necessary it is to compare all the four Evangelists together for compleating the whole Account of the Life and Death of our Dear Lord. And this Evangelist John assures us of this great Truth as being an Eye-witness of this double Witness in the blood and Water John 19.34 35. No more than what he saw with his Eyes doth the declare to us 1 John 1.3 He saw one of the Souldiers pierce the sides of Christ after he had given up the Ghost with a Spear and forthwith came there out Blood and Water which the same Author in his first Epistle calls the two things that bore Record or Testimony upon Earth This is he that came by Water and Blood not by Water only but by Blood also 1 John 5.6 Here was the foretold Fountain opened Zech 13 1â— even the sides of our Saviour to wash away Man's sin and uncleanness The God of Nature hath in such Wisdom qualified the Natural Heat of Man's Heart that nor only the Lungs are so placed as to blow cool Air upon it but also it is Situated as in a Vessel of water called the Pericardium for the Farther cooling of it and this is a Received Rule among all Learned Naturalists that if this Pericardium or skin of water about the Heart be pierced it is impossible for the Heart which is the prâ—mum vivens ultimum Moriens the first part that lives and the last that dies in Mankind should preserve life in it any longer So that this Wound the Souldier gave our Saviour in his side was a most manifest witness of the Death of Christ and as the Water and Blood did Represent the two Gospel-Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper which did properly flow from the sides of Christ all the other five Mock-Sacraments in the Romish Church flowed only from the sides of Antichrist so they Resembled the two Grand Graces the Water had the Resemblance of the Grace of Sanctification and the Blood of the Grace of Justification These two Graces this beloved Disciple would not have divided each from other Therefore he saith that Christ came by both not by Water only but by blood also To shew that we are both Sanctified and Justified by the Death of our Dear Jesus the water of our Sanctifying grace washes us from the filth of sin and the Blood of Justifying Grace cleanseth and purgeth us from the guilt of sin And seeing we are but in part and not throughly Sanctified for there is ever some remaining Corruption uncleansed Joel 3.21 c. and 't is only carryed on gradually and as it were by Inches therefore the main matter of the Joy of our Salvation consisteth more in our being Justified because the grace of Justification is one gracious Act changing our State of Wrath at one instant into a State of Favour with God and spreading a Mantle as it were to cover out of God's sight the Multitude of our black sins past present and to come by the Red Robes of our Redeemers Righteousness imputed to us So that this blood and water hold forth both the imputed and the imparted Righteousness of Christ and what our Lord hath joyned together that let no Man put asunder No Man can be truly made partaker of that Righteousness which is imputed unless he have also that which is imparted our Sanctification is a blessed Evidence of our Justification We have not need of the blood only but of the water also And tho' this Apostle in 1 John 5.8 make three Witnesses on Earth the Spirit Water and Blood yet he saith these three agrees in one for Gods Spirit doth witness with our Spirits that we are truly Justified and Sanctified by Christ Rom. 8.15 16. And this is highly Remarkable that these Kill-Christ's can do nothing against him but as God had Decreed they may kill him and wound him when killed but the least bone in this Paschal Lambs Body they cannot break as it is written Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12 No more can Satan or his Imps break the least bone of Christ's Mystical Body his Church Let us now take a general prospect of the Death of our Dear Redeemer and make some profitable Inferences from the Sundry Circumstances thereof The 1. Inference is Oh! What an heinous Evil an only Evil Ezek. 7.5 a very bitter thing Jer. 2.19 is sin that could by no possible means admit of any proportionable Expiation or Commensurate satisfaction for it but either by the Death of the Son of God the sinners Surety or by enduring the Eternal Flames of Hell in the sinners themselves every Man as well as the first Man Adam hath eaten the Forbidden Fruit of Sin and the Divine Doom for that Crime of High Treason against the Great God of Heaven the King of Kings is dreadfully Denounced in the open Court of the Holy Scriptures to wit that the Sinner shall surely Die either by himself or or by his Surety There is an infinite offence in every Act of sin as it is acted against the Authority of an Infinite God And should the sinner live for ever upon Earth he would sin for ever against Heaven therefore Eternal Torments are appointed for that Eternal principle of sinning in the faln sinner to satisfie Divine Justice And such suitable satisfaction thereunto the Highest and most Glorious of all the Created Angels in Heaven much less any Mortal Man or the Mightiest Monarch upon Earth could not possibly undertake to make No it must be only the only Son of God that could pay down the full price of our Redemption The 2. Inference is Oh! what a sad case is this that of all Impenitent Ones and Unbelievers who have no interest in the Death of this Son of God who Dyed as the Son of Man to satisfie the Justice of God from the sins of Men These cannot say that Christ dyed for us as Gal. 2.20 c. He gave his Life a Ransom for many Matth. 20.28 But for none such as these and therefore they are like unless they Repent and Believe to bear the Eternal Wrath of God yea and it may be of Man for a while too in themselves which our Dear Redeemer hath born upon the Cross for all True Penitent and Believing Persons The 3. Inference is Oh! how Hateful and Sinful Rom. 7.13 should sin be to every Soul that cost our Saviour so much unparallel'd Sufferings to satisfie for it surely could we but take a view of sin as it lay on our Saviour's Back with such weight as to squeeze out his very Hearts blood out of his Body we should then hate it with a perfect Hatred for Torturing him whom our Souls love Nature teacheth us to avoid that Wound which is hardest to Cure and most Mortal to Life therefore do we guard to our utmost our Heads and Hearts with holding our Hands betwixt them and the Blows And should not Grace teach us to avoid sin which makes the worst Wound in the World as it wounds the Soul and so hard to Cure that the Son of God must be killed before the Soul Stab'd by sin can
yea but when Sir for he went not Mat. 21.29 The Eighth Remark is The variety of Laws given to the Church in the Wilderness the lively Oracles or life giving Oracles of God Acts 7.38 First The Moral Law spoke by God himself in the audience of all the people which is call'd our Life or the Rule of an Holy and Spiritual Life Deut. 32.46 47. Secondly The Judicial Laws which were meerly Judaical and peculiar to the People of the Jews and which cannot fit every Nation no more than any Shoe can fit every foot tho' Carolostadius would have all Magistrates to govern their Subjects by them in all Nations The end of giving the Judicial Laws was to teach Natural Equity to which Judicial Laws mentioned in Chapters 21 22 23. of Exodus must be added those Directions that Jethro gave Moses for substituting Inferiour Magistrates Exod. 18. which choice of Elders was not made till Israel's departure from Sinai Deut. 1.7 8. Nor could Jethro offer Sacrifices as he did Exod. 18.12 before the Law was given Nor could Moses make known God's Statutes to the People as he doth Exod. 18.13 16. before himself knew them So 't is misplaced for weighty Reasons as Dr. Lightfoot observes Harmony of Old Testament Pag. 65.66 Thirdly The Ceremonial Laws were all Typical and therefore Temporary call'd a Yoke too heavy for our Fathers Act. 15.10 Yet their end and use was to prefigure and shadow out the Gospel in its divers Truths in which sense they continue still though not in respect of Observation or Practice yet in respect of Instruction Direction and Testimony to Christ and his Truths The Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are a Commentary and a kind of outwork to the Moral Law The Ceremonial to the first Table and the Judicial to the Second And they are call'd a Wall of Partition betwixâ— Jews and Gentiles because they are made up of Laws that are hard as so many Stones in Nature and that are so many in number as make up a Wall The number of both being reckoned fifty seven when the Moral Law or Decalogue was given by the Son of God Vivâ Voce by his own audible Voice with such Terrour that the People were not able to abide it but desire Moses to be a Mediator He hereupon draws near to God in the thick Darkness receiveth seven and fifty Precepts Ceremonial and Judicial which when he came down from the Mount He telleth the People of and writes them in a Book namely in his Pentateuch The Moral Law sheweth Man what he ought to do and with the same sight he seeth that he cannot do it This makes Man seek to the Ceremonial Law for some Sacrifice or Ceremony to satisfie for his not doing his Duty to the Decalogue wherein Man may see soon that burning a Dead Beast is but an inconsiderable satisfaction for the Sins of a living Man and that outward Purisfyings of Mens selves can avail but little to the cleansing of a soiled Soul the Prophet tells us Thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil will not do it nor can the Fruit of the Body expiate the Sin of the Soul Mic. 6.6 7. The Jews wearied God to the Soul with their Sacrifices and Ceremonies Isa 1.13 14. And David could say Sacrifices thou would not but a broken Heart Psal 51.16 17. The Consideration of this Deficiency in the Ceremonial Law delivers sinful Man up to the Judicial Law which holds forth the Penalty of obstinate Offenders and discovereth to him what he deserveth by the Law of Retaliation This Law is contained in the three Chapters Exod. 21 22 and 23. And thus all those three Laws the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial are as a Schoolmaster to whip us home to Christ Gal. 3.24 None of those Laws of Mosâ—s can save us It was not Moses or the Law but Joshua or Jesus that brought Israel into the Land of Promise Hereby we are constrained to seek out for a Saviour the Lord our Redeemer For there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we can be saved but by Jesus Christ Act. 4.12 N.B. The Parable our Lord himself propounds tends something to this purpose as Luk. 10.30 31 32. Concerning the Man Travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho and falling among Thieves c. Wherein the Man mentioned is Travelling the wrong way He should have travell'd from Jericho the Place of God's curseâ— to Jerusalem the Place of God's Worship and Blessing not from Jerusalem to Jericho As the Man went out of God's Precincts and so out of God's Protection no wonder then if he falls among Thieves Thus the Original Sinner Adam went the wrong way when he listened more to the Serpent's Promise and to his Wife Eve's proffer than he did to God's Precept He went from the Tree of Life to the Tree of Knowledge there hearkening after Honour of the Devil 's giving and not God's he falls among Thieves that stopp'd him stripp'd him and strip'd him so that he was half Dead of his wounds 1. Satan dismounts him of his State of Innocency which should sustain him 2. Sin strips him of all Righteousness which should aray him And 3. Death was the third Thief that strip'd him striking fall'n Man with his own guiltiness and miserably wounding him here is Man in a woful Condition By comes a Priest that is the legal Priesthood or Moral Righteousness This passeth by him but does not cannot help him By also comes a Levite with the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law or formal Holiness This also passeth by and relieveth him not Both these are Physicians if no value miserable Comforters the Eyes of neither of the two did pity him But by comes a good Samaritan our Saviour himself whom they call'd a Samaritan c. he Pities him Salves him Mounts him Lodges him and Pays all for him This Christ the second Adam did for the first Original Sinner N.B. Oh that he may do so for us Adam's Children who are all Actual Sinners and whom the Thieves Satan Sin and Death have wounded Oh that Christ may 1. Pity us when no other doth so Ezek. 16.8 Jer. 31.20 c. 2. Salve us pouring in the sharp Wine of Reproof to search our wounds as well as the sweet Oil of Comfort to supple them 3. Mount us upon his own Righteousness or we never reach the new Jerusalem 4. Lodge us in his own Chamber his Church here and in his Fathers Bosom hereafter 5. And pay all for us by his Active and Passive Obedience which is the two Pence here As our first sinning was without us in Adam so our full satisfying is without us in Christ his Justitia Personae Justitia Meriti pays all c. The Ninth Remark in this twelvth Station at Mount Sinai is the Promulgation of the Law is confirmed by bringing the People into Covenant with God whereof we have an account Exod. 24. which relateth First The Place where according to God's appointment the side of
in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming c. upon this grew secure and notoriously extravagant Matth. 24.48 49. Even so our Lord hath his Travelling time and his Servants have their Trading time Matth. 25.14 c. And our Lord after this hath his Returning time and his Servants their Reckoning time v. 19 c. Should we know when this time will be we should misimprove the mean time Therefore seeing the coming of that Dreadful Day will be sudden and unexpected as that was upon the World we should always watch Matth. 24.37 38 39 42. and be always ready v. 44. Men are never less safe than when they are most secure Oh what manner of men ought we to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quales quanti Men even to admiration looking up and longing for Christs coming in the Clouds those Chariots which carried him up shall bring him back again We should cry with Sisera's Mother VVhy are his Chariots so long incoming Judg. 5.28 and 2 Pet. 3.11 12. Hastening to meet him upon his way Mark 3. The very Symptoms of the last and worst of times are upon us in our Day We may safely say The time is short 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contracted or rolled up 1 Cor. 7.29 as Sails use to be by Mariners when the Ship draws nigh to Harbour the end of her Voyage Or as a Web of Cloth is rolled up only a little left at the end ungathered So God hath now rolled up most of his Works he hath to work in the World he hath only some few things to do a very little at the end of the World to wit four things 1. The Call of the Jews 2. The Fulness of the Gentiles 3. The Fall of Antichrist 4. The Reign of Jesus Christ and then God will say as he said Gen. 6.13 The end of all flesh is come before me The like doth Ezektel use the end it come is come and so some ten or twelve times is come is come Ezek. 7.2 3 6 c. as if he had said Destruction is at the Door If the Judge of the World were at the Door in the days of James the Apostle and the coming of the Lord did then draw nigh Jam. 5.8 9. sure I am it draws nigh much more now in our days and that great Judge who then stood before the Door is well nigh now got over the Threshold it being above a 1000 years since the Apostle said so Therefore let 1. The Persecuted be patient as v. 7. and hold a blow as we say let Patience have line enough in its perfect work the good Lord strengthen Faith and lengthen Patience when the Judge cometh he will set all to rights in the mean time grudge not v. 9. that is groan not grumble not grow not sour and sullen either to God or to one another 2. Let Persecutors Tremble though they be as tall as the great Giants in Noahs day yet God will sweep them away with a Floud of Fire as then he did them with a Floud of Water and not one of them shall escape his just indignation though the Jews feign that one Og a Giant was saved upon an High-Hill and with his own height or as some Rabbies say by getting and setting astride upon the Ark. Yet all this is said without book for the word saith expresly every man Died c. Gen. 7.21 22. no doubt but some might attempt it though in vain as we read of a fond Fryer that built himself an high house upon Harrow of the hill to save himself when an Astrologer had perswaded him the land should be drowned When this dreadful day comes there will be no flying to the Mountains unless it be a crying to them to cover us as Rev. 6.16 which yet shall be but a poor cover for Mountains shall melt and Rocks rend at this Judges presence Now the symptoms of this destruction are 1. Was there ever more burnings of unlawful lusts the fore-runner of the Floud than now when so many Pockified persons have invited so many Forreign besides Native Physicians for their cure in every corner 2. The Abounding of all manner of Iniquity as if Hell were broke loose amongst us The lost times are the loosest times The Dregs of time must needs be the worst as 't is of Liquor the sink of all the sins of former Ages seemcentred in our times 3. Coldness of love by such aforesaid Quench-Coals Dr. Latimer saw such lack of love to God and His People in his time that he verily thought Dooms-day was then just at hand much more may we think so now c. But beside and before this general Judgment-day wherein the whole World shall be burnt as before it was drown'd particular Dooms-days may come upon places and people our own Chronicles tell us of a Dooms-day-book in the Exchequer containing a survey of all England for proportioning the exactions of the Norman yoke by William the Conqueror God bless this Land from such Dooms-day-books and from such Dooms-day-times as were in the Marian days wherein so many Fires flamed out all over our Land to burn the poor Protestants The Apostle Peter saith Think it not strange concerning fiery Trials which are to try you at if some strange thing happened to you 1 Pet. 4.12 wonder not at it as at some new astonishing thing for there is no new thing under the Sun that which hath been not only may but shall be Eccles 1.9 now that there have been such Dooms-day-times and Fiery Tryals both Sacred and Civil Writings confirm it by a cloud of Witnesses 1. Sacred Frequently mentioning how God proves his people by bringing them into the Furnace or Fiery Trials God tried Job as Gold is tryed in the Furnace Job 23.10 and so he did Israel in a furnace of Iron Deut. 4.20 1 Kin. 8.51 and Jer. 11.4 The Oppression of Egypt was a furnace to Israel and so was Babylons Bondage to the Jews afterwards Those grievous afflictions wherewith they were grievously afficted both in Egypt and Babylon did most kindly melt them and made them more malleable under Gods Hammer of his Word Jer. 23.29 God tryed them as Silver c. yea brought them through Fire and Water Psal 66.10 12. Now neither Reprobate Silver nor Alchymy Gold can bear the seventh Fire as Golden Job did who as the Finest Gold is purged in the Fire and shineth in the Water but quite contrary it is with dirty Clay which the Fire Scorcheth and Water Dissolveth 'T is Gods method to gather together his Vessels and to cast them into his Crucible or Furnace as men do with Silver and Brass to melt them in the midst thereof Ezek. 22.19 20 21 22. That is a most direful Doom there I will leave you in the Furnace God deals so with his Foes bringing them into the Briars and there leaves them to be burned as Vessels of Wood only but not so with his Friends who are Vessels of Gold with those God
27.50 54. and yet we find that Christ was Bound as well as Isaac Gen. 22.9 Mat. 27.2 and both willingly and freely not resisting but giving up themselves thereto The fifth Circumstance Both Isaac and Christ were Offered up on a Mountain the former on Mount Moriah the latter on Mount Golgotha or Calvary The sixth is both these two were Offered up alone as Isaac was alone the Servants and the Ass being left at the Foot of the Hill Gen. 22.5 So Christ trode the Wine-Press of his Fathers Wrath alone Isa 63.3 all his Disciples being at Distance from him as the History of the former Circumstance holds out a Mystery to wit that our loose and slippery Hearts stand more need to be bound with the bond of the Spirit than either Isaac or Christ or any Wild Bullock or other Sacrifice needed binding with Cords to the Horns of the Altar Psal 118.27 so in this latter also to wit As the Servants were at distance from Isaac and the Disciples from Christ so all our Gifts and Graces though we must hold them as our lives in point of Sanctification yet must we let them all go in point of Justification therein Christ must be alone we must make no Rivals nor Co-saviours with him The seventh Circumstance As Abraham the Father carried the Knife or Sword wherewith Isaac should have been Killed and the Fire wherewith he should have been Burned so God the Father poured down his Wrath and Justice due to us for our Sins upon his only Beloved Son Jesus Christ there was the Fire of Wrath and the Sword of Justice for Christ too he bore our Griefs suffer'd our sorrows he was stricken smitten of God and Afflicted Isa 53.4 he was Wounded for our Transgressions v. 5 not for his own for he knew no Sin yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him v. 10 with 6 7. Oh that this may bruise our Hearts that as Christ was Crucifixus fixed to the Cross so he may be Cordifixus fixed to our Hearts his satis-passion is our satis-faction God spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 causing all our sins to meet upon his back he suffered the Just for the Unjust 1 Pet. 2.24 and was content to be in the Wine-Press to bring us into the Wine-Cellar Cant. 2.4 The fourth Respect wherein Isaac was a Type of Christ was his Escape and Deliverance in sundry particulars As 1. Abraham was just fetching the Fatal blow to slay Isaac and his Hand was stayed by an higher Hand Gen. 22.16 when the Knife was up the Lord came and stop'd his stroke so the Souldiers when just going to break Christs Bones were restrained for he must be the true Paschal Lamb who was Rosted whole in the Fire of his Fathers Wrath to deliver us from the Wrath to come Exod. 12.9 and 1 Thes 1.10 from frying in the Fire of Hell for ever Joh. 19.33 36. The Souldiers could not break Christs Legs because God had otherwise ordered it Voluntas Dei fuit necessitas Rei who can resist Gods will Rom. 9.19 Christ took his own time to Die so could not the two Thieves which were Crucified with him do and therefore their Bones were broken This further confirms what is said above that Christ did die Voluntarily for 't is said v. 31. that he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost whereas other men do not bow the Head until they have given up the Ghost he might have lived longer if he had listed having strength of Nature to utter such strong cries c. 2. As Isaac was Dead in his Fathers Account no less than three days the time which he spent when he went plodding to the place of Offering Gen. 22.3 4. and therefore 't is said that Abraham receiv'd Isaac as from the Dead in a figure Heb. 11.19 founding his Faith upon the Fidelity and Omnipotency of God which are the two principal Pillars whereon Faith Resteth as did the Temple upon Jachin and Boaz which signifies stability and strength 1 Kings 7.21 3. As the RAM was caught by the Head in a Thicket of Thorns Gen. 22.13 which God had provided for saving Isaac according to Abraham's word of Faith ver 8. So God hath provided another Sacrifice which we in Justice should have been as Isaac for our Salvation even Christ that Immaculate Lamb whose Head was likewise Crowned with Thorns as Abrahams Ram was the Hebrew word Sabbech signifies a perplexing Bush of Briars or Thorns unto which Christ alluded in that famous Lammah Sabbactani Mark 15.24 Our sins are compared to Briars and Thorns which would for ever have held us if they had not by a Divine gracious Assignation caught hold of Christ and held him Mark well here is one Saviour in two Figures Isaac and the Ram the former preserved and the latter Offered up in his stead Dying in the one and Restored in the other answerable hereunto were the two Figures of the slain Goat and of the Scape-Goat Levit. 16.9 to 22. The one as the Ram here Representing Christs Mortal Humanity the other as Isaac here his Immortal Deity or Divinity or the one of Christs Death the other of his Resurrection and our Assurance that Christ the Scape Goat escaped Death as Isaac did and liveth for ever to make intercession for us Revel 1.18 Heb. 9.24 must be matter of unspeakable Joy and strong Consolation to all Believers Christ is not only the Testator giving all Divine Legacies at his Death but he also is his own Executor by being Alive again at his Resurrection to see all his own Legacies Executed according to his Last Will and Testament Heb. 9.15 The fifth Respect wherein Isaac resembles Christ as the Type doth the Antitype is in his Marriage 1. None must serve Isaac for a Wife among the cursed Canaanites but Rebekah one of his own Flesh Countrey and Kindred Gen. 24.3 4. Thus the VVorld which lyeth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 is unfit to be Marry'd to Christ whose Spouse must be Flesh of his Flesh Heb. 2.14 Gen. 2.23 and Spirit of his Spirit Rom. 8.9 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one Heb. 2.11 the unsanctified Children of the Devil John 8.44 have no such Relation to Christ nor any such Union or Communion with him As Rebekah was a Daughter of the white Line so the Church is of the Line of Election the called and chosen Revel 17.14 2. Rebekah Hebr. signifies full and fatted she was very fair to look upon yet a pure Virgin lis est cum formâ magna pudicitiae Now Alas 't is become a Proverb How can she be fair and honest too Gen. 24.15 16. So Christs Spouse is All-fair Cant. 4.1 c. yet a pure Virgin 2 Cor. 11.2 Revel 14.4 Mat. 25.1 neither giving her Love nor his VVorship to Strangers Thus the High-Priest a Type of Christ must not Marry a VVhore or Prophane but a Virgin Lev. 21.7 13. The Spouse is also full and fatted with the fulness of Christ John
or fewer of them in Scripture-Record who minded any thing of Christs coming he came to his own and his own received him not John 1.11 But after this Oh how did this Barren Church sing c. when three Thousand of them were brought forth at one Sermon Acts 2.37 39 41. 2. The Gentile Church was for a long time as a lone Woman or Widow as it were altogether Barren and without Hope of Issue while the Gentiles were without Christ without Hope and without God in the World c. Eph. 2.1 2 12. yet afterwards in the New Testament Times the Gentile Church which before had brought forth only here and there a Proselyte or two as Jethro c. had a more Numerous and Glorious Off-spring than ever the Jewish Synagogue had Thus Sarah though at first Barren had a far greater Issue than Hagar yea and Hannah than Peninnah notwithstanding both were reproached for their former Barrenness Gen. 16.4 and 1 Sam. 1.6 The second Branch of this second Resemblance is The unwarrantable way Sarah took to supply the want of her own Fruitfulness in giving Hagar to her Husband That she might obtain Children by her Bond-woman Gen. 16.1 2. Gal. 4.22 God had promised a Seed to Abraham but not expresly as yet whether by Sarai or no hereupon Sarai propounded her Handmaid as a Secondary Wife or Bed-fellow to her Husband because the Children of Bond-servants belong'd to their Masters and Mistresses by the Law Exod. 21.4 Thus Rachel reckoned the Issue of her Handmaid Billah must be Hers Gen. 30.3 6 and 8. and thus Sarah sought a Seed to Abraham according to Gods promise though she were not the Mother thereof that so the Blessing God had annexed to his Promise might be obtained The Hebrews most improbably say this Hagar was the Daughter of Pharaoh to put the more Honour upon Abraham in this Act and to equal him with Solomon who Married the Daughter of another Pharaoh but Kings Daughters are most unfit to be Handmaids who are brought up Mistresses of the Highest Rank and had Paul been of that Mind he had never stiled her a Bond-woman Gal. 4.22 'T is more probable she was one of those Maids of Pharaoh's House which were given to Sarai Gen 12.16 Whatever she was and whatever good aim Sarai might haven in giving her to Abraham yet the means were naught this expedient for having Seel was not according to God because it violated the Law of the first Instituted Wedlock Gen. 2.14 but it was after the Flesh Gal. 4.23 Sarai was over-hasly and Abraham was over-facile they were both blame-worthy for want of Faith in Gods Promise as if his power could not have performed it beyond the common course of Nature in their old Age and for Violation of Wedlock contrary to its first Institution Mal. 2.15 and Gen. 2.24 This Act might be their Sin of Ignorance and of Infirmity as was also their and the other Patriarchs Polygamy practised in that time and their slipping out of Gods way brought much evil upon them Sarai is whip'd with her own Rod Hefiod saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evil counsel proves always worst to the Counsellors Hagar now pregnant with Child despiseth Sarah her Barren Mistress as Prov. 30.21 her Sin was writ upon her Punishment Gen. 16.4 5. she was despised as one rejected concerning Gods Promise and Abraham was disturbed with those Domestick dissentions 'twixt the Mistress and her Hand-maid Hereby is also figured the difference betwixt the two Mothers the Bond-Woman and the Free the Law and the Gospel and thus likewise the Soul of Man and the Church of God taketh some wrong ways for accomplishing Divine Promises following and finding out false rest fetching peace from the works of the Law rather than from the Faith of the Gospel this is to establish Hagar the Bond-Woman in the place of Sarah the Free out of whom sprang the Messiah that Blessed Prince of all true Peace and such mistaken methods to peace always end in sad disturbance as this in the History did Besides there is this other Mystery that such as put confidence in the works of the Law as the proud Pharisee did Luk. 18.10 11. will despise the Grace of the New-Covenant as Hagar did Sarah Rom. 10.3 will not submit to the Righteousness of God by Christ The third Mystery of Sarah's person in the History of her Life is in her Beauty she had a fair and Beautiful countenance a most lovely look and comely complexion Gen. 12.11 which Plato calls the principality of Nature Outward Beauty is very attractive which yet Sarai kept although she was now about or above sixty years old being not impaired by breeding or bearing of Children or it was preserved by God for the serving of his providence which followed thereupon and here we see how Beauty may be a double snare both to them that have it and to them that love it yet Sarah had a better even an Inward Beauty her chief Beauty was that of the Hidden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3.4 6. Gratior est pulchro Veniens in Corpore Virtus That Vertue hath a better Grace Which shineth from a comely Face Where these two meet they have a most happy conjunction and draw all Hearts to them as Esther obtained Favour of all that look'd upon her Esth 2.15 otherwise where beauty is without Grace and Vertue 't is like a Jewel in a Swines Snout Prov. 11.22 It wants that which should Consecrate and Sanctifie it as in Aurelia Orestilla cujus praeter formam nihil unquam bonus laudavit having nothing commendable to good men save only deceitful Favour and vain Beauty Prov. 31.30 'T was not thus but better with Sarah here who is therefore made a Figure of Jerusalem the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 and of the New-Testament Church v. 24. which is the Spouse of Christ that is all fair Cant. 1.15 and 4.1 c. well looking and well liking to bring forth Fruit in old Age Psal 92.14 and thus as with the Church of God so it ought to be with the Soul of Man which should pray as Psal 90.17 Oh let the Beauty of the Lord be upon me The fourth Mystery of Sarah's Person in the History of her Life is in her Sufferings the chiefest whereof were that She twice did fall into the Hands of two Kings Pharaoh Gen. 12. and Abimelech Gen. 20. both which might have Ravish'd her and made her Disloyal to her Husband yet God mofs Graciously prevented it in both places by Plaguing the former and Diseasing the latter out of both these two Kings Courts God brought her off with Innocency Honour and Advantage Oh how many Snares of Tentation God carries his Church and our Souls thorough oft we are in the Bryars As Sarah was 1. In Egypt when God famish'd Abraham out of Canaan the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 thither which was the Granary of the World The Hebrews make this a fault in Abraham for
6.23 but would have it as a due Debt this is not only from a Principle of Pride but also of Ignorance concerning Christ and of Enmity also against God as if he were not Wise Just and Kind enough for them 3. Consider As Man naturally desires to be so he really is under the Covenant of Works by Nature in his Unregenerate State while he remains in the old Adams Nature as a Wild Olive he abides also under the old Adams Covenant which is a broken State and likewise a Broken Covenant therefore that Man until he be broken off Rom. 11.17 from that old Root must be most miserable seeing that brokeâ— Covenant 1. Promiseth no Life but upon perfect Obedience 2. It hath no Mediator nor Surety to salve his imperfections 3. Neither is there in it any Promise of Pardoning Sin or of giving Grace 4. And every New Sin breaks anew that once broken Covenant therefore Lastly It can never quiet his Conscience as before but lays him under the Curse of it Gal. 3.10 and every man that is under the Curse is under the Covenant that causeth the Curse and who would be Cursed Woe to such as are under the first Covenant which can comfort none but upon this condition Obey perfectly and live Eternally this is poor comfort seeing Gods Commands are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 and Mans Obedience is exceeding narrow Luk. 17.10 c. yet can it curse all that fails and falls short 4. Consider 'T is then a most necessary though a much neglected Duty to be Translated from the Covenant of VVorks into the Covenant of Grace Col. 1.13 we are without God in the VVorld but not without the Devil while we are Strangers to this Covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 we are poor empty Self-deceiving and Self-defiling Creatures under the Irritation Coaction and Condemnation of the Law Justice without Mercy in that Avenger of Blood which pursueth us and whose Heart waxes hot within him Deut. 19.6 to overtake and overcome us 't is therefore an indispensable duty to flee into this City of refuge thou art not only a Man-slayer a felo de se or Self-slayer Eccles 7.16 Numb 16.38 But a God-slayer in as much as omne peccatum est Deicidium every sin is a killing of God saith Luther as much as in us lyeth Flee therefore as a Bird to your Mountain Psal 11.1 Mat. 24.16 to the Mountain of this Covenant take hold with Joab in danger of Death of the Horns of this Altar 1 Kin. 2.28 You are stung with the fiery Serpent the Curse of the broken Covenant and there is but one remedy a look of Faith and love to the Brazen Serpent Numb 21.8 Joh. 3.14 there 's no avoiding the Curse of the First Covenant but by being Translated out of it Sodom and Satan would accept of that offer you reject 5. As Christ was given for a Covenant Isa 42.6 49.8 so all Christless Souls are Lifeless Souls they are Dead and Damned without Christ for Life and Salvation are laid up in him Joh. 15.1 2. Act. 4.12 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.17 as the Mercy-Seat was no larger than the Ark and they never sever'd each from other this shews that Grace and Salvation extends no farther than the Covenant the Hebrew word Copher signifies a Coffering or Covering up our sins Rom. 3.25 1 Joh. 2.2 as all out of Noahs Ark or Coffer were drowned so all out of Christ and this Covenant are Damned as Joseph was the only Doer of all to save the Egyptians Gen. 41.41 44 49. Go to Joseph saith Pharaoh what he saith to you do v. 55. so Jesus is the great Doer of all to save mankind and whoever crys for fear of Famishing the Father sends such to our Joseph our Jesus he is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 yea the Covenant it self and the grand sole undertaker in it Isa 38.14 6. Union is the ground of Communion as our Union with the First Adam gives us Communion with the Cursing-Covenant so our Union with the Second Adam gives us Communion with the Blessing-Covenant our Translation out of the first is by Union with the second there is a breaking â—ff and a grafting in Rom. 11.17 19 24. where Grace grants these God looks upon that Soul 1. As no more a Son of the old Adam 2. He is no more under the Rigour and Curse of the Law but 3. Is become an Heir of the Grace of Life I Pet. 3.7 the Grace of Union brings the Grace of Unction c. Objection But how shall I know my Union in this Covenant Answer by these Characters and Cautions for this high Building so free firm full and holy a Covenant must have Battlements built about it to keep Children and Fools from topling over Childrens Bread may not be cast to Dogs such as are 1. Ignorant Christ brings not Mercy to them but Vengeance Isa 27.11 2 Thes 1.8 2. Such as bless themselves in their sins Deut. 29.19 Psal 68.21 he will wound their scalps their Damnation slumbers not 2 Pet. 2.3 those were wilful c. The First Character for tryal of our Union is Ask thy Heart in what nature art thou In the Old Adams or in the new partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Is the Old house with its fretting Leprosie pull'd down Levit. 14.44 45. and a new one erected new in quality tho' not in substance so as to Love and Hate what God Loves and Hates Rev. 2.6 all the Scraping in the World will not purifie the Walls of thy Heart without renewing Grace ye may beat a Wolf Black and Blue knock out his Teeth cut off his Claws and put a Sheep-skin upon his back yet all this will not drive away his Wolfish Nature Naturam expellas furcâ c. this may Chain him but not change him so 't is with Man tho' never so much Civiliz'd without a new Nature a new Heart hadst thou ever an Earth-quake or Heart-quake to rend thy Heart as the Jailor had Act. 16.26 canst thou experience the Death and Burial of the Old Adam and the Resurrection of the new Rom. 6.3 4. and if not thou art a Son of Adam an Heir of his Covenant and so an Heir of his Curse Gal. 3.10 Eph. 2.3 that Word knows no exception against the rule but free Grace this Curse must be born either by thy self or by thy surety 2. Character Ask under what Reign art thou as well as in what Nature Adams or Christs is thy old Lord and Husband to wit concupiscence Dead Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. this rules over us by carnal Generation 't is therefore call'd the Law of Sin a Law is that which hath Authority in it and it must be slain by Spiritual Regeneration thus none but Widdows marry Christ the High Priest of the Gospel Heb. 3.1 though 't was forbid to the High-Priest of the Law Lev. 21.14 yet those are Virgins Rev. 14.4 Cant.
this City to learn some Fashions and Manners from the Citizen Damosels This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vain Curiosity the Wisdom of the Ancient Heathens call a Pest and shew how it should be shunned accordingly This Homer teacheth in the Moral of his Fable concerning the Mouse which being Ambitious of the Frog's Friendship left her own Paternal House and went out of Curiosity to view the Frog's Kingdom that lay under Water where the silly Mouse once plunged in was soon Drowned 'T is great pity that any of our Daughters should become no wiser than this silly and simple Mouse so childishly to expose their Chastity by their Curiosity 'T is an odd yet a wise Saying in Ecclesiasticus If thou have Daughters keep their Bodies with care and shew not thy Countenance overchearful to them That is let not your fond Indulgency give them too much Liberty in Gadding abroad especially if she be one as the Poet expresseth it that is Nubilis apta Viro Ripe of Years and capable of being Defiled no care can be accounted too much for their preservation especially in our Debauched Days wherein the Apostles Rule is almost rased out Let every one keep their Vessel in Sanctification and Honour 1 Thess 4.4 And that Whoremongers God will Judge Hebr. 13.4 The Fourth Inference is If this mischievous Miscarriage happen'd to Jacob's House through the Indulgency of the Mother in too much Cockering her dear and only Daughter This sounds a loud Alarm to All over Fond Mothers whose over-strong Affections will probably bring over-strong Afflictions And where they do love too much they may possibly Grieve too much as Leah here who might read her Sin writ upon her Punishment Dinah is call'd the Daughter of Leah here by an Emphasis for Leah was but Jacob's first Wife by intruding her self into Rachel's Right and Room If she did think upon that wrong done by her both to Jacob and to her Sister she might now take an occasion to reflect upon her self and remember her own Sin which this Miscarriage of her Daughter might well remind her of for as she the Mother became a Wife too soon by her own Fraudulency so Dinah the Daughter became not a Wife soon enough being made a Bedfellow to him whom she had not time to call her Husband by her own precipitancy which if help'd forward by Leah's doting Indulgency supposing as before her Heart as tender as her Eyes she might see cause enough now to wash her tender Eyes with whole Floods of Tears on this double account yea Jacob himself felt God's Hand upon his Back so laid his own hand upon his Mouth smothering his Grief v. 5. The second Mischief and Miscarriage in Jacob's House was the Massacre made upon the City Shechem wherein Dinah had been Defloured by his two Sons Simeon and Levi. This followed the first Mischief as the Effect doth the Cause and as the Threed doth the Needle In the first is held forth the heinous sin to wit the Rape upon Dinah In this second is contained the grievous punishment for that great sin which was inflicted upon the whole City This punishment is 1. Projected 2. Prosecuted 3. Executed 1. 'T is projected that Revenge should be taken some way or other for this Intolerable Affront done to this Honourable Family wherein are considerable 1. The Inducement to and 2. The Opportunity for some Revenge 1. The Inducement was twofold 1. Jacob's Silence Gen. 34.5 Curae leves loquuntur Ingentes stupent Great undoubtedly was his Regret and Grief who now had as much cause to lament Dinah as a Harlot as ever he had to love her as a Virgin yea as his only Daughter yet his prudence made him patient and to hold his peace as other godly men did after him Levit. 10.3 and Psal 39.10 Accepting the punishment of his iniquity from a Righteous correcting God Levit. 26.41 He saw this severe Rod that smarted upon his back was yet laid on by his Heavenly Fathers hand therefore he smothered his sorrow with his silence whereby no doubt his heart was like to break for want of a Due Vent Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor That sorrow is many times the greatest at the heart which hath the least vent at the mouth or eyes as Job 2.13 Alas what could this good old Patriarch do but patiently acquiesce in God's Will and calmly cast himself down under his mighty hand well knowing that no impatiency or passion of his could procure again that Virginity which his dear Dinah had lost The second Inducement was his Sons both grief and wrath v. 7. a pair of unruly passions especially when combined and in complication as here then make they the strongest Conspiracy as 2 Sam. 15.12 These two head-strong Affections riding as it were upon the backs of each other so transported those Sons that they did not only prosecute but also execute their Plot and Prâ—ject of Revenge and thought they had good reason to do so madly as they did and that there was some sense in their sinful sin yea and that they were more chary of their Sisters Chastity than her good Father was and disliked Shechem's Lewdness more than he This is plain by two passages the first is before the Massacre in declaring the ground of their grief and wrath because Shechem had wrought folly in Israel v. 7. which was more than silent Jacob their Father had yet said to them and wherein they did indeed say no more than what was right giving that filthy Act its due Accent and Aggravation 1. Styling it Folly in the most proper sense for Sin and Folly in the Scripture-phrase are names of the same naughtiness as Josh 7.15 and Judg. 20.6 2 Sam. 13.12 c. and the Reason that these two are convertible Terms is very cogent what greater Folly can there be in the World than to refuse the greatest good to wit God and to chuse the greatest evil to wit Sin and that to the hazarding of the loss of the best thing within us that is our precious Souls yea and the best thing without us too that is the Kingdom of Heaven And 2. Folly in the sublimest degree and in its worst situation they brand it with an Emphasis calling it Folly in Israel that is in the Church where Fornication should not be so much as named Eph. 5.3 much less committed there Sin is odious every where but most of all among Saints A Thistle is tolerable in the Wilderness but 't is intolerable in a Garden of Pleasure The second passage was after the Massacre in their irreverent and unson-like Repartee they returned to their Aged Father who reproved them for their Rage and rash Revenge v. 30 31. Should he deal with our Sister as an Harlot say they no nor should they have dealt so cruelly with their Confederates as if no better than Brutes whom they first couzened into a Covenant and then basely and barbarously yea brutishly butchered them Therefore Jacob's
and unkind churlish carriage to him supposing that the baseness of their Birth made them as it usually falls out more morose immorigerous and ill-conditioned Others say further that this Evil Report includes more than their cruel carriage towards him to wit their criminal conversion in the Countrey not only their common contentions among themselves but also their Carnal Copulations if not with Men and Beasts as some censoriously enough say yet with the Daughters of that Heathen Land c Joseph observing this with abhorrency informs his Father of it that he might reclaim them from their evil courses wherein not only the Sons of the two Hand-maids but also those of Leah as Reuben of Incest c. were all found faulty Though this was a good demonstration of Joseph's Piety doing but the Office herein both 1. Of a good Son to his Father seeing 't is part of that Honour ingenuous Sons owe to their Parents required in the fifth Command to promote all that in them lyes their Domestick Discipline and to conceal any thing that is prejudicial thereto but to let all Vice have its due Cerrection 2. And of a good Brother to his Brethren in not suffâ—â—ing sin to lye upon them unreproved which is to do the worst kind of hatred Lev. 19.17 As Joseph out of pure Love to Vertue abhorr'd his Brethrens Vices so out of pure Love to their Souls he might first privately admonish them though the Scripture be silent as well as he did acquaint his Father of their Sins for suture Reformation whereby he acquitted his own Soul of that guilt which he might have contracted by his silence Yet this was the First Ground of their Malice against Joseph which was increased Secondly By Jacob's Indulgency towards him but raised up to its utmost Elevation Thirdly By his own renewed Dreams of his Advancement above them This was that which lay uppermost with most weight upon their Stomack when they resolved to destroy him because he was the Dreamer Gen. 37.19 As to the first ground of their Envy It therefore plainly appeareth from the premises that it was not scandalum datum sed acceptum not offence given caresly but taken causlesty for though it be Satan's Title and Office to be the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 in which work Joseph was now involved yet did he not this out of any premeditated Malice as the Devil doth he being now but an Innocent Child so called here to free him from that Evil but out of the simplicity of his mind and purity of his Affections who could not at this tender age brook Sin in his Brethren whereby an Evil Report was raised against that only Religious Family of his Father Jacob amongst the Heathen which was a great grief to his tender Spirit in his tender years And suppose he did not first privately admonish them which yet may charitably be supposed notwithstanding Scripture silence as before but that he immediately complain'd of them to his Father it may be said in that case that Joseph look'd upon private admonition unnecessary where the offence was publick and he might see those Sinners to be no better than Scorners such as Solomon says must not be reproved Prov. 9.8 9. being like Dogs who love Loathsome Carrion their filthy Sins better than the fragrant perfumes of any Pious Admonition and would rather flye in the face of him who would drive them from it than flee from their Peccatum in Deliciits or Darling Sin or be driven from it by the Precious Balm Psal 141.5 of his Religious rebuke Give not holy things to Dogs saith Christ Mat. 7.6 nor cast Pearls before Swine or Hogs such a Pearl as is the reproof of Life Prov. 15.31 Those unclean Creatures Hogs and Dogs as they were unlawful to be Sacrificed so are unfit to be admonished Such sensual Swine will Grunt against all propounded goodness and such Mad Dogs will furiously flye in the Face of those that tell them of their faults Such as have even wearied themselves with standing and walking so long in wicked ways that they are now set down in the Chair of Pestilence Hebr. that Seat of the Scornful Psal 1.1 Such Scorners are not worth warning tho some unruly ones in the Visible Church must be warned 1 Thes 5.14 because this kind of Scorners refuse to be Reformed and even have to be healed Jer. 51.9 Hos 11.5 Prov. 5.12 Joseph therefore might having no hope of prevailing with his unruly Brethren by his private reproof but that they would hate him the more apply himself to his Father who was the King Priest and Prophet or Publick Person of the Family to inform him as the Monitor doth the Master in the School not with any design to hurt them but with a desire to Reform them both for their own weal in both Worlds and for the credit and honour of his Father's Family He did not blaze their Sins abroad among the Heathen he told not of them in Gath nor Publish'd them in Askelon to make the Infidels Rejoyce and Reproach 2 Sam. 1.20 for then as Austin saith well Non fuerit correptor sed proditor he had not been a just Reprover but a base Betrayer of his Brethren whereas his not acquainting Jacob herewith that he might interpose with his Paternal and Patriarchal Authority to prevent and reclaim them this had been no better than a base Betraying of them yet for this kind of good will Joseph is hated of his Brethren This was the first Cause The second Cause of their Hatred and Envy was his Father's Favour not to say Fondness to him above all his other Sons because he was the Son of his old Age Gen. 37.3 or as Onkelos hath it because he was a wise Son as above Ingenuous and therefore Amiable Whatever was the ground of the Father's love to Joseph this is certain that the Father's love was the Ground of his Brethren's Hatred to him v. 4. The Evidence of the former was the Argument for the latter As Joseph's telling the Truth no Lyes of them veritas odium parit was the first Cause of their hating him for Truth is an excellent Lady but he that follows her too close at heels may hap to have his Teeth struck out as saith the Proverb Can any man that telleth others of their Faults expect to be loved No 't is as those that are awakened out of their sleep be usually unquiet take it commonly unkindly and begin to Brawl with their best Friends for so doing thus Joseph's Brethren treat him for the like So Jacob's shewing more respect to him than to the rest gave occasion of this Grudge and malignant Emulation Joseph's Candour plainly produceth contrary Effects in his Father and in his Brethren The former loved him for it for which the latter hated him His Father loved him for bringing Deeds of Darkness to light but his Brethren hated him because their Deeds loved darkness more than light as themselves did Joh. 3.19
bare Suspension of Divine Concourse and Influence which God can and will suspend at his good leisure and pleasure 2. That God gives suffering Graces to his Servants steeling the Faces of his Prophets against the brazen foreheads of Prophane People Jer. 1.18 19 c. Job was in the Furnace which was oft heated by sad Tidings treading on the heels one of another the last heat whereof was the worst and hottest namely the loss of all his Children yet how was he steeled as this Bush here and case-hardened to bear patiently the flames of this hot Furnace without Sin Job 1.21 22. 3. That God Restrains that Rage of Man which will not turn to the praise of God Psal 76.10 He takes up some links of the Chain wherein he holds both Natural and Diabolical Instruments He lets them go forth no farther than to be Instructing Rods not Destroying Swords The Church as the Salamander lives in the fire without being burnt up the manner of her Preservation we know not for Reasons of the Operations of Omnipotency cannot well be rendred Doth God secure this Thorn-Bush much more his Vine-trees that have Blessings in the Cluster Isa 65.8 Doth God take care of the Lillies of the field Matth. 6.28 Much more of his Lilly the Church among Thorns Cant. 2.2 one Thorn will tear in pieces ten thousand Lillies yet this one Lilly is preserved among a Multitude of Thorns and could never yet be cut up by the Sword of Persecution or burnt down by the Fire of Martyrdom 'T is true Winter drives it to keep House under Ground yet that is not its Grave but Sanctuary As Christ-Personal was too hot a mouthful for either the cold Earth his Grave or the raging Sea in the Storm to hold him long or swallow him up So is Christ-mystical his Church which by him swallows up Death in Victory and which never fought with the Dragon but she either won the Day by being Victorious or gained ground by being persecuted 'T is true as she consists of particular Persons Moses dies and David sees corruption c. But still a new Phoenix is raised out of the Ashes of the old one God disappoints her Foes either in the matter of their Malice or in the manner of it and in the end turns the Fire on themselves or theirs as on Pharaoh's Water c. This burning Bush as is aforesaid is the most Graphical and lively Emblem of the Church's State in Egypts Bondage as the flame of Fire could not consume it so nor did it alway remain upon it but was at length removed from it leaving the Leaves and Branches of the Bush according to the Rabbins Relation in their Native and Genuine Splendour and Greenness Accordingly the Church in the furnace of Iron Deut. 4.20 was not destroyed by that Eminent Danger but had in God's due time her most Eminent Deliverance as the three Nobles of Babylon had out of the fiery furnace whereof we have an exact and ample Account in the four following Books of Moses namely Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy wherein is largely related the many famous Transactions relating to the Church from the Death of Joseph who died about the Year of the World 2369 until the Death of Moses which was about the Year 2553 as Dr. Usher affirms The first of these Four Books is call'd Exodus which in Greek signifieth a going forth because it relateth the Story of Israel's going forth from the House of Bondage containing a long Historical Narrative from Joseph's Death to the Time of Moses's setting up the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and God's consecrating it himself by filling it with his Glory Exod. 40. The Second Book Leviticus relateth the Story of one Month only so called because it contains the Levitical Laws or Ceremonies of the Jewish Worship relating both the substance of it as to the matter animate and inanimate offerings for Sin-offerings and Thank-offerings c. and as to the Persons concerned who were either the Publick Priests ordained for that Ministry and ordered by Divine Warrant how to manage it or the Private Persons who were to be purified by Ceremonies from Legal Pollutions and likewise instructed in their Morals about both Domestick and Politick or Civil Duties And the Accidents or Circumstances as well as the Substance of the Mosaical Worship are related also both as to Places consecrated for it c. and as to Times divinely appointed namely both festival Days and Years too in their lesser and greater Jubilees All which Leviticus containeth The Third Book Numbers giveth an Account of almost Forty years Travel in the Wilderness and is so called because it giveth the Number of all the Twelve Tribes of all their Orders Sacred and Civil both Captains and Soldiers c. only omitting the Number of the Levites of Women and Children and of all their Martial Marches in a Military Posture under the Conduct of the Cloudy Pillar through the Wilderness And likewise the many Impediments of Israel's Military March are numbred both those Internal As 1. Want of Provision in that numerous Army Chap. 11. 2. Miriam and Aaron's reproaching Moses Chap. 12. 3. The Sedition occasion'd by the ten Spies Chap 13 14 15. 4. The Conspiracy of Korah Dathan and Abiram Chap. 16 c. And those External hinderances As 1. By the Edomites Chap 20 2. By the Canaanites Chap. 21. 3. By the Moabites Threats and Wiles Chap. 22. to Chap. 26. The last Book of Moses is call'd Deuteronomy because it is a Repetition of the Law of God c. and it containeth the History of the two last Months of Moses's Life wherein Moses gave Israel a short Rehearsal of the great things God had done for them and a short Repetition of the good Laws which God had given to them as he craveth and commandeth Attention by the former so he annexeth many Arguments to the latter for inforcing their Obedience drawn from the Manifold Divine Cursings and Blessings on Obedient or Disobedient Chap. 17.28 Lastly Moses resigns his Office of Generalship gives this Book of Deuteronomy to the Levites and Commands the divinely inspired Song to be publickly Sung Chap. 31.50 with his Swan-like Song Chap. 32.33 he Dies and is Buried Chap. 34. The History of Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt where they had sustered long and barbarous Bondage falls first in order to be discours'd upon before we come to their wandring in the Wilderness c. This consists of three Heads namely The Antecedents the Concomitants and the Conseqents of it First The Antecedents as the Book of Exodus giveth the most ample Account of all those three Particulars both for Substance and Circumstances so more especially of this Point both in respect of the People oppressed and of the Person who delivered them from that Oppression The Oppression of Israel in Egypt was grievous and intolerable Exod. 1.8.14 c. God turned the Hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people c. Psal 105.24
Beasts to satisfie their Lusts c. Thus here 't is said Israel bowed down to their Gods ver 2. call'd shame Hos 9.10 These two Sins met together in one Act as oft do Vice and Impudence The Seventh Remark is Men may go far towards Heaven and have many deliverances in their way yet fall foully into heinous Sins to provoke God so as to make them fall short of Heaven Oh stand and wonder that Israel should be thus left of God to themselves in sinning those two heinous Sins when upon the very borders of Canaan their Preservation for forty Years was but a Reservation for this present and worst Judgment Thus those double Sinners of Israel Idolaters and Adulterers whom God had guided through the Wilderness for forty Years who had seen God's wonderful Works all along and felt his Punishments both for their own and their Fathers Sins and who were delivered from many Enemies round about and now ready to enter the Promised Land a Type of the heavenly Canaan yet now abiding in Abel-Shittim their last Station they provoked the Lord to anger ver 3. and the Plague broke in upon them Psal 106.29 which cut them off and so prevented them of entring Canaan Heb. 3.16 17 18 19. The Eighth Remark is Man 's sinful self is his worst Enemy Though the Devil be the greatest yet our own wicked Hearts are the worst Adversary Neither Balaam nor his Master Beelzebub could by any means bring Israel under the Wrath and Curse of God hitherto by any Inchantments or otherwise yet when the Temptation of Satan met with and drew out the Corruption of those wicked Israelites through the Pestilent Counsel of Balaam then did they take Fire and fell into those aforesaid soul Sins which by their own default brought them both under the Wrath and Curse of God by their own Corruption The second Part now follows namely the Removing of this Impediment or stumbling block which was twofold 1. Either mediately by Man is Justice excecuted And 2. Immediately by God himself in the Plague 1. The principal Men that were Ring-leaders in the Transgression were in the General sentenced to be hanged by the Judges of Israel who had not defiled themselves 2. Zimri a Captain in particular was slain by Phinehas The First Remark from hence is Though Moab and Midian with their Daughters were the main beginners of this abominable Mischief yet God first beginneth to punish and purge his Church for God begins at his Sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 and his Judgments must begin at the House of God 1 Pet. 4.17 notwithstanding they do not end there The Midianites must not expect to pass unpunished for God gives Order to destroy them ver 17. and Chap. 31.2 the Reasons why they and not the Moabites do follow upon ver 17. for they were chief in the Mischief The Second Remark is The greatest Grandees of the World ought not to be exempted from the stroke of Justice for 't is said here to the Judges of Israel Hang up those Heads or Princes of the People ver 5. their greatness and Grandeur shall not bear them out or protect them Potentes potenter torquebuntur Chief Men shall have chief Torments They shall die the accursed Death as Hanging was Deut. 21.23 those dissolute Chieftains brought this curse upon themselves and as they had sinned publickly so they suffered publickly before the Lord in the Face of the Sun so for ever to be remembred Mic. 6.5 The Third Remark is When Impartial Justice is executed upon Sinners gentle or simple to the Extirpation of Sin out of Church and State then the fierce anger of the Lord is turned away from that People God is a God of such pure Eyes as he cannot look upon Sin but he must loath it He cannot behold it but he must punish it Hab. 1.13 and to do Justice and Judgment without partiality is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice Prov. 21.3 Especially upon Delinquent Princes who Sin with a thousand Hands as they are publick looking-glasses for People to dress themselves by Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis The Fourth Remark from ver 6. Prince Zimri had surely hatch'd his Heart over with the highest Impudence of Hell who was so brazen-Browed as not to be Content with the common People to commit Fornication without the Camp or Tents of Israel but he Bo va Jakâ—èb el Achau eth hammidianith Hebr. brought his Whore Chozbi into the Camp among his Brethren not only to incite them to the like lustful Lasciviousness but also daringly to outface God himself who walk'd in the midst of the Camp Deut. 23.14 with his notorious Fornication void of all shame to be seen in the Act both by God and Men. The Fifth Remark is Zimri's wicked Act is aggravated also with other notorious Circumstances that he a Prince who should have shewn a better Pattern to the People dared to commit this lewd filthiness among his People while they were bewailing the sad Judgment of the Pestilence now raging among them ver 6. so that his sinning with such an high Hand shewed his Contempt not only of Moses and the Congregation but of God himself and his Judgments and so of all Religion yea and with a profligate purpose as some say to stir up the People to an open Rebellion The Sixth Remark is The extraordinary Motion that came upon Phinehas to perform that Heroick Act of executing Justice upon those filthy Sinners in the sight of Moses and of the Congregation weeping for the Sin and Punishment in the matter of Baal peor ver 3. they were taken as the Adulteress Joh. 8.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ipso furandi Actu in the very Act of Theft This Fact of Phinehas ver 1. who was but a Priest's Son and no ordinary Magistrate and not proceeding judicially with those Malefactors but thrusting a Prince of Israel and a Princess of Midian through their Bodies with his Javelin so suddenly giving them no Time for Repentance may seem blame-worthy in the Eyes of Men but this was done by no private Authority of Phinehas but either by the appointment of Moses ver 5. in whose sight the Sin was committed ver 6. or by an extraordinary Motion of the Holy Spirit as Ehud's Case was in the slaying of Eglon and therefore not to be made any Rule of Practice c. The Seventh Remark is That this famous Fact of Phinehas his Justice in slaying those two infamous Sinners even in the midst of the flagrancy of both their Lusts might not be misjudged by any Man afterwards therefore God himself both justifieth and rewardeth it here ver 11 12 13. as an Holy Work done by the Motion of his Holy Spirit and for a farther Divine Testimony of the Vindication of Phinehas's Fact God withdrew his destroying Plague upon it from the People ver 8. The Eighth Remark is Twenty and four thousand died notwithstanding before the Plague was stayed namely all the
Judgship while he was alive and able to manage the principal parts thereof by his Inspection and Authority over those that were his Deputies N. B. Josephus tells us that Samuel lived eighteen years after Saul was King and Dr. Lightfoot demonstrates that he dyed not till about some two years before Saul's Death living to see the time that Saul confessed to David thou shalt surely be King as 1 Sam. 24.20 with 25.1 N. B. Samuel makes his solemn appeal to the Sovereign ridden People concerning His walking before them in all Integrity and a good Conscience not only harmless but also useful in his station trading with all his Talents faithfully for the common good of them all and he farther adds As for my Sons they are with you as private persons so that you may question them and deal with them as they have deserved 1 Sam. 12.2 3. and the People attested his Innocency and Uprightness v. 4. N. B. Oh! happy was Samuel thus to be acquitted 1. By himself in private 2. By others in publick And 3. In both by God the Supream Judge of all c. No wonder then if Samuel now was displeased But in all this though the People there did acquit Samuel himself yet did they not acquit his Sons when he told them they had got now a King to punish them if guilty Chap. 12.4 Thinking still that as Eli's two Sons had made them abhor Gods Religion so his two Sons had made them abhor their Regiment because it was a Regiment without Righteousness which is no better than a Robherry by Authority N. B. But these were pretences only for we find not that God was so severe upon Samuel as he had been upon Eli for indulging his Sons And Samuel well saw that all their Reasons for a Regal Person were rediculous for a King might grow old as well as he yet not to be Dethroned for Old Age and a King might prove wicked himself or might have wicked Sons Nor should they prefer the custom of Pagan Nations above the command of God N. B. This last saith Grotius was the worst of their Sins for those Nations must have a King because they had not God for their King as Israel had whom God had expresly forbid to be like other Nations Numb 23.9 Here was matter enough to displease Samuel but most of all because he knew it Displeased God Yet was he not so far displeased at those ungrateful People who were weary with receiving so many benefits by one Man but still he can Pity them and Pray for them as Moses had done in the like case before him Exod. 32.19 31. N. B. Samuel Prayed for the pardon of that sin of theirs which afterwards they came to a sight of and confessed against themselves 1 Sam. 12.19 The Fourth Remark is The Lords Sentiment and Answer to Samuels Prayer v. 7 8 9. wherein the Divine Oracle gives First Gods Concession to the People granting this Peoples desire but in Anger and for their Punishment as 't is expressed Hos 13.11 Deus dat Iratus quod negat propitious saith Father Ambrose God oft grants when he is Angry what he denies when he is Pleased God granted Balaam leave to go but at his peril Numb 22.13 20 c. And God granted Quails to Israel but with a vengeance Psal 78.30 c. So here God bids Samuel Hearken to their Voice twice over v. 7. and v. 9. as if God had said Let them have a King but they shall soon have their Bellies-full of him 'T was spoke in Anger Secondly Gods Consolation to Samuel saying do not thou take this affront offered to thee so impatiently for thou farest no worse herein than I do my self They have not rejected thee only but me also that is my Government which hath been both their Honour and their Happiness had they but hearts to prize and improve it And God Comforts Samuel farther saying I have born longer with their Insolencies than thou hast done for this hath been their manner from the first to Follow the manners of the Heathen Ezek. 11.12 and they are now no changelings v. 8. Thou hast therefore less reason to repine than I The Servant is not greater than his Master Joh. 13.16 'T is well if equal Mat. 10.24.25 Thirdly Gods Counsel That Samuel must make a publick protestation against the inconveniences of a Regal Government in shewing them The manner of a King v. 9. That he will set up his Will for a Law and Dominion over them with his sic Volo sic Jubeo as an Absolute Monarch that thereby if possible he might reclaim this Headstrong People and so prevent both their Sin and their Misery The Fifth Remark is Samuel's Oration to the People to disswade them from their present enterprize as God had commanded him v. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Wherein in the general he opens the dangers and burdens of Regal Government But particularly First The manner of a King not the Office or Lawful Right will be to take Your Sons from you by force for his own Fancy and Humour and Press them for his Service v. 10 11. Secondly Though he may make some of your Sons Captains yet this Honour cannot countervail the Danger that his Rigor and Rashness will expose them unto in his precipitant enterprizes and your other Sons whom he makes his Common Soldiers he will employ them upon such desperate designs as the Great Turk doth his Asaphi or Foot-Men only to blunt the Edge of their Enemies Sword and to fill up Ditches with the Dead Bodies c. Yea and this he will do not upon Necessities of State or when the Common-wealth requires it upon some cogent Emergency but meerly to maintain his own Vain-glorious Grandure which none of the Judges that God extraordinarily called and qualified for your chief Magistrate ever durst do v. 12. Thirdly He will take your Daughters also by violence from you and make Them Cooks and Confectioners in his Kingly Court v. 13. Which would be not only most grievous to the Parents in parting with their dear Daughters against their consent but also most dangerous to themselves because of the Tenderness of their Sex unfit for Drudgery but most of all they would be exposed to many Court Temptations c. Fourthly He will take your Fields c. v. 14. Namely either by fraud or by force as Ahab did from Naboth He will not only take the Fruits of your Lands for his service but he will turn you out of the very possession of them and when he hath dispossessed you he will give them to his Menial Servants some Craving Courtiers to possess them As if you were not Masters of so much as a Mole-hill but as if all were his Whereas God saith The Prince shall not take of the Peoples Inheritance by Oppression to thrust them out of Possession that my People be not scattered c. Ezek. 46.18 1 King 21.3 Fifthly He will take the
The evil thou hast done saith Samuel was in the sight of the Lord v. 19. whom thy pretences of Piety cannot deceive he saw thou sought more Booties for thy Self than Sacrifices for God All this puts not Saul to silence but will obstinately still say something though he had nothing of moment to say but what he had said before thinking to out-face the Old Prophet and put him to his Proofs he gives him the Lye and Tantamount calls Samuel a false Accuser while he justifies all that he had done v. 20 21. and Saul's shuffling Sophistry to Samuel is very observable for thus he pleads in his own Vindication N. B. 'T is true the Lord commanded that all should be destroyed by us yet the same God hath given us a Command that we should Sacrifice to him and therefore we have done well in saving all these Cattel for God's Sacrifices This subtle fallacy of Saul the Sophister Samuel answers that God's Law about Sacrificing was indeed a former and more General Law but that was no part of Saul's Commission from God to go and fetch Sacrifices from Amalek for Israel his particular Errand was to destroy all the Cattel v. 3. and this latter Law which was given in special charge to him ought chiefly to be observed at this time before that Law which was not his concern now and thus the Old Doctor Samuel doth not only with a Divine Acuteness unfold but also with a Spiritual Argument confounds the fallacy of subtle Saul's Paralogism and this he doth with an Argument à comparatis v. 22 23. N. B. His first Comparison is of Obedience with Sacrifices v. 22. arguing thus That Obedience to God is a Moral Duty constantly and indispensably necessary but Sacrifice is only a Ceremonial Institution sometimes unnecessary as in the Wilderness and sometimes sinful when it is offered by a polluted Hand and a prophane Heart then is it Abominable to God Isa 1.13 14 15. Prov. 21.27 or if Offered by Irregular means matter or manner Levit. 10.1 2. Isa 61.8 1 Chron. 15.13 c. Therefore saith Samuel the best and fattest of thy Sacrifices cannot compensate thy gross Disobedience to God's express Command 't is an Iniquity not to be purged away by Sacrifice for ever chap. 3.14 much less by thy stolen stuff Accursed Cattel devoted to destruction in their own Land God hates Robbery for a Burnt-Offering Isa 61.8 N. B. Samuel's second Comparison is his comparing Saul's Disobedience with the worst of wickedness v. 23. telling him That his Obstinacy in justifying his sinful Fact and so Contumaciously pleading for it was as destructive and damnable as Witchcraft it self for as Witchcraft Dethroneth God and Inthroneth Satan so thy Rebellion pulls down God and sets up thy own wicked Self-will in the Throne for thy God to be Adored and so becomes the worst sort of Idolatry wherein thou blesses thy self Deut. 29.19 20 21. in Adoring thy own Will contrary to God's Will The Fifth Remark is The feigned Confession and frigid acknowledgment that false-hearted Saul at long last made of his Sin to Samuel who as it were squeez'd it out of him by the force of this large continued Conference and Dialogue betwixt them Tandem aliquando frigidè clamat peccavi N. B. When he could deny it no longer at length he comes to a forced feigned and faint Confession I have sinned like that of Pharaoh Exod. 9.27 dragg'd to it and drawn from him more from fear of disgrace and danger of damage by losing his Kingdom than from any true and serious Repentance The Indications of Saul's Hypocrisie herein are these N. B. First That he made no Confession till he heard his Kingdom would be translated from him to another that dreadful Sentence denounced against him he desired to be disannulled Secondly His Confession was extorted from him only that he might be honoured among his People to retain his Regal Power over Israel v. 30. not at all was Saul solicitous for the favour of God so he might but hold in with the favour of Men. Thirdly He shifts off his sin from himself again to the People saying I feared the People and obeyed their Voice v. 24. this was to excuse one sin with another for had he feared God more he had feared the People less what mischief their Mutinies might have made him as a better Man than he his Successor said Psal 27.1 3. and 46.1 2. beside this was no better than a loud Lye for how little he feared the People may be seen by 1 Sam. 11.7.13 and 14.24 So that non causa pro causâ was Saul's Fallacy here naming a false Cause the fear of the People and hiding the true Cause his own Covetousness and his want of the fear of God Fourthly Hypocrites are always Changelings blowing sometimes hot and sometimes cold Oh how hot was Saul in his false Zeal against the Philistines a People whom God had not so Cursed as he had done Amalek when he furiously resolved not to leave a Man of them alive chap. 14 36. and how hot was he also against his Innocent Son Jonathan saying He shall not be spared but shall surely die ver 39.44 Yet how cold can this unsound Saul be in the case of the People of God's Curse Amalek whom God had expresly commanded him to cut off Universally both Man and Beast notwithstanding he spareth Agag and the best of the Cattel and though the People might plead a little for Saul's sparing the Cattel hoping to have some benefit thereby to themselves yet could they not plead for sparing Agag which would be no advantage to them Fifthly Though Saul used the same words I have sinned that David did after 2 Sam. 12.13 yet with a great deal of difference For 1. It was wrung from Saul after many Shuffles and Shiftings but it flowed freely from David 2. Saul sought his own Honour before the People but David sought God's Favour and Glory 3. David took the whole guilt to himself like a true Penitent but Saul like a false Hypocrite when convinced would not bear the whole burthen of the Blame alone but lays it chiefly upon the People intimating had he been left to his own choice he should not have done so 4. Saul confesses his sin to Samuel only and not to God but David crys to God Against thee thee only have I sinned c. Psal 51.1 2 3 c. Sixthly Saul stigmatizes himself an Hypocrite in saying I obeyed the Voice of the People v. 24 when he knew he had disobeyed the Voice of the Lord in express Commands c. The Sixth Remark is Samuel's punishing Saul in Excommunicating him out of his Company and not countenancing him in his Sacrificing the Accursed Cattel ver 26 27 28 29 30. Saul had come out of Gilgal to meet Samuel when all this Discourse passed between them Samuel will not go to Gilgal with Saul to Sacrifice there but turns from him in great Indignation loth was Saul to
lose Samuel at such a juncture to his disgrace he therefore holds him violently by his Mantle and it rent in his Hand which Samuel told him was a sign of God's rending the Kingdom from him and giving it to one who should tear off the Skirt of his Garment which when Saul saw came to pass he said Now I know thou shalt surely be King chap. 24 4.20 The Seventh Remark is Samuel slays Agag and at the Importunity of Saul Samuel yields to go to Gilgal to own him as his Soveraign as yet being only Rejected but not Deposed but chiefly to Execute Agag v. 31 32 33. who had been as cruel to Israel as his Ancestors and having escaped the Sword of Lusty Saul did not dream of Death by the Sword of Old Samuel N. B. Whom yet God enabled to hew him in pieces as Phinehas stab'd Zimri and Elijah slew the Baalites all extraordinary Cases We are to walk by the ordinary Rule and not by extraordinary Examples which are no Presidents for us After this Samuel went no more to visit Saul now Excommunicated yet mourns for him v. 34 35. for the hardness of his Heart and hazard of his Soul which was more than Saul did for himself CHAP. XVI CHapter the Sixteenth is a Narrative of David's private Anointing to be King by Samuel upon Saul's Rejection by God wherein the Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents be considerable The Remarks first upon the Antecedents whereof The First is The Dialogue or Conference betwixt the Lord and Samuel in which is N. B. First God's Speech to Samuel How long wilt thou mourn for Saul c v. 1. Mourn he might but it was over-long that he mourned and not only so but pray'd also for his Restitution Do not so saith God seeing I have Rejected him lose not thy Prayers and Tears upon such a Reprobate an Aethiopian that will never be washed white with all thy Weeping Didst not thou tell him from me God is not a Man that will Repent chap. 15.29 I am resolved to Reject him and the Manifestation of my Resolve must make thee submit to my Pleasure and the Lord tells him As I am peremptory in Rejecting Saul so no less am I in providing me a King among Jesse's Sons one better than he whom the People provided for themselves therefore fill thine Horn with Oyl to Anoint him N. B. Saul was Anointed with Oyl out of a Glass Vial chap. 10.1 the brittleness whereof signified the Instability of Saul's Kingdom which would soon be broken but David must be Anointed out of an Horn-Vial which is of a more durable substance to signifie the continuance of his Kingdom that never should have an end and this was accomplished in Christ the Son of David N. B. Secondly Samuel's Answer v. 2. He saith nothing to the Negative part of God's Speech and therefore we may well suppose that he was satisfied it was his Duty to forbear Mourning any longer for Saul and praying any more for his Restitution But as to the positive part of it he makes his Objection saying How can I go If Saul hear it he will kill me N. B. A strange Question instead of a positive Answer and such an one as seemeth to favour of Humane Frailty in an old Servant of God who had so much and so long experience of the Lord's faithfulness to him in a most familiar Conversation with him Bernard could say Quid timet Homo in sinu Dei positus What need that Man fear who is seated in the very bosome of an All-sufficient God Samuel here should have strongly believed that the Lord who call'd him to this word would carry him safely through it But 't is more suitable to Samuel's Gravity and Godly Experience to suppose that he said How can I go Not so much out of any Diffidence and Distrust but out of a desire of Divine Direction therein N. B. As the Blessed Virgin did in her Question to the Angel How can this be seeing I know not a Man Luke 1.34 The Lord's Answer to Samuel's Objection makes it more probable for he directs Samuel how it might be done without danger saying Take an Heifer and say I am come to Sacrifice unto the Lord. This was usual for Samuel to do sometimes in one place and sometimes in another to keep up the Worship of God and to keep out the Worship of Idols unto which Israel was notoriously inclinable This therefore was one cause of his coming to Bethlehem but not the only cause nor was Samuel obliged to declare all that he came about N. B. Note well Some part of a truth may lawfully be concealed out of Civil Prudence as Jeremy did Jer. 38.27 N. B. As he is a Fool saith Solomon that believeth all he heareth Prov. 14.15 so he is no less that declareth all he knoweth The Lord farther directs Samuel to invite Jesse and his Sons to the Sacrifice and to the Feast that followed the Peace Offering and thou shalt Anoint unto me him whom I Name unto thee v. 3. N. B. This Jesse above all others must be an Invited Guest because he was Grand-Child to Ruth the Moabitess Ruth 4.22 who was now grown a great Lady in this little City Bethlehem and now noted to be the Great-Grandmother to the King of Israel so little lost Ruth by renouncing the Idolatry of Moab and cleaving close to the Lord God of Israel The Second Remark upon the Antecedents is The sad Alarm Samuel's coming to this City gave to the Citizens The Elders trembled at it c. v. 4 5. out of Reverence to him they met him at the Gate and Courted him with Is all well Knowing that he was now an Old Man and stirred seldom from his House at Ramah especially since he deserted Saul in so great displeasure they did justly wonder that he should now take so long a Journey from home and come to so small a City as Bethlehem was Micah 5.2 N. B. It must be upon some extraordinary Errand and their own Guilty Consciences feared the worst They might fear First That some grievous sin had been committed in the City and he was come to denounce some grievous Judgment against them for it Or Secondly That Samuel coming so privately might flee from Saul who was sore incensed against him for his so late sharp reproof and should they receive and harbour him this would horribly expose them to Saul's Rage and Revenge and so evil might befal Bethlehem for Samuel's sake as it did afterwards to Nob for David's sake Thirdly They might fear such a great Prophet as Samuel was came to foretell some sad Calamity would befal their City either from some Foreign Enemy or from Saul himself who now began to fall into Frantick Fits c. N. B. But good Old Samuel doth not only comfort them against all those Fears but also Invites them to a Peace-Offering and to the Holy Feast that followed it only with this difference their single Persons are
Bowels and so he Died even in a Damnable state Exit Tyrannus N. B. Note well First Josephus and the Rabbins make Saul a Martyr in Dying thus Valourously by his own Hands to avoid disgrace c. But surely he Dyed the Devil's Martyr not God's whose express command is Thou shalt not kill Secondly Saul had spared Agag contrary to God's command and now from a Righteous Judgement of God he will not spare himself but is Felo de se a Self-murderer destroying God's Image in himself Thirdly He Dyed in his Sin Joh. 8.21 and in the worst sort of sin the sin of Witchcraft whereof he was guilty in Consulting with a Witch c. A Man had better Die in a Ditch or in a Dungeon than Die in Sin Unrepented of or Unpardoned Fourthly Not one hint have we of his Repentance but 't is said the Lord slew him for his Sins 1 Chron. 10.14 The Second part of this Chapter is what happened after Saul's Death The Remarks hereupon are First If Saul's Armour-Bearer were Doeg following his Master 's Evil Example of Self-Murther when he saw his Master Dead whom he would not over-live because of his over-love as Brethren in Iniquity Hereby God justly Revenged upon him the Blood of the Lord's Priests which he had slain in his being his own Executioner The Second Remark is Saul's Death and his Army Routed put the Parts Adjacent to the Valley of Jezreel the place of this Defeat into such a Consternation that they fled from their Cities and the Philistines came and dwelt in them v. 7. Thus the Philistines prudently pursued their Victory and had not God raised up David at this time to put a stop to their Proceedings in all likelihood Israel had lost Canaan hereby The Third Remark is The Philistines Triumph over Slain Saul ver 8 9 10. All Saul's care was for his Body that it might not be Abused ver 4. but no care he took for his Soul and his Body was abused nevertheless They cut off his Head as David had done to Goliah and devoted it to Dagon for this Victory His Armour they Dedicated to Ashtaroth another Idol And they Hung up his Carcase as on a Gibbet in Bethshan for scorn The Fourth Remark is The Men of Jabesh-Gilead hearing of it and remembring the old kindness Saul had done them Chap. 11.11 Marched all Night as he had done for their Deliverance Though they were far Remote beyond Jordan yet they Zealously Marched thither and took down the Bodies of Saul and his Sons now Putrified by Hanging so long in the Sun and Wind by stealth carried them away Burnt their Flesh and Buried their Bones under an Oak in Jabesh for a Monument thereof v. 11 12. and then Lamented the Publick Calamity with Fasting and Prayer for Seven Days which was the very Term of Truce Nahash had given them in chap. 11.3 So long here v. 13. they seek God's Love of Israel The Second Book of SAMUEL Which in the general Prospect of it is an History of the Kingdom of David holding forth his whole Life as First His Inauguration to the Throne of Israel 1. By one Tribe only Chap. 1 2 3 4. and 2. By all the Tribes Chap. the 5th Secondly His Royal Actions in his Regal Government as first those that were laudable Chapters 6 7 8 9 10. and secondly those that were culpable Chapters 11. 12. Thirdly His Checker'd State of Life partly in Adversity both as to his private Capacity by his two bad Sons 1. Amnon Chap. 13. and 2. Absalon Chap. 14. and as to his Publick Condition First by Sedition which was 1. Domestick moved by Absalon Chapters 15 16 17 18 19. and 2. Extrinsick by Sheba Chap. 20. Secondly by Famine Chap. 21. and Thirdly by Plague Chap. 24. and partly in Prosperity which David Celebrates Chapters 22 23. After this Recapitulation of the whole Book in General Now the particular prospect of each Chapter is to be considered 2 Sam. CHAP. I. WHICH declares the state of Israel after this their direful defeat by the Philistines the Tidings whereof David received with deep deploration yea the Death of Saul tho' he was his Capital Enemy yet he profoundly bewail'd it Remarks hereupon are First The Messenger of those sad Tidings is described by sundry Circumstances As 1. When he came to David it was three days after David had return'd from the slaughter of the Amalekites v. 1. And 2. Whither he came to wit unto Ziklag for it was not so burnt but David and his Men might refresh themselves in it after so long an harrase until God provided them better Quarters 3. Who he was an Amalekite v. 8. the Son of a Stranger v. 13. 4. In what posture he came pretending sorrow for the loss of God's People with his Cloaths rent and earth upon his head and falling down at David's feet to humour and honour the Rising-Sun v. 2. and 5. He is described by his Age he was a young Man v. 5 13. The Second Remark is This Amalekite's Narrative of the effect of the Fight of the Philistines against Israel wherein he gives David a distinct Account upon David's diligent Enquiry v. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. wherein Observe First He declares to David the flight of Israel the slaughter of the Army and the death of Saul and Jonathan v. 4. Secondly To confirm his Story of Saul's death which mostly concerned David he confesseth himself to be the Author thereof by a Casualty of coming to the place where he was v. 6. and Thirdly To qualifie his Crime he saith Saul call'd me v. 7. chose me v. 8. and requested me to be his Executioner v. 9. He adds Fourthly a comparing Saul's desperate Case saying as Josephus and others do relate Saul said to me I am sorely wounded by the Arrows of the Archers and by my own Weapon I have faln upon yet am I not likely to die of those wounds nor would I be willing to live with them until the Philistines overtake me and put me to some shameful and more painful death and seeing my Coat of Mail will not suffer my Lance to pierce deep enough to dispatch me do thou lean upon me with the whole weight of thy body that the Weapon may pass through me and outright kill me to quit me of my dolorous pain Fifthly Hereupon saith he when I saw he could not live both for anguish of Mind and pain of Body I thought it an Act of Charity to do for him what he desired of me to dispatch him out of his misery and to dye by my hands rather than by his cruel Conquerors then took I the Crown from off his head and the Bracelet that was upon his arm and have brought them to my Lord v. 10. The Third Remark is a Scrutiny touching the veracity of this Amalekite's long Harangue Tho' I find some Learned Men Patronizing this Amalekite and purging him from lying to David saying his Story was a Real
from the Judgment threatned ver 32. by ordering them to be buried with the Bones of this Man of God having a Superscription upon the Tomb-stone for saving it c. 2 Kings 23.17 c. 1 Kings CHAP. XIV THIS Chapter is a Commemoration of the two first Kings of Israel and Judah describing their Acts Lives and Deaths The first is of Jeroboam the two last Verses of the foregoing Chapter and here from ver 1 to ver 20. The second is of Rehoboam from ver 21 to ver 31. First of the first Remark the First All those wonderful Works for warning Jeroboam to break off his Sins by Repentance and Reformation were as God's Hammers which did but beat upon cold Iron 't was all lost Labour making no Impression at all ver 33 34 of Chap. 13. The Cause of his Obstinacy saith P. Martyr was his Ambition He made his Hedge Priests by Bribery without any Regard to Learning or Honesty to Tribe or Family being resolved to carry on his Idolatry notwithstanding his shew of Repentance which he made Chap. 13.6.7 because the Renouncing of that evil way would as he said Chap. 12.26 27 28. endanger his Kingdom Thus wicked Men was worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 Remark the Second Though Jeroboam persisted in this indelible Evil of Idolatry and prospered better than the true Heirs of David for he lived to see three Successions upon the Throne of Judah yet God's Favour is not to be measured by the line of worldly Welfare The same Divine Power which before had stricken his Hand now strikes his Son his best Son and Heir of the Crown Abijah ver 1. The Father walked contrary unto God and now God also walks as contrary to him and scourgeth him upon his Son 's back who was a piece of himself in another Skin Remark the Third Jeroboam is sorry for his sick Son Bad Men may have natural Affections which even brute Beasts have towards their own Young Yet he thinks not on God to pacifie his Anger but only of his Prophet for the Recovery of his Son as he had foretold him of his being King vainly respecting the Servant more than the Master 'T is a wonder he made not his moan to the old Prophet at hand in Bethel No in his Extremity he is driven to this true Prophet ver 2. that as the Prayers of a Prophet had healed his Hand so might they no less save his Son and none must be the Messenger but his Wife and that disguised too upon a double Account the First is The Messenger must not be known to the People lest they should on all Occasions go to the true Prophets and Priests of the Lord as he himself did Regis ad exemplum c. If he forsake his new Gods as Dunghill Deities why may not we they might say And Secondly nor must it be known to the Prophet from whom he could expect no other Answer save what Jehoram had from Elisha 2 Kings 3.13 no Prophet of God could speak comfortably to a Founder of Idolatry she therefore goes to Shilo in the Dress of a Peasant and not of a Queen with a poor Country-Present ver 3. that she might seem none other than a plain Country Woman yet grateful to the Prophet for she would not go to God's Seer without a Gift as 1 Sam. 9.7 Remark the Fourth is the Event of this Disguise ver 4 5 6. Mark 1. The same Prophet Ahijah that had foretold Jeroboam of his coming to the Kingdom was now retired into the solitary Place of Shilo there to bewail the Idolatry of Israel saith P. Martyr which weeping might further the failure of his Eyes which might well be wept out with much weeping Mark 2. Though Jeroboam's Wife was a Queen yet partly out of Obedience to her Husband and partly out of natural Affection to her Son she is contented to go on foot all alone a masked Pilgrimage to Shiloh wherein she exposed her self to manifold Hazards either of that Lion in the way that had lately torn the good Prophet or of Robbers in the High way or of being Ravished as Dinah Jacob's Daughter was by Shechem when all alone yet casts she off all those fears Mark 3. Ahijah the Seer now could not see having his Eyes now set in his Head and therefore her Disguise was now needless all dresses being alike to a blind Man however needful before among the Courtiers Hence some suppose this must be done at the latter end of Jeroboam's Reign when Ahijah was blind with Age. Mark 4. What a foolish thing is the Disguise of Hypocrisie She feigns her self here to be another Woman not presenting to the Prophet Jewels or Gold or such Presents as Naaman did to Elisha 2 Kings 5.5 15. this would have discovered her to be some Person of Quality but only some Country Commodities to make him think she was some Country Bumkin to cozen the Seer if she could But this blind Prophet had inward Visions from God so that as soon as he hears the sound of her Feet she hears from him the sound of her Name Come in thou Wife of Jeroboam whereby he discovered her Deceit that she might saith P. Martyr the better believe his following sad Oracle N. B. Thus Hypocrites would cozen the God of Heaven if they could but the Lord laughs at those double-minded Dissemblers and both Detects and Defeats them Remark the Fifth The hard Message God gave to Jeroboam for hardning his own Heart against God's Fear first denounced and after inflicted upon his Son and upon his Family ver 7 to 18. Mark 1. The discovery of her Name under this Disguise must needs strike her with Astonishment and prepared her for her following dismal Doom God upbraids her wicked Husband with his notorious Ingratitude who in no other case upbraideth any Man James 1.5 in marring God's own People by his Idolatry tho Israel had cast off God thereby yet God had not cast off them but still calls them My People Israel And the same Ahijah that had foretold his Rise from being a Peasant Chap. 11.28 a Servant to make him a Prince c. doth now as earnestly foretel his Ruine Mark 2. God arraigns him here of his Diabolical Recompencing God evil for good illustrating it by both falling far short of David who though he sinned yet cordially repented of his involuntary Infirmities so was the best of Kings and also by his becoming far worse than the worst of those Kings that went before him ver 7 8 9. Wicked Saul never set up false Gods as he hath done no Sin incenseth God to Anger more than Idolatry He hath cast me behind his back as not worth regarding Mark 3. The direful Doom denounced against his whole Family in general not so much as a Dog of Jeroboam's shall escape ver 10 11. God will sweep his House clean from all the Dung and Defilements even with a Besom of Destruction to make the Pavement pure
matter of Salvation Some abstruse Points overcome our Intellectuals and we cannot subdue them to our understandings Eorum quae scirc nec datur nec fas est docta est Ignorantia Scientiae appetentia est insania species 't is a learned Ignorance not to know what we may not know 't is a sort of Madness to search them saith Austin It belongs not to us to know secret things but such as are revealed only 'T is madness to desire more and 't is equally as ridiculous as for an Eagle to desire to Swim or an Elephant to Fly whereas God hath not given to either of them any such Appetite Such Curiosity in Man is from the Devil For a more manifest understanding of the History and Mystery of Christ's Conception â—iâ— necessary to know as previous thereunto the twofold Estate of Christ. 1. His Estate of Humiliation 2. His Estate of Exaltation The first of these is the matter of our present Discourse In his Estate of Humiliation there were divers Degrees or Steps like a King coming down from his Throne descendeth step by step till he cometh to the last and lowest Step So the Son of God did gradually descend from his Royal Throne from that Glory which he had with the Father before the World was founded John 17.5 and did abase himself to take upon him the Nature of Man so passed He lower and lower to his dying Day Phil. 2 6 7 8. Emptying himself as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies all along by passing through many little Death 's all his Life long till at last he emptied himself out of the World by undergoing that cursed and painful Death of the Cross his Soul also being heavy to Death Matth. 26.38 which plainly demonstrates that Christ at his Conception took not only a part but the whole Nature of Man upon him both a Body and a Soul He took a Body of Flesh whereby He reconciled us Col. 1.21 22. even his own Body 1 Pet. 2.24 As without Controversie He had a Body so 't is most certain He had a Soul too even the whole Nature of Man Hence the Fathers Irenaeus Arbanafius c. argue excellently against the Sophistical Disputers of their Days that had Christ but taken upon him only one Part of the Nature of Man it had been impossible for Him to be our Redeemer then had he Redeemed one Part of Man only with that Part which He assumed He had therefore a Body to redeem our Bodies and a Soul to redeem our Souls so the whole Nature of Man comes to be redeemed by Christ who took the whole Nature in his Inparnation Yea 't is expresly said that God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh c. Rom. 8.3 Omne simile non est idem Every like is not the same saith the Philosopher Christ indeed took not only Man 's whole Nature but also the Infirmites thereof which are of two sorts 1. Those that are sinful These Christ took not for no Sin was in Him 1 Pet. 2.22 He knew no Sin 2 Cor 5.21 with a practical Knowledge though with an Intellectual He knew it else He could not have reprov'd it The Sanctity of Christ's Nature did exclude all sinful Infirmities just as hot Coals swallow up the Water that is drop'd upon them But 2. There be other Infirmities of our Nature call'd Paenal which are unblameable Passions and void of Sin such as to be Hungry Thirsty Weary c. These are universal to all the Children of Adam There be also such Infirmities beside these common and universal which are only Personal as to have divers Diseases which arise from particular procuring Causes these properly Christ took not on him for He assumed not any Man's Person but the Nature of Man yet by way of Proportion Christ is said to take our Infirmities and to bear our Sicknesses Matth. 8.17 as he bare our Sins 1 Pet. 2.24 so by Participation he bare our Sicknesses for we may thank the former for the latter Rev. 2.22 Jezebel's Bed of Security in Sin soon brought her to a Bed of Sickness Asa laies God's Prophet by the heels And God soon after laies Asa by the heels diseasing him in his Feet 2 Chron. 16.10 12. Sin is an universal Sickness as well as the proper Cause of it's kinds John 5.14 1 Cor. 11.30 c. The Reasons why Christ took upon him not only our Nature but also these Frailties of our Nature which yet in him were sinless Infirmities are Four First for satisfaction sake that he might satisfie for our sins He that must saâ—â—â—e for them must undergo the whole punishment of them in the way of expiation henâ—â— the Prophet saith He bore our griefs carry'd our sorrows was wounded for our Transgrâ—â—sions bruised for our Iniquities and became surety for our sins c. Isa 53 4 5 6 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.24 26. So that it may as well be said in sano sensu that Christ laid down to be sick for us as to dye for us seeing all his sorrows were not at all for himself 〈◊〉 just one but wholly and solely for our sakes who are Sinners Secondly To strengthen Faith in the Incarnation that we might know he was a very Man because he had the common weaknesses of Mankind as eating sleeping and such like whereas had not he been subject to all our frailties we might have doubted whether he had been Man or no but this helps out belief c. Thirdly For our Example that as he was subject to Hunger Thirst Cold and Nakedness so we should be contented with the like also when called thereunto as our Pattern did as above Fourthly But the grand Reason in Scripture is rendred for his assuming our Infirmities that he might be more compassionate towards us Hebr 2.17 He was made like to us 〈◊〉 things that he might be the more merciful c. A Man Visiting the Sick who himself hath had experience of the same Disease will be more compassionate and pittiful than twenty others This therefore makes us come with more confidence to Christ because he hath been touched with our frailties saith the same Apostle Heb. 4.15 16. As he that hath been poor or troubled with Tooth-ach will shew the most pity to those that are so Thus Christ is both apt and able to succour and save us Heb. 2.18 and 5.7 and 7.25 Jude v. 24. Concerning the Conception of Christ which was the first step of his state of Humiliation when the fulness of time came that the Divine Nature of the Second Person as it were step'd out of Heaven to assume Humane Nature and its frailties upon Earth according to the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son c. There be Three Grand Inquiries exceeding Cosiderable here about the manner of Christ's Incarnation and taking our Flesh upon him First Of what Matter Christ was Conceived Secondly By what Power this Conception was compleated and Thirdly What strange Commotions there were about
one Sabbath might pass over the Child to prepare it for the Ordinance Thirdly Yea this Eighth Day was so precisely observed that if it did fall upon the Sabbath-Day yet they Circumcis'd the Child from thence came their vulgar saying Circumcisio sabbatum pellit Circumcision drives away the Sabbath and upon this Christ made some reflections saying Ye on the Sabbath Day do Circumcise John 7.22 Intimating thereby If you may wound a man on the Sabbath day for that was done in Circumcision Why may not I heal one And if you may heal one Member of the Circumcised on the Sabbath-Day why may not I make a man every whit whole thereon If you be at some pains to cure the Circumcised Member with your Hand why may not I without any pains cure this man with my word only May not my Miracles as well as your Sacraments Glorifie God on the Sabbath-day Fourthly Others say the eighth Day was appointed for Circumcision because the Life of a Child is very uncertain all the first seven Days and certainly less able to undergo the pain thereof therefore was it deferred till that Day which may serve to convince those that think God hath simply tyed Salvation to Sacraments for it might have been accounted Cruelty in God to forbid Circumcision till the eighth Day had Salvation depended upon it because the Infant might dye before The Covenant indeed is absolutely necessary to Salvation but the Seal thereof is not so but respectively only as the Sacraments are the Counsel and Command of God they ought not to be rejected Luke 7.30 The want of them is therefore dangerous but the contempt of them is in the Fathers Phrase plainly Damning Lastly The Sentiments of the Antients Ignatius Cyprian and Austin concurr in this that the first Day Sabbath or Lord's Day was wrapp'd up in the Institution of this eighth Day for Circumcision as well as intimated by the number of eighth Persons saved in Noah's Ark and by the Title Shemenith which signifies eight set upon several Psalms to signifie that the eight Day next to the seventh or Jewish Sabbath or first Day should be the Day of our Lord 's rising both to revive us and whereon to bestow Spiritual Circumcision upon us When the Shadow ceased the Truth and Substance prefigured thereby did take its place The Jewish Synagogue and Sabbath ceased at the entrance of the Christian Church and Lord's-Day See more of this Point in my Christian-walk and Chapter upon the Lord's-Day-Sabbath c. The Second Thing considerable is the performances of it to wit the Act of Circumcision which was a cutting away the Praeputium round the Instrument of Generation When God intended to root out the cursed Canaanites and to plant his People in their Place the Covenant was that they should fear the Lord and not walk in the ways of those Nations Lev. 20.23 So the sign of that Covenant was such as had reference to those Sins of the Flesh wherein the Canaanites had wallowed Lev. 18.24 25 to the end Therefore the Amputation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superfluity of Naughtiness so call'd James 1.21 was commanded the People of the God of Abraham lest their Vncircumcision should usher in their utter Excision This Circumcision of the Foreskin signified that they had better be flayed and have their Skin quite stripped off than to have it as a Skin-bottle hanging in the Smoak of filthy Desires land blown full of unclean Motions with the breath of Beelzebub Hence Esau was call'd prophane because He was the first that drew forth the Foreskin after he was circumcis'd whereby He denyed God and the Character of God's People saith Epiphanius This Act of Circumcision had a fourfold Use 1. A Political to distinguish the Jews from the Gentiles 2. A Moral Vse to mind them of mortifying their Sins 3. A Theological Vse to remind them both of God's Holy Covenant with them and of their being an Holy Seed to God And 4. An Eternal Vse in the thing signified by it The Mystery that this History Points at is that Circumcision of the Heart which Origen describes is Purgatio animae abjectio vitiorum And the Apostle calls it the putting off the Old Adam with his Actions by the Circumcision of Christ that is through his Merit and Spirit Col. 2.11 Rom. 2.28 29. The true Circumcision is made without hands and is that of the Heart in the Spirit not of the Letter c. Oh how honourable is the work of Mortification to be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if equal with a Mansion of Glory not made with hands 2 Cor. 5.1 yet this wonderful Work of the Spirit is wrought by the Word upon the Hearts of Christians at their first Conversion when they are let blood in the Heart-Vein as those were Acts 2.37 whereby Corruption of Nature that sink of Sin is wounded beloved Sins cast away with Sorrow and the Sinner received into Everlasting Communion with God and his People The Word Gnorlah Praeputium or Foreskin is applyed to the stoppage of the Mouth Exod. 6.30 of the Ear Jer. 6.10 and of the Heart Lev. 26.41 Isa 6.10 Acts 7.51 hindring the Operation of all these to good Oh pray that Christ may thrust his Holy Hand into thy Bosom and pull off that abominable Foreskin Sin is the Devil's Vomit the Soul's Excrement and the very Garbage of the World therefore must it be cast away into Kidron or Town-ditch as Hateful to God and hurtful to Man James 1.21 The Duty is ours Deut. 10.16 but the ability for doing it is God's Deut. 30.6 in the former God bids us Circumcise our Hearts in the latter he says He will do it for us Urge him with his Promise and doubt not of his Power jubendo juvat while God gives out the command He gives Power to obey as to the Man with the wither'd Hand Stretch it out c. Mark 3.5 The Third Thing considerable is the Reasons why Christ was circumcised seeing He needed it not upon accounts aforesaid The Reasons were these First That He might shew himself a Member of that circumcised People John 1.11 Secondly To testifie that He was our surety and took our Sins upon himself so as to satisfie for them Gen. 44.22 Psalm 119.122 and Heb. 7.22 Thirdly To signifie that he was a Debtor to the Law and came fully to fulfil it on our behalf Gal. 5.3 and Matth. 3.15 and 5.17 Rom. 2.17 Fourthly This was a part of his Humiliation and bleeding Passion Fifthly Christ was both Circumcised and Baptized to teach us that 1. The whole Efficacy of the Sacraments depend wholely and solely upon him 2. That he was the Mediator of Mankind both before and under the Rigour of the Law as well as under the Grace of the Gospel 3. That he is the Knot and Bond of both Covenants 4. That all kind of Sinners both Jews and Gentiles might have all kind of Comfort in Christ as in an
for their Ears are cloâ—â—â—d and closed with Honours and Pleasures c. But the happy Tidings hereof were told to poeâ— despiâ—able Shepherds 6. The Wisemen offer'd Christ Gold as to a King Frankincense as to a Priest and Myrrh as to a Mortal Man 〈◊〉 Thus Myrrham Region hominies Dâ—â—â— The Gold was to Deâ—â—â—y his Charges in his flight c. The Frankincense was to perfume his â—â—â—â—ing Sâ—able and the Moâ—â— he has for his Burial We ought often in Soul to go with the Wisemen to Bethlehem being directed by the Star of Grace and there â—all down and worship this little King offering to him the Gold of precious Faith the Frankincense of servent Prayer and the Myrrhe of bitter Penitency and Patience and then return not by Cruel Herod c. but by a better way to our happy home We must carry a little of each the best of the best Gen. 43.11 as our Pepper Corn to the Lord of all Isa 16.1 Acts 10.36 7. Oh how ought we to love this lovely Babel more lovely than Moses Acts 7.20 Whose beauty while a Babe first moved his Parents and then the Princess to pity him Exod. 2.26 Thus Christ was 1. Lovely to men to the Wisemen whom when they saw they could not find in their Hearts to betray him into Herod's Hands but did Homage to him when but in the shape and state of a poor feeble helpless Infant that we might come to the fulness of the Age in Christ Eph. 4.13 1. He was lovely to Angels who praised God for his Birth though they had not so much interest in him nor benefit by him as we Luke 2.13 for he was good Will to men v. 14. yet a whole Quire of those Heavenly Choristers sang him into the World 3. Lovely to God his beloved Son his Darling in whom he delighted daily Mat. 3.17 Sporting with him from Eternity Prov. 8.30 If we men love him not 1 Cor. 16.22 wo to us c. 8. Christ broke not Prison before the Period of time in the course of Nature but calmly suffered his nine months confinement to the narrow Little-Ease of his Mothers Womb to teach us patience under Persecutions and Imprisonments till the Timâ— that our word come as Joseph did Psal 105.19 and then did the Sun of Righteousnesâ— Mal. 4.2 break forth from and out of a fruitful Cloud This Sun had been so lonâ— in Virgo and when he takes to himself his great power Rev. 11.15 17. He will ther be in Leo but when he comes to Judge the World then this Sun will be in Libra c. 9. 'T is a great comfort to poor People that Christ their Redeemer was born poor of a poor Mother in a poor place on a poor bed or uneasie Craddle nothing to seed upon but a little breast Milk c. That he also lived poor feeding upon Barley Bread c. John 6.9 And wanting Money so that for paying Tribute he must fetch it by a Miracle out of a Fish's Mouth Mat. 17.27 and he likewise Died Poor having no Houses Lands or Goods and Chattels to Dispose of by his Will to Friends and Relations Never think God can love us better than his own Son c. 10. Christ at eight days old began to bleed for us which was a Pledge and Praeliba men or Foretast of that Sea of Blood to be shed for us at his Death This bloudy Covenant of Circumcision he Entred not as needing it himself for he had no Sin But 1. To assure us of his Humanity 2. To Satisfie and Sanctifie for the Sins of our Infancy 3. To leave the Jews without excuse who would have despised him had he been Uncircumcised 4. Because he had taken Abraham's Nature therefore must he have on him Abraham's Signature though it was a bloody one Exod. 4.24 25. The Third Passage of Christ's Privare Life was his Return safe from Aegypt How long he staid there hath various Computations after mentioned However betwixt his Flight Thither and his Return Thence did fall out the merciless Massacre of the Bethlehem Babes of two years old and under Mat. 2.16 Wherein some affirm Fourteen Thousand Innocent Infants were bloodily Butchered So 't is Recorded in the Greek Kalendar and they say also that John Baptist was in eminent Danger of being Murdered too had not his Parents hid him from Herod's hands by sending him away into the Desart the Place of his abode Mark 3.3 for which his Father Zacharias was slain betwixt the Temple and the Altar Mat. 23.35 And Tertullian saith the Blood of this Holy Priest could never be washed out from the place where it was shed much less out of the Murderers Conscience The Remarks upon this are these 1. No History makes mention of any such matchless Murther as this None-such was whereby without any heat of War so many Thousand Infants only perished all others of other Ages escaping 2. Neither the Consciences of those Cut-throats nor the Outcries of either the Mothers or their Sucklings could move to any Compassion no not to Herod's own Child which was there put out to Nurse among them which Augustus Caesar hearing of said It was better to be Herod's Hog than his Son for he fed the former but kill'd the latter lest the Jews should take him and make him King 3. Yet how marvelously did God hide his own Son Christ from the hands of 〈◊〉 bloody Tyrant until the Indignation was over past Isa 26.20 While Herod waited for the Wisemens Return the Child Jesu is conveyed away to Egypt Herod mocked the Wisemen and yet takes it ill that he was mocked by them Mat. 2.16 but never takes notice how God mock'd and made a fool of him as he doth of all His and His Sons Adversaries setting bounds which they cannot pass 4. Mark here the Just Judgment of God upon those blind Bothlemites That could behold no Beauty in this Blessed Babe Jesus at his Birth to afford him no better entertainment than in a stinking Stable They could find Room in their best Guest Chambers for Rioters Revellers and Roaring Boys but no Room for this Holy Child Jesus whom they thrust out into the worst place Their Sin therefore was writ upon their Punishment They must all be bereaved of their Sons by a bloody Butchery of them for their unkindness and unnaturalness to the Son of God The like Sin in us must bring the like Judgment 1 Kings 17.18 5. This matchless mourning for the Murder of so many Innocents was foretold by Jeremy the Prophet Jer. 31.15 When a Woman should compass a man ver 22. That is at the Birth of Christ to teach us not only that the fulfilling of Prophecies is a convincing Argument of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures but also that so Tyrant committeth any outrage in the World at his own Will and Pleasure but only according to the Praeordination and Appointment of God who had foretold here what Herod should Hellishly act in his
4.18 23. not for Recreation-sake or for a past time nor as the Circumcelliones of old to make a vain shew of their Hypocritical Holiness nor as the Jesuits into whim the false Pharisees have fled and hid themselves do now to make Proselytes and to pervert Passengers that go right in their way Prov. 9.15 but his end was to finish his Fathers Work and for calling his Apostles c. The Fourth Remark is Christ came to Cana in Galilee where he wrought his first Miracle Turning Water into Wine at a Marriage Feast which some say was made at John his Beloved Disciples Marriage John 2.1 11. God the Son works his first Miracle for the Confirmation of God the Father's first Ordinance in Marrying Adam and Eve in Paradise Hereby his Apostles whom he had chosen and called believed on him more than they did before they proceeded from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 and 1 John 5.13 N.B. Note well Wine may be wanting though Christ be at the Wedding yea Bread though Christ be at the Board Yet 't is good that Christ be an Invited Guest his presence sanctifies what is present supplies what is absent and prevents extravagancies and disorders c. Sin in shamefaced when in Christ's Eye Those Disciples lighting their Torches one at another John 1.41 45. must also come with Christ to be Witnesses of this first Miracle John Baptist points at Christ to Andrew He to Peter c. Christ calls them out of their Dark Cells to come and see this Sun of Righteousness Christ was kinder to those Disciples than they expected to he is and will be to all-Commers to him He will in no wise cast them out John 6.37 They staid with him all the Day and as some say all the night too though he had not an Hole or House of his own N.B. Note well 'T is good to come near Christ and not be shie or keep at a sullen distance from Him such as stay with him shall partake of his Grace and Goodness N.B. Note well Christ Honours Marriage with a Miracle though Antichrist dishonour it with Mistakes and Prohibitions Those Miracles that are father'd upon Christ in his Minority are but Fables for then this could not have been his first now his Mother Mary both expected and desired to see some Miracle for supposing she had yet seen no domestick Miracles yet had she seen enough to raise up her Desire and Expectation the Star at his Birth did presage a famous life and beside his Disputing with the Doctors c. She saw he had cast off his private Trade the Carpenters calling and betaken himself to the Publick Ministry Now she longs to see something more than ordinary from her Son especially upon this opportunity the Bridegroom John the Evangelist or who else and the Bride were but a poor Pair who had more Company than Wine Mary a well-wisher to the new Couple intimates this defect to Christ not without Hopes of a supply Christ as Creator was above the Command of his Mother and would not work this Wonder as his Mothers Instigation but at God his Fathers Designation c. From hence Note N.B. Not well 1. Seeing Christ honoured Marriage State thus with his Presence and Miracle Married Persons must not Dishonour it by turning aside to strange flesh what do such therein but dissolve their Relation to Christ who declares himself an Husband to his Church all acts of uncleanness ought to be avoided N.B. Note well Christ and Satan walk in two contrary methods For Satan always gives the best first and reserves the worst last therefore Sin is never to be judged of by its coming to us but by its parting from us for though it bring Honey in its Month yet ever hath it a sting in the Tail The Tempter is like the Panther which enticeth men to him with his fragrant smell and then devours them On the contrary Christ's work is worst at first the best is behind First the bitter Waters of Repentance and then the Communication of Comforts The sweetest of Honey lays in the bottom of the Pot the best Wine Christ gave last at this Feast John 2.10 N. B. Note well Order of time is not in this Discourse strictly observed save concerning the four Passovers which were the measure of Christ's Publick Life as order to place is according to the Method of the Holy Pen-men who upon mentioning a Place take that occasion to relate stories out of their proper Time because they would take up the whole story of that place all at once together Therefore though Christ made three Perambulations of Galilee yet what works Christ wrought at the same Place but not at the same Time is here related The Fifth Remark is Christ's coming again to Capernaum his own City of Abode and Retreat when wearied with Travelling and Preaching abroad this place Christ dignified with many Miracles of Mercy in his being oft there As 1. On the Sabbath Day he cast out of Devil in the Synagogue Luke 4.31 33 c. and Mark 1.21 to 29. which Miracle hath these notable Marks 1. The Devil can foist himself into places not only where Christ is taught but where himself teacheth Drexelius's Vision was His seeing ten Devils at a Sermon and but one at a Market for which this Reason was rendred that at a Sermon People are mostly serious therefore Beelzebub to divert them from profiting by the word though ten Devils few enough for that tempting work but at a Market People are prone enough to Tempt one another into Sin so one Devil would serve there 2. Preaching with Authority not frigidly and Jejunely as the Scribes hath a power in it to startle Devils Such Grace was poured into Christ's Lips Psal 45.2 that all his Auditory was astonish'd at his Doctrine as one saw him without Reverence so none head him without Amazement even this Demoniack was first disturbed and then dispossessed The Evil-Spirit was made to cry out as one pained by the Word that went out with Power 3. The Unclean Spirit cried What have we to do with thee c. Oh horrible Impudence As if Christ were not concerned where his Members are perplexed the Devil grosly mistook here in severing from the Head the sense of an injury done to Members David felt his own Coat cut and his own Cheeks shaven in the Coats and Cheeks of his Servants 2 Sam. 10.5 6. The Soveraign suffers in his Subject nor is it other than Just that the Arraignment of the meanest Malefactor runs in the stile of wrong to the King's Crown and Dignity N.B. Notewell Christ is as sensible of the abuses done to his Saints Acts 9.4 Their sufferings are held his Col. 1.24 and their Reproach his Heb. 13.13 11.26.4 But if the Devil hath nothing to do with Christ Christ hath something to do with him for vexing a Servant of Christ notwithstanding his fair words he gives Christ to be rid of him as some do the
a fallacy saying I have no Husband ver 17. Then Christ came close to her Conscience answering Thou hast had five Husbands and he thou now hast is not thy Husband c. ver 18. Some Women avoid saith the Philosopher the Bed of one Man that they may be made a Bed to many Christ teaches Ministers here to speak home to the Heart noâ— striving so much to please the Athenian with novelties as to profit the Christian with Soul-searching Truths This is the best way to do most good The Tenth Remark is Oh how candid and condescending Christ is to wounded Consciences He hath a soft Hand for a sore Heart and so should all his Ministers have Behold here a Miracle of Tender Mercy in the Messiah towards this Idolatrous Harlot It was a great Favour in Christ to countenance that Sinful Woman Mary Magdalen that washed his Feet with her Tears instead of Water and wiped them with her Hair for want of a Towel kissing his Feet with her Mouth when her Soul had received the Kisses of his Mouth Cant. 1.1 2. Luke 7.37.38 44. We read not that the Virgin Mary did thus much yet the Pharisees those Pictures of painted Piety or Hypocrisie hardly censur'd Christ their Better for not kicking her out of his Presence ver 39. as a lewd and light Huswife How much greater was Christ's candour and kindness to this Samaritan Adulteress and Idolatress who instead of demonstrating her love to him as Mary Magdalen did had rejected his Grace with jeers yet Christ mildly convinceth her and as the compassionate Samaritan Luke 10.33 34. not only pours in the Wine or sharpness of the Law to search but also the Oyl or sweetness of the Gospel to supple this Samaritanesses Wounds He instructs her in Cases of Conscience from ver 19 to 25. and is more plain to her ver 26. than to the stuborn Jews John 10.24 The Eleventh Remark is What a wonderful Work is the Work of Conversion Oh what a change of Heart and Life is wrought thereby No sooner had this Woman got a Right Understanding of the Messiah from whom she expected all saving Knowledge ver 25. and her Affections fired with Desires after him upon his manifestation of himself to her Now she leaves her Water-pot ver 28. she had greater things in hand and better things to look after Grace is diffusive c. her Heart was now set on Heaven Col. 3.1 Earthly things as Elijah's Mantle drop off she ran and cry'd up Christ whom the Jews had rejected to the Samaritans whose Bible testified of him c. Thus the Disciples left their All when Christ call'd them effectually The Twelfth Remark is Weak Means may by God's Blessing work great matters This weak and formerly wicked Woman was very unlikely means to effect the bringing in whole shoals of Samaritan Proselytes to Christ but what cannot the Almighty do by any means as here by her ver 29.30 35 39 40. God oft raises Stately Structures out of Slender Foundations though he without have us to do so The Disciples wondred Christ conferred alone with a Woman there being no danger of kindling Concupiscence in him because they knew not its tendency ver 27. Many believed on Christs both by the words of the Woman ver 39. and because of his own word ver 41. which is the foundation of faith that comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Psal 19.7 c. CHAP. XI THough there be many Miraculous Deed and Words of our blessed Messiah before-mentioned because the order of plane required the mentioning of them yet as to Order of Time they must thus be Ranked and barely Repeated here Referring the Reader to the Remarks upon them in the foregoing Chapters This is their Order of Time as follows 1st Christ wrought his First Miracle in Cana of Galilee where He turned Water into Wine after he bad whipâ—d â—uâ— the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple under the First of his Passovers 2dly His Conferences with Nathaniel with Nicodemus and with the Woman of Samaria c. full all also in Christs first year 3dly The Baptist Imprisonment hapned before Jacob's Well-Conference but after it was Christ's Preaching at Nazareth where He was in danger of his Life but escaped by a Miracle 4thly From thence he went to Cana again where He beâ—led the Son of a Noble Man belonging into King Herod lying desperately sick of a Fever at Capernaum only with a word of his Mouth Job 4.45 46 c. 5thly Then went he 〈◊〉 Capernaum where he cast out a Devil in their Synagogue healed Peter 's Wives Mother and many more Diseased as is aforesaid 6thly Next follows the healing of a Leper mentioned Mark 1.40 c. Luke 5. 12 c. and Mai 8.2 3 4. which is the same Story with the other Two Evangelists Because this hath not yet been spoke to take these few Remarks upon it The First Remark is The Plague of Leprosie was most rife and prevalent in our Saviour's time God so ordained it that Jâ—dea was sickest when her Physician was nearest The Jews are generally a nasty People and Leprosie seems to have been their proper Disease as Plica Polonica Morbus Gallicus Sudor Anglicus c. hence some say they were forbid Swines Flesh because Swine are Leprous Creatures and their Flesh easily corrupts in diseased Bodies and turns to Ill Humours whereby that people who are so naturally subject to the Leprosie would be more and more Infested and Infected The Second Remark is The Levitical Priesthood could only judge of the Leprosie but could not heal the Malady this was reserved for our great High Priest who was not of Aoron's but of Melohisedeok's Order Lepers were not allowed to come into Cities till the Priests had pronounced them clean when the danger of Infection was over yet the Leprosie continued still which is a very pregnant Emblem of Original Sin the Priests Absolution did only restore him to Humane Society whether this Letter was thus absolved is unknown This is only known that he strained Courtesie however to come to Christ in a City Luke 5.12 The Third Remark is The Disease of the Body God oft most graciously maketh the coring and healing Salve and Salvation of the Soul As here in this Leper who came and worshipped Christ which haply be would hardly ever have done had it not been for his Leprosie Ambrose saith Morbi sunt virtutum Officina Diseases are the Shop of Virtues And our King Alfred found himself the best he said when he was the worst and therefore prayed that when Sin was like to prevail against his Soul God would send some sickness upon his Body Thus holy David declared how God in his faithfulness had afflicted him Psal 119.75 as if he had said Lord thou hadst not been faithful to my Soul unless thou had so and so afflicted my Body 'T is the sick not the whole or sound that seeks to the Physitian Mat. 9.12 13. sensible
The Fourth Remark is Christ may seem to sleep and slight those whom he hath a mind and a purpose to relieve as his Disciples in the Storm Mat. 8.23 c. and those Blind Men who followed him crying out from Jairus's house to his own house yet takes he no notice of them all along in the open street to increase their importunity no sooner was he come into the house but he then answers their Eager and Earnest cries Christ knows how to comment his Mercy to Mankind citò data citò vilescunt lightly come by lightly set by what is easily obtained is mostly but little esteemed The Fifth Remark is Foregoing faith found in man makes him more capable of receiving the following favour of God Christ asks them Do ye believe I am able to do this They said yea Lord. They believed Christ's Incarnation calling him the Son of David which was a blessed prop to their Faith upon him as their Lord and Saviour c. The Sixth Remark is The Prayer of Faith hath a mighty prevalency with the Almighty God Thus Christ both graced and gratified the Syrophenician Woman whom before He had both reproached and repulsed by granting her request and giving her as it were the Key of his Treasury bidding her go into it and take what Mercy she liked most Mat. 15.28 There is no doubt saith a Grace Divine but Justifying faith is not beneath that which is Miraculous in the Sphere of its own activity and where it hath warrant from God's Word All things are possible to him that believeth Mark 9.23 Christ will do any thing for them The Seventh Remark is Though Christ was not tied to Means yet did he use Means in his Touching their Eyes with his hand then according to their Faith which was not vain it was done unto them their Eyes were opened by Christ's Touch which he could have Wrought by a Word of his Mouth to teach us not to Tempt God in neglect of means c. The Eighth Remark is All things are not to be made known at all Times nor to all Persons our Lord in his state of Humiliation was not Ambitious of Vain-glory. Therefore did he straitly charge them to silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he terribly threatned them from telling it abroad partly to teach both his Ministers and his Members not to be all for Fame and Name whereby to dazle the Eyes of others with admiration not valuing hidden Treasures The Heathen Poet saith Scire Tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat Alter And again Digito monstrari Dicier hic est to be pointed at for a brave man c. And partly because Capernaum was now fallen under a general unbelief and untowardness Mat. 11.23 so had rendred it self incapable tho' not of Christ's Presence yet of knowing his Miracles The Ninth Remark is Obedience to a general Command may be the sin of Disobedience as it crosses and contradicts a particular Command The general command was that they should declare the Glory of God 1 Chron. 16.24 Psal 96.3 and Isa 66.19 and these two Blind Men receiving now their sight could not but look upon their silence as the most sublime Ingratitude Ingratum si dixeris omnia the worst and the whole of sin should they conceal the greatness of his Grace towards them therefore they divulge it though against his will Some foolishly say Christ for bad them to stir them up the more what is this but to speak wickedly for God c. Job 13.7 making him who was Truth it self to dissemble As their divulging it was a doing against an express particular command it was certainly their sin though done from a pious intention for though a bad Aim may make a good Action bad as in Jehu's case yet a good Aim will not make a bad Action good as in Vzzah's Concerning the second Miracle here of Healing the possessed Dumb man we have these few Remarks 1. The end of one good Action should be the beginning of another No sooner were those blird men gone out of the house from Christ but immediately they brought in a man possessed with a Dumb Devil whom also Christ healed He was never weary with well-doing 't is pity we all are so soon so N. B. Note well Christ's Ministers should learn from their Master not to expect Rest till they come to Heaven the right Resting-place Rev. 14.13 No affronts or hard usages from his Adversaries did dishearten him from doing good though Dogs bark and leap at the Moon yet continues she her course So did he and so should we notwithstanding contradiction of sinners Heb. 12.3 in Villages as well as Cities The 2d Remark There be many gagg'd by a Dumb Devil at this day as this poor man was at that time Satan still puts his Stilling Gag into the mouths of men and women that they can neither pour out their prayers to God nor publish his praises nor profess his Truth to others They cannot utter themselves for others edification◠The Spirit of Faith is not an in-dweller in the heart only but sits also upon the door of the lips 2 Cor. 4.13 I believed therefore have I spoken Psal 116.10 to wit in prayer confession and communication The Spirit of Faith observes no dumb or silent Meetings as some do in our day and as the Carthusian Monks did of old whose Orders were only to speak together once a week but true Christians have otherwise learned Christ Eph. 4.20 who teacheth them 't is a shameful neglect of duty when they speak not often one to another Mal. 3.16 that their Meetings together might be for the better and not for the worse 1 Cor. 11.17 Exhorting one another c. Heb. 10.25 The 3d Remark is 'T is better to be Dumb than to speak prophanely This man with his Dumb Devil was in a better case than those Proud Pharisees whose mouths the Devil had not gagg'd but made an open Sepulchre to belch out stinking and black Blaspheaus against our Lord's Miracles as if wrought by Magick Mat. 9.34 and 10.25 and 12.24 The vile person will speak villany Isa 32.6 as well as vanity Psal 12.2 and not only proudly Psal 17.10 grievous and mischievous things Psal 31.18 and 38.12 but wickedness it self Job 27.4 because the Devil tips his tongue but gags not his mouth whereas even a foul when he holdeth his peace is accounted wise Prov. 17.28 Job 13.5 and in an evil day the prudent keep silent Amos 5.13 not conniving at man's sin but acquiescing in God's Providence The 4th Remark is Such as are possessed with Dumb Devils must come to Christ to be dispossess'd thereof as this man here They must sit down at Christ's feet Mat. 15.30 where all his Saints do sit Deut. 33.3 then shall the Dumb speak Mat. 15.31 and they shall speak not the Language of Ashdod but the Language of Canaan Neh. 13.24 Christ will turn to them a pure Lip and Language that they
cadere aut non cadere 't was possible to fall or not to fall This makes all those that are nigh their Father Ps 148 14. to become Princes in all Lands Ps 45.16 Isa 49.23 N. B. Note well 3. Oh what bottomless and boundless Bowels of Divine Love do yearn here over lost and naked Man when our Heavenly Father cries here bring forth the best Robe as if he had said if I had one Blessing better than another he shall have it who thinks himself less than the least of them Gen. 32.10 Moses saw the People naked and cries for Vengeance Exod. 32.25 26. but our Messiah here called for the best Robe c. N. B. Note well 4. The Dimensions or Quantity of this Royal Robe which are three Longitude Latitude and Profundity 't is a long broad and thick Robe 1. 't is long even down to the foot as Revel 1 13 not like those that reached to the Buttocks only 2 Sam. 10.4 Alas as the feet of Christ's Mystical body stands in need of washing John 13.10 So they have need of covering with Christ's Skirts that the nakedness of so much as a little Toe appear not Rev. 16 15. As Shem and Japhet are highly commanded for taking a Garment upon their shoulders and going backward to cover their Fathers Nakedness c. Gen. 9.23 So and much more than so did our Redeemer commend his love to naked Mankind when he went backward from that glory he had before with the Father John 17.5 to come down and cover our nakedness The shaddow of the Firmament Sun went backward ten Degrees upon Ahaz's Dyal as a Token of Hezekiahs Recovery from sickness Isa 38.7 8. and accordingly the shadow of the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 went backward more than ten Thousand Degrees for a sign of Mankinds Recovery from Death The 2. Dimension it was a large wide or broad Robe as broad as Gods Commandment against which Man sinneth was broad that is exceeding broad Ps 119.96 and this Robe is as broad as Mans sin is against Gods broad Commandment Though Mans sin be so broad as to reach from Earth to Heaven upward yet this Robe of Christs Righteousness is higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7.26 and though Mans sin reach from Easâ— to West in a traverse Line and Circumference flatward yet this Robe is broader than it Ps 103.11.12 13. Petcata non Redeunt in Justisicatis saith the Mazim in Divinity as the East is so far remote from the West that these two can never meet together so long as the World lasteth even so the pardoned fins of Justified Persons can never return upon them any more Isa 43.25 Alas our Righteousness is a covering that is narrower than to wrap our selves in it Isa 28.20 't is but a fig-leaf Apron covering Gen. 3.7 which slenderly enough doth but cover the nakedness of the lower part of the body only and not comparable to those lasting Coats of skins wherewith the Lord Clothed our first Parents Gen. 3.21 which signified both the fleece and the skin of the Lamb of God and which covereth the whole Man There is plenteous Redemption in Chrise Ps 130.7 The Salve and Plaster is broad enough for the Sore it covers the broad Commandment of God which breaths out Curses where it is not covered as the Mercy-Seat covered the Cursing-Tables of the Law Exod. 25.21 This Robe is like the precious Oyntment that was upon Aarons Head and ran down to his Feet anointing the very skirts of his Garments Ps 133.2 yea this Robe is broad enough to cover the sins not only of the worst of sinners such as of Manasseh in the Old Testament and off Mary Magdaden in the Newâ— but also to cover the sins of all Nations hereupon Christ said go ye into the World and Preach the Gospel unto every Humane Creature Mark 16.15 into all Nations Matth. 28.19 Therefore is it Recorded by Jonah how this Robe of Divine Mercy reached even to Nineveh it self which was a Pagan City built by a wicked brood of cursed Cham and Inhabited by as wicked a crew at that time when free grace found them N. B. Note well Though there be no Robe of Gospel-grace to cover the finally impenitent the thundering and the threatning Law is all and only their Due and Doom 1 Tim. 1.9 10. As against Righteous ones there is no Law so for such wicked ones there is no Gospel But if thou be one that Trembles at Gods Word and bethinks thy self 1 Kin. 10.47 and ver 17. here then God hath a look of love for thee Isa 66.2 though thou hast been one of the chiefest of sinners yet if truly penitent thou shalt find Mercy 1 Tim. 1.11 12 13 14 15. 'T is a Faithful saying Christ hath a piece of his Robe wherewith to cover thy naked Soul the Oyl of his grace runs down the skirts the very Toes of his Mystical Body thou may touch his Hem and be healed Mat. 9.20 21. The 3. Dimension of this Royal Robe is it is thick enough to keep that Soul warm which is Cloathed with it for how can any Soul be cold when it is cloathed with the Sun it self Revel 12.1 If any professor wax wanton and will be Summering too soon in the thin Garment of his own supposed Righteousness he will assuredly catch Cold and without Repentance fall into a Consumption and perish for ever but this profoundly thick Garment of Christs Righteousness can keep us from all danger of Cold Rain Winds and Tempests If we put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 He will then be to us a Refuge from the Storm a shadow from the Heat as well as from the Cold when the blast of the Terrible ones is as a storm against our Walls Isa 25.4 In this Lord Jehovah is everlasting safety Isa 26.4 This God-man shall be our peace Mic. 5.5 and shall be our hiding-place from the wind and a Covert from the storm and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary land Isa 32.2 yea this Robe is so thick that none of Satans fiery Darts can pierce through it when we are Armed with this Breast-plate of Righteousness and with the Shield of Faith c. Eph. 6.14 16. In this whole Armour of God then are we Cannon proof c. we may then trample under foot the Adder and the Dragon c. Ps 91.13 Such may take up Serpents or drink deadly Potions and shall not be damaged by them Mark 16.18 Nay yet higher This Robe is so thick that the wrath of the great God cannot penetrate it for there it stays sticks and is fully satisfied when the Travel of Christs Soul appeareth for Justification Isa 53.11 where an angry God sees the Door-posts of any Heart or House be sprinkled with the blood of the Paschal Lamb he then saith when I see the blood then I will pass over you and the Plague shall not break in to destroy you Exod. 12.7 13. And that House or
with the Solemnities of the Tabernacle Feast for bearing of Palm-branches and heaving out Hosannahs from Psal 118.25 was only used at that Feast yet was this Triumphal Joy Allayed with some Sorrow for Christ coming nigh to Jerusalem wept over it Luke 19.41 As the common Slaughter-House of the Prophets that had lost her day of Peace and so to be destroyed Christ weeps for her that wept not for her self though he knew she would be his Death within five Days This is manifest from John 12.1 12. He was Feasted at Bethany Six Days before the Passover began and that was the Jews Sabbath Day at night at which time they used to have extraordinary Chear on the very next day he Rides in Triumph as Sions King not only for the fulfilling of that Prophecy Zech. 9.9 as is specified in Matth. 21.4 but also for making the Tâ—â—â— and the Antitype to hold Congruity The Paschal Lamb the Type was taken up the Tenth day but not Sacrificed all the fourteenth day in the Revening Exod. 12.3 6. In which Interspace N.B. Note well They Sanctified themselves for that Law Sacrament 2 Chron. 30.19 35.6 In Eating the Passâ—â—â— to Teach 〈…〉 must be made for a True Participation of the Lords Supper c. Thus the Lâ—â—â— of God the Antitype upon the Tenth day made his Entrance into Jerusalem as giving up himself for the great Paschal Feast and was Sacrifie upon the fifteenth day but Apprehended in order to it the Night before upon the First day of the Feast no sooner was Christ come into this City but the Sanhedrin consultâ— to kill him John is 10 11. and for no other Crime as is said before of Lazarus but because he would have saved the City by gathering her 〈…〉 her Chickent under his Wing and they would not Matth. 23.37 This Obstinâ— drew Tears from Christs tender Heart when he came to the Mount of Olives whence he had a full prospect of the whole City and Insury doth Remarks that in the same place where Christ wept over Jerusalem there did the Roman Army under Tiâ—â—â— Vespasian 〈…〉 Teâ—â—â—â—â—ife their Ramperts and wish their Batteries Assault and with Stoâ—â—â—ings from thence did utterly â—uind it as is intimated Zech 14.4 That Mount 〈…〉 and opens a way for the engery to 〈◊〉 here Now Christ having but a few only five dars to live a Mart al life in this lower World at us stand and wonder as Moses did at thâ—â—â—â—â— Bâ—sh how our Lord improved every inch hereof doing very much in a little ripe as must be manifest in those following Remarks The First Remark is Some Greeks seek to side Jesus John 12.20 At that very Season when the Jews sought to kill him being mad to see such Multitudes flock after him Hence they in their Outrage ver 19. fall foul upon themselves for their folly in loitering thus and not being more quick and expeditious in some Remedy because they had suffered their supposed Malady to spread so far as they looked upon it incurable Now they say the whole World runs after him and not only a world of Jews but of â—â—â—tiles also for these Greeks were proselyte â—â—â—â—ler that came up to Worship God at this Feast according to 1 Kin. 8.41 and Acts â—7 and 6.1 Those Proselytes though they were Zealoys in coming far to the Feast were also Modest in their Zeal now Rashly or Rudely obtruding themselves into Christs Company but Civilly Sollicits his Disciples to procure them some private Conference with Christ This was a fair Omes both of the Rejection of the Jews and of the Reception of the Gentile's while the former is stirring up one another to more madness as if all along till then they had not taken Right Measures their Methods had been over mild they had used too much Gentleness now must they fall on with utmost Vigour c Here the latter are courting to none into Christs Presence as accounting it an High Priviledge Christ accepts them to a conference wherein he tells them the time was at hand wherein he should be glorified in the Conversion of the Gentiles yet tells them in General Words but such as implyed an Answer to their Request that as a Corn of Wheat must first be buryed before it spring up to Fruit-bearing c. So I who am the Sted of the Church must first be buryed and then be so glorified I must first suffer and then enter into my glory and seeing the Jews do conspire to kill me Lo I turn to the Gentiles as Acts 13.46 The 2d Remark is The Bath kol or Voice from Heaven which made a louder Ring and Report than all the Acclamations of the Multitude had done in his Royal Triumphant Progress The occasion of it was our Lord at this mentioning of his own Death began to be Troubled John 12.27 c. Through the Horrour of Gods Wrath for Mans sin which he had by Covenant undertaken the expiation of by the Merit of his Sufferings Christ was here Troubled to procure our Tranquillity and his infirmity makes us firm Hereupon he Deprecates Death having a Natural fear as a Man especially such a dreadful Death as he was to undergo attended with unknown sufferings not only from that King of Ierrours and Terrour of Kings that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most Formidable of Formidables Death but also from an Apprehension he was to grapple with the utmost Outrage of all the Devils in Hell which now must be let loose upon him according to Gen. 3.15 Nor was this all that which was worst of all the Sinse of his Fathers Wrath in Satisfying his Justice for the sins of the World upon the back of his Son while his Divine Nature suspended it self and did not exert its power c. So that no wonder if his Sensitive Will cryed Save me from this Hour yet his Rational Will which was ever the same with that of the Father cryed Modestly and with Submission preferring his Fathers Will before his own Life saying glorifie thy Name ver 28. Then the Father Answered the Son As thou hast desired I should glorifie my Name by thy Death I will do so in giving thee Victory over the Devil Sin and Death and as I have glorified my Name by thy Miracles so I do it again by thy Resurrection c. Still the Multitude stayed with Christ who misinterpreted Gods Voice for that of an Angel or the noise of Thunder ver 29. yea and those very Greeks that enquired after Jesus were presented also Hereupon he being Comforted and Confirmed by this Bath Kol which Attested him from Heaven three times for the Ministry 2. At his Teem figuration as chief Prophet whom all must hear and 3. as Sions King here when he had newly fulfilled their Prophesie Zech. 9.9 He doth Comfort and Confirm his Followers with Caution Counsel and Comfort and that which more particularly concerned the Greeks he tells them that the Devil whom the Gentiles Worship as a
also bind him as a Malefactor while his Deity withdrew it self for he could as easily have delivered himself as he did his Disciples c. But this Sacrifice must be both taken and bound to the Hornâ— of the Altar with Cords Psalm 118.27 N. B. Note well What a wonder it is they should bind him who was thus willing to be taken and who thus freely offered himself to their violent hands yet must he be â—inioned and Mannacled as a great Malefactor Manibuâ— post tergum Retortis with his hands bound behind his back say some Antients this they did by Judas's Advice Lead him away safely Mark 14.44 because he had wont sometimes unseen to slip out of the Multitude N.B. Note well Oh how wonderful was that wretch's blindness to think that any Humane helps should be able to hold the Divine Power of Christ whereof he had beheld so many undeniable proofs However as Christ told them they came out against him as against a Thief and recordingly they bound him as a Thief and as one of the worst of Mortals But could not he who as a Friend had so miraculously healed the wound of his Enemy at that juncture and who was stronger than Sampson have broken those bonds wherewith they did bind him had he so pleased But thus He would have it to be now upon a twofold respect 1. In respect of Men And 2. In respect of God First as to Men for Three Reasons The 1st is Men did thus bind him that they might the better secure him who had slided out of their hands twice before John 8.59 and 10.39 because his hour was then come now when it was come Judas bid them hold him fast Mat. 26.48 although they had no reason to fear his escape because now he came and offered himself meeting his Murderers in the Teeth and when he had beat them down to the ground under his feet He might have escaped and would not Thus an Evil Conscience fears without a cause c. N. B. Note well Would to God we could hold him fast in a good sense as they did him in an evil sense Gen. 32.26 c. The 2d Reason is To put the greater disgrace upon him As he was numbred among Transgressors Isa 53.12 So had He this shame put upon him as if He had been a most notorious Felon N.B. Note well If this Holy Jesus was content to suffer this for us though He was God and we but Men yea unholy Men murmur not to be Disgraced for Christ and his Gospel The 3d Reason is To punish him and put him to more pain because he pull'd down their Pharisaical and Traditional Kingdom For this cause Paul while a Pharisee and a Persecutor punish'd those that call'd on the name of the Lord binding them and bringing them bound to Jerusalem Acts 9.1 2. 22.4 26.11 this was a painful punishment for us But 2dly As to God He was bound for three causes 1. That his Bonds might sanctifie the bonds of his suffering Servants So far as we suffer with Christ our sufferings are the sufferings of Christ and a filling up the measure of them Col. 1.24 Christ sits at one end of the Ballance and Christians at the other Did he suffer much for us and not we a little for him which are but chips of his Cross for exercise of Grace not for expiation of sin 2. To teach us how we deserved to be bound with Chains of Darkness and Eternal Damnation had not Christ put himself in our stead to be both thus bound and Wounded for our Transgressions Isa 53.5 Our Sins are laid on him The 3d Cause why our Lord was bound in Respect of God's Counsel was not only that he might be bound in our room who had deserved worse Bonds but also that by His bonds we might be loosed His binding was our loosing as he became our Surety He looseth us from the Bondage of Satan Sin and Death He looseth us 1. From the Chain of Condemnation Rom. 8.1 this is done at our Conversion which is a knocking off that Chain so it becomes very painful to many c. 2. From the Chain of Corruption delivering us from the hand of those Spiritual Enemies that we may serve him without fear Luke 1.72 this is that Body of Sin which made Paul cry out Oh wretched Man c. Rom. 7.24 c. that bond of Iniquity Acts 8.23 that chains up Sinners so fast they cannot move or do any thing for God or Godliness till this latter Chain be broke by Christ we cannot be freed from the former Chain N. B. Note well Was Christ bound for us our Vows and Covenants must bind us to him Ezek. 4.8 The 3d Particular is As they took him and bound him so they led him away bound as a Sheep to the Slaughter and as a dumb Lamb c. Isa 53.7 and this they did with so much rudeness as that some say they doused him in the Waters as they led him through the Brook Kidron However their Rage and Fury was so great in leading him away that the Evangelists themselves give two clear intimations thereof The first is that in Mark 14.51 52 c. Their furious outrage awakened an honest young man out of his Sleep in the Dead time of the Night who loved Christ so well that he followed him in his Shirt when it was so cold a Night that Petâ—r was forced to the fire to warm him N. B. Note well I am afraid we have few such good Young Men now as will follow Christ in their Shirts especially a persecuted Christ when all the Disciples those great Preachers were fled from him Few will leave their warm Beds their wearing Cloaths their All as be did save only his Shirt whereas any small matter will keep many of us from following of Christ who 〈◊〉 â—â—sfured greater matters for us Now such was the fury of those Souldiers that pâ—â—â—â—â—ing him to be a favourer of Christ they presently laid hold on him which â—eâ—s their design was to lay hold on all Christ's Disciples c. N. B. Note Well And thus the World still deals with friends to Religion but the Young Man left his Shirt in their hands as Joseph did his Coat in his Mistress's hand and fled away naked having no call to stay and supposing himself not to have sufficient strength to suffer and rather than betray Christ by staying he loses his All and wisely ran away The Second Intimation expressed by the Evangelists of their Fury and Fierceness is their tossing Christ too and fro from place to place leading him up and down first to Annas and then to Cajaphas John 18.13 24. and indeed the whole History of his Passion holds forth nothing but outragious violence towards him the Devil their Rider Whipping and Spurring them endways hurrying him first to one High-Priest then to another then to Pilate then to Herod and back-again to Pilate amongst whom the Saviour of the
had they not pressed him to it beyond his Pagan Power yet doing it with great Reluctancy however our Lord was thus Intitled by his Hand which was guided by the great God and whose Head and Heart were so confirmed in it that though he understood it not yet would not Retract it with all the Priests pressing him to the contrary He was unchangably Resolved that what he had writ should stand How much more the Writings of him whose Name is I am that I am Exod. 3.14 and the same yesterday to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 N. B. Note well We may learn from this Pagan to be constant to a good Cause and in a good Course and not be changlings But we must raise our Minds higher and look beyond Pilate at the Counsel of God who would have Christ proclaimed his Churches King by this Publick Testimony in Pilate's Inscription and that it might be made manifest to the World that Jesus was Innocent and that he was Executed for the same Truth for which he was before Condemned by the Sanhedrim of the Chief Priests and therefore was the Title writ in Hebrew Greek and Latin the best known Tongues then every where that this venerable Elogy might be read and understood of all and that Christ's Innocency might appear unto all not only intimating that he was King of that Religion among the Hebrews of that Wisdom among the Greeks and of that Power among the Latines or Romans for which three things those three People were then Famous The Jews glory'd in their Law and the Greeks in their Wisdom and the Romans in â—heir Power and Dominion but also as presaging the Future Vocation of not only the Hebrews but of the Greeks and Latines too to the Kingdom of Christ N. B. Note well to which may be added that hereby the Holy Ghost hath commended to us the Dignity and Study of these three Learned Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin which are to be Retained for ever in the Church of Christ and seeing Christ hath Sanctified those three Tongues upon his Cross by this Inscription 't is but a Brutish Notion to call them the Languages of the Beast N. B. Note well Moreover this may reprove the Sacrilegious Tyranny of the Romanists who render themselves worse than Pilate in not only forbidding that the Sacred Scriptures should be Translated into the Mother-Tongue of each Land but also Restraining the People from Reading them in Hebrew Greek or Latin yea or in their own Native Language whereas Pilate as God's publick Herald will have Christ Read and acknowledged to be King in any Language both Forraign and Domestick 'T is pitty a poor Pagan should exceed and excell those Papagans who profess to Adore Châ—ist The 4. Branch of the Introduction is their Crucifying two Thieves the one on the Right and the other on the Left Hand of Christ Matth. 27.38 Mar. 15.26 27. Luke 23.33 Joh. 19.18 placing Christ in the midst not so much that he might have Companions in Misery for Solamen Miseris socios adhibere Doloris 't is some Comfort to those in Misery to have Companions in it As it was designed by those Priests to Palliate their wickedness that the People might look upon Christ Crucified in the midst as the worst and as the Prince of Malefactors and the greatest of those three had they Crucified Christ alone he would at least have seemed a better Man than any Thief But Mark the Evangelist lifts us up to look beyond this politick design of the Priests at the profound Counsel of God who directed this Deed that the Prophet's Oracle might be Accomplished saying He was Reckoned to wit by those Priests among Transgressors Isa 53.12 and not only among them but as Chief of them Thus he became the greatest of Sinners both by Imputation as he bare the sins of many ver 6.12 and by Reputation as he was Reckoned among Thieves Robbers Throat-Cutters and Traitors yea in the midst as exceeding the worst of them N. B. Note well As this may teach us how vastly prodigious was the wrath of God against Man's sins for the Expiation of which our Surety the Son of God must be cast into the Catalogue of Notorious Malefactors So no less holds it forth the most Immense Love of our Lord Jesus to us who can submit to be a Companion of Miscreants to make us fit Associates with Holy Angels Zach. 3.7 both Here and in Heaven c. but of these Thieves more afterward is discoursed c. CHAP. XXXII Of Christ's Crucifying NOW come we after those five Introductions to Discourse upon the Passion and Death of Christ Crucified upon the Cross wherein many most Eminent Remarks are comprehended in the Bowels of that one Act of Crucifying Christ As Moses turn'd aside to behold that great wonder of the Bush burning yet not consumed Exod. 3.3 So let us turn aside here to see this great Sight to behold the grand Sin-offering burnt without the Gate yet not consumed to Corruption Levit. 9.11 16 27. Hebr. 13.12 Psal 16.10 11. Acts 13.35 36 37. and to behold the High-Priest himself of our profession Hebr. 3.1 As the great Sacrifice for the whole World was now laid upon the High Altar his Cross and there was Rosted with the Hot Fire of the Wrath of God and of Men and of Devils Behold the Son of God Bleeding Mocked Tortured Dying and Reconciling God and Man and Marrying Justice and Mercy together c. Psal 85.10 The First Remark is Behold the Man He must Die the worst of Deaths for us so Angry was God with Man for Eating the Forbidden Fruit of Sin that he spareth not his own Son when he became a Surety for Sinners He shall die saith Saul though the Lot fall upon my Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 14.39 We Read of Zaleucus's Law that the sin of Adultery should be punished with the loss of two Eyes his own Son was found faulty herein Zaleucus put out one of his Sons Eyes as he was a Just Judge but that he might save his Sons other Eye and not make him quite blind he to satisfie the Justice of his own Law is content to put out one of his own as a Compassionate Father This Resemblance falls far short of the matter Resembled Yet thus far they do Symbolize in an Apt Parallel Congruity The Creator gave this Law to the Creature If thou Eat the forbidden Fruit thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 Man Transgresseth that Law of God even Adam call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 Now that Justice might be satisfied Man the sinner loseth one Eye only to wit his Paradise-Happiness c. and God the Father of Adam is content to give his Son who was as Dear to him as his Right Eye out of his Bosom to make full Satisfaction for the Breach of that Law N. B. Note well Sinfull Man may say here is both a Just Judge to the Law and yet a Compassionate Father to me
Lastly Their rearing up the Cross into the Air and fixing it in the Ground as if he had been unworthy either to live or dye on Earth And so left him to live in misery so long as he could c. All these things they transacted in the very Face of the Sun and in Defiance to the Great God Here our Lord was exposed by those Miscreants to be Mocked c. Here was nothing done in a Corner nor was Christ Crucified below but he must be lifted up into the open Air for three Reasons First That he might conquer the Devil that Prince of the Air upon his own Dunghill his own Territory and Country no doubt in the Three hours Darkness all the Powers of Darkness were let loose to spit their utmost Venom upon our dear Redeemer yet he spoiled all those Principalities and Powers Col. 2.15 a plain Allusion to the Roman Triumphs or like that of Tamberlain over Bajazet so Christ couped the Devils up in an Iron Cage and exposed them as they had done him as a publick Spectacle of Scorn and Derision The 2d Reason was That he might pave a free passage for his Redeemed from the Earth through the Air the conquered Devil's Territories up into Heaven He here became Jacob's Ladder whereon Lazarus's Soul safely passed The 3d Reason is That he might Answer the Brazen Serpent upon the Pole as before and heal us when the Old Serpent hath stung us may we but creep to the Cross and give the least look of true Faith upon a Crucified Christ The 2d Grand Remark next the five notorious Aggravations of the Manner of Christ's Death is the Multitude of Mockers and Mockings he met with as soon as he was Reared and Raised up from the Ground into the Air upon the Cross whereunto he was fast Nailed and Exposed to Publick Scorn Remark 1 st The Mockers are described in their Persons Postures and Places or Conditions and Capacities in the World As this Dying Redeemer had a great company of People and of Women that bewailed him Luke 23.27 out of a tender compassion to him and a cordial commiseration of him So he had a prodigious crew of Crucifying Miscreants that managed this most cruel Villany and that like Villains were Mockers of Christ while he was Tortured under their matchless cruelty for full six hours together without the least Respite or Respiration until his Final Expiration whereas the Light and Law of Humane Nature teacheth all Mankind to pity those that are in Misery but these Monsters of Men void of all Humanity Mocked him all along during and enduring his long Misery These Mockers or the Assembly of Mockers Jer. 15.17 have here a threefold character Mark 1st Who their Persons were and they are of four sorts the People the Priests Souldiers and the Thieves As Christ had the good company of Condolers so he had the bad of Deriders and such as were of all these sorts of Persons When the Devil had done his worst that Malice could do against Christ's Body now he stirs up all those Devilish Instruments to Assault Christ's Mind with their cruel Mockings so called Heb. 11.36 at his Holiness and his Communion with God and all this God's Justice will have done that all our Sins might be condignly punished in Christ's Person who became Surety for Sinners to the Father And Mark here what an overspreading Leprosie and Sour Leaven was this Sin or rather Devil of Christ-mocking Here is the whole Body covered over with the putrifying Scab of this Fretting Leprosie far worse than ever Job was Job 2.7 where Biles covered him from Top to Toe or than the Jews were Lev. 13.7 8 12. when the Scab spread from Head to Foot all over and here is the whole lump leavened with the sour Leaven of Malice as 1 Cor. 5.6 One scab'd Sheep spoils the whole Flock saith the Proverb This vilest of Sins was as catching as the Plague and all these sorts of Persons drank one after another of this Cup of Poison the Priests handing it to the People they to the Souldiers and they to the Thieves c. Mark The 2d Character of those Mockers as who were the Persons so what was their Posture this the Evangelists comparing them as we ought to do in other points all together do intimate also First Some of those Mockers were in a passing posture They that passed by reviled him Mat. 27.39 and Railed on him Mark 15.29 Sure I am those Passengers were not passing in the Way of Truth but passed out of the right Road when they passed their scoffs at him Who is the Way the Truth and the Life Secondly Some of those Mockers were in a standing posture The People stood by deriding him Luke 23.35 and Some of them that stood by mocked him in his calling for Elias's help Mark 15.35 36. as after and some of them that stood there Mat. 27.47 but though they stand here to deride a dying Jesus yet could none of them stand to what they had done nor did they or their State stand long after Thirdly Some of those Mockers we may well suppose were in a siting posture as the Chief Priests Mat. 27.41 and the Rulers Luke 23.35 for whom no doubt Seats were provided for to stand so many hours of Christ's Crucifying to Death must needs be look'd upon as too much below their Grandeur However soon after the Roman Armies pluckt their Lordly Seats of State from under them and their Scarlet Robss over their Ears c. Fourthly Some of these Mockers were in an Hanging posture as the Thieves upon the Cross Mat. 27.44 and all the other Mockers must have met with no better posture might they but have met with their due demerit and the desert of their wicked doings The Crucifiers should then have changed places with the Crucified Fifthly There is yet another posture though a ridiculous one mentioned in Scripture concerning those Mockers to wit Wagging their Heads Mat. 27.39 which is indeed the posture of Fools these also wagged their wicked Tongues against Christ but because they were of the more Barbarous sort and had not Wicked Wit enough wherewith to revile him thereof do they supply the want therefore with Antick Tricks making foul Mouths and blowing their Noses as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 23.35 doth signifie throwing their snot at our blessed and bleeding Saviour they wagged their empty Noddles and gave him the most Judicious Nods that those Fools could make Thus was the Lord of Life and Prince of Glory content to expose himself to the worst of Reproaches from the worst of Rascals to purchase Honour and Glory for us Mark The 3d Character of those Mockers is what was their place and capacities they lived in If it be asked what figure those Mockers bore in the World it is answered in General the most of them were mere Cyphers such as did what they did merely to please the Christ-Killing Priests who are called
Draught thereof never Thirst any more after any of the Vanities of the World or Villanies of Sin 4. He Thirsted that we may Drink better Drink as we do daily c. The 6th Of the last words of Christ upon the Cross was It is Finished when Jesus therefore had received the Vinegar he said it is finished John 19.30 Then had he no more work to do or Suffer not to Descend into Hell either in Soul or in Body as some Romanists say As the Vinegar was the last bitter Dose he received from the wicked Hands of those Villains So the Receit thereof was the last bitter part of his Unparallel'd Passion The first time of their offering him Vinegar before he was Nailed to the Cross he received it not but only Tasted thereof and did not drink it up for he left the rest wherein his Redeemed must pledge him of the same bitter Cup filling up the measure of the Afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 but here he drinks all off to shew that he took the whole Curse for Sin into himself so that now N.B. Note well our Sufferings by Afflictions for our Sinnings against God come not in the Nature of a Curse but of a Cure They are more Medicinal than Penal and there is rather a Spiritual Remedy than any Divine Vengeance now in them they come now all out of Divine Faithfulness as David saith I know that out of thy very Faithfulness thou O God doth Afflict me Psal 119.75 As if he had said Lord thou wouldst not be Faithful to my Soul unless thou hadst thus and thus Afflicted my Body The ground of our being Afflicted is now offended love and the end thereof is fuller Embracements Jer. 31 18.20 All our Sorrows and Sufferings as they come to us through the Sufferings of Christ as through a Colature Sile or Strainer they leave the Curse behind them there our Dear Redeemer drank up all that Vinegar leaving none of it for us it was our Saviour solely that fully satisfied God's Justice for Man's Sins by his Meritorious and Mediatory Sufferings and left not the least part thereof unsatisfied for us to satisfie by any Sufferings of ours The Lord looked upon the Travel of his Soul and was satisfied with all our Souls Isa 53.11 N. B. Note well So that if Inquiry be made what must be the Antecedent to this Relative It in this saying of our Dying Saviour it is finished the Answer in general must be that full Satisfaction to God's Justice for Man's sin was now fully satisfied when our Redeemer received this last bitter Potion of the Vinegar all the parts of his unparallel'd Passion were now Accomplished save only his commending his Spirit into his Father's Hands he had nothing now to do but to Die and to give up the Ghost N. B. Note well But more particularly what is said to be finished here must have a beginning and an Intervening midle as well as end or finishing Now the beginning of Christ's Passion was at the beginning of his Incarnation when he Divested himself of that Divine Glory which he had with the Father before the World was John 17.5 and puts on him the the Form of a Servant Phil. 2.6 7. in his Humane Nature and the Intervening Midle from his Cradle to his Cross was a continued Series of Suffering all his Life long both in the Private and in the Publick part thereof his whole life was indeed as is above said but a lingring Death he was designed by bloody Herod to Die so soon as he began to Live and this Diabolical design for Destroying him was carryed on uncessantly by the Scribes Pharisees and Priests even all his Days But now when his Hour was come for Finishing his Passion behold the Man how many little Deaths he endured in his Agony Buffetings Scourgings Mockings c. before he came to Die that worst of Deaths even the Death of the Cross N. B. Note well Behold how Commensurate was the Second Adam's Passion to the First Adam's Transgression Adam had sinned in Paradise the most pleasant place in the World and his sin consisted in seeing the loveliness of the forbidden Fruit in his Touching and Tasting it for the Eating of which he was Derided by God with an Holy Derision Gen. 3.22 't is an Ironical Irrision Man is become as one of us for his vain Affectation of Aspiring unto a Deity What God speaks there Laughing we all should always Read with Weeping for Hinc Illae lacrimae from hence sprung in all Misery and Mischief upon Mankind this foul Fact of his Eating Forbidden Fruit plainly opens Pandora's Box as the Poets feign from Moses's Pentateuch and pulled up the Sluce to let in an Inundation of Sin and Misery and all Evils to fly out upon us N. B. Note well Behold how the Circumstances of Christ's Suffering do wonderfully Correspond and carry an Accommodated contrary proportion proportionable in those points to Adam's sinning As 1. His place of sinning was the best place even Paradise so Christ's place of Suffering was the worst place in the World even Calvary call'd so from Calvus or Bald-pate 2 Kin. 2.23 24. This Calvary or Golgotha was a place of Skulls such as were Bald all the Hair being rotted off a stinking place for our Sweet Saviour to Suffer in 2. As Adam sinned by seeing the lovely look of the Forbidden Fruit Gen. 3.6 So our Saviour suffered by seeing this sad Spectacle of such an Heap of Bald Skulls No doubt but his Tender Heart was much Afflicted with beholding so doleful a sight seeing such a Slaughter of Men was all made by sin 3. As Adam finned in pleasant Touching so Christ to Expiate Adam's sin was not only touched with our Infirmities Heb. 2.17 4 15. but also had the Torturing Touches of the wicked one 1 John 5.18 in his Torments upon the Cross 4. As Adam sinned in his sweet Tasting so did Christ Tast not only of the Vinegar mingled with Gall but Drank up the Second Dose thereof yea and Tasted the bitterness of Death for every Man Jew and Gentile Heb. 2.9.5 As Adam was derided for vainly affecting a Deity so Christ was mocked for saying truly he was the Son of God c. And he was mocked for many other Crimes yet doth he challenge his mockers to convince him of any sin John 8.46 besides 6. The second Adam Died in the same Day of the Week and at the same Hour of the Day as is noted before to bring Life into the World that the first Adam sinned and brought Death into it thereby The 7th and last of the seven last words or sayings of our Blessed Saviour upon the Crâ—â—s was Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 This was the lasâ— of all our Saviour's Sayings for immediately after he had so said while he was yet living under his six Hours Torments upon the Cross and having a power to lay down his Life when himself pleased John
4.10 So should we prepare our hearts to receive the Spirit grieve him not Eph 4.30 He cannot comfort those that dare grieve him 3. If the Spirit be the true and only Comforter then what a prodigious Folly and Madness it is for any Man in misery to run the wrong way for comfort in their calamitous condition that is to Witches or Wizards to Cunning Men on Women to Figure Flingers c. When Wicked wordlings have woundings of Spirit and gripes of Conscience as undoubtedly the worst of them sometimes may have then run they to mad merriments to pleasant plays and reading Romances c. For their Cure But finding these carnal Cataplasms not effectual remedies for their Spiritual maladies then run they to the Devil for relief as Saul in his distress did to the Witch of Endor c. Should not men in this case inquire of their God and not of Familiar Spirits c. Isa 8.19 20. This is to make the unclean Spirit the Comforter which is the Office of the Holy Spirit The 6th Cause of Christ's Ascension was to make an Atonement for us by his Intercession c. To make the Court of Heaven friendly and favourable to us that he might be there Interceding for our Peace as Blastus did for the Men of Tyre and Sidon in Herod's Court Acts 12.20 A Friend in the Court we say is better than a Penny in the Purse for by the Mediation of a Friendly Courtier a Court of Rigour may be turned into a Court of Favour As the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year to offer up the yearly Oblation of Atonement for the sins of the whole People Lev. 16.2 34. So Christ the High Priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 entred not the Holy Places made with hands but into Heaven it self now to appear in God's Presence for us Heb. 9.24 And ever lives to make Intercession for us there Heb. 7.25 'T is great comfort to have such an Advocate to turn the High Court of Justice into an High Court of Mercy 1 John 2.1 The Father looks through his Son's wounds upon us and so by Imputation a new Complexion is graciously put upon us There be many more Causes of Christ's Ascension which for brevity I must only name The 7th is he Ascended on High the better to oversee all his sheep scattered over all the wide world He is the chief Shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 The only Arch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or overseer who had but few Lambs while on Earth now none can tell his Generation Isa 53.8 The 8th is to answer as our Advocate all Satan's cavills and to nonsuit all his Accusations and Actions against us Tho' this Accuser be Subtle c. Yet Christ over-shoots him in his own Bow The 9th is to have an hotter influence as the Sun at Noon upon all his Churches and Children Heb. 7.26 The 10th is to live in that Glory which he left c. above the reach of Jews that would kill Lazarus John 12.4 only for being raised from the Dead and so would they kill Christ but he is above their reach and while our head is above water there is no danger of the Bodie 's drowning N.B. c. John 17.24 The flood can but come up to the Chin it cannot reach the Head to drown it Isa 8.8 11ly He is now higher than the highest on Earth Eccles 5.8 Psalms 61.2 Heb. 7.26 And in things wherein Men deal proudly he is above them Exod. 18.11 12ly And Lastly to fill all things Eph. 4.10 He began his Ministry with filling John 2.7 Carried it on with filling Acts 2.4 And continues so doing to the end of the World Eph. 1.23 The general Inferences both from Christ's Resurrection and from his Ascension are fourfold a word of Knowledge of Caution of Counsel and of Comfort The first is a word of Knowledge for our information in sundry particulars As 1. As Christ was put to it both upon his right hand and left by the Devil and his Instruments so as to be under the power of Death for thirty four hours of three days yet rose he again maugre the malice of Earth and Hell and Ascended in Triumph above the Gun-shot of all his Enemies So shall his Church do by the power of Christ Hos 6.2 Psal 49.14 Christ Rose at Sun-rising so shall his Church Mal. 4.2 and then shall she be comforted after her casting down 2 Cor. 6.7 2. 'T is hard to believe this fundamental Truth of Christ's Resurrection hence Christ tarried forty days before his Ascension to clear and confirm it So long was our Lord content to stay from Heaven for the good of others and should not we tarry also till our work be done as Paul did Phil. 1.24 25. We should come with Christ from Lebanon that pleasant place Deut. 3.25 from places of the most profit and preferment for the Church's good Cant. 4.8 As Paul was willing to want Heaven a while for the good of others so was Hezekiah also 2 Kings 20.2 3. Christ is call'd the Morning-Star Rev. 22.16 Rising in the Morning Mat. 28.1 This should put us upon Inquiry whether this Day-Star be Risen in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 If so then the Devil who hath the power of Death Heb. 2.14 is destroyed thereby and his evil works are dissolved in us 1 John 3. But so is our misery done away also in Christ's Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 Had but one sin been left unsatisfied Christ could not have either Risen or Ascended c. The second is a word of Caution that we 1 Take heed of dying in sin if so Christ is Risen and Ascended that he may come again to Render Vengeance upon us c. 2 Thes 1.7 8. 2. That we deceive not our own Souls with false Risings as from sinfulness to civility mistaking a Comet for the Sun c. 3. That we lye not rotting still in the Grave of sin having no Lease of our Lives whereas while life lasts we should awake and arise Eph. 5.14 and Col. 3.1 2 3. 4. That we behead not the Lord of Life which we do as much as in us lies if we Rise not with our Head who is Christ 5. But that which is worst of all to take heed we do not after a seeming Resurrection put on those Grave Clothes which we have seemed to have put off and go down again into the Grave of Sin in cursed Apostacy and final Impenitency The third is a word of Counsel that we 1. Rouze to seek our Lord who is Risen as the two Disciples did who arose the same hour c. Luke 24.33 and found him whom they sought verse 36. 2. Not to seek the living among the dead Luke 24.5 1. Not in dead Honours Christ withdrew himself from those that would have made him King John 6.15 He is now Risen and Ascended far above the Heavens Heb. 7.26 much more above the highest Honours upon Earth 2. Nor in dead
sort of Persecutors he violently broke open many Doors of the Houses where those Christians had their private Meetings and there he spared none of either Sex but haled both Men and women by the Hair of their Heads as if they had been taken Captives in the heat of War and cast them into Prison and still which was worse than all this he compelled them to blaspheme Acts 26.11 that is not only to renounce their Religion but also to curse their Crucified Christ therefore confesseth that he had been not only a Persecutor but one who had been notoriously Injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 Phil. 3.6 The Remarks hereupon are 1. That there is a blind Zeal misguided by an Ignis Fatuus a Will-with-Wisp or rather by a false Fire from Hell His Zeal was only exercised in persecuting the Church Phil. 3.6 that could not conform to the Pharisaical Traditions N.B. Zeal is good when it acts in a good matter Gal. 4.18 but this of Saul's was not so Gal. 1.13 He saith the same of his own Zeal as of that of the Jews that it was a Zeal without knowledge Rom. 10.2 3. though a warm yet a blind Zeal They knew not that Christ was the End and Accomplishment of the Law and that his Righteousness not that of the Law was only acceptable to God If Zeal be not qualified with knowledge all will be on fire as the primum-mobile with its swift Revolution would be were it not cooled by the counter-motion of the lower Spheres Blind Zeal is as wild-fire in the hand of a Fool 't is like the Devil in the Demoniack which casts him sometimes into the Fire and sometimes into the Water Mark 9.22 Ignorance is a great Breeder and mostly great-bellied which Aristotle himself makes the Mother of mis-rule and mischief The dark corners of the Earth saith the Psalmist are top-full of cruelty Psal 74.20 The Soul that is without knowledge is not good and he that without knowledge basteth with his feet sinneth saith Solomon Prov. 19.2 The faster he goeth the farther he wandereth out of the Right way Mettle in a blind Horse is dangerous Yet this mad Zealot lived a blameless life otherwise Phil. 3.6 The second Remark is This black Character is designedly given here and elsewhere of this peevish Zealot as a foil to give the more lustre to the Riches of the Grace and Mercy of God towards him in changing such a bloody worrying Wolf into such a gentle and useful Lamb and of such an unparallel'd Persecutor to make such an eminent and wonderful Pastor N.B. All this is Recorded of him that none might despair of Saving-Mercy who can but find hearts given them to repent of their sins and to be converted c. The third Remark is the prospect of that black Hue which this young Persecutor had put upon him by being dip'd in the Devil 's Dye-Fat N.B. Satan before his Fall did think none but after his Fall would have none better than himself therefore makes he Saul here as bad as himself both in Malice and Sin These two Evils whether in Devils or in Men are equally Aged and be as equally Evil both have the same Name and Nature as if there were no sin but Malice All Evil is envious The good that a bad man will not imitate he cannot but envy He that grieves not because himself is evil usually Irks that another is good As Sin separates 'twixt God and Man so it sows Enmity 'twixt the Devil and Man yet can it combine wicked men to become Sworn-Brethren in Iniquity not only in being but also in doing Evil. N.B. This Confederacy is not Union or Concord but the worst sort of Conspiracy as was that of Herod's and Pilate's against Christ When Thieves shake hands 't is done for malice and mischief against the truly honest Man Judas both consents to and consults with the Priests for killing Christ Saul consents only which is always the first step to sin with the Stoners of Stephen Acts 8.1 and 22.20 N.B. To behold Evil and not to dislike it is to consent to it By-standers may be Accessories making the offence of others their own by their consent He that forbids not Evil furthers it Particpat Nutans non obstans non manifestans Either Saul's degree was above the Office of an Executioner or his Age was under it Yet if he may not be a Partner in the Murder he will be a Witness yea a Witness of the Witnesses who laid down their cloaths at his feet Acts 7.58 N.B. No Age is innocent Childhood and Youth are vanity Eccles 11.9 10. This Young Man though not rejoycing in the vain pleasures of his Youth yet was villanous and violent in a malicious persecution of the Gospel of Truth So villany as well as vanity was found in this Youth who might be too young to have Might enough for casting a Stone at a Martyr's head with his hand yet was there no want of Malice in his heart though there was not Might in his hand to hold the cloaths of those that could more mischievously cast them So Saul stoned Stephen with his heart while his hands held the cloaths of those that did it and probably prompted them on therein So Saul stoned Stephen by the many hands of the mad Multitude as if his own hands alone were not enough to stone him N.B. Now being once flesh'd in Stephen's Blood Saul becomes a second Nimrod a mighty Hunter not satiated with devouring one silly Lamb whose flesh still sticks in this Wolf's Teeth becomes now bolder to seize upon the whole Flock Stephen's Blood had only made his mouth to water after a deeper Draught and a fuller Carouse of the Saint's Blood as one who could not sit down satisfied with destroying one single Saint without dissolving the whole Communion of Saints Having thus far spoke 1. To the Efficient Cause or Instrument of this Fourth Persecution I come 2. To speak of the sad and deplorable Effects thereof which is expressed in those words They were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judaea and Samaria excepting the Apostles Acts 8.1 There be various Opinions about the All that were scattered hereby The first Opinion is that this All here is to be taken largely for the Multitude of Believers who were the Constituting Members of the first Gospel-Church at least so many of them as could not commodiously Abscond and had conveniency to fave themselves by flight This was allowed or rather commanded by Christ Matth. 10.23 Therefore they are too Rigid that discommend it The second Opinion taketh this All more strictly for all the Teachers of the Church those extraordinary Gifted Deacons and others who Preached the Word a work only proper for Ministers Acts 8.4 one of which number was Philip who Preached at Samaria verse 5 c. which very Imploy is ever most obnoxious to Persecution N.B. This sense is the more probable For 1. Luke's scope is to write an History of the one
and Dead at the last day v. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. This last was his Epilogue Thirdly The Issue and Effects of his Sermon upon his Auditory consisting both of Jews and Gentiles and those learned and unlearned Some were effectually called but others were hardned And tho' there was a Synagogue of the Jews in this City yea and Great Heathen Scholars in that Vniversity both which never had heard any thing preached concerning Christ Crucified c. though probably those learned Gentiles might have heard from those Devout Jews there some report of the True God yet Paul the Preacher after he had done this Sermon is permitted to go out in peace without punishment tho' he had loudly Declaimed against the Idolatry of the place verse 32 33 34. But more of this last in the Remarks which follow The first Remark is Humane learning alone cannot learn any place or people the Divine Truths of Christ and his Gospel N.B. This Athens which Paul came to that he might be out of the reach of his Adversaries was the most Soveraign City in all Greece and had in it the most famous University so that it was most higly honoured with that Eminent Title of being called the Greece of Greece and the very eye of Greece as Greece was accounted the eye of the world which was all reputed blind in comparison of it yet notwithstanding all their Scholarship all their learning could not teach them to attain any saving knowledge until Paul came and preached it to them but on the contrary that City and University too was wholly given to Idolatry verse 16. Insomuch that Pausanias reckons up more Idols almost in Athens than in all Greece besides And Xenophon telleth us that the Athenians did keep double their Superstitious Holy days and Festivals to what other Grecian Cities did And Josephus in his 2d book to Appion saith that those Athenians exceeded all other Cities in their Idol worship worshipping Shame Fame Desire c. in their peculiar Temples as Cicero and other Authors among the wiser Heathens do acknowledge Yea to Sum up all in one word one of themselves do confess that our Region is so full of Idols that it is easier to find a God among us than a man their Idols and Images being as numerous as their Inhabitants N.B. All which teacheth us not only how defective humane learning is alone in the knowledge of Divine Mysteries though it be call'd a good Handmaid yet it is always but a bad mistress where it is not subservient to Grace but also that Corruptio optimi est pessima Tho' learning be a good thing in it self yet when it is corrupted by a busy Devil and a base heart it degenerates into the worst instrument in the world as it did here We read how the Angel spake by an Ass Num. 22.28 yet the Devil spake by a Serpent more subtle than all the beasts of the Field Gen. 3.1 The second Remark is All known and notorious Acts of sin especially that God provoking and Land destroying sin of Idolatry are unbearable to behold by any gracious Spirit Thus it was unto blessed Paul here his Spirit was stirred up in him c. verse 16. The Idolatry that was practiced by the people of this place before his eyes did plainly put him into a Paroxysm as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same with Acts 15.39 He was almost besides himself being in a transport by beholding their abominate Idolatry This drove him into a strange Concussion of contrary passions Paul here was highly affected with divers affections and passions of Mind As 1. With Grief for so learned and yet so blind a City and University so miserably dovoted to such Sottish and Simple Superstition 2. With Anger and Indignation against the Superabounding Idolatry of that people who should have made a better improvement of their Learning 3. With Zeal and Ardent Desire to undeceive them and better inform them with his Evangelical Instructions And therefore wherever any persons whether in the Synagogue or in any other part of the City would but lend him a little Audience such were his transports of Zeal that he would preach to them verse 17. practising that in his own person what he exhorted Timothy and all Ministers to do namely to preach in Season and out of Season 2 Tim. 4.2 Giving still to the Jews the priority and to those Proselytes of the Gentiles who were come over from Paganism to the Jewish worship He throws the net of the Gospel still where the most Fish were stirring The third Remark is Christ and his Doctrine of the Gospel is the Grand stumbling-block to the blind World both Jews and Gentiles Learned and Vnlearned 1 Cor. 1. ver 18 19 20 21 22 23. The Jews would not believe in a Christ whom they had Crucified not giving Credit to Christ's word without signs and wonders tho' they wanted them not Matth. 12.38 John 4.48 the Greeks or most learned of the Gentiles looked upon it as an Idle Story that he who is and was God blessed for ever should be Crucified because this could not be demonstrated to them by natural causes and Rational Arguments which they only depended upon knowing nothing of any Divine Revelation Their deep Theorems of Philosophy as King James the first said made them not better but worse men even mere Atheists especially those Epicurians and Stoicks verse 18. who held nothing to be desirable but what delighted their senses this made them more Swine than men and to Ridicule the Doctrine of Paul as a new Doctrine and himself a babler introducing Anastasis or the Resurrection he so often named as a new Goddess to their more than a good many Goddesses which they adored already N.B. While Paul told them of the true God in opposition to their Idols they cry not out so much against him for they could not but hear something hereof from the Jews and Proselytes that lived among them but when he preached to them a Christ Crucified Risen and Glorified this was a novelty tho' truth is elder than the oldest errour which startl'd them they draw him to their most cruel Court consisting of their most learned men v. 19 yet not so much to condemn him for it as to be informed better by him of it c. The fourth Remark is Behold here the wonderful work of the over-ruling Providence of God over the Acting of all evil men Tho' those vain Philosophers apprehended Paul as a babler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as such a contemptible person that had nothing to live upon but upon the off falls of Corn which in measuring falleth off the Bushell when stricken and was used to be picked up by the poorest of the People as the Greek word signifies or as a setter forth of strange Gods out of his own private opinion which they only allowed to be done by publick Authority even as many as they pleased Or as some interpret
for so great a Worthy as Vriah was to be call'd off from the Siege to answer such Weak Trifling and Common Enquiries which any Private Person out of the Army might have given a full Answer to N. B. Some hence suppose that Uriah hereupon began to be suspitious seeing a meaner Man than himself might have made as good a Messenger and probably he might understand some little either from the Messengers Sent for his Wise or from some of his own Family that came to congratulate their Master's safe return those might intimate to Vriah that his Wife had been sent for to the Court all which together with the other circumstances might give him grounds of Jealousie that there was some other cause why David sent for him than what was pretended and so grow Jealous of his Beautiful Lady which possibly was the real reason why he could not be perswaded to go home and accompany her Mark 3. David deals still with Vriah while sober and dissemblingly gives him an Amicable Dismission v. 8. bidding him go home and refresh thy self after thy Travail and rejoice with the Wife of thy Youth Prov. 5.18 Not doubting but he would converse with his Wife and so cover both their Sin and their Shame and therefore followed him a Royal Mess of Meat that he might pamper his paunch and then Lie with his Wife for Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus lusty feeding upon Luscious Dainties such as this dish the King sent him doubtless was causeth Lustful and Lascivious Minds The bearer of this dish was to bring David tidings whether saith Peter Martyr Vriah went home or no c. Mark 4. David's expostulation with Vriah occasioned by his not embracing the King's leave to go to his House but sleeping all Night among the King's Guards v. 9. 'T is probable he ate his Mess the King sent him like an Hungry Traveller yet did it not dispose him to Desire his Wives Company according to David's design N. B. Some say and not improbable that his Fair but False Wise did both in treat and importune him to go home seeing it so much concerned her to enjoy his company for covering both her Sin and Shame Whether he was jealous that his Wife was Sick of a Pleurisie is not told us however God had an over-ruling hand in it to incline Vriah's Heart to do so whereupon David reasons with him v. 10. both as a King thou shouldst have obeyed me and as a Friend thou shouldst have listened unto me for thy own welfare I know thou hast been Travelling on Foot Thirty hours from Rabba to Jerusalem therefore art thou not kind but cruel to thy self in lying still from home when there is no need c. So he presseth him to depart to his House Mark 5. Vriah still holds his resolution v. 11. neither the Dignity of the King saith Peter Martyr nor the Beauty and importunity of his Wife could reclaim him from his refractory humour N. B. Thus the Providence of God did counter-work all the Policies and Projects of David who designed all along to have his Sin concealed when the most Wise God will have it revealed and lest the King should think it was too sawcy a sullenness in a Subject to be thus peremptory he renders a most pregnant reason for so persisting in his resolve saying The Ark and all Israel abide in Tents and my Lord Joab c. and shall I take pleasure with my Wise in a time of common calamity Here Vriah declareth that he had a Golden Soul in a Robust Iron Body His Name Vriah signifies the Fire of God and surely the Fire of Zeal was kindled here by God's Spirit upon the Hearth of his Heart which made him thus resolute in abridging himself even of Lawful Delights in a time of Common Calamity N. B. As the Rapid motion of the primum mobile or Supreme Sphere of the Heavens carryeth about the inferiour Orbs in a Retrograde motion contrary to that which is their proper tendency from East to West whereas the first mover hurries them back from West to East according to the common rules of Natural Philosophy Even so a true Spiritual Sympathy with the Churches Epidemical dangers should carry our Hearts back from the bent of our own private Natural Inclinations as it did here in Vriah which stop'd him in his way of taking his Conjugal Pleasure at home N. B. Josephus saith Vriah was Joab's Armour-bearer because he calls him his Lord but that he might as well do and not be so as Joab was Lord General of the Army however this brave Speech of his Self-denyal did ring a loud peal in the Ears of David's Conscience to awaken him out of his present Lethargy into which Sin and Satan had lull'd him as into a Dead sleep of security seeing he lay wallowing in unlawful Lusts in a time of common danger when Vriah made Conscience of enjoying such as were honest and lawful Mark 6. Still David instead of Repenting proceeds from bad to worse ver 12 13. when he found himself crossed in his former contrivances with Uriah while Sober he will try one trick more in making Vriah Drunk that when intoxicated by pressing Wine upon him more than was convenient he might forget his Oath and Lie with his Wife putting off all his former Austerity N. B. Oh what are we when left of God! that David should do all this evil with deliberation Though David was Drunk with Lust when he lay with Bathsheba yet was he Sober enough and in his cold Blood when he made Vriah Drunk with Wine and all to get a cover for his Sin No doubt but it was against the Temper and Genius of this good Vriah to drink himself Drunk in the King's Presence He that could deny himself his Wives Company at home and so resolutely refuse his Lawful pleasure would never make it his choice to intoxicate himself in the open Court to the scorn of the Courtiers had he not been designedly plyed with Cup after Cup which he was compelled to drink off as a special favour from his great Soveraign That this good man drank more than he desired is manifest from that Phrase David made him Drunk ver 13. Yet even this Device of David would not do for though David had made Vriah Frolick and Jovial yet retains he still his resolve against going home but went to bed with the Hinds and Houshold Servants of the Court and not as before among the King's Guard perhaps because he was ashamed to be seen so deep in drink N. B. Peter Martyr saith here this good Man though his mind was discomposed with Wine yet persists he still in his former purpose like the good Travelling Horse though his Rider lays the Reins of the Bridle loose upon his Neck yet will he keep on his pace in the Road without wandering out of the way Thus David was still disappointed c. The Second and Last Remark is The last but worst Link
of that doleful Chain of David's Lust So far was David still from Repenting of his Sin that seeing his craft for concealing his Adultery he failed him in all the other fair means he contrived now resolveth upon cruelty in the use of foul methods to get this good Uriah cut off insensibly and so to cover his Adultery with Murther that so he might not live to accuse the Adulteress Mark 1. In order hereunto he wrote a letter to Joab v. 14. not with Black but rather with Blood and Vriah must carry this Sword to Joab for the cutting of his own Throat Hence was feigned that Fable by Satan's subtilty of Bellerophontis literas portare to elude this true Scripture-Story When a Man bears the message of his own death c. Mark 2. Vriah must be set in the hottest Battle and then lurched v. 15. Joab must believe this most excellent person had some way deserved Death and he must be the Executioner yet could he not be ignorant of the Law that no Criminals should Die without two or three Witnesses against them therefore he was too obsequious in obeying so Tyrannical a Command v. 16 17. but Joab happly hoped hereby to ingratiate himself with David for the Murther of Abner which he had not yet answered For now David was like to be no less guilty than himself Right or wrong he 'll please the King Mark 3. Tidings hereof are dictated by Joab in what order the Messenger must tell David v. 18 19. and if the King object any rashness in the enterprize he must answer Vriah is slain also and that answers all objections v. 20 21 22 23 24. The Messenger played his part notably like a pick-thank and makes haste to tell David of Vriah's death which salved all so that he needed not to tell him of the death of Abimelech Judg. 9.53 as Joab had tutor'd him to qualifie the death of any of his Brave Souldiers c. Mark Fourthly David was pleased saying Let not Joab be displeased c. v. 25. where he smootheth up his General slights the slaughter of so many gallant men and deeply dissembleth with the Messenger that so neither his bloody Command nor Joab's fawning obedience might be discovered to him N. B. David had been still striving against the stream in the use of fair means and none would do to his content but having found success in this foul Policy Oh how he huggs himself under hardness of heart But was this like David who while but a Servant was so tender hearted he could not cut off the Lap of Saul his Adversary but his Heart smote him with remorse 1 Sam. 24.5 but now coming to be a King he can kill his faithful Friend and loyal Subject yea one of his famous Worthies without regret and with peace of mind O quantum mutatus ab illo how had Adultery altered him Mark 5. Bathsheba mourned for the Death of her Husband v. 26. and no doubt it was a feigned and a merry mourning She was inwardly pleased both as freed from fear of his rage and punishment of an Adulteress and as hoping now to be made a Queen Had she been sensible of her sin afterwards doubtless she was she would have mourned like a Dove as Queen Huzzah did Nah. 2.7 But after Seven days of mourning saith Josephus the ordinary time Gen. 50.10 1 Sam. 31.13 the Adulterer Married the Adulteress and probably more haste might be made here that she might be thought to be with Child by David after they were Married v. 27. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord which was not simply his Marrying of her for that is no where forbidden in Scripture but for his alluring her to Adultery and for murthering her Husband after it as will more plainly appear in the following Chapter where David's Conscience is awakened THE THIRD VOLUME Of the SACRED History and Mystery OF The Old-Testament Logically Discust and Theologically Improved Beginning at The Birth of Solomon and ending at the Birth of Christ Wherein an ample Account is given of all the Apocryphal Times also betwixt Malachy and the Messiah as well as of all the Canonical Books till that Time By Christopher Ness Minister of the Gospel in London LONDON Printed by Thomas Snowden for the Author in the Year 1695. 2 Sam. CHAP. XII THIS Chapter contains First David's Repentance for his double sin and both of them of the first Magnitude Adultery and Murder He was reduced to Repent by Nathan's parable and by direful punishments denounced against him for them And Secondly The effects of his Repentance both as to his private and as to his publick capacity Remarks upon the First Part are First The procuring cause of David's Repentance as God himself was the principal so Nathan God's Prophet was the instrumental cause thereof for 't is said The Lord sent Nathan and he had need be a Man of God's sending that can rouze and awaken a sleepy Conscience so hardened in sin as David's was v. 1. Mark 1. The time how long David lay in his Sin without Repentance 't is computed about Ten Months was the time of his impenitency for God sent not Nathan untill the Child begot in Adultery was born by Bathsheba So long did David indulge himself in his Amourous Embracements of his dear Adulteress whom he the Adulterer had now ventured to Marry Yet all this long Ten Months as Peter Martyr well observes David sanctified every Sabbath presented himself before the Lord in the Holy Assembly and did purifie himself with others according to the Laws of the Sanctuarie's purification But Oh wonderful With what kind of mind Surely he did nothing sincerely nothing from real Piety it was all in Hypocrisy and from a customary Formality When the ordinary use of the Ordinancies of God could not cure David of his Lethargy but still he stuck fast with his Feet in the cloggy Clay because the God of ordinances was not in them He had only got the Mantle of Elijah in his Tabernacle-Worship but he still for these Ten Months time wanted the Lord God of that Mantle of Elijah which Elisha pray'd for 2 King 2.14 Even then God out of meer Commiseration and Free Grace to David makes use of Extraordinary means to bring him out of this Horrible Pit and Miry Clay as David acknowledges Psal 40.2 N. B This was to teach us That as no Man can awaken himself out of a Dead Sleep so the best of men may fall when they will but they cannot rise when they will untill the Lord lent him his Holy Hand to help him and to do for him what Ebedmelech did for Jeremy to draw him up with the Cords of Mercy out of a Miry Dungeon Jer. 38.6 12 13. The Second Remark is Nathan is the Ebedmelech to David This Nathan had been sent by the Lord to David with Glad Tidings about filling David's House with variety of Sweet Cordials and Comforts Chap. 7.4 to 17. And
common commotion I must submit to God's Rod. Mark 3. David binds up their hands with Three Arguments The First is from the Providence of God which permits him so to say and me so to suffer his sayings therefore you ought not to hinder it David saw the Hand of God in the Tongue of Shimei It was not the word of God's Precepts but of God's Providence saith Peter Martyr leaving Shimei to his own mad folly therefore None can say to the Lord Wherefore hast thou done it but it was justly said so to Shimei afterwards by wise Solomon also 1 King 2.9.44 His Second Argument is a comparatis If I bear greater injuries from my own Son why not those lesser from this scoundrel fellow ver 11. N. B. David did not Eye God's hand thus well in the Affronts that Nabal offered him He can now say My Son seeks my Life God bids Shimei Curse only that breaks no Bones His Third Arguments is From the following fruit of this Cursing which he by his Prophetick Spirit being a Prophet fore-saw God would give him as a reward of his Patience ver 12. and when duly Humbled would turn those Cursings into Blessings c. Mark 4. Shimei Cursed David not a little while but for a long time all along as he went ver 13 14. yet could not make David to break the Briddle of his Patience wherein he became a Type of Christ who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not but committed his cause to God who judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 contemning all contempts and calumnies David did hope for Deliverance from the Examples of Joseph and Job c. yet saith only It may be God will c. because the greatness of his sin saith Peter Martyr made him doubt of deliverance His Dolour which dries the Bones as well as Labour in Travel brings him weary to Bachurim Hebrew Chusings Eccles 11.9 no place of chusing to him but of constraint yet there he refreshed himself and his followers ver 5. The Second Part is Absolom's entring into Jerusalem when David entred into Bachurim ver 15 to the end Which contain two grand Particulars The First is Hushai's deep dissimulation with Absolom ver 16 17 18 19. And the Second is Absolom's Defiling David's Concubines ver 20 21 22 23. Remarks upon the former are First Hushai's Gratulatory yea Adulatory Salutation to Absolom now come from Hebron to Jerusalem God Save the King twice over ver 16. which Junius makes an Amphibology fair words to make a Fool fain not naming what King he wished all Health and Happiness unto His words were so Ambiguous that Ambitious Absolom might apply them to himself from Hushai's Mouth yet himself did design them for Distressed David with his Heart N. B. But this was pernicious Dissimulation saith Peter Martyr no better than a loud downright Lie and Hushai should rather have chosen to Die than thus to flatter a wicked wretch in his wickedness when he both wished and designed to have him destroyed Such Equivocation and mental Reservations though they may serve to silence a Carnal Conscience for the present yet are no better than the Damnable Doctrine of Jesuitical Divinity meer Diabolical Shifts and Shuffles which have no Divine warrant from the word of God The Second Remark is Absolom's ironical Accusation of Hushai for his Ingratitude to his Friend ver 17. He doth not say Is this thy kindness to my Father for so he should have tacitly taxed himself of far grosser Ingratitude and far fouler Disloyalty than he he had done Hushai therefore saith Peter Martyr he names not his own Father whom himself had filthily Deserted and Rebelled against but thy Friend whom thou hast unfriendly forsaken Though Absolom was notoriously blinded yet was he not so blind but he saw it was not the duty of one Friend to Desert another He was still Ben Zoma according to the Hebrew Phrase never at home as the Harlot Prov. 7.11 He was quicksighted abroad but Blind at home Absolom reproveth that Ingratitude in Hushai which he approved in himself yet secretly intimates thou art not like to be a fast Friend to me who thus fails thy old Friend David The Third Remark is Hushai's Apology ver 18 19. wherein he is his own Compurgator yet in dubious Allegations as First He only followed the Providence of God who pulls down and sets up Kings at his pleasure and the Publick Election of the People which he a private person ought not to withstand This in truth was none but David and Solomon after him whom the Lord and his People did chuse It was not God but the worst part of the People that chose Absolom However this served as a flying Argument to Absolom's haughty credulity And Secondly Saith he my Friendship due to David is now with the Kingdom devolved on thee not one of another Family but the Eldest Son of his own Family so 't is still as upon him in his top branch which Argument had been good had David been dead and Israel had chosen Absolom who was deluded here by Hushai admitted hereby to dive into and so to defeat Absolom's Counsels c. Remarks upon the Second Particular namely Absolom's Incestuous Copulation with David's Concubines and that publickly ver 20 21 c. are First Absolom asks Achitophel what must be the First Action whereby they might promise to themselves prosperous success He the President of the Council advises to this publick Incestuous Action to take away all hope of reconciliation which some of their Timerous followers feared so could not cordially contribute to their assistance for fear of an after-reckoning for this Rebellion in case the Father and Son be after reconciled N. B. The Rabbins render another reason of Achitophel's giving this advice saying He did it to revenge the injury done to Bathsheba who was the Daughter of Eliam chap. 11.3 who was the Son of Achitophel chap. 23.34 So she was Achitophel's Grand Child The Second Remark is The Action it self was abominaale being the worst sort of Incest far worse than that of Amnon with Absolom's Sister which Absolom so abhorred in Amnon that nothing but his Heart's Blood could satisfie him to take off the guilt of that Incest Yet himself dareth to commit a far deeper Incest in Climbing up to his Father's Bed a crime that greatly grieved good Old Jacob's Heart in his Eldest Son Reuben who never wiped off that blot Gen 35.22 and 49.4 The Third Remark is This Abominable action is aggravated with abominable circumstances as First The place where it must be acted to wit upon the top of the King's Palace God might indeed have his Holy Hand in it because probably this was the very flat Roof whence David had looked upon and lusted after Bathsheba chap. 11.2 But surely the Devil had his Evil Hand in it to make such a shameful Sin wherein the worst of Mankind seeks secret places as ashamed to be seen to be
acted on the House top or Terrace c. And Secondly This deed of Darkness must be done with Day-light in the Sight of the Sun and of all the People Thus he declared his Sin as Sodom Isa 3.9 and though hereby was fulfilled that Divine Threatning chap. 12.11 12. yet this did not at all lessen Absolom's Sin who sinned freely and maliciously not only to satisfie his lust but also out of a politick design to corroborate himself in his present Vsurpation Hushai was present yet forced to dissemble at this present advice The Fourth Remark is Achitophel's Counsel had commonly a suitable success attending it therefore had it as much Veneration as the Oracle of God in the certainty of Events But 't is principally intended to declare David's danger having Achitophel against him whose wicked Counsel was as God's Oracle to the grand Rebel Absolom and to all his Rebellious rout If it be asked how David did deal with him in his Days 'T is answered No doubt but Achitophel dissembled his wickedness while he sat in the Councel with David a good King but discovers it deserting David and falling in with wicked Absolom But good David had a better Counsellour than Achitophel for himself saith The Statutes of God were the Men of his Counsel so Hebr. Psal 119.24 2 Sam. CHAP. XVII THIS Chapter contains the Consultation of Absolom with his Counsellers and Courtiers for the Suppression of David and the small Company with him The General Parts are Two First The Persons Consulting and the Second is The Event of the Consultation Remarks upon the First Part are First Achitophel on his own accord and uncalled offers to Absolom not only his Advice but also his Assistance ver 1 2 3. Wherein Mark First Achitophel cannot be content to be Absolom's Counseller only but he will call himself forth to be his Commander also which few King's Counsellers use to be much less do they call for a Commission to do so Mark Secondly Such a prospect he had that his project would be prosperous that he dare personally venture his own Life in the Execution of it may he but be trusted with Twelve Thousand Men to command as Captain and to fall upon David that Night for delays are dangerous Mark Thirdly He urgeth the facility of the Victory while David not King lest his own Mouth should proclaim himself a Rebel is weary and weak handed c. Oh pestilent Counsel and the ready way to win all when David was faint both with Trouble of Mind and Toil of Travel and to be set upon in the Night too a time of dread especially to Sleepy and Tired Travellers Mark Fourthly Then proposeth he the advantage of it saying David only shall Die by my hands so all his People shall Return to thee in Peace c. All this time he reckons without his Hoste as we say not once recognizing how God had delivered David from as eminent dangers out of the Hands of Saul when compassed round about for which the place was named Solang Hammalekoth the Rock of Division 1 Sam. 23.26 27. and had not he been Achi-tophel which in Hebrew signifies Cousin-German to a Fool he might have considered God might do as much for David again at this time so Humbled as to deliver him out of the danger of Absalom and Achitophel and so set up another Rock of Division betwixt them and their Prey notwithstanding their Triumph before their Victory And so indeed God did for David after The Second Remark relateth to Absalom ver 4 5 6. Wherein Mark First Absalom approved of that Pestilent Plot which Achitophel had proposed for his Dear Father David's Death Hebrew It was right in his Eyes N. B. Lycurgus that prudent Pagan Lawgiver would make no Law against Parricide as thinking it a thing impossible and that the Law of Nature in Filial Affections was enough to debar Children from hurting their own Parents But here 's a Debauched Israelite that must needs make himself a Law-giver to God's People who is tickled with the fancy of his Father's Murther by the hands of Achitophel and of such a Father as had ever been too fond of him and too indulgent to him Surely the Devil had filled his Heart from Corner to Corner Act. 5.2 Mark Secondly The mutability of Man by the mighty Power of God God had determined David should not Die but Absalom was doomed to Death by a Divine Decree Therefore Absolom is made so far mutable as to mislike Achitophel's Crafty Counsel which he now so highly Applauded and which had it been followed David in all likelihood had been destroyed thereby Mark Thirdly The marvellous Providence of God Absalom cannot Acquiesce in his Oracle Achitophel but must have Hushai called a Man far inferiour in Reputation among Men and one that had given as yet no such proof of his fidelity to Absalom as Achitophil had done nor so fixed to his Interest yet looked upon as a Wise Man So Hushai shall be heard Absalom possibly thinking of what was Solomon's saying after In multitude of Counsellers there is safety Prov. 24.6 The Third Remark is Hushai's Advice to Absolom ver 7 8 9 10. Wherein Mark First In this thing Hushai excelled Achitophel such was his Modesty and Prudence he would not give Counsel uncalled as Achitophel out of Ambition did Therefore Absalom mistrusting some failure in his Oracle as to present circumstances so bids Hushai speak freely Mark Secondly Hushai being a wise and well-spoken Man gives in his sentiments by dissenting from the former Advice saying 'T is not good Advice at this time This was a daring Challenge against Absalom's Oracle and had not Hushai starched his Oration with probable Arguments and such as were suitable to Absalom's Ambitious Disposition he had likely been hanged for crossing such good Counsel but the more to smooth the matter He comes off with Quandoque bonus Dormitat Homerus a good Horse may sometimes stumble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wisest Man in the World is not wise at all times Though Achitophel commonly gives successful Counsel yet with his good leave I must say he hath missed the mark at this time and in this Case Mark Thirdly Hushai's grand design was first to invalidate the Perilous Counsel Achitophel had given before he give his own Opinion What ought to be done He hereupon discovers the danger of Achitophel's Advice from Three Topicks The First is taken from the Valour of David which he amplifies by a Similitude of a Bear Robbed of her Whelps ver 8. Fumantem vivinasum tentaveris Vrsi saith he Achitophel adviseth thee to take an enraged Bear by the Tooth which is dangerous Prov. 17.12 Thou knowest when David was Young he conquered Goliah and could encounter Ishbi benob the Gyant Chap. 21.16 and what will he not do now when so provoked with the loss of his Throne Wives and Children especially with Old Souldiers against our Raw Men. He hath his many Worthies with him
in all His Imitable Excellencies Our suitable Holy practice is the bese sort of Preaching forth Christ's praise The Image of this our Dearest Friend should not only be Hung up in the Private Closets of our Hearts but also in the most Conspicuous places of our Lives This is to walk in Christ Col. 2.6 not daring to take so much as one step out of Him who is the way to walk in the Truth to walk with and the Life to walk by John 14.6 And this is to walk as he walked treading in and following his Holy footsteps If we abide in him 1 John 2.6 In this General Discourse upon the Life of Christ there be three things next to be Discussed The Caution Counsel and Comfort hereof First The Caution It may not be Imagined unnecessary to build some Battlements about this lofty structure to secure Children and Fools from Toppling and Tumbling over Know then that the Actions of Christ's Life are of three sorts 1. Miraculous 2. Moral And 3. Mediatory As to the First which were Miraculous They are not set down in Scripture as Actions Imitable by us poor Mortals for some of them were personal as of the World's Redeemer Thus was he born of a Virgin which we cannot be He suffered upon the Cross for the World's Ransom and for Sin 's Expiation which we cannot Do. Nor can we Rise again the third Day as He did for our Justification and Ascended Triumphingly into Heaven lead Captivity Captive c. wherein we cannot Immitate Christ Those and such like were our Redeemer's Personal Actions and peculiar only to him as Incommunicable to any other There be other Actions of Christ beside those Personal which are not only Praeter-natural but also Supernatural As were His Fasting Forty Days His Giving sight to the Blind Life to the Dead c. Now for any Mortal to presume an Imitation of Christ in the Former of these is no better than Blasphemy These were the proper Prerogatives of Christ's Person And for any man to strive as presuming to follow Him in the Latter which were all Miraculous is a mere Impossibility Christ did such works as never any Man did Joh. 9.32 Therefore we are no where bid to make a new World to walk on the Sea c. as he did Secondly Next to Christ's Miraculous both Personal and Supernatural are his Moral Actions to be considered And these we are to Imitate our Lord in He commands us to learn from him the right Practice of those two Twin-Sister-Graces of Meekness and Lowliness Mat. 11.29 and to follow his very footsteps in the practick part of his Holy Life Christ is the Head of the Church which is the Body Eph. 1.22 23. Now as the Body Natural follows the Head naturally so ought the Body Mystical to follow Christ Spiritually in all his Morals though not in any of his Miracles especially in those two Moral Vertues or rather Evangelical Graces Meekness and Lowliness which so walk hand in hand together as they are there call'd Christ's Yoke The Yokes that the Flesh the World and the Devil lay upon Mankind are manifold but Christ's Yoke is but one not many All Gospel-Duties are reducible to one single Head Rom. 10.9 that is to Faith which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 There is but one main Duty and this is the Whole Duty of Man Eccles 12.13 which hath Two Objects and Two Offices The two Objects be God and Man The Grace of Lowliness giveth to God his Due and the Grace of Meekness giveth also to Man his Due And the Two Offices do concern the Debt as the two Objects do the Due for Lowliness gives and Meekness forgives the Debt Both these in conjunction make up Christ's Yoke as one which while it is Green and we be unaccustomed to the Yoke Jer. 31.18 seems Heavy but when this Yoke of Christ comes to be Dryed Tryed and Worn a while then it proves Easie as Christ calls it Mat. 11.30 and very Light after a Man is once used a little to it though perhaps He cannot fadge so well with it at the first 't is then no more a Burden than Wings are to a Bird wherewith she flies aloft when and whither she listeth That which maketh this Yoke of Christ easie is that Christ beareth up the heaviest part of it upon his own Shoulders as He did the cross-burdensome end of his own Cross when Simon the Cyrenian bore only the Lower and Lighter end upon his Shoulders after Jesus Luke 23.26 And Christ gives his Spirit to help our Infirmities in all those Duties which He Himself Acted in his own Person for our Instruction and Imitation Hereby come we up to Delight in doing the Will of God Psal 40.8 This main Duty of Man is yet a Yoke lest any should Presume but still 't is a light and easie Yoke lest any should Despair This confuteth Carnal-Gospellers on the one Hand and the Monkish Merit-Mongers on the other hand assuredly our Lord Jesus by passing through all the parts of Active and Passive Obedience hath made all Gospel duties both easie Imitable and Delectable too now no command of God is grievous 1 John 5.3 c. N. B. Thus a serious Meditation upon the Meekness of Christ did most powerfully convert the Aethiopian Eunuch Acts 8.32 33 c. And we read of an Earl call'd Eleazar who being oft overcome with Immoderate Anger was cured of that Head-strong Passion and Inordinate Affection by his sedulous studying upon the Patience of Christ which consideration He never suffer'd to pass out of his meditating and musing mind before He found his Heart transformed into his Saviour's Similitude as Surius who writes this Earl's Lise tells the Story of this Passionate Prince Thirdly The Actions of Christ are not only Miraculous and Moral but also Mediatory as Christ's Dying Rising again and Ascending c. As we ought to Imitate Christ in his Moral Works by a Real Doing and Suffering as we have Him for Our Example So must we imitate him in his Mediatory Works by way of Similitude This is done by Translating that to our Spiritual Life which He did as our Mediator That is we must Dye to Sin Live to Righteousness Ascend up to God with our Desires and Sit down at his Right Hand with our Affections Besides this There is a Conformity to him in the framing of our Inward and Spiritual Life which consists not in a doing what Christ did upon the Cross c. but in Doing the like by a certain kind of imitation As 1. As Christ resign'd up himself an offering with strong Prayer and Tears c. so should we give up our selves to God as a Spiritual Oblation and as a Reasonable Sacrifice Ps 40.8 and Rom. 12.1 2. As He bare his own Cross c. so ought we to bear ours Luke 9.24 If it lays 'twixt us and our Duty 3. We must be like Him in Crucifying and Mortifying the Cursed Body of Sin as was done
by the Cursed Jews to his blessed Body Gal. 5.24 4. When we have wounded it by the Sword of the Spirit even to Death then must we bury it as he was 5. We must rise again out of the Grave of Sin to serve God in Newness of Life so get gradually out of the Dungeon as Jeremy did Jer. 38.12 6. We must Ascend like him into Heaven in our Desires c. Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.1 Nor is it the Pattern of Christ that doth effect this only as the Socinians say but 't is also the Vertue and Power of Christ's Death and Resurrection c. that works all these Things effectually in his Called and Chosen not as an Exemplary Cause or as a Moral Cause by way of Meditation but as having a Force and Power Obtained by it and Issuing out of it Phil. 3.10 Even the Spirit that killeth sin and quickens the Soul to all Holy Practice N. B. To know Christ aright is a most excellent work and the worthiest part of Heavenly Wisdom Yea satisfactory and salutiferous to the Soul of Man Isa 53.11 Joh. 17.3 1 Cor. 2.2 Gal. 6.14 and Phil. 3 8. This Divine knowledge consists of lively Affection as well as of particular Application and a Notional Consideration 'T is the common Rule of expounding Scripture that works of knowledge imply Affection 'T is not enough to know Christ notionally The Devils do so nor must we barely know Him either as God or as Man or as a Jew of Judah's Tribe or as Judge of the World but especially as a Redeemer and as our Redeemer by whom all God's benefits both Temporal and Spiritual are convey'd to us and Received by us The Three grand benefits by Christ Are 1. His Merits Price and Ransom whereby we are Reconciled to God c. 2. His Vertue or Power of His Death and Resurrection Phil. 3.8 10. 3. His Example To which we should conform Simply and Absolutely without exception not so to that of the highest Saints who had sinful frailty as well as holy Graces c. The Second Thing after this Caution is the Counsel God's word gives us concerning this imitation of Christ N. B. In the daily Practice of true Piety both as to Inward and Outward Life all Christ's Actions are for our Instruction not All for our Imitation we may not Imitate the Works of Christ that were Miraculous nor such as were Personal and Proper to Him as Mediator The Ignorance of which hath carried some Impostors to Counterfeit themselves to be Christ Nor need we Indeavour to imitate Him in his Natural therefore unblamable Infirmities which had weakness in them but not Sin we are not to strive to be Hungry Weary Sleepy c. because He was sometimes so But we must imitate our Lord Jesus in all his imitable Graces and Actions both walking in Christ Col. 2.6 and walking as Christ 1 John 2.6 and following his steps preaching forth the praises of him that call'd us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 21. And though we cannot follow him Passibus Aequis taking such long strides as he did yet must we shew our Good-will Mark 14.8 Stretching and straining out our outmost as Paul did Phil. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reaching forth his Head Hands and whole Body as do Runners in a Race to lay hold on the price proposed Conformity to Christ and Nonconformity to the World are both the certain commendable and comfortable Duties of every good Christian Rom. 8.29 and 12.2 The First is Conformity to Christ which may be inforced by these three Arguments 1. Seeing Christ condescended so low as to Conform Himself to us in taking our Humane Nature Attended with Hunger Weariness and all other Infirmities Sin only excepted Heb. 2.17 4.15 1 Pet. 2.22 c. How much more ought we to press after a partaking of his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that we may be Conformed to his Holy Image unto which we are Praedestinated Rom. 8.29 The 2. Argument is Seeing the Image of God favour from Him and Fellowship with Him be the Branches of Man's Antient Glory in the State of Innocency which the Subtle Serpent did Deceive us of in the Fall 'T is but rational and requisite that we put our selves forth to the utmost for recovering them by Conforming them to Christ that we may Gain again by the Second Adam All the Three Gifts lost by the First Adam And the Third Reason is Where there is no Conformity to Christ there can be no Salvation had The Means must not be separated from the End as Acts 27.30 Except these stay in the Ship ye cannot be saved So here except we be Holy we can never be Happy God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy Eph. 1.4 and without Holiness no man can see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Blessed are the pure in heart and life for They shall see God Mat. 5.8 We must purifie our selves as Christ is pure 1 John 3.3 And this Purity or Holiness is our Conformity to the Image of the Holy Child Jesus for undoubtedly God gave Christ to be a Samplar as well as He Gave Him to be a Saviour 'T is the mistake of the Arminians to put Christ to an Arbitration in their assigning Ninety Nine parts to Him in the work of Conversion and the Hundred part to Man contrary to Col. 3.11 where Christ is call'd All and in All. The whole of that Divine work flows from the Free Grace of Christ and not any part of it from the Free Will of Man and we have no Commission to bate one Ace in that point Yet the Errour of the Socinians is of a far grosser Brann In their Asserting Christ to be a Pattern only and not a Propitiation at all They suppose Him only a Samplar for our bare Imitation but no way a Saviour for our Sins Expiation Thus they quite exclude Christ from the Justification of the Penitent and Believing Sinner quite contrary to the whole Tenure of the Holy Scriptures and they make Christ no more than a Mere Martyr for all the Holy Martyrs were Patterns and Samplars of Sanctity both in their Sanctimonious Doings and Sufferings If Christ signify'd no more than a Samplar N. B. This Conformity to Christ is twofold The First is partly in this Life And the Second is partly in the Life to come 1. That in this Life we should all Learn of Him and from His Pious Pattern All those Works of Holiness which we find Recorded of Him such as these His Subjection to his Parents His Loving of his Brethren His Painfulness in his Calling His Perseverance in Prayer and many more of the like Nature We should strive what we can to Resemble Christ in his going about to do good Acts 10.38 In his fidelity for his function Heb. 3.1 2. In his Diligent and Patient Obediâ—nce Heb. 12.2 3. In his Constancy of Profession 1 Tim. 6.13 In