holiness 3. To follow peace with all men and holiness Which last is enforced by a motive without which no man shall see the Lord. Enquire 1. what Peace is 2. what it is to follow Peace 1. Peace hath the name from knitting and uniting divers things together in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to knit Etymol Vide reliq in Notes on Rom. 12.18 Dulce bellum inexpertis War is sweet only to those who have had no tryal no experience of it but Dulce nomen pacis the name of Peace is sweet to us Who both 1. have had long fruition and experience of it and 2. who now begin to want it Sweet to all but the Sons of Belial who are enemies unto Peace It is a character of our Nation Angli amant dulcia the English love things that are sweet I hope therefore you will like well to be fed with the same spiritual food which ye love the Lord make it wholesom and saving unto our souls The only doubt is whether it be now seasonable or no in this time of War surely that it is for Peace is never out of season ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men 1 Thess 5.15 Now Peace is so good that Evil is opposed to it Isai 45.7 I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil And although War now be held by the most to be most seasonable yet it 's no otherwise good nor seasonable nor indeed lawful than as it is profitable unto Peace and thus 't is at the best but malum necessarium like some Medicines compounded of venemous ingredients as Treacle and some others that procure health so may War Peace This Peace we are exhorted here to follow the original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is reckoned among the verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of a middle nature as Zeal and to be zealous for as we read of a good Zeal and it is good to be zealous in a good matter so of an evil Zeal So this word to pursue or follow signifieth an eager pursute in good or evil 1. In good as Deut. 16.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness righteousness shalt thou follow i. e. as we well turn it That which is altogether just shalt thou follow This pursute of Righteousness is no lost labour for Prov. 15.9 The Lord loveth him that followeth after righteousness That pursute of man and love of God have an answerable effect for he who followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life righteousness and honour Prov. 21.21 2. The word is used also in ill part as for the eager pursute of an enemy Levit. 26.17 There the Lord threatens that if they shall not pursue and follow after righteousness I will saith he set my face against you and ye shall be slain before your enemies they that hate you shall reign over you and ye shall flee when none pursueth you And whereas he that followeth after righteousness is bold as a Lion The Lord threatens those who follow it not Levit. 26.36 I will send saith he a faintness into their hearts and the sound of a shaking leaf shall chase them and they shall flee as fleeing from a sword and they shall fall when none pursueth Thus Deut. 28.22 The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption and with a feaver and with an inflamation and with the sword and with blasting and with mildew and they shall pursue thee until thou perish and vers 45. All these curses shall come upon thee and shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed So that where there is not the first pursuit there will be the latter where there is no following after righteousness there the Sword Famine and Plague will follow according to the Jews Proverb where there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to this providence we may refer our long lingring Plague our great variety of diseases and the Sword hanging over our heads now like that of Damacles as it were by an hair These all these eagerly pursue and follow us because we have not eagerly pursued and followed after righteousness mercy and peace And in this sence our Apostle here exhorts us to the eager pursuit of peace to the same purpose the Psalmist Psal 34.15 Seek peace and pursue it See the reason of this point in Notes on Rom. 12.18 Observ 1. The blessing of peace is gone or going away and must be followed and overtaken by us as lost or hid and must be sought Seek peace Psal 34.15 The way of it is not known upon earth however we think our selves a wise and understanding people for so we pray that God's way be known upon earth I have taken away my peace from the people even loving-kindness and mercies Jer. 16.5 Observ 2. We are by corrupt nature of a wild unsociable and unpeaceable disposition we fall short of the true peace and therefore we are here exhorted eagerly to follow and pursue it Such a condition Zophar describes Job 11.12 Observ 3. An argument of our fall even the Philosopher himself could observe it from man's unquiet and unpeaceable disposition man is otherwise now than he was and we shall be more stupid than he and see less than purblind nature if we take not notice of it the God of peace made man like himself a peaceable creature and whereas he hath given natural weapons unto other creatures he hath sent man unarmed into the world Whereas other creatures though armed can live peaceably in their kind and among themselves Saevae inter se conveniunt ursae Men alone unpeaceable in their kind invent Arms and Instruments for their own mutual ruine and destruction So that all men seem not to be of one and the same making it 's the Prophet's collection Mal. 2.1 Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us Why do we deal treacherously every one against his Brother He implies that if we be of one making we should live peaceably and lovingly one with another not circumvent one another by treachery not destroy one another It is our Saviours argument John 8.42 If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God We are Brethren and therefore should love one another Abraham's argument to Lot an evident argument that while we are unpeaceable hateful and hating one another we are estranged from our first creation and degenerate and new begotten of the Devil Joh. 8.44 Repreh Who follow not peace with all men but live only to themselves unsociable men Non nobis solum nati sumus Timones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men-haters enemies of mankind who please only themselves These are so far from living peaceably with all men and following peace with all men that they estrange themselves from all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nabal Laban But far more to blame are they
4. But in regard of the first and original fatherhood so as there is one God and Father of all so whether Natural or Spiritual Fathers they are instruments unto our Heavenly Father 2. Specially this is spoken to the Disciples who are begotten anew unto the hope of Life and therefore our Lord saith Call not your Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your He would our hearts should be raised up unto the Everlasting Father of whom the whole family of Heaven and Earth is named Eph. 3. Thus John 1.12 13. As many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God Who are born not of blood nor of the will of man but of God NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good and sendeth rain on the Just and on the Vnjust HItherto we have heard the Law of Love come we now to the Reason of that Law The Reason see in the Analysis There are many things contained in these words which might be insisted on more particularly I shall speak of them only according to their scope 1. God is our Father in Heaven as before 2. Our Father in Heaven makes his Sun to rise upon the Evil and upon the Good 3. He rains upon the Just and the Unjust 4. Our Lord commands his Disciples to love their Enemies to bless them that curse them do good to them that hate them pray for them that despightfully use them and persecute them that they may be the Children of their Father for he causeth his Sun to rise upon the Evil and upon the Good c. 2. Our Father makes his Sun to rise upon the Evil and the Good The Sun is here called God the Father's Sun because he Created it and hath power to dispose of it and the motions of it The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred to make to rise is used in a transitive sence otherwhere very seldom and that it is here so used is by an Hebraism according to which Neuters and Intransitives are used as if in Hiphel as Transitives The Reason in regard of 1. God 2. the Creatures 1. His common Providence over all He hateth nothing that he hath made Wisd 11.24 and 12 13. Neither is there any God but thou that carest for all things His Power and Authority is over the Sun 2. The necessity in the Creatures the need they have of light and life his mercy over all his Creatures and his love to mans eternal welfare His compassion on all who are degenerate and turned from him that this his goodness may lead them to repentance Rom. 2.4 Doubt That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven c. It 's forcibly implied that ye are his children when he is called your Father how otherwise can he be your Father unless ye be his children and if ye be his children already when he is said to be your Father what need is there that ye should love your enemies bless them that curse you do good c. that ye may be the children of your Father It 's answered by some that this is by way of convicton that ye may approve your selves to be his children by being like unto him But farther God is said to be our Father and we his children divers wayes and in divers degrees according to that ineffable and unexpressable Generation of the Son of God and the process of the Holy Spirit Of his own will he begat us Jam. 1. We read of Children born from the dead such as have died unto their sin and so become the children of the Everlasting Father even of Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Eternity After his Resurrection from the dead he calls them children I go to my Father and your Father There are also Children who are born of the Spirit of this Son-ship speaks John 1 John 3.1 Now are we the Sons of God but it appears not what we shall be but we know when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall be like him Obser 1. Literally Spiritually 1. Literally The Sun is God's his Creature and to be disposed of by him as he makes it rise and set so to stand still so to go back God hath Power and Authority over it the most Glorious Body of light it hath therefore the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Servant because it serves God and the Creatures of God It 's better thus to follow the Scripture than to trouble mens minds with other Contemplations in Nature Obser 2. What a dignation what a condescention is it for him whose the Sun and Moon and Stars are to regard man It is the argument of Moses Deut. 10.14 15. and David Psal 8.3 4. and 24.1 2. and 144.3 Lord what is man yea what a great Grace is it to the Church of God to Israel to the surrogate Israel Deut. 10.14 The heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord 's thy God the earth also and all that is therein Obser 3. The God of heaven is our Father if we be Christ's Disciples your Father The heaven of heavens are the Lord's the earth he hath given to the children of men A ground of contentation in our own estate what ever it is abide with God 1 Cor. 7. Your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these things cast all your care upon him for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 Obser 4. The Soveraign Power Authority and Love which all the children of God may hope and expect from their Father Pater est nomen potestatis pietatis saith Tertullian Psal 115.3 As for our God he is in heaven he hath done whatsoever he will The Lord hath Soveraign Power also over the earth and all things in it The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof Psal 24.1 Yet he is pleased rather to be stiled our heavenly Father and our Father which is in heaven Obser 5. There are some who may be truly called good men our Lord calleth them so who may be called Just men and such as need no repentance Luk. 15.17 This is the rather to be heeded because some are wont to take and mistake certain places of Scripture which they make Rules to all the rest As there is none that doth good no not one c. where the Apostle speaks of the Apostate state of the Church Quaere Whether of these two tend more to Faith and Obedience whether to say that some there are good and just men or to say there is not a just man upon earth which the wise man speaks only of possibility of sinning as I have heretofore shewn These Meditations and such as these may be gathered out of the words but their main scope is to shew our heavenly Father loves his enemies doth
the Divine Life unto the Fatherly Deity that it may be ingendred and begotten anew by it Nor can this be done untill the Humanity have abandoned and discharged all carnal and sensual Fatherhood until it call no man Father upon Earth then followeth the mutual Testimony of the Spirit of God with our Spirit Rom. 8.16 Such a fruit of the Divine Nature may truly call upon God according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ Our Father whic◠art in Heaven for whiles the earthly man loves yet his lusts and desires his appetites his carnal delights and pleasures he cannot call God his Heavenly Father But when the man hath abandoned all these which were his life even unto death then our Heavenly Father raiseth up as from the dead a good will love and delight toward himself by which good will we are begotten and become an heavenly Generation and the Children of the Most High We may sanctifie and hallow the Name of our Heavenly Father 2. Hallowed be thy Name 1. What is here meant by the Name of our Heavenly Father 2. What is it to sanctifie or hollow that Name 1. The Name of the Lord is the Lord himself Vide Notes on Psal 9.11 2. To sanctifie that Name the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sanctifie is to sever and set apart from all pollution When therefore we pray That the Name of our Heavenly Father may be sanctified or hallowed we desire that the Lord would work for his Names sake that it may not be polluted Ezech. 20. vers 9.14 22. That we may be conversant about the Name of our God with an holy mind holy affections holy expressions in words and works and promote the same in others for the Name of our Heavenly Father is holy and because it is so it cannot be approached unto but by those of like Nature to it whence he himself requires That because he is holy we also should be holy Obser 1. The sanctifying of God's Name is a principal Duty it hath here the first place in our desires and indeed to sanctifie and glorifie it is the end of all the Creatures which are made for his Glory as the End is more noble than the Means for the life is more than meat Mat. 6.25 therefore whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do all must be done to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10. This is that which the Genuine Child partaker of the Fathers own Nature chiefly desires and prays for Obser 2. We know not how to honour him aright which excludes all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all will-worship Nadab and Abihu had a good intention no doubt to sanctifie God's Name when they offered strange fire but Levit. 10.1 2 3. There went out fire from the Lord and devoured them Obser 3. Who can teach us this but our Heavenly Father And therefore we desire it of him Obser 4. The Name of the Lord cannot be hallowed by us unless he himself have intire Dominion and Rule in us And therefore we pray 2. Thy Kingdom come A Kingdom is Politeia sub uno bono it 's a Polity or Government under one that 's good Vide Notes on Mat. 13.11 The Kingdom of God is either 1. Universal and so Psal 102. His Kingdom ruleth over all and he is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. or 2. Special so the Lord is King of Saints Rev. 15.3 even those who sanctifie and hollow his Name 1. Wherein then consists the Kingdom of God 2. What is it for this Kingdom to come 1. The Kingdom of God is an inward Kingdom Luke 17. And therefore we must enquire what is within us over which our God may Rule and Reign and have his Kingdom The Divine Philosopher tells us of Three several parts of the Soul 1. The Rational 2. The Irascible 3. The Concupiscible Proportionably unto these Three parts of the Soul the Kingdom of God consists in 1. Righteousness 2. Peace and 3. Joy in the Holy Ghost for so the Rational part of the Soul is governed by Righteousness which is all Vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Righteousnes all Vertues are contained This Righteousness governs the Royal part of the Soul declining it from Evil and ruling it unto Good wherein consists Righteousness cease to do Evil learn to do well 2. The second part of the Soul is the Irascible or wrathful part this is governed by Peace which is the effect of Righteousness Esay 32. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Col. 3.15 wherein the Irascible had rule before Eccles 11.10 Marg. as also the Concupiscible all the vain desires and appetites call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's 3. The third part of the Soul This Concupiscible while inclined to earthly things is Evil but it 's raised from Earthly to Heavenly objects wherewith it is fully satisfied and becomes one with them in full fruition That 's the third part of God's Kingdom which is called Joy in the Holy Ghost These are the three parts of the Kingdom proportioned unto the three principal parts of the Soul which are governed by Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And therefore as Earthly things and Emperours have their Royal and Imperial Cities so the only Potentate Our Father which is in Heaven hath his three Royal and Imperial Cities proportionable unto the three parts of his Kingdom Sedec whence he is called Melchizedeck King of Righteousness and Salem whence he was called afterwards Melchisalem i. e. King of Peace Heb. 7. The third is Sushan that 's Joy the City of Ahasuerus that is the Great Prince and Head Esth 8.15 The City of Shushan rejoyced and was glad when Psal 84.2 The heart and the flesh cryeth out for the Living God and rejoyceth when we say with David Psal 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Thus the Kingdom of God is said to come i. e. to appear for so those words are taken one for the other as when Christ is said to appear or be made manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. ult St. John saith He is come in the flesh 1 John 4.2 Luke 17.20 21. This Kingdom of God appears or comes when we become strong to do the Lords will therefore the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power 1 Cor. 4.20 when also we are able to suffer out all temptations and to bear the infirmities of others therefore Rev. 1.9 The Kingdom and Patience are joyned together Obser 1. There is want of this Kingdom for Prayer supposeth a want either in whole or in part of what we ask for God's Kingdom is yet but in part come to the most of us because all things are not as yet put under him 1 Cor. 15. Obser 2. We are not able of our selves to advance or raise up this Kingdom of God Satans Kingdom it 's to be feared in very many remains as yet in force and
Teacher Esay 9. Mat. 23.8 One is your Master even Christ 1. The summ of his Doctrine is Eph. 4.20 24. 2. The Lord Jesus correcteth and instructeth his Disciples Thus what many understand of Christs passive stripes they are understood also of his active stripes Esay 53. Those whom the Father and the Son hath taught the Son commits unto the Spirit and sends the Spirit to them Joh. 14.16 and 15 26. He corrects and instructs also Joh. 16.8 13. This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Chald. understand not only an Advocate but also an Interpreter Job 33.23 if there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innocency Purity Righteousness in him there is prepared for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Interpreter an Intercessor Repreh The many Masters Jam. 3.1 who cry Every one come to me Learn of me according to the Apostles Prophesie exactly fulfilled Act. 20.30 Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them For almost every one is a Teacher which plainly shews that as yet those glorious dayes or times which themselves vaunt of are not come when all the people should be taught of God Joh. 6. When they shall not one teach another for now every one almost will teach another Why 1. Because he hath had Holy Hands laid upon him Or 2. He is Gifted Or 3. He hath a Congregation Obj. But hath he received that gift by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 Answ That may well be questioned since nihil dat quod non habet Nothing can give that to another which it hath not it self 2. The like we may say of gathering Churches unless it be to the Lord Jesus unto whom the gathering together of the people ought to be Gen. 49.10 Such I am sure was the practise of the Holy Apostles He who gathereth not unto Christ the only Master and Teacher he scattereth Mat. 12.30 3. The like may be said of many gifted men as they call themselves or are called by others for where the gift of the Holy Spirit is not men vainly boast of other gifts It is true God may speak by whom he will He opened the mouth of the Ass and taught the false Prophet A man may have a strong memory to retain other mens Sermons and a competent measure of boldness to offer it yet I dare not say that he hath the Holy Ghost Gal. 5.22 Beloved whoever Teacheth before he himself be Taught of God who ever will rise up to draw Disciples after him before the Day-star be risen in his heart he may teach others but God teacheth not by him whence proceed the many damnable Heresies among us according to St. Peter's Prophesie which will appear if ye please to consider the Apostles speech 2 Pet. 1. compared with 2. 1. See Notes on 2 Pet. 2.1 2. The words will bear also another meaning Learn of me and by mine Example Meekness and Humility Learn this lesson of me Learn hence to discern the true Doctrine of Christ and manner of teaching from all other which yet may pretend unto it it differs from them all indeed in all things I shall content my self to point at some few 1. The Doctrine of the Lord Jesus is the Doctrine of Truth according to Godliness as it is described Tit. 1.1 The summ of this Truth in Jesus is the putting off the Old Man and putting on the New Eph. 4.20 21 22 23. This Truth is neither taught as it ought to be nor believed in the world for who almost believes it possible to put off the Old Man Now if it be impossible to put off the Old man which is first to be done how shall it be possible to put on the New Christ's Doctrine is the Doctrine of Life and Godliness 2. He Taught and Preached the Kingdom of God and the things that belong to the Kingdom of God which he tells us is within us Luk. 17.21 and consists in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost This Kingdom is looked for without us and the coming of it with outward Observation 3. Christ the wisdom of God teacheth Temperance and Prudence Justice and Fortitude Wisd 8. and 7. which are the four Cardinal Virtues known in the world unto which all the Virtues may be reduced but these belong to the Heathen or to meer Moral men or they are impossible or Christ hath performed them for us 4. The Doctrine of Christ points to inward things Meekness Patience Humility Self-denial the Doctrine of worldly Teachers is concerning worldly things and involved in the Principles of the world The feet of this last Monarchy consists of Iron mixt with Clay the earthly mind 's mixt with the powers of the outward world Note here the only way unto the true Rest What else but the Doctrine of Christ putting off the Old Man and putting on the New What else but Justice and Judgement Jer. 6.16 Gen. 18.19 Sign We cannot learn both of the world and of Christ Though David was Anointed King by Samuel yet he was not owned by the People They generally followed Saul although he was now rejected of God nor thought they the other King needful for why he used a reason Can the Son of Jesse give you fields there 's the business he that can give them fields they follow but leave him from whom they see nothing of that Nature Mean time who followed David who but a few poor men men in straits who knew themselves deep in debt Saul's Kingdom is the Kingdom of the world Christ is the true David chosen of God King yet the greatest part follow Saul They only follow Christ who are in debt and labour they know the world cannot help them nor is Saul chosen of God wherefore despising of themselves and of all worldly helps they adhere to Christ and Christ becomes their Captain the Captain of their Salvation who invites them to come unto him Exhort Let us come unto the Lord Jesus take his yoke upon us learn of him Let us not not dare to be of their number who have been call'd yet have refused If any man will do the Fathers Will he shall know the same NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XII 31 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Confer Mat. 3.28 29. Luk. 12.10 IN omnibus Scripturis Sanctis nulla major questio nulla difficilior invenitur There is not a greater or more intricate question in all the holy Scriptures then touching the meaning of these words said one of the Ancient Fathers of greatest Name when he had
have access unto them and the Lord Jesus the great Mediator between God and Man is every where prest and ready for all our addresses to be made unto him Heb. 7.24 25. Sanctuaries and places of Refuge were always open and the ways made plain for all to fly unto them And lest any should mistake the way there was written on the sides of it in great Letters REFUGE REFUGE Such a common Sanctuary is opened in the Name of Jesus such a Common Saviour is he unto all who come unto him Obs 2. Note here who are the most fit men to make address unto the Lord Jesus who but the Disciples So they are called in the Text and such they were who learned of him by word and deed and following of him They were not only careful to attend and hear when he taught but to ask and learn Matth. 13.36 and 15.15 Consolat To the true Disciples of Jesus Christ He is near unto them Immanuel God with them Deut. 4.7 Psal 148.14 a people near unto him Yes those Disciples had a happiness which we have not they had Christ present with them And so hast thou Joh. 1.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you in the midst of you yea he is nearer to thee than Christ in the flesh was to them Rom. 10.6 7 8. How otherwise couldst thou live for it is in him that we live move and have our being Act. 19.26 27 28. Yea although the Disciples were sorrowful because our Lord told them he must withdraw his corporeal presence from the◠yet he tells them it was expedient for them Joh. 16. Exhort Let us come unto Jesus Christ in these times of exigency let us come and propound our doubts unto him His goodness may allure us he vouchsafes us opportunity his love constrains us Our own want and necessity may drive us out of our selves and force us to fly to him who can supply our wants They tell us a Story or rather a Fable of Alpheus a River that was in love with her Fountain called Arethusa and that it followed that Fountain through the Sea and at length enjoyed it Beloved Fables are not always to be despised since in them the wise men among the Heathen covertly taught the secrets of Nature and by them conveyed them unto those who were docible and ingenuous as for others who were more dull and stupid or animales homines they had in these Fables something to delight their Fancies Alpheus therefore pursuing Arethusa was in Philosophy the Matter rude and unprofitable in it self desiring and pursuing the Form In our better Philosophy Alpheus is the Soul spotted and blemished and sensible of its own defects and imperfections goes out of it self by pious desires and earnest love unto the Fountain of living Waters Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Mythologist signifieth a stain a blemish a want and imperfection and Arethusa hath its name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue 3. The Lord Jesus is the great High Priest who hath the Vrim and Thummim the lights and perfections he hath the Oracles of God Whither should we go Thou hast the words of eternal life Joh. 6.66 Means We must be Disciples Converts The Queen of Sheba came to Solomon she came from Arabia where the Law was given for Sinai is a Mountain in Arabia she comes full of questions concerning the Law and Solomon answers all so that there was no spirit in her Sheba is a figure of Conversion when the heart is turned to the Lord the veil is taken away Nor is their any spirit in the Law but it 's swallowed up of the Gospel And will we live unto Christ we must first die unto our selves Ye are dead and your life is hid with God in Christ And Christ the wisdom of God destroys the wisdom of the wise and brings to nought the understanding of the prudent That he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. Axiom 3. The Disciples enquire after Three things 1. When these things shall be which the Lord Jesus had foretold 2. What should be the Sign of his Coming 3. What should be the Sign of the End of the World For so I conceive these Quaeries to be distinct one from other and not to be huddled and confounded all into one as if together with the dissolution of the Jews State when the Temple and City should be destroyed the coming of the Lord Jesus should be and his Kingdom at the same time erected and then the World should have an end Truly the different judgments of men touching this Chapter and Chap. 25. have rendered them both very obscure As the Questions of the Disciples are here distinctly propounded so our Lord answers them distinctly as I hope I shall shew Howbeit it is evident that the Disciples did not so understand the things they enquired after as the Lord afterward explained them as appears Luk. 24. Act. 1. Come we then to the Disciples first Quaere 1. The Disciples enquire when shall those things be which he had foretold v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the words are in the Text and in the parallel Evangelists Marc. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things He had spoken only of one the destruction of the Temple how then come these words to be plural these things First then as concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things what they are Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when these things shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies as well the destruction of the City Jerusalem as of the Temple here And therefore St. Luke reports our Lords words concerning the destruction of the City the very same whic◠he used v. 2. concerning the Temple Luk. 19.41 Confer Notes before on v. 2. Observ 1. The Temple was not to be destroyed alone the City Jerusalem was to be ruined with it which I wish they considered aright who out of I know not whether more ignorant or malevolent zeal hope to see all Churches and like Edifices go down They may see their desires but those Buildings must not go down alone Towers Cities places of greatest Concourse and Assemblies shall keep them company Confer Notes again on v. 2. Observ 2. The City Jerusalem and the Temple to be destroyed was a Type of the Jerusalem of the Gentiles and the Christian Churches also to be destroyed as was intimated Matth. 21 and 22.1 2 3. And therefore the Disciples ask both especially the latter as appears by our Saviour's answer in the whole Chapter Yea St. Luke comprehends all the destruction of the City and Temple the coming of Christ and the end of the World under this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 21.5 and our Lord's answer extends it self accordingly Thus much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things Come we now to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disciples Quaere touching the precise time When shall these things be What reason had they to enquire into the time when these things should come to pass
dye do not so much fear death as grieve for it saith the Philosopher lib. 2. chap. 5. Fear is either of the evil it self or of him who inflicts the evil as the Malefactor fears not only death and the sentence of death but also the Judge who may give sentence of death upon him Thus the friends of Jesus Christ are forbidden not only to fear death but also to fear those who can kill the body There are three kinds of vitious fear 1. Humane arising from the apprehension of some imminent evil destructive to our nature as loss of health strength limbs or life it self all which we naturally love and therefore as naturally fear the loss of them and therefore for preservation of them we are inclined by corrupt nature to commit evil and omit what is good 2. The second kind of vitious fear is that which we call worldly which proceeds from an apprehension of some imminent evil destructive to our selves and well-being in this evil World as loss of honours favours friendship or other temporal or worldly good for preservation of these we are inclined by corrupt nature to swerve from the way of Righteousness do evil and leave good undone These two evils arise from their special Objects 3. The third proceeds from a servile and base principle in the man whereby he is moved to do what is good for fear of punishment of which more in prosecution of the second part of this Text. The two former kinds are more proper to this point and of them the first which we call humane fear which our Lord forbids his friends and that in the greatest extent they must not fear poverty shame loss of friends these are without the man they must not fear loss of limbs no not loss of life it self for Christ's sake i. e. for Righteousness sake rather suffer penury disgrace death it self than offend our God we have the same precept Matth. 10.27 yea the same seems to have been reasonable even to the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a son of Eleazar in Josephus For so great a command there must needs be great reason to inforce it and indeed so there is whether we respect 1. The body which we love so well 2. Or those who kill the body 3. Or the friends of Jesus Christ 4. Or Jesus Christ himself whose command it is I say unto you c. 1. As for the body it 's but animae theca was carcer animae the case the vessel of the soul yea the prison of it when the soul is uncased the earthen Vessel broken the prison opened and the Goal-delivery made the souls of Christ's friends then enjoy the full and glorious liberty of the Sons of God The body is the basest part of the man liable to many manner of injuries suppose they hurt it yea take away the life of it they do but that which the body it self would suffer ere long should no man hurt it And what great matter is it to pay a due debt to God and Nature a little before the time a day we say breaks no square The earthen Vessel was not intended to keep the treasure always in it nor was the light made to be kept always in the Pitcher a time there is when it must be broken and the glory of it appear and shall the prisoner fear or rejoyce rather to enjoy his liberty and that before his expected time 2. They who kill the body they themselves do themselves the greatest hurt There is no man hurts another but even then when he hurts another and because he hurts another he hurts himself more he hurts his neighbours body but his own soul They do but send them a little before them to the grave they must follow sooner or later The Philosopher himself saw this well enough when one told him the Athenians have adjudged thee to death That nature saith he hath adjudged them This is the reason of the holy Ghost Isai 51.12 Who art thou that shalt be afraid of a man that shall dye 3. In regard of the friends of Jesus Christ they are obliged by vertue of that sacred bond of Amity and friendship between Jesus Christ and them to do whatsoever he commands them Joh. 15.14 And herein they will demonstrate evidently that they are his friends for greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends 4. A fourth reason is in regard of our great Friend Jesus Christ himself who commands it I say unto you c. He is such a friend as hath laid down his life for us already Joh. 15. Such a friend as will not cannot deceive us such a friend as will stand by us Isai 51.12 I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye 5. Add unto all these the reason of the Text they who kill the body have no more that they can do 6. One reason more from the light of Nature it self whose dictate this is that though it be natural to fear yet it is against natural reason to swerve from Truth and Righteousness for fear For somethings there are saith the Philosopher which a man ought not to be compelled to do by any terror in the world his reason is it is more dishonest to commit them than to suffer the greatest evils Ethic. 3. But here it may be doubted touching this prohibition fear of evil is natural and being so it seems not to be unlawful but loss of health strength limbs much more of life is without question a natural evil and therefore we may naturally fear the loss of these I answer our Lord Jesus Christ who knows our frame and fashion and whereof we are made will not lay a burden upon us beyond our strength nor suffer us to be tempted above what we are able he therefore who prohibites our fear of death he is yet indulgent to the weak and fearful Deut. 20.8 Jud. 7.3 Howbeit there is a difference to be observed between the new acquaintance and friends of Jesus Christ and his old friends as the Scripture warrants us to speak acquaint now thy self with God Job 22.21 These are of his new acquaintance he hath also his old friends those who have known him from the beginning Joh. 2. He dealt tenderly with the Hebrews Exod. 13.17 so David with the Gittites 2 Sam. 15.18 Yea he commands or at least permits us to flee persecution Matth. 10.23 When they persecute you in one City flee to another Nor is this any argument of our denyal of Christ when we flee Certum est quòd Christum Confitetur qui propterea fugit ne negat It is certain that he confesseth Christ who flees for his sake lest he should deny him saith one of the pious Ancients But as for his old friends it was told Nehemiah Nehem 6.10 11. they will come to slay thee c. I said saith Nehemiah should such a man as
he saith unto us as Paul to the Gaoler Do thy self no harm Shall Sathan prevail with us for the greater and shall not our God prevail with us for the less 2. This reproves us for our abuse of what power we have Our God hath power to do us the greatest hurt yet he doth it not If we have power in our hand to do hurt commonly we do it we act ad extremum and they under our power shall feel it that we have power when we have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus the higher powers who have been in the Church or the Common-wealth may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things are now in fieri not done but in doing the excrescency and exorbitancy of power suppressing If the powers that are prove irregular and excessive God will suppress them Consol O the happiness of Christ's true friends in these perilous times The power of killing and casting into hell is in their great friends hand I have been angry with my Brother hated him reviled him But alas I am a sinful man and I shall be cast into hell He saith not that he doth cast into hell but he hath power to cast into hell so Matth. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be in danger of judgement c. he saith not he shall certainly be condemned and cast into Hell But art thou faln into sin Abide not in it Rise up again from the dead and Christ shall give thee life believe in thy great friend He that believes in me although he were dead yet shall he live Joh. 5. But put case thou be cast into Hell Thy God I speak to thee friend of Jesus Christ who doest whatsoever he cammands thee thy God is there with thee Psal 139.8 though I make my bed in hell thou art there Hear the Prophet David's confidence though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil Psal 23.4 Faith in the operative power of God hope of life and salvation hath an anchor within the veil Love to God and his Righteousness these and such as these will not cannot stay long in hell and death but must rise maugre all the power of Satan Hell and Death and all whatever is not God himself God takes notice of these things 1 King 14.13 Abijah only of Jeroboams house shall come to his grave because in him there is found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good one of God was in him Christ was in him and he cannot perish it is impossible Isai 65.8 As the new wine is found in the Cluster and one saith destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I do for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord brings down to the grave or hell and brings up again It is not the blood of Abel which crys aloud but the blood of Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant and the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.24 But the pains of hell gat hold of me Psal 116.3 It is the common passage of all Gods people See Notes on 1 Sam. 2.6 post medium Exhort Hath the Lord power to do this O then prevent him that he do it not A blow met half way lessens and abates if not breaks the stroke Amos 4.12 Because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel because he will send the pestilence the famine the sword c. therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel Where shall we meet him Every one would be glad to meet him in his own way but not out of our own way we will not go to meet God in his ways There are most of us too wise in finding out ways to escape the condemnation of Hell There is a small narrow way leading out of hell and death into the everlasting life which the vultures eye hath not seen yet will men pretend they know it very well we know all have knowledge This small narrow way men are not wont to take such as our great friend hath directed us unto but every one will make a way by himself according to their own wit and in such a way they walk most willingly But truly howsoever they make every one his way as narrow as they will one man by abstaining from this another from that doing this or doing that and herein men place their consolation Mean time every one loves only those who travail with him in his way and hates all others that go not step for step with him in his way which every man thinks his own narrow way best his own cross that himself hath made his own gate that he goeth through the only strait gate But to what purpose is this that a man should forsake one thing and bind himself to another leave one error and embrace another when all this while all these are no other than so many small paths cut out of the broad way and many walk therein unto condemnation O Beloved what an incorrigible over-sight what a double hell and death will this be at the last day when we shall have born many an heavy burden been long time weary and heavy laden and when we think at length to enter into life out alas we shall find when it will be too late that we have all this while walked in a way of our own making and chusing a narrow way cut out of the broad way which leads unto death and condemnation There is a way saith Solomon which seems good to man but the end of it are the ways of death O Beloved as ye love your own souls get out of it What then is that way which leads from hell and death unto heaven and everlasting life What else but Jesus Christ himself the way the truth and the life that Jacob's ladder which reacheth to heaven He himself hath been obedient to his Father even to the death the death of the Cross overcame sin death and hell This way he hath tried before us in all self-denyal and patience in all meekness in all righteousness and holiness in all obedience that we should follow him in the same way in the faith and become partakers of his divine Nature and through him overcome hell and death and condemnation There is room to them who are in Christ This is the high-way from hell to heaven The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Prov. 15. Thus thus the bonds of death and cords of hell are broken 1 Cor. 15. Thus thus the broken hearted are healed the bonds are loosed the perplexed consciences eased the polluted hearts are cleansed This is a way of no mans making or chusing Means The Lord comes to destroy Nabal and Sheba Bichri the first born let them not therefore have a being in us I have spoken so much upon these words yet I
God wrought before their eyes in Aegypt that they might fear the evil the great evil of disobedience That fact of the Jews was a document and instruction to the Christians saith one of the pious Ancients The Jews fled out of Aegypt the Aegyptians following them and pursuing them that the Christians might understand that they must not only fly from the corporal Aegyptians but from the Spiritual also Mich. 7. For this reason Plato placed his University neer Athens in a Village subject to frequent Earthquakes and as others say in a very ill air that the daily fear of diseases and death might break the violence of their lusts and bring in a fear of doing ill and that fear bring in the filial fear of God and that filial fear the Love of God as the needle makes way for the thred when we sow any thing the Law works fear and was given with fear and terrour that we might fear to do evil The Lord would that we should believe in him love him and keep his Commandments the order of Gods works in the Soul requires this of us Hagar must bring forth before Sarah the first must be before the second Covenant Hagar signifieth Fear which is the beginning of wisdom Sarah is the Faith which is the process and going on of it The Apostle makes use of these examples to the same purpose Gal. 4. The Lord will not give his process in wisdom until the fear the beginning precede and go before but in malevolam animam non introibit sapientia the Lord will not pour his spirit of wisdom into unclean vessels 1. Pray to the Lord to put his holy fear into us to cleanse us 2 Cor. 7.1 to fasten in us his fear What we render I am afraid of thy judgements Psal 119.20 the Septuagint turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Vulg. Lat. Confige timore tuo carnes meas fasten my flesh as it were with nails to the Cross with thy fear They who are fastned can stir neither hand nor foot how can they do evil They who are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. such were they Act. 2.37 They were pricked in their hearts Ecclus. 22.19 Psal 4.5 in cubilibus vestris compungimini in your chambers be ye pricked with the sense of your sin 2. Call home all thy vain fears Isa 51.12 13. thou fearest this and that pray to the Lord Psal 86.10 Teach me O Lord thy way and I will walk in thy truth Christ is the way and the truth unite my heart to fear thy Name when the scattered fears are all gathered in and united in our fear of God O how valiant is such a Soul Vis unita fortior fortissima It is said that of the Hebronites Jerijah was the chief and there were of them mighty men of valour 2 Chron. 26.12 And who were these Hebronites who was Jerijah the Hebronites were adjuncti adunati adjoyned and united unto God of these Jerijah was chief in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence Great men and Judges and Potentates shall be honoured but there is none greater than he that feareth the Lord Ecclus. 10.24 In this state Jehoshaphat obtained the victory over his enemies 2 Chron. 20. In the valley of the wilderness of Jemel in humility and the fear of God Faith in God the Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I fear Psal 27.1 In thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be confounded Cahath Reproof How timerous we are how fearful to neglect the commandments of men yet how bold how audacious we are to transgress and violate the commands of our God This is that which the Lord often complains of Jer. 35.14 Mich. 6.16 the statutes of Omri are kept or rather kept See an instance of this 2 Sam. 13.28 Absolom commanded his Servants saying Mark ye now when Ammons heart is merry with wine and when I say unto you Smite Ammon then kill him fear not why so presently it followeth have not I commanded you be couragious and be valiant He thought it was just because he commanded them therefore against the Law of Nations and common humanity whereby hospes ab hospite tutus the Guest is preserved by him who entertains him against the Law of Nature whereby one brother is the keeper of the other against the express Law of God all which notwithstanding yet because he had commanded them they fell upon him and slew him Repreh Those who even in those services of God wherein they would seem most to love and honour God and Christ even in them they most dishonour him and cast off all fear and regard of God and good men St. Jude in his Prophetical Epistle of these last times tells us of spots in our feasts of Charity when men feed themselves without fear Such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Agapae or Love-feasts the Christians of old time had as a representation of the Peace-offerings under the Law wherein the Primitive Christians met together to edifie one another and exercise those duties which St. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians and us unto 1 Thess 5 14-23 These were used in Tertullians dayes as he mentions them in his Apologie and they continued long after him till excess and riot got in among them and then they were abolished by the Council of Laodicea A resemblance of these was in our Wakes and Feasts in the beginning of Christianity in this Nation which through the want of God's fear are corrupted And what shall we say of the frequent meetings among Christians who are called to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 yea all things among them should be done in love 1 Cor. 16.14 What occasion so solemn as Thanksgiving unto God but it 's corrupted by want of the fear of God among us such spots there are in our feasts of Charity while men feast feeding themselves without fear Jude 14. Enoch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exhort Jesus Christ our great friend he saith I say unto you fear not them that kill the body me vide look at me or put confidence in me as iron sharpens iron so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend saith Solomon Prov. 27.17 And we may understand it of this sharpening of Christs friends by whetting his commands upon them as by frequent inculcating the commands of Jesus Christ the commandment is made sharp like a two-edged-sword c. When our great friend will afford us his countenance when he saith Me vide the man Christ whets the countenance of his friend when he lifts up his countenance upon us The looking upon the brazen Serpent healed them This fear is all the man Eccles ult 3. From the opposition of the negative and affirmative precept fear not them that kill the body but fear him who hath power to cast body and soul into hell Exod. 20.20 Fear ye not their fears but sanctifie the Lord God in your heart that
our conformity thereto This is the narrow way Matth. 7.2 Esdr 7. I am the door Joh. 10.7 The new and the living way Heb. 10.20 Observ 2. This discovers a great deal of hypocrisie which with the blind world goes for righteousness and holiness Thou that art called by the name of Jacob answers not to that name Thou hast a name that thou livest Revel 3.1 and art dead Life entred in by righteousness This is the Apodosis and Reddition Here are four questions for explication 1. What is here meant by life 2. What by righteousness 3. What it is for life to enter 4. How did life enter in by righteousness Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life These two phrases are used promiscuously 1. That life enters in by righteousness And 2. That by righteousness we enter into life The former is here understood the other is express Matth. 18.8 9. to enter into life And 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments So to be in Christ and Christ to be in us and many the like So we may be said to enter into peace Esay 57.2 and joy Matth. 25.21 and into glory Luk. 24.26 and into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 7.21 When yet all these are in us The Reason is from that through and intimate Union of spiritual things And accordingly I shall use the phrase promiscuously that life enters into us or we enter into life by righteousness 1. The life here must be opposite unto death As therefore the death is natural so is the life Prov. 16.31 2. As it is inward and spiritual a dying from the life of God in us So is the life also spiritual and inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recovering of the life of God and living unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 3. As that is the whole curse following upon sin and death So is the life the whole blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ himself who is not the blessing only but plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast made him most blessed Psal 21.6 In all these respects we may understand the wise man Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life Rom. 5.18 The Apostle hath both parts of this similitude full 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Since by man came death by man came the resurrection from the dead Here are three things considerable 1. That whereinto entrance is made the world 2. That whereby it may be made righteousness 3. That which enters life 1. By righteousness is here understood both 1. That which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justification which is by faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3.22 26. Thus reconciliation is made by the death of Christ vers 10. And 2. That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.13 18. This is made ours by faith vers 1. being justified by faith That is made ours by conformity unto his death Rom. 6. 1 Pet. 2.24 By this righteousness life enters As by the real transgression and propagation of the sinful nature from Adam unto his seed and posterity Death followed upon his seed and posterity So by the real transfusion of the righteous Spirit from the second Adam unto his posterity and his seed as it is called Esay 53. righteousness and life followeth unto them So expresly Rom. 5.10 18. Reconciled unto God by the death of his Son we shall he saved by his life This we have also fully testified 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Take an illustration of this wrought in the less world by what the God of Nature works in the greater As by the cold condensing spirit the free passages of the water and the earth are stopped and a kind of deadness followeth unto them So by the spirit of iniquity the love grows cold and obstruction is made of the free Spirit of Life But as when the God of Nature sends out his word and melts them he causeth the wind to blow and the waters to flow Psal 147.18 So the God of all grace sends forth his essential word and causeth his Spirit to blow and dissolves that deadness in us So that the law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus makes us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 How The same way that the first Adam brought death upon himself and posterity The same way the second brought righteousness and life Observ 1. Life natural spiritual and eternal are inward things eternal life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3.15 This is negative but what positive proof have we 1 Joh. 5.11 12. God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his son who is the way the truth and the life and he who hath the Son hath life c. Observ 2. Hence we may discern between the true heavenly life and that which is only a shew and semblance of it 1. The true heavenly life enters in by righteousness 2. It 's a life usher'd in by a precedent death If ye by the spirit shall mortifie ye shall live Observ 3. Here is a salve for the most deadly sin a remedy for the most extreme malady A cure even of death it self This was signified by those cures wrought by the Lord Jesus and his Apostles Most of the diseases were either almost or altogether incurable that blindness of the man Joh. 9. was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some blindness by casualty but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Leprosie is very hardly cured They say when the Fever and bloody Flux meet they are incurable they met in Publius Act. 28.8 The man was lame from his mothers womb whom Peter cured Act. 3.2 but because some lameness in children may be helped before the joynts be setled it 's noted Act. 4.22 that the man was above forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed and therefore he was naturally incurable But the cure of a dead man mortuum curare 't is reckoned among the opera inania and labour in vain Hence ariseth the glory of the great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ the Physician of souls A strange cure of Death by Death Extinguunt ignibus ignes The fire of concupiscence by the fire of love O death I will be thy death By Theriaca the Vipers poyson is dispelled 1 Macch. 6.46 the great beast which Eleazar slew cost him his life and Sampson by his death overcame his enemies Heb. 2.14 Repreh Those who seek to enter into life bliss and happiness yet not by righteousness they live in their sins yet hope to enter into life These are without the door like the blind Sodomites they could not find the door Gen. 19. nor shall they find it Our Saviour tells of such Luk. 13.24 Others imagine themselves into the life and enter not in by righteousness these our Lord calls thieves and robbers Joh. 10. There is a night thief and a day thief The night thief doth evil and hates the light Joh. 3. The day thief the prophane person that rebels against the
3. Apodosis Some there are who are righteous and not after the similitude of the second Adam's righteousness This is gravius dictum durus sermo an hard saying at the first hearing which yet is obvious for there is a righteousness which is of the Law Rom. 10.5 and which is of faith vers 6. So the Apostle calls that his own righteousness which is by the Law Phil. 3.9 But that which is through the faith of Christ he calls the righteousness which is of God by faith 4. Death hath reigned over those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to Reign answers most what to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have publick Authority and Dominion whether the Power be used well or ill So we read of a reign of sin and a reign of righteousness Rom. 5.21 a reign of life vers 17. and a reign of death It is here said of death that it reigneth I must here remind you what we understand by death Not only 1. The death Natural which surely had been natural to Man whether he had sinned or no and it had been of Grace if he had continued in the body and not have died Nor only 2. The Spiritual death which is a separation of the Soul from God who is our Life But also 3. The Infernal or hellish death though with distinction according to the distinction of those over whom death reigns which distinction is implyed in the Text for so we cannot truly say that the hellish death reigns over all those who have or have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression though it cannot be denied but that naturally even this death also followeth sin as the wages of it every sin being in its own nature mortal and should prove so did not the Mediator intervene and bring the spirit of Life into the fallen man But here we speak of death as it naturally succeeds unto sin and followeth it according to the prediction and denuntiation Gen. 2. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death What right or title hath Death to the Kingdom The answer to this question will serve for a reason of this point Among the several wayes of coming to power and Sovereignty Statesmen reckon Usurpation Succession and Election and by these means death obtains the Kingdom vers 12. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin for first sin usurped a power over us so ye find vers 21. Sin reigned unto death and that is the kingdom of sin Amos 9.8 Rom. 6. Let not sin reign But doth Sin die without issue No Death is the natural Child and issue of sin Jam. 1.14 15. ye find the Genealogy Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is perfected bringeth forth death If we shall search higher and enquire whose lusts these are and who draws us away then we shall find that lust is the Seed of the Devil Joh. 8. The lusts of your Father he is the Grandfather of Sin and Death so that indeed as Children are in the power of their Masters where Sin or Death is said to reign the Devil himself reigneth who hath the power of Death Hebr. 2.14 Ephes 2.1 2 3. So that sin is the Child of the Devil and the first born of sin is Death according to Jam. 1.15 Job 18.12 13. Bildad foretelling the destruction of the ungodly saith Destruction shall be ready at his side and shall devour the strength of his skin even the first born of death So we turn it but the LXX the Vulg. Lat. and the Chaldee Paraphrast they turn it by Apposition the first-born death or death the first-born of sin as the Genuine Child of sin and by right of primogeniture by birth-right successor and heir of sin in the kingdom of sin and Bildad vers 14. explains himself and puts instead of death the first-born and heir of sin the King of terrors But doth Sin and Death enter tanquam in vacuam possessionem as into an empty possession or doth Sin and Death find no resistance Truly very little or none at all and therefore Joh. 8. the lusts of your Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Devils lusts and ye have a will to do them and Rom. 6.19 Ye have yielded your members servants so that here is great right pretended unto the Kingdom right of succession and right of election I cannot here but take notice of that great presumption and rash judgement of some who have dared to condemn to death and hell many souls whom Antiquity hath commended unto us as the most Holy among the Heathen There is a Book extant bearing Title de Animabus Paganorum concerning the Souls of the Heathen The Author of that Work numbers up the most Vertuous of the Heathen recites many of their good works and wise sentences and their exemplary good lives and at length shuts them all up in the pit About the same time that this Work first saw light came forth another bearing Title de Inferno concerning Hell in the handling of which the Author is large and descends to speak of every particular place there not omitting any nook or corner mentioning all the kinds and degrees of torments with so great confidence you would think he had been there Such proud censorious spirits there are yet in the world yea worse who dare pronounce peremptory sentence of Damnation upon those who are not down-right of their own opinion How much more safe were it to follow that moderate spirit of the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.12 13. What have I to do to judge them that are without judge ye rather them that are within your selves and others within or under your power but these that are without God judgeth Yet such is the presumption of proud Adam in us That although our God hath exempted many things from our knowledge Deut. 29.29 as indeed such as we know not nor can know and which are not reveiled yet lest we should seem to be ignorant of any thing we will dare to determine of them as the state of the Heathen the state of Infants When mean time the things which are reveiled as the whole duty of man reveiled in the word these we neglect when yet they are things which the Lord would have us take principal notice of and therefore that Text Deut. 29.29 Things reveiled belong to you and to your Children c. Those words in Hebrew are full of extraordinary points and accents that we should take the greater heed unto them Observ 1. Death is the King of the first Adams Posterity Observ 2. The thraldom and slavery of ungodly men they are subjects and vassals under sin and death See Notes in Rom. 6.19 Life shall reign over them who shall be righteous after the similitude of the second Adams
divided from them the Children of God our common Father it is impossible they should be divided from him yea to have any Being since the whole Creature and Man the abridgement of the Creatures more depends on God than of it self from whom every Creature receives his whole Being so that if he take away his hand the whole Creature falls into its own nothing and hath the perpetual effluence of him as the Sun-beams of the Sun according to that of the Apostle Acts 17.28 In whom we live and move and have our being But there must be Analogie and resemblance between the Father and the Son and if so how can Adam be the Son of God for a Spirit and a Body are opposite one to another Now God is a Spirit and the father of Spirits Adam is a bodily substance I answer that supereminency and excellency of Essence and Life which is in God the Father of all exempts him from that too particular kind of Generation which is below his manner of working Observ 1. Which withall discovers unto us that fulness and redundancy of all Essences Natures Lives Powers and Operations that are in God according to his eminent manner of working He is a Spirit and the father of Spirits yet is he the father of bodies also the father of flesh and blood the father of the rain Job 38.28 The father of the mountains Psal 90.2 yea the mother that brings them forth The Father of Adam who was the Son of God Observ 2. This discovers unto us our Great and Common Father the Great God and Father of all Ephes 4.6 who is the fountain of Being Life and Motion even he in whom we live move and have our being even he whom the Heathen worshipped though they knew him not but meant him under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. Oecumenius reports That when the Persians invaded Greece and the Athenians had sent Ambassadors to Sparta to desire their help the Ambassadors met with the God Pan who accused and upbraided the Athenians that they worshipped other Gods and neglected him and he promised them aid when therefore they had obtained the victory they erected an Altar unto him with the Inscription of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God Others relate that when there was a great plague at Athens from which none of their Gods could deliver them they thinking that there might be some God yet whom they knew not erected an Altar unto him the whole Inscription was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Gods of Asia and Europe and Lybia to the unknown and strange God What they report of Pan that hereby they meant Christ is not improbable for Plutarch relates a story in his Treatise concerning the failing of Oracles that a voice came to one Thamus an Aegyptian Pilot sayling into Italy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Pan is dead which he was commanded to relate at Pelodes which he did accordingly and there was heard a great sighing mixt with admiration By this Pan 't is probable may be understood the great shepherd of our souls for not only because this was done in Tiberius his time but the Apostle himself applyes that Inscription unto God and Christ Observ 3. Behold O man thy highest descent whence thou art and of how noble Lineage Adam is the Son of God not that we are so remote from God as that we should count our Genealogy up to Adam the first man The first man was so the Son of God that every one of us also is as neer unto him 1 Cor. 15.48 as is the earthy such are they also that are earthly and Act. 17.28 in him we live c. as also certain of your own Poets have haid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are his off-spring whose even Gods where it is worth our noting that whereas Aratus spake this of Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle applyes the speech unto the true God who is the very same whom the Greeks understood by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Origen and Irenaeus An dubium est habitare Deum sub pectore nostro In Coelumque redire animas coeloque venire saith Manilius And Virgil concerning the Souls of men Aen. libr. 6. Igneus est omnis vigor Coelestis origo Observ 4. This declares the natural and genuine love of the great God unto mankind How dear is a Child unto his Father Even so God loved the world with a fatherly love Mark his fatherly advice to his Son Adam Of every Tree thou mayest eat but of the Tree of Knowledge It was a fair warning of what would follow not a threatning of punishment but a consequence in Nature Charior est superis homo quà m sibi Man is dearer to God than to himself He would not provoke his Child to wrath according to his own Precept to his Children Ephes 6.4 and though Cham and Canaan were graceless Children God the Father gave them his blessing Gen. 9.1 God blessed Noah and his Sons c. And though Ismael was a bad man yet I have blessed him and made him fruitful saith his Father Gen. 17.20 Yea though Esau were a profane person and the type of Reprobâ—â—â—s yet his Father Isaac is said to have loved him and blessed him from the Lord yea whereas the good man leaves an inheritance to his Childrens children the good God leaves an inheritance unto his Eâ—au and his Children Deut. 2.4 5. yea though Moab and Ammon were Children of an incestuous bed yet the tender-hearted Father leaves not them without their inheritance vers 9.17 and will not have them be disturbed How should this endear us unto our dearest Brother the Lord Jesus Christ He is not ashamed to call us brethren See how he claims kindred of the Jews Joh. 8. Observ 5. Here then is some hope left for profligate sinners and prodigal Sons if they return Luk. 15.17 He desired to be only a servant and that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister to his Father but a mercenary and hired servant and his Father restores him to favour and makes him his Son What were the Athenians to whom St. Paul spake Act. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were Idolaters so good so patient so long-suffering is our good Father toward his prodigal degenerate rebellious Children But if any of our brethren Sons of the same Father differ from us though but in Opinion and alas who is master of his own mind who can command himself to think what he lists yet if any one differ from us in our own chosen Principles out upon him he is a wretch he is a cast-away he is any thing that 's naught But blessed be our God and Father of all we may be his Elect though such mens Reprobates Observ 6. Here is a ground of all honour to be given unto God He is our Father A Son honoureth his Father and if he be a Father where is his honour
they are rather passive than active Such are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together Gal. 6.1 labi errare to stumble to slip to err which no man in his wits doth but against his will for he wills that and only that which his master wills such is the servant of righteousness if such servants we be happy thrice happy are we Whether we be such servants or no the Apostles character will try us vers 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness St. Jerome makes the reddition which is plain out of the former part of the Chapter Ità nunc liberi estote ab omni peccato and St. Austin seconds him Ad justè faciendum liber non erit nisi à peccato liberatus esse coeperit justitiae servus So the Apostle We that are dead unto sin how can we live any longer in it vers 2. He who is dead unto sin is freed from sin vers 7. But alas this is an hard saying how can we chuse but yield our members servants unto sin while we wear the mortal garment while we bear about us a body of clay But I beseech ye consider did the Apostle who makes this exhortation suppose that we have an immortal body doth he exhort us as if we were in statu separato and had glorified bodies doth not our God know of what mould we are made doth not our Church teach us to pray twice every day though to our shame we omit it Grant that this day we fall into no sin and vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin Nay St. Paul as if he intended on purpose to prevent that frivolous objection shews what the profession of a Christian man is to bear about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be represented in his body for we which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life of Jesus might be represented in our mortal bodies 2 Cor. 4. yea in this very Chapter Let not sin reign saith he in your mortal body v. 12. Oh but he speaks of peccatum regnans of reigning sin it followeth in the Text that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof then we obey it when we yield our inward or outward members servants thereunto But that we need not at all yield unto sin but may yield our members servants unto righteousness it sufficiently appears both from the nature of this and all other exhortations which suppose a power and ability given us of God to yield unto him and close with the duty exhorted unto Liberam excitat voluntatem saith the Canonist and from the wisdom righteousness and goodness of our God who neither would nor could exhort men to do that which he knows man neither hath nor may have an ability to perform and therefore this exhortation to yield our members servants unto righteousness is directed even to those who are supposed to have yielded or yet to yield their members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity But alas how can we yield our members servants unto righteousness how can we but yield them servants unto uncleanness and to iniquity How deny thine ungodliness and worldly lusts But they are So importunate how can I deny them Thou hast power enough to put off thy poor brother who would borrow of thee in his need How wouldest thou answer an importunate and unmannerly Sutor that should press to lend or give him that which is not thine own but another mans Is' t not reason is' t not a satisfactory answer that which thou desirest of me it 's none of mine own Iniquity desires thy members to lend it an hand a foot an eye hast thou not a sufficient answer for it my body is not mine own what have I to do with it further than to use it for my Masters honour Should I use my Tongue that was to bless and glorifie my God to blaspheme swear curse flatter lye c. God forbid Should I put forth my foot lent me to walk in the ways of my God to shed my Neighbours blood Should I put out my hand lent me to work the works of God to pilfer steal rob do violence unto my Neighbour Should I use mine eyes to gaze upon strange beauty to enflame my lust Should I take the members of Christ they are none of mine and make them the members of an harlot 1 Cor. 6.13 God forbid Yes yes Thus we may reason but who does so where 's the strength and power to do so More do so than thou knowest of or 't is fit thou shouldst know But 't is easie to convince any man that God hath given him strength enough I 'l name but one instance there 's the same reason of it and all Thou sittest perhaps at a well-furnish'd Table thou hast eaten and drunken sufficiently already to refresh nature Caetera vide in notes in Epist in 1 Joh. 5. But the pretence of a mortal body is so far from excusing sin committed in it that our blessed foundress reasoned thus to the contrary Surely he lightly falleth into sin that thinketh not himself mortal c. for to say the truth if men knew themselves to be mortal they should not so offend God by sin They are the words of our blessed Foundress in a Treatise of hers for such a faithful servant of righteousness was the renowned Lady The Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond and Darby that she served it with all her heart with all her soul and with all her mind and with all her strength with an holy exemplary life with her pen with her purse She was the magnificent Foundress of this Colledge which she builded upon the foundation of Gods house erected by another servant of righteousness King Henry the sixth of blessed Memory who endowed it with competent maintenance for a Master three fellows and a proportionable number of schollars which number of fellows our pious foundress encreased to twelve and the schollars to forty three adding liberal maintenance for all Dedicating her Colledge to the name of Christ who is Melchisedeck the King of righteousness To whose bounty and magnificence a third servant of God and his righteousness that hopeful prince King Edward the sixth added the thirteenth fellowship and the three schollarships These though Domini Dominantium though free from all yet after the Lords example made themselves servants unto all As St. Luke saith of David Act. 13. That he served his generation and so did these serve their own generation and ours too Whose Royal Examples many since have followed As 1. Sr. Walter Mildmay founder of the Greek Lecture who gave a yearly exhibition to two Fellows and six to as many Schollars 2. Mr. Wentworth founder of the Hebrew Lecture 3. Mr. Bunting founder of three Schollarships and gave a yearly summ toward the maintenance of fire in the Hall 4. Mr. Rawlings a fellowship
conditions 3. To which we may add a third Complacentiae benevolentiae simul as when there are some beginning of good 1. According to the former a man loves an honest man though a stranger to him 2. According to the second a man loves his ill neighbour 3. According to the third his towardly Child that he may be good and honest and every way both in Person and qualities lovely Answerably hereunto Peace which proceeds from love is to be extended unto Men. Whereof because 1. Some are good gracious and virtuous And 2. Others evil ungracious and untoward 3. Others in a middle way between both 1. With the former sort we must maintain entire Peace which proceeds from the former kind of love the love of complacency 2. With the latter we must maintain Peace also but not entire peace but such as they are capable of which proceeds from the second kind of love the love of Benevolence Or 3. With the third also such a Peace as their virtues and persons are capable of 1. The former kind of peace with the good may easily be preserved because there is a reciprocal complying and harmony of Souls and Spirits maintained on both sides whether the Parties so agreeing be near hand or further off whether known or unknown Yet Peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near Esay 57.19 As in Musick the greater and the less strings though far off one from other yet have an harmonical agreement in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Reason Quae conveniunt in uno tertio inter se quoque conveniunt They agree both in God The same kind of peace we desire also to maintain with all men but as our Saviour instructed his Disciples the Messengers of Peace to Salute the house they came into and say Peace be to it And if the Son of peace i. e. a peaceable man be there saith he your peace shall abide upon it if otherwise it shall return to you again Luke 10 5 6. Even so must we proceed in the performance of this duty of preserving peace with all men Salute all wish salvation and peace unto all according to the Antient salutation of the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace be to thee and by all means labour to win them to this harmonical consent and union But because there are but few Sons of Peace which entertain this salutation with sutable and like affection the All-wise and gratious God imposeth no harder a task upon us than this That if it may be done in respect of the other party nothing should be omitted on our part for so I understand both these conditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si fieri potest which we turn If it be possible Which Phrase I understand not so as if the matter conditioned were impossible as some vainly surmise and thence upon that supposition gather very dangerous conclusions As where our Saviour saith Mat. 24.24 That the false Prophets should deceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it were possible the very Elect. Some from hence presuming at all adventures that they are Elect conclude that therefore it is impossible they should be deceived whatsoever they do As from a like place 1 Joh. 3.9 He that is born of God sinneth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither can he sin because he is born of God Some having first taken it for granted that they are born of God as what will not self love perswade Men even upon no grounds they hence conclude that they cannot sin And when they are convinced that their actions are sinful they will say again they cannot but sin how can these agree They distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between facere peccatum peccare between committing sin and simply to sin To commit sin they say is cum studio voluptate conjuncta To sin with full consent desire and pleasure But to sin is simplex actio which cannot be avoyded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a distinction ridiculous and foolish never heard of till of latter dayes without ground both of propriety of speech and of Scripture and consent of Antiquity an opinion impious and ungodly taking away that universal endeavour that ought to be against all and every sin Errours proceeding from mistake of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies only a difficulty and not an impossibility As when St. Paul saith to the Galatians you would have pulled out your own eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it were possible surely they could have done it but id possumus quod jure possumus saith the Law An Antient Translation of our own hath it If it might be done For surely many things may be done according to natural power which may not be done or done with difficulty according to Moral or rather Divine power Thus when Joseph saith How can I do this great wickedness c. it followeth not he was maleficiate or forespoken or frigid by nature but according to that principle of Gods grace in him very difficult it was for him to commit that sin But to take away all doubt saith the Wise Man Eccles 31.10 Qui potuit transgredi non est transgressus qui potuit malefacere non fecit He which could transgress and doth not trangress and he that could do evil and doth it not If this satisfy not some surely that of Job 16.4 will where having reproved his Friends for their vain words and invective speeches against him I could speak saith he as you do I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you But in that sence she spake in the Poet Ego nescia rerum Difficilem culpae suspicor esse viam And in this sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be possible is used in the Text which implies not an impossibility but only a difficulty for were it impossible to obtain Peace with all Men the All-wise God would not set us about it as he doth for he bids us do our best at it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As much as lies in you And that 's a great deal as may appear both 1. By the words Neighbouring to the Text And 2. By such Phrases as are used elsewhere to exhort us unto Peace 1. The neighbouring Precepts to the Text are exceeding powerful for the maintaining of this Peace and such as may make even unreasonable Men to relent and be at Peace with us for what can be imagined so prevalent even with our professed Enemies as to answer their evil with good to return the best we can do for them in requital of the very worst they can do against us That is to bless them that persecute us and so to bless them that we curse them not at all Vers 14. What more effectual for the obtaining unity than unity than oneness and sameness of affections That is to rejoyce with them
them he might seem to put off the nature of a Father he falls a condoling with them and pitying of them and entreating them I beseech you be as I am for I am as you are ye have not injured me at all c. and in the Text My little children of whom I travel in birth again c. The words are part of a Preface to a new Argument beginning at vers 21. rending to the raising up of those children from their fall and setting them upon their feet again They contain in them 1. A Compellation wherein the Apostle insinuates his most tender indulgence toward them My little children 2. A profession wherein he testifieth his fatherly care or if you will rather his motherly labour and pains for them of whom I travel in birth c. We may resolve the words into these several Truths or Doctrines 1. The Galatians and all such younglings in the Faith as they were are little children of their spiritual Fathers 2. Christ was to be formed in them 3. The Apostle travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in them 4. He travelled in birth again of them that Christ might be formed in them 5. He travelled in birth again of them until Christ was formed in them 1. The Galatians and all such younglings in the Faith are little children of their spiritual Fathers The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here fitly turned little children imports a double notion for it involves a reference unto elder years and unto Parents The Galatians and all such younglings in the Faith in both respects are little children Let not the oldest man or woman if but a youngling in Grace think it much thus to be called a little child 'T was the fault of Nicodemus Joh. 3. That he marvelled he must be born again What says he Must a man that is now grown old re-enter his mothers womb and be born again that 's strange But our Saviour takes him up roundly for it Art thou a master in Israel saith he and knowest not these things what not these Principles of Religion Marvel not that I said unto you ye must be born again for there is a twofold birth according to the Flesh and Spirit and therefore by consequence there must be two sorts of Children 1. One born according to the Flesh 2. The other born according to the Spirit 1. The one born of bloods and of the will of Man 2. The other of the Spirit and of the will of God The latter sort are here meant when we say the Galatians and all such younglings in the Faith as they were are little Children which that ye may the better understand ye must know that as there are three certain and distinct periods or steps of age in the life of a Natural Man Childhood Youth and Old Age in like manner in our Spiritual Life in Christ there is a Childhood a Youth and an Old Age also a Child of a few dayes a Young Man of more and an Old Man that 's full of dayes And these three are considerable both 1. In Christ himself and 2. In believers conformed unto him And in Christ himself there are three distinct measures degrees or ages as shadowed in types and signified by the Prophets in the Old Testament so more perspicuously related in the New 1. Isaac and Jeremy saith Origen were types of his Childhood 2. Of his Youth Joshuah and that Young Man with the Virgin Isa 62.5 that is Christ with the Church saith St. Hierom. 3. Joshuah and David typified his perfect Age saith Origen and St. Austin But the Prophet speaks more plainly Isa 9.6 when 1. He calls him a Child and a Son that 's his first Age 2. And the second is his Youth the Age fit for Rule and Action The Government shall be upon his shoulder 3. The third and last is his Age of Wisdom his old or perfect Age his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace These shadows were cleared and this and such like prophecies fulfilled when Christ came in the flesh for ye may observe the same growth in Christ according to the Spirit from Infancy to Youth and from Youth to Old and perfect Age even then when he was but a Child according to the flesh so saith St. Ambrose Et in pueritia est quaedam venerabilis morum superstes Nay St. Luke speaks more plainly Luk. 2 40-52 the Child Jesus that 's his first age he grew and waxed strong that 's the second and the third is he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him The like at vers 52. The Child Jesus increased in wisdom and stature or youth for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth and in favour with God and Man Ye have these Ages of Christ distinguished also by St. Paul a childish weakness of Christ 2 Cor. 13.4 and ignorance too undertaken for our sakes saith Origen and proves it applying Jeremiah's speech Jer. 1.6 I am a child and cannot speak unto our Saviour And our Translators as appears by the quotations in the margin were of the same mind ye have a growth also from this infancy and childhood of Christ unto ripeness of Age observed by St. Paul Ephes 4.13 Now such as ye have heard Christ is in himself such is he also unto us and all believers and such are we and all believers in him for the Prophet who called him a Child and a Son and said the government should be on his shoulder that his name should be called wonderful Counsellour the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace The same saith also that he should be a Child born to us and a Son given to us and that his name should be called Emmanuel i. e. as Matthew Interprets God with us Now we read not any where in the New Testament that Christs Name was called either Emmanuel or Wonderful or Counsellour or any of the rest which follow in his most just and Royal Title The Reason is because the name of Christ and the nature of Christ are to be understood as one and the same thing and to be called thus or thus according to the Hebrew Idiom is to be such Christ therefore is to some of us young believers a Child born to us and we children to him and babes in him babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3. to others he is grown up as the young Man with the Virgin Isa 62. Isa 55.4 and they young young men in him 1 Joh. 2.13 to some a Governour ruling in their hearts Col. 3.15 and they Ruling with God Hos 11.12 In some he is Wonderful and they in him Psal 67.36 Mighty in some 2 Cor. 13.3 and they mighty in him Phil. 4.13 and so of the rest for according to one or more of these three Ages Christ may be said to be formed in every believer Thus much saith the Wise Man Wisd 7.27 That wisdom that is
respect of the most glorious Pattern is that eternal and unchangeable Idea in God unto which the conformity of the Creature either ratione vestigii or imaginis either in regard of common similitude or of the image it self is the perfection of it every thing being then perfect when 't is conformable unto the Idea and example according to which 't was made which of it self invites inclines commands imitation of it self So that 2. In respect of us 't is our duty and such a duty as we of all other creatures are most bound and best able to perform and that with effect man being of all other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato calls him a Creature best able to imitate his Maker Add to all this that which is the consummation of all 3. 'T is the end of mans Creation for whereas 't is said Gen. 1.27 That God made man in his own image it signifieth Gods ordination of man to be a resemblance of himself and for ever to bear the image of his Maker so saith the Wiseman That God created man to be immortal and to be an image of his own eternity Wisd 2.23 And since we have defaced this image by our fall God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son who is the express image of his person Heb. 1. And propounded him for an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 And predestinated us to be made conformable unto his Son Rom. 8.29 and made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his pleasure which he had purposed in himself that in the dispensation of the fulness of â—imes he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gather up all things under one head in Christ Eph. 11.10 And this is his Image which he hath sent to teach us that we should be renewed in the spirit of our mind that we should put on the new man who is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness that as we have born the image of the earthly So also we may bear the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15. And so become followers of him as dear children These are high causes Beloved and such as summarily contain in them the ground and foundation as of our imitation so also of the whole Christian life Behold then Beloved the most glorious Pattern that can be propounded unto our Imitation even the Deity it self even the holy and blessed God himself But can the Deity be imitated and followed by man I say not that we are invited here to create new worlds or to preserve them to make the Sun to rise or set to alter the course of Nature or to do any of these great works which God challengeth to himself Job 38. and 39. But that image of God which consists in wisdom in righteousness and true holiness which therefore we may call God himself this we may this we must imitate And this image was signified wholly or in part unto the Church of the Jews according to Gods dispensation and that peoples capacity in all the Figures Ceremonies and symbolical Signs of the Old Testament which were examples and shadows of heavenly things and made by Moses according to the pattern shewed him in the mount Heb. 8.5 For so the law had a shadow of good things to come but not the very image of those things that is the essential image of God who is the end of the law 'T is possible then to imitate and follow God in this image yea the duty of us all so to do To stop and silence for ever that foul-mouth which like a sink or rotten sepulchre exhales and belches out these and such like horrid blasphemies 1. That God hath created all men to sin and the greatest part of men unto destruction How then to the imitation of his own Image 2. That God doth Sanctè ad flagitia homines impellere Confer D. Vorsti ubi concilia plura invenies Episc drives men after an holy manner to commit sin O the holiness of the Devil How then doth he exhort them to be followes of God 3. That the most abominable wickedness that ever was committed is conformable unto Gods Nature and Will How then can we be invited to be followers of God in Righteousness and true Holiness O let these and such like pestilent blastings and damps of all holy endeavours these scandals to all progress in Piety and Devotion descend into the the bottomless pit from whence they came And learn we from hence who they are that are to be accounted the dear children of God not every one that fansieth God to be his Father or out of self-love calls God Father in his necessity as the Rich man called Abraham father when he was in hell torments one that can say Lord Lord c. The genuine and true sons of God are followers of God their Father They are like him in qualities and conditions they do as their Father doth They are holy as God is holy pure as God is pure light as God is light they are merciful as their father which is in heaven is merciful They are perfect as their Father which is in heaven is perfect As the Children of such a Father as obedient Children They fashion not themselves nor imitate their former lusts in their ignorance but as God who calleth them is holy so are they holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1.14 15. in love of enemies Matth. 5. in mercy all the power we have should be shown in this Numb 14.17 all our perfection is in this confer Matth. 5.38 with Luk. 6.36 And how is God holy He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is unmixt and separate Levit. 11.44 there 't is written that he is holy he is separate in his Nature from all his Creatures yet so that he is in them all as the light is in the whole air yet it is not the air the soul in the body and every part of it Tanquam in adaequato perfectibili yet it is not the body In this sence we must be holy as God is holy Come out of them and be ye separate 2 Cor. 6. But the meaning is not that we should go out of the world as the same Apostle teacheth but that we should so keep our selves that the evil one touch us not as our Saviour prayes for his Disciples Joh. 17. That we keep our selves unspotted of the world which is the pure religion and undefiled before God and the father saith St. James 1.17 A Religion which if many of the world had known they would have saved themselves a long voyage and not gone out of the world to have planted a new Religion of their own in another world These these are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The children of God without spot Phil. 2.15 Such as are holy as God is holy pure as God is pure the imitators and followers of God as his
nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Deut. 4.7 He is omnipresent every where His name as the Angel saith shall be called Emmanuel not that ever ye read him in the Old and New Testament called by that name But his name is his nature and his nature and being is Emmanuel interpreted by that Matth. 1. God with us For know ye not that Jesus Christ is in us 2 Cor. 13.5 And can he be nearer to us But so he may be yet far enough from helping us Psal 22.1 Why hast thou forsaken me and art so far from helping me and our enemy near enough to annoy us But he is good and gracious and hath promised to help us Esay 41.10 He is a very present help in trouble Psal 46.1 with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels therefore be strong and couragious 2 Chron. 32.7 8. True thus powerful thus wise thus all-present thus gracious he hath been and therefore the Wiseman makes a challenge Ecclus. 2.10 Look at the generations of old and see did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded But may he not fail us at the length No we are exhorted to be strong in the Lord and by that reason he fails not I am the Lord saith he I change not Mal. 3.6 No there 's not so much as a shadow of change with him Jam. 1. Righteous in his promise Psal 92. as Ainsw He is faithful and will not suffer us to be overcome no not to be tempted above what we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 but will use his Power and his Wisdom and his Goodness and Omnipresency for the performance of all whatsoever he promiseth to such as are strong in him please you to observe all these crowded into one verse 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself in behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him insomuch as he is Deus desideriorum a God according to our own heart such a God as we would have him And therefore how just how reasonable yea how easie a duty is it which the Lord our God requires of us no other than we our selves if just and reasonable yea we our selves desire for what more reasonable than to repose the strength of our confidence in God who is the strength of our confidence to be strong in God who is the God of our strength Yea what present is more easie than to be commanded to do what we would do were we not commanded the same which we our selves desire yea did we not of our selves and in it self desire it yet our own necessities would constrain us thereunto If we respect our enemies whether the Law of God which is that Adversarius in via saith St. Bernard spoken of by our Saviour which chastens us for our good Psal 94. which once broken by us is never possible again to be kept by us but through his power and strength in us who first gives it to us Rom. 8.3 Or 2. Whether we consider the Law of our members the Law of sin iniquity it self which is a Law Psal The Law which is an enemy for our hurt Or 3. The Devil our Arch-enemy and his Angels Luk. 10. whole legions of evil Spirits spiritual wickedness temptations about heavenly things yea the spirituality of wickedness whereby saith Aquinas is understood plenitudo nequitiae the quintessence of it as Plato would call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedness it self spiritual wickedness a most dangerous enemy if considered as spiritual much more dangerous if considered as wicked also The Devil and his Angels are most dangerous enemies if considered as spiritual because the spiritual nature whether good or bad is the strongest as was shewn before out of Isai 31.3 and the most active and operative as may appear by all the Creatures which by how much they are of a more subtil and refined nature by so much they are the more powerful and operative both without us as the vapours which are the most subtil and nearest unto a Spirit cause Earthquakes and the Fire by how much it is the most subtil of all the Elements by so much it is the most operative and active of them all And within us among the humours of our bodies 't is the choler and of choler the thinnest and nearest unto a Spirit that doth us the greatest mischief not only because it most of all distempers our bodies as being the fuel of anger which whether good or bad saith St. Gregory is a great distemper of the Soul But also 2. Because through ill anger it shuts out the Sun of Righteousness and lets in the Devil into the Soul wherefore be angry but sin not saith St. Paul Let not the Sun the Sun of Righteousness our strong helper go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil that strong enemy strong because spiritual but more strong and more dangerous unto us because spiritual wickedness or a wicked spirit 2. Because by how much the more every thing is of a more excellent nature by so much the more it is the worse when it degenerates according to the Note Corruptio optimi est pessima quo melior eo deterior whence saith the Philosopher A wicked man is the very worst of all living Creatures And therefore the Angels by nature a degree above men Man being made lower than the Angels Psal 8. they being become apostate degenerate and wicked spirits must needs be worse than the very worst of men and therefore the most dangerous enemies Great reason therefore there is whether we consider the Lord our strong helper or our weak feeble selves or our strong enemies that we be strong in the Lord and the might of his power Whence follows 1. That of our selves we have no strength at all no not so much as to resist an evil thought or to think a good 2 Cor. 3.5 what erroneous Doctrine then must that needs be if any such be taught that weak feeble Nature can of it self do any thing that 's pleasing unto God without the strength of God Yet howsoever of our selves as of our selves we are so weak that we can do nothing yet in the Lord as in the Lord we are so strong that we can do all things This is if I may so speak a second kind of Omnipotency imparted unto the Saints both for the undoing the will of Satan and the doing the will of God The former of these our Lord promised his Apostles Luk. 10.19 Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy Act. 13.39 This power and victory of the Israel of God over all their spiritual enemies is intended by all the victories of the Israel according to the flesh And that all those victories aim at this appears by old Zacharies Exposition of them in the Sacred Hymn That we being delivered
render thanks for all the Creatures and all their excellencies which God hath given them and for himself and all the excellencies in himself so that what worth there is in all the world and every Creature in it Man is a debtor unto God for it and what worth there is in himself and every part in him Man is a debtor unto God for it yea he hath one part in him better worth than all the world as our Saviour speaks As if a City had received great privileges from a Prince and there were in it but one wise Man who knew those privileges and their worth this man were bound to thankfulness more than all thus much the dumb Creatures witness 1. The Sun cryes unto thee that it shines not for it self but for thee that it gives thee light to watch and labour and retiring it self it gives thee darkness to rest and sleep It makes variety in the year for thy delight temperature of the Spring heat of Summer fulness of Autumn cold of Winter 2. The earth bears thee nourisheth thee strengthens thee with bread makes thy heart glad with wine 3. The water gives thee drink and purgeth away thy filth 4. The air gives thee free breathing 5. Earth air and water breed and bring thee up fish fowl and cattel for thy necessity thine use thy help thy delight thy comfort thy learning thine example Go to the pismire thou sluggard and learn her wayes and be wise Go to the Oxe and Ass and learn their wayes the Oxe knows his owner c. Go to the Stork and Turtle and Crane and Swallow and learn their wayes they know their time and teach thee thine Yea all the world the mute and brute Creatures though they know not their Creator yet shew him unto thee as an arrow shot at a mark sees not the mark 't is shot at yet directs and points unto it Now what doth the Lord thy God require of thee O man for all his outward worlds What else but that thou remember thy Creatour and be thankful for want of this and holding the knowledge of this truth in unrighteousness see what a deluge of sin and punishment for sin breaks in upon us Rom. 1.18 What doth the Lord require of thee for his inward worlds but that thou remember thy God the Son thy Creatour and that thou approve thy self his Workmanship his Creature created by Christ unto good works that thou mayest walk and live in them what else but that thou shew forth his virtues and praises who hath called thee out of darkness into his marvellous light NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS I. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who being the brightness of his glory THese words contain our Saviours Eternal Generation wherein Two things are to be explained 1. What 's meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn glory 2. What 's meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of glory 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory of God is the excellency and eminency of all the attributes and works of God wrought either 1. Immediately by himself or 2. Mediately by his Creatures in regard of which God is said to be glorious Thus God is glorious in power Exod. 15.6 and vers 11. glorious in holiness and his Name i. e. his Nature is said to be glorious Deut. 28.58 The glory of God appears also in his works which he manifests both on the bodies of men as Matth. 15.30 31. Great multitudes came unto him having with them those who were lame blind dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak and they glorified the God of Israel And on the souls and spirits of men Thus the Disciples glorified God for his Grace vouchsafed to the Gentiles Act. 11.18 Thus they glorified God in Paul Gal. 1.24 This glory by reason of the lustre and manifestation of it is called light Thus Luk. 2. The glory of the Lord shined round about them And in the transfiguration when Christ manifested his glory his face shined as the Sun of which St. Peter speaking saith That they heard a voice from the excellent glory Thus 1 Cor. 15.41 There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and one Star differs from another in glory 2. Of this glory Christ is the brightness i. e. Such Christ is unto God the Father as light is unto the Sun light of his light brightness of his brightness clearness and lustre of his lustre and clearness For this lustre and brightness he himself prays unto his Father that it may be made manifest Joh. 17.5 for whereas especially are considerable in the Sun 1. The Planet which is as it were the body of the light 2. The brightness and clearness issuing from that body 3. An enlivening and quickning heat That body or fountain of light resembles God the Father the brightness and clearness thence issuing answers to God the Son who is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resplendescentia or the shining from the Father the enlivening or quickning heat descends from both and answers to the holy Spirit the spirit of life The same word is used by the Wise Man speaking of wisdom which is Christ Wisd 7.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The house was filled with a cloud and the Court which was the Gentiles was filled with the brightness of the Lords glory Ezeck 10.4 more fitly Mich. 5.2 Thou Bethlem Ephrata c. out of thee shall go forth HE who shall rule Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his shinings forth are from the beginning the word is proper to the shining of the Sun and applyed to Christs Eternal Generation Of this there can be given no Reason à priori as they speak God the Father and God the Son being the first and the beginning it self and therefore no Reason can be alledged to demonstrate as before either See Notes on Hebr. 1.5 wherein is seen the great difference between the filiation or sonship of Christ and Christians Christ being a Son by natural Generation and ab eterno Christians being Sons by Adoption and born in time Christ born by Nature as the light from the Sun Christians by Grace and the good will and pleasure of God Of his own will be begat us James This may be of use unto us divers ways which that ye may the better understand I shall first name such uses as flow from the absolute consideration of God and his Glory and Christ the brightness of his Glory Secondly Such as follow from the relative consideration of them 1. This acquaints us with the nature of God he is a Glorious God a God who dwells in light and there is no darkness in him a God whose eminency and excellency transcends all his creatures The God of Glory Acts 7. yea God and his Glory are taken one for the other The spirit of Glory and of God 1
Little children let no man deceive you children are often deceived with shews He that doth righteousness is righteous Yes you 'l say before men yea and God himself approves him so too for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as he that is as Christ so the the Syriac as Christ is righteous such a righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour For what doth another boast of nobility of birth the Righteous man hath God for his Father what of a great Inheritance the Righteous man is Gods Heir or Co-heir with Christ Rom. 8. Heir of Heaven and Earth What then of sumptuous fare as the rich man fared deliciously every day The Righteous man eats the Spiritual Food the Heavenly Mannah he eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood Joh. 6. What then of raiment as the rich man was cloathed in purple and fine linnen the Righteous man is cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ not as with a cloak of maliciousness 1 Pet. 2.16 not as with a cloak to cover knavery but they have put on the New Man The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it notes the inward cloathing as the Kings daughter is all glorious within Such a Righteous man hath a more excellent name and nature and is better than his neighbour 3. Christ is so much better than the Angels by how much he hath obtained by inheritance a more excellent name than they The Reason of this is considerable from the name and nature of God Deut. 28.58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That name that honourable that terrible name the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is his name and his name is himself and he himself is the fountain of Honour and therefore by how much the nearer any one approacheth to the nature of God by so much he must needs have the more excellent name and Honour than others have and therefore Christ being coessential and consubstantial with his Father and as the Father calls him Zach. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The man that is my Fellow with me or in me and his name in him Exod. 23.21 And the Angels though glorious powerful wise and good yet being but created natures hence it must needs follow that Christ must be so much better than the Angels by how much he hath obtained by inheritance a more excellent name than they Object 1. If so then who have obtained more excellent names are so much the better Answer 1. Name is here Nature Being Dignity Object 2. But it seems that even their outward name makes better for the Apostle calls Festus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best of all Acts 26.25 when yet he was a most wicked man Answer This Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or optimus most noble was wont to be given to the Roman Presidents such as Faelix and Festus were as having been chosen such in the beginning and flourishing estate of that Common-wealth they who were Candidates and stood for Offices were called Boni good men they who obtained were Optimi Sen. lib. 1. Ep. 3. Because then they excelled in Rule Eminency Justice c. and answered to those names but in faece Romuli when that Common-wealth declined in point of Virtue Prowess Justice c. they chose Presidents by favour and for rewards c. So that the name of Optimus held to the Office and Dignity though the person were unworthy of it and therefore S. Paul whose rule was Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers c. The powers that are are ordained c. He reverenced the person for his Office and Dignity sake Thus he honoured Festus and Ananias Acts 23.5 Observ It is betterness and excellency of being that makes the true difference and superiority for to what purpose is it to have a Glorious name and yet not have a nature and being consonant thereunto to be called Judas a praiser of God and yet to be a Traitor Zedekiah the righteousness of God yet be unjust John yet Graceless Andrew but have no courage against sin Simon yet not obedient Peter yet unstable in the Faith Observ what is the true Nobility As in worldly respects the Prince who confers Honour is the fountain of Honour and by how much men are nearer unto him they are the more Honourable so in regard of Divine matters God whose name is of himself is the fountain of Divine Honour and therefore the Saints holy men godly men religious men these are the true honourable noble and excellent men So the Psalmist puts one for the other Psalm 16.3 My goods are nothing unto thee but to the Saints which are on the earth Who are they Even the excellent ones those in whom all Gods delight is that follows they are Gods Favourites they that honour him and therefore such as without doubt he will honour 1 Sam. These are they that are near unto him Psalm 148.14 Reproof If Christs Honour be better than the Angels by how much he hath obtained by inheritance a more excellent name nature and being than they This reproves those who account themselves and others better men than others though they have not obtained any better name nature and being than others have such are they who esteem themselves according to those empty names and titles of fantastick Honour that they have gotten in the world who receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that comes of God only John 5.44 And what is that Glory What else but that Testimony which God alone gives to the sincere and upright in heart who alone knows it And to every such an one Glory Honour and Peace to him that so doth good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God Rom. 2.10 Or 2. Because more full of knowledge than others Discipuli Sapientum Such are they who esteem of themselves and others as better men than others are because they are Athenians in respect of the Lacedemonians they are richer than others are And truly Beloved this reproof is calculated proper for this City where money answereth all things if men be compared piety holiness c. are not respected as any thing conconcerning but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If for Magistracy men look at wealth at Patronage Friends Relations Knowledge stronger of young men of women more beautiful it stands instead even of Virtue goodness and honesty it self O Cives Cives quaerenda pecunia primum est Virtus post nummos I speak not of poor men flatterers of the rich that for their own advantage they esteem and call them good virtuous wise c. but this misprision hath infected our language so that it 's your common dialect and manner of speech instead of calling a rich man ye call him a good man and instead of calling one a richer ye call him a better man or an honester man Are not these your Phrases And do they not betray a corrupt and infected heart
the east and 45.13 Literally of Cyrus which is saith Plutarch in the Persian tongue the Sun spiritually Christ the Sun of righteousness Jer. 23.5 The days come that I will raise up unto David the righteous Branch So 33.14 15. I will perform the good thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 14.13 the branch of righteousness Concerning the begetting and bringing forth of Christ Esay 4.2 3 4 5. and 11.1 2. and 65.9 Gal. 4.19 In every day of Grace and Light which the Lord vouchsafeth to men upon earth he begets his Son and causeth him to be brought forth and most of all in the last days Mich. 5.2 3. Revel 12.1 2. That we may the better understand this we must know that time differs from eternity thus Time is varied according to motion of which it is the measure of variation and succession Eternity is the measure of that which is unmoveable and therefore it 's always present and therefore it 's noted by hodiè which signifieth the present time But whereas that which is making is not yet complete and perfect but that which is already made is perfect therefore he saith not genero but genui because he is perfect yet lest the Generation of Christ should be thought transire in praeteritum and consequently to fail in regard of the present and future he adds to day have I begotten thee The Son of God therefore is perfect from eternity and his Generation is from eternity and is alway begotten of the Father as light is perfect in the Air yet always and every moment it proceeds from the Sun And therefore the Holy Ghost maketh use of that Metaphor Mich. 5. Egressus ejus in principio à diebus aeternitatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 110.3 Ex utero ante Luciferum genui te So LXX Reason A fine from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to open the dark eyes that they who see not might see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord hath begotten his Son to be an everlasting day and light Psal 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it even Christ himself who is the bright day light the light of light Luk. 1.78 79. The day spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness c. Joh. 1.9 The true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world vers 56. your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world Esay 60.1 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Revel 1. and 21 23. The city had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it For the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Observ This is the ground of that irreconcileable difference between Christ and Antichrist as great as between day and night light and darkness what communion hath light and darkness righteousness and unrighteousness What concord hath Christ and Belial c. 2 Cor. 6. 2 Thess 2.4 8. Hence it is that both their children are at deadly feud among themselves Ephes 5.6 9. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of night nor of darkness c. 1 Thess 5.5 6 7 8. Such are their works Eph. 5.9 qui male agit odit lucem it is said of Judas that he went out and it was night he went about a deed of darkness Joh. 13.3 Repreh This blind age wherein men as the Pharisees of old conceive they see yea that they are most perspicacious and quick sighted yet are stark blind Can we judge any otherwise of this Generation when the Lord Jesus Christ is come a Light into the world Joh. 3. and profers himself as a guide unto the world a guide even to the everlasting life I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life He that hates sin and iniquity which is the true darkness and desires the Light of Life to be erected in him and so followeth me thorough the way of self-denyal patience mortification holiness love of God and men He shall have the Light of everlasting Life when the true Light shineth 1 Joh. 2.8 yet men have their understanding darkned alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 Living in envy hatred and malice one towards another Can we judge any otherwise of this generation than that they are stark blind or hardened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both Eph. 4.8 The true light shineth saith St. John and then he adds he that saith he is in the light yet hates his brother is in darkness even till now and verf. 11. And therefore St. John giveth them the lye that say they have fellowship with God the Light yet walk in darkness 1 Joh. 1.6 What must needs be the event of this Doubtless most dreadful Psal 82. vers 1. The Lord calls for the Light of Life and what comes of it They know not neither will they understand they walk on still in darkness Then follows all the foundation of the earth shall be moved all Estates disturb'd all Laws and Orders violated all go to ruine yea upon the like wilful blindness and shutting their eyes against the Light of Life see a greater condemnation Luk. 17.20 21 22. Consol Is Christ the day and am I a Christian yet in darkness If it be so why am I thus as Rebecca reasoned Gen. If Christ be the day why go I mourning all the day saith David Psal 38.6 Nay 't is the complaint of the whole Church Lam. 3.2 He hath led me and brought me into dark places as they that are dead of old surely a mournful condition Is there darkness even in Goshen He that is in the darkness knows not whither he goes But to the consolation of thy Soul be it spoken all darkness is not evil God himself is said to dwell in the thick darkness 1 King 8.12 He made darkness his pavilion Psal 18.9 11. For although much be written concerning God yet if we consider the multiplicity of contemplations touching the Deity which humane understanding cannot reach unto We will understand in what sence God is said to dwell in thick darkness The Priest could not come near there is a distractedness through which all Saints pass The Lord brings down to hell and brings back again 1 Sam. 2.6 This this is the forlorn condition of the Soul following her Lord through the wilderness through the way of self-denyal patience and mortification which all and every Saint of God passeth through before he come to the clear Light of Life as in Nature the matter precedes the form This was obscurely intimated in the Creation of the outward world wherein first darkness was upon the face of
wherein they are as S. Paul did 1 Cor. 9.20 Some are Professors i. e. Jews He who hath attained unto the true freedom to the Professors he becomes as a Professor some think they are bound by their own strength to be obedient unto the Law to become unto such as one of them to them who account themselves free from the Law and without as one without the Law What should a man be a Libertine Should he rant because others rant No the Apostle having said to them who are without the Law as without the Law adds though under the Law unto Christ There are some weak ones even as babes and children to them he became as weak So did the Apostle to the Galatians Gal. 4.19.20 They were children he speaks to them as unto children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I desire to be with you and change my voice as a Nurse doth to a child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 1 Cor. 3. to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as mothers use diminutives to their little ones so the Lord calls Israel by the name of Jeshurun i. e. Rectule from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my little right one Esay 44.2 Observ 5. Take notice then how near the Lord Jesus is unto all those who are willing towards him and towards his righteousness That appears from the word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is a near neighbour to us Deut. 4.7 The word is near thee Rom. 10.8 9 10. Cant. 2.9 He dwells in our house of clay Job 19. appears in our flesh and blood as John 1.14 He looks through the windows His eyes are intentive upon us observing what we do and what we suffer Flourishing or blossoming Where-ever he takes part of flesh and blood he discovers himself in fruitfulness Through the Lattices He lets in light into our souls for such light belongs to the children as through a glass darkly 1 Cor. 13.12 Observ 6. Take notice what a mighty Divine power inhabits our humanity even the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the indwelling Divinity the Christ the power of God He lays hold of us if we be the Seed of Abraham see what a blameless holy sober just patient long-suffering humble meek obedient life he lived among wicked men in this world he gave us an example and pattern of the same life and if we be the Seed of Abraham Believers in him he is the principle of the same life in us also for know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you unless ye be cast-aways He is in us to impower us to the same holy sober righteous humble meek patient long-suffering obedient life the life of God Wherefore either acknowledge thy self an unbeliever and none of Abrahams Seed or apply thy self to the same principle of life in whom thou pretendest to abide and dwell in him and he in thee for he who saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 It is not enough that Christ so walked for he therefore so walked that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. Exhort The love of the children constrained the Lord Jesus to take upon him our nature O let the love of Christ constrain us to love him again and conform our selves unto him that as his love inclined him to partake of our nature which was meerly beneficial to us so much more may our love to him incline us to him that we may partake of his Divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts Among all these reasons whether from the impulsive causes or from the ends for which our Lord took flesh and blood we find not one wherein the Lord Jesus sought himself or any self interest that which among most men is commonly the first mover and the last end that finds no place at all in our Lords so great condescent all he aimed at was the Will of his Father and the good of his Children Joh. 10.15 18. But though he aimed not at any end of his own but at his brethrens good yet no end he aimed at was that we should live as we list but unto him 2 Cor. 5. That they who lived should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again More NOTES on HEBREWS II. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood c. Axioms 1. THe Devil hath the power of death 2. Christ took part of flesh and blood c. that he might destroy the devil 3. That he might deliver them that through the fear of death were all their life long subject to bondage In these words we have two Articles of the Christian Faith 1. That Christ was born of the Virgin Mary 2. That he suffered under Pontius Pilate 1. The Devil hath the power of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hitherto we have heard some causes alledged and implyed why our Lord took part of flesh and blood 1. The Children were his brethren for the sanctifier and they who are sanctified are all of one His love to his brethren inclined him as our Apostle now shews us the ends why our Lord was partaker of flesh and blood and these are in order one to other he took part of flesh and blood 1. That he might die 2. He took part c. and died that by death he might destroy 3. He took part c. died and destroyed that he might deliver those 4. He took part died that by power of his death he might deliver that he might be in all things like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithful high Priest The first end is implyed and considered only as a means to the second He took part c. that by death c. wherein are two things 1. That the Devil hath the power of death 2. Christ took part 1. that he might destroy him that had it and 2. that he might deliver those who feared Quaere What are meant by 1. Death 2. the power of Death 3. the Devil 4. how the Devil may be understood to have the power of death 1. Death being generally a privation is best known by what is opposite thereunto which is Life Now Life is either 1. Natural as of Plants Animals or Rational Creatures or else 2. Spiritual that which by eminency is called the Life of God in all holiness and righteousness which God requireth And therefore Death opposite hereunto is either 1. Natural or 2. Spiritual both kinds of death may be here understood 1. The Natural Death for God having said in the day that thou eatest thereof moriendo morieris by eating thereof Man became liable to death which became natural to his posterity And 2. That not only a separation of the soul from the body but also an immersion or as it were imprisoning the Soul 1. In a more gross inert and sluggish body of the Elements than the Soul was at first
write unto you little children that your sins your strayings your errours and windings are forgiven you through his name The Lord requires not an equal measure of Holiness in thee and others who have been old Travellers in the way of Holiness such as was St. Paul Phil. 3.12 I follow after if I may apprehend that for which What though thou canst not follow the holy One and the Just so fast as others do yet follow though a far off like that child Sequiturque patrem non passibus aequis The beginning of our race is clog'd with many difficulties but in the end there 's freedom and enlargement Pythagoras understood this by the Letter Y This was figured by the Wells which Isaac servants digg'd Gen. 26.20 The first was Esec great strife for that so the word signifieth Great contention there is between the flesh and the spirit for the first water of life and holiness This is the inconsistency of the young followers after holiness 2. The second well is called Sitnah that is enmity and hatred the same name with the Devil and Satan who opposeth the young man in his race of holiness But the young man is strong and overcomes the evil one 1 Joh. 2.12 3. The third is Rehoboth which signifieth largeness and spaciousness we went through fire and water and thou hast brought us to a wealthy place Psal 66.12 The Psalmist seems to allude to those three Wells those three Stages or Degrees of Holiness in our Christian race Psal 31.7 Thou hast considered my trouble thou hast known my soul in adversities There 's Esec strife and trouble 2. Thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy There 's the Sitnah hatred and enmity of Satan the adversary 3. Thou hast set my feet in a large room There 's Rehoboth largeness and liberty O that we had attained hereunto The Lord for his mercy sake enable us so to do Psal 84.5 6. For blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are thy ways who passing through the valley of Baca the valley of tears So LXX V. L. make it a well they go from strength to strength This victory is obtained by the most holy God the Father Son and Spirit to whom the soul may then sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exhort To follow after Holiness The Motives to perswade us hereunto are the excellency of it which is seen in the beauty and lustre of it and the duration and continuance of it also in the effects of it it renders men truly valiant and terrible unto others It is a most reasonable exhortation for so excellent is the object of our pursuit that it deserves and may well require our utmost endeavours in the prosecution of it according to this reason even in common judgement for if that which is good be lovely desirable and so to be followed as even the school of nature teacheth whatsoever is good lovely and desirable unto which the soul reacheth and stretcheth forth it self and longetth after it according to the name of the appetite in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I say whatsoever is good is also lovely and desirable and to be followed then surely that which is better is more lovely more desirable and more to be followed and yet further whatsoever is best of all is most lovely most of all desirable and most of all to be followed ut se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magis ad magis maxime ad maxime Then surely Holiness and Righteousness wherein the image of God consists and which is indeed essentially God himself being by consent of all the best of all is in all reason and even in common judgement most lovely most desireable and most to be followed Whence it is that Moses most earnestly propounds the object and most earnestly enforceth the Act upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness righteousness shalt thou follow i. e. this this alone is lovely desirable and to be followed and this alone thou shalt most eagerly and earnestly pursue Deut. 16.20 which discovers the baseness and unworthiness of our inordinate appetites that when Holiness and Righteousness the most lovely and desirable good and most to be followed comes in competition with the most trivial and but only seeming good the most lovely c. is rejected and the seeming good carries it Example One of a thousand that might be named At our ordinary repasts nature deals truly with us and tells us when we have eaten enough or drunk enough and stints us to an holy mediocrity but here comes in some new named wine or a dish in fashion now the base appetite prefers excess gluttony or drunkenness before Holiness it self the Image of our God and the most excellent and most desirable good Prophane Esau sold his birth-right for a morsel of meat Heb. 12.16 Thus when there stands but a lye between us and a good bargain Judas preferred thirty pieces of silver before the essential Holiness it self And doth not many an one part with Truth and Holiness for a far less summ Thus when we are provoked with injury we grow revengeful reject the holy one and the just and desire a murderer to be given Act. 3.14 O Beloved we do not genrally prize Holiness at the worth value and excellency of it Two Competitors for a place or priviledge Christ and Barabbas the one hath all worth in him the other altogether worthless What wrong is this yet thou dost the same thing in most actions of thy life A partial man will transgress for a piece of bread Prov. 28.21 1. This excellency of Holiness is seen in the beauty and lustre of it Holiness is beautiful and graceful the Psalmist tells us of a beauty of holiness Psal 96.9 We read of an holy tabernacle an holy temple a holy city an holy dwelling place of God c. But wherein consists the beauty of Holiness In glorious Cherubims in pure engravings Bells and precious Stones in carved work costly Vestments in curious Imbroydery rich hangings in painted Walls c. Truly the Papists and some who have followed them in this or at least many of them are down right of that opinion and to that purpose they have drawn obtorto collo by head and shoulders that place of the Psal 96.9 Praise the Lord in the beauty of holiness that is in a beautiful Church c. as resembling the Holy of the Temple The Devil can be content we should place Holiness in Temples Tabernacles Churches c. In any thing but where it should be And therefore the holy Ghost makes application of all these things seen without us unto our selves Levit. 26.11 I will set up my Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of thee and I will walk in the midst of you 1 Cor. 6.19 So speaks the great voice from heaven Apoc. 21.3 Behold the tabernacle of God is with men ye are the Temple of the living
how early should we be stirring what speed should we make how precious should we esteem every moment of time This is our own case yea every one of our cases we have a a long journey like that of Abraham from out of Vr of the Chaldees to the land of Canaan from out of the light of Devils so Vr of the Chaldees signifieth to the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 In the holy land or land of holiness we are all called of God as was Abraham to finish our journey He riseth up early and sends his Prophets to call us 2 Chron. 36.15 God speaks once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not Job 33.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead Alass how much of our time have we spent already in dead works in works of vanity which will not profit us in the latter end How little of our time remains the Lord alone knows how much of our journey yet remains I tremble to consider since our lives speak it too plainly how few have found entrance into that narrow way that leads into an holy life doth not our Lord say That there are few who find the way of life the way of mortification but how many fewer have made progress in it What pretences we have cast in our way That Christ the Fore-runner is entred into the most holy for us Heb. 6.20 and 9.24 That Christ is not entred into the holy made with hands which are the figures of the true he could not enter into them because he was no Levite nor a Priest according to the order of Aaron but he is entred into the Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us that Christ hath suffered for us the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God O Beloved let us let us I beseech ye take heed lest by magnifying Christ's sufferings we exempt our selves from suffering with him and so deceive our selves in the main Christ and his sufferings and his intercession for us with his Father they are above all our praises we cannot magnifie them enough Mean time let us know they were not set before us to gaze upon or to contemplate but to imitate and follow 't is for us that Christ is entred into the Holy for us not only meritoriè but exemplaritèr not only for our sakes but for our example he entred that we might also enter He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps We must exceed the Pharisees therefore what ever was in their holiness we must have and more Excedens continet excessum Matth. 5. Esay 35.8 'T is a long race but he that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Let us therefore perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. O how much have we finished of our Journey nay how little rather How little of our time remaineth If the day of thy life shut in the grave Eccles 9.10 The night cometh when no man worketh no man travelleth this race this pursuit must be finished in this short life therefore it 's called the words of this life Act. 5.20 If we finish it not we have lost our journey all our labour is in vain the Gates of the holy City will be shut against us I beseech ye consider it well if there be no Popish Purgatory after this life as I believe we are all easily perswaded to believe and if no unclean thing enter into the holy City which is the express testimony of the Holy Ghost Apoc. 21.27 Lay these two together and then consider how nearly it concerns us how much it stands us upon to purge out all uncleanness every unclean thing in this life The old man to be put off before the new man be to be put on as two suits for the same body On the other side if we finish this race we win the incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness and not only for me but for all those who love his appearing The same Apostle 2 Cor. 6. Then 7.1 Whether we follow Holiness or no will appear from the nature of this pursute it 's a motion and a motion in the nature of it is continued so that if it be interrupted it 's not now one motion but many Example in a Race if one run and then stay and after run again c. these are not one race but many This is contrary to the constant and continued pursute of Holiness contrary to our ever following of that which is good 1 Thess 5.15 With such unconstant holy people God will not be holy Psal 18.26 he threatens Levit. 26.21 Marg. He that is holy let him be holy still and he that is filthy Apoc. 22.11 Ezek. 6.9 Wisd 20.43 Let us remember that dreadful example of the Israelites inconstant holiness how many thousands of them perished in Cadesh-barnea and never came into the Holy Land 2. All motion hath a succession and progress and therefore if we pursue holiness it will appear by our growth and progress in it Let us examine our own wayes but if we will not others will what proficiency have we made in this pursute what lusts have we subdued All Natural things Corn Trees Herbs our own bodies they have their growth their accomplishment and height and the like ought to be in our souls these are not done upon a suddain 't is true the hand of the dyal or watch doth not appear to us to move but it appears after a very short time to have moved nor doth a growing tree seem to us to grow c. So though we cannot every moment or particle of time discern any progress in our pursute of holiness yet it 's easie to discern it after a short time Ye are wont to observe it in your young children after a short space whether they have grown in stature yea or no should we not much more observe our own souls Surely if we be the same men that we have been heretofore five ten twenty years c. if we do antiquum obtinere if we walk in the same way Impii ambulant in circuitu like an horse in a mill we cannot say truly that we have followed after holiness 3 Joh. 2. I pray above all things that thou mayest prosper even as thy soul prospers The Original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest go on in Holiness and Righteousness If we follow Holiness we will take heed of all manner of pollution of flesh and spirit this is a most certain sign being taken from the very nature and essence of Holiness which is a separation from all uncleanness O how carefull how wary shall we be Hebr. 12.15 look diligently lest c. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid I have
OBSERVATIONS UPON 1 PETER I. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow WE have heard of our Lords Passion what he suffered for us He was stricken smitten of God and afflicted 2. What he suffered of us He was wounded of our iniquities He was bruised of our transgressions 3. We have heard of our Lords actions in behalf of us He justifieth many 4. We have heard of his reaction he suffered indeed he bare our iniquities but he overcame in his suffering he bare away our iniquities Hath he suffered hath he done all this and must we do must we suffer nothing Surely we must for the Prophets searched not in vain into the time nor in vain did the Spirit testifie of the sufferings of Christ nor our sufferings unto Christ nor of the Glory that should follow Our labour is not in vain in the Lord. The Apostle having after his Salutation and Blessing twice made mention of salvation through Jesus Christ He commends it unto them as a thing neither mean nor new but such as the holy Prophets of Old esteemed so excellent that they made diligent enquiry and search after it how it should be accomplished by sufferings 1. Christ was to suffer or have his sufferings 2. The sufferings of Gods people are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leading unto Christ 3. Glory should follow these sufferings 4. The spirit of Christ in the Prophets witnessed beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow 5. The Prophets searched what and what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified beforehand the suffering of Christ and those which lead unto Christ and the glories that should follow 1. Christ was to suffer or have his sufferings Of this I spake lately out of Isaiah 53.4 5. I shall not now trouble you much with that Argument nor indeed is that only here aimed at but according to the wisdom and divine artifice of Gods holy Spirit the words are so framed that they signifie both Christs sufferings and ours with him 1. Christs sufferings and so the word will bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sufferings that should come unto Christ 2. Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sufferings which lead unto Christ 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sufferings that should come unto Christ And these are either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-sufferings or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his passion Either his poverty contempt contradiction of sinners c. Or his death of the Cross 2. The sufferings of Gods people are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such sufferings as lead unto Christ Luk. 24. twice Act. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that we may know that the types and figures of the Law foreshewed these sufferings of Christ 1 Cor. 15.1 2. according to the Scriptures These sufferings are either outward or inward 1. Outward as the enduring of what ever evil is opposite unto the goods of the Body Fortune Name 1. Of Body as maladies and sicknesses weaknesses 2. Of Fortune as poverty loss of goods friends means of livelihood 3. Of Name as contempt reviling saying all manner of evil saying detraction back-biting the falsly called Christian world this Nation this City is full of false and groundless defamations and slanders which are the flood which the Serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman the Church Revel 12.15 2. The inward suffering is the enduring and not yielding unto the carnal reasonings wills and passions which are summarily reduced to two heads Eccles 12. ult That whereby we are enabled to bear and suffer out all these is the Cross and patience of Jesus Christ These sufferings are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lead unto Christ for so the throws and pangs precede the forming of Christ in us Gal. 4.19 and they who have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts are Christs and Christ is theirs Galat. 5. Reason Why do these sufferings lead unto Christ and why must we suffer all these that we may win Christ There is a double necessity c. See Notes on Rom. 6.8 Observ 1. Suffering with Christ is no arbitrary business or left to our discretion they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these sufferings lead unto Christ Observ 2. To suffer is a necessary duty so necessary that without it we cannot partake of Christ who is our life so necessary that without it we cannot attain unto salvation See Notes on Rom. 6.8 Repreh The ungrateful world who lay all their load of their sins upon Christ they consider not that as Christ suffered for them so are they to suffer with him 1 Pet. 4.1 3. Glory followeth these sufferings Glory seems in nature to be the lustre of Light See Notes on Hebr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. As it refers unto God it is the excellency and eminency of all the attributes 2. As this Glory appears in the souls and spirits of men it is the last guerdon and reward of all our labours in the Lord for as the sufferings lead unto Christ so Christ in us is the hope of Glory Coloss 1.27 and 3.4 When Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him in glory this is wont to be joyned with a throne or a glorious kingdom as 1 Sam. 2.8 to make them inherit the throne of glory Dan. 4.36 the glory of my kingdom 1 Thess 2.12 God hath called you to his kingdom and glory Where yet we must beware of a common errour invented by the Schoolmen which goeth for current among most sorts of Christians who distinguish the kingdom of God into the kingdom of Grace and the kingdom of Glory but what ever the Schoolmen or others have conceived of two kingdoms the kingdom of God is one See Notes on Mar. 4.11 Glory followeth these sufferings The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number the glories after these sufferings and so the Vulg. Lat. hath these words posteriores glorias the after glories none of all our English Translations have these words in the plural as they ought to be except only one Manuscript which hath the latter glories But Pagnine turns them well quae post has fierent glorias so likewise the French Spanish and Italian Translations Nor do I see any reason why any out of affectation of purity in the Latin or English or other Tongue should therefore wave the word before him in the Greek or Hebrew since its proper to Translators to render the words as they find them but it belongs to interpreters to give the sence And therefore since the Greek word here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural though neither the English nor Latin nor Dutch Tongues so elegantly speak this word in the plural yet it 's no warrant for any Translators to render
this word being plural in the singular number as Castellio here turns it gloriam Martin Luther Herligheit and after him the Low Dutch and also our printed English Translations Glory The Reason why the Spirit of God expresseth this Glory in the plural number is because in Scripture when divine things are signified in their fulness the words are put in the plural number thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.1 thus very often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesses are in the Hebrew which we express only in the singular number not without injury to the Hebrew Text Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. and the great promise of partaking of the Divine Nature is expressed in the plural number 2 Pet. 1. thus Glories in the Text import fulness of Glory Another reason there is from the word opposite hereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufferings which is plural and therefore the holy spirit would counterpoise them with the like weight of Glory The Reason why these Glories must follow the sufferings is the justice of the Father 1. In regard of Christ who therefore highly exalted him Phil. 2. and therefore he is said to be crowned with glory and honour for the suffering of death Hebr. 2.9 ought not Christ to suffer and so enter into glory 2. In regard of those who are Christs the justice of God who hath promised is engaged unto them yet lest we should seem to stand upon terms of commutative justice the Lord who hath promised is just when he performs his promise but bountiful and gracious also when he doth so both because these Glories in worth infinitely exceed our sufferings 2 Cor. and because the promise of Glory was made out of Grace the Apostle therefore wisely joyns both together I have kept the faith c. henceforth is laid up for me a crown of Righteousness which God the righteous judge shall give me 3. Another Reason may be given for this more proper to the next point Observ 1. Note here in what method and order the holy spirit hath placed these things of greatest moment sufferings leading unto Christ and glory after these sufferings The like Scriptures we have if we suffer with him we shall reign with him if we die with him we shall also live with him Observ 2. This method of the spirit is notable and quite contrary to that wherein the world instructs her Children for men are taught first to believe that they shall reign with Christ inherit glory honour immortality and eternal life and then to follow Christ in his sufferings then to die with him then to cut off the offending foot and offending hand and pluck out the offending eye and all this in way of thankfulness Quanto rectius hic St. Peter puts the Passions first and the Glories after Observ 3. The God of Glory prescribes his Servants their work first to be done and promiseth them their reward afterward Prov. 3. first they are wise and humble then God gives them Grace and Glory first they die and then they live first they suffer and then they reign if we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 The God of this world proceeds with his servants in a quite contrary method he gives them their reward in hand that present good which they desire the Hypocrites seek for honour at the hands of men and that their Master gives them Matt. 6. They have their reward Luk. 16. My son saith Abraham remember that in thy life time thou received'st thy good things and Lazarus his evil things he therefore now is comforted and thou art tormented Thus he himself foretells his Apostles and Disciples sufferings lest they should be offended Joh. 16.1 2. Axiom 4. The spirit of Christ in the Prophets witnessed before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow The spirit witnessed of the sufferings of Christ The sufferings of Christ testified by the spirit are either in the spirit or flesh 1. In the spirit thus in Adam when his innocent nature in us was murdered Rev. 13.8 Thus when the good motions and inspirations of the holy spirit are quenched Hebr. 6.6 of these the ceremonial services and types under the Law testified the Lambs in the daily sacrifice The Reason of this Testimony of the Prophets touching the suffering of Christ and the glories following may be for the prevention of scandal which the Lord in wisdom foresaw would follow the Cross and therefore these sufferings must be foretold Thus the Apostle tells us that Christ crucified was a stumbling-block to the Jews 1 Cor. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence our Lord sending answer to John Baptist's question whether he were the Christ or not saith The blind see the lame walk to the poor the Gospel is preached and blessed is he that is not offended in me Matt. 11. Observ 1. Hence appears the Antiquity of the Christian Doctrine touching salvation and the means conducing thereunto This the spirit testified unto the Prophets from the beginning of the world Observ 2. St. Peter here and the rest of the Apostles teach one and the same thing that the Prophets of old have done yea the Apostles in the New Testament required the very same Righteousness of God which was required before under the Old Testament even the righteousness of God by faith not imagined by fancy but such really and truly wrought in us by the spirit of Jesus Chrst Rom. 3.21 St. Peter useth the like method Acts 3.24 and 5.30 and 22.14 whereby they shew that the Law of Christ differs not from the Old Law but that both have the same founder and authour that the same God who gave the Law commanded also the Gospel to be preached yea St. Paul testifieth the same more largely Act. 26.22 23. Observ 3. Hence it appears as from manifold other Scriptures that the Doctrine concerning the Deity of the Son of God and holy spirit is no new Doctrine but that which was well known unto the holy Prophets Observ 4. Hence also it 's evident That the holy Prophets of Old spake not of themselves but by the dictate and instinct of the Holy Ghost so the Psalms which we say of David c. are indeed dictated by the spirit of God so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. are rendered by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. therefore the Psalmist about to propound a parable saith I will incline mine ear unto a parable Psal 49.4 so that the doctrine of the Prophets as well as of the Apostles is the Testimony of the Holy Spirit That Spirit by which the Old Prophets spake and wrote was the spirit of Christ Thus we profess in the Nicene Creed that Christ spake by the Prophets The Scriptures or writings of the holy Prophets are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by divine inspiration they are testimonies of Gods spirit 5. The Prophets searched what and what manner of time the spirit of Christ that