Aarons rod better then the rest that it alone should bud and the rest lye dry by it n Num. 17.8 every name was alike written in their rod there is nâ— difference in the letters nor in the wood it is Gods choise that made the distinction So what was the floore of a Jebusite to the Lord above all other soâ—les to build an Altar on after the raging plague in Davids time o 2 Sam 24.18 As in places so in persons God maketh men to differ p 1 Cor. 4.7 and that is ever worthiest that he pleaseth to accept Araunah a Jebusite by nature but made a Proselyte by grace giveth his freehold as a King to the King q 2 Sa. 24.23 This deed of his or rather this work of Gods free grace is long after remembred by the prophet as some not improbably interpret him Ekron shall be as the Iebusite r Zach. 9.7 That is say they the barbarous people of Palestina shall be as the famous Araunah by kindred indeed a Jeâ—usire but by Gods gracious acceptation and adoption an Israelite Like as elsewhere Jether that was by his country and Ismaelite Å¿ 1 Chro. 7.17 is for his faith and religion called an Israelite t 2 Sam. 17.25 So then to summ up this reason albeit by nature that 's never a better of us but all are in the same hatefull and wofull condition all cut out of the same cloth as it were the sheers only going between Yet when grace once comes and sets a difference when that divine nature u 2 Pet. 1.4 as St. Peter calleth it is transfused into a man and he begins to be like unto God in some truth of resemblance the Lord cannot chuse but love and delight in his own image where ever he meets with it Now the persons of such being once in acceptation through Christ Gods beloved one x Eph. 1 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their sacrifices cannot but be well accepted also Thus the Lord had respect to Abel and his offering to Noah and his burnt-sacrifice to Abraham and his intercession for Sodom to Iobs request for his friends to Davids for his people to Pauls for those in the ship Will you know a reason Abel was a righteous person y Heb. 11.4 Noah his favourite z Gen. 6.8 Abraham his friend Iob his servant a Iob 1.8 David his corculum b 1 Sam. 13 14 or darling Paul his elect vessell c Act. 9.15 Hence their high acceptance in the court of heaven and hence that singular delight and complacency that God took in their services For though the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord yet the prayer of the upright is his delight d Prov. 15.8 Psal 4.3 The blood of a swine is as well coloured and as fair to see to as the blood of a sheep but the former was an abhomination to the Almighty and present death to the party that brought it when the later might with good leave and liking be powred about his Altar and the sacrificer depart with the publican justified and accepted And that 's the second thing we were speaking to respecting the services of Gods people in all which there is something of Gods and something of their own This later God graciously overlooks taking notice only of his own part in that we do and hence our acceptance If this be not plain enough take it thus The Lord leadeth his people by his spirit into good works by governing the habits of grace infused and producing therehence acts of grace which though mixed with corruption as from us for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean e Iob 14.4 Denominatio fit à potiori saith Iob Yet are they good before God who winks at the imperfections and have a true goodnesse in them being therefore denominated and called from the better part good works f 2 Tim. 2.21 good fruites g Mat. 12.33 fruits of the Spirit h Gal. 5.22 who exerciseth our faith hope love zeal fear of God humility and other graces in producing them Whence it is that passing by infirmities in the manner God looks upon all our religious performances as fruits of the vine i Esay 5.4 whereupon he is pleased to feed heartily the Church her self as knowing like another Rebeccah such savoury meat as he best loved inviting him thereunto Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits k Cant. 4. ult which accordingly he did as followeth in the next chapter l Cant. 5.1 SECT IIII. Vse 1. It s otherwise with the wicked Their persons are hated their performances rejected and why FOr Use of this point God gives diligent heed to Use 1 and takes great pleasure in the religious performances of his faithfull people this as it must needs be marvelous comfortable to the saints so it cannot but be exceeding terrible to the wicked and unregenerate with whom alass it is farr otherwise if they mark it For they are all Cursed with a curse even with Cains curse the Lord had no respect to his sacrifice m Gen. 4.5 with Sauls curse whom the Lord would not answer neither by dreames nor by Urim nor by prophets n 1 Sam. 28.6 with Moabs curse he shall come to his Sanctuary to pray saith the Prophet but shall not prevail o Isa 16.12 with the curse of Davids enemies who cryed out but there was none to save them Yea to the Lord but he answered them not p Psal 18.41 Or if he do hear them as he did sometime that Non-such Ahab q 1 Kin. 21.29 nay the devill himself r Matt. 8 32 yet it is for no other end then that he may come upon them the more justly and consume them after he hath done them good Å¿ Iosh 24.20 their preservation is no better then a reservation to some further mischief But usually the Lord frownes upon such and turnes the deaf ear unto them and worthily for these three causes among many First they cannot present him with any service truly good and acceptable so long as they are out of Christ t Heb. 11.6 All their actions naturall civill recreative religious are abhomination Not the plowing u Prov. 21 4 onely but the prayer of the wicked is sinne x Prov. 15 8 saith Solomon Pray they cannot indeed to speak properly because they want the spirit of prayer that spirit of grace and of deprecation y Zach. 22.10 Say they may with those many in the Psalm Who will shew us any good but pray they cannot as there Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us z Psal 4.5 Wish they may with Balaam the Soothsayer O let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end bee like unto his a Num. 23.10 But 't is a David onely that can pray in
so much only as the Eccho resounds But we must be getting and growing in this grace even in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ He is the brightnesse of his fathers glory and the expresse image of his person The beam of the Sun is not so like the body of the Sun the character on the wax is not so like the seal that imprints it nay milk is not so like milke as Christ is like his father He is up and down the self-same that his Father is they differ in nothing Christus est alius à patre non aliud but that the one is the father and not the son the other is the son and not the father Hence that of our Saviour to Philip when he said Lord shew us the father and it sufficeth us Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip He that hath seen me Ioh. 14.8 9 hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then shew us the Father The very same All-powerfull God who in fellowship of his sacred person hath a soul and body glorified the same spirituall nature is the nature of the Father As if the same soul and body that is in you were communicated with the person of your child Well might our Saviour therefore say If ye had known me ye should have known my father also John 14.7 Oh learne and labour therefore to profit more and more in the mystery of Christ to know him better in his natures in his offices in his workes both of Abasement and Advancement of Humiliation and Exaltation but especially to know him as St. Paul did for the other you may easily know out of every Catechisme to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death Phil. 3.10 This is the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus ver 8. this is life eternall Ioh. 17.3 We know no more of God and his will then we practise and have experience of Christ is said to know no sin because he did none and Eli's sons knew not the Lord though priests because they feared him not they deteined the truth they knew in unrighteousnesse as those Philosophers did Rom. 1.18 SECT IX Let them thankfully acknowledge his free grace in their adoption and why A Second duty we owe to God as his children is thankfull acknowledgement of that never-enough adored depth of his singular love in our Adoption The absolute and independant freedome of his grace herein was such that without any the least colour of cause or shew of reason in us without any defect on his part or desert on ours He drew us out of the most vile and servile condition that could be into the glorious liberty of the sons of God David was to be gathered to his fathers Psal 132.11 Esay 9.6 1 Tim. 1.17 Psal 2. and it was therefore a singular favour to him that he should have children to sit upon his throne after him But God is the King immortall as St. Paul stiles him the everlasting Father as Esay and therefore needs no son to succeed him But if he did he had a son of his own as like him as is possible whom also he hath set as King upon his holy hill of Sion Amongst men those that have children of their own if they adopt another mans childe it is commonly because their own are unfit for succession either from some bodily weaknesse as not likely to leave issue or for basenesse of spirit and badnesse of behaviour as uncapable and unfit for government Now none of all this can without horrible blasphemy be said of the Lord Christ But admit the case had so stood with God that it had been requisite he should have adopted any for his sons and heirs the good Angels might have drawn away his affection from us by their holinesse or the evill angels his compassion for their wretchednesse or he could for a need of very stones have raised up children to himself to be heirs of his kingdome in Christ It was his will only and nothing else that moved his will to set his love upon us as we may see both in the type Deut. 7.7 and in the truth Eâ—h 1.5 Surely as there was no defect or need in him so there was as little merit or desert in us For whereas in the civill adoption as when Pharaohs daughter adopted Moses Mordecai adopted Esther Jacob the two sons of Joseph there is something in the Adopted that moveth the Adoptant cither some outward inducement as kindred beauty favour c. or some inward as the gifts of the minde understanding ingenuity hopefulnes c. there was nothing at all in us to move God to such a mercy For outward respects there was neither kindled to mâ—â—te him for our father was an Amorite Ezek. 16.3 4 5 6. Christ calls his spouse first his Love and thâ—n his fair one Câ—â—t 2.10 Homo est inversâ—s decalogus Eph. 2.1 2. our mother a Hittite we were the sons of the perverse rebellious woman as Saul reproached Ionathan nor yet beauty to intice him for we were in our blood in our blood in our blood when he spread the skirt of his garment over us and said unto us Live Blood is so many severall times there named to note our extreme filthinesse so little amiable were we when he set his love upon us And for any inward motive grace which is the only thing that God looks after Psal 14.2 is not at all to be found in the naturall man Nay he stands acrosse and is quite contrary to it as being acted and agitated by the devill and held captive as a slave by him at his pleasure Loe this was our estate thus the Lord found us when he came to adopt us And indeed Adoption to speak properly as it is a borrowed terme from the civil law imports as much For it is the raking of one foâ— a son who is for present in some servitude to another And so Lawyers distinguish it from Arrogation which is say they the chusing of one for a son that is free his own man not under the command of another But such alass was not our case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.23 for both Jews and Gentiles were shut up under sin fist shut up close prisoners in the devills dungeon whose works we did as slaves and could not but do them whose image we bear as sons and could not but resemble him being as like the devill as if we had been spâ—tout of his mouth and had perished together with him in our own filth and blood like that forlorne infant Ezek. 16. had not he of his mere grace and goodnesse when it was thetime of loves said unto us Live yea when we were weltring in our blood he said Live Oh let the deep and due consideration of this matchlesse mercy and free favour ravish and
people as they partake of the Divine nature so they live the life of God Ephes 4. and have the same both sympathies and antipathies as I may so speak abhorring that which is evil cleaving to that which is good Rom. 12.9 God they know hateth evil worse then he hateth the devil for he hateth the devil for sinnes sake and not sinne for the devils sake so do they looking upon sinne as the most loathsome thing in the world the very vomit of the devil which so farre as they are regenerate they do infinitely loath to lick up And for that which is good whether things or persons these they heartily love not onely with a love of Desire as Psal 42.1 2. but also of Complacencie as Psal 73.25 26. herein resembling Almighty God not as an image doth a man in outward lineaments onely but as a sonne doth his father in nature and disposition being daily more and more conformed to the heavenly pattern and transformed into the same image from glory to glory by his Spirit and establish judgement in the gate which hitherto ye have not done vers 10 12. Perform the duties of your own particular places be good Justicers as well as good men It is said of Galba and of our Rich. 3. that they were bad men but good Princes but I hardly think it Some good parts they might have and some good acts they might do but good Princes they could not be unlesse they did hate the evil and love the good but so doth not any bad man for want of better principles Make the tree good and the fruits will be good and the contrary Evil men may be some way usefull to the Publike and do good offices for the Church and yet perish because not in a good manner upon a good motive and for a good end Rev. 12.16 the earth helped the Woman and yet chap. 16.1 the vials of Gods wrath were poured out upon the earth A good Magistrate as he sits in Gods place the judgement-seat is called the Holy place Eccles 8.10 so hee loving what God loveth and hating where God hateth can boldly write over it that Distich that is said to bee written over the Tribunall in Zant in letters of gold Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bonos It may be that the Lord. Or out of doubt the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious c. He is surely ready were men but ripe and right for mercy it sticks onely on their part and not on his he waiteth to be gracious Esay 30.18 Oh unworthy we that cause him so to do Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia They are but a remnant that shall have mercy Chrysolog a few that shall finde favour Oh labour to be of those few that shall enter into life Luke 13.24 Verse 16. Therefore the Lord God of Hosts the Lord saith thus Therefore wherefore because neither promises of mercy nor menaces of misery will work upon you stand forth and hear your doom your sentence of condemnation and it beginneth Acts Mon. as is usuall In nomine Dei neither can you say as that Martyr did when wrongfully sentenced ye begin in a wrong name To assure the matter the Prophet here heapeth up three Majesticall names of God that they might tremble and turn considering the greatnesse of Him with whom they here have to do being glorious in holinesse fearefull in prayses doing wonders Exod. 15.11 wailing shall be in all streets c. A generall outcry as once in Egypt when in every house there was a dead corps or as at the taking and sacking of Troy there was Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago Virg. And they shall say in all the high-wayes Alas Alas Man is a creature apt to over-grieve for crosses and to fill the ayre with moanes and complaints of his misery The latine word Aeger for a sick person is judged to come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dolefull expression of his grief The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not ever We are soon weary of suffering and would faine see an end of it and therefore cry out for help The Hebrew word here used Ho Ho is the same with our Oh Oh it is dolentis particula it is ejulantis the broken speech of one in great dolour and durance Nature need not to be taught to tell her own tale when in distresse then men are apt to be eloquent even beyond truth they add they multiply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoph 1 Cor. 10.13 they rise in their discourse like him in the Poet I am thrice miserable nay ten times nay an hundred ten hundred times whereas they should correct their excessive complaint with that other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alas Alas but why Alas Nothing hath befaln us but what is humane common to men and our betters and they shall call the husbandman to mourning For the marring of his corn by the enemy or by the vermine Others read it thus Jarchi Livelejus The husbandmen shall send for those that are skilfull in lamentation to mourning and wayling and such as are skilfull of lamentation An ordinary practise in those Easterne parts as now also in Jreland to hire artificiall mourners at funerals to sing dolefull ditties Vt qui conducti plorant in funere See Jer. 9.17 Mat. 9.23 Horat. de arte Poet. Sic Homer de Hectore sepulte Gellius lib. 2. cap. 20. with the Note Of the lawfulnesse of this custome the Prophet speaketh not Many things are mentioned in scripture and made use of but not approved as Usury Mat. 25.27 dancing Mat. 11.17 Theft 1 Thess 5.2 injustice Luk. 16.1 the Isthmian games 1 Cor. 9.24 c. Verse 17. And in all vineyards shall be wayling where used to be great jollity and revell-riot in time of vintage Psal 4.8 The calamity shall be common the scourge over-flowing and all sorts shall have their share See Ioel. 1.5 11 13. for I will pass through thee saith the Lord as a fire in a thick wood Iam. 3.5 or dry stubble Ioel. 2.5 Nah. 1.10 I will go thorough them I will burn them together Esay 27.4 make a short work with them Rom. 9.28 So fearefull a thing it is to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 to stand in his way when his sword is in commission and He saith to it Sword go thorough the land cut off man and beast from it Ezek. 14.17 Let this be thought on by those secure ones that live as if they were out of the reach of Gods rod Ezech. 21.13 for what if the sword contemne even the rod and be drenched in the gall of these sturdy rebels what then Verse 18. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord The day of his visitation when he will go thorough us as you Prophets would
is I will accept your worships Psal 73.23 24. though in this meaner temple If God may have the substance of worship hee stands not much upon the circumstance The sick may pray upon their beds the persecuted in chambers Acts 1. yea in dens and caves of the earth Heb. 11.38 The Church in Queen Maries dayes met and prayed oft together in a cellar in Bow-church-yard It was one of the laws of the twelve tables in Rome Ad divos adeunto castè pietatem adhibento Act. Mon. opes amovento Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire viz. in comparison of obedience 1 Sam. 15.22 but as a better thing mine ears hast thou opened Psal 40.6 Hypocrites by cold ceremonies think to appease God they observe the circumstance neglect the substance they stick in the bark of religion gnabble on the shel offer the skin keep back the flesh serve God with shewes shall be served accordingly Verse 5. According to the Word Or as Tremellius hath it better Cum VERBO quo pepigeram vobiscum with the WORD in and sor whom I covenanted with you c. So my Spirit remaineth among you And so it is a gracious promise that the whole Trinity will be with them The particle eth seemeth put for gnim◠and the article He is emphatical shewing that by Word is meant the second person often called the Word both in the Old Testament 2 Sam. 7.21 with 1 Chron. 17.19 and in the New Luke 1.2 John 1.1 1 John 5.7 The Caldee seemeth to favour this interpretation for he rendreth it My Word shall be your help Hierome Albertus Nyssen and Haymo dissent not Haggai and other Prophets and Patriarches of old did well understand the mystery of the Sacred Trinity See my note on Gen. 1.1 Elihu speaks of the Almighty his makers Job 35.10 Solomon the same Eccles 12.1 Cant. 1.11 which Jarchi interpreteth of the Trinity Isay hath his Trisagion or Holy Holy Holy chap. 6.3 and chap. 42.5 Thus saith God the Lord He that created the heavens and they that stretched them out So Deut. 6.4 When Moses beginneth to rehearse the law and to explain it the first thing he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One Three words answering the three persons and the middle word Our God deciphering fitly the second who assumed our nature as is well observed by Galatinus Others observe that the last letters in the Original both in the word Hear and in the word One are bigger then ordinary as calling for utmost heed and attention The old Rabbines were no strangers to this tremend mystery as appeareth by R. Solomons note on Cant. 1.11 We will make c. though their posterity desperately deny it The Greek Church was not so sound in this fundamental point therefore their chief City Constantinople was taken from them by the Turks as Estius observeth on Whitsunday or as others on Trinity Sunday which day saith our Chronicler the Black Prince was used every year to celebrate with the greatest honour that might be Speed 723. in due veneration of so divine a mystery Now Christ is here and elsewhere called The Word either because hee is so often promised in the Word Or else because by him Gods will was manifested and revealed to men and that either mediately in the Prophets whence Peter Martyr thinketh that phrase came Then came the Word of the Lord that is Christ Or immediately himselfe Heb. 1.2 and 2.3 That I covenanted with you Or in whom I covenanted and whence Christ is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Christ then was a Saviour to those of the Old Testament also Rev. 13.8 the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Christ undertook to pay his peoples debt in the fullnesse of time and hereby they were saved A man may let a prisoner loose now upon a promise to pay the debt a year after See Heb. 9.15 and take notice of the unity of the faith in both Testaments they of old saw Christ afarre off in the promises they saluted him and were resaluted by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. When ye came out of Egypt Ye that is your ancestours Things done by the parents may be said to be done by the children because of the near conjunction that is between them Hence Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham and Adams sinne is imputed to us all Heb. 7. So my spirit remaineth amongst you Not the substance but the gifts of the Spirit not the tree but the fruits Those whom God receiveth into the covenant of grace he endues them with the spirit of grace See Rom. 8.9.11 How else should they be able to perform their part of the Covenant sith we cannot so much as suspirare unlesse he doe first inspirare breath out a sigh for sinne till he breath it in to us by his Spirit Hereby then we may know whether or no we are in Covenant with God the Devill will be sure to sweep all that are not sc if his spirit remain in us Jer. 31.35 working illumination 1 Cor. 2.14.15 Mortification Rom. 8.13 Motion Rom. 8.14 Guifts 1 Cor. 12.4 7 8. c. Fruits Gal. 5.22.23 strength Esay 11.2 Courages as here Fear ye not Cur timet hominem homo in sinu Dei positus Aug. why should such fear man who have God in Christ by his Spirit standing with them and for them The righteous may be bold as a lyon he hath the peace of God within him and the power of God without him and so goes ever under a double guard what need he fear It is said of Achilles that he was Styge armatus and therefore could not bee wounded But he that is in covenant with God is Deo Christo Spiritu Sancto armatus and may therefore be fearlesse of any creature Verse 6. For thus saith the Lord of hosts i. e. the three persons in Trinity as appeareth by the note on the former verse Howbeit the Author to the Hebrews chap. 12.25.26 applyeth the words to Christ whence observe that Christ is Lord of hosts and God Almighty even the same second person that is called haddabhar the Word in the former verse is very God Compare John 1.3 with Col. 1.14.16 and Iohn 1.9 with Iohn 8.12 and Iohn 1.11 with Acts 3.13.14 c. See those cohaerencies of sentences Iohn 9.3.4 and 11.4 and 12.39.40 besides the Apostles argument Heb. 1.4 That one Gospel written by St. Iohn who was therefore called the Divine by an excellency as afterwards Nazianzen also was because he doth professedly assert and vindicate the Divinity of Christ ever strongly impugned by the Devill and his agents those odious Apostates and hereticks ancient and moderne And no wonder for it is the Rock Mat. 16.18 setting him forth 1. as coessential to the Father his onely begotten sonne Iohn 1.14 One with the Father in essence and power
seen the afflictions of my people in Egypt c. Behold I will engrave the graving thereof Hae coelaturae dona stigmata Christirepraesentant saith A Lapide These gravings represent the gifts and wounds of Christ Lib. 4. in allusion to the polished corners of the Temple Coelum dictum est quod coelatum id est signatum sideribus saith Varro Heaven hath its name in Latine from its being enameled and bespangled with glistering starres as with curious workmanship or costly furniture Of the third heaven the habitation of Saints and Angels Heb. 11.10 God is said to be by a specialty the builder and maker or as the Greek hath it the cunning Artificer and publike Architect A great deal of skill and workmanship he laid out upon it but nothing so much as upon the Humane nature of Christ wherein as in a Temple dwelt all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col 2.9 that is personally by vertue of the Hypostaticall Union For the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.14 full full to the very brimme full with a double fulnesse Vasis Fontis of the Vessell and of the Fountain Hence He was fairer much fairer double fairer as the Originall importeth then the sonnes of men sc with the beauty of wisdome and holinesse grace was poured into his lips God had anointed him with the oil of gladnesse above his fellows Ezek. 28.7 Psal 45.2 7. The Priests in the Law were consecrated first with oil compounded and confected of diverse precious spices so was Christ with gifts and graces of the Spirit Act. 10.38 and 4.27 Esay 61.1 not by measure as we are Ephes 4.7 but without measure as much as a finite nature was capable of particularly he was furnished and polished with wisdome as a Prophet against our ignorance with holinesse as a Priest against our guilt and with power as a King against our corruptions These and all other endowments he had well heapt pressed down and running over poured into his bosome Next as the Priests under the Law were also consecrated with blood so was the Lord Christ with his own blood when his Father engraved him with graving or as the Hebrew hath it here opened him with opening in his bloody passion baptized him in his own blood stewed him in his own broth as it were when in a cold winters-night hee sweat great clods of blood which thorow clothes and all fell to the very ground When after this they digged his hands and his feet Psal 22.16 and made his heart melt in the middest of his bowels verse 14. Wounded he was in the head to cure our vile imaginations In the hands to expiate our evil actions in the heart and feet for our base affections and unworthy walkings Tormented he was for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him tanquam pulcherrima corporis caelatura and by his stripes or bloody wails we were healed Adam signifieth Man red-earth or Bloody Esay 53. â— Christ was Man in his Incarnation and bloody all over in his passion This death of Christ therefore look on saith Master Bradford Martyr as the very pledge of Gods dear love towards thee see the very bowels of it as in an Anatomie See Gods hands are nailed they cannot strike theo his feet also he cannot runne from thee his arms are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs down to kisse thee his very heart is open so that therein look nay even spie and thou shalt see nothing therein but love love love to thee c. Cernis ut in toto corpore sculptus amor and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day I will remove i. e. remit and pardon the iniquity both guilt and punishment Of that land i. e. Of the Church that pleasant land more dear to God then all the earth besides In one day i. e. together and at once suddenly and in an instant See Esay 66.8 Verse 10. In that day saith the Lord of hosts shall yee call c. i. e. Yee shall have peace Regionis Religionis of countrey and of conscience Christus auferet iniquitatem afferet pacem Christ as he saveth his people from their sinnes so from the hands of them that hate them When this Prince of peace was born in the dayes of Augustus Vniversa gentium erat aut pax aut pactio Luc. â—lor l. â— there was a generall either peace or truce among all Nations And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian c. Mic. 5.5 6. But behold a better thing This Shiloh this Tranquillator Pacificator by removing iniquity createth peace of conscience like as after Jonah was cast over-board the sea became calme Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Esay 9.7 Where Christ ruleth there is peace peace Esay 26.3 that is perfect sheer pure peace with God our selves and others and the more Christs government increaseth in the soul the more is peace renued continued multiplied Psal 119 16â— Great peace have all they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them saith David And thou hast been a strength to the poor a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat c. Esay 25.4 better then that of the broad-leaved Vine and fig-tree very cooling and comfortable in those hot countreys See this in righteous Noah who being justified by faith had peace with God and therefore was medijs tranquillus in undis How securely doth he ride out that uproar of heaven earth and waters He hears the pouring down of rain above his head the shrieking of men the bellowing of beasts on both sides him the raging and threats of the waves under him He saw the miserable shifts of distressed unbeleevers in the mean time sits quietly in his dry cabbin not feeling nor fearing evil How happy a thing is pardon of sinne and peace with God! what a quiet safety what an heavenly calme doth it lodge in the soul what earnest pantings and strong affections to the salvation of others Ye shall call c. CHAP. IIII. Verse 1. ANd the Angell that talked with me See the Note on chap. 1. ver 9. came again After some absence as it may seem and a new vision or revelation received from God to be imparted to the Prophet and waked me as a man that is wakened c. It fared with the Prophet notwithstanding the former visions as with a drowsie person who though awakened and set to work is ready to fall asleep at it So Peter James and Iohn those pillars as they are called Gal. 2. fell asleep at their very prayers Mat. 26.40 such dull metal are the best men made of and so weak is the
hypocrite he will not yeeld though never so clearly convinced but will have still somewhat to say though to small purpose as had Saul to Samuel 1 Sam. 15. and these Questionists here to God whom as before oft and again after they put to his proofs See the Note on chap. 1. verse 2 6. and his answer is ready Because the Lord hath been winesse between thee and the wife of thy youth The Heathen could say Maxima debetur pueris reverentia siquid Turpe paras And again Turpe quid acturus te sine teste time We should not do wickedly if but a child be by And when thou art about to do ought amisse fear thine own conscience which is a thousand witnesses But if God be by as a witnesse should not men fear to offend him Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. He that dares sin though he know God be an eye-witnesse is more impudent in sinning then was Absalom when he spred a tent upon the top of the house and went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel and of the Sunne These treacherous husbands could not but know that they had entred into a covenant of God Prov. 2.17 when they married that the bond was made to God and that upon the violation of it he would be ready enough to take the forfeiture for whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.3 That God had been witnesse Protestatus est or had protested so Montanus renders it and withall had by interposing of his own authority confirmed the contract and compact saying verbis concept is as Hos 3.3 Thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee and not for another woman till God shall separate us by death Indeed if the husband or the wife be dead Rom. 7.2 the surviving party is at liberty to marry again whatsoever the Canonists say against bigamy Hierome tells us of an old man in Rome that had buried twenty wives which hee had married one after the death of another and that he had taken to wife the one and twentieth who also had buried nineteen husbands And that Hier. apud Lonicer in Theat histor p. 734. burying that wife too he followed the corps to the Church so his neighbours would needs have it with a garland of bayes upon his head in manner of a triumpher But against Polygamy which is when a man or woman couples himself or her self in marriage to more then one here are an heap of arguments in the text which we shall take as they lie in order Mean-while it is worthy our observation that the first Authour of Polygamy was that Thrasonicall Lamech noted for a profane and wicked person as was likewise Esan another Polygamist Laban though he had cheted Jacob into the having of his two daughters to wife yet he could not but confesse it to be a sinne against the light of Nature Hence at parting he takes a solemne oath of Jacob Gen. 31.50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters or if thou shalt take other wives besides my daughters no man is with us see God is witnesse betwixt me and thee Some of the Fathers were herein faulty as Abraham David c. and some say it was their priviledge but that 's not likely Rather it was their ignorance or incogitancy they considered not that it was a breach of the first institution of marriage or as some conceive it was their meer mistake of that Text Lev. 18.18 Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister to vex her Confer Ezek. 1.9 to uncover her naked esse besides the other in her life time Here they took the word sister for one so by blood which was spoken of a sister by nation as those clauses to vex her and daâ—â—ghter life do evince One thing was the commonnesse of the sinne and the 〈◊〉 custome of it So long had it continued and was grown so fashionable that it seemed to be no sinne But debt is debt whether a man know of it or not And sin as a debt may sleep a long time and not be called for of many years as Sauls sin in killing the Gibeonites slept fourty years and Joabs killing of Abner slept all David's dayes c. Another thing that might cause desire of many wives was want of love and chast affection to the wife of their youth Isaac is noted for a most loving husband to his Rebecca and he never desired more wives then her Re oyce in the wife of thy youth Let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe c. This will keep thee from being ravished with a strange woman or ombracing the bosomc of a stranger Prov. 5.18 19 20. The Hind and the Roe are most loving to their mates and therefore most faithfull to them So among birds are the turtle-dove and the stork The former they say as he keeps close to his mate while she lives so when she dies he groans and moans continually and never sits upon a green bough The later are chast and severe in punishing those of the kind that are not It iscredibly reported by some that have seen it that whole flocks of Storks meeting in a medow they have set in the middest of them two of their company that have been found disloyall Sphiâ—â— Philos pag. 231. and runnning upon them with main force have killed them with their beaks So that the company breaking up and all the rest flying away the two offending Storks onely have been found dead in the place against whom thou hast dealt treacherously viz by superinducing another wife contrary to thy covenant This is not a simple injury against thy lawfull wife but such as is joyned with contumely which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the children that come of such copulation they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are subject to contumelies The Hebrews call them brambles Aâ—imelech was such an one Iudg. 9.14 a right bramble indeed who grew in the base hedge-row of a concubine and scratcht and drew blood to purpose Lo this is the Prophets first argument against Polygamy it is treachery against both God who is deeply interested in the marriage-covenant and against the true wife who is hereby extremely desrauded and defeated Follows not the second yet she is thy companion thy compeer and copartner thy consort and fellow-friend such another as thy self so the woman is called Gen. 2.18 a second-self a mate meet for thee a piece so just cut out for thee as answereth thee rightly in every point in every joynt A wife is not a slave saith One but a companion a yoke-fellow standing on even ground with thee though drawing on the left side From the left side say some she was taken where the heart is to teach that hearty love should be betwixt married couples Made she was of a rib a bone of the side
of the Apostle By him let us offer the sacrifice of praise and so any other spirituall service that shall finde acceptance to God continually h Heb. 13.15 And by him we have accesse by one spirit unto the father i Eph. 2.18 This was shadowed out of old by the door of the tabernacle which as it never was or any hard or debarring matter but of a veile easily penetrable so at the passion of our â—avâ—our it did of its own accord rend in sunder to shew our easie accosse unto and high acceptance with God in any holy duty through Christ the peace-maker k Eph. 2.14 This also was not obscurely typified by the high Priest's plate wherein was fairly engraven Holinesse to the Lord which was to be upon his forehead the forefront of his miter that he might beare the iniquitie of the offerings which the children of Israel should offer in all their holy offerings and it should be alway on his forehead to make them acceptable before the Lord l Exo. 28.36 38. But thirdly as it is by the mercy of the father and the me it of the son so is it also by the hand of the holy ghost upon them that God is so greatly pleased with the suite and services of his people the Apâ—stie instancet in â—ne religious duty we may safely extend it to all the rest Likewise saith he the spirit helpeth our infirmities m Rom 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sets his shoulder to the work together with us as th word there imports For we silly soules know not what we should pray for as we ought we neither know what for the matter nor as we ought for the manner But the spirit it self against all the roarings and repinings of the flesh maketh loud and shâ—ill intercessions for us in this case with groanings which cannot be uttered * Excitat vehemens desiderium liberationis accendit quoque alios affectus ammi ut gaudium et amorem adeò ut ardeant supra modum eâ— naturam communem longè exaperent Rolloc and that thus 1. He lets us see our want of God which nature studiously covereth 2. He sets before us the excellency and worth of finding favour with God the thought whereof never entereth the naturall mans heart n 1 Cor. 2 9. 3. He stirreth up and kindleth in us strong affections in prayer dictating words and expressions answerable to those affections In short he workes all our workes in us o Esa 26.12 Quoties video te susphâ—rtem non dubito spiritum aspirantem â—yprian as the prophet saith for we cannot so much a suspirare unlesse he do first inspirare breath out a sigh for sin except the spirit do first breath it into us Much lesse can we make an effectuall and comfortable prayer or do any thing else that 's truely good without him Sith prayer think the same still of any other holy duty is the breath of the spirit the pulse of the spirit without whom what is prayer else but an empty ring a tinkling Cymball Pray saith St. Iude in the holy ghost p Iede 20. set 1 Cer 14.15 Eph 5 18. And then he that searech the heart will easily know the minde of the spirit that he intercedeth for us according to God q Bom. 8.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worthy of God and to his greatest liking Such another phrase the Apostle hath of Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. where he calleth it A sorrow according to God r 2 Cor. 7.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Luke 6.12 he continued all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the prayer of God that is a spirituall god-like sorrow and such as issueth from the spirit of God For the wind must blow ere the waters flow Å¿ Psa 147.18 Dike saith the Prophet And it is the fire of the spirit saith a Divine in our hearts as in a still that sendeth up those dews of repenting tears into our heads that drop forth of our eyes Think the like of christian watchfulnesse Even Peter James and John those pillars t Gal 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be ready to sleep and buckle yea and that in the houre of remptation u Mat 26.41 too if the spirit do not quicken them and as it were hold up with forks their heavy eye-lids And for reading of the Scriptures look how the Philistines could never understand Sampsons riddle till they plow'd with Sampsons heifer x Judg 14.18 so neither can we conceive or relish the deep things of God without the ayde and assistance of the spirit of God y 1 Cor 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As on the other side With his holy spirit and by it we are sanctified unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus z 1 Pet. 1.2 purified in obeying the truth unto unfained love of the brethren a 1 Pet. 1.22 quickened unto all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth b Eph. 5.9 caused to keep Gods commandements c Ezek. 36.27 himself setting us to work * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working all our works for us d Esay 26.12 sanctifying all the works of our hands yea sanctifying the offering up both of our selves and our services to God as the Altar sanctifies the gift e Rom. 15 16. and opening us a welcome accesse to to God in all our performances f Eph. 2.18 who as he knowes the meaning and minde of his spirit g Rom. 8.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he cannot but accept that sacrifice that is kindled by the fire of his own spirit upon the true Altar Christ his own son This is the first Reason taken from the three persons in the Godhead SECT III. The Doctrine further confirmed by reasons from the Saints THe next respecteth the saints themselves whose persons first are elect holy and beloved Colos 3.12 whose performances in the second place have a true and reall goodnesse in them and are therefore dearly accepted and highly accounted of in the sight of God For the first It cannot be denied but that by nature all are alike hatefull to the Almighty Reas 2 Neither is it for any goodnesse he discerns in one more then another that he puts any difference He loves his people merely because he loves them h Deut. 7.7 the ground of his love being only in himself He adopts them according to the good-pleasure of his will i Eph. 1.4 without the least defect in himself or desert in the creature It is otherwise with us then it was with those maids in Ahâ—shueâ—osh his time they were first perfumed and purified afore he chose one for himself k Esth 2.10 God found us in our blood when he said unto us live l Ezek. 16.6 and Christ gave himself for his people that he might sanctifie and present them to himself a glorious church m Eph. 5 26 What was
loves not to strain upon any neither cares he for an ill-willing service Delight thy self in the Lord d Psal 37.4 Virtus nolentium nulla est if he shall delight in that thou dost let it be thy recreation to walk into Gds Garden to muse upon his word and works to be thinking upon his Name Secondly do it soberly e Rom. 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui scrutatur majestatem opprimetur à gloria Aug. not prying into Gods secrets further then hee hath revealed them lest ye lose your selves in the search and be swallowed up in a maze or whirl-pool of errours and heresies Thirdly do it spiritually without framing any grosse image of God in our mindes or representing him by the similitude of any creature in our hearts for his is idolatry Onely this may help our understandings much when we think of God to conceive that God is in Christ that expresse image of his Fathers person f Heb. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there we may finde firme footing for our fickle thoughts He is that ladder of ascension g Joh 3.13 by which we may climb safely up to God whilest we fix the eye of our minds upon his humane nature in which the Godhead dwelleth bodily h Colos 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee may not set before our eyes Christ-man and so worship without any more ado but if we conceive of the Man-Christ and then worship that God-head that dwelleth in him we do right and besides we attain to a point further which is to conceive of God in Christ Bifield on 1 Pet. 2. pag. 530. that is personally So then like as when I see the body of a man there I know his soul is also and therefore I speak to his understanding when and where I see his body because they are not severed so viewing by the eye of my minde that humane nature of Christ now glorious in heaven I can there also look upon the great God because I know he is there personally united Fourthly do this divine work reverntly taking heed that we defile not his Name i Dent. 28.58 by our slubbering services as those greasie priests did in the beginning of this prophecy k Mal. 1.8 whiles they thought any thing good enough for God But undertake we this duty with trembling hearts and wel-composed affections coming into his dreadfull presence with the best preparation we can get considering that he is a great king and stands upon his seniority as he tells them there yea his Name is dreadfull among the Heathen ib. Verse ult Lastly do it constantly never going off nor giving over the holy matter of our meditation whatever it be till wee have made somewhat of it till it bee form'd and seated in our hearts till it be well disgested and improved for practise Else what will it profit us to knock at the door of our hearts by some good thoughts of God and his Name if we stay not an answer Thon shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord l Hos 6.3 saith the Prophet SECT X. Directions about the measure of divine Meditation where is shewed how men offend 5. wayes in thinking on earthly things HItherto the manner of our thinking upon Gods Name The measure follows and that must be modus sine modo For the generall it must be without measure * Cum Cypriâ—no modum esse putemus in pictate nullum tenere modum Quocunq tempore non cogitaveris Deum puta tempus illud amisisse Casarius monit 2. c. 3. Omne tempus quo de Deo non cogitasti cogita te perdidisse Bernardus Magit Dei meminisse debemus quam respirate Heidfield In particular think we must upon the things of God more plentifully largely affectionately constantly then of all other things in the world laid together This is a duty of the first Commandement yea this is that first and great Commandement of the Law Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all c. Not but that it is lawfull to think also of other necessary businesses in their due place and season but te offence is when 1. We think of them primarily and in the first place letting them have the first-fruits of our thougts in a morning which indeed is due to God alone and was paid him in kind by David When I awake I am still with thee m Psal 139 18 saith he And by Esay With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early n Esay 26.9 That rule of our Saviour is generall and holds here Seek ye first the kingdome of God o Mat. 6.33 c. 2. Unseasonably at prohibited times as on the Lords day p Esay 58.13 and in the Interim of divine duties any day * Hoc age Gel. for then to give way to earthly thoughts is to commit dalliance with strangers before Gods face yea to think of the best things out of season when the duty in hand calls for the whole heart is sinfull and in that case we must answer the tempter as Hushai did Ahitophel Thy counsell is not good at this time q 2 Sam. 17.7 3. Too savourily or with over-much delight or confidence in the same being wedded and wedg'd unto them in our thoughts and affections laying our whole waight upon them as it were as David did when he had gotten him upon his mount and said He should never be moved r Psal 30.6 7 and as Job when flourishing and swimming in all abundance of wealth and ease hee made no other reckoning but to die in his nest Å¿ Job 29 18 4. Sollicitously distrustfully anxiously when Martha-like we trouble our heads about many things t Luke 10.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turmoil our spirits with fretting vexing carking and corroding cares and thougts of the things of this life contrary to that Evangelicall precept Take no thoughts u and again In nothing be carefull x Ph lip 4.6 5. Needlesly endlesly and superfluously laying out far more thoughts upon these earthly things then the matter amounts to Live not in carefull suspence y Luke 12.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word sounds thus much Hang not like Meteors make no tedious and superfluous discourses in the air It notes out the covetous persons endlesse framing of projects and tossing of thougts this way and that way and every way for the compassing of his greedy desires and worldy designes But do not you so saith our Saviour rather be paring off superfluities this way and contract your thoughts into as narrow a compasse as may be z 1 Cor 7.29 Zacheus converted prefac Illuminati stamunt opud se nil agendum seriâ— in tota vita prater caelestia reliqua obiter Rolloc in Ioh. 4.32 It is enough to look at the world slightly aloof off and out at