1.16 Psal 92.14 Isa 25.6 c. as Rebekah signifies or Rebecchan Hebr. denotes Deliverance from Death and Inheritance of Life expected and from this Blessed Expectation some say she had her Name and so was a notable Type of the Church 3. As Rebekah was wooed by Abraham's Servants Gen. 24.35 c. shewing how the Lord had blest his Master greatly c. So Ministers Christs Paranymphs do wooe the Souls of People to be Espoused to Christ shevving forth his unsearchable Riches Eph. 3.8 and fulness of Treasures Col. 1.18 19. and 2.3 We may not make any cold Suite for Christ but alvvays be warm in that Work to make Souls sick of Love after him Cant. 2.5 telling them he is Lord of all Acts 10.36 and Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 3. and vvho vvould not be Married to so Rich and so great an Heir 4. As Rebekah forsaketh her Friends and her All for Isaac and said I will go with this man from you all to him Gen. 24 58. vvhen it vvas enquired at her mouth about it ver 57. Thus also the Church Christs Hephzibah Isa 62.4 is no less vvilling to forsake all her carnal Friendâ— Psal 45.10 and to be brought unto Christ by the Ministers of Christ ver 14. vvhen the Finger of God toucheth the Heart Isa 56.6 and maketh willing hearted Psal 110.3 he commandeth his loving kindness Psal 42.8 saying Go out my mercy and seize upon such a Soul Go out my loving kindness take hold of such an Heart and draw them from sin to God this is that makes right Voluntiers indeed for all good 2 Cor. 8.3 5. As Rebekah deck'd her self with the Jewels that Isaac sent her when she was brought forward toward him yet cover'd them all with a Veil so the Church is adorned with all the choicest Ornaments that her Blessed Isaac sends to her while she is Handed towards him by his Ministers Ezek. 16.10 to 14. Uxor fulget radiis mariti the VVife doth shine with the Beams of her Husband so doth the Church with all the Excellent Gifts and Graces of Christ John 1.14 16. Eph. 1.23 yet doth she cover all with the Veil of Humility wherewith she is clothed 1 Pet. 5.12 as Moses cover'd his Glory with a Vail and knew not that his Face shined Exod. 34.29 33.35 and those Blessed Ones of the Father say When saw we thee naked and clothed thee c. Mat. 25.37 they will not know it unto Pride c. The sixth Parallel is As Isaac met Rebekah when she came to him took her to Wife Enjoy'd her with great Joy and Rejoic'd with her all their days Gen. 24.63 to 67. So Christ meeteth his Church Isa 64.5 Amos 4.12 and she becomes his Callah from the perfection of her Beauty and Bravery Jer. 2.32 and his Hephzibah from his delight in her Isa 62.4 He then rejoiceth over her as a Bridegroom doth over his Bride ver 5. when he hath purified her as Esther chap. 2. ver 9.15 and sanctified her as Eph. 5.26 yea beautified her with an inward as well as outward Glory Psal 45.8 13. then he so rejoiceth in her as to rest in his love Zeph. 3.17 He will seek no farther as fully satisfied in his choice And seeing all this is so How should every good Soul say as Rebekah said Hinder me not to go meet my Isaac Gen. 24.56 So should we say to Satan solliciting us to stay a while in our old Courses and Companies and though we Ride upon a Trotting Camel a tiresom and tedious Journey as Rebekah did Gen. 24.61 yet was it for a good Husband So we must be content to suffer with and for Christ that we may be glorified together when the Marriage shall be Consummated for now is only the time of our Contract Heaven will make amends for all He that Rides though upon a Trotting Beast and in a Rainy day cannot think ill of either when it is to receive a Crown and Kingdom Then the Church shall light off her Trotting Beast being at the end of her Journey as Rebekah did ver 65. and Ministers shall give an account of their Stewardship as Eleazar did ver 66. 2 Cor. 11.2 and Isa 8.18 and John 17.4 then is she brought into a Mansion-house of Glory there to be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 The good Lord make his Church here Love-worthy as Rebekah was ver 67. Fair Courteous and Vertuous a Mate most meet for Christ in all the World Thus much of the first particular the Offering Come we secondly to the Author that there should be such an Offering as a Father to Offer up his Son his only Son this God himself is said expresly to Authorize Gen. 22.1 in his Tempting of Abraham hereunto not for perdition as Satan Tempteth but for probation only see before at large the difference 'twixt Gods and Satans Tempting in the first Division upon the Agent or Tryer. Enquiries here are to be Answered 1. About the Legality or Lawfulness of the Act. 2. The Difficulty 3. The Excellency of it 1. It s Legality Would God command to Kill who saith Thou shalt not Kill Answer 1. The Supream Law-giver who made that Law can out of his uncontroulable Soveraignty dispense with his own Law as that of Thou shalt not Steal God notwithstanding that did Authorize the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians of their Jewels Exod. 12.35 36. This was done by a special Dispensation which none could grant but the Law-Maker this was done by an extraordinary Command and may not be made a President but in the same case and upon the same Warrant for ordinarily it is the wicked that borroweth and payeth not again Psal 37.21 but here the Case and VVarrant were both extraordinary and therefore not to be an ordinary Pattern for after-times 'T is just with God to spoil those that spoil his people Ezek. 39.10 and 't is just with Men too when they have as here an Express Command Answer 2. God did not command Abraham to do this as it was an Act of Rebellion against his own Moral Law which was not now promulgated as after by Moses nor against the Law of Nature which is writ in every Mans Heart and so in Abraham's Rom. 2. 14 15. but as it was an Act of Obedience to the great Law-giver and therefore it was necessary that Abraham should well know it was God and not the Devil who tempted him to this Act which in it self seemed so unnatural for a Father to kill his own Son and wherein God seemed so contrary to himself and to his own positive Precepts and Promises this Abraham knew well 1. From Special Illumination 2. From Familiar Experience of Gods speaking to him vvhose Voice he knevv as vvell as the Voice of his Wife Sarah's 3. This Voice came not to him in a Dream vvhich vvould have been more uncertain and less distinguishable from the Devils Deceit but vvhile Abraham vvas awake for 't is not said that he stayed
yea but when Sir for he went not Mat. 21.29 The Eighth Remark is The variety of Laws given to the Church in the Wilderness the lively Oracles or life giving Oracles of God Acts 7.38 First The Moral Law spoke by God himself in the audience of all the people which is call'd our Life or the Rule of an Holy and Spiritual Life Deut. 32.46 47. Secondly The Judicial Laws which were meerly Judaical and peculiar to the People of the Jews and which cannot fit every Nation no more than any Shoe can fit every foot tho' Carolostadius would have all Magistrates to govern their Subjects by them in all Nations The end of giving the Judicial Laws was to teach Natural Equity to which Judicial Laws mentioned in Chapters 21 22 23. of Exodus must be added those Directions that Jethro gave Moses for substituting Inferiour Magistrates Exod. 18. which choice of Elders was not made till Israel's departure from Sinai Deut. 1.7 8. Nor could Jethro offer Sacrifices as he did Exod. 18.12 before the Law was given Nor could Moses make known God's Statutes to the People as he doth Exod. 18.13 16. before himself knew them So 't is misplaced for weighty Reasons as Dr. Lightfoot observes Harmony of Old Testament Pag. 65.66 Thirdly The Ceremonial Laws were all Typical and therefore Temporary call'd a Yoke too heavy for our Fathers Act. 15.10 Yet their end and use was to prefigure and shadow out the Gospel in its divers Truths in which sense they continue still though not in respect of Observation or Practice yet in respect of Instruction Direction and Testimony to Christ and his Truths The Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are a Commentary and a kind of outwork to the Moral Law The Ceremonial to the first Table and the Judicial to the Second And they are call'd a Wall of Partition betwixâ— Jews and Gentiles because they are made up of Laws that are hard as so many Stones in Nature and that are so many in number as make up a Wall The number of both being reckoned fifty seven when the Moral Law or Decalogue was given by the Son of God Vivâ Voce by his own audible Voice with such Terrour that the People were not able to abide it but desire Moses to be a Mediator He hereupon draws near to God in the thick Darkness receiveth seven and fifty Precepts Ceremonial and Judicial which when he came down from the Mount He telleth the People of and writes them in a Book namely in his Pentateuch The Moral Law sheweth Man what he ought to do and with the same sight he seeth that he cannot do it This makes Man seek to the Ceremonial Law for some Sacrifice or Ceremony to satisfie for his not doing his Duty to the Decalogue wherein Man may see soon that burning a Dead Beast is but an inconsiderable satisfaction for the Sins of a living Man and that outward Purisfyings of Mens selves can avail but little to the cleansing of a soiled Soul the Prophet tells us Thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil will not do it nor can the Fruit of the Body expiate the Sin of the Soul Mic. 6.6 7. The Jews wearied God to the Soul with their Sacrifices and Ceremonies Isa 1.13 14. And David could say Sacrifices thou would not but a broken Heart Psal 51.16 17. The Consideration of this Deficiency in the Ceremonial Law delivers sinful Man up to the Judicial Law which holds forth the Penalty of obstinate Offenders and discovereth to him what he deserveth by the Law of Retaliation This Law is contained in the three Chapters Exod. 21 22 and 23. And thus all those three Laws the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial are as a Schoolmaster to whip us home to Christ Gal. 3.24 None of those Laws of Mosâ—s can save us It was not Moses or the Law but Joshua or Jesus that brought Israel into the Land of Promise Hereby we are constrained to seek out for a Saviour the Lord our Redeemer For there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we can be saved but by Jesus Christ Act. 4.12 N.B. The Parable our Lord himself propounds tends something to this purpose as Luk. 10.30 31 32. Concerning the Man Travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho and falling among Thieves c. Wherein the Man mentioned is Travelling the wrong way He should have travell'd from Jericho the Place of God's curseâ— to Jerusalem the Place of God's Worship and Blessing not from Jerusalem to Jericho As the Man went out of God's Precincts and so out of God's Protection no wonder then if he falls among Thieves Thus the Original Sinner Adam went the wrong way when he listened more to the Serpent's Promise and to his Wife Eve's proffer than he did to God's Precept He went from the Tree of Life to the Tree of Knowledge there hearkening after Honour of the Devil 's giving and not God's he falls among Thieves that stopp'd him stripp'd him and strip'd him so that he was half Dead of his wounds 1. Satan dismounts him of his State of Innocency which should sustain him 2. Sin strips him of all Righteousness which should aray him And 3. Death was the third Thief that strip'd him striking fall'n Man with his own guiltiness and miserably wounding him here is Man in a woful Condition By comes a Priest that is the legal Priesthood or Moral Righteousness This passeth by him but does not cannot help him By also comes a Levite with the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law or formal Holiness This also passeth by and relieveth him not Both these are Physicians if no value miserable Comforters the Eyes of neither of the two did pity him But by comes a good Samaritan our Saviour himself whom they call'd a Samaritan c. he Pities him Salves him Mounts him Lodges him and Pays all for him This Christ the second Adam did for the first Original Sinner N.B. Oh that he may do so for us Adam's Children who are all Actual Sinners and whom the Thieves Satan Sin and Death have wounded Oh that Christ may 1. Pity us when no other doth so Ezek. 16.8 Jer. 31.20 c. 2. Salve us pouring in the sharp Wine of Reproof to search our wounds as well as the sweet Oil of Comfort to supple them 3. Mount us upon his own Righteousness or we never reach the new Jerusalem 4. Lodge us in his own Chamber his Church here and in his Fathers Bosom hereafter 5. And pay all for us by his Active and Passive Obedience which is the two Pence here As our first sinning was without us in Adam so our full satisfying is without us in Christ his Justitia Personae Justitia Meriti pays all c. The Ninth Remark in this twelvth Station at Mount Sinai is the Promulgation of the Law is confirmed by bringing the People into Covenant with God whereof we have an account Exod. 24. which relateth First The Place where according to God's appointment the side of
not so bad as to live without a Calling in the World Of this before at large The second Divine Truth Moses teacheth in this History is That every Man beside his particular Calling must mind his general Calling also There be some Atheistical Persons that stick not to say Let those that have leisure from secular Employs such as Church-men are attend upon the Service of God such as have nothing else to do let them Pray Hear Read and mind Matters of Religion we have other things to heed and to trouble our Head withal we must not Neglect our Callings Dare such Men make themselves worse than Cain who though he had his Calling yet could he as well as Abel set some time apart for the Service of God And so ought all Men to do the particular Calling must not justle out the general for the former is sanctified by the latter as Gen. 24.13 27. Psal 90. last 1 Cor. 10.31 The Duties of our general Calling are to help us in the Duties of our particular as Christs being in the Temple among the Doctors was not any hinderance to him from going home to be subject to his Parents Luke 2.46 51. There is a proper Season for both and every thing is beautiful in its peculiar Season Subordinate things are not contrary but may and must consist together Christs conversing in the Temple rather qualified him for than obstructed him in his filial Subjection so our conversing with Christ in the Temple in ways of Religion which is our general Calling as Gods Servants must make us return home better Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants Ministers People in all the Duties of our particular Calling we lose that sanctifying Influence of Sermons Suppers Sabbaths when we do not carry home some more sweetness of Spirit to our Relations from them than we brought with us to them As the Merchant going out in a Morning about his Merchandizing if he meet with some bad Bargain or disappointment in his Traffick and Trading he returns home in so morose an Humour that none of his Family can please him no not though they all do their Duty so to do but if on the contrary this same Merchant meet another Morning with some brave Bargains that will advance his Estate and fill his Coffers Oh with what Candour and sweetness of Spirit doth he return home then is he all Honey and Love no Action no Relation can displease or disoblige him he takes all things that are done by the right Handle and putteth a most Candid Construction even upon Deeds done amiss to himself yea carries sweetly to all all that day unless or until another bad Bargain happen in losses and crosses to unhinge his Spirit again and to make him uneasie in himself Just so it is with a Christian that Spiritual Merchant Mat. 13.45 Let him go out in a Morning to the Ordinances of God if he there meet with a purchase of the Pearl of price Oh what an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work is wrought upon that Man he may then say Ego non sum ego I am not the same Man I was as one once said to his tempting Curtizan he returns home filâ—'d with meekness and lowliness which he hath learnt from Christ by his conversing with him in his Ordinances Mat. 11.28 29. But if any return home from Gods Worship with sourness of Spirit 't is an Infallible Evidence that they have made no good Bargains for their Souls at that time for 't is an undeniable truth that the Duties of our general Calling should better dispose us for the Duties of our particular Callings No Man is Born principally to serve himself in his particular Calling but his God and himself in Subordination to God and so the particular Calling must be Subordinate to the general and Prayer which is a duty of the general Calling must every Morning fetch down a Blessing upon the Duties of the particular Yea 't is not enough to pray for Gods Blessing upon our Labours in the Morning only and so walk with a carnal careless frame of Heart all the day in our worldly Affairs no but we should drive on the Trade of godliness as well as our own Trades in holy Ejaculations all the day long so shall we be both in Gods fear and in Gods favour all the day Prov. 23.17 and this is dividing aright for God He is a wise Merchant indeed that can drive a Trade in both Indies but he is wiser that can drive on his particular Calling on Earth and his general in Heaven Those two Sons of Adam are mindful of both those Trades and Callings and their practice is for us a pattern as is apparent from those particulars 1. Cain and Abel lived not in the State of Innocency but in that of the Fall as we do Had Man never sinned God expected some solemn Service from him how much more needful is our serving God since the Fall for testifying our Repentance and for Sueing out our Pardons and for seeking Reconciliation with God from whom we have faln and with whom we have faln out even into an enmity against him Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 These two Sons of Adam were in the same State we are in the faln State and what they did for recovery out of that State we ought likewise to do the same 2. This Service of theirs was after the promise of Christ in the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 that first Gospel which ever was Preached so 't was Gospel-service which Cain and Abel performed here and surely Evangelical Duties concern us as well as them yea us more than them seeing Christ was only promised to them but he is manifested to us and preached to all Nations therefore we should abound in our Religious Service more than they 3. This Service of Cain and Abel was before Moses long before the Law so it doth not concern the Jews only but us Gentiles also even all Men in general to the end of the World This Service of those two Sons Adam was a natural Duty long before it was written in the Moral Law was a Law written in their Hearts to acknowledge Gods Soveraignty over them and their Dependency upon him Rom. 2.15 so that none of Adam's Off-spring can plead exemption from this natural Duty but all Jews and Gentiles that have been are or shall be are equally bound by the very Law of Nature to this Moral Duty of some Spiritual Service and Worship to God 4. And Lastly This Service of theirs was done per modum Sacrificii by way of Sacrifice and so it representeth to us the great Sacrifice for sin to wit Christ upon the Cross and it also remindeth us of all those Spiritual Sacrifices which we must offer up to God in Gospel-times to wit the Sacrifices of a broken Heart and of a contrite Spirit bleeding for sin Psal 51.17 yea and Sacrifices of praise our Thank-offerings to God for his providing us such a Saviour Psal
drawn in Gods Book Psal 139.16 Not unlike to the Letters printed upon the Paper which do answer the Printing Type The Divine Efficiency doth answer to an hairs-breadth the Divine Decree both in Creation and Providence Gods Decree is the standing Rule of his Efficiency Those exact slingers Judg. 20.16 could not hit the mark so well as God doth by his External Efficiency his own Internal and Eternal Decree There is no variation of the Compass in this case at all The supream end hereof is the manifestation of his own glory more particularly of his wisdom power and goodness Psal 8.1 19.1 103. last 104.31 145.10 148.5 Prov. 16.4 Isa 43.21 Rom. 11.36 Revel 4.10 11. 5.13 'T is true God had a complacency in the work of his hands when he saw it was all Tob Meod superlatively good Gen. 1.31 The Lord rejoyced in his works Psal 104.31 It did God good a◠it were to see all good and very good It was a delight to him but God saw this long before even from Eternity Non datur prius posterius in Deo The phrase imports God would have Man to see the wisdom power and goodness of God in all which he thus commends to our consideration a curious and glorious frame full of admirable skill and variety 2. The Subordinate or Subalternate End is for Mans Instruction and comfort 1. For Mans Instruction Hereby Man learns that there is a God Isa 40.26 Rom. 1.20 there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something knowable to Natural Reason concerning a Deity the World could not make it self neither could it be made by Chance or by a Concussion of Atoms c. The print and Character of the God of Heaven is legible upon every pile of grass growing on earth Praesentem Monstrat quaelibet Herba Deum Ovid. Let no man say he is not Book-learnt for every one may read the Book of Nature though he cannot read the Book of Scripture and learn thence the knowledge of God the Creator though not God the Redeemer and so abhor Atheism Ignorance and Idolatry Cursed be that God which made not Heaven and Earth Jerem. 10.11 This verse spoken at Babylon and therefore writ in the Chaldee Tongue whereas all the rest of the Prophesie is set down in the Hebrew was given to Gods people to make use of when the Babylonians sollicited them during their Captivity to worship their Idols in the Babylonian Language as a detestation of their Babel Idols saying to them Cursed be your Gods for they made neither Heaven nor Earth The same we may say of all the Idols both of Pagans and of Papagans 2. For Mans Comfort the Maker of Heaven and Earth may be hoped in for help above all Mortal Princes for he is a King Immortal and he is the all-powerful Creator and therefore can help without a peradventure Psal 146.3 4 5 6. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him and new made him too Psal 149.2 or Hebr. in his Makers implying the Trinity of persons concurring both in Creation and Re-Creation or Regeneration which while Olymphus the Arrian Bishop denyed he was struck dead with three Thunder-bolts in a Bath How ought we to hang our Hope upon this great Creator that did hang the heavy Earth upon nothing Job 26.7 and yet it remains for almost six thousand years unmovable he commanded and it stood fast Psal 33.9 The whole Order of Nature remaineth as he first set it firm fast and unmoveable though it hang on nothing but upon Gods precept how much more ought we to be steadfast unmoveable 1 Cor. 15.58 having the sure word of Gods promise to hang upon 2 Pet. 1.19 The Devil and his Imps would overturn the comely Order of Nature they would as it were mingle Heaven and Earth together and so soon mar all but God confounds the Counsels and disappoints the Attempts of those tumultuating trouble-States and maugre their malice he preserveth Polities Laws Judgment and Equity without which Humane Societies could not long subsist God hath decreed to maintain Civil Government amongst Men to relieve the oppressed to punish the wicked to uphold his Church which hath so few friends on earth and so many Enemies both there and in Hell in despight of all This Decree of God not onely for her preservation in the world but also for her Exaltation above the world stands firm and inviolable as a Mountain of Brass Zech. 6.1 This shall bring her highest Adversaries into the lowest place even to that place which is fittest for them to be the footstool of Christ The Churches help is from the Lord that made Heaven and Earth Psal 121.2 and he will rather unmake both again than his people shall want seasonable help her help is in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth Psal 124.8 Gods power is the prop of her Faith and pricks her on to Prayer therefore we may commit our selves to him as to a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 a God of infinite might and mercy The Lord that made Heaven and Earth and therefore hath the blessings both of his Throne and of his footstool in his own hand will bestow his blessing both on and out of Sion Psal 134.3 God hath hitherto been our Eben Ezer The famous particular Remarks of the Wisdom Power and goodness of God in the Creation written as with a bright Sun-beam upon a Chrystal-wall for our more particular instruction doth here follow 1st The unchangeable Wisdom of God is made manifest 1. in the exact correspondency betwixt Gods Eternal Decree and his Temporal Creation which was the execution of it as before He is esteemed a foolish Builder or Workman who draws a better Mould in his mind and erects a worse with his hand but this Divine Artificer doth most dextrously accomplish by his wisdom in time what he had most wisely designed before time even from all Eternity 2. In the Curiosity of every Created thing there was both the heighth and depth of Divine Wisdom in every Creature hence David cryeth In wisdom hast thou made them all Psal 104.24 Every part of the Creation was performed in the perfection of Wisdom If God hath given man such wisdom as to contrive so many curious Engines and Artificial Instruments for measuring time almost to a perpetual Motion and Lands almost the whole Earth for all sublunary services how much more of wisdom hath the God of Wisdom who is wisdom in the Abstract wisdom it self that instructs man in all his Arts Isa 28.26 even in that plainnest of Husbandry and is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.10 which signifies the most Exquisite and Artificial Artist The lending power must needs be a more exact Artificer than the borrowing power man borrows all his power from God and all his Art and skill from him therefore must God needs be a most skilful Operator infinitely transcending the most sublime contrivances of men every Creature may say
of the Execution whereof is Hell not Heaven where Eternal Life is happily enjoyed Thus 't is said God took him not the Devil to himself up into Heaven he did not cast him away with a Depart thou Cursed that the Devil might take him to himself and down to Hell but with a Come thou Blessed enter thou into thy Masters joy Mat. 25.21 23 30 Objection 1. How then did Enoch pay that Debt which is due to Nature How are those Scriptures fulfill'd which say What Man is there that sees not death Psal 89.48 and Death passeth upon all Men Rom. 5.12 and in Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 And 't is the Grand Statute of the Parliament of Heaven that hath appointed all Men once to die Heb. 9.27 and all dust must be turned to dust Gen. 3.19 Eccles 12.7 9. Answer 1. There is no General Rule but it admits of some particular Exception as every Grammarian knoweth The Supream Maker of that Law may dispense where and when he pleaseth with his own Law being above not under it Death was then but newly imposed as the Wage of Sin Gen. 3.17 19. The first Removeals of the three first Godly Men out of the World are very Remarkable as soon as Death was inflicted the punishment of sin after the Fall The First that died was Abel who died a violent death by the hands of his bloody Brother so he as it were swam to Heaven in his own Blood The Second that died was Adam who died a natural death He was like a Shock of Corn fully ripe to be reaped with the Sithe of Death shock'd up and carry'd into the Barn for the Masters use Job 5.26 He died in a full Age or in a good old Age Gen. 25.8 He was as willing to die as ever he had been to Dine or to rise up from Table after a full Meal But the third that was removed out of the World 't was not by a Temporal Death either Natural or Violent but by a glorious Translation Abel was hurried in-in the Jaws of Death violently and Enoch was hurried from the Jaws of Death as violently to despight of the Serpents Seed Cain's Posterity who bare as much Enmity to Enoch as Cain did to Abel Herein God shewed that as the Imposition of that Law or Curse of Death was from God so a Dispensation concerning that Law might come from him also 'T is the Supream Soveraignty of God to revoke and repeal his own Statutes when his unsearchable Wisdom judgeth it expedient for his own Glory and his Creatures Good All those fore quoted Scriptures in this Objection speak indeed of the general course of Nature now a particular Exception doth not infringe much less nullifie an Universal Order for to the Lord God belong Issues from death Psal 68.20 Christ hath the Keys of Death Revel 1.18 that is Dominion over it and the Disposal of it he can redeem from Death whom he pleaseth Hosea 13.14 for he hath destroyed death Heb. 2.14 Answer 2. The Scripture it self maketh some clear Exception from the general Rule The Apostle Paul saith in two places All shall not die but some shall be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 52. and 1 Thes 4.15 Now there is much difference betwixt Death and Translation for Death is an Act of weakness Paul calls it a sowing in weakness 1 Cor. 15.43 but Translation is an Act of power In the former there is a change as relating to the Body from better to worse A living Dog is better than a dead Lion saith Solomon Ecoles 9.4 But in the latter there is a change from worse to better in respect of the Body yet in this latter change there is that which is Equivalent to Death which is a putting off of all the frailties of this Life Thus God in the very Act of Translation took down Enoch's old House and whereas some God suffers to lye long in the Grave as the Primitive Patriarchs do sleep there from the beginning almost of the World to the end of it the general Resurrection yet God at that instant of time Built Enoch's House new again without any Root of bitterness or Seed of evil 2 Cor. 5.1 2 4. There was a sudden change of Enoch's Corporeal Qualities without either sorrow of Heart or sense of Pain As in his Translation there was a Cessation to wit from his Natural Life and so it was a kind of Natural Death before a Spiritual Body was given to him So in a moment in the twinckling of an Eye 1 Cor. 15.52 He passed through all those Stations that countervail the State of Death Resurrection and Ascension The third Enquiry is concerning the Effect and Consequence of his Translation to wit he was not found that is not on Earth for God took him to the same place whither he took Elijah which is expresly said into Heaven 2 Kings 2.1 11. for fifty Men did seek Elijah after his Rapture but found him not on Earth v. 17. And the same Phrase the Apostle useth concerning this our Enoch he was not found Heb. 11.5 Those whom the Lord takes up into Heaven may not be found either on Mountains or in Valleys on Earth God never le ts fall his prey as Birds of prey may sometime do none can pluck them out of his hand John 10.29 Our Enoch was not found that is in his old Estate and thus it is with every Saint who is translated from darkness to light c. He ceases to be what he hath been he is not found in the old Man or in sinful self 't is not he that now lives but Christ that liveth in him Gal. 2.20 for in him that is in his Flesh dwelleth no manner of thing that is good Rom. 7.18 Thus there is the Spiritual Translation of a Christian Col. 1.13 Acts 26.18 as well as the Corporal Translation of Enoch and both are accomplished by that Translating Grace of Faith By Faith Enoch was and so the Christian is Translated Heb. 11.5 yea and after both there is a non inventus a not finding The Mystery of the one putting off Earthly qualities and putting on Heavenly so centring in God is taught in the History of the other Enoch's local Translation The fourth Enquiry is The Ground of All to wit because he was a pleaser of God that is he gave God good content as a Walker with God of which I have spoke before Enoch was a Walker with God though he saw Abel slain for so doing This he did not only by Faith but by a strong Faith yea he Walked with God in despight of the World without distraction from the World and without digression into Vice for he set God always before him and walk'd rancounter to all the World which then wallow'd in wickedness It was then fill'd with Violence and Enoch defended the true Religion from their Violence so he as well as Abel did highly provoke them yet God suffer'd him not to fall into the hands of those Sons
lye Isa 63.8 And a sordid slander and they say little better that affirm Abraham spoke so with a Mental Reservation If God will for he knew the Will of God was otherwise declared or that he Equivocated with his Servants using the plural for the singular lest they should obstruct his obedience and therefore he deluded them with an ambiguous expression Such do better than either of the aforesaid that say Abraham believed to receive his Son again from the dead according to Heb. 11.19 Yet this cannot be the genuine sense For 1. The Apostle only saith there that he considered God was able to do it but that God would do it presently he knew not 2. Had Abraham been assured of Gods being willing as well as able at that instant to restore Isaac it had been no such strong Tryal of his Faith and Obedience neither would he have deserved such a signal commendation thereof They say best of all that think Abraham being confident of Gods Power and leaving his will to his own wisdom Prophecyed in General of something he was ignorant of and like one under an amazement as well he might he spoke he knew not what as Peter once did at Christs Transfiguration Luk. 9.33 and as he Prophesied beyond himself of Isaac's return so of Gods providing a Lamb in Isaac's Room when those Cutting and Killing Compellations my Father and my Son passed between them Gen. 22.7 8. This is the second part of his Prophecy though he knew nothing how In a strong confidence of both these he proceedeth steedily to the Action which is the fourth and last particular of offering Isaac wherein observe 1. Abraham built an Altar upon Mount Moriah where the Temple was afterwards built 2 Chron. 3.1 To sanctify his Sacrifice Mat. 23.19 So Christ is our Altar that sanctifiâ—â— all our Services Heb. 13.10 2. He told his Son then the Command of God unto which Isaac submitted Josephus without a Divine Warrant relateth the Communication betwixt them 3. He bound Isaac who offered his Hands to the Cords his Body to the Altar and his very Throat to the Knife it self without any resistance the Sons Will was wrap'd up in the Fathers Will because it appear'd to him to be Gods Will. 4. He took the Knife to slay his Son v. 10. Oh what Painter in the World could express the posture of Abrahams outward Countenance under the most powerful yernings of his inward Bowels and Affections over his Dear yet Dying Child surely that Painter which set forth Agamemnons Sacrificing his Daughter Iphigenia for the safety of his Army would have drawn Abrabam as he did Agamemnon with his Face under a Veil as unable to delineate his unconceivable sorrow and when the Knife was up and Abraham just going to Kill his Son God calls twice for haste Abraham Abraham c. v. 11. This God took in so good a construction that 't is said he offered him Though Isaac was not indeed offered Heb. 11.17 God reckons as if he had done it because he was willing and would have done it every man is so good before God as he truly desires and endeavours to be All those have their Names writ in the Book of Life qui quod possunt faciunt etsi quod debent non faciunt that do what they can though they cannot do what they should saith Bernard God took it kindly at Davids Hands that it was but in his Heart to Build him a Temple 1. Kin. 8.17 18. and Christ took it well from that good Woman that she did all she could Mark 14.8 so gracious is our God as to account that to be done which man is but about to do as in Abrahams and Davids case when we cannot do what we ought we ought to do what we can Inferences hence be 1. All difficulties in Divine Commands ought to be wholly rolled from off our selves upon our God as Abraham did here 2. God will provide himself a Lamb we may have Fire and Wood but the Sacrifice we must have from God 3. God loves to bring his Servants low and to the last when the Knife is up then the Lord comes down he reserves his Holy Hand for a Dead lift of Deliverance 4. When we are in the most pinching exigents and cannot tell whither to turn us then should we believingly say God will provide a Pious and Precious Proverb much to be mused on and made use of 1 Cor. 10.13 In the Mount God will be seen and make a way to escape 5. God will not have Holy Purposes frustrate and altogether dismissed without Holy Performances though Isaac was spared yet Abraham must not go away with dry hands God Offers a Ram to Abraham and Abraham offers that Ram to God Gen. 22.13 c. 6. How ought all Children to learn Obedience to their Parents in the Example of Isaac's to His 7. How ought all the Children of Abraham to learn Obedience to God As he gave up his Isaac his Joy and his Laughter to him so should we resign whatever is Nearest and Dearest to us unto him 8. Such us are unwilling to Sacrifice their Ram or Rammish Lusts to God will much less their Isaac or their Lives and Souls He that Offers up his Ram or Lust his Isaac or Soul shall not only he spared but it shall live for ever Faith teacheth this Orthodox Paradox that the way to keep Isaac is to give up Isaac 9. Faith is most tryed in acting against Nature especially against corrupt Nature 10. Faith reconciles the seeming contradictions 'twixt Precepts and Promises as here they clashed and cross'd as two contraries 11. God Watches all the motions of Abraham his lifting up the Knife at last no less he doth of all the Children of VVickedness who he saith shall not waste any more as before 1 Chron. 17.9 12. Our last Tryals may be our hottest this the hottest Fire of all the Ten Tryals that Abraham was Tryed with he had waited long for this Son and now he must want him yea and that by the worst way imaginable he himself who had waited so long and plainly longed for him must now as if weary of him with his own Mouth as it were worry him If he did not sure I am we in his case would have mustered up many strong carnal Arguments against this Act. As 1. Assuredly the God of Mercy cannot delight in any such Barbarous and Unnatural cruelty How can the Blood and Murder of Man have in it any acceptable Piety to God 2. If God will take pleasure in the Murder of a Man for a Sacrifice to him will not some Stranger serve Must none but my Son be that Burnt-offering Cannot my God find out and fix upon some other Man than my Son 3. If God will single out my Son and have no other Man why might not my Son Ishmael serve for a Sacrifice if a Stranger will not serve for it might not he satisfie and exempt my Son Isaac 4. If it
upon the Sea Shore this latter call'd also the Dust of the Earth Gen. 13.15 resembles his Carnal Seed which with the Cursed Serpent did seed upon Dust but the former the Stars of Heaven Gen. 15.5 holds forth his Seed of Believers all Heaven Born and shone as Stars in their Generation accordingly the Lords design was Double in giving his Law on Sinai First Unto the Carnal Seed it setteth out the Old Covenant of works which they had broken and which God would not have wholly blotted out of the Mind and Memory of Men thus the Law strictly or absolutely taken as it was given to Adam as his way to Life in his first Estate so it shut up all these Jews under it as legally Dead except they would slee to Christ seeing they could not attain to any righteousness or Life by the Law simply considered for so 't is the sum and substance of the Covenant of Works and begets Children to Bondage which shall have no Inheritance with the Children of the Promise who all lay hold on Christ in the New Covenant as Gal. 4.21 to the end of the Chapter demonstrateth where Paul speaks of the Law absolutely and properly as a Law Covenant strictly taken in a contradistinction from the Gospel affirming how its Children as those of the Bond-Woman come short of Righteousness and Salvation are cast out of the Kingdom being Persecutors of the Spiritual Seed the Children of Promise as now all reprobates are The Second Design was for the Start of Heaven the Spiritual Seed or Believing Jews to whom the Law on Sinai did darkly shadow out the Covenant of Grace therefore did it bind them to the observation of the Ceremonial as well as Moral part the former being a Metaphorical or Figurative Gospel as the latter was a Literal Law the Letter whereof was not so much killing even to the carnal Jews in Gods Intention as by their own Corruption whereby they scorn'd Christ and his Righteousness in the New Covenant thinking to save themselves by their own Righteousness in a Covenant of Works Rom. 10.3 whereas this Covenant on Sinai was not otherwise designed upon a Damning but only upon a proving Design hence Moses saith there Exod. 20.20 Fear not for God is come to prove you he saith not to damn you and therein as Israel avouched the Lord for their God so God avouched them for his people Deut. 26.17 18. and 29.10 11. which could not be done with Man faln out of the Covenant of Works but by a Covenant of Grace and had this Covenant on Sinai been a Covenant of Works then was God injurious to Israel in calling them back from that Covenant of Grace given to Abraham their Father four hundred and thirty years before Gal. 3.17 to this worse Covenant as if God having begun with them in the Spirit would now perfect them by the Flesh Gal. 3.3 whereas 't is Gods plain method to lead his people from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 and from Grace to Grace John 1.16 Job 17.9 and Prov. 4.18 but never from Grace to Works Object 3. But then why was the Moral Law being the sum of the Covenant of Works given to Israel at Sinai or Horeb Deut. 29.1 if it were not that very Covenant Answ 1. Besides all the aforesaid for farther clearing this great Truth I shall add 1. The Law was not given to Israel as intended they should seek Justification and Salvation thereby but for a fuller discovery of Sin and a further conviction of Conscience 'T is true the very Law of Nature did discover Murder to be a sin in Cain Gen. 4.9 Whoredom to deserve burning Gen. 38.24 with 34.31 and the Patriarchs could say God forbid that we should steal Gen. 44.7 Yea those two Heathen Kings abhorred Adultery yea looking and lusting after any Woman Gen. 12.17 20.3 the same I might add concerning the breach of all the other Commandments as 1. Gen. 35.2 2. Gen. 31.34 35.5 3. Gen. 4.26 4. Gen. 2.3 Exod. 16.23 5. Gen. 27.41 All these were discovered to be sins before the Law was given by Moses even by the light of Nature but in Moses time this light was almost extinguish'd and this Law was obliterated and blotted out by Israel's conversing so long among the Idolatrous as well as Ignorant People of Egypt Indeed Adam's Fall broke this Law and Light in pieces and afterwards it grew dimmer and dimmer daily yea the Sheards of Gods Image wherein Man was created and being broken by his fall became smaller and smaller every Age after so that they could hardly be put together Men successively marring their own Consciences more and more and the Devil stepping in to promote it the Superseminator sowed Tares to choak the good seed wherefore lest it should be lost for ever as a Law in the heart God caused it to be written for the eye as well as spoken to the ear The End why is expressed by the Apostle The Law entred that the Offence might abound Rom. 5.20 to wit where it hath abounded in the Conversation it might now by the light of the Law abound also in the Conscience in great Grief for it and due Detestation of it as the greatest evil He saith also that he had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 3.20 and 7.7 and therefore was the Law added because of transgressions Gal. 3.19 which are discovered by it Ubi Lex ibi Lux. Torah Or Hebr. Gods Law is Mans Light Prov. 6.23 laying all open as 1 Cor. 14.25 and threatning destruction to transgressors Rom. 3.20 23. Answ 2. The Law on Sinai was not given to stand as Covenant of Life 'twixt God and Israel by which they might live for when it was given in its Thunders and Lightnings they were so affrighted that they saw they could not come near the Lord by that Law wherefore then saith the Apostle serveth the Law Gal. 3.19 he answers himself it serveth to chase us to Christ v. 24. whom he calls the End of the Law being accommodated to that Insantstate of the Church which though an Heir of the Promise in the Covenant of Grace made to Father Abraham yet while under Nonage was also under Tutorage and so the Law was her School-master to scourge her to Christ who was able to give her life which the Law could not give her Gal. 3.18 21 24. but rather clapt her up close Prisoner as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 23 from whence she could not possibly escape unless delivered by her Goel or Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 Christ Jesus the Avenger of blood being at her heels she must flee for her lite to this City of Refuge The third Consideration is That the Apostle in those chapters 3d. and 4th of his Epistle to the Galatians doth not make the Covenant on Sinai a distinct Covenant from that of Works and that of Grace to make a third Covenant but he
handleth the Law of Moses in a double notion 1. Relatively as it had Relation to that Jewish Church in her minority under a Tutor or School-master and so it had a twofold respect to the Covenant of Grace the first is antecedent as it prepar'd them for and press'd them to Christ and his Covenant The second is subsequent or consequent teaching them how to walk before the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 regulating their lives by that Rule of Righteousness the Moral Law then given them even by the Mediator himself as well as by Moses Acts 7.38 1 Cor. 10.4 9. as well as in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 and so the Law was to Israel what it was to David a Companion a Counsellor and a Comforter as before Thus Paul speaks of Sinai's Covenant Gal. 3. v. 17. and from thence to Gal. 4.21 as relating to them entring into the same Covenant of Grace made with them in Abraham before then 2. Paul propounds that Law of Sinai simply and absolutely from v. 21. of chap. the 4th to the end as it was a Copy of the Covenant of Works so he maketh it as an Handmaid subservient to the Gospel as Hagar was to Sarah yet begetting Children to bondage and such as were excluded from the Inheritance therefore shews them how dangerous it was to be Children of the Law or Covenant of Works in its absolute proper and simple consideration which was Hagar and unless of Sarah or Covenant of Grace they could not be saved And as it is a Rule to the Regenerate in Christs hand Exod. 20.19 so it leaves the Reprobate without excuse Rom. 1.20 if the Law Natural do so much more the Moral Row 10.4 The fourth Consideration is The Law upon Sinai could not be propounded by God to Israel as a Covenant of Works properly and absolutely as it was given to Adam in his State of Integrity for then was Mankind faln and the keeping of the Law was become impossible to Man therefore 't is enough improbable as to God that he should press it upon faln Man as he had done upon Iâ—â—necent Adam being now altogether unable to perform it save only in the hand of a Medâ—â—â—tor whereof Adam while he stood had no need 'T is true God is just in commending the Law though it be impossible for us to yield universal obedience to all the Duties commanded in 〈◊〉 For l. God hath not lost his Power of commanding though Man hath lost his Power of Obeying 2. Though the matter be never so crooked to work upon yet the Rule which is Regula Regulans as well as Regulata the Rule Ruling as well as the Rule Ruled must needs be a straight Rule 3. Qualis causa tale causatum seeing God is perfect both in esse and in operari in essence and operations his Law must needs be a pure and perfect Law in it self Psal 19.7.4 Adam had a sufficient stock of strength to keep this Law of Works at the first but through the freedom of his own Will he proved Bankrupt like an evil Steward who playeth or maketh away his Lord and Masters money fully furnishing him to accomplish his commands whereby he disenableth himself to perform his Masters work and will So Adam did disenable himself and as a publick person all his posterity whom he represented and therefore holy Paul to shew the Malady of faln Mankind doth declare from Rom. 1.18 to chap. 7.13 how all men both Jews and Gentiles do come short of Gods glory and of their own duty in fulfilling the Law and that the best of men are but men at the best The most Regenerate man faileth in the manner when not in the matter of his obedience he cannot obey Gods Law totus or wholly in respect of himself as well as of the Law for every New Man is as it were two men there is a Law in his members in the faln Estate but renewed in part only which warreth against the Law of his mind Rom. 7.21 23. as two Armies in him Cant. 6.13 Having thus seen Mans Malady the Word and Spirit of God maketh a discovery of Mans Remedy First Convincing him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment John 16.8 This is done two ways 1. By the Law of VVorks as in the Hand of a Mediator it convinceth 1. Of Sin in its Source and Fountain Jer. 17.9 and Gen. 6.5 The Heart is desperately wicked and is evil only evil and continually evil in all its imaginations 't is evil Extensive Intensive and Protensive The truth of all this not only the written Word of God but also our own smarting Experience teacheth us that till God touch our Hearts with his strong Hand Isa 8.11 and break down Windows into our dark Souls we never mind God or his good ways God is neither in our Heads Psal 10.4 nor in our Hearts Psal 14.1 nor in our VVords Psal 12.4 nor in our VVorks or ways Tit. 1.16 We are wholly without God in the World Eph. 2.12 Thus the Looking-glass of the Law discovers Sin both Original and Actual to the Man whose Eyes are opened Jam. 1.23 and Numb 24.3 then God and his own Conscience convinceth him of Sin and condemneth him for it 1 John 3.20 as guilty 2. It convinceth of Righteousness that it is impossible to attain unto it by the VVorks of the Law because of the sinfulness of Mans Nature and weakness of faln Flesh Rom. 8.3 and Gal. 2.16 The Covenant of VVorks leaveth all Mankind under the curse Gal. 3.10 He that can keep some Commandments and not all yea that continueth not therein to the end is under the cusre of God Jam. 2.10 and this curse containeth the whole wrath of God upon Body and Soul in this Life and in the next ready to be poured forth upon us continually both at Home and Abroad Levit. 26.16 18 21 24 28. and Deut. 28.16 to 20 c. John 3.18 36. Job 18.15 Brimstone abideth upon his Head and House ready to take Fire from the Flames of the Lords anger if Grace prevent not its Execution Now every Mans guilty Conscience doth convince him that he is a breaker of Gods Law times without number so is under Gods curse but cannot thereby have the Blessing of Justification And 3. The Law convinceth accordingly of Judgment that will follow and fall upon all the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 That Christ the Judge of the World will come armed with Flames of Fire to render vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel 2 Thes 1.7 8. all such as have rejected the tenders of Grace and refused him for their Mediator but chuse rather to remain in their Natural Unregenerate Estate under the Law or Covenant of VVorks though they have been forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 What can such expect but a fearful coming of Judgment which shall devour Christs Adversaries Heb. 10.27 'T is a fearful thing and beyond the
Holy Robes or Stoles were received from Ancestors and kept in sweet Chests by the Mother of the Family which were of such an Odoriferous smell that Isaac is said to smell the sweet smell of it upon Jacob's back Gen. 27.27 So will God say of us if thus Cloathed Thus far as Jacob's Fact carried a correspondency not only with the Commands of his godly Mother but also with a most Congruous Harmony of this Holy Antitype aforesaid All Divines both Ancient and Modern do justifie him therein but to vindicate Jacob from the Sin of lying once and again hic Labor hoc opus est here lies the grand doubt and scruple About this point I find three various Opinions among the Learned 1. Some say that Jacob neither lyed nor sinned in what he said 2. Others affirm that though he lyed yet therein they deny time he sinned 3. But there be others who conclude that he both Lyed and Sinned As to the First Opinion which cleareth Jacob of lying and sinning They say that his Speech to Isaac if expounded in the best sense is no Lye but an Irony whereof the Scripture hath many which is a witty way of speaking words that in a strict acceptation sounds not true yet importeth some great truth when taken by the right handle as Gen. 3.22 God saith Man is become as one of us which Words are but Gods Holy Derision of Mans vain affectation of a Deity at the Devils suggestion ver 5. whereas the Beasts of the Field might in a strict sense more truly say that Man was then become as one of them Psal 49.12.20 Such Sarcasms Elijah used 1 King 18.27 and Solomon Eccles 11.9 c. Thus Jacob's Speech importeth that he was the Person to whom the Blessing which Isaac was to pronounce belongeth for Esau had resign'd it to him by the sale of his Birthright which purchase gave Jacob a civil right to the Blessing Thus Austin excuseth Jacob's Speech saying though it was not true in the History it was true in the Mystery though Jacob was not Esau saith Theodoret litterally yet he was Mystically and Figuratively as he had bought his Birthright so rightly appeared in Esau's place some excuse Jacob's calling himself Esau because that Name signifies made or perfect intimating that he was now in the way of making himself and of being made perfect having already got the Birthright and now in a fair way for the Blessing and he might the better call himself so as he was preferred to a Priority by the Oracle of God whose Purpose and Decree did Predestinate him to be the Blessed One Therefore 't was a litteral Truth to call himself the First Born and a Mystical Truth to call himself Esau not unlike to Christ's calling John Baptist Elias Matth. 11.14 Abraham calls Sarah his Sister Gen. 12.19 and 20.5 Paul calls us Gentiles the Circumcision Phil. 3.3 Rom. 2.28 and counted the Seed of the Promise Rom. 9.8 Gal. 4.28 Some say further that Jacob's Speech ought not to be condemned seeing God approved it by giving him the Blessing and continuing the same to his posterity and seeing also Isaac when convinced how God had over-ruled his want of Eyes to a right end with astonishment concludeth I have Blessed him and he shall be Blessed whereas had he look'd upon Jacob as a wicked liar and wretched deceiver he would not have been so resolute in his Answer to Esau for confirming the Blessing on Jacob but rather have revok'd and revers'd it from him all doubtful and ambiguous Speeches require fair and candid Interpretations The Second Opinion which granteth Jacob lyed yet denyeth that Jacob Sinned in his lying for though his saying I am Esau thy first Born may admit of some excuse yet his saying I have done as thou badest me and come eat of my Venison can no way be qualified from the quality of a Lye seeing it was not he but Esau whom Isaac bade to go a Hunting neither was it Venison but Shamble Meat or Kid-flesh which he hide Isaac eat as Venison this the Jesuit Pererius himself cannot justifie though he doth the former yet those Apologists for Jacob say though he lied he sinned not for say they his lye was not a pernicious but an officious lye that is 't was not Hurtful to his neighbour but only helpful to himself which they say is no Sin But it follows not that whatever is said or done whereby our selves or others may be benefited becomes immediately lawful and honest for this Rule of falshood were it a rule of right would warrant all Thefts for satisfying hunger and for supplying want yea all manner of lyes for saving Life Estate or Credit whereas a lye wherein false things are spoken for true though it be a never so officious Lie and useful to our selves if another be deceived by it while it ceases not to be a lye it cannot cease to be a sin for every lye what ever other tendency it may have for good is a wicked sin condemn'd in the ninth Commandment Which leads to the last or the Third Opinion which affirms that Jacob both lyed and sinned in lying That he lyed is already granted it follows then that he sinned this is made manifest by the light of Nature as well as by the Law of Scripture That Secretary of Nature Aristotle could say that a lye is in it self an evil and a wicked thing Arist Ethic. lib. 4. cap. 7. The Hebrews call it Aven a great impiety a grand iniquity and the Scripture reckons it among Monstrous Sins Rev. 21.8 yea and condemns it to Hell whether it be the Pernicious Officious or the Jocose or merry lye indeed every lye is pernicious either to our selves or to others or to both 1. Because 't is plainly Destructive to the order of Nature in Humane Society 2. 'T is flatly forbidden by God in both Testaments 3. No lye is of the Truth 1 Joh. 2.21 but of the Devil Joh. 8.44 who began his Kingdom and still upholds it by lyes This last opinion hath in it no absurdity why may not Jacob be said to be a Liar as all men are Rom. 3.4 c. Peter is reproved for dissembling Gal. 2.11 12. and Holy men in Scripture often for greater faults their Righteousness while here is imperfect Jacobs Faith was mixt with Frailty yet had he not the habit or way of lying Psal 119.29 Isa 63.8 c. That Jacob failed herein notwithstanding his Faith is the concurrent Judgment of Modern Divines save the Jesuites who would excuse him from Lying by that of the Angel Raphael to Tobit inquiring of his Pedigree answered I am Ananias of Azarias the great Tobit 5.12 which impertinent answer that the Angel should descend of Tobit's Brethren and be of Kin to Tobit hath with other reasons impaired the Authority of that Book which brings in an Angel Lying an evil which the good Angels use not in Canonical Scripture and what is this but to justifie one Lie
'twixt Devilish and Divine Dreams 1. Dreams from the Devil have a tendency to discover some future and secret things which belong not to us Deut. 29.29 but are left lock'd up in Gods Closet whereof he alone not the Devil hath the Key and 't is always in his keeping whereas the whole Duty we owe to God and Man is revealed in Gods Word To study this and to practise it the Devil despites and despises and he therefore gives us an Avocation from it by suggesting his Dreams concerning a Curious and Vain Knowledg of things not meet to be known that we may presumptuously pry into Gods Ark of secret matters and pretendedly boast thereof though no way profitable either to our selves or others This is a Science falsely so called 1 Tim. 6.20 which indeed is Ignorance and not only puffeth up question-sick Souls but always produceth Evil effects and we must therefore pray against such Dreams that God lead us not into Temptation c. 2. Dreams from the Devil do inflame the minds of Men to Lust and Revenge c. always tending to some sin or other as Nocturnal Pollution c. By this means the Bodies as well as Minds of Carnal Sinners are frequently defiled and sometimes Holy Saints may be likewise polluted by impure Dreams for the Devil of whose Devices we are not Ignorant 2 Cor. 2.11 may at some time take an advantage of a pretious Saint to fasten that sin upon him while asleep as he did upon Righteous Lot to commit Incest with his own Daughters which he cannot prevail with them to commit when awake A Notable Example hereof also we have in Cassianus Collat. 22. Cap. 6. Who tells of a certain Brother keeping his Body in subjection and duly preserving his Chastity by daily Temperance and Circumspection in all humbleness of Soul yet was he upon a time so deluded by the Devils Wiles in his Sleep when he had been solemnly preparing his Soul for Communion with his God he found his Body defiled while he was asleep with an Impure Flux This calls loud on us for Prayer and Watching 3. Dreams from the Devil draw off Mens minds from the pure Worship of God to Idolatry Heresie and all Abominations Therefore such Dreamers are expresly forbid by God in Deut. 13.1 A Dreamer of Dreams publickly obtruding his damnable Errors for Divine Truths to draw Men from God though he give a sign which by Gods permission may come to pass as Jannes and Jambres seem'd to turn Water into Blood Exod 7.22 or as the Jesuit to persuade the Indians to embrace Popery should commend it to them by a sign of assurance foretelling that the Sun shall be Eclipsed at such a time to confirm his Doctrine though they being ignorant of the constant causes hereof in the common course of the Heavens and how Eclipses continually occur in the two Nodes of the Dragons Head and Tail may by this Jesuitical Trick be deceived yet both these signs though they come to pass of Jannes and of the Jesuit are no better than cheats the latter being a Natural and the former a Diabolical work before both which the Divine Word whereby we must try the truth of all signs seeing some are fallacious 2 Thes 2.9 ought always to be preferred Such Deceivers and Dreamers God hath Doomed and Damned to die Deut 13.5 and chap. 18.20 Jer. 14.15 and Zech. 13 3. c. Add a Fourth Character to all the aforesaid three differences to wit Diabolical Dreams may be known as Diabolical Tentations are when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent of God or of the Devil If Dreams be First Transcendently gross in themselves as High Atheism that there is no God Psal 14.1 or that God is such an one as our selves Psal 50.21 Psal 58.1 or for sorry Man to affect a Deity as Gen. 3.5 All which are against the common dictates of Natures light and therefore must be Satans injections and not Gods 2. Irksom and execrable to the Soul which trembles at them when suggested as Blasphemy and Cursing God Job 1.11 So Sodomy Buggery c. which ought not to be named among Saints without utmost abhorrency and likewise Self-Murder or the Murdering of Innocent persons 1 Sam. 16.15 and 18.10 c. The thoughts only thereof should make our Hairs start up and our Hearts fall down yea and our whole Flesh to shrink and shrivel The light of Nature condemns such Monstrous Sins and the Life or Law of Nature helps the very Gentiles to do those things contained in Gods Law Rom. 2.14 c. 3. Violent as well as Sudden like a Flash of Lightning giving the Tempted no time to consider or the Temptation and the Tendency of it the Tempters Fiery Darts Eph. 6.16 sometimes hurry away the Soul into Sin ere ever it be aware therefore our gaining time against them and not closing too soon with them to the Burning of our Hands and Hearts as half a Victory over them Gods way is to lead gently Isa 40.11 well knowing Jacob's tender Flock cannot march Lord Esau's hasty pace Gen. 33.13 making many stops as the Star did that guided the Wisemen Mat. 2.2 7.9 But the Devils way is to hurry headlong by Violence he did thus with Christs Body by Divine permission from place to place Mar. 4.5 8. And thus with the possessed Man Luk. 8.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was driven of the Devil as the Horse is with the Rider so the Greek signifies and thus he did with the Herd of Swine Mat 8.32 making them run violently down a steep place Thus also he doth with the Souls of Men 2 Pet. 2.17 which are driven by the Devils Tempest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies so dreadful a Storm as made Christs Disciples though Seamen cry out when raised by the Prince of the Air Mat. 8.25 4. Furious as Saul was to kill every one in his way when this Evil Spirit was upon him 1 Sam. 19.9 10. 5. Pertinacious that cannot be shaked off as Paul did the Viper Act. 28.5 That which Satan put into Judas's Heart was an obstinate Evil done deliberately and out-faceing the All-seeing Eye of his own Master saying Is it 1 c. 6. Insulting thus the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffeted or Boxed Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 and so shamefully scoffed him that he prayed he might depart from him Piscator says it may be taken properly not figuratively Indeed the precise Indivisible point of the difference betwixt the Scum of our own depraved Spirits which naturally boyls up of it self in us and the suggestions of Satan either in our Dreams while asleep or in Tentations when awake is hard to Assign but Satan's in a word are usually as above and against the Inclination of our own Natures and against the Light of our own Consciences c. The Third sort of Dreams are the Divine and purely Spiritual call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinitus Immissa sent of God to Men to good Men
contrary to this Heathen Shechem's practice here who though he had once enforced as well as enticed Dinah yet would he know her again no more as 't is said of Judah in the like case Gen. 38.26 as an Harlot he would not make that a sin of Custom yet desires to enjoy her as an honest Wife not as a dishonest Whore 5. And lastly Shechem here doth shame those precipitant and preposterous practices of Stealing Wives without Parents Consent This very Infidel would not dare to do so saying to his Father Get me this Damosel to Wife Gen. 34.4 that is with the consent of her Father also he would not make Dinah his Wife without the consent of Parents on both sides He asks Hamor his Fathers Consent and Requests him to be a means of procuring Jacob her Fathers Consent also This pattern in concurrence with many other before as of the Marriage of Isaac of Ishmael c. plainly proves that Law of Nature and of Nations saying Wedlock cannot Lawfully be Contracted without the Authority and Consent of Parents by their Children And that Civil Law wherein the Lawyers say Non concubitus sed consensus nuptias constituit 't is not Copulation but Consent both of Parents and Parties that constitutes a Lawful Wedlock all which three Laws aforesaid have their honourable Descent from the Divine Law as from Exod. 22.17 18. Deut. 22.28 29. afore quoted and many others as in the Fifth Commandment c. Children are a principal part of their Parents Possessions as Job's Children were accounted by Satan yea a piece of themselves as Mat. 15.22 Have mercy upon me cries the Mother that is upon my Daughter c. Meet it therefore must be that Children be dispos'd of in Marriage by their Parents Consent which yet in the Church of Rome is oft-times but a little regarded notwithstanding the Natural National Civil and Sacred Sanction of that indubitable Right and Law It seems even the practice of those Infidels or Pagans was more honest and honourable than that of the Popish Papagans whose ordinary Custom is for Children to Contract and Marry without Consent of Parents provided they have the Popes Dispensation for it whereas no such Bulls or Dispensing Bills of that Roman Beast were in such cases heard of in Jacob's time The second Remark is How this Plot and Project was prosecuted after it was first projected First A Treaty is propounded by Hamor with Jacob about his Son Shechem's Marrying his only Daughter Dinah whom he desires to purchase by Endowing with what Dowry he would please to demand as was the manner of the Eastern Countrey to buy their Wives though it be ours otherwise for Fathers with us buy Husbands for their Daughters by giving both their Persons and some Portions with them in Marriage Dinah here is desired to be bought at any price they would propound Ask me never so much Dotem Donum Dowry and Donative Hebrew Multiply ye upon me vehemently saith Shechem I will spare no cost to purchase her using other suasory Arguments to accomplish the Match Gen. 34.8 9 10 11 12. Note here 1. A fond Father seeks to satisfie the Lust of a loose Son whom rather he should have severely punished Such Parents saith Bernard are peremptores potiùs quà m parentes killing their Sons Souls with fond kindness to their Bodies like Apes who kill their Brats with cuddling them too vehemently This young Prince had but a Licentious Education usually with such quod libet licet what they list is judg'd lawful but alas unruly Youth oft-times put their Aged Parents to much Travel and Trouble as Shechem did Hamor here Sampson after did his and the Trojan Paris to his and to his City Troy which was destroy'd by his Licentiousness as the City Shechem was here by Prince Shechem's Loosness which two Stories run alike in many parallel Lines 2. Note here That Shechem compared with Amnon and our Debauch'd ones as before seems an honest Man he appears praise-worthy and commendable as loose as he was in some respect for though his Lust had been lewd to Dinah in Deflouring her yet now it was his Love not Lust he will Treat for Marrying her and his Affection set such an high price upon her Person after her prostitution that he would now put a punishment upon himself and fix a great Fine upon his own Head in both a Dowry as a satisfaction for the injury done her Deut. 22.28 29. and a Donative as a purchase for a better Propriety in her for Shechem ver 12. useth two words Harabbu Mohar u Mattan he was in Wedding-haste as we say to satisfie all Objections for his former word Mohar signifies 1. Satisfaction and 2. A Dowry as his Mulct or Amerciament he lays upon himself and leaves the sum it self to their Mercy bidding them multiply it as much as they pleased as the word Harebbu signifies together with Mattan or Gift and all because he had rob'd her of that her Virginity which was not in his power to restore to her Shechem in a word makes this double offer here that he might more honestly make amends for his dishonesty and the better buy to himself a right in Dinah for the future whom by his former abuse of her he had unjustly as well as unchastly possessed How will all this Candour and Kindness as well as honesty in this poor Infidel rise up in Judgment against the Dammee-Roaring-Whoring Youngsters of our day If the wrath of God did fall so foully upon him and his City notwithstanding all this appearance of good what can our ungodly Sinners who should know better things than he could as being nominal Christians yet practise nothing but evil and wickedness with a witness expect If God chastis'd this Heathen with such severe Rods though he acted thus honestly after assuredly God will scourge our Pseudo-Christians our Mock-Musulmans who want nine parts of ten of Shechem's shew in retracting his Exorbitancy with the most Mortal-stinging Scorpions This Infidel acts this villany but once and seems to make a plausible Retractation but the Debauchees of our day do thus villanously not once only but often they do it daily and drive the Trade of wickedness without any remorse or regret yea they glory in their shame Phil. 3.19 What can come in prospect of such but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour those Adversaries Heb. 10.27 Of how much sorer punishment than that which betel Shechem shall they be supposed worthy of ver 29. 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God ver 31. Alas that they know it not they are hanging over the very Chimneys of Hell and that by a rotten Thread of a Frail yea the more so because a flagitious Life if that once break down they drop into pain without pity into misery without mercy and into torments without end and beyond imagination The second part of the Prosecution
no more But 2. As this motion of Judah was good in these three respects so we shall find that it was a bad and an evil Motion in the General because this motion of Judah for selling Joseph had very evil effects to the Sellers and to their posterity for some hundreds of years after for this selling of Joseph was without controversy the occasion of Israels going down into Egypt where they suffer'd a severe Bondage for a long time But this motion of Judah was not only evil in its effects in the General 't was also evil in nature in particular As First If it be considered how Judah's motion was bad in the positive part of it though it was good in the Negative He did well in disswading his Brethren from killing Joseph but he did very ill in perswading them to the selling of him For his counsel ought to have been thus stated as a right case of Conscience Brethren seeing we are like to reap no profit by our unkindness to our Brother but rather reproach and much mischief not only from Men who will repay Justice but also from God who will make Inquisition for Blood Psal 9.12 and to whom Vengeance belongeth Rom. 12.19 yea who is the Avenger of all evils and injuries Psal 10.14 Gen. 50.15 this mischief of selling as well as of killing Joseph will return upon our own Heads and our violent dealing with him will come down upon our own pates Psal 7.16 Therefore I counsel you neither to kill him nor to sell him but to save him from both those evils draw him out of the Pit nourish him with meat clothe him with his party coloured Coat again and restore him safe to his Father Secondly Consider As his Counsel had been good indeed had Judah advised according to the aforesaid so had he aggravated the evil of Selling him as well as of killing him his advice had been good also 'T is true it was the lesser evil to sell him than to kill him yet the selling him was a kind of killing him for therein they spoil'd him of his Liberty which is dearer than Life in selling him for a Slave as Cattel are Sold in the Market to Butchers transmitting by that Sale a power to the Merchants either to kill him or to keep him Besides there was a manifest Breach of the Plagiary Law He that stealeth a Man and selleth him shall surely be put to death Exod. 21.16 and again If any Man be found stealing any of his Brethren of the Children of Israel and maketh Merchandize of them as they do here of Joseph then that Thief shall die and thou shalt put evil away from among you Deut. 24.7 This Law was then writ in their Hearts Rom. 2.15 long before it was writ in Moses Tables otherwise Cain's killing his Brother Abel had not been Murder c. Therefore this Sale of Joseph was no less than a double Inquity 1. In Stealing him from their Father whose proper goods he was and not theirs 2. In selling him to Arabians who were strangers to Religion Upon both those Heads Judah had he been a good Councellor might have amplified and illustrated the evil of both those Acts As 1. He might have said Brethren our Brother is as we all are our Father's best Goods as Job's Children were to him having God's Image which no other Goods have The more excellent that a stolen thing is the greater Punishment that Theft deserves Man is the Master-piece of God's Creation being created so no other sublunary Creature is in the Image of his Creator Hereupon the very Law of Nature hath branded Man-stealing as Crudelissimum Institutum The most Cruel of Thievish Enterprizes and no less than Crimen laesae Majestatis High Treason against the King of Kings being a stealing of God's Image Hence the Ancient Roman-Laws condemned Men-stealers to the Metal-Mines and a latter Law of the Great Constantine casts them to the wild Beasts Judah might have said here Joseph is a Man so hath on him God's Image this will be the worst sort of Theft and Joseph is a Jewel so Jacob accounts him the greater Injury this will be to our Father to Rob him of his Darling and Diamond Therefore Oh do not this abominable thing Jerem. 44.4 we may not so much as steal Joseph much less may we 2. Sell him Seeing to be Sold into Slavery is a certain loss of Liberty which is as precious as life it self besides quid aliud est quà m sexcentis eum mortibus objicere what is it else than to expose him to an Hundred Deaths but the worst of all is we do not sell him to Israelites where he may still enjoy the Ordinances of God's pure Worship but to Ishmaelites who are degenerated from the Church yea to Arabians who have no knowledge of the true God to an Heathenish Idolatrous People so we become Sellers of Souls as well as of Bodies for hereby he will be in danger to be corrupted in Religion and carried off also to Idolatry by which means he will be seduced out of the Service of God into the Slavery of the Devil and so his Soul will be brought into the basest Bondage as well as his Body Though such Soul-Merchants and Spiritual Merchandize be found in mystical Babylon which the literal never pretended to practice among her Pardon-mongers for Purgatory whose Trade is wholly about the Souls of Men either fixing them there or freeing them thence Rev. 18.13 There must none such be found in the true Church of Israel and the right God-worshiping Sion And if those Court-Sycophants were cursed for driving David from the Inheritance of the Lord that is from being present at God's Publick Worship in the Tabernacle and for bidding him Really though not Verbally Go serve other Gods in Idolatrous Countries 1 Sam. 26.19 what could Judah and his Brethren who were the Patriarchs of Israel expect both for stealing Joseph from his Fathers hand and for Selling him from his House wherein the true worship of God was upheld then only in all the World into Arabia and into Egypt two Heathenish and Idolatrous Countries what was this but a plain bidding him Go and serve other Gods than thy Father's God and was not this as cursed a Crime in the Patriarch's dealing thus with Joseph as it was in Doeg that Dog the Cursed Edomite who dealt thus with David and brought him to bewail his Banishment crying Woe is me that I must sojourn in Mesek and among the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 that is among the Arabians the very People to whom Joseph was here Sold of Ishmael◠Posterity Gen. 25.13 and who used to live in Tents Cant. 1.5 Thus it plainly appeareth that Judah's Motion for Selling Joseph was bad as well as good 'T was indeed very good as it was a saving his Brother from being slaughtered yet the selling of him was very bad and a notorious wicked Act though God over-rul'd it for good every way to him to
which is enough to answer that Rabbinical Notion of seventy two Angels c. in the singular number yet was he no Created Angel but still is call'd frequently Jehovah this change of Titles shews him no ordinary Angel but the Son of God who is call'd the Angel of Gods presence Isa 63.9 and the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 as he was the Fathers Angel or Messenger sent of God to ratifie the Covenant of God with Man and this Angel here is plainly call'd Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 9. and the Invisible God Heb. 11.6 27. whom yet Moses saw as his Rewarder with an Eye of Faith and who was pleased thus to manifest himself in this Cloudy Pillar before his Incarnation to his Infant Church that stood in need to be led by his Hand in a familiar manner This leads us to the Third Particular namely the Way that this Lord of Angels Christ led his Church towards Canaan which is express'd under a double Description 1. Negatively Not by the way of the Philistims Land though that was the nearest way Exod. 13.17 for this had been but a few days Journey commonly accounted no more than a Journey of ten days and this way Isaac chose as the nighest when he was going from Canaan to Egypt he went first to Gerar in the Philistims Country lying in the way thither but was there stayed by the Lord Gen. 26.1 2. Philo saith 't is but three days Journey The Reason is rendred Lest the people Repent when they see War and they return to Egypt This the Lord speaks after the manner of Men as it were personating a prudent and provident Prince or Leader that prospecteth and preventeth all occurrent Dangers whereas by his Omnipotency he could have made the Philistims to favour Israel as he had made the Egyptians do so Exod. 12.36 or he could have made his Peoples courage more vigorous than that of the Philistims by Victories over them though they were of a war-like Temper and would have warr'd against them and deny'd them passage through their Country for as 't is supposed they had before this time killed some of the Israelites while they lived in Egypt in the days of Ephraim Joseph's Son 1 Chron. 7.21 22 23. and Psal 78.9 10. and this might make the Israelites more afraid to encounter with the Philistims which might have proved a sudden and long War so Israel would have been willing to venture back into Egypt as after they would have done when far farther off Numb 14.3 rather than cut their passage through the weapons of such a puissant and potent People All this shews us those two great Truths First The Lord's tenderness towards his poor People that when dispirited with tedious servitude and still generally disarmed he would not call them immediately to behold so frightful an Evil as War is especially with fierce and furious Philistims He will not tempt above what we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 but will make us ready for Tryals before Tryals be made ready for us Secondly God will not multiply Miracles but where there is a defect of means He ordinarily observes the Method of his ordinary Providence as here leading Israel not the nighest but the safest way most suitable to their Infirmities where no Necessity is God will not Infringe the Law and ordinary Course of Nature which himself hath set Therefore Secondly Their way is express'd Positively that the Lord led them about by the way of the Wilderness of the Red Sea Exod. 13.18 this he did out of Tenderness toward their timorousness being debased in spirit by their cruel Bondage and having but Staves in their hands which they held in the Passeover for their own defence God not having yet given that following fortitude after appearing in their War with Amalek which fell out forty Days after their departure from Egypt lest any of them should ascribe what after happened to their own Valour c. This open Way of the Wilderness wherein they must meet with no War till they were well hardened with Travel and Experience of God's Goodness the Lord led them for their Relief from fear of War thus the Law of God provides no fearful or faint-hearted should go to War Deut. 20.8 The like Tenderness God shewed to Lot saying I cannot escape to the mountain let me stay in Zoar. Gen. 19.19 20 21. yea before this we have a famous Specimen of Divine Tenderness toward Abraham himself the Father of this Israel as God led him from Caldea to Canaan by the way of Charran Act. 7.2 4. whereas there was as appeareth by the Maps of those Countries a nearer way from Ur thither yet because that way was most Dangerous and Troublesom God led him about by an inhabited and safer way more commodious for his Supplies and the like the Lord doth here for Abraham's Offspring though thorough an uninhabited and howling Wilderness wherein never any mortal Monarch though never so mighty was ever so served in State as Israel was all that way God himself condescending to be their Providore bringing in Provision to that Prodigious Camp quenching their Thirst with Water out of the Rock that follow'd them 1 Cor. 10.4 and satisfying their Hunger with Quails and the Corn of Heaven c. Dei voluntas est summa necessitas as we must so 't is best to go God's way wherein we find weal but in our own way oft woe c. The Reasons why God led them about are some Expressed and some Implied As First God dealt with Israel here as the Eagle doth with her Young twice that Similitude is used Exod. 19.4 and Deut. 32.11 she slutters over them while they lie slugging in the Nest stirs them up takes them tenderly when fledge between her own Wings and teaches them to fly by degrees before they altogether forsake their Nest and wholly rely upon their own Wings Thus as there was somewhat to do to bring Israel out of their Nest in Egypt so God made them not to fly into any frightful War all on a sudden but first trains and exercises them as new raised Soldiers before their going forth to Battel They must be more fledge and their Wings must be better grown Thus as the Old Testament Church had the Wings of an Eagle given her to fly from the Dragon Pharaoh so call'd Ezek. 29.3 So hath the New Testament Church given her Rev. 12.14 The Second Reason Warring with the Philistims within a few days of their marching out of Egypt would have made them Repent of leaving it and resolve to return to which they were so ready afterwards when they had no such occasion and far farther oft Numb 14.3 Now God led them about and that through the Red Sea that their return might be stopp'd there unless they could have dry'd it up again this would prevent after-thoughts Thirdly This way they must go for God will get himself Honour of Pharaoh and his Host by drowning them in the Red
upon them did so dis-inable them in their Motions that they never could overtake them after in the Sea yet soon they overtook their own Destruction by following the dark side of the Cloud N.B. This teacheth us that Scripture Presidents of Patriarchs Prophets c. are call'd a Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 12.1 which like this Cloud hath a dark side and a bright as both their Failings and their Graces are Recorded and those that follow their Failings are Egyptians and will likely be drowned in the Pit of Perdition But such as imitate their Graces that bright side of the Cloud the Holy walking of Enoch the Righteousness of Noah the Faith of Abraham the Chastity of Joseph the Patience of Job the Meekness of Moses c. They come safe through the Sea to Canaan Christ as this Cloud is the Savour of Death to some and of Life to others 2 Cor. 2.16 Jews stumble at him we are saved by him 1 Cor. 1.23 24. Fifthly That the Waters naturally a fluid Element should become a firm Wall to Israel on the right Hand and on the left Exod. 14.22 The Depths were congealed in the heart of the Sea Exod. 15.8 a Wall of Ice never found in the Salt Waters of the Sea unto Israel but a Wall of Water only to the Egyptians which the same Wind that froze the former soon blew down to cover the Pursuers ver 10. No doubt but as Israel's Way through the Sea was many Miles wide and their ground solid enough every way accommodated to their vast number and firm treading so their two Walls on each side of their way was of a prodigious length eight or nine Miles long at the least Dr. Owen saith six Leagues and some say much more however it was so long on both hands as took up the time of a whole Night's March from the first Watch till the Morning and those Walls compacted of so much water as covered such a vast compass of Ground as their broad Path consisted of were of a prodigious height and frightful enough to the Israelites who had light to behold them coagulated Waters into Curds or Cheese as the Word Rapheu here and in Job 10.10 signifies As this Dignifies the Omnipotency of the great God who can change Water into Cheese or a Wall of Ice c. So it declares the Strength of Israel's Faith in marching forward so fast though they found a solid Floor c. between two such formidable Walls ready in their own Nature to fall down every Moment to drown them being restrained by an invisible Hand Yet having God's Precept Say to the Children of Israel that they go forward Exod. 14.16 For their Warranty and God's Promise Pear not the Lord will fight for you Exod. 14.13 14 16 17 c. for their Security both these did corroborate their Faith to conquer their Fears and Dangers Heb. 11.29 The Sixth Work of Wonder was that the Wind blew down those Water-Walls upon the Egyptians on the one side of the Sea when as yet the Israelites were not all gone over on the other side If Exod. 14.26 29. be well compared 't is apparent that Israel walk'd on dry ground while the Waters returned to their Strength on the other side to the midst of the Sea and drown'd the Egyptians which as Josephus saith were fifty thousand Horsemen and two hundred thousand Footmen however it must be a vast Army that put six hundred thousand fighting Men of Israel into such a fright as to fly from them being unable to withstand them and looking for nothing but to be slain by their Swords and there to have their Graves Exod. 14.11 and which the Pursuers promis'd to themselves Exod. 15.9 Yet the great God carried on their final Subversion gradually For 1. In the Morning Watch when the Egyptians expected their greatest Advantage the Lord looked with an Eye of Lightning upon them whom he saw before but seemed to wink at them and suffered them to go on to the midst of the Sea and fearful Thunder claps struck them with a Panick fear and struck off their Chariot-wheels c. Exod. 14.24 25. Psal 77.16 17 18 19 20. 2. They Sank as Lead in the Mud Exod. 15.10 Their Feet stuck fast and they drove heavily upon the softned ground Exod. 14.25 3. Their Horses foundred and fell foul one upon another and their Wheels sunk deep to the Axle Tree in the quick Sands broke forth by the retired Waters 4. To fill up the Measure of their Judgment as they had drowned the Male Children of Israel in the River Exod. 1.22 So themselves were drowned in the Sea As that Morning figured Christ's Resurrection which conquer'd the Prince of Darkness c. So this drowning of the Egyptians figures our full Pardon our Sins shall be all cast into the depths of the Sea Mic. 7.15 17 18 19. Many more Works of Wonder might be insisted upon here As Seventhly That it should be fair Weather with Israel marching quietly all along while it was so foul upon the Egyptians giving them such dismal Disturbances see Mal. 4.1 2. The Sun shone upon Lot when Fire and Brimstone falls on Sodom And Abraham from the Top of an Hill saw Sodom and her Sisters all burning with Flames of Fire Gen. 19.23 27 28. Eighthly That not one Egyptian of all that numerous Host survived this last Plague to tell Tidings hereof to his Countrey-men c. Whereas not one Israelite was wanting on the other Shore A Type of the Last Day wherein some are received but others are refused and rejected The same Water destroyed Foes and defended Friends Ninthly That the Bodies of the drowned Egyptians should be which is not common so soon cast up by the Sea on the Shore and that as Josephus saith wrap'd up with all their Armour which Moses distributed among his Israelites whereby his naked Men became Armed and fitted the better to encounter Amalek afterward especially considering how 't is said They sank as Lead into the Sea Exod. 15.16 and Neh. 9.11 Tenthly That the Egyptian's Carcases should be cast up upon the contrary Shore which was farther off this was done that Israel might behold and believe and take the spoil of them c. Moses had told them Ye shall see them no more Exod. 14.13 that is Alive but Dead It shall be so of our subdued Iniquities Mic. 7.19 Peccata non redeunt There remaineth not one of them alive as here Exod. 14.28 31. we shall see them no more otherwise than Israel's their Adversaries all Dead on the Shore The last Remark upon Israel's passage through the Seas is their singing a Song of Praise to their Redeemer Ezod 15.1 to 22. This Song was sung upon the twenty first Day the last day of the Passover Feast at their coming out of the Sea Which Triumphant Song they sang immediately after their Deliverance while their Hearts were hot and that Mercy never enough to be memoriz'd fresh which like Fish soon
passeth through them Isa 27.4 and which seemingly might Promise Fruit but were really dry to shew that there is no hope of Relief by any legal Performances N.B. The Apostle calls the Law given upon Mount Sinai a Covenant of Works Gal. 4.24 which was a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 and hath still something of the Fire in it but no Relief or Comfort as the Tenure of it is do and live so 't is full of Terrour and Malediction to those that continue not in all things Gal. 3 10. It made not only the People but even Moses himself their Mediator Tremble Heb. 12.21 But we have a better Mediator in the Gospel-state not God coming down in a thick Cloud as here but God manifested in the Flesh c. 1 Tim. 3.16 'T is the Gospel-state that 1. Gives us Relief from the Curse of the Law 2. Procures Acceptance both of our Persons and of our Actions of Obedience And 3. Obtains Pledges of Divine Favour both for here and hereafter The Voice of Words was the Decalogue or Moral Law which was first writ in the Heart but now by the overspreading Corruption of all Flesh was much worn out Therefore God gives it here such a glorious Renovation and not only Audibly spake those Ten Words in the Audience of all this prodigious Auditory but also wrote them with his own Finger in Tables of Stone to shew both the Law 's Duration and our Obduration The Seventh Remark is the Perturbation of the People at this horrible Promulgation and Delivery of the Decalogue Wherein the Objects the Effects and the Remedy of their Horrour and Trembling are expresly observable in this Place First The Object Exod. 20.18 They saw the Thunders c. which strictly taken are rather heard than seen but seeing is largely taken for perceiving by any Sense or by the Understanding Thus Jacob saw there was Corn in Egypt Gen. 42.1 is explained by the Holy Ghost by Jacob heard Act. 7.12 Seeing is the surest Sense for believing one Eye-witness is of more Credit than many Ear-witnesses therefore 't is oft used for Knowledge that comes by Hearing or by the other Senses as Exod. 5.21 Yea by the Light of Reason or by the Evidence of Faith whereby many Truths are apprehended so assuredly as if they were seen with our Bodily Eyes Omnes Sensus conjuncti sunt in communi sensu all the five outward Senses are conjoined in the inward common Sense Nor doth Moses relate all the People saw for there was Fire mixed with Smoak and Darkness c. which burned up to the midst of Heaven This was the Object that affrighted them Secondly The Effects were twofold First Their Supplication that God would no more speak by himself but by Moses to them Exod. 20. ver 19. 'T was here Man 's own choice and we should therefore look on it as a great Mercy that God's Mind is made known to us by the Ministry of Men like to our selves as Elihu said to Job Behold I am according to thy wish cut out of the Clay My Terrour shall not make thee afraid Job 33.6 7. N.B. God speaking â—he Law was so terrible to the People that they had need of a Mediator wherein Moses â—ypified Christ Gal. 3.19 1 Tim. 2.3 to mediate betwixt God and Israel Secondly Their Tergiversation or flight from the Mountain as frighted ones retreating to their Tents ver 21. For which doing God commiserating their Infirmities gave them his Commission Deut. 5.30 As he had before given them his Commendation in requesting a Mediator Deut. 5.28 29. The People being terrified seek for a Mediator ver 27. which was the end of the Law as a Schoolmaster to drive us unto Christ Cal. 3.24 This humble motion pleased God and for the present he gave them Moses to mediate for them but farther promiseth them a Prophet like to Moses who was Christ our Blessed Mediator Deut. 18.15 18. Act. 3.22 26. Whose Office is to go near unto God and declare his Mind to us which was fulfill'd in Christ Joh. 1.18 and 3.13 and 8.28 c. The Law was given in this terrible Manner for many Reasons 1. To shew forth the dreadful Majesty of God 2. To awaken the Consciences of Sinners 3. To declare the controversie betwixt an Holy God and sinful Men without Christ by whom Grace cometh and the Gospel of Grace invites those whom the Law excludes 4. The Law given out of the Cloud intimated it's obscurity without the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.13 c. God is not clearly seen in the Law for God is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 5. All this Dread and Terrour was to shew the Nature of the Law how it is a killing Letter like Draco's Law written not in black but in Blood holding forth Justice only and not Mercy manifesting God's Will and Mens Sins and to warn them of the Wrath deserved summoning them to appear before the Judge And 6. To assure that as the Law was given at first with all this Horrour and affrightment so with much more unspeakable Consternation of all Flesh God will require it at the Day of Judgment when all the World that have been are or shall be must appear before the Judge The Third Branch is the Remedy of the Peoples Perplexity Moses saith to them Fear not there 's a Prohibition Yet fear that 's a Precept Exod. 20.20 Servile or Slavish fear which startleth and stareth perplexed ones at the Approach and Apprehension of Danger he forbids here yet promotes he a filial and awful fear which is compounded of Reverence and Love this must be a Bridle from Sin and a Spur to Holiness as well as Beneficence is a Bait to Obedience Isa 1.19 20. Or the sense of the Words runs thus Fear not this glorious Appearance so much as to cry out Let not God talk with us lest we Dye ver 19. for they now had heard God yet they did not then die and this they acknowledge Deut. 5.24 but such was the guilt of their Sin that they feared should God continue to speak to them any more they could not escape death Moses wisheth them here to raise up their Meditations from this terrour in giving the Law to that future fearful appearance of the Law-giver at the last day when he cometh to take vengeance upon all breakers of this Law not only Jews but all Genâ—iles c. For which day we must much more sanctifie our selves to day and to morrow as they did for receiving the Law when God comes to require it our Sanctification is not perfected in one day nor may we only promise obedience as they did but be as ready to perform it They promised universal obedience without any limitation Exod. 19.8 yet soon forgot their promise when they made a Golden-Calf c. Our Lord tells us in the parable The Son that said to his Father he would not go to work in his Vineyard yet after repented is commended before him who said I go Sir
the Mountain for the Elders ver 1. the Top of the Mountain for Moses and the bottom of it for the People ver 2. Secondly The Manner how Wherein is related what 1st Moses did who 1. Wrote all God's Statutes in a Book ver 4. Heb. 9.19 2. In the Morning the very next day after the fiftieth Day whereon the Law was given he erecteth an Altar to represent Christ and twelve Pillars to represent the twelve Tribes who were both the Parties in the Covenant 3. He sent the First born who were the Sacrificers till the Levites were taken in their stead Numb 3.41 c. to offer up burnt offerings and Peace-offerings both Types of Christ to sanctifie the People for entring into Covenant with God ver 5. 4. With half of the Blood he besprinkled the Altar and the Book that lay upon it to be sanctified thereby ver 6. Heb. 9.19 5. He took the Volume of the Covenant and read it in the Audience of the People that he might bring them into the Bonds of the Covenant ver 7. Ezek. 20.37 6. He took the other half of the Blood and besprinkled the People or the twelve Pillars or the seventy Elders that did represent them ver 8. all which were Patterns of those heavenly Things done by Christ sanctifying us by the Blood of a better Covenant Joh. 17.19 Heb. 9.13 14 18 23. 1 Pet. 1.2 2dly What both Moses said and the People too 1st Moses explained the Covenant and Commands of God to the People ver 3 and 8. as if he had spoke thus This whole People thus besprinkled with the Blood of the Covenant are received into God's Covenant Care and Custody yet upon that Condition If they will exactly keep the Law of their God and in Truth obey all his Commandments 2ly The People Promise their Obedience to all these Conditions of the Covenant ver 3 7. as they had done before Exod. 19.8 and 20.10 Thus the Covenant betwixt God and Israel was establish'd by a mutual and willing Consent though as yet they knew not the Impossibility of the Law which is weak through the Flesh Rom. 8 3. nor did Mind the twelve Pillars of Stone representing to them how their hard stony Nature was thereby resembled to them as the two Tables of Stone did resemble their hard stony Hearts Exod. 31.18 2 Cor. 3.3 3ly The Issue and Effect of this entring into Covenant The Elders of Israel that before might not come near the Lord now see his Glory eat and drink before him and he layeth not his avenging Hand upon them c. ver 9 10 11. Great Joy it was also to all the People ver 15 17. But Moses is call'd up into the Mount with his Servant Joshua ver 12 13. where he must abide to receive the Tables of Stone and the Pattern of the Tabernacle with all the Utensils of it c. In whose absence Aaron and Hur must manage all matters of Controversie in the Camp ver 14. The Glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai appearing all that Time in their sight like consuming Fire ver 15 16. Six days God prepares Moses for receiving the Law as in six days he created the World and rested upon the seventh Gen. 2.2 The same number is here at the giving of the Law wherein God manifested as much Wisdom as in making the World Psal 19. per totum Upon the Seventh day God calls Moses alone into the Cloud who stood at a distance with his Servant till called of God That Seventh Day is supposed to be the Sabbath being call'd the Seventh Day by an Emphatick Article as the Christian Sabbath is emphatically also call'd the Lord's Day above others Rev. 1.10 The People had but three Days of Preparation to receive the Law Exod. 19.10 11. But Moses must have Six to shew what singular Holiness is required of Ministers The Measures of the Sanctuary as the Shekel Cubit c. were double to the ordinary among the People Ministers must wish with Elisha a double Portion of the Spirit that they may save themselves and those that hear them Moses abode in the Cloud Forty Days and Nights ver 18. without eating Bread or drinking Water Deut. 9.9 The like number of days Elias fasted for Reviving the Law which in his day was lost 1 King 19.8 And Christ did the same when he entred into his Ministry of giving the Gospel Matth. 4.2 and it must be supposed that the Lord enabled Moses to abide there forty days as well as to enter the Cloud which he could not do Exod. 40.35 N. B. If it be asked What became of Joshua all this time for he came down with Moses and knew nothing of the Calf set up in the Camp Exod. 32.17 when Moses brought the two Tables It is thus answered Tho' it be expresly said That Joshua went up with Moses and came down with him yet is it not mentioned in Scripture how high he went or whether he heard what God said to Moses c. It seemeth he staid still with Moses during the six days preparation till God call'd his Master from him into the Cloud and like a faithful Servant he staid in some place where his Master appointed and knew how to find him upon his Return Exod 32.17 18 not knowing any thing of Israel's Idolatry so had no meat from the Camp nor did he fast the forty days as Moses did but was as some say sustained all that time with Manna c. in some extraordinary manner by the Lord. In this forty days and nights Conference which the Lord held with Moses in the Mount God gave him the Ceremonial Law which was the Shadowed Gospel for this Infant Church as before he had given the Moral and the Judicial Laws The Ceremonial Law was to direct this Church in the External Worship of God As 1. That a place be prepared for his Publick Worship called then the Tabernacle which as Josephus saith was a portable Temple 2. That the People now in Covenant with their God must offer voluntarily all materials for the making of this Tabernacle both for the outward Fabrick and all the inward Utensils thereof Exod. 25 26 27 and 30. chapters 3. God ordains the Persons to attend the Service of this Sanctuary and they are Aaron and his Sons of the Tribe of Levi who are directed both as to their Garments and as to their Sacrifices and Ceremonies of their Consecration chap. 28 and 29. 4. God calls forth and qualifies the Persons for the whole workmanship of the Tabernacle within and without as Bezaleel and Aholiab with others whom he filled with the spirit of Wisdom and made them meet for the making of all sorts of the Manufacture thereof chap. 31. All which materials must be exactly made according to the Pattern or Model that God now shewed in a Vision unto Moses in the Mount giving him as is supposed an Aetherial Idea or Platform both of persons and things as God afterward
not only to wait upon his Office as a Levite but also to pay his Thank-Offering unto God at Shiloh for his Mercy in Reconciling him and his Wife together to make an Atonement for her Sin and to beg that God's Blessing might abide upon them for the future His Journey to Shilo pleased this Good Old Man well therefore he presseth the Levite to lodge with him saying Let all thy wants be upon me just as our Sweet Saviour saith to the Penitent Sinner as Revel 3.20 Psal 24.7.9 He brings him into his House makes him and his merry with most liberal Hospitality ver 16 17 18 19 20 21. Secondly come the Concomitants of the perpetration of Unparallel'd Impiety wherein the Agents the Patients and the Action in its Circumstances are very considerable The Third Remark arising from this Second Part is the Agents They are call'd Sons of Belial ver 22. Hebr. Beni Belignal Men that were Yokeless as the word signifies neither the Laws of God nor of Man must yoke them most Licentious and Stigmatized Villains breaking off the Yoke even of the Law of Nature like to the Devil himself who is called Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 and those were the Eldest Sons of the Devil Deut. 13.13 they were Lawless and Masterless Monsters breathing Incarnate Devils These Flagitious Fellows beset the House round about without Doors and marr'd all their Mirth within Doors beating at the Door as if they would have broke it down crying vehemently Bring forth thy Stranger that we may know him a Modest Expression of their most filthy Lust according to Scripture Phrase The Sodomites likely were their Presidents Gen. 19.4.5 as themselves are made Cautionary Examples unto after Ages Hos 9.9 and 10.9 How were their Faces here hatch'd with Impudency thus to declare their Sin as Sodom Isa 3.9 those shameless Wretches hide it not as if Sodomy had been no sin Though blessed Paul puts such a black Brand upon it Rom. 1.27 The Fourth Remark is The Good Old Man was mightily concerned looking upon himself as obliged by the Laws of Hospitality to protect his Guests as Gen. 19.7 8. Hereupon he went out to them ver 23. and maketh use of a meek Compellation calling them Brethren whereof they were altogether unworthy having dâ—vested themselves not only of Brotherhood but of Manhood also rather becoming a Company of Dogs and worse for Dogs do not lust after Dogs but after Bitches but those Scoundrels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were scalded in their own Grease by their Lusts of Man to Man Rom. 1.27 and to take them off from any such Attempt he telleth them that their intended Action was both Foolish and Wicked and to quell their Outragious Lust the more effectually the Good Old Man makes a rash and sinful offer to gratifie their Unruly Lusts by prostituting his own Daughter and the Levite's Concubine to them ver 24. N. B. I cannot but sometimes wonder how that either so good a Man durst venture to live in so wicked a place he belonging to Mount-Ephraim near Shilo or that those base Benjamites did suffer so good a Stranger to live among them we must suppose this Good Old Man was meerly surprized with the suddenness and violence of the Assault and hereupon ignorantly and inconsiderately offers this lesser Sin to avoid a greater and a more unnatural sin which he thought they designed Though this be lawful in the Evils of Punishment to chuse the lesser for avoiding the greater for so respectively the lesser evil is good Yet in the Evils of sin the Rule is Nullum morale malum est eligendum The lesser is not to be chosen no more than the greater Indeed of two Inconveniences we may chuse the lesser but of two Evils that are morally so we must chuse neither We must not do evil that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 we may not chuse to do the least Evil no not for the procuring of the greatest Good seeing the least and lightest sin is greater if we be Agents in it and make it our own by Choice than the greatest wickedness wherein we are but meer Patients and Subjects of others Villany Beside this Master of the House had no power to expose the Chastity of his own Innocent Daughter much less of another Man's Wife without asking consent Yet must it be said in the close of all that this Old Man's good intention for protecting his Guests doth mitigate his Sin The Fifth Remark is The perpetration of their Villany upon the Concubine's Body ver 25. Though their brutish and boundless Lusts had no Ears insomuch that it is said They would not hearken to the Old Man Hereupon to end the Controversie some say the Concubine went forth on her own accord and offered her self to them But the Hebrew word Kazak used in those words The Man took his Concubine opposes the former Opinion for it implies that the Levite not daring to go forth himself for fear of being abused by them required the Old Man to Hale his Concubine out to them upon what new Disgust it is not known but why the Old Man did not hale out his Daughter also some at random render this reason that those Miscreants were much enamour'd with the Levite's Concubine but were not at all Captivated with the ordinary Face and Features of the Old Man's Daughter but I rather judge this came to pass from a just and over-ruling Providence of God which made them forget having got the Concubine to divert them the Innocent Virgin that she might be preserved in her Chastity and on the other side yet suffer the Concubine to be abused for a deserved Punishment of her former Filthiness and Unfaithfulness And no doubt but of the two the Levite was more willing to expose his Concubine that had so notoriously disobliged him rather than the Daughter of his Host who had behaved himself so obligingly to him N. B. The Innocent Virgin by God's Mercy escapeth but the faulty Concubine is killed partly with excessive abuse of her Body and partly through fear and shame of ever looking her Lord in the Face after this Nights work ver 26. Thus God wrote her sin upon her punishment Whoredom was her sin which she had chosen ver 2. and now God inflicts it as her Judgment upon her though her Husband had pardon'd her yet God would punish her at least as to this Life Thus the Lord filled her with the evil of her own ways Prov. 14.14 A Whorish Woman is killed with Whoredom The last part of this Chapter is the Consequents of this unheard of and matchless Villany which affords us in the close The Sixth and last Remark Those Beastly Hell-Hags Vaijthgnalelu Boh. Hebr. the Conjugation Hâ—thpael denoting the frequency of the Act having taken their lustful Turns upon the Concubine all the Night long until they had almost turned her very Soul out of her forced Body at the Dawning of the Day they let her go and scarce had
the use of her Legs to reach her Land-lords Door where she falls down Dead ver 26. a just Judgment of God upon her Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge Hebr. 13.4 as she had too often fallen down in a way of sinning at last she falls down in a way of Suffering whether she repented before she Died is unrevealed if Charity do grant it then her Suffering saith great Grotius was only a Fatherly Chastisement not properly a Punishment But the Psalmist saith better God pardons eternally yet punishes temporally Psal 99.8 for evil doers God will punish for the publick good of Humane Society That she stay'd not still among those Miscreants but was more minded to return to her Husband might be some Indication of her Penitency yet hardly reaching the Door where he was so feeble their Villany had made her that she was not able to cry Open the Door nor to knock for its opening otherwise the Levite doubtless would have let her in because he had sent her out among them to save himself from Buggery This is the more probable because 't is said ver 27. that her Lord was the first up in the House and opened the Door 't is likely to see what was become of his Wife that they might go on their Journey but finding her at the Door-Threshold in a sleeping posture he calls to awake her and to raise her up ver 28. supposing she was come too late at Night to be let in and so was there fallen asleep but lying in that place and posture from Day-break to Sun-Rise he found her in her long Sleep indeed and neither so asleep as to be awakened nor sick of the Sullens to be fetched out N. B. Hereupon he takes up her Dead Body lays it upon an Ass and carries it home to Mount-Ephraim and there in a pang of Zeal divides the dead Carcase into Twelve pieces and sends a piece to each Tribe yea one to Benjamin it self ver 29. for Levi was dispersed among the other Tribes and there could not be Twelve without Benjamin presuming that the whole Tribe would abhor the Villanous Action of this one City of their Tribe as much as any of the other Tribes especially considering how the Messengers by whom the pieces of the Corps were sent did aggravate the Villany saying in the person of the Levite that sent them I came to Gibeah and the Varlets thereof surrounded my Lodging Threatned to kill me if I would not prostitute my Body to their Vnnatural Lust or deliver up my Concubine to them which I was forced to do and they have forced her so that she is Dead Judg. 20.5 This Aggravation he hoped might Exasperate Benjamin against this their own wicked City seeing a visible yet horrid Spectacle was presented to their Eyes which much more affects the Mind than a bare Report only related to their Ears could have done A seeing so sad a sight might stir up some Zeal against the Offenders c. Besides if one part had not been sent to the Tribe of Benjamin as well as to the other Eleven they might seem to be slighted and reputed as Enemies which would doubtless have been deemed a sort of provocation to desert the other Tribes as they causelesly did they neither went nor sent to the Solemn Assembly Judg. 20.3 not once making use of any such Apology N. B. This Fact of the Levite is variously ventilated whether it were lawful or unlawful First Those for the Negative say it was a Barbarous Bloudy and an Inhumane Act in it self to be done by a Strangers Hand much more by the Hand of an Husband to mangle the Dead Body of his Wife after so brutish a manner which is both against the Law of God that commands Burial of the Dead though they be executed Malefactors Deut. 21.23 and also against the common Principles of Humanity and Honesty which do condemn all such Savage Manglings of Dead Bodies But Secondly It may be said for the Affirmative that it was Lawful in the Levite's Case For 1. This was in a time of Israel's Anarchy when there was neither King nor Judge to Head the People or to whom the Levite might apply himself for a Redress of his Grievances and therefore was constrained to make his Applications unto every Tribe distinctly 2. Though this might have been done by Messengers as indeed was done by the Levite herein yet in such a profound Lethargy did all Israel lie at this Time that a bare Message by word of Mouth only could not possibly rouze them out of it and therefore this Levite from a Divine Impulse and Zeal for Justice might judge this Horrid Spectacle also necessary and most effectual 3. Nor did he do this out of any design to Dishonour the Dead but for the benefit of the Living to bring those Belialists to Condign Punishment least the very Air should be poisoned by the Breath of those Pests if permitted any longer to live in the Land and more especially least the dreadful Judgments of God should fall upon the whole Land for Indemnifying Delinquents of the greatest Magnitude And thus for publick good the Law allows of Anatomies that Dead Bodies may be Dissected that by searching out the Secrets of Nature both Physicians and Chirurgeons may learn more skill out of the Bodies of the Dead either to prevent or to cure those Diseases that are Incident to the Bodies of the Living The Levite's Intelligence which he sent to all the Tribes in so marvelous a manner sounds a loud Alarm to the whole Land of Promise insomuch that all Israel do universally acknowledge there was never the like Horrid Villany neither done nor seen neither in their own times nor in the time of their Ancestors Hereupon it was generally concluded to hold a Solemn Assembly wherein this lamentable Tragedy might be seriously search'd into every Man speaking freely and to have speedy Justice executed upon those desperate Delinquents the Actors of it that the Land might not be liable to the Wrath of God if unpunished CHAP. XX. JUdges the Twentieth is a Narrative of the punishment upon Gibeah for this most Horrible Villany and upon the whole Tribe of Benjamin for patronizing that wicked and wretched Town Wherein observe 1. The Antecedents 2. The Concomitants 3. The Consequents First The Antecedents are The General Convention of all the Tribes of Israel excepting Benjamin to consult what was to be done in punishing this abominable Action This is described 1. By the Persons who Convened namely both the People and the Princes ver 1 2. 2. By the Number how many Four hundred Thousand ver 2. 3 By the place where at Mizpeh ver 1.3 4. By the Acts that passed at this General Convention namely 1. They Cite the Benjamites to appear ver 3.2 They hear the Levites complaint ver 4 5 6 7.3 They demand the Benjamites to deliver up the Delinquents ver 12 13.4 They Decree War against Benjamin for their Contumacy
Sports or to some great Feast c. is not recorded but this is written That there Samson's Licentious Wandring and Wanton Eye became a Burning-glass to set his Heart on fire to Marry a Daughter of the Philistines and upon his return home he begs his Parents to get him her for a Wife ver 2. N. B. Though he lived in times of Ignorance and Prophaneness and though he had six'd his Affections upon this Timnath-Maid yea and though he had a Warrant from God as some do sense ver 4. to do what he did yet would he not take a Wife without his Parents consent as Gen. 21.21 and 24.3 26 34 35. The very Light of Nature and the dim Light of the Law can convince Men's Consciences of this necessary Duty in the worst of times Oh then what a shame is it that this Law of Nature is no more yea so little observed in our Land of Goshen c. N. B. Samson's Parents at the first Dissented from it and that upon good grounds because God had forbid the Israelites to make Marriages with those Cursed Vncircumcised Nations Exod. 34.12.16 Deut. 7.3 whereof the Philistines were a part ver 3. But when they understood by Samson's Information that it was of the Lord who could dispense with his own Law as in Hos 12. for his own glorious ends they then consented to it ver 4. and went down with their Son to Timnath ver 5. understanding that God in their Son Samson was seeking an occasion against the Philistines in his Marriage with one of their Daughters N. B. For by a particular Inspiration Samson might argue with his Parents in this Dilemma or double-horned Argument which pusheth both ways the Philistines will either grant me their Daughter which I desire to Marry or they will deny it if they deny to give her me then shall I take an occasion to assault them for the Affront offered to me because they have disgraced me and if they grant her and gratifie my Desires then will they be bound to more Benignity and Benevolence towards me and all my People Israel in the Bonds of Affinity contracted by the Marriage N. B. But if they hereafter break those Bonds of Affinity this will administer another occasion of a new Quarrel against them By the Importance of these Arguments together with his Importunity his Parents were overcome to accompany him that Samson though a Nazarite might carry on his Courtship to a Lady of the Philistines though an Heathen and an Infidel because they now say she pleased their Son well not only for her Beauty but for the design of God in Order to Israel's Deliverante more especially therein The Second Remark upon the Antecedents of his Marriage is Manoah his Wife and Son go down together to Timnath that a Solemn Contract might be made betwixt Samson and his Sweet-heart But in their joynt-Journeying toward the City Samson steps aside at the Vineyards from his Parents upon some occasion not express'd it may be to ease Nature or N. B. By some Divine Impulse for the following Encounter for a Young Lyon in the prime of his strength rushed out of the Vineyards and roared fiercely against him when found alone then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him both stirring up and augmenting his Strength and Valour so that he takes the Lion by the Chaps and rent him as speedily and as safely as if he had been but some Tender Kid though he had no Weapon in his hand ver 5 6. This Miraculous Exploit was to Confirm Samson's Faith in his great undertaking unto which the Lord was now calling him to be a Judge for Israel against the Philistines as it befel David in the like case afterwards 1 Sam. 17.34 N. B. And this Essay did far exceed the Poet's Story of their Hereules's Encountring of a Lyon for they say he had a Club in his Hand And such was Samson's Modesty that when he came up to his Parents again from this Diversion N. B. He told not them of this wonderful Work he had wrought as many Braggadocio's would have done not so much lest his Parents should reprove him therein but more especially lest they should divulge it at Timnath prudently pondering the prejudice that might arise thereby considering 't was not yet a fit season to create Jealousies and to awaken the fears of the Philistines Therefore Samson keeps silent and steps on in the Company of his Father and Mother to Timnath and there to Solemnize this Contract with the Woman 't is said he talked with her ver 7. from whence the Rabbins Report that Samson Converted her to the true Religion by this Conference N. B. But that is an uncertain Report It may more probably be said That they were now Contracted by Consent of Parents on both sides for that was in use among the Heathens Placuit Despondi Nuptiis hic dictus est Dies Terence And their Marriage-Day was at this first Meeting concluded when their Wedding together might be solemnized and fully compleated for their Bedding together also The Second Part is the Concomitants of Samson's Marriage Remarks hereon are First When this convenient time was come for Solemnizing the Marriage according to the Unanimous Agreement of the last Meeting Samson goes down with his Parents to be Married and turning aside to see the Carcase of the Lyon behold there was a Swarm of Bees and Honey in the Carcase ver 8. N. B. Because this must require a long time in the Course of Nature therefore some say there was a great Space betwixt the Time of his Contract and the Time of his Marriage otherwise Honey-Combs could not have been found in the Carcase c. N. B. But such as so say do forget that Lovers Hours are full of Eternity every Hour is a Day every Day a Week every Week a Month and every Month a Year N. B. Many Reasons may be rendred why that Interspace ought not to be over-long 'T was only but a few Days that were desired betwixt the Agreement of Marriage and Rebecca's going to be Married to Isaac Gen. 24.55 Yet Eleazer being in Marriage-haste for his Young Master would not admit of that small Delay N. B. As to the Honey-Combs in the Carcase it cannot be imagined that this was done in an ordinary and common Course of Nature for Bees do naturally abhor all ill smells such as this new slain Carcase could not want c. All this came to pass by an over-ruling Providence of God acting herein after a Supernatural manner in Subserviency to his following Design N. B. No doubt but Samson turn'd aside to see it that he might Recognize God's Great Work in his Deliverance from so great a Danger and be accordingly thankful for it as Psal 77.10 to remember former Favours of God c. Samson took of the Honey-Comb in his hand and went on Eating till he came to his Father and Mother N. B. Oh that we could feed upon
Samson suspected as is supposed his Wife had before over-much familiarity ver 20. which caused him to compare her to a Wanton Heifer ver 18. The Fourth Remark upon the Concomitants is the Solution of Samson's Aenigmatical Sentence which is twofold N. B. First Literal which the Bride-men by the Bride's Treachery to her Bride-groom openly declared before the Sun was set upon the Seventh and last Day of the Feast ver 18. that they might win the Wager Samson hereupon acknowledgeth he had lost yet telleth them Had they not plowed with his Heifer they could not have found out his Riddle N. B. Which is an Allegory wherein he reproves both his Wife's Perfidiousness and their Fraudulency in first Inticing and then in Forcing his Wife to discover her Husband's Secrets They Expounded the Riddle indeed yet but in dark words saying What is sweeter than Honey c N. B. To which might be answered Sugar had it been known in those times as it is in our days Nor could they have hit upon Honey had Samson's Heifer drawn even in the Yoke of Wedlock with himself which she did not but drew a contrary way N. B. As befalleth such Married Couples that are unequally Yoked 2 Cor. 6.14 or Samson might call her his Heifer because he suspected that his Friend so called ver 20. had been too familiar with her as above N. B. Some Criticks rendring the Hebrew word Begnanalti in Vitula meâ in my Heifer this Chief Bride-man had been Plowing in her as well as with her but the plain meaning of that Allegorical Expression is As the Plowing with Heifers turns up and discovers the Treasure that is hid in the Ground so they had made use of his Wife both by their Fawns and Frowns to Plow up and bring to light that Mystery which lay hid in his Obscure Problem he had put forth to puzzle them N. B. Secondly The Mystical Sense of Samson's Riddle is twofold The first Mystical Sense is 'T is an express Figure of the Mystery of the Death of Christ who is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5.5 and oft call'd a Lyon as well as a Lamb. N. B. Now out of the Carcase of this Crucified Christ comes forth that sweet and saving food for the Soul of Man far sweeter than Honey or the Honey-Comb Psal 19.10 and 119. ver 103. his flesh is Meat indeed c. John 6.51 And by his Death he slew the Devil of Death Mors mortis morti mortem quoque morte dedisset there 's Honey out of the Rock indeed Psal 81.16 to wit the Rock Christ Hebr. 2.14 O Death I will be thy Death Hos 13.14 N. B. The Second is It covertly implyed likewise That the Philistines though now they had strength on their side and exercised a rigorous Dominion over Israel and thereby did devour them upon all occasions yet at the last they should become Meat to the Israelites Psal 74.14 whose present Afflictions when Sanctified may be compared to Honey which alway hath its best in the bottom leaving a sweet Blessing behind them though grievous at present Hebr. 12.11 God's Rod drops Honey more than Jonathans 1 Sam. 14.27 43. The Third part is the Consequents which be Three First Samson pays the Wager he had lost by Treachery to the Thirty Men with Honesty but not without Cruelty ver 19. N. B. For he went in a great pang of Passion to Askelon one of the Principal Cities of the five Lords of the Philistines and finding the Citizens gathered together at their Sports in the Fields he falls furiously upon them slays Thirty of them and strips them all the rest running away in a Fright and not daring to make a Rescue N. B. These Men that Samson Murdered might be Innocent in the matters acted at Timnath all that can be said to clear Samson from Cruelty is That he acted not herein as a private person from a Spirit of Revenge but as a Constituted Judge over Israel against their Enemies under the Conduct of God's Spirit N. B. The Second is When he had honestly paid what he had deceitfully lost with those Spoils he carried from Askelon to Timnath he packs up his All and departs from thence to his Father's House N. B. Wishing it may be that he had followed his Father's Advice in not Marrying that Vncircumcised Philistines Daughter which had so betray'd him and for so doing he left her behind him in Anger N. B. The Third is The Perfidiousness of Samson's Vntamed Heifer no sooner had her Husband turn'd his Back but she Marries the chief Paranymph or Bride-man whom Samson had chose as his Friend to be the Master of the Ceremonies at his Marriage and who had so sordidly Influenc'd his Wanton Wife to discover her Husband's Secrets Samson had made this Man his Alter-Ego his Second-Self as a Friend is called yet he Marries her ver 20. and so became Samson 's Second-Self indeed How much more unsufferable was such a Wrong that was done by such a Friend This made David himself cry out It was thou my Friend Psal 55.12 13. Judges CHAP. XV. JUdges the Fifteenth manifesteth more of Samson's Heroick Exploits in his waging War against the Philistines singly by himself Wherein is observable 1. The Cause 2. The Manner 3. The Event The First Remark is The External Cause or Occasion of Samson's War was the denial of his Wife ver 1 2 3. Samson had withdrawn himself from her in a fit of high displeasure N. B. This cannot be look'd upon as a laudable Action in him for he ought not so lightly to be disjoynted from her having now taken her for better and for worse as we say but within a while after so soon as he had disgested his Indignation he first sought a Reconciliation which he would have purchased with a Kid so kind was he to forgive and to forget Injuries N. B. Hereby teaching all Married Couples either not to fall out or not to go long unreconciled But Samson's Overtures of Peace were wretchedly rejected by his Wife's Father Samson essayed to go into his Wife's Chamber which used to be distinct from the Mens Gen. 24.67 her Father stops him 'T is a wonder Samson did not knock him down N. B. No doubt but Filial Reverence and Respect to a Father did tie Samson 's Hands from so doing This was also of the Lord he did it not because he still sought an occasion against the Philistines Judg. 14.4 Her Father with his forcible resistance adds a slender Apology saying I verily thought thou hadst utterly hated her but he should have been sure of it or sought either a Reconcilement or a Divorce and not have disposed of another Man's Wife without his Consent once asked which is not only against the Law of God but of Nature also N. B. The wilful neglect of those Moral and Natural Duties therefore did cost him and his Daughter their Lives ver 6. However to stop Samson's Mouth as
His no more c. was no more than that of Children no more till next time therefore David got him at last out of the Land when after the first Melting he had found him faithless In such a case Credulity is but folly V. 11 12 13. Contains Naomi's Disswasive to them for Tryal of their Truth and 't is question'd by some Whether Naomi did well in thus Disswading them seeing it had a tendency to drive them off from that Religion which was true and to fix them in that Worship which was Idolatrous as appears in v. 15. Orpah went back to her Devil-Gods to wit Baal-peor Chemosh Milchom c. but 't is answered No doubt but good Naomi did well in it to try the truth of their Affections Therefore V. 11. Why will ye go with me She would know what was their principal Motive Whether was it for her sake only or for expectation of Husbands from her She would have their Resolutions well grounded Hence Observ 1. New Proselytes and Converts should be full of Caution and Consideration they should be asking after their grounds why they leave the Idols of Sin to go along with Christ and Salvation Naomi might fear Afflictions might attend her in Canaan and this might become a stumbling-block to her Moabitess Daughters so as to make them renounce the good ways of the Lord which would have been a Scandal to the Weak a Scorn to the Wicked and a Cordolium to her self Such as will build the Tower of Godliness must count the cost Luke 14.28 lest they lose the things that they have wrought but that they may receive a full Reward 2 Ep. John v. 8. without a Non-putaram without any Fools Had-I-wist afterwards she doth not command them but Counsel them that it might be a free-will Offering in them to chuse or refuse as if she had said thus If ye will return with me into Judaea then must ye be devoted to the Worship of the True God but if this like ye not then return to Moab your own Countrey Twice over 't is repeated Turn again my Daughters Turn again my Daughters She would have their Resolves well grounded as all of new Converts ought to be they should with good Advice make War Prov. 21.18 and Luke 14.31 This Life is a Warfare and we have Twenty Thousand Enemies to fight against us Satan and his whole Myriads of Devils his Myrmidons of Lusts that War against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 and we have but little of strength to resist them We should follow the Lamb and his Gospel yea we should love the Gospel for the Gospels sake not because it is fringed with Ease and Honour God takes it kindly from young People that they will follow him through a Land that is not sown Jer. 2.1 2. that maketh Moses choice Hebr. 11.25 and the Spouse's Cant. 8.5 chusing Godliness though Afflicted and the Gospel though persecuted keeping the word of Patience Revel 3.10 God is tender of such Esa 63.9 to 15. Observ 2. 'T is very comely and commendable yea and sweetly Corresponding with this Scripture-pattern and President for Mothers-in-Law to carry to their Daughters-in-Law as if they were their own Natural Children Thus Naomi behaved her self to Ruth and Orpah even to the last if she did no more or not so much to the latter as to the former until the saw her comfortably cared for in the World in Ruth's Marriage to Rich Boaz 't was because Orpah deserted Naomi which Ruth did not and so withdrew her self from the Counsel and Kindness of her Mother by her returning unto Moab while both those Daughters stayed with their Mother she treats them kindly and does the best she can for them here she calls them her Daughters two times as if they had been Naturally Born of her you that are Mothers in Law or Step Mothers that is such as Step in to be instead of Natural Mothers you have need of Grace to supply the place of Nature which you cannot have that so you may adorn your place as Daughters of Sarah ought to do 1 Pet. 3.3 5 6 7. Observ 3. Candour and Kindness is a better way to prevail in Perswasion than Rigour Moroseness and Austerity Man naturally is a Noble Creature and will rather be drawn than driven Naomi like Naphthali gives goodly words Gen. 49.21 good words do ingratiate both with good and bad Men when especially they come not out of feigned Lips Psal 17.1 Deut. 33.23 No Noble Nature would be huffed and hector'd even unto that which is good It is good Policy therefore to preserve an Opinion of our Love in the Hearts of those whom we would perswade to any good and to treat them fairly as she here V. 12. Are there yet any Sons in my Womb that they may be your Husbands The Law required that the Brother dying without Issue his Widow should not Marry to a Stranger but his Brother should take her to Wife and should raise up Seed to his deceased Brother that the Inheritance might not be Alienated and a Name lost in Israel Deut. 25.5 6. each one was to keep to his Inheritance Numb 36.7 Levit. 25.23 Hence Observ 1. A minori ad majus from the lesser to the greater I argue Our Spiritual Inheritance ought not to be Alienated much more than their Temporal The Kingdom of Canaan was but a Type of the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Antitype If Naboth can say of the Type only God forbid I should Alienate my Inheritance when tempted to it by plausible pretences 1 Kings 21.3 which the Lord indeed had forbidden Levit. 25.23 Numb 36.7 Ezek. 46.18 how much more should we say so of the Antitype of the Gospel of its Ordinances and of the things of the Kingdom of God Religion is our Inheritance which we have received from our Fore-Fathers and we should say with Naboth the Lord forbid that we should Alienate it that we should forfeit it or fool it away and not transmit it to our Postâ—â—â—ty for so doing our own Children may Curse us their Parents in another World 'T is Religion that makes England the Lord's Land Hos 9.3 and Immanuel's Land Isa 8.8 Now assuredly if we do not live according to the Lord's Law we shall not be permitted to live in the Lord's Land Oh God forbid that our Land should cast us out or that our Sin should cast out the Gospel or that ever Christ's Land should become Antichrists I am too Old to have an Husband Observ 2. That Second Marriages are not Vnlawful This Grave and Godly Matron doth not say 'T is not lawful for me to take a second Husband my first Husband being Dead for the Scripture maketh the Woman free when the Husband is Dead and so likewise the Man Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. What then should hinder the second third or fourth Marriage Though undoubtedly Christian Moderation ought to be observed herein there must be a difference put 'twixt Lawfulness and Expediency 1
part and main cause of his Purchase Hence Observ 1. A Godly Wife is a good Purchase Boaz could not think he paid too dear for this Purchase seeing she was one that feared God and the price of such an one is far above Rubies Prov. 31.10 A good Wife was one of the first real and Royal Gifts bestowed upon Adam Though Ruth was a Moabitess of that cursed Stock that were excluded from the Church to the Tenth Generation Deut. 23.3 hence some do censure Boaz for Marrying Ruth but uniustly for she was a Proselyte and a Vertuous Woman and came to trust under the Wings of the God of Israel She was not as Solomon's Mistresses of Moab that stole away his heart from God Neh. 13.26 V. 11. The Lord make the Woman c. This is their Prayer for a Blessing on his Marriage Hence Observ 1. Though Marriage be not a Sacrament as the Romanists reckon it yet ought it to be Solemnized and Sanctified by Prayer as it is both an Holy Ordinance of God Prov. 2.17 and an Honourable Estate to Man Hebr. 13.4 That is come into thy House To possess it as a good not an evil Spirit Hence Observ 2. Marriage is either a Marr-Age or a Merry-Age The Heathen could say every Man at Marriage brings into his House a good or an evil Spirit so makes it an Heaven or an Hell thereby Like Rachel and Leah Beautiful as Rachel Fruitful as Leah Hence Observ 3. Beautifulness and Fruitfulness are two Marriage-Blessings which God gives to them that Marry in the Lord. Both those are the Gifts of God and ought to be pray'd for by Man and both these are Blessed Cements betwixt Married Couples Gen. 24.16.67 Rebeccah was very fair and Isaac loved her and Gen. 30.20 and Job 19.17 Children are strong Cements both with Jacob and with Job c. Query 1. Why is it not said like Sarah or Rebeccah Answer 1. Because those two Rachel and Leah left their Countries as Ruth did 2. They desired Off-spring as she did 3. From them sprang the Twelve Tribes only but the Edomites were from Sarah and Rebeccah 4. The Bethlemites were from Leah and Rachel Rachel's Sepulchre was in the Suburbs of the City Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 Query 2. Why is Rachel set first Answer Because dearer to Jacob and his first Thoughts Do worthily in Ephratah c. All this was become a Jewish Form of Prayer Observ 4. Every Man ought to do worthily in his place and station All Men should be serviceable to God and profitable to Man not Inutile pondus terrae as if Born only Fruges Consumere to no purpose or to bad purpose they are to bad purpose by whom no body is better but some body worse See Ezek. 18.18 V. 12. Like the House of Pharez Who was the Bethlemites Progenitor Gen. 38.29 of a Numerous and Honourable Family see v. 18. and the Blessing of this Peoples Prayers came upon the Head of Boaz and Ruth Hence Observe 'T is good to have a share in the Prayers of others God graciously heard the Prayers of this People for this Couple for they had Children Wealth and Honour of them descended many and Mighty Princes especially Messiah the Prince The two grand priviledges of a Child of God Are First To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives And Secondly Upon the Wings of Angels when he Dies V. 13. Boaz took Ruth This was done before solemn Witnesses Hence Observ 1. Clandestine Marriages are not warranted by the Word some Daughters are stolen away without Parents Consent Boaz took her to be his Wife not his Whore He went in unto her A modest Expression of the Marriage Duty Hence Observ 2. No corrupt Communication should proceed out of our Mouths Eph. 4.29 No Borborology no Obscene or filthy Speeches The Hebrew Tongue is called Holy some say because there is not one proper Name in it that signifies the Privities of either Sex or the Act of Copulation but it uses a modest Phrase or Periphrasis The Lord gave her Conception Hence Observ 3. The Key of the Womb as of Heaven of Hell and of the Heart hangs at God's Girdle She had been Married to a Young Man yet had no Child now she is Married to an Old Man yet hath a Child this was by the singular Blessing of God yea and a Son too which was more than a Daughter to uphold the Name and Family even to the Birth of Christ V. 14. And the Women said to Naomi Hence Observe Women's Meetings ought not to be spent in vain and frivolous Chat and idle Prattle much less in Ribaldry and Scurrility Here was an Holy way of Gossiping so Luke 1.58 the time was not wasted but spent in Praying and praising of God That his Name may be famous The Men had pray'd thus before now the Women pray for the same Hence Observ 2. 'T is an happy time when Men and Women do even apart pray for the same Blessing Esther 4.16 Zech. 12.12 Mercy would then come to God's Family and to our own V. 15. A Restorer of thy Life c. Hence Observe Children ought to be Restorers of Life to their Aged Parents and nourishers of their Old Age. Oh what a shame it is that so many Children bring down the Gray-hairs of Parents with Sorrow to the Grave Gen. 42.38 Many break the Hearts of their Parents few are Restorers and Comforters or Nourishers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stork-like so famous for Gratuity to their Dam c. V. 16. Naomi took the Child and laid it in her Bosome To wit next her Heart Hence Observe Love hath a descending Nature as the Beams of the Sun it descends better than ascends Naomi was but mother-in-Mother-in-Law to its Mother yet behold her Affection to it 'T is oft found that Grand-mothers love their Grand-Children better than their own from the descending Nature of Love Hereupon she became Dry-Nurse to it Oh the Ocean of Love that descends from Parents to Children V. 17. The Women gave it a Name To wit those good Women v. 14. perswaded the Parents so to Name it either at the Birth or at the Circumcision as usual They call'd him Obed A Serviter so he was to Naomi whom he served with Comfort and Restoration and so he was to God a Serving Son Obed i. e. Obedient The Name Obed put him in Mind of his Obedience and Service to God and his Parents Mal. 3.17 as the Prince of Wales's Motto Ich Dien I serve to suppress his Pride c. V. 18. Though he was Mahlon's Legal Son yet was he Boaz's Natural Son the Catalogue of whose Generation is set down to shew that Shiloh came of Judah according to the Promise which Matthew transcribes Matth. 1.3 5. Pharez a Breaker a Type of Christ who broke the power of Death and Hell and the Partition-Wall then Zarah the Jew comes forth again Gen. 38.29 30. Boaz begot of Rahab Matt. 1.5 as Obed of Ruth c. The
had little Religion in her as appeareth by her deriding David's Devotion 2 Sam. 6.16.20 c. yet had learned by the light and law of Nature to prefer an Husband for good before a Father for evil Her Conjugal affections made her more faithful to the former for his preservation than any filial fear could oblige her to the latter to become an Abbettor to her Father for her Husband's destruction She knew so much out of Moses's Writings that the Man and the Wife are but one flesh and so closed together as to make but one piece so in preserving of David she sought her own preservation The Third Remark is The means whereby Michal did deliver David she wrought wilily in deceiving 1. Saul's Pursivants and 2. Saul himself after she had dismiss'd David down through a Window ver 12 13 14 15 16 17. Wherein first her faithfulness to David is demonstrated two ways First In her Advice to him If thou save not thy life this Night to Morrow thou shalt be slain ver 11. Some say Jonathan David's dear and faithful Friend and Michals Brother sent Tidings to her of Saul's Murthering Design or she might observe the Sergeants hovering about the House in the Night and David having told her how narrowly he had escaped his death before he came home to her she might prudently gather that her Fathers fury would not so end but pursue him to his House Her Second demonstration of fidelity to David was her assistance of him to escape after her Advice to him to flee from his danger ver 12. Love is laborious she most lovingly bestirs her self to let David down at the Casement because the Doors had Centinels set at them by Saul to secure David whensoever he should come forth there so David fled Secondly Now Michal's difficulty remained how to delude her Fathers Messengers and how to deceive her Father himself that she discharged the duty of a Daughter to him In both which Michal is hardly held to her shifts of wit N. B. We usually say a Womans wit at a pinch is more Mercurial and riper than that of a Man who must have more time for deliberation As is above observed upon Judges 13.23 c. First Michals crafty wit is set at work to deceive Saul's Serjeants sent to Arrest David in order hereunto she takes her Teraphim Hebr. some superstitious Image which she had kept secretly David knowing nothing of it as Rachel had her Mawmets whereof Jacob was ignorant and dressing this similitude of a Man with Goats hair about its head she laid it down in the Bed to represent David with his hair on the Pillow as if he had been sick in his Bed and Curtains drawn close nothing but a glimmering light left as is commonly done for a sick person that the deceit might not over-easily be discovered ver 13. Now when Saul received no account how his first Messengers had sped the Morning being come he doubted they proved perfidious to him tho' they only stood waiting still for Davids coming out at the door He hereupon sent other Messengers in the Morning to whom Michal said that David was sick in Bed ver 24. Whereupon they departed with these Tidings to Saul as not daring to suspect the truth of what their Superiour the King's Daughter said to them and they looking upon it as a gross piece of rude incivility to break into a sick Mans Chamber to give him any unmannerly disturbance and so trie the truth of Michal's Allegations Hereupon Sanguinary Saul who so greedily sought to suck David's blood sent other Messengers the third time ver 15. with a larger Commission than either of the former not only to watch the doors as the first were impowered only to do nor only to enquire what was become of David seeing he came not out of doors but also to break in and bring him away sick or well that He for his better security might himself slay him or see it done His Envy was thus full of Jealousie he suspected that either his former Messengers had been Bribed with Gifts or Promises by Michal or that Michal made these Excuses only to preserve her Husband out of her Fathers furious hands so being impatient of this delay he chargeth his last Messengers to secure him but when they had broke in they found nothing in the Bed but an Image instead of a sick Man N. B. Oh how blank they look'd when they saw their bloody hopes so handsomly frustrated ver 16. But more blank assuredly was Saul's look when they told him that the Bird was flown when he had thought to have made his Breakfast that Morning of him Hereupon he comes in a rage and le ts flye at his Daughter saying Why hast thou deceived me so and sent away my Enemy ver 17. To which Michal answered David threatned to kill me c. N. B. Note well upon this whole History First That Michal thus far is to be both commended and imitated by all good Wives so far as her Loyal Love to her Husband in seeking his preservation extended yea and her wily Wit in deceiving deceivers ought not too rashly to be condemned 'T is an old Adage Fallere fallentem non est Fraus To deceive a Deceiver is no deceit if any sinful means be not made use of thereunto Bloody Persecutors have been frequently frustrated by some lawful means as those that sought after Jeremy and Barach Jerem. 36.26 Athanasius Luther and others the Lord hid them as he did David here N. B. How God's Providence and God's Promise seem contrary and contradictory as to David as before to Joseph a Crown is promis'd him yet a Javelin is twice cast at him he is hunted as a Partridge c. 1 Sam. 24.11 and 26.20 He must pass through manifold dangers yet hath he as manifold deliverances God by his Providence made good his promise to David so that Providence may not be judged of by piece-meal when all ends of it meet much Beauty may be beheld in all its parts c. N. B. Nâ—te well Secondly Nor is Michal to be blamed for thus deluding those Messengers as to the matter of it for her cunning contrivance manag'd her Matters so as that Saul's sending three times about one and the same business must needs become delatory work which was as designedly pleasing to the loving Daughter as it was desperately displeasing to her impatient Father for it was the Daughters design to beget delays that her dear David might have time enough to escape far enough before Saul sent pursuers after him N. B. Note well Thirdly Nor is Michal much blame-worthy tho' she did what deserved the Character wherewith the grandest Cheats are branded with namely in deceiving her own Father but if it be considered how she did no more herein than to take away the Sword out of a Mad Man's hand and so prevented his great Iniquity in embruing his hands with the blood of her innocent Husband she
could not bind God herein For when God required Justice to be done then Sundry of Saul's Sons were Destroyed 2 Sam. 21.8 14. After this Saul went home but David durst not trust his forced Protestations having found him so oft perfidious Credulity he knew to an Hypocrite who was only Convicted but not Converted had been but sublime Folly and therefore having little hold of inconstant Saul he still continued in the strong hold of Engedi thinking such good thoughts as these were in Saul's wicked Heart would not like their lodging long but soon be gone c. 1 Sam. CHAP. XXV THIS Chapter contains the History of Nabal's Churlishness c. to David while he wandred in the Wilderness of Paran David's wandrings herein afford those Remarks First The Time when 't is told us When Samuel was dead v. 1. N. B. Samuel dieth about two years before Saul's Death yet he lived so long untill he saw the time wherein Saul confessed David would be King chap. 24.20 And while Samuel lived David by Samuel's Counsel and Assistance could more commodiously converse in the Kingdom But now when he was Dead he was constrained to pass from the Wilderness of Engedi where he had composed Psalm the Fifty Seventh giving it the Title Altaschith that is Destroy not because when his Soldiers moved him to destroy Saul in the Cave yet he would not do it into this Wilderness of â—aran which was in the Southern Borders of the Land of Judah that so upon a pinch he might retire out of Saul's Dominions when he had lost so fast a Friend as Samuel had been The Second Remark is The Discouragement David met with in this place from Nabal who lived here after all his Encouragements he formerly had from Samuel who was now Dead and Buried in Ramah N. B. This Nabal is described 1. By his Seat and Habitation v. 2. 2. By his Wealth exceeding Rich in his stock of Cattel as was of Old accounted hence pecunia Money is derived a pecudibus Cattle v. 2. 3. By his Name Nabal v. 3. which is Paraphrased upon v. 25. signifying a Fool or the same with Nebn o a Knave 4. By both his Majoribus and Moribus his Ancestors and his Manners though Descended of Caleb yet Degenerated from so good a Man N. B. Therefore some take Caleb here not properly but appellatively as it signifies a Dog to signifie that he was a Dogged Fellow having no sap of Humanity in him a meer Mammonist a Golden Brute not a Natural but an Atheistical Fool Psal 14.1 He was both a Church and a Drunkard Conveniunt Rerus nomina saepe suis Nabal had not his Name for nought his Nomen was his Omen 5. He is described by his Yokesellow called Abigail which signifies Her Fathers Joy Whereof her Father could not expect much in Matching his Dear Daughter to so Morose a Man N. B. May it not be feared that many a Child is cast away upon Wealth when Matrimony is made meerly a matter of Money and not Married in the Lord only 1 Cor. 7.39 The Wife is Commended here not only for being of a Beautiful and Comely Countenance but also for having a Good Vnderstanding and Great Prudence which she demonstrated afterwards But the Man is as much Discommended for his Morose Humour An Hard-hearted Churl ver 3. A Son of Belial ver 17. she was Vnequally Yoked c. The Third Remark is The occasion of David's Discouragement this Wealthy Man had a vast Sheep-shearing v. 4. At which time it was a custom among the Jews to make great Feasts in Remembrance of their Fore-fathers who had been Shepherds those Feasting Days were Days of much Mirth and Jollity therefore called a Good Day v. 8. See 2 Sam. 13.23 24. Hereupon David sent his Messengers to Nabal at his Festival saying 'T is not only easie for thee to spare us a little out of thy abundance but it is equal and just thou shouldst afford something out of thy exceedings unto us who have been a guard unto thy Flocks both from unreasonable Men and from Vnruly Wild Beasts v. 16. We crave but little we will not be our own Carvers tho' we have deserved more yet shall we take thankfully what thou wilt willingly bestow upon us v. 5 6 7 8. N. B. Wherein we may behold what Solomon saith Servants on Horseback and Princes walking on Foot Eccless 10.7 Here poor David though an Anointed King yet speaks all supplications to this Rich Churl who overflowed with Worldly Wealth yet Answers him roughly though he was bound by the Law to relieve the necessitous Deut 15.7 and though David left nothing unsaid whereby to Insinuate c. The Fourth Remark is Nabal's surly Answer to David's Ambassadors who had greeted him in David's Name c. v. 9 10 11 12. wherein this Covetous Caitiff and Cormorant would not First Know such a Man as David though all Israel knew him and both own'd and honour'd him as their Deliverer by destroying Goliah c. Secondly He makes no more of David and his Followers than a parcel of Rogues and Runnagates comparing them to unruly Cattel that break their Tedders or Bands and run away from their right Owners the worst sort of Runagates are Apostates who run away from God the best Master that employs his Servants in most honourable Work and pays them with most honourable Wages Thirdly He will rather part with his Blood than with his Goods to such Fugitives though they were of his own Tribe from whom he should not have hid his Eyes while he was wallowing in Wealth and Plenty and they pinch'd with Penury and Poverty Deut. 12.12 and 14.26 29. and 15.7 Isa 58.7 N. B. Though David begg'd Supplies from Nabal as a Son from a Father v. 8. Give what comes to thine hand unto thy Servants and unto thy Son David yet this unkind Master can spare none of his Superfluities for his Servants nor could this unnatural Father bestow any thing upon his Son David but gave him Stones instead of Bread contrary to the common Law and Light of Nature Matth. 7.9 10 11. though he knew his Son David had nothing to maintain himself and his six hundred Followers a large Family withal save only with the Spoils taken from the Philistines and other adjacent Neighbouring Nations who were all declared Enemies to God's Israel and who would undoubtedly have plundered Nabal of his Numerous Flocks and Herds as the Caldeans and Sabeans did Job if David had not been as a Wall between them and the Plunderers as Nabal's own Servants to whom David appealed ver 8. did acknowledge ver 16. N. B. Nay 't is a wonder seeing Ingens telum necessitas Necessity knows no Law when Penury pinch'd David's Soldiers they did not make bold with some of Nabal's Superfluities rather than themselves perish and pine away with want of Necessaries but pious David who had bound their hands from killing King Saul when there was a Motion and a
said further The King may do his pleasure with Mephibosheth but he might have his diet with me and should by me be Royally Entertained like a King's Son this was fairly promised by a sordid Pick-thank suppos'd to be a Canaanite by birth who afterward worm'd out his Master Chap. 16.4 The Fourth Remark is Humble Mephibosheth was exalted from his lurking hole at Lodebar to live in Jerusalem v. 13. tho' he was lame of both his feet and so unfit to diet at Court and tho' David had resolv'd that none such should come thither Chap. 5.8 N. B. What greater savour doth Christ afford us to feast us at his own Table in the Lord's Supper no doubt but we all come limping thither oh that we may be as humble as lame Mephibosheth c. 2 Sam. CHAP. X. THIS Chapter relateth the Story of David's sending Embassadors to the King of Ammon the Causes and Effects thereof Remarks hereupon are First David being securely settled in his Kingdom like a truly grateful person indeavoureth to testifie his gratitude unto all that had been kind to him in the day of his Adversity and now having done it at home to Jonathan's Son he would do it abroad also to Nahash's Son whose Father was now dead and who had shewed some kindness to David in distress and therefore he sent Embassadors to comfort the Son concerning the death of his Father who had been so kind to him v. 1 2. N. B. What this kindness was that Nahash shewed David the Scripture doth not declare but Tradition tells us First The Rabbins say that when the King of Moab had slain David's Father Mother and Brethren whom he had left with him for safeguard from Saul one of his Brethren escaped to Nahash King of Ammon who kindly succour'd him Secondly Jerom saith with whom Abulensis Angelomus Lyra and others do concur that when David fled from Achish King of Gath at the instigation of his Lords that envy'd David he came to Nahash King of Ammon who gave him courteous entertainment but not so much out of love to David as out of hatred to Saul who was a common Enemy to them both for as to himself Saul had given him a great over throw before Jabesh-Gilead 1 Sam. 11. and as to David Saul had driven him into strange Countries for the safety of his life and therefore some humanity must be shew'd him which he did and which David here requiteth The Second Remark is David's Embassadors of Peace were treated with the grossest disgrace v. 3 4. against the Law of Nations the young King that abused those Embassadors was Hanun which signifies gracious but he had grace in his name only not in his Nature however David will be both grateful and gracious tho' Hanun be never so graceless as he shew'd himself here His Princes did misrepresent David's simplicity indeed to him there is nothing so good saith Grotius here which may not sometimes meet with malicious Interpreters in the Courts of Kings Those Wicked Men in their Thinkest thou that David c. mused as they used and measured David's mind by their own malice It was that old Hereditary hatred of those Ammonites against Israel Deut. 23.3 4 5 6. which suggested those Satanical surmises and sinful Counsels whereof themselves at last had the worst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod saith Evil Counsel proves always pernicious to the Evil Counsellors Peter Martyr brings in those Princes speaking thus to their King David doth but dissemble Friendship to thee for he knows God hath commanded that Israel shall not seek our peace nor our prosperity for ever Deut. 23.6 and we know that David is a zealous promoter of the law of his God Hereupon this young foolish arrogant King follows their fond Counsel shaves off one half of the Embassadors Beards and cuts off their Garments by the Buttocks c. v. 4.1 Chron. 19.4 this horrid affront Hanun acted partly to deform and disgrace them that they might be derided by all Spectators and partly to put a scorn upon their Religion which forbad even in their mourning to mar the corners of their Beards Levit. 19.27 28. and Deut. 14.1 yea and partly to make them bear a part in the Ammonites mourning for the death of Nahash Hanun's Father according to the Custom of that Country tho' forbid to Israel and therefore were they bid to stay at Jericho till their Beards were grown v. 5. N. B. But Hanun's cutting off their Garments was the far worse affront because the Israelites wear no Breeches save the Priests only when they ministred before the Lord that their nakedness might not appear Exod. 20.26 28.42 43. otherwise they wore long loose Garments both for ease ornament modesty and comeliness now this was done in despight to David's Embassadors that not only their uncomely parts but also their Circumcision might be scoffed at by the uncircumcised Courtiers and common People Isa 20.4 47.2 50.6 The Third Remark is David's ill resentment of this sublime indignity done to those that represented his own person to this foppish King he prepareth for a Revenge feeling his own cheeks shaven and his own Coat cut and curtail'd in his Embassadors But first he sent them Cloaths to cover them c. and bids them stay in an obscure Village for Jericho was not built till long after 1 King 16.34 'till their reproach was removed by the growth of their Beards v. 5. the Ammonites now too late understood how they stank like loathsome Carrion by this horrible fact so they hired the Syrians whom David had lately subdued and who were therefore ready enough to joyn with them both for revenging themselves of David that made them Tributaries to him and to suppress his growing greatness N. B. The Ammonites Hired here Thirty two Thousand Chariots and Horsemen with a Thousand Talents of Silver 1 Chron. 19.6 7. to fight against Israel's Army consisting wholly of Footmen hereupon David prudently sends Joab with his Army to Medebah a City in the borders of Ammon 1 Chron. 19.7.9 chusing rather to make their Countrey the seat of War than his own v. 7. The Fourth Remark is The event of this preparation on both sides v. 8. to 14. Wherein Mark. 1. The Ammonites were so wary as to put their Army in Array at the entring in at the Gate of their own City Medeba that in case of a Defeat they might have that Bush at their Backs for a Retreating shelter but the numerous Syrians of all sorts were placed afar off in the open Field to surround Joab both in Front and Rear v. 8 9. Mark 2. Joab like an Accomplished General chuseth the choice Men of Israel wherewith to Assault the Syrians looking upon them as a multitude of Mercenaries who would never stand it out if hotly charged and if they were once beaten the Ammonites would quickly flee Thus with this Stratagem and with his gallant Oration to Animate his Brother Abishai he falls on v.
9 10 11 12. Mark 3. General Joab's brave Speech to his Brother and his Brigade so brave as might have become the Mouth of a better Man than Joab was wherein he declareth the uncertainty of the Issue of War that the best Cause is not always blest with the best Success howbeit the concord of the Chief Commanders is of great consequence and contributes much toward the Victory as discord often doth to disappoint it many sad instances whereof have been c. N. B. Joab must justly be Jealous here that Abishai would be offended at his culling out from his Brigade all the choice Men of Valour to be under his Conduct against the Syrians and leave him the weakest part wherewith to War against the Ammonites Therefore was it prudently promised by them both to relieve one another as need required v. 11. And saith Joab Let us be Couragious and play the Men c. v. 12. for our War is not vainly undertaken to enlarge our Empire or Glory but justly to execute Revenge upon the cursed Ammonites who so hatefully abused our Embassadors contrary to the Law of God of Nature and of Nations yea and to maintain our Inheritance which the Lord our God hath given us and therefore we may well hope for his blessing and assistance in it Let us do our Duty and let God dispose of the Victory as he pleaseth whereof we have no cause to distrust N. B. Note well Thus the Apostle exhorteth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quit your selves like Men be strong 1 Cor. 16.13 as Joab here in our Spiritual Warfare Mark 4. Then Joab falls on first with the Flower of Israel upon those Mercenaries who being not so much concerned as the Ammonites stood not the first shock but Fled before him ver 13. The Ammonites seeing the Syrians in whose Numbers and Prowess they had the most confidence put to flight they fled also ver 14. So that Joab in doing his own part did Abishai's part also to his hand Mark 5. When Joab saw the Syrians fled in their Chariots whom he could not pursue with his Foot and the Ammonites fled into the City Medeba that stake they had still in store Winter coming on chap. 11.1 He returns with Triumph to Jerusalem The Last Remark is The Syrians second expedition defeated by David ver 15 to 19. Wherein Mark First The Syrians Rally their scattered Forces and increased them with men beyond Euphrates partly to wipe off the scandal of Cowardice in the last Battle and partly to prevent David's revenge for their Rebelling against him they being his Tributaries and partly to shake off that Yoke of Tribute But God's end was that they might be broke in pieces as all Immanuel's Enemies must be Isa 8.9 even all those Kings whom Hadarezer had hired ver 16 19. Mark Secondly David goeth forth against them and with his personal presence animates his Army made up of the most valiant Men pickt out of all Israel ver 17. They joyn Battle and the Syrians fled and David slew the Men of Seven Hundred Chariots that is Seven Thousand Men that fought in them 1 Chron. 19.18 and Forty Thousand Horsemen c. v. 18. which yet are called Forty Thousand Footmen 1 Chron. 19.18 that is such as we now call Dragoons who for haste Rode to the Field but Fought on Foot The Chronicles being Writ after explaineth this After this the Syrians peaceably paid their Tribute to David and promised to him they would no more help the Ammonites against him ver 19. 2 Sam. CHAP. XI THIS Chapter holds out the History of David's foul down-fall from the very pinacle of the highest Prosperity to which God raised him David's down fall was double into two Damnable sins without Repentance namely The Sin of Adultery and the Sin of Murther As to the First the Concomitants and Consequents are Remarkable Remarks upon the Concomitant Circumstances are First The Time of David's Adultery this hath a three-fold description as 1. The time of the Year at Spring-time 2. The time of War when David had renewed his War against the Ammonites And 3. The time of the Day in an Evening-Tyde ver 1 2. To which may be added 4. The time of David's Age and Reign Common computation makes it David's Seventh Climacterical Year the Forty Ninth of his Age and the Nineteenth of his Reign But Learned Dr. Lightfoot computes it to be the Twenty Sixth of his Reign and so the Fifty Sixth of his Age seeing he was Thirty Years Old when he began his Reign in Hebron being in the Tenth Year of Samuel But whatever Year it was sure I am it was a woful and doleful Year to David because left to himself He fell into Temptation and a Snare and many foolish and hurtful Lusts c. 1 Tim. 6.9 N. B. Joseph a Young Man was fiercely assaulted yet stoutly resisted though he had as yet no Wife when loe David an Old Man and one that had many Wives and Concubines was shamefully foil'd 'T is monstrous to see Green Apples grow upon an Old Apple Tree in Winter-time when the top of it is covered with Snow 't is no less to see the Sins of Youth in an Old Decrepit Goat What more odious than an Old Lecher whose Grey-Head over aboundeth with Green-Thoughts Austin blesseth God that Satan's Temptation did not meet together with his own Corruption to draw it forth then is our greatest danger whether Young or Old and this may be a word of Caution to the Aged that Corruption can as easily creep into the White-Head as the Canker can into the White Rose which we oft see Cankered Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 The Second Remark is The place of David's Sin it was his own Palace where he was indulging himself to Ease and Pleasure when he should have been Fighting the Lord's Battles in the Field with his Army against the Ammonites While he kept abroad in the Wars in his own person he was safe enough Quaeritur Egistbus quâ re sit factus Adulter In promptu causa est Desidiosus erat Otia si tollas periere Cupidinis Arcus N. B. The Father calls Idleness Pulvinar Diaboli the Devil's Cushion whereon he lulls asleep tempted Souls As the Crab puts his Claw into the Oyster when it lies gaping in the warm Sun so doth Satan seize upon such as are pampering themselves in the Sun-shine of ease and pleasure Flies settle not upon sweet perfumes while they are hot but when they are cold so Beelzebub the God of Flies dare not venter upon that Heart which is boiling a good matter Psal 45.1 but when it becomes cold in Devotion then is his Tempting time to fill it with Destractions 1 Cor. 7.35 if not with Destructions N. B. It was at Evening-Tyde when David should have been at his Devotion as had been his custom Psal 55.17 seeing he would not be in the Field to Fight While
acted on the House top or Terrace c. And Secondly This deed of Darkness must be done with Day-light in the Sight of the Sun and of all the People Thus he declared his Sin as Sodom Isa 3.9 and though hereby was fulfilled that Divine Threatning chap. 12.11 12. yet this did not at all lessen Absolom's Sin who sinned freely and maliciously not only to satisfie his lust but also out of a politick design to corroborate himself in his present Vsurpation Hushai was present yet forced to dissemble at this present advice The Fourth Remark is Achitophel's Counsel had commonly a suitable success attending it therefore had it as much Veneration as the Oracle of God in the certainty of Events But 't is principally intended to declare David's danger having Achitophel against him whose wicked Counsel was as God's Oracle to the grand Rebel Absolom and to all his Rebellious rout If it be asked how David did deal with him in his Days 'T is answered No doubt but Achitophel dissembled his wickedness while he sat in the Councel with David a good King but discovers it deserting David and falling in with wicked Absolom But good David had a better Counsellour than Achitophel for himself saith The Statutes of God were the Men of his Counsel so Hebr. Psal 119.24 2 Sam. CHAP. XVII THIS Chapter contains the Consultation of Absolom with his Counsellers and Courtiers for the Suppression of David and the small Company with him The General Parts are Two First The Persons Consulting and the Second is The Event of the Consultation Remarks upon the First Part are First Achitophel on his own accord and uncalled offers to Absolom not only his Advice but also his Assistance ver 1 2 3. Wherein Mark First Achitophel cannot be content to be Absolom's Counseller only but he will call himself forth to be his Commander also which few King's Counsellers use to be much less do they call for a Commission to do so Mark Secondly Such a prospect he had that his project would be prosperous that he dare personally venture his own Life in the Execution of it may he but be trusted with Twelve Thousand Men to command as Captain and to fall upon David that Night for delays are dangerous Mark Thirdly He urgeth the facility of the Victory while David not King lest his own Mouth should proclaim himself a Rebel is weary and weak handed c. Oh pestilent Counsel and the ready way to win all when David was faint both with Trouble of Mind and Toil of Travel and to be set upon in the Night too a time of dread especially to Sleepy and Tired Travellers Mark Fourthly Then proposeth he the advantage of it saying David only shall Die by my hands so all his People shall Return to thee in Peace c. All this time he reckons without his Hoste as we say not once recognizing how God had delivered David from as eminent dangers out of the Hands of Saul when compassed round about for which the place was named Solang Hammalekoth the Rock of Division 1 Sam. 23.26 27. and had not he been Achi-tophel which in Hebrew signifies Cousin-German to a Fool he might have considered God might do as much for David again at this time so Humbled as to deliver him out of the danger of Absalom and Achitophel and so set up another Rock of Division betwixt them and their Prey notwithstanding their Triumph before their Victory And so indeed God did for David after The Second Remark relateth to Absalom ver 4 5 6. Wherein Mark First Absalom approved of that Pestilent Plot which Achitophel had proposed for his Dear Father David's Death Hebrew It was right in his Eyes N. B. Lycurgus that prudent Pagan Lawgiver would make no Law against Parricide as thinking it a thing impossible and that the Law of Nature in Filial Affections was enough to debar Children from hurting their own Parents But here 's a Debauched Israelite that must needs make himself a Law-giver to God's People who is tickled with the fancy of his Father's Murther by the hands of Achitophel and of such a Father as had ever been too fond of him and too indulgent to him Surely the Devil had filled his Heart from Corner to Corner Act. 5.2 Mark Secondly The mutability of Man by the mighty Power of God God had determined David should not Die but Absalom was doomed to Death by a Divine Decree Therefore Absolom is made so far mutable as to mislike Achitophel's Crafty Counsel which he now so highly Applauded and which had it been followed David in all likelihood had been destroyed thereby Mark Thirdly The marvellous Providence of God Absalom cannot Acquiesce in his Oracle Achitophel but must have Hushai called a Man far inferiour in Reputation among Men and one that had given as yet no such proof of his fidelity to Absalom as Achitophil had done nor so fixed to his Interest yet looked upon as a Wise Man So Hushai shall be heard Absalom possibly thinking of what was Solomon's saying after In multitude of Counsellers there is safety Prov. 24.6 The Third Remark is Hushai's Advice to Absolom ver 7 8 9 10. Wherein Mark First In this thing Hushai excelled Achitophel such was his Modesty and Prudence he would not give Counsel uncalled as Achitophel out of Ambition did Therefore Absalom mistrusting some failure in his Oracle as to present circumstances so bids Hushai speak freely Mark Secondly Hushai being a wise and well-spoken Man gives in his sentiments by dissenting from the former Advice saying 'T is not good Advice at this time This was a daring Challenge against Absalom's Oracle and had not Hushai starched his Oration with probable Arguments and such as were suitable to Absalom's Ambitious Disposition he had likely been hanged for crossing such good Counsel but the more to smooth the matter He comes off with Quandoque bonus Dormitat Homerus a good Horse may sometimes stumble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wisest Man in the World is not wise at all times Though Achitophel commonly gives successful Counsel yet with his good leave I must say he hath missed the mark at this time and in this Case Mark Thirdly Hushai's grand design was first to invalidate the Perilous Counsel Achitophel had given before he give his own Opinion What ought to be done He hereupon discovers the danger of Achitophel's Advice from Three Topicks The First is taken from the Valour of David which he amplifies by a Similitude of a Bear Robbed of her Whelps ver 8. Fumantem vivinasum tentaveris Vrsi saith he Achitophel adviseth thee to take an enraged Bear by the Tooth which is dangerous Prov. 17.12 Thou knowest when David was Young he conquered Goliah and could encounter Ishbi benob the Gyant Chap. 21.16 and what will he not do now when so provoked with the loss of his Throne Wives and Children especially with Old Souldiers against our Raw Men. He hath his many Worthies with him
hang'd upon the Gallows he had prepar'd for Mordecai as those Lords perish'd in the Pit they had digg'd for Daniel and Haman's Sons were hang'd also Esth 7.10 and 9.14 and the Law of Nature and Nations punishes Wives and Children of Traitors with a Confiscation of all their Lands and Goods whereby they both are dispossess'd beside they might be partakers of their Parents and Husbands Crimes either encouraging them to proceed or approving or at least consenting to the Plot. Mark 6. The Lions mastered those malicious Lords and all theirs breaking their Bones ere they came to the Bottom ver 24. This gives farther Light and Lustre to Daniel's miraculous Deliverance That it was not want of Hunger or of natural Ferocity by Famine saith Calvin which made the Lions spare Daniel because they had been newly fed with Flesh to the full as Daniel's Enemies objected saith Josephus and therefore saith he Darius gave the Lions food when Daniel was drawn out and before his Accusers were cast into the Den yet the Lions though full did ravenously tear them c. this is not improbable but being a Fiction only of Josephas seeing the Scripture is silent 't is but an adding to God's Word N.B. 1. The admirable over ruling Power of Almighty God over all Created Beings for executing his Will whether in a way of Mercy or of Judgment All God's Creatures are his Host to perform his Pleasure either for Reward or Punishment As the Lion that slew the Prophet for disobeying God yet spared the Ass c. 1 Kings 13.24 25 28 29. and another that slew the Man for disobeying God's Prophet 1 Kings 20.36 and the Lord sent Lions upon the Samaritans because they feared not God 2 Kings 17.25 Thus those unreasonable fierce and furious Creatures have their Mouths muzzl'd by their Maker to the sparing of Daniel yet have their Mouths open'd to Master his Enemies c. All Creatures both Animate and Inanimate are God's Servants c. Psalm 119.91 N.B. 2. Here 's a loud Alarm sounded to all wicked Persecutors of God's People contrary to their Consciences whether they be Princes or Peasants that do persecute shall they escape by Iniquities No God will cast them down in his Anger Psalm 56.7 into a worse Pit than the Pit of Lions even into the bottomless Pit of Hell among Devils Psalm 9.17 the Throne of Iniquity that sets up Mischief by a Law shall have no fellowship with God Psalm 94.20 't is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living Lord Heb. 10.31 He will tear in pieces worse than a Lion Psalm 50.22 Mark 7. Darius's Decree ver 25 26 27. that all his hundred and twenty Provinces should fear the God of Daniel c. hence Maldonate calls him a Convert but Calvin Answers If so then he would have destroyed Idols as Inconsistent with the Living God and his Worship However He speaks in Daniel's Diaiect concerning Christ's Kingdom Dan. 2.44 and 7.14 27 c. and had learnt all this Doctrine from Daniel whom he now heard own'd and honour'd calling God a Deliverer as he had been to Daniel now and to his three Noble Companions before in Chap. 3. Grotius saith N.B. This is a Caution to Kings to execute Justice upon the Wicked to Advance the Godly as Darius did to Daniel when he had executed his Enemies and to bring their Subjects to the Knowledg of the True God by their Laws else are they worse than Darius c. Daniel CHAP. IX THIS Chapter consists of two general Parts First The Prophet's Prayer ver 3 to ver 20. And Secondly God's Answer to Daniel's Prayer from thence to the end In the first General Part. Remark the First The Time of it which was the first Year of Darius the Mede ver 1 2. 't is said Dan. 6.28 that Daniel prosper'd in the Reign of Darius the Mede and of Cyrus the Persian both of them had him in great Honour and preferr'd him to high Employment As he had born a considerable Figure in the Court of Babylon until the first of Cyrus Dan. 1.21 so he did no less until the Death of Darius who lived not long after He and Cyrus took Babylon some suppose that Darius dyed at or about the End of that Year wherein the Chuldean Kingdom was swallowed up by the Medo-Persian and that Year is call'd the first Year of Darius Dan. 9.1 and the first Year of Cyrus also Ezra 1.1 both then entring upon that Babylonian Empire and Darius is dead before the third Year of Cyrus for Daniel mentions the first of Darius Dan. 9.1 but after Darius's Death he Names now the third Year of Cyrus Dan. 10.1 moreover the Decree for the Jews return ran not in Darius's but in Cyrus's Name Remark the Second Is the occasion of Daniel's Prayer which was the very last end of the seventy Years Captivity ver 2. for the Babylonian Kingdom and the Jews Captivity expired both together This Daniel understood by Jeremy's Prophecy Jer. 25.11 12. and 27.5 6 7. and 29.10 c. N.B. Though Daniel was an excellent Prophet had his extraordinary Revelations and frequently convers'd with Angels yet disdain'd he not to study the Holy Scriptures as 1 Tim. 4.13 and 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. he read both Jeremy and Moses's Books as appears from ver 10 11 12 13. saith Grotius N.B. Hence Junius and Polanus exclaim against that Apocryphal Fiction that the Book of the Bible were burnt at the Burning of the Temple and were restor'd by Ezra 2 Esdras 14.21 48. if so how came Daniel to have them and no sooner had he read them and understood the Captivity was at an End but he immediately applies himself to God in Prayer N.B. Well knowing that there is no readier way to speed at the Throne of Grace than to put God's Promises into suit by Prayer If we speak the same to God in our Prayers which God hath spoke to us in his Promises then is there the sweetest Harmony and God will answer all in his Providences The Term of the Captivity was ended according to the Prophecie of Jeremy in the first Year of Cyrus saith 2 Chron. 36.22 and here Daniel saith it was the first Year of Darius so that they two concurred Remark the Third The Prayer of the Prophet after the Time and Occasion His Prayer consists of three Parts 1. A Prologue or Proem wherein he gives God a threefold Praise 1. Of his Majesty 2. Of his Veracity And 3. Of his Benignity ver 4. whereby he sheweth saith Calvin in this Preface that he came not to Cavil or Murmure but to wrestle with God for Reconciliation N.B. 'T is good in the beginning of our Prayers to propound God to our selves under such suitable Attributes as wherein we may see beforehand the very thing we pray for this is the best Art of Praying and Begging c. The Second Part of his Prayer is Confession of Sin ver 5 to 15. Mark 1. 1st
Romish Church say Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion yet God's word saith 't is the Mother of Destruction My People are destroyed for lack of Knowledge Hos 4.6 To be ignorant of God's Law is no Mother in Israel c. Mark 5. The Contents of the Letter wherein Mordecai doth not only give Commission from the King for all the Jews to stand upon their guard for securing their own Lives but also to Kill all those who sought to Kill them making use of the same words in Hanian's Decree Chap. 3.13 that all Men might know the King's Mind was Alter'd in giving Mordecai as large a Commission to save the Jews as ever Haman's was to destroy them The Third Part of this Chapter is the Consequents of this Edict Remark the First No sooner were there Transcripts of this Original Decree transmitted in all haste into all parts of the 127 Provinces where they were publickly proclaimed That upon that long-look'd-for Day the thirteenth Day of the twelfth Month the Jews should be ready to Avenge themselves upon their Enemies ve 12 13 14 but immediately the Jews fear of that Fatal Day was changed into a Joyful Festival Day beforehand ver 16. the Dread of that Dismal Day in Haman's Decree being once done away by Mordecai's Edict of a contrary Countermand the Jews became Joyful and had their Holy Merry Meetings wherein to bless God for this unexpected and undeserved Mercy And no doubt but this Feast and good Day here mentioned ver 17. was only a Preparative at this Time when the Bad Brunt of their panick fears was once over unto that Grand Feast Chap. 9. Remark the Second Mordecai having obtained his heart's desire for an effectual Deliverance of his poor People went out from the King in his greatest Grandeur with a great Crown of Gold upon his Head ver 15. we read not that Human had any such yet may we suppose that this was not the Grand Royal Crown peculiar only to the King but one with sufficient Distinction from it permitted to the Prime of Persian Princes yet was it so Glittering and Glorious together with all his other Royal Apparel and Accoutrements as to put the City as he marched through it into a Joyful Jubilee Now the People that had been before perplexed Chap. 3.15 were rarely revived with the sight of Triumphing Mordicai And that not the Jews only saith Piscator but also the other Citizens who were either allyed to them by Affinity or engaged with them in Worldly Concerns or out of their Humanity abhorring that so many Millions of Innoâ—ents should be Butcher'd by Haman's Bloody Decree and now rejoycing that it was countermanded so that Shushan now shone as Aben-Ezra reads it and that Lilly as Shushan Hebr. signifies was now most lovely and lightsome Remark the Third This Joy of the Jews so general over the whole Empire as well as in Shushan caused a fear to fall upon the People of the Land ver 17. so that they became Proselytes to the Jewish Religion and as some say either for fear or Love submitted to that severe Precept of Circumcision However the great God over-ruled Matters so that when they saw the King himself favour the Jews and the Queen and Mordecai were altogether of them as well as for them c. this so over-awed even the Malignant Persians that they may of them had no mind to meddle c. Esther CHAP. IX THIS Chapter relateth the slaughter of the Hamanists who both purpos'd and endeavour'd to slay the Jews In this History are Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents Remarks First upon the Antecedents as First The long look'd for lucky Day of Haman's Diabolical Let came at last ver 1. namely the thirteenth of Adar or February upon which Day Haman 's Abettors hoped to revel in the Jews Ruine for though the King had set forth a second Counter-Edict in May foregoing this following February yet many malignant Hamanists did doubtless despise this later Decree and scoffingly derided it as only extorted from the King by his Queen's importunity and perswading themselves and others that the King was of the same Mind as before in Haman's Time to have all the Jews rooted out and to rid the World of them notwithstanding he had in an over Vxorious Humour consented to this second Counter-Decree meerly to give his Wife Content Therefore they resolve to Arm themselves and join all their Forces to prosecute to the utmost Haman's first Letter of Licence upon the lucky Day and take no notice of the second procured by Esther and her Vncle N.B. Thus those that are ripe for Ruine harden their own Hearts and hasten their own Destruction And that which did harden and heighten them in this daring attempt was that the latter Letter did not at all Reverse and repeal the former but only gave the Jews Liberty to defend themselves whom they doubted not to over-power for what was this handful of poor Captives to the whole Persian Empire But above all they were deluded by the Devil who is the Author of all such Arts and Lots of Divination for foretelling any future Arbitrary and Contingent Events and who Cozen'd them with false hopes of a lucky Day c. Remark the Second The Jews prepare on their Part Vim vi repellere to repel force by force in Defence of their own Lives unto which the Law of Nature prompted them for Man naturally saith Aristotle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Life-loving Creature and so indeed all Creatures from the highest Angel to the lowest Worm make much of their Lives N.B. The Jews had before made use of spiritual means as solemn Fasting and Prayer wherein they confidently committed their Righteous though disconsolate Cause to God who judgeth righteously yet dare they not tempt God by any wilful neglect of lawful means for their own Defence well-knowing that though the Care of the End belong'd to God yet the Care of the Means belong'd to them and therefore did they most industriously as for Life provide Temporal Means both Offensive and Defensive Weapons against that lucky unlucky Day of the thirteenth of Adar and this they did the more earnestly because they had the King's Commission for Arming themselves and gathering together c. without which this would have been reckon'd a Riot and Rebellion Hereupon Bernard highly Honours the Jews here saying though they were Laeti in Domino habentes gandium in re gaudium in spe c. the Jews had Joy Chap. 8.16 17. not doubting to possess what God had promis'd non tamen securi yet durst they not be secure but do Arm themselves for their Security The Second Part is the Concomitants of the Hamanists fall Remark the First Though the Jews Enemies were it seems allowed to take up Arms against the Jews when Haman's happy unhappy Day happened to fulfil Haman's bloody Letter whereof himself the Author repented and had rued it when he came to be hang'd for it and though those
Light and Law of Nature one would think should have hastened both his hands and his feet to help his fellow Creature under such miserable circumstances or had he been in Christ's School he would have learned that lesson that shewing mercy to those in misery is a far more necessary and hasty work than any sacrifice he had to offer up Mat. 9.13 Man especially in misery stands in more need of mercy than God doth at any time of Sacrifice c. Remark 4th The Mystery that lyes vailed here under the History of this Priest when unvailed is the Insufficiency of Legal Righteousness for Man's Salvation There be some indeed that give this Mystical sense of the Priest here to be meant Angels who saw man fallen among Thieves and both strip'd and wounded by them under guilt of Death c. but these Angels passed by and could not cure or comfort him c. but the best Interpretation of this Priest is Moral Righteousness this carries a correspondency to the Sacrifices and Services of the Legal Priesthood which verily was disannulled because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof c. Heb. 7.18 19. Enquiry the First What is this Moral or as it may be call'd Natural Righteousness Answer 1st 'T is a Righteousness of Natures best Edition in the fallen estate there be degrees of Nature as well as of Grace some Natures are better than others even a Child is known by his Doings whether his Work be pure and whether it be Right Prov. 20.11 As a good Disposition in some is seen to Order and Refine depraved Nature especially if attended with a strict Education and Exemplary good Actions c. so the contrary to all these we see do strangely disorder and corrupt it There is a Refining of Nature by Moral Vertue where there is nothing found of Spiritual Grace We read of an House that was Swept of Moral Vices and Garnished with Moral Vertues yet is it still Empty of Christ whereupon the Unclean Spirit returns after seeming Dispossession and Repossesseth it again c. Math. 12.43 44 45. so may it be with a Moralized or a Civilized Heart the last state of such a Man may be made worse than his first Answer 2. This Moral Righteousness is a supposed compleat Conformity and satisfaction to the Law of Mosâ—s a Righteousness wholely within us and from our selves as that of the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 5.20 c. whereas the true Evangelical Righteousness is a Real Conformity to the New Covenant even that of Grace and not of Works this is both without us in the Grace of Justification and also within us in the grace of Sanctification for Moses and the Messias met together as very good Friends upon Mount Tabor Math. 17.3 and thus they both agree well enough in a truly gracious Heart The grand Evil and Folly is that Man seeks for a Righteousness altogether within and from himself which Paul durst not do as he had done in his Pharisaism but calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Scraps cast to Dogs All but Dross but Dung in comparison of Christs Righteousness Phil. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Enquiry the Second what is the Original of this Moral Righteousness Answer The Foundation from whence it flows is from the remaining Sheards of Gods Image in Man which is only defaced but is not quite destroyed by Adams Fall as the Tables of the Testimony which Moses held in his hand and which were the Work of God and the Writing was the Writing of God Exod. 32.15 16. yet Moses when he saw the Golden Calf his anger waxed hot and he threw the Tables out of his Hands and brake them beneath the Mount ver 19. Notwithstanding the broken pieces thereof still remained Even so it may be said yet in a quite differing Manner when Adam saw the forbidden Fruit pleasant to the Eyes and desirable to make him Wise Gen. 3.6 Then he did cast down as it may be said that Image of God stamped upon him at his Creation and broke it in pieces beneath the Mount of his primitive Innocency After which fall he begat a Son in his own Image and not in the Image of God Gen. 5.3 yet some Sheards of the first broken Image still remain in all his Off spring which is called Synteresis signifying a Remnant Reserved or a Natural Conscience call'd by the Apostle the Light and Law of Nature written in Mens Hearts which serves to leave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without excuse Rom. 1.20 and 2.14 15. and which is all one and the same with the Moral Law that was added because of Transgression Gal. 3.19 for by the light whereof the Sin of Murther was known to Cain Gen. 4. and hereby other sins as Adultery Gen. 20. Fornication Gen. 34. and 38. and Theft Gen. 44.8 were known to be Hainous sins long before the Law of God written in Tables of Stone were given by Moses unto Israel in the Wilderness So that this Law of Nature was light enough to inform Man what was Good and what was Evil and what Man had last by Adams Fall as the Prodigal when he came to himself Luke 15.17 became sensible how sadly he had lost that satisfying fulness he formerly enjoyed in his Fathers House There is indeed both a Theorick and a Practick Knowledge of God and good Manners This is the Dim Light wherewith the True Light doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 yet is it too weak an Hedge to keep within compass Mans unruly Corruption of the fallen Nature therefore Man stands in need of a wall as well as of an Hedge Hos 2.6 to Restrain him from Evil nor indeed is Restraining grace sufficient which that pagan King Abimelech was blest with Gen. 20.6 but there must be Renewing Grace also Eph. 4.23 there must be according to the tenure of the New Covenant a Supernatural Work of Light Life and Love I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People saith the Lord Jer. 31.32 33. This plainly imports the Insufficiency of the unrenewed Estate wherein the best Bank that can be made against sin is so low and weak that it is easily overflowed or broken down by the strong Torrent of Corrupt Natural Affections As the Light of Nature which is called the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 burns but darkly and dimly in the fallen Estate so that it cannot Discover the guilt of Adams sin committed almost 6000. years agoe nor that Original Pollution descended upon all Mankind thereby nor can it discern that great Damning sin of unbelief John 3.18 36. which binds the guilt of all other sins upon a sinners Conscience c. so the Law of Nature is so weak and of such little force that it cannot carry the Soul up to the Spiritual part of any Holy grace or duty
Disciple fondly Forecasts to lay up a Stock before hand that he might have something to live upon after his Lords Death c. Christ Crosseth the Traitour in his covetous Concupiscence of fingering such a Sum and Patronises Mary's Act in Anointing him who was the Christ which signifies the Lord 's Anointed Isa 61.1 Luke 4.18 and Acts 4.27 and Acts 10.38 saying the Poor ye have always with you c. John 12.7 8. To give unto when you please Alluding to Deut. 15.11 Now Christ staying at Bethany a day or two the fame of his coming thither did Revive the fame of Revived Lazarus hereupon many People do the Pharisees what they could to the contrary came thither not only for Jesus sake only but to see Lazarus also c. ver 9. N. B. That they might fish something out of him concerning the future Estate of the Dead though they lost their labour herein and though we find not they asked Lazarus any Questions where his Soul had been while his Body lay in the Grave which Austin saith was in Manu Dei in the Hand of God not in Purgatory as Papists say for they send none thither by their own principle but Men of Middle-make betwixt Just and Vnyast Now â—azarus was None such but a very good Man and so beloved of Christ Yet many of them leaving the City believed in Jesus ver 9 11. This made the Sanhedrim mad therefore out of their Outrage they consult to kill Lazarus because by his means of being Raised to life the Honour of the Messiah was much more promoted to their own great Regret and Grief N. B. Note well Oh! How were those Outrageous Wrotehes Transported to take up Arms against Heaven it self in seeking to kill a Man only because God had made him alive Though they were thus driven by the Devil to Resolve the Ruine of Lazarus at this time yet as Epiphanius saith he lived 30 years after this as a Monument of Christs Miracalous power and as a Trumpet of his glory long after Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension But these Malitious mad-men Envy all this while feeding upon their own hearts because they could not come at their killing purpose nor suppress the Truth meet with a worse Provocation than ever before to wit Christs Riding in Triumph from Bethany or Bethpage to Jerusalem Maugre all the Malice of Angry Men and Inraged Devils This is Recorded by all the four Evangelists John 12.12 to 2â— Luke 19.29 to the end Mar. 11.1 to 11. and Matth. 21.1 to 17. N. B. Note well There were two Special Times wherein Christ put forth some Beams of his State of Exaltation in his State of Humiliation the one was at his Transfiguration and the other was at this Triumphant Riding The first was private before no Witnesses save Peter James and John who only of Terrestial Persons beheld the Dazling glory of Christ upon Mount Tabor as before in its place But this his Rideing in Triumph to Jerusalem had many some Authors say even Three Hundred Thousand Witnesses crying Hosanna that is the Lord save us to him after the Solemnity of a King and as the Son of David c. The nearer Christ came to the appointed Hour wherein he resolved to lay down his Life the more Magnanimity he putteth forth and meets Death in the very face like the Captain of our Salvation though perfected with Suffering Heb. 2.10 And the more doth he Reveal himself to be the Messiah that was promised in whom all the promises as well as the Types and Figures of the Law were Accomplished And least the Nature of his Kingdom should be mistaken to be Temporal and of this World He Rides not here in any pompous Grandeur upon a Stately Palfrey as Alexander Julius Cesar c. did in a most Splendid Lustre and glorious Equipage but he to Evidence he was no Earthly potentate Rideth here upon a Silly Ass without any Pomp or Splendour not only to shew that his Kingdom was of another World but also to Comfort the poorest and to teach us Tolerance Humility and Patience He Rides here like a poor Man sitting upon a Beast of Burden and that not his own but borrowed while he Rode in Triumph to Jerusalem as Sions King foretold of him Zech. 9.9 This borrowed Beast that bore him was of small Value having no costly Saddle or Stately Trappings to sit upon but only common Garments cast over his Back nor had he any Yeomen of the Life-guard to Attend him only the Common People so that this Poâ—r-port in all its Circumstances seemed Contemptible Yet all this was for our good behold thy King cometh unto thee c. thus poorly Accommodated though Lord of all Acts 10.36 and Heir of all things Hebr. 1.3 Yea King of Kings Revel 19.16 Yet became he thus poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8.9 And though here he appeareth but a poor King yet herein he putteth forth six several Demonstrations of his Divine Power N. B. Note well as 1. That he knew there was such an Ass with her Colt 2. That he sent for them 3. He foresaw the Owners would question the Messengers 4. That he professeth himself the Lord of them 5. He could tell the Masters would send this Lord what he sent for and 6. That all were accordingly done as he had said Mathew mentions both the Foal and the Dam as Zachary doth intimating his Riding upon them both sometimes on the one and sometimes on the other seeing both of them had Garments spread upon them from whence some of the Antients say that by the Ass is understood the Jews laden with the Law and by the Colt the Gentiles that wandred whether they would an untamed People but seeing Mark Luke and John mention only the Colt and it would seem Ridiculous so to change his Beast in Riding so small a Journey therefore the more received Opinion is that he Rode only upon the Colt to which the Ass was yoaked and this Colt was whereon never Man Sat as if he had been Destinated to this very purpose for such Animals as have not been soyled in Humane Services were wont to be applyed to and employed in the most Sacred Services And this might the better convince the most stubborn Jews concerning the Kingly Office and Power of Christ seeing it could not be done without a Miracle that an untamed Colt should quietly carry Christ who was the first that Backed him N. B. Note well But who is it And what is it That this Lord of Beasts and Hearts cannot Tame when he gives out his Mandamus and undertakes the Management thereof c. Here the Multitude are also moved to do Honour to the Messiah in Despight of the Sanhedrim's Threatning Excommunication John 9.22 as to a King whose passage is Beautified with Rich Hangings rare Flowers and Rowzing Acclamations here this People give him the best of their best Congratulating his coming to the Passover in their Capital City
Prince and God should be destroyed by his Death ver 30 31. And that when he was Crucified he would draw all to him the Gentiles as well as Jews ver 32 c. of John 12. The 3d Remark is Christ Cursing the fruitless Figures Matth. 21.17 to 23. and Mar. 11.11 to 27. The hints we have also from John and Lucks are these John 12.36 saith when Christ had Transacted what passed in the foregoing Paragraph he departed and hid himself c. and in Luke 21.37 't is said On the Day he Taught in the Temple Lodging by Night was lest he should Expose himself to Jeopardy before the time so withdraws privately to Bethany because some say none durst Harbour firm in Jerusalem In Mar. 11.11 'T is said that Christ after his Riding in Triumph then both went into the City and into the Temple which was his principal care to Reform and looked about him round upon all things only making his Observations of all Disorders at that time now the Evening drawing nigh and none of all his followers while he looked round about durst Entertain him in the City though they had cast their Garments in his way thither so that he was forced to foot it as far as Bethany two miles out of Town for a Nights lodging yet returns betimes the next Morning to his work which lay there and for hast thereto he forgat it seemeth to take his Breakfast for ere he came to the City he was Hungry ver 18. Mat. 21. and expected to havelfed upon Figs from the Fig-tree in the way ver 19. but found none Christs natural Hunger and a sinless Ignorance do declare him to be a True Real Man Subjecting himself to Human Infirmities And because he found nothing but leaves he cursed it Mark 11.14 Though the time of Figs was not yet to wit of Rire Figs it being but early Spring yet about our April However he looked for more than leaves had he found but green Figs only or those of the last Summers Growth that had hung on all Winter he would have been glad of them hard Hunger would have made them sweet and Savoury The time of Ripe Figs was not till five Months after the Passover The Disciples wondred when they saw it withered by the Curse of Christ who was sent to bless Acts 3.26 And ever blessed all Therefore we may not think Christ Cursed this Tree for any Indignation against it being under the law of its nature and so faultless but it was done for our Instruction that as the Jewish Synogogue then were all for Fruitless Ostentation and thereby became nigh unto Cursing N. B. Note well So now the Lord looks for more than leaves of profession from us even the Fruits of the Spirit which if not found such a withering may be inflicted as takes the very leaves away The 4th Remark is Christ purging his Temple the next day upon his Return from Bethany and after the withering of this Cursed Fig-tree Mar. 11.17 This was four days before the Passover we find not that Christ went into some Inn or Victualling House when he came next Morning into the City No He forgot himself to remember us he turned Water into Wine for others yet would not turn Stones into Bread for himself the Zeal of Gods House bad eat him up here it was Meat and Drink to him to do the Will of his Father John 4.34 This he preferred before his necessary Food Job 23.12 He goes straight to the Temple the Reformation of Religion being his chiefest care He falls again upon the same work in the end of his Ministry to wit casting out the Money-Merchants c. as he had done three years before at his first entrance into it John 2.14 15. And inveighs against the same sins of Simony c. with the same Arguments c. See at large before this is enough to say here Yet he that was thus Rigorous to those Thieves tenderly Healed the Diseased in the Temple He had room for them there Matth. 21.14 c. The 5th Remark is Christ having cast out those Profaners of the Temple that thought they could not do amiss because they served in Temple Worship as Jerem. 7.11 upon the fourth day before the Passover he left the Canker'd Carles the Priests Scribes and Pharisees in a most desperate fret and in the greatest Grief and Regret Imaginable and went again that Evening to Bethany not only because he was unwilling to lose any more labour or cast away his Cost upon such an Indocible and Refractory crue but also if not for his safety's sake assuredly for his Delight and to Refresh himself with his Dear Friend Lazarus c. after his hard Labour and little Success In the Morning three days before the Passover he Returns again to the Temple where he was principally concerned to Teach the People that came thither in great Confluences against the Passover for Purification especially when the Money-Merchants c. were whipped out by him N. B. Note well to shew that a good Mans Heart is where the work of his Calling is and though he spent a little time in Visiting Lazarus and other Friends yet was he then like the Fish that leaps out of the Water into the Air either for Recreation or for necessary Refreshment but soon returns to his own Element again and we may wonder what a deal of work our Lord did those three last days of his Temporal life before he was Apprehended c. with what Zeal and Fervency of Spirit he spent them for in that space of time he spake all those Sermons and Discourses Recorded by Mathew from chap. 21.23 to chap. 26. and by Mark. from chap. 11.27 to chap. 14. and by Luke from chap. 20.1 to chap. 22. and by John from chap. 12.36 to chap. 18. It may seem incredible that so much work as is set down in all these four Evangelists some Relating one and others another could possibly be done in so little a time as the three last days of his Liberty But assuredly our Lord dispatched all these Passages with such Speed as if he had been loth to be taken before his Task and Time was done N. B. Note well Teaching us hereby to work out our Salvation Phil. 2.12 To get up to our work to make work of our work and not to work at it only but to work it up to a finishing that when our Glass is run out we may be able to say with our Saviour John 17.4 Father I have finished the work thou gavest me to do in the World Therefore should we with the Twelve Tribes serve God Instantly Night and Day Acts 26.7 Yet all this would be found little enough the Righteous are scarcely Saved 1 Pet. 4.18 'T is very hardly done by the best The 6th Remark is Christ being come into the Temple in the Morning of the first of these his three last days his Antagonists find him Teaching there would he have kept
there is a Practical Discourse in the Court of a Man's Conscience either to chuse Christ and his Graces or his own Lusts and Delights The former in one Scale and the Latter in the other man standing in the midst holding the Ballance in his Hand Then the Court of Conscience puts the Question Which of these two will we chuse If we then tilt the Ballance and make Sin have more weight and worth to our Wills than a Saviour and Judge to live prophanely is more eligible than to live piously thereby we justifie the Jews who before we condemned and do far worse than they who did make this mad choice in the Time of their Ignorance Acts 3.17 Luke 23.34 c. which God winked at in such as were Converted Acts 17.30 c. but we do it in the Time of our Knowledge c. Against much Means and many Mercies against the Checks and Chidings of our own Consciences They thus Affronted Christ only when he was in his state of Humiliation but we do it now in his state of Exaltation and lastly They did it but once whereas we do it often Crucifying the Lord Christ afresh c. Heb. 6 6. Trampling that precious Pearl under foot as if he were no better than the filthiest Dirt in the Streets Heb. 10.29 How much Sorer Funishment then do they deserve beyond that of the Jews that became a Curse c. for this choice who dare chuse a Lust before the Lord c. we should rather condemn our selves The Third Note is respecting Pilate as the 1st and 2d relates to the People who herein failed foully in giving this mad people who he knew had delivered the Just One out of Envy into his hands the liberty of such a choice Why did he not rather as Job break the Jaws of the Wicked and pluck the Spoil out of their Mouths Job 30.19 why did he not when he found as he said that Jesus had done no evil pronounce him Innocent contra Gentes and acquit him by publick Proclamation But this Pagan Standard of Justice was not made as it ought of Heart of Oak or of the hardest of Mettal It was Pusillanimity and Popularity that misled Pilate and so muzzled him that he could not contradict the rage of the Priests and of the many headed Multitude with this third Politick means which he grounded upon an ungodly custom of releasing a Prisoner at the Passover to Grace the Solemnity of that Feast in Remembrance of their Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage at the Passover-Time N. B. Note well Which custom though by long prescription it was now become a necessary Law Luke 23.17 was in its own Nature no better than a prophanation of that Holy Feast and an Abomination to the Lord in Justifying the Wicked and Condemning the Just Prov. 17.15 the Customs of the People are Vain still upon Holy Days c. Jer. 10.3 The Fourth Politick Means that Pilate used to clear Christ the fourth time when still the out-cry Cruoifie him Crucifie him continued was by scourging Jesus suffering the Souldiers to Plat a Crown of Thorns upon his Head a Bulrush Scepter in his Hand and an old over-worn Scarlet Robe upon his Body and then cast all their Scoffs upon him as upon a Mock-King c. This was the worst of all the four means John 19.1 2 3 4. All this was done as is supposed by the Command of Pilate purposely to move the People to pity him and therefore brought he him forth thus notoriously misused saying to them Behold the Man as who should say If there be any Bowels of Humanity and Compassion left in you Commiserate a poor Man so miserably misused and if you be Men or especially Good Men let him who is Innocent Go Free But these Monsters of Men had put off all Manhood had no Mercy left in them their natural humanity was converted into brutish cruelty They still carry on their old cry Crucifie Him Crucifie him c. Hence Remark 1st is That surely All this was Pilate's Sin for though he was much unwilling to condemn Christ yet this Arose only from the Restraint of Natural Conscience against so foul a Fact but being but an Half-Friend to Innocent Jesus he taketh Indirect Means to deliver him as was his comparing him with Barabbas and especially his ordering him to be thus grosly injured although all this was done with an honest Intention for freeing him For Evil must not be done for procuring good The least Evil must not be done for purchasing the greatest Good Rom. 3.8 Pilate persuaded himself from his own Vain Politicks not consulting with God's own Word that by inflicting these lesser punishments upon Christ he might take off the Jews from exacting greater and so thought of the two Evils he would chuse the lesser This was his carnal Policy N. B. Note well Whereas had God's Statutes been his Counsellours as they were David's Psal 119.24 he would have learnt That of two Moral Evils or Sins neither of them is to be chosen Nullum Malum est eligibile And that this fact of Pilate's Scourging Christ c. was not only Unscriptural but it was very Irrational also For a man of common sense much less a Great Judge representing God's Room should make such a sensless Argument as this I find no fault in him therefore I will chastise him c. Who can but wonder But Carnal Men of corrupt Minds cannot Resist Sin directly but would only shift it off and put it by so far as they can handsomely do it with a consistency of their credit or profit or any other Darling beloved Lust as Pilate did here four times The 2d Remark is Behold the Man yea the God-Man the Lord Jesus how he was Abased and Abused by Wicked Men For he was Scourged probably twice first before Condemnation Luke 23.16 John 19.1 which was an extraordinary Punishment whereby Pilate designed to divert and satisfie the Rage of the Jews against Christ as he expected it would content them And secondly after Condemnation described in Mat. 27.26 in Mark 15.15 Though this was done both times against the light of Pilate's Conscience by whose order the fact was done Our blessed Surety suffered Scourgings because he stood in our stead who had sinned That he might free us from the Stings of our Evil Consciences and from those Scourges of Divine Justice by the heavy Hand of God Almighty yea and from those stinging Scorpions of Infernal Devils in Eternal Torments Sanguis medici est medicina phrenetici ita factus est per gratiam Domini By those bloody Wails made upon the scourged back of our Dear Redeemer are we delivered he made us a Plaister of his own blessed blood for by his Stripes are we wretched phrantick Sinners healed c. Isa 53.5 N. B. Note well We account the Weapon-Salve almost Incredible that applying of Ointments to that Sword which Wounded a Man should by an occult quality heal
his own Body on the Tree as 1 Pet. 2.24 assures us N. B. Note well Our Lord was thrice stripped first of his own Raiment Mat. 27.28 that a Souldier's Coat might be put upon him for a Ridicule and 2dly Off again goes this Robe of Mockery ver 31. having sufficiently satiated themselves with sporting at him in these Ornaments of Derision And now they strip him the third time c. That he might hang naked upon the Cross and behold his very Garments parted among his Crucifiers ver 35. All this was done 1st That the Prophecy might be fulfilled figuratively in Daniel the Type and literally in Christ the Antitype Psal 22.18 2dly That he was Crucified naked it was to cloath us with the Rich Robe and Royal Raiment of our Redeemer's Righteousness that Golden Fleece of the Lamb of God who taketh away the Sins of the World to expiate our Sin in the Abuse of Apparel and to purchase for us the priviledge of putting on comely Raiment according to our place c. 3dly To teach us patience when spoiled of our Goods and Cloaths torn and taken off our backs Heb. 10.34 Our Lord as Elias being now to Ascend into Heaven did willingly let go his Garments So we What the Master sends for from us straightway we must let it go Mat. 21.3 as knowing in our selves which is better than knowing by Books or by the Relation of others that we have in Heaven a better and more enduring substance as well as cloathing c. The Antients do gloss upon Christ's Under-Garments which were divided into four parts and given to the four Soldiers that were imployed in Crucifying Christ as the cloaths of the Executed are given to the Executioner to signifie the Church in the four parts of the World But his Upper Garment or Seamless Coat which they say his Mother made for him doth set forth the Unity of the Church in the Bond of Love which is a Grace above all other Graces 1 Cor. 13.13 as that Coat was a covering above all his other Apparel Christi Tunica est Vnica Christ's Coat his Dove and his Dove-Coat the Church is but one Cant. 6.9 'T is one without any Seam or Sewing all over 't is Catholick over all the World and never so divided in it self as that it needeth uniting They that rent it by Schisms are worse than those Rude Souldiers who would not rend this Coat without Seam John 19.23 24. N. B. Note well Oh! how good it is to look up to an higher hand in all our Sorrows and Sufferings the Souldiers could not cast the Dice upon our Saviour's Garments but it was foretold c. the most bruitish Men are Bridled by God like the Blind Horse in the Mill knows not the end or tendency of his Work as his Master doth All is decreed to our very Garments yea to our very Hairs Mat. 10.30 The 2. d Branch of the Introduction of Christ's Passion is when they had stripped him they then lifted him up upon the Cross and Nailed his Hands and Feet fast to it All this was done for several Reasons Reason 1. For fulfiling the Figures of the Old Testament so exactly in the New The Heave offering that was lifted up and heaved toward Heaven Exod. 29.27 28. Numb 15.20 which was their Homage Heaved up to their Heavenly Landlord and 18 30 32. This prefigured the Exalting of Christ upon the Cross but more peculiarly the Brazen Serpent set upon the pole in the Wilderness did signifie Numb 21.8 as Christ himself Interprets it John 3.14 This was a Noble Type and a Notable Figure of Christ's lifting up upon the Cross The Congruity is great there it was Vide Vive look and live so here it is Crede Vive believe and live Look with an Eye of Faith and be Saved ye ends of the Earth Isa 45.22 which is the most general promise in the Word of God There it was they that looked upon their Sores and not upon the Sign dyed for it So here it is that they which look upon their Sins only and not upon their Saviour do Despair and Die There it was that such as looked upon the Serpent though with a weak Eye were Cured So here it is if we look upon Christ Crucified as he is held forth in his Ordinances and especially in the Sealing and Confirming Ordinance Gal 3.1 though but with a weak Faith so we be but Faithful in Weakness we shall be Saved c. The 2. Reason why Christ was thus lifted up and Nailed to the Cross was for assuring as that he bore the Curse of the Law due to us and the Extremity of the Wrath of God both in his Body and Soul for our sins Gal. 3.13 1 Pet. 2.24 No other Death would satisfie not only these Mens matchless Malice but also the Great God's Holy Justice or could be so fit to deliver us from the Curse of the Law except this Cursed Death of the Cross more accursed than Stoning or any other kind of Death not so much in its own Nature or in the Opinions of Men or by the Law of the Land but mostly by vertue of a particular Law of God foreseeing and fore-ordaining what manner of Death our Dear Redeemer should die Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 Hereupon this kind of Death hath in all Ages been Branded as the blackest kind of Deaths Numb 25.4 2 Sam. 21.6 And therefore the Apostle in speaking how low Christ abased himself doth not simply say he did so unto Death but adds this Accent even unto the Death of the Cross as the worst sort of Deaths Phil. 2.7 8. But of this more hereafter The 3. Branch is Pilate at the Priests Instigation puts an Inscription over Christ's Head upon the Cross importing his Capital Crime This all the four Evangelists Record some shorter and some larger He that speaks shortest yet speaks enough to the matter of the Accusation that Christ was Condemned to be Crucified for taking upon him to be King of the Jews which they pretended was Treason against Caesar Pilate by a special providence of God far beyond his own Intentions gives Christ a glorious Testimonial which he would not alter though Solicited thereto by the Priests who designed this Superscription to be the Brand of his Usurpation But as it was thus over-ruled it tended much to the glory of Christ who was indeed Jesus the Saviour and indeed a King especially of the Jews or the true Israelites of God N. B. Note well The Mouths and Hands of wicked Men are so Ordered by the most Wise God that they are constrained against their own Wills to Honour Christ when they design to Dishonour him This may serve as a Cordial and Comfort to the Servants of Christ too Some indeed do say Pilate did this to be Revenged of the Jews for their Senseless Importunity and Impudency in putting him beyond his Aim to Condemn the Innocent which he would not have done
Lastly Their rearing up the Cross into the Air and fixing it in the Ground as if he had been unworthy either to live or dye on Earth And so left him to live in misery so long as he could c. All these things they transacted in the very Face of the Sun and in Defiance to the Great God Here our Lord was exposed by those Miscreants to be Mocked c. Here was nothing done in a Corner nor was Christ Crucified below but he must be lifted up into the open Air for three Reasons First That he might conquer the Devil that Prince of the Air upon his own Dunghill his own Territory and Country no doubt in the Three hours Darkness all the Powers of Darkness were let loose to spit their utmost Venom upon our dear Redeemer yet he spoiled all those Principalities and Powers Col. 2.15 a plain Allusion to the Roman Triumphs or like that of Tamberlain over Bajazet so Christ couped the Devils up in an Iron Cage and exposed them as they had done him as a publick Spectacle of Scorn and Derision The 2d Reason was That he might pave a free passage for his Redeemed from the Earth through the Air the conquered Devil's Territories up into Heaven He here became Jacob's Ladder whereon Lazarus's Soul safely passed The 3d Reason is That he might Answer the Brazen Serpent upon the Pole as before and heal us when the Old Serpent hath stung us may we but creep to the Cross and give the least look of true Faith upon a Crucified Christ The 2d Grand Remark next the five notorious Aggravations of the Manner of Christ's Death is the Multitude of Mockers and Mockings he met with as soon as he was Reared and Raised up from the Ground into the Air upon the Cross whereunto he was fast Nailed and Exposed to Publick Scorn Remark 1 st The Mockers are described in their Persons Postures and Places or Conditions and Capacities in the World As this Dying Redeemer had a great company of People and of Women that bewailed him Luke 23.27 out of a tender compassion to him and a cordial commiseration of him So he had a prodigious crew of Crucifying Miscreants that managed this most cruel Villany and that like Villains were Mockers of Christ while he was Tortured under their matchless cruelty for full six hours together without the least Respite or Respiration until his Final Expiration whereas the Light and Law of Humane Nature teacheth all Mankind to pity those that are in Misery but these Monsters of Men void of all Humanity Mocked him all along during and enduring his long Misery These Mockers or the Assembly of Mockers Jer. 15.17 have here a threefold character Mark 1st Who their Persons were and they are of four sorts the People the Priests Souldiers and the Thieves As Christ had the good company of Condolers so he had the bad of Deriders and such as were of all these sorts of Persons When the Devil had done his worst that Malice could do against Christ's Body now he stirs up all those Devilish Instruments to Assault Christ's Mind with their cruel Mockings so called Heb. 11.36 at his Holiness and his Communion with God and all this God's Justice will have done that all our Sins might be condignly punished in Christ's Person who became Surety for Sinners to the Father And Mark here what an overspreading Leprosie and Sour Leaven was this Sin or rather Devil of Christ-mocking Here is the whole Body covered over with the putrifying Scab of this Fretting Leprosie far worse than ever Job was Job 2.7 where Biles covered him from Top to Toe or than the Jews were Lev. 13.7 8 12. when the Scab spread from Head to Foot all over and here is the whole lump leavened with the sour Leaven of Malice as 1 Cor. 5.6 One scab'd Sheep spoils the whole Flock saith the Proverb This vilest of Sins was as catching as the Plague and all these sorts of Persons drank one after another of this Cup of Poison the Priests handing it to the People they to the Souldiers and they to the Thieves c. Mark The 2d Character of those Mockers as who were the Persons so what was their Posture this the Evangelists comparing them as we ought to do in other points all together do intimate also First Some of those Mockers were in a passing posture They that passed by reviled him Mat. 27.39 and Railed on him Mark 15.29 Sure I am those Passengers were not passing in the Way of Truth but passed out of the right Road when they passed their scoffs at him Who is the Way the Truth and the Life Secondly Some of those Mockers were in a standing posture The People stood by deriding him Luke 23.35 and Some of them that stood by mocked him in his calling for Elias's help Mark 15.35 36. as after and some of them that stood there Mat. 27.47 but though they stand here to deride a dying Jesus yet could none of them stand to what they had done nor did they or their State stand long after Thirdly Some of those Mockers we may well suppose were in a siting posture as the Chief Priests Mat. 27.41 and the Rulers Luke 23.35 for whom no doubt Seats were provided for to stand so many hours of Christ's Crucifying to Death must needs be look'd upon as too much below their Grandeur However soon after the Roman Armies pluckt their Lordly Seats of State from under them and their Scarlet Robss over their Ears c. Fourthly Some of these Mockers were in an Hanging posture as the Thieves upon the Cross Mat. 27.44 and all the other Mockers must have met with no better posture might they but have met with their due demerit and the desert of their wicked doings The Crucifiers should then have changed places with the Crucified Fifthly There is yet another posture though a ridiculous one mentioned in Scripture concerning those Mockers to wit Wagging their Heads Mat. 27.39 which is indeed the posture of Fools these also wagged their wicked Tongues against Christ but because they were of the more Barbarous sort and had not Wicked Wit enough wherewith to revile him thereof do they supply the want therefore with Antick Tricks making foul Mouths and blowing their Noses as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 23.35 doth signifie throwing their snot at our blessed and bleeding Saviour they wagged their empty Noddles and gave him the most Judicious Nods that those Fools could make Thus was the Lord of Life and Prince of Glory content to expose himself to the worst of Reproaches from the worst of Rascals to purchase Honour and Glory for us Mark The 3d Character of those Mockers is what was their place and capacities they lived in If it be asked what figure those Mockers bore in the World it is answered in General the most of them were mere Cyphers such as did what they did merely to please the Christ-Killing Priests who are called
new measures to take and what retrieving counsel to follow thus the same word is used Luke 24.4 Acts 2.12 and here and Acts 10.17 N.B. Thus the wicked in the fulness of their sufficiency are in straits Job 20.22 whereas the godly have in the fulness of their straits a well-contented sufficiency True Piety hath true Plenty 1 Tim. 6.6 c. Such a non-plus and perplexity these wicked Adversaries had been plunged into before when reduced to such a strait and at such a loss as they knew not what to say or what to do Acts 4.14 20 21. Though their Fingers even itched to do something against them And now again they are confounded and startled only at this wonderful work but are not converted thereby How much more shall all wicked men be dispirited and even Ring their Bells backward at the last Day when they shall see the whole World all on a light fire when the evident presages of some eminent Temporal Judgment doth so startle them drive them into so deep a consternation now such men's hearts shall then fail them much more indeed Luke 21.26 This was fulfilled at the Siege of Jerusalem upon these wretches who were now so much troubled at the Apostle's Preaching the Crucified Christ to be alive for which they thought them sure enough in Prison yet while their restless malice was consulting to destroy them for Preaching they hear the Preachers were not only freed out of Prison but also Preaching again in the Temple This made them more mad The fifth Remark is the most sound and sacred Doctrine is an unsufferable Torment to unsound and unholy hearts When Peter and all the other Apostles answered before the Council who now had sent for them without their former Violence fearing Men more than God and aggravating their crime to the highest degree of obstinacy with odious Reflections upon Christ as one unworthy of a name verse 26 27 28. We ought to obey God rather than Man verse 29. as before Acts 4.18 19. N. B. Urging this Argument as the common sense of all considering persons a principle granted and grafted in all Mankind by the Law of Nature so that the sage Heathen Socrates could say I love you Heathens yet will I obey God rather than you How much more may Christians from the light of Scripture say When Men command or forbid us any thing contrary to the Word of God then God is to be obeyed and not Man Dan. 3.18 c. Then Peter proceeding to Preach Christ whom they had Crucified to be now an exalted Prince able to subdue his Foes and defend his Friends c. verse 30 31 32. This cut them to the heart verse 33. they were so tortured hereat that as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies they were as cut asunder with a Saw and grinning at them with their Teeth as if they would devour them Thus in all times bad men indure not good Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 4. That Honey purges green wounds but causeth pain to exulcerate parts Lusty Itch must be gratified with gentle scratching only c. The sixth Remark is the true Christian Religion which comes from Heaven cannot be destroyed by all the wicked men on Earth nor by all the Devils in Hell to help them This is asserted by Gamaliel Paul's Tutor Acts 22.3 who was a Pharisee and one of this Council yet more moderate than were the Sadduces by whose wise caution as with a Bridle God restrained the outragious Fury of those Mad-men He alledgeth 1. The History of Theudas and Judas two Rebels against the Romans both which soon dwindled away by this he counselled them to do nothing rashly for furious Indignation is but a bad Counsellor N.B. History derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of stopping the stream of Violence hath its excellent use and efficacy as it had here verse 34 35 36 37 40. Then 2. He urges a Dilemma a two-horned Argument that pushed both ways saying What the Apostles do act is either of Men or of God If of Men it hath a sandy bottom so must fall Matth. 7.27 You need not trouble your selves c. but if of God ye cannot overthrow it verse 38 39. therefore refrain and fight not against God as the proud Giants did and perished thereby N.B. This moderate Pharisee may shame our peevish Persecutors who little think they are waging War against the great God Did ever any harden himself against God and hath prospered Job 9.4 No one Instance can be given either among Tongue-smiters or Hand-smiters that could boast of the last blow or ever cry Victory No such as harden their hearts against God God will harden his hand against them Shall they escape by Iniquity No In thine Anger cast them down O God Psal 56.7 How can the borrowing Power be a meet match for the lending Power 'T is of God that all Men do live and move Acts 17.28 There is no Counsel Wisdom or Might against the Lord Prov. 21. v. 30. All contrary Powers are to no purpose if God deny concourse or influence The Arm of Humane Power and Policy like Jeroboam's shrinks up presently and while it strives for Mastery is over-mastered If God will gather together his Armies who can put a stop to him Job 11.10 The Counsel of the Lord must stand Prov. 19.21 Isa 8.10 and 46.10 Psal 33.11 Man purposeth but God disposeth There is a Counsel in Heaven that will dash down the Mould of all contrary Counsels on Earth The seventh Remark is The Issue of all and every Conflict of the Church is an happy Conquest over her Adversaries They yielded here to Gamaliel's convincing counsel yet not altogether for they will not dismiss the Apostles without beating them wherein they so far fought against God as well as in prohibiting their Preaching Notwithstanding all this beating and brow-beating the Apostles abated not of their courage nor one hair-breadth of their work but rejoiced that they were so graced in their being so disgraced for Christ They looked upon it as an high honour to be dishonoured in being beaten as Slaves as Christ their Lord hath foretold them Matth. 10.17 This Testimony to the Truth they accounted a favour and Divine Condescension according to Phil. 1.29 where 't is intimated that to suffer for Christ is as great a gift if not greater than to believe in him Nor did they for all this cease to Preach publickly as well as privately and the more outragious were the Adversaries the more couragious were the Apostles CHAP. VI. The Third Persecution against Stephen stoned BUT the next blow the Adversary gave the Church in the third Persecution was a blacker and bloodier blow as the sequel will demonstrate yet even then also was there checker'd-work still the white of Mercy marvelously mingled with the black of Misery The procuring cause of this third Persecution was this Primo-Primitive Church daily winning ground by both the two former Persecutions and growing into a very
likely none of the best it being in a blind Heathen Family yet Paul boggles not to preach to those at their call not knowing what persons or in what hour God might call This depends upon the Lord in Duty c. The eight Remark is A word in season how good is it Prov. 15.23 c. Paul here applys a Plaister suitable to the sore Those persons he preached to were defective in their Morals therefore he discourseth of the Evil of Unrighteousness and Incontinency for which the day of Judgment will call to an account This put the patient to pain made him tremble Paul's faithfulness met with no reproach or trouble as John Baptist did from Herod for the like behold the force of Conscience which like Samson's wife conceals not the Riddle 't were well if great persons had such faithful preachers This might stop them in their Career of sin and make this evil World much better The ninth Remark is Slight qualms of Conscience never last long Faelix puts Paul off as over-sharp till another Season which never came that we read off v. 25. Delay of Duty is dangerous his vices revive 1. His Avarice in expecting a bribe contrary to the Law both of God and man raised by a common purse as he hoped for such a Ring-Leader's Liberty 2. His Adulation as his Original was base and sordid so were his Actings to flatter the Jews that they might not follow him with complaints about his oppression he leaves Paul bound when turned out of Office verse 26 27. yet was sent bound himself by his successor Festus to Nero's Court Thus Faelix which signifieth Happy became Infelix unhappy as carnal Polititians do that mind pleasing of men more than displeasing of God CHAP. XXV Paul tryed before Festus THIS Chapter is resolved into Sundry Branches under one General Head namely Paul's second Tryal before Portius Festus as his first was before Faelix in the foregoing Chapter This Tryal was first transacted before Festus alone and then it was translated and devolved to King Agrippa The transactions before Festus alone consist of Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents 1st The Antecedents concern 1. Paul's Accusers wherein is Related their importunity and impudence in giving to Paul this new trouble so soon as this new Governour was come into place verse 1. Then their Cruelty and implacable hatred against the prisoner ver 2. And lastly their Craftiness in laying snares to take away Paul's life verse 3. The 2. Concerns Paul's Judge wherein we have an account both of his equity in denying their Petition v. 4. yet granting them Liberty to implead Paul at Cesarea ver 5. and of his expedition in returning speedily from Jerusalem to dispatch this Tryal there verse 6. 2ly The Concomitants which are two 1. The Jews accusation of Paul v. 7. And 2. Paul's Apology and Answer to it for himself ver 8. 3ly The Consequents are likewise two 1. The sentence of the Judge v. 9. And 2. The Exception Paul entred against the Court and Judge propounding his reasons verse 10 11. for his appealing unto Caesar to which the Governour and Council consented verse 12. Now follow the causes why Paul's Tryal was translated to King Agrippa which are two 1. The Remote cause or occasion was the King's coming to visit Festus and to congrtulate his new Government ver 13. and who also was desirous to see and hear Paul verse 22. But 2. The more immediate cause was Festus's discourse to Agrippa first private in his own palace herein he states the case with its Circumstances v. 14 15 16 to 22. and then publick in the Common Hall from v. 23. to 27. asking his advice how to manage the appeal c. preparatorys to the Third Tryal The great truths to be Remarked from the whole Chapter thus resolved follow in course The Remarks are these The first Remark is The providence of God works all things for the good of those that love God Rom. 8.28 Paul spake that word from his own experimental knowledge For 1. It wrought well for Paul that Judea was not not sui juris that is invested with a power of life and death within it self then Paul had undoubtedly gone to the Pot before this time but it was a providence under the Roman power for Paul's relief And 2. 'T was no less a good providence to Paul that the old Governour Faelix was Cashiered out of his Office who had so wrongfully detained him a prisoner for two years only because Paul would not or rather could not bribe him tho' his preaching so powerfully had made him tremble before But as that qualm soon Evaporated so did his honour for at Festus's coming to the Government he was packed away to Rome a bound prisoner as he had kept Paul bound so long to answer before the Emperor Nero for his barbarous misdemeanours laid to his charge by the Jews in his Government A right reward for him who to please the Jews left Paul bound Acts 24.27 to pacify them that they might not pursue him with their complaints for his exactions and cruelties this man-pleaser cared not to please the great God nor to profit good men A new Governour therefore could not but be more easy to Paul c. verse 28. Acts 24. The second Remark is Oh! how restless is the rage and enmity which the persecutors of the truth have against the professors and preachers of it as here verse 2 3. The High Priest to make good Paul's calling him a whited wall and the chief of the Jews who should have protected the truth all turn informers to persecute the truth giving private intelligence as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth to this New Governour and buzzing salfe reports into his ears against Paul Oh! what Priests and Rulers were these and how are they hurryed headlong by a Diabolical Spirit to request with utmost impudence such a favour of Festus as they call'd it namely to send away Paul up to Jerusalem when themselves had hired bloody Russians to murder him in the way an act to be abhorred of all humaned kind as notoriously contrary both to the Law of Nature and of all Nations Gentiles as well as Jews Thus were even the chiefest of those Jews given up of God even to a reprobate sense a very little before their final destruction And thus Dangerous it is for men in Authority to Corrupt Justice and not only to Degenerate from the Truth but also to become persecutors of it The third Remark is How easy it is with the most wise God to baffle and blast the most cunning contrivances of the Devil and his Instruments against his Church and Children as he did here the Plot of the priests against Paul whom they designed to Assassinate in his Journey to Jerusalem No saith Festus ver 4. he shall be kept at Cesarea c. N.B. It is more than probable that Faelix had informed this Festus of the Jews's Malice against
Paul and the rather because the Jews had informed the Emperor against him Such men will not stick to recriminate where they can have an opportunity and no doubt but this information of Faelix made Festus more favourable and carry fairer to Paul not daring to trust him among the malicious Jews This was a marvelous good providence of God for Paul's preservation Thus God sees and smiles he looks and laughs at all the Plots of the wicked against the godly Psal 2.4 and 37.12 13. and 52.6 and 59.8 yea he laughs them to nothing Therefore may we commit our present Calamitous case and cause to him as to a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 He judgeth righteously c. The fourth Remark is To be loaded with Calumnies hath been the common and constant condition of God's Servants continued along under all times of both the old and the new Testaments as is easily obvious to every ordinary observer of the sacred Story So 't is here the Jews stood round about Paul the prisoner and laid many and grievous Crimes against him which they could not prove ver 7. Acts 25. it seems tho' Festus would not grant that which those Incarnate Devils called a Favour namely an Opportunity of killing Paul in his Journey to Jerusalem yet yielded he that the worst of them who were able to Travel might do their best against him in his Tryal at Caesarea ver 5 6. whether he hastened for that purpose N.B. Now the Court conveneth the Judge sits upon the bench and the prisoner is brought to the barr the Jews accuse him of three Heinous offences as appeareth in Paul's answer to them the first Crime they charged him with is his Breaking the Law of God Professed by the Jews the second is his Prophaning the Temple of God and the third was he had Committed high Treason against the Emperour Nero none of those three gross and Capital offences could the Accusers demonstrate by any substantial or sufficient Evidence were it sufficient to Impeach no man could be Innocent c. The fifth Remark is The Servants of Christ are happy in their own Innocency while their Adversaries render themselves so much the more unhappy by how much the more they do belye them and most wrongfully calumniate them As they did Paul here who from his own Experience spake that the Ministers of the Gospel must pass through evil report and good by honour and dishonour yet keep their Integrity 2 Cor. 6.48 N.B. Hearing evil for doing well said that Martyr is writ upon Heaven 's Doors Reproach is the rude reward of a Religious Righteousness Hence Luther became proud of his Reproaches saying Superbus sio quod vid eo nomen pessimum mihi crescere c. Paul easily wipes of these three Reproaches answering that 1. He had been always a Religious observer of the Law 2. He went devoutly into the Temple upon a Religious account and 3. He never had taught any Rebellion against Caesar nor acted any thing to disturb the Emperour's Government ver 8. None of which affirmations his Enemies were able to disprove The sixth Remark is Carnal polititians care not to consider oft times what is Righteous in it's own nature so much as what is of use for their present purpose be it right or wrong as Festus here like Felix before him was willing enough to do the Jews a pleasure verse 9. with chap. 24.27 Paul probably perceived that Festus was now warping towards popularity in asking wilt thou go up to Jerusalem c Apparently inclining to favour the Jews because Felix had been displaced upon their complaints against him therefore would he merit their Opinion of him by making this offer to Paul whom he could not command to make the Jews his Judges being a Roman Citizen therefore saith Paul to him I am now before Caesars Tribunal whose Vice-gerent thou art and who only ought to Judge a Citizen of Rome ver 10. begging no favour but justice Appealing to Caesar himself from this partial Judge ver 11. This he might challenge from the suspicion of Festus as his Roman priviledge and this he did for these Reasons 1. To make Caesar more favourable to himself and to other Christians 2. Because he apprehended it far more safety to himself and to the Church and 3. He was warranted by a Divine Revelation from Christ himself to make this Appeal Acts 23.11 which extrrordinary information of his going to Rome could not but be a mighty support and strong consolation to him in his intervening conflicts and Festus was glad of this appeal that without peril on the one hand and ill-will on the other he might quit his own hands of such an Intricate affair which he understood not ver 12. The seventh Remark is God will not be wanting to his Servants in straits but will dispose of matters in order to their Deliverance when it may conduce to his own glory and their good Thus it is here ver 13 14 15 16 c. King Aggrippa must come to congratulate Festus who must declare the case of God's oppressed Servant to the King how the Jews at Jerusalem desired Judgment against Paul Indictâ causâ without a fair hearing on both sides Festus must condemn this by the light of nature and of nations to be an unjust desire and quite contrary to the Roman Custom especially against a Roman Citizen by this means the wicked malice of the Jews was made manifest and Paul's preservation was provided for yea and God's design of Paul's publishing the Gospel at Rome it self according to the Divine Revelation Acts 23.11 was likewise hereby promoted Thus the Lord will be seen in the Mount for his distressed Servants when it will have a tendency to his honour he will raise up some Festus or other to open the oppressed man's Cause as God did the Chief Buttler in the cause of Joseph Gen. 41.9 c. and Jonathan in David's cause 1 Sam. 18.3 and 19.2 c. The eighth Remark is 'T is Notorious injustice in a Judge to pass Sentence of Condemnation upon a person unheard and not permitted to make his best defence for himself c. This baseness was below the Roman Gallantry while Pagans v. 16. The accusers must stand face to face to the accused NB. The Roman manner was The Accusers sat in those Seats that were at the left hand of the accused and his advocate at the right hand The Plaintiff had three hours allotted him the Defendant had six and if he were cast yet was he not given up to his Adversaries to be punished at pleasure as those Jews would have had Paul here but as the Judge appointed it Nor was this manner of administring Justice only according to the excellent Law of the Romans but also according to that more excellent Law of the Jews given to them by God himself Deut. 21.4 Nay the contrary practice was against the Law of nature and of all nations yet such a Diabolical Spirit of
Pilot and Captain all this stormy night while thus under thâ—â—â—d circumstances of being both in the Deep and in the Dark far worse than the former Storm Mat. 8.23 24. Though then the Ship shipped in much Water by the overgrown waves so that she was ready to founder at Sea yet had they Christ at hand with them Imbark'd in the same Bottom and though he was then fallen fast asleep 〈◊〉 might they soon awake him there as they did But here their Lord and Capâ—â—â—â— of their Salvation Heb. 2.10 had withdrawn himself out of their Call and they kâ—â—w not when he would come therefore had they no prospect but that of perishing So 't is thus oft with the Church c. 7. As these Ship-men here did not altogether despond as those Desperado's did betaking themseleves to their Boat Act. 27.30 but kept their Ship plyed their Oars and tugg'd hard at them even all the Three long Watches of the night John 6.19 when their Sails were useless the boisterous Wind not admâ—â—â—ng their handing out then their Oars were useful which being well handled with hands all not only kept the Ship more steady in the Storm but carried them 30 Furlongs even to a sight of their Saviour N.B. Note well So Christ's Church men must not even in the worst of Times despair and cast away their Oars their Prayers and Tears but ply them hard hands all God will be trusted but not tempted by a wilful neglect of practicable means In thus doing thirty Furlongs more may bring us to a look on him whom our Souls look and long for c. 8. As this Ship sailed in darkness and therefore knew not whither she went John 12.35 yet Christ had his Eye upon her though in the dark and saw them toiling with their Oars Mark 6.48 therefore breaks off prayer hastens to them knowing his presence was necessary according to Mary's and Martha's words Lord if thou hadst been here our Brother had not died John 11.21 32. Though Christ's presence did not free them from the Fright of the former Storm Mat. 8.23 24. yet from the Ruine of it for when awaked he rebuked it And though Christ's command and their obedience thereto for they went not to Sea without the Lord's constraint Mat. 14.22 did not secure them from meeting with a Storm in their way yet Christ hastens to relieve them from being all ruined by it So will he do with his Church whose affliction he sees also Exod. 3.7 9. As no stoâ—â—y Sea nor the surliest Surges thereof did hinder Christ from coming in to the Relief of his distressed Disciples whose distress arose with the stress of the Tempest and rather than not relieve them from Ruine he will do what Job saith shall be done by God himself He will tread upon the waves of the Sea Job 9.8 He hastens not to them in some other swifter Ship nor conveys himself immediately among them in the sâ—me Ship which he could have done by his Divine Power no less than transport his Body after from Earth to Heaven but he comes walking upon the proud waves as upon a level Marble Pavement whether by consolidating the surface of the Sea or by suppressing the gravity of his Humane Body by his Divine Power or both seems presumption to determine however infinitely transcending the Art of those Water-walkers in our day who yet cannot tread the Waters with a dry foot Christ needed not here any Transport-Ship we now here talk'd of to carry Men into Flanders c. So will Christ come to relieve his Distracted Church leaping over Hills and Mountains Cant. 2.8 and his way is in the Sea and his path in the great Waters yea his footsteps are not known Psal 77.19 They are unsearchable Rom. 11.33 34. Oh that we may see or hear his goings Psal 68.24.10 As Christ came not to his Ship the first watch spending all that time in praying for them on the Mount then betwixt the Cock-crowing and the dawning of the day at which time 't is usually darkest Christ came so he doth to his Church and so he doth to his Children N. B. Note well 1. To his Church in general the first Watch was under the Law the second was under the Prophets the third was the Time of Christ's coming in the Flesh and the fourth is when he comes in Glory till then the Church shall be tossed with Tempests and he will find her wearied with the Yoke of Antichrist c. But in particular this Rolling tumbling Ark hath interchangably her Times of Deluge and Tempests and her Times of Resting upon Mount Ararat Christ observes his seasons of chaining up or changing the worrying Wolves and of giving his Churches Rest thereby Acts 9.31 but they must wait till towards the morning and then the upright shall have dominion over their Adversaries Psal 49.14 And thus 2. He deals also with his Children he tarries till their first Watch of the night be over under their Self-reflections and the second Watch under Self-abhorrency and the third Watch under a firm Resolution for Self-reformation then comes he at the fourth Watch to comfort them and causeth the Spirit of Bondage which is attended with Horrour and Terrour to conclude comfortably in the Spirit of Adoption performing his own promise Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted at the 4th Watch Math. 5.4 11. As when Christ came to comfort his distressed Disciples they were farther affrighted mistaking their Deliverer for a Destroyer Even so it is sometimes with the Church misapprehending more danger to be approaching even when Deliverance is at the door As Christ came towards them walking upon the Waters and taking long strides from the top of one swoln Wave to another The Disciples mistook him for a Spectrum that was some presage of their Shipwrack or for that Evil Spirit that had raised the Storm and was now come to carry them all away not only into the bottom of the deep Sea but also into the bottomless and deep Pit of Hell Hence arose both their Terrour and their Clamour and they wished him farther off from them and hence also it may be supposed was the reason why our Lord would have passed by them Mark 6.48 not so much to try them a little longer as out of a sparing Tenderness towards them foreseeing he should become farther affrightful to them supposing him some Hob-Goblin and no real Man whose solid Body they thought could not be born up upon the fluid Waters But though the darkness of the night might something excuse their mistakes yet certainly was it their sin of infirmity in many respects As 1. In measuring Christ's Actings by their own Humane and Natural Model as if he could do nothing above the power of Nature c. 2. In their being so affrighted at the Appearance supposed of one single Phantasm while they were so many together who should all have believed that as they were in Christ's Precincts
not undertaking this hazardous Voyage without his express Precept so they safely lay in the Arms of Christ's protection and so long as he keeps the Insuring-Office the Devil himself could not harm them without their Lords-permission And 3. Their vain Imaginations If the darkness was not so condensed as to hinder them from beholding the Spectrum they might also have seen and known their Saviour had they trusted in him and their senses not been disturbed by their fancies and fears which were now got above their Faith when they should have been below Psal 56.3 Gen. 15.1 Thus it is with the Church things seems to go backward ere they go forward though Christ be come Duplicantur lateres venit Moses when the tale of Bricks were doubled then came Moses 12. As the Disciples deserved reproof for their misbelief yet Christ pities and pardons their perplexities and passions speaks good words and comfortable to them saying Be of good cheer it is I be not afraid 't is no nocturnal Bug-bear but your very Saviour in whose presence ye have no just ground to fear your extremity is my opportunity I am that I am Exod. 3.14 Hereupon they desire him to come up into the Ship when he had made them able to know it was he that spake as he ever doth to his own People John 6.21 N. B. Note well Thus Christ covers our mistakes we think sometimes he is mad as Mark 3.21 when he exercises us with harsh Providences though he do all things well Mark 7.37 They mistook him for a Spirit not only now but after Luke 24.37 till he had convinced them by both being touched by them and by his eating with them v. 39.42 nor was this the only time of Christ's seeming to go from them Mark 6.48 for he did so Luke 24.28 only that they might invite him both times let us do so also c. 13. As still Peter must be tryed for asking a sign and Christ must be entertain'd tho' at hand before the Storm cease c. N.B. Note well So we still hanker after signs and invite him not earnestly to a constraint c. were this done the Sea would be calm and as soon as Christ sets his foot upon the Ship she would immediately be at Shore Our Jesus sets his foot upon the proudest Waves of wickedness as did Joshua upon the necks of his loftiest Adversaries Josh 10.24 Christ is not far off Acts 17.27 Rom. 10.6 c. constrain him to come in and he will bear the Ship more than she bears him so can lift her into the Haven of Hope No sooner is Christ come into any heart but presently Conscience is becalm'd Lust is our Tempest while we love the Lord we with Peter can walk on the Waters but when we love the World then begin we to sink yet if then we cry to Christ he hath an helping-hand for us c. The Romanists applaud this fact of Peter but Pareus shews he believed not without a sign as the rest did and had it but with a check v. 31. Mat. 14. CHAP. XXII NO sooner were Christ and Peter come up into the Ship Mat. 14.32 but the Wind ceased as if it had been weary with blowing so big and boisterous out of the Devils mouth and now desired rest after its hard labour as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Then both the Tryal and Trouble of the Disciples and Mariners ended together and most happily ended both in the Increase of their knowledge and in glorifying God ver 33. They all came and worshipped him as the Son of God not by Creation as Adam Luke 13.38 and as the Angels Job 1.6 nor by Adoption as all Believers John 1.12 and 1 John 3.1 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. By Eternal Generation Prov. 8.22 And 2. By Personal Vnion Psal 2.7 This new Experience of Deliverance from the danger of death made a deeper Impression upon the Disciples spirits concerning Christ's Divine Power and Godhead than his miraculous feeding of 5000 with five Loaves had done for then were they not in any imminent or eminent danger of dying as here therefore being then secure they considered not so well that Miracle Mark 6.52 N.B. Note well We are more teachable in Adversity than in Prosperity especially if God illuminate our minds then Now when Christ had brought the Ship safe to Shore over the Bay betwixt Bethsaida from whence his Disciples launched out and Capernaum not to the contrary side of the Lake but only cross that Bay or Bosom on the same side therefore 't is said the People whom he had fed with the Loaves here did before follow him on foot from Capernaum to Bethsaida John 6.1 Mat. 14.13 and Mark 6.32 33. and came up to him in Bethsaida's Desart where he fed them And now when his Disciples return by Sea again they are said to go over to Bethsaidâ—â— Mark 6.45 and from thence to Capernaum John 6.17 coasting still upon the same side yet met they that astonishing Storm tho' they pass'd not over the Lake to the other side beyond Jordan aforementioned But that which is highly remarkable here is that these very People which had footed it after Christ from Caperndum to Bethsaida over a Bridge near Tiberias yet they return in Ships back to Capernaum that they might ' meet with their bellies-filling Jesus so much the sooner John 6.22 23 24. and they meeâ— with no Storm in their Voyage as the Disciples had done to teach us that the World sails with fair gales of Wind when the poor Church is tossed with Tempests Isa 54.11 as also that the greatest Graces must expect to encounter the greatest Exercisâ—â— Now Christ is got to Genezareth supposed to be the same Countrey with Cinneroâ—â— Josh 11.2 19.35 however out of Herod's Jurisdiction where he wrought his next Miracle of healing all the Sick in that Countrey by their only touching the hem of his garment Mat. 14.34 35 36. and Mark 6.53 to the end wherein we have these following Remarks 1. Our Lord went about doing good Acts 10.38 healing every where such as came 〈◊〉 him yet harming none no not such as were refractories any where no not in obstinate Samaria Luke 9.53 56. Though his Apostles did strike dead those two Lyars against the Holy Ghost Acts 5.5 10 and did strike blind that Sorcerer Acts 13.11 by their gift of Miracles but we have no such Instance in Christ the giver thereof The 2d Remark is A People that have blown upon the Gospel are more unkind to Christ than they that have not had it before Thus Christ's own Countrey-men Nazareth reject him and resolve to break his neck Luke 4.29 when this Genezareth an Emblem of the Gentiles Conversion do kindly receive Christ and acknowledge him the Messiah and they rejoyced at his coming amongst them c. The 3d Remark is Oh the matchless candour and kindness of Christ to all commers to him He heals all promiscuously here
first Adam yet could not do either to the second Adam but he was conquer'd by him who with an Apage commands him out of his presence ver 10. N.B. Note well 2. Tho' those Thieves Sin and Satan could neither Stop nor Strip the Second Adam yet they did not only dismount the First Adam from his Primitive Innocency which should have sustain'd him but also strip'd him of that Robe of Righteousness which should have array'd him and of that Majesty and Glory wherewith he was Created and Crowned Psalm 8.5 6 Having Dominion over all Creatures ver 7 8. If those Thieves prevailed over such a Green Tree as Adam was in his Pure State it may well be supposed what mischief they may do both to the Habitual and Back-sliding Sinner N.B. Notewell 3. Nor was this all the damage those Thieves did to the First Adam that Original Sinner but they striped him so sorely and wounded him so deeply as to leave him half dead that is they spoiled him of his Immortality of his posse non cadere possibility of not falling wherein he was Created and reduced him into a mortal state In the day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 to wit thou shalt be a mortal for by this one man's sin Death entred into the World as well as Sin and Death hath Reigned from Adam unto this Day Rom. 5. 12 14. Heb. 9.27 yet in this sense those Thieves left him but half dead not only because tho' his Immortality seized upon his External body yet his Internal Soul remained Immortal but also because he recovered his Fall by Believing in that Promise of the Woman's Seed Gen. 3.15 as is made more manifest in my first volume of the Life and Death of Adam however all the Posterity of Adam are doomed in the Scripture of Truth not only half dead but wholly dead even stark dead in Sin Eph. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Inferences from hence are First Sinners are great losers such as Travel from Jerusalem to Jericho from the Blessing to the Curse do forsake their own mercies with Jonah Jon. 2.8 while they follow lying vanities such may meet with a Tempest a Whale as he did yea and an Hell it self Jonah cried out of the Belly of Hell and the Lord heard him Jon. 2.2 but God will not hear Impenitent ones that howl in Hell Secondly If Sin be such a notorious Thief that both Robs God of his Honour and Man of God's Favour yea it Robb'd the Angels that Fell as well as Adam and still Robs us of our Spiritual Graces the Money that should maintain us in our Passage to Heaven as well as of many Temporal Blessings while we live upon Earth as of our Health Wealth c. which we forfeit by our Sin c. Then Thirdly Make a most strict search for this Thief let not thy Heart be as an Hostess to entertain it nor thy Senses be as Doors to let it enter nor thy Affections as Handmaids to attend it Soul thou not art won over to Jericho until thy Heart and Affections be won thither but if thy Face be to Jerusalem Luke 9.53 then God's Angels and a Pillar of Glory shall both Protect and Direct thee Be sure to secure this Thief c. If thou cry out thou shalt not Dye Deut. 22.27 as the betrothed Damosel Therefore when thou seest the Thief a coming to thee be sure thou consent not to his coming as he did Psalm 50.18 but shut thy Door against him and hold him fast as Elisha did against the murdering Messenger 2 Kin. 6.32 If thou open thy door to him thou art then a Partner with the Thief and so an hater of thy own Soul Prov. 29.24 when the Door is left carelesly open then the Thief cometh in Hos 7.1 and He cometh not but for to Steal Kill and Destroy John 10.10 that is the Thiefs Errand and tho' he be blame-worthy for doing so badly yet whom must we blame for leaving open the Door We are commanded to shut our Chamber Door and hide our Selves till the Indignation be past Isa 26.20 but when this good Shepherd this compassionate Samaritan comes and knocks Rev. 3.20 with the Hammer of his Word and with the hand of his Spirit we must open to him immediately Luke 12.36 Now come we to the Remedy against this manifold Malady aforenamed The Remedy is threefold as the Malady was but the former two are Remedies Imaginary only but no real Remedies ver 31 32. as first Remark 1st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 31. which is read by Chance but it may be better read by Providence for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifies the Lord who orders all casualities by his over-ruling Providence 't is the blind Pagans that ascribe fortuitous things to their blind Goddess Fortune whereas Man's way is not in himself c. Jer. 10.23 and God tells Moses Pharaoh will go next Morning to the River side Exod. 7.15 and thus Nebuthadnezzar standing with his Army at the head of two ways unresolved whether to March against Ammon or against Jerusalem he there cast Lots and the Lord disposed them Prov. 16.33 so as to March against the Latter Ezek. 21.20 21 22. what is contingent to Man is necessary to God Homer could say All things are Chained to Jove's Chair-foot sure I am they are so to the Hand of the true Jehovah so this Greek word ver 31. excludes the purpose of Man but not at all the Counsel of God c. Remark 2d A certain Priest came down that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side N.B. Note well This is not writ to vilifie all Priests for Christ himself was a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck Heb. 7.11 15 17. but it was to shew that Christ being the end of that legal Priesthood was now become more compassionate to his Neighbour Man in a new Evangelical way Tho' Priests under the Law were ordained to shew compassion Heb. 5.2 3. yet now the Comforter was coming to endow a Gospel-Ministry with Messages of glad tidings and with gifts of Compassion Jude ver 22. and with whom he was to abide to the World's end Mat 28.20 Remark 3d This Priest had an opportunity to shew Mercy unto this half Dead Man whom therefore Christ calls his Neighbour but he had no Bowels of compassion towards him tho' he had this opportunity 'T is said here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he passed by on the other side he stood at a distance opposite to him as the Greek word signifies possibly he might plead 1st I am in great hast in my Journey and cannot stay here 2d I am afraid of the like harm by those Thieves my self Or 3d Above all I may not touch a Dead Carcase for that is pollution by the Law Thus this Priest wanting a pittying Heart might cover his neglect with such slender excuses of Fear and Horror c. even the