but there are certain distinct periods of ages observable in most languages if they were taken notic of In the Greek and Latin tongues greater industry hath been used unto which we may fit our English And so the distinction of ages may be as followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Infans an Infant until the seventh year compleat which is to be understood in the following ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puer a childe until fourteen years of age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puber when the beard begins to grow a yongling from fourteen till eighteen years of age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adolescens a youth from eighten until twenty five years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fuvenis a young man from twenty five till thirty five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir a grown man from thirty five until forty nine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senex viridis a green old man from forty nine till sixty years old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Semicanus turn'd grey from sixty until seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decrepitus a decrepit old man or capularis one ready to be laid on the Biere that is capulum from seventy years old until death Of all these ages they have taken the second or as some count them the first when they call the sons of Israel children which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX turns by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 33.14 and other words importing minority and nonage But our Translators herein erre not alone for Luther Piscator all the Low Dutch and all our old English Translations Ainsworth only excepted render the words as our last hath them who ever was their leader herein Sequimur ut pecudes antecedentium greges saith Seneca we are prone to follow ill examples But the Translators of the French Bible have made choise of the very first age and render the words Enfans d' Israel the Infants or little ones of Israel These no doubt or some of these had but low thoughts of Gods eminent designe as if he intended to beget nourish and bring up children of a span long Lam. 2.20 Nor yet have all been so deceived For beside these named all the ancient Translations as the Chaldee LXX Syriac Arabic and Vulg. Latin and the later as the Spanish and Italian Munster also Pagnin Tremellius and Vatablus have Sons of Israel O ye sons of Israel Consider ye are by this title called to actions of honour and strength Ye know how reproachful it is in our language What! alwayes a childe Brethren Be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children in understanding howbeit in malice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be children but in under standing be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not men only as ours render the word but perfect men 1 Cor. 14.20 Yea the same Apostle Ephes 4.13 14. Let not us propound unto our selves a measure and stature according to our own or others cize and opinion but let us remember that the King of Israel even Christ John 1.49 hath given his gifts unto men even all the Pastors Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man to the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ that henceforth we be no more children tossed to fro by every winde of doctrine but grow up unto him in all things who is the Head even Christ And to this purpose the place before us requires of the Priests a duty to be performed to the sons of Israel The Priests must separate the sons of Israel from their uncleanness where in the sons of Israel are comprehended the daughters of Israel also as its clear ver 18. 30. For then we read of the womens uncleanness and their manner of cleansing there ver 31. saith Moses Thus shall ye separate the sons of Israel from their uncltaness Even the Sons of Israel have their uncleanness until they be separated from it by the Priests The Priest is said sometime to pollute Levit. 13. Ver. 3. sometime to cleanse from pollution and separate from uncleanness We have diverse examples of the one and of the other Of the former Lev. 13.3 The Priest shall see the Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall pollute or defile him which our Translators with others turn The Priest shall pronounce him unclean So very often in that Chapter But how can the Priest be said to pollute some say when he pronounceth him unclean and polluted which also is true but may he not be said to pollute him who is unclean when he leaves him in his uncleanness according to that Revel 22.11 He that is filthy let him be filthy still And so the Lord is said to harden when he mollifies not the impenitent and obstinate heart but leaves it as he findes it in its hardness And when he cleanseth not the unclean as Exod. 34.7 He may be said to pollute him Not that he otherwise causeth any positive hardness or pollution And herein the Priest is as the Lords mouth Jer. 15.19 The Priest also for like reason is said to cleanse from pollution and separate from uncleanness when he expiates and purgeth away the true spiritual uncleanness as very often in this book Which he doth typically as a figure of that High Priest who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath and doth make the purging of our sins by himself and so really separates the sons of Israel from their uncleanness So that although the Priests the sons of Aaron and the Evangelical Priests are said to binde and loose absolve and excommunicate as a sort of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vice-Dei as Gods Substitutes on earth yet oftentimes these acts are done with very much ignorance and arrogance As when of old the Priest said I absolve thee from thy sins And some of later time more modestly pronounced and declared absolution and remission of their sinnes to the penitent and believing souls yet its possible that both one and other might be in great errour For althogh both alleaged authority from Christ yet it is very much to be questioned whether either of them were qualified as they ought yea it s much to be doubted that either or both might mistake their Commission I speak not this of the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Priests as have been or are called unto that holy Function by God in some proportion like as Aaron was Hebr. 5.4 but of such as for a livelyhood or other by-end and out of the suggestion of their own Spirit have taken that honour to themselves without the motion and call of Gods holy Spirit let such pretend uninterrupted succession from the Apostles dayes downward which yet it s very hard to prove let them plead imposition of holy hands whether by Bishops or Presbyters let them
old I am the Lord your holy one the Creator of Israel and your King I have not caused thee to serve with an Offering c. but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities Esay 43.15 23 24. If the Lord be our King and so patient toward us let us suffer with him even to the death of every sin so shall we reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 If we call him Father let us honour him Mal. 1.6 If he be our Shepherd let us hear his voice and follow him John 10. So will he bear us with his strength unto the habitation of his holiness Behold Exod. 16. Ver. 4. I will rain bread from heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no. Our Saviours words John 6.32 63. are a clear Commentary on this Text which this Translation obscures For in these words its evident the Spirit or finger of God points at a mystical understanding of the Bread from heaven when presently the Bread is called the Word For so what is turn'd a certain rate every day is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum dici in die suo The Word of the day in its day For what is more ordinary in Scripture then the Word of God to be compared to Bread Man doth not live by Bread only but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live Deut. 8.3 which our Saviour citeth Matth. 4.4 Jer. 3.15 and 15.16 Thy Words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Whence it is that according to this Metaphor this Lord threatens a famine of this Bread Amos 8.11 I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of Bread nor a thirst for Water but for hearing the Words of the Lord c. Beside the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 however it be of a very large signification yet it reacheth not to what is imposed upon it here a certain rate nor does the margent help it the portion of a day Nor will the end which the Lord here aims at appear from that Translation which yet will be evident if we render here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word The Word of the day in its day that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no. Which the speech of Job Chap. 23.12 makes manifest Neither have I gone back from the Commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my appointed portion By the words thus rendred we also understand our daily portion of heavenly food the word of the day in its day is our daily bread which we are taught to pray for Give us this day our daily Bread See more of this on Verse 16. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded Exod. 16. Ver. 16. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Arias Montanus and Vatablus turn Hoc est verbum This is the Word So the Vulg. Lat. Hic est Sermo and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Chald. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word Moses speaks of Manna and calls it the Word or that Word and in the verse before he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Bread S. Paul warrants this translation when speaking of the same Manna he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10.3 Of this the true Hebrews must gather every man according to his eating an Omer for every man according to the number of their souls An Omer is Cibus diurnus hominis the daily bread which every soul prayes for and feeds upon even the bread of God which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the word So our Lord having interpreted the Manna here spoken of John 6.33 c. they who heard him said and let us say with them Lord evermore give us this Bread Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Exod. 20. Ver. 3. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here taken equivocally for that which is the true God blessed for ever and for that which the imagination feigns to it self to be a god and ascribes a Deity or something proper unto the true God thereunto as fear faith hope love c. What the man feigns to be a god is either some created thing or a mans own meer imagination it matters not whether For be it a creature or be it a fiction and invention of man the deity of that creature and fiction wholly depends upon the man and is indeed an Idol so that unless the man think it to be a god and have it for a god Animo non cogitante if he think it not so it is no god According to which sense the Apostle saith An idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by our Translators is turnd other is rendred by the LXX sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of two sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius one of many sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alienus strange and belonging to another Here they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other gods But whereas the proper signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Posterior fuit tardavit moram fecit to be after to delay to be slow Since also the Lord the only true God justly claims all priority all precedency Esay 41.4 I the Lord the first and 43.10 Before me there was no god formed neither shall there be after me And 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no god And the like chap. 48.12 Revel 1.8 and 22.13 Since also all the reputed other gods are noted in Scripture for their novelty as Deut. 32.17 They sacrificed to Devils not to God to gods whom they knew not to new gods that came newly up Judges 5.8 They chose new gods c. Whence they are called gods made with hands molten gods gods of silver and gold c. I conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly to be rendred after-gods though I deny not but that they may be turn'd other also What is further added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt have no after-gods before my face is diversly rendred as Coram me before me so Hierom Munster the French and Spanish Translations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beside me so the LXX and the Chald. Par. Martin Luther Piscator and the Low Dutch Translations as also Castellio But is any thing more clear in the Hebrew then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Super facies meas upon my face so Arias Montanus turns the words Nor do I doubt but others would so have rendred them but that they thought fit rather to give the sense then the proper meaning of the words which seems somewhat harsh But if we consider what is the face
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Let us choose him for our guide in our motions in our rest leading us out and bringing us in turning and gathering us one unto another and to himself unto whom all the ten thousands thousands of Israel ought to be gathered Gen. 49.10 2 Thes 2.1 Arguments are wont to be brought to perswade us to our duty Are any needful unto this Psal 133. v. 1. If so behold how good and how pleasant it is that brethren dwel even as one The Prophet admires the goodness and pleasure of the excellent way of mutual love These two motives very seldom meet For some things are good which have no delight and pleasure in them as the labour of repentance sorrow for sin the throws and pangs of mortification Some things are delightful which are not good as the pleasures of sin But brethren to dwel together in unity comprehends both Vis unita fortior when they are as one they more strongly advance the profit one of other How good how profitable when many have one heart and one soul and one spirit when the good of one is the good of all when every one rejoyceth in the good of another as of his own how joyful how pleasant This is the pretious ointment the unction of the Spirit John 2.20 which descends from the Holy one from Christ the Head to the Beard the aged ones united unto Christ the dew of the holy Word that renders the heart fruitful There the Lord commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's a great emphasis in that word That blessing And no marvel For what is that Blessing but the life for evermore Psal 24.3 4 5. For unity and love invites God and his good Spirit unto men as when the Disciples were all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in one place the Spirit of God came upon them Acts 2.1 2. And it is the Apostles Vale to the Corinthians Finally Brethren farewell or rather rejoyce 2 Cor. 13. v. 11. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13.11 I will take of the spirit which is upon thee Numb 11. v. 17. and will put it upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee that thou bear it not alone What here the Translators turn I will take of the spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is separabo de spiritu so Pagnin I will separate of the spirit and Vatablus Segregabo I will sever of the spirit and so Munster also the Tigurin and French Bibles Which is properly so to separate as to reserve what is so separated So Arias Montanus reservabo I will reserve of the spirit And to the same purpose Tremellius seponam I will set apart In this sense Esau saith to his father Isaac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hast thou not reserved one blessing for me Gen. 27.36 This separation and reservation is by way of excellency Whence the Princes and Nobles are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only because they are separated from the multitude by reason of high place and dignity but also in regard of that excellent spirit which is in them So we read that Moses Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the Seventy Elders are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Excellent ones or Nobles of the sons of Israel Exod. 24.11 where the Chald. Paraphrast hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grandees and Princes and the LXX hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elect or chosen ones or the choise of the chosen ones Of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such choise such excellent men men of an excellent spirit Prov. 17.27 consisted the great Synedrion the Synagoga magna called the Sanhedrin the great Council of the Jewes The ground of ordaining this Government constituted by God himself is that the weakness and waywardness of the people might be born by their Governours Whence they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only because they are elati or praelati lifted up and preferred above others although that be true but also because their principal business is to bear as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the burden of the people Or if because they are lifted up above others it is as the clowds are lifted up which are also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may shower down showers of Blessings upon the earth as governours ought to do upon the inferiour people Therefore the excellent spirit was imparted unto these seventy men that thereby they might be enabled to bear the burden of the people Whence it is that the spiritual men are the strong men and most able for that imployment We who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak Rom. 15.1 and not to please our selves which is one character of an Elder though under another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.7 And who are thus strong but the spiritual men Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye who are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness Yea this spirit is the spirit of love which is so strong that it beareth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 and that the rather because their burden is somewhat lightned by their dear relations of children whom they have begotten 1 Cor. 4.15 and of whom they travel Gal. 4.19 Especially the burden being divided among so many The Lord commands Moses to gather to him seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom Moses knew that they were Elders of the people The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Presbyters or Elders of Israel whom thou thy self knowest c. Which Eldership therefore is not to be understood of natural age in this outward world but in regard of the wisdom or Christ himself who enters into the holy souls according to the ages Wisd 7. v. 27. Wisd 7.27 which our Translators turn in all ages and makes friends of God and Prophets The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word for word sound thus according to ages She Wisdom descending into holy souls makes friends of God and Prophets Which is confirmed by the Apostle Ephes 4. v. 7. Ephes 4.7 Vnto every one of us is given grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the measure of the gift of Christ that is of Christ himself who is that gift as he calls himself John 4.10 And Socrates in Plato's Apology for him saith he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods gift to the Athenians as every good man is to the place where he lives It is the spiritual old age or age of the spirit that is here to be understood For if in truth and in Gods computation they were old whom the world accounts such who should be elder then
condemning what is blameworthy of them a sifting and winnowing our hearts as the Prophet exhorts Zephaniah 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inquirite in vos ipsos scrutamini let every one of you search Inter scruta among the trash and trumpery of his sinful conversation Under thy pride thine envie thy wrath thy covetousness thy gluttony thy drunkenness thy lasciviousness lies the chast sober temperate bountiful patient meek loving humble Christ of God troden under foot in the street He it is who is made flesh and desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take up his Tent to keep his Feast of Tabernacles with us John 1. v. 14. John 1.14 Canst thou darest thou own believe on hope in love cleave unto such a Christ canst thou honour him joyn thy self unto him Unto him is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our restraint our retention unto him we are to be adjoyned and to become of one spirit with him Unto him we are to be conformed in his humiliation and abasement that we may be made like unto him in his glory and exaltation The reason of this collection and retention of the Church of God in union may be referred to the Author of it whose wisdom and goodness as it appears in the history so much more in the mystery of it The story minded Israel according to the flesh of their bodily thraldom in and deliverance out of Egypt their great poverty and want of all things and their plenty and abundance The Mystery imports the precious redemption of their souls out of their spiritual slavery under the spiritual Pharaoh How miserable poor and naked they were but now abounded with all spiritual riches houses full of all good things that is the holy Spirit of God Matth. 7.11 with Luke 11.13 For by this eighth day was signified the holy Spirit of God Our Lord himself declares thus much John 7. Where ver 2. ye read that it was the feast of Tabernacles When our Lord went up to Jerusalem ver 10. On the last day the great day of that Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the Spirit which the believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on him John 7. v. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should afterward receive John 7.37 38 39. In order to the receiving of this Spirit the Lord Jesus commands their restraint in expectation of it Luke 24.49 Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City Jerusalem Judg. 6. v. 34. till ye be indued or clothed with power from on high For so we read Judges 6.34 that the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon The word they render tarry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit ye which notes that quiet posture of their minde Anima quiet a anima prudens wherein they were to receive the Spirit of God And accordingly we finde them in such a posture and disposition of minde Acts 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2. v. 1.3 They were all unanimous at or in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it sat upon every one of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost S. John puts both together the Spirit and the day of the Spirit I was or I was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Arias Montanus or I became in the Spirit in the Lords day where he explaines one by the other by apposition for so we understand that Lords day which is so often mentioned in the Prophets and called the day of the Lord. In that day he was wherein there was no night nor need of a Candle neither light of the Sun Rev. 22. v. 5. for the Lord God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall enlighten them Revel 22.5 Hence we perceive good reason why the Lord laid a restraint upon them to tarry at Jerusalem It was the day of the Spirit the eighth day there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a restraint Hence we learn that as in the letter and outwardly so inwardly and in the Spirit there is a difference of dayes It is the Wisemans question Why doth a day excel a day and all the light of the day of the year is of the Sun So the words are read in the Greek Ecclus 33.7 He answers his question Ecclus 33. v. 7. 13 By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and feasts Some of them he hath made high dayes and some of them he hath made high and sanctified and some of them he hath put for the number of dayes And the Wiseman shews there is like reason for the difference among men All men saith he are from the ground and Adam was created from the earth In multitude of knowledge the Lord hath divided them and made their wayes diverse some of them he hath blessed and exalted and some of them he hath sanctified and set them near himself But some of them hath he cursed and brought low and turnd them out of their standings As the Potters clay is in his hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his wayes are which words are left out in our Translation according to his pleasure so man is in the hand of him who made him to render unto them according to his judgement Let them take notice of this who confound all differences of dayes and differences of men how point blank they oppose the express testimony of the Wiseman here I know there is a time when some strong men may esteem every day alike Rom. 14.5 But I am well assured that many of those who plead for a parity of dayes and persons are not yet grown up to that spiritual age But let them take notice that there is no time in all the Scripture set wherein it s said that all persons shall be equal Which is the main thing they contend for upon no ground Yea that which they suppose their principal ground is a main argument against their parity Mat. 23. v. 8.10 Our Lord saith to his Disciples Matth. 23. Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master the Christ and all ye are brethren And ver 10. Be not ye called Masters for one is your Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Christ But the greater or greatest of you shall be your Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Its evident from the context that our Lord endeavours to render his Disciples like unto himself As therefore he did not exercise Mastership over his Disciples as the Jews Rabbins did over the people so neither would he that his Disciples should one over another because they were brethren which brotherhood yet inferred not a parity among them no more then our being the brethren of Christ Hebr. 2.11 renders us equal to him who is the first-born of many brethren Rom. 8.29 But
the commanding of these same words and this day I render them the same words because there is a double emphasis upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These same words are either extended unto all the Commandements of God as often elsewhere so especially in this Book or else they have special reference unto the words next preceeding even the great Commandement of the Law 1. These same words are extended to all the Commandements both affirmative and negative more specially to those principal precepts of the Decalogue delivered in the former Chapter So Aben Ezra And this is clear out of the context For v. 1 2. Moses propounds to Israel all the Commandements the Statutes and the Judgements 2. By these same words those next preceding may be understood even the first and great Commandement as our Lord calls it Matth. 22.37 Mark 12.29 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Then followes and these same words shall be upon thy heart c. In the fourth verse is contained the Object of our duty in the fifth the duty it self The Object of our duty is Triunus Deus the Unity in Trinity The Lord that 's the Father our God that 's the Son Immanuel God with us and again the Lord who is the Lord the Spirit 2 Cor. 1.17 and these are one God There 's the Uunity of the Object There is also an Universality of the duty required of all Nations inhabiting in the four quarters of the World For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hear hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Capital letter and bigger then the other which being numerical signifies the LXX Nations which may be reckoned up Gen. 10. and are implyed by Moses Deut. 32.8 which Seventy Nations inhabited the four quarters of the Earth which is intimated in the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Capital letter which is the last in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then followes the Vniversal duty of all the Seventy Nations inhabiting the four parts of the World Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy might These same are the words which the Lord is commanding may be understood both wayes both generally of all the Commandements and more specially of the first and great Commandement which comprehends vertually all the rest 2. Now what is the commanding of these same words As for this manner of speech I am commanding It is no nice or formal difference but indeed a material and real one between these two expressions I command and I am commanding For the former imports only a present act the later signifies the continuation of the act Ye have a like example v. 2. of this Chapter and very often elsewhere where the act is put for the conntinuation of the act which is no doubt a wrong to the holy Text and that a greater then men at first conceive as I shall shew more fully hereafter if the Lord will For although it seem to some no more then a circumlocution of the present yet we shall finde that there is more in it This will appear in part by one or two brief Observations from these words and so I shall leave this point 1. Observe hence what an excellent Lawgiver the Lord our God is he has given Commandements and he is yet commanding them he is yet giving them Inferiour Lawgivers as Lycurgus Numa Solon c. when they have once published their Lawes they leave them to the people to observe them at their peril Not so the Lord our Lawgiver as he is called Esay 33.22 He gives Lawes and Lawes for publication of those Lawes and himself is still giving them Artificers having done their work they leave it to the care of others whom it concerns as the Carpenter having built an house he takes no more thought for it The Shipwright having made a vessel fit to sail it concerns him no more whether it sink or swim The Husbandman having planted a Vineyard he leaves it to the weather and to the ordinary providence of God Our most gracious God having done any spiritual work like these or any of these though he has done it yet he has not so done it but that he is still doing it Gods people are his Vineyard Esay 27.2 I the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Custodiens eam Esay 27. v. 3. 1 Cor. 3. v. 6.7 I am keeping it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day I have planted Apollo hath watered the words are indefinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabat did give that is he so gave as he is yet giving increase And so the Apostle expresseth himself in the next words Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is planting is not any thing nor he that is watering but God who is giving increase Ye are Gods building 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pagnin and Beza turn aedificatio a work in fieri which is yet a doing 1 Cor. 3.9 And therefore the Apostle I commend you saith he unto God and to the word of his grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able further to buiid you which Beza turns Superstruere the Son of God saith My Father worketh hitherto and I also work John 5.17 2. Whence appears the great goodness love and care of the Lord our God toward his people in that he is alwayes instructing informing counselling admonishing reproving correcting chastening comforting exhorting dehorting and performing all other acts of a fatherly Lawgiver and Teacher Who like him saith Elihu Job 36.22 That spirit which spake very often to the old Romans whom therefore they called Locutius at length lest speaking when they had built him a Temple But the Lord who is yesterday and to day and the same for ever hath spoken in every soul even from the beginning whence he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word by S. John This is very often expressed in the Chald. Paraph. when God is said to say or do something the Paraphrast adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his word Thus Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand the Thargum hath the Lord said unto his Word and Psal 144.2 where the Hebrew hath I will trust in him the Chaldee paraphraseth it I will trust in his Word Where it is in the Hebrew your new Moons and Feasts my soul hateth the Paraphrast puts my Word hateth Esay 1.4 and 45.17 Israel is saved by the Lord is express in the Chaldee by the Word of the Lord. So Jer. 1.8 where the Lord saith to the Prophet I will be with the the Paraphrast expresseth it my Word shall be with thee And many the like Which it were much to be wished that they well
dishonoured into the Margent because it made not for their purpose I shall name but one instance more of this kinde Rom. 6.17 which they turn Ye have obeyed that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The translation of these words is evidently contrary to the Greek Text as it is clear by their own marginal acknowledgement For the Greek words are thus rendred in the Margent whereto ye were delivered and as contrary to the scope and drift of the Apostle in those words For was that form of doctrine delivered unto them that they might mold and fashion it according to their own conceiving as our Translators too often have done or were the Romans and we all delivered unto that form of doctrine that we might be molded and fashioned and made conformable thereunto as the Apostle here expresly teacheth Wherefore having observed many such mis-translations byassing the holy Text and making it to serve the Translators Mistress their Diana their ruling opinions as to the same end the last Low Dutch translation how ever cryed up it very much wrests the holy Scripture upon examination as judicious and pious men affirm I thought it therefore a business well worthy my pains and best skill and more time then I am likely to have in this world to endeavour to the utmost the vindicating of the holy Scripture from false translation and mis-interpretation whether grounded thereupon or upon true translations and conforming it unto the Original tongues wherein it was first dictated by the holy Spirit of God and spoken and written by the Penmen of the same Spirit A work I freely and ingenuously acknowledge very much above my ability and such as requires the labours of the most Pious and Learned men howbeit I was long pressed in my spirit nor indeed could I have rest until I had atempted something herein whereby I might give occasion to men who are every way more able and such as have much more leisure then my self both to amend what I have assayed to do and to finish the work Whereunto I doubt not but they will be induced if they shall consider the necessity of an exact and perfect translation of the holy Bible It is true that the holy Scriptures in the first times of the Christian Church were not communicated unto all men all at once For the Primitive Fathers wisely considered how extreamly perillous it might be to expose the whole Scripture unto ignorant mens use and judgement or indeed abuse rather and want of judgement Surely more dangerous and pernitious it might prove unto their souls then to leave a whole Apothecaries Shop open to a diseased person who might as well choose and take deadly poyson to his destruction as a Soveraigne Medicine to the recovery of his health And therefore they imparted unto the young believers only some part or other of it according as every one had need and was able to hear grounding this their practise on our Lords John 16.12 13. and his Apostles 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. whence it was that they who were weak and not well rooted and grounded in the faith for fear of death delivered up those books they had to the Persecutors and thereupon they were called Libellorum traditores Betrayers of those little books of Scripture which were imparted to them Had the souls of men bin so carefully watched over by their Governours and such portions of Scripture wisely and fatherly dispensed unto them as might with such holy reservedness have met with mens proficiency surely such prodigious Monsters had not been counterfeited out of the Word of God by the Spirit of opinion as in these later dayes we have seen and lament to see Africa semper aliquid apportat novi some hideous shape or other daily is brought forth and every one fathered on the Scripture What remedy remains for so great evils God alone knowes and will in his time provide But since now all the holy Scripture is made publick unto every Nation and every person in his mother-tongue without doubt a true and impartial translation will do less hurt and be more beneficial to mankind then one wrested and partial which speaks the language and gives authority to one Sect or other as our last doth Yet is not all the blame to be laid upon the Translators but part of it to be shared with them also who set them a work who by reason of State limited them as some of them have much complained lest they might be thought not to set forth a new Translation but rather a new Bible Yea part of the blame ought to be laid on them who undo that which they had well done For whereas many mis-translated words and phrases by plurality of voices were carried into the Context and the better Translation most-what was cast into the Margent those marginal notes have been left out together with the Apocrypha to make the Bible portable and fit for the Pocket Yea such is the ignorance and boldness of some that they have left out of their Impressions the Apochryphal Scriptures whereby they have gotten this whereof to glory that they have done That which no wise or honest man hath ever done before them so far as I have yet known or I hope will adventure to do after them Nor ought this mine endeavour to be misconstrued and thought presumption since I humbly thank the Searcher of my heart I can truly say what I have done I have done it before the face of the Lord 2 Sam. 6. v. 21. in the integrity of my heart And herein I follow the Translators themselves who profess that they assayed to make that Translation before them better which they thought to be good which is their own reasoning in their Preface to the Reader And though I think our last Translation good yea far better then that new one of the Low Dutch so highly extolled yet I doubt not but Ours may be made much better then it is Nor have I herein sought glory of men as he the same God best knowes who alone searcheth and knoweth all our hearts But indeed of whom should I expect it The unlearned or the most of them are already Catechized principled in such doctrine as is inferred from a mis-translation Many of the Learned I shall finde zealous for what they have learned and for the honour of their Authors of whom they have learned Besides the work it self is plain and not baited with strong lines whereby to take the rude multitude who most greedily devour the frothy discourses of empty Verbalists and judge all things they read good and true without difference if they be well larded and season'd with handsome words and elegant phrases which yet being judiciously analysed and resolved into their Arguments like gay Butterflyes pressed and broken they soon vanish into smoak But as for this piece it comes forth as a plain Matron in an honest though an homely dress Much
by the Spirit of Jesus John 16.8 when the Spirit shall come he will reprove the world of sin the open and known sin the black Egyptian because they believe not in Christ that he is The I am John 8.24 And Moses supposed that his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them but they understood not nor believed Acts 7.25 2. He shall reprove the world of Righteousnesse even the false righteousnesse of the flesh which the pretending religious world counterfeits out of their knowledge of Christ meerly after the flesh whereas our Lord saith He goes to the Father and they see him no more 3. He shall reprove the world of Judgement because the Prince of this world even the spiritual Pharaoh himself is judged and cast out John 12.31 Now because the Hebrews believed not Moses Acts 7.25 therefore their deliverance out of Egypt was interrupted and delayed Exod. 2.14 15. Nor can the spiritual Moses do his great works in us because of our unbelief Matth. 13.58 Wherefore O ye believing Hebrews who are in your passage from sin to righteousnesse from death to life from the letter to the Spirit or as Philo Judaeus interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14.13 one who is passing out of the state of sin and corruption into the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that 's a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Hebrew indeed let not us think low thoughts of the spiritual Moses let not us limit or stint our belief in the Lord Jesus but let us in this our journey 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loynes of our mindes and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of J. Christ who is the great God Tit. 2.13 who is able to save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to all perfection who come unto God by him Hebr. 7.25 And God said unto Moses Exod. 3. Ver. 14. I am that I am The words in the Hebrew are in the future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be what I will be And although it be true that there is oftentimes enallage temporum and that the present tense is sometime understood by the future yet it is not so here For if such an unlimited change may be according as men shall be pleased to make it to what purpose are the times distinguished It is true Hierom hath Sum qui sum as ours render the words I am that I am But he gives no reason for that translation no more do ours Wherefore if good reason can be given why we should adhere to that expresse text of Scripture rather then recede from it it will be of more weight with reasonable men then all mens authority against it Let us try The great name Tetragrammaton Jehovah is so composed by divine artifice that it signifies the three parts of time past present and to come as I have shewen largely on Gen. 9.26 When therefore the Lord calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be he implyes that in the later part of time he will more clearly manifest his Deity in and to the Humanity That we may the better understand this we may observe that the whole tract of time from the beginning to the end of it may be generally divided into two parts or ages one of type prophesie and promise the other of truth fulfilling and performance of what was typified foresaid and promised And this later eminently began when Christ appeared in the flesh and therefore we finde so often especially in S. Matthew ut impleretur that it might be fulfilled c. This time is expressed in the Prophets often by The last dayes those dayes that time c. which the Apostles call the end of the world the later times c. Yea although S. Paul speaks of his own times and calls them the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 yet he tells us also of later dayes which should come after his time 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3.1.5 Now the Lord and his Prophets foretelling what shall come to passe they refer us in the first age or part of time to the accomplishment of it in the later part of time So we understand what our Lord saith to Moses Exod. 6.2 that He was not known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by his name Jehovah that is as it imported a fulfilling of his promises otherwise no doubt he was known by that name unto them And the Prophets point at the later times for the fulfilling of their prophesies Examples are obvious as very often when we meet with this phrase They shall know that I am the Lord often in Esay Jeremy Ezechiel c. And they refer us unto the later times for a more cleer understanding of what they write as Jer. 23.20 And the reason is because in the Messiah the Lord would more clearly manifest himself and his wayes and works So Hos 3.5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodnesse in the later dayes Whereas therefore the Lord now begun his work with Moses he made himself known unto him by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be For all that time he was a God that hid himself under types and shadowes Esay 45.15 Until his only begotten Son declared him John 1.18 And then he who had called himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be in the beginning of his work he calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego sum I am as often elsewhere so especially John 8.59 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before Abraham was I am Thus in this his first bringing up of Israel out of Egypt he styles himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be but the time would come when he should bring his people again from the depths of the Sea Psal 68.22 Esay 51.10 11. Zach. 10.10 This is wrought by the Lord who cals himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am who perfects that first rude draught of his first historical work in Spirit and Truth The Lord hath not communicated himself all at once but at first made himself and his Name known by Moses and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many parts and many manners in prophesies and promises in figures and types but in the last dayes he speaks unto us by his Son who fulfils all the types Col. 2.16 17. prophesies concerning himself Luke 24.44 and promises for all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and by him comes grace to fulfil the Commandements Rom. 8.4 and truth to fulfil types and promises He fulfils the great promise of the Father even the promised Spirit He fulfils the oath of the Lord that all the earth should be filled with the glory of the Lord Numb 14.21 when all behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into
prayed for them While the judgement was upon them they feared but when that should cease they also would cease to fear and would return to their own inclination Moses full well knew the false and corrupt nature of men So true is that Distich and the English of it Daemon languebat Monachus tunc esse volebat Daemon convaluit Daemon ut ante fuit The Devil was sick then he a Monk would be The Devil was well again the Devil a Monk was he Our corrupt nature is so base and servile it s far better when it s kept under then when it is at liberty Thus it was under the Law Jer. 22.21 And thus it is and hath been in the time of the Gospel For the Church of Christ was more pure holy just loving patient long-suffering c. in the time of the Apostles and afterward until Constantines dayes then ever it hath been since in any age Our own experience may prove this within these few years that the lives of men professing religion were more sober just godly and every way more truly Christian when there was a power over them to check them then ever they have been since while men may do what they list How many examples might be given for proof of this in these our dayes of Cheaters of Gamesters of Whoremongers of Drunkards c. who while the Lords hand is upon them by sicknesse or otherwise while 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voyces of God his threatnings are thundred out against them by the Sons of Thunder O how humble they are how prodigal of large promises of amendment how full of confession of sin just like Pharaoh here how firmly a man would think do they binde themselves with vowes and promises How humbly do they desire Moses and Aaron to pray and that much for them Yet when the Philistines are upon them Potione cadentes as Hierom renders Philistine when their Pot-companions resort unto them they break all vowes all covenants with God and men as Samson brake his cords But Moses and Aaron well know that these Egyptians or as we call them in our English these Gypsies are afraid of the face of the Lord before they pray for them and that upon their recovery they will return to their own byass The Israel of God hath better learn'd Christ and well knows that it is more noble to be brought off by the whisper of Gods voice perswading us then by his terrible thunders threatning us rather by the goodness of God leading us then by his severe judgements driving us to repentance But the good God sanctifie every dispensation unto us which may win us unto himself whether it be His Rod or his Spirit of Meekness SERMON VII The right Dressing of and due Addresse unto the Paskal-Lamb preached in Commemoration of Mr. SHIELD one of the Worshipful Company of the COOKS at S. Mary Alder-mary London Febr. 2. 1655. being candlemass-Candlemass-day And for a preparation to the Communion Exod. 12.9 Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all with water but roast with fire his head with his legs and with the appurtenance thereof THis was wont to be a Festival-day And accordingly I have prepared for you The Jewes had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their preparation for the eating of the Passeover which was the killing of the Lamb and fleaying of it the Butchers-work Then followed the dressing of it the head and legs and appurtenance which must not be half-roasted or raw-roasted nor boyled at all but down-roasted that 's the Cooks work And being thus prepared it must be eaten by all and much good may it do us Not with much curiosity variety and excess as ye are wont to provide for your City feasting but with all simplicity and plainness one dish Gen. 18.7 8. according as our father Abraham entertained the Angels with a piece of Veal and a dish of Butter and I have so provided yea it is provided to my hand one dish now in season Lamb and this Lamb of the Passover in season all the year all the acceptable year of the Lord. From Verse 1. to Verse 28 SERM. VII we have Gods direction touching the Passover Feast of unleavened bread This direction is given by God to Moses and by Moses to the people The direction is of two kindes of acts where of some preparatory of the Lamb setting it a part Essential Killing it Essential Sprinkling of the blood ver 7. Eating the flesh verse 8. which is illustrated by Adjuncts Consentany Dissentany Verse 9. Which is my Text which dissentany is illustrated by a diversity Not raw nor sodden at all with water The words are the rule of the Modiparator or Moderator convivii the rule of the Master of the Feast where in ye have first his Bill of fare What we must eat Secondly How drest and that 1. Negatively how not Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all in water 2. Positively how we must eat it eat it rost with fire c. 1. We must eat the head of the Pascal-Lamb with his legs and with his purtenance 2. We must not eat of it raw 3. Nor sodden at all in water 4. We must eat it rost with fire Axiom 1. We must eat 1. the head 2. the legs and 3. his appurtnance These parts we may consider 1. a part 2. joyntly First a part 1. the head the most eminent part of the body All the nerves and sinewes have their original in the head whereby the head ministers unto the members all their power and strength of moving and acting It is seated in that eminent posture that it becomes him who in all things ought to be the chief to be called the head though otherwise he be one with his mystical Body For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body Col. 1.18 1 Cor. 5.7 and 12.12 so also is Christ And so though he be the head yet is he also the Paskal Lamb it self The flesh of Christ the Lamb is the Word John 1.14 through whose help we keep the spiritual Passeover the passage from sin to righteousness whereby the destroying Angel passeth over us Deut. 8.3 the living Word Man liveth not by bread only but by every word which cometh out of the mouth of God Matth. 4.4 Thy words were found and I did eat them Jer. 3.15.16 that is partake of them and had communion with them Christ is the head of his body the Church and not only so but the head of every man is Christ 1 Cor. 11.3 2.16 in the head is placed the judgement We have the minde of Christ This gives light and direction unto the whole man for it is the Lords candle that Job said shined upon his head Obs 1. Own our Head and Prince This was figured by Ahashuerus which is an head and Prince of his Church as Ahashuerus was the Head Prince Lord and Husband of Esther the
pride and haughtiness of mind a noble spirit He considered not that a Christian spirit is a merciful spirit For surely our sympathy and commiseration is the best part of our alms which is a contract of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy S. John will determine this controversie Whoso hath this worlds good saith he and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up he saith not his purse but his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 John 3.17 Reproof 3. Who eat the inwards not Christs but their own as the envious man does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he eats his own heart Reproof 4. Who eat not the Head partake not of the Lambs dominion but will make Rezin their King their own wilfulness Esay 7. and set up over them Tabeel a god such as seems good to themselves as the Chal. Par. turns Tabeel I beseech ye take it not amiss that I set before ye the fragments that were left the last night It is the judgement of one of the most pious and learned Fathers that by the fragments that were taken up Matth. 14.20 are to be understood the more abstruse and difficult parts of the word which the people left And so the Apostle distinguishes between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.1 2. I fed you with milk and not with meat for ye were not able to bear it Hitherto we have had the Bill of fare the parts of the Pascal Lamb principally to be eaten Come we now to the manner of eating the Pascal Lamb. And first negatively and that 's two wayes 1. Not raw 2. Not sodden at all in water First We must not eat it raw The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn raw of doubtful signification in the Hebrew which descends from the Arabic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with changing of a letter usually changeable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crudum cruentum quod sanguine coctum Scal. It 's meant not simply raw but half roasted a fault I fear too often committed that as the Cooks buy their meat raised or blown up an old sin of the Butchers which Aristotle mentions in his Elenchs so the Cooks half roast their meat that it may seem fair to the eye and be sold off the dearer Rat. Why not raw or half roasted The Law forbids eating with the blood and gives reason because in the blood of the beast is the life of the beast Now if we enquire into a further reason of that Law The Lord thereby would prevent cruelty lest eating with the blood might incline men to love blood and so shed blood Nero and Domitian two of the worst Emperours of Rome loved hunting and shedding the blood of beasts and afterwards were most cruel in shedding the bloud of men Obs 1. Mysticè Not raw The Lord would not that wee should have communion with the life of the beast neither in the concupiscible as lasciviousness and luxury nor in the irascible as savageness and fierceness Eccles 11.10 Obs 2. The Lord would not that we should feed upon his Word in the crudity of the letter As in these and such examples Except a man hate his father and mother c. sell all thou hast and give to the poor c. These and the like Scriptures must be understood cum grano salis according to the intention of the Spirit of God not literally not rawly For if we hate father or mother how can we honour them Doubt But why does Moses forbid eating with the blood when Christ the true Moses and the true Pascal Lamb gives us his blood to drink Answer The Israelites in Moses dayes were not come to the renewing of the life but they were daily admonished and exhorted to amend their life howbeit herein they were very slow yea murmured and hardened their hearts against Moses And therefore they were not suffered to eat the blood For in the blood is the life Deut. 12.23 Unto which life they could not come by reason of their unbelief and disobedience Hebr. 3.19 and 4.11 But the Disciples of Christ who had now passed from the flesh into the Spirit and were come from the death into the life Christ gave to these his flesh to cat and his blood to drink even for a renewing of the life 3. Not sodden at all in water Seething and boyling as also stewing requires water or other liquor wherein to stew boyl and seeth meat and make it fit for eating by working out the scum and drawing out the crudities Mysticè Sursum corda I come not to teach the Artists their own art What then is meant by water wherein the Lamb must not be sodden By water mystically is understood doctrine Ephes 5.26 Doctrine in Scripture is humane or divine Humane doctrine as mens traditions are here forbidden their fear of me is taught by the precepts of men Of this water the Prophet complains thy wine is mixt with water the spiritual doctrine of divine consolation is blended with mans doctrine mans invention for that water which is divine doctrine is elsewhere commended 2. The Lord requires the simplicity in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 and godly sincerity in all our services And therefore 1 Cor. 5.8 as here he forbids the water of humane doctrine so elsewhere the leaven of hypocrisie in eating the spiritual Passover Esay 29.13 1.22 But why must not the Lamb be sodden in the water of humane doctrine or mans doctrine 1. In regard of the water it self 2. In respect of the seething or boyling meat in that water 1. The water it self is from beneath the water below the heavens whereas the divine water is water above the heavens Now because its water from beneath its feculent and sapit contiguam glebam it relishes of the earth whence it comes and that is from the earthly mans wisdom and invention James 3.15 Of this our Lord speaks Ye are from beneath I am from above John 8.23 2. In regard of the seething or boyling and the effect of it the humane doctrine and wisdom cannot reach unto the sublime nature of the divine wisdom and Word The Naturallists say and experience proves it Aqua tantum ascendit quantum descendit Water can ascend no higher then the Fountain from whence it comes That which is of the flesh is flesh that which is of the earthly spirit is earth John 3.6.31 Since therefore the Pascal Lamb is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong meat the weak water of mans doctrine cannot prepare it maturate it or fit it for the nourishment of our souls The water of mans doctrine cannot prepare the spiritual Pascal Lamb. The truth of this appears in the business we have in hand the mystery of the Lords Supper For the learned men of three divided Churches have been long time seething and boyling and parboyling this mystery and all to little
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how will that suit with the history There is no doubt but the holy Spirit here aimed at the spiritual understanding of this history And therefore although the story of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt and drowning the Egyptians be of all other most true and famous and accordingly it is thrice testified in the Preter tense ver 1. and 4. Yet was it not related onely for it self as if we should rest therein but that we ought to look at a greater mercy of God and a more general Therefore we read a promise of bringing the people of God out of Egypt many ages after Zach. 10.10 For our better understanding of this we must know That the Lord now about to manifest the great work of Redemption which he would make common unto all Nations which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common salvation Jude v. 3. He was pleased to choose the Land of Canaan as a publick Theatre and in it Jerusalem the midst of the world then inhabited according to that of the Psalm 74.12 He wrought salvation in the midst of the earth This Jerusalem had two ill neighbours Egypt and Chaldea the one Southward the other Northward And with one or other of these the people of God were alwayes much afflicted and captived first in Egypt then in Chaldea And out of both the Lord delivered them This story is evident in the Scriptures Now let us call our thoughts from abroad and look homeward In our journey towards the Jerusalem which is above the mother of us all we have experience of two like evil neighbours of which the Israel of God speaks Psal 66.12 We have gone through the fire and through the water and thou hast brought us forth into a well watered land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the LXX turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refreshing such as we hope for are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the times of refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Egypt is a muddy watry soil Chaldea is notorious for Ur now called Urchoa as appears in Ptolomys Maps which signifies fire out of which Abraham came Answerable to these two the Jewes tell us of two kindes of Spirits the one a dull Spirit delighting in uncleannesse which excites and stirs up to the carnal sin the other a subtil Spirit which takes pleasure in and moves unto the spiritual sin The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the animalish or souly man according to his living soul is obnoxious unto both these in respect of his concupiscible and irascible powers whereof I shall speak more in its proper place Eccles 11. ult Of these two Egypt typified the straits of the sensual lusts and pleasures wherein the brutish man is intangled and captived thus the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell in the slime-pits Gen. 14.10 Of such ye read Prov. 23.27 Gal. 5.19 In the Land of Egypt say they we sat by the flesh-pots when we did eat to the full Exod. 16.3 Chaldea and Babylon prefigured the more witty and learned mans slavery under spiritual wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 Most men are first captived by their sensual and brutish lusts and therefore the Apostle calls them Youthful lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 because men commonly live the life of the beast before the life of the man And therefore as the first captivity is in Egypt so the first deliverance is out of Egypt Into Egypt they went without any compulsion and were received with feastings saith the Wiseman Wisd 19.16 And so Rom. 6.19 men yield their members servants to iniquity But the spiritual Pharaoh detains them in his straits that is Egypt as the Fowler entertains the Birds with a bait into his net but he will not let them go yea not by a mighty hand Exod. 4.19 and 6.6 and out-stretched arm that is the Son who is the Arm of the Lord Esay 40.10 who therefore is said to have brought the people out of Egypt Jude v. 5. V. Lat. and to have overwhelmed their enemies with the Sea This history speaks not only of those people and those times past but comes home to us and our present times also and declares the everlasting wayes of God and the spiritual estates of men in all ages That of the pious Father is most true Dum narrat gestum prodit mysterium while the Scripture tells us an history it reveals a mystery For what the Lord did then for his people according to the flesh was typical and representative of what he then did and now doth and ever will do for and in his people according to the Spirit especially in these later dayes And therefore the Verbs are both in the Future The depths shall cover them and they shall sink For warrant of this spiritual interpretation I desire the Reader who is spiritually minded to compare herewith what the Prophet Micah speaks of this argument expresly Mic. 7. per tot Having complained in the person of the Church and lamented the iniquity of all sorts of men he professeth his hope and confidence in the God of his salvation Then he recomforts himself in hope of deliverance and that such as formerly from the danger of Ogg King of Bashan and Pharaoh King of Egypt both together Psal 68.22 And both recorded by the Prophet Micah v. 14 15 19. The Lord be pleased to give us his spirit of grace that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2.12 13. He vouchsafes to shew us wonderful things to be wrought in us according to his peoples coming out of Egypt That he will subdue our iniquities even the choise of the spiritual Pharaohs Triarii His strongest and valiantest ones even all our mighty sins Amos 5.12 all our ruling lusts and that he will be pleased to cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea that we also may sing every one his part in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that triumphant long of Moses Exod. 15. Revel 15.3 Thou didst blow with thy winde the Sea covered them Exod. 15. Ver. 10. Since the whole story is allegorically to be expounded as appears by what hath been said on ver 4 5. we ought upon all occasions to transfer the history to a mystical meaning which these words hold forth And thus what we turn with thy winde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy spirit so the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou sentest forth thy spirit And the Chaldee Paraph. Thou didst say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy word So that Baptism is hereby signified according to which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.1 2. All passed thorow the Sea children and all Exod. 12.37 and were all baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the Sea Whereby was prefigured the baptism of Christ in his person and followers For so the
to be understood here the Prophet more fully expresseth himself Hos 13.4 I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt and thou shalt not know a god besides me Let us then lay these together Moses saith that from the Mount Horeb or the Law the people stript themselves of their ornament the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is singular For from the work of the Law upon men they begin to put off their own ornament their own righteousness their own holiness The people had adorned themselves as a Bride to enter covenant of mariage with their God Exod. 19.10 11. Which done their first national sin was spiritual adultery with the Egyptian Apis an Ox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most powerful god to the Egyptians saith Aelian or a Calf which they made in Horeb and worshipped the molten Image Exod. 32.4 5 6. Psal 106.19 Whence by metaphor taken from an Ox which being head-strong shakes off the yoke the Lord first calls this people stiff-necked from their worship of the Egyptian Ox Exod. 32.9 and 33.3 And often he afterward mindes them of this idolatry by calling them stiff-necked and by metaphor from an unthankful Calf kicking the Dam Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked Deut. 32.15 According to a like metaphor Plato said that his ingrateful Scholar Aristotle was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fole Notwithstanding this great sin the people were yet in their Holyday-clothes Tanquam re bene gestâ as if they had kept a Feast to the Lord as Aaron caused it to be proclaimed Exod. 32.5 And the Priests oftentimes have made Calves even of themselves to please the people Populo ut placerent quas fecissent fabulas And at this day too many think by their forms of godliness their bravery of Religion to serve God and Apis God and Mammon God and the Devil and their own lusts together as the Apostle makes application of this example Be not ye Idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play 1 Cor. 10.7 In this case the Lord though he knowes all his own works and ours and the events of them yet he would seem not to know what to do with such a people but utterly to consume them Unless from the work of the Law upon them they strip themselves of their ornament their own righteousness which they have taken on Consider this who ever thou art spiritually minded Reader Omnia in figura contingebant illis all things befel that people in figure and were written for our admonition especially this story as hath been shewen Would we that the good spirit of our God should be with us and destroy our spiritual enemies and lead us into the land of Righteousness which was in figure here mainly desired as appears v. 3.4.12 16. Let us then not pride our selves in a robe of righteousness or pompous ostentation of holiness which we have either chosen and clothed our selves withal or such as hath been imposed upon us by others while our Idols are yet erected and set up in our hearts lest the Lord consume us ver 5. But knowing the terrour of the Lord let us begin from Mount Horeb even from the holy Law and the holy fear wrought in us thereby Exod. 20.20 to devest our selves of our false righteousness whereof the Spirit at this day reproves the World John 16.10 And let us lay our selves low before our God and put on Sackcloth that is be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 See the good effect of such humiliation from legal terrour in that loose debaucht Heathen King of Nineveh and how it won upon his favour He arose from his Throne and laid his robe from him and covered him with Sackcloth sat in Ashes Jonah 3.8 See it in a foolish King Rehoboam and his people 2 Chron. 12.7 See it in an idolatrous and a bloody King Ahab 1 Kings 21.29 the good God spared them all And if thou begin from Mount Horeb from the work of the Law humbling thee and put off the rags of thine imaginary righteousness thou shalt see the like effect in thy self Let us hear S. Peters counsel Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time So will he be with us and go with us and subdue our enemies in us and his good Spirit will lead us into the land of righteousness O that this were come to pass in every one of our souls Thou shalt make the dishes thereof and the spoons thereof It is true Exod. 25. Ver. 19. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latitude of it may signifie a Spoon as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies what is crooked or hollow and so Pagnin here renders the word Coclearia Spoons As also Numb 7.14 the Princes of Israel offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn Spoons and Jer. 52.18 19. Whether the word be rightly rendred or not will appear if we enquire to what end and use these Spoons were made surely to hold the Frankincense which was to be put upon the Table of Shew-bread as appears Levit. 24.7 And therefore everyone of the twelve Princes offered his Spoon full of incense This cannot be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these and other places as may appear by these reasons 1. A Spoon was no proper vessel for the Incense but that which the Latins saith Festus call Acerra vel dicunt arculam esse thurariam scilicet ubi thus reponehant a little vessel wherein they put Franckincense Vatablus having rendred the word Coclearia Spoons he explains it by thuriâ—ala in quibus ponebatur thus Boxes wherein Incense was put So likewise the old Greek Glossary hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acerra thuribulum a receptacle for Franckincense 2. Moses having mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vessels for Franckincense he addes the covers thereof Now it is not likely surely it is not usual that Spoons have their covers made for them If they be not Spoons what are they The Italian hath as also Hieron cups but in the margent incense-vessels And the French Bible having Spoons in the Teâ—t explains the word by vessels of incense in the margent Piscator turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ranchpfenlin which he explains A vessel wherein men put incense As for an English word to answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s easier to shew what they are not then properly and in one English word what they are We may till we can express the word better be content with Incense-vessels The Lord hath his Table in the Holy and hath furnished it richly and plenteously with dishes of shew-bread the figure of the living bread or the bread which is the living Word that came down from heaven John 6.32 33. and with bowls for wine that we may drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12 13. with Incense-vessels also that partaking
renders the whole broken Thus divers books of Scripture are knit together by copulatives in their beginnings as the books of Moses Exodus with Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these c. So Leviticus with Exodus Numbers to Leviticus The book of Joshua to Deuteronomy Judges to Joshua Ruth to Judges Samuel to Ruth and divers other making the whole Scripture as it were but one large copulate And so many of the Ten Commandements are knit together as Thou shalt not kill neither shalt thou commit adultery neither shalt thou steal neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour neither shalt thou covet thy neighbours wife c. Deut. 5.17 21. And thus the multitudes of Gods law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 8.12 are united as with manifold links whereof if one be broken the whole will and law of God is infringed and violated And the authority of the Law-giver is slighted which is the Apostles reason for he who said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Thou shalt not kill James 2.11 O how careful of these things were the Ancient Doctors of the Jewes Church They accurately summ'd up the numbers of Gods Lawes and divided them into affirmative and negative The affirmative precepts they found to be two hundred forty eight correspondent unto the same number of bones in a mans body Which as they are the strength of the mans body so are the spiritual Commandements and Lawes of God the strength of the inward man As David acknowledgeth Psal 138.3 Thou hast fortified me with strength in my soul And therefore when the Lord was now about to change Abrams name to Abraham he commanded him Walk before me and be perfect Gen. 17.1 5. And then called him Abraham which name contains the same number in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 200. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 40. total 248. Whence the Lord testifies of Abraham that he had kept his Charge his Commandements his statutes and his Lawes Gen. 26.5 The negative precepts are 365 answerable to the number of Nerves and Ligatures in mans body as the Anatomists have observed By these are united the forees and powers and strengths of the inward and spiritual man which must be knit together that the Spirit may come and dwell in it So we read Ezech. 37.1 10. that the sinews joyned bone to his bone and then the spirit entred into the whole body And our obedience hereunto must be perpetual as figured by the dayes of the year of the same number 365. Of all these ten only were written in the Tables which God gave to Moses Exod. 34.28 as being the radical and principal Commandements unto which all the other may be reduced And these are fitted to the number of our fingers the instruments of our work And hence all Nations reckon by the number of Ten as the most determinate and full number and then begin again The reason why the Lawes of God were thus multiplyed appears from the necessity of man to whom these Lawes were given and the great goodness and mercy of God the Lawgiver Mans necessity was great he had a grievous fall even from Heaven to the Earth even from an heavenly minde and affections unto both earthly from wisdom to foolishness ignorance and errour from rectitude and uprightness to obliquity and crookedness from one to many from the Creator to the creatures When therefore the man hath lost his happiness in the one and only God he seeks and hunts for it among the many creatures According to what the Wiseman saith generally of all men Eccles 7.19 God made man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is appellative not proper God made thee and me and every person upright as appears by the opposition following but they have found out many inventions He is said to have forsaken the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 There must therefore have been some time when he enjoyed it and had union with it He is said to be alienated from the life of God Ephes 4.18 Sometime therefore he lived that life He is said to have fallen and therefore sometime he had stood Now being fallen from unity and uniformity to multiplicity division partiality distraction discord disagreement of minde fansie thoughts understanding heart will affections all these divisions and partialities both one from other and in our selves hence appears the great necessity of a manifold law which might pursue the man in his manifold aberrations and strayings from his God which might follow him in every thought will desire affection and ferret him out of every hole So that these many lawes are a certain badge and evidence of that manifold misery whereinto we are fallen For as Plato reasons Where there are many Physitians it followes that the people must have many diseases And where there are many Lawyers there must be many strifes and divisions so we may reason That where there are many Lawes there are many breaches of Lawes and where there are many remedies many healing doctrines as the Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curing or healing doctrine 1 Tim. 1.9 there must also be many spiritual maladies 2. Other reason there is from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.10 that manifold wisdom grace and goodness of God who proportions unto the mans manifold sins and miseries a manifold law So that there 's not any good work the man can do but among the manifold affirmative precepts there 's a law and a rule for it Nor is there any sin that the man commits but among the manifold negative Commandements there is a prohibition of it These Commandements of God are sometime delivered in full decalogue sometime contracted into a lesse number as Deut. 10.12 Sometime to a less then that Zach. 8.16 and yet to a less number Mich. 6.8 The same upon the matter with what we read Matth. 23.23 Yea our Lord reduces them to two Matth. 22.36 40. Can they yet be brought to a less number Rom. 13.9 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law All the Commandements affirmative and negative are contracted into one O consider this who ever love God and his righteousness who have been long busied about the multitudes of Gods Lawes Let us have respect unto all the Commandements Psal 119.6 And surely as Gods righteousness thrives in us he will abbreviate and make short his Commandements Rom. 9.28 The end of the Commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 that most excellent way 1 Cor. 12.31 which is violently broken from the 13th Chapter Wherein S. Paul tells us what that most excellent way is even Charity greater then Faith and Hope ver 13. That bond of perfection Col. 3.14 that new and old Commandment Love that we walk after his Commandements 2 John 6. the new and old way wherein if we walk we shall finde rest unto
or displeased with them Others that they were no other then the twelve precious Stones which the High Priest wore in his Breast-plate Others and I shall name no more for shame would have the Vrim Thummim to be the same with the Teraphim which they affirm to have been two little Idols whereby God gave answers to the High Priest I might name many more But these last have-spoken out and declared for themselves and for all the rest the Idols of their own imaginations Good God! whither will the wicked imagination as the Wiseman calls it Ecclus 37.3 whither will it not wander if left to it self even to make God himself give forth his Oracles by Idols which he extreamly hateth and that to the people who of themselves are too prone to idolatry To such interpreters as these God hath made good what he threatens Ezech. 14.4 that they who come with such idols in their hearts the Lord will answer them according to their idols These are truly Commentaria inventions fictions and imaginations of men For how can men speak of God and the things of God without the Word of God Plato might have taught them better That nothing can be known of Gods minde without his Oracle None of these Authors alleage any Scripture at all to prove their assertions Which therefore are to pass upon the account of guesses and conjectures which may be as easily denied as affirmed But hence we learn that what these were its hard to say They judge more probably who think that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written on a plate was put on the fore-heâ—d of Aaron so Vrim Thummim were written on a plate and put in the breast-plate which was double Exod. 28.16 But neither have they any ground for this in Scripture more then the other This we may undoubtedly say of them that certain instruments or means they were whereby the Lord was pleased to manifest his Answer to the enquiry of the High Priest Whence the Greek Interpreters called Vrim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is manifestation which that it might be believed they rendred Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth That they were wont to make inquiry of the Lord and receive Answers by these divers Scriptures witness as Numb 27.21 1 Sam. 23.9 12. where we read two questions moved by David and the Lords respective Answers to them by Vrim These were wanting at the peoples return out of the Babylonian captivity as appears Ezra 2.63 And whereas there were three usual wayes whereby the Lord revealed his will unto men 2 Sam. 28.6 7. Dreams Vrim and Prophets who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophets ceased with Haggy Zachary and Malachy and the Vrim failed and divine dreams also Joel 2.28 For whereas the Lord promises the Spirit of prophesie divine dreams and visions in the dayes of the Messiah its probable at least that he had withdrawn them all before Nor was there left any other divine manifestation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a small voice or the daughter of a voice that is an Echo or reflection of a voice such as that which came from heaven in Answer to our Lords Prayer to his Father John 12.28 29. when the people said some that it thundred others that an Angel spake unto him But why look we on these things at so great a distance surely they either are or may be no doubt they ought to be neer unto us even in our own Bosomes The illuminations and perfections were in the Breast-plate and must be on the heart of Aaron Exod. 28.30 There are some pious and good men who affirm that these Vrim and Thummim figured the perfections of all graces which are in Christ who is the High Priest of our profession Hebr. 3.1 And there is no doubt but these speak truth for they are in Christ But when they consider Christ only in his temporal dispensation as Gregory calls the dayes of his flesh or as he arose from the dead and ascended into heaven and sits personally at the right hand of God if Christ and his illuminations and his perfectious be at so great a distance from us how can he be Immanuel God with us How could he make good his promise to us under that name that he will be with us unto the end of the world Matth. 28.20 Yea how then shall we understand the Apostle when he tels us that Christ is in us Gal. 3.1 Col. 1.27 and that unless Christ be in us we are castawayes 2 Cor. 13.5 Surely therefore if Christ be in us as according to this Scripture he is if we be in the faith and not castawayes that also which is in Christ is analogically and according to our proportion of faith in us also And he is said to make his Believers and Lovers Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Revel 1.6 Kings to rule upon the earth Revel 5.10 and Priests who should offer spiritual Sacrifices unto God 1 Pet. 2.5 And upon condition of obedience the whole Israel of God hath promise to be a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.6 And although ver 22. we read of Priests they are the first-born of their respective Tribes whom the Lord challenged to himself Exod. 13.2 Numb 3.4 5. And after the revolt of Israel by their idolatry Exod. 32. the tribe of Levi retained their integrity and obtained the Priesthood Numb 8.13 22. Yet nor that nor any after constitution of Priests hindred the obedient from being Kings and Priests unto God Let them who are the holy Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 know the things which are freely given to them of God 1 Cor. 2.12 For these Lights and perfections are Gods gifts And therefore we read not that God appointed them to be made where the Pontificalia or High Priests vestments and ornaments are either commanded to be made Exod. 28. or reported to have been made Exod. 39. But only a command to Moses to put them in the breast-plate Exod. 28.30 and the obedience of Moses thereunto in this place Levit 8.8 For indeed how could any woman spin or Weaver make Doctrine or Truth saith Origen and as we may say Lights or perfections Sapientia ergo est quae utrunque facit It is the divine wisdom which makes them both as that Father goes on And whereas Moses is said to put them into the breast-plate of Aaron do we not read that Moses was to be to Aaron for a god Exod. 4.16 What is turn'd he put them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave them they are his gifts They are both plural as the greatness and excellency of things is expressed by plurals Prov. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mercies of the Lord Lam. 3.22 according to which S. Paul beseecheth the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mercies of God c. Rom. 12.1 And for the excellency of these they are both plural Lights and perfections Both
who inquires after God God himself was signified by the Ark as I shewed before The Ark signifies the glory of God the beauty of holiness Where O where is that glory to be found Ichabod where is the glory faith the wife of Phinees she understood the Ark of God And may not we make the like inquisition and complaint Ichabod where O where is that glory that beauty of holiness It s taken captive by the Philistines who are they but Potu-cadentes as Hierom interprets them fallen with drink or earthly spirits The Drunkards the Wine-bibbers have swallowed up the beauty of holiness The Gamesters have lost it The earthly spirits have buried it It s certainly swallowed up The Son of God that holy One and the Just was understood by the Ark it is the signe he gives of the Son of man that as Janah was three dayes and three nights in the belly of the Whale so should the Son of man be in the heart of the earth Matth. 12.40 And is he not yet swallowed up in the heart of the earthly man He so complains I am become as a dead man out of minde Psal 31.12 The perfection of life figured by Joseph that 's swallowed up Jacob saith Gen. 37.33 an evil beast hath devoured Joseph Joseph without doubt is rent in pieces And it is a dangerous thing at this day to say Joseph is yet alive Gen. 45.26 His father would hardly believe it when his sons told him so Gen. 45.26 Veritas in puteo truth was in the pit and when Democritus went about to draw it out his countreymen the Abderitae said he was a mad man and sent to Hippocrates to bring him to his wits as our Lords kinsmen said of him for the like reason that he was beside himself Mark 3.21 Yea others said he had a Devil and was mad John 10.20 So Festus said to Paul Acts 26.24 And the Philosophers called him a babler because he preached concerning Jesus and the resurrection and life to be by him which they and many at this day think to be utterly swallowed up and lost and will never appear The reason why the holiness and holy things are swallowed up and devoured may be understood from the consideration of Satan and his ministers their envie against the holiness of God and his holy ones 2 Cor. 11. For Satan hath had in all ages his ministers who have devoured the holy things and Gods holy people Such an one was Balaam whose name sounds a devourer of the people And these devour the narrow way the patience of Jesus Christ figured by the Altar Esay 3.12 These devour the oyl of the Lamp in holy even mercy Proverbs 21.20 And what they destroy not they decry as errour heresie false doctrine and what not So that the holiness and holy things themselves and they who bear them which should shine gloriously are under a clowd of aspersions reproaches slanders as David speaks Psalm 57.3 The reproach of him that would swallow me up 1 Pet. 5. ver 8. Thus we read of the Devil who goes about seeking whom we may drink up or swallow up and devour 1 Pet. 5.8 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drink up And he stands before the woman to devour her childe Revel 12.4 and he casts a floud of water even persecution obloquies and reproaches after the woman to overwhelm her ver 15. it is in the old Epigram when one sober man was among a company of drunkards he alone was by all the rest reputed as mad and drunk as they are thought at this day who affirm Joseph the perfection is alive that the life of God whence we have been estranged Ephes 4. is to be restored that transgresson shall be finished and that here shall be an end of sin and that the everlasting righteousness shall be brought in and that the holiness of holinesses even Jesus Christ himself the anointed one shall appear in our mortal flesh Dan. 9.24 2 Cor. 10.11 That evil shall be put out and deceit shall be quenched that faith shall flourish and corruption shall be overcome and the truth which hath been long without fruit shall be declared 2 Esdras 6.27 28. Who ever dares aver these things for truth shall be decryed as a mad man and it is the great mercy of God if he be not swallowed up and devoured by lyars evil beasts and slow bellies Titus 1. I have spoken hitherto of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the proper sense of it as it signifies to be swallowed up devoured and destroyed And so the holiness or holy thing or things are swallowed up Now because what is so devoured is hidden from our sight hence the word hath the signification of hyding or covering And so the words will afford us this sentence also the holiness or holy thing or things are covered This sense is warranted by the fifteenth verse of this fourth Chapter where Moses useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cover instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text And the Chald. Paraphrast so renders the words which covering because it was speedily done the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confestim quickly So the Tigurin Bible cum involvantur sancta when the holy things are wrapt up So Munster Vatablus and others The holiness or holy things are covered and hid from us by two kindes of vailes whereof one upon the object or holy things themselves the other upon us 1. The vailes upon the objects holiness or holy things themselves are the ceremonial services in types and figures Thus we read of the manfold coverings of the Ark the Mercy seat the table of shew-bread the Altar c. All which are paterns of heavenly things as hath been shewen For as in the body of man the most tender pretious part is covered by a soft one as a silm and that by some harder and stronger part as the sight of the eye by the tunicles the brain by the pia mater that by the meninx and dur a mater So have the holy things of God their next inward and subtil coverings as ridles parables and numbers and these more sensible and outward as the outward coverings of the worldy Sanctuary Hebr. 9.1 2. Other vailes there are upon us whereby the holy things are hidden from us And these are either 1. As it were innate and inbred according to which the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the natural or souly man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Or 2. there are vailes acquisite and of our own making and these are of two sorts whereof the one we draw or suffer to be imposed and drawn upon our mindes the other upon our hearts 1. That which is drawn upon our mindes is the vail of knowledge falsly so called a vail of false notions and misunderstandings of spiritual things
was void great care was taken for the choise of Matthias in his room Acts 1.21 26. And S. Paul cals himself an Apostle in most of his Epistles and proves himself such 1 Cor. 9.1 2. The like is said by others of Barnabas and Silas They who say that that and other Offices were temporary and to continue only for a time must if they will be believed by judicious men prove their assertion out of the Word of God If the office yet continue in the Church what answers to it but Episcopacy so S. Ambrose affirmes And it may as well be credited as that under helps and governments are to be understood Elders and Deacons which yet I deny not But all these are but Mera nomina names only unless they be informed with the Lords excellent spirit which is most necessary for the informing and actuating as the whole Body so especially the principal members of the Body of Christ And therefore in great wisdom the Spirit of God requires that the meanest and lowest Officers in the Church who are as it were the feet of Christs body the Church 1 Cor. 12.21 the Deacons being to be appointed to their office the Twelve give the multitude of the Disciples this charge Acts 6. v. 3. Look ye out among your selves seven men approved by testimony full of the holy Ghost and Wisdom whom we may appoint over this business Whence we may strongly reason that if the Deacons must be full of the holy Ghost and wisdom then much more must the Elders and Officers of the Church superiour unto them be filled with the same excellent spirit and wisdom And whereas the Apostles must appoint the Deacons as Titus must ordain Elders Tit. 1.5 These weighty businesses are not to be permitted unto the multitude no not of the Disciples to choose either Elders or Deacons though this is at this day practised by what warrant of the Word I know not but to the Apostles or those who though called by another name are yet in their stead as being best able to judge of these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man judgeth well of the things he knowes and of these he is a competent judge What ever Governour hath this excellent spirit he is thereby enabled to bear all the weaknesses and waywardnesses all the murmurings and repinings of the people under them It is their business And therefore they ought not to domineer over the flocks so I would render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Castellio turns the words 1 Pet. 5.3 Gregibus imperantes domineering or Lording over the flocks Ut reges Gentium qui dominantur eorum like the Kings of the Nations who domineer and abuse their authority over the flocks as Vatablus explains Cleris Cleros vocat greges qui illis velut sortè gubernandi obtigerunt He cals those Cleros that is properly lots who happen unto them as it were by lot to be governed by them And it is the continued Metaphore or Allegory used by the Spirit of God 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. Much less must they domineer over their faith as to enforce men to their opinions as to rule over their consciences The Apostle when most of all he improves his authority over the flock he most abominates all such dominion 2 Cor. 1.24 Not that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand They must leave the conscience free to God alone the Lord of it Gen. 9. v. 27. who alone perswades the heart Gen. 9.27 what some abuse to that end Compel them to come in Luke 14.23 Beside that it is unhandsome to cudgel men and force them to come to a Feast as the drift of that speech is to be understood the meaning of the word is by perswasive arguments to incline men to what they desire as may appear by comparing Luke 24.29 2 Kings 4.8 Acts 16.15 and other places But we need not further descend unto particulars The excellent Spirit of Christ which is known by the fruits of it Gal. 5.22 sufficiently qualifies all spiritual Governours And this Spirit is that due radical qualification which some zealous for the Government or rather the counterfeit of it believe not possible to be obtained in this life but Dolosè ambulant in generalibus wrap up their hidden meaning in general terms and instead of downright Scripture language that God puts his Spirit upon the Governours choose rather to speak in Conceptu confuso that Christ furnisheth these Officers with suitable qualifications for discharge of the office and work committed to them And since they nor have nor hope for that excellent Spirit how can they convey that spirit by laying on of their hands in Ordination Nihil dat quod non habet If they have not that excellent Spirit how can they give it by their hands to those whom they Ordain as the old Presbyters did S. Paul saith 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery And ye read the like Exhortation Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1.6 O my Brethren ye who are zealous of Christs government and discipline let us first sit down in the lowest room and yield our selves Disciples unto the Father Esay 8.16 and suffer our selves to be corrected by his discipline and to be instructed out of his law Psal 94.12 and thereby lead unto Jesus Christ and bearing his yoke his cross and patience that being made conformable unto his death we may be made partakers of his spirit his life and resurrection whereby we shall be enabled to bear the burdens of the weak and one anothers burdens whereby we shall be taught to rule our selves and so become Rulers and Governours of the Church of Christ So shall we be able experimentally to preach Christ warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.28 For this is the end why the Lord gives those his gifts unto men Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers and so Elders and Deacons for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all meet or come into the unity of faith and acknowledgement of the Son of God unto a perfect man to the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ The Lord vouchsafe that great grace unto us all He that gathered least Numb 11. v. 32 33 34. gathered ten Homers and they spread them abroad for themselves round about the Camp And while the flesh was between their teeth yet it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague And he called the name of the place Kibroth Hattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted
2 3. and then the children of Israel returned and wept as the complainers did v. 4. For surely here was a twofold murmuring which Munster and others understand to be implyed by the two Nuns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inverted And indeed the vulgar Interpreter seems to be mistaken and they who follow him for he hath left out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reversi sunt they returned and wept which clearly proves a second murmuring beside the former mentioned v. 1. Yea we read of two punishments and therefore the sin was twofold This later murmuring was the cause of Gods smiting They murmured for want of flesh But there was a greater provocation of Gods wrath then the bare murmuring for want of flesh viz. unbelief They thought that the Lord was not able to give them flesh notwithstanding all the miracles which this unbelieving and murmuring people confessed he had wrought for them The 78 Psalm v. 18. 22 is a clear Commentary on this text Wise men who read Stories that they may profit by them they look especially at three things 1. The act done 2. The counsel and advise upon which it was done 3. The issue and event which came upon the doing of it Ye have heard of the two former which are murmuring and tempting the power of God and that for the satisfaction of their greedy appetite Ye have both together Psalm 78.18 They tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong God and desired meat for their lust Their Belly was their counsellour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fat paunch produceth commonly a lean wit Now what came of their lewd action and foolish counsel The wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague Take notice what issue evil actions and foolish councels have The Apostle not without just cause calls lusts deceitful Prov. 12. v. 5. Ephes 4. So true is that of the Wiseman That the counsels the subtil counsels of the wicked so our Translators render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 1 5. wise counsels are deceit Prov. 12.5 deceitful and destructive to their authors as here to the mixt multitude especially who fell a lusting or lusted a lust v. 4. and fell by their own counsels according to Psal 5.10 And that of the old Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ill counsell's worst for the author of it The Athenians sent to inquire of the Oracle what would become of the Peloponesian war The answer of the Oracle was Thucyd. lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doriacum en aderit sacrum cum peste duellum The Dorick war shall come and plague with it Apollo was not in vain called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only from his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his oblique circle but also because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give oblique and doubtful Oracles This Oracle the Priest so pronounced that the effect of the war might be understood either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famin or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestilence The Athenians understood it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famin whereupon they stored their City with all provisions which the countrey round about could afford whereon they fed gluttonously and riotously and seeking so to avoid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the famin by their vain counsel they brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pestilence amongst them The Lord be pleased in mercy to avert the like dreadful effects of our gluttony and excess for which we are notorious among all nations our rioting and drunkenness our chambering and wantonness our strife and envie Note hence how wisely and gratiously the Lord tempers his judgement with mercy When the people had despised Manna and desired flesh that he might punish the wicked and the seducers among them ver 4. by their lusts and satisfie the desires and withal inform the understandings of those who were in their simplicity deceived he gave them what might intimate some spiritual thing unto them He gave them not the flesh of wilde beasts nor four footed beasts He gave them fowles of heaven that they might rather meditate on heavenly things then earthly rather spiritual things then corporal He gave them Quails which foresee the Winter and flie away as the Stork and other fowles do that so his people might foresee and avoid the judgement of the Lord as the Prophet applyes it Jer. 8.7 3. The burial and monument of those who lusted He called the name of the place Kibroth Hattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted Sin ordinarily leaves a stain and gives a name to the place where it was committed Examples are obvious Massah Meribah Taberah c. because there they buried the people that lusted The people populus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here singular who they were are here explained by the following word viz. who lusted which word is plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lusters So that the Lord put a distinction between the just and unjust as the righteous Judge of all the world Gen. 18. Which our Translators here confound The words were more distinctly to be rendred thus There they buried the people the lusters or those who lusted Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that endures to the everlasting life John 6. Post concupiscentias tuas non eas Follow not after thine appetites saith the Wise man lest they make thee a scorn to thine enemies That 's the Wisemans reason to which we may adde that of the text lest they bring the wrath of God upon thee Which is the Apostles use which he makes of it 1 Cor. 10. v. 6. These things saith he were our examples to the intent that we should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusters or desirers of evil things as they also lusted 1 Cor. 10.6 O let us timely mortifie and kill and bury our lusts lest we die in our sins and be buried in them as these lusters were And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses Numb 12. v. 1. because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married for he had married an Ethiopian woman And they said hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses Hath he not spoken also by us and the Lord heard it Aaron indeed spake against Moses yet our Translators here have done him some wrong in joyning him with Miriam in this detraction as equally faulty with her as indeed he was not as appears by the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Feminin she spake So that to do Aaron right the words are to be thus ordered And Miriam spake also Aaron against Moses For in that order the words are placed in the Hebrew So likewise in the Vulgar Latin Locutáque est Maria Aaron And Miriam or Marie spake and Aaron The Spirit of God intimates that Miriam first offended and drew her brother Aaron into the same sin Thus Eve first sinned then Adam the Serpent prevailing with the weaker vessel And to be first
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus is implyed whereever these are said to have wrought any thing by faith for faith must have an object on which it must rest and what is that but the power of God who is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 O that the Lord had wrought like conquests in our soules by that power But thanks be to God who giveth us believers in his mighty power the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 Caleb stilled the people before Moses Numb 13. v. 30. and said let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it Caleb in these words whether by some inarticulate sound implyed in the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Latins by St or by some signe made with his hand as Acts 13.16 Obtain'd silence He encourageth the people to march against the Canaanites alleaging that they were well able to overcome the land But truly our Translators have almost spoyled Calebs military Oration by rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us go up at once What all at once Soft and fair Without doubt Caleb was more wise then to put the people already discomfited upon a sudden expedition Those words are more emphatical if rendred in their genuine and proper sense Ascendendo ascendamus by ascending let us ascend viz. gradatim pedetentìm not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not all at once not all together Some there are who conceive that the great work of salvation is wrought all at once So they say they are justified all in an instant whereas the command is he that is righteous let him be righteous still The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is righteous let him work righteousness still Rev. 22. v. 11. Revel 21.11 It s a gradual and successive work It is none of Gods way of destroying the spiritual enemies but by degrees so Exod. 23.29 30. And to lead men in successively by little and little as Jacob lead his sheep Gen. 33.14 Likewise in the following words it is a good encouragement that Caleb gives when he saith We are well able to overcome it though he saith not so only our Translators make him speak so Calebs words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praevalendo praevalebimus by prevailing we shall prevail Whereby he not only encourageth them averring that they are able to prevail but likewise instructs them and puts them in a way of so doing Let not him that believes make haste nor hope to do the work of the Lord all at once but let us learn of Caleb to make the experiments of our former victories encouragements to after enterprizes So by prevailing we shall prevail nor shall our labour be in vain in the Lord but he who hath begun a good work in us will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ But my servant Caleb Numb 14. v. 24. because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it These words are to be understood as spoken by the Lord Christ as the Apostle applies the same history unto him Hebr. 3. and 4 where having compared Christ the Lord of the house with Moses Gods faithful servant in it wherefore saith he as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear His that is Christs voice harden not your hearts as in the Provocation as in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness when your fathers tempted me that is Christ For so the same temptation is expresly applied unto Christ 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted And the Apostle having applyed part of Psal 95. to the same purpose he pursues the same argument Vnion with Christ mentioned Hebr. 3.6 Whose that is Christs house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end He then having quoted the words of that Psalm to his purpose v. 7. 11. he resumes the same argument warning them to take heed of an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God v. 12. and exhorting them to exhort one another daily lest they should be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin v. 13. This he enforceth by repeating the same blessed effect the union with and participation of Christ For saith he we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end whilest it is said To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation for some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all not Moses not Aaron not Joshua not Caleb Others indeed provoked the Lord and they shall not see it but my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath fulfilled after me him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it In which words we have these divine truths contained 1. Caleb was the Lords servant 2. Caleb had another spirit with him 3. Caleb fulfilled after the Lord. 4. Caleb went into the land 5. The Lord saith he would bring Caleb into the land whereinto he went 6. Calebs seed shall possess it 7. Because Caleb the Lords servant had another spirit and fulfilled after the Lord the Lord saith He will bring Caleb into the land whereinto he went and that his seed shall possess it 8. All those men who have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the Wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them who provoked me see it But my servant Caleb c. 1. The Lord said of Caleb that he was his servant What Caleb was we read Numb 13. What is it to be the Lords servant Generally his servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6. And what is it to obey what else but pliably and willingly to submit ones own will to the fulfilling of anothers will 1. Obedience must be pliable and willing Esay 1.19 2. It must be to the command of another as such For if the natural bent of ones own will be to the same act which another commands without respect had to the command as such it is nulla vel minor either no obedience at all or less saith S. Gregory Because obedience properly respects the fulfilling not of our own but of anothers will For example Jer. 35.6 7. Had the sons of Rechab been naturally abstemious and loved no wine their obedience to their father had been either so much the less or indeed none at all When therefore the Lord faith of Caleb that he was his servant it is to be understood that he was obedient that is that he was willing and pliable to the fulfilling of the Lords will That we may the better understand this we must know that there is a
John 5. v. 39 40. As the learned Scribes could tell where Christ should be born but themselves went not forth Matth. 2. Ye search the Scriptures c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word appears by the context to be Indicative not Imperative but ye will not come unto me that is believe in me that ye might have life John 5.39 40. Signe The way lies Southward toward the perfect day Numb 14.17 Who will believe that we travail thitherward when our faces are toward the North and the dark land As for means conducing hereunto the Spies who searched the land went from the Wilderness of Zin to Rehob that is from the bushy and thorny way to largeness and latitude v. 21. That no doubt is the way through straits and difficulties We went through fire and water say such travailers and thou broughtest us to a â—arge place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of refreshment Psal 66.12 that 's meant by Rehob here 2 Esdr 7.7 Therefore Rehob was the inheritance of the Tribe of Asher Josh 19.24.28 Judges 1.31 that is bliss and happiness as Asher signifies The afflictions and sufferings of Christ must precede our salvation by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 6. through the narrow to the broad God shewes the worst first Cut off the right hand c. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way c. The common method of the world is quite otherwise whereby we are first assured of life salvation the holy land and then commanded to perform these hard duties afterward 2. They shall bear their iniquityes the word we turn iniquity is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly here understood Metonymically as the effect put for the cause But I see no reason but hereby we may understand the iniquity it self or the guilt of it For howsoever the Lord at the intercession of Moses had remitted the everlasting punishment Num. 14.20 Yet might they be made to feel the burden of their sin according as the Lord threatens in my text And Num. 27.3 The daughters of Zelophe had though they acquit their father of the conspiracy of Korah yet they confess that he died in the wilderness and died in his own sin He bare his iniquity according to Gods sentence in the text although I deny not but that the Metonymical meaning also hath place here when they are said to bear their iniquity in that their carkasses fell in the wilderness Hebr. 3.17 3. According to the dayes wherein they searched the land even fourty dayes each day for a year they shall bear their iniquities even fourty years The reason of this seeming great excess of punishment is because sin is not to be looked at according to the time wherein it is acted but 1. According to the person offended 2. According to the holy and just law violated and the just penalty of that law 3. According to the means of grace offered whereby the sin might have been avoided 4. According to the obligation of the person offending The Lord proportions and measures out the punishments of sin according to the nature extent and degree of continuance in sin Thus he dealt with Tyre and Sidon with Sodom and Gomorrha and with his own people The most just and merciful God in his punishments usually goes less and not to the full extent of his threatnings Chronologers who have exactly counted the years of Israels punishment in the Wilderness they finde it to fall short some moneths of full fourty years And the holy people who ought to be like their God being commanded not to exceed fourty stripes for the greatest fault Deut. 25.3 They Commonly out of equity remitted at least one St. Paul among his sufferings testifies this practice of the Jewes 2 Cor. 11.24 But in bestowing of rewards the mercifull God usually exceeds his promises Esay 35. Where the Lord foretells what miracles the Son of God should work in the dayes of his flesh we read not of casting out Devills nor curing the lepers both which we read frequently done by him The Lord promised David that after he should sleep with his fathers his Son should sit upon his throne but he brought that to pass while David was yet a live and his eyes seeing it 1. Hence it appears that the sin of a day may bring on us a years punishment yea many years yea an eternity if not timely repented of and forsaken 2. The quadragesima of sin may bring a quadringentessimum yea a seculum yea a seculum seculorum of Judgement 3. Hence it followes that there is an everlasting punishment remaining for incorrigible and impenitent disobedient men This is evident from hence because the Lord remitted and pardoned this people their sin as appears Num. 14. ver 20. Yet here the Lord denounceth a punishment against the same sinners 4. It s clear therefore that when God hath forgiven sin as to the everlasting punishment He may and often doth reserve a temporall This is evident as out of the text so by Nahans transactions with David 2 Sam. 12. And the reason is because there is no sin unles timely repented of but its deadly So saith the Lord Jer. 46.28 I will chastise thee in measure and not leave thee wholly unpunished 1. By this means he works further repentance and humiliation in the party sinning 2. It renders the sinner more cautious and wary for the time to come because the rod of Gods correction is upon him 3. It declares that there is a God that judgeth the earth Psal 58.11 4. It is for example unto others that they may hear and fear and do no more wickedly 5. We learn hence that the Purgatory and temporal punishment for sin may be safely admitted in this life 6. Hence its evident that some are judged here that they may not perish with the world 1 Cor. 11. for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 1. This reproves their erroneous judgement who think that because God punishes men here a long time therefore he will punish them for ever 2. Those who conclude that they may sin impunè because they see no hurt come of it for the present It s impossible but that they should be punished for it either temporally or eternally 4. The Lord saith to his people in covenant with him ye shall know my breach of promise The words thus translated contain in them these two I cannot call them divine truths but false Axioms 1. The Lord breaks his covenant and promise 2. The Lord will make his people in covenant with him know his breach of promise or covenant Both which as they are most false and absurd so must this translation be which contains them both to say the best of it be most absurd and false These words are variously rendred by divers Translators The Vulg. Lat. and Pagnin turns them thus Cognoscetis ultionem meam my vengeance Munster Irritationem meam my provocation Vatablus and the
as he who is greater then all and indeed our true Master yet was minister of all so should he who is the greatest among his brethren be as their minister Whence we may reason convictively that if our Lord supposed some of his Apostles and Disciples greater or greatest of their brethren then surely he supposeth they are not equal 2. Hence also appears the spiritual excellency of the eighth day which is the true Lords day when the Lord God omnipotent reigneth and his Kingdom is come unto us in righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost For so we shall finde that in this number these are comprehended The number eight is a full number and called by the Pythagoreans the number of justice and righteousness because as it is compounded so it is also resolved into numbers Paritèr pares equal parts and particles of those parts Whence Georgius Venetus observes That they who were saved from the flood were Eight which according to the number of Justice implyes that all who shall be saved must be just men righteous men Yea that Noah for this reason is said to be a just man in his generation Gen. 6.9 Yea he himself is said to be the eighth Preacher of righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 which is true without that absurd suppliment of person as I have heretofore shewen 2. In this mystical number also of eight the peace is represented when by Circumcision performed on the eighth day Gen. 17. the body of sin in the flesh which lusted against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 is put off Col. 2.11 and we now worship God in the spirit Phil. 3.3 when all jarring dis-harmony all differences between our God and us are silenced and taken away by Christs mediation as the binding cord and we hear nothing but the most harmonical diapason Wherein two things are considerable 1. A Return to the same Tone from whence we departed 2. Though it be not altogether of the same Key yet great agreement great peace there is an union identity and sameness The only difference between them is The one is lower the other is higher These are discernable even to every ear though the learned Musitian can best judge of these things But what is this to us When man thus imitates his God thus returns unto him then as the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles is holy so is the eighth and last also Levit. 23.35 36. When as it was in the beginning so it is now When the one extreme is God the other Man most like unto God and both make a most harmonical and peaceable Diapason There 's but one minde in both 1 Cor. 2.16 One heart in both David according to Gods heart In both one will Gods will done in earth as it is done in heaven O most perfect peace 3. From this righteousness and peace cannot but Echo and resound answerable joy joy in the holy Ghost How can it be otherwise For when the Lord hath circumcised the heart Deut. 30.6 with the circumcision of the spirit on the eighth day the day of the spirit of love and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath cleansed and purged it round about according to the LXX and taken away the foolishness of it so the Chald. Paraph. expresseth it so that the man now loves the Lord his God with all his heart and with all his soul when now the mans love is fixed upon what is most lovely even the Christ of God in his Tabernacle the desire of all nations Hag. 2.7 When the man delights in what is most lovely most desireable and most delightful then the desire coming is a tree of life Prov. 13.12 Such joy must then be in great measure proportionable to him in whom we rejoyce and so in a sort unmeasurable and infinite such is the joy in the spiritual feast of Tabernacles when the Lord takes up his Tabernacle with us and dwels with us and we with him Revel 21.3 Such as when Nehemiah even the consolation of the Lord the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Comforter as his name imports keeps the feast of Tabernacles it must needs be joy great joy exceeding great joy Nehem. 8.17 As we may reason from what S. Peter writes to the believers in Christ Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye rejoyce 1 Pet. 1. v. 8. or leap and dance with joy unspeakable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorificata glorified joy Such is that which ariseth not from the knowledge of Christ according to the flesh for though we have known Christ according to the flesh yet now we know him so no more for we walk by faith and not by sight by faith in the might and power of God according to which our Lord saith Blessed are they who having not seen yet are believing Joh. 20. v. 29. John 20.29 Who can duely esteem this faith and love but he who can experimentally say My Beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 The excellency of the holy assembly and restraint on the eighth day may justly reprove both the assemblies and restraints of known wicked men and of seeming holy ones for there are of both sorts The Prophet tells us of an assembly of treacherous men Jer. 9.2 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as restrained themselves from what was good Jer. 9. v. 2. 8. and were in the bond of iniquity He describes them verse 3. They cause their tongue their bow to shoot a lie and have not strengthened themselves for truth in the earth For they proceed from evil to evil and have not known me saith the Lord. And the Prophet gives warning of such Take ye heed every one of his friend and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will not be Israel prevailing with God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will utterly supplant will imitate Jacob in deceiving his brother and every companion will walk deceitfully They will use deceit every one against his neighbour they will not speak the truth they have taught their tongue to speak a lie They have laboured or wearied themselves to commit iniquity Whereupon the Lord tells Jeremy Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit wherefore I am melting them and I will try them saith the Lord. For what shall I do for the Daughter of my people As if the Lord should say they are indeed thus wicked an assembly of treacherous men but some good men there are among them as some gold among much dross wherefore I will melt them and try them Their tongue is an arrow shot out it speaketh deceit One speaketh peace with his neighbour with his mouth but in the midst of him or in his heart he laieth his wait These sins the Prophet found and reproved at Jerusalem and so did David before him Psal 5.5 He had found a like assembly of treacherous men like those before the confusion of tongues Gen. 11. of whom the
in the inmost of thine assemblies For if saith Ignatius ye often come together to the thanksgiving and glory of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers of Satan are destroyed his fiery darts of temptations which he casts to inflame us unto sin are rendred ineffectual Your unnanimity and agreement in the faith is his destruction and the torment of his Angels So he Nor is the danger of neglecting this fault contemptible They who come not up to keep the feast of Tabernacles shall have no rain Zach. 14.16 17. Men have long looked at Christ without them and many hundred years since Now the Prophet speaking of the times of the Gospel and dispensation of the spirit the eighth day invites all nations to come to the spiritual Jerusalem to keep the feast of Tabernacles that now at length they may own him the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the indwelling Deity who doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take up his Tabernacle in us that they may come that is believe John 6.35 and that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith Ephes 3. Yea Christ himself cries out on the eighth day of that feast he that is a thirst let him come to me and drink If men come not so to him nor believe in him so that he may dwell in their hearts by faith they shall have no rain no showers of blessings nor shall the rivers of living water flow out of their belly which he spake of the spirit which the believers on him should afterward receive John 7.37 38 39. All these laid together make the feast of Tabernacles appear the most excellent of all the rest as being the last and the eighth day of that feast more excellent then all the other Indeed as I shewed before it 's no part of the feast but a supernumerary day a day which imports an excellency as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to be redundant and abounding which also import excellency This octonarius the number of eight is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is interpreted numerus pinguedinis numerus compositus ex primo numero binario intra denarium impingantus a number of fatness because it hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pinguem esse to be fat abounding with mysteries as also because it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oyl a principal figure of Gods good spirit which signifies the fatness of Gods house Psal 36.8 fatness wherewithal the soul is satisfied Psal 63.5 That oyle which swims aloft above all legal ceremonies above the septenary of the legal Sabbath above all compulsions of the Law nor comes it at all by the works of the law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 Do we keep this feast unto the Lord as we ought All his feasts are holy convocations and to be proclaimed such Levit. 23.2.37 And the Church is assembled together in Gods and Christs name which is holy 1 Cor. 5.4 And we must be holy as he is holy The proselyte to be adjoyned unto the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw out and gather up such is the Church of God and Christ such as are drawn out of hell and assembled and gathered unto God Such is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a congregation and assembly of holy ones called out of the world which lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 5.19 in the evil one which is more truly so rendred than by our Translators who turn it wickedness 1 John 5.19 Therefore every one of those who were baptized professed an abrenuntiation of the evil one saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I renounce Satan before he adjoyned himself to Christ saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I list myself in the roll of Christs souldiers And hence it was that the sons of Israel kept the feast of the Pasover before they kept the feast of Tabernacles The restraint of the 7th day the restraint from the sin before the restraint of the eight day the addicting binding and consecrating themselves to God and his righteousness Yea the sin is supposed to be consumed before we keep the feast of Tabernacles according to what Moses wrote Numb 33.2 Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys Numb 33. v. 2. by the commandement of the Lord The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It were authority enough for those journeys if written only by the commandement of the Lord but it adds much to the authority of that journal containing 42. journeys of Israel that Moses wrote them at from or according to the mouth of the Lord as the words properly signifie so that the Lord dictated unto Moses who was the Lords Amanuensis and wrote according to from or at the mouth of the Lord. Now the first journey was from Ramasses to Succoth Numb 33.5 How does that concern our present business Much if we consider when they took their journey from Ramasses viz. on the morrow after the Passover ver 3. when now we become conformable unto the death of Christ the lamb slain the true Passeover offered for us and begin to purge out the old leaven of malice though that word malice in English signifies hatred but so doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which it answers in the Greek I wish it were rather turned naughtiness or leudness when we have begun to purge out the leaven of leudness on the morrow after the passeover they went from Ramasses that is the melting and dissolving of the iniquity which moulders away and consumes by conformity to the death of the lamb and therefore the Psalmist saith that the ungodly shall perish and the enemies of the Lord those of our own household shall consume as the fat or what of the lambs is pretious they shall fail or fade away as the smoak Psal 37.20 David compares sin to the fat of lambs offered for the burnt sacrifices which is easily dissolved and melted upon the altar such is the melting of the iniquity signified by Ramasses from whence they journeyed to Succoth that is Booths Tents or Tabernacles That was their first journey They encamped at Succoth which was the occasion that the Lord took for instituting the feast of Tabernacles according to Levit. 23.42 43. All they who keep this feast are the home-born of Israel who are pure in heart Psal 73.1 Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile John 1.47 who walk according to the rules of the feast Gal. 6.16 whereof we have heard the first The eighth day Israel must have a solemn assembly or rather a restraint and retention The second rule of the feast is 2. Ye shall do no servile work therein word for word ye shall do no work of servitude Therein is a supplement how needful I shall shew anone Herein we must inquire 1. what this servile work or work of servitude is And it is hard to say since disputes of the Canonists and Summists about
it have made it intricate They conclude and agree most-what that by a servile work is to be understood some corporal mechanical or artificial work how be it they hence except works of necessity to be done and such as whereby men may serve one another in love Also by a servile work they understand journeying dancing singing fidling hunting fishing fowling painting marketing going to law doing any work for a reward whence in the Arabic version a servile work is called a work of gain or for gain Light of nature taught the heathen that on their holy days and feast days they must do no work So Tully in his 2d. book de legibus And Macrobius in his first book saith the Priests affirm that their Festivals are polluted if any work be done in them Only they say Feriis agi licere quod praetermissum noceret that such work may be done on their Holy dayes which might do hurt if left undone as to draw an Ox out of a pit Whereby it appears that the Gentiles knew not only the law of nature but somewhat of the Gospel also For this sentence of Scaevola the high Priest hath good conformity with what the only true high Priest delivers upon like occasion touching the Sabbath Luke 13.15 16. According to this account we may finde somewhat like Christianity even among the idolatrous Heathen yea the Heathen if we consider and compare them according to their light with many who believe themselves to be the only Christians they may shame them and all other who place the breach of the Sabbath in sitting at their doors or walking a turn in the field Which haply may be as necessary for some man as plucking a Sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath day And how much is a man better then a Sheep saith our Lord Matth. 12.12 And thence he there concludes That it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath dayes We must therefore inquire yet further what a servile work is Others have conceived that by a servile work is to be understood such work as a Servant or Handmaid is wont to do and thus the LXX call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which because it may signifie a work tending to divine worship which is most-what called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore they would rather turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manual labour or work with own hands But surely the Lord would not destroy his own Primitive institution or make that unlawful to be done which he himself commanded our first parents to do and that in the state of innocency For so we read that the Lord commanded them to subdue the earth Gen. 1.28 and 2.15 It s said that the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to till it which is the word before us here rendred servile or of servitude doubtless if such a work were at any time unlawful to be done the Lord would not have commanded them while they were in their integrity to do it We are therefore yet to seek what is that servile work which is here forbidden to be done on the eighth day There is no question but Israel according to the flesh understood by a work or works of servitude such as they wrought in Egypt when the Egyptians made them serve with rigour Exod. 1. v. 14. and made their lives bitter with hard bondage in Morter and in Bricks and in all service in the field with all their work wherein they wrought with rigour But whereas old things are past away 2 Cor. 5. v. 17. and behold in Christ all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are made new and according to the promise the Lord now brings his people again out of the land of Egypt Zach. 10.10 we must understand now other servile works answerable unto the spiritual Egypt the land of Ham the servant And therefore Origen interprets the doing of Israels works in Egypt Opera carnis terrena opera opera seculi actûs terrae lutea explere ministeria to do the works of the flesh earthly works worldly works deeds of the earth and to fulfil durty offices or services It rests therefore that since according to our Lords decision it is lawful to do well on the Sabbathday well-doing is not forbidden on the eighth day so that the sirvile work is the sinful work whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin John 8.34 Hence it is that the sinful man yields his members servants to iniquity unto iniquity that is from one degree of iniquity unto another and so he becomes the servant of sin Rom. 6.19.20 A servant of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 A vassal unto divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 So that every sin is a servile work such as rvery ones ruling lust commands him to do The reason why no such servile work is to be done on the eighth day may appear from 1. Divine authority forbidding it the Lord saith ye shall do no servile work 2. In regard of the work it self which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin and iniquity unlawful in its own nature and therefore it brings a prohibition with it it s that which ought not to be done 3. In regard of the quality of the work forbidden servile work a work of servitude and therefore mis-beseeming yea unlawful for those whom Christ made free 4. In respect of the eighth day which is the day of the Spirit as hath been shewen and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Yea 5. The seventh day imports a cessation and rest from all servile work No Manna was then to be gathered Exod. 16.6 No labour for the meat that perisheth John 6.27 No distracting care what we shall eat or what we shall drink if we have tasted that the Lord is gratious 1 Pet. 2.3 No journeying on the Sabbath Exod. 16.29 but every one must tarry in his place Now God himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place and its one of the Names of God And if all our works be wrought in God John 3.21 we shall then keep the Sabbath well unto the Lord. Cain went from his presence and then whither went he he dwelt in Nod Instability Nimrod went from him and wrought a servile work he built his Babel his work of confusion No fire was to be kindled on the Sabbath day Exod. 35.3 Ye read of iniquity burning like a fire Esay 9.18 A fire of envie which is not kindled on the true Sabbath Esay 11.13 A fire of legal zeal which I know will burn against this exposition of the Sabbath in some yong Disciples like those Luke 9.54 which is there quenched No buying or selling must be on the Sabbath Nehem. 13.15 For the time is short that they who buy shall be as though they possessed not 1 Cor. 7.30 Accordingly the Prophet speaking of the great Sabbath saith there shall be no Canaanite
that is no Merchant no buyer or seller in the house of the Lord Zach. 14.21 There must be no bearing of burdens on the Sabbath Jer. 17.22 Hebr. 12. v. 1. We must lay aside every weight that presseth down and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin that so easily besets us in every circumstance And therefore the Lord comforts his people against Assur that is the besieging sin Esay 10.24 And he gives a reason ver 27. In that day his burden shall be removed from off thy shoulder Esay 10. v. 27. and his yoke from off thy neck and his yoke shall be dissolved or broken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unction or the anointing of the Spirit of God which gives the true liberty Yea the Lord mindes his people Levit. 26.13 of his redemption and freeing them from the Egyptian slavery I am saith he the Lord your God Lev. 26. v. 13. which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt from being bondmen to them and I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In erectione erect or upright which is the posture of liberty and freedom And therefore the Chald. Paraphrast turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In libertate in freedom as the contrary posture of being bowed down is a signe of bondage and servitude Rom. 11.10 Ever bow thou down their back 1. Observe we hence what that is which enslaves and abaseth those who otherwise are most noble and free-born what else but servile work or work of servitude Even Adam who was the son of God by his fall became the servant of sin And of all Adams posterity Ham the son of just Noah so noble that he was by divine estimation better then all men of his age and taken in exchange for the world Ecclus 44.17 His son Ham by his iniquity became a servant of servants so that the Egyptians his off-spring have been and yet are until this day the Drudges of all Nations as I have formerly shewen on Gen. 9.25 And he hath stained all his issue with a black spot spread over all their bodies a mark of a black sinful soul Yea the Israelites of the noble stock of Abraham free-born were yet abased and sold under sin and became the servants of Cushan Rishathaim even the blackness of both iniquities inward and outward and him they served eight years the full time of the spirit of bondage until they cried unto the Lord and he raised up a Saviour in the fulness of time until Gods time Judges 3. v. 8 9. that is Othniel came even the Saviour and delivered them Judges 3.8 9. An express figure of Christ our Saviour whom God the Father raised up and sent him to bless us by turning every one of us from our iniquities Acts 3.26 And accordingly Christ in Gods time even in the fulness of time he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from the blackness of all iniquity outward and inward and that he might purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 How free was Ahab even the King of Israel yet he sold himself to commit iniquity became a very servant How much more free was King David yet hear how he groans under the burden of his sins Mine iniquities saith he have come over mine head as an heavie burden they are too heavie for me and as a man bowed under his burden ver 6. I am wreathed or wryed and pressed down exceedingly Psal 38. v. 6. Psal 38.6 So was the noble daughter of Abraham whom Satan had made crooked and bowed down a figure of the noble heaven-born soul which is by sin averse from heaven and heavenly things and bowed down to the earth and minding earthly things yea abased even unto Hell 2. The eighth day is a day of liberty It is the day of the spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Howbeit its a Paradox a day of restraint yet a day of liberty It is a restraint from sin and restraint and binding unto God which is to be free indeed Gods service is perfect freedom No man is ever made or permitted to be so free indeed so licentious as to be left to the bent and inclination of his own will but as he is freed from the bondage of sin and servile works he comes under the yoke and service of Christ and his righteousness And this is the end of our redemption that being delivered out of the hand of our enemies we should serve him our Redeemer without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1.74 75. So the Apostle Rom. 6. v. 22. Rom. 6.22 being made free from sin and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made servants of righteousness For this end our conscience is purged by the blood and Spirit of Christ that we may serve the living God Hebr. 9.14 And for this end the people pray for deliverance from their enemies that they might serve the Lord. And we may well confess and pray with them 1 Sam. 12.10 we have served Baalim and Ashteroth our Lording lusts our riches our flocks they are our Baalim and Ashteroth now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies and we will serve thee O ye sons and daughters of God ye who are hasting the coming or presence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the day of God 2 Pet. 3. v. 12. and tending toward the eighth day desiring to become born of the Spirit let not us abase our selves to the servile works of sin We are of the light and of the day and ought to walk as the children of light and of the day This is Christs day which Abraham saw and rejoyced John 8. ver 56. John 8.56 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham your father rejoyced that he might see that my day Not only that he foresaw the time of Christ in the flesh though that also may be a truth as Abraham desired to see by vision or experience or some other way of revelation when or what manner of time the time of Christ should be when in spirit he desired a signe to assure him that he should possess the land of rest whereby the spiritual promises of God were signified For so he saith Lord how shall I know that I shall possess it Then God shewed him a vision Gen. 15.8 So that in that sense it may be a truth that Abraham then had seen that day of Christ But doubtless Abraham had seen Christs day in his soul and spirit and had obtained the rest of his soul even the day of Christ And this appears evidently by the following words Thou art not yet fifty years old say they and hast thou seen Abraham Our Lord answers Before Abraham was born I am Before Abraham was born so it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and
world that light of faith which precedes in our regress and return unto our God Deus lumen perfecit operibus suis 2. There follows Discrimen honestorum turpium that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Firmament dividing between those waters above and those waters beneath even that spirit of faith discerning whereby we know how to refuse the evil and choose the good to sever the spiritual and heavenly love from the carnal and earthly other wise the former as experience often proves would easily degenerate into the later Col. 2. v. 5. unless there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.5 A Firmament of faith and divine and spiritual wisdom to put difference between them 3. Thirdly there is a separation of the waters from the earth when the natural and sensual passions are gathered together and made subject to divine reason Then the minde free from sensual delights and other perturbations as the earth dryed from the waters must bring forth the Plants of Gods planting 4. Because the light must not be hid and put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that may give light to all and shine before men two great lights the Sun to rule the day even the great light by which we see God the light In lumine tuo videbimus lucem and the less light to rule the night even humane wisdom to guide us in the affairs of this life which is but as the night in regard of the day light of Heaven The Stars are examples of the holy ones they who turn many to righteousness who shine as the Stars Dan. 12. to whom the children of Abraham are compared Gen. 1 5. 5. Moving creatures the motions and inspirations of Gods Spirit The gifts and graces of the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charismata So one of the most ancient and pious Fathers understood that word By these we take the wings of a Dove and we flye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the face of the firmament by contemplation and elevation of the minde above all earthly things By these our soul escapes as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler 6. Then the earth brings forth the living souls even such as live unto God and are conformed unto him with whom God is so delighted that he approves it is good and cooperates with us saying Let us make Man after our image even male and female the female the thoughts 2 Cor. 11. which receive the seed of God A facie tua concepimus Domine peperimus spiritum salutis the male when he works according to grace received Thus the man being perfected is fruitful and multiplies and brings forth fruit and fills the earth even the earthly man with the gifts of Gods grace so that the heart and the flesh rejoyce in the living God Thus he brings under the earth and subdues it and all the beasts Thus the man after his six dayes egress returns and comes to the seventh and so both meet in the Sabbath the true rest Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness that remembers thee in thy wayes Behold the glorious patern propounded to our imitation even God himself God goes out of himself by six dayes or degrees and rests in the seventh and man goes out of himself by six dayes and he also rests in the seventh But whereas there are two things in rest considerable rest from something and rest in something this is the first rest even rest with Christ according to the flesh being armed with the same minde and dying to him The second rest is in Christ according to the Spirit even in the eighth day when we return again into God as our Lord saith John 16.28 I come forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to my Father For we are also come forth from the same Father Luke 3. ult Acts 17. into this troublesome world that we may return by the like six dayes and then finde our rest in God Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours in Christ to whom they live who are dead unto the world and then arise with Christ unto a better life even the resurrection and the life of the eighth day I am come that they might have life and have it in more abundance 2. Hitherto we have considered these seven dayes preceding the eighth with reference to Gods creation and according to their mysterie let us now consider them more plainly and in reference to our duty And so we read of six legal dayes or lights of the Law which must fit and prepare us and lead us unto the seventh and eighth day I read them in a very pious Author who is called Hiel and stiled by Arias Montanus who himself was a great light of his age Christianae veritatis viventis testis cui nomen ipsa Christi virtus veritas Hiel indidit a witness of the Christian living truth to whom the power and truth of Christ gave the name Hiel The first six lights he names in this order 1. The Light 2. The Hearing 3. The Understanding 4. Confession 5. Obediencè 6. Delight and Pleasure in the law of God Which we may illustrate thus We have the two former Prov. 20.12 The seeming eye and the hearing ear the Lord hath made them both Leah is labour which brings forth Reuben the son of light and Simeon the hearing in the humanity Out of the mouth of the Lord comes understanding Prov. 2.6 or wisdom which is to fear the Lord and to depart from evil Job 28.28 Then follows confession of sin which we now forsake and finde mercy whence we take courage to be obedient unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 So that by frequency of obedient actions we attain to delight in the law of God according to the inward man Rom. 7.22 This is that they call a good will which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vigil Eve or preparation for the Sabbath day or rest from sin which is the dawning of the eighth day when the day-Star ariseth in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 O ye free-born Israelites Who desire the appearing of the last day the great day of the feast of Tabernacles let us finish our six dayes works and keep the seventh a holy Sabbath a restraint a rest from all our sins 2 Pet. 3. v. 11.12.18 and hasten the coming or presence of the eighth day the day of God in all holy conversations and godlinesses So shall the Day-Star arise in our hearts and the Son of God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take up his Tabernacle with us To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity 2 Pet. 3.18 Deuteronomy These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan Deut. 1. ver 1 2. in the Wilderness in the Plain over against the Red Sea between Paran and Toph l and Laban and Hazeroth
their parents They are a part of them and therefore they fear all evil that may befal them as incident unto themselves 2. Of children the males commonly take up most of their parents affections Your sons because these carry their fathers name and propagate it unto posterity These build up their fathers house and family whence they have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to build 3. Of children and males the little ones and of little ones the least takes up most of their parents cares the word is here in the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parvulus your little one which is here rendred little ones So careful was Jacob for Joseph the yongest and afterward for little Benjamin 4. See from hence what is our Primitive estate the state of innocency the not knowing of good and evil otherwise then God knowes it the good as to love it and do it the evil as to hate it and avoid it Thus not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man is made So Solomon saith that God made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man upright and its evident it must be understood of man in general for it followes But they have found out many inventions Eccles 7.29 Yea how can man be said to be fallen man unless we first have stood 5. Take notice hence what is the fallen mans estate The knowledge of good and evil The knowledge of the good and holding it captive under the evil the disobedient knowledge of what is holy just and good The knowledge of the evil the obeying unrighteousness Rom. 2.8 6. Observe what good education of children there was among the people of God and that under evil parents All under twenty years are here called little ones and they retained their innocency so that they had not known good and evil Such a little one was Saul in the beginning of his reign innocent as a childe of one year old 1 Sam. 13.1 as the Paraphrast improves the Hebraism and the Lord tels Samuel and he saith to Saul when thou wert little in thine own eyes c. 1 Sam. 15.17 If evil fathers love their children care for them procure good for them how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things Matth. 7.11 Yea his holy Spirit Luke 11.13 unto his children who ask it of him 2. The Lord saith your little ones which ye said should be a prey and your sons which in that day had not known good and evil they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it These words contain the Lords frustration and disappointment of the unbelieving and rebellious fathers fears and cares touching their little ones for whom their heavenly Father provides better The sins of evil parents shall not prejudice or hurt their children as to their entrance into the heavenly countrey Note hence the qualification of those who shall enter into the holy land even the little ones even they who have not known the good and the evil Such little ones not knowing good and evil we have been innocent simple without malice humble and obedient 1 Cor. 14.20 But when we grow up from this childehood we lose our innocency become subtil crafty malicious prowd disobedient and so we are excluded out of the holy land for none such inherit it 1 Cor. 6.9 10. The holy Spirit could as well have expressed it self in the plural and it had been more proper to this place had it intended only a literal meaning of these words Our Lord saith that our little one and our sons shall go in c. There is one in us and he a little one whom we know not Joh. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humble and lowly and little in his own eyes and the Teacher of littleness Matth. 11. whom we have esteemed stricken smitten of God and afflicted Esay 53. even exposed as a prey to the roaring Lion and such as are the sons born of the everlasting Father For what one man is he who shall chase a thousand Josh 23.10 Who when he ariseth scatters all his enemies Psal 68.1 He is the guide and Captain of all his little ones who know not good and evil This is that one who obtaines the prize and all his little ones through him 1 Cor. 9.24 Let us strive to enter into the promised land It s the same exhortation in the type and figure which our Lord Jesus gives to his Disciples under another metaphore when he exhorts us to strive to enter in at the strait gate We are estrang'd from the womb and turnd backward full and swollen big with the knowledge of good and evil 1 Cor. 8.1 2. And so we proceed and flatter our selves in our knowing knowledge and thereby justifie our selves when all this while we are more and more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alien'd from the life of God while we think our selves neer unto it yea partakers of it Thus the Cynic wittily reproved the Stoicks whom they laughed at because he walked backward in their School Ye jeer me saith he but think your selves wise who go backward in your life A tart retorsion and a true one And therefore there is a necessity of rav'ling all our partial work Our Lord assures us of this Matth. 18 v. 3. Matth. 18.3 Verily I say unto you except ye be converted or turn'd about and become as little children ye shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven Wherefore let us pray to the Lord that he will set that little one in the midst of us that we may be renewed in the spirit of our minde that we may put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that created him that so we may become fools in this world that we may be wise that we may become little ones like that little one that we may know the good and the evil as God knowes it That we may so run so strive that we may obtain That we may enter into the holy land and receive the kingdom of heaven as little ones through the little one the heir of the kingdom Jesus Christ our Lord. NOHMATOMAXI'A OR The Conflict with Evil Thoughts SERMON XII Deuteronomie 2. ver 24. Rise ye up take your journey and pass over the river Arnon Behold I have given into thy hand Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land Begin to possess it and contend with him in battle THese words are part of a Military Oration whereby the Lord of hosts exhorts and stirs up Israel to engage themselves in war against Sihon King of Heshbon and thereto he encourageth them by a free gift of him and his land into their power Wherein we have 1. A forcible cohortation adhortation or manifold exhortation 2. A powerful inducement and motive perswading thereunto The exhortation is 1. Preparatory to the war Rise ye
joyn'd and continued unto him as one with him 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agglutinatus glued as it were and intimately united unto the Lord he is one spirit the Syriac adds with him And therefore it must needs be irksom and painful to part from him as a bone dis-joynted and parted from its bone so the word in Jer. 6.8 signifies as the Translators acknowledge in the margent and it is so used Gen. 32.24 And indeed it most concerns us and in all reason we should be most sensible of it when our soul is dislocated and out of joynt and so it is when the Lord departs from it because we have first departed from him And therefore he complains Ezech. 6.9 I am broken with your whorish heart that hath departed from me And therefore the Lord out of his great love seems sensible of such paines as accompany dis-joynting or wounding or breaking of the body part from part Wherefore the Lord out of intense love exhorts us Be instructed or corrected or instruct thy self O Jerusalem Ne avellatur anima mea so Arias Montanus turns it lest my soul be violently pluckt away from thee as unwilling yet forced by thee to depart from thee And what will come of it lest I make thee as a Desart a wasted desolate land not inhabited These words must not depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life Thou hast no warrant to neglect the heeding of thy self or keeping of thy soul no not one day of thy life The reason is 1. Our God is the God of all our times all our dayes 2. His words are the words of this life Acts 5.20 Be exhorted O Israel only to take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the words which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life Solomon having exhorted his son or disciple to heed his words and give attention to his sayings Prov. 4.20 well knowing the common guise of hearers to let what they hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slip or drop like water thorow a riven dish as that word properly signifies Hebr. 2.1 he adviseth his son to beware lest the wicked cause these words to depart from his eyes For so the word is in Hiphil and requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood out of the verse before Prov. 4. v. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne recedere faciant let not the wicked cause them to depart from thine eyes but that he keep them in his heart as an hidden treasure laid up in the midst of his heart as most dear unto him This keeping of them will not be in vain for they are words of life to those who finde them v. 22. And whereas some Physical Receipt may be soveraign for the cure of some one or other disease this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Receipt or received doctrine as he calls it ver 2. of of that Chapter it s a Catholicon an universal medicine its health to all their flesh Which is literally and really true for the healing doctrine of the Word 1 Tim. 1. v. 10. as the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 1.10 not only restraines the concupiscible from all excess and riot from all surfeting and drunkenness from all chambering and wantonness all foolish and hurtful lusts which betray the soul unto these exorbitancies but it moderates also the passions of the irafcible as anger fierceness indignation desire of revenge vain fears vain hopes Which spiritual maladies the learned Physitians in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly declare to be the causes of many bodily diseases But though the words of wisdom be attended unto though laid up in the heart yea in the midst of the heart yet unless the heart it self be well kept we are in danger to forget the words which our eyes have seen and they will depart from our heart To prevent so great an evil its needful that we learn an Art of memory a method and way to keep these words For certainly by corrupt nature we are not able to keep them Herein we must proceed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somewhat that hinders must be removed and some positive helpful means used 1. As for the former I shall name some impediments of the natural memory and the removal of them with Analogy unto spiritual hindrances and removal of them also The corrupt animal spirit hurts the natural memory And many unclean spirits there are which destroy the remembrance of those words which our eyes have seen One ye read of in Mark 1. Yea Mark 5.2 there 's a whole Legion of them in one man who dwels in the tombs even in dead works He cannot be bound with the bands and fetters of the Law but he breaks them and casts them away Psal 2. Such unclean spirits ye read of who have destroyed the memory of God and his Word extreamly in these last dayes Revel 16.13 14. Jer. 23.14.27 How needful therefore is it to discern of the spirits whether they be of God or not 1 John 4. 2. The Physitians say Delirium phrenitis causat oblivionem when the reason is lost the memory is lost 'T is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guide and rudder of the soul The Prodigal for this reason forgat his fathers house as it is evident from hence that afterward he is said to come to himself Luke 15. 3. A third hurt of the memory is said to be negotiorum moles incombrance with many businesses Mark 4.19 the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things choak the word And therefore the Apostle exhorts us to lay aside every weight and the sin that besets us in every circumstance Hebr. 12.1 4. That which they say helps the natural memory hurts the spiritual namely images For experience hath proved that hereby forgetfulness of God and divine things hath crept into the Church of God Hereby the antient people of God were extreamly deceived They made an Idol to help their memory of God and thereby the lost it Psal 106.19 20 21. They made a Calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image c. Then followes they forgat God their Saviour And it is a vain impiety to set men to look Pictures and Images of God the Father Son and Spirit which draw down the thoughts from conceiving a-right of God to be a Spirit unto corporeal and sensible things 2. Come we to positive helps Certain it is Quae curamus meminimus Those things which we take heed unto and take care of those even when we are old we remember especially when we fasten them in our souls by meditation on them day and night Psal 1. They are wont to preserve the natural memory with certain ointments applyed to the head Such a spiritual unction we receive from the holy One 1 John 2.20 which remembers us of all that ever we
virtutis nihil energiae quicquam sunt habitura Quod enim à carne oritur id etiam caro est dicente Domino quod autem est à spiritu profectum id ipsum etiam spiritus est Neque locutus unquam priùs ad populum propheta quà m verbum Domini ad populum venisse memoratur Ita fiet uti qui loquimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proque ut ipse spiritus eloqui dat eloquamur Acts 2.4 1 Pet. 4.11 At à Clero tandem sermonem ad populum convertamus O Israel take these same words to heart and let them be in thine heart and whet them sharpen them inculcate and repeat them often to thy sons These same words for want of use are become even rusty they have been laid by and out of the way as unprofitable and useless things are cast into a corner and not at all regarded 2 Kings 22.8 Hilkiah the high Priest found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord and he tels Shaphan of it as of a strange thing The book of the Law had been lost all the reign of Manasseh and Amon Cum blattis tinis it lay among the Worms and Moths and now in the time of Josiah Hilkiah findes it And truly it is even so All the time that Manasseh and Amon reigns while we forforget the Lord and are true to our own false knowledge and the lusts of our own hearts ther 's Manasseh and Amon the book of the Law is lost forgotten and quite out of minde it lies as commonly our Bibles do all the week long upon the dusty shelf till the first peal remembers us to keep the Sabbath with it But when Josiah the fire and spirit of the Lord rules that 's Josiah then Hilkiah that Divinae particula aurae that portion of the Lord in us findes the book of the Law and brings it out of the dust and rust and rubbish of forgetfulness The book of Gods Law is become like an old Statute repeald and out of date so saith the Psalmist They have made void thy law Psal 119.126 And therefore he saith its time for the Lord to work In the dayes of Josiah the fire and spirit of the Lord the law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord its furbished and made bright It comes out of Sion its sharpned and made fit to pierce and cut Hebr. 4.12 these same words are sharp to prick unto the heart and as a two edged sword to cut off the known sin and the false righteousness both the outward and inward iniquity the filthiness both of flesh and spirit And blessed be the Lord there are in these dayes of Josiah in the dayes of the spirit some who are pricked to the heart with these same sharp words Acts 2.37 who have suffered unto blood striving against sin whom these same words have pierced and let-out the life-blood of sin and iniquity and lodged themselves in their hearts And these are as Noah and his family were before the deluge O Israel save thy self from the untoward generation while the preaching of Gods true righteousness lasteth The overflowing scourge certainly draweth nigh 2 Kings 23. Ye read of the reformation that Josiah had made and many no doubt had received these same words as for Josiah himself let them who say that these same words are impossibie read and be ashamed to read what effect they had in him v. 25. He turnd to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the law of Moses Notwithstanding maugre all that glorious reformation mark what the Scripture saith ver 26. Nevertheless the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah 2 Kings 23. v. 26. because of all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrathful provocations wherewith Manasseh had wrathfully provoked him And may not we justly expect that for the sin of Manasseh for our forgetfulness of these same words the fierceness of Gods great wrath will be kindled against us also If the real reformation of Josiah could not avert the anger of the Lord shall our hypocritical and pretended reformation turn his wrath away The Lord will not cleanse him who takes his Name in vain as hath been shewen And will he convert them Amos 2. v. 4. or give them repentance who continue in their sins and in contempt of these same words The Prophet assures us from the Lord For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turn them or cause them to repent because they have despised the law of the Lord and not kept the Commandements but their eyes have caused them to erre after which their fathers have walked Such traditional lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have caused our Judah to erre as that the Law is impossible to be performed yea by those who are in Christ c. Remember what the Lord saith Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering Sword and my hand take hold on judgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me c. And certainly that of Psal 7.12 is most true if he turn not if the man who hath forgotten his God and these same words and returns not unto God and to his fear as the Chald. Paraphrast explaines it if he admit not these same words to be sharpned upon him the Lord will whet his Sword pierce him to the heart and cut off his iniquities he hath bent his Bow and made it ready O Israel Because the Lord saith he will do thus and thus let us timely prevent him let us prepare to meet our God O Israel Let us return unto him Let us believe in the mighty power of our God who will enable us to do all these same words Phil. 4.13 and write them in our hearts Hebr. 8.10 Let us believe the doctrine of the old holy Fathers who taught that if any one should say that God commands any thing impossible let him be accursed Let us unbelieve the traditions received from our forefathers of yesterday who taught their sons a Lesson quite contrary to these same words and let us say with that believing Father Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help mine unbelief Lord help us to unbelieve the false principles received from our late fathers Help us to believe in Christ thy power enabling us to do thy will This is the doctrine of the holy Church received from the antient holy Fathers And this doctrine hath been delivered unto this Church whose sons we are in many of her Homilies and her pious Liturgie Let us conclude with one or other of her prayers one in Prose That all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do alwayes that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us adde one also in Meeter commanded by the authority of the Church to be used and accordingly practised in
warning Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed or chasten your selves yee Judges of the earth The spirit of God in David Psal 2. v. 10. Matth. 20. v. 25. well fore-saw that the Kings and Princes of the earth would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 20.25 Domineer and Abuse their authority over Christs Church So Beza well renders those words by Dominari and Licentiâ uti Yea and that some mistaking their honourable and holy calling to be made Kings and Priests unto God Revel 1.6 would forget their duty to Kings and Potentates on earth And therefore the Apostle exhorts Titus to remember them or put them in mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be subject to principalities and powers Tit. 3. v. 1. 2 Esd 15. v. 16. to be obedient Tit. 3.1 Which also the Lord foretells unto Esdras that there should be inconstabilitio unsetledness not sedition as our Translators turn that word among men and invading one another that they would not regard their Kings and Princes and the course of their actions should stand in their power 2. Esd 15.16 which we finde in part to be fulfilled And it is to be wished that the Kings and Judges of the earth be wise and curb and chastise their exorbitant wills lest they fall under the contempt of their peoples and they regard them not The Horse in time may know his strength Hence they are justly to be blamed who out of their humane providence and voluntary humility will not allow the great God so demit empty and abase himself as to petition and entreat but out of the pride of their own hearts they dispense and fashion the dealings of God with men and they will have him onely Require and command not request and entreat as here he doth Of this stamp are many of the present generation who out of pretence of an high esteem of God Esay 57. v. 15. and Christ and their eminencies will not suffer the Deity it self to take up its residence in the holy Church and people of God but will have such expressions of Gods or Christs dwelling in his Saints and people to be understood of the Influence of Gods graces Thus when the Lord saith I dwell in the high and holy even with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones This in-dwelling of God must according to these mens doctrin be understood of the influence of Gods grace And the like meaning they will have of that speach of the Prophet Psal 90. v. 1. O Lord Thou hast been a dwelling for us in generation and generation that must be by the influence of his grace So they understand Joh. 14.23 and many like Scriptures Thus the most gratious and endeering expressions of Gods and Christs favourable presence being and abiding in us and with us are eluded and made void by their influence a term knowen in Astrology but denyed to be in nature of late dayes by men of like spirit with those who have promoted it unto Divinity where it was never knowen untill a new generation of men of late dayes pointed them to God and Christ neerer to them then they were aware of as Jacob said the Lord was in this place and I knew not Gen. 28.16 And Iohn Baptist tells the Priests and Levites sent unto him Joh. 1.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath stood in the midst of you whom ye have not known John 1. v. 26. Thus at this day men of John Baptists dispensation tell the Priests and Levites that Christ hath long been in them yea crucified in them Gal. 3.1 which our Translators turn among you the words are Gal. 3. v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crucified in you And know ye not your selves that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 But these men are too high to learn any thing of Johns Disciples they have otherwise learnd Christ whom they understand only either according to his humane person and history or as their new phrase is the influence of his graces so that what S. Paul cals the mystery hid from ages and generations but now made manifest to his Saints To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery in the Gentiles which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ in you the hope of glory All this to which the Apostle makes so large a Preface and prepares the Colossians and us for expectation of a mystery it s still a mysterie to these men and reputed no more then the influence of Christs grace Col. 1.27 The Heathen Poets had a better and more clear understanding of the Divine Presence then these men Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo God is in us he moving we grow hot Nor can it be truly said of God that he is omnipresent unless his Essence and being be every where with his creatures He no doubt thought so who said Praesentemque refert quaelibet herba Deum Even every Herb speaks God present with it Whence we may reason à fortiori That if God be present with every herb of the field how much more with his Creatures of a more eminent degree in nature according to that of S. Paul He gives to all life and breath and all things and hath made of one blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17. v. 26. every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth c. that they should seek the Lord if haply they may feel after him and finde him though he be not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our being How is this to be understood but by his essential and beingly presence For although that old verse Enter praesenter Deus hîc ubique potenter seem to distinguish the omnipresence of Gods power from his essence and being yet where ever his power is he himself is essentially present That rule in Metaphysicks may convince them of this Ens dependens non potest abesse ab independente ne momento quidem temporis That the dependent being cannot be absent from the independent no not a moment of time Whence we may recollect and infer forcibly thus much that if the divine presence be with every creature how much more with that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The creature Mark 16.15 Col. 1.23 and compendium and breviate of all the creatures And if he be essentially present with that creature how much more doth he afford his gracious presence and not only the presence of his grace unto those his excellent ones who are partakers of his divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and his new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 All which if duly considered what can we judge of these mens seeming modesty but that it is a voluntary chosen and groundless humility And that whereas some of them despightfully term
saith unto him walk before me and be perfect Gen. 17.1 Implying that he had given him strength to obey all the affirmative precepts as indeed he did For the Lord himself testifies so much Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge my Commandements my Statutes and my Lawes Gen. 26.5 Yea are there not 365. negative Precepts answering to the same number of sinews and ligaments in a mans body as the skilful Anatomists affirm and by like spiritual ligatures the strengthes and powers of the inward man are united and bound together Ephes 4.26 Col. 2.19 that when the powers of the inward man are united and bone joyned unto its bone the spirit may enter into the body so joyned together Ezech. 37.10 and the whole man may be compleated and perfected as our Lord saith John 7.23 He made the man every whit sound on the Sabbath day when men rest from their own workes and work the works of God even in that acceptable year of the Lord figured by the like number of dayes 365. The Lord having given so many affirmative and negative Commandements he contracts them unto ten which are the Decalogue or ten better known then practised Commandements of God SER. XV. and the radical precepts unto which the whole number of affirmative and negative commandements being 613 are reduced and wherein virtually they are contained Yea and as there are six hundred and thirteen affirmative and negative Precepts so there are the same number of Letters in the Ten Commandements And so every letter in the Decalogue imports one precept So that after a sort all the affirmative and negative precepts are comprehended in the Decalogue This is the supputation of the Cabalists reported by Georgius Venetus which I leave to the examination and judgement of others Only thus much we may note that as the multitude of sins occasioned the multitude of precepts so God in mercy contracts the number of his lawes according as his people cease from their sinnes Now whereas this book of Deuteronomy was called by the learned Jewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Book of Reproofs or Rebukes Prov. 15. v. 32. the people being probably amended by their rebukes according to Prov. 15.32 He who is obedient to reproof is possessing an heart that is getting understanding And the argument of this Book answering in many parts of it to the Gospel unto which when Israel now became obedient the Lord was pleased to contract his Ten Commandements to half their number even to five requests And upon supposal of Israels increase and improvement of their obedience the Lord diminisheth the number of his Commandements Whence it is that we read that the Commandements reduced unto four Zach. 8.16.17 These are the things or words which ye shall do 1. Speak yee every man truth to his neighbour Zach. 8. v. 16 17. 2. Judg truth and the judgment of peace in your gates 3. And let none of you think evill against his neighbour in his heart 4. And love ye not an oath of falshood For all these are things which I hate Which yet another Prophet abbridgeth unto three Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed unto thee O man what is good Mich. 6. v. 8. and what is the Lord seeking of thee or from thee but 1. To do judgement 2. To love mercy and 3. Humble thy self to walk with thy God Our Lord Jesus yet shortens the number of the Commandements and brings them to two 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy minde or rather reasoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the minde Mens hath the name from resting but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports discoursing and reasoning this is the first and great Commandement But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn and the second is like unto it 2. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self There is reason why our Lord should use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. in regard of him who moved the question a Pharisee v. 34 35. That sect as it is notoriously known like the Pharisees of our dayes pretended much to the first Table and the love of God but little regarded the second Table and the love of their neighbour Wherefore out Lord having satisfied the Pharisees question touching the first and great Commandement The love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unexpectedly he infers the second The love of our neighbour which our Lord knew to be more needful for the Pharisees as it is for those of the same faction in our dayes This was the reason why our Lord directed the Pharisaical yong man to the duties of the second Table only Matth. 19.18 19. Mark 10.19 The Commandements can be but once more contracted viz. unto one and that 's done by S. Paul Rom. 13.9 10. He that loves another hath fulfilled the Law c. And this is the end of the Commandement even love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 and that which advanceth the chief good even thy good O Israel That 's the last Axiom in these words 9. The Lord entreats and Moses commands these duties for good for thy good O Israel When we read that our God entreats us to fear him walking in all his wayes love him serve him and keep his Commandements and his statutes and further that Moses Commands all these we might think that God and Moses had some notable ends upon us That God would not request nor Moses require these duties of us but for their own great advantage Whereas indeed the end whereat all these aime which the Lords entreates and Moses's commands tend unto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Good at which all things indeed aim or ought to aim Finis bonum convertuntur good is as large as the end and the end is as large as goodness So great an end or reward there is in keeping the Commandements Psal 19.11 And in this end where at all the whole creation aimes or ought to aim the good of Israel is involved And therefore there is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thee or for thy good thine advantage as that word signifies which is a more full expression then that our Translators give for thy good Whence it appears that the obedience to the Commandements of God is comprehended in true self-love For as the beginning of the Christian Religion is self-denial denial of the false self-love Luke 9.23 So the end of it consists in the true self-love when we fear the Lord our God and walk in all his wayes and love him and serve him with all our heart and with all our soul and keep his Commandements and his Statutes for good for our selves What an easie precept is it Love thy self And that 's the end of this Text. Does the Lord entreat us petition us yea beg all this of us and that for good for our own good O Israel Does Moses
ingredient of all the Christian mans actions that pretious tincture that turns all it touches into gold as they say Midas did And what ever wants this divine tincture of holy love t is like the Terra damnata t is nothing worth Hence the Apostles general advise is Let all your things be done in charity 1 Cor. 16.14 A rule so necessary that the very best and greatest duties otherwise performed whether towards God or towards our neighbour are of no value in the sight of God 1 Cor. 13. I shall adde no more motives Let us rather come to discover our love to the Lord our God whether we keep this Commandement or not 1. The love of God proceeds from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 How then canst thou love thy God when thou sayest thy heart cannot be pure And how can thy faith be unfeigned when thou believest not that thou art able to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 2. Love will suffer nothing to intervene or separate us from the party we love that may hinder our union Love knits unites and makes one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is continued is one Our love unto God unites us and makes us one with him according to our Saviours prayer John 17.21 and that of the Apostle he who is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Such love of our God will not endure any mixture of what is contrary to our God And therefore S. Paul having exhorted to sincerity of love which is required even in the lowest degree of it as hath been shewen Let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 he presently adds Abhor that which is evil Sincerity of love unto our God will not endure any corrival any thing or person to share with our God in our love of him How then canst thou say thou lovest the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and keepest all that Commandement when yet thou knowest that thou lovest thy pleasures more then thou lovest thy God when thou knowest thou lovest the world and the things of this world Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses Know ye not that the friendship of the world is the enmity of God Jam. 4.4 So the Greek text hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is made an enemy of God Wouldst thou believe thy wife should she say she loved thee whilest she prostitutes her self unto another man And wilt thou pretend to be the loving Spouse of thy Maker yet love his enemy 3. The love of God puts us upon such works as he loves Whence the Apostle This saith he is the love of God that we keep his Commandements It puts us upon the love of our neighbour Love works no evil to his neighbour Rom. 13.10 Ad populum Phaleras Away with all trappings and false pretences of love without the reality of it Good discourse and holy conference proceeding from a life worthy of God and a heart and soul which loves God is an edge which pierceth to the assimilating of others unto it self Such a soul edifies and conveighs grace to the hearers For charity edifies not knowledge not holy talk without it The Pharisees of old knew very much of God and his Word and wayes and spake very much of God And they of all others most reasoned with our Lord concerning God and his truth But our Lord tells them I know that ye have not the love of God in you John 5.42 And we may say the like of the Pharisees of our time They are great talkers of God and of Religion and indeed would seem to be the onely people of God and to know all things knowable They are indeed the true Amorites great Talkers and most bitter men in their invectives against all who are not of their opinion as no wise man is And therefore we may know that they have not the love of God in them They have a knowing knowledge or such as reflects upon it self as the Apostle saith we know that we all have knowledge This knowledge puffs men up and makes them proud but charity edifies 1 Cor. 8.1.2 That knowing knowledge is the dust the food of the Serpentine generation according to their doom Gen. 3.14 which the Prophet Esay 65.25 tells us must be fulfilled in these last dayes a food wherewithal they so glut themselves that there is no place left for the love of God in them Therefore Jehu cuts off and destroyes the knowing knowledge so the Chald. Paraphrast renders 2 Kings 9.8 Every one that pisseth against the wall all the knowing knowledge which excludes the love of God For so the true Jehu Hebr. 1. v. 12. who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui est a type of Christ Hebr. 1.12 Thou art He for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat aliquid divinitatis saith Galatinus it imports somewhat of the Divinity And therefore Scaliger having reckoned up many names of God concludes them all with Ipse He. This spiritual Jehu destroyes all the false the knowing disobedient knowledge which is the true spiritual inward Antichrist and consumes him with the spirit of his mouth and destroyes him with the brightness of his coming or presence 2 Thes 2.8 Psal 90. v. 12. And therefore Moses the man of God prayes Psal 90.12 that the Lord would teach him to number his dayes that he might bring unto him a wise heart so the words signifie not a wise not a subtil crafty head not a strong head-piece as they call it Let us name some means and helps to advance this great duty 1. The fear of God is the beginning of his love Ecclus 1.14 And that fear drives out the evil And when the love of God is brought into the soul it makes a compleat separation from the sin O ye that love the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is evil Psal 97.10 2. Whatsoever thou seest amiable and lovely in the creature love it wholly for God and in order unto God the Creator of it How shall that be done When thou seest ravishing Beauty in the Creature reason thus O how much more beautiful is my God who created this Beauty When thou seest great strength think how much more strong is He who is the Power Mark 14.62 Thou lovest wealth consider how much better is it to be rich towards God! Or thou art desirous of Honour Reason thus How much more excellent is the honour that comes of God only Thou lovest Pleasures but think how much more satisfying and durable are the pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore 3. Pray we unto the Lord that he will be pleased to circumcise our hearts that we may love him with all our heart and with all our soul that we may live Deut. 30.6 For the advancement of this divine and eternal life and kingdom of God there are who point us unto faith only But beside it
and violence of passions wherewithall the carnall man is lead or driven the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Esau thinks he shall die if he have not his Mess of Pottage Gen. 25. 5. Observe how poor and beggerly the carnall man is how he wants all temporall things For although he has many things yet he cannot be said to be rich for he is not rich who possesseth many things but he who wanteth not But the earthly carnal man is allwayes needy alwayes of an having disposition alwayes lusting 6 Hence note the deplorable condition of all those who have not the Spirit of God to give check and curb to their exorbitant and unruly affections and lusts Axiom 2. The Spirit lusts against the flesh What Spirit is here to be understood Surely according to the difference of men answer is here to be made For that Spirit of the natural man that is in him lusts against the flesh and the lusts of it whence it is that by nature he does the things of the law Rom. 2. But the Apostle wrote here unto the Galathians who had received the Spirit of God in some measure as appeares Gal. 3.2 The reason is that it may give check to the natural motions This we may understand by the story that Jacob took Esau by the heel Jacob is a figure of the heavenly man Esau or Edom of the earthly man Now such is the goodness of the heavenly man He suffers not the earthly to break forth and to have his whole liberty to do what he lists or to have his full swinge He struggles with him before and though he break out yet he apprehends him and layes hold on him and stayes him in his carreer he limits his proceedings he binds him with cords of the law Psal 2. And when he breakes them and casts them from him he so hedges him in with one impediment or other that he cannot freely pursue his lusts Hos 2.5.6.7 When notwithstanding he breaks the hedg and committes a trespass and builds up himself with strong reasonings 2 Cor. 10. Edom shall build saith the Lord but I will destroy Malach. 1.4 So that he who sins freely and without remorse or cheek hath broken through manifold lets and hindrances hath broken the hedg of providence about him and is a great trespasser 3. The flesh indeed lusteth against the Spirit but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Such is the goodness of God unto men He hath not left us to be governed by our carnal appetites Wherefore take heed that we be not deceived with the error of the wicked who contrary to the lusting of the Spirit follow the lusts of their flesh and for a short and momentary seeming present good part with the incorruptible and eternal good 4. These are contrary the one to the other Here is than a cruel and long-lasting inward war The parties contending Satan the father of lies the son of perdition and the Spirit of error against the God and father of Jesus Christ the true God the Son the Saviour and the Spirit of truth Here are flesh and it's lusts contending against the Spirit and the will of God Here is engaged darkness against light death against life Reason against reason will against will It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war wherein the parties can never be reconciled one must be subdued and overcome But what do they quarrel for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for a toy or trifle no the Harlot Iniquity hunts for the pretious soul the business concerns life thy life yea the eternal life the life of God This discovers a most dangerous mistake and that in a business of the greatest moment in the World and yet which is most of all to be lamented daily and almost universally practised The lucts of the flesh are our deadly enemies yet most men account them their dearest friends The wills and lustings of the Spirit are indeed our nearest friends yet are these accounted by most men their greatest enemies The man carries his most malitious enemies and his best friends about him his sinful flesh with the lusts of it the Evil one the Boutefeu and Incendiary who blows the fire of concupiscence to kindle his lusts and appetites in the sinful flesh He has also Christ and his Spirit revealing and requiring and enabling to do the will of God These adverse contraries so diametrically opposite one to other cannot but act one against the other Exod. 2. Moses grown great smote the Egyptian the next day Moses reproved the Hebrew that did his brother wrong But do we look for these things without us These things are or may be daily acted in us There is an old tradition that one of the Thieves crucified with our Lord was an Egyptian a black Thief this was the Evil Thief the other an Edomite a red Thief whom they call the good Thief The former the black Thief the Egyptian the sin perished the Edomite the first man of the Earth was saved These things works the mortifying spirit of the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.13 This justly reproves those who follow their own carnal lusts against the dictates of their own reason which perswades the contrary like her who said Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor Reuben the son of vision saw the Holy Land and approved it that it was good yet he chose to live on this side Jordan he was taken with Id bruti that was good for cattle Numb 32. What can companions of Fools hope or such as follow their foolish lusts but destruction Prov. 13.20 Not only the Fools but also the companion of Fools shall be destroyed 5. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that we may not do the things of the flesh which otherwise we would do In these words lies the principal difference between the two Translations And that especially in two things 1. Whether cannot or may not be the better translation 2. What 's here meant by the things that we would do As to the first we must know that there is no Verb in the Greek Text here that answers to cannot or may not but that is only a signe of a Mood in our English tongue as all learned in the Greek tongue easily understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly what are the things that we would do where the Text saith The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that ye cannot or may not do the things that ye would Surely either both the things which both flesh and Spirit lust for or some one of them If both the things which the flesh and Spirit lust for then by reason of the contrarietys of flesh and Spirit a man comes off hardly in the performing the lusts either of the flesh or of the Spirit He cannot or may not freely do the things that he would which the flesh lusts for because the Spirit lusts against the flesh And he cannot freely do the things that he would which the Spirit lusts for because the flesh lusts against
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven V. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven is perfect Chap. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Chap. 10.24 25. The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord It is enough for the disciple that he be as master c. Matth. 11.30 For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Matth. 12.50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother sister and mother Matth. 19.17 But if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements 21. Jesus said unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast c. Matth. 21.9 Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Mark 2.17 They that are whole have no need of the Physitian but they that are sick c. Luke 11.36 If thy whole body be full of light having no part dark the whole shall be full of light John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandements And Chap. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.6 We speak wisdom among them that are perfect v. 16. We have the minde of Christ 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Phil. 1.6 That he which hath been beginning a good work in you will throughly finish it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ enabling me Col. 1.25 Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfil the word of God V. 28. Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Chap. 4.12 Epaphras alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God 1 Thess 4.1 Furthermore then we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more Chap. 5.23 The Very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness c. James 1.4 But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and and entire wanting nothing 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 1 John 2.1 My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not c. Chap. 4.17 Herein is love with us made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement Because as he is so are we in this world After this Catalogue might be gathered another as large yea larger speaking the same truth and yet another most large proving by consequence the same things And after that a fourth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of mystical names in Scripture also types figures and parabolical and symbolical speeches all which being opened hold forth and evidence the very same things Nor ought this to seem strange since God himself is with us in the work as appears 2 Cor. 13.11 Finally Brethren rejoyce be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you As also because since perfection is the end of all the holy Scripture For 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness THAT the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work 1 Pet. 5.10 Now the God of all grace who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen 1 Pet. 5. FINIS A Table of the Sermons contained in this Book their Titles and their Texts 1. THe Law and the Gospel preached from the beginning Gen. 3. v. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thine Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Pag. 9. 2. The Law and Gospel preached unto Cain Gen. 4. v. 7. If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sin lieth at the door and unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Pag. 31. 3. Noah's Legacy to his sons Gen. 9.26 27. And he said Blessed be the Lord God of Shem And Canaan shall be his servant God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant 4. On the same Text. 5. Imputation of best reputation Gen. 15. v. 5 6. And he brought him forth abroad and said Look now towards heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be And he believed in the Lord and he counted it unto him for righteousness Pag. 135. 6. A prudent wise is of the Lord. Gen. 24. v. 44. And she say to me Both drink thou and I will also draw for thy Camels let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my Masters son Pag. 161. 7. The dressing of and due address unto the Paskal Lamb Exod. 12. v. 9. Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all with water but rost with fire his head with his legs and with the appurtenance thereof Pag. 203. 8. Gods meeting with men in their own way Levit. 26. v. 27.28 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me but walk contrary unto me then will I walk contrary unto you also in fury Pag. 323. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Dispensor of divine mysteries Numb 4. v. 19 20. When they approach unto the most holy things Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die Pag. 375. 10. God keeps his time though men be out of tune Numb 14. v. 34. After the number of the dayes in which ye searched the