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
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
well answer the Metaphore Col. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render having devested unclothed or uncased the hypocritical spiritual wickednesses the Principalities and Powers the evil Spirits which clothe themselves with shewes of piety and fit themselves with a garb sutable to those whom they would deceive As the Serpent took upon him the habit of a Friend when he tempted Eve as knowing that Tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen a safe and frequent way it is by friendship to deceive Our Lord therefore pulls off his Mantle of Hypocrisie devests him discovers him and exposeth him stark naked and makes him known to be such as he is And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3.1 may be as well rendred naked as subtil For t is as true though the other signification better fit that place that the Serpent is more naked then all the beasts of the field as having no clothing of his own but as a Stage-player so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies he suits himself as becomes the person whom be would represent and according to the humour of such as he lies in wait to deceive This Metaphore is rather here used by the Apostle as having respect to the Cross immediately before mentioned because Malefactors among the Romans of old were crucified naked There are many such oversights as these in the Translation which yet are more tolerable then those which pervert the sense of the Scripture as in Supplements It s true indeed that in the Hebrew tongue there are some genuine defects proper to that language As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyes the want of a Verb. There are also other Syncategoremata or Consignificants without which an Axiom and consequently truth and falshood cannot or at least not fully be expressed And therefore these of necessity must be supplyed But beside these there hath been a liberty taken by the Rabbins of conjecturing that so or so a word ought to be rendred in this or that place when yet no other reason appears why it should be so read This they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conjecture This liberty is taken oftentimes by our Translators as when they adde or take away or invert and change the order of the words Wee shall meet with examples of all these kindes I shall name one of each and leave the courteous Reader to his own observation of other like Of the first kinde Matth. 20. v. 23. Mark 10. v. 40. is what we read Matth. 20.23 To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father This Translation makes our Lord absolutely to deny that he hath any power to give the honour of sitting at his right hand and left and so they rob the Lord Jesus of his Regalia his Royalties and those honours which he hath right and authority to bestow 2. Besides they wholly discourage the followers of the Lord Jesus For what Souldier will follow that Commander in Chief who neither is at present able nor for the future will be able to reward him Saul knew what was a prevalent motive with such men 1 Sam. 22.7 Will the son of Jesse give unto every one of you Fields or Vineyards and make you all Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds And if the true son of Jesse that is the Being it self Christ the Captain of our salvation Heb. 2. profess plainly to his Souldiers that it is not his to give them to sit on his right hand and on his left and that he hath no right to bestow those honours on them will not this prove a great discouragement unto the followers of the Lord Jesus 3. By this Translation they make a foul breach even in the Deity it self For whereas it is said I and my Father are one John 10.30 He that hath seen me hath seen the Father John 14. and 16 15. All things that the Father hath are mine 17 18. and many the like the Authors of this Translation take away all power from the Son of bestowing honours upon his followers and so render all those testimonies of no force 4. They make the Lord Jesus speak contradictions and gain-say that in these words which elsewhere he frequently affirms as I shall shew anon Meantime our last Translators were not the prime Leaders into this Error but were themselves mis-lead by others as Vatablus Piscator Beza and the Ministers of Geneva who translated the French Bible to name no more Piscator tells us there is an Ellipsis which is to be supplyed by these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators follow and adde It shall be given I render the words thus leaving out the Supplement it shall be given To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but or unless to those for whom it is prepared of my Father These words of our Lord then are not any denial that he hath power or right to give but an Exception only He saith not absolutely It is not mine to give but It it is not mine to give unless or except unto those for whom it is prepared as in the parallel we read Mark 10.40 to a word which text is also corrupted by the same Supplement That which deceived the Translators was they considered not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless or except And so that which Matth. 17.8 they lifting up their eyes saw none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save or except Jesus only that Mark 9.8 ye finde they saw none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mark 4.22 Matth. 24.36 John 17.12 So that the Lord Jesus denied not that the divine honours were his to give but only that they were not his to give to others then those for whom they were prepared And this Translation sutes extream well with the context The Disciples would have had the Crown of glory before they had striven for it No saith our Lord it is not prepared for such It is not mine to give unless to those for whom it is prepared of my Father that is for those who suffer with the Son Rom. 8.17 And as this agrees well with the context so with diverse other translations as the Syriac and Arabic and that of Martin Luther and that of the Low Dutch and the Spanish translation Pagnin also Castellio and Tremellius some also of our old English translations have hit upon it as that of Coverdale and that dedicated to King Edward the Sixth And here the Authors of the late Engiish Annotations were in the right who say thus Christs power of disposing of it is not denyed but he sheweth only to whom it is to be given Answerably hereunto we may say To sit on Christs right hand and on his left is Christs to give to those for whom it is prepared This Assertion is point blank contradictory unto that
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
to finde out and in power to punish all wickedness Herein the Judge of all the world gives a pattern to the Magistrates his Vice-gerents Obs 4. Proverbs Chap. 25.2 It is the glory of God to conceale a thing but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter Yea herein he gives us an example of judging our selves Obs 5. Lament 3.39 40. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sinnes Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord. The sentence denounced against the Serpent is either more proper to himself as vers 14. because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattell and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou cat all the dayes of thy life or with reference to man kind as vers 15. which is my Text. From which I shall not now longer detaine your thoughts foreseeing an occasion that I may have to open the former part of this sentence Come we therfore more precisely to the words of my text Here is a fuid between two great families and the effect of that fuid The fuid is between the Serpent and the woman which is Gods own doing he saith I will put enmity between thee and the woman This is a lasting fuid which ends not with the parties between whom it is first put but is continued unto the posterities I will put enmitie between thee and the woman and between thy seed and ket seed This fuid is not smothered as enmity may long be but this fuid breakes out into open and irreconcileable hostility to the wounding bruising breaking one the other all which will appeare in the handling of these Axioms 1. The Lord saith he will put enmity between the serpent and the woman 2. That he will put enmity between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman 3. That the seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head 4. That the Serpent shall bruise his heel The Lord saith he will put enmity between the Serpent and the woman Wherein we must inquire what the Serpent is Secondly what is the woman Thirdly what is the enmity which the Lord saith he will put between the Serpent and the woman The word we turn the Serpent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies a Searcher He is named diverse times in this Chapter as vers 1.2.4.13.14 but never without his note of emphasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Serpent implying that he is the same and no other than which long after is called the Old Serpent c. Revel 12.9 and the great Dragon was cast out that Old Serpent called the Divill and Satan which deceived the whole world What the Serpent here is I hope we have found But 2. what is the woman 1. what is she not surely not Eve alone for then Adam should not here be included but left out No nor can it be understood of woman-kinde alone for then that sex alone should hate the Serpent and not men also Nor is it to be understood of the B. Virgin Mary alone for then this promise should stand at too great a distance from the first mercy here intended to the whole race of the fallen man and should be pent up in too narrow a scantling yea this great inconveniencie would follow that the Serpent should reign from Adam to Moses yea from Moses to Christ in the flesh without opposition or at least without subduing and overcoming 2. what then is the woman Surely as the Serpent is not literally here to be understood but Mystically also as I have shown so is this woman some mysticall thing in both our first parents and in all fallen men and women or those that might or may fall This woman is something that is taken out of the spirit of man and is made an help unto him And it is no other than his mind understanding thoughts and memory through which he may stand or fall Rom. 1.20.21 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen c. They knew the eternal power and God-head which required of them a sutable glorifying of God but they became Vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Ephes 4.17.18 The Gentiles walked in the Vanitie of their mind and had their understanding darkned and so became alinated from the life of God By those the Gentiles fell and by the same the Jewes fell also Jer. 7.23 24. They walked in the counsell and imagination of their own heart Thus yee read the minds or thoughts compared to Eve 2 Corin. Chap. 11.3 I feare least by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his sublilty so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your mindes or thoughts rather should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ The fathers as S. Austin Gregory and others here understand an inward and mysticall woman The enmity is put between the Serpent and the woman and between their seeds and therefore I shall here speak generally of it in this first point and more particularly in the second Here then we may understand generally by enmity some what that dissoders and raveles that amity and friendship which was knit and contracted between the woman and the Serpent by reason of the fall How be it we are not here to understand that God puts any enmity reciprocally between both the woman and the Serpent For surely he puts no enmity at all into the Serpent or his seed against the woman or her godly seed That enmity which Satan hath against the woman and her godly seed it is aboundantly sufficient and needs no addition or increase but is his own purchase which he hath made by his fall from God The woman therefore is here to be understood as the â—ubiect of his enmity which God saith he will put into her which shall be exercised upon the Serpent and the Serpents seed as the proper objects of it The reason why the Lord puts enmity between the Serpent and the woman appeares from the precedent act and depravation of Satan which the Lord here mainly intends to demolish and destroy and therefore it is but reason that the remedy should be applyed to the malady wherefore as Satan begun his destructive seducing and deceit in the mind and understanding as I have shewn so in reason the Lord must begin his work of reparation and renewing there as we find he does Ephes 1.17.18 where the Apostle prayes that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation for the acknowledgment of him the eyes of their understanding being inlightned that they may know c. Col. 1.9.18 The Apostle prayes that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will c. So he prayes for Timothy Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim Chap. 2. vers 7. Besides thoughts and counsells are the begining of every
of God the great name Tetragrammaton Jehova whereby they understand a great prerogative of Shem and his Sonns the Jsraelites and Jewes that the proper name of God should be known onely unto them But alas what benefit is it unto them or us to know God when we worship him not as God What profit is it for them or us to boast of God that we know his will when yet we do it not Yea what a shame and disorder is it to know so much and do so little Pudet haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Yea what a terror it is And how ought it to trouble us since he that knowes his Masters will and does it not shall be beaten with many stripes Obs 5. To have an inheritance in the earth or a portion of the earth for an inheritance is a blessing of God Math. 5.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth 1. Chron. 4.10 Jabez said O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast Obs 6. God is the author of this blessing It is God that inlargeth Japhet And it is the God of Jsrael that Jabez prayed unto to inlarge his coast 1. Chron. 4.10 He gives inheritances in the land of Canaan Yea among those who are strangers and enemies unto his people Deut. 2.5.9.19 Obs 7. The Lord sets bounds unto inheritances in the earth Act. 17.26 He gives a smaller portion to some a greater to others as here he inlargeth Japhat Mysticè As I shewed what Mysteryes the heathen hid under Shem and Canaan so let us inquire what Mysteries they understood in the name of Japhet That portion which Noah allotted unto his son Japhet was the sea and the Islands and Peninsula's in the sea c. Gen. 10.5 wherefore by Japhet they understood Neptune whom they made God of the sea Neptuno maritima omnia cum insulis obvenerunt saith Lactantius Japhet hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inlarge as Noah implies in his blessing and Neptune is from the same root passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is inlarged As in Greek they call Neptune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to extend and inlarge from the large and wide sea Job 11.9 Psal 104.25 given him to his portion whence the Egyptians saith Plutarch in his Isis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now because he lived holily in the world the same befell him from the world that befell his father and Brother Shem and all that lived Godlily in the world Therefore they used his name in contempt when they spake of doting old men calling them Japhets as our English Old Crone in the same sense is an imitation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Saturne by whom they understood Noah as I shewed before Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Japhetus is by way of derision an old doting Fool. Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoph Nubibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to answer your father saucily nor to upbraid him with his old age by calling him Japhet Hence we may learn not to be too hasty in crediting evil reports of men who are long since past or to esteem the the worse because they have gotten an ill name in the evil world Does not our Saviour imply that the best of men should be so used Matth. 5.10 11. Yea do we not finde that many who professe religion defame slander reproach and speak evill of things that they know not and of men much better then themselves only because they are not on their side Seth and Shem though in great honour among good men Eccl. 49.16 were traduced of old by name by the wicked world as I shewed out of Plutarch and Japhet fared no better as I have now shown So they dealt with Christ and his Apostles The Serpent in all ages hath persecuted the womn a especially in these latter times and cast out of his mouth water as a flood c. Revel 12.15 that is reproaches slanders and defamations Behold that great and precious promise made here to Japhet and the sons of Japhet and renewed under manifold several names and expressions Peace Esay 32. Rest Psal 95. Refreshing Acts 3. A wealthy place Psal 66.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latin Refrigerium Surely they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is respiratio and the Chaldee turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breathing a Spirit even the Spirit of God it self which is the Spirit of promise the great and pretious promise of God made unto all the sons of Japhet So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to refresh whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit it signifies to enlarge as in the text 1 Sam. 16.23 Dilatabatar Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ye inlarged or inlarge your love Matth. 11.28 I will give you rest Arab. I will inlarge you As by Shem the Jewes Church is understood so by Japhet is commonly understood the Gentiles So Gen. 10.5 And as there is an inlarging as also contracting according to extension natural and outward so like wise is there an inlarging according to intension spiritual and inward And that either that which God gives and leads into or that which the evil Spirit and our own evil heart is misled into 1. That which God gives c. That we may understand this aright we must know that as bodies are said sometimes to be in strait and narrow places sometimes to be in a more large room so likewise by metaphor the souls and spirits of men are sometimes in anguish and straits sometimes in latitude freedom and inlargement Psal 4. And as cold contracts and makes condensation and thickens bodies and contracts them into a narrow space and heat resolves them and sets them in a large room Even so there are certain streightning affections and passions and compositions of them as self-love fear grief sadness envie suspition these contract and straighten the heart And there are affections which widen and inlarge it as the love of God and our neighbour mercy hope joy cheerfulnesse delight these enlarge the heart Accordingly in Scripture we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposed one to other that is straits and inlargement So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.11 12 13. This largness is of the understanding will and affections which how so ever they differ much one from the other yet are they all signified by the heart As when God is said to have given to Solomon largness of heart 1. King 4.29 Also the largness of will and affection Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide Os cordis ad desiderandum petendum vtilia implebo illud the mouth of thy heart thy will and affections Saith Ludolphus Why is God said to inlarge the heart of Japhet and the sonns of Japhet Because he alone knowes
and heir The Lord secures Abraham that his servant shall not be his heir no but one that shall come forth out of thine own bowells saith he Esay 9.6 So the Chal. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my word shall be thy strength Gen. 15.1 even that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that word which was in the beginning We have in the words 1. Gods promise unto Abram of a numerous and godly seed 2. Abrams belief of that promise 3. Gods acceptance of that belief 1. The promise is of a numerous posterity illustrated and confirmed by a signe à parium collatione by comparison thus As thou canst not number the stars of light in the fair heavens so neither canst thou number thy godly seed which promise Abram believes We may resolve all these into the following divine Truths 1. God brought Abram forth 2. He shewed him the heaven and Stars in it 3. He brought Abram forth and so shewed him the heaven and the Stars and bids him try if he can number them 4. He promised that his seed should be so 5. Abram believed in the Lord. 6. That belief God counted to Abram for righteousness First God brought Abraham forth and why did God bring Abram forth â— that he might shew him the Stars of heaven which he could not see in the Tent. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies abroad which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the house out of which the Lord brought Abram He had made him a promise of a son and heir now he gives him an ocular demonstration and assurance not only of a seed a child but of a multitude a great number of children Why did the Lord bring Abram forth and shew him the heaven and Stars Abram was by birth a Caldean and that people was much addicted to Astronomy and Astrologie so that the Caldean and Astrologer was taken for one and the same And Abram is reputed by the Antients to have been extream well seen in those Sciences Orpheus in Clemens Alex. speaking of God saith he is invisible but that he made himself known to Abram the Chaldean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He knew the way of the Stars their motions Matth. 14.19 Mark 7.34 Iohn 17.1 their settings and their risings Besides we cannot but conceive that Abrams pious soul looked toward the heaven to pray and blesse God as our Lord Jesus did Obs 1. It was a night vision Dan. 2.19 and 7.2 Acts 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. Chrys. read the words then onely the Stars are seen and then the Lord reveales secrets to his Saints The Antients observed that time as the fittest for contemplation And therefore they called the night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 33.14.15 29 30. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elihu observed it as the most seasonable time for divine dâ—eames I wish therefore that good men were as not too scrupulous about every dream so not too negligent of all Obs 2. Our father Abramâ— absolute obedience unto Gods guidance and direction Esay 41.2 the Lord called him out of his countrey into a land that he should shew him and there leads him from place to place and here called him forth And the righteous man alwayes followed Gods footsteps 1 Pet. 2.21 22 Rom. 8.1 The Lord hath also called us unto his foot and given his Spirit after which we ought to walk and provided Abram as a way-guide before us O ye children of Abram Eamus nos faciamus similiter let us go and do like wise There are two guides which offer themselves unto us the Flesh and the Spirit Gal. 5.17 Gal. 5.1 Rom. 4.12 Rom. 8.14 It concerns us extream nearly whether of the two we follow for as many as are led by the Spirit they are the sons of God And therefore one of the Ancients reports Gods speech to Abram thus Away with thy Astrologie according to the principles of which thou seest in the Stars that thy wife being barren and old and thy self also thou shalt have no issue Believe in him who made the Heaven and the Stars Iob 9.9 and 38.31 and it is his peculiar Obs 3. The Lords gracious condescent he vouchsafes to stoop our apprehensions and comes home to us and takes us at and by our imployments professions and callings he takes Abram an Astronomer and Astrologer at the Stars the Fishermen at their Nets c. God brought Abram forth Whence out of his Tent. A Tent is Symbolum carnis a type or figure of the flesh wherein Abram and we all dwell or sojourn rather for a time yea so Christ himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 1.14 The word was made flesh and took up his Tent in us The Lord brought Abram forth that is Extra carnem aut terminos naturalis ordinis out of the flesh or out of and above the rank and order of meer nature by the guidance of the Spirit as our Lord was lead by it Matth 4 1. Ezech. 8.3 2 Cor. 12.2 3. And the Apostle Whether in the body or out of the body he knew not Axiom 2. The Lord brought Abram forth and shewed him the heaven and the stars The Lord bids Abram look towards heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God of Abram directs Abram and his children upward heaven-ward God-ward Not that there is any great piety in looking toward the material heaven or the stars in it The Angels rebuked the Apostles for so doing Why gaze ye up into heaven Though a great Leader directed his Disciples to look alwayes toward heaven as he himself was wont to do And another being sick of a Feaver contrary to the Physitians advice would needs lye on his back that he might look heavenward And another stood many years upon one leg looking up to heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All to what purpose The Heaven of heavens cannot contain him Wherefore we must know that heaven is not only that materiall and visible body well known by that name but God himself in Scripture is often called and known by the name of heaven So that the true heaven is not locally above For heavenly things the things of God are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.1 that is spirituall which things above are not to be understood in regard of place and posture For so we conceive that heaven is above whereas indeed hell is above in pride and high-mindedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is high in men is an abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 Men conceive that hell is beneath but heaven is indeed beneath in humility lowliness and meekeness For surely as where the King is the Court is so where God is Psal 138.6 heaven is and that 's with the humble and lowly 3. Axiom He bids Abram try if he can number them these words may be considered 1. either in themselves or 2. as the protasis of the
comparison 1. In themselves and so the heaven and stars are those bodies of light which have an influence upon the inferior creatures these are though not infinite yet indefinite in number their number being very great and very hard to be known and implyed here not possible for Abram to number though no doubt there are many more then appear unto us The Lord keepes some things secret and hidden from us Job 38.39 Wisd 9.16 Acts 1.7 Esay 47.4 which he reserves as proper and peculiar unto himself Such are they whereof the Lord convinceth Job of ignorance whereof many are obvious to our senses Yet we know not the reason of them as the wiseman speakes Such are the times and the seasons and the certain and definitive number of the stars Hence we cannot but observe the subtilty of Satan and our own folly and great misery Rom. 10.6 7.8 The Lord hath exposed unto our knowledge all things necessary for us to be known neither is the law nor the Gospell hid but the seducing spirit perswades our great contemplators that these things are too poor too despicable for them to busy themselves about they must find out the hidden things of God which he hath put in his own power that voice of the old Serpent sounds yet in our eares ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evill How much more soveraign is the counsell of Moses unto us Deut. 10.12 and 29.29 Axiom 4. So shall thy seed be ratione quantitatis qualitatis 1. Gal. 3.16.29 So many shall thy seed be 2. So qualified shall thy seed be that is thy seed shall be like the heaven and stars The seed of Abraham is either Christ or they that are Christs and the Scripture is true of both so shall thy seed Christ be And so shall thy seed which are Christs 1 Cor. 12 12. be So many though one body shall thy seed Christ be So many and so virtuous so shall thy seed which is Christs be The children of Abram are compared sometime to the dust sometime to the sand Gen. 13.16 and 22.17 sometime to the stars as in the Text of which I am here to speak in regard of number and nature so numerous so virtuous I have spoken something already to their number In regard of their nature they are compared to the heaven and stars Unto the heaven 1. Lifted up above the earth by contemplation 2. Large and wide by extent of Charity towards all 3. Shining by wisdom that makes the face to shine 4. Calme by tranquility and peaceableness not so the ungodly Esay 57.21 5. Moved by the Intelligences by readiness pliableness and obedience to the will of God 6. Raining by instruction and doctrine so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rain or teach 7. Thundring by reproof Hos 10.12 such were the Boanarges 8. Affording influence of all good by true bounty and liberality 9. Most pure from all filthyness by true sanctity and holyness 10. The dwelling of the great King by true righteousness 2. They are Sars 1. In regard of light by a good conversation and good nature 2. The Stars however they seem little unto us yet the Astronomers prove and demonstrate them to be very great many of them much greater then the earth 3. They are fastned and adjoyned to Christ by faith hope and love as the stars are said to be fastend unto the firmament 4. They are not all of one but different magnitudes 1 Cor. 15.41 One Star differs from another star in glory 5. They are lights unto others There is a dissimilitude and unlikeness also For we read of wandering stars and falling stars moved from their stedfastness Such are also the pretending Apostate and degenerate children of Abraham But why does the Lord thus speak by outward signes Why does he shew Abram the heaven and stars when he makes him promise of a son The reason is 1. God teacheth not onely by words but also by other outward signes that ingenuous and docible men might inquire into the mind and will of the Lord. 2. The heaven and stars were made for this very end 3. And more specially the Lord promiseth Abram a son by shewing him the heaven and stars that there might be some proportion between what he promised and the sign whereby he confirmed it The seed of Abram whether Christ or they that are Christs are of an heavely nature Christ is the man from heaven heavenly 1 Cor. 15.47 48. Revel 21.2 and such as is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly Christ descends from heaven and so does the Church Yea the Church according to the letter and old forms of godliness and according to the newness of the Spirit is compared to heaven Thus the Lord shakes the old heavens before the first coming of Christ and at his second coming he shakes the Church Ecclesiasticall men and the Earth the Potentates Polititians and worldly wise men And he has shaken to the purpose and will yet shake them Doubt 1. Though this promise of God unto Abram import a great number of his seed yet if we believe our Astronomers the stars are not numberless for they reckon a certain number of them Ptolomy and they who follow him tell us only of 1022. And if Abram have no more children and if his seed be only so numerous in succeeding generations the bounty of God will not seem so excessive Answ 1. There has been alwayes a complaint Rari quippe boni that good men are but few Yet truly if Abrams seed were only so numerous if also they were so vertuous so pure so holy it must needs be accounted a great and pretious promise of God to Abram that his seed should be so numerous if so vertuous 2. But other Astronomers tell us of an infinite number of stars The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Glasse of Galileus discovers a far greater number then otherwise are visible and appear to us And such a numberless number there seem to be according to the Scripture where it is ascribed unto God as his peculiar and his royalty that he tells the number of the Stars and calls them all by their names Psal 14.4 Hebr. 12.14 And had we that Optick-Glasse of the true Galileus of him who reproachfully was called a Galilean by Julian the Apostate that Glass of righteousness and holinesse it would inable us to see more then yet we do or can do The Prophet prayed for his servant Lord open his eyes If we go into Galilee we shall see him and his Doubt 2. Esay 52.14 53.2 We see no such thing no vertue no praise every man hath good and bad in him save that bright Morning-Star But who esteemed him such as he was and is Answ They discern them only who esteem them according to their value who have seeing eyes who have the Optick of holiness and righteousnesse to whom God shews these stars as he did to Abraham It is
is his Christ his Arm. Obs 2. Here note a great mistake in the understanding of these words It s evident to common sense that Abram is here said to believe that God would give him an heavenly seed and that exceeding numerous even as the Stars The Text here mentions nothing at all it speaks not one syllable of the active and passive obedience of Christ his suffering or death but onely of a numerous and blessed seed with should be like the stars of heaven c. So that however it be true that the imputing of Christs obedience and suffering in us and for us be in it 's right place firmely to be believed namely as a deliverance from the curse of the law when we are dead to sin according to these and diverse other Scriptures Act. 26.18 Gal. 3.13 Hebr. 10.14 Yet is it not the argument of this place which is my Text nor consequently the principal object of faith For the better understanding of this we must know that the Apostle in Rom. 4. and divers other of his Epistles endeavours to compose the differences between the Circumcision and uncircumcision circumcision between the Jewes and Gentiles and sets himself between them as an Umpir of their controversies And in this chapter he endeavours to declare and prove that salvation brought by Christ is not bestowed upon Abram and his seed neither out of Circumcision nor out of the law nor workes of the law which either Abram or any son of Abram hath done but out of the free grace and bounty of God who of his Clemency and mercy hath given us the salvation even Jesus Christ the righteous for what had either Abram or any of his seed done whereby he might either deserve or dispose or incline the mercifull God to give the redeemer even the Lamb to take away the sinns of the world The Son was most freely given Esay 9.6 But that any man may pertake of that affluence of grace and salvation it 's necessary that he believe in him that gives the Son that he hunger and thirst after the righteousness come unto him and drinke and through the same faith receive the water of life which may become in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life John 4. So that his faith is not barren but fruitful as having the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5. Reproof 1. The great unbelief of many seeming and pretending sons of Abram They believe not the Lord they believe not the Lords omnipotency he sees they say no sin in them although they see it and know it in themselves yet they say God sees it not They believe not his power that he is able to subdue all the enemies of the life in us that he is able to make us clean Yet they believe that the enemy is able to make a man perfectly wicked Num. 14.11 as the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect thief not that God is able to make a perfect honest man Therefore he complaines how long will it be ere ye believe me They believe not his promises that they shall live and reign with God eternally or if they believe his promises yet not in their method and order 2 Tim. 2.11 12. as to die with the Lord that they may live with him to suffer with him that they may reign with him Which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a saying of faith or a faithfull saying Iona 3.5 Mat. 12.41 They believe not his threatnings nor repent of their sins And therefore tho Lord threatens that the men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgment against them and condem them who repented and believed the preaching of Jonah O ye sons of Epimetheus Ye believe no evill toward you before ye feele it They believe neither law nor Prophets nor Gospell of Jesus Christ Mat. 7.12 whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even to them For this is the law and the Prophets Yet who so believes this as so to do as he would be done unto and can we marvell that Gods in dgements are so rife among us Yea may we not rather mervail that his judgments are no more frequent in the earth since the inhabitants of the earth have not learned righteousness The Lords arme is not shortned with him no shaddow of change but we want faith in his power Math. 13.58 The Gospell is a Gospel and glad tidings of power Psal 71.18 Esay 53.1 John 12.37 38. Luke 18.8 This David preached when he declared Gods Arm or Christ and the prophet Esay who saith he hath believed our doctrin and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed So S. John understood it and interpreted it to be Christ This Arm of the Lord is not shortned for with him there is no shadow of change but there is no faith in the earth no belief in his power Matth. 13.58 They believe not that God can raise up Christ crucified and dead in them And therefore no great works are wrought in them because of their unbelief Consol Abrams son or daughter heavily complaines Alas I go childless Hath not the Lord promised thee an innumerable of-spring Abram complaines Alas what are thousand of children which are as the dust The Steward of my house is Eliezer of Damascus one born of blood and of the will of man that 's Damascus But behold to me thou hast given no seed one born in my house is mine heir my servant shall be mine heir Here the answer of God to thee O child of Abram this shall not be thine heir The servant abides not in the house alwayes but the son abideth alwayes he that shal come out of thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of thy self out of thy heart so the LXX sometime render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart shall come the hidden man of the heart which is not corruptible 1. Pet. 3.4 He is the seed of many thousands as Joshuah cap. 24.3 Saith of Abram that God multiplied his seed how it followes and gave him Isaac as a seed of many thousands the increase of God a new heaven with innumerable stars of light Exhort Believe the Lord as Abram did Abram came first out of Vr then he came out of Egypt then he over come the Babylonians and at length he believed the promise Omnia in figura forsake thy people c. depart out of thy carnal sin Egypt and the spirituall Babell Mortify thy sins then maist thou believe the promise of an heaven and stars made by the father of lights For if we be dead with him then we believe that we shall also live with him Rom. 6.8 2 Tim. 2.11 And therefore it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying or saying of faith if we die with him we shall also live with him If we suffer with him we shall also raign with him Howbeit although it be not said that Abram
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
hidden and invisible Church as those names signifie Obs 2. What is principally to be partaken of in Christ his Head his ruling part we are to receive him as our Prince our Ruler and Governour This is that which is aimed at first in these words Many can be content to partake of him as a Prophet as a Priest as a Sacrifice but few as an Head few as a Prince Head and Governour As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 2.6 Obs 3. What part of the word is principally intended by the Head what else but the ruling part the Head-sum of the Law and Faith even love out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 Reproof 1. Those who aim at a Church like the Cyclops a Common-wealth without an Head without order of the members superiour and inferiour Reproof 2. Who reject Christ and will none of him as their Head We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19.14 2. His Legs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have their name in the Hebrew from bowing or being bowed They have analogie and proportion to the arms and legs of a man which are the instruments of motions and actions And therefore commonly by the feet and legs we mystically understand the passions and affections which move and carry out the soul and the whole man and put him upon actions which are signified by the hands and arms The eating therefore of the legs of the Paschal Lamb is having communion with Christ in motions and actions to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 So S. Paul walked and he tels the Corinthians of his wayes that were in Christ 1 Cor. 4.17 Communion in power and strength signified by the Arm which is Christ Esay 40.10 and 53.1 By the Feet of the Lamb we may understand the lesse Commandements as by the Head the greater Hos 8.12 These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie the great things of the Law in regard of the lesse Matth. 23.23 For the Commandements of God are not all of one cise Whence it follows That Obs 1. There are degrees of the word and Commandements of God some greater some lesse 2. Both greater and less must be kept Head and feet of the Lamb must be eaten Axiom 3. His appurtenance The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his inwards The word properly signifies all the intrails more specially the Heart And by the Heart the will love and mercy is to be understood The eating then of the inwards of the Pascal Lamb is the partaking of the will of Christ that it may be our meat to do his will John 4.34 S. Paul had Christs love and mercy in him I long after you saith he in the bowels of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.8 Obs 1. All the Commandements prohibitions promises and threatnings are to be received fed upon by faith and inwardly digested into life Observe all things whatsoever I command you Matth. 28.20 Believe all things which the Prophets have written Luke 24.25 To receive the most intimate requiring of the Law inwardly and to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with the spirit of our minde Obs 2. The participation of Christ is not outward onely but also inward His words are spirit and life John 6.63 His law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. His whole worship is spiritual John 4.23 24. Hitherto we have considered these members a part Come we now to the handling of them joyntly And here let us inquire Why must these three be eaten The whole Lamb must be eaten And why is there more special mention made of these three parts 1. They are the three parts which specially suffered in the true Pascal Lamb. His Head crowned with Thorns His Hands and Feet pierced with Nails and his Side with a Spear 2. We have been wounded in all these in our Head our intellectuals in our inwards our morals in our actions and affections From the sole of the foot even to the head Esay 1.6 3. We have wounded him in all these we have crowned his head with our thorny cares In his hand is the hiding of his power Hab. 3.4 But what are these wounds in thy hands These with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.6 even in those who enfeeble Christs power under pretence of infirmity and weakness of the Saints Obs 1. All our motions and actions which are signified by the outward members these are directed by the Head by the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 All our inward willing and nilling all our love hope desire fear joy grief all the actions proceeding from these these are guided by the minde and understanding by the Head Christ And therefore the words in the text if truly translated are very observable Ye shall eat the head with the legs and the purtenance thereof The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Head above the legs and above the purtenance thereof The head must rule the legs and feet all the motions and actions The head must be above the inwards it must guide the passions and motions and affections of the heart Though these parts be specially enjoyned the whole Lamb must be eaten Obs 2. The holy Spirit of God implies and requires our whole conformity to Jesus Christ under the names 1. of eating and drinking unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you John 6.53 His flesh is his Word the Word made flesh John 1.14 His Spirit is drink He hath made us to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence is our spiritual life Christ our life Col. 3.4 To me to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 2. The Spirit requires our conformity unto him in clothing put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Yea we must be armed with him what the Apostle calls the armour of light Rom. 13.12 13 14. he explains and calls the Lord Jesus Christ Reproof 1. Who will eat the Head who will be contemplative Christians but not the legs and feet they are not practical not affectionate Such an one was Judas he knew Christ and preached him but his bowels gushed out he had no mercy Reproof 2. Those who are practical and perform some outward work materially good without the inwards As the Pharisees would perform some outward duties without the inward and spiritual commandment Our Lord saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 Nor is that Authors tenent other then Pharisaical who writing a work of Wisdom adviseth men to supply the necessities of the poor and miserable but not to be moved or troubled at their miseries His reason Because saith he it damps a noble spirit I know not wherein he placeth the nobility of spirit unless with Aristotle he account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in no man It is a glorious testimony that the Scripture gives to Josiah that he turn'd to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses 2 Kings 23.25 I can hardly be perswaded that he brake the Law daily in thought word and deed no though he lived in the time of the Law The Apostle professeth himself to be one in whom the end which God the Father and Son aimed at is obtained where he saith I am able to do all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ who inwardly enables me Phil. 4.13 And I hope there are some such in the world Whether now this and other such doctrine do not immediately tend to make the people sin let any indifferent man judge For whereas they are taught that no man is able no not by any grace received in this life perfectly to keep the Commandements of God but doth daily break them in thought word and deed who will go about to do that which as he is taught no man can do nor is it possible to be done Surely if the Teachers and people lived exactly according to this and some other like doctrine they would be the very worst Christians in the world whereas truly I think there are of both very vertuous and good men and of the Teachers many very learned also and that in the truth which is according to godliness Tit. 1.1 which is the best kinde of learning But I doubt not to say that nither that life nor learning proceeds from their opinions but as Tully writes of some Philosophers whose principles were corrupt naturae bonitate vincuntur they are better then their principles Now I beseech my Brethren who are Teachers of the people impartially to consider what befel ten of the twelve Spies who taught the same doctrine and the people who were perswaded by them that their enemies were too strong for them that they were not able to overcome them and so to enter into the holy Land Which is the sum of Numbers 13. and 14. where verse 11. the Lord complains of the people that they believed him not How long saith he will it be yer they believe me for all the signes that I have shewed among them He had promised them the holy Land and he had evidenced by many signes and wonders that he was able to effectuat what he promised yet they believed not For whereas there is in Faith a Duplex formale objecti verum potens our faith looks at two things in God whom we believe His Truth and His Power Rom. 4.20 21. And if the testimony concerning these be of things practicable things to be done or left undone belief is a confidence 1. in Gods Truth that what he saith is firm and sure 2. And in Gods power who commands forbids promiseth or threatneth that God is able to do and enable the believer to do what he commands and to shun what he forbids able to fulfil what he promiseth and what he threatneth c. Now whereas neither the ten Spies nor the people believed the Lords truth and power the Lord sware that they should not enter into his rest and accordingly the ten Spies died Numb 14.36 37. and the carkases of the people fell in the Wilderness David applies this story spiritually to the men of his age Psal 95. And the Apostle Hebr. 3.7 19. to the Christian Church Where verse 18. to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to them who obeyed not which ours turn who believed not so we see they could not enter in because of unbelief which unbelief is the same with disobedience as appears by comparing with it the former verse The Spirit of God leaves this consideration upon our spirits We know the Lord promised to them a good land and to us the Land of uprightness Psalm 143.10 He promised them to be with them to the subduing of the inhabitants of the land Exod. 34.10 and had given good proof of this and a ground to believe this by destruction of the Egyptians Nor is there any believer who hath made any progress in the faith but he hath had some experience of what God hath promised that the Lord will not leave us nor forsake us Hebr. 13.5 Whence he may gather-in upon our good God and believe that he will finish his work as David reasoned 1 Sam. 17.32 37. And S. Paul touching the Philipians Phil. 1.6 and himself 2 Tim. 4.18 I was delivered from the mouth of the Lion and the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his everlasting kingdom That people believed not the Lord notwithstanding their knowledge of his power that he was able to subdue their enemies nor do many of the spiritual Spies or Teachers themselves believe Whereupon neither that people nor many of ours can enter into Gods eternal rest because of unbelief O my Brethren doth not this come to pass by reason of this doctrine of unbelief and impossibility of obeying the law and will of God And how great then must our sin be if we positively and directly teach this doctrine We may esteem the hainousness of the sin by the offering enjoyned for the expiation of it which is greater then any private mans ver 28. yea greater then that prescribed to be offered by the Ruler ver 22. Yea no less then that which was commanded to be offered for and by the whole congregation ve 13. Consider I beseech you the many miseries and calamities which have befallen thousands both of Teachers and people in these late years and the Teachers signally their ejections and want of livelyhood being disabled from teaching the people I meddle not with reason of State But when Isee so heavy a judgement befal one profession of men and the most of them I say not all for I know some better minded I fear ingaged in the same doctrine of impossibility and unbelief as I have had it confessed by many of them I cannot but apply what the Lord hath threatned the Priests The Priests lips should keep knowledge and men should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts But Corruptio optimi est pessima But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble take offence or fall in the Law ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my wayes but have been partial in the Law Mal. 2.7 8 9. And shall we think that these who suffer these miseries are the only men who have caused the people to sin by their false doctrine and scandalous life Let them who think so read Luke 13.1 9. and with sadness consider that Parable which
glorious mark set before us all Priests and people Ephes 4.13 A perfect man the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ Ye are by your place and profession neer unto God his friends and intimate ones whose duty it is to be middle men between God and his people who are also a people neer unto him Psal 148.14 Whose office it is to burn incense to our God to make prayers and intercessions for the people It is therefore expected of us that we should be more holy more sober more righteous more godly then other people are This is necessary if we consider the end of our prayer For it is the prayer of a righteous man that avails much James 5.10 And intercession is such a kinde of prayer as must avail very much since it is made for the Priest himself and for the whole congregation It s meet therefore that he be an eminently righteous man and zealous such an one as Phineas who stood up and prayed and so the plague ceased Psalm 106.30 the words are he executed judgement nor is there any mention made of prayer in the story Numb 25. though the words will bear both senses and imply that an intercessors prayer must be operative and the mediator himself a righteous man zealously executing justice and judgement Without holiness no man shall see the Lord no not when he is best pleased And shall we think that some remiss degree of holiness will suffice a Priest an Intercessor for Gods people and their Agent with God to see God obtain grace and mercy from God for himself and the people and that when God is most displeased with them when as the people are so is the Priest then where is that Shepherd that will stand before me saith the Lord Jer. 49.19 All the sons of Levi were holy and zealous in Gods cause Exod. 32. yet all of them could not hold Gods hand It was to Moses only that God said Let me alone Nor can we be so uncharitable as to imagine that all men were wicked in Jerusalem when God sought for a man that should stand in the gap and could finde none Ezech. 22.30 No no he sought some excellent man some Moses some Samuel some Daniel to stand before him It s well if an ordinary just man can obtain his own pardon in a common Judgement Lot was a righteous man 2 Pet. 2.7 but he was delivered out of Sodom at the instance and intercession of a more eminently righteous man than he And therefore we read that when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain that God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the Cities in which Lot dwelt Gen. 19.29 As for profane men they are as unserviceable intercessors in the gap as a dry bush to keep out a flame of fire from devouring the stubble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are far from righteousness Esay 46.12 and far off from God We are neer unto God and intercessors for other men wherefore far be it from us that we should be like other men that it should be true of us Like people like Priest Hos 4.9 Or that we draw neer unto God with our mouth and honour him with our lips but our heart should be far from him Matth. 15.8 Far be it from us that it should be truly spoken of us which yet some of the people say that there is much Lording and Domineering over one another and over the people although we be brethren although we be not Bishops If it be so that we can be prowd without a title how neer to God soever we imagine our selves to be he beholds us afar off Or what some say that some of us are neer men covetous if so we are neerer Mammon than we are to the true God That we are as passionate and have as little rule of our affections yea some of us less then other men have If so how can we be said to be neer unto God or neerer then other men It is true what Hierom writes Vehementer Ecclesiam Dei destruit meliores esse Laicos quà m Clericos It s very destructive to the Church that the people should be better men then the Priests Howbeit I hope none of the people can say of any of us that we have erred through wine that we have gone out of the way through strong drink as those Levitical Priests are thought to have done I hope there is no such Beast that toucheth the mountain of the Lord. We well know the Apostles admonition Be not drunk with wine wherein there is excess but be filled with that wine wherein there can be no excess the Spirit of God I know there are among us some I hope many mortified men who need Pauls exhortation to Timothy drink no more water but use a little wine for thy stomacks sake and thine often infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 But if any such intemperate men there be among us as some say there are I shall direct the Apostles exhortation unto them with some little change Drink more water and use but little wine Let the Potitii and Pinarii the drinking Priests and hungry gluttenous Priests as the old Priests of Hcrcules were called saith Festus let such be Priests to them who are no gods 2 Chron. 13.9 In the mystical Temple of the true God the sons of Zadoc every way righteous men must be neer unto him to minister unto him Ezech. 44.15 But there is a drunkenness and not with wine Esay 29.9 a surfeting with the giddy spirit of opinion kindled in our own imaginations or borrowed of our neighbours neer home such a drunkenness I fear there is too much among us and that such boutefeus and incendiaries there are who bring their own strange wilde fire into the Church of God and zealously offer up their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own will-worship unto God Shall such escape the just judgement of God Our God hath his spiritual judgments under the Gospel figured by those under the Law but more dreadful then those Such was the judgement on these two Priests The fire burnt their bodies not their clothes There is a kinde of thunder which burns not the Chest but melts the money in it hurts not the flesh but consumes the bones And such are Gods spiritual judgements they touch not mens bodies but seiz upon their souls Non quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittit God sends not thunder and lightning alwayes to destroy ungodly men but such judgements as are much heavier as hardness of heart impenitency treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath contempt of Gods Word and Commandement from which good Lord deliver us Let these Boutefeus who kindle their own fire and compass themselves about with sparks walk in the light of their fire and in the sparks which they have kindled but this shall they have of Gods hand they shall lie down in sorrow Esay 50.11 O my brethren Let
not made thee and established thee Deut. 32.6 Is not Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater futuri seculi the everlasting Father Esay 9.6 And who is thy Mother Who but the doctrine the wisdom of the holy Church of Christ the Spouse of Christ the wisdom that descends from above James 3.17 the Lambs Wife that comes down out of heaven Revel 21.9 10. Jerusalem above the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 This is the true heavenly Eve built out of the heavenly Adam flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone who is Christ himself Ephes 5.30 31 32. This is a great mystery saith the Apostle but I speak of Christ and the Church This is the true pure Doctrine spiritually the Virgin Mary so Maria signifies according to divers of the Ancients the Mother of Christ conceived formed and born in us and brought forth by obedience and doing the will of our Father who is in heaven For who is my Mother saith the Son of God whosoever doth the will of my Father who is in heaven he is my Mother and Sister and Brother Matth. 12.49 50. Our heavenly Father deserves all honour of his spiritual children For whereas earthly fathers impart unto their children essence nourishment education and inheritance the Father of spirits gives to his children his divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 he nourisheth us with the flesh and blood the Word and Spirit of his Son He instructs us and gives us the unction from the Holy One whereby we know all things 1 John 2.27 He corrects and chastens us as our loving Father that we may be partakers of his holiness Hebr. 12.10 He provides for us an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1.4 Meantime he bears us and is patient and long suffering toward us as a Father beareth his children Deut. 1.31 If he be a Father yea such a father where is his honour Mal. 1.6 Where indeed yea where is he not dishonoured Is it not the greatest slighting of a father to neglect his commands What do they else who regâ—ard not the Commandements of our heavenly Father they despise not men but God 1 Thess 4.8 and then is added Who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit Wherefore else but to keep his Commandements And therefore he hath given his Son unto us that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. Yet is he despised and rejected of men Esay 53.3 and figured by Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite of the family of Ram. Elihu even Deus ipse God himself the Son of the blessed God that 's Barachel and of the family of Ram that is the high One the most high God yet is he a Buzite despised and contemned yea troden under foot by the Jebuzites such as tread under foot the Son of God and put him to an open shame Hebr. 10.29 and lightly esteem the Rock of their salvation Deut. 32.15 O thou Jebusite thou base thou vile man Such thou rendrest thy self by despising thy God 1 Sam. 2.30 They who despise me shall be lightly esteemed Mark how the Apostle reasons Hebr. 2.2 3. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation The Syriac Interpreter turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neglect by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tread under foot the greatest neglect and despiciency The Apostle proves this à minori reasoning from the lesse to the greater Hebr. 10.28 He who despised Moses's Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God c Consider this a-right O man Is not he the wisdom of thy God before whom in thy false reasoning thou preferrest the wisdom of thy flesh Is not he the true righteousnes of thy God before which thou esteemest the false righteousness of thy flesh Is not he the power of God which thou enfeeblest under pretence of impotency weakness to slight him what is it but lighlty to esteem the most honourable yea the honor it self which cometh of God only John 5. ver 24. with 1 Pet. 2.7 marg To make nothing of him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Being and who gives to all things their Being in whom we all live and move and have our Being Yea who himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things Col. 3.11 And this is the Buzite he whom by thy disobedience thou despisest and treadest under foot The punishment denounced against those who slight their parents is death But what death can expiate so great despiciency of the great God what less then the eternal death it self What reparation of honour can we possibly make to him whom we have so deeply despised The good God and our Father puts us in a way of expiation even by dying daily unto our sins This no doubt was one if not the principal meaning of what our Lord said to his son Adam Luke 3.38 upon transgression of the first Commandement of his Father In the day that thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die for certainly Adam died no other death many hundred years after Gen. 2. v. 17. O let us all die that precious death through the power of the Spirit of our God Rom. 8.13 So shall we live yea so shall we reign yea so shall we be glorified Rom. 8.17 And what reparation of honour does the Lord require of us What other then to restore him that life which is lost in us that life of God from which we have been estranged Ephes 4.18 He that offereth praise he honoureth me And what is he who else but he that disposeth his way aright Psalm 50.23 It is the life the holy life that life which is worthy of God which honoureth God For so what our Translators turn I will bless thee while I live Psal 63. Ver. 4. is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Vatablus and the Vulg. Latin In vita mea which should be rendred in English In my life Thus when the Psalmist had exhorted to praise the Lord Psal 106.1 He then inquires who can do it ver 2. to which he answers ver 3. Blessed are they who keep judgement and he who doth righteousness at all times as if he should in express terms say That 's the man who truly honours God So much our Lord saith Herein is my Father honoured that ye bring forth much fruit John 15.8 namely such as are filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 This is the honour and praise which must be given unto our Father in this world and be continued in the world to come in everlasting Hallelujahs Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God! Revel 19.1
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
fire to sit down and wait upon the heavens for light The Prophet Esay prescribes the same course for avoyding the like fools fire of contention kindled by ignorant and undiscreet zelots Chap. 50.10 11. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Behold all ye who kindle a fire who compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled This shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow 2. The Scripture is not so plain perspicuous and easie as some conceive it to be No no For though I dare not say with S. Hierom that Nullus apex vatat mysterio thre is not a tittle without a mystery yet well may I complain with that Father That though the meanest and easiest Trade requires long time perhaps seven years to learn the mysteries contained in it and when they are known perhaps some of them are little better then mysteries of iniquity yet some notwithstanding entertain so poor a conceit of the most mystical art of life that it may be gain'd extempore The daily experience of this makes me often renew this complaint That men who can thrive at no Trade Repentè sic Theologi prodire suddenly turn absolute Divines Postquam omnis res Janum Ad medium fracta est aliena negotia curant Excussi propriis Broken men make themselves whole again by the cure of other mens souls who have had but little care of their own souls or bodies or estates 3. Yea hence it followes that it is no dishonour as some think it to be to discover a mystical spiritual and all egorical sense of the holy Scriptures both of the Law and of the Gospel Nay rather Magna gloria est sequi Dominum It s a great glory to follow the Lord who by Moses and the Prophets in this Scheme speaks unto us And our Lord Jesus Mark 4.34 spake not without a parable unto the multitude And his Apostles writings are full of them and discoveries of them And who is there of all the Fathers who hath not used them And shall it be a discredit unto the children to imitate their fathers Will not the dishonour rather fall on them who adhere only to the Letter yet hold themselves to be stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 when yet they declare only the letter and history of the Scripture which every one already knowes to whom they speak To such as these our Lord spake Luke 24. v. 26 27. when he said O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so Vulg. Latin Munster and Castellio to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Had these things been meerly literal and historical what need had there been of exposition But because they were mystical and they understood them not therefore he cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as understood not spiritual things as the Apostle useth that word in that sense Gal. 3.1 As I may hereafter shew if the Lord will 2. The Kohathites must not go in to see when the holiness or holy things are covered There is reason enough for this if we alleage the Lords prohibition he hath for bidden them to go in to see But there is reason also for the Lords prohibition in regard 1. of the secrets covered as hath been shewen and 2. in regard of the persons 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himself who reveals and conceals his secrets and 2. in regard of the Kohathites themselves who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unqualified for the sight of divine mysteries and 3. in regard of those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons initiated and fit to see and know them The great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dispenser of secrets he hides them from the wise and prudent and reveals them unto babes and the reason follows even so Father for so it seemed good unto thee Hoc videlicet ostendens quod injustum esse non potest quod Justo placet shewing thus much that it cannot be unjust that pleaseth the just God saith S. Gregory And his justice will appear from the consideration of the unqualified and qualified persons 1. The Kohathites prefigured men in their natural or animalish condition also such as are under the Law In both which regards they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fit to see the holy things covered 1. The Kohathites prefigured men in their natural condition who are not capable of the things of Gods Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 And therefore the Kohathites have their name from stupidity and dulness 2. These Levites represented such as are under the Law and the holy truths of the Gospel were not made known to such but were hid from ages and generations Col. 1.26 These were commanded to keep out and not come in to see To them who are without all things are in parables and not plainly revealed Mat. 4.11 And as it is just with God to exclude those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and unqualified persons so just it is also with him yea and his gracious act to reveal his secrets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to qualified persons initiated and sitted to receive them For so God gives to the man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge Eccles 2.26 But this will some say proves a fatal decree of biding the holy truths of God from some and revealing them to others As our Lord seems to say expresly Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but to them it is not given Holy Chrysostâ—me will not admit of any such collection His words are these on Matth. 13.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ speaks thus saith that holy Father not as if he meant to bring in any necessity or fatality into the world no nor chance and casualty but that he might shew that evil men are the cause of their own evils and that the knowledge of divine mysteries is the gift of God But this seems hard measure and at least an unkinde exclusion of the Kohathites men in their natural estate and such as are under the Law that they should not be admitted to see the boly things Not so for God is the God of order and in all ages the Law and the legal services and the Ministers of the Law are in order to the Gospel according to the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.12 unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you c. Besides although they know not the secrets and holy things of God yet some things are so plain that they
the beatifical vision as at the death of Christ the vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom Matth. 27.51 so that the holy of holies appeard And when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 Then shall all vailes be removed And the Spirit which searcheth all things even the hidden things of God shall teach us all things and lead us into all truth For which let us pray that God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto us the Spirit of wisdom revelation in the acknowledgement of him the eyes of your heart being enlightned to know what is the hope of his calling Ephes 1. ver 17 18 and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints To him be glory and honour and thanksgiving now and for evermore Amen When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit or do a trespass against the Lord and that person be guilty Numb 5. Ver. 6 7. then they shall confess their sin that they have done and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof and adde unto it the fifth part thereof and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord even to the Priest Ye may perceive it was not without cause that I shewed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is so often by our Translators turnd to number does not in the former Chapter of this book properly so signifie but to muster and view and visit the Lords army in order to their encamping and marching toward the land of Canaan For having so done in the four first Chapters in this Chapter the Lord gives order for the purging and cleansing of the Camp as from bodily pollution and so every Leper every one who hath an issue must be put out of the Camp and the pollution of the soul which is either ceremonial as whosoever is defiled by the dead as by touching or having communion with dead works ver 2. or moral and such is that in the words before us Wherein we have 1. A supposition of sin committed and guilt contracted by it When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit c. 2. An imposition of a penalty for his sin Or a direction how he should expiate his sin which is to be done by Confession and Restitution He shall recompense his trespass with the principal and addition of the filth part unto the person damnified But put case that the person who hath suffered damage yea and his Kinsman be dead what is in that case to be done Let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord even the Priest The supposition I read thus word for word out of the Hebrew A man or woman if they commit of all the sins of man to trespass a trespas against the Lord then that soul shall be guilty Wherein are contained these divine sentences 1. It is possible that a man or woman may commit one or other of all the sins of man 2. That they may commit some sin of all the sins of man to trespass a trespass against the Lord. 3. The soul that so doth shall be guilty 1. A man or woman may commit some of all the sins of man So the Hebrew so the Chal. Par. and the LXX to a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Pagnin Si secerint ex omnibus peccatis hominis 1. A man or woman It is the observation of Abenezra and of divers out of him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman have in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which make up the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the Lord so long as man and woman husband and wife have in them the name of the Lord so that they fear God and love one another so long the Lord is with them and helps them but if they forget the Lord and hate one another that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is lost and there then remains only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire fire the fire of contention and debate between them such as often proceeds from jealousie as in the latter part of this fifth Chapter and the fire of Gods wrathful indignation upon them 2. What are all these sins of man or men there are divers kinds divers sorts of injuries a multitude of sins implyed in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the sins of man or men such as men are wont to commit one against another Which we may reduce to two heads violence and deceit which is more properly understood by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which does not only signifie praevaricari praevaricationem to prevaricate and deal unfaithfully but to steal filch minm purloin cheat cousin circumvent go beyond a man over-reach him c. This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to raise up or lift up as also the contrary to cast down which suits well with the nature of deceit and fraud For he who deceives another he either directly or indirectly raiseth up the party deceived to an hope and confidence in him who is now about to deceive him and having wound up his hope and expectation of some good he foully frustrates him and casts him into a mischief which he feared not So that in deceit there are commonly these two things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprivating and frustrating of the thing we hoped for and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil a mischief a damage which we feared not The possibility of this is understood by the particle when or if It needs no proof when the acts themselves appear For that a thing is possible does not prove the thing to be A potentia ad actum non valet consequentia But if a thing be certainly it is possible to be Ab actu ad potentiam valet consequentia That it is possible to commit some or other of all the sins of men appears by the manifold examples Rom. 1.28 32. And such as S. Paul prophesied of 2 Tim. 3.1 5. And would God that the examples of these sins did not so abound among us to prove the possibility Let us inquire into the reason of this why men are so fraududulent and deceitful so violent and mischievous one to another so full of cheating theft and rapine Truly we must refer the reason of this to the principles of Atheism Ephes 2.12 without God in the world or which is next unto it Epicureism excluding divine providence from this lower world Ezech. 8.8 and 9.9 when they think that the Lord hath forsaken the earth Or which is near to that Saduceism denying rewards and punishments after a well or ill lead life
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
great difference between doing that which is the will of the Lord and being obedient unto the will of the Lord. For we may do that which is the will of the Lord 1. As natural agents not as voluntary Thus the Egyptians lent the Israelites their Gold Jewels at their departure out of Egypt as natural agents for willingly they would never have 1. disfurnished themselves 2. lent their goods to those whom they should never see again 3. and arm'd their enemies against themselves 2. As voluntary agents yet not doing the will of the Lord voluntarily and willingly but either executing their own evil wils as Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and the people of Israel did what the hand and counsel of God determined before to be done Acts 4.28 3. Or doing what is the will of the Lord out of fear as Laban hurt not Jacob Gen. 31.29 Pharaoh and the Egyptians let the Israelites depart out of Egypt Exod. 12. Balaam did not curse but blessed Israel Numb 24. 4. Or else they do the will of the Lord out of hope of reward and self-seeking Thus the false Prophet prophesied for hire Some Saducies lived orderly out of hope of temporal blessings The Pharisees made long prayers and gave almes and did all they did to be seen of men All these and many the like do the same thing which God wills to be done but none of them can be said to be genuine servants and obedient unto the Lord. 1. But the first of these we may call serviceable instruments of God Qui acti aguntur which are rather used as tools and wrought by then work of and by themselves 2. The second are the enemies of God whom by his power he so over-rules that he makes them do his work and serve his ends and that when most of all they advance their own 3. The third are the Lords slaves and vassals who would not do any good unless they feared otherwise to be beaten 4. The fourth and last are as it were the Lords Mercenaries and Hirelings who do his work but meerly and solely for wages otherwise they would do no good These all these are as it were the Lords servants extraordinary his retainers and servants at large But the true and genuine servants of the Lord and such as are in ordinary service are obedient unto him pliably and willingly submitting their wills unto the will of the Lord Ephes 6. v. 6. doing the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex anima or ex animo as the Vulg. Latin from or out of the soul or minde or heart When their heart is according to Gods heart as the Lord saith of his servant David Acts 13. v. 22. I have found a man after mine heart who shall fulfil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all my wills Acts 13.22 And such a servant of the Lord was Caleb as his name signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum cor according to the heart minde and will of God Would God we were all of us such servants of the Lord And that we had as the Lord saith that Caleb had another spirit with him For our understanding of this we must know that the Lord makes a promise unto Caleb and his seed of the Holy Land c. The Lord makes a promise unto Caleb and his seed of the Holy Land upon consideration of conditions fulfilled on Calebs part 1. He had another spirit 2. He followed the Lord fully Touching both these conditions there is some doubt may be made of the Translation As to the former we may render the words out of the Hebrew thus but to my servant Caleb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reward or because that another spirit was with him c. What is that other spirit and how was it with Caleb 1. As to the former the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus alter an other spirit that is the spirit of faith whereof the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 4.13 This spirit of faith rests on the wisdom and truth of God for the performance of his promise and on the power and goodness of God as for the effecting his promise the subduing the Canaanites and bringing Israel into that land This is another spirit differing from that of the false Spies and people which was the spirit of fear bondage and unbelief which other spirit may be rendred a new spirit Esay 65. v. 15. as Esay 65.15 He shall call his servants by another name I rather turn it A new name as the LXX there doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new name All agree that Esay there prophesies of the times of the Gospel wherein All things shall become new 2 Cor. 5.17 Yea what the Prophet there calls another name he calls a new name Esay 62.4 And what S. Luke Acts 2.4 calls other tongues S. Mark 16.17 calls new tongues And what Moses here calls another spirit Ezechiel calls a new spirit Ezech. 11.19 and 36.26 Why had Caleb another spirit He was now entring into an other a new estate the estate of faith in Christ in whom all things are new 2 Cor. 5.17 which he received by the hearing or obedience of faith Gal. 3.2 when he believed in the truth and power of God who promised the holy land to the couragious believers This was figured by all those wars and victories over the seven nations under the conduct of Jehoshua And the dispensation of Christ is described by mortifying killing crucifying destroying and so conquering and overcoming They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 The old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Jos 10.26 Rom. 6.6 This is that death of the Saints which is so pretious in the sight of the Lord Psal 116.15 That death whereof the Apostle speaks For thy sake we are killed all the day long Howbeit this death doth not extinguish us but the sin that is mortified But we become more then conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 For the atchieving of this victory in his new state there is need of a new spirit even the spirit of faith which is the victory that overcomes the world 1 John 5.4 This will appear if we shall consider that Caleb was ingaged in a war against the seven nations He therefore had need of counsel and strength for counsel and strength are for the war Esay 36.5 And therefore this new spirit was the spirit of faith in the wisdom and counsel and in the might and strength of God which ye read both together on the new man Esay 11.1 2. There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots Esay 11. v. 1. A branch growes not out of the roots of trees but out of their stock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore were better turnd a sucker sprout or sprig here
while we are as Jacob as yet weak it s to be expected that we suffer opposition and cursing but when we grow up in strength and become strong as Israel we must then expect Super maledictions cursings upon cursings Increase of grace is alwayes accompanied with proportionable increase of opposition and contradiction of the adversary Numb 33.11 They removed from the Red Sea and encamped in the wilderness of Sin c. The Red Sea or Edoms Sea for thence it had the name as I have shewen signifies that suffering which is incident unto flesh and blood or Edom the earthly man of which S. Paul speakes 1 Cor. 10.13 But Sin signifies Bushes and hatred when therefore we proceed from our conquest of that temptation which is incident unto man we become hated of men who are as thornes in our sides Thence they went to Dophkah that is pulsation knocking and smiting when their inward hatred breaks forth to knocks and blowes And the like significations have the following places of the Israelites journeyes if well observed by comparing spiritual things with spiritual For by how much we draw nearer to the heavenly Canaan by so much the more hatred we must look for from our outward and inward enemies The Spouse in the Cant. 4.16 therefore calls for not only the South winde but also the North winde to blow upon her Garden she desires both at once And why not only the South winde for from the South blow fruitful breathings whereby we understand the inspirations of the holy Spirit increase of graces thereby Jer. 1. v. 14. whereas Ab aquilone pandetur malum evil shall be opened from the North Jer. 1.14 The Spouse knowes well that there is no increase of graces to be hoped for without increase of opposition and contrariety And therefore by how much the sweet breathings of the Spirit proceed from the South by so much the more vehement opposition must be expected from the North. The Apostles and Disciples of Christ found this by experience Acts 2. when they received the spirit and the mighty rushing winde the spices flowed they declared the wonderful works of God but what then did the North winde cease when the South winde blew No did not the storm and tempest of persecutions arise more fiercely did not the hatred much more increase While the Apostles Disciples were yet but Novices in Christs school they suffered some accusation from the Pharisees as for plucking and rubbing the ears of corn for eating with unwashen hands c. But when they appeared full of the holy Ghost good God! how the North winde arose what storms and tempests did it raise in the hearts of gainsayers for as our God gives greater gifts unto his people so he permits greater oppositions against them and as their graces are greater so the greater are their sufferings Ubi magnitudo gratiae ibi magnitudo discriminis where there is greatness of grace there is greatness of danger saith S. Hierom. Men can well endure such as grow up together with them who are subject alike to the same infirmities with themselves while yet they live under the law and they can mutually pardon one anothers weaknesses but when the grace of God that brings salvation to all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath taught some of them to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts and to live soberly Tit. 2. v. 11. righteously and godly in this present world when these begin to grow up higher and to overtop the rest then the lower Shrubs speak evil of them 1 Pet. 4.4 Then the discipline of some Church or other sure I am not of the true Church of Christ which encourageth unto growth in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 and to abound more and more 1 Thess 4.1 like the Gardners Sheers soon crops and cuts down such surmounting proficiency under the name of Heresie or erroneous judgement because it exceeds the scanty measure of their Articles or confessions of faith which they will not suffer to be examined by the Word of God but require most unreasonably that the Word of God should be tryed and examined by their Articles and confessions of faith Hence it is that weaklings who are yet under the Law and like themselves may escape their Ecclesiastical censures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not yea as Ours render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all who are willing to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Some opposition will be made against Jacob the heavenly man as yet weak while he contends with his Edomick earthly-minded brother and strives and strugles with him as in the womb of Rebecca Gen. 25.23 and layes hold on his heel and would hinder him from being born and brought forth by consent James 1.14 15. For his earthly-minded brother is yet too strong for him and treads him under his foot But much more opposition is made against Israel the heavenly man now growen up with the increase of God Gen. 32.6 We read Psal 83. of a multitude of Nations plotting and consulting against Israel and their main designe is as appears ver 4. that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance Ye have ten of the conspirators against Israel ver 6.7.8 and then Selah added which imports a beating down of the earthly thoughts and a raising up the heavenly meditations on what goes before Accordingly Edom notes the earthly-minde Ismael is the hearing without obeying God Moab the refusing the correction by the Law which is bastardy Hebr. 12.8 Hagarens the estrang'd nature Gebal the evil bordering upon the good Rom. 7.21 like a Second in descant which makes the greatest disharmony Ammon the secret sin Amalek the flattering tongue licking up and devouring the people The Philistine earthly sensual spirits Tyrians spirits domineering and oppressing Assur the besieging sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin which easily besets us in every circumstance Hebr. 12. v. 1. Psal 83. v. 5.8 and way-laying us And all these have been an Arm to the sons of Lot So much the Hebrew words signifie as it is acknowledged in the margent Only the Translators here as commonly elsewhere turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children which are Sons Hence the reason will appear why the Lord smites Moab All these have consulted together with one heart and have made a covenant against the Lord v. 5. For if against the people of the Lord then against the Lord himself for they who are in covenant have common friends and common enemies Acts 9.4 5. Whereas therefore they become an Arm to the Sons of Lot that is to the Moabites and Ammonites therefore Christ himself who is the Arm of the Lord Esay 40.10 and 53.1 John 12.37 38. is stretched out for the protection and salvation of his Israel and to smite the Princes of Moab and that according to his covenant For since the Moabites were enemies against Jacob yea mortal enemies against Israel the Lord had obliged himself by his
that your generations may know that I made the sons of Israel to dwell in Booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt I am the Lord your God ver 42 43. That the people might remember and consider their slavery in Egypt and their deliverance out of it Their penury and poverty in the Wilderness when they were houseless and harborless and their plenty and abundance in the land of Canaan when they dwelt in houses that they had not built And therefore the Law was commanded to be read every seventh year at that feast Deut. 31.10 that they might hear and learn and fear the Lord their God the author of all this good unto them and observe to do all the words of his Law And for that end after the ordaining of that Feast Levit. 23.43 is added I am the Lord your God Hence it is that the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some have conceived to be so turned because that Song was so called which the old Greek Stage-players sung at the end of their Comedies when they went off the Stage as Suidas and Pollux and others affirm Accordingly some conceive that the Greek Interpreters alluded to this custom of the Stage-players because when they ended the Feast of Tabernacles they returned to their houses with great joy But truly I am not easily perswaded that the Greek Interpreters would so much honour the Comedians and their profane Stage-customes as to transfer them unto the holy Scripture There is no doubt but the LXX gave this name to the Feast according to the divine institution of it as hath been shewen in memory of Israels coming forth of Egypt And for the same reason they gave the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exodus unto the second book of Moses wherein that great work of God is recorded and rendred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a memorial of the peoples going out of Egypt Levit 23.16 Numb 29.35 Deut. 16.8 2 Chron. 7.9 Nehem. 8.18 as well knowing the will of the Lord that his people should remember the day when they came forth out of the land of Egypt all the dayes of their life Deut. 16.3 Hence we learn one main end of humane society the celebrating of solemn Assemblies for the worship and service of God in the great Congregation Such are all the solemn Feasts in Scripture As also for the management of civil affairs in order to a peaceable life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.2 That which the Psalmist expresseth in like words Psal 110.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the comlinesses of holiness Psal 100. v. 3. 1 Tim. 2. v. 2. which our Translators express in all godliness and honesty Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turnd by honesty a word in our language of very large signification might more properly be rendred by comely gravity The Wiseman Prov. 8.6 brings in Wisdom saying I will speak of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent things the LXX turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grave things that is as the Philosopher explaines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a decent deportment becoming all ranks and orders of men So that those Conventions of the people were either Ecclesiastical or civil And both had their times of restraint and their times of dimission For whereas all things in the Church ought to be done in decency and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order 1 Cor. 14.40 1 Cor. 14. v. 40. We read that our Lord the Head of his Church is desired by the Disciples to let the multitude depart Mat. 14.15 as afterward he doth v. 22 23. and 15.29 And we read this practised by the Town Clerk or rather Sacred Scribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dr. Hammond well proves that he dismissed the Assembly Acts 19.35 Acts 19. v. 35. And this dismission proves a restraint in all lawful Assemblies Such were those of the Christians in the Apostles times Hebr. 10.25 James 2.2 and afterwards So Ignatius to Polycarpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Assemblies be more frequent In which dismission was practised and therefore a restraint supposed In the Greek Church after the Sermon the Deacon said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dismission to the people that is the people may depart And the like custom was in the Latin Church Hence is that known form of speech used by the Deacon after the Sermon to the Catechumeni those who were not yet initiated or entred into the divine mysteries but were yet in their rudiments to them it was said Ite missa est The Congregation is dismissed ye may go home These antient and now antiquated customes of the Church easily discover unto us what Dissolutae scopae what loose and confused companies our Church-congregations most-what are as being neither duely gathered and assembled together nor detained by any gentle and moderate restraint upon them nor decently dismissed All which might well become the people of the God of order and the comely body of Christ the head But at this day most men account it a great part of their Christian liberty to be disorderly and to do what they list So that our Church-Assemblies are like people some going others coming from the Market or like Bees alwayes some going in others out of the Hive But if we begin to speak of these disorders we shall never come to an end Come we rather to the spiritual meaning of these words For alas what honour is it unto God or what benefit is it unto the people that so many bodies of men are gathered together in one place or that they are retained and restrained there The Church of God is a communion of souls and spirits And this communion of souls and spirits must be with the God and Father of spirits who made us out souls Otherwise Nihil boni est in unitate nisi unitas sit in bono There is no good in unity unless unity be in goodness We must know therefore that there is a twofold Restraint 1. From sin and iniquity 2. A restraint unto God and his divine nature 1. The restraint from sin and iniquity is the restraint of the seventh day Deut. 16.8 Six dayes thou shalt eat unleavened bread and the seventh day shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a solemn Assembly or rather a restraint The feast of the Passover requires a purging out the leaven of malice and wickedness a keeping our selves from our own iniquity This must be done with unleavened bread even with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Ye perceive sincerity accompanies the first and lowest duty even the first passage out of Egypt So far are they out who call perfection which is the highest duty by the name of sincerity which is or accompanies the lowest and meanest 2. There is also a restraint a recollecting and calling home all our wandring thoughts our loose affections our unadvised words our rash actions a bringing them to due examinations a judgeing and
Lord said the people are one and they have all one language Whereupon he confounds their tongue and David prayes for the like confusion they are now bound up in the bond of iniquity Wherefore v. 9. Divide their tongues for I have seen violence and strife in the City Their lying deceit and fraud are sins more proper to a City Whence they say that Astus craft subtilty deceit and fraud is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a City wickedness is in the midst of it deceit and guile go not out of their streets These are City-sins our City-sins sins rank and abounding in our City And therefore the Lord proceeds in his threatnings against that people and it may be feared for like reason against us also Jer. 9.9 Shall I not visit them for these things saith the Lord shall not my soul be avenged of such a nation as this not only that nation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as this also These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a combination of wicked men committing open and known wickedness Others there were also among the Jews an assembly of seeming holy men Esay 1. who brought a multitude of sacrifices unto God so that he was full with the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of fed beasts and the blood of Bullocks Lambs and Goats These were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 13. a solemn meeting as it is there rendred or rather a people in restraint or retention wholly taken up in offering sacrifices observing new Moons and Sabbaths But what saith the Lord of these who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination unto me The new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting or restraint So no doubt the words are to be read Esay 1. v. 13 14. And so Pagnin Tremellius Munster Piscator the Tigurin Bible and two of our old English Translations render them Not as our last doth with the supplement it is but jointly without a supplement And the reason is because iniquity opposeth the righteousness of God and the more of God is opposed the more God hates it and therefore it followes your new Moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble upon me I am weary to bear them This was no doubt a gross mistake of the Jewes that they could not distinguish between that life which God required out of the ceremonies even his everlasting will and commandement John 12.50 and the ceremonies themselves which God adjoyned unto it until the life it self should appear Col. 3.9 Yet I doubt not but we may parallel them with a people among us an assembly a combination of seeming holy ones who make their assembling and the keeping of an outward Sabbath hearing the Word and receiving the Sacrament and the observation of a few other outward duties the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole business of their religion wherewithal they cover their envie their pride their covetousness their wrath their surfeting their drunkenness their chambering their wantonness all their abominations As for what is required out of these outward services as from the Sabbath the ceasing from our sins from hearing of the Word obedience to be performed thereunto from receiving of the Lords Supper the shewing forth the Lords death in the daily mortification of sin As for the love of God and our neighbour the walking in good works the very end for which our God created us Ephes 2.10 Of these Ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem few words of these or if words yet but words These are after we believe and are assured that is have strongly fansied that we are justified these are then accounted but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things at the best indifferent and in a manner at our discretion as being not absolutely necessary to salvation which they are sure of already but upon the matter as to salvation impertinent and needless But if they be urged home and their necessity be demonstrated and that to salvation then they are reputed Pharisism Arminianism Socinianism Familism Monchery Popery So that all the Christian duties and all the excellent priviledges of the eight day of the feast of Tabernacles are resolved into a few outward services of the seventh day But let them expect what event the Jews had of all their ceremonial services without the life of righteousness Who required these things at your hands I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting or restraint As for us let us keep the feast of Tabernacles to the Lord let us keep a solemn assembly a retention a restraint on the eighth day 1. Let us restrain our souls from all iniquity Let us vow this vow unto the Lord and keep it Numb 30. v. 3. If a man vow a vow unto the Lord and swear an oath to binde his soul with a bond he shall not break his word Or rather according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by binding a bond upon his soul so David saith Thy vows are upon me O God! If we make vows unto God our word is no more ours but Gods and therefore we are obnoxious unto him So that to violate our words is not simply to break it as our Translators turn it but to prophane it as it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall not profane his word because it was sacred as made to the Lord and therefore being not performed it is profaned as they acknowledge in the margent 2. Let us avow and consecrate our selves to the Lord. A promissory oath differs little and only formally from a vow Accordingly David gives us example of the other restraint even to binde our selves to the Lord and his righteousness I have sworn and I will perform it Psal 119. v. 106. that I will keep thy righteous judgements or rather the judgements of thy righteousness 1. It is no mean Society and assembly we are invited unto read how the Apostle describes it Hebr. 12.22 23 24. 2. Nor is the benefit small no less then even the subduing the power of our greatest spiritual enemy Mark 1. v. 23. Mark 1.23 we read of a man in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man with or in an unclean spirit who cryed out saying Let us alone What have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God Satan knew well that Jesus and he had nothing common therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is common to us and thee And therefore he well knew that there would be no society between Christ and him but that he the stronger man would cast him out of his Tabernacle which he had usurped Whence saith David thine enemies roar Psal 74. v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Whelps of the Lion the Devil
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
belly for the sins of the belly nor our hands for violence nor our feet for a vagrant life nor was the Spirit implanted in us ut insidiarum fraudum iniquitatum cogitatorium fieret that it should be made a study of treacheries and of frauds and of iniquities So Tertullian de spectaculis cap. 2. Sihon is called here an Amorite and elsewhere also King of the Amorites An Amorite is Locutuleius a great Prater a bitter talker So that when Sihon is said to be an Amorite and King of the Amorites we understand that evil spirit which sweeps away extirpates and roots out of us all good and wholesom words Hence Amorite has the name and sets in their places all devouring words all words that may do hurt Psal 52.4 Hence we may learn part of that hard lesson which Coelo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came down from heaven Know thy self If heavenly thoughts if the precious thoughts of God lodge in us Psal 139.17 without doubt Gods Spirit acts and rules us And that Spirit will prompt us to speak good and wholesom words which convey grace to the hearer For then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Indwelling Deity the Essential word of God takes up his residence and dwelling in us But if vain sinful and wicked thoughts dwell in men they declare plainly what Spirit rules and acts in them that Sihon the Amorite and King of Heshbon and King of the Amorites reigns in them And he suggests foolish vain sinful bitter words and sets the tongue on fire from Hell James 3. I well know how men are wont to excuse themselves that their hearts are good though their words be evil so saith that wanton Epigrammatist Lasciva est nobis pagina vita proba est Our book 's lascivious but our life is good It s impossible Words are a great part of our life according to which we shall be all justified or condemned Matth. 12.37 James 3. v. 11. That argument of S. James is unanswerable Jam. 3.11 Doth a Fountain send forth at the same hole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is sweet and that which is bitter If therefore as a Fountain casts forth her waters so foul-mouth'd men cast out their wickedness Jer. 6.7 there is no question to be made but Sihon the Amorite reignes in those souls the word of Belial dwels in them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Word of God harbours not there There is no concord between Christ and Belial that is the Devil as the Syriac there turns it Satan 2 Cor. 6.15 2. Sihon also hath his land which is the land of Gilead but since Sihon was King of the Amorites and that land in his possession it was called the land of the Amorites Gilead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Acervus testimonii an heap of testimony or witnessing which figured the multitude of the divine witnesses the Prophets of the Lord and all believers who give testimony unto the truth and power of God the cloud of witnesses Hebr. 12.1 Hence was Elijah the Tisbite 1 Kings 17.1 Elijah the Tisbite that was of Gilead When Sihon is King of the Amorites all the heap of witnesses all the Prophets testimonies are made matter of talk All that men read all they hear all they meditate all they learn by reading hearing meditation it is to talk it out again And freely and openly to speak my fears I am perswaded that Gilead is yet in the Amorites hands I much fear that what the Lord tells his Prophet is verified and fulfilled of our times may I not say also of this place Ezech. 33.30 2. The Lord gives Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land into the hand of Israel But quo jure By what right does the Lord give these into the hand and power of Israel by a manifold right For although the Lord by reason of special covenant with Abraham and his seed vouchsafed to be styled the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the God of Israel yet the Lord had made a covenant also more general with Noah and his seed after the flood and consequently with all nations descending from them Gen. 9.10 11. So that not only by right of creation and preservation which is creation continued and by right of redemption from the flood whereby he redeemed them from death but also by right of covenant yea jure forisfactionis by right also of forfeiture by breach of covenant all became obnoxious and liable unto the just judgement of God so that by a manifold right he might dispose of them and theirs their persons and estates as here of Sihon and his land Mysticè 1. Observe O thou Israel of God how potent and subtil how malitious enemies thou hast even after thou hast past over the river Arnon The spiritual childe meets with some opposition the flesh lusts against the spirit this was figured by Esek Contention which Isaac first met withal But when that 's overcome greater enmity ariseth that 's Sitnah the strength of Satanical hatred Both must be subdued before Isaac comes to Rehoboth the latitude of freedom Gen. 26.20 21 22. The Ephesians had conquered the former and were now in conflict with the later to whom S. Paul saith we wrestle not with flesh and blood such as the Galatians as yet little children Gal. 4.19 had to fight withal Gal. 5.17 but against Principalities against Powers against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worldly rulers of the darkness of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render against the spiritualities of wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 Ephes 6. v. 12. That is saith Aquinas the very power and strength of wickedness Such enemies as David complaines of Psal 56.2 They who envie me have swallowed me up all the day Psal 56. v. 12. For many fight against me from on high so the LXX and Tremellius Prowdly or arrogantly so Piscator and Coverdale although David may be understood to direct his complaint unto God by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here so Psal 92.8 Mich. 6.6 2. Note hence O Israel how great a strength is imparted unto thee by thy God even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hyperbolical or exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe Ephes 1.19 3. Hence its evident that one spirit does not act in all men for if Sihon King of Heshbon extirpate and root out the good thoughts out of the heart and implant evil thoughts in their room and the Israel of God hath a spirit of power from the God of life to destroy Sihon and root out all the evil thoughts out of the heart and implant good thoughts there surely these divided opposite contrary acts cannot proceed from one and the same spirit It s our Lords argument That Satan cannot cast out Satan but the finger and Spirit of God it is which is contrary to Satans spirit which casts
out Devils Matth. 12. An Argument which nor Satan who brought this Ranting principle from the bottom of Hell nor all his Ranters are or ever will be able to answer 3. Behold I give into thy hand c. The word here turnd Behold is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See whereby the potency and strength of the enemy and the prepotency and greater ability to overpower him and the Lords free donation is propounded to our eye of faith See I have given into thy hand c. Thus Faith is Speratorum subjectio rerum demonstratio quae non cernuntur as Castellio well turns Hebr. 11.1 faith is the propounding or setting before our eyes things hoped for the demonstration of things which are not seen So potent subtil and malitious an enemy and power over him to subdue him being given into thy hand O Israel well deserves an Ecce Behold see I have given c. But I see no such matter saith weak Jacob. Not with thy bodily eyes this object is propounded unto thine eye of faith Nor can these things be made known unto us but by the Spirit of God We have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit that is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 And therfore when the Prophet Elisha's servant feared the army of the Syrians which compassed the City of Dothan round about Fear not saith Elisha for there are more with us then they who are with them and withal he prayes Lord open his eyes The Prophet Elisha and his servant were besieged with an army of Syrians Pride and deceit and the curse due to these these are Aramites or Syrians and these compass Elisha that is God the Saviour and his servants yea Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besieging us in every circumstance Hebr. 12.1 If we be in Dothan in the Law if Elisha be with us there are more with us then are against as They who keep the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cast a trench about themselves as the LXX turn Prov. 28.4 2. Begiu possess contend with him in battel Hitherto we have heard the three prepuratory Exhortations and their perswasives and motives inducing to the war Come we now to those Exhortations which we may call executory And they also are three Begin possess contend with him in battel 1. Begin This word sometimes imports no more then the act it self which one is said to begin as it s said of our Lord He began to say Luke 12.1 that is He said Matth. 16.6 He began to cast out Mark 11.15 that is He did cast out Matth. 21.12 Sometime it signifies the entrance and first part of the work as he that hath begun a good work will finish it Phil. 1.6 And thus it may be a general exhortation enlarging it self to all the rest as the entrance and first part of them Begin to arise begin to take your journey begin to pass over Arnon to possess to contend with him in battel 1. Hence it appears that after all the precedent exhortations to arise from sin to righteousness from death to life men are prone to lie still in sin and iniquity After exhortation to take their journey toward the spiritual land men are rather inclined to stay at home in the flesh After exhortation to pass over the River Arnon they had rather be still children in Kadeshbarnea After the Lords free donation of Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land into our power and his evidencing this to our faith men hardly believe any such thing possible And therefore the Lord yet stirs us up Begin arise begin take your journey begin pass over the river Arnon 2. Hence it s also evident that the work of salvation is not suddenly finished or in a short time since so many exhortations are needful thereunto and the work as yet not done 3. According to the measure of grace vouchsafed unto us there ought to be a suitable complying and endeavour to walk worthy of that grace The Lord saith he hath given Sihon and his land unto Israel and v. 31. See I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thy face therefore arise take your journey therefore begin thou to possess it Behold here a figure of the mutable and inconsistent estate which is represented unto us in the spiritual childehood The people lingred and continued in their unsetled condition without any progress or going on Whence it is that Moses tells us that these things befel the people in Kadeshbarnea Deut. 1. That is Sanctitas filii instabilis the unstable holiness of the son or childe or rather the sanctity and holiness of moveable changeable and unsetled purity such as is that of the childe Ephes 4. as I have formerly shewen And if we look upon the present state of Christianity we shall finde most-what such a kinde of instability and unsetledness among men The second book of Esdras is a Prophetical history of times then to come Among other predictions we finde this 2 Esder 15.14 15 16. 2 Esdr 15 v. 16. Wo to the world and them that dwell therein For the Sword and their destruction draweth nigh And one people shall stand up to fight against another and swords in their hands And there shall be sedition among men and invading one another They shall not regard their Kings nor Princes and the course of their actions shall stand in their power What our Translators turn Sedition is Inconstabilitio which is rather to be rendred unsettlement or instability How true that prophesie is may appear to any who shall impartially take a survey of the Christian Church now for many years especially in this our nation 1. Hence they are justly reproved who lie still in their fall set not forth nor begin their journey but abide on the other side Arnon Yet O wicked imagination how hast thou covered the whole face of the earth even these men think they are come to their journeys end Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon who roots out the good thoughts and implants evil in their room he bewitches them and perswades them that they have built goodly castles of assurance in the air when they have not yet laid the foundation they have not yet begun the work that they have climbed up to the top of Jacobs Ladder when indeed they have not yet set their foot on the first round They are fully assured and certain of their salvation before they have denyed themselves taken up their cross and followed their Saviour These indeed have begun their journey but they have begun at the wrong end 2. Justly also are they hence blamed who although they begin well with good thoughts good wills good purposes yet proceed not continue not in their course well begun Ye did run well saith S. Paul to the Galatians Gal. 5.7 These he calls his little children cap. 4.19 And whereas many in that state pretend infirmities
and to themselves Hos 12.4 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with Us saith Hosea many ages afterward However this be true and satisfactory yet are there inward and spiritual words and an inward sight of them What other words are they whereof the Psalmist Psal 19. and the Apostle speak Rom. 10.18 Have they not heard Yea verily Their sound went into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world 1. Hence it followes that Gods words are visible words S. John saith as before That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life And again v. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you The Word of life was visible unto S. John and his fellow Apostles For howsoever some men may satisfie themselves and others with saying that S. John here speaks of the dayes of Christs flesh when the Apostles saw and heard him surely the same may as well be said of those who apprehended him smote him crucified him For these saw him heard him handled him and that roughly Besides the humanity and flesh of Christ is no where called the Word but the Word is said to be made flesh and to dwell in us John 1.14 Adde hereunto that what S. John saw heard and handled was from the beginning 1 John 1.1 Whereas the flesh of Christ was not from the beginning but in time and the fulness of time Gal. 4. There are inward and spiritual senses whereby the man of God sees and hears savors tastes and handles the words of God Such senses there must be because there is an inward man of the heart which must not want his due powers and faculties For since his words are spirit and life John 6. how can they be otherwise perceived then by spiritual senses according to the Apostles reasoning 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural animalish or souly man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Hebr. 5. v. 14. and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned And therefore the perfect men have their senses exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the discerning of both good evil Heb. 5.14 The words of God are sure firm and certainly true as being demonstrable and that by the most principal demonstration even from the evidence of sense The words which thine eyes have seen For although the words of God are conveyed by hearing whereby faith cometh Rom. 10.17 Yet the most certain sense is that of seeing according to that well-known and approved speech of the Poet Tardiùs irritant animos demissa per aures Quà m quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus Things heard more slowly move the minde then they Which are committed to faithful eyes Hence proceeds the tactual approbative and experimental knowledge of the divine words So that unto such experienced men we may appeal Do you not see this truth do you not handle with your hands this word of life do you not taste that the Lord is gratious 1 Pet. 2.3 This is the most certain knowledge and most beneficial attainment of the living Word of God when we relish savor handle see and taste it when we have our share of what we know Thus according to the old Etymologist Sapientia est sapida scientia Wisdom is a savory knowledge of divine things I shall end this point with the Apostles prayer for his Philippians For this I pray Phil. 1. v. 9. that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in acknowledgement and all or every sense Phil. 1.9 2. Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently In which words we must inquire 1. What this self is 2. What the taking heed and keeping of thy self is and 3. What it is only and diligently so to do 1. Moses explaines thy self by thy soul and thy soul by thy heart For so no doubt Animus cujusque is est quisque every mans soul and minde is himself and is very frequently so used in Scripture as I have heretofore shewen Thus what S. Luke 9.5 cals himself S. Matth. 16.26 cals his soul And the soul is here explained by the heart for although the heart sometime be specially taken for the affective part of the soul Phil. 1. v. 9. and is so distinguished from the minde Matth. 22.37 Yet most-what it s understood more generally of all the parts of the soul and the whole inward man so what is called the heart Matth. 15.19 is what is within Mark 7.21 This is thy self here understood when Moses saith Take heed to thy self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turnd take heed is passive and properly signifies Be thou observed or kept and it is the Passive of the same Verb following howbeit the force and use of it is reciprocal and reflex as Deut. 2.4.23.10 Josh 23.11 Mal. 2.15 The LXX render this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heed which is elliptical and defective in regard of the sense For it signifies no more then adhibere to apply and lay to as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to apply the minde the understanding the thoughts the heart the memory as we say adhibere applicare adjicere advertere animum to apply ones minde to something This we often meet withal in Scripture Esay 42.25 he laid it not to heart and 47.7 and 57.11 Ezech. 40.4 Set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee Dan. 10.12 Thou didst set thine heart to understand This is done when we fix our wandring thoughts and desires by meditation and laying them up in our memory and reserving them for life and practice As for the manner measure and degree of keeping it s two wayes expressed in the text 1. Only 2. Diligently 1. Only excludes all other keeping and care of any thing else to be kept except thy self thy heart thy soul at least comparatively so that the keeping of thy self thine heart thy soul is either sufficient of it self in lieu of all other duties or to be preferred before and above all other To which is also added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which they render diligently which imports two things 1. Not only care whence Hierom turns it Solicitè carefully and the Orator defines care Aegritudinem animi cum cogitatione a pensiveness of minde with taking thought 2. It implies also strength to be used that thereby we may prove and improve our care whence it s rendred by Valdè which is Validè strongly mightily The Wiseman exhorting to the same duty keep thy heart saith he with all diligence which is better rendred in the margent Prov. 4. v. 23. keep thy heart above all keeping which answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a note of comparison so that the Wiseman requires a great degree of keeping the heart above all other keeping And
reward Matth. 6.2.5.16 What they desire and aim at they have namely the applause and praise of men But the inward cleansing from sinne is not obtained by these outward performances that 's gotten by righteousness Dan. 4.94 It was Daniels counsel to Nabuchadnezzar do away thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by being merciful to the afflicted And therefore the inward good intention of the heart mercy and compassion and the like spiritual graces must accompany almesgiving and thereby the cleansing is obtained So our Lords speech is to be understood as its clear by the context Luke 11.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which our Translators turn Give almes of what ye have which they render otherwise in the margent as ye are able neither way well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are inexistentia as Arias Montanus well renders that word and so the words will afford this sense give or offer ye the things which are within such as I named before your almes or merciful gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and behold all things are clean unto you For that which cleanseth and purifieth is somewhat of God and Christ not the outward work although that also ought to be done So the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified by the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Unless there be that inward purger and cleanser the work is not wrought Outward shewes and pretenses how specious soever are uneffectual This the sons of Sceva found with a mischief when they adjured those who had evil spirits by the Name of Jesus Acts 19.14 15. The evil spirit answered Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And the man who had the evil spirit prevailed over them As the Galls having taken Rome they came upon the Senators who were invested with their Robes and all Ensignes and shewes of majesty whom the Galls slew like beasts whom at first they had looked upon as gods 2. What a poor opinion hypocritical men have of the true God and his Name they make him and his Name inferiour and serviceable to their poor base ends a little wealth a little honour a little pleasure Ahab wanted but a little spot of ground and the Kings name and Gods name must be taken in vain for the obtaining of it What a preposterous inverting and perverting things is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sursum deorsum susque deque turning of things upside down setting the means above the end the end below the means God and his name must serve a turn What ever any hypocrite does though evil yet somewhat of God is pretended for the warrant of it as when he saith its just its equal its true its right Jer. 50.7 John 16.2 In nomine Domini incipit omne malum mischief begins with the name of the Lord as they said of old concerning the Popes Bulls But this taking of Gods name in vain shall be in vain to them who so take it For though the hypocrite by his turning things upside down may possibly deceive a man yet God his Maker he cannot deceive And therefore the Lord denounceth a woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord Esay 29. v. 15 16. and their works are in the darkness and they say who is seeing us and who is knowing us This woe shall be 1. To their work that shall be frustrate Your subversion or turning of things shall be esteemed as the Potters Clay For shall the work say to him that made it he made me not or shall the thing framed say to him that framed it he understood not 2. And this woe shall be to their present state which in requital to their subversion shall also be changed Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon figuring the Gentiles state shall be turn'd into Carmel very fruitful as the Jewes had been through the blessing of God upon it and Carmel shall be esteemed a Forest Whereby the Prophet implyes the conversion of the Heathen unto Christ whom the Jewes should reject as the words following evidently prove And what was charged as a crime upon the Apostles that they turn'd the world upside down Acts 17.6 had yet a truth in it when what was above and high in men Luke 16.15 so that they called the prowd happy Malac. 3.15 that is brought low and the brother of low degree glorieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his height James 1. v. 9 10. and the rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his abasement James 1.9 10. when every valley is filled and every Mountain and hill is brought down Luke 3.5 3. Learn what manner of people Gods Israel is no vain and empty men no they have God and his fulness in them Ephes 3.19 filled or filling unto all the fulness of God Ephes 3. v. 19. They have his name written on them Revel 3.12 Jehovah is the being so that great name signifies not the shew not the seeming only They have his mercy his grace his long suffering his goodness his truth in them that 's his name for ever Exod. 34.7 They have his love in them John 5. that 's his name 1 John 4.8.16 These are the true Esseni which have their name saith Epiphanius from Jesse the father of David Jesse is the very being it self without fiction without hypocrisie Be we exhorted to a most serious earnestness and sincerity in the bearing of Gods name T is worth all thy love all thy reverence And why then hadst thou rather seem to be then in earnest and indeed to be what thou wouldst be thought to be If the shew and form be so highly esteemed by thee how much more will the substance it self if thou knowest it It is worth our inquiring what name thou bearest and whether the name of thy God and his Christ and if so whether in vain yea or no. John sent his Disciples unto Jesus Matth. 11. to inquire whether he were the Christ or no our Lords answer was the blinde see the lame walk c. Many there are penitent men disciples of John who would gladly come to Christ they enquire after Christ would gladly bear his name canst thou answer them so canst thou shew by thy life and works that thou bearest Christs name So when the Greeks came to Philip and Andrew desiring to see Jesus John 12. Our Lord shewed them himself and his Disciples in their death and life a grain of Wheat dead and living and bringing forth much fruit that is Iesus Canst thou shew them Iesus in his death or life canst thou shew thy self dead with him and risen with him Then will mighty works shew themselves in thee as Herod reasoned Thus doing we shall not bear the Lords name in vain while we are bringing forth fruit but he will purge us and we shall bring forth more fruit Hereby the name of the Lord shall not be polluted or
rewards every man according to his works the reward of good works and the punishment of the evil finished must be greater then of the same intended God was patient all the time that David was plotting the death of Vriah but when it was effected then he sent Nathan and denounced his judgement Hence we learn that 1. The heart is Murdrorum officina the flesh-bank the slaughterhouse the murdering den wherein the wicked one slayeth the innocent Psal 10.8 2. A man may possibly be a murderer who yet layes no violent hands on any Is he angry with his brother he is guilty of the judgement Matth. 5.22 yes if he be angry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a cause S. Hierom and S. Augustin both agree that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a cause is not to be found in any old Greek copy Ut scilicet ne cum causa quidem debeamus irasci saith Augustin nor indeed is it extant in the vulgar Latin 3. Hence we learn to judge our selves and others if angry and malitious if hateful and hating one another 4. Yea hence learn the bloody-mindedness of this present generation what murdering and malitious hearts full of rancor and hatred they bear one party against another one man against another Shall not the Lord be avenged of such a nation as this This is harsh doctrine Alas if to be angry with my brother be no less then murder if he who hates his brother be a murderer what shall become of me I have been angry and hated my brother and spoken despitefully against him said to him Racha called him out of bitterness of spirit a fool Cease from wrath redeem thine envie and malice with love and mercifulness As all thy doings before were done in malice and hatred let them now be all done in love and kindness 1 Cor. 16.14 John 3.21 But alas thoughts of revenge assault me These are the messengers of Satan like him sent to kill Elisha 2 Kings 6.32 even God the Saviour in thee and therefore take his counsel there keep these revengeful thoughts fast at the door give no consent unto them they rome to take away thy head The head of every believer is Christ 1 Cor. 11. If thou consent unto them thou openest the dore of thy heart and lettest them in while thou keepest them without dore they cannot hurt thee No evil without thee no not the Devil himself the murderer from the beginning not he nor any evil can hurt thee while it is without thee no more then any good can help thee if it be without thee Alas I have crucified the life of God even the Christ of God in me I have murdered the Lord Jesus Haply this thou hast done indeed who hath not done it yet despair not There is a twofold killing as the Scripture distinguisheth Deut. 19. the one wilful and presumptuous the other at unawares And both these wayes the Lord Jesus hath been killed There are who have slain him wilfully Heb. 6.4 5. and 10.26 There are who slay him ignorantly who suppress the motions of Christs spirit in themselves not knowing that they proceed from him God was in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28. There is one in the midst of you whom ye know not Such an ignorant manslayer was Paul who persecuted the Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 1.13 but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly Yea and he is a patern to them that offend Acts 3.17 The greatest sin without hatred is pardonable Deut. 19. The greatest good work without charity is nothing worth 1 Cor. 13. Yea in this case the Lord hath made provision of a refuge if we have slain the man Christ ignorantly if we have slain him by our unholy and profane life we must then fly to Kadesh that is unto holiness This counsel the Prophet Esay gives Esay 1.16 17 18. and Daniel to Nebuchadnezzer Dan. 4.27 This Kadesh is in Galilee that is conversion or turning about Jer. 18.11 Therefore when S. Peter having told the Jews that they had crucified the Lord Jesus he directs them to Galilee that is to turn to the Lord Acts 3.19 This City of refuge is on a Mountain as the Church of God is Esay 2.2 a state hard to be attained unto And we must contend and strive for it therefore it is said to be in the Tribe of Nephtali Such an one was S. Paul 1 Cor. 9.26 Phil. 3.14 not with flesh and blood c. Ephes 6. 2. Yea we must go about this work early Therefore the second City of refuge is Shechem which signifies early This also is in a Mountain hard difficult in ascent in the Tribe of Ephraim in fruitfulness growing and increasing Thus doing we shall come to the third City even Hebron the society of all 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 â—â—â—ting our hearts unto the living God that 's Hebron This is 〈…〉 a Mountain Heb. 12. and in the Tribe of Judah praysing and glorifying our God confessing to his name and singing Hallelujahs for ever Yea the Lord Jesus prayes for his persecutors and murderers Father forgive them c. This is proper to the Christian spirit as appears Luke 9.5 6. they as yet were of a legal spirit Abels blood cryed from the earth Zachariah the son of Jehoiada 2 Chro. 24.22 Jer. 11. â—0 and 20.21 But what saith our Lord Father forgive them And S. Stephen Acts 7. Christs blood of sprinkling speaks better things then that of Abel This is the strength of the Spirit of Jesus which rejoyceth in tribulation So S. Paul prayes for the Colossians Col. 1.11 that they may be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Attende Tibi Doctrinae Look to thy Self and the Doctrine SERMON XIV Deuteronomie 6. ver 6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children BEfore we can consider a-right and speak to these words particularly let us render them and read them right as thus These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be in or upon thine heart And thou shalt whet them upon thy sons I shall shew this to be the true translation of the Text as I come to the Axiomatical handling of it The words contain an injunction to parents and those in place of parents to transmit and conveigh the Commandements of God unto their sons and all under their care Wherein we have a Series Process or Succession of commands one in order to other 1. These same words I am commanding thee this day 2. These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be in or upon thine heart 3. These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be upon thine heart and thou shalt whet them upon thy sons 1. These same words I am commanding thee this day Wherein we must inquire 1. What these same words commanded are 2. What is
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
Schoolmaster Gal. 3.24 Meantime he who is just let him be just still There are degrees of Justice and righteousness as hath been shewen And let us know that it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 And let us pray for that Just and Perfect One who works all our works in us Esay 26. that as he hath begun a good work in us so that he will throughly perfect it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 Even so come Lord Jesus Revel 22.20 Contrary Principles Mutual impediments SER. 19. SERMON XIX Gal. 5. ver 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would THere are in the holy Scriptures many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as S. Peter said were in his Brother Pauls Epistles things bard to be understood Which difficulty may arise as from other causes so more especially from 1. Either somewhat in the Scripture it self 2. Or from some defect in us As for the Scripture it self it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 of divine inspiration and dictated unto the Pen-men of it by the holy Ghost and therefore while yet we are in the fall there must be a great disproportion between it and us This obscurity is much encreased by mistakes and oversights in translation as also by imposing upon the Scriptures false glosses and mis-interpretations as the Philistines stopt the Wells Gen. 26. so that men cannot as otherwise they might with joy draw water of life out of the Wells of Salvation 2. The difficulty may proceed from some defect in us as being yet unconverted and averse from God and his wayes according to that of Dan. 9.13 We have not turned from our iniquities that we might understand the truth And therefore S. Paul was sent to open mens eyes to turn them from darkness to light c. Acts 26.18 And for this purpose it is a good old prayer I know no new one better and it may be ours for advance of our present business Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord The Text in the Greek speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render as I have showen how truly we shall then understand when we finde how unsuitable this Translation is to the will of God revealed in his Word Obedience is that Mother-grace Genetrix omnium virtutum as Hierom calls it that which brings forth all other vertues that which sets the eye to see the ear to hear the heart to think the memory to record the mouth to speak the foot to walk the hand to work the whole man to do that and only that which is conformable to the will of God When such holy desires arise in the heart from the Spirit of God then a contrary desire ariseth also from the flesh according to what the Apostle saith Rom. 7.21 When I will doe good evill is present with me And my Text among diverse other perverted Scriptures is wont to be alleadged against obedience unto the will of God so that this Mother-grace cannot bring forth the fruites of the spirit because the children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Before we come to the particular handling of these words let us analyse them or as much of them as will make up a compleate sense and thereby we shall see what the words so read in our last Translation will amount unto The Apostle having propounded the law of neighbourly love ver 14. which they transgressed ver 15. The Apostle ver 16. propounds an expedient for removal of it an exhortation to walk in the spirit which exhortation he enforces by this motive If ye walk in the spirit ye shall not fullfill the lusts of the flesh This consequence he proves from the nature of Adverse contraries which naturally expell one the other For ver 17. the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit lusts against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other The effect of these contraries fighting one with the other is here concluded according to this translation a downright contradiction to what the Apostle before had exhorted unto He exhorted them to walk in the spirit and told them that so doing they should not fullfill the lusts of the flesh Which spirit and flesh so contending it comes to pass that ye cannot do the things which ye would that is ye would walk in the spirit that ye might not fullfill the lusts of the flesh but this ye cannot do Which yet he had exhorted them unto in the words before Nor will the marginal reading fulfill not help this For whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be part of the exhortation fulfill not or a motive thereunto ye shall not fulfill the conclusion will be the same The absurdity of this reasoning will appear if ye shall conceive a Commander in the war to lead up his men and exhort them to be valiant and take a Fort and promise them a great reward if they take it as Caleb promised that he who should subdue Kiriath-Sepher and take it to him he would give Achsah his daughter to wife Josh 15.16 Yea suppose that this Commander should adde threatnings even death it self in case this Fort were not taken by them according to that if ye walk after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8.13 Yet now suppose that this Commander after all this exhortation and motives should in the winding up of his speach say expreslly This Fort is impregnable it 's impossible to win it ye cannot take it Truly a man would think such a Commander little other then a Fool and his Soldiers no wiser if they should storm the Fort and hope to carry it upon no better reasons than these are Yet indeed the case is the same if not worse Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit lusts against the flesh that ye cannot do the things that ye would Wherefore since it is most unreasonable to think that the Apostle being taught by the Spirit of God would reason so absurdly let us enquire into the true meaning of the words which cannot be done unless we render them otherwise as thus Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit But the Spirit lusteth against the flesh but these are contrary one to other that ye may not do the things that ye would According to the judgment of the best Critick that I know these words These are contrary the one to the other are to be put in a parenthesis and then from the lusting of the Spirit will follow that ye may not do the things of the flesh which ye would do But what difference is there between this Translation and the other 1. In
understand the place of venial sin Lyra will have it to be understood of mortal sin also Yea S. Austin will have the place understood of virgins and those who live the most blameless life yea of all Christians Bonaventure saith that no man knowes that he has no sin but by the revelation of Gods Spirit I will not doubt but many of these were pious learned and good men insomuch as Alexander Hales said of his Scholar Bonaventure Profectò puto in Domino Boneventura Adamum non peccasse I think that Adam sinned not in Master Bonaventure Nor do I doubt but that they all or the most of them fought the good fight of faith But I doubt whether many of them had laid hold upon the eternal life so far as to have attained unto the dispensation of the Spirit And therefore we may beleive that they speake many of them their own experiences and found daily temptations from without and corruptions within That which the Philosopher spake touching the authorities of others brought against him give me leave once more to use his words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though all these be my friends it s an holy thing to honour the truth before them That we may the better understand this we must know that sin against God is considerable according to the three dispensasions of the Father Son and Spirit As to the first of these Man by his fall is become far estranged from his God deeply revolted and at a great distance from him For so God is a Spirit and spiritually minded and opposite unto man who is flesh and blood and fleshly and ungodly minded And man on his part would never return or be reconciled unto God did not the Lord extend mercy love and goodness unto the fallen man were he not in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 did he not allure and draw him to himself Joh. 6.44 When therefore God the father by his law so called Psal 40.8 raised up in the fallen man and testifying against him Psal 78.5 Psal 78.5 corrects him informes and instructs him to amendment of life and man meantime neglects and respects and opposeth this attraction and drawing of the Father and knowes not or duly considers not that this goodness of God â—eads him to repentance Rom. 2.4 This is the sin against the Father which upon repentance at the teaching of John is forgiven unto men But when now we are by the discipline of the Father brought unto the Son and look on him whom we have pierced who hath suffered for our sins the death of the Cross and he now begins to arm us with the same minde we are yet in great ignorance and weakness as 1 Cor. 2.3 and when he drawes us we draw back when he would we will not The contention is long between the house of David and the house of Saul In many things we offend all Nor can we say that we have no sin until the Spirit be powred from on high until we be born from the dead until death be swallowed up in victory until we have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Of this progress very much might be spoken which I reserve for a fit opportunity if the Lord shall give it Meantime a few words are enough to the wise Whereas therefore little notice hath been taken and in these dayes much less of the three dispensations and states of men in the Father Son and Spirit that there is a sin against the Father and against the Son those children of the Father who have their sins forgiven them through his Name and are now brought unto the Son and grown so strong in him that they overcome the evil one these at length attain to the old age in the Spirit and experimentally know him who is from the beginning This is that state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without sin Such an estate is possible and attainable through the grace of God and his holy Spirit that men may be without sin All believers yea even they who dissent and agree not unto this truth yet by consequence even they themselves confess it For who is there that does not acknowledge that communion and fellowship with God and Christ is possible which yet cannot be while men walk in darkness Do not all agree that its possible we may be partakers of the divine nature We have the promise of God for it 2 Pet. 1.4 which yet cannot be until we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Do not all the faithful believe this that they are in Chrict and Christ in them Otherwise they are reprobates saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 13.5 Now he who saith he abides in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked 1 John 2.6 and his walking was without sin Do not all believers hope to inherit eternal life This is put upon this condition if ye by the Spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Is not the Lord Jesus Christ our example for this very end 1 Pet. 2.20 21. They therefore are much to blame who abuse this Scripture which S. John applyes to little children in Christ 1 John 2.1 and extend it even unto all Christians in all their spiritual ages And whereas the Apostle makes use of it to express presumption there are who abuse it to harden men and make them despair even to be saved from their sins It s a Scripture almost in every mans mouth as frequently used or abused rather as any except that which is indeed no part of holy Scripture That the most righteous man that is sins seven times a day They mean Prov. 24.16 which we are taught to sing in the Complaint of a sinner and tell the God of truth an untruth For in the place named there is no mention of falling into sin but into misery and affliction and that not seven times a day but only seven times and what is that to this purpose O beloved How much better were it to enure our selves to such Scriptures in our discourse one with another as might encourage and hearten us toward the subduing of our sins many such Scriptures there are in this Epistle These things I write unto you little children that ye sin not He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 He that hath this hope purifies himself 1 John 3.3 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world and many the like Thus men are by little and little drawn out of the kingdom of darkness into the light of life whereas such speeches as these In many things we offend all If we say we have no sin c. Though true if rightly used they plunge men more and more in darkness insomuch that they beleive not that they can come out of darkness Job 15.22 Come we to the Second Point Their Reason who so say They who say they have
our last Translation we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a knowne note of diversity rendred and as known a Conjunction copulative and these two render different kinds of Axioms as all Logicians yea all who have common reason may understand The flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit lusts against the flesh that 's a copulate The flesh lusts against the Spirit but the Spirit lusts against the flesh that 's a discret Axiom 2. But there 's a far greater difference between cannot as they render the words and may not as they ought to be turned Ye cannot denies power and strength ye may not leaves a possibility of doing what they would For the Spirit so and for this end lusteth against the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye may not do the things that ye would according to the lusting of the flesh And thus the Greek words ought to be rendred and generally are so rendred by Pagnin Castellio Vulg. Lat. Vatablus Beza High and Low Duth French Italian and Spanish Translations yea and by an antient English Manuscript whereas all our printed English Translations turn it cannot If any man think this a small difference let him suspend his judgement till I speak of it in its due place The Apostle ver 16. propounds a Precept In the Text we have 1. The difficulty of that precept the flesh lusteth 2. The possibility notwithstanding that difficulty Ye may Wherein we have these Axioms 1. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit 2. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh 3. Tt is true that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh 4. The flesh and the Spirit are contrary one to the other This is to be put in a Parenthesis 5. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that we may not do the things of the flesh which we would do 1. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Herein we must enquire 1. What is meant by the flesh and 2. The lusts of the flesh and 3. What is meant by the Spirit I will not trouble you with the manifold meaning of this word flesh Only by the flesh we are here to understand the old corrupt Adam so what Rom. 6.6 our Apostle calls crucifying the old man that in the same Apostles phrase Gal. 5.24 is called crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts 2. And what is lust and what is it to lust Concupiscence or lust is the desire of sensitive delight vain foolish and immoderate desires of the superiour appetite the will as ambitious desires of honours curiosity desire of knowledge falsely so called so flesh is understood Col. 2.18.23 and elsewhere The word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a power which comes upon the minde whereby the soul is carryed out to what is desired The lusting of the flesh therefore is not only that of the lower appetite which we call the concupiscible but that also of the irascible is here to be understood as appears by comparing v. 15. If ye bite and devour one another c. Yea the immoderate lusts of the superiour appetite are here also to be understood Hence it is that Sects and Heresies are reckoned by the Apostle Gal. 5.20 amongst the works of the flesh Hence also it is that we read of carnal wisdom wisdom of the flesh The lusting of the flesh against the Spirit what is it but desiring what is contrary to the desires and lustings of the Spirit The flesh desires things fleshly which are contrary to the desires of the Spirit which are of things spiritual and heavenly As by the flesh the old Adam is to be understood so by the Spirit and its lusts the lusts and wils of the new Adam the heavenly man are here meant The reason of this is from the mistake and seducing of the fansie For the fansie being part of the first Adam flesh and blood and informed with a living soul and being sensual earthly and carnal Rom. 8. and knowing no better thing then earthly objects things neer of kin unto it and delightful unto sense it easily draws the coucupiscence unto them which howsoever according to original rectitude it propends to good and that Bâ—num bonestum the honest good and is subject to the rational appetite and so to right reason as the Philosopehr teacheth and right reason to the Law of God yet having declined from that first integrity unto the sensible present and delightful good which most-what is disjoyn'd from the true and honest good becomes more and more prone to evil and drawes to it the rational appetite the will yea the reason it self the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rudder of the soul as he that 's sinking will lay hold though on his best friends and draw them into the same pit of destruction And so the fleshly minde resists and reasons against the Spirit as Ahitophel fallen off to Absalom they both rebel against their Lord David Obs 1. Here is an evident argument and proof of mans fall Here is opposition made against the Spirit of God Surely Gods work was perfect and all that he made was very good Gen. 1. And therefore that excellent work man cannot be said to come thus imperfect out of Gods hand No he was made upright but he had a fall as ye read 2 Sam. 4.4 that Mephibosheth fell out of his Nurses armes and be came lame poor man of both his feet What is the Nurse but providence which supported the man and bare him in hir armes of mercy and judgment comands and prohebitions Gen. 2. But out of her armes the man fell and is lame on both his feet his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his concupiscible and irascible affections which are the feet which carry the soul whithersoever it goes So that to the fallen man belongs shame and confusion of face that is word for word Mephibosheth Yea even the Philosopher himself could take notice of this from the irregular motions in man that man was become otherwise then formerly he had been Obs 2. Hence it appeares that even in those who have the Spirit of God in some measure there are motions contrary to the Spirit I say in some measure Wisdom 7.27 Thus the Galathians had received the Spirit Gal. 3.2 Proportionably to their age which was the childhood Gal. 4.19 In whom yet the flesh lusted against the Spirit And the Corinthians had received the Spirit by which they were sanctified 1 Cor. 1.2 Yet was their age and growth no more then that of the childhood they were babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.1 And these are said to be carnall and to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the first Adam or the old man ver 3. Obs 3 The lusts of the flesh are first and they first appeare in the man Primum animale dein spirituale First that which is animalish then that which is spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 4 Observe the reason of that impetuousnes