the first Chap. 1. 17. That in the Gospel is revealed the Righteousness of God justifying as in the Law was revealed his righteousness or justice condemning and that from faith of immediate innixion upon God as was Adams before his fall and as was that which the Jews owned in God to faith in the righteousness of another namely Christ. This way of justification he proveth first by shewing how far all men both by nature and action are from possibility of being justified of or by themselves which he cleareth by the horrid sinfulness of the Heathen Chap. 1. a large proof of which might be read at Rome at that very instant and little less sinfulness of the Jews though they had the Law Chap. 2. 3. and therefore concludeth Chap. 3. 30. that God justifieth the circumcision by faith and not by works as they stood upon it and the uncircumcision through faith for all their works that had been so abominable and that seemed so contrary to justification In Chap. 4. he taketh up the example of Abraham whom the Jews reputed most highly justified by his works for they had this saying of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham performed all the Law every whit but he proveth that he found nothing by his own works but by believing he found all In Chap. 5. he proves the imputation of Christs righteousness for Justification by the parallel of the imputation of Adams sin for condemnation Not at all intending to assert that as many as were condemned by Adam were freed from that condemnation by the death of Christ but purposely and only to prove the one imputation by the other It was a strange doctrine in the ears of a Jew to hear of being justified by the righteousness of another therefore he proves it by the like mens being condemned for and by the unrighteousness of another Two close couched passages clear what he aimeth at The first is in ver 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the World c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As properly requireth a So to follow it as you may observe it doth in ver 15. 18 19. but here there is no such thing expressed therefore it is so to be understood and the Apostles words to be construed to this sense Wherefore it is or the case is here as it was in Adam as by one man sin entred into the World c. there imputation so here The second is ver 18. in the Original verbatim thus As by the transgression of one upon all men to condemnation so by the righteousness of one upon all men to justification of life What upon all men Our Translation hath added some words to clear the sense but the shortness of the Apostles style doth better clear his intent namely to intimate imputation as speaking to this purpose As by the transgression of one there was that that redounded to all to condemnation so by the righteousness of one there is that that redoundeth to all to justification of life And to clear that he meaneth not that all that were condemned by Adams Fall were redeemed by Christ he at once sheweth the descent of Original sin and the descent of it for all the death and righteousness of Christ Quae tamen profuerunt antequam fuerunt Ver. 13. For till the Law sin was in the World but sin is not imputed where there is no Law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses By what Law was sin sin and did death reign when the Law was not yet given Namely by that Law that was given to Adam and he brake the guilt of which violation descends to all Having to the end of the fifth Chapter stated and proved Justification by faith in Chap 6 7 8. he speaks of the state of persons justified which though they be not without sin yet their state compared with Adams even whilst he was sinless it is far better then his He invested in a created finite changeable humane righteousness they in the righteousness of God uncreate infinite unchangeable He having the principles of his holiness and righteousness in his own nature they theirs conveyed from Christ He having neither Christ nor the Spirit but left to himself and his natural purity they having both See Chap. 8. 1 2 9 10 c. At the nineteenth verse of Chap. 8. he begins upon the second mystery that he hath to treat upon the calling of the Gentiles whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Creation or Every Creature by which title they also are called Mark 16. 15. Colos. 1. 23. and he shews how they were subject to vanity of Idolatry and the delusions of the devil but must in time be delivered from this bondage for which deliverance they now groaned and not they only but they of the Jews also which had received the first-fruits of the Spirit longed for their coming in waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of their whole body for the Church of the Jews was but the child-like body and accordingly their Ordinances were according to child-like age of the Church but the stature of the fulness of Christs mystical Body was in the bringing in of the Gentiles Being to handle this great point of the Calling of the Gentiles and Rejection of the jews he begins at the bottom at the great doctrine of Predestination which he handles from ver 29. of Chap. 8. to Chap. 9. 24. and then he falls upon the other That Israel stumbled at Messias and fell seeking indeed after righteousness but not his but their own and that they are cast away but not all A remnant to be saved that belonged to the Election of Grace As it was in the time when the World was Heathen some of them that belonged to the Election came in and were proselyted to the worship of the true God so some of these while all the rest of their Nation lie in unbelief And in this unbelief must they lie till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and then all Gods Israel is compleated The most that he salutes in the last Chapter appear to have been of the Jewish Nation and the most of them though now at Rome yet some time to have been of Pauls company and acquaintance in some other place The expulsion of the Jews out of Rome by Claudius Decree might very well bring many of them into his converse as well as it did Priscilla and Aquila whom he names first among them Epenetus was one of his own converts of Achaia Mary had bestowed much labour on him yet he hitherto had never been near Rome He that would dispute the point of the first planter of the Gospel at Rome might do well to make the first muster of his thoughts here And whereas the Apostle speaks of the faith of the Roman Church as spoken of throughout the World Chap. 1. ver 8. it is very questionable whether he
by such like passages as these All the commandments of the Law be they preceptive or prohibitive if a man transgress against any of them either erring or presuming when he repents and turns from his sin he is bound to make confession Whosoever brings a sin or trespass offering for his error or presumption his sin is not expiated by his offering until he make a verbal confession And whosoever is guilty of death or of whipping by the Sanhedrin his sin is not expiated by his whipping or his death unless he repent and make a confession And because the Scapegoat is an atonement for all Israel the High Priest maketh a confession for all Israel over him The Scapegoat expiateth for all transgressions mentioned in the Law be they great or little Maym. in Teshubah per. 1. This their wild doctrine about repentance and pardon being considered in which they place so much of the one and the other in such things as that the true affectedness of the heart for sin or in seeking of pardon is but little spoken of or regarded we may well observe how singularly pertinent to the holding out of the true doctrine of repentance this word is which is used by the Holy Ghost which calleth for change of mind in the penitent and an alteration of the inward temper as wherein consisteth the proper nature and vertue of repentance and not in any outward actions or applications if the mind be not thus changed And thus as our Saviour urging the duty of repentance upon them from this reason because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand argueth to them from one of their own confest opinions so in this original word by which repentance is called for another opinion of theirs seemeth also to be looked upon but with gainsaying and confutation because they placed so much of repentance if not all repentance in outward things And so when the Ministery of the Gospel calleth for Repentance and in such a word as betokeneth a change and alteration of the mind it doth at once confute the double error that was amongst them which was either about not needing of repentance but insisting upon legal righteousness or if they were to repent it was to be chiefly performed by confession or offerings or some outward action III. Thirdly It is observable in this preaching of Christ that to his admonition to repent he also adjoyneth the other To believe the Gospel which John the Baptist that we read of had not done Matth. 3. 2. And yet John preached the Gospel too for his Ministery is called the beginning of it Mark 1. 1 2. and he preached that they should believe Joh. 1. 7. But his doctrine did mainly aim at the declaring of him that was to preach the Gospel that when he came to preach it he might the more readily be believed Joh. 1. 31. Act. 19. 4. Johns chiefest and most intended task and purpose was to point out Christ and to bring the people to be acquainted with his person and to take notice of him as the Messias the great Prophet to whom it was reserved to publish the great things of the Gospel that when he came openly to preach it as now he doth he might be the better intertained and hearkned after And thus John makes ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1. 17. And now that this great Preacher for whom attention and regard was prepared by all the bent of Johns Ministery is come to preach and publish the Gospel in its full clearness and manifestation He calleth for repentance and belief of it as Act. 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith or believing in order of the work of grace is before repentance that being the first and mother grace of all others yet is it here and in other places named the latter 1. Because though faith be first wrought yet repentance is first seen and evidenced both to the heart of him that hath it and to the eyes of others 2. Because a poor broken and penitent heart is the most proper receptacle of the Gospel Esay 61. 1. Matth. 11. 5. Now by the Gospel is not only here meant the good and glad tidings of Salvation as the word signifies in the original and as it is taken in other places but it is also held out here by our Saviour with a singular emphasis and circumstance namely as the new Law and Covenant which God had promised to give unto his people and which they expected from the Messias The Gospel as it signifies the good tidings of Salvation and Salvation by Christ was very abundantly held out in the Law and the Prophets and if Christ proposed the word here but in that sense he proposed his Ministery but like unto theirs But as in the Synagogue of Nazareth he had begun to assert himself the highly anointed one of the Lord for the singular work of publishing the new Law Luk. 4. 18. so now and forward he doth openly proclaim himself to be he whom the Lord had appointed and anointed for that end and that his Ministry and doctrine was that Gospel or glad tidings which God had promised to send by the Messias And in this sense it is that he calls upon them to believe the Gospel not only in regard of the tenour but also in regard of the dispenser and dispensation of it he the great Prophet and that according to the promises of God and the expectation of the Nation The Lord had foretold them copiously by the Prophets that Messias should be the great Teacher and Lawgiver in the last days and this had put them in expectation of a new Law and doctrine when he should come Esay 2. 1 2 3. In the last days the mountain of the Lords house shall be established on the top of the mountains c. And many people shall say Come and let us go up c. And he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths c. This Teacher saith David Kimchi is the Messias And wheresoever it is said in the last days it meaneth the days of Messias And so in Esa. 11. 4. With righteousness shall be judge the poor and reprove with equity This the Chaldee Paraphrast expresly and nominatim understandeth of Messias And so he doth that in Esa. 42. 1. c. And so in Esa. 52. 7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings or that preacheth the Gospel which though the Apostle in Rom. 10. 15. apply generally to the Ministry of the Gospel yet doth the Context in the Prophet shew that it is primarily and especially to be understood of Christ whom the Chaldee Paraphrast nameth Syllabically at vers 13. Such another Prophesie of Christ being the great Teacher when he should come is that which is so much retched and abused towards the countenancing of Enthusiasm Esa. 54. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of God where
Vid. Gloss. in Ioma in Talm. Babyl per. 1. Job Ezra Daniel and Chronicles places that might most affect and prepare him for the service The day being come which was so strict a Fasting day e e e Kerithuth per. 1. as that to eat any thing or to do any work on it fell under the penalty of being cut off the High-Priest is now to prepare himself for the business And first he puts off his ordinary wearing Cloathes bathes himself in water f f f Mid. per. 5. his bathing this day was on the roof of the room of Happarbah a fine Sheet hanging betwixt him and the sight of the People wipes himself dry with a Towel and puts on the rich Garments of the High-Priesthood washeth his Hands and Feet killeth the daily Sacrifice burns the pieces offers the Incense dresseth the Lamps and doth all the service belonging to the ordinary daily service And so he doth by the Bullock and seven Lambs of the extraordinary Sacrifice And when he had done with these he washed his hands and his feet again g g g Maym. ubi supra per. 4. Then put he off his rich Robes again and bathed himself and put on the white Linnen Garments appointed Levit. 16. 4. and performed the peculiar services of that day as first he goeth to his own Bullock Levit. 16. 6. which stood between the Temple and the Altar laid his two hands upon his head and made this confession Ah Lord I have sinned done perversly and transgressed before thee I and mine house I beseech thee O Lord expiate the sins perversities and transgressions whereby I have sinned done perversly and transgressed I and mine house as it is written in the Law of Moses thy servant saying for on this day he will expiate for you to purge you from all your sins before the Lord that ye may be clean h h h Id. ibid. per. 3. Then went he to cast the Lots upon the two Goats on the North-East part of the Court below the Altar The two lots were ordinarily of Gold pieces just of one and the same bigness on the one of them was written for the Lord and on the other for Azazel these were put into a Box into which the Priest could put both his hands this Box was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The two Goats were set before him one before the right hand and the other at the left and on his right hand stood the Sagan and on his left hand stood chief of his Fathers house He put his hand in the box and took out the lots and opening his hands if the lot for the Scape-goat came in his right hand the Sagan said to him Sir lift up your right hand and so the right hand Goat was the Scape-goat And if that lot came in his left hand the chief of his Fathers house said to him Sir lift up your hand and then that was the Scape-Goat that was on the left hand And he tied a Scarlet list upon that Goats head and set him there from whence he was to be sent away and the other Goat he sent where he must be killed This Scarlet list is called commonly by the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lingula coccinea the Scarlet tongue because it was broad and fashioned like a tongue And they expected that when it was tied upon the Scape-Goats head i i i Ioma per. 4. in Gemara it should turn white And so they say it did k k k Iuchasin fol. 15. col 1. in the time of Simeon the just and that the lot for the Scape-Goat came still up in his right hand and this they ground upon Esay 1. 18. Having thus set the two Goats ready against their time comes he returned again to his own Bullock where he left him standing and lays his hand upon his head a second time and makes a second confession in the very same words that he had done the former save that when he had said wherein I have sinned done perversly and transgressed before thee I and my fathers house he added and the sons of Aaron thy holy people as it is written in the Law of Moses c. Then killed he the Bullock took the blood and gave it one to stir that it should not congeal He himself took a Censer full of Coals from the Altar and set them down upon a Bench in the Court and from a Vessel brought him he took his hands full of Incense and put it into a Dish The Censer of Coals he took in his right hand because it was hot and heavy otherwise he should have carried it in his left and the Dish of Incense in his left hand and so he went into the Holy of Holies and came up to the Ark and there he sets his Coals down empties the Incense into his hands again and so lay it on the coals and stays till all the room be full of smoak and then comes backward out from within the vail having his face still toward the Ark Being come out he made this short Prayer O Lord God let it be thy good pleasure that this year may have seasonable rains if it have been droughty And let not thy Scepter depart from Judah and let not thy people Israel want sustenance and let not the prayer of wicked transgressors come before thee and so he came out Then took he the blood of the Bullock which had been stirred about all this while for congealing and brought it within the most holy place and sprinkled of it eight times once upward and seven times downward between the bars of the Ark and having so done he came out thence set the rest of the blood in the bason in the Holy place and came forth Then slew he the Goat took the blood of it into the most holy place and sprinkled it there eight times as the other came forth and set it down in the holy place took up the Bullocks blood and sprinkled it eight times before the vail and so he did by the Goats blood then mingled he them together and sprinkled therewith the golden Altar going round about it He began first with the North-east corner so to the North-west and to the South-west and ended at the South-east then sprinkled he the body of the Altar it self seven times and so came out and poured the remainder of the blood at the foot of the burnt offering Altar on the West-side And now he goes about to send the Scape-goat away he first laid his hands upon his head and made this confession Ah Lord thy people the house of Israel have sinned and done perversly and transgressed before thee I beseech thee now O Lord expiate the sins perversities and transgressions which the house of Israel thy people have sinned done perversly and transgressed before thee as it is written in the Law of Moses thy servant For this day he will expiate for you to purge you from all your sins that
sin unto death viz. that brought to an immediate liableness to cutting off by divine vengeance Now this was a sin of presumption and despising the Word of God as Moses explains what that presumptuous sinning is in a high degree which as the Apostle tells in the same Chapter that it was a treading under foot the Son of God c. Therefore it is no wonder if with Paul there be no Sacrifice for it and with this Apostle no praying for it But why does not this our Apostle speak out and say I say he should not pray for it but says only I do not say that he should Let me lay to this expression that passage of our Saviour Matth. XVIII 17. If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or a Publican By which our Saviour doth not excommunicate such a one out of the Church for he saith not let him be to the Church but thee as a Heathen But he dischargeth and acquitteth the party injured from those duties and offices which he ought otherwise to him as a brother Our Apostles expression is much like to the same tenor He takes care of the Consciences of the people of God as well as he sheweth the two conditions of the sinner he speaketh of There were some that might be in a strait what to do in this case They were commanded by their Lord and Master to pray for their enemies these enemies of theirs were become so like their Father the Devil that it might pose their Consciences whetheâ— they should pray for them or no. Therefore this divine Apostle useth a happy temper that he will lay no charge on them that are so pinched to pray for them nor indeed forbid those to pray for them that are more inlarged for undoubtedly the indifferent expression of the Apostle as I may call it seems plainly to carry with it such a consideration Ye see here in the Text a deadly wounded wretch like Amasa II Sam. XX. wallowing in his own blood if you call in Moses and Paul to give their Coroners verdict concerning the manner and cause of his death from those Texts of theirs that we have cited they will tell you that he is felo de se that he destroied himself and they will tell you that it was by wilful sinning after the knowledge of the truth wilful sinning against the Word of God That sin is the more desperately deadly by how much it is the more desperately wilful Hos. V. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the Commandment One would think it should be because he did not willingly walk after the Commandment but by Commandment is meant the idolatrous Commandment of Jeroboam the Statutes of Omri and Ephraim was broken in pieces because he walked after them and broke the more because he walked after them willingly If the motions of sin which are by the Law do work in them to bring forth fruit unto death as the Apostle says Rom. VII 5. much more the motions of sin which are clean against the Law I must confess I do not understand the irritating or provoking power of the Law which some collect from this place for to me it is without doubt that the meaning of the Apostle is The motions of sin that were by the Law mistaken not efficiently for such was the Judgment of the Jews concerning the Law viz. That it did restrain only the outward action but regarded not the internal motion and so the Apostle seems to give some hint of his own mistake a while of the Law about the point of lust Now if the fruit of those motions of sin which are by the mistake of the Law be so deadly how must the actings of sin which are against the known Law wilfully committed be much more deadly Among the grains shall I call them or the talent weights that are cast into the scales to make sin weigh exceeding sinful this adds not the least aggravation if it do not indeed the greatest that it was done knowingly and wilfully And therefore in that cousen german sin to this we are speaking of for to me they are clearly distinct the sin against the Holy Ghost the grievousness of it in comparison of sinning against the Son lies not in regard of the persons sinned against as if the Holy Ghost were a nobler person than the Son but in regard of the manner of sinning the Son they knew not in so much humility and so blasphemed him out of ignorance but they saw the apparent evidence of the Holy Ghost in the miracles they saw and yet blasphemed him wilfully This dies the sins of wicked men of so deep a dye above the sins of the Saints of God because those sin with whole propensity of mind these of infirmity and against their wills And I cannot but remember the determination of St. Austin in a point of this nature About chaste Christian matrons and virgins that were ravished by the enemy when he broke into the City he determines well that they were not defiled though they were defiled their minds pure though the body polluted and he concludes Duo fuerunt ast unus adulterium commisit there were two in the action but one of them in the adultery And that here one sinned wilfully the other had no mind to the sin at all This then if there were nothing else doth sufficiently aggravate the grievousness of wilful sinning that it carries the very image and superscription of the sin of the Devil it is as it were flesh and bone of his bone and sin of his sin very Devil of very Devil Does any ask me what was that sin of the Devil It has been conceived by many that it was such a Pride as made him aspire to be equal with God or above him to set his Throne even with God or to unthrone him and to this purpose have those words been applied Esa. XIV 12 13. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning c. For thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my throne above the stars of God c. I will be like the most High Which words indeed mean only the arrogance and haughtiness of the proud King of Babylon Does any one then ask me what was the sin of the Devil I should answer desperate malicing the honour and happiness of man in which God had placed him and desperate despising and scorning of that charge and command that God had laid upon Angels concerning man that they should attend him and keep him in all his ways And both these desperately wilful for he could sin at no lower rate for he could not sin of ignorance being an Angel and an Angel could have no tempter to sin but himself I shall not go about to define or circumscribe exactly the bounds wherin to conclude wilful sinning I shall not confine this evil spirit with any circle
them to be humbled some for their fathers guilt some for their own and some for both and to acknowledge that their being alive till now and their liberty to enter into the Land was a free and a great mercy for their own and their fathers faults might justly have caused it to have been otherwise with them 2. They had imitated their fathers rebellion to the utmost in their murmuring at Kadesh at their last coming up thither and in the matter of Baal Peor and therefore he might very well personate them by their fathers when their fathers faults were so legible and easie to be seen in them 4. He reckoneth not their second journy to Kadesh by name but slips by it Chap. 2. 1 4. Nor mentions their long wanderings for seven and thirty years together between Kadesh and Kadesh but only under this expression We compassed mount Seir many days Chap. 2. 1. because in that rehearsal he mainly insisteth but upon these two heads Gods decree against them that had first murmured at Kadesh and how that was made good upon them and Gods promise of bringing their children into the land and how that was made good upon them therefore when he hath largely related both the decree and the promise he hastens to shew the accomplishment of both 5. In rehearsing the Ten Commandments he proposeth a reason of the Sabbaths ordaining differing from that in Exodus there it was because God rested on the seventh day here it is because of their delivery out of Egypt and so here it respecteth the Jewish Sabbath more properly there the Sabbath in its pure morality and perpetuity And here is a figure of what is now come to pass in our Sabbath celebrated in memorial of Redemption as well as of Creation In the fifth Commandment in this his rehearsal there is an addition or two more then there is in it in Exod. 20. and the letter Teth is brought in twice which in the twentieth of Exodus was only wanting of all the letters 6. In Chap. 10. ver 6. 7 8. there is a strange and remarkable transposition and a matter that affordeth a double scruple 1. In that after the mention of the golden Calf in Chap. 9. and of the renewing of the Tables Chap. 10. which occurred in the first year after their coming out of Egypt he bringeth in their departing from Beeroth to Mosera where Aaron died which was in the fortieth year after now the reason of this is because he would shew Gods reconciliation to Aaron and his reconciliation to the people to Aaron in that though he had deserved death suddenly with the rest of the people that died for the sin of the golden Calf yet the Lord had mercy on him and spared him and he died not till forty years after and to the people because that for all that transgression yet the Lord brought them through that wilderness to a land of rivers of waters But 2. there is yet a greater doubt lies in these words then this for in Numb 33. the peoples march is set down to be from Moseroth to Bene Jahaan ver 31. and here it is said to be from Beeroth of Bene Jaahan to Moseroth there it is said Aaron died at mount Hor but here it is said He died at Moseroth now there were World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 seven several incampings between Moseroth and mount Hor Numb 33. 31 32 c. Now the answer to this must arise from this consideration that in those stations mentioned Numb 33. From Moseroth to Bene Jaahan to Horhagidgad c. they were marching towards Kadesh before their fortieth year and so they went from Moseroth to Bene Jaahan But in these stations Deut. 10. 6. they are marching from Kadish in their fortieth year by some of that way that they came thither and so they must now go from Bene Jaahan to Moseroth And 2. how Moseroth and mount Hor Gudgodah and Horhagidgad were but the * * * As Horeb and Sinai were though they be counted two several incampings of Israel Exod. 17. 1 6. and 19. 1. compared same place and Country and how though Israel were now going back from Kadish yet hit in the very same journies that they went in when they were coming thither as to Gudgodah or Horhagidgad to Jotbathah or Jotbath requires a discourse Geographical by it self which is the next thing that was promised in the Preface to the first part of the Harmony of the Evangelists and with some part of that work by Gods permission and his good hand upon the Work-man shall come forth 7. It cannot pass the Eye of him that readeth the Text in the Original but he must observe it how in Chap. 29. ver 29. the Holy Ghost hath pointed one clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To us and to our Children belong the revealed things after an extraordinary and unparalleld manner to give warning against curiosity in prying into Gods secrets and that we should content our selves with his revealed will 8. Moses in blessing of the Tribes Chap. 33. nameth them not according to their seniority but in another order Reuben is set first though he had lost the birth-right to shew his repentance and that he died not * * * So the Chaldee renders ver 6. Let Reuben live and not die the second death the second death Simeon is omitted because of his cruelty to Sichem and Joseph and therefore he the fittest to be left out when there were twelve Tribes beside Judah is placed before Levi for the Kingdoms dignity above the Priest-hood Christ being promised a King of that Tribe Benjamin is set before Joseph for the dignity of Jerusalem above Samaria c. 9. The last Chapter of the Book was written by some other then Moses for it relateth his death and how he was buried by the Lord that is by Michael Jude 9. or Christ who was to bury Moses Ceremonies The Book of JOSHUA THIS Book containeth a history of the seventeen years of the rule of Joshua which though they be not expresly named by this sum in clear words yet are they to be collected to be so many from that gross sum of four hundred and eighty years from the delivery out of Egypt to the laying of the foundation of solomons Temple mentioned 1 Kings 6. 1. for the Scripture hath parcelled out that sum into these particulars forty years of the people in the wilderness two hundred ninety and nine years of the Judges forty years of Eli forty of Samuel and Saul forty of David and four of Solomon to the Temples founding in all four hundred sixty three and therefore the seventeen years that must make up the sum four hundred and eighty must needs be concluded to have been the time of the rule of Joshua CHAP. I. World 2554 Ioshua 1 JOSHUA of Joseph succeedeth Moses the seventh from Ephraim 1 Chron. 7. 25. and in him first appeared Josephs birth-right 1 Chron. 5. 1. and
fear of sin Fear of sin to partaking of the Holy Ghost Jerus Schab fol. 3. col 3. Yet are they imprisoned that night and the next morning convented before the Council Among others which are named of the Council which were Priests Alexander and John mentioned ver 6. seem to be Alexander Alabarcha or his Son and Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai the latter Vice-president at this time under Rabban Gamaliel They dismissed come to their own company and related what had occurred and upon joynt prayer the place is shaken and they are again filled with the Holy Ghost Why What could be added to them they having been so filled with the Holy Ghost before In their prayer they petitioned these two things That God would give them boldness to speak his Word and that Healings and Signs and Wonders might be done in the name of Jesus And the power of both these falls now upon them and especially it may be conceived that Wonder of Wonders upon the twelve power to bestow the Holy Ghost The community of goods with the mention of which the second and the fourth Chapters conclude may be considered under these two animadversions 1. That although persecution as yet for the Gospel had brought none to poverty yet it is manifest that there were poor amongst them And â—ome come to the more poverty for the Gospel sake too For if they were poor before they received the Gospel then the Synagague of which they were provided for them but now they were destitute of that provision they having forsaken the Synagogue or a the least the Synagogue them because of their forsaking of their Judaism For the Evangelical Church therefore that was now begun to provide for her poor it had not only the Synagogue for an example but would have had it for a reproach if they had neglected so needful a duty which that took care for so constantly and tenderly 2. This having of all things common therefore was not an extinction of propriety and of meum tuum as if one rich man should have as good interest in another rich mans estate as himself but it was intended mainly for the relief of the poor Not to bring any that had estates to voluntary poverty not to level estates but to relieve those which stood in need Chap. 2. 45. 4. 35. Distribution was made to every man as he had need To them that preached the word for their maintenance and to the poor for their relief ACTS Chap. V. ANanias and Saphira set up as everlasting monuments to all generations of Gods just indignation against the despisers of the Spirit of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of Messias was in honourable mention and esteem in the Nation in their common speech though they would not know him when he was revealed Now the sin of this couple was first covetousness but especially presuming to play false and yet thinking to go undiscovered of that Spirit which wrought so powerfully in the Apostles That cursed opinion that denies the Godhead of the Holy Ghost runs parallel with this sin of Ananias and Saphira to a hair Peters warrant for this execution we may read in that passage John 20. 22 23. He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained How To forgive sins absolutely this belongs only to God Was it to forgive them declaratively This seem too low a construction and too restrained It seemeth therefore the most proper meaning of this donation that he now indued them with power to avenge what sins the Holy Ghost now received should direct them to avenge with bodily plagues giving up to Satan or with death and again to remit such penalties as they should be directed to remit and they should be remitted The Holy Ghost whom they had received then with so peculiar a power Ananias and Saphira do here plainly vilifie and affront directly therefore an execution of such power upon them was as proper and direct But be it whether it will that Peter took his warrant originally from thence or had it instantly by some immediate revelation as the judgement was fearful so his executing of it was remarkable shewing at once his assurance of the pardon of his own lying against his Master when he can and dare thus avenge a lye against the Holy Ghost and also his just zeal and activity for the honour of his Master whom he had denied It is said in ver 12. They were all in Solomons porch which was the East cloister of the mount of the Temple and in part of it did the Sanhedrin now sit and the Apostles not afraid to act so near them But at last they are apprehended and imprisoned but miraculously inlarged and preaching in the Temple again and thereupon convented before the Council Gamaliel Pauls Master was now President and continued in this dignity till within eighteen years of the destruction of the City He pleadeth here for the Apostles not out of any love to their persons or doctrine for he lived and died a downright Pharisee but partly because he saw the Sadduces at present the chief agents against them and chiefly because the miracles they wrought were so plain and convincing that he could move no less then what he did And yet for all the fairness of this man at this time yet did he afterward ordain and publish that prayer called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prayer against Hereticks meaning Christians framed indeed by Samuel Katon but approved and authorized by this man President of the Sanhedrin then at Jaâ—â—eh and commanded to be used constantly in their Synagogues in which they prayed against the Gospel and the professors of it Taanith fol. 65. 3. Maym. in Tephil per. 2. ACTS CHAP. VI VII THE seven Deacons as they are commonly called chosen by occasion of the Hellenists murmuring against the Hebrews about neglect of their widows The Hebrews were Jews the inhabitants of Judea and the Hellenists those Jews that lived in other Countries dispersedly among the Greeks Not only in Greece but almost in all other Countries which the conquests of Alexander and the continuance of the Syrogrecian Monarchy after him had filled with Greeks as all Countries also were filled with Jews In all the Jews Synagogues there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parnasin Deacons or such as had care of the poor whose work it was to gather alms for them from the Congregation and to distribute it to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were two that gathered alms for them and one more added to distribute it to them Maym. in Sanhedr per. 1. R. Chelbe in the name of R. Ba bar Zabda saith They appoint not less then three Parnasin For if judgment about pecuniary matters were judged by three much more this matter which concerneth life is to be managed by three Jerus in Peah fol. 21. col 1. That needful office is here translated
2. 14. 2 Thess. 1. 4. gave the Apostle just occasion whilest he was present with them to discourse with them and to inform them concerning the condition and carriage and end of that Nation that they might be setled and resolved to bear all whatsoever they should suffer from that accursed people and generation and here he taketh up the same discourse again for their further establishment Besides outward molestation and affliction of their bodies there were false teachers that troubled their minds and especially with these two puzzles 1. To make them to doubt what became of them that died in the faith and profession of Jesus for whereas the Apostle handles the matter of the resurrection in the former Epistle Chap. 4. 14. I cannot suppose that he doth it to them as to men of the Sadducee opinion denying the resurrection or as to men that had never heard of the resurrection before for all the Jews set the Sadduces aside did assuredly believe it but because that the opposers of the Gospel had buzzed to them their lost condition after death for their revolting from the Jewish Religion and becoming Apostates as they reputed it to the Gospel The tenth Chapter of the Treatise Sanhedrin that names certain sorts of people that must not inherit the world to come gives us good cause to suppose that this was no small terror that those envious opposers would perplex the minds of those withal who had forsaken the Jewish Religion and betaken themselves to the profession of Christ. The Talmudick place cited speaketh thus All Israel hath a share in the world to come as it is said Thy people shall all of them be righteous But these have no share in the world to come He that saith The resurrection is not taught in the Law and that the Law is not from God and Epicurus Now by Epicurus they mean not luxurious ones as the word Epicure is commonly used by us but as the Gemara explains it there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that despiseth their Doctors and elsewhere they yoke it with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostates and Epicures Rosh hashanah per. 1. and so they brought all that started from the vain doctrine of their traditionaries under this title and under that terror of having no share in the world to come 2. They went about to perplex the mind of these converts with urging how near the day of the Lord was The Scripture and the Apostle had spoken of the day of the Lords coming when he should come to take vengeance of the Jewish Nation for their wickedness and unbelief and these would terrific this Church with inculcating the nearness of it pretending for this partly revelation and partly the words or writing of the Apostle The aim in this terror was to amaze the new believers and to puzzle them about what to hold and what to do in that sad time which they pretended was ready to fall upon their heads The Apostle resolves that there was some good space of time to be before for there was to be a falling away and the man of sin to be revealed The phrase The man of sin and child of perdition is plainly taken from that place Isa. 11. 4. With the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked one and the Apostle makes it clear that he referreth to that place by using the very words of the Prophet at ver 8. Whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth The Jews put an Emphasis upon that word in the Prophet The wicked one as it appeareth by the Chaldee Paraphrast who hath uttered it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall destroy the wicked Roman And so the Apostle puts an Emphasis upon it and translates it the Man of sin And in that Christ is introduced in the Prophet as having a special quarrel and vengeance against him he is called the son of perdition or he that is so certainly and remarkably to be destroyed It is true this meaneth the Roman as the Chaldee and our Protestant Divines by the warrant of John in the Revelation do interpret it but in the first place and sense it meaneth the Jewish Nation which proved Antichrist as well as Rome ever did and as far as Rome ever did and before Rome ever did and as long and longer then Rome hath yet done As Jews and Rome joyned in the murder of Christ so are they joyned in this character of Antichrist but the Jews to be understood first See ver 7. the mystery of iniquity was already working when the Apostle wrote this Epistle which cannot possibly be understood but of the Jewish Nation and so it is explained again and again 1 John 2. 18. 4. 3. 2 Joh. v. 7 c. The several characters that the Apostle gives of the Man of sin agree most throughly to that generation and Nation and so the Scripture plainly applies them to it 1. There was a falling away in that Nation of multitudes that had imbraced the Gospel See Matth. 24. 12. Christ foretelling it and Paul from thence 1 Tim. 4. 1. by the later times that he there speaks of meaning the last days of Jerusalem and the Jewish state as the phrase is used in that sense abundantly Such apostacy may be observed hinted in the Epistle to the Galatians to the Hebrews Colossians Rev. 2. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 15 and to spare more observe the conclusion of that Parable Matth. 12. 43 44 45. So shall it be with this wicked generation The Devil once cast out of it by the Gospel but returned by their Apostacy 2. How this Nation was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great opposer of the Gospel needeth no instance to any that hath read the New Testament And he that reads the Jewish Records shall find evidence enough of it of which we have given some brief account at Acts Chap. 13. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which exalts himself against every thing that is called God or worshipped were it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against God it were most true to the very letter their Scribes in the Temple of God it self sitting and setting up their traditions above the commands of God Matth. 15. 6. But how they exalted themselves against every thing called God or the Magistracy and those that were set over them we may observe in such passages as these 2 Pet. 2. 10. They despise government c. Jude v. 8. They despise dominion and speak evil of dignities c. and in their own stories to endless examples 4. As for the fourth mark mentioned vers 9. namely his coming after the working of Satan with all Magical power and delusion our Saviour had foretold it of that generation Matth. 24. 24. compared with vers 34. of that Chapter and it is abundantly asserted by Scripture by Josephus and other of their own Writers as we have given some examples before Now what the Apostle meaneth when he
any intimation that Paul sent for him away as we have of his sending for Titus whom he left in Creete intendedly for a longer time but it is very probable that Paul designing to have sailed for Syria came near to him and there discovering the danger that was laid in his way by the Jews which might also have infolded Timothy he brought him away back again with him and so both returned into Macedonia and now winter is over they are setting for Asia again But when Paul and this his company are all going for Asia together why should they not set out together but these go before and tarry at Troas and Paul and some other of his company come after Nay they were all to meet at Troas as it appeareth ver 6. why might they not then have gone all together to Troas The reason of this was because Paul himself was to go by Corinth and not minding to stay there but very little because he hastned to Jerusalem he would not take his whole train thither but sends them away the next way they could go to Troas himself promising and resolving to be speedily with them there He had promised a long time to the Church of Corinth to come unto them and he had newly sent word in that Epistle that he had lately sent that now his coming would be speedy 2 Cor. 12. 14. Behold the third time I am ready to come to you and Chap. 13. 1. This is the third time that I am coming to you Not that he had been there twice before for since his first departing thence when he had staied there a long time together at his first planting of the Gospel in that place there is neither mention nor probability of his being there again but this was the third time that he was in coming having promised and intended a journey thither once before but was prevented 2 Cor. 1. 15 16 17. But now he not only promiseth by the Epistle that he will come but staketh the three Brethren that he had sent thither for witnesses and sureties of that promise 2 Cor. 13. 1 2. that in the mouth of those witnesses his promise might be established and assured Now the time is come that he makes good his promise and whilst the rest of his company go directly the next cut to Troas he himself and Luke and whom else he thought good to retain with him go about by Corinth And now to look a little further into the reason of their thus parting company and of Pauls short stay at Corinth when he came there we may take into thoughts besides how much he hastned to Jerusalem the jealousie that he had that he should not find all things at Corinth so comfortable to himself and so creditable to them before those that should come with him as he desired He hath many passages in the second Epistle that he wrote to them that glance that way For though as to the general there was Reformation wrought among them upon the receiving of his first Epistle and thereupon he speaketh very excellent things of them yet were there not a few that thought basely of him 2 Cor. 10. 1 2. and traduced him and his Doctrine Chap. 11. 12. and gave him cause to suspect that his boasting of that Church to the Churches of Macedonia might come off but indifferently if the Macedonians should come with him to see how all things were there 2 Cor. 9. 4. And therefore it was but the good policy of just fear grief and prudence to send them by another way and he had very just cause to stay but a while when he came there From Corinth in his short stay there he writeth THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS as hath been well supposed by some of the Ancients is asserted by the postscript and may be concluded from these Observations 1. That he saith that he is now going to Jerusalem to bring to the Saints that benevolence that they of Macedonia and Achaia had collected for them Rom. 15. 26. The word Achaia tels us that he now was sure of the Corinthian contribution which he was not sure of till he came there 2. That he commendeth to the Romans Phaebe a servant of the Church of Cenchraea Rom. 16. 1. which Cenchraea was a place belonging to Corinth as was observed before though at some few miles distance 3. That he calleth Erastus Chamberlain of the City Rom. 16. 23. of whom it is said Erastus abode at Corinth 2 Tim. 4. 4. That he calleth Gaius his host or the man with whom he lodged and the host of the whole Church or in whose house strangers had their intertainment Rom. 16. 23. who was a Corinthian 1 Cor. 1. 14. And hence it appeareth that Gaius of Derbe who was one of those that were gone before to Troas was one man and Gaius of Corinth was another It is true indeed that the greetings of some men were sent in this Epistle which were not with Paul at this present in Corinth as Timothies Rom. 16. 20. who was gone to Troas and Sosipaters who was gone thither also for he I suppose is the same with Sopater of Berea Acts 20. 4. and this might seem to infringe the truth of this opinion that holdeth that this Epistle was written from Corinth But when it is considered how lately Paul and these men parted and that it is past doubt that he would acquaint them before their parting of his intentions to send to Rome it is no difficulty to conceive how their salutations came inserted into that Epistle There are indeed some that confess that it was written from Corinth but not at this time but at another namely in that time when Paul travelled Greece of which journey there is mention Act. 20. in which time among other places they conceive he came to Corinth and there wrote this Epistle But 1. it may very well be questioned whether he were at Corinth in these three months travels or no. For whereas he had promised to call on them as he went to Jerusalem 1 Cor. 16. 7. which he intended when he travelled those three months but that he discovered that the Jews lay in wait for him he excuseth himself for not coming according to that promise 2 Cor. 1. 16 17. And if it were granted that he was at Corinth at that time yet 2. he could not write this Epistle at that time because when he wrote it he knew the contribution of the Corinthian Church was then ready Rom. 15. 26. which when he travelled Greece either indeed was not so or at least he knew not that it was as appeareth copiously in his second Epistle to that Church The Apostle in this most sublime Epistle clears fully and divinely the two great mysteries of the Gospel Righteousness by faith and the calling of the Gentiles And in the handling of these he handles the great points Original sin Election and casting off of the Jews He laies this position down concerning
to the charge of the Jews yet you never find them blamed in the least degree for this that they went about to corrupt the letter of the Text The sense indeed they spoiled with their glosses and so made the Word of God of no effect and this they hear of throughly but not a word of their spoiling the letter of the Text. 4. Had they been never so desirous to have imposed upon Christians by falsifying the Text they could not possibly do it For First Every Synagogue in the world having the purest Copy that possibly was to be got how impossible was it such legerdemain should be when there were so many thousand Copies to discover it unless they were all corrupt alike and multitudes out of the Synagogues Rulers and People were converted to the Gospel Secondly As learned men as any they had among them and that as well understood what Text was pure what corrupt Joseph of Arimathea Nicodemus Paul and multitudes of the Priests imbraced the Gospel and so multitudes of pure Copies were in the hands of Christians upon the first rising of the Gospel and multitudes that had such Copies in their hands were converted daily 5. To which may be added that the same power and care of God that preserves the Church would preserve the Scriptures pure to it and he that did and could preserve the whole could preserve every part so that not so much as a tittle should perish SECTION XII Concerning the Calling of the Iews BY what hath been spoken concerning the state of the Jews in their own Land after the fall of their City it may be observed wherein it is that the Lords vengeance upon that Nation doth especially consist namely in his rejection of them from being his people and in their obduration The unspeakable miseries and slaughter that they indured in the siege and ruine of Jerusalem speak as dreadful punishment as ever fell upon a Nation and yet this was but short and small in comparison of that fearful blindness and hardness that lies upon them and hath done for this sixteen hundred years together Seventy years in bodily bondage in Babel did finish the punishment of their forefathers for all the Idolatry bloodshed and impiety that they had committed But these after above twenty times seventy years under dispersion and obduration have now as little appearance of amendment of their hearts and of their condition as there was so many hundred years ago The same blindness the same doting upon traditions the same insisting upon their own works for salvation the same blind confidence that they are Gods only beloved people the same expectation of Messias to come the same hatred of Messias already come and the same opposition against the Gospel is in them still that was in that first generation that crucified the Lord of life That generation is plainly and often asserted by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament to be Antichrist and the very same Antichristian spirit hath continued in all the generations of them ever since even to this day Into the thoughts therefore concerning their Calling after so long and so extream crosness against the Gospel and the Lord of it I cannot but take these things into consideration For though I am unwilling to recede from that charitable opinion of most Christians that there shall once be a Calling of them home yet see I not how that supposal of the universal Call of the whole Nation as of one man which some entertain can be digested without some allay and mitigation 1. That all Israel both Jews and they of the ten Tribes have had as full an offer of the Gospel as any of the Gentiles have had both in the time of the Apostles and since Of the two Tribes there can be no scruple and of the ten almost as little if their sin that cast them off the place of their seating when carried out of their own Land and the carriage of the Gospel through the whole world be well considered Now that their refusing of the Gospel so offered to them in that manner as they have done should be followed with so universal a Call and Conversion is somewhat hard to believe especially when it is observed that the Gentiles despising the Gospel are doomed to the everlasting deprivation of it and to a worse condition then Tyre and Zidon 2. It is true indeed that Gods Covenant with their fathers is of special weight and observation in this business and the Apostle toucheth it in this question Rom. 11. 28. but how is this to be understood God made a twofold Covenant with their fathers viz. the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Peculiarity and the later was but a manner of the administration of the former The Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and belongs to all the seed of Christ before the Law under it and after it Jews and Gentiles Now the Oeconomy of Moses was such an administration of this Covenant of Grace as made Israel a peculiar people This effect of the Covenant with their fathers namely that they still are and ever shall be Gods peculiar is their conceit all along but little warrant for us to hold it since under the Gospel there is no distinction of Jew and Gentile And as for the other that many of them yet belong to Election and the Covenant of Grace made with their fathers it is not to be doubted which yet doth little make for so general a calling 3. It was a good sign of the general conversion of the Heathen once to be in that there were multitudes of them proselyted daily before the general Call by the Gospel came an hundred three and fifty thousand in the days of Solomon and that when Religion was then in a very narrow compass But of these how few in comparison have come in in all this long time though they have had incomparably more means and opportunity then ever those had Their sin that cast them off was more horrid then the sin that cast off the Heathen and so their blindness and obduration is beyond theirs And which deserves observation The sin of the two Tribes was beyond the sin of the ten 4. Since the New Testament doth ordinarily stile that first generation Antichrist and since as is apparent the very same spirit is in the Nation to this day I see not how we can look upon the conversion of the Jews under a lower notion then the conversion of a brood of Antichrist Therefore can I no more look for the general calling of them then I look for the general call of the Antichristian brood of Rome We see indeed by happy experience that several Nations have fallen off from the Roman Antichrist as the Protestant Countries that are at this day but Antichrist is yet in being and strong and his end will be not by conversion but perdition So can I not but conceive of the Jewish Nation That although numerous multitudes of them may
the oven or on the coals before Sun-set it was no violation of the Sabbath though they stood baking when the Sabbath was come in And so skins or vessels if they were delivered before Sun-set to the Skinner or Washer it was not Sabbath breach if they lay soking in the tanpit or water on the Sabbath And so Piske Sabbath explains it also though by another example It is lawful saith it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near night to put water to gummes copperas to make ink to put flax into an Oven to dry to lay a net or set a trap for a wild beast or vermine It is lawful to do these things near night though the efficacy of the things as the ink soaking the flax drying and the net catching be on the Sabbath when it is come in Maymony in his tractate of the Sabbath per. 5. is yet plainer On the Eve of the Sabbath they light up a candle and he that lights it must do it whilest it is yet day before the Sun go down From the Sun-setting till the appearing of three middling Stars that space is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Between the Suns and it is doubtful whither that space belong to the day or to the night And therefore they light not up the candle in that time And he that doth any work in that space on the Eve of the Sabbath or at the going out of the Sabbath ignorantly he is bound to bring a sin offering And these Stars are not great Stars such as are seen by day nor little Stars which are not seen but by night but midling Stars between both and when three such midling Stars can be seen it is night undoubtedly Compare Nehem 13. 19. Vers. 34. And he suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him Christ healed all diseases with his touch for Luke saith he Laid his hands on every one of them and â—ealed them but he cast out Devils with his Word for so saith Matthew He cast out the Spirits with his Word and he prohibited them to speak a word because they knew him The expression in the Greek doth carry it indifferently To speak because they knew him or To speak that they knew him and it is indifferent whether way it is translated for the sense is the same but the question is why Christ would not permit them to speak upon this reason Some say because they should not utter him before the time Others because it was not fit the Devil should preach Christ to which I cannot but add what was spoken of before namely that the people should not be terrified by the presence of Christ among them as the Devil if he might have had liberty would have set it forth Matth. Chap. 8. Vers. 17. Which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet Himself took our infirmities c. However the latter Jews would elude the Prophecy of that Chapter out of which this quotation is taken viz. Esay 53. and would take it off from being applyed to Christ yet the ancient learned of the Nation in old time did so apply it as may be perceived by the gloss of the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the place and by a remarkable passage in the Talmud The Chaldee renders it thus verse 4. Surely he shall pray for our sins and our iniquities shall be pardoned for his sake c. Verse 5. He shall build the House of the Sanctuary which was prophaned because of our sins and given up for our transgressions and by his doctrine peace shall be multiplyed upon us and if we hearken to his words our sins shall be pardoned to us Verse 6. It pleaseth the Lord for his sake to pardon all our sins Verse 8. He shall bring up our captivity from affliction and punishment and the wonders that shall be done to us in his days who shall tell c. The Talmud likewise in the Treatise Sanhedrin hath this observable passage What is the name of the Messias c. Some said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leprous according to that Surely he hath born our Sicknesses c. And Messias sitteth in the gate of the City Rome as the Venetian Edition hath it And by what token may he be known He sitteth among the diseased poor c. Per. cheleck fol. 98. Now in this allegation and application of the Evangelist out of the Prophet there seemeth to be some hardness and impertinency upon these considerations First because the Prophet speaketh of Christs taking humane sicknesses upon himself but the Evangelist applys it of taking away diseases from others 2. He applyeth that to bodily diseases which the Prophet seemeth to understand of the diseass of the soul. And so Peter doth interpret it 1 Pet. 2. 24. The Prophet speaketh of the time of Christs Passion and what he then suffered of misery in himself but the Evangelists applie it to the time of his actions and what he then did for benefit to others Answer It is true indeed that this application will appear so harsh if all the Emphasis and stress of Esays speech be laid upon the word Our as it is most generally laid there For it is commonly interpreted to this sense He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief but the sicknesses and sorrows that he bare were ours and not properly his own for he bare them for our sakes Which construction is a most true but not a full rendring of the Prophets meaning for he intendeth also a further matter which the Evangelist in his allegation doth apparently look upon and that is this viz. The concernment of Christ in our sicknesses and sorrows and his power in reference unto them or concerning them The Prophet when he saith he bare our sicknesses c. meaneth not only that what he bare was for our sakes but that it concerned him and belonged to him to bear them and he was able to bear them and to deal with thâ—â— And this sense the Evangelist followeth in his quotation when having recorded that Christ healed all the diseased that were brought unto him he produceth this place of Esay and saith that in him was fulfilled that prediction concerning the Messias which telleth that he was to deal and was able to deal with our infirmities and sicknesses for so far do the words of the Prophet reach and the application of the Evangelist so taken is smooth and facil And howsoever the Text of the Prophet do refer and intend more singularly to the time of Christs passion in regard of our sorrows and sicknesses being then chiefly upon him yet is the sense given applicable also to all his time as that he had always to deal with our sicknesses and sorrows Now in that Peter applyeth the Prophets Text to the diseases of the soul when he utters it He bare our sins which is also the Translation of the Septuagint he speaketh it in the highest and most proper sense as regarding that diseasedness of which our Saviour did especially come
a healer and which is the cause of all other diseases and sorrows whatsoever and so he includes that which was the chiefest but excludes not these And as our Saviour pronouncing forgiveness of sins to a Palsick man whose story is ere long to follow doth thereby heal also the sickness of the body so the Apostle under term of bearing our sins comprehended also the bearing our sicknesses and his emphatical expression is worth observing when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who himself bare them that is himself of his own willingness would take them upon him and himself of his own power was able to undergo them Mark Chap. 1. Vers. 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day c. Although the Jews did precisely begin their natural day from Sunsetting as hath been even now observed yet did they also make the midnight a distinctive period to part between day and day so as to determine rem diei in diem suum Talmud in Beracoth per. 1. From what time do they say over their Phylacteries at even From the time that the Priests go in to eat their portion of the Sacrifices till the end of the first watch R. Eliezer saith But the wise men said untill Midnight Ibid. in Pesachin per. 10. The Passover after midnight defiles the hands Joma per. 1. Maym. in Tamid in per. 2. The cleansing of the Burnt-offering Altar on the day of expiation began from midnight Talm. in Zevachin per. 5. Trespas offerings might be eaten till midnight Ibid. Lesser holy Offerings may be eaten till midnight Ibid. The Passover is not eaten but in the night and it is not eaten but till midnight The meaning of which Passages is that whereas these things were to be done to day and might not be put off till to morrow if they were done any time before midnight it was reputed and current as done to day as their Phylacteries were to be said over every day at Even if they were said over before midnight it served turn for the day before And the parts of the Offerings that were to be eaten on the same day that the offering was offered and might not be kept till the morrow if they were eaten any time before midnight of that day it did serve the turn The burnt Offering Altar was to be cleansed every day now on the day of expiation it began to be cleansed from the midnight before and that was taken as on the expiation day These things have I produced the rather because of the passage in the Text before us which calls it in the Morning and yet saith it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much of the night yet remaining for as they reckoned up till midnight for the day that was past so they reckoned from midnight for the morning to the day following Were I to discuss the question about the beginning and ending of our Christian Sabbath I should think this matter worth consideration to that purpose And something parallel to this are those Texts Exod. 12. 22. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning Yet Vers. 29 At midnight the Lord smote the first-born c. Vers. 33. And the Aegyptians were urgent upon the People that they might send them out Deut. 16. 1. God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night Now this Morning on which the Text before us tells us that Christ rose so very early and went out to pray was on the morrow after the Sabbath the day on which the Christian Sabbath was fixed ere long which may not be unobserved since so special a matter is mentioned of that day The reason why he went into a solitary place to pray was because the company so increased upon him because of the miracles that he wrought that in the Town he could not be retired When day light came both his Disciples and the people are abroad inquiring after him and when they had found him they would have detained him in those parts among them but he will not be confined there but perambulates Galilee SECTION XXI S. MATTHEW CHAP. IV. Vers. 23. AND Iesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments and those which were possessed with Devils and those which were Lunatick and those which had the Palsie and he healed them 25. And there followed him great multitudes of People from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Hierusalem and from Iudea and from beyond Iordan Reason of the Order THE first verse of this Section laid to the last verse of the preceding makes the connection and order undeniable and evident There Christ being urged by the men of Capernaum to abide with them will not be confined in his Ministery to that place for he was sent to preach the Gospel in other Cities also and so he went about all Galilee teaching and preaching and healing all diseases of which and of the fruit of which this Section giveth account as that his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought him all sick people and great multitudes followed him Harmony and Explanation Vers. 23. And Iesus went about all Galilee c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph in vita sua Apud me pag. 642. There were two hundred and four Cities and Towns in Galilee Into all and every one of which we cannot so properly hold that Jesus entred and preached as that he chose to go into the most eminent and most convenient for his work namely where he might preach unto the most people And this is a second perambulation of Galilee that he made and a far fuller than the first mentioned Luke 4. 15. Then he had walked more alonely and without the company of his Disciples but they are now constantly and ever with him Then did he few or no miracles but only preached but now he doth exceeding many and healeth all diseased that come unto him The diseases he healed are reduced to three kinds 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diseases as Blindness Witheredness Lameness Fevers Dropsies c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Languishings as Consumptions Wastes Fluxes and such other as carried not so much pain with them as certain decaying of the body and wasting away 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tortures or Wrackings as Aches Gouts Convulsions and such other maladies as were attended with grievous pain and tortures And particularly three grievous maladies are named Palsies Lunacy and possessedness by the Devil the first of which expresseth the greatest debility of body the second of mind and the third the greatest misery of both that can be named and they were all maladies naturally as incurable as any whatsoever His Doctrine is comprised under these two heads Teaching and Preaching
is thy brother again But the beating with the Rebels stripes very ordinarily cost the life This then was the sure guard of the Temple that kept it from defilement and pollution the dreadful penalties that were sure to light upon those that were discovered to be unclean and to know so much and yet to have dared to enter there Nay he that knew not of his uncleanness if he came in there was not so entirely excused by this his ignorance but that whensoever he came to know in what case he was he was bound to bring an Offering for this his sin and so was he to do in the other cases whose witting and wilful committing them deserved cutting off if he did any of them unwillingly and not knowing Did he eat fat or blood and not know what he eat or come into the Sanctuary in uncleanness and not know that he was unclean or commit any of the other transgressions mentioned and not know that he transgressed there was an Offering appointed to atone for him which he was to bring as soon as he came to know that he had misdone but he that knowingly and wilfully would run into those faults there was no Sacrifice to atone for him but he fell under the indignation of God and liableness to divine vengeance and humane penalty and expectation when it would seize upon him And to this the Apostle writing to the Hebrews who were very well acquainted with these things seemeth to allude in those words Heb. 10. 11. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there is no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation c. Heb. 10. 26 27. CHAP. II. Of the several ranks of Priests and several Officers of the Temple THE distinction of the Priests that attended the Temple Service was into these several ranks and degrees 1. The High-Priest of whom there is so known and common mention in the Scripture 2. a a a Vide Maym. in kâ—lâ— hammik dash per. 4. The Sagan or second Priest as Jer. 52. 24. where the Chaldee Paraphrast useth the word Sagan and which word in this sense is most ordinary in all Jewish Writers betokening the Vice-high-priest or one next substitute to him 3. There were two Katholici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were substitutes to the Sagan as the Sagan was to the High-priest 4. There were seven Amarcalin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is used by the Chaldee Paraphrasts exceeding often 5. There b b b Talm. in Shekalim per. 5. were three Gizbarin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Treasurers these were in a manner under the Amarcalin 6. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief Priest of every course that served interchangeably its week 7. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief of any family that served in that course 8. And lastly there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An ordinary Priest or one that was of none of these ranks but an inferiour Now these degrees were one above another as they are named the High-priest above the Sagan the Sagan above the Katholici the Katholici above the Amarcalin the Amarcalin above the Gizbarin the Gizbarin above the chief of any course and the chief of the course above the Head of any Family These several ranks of the five first especially were as a constant and standing Council for the continual regulating and ordering of the Affairs of the Temple Service and attendance there These are those that are called the Beth din shel cohanim The Consessus or Consistory of Priests spoken of by the Talmud in the Treatise Ketubboth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c Ketubboth per. 1. It is all one whether she be the Widow of an Israelite or the Widow of a Priest her contractive dower is a Maneh The Consistory of Priests demanded 400 Zuzims for a Virgin and the Wise Men did not contradict them which may be confirmed by hat passage of Maimonides d d d Maym. in â—â—chosere Capaâ—ah per. 1. who relating how Women after Fluxes and Childbearing brought Money to buy Turtles and Pigeons and put it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Treasury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith that the Consistory of Priests departed not thence till they had taken out all the money and offered Turtles and Pigeons answerable to it And these also we may well understand to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e Ioma per. 1 Elders of the Priesthood to whom the High-priest was delivered by the Sanhedrin that they might prepare him for the service of the day of Expiation and these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Counsellers of the Temple of which we have had occasion to speak elsewhere Besides these there were f f f Vid. Shekalim per. 6. Maymon in Kele Mikdash per. 7 fifteen Overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presidents over fifteen several companies in so many several employments 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer concerning the times He or one of his Deputies when it was now time to begin the service cried aloud O ye Priests to your service O ye Levites to your Desks to sing and O ye Israelites to your station and all of them upon his Proclamation went to their several duties 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer for shutting of the doors by whose appointment they were opened and shut and by whose appointment the Trumpets founded when they were opened He was some one appointed by the Amarcalin for this care for they seven had the keeping and disposing of the keys of the seven Court gates 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer of the Guards This was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g Mid. per. 1 The man of the mountain of the House He went about among the Levites guards every night walking as it were the round and if he found any one asleep he cudgelled him and set fire on his Coat 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer of the Singers He appointed who should be every days Songs-men and blowers of the Trumpets 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer of the Cymbal Musick As the other appointed the Voices Trumpets and strung Instruments so did this take care for the Musick by the Cymbal which was of another kind as shall be shewed ere long 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer of the lots Who by lots every morning designed the Priests their several services at the Altar 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Overseer about birds He provided Turtles and Pigeons ready that those that needed them might have them for their money and he gave account of the money to the Treasurers 8. The Overseer of the Seals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Seals were such kind of things as the Tickets or Stamps that Ministers have used to give to those they admitted to the Sacrament h h h Shekalim
Sacrifices were slain at the place of the rings and so upon this occasion an Israelite might and must come within the Court of the Priest 6. The manner was thus * * * Tosaph in Menachoth per. 10. Maym. ubi supr the Sacrifice was so set as that the offerer standing with his face towards the West laid his two hands between his horns and confessed his sin over a sin offering and his trespass over a trespass offering and over a burnt offering he confesseth his transgression both against affirmative and negative precepts and his confession was in this wise I have sinned I have done perversly I have rebelled and done thus and thus but I return by repentance before thee and let this be my expiation And presently after this his confession was the beast to be slain 3. The killing of the Sacrifice was regularly and ordinarily the Priests work and office yet might it upon occasion be done by another or if it were done by another it was allowable For whereas the Law saith And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord and the sons of Aaron the Priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it Levit. 1. 5. as making a distinction betwixt the he that killed the bullock and the Priests that took the blood the Hebrew Doctors have observed not impertinently from hence that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g Maym. in Biath Mikdash per. 9. in Corbonoth per. 5 R. Sol. in Lev. 1. The killing of the Sacrifices was lawful by strangers yea of the most holy sacrifices were they the sacrifices of a particular person or of the whole Congregation And upon these words And the sons of Aaron the Priests shall bring the blood it is a received tradition that from thence most properly did begin the Priests office more peculiarly see 2 Chron. 30. 16 17. 4. The fleaing of the slain Sacrifice was not so inseparably the Priests office but that a stranger or one that was not a Priest might do it And so Maimonedes asserteth in the place cited above that the fleaing of the sacrifice and the dividing of it into pieces and bringing wood to the Altar done by strangers was lawful This they did especially at the Passover and other festival times when the Paschal Lambs and the other offerings were so many that the Priests could not serve to kill and flea them but whosoever killed or flead the Priests ever sprinkled the blood and none else might do it When the number of the beasts to be flead were not too many for that receipt they hung him by the legs upon the hooks that were fastned in the lower pillars which we have described elsewhere and in the transom over them for that purpose i i i Ibid. Sect. 9. but at Passover when there were more Lambs than that room would admit two men took a staff or bar divers of which staves stood there for that end and laying it upon their shoulders they hung the Lamb upon it and as he hung thus between them they flead him Rabbi Eliezer saith if the Passover fell on the Sabbath on which day they might not meddle so well with carrying of Staves a man laid his hand upon his fellows shoulder and his fellow laid his hand upon his shoulder and upon their arms they hanged up the Lamb and so flead him All the skins of the most holy sacrifices that is burnt offerings sin offerings and trespass offerings fell to the Priests and the Priests of the Course salted them all week and on the eve of the Sabbath divided them but the skins of the other sacrifices fell to the offerers or owners themselves 5. The sprinkling of the blood was to be before the sacrifice was flead for this was the rule and that agreeable to the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They flead them not till one had sprinkled the blood for in the Law there is mention of the sprinkling the blood before there is mention of fleaing Lev. 1. 5 6. The manner of their sprinkling of the blood upon the Altar and the circumstances about that were very various we will take up the chiefest of them in their order First The blood that was to be sprinkled was to be taken in a dish or vessel of the service and not in a common vessel of a mans own and that is a constant and rational maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k k k Vid. Zevac per. 5. per totum That the taking of the blood of the Sacrifices must be in a vessel hallowed for the service Secondly l l l Ibid. per. 2. ab initio These several sorts of people might not take the blood to sprinkle it and if they did it was polluted 1. A stranger or one that was not a Priest 2. A Priest a mourner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he that had one dead in his family that day for m m m Glosse in Misâ—ajoâ—h ibid. whosoever had one dead in his house all that day of the parties death he was called a mourner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. He that had been unclean so that he was to wash that day and his Sun was not yet down 4. He that had been under a longer uncleanness and his atonement not yet made 5. A Priest that had not all the holy garments on that he ought to wear 6. One uncircumcised 7. One that was unclean 8. One that sate or stood on any thing whilest he took the blood but on the very pavement of the Court for in the service they might not stand upon any vessel or beast or hide or on his neighbours foot but on the bare pavement 9. He that took the blood with the left hand some held it unlawful but others were of another mind Thirdly n n n Zevech ib. Whereas there was a red line about the Altar just in the middle between the bottom and the top the blood of some sacrifices were to be sprinkled beneath that line and some above and if that that was to be sprinkled below was sprinkled above and if that that was to be sprinkled above was sprinkled below it was unlawful Fourthly o o o Maym. in Corbanoth per. 5 The sprinkling of the blood of burnt offerings and trespass offerings and peace offerings went all by one rule and manner and it was thus The Priest bringing it to the Altar was to sprinkle it below the red line and he was to sprinkle it into the fashion of the Greek Gamma or into this form Γ for so is the tradition in the Gemara of p p p Zevach. per 5. fol. 53. the Treatise Zevachim cited ere while and so is the meaning of Maymony when he saith it was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the meaning of the thing is this He was to go as the margin of the Talmud glosseth to a corner of the Altar and to cast the blood out of the vessel so as that it
ought not to be done Lev. 4. 2 13 22 27. that is that they were offered for sins of ignorance against negative precepts But the Hebrew Doctors do generally confine them to those sins done ignorantly against negative precepts that if they had been done wittingly had deserved cutting off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a R. Sol. in Levit. 4. A sin offering was not not offered saith Rabbi Solomon but for a matter which if wittingly done against a negative command deserved cutting off but being ignorantly done it required a sin offering And so the Talmudick Treatise Kerithuth when it had reckoned up the six and thirty offences against such precepts that bring under the liableness of being cut off it concludeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b Kerithuth per. 1. Any of these committed wilfully deserve cutting off but if ignorantly done they require a sin offering c c c Maym. in Shegag per. 1. And whosoever saith Maymony transgresseth ignorantly against any of the negative precepts in which there is an action for which men become liable to cutting off he is bound to bring a sin offering and it is an affirmative command that he offer a sin offering for his errour and every transgression for the doing of which wilfully a man deserves cutting off for the doing of it ignorantly he is to bring a sin offering Aben Ezra goeth yet a little further but for ought I find he goeth alone for he desineth a sin offering to be d d d Ab. Ezra in Lev. 1. for a sin of ignorance against a negative precept which if wilfully committed deserved cutting off or whipping In the addition of this last word whipping I find not the rest of his Nation to agree with him for divers offences against prohibitions of the Law fell under whipping that fell not under cutting off and the Jews do most unanimously apply a sin offering to a sin of ignorance only whose wilfulness had incurred cutting off And the reason of this their limitation is in regard of the nature of the transgression or offence for whereas e e e 〈…〉 they number 365 negative precepts according to the number of the days in the year yet do they bring the number of sin offerings f f f 〈…〉 only in reference to three and forty of them meeting those sins of ignorance only with sin offerings which were most near a kin to those of the bighest danger but that ignorance did mitigate and make the qualification It is true indeed that there are some sin offerings appointed by name which cannot exactly be brought under this predicament of which we are speaking as was the sin offering of Aaron upon his consecration Lev. 9. 2. the sin offering of the woman at her purification Lev. 12. 6. and of the Leper at his cleansing Lev. 14. 19. for we can hardly ascribe these as offered for some particular sin of ignorance against some negative precept the wilful violation of which had deserved cutting off But they seem rather to be offered that they might make sure work to meet with that danger or offence that it was possible they might lye under and not know of it and so they were very near the nature of trespass offerings as a sin offering is also called Lev. 5. 6. But where the Law doth give the rules for sin offerings it nameth not any particular offence but only this general that they were to be presented in reference to the ignorant offending against a negative command and therefore to reduce them to particulars it was most pertinent to allot them to that ignorant offending which if it had proved wilfulness had made the forest breach betwixt God and Man the reconciling of whom was the end of Sacrifice Let us take one or two examples for the better understanding of what hath been spoken and then we will look after the sin offerings in their several kinds It was a negative precept the wilful and witting violation of which deserved cutting off Thou shalt do no work on the seventh day g g g Id. in Sabbath per. 1. And what is a man liable to for working on the Sabbath If he did it of his own will presumptuously he is liable to cutting off and if witnesses and evidence of it came in he was to be stoned but if he did it ignorantly he was to bring the appointed sin offering when he knew what he had done And all along the Treatise of the Sabbath they are the words of Maymony wheresoever it is said he that doth such or such things is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty it meaneth he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liable to cutting off and if there be witness and evidence he is liable to be stoned but if he did it ignorantly he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound to bring a sin offering Another offence that deserved cutting off was going into Sanctuary in uncleanness which was contrary to that frequent prohibition that no unclean person should come there And if any unclean person did wittingly and presumptuously go in thither in his uncleanness he became liable to cutting off if witness came in that he had done this presumingly and knowingly he was to be whipt or mauled with the rebels heating as hath been observed and if he did it ignorantly he was to bring his offering which offering in something indeed differed from the sin offerings in other cases for whereas every one of them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an appointed sin offering of some beast or other this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h Kerithuth per. 1. an offering ascending or descending i i i Gloss. ibid. that is of a higher or lower value according to the persons ability that did offer it if he were rich he brought some Beast but if he were poor two Turtles or Pigeons or a tenth deal of flower yet was the rise or occasion of this his offering suitable to all the other By these examples may easily be apprehended the like proceeding in the rest of the six and thirty or three and forty for into so many the six and thirty do branch themselves but concerning the committing the thing wilfully and suffering for it or ignorantly and offering for it Now for the distinguishing of sin offerings they were either sin offerings of the whole Congregation or sin offerings of particular persons Lev. 4. 3 13 22 c. But when we speak of the sin offerings of the whole Congregation the words admit some scrupling whether it mean the whole body of the people or the Sanhedrin only who were their representatives And we must answer that it meaneth both For 1. There was the sin offering Goat which was offered on the day of expiation it was an offering for the whole Congregation Lev. 16. 15. the disposal of which we shall observe afterward and this we may take for the whole body of the people undividedly 2. There was the
because there is a suspence and doubtfulness in and about the matter concerning which it was to be offered There is a story in the Treatise Kerithuth concerning Baba Ben Bota c c c Kerithuth per. 6. sect 3. that he offered one of these suspensive trespass offerings every day in the year but only on the next day after the day of expiation And one day he said By this Temple if they had let me alone I had brought such an Offering on that day also but they said to me stay till thou come into some doubtfulness And the wise men say they bring not a suspensive trespass offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for such an offence as which wittingly committed deserveth cutting off and unwittingly committed claimeth a sin offering Agreeable to these last words there is a passage in another place of the same Treatise where having reckoned the six and thirty transgressions that deserve cutting off it concludeth that d d d Ibid. per. 1 sect 2. any of these committed wittingly deserve cutting off and if unwittingly a sin offering and if it be not known then a suspensive or doubtful trespass offering By both which testimonies it is apparent that sin offerings and these suspensive trespass offerings were so near a kin that the latter is not accounted due unless there be a possibility of the dueness of the other and the one is offered for a thing committed unwittingly and the other for a thing committed unwittingly and unknown The main difference of them lay in this a sin offering was for a thing done indeed unwittingly against one of the negative precepts and now known to be certainly done but a trespass offering was for a thing doâ—… indeed but doubtful whether a precept was violated by the action and the party is not yet knowing whether he trespassed or not yet was he to bring a trespass offering which as was said before might fence him against the penalty of cutting off and if he once came to know that he did offend against a Commandment in the action then he was to bring a sin offering The Talmudists give these examples in the case e e e Ibid. per. 3. Tosapht in Kerithuth per. 2. He that eats fat namely that fat of the inwards which in any Sacrifice was to be offered up if he did it wittingly he was to be cut off if he did it unwittingly he was to bring a sin offering as soon as he knew what he had done But our case in hand is this A man is at a Table where there is that fat that might not be eaten and another fat that might for they might eat fat Beef or Mutton though they might not eat the fat of the inwards he eateth one of these fats he knoweth not whether he supposeth he eateth the fat that was lawful to be eaten but it is possible he eateth that that is unlawful for this possibility or probability that he may be under a guilt he is to bring a trespass offering suspensive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he knew not whether he offended yet or no. He that wittingly lay with his sister was to be cut off he that he did it unwittingly was to bring a sin offering assoon as he knew what he had done But here is the case we are about f f f Gloss. in Mishuajoth ubi ante A mans Wife and his Sister are both in one bed he lieth with one of them supposing it to be his Wife it is possible it was his Sister for this he is to bring a doubtful or suspensive trespass offering because it is doubtful whether he be not under a transgression And this kind of Offering was in this regard called doubtful or suspensive because it was in suspence whether he were guilty or no and it did also suspend that guilt and penalty which did lie or might light upon him Divers such particular examples might be produced we shall only add one or two more in the words of the Author of Tosaphta g g g Tosaphâ— ubi supr There are two men together and the one of them offends but it is not known which of them Rabbi Josi saith that both the one and the other must bring a suspensive trespass offering and make confession He that eateth the quantity of an olive of fat or the quantity of an olive of flesh that hath lain so long before it be sacrificed that it stinketh or the quantity of an olive of what is left of the Sacrifice or the quantity of an olive of what is unclean unwittingly he is to bring a sin offering but if it is doubtful whether he eat it or eat it not then he is to bring a trespass offering He that lyeth with his Sister or his Fathers Sister or his Mothers Sister or his Wifes Sister or his Brothers Wife or his Fathers Brothers Wife or a Woman in her separation he is to bring a sin-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if it be doubtful whether he lay with them or no he is to bring a suspensive or doubtful trespass offering A mans Wife and his Sister are together and he lyeth with one of them but he knoweth not whether He hath two Wives the one is in her Separation and the other is not he lyeth with one of them but he knoweth not whether There is before him fat and something left of the Sacrifice he eateth of the one but he knows not whether There is the Sabbath and the day of Expiation he worketh on the one of them but he knows not whether Rabbi Eliezer adjudged him to bring a sin offering But Rabbi Joshua acquitted him Now Rabbi Josi saith although that Rabbi Joshua acquitted him from a sin offering yet he adjudged him to a trespass offering suspensive By these examples it is reasonably well apparent of what nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the suspensive trespass offering was in the repute of the Hebrew Doctors but for the greater clearing of it we may yet go with them one step further A man finds himself in this possibility of having offended though it be utterly uncertain to him whether he have offended or no yet in Conscience was he bound to bring this his suspensive trespass offering because it is possible he is in the offence this is the case in the examples given But this is not the utmost there comes in witness that he did undoubtedly eat of the fat that was forbidden that it was his Wife in her separation that he lay withal or that it was his sister or the like he is not yet convinced that it was so but yet is doubtful and in suspence he is to bring his suspensive trespass offering because though it be certain in it self that he hath offended yet is it not so as yet to him But whensoever he shall be convinced that he did commit the offence indeed then is he to bring his sin offering And thus was the suspensive trespass offering in order
incroaching upon the Priesthood no other way then by the plague of leprosie In him God would magnifie the Priesthood that was to judg of the leprosie and he would shew the other was no Priest by his being toucht with the leprosie It can scarcely be denied indeed that the Priests sometimes might be toucht with that plague but certainly they catched not the congion while they were doing their office in judging of it This is a noble doctrine of our high Priest the Judge and Phisician of our leprosie while he remains wholly untouched by it How much does he surpass that miracle of the Levitical Priesthood They were not touched by the contagion when they touched the leprous person He by his touch heals him that hath the infection VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Go shew thy self to the Priest c. OUR Saviour would not have the extraordinary manner whereby he was heaâ—d discovered to the Priest that he might pay the ordinary duty of his clâ—…g And surely it deserves no slight consideration that he sends him to the Priest However now the Priesthood was too too degenerate both from its institution and its office yet he would reserve to it its priviledges while he would reserve the Priesthood its self Corruption indeed defiles a divine institution but extinguishes it not II. Those things which at that time were to be done in cleansing of the leprosie according to the Rubric were these Let him bring three beasts that is a sacrifice for sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sa risiâ—e for transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a burnt offering But a poor man brought a sacrifice for sin of birds and a burnt offering of birds He stands by the sacrifice for transgression and laie both his hands upon it and slays it and two Priests receive the blood the one in a vessel the other in his hand He who receives the blood in his hand goes to the Leper in the chamber of the Lepers this was in the corner of the Court of the Women looking North-west He placeth him in the gate of Nicanor the East gate of the Court of Israel he stretcheth forth his head within the Court and puts blood upon the lowest part of his ear He stretcheth out his hand also within the Court and he puts blood upon his thumb and his foot and he puts blood also upon his great toe c. And the other adds oyl to the same members in the same place c. The reason why with his neck held out he so thrust forth his head and ears into the Court you may learn from the Glosser The gate of Nicanor saith he was between the Court of the Women and the Court of Israel but now it was not lawful for any to enter into the Court of Israel for whom there was not a perfect expiation And on the contrary it was not lawful to carry the blood of the sacrifice for transgression out of the Court. Hence was that invention that the Leper that was to be cleansed should stand without the Court and yet his ears his thumbs and his toes to which the blood was to be applyed were within the Court We omit saying more it is enough to have produced these things whence it may be observed what things they were that our Saviour sent back this healed person to do The cure was done in Galilee and thence he is sent away to Jerusalem silence and sacrifice are enjoyned him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See thou tell no man c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And offer the gift c. And why all these things First Christ makes trial of the obedience and gratitude of him that was cured laying upon him the charge of a sacrifice and the labour of a journy Secondly He would have him restored to the communion of the Church from which his leprosy had separated him after the wonted and instituted manner He provides that he himself give no scandal and the person healed make no Schism and however both his words and gestures sufficiently argue that he believed in Christ yet Christ will by no means draw him from the communion of the Church but restore him to it Hence is that command of his to him See thou tell no man but offer a gift for a testimony to them that is Do not boast the extraordinary manner of thy healing think not thy self freed from the bond of the Law in case of a leper because of it thrust not thy self into the communion of the Church before the rites of admission be duly performed but however you have no business with the Priest in reference to the purification and cleansing go to the Priest nevertheless and offer the gift that is due for a testimony that you are again restored into communion with them This caution of our Saviour hath the same tendency with that Mat. XVII 27. That we be not an offence to them c. VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Layd forth Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dead man layd forth in order to his being carryed out The power and dominion of the disease is so expressed The weak person lyeth so that he is moved only by others he cannot move himself but is as it were next door to carrying out So ver 14. of Peters Mother-in-Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was layd and sick of a fever VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall be east out into outer darkness HEAR O Jew thy most sad but certainly most just Judgment concerning thy eternal blindness and perdition For whatsoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Outer darkness signifies whether the darkness of the Heathen for to the Jewes the Heathen were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that are without or that darkness beyond that Es. IX 1. or both our Saviour clearly intimates the Jews were thither to be banished but that they were to be recalled again he intimates not any where if so be by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of the Kingdome they be to be understood which who is there that denyes VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Even was come MARK adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the sun was now set and the Sabbath was now gone I. The Sabbath was ended by the Jews at the Supper or the Feast In which they used a candle as they did upon the entrance of the Sabbath and wine and spices and the form of blessing over a cup of wine and then over the candle and then over the spices Does the Sabbath end when he is now in the middle of his Feast He puts an end to his eating washes his hands and over a cup of wine he gives thanks for his food and afterwards over that cup he useth the form of prayer in the separation of the Sabbath from a common day If he be now drinking when the Sabbath goes out he ceaseth from drinking and recites the form of
separation and then returns to his drinking a a a a a a Maimon Schab cap. 29. II. The proper limits of the Sabbath were from Sunset to Sunset This is sufficiently intimated by St. Mark when he saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Sun was now set they brought the sick to be healed which they held unlawful to do while the Sun was yet going down and the Sabbath yet present The Talmudic Canons give a caution of some works that they be not begun on the day before the Sabbath if they may not be ended and finished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While it is yet day that is as they explain it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While the sun is not yet set b b b b b b Schab cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that lights a Sabbath candle let him light it while it is yet day before Sun-set c c c c c c Maimon in Schabb. cap. 5. c. On the Sabbath Eve it is permitted to work until Sun-set d d d d d d Hieros Shevith fol. 33. 1. The entrance of the Sabbath was at sun-set and so was the end of it III. After the setting of Sun a certain space was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bin Hashmashuth concerning which these things are disputed e e e e e e Hieros Berac fol. 2. 2. What is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Tanchuma saith It is like a drop of blood put upon the very edge of a sword which divides its self every where What is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is from that time when the Sun sets whilst one may walk half a mile R. Josi saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is like a wink of the eye c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies Between the Suns and the manner of speech seems to be drawn thence that there are said to be two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sunsets Concerning which read the Glosser upon f f f f f f In Schab cap. 5. Maimonides Where thus also Maimonides himself From the time that the Sun sets till the three middle stars appear it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Between the Suns and it is a doubt whether that time be part of the day or of the night However they every where judge of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to render the office heavy Therefore between that time they do not light the Sabbatical candle and whosoever shall do any servile work on the Sabbath Eve and in the going out of the Sabbath is bound to offer a sacrifice for sin So also the Jerusalem Talmudists in the place last cited Does one Star appear Certainly as yet it is day Do two It is doubted whether it be day Do three It is night without doubt And after a line On the Sabbath Eve if any work after one star seen he is clear if after two he is bound to a sacrifice for a transgression if after three he is bound to a sacrifice for sin Likewise in the going out of the Sabbath if he do any work after one star is seen he is bound to a sacrifice for sin if after two to a sacrifice for transgression if after three he is clear Hence you may see at what time they brought persons here to Christ to be healed namely in the going out of the Sabbath if so be they took care of the Canonical hour of the Nation which is not to be doubted of VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Himself took our infirmities DIVERS g g g g g g Bab. Sanhedr fol. 98. 2. names of the Messias are produced by the Talmudists among others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins say His name is The Leper of the house of Rabbi as it is said Certainly he bare our infirmities c. And a little after Rabh saith If Messias be among the living Rabbenu Haccodesh is He. The Gloss is If Messias be of them that are now alive certainly our holy Rabbi is he as being one that carries infirmities c. R. Judah whom they called the Holy underwent very many sicknesses of whom and of his sicknesses you have the story in the Talmud h h h h h h Hieros Kilâ—im fol. 32. 1. Thirteen years Rabbi laboured under the pain of the teeth c. Because of which there were some who were pleased to account him for the Messias because according to the Prophets Messias should be A man of Sorrows and yet they look for him coming in pomp This allegation of Matthew may seem some what unsuitable and different from the sense of the Prophet For Esay speaks of the Messias carrying our infirmities in himself but Matthew speaks concerning him healing them in others Esay of the diseases of the Soul see 1 Pet. II. 24. Matthew of the diseases of the body But in this sense both agree very well that Christs business was with our infirmities and sorrows and he was able to manage that business his part was to carry and bear them and in him was strength and power to carry and bear them In this sense therefore is Matthew to be understood He healed the Demoniacs and all diseased persons with his word that that of Esay might be fulfilled He it is who is able to bear and carry our sorrows and sicknesses And so whether you apply the words to the diseases of the mind or the body a plain sense by an equal easiness does arise The sense of Esaiah reacheth indeed further namely That Messias himself shall be a man of sorrows c. but not excluding that which we have mentioned which Matthew very fitly retains as excellently well suiting with his case VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into the Country of the Gergesens IN Mark and Luke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gadarens both very properly for it was the City Gadara whence the Country had its name there was also Gergasa a City or a Town within that Country which whether it bare its name from the ancient Canaanite stock of the Gergasities or from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gargushta which signifies Clay or Dirt we leave to the more learned to discuss Lutetia a word of such a nature may be brought for an Example VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Two possessed with Devils coming out of the Tombs c. THESE are the signs of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mad man He goes out in the night and lodges i Hiros Trumoth fol. 40. 2. among the Sepulchres and teareth his garments and tramples upon whatsoever is given him R. Honna saith But is he only mad in whom all these signs are I say Not. He that goes out in the night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Chondriacus Hypondriacal He that lodgeth anights among the Tombs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burns incense to Devils He that tears his garments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Melancholic And he that
guilty Let us see whether thou canst smell and judg And when they saw that he could not smell and judg they slew him VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By whom do your children cast them out BY your Children Christ seems to understand some disciples of the Pharisees that is some of the Jews who using Exorcisms seemed to cast out Devils such as they Act. XIX 13. and yet they said not to them Ye cast out Devils by Beelzebul It is worthy marking that Christ presently saith If I by the Spirit of God cast out Devils then the Kingdom of God is come among you For what else does this speak than that Christ was the first who should cast out Devils which was an undoubted sign to them that the Kingdom of Heaven was now come But that which was performed by them by Exorcisms was not so much a casting out of Devils as a delusion of the people since Satan would not cast out Satan but by compact with himself and with his company he seemed to be cast out that he might the more deceive The sense therefore of Christs words comes to this That your Disciples cast out Devils ye attribute not to Beelzebul no nor to Magick but ye applaud the work when it is done by them They therefore may in this matter be your judges that you pronounce these words of my actions out of the rankness and venom of your minds m m m m m m Bab. Joma fol. 57. 1. In the Gloss mention is made of a Devil cast out by a Jew at Rome VERS XXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in that which is to come THEY that endeavour hence to prove the remission of some sins after death seem little to understand to what Christ had respect when he spake these words Weigh well this common and most known doctrine of the Jewish Schools and judg n n n n n n Hieros Sanhedr fol. 37. 3. Bab. Joma fol 86. 1. He that transgresses an affirmative precept if he presently repent is not moved until the Lord pardon him And of such it is said Be ye converted O backsliding Children and I will heal your backslidings He that transgresses a Negative precept and repents his repentance suspends judgment and the day of expiation expiates him as it is said This day shall all your uncleannesses be expiated to you He that transgresses to cutting off by the stroke of God or to death by the Sanhedrin and repents repentance and the day of expiation do suspend judgment and the strokes that are laid upon him wipe off sin as it is said And I will visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with scourges But he by whom the Name of God is profaned or blasphemed repentance is of no avail to him to suspend judgment nor the day of expiation to expiate it nor scourges or corrections inflicted to wipe it off but all suspend judgment and death wipes it off Thus the Babylonian Gemara writes but the Jerusalem thus Repentance and the day of expiation expiate as to the third part and corrections as to the third part and death wipes it off as it is said And your iniquities shall not be expiated to you until ye die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold we learn that death wipes off Note this which Christ contradicts concerning Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost It shall not be forgiven saith he neither in this world nor in the world to come that is neither before death nor as you dream by death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the world to come I. Some phrases were received into common use by which in common speech they opposed the Heresie of the Sadducees who denied Immortality Of that sort were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hell c. o o o o o o Bab. Bâ—racoth fol. 54. 1. At the end of all the prayers in the Temple as we observed before they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever But when the Hereticks brake in and said There was no Age but one it was appointed to be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For ever and ever This distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This world and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world to come you may find almost in every page of the Rabbins p p p p p p Targ. in Râ—th Chap. II. 15. The Lord recompence thee a good reward for this thy good work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this world and let thy reward be perfected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world to come q q q q q q â—aal Tâ—rim Tancâ— in Gen. 1. 1. It that is the History of the Creation and of the Bible begins therefore with the letter Beth in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith because two worlds were created this world and a world to come II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world to come hints two things especially of which see r r r r r r In Sanhedr Cap. Châ—lâ—k Rambam 1. The times of the Messias s s s s s s â—â—riâ— Cap. 1. Hâ—l ult Be mindful of the day wherein thou camest out of Egypt all the days of thy life The wise men say By the days of thy life is intimated this world By all the days of thy life The days of the Messias are superinduced In this sense the Apostle seems to speak Heb. II. 5. and VI. 5. 2. The state after death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t t t t t t 〈◊〉 fol. 5â— The world to come is when a man is departed out of this world VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign I. THEIR Schools also confessed that signs and miracles were not to be expected but by a fit generation u u u u u u Hieros Soâ—ah fol. 24. 2. The Elders being once assembled at Jericho the Bath Kol went forth and said There is one among you who is fit to have the Holy Ghost dwell upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that this generation is not fit They fix their eyes upon Hillel the Elder The Elders being assembled again in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an upper room in Jabneh Bath Kol came forth and said There is one among you who is fit to have the Holy Spirit dwell upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that the Generation is not fit They cast their eyes upon Samuel the Little II. That generation by which and in which the Lord of Life was Crucified lay and that deservedly under an ill report for their great wickedness above all other from the beginning of the world until that day Whence that of the Prophet Who shall declare his generation Esai LIII 2. that is his generation viz. that generation in which he
holy treasuries b b b b b b Zevachin fol. 54. 2. They were two as to their end but four as to the dispatch of them to that end c c c c c c Shekalim cap. 5. hal 6. There was a Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the repair of the building of the Temple and there was a Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the preparing such things as were necessary for the Divine Service in the Temple And both were two The duplicity of the former you have in this tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were two chambers in the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chamber of the silent or of the private where pious men offered privately whence the children of pious parents were nourished also privately That is they did their charity secretly for this pious use that it might not be known who did it There are some who think these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silent ones were the same with the Esseans of which we will not dispute nor do we number this charitable Treasury among the Corbans concerning which we are now treating because it conferred nothing to the business of the Temple But the Tradition goes forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there was the chamber of the Vessels where whosoever offered any vessel laid it And after thirty days the Treasurers opened the chambers and whatsoever Vessel was found in it which was useful to the repairing of the building was laid up for that use And whatsoever was not useful was sold and the price of it went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the chamber for the repairing of the House You observe how there was a Corban of Vessels or Instruments of Iron Brass Silver c. And a Corban of Mony both for the same end that is for the repair of the building and structure of the Temple and Courts if by some means or other they might fall down or might receive damage by the injury of time of tempests or rains Maimonides adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d d d d In Shekalim cap. 4. The Vails of the Temple also come out of the chamber for the repair of the building but the Vails of the doors out of the Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the chamber Of which afterwards SECT II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Corban chests THERE was also a double Corban whence the charges of things necessary for the Divine Worship were defrayed The first was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or certain Chests of which thus the Masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e e e e Shekalim cap. 6. hal 5. Joma fol. 55. 2 There were thirteen chests in the Temple in which was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New Shekels that is of the present year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old Shekels or Shekels of the year past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turtles c. f f f f f f In the place above cap. 2. Maimonides still more largely and plainly In the Temple were thirteen chests formed like Trumpets that is narrower below and more broad above The first was for the Shekels of the present year The second was for the Shekels of the year past The third for those who were to bring an oblation of two Turtles or Pigeons one for a burnt Offering the other for a Sacrifice for Sin the price o◠it they cast into this chest The fourth for him who otherwise ought an oblation of birds The price of it he cast into this chest The fift for him who voluntarily offered mony to buy Wood for the Altar The sixt for him who offered mony to buy Frankincense The seventh for him who offered Gold for the Mercy-seat The eighth for that which remained of the Sacrifice for sin Namely when one dedicated mony for the Sacrifice for sin and bought a Sacrifice with it and something remained over and above let him cast that into this chest The ninth for that which remained of the Sacrifice for transgression The tenth for that which remained of the Pigeons for the Women that had Fluxes and that were delivered from Child-birth The eleventh for that which remained of the Oblations of the Nazirite The twelfth for that which remained of the Sacrifice of the Leper The thirteenth for him who offered monies for the burnt offering of cattel And upon each chest was written that for which the mony that was laid up in it was appointed In one of these chests the Widdow commended by our Saviour cast in her two mites but where they were placed we will enquire by and by SECT III. The Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamber THERE was also a Chamber in which whatsoever mony was collected in these chests of which we have spoken was emptied out into three other chests which is called by the Talmudists emphatically and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Chamber g g g g g g Joma f. 64. 1. There were three chests each containing three Seahs into which they empty the Corban and on them were written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And why saith R. Jose was Aleph Beth Gimel writ upon them Namely that it might be known which of them was filled first that it might first be emptied R. Ishmael saith the inscription was in Greek Alpha Beta Gamma h h h h h h Shekalim c. 3 The chests which are here spoken of were those into which the three greater were emptied which always stood unmoveable in the Chamber The manner of the emptying of which take from the words of the Gloss in the place alledged Those chests in which the mony was laid up did contain twenty seven Seahs each nine and they were covered with a linnin cloth He who was to empty entred with three chests containing nine Seahs He first filled the chest marked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the first of the three great chests and then covered it with the linnin cloth Then he uncovered the second of the great chests and out of it he filled the second chest marked with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and covered it again Then he uncovered the third of the great chests and filled the third chest marked ◠but covered not the other again c. Moreover of the manner and time of this emptying thus the Masters speak i i i i i i Ibid. Thrice in a year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They take care about the Chamber for let me render it thus in this place that is as the Gloss writes Out of the thirteen chests they transferred whatsoever had been collected in them into these three great ones which were in this chamber and in like manner they emptied them into three less of which before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 About the space of half a month before Passover before Pentecost and before the Feast of Tabernacles or in the beginning of the month Nisan and of the month Tisri and fifteen days before
there The first given by the Jews according to their custom the second by the Souldiers in abuse and mockery But if you will grant a third Cup then all difficulty vanisheth indeed Let the first be Wine mingled with Myrrhe the second Vinegar mingled with Gall the third meer Vinegar Which the Souldiers gave to Malefactors if they had desired drink being that which they drank themselves Hence the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vessel filled with Vinegar was always in readiness that the Souldiers might drink when they had a mind and persons also upon the Cross if they stood in need of it VERS XLII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord remember me CHrist is now upon the Cross as old Joseph was in the Prison between two Malefactors There one of them was delivered the other hanged Here one obtains salvation the other perisheth The Faith of this Thief is admirable kept even pace with that of the Apostles if in some circumstances it did not go beyond it The Apostles acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah and so doth he with this addition which I question whether they did so clearly own and know or no viz. that Christ should reign and have his Kingdom after his death He seems to have a sounder judgment concerning Christ's Kingdom than the Apostles themselves as may be gathered from their question Acts I. 6. It pleased God in this last Article of time to glorifie the riches of his grace in a singular and extraordinary manner both in the conversion of a sinner and the forgiveness of his sins I say in such an Article of time which the world had never before seen nor ever was like to see again viz. in the very instant wherein the Messiah was finishing his redemption It was not unknown to either of the Thieves that Jesus was therefore condemn'd to dye because he had professed himself the Christ Hence that of the Impenitent Malefactor If thou art Christ save thy self and us And if the Penitent Thief did for a while joyn with the other in his petulant reproaches which seems intimated to us Matth. XXVII 44. yet was his heart toucht at length and perhaps upon his observation of that miraculous darkness which at that time had covered the world VERS XLIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise I. LET us here first consider the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paradise In common Jewish speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Garden of Eden In what sense we may collect from these following passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Chagigah fol 14. 2. The Rabbins have a Tradition There are four that went into Paradise namely Ben Azzai Ben Zumah Acher and R. Akibah R. Akibah saith unto them when you come to the stones of pure Marble do not ye say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Waters Waters i. e. Alas these Waters will hinder us from going forward for it is written he that telleth lyes shall not dwell in my presence Now it would be a lye to call white Marble Water Ben Azzai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lookt with some curiosity about him and he dyed Of him the Scripture speaks Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints Ben Zumah looked with some curiosity about him and he was disturbed in his intellectuals Of him the Scripture speaketh Hast thou found Honey eat so much as is sufficient for thee lest thou be filled therewith and vomit it Aruch reciting these words saith It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paradise under the signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Garden of Eden which is reserved for the just This place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Heavens where the souls of the just are gathered together And the Talmudick Gloss hath it much to the same sense These four by God's procurement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 went up into the firmament Whiles we are reading these passages that story may easily occur to mind of St. Paul's being caught up into Paradise 2 Cor. XII and perhaps the Legend before us is but the ape of that story In the story it is observable that Paradise and the third Heaven are one and the same thing in the Legend Paradise and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest Heavens For so the Doctors Comment upon the word in Psal. LXVIII 5. g g g g g g Midras Tillin fol. 11. 3. There are seven Classes or Degrees of just persons who see the face of God sit in the house of God Ascend up unto the hill of God c. and to every Class or Degree there is allotted their proper dwelling place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paradise There are also seven abiding places in Hell Those that dwell in Paradise they shine like the shining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Firmament like the Sun like the Moon like the Firmament like the Stars like Lightning like the Lilies like burning Lamps h h h h h h Ibid. II. Our Saviour therefore telling the Penitent Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise he speaks in the common dialect and to the capacity of the Thief viz. that he should be in Heaven with Christ and with all just persons that have left this world Nor indeed would I fetch the explication of that Article of our Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He descended into Hell from any passage in the Scripture sooner than this here adding this that we must of necessity have recourse to the Greek Tongue for the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they generally use to denote the state of the dead as well the blessed as the miserable Those who would expound that passage in 1 Pet. III. 19. of his going down from the Cross into Hell to preach to the Spirits in Prison there do very little regard the scope of the Apostle and are absolute strangers to his meaning in it For 1. In that he shuts up the generation before the flood in an infernal prison he falls in with the received opinion of that Nation which was that that generation had no part in the world to come And that they were condemned to boiling waters in Hell 2. He compares the present Generation of the Jews with that Generation before the flood That Christ did of old preach even to that Generation and so he hath done to this That that Generation perished through its disobedience and so will this He runs much upon the same parallel in his second Epistle Chap. III. 6. c. We must observe that the Apostle makes his transition from the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Saviour directly to the Generation before the flood passing over all those Generations that came between on purpose that he might make the comparison betwixt that and the Age he lived in VERS LIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrapped it in Linnen MAR Zutrah saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Israel The Lord thy God is one Lord. And so being blind as to the mystery of the Trinity are the more hardened to deny that Our Saviour strenuously asserts here the God-head of the Son or Messiah namely that he hath the same power with the Father the same honour due to him as to the Father that he hath all things in common with the Father and hence he makes this reply upon them about healing on the Sabbath my Father worketh on the Sabbath day so do I also VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Son can do nothing of himself THAT is The Messiah can do nothing of himself For he is a Servant and sent by his Father so that he must work not of his own will and pleasure but his Father's Isai. XLII 1. Behold my servant Targ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold my Servant the Messiah So Kemch in loc and St. Paul Philip. II. 7. The Jew himself however he may endeavour to elude the sense of that phrase The Son of God yet cannot deny the truth of this Maxim That the Messiah can do nothing but according to the will and prescription of his Father that sent him Which he also will expound not of the weakness and impotency but the perfection and obedience of the Son that he so doth VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear c. THE Jews as we have said before looked for the Resurrection of the dead at the coming of Messiah and that truly and with great reason though it was not to be in their sense The Vision of Ezekiel about the dry bones living Chap. XXXVII and those words of Isaiah thy dead men shall live c. Chap. XXVI 20. suggesting to them some such thing although they grope exceedingly in the dark as to the true interpretation of this matter That of R. Eliczer is well enough n n n n n n Chetub â—ol 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people of the Earth the Gentiles do not live which somewhat agrees with that of the Apostle Ephes. II 2. Ye were dead in trespasses and sins Nor does that of Jeremiah Bar Abba sound much differently o o o o o o Sanhedr fol. 92. 2. The dry bones Ezek. XXXVII are the Sons of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom is not the moisture of the Law It is true many bodies of the Saints arose when Christ himself arose Matth. XXVII 52. But as to those places in Scripture which hint the Resurrection of the dead at his coming I would not understand them so much of these as the raising the Gentiles from their spiritual death of sin when they lay in ignorance and Idolatry to the light and life of the Gospel Nor need we wholly expound Ezekiel's dry bones recovered to life of the return of the Tribes of Israel from their Captivity though that may be included in it but rather or together with that the resuscitation of the Israel of God that is those Gentiles that were to believe in the Messiah from their spiritual death The words in the Revel XX. 5. This is the first Resurrection do seem to confirm this Now what and at what time is this Resurrection When the great Angel of the Covenant Christ had bound the old Dragon with the Chains of the Gospel and shut him up that he should no more seduce the Nations p p p p p p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lying Wonders Oracles and Divinations and his False-gods as formerly he had done that is when the Gospel being published amongst the Heathen Nations had laid open all the devices and delusions of Satan and had restored them from the death of sin and ignorance to a true state of life indeed This was the first Resurrection That our Saviour in this place speaks of this Resurrection I so much the less doubt because that Resurrction he here intends he plainly distinguishes it from the last and general Resurrection of the dead vers 28 29. this first Resurrection from that last which he points therefore to as it were with his finger the hour is coming and now is c. VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To execute judgment also because he is the Son of man DAN VII 13. Behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds and came to the Antient of days and there was given him dominion and glory c. To this our blessed Saviour seems to have respect in these words as the thing it self plainly shews R. Solomon upon the place One like the Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the King the Messiah R. Saadias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Messiah our righteousness When our Saviour declared before the Sanhedrin Ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds they all said art thou Christ the Son of the blessed God by which they imply that the Son of God and Christ are convertible terms as also are Christ and the Son of Man And it plainly shews that their eyes were intent up-this place Art thou that Son of Man spoken of in Daniel who is the Son of God the Messiah So did Christ in these words look that way VERS XXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As I hear I judge HE seems to allude to a custom amongst them q q q q q q Sanhedr cap. ult hal â— The Judge of an inferior Court if he doubts in any matter goes up to Jerusalem and takes the determination of the Sanhedrin and according to that he judgeth VERS XXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A burning and shining light HE speaks according to the vulgar dialect of that Nation who were wont to call any person famous for life or knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Candle r r r r r r Beresh rabba fol. 95. 4. Shuah the Father-in-law of Judah Gen. XXXVIII was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Candle or light of the place where he lived The Gloss is One of the most famous men in the City inlightning their eyes hence the title given to the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Candle of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lamp of light VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures THIS seems not to be of the imperative but indicative mood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye search the Scriptures and in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me yet ye will not come to me that ye might have life What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 means is not unknown to any that have but dipt into Jewish Authors It denotes a something more narrow search into the Scriptures something between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an enquiry into the literal and Cabbalistical sense of the words as R. Bechai in every leaf shews by several
that particularly by very impious vows they would be making We have a little hint of it Mat. XV. 5. and more in the Treatise Nedarim See also Mat. V. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemy This rule obtain'd in the Jewish Schools And upon that precept Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self let us see the mighty charitable Gloss in Chetubb c c c c c c Fol. 8. 2. Thou shalt love thy neighhour as thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is decree him to an easie death namely when he is adjudg'd by the Sanhedrin to die When you consider the frequent repetition of this precept Love one another consider also that passage Mat. X. 34. I came not to send peace but a sword and then having reflected on those horrid seditions and mutual slaughters wherewith the Jewish Nation raging within its self in most bloody discords and intestine broils was even by its self wasted and overwhelmed you will more clearly see the necessity and reasonableness of this command of loving one another as also the great truth of that expression By this they shall know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I have call'd you friends because all things c. Thus is it said of Abraham the friend of God Gen. XVIII 19. VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have not chosen me FOR it was a custom amongst the Jews that the Disciple should chuse to himself his own Master d d d d d d Avoth cap. 1. hal 6. Joshuah ben Perachiah said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chuse to thy self a master and get a Colleague VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had not had sin So also ver 24. in both places the passage is to be understood of that peculiar sin of rejecting the Messiah If I had not spoken to them and done those things that made it demonstrably evident that I was the Messiah they had not had sin that is they had not been guilty of this sin of rejecting me But when I have done such things amongst them it is but too plain that they do what they do in meer hatred to me and to my Father Our Saviour explains what sin he here meaneth in Chap. XVI 9. CHAP. XVI VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall put you out of the Synagogues THIS I presume must be understood of a casting out from the whole Congregation of Israel because I know the Jews always proceeded in that manner against the Samaritans and certainly the Disciples of Jesus were full as hateful to them as the Samaritans could be Nay they often call the Christians by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuthites as well as those Those that were cast out of the Church they despoil'd of all their goods according to Ezra X. 8. which they also did to those that were Shammatiz'd e e e e e e Moed-katon fol. 81. 2. whence it may be a question whether Shammaetizing did not cast out of the whole Congregation and again whether one cast out of the whole Congregation might be ever readmitted We may take notice of what is said in Avodah Zarah f f f f f f Fol. 7. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No one that relapseth may be receiv'd again for ever The Gloss tells us that the passage concerns the Plebeians or Laicks who having taken upon themselves any religious rule of life go back again from that profession they do not admit them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into that order and society again Whether therefore those that fell off from the Gospel returning to their Judaism again were ever admitted into the Jewish Church after they had voluntarily forsaken it might be an enquiry but these things only by the by There was in truth a twofold Epocha of the persecution of the Apostolical Church namely both before that Apostacy of which we have such frequent mention and also after it Our Saviour had foretold the Apostacy in that tremendous Parable about the unclean spirit cast out and returning again with seven worse So shall it be also saith he with this wicked generation Mat. XII 45. The footsteps of this we may discern almost in every Epistle of the Apostles It is worthy observation that of 2 Thes. II. 3. This day of the Lord shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed The day of the Lord here spoken of was that wherein Christ should come and reveal himself in that remarkable vengeance against Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation of which kind of expression we shall say more on Chap. XXI 22. The Apostacy or falling away and revelation of the man of sin was to precede that day which might be easily made out by a History of those times if I were to do the business either of an Historian or a Chronologer When therefore the severe and cruel persecution was first rais'd by the unbelieving Jews before this falling away of Christians it must needs be greatly encreas'd afterward by them and the Apostates together Which distinction we may easily observe out of this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will think that he doth God service So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zealots of whom we have mention in Sanhedr g g g g g g Fol. 81. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Zealots kill him Gloss. These are those good men who are endued with zeal in the cause of God Such who with their own hands immediately slew the transgressor not staying for the judgment of the Sanhedrin So in the place before quoted The Priest that ministers at the Altar in his uncleanness they do not bring before the Sanhedrin but they bring him out into the Court and there brain him with the pieces of wood provided to maintain the fire upon the Altar What infinite mischiefs and effusion of blood such pretexts of zeal toward God might occasion it is easie to imagin and very direful instances have already witnessed to the world Hence was it that they so often went about to have ston'd our Saviour Hence those forty and more that had conspir'd against St. Paul And those Zealots whose butcherly cruelties are so infamous in the Jewish story took the occasion of their horrid madness first from this liberty From such kind of Villains as these the Disciples of Christ could have little safeguard indeed they were greatly endanger'd upon a threefold account I. From the stroke of Excommunication by which they were spoiled of their goods and estates Heb. X. 34. II. From the sentence of the Sanhedrin dooming them either to be scourg'd or slain III. From these Assasins for by this name a name too well known in Europe we will call them We pronounce Assasine and Assasination Gul. Tyrius calls them Assysins whom it may be worth the while to consult about the original of that name
lookt toward one another but when they did not then they turn'd their faces toward the walls Thus Onkelos comments upon this place of the Chronicles I hardly think he Targumizeth on the Book for the Targum at least that is in our hands renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the Cherubins are made of lilly-work VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended c. THESE words relate to what he had spoken formerly about sending the Comforter and that he would not leave them comfortless c. And this probably Mary Magdalen's mind was intent upon when she fell at his feet and would have embraced them But he I must first ascend to my Father before I can bestow those things upon you which I have promised do not therefore touch me and detain me upon any expectation of that kind but wait for my Ascension rather and go and tell the same things to my Brethren for their encouragement VERS XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted HE had formerly given them a power of binding and loosing and therefore probably bestows something more upon them now than what he had conferr'd before For I. It would seem a little incongruous for our Saviour to use an action so new and unwonted such as was his breathing upon them to vest them only with that power which he had before given them II. The power of binding and loosing was concern'd only in the articles and decisions of the Law this power which he now gives them reacht to the sins of mankind That power concern'd the Doctrines this the persons of men Now that we may understand the words that are before us let us a little consider what is said Luk. XXIV 46. Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Which words we may suppose he spoke before he utter'd what is in this verse And so might there not upon the occasion of those words arise some such scruple as this in the Apostles breasts Is it so indeed must remission of sins be Preached to those in Jerusalem who have stain'd themselves with the blood of the Messiah himself Yes saith he For whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them To this those words of his upon the Cross have some reference Luk. XXIII 34. Father forgive them c. And indeed upon what foundation with what confidence could the Apostles have preacht remission of sins to such wretched men who had so wickedly so cruelly murder'd their own Lord the Lord of life unless authoriz'd to it by a peculiar commission granted to them from their Lord himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose soever ye retain they are retained Besides the negative included in these words that is If you do not remit them they shall not be remitted there is something superadded that is positive That is I. There is granted to them a power of smiting the rebellious with present death or some bodily stroke II. A power of delivering them over to Satan Whence had St. Peter that power of striking Ananias and Sapphira with so fatal a bolt whence St. Paul that of striking Elymas blind whence of delivering over Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan if not from this very commission given them by Christ Christ himself never exercis'd this power himself it was not one person whom he stroke either with death or any afflictive disease some indeed he raised when they had been dead and infinite numbers of the sick and diseased whom he cured He snatcht several from the power of the Devils he deliver'd none to them That the Apostles therefore might be capable of performing things of so high a nature it was necessary they should be backt and encourag'd by a peculiar authority which if we find not in this clause Whose soever sins ye retain they are retained where should we look for it And therefore when he endows his Apostles with a power which he never thought fit to exercise in his own person no wonder if he does it by a singular and unusual action and that was breathing upon them ver 22. But we must know that whereas amongst other mighty powers conferr'd we reckon that as one viz. delivering over unto Satan we are far from meaning nothing else by it but Excommunication What the Jews themselves meant by that kind of phrase let us see by one instance d d d d d d Succah fol. 53. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those two men of Cush that stood before Solomon Elihoreph and Ahijah the Scribes Sons of Shausha On a certain day Solomon saw the Angel of Death weeping he said why weepest thou He answer'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because these two Cushites entreat me that they may continue here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon deliver'd them over to the Devil who brought them to the borders of Luz and when they were come to the borders of Luz they dy'd Gloss. He calls them Cushites Ironically because they were very beautiful They entreat me that they might continue here For the time of their death was now come But the Angel of death could not take their souls away because it had been decreed that they should not die but at the Gates of Luz Solomon therefore deliver'd them over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Devils for he reign'd over the Devils as it is written And Solomon sat upon the Throne of the Lord for he reigned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over those things that are above and those things that are below Josephus also makes mention of the power that Solomon had over Devils e e e e e e Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God taught him an art against Demons The belief of either of these stories is at the liberty of the Reader Only from the former we may make this observation that a power of delivering over to Satan was even in the Jews opinion divine and miraculous We acknowledg this to have been in the Apostles and in the Apostles only and I know no where if not in the words we are now treating of from whence otherwise the original of this power and authority can be deriv'd III. It seems further that at this very time was granted to the Apostles a commission to confer the Holy Spirit on those whom they found qualify'd and that in these words Receive ye the Holy Ghost i. e. Receive ye it to distribute it to others For although it cannot be deny'd but that they receiv'd the Holy Ghost for other reasons also and to other ends of which we have already discours'd yet is not this great end to be excluded which seem'd the highest and noblest endowment of all viz. that Christ breathing upon them inspir'd them with the Holy
cap. 11. Here Lands are sold not so much upon the account of their own poverty as the poverty of others CHAP. V. VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Kept back part of the price c. DIDST thou not remember O Ananias what things had been prophesied concerning the Spirit of the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of the King Messiah viz. a spirit of Wisdom and understanding c. Isai. XI 2. He shall make him quick of scent in the fear of the Lord. d d d d d d Sanhedr fol. 93. 2. Rabba saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He smelleth and judgeth Not after the sight of his eyes doth he judge Bar-Cozbi reigned two years and an half and said to the Rabbins I am the Messiah they reply upon him it is written of the Messiah that he smelleth and judgeth let us see if thou canst do so also c. The Gloss is He smells out a man whether he be guilty or innocent By what apprehension of things Ananias was so deceived as to think to have deceived the Holy Ghost is not easie to conceive or guess He might understand by the instance of Gehazi how quick and â—agacious the Spirit of a Prophet is in detecting all cheats and tricks and did he not suppose the Apostles endowed with a spirit as capable as the Prophet's was whatever it was that had blinded him to that madness or hardened him to that daringness in sin he abides as a dreadful monument throughout all ages of the indignation of God upon all those that shall contemn and vilifie his Holy Spirit whom if he did not blaspheme within his heart how near was he to that sin such mischiefs can Hypocrisie and Covetousness bring about It is not to be searched out of what degree or quality this Ananias was There is some probability he was not of the meer vulgar sort but of some higher rank because the mention of him falls in with that of Barnabas and there are more things that do in some measure perswade us For what hinders why he should not be supposed to have been one of that number upon whom the Holy Ghost had been shed What Judas was amongst the twelve that might he be amongst the hundred and twenty endowed with the gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet a Devil For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may have something more in it than lying to the Holy Ghost Perhaps it may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsifying the Holy Ghost and making him a lyar VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Peter said c. WHether St. Peter derived the Authority of sentencing this man to an immediate death from those words of our Lord whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Joh. XXI or whether from some immediate revelation or both he gives a notable instance of his own repentance and recovery after his fall whiles he who by a lie yea even perjury it self had denyed his Master doth such severe execution upon another for a lie he was guilty of VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wound him up c. THEY having no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burying Cloths at hand do bind up the dead man in what fashion they can and carrying him out of that place commit him to the earth VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 About the space of three hours SO long a space of time being spent for interring the deceased doth seem to hint something as to the distance of the burying place which in the Cities of the Levites we have thus described The Suburbical Lands for the Levitical Cities are defined in the Law to be three thousand cubits from the wall of each side outward According as it is said From the wall of the City and outward a thousand cubits And it is elsewhere said ye shall measure from without the City on the East side two thousand cubits The thousand cubits are the Suburbs of the City and those two thousand which they measure beyond those are for Fields and Vineyards Now they assign the burying place for each City beyond all these bounds because they do not bury their dead within the limits of the City e e e e e e Maimon Shemittah Vejobel cap. 13. The burying place from a Levitical City was above a mile and an half distant Was it so in other Cities that belonged not to the Levites doubtless burying places were at some distance from all Cities but whether so far may be enquired but must not be the matter of our present search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not knowing what was done Hence probably we may gather the reason why the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wound him up is added Had the deceased been carried to his own House or Lodgings by them who brought him out of the Chamber where he fell down dead to fetch burying cloths his Wife could not have been ignorant of what had fallen out but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wound him up as well as they could in his own Cloths and so carried him out and buried him VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of the rest durst no man joyn themselves unto them WHO should these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest be those certainly that were of the number of the hundred and twenty excepting the XII Apostles Of this number I presume Ananias might be one and the rest being terrified by the fate of one of their own order conceived so great a dread and reverence for the Apostles that they durst not joyn with them as their equals VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them AND why the shadow of Peter more than the rest of the Apostles who shared an equal authority and power of miracles with himself ver 12 1. It must be supposed that the sick were not brought out in their beds into the streets unless they had first seen Peter or were assured that he must pass by 2. It is a question whether they that brought out their sick knew any other of the Apostles besides Peter They had heard him speaking they had seen him doing while the rest were silent and sat still And that which these believers here do doth not so much argue his preeminence beyond the rest of the Apostles as that he was more known and noted than the others were VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of this life THERE is no necessity that these words should beget any difficulty if we will observe that ver 17. there is mention of the Sect of the Sadducees So that the words of this life are words that assert and prove this life that is the resurrection which the Sadducees deny For the controversie was about Jesus his resurrection VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law THIS was Rabban Gamaliel the first commonly and by way of
take what thou wilt and have Lord let me have the righteousness which is of God by faith All things in the World are but dung to it His great Master had taught him and teacheth us all that this is the thing so desirable and to be longed after Matth. V. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness How shall I speak upon this subject A theme fit to be discoursed on by the Tongue of an Angel or by the Tongue of a Saint in glory If a Lazarus should come out of Heaven to preach on Earth as the rich man would have had him in that parable how would he upon his own experience of the excellency of it magnifie this righteousness Nay if a Dives could return from Hell to preach to his brethren and advise them that they should not come into the place of torment he would tell them that all things in the world are but dung and there is but unum necessarium to get that righteousness which is of God by faith Lazarus how camest thou to Heaven Why I was justified Rom. VIII 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified Dives how camest thou to be damned Because I was not justified I shall not enter into any of the various and nice disputes about Justification I shall only speak something of the incomparable excellency of it that if it may be I may warm your hearts a little in the desire and longing after it which is so desirable and to be longed after And this I shall do by considering the nature of it and the effects and I need to look no further It s like the Ark of the Covenant overlaid with gold within and without T is all glorious within in its own nature and all glorious without in its fruits and effects For the first the nature of justification How shall I define or describe it As the Apostle doth Faith Heb. XI 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen not so exactly desining it to speak out its whole nature but as best applicable to his present discourse So I of this to speak of it according to the theme proposed as it is desirable and to be longed after let me say Justification is a mans being interessed in all Christs righteousness and if any thing be to be longed after sure that is To be interessed in all Christs righteousness Laban spake high when he said All these things thou seest are mine these Children are my Children c. XXXI Gen. 43. But how high and glorious is that that may be said of a justified person All thou hearest of Christ is thine his life is thine his death is thine his obedience merit righteous spirit all is thine The Jews speak much when they say all the six hundred and thirteen precepts are comprehended in Justus ex fide vivet The just shall live by faith But they are far from construing the thing aright when they look for justification by their own works and it is a monster of Doctrine in their ears that men are to be justified by the righteousness of another and by the obedience of another But the Gospel as the Apostle tells us Reveals that great mystery For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. I. 17. Here are two scruples 1. Did not the Law reveal the righteousness of God How then is it ascribed to the Gospel that it reveals it And 2. How doth it reveal it from faith to faith True indeed the Law revealed Gods condemning righteousness but the Gospel his justifying righteousness the righteousness of God in a more singular excellency Glorious is the righteousness of God in all its actings his condemning justice his rewarding justice but most singularly glorious is his justifying justice and this most especially is exalted in Scripture as the righteousness of God of the choicest eminency And secondly this Righteousness is revealed in the Gospel from faith to faith How is that I cannot take it only from one degree of faith to another but from one kind of faith to another The Jews that expected justifying by their own works yet had they a faith in God they believed in him looked for good from him but they knew not what faith in God through Christ was they looked for justifying from God and had a faith or belief they should observe it but were utter strangers to justifying through faith in Christ this therefore the Gospel reveals as the great mystery of salvation The righteousness of God justifying a sinner and this from immediate believing in God to believing in him through Christ Jesus and expecting justifying from by our own righteousness to expecting justifying by the righteousness of Christ. The Apostle in Rom. V. from vers 12. forward confirms that that I propose that justification is by imputation of Christs righteousness and the comparison that he there useth clears the matter fully He to open that great point of justification by the righteousness of Christ takes a parallel from the imputation of Adams sin and you may see how all along he sets the one against the other let us speak a little to that parallel 1. Does not the matter of imputation in his discourse there and in deed in it self argue some descending relation as I may tell it Imputation is upon relation of descention He speaks of Adams sin imputed to whom To them that are in relation to him in descent all his posterity The Angels sin is not imputed to him nor his to Angels nor Angels to Angels but Adams to all his posterity because of their relation to him The sin in violating the command given him is imputed to all his posterity because his posterity for they all were in him and inclosed in the Covenant for it was made not with Adam as one man but with all humane nature included in him and so his guilt descended to them upon that relation So the righteousness of Christ is imputed to whom To those that are related to him his seed such as are born of him The comparison of the Apostle must run parallel Adams sin imputed to his seed Christs righteousness to his 2. All the seed of Adam are made sinful alike by his sin so all the seed of Christ are justified a like by his obedience Original sin hath not magis minus but all originally sinful alike though all not actually sinful alike So Justification hath not magis minus but all that are justified are justified alike Sanctification hath its degrees Adams righteousness and holiness were equally perfect but the righteousness and holiness of Saints not so for they are justified by an infinite righteousness but they are not sanctified by an infinite holiness 3. All the righteousness of Christ is imputed to him Not one Saint one part another another but every one all As anima tota in toto tota in qualibet parte So all the righteousness
there is sin unto death than that there should be any sin that is not unto death as our Apostle saith there is in the words immediately going before these that I have chosen In these that I have chosen you see there are two clauses and out of either of them arise two Questions Out of the former I. What sin it is the Apostle means And II. Why he titles it by such a name A sin unto death Out of the latter I. Why he forbideth to pray for it And II. Why he forbideth not to pray for it I mean why he speaketh not out in down right terms I say that he should not pray for it but says only I say not that he should The Rhemists Popish Expositors upon the place will answer you even all these questions with a breath if you will but take their words and little more than their bare word must you expect for the proof and confirmation of what they tell you 1. They will tell you that the sin our Apostle means is any sin whatsoever that any one lives in unrepentant all his time 2. They will tell you that it is titled A sin unto death because he lives in it till his death and so dies in it 3. They will tell you that the Apostle by not praying for him means not praying for him when he is dead but he that sins not a sin unto death that is that lives not in his sin till he die but repents of it before for him you must pray after his death For that the place is most properly or only meant of praying for the departed say they this convinced that neither the Church nor any man is debarred here from praying for any sinner while living nor for remission of any sin in this life And so they go on When I read these mens Annotations on this Scripture they often mind me of Benhadads servants with ropes about their necks catching at any word that fell from the King of Israels mouth that might be for any advantage to their forlorn and lost cause and condition These mens Popish cause hath had the rope about its neck now a long time and been in a lost and forlorn case and I cannot tell whether I should laugh or frown to see what pitiful shift and shameful scrambling they make for it by catching at any word or syllable in the Scripture or Fathers and wresting and twisting and twining it to any seeming or colourable advantage to their condemned cause to save it from execution Certainly they are at a very hard pinch for proof of praying for the dead when they make such a scraping in this portion of Scripture to rake it out thence whereas the words are as far from meaning the living praying for the dead as the dead praying for the living And at the very same game they be in their notes upon our Saviours words concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost that it shall never be forgiven in this World nor in the World to come Matth. XII 32. Their note is that some sins may be remitted in the next life and consequently this proves Purgatory As the poor frantick distracted wretch at Athens that fed and pleased himself with this fancy that every ship that came into the Port was his ship that all the goods that came into the Town were his goods whilst he himself in the mean time was miserably poor naked and ready to famish so these men think every verse in Scripture brings in something to their stock every saying of the Fathers something to their bank whilst in the mean while their pitiful cause walks starven and poor and blind and naked and stands in need of all things The sin against the Holy Ghost indeed is distinct and something different from this sin unto death that our Apostle speaketh of yet since there is such a particular sin against the Holy Ghost that is so deadly why should not these men think that sin in the Text that carries so deadly a name is a particular sin likewise It is true indeed that a sin in which a man continues unrepenting until his death and in which he dies may very justly be called A sin to death that is a sin until his death and it will prove A sin to death eternal but that the Apostle means here a particular sin and that he estimates it not by its length but by its weight not by how long the party continues in it but by how grievous the sin is in it self will appear as we go along partly by discovery of the reason of the title he puts upon it and partly by discovery of the very sin it self that is here intended But before we begin with the discovery of the reason of the title let us a little look first into the meaning of those words of our Saviour Joh. XX. 22. He breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Do not the Apostles here receive a new power or priviledge or guift which Christ had not imparted to them before Else why such an action as he had never used toward them before so breathing on them The common acceptation of these words whose soever sins ye remit or retain are remitted or retained is to make them to mean the same thing with what ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven c. But besides that the expressions are of a vast difference why if Christ had given them the very same power in those words that he doth in these why should he repeat it especially why should he use such a solemn and unusual rite toward them to breath upon them He had given them power of miracles and healing and casting out Devils before without breathing upon them He had given them power of binding and loosing that is of establishing or abolishing the rites and Laws of Moses for so the Phrase in the common acceptation of the Nation did only signifie and this he did without breathing upon them Therefore certainly in this his new action and these his new words as I may call them he gives them some new power and that in two kinds 1. In his breathing upon them and bidding them receive the Holy Ghost he gives the Holy Ghost to give again or he gives them power by the imposition of their hands to bestow the Holy Ghost as the sacred Story tells you the Apostle did and none but the Apostles could do And 2. In his words whose soever sins ye remit or retain he gives them a punitive or executive double power viz. To strike desperate or incorrigible and horrid transgressors with some corporal punishment or stroke or else to give them up to Satan to be tortured and scourged in body and vexed and disquieted in mind Where had Peter his warrant to strike Ananias and Sapphira with death but from these words And Paul
to strike Elymas with blindness and to deliver Hymenaeus and Alexander unto Satan but from that Apostolick power which Christ granted to the Apostles in these words Well might not these sins very well be called sins unto death that were overtaken with such deadly and dreadful penalties Was not that sin a sin unto death that was to be retained as retaining is set in di rectopposition to remitting Thus may we bring the subjectum quaestionis into a farnarrower compass than the Rhemists bring it who do bewray their ignorance one way that they may serve their own turn another their ignorance of the proper original of the Phrase sin unto death that they may serve their turn about praying for the dead The greatest difficulties of the Scripture lie in the Language for unlock the Language and Phrases and the difficulty is gone And therefore they that take upon them to preach by the spirit and to expound the Scripture by the spirit let them either unlock to me the Hebrew Phrases in the Old Testament and the Greek in the New that are difficult and obscure or else they do nothing Now to attain to the meaning of such dark and doubtful Phrases the way is not so proper to put on them a sense of our own as to consider what sense they might take them in to whom and among whom the things were spoken and written in their common Speech If it were well considered how the Jewish Nation understood binding and loosing in their Schools and in their common Speech we should never need to mint such senses of our own to put upon the Phrase it would so be done to our hands Such an obscure Phrase is that of our Saviours about the sin against the Holy Ghost that it shall never be forgiven neither in this life nor c. And the collection that the Rhemists make upon it may seem very Logical for in that he saith that sin shall not be forgiven in the World to come doth it not argue that some other sins are then forgiven But this is their own sense and Logick it is not our Saviours Now how should we know our Saviours sense By considering how they would understand it to whom the words were spoken in their common acceptation and Language viz. they would soon understand it to be a direct facing and confuting of their foolish opinion concerning forgiveness of blasphemy against God which was that repentance and the day of expiation expiated a third part of the sin corporal punishment inflicted by the Magistrate expiated another third part but death did quite wipe it clean out for say they it is written This sin shall not be purged from you till you die which argues that it was purged by death No saith our Saviour neither in this life either by repentance nor day of expiation nor corporal punishment nor pardon in the life to come by the purging and wiping out of death Such an obscure Phrase is this before us A sin unto deâ—th and it seems a fair sense which the Rhemists have put upon it of their own viz. that it should mean A sin a man liâ—es in till he die But this is their own sense it is not the Apostles Now how should we know the Apostles sense By considering how they understood this Phrase in their common Language to whom he wrote And how was that Take it up by this Observation That in the Jewish Schools and Nation and Language this was a most frequent and ordinary saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man do such or such a thing as should not be done ignorantly he is to bring a sin offering and that attones for him But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he do it wilfully he is bound over to cutting off And in this they speak but the words of the Law in Numb XV. 27 28. If any soul sin through ignorance he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering And the Priest shall make an attonement for him that sinneth ignorantly But the soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a Stranger the same hath reproached the Lord That soul shall be cut off from among his people Now what is meant by cutting off If you ask some they will put a sense of their own upon the Phrase and tell you it means a cutting off or separating a person from the Congregation and publick Assemblies by Excommunication But ask the Jews to and among whom the thing was spoken what it means in their common speech and acceptation and they will tell you cutting off means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death by the hand of Heaven Death or destruction by the hand of God Interpreting the matter to this purpose that if a person sinned wilfully and presumptuously there was no sin offering allowed in that case but the party so offending fell immediately under liableness to divine vengance to be destroied or cut off by the hand of Heaven And this interpretation of the Phrase of cutting off the Apostle Paul doth justifie in that passage Heb. X. 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment c. That Text of Moses lots out the family of the Achan that we are speaking of the sin unto death and this Text of the Apostle takes him by the poll and tells what sin it is It tells you what sin it is viz. Sinning wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth It limits to you why it is called a sin unto death because there is no other way upon the committing of it but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation And it gives you some intimation why no praying for it because no sacrifice for it Before we come to speak upon the words we have some cause to muse and mourn over them As it is said Origen wept over that passage of the Psalmist that after his Apostasie stung him in Psal. L. 16 17. But unto the wicked God said what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and casteth my words behind thee If there be no sacrifice for sin but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation when we have sinned wilfully after we have once received the knowledge of the truth Men and brethren what shall we do Take the truth in the sense that may help most to favour us for the Gospel as it means there indeed And take sinning wilfully for as exclusive a term as you can to shut and exclude us out of the guilt here intended yet who can say but he hath sinned wilfully since he received the knowledge of the Gospel over and over If I should take Jeremiahs course in his fifth Chapter and vers 4. and forward sending first to the poor or inferior rank and ask
them Have you not sinned wilfully since you receiv'd the knowledge of the Gospel in your private deportment Or go to the great ones or to them in power dignity and estate and ask them have you not sinned wilfully since you receiv'd the knowledge of the truth in your publick imployment I cannot say what every one or any one may answer but I am sure the fairest way and upon the justest reason for every one to answer were as t is Job VII 20. I have sinned what shall I do to thee O preserver of men I have sinned wilfully what shall I do to thee O thou giver of the Gospel The word the Apostle useth here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the best and nearest propriety signifies willingly and so it shreds a lapful of gourds the more into the pot of pottage to make it the more bitter For though some conscience may contend to secure it self against the accusation of sinning wilfully yet who can say but he hath sinned willingly since he received the knowledge of the Gospel and that many a time over The allay shall I say or the smartness of this word is best to be judged by the contrary word which the Greek Interpreters used in the case of Moses we have alledged What he speaks of sinning ignorantly they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinning unwillingly and so they oppose unwilling sinning and pâ—esumptuous sinning one against the other And answerably the Apostle using the word but doth most directly oppose unwilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that doth most directly oppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sheweth plainly that he takes it in the same direct opposition namely to signifie sinning wilfully or presumptuously But what is this particular sin that he doth intend What is that sinning wilfully with him that with our Apostle is a sin unto death Guess it by the story of those times which shews it plain enough that I may not spend more time than is needful about the discovery of it Our Saviour in the end of his parable of the unclean spirit cast out of a man and walking in dry places and because he could find no rest there returning to the place whence he came out with seven other spirits worse than himself and dwelling there hath this sad cadence Even so shall it be also to this wicked generation Matth. XII 45. Ah! unhappy generation the Devil cast out and returning again absent a while himself but returning with seven other Devils worse than himself how great how sad an apostasie doth this intimate in the Jewish Nation from the Gospel which had cast out the unclean spirit for a while from among them Such an Apostasie very deadly and general from the Gospel after they had received the knowledge of it and so evidently recorded in the Apostles Epistles that I need not to recite it and so copiously that I should but tire you with citing places Take but these two or three Gal. I. 6. The Apostle intimates that they were removed and soon removed from him that called them into the grace of Christ. II Tim. I. 15. All Asia which once had been all for Paul were now departed from him II Pet. II. 22. It was happened to some according to the Proverb The Dog is returned to his vomit Such instances are numerous But this was not all The cast out Devil did not only return but seven worse Devils returned with him They did not only Apostatise from the Gospel they had professed but became bitter enemies and persecutors of the Gospel from which they Apostatized This cursed root of gall and wormwood did sprout forth into Hell as cursed branches fruits of Sodom direct revolting to their old Judaism or downright falling into Nicolaitisme the one gainsaying liberty of the Gospel the other turning it into Libertinism The one an enemy to the Gospel because of its Spiritualness the other because of its Holiness The Jewish Nation were so doting upon their Ceremonies and formal manner of Religion and Worship that as you find all along the story of those times in the Acts of the Apostles and their Epistles the unbelieving Jews cried down the Gospel and were bitter enemies to it because it cried down their Ceremonies And many and many of those that had believed Apostatized from it upon the same dotage and became as bitter nay if possible more bitter enemies against them than the other The Nicolaitans stumbled at another block interpreting the liberty of the Gospel and they fell into all loosness and uncleanness to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit Fornication and they became as horrid enemies to the Gospel as the other because it taught and perswaded a better course These things lie so clear in Scripture to be observed that I should do but a needless work to insist on them Thus whereas that was a happy wonder of Paul Gal. I. 23. That he now preached the Gospel which he once destroied the contrary is an unhappy monster with these men they now destroy the Gospel which they once professed and it is not unlikely what some of them preached Instances of this are little less copious than the other I shall offer you but two the one foretelling that such a thing should be and the other telling that such a thing was come to pass Act. XX. 29 30. This I know that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you spoiling the flock Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things c. To which this ecchoes I Joh. II. 18. Little children it is the last time And as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even so now are their many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time They went out from us c. They went out from us There is their Apostasie from the Gospel They are Antichrists there is their enmity against it And by the way learn from the Apostle there how to construe the last times which Phrase occurs so frequently viz. for the last times of the Jewish State and City And I must crave leave to understand that passage concerning the man of sin in II Thes. II. of these very persons and of those very times I read the Romish Antichrist in the Revelations in great Letters but truly I can read none but the Jewish Antichrist in this place This then more peculiarly is the sin our Apostle meaneth here and the Apostle Paul in that place of the Epistle to the Hebrews that I cited as might be shewed out of that and this Epistle if it were needful but I suppose that is not much needful since the thing speaks it self and it is so plain that there could not be a more deadly sin and there was not a more horrid sin in those times than such horrid Apostasie and such horrid enmity Every presumptuous sin in the Text was cited in Moses was a sin unto death in the sense that the Jewish Nation understood a
because I would have every one to look well about lest the case be his own and not I but every mans own Conscience to judge whether he be guilty of wilful sinning or no. What thinks the Conscience of a false witness of a forsworn deponent that knowingly and resolvedly takes a false oath perverse justice and seeks the injury of his neighbour doth not this man know his sins wilfully What thinks the common swearer the common prophaner of the Lords day the unclean person the riotous and wanton the deceiver oppresser scoffer of the power of godliness does he not know or think that he sins wilfully If they will not know it nor think so but be more wilful still in wilful shutting their eyes against conviction let me leave that saying of the Lord himself written as it were upon these walls for a witness against them shall I say or as a doom upon them which you have Esa. XXVI 11. They will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people yea and the fire of Gods enemies shall devour them The Apostle Ecchoes the last words in that passage we cited expectation of fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries I might shew the deadliness of such wilful sinning especially by two Observations I. That it is a most deadly symptom when the actus primus voluntatis when the will is so desperately poisoned at the bottom The acting of any sin is deadly enough of it self but when it is committed by the full bent of the first act of the will it is as poisoning the bullet to make it the more deadly which was killing enough of it self before Chistian how readest thou Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind and withal thy heart But wilful sinner how actest thou To oppose the counsel and command of the Lord with all the heart and mind and soul. To love and follow and commit wickedness with all the heart and mind and soul. If this be not a deadly wound under the fifth rib a mortal Plague at the bottom of the Will what can you call the Plague of the Heart II. Such sinning doth not only proceed from such a deadly principle but it adds more deadliness to that principle Every wilful sinning doth add more hardness and more wilfulness of sinning to the Heart still A hard Heart doth harden by sinning and the more the sin is wilful the more the Heart gathers hardness The Jews fein this the creeping on of the tempter to Eve that the Serpent asked the Woman why not eat of this Tree She answered Because God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dye First he drew nigh to it and said Thou seest I am nigh it and yet do not dye then she toucht it and then eat of it So do wilful sinnings draw on one another and from one the Heart is imboldned to another If such sinners would but find time with an impartial candle of self examination to look into their own Hearts they would find the too sad experience of this truth written there in black letters indeed But because few such will read their own Hearts let me leave that verse of the Apostle with them to read and to see what construction they can make of it to save their own stake If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 27. 1669. ACT. XVII 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead OCcasional meditations are Samsons hony gathered out of a dead carcase Heavenly thoughts taken up from Earthly occurrences the Sun and Heaven seen in looking downward into the Water from the Earthly objects that man meets with here below the Heart raising meditation upon them to some Heavenly purpose The true Philosophers stone indeed that turns what a man meets withal into some golden meditation And this divine Elizir our Saviour used very much From the occasion of the Samaritan Womans fetching water he raiseth his discourse and her thoughts to consider of the water of his Grace Joh. IV. And upon the occasion of the peoples following him for loaves he would raise their minds to think of the meat that perished not but indureth to Eternal Life Joh. VI. And in all his parables which were so exceeding frequent with him wherein he was still teaching some Spiritual and Heavenly things by some Earthly resemblance whatsoever the particular intent of every several parable was yet this intimation went in general with them all That there was to be an improvement of the observation of Earthly things and occurrences to Heavenly thoughts and meditations As he in the story that looked toward the Earth and pointed toward the Earth and yet cried O Câ—lum Methinks such a noble and remarkable occasion as we now meet withal should not be let pass without some elevated meditation And when we see our Assises Judges Trials Sentencings methinks a sursum corda may do very well in thoughts taken of the great and dreadful Judgment As Esa. XXXIII 17 18. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Thy heart shall meditate terrors A right occasional meditation The right of an Earthly King in his royalty may justly move and stir up the heart to meditate the terrors of the King of glory The sight of a Judge in his authority and honour and the sight of the day and of the passages of an Assise may very properly and should indeed stir up the heart to meditate the terrors of that great day which the Lord hath appointed wherein he will judge the World in righteousness by the man which he hath ordained of which c. Such a reflection caused me to choose these words to discourse upon at this time at the Assise of our County to stir up the remembrance of the greatest Assise of all the World a meditation that can never be but useful and more especially at such a time as this that gives some specimen and Idea in little of the thing and does as it were in landskip lay the thing before us The Apostle in this place is discoursing to the University men of Athens It is said vers 21. That the Athenians spent their time in nothing but to tell or hear some new thing And here was strange business for them to purpose Strange news to them to hear such a Sermon against their Idolatry to hear speak concerning the Resurrection of the dead and an universal Judgment of all the World and all the World to be judged by a man that God had ordained Such riddles to flesh and blood and
God the true Messias And the Jews that would not believe that no sign would serve to make them believe That indeed you 'l say gave assurance to all men that he was the Son of God the true Messias but how did that give assurance that there should be an universal Judgment and he the Judge Truly he that knows what the true Messias means needs no more proof and demonstration of that than his very Character He is heir of the World he is Prince and Saviour he is King in Sion he is set up above all Principality and power as the Scripture speaks these and divers other things of him and doth any man need more evidence of his being judge of all the World But our question is how that is inferred or argued from his Resurrection The Resurrection of Christ did beget and effectuate a double Resurrection for you have mention of a two fold Resurrection in Scripture First There is mention of the first Resurrection Rev. XX. 5. The Millenary not able to clear the notion whereof nor to spell out the meaning hath bewildred himself in those wild conceptions as he hath done The first Resurrection began and took place presently after our Saviours own Resurrection for it means no other than the raising the Heathen from their death in sin blindness and Idolatry to the life light and obedience of the Gospel And so the Apostle titles their estate writing to the Ephesians which had been some of them Ephes. II. 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins And to that very tenor are those words of the Prophet Esay XXVI 19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise The Gentiles to be raised from their spiritual death presently upon his raising from his bodily And who so shall well weigh those words of our Saviour Joh. V. 25. The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live will clearly find them to mean nothing else So that the Resurrection of Christ had first influence and virtue to cause this spiritual Resurrection the Resurrection of souls the raising up of the Gentiles from the death of sin And whence it had this influence it is easie to read viz. because by his Resurrection he had conquered the Devil who had so long kept the poor Heathen under that spiritual death Will you have a Commentary upon that passage in Psal. CX 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power First His Resurrection day of power Rom. I. 4. Then look into the story of the Acts of Apostles the history of the times next following his Resurrection You may wonder there to see people coming in by flocks and thousands to the acknowledgment and entertaining of the Gospel three thousand at one Sermon Chap. II. five thousand at another Chap. III. and further in that book in a little time the Gospel running through the World and imbraced and intertained of all Nations Oh! It was the day of his power and thy people shall be willing in day of thy power He had now Conquered Hell and Satan by his death and rising again whose captives those poor heathen had been two and twenty hundred years and now he said to the captives Go free and to the prisoners Go forth and so they did And upon the very like account his Resurrection hath influence to the causing and effectuating the general Resurrection at the last day For though it might be a little too long to hold that the wicked shall be raised by the very same virtue of Christs Resurrection that the godly shall yet it is not too large to hold that they shall be raised by some virtue of his Resurrection viz. as his Resurrection had conquered death and brought him to those articles that he must in time give up and restore all prisoners and dead that they may come and give account to him that conquered him I have the keys of the grave and death faith he in the Revelations he had wrung the keys out of the jaylors hand and opened the prison doors that the prisoners should come out when he calls Very observable to the purpose we are upon viz. that Christs Resurrection did assure that judgment and that he should be judge is that in Phil. II. 8. 9. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him Obedience was that debt that was to be paid to God Whereas much stress is laid upon the torments that Christ suffered it is very true that he suffered as much as I may say God could lay upon him short of his own wrath and as much as the Devil could withal his wrath but that was not the debt that was due and to be paid to God Wrath and torment and damnation was rather the debt that was to be paid to man But the debt was obedience For easie is it to observe how Satan had got the day of God as with reverence I may speak it when he had brought the chief creature of Gods creation and in him all mankind to disobey God and to be obedient to him and had carried it for ever had not an obedience been paid again to God that outvied that disobedience How might Satan triumph Man that is the darling creature to the Creator and that is set up Lord and Ruler of all Creatures and to whom even the Angels are appointed to be ministring Spirits I have brought this brave Gallant to forsake his Creator and to follow and obey me But forth steps this noble Champion of God and in the form of a servant incounters this triumpher and mauger all his spite and power and vexatiousness he pays God an obedience incomparably beyond the obedience that Adam should have paid incomparably outweighing the disobedience that Adam shewed He paid an obedience that should answer for the disobedience of all his people An obedience that should be a stock for all his people Nay he paid an obedience that outvied all the disobediences of all men and Devils For he paid an obedience that was infinite Now his Resurrection did demonstrate that he had made full payment or else Satan and Death might have kept him still in the grave their prison if a farthing had been yet unpaid Now he having by his Resurrection consummated the payment of so great obedience and vindicated the honour and quarrel of God against his enemies In all justice and equity the Lord exalted him above all that all should be subject and homagers to him and that he might take account and reward accordingly those that obey him and that obey him not And so the Lord hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by him whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he raised him from the dead And are you assured that there will be
sin should never be changed the contents of the Flesh and the World should never have an end And how sadly and miserably do we feel the contrary to our eternal sorrow Oh! Satan thou hast deceived us and we have been deceived thou hast proved stronger than we and hast undone us For indeed Satans strength lies in his Cosenage cut but these locks of his like Sampsons and he is weak and can do little Satan with all his strength and power cannot force any man to sin and therefore his way is to cheat them to sin If Satan could force any soul to sin all souls must go to Hell and no flesh should be saved for he would spare none but since he cannot force and compel the Will he cheats and cosens the Understanding and so perswades the Will The subtil Serpent winds into the Will and Consent by deceiving the Fancy and Intellect as the Apostle speaks of sin Rom. VII 11. Sin deceived me and so slew me Satan deceives and so destroies How he does insinuate and inject his deceit and illusions upon the minds of men how he strikes fire that the tinder of the soul may take some kindling is not so easie for discovery as it is sad in experience It is a depth of Satan hard to be known as to his managing of it but too well known in the effect and operation I shall not therefore trouble you with any discourse upon that subject though something might be said about it both from Philosophy and Divinity II. It is a Masterpiece of his cheating to cheat men in matter of Religion To deceive the Nations with a false Religion instead of a true as he did the Heathen before he was bound and as he hath done the greatest part of the World with Popery and Mahumetism since he was let loose As it is the great work of Christ to propagate the truth and to promote the Gospel which is the great Truth of God and Mystery of Salvation so Satan makes it his business to sow tares among the wheat to corrupt the truth as much as possible and to muddy the wholsom waters of Religion of which the Sheep of Christ should drink as much as he can that no man may drink but durt and puddle As he himself abode not in the truth Joh. VIII so he cannot abide that men should abide in it if he can prevent it In 2 Cor. IV. 4. The God of this World blindeth mens minds that the brightness of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ should not shine to them The Devil plays not the small game of cheating men of their mony of their lands and worldly interests as men cheat one another but of their Religion of the soundness of truth of solid and wholesom principles Whence else such Idolatrous principles among the Heathen such damnable traditions among the Jews such cursed heresies among Christians The enemy hath done this who cannot abide the fair growing of the Wheat but if possible he will choke it with Tares Do you not hear of Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. IV. 1. and of damnable heresies 2 Pet. II. 1. T is the Devils damnable plot and design to destroy men by their very principles of Religion to poyson the fountains out of which they should drink wholsom water that they drink death and damnation where they should drink wholsom refreshing It is a cheat too sad when the Devil cosens men to the hurt of their souls by their chusing and using things for their bodies outward condition but it is a Mastery of his delusions when he cheats them in matters and principles of Religion which they chuse and use for their souls T is a great and a sad mastery of his when he brings men to sin out of the very principles of their Religion to establish mischief by a Law As the vilest Act that ever was committed in the World viz. the crucifying the Lord of life the Jews did it out of the very Principles of their traditional Religion which ingaged them not to endure such a Messias And the horrid fact that this day commemorates which even amazeth all stories and the like to which no Age or Nation can produce or parallel they did it out of the very principles of their Religion their Faith being Faction and their Religion Rebellion as our Churches have many a time heard that character of them It is not a trifling business for men to take up principles and practises in Religion out of fancy and humor and self conceit though that hath been very much in fashion in our days It is Satans masterpiece of Policy to make men forsake the Waters of Siloam that run softly and to dig themselves Cisterns that will hold no water and so to perish for thirst Is it not a desperate cheat of Satan that men should out of principles of Religion refuse the publick Ministry out of principles of Religion should rant and become Atheists out of principles of Religion should do as they were about to have done by us this day to destroy those that are not of the same principles and Religion A sad thing when that which should be a mans balm becomes poison and those things which should have been for his greatest good should turn to his greatest evil when his principles of Religion become his greatest ruine Surely a very powerful cheat of Satan is there when men chuse darkness to be their light poison their diet and doctrines of Devils to be their way of Salvation I shall only mind you of the Apostles counsel 1 Joh. IV. 1. Beloved believe not every spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are come into the World And that of another Apostle Prove all things and hold that which is good And Be not led away with every Doctrine The present occasion calls upon us to remember what men seduced by Satan would have done to us and what the God of truth and mercy hath done for us and we cannot better do either than with reflection upon Religion The Text before us tells us that Satan deceives all he can and musters an Army of those that he hath deceived to fight against those that will not be deceived For ask that Army why do you fight against the Camp of the Saints and why do you besiege the beloved City And what answer in the World can they give but this Because they will not be deceived by Satan as we are And ask our Gunpowder Plotters Why do you go about to destroy King Parliament and Nation What quarrel have you against them that you would bring so horrid a ruin upon them What wrong have they done you that you will take so severe and cruel a revenge Why they will not be as we are blind as we are blind befooled and deceived as we are befooled and deceived A sad case that a Nation must be destroyed because it will not be cheated by Satan because it will not put
These most abominable ones in that most abominable generation we have been speaking of and the Text speaks of were such as had been once in the right way in the profession of the Gospel but now were utterly revolted from it and become most contrary to it And so our Saviour shews the very topping up of the wickedness of that generation in that Parable of the Devil cast out by the Gospel but come in again with seven evil Spirits worse than himself So saith he shall it be with this generation Mat. XII 45. Of such the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. IV. 1. Some that should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils And he saith that such a falling away would discover the man of sin and child of perdition 1 Thes. II. 3. And the Apostle 1 Joh. II. 19. saith that many Antichrists were abroad come out from them that professed the Gospel but now were become Antichrists And this our Apostle in this Chapter vers 2. intimates that they had once known the way of righteousness but were turned from the holy commandment that was delivered to them And being thus turned out of the way and fallen from the truth they were fallen into all manner of abomination Read but this Chapter and the Epistle of Jude at your leisure and you will see the full Character of them In little take this account of them 1. That like Balaam for love of filthy lucre they made merchandize of souls and cared not what became of them that they might get gain And accordingly 2. That they led them into all loosness and libertinism to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to Idols to â—iot in the day time and indeed to account any thing lawful I might produce Scriptures for all these but I suppose you remember them 3. They were direct enemies to the power and purity of the Gospel and bitter persecutors of the sincere professors of it The Apostle gives evidence enough of this in those few words 2 Tim. III. 8. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth I shall spare more picturing of them read but the places I have cited and you will see them in very sad colours And now let us look upon them as very justly we may as a very sad spectacle such another as the spectacle of the fallen Angels once Angels but now Devils these once Christians but now brute beasts Atheists Devils incarnate In the cursed copy and example before us Balaam and these his disciples or followers we may see the fruits of two as cursed trees as any grows by the lake of Sodom Covetousness in Balaam and Covetousness and Apostacy or revolting from the truth in these that came after him Covetousness that makes him to sell a whole Nation to Gods curse and plague and their own ruine for the wages of unrighteousnes He hath got a bag of mony and twenty four thousand men of Israel are destroyed for it and the anger of the Lord brought upon the whole Camp And what cares Balaam for all this so long as he hath got the mony Oh the cursed fruits of covetousness that might be reckoned heaps upon heaps I shall but mention one and that may be enough Covetousness made Judas sell the very son of God for mony A monster of villany that the very Devils themselves might stand amazed at but that he played their own game And as for Apostacy or revolting from the truth how horrid fruits and effects have followed and do follow upon it Scripture and History give such evidence and instance that to speak of them would take up more time then even this whole day would afford us We shall only speak of one perticular wherein all Apostacy and all the fruits of Apostacy are met and convened and that is that which this day gives us occasion to commemorate and remember viz. the Church of Rome When you read of those that have forsaken the right way and gone astray remember Rome for who is there that hath done so more and when you read of following the way of Balaam and loving the wages of unrighteousness remember that Church and City for who hath done the one and who doth the other more than she she cavils at us as if we had forsaken the right way when we forsook her but we most truly answer that we forsook her because she hath forsaken the right way The Church at Rome was once in the right way indeed and celebrated for it through the whole world as the Apostle tells us Rom. 1. 8. But how long did it continue in that way I may very well answer as long as it was built upon the rock Christ but when it began to build it self upon Peter then and thenceforward did it forsake the right way For certainly he forsakes the right way that leaves to build upon the sure foundation Christ and builds upon the sand the person of a meer man If I were to render an account of my belief concerning the first Founders of a Church at Rome I should have recourse to that passage Act. II. 10. That there were at Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was poured upon the Apostles Strangers of Rome Jewes and Proselytes Did not some of these believe and returning to Rome carried the Gospel thither with them If any doubt it I shall name two of them that did Rom XVI 7. The Apostle from Corinth saluting the Church that was then at Rome among others names there Salute Andronicus and Junius my kinsmen and Fellow-prisoners who are renowned among the Apostles and who were in Christ before me Here are two men that were very highly respected among the Apostles and that before Paul was an Apostle and where and when could this possibly be but at that time at Jerusalem these being of those that are mentioned in those words There were then at Jerusalem Strangers of Rome Jews and Proselytes By these men and some other that we cannot name a Romanist must give me leave to believe that the Gospel was first planted in Rome and a Church first founded there And I must believe that the Church by them planted there was watered by Paul and that before ever he came to Rome That ye may think a Solaecism to say that he watered the Church of Rome before ever he came at it But the Church came to him For if you observe that Act. XVIII 2. That Claudius had expelled all the Jews out of Rome and that the Apostle met with Priscilla and Aquila and divers others of that Church mentioned Rom. XVI you must conclude that when they returned to Rome again after the death of Claudius as it is plain they did they returned fully furnished with the doctrins and instructions of that blessed Apostle and so there is a Church there then pure and holy and in the right way and renowned as the Apostle tells us through the world but how
be touched meaning Mount Sinai but ye are come to Mount Sion One would think when he spake of Mount Sinai he should rather have called it the Mount that might not be touched for God charged that neither man nor beast should touch it Exod. XIX But you may see the Apostles meaning That the Mystical Mount Sion is not such a gross earthly thing as Mount Sinai was that was subject to sense and feeling to be seen and felt and trod upon but that Sion is a thing more pure refined and abstract from such sensibleness spiritual and heavenly And from this undeniable notion of a Church invisible we may easily answer that captious and scornful question that you know who put upon us Where was your Church and Religion before Luther Why it was in the Jerusalem that is above out of the reach and above the ken of mans discerning it was upon Mount Sion above the sphere of sight and sense It was in such a place and case as the Church and Religion was in when there were seven thousand men that never bowed the knee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Golden Heiser at Dan or Bethel and yet the greatest Prophet then being could not discern the least sign of any Church at all Now Thirdly The new Jerusalem must be known by her Pearls and Jewels upon which it is founded and built up True Religion is that that must distinguish and discover the true Church And where that is it is like the Wisemens Star over the house at Bethlehem that points out and tells Jesus and his Church is hero I must confess I do not well understand that concession of some of our Protestant Divines that yield That the Church of Rome is a corrupt Church indeed but yet a true Church For I do not well understand how there should be a true Church under a false Religion If the Church of the Jews under the great corruption of Religion that was in it might be called a true Church that was all it could look for And it must have that title rather because there was never a Church in the World beside it than from any claim by Religion But what do you call true Religion 1. First That which is only founded on the Word of God as the Wall of the new Jerusalem in vers 14. of this Chapter is founded upon twelve pearls engraven with the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 2. That Religion that tends directly to the honouring of God and saving of souls and is adequate to these ends In short That Religion that can bring to Heaven For I so little believe that any man may be saved in any Religion that I believe there is only one Religion in which any man may be saved And when Moses can bring Israel only to the skirts of the Land of Promise I hardly believe that any Religion will bring them into it Though one should not stick to grant that a person may be saved in the Church of Rome yet should I question whether in the Faith of Rome And it is the Faith or Doctrine of a Church more especially that I mean by the Religion of it Let a Romanist ride all the stages of his Religion from his uncouth kind of Baptism to his extream Unction through his auricular Confessions and Absolutions through his Penances and Pardons through his Massings and Crossings through all his Devotions and Austerities will all these bring to Heaven if the main fundamentals of Faith be faulty and failing Nay if the main fundamentals of belief be clean contrary to the way of God to Heaven A Scribe or Pharisee in old Jerusalem is as devout in Religion and as strict and severe in outward conversation as is imaginable that you would think sanctity it self were there yet will all this bring to Heaven when the chief principles of his Faith are directly contrary to the way of Salvation while he believes to be justified by his own works and places all in opere operato in a little formal and ceremonial service Like him in the story and on the stage that cried O! Heaven and pointed down to the Earth these pretended for Heaven in their practical Devotions but pointed downward in their Doctrinal principles I shall not insist to illustrate those particulars that I mentioned I suppose they carry their own proof and evidence with them that they are most proper touchstones whereby to try the truth of a Church and Religion And it is our comfort that we can that we do that we desire to bring our Religion to such Tests and touchstones and refuse not but most gladly appeal to the impartial Judge the Word of God to give judgment of it I shall not therefore undertake so needless a task as to go about to prove the truth of our Faith and Religion since so many Protestant pens have so clearly and so abundantly done it far more learned than my Tongue And since I may make such an Appeal to you as the Apostle did to King Agrippa King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know thou believest Fathers and Brethren believe you the Truth of our Religion I know you believe it Then I have no more to do but to offer two or three words of humble exhortation and entreaty viz. Prize it Cleave to it Beautifie it I. Prize it for it is the chiefest jewel in all our Cabinet And the wisest Merchant in all your City cannot find out a Pearl of greater price It is the life of our Nation at home and it is the honour of our Nation abroad It is that that makes our Land a Royal Street of the new Jerusalem It is that that must make your City a holy City We see a new London as our Apocalyptick saw a new Jerusalem The buildings stately and magnificent the furniture sumptuous and very splendid the shops rich and bravely furnished the wealth great and very affluent but your Religion the all in all As it was said in old time that Athens was the Greece of Greece and as it may be said at this time that London is the England of England so let your Religion be the London of London It is that by which your City must stand and flourish by which your prosperity must be watered and maintained and the Anâ—ile which kept in safety will keep us in safety II. Keep therefore close to your Religion and leave it not Dread revolting from the true Religion The Apostasie in the Apostles times was the sin unto death in our Apocalypticks first Epistle and last Chapter And there is an Apostasie in our time but too common and to be deplored with tears to a Religion but too like to that to which they then revolted I would therefore that those that are tempted either by the lightness of their own hearts or by the Emissaries of Rome to revolt from their Religion would remember that dreadful saying of the Apostle Heb. X. 26. If we sin wilfully after
him What could be said to the comfort of such a bleeding soul Should a soul wounded with these words of the Apostle cry out as that Prophet in another case My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart my liver is cut through as with a javelin to hear that there is no sacrifice for sin that sinneth wilfully after receiving the Knowledge of the Truth and I have sinned so of and so wilfully against that Knowledge and Truth as I have done What plaister What lenitive could be applied to allay the aking smart and torture of so sad a cut As our Saviour of the smarting and cutting days of affliction before the ruine of Jerusalem Except those days should be shortned no flesh should be saved So if there were no allay to the foreness of such a stroke and case what flesh could but perish But there is some allay and that is this That the Apostle speaks not of that common willing or wilful sinning to which who is not incident at one time or other in one degree or other But of a willing wilful total apostatizing and revolting from the Truth and Gospel once professed and received If you observe in the Epistles of the Apostles and in the story of the New Testament you will find that the very topping up of the wickedness of the Jewish Nation and of their perdition was this that as the unbelieving part of the Nation continued enemies to Christ and his Gospel so those that had believed did by infinite numbers and drovâ—s revolt and apostatize from what they had belived and became if possible worse enemies than the others and drew as many of the believing Gentiles as they could into the same Apostasie and condemnation with themselves I might evidence this by instances heaps upon heaps And hardly any one of the Apostolick Epistles but it is so plain in it that he that runs may read it I shall only give you three passages instead of scores that might be given First Weigh that 1 Joh. II. 18. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists And who were they vers 17. They went out from us but were not of us Once Professors and following the Apostles now revolting and fallen from them once Disciples and now Apostates and Antichrists Secondly Who can pass that of the Apostle without serious observing 2 Tim. I. 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia are turned away from me A sad Apostasie Ah poor Paul all turned away from thee Where now hast thou any friend Nay rather Ah poor souls ah unhappy souls that turned away from S. Paul and the blessed Gospel that he brought with him Thirdly And that for all How sadly does our Saviour foretel this in the Parable of the Devil cast out of the possessed but comes again with seven other spirits worse than himself and repossesses And observe the cadence at Matth. XII 45. Even so shall it be also with this wicked generation The Application is easie Of such Apostasie it is the Apostle speaks at vers 26. where he calls it wilful sinning after receiving the knowledge of the Truth And of such an Apostate he speaks in this verse when he saith He hath trod underfoot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing Many think that the Apostle speaks here of the sin against the Holy Ghost I am sure he speaks of that sin unto death of which the Apostle John hath mention 1 Joh. V. 16. Not but that the sin against the Holy Ghost is a sin unto death but the sin unto death may be distinguisht from the sin against the Holy Ghost in this respect that the Scribes and Pharisees whom our Saviour layeth under the guilt of sinning against the Holy Ghost never received the knowledge of the Truth and acknowledgment of the Gospel But this wretch that sins this sin unto death had received that knowledge but was apostatized and revolted from it Their Apostasie or falling back from the Truth was into a two fold gulf Some fell to horrible Libertinism to abuse the liberty of the Gospel to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Of which you have intimation in several places of the Epistles and particularly in Revel II. 15. But the most general Apostatizing was from the true liberty of the Gospel to the slavery of Judaism again to seek justification by the works of the Law Against this you find the Apostle speaking copiously almost in all the Epistles and particularly S. Paul the pen-man of this Epistle For I make no doubt at all to ascribe it to him sets himself purposely to stay the Hebrews to whom he writes from staggering and falling in such Apostasie And you may observe how in the whole current of his discourse he bends himself to shew that those Mosaick ceremonies and services by which they thought and looked to be justified and saved were but shaddows that did but signifie greater things to come but shaddows that were but for a time and were to fade away The same subject that he is upon at this portion of Scripture he is handling in Chap. VI. 4 5 6. Where we may have an exposition of some words or passages in our Text. Receiving the knowledge of the Truth he calls there Being inlightned tasting of the heavenly gift of the good Word of God of the powers of the World to come Sinning wilfully here is falling away there with him and the fate and punishment of such a wretch here is no sacrifice for sin there in few words it is impossible to renew them again to repentance His wickedness in this verse is threefold and his judgment in the verses before threefold also I. He hath trodden under foot the Son of God For as the Apostasie generally was from the grace of the Gospel to seek to be justified by their own works then what need of Christ at all What value is he of to such wretches any more than the mire under their feet As S. Paul Act. XIV was first accounted a God then presently stoned So these wretches used Christ not much unlike First They professed him embraced him looked to be justified and saved by him presently they looked to be justified by the works of the Law and cast away Christ and scornfully trample upon him as a thing altogether useless II. He accounted the blood of the Covenant a thing unholy or a thing common as the Greek word most strictly signifies Not so holy not so valuable as the blood of Goats and Calves For that blood was shed for something but this wretch makes Christs blood shed for nothing And indeed what was his blood shed for if men can justifie and save themselves III. He hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace Or hath reproached despised the Spirit of grace and the grace of the Spirit he is now
revolted from that and expects to be saved by his actings and puts a scorn and reproach upon the Spirit of grace A sad wretch Look on him look on his villany and of how sore punishment do you think him worthy The Apostle reads his doom I. That there is no more sacrifice for his sin to keep off vengeance when he hath trod under foot the great sacrifice and counts the blood of attonement but a common thing II. That that could not but follow when there was no sacrifice for attonemenr viz. A fearful expectation of judgment and firy indignation III. That that at last was to seize as sure and sorer than the punishment of him that despised Moses Law who yet died without mercy In the words that I have chosen to insist upon which speaks the second part of this wretches villany He accounted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing A great question is who is the He that is here said to be sanctified Doth it mean this wretch himself He ever sanctified Ever sanctified by the blood of the Covenant that he now so undervalues I am not ignorant what is disputed upon this case which dispute I shall not take upon me to determine but the sense of the place it self I suppose may be otherwise determined without any great difficulty or dispute viz. that the He here mentioned to be sanctified is the Son of God mentioned in the clause next preceding And I should read the two clauses together to this sense He hath trod underfoot the Son and hath accounted the blood of the Covenant wherewith He the Son of God himself was sanctified an unholy thing And I am induced to believe that this is the Apostles meaning in this place upon these two or three reasons First Because the same Apostle hath much like such an expression in this very Epistle Chap. XIII 20. Where he saith that God brought Christ again from the dead by the blood of the everlasting Covenant Now if it be proper to say Christ was raised by the blood of the Covenant it is not improper to say Christ was sanctified by the blood of the Covenant For Secondly As the words both in the Original and your English do as fairly carry that sense that I put upon them in Grammatical construction so do they in that sense carry a most undeniable truth in Theological Doctrine That Christ was sanctified by his own blood Not indeed as a Saint of God is sanctified by the blood of Christ who was once unholy but by it now is made holy But as the word signifies to separate set apart and capacitate to a holy use or office As Aaron is said to be sanctified by his cloths and unction i. e. set apart fitted accomplished for his office and Priesthood So Christ sanctified by the blood of the Covenant i. e. fitted capacitated to be perfect Mediator And so Thirdly The Apostle that he may aggravate the sin of this wretch that he is speaking of doth enhance the blood of the Covenant by the highest dignity and excellency that is possible to intitle it to This wretch accounts it an unholy common trivial thing Whereas the Son of God himself was sanctified by it by it capacitated and fitted to be a perfect Redeemer An High Priest who by his own blood entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us I shall not be urgent with any to entertain and espouse this construction that I make of the words If the fairness and probability of the sense I propose will not speak and plead for it let it alone and remember that of the Apostle Prove all things hold fast that that is good But that that I shall insist upon shall be to consider of the meaning of the blood of the Covenant And in our consideration of that we shall see the infinite preciousness and value of that blood which yet the wretch in the Text doth so undervalue that he accounts it but unholy and common And there are but too few too few that value it at its proper rate I need not tell among Christians that the blood of the Covenant means the blood of Christ of which such glorious things are spoken in Scripture viz. that we are washed redeemed justified saved by his blood the blood of the everlasting Covenant And this very intimation parts our discourse into two branches viz. to consider it as the blood of Christ and to consider the blood of Christ as the blood of the Covenant It is observed by a pious pen how Malice cankers things where it comes For those words Sanguis ejus super nos c. His blood be upon us and our children spoken in a right Christian pious sense speaks a thing that a more excellent happy and desirable cannot be prayed for viz. The blood of Christ to be upon us and upon ours as it is upon all true believers to wash clense justifie save But in their cursed cankered sense the Nation finds it to this day their direful and doleful infelicity that the blood of Christ is upon them as they wished So there is much spoken and much of comfort spoken concerning the sprinkling of Christs blood and the sprinkling of his blood in that Scripture sense brings all happiness with it But take it according to the bare letter there is no such thing nay there is the contrary in some respect Take his blood barely to mean that substance of his blood that issued from his wounds as he hung upon the Cross and some of it was sprinkled upon the Cross and some of it ran upon the ground and what happiness either to the Cross or ground from such sprinkling Nay some of it was sprinkled and dashed upon his murtherers and proved so little happiness to them that it made them the more unhappy nay the most unhappy men under Heaven Therefore as the Scripture saith The life is in the blood so are we to look for something besides the bare substance of his blood that flowed from him and besides the bare flowing of his blood from him something that was as the life of that blood that gave it the vigor virtue and efficacy of justifying and saving And what was that You will say His infinite sufferings let me add His infinite obedience In both which is concluded the supposal of the Dignity of his person and the whole is spoken I shall not much insist upon his sufferings because his obedience to those sufferings was the life of those sufferings the very life of his death as I may so phrase it and that the Dignity of his Person computed in that gave virtue vigor efficacy to his sufferings death and blood Of his sufferings I shall only say thus much That he suffered as much as God could put him to suffer short of his own wrath and that he suffered as much as the Devil could put him to with all his wrath You will say I speak too
should be that that is chiefly offered And let our hearts speak to us if they will but learn to speak truth how many of us think we are fit for the hands of Christ to present us at his own Altar and to offer us to his Father Will his pure and most holy hands meddle with any thing that is impure and filthy to bring us to his Altar A man is worldly and covetous filthy and lascivious cruel and envious is such a beast such an unclean beast fit for Christ to hand to his Altar to make him a sacrifice to God Do we believe that ever he will or can say to his Father Father I present this filthy man to thee to be accepted of thee as a well pleasing sacrifice Who of us would be willing that Christ should present us to God to take us as we are and deal with us as we deserve Who of us can think that we are such as that Christ may call us Brother or Sister or Mother and commend us unto Gods acquaintance and favour under such titles Let us compare the case with those the Apostle speaks of here that have no right to eat of our Altar viz. those that serve the Tabernacle of the Levitical Priesthood And why have they no right I. It may be said they had no right to eat of the sin-offering of attonement for that was all to be burnt and nothing to be eaten of it as the Apostle toucheth immediately after Now in this regard the parallel will not hold because Christ was not consumed as that sin-offering was but he was sacrificed that he might be eaten or spiritually fed upon II. What the Priests did eat of the Sacrifices they ate within the verge of the Temple and might not bring those holy things out of the holy ground But as the Apostle tells here Christ was sacrificed without the Gate whether it was not lawful for them to come to eat any sacrifice But this I believe is not the reason why the Apostle saith They had no right to eat of the Altar that we have III. The Jews have a tenet which is considerable and not impertinent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priests eating of the Sacrifices was for expiation of them that offered them It is very true that God allowed the Priests such and such parts of the beast sacrificed for their diet and maintenance But that was not all but there was some religious concern in their eating them viz. for the benefit of the offerer Now if you take the Apostle speaking in reference to this matter the Priests that served the Tabernacle could not eat of the Altar or Sacrifice that we have under any such notion For the offering of Christ as it was not by men but by himself and God so the feeding on him cannot benefit either them or any other but him only that feeds on him IV. Therefore the Apostles reference is to the Priests very serving in the Tabernacle that they themselves that stood upon those Sacrifices and services in the Temple as sufficient enough to attone for sin by that very conceit outed themselves out of benefit by Christ our Altar who is the only attonement and they that can feed upon any other way of attonement have nothing to do with him We cannot but be affected with the expression of Having no right to eat of our Altar as a very doleful accent which speaks having no right at all to Christ. Which very sound may make a heart to tremble No right to Christ No portion in the Son of God The very mention of the thing may justly move us to the examination of our selves whether we think we have any portion in him yea or no. Take heed it be not with too many as it was with the Church Rev. III. that said I am rich and encreased in riches and want nothing whereas she was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Take heed that we think not we have share in Christ and have none at all and that we perish not with such a dead child in our bosoms such a fancy and delusion in our hearts Look upon these men that served the Tabernacle they are men that are careful and attendant upon their service blameless in their lives zealous in their Religion and servently looking after attonement and salvation And yet because they relyed upon their services and thought to be saved by the very works they did they miss of Faith and so miss of Christ and have no right in him and so perish from him for ever and ever How many of us have gone so far in a religious way as we may suppose these men to have gone and sought for justification and salvation so earnestly as they have done have been so constant in devotion and duty as they have been and yet they had no right in Christ. What just fears may this create in us that we also have no right at all in him A SERMON PREACHED upon LUKE XV. 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance THE occasion of these words is at vers 1 2. where the Evangelist tells us that all the Publicans and Sinners came unto our Saviour to hear him Which is something strange to hear For it was much that any such came to him but exceeding much that all should come And not a much unlike expression you have at vers 1. of Chap. XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Tens of thousands of the multitude or common people were gathered to him twenty thousand at least according to the strict propriety of the Greek expression Which was a very vast company But if you observe the beginning of the Tenth Chapter it gives light to these stories A little above half a year before our Saviours death he sends forth Seventy Disciples by two and two to every City and Town and Place whether he himself was to come These were to certifie the people of his Person that he was Messias and to certifie them of his coming to them and to prepare them for the receiving of him against he should come This raises vast multitudes to harken to him hearing of Messias coming and knowing where to meet him And amongst others a very great and general conflux of Publicans and Sinners men of an infamous name and scandalous conversation among the Nation The Scribes and Pharisees quarrel our Saviour for entertaining such and conversing with them An evil business but proves occasion of good and light ariseth out of that darkness For thereupon our Saviour proposeth the three Parables of this Chapter And in them transmits comfort to all posterity that should repent and encouragement to all to repentance The words of the Text are the Application of the first Parable As a man that hath lost one sheep out of a flock of an hundred rejoyceth more for the finding again that one
son Amnon perished by the sword his son Adonijah by the sword and his son Absalom in as violent a manner Did not God remember Davids sin and his own threatning in this And yet did not all these perish for their own sins God visited their sin and withal remembred their fathers sin against them also God damned none of them for Davids sin Nor did God repute them sinful for Davids sin but if they were damned they were damned for their own sin and were reputed sinners in the sight of God for their own sin Yet in the external punishment that fell upon them there was a remembrance of their Fathers sin also Hophni and Phinehas perished together in battel their fathers sin was visited upon them which he is charged with 1 Sam. II. 29. That he honoured his sons more than God And yet they perished for their own sin If they were damned they were damned for their own sin and not their fathers and were reputed wicked in the sight of God for their own sin and not their fathers And yet in the external punishment that fell upon them their fathers sin was called to remembrance Objection But many a child is punished for his fathers sin that it may be is a good child or at least is free and innocent from the sin of his father Jeroboams son was taken away in his prime 1 King XIV was not that for Jeroboams sin that God cut off his child and he a good son and that had not consented to his fathers sin vers 13. In him there is sound some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel Here was justice indeed against the father but where was it to the son to cut him off so soon So Davids child begot in adultery must dye for Davids sin and what had the poor child offended Many first born in Egypt it is like were not guilty of their fathers cruelty towards Israel and yet they must all go to it they must dye It may be many a covetous unconscionable wretch hath a son that is more honest and yet the ill gotten estate moulders away and comes to nothing with an invisible canker Is here justice to the children to smart thus for their fathers fault To this I answer First We are to consider children as part of their Parents bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh And is it not justice in God to punish wicked Parents in what part of themselves he pleaseth It seems as lawful as for a King to punish a Traitor in what part of his body head or hand or foot it seems best to him If Jeroboams hand wither for the sin of his whole Person is it not just with God And is it not a penalty upon the whole person And upon this account it was not unjust with God when David had sinned in numbring the people to smite seventy thousand of the people if you consider David as a general father to all the people they part of him as he was King as being part of his Kingdom And such an answer if I had not other to give should I give to an Anabaptist that asks me why I baptize my child I should answer he is part of my self and so it is fit he be baptized because I am otherwise all of my self is not baptized And this gives some reason of what the Apostle saith That the child of a believing Father or Mother is holy that is is a Christian for the believing Parents sake because he is part of that Parent Secondly There are some punishments that descend as I may say naturally from Parents to Children nay I may say some sins that descend so naturally that God should invert the very course of nature if they stuck not to the children Original sin and guilt we derive not from our immediate Parents but from our first Parent Adam but some actual sins many children derive from their Parents When Parents from their childrens infancy let them run into lewd courses and either give them example of such courses or at least reprove and restrain them not the children grow lewd and wicked Whose sin is that lewdness It is the childs but it is the Parents also And many a Parent sees the just punishment of his own fault upon himself in the miscarriage of his child his coming to fearful wickedness and very oft to a fearful end Elias lenity to his wretched sons in not restraining them and so Davids to Adonijah did traduce and derive that sinful miscarriage into them And God even visited that sin of the Parents upon the children in suffering them to grow so abominably sinful Many a Parent is guilty of this and yet little considers it When their children prove debauched wild riotous they it may be will fret to see their expensive and destructive courses But let them reflect upon themselves and consider whether their children derive not that wickedness either from their Example or want of care for their Christian education Is it any injustice in God when Parents will have their children so brought up in wickedness to let them be wicked any injustice either to Parents or children that it is so when children will be so wicked and Parents will let them be so So some punishments descend naturally from the sin of the Parent as when children are made beggers by the riot prodigal lewd courses of the Parents when a whoring lewd Parent gets the foul disease and so traduceth it to his children when an unconscionable getter of an Estate leaves it to his children that like a Leprosie a Canker and a Curse sticks to it and it cannot but rot and come to nothing What should the justice of God do in this case Bless a cursed Estate preserve Children that the Parents will infect and keep them from beggery whom Parents will make beggers Shall God work miracles for these that only work rebellion and change the very course of the nature of things for them that will not change one lust Thirdly We are to distinguish between punishments and trials A good son of a bad father may come into affliction because of his fathers sin and yet that laid upon him not directly as a punishment but trial A good child of a prodigal riotous or unconscionable father may come to poverty when God aims it not as a judgment on him for his fathers sin but for trial and admonition to him against such sins The father indeed is so punished when his child comes to misery but the affliction in the mean time is to the child for his good The cutting off of Jeroboams son was a sad judgment to Jeroboam because the only hopeful child he had was so taken away but it was not intended as a punishment to his child but in mercy to take him away from wrath to come As in Esa. LVII 1. The righteous are taken away from the evil to come Fourthly and lastly The proper meaning is God visits upon evil children the
they would argue from this reason God finished creating in Principio in the beginning therefore he creates not a Soul now I answer He finished creating genere specierum the kinds of all species but not Species generum the Species of all kinds When he brought Frogs and Lice on Egypt it was a creation of the things but the kind was created from the beginning The same must be said of Souls Let Christs Soul be the instance Was the Soul of the Messias created at the beginning If so what did it all the while till it was united to the Body Where was it What did it Was Christs Soul ever not acting for the good of his people As soon as ever it was put into the Body it began the work of Redemption viz. Christ there sanctifying our Nature by the Union of the humane nature to the Divine His Soul is now in Heaven in the work of mediation for his people It is hard to think that his Soul should be almost four thousand years in being and doing nothing for mens Salvation And we cannot call Christ Christ till he be compleated in our nature Soul and Body So that Christs Soul as ours was infused by immediate Creation in the Body which Body was prepared in the womb for the receiving of it So that though he was not like to us in regard of his begetting in the womb yet he was like in the Union of his Soul to his Body there For II. Christ had a Soul like ours in all things sin excepted It is a question Whether all Souls are equal There is some colour for it Psal. XXXIII 15. Hesashioneth their hearts alike And thence some argue the equality of Souls But I answer 1. That place may be taken thus That God alike is the Creator of all Souls rich and poor wise and foolish 2. It is undoubted all Souls are alike in regard of the ' Essentials of Souls they are all intellectual Spiritual immortal and in regard of their Essential faculties Whether they are alike as to the use and excellency of those faculties I shall not dispute Doubtless Christs Soul was the most excellent and yet like ours in all things that simply relate to the Essence of Souls or the humane nature I need not speak of the Essentials of a Soul he had the Infirmities of a humane Soul viz. those that in themselves are sinless I might so apply that Matth. VIII 17. Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses He was subject to grief in Soul Matth. XXVI 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful To fear Heb. V. 7. In that he feared Joh. XI 33. He groned in spirit and was troubled These are natural infirmities or affections to humane Souls Adam might have had these in innocency if occasion offered The Apostle makes comfortable use of this likeness of Christs Soul to ours Heb. IV. 15. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin And so may a Christian in sadness fear hunger persecution he may refuge to a High Priest that himself was sensible what these things were Non ignara mali c. Oh! what access hath God given to sinners Not only to one in their own nature but that partook of the very infirmities of nature Except sin Name but one that he had not A poor man dying assaulted with Satan fearing pains How comfortably may he refuge to Christ who by experience knew all these III. He was like other Souls in the manner of his departure out of the body and going to another World And this I shall speak to in three Particulars I. Although the reason of Christs death was different from the reason of the death of all other men yet the nature and definition of Christs death agrees withal Though the conception and birth of Christ was different from all others yet the nature of his death was not different the manner of dying indeed differed That in Heb. IX penult reacht Christ as well as others it was appointed for him to dye though upon a far different reason from what other men dye It is worth observing that Christs death was published and pronounced of before the death of Adam was denounced against him In Gen. III. 15. the death of Christ is mentioned in vers 19. the Death of Adam Which speaks that Christ died not of the Plague of mortality of which Adam and all his posterity dye but that his death was upon another kind of account Though Christ the second Adam was incomparably above the first in his innocence in regard of the Perfection of his nature and Person yet in regard of the certainty of Death as I may say he was beneath him For the excellency of his nature so far beyond him that whereas Adam was without sin Christ was without possibility of sinning But for certainty of dying so far otherwise that whereas Adam might not have dyed Christ could not but dye Socinians say Adam was created mortal because he was in a possibility to dye and because he died whereas indeed actually he was created immortal not as yet having any seeds or principles of mortality in his nature sin not being yet come there Christ was so much more without principles of mortality in him as that whereas Adam was sinless He could not sin and yet as I may say he had the principles of dying in him but not so much in his body as mind not in any failing of nature but in the holy bent of his own Will Death was not to him the wages of sin as it is to others nor to end sinning as it is to others but from clear contrary principles viz. Love to Man and Obedience to God The Death of Adam and of all other Men proceeded from disobedience the Death of Christ only from obedience The Death of Adam because he loved not himself nor his seed the death of Christ because he loved his people more than himself So that as to the reason of the death of Christ Jordan was driven back the stream ran a clean contrary way to the reason why other men dye and yet as to the nature and definition of his dying it agreed with the nature of the dying of other men For II. Define death What is it It is the separation of Soul from Body Mortal thou must once find this definition to be most true The Soul that that inliveneth the Body that gives it freshness of colour warmth life and motion when the Soul is departed all these are gone and the Body dead Here is the difference twixt death and a swoon or trance God shewed in Enoch and Elias what he would have done if man had continued innocent viz. Have translated Body and Soul to glory But when sin came in death came in and Soul and Body must be parted the Body to corruption the Soul into the World of
lost the power of Judging Malefactors p. 1111 1112 c. They had a high conceit of their own Nation p. 1112. They were highly severe and strict about little inconsiderable Customs but very remiss about things of great Moment and Necessity p. 1113 1114. They were rejected by God not only for putting our Saviour to death but before also for their cursed Traditions and crying wickedness p. 1114. The calling in of the Jews expected by some is not probable and why p. 1123. The Jews were dispersed before our Saviours time p. 1144. They were cast off to a reprobate sense before the destruction of Jerusalem p. 1145. They crucified the Lord of Life out of the very Principles of their Traditional Religion p. 1177. The Jews and the Jewish Religion were very corrupt under the second Temple p. 1199 1200. The Church of the Jews was only a child under age till Christ came 1334 Jezabelites impudently oppose the Decrees of the Apostles 695 696 Ignorance and Error the common cause of them is because Men will not know and embrace the Truth 1286 1287 Image of God in Adam what p. 1153. Image of God upon Man not lost by sin though the likeness of God be 1302 Images in the Church of Rome are Idols 1312 1314 Imposition of Hands in ordination a fundamental Point as well as the Doctrin of Faith and Repentance proved from Hebrews 6. 2. 1040 Imputation of the sins or good Deeds of Parents to the Children supposed by the Jews not to be in the days of the Messias p. 569. Imputation of Parents sins to Posterity is real and rational 1316 1317 Incense the way of burning it with the manner of the Priests and Levites getting ready in order thereunto 380 381 Indifferent Things and such as were not sinful of themselves although of humane invention and used in the Jewish worship did not cause our Saviour to leave that communion nor to forsake the way of Worship but he joyned therein rather than he would give offence 1037 1038 1039 c. Infant Baptism argued for 273 274 Infants in the womb supposed by the Jews to be in a capacity to commit some sin 569 570 Institution divine defiled by corruption but not extinguished Page 165 Intercallated Month or Year what 185 226 Interpretation of the Holy Text the judgment of the Jews concerning a just Interpretation 784 Interpreters in the Synagogues stood by the Readers of the Law and Prophets to turn the words of the Hebrew Text into the Language understood by the people at the same time Commenting or Preaching upon the words p. 132 134 707. Interpreters of the Law part of their work what 803 Invention humane less dangerous to be brought into Divine Worship under the Jewish Law than under the Gospel and why 1038 Invisible Things are the greatest things of our concernment 1284 Jod of it s not passing away or eternal duration 137 138 John Baptist in all probability was no Eremite 387 388 John the most punctual of all the four Evangelists especially in giving an account of the Festivals that intercurred between Christ's entrance into his publick Ministry and the time of his death p. 1033. John the beloved Disciple was him to whom the Revelation was delivered 1196 Jordan the waters thereof were opened twelve miles when Israel passed through p. 46. The Country beyond it what p. 363. Little Jordan was from the spring of Jordan to the Lake Samochonitis but from that Lake being much a larger stream it was Jordan the greater p. 62 63 64 298. Jordan had over it two bridges at least besides other passages 492 Jordan-transmarine its division 363 Jose and Joseph are one and the same Name 640 Joshua where buried 373 374 Jot of it s not passing away or eternal duration 137 138 Journey Sabbath days Journey the length of it was two hundred cubits or one mile 485 486 Joy wicked in a strange instance in the Gunpouder Traytors 1184 Joy in Heaven over a sinner that is converted what 1267 Isaiah the Prophet say the Jews was cut in two by Manasses the King 593 Iscariot a Name given to Judas the Traytor whether given before or after his death If after his death it emphatically shews his miserable end p. 176. As a Betrayer he was to have no part in the World to come his going to his place intends his going to Hell 176 177 Iturea its situation 365 366 Juda for Jehuda and why 97 Judaism the twofold sense of the Word p. 1051. The Jews held this Maxim That if a Jew forsook his Judaism he should have no part in the World to come p. 1087. Judaism and Nicolaitism were two Errors on each hand the Gospel into which some Primitive Christians did fall 1097 Judas was present at the Eucharist p. 261. He was carried by the Devil into the Air there strangled and then cast down to the Earth and there burst assunder 264 639 Judea a sight and division of it p. 9. It was priviledged above other Parts of the Land of Israel p. 10. A description of the Coast of it p. 10. The Mountainous Country of Judea what p. 11. The South Country of it what p. 13. The North Coast of it 19 Judges what Benches of them there were among the Jews 755 Judgment Judgment to him that is angry what p. 141 142. Judgment might be unrighteous when the Judging was righteous 1106 Judgment the Day of Judgment put for Christ's coming with vengeance to Judge the Jewish Nation six differing ways of expressing it p. 346. The Last Judgment proved p. 1101 1102 1103 The objections of the Sadducces and Atheists answered p. 1101 c. Noah's Flood was a prognostication and an assurance of the Last Judgment p. 1104. The destruction of Jerusalem is set forth in Scripture terms seeming to mean the Last Judgment p. 1104. The several and providential assurances that God hath given of the Last Judgment p. 1103 1104 1109. The prosperity of wicked Men is an argument of the Last Judgment p. 1105. Assizes are an assurance and a fit representation of the Last Judgment p. 1104 1117 1119. Conscience is an assurance given by God of the Last Judgment p. 1104 1119. The manner of giving the Law is an assurance of the Last Judgment Page 1119 Judgments Capital always began on the Defendants side among the Jews and not on the Accusers p. 609. Judgments were distinguished into Pecuniary and Capital among the Jews 754 Julian the Apostate part of his character or part of what he was and did 1238 Julias There were two Cities of this Name one built by Herod the other by Philip the later was before called Bethsaida where situate 83 Just a just person or the just two sorts of them p. 448. How distinguished from the Penitent p. 449. Just Men distinguished by the Jews into two sorts and to which of them they gave the preference 1266 Justification is a great Mystery in several respects p. 1051 1052. What it is
were inabled to understand the Originals of Scripture which they understood not before Their birth and breeding had not allowed them so much learning as to understand any Bible that was then extant either Hebrew or Greek but here is the first operation of this gift of the Spirit upon them that they are first made able to understand the Originals of Scripture and then able to unlock them to any one in their own tongue And here should they begin that take on them to expound the Scriptures by the Spirit namely to unlock the difficulties of the Original languages for therein the mainest difficulty of the Scripture lodgeth according as was the method of the Spirits operation in the Apostles Pentecost was a time of rejoycing and at all such festivities the Jews had ever good store of wine stirring so that these men conclude that they had drunk too much and spake as men distract which Peter confutes by telling them it was not yet the third hour of the day or nine a clock For upon their Sabbaths and holidaies they used not to eat or drink till their Synagogue service was done Maym. in Schab per. 30. which was not of a good while after nine a clock His alleadging of Joel In the last daies I will pour out my Spirit c. teacheth us how to construe the phrase The last daies in exceeding many places both of the Old Testament and the New as Isa. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 1. and 2 Tim. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 1 Joh. 2. 19 c. namely for the last daies of Jerusalem and the Jewish State For to take his words in any other sense as some do for the last daies of the world is to make his allegation utterly impertinent and monstrous Three thousand converted are Baptized In the Name of the Lord Jesus ver 38. which no whit disagreeth from the command Baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son c. Matth. 28. 19. For the form of Baptism in those first daies of the Gospel of which the New Testament giveth the story may be considered under a threefold condition 1 John the Baptist baptized in the Name of Messias or Christ that was then ready to come but that Jesus of Nazareth was he he himself knew not till he had run a good part of his course Joh. 1. 31. as was observed before 2. The Disciples baptizing the Jews baptized them in the Name of Jesus upon this reason because the great point of controversie then in the Nation about Messias was Whether Jesus of Nazareth were he or no. All the Nation acknowledged a Messias but the most of them abominated that Jesus of Nazareth should be thought to be he therefore those that by the preaching of the Gospel came to acknowledge him to be Messias were baptized into his Name as the critical badge of their imbracing the true Messias But 3. among the Gentiles where that question was not afoot they baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And so that baptizing in the Name of Jesus was for a season for the setling of the evidence of his being Messias and when that was throughly established then it was used no more but Baptism was in the Name of the Father and Son c. Of the same cognizance were those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit evidences of Jesus his being the Messias and means of conveying the Gospel through the world and when both these were well established then those gifts ceased for ever All that believed were together and had all things common ver 46. The Children of those that believed must come under the title of Believers too or they must famish For this community of goods being for the relief of the poor as we shall shew at the fourth Chapter the Children Babes and Infants of believing Parents that were poor must be taken in under this expression All that believed c. or how did they for support if the community of goods reacht them as well as their Parents the title must reach them too When a Master of a Family was baptized his Children were they never so young were baptized with him and hence the mention of baptizing whole housholds Act. 16. 15. 33. They that pleading against Infants Baptism do cavill that it may be there were no Infants in those Families that are mentioned bewray that they little understand the manner of administring Baptism in its first use For the stress of the business lies not in this whether it can be proved that there were Infants in those Families where it is recorded that whole housholds were baptized but the case is this that in all Families whatsoever were there never so many Infants they were all baptized when their Parents were baptized Thus was the constant custom among the Jews for admission of Proselytes and thence this Canon That a Woman proselited and baptized when she was great with child her Child needed not then to be baptized when it was born Maym. in Issure biah per. 13. For if he had been born before she was baptized he must have been baptized with her And the New Testament gives so little evidence of the altering this custom at those first baptizings under the Gospel that it plainly on the contrary shews the continuance of it when it speaketh of the Apostles baptizing whole households ACTS Chap. III IV. PEntecost Feast lasted eight daies as well as their other Feasts Passover Tabernacles and Dedication did Jerus in Moed Katon and Chagigah at large The occurrences of the very day of Pentecost it self are related already Now whether the healing of the Creeple and the consequences upon that contained in the third Chapter befell upon the same day in the afternoon or on the next day after which was the day when all the males appeared before the Lord in the temple or further in the Feast is not certain but that they were within the compass of the Feast is more then probable by the great multitude that was converted at one Sermon Peter and John go into the Temple at the ninth hour the hour of prayer Talm. in Pesachin per. 5. The dayly sacrifice of the evening was killed at the eight hour and a half and offered at the ninth hour and an half Joseph Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Twice a day namely in the morning and about the ninth hour they offered on the Altar There as they go in at the East-gate tha◠led into the Court of the Women they find and heal a Creeple which had been so from his birth The Jews looked upon this miracle as wrought by their own holiness as appears by the Apostles answer to them ver 12. For such a conceit walked among the Nation that extraordinary holiness might attain to miraculous workings R. Phineas ben Jair saith Industry bringeth to purity Purity to cleanness Cleanness to holiness Holiness to humbleness Humbleness to
next Chapter before had proved a Sacrament of death to the Sichemites Jacob useth baptism for admission of Proselytes in the stead thereof Secondly That the company to be admitted are females unless there were some Syrian male Idolaters for all the males of Sechem were slain Gen. 34. 25. or at the least the most of them and therefore he useth a Sacrament which women also might come under for under circumcision they did not come Secondly In the admission of the Israelites to the hearing of the Law by sanctification and washing Exod. 19. 10. from which the Jews themselves did ground the baptizing of Proselytes as a special ground Thirdly At the making of the Covenant at Sinai the introduction of Israel to the visible Church was by baptism or the sprinkling of water as well as of blood as saith St. Paul Heb. 9. 19. yea and even the Jews themselves Our Rabbins teach saith Rabbi Solomon that our Fathers entred into the Covenant and baptism and sprinkling of blood for there was no sprinkling of blood without baptism R. Sol. in loc 4. In that in the times of David and Solomon when heathens were converted to the Jews Religion by multitudes their admission to their Church was by baptism and not by circumcision And the groundwork of this their practise was because Israel coming out of Egypt washed their garments and the Priests coming from their common employments to their function washed their bodies Let all be concluded in the words of the Talmud Rabbi Akiba said O Israel you are blessed Before whom are ye justified or cleansed Or who is he that cleanseth you It is your heavenly Father as it is said I will pour clean water upon you In Kippurim Our Masters say That bastards and Gibeonites shall be all iustified in time to come And this is the doctrine of Ezekiel as it is written I will pour clean water upon you In Kiddushin Matth. 3. ver 11. Unto repentance Here the Schools think they find a main difference between the baptism of John and the baptism used in the Christian Church because that was only the baptism of repentance and the other of grace and remission of sins but that there was no essential or substantial difference between them shall be seen anon Luke 3. ver 16. But one mightier then I cometh Though by this mightiness of Christ above the Baptist his omnipotency or all-powerfulness as he is God may well and truly be understood as many Expositors do take it yet since John speaketh of him as he should shew himself among the people when he came and in comparison with himself as concerning preaching and baptizing it cannot be but his words have respect to some particular things wherein Christ shewed this mightiness above John yea even conversing among men in his humane flesh and in what respected his preaching and ministerial Office And these may be reduced unto these four heads First The power of miracles which Christ had but John had not For John wrought no miracle Joh. 10. 41. Nor was it fit he should since he in whom that power rested as in its proper center was so near to come and so ready to shew it Secondly In the different power of the Preaching of John and of our Saviour and their conversion of the people John many but Christ far more as Joh. 3. 26. Thirdly In the seal and confirmation of their Doctrine and Ministry for whereas John sealed it with his death our Saviour did not only so but also with his resurrection Fourthly In continuance and increase of their preaching and Disciples and this difference John sheweth himself Joh. 3. 30. To which may be annexed the excellency of Christs baptism above that of Johns which is the very thing that is in comparison I baptize you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost §. The latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to unloose The sense is but strained which delighteth so many namely that John confesseth under this simile that he is unable to resolve the great mystery of the incarnation Seeing Matthew giveth this his speech in other words and Mark by adding one word more to these maketh it more necessary to take them in their literal meaning For Matthew hath it thus Whose shoos I am not worthy to bear and Mark. The latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose Both joyntly shewing that the Baptist hath no mystical and figurative meaning in this his speech but doth in plain and down-right terms aver his inferiority to Christ that was to come after him to be infinitely great and more then a servants that ties his Masters shoos or carries them is to his Master For these meanest and basest of offices of servant to Master he instanceth in that he might express the infinite distance betwixt him and Christ the more to the life and to the peoples apprehension §. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost Hence ariseth that opinion so mightily taken up in the Schools and imbraced concerning the great disparity and difference betwixt the Baptism used in the Christian Church and the Baptism of John for this say they could not confer grace but the other doth and Johns was but as a mean betwixt the purifications of the Jews and the baptism of Christians In which first the words of the Baptist are misconstrued and secondly there is a difference pretended where there is none at all For first John compareth not his own baptism with ours but his own with Christs For that he meaneth not the baptism that Christ instituted to be used by others but that he practised and exhibited personally himself is plain in that he mentioneth not water in Christs baptizing which our Saviour himself doth when he speaketh of the baptism that they mean Joh. 3. 5. and in that he saith personally that Christ should baptize which with water he never did Joh. 4. 2. Secondly By the Holy Ghost wherewith Christ should baptize is not meant the grace concomitant to our Christian baptism as they suppose but his sending down the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit as is plain by our Saviours own exposition Act. 1. 5. For John indeed baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence Where using the very same words with these of the Baptist and applying the baptizing with the Holy Ghost plainly and undeniably to his sending down of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost day he hath given a sure plain and undoubted explanation of these words Thirdly Neither if the baptism of John and the baptism used in the Christian Church be well compared together will any such difference or diversity be found betwixt them nay set the form of words aside no difference at all For first They both had the same institution from Christ for he that sent the Apostles to baptize sent also the Baptist John 1. 33. Secondly They both had the same element water Thirdly
They had both the same end repentance For though our Christian baptism is called the Baptism for remission of sins Act. 2. 38. c. and a great deal of preeminence of this above that of John picked as is thought out of that title yet is it no more then what is said of the baptism of John Mark 1. 4. Fourthly Whereas it is commonly said that one end of our Saviours being baptized was that he might sanctifie our baptism how can this be supposed if he received not our baptism but one different from it Fifthly The Disciples were baptized with no baptism but that of John for Christ baptized them not and who other should do it cannot be imagined and therefore if this of ours be more excellent then Johns we have a better baptism then the Apostles that first administred it Sixthly and lastly Howsoever the Schools without any stumbling do hold rebaptization of those that had received the baptism of John this crosseth their own tenet that his was a degree above the washings under the Law for their imperfection was shewed by their reiteration and in this they make his to differ nothing at all And whereas it is said Act. 19. 5. that some that were baptized with the baptism of John upon Pauls instruction of them were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus it was rather their renewing to their baptism then their baptism to them and not that they took any other then that of John but that they now began to entertain and apply it to the right intent As it may be exemplified in circumcision in any heathen son of Abraham as in Jethro for an instance He was circumcised while he was an unbeliever because he was a Midianite a child of Abraham now when he came to be a convert and imbraced the true Religion he was not to be circumcised again for that was not possible but he then began to know and apply the right use and meaning of his circumcision and so was renewed to it and not it to him Or those words When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus may be understood to be the words of Paul and not of Luke as see Beza in loc This phraze of baptizing with the Holy Ghost sheweth first the restoring of the Holy Ghost which long ago was departed from Israel and gone up Secondly The abundance and plenteousness of that gift when it should be exhibited that it should be as water poured upon them as the word is used Joel 2. 28. Thirdly It sheweth whither all the washings and purifyings of the Law aimed and had respect namely to the washing and purging of men by the Holy Ghost §. You. That is some of you as 1 Sam. 8. 11. He will take your sons that is some of them or You that is the people as Deut. 18. 15. The Lord shall raise to thee a Prophet that is to thy people and unto him you shall hearken that is the Nation of your posterity §. And with fire From Isa. 4. 4. The Lord shall wash the filthiness of the Daughter of Zion and purge the blood of Jerusalem out of the middest thereof by the spirit of Judgment and by the spirit of burning It is easily to be resolved what John meaneth here by fire seeing our Saviour himself hath applied the other part of his speech to the coming down of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost day when we know he appeared in the visible shape of Tongues of fire Act. 2. Now Christs baptizing in this manner with fire was 1. That the giving of the Holy Ghost might fully answer the giving of the Law both for time and manner for both were given at Pentecost and both in fire 2. To express the various operations of the Holy Ghost which are fitly resembled and represented by the effects of fire As 1. To inlighten with knowledge 2. To inflame with zeal 3. To burn up corruption 4. To purifie the nature 5. To turn the man to its own qualification of sanctity as fire maketh all things that it seiseth like it self 3. To strike terror in the hearts of men lest they should despise the Gospel and to win reverence to the Holy Ghost for fear of the fire 4. Hereby was clearly and fully shewed the life and significancy of the sacrifices under the Law upon whom there came a fire from Heaven intimating that they are lively sacrifices and accepted who are inflamed by the Holy Ghost from above And thus the two elements that have and shall destroy the world water and fire hath God been pleased to use for the benefit and salvation of his chosen Vers. 17. Whose fan is in his hand By the fan in the hand of Christ the most Expositors understand the power of judgement that God the Father hath committed to him For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son Joh. 5. 22. And thus some take it for an argument against security to all and others against Apostasie to those that have been baptized with the Holy Ghost and that as the Baptist in the former words hath told what Christ would do at his first coming and appearance so in these what he will do at his second but I rather adhere to the interpretation of them that by the Fan of Christ understand the Gospel and his preaching and publication of the same and that upon these reasons First Because unless it be thus taken we have not here any testimony at all given by the Baptist to the people concerning that part of the Office of Christ. Now that being a matter of so great importance as that the Prophets do more insist upon the preaching of Christ and his power in the Gospel then upon any other thing that concerned him in the work of Redemption and this being in several respects more regardable then his baptizing with the Holy Ghost it cannot be imagined that John should omit to bear witness of him for such a thing nay it had been to neglect to bear witness of him for the chief thing of all Secondly Because the Gospel or the Word of God is the proper touchstone that trieth and differenceth betwixt gold and dross truth and falshood pure and vile and this is the instrument wherewith he confoundeth every strong hold that exalteth it self against himself Isa. 11. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 8. Revel 1. 16. 2. 16. And Thirdly Because John speaketh of Christ as he should presently shew himself among them as it is apparent in the verse preceding and not as he should shew himself at the end of the world §. His floor If these words and those that follow be applied to the whole Church in all places and at all times in general the application may be very profitable and pertinent as giving warning to all men to bring forth the fruits of repentance for fear of the judgement to come and so the end of this verse may be of the same use
we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a fearful expectation of judgment and firy indignation which shall devour the adversary Which is spoken peculiarly of Apostasie or else it were a passage too terrible for all flesh Hannibals father took him at nine years of age to an Altar and there swore him never to have confederacy and friendship with Rome If all the World had alway been under such a tye it had been happy for it I hope our Religion our Hearts our God will keep us from entring into league and society with that City that had so deep a hand in the murther of our dear Saviour and in the blood of his dear Saints III. Lastly Let us strive to adorn our Religion with a sutable conversation to beautifie our Church with the beauty of Holiness We desire to be owned for Citizens of the new Jerusalem and whereas our Religion may give us some title to it it is holiness of conversation that must naturalize and enfranchise us The new Jerusalem doth chalenge a new conversation and doth not a new London new Hearts and Lives The City so stately and sumptuously built up if such top stones be laid on we may comfortably and joyfully cry Grace grace Peace peace unto it A SERMON Preached upon EXODUS XXX 15. The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give an offering unto the Lord to make an attonement for your Souls IT is our Duty to love all men and a reason of it is our likeness to all men they have Souls like ours their Souls have all the image of God as well as ours and capable of the fruition of God and eternal glory as well as ours Which Parity whether it be not fairly intimated in the words of the Text judge you when God for attonement for Souls sets a value to all people alike the Rich and Poor to meet in one and the same sum and not one to pay more or less than another but all alike The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel This may seem to be something an unequal rating and the rich to be set too low and the poor too high But to give a clear account of this matter let us consider I. Of the sum that was to be given Half a shekel II. The end for which it was given To be a ransom or attonement for souls And then III. The parity that is to be in this payment None to exceed above nor none to abate beneath another but all to pay alike I. The sum is half a shekel Now their shekel was of the value of our half crown and the half shekel was half as much And as our half crown is either in one piece or hath five six pences to make it up in value So they had their shekel either in one piece or four pieces to make it up Those four pieces in the Greek language were called Drachmes in the Hebrew Zuzees in Latine Pennies And so the Greek renders the half shekel here two Drachmes And the two Pennies that the good Samaritane gave Luke X. 35. is the very same sum viz. half a shekel the Roman penny being seven pence half penny and two of them making half a shekel or fifteen pence And that sum of two pence that the good Samaritane lays down is very properly mentioned in that case For as here the half shekel which was in value two pence is to be given for attonement of Souls so there the two pence which was in value half a shekel is given for recovery of life Two things concerning this half shekel here mentioned are observable in the New Testament First That the mony changers Tables that our Saviour overthrew in the Temple were the Tables of the Collectors and Receivers of this half shekel And why then should he overthrow their Tables when the mony they received was of Gods appointment It was indeed but the wretched Receivers made a base trade of getting gain by changing their mony And for giving them single mony for their whole shekel or half crown piece they must be paid some profit This is that that made our Saviour kick down their Tables and not any crosness against the sum which was of Gods own appointment Secondly In that story Matth. XVII 24. It is this half shekel mony that they come to demand which Christ rather than he will not pay will fetch it by miracle out of a fishes mouth Now II. What was the end or reason of this gift or payment It was for the ransom of a Soul for the attonement of a Soul Where by Soul is not strictly meant that inward part of man properly so called but his life and person for so the word Soul signifies also in Scripture very often As instead of more for the first signification viz. Soul for Life take that of David Let them be cut off that seek after my Soul For the last Soul for Person that in Exod. I. 5. All the Souls that came out of the Loins of Jacob were seventy Souls The meaning is that this parcel of mony was yearly to be paid as a payment or tribute to God for the preservation of their lives and persons And that may be observed by these two things First This was an extraordinary oblation and not the like commanded in the whole Law i. e. any offering of mony Lambs and Goats and Bullocks were commanded to be offered but as for the offering of mony there was this payment only Now the Sacrifices of Lambs and Bullocks were more properly for the attonement of their Souls viz. for the pardon of their sins and the withholding or removing of judgment But this peculiar and extraordinary one of mony was for the peculiar and extraordinary end viz. for the ransom or preservation of their life and person Secondly This you may find hinted in vers 12. When thou numbrest the people they shall give every one a ransom for their Souls lest there be a plague among them This must be a ransom for their lives to keep the plague or any other deadly occurrence away that might take away their lives or destroy their persons III. The parity or equality in the payment of this sum The rich no more and the poor no less The reason of which when we come to weigh let us be sure to do it in Gods own ballances or we may easily be mistaken What the rich pay no more than the poor and the poor as much as the rich A Gallant would scorn to be so ranked with the poor to pay no more than he and the poor would grudge to be rated with the rich to pay as much as he But he that ordained the payment saw very good reason for what he did and would that they rest in his ordaining and learn somewhat from such appointing The rich shall not give