the Earth did because he who was Lord of all Acts 10.36 and had the Keys of Hell and Death Rose from the Dead in Despight of all the Infernal Spirits who therefore then fall into a trembling Fit c. As the time of Christ's Rising from the Grave was Oriente Sole when the Sun was about Rising but yet did not appear in its shining lustre above the Earth for it was meet according to the rule of Good Manners that the Sun of Righteousness who was the Creator should have the preeminence of Rising before the Sun of the Firmament called Shemesh which signifies but a Servant it being but Christ's Creature So in this sense is our Lord called the Bright and Morning Star Rev. 22.16 as well as the Day-Star 2 Pet. 1.19 which shineth brightest of all the Stars betwixt the Dawning of the Day and the Rising of the Sun betwixt those two terms it may well be supposed our Saviour Arose from Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1 Luke 24.1 John 20.1 In all which four Quotations no mention is found concerning the Hour much less the Minute of Christ's Rising it being enough for us to know the Day and the Morning of that Day Wherein All the Evangelists do concur in their fourfold Testimonies which is one above the threefold Cord that cannot easily be broken Here Inquiry is made Why our Lord rose on the first day of the Week Answer The Reasons are 1st The same Day of the Week that the first and old Creation began with the same day must the second and new Creation begin with also Now this was the first day of all the seven which the Lord made Psal 118.24 with ver 22 23. All which are applied to Christ and his Resurrection Acts 4.11 1 Pet. 2.7 c. As God on the first Day of the Week drew the World out of that confused Chaos as well as out of that abhorred estate of nothing and
was not let or set down out of the Angel's Arms who had charge over him to keep him in his way verse 40. till he came to Azotus so call'd by the Septuagint which in the Hebrew Old Testament Reading is Ashdod one of the five Principal Cities of the five Lords of the Philistines Josh 15.47 1 Sam. 5.3 and 6. v. 16 17 18. N.B. Now the distance from Gaza to Azotus as Diodorus Siculus measures it is 270 Furlongs or 34 Miles so far did Philip flie safely upon the wings of an Angel imployed by the Spirit of God The Remarks hereupon are these 1. This miraculous Rapture of Philip from the Eunuch's presence and prospect was for this purpose that the Eunuch might be the more assured of the Truth of those things which were taught him by Philip's Ministry and that he was a person sent of God to save this Ethiopian's Soul The second Remark is God will do better to his People at the latter end than at the beginning according to his promise Ezek. 36.11 Philip here had an hard and toilsom Journey from Samaria to Gaza footing it through a Desart in untrodden paths But now from Gaza to Azotus he hath an easier passage an holy Angel becomes his Chariot and he who ran to the Eunuch's Chariot making haste and not delaying to obey God's Command Psal 119.60 as he Rode a while in that earthly woodden Chariot when the Eunuch had handed him into his Acts 8.30 31. So now he Rides in an Heavenly and Angelical flying Chariot wherein he not only Rode but did Flie to Ashdod The third Remark is Wheresoever Christ comes he casts out Satan that strong Man out of his strongest holds as he is the stronger Man Luke 11.21 22. This Ashdod was a place famous or rather infamous for Dagon and his Diabolical Worship 1 Sam. 5.3 where the True God Awakes in his Power by beating Dagon upon his own Dung-hill and paying the Posteriors of his Worshippers with Emerods And it was a principal place of the Philistines those Irreconcileable Enemies of the Church of God But now Philip must go thither with the Gospel that in this dark place he might bring Life and Immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 N.B. 2dly The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing which Joy was the fruit of his Faith Rom. 5.1 admiring at the great Gift conferred upon him in the Knowledge of Christ and in the Salvation of his Soul which was now sealed to him with the Seal of the Covenant of Grace he values not what the wild Courtiers at home would say of him or censure him for having Christ's Mark set upon him but takes Ship at Gaza and becomes the first we find that carried Christianity into Africa CHAP. IX Of Saul's Conversion and the Church's Rest THIS ninth Chapter containeth a most remarkable Remedy of the Church's Malady the most notorious Misery that ever yet had befallen her since her first Constitution God now wrought the Church's Deliverance by a new and notable providential way not by the Confusion but by the Conversion of the most principal and most pestilent Persecutor thereof whereby not only that Church which was at Jerusalem but also the other Churches which had been gathered in other places by means of the Dispersion had rest and peace Acts 9.1 to 32. verse 31. saith Then had the Churches Rest c. at Saul's Conversion N.B. Moses's-Bush Exod. 3.2 3. was an excellent Emblem of the Church of God as the Bush burned yet was not consumed no more is the Church by the fire of Tribulation Isa 43.2 because of the good will of him who dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33.16 whereby either the Bush is consolidated so as to bear the force of the flame without harm as Gold in the Furnace comes purer out but is not consumed Job 23.10 or the furious and consuming heat of the fire is restrained as was done in the Fiery Furnace of Babylon so that the fire had no power so much as to singe the Hairs or the Garments of those three Nobles who were cast into it Dan. 3.25 27. N.B. God Almighty who is the God of Nature did divide between the substance of fire and the intense activity of its heat against and above Nature God miraculously separated between the Essence and the Faculty and so hindered its operation Thus he doth in his Church's case Let us turn aside with Moses and behold this great wonder great indeed for there was a flame of fire else how was the Bush burning There was light else how did Moses see it yet was there no heat else how came the Bush not to be consumed Thus is it with the Church in her fiery Trials even as great a Vision In her Affliction the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire Psal 29.7 and not only so but divideth also the heat from the light so that she is not consumed by the former but only illuminated by the latter So 't is with each afflicted Saint as dying yet live 2 Cor. 6 9 c. The first Remark is The Church of Christ may have worrying Wolves and desperate Devils let loose upon her such an one was Saul here Acts 9.1 2. This Blood-hound had been blooded in the Blood of stoned Stephen yet was not glutted nor satiated with it but makes desperate Havock upon other Christians in Jerusalem Acts 8.2 And as he says of himself chap. 22.4 and 26.10 relating still to this time not being satisfied herewith He yet breathed out more Threatnings and Slaughter c. which signifies a violent and vehement hellish Heat of a diabolically inraged and inflamed heart discovered by the fiery words that he breathed out of his black Mouth c. He was so full of the fire of Rage within that it broke out with his breath in flames without And N.B. This Ravenous Wolf is described here as if wearied with worrying the Flock he now lay's himself down panting for breath But enough of Saul's black Character in the foregoing 6th Chapter It shall suffice here only to shew how insatiable this Wolf was of the Blood of Saints insomuch that no sooner had he by panting a while recovered his breath but he presently trotts to the High Priest who was Prince or President of the Sanhedrim for a new Commission that his Persecution might have the Semblance of Justice and Authority and his Letters-Patents must be so large as to reach so far as Damascus N.B. For though the Romans had conquered Judaea and the Countreys contiguous to it yet did they give Liberty to the Jews to exercise their Religion and to Imprison Dissenters both within and without their Countrey where they had any Synagogues and such they had at Damascus the chief City of Phoenicia whither many of them had been driven in their many Dispersions as well as to many other places It could not suffice this greedy Beast to drink Blood at Jerusalem only but he must have a Draught of the same
yet our Saviour tells him he looked upon all the good or evil done to his Members as done to himself And 2 The Lord reclaims him with a Proverbial speech borrowed from stubborn Oxen or Slaves whom Men used to prick on to their work with Goads c. which being obstinately spurned at did usually wound their Spurnets shewing hereby that such Kickers against the pricks of the Law Deut. 32.15 and 1 Sam. 2.29 do it to their damage and deadly detriment Much more such as are Kickers against the pricks of the Gospel How much sorer punishment do such deserve c. Heb. 10.28 29. N.B. As this should teach Persecutors Moderation so must it teach the Persecuted Patience knowing that the evil which evil men do will recoil on their own heads Persecutors do but provoke God who is more potent than the most powerful persecuting Potentate to lay a more crushing load upon them and to batter them down by a more fatal blow 1 Cor. 10.22 Jer. 7.19 c. whereby the Innocency of Christ in his Members may be vindicated N.B. Thus our Lord had knocked down this Persecutor here to the Earth and he seconds his Blow with these Rebuking words By this time Saul laying all along groveling upon the ground became humbled and docible his foregoing Question Who art thou Lord were words of one doubting yet desirous to learn and somewhat disposed to believe In his Who art thou he acknowledged his Ignorance yet in calling him Lord this was a word of Faith It was a sign of some feeble inclinations toward Believing Saul lay still but a little while humbled under Christ's mighty hand then moves he his second Question with trembling and astonishment Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 Oh what a strange change is apparent here wrought by an immediate and omnipotent hand of Christ How soon is Saul altered from himself he is now not only another Man as his old Name-sake King Saul was 1 Sam. 10.6 but as it were a quite contrary Creature not a Wolf as before but now a Lamb. The Wolf that had hainously hunted and hideously howled for catching his Prey now gently couches here like an harmless Sheep yea and which is more admirable is become both willing and desirous to hear the Voice of the Shepherd He that had been so violent to oppose is now made a Volunteer to obey the Gospel of Christ and he that thought he had done God good service John 16.2 in persecuting Christ now offers himself as Rasa Tabula a white Paper for Christ who had now rased or scraped out the depraved principles of his mistaken Zeal to write the Divine Principles of his Evangelical Law upon the Tables of his heart his heart was now in the hand of Christ and was as a Rased Table out of which his Raging and furious Phrenzy against the Gospel was well wiped off and now 't is made a Marble Monument Ingraven with Christ's Graving-Tool the lively Pourtraiture of Saving Grace N.B. 'T is not What shall I say but That shall I do We may sooner find a fire without any operative heat and a burning Nature than a true Convert without a lively heart and a working grace The Mark in the forehead of one whose name is writ in the Lamb's Book of Life is that he willingly and speedily inquireth after his Lord's Will that he may do it 't is not the talking but the walking and working person that is the true Christian indeed Such an one crys with converted Saul here Lord Reform me of my sins Inform me of thy Will and Conform my will and way to it N.B. The Lord's Answer to Saul's second Question was Arise go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do Here be three remarkable parts in this Answer The First is Saul is bid by his Lord to Arise He was knock'd down and fallen to the ground by the Lord's Power but now hath he not only the Lord's leave but Life also to Rise again Christ did not strike Saul down to confound him but to convert him His heavy Revengeful hand could have done the former Psal 2.12 so have made him to perish in his way of wickedness but his gracious and compassionate heart did the latter that he might become a Monument of Mercy upon Divine Record to all Generations 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. Saul did but fall to rise again Christ thus smites him to heal him who otherwise would have smitten Christ in his Members to have wounded himself against the pricks he kick'd at This was a favourable though an affrighting stroke that did strike down with a design to raise up again N.B. Why should we not humble our selves under that hand which hath therefore cast us down when a very little time is over Isa 10.25 to lift us up again Should we lay still that little time N.B. Secondly Go into the City He was going to Damascus before at the Devil 's bidding but now he hath the Lord's leave and Law for it Why he rose not up the same Man as when he fell down for he fell from a Wolf a Saul a Persecutor but he rises again a Lamb a Paul a Preacher c. As he had now a better Authority to go thither than was his Commission from the High-Priest so he had now likewise a better Errand It was not now for other's destruction but for his own instruction N.B. So it follows Thirdly Ananias though he was taught immediately by Christ himself Gal. 1.12 must be his Teacher whose Destruction he designed but now whose Instruction must be accepted Thus Christ honoured his own Ordinance here and Acts 10.3 6. Neither did Christ Read a Lecture of Redemption unto Saul here nor the Angel to Cornelius there but both are referred to Preachers that the Ministry and the use of Gospel-means which are call'd the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 might be commended thereby N.B. The Fourth Remarkable Circumstance is the Testimony or Witnesses of Saul's Conversion to wit the Men that Journied with him Acts 9 7. 'T is evident he carried many Companions with him such as were base Bailiffs and busie Pursivants or Sergeants by whom he was designed by the Sanhedrim to bring both Men and Women that profess'd Christianity bound to Jerusalem verse 2. which was a fuller Aggravation of his Sin to involve others in the same guilt and provocation of God N.B. 'T is said that those Fellow-Travellers of Saul saw indeed the Lightning and heard the Thunder and were struck astonished thereat yea struck down with Saul to the ground Acts 26.14 And though they heard a Voice here that is a confused Noise or an Inarticulate Sound as of Thunder yet did they not hear that Articulate Voice of Christ that spake so powerfully so convincingly and so convertingly to Saul Acts 22 9. Thus it was in a parallel case The People are said to hear that Voice which spake to Christ from Heaven yet
circumstances of losing both Ship and Goods at Sea How kind and courteous were those Barbarous people whom both the Graecians and the Romans scorned for their Rudeness and Barbarity unto Paul and his Shipwrack'd company here verse 2. In their Philanthropy the word here used or compassion unto Mankind in misery affording them all friendly Accommodations N.B. How far short of this is the custom even of Christian Countries where a Royalty is granted for Seisure of all Shipwrack'd Goods that come to shore and scarcely is a fire found to dry the cloths and warm the Bodies of the Seamen sustaining all this loss yet saving their lives bp swiming to shore This is not a remembring to entertain strangers c. and to have a fellow-felling with those in adversity putting their Souls in our Souls stead Heb. 13.2 3. James 2.16 c. But 't is rather an additional affliction to affliction c. Christians should be more ashamed to come short of those Barbarians herein than to imitate their merciful humanity The Barbarous are Humane here but the humane be now Barbarous The third Remark is No sooner hath one affliction passed over and is gone from God's Servants but presently another comes upon them with a fresh Assault c. Velut unda supervenit undae as one wave of the sea doth Immediately succeed another that is broken and spent Thus was it here with this poor prisoner Paul as if it had not been enough that he was carryed captive in chains which could not but be very obnoxious to him in his shipwrack having his right hand chained to the left hand of the soldier who was his Keeper Acts 28.16 20. but he must also swim to save his life upon some board of the broken Ship And when he had escaped this Eminent danger getting safe to shore and kindling a fire to dry his Cloths and warm his Body but immediately a Viper bolts out of the sticks which he laid upon the fire and fastened upon his hands verse 3. as that venemous Beast useth to do when it biteth And 't is a Creature so full of poison that not only its biting but also some say its very breath is mortal and deadly N.B. As there was a natural cause of this Venemous Beast's bouncing out of the fire For 't is the Nature of those cold Creatures when being benummed with cold they lye without Motion but this beast being now refreshed with the warmth of the fire began first to stir it self and then leaped forth c. So there might be also a preter-natural cause of the Viper's fastening upon Paul's hands more than of any other of his companions for no doubt but that old Serpent the Devil whose design was to destroy Paul who had already destroyed much of his Kingdom must have an hand in this intended and expected mischief Thus many are the troubles of the Righteous which come like Job's Messengers treading upon the heels one of another yet this is their Comfort The Lord delivers them from all Psal 34.19 The fourth Remark is Great and Grievous dangers befall gracious Souls So was this to Paul as well as his Shipwrack If the nature of the Viper be considered which some derive from Vivi pera because contrary to the Nature of other Serpents which all do only lay Eggs as the Cockatrice Isa 59.5 c. The Viper brings forth living Young ones Others say this Serpent is call'd Vipera quia Vi pariat she brings forth her young by force for her young ones gnaw their passage through the Dam's sides so come forth with the Dam's destruction And Galen telleth that the Viper's Conception is conveyed by the mouth at which Copulation the Female biteth off the head of the Male and when her young come forth they eat through her entrailes and so she perisheth also N.B. Thus the young ones seem to revenge the death of their Sire the Male upon their Dam the Female As she destroys him in Coitu or Copulation for their Conception so they too preposterous to stay their full time in the womb destroy her in partu or in the Birth by breaking down the walls of their Mothers house to be gone before the due time for doing mischief which they begin at home against their own Mother but do carry it on against all mankind they can come at in their way N.B. Heredotus excellently observeth that the Vipers thus destroying one another was purposely ordered by the great God least those Venemous Animals should too much Multiply to the prejudice and damage of Mankind Therefore we see that all Beasts and Birds of prey are comparatively Barren bringing forth very few young ones whereas those that are prey'd upon are exceeding fruitful least the latter should be destroyed by the former Father Ambrose in his Hexameron calls the Viper Nequissimum genus Bestiae A most poisonful Destructive Creature Therefore both John Baptist and our Dear Jesus calls the cursed Pharisees a generation of Vipers Matthew 3.7 and 12.34 and 23.33 As if worse than the worst sort of Serpents seeing they pretended to be better Vipers Teeth are buried in their Gums so that one would think they could not bite thus it is with Hypocrites c. Yet Pliny affirms Viperarum Morsus sunt Insanabiles their bitings are incurable Lib. 11. Cap. 37. N.B. Mathiolus tells of a Country-man whom he saw who in his mowing of a Meadow happened to cut a Viper in two with his Sithe and thinking she had been quite dead he takes up with his hand that part which had her head But the inraged Beast shakes her head and miserably bites the Mower upon his hand and then leaps up to his Mouth as they commonly do into which she spewed out her poison whereof the man immediately dyed N.B. And Historians Relate in latter times How the Tartors dip their Arrows in the Venom of Vipers mingled with Man's blood whereby they became notoriously obnoxious and Mortal to the Christians against whom they warred All this doth plainly demonstrate how great was Paul's danger when such a mischievous Beast fasten'd upon his hand Yea those very Barbarians when they saw the Venemous Viper hang upon his hand they were so apprehensive of his danger that they looked upon him little better than already a dead man as those Israelites stung with the Fiery SERPENTS in the Wilderness without the appointed Remedy presently dyed whom vengeance would not suffer to live any longer verse 4. The fifth Remark is As gracious Souls may meet with very great dangers so the most great God doth most graciously grant them very great deliverances as he did here to his gracious Apostle not only from being drowned by the late Shipwrack but also from being destroyed by this present Viper N.B. The very light of Nature led those Barbarians to some Right Sentiments concerning Divine Vengeance especially of God's Revenging the Sin of Murder hence the Heathens call'd one of their Furies Tisiphon which signifies a Revenger