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
there be not a man so just upon earth that so doth good but that he may sin Ye have a brief Analyse and Paraphrase of the neighbour words that lead to my Text. Come we now to the divine truths contained in it and they are these 1. Wisdom strengthens the wise 2. Wisdom strengthens the wise more then ten mighty men in the City 3. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and may not sin 4. Although the wisdom so strengthen yet there is not a just man upon earrh c. 1. When Wisdom is said to strengthen the wise we must inquire what wisdom this is and how it is true that wisdom strengthens the wise 1. The word here turn'd Wisdom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is extreamly ambiguous and therefore we must timely distinguish it according to the significations of it And so Wisdom is either Divine and from above or either Humane and of this world or either Devilish and from beneath The wisdom here meant is divine which is defined Absoluti divinique boni scientia Rerum divinarum humanarumque scientia the knowledge of the absolute and divine good the knowledge of things divine and humane So Lactantius and others The Wiseman who on purpose speaks of wisdom defines it the breath or emanation of the power of God and a pure stream flowing from the glory of the Almighty the brightness of the everlasting light c. Wisd 7.25 26. Which description declares that the true wisdom is not such as the Philosophers have delivered it unto the world who make it one of the intilectual habits as they call them whereof they make five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they will have it consist in knowledge But it is evident by that description of the Wiseman that wisdom is no acquisite habit nor consists it only in knowledge though of the highest things For we must take notice that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom And the Scripture places Wisdom not in the Brain but in the Heart 1 King 3.12 Psal 90.12 By Wisdom then we must here understand the Spirit of wisdom which is Christ and thus Deut. 34.9 Joshuah is said to be full of the Spirit of wisdom Esay 11.2 There shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom For this S. Paul prayes Ephes 1.17 And Wisd 1.4 what the Wiseman calls wisdom v. 5. he calls the holy Spirit of Discipline 2. The word we turn to strengthen is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make firm solid and strong Which is transferred from outward and visible to invisible and inward things So that as the thickning of bodily things makes them stronger as a threefold cord is not easily broken so likewise the addition of spiritual things makes them more firm and those who have them as light and heat c. may be encreased Whence we say Vis unita fortior Psalm 68.29 Strengthen O Lord the things thou hast wrought in us unto which the Apostle may seem to have had respect when he saith 1 Cor. 3.6 7. I have planted and Apoll◠watereth but God gave the increase They go from strength to strength Psal 84.7 Stablish strengthen settle you 1 Pet. 5.10 The reason is evident from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-sufficiency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that operative power of the divine-wisdom in those who have it in them It is given them for this end to work in them as Solomon prayed 1 Kings 3.9 Wisd 9.10 O send her out of thy holy heavens and from the throne of thy glory that being present she may labour with me c. Wisd 6. Obs 1. Note here that a man who is wise by the wisdom of God hath that wisdom in him For nothing can render another like it self but it must be in him in whom it works Since therefore Christ is the true wisdom he must be in those whom he makes wise and strengthens by his wisdom and will be found of all that seek him Prov. 8.17 Obs 2. A great diversity and a broad difference between humane fear and the fear of God which the Wiseman here calls wisdom Humane fear abates mens courage Timor minuit Fear betrayes those succours which reason would afford Wisd 17.12 But the fear of God which is the wisdom here meant encourages and strengthens the wise Obs 3. Hence it followes that a wise man is a valiant man The Wiseman tells us so much expresly Prov. 24.5 A wise man is strong yea a man of knowledge encreaseth strength Solomon knew this from his father Davids example Psal 27.1 Such a valiant man was S. Paul Rom. 8.35 c. who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress c. In all these things we are more then Conquerours Obs 4. That as there are diverse sorts of wisdom divine humane and diabolical as hath been shewen so the divine wisdom it self hath diverse degrees And the wisdom here spoken of is the lowest For Solomon having spoken of the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom he presently saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This wisdom namely the fear of God strengtheneth the wise He implyes that there is another and higher degree of wisdom then this is of which S. Paul speaks experimentally Col. 1.26 27 28 29. the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations which is Christ in you c. whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily Obs 5. This resolves a great doubt which might be made by comparing the speech of the Wiseman Ecclus 24.21 where the Wisdom saith They that eat me shall yet be hungry and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty Whereas John 4.14 Whosoever saith the wisdom of God drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst c. And 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger c. Whence its evident the former words are to be understood of the former and lower degree of wisdom and the later of the consummate and perfect wisdom called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdoms able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 The wisdom of the just Luke 1.17 Which justly reproves our great unthankfulness unto the Lord Jesus our Saviour and Deliverer who saves and delivers us out of the hands of our enemies who redeems us from iniquity from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God 1 Thess 1.10 from eternal death from him who hath the power of death Hebr. 2. Yet who returns thanks Solomon tels us a Story Eccles 9.14 of a little City delivered by a poor wise man And what is this little City but the Church professing godliness S. Matth. 5.14 Such indeed are but few in regard of the whole world Against this little City comes a great King the Prince of this World He besieges it he goes about seeking whom he may devour This is the true Nebuchadnezzar he who straightneth and besiegeth
resemblances between Shem and the Lord Jesus and that Christ himself is the true Shem. The derivation and descent of the word Shem is not known unto men It s commonly derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to name which rather ought to be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor is the descent of the Lord Jesus knowen unto the world So they confess John 7.27 we know not whence he is Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a name Esay 45.15 And names are either Verbalia Verbal or Realta real names Christ is that Shem real that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great that honorable name as the Cabalists call him that glorious and fearfull name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 28 58. This is understood by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so often in the Chaldee Paraphrast where Christ the true Shem is understood Thus Esay 1.13 my soule hateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my word So Jer. 1.8 I am with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my word my name Immanuel Esay 45 17. the true Shem is with thee Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Chald. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto his word Mat. 22.44 which is that Scripture wherewith the Lord proved his Deity and put the Pharisees to silence So that it was no new expression Iohn 1.1 but well known unto the Jewes when S. John calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word which is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that real substantial and essential Name of God It 's usual for the word Name to signifie a person Acts 1.15 Rev. 3.4 11.13 as the number of names that is persons and a few names a few persons As for that dispute whether Shem were Melchisedec or not S. Hierom received it for a truth by tradition from the Jewes and others have followed him in that opinion However spiritually and mystically most certain it is that the true Shem is the right Melchisedec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14. He is Shem the great saith the Thargum of Jerusalem And how shall that be made good that Shem and Sheth were glorious among men Ecclus 49.16 whereof yet so little is recorded either in the word of God or humane writers unless we understand there especially the true Shem and Sheth What therefore is disputable in the letter is reconciled in the spiritual meaning Melchisedec For the true Shem is the true the King of righteousness So the Prophet Esay Esay 32.1 ver 17. Hebr. 7.1 2. A King shall reign in righteousness and afterward King of Salem that is King of peace as the Apostle speakes So we have done with the first quaere who Shem was 2. Come we now to the second what he did and herein we shall finde him a type of the true Shem whether we consider his acts Natural as a Father begetting his children naming them if that may be called natural Moral 1. Shem is said to be the Father of all the children of Heber Gen. 10.21 And was not Shem also the father of Elam and Assur and Lud and Aram c. And so the father of all the children of Elam and Assur c Surely if we look no further then the letter it 's as true of these as those as true that he was the Father of all the children of Elam Assur c. As that he was the father of all the children of Heber If therefore we shall enquire who are the true children of Heber and the true Hebrews we shall finde that no other then the true Shem was their father For who are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are the true Hebrews who else but such as are Irati such as are angry with themselves that they have continued so long in their sins who else but such as are therefore angry with themselves that they may not sin So diverse of the Antients as also Calvin understood Psal 4.4 Ephes 4.26 Be angry and sin not To lay down all our anger one towards another It was the speach of the Deacon to the Communicants as mine now to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man have a quarel against any man A fit qualification for us all who come unto the Lords Table whose profession is to shew forth the Lords death untill he manifest his life in us by dying daily unto sin truly and earnestly to repent us of our sins to be angry with our selves that have so long lived in sin from which we resolve now to dye to be angry with our selves when any thought or evill motion ariseth in our hearts that we give not our consent thereunto and so sin These are the first children of Heber 2. Other children of Heber there are who are transeuntes So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies such as are in their passage from sin to righteousness from death to life such as are about to keep the Passover with our Lord such was Abraham the son of Heber and great grandchild of Shem whom the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14.18 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that passeth over whom Philo Judeus understands to be one who passeth out of the state of sin and corruption into the divine nature 2. Pet. 1.4 Out of Vr of the Chaldes the light of Devills toward the holy Land Which is the dutie of us all O ye children of Abraham who profess our selves believers the duty of us all who pretend now to keep the Spiritual Passover 1 Cor. 5.8 3. There are yet a third sort of Hebers children who are praegnantes such as have conceived Christ in their hearts and such as are as it were with child by the holy spirit Gal. 4.19 of whom I travail in birth again saith S. Paul till Christ be formed in yo These spiritual Hebrews are of the circumcision who put away the sin of the flesh and worship God in the spirit Col. 2. Phil. 3.3 2. Act. His naming of his children As the true Shem begets and is the father of all the children of Heber so he gives names unto them Rev. 3.12 So Ab. Joachim Cant. 1.3 Esay 62.2 Thy name is an ointment powred out Even that unction from the holy One 1 John 2.20.29 truly Christ himself according to the Spirit 2. As for the moral or spiritual acts of the true Shem they are two especially 1. That notable act of Shem which hath made him glorious among men Ecclus 49. he covered his fathers nakedness and may not the true Shem be said to do the like doth not the Lord Jesus Christ cover the nakednesse of that soul where he is begotten He is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.1 2. He covers with the covering of his Spirit Esay 30.1 Rom. 8.13 by which we mortifie the deeds of the body and live 2.
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
of all grace Accordingly the Apostle faith that God the Father makes his children partakers of his holiness Hebr. 12.10 and renders them holy as he is holy All this is necessarily to be understood when we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holiness of holinesses that essential holinesse is it which makes all these persons and things holy which are truly such Which understanding of this phrase is quite lost if it be rendred only most holy And therefore Pagnin renders the words Sanctitas sanctitatum Holiness of holinesses The Tigurin Bible Sanctum Sanctorum holy of holies To the same purpose Tremellius Munster and Vatablus 2. Aaron and his sons must appoint every one to his service and to his burden The whole burden of the Tabernacle when the Camp removed lay upon the Kohathites the Gersonites and the Merarites as appears at large in this fourth Chapter of Numbers The service and burden mentioned in these words before us concerned the Kohathites And this is reasonable according to the prudence and equity of the high Priest who apportions unto every one his burden according to his strength to bear it That one be not eased and another burdened but that there be an equality That there be no confusion but that every one may know his own business That there be no intrusion of one upon anothers work Whence it appears 1. The Levitical office is a laborious office a service a burden He who desires the office of a Bishop desires a good work 1 Tim. 3.1 Docet Apostolus quid sit Episcopatus nomen scilicet esse operis non bonoris The Apostle saith S. Augustine teacheth what Episcopacy is viz. the name of a work not of an honour 2. One man must not bear two mens burdens there is no equality no equity in that 3. Hence it appears that there were orders and degrees of Ministers in the Old Testament some imposing others bearing burdens imposed on them And because the Law was Gravida Evangelio big with the Gospel there must be degrees and orders also of Ministers under the Gospel and these not inferiour unto those under the Law both of them representing the degrees and orders among the Angels We read of three sorts of Ministers distinct in degree from one another 1. There were inferiour Elders or Ministers to whom Timothy and Titus gave power to ordain set up reprove restrain c. These were as ministeriall Levites of the lowest order 2. There were superintendents or Bishops such as Timothy himself was at Ephesus and Titus in Crete These answer to the Priests in the Old Testament and to the Angels called principalities and powers 3. There were higher then these superintendent Bishops who had power to ordain and setup the Bishops of the second order And such were the Apostles themselves For an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expresly attributed to the Apostles 1 Ton. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any man desire a Bishoprick and Acts 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 1.20 his Bishoprick was spoken of Judas fallen from his Apostleship let another take his Bishoprick In this sense S. Paul called Peter James and John who were of highest reputation Pillars Gal. 1.9 So that the name of Ecclesiastical Hieâ—archy is both venerable for antiquity and wants not its basis and foundation in the heavenly Hierarchy I speak not of persons who may nay who have sometimes unworthily intruded themselves and have been by men by undue meant advanced thereunto and have arrogated honours to themselves I speak of the degrees and orders themselves found both in the Old and New Testament Those orders themselves may be piously retained and maintained if the persons admitted thereunto be called of God and worthy of such honour 1 Cor. 12.28 â—phos 4.11 12. we read of divers orders Whereof the first three Apostles Prophets and Evangelists are by some godly and judicious Divines made all one or such as may be found in one and the same person For whosoever is an Apostle or hath seen Jesus Christ in the spirit by which token S. Paul asserts and proves his Apostleship 1 Cor. 9.1 he must needs be a right Propher and a true Dâ—â—agelist The other two may be reduced to the other two subordinate sorts of Ministers Now where out Lord saith he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great or greater V.L. among you let him be your Minister Matth. 20.26 And he that will be greater or greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you Matth. 23.11 shall be your servant great greater and greatest therefore there are among Christian Ministers But he that is greater or greatest hath the greatest burden What a speech was that of S. Paul 2 Cor. 12.15 2 Cor. 12. Ver. 15. I teek not yours but you and I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die The Kohathites might approach to the most holy things to receive every one their service and their burden as appears by the former words These words discover how far the Kohathites might go Not so far as to see when the holy things are covered no not upon pain of death lest they die But these things will better appear in the particular handling of the severals contained in gross in these words The Kohathites must not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die Wherein these divine truths are contained 1. The holy things are covered 2. The Kohathites must not go in to see the holy things when they are covered 3. They must not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die 1. The holy things are covered What are here called holy things are in the abstract with an emphasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holiness and it is no other then what was called before holiness of holinesses This holiness is said to be covered The word here turn'd covered is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to be swallowed up devoured destroyed So Arias Montanus turns it here juxta obsorbere at the swallowing up And though it be often used in Scripture it s no where used to signifie covered except only in this place Howbeit I shall speak somewhat unto both senses 1. The holiness is swallowed 2. The holiness is covered 1. The holiness Some would understand hereby Rem sanctam some holy thing Others Res sanctas the holy things But why should not the Spirit of God express it self in its own sense The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holiness But can holiness be devoured swallowed up or destroyed Can it not if it cannot what 's become of it There is a great deal of inquiry made what 's become of the Ark the golden Altar and the other paterns of the holy things whether the Romans carried them away among their other spoyls when they took Jerusalem But who inquires after the holy things themselves
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
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
ingredient of all the Christian mans actions that pretious tincture that turns all it touches into gold as they say Midas did And what ever wants this divine tincture of holy love t is like the Terra damnata t is nothing worth Hence the Apostles general advise is Let all your things be done in charity 1 Cor. 16.14 A rule so necessary that the very best and greatest duties otherwise performed whether towards God or towards our neighbour are of no value in the sight of God 1 Cor. 13. I shall adde no more motives Let us rather come to discover our love to the Lord our God whether we keep this Commandement or not 1. The love of God proceeds from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 How then canst thou love thy God when thou sayest thy heart cannot be pure And how can thy faith be unfeigned when thou believest not that thou art able to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 2. Love will suffer nothing to intervene or separate us from the party we love that may hinder our union Love knits unites and makes one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is continued is one Our love unto God unites us and makes us one with him according to our Saviours prayer John 17.21 and that of the Apostle he who is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Such love of our God will not endure any mixture of what is contrary to our God And therefore S. Paul having exhorted to sincerity of love which is required even in the lowest degree of it as hath been shewen Let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 he presently adds Abhor that which is evil Sincerity of love unto our God will not endure any corrival any thing or person to share with our God in our love of him How then canst thou say thou lovest the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and keepest all that Commandement when yet thou knowest that thou lovest thy pleasures more then thou lovest thy God when thou knowest thou lovest the world and the things of this world Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses Know ye not that the friendship of the world is the enmity of God Jam. 4.4 So the Greek text hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is made an enemy of God Wouldst thou believe thy wife should she say she loved thee whilest she prostitutes her self unto another man And wilt thou pretend to be the loving Spouse of thy Maker yet love his enemy 3. The love of God puts us upon such works as he loves Whence the Apostle This saith he is the love of God that we keep his Commandements It puts us upon the love of our neighbour Love works no evil to his neighbour Rom. 13.10 Ad populum Phaleras Away with all trappings and false pretences of love without the reality of it Good discourse and holy conference proceeding from a life worthy of God and a heart and soul which loves God is an edge which pierceth to the assimilating of others unto it self Such a soul edifies and conveighs grace to the hearers For charity edifies not knowledge not holy talk without it The Pharisees of old knew very much of God and his Word and wayes and spake very much of God And they of all others most reasoned with our Lord concerning God and his truth But our Lord tells them I know that ye have not the love of God in you John 5.42 And we may say the like of the Pharisees of our time They are great talkers of God and of Religion and indeed would seem to be the onely people of God and to know all things knowable They are indeed the true Amorites great Talkers and most bitter men in their invectives against all who are not of their opinion as no wise man is And therefore we may know that they have not the love of God in them They have a knowing knowledge or such as reflects upon it self as the Apostle saith we know that we all have knowledge This knowledge puffs men up and makes them proud but charity edifies 1 Cor. 8.1.2 That knowing knowledge is the dust the food of the Serpentine generation according to their doom Gen. 3.14 which the Prophet Esay 65.25 tells us must be fulfilled in these last dayes a food wherewithal they so glut themselves that there is no place left for the love of God in them Therefore Jehu cuts off and destroyes the knowing knowledge so the Chald. Paraphrast renders 2 Kings 9.8 Every one that pisseth against the wall all the knowing knowledge which excludes the love of God For so the true Jehu Hebr. 1. v. 12. who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui est a type of Christ Hebr. 1.12 Thou art He for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat aliquid divinitatis saith Galatinus it imports somewhat of the Divinity And therefore Scaliger having reckoned up many names of God concludes them all with Ipse He. This spiritual Jehu destroyes all the false the knowing disobedient knowledge which is the true spiritual inward Antichrist and consumes him with the spirit of his mouth and destroyes him with the brightness of his coming or presence 2 Thes 2.8 Psal 90. v. 12. And therefore Moses the man of God prayes Psal 90.12 that the Lord would teach him to number his dayes that he might bring unto him a wise heart so the words signifie not a wise not a subtil crafty head not a strong head-piece as they call it Let us name some means and helps to advance this great duty 1. The fear of God is the beginning of his love Ecclus 1.14 And that fear drives out the evil And when the love of God is brought into the soul it makes a compleat separation from the sin O ye that love the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is evil Psal 97.10 2. Whatsoever thou seest amiable and lovely in the creature love it wholly for God and in order unto God the Creator of it How shall that be done When thou seest ravishing Beauty in the Creature reason thus O how much more beautiful is my God who created this Beauty When thou seest great strength think how much more strong is He who is the Power Mark 14.62 Thou lovest wealth consider how much better is it to be rich towards God! Or thou art desirous of Honour Reason thus How much more excellent is the honour that comes of God only Thou lovest Pleasures but think how much more satisfying and durable are the pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore 3. Pray we unto the Lord that he will be pleased to circumcise our hearts that we may love him with all our heart and with all our soul that we may live Deut. 30.6 For the advancement of this divine and eternal life and kingdom of God there are who point us unto faith only But beside it
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
For si bonus est insons contrarias malus est sons Auson So that Sons is an evil man from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellious against God and man Or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 odious hateful to God and man and to himself also If we consider the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred here to be guilty which from its affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports an horror and abominatiou as from blasting and as it were a lovely and desolate estate such as needs must the guilty mans be who is broken off from the society with God and man So that to be so guilty to be in fear and horrour after committing some of all the sins of man to trespass a trespass against the Lord to be so guilty its a duty an obligation that lies upon the sinner as in the day of expiations the people are commanded to afflict their souls Levit. 16.29 under penalty of being cut off Levit. 23.29 And such a duty it is as the Lord expects Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place until they acknowledge their offence Hos 5. Ve 15. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until they be guilty Dones deficiant as Pagnin turns the word until they fail faint and quail in their courage till fear and horrour overtake them and so the words following sound Until they be guilty and seek my face in their affliction or strait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto them they will seek me early Such a desolate state sin committed against God and man the sinner through mercy is disposed unto Lam. 3.28 29 30. He sits alone and keeps silence because he hath born the yoke upon him He putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him he is filled with reproach Such an abased condition the Lord requires toward repentance remission of sin and expiation of it 2 Chron. 7.14 It my people upon whom my Name is called shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their evil wayes then will I hear from heaven c. If we consider this well what it is to be guilty and how it follows upon sin committed against God and man we cannot but wonder at an impudent and daring generation who have on their souls an heavie load of guilt yet beat it lightly at least with pretence of much innocency Spem vultu simulat premit alâ—o corde dolorem Confident in face but full sad in heart Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Own 's no guilt to himself appall'd at no fault Yea with great boldness they intrude into the Congregation of Saints as if they were of their communion The Lord himself seems to marvel at the peoples impudence Jer. 7.8 9 10. Jer. 7. ver 8 9 10. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit Will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsly and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name and say we are delivered to do all those abominations as if they should say we come into the Temple to thank God for the success of our sins or to pray for help to do them or we are free'd or redeem'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to commit these abominations And truly its wonderful that the just God shewes not some notable example upon such hypocrites He hath so done as appears by what the Wiseman speaks Ecclus 1.29 30. Be not an hypocrite in the sight of men and take good heed to what thou speakest Exalt not thy self lest thou fall and bring dishonour upon thy soul and so God discover thy secrets and cast thee down in the midst of the Congregation because thou camest not in truth to the fear of the Lord but thy heart is full of deceit Hence it followes that the man hath in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Judicatory a Tribunal where he judges or may judge himself 1 Cor. 11. Judge your selves c. accuse or condemn himself Rom. 2. According to which a man is said to be worsted in his cause 1 Cor. 6.7 This is utterly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6. ver 7. a fault among you that ye go to law one with another it is a worsting as when a man does causa cadere lose his suit According to which a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-judged and condemned Tit. 3.11 according to which a man being self-judged self-worsted self-condemned he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-tormentor yea too often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-executioner Take notice hence how partial men are unto themselves they will not own their own guilt Achan took Josh 7. And Micha took Judg. 17.2 Neither of them stole And the Civil Law calls stoln goods Res amotae things put out of their place The figures Euphemismus and Charientismus whereby graceful names are put upon dishonest and soul actions are of notable uss in these evil dayes Which may discover the egregious folly of many vain men who go about to silence the clamour of their guilty conscience with a noyse of Musitians Alas to what purpose are the Minstrels when the Damsel is dead Matth. 9.23 Or who put themselves into merry company of some Buffoons who may jeast away their sorrow Or else they get them among their associates and carnal friends perhaps as deep in guilt as themselves and there they hope to drive away their guilt with a Club or play it away at Cards or Dice Or else they get into the countrey and hope to run away from their pursuing guilt But evil hunts the wicked man to overthrow him Psal 140.11 haeret lateri lethalis arundo Alas These and such shifts as these are but like the skinning over of a festred wound It will break out again And when men have used all their arts and policies to hide themselves from their guilt their sin will at length finde them out Mystice We read Verse 5. that the Lord spake unto Moses This form of words so often iterated are not vainly to be neglected like Homers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor to be understood onely according to the dulness and incapableness of the hearer but according to the Majesty of him who so speaks For the Lord Jesus tels us that God is a Spirit John 4.24 And the Apostle The Lord is a Spirit 2 Cor. 3.17 And therefore what he speaks must be spiritually understood Yea it is not only spiritual but even Spirit it self The Lord Jesus John 6. when he had in mystical words delivered at large the secret of his body and blood some who were fleshly minded said How can this man give us his flesh to eat My words saith our Lord are spirit and they are life And whereas the words before us are a part of the Moral Law and belong to the eighth Commandement Thou shalt
not steal Exod. 20. S. Paul tels us that the Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 and therefore it hath a spiritual understanding These words therefore have their mystical meaning hinted in divers parts of the text both in the supposition of the crime and guilt and in the imposition of penalty expiation of the trespass and reconciliation of the trespassers Any of all the sins of man committed involves and implyes the trespassing a trespass against the Lord. Wherein this trespass consists will appear if we compare the parallel Scripture Levit. 6.2 3. If a soul sin and trespass a trespass against the Lord Levit. 6. ver 23. and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered to him to keep c. This supposition seemed strange to one of the most pious and learned Fathers That there should be any soul found guilty of these or any such crimes among the people of God Absit hoc ab Ecclesia Dei and again Absit absit inquam ut haec ego de aliquo fidelium sentiam Far be it far be it I say that I should believe these things to be spoken of the Church of God Yea saith he I dare confidently affirm of you that ye have not so learned Christ would God I could as truly say the same of the present Church of Christ Wherefore since those enormities concern'd not the Church of Christ according to the letter that holy Father applyed that law spiritually to the Church And let us inquire what is the Depositum that which is delivered to be kept Surely the Lord hath delivered unto every one of us a depositum somewhat he has committed to every one of our charge to be kept even our pretious soul and body and the image of our God imprinted in it and stampt upon it as his coyn his money to be imployed to our Masters use Most certain it is thou hast received this thy Lords money the image and superscription of thy God without blemish no way adulterate not at all abased For nothing can proceed from the most holy God which is not holy This image this depositum this pledge must be restored unto thy God intire in specie there is no recompense to be made in value for it it self must be restored unto God If therefore thou be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 If pure as he is pure 1 John 3.3 If perfect as he is perfect Matth. 5. If merciful as he is merciful thou bearest his image the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 These all these are in thy God by nature and all these are in his image which is to be imitated and drawn out in thee and restor'd intirely to him as thou receivedst them If these be in thee happy thrice happy thou This was that pledge which S. Paul gave Timothy a charge to keep 2 Tim. 1.14 O Timothy that good thing committed to thee keep by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us But if now we have imbezill'd our Lords money if we have been unholy and prophane if impure and unclean if unmerciful and cruel if we deride as many do the perfect life and jeer it out of the Church as an impossible thing thou hast wasted thy Lords money thou hast spent thy fathers substance thou hast defaced the image of thy God thou hast adulterated his coin and thus thou hast lyed and denied that good thing committed to thy charge and hast the Devils image minted and imprinted on thy soul 2. We read of fraudulent dealing in fellowship Lev. 6.2 What fellowship what partnership is this Does not the Apostle say If there be any fellowship of the spirit Phil. 2.1 This fellowship of the spirit cannot be without fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ which S. John and his fellow Apostles had 1 John 1.3 And S. Peter we are made partakers saith he of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Since therefore so blessed a fellowship is vouchsafed unto us even a fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and with the holy Spirit if we be partakers of the Divine Nature O how careful how watchful ought we to be lest by our unfaithfulness we deny that blessed society It is denied in works not in words only Tit. 1.16 For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness what communion hath light with darkness 3. The Lord discovers another trespass Levit. 6. ver 2. taking away a thing by violence or by putting of the hand as in the marg If we render that place word for word it sounds thus If a soul sin and trespass a trespass against the Lord in putting of the hand or in rapine or hath oppressed his neighbour by violence or fraud For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both 1. To over-power one by forg'd cavillation Jer. 7.6 Mich. 2.2 2. To deceive and circumvent by fraud Mal. 3.5 Where the Translators put oppress in the Text and defraud in the Margent as they might have done here implying that the word hath both significations Where they quite leave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to take away by open violence For what they turn taking away by violence they otherwise render in the margent putting of the hand What they adde or hath deceived answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hath been shewen so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by rapine is quite left out and not translated By putting of the hand may be implyed â—imming and pilfering and such like close theeving where by a kinde of Legrer de main men steal the word one from another whereof the Prophet speaks Ver. 23.30 By rapine is understood open force and violence whereby men forcibly take to themselves all the promises of God which belong not unto them and thereby lay violent hands upon the kingdom of God before John Baptists day dawns unto them Mat. 11.13 Of both these the Prophet speaks Hos 7.1 The thief comes in and the troop of robbers spoyleth without And our Lord He that entreth not by the door even the death and life of Christ into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber John 10.1 Where the old English Manuscript renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a night-thief and a day-thief Hitherto we have had the supposition of a crime and the guilt of it Come we now to the Lords imposition of a penalty and the means of expiation of the sin and reconciliation with the parties wronged which are literally in this order man and God himself and accordingly he ordains the means The penalty and means of reconciliation unto man is two fold Confession and Restitation Confession is here injoyned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Verb in the reciprocal form then they shall confess themselves which is an inward and reflex confession of the heart Confitebuntur se so Pagnin