man whose very mercies are cruell Prov. 12. 10. On the contrary labour as the Elect of God to put on bowels of mercy c. Col. 3. 12. By this we resemble God Luke 6. 36. Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull By this also we resemble God's Children who are said to be mercifull men Esay 57. 1. Observ 4 Observ 4. That it is a most lamentable and grievous misery and affliction for any to have their Bodies given up of God unto the Power and Tyranny of the Devil either to be possessed by him or to be afflicted and tormented or any way abused by him This we may see here in the example of this Party who was possessed with the Devil and given up into his hands his case was most wretched and lamentable It was a grievous affliction to have his body possessed by the Devil that foul Spirit though he had but onely entred into him at time and had not stirred or moved in him to torment him or put him to any pain but that the Devil being in him should rent and tear his body racking and torturing it so grievously That with the very extremity of pain He fomed at the mouth yea that in his fits he threw him to the Ground and made him lye and wallow there foming and gnashing with his teeth and did pine and wast away as in a consumption c. what a lamentable case was this what a pittifull and rufull spectacle to behold And yet this was not all for the Devil also used in his fits to cast him by violence oftentimes into the fire and oftentimes into the Wa-ter to destroy him as is said afterward Neither was this all for besides all this before mentioned the Devil had stricken him both dumb and deaf so as he could neither speak to make known his own misery nor hear oâ—hers speak to him for his comfort which did exceedingly aggravate his misery And last of all this also did not a little augment the same that he had been so long a time in this wofull distresse even from his Childhood or Infancy as some read it ver 21. he being now a youth or young man of some age or years as is probable so that it is like he was for sundry years in this miserable case So that this example alone is enough if there were no other in all the Scripture to shew to us what a lamentable and grievous misery it is for any to have their Bodies given up of God though but for a time into the power of the Devil to be abused by him But the same may further appear to us by other like examples of such as were possessed in our Saviour's time See before chap. 5. 1 c. See it also in Job's example who though he were not possessed by the Devil yet so soon as God did but give Satan leave to strike him in his Body we see into what a lamentable case he soon brought him smiting him all over with boiles from the sole of the Foot to the crown of his Head So as Job was fain to sit down among the ashes and to scrape himself with a potsheard Job 2. 7 8. Use 1 Vse 1. See the hainousness grievousness of sin how offensive and odious it is to God in that it hath made our Bodies lyable and subject to the Devils Power and Tyranny to be so abused racked and tortured in this lamentable sort Sin is the Original cause and fountain of all this misery to which the Bodies of men are subâ—ect in this Life by reason of Satan's Power and Tyranny over them whensoever the Lord doth give up the bodies of any into his Power This wofull misery is come upon mankind as a just punishment for sin and were it not for sin the Devil should never have had any such power or leave from God either to enter into mens Bodies by possession or any other way to afflict and torment them in thiâ— lamentable manner as he did here unto this child or young man that was possessed This being so it must work and increase in us more and more a true hatred and detestation of all sin both in our selves and others especially in our selves and cause us to shew the same by our care to refrain sin and all occasions of it c. If we have cause to abhorr the Devil as our most malicious and cruel Enemy then much more to detest sin as the cause of all his enmity and of all that Power and Tyranny which the Lord permitteth him to have over mens bodies at any time Use 2 Use 2. See again what cause for us to be thankful unto God for his unspeakable mercy in not giving up our bodies or the bodies of our Children or others which are dear to us into the hands of the Devil to be abused afflicted or tormented by him in such woful and pitiful manner as this party was Especially if we consider the desert of our sins that for them God might most justly deliver up our bodies to Satan's power in this fearfull manner c. How then are we bound to God for not doing this how are we to blesse his Name for that he doth rather correct us with his own hand by bodily Sicknesse or otherwise than give us up into the Devil's hands to be punished c. As it is a token of a fathers love to his child and care of his good that he doth not appoint some cruel or hard-hearted servant to correct his son for his fault but he doth it with his own hands c. So here c. Use 3 Use 3. See also what cause there is for us daily to commit our selves and those that belong unto us to God's special protection praying him to keep us and ours not onely in our Souls but in our bodies from the Power of Satan and not to give up our bodies into his hands to be abused at his Will and Pleasure Seeing it is so grievous an affliction and misery to have our bodies subjected under the Devil's Power pray him to keep us from this wretched misery and not lay this heavy affliction upon us though our sins deserve it Use 4 Use 4. Hence gather That it is a far more grievous misery for any to be in spiritual subâ—ection and bondage under the Power of Satan in respect of their Souls and Consciences This is far a more lamentable case than to be in bodily subjection to the Devil's Power And yet thus it is with all such as live in sin and in their natural estate they are under the Power of Satan they are spiritually possessed of him in their Hearts and Consciences he holdeth them at his Will as in a snare 2 Tim. 2. ult He is entred into them as once he entred into the heart of Judas and he worketh in them effectually by his wicked Suggestions and Temptations drawing them to sin and holding them under the Power of it and consequently under the
Martyrdom being strangled by some Heathen Marriners with a Cable-Rope and dragg'd about the City of Alexandria and then burnt to Ashes Which Story if it be true confutes the Popish Relation of Baronius and others who write that his Bones were stollen out of the Church at Alexandria by some Venetian Merchants in the Year of our Lord 820. and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bone-Reliques being before it seems miraculously educed out of their Ashes were laid up with great Veneration in that famous Structure dedicated to St. Mark at Venice But leaving our holy Author's Dust in the secret Chambers of God's omnipotent preserving Power I come in a few words to speak to the Gospel it self and treat a little of the Language wherein the Time of it's Exaration and the Scope of the Book And then I shall descend to the Commentary of this our reverend and grave Author upon it Some have thought it was written in Latine But the general Testimony of Antiquity doth contradict it Hierom in his Preface to the Four Evangelists dedicated to Pope Damasus faith expresly Graecum esse non dubium That without doubt all but Matthew were written originally in Greek With him also agrees the learned Bishop of Hippo in his first Book and second Chapter of the Consent of the Evangelists Horum sane quatuor solus Matthaeus Hebraeo scripsisse perhibetur Eloquio Caeteri Graece that all the rest but Matthew wrote in Greek Wherefore Bellarmin in his Tract of Ecclesiastical Writers concludes from these Fathers ingeniously That the Latine Copies of Mark are but Translations out of the Greek As for the Time of its Writing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set out by Scaliger and taken to be the Alexandrian Chronicle is the most proper Book from which we should deduce the time if it were there mentioned But all which that Digest of Years expresseth is that Mark came to preach the Gospel at Alexandria when Claudius Caesar and Kersianus were Consuls To let pass the mistake for Cajus Caligula and L. Apronianus Caesianus who were Consuls in the Year of Christ 38. It is now generally received that he wrote this Gospel before he went to Alexandria and then it must be within a few Years after our Lord's Death But I rather adhere to Eusebius in the second part of his Chronicle disertly setting down the 44th Year of Christ for his coming to that City to preach the Gospel which he had before newly received from Peter's Knowledg and Acquaintance with our Lord's Works and Miracles So that possibly about a Year before or more for we have no certain Foundation for the time was this Gospel penned The Scope of it as of all the Four is to evince the Humanity of our Lord That he was the Messiah prophesied of in the Holy Scriptures That he was the Son of God That he dyed a meritorious Death for his People the Elect of God with many other things too long to be here mentioned in this Praefatory piece but copiously and excellently handled in the ensuing Commentary The Author whereof was born in the famous County of Kent in the Lath of Scray in the Hundred of Selbrittenden in the Parish of Sandhurst near to Newenden where once stood a notable Town of the Britains called Anderida and fortified by the Romans as we find mentioned in the Notices of the Western Empire and garrisoned by a Band of Roman Souldiers called Abulci from whence possibly Apuldore a Neighbour-Market fetcht its Original Name His Parents were Godly and of untainted Reputation who though not of the highest rank yet neither were of the lowest of the People He went to the University of Cambridg as near as I can remember about the sixteenth Year of his Age and was admitted into Trinity-Colledg under the Name and Tuition of that most learned pious and justly renowned Servant of God Mr. Simon Aldrich who preached over the Epistle to the Hebrews and expounded the Ceremonial Law of Moses in a most heavenly and Evangelical manner A Tract which is yet extant in Manu-script and would doubtless prove of most eminent Service to the Church were it delivered from perishing by the Press But to proceed Our present Author was after some Proof of his learned abilities and diligence in study elected Schollar of that ample Foundation and continued in his Scholastical employments till after he had proceeded Master in Arts. The Entrance upon the high and honourable Function of the Ministry he undertook if I call to mind aright about the 24th Year of his Age being then placed in the Rectory of Bread not far West from Winchelsey in the County of Sussex where he spent the whole Remainder of his life being Pastor of that People 44 years In that place through the Lord 's gracious Blessing upon his Ministry he was notably Instrumental in the effecting of a very great Change upon the hearts and lives of the Inhabitants For whereas at the Initiation of his Work amongst them the People for the generality were very ignorant and profane he was a means under God not only to bring them to Civility and Knowledg but many of them also to an eminent pitch in Grace and Godliness It pleased the Lord to exercise this his Servant with sundry tryals and afflictions during his residence among them but none of them took him off from doing the Work of his great Lord and Master So intensely studious was he that having withdrawn himself as much as possibly he could from the Affairs and entangling Occasions of this World he conversed much with dead men in his Study delighting much in that learned Prison from whence his Soul was oft upon the Wing towards Heaven A man he was of great Reading and so constant and diligent in the Work of the Ministry that besides what of his Labours is visible in this Soul-fructifying Comment he preached over divers of the Psalms of David The whole 53d Chapter of Isaiah The Prophecy of Zephany The Epistle to the Ephesians The first Epistle to the Thessalonians The Epistle of James The Epistle of Jude entirely and compleatly Together with Sermons upon the Creed Lord's Prayer Decalogue and Sacraments The Disease which made its Preparative Assault upon him was an Arthritical Distemper in one of his Shoulders the pain whereof encreasing more and more upon him at length reduced him to a fatal Consumption of which he dyed in the 68th Year of his Age. His departure when once Death drew near was speedy and peaceable This Work as I understand at his first entrance upon it was designed for the Publick and prepared for the Press in his life-time But the Providence of God not seeing good that he should out-live the Emission of it therefore for the benefit of the Church some Schollars and Holy Men having viewed it judged it fit for a more general Service Upon whose Account and of divers other eminent Persons Heads of Houses and Doctors in Divinity together with several
Philip was carryed to Azotus Act. 8. and Eliah to Heaven 2 King 2. So Mr. Cartwright And Rhem. on Math. 4. 1. Et in Harmon But I rather follow those who think this driving is to be understood onely of an inward instinct and extraordinary motion of the Spirit by which our Saviour was carryed into the Wilderness that is moved to go thither and this Exposition is confirmed by that Place Luke 4. 1. Object Object The Word driveth seemeth to imply a bodily transportation or carrying of his body into the VVilderness Answ Answ Not so it implyes onely that it was a strong and effectuall motion of the Spirit causing our Saviour to go willingly and cheerfully into the VVilderness for it did not constrain him to go against his will Into the Wilderness Great question there is what VVilderness this was Their opinion is most probable who think it was that great VVilderness called the Desart of Arabia in which the Israelites wandered forty years and in which Eliah fasted forty days and forty nights and this is confirmed by that which St. Mark saith in the next Verse That our Saviour was amongst wild Beasts Now we find not any VVilderness mentioned in Scripture which was altogether without Inhabitants and full of wild Beasts but onely that great Desart of Arabia Now the end for which our Saviour was moved of the Spirit to go into this Desart was this That he might there be tempted of the Devil as it is said plainly Math. 4. 1. Quest Quest VVhy did the Spirit drive him into the VVilderness to be tempted Answ Answ That the place being solitary the Devil might have the more freedom to tempt him and that himself might have the lesse help and means to resist him Thus he was moved by the Spirit to give the Devil the advantage of this solitary place to tempt him in that so having tryed his uttermost power against our Saviour and yet being overcome he might have the greater Foil So much of the VVords Now to the Instructions Doctr. Doctr. First From the circumstance of time when our Saviour was driven into the VVildernesse to be tempted namely immediately after he had bin baptized of John Hence we learn That so many as are baptized as Christ was and so entred into the profession of Christianity they must look to be assaulted by the Devil's temptations He will not let them alone long but will set upon them as he did upon our Saviour Christ immediately after his Baptism Therefore all that have bin baptized and so by Baptism have given their Names unto Christ must look to be tempted of Satan Ephes 6. 12. We wrestle against Principalities c. It is a good Speech Ecclus. 2. 1. though the Book be Apocryphal My son if thou be come into the service of God prepare thy soul for temptations Reas Reas Of this Doctrine In our Baptism we profess to renounce the service of Satan therefore ever after he fights against us by his wicked suggestions labouring to bring us back again under his bondage and into his snares Use 1 Use 1. This reproveth such as having bin baptized and professing according to their Vow in Baptism to renounce the service of Satan and to betake themselves to Christ's service do yet promise to themselves an easie quiet life free from Satans suggestions and molestations But this cannot be and therefore they foolishly deceive themselves VVhen the Israelites were mightily delivered out of Egypt they could not but think that Pharoah would pursue after them and so he did And dost thou think the Devil will let thee alone to live at ease and quiet if thou have renounced his service and hast gotten out of his spirituall bondage never delude thy self so The Devil will still be labouring to bring thee back into thy former estate and into his snares in which thou wast holden so fast It is therefore a vain thing for thee to look for freedom or long respit from his temptations after thou art once entred into the profession of Christ Use 3 Use 2. Cast our accompts before hand when we undertake the profession of Christianity Be like wise Builders c. Consider well what difficulties we must meet withall in our Christian course and hovv many and great assaults of Satan against us vve must encounter vvith daily and vvithall see that vve arm our selves against these temptations of the Devil vvhich he vvill so certainly assault us vvith Labour to put on that spiritual armor of God described to us Eph. 6. Especially the sheild of Faith and arm thy self against Satan by Prayer and Watchfulness These tvvo our Saviour joyneth together Watch and Pray lest ye enter into temptation Mat. 26. 14. Thâ—nk often of this That being a Christian by profession thy life is a continuall vvarfare Christ is thy Captain thy chief enemy is the Devil and at thy Baptism thou didst as it were take Press-mony and didst bid Battle to Satan novv therefore look not for one resting Day look not to be one day vvholly free from his assaults and molestations but prepare for them every hour and stand upon thy Guard ready to encounter this arch Enemy of thy Salvation look still for one of his temptations in the neck of another Sit not still as if thou hadst nothing to do thou hast a daily battle to fight against Satan and his wicked suggestions Arm thy self therefore continually against him The neglect of this is the cause why so many having begun a good profession of Religion do afterwards revolt and fall back again to their old sinful course it is because they did not before-hand prepare against Satans temptations whereby he labours to discourage them in their good profession therefore meeting with these temptations and being not armed to withstand them they are soon discouraged by them Let us take heed by the examples of such It is a fearful thing to begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh therefore when thou entrest into the profession of Christ prepare before-hand against Satan's temptations that when thou shalt meet with them thou be not discouraged in thy good course but maist go on in it constantly without backsliding Observ 2 Observ 2. Our Saviour having newly begun to enter into the execution of his publick Office is presently driven into the Wilderness to be tempted of Satan whereas before whilst he lived a private life at Nazareth he was not tempted Hence gather that then especially we must look for temptations and assaults of Satan when we go about the execution of good Duties in our Callings whether it be in our general or in our particular Callings When we set upon any good Duty in God's service or in our particular Calling then especially make accompt to be molested with Satan's temptations the better Duties we go about the more busy is he alwaies to hinder us in them A Magistrate or a Minister when they begin to do the Duties of their Callings with diligence
and the three next following he proveth the Crime of which he accused them by an example or instance which he giveth of two particular precepts of the Word of God which they rejected and disannulled by their Tradition Where 1. Our Saviour layeth down or alledgeth the precepts of the Word of God which he chargeth them to abrogate Ver. 10. 2. He layeth down their contrary unwritten Tradition which they opposed against the written Word Ver. 11 12 13. Where he shews how they abrogate God's Word by that Tradition Touching the alledging of the precepts of the written Word of God in which our Saviour instanceth we are to consider two things 1. The manner of alledging them viz. the name of Moses the Pen-man of those Books of Scripture out of which the precepts are cited Moses said c. 2. The matter and substance of the precepts which are two in number The first Being a precept of the Morall Law even the Words of the fifth Commandement recorded Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Honour thy Father and thy Mother The second Being a precept or Ordinance of the Judiciall Law which was the Law of punishments for Breakers of the Morall Law enjoyning the penalty of Death to be inflicted on such Children as did break the fifth Commandement and that in a high degree by cursing or speaking evil of their Patrents in these words Whosoever shall speak evil c. which Judiciall Law is found written Exod. 21. 17. and Levit. 20. 9. First Of the manner of alledging these precepts of the Law of God Quest Quest Where did he say it Answ Answ In his written Books before mentioned Moses said So saith our Evangelist here Yet Matthew 15. 4. it is said God Commanded c. The reason is because Moses was imployed of God as his Instrument and Secretary in writing of the Law and whatsoever he wrote and in writing delivered to the Church in those Books of his before mentioned he wrote it by Authority received from God himself and that immediately St. Mark ascribeth that to Moses which St. Mathew attributeth to God that he might commend to the Church the Divine Authority of the Books of Moses Observ Observ Here take notice of the Divine Authority of the Books of Holy Scripture that though they were written by Men as Instruments imployed of God in that service yet they contain no other but the Divine and Heavenly Doctrine of God himself So that what Moses wrote in his five Books which we have it is the Doctrine and Writing of God Hos 8. 12. I have written to him that is to Ephraim the great things of my Law c. So all that is written in the rest of the sacred Books of the Old and New Testament is no other but the very Word and Doctrine of God himself Acts 1. 16. The Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David in the Book of Psalms The reason is because all the Pen-men of Scripture wrote those Books of Scripture by immediate extraordinary direction and assistance of the Spirit of God instructing them infallibly both in the matter and manner of Writing 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God c. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Quest Quest. How to know and be assured that the Scriptures were written by immediate Divine inspiration and consequently that they contain the Doctrine and the Word of God himself Answ Answ The main and principall means to be assured hereof is by the inward infallible testimony of the Holy Ghost in the consciences of Men especially of the Elect of God when they read the Scriptures or hear them read or preached This inward testimony of the Spirit is the onely means abled undoubtedly to perswade the conscience that the Scriptures are the Word of God If no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. Then much less can any come undoubtedly to be perswaded that the whole Scripture is the Word of God but by inward testimony of the Spirit sealing it to his heart Now this Testimony is especially found and felt in those that do unfeignedly desire and endeavour to obey the Will of God revealed in his Word Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God c. But besides this inward testimony of the Spirit there are also sundry other proofs and evidences which may be drawn from the Scriptures themselves which are sufficient to convince the conscience of any not willfully blind that the Doctrine of the Scripture is the Word of God so as they cannot in conscience deny it though otherwise they have not Grace to yield obedience to it as the Word of God I will not speak of all but of some of the principall of those evidences by which our consciences may be settled in the truth of this weighty Point and by which we may be armed against profane Atheists and all that deny or call in question the authority of the Scriptures The proofs are these which I will but briefly touch 1. The Power and Efficacy of the Scriptures in working on the inward Souls and Consciences of men both to humble them in the sight and sense of their sins and to raise them up and comfort them being humbled No Writings or Doctrine of Man hath like Power Hebr. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerfull c. See also 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2. The Antiquity of the Scriptures for the Books of Moses are more antient then any humane Writings setting down the Originall and first History of things done from the beginning of the World which other Writers either knew not at all or borrowed them from Moses and corrupted them with many Fables and untruths 3. The wonderfull Harmony and Consent that is found to be in the Books of Scripture among themselves though they were Written by sundry persons at sundry times and in different Ages of the World And though there be some shew of difference or contrariety in words sometimes yet all such places as seem to differ and to be at jarr are sufficiently reconciled by those of the Church who have laboured therein 4. The fulfilling of the Prophesies found in Scripture in their due and appointed times even unto this very Age in which we live For example The Israelites going into Aegypt and being delivered thence again and coming into Canaan The seventy years Captivity of the Jews and their deliverance by Cyrus who is also named by the Prophet above a hundred years before he was born Isa 45. 1. So also the time and manner of Christ's coming in the Flesh the calling of the Gentiles destruction of Hierusalem revealing of Antichrists c. All these and many other things foretold in Scripture are already fulfilled and other things are daily more
trial and proof of his Elect 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be Heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 2. The Devil laboureth in all Ages to sow the Seeds of manifold Errours and corrupt Opinions in the minds of men that he may hinder them from believing and embracing the sound truth of God He labours to blind their eyes that they may not see the Truth 2 Cor. 4. 4. Therefore such corrupt Opinions and Heresies are called Doctrines of Devils to shew that the Devil is the Author of them 1 Tim. 4. 2. Use 1 Use 1. To teach us not to think strange or be offended at it though we see it be thus at this day that there are so many different Sects in the Church and so many Heresies and corrupt Opinions holden by men in matters of Religion contrary to the Truth For thus it hath ever been And God hath appointed for just causes to suffer it so to be and so it will be so long as the Devil by God's permission hath Power to blind the eyes of men and to lead them into Errours and Heresies contrary to the true and sound Doctrine or the Word of God Vse 2 Use 2. See the folly and ignorance of such as look that there should be in these times a general unity and consent in Opinion among all sorts in the matter of Religion and because there is not so but there are so many different Sects and Opinions of men opposite one to the other and most of them opposite to the true Christian Religion which we profess therefore some hence take occasion to call into Question the truth and soundness of our Religion and are doubtful what to profess yea some stick not to say they will profess no Religion till there be fewer Sects and Opinions and till they see all agree better In the mean time they think it best to follow their own business and to let matters of Religion alone But let such know that if they expect that all should be of one Opinion in matters of Religion they expect that which never was nor will be while the World standeth And so if they will profess no Religion till all agree in one they will never make any Profession at all and then let them never look to be saved at all For as with the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness so with the mouth Confession must be made unto Salvation Rom. 10. 10. Use 3 Use 3. See what need there is for us to be well and thoroughly grounded in the Knowledge and Belief of the sound truth and Doctrine of God taught in his Word and to have our hearts and minds stablished and settled therein lest otherwise we be seduced and drawn away from the truth and plucked away with some of those manifold Errours which are holden in these times against the truth 2 Pet. 3. 17. Beware lest ye being led away with the Errour of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ c. If we be not well grounded and stablished in the present Truth and Religion which we profess How shall we be able to hold and maintain it constantly both in Judgment and Practice amidst so many Errours and corrupt Opinions now a-dayes holden against the Truth We had not need to be as Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men c. as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4. 4. but we had need to be men of Age and ripe years in Understanding and Judgment able to discern the truth in matters of Religion that are questionable and firmly to hold and maintain the same in the midst of all Errours Heresies and corrupt Opinions of men by which it is opposed Observ 2 Observ 2. That Ignorance of the Scriptures is a main cause of the Errours and absurd Opinions which are holden by men in matters of Religion The ignorance and misunderstanding of that one place of Scripture Mal. 4. touching the coming of John Baptist in the Spirit and Power of Elias was the cause of the Errour which the Jews in our Saviour's time held touching the coming of the Prophet Elias to live again upon Earth in Person as we have before heard And so no doubt but their Ignorance in the Scriptures was the main cause of all those other gross Errours which diverse of them held touching the Person of Christ that He was John Baptist or Elias or one of the other old Prophets So also of that heathenish Errour touching the Souls of men that in death they pass into other bodyes and so come to live again upon Earth The like may be said of all other Errours and absurd Opinions of men which have been or which are at this day holden in matters of Religion Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures is a main cause of them Matth. 22. 29. Ye err not knowing the Scriptures c. Thus Chrysostom in his time complaineth Praefat. in Epist. ad Rom. that hence have come innumerable evils even from the Ignorance of the Scriptures Hence have sprung a multitude of pernicious Heresies c. So in our times whence come so many gross and absurd Errours holden by Papists Anabaptists Brownists c. but from Ignorance of the Scriptures So whence come those many foolish and erroneous Opinions of ignorant People in our own Church but from Ignorance of the Scriptures Use 1 Use 1. To condemn the wicked practice of the Church of Rome in barring the common People from the free Use and Reading of the Scriptures and so nuzzling them up in gross Ignorance of the Word of God whereby they are led into all manner of erroneous and absurd Opinions Yea some of them have not been ashamed to commend this Ignorance in the common People affirming it tâ— be the Mother of Devotion Contra here we learn that it is the Mother of all gross and absurd Errours Heresies and corrupt Opinions of men in matters of Religion Use 2 Vse 2. See how dangerous for Christians to be ignorant in the Scriptures Such do lye open to all manner of Errours Heresies and corrupt Opinions being in danger to be infected with the Poyson of them and to be seduced by them easily plucked away from the Truth ready to imbrace any Errour or Heresy though never so gross absurd or foolish as Popery Anabaptism Brownism c. They are like clean Paper upon which one may write any thing So upon such persons being ignorant in the Scriptures any gross or absurd Errour or Hereticall opinion may be fastened or imprinted like Wax which may be Printed with any Seal c. How many such are there even amongst us who are ignorant in the book of God having little or no sound Knowledg of the Scriptures no not of the main and principal points of Christian Religion there taught and set down The Scriptures are as a sealed Book unto them No
c. Hereby our Saviour implyeth that after they had seen this Transfiguration they should taste of Death in the time appointed of God This he presupposeth whence we may learn that even the faithful Saints and Servants of God are subject to bodily death and shall at length in their due time taste and have experience of it As they cannot by before the time appointed of God so when that time cometh they must and shall certainly taste of Death This is true of all the Saints and faithful even of the best and most excellent Christ's own Disciples yea the most eminent and chief of them for Grace as Peter James and John who are here particularly meant must at length come unto Death Joh. 21. 19. Our Saviour foretells Peter of his Death and the manner of it And 2 Pet. 1. 14. he prophesies of his own Death Shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus hath shewed me Touching the Death of James we read Acts 12. 2. that Herod put him to Death And touching John although some have erroneously imagined that he should not dye at all but remain alive till Christ's second coming grounding this their errour upon those words of our Saviour Joh. 21. 22. yet that the contrary is true may appear not onely by the words of John himself ver 23. of the same Chapter and by our Saviour's words in this place but also by the testimony of sundry antient Writers of the Church who report that he dyed and was buried at Ephesus about a hundred years after the Birth of Christ Now as it is true of these three Disciples of Christ here spoken of that in their due times they tasted of Death So is it also true of the rest of Christ's Disciples and of all the Saints of God mentioned in Scripture that as they lived unto the time appointed of God so when that time was come they dyed or tasted of Death So all the holy Patriarchs Prophets religious Kings of Israel and Judah lived and dyed c. So all the Saints in the new Testament Esay 57. 1. The Righteous perisheth and mercifull men are taken away c. viz. By Death they are taken away from the Earth Reas 1 Reas 1. Bodily Death is the common condition appointed of God for all men to pass thorough Hebr. 9. 27. It is appointed unto men that is unto all men once to dye Therefore it is appointed for the Saints of God as well as others Job 30. 23. I know that thou wilt bring me to Death and to the House appointed for all living Reas 2 Reas 2. The Saints of God are tainted with the corruption of sin as well as others Therefore they as well as others are lyable to Death as the wages of sin Rom. 5. 12. Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Object 1 Object 1. Joh. 8. 51. If a man keep my saying he shall never see Death Answ Answ It is to be understood of eternal Death not of Temporall Object 2 Object 2. Henoch and Eliah dyed not but were taken away from Earth to Heaven extraordinarily Hebr. 11. 5. Henoch was translated that he should not see Death Eliah taken up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot c. 2 King 2. 11. Answ Answ These were extraordinary and speciall Examples to whom the Lord for speciall causes did vouchsafe this Priviledge which therefore makes nothing against the general and ordinary course which God doth take with all other his Saints viz. To bring them unto Death and to cause them to taste of it every one in their time Object 3 Object 3. 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Answ Answ That change of the Saints found alive at Christ's second coming shall be in stead of Death unto them Quest Quest why doth not the Lord abolish Temporal Death as well as eternal unto his Saints and wholly free them from the former as well as from the latter seeing he hath Power so to do Answ Answ The Lord will have Temporal Death to remain and that his Saints and Children shall taste of it as well as others for these Reasons 1. That they may be conformable to Christ their Head who first tasted of Death and so was Crowned with Glory Hebr. 2. 9. 2. To humble them the more in the sense of their sins which are the meritorious and procuring cause of Death in them 3. The Lord hath thought it fit that as Sin brought Death into the World so Death should carry Sin out of the World That his Saints should be freed from all remnants of sinful corruption by means of Death Use 1 Use 1. For admonition to the Saints and Faithful as well as others to make accompt of Death and to prepare and fit themselves to undergo and taste of it make a vertue of necessity Seeing they must dye therefore daily prepare to do this great and last work of a Christian Job 14. 14. All the Dayes of my appointed Time will I wait till my change come Object Object The Saints and Faithful cannot but be fit and well prepared for Death Therefore this admonition is needless c. Answ Answ There are Degrees of fitness and preparedness for Death And though all true Believers are in some measure prepared for it yet because this their preparation is mingled with much weaknesse and imperfection therefore they have need daily to fit and prepare themselves for Death in a farther degree and measure Quest Quest How is this to be done Answ Answ 1. By frequent and often meditation of Death and of the necessity of it by God's Ordinance c. Deut. 32. 29. Oh that they were wise that they would consider their latter end This is called numbring of our Dayes Psal 90. 12. So teach us to number our Dayes c. make Death present to us by meditation before it come 2. By often meditation of those Grounds of comfort which the Word of God affordeth to the Saints against Death As 1. The Death of Christ whereby he hath satisfied for their sins and so taken away the sting and curse of their Death so as now it is not hurtful to them nor to be feared at all 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy sting c 2. The blessed estate and condition of the Saints immediately after Death resting from their Labours c. Rev. 14. 13. Their Souls carryed by the Angels into Abraham bosom c. 3. The Resurrection of our Bodies which we hope and certainly look for at the last Day c. 3. By daily renewing their Faith and Repentance that so they may be more and more assured of the pardon of their sins and peace with God in Christ and so that they shall dye in the Lord c. Use 2 Use 2. A motive to us to be willing to dye and to encourage us thereunto whensoever the Lord shall call us to it seeing Death is such a condition and
permission yet none at all over our Souls c. Vse 2 Use 2. See that we are not to judge any to be rejected or forsaken of God though they be much abused disgraced and persecuted by the Wicked in this Life For God often permitteth the Wicked thus to have their Wills of his dearest Saints and Servants in respect of their bodies and outward estate c. And if we should so judge we should condemn the holy Prophets Apostles Martyrs yea Christ himself Observ 3. See here the extream rage and malice of the Wicked against the true Saints and Servants of God in that they do not onely hate them and set themselves against them as Enemies but also do desire and seek to have their Wills of them that is to satisfy their own malicious Minds and Wills in abusing and wronging them all manner of wayes so far as God permitteth them They do not desire or care to do what is just and equall to them but what is pleasing to their own malicious Wills to do even what they list unto them that is to spend the utmost of their malice upon them and against them Thus Herod and Herodias did even what they listed to John Baptist they even fulfilled their own malicious Wills against him and upon him in imprisoning and putting him to Death Psal 12. 4. David's Enemies resolve with themselves that with their Tongues they will prevail against him c. So the wicked Jews though they could all edge no just cause unto Pilate why our Saviour should be condemned and crucified yet to satisfie their own malicious Wills against him they would needs have it done that by this means they might wreck their malice and envy upon him to the full So the persecutors of the Church c. And such is the malice and outrage of the wicked often against the Saints of God that they desire nothing more than to satisfie their own malicious Minds and Wills by offering unto them the greatest wrongs and abuses which they are any way able Vse Vse This should move us to acknowledge and magnify the goodness of God in curbing and restraining this extream rage and malice of the Wicked against his Saints and not suffering it so far to break out as otherwise it would It is God's great mercy to set bounds and limits to this malice of the Wicked which of it self is boundless having no measure For although the Lord do suffer the Wicked sometimes to satisfie their own Wills and malicious Desires and Purposes against his faithfull Servants yet he doth not alwayes suffer this neither doth he at any time absolutely give up his Servants unto the malicious Will of their Enemies but he so limiteth and restraineth the malice of the Wicked that they go no further in shewing the same against his Saints than he doth think good to permit and suffer them Were it not for this mercy of God in restraining the outragious malice of the Wicked they would soon devour and utterly root out the true Church of God from the face of the Earth Let us therefore bless God and be truly thankfull for this his goodnesse and mercy Now followeth the Ground or Reason of John Baptist's coming viz. The testimony of the Scriptures which fore-told it As it is written of him That is As it was fore-told or testifyed before of him in the writings of the Prophets in the old Testament Now these words seem to have relation chiefly to the coming of Elias or John Baptist mentioned by our Saviour in the first words of this verse and not so much unto those things which he had suffered at the hands of his wicked Enemies For we do not read in the Prophets of any expresse mention made of the Sufferings of John Baptist which he should suffer at his coming but his coming we find to be expresly foretold by the Prophet Malachi Chap. 4. 5. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet c. that is John Baptist in the Spirit and Power of Elias c. Observ Observ In that our Saviour here affirmeth that the Prophecy of Malachi touching the coming of Elias or John Baptist was already fulfilled and accomplished that John Baptist was indeed come and had fulfilled his Ministery as was written of him c. Hence gather That the Scriptures are the true and undoubted Word of God and not Men's writings only Inasmuch as the Prophesies contained in them concerning things to come have been truly and certainly fulfilled in their due time though many hundred years after as here the Prophecy of John Baptist his coming before Christ c. So also the Prophecy of Christ's coming in the Flesh and of his Sufferings The Prophecy of calling the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel The Prophecy of the Jews Captivity in Babylon and of their Deliverance by means of Cyrus King of Persia after seventy years The Prophecy also of the Destruction of Hierusalem and the Temple by the Romans fore-told by our Saviour Matth. 24. All these and many other have been already fulfilled in their due time though long after they were fore-told which is one speciall evidence to prove the Scriptures to be the true and undoubted Word of God indited by his Spirit for none but God himself could fore-tell those things which are fore-told in Scripture and which have been hitherto fulfilled so certainly in their due time This therefore must strengthen our Faith in this main Point touching the truth of the Scriptures to be the very Word of God himself and cause us undoubtedly to believe all things contained in them And in particular it serves to strengthen our Faith touching the fulfilling of those Prophesies of Scripture which are yet unfulâ—â—lled as namely touching the calling of the Jews the destruction of Antichrist the generall Resurrection of Bodies and coming of Christ at the last Day to Judgment c. Mark 9. 14 15. And when He came to his Disciples c. Janu. 28. 1626. HEre followeth the second general part of this Chapter containing the History of a great Miracle wrought by our Saviour in curing a lunatick Child and in casting the Devil out of the same Child being possessed therewith This History is laid down from the 14. to the 30. verse of this Chapter In which we have to consider three things 1. The Antecedents or Occasions of this great Miracle which went before and made way unto it ver 25. 2. The manner of our Saviour's proceeding in the working of the Miracle ver 26 27. 3. The Event or Consequent which followed ver 28 29. Of the first The occasions of the Miracle are sundry 1. Our Saviour's returning or coming back to his Disciples after his Transfiguration in the Mount together with some speciall Events or Accidents which happened at his return as that he found a great Multitude with his Disciples and the Scribes questioning with them c. ver 14 15. 2. His questioning with the Scribes touching the
Iles of the heathen shall come to worship God every one from his place And Chap. 3. Verse 9. Then will I turn to the people that is to the Gentiles a pure language that they may all call upâ—n the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent So in many other places of the Prophets and of the Psalms this calling of the Gentiles and their joyning with the Church in the true worship of God is foretold Which shews that it was the Will of God and a special thing decreed and appointed by him long before-hand and as it was before-hand decreed of God and foretold by the Prophets so it was in due time fulfilled in the times of the New Testament namely after the Ascension of Christ into Heaven for then did the Apostles by Commission from Christ himself preach the Gospel to all other Nations as well as to the Jews as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles See Act. 13. Use Use See our priviledg and happinesse who live in these times of the New Testament since the Ascension of Christ in which this calling of the Gentiles is fulfilled We being Gentiles it is Gods unspeakable â—â—ercy to us that he hath appointed us to be born and to live in this last Age of the Church since Christ's coming and Ascension into Heaven in which we that are Gentiles are called to the unity of the Church by the Gospel preached and that the partition-Wall is broken down which heretofore did shut the Gentiles from the Society of the Church Ephes 2. 14. Heretofore God suffered the Gentiles to walk in their own wayes Act. 14. 16. He might have suffered us so to do and then we must needs have perished for ever But he hath not so dealt with us but hath reserved us for these blessed times of the Gospel in which we are called to the Unity and Society of the true Church by the Ministery of the Word c. Let us be stirred up to true thankfulness unto God for this mercy and see that we do not rest in an outward calling which all are partakers of even Hypocrites and Reprobates but see that we be obedient and answerable to this calling of God bringing forth true fruits of faith and repentance in our lives c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that this calling of the Gentiles foretold hereby the Prophet Isaiah was accordingly fullfilled in the rime appointed though it were long after viz. since the Coming and Ascension of Christ which was 7. or 8. hundred years after the Prophet Isaiah's time hence we learn the truth and certainty of the fulfilling of all Prophecies set down in Scripture that they either are already or shall be most certainly fulfilled Though some of them be long deferred even for many hundreds of years yet not one of them hath failed neither shall fail but be certainly fulfilled in the time appointed See Hab. 2. 3. Heaven and earth shall pass away but not one jot or title of the Word of God shall fail Matth. 24. 35. Vse Use To strengthen our Faith in those Prophecies of Scripture which are yet unfulfilled as touching the Calling of the Jews again touching the destruction of Anti-Christ the general Resurrection and last Judgment c. Now followeth the second part of the words But ye have made it a den of Thieves A sharp reproof of those who profaned the Temple by buying and selling and changing of money in it whereby they abused it to a far other end than that for which it was ordained making it of an house of Prayer to become a den of Thieveâ— The words of this reproof are taken out of Jer. 7. 11. where the Prophet useth the like words in reproving the hypocrisy of the Jews and the vain confidence which they put in the Temple in that they vainly supposed that although they lived in gross sins as Theft Murder Adultery Perjury Idolatry c. yet if they came and stood to worship God outwardly in the Temple they should be accepted of God and safe from enemies To these the Prophet thus speaketh there by way of sharp reproof Is this house which is called by my name become a den of Robbers in your eyes These words our Saviour here applyeth to those which bought and sold in the Temple reproving them for making that holy place a den of Thieveâ— Now in these words both our Saviour here and the Prophet Jeremy in the place alledged doth allude to the ancient custome of thieves and robbers who that they might rob and steal the more safely used to have certain dens and caves or hollow places in the Earth especially in Rocks and Mountains where they use to dwell and abide and there to hide themselves that they might not be apprehended and punished for their theft To such close lurking thieves our Saviour here compareth thoâ—e that profaned the Temple by buying and selling and changing money there and the Temple so abused by them he compareth to a den of such thieves Quest 1 Quest 1. Why doth he compare them to thieves or robbers Answ Answ Because by those practises of buying selling and money-changing in the Temple they made themselves guilty of theft and robbery and that of a twofold theft 1. Against God in that they converted or turned that holy place appointed for Gods worship to a common and profane use whereby they robbed God defrauding him of his due viz. of the place of his worship by employing it to their own use Thus they were guilty of Sacriledg 2. Against men in that they made a gain and enriched themselves by unlawful means viz. by buying and selling and changing of money in the Temple which was not lawfull to do in that place and therefore to make a gain of such practises was no better then theft Quest 2 Quest 2. Why doth he compare them to close thieves lurking in their dens Answ Answ Because of their hypocrisy in that they did hide their thievish practises under a fair pretence viz. that they bought and sold Oxen Sheep and Doves there to serve for Sacrifice c. Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour did not only cast out these buyers and sellers and money-changers from the Temple but withal doth here reprove them for abusing that place by those profane practises Hence we may learn that such as are in authority in the Church and so have a Calling to reform abuses ought not onely by their actions and practice to oppose such abuses but also in word by reproving them and the authors of them Thus ought Magistrates to do as Nehem. 13. 17. he reproved those that profaned the Sabbath And if Magistrates should do this then much more should Pastors and Ministers of the Church reprove abuses both in their publick Ministry and also in private as occasion is offered Thus did the Prophets and Apostles in their times As Paul Act. 17. and at other timeâ— 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is one special duty of the Ministers Office