seat of his Pride and Impudence when no other part of Goliah was capable of danger he being wholly Immured from Top to Toe as it were in a Wall of Brass that the Stone did sink into his Forehead v. 49. N. B. As a stone doth naturally and speedily fink into the soft Water so it sank into his hard Skull and through that into his Brain also But suppose he had his Helmet pull'd down over his Forehead and Face as some say he had this renders the Wonder more Wonderful that a Sling stone should pierce through his Helmet of Brass which was harder than his Skull surely David by the Spiritual force of his most Heroick Faith makes this Stone fly at the Face of his Adversary and he seemed no otherwise than to have wrapped up in his Sling not a Stone only but with Reverence be it spoken even the Blessed God himself he hurl'd the Almighty Power of his God at the Head of Goliah and this bâ—â—ke through all Seventhly No sooner had this Stone pierced through the Pia Mater which compasseth the Brain like a Swathing Cloth which Solomon calls The Golden Bowl Eccles 12.6 if that be broken the Wound is Mortal and Goliah with this Wound was deprived of all sense and motion so that he fell flat with his Face on the ground and there lay the Greatness of Great Goliah N. B. No doubt but he caus'd an Earthquake by his great fall considering both the Bulk of his Body and Weight of his Armour Eighthly Observe how David prevailed over the Philistine with a Sling and a Stone v. 50. which were unlikely means to prostrate so Bulky a Body in so strong a Garrison as it was wrap'd up in such strong Armour All this did David by the help of his God and by the force of his Faith Hebr. 11.32 So Shamgar had obtained a great Victory over those Philistines with an improbable Weapon namely an Oxes-Goad and Samson the like with a like contemptible Instrument to wit the Jaw-bone of an Ass 'T is no matter what the Tool be if God take it in his Hand God oft useth such contemptible means the more to manifest his own Power and Glory 2 Cor. 12 9. Ninthly Observe how Goliah's Head was cut off with his own Sword v. 51. So soon as David saw Goliah lay sprawling upon the ground saith Josephus then David ran and drew out the Gyants Sword out of its Sheath which Goliah had not as yet drawn out designing first to begin the Fight with his Spear and not to use his Sword till he came to a closer Combat but David's Sling-stone had prevented that and now David doth draw it for him to cut off his own Head with his own Sword N. B. This argues that David was a strong Man if he were a little Man as most imagine otherwise he had not been able to have wielded a Giant 's Sword as he did here for cutting off the Giant 's Head and we read he was able to wear it after Chap. 21.9 N. B. Thus Goliah Propriis pennis configitur as Julian the Apostate said when the Christians consuted his Heathens by their own Arts and Authors alluding to that Adage A Fowl may be shot with an Arrow that is Feather'd out of its own Wing So Goliah was first stunn'd with the stone out of David's Sling is now Beheaded with his own Sword which he had designed for the Death of David and for the Destruction of God's People Thus Haman was Hang'd upon his own Gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai See Psal 9.16 They are Snared in their own Snares Tenthly Observe how David's fighting and prevailing against Goliah was a singular Type of Christ who fighting against Satan Sin the World and Death doth Vanquish them with their own Weapons N. B. For By his Death he destroyed him that had the power of Death to wit the Devil Heb. 2.14 He swallowed up Death in Victory Hosea 13.14 and took away Sin Isa 25.18 which is the sting of Death and the strength of Sin which is the Law 1 Cor. 15.54 55. He hath Cancell'd this Handwriting of the Law and Nail'd it to his Cross Col. 2.14 15. and finally he hath broke open the Prison of the Grave and so hath set all his Elect at Liberty as a Learned Annotator here saith No doubt but the Israelites run as fast to Insult over Goliah when now Dead as they had sled from him for fear of him before while he was alive v. 11.24 Christ hath kill'd Death for us c. so we ought not to fear Death Mors Mortis Morti Mortem quoque Morte dedisset N. B. See more of this Monomachy in the Third Volume upon that Duel fought betwixt Christ and the Devil Matth. 4. where our Saviour throws three smooth stones the three Scriptum est's at Satan wherewith he broke the Serpent's Head the Type and Antitype agrees c. Now the third part of this Chapter is the Consequents of all Remarks hereupon are First No sooner did that vast Host of the Philistines behold their Champion their Idol in whom alone they put all their Confidence fall down Dead and Beheaded by David but they all fled out of the Field v. 51. yielding the Victory to Israel partly as the Condition of the Covenant at the undertaking of this Duelling Combat did oblige them v. 8 9. and partly yea more especially because the Lord struck them with a Panick Terrour otherwise the loss of one Man could never have so daunted such a Prodigious Army as they were c. The Second Remark is The Army of Israel pursues and makes a dreadful Slaughter of Thirty Thousand Men saith Josephus even to the Gates of Gath and Ekron v. 52. and then return'd to take the Plunder of their Camps v. 53. This Pursuit was prudently manag'd by Saul who suffer'd not his Soldiers to Plunder till the Victory was compleated The Third Remark is David's Triumph v. 54. David brought Goliah's Head to Jerusalem and set it up upon some Pinacle as a Trophy of his Victory and to terrifie the Jebusites that still held the strong hold of Sion 2 Sam. 5.7 though the City had been won before by the Tribe of Judah and Benjamin Judg. 1.21 and 19.10 and put his Armour in his Tent either that Tent he had at his Father's House or that Tabernacle he erected afterwards N. B. Then David penn'd the Ninth Psalm the Title being Muthlaben the Death of the Champion c. and some say the Hundred and forty fourth Psalm also for the Chaldee reads v. 10. From the Sword of Goliah The Fourth Remark is David's Honours from Saul v. 55. to the end which are related in the two first Verses of the Eighteenth Chapter upon these last Verses here N. B. A Doubt is moved How Saul could be ignorant who David was when he lived at the Court Chap. 16.21 Answer 1. David was not constantly at Court till after this Conquest chap. 18.2 but
pleasure not at Death's demand N. B. Note well Now it was that Death as the Bee lost its sting upon Christ and can sting no more but hath quite lost its Victory through Christ's Death 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56. Christ hereby hath delivered us from the commanding power of Sin from the condemning power of the Law and from the conquering power of Death Though the redeemed in Christ do die yet can they not be kill'd with Death as Jezabel's Children were Rev. 2.23 the second death hath no power over them Rev. 2.11 20.6 14. 21.8 Our Lord 's strong voice may be the more wondered at considering how he was spent with blows blood c. yet now it was the loud voice of his Triumph over Death c. There be yet four Miracles behind to be discoursed briefly upon all wrought wonderfully by a dying Christ upon the Cross by the power of his Deity The Fourth Wonder is The Rending in twain of the Vail of the Temple from the top to the bottom which the Evangelist puts a Behold upon as a thing very wonderful Mat. 27.51 and as wrought by the force of Christ's last loud cry ver 50. then the Angels Presidents of the Temple departed from it as Jerom saith As Christ's last cry upon the Cross was the sign and symptom of frail Man dying so his promising of Paradise-Happiness to the Penitent Thief was a clear demonstration that he was also the Great God Living for none hath the Key of Paradise but the Great God only Nor did our Lord only demonstrate his Deity as above while he was yet living and while his Humanity was in the way of dying But also when he was verily dead and had given up the Ghost he still declares himself to be a Wonder-Working God in all the following Instances whereof this of Rending the Temple's Vail in Twain c. was the first wonder after his Death The distance of the Temple from the place out of the City where Christ was Crucified could not exempt it from the stroke of this Wonder-working Hand when those wretched Priests had made that House of Prayer a Den of Thieves this Vail now Rent was the Partition-Wall that divided betwixt the Holy Place or the Priests-Court and the Sanctum-Sanctorum into which the High-Priest entered only once in the year Exod. 26.31 33. 1 Kin. 6.19 21 31. 2 Chron. 3.14 c. Heb. 9.3 4 6 7 8 c. N. B. Note well This Wonder to wit of rending this Mid-Wall was wrought upon a threefold Account 1st To shew that Christ's Death was the Accomplishment of the Levitical Law and that now all the Ceremonies thereof were rent down and done away 2dly That now by the Gospel sealed up in his Death a new way to Heaven was opened Heb. 10.19 20 21 22 c. And 3. To shew that the Mid-Wall of Partition betwixt the outward Court of the Gentiles and that of the People of the Jews was broke down by the death of Jesus Eph. 2.14 15. This Vail is call'd the Separation betwixt the Prophane Place and the Sanctuary Ezek. 42.20 Now the Ceremonial Law should no longer divide those two but Christ became the blessed Cement to unite all believing Jews and Gentiles into one Gospel-building himself being the knitting Corner-stone c. The Fifth Wonder Christ wrought upon the Cross which is the second after his Death was the dreadful Earthquake Mat. 27.51 now that our Lord was dead as to his Man-hood he still letteth forth the Power and Glory of his God-head more than he had done before and whereas he had shewed himself the Lord of Heaven by causing an extraordinary Eclipse of the Sun and covering the whole face of the Firmament with a Curtain of Darkness So now he appears to be Lord of the Earth also by causing it to shake and tremble As the Heavens had given their Testimonial and Acknowledged their Homage to his Lordly Dominion over them in hiding their Glory while their Lord was Suffering Shame So the very Earth here payeth her Respect and Reverence in an humble Submission to her Almighty Landlord in her Trembling before his powerful Presence when the Lion that King of Beasts doth Roat all the Beasts of the Field do Tremble Now did this Lion of the Tribe of Judah roar with a loud Voice and we may well suppose what a Trembling seized upon those Beasts of the Temple the Christ-Killing Priests when they saw the Vail of their Temple Rent in Twain from top to bottom at their hastening now to their Evening Sacrifice Thus well prepared with the Tincture of this Innocent blood more especially when they felt that sad sight seconded by an Earth quake this could not but cause an Heart-Quake and a consternation in them fearing that the Earth might now cleave Asunder and Swallow them all up as it had done Korah's Company of Conspirators these as well as they being now become a Burden too heavy for the Earth to bear and as weary of them would bury them quick This Earthquake might also predict the performance of what God had promised that Christ would shortly shake not only the Earth once more as was done in Sinai at the Promulgation of the Law but even Heaven also by the Gospel Hag. 2.6 7 Heb. 12.26 27. especially when the desire of all Nations shall come and shake all Wickedness out of both the Heavens of Church and the Earth of State and then give those promised New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 The Sixth Wonder was the Rocks were Rent Mat. 27.51 where the first word Behold doth spread it self over all the parts and several parcels of all those Miracles mentioned in that verse Behold the Vail was Rent c. Behold the Earth did Quake and Behold the Rocks were Rent to denote the marvellousness of those things and mostly in this because herein Rocks are rent by the Rock and one Rock rendeth many Rocks the Rock that rent the Rocks was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 he was the creating Rock Deut. 32 4.31 1 Sam. 2.2 2 Sam. 22.2.32 that rent all the other created Rocks c. This was a Work of greater difficulty to rend the Rocks than it was to rend the Vail c. yet the Power of the Death of Christ doth effect this Work of Difficulty N. B. Note well To shew that no Heart is so hard and rocky but the vertue of Christ's Death can rend it into Repentance Though those Christ-Killers had made their Hearts as hard yea harder than an Adamant Zech. 7.12 yet when their time of love came Ezek. 16 8. their Month of Christ's finding them Jer. 2.24 and when the Hammer of God's Word Jer. 23.29 began to beat upon them as Animated and Actuated by the power of his Death oh how kindly did their Hearts Thaw Break and Melt into Tears and Tenderness Acts 2.36 37. with 41. 4.4 When Moses smote that Rock upon which God stood with his
appear when I come to speak particularly of its properties which is a Spring of comfort never dried up Death ends other Covenants 'twixt Man and Man or Woman c. but neither Death nor Desertions disannuls this he is still Abraham's God though Dead he shall Rise he loses none of his The last Difference to omit many others for brevities sake is The Two Covenants differ in their Ends and Effects 1. The first Covenant was designed only to make way for the Dispensation of the second so that the former is as a Glass to discover unto Man his Malady and Misery by Sin but the latter his Remedy and Relief by Christ 't is as a School-master to whip us home to him Gal. 3.24 2. The first is to discover sin and so wounds and terrifies the Soul of a Sinner as oft to cast Sparks of Hell-fire into the Conscience and Firebrands of dreadful Despair into the wounded Spirit 't is a Judge to condemn sin if not a Bridle to restrain it but the second doth most graciously not only cover sin but also cure the Soul of Sin both in its guilt and filth pronouncing a pardon and promising also a power yea removing the Curse and applying the Blessing 3. The first is the Ministration of Death and a Killing Letter which though it proposeth a way to Life yet promiseth no power to attain it and no pardon to the Transgressor of it but curseth as well as accuseth and condemneth to Death But the second is the Ministration of Life as it communicates the quickning Spirit that Heavenly Manna which is Rained down in the sweet Dews of Evangelical Doctrine Gal. 3.2 and 2 Pet. 1.22 therefore is it call'd the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3 6 7 8. which not only propoundeth a way to Life but also promiseth such Operations of the Spirit as shall raise up Sinners from the Death of Sin and restore them to a Life of Holiness and Happiness The words of David he shall surely die was the voice of the first Covenant or the Law but the words of Nathan thou shalt not die 2 Sam. 12.5 13. was the voice of the second Covenant or the Gospel In the former you have David awarding Death to Sin in the latter Nathan awarding Life to Repentance for Sin 4. The first Covenant is so full of Rigour and Exactness that it weighs Obedience by the Ballance and if there be but the least Grain wanting it will Repute it too light and reject it as not current Coin in the Court of the Covenant of Works 't is like the Law of the Nazarites Numb 6.12 If a Man did not observe exactly all the Ceremonies commanded all the thirty days of his Separation but offended in any one Circumstance either in the middle or at the end of that term of Time all his former observances though never so strictly performed must be lost and the Man must begin the World again he must renew the term of another thirty days as if he had done nothing at all before one small pollution though at unawares contracted might nullifie many days purification Thus the Law of Works requireth a perfect perfonal and perpetual Observation and Obedience yea and curseth him that continueth not in all things commanded Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 and whosoever keepeth the whole Law and doth but fail in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 whoever follows not the direction of it to an Hair breadth must fall under the correction of it to its utmost extremity But the Second Covenant Examines or Tries all Obedience not by the Ballance but by the Touch Stone and what it finds sincere that it accepts though it be imperfect looking always at Truth more than at Measure and at the willingness of the offerer more than at the worthiness of the Offering 2 Cor. 8.12 so low doth Gods highness in this second Covenant stoop to our meanness as to accept of a little of the best Gen. 43.11 Sic minimo capitar thuris honore Deus Many more might be added As 5. The First Covenant is for humbling the Old Man and for stopping his Mouth before the Lord bringing upon him sense of Sin and fear of wrath Rom. 7.7 8 9. but the second is for exalting and exhilarating the New-Man not only stopping the Mouth of that Cursing Covenant but also opening a Believers Mouth in his Blessing the Lord for this Blessed and Blessing Covenant 2 Sam. 23.5 c. excusing and absolving him from all his Sins in Christ 6. The First Engendreth to Bondage causing all the Children of Adam to be Born of the Bond-Woman Hagar as they are all by Nature the Children of VVrath Gal. 4.2 and Eph. 2.3 but the Second generateth to Liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 and Joh. 8.36 wherein Christ by his free and noble Spirit so called Psal 51.12 freeth a man from the Invisible Chains of the Kingdom of Darkness This Blessed Covenant maketh the Bond-slaves of the Law to become Free-holders of the Gospel 7. The First leaveth the Soul in the Dark about his Peace and Comfort as to Eternity but the Second setleth it upon a well grounded tranquillity A man may do never so many good works yet cannot he by the first Covenant come up to any certain confidence before God as that young Pharisee who thought verily with himself that he had kept all the Commandments and that he was aforehand with God yet could he not be quieted in his own mind but was unsatisfied doubting whether he had done enough to bring him to Heaven therefore came he running and congeeing to Christ for further satisfaction Mark 10.17 Mat. 19.16 20. and was sent away with a sad Heart because Christ required that which he was not willing to perform notwithstanding his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat lack I yet Christ could have told him thou art therefore guilty of the breach of every Commandment because thou conceitest thy self to be a keeper of all and thou therefore lackest every thing because in thy own Thoughts thou lackest nothing but in the Second Covenant wherein a Man renounces his own Righteousness and runs for refuge to the Righteousness of Christ then hath Conscience a Rock of Ages to cast its Anchor of Confidence upon whereas the other rests upon Sand no higher than themselves Isa 26.3 Psal 61.2 Waves in swelling Waters get above them and wash them off whereas being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God Rom. 5.1 2. a Blessed Calm is lodged in the Conscience which neither the blowing of the VVind the falling of the Rain nor the Torrent of Flouds can take away Mat. 7.24 26. all are either Wise or otherwise even Foolish Builders as Rom. 10.3 c. 8. The First Covenant is not able to save any man no not the purest and most Innocent man Adam now much less since 't is weak through the Flesh Rom. 8.3 hence did Adam fall from that first state of life both Totally and Finally and if
he had not Some hope in his Death as Solomon saith concerning the Righteous Prov. 14.32 The Third Part is How Achan was punish'd for his Sins Remarks upon this are First The Place and the Name of it ver 24. the place of the Punishment was the Valley of Achor which signifies Trouble so called by Anticipation because not only all Israel was troubled here for Achan's Sacriledge but also himself and all his were troubled here with a double trouble expressed ver 15. and 25. this Valley was nigh to Jericho and was fertile fat and full of Vines Isa 65.10 'T is thought to be the same with Engedi oft mentioned in the Canticles and it was an Inlet into Canaan call'd therefore a door of Hope Hos 2.15 because here Israel began to eat first the fruits of the Promised Land whereof this Valley was a Pledge and Earnest assoon as they had removed the Accursed thing from them c. Accordingly the first fruits and earnest of the Spirit given to us breedeth an assured hope of the Harvest of Happiness and of the whole bargain of Salvation by Christ This Valley of trouble is not a place to abide long in but is an Inlet to Mercy and Hope sets us upon Pisgah giving a prospect of Heaven as Moses had of Canaan as it is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. 11.1 The Second Remark is The Punishment it self which is double 1. To be stoned with Stones And 2. To be burned with Fire ver 15. and 25. First Stoning with Stones was the Punishment appointed for Presumptuous Offenders and for Blasphemers by the Law Levit. 24.14 Numb 15.30.35 every Presumptuous Sinner is a kind of a Blasphemer Ezek. 20.27 whose Sin is not to be expiated by Sacrifice And Secondly Burning with Fire the Law likewise appointed for those Persons and things that were Accursed Gen. 38.24 Levit. 21.9 Deut. 13.16 and so notorious was Achan's sin that it seems here to be doomed to a double Death therefore is it aggravated as folly in Israel ver 15. So Sin is oft called in Scripture Gen. 34.7 Judg. 20.6 and 2 Sam. 13.12 all intimating that Sin is the basest most senceless and foolish Deed it is folly in the Abstract as it is a turning from God the greatest Good and a turning to that which is the greatest evil and that in Israel too among the People of God who had such excellent Laws to direct them and such an All-sufficient God to provide for them as he had done for Achan to whom the Lord had given Sons and Daughters Oxen Asses and Sheep together with a well furnish'd Tent ver 24. therefore having no colour of necessity to induce him unto this folly a double Doom is upon him The Third Remark is The Persons and Things thus doomed and executed were 1. Achan and his Accomplices that is his Sons and Daughters which were part of his Goods together with 2. all his other Goods Animate and Inanimate both those that God had given him by his Providence and those that he had taken to himself by a Sacrilegious stealth even he and all that he had ver 15.24 Objection 1. But this Doom seems hard and unjust if not absurd as it is doubled no person could be both Stoned to death and Burnt to death too Answ 1. There is no doubt concerning Achan's deserving this double Doom for he committed his Sacriledge most probably upon the Sabbath-Day which was the Seventh Day wherein Israel compass'd Jericho seven times and took the City so he was a Sabbath breaker and therefore to be stoned Numb 15.32.36 and God doom'd him to be burnt because he was a Sacrilegious sinner stealing things from God himself as they were devoted to God by a Curse and all Accursed things were doomed to be burned Deut. 13.16 This was God's Doom upon Achan Josh 7.15 and executed by Joshua ver 25. yet may not we suppose that he was burnt alive but it was only his Carcase after he had been stoned for that was a burning in common with all the Goods he had both stoln and unstoln which were lifeless things Or he might as some say be first burnt alive and then said to be stoned when the People raised over his Ashes a great heap of Stones as 't is said ver 26. as was done upon the King of Ai Josh 8.29 and upon Absolom 2 Sam. 18.17 Answ 2. The doubt is greater about the Justice and equity of this Doom than is about the Absurdity of it because his Sons and his Daughters die with him for his Sin which is contrary to that Law Children shall not be put to Death for their Fathers sin c. Deut. 24.16 But we must consider First That Law was given to Man and not to God who certainly hath a greater Soveraignty and a more absolute power over Men than one Man hath over another There can be no Injustice in God whose Will is not only Recta but Regula both right and the Rule of Right He punishes the Iniquity of Fathers upon their Children Exod. 20.5 He may do what he will with his own Matth. 20.15 he is not bound to give an Account to us for his doings Job 33.13 none may say to God What dost thou Much less than to a King Eccles 8 4. 't is not safe for silly Man of a shallow Mind to reprehend the Works of God which he cannot comprehend c. Secondly 'T is not improbable but those Sons and Daughters were Accessories as Achan was principal in the sin for Achan being now old as being the fifth from Judah see ver 1. his Sons and Daughters must likely be grown up and so capable of knowing and concealing or revealing this Fact they living in the same Tent with their Father nor are they call'd Children much less Infants nor doth it follow that they were not guilty because it is not said so For divers Circumstances are omitted in Scripture-History which sometimes are supplyed from other places Hereunto add the Rabbi-Talmudists do rationally affirm that they must be conscious of their Fathers Fact for he could not dig and hide those Accursed things in the Tent wherein they dwelt but most easily must they know of it Thirdly consider These Sons and Daughters might not die simply for their Father's sins but only paid that Debt of Nature and of their own sins which Debt God the Supream Lord might require when and how he pleased and now they died honourably thus far that this severity upon them at the beginning of this new erected Empire might be so in terrorem to after Ages as to prevent the Death of Millions that would beware of such pernicious Practices by their dreadful Example whom if the fear of God did not yet the love of their own Lives and of their dear Childrens Lives would powerfully restrain them Aliorum perditio posterorum fiat cautio Their direful Woe was a warning to Posterity Objection 2. As to the things 2dly that perished with
Hous-wifes whole Stock she had no more N. B. Note well Dionysius's Gloss upon it is that our Lord left 99. sheep and but the 9. Groats both made up of nines which signifies the nine Orders of Angels made of thrice three and but one of Mankind which was lost in both the Parables that the Unity and Trinity of the Godhead saith he might be adored and praised by the Trinity of the Angelical Nature and by the Unity of the Human Nature and he adds nine is an imperfect Number implying that Man being found after his fall makes up the breach in the City of God by the final fall of the Evil Angels this one added to the nine makes the Church of God a compleat and perfect Number God will have his Church made up of Corporal and Spiritual Creatures N. B. Note well Man is like the Microcosm or little World who borrows his parts from the Macrocosm or great World as flesh from the Earth blood from the Sea breath from the Air and heat from the 4th Element of Fire as to his Body then as to his Soul Man carries Congruity with Angels yea and Man hath a Resemblance of the Holy Trinity in the three Superior Faculties Understanding Will and Memory 2. Answer to the 2d Enquiry Fallen Man is this lost Groat who falls under a Threefold Consideration 1. His Making 2. His Losing and 3. His finding which hold out the Threefold State of Man the first his state of Creation and Generation the second his state of Degeneration wherein he was lost and the third his state of Regeneration wherein he is found Man when first made call'd Nummus Dei Gods Money was a most curious Silver piece coming first out of Gods Mint did shine most gloriously and was excellent both in Matter in Form in Lustre in Stamp in Weight in Sound and in Superscription But now in the faln Estate he hath lost all those Excellencies as 1. In matter he was not made of Brass or of Tin or Copper but of Silver than which no Mettal is better but Gold So no Creature was better than Man but Angels Man was made but a little lower than they Ps 8.5 Man was made ex Meliori Luto of better Materials than other Creatures saith Ovid but now nothing is left save Reprobate and Rejected Silver Jer. 6.30 all Dross 2. This Groat was Coined in a round Form an Emblem of Immortality wherein Man was Created had he not sinned he had not dyed for Death was the Wages of sin Rom. 5.12 The State of Innocency had this kind of Immortality as it was possible for Adam not to dye so it was not impossible for him to dye but now his sin hath put all Men under the power of Death Hebr. 9.27 3. This Groat had such a Lustre and Glory Ps 8.5 That all Creatures paid their Homage to Adam who had a Lordly Dominion over all Beasts Fouls and Fishes c. Gen. 1.26 But now Man is besmeared with sin this Groat hath gathered Iniquity Ps 41.6 So that Man hath lost his first Majesty and Beasts Rebell against him c. 4. Man was at first stamped with Gods Image upon him as Caesars Silver pieces were stamped with Caesars Image Mat. 22.21 there was then knowledge in Mans Mind Obedience in his Will and Order in his Affections but now Satan hath set the print of his Limbs upon all the Faculties of Man so that now he is become Inversus Decalogus a mere opposite to Gods Law man is quite of another make than God at first made him c. whole Evil is in Man and whole man is in Evil so that this old Groat must be melted down before it can be capable of a new Stamp c. 5. Man at the first was full weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary which required double weight to the common Ballance then was Man most current Coin in the Court of Heaven But alas now by the fall Mene Tekel Dan. 5.25 27. is writ upon Man He is weighed in the Ballance and found wanting He hath now naturally a vain light Mind even at his best Estate lighter than Vanity Ps 39.5 Man is heavy enough in respect of sin but very light in respect of grace so like an old Groat has lost many grains of weight 6. Man coming first out of Gods Mint had a good sound or ring like the sound of the Silver Trumpets Numb 10.1 c. his Tongue was then his glory but now his shame a tinkling Cymbal a sound of emptiness a jarring sound he speaks the Language of Ashdod more than of Canaan Nehem. 13.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsavoury Speech Eph. 4.29 Col. 4.6 and oft-times his Heart and his Tongue are not Relatives when speaking one thing yet thinking and purposing another 2 Cor. 1.17 Mat. 5.37 7. Mans first Superscription was Holiness to the Lord Zech. 14.20 Gods Off-spring Acts 17.28 Yea the Son of God Luke 3.38 But now so little is left of Gods Image and Superscription as like Jobs Messengers tells tidings only of our great losses now are we called Children of Adam of Wrath of Belial of Disobedience of the Devil of Hell and of Perdition those be Titles of us sinful flesh N. B. Note well as Zedekiah had the empty Title of a King after he had lost his City and Kingdom Jerem. 52.7 8 9 c. So Man hath now only the bare Title of being Gods Master-piece his City is broke down his Temple burned this Silver piece is lost in a dirty World 't is seized upon by Satan that strong Man Luke 11.21 and Lord of the Soil as God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 Quis talia fando Temperet a lacrimis Who can look upon this Burnt Temple and not weep as Ezr. 3.12 If David did so much admire at Gods wonderful making of Man Ps 139.14 16. How may we stand Astonished at the Devils wonderful Marring of Man and spoiling him of all these seven aforesaid Exexcellencies The 3d Enquiry The manner of seeking this lost Groat together with the means whereby it was sought Answer 1. in general this Groat is lost past finding out as to it self if the Houswife do not seek it assuredly it can never seek her 't is either lost in the Dust of Worldly Treasures or in the dirt of Carnal Pleasures or on the Pinacles of Earthly Honours 't is lost in some bye corner or other of sin and error N.B. Note well Satan poured in his Poison into the Spring-head or Fountain of Mankind namely Adam that so all the streams flowing from him might be poisoned by him he staid not to pour in his poison into every Son and Daughter of Adam as every one was born into the World this had been too tedious work for the Devil hence we as well as others are born Children of Wrath by Nature and of Disobedience Eph. 2.3 Now more particularly of the lost Groat 1. The Person seeking as he is the party losing
Receive for himself a Kingdom c. But this was not all for himself telleth us his Errand was also to prepare a Kingdom for his Redeemed John 14.2 3 c. Our Lords Errand into that far Country of Heaven was Manifold as 1. To open a passage for us into Paradise out of which Adam had Excluded himself and all us in him the Gate whereof hath been ever since Guarded by Cherubims with a Flaming Sword Gen. 3.24 But now hath he opened this Gate saying to the Penitent Thief this Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Thus we read also when Christ gave up the Ghost the Vail of the Temple which separated the Holy from the most Holy Rent in Twain from Top to Bottom Mat. 27.51 Hereupon Christ by his Ascension is said to open a way into the most Holy place Hebr. 9 8. and 13.19 20. and 12 24. 2. To prepare a place even a Mansion of Glory for all his Members as before John 14.2 3. He went not into Heaven suo Nomine in his own Name only but in our Names also as our Father Isa 9.6 Our Lord and Master Mal. 1.6 yea our King ver 14. Now Children may follow their Fathers freely where he takes up his Lodging and Servants their Lord yea and Subjects their Soveraign Heb. 2.10 11 12. This Consideration of so near a Relation affords us not only a faint Hope but also the Riches of Assurance Col. 2.2 As he hath taken our Nature and Flesh along with him as a Pawn and Earnest of our Reception into his Glory John 17.4 Ephes 2.6 3. To send the Comforter to us John 16.7 while Christ was present with his Disples he was one Comforter to them John 14.1 but the Holy Spirit which he sent after his Departure from them was another Comforter to them John 14.16 whose work it is to remind us of his precious promises John 14.26 To help our Infirmities with Spiritual Breathings in Prayer and Mediation Rom. 8.26 and to apply all the Blessed Benefits of his Merits and Mediation by a strong Faith as a Soveraign Plaister to our Sin-sick Souls Hab. 2.4 4. To make an Attonement for us by his Intercession Hebr. 9.24 as the High Priest did for Israel Levit. 26.2.21 34 In him our Persons are Accepted Ephes 1.6 and by him our Prayers are first perfumed Revel 8.3 Then presented acceptable to God Isa 60.7 None of the People under the Law might offer his own Sacrifice but the Priest must both bring it and burn it before the Lord 'T is the work of our Mediatour both to Hallow our Prayers with his Incense as Luke 1.9 And to help them up and hand them into Heaven otherwise they are as Arrows shot short of the Mark c. as Lam. 3.44 5. To answer all Satans Accusations against us as he accused Job to God yet without cause Job 1.6 9. and 2 3. So he accuseth us who give him much cause to do so by our Manifold sins yet have we Christ our Advocate to Non-suit all his Accusations 1 John 2.1 Whose Blood speaketh better things than the Blood of Abel Hebr. 12.24 Though this Accuser of the Brethren as he is called Revel 12.10 be a most Subtle Sophister and can from his almost 6000. years experience plead cunningly enough yea and not without cause yet our Advocate is not ashamed to own us Hebr. 2.11 But he Answereth this Envious Accuser I have Dyed for them they shall not Dye c. How ought we to Admire and Adore this our Advocate though Satan be a Non-such Plaintiff seeing common Plaintiffs have their Term and their Vacation and sometimes a long Vacation but Satan observeth no Vacation 't is alway Term-time with him both for Tempting us to sin and then impeaching us for sin just as the young Man taxed Joab 2 Sam. 18.11 12 13. This Restless Devil never Resteth Night nor Day Yet have we a None such Advocate against this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Adversary who taketh no Fees as ordinary Advocates do but pleads our Cause both freely and continually and whom the Father both hath heard doth hear and will hear always John 11.41 42. As this our Advocates Prayer for us doth give both Value and Vertue to our Prayers c. So it effectually disappoints Satan both of his Temptations to sin and of his Accusations for sin Luke 22.31 32. 6. Another Errand of this Traveller was to lead Captivity Captive Ps 68.18 Eph. 4.8 Namely Satan Sin and Death for before our Lords Ascension Satan had the power of Death through sin Hebr. 2.14 The Field was fought betwixt our Advocate and our Adversary upon the Cross upon which Christ Spoiled the Devil Col. 2.14 Takes him Prisoner and leads him away Captive as his Conqueror This is an Allusion to Conquering Kings who having Conquered their Enemies in the Field do take some of the Conquered Captive and having made them Tributary to his Reign he leads away his Captives in Triumph then goes he to his Pallace to rest himself and to Rule his Kingdom in Peace this our Lord doth when he maketh all his Foes to become his Foot-stool Ps 110.1 5 7. Hebr. 10.12 13 14. 7. He Ascended up on High to oversee all his Sheep that are scattered abroad over all parts of the World both Jews and Gentiles he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great Shepherd of the Sheep Hebr. 13.20 The grand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Overseer of Europe Asia Africa and America his Eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose Hearts are upright towards him 2 Chron 16.9 while Christ was in his State of Humiliation he had but a few Disciples to be his followers and so he could easily oversee them while he remained upon the Earth but since that time he hath broken down the Partition-Wall and hath most Miraculously inlarged his Tents among the Gentiles Insomuch that a very great part of the Posterity of Japhet he hath perswaded to dwell in the Tents of Shem as was Prophesied and promised Gen. 9.27 Christ Riding upon the White Horse of the Gospel hath so gone forth Conquering and to Conquer Revel 6.2 As that now it may be said Who can tell his Generation Isa 53.8 He hath now divided the Spoil with the strong ver 12. That is with the strong Turk strong Pope and strong Devil as that he hath not only an Hundred forty four Thousand Sealed ones among the Jews Revel 7.4 But he hath a Numberless Number also among the Gentiles ver 9. Upon this account our Lord saith it was expedient that he should go away John 6.7 And Travel up to Heaven for his having to speak after the manner of Men a more convenient Prospect upon all his Redeemed in all places he saith I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep c. John 10 14. Yea though they be Scattered upon a Thousand Hills yet are
sinner dare ask no more but barely to be remembred and that not so much for his Body as before but principally yea solely for his Soul And this he prayed not that God should remember him in the way of his Wrath and Judgments as God saith I will remember them that shed Innocent Blood when I make Inquisition for Bloods of the Ish Dammim Hebr. or Man of Blood Ps 9.12 But Lord Remember me he cries in the Way of thy Grace and Mercy as thou didst Righteous Noah Gen. 8.1 and Holy David Psal 132.1 c. The 3d Demonstration that this good Thief 's Prayer was the Prayer of Faith is His short Prayer Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom contained in it a very large and long Creed the Articles whereof are these that follow He believed 1. That the Soul died not with the Body of Man 2. That there is a World to come for rewarding the Pious or Penitent and for Punishing the Impious and Impenitent 3. That Christ though now under Crucifying and Killing Tortures yet had right to a Kingdom 4. That this Kingdom was in a better World than this present evil World 5. That Christ would not keep this Kingdom all to himself 6. That he would bestow a part and portion hereof upon those that be truly Penitent 7. That the Key of this Kingdom 's Gate to let in or keep out did hang at Christ's Girdle though he was now dying upon the Cross 8. Which is above all that he dare Roll his whole Soul for its Eternal Salvation upon a Dying Saviour Our Lord in his Gracious Answer to this Penitent Thief 's Prayer Luke 23.43 saith equivalently and in effect to him Oh Man great is thy faith as he had said to the Syrophenician Female Oh! Woman great is thy Faith Mat. 15.28 yea so acceptable was his strong Faith to Christ that he did not only say to this Man as he said to that Woman Be it unto thee even as thou wilt but he most graciously granted him even more than he asked This Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise That is I will not only Remember thee and not forget thee as the Butler did Joseph Gen. 40.23 with 16. Amos 6.6 but also added that that very Day his place of Torment should be turned into a place of Pleasure a better place than that which the first Adam lost to himself and to all his Posterity for that was but a Terrestial Paradise out of which he shut himself but this is a Celestial one into which I the second Adam will open the Door for thee there thou shalt have my Presence and Company Thou shalt be with me and there shalt thou fare as I my self fare Oh! wonderful condescension c. The Inferences from hence are 1st That If Christ did thus gratifie such a notorious Thief one of the Vilest of Mortals in granting his Request and more than he Requested as above because he was truly Penitent at his last Gasp though he had led a most licentious life all along and had been hitherto profusely Impenitent how much more will Christ hear the Prayers of his own Servants and Children who have faithfully followed him all their Days The 2d Inference is Though this Penitent Thief had Paradise promised to him as to one that was both an Heir of the Promise and an Heir of Paradise too yet dyeth he that miserable death of the Cross and hath his Bones broken c. to shew that even the Heirs of Heaven may meet with their Cross from which they are not exempted upon Earth and may have their Bone-breaking Afflictions Psal 51.8 The 3d Inference is Here we have a fair Specimen and a Pious Pattern of the best posture of the Heart of Man in a dying hour to be more careful of the Soul than of the Body at that Juncture All the care that Wicked Ahaziah took at his Death was Shall I recover of this Bodily Sickness 2 Kings 1.2 16. there be many that say Who will shew us any bodily good Psal 4.6 but few say Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon my Soul and there be many that cry Lord Heal my Body for I am Sick but few cry Lord heal my Soul for I have sinned Psal 41.4 David did desire those two Soul comforts whatever became of his Sense-comforts There be also many that in Ship-wracks at Sea and in House-firing at Land can be careful enough in securing their best Goods their Cash Plate and Jewels but how few there be that can take half that care in securing that Precious Jewel the Soul though of more worth than the whole World Mat. 16.26 when the Body as the Ship is just a spliting upon the Rock of Death by some burning Fever c and so leting out the Soul into another World The 4th Inference is Because this Penitent Thief was called in the Eleventh hour of his Life and Repented of his long and lasting lendness at his last gasp so had hope in his Death with the Righteous Prov. 14.32 and a Promise of a place in Paradise after Death c. yet let no profligate prophane and profuse Sinner promise to himself the like priviledge For a particular Instance ought not to be drawn into an universal Favour and both the Promise here and the Performance of it did peculiarly belong to him seeing his Conversion was one of the Seven Miracles that Christ honoured the Ignominy of his own Death by and none can expect such an happy Exit but such as can Attain to his great Grace and Faith upon a Dying Saviour c. The Fourth Grand Remark is the Miracles that Christ wrought upon the Cross puting forth some mighty Beams of his Divine Nature even at that time when the state of his Humane Nature was at its lowest ebb that the Indignity of his Disgraceful Death might be Graced and Dignified thereby The First of those Miracles was the Conversion of the Thief already discoursed upon adding thereunto only this here that his Conversion was the very first Fruits of the Power of Christ's Death even while he was but a Dying and before he was Dead Who can but admire both those branches of this first Miracle That 1st There should be such an Efficacy and Verine in a Dying Jesus while he was but just now paying that prodigious Debt for Man's Sin according to the Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the World began which Debt was not fully compleated before the Death of the Son of God was fully Accomplished And 2dly That this Penitent Thief should have such a power of Faith given him to hang the whole weight of the Pardon of his almost unparallelled Sins and of the Salvation of his precious Soul upon a dying Saviour while both He and his Redeemer were both Hanging upon the Cross and before the Ransom-Money for Sins was yet paid and Redemption for Souls was yet purchased N. B. Note well
Sanctis cap. 2. saith that those Malitious Monsters of Mankind did bind the Tomb of Christ's Body with strong Grapples and Labels of Iron on purpose to cross the Tales as he saith and disappoint the unchangeable Decrees of the divine Determined Counsel But mark how God here overshoots the Devil in his own Bow Gods Providence makes use of those Enemies Malice to make the matter of our Lord's Burial and Resurrection much more Conspicuous and Manifest to all Men for the more their crafty Counsel and carefullness was to keep Christ under the Earth and to prevent his Resurrection by their politick provisions all this did but render our Lord's Resurrection the more Divine and Glorious because it was accomplished Maugre the Malice of Men and Devils They can expect no good Success that dare fight against God Thus have we an account of our Lords Body how it was held faster in the Grave by the Divine Decree than by all those Humane yea Hellish Devices before mentioned it must not lie so long Buried as these Miscreant Men would have it which they designed to be for ever no it must lie no longer than the most Wise God would have it according as it was foretold in his Holy Scriptures God ordained that Christ's Body should lie Buried until the Third Day least his Adversaries should object in their Cavilling and Malicious manner that he had not been really dead yet shall it not lie there until the fourth Day least his Disciples Faith should flag and founder through his too long absence from them which he had told them often should be but for a little time and besides this the word saith that God would not suffer his Holy one to see Corruption Psal 16.10 Acts 13.35 He must not stink as Lazarus did at the fourth Day The next Inquiry is where was Christ's Soul all this time that his Body was buried in the Grave The Romanists Answer That Christ's Soul went down to Preach unto those Souls in Purgatory from their mistaking that Text by the which he also went and Preached unto the Spirits that are in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 as also that Article of the Creed He Descended into Hell both these Errours may briefly be thus corrected As 1. That cannot be the Sense of the Apostle Peter's Sentence for the Relative by the which can have no Antecedent but the Spirit ver 18. whereby he was quickened now the Spirit there cannot signifie the Soul of Christ unless we will affirm that he was quickened and Raised out of the Grave by the Vertue and Power of his own Soul which ought not to be affirmed But we must say this was done by the Efficacy of his Divine Nature which is call'd the Spirit in this place and in that 1 Tim. 3.16 Justified in the Spirit that is the power of the Godhead did so manifest it self Marvelously in that weak flesh of Christ that though he became a weak Mortal Man yet the Vertue of his Divine Nature whereby he Raised himself from the Dead did so convincingly shine forth as to make all the World believe that he was and is God And thus that Apostle must be understood that though Christ was not present in the Old World with his Corporal presence as he was at his Incarnation in the New World yet was he present with those Antediluvians in his Divine Nature which is both ever and every where whereby he Spirited Noah to be a Preacher of Righteousness unto the Disobedient of that Day who because of their Disobedience to Christs call at that time sent by the Spirit to call them to Repentance were then Drowned in that Universal Deluge and now Imprisoned in that Everlasting Prison of Hell where they lie confined till the Day of Judgment and then their drowned Bodies shall be brought to their damned Souls to receive the full recompense of their Rebellion against God that as Soul and Body sinned together so they must suffer together for ever more As to the 2d Errour or Cavil grounded upon the Article of Faith He descended into Hell must be thus corrected The word Sheol which signifies Hell is largely Interpreted for the Grave also therefore that phrase Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell Psal 16.10 is read in the Grave in the Old Translation And Sheol is read the Grave in the New Translation Gen. 37.35 I will go down into Sheol or the Grave unto my Son saith Jacob concerning Joseph who was too good a young Man to go down to Hell and who was not gone down̄ to the Grave neither in Jacob's Sentiments for he conceited some Evil Beast had devoured his Body ver 33. Therefore by Sheol Jacob must mean the State of the Dead wherein He thought Joseph to be and neither in the Grave nor in Hell And thus 't is said of Jesus who is Joseph our Brother that He descended into the Deep Rom. 10.7 which is there explained by its Antithesis to bring him from the Dead and 't is said of him that He descended into the lower parts of the Earth Ephes 4.9 Yea Christ saith of himself that he must lie some time in the Heart of the Earth which David calls in Psal 139.15 His Mothers Belly as the Earth is the Grand Mother of all Living and Dying Mat. 12.40 but 't is no where said in Scripture that Christ's Soul Descended into Hell which is the place of the Damned but the contrary is Asserted even by our Saviour himself that the same day wherein he Died the Soul of the Penitent Thief should be with his Soul in Paradise Luke 23.43 So that Christ's descending to Hades can admit of no other meaning than of his going down into the State of Death and his Body lying under the Power of Death till the Third Day The 3d Remark is The Consequences and Effects of Christ's Burial which are all exceeding comfortable to us As 1st Our Lord was Buried as well as Died to make a more compleat Conquest over Death As he had Conquered that Adversary in the open Field upon the Cross in giving up the Ghost at his own good will as above and not at the ill will of commanding Death so now he pursues Vanquished Death into its own Den and its Retreating Fortress and there becomes Death to Death it self strangles and unstings it upon its own Dunghill and loosing yea breaking the bonds of it 1 Cor. 15.55 Acts 2.24 27 31. 13.29 30 c. Sampson's Victory was the Greater that he suffered his Enemies to bind him So was our Saviour's who suffered himself to be bound with the Chains of Death and to be laid in its Strongest Hold in the very House and Cabin of Death Job 17.13 and then conquers it 2dly That he might destroy him who had the Power of Death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14 as Satan is the Author of Sin so in that respect he is said to have the Power over Death for Sin brought in Death and Death is
the Wages of Sin Hence doth the Tempter Tempt Mortals the more to Sin that he may exercise his Power over Death the more among them but Christ in the Grave as it were cuts the Devil's Throat with his own Weapon Death and that in Death 's own Den both Death and the Devil lost their Dominion Rom. 6.9 3dly As in respect of both Death and Devil so in respect of Sin also Our Saviour was Buried that our Sin might be Buried with him only with this difference He hath his Burial for three days only and then had his Resurrection out of his Grave but he makes such a Burial of our Sin in his own Grave as shall be for ever without any Resurrection at all thereof That Sin which is once buried in Christ's Grave shall never rise again either 1. To be remembred before God any more Isa 43.25 Heb. 8.12 Or 2. To Reign over us any more Rom. 6.14 with 5.21 c. As Sin is then so fully remitted by God as no more to be remembred and as if it had never been committed against God So Sin loseth not only its Damning but also its Domineering Power in the Grave of Christ God casts Sin into the deep Sepulchre of our sweet Saviour and into the depths of the Sea Mic. 7.18 so as it shall never be buoyed up again either to Damn or Domineer if not to defile us Inferences hence are 1st As Christ broke not down from the Cross though his Murtherers wished him to do so but staid there till he had compleated his Redemption-Work and till Joseph and Nicodemus took him down So he was content to continue in the Tomb till God raised him thence Acts 13.30 which teacheth that Christians ought not to Break Prisons but wait there till the time that their Word come as good Joseph did Psal 105.18 19. and as did this Good Jesus who saith to us I am Joseph your Brother Gen. 45.4 and whom we cast into the Grave as they did him into the Pit out of which Joseph scrambled not but was passive till taken out c. The 2d Inference is As Christ literal our Redeeming Lord will not always lye buried but only till the third Day and then Rose again So Christ Mystical his Redeemed Church shall not alway be buried but after two Days she shall be revived and the third day God will raise her up and she shall live in his sight Hos 6.2 3. The Graves shall be opened Ezek. 37.12 she shall not alway lie among the Pots Psal 68.13 The 3d Inference is Christ's going into the Grave hath Perfumed Sanctified and Consecrated the Grave to all the Godly That place of Stench and Rottenness Mat. 23.27 is turned into a sweet Bed for sleeping peaceably in till the Resurrection Isa 57.2 We may not fear to go down where our best friend's footsteps are before us The worst of the Saints sufferings is to be buried they can go no lower c. Christ hath by his burial made it a Portal to Eternal Life at the last day by his passing through it as we are buried with him by Baptism Rom. 6.4 as his Death kills Sin so his Burial buries it Therefore the Baptized should die to Sin and live to God ver 2 6 9. 2 Cor. 5.15 not rooting Sin out of the Grave to make a stench again as Carcases Infect the Country c. The 4th Inference is Learn hence the force of sincere Love to our Lord Joseph and Nicodemus though Rich Rulers both yet disdain not to soil and foil their hands with the Blood that came out of Christ's Wounds They took him down from the Cross c. with their own hands and not by the hands of their Servants Love expels all squeamish Niceness to climb a Tree is Boys Work yet Zaccheus thinks it no shame from love to look on Christ Luk. 19.4 Thus weak and Timorous Disciples may have strong Affections to Christ which may last longer than these of the stronger now Judas had betrayed him Peter had denied him and all the other open Disciples were run away save John who yet durst not so openly own a Crucified Christ yet these two Night-Birds stick to him under the greatest Disgrace in the open Day-light which shews weak Brethren may not be despised Rom. 14.4 They may stand when those of greater Abilities may fall c. The 5th Inference is Learn hence to bury all our Sins in the Grave of Christ which we will not do till they be dead Col. 3.1 Rom. 8.13 break its Legs the Thieves were so then bury it and hate it as loathsome Corps bury thy dead out of thy sight though loved before as Abraham did Sarah and when buried cast Mould on it that the Devil may not come to put life into it again and make thy end worse than thy beginning We read in that famous Burial of that Wicked Gog that there were Searchers appointed to go thorough the Land who where they found any Dead Mens Bones were to stick up a Stick or a Stone for a mark that some were scattered there whereby the Buriers were informed to find them and so come to bury them Ezek. 39.13 14. so ought we to do our Consciences are the Searchers which must find out our Sins that are as Dead Mens Bones the Relicks of the Crucified Body of Sin and when we have found them we must set a mark upon them and never be at ease within till they be buried and when we have put them into the Grave we must set a seal upon the Sepulchre that they may remain therein till they see corruption and consume away to nothing much less may we open the Grave our selves and stir up our old stinking sins that have perhaps been longer buried than was Lazarus who stank at four days end this will Poison the Air all about both in the Country of the Churches and of our own Consciences Therefore as Christ was buried that we might have power to bury Sin so by the power of his burial we should keep sin down from rising again The 6th Inference is Christ's Love to us is still farther commended considering how poor he made himself to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 so poor in his Life at his Birth he was born in another Man's House in Preaching he Preached in another Man's Ship in Praying he Prayed in another Man's Garden at Meal-times women Ministred unto him mostly eating in other Mens Dwellings in Riding which was but once he Rode upon another Man's Ass and now for his Burial he is Buried in another ther Man 's Grave So that though Christ was the Creator and right Owner of All Things yet doth he so Exouthenize and strip himself for us as to have nothing peculiar to him but his Cross which none would touch or take from him Was ever love like his This Sanctifies Poverty to us c. His Grave was Rich Joseph's Isa 539. Behold how he loved us he borrows our
the Belly of the Earth his Grave and with Jonah was cast upon dry ground Mat. 12.40 and Preached after c. These are the five figures or types of our Lord's Resurrection even in the Old Testament times long before his Incarnation This great truth of Christ's Resurrection is secondly confirmed as by those aforesaid Figures so by Testimonies of two sorts 1. The foregoing and 2. The following Testomines 1st The foregoing such as were long before Christ came into the World as well as the Figures afore-related and these were the Prophecies of our Lord's Resurrection such as 1. That of Moses Gen. 3.15 The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head to wit in conquering Sin Death Hell and the Devil which Christ could not have conquered unless he rose from the Dead 2. That of David Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Sheol or Grave nor suffer thine Holy one to see Corruption This David could not Prophecy concerning himself because as the Apostle strenuously argueth Acts 13.35 36 37. David saw Corruption but Christ the Son of David did not so and therefore it was an Error in those Good Women who would have embalmed his Body to preserve it from Corruption The like arguing is found in Acts 2.29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36. All grounded on this Prophecy of David 3. That of Isaiah Isa 53.12 He shall divide the spoil with the Strong which the Father promises to the Son as a reward of his Sufferings The Adjective Strong must be supplied with its Substantive thus strong Sin strong Death strong Grave and strong Devil He shall spoil all principalities and powers Col. 2.15 and take the spoil of all these as a Victorious Conquerour doth of his Conquered Enemies which he could not have done had he not risen again this was the promised Wages for his performed Work in the Great Service of the World's Redemption He shall spoil all those spoilers and take their Booties and Treasures from them Luke 11.21 22. yea and leave them empty of Prey 4. That of Hosea Oh Death I will be thy Plagues Oh Grave I will be thy Destruction c. Hos 13.14 which the Apostle Interprets that the Death of Christ was the Death of Death swallowing it up in Victory and giving the Conquest over both Death and the Grave unto us by his Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.54 56. Thus the Enigmatical Emblem of the Phenix in the Fable Dum parit perit Dum perit parit while she brings forth her Young she dies her self and when she dies her self she brings forth her Young Thus did our dear Redeemer by his own Death he brought Life to his Church and Children and by his own Burial he so swallowed up those two swallowers up of him Death and the Grave that neither of them should swallow us up forever because he is Risen When the Head riseth it raiseth up gradually all its Members There be more Prophecies in the other Prophets as Dan. 9.24 c. might be added here were it not too voluminous c. The Second sort of Testimonies were the following Signs as the above-mentioned were the fore-going Prophecies those signs following Christ's Resurrection were 1st The Earth quake whereby the Earth declared a stronger power had Conquered it and therefore she must yield and vomit up Christ's Body out of her Belly as being too hot a Mouthful and too heavy a Belly-full for her to hold any longer Acts 2.24 John 16.21 and Acts 26.23 The 2d Sign was The great Stone rolled away by the Hand of a Mighty Angel who when he had so done sat down upon it as a Conquerour in despite of all the Chief-Priests Guards who ran away as Cowards at his Appearance yet stood he as a Porter before the Door of Christ's Sepulchre to let in the Good Women whose coming he waited for while he sat upon the Stone Thus though our Lord's Death while he suffered the punishment due to us for our sins was in its own nature notoriously shameful yet his Resurrection for our Justification was wonderfully glorious being thus attended by this glorious Angel 3dly The empty Sepulchre Thus the Angel said to the Women He is not here he is Risen come see the place where he lay Mat. 28.6 c. Christ's Body after his Resurrection retained the natural properties of a Body to be circum-scribed in one place at one time the Scripture knoweth no Ubiquity of his Body as the Doctrine of Transubstantiation deviseth If his Body be Risen out of the Grave then 't is not here in the Grave saith the Angel if ye will not believe him nor me believe your own Eyes come see an empty Sepulchre 't is a sufficient Argument to prove that Christ's Body is not present in such or such a place when our senses do not perceive it to be present for thus the Angel argueth otherwise than the Romanists for their Real Presence proving that Christ was not in the Sepulchre because he was Risen out of it and they saw he was not there John believed Christ was not in the Tomb because he saw it empty John 20.8 4thly The Grave-cloaths were left behind and in order John 20.5 6 7. This the Evangelist mentions as a clear evidence of Christ's Resurrection and this alone beside other Arguments were enough to detect that Damnable lye which the Priests taught the Souldiers to tell Say ye his Disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept Mat. 28.13 14 15. how could a louder lye be well told even by the Father of Lies for these following reasons 1st If it were so the Governour might justly say you kept a good Watch the while you shall all be slain because you were all asleep 2dly If you all slept who told you his Disciples stole him away 3dly But suppose the whole Guard of Souldiers were all sleeping at once which is Improbable enough could they all be so fast asleep as none of them to be awaked either by the great Stones rolling away or at least by the horrible Earth-quake 4thly Was it probable that Christ's few and fearful Disciples should now become so fool-hardy as to undertake this exploit in despite of the Guard of so many stout Roman Souldiers but suppose all these Souldiers were fast asleep 5thly It must be concluded that as this was more than those timorous Disciples when they came out of their lurking Holes together could expect so they must make but little noise in accomplishing this great work that none of the Guard could hear their Actings to Accomplish the stealth But 6thly It had been more convenient for those Disciples to have taken away the Body as they found it wrapped up in the Grave-cloaths for they could not but be too fearful of the Souldiers though all asleep as to take up so much time in stripping off the Winding Sheet and untying the Napkin that was about his Head yea and in laying and leaving them all in good
the Body of Man before the Fall should have so much Beauty Lustre Splendour and Glory put upon it no doubt but when it came first out of Gods Mint it was a most curious silver piece and shone most gloriously hence Christ compares faln Man to the lost groat Luk. 15.8 9. As no Metal is better than Silver but Gold so no Creature was better than Man but Angels Man was made but a little lower than Angels Psal 8.5 before he became to be besmeared with sin his Body did even while naked undoubtedly glitter with a Divine glory being cloathed with a Royal Robe of Majesty and having upon him the Imperial Crown this gave Man Dominion over all Creatures Gen. 1.26 28. The Image and Superscription of God upon this Silver-piece did shine forth so splendidly that it put an awful reverence upon all Creatures towards Man who then had a most Beautiful Body every way suitable to his Divine Soul Hence the Fathers call'd Man in the state of Innocency The Cedar of Paradise the Picture of Heaven the glory of the Earth the Ruler of the World and Gods own delight The Glory and Beauty of Mans Body which was made by a Counsel called even the Master-piece of the works of Gods Head and Hands was no doubt say Divines like the Body of the Sun in the firmament Judg. 5 31. and like the Body of Christ in his Transfiguration when his Face shone as the Sun Matth. 17.2 and well might it do so for he is the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 And that Derivative Glimpse of Divine Glory put upon Moses in the Mount which caused his face to shine so as affrighted the people from beholding it Exod. 34.29 30. may well mind us what a Primitive Beam of Beauty the Body of Man had before the Fall God did not make Man in the likeness of the Goodliest Creatures but in the similitude of God himself and therefore he could not be without some Reflexive Rays of Royalty and Majesty even from top to toe when all his Members were Weapons of Righteousness unto God Rom. 6.13 Such a dazling Angelical glory had the Proto-Martyr Stephen put upon him as the Mediator Moses had before him so that his Face was as it had been the face of an Angel Act. 6.15 As there was a Visible glory in the Body of the second Adam Job 1.14 They saw his glory exceeding all the glories of the Sons of Men and becoming him who was the Son of God so without all peradventure there was a visible glory in the Body of the first Adam though inferiour to that of the second because of his Hypostatical union Col. 2.9 seeing he is call'd also the Son of God Luk. 3.38 Having no Father as Christ had none but God himself The Image of God was fixed upon Adams Body as well as upon his Soul whereby all the Beasts of the Field all the Fowls of the Air and all the Fishes in the Sea became subject to him and to that glory he was invested with Psal 8.5 6 7 8. and therefore as a sign of his Soveraignty and of their subjection they are all brought to him to receive their Names according to their Natures from him as from their Lord and Master Gen. 2.19 6ly That the Body of Man should be made in some sense Immortal The state of Innocency had this kind of Immortality It was not impossible for Adam to dye and it was possible for him not to dye A thing is said to be Immortal in four senses 1. Essentially Thus God is onely Immortal 2. Ex dono Creationis by the power of the Creation as the Angels and the Souls of Men. 3. Ex Hypothesi upon condition onely as Adams Body had been Immortal if he had stood in his Innocency This Innocency would have embalm'd his living Body better than all the Spices of Egypt could embalm a dead one Manna that was of it self Corruptible Exod. 16.20 21. lasted long and kept sweet many hundred years when laid up according to Gods Command in the golden pot v. 33. Hebr. 9.4 Obedience to God did not onely save it sweet on the Sabbath day but for some Centuries after as their garments lasted forty years Deut. 29.5 so mans Body might have lasted a thousand years in the way of Obedience yea and have never dyed Some say that the Tree of life was to be his constant food which should not onely be a Symbol of life but also a Supporter of it in an Immortal so far as innocent state that Tree would have so preserv'd his Radical Moisture and Natural Heat in an equal temper as well as in a lasting supply that Adams Body should never have had either wrinkle or Hoary Hairs but he should have lived in youthful vigour and in a happy vivacity for a thousand years upon earth and then without either anguish or sickness or pains of Death have been translated from Earth to Heaven the Reliques of this Natural Immortality made Adam live 930 years and Methusalem 960. However this is certain that the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 The body of Man without sin could not have turned into Corruption Death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 before he had sinned there was Temperamentum ad pondus such an equal Temperature of Qualities and the humours in him had such an happy harmony that they could neither breed Distempers nor bring Death but as soon as he had eaten forbidden fruit he came down to a condition of Mortality Gen. 2.17 Adam dyed not that day but lived 930 years after yet then and thereby was his Body made liable to such Diseases and dangers as might deliver him up to Death 4. Something is said to be Immortal Ex dono novae Creationis by the power of the Resurrection So the Bodies of the Saints raised up by the power of God are thereby preserved in mansions of glory for evermore The Body which is at Death sown in Corruption shall be raised in Incorruption 1 Corinth 15.42 it is sown in Dishonour it shall be raised in Glory v. 43. having the glory of the Soul transparent in it as we see the colour of the wine in the glass so the glory of the Soul shall be seen in the Body and this glory shall be a Corporeal glory according to the Maxim Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis non recepti Every thing received is in the thing receiving or receiver according to the nature of the thing receiving and not of the thing received Thus the body being a Corporeal thing receiveth glory from the Soul after a Corporeal manner yea the body it self shall be made a glorified body it shall be conform'd to the glorifyed body of Christ as to the standard Phil. 3.21 the Terrestrial body shall at the Resurrection be made a Celestial 1 Cor. 15.40 or a Spiritual body v. 44. it shall be more like a Spirit than a Body So Diaphanous and transparent saith
Serpent did bite Christ by the Heel in putting him to Death yet even then and thereby Christ gave Satan a most deadly blow upon the Head for though Christ died a shameful painful and cursed Death for us Gal. 3.13 as being hanged on a Tree Deut. 21.23 to expiate the Curse brought in by this forbidden Tree Cant. 8.5 yet was he quickened by the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 Rose again for our Justification Rom. 8.34 and swallow'd up Death in victory Isa 25.8 1 Cor. 15.57 And to this very Promise and Prophecy many Scriptures have a most excellent Reference as Psal 56.7 and 89.52 and 49.6 and 22.17 2 Cor. 13.4 and 1 Pet. 3.18 Thus Christs Head was not broken but his Heel only was bruised As the bruising of the Heel relates 2. To Christ Mystical his Church or Christians so it pointeth out 1. The Bodies of the Saints which are as the Heel and lower part as their Souls are the Head and upper part according to Mr. Mead's Notion and Death hath power over the Heel or Body below while the Head or Soul is in Bliss above yea and the Devil hath play'd his Tricks with the Relicks of Saints Bodies whereby he infused the Romish Doctrine of the Worship and Invocation of the Martyrs of which Wound in the Heel that Church halteth unto this day 2. It pointeth out the unsound part of the Visible Church or Hypocrites which are but the Heel of the Church of Christ Those are indeed within the Devils Commission here to bruise and break for a further manifestation of Gods Glory and that they which are approved might be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 3. It pointeth out the Church Militant on Earth which is but as the Heel or lower part thereof the Church Triumphant in Heaven being as the Head and out of Satans reach This Heel the Devil is frequently wounding yet is it but a sleight Wound which though it may be painful is never Mortal like the Wound in the Heel far from the Vitals the Head or Heart All the Persecutions of the Church here below do indeed reach their Bodies Goods or good Names yet are they only as a bruise in the Heel in comparison of the better part the Spiritual Life whereof cannot be endangered Mat. 10.28 Neither the Devil nor his Instruments are able to reach the Soul below or the Saints above ☞ Herein is contained an entire Christian Catechism touching the Malady and Misery of Man by the Fall and the Remedy and Reparation of miserable Man by Christ this is pure Gospel that our Adversary the Devil is laid along upon the ground as the Serpent or overwhelmed and turned upon his Back by the Messiah so though he be an implacable Enemy can do no great mischief as he is punish'd and put into such a painful posture and though he sting us in the Heel and make us halt yet must we go halting towards Heaven as Jacob did over Penuel Gen. 32.31 Yea Run the Race set before us Heb. 12.1 Now after the Tempter follows the Doom of the Tempted 1. The Doom of the Woman being first in the Transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 Her Doom is threefold 1. For seducing her Husband she is Doomed to Sorrow 1. In Conceiving 2. In Bringing forth 3. In Bringing up too 2. For pleasing her Palate she shall have pain in her Womb No Female of any kind hath greater pain than that of a Woman as Naturalists say 3. As she proved a stumbling block to her Husband to whom she should have been an Help meet she is Doomed to a Subjection to him v. 10. to have her dependency upon her Husband both for Direction Protection and Provision hence it is that oftentimes against her own will she endureth the uneasy Yoak of an unequal Ruler yea and against Gods will too for God would not have Husbands to rule with rigour though he grant them a righteous Rule over their Wives he would not have them bitter against them Col. 3.19 Eph. 5.28.33 1 Tim. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.1 yet in all this we have a fair Specimen of Divin◠Mercy 1. That God doth not cast Eve off or curse her as he had done the Serpent All this was a fatherly Chastisement rather than a satisfactory and proportionable Punishment God might have inflicted the mulct of sudden death upon her which she had merited he might have taken away the Blessing of Fruitfulness before promised but he only mingleth it with Dolours and yet tolerable Tortures Though the Throws in Birth be so torturing as no kind of Torments can parallel insomuch that Medea in the Tragedy said She had rather die ten times over in Battel than bring forth but once only yet God mitigates the rigour of his Justice with his sweet Mercy in Dooming her only to Temporal Pains where Eternal Death was deserved this was remitted for the Seed newly promised Ezek. 18.23 Psal 103.10 c. 2. Those grievous pains are not so grievous as the Curse and Wrath of God and the pains of Hell all which was the Devils Doom 3. Those pains were imposed to bring her to Repentance and to make her long for Heaven where all pain and sorrow is done away 4. Those Pains are recompens'd with following Joy John 16.21 5. Neither is all hope of life cut off from her if she continue in faith c. 1 Tim. 2.15 The last part of this Divine Doom is upon Adam God observing the same order therein as they had sinned the Offender who sinned last is sentenc'd last and herein is specified 1. The Cause of the Doom and 2. The kinds of it which are three 1. The cursing of the Earth to Man 2. The toilsom life of Man 3. His tiresom Life to expire in a bodily Death v. 17 18 19 c. All which were only Temporal not Eternal punishments for God makes no mention here of Eternal Death which is the proper punishment of sin Rom. 6.23 because by the promised Messiah here a Reconcilement was made betwixt God and Man both for Remission of Sin and the Grace of Eternal Life were contained in the promise of that Seed which would break the Devils Head Hence 't is concluded by all solid Authors that Adam was not Damned but Saved upon those grounds 1. He was a Type of Christ and never any Reprobate or Damned one doth the Scripture make to Typifie our Saviour 2. The Promise of the Messiah was given to them both upon their Transgression which they laid hold on by Faith and therefore Adam call'd his Wives Name Eve that is Life or living in Testimony of his Faith in and Thankfulness for that lively and Life-giving Oracle concerning Christ v. 15. whereby Eve as well as himself had a reprieve from Death and became the Mother of all living whether a Natural or Spiritual Life v. 20. 3. Adam is expresly call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 so he cannot rationally be reputed a Son of Death or Damnation 4. Neither is it probable that
as the Waters in the Red Sea did on each side Israel Exod. 14.22 but this is no better than proud presumption to imagine a Miracle without warrant from Scripture seeing that concerning Israel is recorded but this concerning Enoch Paradise to be thus secured is not so much as darkly intimated Besides if it had been so then Noah needed not to build an Ark the eight persons with all the Cattel might have been secured there with Enoch who would have made them nine persons saved contrary to a Pet. 3.20 4. Others of them say That Paradise might be preserved in the Waters as was the Olive-Tree whereof the Dove pluck'd a Branch suppose this true yet Enoch must have been Drowned for Trees have not Breath as Man hath 'T is said every thing that had Breath Died Gen. 7.22 there is not par ratio 't is no right arguing from the preservation of a Tree which is breathless to the preservation of a man who Breatheth 5. 'T is said of Elijahs Translation twice as before that he went up into Heaven 2 Kin. 2.1 11. this cannot be Paradise below the same may be said also of Enoch The third Branch is what of Enoch was Translated whether his Soul only or his Body also Answer No doubt but God took up his Body as well as his Soul from Earth to Heaven and from this Life to a better without any separation of his Soul from his Body This brings me to the second Remarkable and the second Enquiry about if to wit his Advantage attending this high Priviledge He did not see death Heb. 11.5 He tasted not of that bitter Cup. Indeed his Translation was as Calvin calls it a kind of extraordinary death yet came he not under 1. The expectation of Death by either Disease or Decay much less 2. Under the power and dominion of Death by parting his Soul from his Body but it was with him as it shall be with those that are alive at Christs coming Behold saith the Apostle I shew you a Mystery This was likely one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wordless words that he heard in his Rapture 2 Cor. 12.4 and therefore unknown till then to any Morial We shall not all die but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 We shall have Spiritual Bodies v. 44. And a Building of God not made with hands with which House we desire to be clothed upon c. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. And the same Apostle to the Thessalonians saith more plainly Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thes 4.17 Paul thus speaketh of himself as of one alive at Christs coming because we should daily expect it and even hasten unto it as 2 Pet. 3.12 And he intimateth there that the Clouds are the Chariots and Waggons which our Joseph our Jesus will send for us at that time to carry us up to Heaven as the Patriarch Joseph the Lord of the Land did for his Fathers Family down to Egypt Gen. 45.27 And such a Chariot carried up Christ himself into Heaven Act. 1.9 Thus Enoch was taken up in a Whirlwind as in a Waggon as the best Hebrew Doctors do affirm however 't is plain Elijah was so And in the very Act of their Translation both their Mortality was so swallow'd up of Life and Immortality and their Corruption did put on Incorruption in such an unconceivable way as those that shall be changed and caught up at Christs coming That neither of them felt the Sting of Death no more than the Victory of the Grave he saw not Death This is taken Literally or Mystically 1. Literally as here and Luke 2.26 Simeon saw not Death until he had seen the Son of God 2. Mystically John 8.51 If a Man keep my sayings he shall not see death Death is Threefold 1. Temporal 2. Spiritual 3. Eternal In the former of these Death is taken Literally in the two latter Mystically The Holy Scripture uses three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adjoining to Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Heb. 11.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 8.51 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 52. Mat. 16.28 and Mark 9.1 c. to be dead in sin a frequent Phrase in Scripture or to die in sin as John 8.21 relates to Death Spiritual This is an heavy Doom and the very next door to damnation 't is a sad thing to die in a Ditch or Dungeon but 't is far sadder to die this death Spiritual to Die in Sin but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tast Imports that Saints only Tast of Death they do but sip of that bitter Cup which for tasting of that forbidden fruit in Paradise they should have been swilling and swallowing down for ever This sinners who die in their sins do they do not only swallow it but are swallow'd up of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever which when that is added as Joh. 8.51 52. relates to Death Eternal Saints do die but sinners are kill'd with Death Rev. 2.23 A good man is said agrotare Vitaliter mori Vitaliter his sickness and death is in order to life he hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Death to him is as the Valley of Achor a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 as an entrance into the Heavenly Canaan But to evil Men Death is a Trap-door to let them down into Hell that Region of Darkness and Torment When Death comes with a Writ of Habeas Corpus and the Devil with a Writ of Habeas Animam c. 't is therefore a wonder that they go not raving and roaring out of the World Our Enoch had exemption from all those three Deaths Hereupon Chrysostom wonders that Enoch should pass safely through the Prince of the Air 's Territories unmolested the Devil not daring to cast so much as one Stone at his Mud-wall as he rode along in his Chariot as Elijah did into Heaven Assuredly God did gather him up in a moment being his Conduct and Convoy all along clothing him with the qualities of a glorify'd Body without either sickness pain or perishing of his fleshly Body he had neither Disease nor Death 1. He saw not Death Temporal nor 2. Death Spiritual which is Threefold 1. Of Sin Rom. 6.2 2. Of the Law Gal. 2.19 3. Of the VVorld which is Twofold 1. Active wherein the World is dead to us Phil. 3.8 2. Passive wherein we are dead to the World Mat. 10.22 Both these are held out in Paul's words The World is Crucified unto me and I am Crucified to the World Gal. 6.14 Christ kills two at once there Paul to the World and the World to Paul It was but a dead thing to him and he was as dead a thing to it Enoch saw not this Spiritual Death in sin for he received Testtmony concerning himself and we concerning him that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 3. He saw not Death Eternal the place
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
Road to Egypt Jer. 41.17 18. when they brought this request to Jeremy only in a pretence of piety and to put a greater Reputation on their fore-stalling Resolution might they have but Gods Approbation which seeing they could not obtain they will drive on their design at a venture tide Life tide Death fall Back and fall Edge come good or come evil Though they had promis'd under a Solemn Oath that which they never intended to perform ver 5. Oh hateful Hypocrisie ver 20. therefore they going into Egypt as into according to their thoughts the VVorlds warm Sun-shine they went out of Gods protection and put themselves into his punishing Hands and the Sword they feared and sled from did there overtake them ver 16 17. The Great God hath long Hands and the wicked cannot run out of the reach of his Rod Thus the Old Testament Worshippers limited God to a place confining him to their Temple whereas in the New Testament times such limitations were done away John 4.20 21. and Prayer may be made not only in the House of Prayer but any where every where 1 Tim. 2.8 any corner if but of a Chimney may now make a good Oratory yea the secret places under the Stairs Cant. 2.14 the voice is sweet there also The third particular is the Means wherein we often limit God as well as in respect of time and place Thus Israel must not have God to speak to them though it was a wonderful condescention and unparallell'd honour it must be Moses lest they die Exod. 20.19 compar'd with Job 33.6 7. And what great matters it was said would one from the Dead do Luke 16.30 Though Lazarus was such yet little regarded John 12.10 Thus Israel did so limit their Deliverance to the presence of the Ark that their Idolizing of it betray'd it into the Philistines Hands 1 Sam. 4.3 11 21. And thus when the Brazen Serpent a Blessed Means of Healing before was become an Idol to Israel Numb 21.8 2 Kings 18.4 it became Nehushtan or a common piece of Brass having no Vertue of Cure in it God makes us defie what we have Deified Zeph. 2.11 The fourth particular is the Manner wherein we oft prescribe to God Thus those cursed Carnalists cryed We will have Plenty with Purity and the World with Worship or we will have none of it Jer. 44 17 18. Thus Peace and Plenty is the Popish Plea as well as Antiquity and their strongest Pillars for upholding their rotten Religion and their Idolizing the Virgin Mary whom they call the Queen of Heaven as those did and equalling her Milk unto Christs Blood for Soul vertue The Wise Man saith Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this Eccles 7.10 as if thou wert wiser than God to govern the World Alas the Times are the worse because we are no better we must not take non causa pro causa In promptu causa est the Reason is soon render'd wickedness is the true cause and not much Preaching or strict Worship as the World saith 't is hard Hearts that make hard Times Nay even Professors themselves will not own God unless he appear to them in their own manner whereas God sheweth himself in divers manners Heb. 1.1 Hence have we many famous Remarks As 1. That though blind Obedience as to Man is abominable yet as to God 't is highly commendable such as this of Abraham's was 2. Though this Obedience of Abraham was a blind Obedience as to his own Will yet was it not so as to Gods Will for Gods Will was the Rule of Abraham's Obedience 3. Though Abraham knew not whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet he knew well with whom he went even one with whom he was sure he could not possibly miscarry It David could say to Abiathar VVith me shalt thou be in safety 1 Sam. 22.23 How much more may Abraham's God say so to him Hereupon Abraham put God to it as a proof of the Truth of his Promise 4. Abraham knew not yet sollow'd not knowing whither but we know from the sure VVord of Prophecy whither our way leadeth to wit to Heaven 't is a shame for us not to follow Abraham's following God Blindfold brought him to the Earthly Canaan but our following God with our Eyes opened will bring us to the Heavenly Countrey 5. Such as never yet experienc'd Gods Call saying Get thee out of thy Countrey c. and the answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 their Hearts Ecchoing again to Gods Call Psal 27.8 in their Effectual Calling are yet in Ur of the Chaldees in the Countrey of Babel or Confusion They are yet in the Shadow of Death and Region of Darkness Mat. 4.16 Under the power of Belial and Servitors of Hell Alas the Devil is both their Master and their Father 6. Such as continue in an uncall'd condition yield up themselves to Satan VVorld and sinful Self as Abraham did yield up himself to his God They live in the very Suburbs of Hell under a cursed blind Obedience and are condemn'd already John 3.18 having the wrath of God abiding on them ver 36. consuming the Stubble Hence also have we these Excellent Inferences As 1. Mans Heart hath many Suitors there was never such contending about the Body of Moses Jude ver 9. as there is about the Soul of Man We should not ask so much who wooes our Hearts for there be many wooers thereof the Flesh the VVorld the Devil und God but who wins them Ask not so much whither goest thou as with whom goest thou If thou goest with Satan thou goest to Hell if thou goest with God thou goest to Heaven this latter question is resolved by answering the former If we know with whom we must know whither we go 2. Gods Call speaking to us with a strong Hand Isa 8.11 must fetch us oft from our false Rests as it did Abraham from Ur and Haran Rest without a change is suspicious Rest Till God say effectually Get thee out of thy Countrey c. we are setl'd upon our Lees Jer. 48.11 12. Till we can Experience an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work we cannot be as Moses drawn out of the VVater Exod. 2.10 nor right Children of Abraham call'd from Chaldea to Canaan 3. If we be truely such then Children must resemble their Father in resigning up themselves to God as Abraham did and that upon these Motives 1. We are foolish and unskilful to order our own ways for either our Temporal Spiritual or Eternal good So long as Christ openeth not our Eye the Blind leads the Blind a Blind Understanding leads Blind Affections no vvonder if we fall into the Ditch God therefore must be our Guide even unto Death Psal 48.14 2. We have lost our strength as vvell as our skill by the Fall and are unable to cast our selves into the Pool of Bethesda when the Angel moves the Waters
and as heady and headlong as he and to give him as hot as he had from him Had Jacob done so as we are apt to do when evil intreated thinking then we have Reason to be Mad speaking as big for our selves as our Revilers speak against us this is the High-way for both to become Fools and men may then say there is never a wiser of the two Yet doth wise Jacob answer Laban the Fool somewhat according to his Folly lest he should be wise in his own conceit Prov. 26.5 he casts in some Answers that might sting him and stop his Mouth yea he plainly Stones him with soft words and hard Arguments lest he should advance his Crest too high and insult as a Conquerour too much and be held so by his Hearers In a word when a Fool is among Fools such as himself he must be answered lest he seem Wise to them but if he be among Wise men then he is not to be Answered for they will rather Regard thy seasonable Silence than his passionate prattle Laban was among both here so Jacob Answers some not all Objections As Jacob Answers not all his Calumnies about his stealing away from him which was the first 〈◊〉 of Laban's Charge against him so not at all doth he Answer concerning the Meâ—â—â—s and Threatnings Laban swaggers against him withal saying It is in the power of my 〈◊〉 to hurt thee v. 29. whereas Jacob might have reply'd Uncle You might better say It 〈◊〉 so than it is so for God hath now forbid you Though indeed it never was farther 〈◊〉 so far as was given him from above Thus our Lord told Pilate upon the like Bravado 〈◊〉 19.10 11. Prophane Princes and Persons bear themselves over-bold upon and boast of 〈◊〉 power to do hurt as if they were little Gods within themselves not considering that â—â—lan's Time is in God's hand and not in the hands of Men Psal 31.15 and unto him belâ—rgeth the Issues from Death Psal 68.20 Restraining man's Rage that will not turn to his praise Psal 76.10 Therefore the mightiest man may not boast as this Thrasonical Laban doth here Psal 52.1 and as Caesar said to Metellus he could as easily cut him off as bid it to be done and as Caligula to his Consuls I smile to think that I can kill you with a Nod of my Head and with a word of my Mouth off goes the Head of my beautiful Wife little thinking that their Power is limited by one higher than the highest Eccles 5.8 Christ saith Fear not them that kill the Body to wit by Divine Permission Matth. 10.28 He saith not them that can kill the Body as if they had power to do it at their own pleasure for that is a Royalty belonging to God only This Laban himself acknowledges in his But He breaths out his Threatnings with a But confusedly I can and I cannot hurt thee I can in respect of my own Mind and my Armed Men at my heels easily hurt unarmed Jacob and his tender Flock but I cannot in respect of God who forbad me chaining up both my hands and my heart Thus Laban as an Hypocrite forbore his Sin as the Dog doth his Meat not because he hates the Carrion but fears the Cudgel he is as wicked in a timorous abstaining from Sin as in a furious committing of it The Wolf is a Wolf in Chains as well as out Yet as to the second part of Laban's Charge Why hast thou stolen my Gods v. 30. To this he Answers No with much Confidence adjudging them to Death with whom they were found v. 32. wherein he gave Power to Laban to take away their life This seems a rash Sentence sorry would Jacob have been if Laban had found his Images under Rachel and taken him at his word Hasty words may work much woe what a sad snare was a rash Vow to Jephthah Jacob's simplicity was such that he was confident of the Innocency of all his as well as of his own upon which he made this smart Reply wherein he was mistaken though God prevented the evil Effects thereof Jacob might better have answer'd thus Laban Hast thou acknowledged the true God to me and that it was he who blest thee for my sake Gen. 30.27 and canst thou still call those poor Images Gods They are goodly Gods that could not save themselves from stealing how can such Gods save their Worshippers that cannot save themselves from the hands of the Thief c. However Jacob seconds God's gracious Interposition with an angry Expostulation wherein observe 1. God's Care of his Servants against the rage of their Enemies God lets Laban alone to band his Accomplices and bend his Army for six days of his and for thirteen days of Jacob's Journey He lets him have the ball upon his foot till he came to the very Goal of overtaking Jacoâ— â—â—t Gilead There and then God appear'd to Laban not for his sake but for his Servants sets bounds to him speak neither good nor bad that is either by Allurement or by Affrightment to bring Jacob back or do him Harm either by fraud or force 2. The Confidence of a clear Conscience in the Godly under Fears and Straits Jacob here professes his great Travel and faithful Service together with God's Blessing upon all Accuses Laban of hard dealing all the time then Laban submits makes a Covenant of Peace with Jacob which is ratify'd on both Sides with an Oath Happy is he that can be acquitted by himself in private by others in publick and by God in both as Jacob here though God let out Laban's Tedder yet he pulls him back again to his place with a hook in his Nose and makes him miss of his Game Gen. 31.44 to the end God grant it so now Solomon saith There is a time of mirth and a time of mourning Eccles 3.1 4. The former is call'd the Day and the latter Night Thus the Psalmist phraseth it Heaviness may endure for a night but Joy comes in the morning Psal 30.5 the morning brings mirth after a mourning Night Jacob had both those Times interchangeably succeeding one another as Night and Day he had his Night-time of mourning when he was Banish'd from his Blessing as well as Blessed Father and from his loving as well as lovely Mother And he had his Day-time of mirth too when he return'd back to Bethel after so long a Banishment He had his Night-time of mourning all the Seven years severe Service under his unkind Uncle and he had his Day-time of mirth when he embraced his Beautiful and best beloved Rachel If ever any man may be said to live at the Sign of the Checquer assuredly this Holy Patriarch had his Dwelling there having such an equal mixture of the black of Misery and of the white of Mercy as he sometimes had occasion to say All these things are against me Gen. 42.36 so he had as oft an occasion to say All these things are with me and
commodious place for pasture this is the more probable because it was the practice of the Patriarchs to seek out pastures for their Flocks till they found those that were fat pastures and good according to 1 Chron. 4.39 40. where these Patriarchs are spoke of v. 1. and 24. and ch 5.1 c. but when Reuben was gone saith he Judah espying those Arabian Merchants making towards them counsell'd his Brethren to sell Joseph to those Arabians assuring them that Joseph would die by that means and it would be better he should die among Strangeâ—â— afar off than among them in the midst of his Brethren who would hereby be acquitted from having any actual Hand in his Death This counsel of Judah which signifies praise God all his Brethren praised be God who ordered and over ruled all these matters unanimously commended and consented to it hereupon Joseph was drawn out of the Pit and Sold to those Merchants and hereby Judah deliver'd his Brother from this latter danger and death as Reuben had done from the former But when Reuben returned from seeking pasture being resolved to rescue Joseph without his Brethrens knowledge came by Night unto the Pit as Josephus saith and call'd upon Joseph with a loud voice but having no Answer he then thought that they had slain him in his absence whereupon he sadly bewail'd himself and reproved them with a most rigorous reprimand but understanding what they had done he was then satisfied Judah's Arguments prevailed with him as they had done before he return'd with the rest of his Brethren The sense of whose Arguments in the general was this Judah motions a middle way betwixt the two mischiefs that perplexed them and proposeth Gen. 37.26 27. Saying to them If you will sell him you not only free your selves from Blood-guiltiness whether Actually by Slaughter or Accessorily by Famine but you will get to your selves good gain in the price of him neither would this be all your advantage for besides by this means you will withdraw him from our Father to whom he did usually accuse us and with whom he was better beloved and more made of than us all yet further hereby we shall make him become a real Slave to those that Buy him and so disappoint his Dream'd of Dominion But more particularly observe here 1. That at this time of Judah's interposing for Joseph his Brethren were already resolved by Reuben's Reasons which no doubt God put him upon for Joseph's good not to ruine him with their own Outragious and Murdering Hands but to permit only his pining away and perishing in the Pit 2. Judah was here moved by the Spirit of God to deliver Joseph from this second Death as Reuben was to disappoint the first whereby he became so far inlightened as to account his casting Joseph into the Pit to which Reuben advised would be no better should they let him lye there but a slaying of him themselves 3. This excellent Illumination in Judah that dislik'd to be an Accessory in evil as well as principal was no thorough saving Humiliation which was wrought afterwards in Egypt by Joseph's roughness Gen. 42.7 21 22. and 43.8 9 18. and 44.13 16 to 34. and 45.1 c. for he still retained some hatred against his Brother Joseph insomuch as he gave Counsel to make a Bond-slave of his Brother which was as bad as Death If bare Banishment be as Lawyers term it a civil Death how much more is it when 't is a Banishment into Bondage seeing Liberty is oft preferr'd above Life so that Judah in proposing his Brother Joseph's perpetual Slavery acted more like one of the Devils Patriarchs as Cain is call'd by Tertullian for Hating and Murdering his Brother Abel than one of Gods Though Judah had here some Passion of Love and Compassion towards Joseph in designing to deliver him yet in Selling him as a Slave there was at least a pang and an Act if not an habit of hatred And according to the Apostles Rule he that hateth his Brother is not of God but of the Devil 1 John 3.10 and is not translated from death to life ver 14. Nay in downright terms is but a Murderer ver 15. And how far Judah's motion to sell him which indeed was better than to slay him was remotely at least a Murdering motion seeing this Selling him was but a passing over their power to put Joseph to Death into the Hands of those Arabians who might with more Colour of right have Murder'd him as their Slave than they might do as their Brother because they being Barbarians no better Behaviour could be expected from them than what was Barbarous toward their Bond slaves especially considering what God himself allow'd of among his own Israel during the time of their Rudeness and Pedagogy to wit If a Master corrected his Servant whom he bought so cruelly that he died upon it within a day the Master was not to be punish'd for his death and the reason is rendred because he was his Money Exod. 21.21 so the loss of his Servant being the loss of his Silver seem'd a sufficient punishment which he had inflicted upon himself though in truth that Servant did not owe his Life but only his Labour to his Master and the loss of his Life is not only the loss of a Servant to his Master but also the loss of a Member to the Body Politick or Commonwealth Yet Israel had this Divine allowance of Austerity towards such Bond-slaves out of those Nations which were decreed to be destroyed Deut. 7.2 and it need not to be doubted that those Arabians being Barbarians would be as austere and boisterous upon an Hebrew Bond-slave seeing he as Joseph here was their Money as Hebrew Masters might be in the like case to Canaanitish Captives all which evil Judah's even good motion expos'd Joseph unto yet this he ought not to have done nor his Brethren have consented to the doing of it seeing Joseph was their Brother to whom they all did owe Brotherly Love and their own Flesh from which they should not have hid themselves Isa 58.7 therefore better things were expected from them than to expose their own Brother and their own Flesh to the barbarous usage of those Blind and therefore Bloody Barbarians from whom no good no kindness nothing but a morose Carriage could be expected Their poor Brother who was of the same Nature yea and had the same Father in Nativity who was also capable of the same Grace and Glory with themselves and who had no way been injurious to any of their Persons save only to their sins Gen. 37.2 yet did they shut up their Bowels of Compassion towards this Joseph their Brother in his necessity and extremity for which they are deemed and doomed as Murderers l John 3.15 16 17. neither drawing out their inward Souls Isa 58.10 nor their outward Succours of this Worlds good to him but Murder'd him in their Hearts while they wish'd him out of the World when
if his pardoning Mercy prevent it not Therefore our Lord saith Sin no more Joh. 8.11 Lest a worse thing come unto thee Joh. 5.14 Here Israel sinned again and that with a double Sin 1. In desiring Flesh which they wanted ver 4. And 2. In disdaining Manna which they enjoyed ver 6. and the vehemence of their concupiscence was the more inflamed by remembring their former Egyptian Diet yet forgetting withal their Egyptian Drudgery ver 5. this made them so wickedly discomposed that they prefer such gross Meats as Garlick Onions c. before the Corn of Heaven Psal 78.24 which was both wholesome and Toothsome ver 7 8 9. and easily both obtained and prepared for Food yea this their Lust for Flesh made them fret and and pine away as Amnon's for Tamar did making him Lean from Day to Day 2 Sam. 13.4 this is punish'd with the Plague of Leanness and Surfeit v. 33. Psal 106.15 c. The fifth Remark is The People's prophane deploring their Penury when they had little cause to do so while fed with the Food of Angels doth not only make God angry with them ver 10. but also putteth meek Moses into a pang of Passion and Impatience as appeareth by his Pathetical Expostulation ver 11 12 13 14 15. wherein he sadly complaineth to God of the intolerable Burden of his governing such an ungovernable Company and that God had not heard his Prayer presented Exod. 3.11 and 4.10 c. Wherein he begs to be excused from that great undertaking and here ver 15. comparing Evils together He chuseth rather to undergo the Pains of Death it self than be continued in bearing this unbearable Burden In the like pang of Passion was Elijah's Speech 1 King 19.4 This and his Whence should I have Flesh c. ver 13. do all shew the insufficiency of the Law though it be Holy c. Rom. 7.5 12. to satisfie or restrain the Lusts that do Reign in our Members or bring Men to God yet what the Law could not do in supplying our wants in governing and guiding us through this Wilderness and in carrying us to Canaan it being weak through the Flesh God hath done by sending his Son Rom. 8.3 Who gives us not Flesh to satisfie our Carnal Lusts but his own Flesh to be Food for our Souls which he hath given for the Life of the World and which whoso eateth hath Eternal Life Joh. 6 51 54. The Rabbins here say that God had shewed Moses all the Evils he would bring upon this stiff-necked People which put him into so great a Perturbation that he could not Complere Vocem utter his whole Speech using Hebr. At thou in the Foeminine Gender spoken to God for Attah thou the Masculine contrary to common Rule of Grammatical Construction of Speech The sixth Remark is The Divine Remedy to all this Humane Malady both as to Moses's Impatience and as to Israel's Intemperance To the 1. Moses must not bear the burden alone but shall be assisted with the Sanhedrim or great Council of the Jews consisting of seventy Seniors answerable to the seventy Souls that descended with Jacob into Egypt whereof Moses sat President all endowed with the Gifts of the Spirit of Moses who was as a Candle that lighteth others yet hath not less either heat or light than it had before ver 16 17 24 25 30. of which number were Eldad and Medad who humbly hid themselves as Saul did 1 Sam. 10.22 but the Spirit found them ver 26. at which Joshua envies suspecting some Schism or the Diminution of Moses's Dignity and the prejudice of his Master 's Right and Reputation not yet knowing they were of the chosen Sanhedrim seeing they staid in the Camp still notwithstanding the call of Moses to the Door of the Tabernacle out of a Sense of their own Insufficiency Thus the Spirit in us lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 Mar. 9.38 Luk. 9.49 Joh. 3.26 This Evil Moses who had the greatest cause of Emulation rebukes in Joshua ver 27 28 29. being wholly the Lord's 2ly As to the People's Intemperance as God promised and performed Plenty of Flesh to those fleshly-minded Multitude so he punished their Impiety with an horrible Plague at the close thereof ver 18 19 20 31 32 33 34. Wherein we may observe 1. That when God had promised a whole Month's provision of Flesh Moses thought that verily God had out promised his own Power of performing and prays him to consider that the People whom he had promised to feed with Flesh were six hundred thousand Soldiers beside Women Children and Strangers which amounted say the Rabbins to three hundred thousand more and it could not be a little Flesh that would feed so vast an Host for a whole Month hereupon he makes this Objection Shall all our Flocks reserved for a breed in Canaan be slain or shall all the Fishes in the Sea be gathered together to suffice them ver 21 22. here Moses had quite forgot God's third Storehouse the fulness of the Firmament though not the fulness of the Earth and that of the Sea all which are God's three Treasuries out of which he supplies Man's Necessities for he had forgot the Fowls of the Air whereof he had large Experience the Year before Exod. 16.13 c. Yet God sent them such a drift of Quails as Moses never dreamt of As a little before Moses's Passion was too strong ver 15. in desiring his own Death so here his Faith was too weak in distrusting the Power and Providence of God The best of Men are but Men at the best and the worthiest of God's Servants are subject to faults and failings in this Life God himself answers Moses's Objection of unbelief bearing with his Diffidence here which he would not pardon afterwards Numb 20.12 This was a private failing betwixt God and Moses but that was a publick Act before all the People God will not pass by the scandalous practices of his own People without some sensible check That his Omnipotency is never Non-plust ver 23. Thou shalt see that my Hand or Power is not shortened as Isa 50.2 and 59.1 Thus Christ knew what he had to do when Philip said Two hundred Penny worth of Bread is not sufficient for so great a Multitude Joh. 6.5 6 7 9 10 c. God's Almighty hand is not more lessened in its Power now than when it created all things out of nothing I know saith Job to God that thou canst do every thing Job 42.2 And God here bids Moses never trouble himself about the Manner He should soon see the Matter done Observe 2. Discontent is ever harping upon wants even while good Things are present and plentifully enjoyed as if it enjoyed nothing thus it was with Haman who accounted he had no Honour while he wanted a bow from Mordecai's over stiff and not bending Knee Esth 5.11 And Ahab had no Comfort in his Kingdom though the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 while he longed for a
God bless'd him with Threescore and Ten Sons all lawfully begotten by his Body and none of them Adopted only ver 30. and he had one Son by his Concubine who moved him to call his Name Abimelech which signifies my Father the King probably out of her Pride and out of design to have him a King though his Father had refused it ver 31. That design breaks forth in the next Chapter This Eighth Chapter closes up with the Third Branch of Gideon's Description to wit his Death and Burial and Israel's Horrible Apostacy after it ver 32 33 34 35. Their Piety died with Gideon Judges CHAP. IX JUdges the Ninth contains the History of Abimelech the Sixth Judge of Israel so called though indeed he did Vsurp the Kingdom He is described First By his Name Father and Kindred ver 1. Secondly By his double State of Prosperity and Adversity from ver 2. to ver 28. Thirdly By his Deeds in conquering the Seditious and Besieging the Tower from ver 29. to 49. And Fourthly By his Death as Jotham had foretold it from ver 50. to 57. The Remarks are First How great a mischief many times is the Death of a good Governour as it was observed before the loss of former Judges was again and again a mischievous loss to Israel both as to their Religion and Liberties So here again no sooner is Gideon gone but Israel is gone both from God and from all Godliness they make Baal-Berith their God to whom they become professed Covenanters as the Name importeth Judg. 8.33 Yea this People were of such a wicked Temper that they neither remember'd the Favour of God nor the Valour of Gideon but so mad they were after their Idols Jer. 50.38 that they neither feared God nor Reverenc'd Man Judg. 8.34 35. Apostates from God prove Devils to Man Therefore as God had scourged them for their former Folly Apostacy and Idolatry by Forreign Foes So now he comes to plague them for the like Provocation and worse as it was against more light and love against more Means and Mercies added to the large number of all their former Deliverances with the Plague of a Civil Vncivil War among themselves insomuch that they are made to sheath their Swords in one anothers Bowels through Abimelech's Ambition c. N.B. Gideon's Ephod left behind him did indeed become a Snare Judg. 8.27 making a most fearful Schism and Division among the People for some of them went to Worship God as Shilo as they had done for many years from Joshua's Judgeship others new-fangl'd were for this new Altar and Ephod at Ophrah This was enough to sow Seeds of Sedition amongst them and because good Gideon gave the occasion hereof he therefore got to himself a new Name namely Jerub-bosheth 2 Sam. 11.21 Bosheth Hebr. as Ish-bosheeb signifies a Man of Shame Gideon got this Name of Shame for leaving this shameful thing the Ephod behind him but his Bastard Son he left proved worse c. The Second Remark is Abimelech's Prosperity in promoting his Plot and Project to compass a Crown and Kingdom His Ambition rode without Reins therefore goes he to Shechem where his Mother dwelt Judg. 8.31 Communes with his Kindred Uncles and others what might be the likeliest means for effecting his Design puts a starch'd Speech into their Mouths how to Court the Men of Shechem supposing they would willingly enough comply with a Regal Government which his Father had modestly refused and upon this Supposition grounds he his Oration That the Multitude of his Father's Sons was such they all affecting Domination as he Insinuated measuring them by himself for so ill minded Men do Muse as they use will occasion horrible Dissentions in dividing the Kingdom amongst them all that each may have his share this would cause dismal Stirs in the State All which confusion might be prevented by making me King saith he who am so nearly related to you and therefore shall be your no small Honour and Advantage Chap. 9. ver 1 2. and his Glozing Wheedles did easily captivate the Men of Shechem They readily complied because it seem'd to suit well with their Interest which will not lie at any time ver 3. and now having got a Temple built for their Baal-Berith after the Death of Gideon which he would never have suffered while he lived and endowed with considerable Revenues for those Men that were close-sisted in the Service of God could be open-handed enough to their Idol's Contributions they take out of this supposed Sacred Treasury Threescore and Ten pieces of Silver ver 4. N.B. All this the Devil in the Idol was willing to part with that therewith he might purchase the Heads of Gideon's Threescore and Ten Sons whom he found did Patrizare and were like their Father in opposing Idolatry With those Seventy Silver pieces Abimelech hired the Dehauched Desperado's as with Press-Money or Entring Penny promising them rich Plunder to execute his Devilish Design They march like a Ragged Regiment along with him to Ophrah and there Massacre Gideon's Seventy Sons upon a Stone as so many Sacrifices unto Baal upon this Altar to revenge the wrong that their Father had done to Baal in throwing down his Altar Judg. 6.27 28. Thus the Money out of Baal's House was expended in Baal's Service yet the Lord hid Jotham out of the Assassinates hands ver 5. he after did Jeremy and Baruch Jer. 36.26 The Third Remark concerning Abimelech's Prosperity when he had thus bloudily removed those Seventy Sons ' of Gideon excepting Jotham that were Rubbs and Remora's in his way to his Regal Government that his Bowl might run more roundly end-ways then the Men of Shechem are call'd together to make him King ver 6. This may well be look'd upon as an highly presumptuous Act for one single City to chuse a King for all Israel especially considering how God had appropriated the choice of a King over all Israel to himself Deut. 17.14 15. N. B. But it may be supposed this City had many Advantages at this Juncture for promoting this presumptuous Project As First The eager inclination of the Israclites in general to Kingly Government as appeared by their offer of it to Gideon and to his Sons Judg. 8.22 and though Gideon refus'd it for himself yet could he not give it away from his Sons to whom they then offered it also as well as to him Secondly There was now after Gidoen's Death a General Defection of the Israclites from God to Baal whose powerful Patron Abimelech only pretended to be at this time Thirdly The Proud Imperious Spirit of the Tribe of Ephraim unto which Shechem belonged did manifest it self Judg. 8.1 and 12.1 as if they had the prevailing power over all the other Tribes and could cause them to close with a King of their chusing among their Brethren Fourthly They here got the start and whipping hand of all the other Tribes actually at this time putting the Crown upon Abimelech's Head and having
which is not Mortis Susceptivus capable of being put to Death yet it is said to be Mortified because by its being Devoted to God for the Service of his Sanctuary according to the common Notion of Church-Lands it as it were dyeth passing away from a Secular to a Sacred use In like manner saith he that the Death of Man there mentioned is not a Corporal but a Civil and Spiritual Death like that of Jephtah's Daughter who died to the World when devoted to Prayers and Fastings c. as a Recluse spending her perpetual Virginity in Religious Exercises Answer 3. That Law of putting to Death there is limited with Mikol Asher Lo de omnibus quae sunt sub suâ potestate which he hath a power over but the Jews had no power over the Lives of their very Servants insomuch that if any Master kill'd his Servant casually he was to be surely punish'd for it by the Law of God Exod. 21.20 Much less was it lawful for him to take away the Life of his Servant wilfully and intentionally upon pretence of any Vow as this was but least of all hath a Father power over his Child to take away his or her Life under pretence of a Vow for though Servants be said to be their Master's Money Exod. 21.21 Yet Children are not so to their Parents but are indeed themselves of a Second Edition and so in slaying them they do Tantamont slay themselves in them whereas both Masters and Fathers are bound up from Murdering either Servants or Sons c. by that great Command of God Thou shalt do no Murther whereof Jephtah is made a Breaker by those that say he Sacrific'd his Child Answer 4. Nor will that Law of God which impowereth Parents to get their Stubborn and Rebellious Children Stoned Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. afford any relief to the first Opinion no more than that Law which commands Parents to have their hands first in stoning their Idolatrous Children Deut. 13.8 9. N. B. For neither of those Instances come near or concern our Case in hand for Jephtah's Daughter was a Pious Virgin not so much for ought we know as tainted with Idolatry much less a down-right and known Idolatress and as she was one that durst not transgress the Commands of the first Table in Adoring Srtange Gods instead of the true Jehovah so was she no less careful and conscientious concerning the Duties of the Second Table here 's no Stubborness or Rebellion heard of here Oh how did she Honour her Father in her most Humble Answer to him saying Father do not for my sake make thy self a Transgressour to God I freely give my Consent to thy Vow I am willing to bear my Burthen and to live a Virgin all my Life as one cut off from the Comfort of Children my Will is wrap'd up in thy Will Oh my Father Her words ver 36. import all this as if she had been in Christ's School and had learnt his words Father not my Will but thy Will be done Matth. 26.39 A Dutiful Daughter indeed c. The Second Objection is Should this be granted that Jephtah only Devoted his Daughter to a perpetual Virginity it would too much symbolize with that Popish Doctrine of Votary-Nuns and those Monastick Vows of a Single Life for which we have neither Precept nor President in Scripture Answer 1. It may well be supposed that the fear of palliating that Popish Point about Nunneries hath been the principal Reason that hath prevailed with several Godly Learned Men to push them into those Sentiments that Jephtah's Vow ought rather to be understood of a Burnt-Offering than of Devoting his Daughter to the Service of God in a State of Virginity as this Second Opinion affirmeth N. B. But I think there is more ground of fearing that the first Opinion concerning Sacrificing her Jephtah's practice therein might be improv'd to a greater countenancing of Humane Sacrifices in that Day wherein many Instances were manifest of burning their Sons and Daughters to Moloch Whereas there was neither Precept nor President for any Monastick Separations at that time therefore this was not so dangerous to become a Pattern of any voluntary vowed Virginity in Monasteries as is practical in the Romish Church seeing this Virginity was not voluntarily vowed upon the Virgins part but it was violently imposed upon her by the Rash and Inconsiderate Vow of her own Father who lived in such corrupt times of Ignorance and Superstition that himself wanted not some Tincture thereof as will appear afterward when we come to enquire Whether Jephtah did well or ill both in making and paying his Vow And seeing his Daughter was so far from making any voluntary Vow of Virginity of her own accord though she obsequiously submitted to her Father's Disposing Authority over her yet doth she beg leave of her Father to lament her Destinated Life for two Months among the Mountains before she became a Recluse and to be confined to her place which is but a Sandy Foundation for such Monastick Lives as Popish Nuns lead N. B. But all Circumstances aforesaid being well considered this Example upon Record may rather serve as a Sea mark for shunning such Rocks from fear of Ship wrack than stand as a Pattern for following Ages 'T is safer to say This is Recorded by the Holy Ghost for our Caution and not for our Imitation Answer 2. Nor is it altogether Unscriptural for some Women to be so shut up as not to be given in Marriage ever after to pass by Tamar David's Daughter who was shut up in her Brother's House 2 Sam. 13.20 and David's Concubines who were shut up also we are not told how long David's Daughter remained in Absolom's House but we are told how long his Concubines were even to the Day of their Death 2 Sam. 20.3 N. B. Come we now to more Undefiled Instances as Anna the Prophetess Luk. 2.37 who was one of the few famous Witnesses of the Messiah's coming into the World and of whom Grotius saith that she was Affine huic Exemplum an Example near a-kin to this for she spent Fourscore and Eight Years of her Widowhood saving her Seven Years Marriage in frequent Fastings and Prayer in the Temple Night and Day she coming in at that instant when Simeon took up the Babe of Bethlehem into his Arms Simeoni Succinuit she Sang forth the Praises of that Beautiful Babe with Simeon also to make up a more Harmonious Consort ver 38. N. B. But still to step nearer the point in hand the Counsel of the great Apostle may be conferred herewith concerning Virgins which he confesseth cannot be Congruous to all but only to such as have the Gift of Continency and have so decreed reserving still a liberty of doing otherwise if need require which Popish Votaries do not and which Jephtah's Rash Vow indeed took away from his Daughter being not so careful as the Apostle was in not casting a Snare upon her that had decreed no
and Death to them Return thou after thy Sister Hence Observ 3. That Love to the Ways and Worship of God is a sincere Love which doth urdergo Tryals and Temptations yet bears up against all This was the second shock that Ruth hath to grapple withal to wit her Mothers Perswasions as the first was her Sisters Example Naomi Counsels her to be gone and Orpah shows her the way of going and no doubt sollicited her sufficiently for her Society in her Defection yet Godly Ruth weathers out the point and rides out the Storm against Wind and Tide of both the Sisters Pattern and the Mothers Precept which to do her right was not any command upon her Daughter to forsake God and turn to Idols this cannot rationally be imagin'd that so Religious a Matron should cordially Counsel much less command her dear Daughter in whom she could not but observe some Pantings of Soul after the Service of the true God to embrace Idolatry yea here is a plain evidence in the Text to the contrary 't is very remarkable that her very seeming Perswasion doth indeed comprehend in it a very cogent Diswasion inasmuch as she makes Orpah's Actings in her departure to be rather odious and abominable than matter of choice or desirable this is intimated in her words Thy Sister is gone to her Idolatrous People to Worship among them their false Gods It must therefore be taken for granted That all this she did and said as aforesaid was to try the truth of her Love not only to her self but also to the true Religion not unlike that of Joshua to the Elders Chuse you this Day whom you will serve Josh 24.15 That Godly General could not by these words leave it to Israel's free choice whether they would serve God or Idols but it was to make proof of their professed Subjection to the Command of God whether it were Voluntary or otherwise and this would further oblige them to constancy in their Covenant So Naomi did here that Ruth might not say hereafter she was beguiled into her Mothers Religion by her Mothers over-ruling Perswasion therefore she gives her free choice and leaves her to her Liberty to do according to the Perswasions of God and the Inclinations of her own Soul V. 16. Intreat me not to leave thee Ruth being left to her choice was unchangeably resolved in her Choice and will not be shaken off from the Fellowship of this Godly though poor Desolate and Disconsolate Widow Hence Observ 1. We should be unchangeably resolved to chuse Affliction with the People of God rather than to enjor the Pleasures of Sin for a season This was Moses's Choice Hebr. 11.25 and it should be ours It was Ruth's choice here we ought with Ruth to chuse a suffering Condition with the Daughter of Sion than with Orpah to turn our backs of God and with the Daughter of Moab to take the pleasure of sin which lasts but for a Season Al tiph gegnibi Nè Irruas in me Hostiliter do not oppose me in a Hostile manner so fix'd Ruth was to make Naomi 's People her People and Naomi 's God her God that neither fair words nor foul Actions could unsettle her herein she gave demonstration of a true Convert Hence Observ 2. 'T is the blessed Character of a true Convert to have hearty Love for God and his People to desire Communion with both and to withdraw from the Company of God's Enemies So doth Ruth here preferring the Company of a Religious Mother before that of an Idolatrous Sister Her Companions shall be such as fear the Lord Psal 119.63 and so resolute was she in this that tide Life tide Death come good or come evil she will hold the conclusion and the Heavens shall sooner fall than she Renounce her Religion Thy People shall be my People and thy God my God Hence Observ 3. That Amity and Vnity which is made up by Principles of Religion and by the power of Godliness is the firmest Amity and Vnity in the World There is indeed an Amity or Friendship both practicable and profitable not only amongst the Men of the World one with another whereby the Kingdoms of the World are preserved in Peace and Power as to their several distinct Stations and Constitutions but also betwixt the Saints of the most High and the Men of the World as betwixt Abrabam and the Children of Heth Gen. 23.3 5 6 7. and as before this betwixt him and King Abimelech Gen. 21.22 23. Yea and after both these betwixt Isaac and Abimelech Gen. 26.26 27 28. As likewise betwixt Jacob and Loban and many others yet all such Amity is more from Fear than from Love Those Allies aforesaid made Alliances with those Patriarchs aforesaid being pricked in their very Natural Consciences which could not but stoop to that slamp of God's Image that they saw shining in them when they saw in them that which was more than ordinary they are afraid of the Name of God called upon by them their Hearts did ake and quake in them and hence did they seek unto them for Amity and Alliance that thereby they might make the better provision for their own Persons and Posterity N. B. How much doth this condemn the practice of that wicked Generation which speaks not Peace to God's People though God himself doth so to them Psal 85.8 9. which is their comfort though they be a People that would gladly live quiet in the Land Psal 35.20 that study to be quiet and to do their own business 1 Thess 4.11 Affecting rather Quietness from the World than over-much Acquaintance with it This made David cry not only Oh but Woe Psal 55.6 and 120.5 7. Yet the most true and cordial Amity is no where to be found but among the People of God one with another there is the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Eph. 4.3 that is the blessed Cement which keeps all together in Love Orpah may have favour and friendship for Naomi but alas it dwindles away when the Unity of the Spirit in the sincere Convert Ruth even glues her fast to her Mother No Bond like the Bond of Religion and therefore 't is call'd Religion à Religando from its binding and binding again 't is a firm and Indissolvable Bond I have sometimes wondred at that Oneness of Heart among the People of God even upon short knowledge one of another as if they had been acquainted Twenty Years one with another 'T is said Noscitur è Socio a Person is known by his Companion c. V. 17. Where thou diest I will die c. Before she had said in other terms where thou livest I will live whether Travelling abroad or resting at home she would not leave her Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge Now she saith I will not only Live with thee whether at home or abroad but I will Die with thee also Hence Observ 1. Such and so powerful is the
he pleaseth upon me be it Plague Famine Sword c. If I do otherwise than I say or if I pretend one thing and intend another If any thing but Death do part thee and me Hence Observ 4. Death is the final dissolution of all Bonds of Duty whether Natural Civil or Religious The Wife is no longer bound to her Husband Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. Children to Parents Subjects to Princes and People to Pastors Ver. 18. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded Hebr. Ki mith a mesteth hi. She strengthened her self Hence Observ 1. Outward Temptations and Solicitations to back sliding are most effectually resisted by inward firm and stedfast resolutions So Ruth here finds her loose Heart First With a purpose and a promise of persevering and being none of Solomons Fools That dares to trust her own Heart Prov. 28.26 she lays another bond upon that slippery thing the heart Jer. 17.9 more deceitful than all things to wit the Oath of God and this also she binds with a curse saying Let the Lord double and treble all evils upon me let him make me an execration and an example to all if I turn my back from thee and from thy God by all these bonds she bound her loose Heart fast to the ways of God and so she stoutly endured the shock of Temptation which Orpah did not Thus were we but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solidly stiff and stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 as Ruth was we might resist all Temptations to sin either from the Devil from without or from our own Hearts from within We should not give place Eph. 4.27 no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 to our own angry and Vindictive Spirits for then we let in the Devil into our Hearts But if we resist those fleshly Lusts which are stirred up by the Devil and which War against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 then they are though materially they be sin yet not so formally in as much as we do not allow them but abhor them and abhor our selves for them and not only so but the Tempter will as Naomi here leave off speaking by way of Temptation to us Then she left off speaking to her Hence Observ 2. Tempters to evil will in due time be dastdardly and yield unto those that do not yield unto them but are resolved stedfastly to cleave unto that which is good Thus Naomi yields to Ruth when she saw that Ruth would not yield to her and thus we shall find that could we but resist the Devil that grand Tempter to backsliding stifly strongly and stedfastly he would flee from us we should find him but a Coward who is like the Crocodile if you follow him he fleeth from you if ye flee from him then he followeth you the Reason of the Devils Cowardliness is this that Old Serpent having his Head bruised and crushed by the Promise of the Messiah Gen. 3.15 cannot now so easily thrust in his mortal sting unless we do dally with him and so lay our Breasts open to him N. B. But the Devil hath no Defensive Armour to defend himself though he hath Offensive to offend us therewith If the grand Tempter be thus cowardly 1 Pet. 4.7 then much more his Underlings and Vassals if the principal Agent be so much more his tempting Tools or inferiour instruments The Slave or Servant is not greater than his Master in Courage c. She left speaking c. now resting satisfied with Ruths resolution Hence Observ 3. 'T is breach of Charity to suspect the integrity of such as give those evidences thereof wherewith the Judgment of Charity should be satisfied Thus Naomi who was a Godly Wise Matron doth testifie by her speaking no more about turning back to Moab that she was now assured of her Daughters Honesty and Constancy and that she was now stedfastly resolved to be of the true Brood of Travellers Psal 24.6 towards the Land of Promise her silence gave consent hereunto Ver. 19. So they two went untill they came to Bethlehem Hence Observ 1. Such is the Faithfulness of our Heavenly Father to all his Children that he never fails nor forsakes them but when one comfort faileth them he findeth out another for them Thus Naomi having lost her Elimelech an Israelitish Husband hath a Moabitish Daughter Ruth given to her that clave as close to her as her Husband and resolves to be her Faithful Companion in all her sorrows and sufferings The loss of one Relation is made up out of Gods fulness by raising up another Thus when Abraham lost his beloved Wife Sarah Gen. 23.19 then God made up his loss by giving him a blessed Daughter Rebeccah in her room who was brought by an eminent Providence expresly into Sarahs Tent Gen. 24.67 to fill up the place of the dead there with a living comfort Thus also God himself stood by Paul when all men had forsaken him 2 Tim. 4.16 17. No man stood with him He might say as Socrates once said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friends I have no friend stands with me yet the Lord his best Friend stood with Paul who is better than a thousand fail-friends or as Plato calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 changeable Creatures God is never so sweet and and so seasonable to his Saints as in the day of their deepest distress this made David encourage himself in the Lord his God when he was greatly distressed 1 Sam. 30.6 well knowing that his God loves to help his People which trust in him when forsaken of all Creature Comforts when there is a Death upon all their Helps and a Damp upon all their Hopes Oh that in all our straits we could run to this Cordial and turn into this Counting-House as David did and find our selves well underlaid as we say with Comforts to wit in the Power Promises and Providences of God who is in Covenant with us and undoubtedly will remember us in all our troubles as he did David Psal 132.1 if we remember him in them as David did So they two went Hence Observ 2. There be but few Friends that are true Friends Here be but two together Orpah forsakes Naomi but Ruth only cleaves to her Amicitia sit inter binos qui sunt veri inter bonos qui sunt pauci that is let Friendship be betwixt two that be true and betwixt those that are good which are but few 'T was said in Richard the Thirds time by the Duke of Buckingham to Bishop Morton fast and faithful Friends are all for the most part gone in Pilgrimage and their return is uncertain Fast Friends be few such a Friend as Jonathan was to David who loved him at his own Soul 1 Sam. 18.2 And his Soul was knit to Davids Soul Corporibus Geminis Spiritus unus erat There was but one Soul for two Bodies Ni mihi sis ut ego non eris alter ego A true Friend is called another I a second self which can be but few and frater
he serv'd him when he could no longer serve himself upon him and this Hypocrite would have served God himself so if he could have reached him as he did his High Priest Saul here did not serve God in consulting with him but would have served himself upon God only Sixthly In his Composing out of his own Will that Cursing Oath and Imposing it upon all his People with the penalty of Death to those that kept it not Hence The Fourth Remark is the Rash and undadvised Adjuration that Saul without consulting with God or his High Prist put upon all his People both present and absent to tast no kind of food that day and such as observed it not He Devoted to Death v. 24 39 44. Wherein there was indeed a shew of zeal for God that the King should command a General Fast that Israel might the more be avenged of their Enemies N. B. Hereupon some Popish Commentators do highly commend Saul for commanding this Fast for say they the matter of the Obligation and of the Adjuration was good But Josephus himself finds fault with Saul for this forced Past and so do all our own best Interpreters who Unanimously affirm it to be Sinful and Wicked in many respects As First Saul thus Adjured his Subjects out of his own Insolent Arrogancy designing that the whole Glory of the Victory should be ascribed to himself and his Zeal which more duely belonged to his Son Jonathan Secondly It savoured also of too Bloody a Mind over-desiring to fill himself with the Blood of the Philistines his fellow-Creatures whom the Lord had now made to fall fast enough by their own Hands one against another Thirdly Saul's severity did indeed extend mostly here to his own Subjects in disenabling them by this over-Rigorous Fast to pursue the Flying Enemy and so he lost the End which he proposed to himself in this Act Namely The compleating of the Victory by using those evil means to accomplish it as good Jonathan affirmed v. 30. Whereas a good Magistrate more regardeth the Life of one good Citizen and Subject than the Death of many Enemies Fourthly he did inconsiderately insnare the Consciences of his People without any warrant from Gods word even the Absent as well as present Who were either 1. Those whom the Philistines had taken Captive and made Slaves to them in the Camp till they took this opportunity to joyn with their Brethren in Battle against their opposers Or 2. Those Fugitives that had fled to the Philistines for saving their own Lives Or 3. Those Cowards that had hid themselves in Holes through fear of the Philestines Chap. 13.6 and now durst creep forth and pursue a Flying Adversary Chap. 14.21 22. But above all 4. Jonathan and his Squire who likewise were Absent and therefore Innocent of this Rash Adjuration v. 3 27. Fifthly Saul's interdicting all manner of Food to any of his followers was over Rigorous insomuch as it admitted of no case of necessity which always in the strictest solemn Fasts finds some Indulgence Sixthly Saul's Law here was like Draco's that punish'd every peccad llo or little fault with the penalty of present Death and therefore were sâ—id to be written not with Black but with Blood Though Saul was a King yet had he no such Absolute Power to punish his Subjeâ—â—s with such an Accursed Death especially his Son for tasting a little Honey v. 43 44. A Punishment far exceeding the Fault Seventhly Saul's Rash Adjuring his Subjects by such an Oath and Curse did not only restrain their lawful Liberty without just Cause but also was the occasion of their Sin When being well nigh Hunger-starved they did with so much greediness Eat the Flesh with the Blood for which they are blamed v. 32. even by Saul himself v. 33. Saul could there see the Peoples Sin but not his own that had occasioned it They made Conscience of the Kings Command for fear of the Curse yet Saul had so starved them that they scruple not to Break Gods Command for fear of Hell Gen. 9.4 Lev. 3.17 and 17.14 Deut. 12.16 The Fourth Remark is Saul's Prophaneness as well as Hypocrisie 1. In Building but one Altar for his many Victories v. 35. That over the Ammonites in Chap. 11. deserved not one in his Account c. 2. He was a desperate Swearer and Curser v. 39 44. rapping out Oath upon Oath 3. God not Answering such a Sinner v. 37. Joh. 9.31 when he would have pursued the Enemy without asking of God had not the High Priest interposed and would have it so v. 36. 4 He scruples Eating Blood but not shedding Blood even of Jonathan v. 44. resolving it with Bloody Oaths and he had done it if the People had not rescued him v. 45. 5. In taking the Kingdom v. 47. in opposition to God who had said he should lose it Chap. 13.14 6. In turning Tyrant after this Taking their Sons from his Subjects at his will v. 52. as Samuel foretold Chap. 8.11 as now he swears to Sacrifice his own Son in a Chase Learning no Lesson from Jephtah who had so Rashly Vowed to Devote his own Daughter c. But more in Chapter Fifteen hereof 1 Sam. CHAP. XV. CHapter the 15th is a farther and fuller Demonstration of Saul's Hypocrisie and Prophaneness In his War with Amalek as the principal cause of his Rejection The Remarks are 1. The Material Cause of Saul's Disobedience to God's Command was concerning Amalek that licking People as the Hebr. name signifies who had not only assaulted Israel with open Hostility to hinder their March to Canaan Exod. 17.8 c. Numb 24.20 but also had laid lurking Ambushments to lick up and cut off the feeblest of them Deut. 25.17 18. Tho' this double Injury was now Four hundred years old yet the Lord remembred it still v. 12. N. B. 'T is ill angring the Antient of Days his forbearance is no forgiveness therefore doth he now send Samuel to Saul the first King Israel had to Revenge their old Injuries with a charge to cut them all off universally both Man and Beast that as Balaam had prophesied of them they might perish for ever Numb 24.20 Yea and as the Lord himself had sworn that it should be done so Exod. 17.16 Samuel therefore lays God's Charge home upon Saul that at length after all his so heinous Miscarriages heretofore and after God's so heavy Menaces thereupon chap. 13.8 9. saying Yet the Lord that made thee King and whom thou oughtest to obey is minded to try thee once more see thou make amends for thy former Errours and redeem God's Favour ver 1 2 3. The second Remark is The Formal Cause of Saul's sin which consisted in the partiality of his obeving God's Command ver 4 5 6 7 8 9. Thus far Saul obeyed God 1. In Mustering up his Men to a potent Army ver 4. 2. In Undertaking the Expedition ver 5. N. B. 3. In shewing kindness to the Kenites who had shewed kindness to
first Treachery if he should yet prevail they desperately endeavour to betray David into Saul's hands the second time to quit themselves of David's Revenge The Second Remark is The opportunity David gave them of this second Treachery was his returning again to the Hill of Hachilah where he had hid himself before Chap. 23.19 the occasion of David's returning to this same Hill again was because it lay nigh unto the Estate of Abigail whom he had lately Married the Emoluments whereof he and his Men stood in need enough of under their necessitous Circumstances and he might hope that both Saul was mollified and the Ziphites at least cautioned by their late disappointments or because he could retreat from thence most commodiously into other places if need required The Third Remark is The Lord suffers those Treacherous Ziphites to send for Saul the second time and Saul must come again with three Thousand chosen Souldiers to seek David again after his former meltings over him and pitch his Tents upon the very Hill of Hachilah ver 1 2 3. N. B. This the Lord ordered not only to allay and qualifie the transporting joy of David's new Marriage with Abigail but also to make a fool again of Saul as appears by the Sequel The Second Part of this Chapter is David's Antidote against this new danger The Remarks upon it are First Saul having desisted from pursuing David for some while because he had bound himself from such persecuting Practices upon David's sparing his life Chap. 24.26 27. The Ziphites though bound to favour David as one of their own Tribe Josh 15.55 yet fearing an after reckoning for their first Treachery as above stir up Saul to a second assault assuring him that now David was as the Hunted Hare return'd to his old form and now Saul might both catch him and kill him so rid both himself and them from all fears of his coming to the Crown at this Saul marches with his Men whereof as is suppos'd Jonathan David's dear Friend gave Intelligence N. B. The Ziphites had assured Saul he might have destroyed David before had not the Philistines so unhappily invaded the Land and delivered David at that time but now he need not fear any such diversion c. Now is David in more apparent danger than heretofore from Saul's besieging him again and now David acts his trust in God as a Remedy against the Treachery both of Saul against his former promise and of the Ziphites notwithstanding their former unsuccessfulness It was undoubtedly an eminent act of strong faith in David in the first place to adventure himself it may be disguised into Saul's Camp first singly as a Spye at some distance and after only with Abishai his Sisters Son Ahimelech the Hittite likely not daring to venture with him ver 4 5 6 7. even to the very Tent of Saul in the midst of the Camp Abner and his Army lying round about to guard his Royal Person This seems to be a very bold and daring attempt and no less than a tempting of God N. B. But it must be considered not only how such Heroick Acts have been done by that Pagan King Alexander the Great who once ventured to pass privately into the Camp of King Porus his Enemy to his great advantage for his ensuing Victory But also how Gideon did the like by Divine Direction for the confirmation of his Faith Judg. 7.11 accordingly no doubt but David did this by a special direction from God likewise N. B. Note well This Act of danger and difficulty was not an Act of Presumption but of a Divine Faith in David Reasons be First David had a general assurance that God would preserve him from all Perils for the Kingdom according to his Promise Secondly He might have a particular Revelation as a Prophet from God that he would cast Saul and his whole Army into a dead sleep for David's protection and security from danger and Thirdly God might give David a Special Promise of giving him a second opportunity to manifest his innocency towards Saul for the farther conviction of that Hypocrite concerning David's Righteous Cause The Second Remark is David's second Act of Faith in preserving the life of Saul against the urgent suggestions of Abishai ver 8 9 10 11 12. wherein Mark 1. Abishai finding Saul fast asleep asks leave of David to nail him to the ground at one blow without need of a second stroke This was the second time of his provoking David to destroy Saul Chap. 24.4 and here though he had received a repulse the first time and was restrained yet now Abishai argueth there is more Reason now to kill him for such and so implacable is Saul's malice that neither thy Clemency towards him nor his own Promises and Oaths to thee for thy safety can oblige him to any lasting reconciliation therefore saith he to David thou dost but tempt God to let slip such an opportunity as God by his miraculous Providence now offereth thee to provide for thy own and all our safety Mark 2. David's Answer Though I be the Lord 's Anointed in Reversion yet Saul is the Lord 's Anointed in Possession therefore I who am still a private Person and a Subject to Saul my Sovereign cannot kill him without sin though he be a Tyrant and rejected of God I can neither do it my self nor suffer to see it done by thee but I will wholly leave him to the Lord who set him up to pull him down for to him only vengeance belongeth Rom. 12.19 And herein David refers not only the matter of his revenge to the Lord but the manner of it also namely three manner of means as 1. The Lord may smite him as he did Nabal or 2. He shall dye according to the course of nature or 3. He shall descend into the Battle and perish which was that way of all the three that God was pleased to chuse and use both to bring Saul to his death and David to his Kingdom Mark 3 Though David spared Saul's Person yet took he away Saul's Spear and a Cruse of Water to become Pledges of David's sparing Saul's life when it was in the power of his hands and might have slain him with his own Spear The Third Remark is The Third Heroick Act of David's Faith in his daring defence of his own doings openly Proclaimed in despite of Saul of Abner and of all the Army ver 13 14 15 16. wherein Mark 1. David gets out of Saul's Camp at a due distance both for the Armies audience and for his own safety Behold here how good David transforms himself into all forms and shapes both of Speech and Spirit that he might do good unto this bad Man to work his weal even in both Worlds c. Mark 2. He calls aloud of Abner by name who was so fast asleep that though the Ear be first awake in the Morning as we use to say and a Man call'd upon by his name will start up
his making Vriah Drunk c. and for his Sin of Deflouring Tamar which minded him also of his Adultery with Bathsheba and for three years he mourned every day ver 37. The Fourth Remark is Absolom was lost too for he fled not to a City of Refuge in Israel for there no protection was for wilful Murderers but to his Mothers Father 2 Sam. 3.3 at Geshur where the Law of God had no place ver 38. that he might have present Protection and Provision and that by his Mediation he might in time obtain his Father's Pardon and Favour The Fifth Remark is David's Dolour for dead Amnon wore off in Three Years time because his mourning for him could not revive him Chap. 12.23 and because he considered better that Amnon had deserved his Death Justly though Absolom failed in the manner of it c. For which David now thinks he had lost Absolom long enough and now his Soul longs to have him fetched home ver 39. And had it not been for shame such an Ocean of Bowels hath a Father c. he could have gone himself and have fetched him c. 2 Sam. CHAP. XIV THIS Chapter contains the Narrative of Absolom's Recall and Return from his Banishment The Parts are two First His Revocation by Joab The Second is His Reconciliation to David First Upon the former The Remarks are First Joab being a Crafty Old Courtier and long conversant about David the more easily perceived how the King's pulse did beat Some probable signs he saw in David's discourse that Chileab alias Daniel being dead as well as Amnon his bowels earned after Absolom as not only now the Eldest but also the Fairest of all his Sons and the People's Darling likewise Therefore David earnestly desired to see him but was ashamed to shew kindness to one whom both God's Law and his own Conscience obliged him to punish To solve these doubts he was at a loss in himself but this Cunning Courtier contrives a plausible pretence how it might be done both to gratifie David's desires and to Ingratiate himself with the Heir apparent who might do him a pleasure or a displeasure The Second Remark is Hereupon Joab Consults a Woman as cunning as himself ver 1 2 3 4. Wherein Mark. 1. He chuses for his working Tool not a Man but a Woman because that Sex can more easily express their Passions having greater command over Tears c. and so more readily procure compassions Mark 2. She must be a Widow Woman too so being unable to help her self might the better implore Assistance from the King whose office it was to interpose for the Fatherless and Widow Mark 3. This Widow Woman must not be one of Jerusalem for that was too near at hand her feigned tale might have too easily been discovered upon David's enquiry of his Courtiers therefore sends he to Tekoah eight Miles from Jerusalem the Prophet Amos his City Amos 1.1 whom the Rabbins reckon to be Grandson to this Widow Mark 4. She must likewise be a Wise and a Witty Woman well-spoken having her Tongue dipt in Oyl though not her Face anointed with it ver 2. because of acting a Mourners part Mark 5. Joab speaks to David what he knew would please him by her Mouth and makes her to mask an evil matter with a plausible Parable the property whereof is deeply to affect and to leave a very vehement impression as Joab well knew Nathan's Parable had done upon David and so this did also The Third Remark is When she had Insinuated her self with her humble Gestures and loud Out Cries David like a good King readily admits and patiently hears her petition ver 5 6 7. Wherâ—â— Mark 1. This Suborned Woman begins her borrowed Oration with her being indeed a Widow which was misery enough of it self having no Husband to help her in her calamitous condition Mark 2. She proposeth her case that her two Sons quarrell'd in the Field upon a sudden occasion and the one killed the other seeing there was none to part them and consequently no Witnesses to prove the Fact as the Law Requireth Deut. 17.6 Mark 3. Yet upon this presumption without proof she saith my Kindred whom the Law appoints to be the Avengers of Blood Numb 35.19 Deut. 19.12 will needs Slay the Slayer for the slaughter pretending Zeal for Justice but 't is for their own self ends for the Superviver is mine Heir and so mine Inheritance will fall to them by his Death which will quench my poor Coal c. The Fourth Remark is Upon her requesting relief from his Royal Power David grants to remedy her by due course of Law v. 8. Which occasioned a new Discourse by way of Dialogue betwixt her and David ver 9 10 11 12. VVherein Mark 1. The VVoman seems wilily unsatisfied with the King's Answer as too dilatory a remedy for the mischief might be done before the Law could take care to prevent it whereas I am so confident of my surviving Son's Innocency saith she that I dare to take all the blame of him to my self in thy royal protection of him But if by the want of it he be Slain then the Guilt of Innocent blood comes upon thy Kingdom Mark 2. Hereupon David more plainly promiseth to secure those Avengers of Blood she so much feared from slaying her Son Mark 3. She smartly replies the Avengers of Blood were so many that while she was bringing one of them to the King to be secured another may chance to kill my Child in the mean season Mark 4 Then the King Swears to her that her Son should not Die This Oath was not in Truth Righteousneses and Judgment Jer. 4.2 for this Manslayer ought to have died according to Numb 35.16 17 21. But now it was David's own case in respect of Absolom and thence was he so favourable to this Petitioning Widow and so ready to relieve her in this case The Fifth Remark is the Application of the Parable ver 13 14 15 16 17. Wherein Mark 1. No sooner had this Wise Woman prepared David with her Parable and procured his Oath to confirm his sentence of protecting the Man-slayer having now gained this main point she brings the case home to David's own self making intercession for Absolom by many Arguments Mark 2. These Arguments were coyned to her hand both to matter and form and put into her Mouth by Joab who knew well enough that this her plain Song now after an obsure Parable would be very pleasing Musick to David's Ear and come kindly as a Rich Cordial to David's Heart whose Bowels had some time yerned after Absolom And so all this form of Speech fetched about was but the gratifying of David's own desires Mark Thirdly She now musters up and multiplies her Arguments to drive David that way which he earnestly desired to go but until now David wanted a plausible pretence which by Joab and this Wise Woman's means he at this time obtained Her first Argument
who excited Joash to call the Priests to an account and to call him among the rest because he could not so well prevail with them to be more diligent in promoting this publick Work Others make this Apology for Jehoiada that he was now grown very old it being in the Three and twentieth Year of King Joash ver 6. King Jebu dying the Year before and leaving the Kingdom of Israel to his Son Jehoaaz At this time 't is said expresly that Jehoiada was grown very old 2 Chron. 24.15 which might be the cause of his Remissness ver 6. his Generation-work being now in a manner done and therefore Joash took new and other measures for carrying on more effectually his Temple-work Remark the Sixth When Joash saw the Mony the Priests collected abroad in the Country was converted to other Uses and not to the right end for Repairing the Temple the King commands the Priests to gather no more Poll-Mony but orders old Jehoiada to set up a Chest like our poor Man's Box besides the Altar of Burnt offering 2 Kings 12.8 9. 2 Chron. 24.8 and this means did prove effectual for much Money was put into the Chest both Trespass-mony for omission of good and Sin-mony for commission of evil saith Tostatus This was put into such Officers Hands as dealt faithfully The Fabrick was perfectly finish'd by them ver 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 and 2 Chron. 24.10 to 13. yea and new Vessels ver 14. instead of those Athaliah's sacrilegious Sons had stoln away ver 7. Remark the Seventh Jehoiada lived the Supporter both of Church and State until he was an Hundred and thirty Years old and then died 2 Chron. 24.15 It was doubtless a great Blessing to the Kingdom of Judah that he continued so long in it which was an extraordinary Age in those times for him to live up to And such an high Veneration the People had for him that they buried him among the Kings a very great Honour done to him at his Death because he had done so much good in his Life both in Repairing God's House and restoring God's Worship to be performed therein when so repair'd Yea and restoring the Kingdom to the House of David in the Preservation of Joash c. The Second Sort of Joash's Actions were his Illandable Actions Remark the First His not taking away the High Places ver 3. but this was while Jehoiada lived so not so bad as after his Death for Custom that Tyrant of three Letters Mos had so prevailed and riveted these high Places in the Hearts of a fond People that the former Kings of riper Years than Joash and more firmly settled on their Thrones and having greater power than Joash yet could not remove them no wonder then if Jehoiada was constrained to tolerate them upon which the People so notoriously doted insomuch that Jehoiada durst not advise the young King Joash to cross the Mobile in this Superstition they had so fondly espoused lest it should cause a Tumult and lest as a learned Expositor expresseth it the Multitude should mind more Commotioners than Commissioners and be more guided by Rage than by Right Violence and Obstinacy like two untamed Chariot-Horses hurrying forward their precipitant passionate Desires in a blindfold Career Therefore good Jehoiada was forced to forbear as 1 Kings 15.14 and the rather because the Matter was good the People Sacrificing to the Lord there and not to any Idol So the thing was warrantable but the place only was unwarrantable Deut. 12.11 13 14. Remark the Second But after Jehoiada's Death Joash permitted deplorable Idolatry to be restored in the Kingdom 2 Chron. 24.17 18. Those cursed Court-Parasites who had dissemblingly concealed their Idolatrous Minds all the days of Jehoiada came cringing to the King as soon as Jehoiada was dead and perswaded this Ambitionist that during his Tutor's Days he was a King without a Kingdom a Lord without a Lordship or Dominion no better than a Subject to his Subjects c. that he should do well to assume to himself his Royal Power and as Menochius Osiander c. say they desired him to shew his Royalty in granting Liberty to every Man to Worship God as he listed and where he best liked and not be tied to the Temple c. yea a Liberty to recal the Worship of Baal c. The King hearkned to them Grotius here quotes Curtius saying Flattery is more mischievous to Kings than an Enemy when they give Ear to it fair Words make facile Fools fain and Princes minds are easily altered for the worst thereby as Joash was here who was soon wheedl'd into base Apostasy c. Remark the Third No sooner had those Court-Parasites prevailed with Joash for a Liberty to Worship God in the old High places but presently they Worshipped Baal there ver 18 19. for which Wrath came down upon them by Hazael King of Syria 2 Kings 12.17 18. when Jehoiada was dead so great a loss to a Kingdom is the death of a Godly Governor and when Joash was relapsed into Idolatry Principium fervet medium tepet exitus alget was the Character of this Apostate So zealous was Joash at the first as to rebuke even good Jehoiada for his Remisness in Repairing the Temple as before he was too hot to hold he is now grown stone-cold for God and as hot for Idols when he had lost his Religion he lost his peace of the Kingdom for then the Lord let loose the King of Syria upon him as after c. Remark the Fourth Joash's Tyranny the Daughter of his Apostasy into Idolatry and that with Obstinacy Such was God's pity and patience towards his own people that he sent Prophets to protest against their back-slidings and to fore-signifie his future Judgments 2 Chron. 24.19 yea the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada ver 20. who set himself in an higher Place that his Message from the Lord might be the better heard and he earnestly inveighed against the wicked ways of King Princes and People Hereupon all these three conspire against him Tyrants are Teachy tange montes fumigabunt Touch great Men-Mountains and they will smoake nothing but silken words will down with them the corrupt Courtiers taxed him as a Traytor to the King the King commands to stone him ver 21. who as they were stoning him cryed out Lord look upon it and require it ver 22. that is Make Inquisition for my innocent blood or it may be read saith Piscator c. The Lord will require and requite it So it is a Prophecy rather than a Prayer for 't is not probable so pious a Prophet would die with a desire of private Revenge contrary to Christ's Luke 23.34 and Stephen's practice Acts 7.60 unless it were to distinguish the severe Temper and Spirit of the Law from that sweet one of the Gospel Remark the Fifth God Answers Zachary's Prayer or Prophecy from ver 23. of 2 Chron. 24 to
And such an Upright Conscience as this need neither be ashamed to Live nor affraid to Die And he wept with a great weeping This Message of Death made him mourn as a Dove and chatter like a Crane Isa 38.14 for it was Mar-mar Hebr. mere bitterness to him ver 17. 't was bitter Bitterness to this good Man tho' Christ his Vndertaker had taken away the Gall or Sting from it N. B. No wonder if such a wicked Man as Saul was did quite swoon away at the tidings of Death and fall to the ground in his full length as he did 1 Sam. 28.20 but why should a Servant of God be either fond of Life or afraid of Death seeing he may better say than Agag Surely the bitterness of Death is past 1 Sam. 15.32 and seeing Death to him is but as his Father's Horse to fetch him home on Horse-back or rather upon Angels backs to his Father's House Or as Joseph's Chariot with its rattling Wheels to carry us unto our Joseph or Jesus as Gen. 45.27 28. Mark 4. Oh the prevalent Power of Prayers soaked with Tears Before the Prophet could reach the Outward Court Hezekiah's Prayers c. had reached Heaven and fetched down an Answer of Peace also Isaiah is immediately sent back with both a Countermand and with Comfort also ver 4 5. Say to him The God of David doth not forget his Promise to the House of David therefore will he both lengthen thy Life ver 6. and give thee a Son as Successor N. B. God's Answer to this good Man's Prayers was not more Speedy than Bountiful In Law seven Years is reckon'd for a Man's Life but behold more than twice Seven are granted to him ver 6. even Fifteen Years which is more than two Lives in Law Indeed God hath determined by his secret and certain Decree the set-time of every Man's Life Job 7.1 N. B. but no where do we read that God revealed this secret set-time so expresly especially so long before the time of Death to any Man save to Hezekiah only For should we know it we should grow less watchful and more secure than we ought to be Yea this good King himself did not Render c. 2 Chron. 32.25 N. B. Here 's a very great Grant by a Gracious Prayer-hearing God to a very faulty Prayer-making Man his Prayer here had many Flaws in it as those Distrustful I Said's Isa 38.10 11. do intimate All words of Despondency in his desperate Sickness yea and tho' the Lord foresaw his Returns to God would not Answer his Receits from God Mark 5. External Means must be used and added to those Internal of Praying and Weeping Ora labora a bunch of Figs must be applyed ver 7. which is an high commendation of the Vse of Medicines and teacheth that the Patient must Pray but withal make Vse of Means otherwise he tempts God rather than trusts God Christ even in his Miracles did oft make Vse of Means as Mark 7.33 John 9.6 but now when God gives us Means we may not expect Miracles but pray that God's Blessing may make them effectual N. B. Tho' this Cataplasm of Figs was from its softning vertue a Salve fit enough for a Carbuncle-Sore yet could it never have cured him so soon so suddenly without a Miracle Christ's Cures are proved to be Miraculous by this Circumstance of being immediately accomplished Mark 1.31 and 2.12 c. Thus likewise Hezekiah's Recovery was demonstrated to be Miraculous because he was promis'd to be Able to go up into the Temple the third Day there to give Publick Thanks for his perfect Recovery ver 5. Remark the Fifth The Sign that he asked and God ganted that he should Recover so soon and give Thanks so suddenly ver 8 9 10 11. Mark 1. He did not Ask a Sign because he doubted of the Truth of God's Promise but because he felt the weakness of his own Faith therefore desires a Sign for its confirmation Mark 2. Oh the wonderful and stupendous Condescension in the Great God thus low to stoop for gratifying the frailty of a Mortal Man God bids him take his choice whether the Shadow should go backward or forward Ten Degrees He chuseth the latter as a work of more Difficulty tho' it was no light thing as he call'd it for the Sun to Run forward faster than usual in its causing the Shadow seeing 't is constant in its course and never Runs more swiftly at one time than at another The Rabbins say that Hezekiah was a Student in the Mathematicks if so how suitable was this Sign to him How doth the Lord's Highness condescend to Man's Meanness and Answers him in his own way Mark 3. The Choice being referred to Hezekiah he prudently chose what was most Difficult and would most confirm his Faith Then at the Prophet's Prayer God caused the Shadow upon Ahaz's Dyal by a Retrograde running of the Sun it self to go backward Ten Degrees or half Hours so that the Twelve a Clock Sun return'd to his place at Seven in the Morning ver 11. This Question is much canvas'd among Learned Men whether it was the Body of the Sun that ran Retrograde or it was only the Shadow of it upon that famous Dial of Ahaz Visible to Hezekiah in his Bed-Chamber and seen of all sorts that resorted thither N. B. But 't is certainly a mistake in those that imagine the Miracle was only in the Shadow as if the Sun had gone it's course but the Shadow went Backward otherwise than the Sun did for the Fathers commonly concurr in the contrary Sentiment Cogent Arguments that prove it are 1st 'T is expresly said that the Sun it self returned back Ten Degrees Isa 38.8 And Menochius adds to this Canonical Proof that of Apocryphal Ecclesiast 48.26 2dly The Embassadors of Babylon came to Hezekiah to enquire of the Wonder Now had the Retrograde Motion been only in the Shadow upon this Dial in Jerusalem how could that have been observ'd in Babylon which they better saw in the Sun it self 3dly If we compare this Miracle with that in Joshua's Time Josh 10.13 It was not only the Shadow but the Sun it self that stood stills 4thly Maresius adds The Shadow upon the Dial could not have gone back unless the Sun that caus'd it had gone back also This is more probable than Sanctius's Proofs to make it possible N. B. 1st By this Miracle of the Sun 's Retrograde Motion Hezekiah had his Faith confirmed that his Sentence of Death was run Retrograde also The Sun in the Firmament saith Dr. Lightfoot knows not the time of its going down Ps 104.19 that Hezekiah might know his Time of Dying to whom alone was made known the term of his Life N. B. 2dly The Ancients Allegorize this Text saying Sick Hezekiah signifies all Mankind as sick of Sin But this is an infallible Sign of Recovery that the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 for our sakes is gone back Ten Degrees 1. not only
from Megiddo to Jerusalem where his Palace was and where he might meet with the best means for his Cure and if he died there did he chuse to die and he did so not desiring to die at Megiddo that was in the Tribe of Manasseh Josh 17.11 where he would have stop'd Necho from passing his Country Remark the Sixth Tho' this good King got his Death's wound at Megiddo yet he died not till he came to Jerusalem 2 Chron. 35.23 24. Notwithstanding it is not to be doubted by the common Rules of just Charity but that Josiah in his passage between these two Places finding himself without hope of Recovery and before his last Agony of Death did really Repent of his Rashness and was by his most Gracius God most perfectly pardoned N. B. for two Reasons 1. Seeing it was only a Sin of Ignorance not knowing God had spoke this to Necho but he had more cause to suspect than to believe his Testimony 2. Because God had promised he should die in peace 2 Kings 22.20 that is in favour with God tho' he died in War Undoubtedly he died not in his Sin as Joh. 8.21 tho' he died for his Sin c. for he had led an Holy Life in the whole course of his Conversation The Third Part is the Consequences of Josiah's Death Remark the First Josiah this good King dies and all the felicity of the whole State of Israel dieth with him for thenceforth it was never known but as Thebes was after the death of famous Epaminondas by its Calamities only therefore both City and Country had good cause to Mourn for him 2 Chron. 35.24 which was the greatest Mourning we read of and to which the Prophet alludeth in Zech. 12.10 11. N. B. 'T was a most â—lamentable loss whether we consider 1. the Personal goodness of this Man the Island of one innocent Person is deliver'd by the pureness of his hands Job 22.29 whereas one Sinner destroyeth much good Eccles 9.18 2. Or the manifold good he acted in his Life-time as a King he might say with David I hear up the Pillars of it Psal 75.3 as a true Atlas that upheld the State Isa 6.13 Or 3. The most miserable Calamities that befell that Kingdom after his death c. Remark the Second The Prophet Jeremiah was the chief of those Mourners saith Grotius being much moved at the loss of him whose worth he had fully known and by his Prophetic Spirit foreknew that Josiah's Death did draw up the Sluce to let in an Inundation of all manner of Miseries 2 Chron. 35.25 yea and all the Singing-men and Singing Women lamented this loss N.B. It was the Jews manner to have Mourners at the death of Worthy Persons Eccles 12.5 Jer. 9.17 in which Mournings they made mention of the Party deceased with a mournful Note how much more for Josiah here which became an Ordinance in Israel a constant Custom in all their following Funerals still to bewail the death of Josiah which began all their publick Calamities upon City and Country and this their common Mourners observed in all succeeding Generations N.B. That Lamentation for the loss of Josiah is lost and not the same saith Grotius with that Recorded in Sacred Writ that being made for the fall of Jerusalem N. B. How dark and deep sometimes are Divine Dispensations that so good a King thus dies when wicked Kings are let to live Who can be God's Counsellour Rom 11.34 Remark the Third When the People of the Land had bury'd Josiah in his own Sepulchre 2 Kings 23.30 which he had in his Life-time prepared especially for himself among the Sepulchres of his Fathers 2 Chron. 35.24 then they all with an unanimous consent took his Son Jehoahaz and Anointed him King 2 Kings 23.30 to settle him more surely in the Kingdom tho' he was younger than his Brother Jehoiakim ver 36. yet because he was a more stern and stout Man more forward and better able to withstand Pharaoh-Necho than Jehoiakim was therefore by a Popular Faction he got the Kingdom and it succeeded accordingly This is the judgment of Mastus Sanctius and Lavater and Menochius addeth That Jehoiakim was timorous and fearing Pharaoh declined the Crown so Jehoahaz being more Valorous was set up lest Pharaoh finding the Throne empty should seize it as his Wafe But oh what a sad Change was here from one that did right into one that did evil ver 31 32 Nor did he prove so fierce against Pharaoh saith Sanctius as against his Subjects and therefore is he call'd a Lion Ezek. 19.2 3. a very Cannibal to his own Country c. 2 Chron. CHAP. XXXVI THIS Chapter gives a brief Account First How Unhappy good Josiah was in his four bad Sons from ver 1 to ver 14. And Secondly Of the Desolation and Dissolution of the Kingdom of Judah from ver 14 to ver 20 And Thirdly and lastly Of the Jews final Deportation into the Babylonish Captivity from ver 20 to ver 23. all which are Amplify'd upon in the 2d of Kings 23.24 25. Chapters Remarks upon the First Part to wit Josiah's bad Sons are 1. Jehoahaz whom a Popular Faction made King as is abovesaid lest Pharaoh-Necho upon his return should make a Seizure saith Masius upon the Vacant Kingdom This Man proved a Degenerate Plant from so Pious a Father following Amon and Manasseh more than Josiah restoring that Idolatry his Father had destroyed saith Menochius partly to gratifie the People that had promoted him which still hankered after Superstition even in Josiah's time and partly to Dulcifie the King of Egypt who was a Worshipper of Idols Yet all this would not avail for Necho in three Months time returns and Conquers him 2 Kin. 23.33 but not without a great slaughter saith Sanctius from Ezek. 19.4 The Son endeavour'd say Munster and Lavater with an Army to avenge his Father's death therefore Necho did not only Depose him because he had taken the Kingdom without his leave and to shew he had Power to dispose of the Kingdom but also took him Prisoner and carry'd him down to Egypt where he died 2 Kin. 23. ver 34. as Jeremy had foretold Jer. 22.11 12. where he is call'd Shallum and 1 Chron. 3.15 Remark the Second Necho sets up Eliakim his Brother who was put beside the Crown by the Factious People being Elder than Jehoahaz 2 Kin. 23. ver 31 and 36. compared together and chang'd his Name into Jehoiakim to shew his Soveraignty over him as Dan. 1.7 both which Names signifie God shall Arise This obsequious King carefully pays the Tribute Necho laid upon the Land namely 100 Talents of Silver which amounted to Thirty seven Thousand and five Hundred pound Sterling and a Talent of Gold which was Three Thousand seven Hundred and Fifty Pound more This large Mulct Jehoiakim levy'd upon his People ver 35. from whom likely he received no less summs of Curses than of Coin However hereby he bought his Peace with
3.16 17. and Daniel fed upon his Faith as some read the Words Psalm 37.3 and made a good living out of it also for by the force of his Faith 't is said he so muzzled the Mouths of the Lions in the Den Heb. 11.33 that they had no Power to do Daniel the least damage so he lived by his Faith for he dyed not by them Mark 9. Such was the King's Care of Daniel and the Guilt of his own Conscience that he lay all Night as it were on a Bed of Thorns which suffer'd him not to sleep or rest ver 19. whereas sleep is a sweet Parenthesis intervening betwixt a Man's Toils Travels and Troubles attending each Day sufficient to the Day is the evil thereof Matth. 6.34 Man goes forth to his Work and to his Labour till the Evening Psalm 104.23 then God in Mercy to Man appointed the Night for Man's Rest and Refreshment but this poor desponding Darius though a mighty Monarch lay waking and watching all Night tossed to and fro 'twixt Hope and Fear and could not say with Lord Burleigh High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth when putting off his Gown going to sleep he used to say to it Lye thou there Lord Treasurer I bid adieu to all State Affairs for this Night whereas this Carking King was glad to get up very early in the Morning as the Hebrew Word bishpharphara signifies and hastens to the Den with Perturbation saith the Chaldee not fearing the disfavour of his Currish Courtiers saith Calvin for his Grief had swallowed up his fear He runs to he satisfied c. Mark 10. Darius at the Den cry'd out with a deplorable Voice ver 20. far differing from the Voice of Daniel ver 21. Darius in a loud Lamentation asks Daniel Is thy God able to deliver thee c. 't was a commendable Question of Care and Love in Darius to Daniel the tenderest Father could have done no more to his dearest Son and 't is the more laudable here insomuch as it came from a Mighty Monarch to a Captive-Jew and Prisoner at Mercy Junius saith that Darius here doth highly commend both Daniel and the God of Daniel though he doth it but darkly declaring him to be a Potent but not an Omnipotent God he speaks doubtfully Is he able us solent increduli saith Calvin according to the Custom of Unbelievers Daniel Answers with an undisturbed Voice ver 21 23. praying for the King's Prosperity though thus prosecuted under his Government Calvin observes Daniel might deservedly rather have curs'd the King and complain'd of his Perfidiousness and Cruelty to his Grand Councellour c. saying Oh unconstant King had not God been a better Master to his Servant than thou art to me I might have perish'd for thee c. but my God whom as thou sayst I serve continually hath sent his Angel who Grotius saith was one of the Watchers Dan. 4.17 and who either shut the Mouths of the Lions literally or took away their hunger from them or made Daniel appear terrible to them saith Tirinus because by Faith I trusted in him Heb. 11.33 chusing rather to be cast to those Lions than to carry about a Lion in my Bosom an inraged Conscience as thou Darius now dost He acknowledges God the Author says Calvin and the Angel but the Minister of his Deliverance N.B. The Rabbins Riddle here is A Lion comes and delivers a Lion from the Lions meaning the Lion of the Tribe of Judah comes and delivers from those Lions Daniel as stout as a Lion c. Mark 11. The Motives and Procatarctick Causes of Daniel's Deliverance which were two 1. His Innocency ver 23.2 His Faith ver 24. 1. He had a double Innocency one toward God not in respect of his Person saith Polanus which he utterly denies Dan. 9.7 18. but in respect of his Cause for which I am thus condemned and therefore God hath thus asserted his own Glory and my Innocency not from any Merit of mine but from his mere Mercy saith Calvin speaking only of his Temporal not of his Eternal Salvation The other is toward Man I am no Rebel against thy Royal Authority O King as my false Accusers do accuse me for Obedience to Kings must be only in God saith Calvin and we must first fear God and then Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 2. His Faith in God hath been spoke to before no doubt but he prayed hard as David did Psalm 22.21 the Prayer of Faith is of great force believing God knows how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Remark the Last Is the Event of all which is manifold Mark 1. Darius was exceeding Glad that Daniel was delivered ver 23. Shagee Teeb Hebr. Vehementer latatus having now got a blessed Allay to his distracted Mind and troubled Conscience ver 18. He was much cheared that so good a Subject was saved c. Mark 2. Darius thus delighted immediately commands that Daniel should be drawn out of the Den of those fierce and fell Lions which was done accordingly ver 23. not staying for those Lords whose Seals were upon the Stone ver 17. for this Miracle had rais'd up the King's Courage and Resolution to disregard them and to make amends without them in what he had done amiss by their unjust Instigation besides Darius's Decree against Daniel was already Executed the Law was satisfied yet Daniel was delivered Mark 3. Daniel was drawn up out of the Den probably with Cords as Jeremy had been out of the Dungeon Jer. 38.12 N.B. This was a lively Type of our Lord Christ's Resurrection upon whom that furious Lion Death that can devour all Mankind could have no Power Acts 2.24 Rom. 1.4 Death could not possibly hold God-man c. Mark 4. Darius then commanded Daniel's Accusers to be cast into the same Den ver 24. Nec lex est justior ulla quam necis Artifices arte perire suâ These Lords digg'd a Pit for Daniel and now justly fall into it themselves This just Law of Retaliation the Lord oft observeth Psalm 7.15 16. and 9.15 16. Prov. 26.27 Eccles 10.8 Judg. 1.7 c. The King commanded this to be done out of his absolute Power common to these Eastern Kings yet his Wrath here was justly incensed the Miracle was so marvelous and the Guilt of the Malefactors so manifest that without any further Process or Examination he denounces the Sentence of Condemnation and commands immediate Execution Mark 5. Their Wives and Children were cast in with them ver 24. Calvin accounts this an Act of over severe Cruelty and seems to resolve it upon the Arbitrary Dominion of those Eastern Monarohs who used many barbarous Exercises therein yet simply he would not have this Act condemned Bullinger evidences the Equity of it by the like Judgments of God as in the Destruction of the old World of Sodom and of Amalek none were spared The like we read of Achan Josh 7.24 25. of Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.32 and of Haman who was
infatuated Fools did Muster up all their Forces to execute their first Decree yet were they easily overcome by the Jews No Man could withstand them ver 2. N.B. Having a good Cause a good Call a good Courage and a good Conscience but above all a good Captain the Lord of Hosts how could the highest of those Hamanists stand before the Jews thus armed with God himself who made all the mighty Officers help them ver 3. as well as Mordecai ver 4. Remark the Second The Jews kept themselves within the compass of the King's Commission not medling with any that did not molest them but killing those only that sought to kill them and in special the ten Sons of Haman who were the Ring-leaders to all the Hamanists in Shushan Haman's Death still stuck in their Stomachs and they resolve to be reveng'd being Mad with Malice they venture in despight of the King's Favour and Mordecai's Power for patronizing the Jews All these ten Sons of whom Haman had so boasted Chap. 5.12 wicked Men are full of Children Psalm 17.14 and their five hundred Complices they had wheedl'd in to join with them were all slain in Shushan ver 5 6 7 8 9 10. Remark the Third The Rabbins curious Criticism upon Haman's Youngest Son named Vaiezatha ver 9. in which Name those Doctors observing a little Zain and a great Van are found written to compose the Word from hence they do guess and gather that this Vaiezatha though the Youngest was the most malicious of all the ten Sons against the Jews This was Haman's Darling whom he Corrected not but notoriously Cockered no wonder therefore that he proved the worst Nos omnes licentjâ Deteriores sumus for as Pity spoils a City so much more a Son as it did Old Eli's c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were all ten evil-Eggs of an evil Bird but this who was the most indulged Egge became the vilest of all those Varlets and therefore the Jews are to be justified who having the King's warrant would not let one Whelp to be left of so bad a Litter c. N.B. Though the Apocryphal Addition of Esther Chap. 16. ver 18. tell us but not truly that this youngest of that viperous Brood was spared ver 10. Remark the Fourth Upon the very Day of this first slaughter some officious Person ran to the King with Tidings of the number that had been slain possibly this Messenger was some Malignant an Hamanist or a Man of an evil design to incense the King against the Jews ver 11. but God so over-ruled and ordered it that the King was well content with what was done and went merrily in to the Queen saith Masius and must himself be the Messenger of this News which he knew would be very grateful to her and as a farther Testimony of his Love to her he gives her leave to ask of him whatever more she desired to be done in his Royal City beside yea over and above whatever number the Jews have now slain in the hundred and twenty seven Provinces ver 12. Remark the Fifth The Queen begs of the King a new Commission for one other Day only wherein the Jews might have his warrant to kill their implacable Enemies the next Day also ver 13. Bedath Haiom Hebr. as they had done that Day For she prudently supposed that all those cursed Conspirators against the Jews could not be altogether caught upon the first Day in that populous City but lest some of them should lye lurking in that Wood of Houses or the Grandest of them might Politickly withdraw for that Day out of the City and might confidently return the next Morning because the King 's killing Commission expired with the first Day to Plot Revenge therefore she procures a private and unexpected Decree which catched them all secure at their homes whereby they were all slain N.B. Oh that we could learn Esther's Diligence saith Lavater against our Spiritual Enemies as she did against her Temporal Col. 3.5 Rom. 8.13 we should mortifie them all Remark the Sixth By this new Commission three hundred more in Shushan were killed the second Day ver 15. beside the five hundred and Haman's ten Sons the first Day before ver 6 10. but in the hundred and twenty seven Provinces were seventy five thousand of the Jews Enemies then destroyed without the loss of one Man on their Part ver 16. in one and the first Day only so that the total summ amounts to the number of seventy five thousand eight hundred and ten Men with Hamans ten Sons for whom Esther thought it not enough that they were kill'd among the rest but she begs that they might be hang'd also upon their Father Haman's Gallows not for farther torment whereof there Dead Carcases were not capable saith Masius but in Terrorem for a Caution to Posterity c. The King commanded it to be done at the Queen's request ver 13 14. for he was unwilling saith Josephus to cross Esther in any thing N.B. This was done for their greater Infamy and Ignominy and for a Terrour to all Men that they abuse not the King's Authority nor perswade him to execute such cruelties against his Innocent Subjects Remark the Seventh If any ask Was not this Cruelty in the Jews to kill so many thousand of the King's Subjects Bonartius Answers this slaughter was Justice For 1. 'T was lawful for them to kill rather than be killed the great Law of self Preservation is universally approved of in their own necessary Defence 2. They were armed with Royal Authority to destroy those that disturbed them Chap. 8.11 3. Mordecai might charge them with Treasonable Actions in the eight Months space betwixt the Publication of the latter Edict and its Execution So they were executed as Traitors to the King 4. Nor was it any dishonour to the Jews to be the Almighty's Slaughter-men seeing the Holy Angels are Executioners of God's just Judgments upon such as are Traitors to him as in the Case of Sodom of Sennacherib's Army and oft in the Revelations c. 5. Nor was this Act any more than the Law of Retaliation they only destroy'd those who both purpos'd and endeavour'd to destroy them And 6. As to Haman and his ten Sons they were justly slain by Vertue of that Divine Doom Denounced against Amalek Exod. 17.12 Deut. 25.17 c. Remark the Eighth However those Godly Jews neglected not to mingle Acts of Mercy with their Acts of Justice in not laying their Hands upon the spoil This is said of them three times ver 10 15 and 16. Though the King's Commission did impower them to it wherein their Liberty was very large not only to kill Men but also Women and Children and to take the spoil of them for a Prey Chap. 8 11. but it was the pious purpose of the Jews to keep within the compass of the King's Commission Non semper omnia qua licent sunt facienda saith Lavater N.B. Such as
Life its preheminence above the best of Lives 2. Miracles not imitable 3. Testistified by Josephus 53. His Moral acts to be imitated Vol. 4. Page 3 4 His Conception 6 8 9. Reasons of his Incarnation Vol. 4. Page 8 His low Condescension in his Humiliation Vol. 4. Page 10 His Birth of whom 12 13. Time when 14 15 16. The Place where 16 17. It s Manner 17 18. Manifestation 18 19. Circumcision 20 21. Presentation 23. Flight into Egypt 24. Return 25. His Occupation 28. His Travels 29. Baptism 30. Sympathy 48. His Persecution 49. Sermon on the Mount 54. Transfiguration 95 96 c. Compared to a Woman Vol. 4. Page 131 Christ's Apprehension Arraignment and Condemnation from 192 to 226. His Crucifixion its Circumstances from 226 to 252. His Prayer on the Cross 234. His temporary Sufferings a Satisfaction and why Vol. 4. Page 245 246 Christ's seven last words on the Cross Vol. 4. Page 247 248 249 Seven signs of Christ's Triumph Vol. 4. Page 250 to 253 Christ's Burial Vol. 4. Page 254 to 259 Christ's Râ—surrection Vol. 4. Page 260 to 276 Christ's Ten Appearances Vol. 4. Page 277 to 321 c. Christ's Ascension Vol. 4. Page 323 to 328 c. Church its parallel to a Ship 68. Disparity Vol. 4. Page 69 Conversion wonderful Vol. 4. Page 44 Conformity to him directed and commended Vol. 4. Page 5 6 D Damned Souls void of ease Vol. 4. Page 156 Dangers to be avoided Vol. 4. Page 78 Darkness at the Death of Christ why Vol. 4. Page 240 241 Deliverances convincing and confounding Vol. 4. Page 349 Devil his Impotence 31. Truckling to the Power of Christ 58. Tormented by Christ's approach Vol. 4. Page 71 Dependency on Divine Conduct Vol. 4. Page 401 Devotion evidenced by Family Duties Vol. 4. Page 382 Dissension the ground of deliverance Vol. 4. Page 472 Dispute against Christ by corrupt Church-men Vol. 4. Page 86 Docility the best gentility Vol. 4. Page 432 Diseases of Body the health of Soul 45. To be Dumb better than profane Vol. 4. Page 76 Dreams Natural and Diabolical ordered by God Vol. 4. Page 216 Duty to Parents to give way to Duty to God Vol. 4. Page 28 E A terrible Earthquake at Christ's Death Vol. 4. Page 242 The Eclipse of the Sun at the Death of Christ miraculous Vol. 4. Page 239 Elimas struck blind Vol. 4. Page 407 Enemies of the Church numerous Vol. 4. Page 473 Enoch's Prophecy Vol. 4. Page 508 An Ethiopian converted Vol. 4. Page 361 362 The Evil of Sin the greatest Vol. 4. Page 252 Eutychus raised Vol. 4. Page 453 Expounding before Sermon laudable Vol. 4. Page 410 Extremity the time of Deliverance Vol. 4. Page 488 F Faith must not doubt of Christ's Power or Will 45. Its Degrees discernable Vol. 4. Page 73 Faithfulness the best ground of Vnion and Communion Vol. 4. Page 424 Favour seldom single Vol. 4. Page 59 Fidelity to Servants a famous instance Vol. 4. Page 55 Formality what 118. It s Insufficiency Vol. 4. Page 119 Fraud and Force combining Vol. 4. Page 474 G God to be trusted not tempted Vol. 4. Page 43 God's goodness to such as fear him 383. His Soveraignty over his Servants Vol. 4. Page 397 Gospel not to be subdued Vol. 4. Page 51 Guilt exposeth to fear Vol. 4. Page 102 Grace its beauty 56. Exâ—olled by Christ 56. And the Seal of it to go together Vol. 4. Page 392 Its Truth more regarded than Measure Vol. 4. Page 64 Grievances to be redressed Vol. 4. Page 428 H Happy is the Place where Christ is Vol. 4. Page 43 Healing of a poor Cripple Vol. 4. Page 48 49 The Heart is to conceive Christ 11. Compared to Soil 65. To give Birth to Christ Vol. 4. Page 12 13 Herod and Herodias's sin 40. their miserable Death Vol. 4. Page 41 Heaven and Hell described Vol. 4. Page 157 Hell filled with variety of Torments Vol. 4. Page 156 The High in Faith may be Low in Humility Vol. 4. Page 55 Hereticks are Wolves Vol. 4. Page 456 Humility its nature Vol. 4. Page 55 Hypocrites most for Ceremonies Vol. 4. Page 52 Sooner or later detected Vol. 4. Page 360 I Ignorance inexcusable Vol. 4. Page 330 Incredulity reproved Vol. 4. Page 104 Indifferencies require a single Eye Vol. 4. Page 421 Innocency maketh happy Vol. 4. Page 480 Insinuations to gain Attention lawful Vol. 4. Page 464 John Baptist's beheading Vol. 4. Page 40 Judas admitted to the Lord's Supper Vol. 4. Page 192 The general Judgment of the World its circumstances Vol. 4. Page 183 Divine Justice comes at last Vol. 4. Page 212 K Kingdom of Christ Vol. 4. Page 518 519 Knowing of Christ is from Revelation Vol. 4. Page 102 L Learning alone cannot learn us Gospel Vol. 4. Page 434 Learning at its height in Judea when Christ disputed the Doctors Vol. 4. Page 26 Legion of Devils in one Man Vol. 4. Page 70 Leprosie most prevalent in our Lord's time Vol. 4. Page 45 How we ought to Love Christ Vol. 4. Page 25 Luxury most in rich Cities Vol. 4. Page 438 Lyes charged on Christ Vol. 4. Page 201 202 M Man the Microcosm Vol. 4. Page 132 Man fallen is the lost Groat Vol. 4. Page 132 Marriage honoured by Christ Vol. 4. Page 33 The Apostles Married Vol. 4. Page 34 Means tho' weak may work much Vol. 4. Page 44 Mercy requireth Duty Vol. 4. Page 46 Meekness needful in Churches Vol. 4. Page 302 A Salvo of Mercy in the Church's Misery Vol. 4. Page 349 Mercy remembred in the midst of wrath Vol. 4. Page 408 Ministers shall lose nothing Vol. 4. Page 80 Mobile changeable Vol. 4. Page 413 Moses and Messiah on the Mount Vol. 4. Page 97 N Nicodemus his ignorance and timorousness Vol. 4. Page 37.38 Non-Conformity not to be wondred at Vol. 4. Page 86 Number 12 affected by God Vol. 4. Page 323 O Obedience to a general Precept may be Disobedience Vol. 4. Page 76 Obstacles removed in coming to be healed by Christ Vol. 4. Page 47 Obstinate ones sharply rebuked Vol. 4. Page 495 Obstructions to the Ministry to be removed Vol. 4. Page 494 Offence not to be causlesly taken or carelesly given Vol. 4. Page 87 Opposition to Satan a good work Vol. 4. Page 472 P Papist's New Gentiles Vol. 4. Page 512 Parables of the Sower 61 to Vol. 4. Page 65 Parable of the Sower Vol. 4. Page 61 62 Parable of the Man fallen among Thieves 111 to 123. Of the great Supper 123 124 Of building the Tower 125. Of the lost Sheep Groat and Son 125 to 148. Of Dives and Lazarus 149 to 158. Of the Ten Virgins 177. Of Pounds and Talents 178 to Vol. 4. Page 188 Seed Temporal and Spiritual their congruity 63. Their disparity Vol. 4. Page 64 Preachers to be tender Vol. 4. Page 78 Preaching a Means of Grace Vol. 4. Page 77 The Prayer of Faith prevalent Vol. 4. Page 75 427 Worldly Professors taken up with worldly things
by the Cursed Jews to his blessed Body Gal. 5.24 4. When we have wounded it by the Sword of the Spirit even to Death then must we bury it as he was 5. We must rise again out of the Grave of Sin to serve God in Newness of Life so get gradually out of the Dungeon as Jeremy did Jer. 38.12 6. We must Ascend like him into Heaven in our Desires c. Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.1 Nor is it the Pattern of Christ that doth effect this only as the Socinians say but 't is also the Vertue and Power of Christ's Death and Resurrection c. that works all these Things effectually in his Called and Chosen not as an Exemplary Cause or as a Moral Cause by way of Meditation but as having a Force and Power Obtained by it and Issuing out of it Phil. 3.10 Even the Spirit that killeth sin and quickens the Soul to all Holy Practice N. B. To know Christ aright is a most excellent work and the worthiest part of Heavenly Wisdom Yea satisfactory and salutiferous to the Soul of Man Isa 53.11 Joh. 17.3 1 Cor. 2.2 Gal. 6.14 and Phil. 3 8. This Divine knowledge consists of lively Affection as well as of particular Application and a Notional Consideration 'T is the common Rule of expounding Scripture that works of knowledge imply Affection 'T is not enough to know Christ notionally The Devils do so nor must we barely know Him either as God or as Man or as a Jew of Judah's Tribe or as Judge of the World but especially as a Redeemer and as our Redeemer by whom all God's benefits both Temporal and Spiritual are convey'd to us and Received by us The Three grand benefits by Christ Are 1. His Merits Price and Ransom whereby we are Reconciled to God c. 2. His Vertue or Power of His Death and Resurrection Phil. 3.8 10. 3. His Example To which we should conform Simply and Absolutely without exception not so to that of the highest Saints who had sinful frailty as well as holy Graces c. The Second Thing after this Caution is the Counsel God's word gives us concerning this imitation of Christ N. B. In the daily Practice of true Piety both as to Inward and Outward Life all Christ's Actions are for our Instruction not All for our Imitation we may not Imitate the Works of Christ that were Miraculous nor such as were Personal and Proper to Him as Mediator The Ignorance of which hath carried some Impostors to Counterfeit themselves to be Christ Nor need we Indeavour to imitate Him in his Natural therefore unblamable Infirmities which had weakness in them but not Sin we are not to strive to be Hungry Weary Sleepy c. because He was sometimes so But we must imitate our Lord Jesus in all his imitable Graces and Actions both walking in Christ Col. 2.6 and walking as Christ 1 John 2.6 and following his steps preaching forth the praises of him that call'd us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 21. And though we cannot follow him Passibus Aequis taking such long strides as he did yet must we shew our Good-will Mark 14.8 Stretching and straining out our outmost as Paul did Phil. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reaching forth his Head Hands and whole Body as do Runners in a Race to lay hold on the price proposed Conformity to Christ and Nonconformity to the World are both the certain commendable and comfortable Duties of every good Christian Rom. 8.29 and 12.2 The First is Conformity to Christ which may be inforced by these three Arguments 1. Seeing Christ condescended so low as to Conform Himself to us in taking our Humane Nature Attended with Hunger Weariness and all other Infirmities Sin only excepted Heb. 2.17 4.15 1 Pet. 2.22 c. How much more ought we to press after a partaking of his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that we may be Conformed to his Holy Image unto which we are Praedestinated Rom. 8.29 The 2. Argument is Seeing the Image of God favour from Him and Fellowship with Him be the Branches of Man's Antient Glory in the State of Innocency which the Subtle Serpent did Deceive us of in the Fall 'T is but rational and requisite that we put our selves forth to the utmost for recovering them by Conforming them to Christ that we may Gain again by the Second Adam All the Three Gifts lost by the First Adam And the Third Reason is Where there is no Conformity to Christ there can be no Salvation had The Means must not be separated from the End as Acts 27.30 Except these stay in the Ship ye cannot be saved So here except we be Holy we can never be Happy God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy Eph. 1.4 and without Holiness no man can see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Blessed are the pure in heart and life for They shall see God Mat. 5.8 We must purifie our selves as Christ is pure 1 John 3.3 And this Purity or Holiness is our Conformity to the Image of the Holy Child Jesus for undoubtedly God gave Christ to be a Samplar as well as He Gave Him to be a Saviour 'T is the mistake of the Arminians to put Christ to an Arbitration in their assigning Ninety Nine parts to Him in the work of Conversion and the Hundred part to Man contrary to Col. 3.11 where Christ is call'd All and in All. The whole of that Divine work flows from the Free Grace of Christ and not any part of it from the Free Will of Man and we have no Commission to bate one Ace in that point Yet the Errour of the Socinians is of a far grosser Brann In their Asserting Christ to be a Pattern only and not a Propitiation at all They suppose Him only a Samplar for our bare Imitation but no way a Saviour for our Sins Expiation Thus they quite exclude Christ from the Justification of the Penitent and Believing Sinner quite contrary to the whole Tenure of the Holy Scriptures and they make Christ no more than a Mere Martyr for all the Holy Martyrs were Patterns and Samplars of Sanctity both in their Sanctimonious Doings and Sufferings If Christ signify'd no more than a Samplar N. B. This Conformity to Christ is twofold The First is partly in this Life And the Second is partly in the Life to come 1. That in this Life we should all Learn of Him and from His Pious Pattern All those Works of Holiness which we find Recorded of Him such as these His Subjection to his Parents His Loving of his Brethren His Painfulness in his Calling His Perseverance in Prayer and many more of the like Nature We should strive what we can to Resemble Christ in his going about to do good Acts 10.38 In his fidelity for his function Heb. 3.1 2. In his Diligent and Patient Obediâ—nce Heb. 12.2 3. In his Constancy of Profession 1 Tim. 6.13 In
the various flowing forth of Free-Grace N.B. Note well As all God's People have not the like measure of true faith so nor are the greatest Schollars ever the most shining Saints seeing the Centurion a Roman Souldier had a stronger Faith than Jairus who was a Learned Jew c. The Fifth Remark is Where Christ finds Faith though weak so true He both Accepts and Answers it as here our Lord tender'd this Ruler's weakness of Faith in his thus laying laws and limits upon him prescribing him what he must do as above Christ takes no advantage at this presumption but He arose and followed him in a kind condescension though interrupted in the way The Sixth Remark is Christ reserves his Holy Hand for a dead lift commonly as here The Ruler falls at Christ's Feet told him his Daughter was Sick c. Mark 5.22 23. Luke 8.41 42. Though Matthew mentions only his saying My Daughter is now dead minding for brevities sake the main thing of the relation intended which was the Raising her up from death to Life not regarding the other Circumstances but the other two Evangelists relate how the Father came before his Daughter was dead though left in a dying posture and while Christ was hindred from hastning to heal the dying Daughter by healing the Hemorroisse or Woman with a bloody Issue aforesaid in his way thither she dies outright whereof the Ruler had notice and was forbid to trouble the Master further Mark 5.35 Luke 8.49 Christ did not here foreslow his Time as the Ruler might imagine but waited to be Gracious in the best season Isa 30.18 It was of greater Power and Glory to raise the Dead than to heal the Sick to limit him to time is to set the Sun by our Dial. Julius Caesar said it was sauciness in his Souldiers to prescribe to him we must leave our Lord to his own hour which is not yet come John 2.4 till all our Wine be spent and a death on all our Helps The Seventh Remark is Such as be deriders of Christ's Truth shall not be dignified to behold his Power and his Miracle of Mercy When Christ came to the House the Minstrels after the Jewish Manner Jer. 9.17 18. 48.36 37. were making the Mournful Tones and Doleful Ditties signifying that she was really and truly Dead when Christ did but tell them Though she be Dead to you yet she is but Asleep to me then they changed their Note and laughed him to scorn for which he turn'd them all out of doors as he did the Money-Merchants out of the Temple not suffering them to see the Miracle so will Christ deal with the Mad World who daily deride the Truth which they Hear and Jear when they sould Fear and Follow The Eight Remark is Still a sweet Saviour picks no quarrels pleads no excuses either from that Heathenish Custom of Minstrel Mourners crept in among the Jews and now disordering Jairus's Family or from the small Measure of the Ruler's Faith who still prescribes him to lay his Hands on her though dead though Christ could have recovered her to Life without coming down to the House or laying on of his Hands yet did he not deny the Ruler's desire but took his dead Daughter by the hand to awaken her as it were out of her sleep doing all just as Jairus desired who now shall dare to despise a day of small things Zech. 4.10 The Ninth Remark is Christ's Voice makes the dead live here He plays not the part of a muttering Exorcist who mumbles over his Conjuring words with a slow voice which no body can hear but Christ speaks out Audibly Talitha Kumi signifying in the Syriack language which then was best known to the Jews Damosel Arise Mark 5.41 and straightway she Arose and Walked ver 42. In the presence of her Father and Mother and of Peter James and John who were the only Witnesses of the Miracle N. B. Note well Thus when Christ saith Kumi Arise to any Soul that is Dead in Sin taking them by the hand as here or rather by the Heart then the dead hear his voice Job 5.25 When he speaks with a strong hand Isa 8.11 Then they stand up and live Eph. 5.14 Isa 55.3 The Tenth Remark is Christ shuts up this Miracle with a double charge 1. The scoffing Citizens of Capernaum against which Christ had denounced a direful wo for no better improving their many means of Grace Mat. 11.23 must not have the Damosels Parents to Preach the Vertues of Christ to them for that City had forfeited foully all such priviledges as to the Generality of them 2. He charged that Meat should be given to the revived ver 43. not so much because she now needed it but both to shew that she was really recovered and that spiritual Life as well as natural must by a Divine Appointment be sustained with daily food N. B. Note well Oh that all Parents could learn from those Gospel Examples to go to Christ for their Children A Ruler before came from Capernaum to Cana for cure of his Sons Fever John 4.46 to 53. and this Ruler also came to Christ for reviving his Dead Daughter c. Alas we see our own Souls and the Souls of our Children labouring under the cold fit of Unbelief and under the hot-fit of Self-love yet sit we still at home yea though we have more dead Persons in our Families than was in Egypt at the Destruction of their first born and look not for a Saviour CHAP. XX. THE next couple of Coincident Miracles are Christ's curing two Blind-men and a Possessed Dumb-Man Mat. 9.27 to 35. Concerning the first take these Remarks First As Jesus departed from Jairus's House and returned to his own home ver 27 28. The two Blind Men follow him and come up to him These two could the better agree to go together because their cases were alike Misery makes Unity they that cannot concur in a time of Liberty may be reconciled in a time of Bondage We must agree both to follow and to overtake Christ now The Second Remark is They cry as they follow'd Christ Thou Son of David have mercy on us intimating that seeing he also was a Man and had the Bowels of a Man they begg'd his Humane compassion towards them How much more boldly may we beg of Christ our near Kinsman who is not ashamed to call us Brethren Heb. 2.11 The Third Remark is They did not beg of Christ their Eye-sight in particular but His Mercy in General which included all good things both to their Souls and to their Bodies in it He knew their Minds in their begging of Mercy few such blind Beggars now without knowledge they generally are and more blind in Mind than in Body yea too many are loose and lawless vagrants not knowing nor acknowledging Christ to be the true Messiah and such as are neither of any Church nor Common-wealth these made Mercy their best plea not merit c.
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
late Lazarus lay four days in the Grave ver 17. and by that time as Martha said ver 39. He stinked what can Christ do with a Stinking Carcass The Faith of the two Sisters must needs be much shaken not only to see their Brother Dead but also to have himlie Buryed till he stank though Christ had sent them word He should not dye ver 4. That is not abide now in the State of Death he should not finally now dye Yet no doubt but this might be some offence to them That Christ with-hold that good from them to whom they might think it due because he loved them all when it was in the power of his Hand to do it contrary to his own word Prov. 3.27 And he had healing Vertue by him and could have Cured him at a Distance by a word as he had done the Centurions Servant Matth. 8 8 13. Yet saith go and come again to Morrow and I will give it Prov. 3.28 Christ still delayed these Expectants till the Carcase began to stink N. B. Note well he usually Reserves his Holy Hand for a dead lift till the Witnesses whom he loveth not only are dead but also stink in the Nostrils of Nations Christ defers his coming that he may shew wonders to the Dead and make them arise to praise him c. Ps 88.10 11 12. He will do here for these two Holy Sisters more than heal the Sick he will Raise the Dead and Lazarus must be let alone so long as none could Conjecture he had been in a Swound only but he must lie four days in the Grave be upon the border's of Putrification then was Christs Congruous Juncture of time wherein to manifest a more Mighty and Undeniable Miracle than to Rebuke a Fever Oh! How great was this Work to unite a Separated Soul to a Putrifying Body greater than had he been newly dead N. B. Notewell Then hold out Faith and Patience he will be seen in the Mount when our Faith flags and hangs the Wing giving up all for lost when strength is gone Isa 33.10 and 42.14 Psal 12.5 c. The 2. Remark is the Concomitants of the Miracle which concern the Comforters and the Comforted 1. The Comforters were of two sorts either 1. Vain and Fictitious such were the Jews that came from Jerusalem two Miles to Bethany to Comfort the two Sisters for their loss of Lazarus ver 18 19. Those made a wrong Construction both of Mary's weeping ver 31. And of Christ's groaning ver 36. In the former they mistook Mary's meeting the Messiah to be her Mourning at the Sepulchre and in the latter they Scoff Christ for his groaning as if grieved he wanted power to prevent this perplexity Yet did they hit right upon Christs weeping ver 36. Judging by his Tears of his Love N. B. Note well and if shedding some few Tears for Lazarus did Demonstrate his love Oh! Then how did he love us for whom he shed the warmâ—st Blood in his Body how ought we to love that love c. However they served to by Publick Witnesses of the Reality of Lazarus's Death at Jerusalem from whence they came There were 2. A Real and Efficacious Comforter such a Comforter was Christ though the Jews like Jobs Friends were but Miserable Comforters Job 16.2 For he Comforted these Mourners both by Word and Deed Now was the Physician present who had been long absent Indeed ver 30. He was not yet come into the Town for their Sepnichers used to be out of the Town as Lazarus's was There this Blessed Comforter stayed not going into the Town or unto the House of the two Sisters to Refresh himself after his Tiresom long Journey but would do his work firsh as Abrahams â—cteruant did Gen. 24.33 Now come in 2. The Comforted Martha and Mary Martha minding the concerns of the Family and therein running two and fro first received the Report that Christ was come in deed Mary Entertaining the Jewish Visiters in the Dâ—aing-Room Luke 10 41. Heard not N. B. Note well Faith as Mary sits still in the Centre while love like Martha walks the rounds Martha comes first to meet the Messiah ver 20. After six days waiting for his coming two Days of his Abode and four Days at the least of Lazarus's Death ver 6. and 17. and 30. Would to God we could meet Christ every Sabbath Day In Martha's Faith we find 1. Her Officious care to find Jesus out of the Town not staying till Christ came into the Town and to her own Houseâ— N. B. Note well Those are Virgins indeed that take their Lamps and go forth to meet the Bride-groom Matth. 25.1 The Messiah meets such Martha's that remember him in his ways Isa 64.5 2. Her Faithful Confession ver 21. If thou hadst been here c. Her only frailty herein was that she fastened too much upon Christs bodily dresence If Christ would Lazarus had not dyed though he had not been there He could have Heald him at Distance by a word only as Matth. 8.8 13. And that she believed not throughly in Christ she looked on him as one Gracious with the Father as a master of Request might have any thing for asking ver 22. Yet believed not his Godhead and that he was one with God Hereupon Christ the Comforter sets Martha the Comforted to the Rights ver 23. to 27. Christ tells her Modestly her Brother shall Rise agains N. B. Note well which may also Comfort us in the Decease of our Dearest Relations they are not lost but laid up with Christ who will bring them again at his coming 1 Thess 4.13 14. Martha understood Christs words concern'd the General Resurrection ver 23 24. Therefore he gradually Instructs her saying ver 25. I am the Resurrection c. that is the Auther of it and therefore thou need not doubt but I can raise up thy dead Brother by my own power c. This so Comforted and Confirmed Martha that she made a Confession equal with Peters Matth. 16.16 I believe that thou art Christ ver 27. Hereupon she returns home and by Christs Command calleth Mary secretly ver 28. Lest he should seem to Summon a Multitude which he foresaw would follow upon their own accord Mary arose quickly ver 29. love to her Lord helped her to Wings and made her do more than Martha fall down at his Feet ver 32. This Devotion of Divine Honour she had twice before this paid to the Messiah Luke 7.38 and again Luke 10.39 Her Diligence in hearing the word made her pay greater Respect to Christ than her Sister did yet had the same frailty with her ver 21. in being fastened too much to the Bodily Presence of Christ If thou hadst been here c. ver 32. N. B. Note well Oh! What a Sympathizing Spirit had our Blessed Saviour to weep with those that wept ver 33 34 35. according to Rom. 12 15. He first puts forth these passions of his Humane Nature in
still sufficient without Miracles to save our Souls N.B. Note well the Sufferings of Christ were Three fold 1. He suffered from God both in his Agony in the Garden where he drank of the Cup of Gods Curse that made his Soul exceeding sorrowfull Matth 26.38 And turned his whole Body into Rivers of Blood Luke 22.44 and in his Desertions on the Cross when he was not only forsaken of his Fathers Favour but also was Roasted as the true Paschal Lamb in the fire of his Fathers Wrath till he cryed out of Dryness Matth. 27.46 48. The sufferings of his Body were but the body of his sufferings The Soul of his sufferings were the sufferings of his Soul Then did the Sorrows of Hell surround him Psal 18.5 N. B. Note well The pains of Hell he certainly suffered non specie loco Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something Answerable thereunto and altogether unspeakable hence the Greek Litany calls them unknown Sufferings 2. He suffer'd from Devils when Tempted forty days in the Wilderness and on the Cross In the three Hours Darkness Christ was assuredly set upon by all the powers of Darkness Assaulting him with their utmost Might and Malice Christs third sort of Sufferings were from Men yet Acting all by the Determinate Counsel of God whereof there be four parts 1. Christ's Apprehension 2. His Arraignment 3. His Condemnation and 4. His Execution N. B. Note well was there therefore ever any Sorrow like to his Sorrows Who had Gods Wrath laying load ugon his back c. And as if this had not been enough all the Devils in Hell must at that Juncture make Batteries against him yea and Men are Acting all these four forementioned Evils upon him also First For his Apprehension therein there be four Remarks 1. The place where 2. The time when 3. His preparation for it and 4. The means and manner of it 1. The place where Christ was Apprehended he made choice of a Garden because N. B. Note well As the first Adam began his sinning in a Garden so the Second Adam will begin his suffering in a Garden also that where the Malady began there the Remedy might begin accordingly This Garden stood by Mount Oliver and was a Solitary place so became Christs Oratory or usual place for his Prayer and Meditation Happy is that Christian whom Death apprehends in so doing He withdrew not himself out of the City into this Garden to hide himself from the Jews for Judas the Traitor knew the place because oftentimes he Resorted thither John 18.2 Luke 22.39 He betakes not himself to any obscure or unknown place for escaping Death but voluntarily resorts to his usual Oratory where his Foes might easily find him and in this Garden began his Passion for the Expiation of the first sin that began in a Garden this place is called Gethsemane which signifies a Valley of Fatness made so by his sweating drops of blood in it 2. The time when he was Apprehended it was when his hour was come the Jews had made many Violent Attempts upon Jesus to Stone him c. as above but were always Disappointed and the reason hereof is rendred often because his hour was not yet come but now it was come Matth. 26.45 The Determined time of his Captivity and Death which he calls his Adversaries hour and the power of Darkness Luke 22.53 N. B. Note well How Comfortable is it for a Christian to consider that though he be in Perils often as Paul was yet no Enemy can touch him or take away life from him till the very time appointed of God do come my Times saith David are in Gods Hands Ps 31.15 Not in my Enemies Hands Angry Men and inraged Devils cannot hurt us before that hour 3. Christs preparation for his Apprehension this he did by Prayer and Meditation As he voluntarily so he holily Addresses himself to his suffering work N. B. Note well This should teach us due preparation for our Deaths c. If Christ who was strong and who knew the time when the place where and the manner how he should dye did so How much more we who are weak and know none of those Circumstances ought to strengthen our Souls against our time of Death Seeing Christ who was without sin and had the Spirit without Measure thus prepared himself by Sweating in Prayer c. Oh! How earnestly should we pray in preparing for Tryals and the dangers of Imminent Death since we are laden with sin having little of the Spirit therefore stand we in need of a Thousand Preparations more than he did 4. The Means and manner of Christs Apprehension how it was both which have respect to Judas the Jews and the Gentiles who came all in a Company to Attack Christ Matth. 26.47 Luke 22.47 John 18.3 and Mar. 14.43 Some of this great Multitude were Gentiles the Soldiers of Pilate others were Jews the Servants of the High Priests Scribes and Pharisees and some of themselves mixed among them for the better managing of the Attackment Luke 22.22 and Judas the Ringleader of this Rabble N. B. Note well where note though these Heterogeneous pieces did notoriously hate each other yet the Devil made them to patch together Homogeneously in conspireing against Christ as he did Herod and Pilate Luke 23.12 The Dogs that are at Discord among themselves and possibly fighting one with anonother can easily agree to pursue the Hare that passeth by N. B. Note well All sorts of wicked Men have the like Enmity to Christ and Christianity which is flatly opposit to their corrupt Dispositions however contrarily carry'd out one to another as light is to darkness c. more particularly 1. Judas was the principal means of Apprehending Christ though he was one of the twelve Apostles the Highest Office in Ecclesiastick callings whom Christ had Nourished in his own Bosom fed at his own Table made him his Treasurer and Steward of his Houshold and so was of some Account in his Masters Family notwithstanding all this he did more mischief to his Master than did Pilate and his Soldiers or the High-Priest and his Servants for he brought them to the place where they might take him and the manner of his betraying him there was by a Kiss as the Token whereby the Soldiers and Servants who knew him not especially in the Night might not be mistaken This Traitor presented his most pestilent Poison in this Golden Dish of a pretended Kiss while he intended to Kill consigning his Treachery under so sweet a Symbol of Love and Peace No wonder then that Christ had called him a Devil John 6.70 Whose Insatiable desire of Worldly Wealth being nourished in his wicked Heart made him Degenerate into an Apostate a Traitor and an Incarnate Devil hence Christ complains more of him than of his other Enemies N. B. Note well Corruptio optimi est pessima sweetest Wine maketh the sowrest Vinegar That Salt which loseth its Savour is good for nothing but
despised his very Miracles now as nothing though clear demonstrations of his Deity because of his present Sufferings Mark Their Fifth Taunt or Mocking is If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him And say you so Sir yea but when Sir will you do it suppose Christ should exert his Almighty power for his own deliverance which he could do if he would might this gratifying your curiosity have made you to Believe Nay certainly you would not do so but rather have said that he had delivered himself by the Devil's help It was a more mighty evidence of his Divine power to raise himself from the Dead Acts 2.24 Rom. 1.4 than had been his coming down from the Cross for the power of the Grave is stronger than that of the Cross Hos 13 14. yet could it not possibly hold him but by his Resurrection he was declared with Power to be the Son of God yet when this was done you Sir Priests would not believe nor would you do so now should he come down c. Mark The Sixth Satanical Sarcalm or Sacerdotal Scoff was He trusted in God let him deliver him if he will have him This wickedly imptoved Shaft shot here at the Lord Jesus was borrowed out of Holy David's Quiver Psal 22.6 7 8. what was there done to David the Type was much more done to Christ the Antitype of whom David was both Father and Figure The Title of that Psalm is Aijleth-Shahar the Morning Stag such an one was David hunted upon the Mountains by the Devil's Blood-hounds And so was Christ David's Son upon the Cross here Behold the Man even he who was more than a mere Man even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man N. B. Note well Oh what a wonderful Divine condescension and care over us is there that the Lord of Angels those highest of created Beings should stood so low as to become a Worm the lowest of Creatures yea that the Creator Christ should become a Creature and the most contemptible Creature even a Worm to be trampled upon and troden under foot that he might raise us up when fallen under the forbidden Fruit-Tree Cant. 8.5 and thereby made worse than sinless Worms and place us into an equality with Angels Mat. 22.30 As they shoot out the Lip and shake the Head at and Derided David there saying He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him All which was Prophecied and more fully Accomplished in this Mystical David here who Trusted in or rolled himself up on God Hebr. and who delighted in God and God in him Mat. 3.17 17.5 and not only would have delivered him above all according to his Promise call upon me in time of trouble and I will deliver thee Psal 50.15 If God will do this for his Servants in General how much more for his own only best beloved on in special had it now been consentaneous to the Counsel of his own Wisdom N. B. Note well but did also indeed deliver him when he had paid the Decreed Ransom at his Resurrection which was a greater Deliverance than that from the Cross could have been notwithstanding all that you Sir Priests did to Secure him c. Mark The Seventh Sacerdotal Scoff was For he said I am the Son of God this gall'd those wicked ones most of all for the Doctrine of the Godhead of Christ is the very Rock and Foundation whereupon all Believers are builded therefore the Devil and Reprobate ones do Rage against it Those Wicked Wretches do offer to believe this great Truth indeed but it is upon condition they may have such proofs as themselves prescribed to wit of coming down from the Cross c. N. B. Note well But such as will not believe upon such ground of Faith as God had given shall not have such grounds as they require All his matchless Miracles such as never any Man did John 9.32 were now nothing to them if the would not gratifie their present demands and except he would save himself at their Directions they will look upon his saving others to be no better than a Cheat N. B. Note well Whereas the truth was his not saving himself was the appointed expedient for his saving of others nor will they look upon his Faith in God no better than a fancy of Man if this prosperity lasted not so long as his Life and if God did not now deliver him from Death as if his trust were vain if he were suffered to die upon the Cross Not knowing that the Way to the Crown was by the Cross Mark The Last of those Mookings was from the Malefactors that were Crucified with him Mat. 27.44 They cast the same in his Teeth and Mark 15.32 They also Reviled him both these Evangelists do intimate that at the first both these Thieves were Mockers of Christ and therein they were more to blame than the People because they were Fellow Sufferers with him and so should have had some more commiseration of him from the sense of their own Misery N. B. Note well But this reviling is fixed upon one of the Thieves only Luke 23.39 who railed on him saying Save thy self and us from this Death inflicted upon us by the Roman Power if thou be the King of the Jews or the Son of God 'T is probable this was the Speech of the bad Thief and the good Thief being silent a while seemed to give consent by his silence to his Fellows Railing but when he heard Christ's Prayer for his Enemies notwithstanding their outrage against him especially seeing that three hours Darkness a Miracle and of those seven Miracles wherewith our Lord honoured the Ignominy of his own Death both these in Conjunction with his own present Affliction which God was pleased so far to sanctifie to him as to make his Heart mallable and tender c. did cause him to break out into that brave Confession worthy to be Written in Letters of Gold Luke 23.40 41 42 43. N. B. Note well Or the Speech They Railed on him might be Synecdochical the Plural for the Singular it being usual in Scripture to speak Plurally in instancing of something done by one of that sort So this is said to be done by both which was by one only N. B. Note well The Thief that Railed had an hard Impenitent Heart and his Misery upon the Cross c. took no more Impression upon him than doth the Smiths Hammer upon cold Iron No torment will tame a Reprobate neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy will mollifie him here but when at the very Mouth of Hell and just stepping over the Threshold thereof he dares blaspheme God and Mock him who is the Saviour of Mankind and that without the least Provocation offered to him on Christ's part he was justly condemned for Robbery yet had a Scoff to cast at Innocent Jesus who was unjustly Crucified N. B.
Powers of Darkness to make their Assault and Battery upon our Blessed and Bleeding Redeemer The Devils in Hell concurred with those Incarnate Devils the Jews to lay load upon Christ on the Cross but he proves too hard for them he Conquers and Captivates those Assaulting Devils and as the Roman Conquerors in their Triumphs used to do tyed their hands behind their backs leading Captivity Captive in Triumph Eph. 4.8 Col. 2.15 Sixthly This prodigy was an alarming providence to awaken those wretched Priests and People whose Eyes were blinded with too much light that they could not for light see light so labours to blow out the Light of the World Yet all this without Grace would not awaken their seared Consciences As God gave the Egyptians three Days Darkness to Repent in during which time Israel might have made an escape out of Egypt but that they scorned to steal a deliverance so God gave those Pestilent Jews three hours Darkness to Repent in but they were like Jezabel's Children to whom God gave a space to Repent in but they repented not Rev. 2.23 They had the Space but not the Grace of Repentance N. B. Note well God is quicker and shorter now in his long-sufferance of Sinners They of old had three days and these but three hours to Repent in Seventhly This portentous Darkness did portend the Black and Gloomy days that were drawing nigh to fall upon the whole Nation of the Jews Thus the Prophets predicted most dismal calamities coming upon Judea under this very Notion of Darkness as Isa 5.30 8.22 Lam. 3.2 6. Jer. 13.16 Joel 2.2 Zeph. 1.15 These Prophesies came to pass in Babylonish Captivity but what Christ foretold that such a dismal day of Darkness should come upon the Land of Judea at the final destruction of Jerusalem and now at hand as had not been since the Creation of the World Matth. 24.29 Mark 13.19 where 't is called Affliction it self as if all Evils were in its Bowels Eigthly There be other curious Criticisms which I shall sum up together under this last head of Reasons As 1st That there might be an harmonious congruity betwixt the two Adams The first Adam did fall from his state of light into darkness as some say about the midst of the Sixth Day and continued for three hours in that darkness after the Fall before the Promise of Grace by Christ came to him So long lasted this darness also at the Second Adam's Death Yet others do affirm that Christ died at the same hour of the Day wherein Adam Fell and brought in Death into the World c. 2dly That these three hours darkness did denote the three days of Christ's lying after his Death in the darkness of the Grave after which came light in his Resurrection c. And 3dly That though this darkness lasted till Three in the Afternoon yet then began the light again So though darkness be now upon the Jews and light upon the Gentiles yet when the fulness of the Gentiles be come in in the Afternoon of the World the Jews recover light again The Third Great Wonder Christ wrought upon the Cross was that at the very moment of his dying he could cry with a strong and with a loud voice and that two several times Mat. 27.46 50. after he had hung six hours upon the Cross with so many unsupportable Burdens upon his Back as is before related still his natural strength was not at all Abated nor any decay of Nature was upon his Vitals his Voice was loud and strong still even at the very point of his giving up the Ghost Mark 15.34 37. Whereas in the common course of the World Dying Men who die a lingring death as our Lord did become weaker and weaker the nigher that death approacheth toward them they thrattle in the Throat and their Voices can heardly be heard by the By-standers This Wonder is recorded not only by Matthew and Mark as above but also by the Evangelist Luke chap. 23.46 that he cried with a loud voice at the very minute of his breathing out his last breath And those strong cryings are mentioned also by the Authour to the Hebrews Heb. 5.7 Therefore Pilate with the Centurion and Souldiers marvelled that he was so soon dead Mark 15.44 45. John 19.33 now no natural Reason can be rendered why Christ died so soon before the two Malefactors that were Crucified with him who because they were not already dead as our Lord was had their Legs broke to dispatch them for it happened beyond the common course and custom of ordinary Nature seeing those that died this death of the Cross usually lived several days as above yet Christ died at the end of Six hours The reason hereof must be supernatural to wit though his death was a violent death as to wicked men yet was it a voluntary death as to himself He laid down his life when himself pleased No man saith he can take my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again and because I lay it down so voluntarily of my self therefore doth my Father love me John 10.17 18. N.B. Note well Thus also the more voluntary our Services are both in Dying or in Suffering the more grateful they are to God Moreover the strength our Lord had at the ending of the three hours Darkness was an evidence that his Wonder-working hand wrought both the beginning and continuance of it so long for as Moses stretched out his hand toward Heaven to bring the three Days Darkness upon Egypt Exod. 10.22 So the Messias here stretched forth his Voice and Power when his hands were stretched forth upon the Cross and commanded this Plague of the three hours Darkness-upon Judea Moses was a Minister of Legal wrath so he inflicts a longer date of Darkness than the Messias who was a Minister of Evangelical Love did Yet Judea though the Land of Promise and the Lord 's own or Immanuel's Land Lev. 25.23 Isa 8.8 Hos 9.3 must not altogether escape unpunished Amos 3.2 c. but shall have a shorter date of darkness than Egypt notwithstanding its sinning against so much light and love But beside all this the very posture of Christ's dying makes his Death the more wonderful for 't is said He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost as if he bowed it to meet Death in the Teeth Whereas in the common course of Nature dying men do not customarily fall or bow down the head until they be downright dead but our Lord in his Dying comes forth to be a Conquerour over Death for before Death could come at him as it doth at Weaklings that can live no longer but are ready to drop down and die at every breath he sets upon Death it self and Conquers it So strong was Christ as to cry with a loud voice and to give up the Ghost at his own choice and
Rod then there gushed out Streams of Water Exod. 17.6 no Heart can be so hard or obstinate but Christ can conquer and overcome it when he pleaseth to put forth his power upon it Manasseh had made himself an obdurate Sinner yet is greatly humbled proportionably as he had greatly sinned 2 Chron. 33.12 The Seventh Wonder was the opening of the Graves Mat. 27.52 53. which might be the Issue of the Earth quake and of rending the Rocks out of which they used to Hew their Sepulchres ver 60. this was done to shew that our Lord died indeed but not to remain under the Power of Death for his Grave must be opened also as well as the Graves of those Saints that had only slept in their Bodies until his Death then are they Quickened and Raised up from the Sleep of Death to Life again and came forth out of their opened Graves c. And all this was done N. B. Note well To let us understand that the power of Christ's Death and even those that believed on the Messiah before his Incarnation have an Interest in Christ's Death c. and when Christ seems dead then comes the opening of the Graves Ezek. 37.12 c. CHAP. XXXIII THE 5th Grand Remark is Our Lord 's seven last Words or Sentences which he uttered while he hung upon the Cross The First was his Prayer for his Enemies Father forgive them for they know not what they do this he prayed for them while he was Bleeding to Death by their Bloody Hands His Face all swollen by their barbarous Blows and Buffets so that his Visage was marred more than any Mans ' Isa 52.14 His Shoulders all Torn by their brutish Lashes and Scourgings so that the Cross laid upon those galled parts must needs notoriously pinch those tender places Yea while both his Hands and both his Feet were pouring out his precious blood at the four Wounds the Murderers had made with their Savage Nails in all those Members yet even then was his blessed Mouth opened to pour out this Pathetical Prayer for those Monstrous Miscreants which proved a Prayer so prevalent not only for the Conversion of the People who were but the lesser offenders herein as before but also for the Conversion of many Priests who were the Capital Criminals and Chief Ring-leaders in this Diabolical Dance and Design Yet Christ so far prevailed by his Prayer here that not only many thousands of the People Acts 2 41 c. 44. but also a great company of the Priests became obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 N. B. Note well Oh the kindness of Christ to his Enemies even in the midst of their Acting Enmity against him yea their unparallelled Villany Was there ever such love to Enemies as this of His to be so kind to the unthankful and to the evil Luke 6.35 Let us cry with David This is not after the manner of Men O Lord God 2 Sam. 7.19 These were more like the Bowels of God and not of Man Hos 11.8.9 I am God and not Man And because our Lord was God as well as Man therefore this matchless compassion was found in his Heart toward his Enemies The Second Sentence or Word Christ spake on the Cross was His bidding John to take Mary for his Mother John 19.26 27. Oh marvellous filial compassion and commiseration towards his Mother now a Widow and very Poor in the midst of his own matchless misery yet cannot he forget her but in the very height of his own Torments hath his Mouth opened in her Remembrance commanding his Beloved Disciple to take care of his better Beloved Mother after his Decease seeing her Husband Joseph the Carpenter was then Dead and her Son Jesus the Redeemer was now Dying John beholding Jesus so careful and conscientious in discharging his Duty to his Earthly Mother while he was paying that prodigious price of the World's Redemption to the Justice of his Heavenly Father N B. Note well To shew that Duties done in Obedience to the First Table ought not to Justle out the doing of Duties in Obedience to the Second 'T is Godly honesty to pay Man his Due as well as God c. Hereupon John takes that Holy Virgin to the best home he had Accounting her the most blessed Depositum or matter of Trust the Richest Jewel that ever as to persons he was betrusted with verily expecting that every place where she came would be blessed by and better for her Abode in it See more of this and of the first in Christ's carriages on the Cross The Third Word Christ spake upon the Cross was to the Penitent Thief This Day verily thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. If the last words of Dying Saints be deemed Living Oracles How much more the seven last Words of our Dying Saviour his last Sayings and Sentences who was the grand Prophet and Infallible Oracle of God's Church deserve to be Writ in Letters of Gold and to be laid up as the Manna was in the Golden Pot of a Sanctified Memory that they may be retained by all the Godly in everlasting remembrance Mark Here in these last Words of our Lord to this Good Thief that though Christ had promised Paradise to the Penitent in the General only yet doth he perform more than had been either promised to him or prayed for by him in particular as is abovesaid This Thief begged only a bare Remembrance in General yet Christ grants him the high Advancement of Paradise and that with Expedition even that very same day c. N. B. Note well 1st If so bad a Man proved through Grace so good a Penitent even at the last Gasp then ought we to despair of none because we know not whose Names are Writ in Heaven Luke 10.20 we never looked into the Lamb's Book of Life Rev. 13.8 The Election obtains Grace Rom. 11.7 though it be not till the Eleventh hour of the Day at the last Minute Mat. 20.6 9 c. As many as God ordains to Life do believe Acts 13.48 This Gist of God is given to them Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 All those whom God Predestinateth he effectually calleth c. Rom. 8.30 Therefore seeing no mortal is of God's Privy Counsel to peruse the Records of Eternal Predestination that Man said not amiss who cried dum Spiro Spero while I breath I hope Grace may come Inter pontem fontem betwixt the long Race of a Wicked Life and the fatal stroke of final Death as here N. B. Note well The 2d Note here is If our Lord have such a precious Promise of giving that Beatifical place of the Celestial Paradise to the vilest of Sinners as this Thief was when becoming a Penitent how much more are they Accepted of him that fear God and Work Righteousness even the greatest part of their Lives c. Acts 10.34 35. The Fourth Word Christ spake upon the Cross was Eli Eli Lamasabacthani Mat 27.46 or Eloi Eloi
Feast might be able to Read and understand it in some or other of those three Tongues and of one Tendency to wit for the Honour and Glory of Christ Crucified and not either for the Vindication of the Justice of the power Condemning which was not a little to Pilate's own prejudice in his Reputation and Injustice or for the Shame and Disgrace of the party Condemned as is usual in other Superscriptions fixed upon Dying Malefactors But this however it was intended as an Accusation to brand Christ falsly with the Calumny of usurping an Earthly Kingdom Assuredly tended much for his Glory seeing he was indeed Jesus the Saviour and he was indeed a King more especially of the Jews and the True Israel of God Thus the Mouths and Hands of Wicked Men are so overpow'red by the Omnipotent Jehovah that all is turned to the Honour of Jesus which they design for his Dishonour and the very Title upon his Cross devised to shew the Crime for which he was Crucified becomes no less than a Crown of Glory to Christ beside This Inscription being written in Hebrew Greek and Latin made an open and publick Proclamation to all the Knowing and Learned Men in all parts of the known World that our Lord Dyed as a Faultless Man and altogether Innocent even in the Judgment of Judge Pilate himself who had so oft Absolved him before and now could fix no Slanderous Superscription upon his Cross save this that had such a Divine and Convincing Truth in it without any foul Reflection or Real Fault at all And Lastly By this Title thus writ in those three Tongues our Lord hath Sanctified those three Learned Languages upon his Cross so that the Hebrew Greek and Latin may be Holily Studyed Learned and Improved by Holy Men for which they ought not to be upbraided with Learning the Language of the Beast c. The 2d Sign of Christ's Triumph over Death was the Conversion of the Thief it being the first Fruits of the Power and Efficacy of Christ's Death before he was actually dead and the price of Redemption was fully paid that Vertue should flow from Christ's Death before he dyed even such Soveraign Vertue as not only to Save this Penitent now but also all the Old Testament Saints before he was in the Flesh as the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World Revel 13.8 in God's Decree and in the Types of the Law this was the Antitypes Signal Triumph The Third Fourth Fifth and Sixth Signs of Christ's Triumph over Death were 3. The Suns Eclips 4. The Rending both of the Vail and of the Rocks 5. The Earthquake 6. The opening of the Graves in all which Works our Lord proclaimeth himself the Mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth the Sun of Righteousness when he was even going down under the Earth and setting from the Worlds sight had still a Triumphant power over the Sun the Firmament and could draw a Curtain of Darkness upon its Splendour at Noon time And as he then did shew the signs of his Triumph over the Heavens so much more at that time likewise over the Earth for then as Lord of the Temple he comes suddenly into his Temple in his Triumphant power Mal. 3.1 And Rends the Vail of the Earthly Temple from the top to the bottom yea and Extends his Rending power to the firmer Rocks of the Earth nor is this all but he shakes the very Foundation of the whose Globe of the Earth shewing himself to be the Lord of it as well as of Heaven and causing both of them to do Homage to him their Lord and Soveraign For as the Heavens here like those Seraphims Isa 6.2 covered their Faces with a Vail being dazled with beholding his Invisible Glory now dying oâ—â—e Cross 1 Pet. 1.12 So the Earth Trembled at his presence feeling even then the power of its Omnipotent Creator Moreover to shew more fully a sign of his Triumph over Death and the Grave his Death opened the Graves of others before he went down into his own Grave His Death was the Death of Death it self Hos 13.14 and swallowed up the Grave in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 55. The Seventh and last sign of Christ's Triumph was the Centurions Testimony together with that of the Souldiers c. Matth. 27.54 Mar. 15.39 Luke 23 47.48 Now when the Centurion and many more People saw the Wonders wrought by our Dying Redeemer these wonders wanted not their Wonderful Effects for 1. The Captain of the Guard this Centurion was wonderfully wrought upon by those wrought wonders insomuch that he Glorified God by confessing the Truth saying This was certainly a Righteous Man this was surely the Son of God And 2. The Pagan Souldiers with their Captain were convinced that such Wonders could not be wrought by one that was only a meer Mortal Man but as that Mighty Monarch and Pagan Emperour Nebuchadnezar saw something of the Glory of the Son of God Dan. 3.25 So those poor Pagans got some glimmerings of Christ's Glory when the blind Priests and Learned Rabbies of the Jews were so stupified that their Seared Consciences had no Sense or Conviction at all And 3. All the People that came together to that Sight beholding the things that were done Smote their Breasts and returned Luke 23.48 They Smote their Breasts as the penitent Publican did Luke 18.13 being now awakened by those Wonders and smitten with their own Guilt in giving their consent to the Crucifying of Christ and so furious was this Reflection upon themselves that out of Revenge and Indignation against themselves as 2 Cor 7 11. They would have smitten their own Heinous sin could they but come at it when they thus as by his Word when he is pleased to speak in and by them and causeth Providences to become Ordinances to us as here by those works of Wonder 2. There is much more hope of gaining poor Pagans and such as never yet had the means of Grace and of winning them over to God and Godliness than of convincing Learned Heads that have wicked Hearts and such as have blown upon the Gospel 3. So free is Christ's Love that while sinners are giving Death to him he is Handing out Life and Salvation to them To all these Seven signs of Christ's Triumph may be added the double sign which the Wound made in his Dead Body upon the Cross by the Souldiers Spear John 19.34 powred forth even the Water and Blood as a Twofold Witness that not only he was now Really Dead but also that he was the Grand Sacrifice which had now Expiated the sins of the World and now had paid the full price for sinful Mans Redemption according to that Eternal Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the Foundation of the World Though the Testimony of the Centurion c. be Recorded by all the three former Evangelists and not by John yet this Testimony is Recorded by John only and by none of the other so
Tomb not only for its Situation in a Garden inclosed so not exposed to Annoyances by Hogs Dogs c. but also for its own Honourable Excellencies in Sundry particulars as 1. For its Newness all New things are commonly Honoured and accounted excellent things Isa 48.6 Hence New Wine the New Song the New Spirit and the New Jerusalem are all in Scripture Phrase Deemed desirable and Delectable things 2. For its firmness it was hewn out of a Rock so not easily obvious to any kind of Annuisances Here is a Rock within a Rock which is called a Munition of Rocks for defence Isa 33.16 This Rock buried in a Rocky Tomb was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 who is called the Rock of Ages Isa 26.4 yet lay but a little time within this Rock the Rock-Creator could not be long contained in this Rock Created 3. For it is Virginity it was a Virgin-Tomb never had any Man laid in it Divine Wisdom ordered it thus that Humane Folly should have no occasion to imagine any Cheat in our Lords Resurrection Christ's Grave was not like the Grave of Elisha wherein another Man was buried beside his Body 2 Kin. 13.20 For in this never any Man before was laid Luke 23.50.53 John 19.41 Hereupon Theophylact Noteth no Momus might cavil at Christ's Resurrection as though some other body that had been buried therein had risen out of it but now no other body could rise out of this Virgin-Tomb As our Lord before his Birth lay in a Virgin Womb so after his Death he lay in a Virgin-Tomb and he is accordingly found formed and liveth in a Virgin-Heart Paul saith he Travell'd in Birth till Christ were formed in the Hearts of the Galatians Gal. 4.19 And he tells them it was not he that lived but Christ lived in him Gal. 2.20 and such as have Christ Formed and living in them are called Virgins Cant. 1.3 Revel 14.4 Such Souls as love Christ with a Pure Chast Virgin-Love are the right lovers and True followers of the Lamb. 4. The manner of his Burial was Honourable also It was not a Clandestine private Interrment done by stealth but managed with Solemnity both by Famous Men and by Famous Women whose praise is in the Gospel Here was the pompa Mortis the Honourable Attendence of Mourners these good Women named by the Evangelist manifested their love to our Lord in their last Office of Love by looking on to behold where he was laid because they could do no more in Assisting the Burial Matth. 27.55 61. Luke 23.55 c. Love to Christ fears no colours no inconveniencies as the Men were not ashamed of this Service to Christ in taking care of Christ's Crucified Body so nor did these Women think it a shame to lend their last look of love to their Crucified Lord for which Fervent and Zealous Affections they are accordingly Dignified by God with a Divine Record thereof in the Gospel As our Lord hath many Witnesses of his Death Pilate himself was satisfied therein by the Centurion insomuch that no Room was left for doubting the Reality of his Death So had he some so many as were sufficient Witnesses of the Truth of his Burial and 't is a wonder that while Christ was Warring with the Devil who had the power of Death here Hebr. 2.14 and with Death which had now brought our Redeemer into its own Den even weak Women are called forth to be Witnesses and are indeed Marshal'd in the Forefront of this Testimony Christ Testifying hereby that he was minded to confound his strongest Enemies by the weakest means and that himself would shortly make a glorious Triumph over both Death and the Devil in Rising again Thus where True love to Christ is whether in Men or in Women such will not shrink from Christ no not when he is Crucified these True lovers of him stick close to him even when he is Dead â—ove will creep to Christ when it cannot go Though these weak Women could not roll the great Stone to the Door of the Sepulchre which was the work of a strong Man Matth. 27.60 no more than they could roll it away from the Sepulchers Mouth which was likewise the work of a strong Angel Matth. 28.2 These Women said among themselves who shall roll us away the stone from the Door of the Sepulchre Mar. 16.3 This Obstruction of their Imbalming his Body they found removed by an higher Hand ver 4. Though I say they could not do either the one or the other yet do they sit by and look on as Witnesses that our Redeemer was now shut up in the very Den of Death and that if he Rose again he must conquer Death in his own Den our Lord is content to lie in this Den till the third Day Yet will not this Lord of Life lie under the power of Death beyond thirty six Hours and so long was the day wherein the Sun stood still in the days of Joshuah Josh 10. As that Joshuah had that one long day so this Joshua or Jesus had this one long Night it was onely one Night lengthened out to the length of that longest Day though it be called by Christ himself the space of three Days and three Nights Matth. 12.40 whereas it was but two Nights and one whole Day and two small parts of two more therefore the words of Christ in comparing his time of being Buried to the time of Jonah's lying in the Whales Belly must be taken Synecdochically the part for the whole according to the known Dialect of the Jewish Nation in both their Talmuds wherein any part of the Day is Reckoned for the whole thereof But here the Malice of the Kill-Christ's is highly Remarkable for they club'd their Wits not only one with another but even with the Devil himself how to protract those Thirty six Hours to last so long as the World lasted even until the General Resurrection in pursuance of which Project they did not think the Sepulchre sure enough with the great Stone that Joseph had out of upright loving kindness Rolled to the Mouth of it But still they are Disquieted with him as while living all along so now when dead also They can never secure themselves from the Torturing Fears of their own Guilty Consciences the chief Priests and Pharisees are yet afraid that a Crucified Christ would prove a Conquerour over them and therefore do they Assemble together and make an Humble Address to Pilate that he might command a Guard to watch the Sepulchre and to set his Imperial Seal upon the great Stone Matth. 27.62 63 c. least the Disciples of that deceiver as they Blasphemously call'd him should come by Night and steal him away c. Thus with that utmost craft which the Devil their Master could teach them they indeavour as carefully as they could to obscure the glory of Christ by securing the Sepulchre and thereby thinking to secure Christ and keep him fast in the Grave Venerable Bede de locis
Nature to be born live die and be buried for us as the Wife leaves all for her Husband goes to Prison with him for love c. CHAP. XXXV Of Christ's Resurrection HAving discoursed upon and dispatched the Burial of Christ which was the lowest step of his state of Humiliation and the very turning step as before so he descended not into Hell into the place of the Damned but only into the Grave for the Horrour of Hell had been before upon him both in his Agony and on the Cross in the three hours Darkness c. now come we to speak of his state of Exaltation 't is said Him hath God Exalted c. Phil. 2.7 8. The Degrees whereof be four First His Resurrection Secondly His Ascension Thirdly His sitting down at the Right Hand of God And Fourthly His Intercession there for us till he come to Judgment First of the First His Resurrection In the General this Excellent Truth Arises from the Connexion of these two States that as Christ had his time of Humiliation and then his time of Exaltation so also have Christians both in a Literal and in a Mystical sense a time of scattering and of casting down and a time of Gathering and of Listing up Job 22.29 There is a time for all things Eccles 3.1 2 3 to 9. and these seeming casualties and contingencies to Man are all over-ruled and ordered by the Wisdom and Providence of the only Wise God He hath set the one over against the other Eccles 7.14 that we may not surfeit of the one nor despond in the other as the Church has her time of Burial so she shall of her Resurrection Isa 55. ver 7.8 More particularly of Christ's Resurrection which hath also these three Grand Remarks 1. Its Antecedents 2. Its Concomitants And 3. Its Consequents and the effects thereof The First Grand Remark is The Antecedents of it the first whereof was the terrible Earth quake This is this second time that the Earth paid her Homage to her Lord and Creator as before at Christ's Death Mat. 27.51 52. so now again at his Resurrection Mat. 28.2 The former Earth quake was to declare what power there was in his Death though it seemed to be nothing else but weakness and so distinguish the extraordinary vertue of it While mighty Monarchs do live they may do great matters but when they die all their might dieth with them they can then do nothing they cannot command the Clouds to cover the Face of the Firmament the Earth trembles not the Stones stir not the Graves open not at their Deaths as all these did at the Death of Christ for All Power in Heaven and Earth was given to him Mat. 11.27 28.18 And He hath the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 So that Death had not taken away any of the Power of Christ seeing when he gave up the Ghost he could cause the Earth to shake Rocks to Rend as well as the Vail and Graves to open But now when this Lord of Heaven and Earth had lain three nights and three days in the Bowels of the Earth there was greater cause of the Earth's Trembling again no wonder if there were strange Tormina and Horrible Concussions in her Belly by the Almighty Power of her Creator whom she had now inclosed Neither Death nor the Grave had abated or diminished the least part of the Power of Christ But he swallows up both these while they swallowed up him in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54.55 This should teach us poor lumps of Earth to tremble at his Presence especially at our Keeping Christ down as buried in our Earthly Hearts when he hath been Rising in our Hearts by the Motions of his Spirit and still we labour to suppress him and keep him at under Did the Dumb-Earth Tremble for keeping Christ under but three days How much more we for so doing not only for three but for many days yea many years The Second Antecedent is The Apparition and Operation of an Angel Those cruel Kill Christs thought it not enough to have Christ buried in a Grave and a great Stone rolled upon the Grave's Mouth but to keep him sure in his Sepulchre they put the Magistrate's Seal upon the Stone and set a guard of Souldiers to watch it Notwithstanding all those projects for securing their purpose and keeping him down in the Tomb. The Lord sends an Angel to Minister unto Christ the Lord of Angels this Angel rolls away the Stone frights away the Souldiers and comforts the Good Women who came to see the Sepulchre So foolish an undertaking it is either in Men or Devils to fight against God the Church is called Christ Mystical 1 Cor. 12.12 her Adversaries may think they have made sure work of her cut her down cast her into a Grave and roll'd a great Stone upon the Mouth of it so that they are Cock sure Religion shall never be able to rise any more Therefore they rejoice together with mad Merriments and send gifts one to another Rev. 11.10 13. yet for all this opposition so sure as Israel came out of the Thraldom of Egypt the Jews out of the Bondage of Babylon and Christ out of his confinement in the Grave so sure shall his Church and Gospel rise again maugre the Malice of Men and Devils though the great Gates of Hell lay upon it yet shall not prevail against it Mat. 16.18 This burdensome Stone will break their backs that would lift the Church out of her place Zech. 12.3 and no Weapon that is formed against Sion shall prosper Isa 54.17 And though the Bush may be burning yet is it not consumed Exod. 3.2.3 for the Good Will of God is in the midst of the Bush Deut. 33.16 either to consolidate the boughs or to restrain the flames or both The Good Will of God and a Flame of Fire from Man may consist together in the same subject This Text Behold there was an Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and Rolled back the Stone from the Door and sat upon it Mat. 28.2 may serve to comfort us sundry ways if well considered As 1st Suppose we have not an Holy Man on Earth to Roll away the Stone and raise us up with Salvation for it may be with us as with them Jer. 5.1 where not one Man was found to stand in the Gap yet hath God an Holy Angel in Heaven to send down to save us as he did Lot out of Sodom the Angel took Lot by one Hand and his Wife by the other and led them from the destroying Flames as he did Hezekiah from Senacherib's Army the Angel smote an hundred fourscore and five thousand of them As he did Daniel in the Den of Lions the Angel shut up their Mouths c. and as he did Peter out of Prison Acts 12. God sent his Angel at the Church's Prayer for Peter who brought him forth and set him in safety And should not God send his Angel now
obstructions early in the Morning of the First Day and was a signal Symbol of Christ's Victory over the Devil Death Sin and the Grave Some say the Earth-quake was caused by the Descending Angel who when he came to sit down upon the great Stone he had rolled away from the Sepulchre made the whole Earth to shake like a mighty Man when he sits down upon a Bench makes the whole room shake under him But 't is more probable the Descending of this Angel was not the Cause but the Consequence of the Earth-quake for Christ himself was the cause thereof who no sooner began he to stir in the Grave but he shakes the Foundations of the Earth so that the Earth was in pain the pangs of a Travelling Woman was upon her as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2.24 signifies till she was delivered of him and the bonds wherewith Death had bound him in the Grave He by the Power of his Divine Nature more easily broke asunder than Sampson his Type did the New Cords wherewith the Philistins manacled him when the Spirit of God came upon him As this was a Triumphal Sign of Christ's Power over the Earth and Hell and over all the Powers of both So that it may be demonstrated He was Lord of Heaven as well as of Earth and Hell He commands the Holy Angels from thence to come and do him Homage hence that Angel which was the chief Speaker to the good Women calls Christ The Lord See the place where the Lord lay Mat. 28.6 intimating that he was not only your Lord the Lord of Saints but also our Lord the Lord of Angels too therefore he stiles him the Lord Absolutely for at his Resurrection did Christ begin his Kingdom whereunto Angels as well as Saints do belong as Subjects Ephis 1.19 20 21 c. Moreover the Syriack reading saith here that this Gabriel called Christ Our Lord to the Women which shews that Christ was truly and properly God In this sense some say that the Angel which rolled away the Stone was sent as an Officer to let his Lord out of Prison without the Keepers consent and that he sat down upon the Stone in contempt of all the Weapons that the Souldiers who watched the Sepulchre held in their Hands and which indeed did fall out of their Hands at their woful sight of this glorious Angel who though he appeared in Humane shape did by his splendour appear to be more than a Mortal Man the Majesty of his Visage shewed his mighty power as his Habit did his Innocency and Holiness which raised an Heart quake in the Bodies of the Keepers when the Earth-quake had been shaking the Pillars of the Earth 'T is no wonder that the lustre of this Angel did drive the Watchmen into the Paroxysm of a shaking Ague being now made sensible that they had been bearing Arms against Almighty God and were now become obnoxious to his Irresistible and Unavoidable Wrath 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Heb. 10.31 How great must be the Majesty of our Lord Jesus a beam whereof He put forth at his Transfiguration when this Angel's but our Lord's Servant's Countenance was like Lightening and his Garments white as Snow And if the splendid Appearance of but one Holy Angel did so Affright a company of Couragious Souldiers such as the Roman Armies which had now Conquered the World consisted of How then shall Wicked Men stand in Judgment at the last Day when the Lord of Angels shall come with whole Myriads of glorious Angels to Judge the World Oh the unspeakable Akings and Quakings of Conscience and the unconceivable convulsions of Heart that shall then seize upon and surprize them in that dreadful day when the World is all of a light fire about their Ears c. Nor may we think that Christ stood in need of this Angel to help him out of the Prison of the Grave by rolling away the Stone for such was the Almighty Power of his Divine Nature that nothing could resist his naked Nod and thereby could as easily Arise out of the Grave when the Stone was unrolled away as he did Appear in the Room among his Disciples when the Doors were shut without any penetration of Diameters as the School-men phrase it John 20.19 26. but more of that in its place afterward This Ushers in the 2d Grand Remark concerning the Concomitants of Christ's Resurrection in respect of its Time Manner and Manifestation First The Time when the precise point whereof is not recorded in Scripture as is abovesaid but the Day whereon it was is by all the four Evangelists to wit the first day of the week and not without intimation that it was Early in the Morning of that day when the Earth-quake was for as the Earth had shook at Christ's Passion because it could not bear his Suffering so now again it shakes at his Resurrection to shew that it could not hinder his Rising and as Hilary hath it Hell it self shaked also as much as the Earth did because he who was Lord of all Acts 10.36 and had the Keys of Hell and Death Rose from the Dead in Despight of all the Infernal Spirits who therefore then fall into a trembling Fit c. As the time of Christ's Rising from the Grave was Oriente Sole when the Sun was about Rising but yet did not appear in its shining lustre above the Earth for it was meet according to the rule of Good Manners that the Sun of Righteousness who was the Creator should have the preeminence of Rising before the Sun of the Firmament called Shemesh which signifies but a Servant it being but Christ's Creature So in this sense is our Lord called the Bright and Morning Star Rev. 22.16 as well as the Day-Star 2 Pet. 1.19 which shineth brightest of all the Stars betwixt the Dawning of the Day and the Rising of the Sun betwixt those two terms it may well be supposed our Saviour Arose from Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1 Luke 24.1 John 20.1 In all which four Quotations no mention is found concerning the Hour much less the Minute of Christ's Rising it being enough for us to know the Day and the Morning of that Day Wherein All the Evangelists do concur in their fourfold Testimonies which is one above the threefold Cord that cannot easily be broken Here Inquiry is made Why our Lord rose on the first day of the Week Answer The Reasons are 1st The same Day of the Week that the first and old Creation began with the same day must the second and new Creation begin with also Now this was the first day of all the seven which the Lord made Psal 118.24 with ver 22 23. All which are applied to Christ and his Resurrection Acts 4.11 1 Pet. 2.7 c. As God on the first Day of the Week drew the World out of that confused Chaos as well as out of that abhorred estate of nothing and
order Notwithstanding this six-fold unlikely-hood of this loud Lye yet is this Grand Imposture of the Priests who had given Pilate some hint of it before Mat. 27.64 is commonly believed for a Truth among the Jews until this day Mat. 28.15 They are given up to believe this gross Lye because they received not the Truth in love that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 and thus the Chief Priests and Elders gave a large round sum of Money though they sold the Saviour of the World for the Trifle of thirty pieces to bribe that Nation into unbelief among whom this most sublime and vilest piece of Knavery finds belief with Misbelievers The result of all this Discourse is That seeing 1st Christ's Resurrection hath so many famous and memorable Remarks as all those abovementioned put upon it 2dly Seeing Christ came not out of his Grave as Lazarus came out of his fast bound about with his Grave cloaths and therefore Christ when he raised him from Death to Life said Loose him and let him go John 11.43 44. He rose up with his Hands Feet and Head bound fast with those bands of Death because he rose not up as Victor or Conquerour but rose to die again and remained bound above ground until Christ commanded his release But Christ as a Conquerour releaseth himself having the power of laying down his Life and taking it up again in his own hands John 10.18 and loosed off his own Grave cloaths wherewith he was bound laid them in that due order mentioned in Scripture and left them behind him in his Sepulchre c. 3dly Seeing the Great Apostle in relating his full Chest of comfort wherewith he makes his challenge against all condemning Powers Rom. 8.33 34. He puts a most remarkable Rather upon the Head of Christ's Resurrection as the chiefest Box of all his other Spiritual Cordials 4thly Seeing Christ himself Hands in this very consideration I was dead and am alive again as a Cordial to the Church of Smyrna in a time when those Asian Churches were under some sad Apostacy as the Apostle Imports saying All them of Asia are turned from me 2 Tim. 1.15 and some of them had a name to Live and were Dead Rev. 3.1 Hereupon Christ comes in with this seasonable and suitable comfort behold I who was dead but am alive again Rev. 2.8 will make thee who art now in a dead and dedolent disposition to be alive again and to become lively for God and Godliness I am the first and the lust saith Christ to sweet smelling Smyrna who out-live and out-last all mine and thine Adversaries Therefore should we be oft searching in this Box that so abounds with comfort And the result I say of all these premises is that therefore the Day of Christ's Resurrection having all these most eminent Remarks upon it doth mostly require the uppermost Room in our Remembrance above all other days See more of this point in my Christian Walk upon the Lord's Day And more hereof here when we come to Christ's Manifestation Secondly Having thus discoursed upon the time When the next point is the manner How this Resurrection of Christ was managed wherein consider 1st By what Power Christ Rose again This was not done by any Extrinsick Forreign or Borrowed Power as was the Resurrection of Lazarus ut Supra but Christ Rose again by his own Intrinsick Innate and Congenial Power and that in despite of Death Men and Devils Because he was the Son of God so it was hot possible that any bands of Death or Devil could hold him down Acts 2.24 and his rising again after this manner did declare-him to be no less than the Son of God Rom. 1.4 Therefore if the manner of Christ's Rising be more particularly inquired into It must be Answered that as the Angel of the Lord whom some suppose to be the Son of God who loved to be oft among the Sons of Men long before his Incarnation Prov. 8.30 31. did wonderfully in Manoah's Sacrifice Judg. 13.18 19. so undoubtedly our Lord herein did wonderfully As our Lord died wonderfully in dying willingly and not of coaction though it was of necessity in respect of God's Immutable Decree Acts 2.23 4.28 therefore when he gave up the Ghost he cried with a loud Voice which shews as is abovesaid that his Vital Spirits and Strength was not spent at that time but he might have retained his Life longer if he would and thereupon the Centurion concluded him to be the Son of God Mark 15 39. so and much more than so must our Lord rise again wonderfully for his Resurrection hath an Apostolical rather put upon it Rom. 8.34 and this act above all other acts in his state of Humiliation did declare him to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 It being the first step of his state of Exaltation The Centurion did but suppose him to be so by the Miraculous Manner of his Death but all the Saints are assured of it by the Miraculous Manner of his Resurrection which indeed was the more Miraculous if we take it for granted that Christ conveyed his own self-quickened Body through the Great Grave stone that lay upon his Tomb. But some may object against this opinion saying what need we grant this seeing 't is expresly affirmed by the Evangelists that the Angel of God rolled away the stone Answer None of the Evangelists do say that the Angel did this to let Christ out of the Sepulchre for Christ was risen indeed in the Earth-quake before the Stone was rolled away and that great thing was done not to let Christ out who was gone already but to let the Good Women in to be the first Witnesses of this great Truth of his Resurrection for so soon as the Angel had rolled away the Stone he sat down upon it expecting the Women who were now at hand and were saying one to another Who will roll away the Stone for us Mark 16.3 that he might be as Christ's Gentleman-Usher to hand them into the empty Sepulchre The Angel did not roll away the Stone out of any necessity our Lord had for its removal in order to his own Resurrection for he by the Power of his Godhead could rise without it but it was from a necessity for the Good Women without which they could not enter into the Sepulchre It was only for Christ's honour to have such an Heavenly Herald for the first solemn Proclamation of his Glorious Resurrection Learn hence to cry with these Holy Women 1. Who will roll away the Stone of an Hard Heart 2. Of the Curse of the Law which was Writ in Tables of Stone not only to shew its duration but also our obduration 3. Of the Darkness of the Durus Sermo or Hard saying John 6.60 which we meet with here and there in Christ's Word that needs an Interpreter 4. And Lastly Who shall roll away this Stone of Offence for the Churches Inlargement that in this Valley of Achor or trouble
Testament History was not only to signifie that double Spirit of Elijah which rested upon the head of this his Successour Elisha who prayed for a double portion thereof 2 Kin. 2.9 and it was granted him whereby he wrought sixteen Miracles whereas Elijah his predecessor wrought but eight and that while he was alive but this raising up the Man to Life was wrought by Elisha even when he was dead but also it was a double sign of the vertue of the Death of Christ whereby both that the old Church of the Israel of God should be raised up from their present Dead estate and those dry Bones should be made to live again Ezek. 37.12 c. And that the Saints of the new Gospel Church should be revived through a touch of Christ's Body by the way of Faith So the Mystery of the History of those three Instances in the New Testament may be this to shew that Christ raiseth up to Spiritual Life all sorts of Sinners that are dead dead in Sin according to the several Degrees therein The Psalmist David most divinely denotes there be three degrees of evil Persons evil Actions and evil States or Conditions Psalm 1.1 where we have a most elegant climax or gradation going lower and lower towards Hell and Damnation 1st There is 1. The Ungodly 2. The Sinners and 3. The Scornful Persons 2dly As to Actions there is 1. Walking 2. Standing and 3. Sitting All these are worse and worse So 3dly As to States there is 1. The Counsel of the Ungodly 2. The Way of Sinners and 3. The Seat of the Scornful or the Chair of Pestilence All these were a descending lower and lower and by every step nigher the Mouth of the bottomless Pit As it is worse to be an Habitual Sinner than to do an ungodly Act and to stand as resolved in an evil way than only to walk or take a turn which may have a return in Evil Counsel So 't is worst of all to sit down in the Scorner's Seat as the Obstinate do even hating to be Reformed and refusing to return though God call and knock by the Hammer of his Word and by the Hand of his Spirit these seem to be given up to a Reprobate sense Thus also our Lord the Son of David who was his Father and Figure tells us of three sorts of Sinners 1. Such as stand Idle in the Market-place of the World only till the Third Hour of their Lives 2. Others till the Sixth and Ninth And 3. Yet others till the Eleventh where just expiring Mat. 20.3 5 6. Christ calls and quickens dead Sinners at all these three tearms of time 1. Such as are found newly dead in the Chamber of Sin as Jairus's Daughter was found dead in the House when Christ came to raise her up to life Mat. 9. c. So such Sinners as are dead in sin by consent only As Solomon's Tempted Youngster to cast in his lot of consent with the Tempters Prov. 1.10 13. If thoughts beget delight and contemplative delight do beget consent as in him whose Will complied to go along with the Flattering Harlot Prov. 7.21 Such an one if Christ find him with a time of love before the Act and pluck him as a Brand out of the Fire is indeed found dead in sin yet still in the House or Chamber not yet carried out c. 2dly Such Sinners on whom corrupt consent begets and brings forth the cursed Act of Sin wherein a Dart strikes through the Liver of the Actor Prov. 7.23 are with the Widow's Son Luke 7. born out upon the Devil's Bier towards a Burial in the Suburbs of Hell if Christ meet them not in the Way to stop and quicken them these are carried out of the Chamber and out of the House in order to be Buried But 3dly Such Sinners in whom delight brings forth consent consent the action and the action custom and so by consequence a necessity of Sinning are truly said to be with Lazarus Rotting and Stinking in the Grave of Sin Yet even these thus far gone Christ can quicken and raise up to newness of Life as he did Lazarus He can bring Sinners back from the very Gates of Hell to Heaven Thirdly As the Manner of Christ's Rising was wonderfully Singular in his leaving behind him in the Grave all the Ornaments of Death in Order all the Signatures of Mortality which never was done by any other and which should also teach us when we are raised up from prophaneness to a profession of Religion to put off the Old Man c. Ephes 4.24 Retain none of our Grave-cloaths but leave all as he did behind us not one Rag of Sin unrepented of whereby the Devil may keep possession of us c. So Christ's Rising was in a wonderful manner in respect of the company that rose with him though he died alone as in point of time c. yet did he not rise alone for many Saints Rose with him Mat. 27.52 53. To shew he rose not again as a Private but as a Publick Person that we might know his Resurrection appertains to us and though we die yet by the Power of Christ we shall all rise again What the Evangelist Matthew saith here of the Saint's Rising it is spoke by Anticipation for relating the whole story of them at once for they rose not till Christ was risen The first Earth-quake at Christ's Death opened their Graves only but it was the second Earth-quake at his Resurrection which revived their buried Bodies and brought them forth alive c. Six Inquiries are to be Answered in this Historical Relation The 1st is What sort of Men were then raised Answer 'T is said they were Saints in the General not one Wicked among them for they have no part in the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 and no part in the Resurrection of Christ who is not their Head Christ indeed will raise them at the last Day by the Power of a Just and Almighty Judge not by the vertue of a Redeeming and Risen Jesus Christ is the Head of the Saints only and they are his Members As the Head being got above the Waters draws up the whole Body and leaves not so much as a little Toe behind So Christ being lifted up out of the Den of Death draws up all his Saints to him John 12.32 The Saints Rise with Christ who is therefore called a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 by vertue of their Union with Christ their Head but the Wicked rise by the Almighty Power of God with Cain Nimrod Pharaoh Herod Judas and with the rest of that Wicked Rabble Oh then what a blessed thing it is to be a Saint a sanctified Godly Soul such and such only are Interested in all the benefits of Christ's Resurrection And how deplorable is the state of the Wicked c. The 2d Inquiry is How many rose Answ A multitude Many Bodies of Saints saith the Evangelist he doth not say All but many only for
4.10 So should we prepare our hearts to receive the Spirit grieve him not Eph 4.30 He cannot comfort those that dare grieve him 3. If the Spirit be the true and only Comforter then what a prodigious Folly and Madness it is for any Man in misery to run the wrong way for comfort in their calamitous condition that is to Witches or Wizards to Cunning Men on Women to Figure Flingers c. When Wicked wordlings have woundings of Spirit and gripes of Conscience as undoubtedly the worst of them sometimes may have then run they to mad merriments to pleasant plays and reading Romances c. For their Cure But finding these carnal Cataplasms not effectual remedies for their Spiritual maladies then run they to the Devil for relief as Saul in his distress did to the Witch of Endor c. Should not men in this case inquire of their God and not of Familiar Spirits c. Isa 8.19 20. This is to make the unclean Spirit the Comforter which is the Office of the Holy Spirit The 6th Cause of Christ's Ascension was to make an Atonement for us by his Intercession c. To make the Court of Heaven friendly and favourable to us that he might be there Interceding for our Peace as Blastus did for the Men of Tyre and Sidon in Herod's Court Acts 12.20 A Friend in the Court we say is better than a Penny in the Purse for by the Mediation of a Friendly Courtier a Court of Rigour may be turned into a Court of Favour As the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year to offer up the yearly Oblation of Atonement for the sins of the whole People Lev. 16.2 34. So Christ the High Priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 entred not the Holy Places made with hands but into Heaven it self now to appear in God's Presence for us Heb. 9.24 And ever lives to make Intercession for us there Heb. 7.25 'T is great comfort to have such an Advocate to turn the High Court of Justice into an High Court of Mercy 1 John 2.1 The Father looks through his Son's wounds upon us and so by Imputation a new Complexion is graciously put upon us There be many more Causes of Christ's Ascension which for brevity I must only name The 7th is he Ascended on High the better to oversee all his sheep scattered over all the wide world He is the chief Shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 The only Arch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or overseer who had but few Lambs while on Earth now none can tell his Generation Isa 53.8 The 8th is to answer as our Advocate all Satan's cavills and to nonsuit all his Accusations and Actions against us Tho' this Accuser be Subtle c. Yet Christ over-shoots him in his own Bow The 9th is to have an hotter influence as the Sun at Noon upon all his Churches and Children Heb. 7.26 The 10th is to live in that Glory which he left c. above the reach of Jews that would kill Lazarus John 12.4 only for being raised from the Dead and so would they kill Christ but he is above their reach and while our head is above water there is no danger of the Bodie 's drowning N.B. c. John 17.24 The flood can but come up to the Chin it cannot reach the Head to drown it Isa 8.8 11ly He is now higher than the highest on Earth Eccles 5.8 Psalms 61.2 Heb. 7.26 And in things wherein Men deal proudly he is above them Exod. 18.11 12ly And Lastly to fill all things Eph. 4.10 He began his Ministry with filling John 2.7 Carried it on with filling Acts 2.4 And continues so doing to the end of the World Eph. 1.23 The general Inferences both from Christ's Resurrection and from his Ascension are fourfold a word of Knowledge of Caution of Counsel and of Comfort The first is a word of Knowledge for our information in sundry particulars As 1. As Christ was put to it both upon his right hand and left by the Devil and his Instruments so as to be under the power of Death for thirty four hours of three days yet rose he again maugre the malice of Earth and Hell and Ascended in Triumph above the Gun-shot of all his Enemies So shall his Church do by the power of Christ Hos 6.2 Psal 49.14 Christ Rose at Sun-rising so shall his Church Mal. 4.2 and then shall she be comforted after her casting down 2 Cor. 6.7 2. 'T is hard to believe this fundamental Truth of Christ's Resurrection hence Christ tarried forty days before his Ascension to clear and confirm it So long was our Lord content to stay from Heaven for the good of others and should not we tarry also till our work be done as Paul did Phil. 1.24 25. We should come with Christ from Lebanon that pleasant place Deut. 3.25 from places of the most profit and preferment for the Church's good Cant. 4.8 As Paul was willing to want Heaven a while for the good of others so was Hezekiah also 2 Kings 20.2 3. Christ is call'd the Morning-Star Rev. 22.16 Rising in the Morning Mat. 28.1 This should put us upon Inquiry whether this Day-Star be Risen in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 If so then the Devil who hath the power of Death Heb. 2.14 is destroyed thereby and his evil works are dissolved in us 1 John 3. But so is our misery done away also in Christ's Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 Had but one sin been left unsatisfied Christ could not have either Risen or Ascended c. The second is a word of Caution that we 1 Take heed of dying in sin if so Christ is Risen and Ascended that he may come again to Render Vengeance upon us c. 2 Thes 1.7 8. 2. That we deceive not our own Souls with false Risings as from sinfulness to civility mistaking a Comet for the Sun c. 3. That we lye not rotting still in the Grave of sin having no Lease of our Lives whereas while life lasts we should awake and arise Eph. 5.14 and Col. 3.1 2 3. 4. That we behead not the Lord of Life which we do as much as in us lies if we Rise not with our Head who is Christ 5. But that which is worst of all to take heed we do not after a seeming Resurrection put on those Grave Clothes which we have seemed to have put off and go down again into the Grave of Sin in cursed Apostacy and final Impenitency The third is a word of Counsel that we 1. Rouze to seek our Lord who is Risen as the two Disciples did who arose the same hour c. Luke 24.33 and found him whom they sought verse 36. 2. Not to seek the living among the dead Luke 24.5 1. Not in dead Honours Christ withdrew himself from those that would have made him King John 6.15 He is now Risen and Ascended far above the Heavens Heb. 7.26 much more above the highest Honours upon Earth 2. Nor in dead
Pleasures He was but once at a Marriage-feast he is now Risen and Ascended above them sometimes we read our Lord wept but we never read that he did so much as once laugh 3. Nor in dead Treasures He sat but once over against the Treasury he is now Risen c. 4. Nor in Ease and Idleness He once slept upon a Pillow in the Ship he is now Risen c. The Spouse could not find him by night on her Bed nor in the broad ways of the World Cant. 3.1 2. 5. No nor in the perfection of Humane Mortality for he is Risen and Ascended c. 3dly That we Rise up and Ascend with Christ to Newness of Life Rom. 6.4 from Prophaneness to Piety this is to have part in the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 awakening out of sin and living unto God 4thly That we labour after an Experimental Knowledge of the power of Christ's Resurrection Phil. 3.10 and of his Ascension also this we do if we cannot be content to be colâ—â—â—â—d careless in our Devotion without finding our hearts burning within us while he talks with us in the way of our Duty Luke 24.32 beyond the reach of formality we may live by a form but we cannot die by a form we must feel the exceeding greatness of his power which worketh mightily in his Redeemed Eph. 1.19 making all his Saints heavenly-minded ascending up to him who is Ascended like Pillars of Smoke Cant. 3.6 and drawn up after him John 12.32 Cant. 1.3 and Col. 3.1 as not being wedded to worldly things 5ly That we purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 to be prepared for our own Resurrection and Ascension which we hope for by vertue of our Redeemer's The fourth is a word of Comfort 1. Our Hope may hang the faster and firmer for obtaining a better Resurrection and an happy Ascension because of the two grand Pawns and Pledges we have to assure us of both As he our Head is not only Risen which cannot but Raise the Body also for Christ accounts not himself compleat without his Church which he calls his fulness c. Eph. 1.21 22. but he is also ascended so must draw up John 12.32 his whole Body even the little Toes or least Members thereof that they may be with him to behold his Glory c. John 17.24 but likewise he hath taken our Nature with him into Heaven and hath sent his Spirit down to us upon Earth Our Flesh is above and his Spirit is below this is a double Earnest 2ly May we but be able to say in the Witnessings of the Holy Ghost that the Lord Christ hath raised our Souls up to the life of Grace we then need not doubt but he will also raise up our Bodies to a life of Glory and not only our Souls shall ascend to him at our death but they shall be â—nited again to our Bodies at the last day and shall both together be with him in Glory for ever If we have experience of a Spiritual Resurrection and Ascension in our Souls This doth strongly confirm our Faith that it shall be corporal also Eph. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.32 34. Ro. 6.4 11. Phil. 4.20 1. Th. 4.14 Col. 3.4 3dly The Soul cannot but be without comfort till Christ the Comforter come and appear to us as to Peter Luke 24.34 who had wept bitterly Luke 22.63 Now where-ever Christ is he will appear sooner or later he cannot be hid Mark 7.24 He appeared personally to the Patriarchs as he did to his Disciples but now to us spiritually Matth. 28.20 whereof we should make good proof and then may we hope he will appear to us gloriously at the last our Faith is supported both by Evidence and by Influence from these things All fruits were unholy till the first fruits were heaved Levit. 23.11 Rom. 11.16 All his Redeemed have a Quietus est or Acquittance virtually by Christ Risen and Ascended Rom. 5.18 and 4 25. but it passeth actually upon us when Christ appeareth savingly to and in us c. 4thly If Christ have led us forth as far out of the World and Sin as Bethany he will assuredly bless us as he did his Disciples Luke 24.50 51. at his last farewel Thus Isaac blessed Jacob but he first felt him Gen. 27.12 21. and if he hath blessed us we shall be blessed as Jacob was but take heed we go not about to cheat him for so shall we bring a curse and not a blessing We may know we are right Adopted Children if we have clean hands a pure heart and an holy life then have we the Lord's blessing Psal 24.3 4. and this is the Sugar which will sweeten the bitter Cup of our Crosses and Curses from an evil World the comfort of Christ's Spirit the feeling of his favour and the pardon of our sins c. 5thly 'T is our great comfort to consider Christ ascended as our common Representative with all our Names writ upon his Breastplate Exod. 28.29 Others indeed ascended as Enoch in the time of Nature and Elias in the time of the Law as well as Christ in the time of the Gospel but none ascended as our Lord did Note For 1. They ascended before Death seized upon them so did not Christ 2. They ascended by the power of another as Elias by a fiery Chariot c. but Christ by his own power 3. They made no way into Heaven for any body else but Christ did for all his c. Heb. 10.20 Note He did not shut the door as Lot did when he had taken in the Angel Gen. 19.10 but left a broad door open for all his Members 4. They could not work Miracles in Heaven as they had done on Earth but Christ could send his Spirit down to his Disciples c. 5. They went up suddenly but Christ leisurely that his Disciples might the better behold and believe it and that we may not expect to go up to Heaven in a Whirl-wind but gradually as Israel did to Canaan by 42 Removes The Righteous are scarcely saved 1. Pet. 4.18 Hard travel must help to Heaven 6thly 'T is no less our comfort to have Christ's Spirit Rom. 8.9 11. and witnessing with our spirits verse 15. that the Lord is risen indeed in us and hath appeared to us Luke 24.34 'T is an infallible sign that we are Simons Saints true believers for we find not that Christ after his Resurrection appeared once to any one under the real Denomination of an Unbeliever Thomas tho' Unbelieving yet was no Unbeliever not to any of the Chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees not to Pontius Pilate nor to King Herod c. For these reasons 1. To teach us that his Kingdom was not of this World John 18.36 2. That his Kingdom did not depend on or stood need of humane Patronage 3. Nor was it to come with Worldly Pomp or outward Observation Luke 17.19 20 21. John 20.29 4. That those Kill-Christs and Contemners of Grace and Mercy might begin to taste of the
suppose that City to be built upon that very plat of ground where Cain murdered his Brother Abel and bloody Saul would have dip'd this Damascus of a deeper Dye by acting in the Spirit of old Cain to shed the blood of many new Righteous Abels there N.B. Oh stand and wonder how Christ suffered this Mad-man to march end-ways without any Disturbance for five whole days together and for the middle of his sixth day while he was hoping to pepper the poor Professors of Christ in Damascus Object But it may be here demanded What had the High-Priest to do in Damascus which had a King of its own over it 2 Cor. 11.32 and a Deputy-Governour also Answer the first Though the Romans had subdued Judaea Syria c. yet they suffer'd the Jews both at home and abroad in the places of their Dispersion where they had several Synagogues whom they still styled Brethren Acts 22.5 to live according to their own Law and Religion whereupon the High-Priest as Prince and President of the Sanhedrim might judge of any Jews Crime and Imprison c. Though this Council had not power to determine in matters capital which the Romans reserved unto themselves as also to pronounce the Judicial Sentence of Death and the power of publick Execution as is clear in Christ's Caese who was Crucified by Pilate's power Answer the second Hereupon this Plenipotentiary Persecutor carries his Credential Letters to this place taking along with him a great many Sergeants and Bailiffs to Arrest the Christians in that City that he might bring them bound to Jerusalem Acts 9.2 because he feared those Dissenters would find too much favour among those Gentiles had they been Tried in their Courts and because it was impossible a Prophet should perish in any place but in Jerusalem Luke 13.33 That City must fill up the measure of its iniquity Matth. 23.32 And when her Ephah was full then was she to be Ruined and removed Zech. 5.6 8. and 11. This Cutting Commission from the Soveraign Sanhedrim Saul was to deliver to the Deputy-Governour under King Aretas who was now as Josephus saith warring against King Herod for putting away his Daughter and taking Herodias to Wife in Aretas his Daughter's stead and those Pestilent Informers could easily gain the Governour to be on their side to assist them by slandering the Christians that they were Traitors to the King of Damascus and took King Herod's part c. The third Remarkable Circumstance is The Manner how this chief Commissioner of Satan was converted by and to Christ which in the general the particulars being referred to the Concomitants is thus described while Saul was marching with a bloody mind the last day of his Journey and was got near even within the sight of his much desired Damascus resolving to Ruine many Christian Families by ragingly rushing in upon them c. before he slept that night Behold in the midst of all those his murdering Imaginations and malicious Diabolical Machinations even then when he was almost at the end of his Devilishly designed Journey there meets him the Lord Jesus and prebably in his glorified Body unhorseth him or knocks him down if on foot as with a Thunder-bolt or Flash of Lightning as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read circumfulguravit cum the Lord thundered and lightened round about him to stun and astonish him but not to stone him with a Thunder-stone or a spire of Lightning as he had stoned Stephen by other wicked hands And the Thunder of Christ's Power uttered this Voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 This terrible Noise and dazling Light from Heaven makes this proud and presumptuous Persecutor fall down to the Earth He could not but be sensible of the Affrighting presence of the great God who was wont to make himself known in so amazing a manner to meer mortals N.B. Saul being learned in the Law could not but know that Daniel himself a man greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 did in a prostrate posture Reverence the Majesty of God's presence Dan. 8.17 and 10 9. How much more such a matchless wretch as himself who had justly deserved no better a denomination than to be reputed a Man or rather a Monster greatly to be abhorred being conscious to himself that he was a Villain of the first Magnitude and had bid Defiance of the deepest Dye against the God of Heaven and Earth c. Christ calls Saul by his name to mind him that he was doing the Devil's Drudgery just as his old Name-sake Saul had done in persecuting David who was the Father Type and Figure of Christ and that name Saul is doubled not only the more to awaken him but also to shew his greater commiseration of him And though Christ was now above the reach of Saul's Rage N.B. Yet because he and his Church make but one Body he saith to Saul Why persecutest thou me I am the Head of my Church and do feel my self wounded in my Members of the Saints In whom I live Gal. 2.20 and to whom thou art injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 All injuries done to my little ones I take them as done to my self Mat. 25.35 c. And in all their afflictions I am afflicted Isa 63.9 As the honour of the Head redounds to the Members so their sorrows and sufferings do reach unto the Head Our Head is not sensless though it be in Heaven when his Members suffer although they be on Earth N.B. Our Lord retains still both a feeling and a fellow-feeling and is not only sensible of his Saints saying He that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 but is also tender over them saying likewise He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of my Eye Zech. 2.8 or Why persecutest thou me may be emphatically meant of Christ himself And why me for what demerit of mine Sure I am it is causless on my part It cannot be but for my good deeds that thou dost it I have given thee no other cause to persecute me but this that I have so loved thee as to lay down my Life for thee Thus Christ speaks and Saul says Who art thou Lord verse 5. Art thou God or art thou an Angel This learned man in the Law was an Ignoramus in and knew little of the Gospel He knew something of God the Father in the Old Testament but nothing of God the Son in the New therefore he asks Who art thou He answers not therefore Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth as the Child Samuel did 1 Sam. 3.9 N.B. Saul under this consternation is answered by his sweet Saviour I am Jesus whom thou persecutest 't is hard for thee to kick against the pricks There are more words added to this short Answer Acts 22.10 and 26.14 In which places this short History hath a more ample and plenary Relation However so much is Related and Recorded in this place Acts 9.5 as gives Saul an account 1. That though Saul might not directly design to persecute Christ himself
the Word but not the Oister-shell or Earthen-Vessel that bears or brings it Acts 13.48 Therefore Peter took him up from his excess of worshiping N.B. But so do not the pretended Successors of Peter the Pope's who hold forth their Toes to be kissed and permit their Parasites to worship them as Gods Peter would not suffer this Centurion who was but one of Caesar's under-servants to worship him but the proud Pope can compel even Caesar himself to fall prostrate before him and little enough to gain his favourable Aspect N.B. This Gesture of Adoration though it was excessively tender'd by Cornelius yet was it refused with Rebuke by Peter which was the first part of his Entertainment at the door of the Centurion's house N.B. The second part thereof was his handing of Peter into his house and acknowledging God's goodness in bringing such a welcome Guest to him for 't is said He talked with him as they two went hand in hand into the house N.B. And the third part thereof was an Auditory was prepared all ready and desirous to hear him Preach the Gospel to them not only Cornelius himself who had sent the Messengers did wait for him verse 24. Acts 10. but also Peter found many others who were come together verse 27. And this Account we have of the posture of all this Auditory that not only Cornelius was like an hungry Soul who immediately without delay sends for his food so soon as he knew where it was to be found but also they do all uanimously by the mouth of the Master of the house not only bid Peter welcome but also give him thanks for his pains in coming to them yea they farther profess to set themselves in a present reverential posture as having God himself overlooking them and whom they desired to be a witness of their readiness to obey what God required of them by Peter's mouth verse 33. which teacheth us 1. That the People should wait for the Pastor verse 24 27. And we are all here present verse 33. Thus the People waited for Zecharias Luke 1.21 They should speedily go up Zech. 8.21 2. That such as hear the Word should hear it as from God's mouth as well as Man 's we are present before God The want of setting our selves as in God's sight is the cause why we so much want God in the Ordinances c. After these two Circumstances comes in the Substance or Specification of Cornelius's Conversion the Manner and Form together with the Means thereof which are principally twofold 1. By Words 2. By Deeds 1. The Words whereby he was converted were the pregnant and powerful Sermon which Peter Preached to him in his house wherein these parts are observable 1. The Preface preparing for Right Instruction drawn from the person of the Auditors Acts 10. v. 34 35. 2. The Proposition Preached upon namely that great Mystery of the Gospel the Word of Reconciliation betwixt God and Man not only betwixt God and the Jews but also betwixt God and the Gentiles verse 36. 3. The Paraphrase upon his Proposition illustrated both by the first Minister of the Gospel who began to Preach it to wit John the Baptist verse 37. and by the Principal Master and Author of the Gospel to wit the Lord Jesus whom Peter commendeth from his double Office of King and Priest verse 38. and this commendation is 4. Farther confirmed by a double Testimony 1. That of the Apostles concerning the Innocent Life Christ led upon Earth his holy Death he suffered at the last verse 39. his glorious Resurrection verse 40 41. And lastly His last Return with Power and great Glory to judge the World verse 42. Then 2. By the Testimony of the Prophets Acts 10.43 All these parts are contained in the Copy or Example of Peter's Sermon Then follow the Effects and Consequences of it which are three First The Effusion of the Holy Ghost verse 44. Secondly The Amazement of the Spectators verse 45. Lastly The Gift of Tongues verse 46. Thus far Cornelius's Conversion was wrought by means of Words now comes the manifestation of the Truth of it by Deeds 2. The Reality of this new Gentile-Convert was evidenced by Deeds done in the Sacramental Sign of Gospel-Baptism relating to both the Person Baptizing who was Peter who first propounds that great Question Whether it were lawful to Baptize Cornelius and his Family and Friends seeing they were all Gentiles To which himself then gives an Affirmative Answer arguing à majori namely from the thing signified which is the greater to the Sign it self which is the lesser Acts 10. v. 47. And then to the Parties Baptized who all accepted of Gospel Baptism and requested Peter the Administrator thereof to tarry with them certain days verse 48. to be farther instructed confirmed and comforted that they might grow in Grace c. This large Scheme affordeth us many memorable Remarks As First That there is an exact Harmony betwixt the Old and New Testament touching the extent of the word of Reconciliation the old Prophets did not confine it to the Jews but extended it to the Gentiles also Psal 72.7 8. and Isa 49.6 and 57.19 where it is said that God created peace to them that are afar off as the Gentiles were as well as to them that are near to wit the Jews A Praelibamen or fore-tast hereof were the Examples of Melchizedeck Job and Naaman who no way belonged to the Jews shewing that the Word of Life was not limited unto them only The second Remark is That God is no Respecter of persons that is he doth not make the external condition of a person as of what Nation Family Name or Quality he be of the Rule of his Respect or Acceptance He doth not accept of one because he is a Jew nor disrespect another because he is a Gentile God regardeth not the outward Estate as Countrey Sex Wealth Wisdom c. which neither help nor hurt Man neither please nor displease God but only as they are in a good or bad Man as a Cipher set by it self signifies nothing but having a numerical figure fixed before it then it increaseth the sum This Truth God had taught the Jews themselves in the Old Testament Deut. 10.17 that he respected not persons which is more confirmed in the New Rom. 2.11 1 Pet. 1.17 and here Acts 10.34 The third Remark is He that is truly religious toward God and truly righteous toward Man of whatever Nation or Condition he be of Jew Gentile Poor or Rich c. is accepted of God Yea the very Romans or Italians such as the Jews thought most hardly of because they were dealt most hardly with by them being in bondage under them at that time might find acceptance with God if they feared God and wrought righteousness as Cornelius did Acts 10.35 who was an Italian not circumcised in the flesh yet circumcised in the spirit Rom. 2.29 no nor as yet baptized yet accepted for these words must be
those mischievous Actings both of the powers and of the people against the Apostles cannot be call'd Concord but a Conspiracy against Christ like that of Herod and Pilate's Concurring to Crucifie Christ The third Remark is No place can be improper no time can be unseasonable for praying to God and for praising of God N.B. Here Paul and Silas prayed to God in a prison and sang Praises to him also and that at midnight verse 25. yea their Prayers and Praises were both acceptable to God and praevalent with God Oh how soon were they answered with the signs of God's audience and his comforting presence and suddenly there was an Earthquake verse 26. so nigh is God to all that call upon him Psal 34.17 and 145.18 The sighing of his prisoners come before him and he can at his leisure and pleasure deliver those that are appointed to dye Ps 79.11 N.B. Satan's design here was to make Paul and Silas blaspheme by the grievousness of their sufferings and to desert their Apostolical Office or at least to call into question their cause and calling into Europe at this time as proving so Inauspicious and Unfortunate to them but on the contrary God's comforting presence with them in this comfortless confinement converts their Prison into a Pallace yea into a Paradice so that they testified the confidence they had both in a good cause and in a good conscience by their singing praises to God and so loud that their fellow-prisoners who knew not God heard them This they did not as the Pharisees do only to be heard by others but because they rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ's Name Acts ch 5. ver 41. and the more they were afflicted the more they rejoyced and praised the Lord without any Pharisaical Ambition after the praises of men giving thanks unto God for all things Eph. 5.20 and being assured that these very things they suffered God would over-rule for good Rom. 8.28 So that there is nothing more vain than violence against the truth quae florescit Vulnere the more men labour to suppress it the more it shineth c. 2ly Upon their deliverance these Remarks arise The first is Behold how great is the power of faithful and fervent Prayer Luther saith it hath a kind of an Omnipotency it hath had a command over all the four Elements in Moses and Elijah It hath shaken the Heavens and the Earth The Prayers of those two Prisoners together with their praises brought an Earthquake verse 26. which was a Token that God had heard their cries and was come down to deliver them as Exod. 3. 7.8 by his power out of their Imprisonment hereby God assured them that their prayer was soon answered and the time of his delivering them was fully come N.B. God could without an Earthquake have delivered them as he had done Peter Acts 12.10 yet to make a more manifest Demonstration that their deliverance was no force or artifice of their own but done by a divine power therefore did he send this Earthquake such as usually be fore-runners of some eminent Matters as Matth 28.2 c. hereby the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened as Acts 5.19 and 12.7 9. and every ones bands were loosed not only those of the praying prisoners Paul and Silas's but also those chains upon all their other fellow-prisoners that the Apostles and others might know N. B That as the bodies of those men were set at liberty from their bonds by the Lord for the sake of his praying prisoners so the Souls of those men and of many others should be freed by the Apostles Ministry from the bonds of iniquity Acts 8.23 N.B. How all their bands came to be loosed is uncertain whether it were done by the force of the Earthquake or by the invisible Operation of some Created Angel as Peter's was Acts 12.7 or it was done immediately by God himself is not Recorded The second Remark is How miserable are the Resolutions and Consolations of the Unregenerate when a day of distress doth suddenly surprize them This Jaylour was so shaken and so awakened out of his sleep by this Earthquake that it wrought an Heart-quake within himself and herein he silly Soul could propound no relief nor comfort to his quakeing conscience but by killing himself verse 27. for fear of suffering a more cruel death because all Jaylors who suffer Prisoners to escape were to suffer the same Punishments that the Prisoners were thought to have deserved N.B. Now had not this poor blind Heathen been altogether unacquainted with the power and providence of God that wrought all these wonders he might have thought it ridiculous to say that the Prison-doors opened themselves that the Prisoners bands did fall off of themselves c. His Self-murder had been Miserable Comfort to have ended a Temporal Trouble and to have begun his Eternal Torment thereby The third Remark is The Servants of God are nothing so solicitous for their own lives and liberties as for the Propogation of the Gospel and the Salvation of other Mens Souls N.B. As it is here the Apostles might have been silent and suffered the Jaylor to have slain himself in this desperate Agony whereof God who wrought this miracle for the Jaylor's Salvation and not his Destruction might inform his imprisoned servants in that midnight darkness therefore they cryed out to him Do thy self no harm for we are all here verse 28. N.B. The other Prisoners were probably so amazed with the Earthquake that they might neither mind that the doors were opened or that their own chains were loosed nor know any thing of those desperate attempts of the Jaylor towards his self murder therefore their silence and sitting still in their prison-state need not be wondered at But Paul and Silas understood all these things and as they might have been silent so they might have made their escape N.B. Nor was this their not starting or stirring any tempting of God nor a losing the benefit of the miracle by their staying still in the Stocks because the main end of all this which was done was that God might vindicate and magnifie that Gospel-Doctrine which they had preached and which the Philippians had vilifyed and that this Jaylor and his Family might be saved The fourth Remark is Affliction when Sanctified hath a marvelous Subserviency for promoting the Salvation of the Soul N. B. The Earthquake as before had wrought an Heart-quake in this Keeper of the Prison and so it had done in his Masters the Magistrates but not to so gracious and effectual an operation upon them as upon him 'T is said when it was day the Magistrates sent their Mace-bearer saying Let these Men go verse 35. Whereunto there is in one Ancient Coppy this Addition The Magistrates met in the Market place next morning and calling to mind the Earthquake in the night they feared and sent their Sergeants to dismiss the
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
some besides this Pagan Governor who Judged him as mad in preaching it 2 Cor. 5.13 and in pressing towards the prize which he now persecuted so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Phil. 4.13 with as much eagerness as ever he had persecuted or prosecuted the poor saints and servants of Christ while he made havock of them Acts 8.3 The ninth Remark is 'T is likewise highly honourable and greatly comfortable when a prisoner at the bar can beside the testimony of his own conscience make a solemn Appeal to the consciences of his Judges that he speaks nothing but the words of truth and soberness Thus Paul makes his appeal 1. To Festus with all modesty waving the reflection he reviled him not as Christ had taught him 1 Pet. 2.23 nor called him whited wall as he had done Ananias the intruder into the High-Priest's office but gives him his Noble Title tho' his person was unworthy Yet for God's ordinance of magistracy's sake mildly minding him according to his own advice 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. that his Conscience must tell him his discourse was not like as one distracted And 2. To Agrippa to whom he useth a most Rhetorical insinuation v. 26 27. which could not but leave a forcible impression upon his heart persuading him that he being Educated in Judea could not but hear of the Life Doctrine Miracles Death and Resurrection of Christ c. all which were done openly John 18.20 and he could not but believe the Prophets The tenth Remark is So convincing is the power of the Gospel and the purity of its professors that at the long run the Adversaries thereof are shamefully confounded as here 1. The King is convinced to be almost a Christian v. 28 he is brought nigh God's Kingdom yet so clogg'd with the world as we do not find he ever came there which occasion'd Paul to wish for Agrippa and all his auditory all the good that was in himself for the accomplishment of a true Christian yet to be freed from all the evils that then were upon him verse 29. 2. Festus is easily influenced by Agrippa to acquit Paul from the Crimes laid against him yet he would not release him for fear of the Jews And 3. the malitious Jews got nothing for all their travel charges and impudent importunity but a being branded for a company of cursed Caitiffs for their thirsting after the blood of the innocent in the judgment of so many honourable personages Thus are those wretches packed home to Jerusalem with a stigmatizing indelible opprobrious blot upon their names and perhaps not without horrour of Guilt within their Bosoms Notwithstanding all those acquitters of Paul like the Black-moor in the Bath and the spotted Leopard Jerem. 13.23 got no saving change by these Transactions CHAP. XXVII Paul 's passage to Rome THIS Chapter containeth Paul's Voyage from Cesarea towards Rome which may be resolved into two General parts 1. The Causes of his voyage thither And 2. The Casualties that came upon him in his passage 1st The Causes were three first Efficient which was a decree in court by the Judges ver 1. where his companions are named Secondly Formal he must not travel it by Land least the Jews should ly lurking in the way to take away his life according to their old Oath and Design but he must pass by Sea v. 2. Thirdly Material to wit the places by which they passed from Cesarea were Sidon ver 3. Cyprus v. 4. Myra v. 5 6. Gnidus ver 7. and Crete v. 7 8. 2dly The Casualties in the general was sailing was now dangerous towards the depth of winter v. 9. more particularly they are reducible to three heads 1. The Antecedents 2. The Concomitants And 3. The Consequents 1st The Antecedents are the procuring causes of all the sad casualties namely the Centurion's too much obstinacy in rejecting the Apostle's advice and his too much obsequiousness in receiving the Counsel of the Master and owner of the Ship verse 10 and 11 12. 2dly The Concomitants are 1. A contrary tempestous wind verse 13 14 15. 2. The peril of the place v. 17 18. 3. The continuance of the storm for three days v. 18 19. 4. Heaving over board the lading Merchandize And 5. An utter despair of life v. 18 19 20. in the eye of Reason c. 3dly The Consequents are the Catastrophe or comfortable issue 1. Promised by Paul not only from his prophetick Spirit but also from an angelical Vision v. 21 22 23 24 25 26. 2. Performed through the use of ordinary means by night as the casting of their Anchors v. 27 28 29. The abiding of the Marriners in the Ship v. 30 31 32. The taking of due sustenance to support nature in its strength after Paul had begged a blessing v. 33 34 35 36 37. Then the second unladeing of the Ship v. 38. Lastly what was done extraordinarily by day v. 39 40. and suffered v. 41. The Ship is lost yet all its crew saved v. 42 43 44. The Remarks from those Resolves are these The first is The disposals of all men both Saints and Sinners are determined as here it was determined verse 1. first By God himself the Supreme cause Acts 23.11 and then by those Subordinate civil Magistrates Festus Agrippa and others with whom the Governour consulted concerning Paul's passing to Rome All these great men seem to be self-condemned in their acknowledging Paul's innocency yet not setting him at Liberty This neglect of Justice they do but varnish over with a pretence of Law fulness and necessity saying he might have been freed had he not appealed unto Caesar Acts 26.32 whereas the true secondary cause was that they durst not do it for self-ends and popularity for fear of the Jews but the principal primary cause is here included it was determined otherwise by the great God who disposeth all things according to his pleasure For Paul's appeal to Ceasar did indeed bind them up only from condemning the prisoner till Nero had heard him but not at all from setting him at Liberty had they pleased because Paul might have with-drawn his Appeal and enjoyed his freedom seeing Nero had not yet made those Sanguinary Laws whereby the profession of Christianity became a Capital Crime N. B. This is comfortable to consider that even great men cannot do what they please against the Saints but what the great God pleaseth The second Remark is Saints do share with sinners in matters Secular and External 'T is said expresly there were other prisoners beside Paul v. 1. that must all be pack'd together to Nero's Court at Rome They are mingled the good with the bad in the same misery Time and chance saith Solomon happeneth alike to all Eccles. 9.11 To the one as well as to the other especially in common Calamities for Hezekâ—ah's pride did contribute to the Babylonish Captivity wherein the good Figgs were involved with the bad as well as his Son Manasseh's Abominations Tho' they be thus
is like that of Jerm 49. ver 14 c. and the same may be said of Psalm 60. because it is in a great part the same with Psal 108 and so is Psal 14. with Psal 53. But tho' many passages in this Epistle do agree with that of Peter's yet is there so much difference in the whole as makes it manifest that it was not Transcribed thence and yet the Spirit might dictate the same truths to several Pen-men especially when the evil of these times required it that the same truths might be confirmed by the more witnesses N.B. 'T is probable this Jude stood up in his Brother James his charge among the Circumcision of Judea so he directs his Epistle to all those that were preserved in those Apostatizing times and not to any one particular Church as Paul's were like as his Brother James's had done to the twelve Tribes in general Jude exhorts those Christian Jews to maintain the truth with holiness of life least they should be seduced by false Teachers whose manners he describes to whom he thunders damnation But to amplifie a little longer upon the Life of this Jude who wrote that Epistle General and Catholical placed next before the Revelation of John the Divine he was one of the twelve Apostles called Judas as above but he was not that stigmatized Judas Iscariot the Apostate that hanged himself c. The occasion of this Apostle's writing that Epistle was this He survived almost all the Apostles Paul Peter and James were now dead and John only was now alive Eusebius saith This Apostle Jude lived till the time of Domitian the Emperor about fifty years after Christ's death However he lived to behold a most deplorable decay among the Churches of Christ He saw in his day how many professors of the Gospel did then deny the power of godliness and degenerated into gross and open prophaneness and to use his own phrase they turned the grace of God into wantonness v. 4. Namely the Nicolaitans Rev. 2.6.14 15. The Gnosticks and other loose Hereticks of that age who had learnt the Devil's Logick of arguing from Mercy to Liberty and unlearnt that sacred Lesson taught in Christ's School to wit Mercy most strongly obligeth to duty The more merciful God is to man the more dutiful must man be to God least God say do ye thus requite the Lord returning your wicked Liberty for my holy Mercy O! ye foolish people and unwise Deut. 32.6 and as it was said to Hushai is this thy kindness to thy friend 2 Sam. 16.17 This sad sight and observation stirred up the Spirit of this holy Apostle to write this Epistle wherein he admonisheth all true Saints to contend earnestly for the Faith c. and to beware of being polluted with the Apostates sins after he had discovered the black Aggravations of those heinous sinners and denounced the certainty of God's Judgments against them for their notorious provocations at the appointed time assuring them that the day was approaching wherein the Lord will Judge all wicked men for all their ungodly words and works c. In order hereunto this Apostle giveth three famous instances of Apostates The first is Those degenerate Israelites are brought in for an Example who murmured in the wilderness and lusted after the Flesh-pots of Aegypt after they had been so miraculously delivered out of that long and grievous house of Bondage Yet God destroyed all them that believed not v. 5. which shews that their past preservation from that Fiery Furnace as it is called Deut. 4.20 was but a Reservation for a future punishment by fiery Serpents c. for God threatened to destroy them after he had done them good Josh 24 20 even so close Hypocrites and loose professors who seem to be redeemed from the Bondage of sin yet dare return with the Dog to his Vomit and with the Sow to its wallowing in the mire c. The latter end is worse with them than the beginning c. 2 Pet. 2.18 19 20 21 22. The second Instance this Apostle Jude introduceth is that of the Apostate Angels verse 6. who notwithstanding the higher dignity of their nature above that of Man's Psal 8.5 yet upon their Rebellious disobedience they were left to a most dreadful doom c. Their voluntary ambition changed those glorious Angels into damned Devils This argument is not a part ad par from one equal case to another as in the first instance verse 5. but a Majori ad Minus from the greater to the lesser arguing if God spared not such more noble Creatures the Angels who by the grace of Creation were advanced to the highest excellency of all Created beings then assuredly God will not spare men whatever Gospel-priviledges they have and whatever glorious professions they make when the wicked practices of their lives do give the lye unto all their holy professions such Backsliders as begin in the Spirit but end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 that seem Sancti Juvenes young Saints but prove Satanici Senes old Devils not only God's Soul can have no pleasure in them yea rather loaths them but also there is a deep pit behind all such as draw back which they see not even the bottomless pit of endless perdition Heb. 10.37 38. Apostates do hasten into Hells mouth 'T is most true the Lord loveth a returning Prodigal above an Apostate Angel The third Instance is That of Sodom c. ver 7. Which Example is most fitly adapted to the former two The Angels had been betrusted with the blessings of Heaven but they lost them all by their Apostacy The Israelites had the priveledges of the Church in the wilderness so called Acts 7.38 but by their murmurings they lost not only all those but they also fell short of Canaan c. Now come in those Sodomites c. Who had been blest with a most pleasant Land called the Garden of the Lord Gen. 13.10 like another paradice yea and they had been blest also with a marvelous deliverance from Captivity by the prowess of Abraham Gen. 14.11 15. Thus had those five Citys the great blessings of this lower world as the Angels had of Heaven and the Israelites had of the Church yet these also made a forfeiture of their mercies as well as the two former namely by giving themselves up unto filthy Leudness God wrote their sin upon their punishment as they had burned actively with the fire of Hell in their unlawful Lusts so they were burned passively with fire from Heaven The Lord rained down as it were Hell out of Heaven upon them Genesis 19.24.25 yea and above all this we are told here that they are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire and so shall all carnal professors having only a form without the power 2 Tim. 3.5 We may live by a form but we cannot dye by a form and if we live and dye after the flesh we are damned to all Eternity Rom. 8.7 A form of piety and
consummated when his Mediatory work endeth yet then it will not be consumed but only swallowed up by his Essential Kingdom which shall then comprehend it to all eternity his Mediatory Kingdom lasts until he hath made all his foes his footstool c. 1 Cor. 15.24 to 28. because he is both the Master the Maker of the Macrocosm or great World able to subdue all Phi. 3.21 The tenth Cordial is This King of Sion hath a true right and propriety to his fifth Kingdom even to all the Kingdoms and Common-wealths in the whole World 'T is told us in express words whose Right it is c. Ezek. 21.27 Now the Lord Christ hath a Royal Right hereunto by Three manner of means or ways as first by a Divine Eternal Ordination he was verily fore-ordained for this transcendent Royalty 1 Pet. 1.20 which word holds forth how careful our heavenly Father was to make all matters sure concerning Man's Redemption by the Messiah this great work was God's eternal purpose Eph. 3.11 and such a profound Mystery was in that work as made the holy Angels not only to admire it but also desirous to peep into it as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 1.12 and Eph. 3.10 Secondly Christ came to this Royal Right by his Father's free and gratuitous Donation The Father bids the Son Ask of me and I will give Thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Psal 2.8 9. N.B. If all things were conveyed to Christ himself by way of Asking why then should we poor Christians expect any good thing without asking especially when he bids us Ask and ye shall have c. Matth. 7.7 8. Christ indeed had a Natural and Essential Kingdom as he was God co-equal with the Father Phil. 2.6 This he had not by way of asking but did enjoy it from all Eternity and shall hold it to all Eternity But his other the Mediatory Oecumenical and Dispensatory Kingdom Christ hath as a Donative and Gift upon that Eternal Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son for his faithful fulfilling the great work of fallen Man's Mediator as his Rich Reward and this is that Kingdom which he will deliver up to the Father when the End of it is accomplished and then the Son as Man shall be subject that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Thirdly Christ hath this Royal Right by way of special and peculiar Exaltation 'T is said Christ humbled himself c. wherefore God exalted him c. Phil. 2.8 9. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Christ did empty himself in his State of Humiliation passing through many little Death 's all his life long and at last underwent that cursed and painful Death on the Cross as to his Body and as if this had been too little his Soul also was sorrowful to the Death Matth. 26.38 Yea he humbled himself so low as to lay down his Body three days in the Grave c. Therefore God declares his Decree to give him Royal Honour Psal 2.6 7. and to exalt him so high as not only to be above the Grave in his Resurrection and above the Earth in his Ascension yea and above the Heavens also in seating him at his Right hand upon a Throne of Glory in the highest Heavens Beside all this God sets his King upon his holy Hill of Sion above all other Hills and advances his Son's Scepter above all worldly Scepters yea and dignifies him with a Name above every Name of Honour and Dignity both in Heaven on Earth and under the Earth Phil. 2.9 10.11 Then the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 which had lain long under a lasting Ecclipse breaks forth into its former Native Splendor and Glory The eleventh Cordial is This King of Sion who hath now a true Tittle to a Right Propriety in a fifth Kingdom will in due time become the full Possessor of it whereof he is ever the Right Proprietor and Owner So 't is said Vntil he come whose Right it is and I will give it him Ezek. 21.27 which intimateth there is a time appointed by the Father wherein he will give to his Son a plenary possession of all that he hath purchased a propriety in by his Death and to explain what this is we are told that Christ will take to himself his great Power and Reign overturning all that oppose and causing them to comply with this Conquerour then all the Kingdoms of the World shall become the Lord's and his Christ's Rev. 11.15 17. Christ indeed saith My Kingdom is not of this Worlb John 18.36 Yet is it in this World Christ is better call'd King of Nations than Tidal was Gen. 14.1 as well as he is call'd the King of Saints Rev. 15.3 For when any grievous Calamity was about to come upon the Church of God from any of her Evil Neighbours Jer. 12.14 to wit the cursed Nations that compassed her about as so many greedy Tygers Bears Boars Lions Leopards Wolves c. saith Luther then God sent his Prophets to comfort his Church against this coming Calamity with this soveraign Cordial of Christ's coming as a King to Relieve and Rescue her from those Ravenous Beasts by his Irresistible Power and Regal Authority There be many famous Instances hereof not only that great Text Zech. 9.9 and that also Ezek. 21.27 but likewise tho' many more might be mentioned I shall here add only one more namely that of Isa 9.6 7. at which time there was to come a most unparallel'd Calamity upon the Church Isa 7.17 18 19. and 9.1 Then to preponderate and out-weigh the perplexity of that matchless Misery the Prophet of God there doth comfort the Church not only with the Birth but also with the Kingdom of Christ saying the Goverment shall be upon his shoulders the Mighty God the Prince of Peace and of the Increase of his Kingdom there shall be no end Isa 9.6 7. The same may be observed in those two Prophets that followed Isaiah namely Ezekiel and Zechariah as above quoted all intimating the truth of Father Bernard's excellent notion Tamen Christus Rex est etiam in hoc Mundo scilicet in ordine ad Ecclesiam that is though his Kingdom be not of this World John 18.36 which wholly lyeth and walloweth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 and whose God is the Devil blinding their minds c. 2 Cor. 4.4 Yet Christ is King in this World in his ordering and over ruling all the Affairs of the World so far as they do relate to his Church in the World Thus Christ is call'd Lord of all Acts 10.36 If it be asked of all what 't is answered he is Lord of all persons of all things of all Kings of all Kingdoms he is Lord of his Church and he is Lord of the World and therefore he will not suffer his Church to be long wronged by the World Now in order that this